2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Adrian Newey reveals concerns over F1 2026 regulations ahead of Aston Martin move.
“They’re a huge change, I mean, I can’t remember – it probably has happened at some time in the distant past – but I can’t remember the last time we had completely new power unit and chassis regulations at the same time.”
9 Oct 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

“In reality, the power unit regulations because there’s a much longer lead time associated with power unit research than there is with the chassis side. Then the power unit regulations were fixed quite a few years ago without, in truth, properly, considering what chassis regulations were then needed to suit those PU regs. That’s something that the FIA, with support from teams, has been battling with since. How it will work out is, in truth, still not clear.”

“The original idea that the FIA wanted was 400 kilowatts from the PU and 400 kilowatts from the hybrid side – the electric machine,” he said. “They then started to realise that 400 from the electric was too much to be sustainable, in terms of sustainable from lap to lap, so they’ve reduced that to 350 but even now there is still a lot of concern that, actually, the cars will be going significantly slower at the end of straight than at the start of the straight because they just run out of battery.”

“It was a regulation that was brought in really, I think, primarily to keep the existing OEMs, the manufacturers in, and hopefully attract new ones. In that sense, you can argue it’s been successful. Audi is coming in. Honda has reversed their decision to exit and are staying in but what the show and the spectacle will be, I think it’s a concern. But Formula 1, somehow, seems to have a habit of being all right on the night!”

‘Significantly slower at the end of straight than at the start of the straight!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...erned-outlined


Mateschitz Death Triggered Newey’s Red Bull Exit – Marko
9 Oct 2024
F1 Chronicle

The late 2022 death of Dietrich Mateschitz was the leading cause of Adrian Newey’s decision to leave Red Bull. That is the suspicion of team advisor Dr Helmut Marko, although he admits that other top departing names including Jonathan Wheatley and Will Courtenay were attracted by big-money offers and more powerful positions.

“When you win, and we have won a lot in the last three years, it is normal that your employees are coveted by other teams,” Marko told ORF Tirol. “That is the normal game in Formula 1. What surprised me a bit are the amounts that are offered. We are always struggling with the budget cap, but these people are often being offered double. That means we couldn’t keep some of them.”

“Newey was with us for 17 years, Wheatley for 19. They were part of the team, part of the group and part of the club. They were a big part of our success,” the 81-year-old admits. “That hurts, but whether they leave for financial reasons or career reasons, it makes no difference if we cannot offer the same.”

‘Leading cause of Adrian Newey’s decision’;

https://f1chronicle.com/mateschitz-d.../?nowprocket=1


Lid lifted on Adrian Newey contract negotiations with two key attractions revealed
9 Oct 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Eddie Jordan spoke about the professionalism of Aston Martin in their negotiations with Adrian Newey, alongside citing having Honda and Andy Cowell on side as two key factors in his arrival.

Jordan confirmed that talks had taken place with Ferrari, Alpine and Williams in the process of deciding Newey’s next step, but the design great ultimately plumped for Aston Martin – citing team owner Lawrence Stroll’s “infectious” passion and commitment to the project that is being put in place at Silverstone.

With a new factory having been built, Jordan added that two other factors also helped Newey reach his verdict – with Aston Martin having a works power unit deal with Honda from 2026 onwards, and the highly-successful former Mercedes High Performance Powertrains managing director Andy Cowell being in place as Aston Martin’s group CEO.

‘Lid lifted’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...n-negotiations


Alonso went all out to 'persuade' Newey to join Aston Martin
8 Oct 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Alonso was asked how he, along with his team, 'persuade' Newey to the Lawrence Stroll-owned team. "That's a question for him," started Alonso. "I texted him, for sure, like everybody probably did who wanted to work with him."

The Spaniard continued, "I saw him at the Monaco historic Grand Prix that he was racing that week as well. We spent half an hour chatting as well. We all tried to persuade him. Ultimately, Lawrence and, as I said, his vision, the new factory and what Aston Martin wants for the future together with Honda as well, were probably key factors listening to what Adrian said yesterday [after his announcement]."

‘Went all out’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30518...on-martin.html


‘Short-sighted’ and ‘politics’-driven Ferrari accused of making major Adrian Newey mistake
7 Oct 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Asked if he was surprised that Ferrari did not move for Newey, having completed the shock signing of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes last winter, Mansell added: “No, not really.”

“As soon as I heard that Ferrari were baulking at possibly the wage bill that Adrian wanted. I think that was short-sighted of them. They lost an opportunity because whoever gets Adrian Newey is almost assured of having a fantastic few years and I think Aston Martin have done something very special in securing his services.”

“I think people have underestimated as well that I don’t think Adrian was totally happy in the last few years with Red Bull and what a fantastic job he’s done and I think now being in the UK, being with Aston Martin.”

‘ ‘Short-sighted’ and ‘politics’-driven Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...martin-verdict


Ferrari 'licking its wounds' after 'short-sighted' Newey failure
Adrian Newey won't be heading to Ferrari - something one driver who won a world championship in one of his cars feels is "short-sighted."
6 Oct 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Nigel Mansell has blasted Ferrari for its "short-sighted" failure to sign Adrian Newey, and feels the team should be 'licking its wounds.' Mansell delivered Newey his first taste of world championship glory with the dominant FW14B in 1992, but believes his former Ferrari team has made a major mistake in not signing Newey.

"The fact that he’s gone to Aston Martin is so wise because he won’t get caught up in the politics of Ferrari and the hype that goes with that," Mansell told Top Offshore Sportsbooks. "I think Ferrari should be licking their wounds a little bit because they should have got him, but all credit to Aston Martin.”

‘Won’t get caught with Ferrari politics';

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-li...-newey-failure


Newey reveals why he’ll still be helping Red Bull with ‘passion project’ after his Aston Martin start date
7 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Adrian Newey has revealed that he will continue to work on the Red Bull RB17 hypercar project even after his time with the Formula 1 team has come to an end, with the famed designer set to join Aston Martin in 2025. It was announced back in May that Newey would depart Red Bull in the first quarter of next year, bringing his nearly 20-year stint at the Milton Keynes squad to a close, and much speculation then followed over where the Briton’s next destination would be.

“But I’ve still been working hard on the RB17 track car, which has been a sort of side project/passion project really, which I’ve hugely enjoyed because it’s something just a little bit different to Formula 1. It’s applying all the same principles that I’ve learned from Formula 1, but to a different application. So I’m still working on that and I will still be working on that until the 1st of March, and then I will still be working on that after that 1st of March date but not from the factory as much.”

‘Red Bull passion project’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...EBbCnvvSx9tBjD


Newey to continue working on a Red Bull project 'after 1 March 2025'
7 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Aston Martin are looking forward to Newey's arrival. His announcement at the Silverstone-based factory was greeted with cheers from the staff members. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are also excited to be working with Newey.

Newey is still getting paid by Red Bull, but he no longer has any influence over the Austrians' F1 team. In fact, since April this year, the Brit has not been involved in the development of the RB20 and its successor for the 2025 season. However, Newey still worked on the RB17, the high-speed hypercar he developed himself.

Although the RB17 has been presented and is ready, Newey has been thinking lately about developing the car further. In the podcast, he also revealed that he is hugely looking forward to his new adventure at Aston Martin. His focus there will be on developing the car for 2026 when the new technical regulations in F1 take effect.

‘Developing the car further’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30508...-hypercar.html

[Fortitude]

Felipe Massa issues update as Lewis Hamilton F1 2008 title legal challenge continues.
Felipe Massa is hoping for a swift resolution to the legal case over his F1 2008 title defeat to Lewis Hamilton due to the “very expensive” financial burden.
2 Oct 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

In an update on the case, Massa has reiterated his desire for “justice” to be done having “definitely paid” for missing out on the title to Hamilton. He told RN365: “I hope the correct thing happens, for justice, for something that was not part of the sport that punished me big time.

“This is what we are fighting for, which I believe is correct, especially after 16 years and on hearing things which you never thought it was really like that. After that, I decided to put a big team together, professional people, divided by many different countries.”

“They really believe it was not fair what happened, for the sport, and I definitely paid. When we heard Bernie’s comment last year, after that we started to put things together and we started to fight, to analyse things in the professional, legal way because it was not part of the sport.”

“Very expensive”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/felipe...egal-challenge


Felipe Massa reveals ‘expensive wait for justice’ challenging 2008 Lewis Hamilton F1 title
2 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Felipe Massa has revealed that his legal challenge against Formula 1, the FIA, and former series rights holder Bernie Ecclestone over his lost 2008 title to Lewis Hamilton is ongoing. Massa launched legal proceedings with the Brazilian law firm Vieira Rezende Advogas in March this year, seeking retribution for his lost 2008 crown.

A lawsuit was filed in London’s High Court, seeking damages as “the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior’s crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, and that had it acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the drivers’ championship that year.”

‘Expensive wait for justice’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...lton-f1-title/


Former Driver Opens Up On Legal Battle Against F1 Over Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 Title
Oct 02, 2024
Saajan Jogia
News & Observer, North Carolina

This misfortune would prove pivotal, as Massa ultimately lost the 2008 title to Hamilton by a single point in the season finale in São Paulo. The 'Crashgate' scandal only came to light after Renault dismissed Piquet Jr. midway through the 2009 season. Hoping for justice to prevail after the nearly five-month-long legal battle, which is draining Massa's financial resources, the 43-year-old former driver told the media:

"I hope the correct thing happens, for justice, for something that was not part of the sport that punished me big time. This is what we are fighting for, which I believe is correct, especially after 16 years and on hearing things which you never thought it was really like that. After that, I decided to put a big team together, professional people, divided by many different countries. They really believe it was not fair what happened, for the sport, and I definitely paid.”

"When we heard Bernie's comment last year, after that we started to put things together, and we started to fight, to analyse things in the professional, legal way because it was not part of the sport. I never thought I was going to be part of such a thing in my life. It's not easy. It's also very expensive, a lot of money, so I really hope things finish soon. But we've been waiting so long now for justice, we have to hope the truth comes out and there will be justice."

‘Former Driver Opens Up On Legal Battle’;

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...mainstage_card


Felipe Massa upset with Daniel Ricciardo after he made Crashgate joke that wasn’t ‘right’
3 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Felipe Massa has responded to a joke made by Daniel Ricciardo during the Singapore Grand Prix that was in reference to the 2008 Crashgate scandal. The incident was one of the worst cases of cheating in sporting history when Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr was told to deliberately crash his car to bring out a Safety Car and benefit teammate Fernando Alonso.

During the recent Singapore Grand Prix, after qualifying at the back of the grid Daniel Ricciardo joked that he would need a cheap Safety Car to get back to the front and score points before quipping: “Bring Piquet back, and let’s make it happen.” When speaking to the media after the Singapore GP about the comments, Massa did not take the joke well according to Motorsport-Total.

“I think jokes are jokes. But that might not be a particularly nice joke. Making jokes about something that wasn’t right for the sport is not so nice,” said Massa. “But I wasn’t there, I didn’t hear the exact wording, and I understand that jokes are jokes. But it’s definitely not a nice joke, and of course it’s not a nice thing that this happened to me.”

‘Not a particularly nice joke’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fel...t-wasnt-right/


Former Ferrari engineer shares ‘uncontrollable’ reaction after Felipe Massa lost 2008 title to Lewis Hamilton
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

The 2008 title showdown between Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton was one of the most memorable in Formula 1 history. Lewis Hamilton came into the race with a seven-point lead over Felipe Massa and with a maximum of 10 points on offer, the Ferrari driver could still win the championship if Hamilton finished in sixth or lower.

Rob Smedley cried ‘uncontrollably’ in aftermath of Felipe Massa 2008 title loss. Massa has won the race in front of his home crowd in Brazil and took to the podium with a display of emotion, having lost the title in the final moments of the race. Smedley was on the pit wall when it all happened and recalled watching the screens as the action unfolded, while the scenes showed the Ferrari mechanics celebrating moments before Hamilton made the last-lap move.

“When Felipe crosses the line I was trying to intently watch. Everyone thinks we’ve won and starts to pull me off the pit wall and I was like ‘Stop! Stop! I’m still working!’ They’re basically dragging me right off the pit wall and I just managed to turn to the side and saw the silver car in front of the white and red car,” said Smedley. “At that point, you just accept it. But I took myself off and went behind the hospitality buildings and cried for about an hour, uncontrollably. Just on my own, there was nobody else there. For just 30 minutes, then sorted myself out and that was the end of it. I’ve always been a person that never looks back, I was like ‘Right, that’s the end of it. It’s done.’”

‘Uncontrollable’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...ewis-hamilton/


Massa reveals financial strain of legal fight for Hamilton's first F1 title
Given the cost of legal fees, this must be eye-watering for Felipe Massa!
1 Oct 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Felipe Massa is hopeful his fight for justice against F1, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone will conclude soon given the extraordinary financial burden. In March, Massa and his Brazilian legal team announced it had filed a lawsuit against the sport, motorsport's governing body, and former F1 supremo Ecclestone relating to Lewis Hamilton's first F1 title in 2008.

The Brazilian law firm representing Massa, Vieira Rezende Advogados, filed its lawsuit in London's High Court seeking declarations that "the FIA breached its regulations by failing to promptly investigate Nelson Piquet Junior’s crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, and that had it acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the drivers’ championship that year".

Damages are also being sought to compensate Massa for the fact he is not an F1 champion but should have been acknowledged as such for the past 16 years. Speaking in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Massa confirmed the case has been ongoing for "four, five months". "I hope the correct thing happens, for justice, for something that was not part of the sport that punished me big time," said Massa.

‘Financial strain’;

https://racingnews365.com/massa-reve...first-f1-title


Lewis Hamilton gets rare update on legal case that could strip him of F1 title
Lewis Hamilton is currently a seven-time world champion, but that could soon change.
Oct 1, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton is facing a nervous wait about his maiden World Championship. Felipe Massa has offered a rare update about his lawsuit against F1, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone, citing the mental and financial toll that it is having on his life.

The Brazilian ended his career without a World Championship to his name, having come closest in 2008 when he finished a single point behind Lewis Hamilton in his sophomore year in the sport.

Massa would have won the title had he converted the lead of the Singapore Grand Prix into victory, but that triumph instead went to Fernando Alonso, who benefitted from a deliberate crash from team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr.

‘Lewis Hamilton is facing a nervous wait’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ssa-F1-lawsuit

[Fortitude]

Horner expects a turnaround from Austin upgrades.
Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hopes that the upgrade package that will arrive for the Austin round will significantly improve the RB's 20 balance.
8 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

With Formula One enjoying a long four-week gap between the Singapore and the United States Grands Prix, several teams have been busy with developing some upgrades for the closing leg of the current season. Red Bull is also set to hit the track with an upgrade package from which team boss Christian Horner hopes a lot.

“I think for all teams, Austin will be a natural time of the year to bring some news. We have something important, but I think Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren will also have updates.”

"Our goal is to build on the basis of what we began to understand clearly after Monza and bring a car that is well balanced between the two axles to give confidence to the driver, but it will not be easy. The first sector of the Circuit of the Americas is fast, but part of the track has also been resurfaced, so variables are added.

‘Will significantly improve the RB's 20 balance’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25580


Red Bull hope to ‘inspire confidence’ with Austin F1 upgrade ‘remedies’
Christian Horner details Red Bull's upgrade plan for the United States Grand Prix later this month.
3 Oct 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Horner revealed that Red Bull’s latest update is centered on making the RB20 easier to drive in a bid to instill confidence in both drivers. “Well I think for all of the teams it’s a natural point in time in the year that all teams will bring something for Austin,” Horner explained.

“I think we’ve seen some issues that have been aerodynamic issues that actually when you really peel the layers of the onion back they actually go back to 2023,” he added. “I think that Max due to his uncanny ability to drive around problems has been able to deal with it whereas it affected Checo much more. Almost to the point where it was a little like the Benetton in the early ‘90s.”

“Michael [Schumacher] could drive that car but whoever else got in it seemed to really struggle with it. Max has that ability to just drive around a car with these sensitivities. We were seeing signs of it in the build of it in Monza but when you took the downforce of, how much it highlighted the disconnect there was between the front and rear axles. The numbers we were expecting to see on track were just miles out from where our simulation tools were.”

‘Red Bull's upgrade plan’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105709...grade-remedies


Horner details "grief" from F1 boss who applied pressure: 'Stop dominating'
10 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Christian Horner revealed that he experienced "grief" and "pressure" from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicalli during Red Bull's period of dominance in Formula 1. "If you were sceptic, you'd say something's changed because we went from winning races as a canter," the Red Bull team boss said in a conversation with Motorsport. "I was getting grief from Stefano [Domenicali] every weekend that the TV figures are dwindling because we're set for another year of Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominance. There was a lot of pressure coming, saying: ‘Stop winning races by 20 seconds!’"

"If one was a sceptic and somewhat paranoid, you say something's changed. Because even when we've gone back to the configuration of the car that, for example, we had in China, we still have some of the same issues that we have experienced," continued Horner, who also admitted other teams have made steps forward.

Horner expressed that he has never seen big swings before, from Red Bull or any other team. Lando Norris is hunting down Max Verstappen in the Drivers' World Championship. With six race weekends remaining, Norris has a 52-point gap to bridge. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull will need to make some improvements if they are to cut the 41-point gap to the Woking-based team.

‘Grief from F1 boss who applied pressure’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30547...menicalli.html


Christian Horner names ‘low point’ in Red Bull’s F1 2024 struggles
7 Oct 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull’s decline reached a nadir at Monza as Verstappen lamented balance issues having made the RB20 into a “monster” as he came home in a distant sixth place. Horner considers Red Bull’s experimental showing on Italian soil as a critical moment, though, as it helped to discover where the side had gone wrong in development.

“We already could see the issues, but I think what Monza really exposed was perhaps some of the root cause, or helped to identify the root cause of the issue,” he said. “So I’m taking Monza as the low point and we’re starting to build out of that.”

“The [22-second] gap to Lando [Norris in Singapore] was significant in the first part of the race and we’ve now got the best part of a month to work hard and try and bring some performance to the car in Austin,” he added. “When you consider where we were a couple of weeks ago, I think we have made some real progress. We’ve got a vein of development, and we’ve understood some of the issues with the car. I think we’re starting to address them.”

‘Low point’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...024-struggles/


Horner makes Ronaldo comparison as Newey gets set for switch from Red Bull to Aston Martin
10 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner has reiterated his belief that Red Bull have enough “strength and depth” in the squad to remain successful without Adrian Newey, the team boss having compared the situation to Manchester United continuing to win when Cristiano Ronaldo left the club.

“We’ve got great strength and depth. Manchester United didn’t stop winning when Eric Cantona left – everything has to evolve, and I think we have that strength and depth to pick and carry on that baton.” When Kravitz raised the point that Cantona retired after leaving the club rather than moving to another team, Horner added: “Alright, Cristiano Ronaldo! I’m not a football analogy specialist!”

“If they [Aston] come up with a rocket ship and Lance Stroll wins the world championship in 2026, then you’ll say that it was the right thing!” the Team Principal joked. “But, look, all we can do is wish him the best of luck for the future. It’s a team with huge ambition – Lawrence Stroll’s a very motivated guy. But Aston aren’t the only competitor – Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, they’re all very strong teams, so we’re focused on ourselves.”

‘Eric Cantona’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...rTpAJOqE73q9Ps


Jos Verstappen Comments ‘Didn’t Help’ In 2024 – Marko
Oct 10, 2024
F1 Chronicle

Dr Helmut Marko is calling for unity amid a tumultuous period for Red Bull Racing. Although Max Verstappen is now more confident the team is starting to “understand” the reasons for its recent performance slump, the parallel turmoil has resulted in the loss of several high-profile figures.

“Let’s put it this way – it didn’t help either,” he told ORF Tirol, having already admitted that founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s 2022 death and the Horner scandal early this year were all part of the 2024 turmoil. But we sat down together and agreed that we have to pull together – we have to work together in all areas to win this championship,” Marko, 81, added.

“This is the direction to follow for the future as well, because it’s clear that if we don’t give Max a car that he can win with, there could be complications in the longer term. All the top drivers have exit options in their contracts, and in this case, Max can also look for another option,” the Austrian continued. “He will drive where the package will be the best.”

‘Max Verstappen is now more confident’;

https://f1chronicle.com/jos-verstapp.../?nowprocket=1


Verstappen could leave RB, warns Marko
10 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko told Sport.de that the reigning world champion might leave the team if he is unhappy with the competitiveness of his car. “The danger is there. Max is not a guy who wants to beat the records of [Michael] Schumacher or [Lewis] Hamilton. When he’s in the car, he wants to win, but the environment has to be right.”

"If the whole thing no longer suits him, you can expect him to say from one day to the next: that’s it." Pushed on to reveal how Verstappen could leave Red Bull despite having a valid contract with the team until the end of the 2028 season, Marko Marko noted that the Dutch driver has performance-related exit clauses in his contract.

“Most top drivers have exit clauses that are performance-related. Max has one too. This means that if we can’t provide him with a car in which he can drive at the front, [leaving] is certainly something he will consider.”

‘IF he is unhappy with the competitiveness of his car’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25585

[Fortitude]

McLaren prepare critical upgrades for final phase of 2024.
Mid-season development has turned this year’s Championship on its head. McLaren have comprehensively out-developed Red Bull this year, introducing a series of highly effective updates to the MCL38 to leapfrog the Austrian team in the standings. Despite McLaren becoming the undisputed benchmark in F1, team principal Andrea Stella wants to see further progress.
Oct 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

At the beginning of the year, McLaren were the third or fourth-fastest team. Prior to the Miami GP, McLaren were generally fighting with Mercedes and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin. However, the upgrades introduced in Miami provided a huge step forward in performance. In an ideal scenario, the improvements introduced in Florida would have been introduced earlier.

Unfortunately for Andrea Stella’s personnel, missed targets at the start of 2023 interrupted their development. Partly because of this, their recovery and rapid ascendancy is even more impressive. Not only were their initial upgrades slightly delayed, but their upgrade philosophy has been very restrained. Despite this, they are achieving devastating results.

To add further insult to injury to their rivals, McLaren still have more updates in the pipeline. In fact, they have intentionally held back in recent months – opting against implementing some of their new components.

‘Achieving devastating results’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...phase-of-2024/


McLaren bosses share secret to championship-leading car pace
McLaren bosses Andrea Stella and Rob Marshall have explained how the team has been able to produce a consistently fast car when rivals haven’t.
30 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

McLaren has chased down a 115-point deficit in the constructors’ championship to now head the competition by 41 points with six races remaining. It has also remained at the front of the field across a variety of tracks and in a variety of conditions, another feat rivals have struggled with.

“I would like to answer that yes, big engineering behind it, it’s all clear, I know exactly why we stay in the window despite the change of conditions,” Stella began. “The reality is that I think it’s a very complicated kind of science, very difficult to put in objective engineering terms.
“What we’re trying to do is study the data, historical data, on tyre conditioning and temperature and try to do our best with engineering solutions. Likewise, we want to make sure that the car has a good balance, [and] overall good aerodynamic characteristics. And what we have seen is that, when you try and pursue these directions, normally the car responds well.”

‘Produce a consistently fast car’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-mclare...ace-explained/


Andrea Stella: The Man Who Saved McLaren
Sep 26, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

Back when McLaren announced the Italian, Andrea Stella as their Team Principal back in 2022, some expressed their doubts. And yet, Stella has proved all of them wrong. For sure, it took some time and a lot of hard work. Last season, at the beginning of 2023, the papaya team was still struggling to get in the points. The disappointment for the project of the MCL60 was already clear during the tests in Bahrain.

However, already during the Grand Prix in Austria in 2023, the results started to show with Lando Norris close to the podium. Heading to Silverstone, progress showed when Norris was on the second step of the podium and Oscar Piastri was in P4. In order to secure the young talents of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were both given multi-year contracts, tying their future to the Papaya team. Rob Marshall, ex-Chief Engineering Officer for Red Bull, also signed with McLaren for the 2024 season. At Woking, Marshall became the new Technical Director.

Stella helped to resolve the issues on the MCL60, working to resolve the problems with the downforce, but also increasing the aerodynamic load. He also made the car competitive in low-speed corners and improved the top speed. At the end of the 2023 F1 season, McLaren was back in the fight with Mercedes and Ferrari. Red Bull was way ahead, but it was obvious that Stella’s team was on the right track with 2024 coming up.

‘Results started to show’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...saved-mclaren/


McLaren’s impressive form leading to ‘cautious approach’ with F1 upgrades
Andrea Stella details McLaren's approach to upgrades ahead of the final six rounds in 2024.
26 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking after the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Stella reiterated McLaren’s desire to take their time with car upgrades amid their strong run of results. “In fairness, that was one of my thoughts after the race,” Stella said as quoted by Motorsport Week. “Because we do have some stuff in the pipeline and obviously when you have this kind of performance on track you always may approach things from a cautious point of view in terms of development.”

“At the same time, we need to trust the process, we need to trust the way we’ve been working so far. I’ve said already that we have taken our time to make sure that once we deliver trackside we have done the due diligence. So I don’t think this will change our plans.” While McLaren dominated the Singapore GP, Stella suggested the margin was “flattering”.

‘Need to trust the way we’ve been working so far’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105647...ch-f1-upgrades


Stella: McLaren can’t back off on MCL38 development
24 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella says that his team can’t back off on its development plans for the MCL38 despite its current advantage. Stela cited Red Bull’s return to form in Singapore as an example of how quickly things can change. “In Red Bull we see that in a track in which they thought they would have not been very competitive, ultimately, they were potentially second best,” he said.

“I think we haven’t seen Ferrari today very well, but even Ferrari, FP1/FP2 they seem to be as fast as us. And the final stint of Leclerc was very competitive. So I think the race may give us a little bit of maybe flattering. I think you say like this. The situation from a competitiveness point of view, I would say we need to keep being aggressive in terms of development.”

‘Can’t back off’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/24/...8-development/


‘The mission is on’ – Stella targeting both championships following Norris’s dominant Singapore GP win
23 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella had some fighting talk for rivals Red Bull in the wake of Lando Norris’ emphatic Singapore win, declaring the mission is on in the quest for both championships.

“It’s not always going to be that easy in the next few races but it’s very promising and it is also promising that Oscar [Piastri] found a way to beat the two Mercedes today, got back on the podium, many points for the championship and definitely the drivers’ championship is still on, the mission is on,” Stella said in the aftermath of Singapore, while the fireworks were still lighting up the night sky.

“Hopefully we’ll have a few more [wins] in the next six races. Yeah, fully deserved by Lando. In fairness he’s been very quick throughout the weekend. I think yesterday, he was very conscious in his Q3 lap, we thought that by pushing 100% we could have gone even faster, so just everything came together this weekend.”

‘The mission is on’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...eY0UbEOfxkuheX


McLaren boss Stella: Mission is for Norris championship win
22 Sep 2024
Matt Hardy
City AM

Andrea Stella, whose Papaya outfit sits clear at the top of the team title standings, said a Norris title is still possible. “Hopefully we will have a few more in the next six races,” the McLaren team principal said of Lando’s dominant performance.

“It was fully deserved by Lando, he has been very quick throughout the weekend. Everything came together, it’s not going to be easy over the next races but it’s very promising. It’s also promising that Oscar [Piastri, teammate] found a way to beat the two Mercedes’ to get on the podium. The mission is still on for the drivers’ championship.”

‘Mission is for Norris championship win’;

https://www.cityam.com/mclaren-boss-...mpionship-win/

[Fortitude]

Vasseur reveals key reason for proof of Ferrari’s upwards trajectory.
The Scuderia have won two races this season, making the step-up from last year becoming race-winning contenders. Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur believes Lewis Hamilton joining the Scuderia proves the team’s upwards trajectory.
Oct 11, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The Ferrari boss previously worked with seven-time world champion in the junior categories in GP2 and the F3 Euro Series. Vasseur said it was “not that difficult to convince” Hamilton to join Ferrari. The Frenchman said: “Yes, it was not that difficult to convince Lewis. I remember that in 2004 we were together (in the European F3 championship) he at the time was tied to McLaren-Mercedes, but he already had in mind that sooner or later he would go to Ferrari.”

‘Ferrari’s upwards trajectory’;

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


Why Vasseur feels Hamilton deal validates the success of his Ferrari plan
11 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Vasseur arrived at Ferrari for the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season with the aim of making the Italian team championship contenders again. The Frenchman has made changes in various areas, including strategy and technical areas. Under Vasseur's watch, Ferrari has won four races. The 2024 Italian Grand Prix win put them within 39 points of the Championship leaders, but the gap has since increased.

Vasseur spoke about Hamilton at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, organised by Gazzetta dello Sport. "We talked about it some time ago, he always had this desire in mind, but of course, he is a driver who wants to have guarantees in terms of performance. For him this aspect is always in the first place. If he chose to join Ferrari, it confirms to me that we can have the right car. A driver like Hamilton does not come to us on vacation. I think we are in the right place in terms of performance," the Ferrari boss said.

‘Validates the success’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30564...g-ferrari.html


'Just don’t seem able to': Frederic Vasseur told the ‘bigger picture’ decision Ferrari must make to catch McLaren
5 Oct 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer

Performance engineer Jock Clear explained the key decision Ferrari and team principal Frederic Vasseur needs to make when speaking to RacingNews365. Clear explained that he doesn’t know if McLaren have taken a step forward due to their wind tunnel and Ferrari have narrowed the gap in recent races. He said: “Honestly, I have no idea [why McLaren have improved] and wouldn’t like to say that that is where McLaren’s performance is coming from, they’ve just done a good job this season.”

“But actually, we’ve closed the gap to a large extent, there are still circuits which suit them, but certainly, you’ve seen over the past couple of races, we’ve closed the gap again. It is just the push and pull of everyone’s development, and if we see over a period of time there seems to be something coming back to our processes and with what we’re doing we just don’t seem able to keep up, then that is a bigger picture decision Fred has to make, with some big money behind it.”

‘Frederic Vasseur told’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fre...catch-mclaren/


Ferrari reveal 2025 F1 car plan ahead of Lewis Hamilton move
Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the season to team up with Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia
03 October 2024
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur confirmed that development on this year’s car will stop after the next F1 race in Austin – as key figures started their roles at the Scuderia this week ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s impending arrival. Hamilton, 39, will leave Mercedes – where he has won six of his seven F1 world championships – at the end of the 2024 season following 12 years with the Silver Arrows.

The British driver will replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, teaming up with Charles Leclerc as he bids to land a record-breaking eighth title with the sport’s most prestigious outfit. Ferrari team principal Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton in junior formula in the mid-2000s, revealed that work on the 2025 car – codenamed project 677 – has already started, with Italian press reporting the design concept will focus on suspension changes to aid Hamilton’s driving style.

“We all know that we already started the development of the next car and we try to do our best to have small upgrades at the next [race],” Vasseur said, after the last grand prix in Singapore.

‘Development on this year’s car will stop after the next F1 race in Austin’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-...-b2623336.html


Success is built on stability in F1, claims Vasseur as he praises Jean Todt's approach
28 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur insists that performing changes to the structure of an F1 outfit does not work in the long-term, stating that stablity led to the Scuderia's last dominant period under the leadership of Jean Todt. In an interview with Rtbf, the Frenchman outlined Ferrari’s future plans, claiming that Jean Todt also built on stability during Ferrari's most recent dominant era in Formula One.

“There is no magic formula in our work, it takes time. It must be emphasized that recruitment takes a lot of time. The procedure to identify the reinforcement consists first in understanding what we need, then in choosing the right person. And all this takes several months. Not to mention that this person may still have a contract elsewhere and we have to wait.”

“Changing every six months doesn’t work. Success stories in Formula 1 have been built on stability. The best example is Jean Todt, who had some difficult years before achieving victory, but the winning period lasted a long time.”

‘Success is built on stability’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25287


Vasseur: Hamilton's arrival proves Ferrari is on the right track
As Ferrari prepares to welcome Hamilton into the team, Vasseur reckons it shows it is making progress
11 Oct 2024
Ben Hunt
Motorsport.com

Speaking at the Festival dello Sport organised in Trento by the Gazzetta dello Sport, the Scuderia team principal added: "We talked about it some time ago, he always had this desire in mind, but of course, he is a driver who wants to have guarantees in terms of performance, for him this aspect is always in the first place.”

"If he chose to join Ferrari, it confirms to me that we can have the right car. This is the ultimate goal, a driver like Lewis does not come to us on vacation and from my side, I think we are in the right place in terms of performance. We need a step forward and I can say that we are devoting a lot of resources to our next project."

“Lewis does not come to us on vacation”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/v...rack/10662098/


Four power units a season still the “right limit” despite 24 rounds – Vasseur
7th Oct 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Despite there being 24 rounds in this year’s world championship – the longest ever F1 season, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes that the four power units limit per car, per season is still at the right level.

“I think each case is different, but if you have a look now, we are at race 18 and I’m not sure that a lot of drivers took a penalty just for the comfort or for performance interest for the future,” Vasseur said. “We are all on our path to do the season with four engines. Perhaps we won’t achieve it, but it’s the right limit.”

“Right limit”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/10/07/...nd-up-07-10-7/


Leclerc Did Not Try To Stop Hamilton Deal – Vasseur
11 Oct 2024
F1 Chronicle

Charles Leclerc did not try to stop Lewis Hamilton from joining Ferrari, team boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed. “Sometimes he (Leclerc) has made mistakes,” Vasseur said at the same festival, “but it is part of his growth process.” He admits that pitching the idea of installing Hamilton, 39, as Leclerc’s next teammate was slightly awkward.

“Charles has always agreed on this (Hamilton’s arrival), and that led me to push hard for it to happen. But, strangely enough, it was not difficult to bring him to Maranello. And when I understood that Charles has always been positive towards Hamilton, because he understood that it is an opportunity for him, I pushed even harder.”

‘Pitching the idea’;

https://f1chronicle.com/leclerc-did-.../?nowprocket=1


Leclerc jokes about Verstappen's penalty: 'I'd like to avoid that!'
11 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc has joked about Max Verstappen's community service penalty when appearing on an Italian talk show with his Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur. Despite the incident now being several weeks ago, it remains a talking point in the world of Formula 1. It cropped up again on an Italian talk show. Leclerc appeared with his team boss Fred Vasseur and was warned by the presenter: "If you say a wrong word, you will get a community service penalty like Verstappen." To which Leclerc replied, "Exactly, and I would like to avoid that

‘Community service penalty’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30563...s-penalty.html

[Fortitude]

Allison's return an "immense benefit" for Mercedes.
George Russell cites James Allison's return as Mercedes technical director as the driving force behind the German team's turnaround.
07/10/2024
Pitpass

George Russell, who, at the Red Bull Ring earlier this year, claimed Mercedes first win since Jeddah 2021, cites Allison as the man responsible for the team's return to the front of the grid.

"I think James Allison's re-involvement with the project has been an immense benefit for us," said the youngster. "We've always had this talent within the squad, but just having that clear leadership and clear direction to maximise the talent of the designers and the aerodynamicists has been vital.”

"The experience he's got is huge as well," he continued, "so I think that has been a big factor. The upturn in performance from us and McLaren has definitely been quite a pleasant surprise," the Briton admitted, "and maybe a bit exaggerated with Red Bull's loss as well.

"Immense benefit";

https://www.pitpass.com/78829/Alliso...t-for-Mercedes


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’;

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


Toto Wolff: Mercedes’ inconsistent F1 pace ‘difficult to compute’
8 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that the team is finding its fluctuating form throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season to date “difficult to compute.” “This variance in performance from race to race, or over a few races, is very difficult to compute, because what looks like an unchanged car can go from race winning to P6,” Wolff told Autosport.

Wolff acknowledged that McLaren is “the only team that is not a victim” of fluctuating performance issues. “[They] have such a solid baseline and a less narrow window than all of us, that they’re able to keep the performance stable,” Wolff exclaimed.

“All of the others bounce between exuberance and depression. Before the summer, everyone wrote off Ferrari. But they have come back very strong. Before the summer, it was Mercedes who was the leading team, and clearly not today anymore. So it is so intricate to identify those performance contributors that at times even that most clever people are lost.”

‘Fluctuating form’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...lt-to-compute/


Wolff confused over performance changes: 'But McLaren are not victims'
7 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Toto Wolff is aware that a small gap has opened up between Mercedes and the other top teams Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and McLaren. Mercedes was the inform team before the summer break, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both picking up wins. Mercedes even finished one-two across the finish line in Belgium, but a disqualification for Russell took that away from them.

"This variance in performance from race to race, or over a few races, is very difficult to compute, because what looks like an unchanged car can go from race winning to P6," Wolff explained to Motorsport.com.

"The only team that is not a victim of that is McLaren, who I think have such a solid baseline and a less narrow window than all of us, that they're able to keep the performance stable," the Austrian added. "All of the others bounce between exuberance and depression. Before the summer, everyone wrote off Ferrari. But they have come back very strong."

‘Wolff confused’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30503...d-mclaren.html


Wolff wary of 'package to be reckoned with' from surprise F1 rival
The fight at the front of the F1 field already contains several teams - but another challenger could soon join the mix, according to Toto Wolff.
12 Oct 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated Aston Martin has created a “package to be reckoned with” after adding Adrian Newey to its arsenal. “The track record that Adrian has in F1 speaks for itself,” Wolff told media including RacingNews365.

“He is the greatest designer in Formula 1 when you look at the stats. If you combine it with someone like Andy Cowell, who is for me, one of the strongest leaders I've ever met in any industry, they can make that work. I think it's a package to be reckoned with.”

Wolff has backed Aston Martin to join the fight at the front of the field, a situation he states would be “fantastic” for the sport. “It's good, more teams are competitive in the front,” Wolff said. “You're having four drivers now that race for a driver world championship as it stands.”

'Package to be reckoned with';

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-wary...prise-f1-rival


‘He says’: Toto Wolff cites Niki Lauda advice when asked about switching focus to 2026 F1 cars
7 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Despite requiring resources to be allocated to two different car design concepts, Wolff believes developing both in tandem without compromises will be possible. “This is the crux of the matter every year, and especially if you have such a big regulatory change, are you going to compromise one year or the other?” said Wolff.

“But I’d like to take it from Niki’s [Lauda] motto, when being asked. ‘Would you rather win this one or the next one?’ And he says, ‘Both.’

“Sometimes it is much less complex than one thinks. Probably the transition of people and capability into the 2026 regulations is going to happen a bit earlier than it would under stable regulations, but it’s not going to be game-changing. Nobody’s going to switch the machines off in January, unless you are really nowhere.”

‘Both’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/tot...-2026-f1-cars/


Toto Wolff insists Mercedes won’t sacrifice 2025 F1 title hopes for 2026 gains
7 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Mercedes is a team expected to challenge for victories on a consistent basis and as shareholder, CEO and Team Principal, Wolff has to think differently. “Nobody’s going to switch the machines off in January, unless you are really nowhere,” Wolff explained.

“But there is nothing to gain, because between P10 and P7 doesn’t make a difference for us anyway. We are fighting for victories and podiums, and cannot write it off.”

Wolff did admit that “the transition of people and capability into the 2026 regulations is going to happen a bit earlier than it would under stable regulations, but it’s not going to be game-changing.”

‘Challenge for victories on a consistent basis’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...or-2026-gains/


Toto Wolff makes clear ‘nothing to gain’ verdict for Mercedes as 2026 reset looms
8 Oct 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes “cannot write off” the F1 2025 championship, Toto Wolff ruling out talk of compromising next season to get a march on 2026 when all-new cars will be on the grid.

‘Nothing to gain’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...26-reset-looms

[Fortitude]

Krack praises Alonso performance despite struggles with car.
Team Principal Mike Krack admits that the lack of points scored this season has been due to the current state of the car. Despite these challenges, Fernando Alonso has managed to earn some points in recent races.
6 Oct 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

"At the end of the day we have our numbers and we do our pre-race estimations. Now in Baku obviously he finished higher up because there was attrition. But today, and again, full transparency, none of our estimations were predicting that we could finish where we finished," Krack stated after the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Aston Martin team boss has been satisfied with the team's strategic decisions which have contributed to Alonso's success. "Now we could say the predictions are bad. Normally they work out pretty well, and we had I think good calls today, not getting disrupted by others, and very good management in a phase where we didn't build a gap. And then this was sufficient to hold, obviously, if you are very similar, it's also difficult for others to pass you, but first of all you have to maintain that position and we also passed Hulkenberg on strategy."

‘Current state of the car’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30496...rformance.html


Alonso hints at F1 stay into late-40s
Fernando Alonso is by far the most experienced driver in F1 - however he could add considerably to that tally before he retires.
10 Oct 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Alonso has extended his F1 contract with Aston Martin, and will race when the new technical regulations come into play in 2026, with Newey taking a leading role in the construction of the Aston Martin challenger. "I would be lying if I said I didn't think about that,” said Alonso, when asked whether Newey's arrival altered his thinking as to how long he would continue in F1.

Alonso, who will be 45 when he drives the first Newey-designed Aston Martin in 2026, added: “Adrian will arrive in March next year and dedicate his time to 2026 so let's see how I feel at the end of '26 and if I can keep going. It will be a decision we make together as a team, with Lawrence [Stroll], with Adrian."

‘Keep going’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-hin...tended-f1-stay


Proud Mike Krack on 'opportunity of a lifetime': 'Anything goes at Aston Martin'
3 Oct 2024
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com

Mike Krack was surprisingly appointed as Aston Martin's new team boss in 2022. Under Lawrence Stroll's wing, the calm Luxembourger is making a good impression in his role, but how does he view it himself? In an exclusive interview with GPblog.com, Krack proudly explains how a dream came true for him.

On a busy day, there was no time to waste, but the first question, which was not about Newey, put a smile on Mike's face. Mike Krack: "That's a good question (laughs). It's a fantastic job to do. I've been asked to do this. I was at BMW Motorsport before and when I got contacted, I thought it was for a technical role because I was in technical roles for many, many years. I was quite surprised that this role came up. But then I did not have to think long about it."

"I knew about Lawrence [Stroll's] ambitions. In many, many teams or many, many areas you go in and you get ‘this we don't have or this we don't do’ and with Lawrence it's just full in. The main reason why I wanted to do this is that this is an opportunity of a lifetime. In such a structure, with that timing, I think it's something that you have to just do."

'Opportunity of a lifetime';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30452...on-martin.html


Rosberg compares Aston to PSG: ‘Talent alone isn’t enough’
11 Oct 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has issued a stark warning to Aston Martin, drawing parallels between the Formula 1 team and French football giant Paris Saint-Germain. Rosberg likened Team Silverstone’s strategy of making high-profile signings to PSG’s expensive acquisitions of football superstars, cautioning that talent alone is not enough to guarantee success.

“Look at PSG, in soccer,” Rosberg told Sky Sports. “They had Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, all three at the same time. Three of the best soccer players of all time, and all the others were very good as well. And they never won the Champions League. Because, of course, it’s great to bring the greatest geniuses, the best managers on board. Adrian Newey on his own is not going to be able to make that car a World Championship-winning car.”

“He needs the rest of the team. Of course, he can give them a good direction, he can give very good guidance, but he still needs the team to excel with him.” For Rosberg, the PSG comparison highlights the importance of team synergy. Aston Martin must ensure that its star signings work together seamlessly, rather than relying solely on individual brilliance to achieve success.

‘Team synergy’;

https://f1i.com/news/521223-rosberg-...nt-enough.html


Horner's painful conclusion: 'Couldn't match Aston Martin's Newey offer'
11 Oct 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

With Adrian Newey's departure to Aston Martin, a long partnership between the engineering mastermind and Red Bull Racing will end. Team boss Christian Horner reveals that Red Bull initially had other plans for Newey but simply could not match the deal offered to him by the Silverstone-based Formula One team.

This is what the Red Bull team boss told Motorsport.com. Initially, the team had other plans for when Newey would step down. "The agreement that we had was at the end of '25 he was going to step back from F1 and really just be a mentor. Otherwise, I was going to lose the other [technical] guys to some rival teams," Horner explained. At the same time, he says he understands that Newey still wanted to continue in Formula 1 and decided to leave the team.

Moreover, according to Horner, Red Bull could not match Aston Martin's offer. "The deal he's got from Aston with equity and so on, is something that quite simply wasn't on the table here. I can understand, Adrian wants another run around the block in F1, and as a shareholder and partner in a team, I certainly don't blame him for that," said the team boss, stressing that the budget cap played a big part in this.

‘Could not match the deal’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30565...ian-newey.html


Recent F1 Commission ‘Started Badly’, Says Mike Krack
Oct 11, 2024
F1 Chronicle

Mike Krack has given the thumbs-up to the latest tweaks that have been made to Formula 1’s all-new technical regulations for 2026. Krack told Nailing The Apex podcast that the meeting at Faenza actually “started badly” because two team bosses were late.

“I’m not calling out anyone, but the meeting ran two hours too long,” he said. “I think you should be professional and structured.” More importantly, the Aston Martin team boss said he thinks his colleagues ultimately came to a good compromise.

“There are areas where we still have some work to do but, all in all, I think we will find a sensible compromise,” he said. “I say compromise because a set of regulations is always a compromise.”

‘Started Badly’;

https://f1chronicle.com/recent-f1-co.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Laurent Mekies: Red Bull/RB have been ‘too public’ on potential F1 driver changes.
RB boss Laurent Mekies has admitted Red Bull has been “too public” on possible mid-season Formula 1 driver swaps amid rumours Daniel Ricciardo will be replaced.
25 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull conducted a similar practice earlier this season during the summer shutdown when it was touted that Sergio Perez‘s wretched streak could see him be axed. However, Mekies has acknowledged that Red Bull’s openness about those conversations might have been delivering heightened pressure onto drivers like Ricciardo.

“There is nothing wrong with reviewing your drivers’ performance every few races, and I think we have perhaps been too public about it,” Mekies told SiriusXM. “We have done it in the first part of the season, we have done it quite famously just before the summer break.”

“I guess at some stage we have said we will see after Singapore as well to discuss! So it’s part of the game. Certainly sometimes you can see it’s probably going a bit too far in terms of pressure, above all for Daniel in that case.”

‘Too public’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...river-changes/


Marko speaks out again: Why does the Red Bull advisor do that?
12 Oct 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

At Red Bull Racing's office in Milton Keynes, an interview that Helmut Marko gave to a German website last week must undoubtedly have caused some surprise. There, the Austrian team's external advisor stated that Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are candidates for the seat next to Max Verstappen in '25. A striking statement, given surely Sergio Perez has a contract for the upcoming season?

Why does Marko keep doing that, making such remarkable statements? After all, it is by no means the first time. Is it to put and keep all the drivers on edge? That is a possibility, although Marko also knows that the pressure on them can become so great that it actually paralyses them. Especially in Perez's case and with an eye on the battle for the world title in the constructors, that is not desirable.

Or is it to irritate Horner over and over again - the team principal who, after months of turmoil, is currently doing all he can to establish a calm environment? And Marko giving high-profile interviews here and there certainly doesn't help that. It is all conjecture. The fact is that Marko dominated the headlines again last week, in a way that undoubtedly, not everyone within Red Bull is happy about.

‘Why does Helmut Marko do that?’

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30576...oing-that.html


‘With hindsight’: Guenther Steiner tells RB the ‘wrong’ decision they made with Daniel Ricciardo last year
7 October 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Guenther Steiner highlights key mistake RB made when hiring Daniel Ricciardo last year. Talking about the Australian’s return to F1, Steiner said: “It was the same with Daniel when he replaced Nyck de Vries mid-season last year. He impressed them in the reserve role and then a Pirelli tyre test. It wasn’t 100% that he would be better, but the hope was there.

“It’s all about your gut instinct. Yes, you have the information, but in the end it’s down to the gut to make the decision. They put Daniel in instead of Nyck, but obviously it wasn’t the right choice as they took him out mid-season. Someone made a wrong decision there. They could have put Liam in then.”

“With hindsight, you know. I’m not trying to blame someone who made a bad decision. It’s just one of those things. It’s a gut feeling. At the time, I think they thought Daniel has won races and that he should have recovered from his years when he was unhappy at McLaren – but it didn’t work out like you think it works out. It’s one of those things.”

“It’s all about your gut instinct”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gue...rdo-last-year/


VCARB welcome Lawson after saying goodbye to 'gentleman Ricciardo'
6 Sep 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com

Laurent Mekies has reacted to the departure of Daniel Ricciardo and the arrival of Liam Lawson at Visa Cash App RB. The Frenchman sympathises with Ricciardo having to leave Red Bull Racing's sister team, but welcomes Lawson's arrival at the Formula 1 team.

"Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us. He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the Team with a fantastic attitude, which has helped everyone to develop and foster a tight team spirit. Daniel has been a true gentleman both on and off the track and never without that smile. He will be missed, but will always hold a special place within the Red Bull family,"

Mekies said of Ricciardo, who drove his last F1 race in Singapore last weekend. The Australian could also set the fastest lap of the race, taking a point away from Lando Norris in the Asian country. In doing so, Mekies is delighted at the arrival of Lawson. The New Zealander will be Yuki Tsunoda 's teammate and will once again drive Formula One in Austin. " I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam. He already knows the Team well. He drove for us last season, and coped well under difficult circumstances, so it’ll be a natural transition."

‘Sympathises, but welcomes’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30370...am-lawson.html


Admission made about Ricciardo: 'Maybe went too far in terms of pressure'
24 Sep 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing has highlighted throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season that their drivers from both Red Bull and VCARB are under constant evaluation. "There is nothing wrong with reviewing your drivers’ performance every few races, and I think we have perhaps been too public about it," Mekies admitted in a conversation with SiriusXM. "We have done it in the first part of the season, we have done it quite famously just before the summer break. I guess at some stage we have said we will see after Singapore as well to discuss!"

"So it’s part of the game," assures the Visa Cash App RB team boss. "Certainly sometimes you can see it’s probably going a bit too far in terms of pressure, above all for Daniel in that case. He has had a lot of that this season. Some races it’s been quiet, some races it’s been very difficult, this is for sure one of the very difficult races. Of course, these guys are high level athletes and they know how to deal with it, but sometimes it’s a bit unnecessary."

'Maybe went too far in terms of pressure';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30335...ricciardo.html


Exclusive: New RB aero headquarters key to fighting top F1 teams
3 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

RB is set to move into its new aero department at Milton Keynes from Bicester towards the end of 2024. The Red Bull ‘sister’ squad has long since “outgrown” the Bicester facility it moved into 15 years ago. Such is its outdated nature, the team no longer uses the wind tunnel within the Bicester site, instead utilising Red Bull’s facility.

“Now the facility is simply not good enough,” Mekies told Motorsport Week. “We are building something at an incredible standard in Milton Keynes for our people. For sure it’s going to be instrumental in working in better conditions, being even more attractive on the job market for the next challenges.”

“We have a good headquarters in Faenza. We had a suboptimal headquarters in Bicester and now we have an excellent headquarters in Milton Keynes. So, yes, it is absolutely a must in that path to challenge the bigger guys.” Back in August, Mekies’ target for RB in 2024 was to finish “top of the midfield” and he has grander designs for the Faenza-based F1 squad moving forward

“Path to challenge the bigger guys”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-top-f1-teams/


Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari complete test: These were the lap times
10 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Ferrari have completed the second day of Pirelli's tyre test at the Mugello Circuit in Italy. After the previous day was curtailed due to heavy rain and poor weather conditions, Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc (morning) and Carlos Sainz (afternoon) were able to take to the track and record data for the tyre suppliers in Formula 1.

Red Bull and Ferrari focused on testing the tyres for the 2025 Formula 1 season, while McLaren were equipped with prototype tyres for the 2026 Formula 1 season. Norris used a modified car as the 2026 tyres are narrower. The tyres are just one of many parts that will change in 2026 when the new rules and regulations are introduced.

The track was still wet in the first hour of the session, so the drivers started with intermediate tyres. As planned, they switched to dry-weather tyres for the rest of the test session. Unlike some of the previous days of testing which were affected by bad weather, Pirelli were able to gather lots of data. A lot of 390 laps were recorded. Lando Norris completed the most laps (118 with a best time of 1.21.302), followed by Liam Lawson (116 laps, 1.23.219), Charles Leclerc (79 laps, 1.21.053) and Carlos Sainz (77 laps, 1.21.'890).

‘Pirelli's tyre test’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30542...n-mugello.html

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner hits out at ‘cheap’ Gene Haas axe as baked beans ‘story’ told.
“I told the ghostwriter that story, and he said, ‘Are you f****** making this s*** up?’ I said, ‘No, this is true! This is what I lived for 10 years!’”
13 Oct 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner said a baked beans tale involving Gene Haas for his book is true, one that the ghostwriter could not believe. And reflecting on that Gene Haas phone call to relieve him of his duties, Steiner called it a “cheap” way of going about things, considering the work he had put in.

“Doing it like this [through a phone call] is a little bit cheap if you build up a company for somebody and make him half a billion dollars,” said Steiner. It was the final phone call between them. “The last thing I want is to speak with him,” Steiner added. “I don’t need him anymore.”

Since leaving Haas, Steiner has moved into media work, while his second book ‘Unfiltered’ has just hit the shelves, during which Steiner recalls being served baked beans on a private jet, with Gene Haas asking that they are taken back to the factory for use after Steiner refused to eat them. And Steiner revealed that the ghostwriter for his second book could barely believe this story which Steiner had told him. “This is real,” Steiner confirmed to The Athletic.

‘Baked beans on a private jet: Taken back to the factory for use’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...ans-story-true


EXCLUSIVE: Guenther Steiner interview: 'I should have left Haas F1 earlier - I was shown no respect'
EXCLUSIVE: Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner sits down with Mirror Sport to discuss his new book 'Unfiltered' his exit from the sport and why he is in a legal fight with his old boss Gene Haas
12 Oct 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror

There is a bite to his words. Guenther Steiner has always been a straight-talker - he's famous for it, and also his pronunciation of the word "f**k" - and that doesn't change as he reflects on his acrimonious split from Haas. "I should have left earlier," he says. "I was fighting an uphill struggle where I had no chance to win."

"We started off, we had nothing. We worked our way in to be respected in F1. We achieved a lot of things. But then, after Covid was over, there was no traction anymore," he laments. "We were spinning our wheels, you know? It's more of the same. I want to have success. And what is success? Going on the podium, trying to win, at least to have a fair chance to go on the podium.”

"But if you yourself think, 'It's not going to happen with how we are doing it, the best we can hope for is getting sixth or in a fantastic year, fifth'... I've done that, got the T-shirt. But when you're in the trenches, you don't realise it anymore. You keep on going. But when you're out, you realise, 'Wow, should I not have left before?' Yes."

‘Bite to his words’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...suits-33873367


Ralf considers whether Steiner held Haas back
11 Oct 2024
GrandPrix.com

Gunther Steiner's absence is not necessarily the reason for the drastic improvement made by the small American team Haas in 2024. But when Steiner was in charge in 2021 and 2022, Ralf's nephew Mick drove for the team until - following a long period of public criticism by Steiner - he was dropped.

“I don't want to say that Gunther had so much influence that he was preventing or slowing down the process that we are seeing now”, Ralf Schumacher told formel1.de. “I think it's the core of the team - the technical group that makes the technical decisions - that has done a good job. Whether that also would have been the case with or without Steiner's strategy as team boss, I don't know. I can't judge that”, the German and former F1 driver added.

‘Not necessarily the reason for the drastic improvement’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/ralf-...haas-back.html


‘Still a huge fan’: What Gene Haas was spotted doing to rival F1 cars in the pit lane during the Dutch Grand Prix
10 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Gene Haas spotted photographing rivals’ cars at Dutch Grand Prix. Teams try to copy each other by taking photos of rivals’ cars, particularly when it comes to front wing designs, floors, and other cosmetic parts on the car. In a piece that explored the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, the Haas team owner was spotted in the pit lane taking photos of rivals cars.

“Team owner Gene Haas looks on as the car receives its final pampering ahead of the race start,” wrote Edmondson. He doesn’t attend every grand prix, but in Zandvoort, the 71-year-old is keen to pore over every detail of the car’s new front wing and takes photos of rival cars leaving the pits. Clearly he’s still a huge fan of the sport at heart.”

‘Taking photos of rivals cars’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...ch-grand-prix/


Haas: Outscoring RB and Williams is “our primary objective”
10 Oct 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

“Just to avoid any confusion or unnecessary discussion in real time we just said to ourselves our race is against RB and Williams,” Komatsu told this writer. “We’ve got to take points away from RB. That’s the primary aim. And secondary is points away from Williams."

"So we thought, are we racing again Alonso? If he tries to undercut us, are we going to do it? Our philosophy was, no. It was good communication and alignment. The thing is because of the safety car risk, if we tried to cover Alonso, pit early, and then two laps later the safety car comes, Williams can take points away from us. That was the worst scenario.”

“Our primary objective”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/10/10/...ary-objective/


‘Be the first’: What Toyota’s new F1 deal will offer Haas that Gene Haas ‘didn’t want to invest in’
13 Oct 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Toyota to allow Haas to run F1 testing program for the first time. Talking about the benefits of the Haas-Toyota partnership, Mitchell-Malm said: “The timeline of it is really interesting because as you said, it’s not something that’s going to result in instant performance. “Those stickers that will be on the car from Austin don’t mean that there will be Toyota advancements for Haas this season or maybe not even next season in real terms. There’ll be other tangible benefits next year in likely the creation of that testing program, the testing of previous cars that we often hear other teams do, pretty much all, but not every team is engaged in that.”

“Haas has been nowhere near having that kind of program. It hasn’t had the cash because it’s not something that Gene Haas wants to invest in. Crucially, it hasn’t had the personnel. The Haas engineering team is basically what it takes trackside. There’s not really any backup there. I think Komatsu described it as no reinforcement. So, Toyota will basically be funding and helping staff a testing program.”

‘Gene Haas ‘didn’t want to invest in’ ’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...-to-invest-in/


Komatsu: Toyota deal will boost Haas’ midfield ambitions
13 Oct 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Haas F1 Team has taken a significant step towards strengthening its competitiveness by announcing a new partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, a collaboration that will address the US outfit’s resource gaps and boost performance according to team boss Ayao Komatsu. “We are the smallest team on the grid and we are lacking certain resources and hardware capability to understand certain things,” Komatsu explained after last Friday’s announcement in Fuji.

“In terms of being more competitive in the midfield, we are looking for somebody who can give us more resource and [manpower] and also have the hardware and the know-how to use that hardware,” he added. “Toyota Gazoo Racing gives exactly that. They have a great facility in Cologne so we’ll be able to utilise that.”

‘Boost Haas’ midfield ambitions’;

https://f1i.com/news/521302-komatsu-...ambitions.html


‘Really struggling’: Ayao Komatsu admits Haas ‘survival’ problem Toyota F1 tie-up should help to remove
12 Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is desperate for the Formula 1 team’s technical link-up with Toyota to help the American outfit start a Testing of Previous Cars programme (TPC). Currently, Haas do not have a TPC team and are always in ‘survival’ mode as a result of that.

The TPC programme allows F1 teams to drive modern Formula 1 cars in private tests as long as the cars are at least two years old. Each part fitted to a TPC car must have also been used in either an official test session or a Grand Prix event to avoid any overlaps with current cars. “TPC is very important in terms of training our personnel,” Komatsu said, via RaceFans. “We have just over 300 people. We have no contingency in personnel.”

“So, if one race engineer or one performance engineer decides to leave or is having a problem and not able to attend a race, we are really struggling. We’re on the limit all the time. In order to improve the organisation, you cannot be at the kind of survival stage as a baseline. We’ve got to build up the organisation. So, through TPC, we can start training our engineers, our mechanics [and] having back-up people.”

‘Really struggling’:

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Haas/Ayao+Komatsu

[Fortitude]

Williams set to ‘compromise' in 2025 in pursuit of 2026 success.
“It’s the message that Alex and Carlos both know: 2025 will be a struggle, I think,” Vowles told Motorsport.com. “It’s not that you’re going to see us moving forward, we’re going to move back a little bit.”
12 Oct 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Although Williams is evidently on a more stable footing, Vowles is looking beyond immediate improvements, determined to rely on a bold approach, accepting that some failures are inevitable as the team pushes the envelope in preparation for 2026.

“We are trying to do leaps – not steps forward, not inching forward, not minimal gains, or marginal gains even, but leaps in the technology and what we’re doing,” the Briton explained. And in doing so, we’re going to trip ourselves up. And I’m comfortable with that, because we can’t unlearn what we’ve learned.”

“I give you almost a guarantee: unfortunately, we’re going to trip ourselves again. I don’t think it’d be in ‘25, for what it’s worth. I think we’ve got enough of a good pathway to lead us there. I think in ’26, what we’re asking of the organisation is more than we can deliver. So we’ve got to make it fit or perhaps trip up a little bit along the way.”

‘Compromise';

https://f1i.com/news/521258-williams...6-success.html


“Williams is a project that’s going up” - Carlos Sainz’s father explains Audi rejection
Carlos Sainz Sr breaks his silence on Carlos Sainz's switch to Williams rather than Sauber/Audi in 2025.
9 Oct 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz Sr has described Williams as a “project that is going up” when explaining his son’s decision to reject Audi. Speaking to Marca, Sainz Sr conceded it “wasn’t an easy decision” for his son to make.

“It’s his decision and we have to respect it,” Sainz Sr said. “It wasn’t an easy decision, nor a clear one. There were three or four options and in the end he is the one who has to decide his future and we support him as much as possible. And that’s what we’ve done. Williams is a project that is going up, at the end of this year it has started to go better and we have to hope, and we trust in it, that next year it will continue on an upward trend.”

“Carlos has left a good impression on the teams he has been with, with his work and his know-how,” he added.. “The teams have improved when he has arrived and that is what is important for a professional and what should always be demanded of him. I think that in this respect Carlos is a serious driver and that he is very clear about where he is going. I’ve always been by his side in this.”

“Wasn’t an easy decision”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105746...audi-rejection


Williams will ‘struggle’ next year amid focus on 2026 F1 rule changes
12 Oct 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Williams want to make ‘leaps forward’ in F1. Vowles has admitted that Williams’ desire to make substantial steps over the coming seasons is going to see the team endure occasional slip-ups with the new rules.

“We are trying to do leaps – not steps forward, not inching forward, not minimal gains, or marginal gains even, but leaps in the technology and what we’re doing,” he said. “And in doing so, we’re going to trip ourselves up. And I’m comfortable with that, because we can’t unlearn what we’ve learned.”

“I give you almost a guarantee: unfortunately, we’re going to trip ourselves again. [It won’t] be in ‘25, for what it’s worth. I think we’ve got enough of a good pathway to lead us there. In ’26, what we’re asking of the organisation is more than we can deliver. So we’ve got to make it fit or perhaps trip up a little bit along the way.”

‘Going to see the team endure occasional slip-ups’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-rule-changes/


Williams Racing and Kraken Reveal Fan-Designed Rear Wing for Austin Race
October 11, 2024
Business Wire (Press Release)

The FW46 cars driven by Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto will feature six fan digital alter egos from the pioneering Williams Racing Cosmos Collection after tens of thousands of fans around the world voted in our second Rear Wing Takeover contest.

James Bower, Commercial Director, Williams Racing: “We are always looking for innovative ways to showcase our proud F1 history and bold ambition to our growing global fanbase and the Williams Racing Cosmos Collection is a perfect example of that. Combining iconic Williams Racing branding with leading Web3 technology has proven hugely popular and we are looking forward to seeing this eye-catching design out on track.”

‘Showcase our proud F1 history’;

https://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...41011105065/en


'I spoke': Felipe Massa shares what Williams mechanics have now told him about Franco
9 Oct 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Felipe Massa shares what Williams mechanics have told him about Franco Colapinto. Massa was asked about how people within the Williams team see Colapinto and he said: “I spoke to some mechanics, not all of them because they were in the air as so many Williams mechanics were in Singapore.”

“They were impressed with him, first of all, how brave he is as a person, how nice he is as a person. He works professionally but quickly; this is absolutely very important for a team to embrace the driver and for working as a team.”

‘Impressed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fel...nco-colapinto/


Alpine Set To Swoop For Sainz In 2026
October 10, 2024
F1 Chronicle

Flavio Briatore says he will keep the door open at Alpine for Carlos Sainz. Briatore, de Meo’s new F1 advisor, admits he made an approach to 30-year-old Sainz for 2025 and beyond. “No disappointment,” he is quoted as saying by motorsport-magazin.com. “Carlos was an opportunity, but it was too early.”

“Before we talk about drivers, we first have to talk about a competitive car. Because if the car doesn’t perform, it makes no difference which driver you put behind the wheel. So first we have to clean up the house with Oli (Oakes) and motivate the system and everyone at Alpine again.”

“One year ago, he (Max Verstappen) won every race and now that other cars are competitive, other young drivers win the races,” the famous 74-year-old Italian said. “I don’t want to spend X million (on a driver) at the moment because it makes no difference to us,” he said. “We are very happy with (Pierre) Gasly, and now we have a young driver,” added Briatore, referring to Jack Doohan. “But if Carlos wants to come to us in 2026, we will be here.”

‘Set To Swoop For Sainz’;

https://f1chronicle.com/alpine-set-t.../?nowprocket=1