2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Why the 'persuasive' Lawrence Stroll is actually a strength of Aston Martin.
Since the arrival of Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin has been making improvements. The owner of the Formula 1 team was perhaps the main reason that Adrian Newey decided to join the British team. What makes Stroll so special? Mike Krack explained it in an exclusive interview with GPblog.com.
02 Oct 2024
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com

"Lawrence's passion and commitment and enthusiasm is very endearing. It's very persuasive. The reality is if you go back 20 years, then what we now call team principles are actually the owners of the teams. Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan etc. In this modern era, then Lawrence is actually unique in being the only properly active team owner. It's a different feeling when you have somebody like Lawrence involved like that. It's back to the old school model," Newey revealed at the press conference at Silverstone.

"It's fantastic. Especially as I have worked in the corporate world for a couple of years and when you see how quickly we can make decisions without having to prepare a pack or whatever. You can just go there and say this is what we want to do, and within ten seconds, you can go and do it or not," Krack stated in a conversation with GPblog.

"This flexibility came to light when we started a collaboration with Fernando [Alonso]. It was a matter of hours where other structures might take three months to decide. I think in the case of Fernando, his situation was dragging, dragging, dragging and we just made facts. This is only possible with someone at the top like Lawrence, who has a clear mind, a clear vision and he's a strong leader. He just says this is what we're going to do and this is what is an asset of this team."

'Persuasive Lawrence Stroll is actually a strength of Aston Martin’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30439...on-martin.html


‘In my career’: Fernando Alonso has ‘never seen before’ in F1 what’s happened at Aston Martin
Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Fernando Alonso had ‘never’ seen an owner like Lawrence Stroll in F1 before joining Aston Martin. While Alonso won two titles with Renault, won races with Ferrari and drove for McLaren as a title-contending team and as a recovering outfit, the Oviedo native had never seen the same commitment from a team’s ownership as he has with Lawrence Stroll at Aston Martin.

“I think Aston Martin are the most determined team I have been in in my career,” he stated, via quotes by AS. “The commitment of this team, the vision of our leader Lawrence Stroll, is something I have never seen before. And probably the results that Aston Martin have achieved in three years since it has existed are also unprecedented with eight podiums last year, and now the signing of Adrian Newey.”

“Most determined team I have been in in my career”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...-aston-martin/


Alonso urges Aston Martin shake-up despite Newey arrival
29 Sep 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has urged Aston Martin to make changes for the 2025 F1 season despite the upcoming arrival of Adrian Newey. Aston Martin is fifth in the table, over 200 points adrift of fourth-placed Mercedes, and a comfortable 52 points clear of RB. It is a shadow of the team which claimed eight podiums last season, alerting Alonso that the Silverstone-based outfit needs a boost for next year before Newey's arrival, albeit with his primary focus on 2026.

"I think 2026 is in our hands for everyone at Aston Martin," Alonso told media including RacingNews365. "The biggest hope with Adrian [Newey] coming, Enrico [Cardile], some of the names. So this is going to be great. The future looks bright, but for 2025 we need to shake things a little bit. I mean, it's not good enough what we are doing right now. 2025 we need to change."

‘Make changes for the 2025 F1 season’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-urg...-newey-arrival


Alonso: Third F1 title my "only priority", wants Dakar return over Indy 500
Oct 2, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

"I attempted Indy 500 three times and didn't succeed. It's the only one missing [from the triple crown]. But at the moment, it's not in my plan," Alonso said at an event of Aston's sponsor Cognizant. "I'm very, very focused [on] Formula 1 now. For the next two or three years, I want to win the third world title. This is my first and only priority at the moment.”

"Only priority";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...-500/10659734/


Villeneuve says "exceptional drivers" can only drive cars designed by Newey
3 Oct 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Jacques Villeneuve believes that only "exceptional drivers" can properly compete in cars designed by Adrian Newey. "From my experience, Newey has always built cars that need to be driven very precisely," started the 1997 world champion. "His cars have always had a narrow operating window, but if you found that operating window, the cars were super fast. It is not a car for everyone. He makes cars for exceptional drivers and the exceptional drivers will make a big difference in these cars; the ordinary driver will suffer," Villeneuve indicated to Marca.

"The key now for Fernando [Alonso] is to 'survive' long enough to get a winning car," Villeneuve continues, knowing that 2026 will be the season that Aston Martin are looking towards. "You don't do that by beating [Lance] Stroll by a second a lap. Part of Fernando's job there is to help Lance improve. His job there is not necessarily to become champion himself, he has to make Aston Martin champion. That's why Newey is joining the team."

"Exceptional drivers";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30462...gulations.html


Newey explains why he opted for 'old school' Aston Martin, rather than joining Hamilton in 2025 move to Ferrari
4 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Adrian Newey has given a revealing insight into why he chose to join Aston Martin for next year, despite having been linked with a move to Ferrari where he could have teamed up with Lewis Hamilton in 2025. Indeed, Hamilton himself stated that it would be a “privilege” to work with Newey, comments that the Briton admitted he was “very flattered” by.

Newey was asked how seriously he had entertained the prospect of signing with Ferrari, as well as being quizzed on why he ultimately plumped for the Silverstone outfit instead. “I think from my part, I was very flattered by the number of teams that did approach me,” Newey explained. “I had discussions with some of those teams, not all of them. In the end, it became a very clear and natural choice, for all the reasons I stated earlier in the conference.”

“Towards the end of April, I decided that I needed to do something different,” the 65-year-old conceded. “I spent a lot of time with Mandy, my wife, kind of discussing what’s next… What do we do? Do we go off and sail around the world? Do I do something different? We took a bit of time out. I felt that I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved what I aspired to from the age of 10 or 12, which was simply to be a designer – I didn’t even know the word engineer – in motor racing.”

‘Opted for 'old school' Aston Martin’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0Fxi4Uy3neiTqk


Aston Martin 'encouraged' by Honda collaboration: 'They are really pushing'
29 Sep 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Japanese manufacturer Honda will supply engines for Aston Martin from 2026. Mike Krack, Aston Martin's team boss, ran media through the latest updates in the project, as he is very excited by the progress that has been made between his team and champion engine supplier Honda. "No, no, the meetings that are coming up are just a sequence of meetings that have been planned since we started the collaboration. There is no, this is not a kick-off or a start, this has been, this goes on for long already," he revealed after the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Aston Martin team boss is very pleased with how things have been going so far. "Very well, very well. It's very encouraging, they are really, they are racers. They are pushing, pushing, pushing and the same goes for the collaboration with Aramco, so we have like a tripartite collaboration there, which works really well", the team principal concluded.

Mike Krack: "But again, you know, it's not the collaboration that matters, it's the result at the end of the day." Concluded Krack. Currently, Aston Martin finds itself in fifth place in the constructors standings with 86 points. The British team are 243 points behind fourth-placed Mercedes but still sits 52 points ahead of closest challengers VCARB.

'They are really pushing';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30406...-for-2026.html


Cycling sprint legend Sir Mark Cavendish KBE named Aston Martin’s first High Performance Ambassador
2 Oct 2024
Aston Martin (Press Release)

British sporting legend, Sir Mark Cavendish becomes the first person to take on the new role of Global High Performance ambassador at Aston Martin

‘High Performance Ambassador’;

https://www.astonmartin.com/en-gb/ou...nce-ambassador

[Fortitude]

Lawson reflects on terrible Singapore weekend.
Having just been confirmed as a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo at the Visa Cash App RB outfit, Liam Lawson has reflected on the "terrible" race weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix.
2 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking to New Zealand's radio station Newstalk ZB, Lawson has opened up on the atmosphere at the Faenza-based outfit during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, revealing that it was strange given the looming announcement. "The weekend in Singapore was not pleasant at all because obviously we all knew what was going to happen.”

“At the same time, Daniel has always been very good to me when I drove in his place last year. And even this season he was a person with whom I never felt that I was in competition for the seat. So, on the weekend the feelings were terrible. On the other hand, the opportunity to drive in Formula 1 comes only once, and for me, it has come now.”

"So I can only be grateful to Red Bull for the opportunity and feel the need to take it with both hands. He also told me the same thing, he told me that I have to get the most out of this chance that was given to me."

“Not pleasant at all”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25556


Marko: Red Bull will consider its juniors, not Russell, for the future
Despite Russell’s Mercedes contract ending in a year’s time, Marko says Red Bull is focusing on its proteges
4 Oct 2024
Ben Vinel
Motorsport.com

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko says the Austrian brand will mainly look at its junior drivers for the future, rather than established Formula 1 stars. "George Russell is on a par with [Lewis] Hamilton in qualifying, if not faster," Marko admitted in an interview with Motorsport.com's sister publication Formel1.de. "But Russell is Mercedes-Benz-affiliated, and now we are focusing on our juniors.”

"We see this with [Franco] Colapinto, for example, he was relatively inexperienced and not very successful in the junior series, although it has to be said that he never had the best teams, but what an incredible performance he is putting in now.”

"And now let's see what our juniors or even a Yuki Tsunoda can do. He can also be described as a junior. But as I mentioned earlier, how does he compare to a Lawson?"

‘Mainly look at its junior drivers for the future’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...ture/10660016/


Report: Why Pierre Gasly had a ‘reputation for being difficult’ within Red Bull before Helmut Marko sacked him
4 Oct 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Pierre Gasly felt the full force of Red Bull’s notorious ruthlessness in 2019. He would last just half a season alongside Max Verstappen before a demotion back to Toro Rosso. The Frenchman had impressed at the junior team, scoring 29 of their 33 points in 2018 – his first full season. With Daniel Ricciardo making a shock move to Renault, Red Bull continued their policy of promoting from within.

The ‘excessive’ requests Pierre Gasly made that annoyed Red Bull management. According to The Race, Red Bull staff found it ‘difficult’ to work with Gasly during his brief stay. This may have contributed to his swift exit. He apparently demanded extremely specific tweaks to the configuration of his car. And perhaps most significantly, he ‘publicly’ challenged the team’s leadership over their issues.

‘Extremely specific tweaks to the configuration of his car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...ko-sacked-him/


Tsunoda forced to end his demo run in Taiwan with engine issues
05 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Completing his first demonstration run in Taiwan last weekend, Visa Cash RB driver Yuki Tsunoda was forced to end his on-track activity with engine issues.

Tsunoda's day took a premature end as he was forced to abandon his donuts in the Red Bull early in a fiery moment. The Red Bull crew needed to run over to extinguish the smoke and flames which were emerging from the RB8. Speaking of his experience behind the wheel of an V8-powered F1 car, Tsunoda noted: "That was amazing. Thank you for a lot of support.”

“I saw a lot of people waving their flags, waving their hands. Definitely I saw every single moment and I hope you guys enjoyed the first Formula 1 [event] in Taiwan. I tried my best. I’m sure you guys enjoyed V6 [sic] sound! Actually first time me as well driving a V8, so yeah, it was amazing. Thank you for the support. It was a nice, successful event.”

‘Extinguish the smoke and flames’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25564


Marko slates 'outdated' philosophy of F1 rivals
Red Bull has made a habit of promoting its junior drivers. Why, questions Helmut Marko, have other teams not done the same?
4 Oct 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Helmut Marko has derided the philosophy of Red Bull's F1 rivals as 'outdated' when it comes to the promotion of junior drivers. Red Bull has made a habit over the years of giving drivers who have climbed the ladder via its Red Bull Academy an opportunity in F1, with some notable examples such as Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, amongst others.

It has to be said, however, that Red Bull has long been in the fortuitous position of having its 'sister' team - Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri, and now RB - to trial young blood before promoting to the senior outfit, unlike other teams. Nevertheless, Marko has applauded Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for giving Kimi Antonelli a shot at F1 next year after his remarkable rise, whilst Williams has blooded Franco Colapinto this season after axing Logan Sargeant, although the Argentinian does not have a full-time drive for next year.

Marko's comments stem from the fact Liam Lawson is being given the final six grands prix of this year to prove himself after a decision was taken to drop veteran Daniel Ricciardo. "We will evaluate how he compares to Yuki Tsunoda and then we will see what happens," said Marko, via his Speedweek column.

'Outdated';

https://racingnews365.com/marko-slat...y-of-f1-rivals

[Fortitude]

“Unfiltered”: Guenther Steiner’s tales of life in charge of Haas reviewed.
Drive to Survive had already given Guenther Steiner sufficient celebrity status to allow him to put out a book, 2023’s Surviving to Drive, which covered the team’s 2022 season.
29 Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The opening sections on how Haas entered F1 therefore prove the most engaging... Why did Haas gain a place at the table eight years ago when F1 is now so hostile to new entrants? Don’t expect to gain any useful perspective reading this.

Prolific swearing is still very much key to Steiner’s schtick, so Mohammed Ben Sulayem should look away now. Actually, the FIA president might be best advised to avoid it altogether, as Steiner has some choice words about his performance in the role compared to his predecessor.

Steiner is unequivocal about where he places the blame for Haas’s slump to last-place finishes in 2021 and 2023: a lack of investment by Gene Haas beyond the initial entry into F1, in particular the mothballing of the team’s facilities during the pandemic.

“Unfiltered”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/29/...haas-reviewed/


Steiner victorious after Haas copyright lawsuit gets dismissed in court
Despite leaving the team at the start of the season, an ongoing legal battle has been going on between Steiner and his former team Haas...
The Californian court rules in favour of Guenther Steiner after legal battle with former team Haas over his book.
28 Sep 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

At the start of May, it was revealed that Steiner had launched a lawsuit against his former team Haas due to unpaid commissions spanning from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2023. Steiner claimed that Haas owed him money he had not received, breaching his employment agreement. Just 12 days later, Haas’ parent company Haas Automation launched a lawsuit against Steiner, suing the Italian for trademark infringements in his autobiography, “Surviving to Drive.”

Haas Automation claimed Steiner had used trademarks and Haas branding without consent, and with no response from the Italian on the matter Haas took things to court in California. The main issue had to do with photography used throughout the book, with the front cover being a particular issue for Haas Automation who claimed the photos breached federally registered trademarks involving its CNC machine tools business and motorsports activity.

Four months later the California judge has ruled in favour of Steiner, claiming that the logos used throughout the book had been relevant to the book and had not been misleading. The court documents stated: “The Book recounts Steiner’s experiences as team principal of the Haas F1 Team during the 2022 season. Using photos that include the Haas marks is an artistic choice to provide additional context about the 2022 season with the Haas F1 Team. Here, there is no explicit indication, overt claim, or explicit misstatement that the ‘source of the work’ is Haas Automation.

‘Steiner victorious’;

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


Gene Haas adds F1 investment to ‘increase the ceiling’ as on-track performance improves
28 Sep 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Haas Formula 1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that owner Gene Haas is willing to continue investing ample funds into his Formula 1 team — particularly as the team has one of its most successful seasons in years.

The authors of Racing with Rich Energy: How a Rogue Sponsor Took Formula 1 for a Ride discovered from Haas team members that Gene Haas requested the outfit begin operating on a limited budget even before Formula 1 officially introduced a cost cap. The goal was to prepare for the cost cap implementation, though it also unfortunately meant the team couldn’t grow quite as quickly as others.

That strategy could be criticized for effectively limiting the team’s ability to score points during a season, but after Haas released Guenther Steiner from his team principal role and hired Ayao Komatsu instead, the outfit has seen a significant improvement in performance. Per Komatsu’s interview with Crash.net, that’s because Haas has already begun bulking up his investments.

‘Gene Haas requested the outfit begin operating on a limited budget’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/gene-h...mance-improves


Haas Eyeing $100m Windfall For 2024 F1 Progress
26 Sep 2024
F1 Chronicle

Haas is making impressive steps forward in its new post-Gunther Steiner era. After Steiner’s long reign, Ayao Komatsu took over at the helm of the American team in 2024 – and already the better results are racing in. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport believes Komatsu, a long-serving senior engineer at Haas prior to his promotion, has successfully changed the team culture.

“Every good idea is followed up now, no matter who it comes from,” he confirmed. “In the past, the direction was set from above.” Car upgrades used to be rare and often hit-and-miss for Haas, but all three major development steps so far this season have moved the pace forwards.

“The first only worked 50 percent, the second delivered more than the numbers predicted, and the third was delayed by one race,” Komatsu said. “With the first one, several of our guys immediately came up with ideas about how we could still get the most out of the package. There was no blame – everyone just pulled together.”

‘Eyeing $100m Windfall’;

https://f1chronicle.com/haas-eyeing-.../?nowprocket=1


‘How painful is that’: Haas F1 boss Ayao Komatsu opens up on the ‘very difficult’ reality Nico Hulkenberg had to admit
4 Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Nico Hulkenberg is leading Haas in the Formula 1 team’s best season since 2018, but team principal Ayao Komatsu had to point out a ‘difficult’ truth to unlock his results.

Komatsu never felt Hulkenberg shone at managing his tyres and had to accept that. “You’re telling the driver, ‘You’ve got to, let’s say, lose tenths in certain corners’. How painful is that?,” Komatsu told Motorsport.com. “But then you’ve got to understand that, ‘If you do this, you see the payback in a good way – if you don’t do it, this is the result of it’.”

“But unless you experience it and see on the data, feel it back-to-back, it’s very difficult to accept it black and white. I don’t think tyre management was ever his strength. If you look at the previous races he used to do with Renault, I don’t think it was his strength and, obviously, these tyres are so sensitive.”

‘Difficult truth’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haa...-had-to-admit/


The critical element Haas needed for Hulkenberg to crack an old F1 weakness
The American team’s much improved form in F1 2024 goes back to a distinct change of tact in pre-season testing
3 Oct 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says convincing Nico Hulkenberg to buy into a different approach to winter testing is behind their much-improved results in the 2024 Formula 1 season. In an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, Komatsu explains that he feels Hulkenberg has been “better” overall compared to the driver who restarted his career with Haas last year, but “not better in terms of giving us reference in qualifying, in terms of tyre management, race management”.

“It doesn't just come from him,” Komatsu added. “Just the whole team, the way that we work together from pre-season testing, involving drivers in the centre to understand how he needs to manage tyres. “We had to do that race practice – tyre management – in pre-season testing,” Komatsu says – explaining that Haas’s plan was to do this to get a full understanding on its tyre wear over longer stints.”

“But this winter, for me, there was no option. It's not optional. It's not conditional. “It's just: ‘No, we've got to understand this one. We've got to get the drivers to experience it – the consequences, positive or negative – then they will buy into it.’ Then they know why they're doing what they're doing’.”

‘Distinct change in pre-season testing’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...ness/10660045/


Nico Hulkenberg: Haas has the ‘momentum’ in RB F1 fight
28 Sep 2024
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Nico Hulkenberg has thrown down the gauntlet to rivals RB. as he and Haas target snatching sixth place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship from the Faenza outfit. The German also reiterated his belief that sixth place in the constructors’ championship is achievable for Haas.

“I think everyone in the team firmly believes that we can challenge and fight them. We scored a point last weekend [with Bearman]. We should have scored more, and now six races to go, it’s all to play for. Obviously, they’re not going to hand it to us. They’ll try to fight back, but it’s just a race till the end. But I think we have good momentum.”

“Now there’s a bit of a break, but the next triple header, I really look forward to probably my favourite time of the season. We’re competitive in the races, and in Austin, we actually get further upgrades. So that’s encouraging, but I think some good circuits coming for us and our package, and I look forward to hopefully a couple more points.”

‘Thrown down the gauntlet’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...n-rb-f1-fight/

[Fortitude]

James Vowles claims Williams will have “best driver line up on the grid” in F1 2025.
James Vowles has made a surprising claim that Williams will have the best F1 driver line-up on the grid in 2025.
3 Oct 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Vowels said: “In ’25, I think we will have the best driver lineup on the grid. I mean, Franco’s doing a brilliant job. What he doesn’t have is the experience that Carlos will come with, but he’s doing an outstanding job. I think from the perspective of not just driving the car, but leading the team forward, we’ll have the best line-up on the grid. That will help motivate and push us forward.”

“There’s good developments ongoing, just as a continuation of ’24 to ’25.” Vowels’ claim stems from Sainz’s respectable record against strong teammates. “That’s my opinion of it. And I’ll explain some of the reasons behind it to a certain extent,” Vowles added. “A, they’re both performing at a very high level. I mean, Carlos has driven against all of the drivers we’ve just discussed.”

“Against Lando, he was successful. Against Charles, up and down. But he’s there or thereabouts. There’s hardly anything between those two drivers. Against Max, in that first year in Toro Rosso, [he] was exceptional against him.”

‘James Vowles has made a surprising claim’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105711...e-grid-f1-2025


James Vowles was ‘taken aback’ by what Franco Colapinto did weeks before landing Williams seat
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
Crash.Net

James Vowles impressed by Franco Colapinto after Silverstone outing. Colapinto ran with Williams during FP1 at Silverstone owing to the rules around rookie drivers without a super licence being given at least two outings at teams during the year. It was the first time he drove the car and was just four-tenths off Albon at the end of the session, which raised a few eyebrows in the paddock. Vowles recalls how he felt after the session and the influence it had on appointing him to the seat later in the season.

“I was a little bit taken aback how quick he was immediately out of the post. I spoke to him about it, he was very relaxed. He said ‘Yeah, it may never happen again’ So I was just enjoying the moment,” said Vowles. Although he has impressed so far this season, it is unlikely that Colapinto will get a seat for the near future with Williams owing to them signing Carlos Sainz alongside Alex Albon for 2025. Sainz and Albon are seen as a strong pairing for the future but there is ambiguity over whether either could stay at the team in the long term.

‘Franco Colapinto: ‘Yeah, it may never happen again, so I was just enjoying the moment’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jam...williams-seat/


Williams records £84 million loss after 2023 Formula 1 season
4 Oct 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Williams has recorded a financial loss of £84 million after the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, in which the team finished seventh in the Constructors’ standings. The company accounts of Williams Grand Prix Engineering reveal a loss of £84.2 million for the financial year of 2023, up from £17.9 million in 2022.

Revenue fell from £142.8 million to £127 million, with the team saying in a statement: “Whilst losses have increased compared with 2022, this is in line with expectations and the company’s strategy to continue investing in all areas of the business to drive both on-track and commercial performance in pursuit of success in the medium and long-term.

The team, owned by Dorilton Capital after purchasing it from the Williams family in 2020, said its assets of £67.3 million proves “a sound financial base on which to continue the team’s long term strategy of returning to the front of the grid and being financially sustainable.”

‘Financial loss of £84 million’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...mula-1-season/


Williams losses spiralled 344% to UK£80.3m in 2023
Grove-based outfit claims significant losses are in line with expectations after investments on and off the track.
October 4, 2024
Cian Brittle
BlackBook Motorsport

Confirmed:
• Williams experience huge 344 per cent year-over-year (YoY) increase in losses, rising from UK£17.9 million (US$23.6 million) to UK£84.3 million
• Revenue dropped from UK£142.8 million (US$188 million) to UK£127 million (US$167.2 million)
• Emissions rose marginally from 3,111 tCO2e in 2022 to 3,232 tCO2e in 2023

Context: Despite their alarming financial performance, Williams have claimed that their results fell in line with expectations, given that the Grove-based outfit has undertaken significant investment in all areas of the business to drive both on-track and commercial growth. Revenue was also hit by the team finishing bottom of the constructors’ championship in 2022, meaning it received less prize money.

Commercially, the team has started heading in the right direction, with sponsorship deals agreed with the likes of Gulf Oil, Globant, MyProtein, Stephens, Michelob Ultra and Kraken. However, the full impact of those agreements will only be reflected in future financial reports. The team will hope that the investments it has made will start to bring results as it won’t be able to stomach heavy losses over a prolonged period of time. At the very least, revenue should benefit from a seventh-placed finish in the 2023 standings.

‘Williams losses spiralled 344%’;

https://www.blackbookmotorsport.com/...-results-2023/


The Colapinto effect: Argentina's yearning for its next sporting hero
Oct 4, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Williams driver Franco Colapinto's successful Formula 1 debut with Williams has triggered his nation's sense of pride. Franco Colapinto's confident performances haven't just surprised the Formula 1 paddock: the Williams rookie has also awakened a nation's yearning for its next sporting hero.

The country has a rich history with F1, with a grand prix held intermittently in Buenos Aires between 1953 and 1998. Four of those were won by Argentina's original F1 superstar Juan Manuel Fangio, with the late Carlos Reutemann the last Argentine to win a grand prix in 1981. Since a brief intermezzo by Gaston Mazzacane in 2000 and 2001, motor racing fans have had to wait another 23 years to cheer on one of their own until Williams protege Colapinto was surprisingly parachuted into Logan Sargeant's seat at September's Italian Grand Prix.

While Colapinto's unexpected promotion already made headlines back home, the Buenos Aires native's strong performances generated an even bigger buzz. TV audiences and social media numbers soared in recent weeks, with FOX Sports Argentina's broadcast figures tripling since Colapinto's arrival. FOX, which is just one of several ways to watch F1 in the country, enjoyed even bigger peaks during the Singapore Grand Prix, which drew around 600,000 viewers up from an average of 150,000 on the subscription channel, rivalling primetime numbers on a Sunday morning. In local newspapers, numerous articles popped up highlighting his every move, down to journalists even tracking down his birthplace Pilar on the outer edge of Buenos Aires' sprawling metropolis.

‘The Colapinto effect’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...hero/10660333/


‘Always been painful’: Alex Albon identifies his best chance to banish ‘painful’ Williams memories
5 Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon and Williams have largely been unable to replicate their great results from 2023 this year, but he sees one race as their best chance to banish ‘painful’ memories. Albon shared, via Motorsport-Total: “When I think about the remaining races this year, Brazil stands out for me as the race where there are the most opportunities. If you want to score points against a midfield team, you should try here.”

The London-born Thai is convinced that the Sao Paulo GP will offer Williams’ best chance for points as Interlagos has similar characteristics to the streets of Monaco and Singapore. They were ‘painful’ tracks for Williams in the past, but Albon feels they suit tight circuits this year. “These are tracks that have always been painful for us,” Albon continued. “And this year, we were actually pretty good on them.”

‘Always been painful’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ale...iams-memories/