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Hamilton receives FURTHER FIA punishment after Perez collision.
In addition to the five-second penalty he received, Hamilton was also given two penalty points on his licence, his only points on his super licence in the last 12 months.
Sunday 30 July 2023 12:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
The Ruling: "The Stewards reviewed video and in-car video evidence," their report stated. "Hamilton was attempting to pass Perez on the inside at Turn 15. While Perez was giving little room on the inside for Hamilton, Hamilton drove onto the kerb and subsequently understeered into Perez in the wet conditions. The Stewards consider that Hamilton was predominantly at fault for causing a collision and order a five second penalty."
In addition to the five-second penalty he received, Hamilton was also given two penalty points on his licence, his only points on his super licence in the last 12 months. Alongside time penalties, driving infringements issued by the stewards – who act independently from the FIA – also carry penalty points to ensure driving standards are maintained. These points expire after 12 months have elapsed, but will result in a race ban should 12 points be accrued during this period.
‘FURTHER FIA punishment’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...pa-belgian-gp/
Lewis Hamilton fumes at F1 stewards at Belgian Grand Prix after double punishment
Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated at F1 officials after the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
12:35, Sun, Jul 30, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express
Lewis Hamilton has called out F1 stewards after he was hit with a double punishment at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton was slapped with a five-second time penalty moments after making contact with Sergio Perez in Saturday’s sprint race.
Perez refused to accept responsibility for the incident as he laid the blame firmly at Hamilton’s door. The Mexican commented: "Lewis just crashed into me and took the whole right-hand side of my car off so we basically lost all of the load. Unfortunately, that meant no points today.”
Hamilton is not pleased with the punishment as he declared it, in his opinion, a racing incident. The penalty demoted Hamilton from P4 at the line to seventh, costing the Briton three world championship points. He said: “As Ayrton said, if you no longer go for a gap that exists, then you are no longer a racing driver.”
‘Lewis Hamilton fumes’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-grand-prix
Lewis Hamilton claims he was listening to Ayrton Senna after Sergio Perez incident
Lewis Hamilton was demoted to seventh after his penalty was added to his finishing time in the sprint.
30 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Lewis Hamilton: “It’s tricky conditions out there, we are all trying our best. Of course, it wasn’t intentional. I went for a gap, he was going slow through [Turn] 14, I went up the inside, more than half a car length up the inside.”
“If you are not going for a gap, you are no longer racing, as Ayrton [Senna] once said. That’s what I did. When I watched it back, it felt like a racing incident to me. We don’t want to be deterred from racing.”
‘Listening to Ayrton Senna’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-ham...erez-incident/
Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's Championship Deciding Crash | 1989 Japanese Grand Prix
Oct 22, 2019
FORMULA 1
The moment Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's rivalry was cemented into F1 history. Senna had to win to beat his team mate Prost to the 1989 title, but despite crossing the line first after a collision between the two - the story didn't end there...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBForKcFWoA
Japan 1990 - Senna and Prost's first corner accident
Apr 16, 2020
Norkeys
Murray on Senna Prost collisions 1989: This is fantastiiic!
1990: This is amaziiing!
Great commentary by Murray and James. And I think everyone knew that Senna was gonna punt Prost off the track regardless if Senna himself would be out or not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbeBnn0Ufsc
Hamilton in brutal Perez dig as Verstappen warned
01 August 10:45AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365
Lewis Hamilton has insisted he would run Max Verstappen a lot closer than the Dutchman's teammate Sergio Perez is currently managing to do in the same car. Red Bull's RB19 has proved the class of the field so far in 2023, with Verstappen and Perez winning all 12 Grands Prix and three Sprint events this year.
"At the moment, it's impossible to beat the Red Bull unless they don't finish. They're eight-tenths to one second faster per lap than everybody else," Hamilton told Belgian outlet Sporza.
"It is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it. Do I want to be as fast as them? Of course. Would I like to have a car that's as fast as them? Of course. If was in Sergio's car, Max would not be having the same time he's having now. But it's not the way life is."
‘Hamilton in brutal Perez dig’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-i...e-so-far-ahead
F1 LIVE: Lewis Hamilton in Toto Wolff 'divorce' meeting as Russell replacement lined up
13:24, Tue, Aug 1, 2023 |
By Joe Krishnan
Daily and Sunday Express
Lewis Hamilton's future at Mercedes still looks no more certain as the F1 drivers and teams head into the summer break, with the seven-time world champion's new contract not yet finalised.
The 38-year-old was said to be only a signature away from extending his deal after holding talks with Toto Wolff, but at the halfway stage of the 2023 season, his plans beyond the current campaign are unclear.
It certainly makes sense that the Briton would consider all options available to him, with speculation linking him with Ferrari refusing to go away, although it is widely expected Hamilton will eventually sign to take his time with Mercedes beyond a decade.
'Divorce' meeting’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Max-Verstappen
Martin Brundle’s Mercedes accusation will alarm Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton's future at Mercedes beyond 2023 remains uncertain, with him not yet signing a new contract.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Brundle thinks this will have left the team “confused”, with them once again simply “surviving the season”. “I think they will be very frustrated,” Brundle told Sky Sports F1. “Their car is on a knife-edge to set up, to understand, to drive. “Then they suddenly promise a great result, get something a little bit special, go to the next race with upgrades – and fall off the pace. I would imagine they are confused with this car. ‘Diva 2’ I think they call it already don’t they?”
Mercedes were arguably third or fourth in the pecking order, with McLaren’s pace having been better than their race result. Despite the Germans inconsistent performances racing driver and pundit Naomi Schiff believes Mercedes are “going forward”, but that their “biggest concern” could become Ferrari’s progress in Spa.
“I think for them the bigger concern today was the Ferraris, they had fantastic pace this weekend whether it was dry or wet, their car is in a window where it’s really working. Lewis was between 2-3s behind Charles the whole race, and just didn’t have enough in the end it chase him down.”
‘Diva 2’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/martin-br...ewis-hamilton/
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Alonso says Aston Martin corrected “a few faults” as improved pace yields fifth.
Fernando Alonso said Aston Martin successfully addressed some of the problems they identified with their car in recent races after scoring his best result since the Canadian Grand Prix.
31st July 2023, 12:55
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
After climbing from ninth on the grid to finish fifth yesterday, Alonso told media including RaceFans: “I felt definitely more competitive than the last few events.” Alonso gained places when Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz Jnr tangled at the start. At the time he was concerned he would drop back over the course of the race.
“I was lucky at the start before Eau Rouge, I made a few places there,” said Alonso. “I was a little bit worried we will fall back and the pace will not be good enough to keep that position. But it was good, today the car felt fast. We kept one Mercedes behind, one McLaren behind, so we were in the mix and that’s good news before the summer break.”
The mixed conditions over the course of the rain-affected sprint race weekend presented difficult set-up choices for the grand prix, which was expected to remain dry. “It was not an easy weekend to go into the rhythm and the wet qualifying and the track changing all the time,” said Alonso. “So not much experience on dry.”
“EL PLAN: Corrected a few faults”;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/31/...-yields-fifth/
Alonso encouraged by Aston Martin set-up discovery
Tuesday 1st August, 2023 - 7:04pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Changes to how Aston Martin sets up its cars left Fernando Alonso enthused following the Belgian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were fifth and ninth respectively in Spa-Francorchamps, following another double-points result in Hungary a week earlier. Aston Martin started the 2023 season with a bang, Alonso recording six podium places in the opening eight grands prix.
“I think today the car felt more normal,” Alonso said on Sunday. We had a few thoughts after Hungary, after Silverstone, so the team was making few set-up changes also to the car. I think it paid off today; the car felt much more normal, more competitive. So yeah, happy. A good boost for summer.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso encouraged’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/01...-up-discovery/
Alonso says 'fast' Aston Martin felt 'more normal' at Spa
01/08/2023 at 09:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
"I think the car felt fast today," Alonso said after last Sunday's race. "The guys did an incredible job again on the strategy, also on the pitstops. We made a few places also yesterday, even if we didn't finish the race. And yeah, I think today the car felt more normal.”
In such precarious and changing conditions as those encountered last weekend, Alonso acknowledged that his vast experience as an F1 veteran remains a prime asset.
"I’m nearly 43 you can say now!" he joked, having turned 42 last Saturday. "I think people already saw that it's not a big change when you're 41 or when you're 25. It's more in your head, in the motivation, how you approach the weekend. So it's not about youth, it's just about going fast!"
‘EL PLAN: Vast experience as an F1 veteran remains a prime asset’;
https://f1i.com/news/483089-alonso-s...al-at-spa.html
Revealed: The “answer” to “where Aston Martin’s pace has gone”
1 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Ted Kravitz has delivered the answer to why Aston Martin have dropped away from the podium positions. “I have an answer for you about where their pace has gone,” Kravitz told Sky. “[Performance director] Tom McCullough and [team principal] Mike Krack has both confirmed this. It was the Canada upgrades that confused the team.”
“The chief engineer said that sometimes when you put an upgrade package on the car, it might work. It came at the worst time. The upgrades came in Canada. Where were they in Canada? P2. Second only to Max Verstappen so obviously that gave them a false steer that these upgrades were great, and weren’t actually unbalancing the car.”
“When they got to Hungary and Silverstone, they found that the upgrades were, in fact, unbalancing the car. But they know that now. They are not confused. They are backing out, or rather adapting, the upgrades to make them work.”
“EL PLAN: Where Aston Martin’s pace has gone”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103259...-pace-has-gone
Alonso makes HUGE claim about current F1 grid
Monday 31 July 2023 13:12
Lauren Sneath
Fernando Alonso has suggested that any team on the grid today would be superior to the best teams in the 2000s, thanks to advances in technology. The Spaniard, now a driver for Aston Martin, won two world championships in 2005 and 2006 with Renault.
Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, he told Sky Sports F1: “Now everything is driven by simulations, computers, super sophisticated technology, wind tunnels. I think the teams of today will beat any of the teams of the 2000s very easily. Even the last one [most recent team] today [Aston Martin], is a super mega team.”
‘EL PLAN: HUGE claim’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ay-beat-2000s/
Fernando Alonso Denies Obstructing Hamilton at McLaren: “No-one heard my version.”
August 2, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
In a gripping qualifying session, Alonso incurred a penalty for a delay in the pits, leading to vocal complaints from Hamilton’s side of the garage. Allegations of intentionally preventing Hamilton from completing a final lap stirred the air, but the Spanish driver has since come forward in an exclusive interview addressing the incident.
“No-one heard my version, or the truth, or the facts,” said the Spanish driver. “I said that I never hold anyone. They just gave me old tyres when it was qualifying. So there is the radio transcript, the decision from the stewards, where it is written that they put me a penalty on an article that didn’t exist. They just put the penalty but clarified it was not for any article, and things like that.”
“And it was my team putting a protest against myself, which is the first time in the history of the sport. So when you put all these kinds of things and you don’t see the facts, obviously it is difficult to clarify some misunderstandings.”
“EL PLAN: No-one heard my version”;
https://baylasportsf1.com/fernando-a...rd-my-version/
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‘I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like this’ – Russell ‘glad’ to put Belgian GP behind him.
He concluded: “And from my own personal side, just a really challenging weekend.”
31 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Assessing his race, Russell said: “It was alright. I was very unfortunate at the beginning. I made a really strong start, and then I saw Oscar [Piastri going slowly]. I thought it was a puncture, but didn’t realise he’d lost his steering.
“I decided to go to the left, he was just drifting to the left, I got boxed in, and I lost four positions. That probably cost me one position at the end of the race. I should’ve been ahead of Fernando [Alonso]. [But I’m] glad this weekend is over.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like this in my whole career. One, in terms of the weather changing so often. Like [Saturday], I don’t think I’ve lived a day of my life like [Saturday], it was just unbelievable.”
“It was alright”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...NKYgcPvnZ.html
Russell: 'Misjudgment' behind Piastri thwarted top-5 result at Spa
01/08/2023 at 08:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
George Russell says a "misjudgment" while running behind Oscar Piastri's stricken McLaren at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix compromised his race and a potential top-five finish at Spa. Launching his race from P8, Russell enjoyed a clean get-way and exited La Source with a clear path ahead.
But on the run down to Eau Rouge, the Mercedes driver unassumingly moved into the path of a slow-moving Piastri, who had collided with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz at Turn 1, boxing in Russell who was then overtaken by several cars left and right.
Russell completed the first lap a lowly 11th which compelled Mercedes to extend its driver's first stint on the medium tyre to 22 laps, or exactly half the race, which carried the Briton to sixth at the checkered flag.
‘Thwarted top-5 result at Spa’;
https://f1i.com/news/483084-russell-...lt-at-spa.html
George Russell issues demand to F1 bosses as Mercedes star insists 'that shouldn't happen'
Old issues returned to hinder George Russell and Mercedes in Belgium.
13:35, Wed, Aug 2, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
George Russell has urged F1 bosses to address the issue of porpoising and told them that it 'shouldn't be happening' at the pinnacle of motorsport after he and Lewis Hamilton were hampered by the phenomenon during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
The problems returned in Belgium last weekend, prompting Russell to call for a solution once and for all. "We suffered with a huge amount of bouncing today,” Russell explained in the aftermath of the Belgian GP.
“A number of teams did, maybe not as severe as we did. It's still obviously a bit of a shame to see that, as a sport at the pinnacle, the majority of teams are still struggling with bouncing. I hope something can be solved in that regard in the future."
‘Demand to F1 bosses’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...l-FIA-Mercedes
Anderson casts doubt on Mercedes bouncing
01/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
Former designer, Gary Anderson has cast doubt on Mercedes bouncing issues at Spa, suggesting that all might not be as it appears. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell complained of the phenomenon which plagued Mercedes and several other teams throughout 2022, but which has been absent for much of this year. For someone who spent much of the early part of the weekend warning on safety issues, even suggesting that the race should be cancelled if the weather worsened, one should not dismiss Russell's lobbying skills lightly.
Jordan and Jaguar designer, turned pundit, Gary Anderson certainly doesn't. "We never really hear about other teams suffering from it," he adds. "They all seem to have accepted that bouncing will be there at certain points and they just react to it and know what to do. The Ferrari drivers' heads were bouncing up and down in the high-speed Blanchimont towards the end of the lap, and that can only come from porpoising or bouncing. I am not sure whether Mercedes keep talking about it because they want the FIA to step in and change the regulations."
"We never really hear about other teams suffering from it," he adds. "They all seem to have accepted that bouncing will be there at certain points and they just react to it and know what to do. The Ferrari drivers' heads were bouncing up and down in the high-speed Blanchimont towards the end of the lap, and that can only come from porpoising or bouncing. "I am not sure whether Mercedes keep talking about it because they want the FIA to step in and change the regulations." A-ha!
‘A-ha!’;
https://www.pitpass.com/75856/Anders...cedes-bouncing
Russell SLAMS 'pointless' F1 feature and demands 'improvements'
Sunday 30 July 2023 11:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
George Russell has lashed out at Formula 1's 'pretty pointless' extreme wet weather tyres after drivers were mandated to start on the most cautious set of rubber during Saturday's sprint race. After a substantial downpour fell over Spa just minutes before Saturday's sprint race was set to take place, the FIA ruled that all cars were to start on full wets behind the safety car.
Safety no doubt at the forefront of their minds, with good reason, but the performance of the extreme wet weather tyre has left F1 drivers somewhat frustrated. “The extreme [wet] tyre is a pretty pointless tyre, it's really, really bad,” Russell told media including GPFans.
“It's probably six, seven seconds a lap slower than the intermediate. And the only reason you'd ever run the extreme wet is because you'd aquaplane on an intermediate. So that needs to be substantially improved. The aquaplaning with fairly little water is really substantial. I remember watching the old onboard videos of 2007 with [Felipe] Massa and [Robert] Kubica in Fuji, so much water, they were still pushing flat out.”
‘George Russell has lashed out’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/
George Russell and Charles Leclerc unhappy with Pirelli
Pirelli are trying to make "improvements to the Extreme Wet tyre following several complaints.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
All the drivers started the race on the full wets but pitted in the opening two laps of green flag racing for the Intermediates. The drivers have therefore called for Pirelli to make “some significant improvements” with the full wet tyre, given that nobody wants to use it even in dangerous conditions.
“I remember watching the old onboard videos of 2007 with [Felipe] Massa and [Robert] Kubica in Fuji,” George Russell said. “So much water and still [able to] push flat out. I remember doing test days here in F3 on Michelin and Hankook and aquaplaning wasn’t really as thing. I appreciate we are doing over 200mph and it’s not straightforward, but there needs to be some significant improvements.”
Charles Leclerc also insisted that “some work” must be done by Pirelli, with the tyre only being suitable for when the track has rivers across it. “There’s some work that needs to be done because we’ve got extreme tyres that are really slow, but really good for [avoiding] aquaplaning, but we never drive in those conditions because of visibility,” Leclerc said.
‘There needs to be some significant improvements’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/george-ru...-with-pirelli/
Mercedes explain what happened between Hamilton and Russell in SQ3 squabble
02 Aug 2023 3:37 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott says the team will take “learnings” from the situation which saw George Russell compromise Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Belgium sprint. Asked as part of Mercedes’ Belgian GP debrief what happened to the communication with Hamilton and Russell, Elliott replied: “In order to explain that I think I first need to explain how difficult it is to get right in the first place.”
“When you’ve got a track that is drying it is nearly always the case the quickest lap is going to be the very last lap of the run and so your first laps are about getting a banker lap in, and then as you get to the end of the session you want to be at the right place so you are just about crossing the line at the end of the session with your tyres in the right window.”
“So in 18 and 19, where you get to open the lap there was a lot of queuing, a lot of cars there, and so we were worried about getting over the line before the session ended. And we were asking our drivers to speed up, they thought they had less time available than they really did and as a result of that we ended up with our two cars too close together.
‘SQ3 squabble’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...cedes-spa-sq3/
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The ‘psychological challenge’ facing ‘spiralling’ Lando Norris during Belgian GP.
Andrea Stella: It was psychologically challenging for Lando Norris. Having had to listen to Norris complaining to his interim race engineer, Stella praised his driver for successfully managing to keep his head down and concentrate once the opportunity arose for a turnaround in fortune.
01 Aug 2023 9:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Team boss Andrea Stella explained that Norris had been “spiralling” negatively during the opening stint as he complained about his lack of pace and pleaded with his team for an alternative strategy as he was eaten up down the straights.
“So we were expecting the vulnerability but, indeed, when we were in the mix of the other cars, he was starting to spiral negatively, quite rapidly,” Stella told media, including PlanetF1.com.
“We have to very frankly admit that, while this configuration gave us an advantage in the previous days, [Sunday] it was starting to be a significant issue. Then we didn’t help ourselves, in a way, by trying to give Lando free air and fitting hard tyres.”
‘Psychological challenge’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...an-grand-prix/
Lando Norris brands McLaren strategy ‘terrible’
Lando Norris was the only driver to use the hard tyres at the Belgian GP on his way to seventh
July 30, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Sunday’s race was largely carried out in dry conditions as Norris, who was the only driver to use the hard tyres, initially fell down the order due to a lack of straight line speed. “We had to try something so we went onto the hard [tyre] but it was worse,” Norris said to the media.
“No-one has used the hard all weekend. We thought it normally kind of suits us so I think it was the right decision to try, but it was still terrible. I just didn’t have enough laps to get the tyres into the window and to be able to push and I got overtaken on my first lap out of the box.”
“Then I got put behind one car so I couldn’t push in the middle sector and then I got overtaken two or three more times. Then we put the softs on and everything came back to us, I don’t know how we ended up seventh. Honestly, I felt like I was last for the most part and I ended up in seventh so I am a bit surprised.”
‘Only driver to use the hard tyres’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...tegy-terrible/
McLaren admit to hard tyre mistake with Norris
Monday 31st July, 2023 - 7:16pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
The decision to run Lando Norris on hard tyres during the second stint of the Belgian Grand Prix was a mistake, according to McLaren boss Andrea Stella. Having started sixth on the grid, Norris plummeted down the order in the opening stages.
That prompted some to question whether the Englishman was struggling with an issue with his car, only for the team to confirm that it was an inability to get the tyre working that was blighting his pace.
‘Hard tyre mistake’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/31...e-with-norris/
Norris surprised to finish seventh after “terrible” Belgian Grand Prix
2023 Belgian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th July 2023, 17:27
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Lando Norris summed up his Belgian Grand Prix as “terrible” and said he was surprised to finish seventh after running near the back. “We need to rethink how we approach the weekend with the wing level and stuff like this, especially on a different circuit,” said Norris. “It might work on one, but it doesn’t work on all of them and we clearly got it wrong this weekend.”
He said his car felt much better during the brief period of rainfall in the middle of the race, though it never grew heavy enough for anyone to pit for intermediate tyres. “It was lighter than I was hoping, but obviously it still helped us,” he said. “I think everyone got a bit scared and I was on the soft at the time the rain came, which I think was a perfect thing to have done which is why we boxed I think.”
‘Surprised to finish seventh’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/30/...an-grand-prix/
Lando 'stuck in a circle' - but somehow still ends up P7!
30/07/2023 at 19:01
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Lando Norris was as confused by anyone as to what exactly happened to him in today's Belgian Grand Prix. He started from seventh on the grid and crossed the line in P7 after 44 laps - but in between, he was all over the place.
"It was terrible," he told the media afterward. "That's an honest answer. We were just stuck in a circle of not being able to push enough in the middle sector because of the cars ahead. People [behind were] having to lift in Eau Rouge, we were that slow," he said. "I was getting overtaken before the DRS zone even started.”
“I was barely making eighth gear,” he continued. “I was that slow on the straights. I just couldn’t defend, I couldn't attack. It was impossible to overtake. I didn’t overtake one person on the straights, I was too slow. Honestly, I had a run on Alex [Albon] out of turn 1: I had new tyres, he had old tyres, and I think by the end of the straight he pulled three or four car lengths from me!”
'Stuck in a circle';
https://f1i.com/news/482838-lando-st...nds-up-p7.html
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Ocon: Alpine took “very noticeable” forward step with Spa F1 upgrade.
Esteban Ocon has praised the “quite impressive” and “very noticeable” performance step taken by the Alpine Formula 1 team in time for last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
3rd August 2023, 10:46
Motorsport.com
Despite setting a pre-season target to retain fourth place in the 2023 constructors’ championship while closing the gap to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, the Enstone team has fallen to sixth behind midfield rivals McLaren and Aston Martin come the summer break.
Given the drop off, Alpine owner Renault Group has sought to replace company CEO Laurent Rossi while allowing team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane to leave by mutual consent. Chief technical officer Pat Fry has also accepted an offer to head up the design department at Williams.
Amid the turmoil, Pierre Gasly climbed from sixth to second place in the rain-affected Saturday sprint race at Spa, while Ocon rose from 14th to eighth in the full GP on Sunday. This competitiveness prompted Ocon to say, “It’s very encouraging that each time we bring an update, the car seems to take a step forward. Clearly, I dedicate that [Sunday result] to Viry and Enstone, because it's really encouraging that what we bring to the track really makes us step forward.”
“Quite impressive” and “very noticeable” performance step’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/o...rade/10503675/
‘We flew through the field!’ – Ocon beaming after battling drive to P8 at Spa
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Esteban Ocon said after the Belgian Grand Prix he really enjoyed the race, as he pulled off a series of overtakes to fight his way up into the points.
‘We flew through the field!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...225422249.html
Ocon pleased to ‘save our weekend’ with run to points in Belgium
08:39 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Esteban Ocon says he was happy to “save” Alpine’s weekend with a run to eighth place at the Belgian Grand Prix, a week that proved to be tumultuous for the Enstone-based squad.
“One more lap, one more lap. That’s what Lando could have said for many occasions when we raced together,” said the Frenchman, acknowledging prior battles with the McLaren ace. I enjoy the last lap battles with him all the time, it always seems to happen together. But not this time, unfortunately.”
Despite his battle with Norris not having the best outcome, Ocon was happy with how he and the team performed. “[I’m] glad we saved our weekend in a way,” he said. “Friday, Saturday didn’t go to plan, we didn’t put everything together. But clearly that race, we could show the real pace of the car, and how it was working, and yeah, had some really good battles out there.”
‘Happy to “save” Alpine’s weekend’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...tone-and-viry/
Ocon happy to 'save Alpine's weekend', in a way
02/08/2023 at 08:19
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Esteban Ocon believes his run to P8 in last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix brought a bit of comfort to Alpine in the midst of the team's off-track turmoil at Spa. On Friday, the Enstone squad lobbed a bombshell in the paddock when it announced that it had parted ways with team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane, not to mention CTO Pat Fry's move to Williams.
Ocon speculated on what his performance would have been had Spa's manic weather remained dry. "What if it was a dry weekend on the rest? "Because I think we had clearly that pace in the race," he said.
"It’s very encouraging that each time we bring an update, the car seems to take a step forward. Clearly, I dedicate that one to Viry and Enstone, because it’s really encouraging what we bring to the track really makes a step forward."
‘Enstone squad lobbed a bombshell’;
https://f1i.com/news/483143-ocon-hap...-in-a-way.html
Gary Anderson: Lessons from my own ‘Alpine vs Otmar’ F1 moment
3rd August 2023, 07:14
By Gary Anderson
The Race
Even by Formula 1 standards, Alpine’s sudden announcement that team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane – who has been at the team for 34 years – were on their way out during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend was a jarring one. They even had to see out the event in their current roles, something that departing personnel usually get to avoid when a team’s ownership decides there must be change.
For me, there was a sense of deja vu. I have been there and suffered the consequences of the actions of a car manufacturer when Ford took over Stewart Grand Prix and named it Jaguar. I had a stand up ‘discussion’ with one of Ford’s top management, which I hoped would clear the air. Unfortunately, things were said that couldn’t be retracted so I suffered the consequences.
Ever since Renault took over what’s now the Alpine team ahead of the 2016 season, there has been a revolving door of leadership with Fred Vasseur, Cyril Abiteboul, Marcin Budkowski and Szafnauer all having key roles at the top and leaving or being moved on. In fact, that’s been the case in many of these roles, as this table shows us.
‘Had to see out the event in their current roles, something that departing personnel usually get to avoid’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...mar-f1-moment/
Fernando Alonso tells Otmar Szafnauer to ‘be quiet’ as he tears into sacked Alpine F1 boss
3 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Fernando Alonso says his former F1 boss Otmar Szafnauer “should be quiet” considering the contrasting fortunes between Alpine and Aston Martin. The two-time world champion launched a scathing verbal attack on the now-fired Szafnauer for his “slow” and poor handling of contract negotiations last year.
Fernando Alonso: “After the results of Aston Martin and the results he's achieving, he's still talking and still proud of the decision, which is incredible, amazing. Asked whether he thinks Alpine underestimated what he brought to the team, the 42-year-old replied: “100%. And still do.”
Fernando Alonso: "When you are doing the best you can every weekend, when I did so many things for Renault as well, you take a little bit personal when someone is doubting your performance or your age or these kinds of things. And you just want to prove even extra hard that you are in the best moment of your career. The results, they speak for themselves, and that's the best way.”
‘EL PLAN: Be quiet’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103266...ed-alpine-boss
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Aston Martin silly season rumour starts as Lance Stroll exit prediction made – F1 news round-up.
August 2 also marks a special day in the calendar for everyone who happened to be on social media and witness Oscar Piastri single-handedly blow up Twitter (and Alpine’s best-laid plans to replace Fernando Alonso) in one fell swoop.
02 Aug 2023 11:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Silly season starts with ‘Hulkenback’ to Aston Martin rumour: Nico Hulkenberg was spotted entering the Aston Martin motorhome as the Spa weekend unfolded, with the German having served as the team’s reserve driver for several seasons during his time off the grid and fulfilled a few stand-in appearances during the Covid-interrupted seasons.
Crofty predicts Lance Stroll may choose to leave Aston Martin: Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft made a prediction that Lance Stroll may in fact decide that Formula 1 life may not be for him come the end of next season, and move into “something that fulfils him more.”
Sandbagging questions sent Max Verstappen’s way after huge pace advantage: After biding his time to climb up the field from sixth, Max Verstappen was able to fly clear of the rest of the field when he was able to get into the lead on Sunday.
‘EL PLAN: Silly season rumour’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-new...season-rumour/
Alonso still determined to help Stroll lead Aston in the future
04/08/2023 at 15:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Fernando Alonso says he knows "what his role is" at Aston Martin, and it involves multiple objectives, one of which is to help Lance Stroll pick up the baton in the future to become the team's "leader".
Alonso's priority with Aston Martin is to help the team grow to allow it to fulfil its big ambitions. But a by-product of that commitment is to ensure that Stroll is able to lead the charge once the 42-year-old Spaniard decides to call it a day on his driving career.
"I know what my role is," Alonso said. "Try to help the team to grow in all these areas, try to help Lance as well in anything that I can bring to the team. Because I will race for a few more years but I don’t know how many – not so long. And he will race for many more years, and he has to lead the team into the future. So I am happy to help."
‘EL PLAN: "What his role is".’;
https://f1i.com/news/483284-alonso-s...he-future.html
Alonso wants to help Stroll grow into F1 team leader
4th August 2023, 10:00
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
Fernando Alonso says he wants to help Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll grow into becoming a team leader in Formula 1. Stroll is currently competing in his seventh F1 campaign, while Alonso is the most seasoned driver in the sport’s history, with 367 starts and counting to his name. The duo paired up this year at Aston Martin following Alonso’s decision to depart Alpine at the end of 2022.
Stroll’s seat is seen as safe at Aston Martin, as his father Lawrence took over ownership of the team midway through 2018, several months before Lance was signed to the squad.
“I don’t think there is much more mystery on this,” Alonso added. “We have a good relationship now. We are not fighting for the championship. If we were fighting for the championship, maybe there would be less communication or a little bit more tension, between the team or drivers. But right now we have very clear goals and we work together in that direction.”
‘EL PLAN: Help Stroll grow into F1 team leader’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...1-team-leader/
Lance Stroll tipped to quit: ‘F1 wasn’t the sport he wanted when he was young’
3 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.net
Formula 1 commentator David Croft has suggested Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll could leave the sport in 18 months time. “I do wonder, he’s the one driver on the grid that you think ‘you are guaranteed a job as long as your dad is there’. We’ve never actually talked about contracts for Lance Stroll." said Sky Sports commentator David Croft on their podcast.
“We’ve never looked at his future elsewhere, but I just have a little feeling that in about a year and a half’s time, Lance Stroll will race his last race in Formula 1 and go off and do something else”, said Croft. “I just think he’s losing his mojo. I don’t think Formula 1 was the sport he wanted to go into when he was younger.”
‘SILLY SEASON: Lance Stroll tipped to quit’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103268...n-he-was-young
Stroll says Aston Martin ‘have work to do’ to recapture early season form
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Lance Stroll finished in ninth place in the Belgium Grand Prix, but says Aston Martin need to put the work in to claw their way back up towards the front of the grid.
‘Have work to do’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...090379823.html
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Yuki Tsunoda surprised at Daniel Ricciardo's "behaviour" after F1 return with AlphaTauri.
"I already know he is fast but also how he's behaving in the team is like probably the opposite as me," he told reporters. "So, lots of things to learn, a lot from him.”
18:08, 4 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Ricciardo is back on the grid with AlphaTauri, partnering Tsunoda who has to get used to racing with a team-mate with a wealth of F1 experience for the first time.
"It's also a bit of pressure for myself and probably that made me rush and a couple of mistakes in the last couple of races. But I was able to put it all together in the last race. It was not easy. But just happy and feeling ready for a fight with him in the second half of the season."
‘Surprised at Daniel Ricciardo's "behaviour".’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-2023-30632413
Belgium Points Finish proof that Aero Development ‘Going in the Right Direction’ – Franz Tost
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Franz Tost says it was pleasing to see one of his Scuderia AlphaTauri cars finish inside the top ten in Sundays Belgian Grand Prix, with Yuki Tsunoda ending a run of seven races without a point for the Faenza-based squad.
Tost, who will leave his role as Team Principal at AlphaTauri at the end of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, feels the development of the AT04 appears to be heading in the right direction as they were able to finally break their run of pointless races and show themselves to be competitive amongst the midfield in Belgium.
“We started the race with Yuki in P11 and Daniel in P19, so we decided to split the strategy between the two cars: Yuki started on the medium compound, and Daniel on the soft tyre,” said Tost. “Yuki managed a fantastic start and ended up in P8, keeping his position for a very long time.”
‘Going in the Right Direction’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...on-franz-tost/
Tsunoda challenged by 'fast' Ricciardo but 'ready to fight'
03/08/2023 at 17:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Yuki Tsunoda says Daniel Ricciardo's arrival at AlphaTauri last month has forced him to raise his game, but the Japanese charger is ready for the challenge that his new situation has delivered.
"It's challenging. But at the same time, I know that this current situation is completely new for me," he said at Spa last weekend. "I'm learning a lot, especially getting challenged by an experienced driver. And not only is he an experienced driver, he’s a top driver and we know that he's fast.”
"I already know he is fast but also how he's behaving in the team is like probably the opposite as me," said Tsunoda. "So, lots of things to learn, a lot from him."
'Ready to fight'
https://f1i.com/news/483240-tsunoda-...-to-fight.html
Yuki Tsunoda on Spa Point: “I’m happy I could extract and maximise the car’s performance”
By Paul Hensby
August 4, 2023
The Checkered Flag
Yuki Tsunoda was delighted to end his run of failing to score points by taking tenth place in the Belgian Grand Prix, his first top ten finish since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April.
“The team did a fantastic job today; the car was flying and I’m happy to finish in the points before the summer break,” said Tsunoda. “A huge well done to the entire team: the mechanics, people in Bicester and Faenza, and trackside engineers.”
“It’s been a long time since I scored points, and I’ve been struggling in the last few races, so I’m very happy now. We were slightly lucky with a couple of cars retiring in front of us, but I felt really comfortable during the race.”
‘Extract and maximise’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...s-performance/
Tsunoda relishing 'fight' as Ricciardo pressure applied
02 August 8:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
"It is actually quite challenging but at the same time, I know this current situation is completely new for me," Tsunoda explained to media including RacingNews365 after a third points finish of the season at Spa.
"I'm learning a lot especially being challenged by an experienced driver, and not just a normal experienced driver. "[Daniel] is a top driver and we know that he is fast but also how he is behaving with the team is opposite to me.”
"There are a lot of things I've learnt from him. It has also put a bit of pressure on myself and that probably made me rush and make a couple of mistakes in the last couple of races.”
‘Relishing fight';
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-re...essure-applied
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Former F1 champion unleashes BRUTAL Ricciardo criticism in scathing rant.
Former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve is not impressed with Daniel Ricciardo's return to the sport, suggesting that no other driver would secure a return based on his performances at McLaren.
Tuesday 25 July 2023 21:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
The popular Australian's stint with McLaren was hyped up on announcement in 2021, but Ricciardo never felt comfortable with his machinery and was routinely beaten by team-mate Lando Norris. McLaren ultimately decided to part company with Ricciardo a year prior to the end of his contract in 2022, instead recruiting his rookie compatriot Oscar Piastri for the 2023 campaign.
Speaking about Ricciardo's return during the Canal+ broadcast of FP1 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Villeneuve provided a scathing review of the Aussie's career. "He's been resting for several months," Villeneuve explained. "He did some political background work with [Helmut Marko] that [Nyck de Vries] didn't see coming, well done.”
"On the other hand, it's impressive, for a return to Formula 1, a big smile and Instagram are enough to drive these magnificent cars, it's incredible. No [other] driver after four pitiful seasons was allowed to return to Formula 1.”
‘BRUTAL Ricciardo criticism in scathing rant’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...sm-alphatauri/
DAN AND OUT: Ex-F1 champ Jacques Villeneuve blasts Daniel Ricciardo’s career claiming that almost half of it has been ‘terrible’
Published: 14:06, 13 Jul 2023
Etienne Fermie
The Sun
DANIEL RICCIARDO'S Formula One career was blasted as "terrible" by former champ Jacques Villeneuve - or at least, half of it. Racing legend Villeneuve, 51, last year blasted Ricciardo, telling F1 TV: "He had two terrible years at Renault and two even more terrible years at McLaren. That's four years. Almost half of his Formula One career was bad.
"Alpine have no reason to take him, especially when he's driven there before. The modern cars just don't seem to suit his driving style. He was impressive at Red Bull. He showed amazing overtaking manoeuvres. He was ahead of Max at the beginning. But in the end Max started to get a handle on him.”
"Then he switched. And after the switch something seems to have happened that he never managed to get a handle on. He never recovered from that."
‘Modern cars just don't seem to suit his driving style’;
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/19803...iel-ricciardo/
Ricciardo holds McLaren responsible for career slump
July 28, 2023
BaylaSportsF1.com
Daniel Ricciardo on Thursday appeared to directly attribute the slump in his career over the past two seasons at McLaren to the Woking based team. The implication from Ricciardo’s remarks about Alpha Tauri is that McLaren’s engineers may not have been as receptive to his input.
“I don’t really want to talk about the time at McLaren anymore,” he expressed. “But back then, during the first summer break, I realized that we were going about things the wrong way, although obviously everyone was acting in the team’s best interest.”
‘McLaren responsible’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/ricciardo-...-career-slump/
F1 champions split over Ricciardo comeback
Two former world champions are divided over Daniel Ricciardo's handling of his return to the Formula 1 grid.
JULY 27, 2023
GrandPrix.com
For his part, 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve thinks the 33-year-old Australian played a masterstroke prior to Hungary by filling the suddenly-ousted Nyck de Vries' place at Alpha Tauri. “Daniel rested for a few months and did some political work that de Vries didn't see coming”, the Canadian told the French broadcaster Canal Plus. “It's impressive to return to Formula 1 and drive these great cars with a big smile and working social media. Incredible,” Villeneuve added.
While 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg agrees that it was an impressive return for Ricciardo, he is less impressed with some of Ricciardo's messaging. “The only thing I would like to say is that it was unnecessary for Daniel to make it so clear that he is here to come back to Red Bull”, said the German. “It's unnecessary additional pressure that he's putting on himself. I would have handled that a bit differently and downplayed it a bit.”
‘Daniel Ricciardo's handling of his return to the Formula 1 grid’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/f1-ch...-comeback.html
Nico Rosberg’s controversial take on Daniel Ricciardo declaration
Daniel Ricciardo made his return to racing with AlphaTauri last weekend at the Hungarian GP.
by Nick Golding
26 July 2023
Ricciardo left Red Bull at the end of 2018 whilst alongside Max Verstappen, with Rosberg believing that the eight-time race winner simply “didn’t feel comfortable” anymore with the Austrians. “I think he just didn’t feel comfortable in the team anymore,” Rosberg said.
“There was this rising star in Max Verstappen who was getting more and more support in the team and he just saw an opportunity to go to another team and be the star there and open up a new chapter and that was his decision at the time. I don’t think he would call it a mistake looking back, I’m not sure.”
The Aussie is keen to race for the Austrians again, something which Rosberg wants the AlphaTauri driver to play down a “little bit”. “The one thing I will say, it’s unnecessary, that Daniel makes it so clear that he is here to get back into the Red Bull Racing team,” Rosberg said. “It’s unnecessary extra pressure that he has set himself. I would have played that a bit differently and downplayed it a little bit.”
‘Controversial take on Daniel Ricciardo declaration’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosb...o-declaration/
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F1 silly season in full swing as SEVEN drivers out of contract including Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo are among seven drivers who don't yet know what their 2024 plans are as they look to iron out their Formula 1 futures during the summer break.
13:15, 3 Aug 2023
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror
The F1 summer break is often when future decisions are made - with just shy of half the grid unsure of their 2024 drives. Known as 'silly season' - one driver move can often lead to a domino effect, as we've seen previously.
Lewis Hamilton is the biggest name on the grid whose futures is undecided, while some teams have both seats currently vacant heading into next season. The Mercedes driver has been with the Silver Arrows since 2013 but no deal is yet signed for next year with the German manufacturer still not providing a car capable of challenging for the title.
Daniel Ricciardo is back in F1 with AlphaTauri for the rest of this season. He was recalled following the brutal axing of De Vries and has immediately targeted a seat with Red Bull for 2025.
‘F1 silly season in full swing’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ilton-30620016
F1 silly season: Driver linked with sensational return to Aston Martin
02 Aug 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Seen walking into the Red Bull hospitality, but that was explained away as travel, it’s now being claimed it’s Aston Martin, not Red Bull, who could be the ones to sign Nico Hulkenberg.
According to former driver turned pundit Timo Glock, it’s not Red Bull who are leading the charge, rather it’s his former team, Aston Martin. Although he expects Hulkenberg to remain at Haas next season, Aston Martin having Fernando Alonso and their team owner’s son Lance Stroll on the books, he reckons the German could be in line for a 2025 seat with the Silverstone team.
“I think he will still be driving with Haas next year because there is no other option,” Speedweek quotes the Sky Sports commentator as having said. “After that, I’m sure that the teams have him on the radar, for example, Aston Martin. “Mike Krack saw what Nico Hülkenberg can do in the car without any preparation and how he drives at the moment. He’s definitely on the list and I trust him to be able to show everything in a top team.”
‘Sensational return to Aston Martin’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-h...tin-2025-move/
F1's blockbuster silly season transfer story with long-lasting effect on three teams
A year has passed since Alpine tried and so publicly failed to promote junior driver Oscar Piastri to an F1 race seat, but the Aussie and his new McLaren employers had other ideas
06:00, 2 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
It will forever remain an iconic silly season story among Formula 1 fans on Twitter. "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."
That post is still live on Oscar Piastri's account, a year on from when he first pressed send. That was about an hour and a half after Alpine had indeed released a statement 'confirming' that the Aussie had been promoted to a race seat. The warning signs were there straight away. The press release gave the impression it had been written hastily, as a response to the previous day's news that Fernando Alonso would be leaving for Aston Martin.
I remember, as I wrote the breaking news story for the Mirror Sport website, thinking it was odd that there was no quote from Piastri himself included in the release. A little over 90 minutes later, it became obvious why it was missing.
‘F1's blockbuster silly season transfer story’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-saga-30606818
Aston Martin silly season rumour starts as Lance Stroll exit prediction made – F1 news round-up
02 Aug 2023 11:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft made a prediction that Lance Stroll may in fact decide that Formula 1 life may not be for him come the end of next season, and move into “something that fulfils him more.”
With the Canadian struggling to compete against Fernando Alonso in the first half of the 2023 season, Croft wonders about where his motivation may be at the moment, following a sterling start to the year after recovering from broken bones in his hand to drive to a P6 finish in Bahrain.
“I do wonder, he’s the one driver on the grid that you think: ‘You’re guaranteed a job as long as your dad is there’, and we’ve never actually talked about contracts for Lance Stroll,” Croft told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “We’ve never looked at his future elsewhere, but I just have a little feeling that in about a year and a half’s time, Lance Stroll will race his last race in Formula 1 and go off and do something else.”
‘Aston Martin silly season rumour’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-new...season-rumour/
F1 'Silly Season' is already heating up: Here is what we know and what is still rumored
15:57 Sat, 22 Jul 2023.
Cork Gaines
INSIDER
The 2023 Formula One "silly season" is already heating up as rumors are flying about the 2024 driver lineup. This year's driver shakeup was supposed to be quiet, but Daniel Ricciardo is back, and with Lewis Hamilton's contract still in doubt and struggles at Ferrari, there are an unusual number of rumors surrounding the top teams.
1. Red Bull: Verstappen has won two championships with Perez's aid but shows little reciprocation, particularly now as Perez had emerged as the strongest title challenger. With Perez failing to reach the podium in four of the past five races, rumors are heating up that his seat is not secure.
2. Mercedes: The Daily Mail had reported that Ferrari could be making a move for Hamilton with boss John Elkann in direct contact with Hamilton and prepared to offer him $49.3 million (£40.0 million) per year to switch teams.
‘F1 'Silly Season' is already heating up’;
https://www.insider.com/f1-drivers-s...contracts-2023
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Gasly: Alpine must use summer break to ‘process’ F1 team changes.
Pierre Gasly says Alpine must use the summer break to “process” the major changes that were made at the Formula 1 team in recent weeks.
12:16 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
Motorsport Week
Gasly, who joined Alpine at the start of the 2023 campaign, suggested the situation for him as a newcomer has been far from ideal. “Personally I’ve got to focus on what I do on the track and try to bring the best I can from every single session,” Gasly said.
“That’s what I’ve been focussing on, obviously everyone is disappointed with the start of the year, we didn’t perform straight from the start as well as we should have. There hasn’t been the progress that we all would have liked. Obviously, I’ve just joined six months ago, I don’t know what the past history.”
“It’s quite a lot of changes just for me coming in the team and relying on new people and then all these changes. Everybody needs to sit down and process what’s happened and just refresh and start fresh in Zandvoort.”
‘Use summer break to ‘process’ F1 team changes’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...-team-changes/
‘I just want to say thanks’ – Gasly pays tribute to departing Alpine bosses as he lets news ‘sink in’
01 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Pierre Gasly has offered his initial reaction to the various Alpine leadership changes that were announced over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, admitting that he needs time to “let everything sink in”.
Asked about the various changes, and how he is staying focused on driving, Gasly said: “My part of the job is trying to extract every single hundredth and millisecond out of this car and that’s what I try to do.”
“Obviously there have been a few changes [to the management structure] and I haven’t really had time to sit down and let everything sink in. But I think the most important [thing] for me to say right now is I just want to thank Laurent, Otmar, Alan and Pat for their effort and their work with me since the start of the year.”
‘I just want to say thanks’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...z1nHcGz96.html
Gasly's concession amid huge Alpine changes
03 August 9:06AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly has conceded that Alpine is lacking 'overall potential compared to rival Formula 1 teams with its A523 machine. Alpine's hopes of closing the gap to the top three teams in 2023 has failed, with the team languishing in sixth place in the Constructors', as Aston Martin took a giant leap forward with McLaren also improving after a sizeable mid-season upgrade.
As a result of the poor performances, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane left the team after the Belgian Grand Prix, with CEO Laurent Rossi being removed by Renault Group chair Luca de Meo the week before in Hungary. Despite a podium in Monaco and top three in the Belgian Sprint for the team, Gasly feels it has failed to live up to expectations.
‘Gasly's concession’;
https://racingnews365.com/gaslys-con...alpine-changes
Gasly hoping Alpine surprise boosts departing Szafnauer and Permane
01 August 6:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly hopes his surprise third-place finish in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint will leave "special memories" for the departing Alpine senior management.
After a poor Qualifying session for the Grand Prix on Friday, Gasly was able to secure sixth on the Sprint grid, and by pitting on the first lap when the Sprint started, was able to grab third place.
He was able to stay there and deliver a much-needed boost to the team, with the Frenchman hoping Szafnauer, Permane and Pat Fry - who is to take up the Chief Technical Officer role at Williams - could depart on good terms.
"Special memories";
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-hopi...er-and-permane
Pierre Gasly’s manager admits Alpine ‘frustration’
August 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
“The car was born as it was born,” Gasly’s manager, Guillaume Le Goff, told RMC. “A little out of step with what we expected. So yes, there is a bit of frustration on that side,” he explained, after Alpine sacked its team boss Otmar Szafnauer and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
According to Chevrier, the former engine boss at Viry-Chatillon, one problem is quite well known in the paddock at present as Renault is pushing for special dispensation to improve its power unit amid the current freeze. “The few whispers I hear from Viry tell me that they thought they had made significant progress on the engine,” he said. “Both in terms of performance and reliability.”
‘The few whispers’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/pierre-gas...e-frustration/
Manager suggests Pierre Gasly regret over Alpine move
Pierre Gasly finished third in the 2023 Belgian GP sprint race to score his first podium with Alpine.
by Nick Golding
5 August 2023
Ex-Renault team member Denis Chevrier has revealed that the French manufacturer thought they’d made “significant progress” with their power unit; however, they’re learning considerably less about their engine.
Renault are the only power unit supplier in F1 currently without a customer team, something which has seen the side “learn a lot less”. They are currently trying to receive special treatment to increase the power of their power unit, to make them more competitive.
“It seems like a decent power unit. The problem is that it’s only in those two cars. So you learn a lot less and much less quickly than the others. That’s one of the drawbacks.”
‘Only those two cars, so you learn a lot less’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/manager-s...r-alpine-move/
Gasly leads emotional tribute at Spa for Anthoine Hubert.
Thursday 3 August 2023 16:27
L.A. Wilshaw
GPFans
Every year since that tragic day in 2019 at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly has paid tribute to his friend, Anthoine Hubert, who lost his life in a racing incident during the 2019 F2 Feature Race. Inspiring the paddock with a heartfelt gesture, Gasly sent a letter of invitation to all Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 personnel and colleagues to join him on a ‘Run for Anthoine’ at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit.
Wearing ‘Race for Anthoine’ t-shirts, Gasly led the group alongside team mate, Esteban Ocon, F2 and F3 drivers Victor Martins, Jack Doohan and Caio Collet, all existing members of the Alpine Driver Academy [former Renault Sport Academy], that Hubert was a member of. Talking to Channel 4’s Lee McKenzie over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Gasly gave an emotional testimony on his tribute for Hubert.
He said, “It was very emotional. I’m really proud of our sport right now. I’ve just seen, in these tremendous conditions, most of the people in the paddock whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2 or Formula 3 gathered together on the grid. Obviously it was a very meaningful sort of run for me for Anthoine [Hubert] and obviously Dilano [van’t Hoff] as well, who we lost a couple of weeks ago.”
‘Emotional tribute’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...thoine-hubert/
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Current Driver Line-up the Preferred Choice for Sauber F1 Team in 2024 – Alunni Bravi.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi has hinted that both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are the preferred choice to remain as drivers for what will become the Sauber F1 Team next year.
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
The team have not had the strongest of seasons so far and currently sit ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with only nine points to their name, with their last top ten finish coming in the Canadian Grand Prix back in June. Bottas scored the teams’ best result of the year in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix when he took eighth place, while Zhou has a pair of ninth place finishes as his best finish of the year in Australia and Spain.
Alunni Bravi, the Team Representative at Alfa Romeo, says the team would prefer to have continuality in its driver line-up next year, although where that leaves current FIA Formula 2 championship leader and long time Sauber Junior driver Théo Pourchaire is unclear.
“Of course, we always said that stability for us is important,” Alunni Bravi is quoted as saying by Motorsportweek.com about its planned driver choices for 2024. “We are a team that is in a transformation process, and we try to be as much stable as possible in all areas.”
‘Preferred Choice’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-alunni-bravi/
Alfa Romeo reveal 'target' for F1 2024 driver line-up
5 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net
Alfa Romeo currently have no plans to change their driver line-up for the 2024 F1 season. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are in their second season together as teammates at the Hinwil-based outfit and both are likely to be retained.
Bottas signed a multi-year deal, believed to run until the end of 2024, following his departure from Mercedes and has established as Alfa Romeo’s team leader. Sauber junior Theo Pourchaire could potentially put himself in the running for a 2024 F1 seat if he goes on to win the F2 championship, which he currently leads.
Alfa Romeo team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi: “There will be time after the summer shutdown to sit down with Zhou and look at what will be the best solution for both of us. Our target is to keep both drivers in our team next year but, of course, there must be all the elements in place to have a win-win situation.”
'Target';
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103281...-driver-lineup
Bottas banking on Alfa Romeo F1 upgrades to inspire 2023 upturn
11:36 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Valtteri Bottas has revealed that Alfa Romeo will introduce upgrades after the summer break that he hopes will return the team to points-scoring contention. Alfa Romeo has struggled considerably throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season, having only scored nine points across the first 12 races to languish ninth in the Constructors’ Championship.
The Italian marque proved uncompetitive around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, with Bottas and team-mate Zhou Guanyu qualifying 14th and 17th respectively. Despite introducing updates at Silverstone designed to improve the performance of its C43 car in high-speed corners, Alfa Romeo arrived in Spa expecting to struggle.
While both drivers made strong progress to climb the order in the race, Bottas, who took the chequered flag in 12th, asserts that he extracted the maximum result possible. However, Bottas concedes he was pleasantly surprised by Alfa Romeo’s pace compared to its immediate rivals within the midfield.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 upgrades’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...e-2023-upturn/
Difficult for Alfa Romeo to make Spa Progress with Similar Pace Across Many Cars – Bottas
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Valtteri Bottas acknowledged that the Belgian Grand Prix was always going to be a difficult race for Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake, especially when starting amongst a group of cars who are very equally matched. The Finn started thirteenth but was able to make very little progress across the forty-four lap race at Spa-Francorchamps, with Bottas finishing twelfth, just under five seconds away from the top ten.
“We can say today has been a solid race, I was happy with our pace and with the strategy we chose,” said Bottas. “Overall, it has been pretty much a straightforward one, with nothing much happening after the start, when I went slightly off on the grass to avoid Yuki [Tsunoda], who was heading right. Of course, with the pace being very similar for so many cars in the field, it was going to be a bit difficult to make progress, especially taking into consideration how this track hasn’t suited our car best and our starting positions.”
‘Difficult to make Spa Progress’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ltteri-bottas/
Bottas: Alfa Romeo have ‘lots of things we need to do better’ when the season resumes
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Valtteri Bottas has called on Alfa Romeo to improve the pace of the car, but also tighten up operationally after a tricky first half of the season concluded with a P12 for the Finn at Spa.
‘Lots of things we need to do better’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...294267048.html
-
Alex Albon 'has turned heads in F1 paddock' as ex-Red Bull star targets race wins.
Alex Albon has been linked to rival F1 teams after a string of solid performances at Williams.
10:40, Thu, Jul 27, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express
Alex Albon has impressed rival team bosses with the ex-Red Bull driver starring at Williams since his F1 return. According to ESPN, at least two teams showed a serious interest in signing Albon for the 2023 campaign.
However, the constructors were unable to negotiate a deal with Williams holding onto the services of the 27-year-old. There were even paddock rumours that he turned down the opportunity to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull earlier this season. However, the claims are likely false with Albon denying a move was on the cards.
But he stressed the links showed his talent had shone through since his F1 comeback. He explained: “Yeah. Weird! The only thing that's nice about rumours is it's clearly showing things are going well. They're nice rumours as well. I see some bad ones. It's always my friends sending me this absolute garbage, like, 'Is this true!?'"
‘Turned heads in F1 paddock';
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-grand-prix
F1 team principal blames 'BROKEN CAKE TINS' for major problems in Spa
Saturday 5 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Williams F1 team principal James Vowles has claimed that 'broken cake tins' are to blame for their severe tyre degradation at Spa, something that potentially cost them a points-finish at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant were in the mix for a possible top 10 finish after making a strong to start to the final race before the summer break. Yet after pitting for a set of fresh medium tyres, the pair tumbled down the order, with Albon and Sargeant eventually crossing the line in 14th and 17th respectively.
And after both drivers complained about severe tyre degradation, their team principal has now offered an explanation as to exactly what went wrong, including some non-culinary 'cake tins' being broken.
"So this is an interesting question, because actually what caused the degradation issue wasn't anything that we would have learnt in any of the practice sessions. It's actually a problem that happened in the race," he said in the latest episode of 'The Vowles Verdict'.
'BROKEN CAKE TINS';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-james-vowles/
‘Broken cake tins’ impaired Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant
Williams team principal, James Vowles, came up with an interesting excuse as to why his drivers underperformed at Spa.
7 August 2023
by Robert Collins
Formula1News
Williams’ teammates Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant both had the chance to get in the top 10 of the Belgian GP – but were jeopardised by tyre issues. They ended up finishing in 14th and 17th place, respectively, which came as a shock to their fans.
It was apparent that both drivers struggled in Sector 2, as sliding around the track with degraded tyres was surely a tricky task. The ‘cake tins’ in question refer to the carbon surrounds inside the wheels attached to the car (also called nozzles). These tins serve the purpose of regulating the heat flow between the scalding brake disc and the tyres.
Without proper carbon surrounds, or with broken ones, the temperature of the tyre rises rapidly which causes extreme degeneration. Vowles addressed the issue, saying: “Their cake tins were broken, broken probably during a pit stop, but it’s very difficult to pinpoint exactly where. I’m fairly convinced that that’s part of the reason why we suddenly had very significant degradation.”
‘Broken cake tins’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/broken-ca...ogan-sargeant/
Alex Albon laments trouble with tyre degradation in Spa: “The whole weekend was tricky, and the race was just the same”
August 5, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag
Williams Racing’s Alex Albon struggled with tyre degradation throughout the Belgian Grand Prix, citing the effect of FW44’s low downforce set-up through the twisty second sector of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as the primary culprit.
In the end, Albon finished the race in fourteenth place after taking three pit stops rather than the expected two, and having to carefully manage his tyres, particularly in the middle stints on the medium compound.
“I had a good start today; however, I was almost surprised I fell out of the points in the mid stint, but I was just struggling so much with degradation. The whole weekend was tricky, and the race was just the same. We’re running low downforce, which is fun but going through sector two, it degs the tyres so much.”
‘Whole weekend was tricky’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...just-the-same/
Albon FIRES Williams warning after slipping down the pack
Thursday 3 August 2023 17:12
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Alex Albon is very concerned that Williams' lack of pace at Spa could dent its hopes of a big points haul at Monza. Traditionally, Williams has been one of the fastest teams in a straight line which makes them very tough to pass and a real threat at high-speed circuits.
Monza is as fast as they come and Williams claimed points courtesy of Nyck de Vries in 2022, but Spa was a different animal in 2023. Albon dropped out of the points and couldn't lay a glove on the top 10 on a track where his car should have thrived.
‘Albon FIRES Williams warning’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/
Albon: Williams' 'great fun' turned into 'vicious circle'
01 August 11:40AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Alexander Albon has detailed how Williams' Belgian Grand Prix turned into a "vicious circle" and "wake-up call" despite "great fun" with the FW45. The slippery Williams machine was expected to be a points contender at Spa-Francorchamps owing to its prodigious straight-line speed, but Albon could only manage 14th in the Grand Prix with teammate Logan Sargeant 17th.
The main limiting factor for Williams was overheating its tyres with a lack of downforce in the second sector proving a weakness Albon was not able to overcome and just made his race worse. "I was almost surprised that I fell out of the points in the mid-stint, and don't know where everyone leapfrogged me," Albon told media including RacingNews365.
"At the end of the stint, we were struggling with tyre degradation and it was a tricky race because we are running the low downforce. That is great fun in some ways, but through Sector 2, it is not so fun anymore. We are just degrading the tyres so much, and we even saw it on the Wet tyres.”
'Great fun turned into vicious circle';
https://racingnews365.com/albon-will...vicious-circle
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Hulkenberg: No quick fix to Haas 'complex' tyre issues.
Nico Hulkenberg says Haas knows what it has to do to solve its car's complex tyre degradation issues, but unfortunately a solution "doesn't just lay on the street".
03/08/2023 at 14:39
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Haas' VF-23 has demonstrated impressive speed on Saturdays, with Nico Hulkenberg qualifying among the top-ten in four of the last six races. However, it's been a different story for the US outfit on Sundays with tyre degradation systematically undermining both Hulkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen's efforts.
Haas' engineers have been on their car's case for months, but elaborating a solution has turned into along haul process according to Hulkenberg. "I think we understand the cause and what happens and why it happens," stated the Hulk last weekend in Spa where he finished 18th, while Magnussen complted his race 15th.
"But fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn't just lay on the street, it's a bit more complex. I think we can still improve the situation this year. To what extent, that's TBC, it's down to us, and we have to prove it. But yeah, it's a longer-term thing."
‘No quick fix’;
https://f1i.com/news/483229-hulkenbe...re-issues.html
Hulkenberg pinpoints Haas positive after 'nasty' Spa
01 August 3:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
It was a bad weekend for the German in Belgium, but could there be light at the end of the tunnel? Nico Hulkenberg has spotted light at the end of the tunnel for Haas despite a "nasty" Belgian Grand Prix.
"We understand the cause, what happens and why it happens, but fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn't just lay on the street," Hulkenberg told media including RacingNews365. "It's a bit more complex. We can still improve the situation this year, but to what extent, that's TBC. It's down to us and we have to prove it.”
"What we really need are some upgrades, some real performance to help. Obviously, this track exposes the weaknesses of our car very much. It is why we've not been competitive in any session, on any lap. There is a lot of work to do. Let say that this weekend is over and done with is good, it's been a pretty grim weekend.”
‘Haas positive after 'nasty' Spa’;
https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg...fter-nasty-spa
‘We need some performance on the car ASAP’ – Hulkenberg’s verdict on Haas after the Belgian GP
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Nico Hulkenberg finished P18 and last at Spa, and said afterwards it was a race weekend to “forget about quickly” for Haas.
‘Performance ASAP’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...737183790.html
How Haas runs its F1 operation across three countries
Saturday 5th August, 2023 - 5:05pm
By Mat Coch
Simone Resta, technical director at Haas, has explained how the operation functions across three different facilities, in three different countries. The American registered team has its formal headquarters in Charlotte, in the United States. From there, the administration of the team is managed.
In the United Kingdom, the race team is based out of a factory in Banbury, previously occupied by the Manor F1 team. Resta, and the design staff, are based in Italy, working from an office in Maranello within the confines of Ferrari’s sprawling facility.
It creates a complex web, with the team spread across three timezones – and that’s before considering Dallara’s input into the team (it’s based in Parma, an hour or more from Maranello, in Italy). Simone Resta: “Speaking about most of the teams, and if not all of the teams… … You can have a coffee with a mechanic and they can tell you how shit a certain part of the car is to mount, or stuff like that.”
‘F1 operation across three countries’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/05...ree-countries/
Guenther Steiner breaks silence on Daniel Ricciardo rejection
Haas signed Nico Hulkenberg for 2023 after Daniel Ricciardo rejected their offer to replace Mick Schumacher.
6 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted that there’s no hard feelings with AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo, who rejected a move to the American side last season.
Steiner hasn’t got any issues with Ricciardo following his decision to reject Haas, with the Italian noting that the 34-year-old is a “very good guy” and has “talent” despite his poor 2022 campaign. “I think Daniel is a very good guy and he’s won races. He had a tough season last year, not an easy one the year before, and sometimes you need to take a step back to [make] two forward.”
“Everybody needs to do a decision they want to make. We did one last year, everybody has got an opinion on what we did when we didn’t extend one of our drivers,” the Haas boss explained. “If a team decides that is the best way to move forward for them? I have no opinion on it. They know what they’re doing. I think they are fully qualified to do it.”
‘No hard feelings’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-...rdo-rejection/
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David Coulthard picks out worse-performing driver than Nyck de Vries.
13-time F1 race winner David Coulthard says while Nyck de Vries understandably found out Formula 1 is a “stopwatch” game, he feels that applies even more to Logan Sargeant.
24 Jul 2023 1:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
The Hungarian Grand Prix marked the first stop on the F1 2023 calendar where De Vries was not present, the Dutchman having been given the boot from Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri after an underwhelming 10-race stint in his rookie season.
That is the belief of former Red Bull driver Coulthard, who when using his “stopwatch” theory to assess how each driver is performing, highlighted that Williams’ American rookie Sargeant is half-a-second slower than his team-mate Alex Albon, the biggest discrepancy he sees on the current grid.
But, he says Sargeant is being “given space” for his slow start to F1 2023 because of his nationality and the income he is generating for Williams. Formula 1 has experienced rapid popularity growth in the United States, which Coulthard says helps Sargeant since he hails from the nation, while he then in-turn claims that the Williams Academy graduate is bringing vital funds into the team.
‘His “stopwatch” theory’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-...nyck-de-vries/
Former F1 star issues DAMNING verdict over current driver WORSE than axed De Vries
Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
Former F1 driver David Coulthard has questioned the long-term future of Logan Sargeant, who he suggests is performing worse relative to his team-mate than Nyck de Vries. The young American has failed to score a point to date, while team-mate Alex Albon has notched up 11 points for the team.
"I actually don’t think it’s a matter of time, it’s a matter of pace, Coulthard told Channel 4 (via the Mirror) when asked about Sargeant's long-term F1 future. "This is a stopwatch championship, so you either deliver the lap time or you don’t. He was on average within about two-and-a-half tenths of Yuki Tsunoda, which actually, the worst-performing person on average is Logan Sargeant in the Williams.”
"He’s half a second away from Alex Albon. He’s bringing money to the team and given a bit of space, American, that fits I guess the overall growth of F1 right now. So I think we should only ever look at the lap time rather than... this isn’t a personality competition."
‘DAMNING verdict’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ms-alphatauri/
David Coulthard suggests F1 driver should be immediately fired
Nyck de Vries was recently axed by Red Bull to make way for the returning Daniel Ricciardo.
26 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has admitted that Logan Sargeant is at risk of being dumped by Williams, following AlphaTauri’s “brutal” sacking of Nyck de Vries. When asked if De Vries’ sacking was fair, Coulthard pointed out that the ex-AlphaTauri driver wasn’t even the “worst-performing person”.
Coulthard revealed that Sargeant is half-a-second slower than Williams team-mate Alex Albon per lap this season, whereas De Vries was on average two-and-a-half tenths slower per lap than Yuki Tsunoda prior to his firing. The American desperately needs a points finish to warrant his stay in F1, given that the likes of Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher are currently on the bench.
‘Logan Sargeant is at risk of being dumped’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/david-cou...diately-fired/
2023 Belgian GP FP1: Sargeant hits the wall and brings out red flags in wet first practice at Spa.
28 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Rain was falling from the get-go when FP1 began at Spa – and after a couple of near misses from other drivers, Williams rookie Logan Sargeant was the first to crash, causing a red flag.
‘Sargeant hits the wall’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...483035633.html
Sargeant reckons he would have made SQ3 without spin on his push lap in the Sprint Shootout
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Logan Sargeant said he was on “the best lap I’d driven all weekend” in SQ2 when he spun – with a red flag then robbing him of a chance to set another time, as he dropped out win P13.
‘Would have made SQ3 without spin on his push lap’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...447340431.html
Williams ‘left the first stop too late’ on ‘tough day’ at Spa – Sargeant
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Logan Sargeant finished 17th in the Belgian Grand Prix, and said after the race the timing of his first pit stop hindered his race.
‘Left the first stop too late’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...297685605.html
Sargeant wants more progress: Not where I want to be
04 August 10:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Logan Sargeant has conceded that he would like to see more progress from himself in his rookie Formula 1 season. This is why Sargeant is expecting more when discussing his form with media, including RacingNews365: "I'm making steps in the right direction, but I'm still not where I want to be.”
"There's plenty of work to still be done. But I see the progress. I see it's moving in the right direction and that's what matters. But yeah, I'm still striving to be better."
ROOKIES HEAD-TO-HEAD
Driver Best Finish Worst Finish (not including mechanical failure) Points after 12 races
Logan Sargeant P11 - British GP P20 - Spanish GP 0
Nyck de Vries P12 - Monaco GP Retirement - Azerbaijan GP 0
Oscar Piastri P4 - British GP P19 - Miami GP 34
"I'm making steps”;
https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-w...e-i-want-to-be
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Security forced to step in as F1 star MOBBED by fans in return to home country.
Zhou posted a video on his Instagram stories of him arriving at Shanghai airport with security having to create a path through the hundreds of adoring fans waiting for him.
Monday 7 August 2023 20:12
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Zhou Guanyu has used the F1 summer break as a chance to return to China after several years away. The Alfa Romeo driver lives in the UK and has done since his school days as a result of pursuing motorsport as a career.
‘F1 star MOBBED’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ecurity-china/
PALMER: How did Alfa Romeo’s brilliant Saturday turn into such a disappointing Sunday in Hungary?
26 July 2023
Jolyon Palmer
Former F1 Driver
Formula One - Official Site
Alfa Romeo missed a golden opportunity to bag some big points on Sunday, given their strong pace and lofty Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying positions. For teams further down in the championship the opportunity to start fifth and seventh doesn’t come along too often, so their rivals will be breathing a sigh of relief that the Swiss squad couldn’t add to their points tally in Budapest.
But how did such a promising Saturday turn into such a disappointing Sunday? For Zhou Guanyu – who had qualified a career-best P5 for this race – it began with bad luck. His car had a software override for a brake issue, which cut the engine power just before the lights went out.
Everything had seemed normal on the grid for the Chinese racer, but as the fourth light came on and he was holding his pre-start revs the power died which left him having to re-engage the clutch and pull away with a flood of cars passing on either side. From the cockpit this is a scene of mild panic and immense frustration as you realise your whole weekend's work has gone out of the window.
‘Software override’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BrOAwa8MT.html
Exclusive: Zhou Guanyu on F1 future and Audi dreams as contract ticks down
31 Jul 2023 3:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Zhou Guanyu is optimistic of securing a new long-term deal with the Alfa Romeo-Sauber team, and is eyeing up staying on for Audi. Speaking to PlanetF1.com during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Zhou said his main priority at the moment is to stay racing with Sauber on into 2024 and beyond in a bid to race for Audi in 2026.
“I’m happy for the next few years before Audi take over to stay here,” he said. “And now, obviously knowing the team turns into a manufacturer team, there’s no better place to be. We need to see and, obviously, my priority is to stay here and to go all the way to the Audi times because that’s where I think we’ll be making a huge difference in the regulations – 2026 with all the changes though, of the team, of the cars – it’ll be another story and a mixed up grid.”
With contract negotiations coming up as the time looms to make a decision for 2024, is Zhou chasing a multi-year deal, or is he happy to take it a year at a time? “Yeah, I’d prefer to have a long deal,” he said.
‘Optimistic of securing a new long-term deal’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/underr...-new-contract/
Zhou Guanyu never expected Alfa Romeo would be 'fighting for the top five' last time out
27 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Speaking ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu reflects on his up and down weekend in Budapest and expresses surprise the team were able to challenge so effectively in Qualifying.
'Fighting for the top five';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...472261849.html
Alfa Romeo make Zhou Guanyu decision with crunch meeting scheduled
Zhou Guanyu has been pushing to extend his F1 career with Alfa Romeo into 2024 and beyond.
10:43, Fri, Aug 4, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Alfa Romeo look set to hand a new contract to Zhou Guanyu with team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi revealing the team’s desire to retain both the Chinese driver and team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the 2024 season.
The Italian outfit’s driver line-up has been a topic of contention ahead of the summer break and the start of F1’s ‘silly season’. Many expected Zhou’s seat to be one of the few up for grabs for F1 hopefuls this summer, but the 24-year-old looks set to retain his place in the team for at least another season.
Team boss Alunni Bravi explained his plans for Alfa Romeo’s 2024 driver line-up to Motorsport.com, stating: "We have always said that stability is important to us. We are a team in the process of transformation and we are trying to be as stable as possible in all areas. Of course, we are looking for improvement and opportunity.”
‘Crunch meeting scheduled’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...eo-Zhou-Guanyu
Exclusive Q&A with Zhou Guanyu: The struggle for success, Valtteri Bottas, and a future with Audi?
04 Aug 2023 8:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu sat down with PlanetF1.com for a wide-ranging interview during the Belgian Grand Prix. The first-ever Chinese Formula 1 driver has proven himself a solid pair of hands in the midfield as Alfa Romeo have struggled to compete as a regular points-scoring outfit during his 18 months in the sport.
PF1: 18 months in Formula 1, and you’re well settled in with Alfa Romeo at this stage. How do you look back over the last season and a half? Do you feel like you’re now underlining your place in the sport? GZ: “I feel like, in general, there are obviously up and downs. But, overall, I’m quite happy with the way I was able to put myself in this F1 world and show worldwide what I’m capable of doing as a driver.”
PF1: You stepped up to F1 after quite a long run in Formula 2. Has F1 been an even bigger challenge than perhaps you were expecting at the time? GZ: “Of course, I was expecting it to be very difficult. I was actually thinking maybe the results will come later than the first race or at the beginning.”
‘Exclusive Q&A’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/exclus...yu-belgian-gp/
ZHOU GUANYU PROVIDES CONTRACT UPDATE AND HOPES FOR 2026
The Chinese driver is competing in his second season in Formula One and currently sits P16 in the drivers' championship having scored 4 points this season so far
August 1, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds
China’s first-ever Formula One driver is currently competing in his second season at the pinnacle of motorsport. But Zhou Guanyu is yet to race at his home Grand Prix, which he expects to change in 2024. However, he needs a contract for next season before his dream can become reality.
When pressed for further details surrounding the desired length of his contract, the Chinese driver responded: “Yeah, I’d prefer to have a long deal. I’m definitely trying to have more than a one-year deal and then to be having an open mind for 2026.”
The 2022 rookie was asked whether there has been any progress in contract talks. Zhou confirmed that, while negotiations have begun, he tends to keep out of the talks. He revealed: “Yeah, of course, we’ve been already talking about it. I leave it to my manager to do that. But the team is happy with my job on track so far.” He continued, “So we’re just going to continue working to finish off before the summer break on a high and then the rest of the season will come.”
‘Prefer to have a long deal’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zh...opes-for-2026/
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MAGNUSSEN ON ‘FRUSTRATING’ 2023 SEASON WITH HAAS’ PERFORMANCE DROP.
Danish driver Kevin Magnussen has scored two points so far in his 2023 Formula One campaign. The Haas driver finished P10 in Saudi Arabia and Miami earlier in the year, and he currently trails his teammate Nico Hulkenberg by seven points in the drivers' championship.
08:35 Tue, 08 Aug 2023.
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds
The first half of the 2023 Formula One season has been lacklustre for Haas. The American team has recently been leapfrogged by Williams in the constructors’ championship, a team they outscored in 2022. Both Haas drivers are also demanding more from their team. Kevin Magnussen has complained about the difficulty Haas is facing when fighting for a points-scoring position. While Nico Hulkenberg is also hoping for race pace improvements.
During the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Magnussen opened up about his feelings regarding Haas’ performance in 2023 so far. The Danish driver said: “Well, I don’t know. I think it’s frustration. It’s of course building when you see other teams developing and making big gains and we haven’t seemed to make that big step yet. But I still have all the faith in the team that we can turn it around, eventually.”
‘HAAS’ PERFORMANCE DROP’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ma...formance-drop/
Magnussen still has faith that Haas can 'turn it around'
08/08/2023 at 10:54
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Kevin Magnussen has denied that he is "disheartened" by Haas' disappointing results this season, although he admits that the team's underperformance is "frustrating". So far the US outfit has only put eleven points on the board in 2023, which puts it eighth in F1's Constructors' standings just ahead of Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri.
"I think it's frustration," he said when asked if he felt disheartened. "It's of course building when you see other teams developing and making big gains and we haven't seemed to make that big step yet. But I still have all the faith in the team that we can turn it around eventually.”
"It's not going to be immediate but I think we're doing the groundwork to be able to bring that step later on in the year. It's of course frustrating when you don't have it and we want to be up there scoring points and doing well and at the moment it's a bit hard. We have made some progress. Overall, our performances have dropped compared to our main competitors."
‘Still has faith’;
https://f1i.com/news/483468-magnusse...it-around.html
Kevin Magnussen: “We still have way more degradation than everyone else”
August 7, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Kevin Magnussen felt he had the pace to challenge for the top ten during the Belgian Grand Prix at the beginning of each stint, but the tyre degradation of his MoneyGram Haas F1 Team car put paid to his chances of scoring points.
“I felt there was a little more to fight for this race, I had a bit more competitiveness,” said Magnussen. “We still have way more degradation than everyone else, which I think is the main differentiator today. Pace-wise at the beginning of the stints it felt like we could fight for the top ten but didn’t have the degradation to keep fighting to the end.”
“I think we’re getting a good understanding of what we need to do and I’m looking forward to the second half of the year, looking forward to some upgrades, and making some changes to the car. Hopefully we can get back in the game, we’re still P8 in the Constructors’ Championship and that’s our aim as a team to gain another position from last year. We’ve got everything to play for.”
“more degradation than everyone else”;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...everyone-else/
Magnussen rejects 'disheartened' claims over Haas failure
07 August 7:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Kevin Magnussen has rejected suggestions that he is 'disheartened' as Haas's form in Formula 1, but admits he is frustrated. "We have made some progress. Overall, our performances have dropped compared to our main competitors.”
"But Qualifying versus Race, I think that that has improved. Unfortunately, some of the cars that we used to be racing at the beginning of the year have just become much faster overall and that's why we don't see that gain so much.”
"But yeah, as I said, we're working super hard. The whole team is really working hard and I think there's still reason to be optimistic for the remainder of the year."
'Disheartened claims rejected’;
https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-...r-haas-failure
Magnussen admits 'frustration building' at Haas but says there is 'reason to be optimistic'
07 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Kevin Magnussen has “faith” that Haas can return to form in the second half of the season, despite admitting that “frustration” is building within the team after having not finished in the top-10 of a Grand Prix since May.
Part of Haas’ issue this season has been their inability to transfer their strong qualifying pace to Sunday’s race. However, Magnussen believes the team have made strides in that area and can be “optimistic” about their performances for the rest of the year.
Magnussen also gave an update on his contract situation with the team heading into the summer break. The Dane’s current contract with Haas is set to expire at the end of 2023, and while Magnussen says there is no news of an extension to report, he says he is “pretty happy” where he is. “I don't really know what's going on. I feel like the team is pretty happy, but you never know with these things, and I'll take it one day at a time.”
'Reason to be optimistic';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...OPvldhdrE.html
Magnussen says Haas got their strategy all wrong after they called him in for new tyres on a quick lap in SQ1
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Kevin Magnussen says he was on course to progress from the first part of the Sprint Shootout but his team called him in for a new set of tyres – and then he hit traffic on his next attempt, and was out in P18.
‘Haas got their strategy all wrong’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...381109621.html
Magnussen hoping Haas can get ‘back in the game’ after the summer break
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Kevin Magnussen finished outside the points in 15th place in the Belgian Grand Prix, and said after the race he’s looking forward to getting some upgrades on the car once the season resumes at Zandvoort after the August break.
‘Back in the game’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...695058020.html
-
Mazepin clears HUGE hurdle in bid to make controversial F1 return.
Nikita Mazepin is now cleared to return to F1 after the EU court ruled to suspend sanctions in regard to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Tuesday 1 August 2023 11:27
Joe Ellis
GPFans
The 24-year-old was prevented from racing in F1 at the start of 2022 as the war began because of close connections between him and Vladimir Putin. After a second court session, it was ruled that Mazepin can return to racing in F1 if he can find a seat.
He has already negotiated with some teams over a potential deal when he was granted access to the European Union back on 2 March. "In the new round, the Court upheld Nikita again, as there remains a need for interim measures to be taken to prevent serious and irreparable damage to the athlete," Mazepin's legal team said to TASS.”
"The Council of the EU did not provide convincing evidence to the contrary. Nikita Mazepin remains entitled to enter the EU to qualify for teams, participate in the Formula 1 series and other competitions. He can also receive income in connection with racing activities and negotiate with sponsors."
‘Now cleared to return to F1’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ruling-banned/
Court says Mazepin free to return to Formula 1
07:17 Tue, 01 Aug 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
A top European court has confirmed that sacked Nikita Mazepin is now free to race in Formula 1. Earlier this year, the same court temporarily lifted European sanctions on the Russian former Haas driver that had been imposed at the outset of the Ukraine conflict.
“The court was not satisfied that the restrictive measures against the applicant were based on a sufficiently solid factual basis,” Mazepin’s lawyers told Tass news agency. They added that Mazepin, 24, is a “young sportsman who was in no way involved in the events in Ukraine and does not carry out any activity in the sectors of the economy that would bring substantial income to the Russian government”.
Without the court’s intervention, Mazepin is exposed to “serious and irreparable damage to the athlete”. “The EU council has not provided convincing evidence to the contrary,” the lawyers continued. Mazepin therefore now has the right to enter Europe “to negotiate with Formula 1 teams” and race in other series, including receiving “income in connection with racing activities and negotiations with sponsors”.
‘A top European court has confirmed that sacked Nikita Mazepin is now free to race in Formula 1’;
https://grandpx.news/court-says-maze...-to-formula-1/
Court ruling allows Nikita Mazepin to return to Formula 1
Nikita Mazepin is no longer under sanctions in Europe and is able to return to Formula 1.
3 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ex-Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin is officially free to talk to teams in the paddock about a potential return; however, Russian sports lawyer Anna Antseliovich isn’t sure if he’ll be able to.
Mazepin is allowed to travel and work in Europe once again, after his sanctions on the continent were lifted. The former Haas driver had been sanctioned in Europe for his links to the conflict in eastern Europe, which caused him to be axed by Haas in the first place ahead of the 2022 season.
‘Return to Formula 1’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/court-rul...-to-formula-1/
The EU Court ruling which could pave way for Nikita Mazepin’s F1 return
01 Aug 2023 6:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Nikita Mazepin’s lawyers have successfully managed to have sanctions against the Russian racer overturned. Sanctions against former F1 driver Nikita Mazepin have been overturned by the Court of Justice of the European Union, according to a spokesman for the Russian driver.
Earlier this year, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled to allow Mazepin to enter the EU to allow for negotiations with F1 teams, and enabling him to participate in F1 and/or other racing series provided he could reach agreement with their governing body. The Council of the European Union ignored the rules of the CJEU to extend sanctions against Mazepin, which was then challenged by Mazepin’s lawyers.
“In the new round, the Court upheld Nikita again, as there remains a need for interim measures to be taken to prevent serious and irreparable damage to the athlete,” his representation said, as quoted by Russian publication TASS. “The Council of the EU did not provide convincing evidence to the contrary. Nikita Mazepin remains entitled to enter the EU to qualify for teams, participate in the Formula 1 series and other competitions. He can also receive income in connection with racing activities and negotiate with sponsors.”
‘Pave way for Nikita Mazepin’s F1 return’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/eu-cou...pin-f1-return/
Lawyer questions Mazepin’s freedom to return to F1
August 2, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
According to prominent Russian sports lawyer Anna Antseliovich, Nikita Mazepin may not be entirely free to negotiate his return to Formula 1. “It is difficult to say whether Mazepin will now be able to negotiate with Formula 1 teams,” she told RT.
“The rules there are not quite the same as in other sports. After all, we are talking about commercial competitions, not representing the Russian national team,” Antseliovich added. There are apparently some agreements in Formula 1 that other athletes are not subject to.”
Despite this uncertainty, Antseliovich believes that the European court’s repeated rulings in favor of Mazepin set a positive precedent for other athletes. “It is no secret that legislators in most countries, including those in the EU, pay attention to these verdicts in similar cases,” Antseliovich said. “Let’s not forget that he was on the sanctions lists.”
‘Lawyer questions Mazepin’s freedom’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/lawyer-que...-return-to-f1/
-
Former Ferrari chief Binotto could make METEORIC return to Formula 1.
Mattia Binotto may be making a return to the Formula 1 paddock following substantial rumours that the vacant team principal seat at Alpine could be his in the very near future.
Wednesday 9 August 2023 06:57
L.A. Wilshaw
GPFans
The former Ferrari boss has been the most popular name on the list of contenders since Otmar Szafnauer parted ways with the team immediately after the chequered flag was flown at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Adding fuel to the rumours of his appointment, Binotto was spotted at the Spa circuit post-Belgian Grand Prix, at a private test for Pirelli. F1i has posted about Binotto’s move to Alpine on their X account.
‘METEORIC return’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ne-f1-ferrari/
OPINION: Binotto would be wise to steer clear of Alpine omnishambles
03 August 3:35PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
The ex-Ferrari boss has been tipped as a potential replacement for Otmar Szafnauer at Alpine, but would be wise to avoid. The first mistake made by Renault upon its return to Formula 1 in 2016 was to commit to winning the World Championship in one of those five-year plans the suits tend to like.
That immediately puts a hard deadline in place with tangible progress needing to be evidenced year-upon-year for any chance of meeting the goal.
Come 2022, and yet more senior management changes were in the offering as Budkowski (who it had worked hard to extract from the FIA) and Alain Prost were out with Otmar Szafnauer drafted in as Team Principal. After good progress in 2022, the team is currently in disarray having lost its CEO Laurent Rossi, Team Principal and experienced Sporting Director Alan Permane in the space of a week.
Whatever way you look at it, this is not the way to run a Formula 1 team. The hopes of Renault seeing Alpine challenging for wins and titles can now be wiped out until certainly the latter half of the decade. It is why Mattia Binotto, who has been linked with the vacancy, should clear and avoid the mess.
‘Alpine omnishambles’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-wo...e-omnishambles
Rumours intensify with ex-F1 team boss set for very quick return
08 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Rumours surrounding Mattia Binotto becoming Alpine team principal are intensifying, with multiple reports claiming he has agreed to join the Enstone-based team as Otmar Szafnauer’s replacement.
The former Ferrari team boss was spotted in the paddock at the British Grand Prix in July, and has been the name most consistently linked with the now-vacant position at Alpine since it became available last week, with Szafnauer agreeing a ‘mutual’ termination of his deal with the French team, along with long-serving sporting director Alan Permane.
A report from L’Auto Journal in France claims that Binotto was at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and stayed for the post-race Pirelli tyre test, and they claim he has already agreed terms to become Alpine team boss, following conversations with Renault CEO Luca de Meo.
‘Rumours intensify’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia...urs-intensify/
Mattia Binotto 'set for F1 return' as former Ferrari chief plots his "revenge".
Binotto has been out of a job since he resigned as Ferrari team principal at the end of last season, feeling he had lost the full backing of the iconic brand's top brass.
17:57, 8 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Mattia Binotto has been strongly tipped to become the new Alpine team principal. The Renault-backed squad is in need of a new leader following the axing of Otmar Szafnauer at last month's Belgian Grand Prix. Both he and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane left Enstone by mutual consent.
Reports claim Szafnauer's successor has already been secured. According to French outlet L'Auto Journal, Renault chief executive Luca de Meo has chosen Binotto as his preferred choice for the role. It remains to be seen when the Italian would be free to take over if he accepts the job.
If he does accept, it will be Binotto's first Formula 1 role outside of Ferrari. He spent more than two decades rising through the ranks to become team principal, spending four years in that role before he left at the end of last year. … and he was the one to pay the price as the brand's board members continued their trend of being impatient for success.
‘Plots his revenge’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...rrari-30658674
Martin Brundle taken aback by ‘brutal’ Alpine sackings as Mattia Binotto links continue
02 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Brundle was shocked, calling the oustings “brutal”. “I’m still taken aback by their wholesale forced departure of experienced F1 folk, and apparently with more to come,” he wrote in his post-Belgian GP column for Sky Sports. “I must assume there are wise and knowledgeable people incoming that we’ve yet to hear about. “Publicly binning team boss Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane mid-event while they still had a job to do on the pit wall was brutal even by F1’s less-than-impressive standards in this respect.”
Looking ahead to Alpine’s future, the former driver turned TV pundit says there are already rumours former Ferrari team boss Binotto is being lined up for the team principal job. “I’ve heard the rumour,” he said on Sky Sports. “This is a funny old place as you know, you can start a rumour just for fun and see how quickly it comes back to you as fact. But it’s not out of the question.”
“Binotto has got a lot of experience, obviously in the Ferrari system, and knows about running a Formula 1 team. Obviously, it didn’t work out for him at Ferrari otherwise he’d still be there. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that was announced, no.”
‘Brutal even by F1’s less-than-impressive standards’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...pine-sackings/
Mattia Binotto tipped for swift return as new boss of Alpine
8 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Motorsport Week
The ex-Ferrari boss has been picked by Renault CEO Luca De Meo to take the reins at Alpine, according to L’Auto Journal. Binotto, who became the latest victim of Ferrari’s ruthlessness last season and was replaced by Fred Vasseur, was spotted recently in the paddock at the F1 British Grand Prix.
Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist with ties to Ferrari, wrote in Quotidiano: “In France they say that Binotto already has the agreement with Alpine. I wouldn't be surprised and I wrote it. I have known Mattia for almost 30 years. He is a smart guy, perhaps undermined by an excess of self-esteem.”
“He had the Ferrari [team] in hand for a few years, it was his dream come true. Other dreams, however, have failed, also due to his own responsibility. He made mistakes, but he wasn't always helped. He trusted the wrong friends and in communication it was a disaster. Some of his utterances cry out for revenge. But, for the avoidance of doubt, he is a smart person. If he finds a mentor in De Meo and learns to listen more, he could do very good things.”
‘Swift return’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103308...urrent-f1-team
Ex-Ferrari boss Binotto tipped for shock F1 return with Alpine
13:51 Wed, 09 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week
Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has been selected as Alpine’s new Formula 1 Team Principal, according to L’Auto Journal. The French outlet reports that Renault Groupe CEO Luca de Meo has chosen Binotto to take the reigns from Otmar Szafnauer who left Alpine after the Belgian Grand Prix as part of a mass exodus of senior staff. Alpine currently finds itself sixth in the Constructor’s standings on 57 points, some 46 points adrift of next best McLaren.
It’s reported that Binotto has already accepted the offer of Alpine Team Principal from De Meo, his role could include a wider focus. It is understood that the former Ferrari man would only entertain offers that would allow him to restructure a team as he sees fit. Renault’s existing leadership hierarchy would make such a feat difficult for Binotto without some form of carte blanche.
‘Binotto tipped for shock F1 return’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...n-with-alpine/
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David Croft calls out Formula 1 fans who complain about Max Verstappen’s dominance.
Croft maintains that the thrilling performances by Verstappen and Red Bull are worth appreciating and celebrating, urging fans to focus on the incredible feats on display rather than lamenting the lack of suspense in the title race.
August 6, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Speaking alongside ex-F1 racer Karun Chandhok on the Sky F1 podcast, he said:
“All I would say is if you think the sight of cars going at 200 miles an hour plus, or doing 170 miles an hour through Maggotts and Becketts, or showing the most supreme engineering challenge, in the hands of some of the most talented human beings ever to grab hold of a steering wheel, where we’re at tracks where you’re millimetres away from ruining your afternoon for 70-odd laps in a race, if you think that’s boring, I can’t help you. I really can’t.”
“It is so so easy to run with the herd here and say ‘oh it’s boring because Max keeps winning’. Why not marvel at the record? At the excellence, at the consistency and to be that good for so long. I couldn’t do it. Karun couldn’t do it. You know what it takes Karun to be that good and appreciate what we’re seeing, because we’re not going to see it forever.”
“I can’t help you. I really can’t”;
https://baylasportsf1.com/david-crof...ens-dominance/
David Croft vehemently defends Max Verstappen
Red Bull's Max Verstappen is closing in on the top-three on the all-time F1 winners list.
8 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has jumped to the defence of reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, who’s been accused by several fans for making the sport “boring”. Many have shared their frustrations online about Verstappen’s current dominance, with the Dutchman being in a complete league of his own.
The two-time World Champion is all but set to become a three-time World Champion very soon, as he boasts a ridiculous 125-point lead over Sergio Perez. Verstappen could effectively miss the next five races and still lead the championship.
He’s now claimed 45 wins in his F1 career and is closing down on four-time World Champion Alain Prost’s 51 wins. “It is so so easy to run with the herd here and say ‘Oh, it’s boring because Max keeps winning’,” Croft said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
‘Closing down on four-time World Champion Alain Prost’s 51 wins’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/david-cro...ax-verstappen/
Sky F1's David Croft shows his stripes in rant over Max Verstappen's Red Bull dominance
Red Bull have won all 12 races so far this season and Max Verstappen has taken 10 of those victories, leading to some F1 fans criticising the sport for its lack of competitiveness
16:21, 8 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
David Croft questioned how Formula 1 fans can complain about Max Verstappen's remarkable success so far this season. But not everyone shares that opinion. Sky Sports commentator Croft is clearly among the latter group, as evidenced by his criticism of the sport's boo boys in the midst of this remarkable Red Bull dominance.
While it may be boring for some fans, safe to say everyone involved with Red Bull feels very differently about the situation. That includes Verstappen, who dismissed the suggestion that even he might be getting bored with how easy some of his victories have been this year. "That actually doesn't make it boring. That's why I'm here. I want to be here. I want to win," he told reporters.
"To be up front. It's what makes it a lot more enjoyable to come to a race weekend. Knowing that you can't win, you have no chance – that's boring for me. This is the opposite. "I just put a lot of pressure on myself to try to deliver what I can. The team does that as well, they always want to be as good as they can be. Some races look easier than others, sometimes it just clicks a bit easier. I think that is the strength of the team, we always want to do the best we can, we always want to improve. That's why we are doing so well at the moment."
‘Croft shows his stripes in rant’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...y-sky-30657728
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff flat-out disagrees with David Croft over Max Verstappen
Toto Wolff and David Croft have differing opinions on the dominance of Max Verstappen.
10:05, Mon, Aug 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Mercedes boss Wolff has not been impressed by the entertainment value of Verstappen’s domination, stating: “I don’t know whether our dominance was similar or less as I think we had years where we did it in the same way, but at least we had two cars that were fighting each other.”
“So that caused a little bit of entertainment for everyone, and that’s not the case at the moment,” Wolff continued. “It is what it is and I often say that it’s a meritocracy and it’s up to us to fight back.”
The Austrian team principal’s viewpoint has been shared by fans this season, but exacerbated by the relative struggles of his team. Mercedes have been forced to feed off scraps in 2023 with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton collecting four podiums and George Russell stepping onto the podium only once.
‘Toto Wolff flat-out disagrees with David Croft’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ff-David-Croft
David Croft urges F1 to scrap cost cap model and proposes simpler solution
07 Aug 2023 5:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Sky F1 commentator David Croft believes the FIA can help itself and the Formula 1 teams by simplifying the current cost cap procedure which he questions whether anyone “truly understands”.
Croft believes that the cap in its current form should be axed, with a more understandable system introduced whereby a set limit is imposed above the base cost cap level to cover all additional expenditure currently not included or being directed and hidden elsewhere by the teams, and make any breach sanctions severe.
“The cost cap is limiting many things in Formula 1,” said Croft on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “Staff recruitment is being affected by it, because teams just can’t pay the money that businesses outside of Formula 1 can pay, because the cost cap isn’t going up and inflation is quite high. There is a brain drain as it were in Formula 1 with people leaving the sport to go and work elsewhere.”
‘Current cost cap procedure which he questions whether anyone “truly understands”!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-...-cap-solution/
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Mercedes boss Wolff REVEALS Hamilton contract length.
"It's simply minor details that need to be resolved in the contracts," Wolff clarified to motorsport-total.com.
Thursday 10 August 2023 13:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will continue racing for "many years" to come. Wolff reassured Silver Arrows fans that the delay in the new contract is simply down to ironing out minor details, quashing any speculation about his retirement or shift to an ambassadorial role in the near future.
The focus, he asserted, remains firmly on securing Hamilton's presence as a driver. "No, we're not discussing an ambassador role after his retirement," stated the Austrian. "That's also not part of the contract negotiations. I believe he has many years ahead as a driver in this team, so it's just about clarifying things in the contract."
Navigating the delicate balance between contractual formalities and anticipation, Wolff refrained from providing a definitive date for contract completion. "I don't want to give a date, as it's lawyers talking to lawyers," he explained. "There are no material issues anymore, but you have to give the matter time, and I don't want to commit to a date."
‘Wolff REVEALS’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ntract-length/
Toto Wolff’s concerning Mercedes comments as Lewis Hamilton talks drag on
George Russell has lacked confidence in the W14 and sits 49 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the championship.
10 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that the W14 has proven to have “no sweet spot”, with the Austrian labelling it as a reason why George Russell has struggled this season. Whilst the W14 is better than the team’s 2022 car, Russell has been weaker this year and finds himself behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
Russell appeared to suit the W13 better than the W14, whereas Hamilton struggled to adjust to the 2022 car. “I don’t know. These cars are on the knife’s edge,” Wolff explained ahead of the summer break. “You can quickly fall off it and lose the confidence. On the other side, if you’re within that corridor of sweet spot… having said that, that car has no sweet spot!”
“I don’t know”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolf...talks-drag-on/
Wolff warns F1 faces 'catastrophe' over engine measures
05/08/2023 at 09:31
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Mercedes team principal and executive director Toto Wolff has come out strongly against any suggestions that F1 should introduce a new engine equalisation clause that would impose limits on the entire field.
“Entertainment follows sport, and why the sport is so credible is because you have just got to work hard to be successful,” Wolff is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com this week. “If you're falling back as an engine supplier, and your engine isn't as performant as others, that's obviously everybody's problem," he acknowledged.
"At the same time, with a frozen engine, we don’t want to lose out on giving someone opportunities," he stressed. “But it needs to be done in a meritocratic way. For that, we have a rule in the 2026 power unit regulations that if one power unit will drop out of three per cent below the top power unit, then the teams would sit down in good faith and debate what could be done.”
“Entertainment follows sport”;
https://f1i.com/news/483318-wolff-wa...-measures.html
Toto Wolff blasts selfish Williams rivals for ‘jumping on the bandwagon’
08 Aug 2023 5:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff is unimpressed with Williams’ rivals for “jumping on the bandwagon” to try to gain leeway with their capital expenditure and hopes a “solution for Williams” can be found.
Williams team boss James Vowles recently revealed that a lot of Williams’ infrastructure hasn’t been updated in almost two decades with the Briton asking for a bit of freedom in the team’s capital expenditure.
He raised Williams’ plight at July’s F1 Commission meeting but found his rival team bosses not only calling for more room for their teams but also for the $36m limit to be raised.
‘Selfish Williams rivals’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...iams-recovery/
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suffers nasty injury while on holiday with family during F1 break
The 2023 F1 season is currently in the midst of a summer break, with drivers and team members jetting off on holiday before the next Dutch Grand Prix from August 25-27
09:57, 7 Aug 2023
By Fraser Watson
The Mirror
Susie took to Instagram on Sunday morning to share some snaps of the couple enjoying themselves with their young son Jack, but the final picture showed her partner holding his son's hand with his left arm in a full-length cast. It strongly implied the chief of the Silver Arrows had suffered a notable injury.
“Action-packed start to the summer holidays," wrote Susie, who also included images of a family karting session. "Last picture shows how the downhill mountain biking ended for Toto…”
According to Planet F1 , Mercedes have since confirmed that Wolff has fractured his elbow last Monday, just a day after the race at Spa-Francorchamps. However, he's expected to make a full recovery during the current recess period.
‘Toto Wolff suffers nasty injury’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-news-30644016
Toto Wolff suffers injury while mountain biking on his family holiday
6 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.net
Toto Wolff was pictured with his arm in a cast while on a family holiday. His wife, Susie Wolff, revealed that the injury was caused while mountain biking. “Action-packed start to the summer holidays,” Susie posted to social media. “Last picture shows how the downhill mountain biking ended for Toto…”
It is not the first time that Wolff's arm has ended up in a sling after a day of cycling. In 2014, it was again his wife who revealed via social media that he had fallen and injured an arm.
‘Downhill mountain biking’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103298...family-holiday
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The key personnel Ferrari wants from the teams it’s losing to.
Ferrari’s getting aggressive in its attempt to address a disappointing performance in Formula 1 2023 but it’s probably not enough.
11th August 2023, 08:02
The Race
So it’s no surprise that there’s more and more evidence in the paddock that it’s trying to solve its problems with proactive attempts to bring in fresh expertise from the teams that are beating it right now. It’s been mostly silent since early season news and rumours of various staff leaving Ferrari and others potentially doing so as well.
The exits of people like David Sanchez have inevitably been played down, with the argument being that he was not an essential figure as head of vehicle concept, nor a hugely effective one. One anti-Sanchez theory in the paddock is that given Ferrari started 2022 well enough but failed to progress, then clearly hit a wall in 2023, his concept didn’t have enough potential to begin with.
But Sanchez is now joining McLaren, which is saying the opposite – that the concept role is vital and Sanchez, who was a central figure to all the race-winning Ferraris in the hybrid engine era, is a key acquisition. So Ferrari has jobs to fill. And it continues to be linked with poaching all manner of Mercedes and Red Bull staff members – with the first major acquisition expected to be Loic Serra joining from Mercedes, although probably not until 2025.
‘Ferrari’s getting aggressive’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-k...its-losing-to/
Ferrari should be 'protagonists, not extras’, says disappointed ex-chairman Luca di Montezemolo
11 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo is disappointed by the lack of progress made by his former F1 team, saying they should be “protagonists, not extras”. Di Montezemolo, who oversaw Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s period of F1 domination in the early 2000s, stepped down from his long-time role amid a poor 2014 season.
Di Montezemolo says he expected more from Ferrari in the decade that has passed since his departure. “As a fan I dream of a Ferrari not that always wins, but that fights for the title until the last race,” he told Quotidiano Nazionale. “As in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2010, 2012. You can lose, but as protagonists, not as extras.”
The Italian believes Ferrari need to tie down Charles Leclerc for as long as possible but says the Maranello outfit’s problem is not their drivers. “He’s good and I don’t think there are free riders stronger than him,” Di Montezemolo said of Leclerc. “But in the present who drives the red is the least of the problems. As president I had built a dream team, from Schumi to [Jean] Todt, from [Ross] Brawn to [Rory] Byrne.”
'Protagonists, not extras’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103317...ted-exchairman
Ferrari boss fires warning about catching Max Verstappen
Ferrari are a staggering 312 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.
9 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted that it’s “quite difficult” to catch Red Bull in the current era of Formula 1, with the budget cap being to blame. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Crash.net.
“It means that when there is a gap, and a real gap, it’s quite difficult to catch up. One weekend to the others over the last four or five weekends it was a one time [Ferrari] ahead in quali, one time McLaren, one time Mercedes. But we are always behind Red Bull and at least in the race they have still a huge gap.”
“Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-b...ax-verstappen/
Ferrari to use new Mercedes signing to entice number one target to Maranello – report
07 Aug 2023 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Failing to sign Pierre Waché when Ferrari made a play for the Red Bull technical director earlier this year, reports claim Fred Vasseur is going to use his newest recruit, Mercedes’ Loïc Serra, to get his number target.
Having lost David Sanchez to McLaren and Laurent Mekies to AlphaTauri, earlier this year Ferrari made a play for Waché, the Red Bull technical director and one of the key men behind the all-conquering Red Bull RB19 and its superior DRS. They were, however, rebuffed by the Frenchman before turning their attention to his compatriot and Mercedes’ performance director Serra.
Expected to join Ferrari in 2025, unless the Scuderia can reach an agreement with Mercedes that will allow for a shorter period of gardening leave, AMuS’s Michael Schmidt reports the Scuderia are hoping to use Serra to persuade Waché over to Ferrari as they are good friends. “I believe Loïc Serra was chosen carefully,” Schmidt said in his post-Spa video. “He is one of the best friends of Pierre Waché, the technical director of Red Bull. The two often spend hours together in the paddock, even though they are from rival teams.”
‘Entice number one target’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...-pierre-wache/
Frederic Vasseur blames FIA for Ferrari’s struggles
Ferrari have fallen 312 points behind Red Bull after just 12 races of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
8 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes catching Red Bull has been made more difficult by the introduction of the budget cap, which came into effect in 2021.
As a result of Ferrari not being able to throw everything at development because of the $135 million cost cap, closing Red Bull has become “quite difficult”. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Motorsport Week.
Despite the gap to Red Bull being so large, Vasseur has stressed that Ferrari are focusing on themselves and not their rivals. He revealed that the Italians are “pushing like hell” to improve whatever they can to increase their performance, with the side seemingly trying everything. “To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” added Vasseur.
“Pushing like hell”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/frederic-...ris-struggles/
Ferrari claims F1 cost cap has made Red Bull harder to catch
8 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
The introduction of the F1 cost cap has made it even harder to close the gap to Red Bull, according to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. Ferrari boss Vasseur believes the F1 cost cap, which is set at $135m for each team this year, has only made the deficit for the chasing pack more difficult to bridge.
“To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” Vasseur said. “You have to work on yourself. It means that we are developing, we are developing in every single direction, we are trying to improve aero, suspension and whatever we can do.”
“We are pushing like hell to do a better job but if you have a look, and this is crucial, with the bouncing and so, it’s not when you are bringing upgrades that you are doing a huge step forward."
‘Red Bull harder to catch’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103306...l-harder-catch
Leclerc wants Ferrari investigation into race weakness
07 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Leclerc wants to know the reason for the drop-off when asked about Ferrari's weaknesses by media, including RacingNews365: "We have statistics of all the pit stops around the paddock and before this race [Belgium] we were still one of the best ones.
"In the last few races, we started to struggle a bit more, so now we will look into it. It's been two or three races in a row where we've had one or two pit-stops where we've struggled. It has to become one of our priorities to maximise our points."
‘Ferrari investigation’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-wa...-race-weakness
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Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief as Lewis Hamilton closes in.
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso as the team continue to lag behind rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and now McLaren in the development race and the Spaniard loses further ground in his fight with Lewis Hamilton.
18:40, Tue, Aug 8, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
“The drivers, I have to say credit to both of them,” Krack explained to Formula1.com. “Because it was a difficult situation when you are used to having a front-running car and then you start to slip back a little bit. It’s easy to get destructive and it happened exactly the opposite so I’m really happy with the way that this has evolved.”
Krack then made his apology to Alonso and Stroll, stating: “I’m really sorry for our drivers that we have not maybe managed to keep up there but, rest assured, we will try everything to come back.”
‘Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...n-Aston-Martin
F1 boss issues APOLOGY to drivers amid sudden form slump
Tuesday 8 August 2023 16:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Alonso, in particular, started the 2023 season like a house on fire, scoring multiple podiums and regularly being the closest challenger to Red Bull. Aston Martin have since gone off the boil, with Mercedes and Ferrari bringing useful upgrades. McLaren have also now entered the conversation with a remarkable turn of speed.
Alonso is still holding onto third in the drivers' standings but Lewis Hamilton is only one point behind. Stroll is ninth in the points, behind Lando Norris. Team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll due to Aston Martin's recent slump in form.
‘F1 boss issues APOLOGY’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...troll-apology/
F1 team principal admits DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'
Wednesday 9 August 2023 12:12
Lauren Sneath
GPFans
In an interview on the Aston Martin website, he said: “We've lost small amounts compared to our competitors and as an engineer, that makes you disappointed, but it's the qualifying and finishing positions that give the perception that we've dropped back massively when in reality we haven't.
“Our competitors have just improved more than us and jumped into that gap between us and Red Bull.” Krack said: “We're constantly pushing the development, and these cars are so complex that any change will impact other areas of the car – there are side effects. Very few changes you make to the car work in isolation.”
“We made a change earlier in the season and didn't anticipate it having some of the side effects that it did. It wasn't until after several races at different types of circuits that we realised how it was influencing the car. The upgrades we have put on the car have worked, and the numbers are where they should be – but I think the results over the last few races are representative of where we are.”
‘DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...nada-outliers/
Alonso unhappy with 'one factor' affecting Aston Martin
06 August 4:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso is unhappy with the mid-season change in Formula 1's tyre construction by Pirelli. Alonso discussed his stance on rule changes halfway through a season when speaking to media, including RacingNews365: "I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship.”
"In sport, you know, you change the balls in the middle of the tennis tournament or something like that, and it’s what happens when we change tyres here, we change the rules in the middle of a F1 World Championship.
"But you know, at the end of the day, is the same for everybody again, so we just need to understand the tyre the best we can, and hopefully extract the maximum."
"I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship”;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-unh...g-aston-martin
Alonso makes track RETURN despite F1 being on summer break
Wednesday 9 August 2023 16:57
Nilanjana Chatterjee
GPFans
Formula 1 might have gone on a hiatus, but that didn't stop Fernando Alonso from hitting the race track. Alonso went go-karting on the track at his Museum, posted pictures of his day out on Twitter for his followers.
Alonso has a considerable part to play in bringing F1 motorsport to Spain. It was after he won the first championship title that F1 began drawing a fanbase in the country. After it became the most followed sport in the country, the Fernando Alonso Museum and Circuit were built to pay tribute to the two-time F1 world champion and promote motor racing.
The Museum curates all his trophies, from his karting days to his time with Renault and Ferrari. It is a living testament to what Alonso has achieved in his career in motor racing for 21 years. Speaking about Aston Martin's dip in performance, he said: "We need to keep working, understanding, a few qualifying [sessions] already on circuits that we were not competitive," he said. "Barcelona, Austria, and Silverstone - all three of them seem a little bit similar in a way in track characteristics. So, we need to understand that."
'One factor';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...break-karting/
Performance at Spa ‘Good News’ for Aston Martin Heading into Summer Break – Alonso
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Fernando Alonso admitted he was concerned about the potential performance of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team during the Belgian Grand Prix, but he was happy to be able to head into the summer break with a fifth-place finish.
“I was lucky at the start: I made up a few places into Eau Rouge, but then I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to hold onto those positions through the first stint,” said Alonso. “We were fast – we kept one Mercedes and one McLaren behind us – so we were in the mix. That’s good news for the whole team as we head into the summer break.”
“The car felt great today – and really gave me confidence. This is a high-efficiency circuit – and, after the British Grand Prix, we were a little concerned about our performance coming here. The team changed a few characteristics on the car and it really paid off.”
‘Performance at Spa Good News’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-break-alonso/
Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target through mid-season struggles
06 Aug 2023 6:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Fernando Alonso isn’t thinking about life after Aston Martin just yet, remaining laser-focused on his years of involvement as a driver. While Aston Martin hit the ground running in 2023 with multiple podium finishes, the last four races prior to the summer break have proven far more of a challenge as the team have struggled to keep up with the development progress made by other teams, such as McLaren and Mercedes.
As a result, Alonso says the obvious obstacle in transitioning into a true top-flight team is still one they must overcome, and he’s ready for the challenge of making that happen. “Not thinking too much into the future, thinking on these years only,” when asked about his future with Aston Martin.
“The target is to keep growing as a team. We are finding some obstacles right now. We are dealing with some extra performance from our opponents, our lack of performance in certain circuits and these kinds of things. Which I find very interesting and very useful for us as a team to grow up.”
‘Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...son-struggles/
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McLaren poised to stay in attack mode with another major upgrade in the works.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed there will be no let-up in the Woking-based team’s push on development in the second half of the season.
12 Aug 2023 10:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
“We’re working on some evolution of these concepts for post-shutdown,” he told media in Belgium. “We are definitely working on an evolution of this package. So another round of bodywork and floor – we still have to sign this off, we have a few more days of work. If we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it to one of the events soon after the shutdown.”
“We will see, it’s very difficult to say,” he said. “I think we kind of understand what happened with this one. But what we’re working on is not only simple millimetres, is a bit of a conceptual evolution. So there’s a degree of uncertainty like in all aerodynamic evolutions.
“Really the evidence comes only when you test these kinds of things trackside because, even if you have good wind tunnel correlation, and good CFD correlation, you’re always a little bit on the edge of knowledge. This is the same for every team so you can always say yes, once you have tested trackside.”
‘No let-up’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...ond-half-2023/
McLaren pushing to sign off final F1 ‘conceptual evolution’ update for 2023 car
McLaren has revealed it is pushing to sign off a ‘conceptual evolution’ upgrade that could be the final major update for its 2023 F1 car.
Aug 1, 2023, 9:02 AM
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Ahead of a landmark moment for the team, as it prepares to put its 2024 car in its new wind tunnel for the first time, the squad still wants to eke out one final effort for its current MCL60. “We are working on an evolution of these concepts for post shutdown,” he said.
“There is another kind of round [of changes to] the bodywork and floor. We still have to sign this off, and we have a few more days of work, but if we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it in one of the events soon after the shutdown.”
‘Conceptual evolution’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...-car/10502886/
McLaren have Red Bull and Newey to thank for STUNNING F1 turnaround
Saturday 12 August 2023 16:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has said that his team 'need to pay credit' to Peter Prodromou in light of their recent positive developments. Team principal Stella has put this recent performance success down to his head of aerodynamics Peter Prodromou. “It soon became very apparent to us that Peter Prodromou was the person that needed to lead Aerodynamics,”
Stella said in an exclusive interview with McLaren. “Peter’s leadership has been exceptional since he has been given authority over aerodynamic development and reorganisation of the department. We need to pay credit to Peter because this has been done by him, supported by Giuseppe Pesce, the Director of Aerodynamics, and the rest of the Aerodynamic leadership team.”
Earlier in his career he partnered with Red Bull’s highly credited Adrian Newey whilst working for McLaren in 2005. Christian Horner took Newey’s services to Red Bull in 2006, with Prodromou following closely behind, and they collaborated to see Sebastian Vettel win his four consecutive championships. Having collaborated with one of Formula One’s greatest technical minds, Prodromou’s wealth of experience is now proving invaluable to McLaren's advancements.
‘STUNNING F1 turnaround’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...f1-turnaround/
McLaren target crucial Red Bull weapon on F1 'to-do list'
11 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
McLaren is pursuing Red Bull's powerful DRS and beam wing configuration with its latest updates after the summer break. The team brought the first step of this update to the Belgian Grand Prix, with a concept that is close to mimicking that seen on the RB19.
Team Principal Andrea Stella told media, including RacingNews365: "The underlying level of drag is more, it has to do with the overall configuration of the car. Red Bull has done a very good job of having a car that is low drag independent of the rear wing.”
"If I take our case specifically - like in Spa - the main opportunity is to keep working on the rear wing. This is something that was on our to-do list, but kind of we are not there yet. So I think the main opportunity for us is on the rear wing. But overall, the impact on drag comes actually from the entire car."
'To-do list';
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-ta...-f1-to-do-list
Why McLaren F1 didn’t address its high drag problem sooner
13:59 Thu, 10 Aug 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
McLaren started the season off the pace with a car that was both lacking overall downforce and suffering from a lack of aerodynamic efficiency, meaning it creates too much drag for a given downforce level.
Incoming team principal Andrea Stella rolled out a recovery plan to get the team's MCL60 back on track, which included a philosophy change and then a comprehensive upgrade package overseen by a revised technical structure at Woking.
"We have done quite a lot of work on re-designing of the car from the start of the season," Stella explained. "One thing that we haven't attacked yet is actually the car at low drag level, so there wasn't much efficiency to gain by going on a small rear wing and we decided to stay at the point in which the car is at the moment most efficient.”
‘Recovery plan’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...oner/10506240/
F1 mid-season review: McLaren disrupts the fun
09 August 1:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Up to the Canadian Grand Prix in June, 2023 had been a poor showing from McLaren with just 17 points on the board, a massive restructuring of the technical department and a whole lot of questions beginning to bubble around its lead driver.
But the lid could not be kept on much longer after a stunning British Grand Prix weekend where Norris and Piastri took second and third on the grid with the Australian only missing out on finishing there in the race thanks to Lewis Hamilton getting lucky with the Safety Car timing.
This was backed up again in Hungary, a circuit Norris downplayed hopes for, with another run to second for Norris as Piastri struggled after an early bright start, but still took fifth. The team was caught out at Spa with its high-downforce rear-wing and the lack of a low-downforce option in the dry conditions for the race...
‘Questions beginning to bubble’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-mid-sea...srupts-the-fun
McLaren requires “urgent work” after F1 Belgian GP reality check
McLaren requires “urgent work” to remedy weaknesses exposed by the “reality check” that was the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, according to the Formula 1 team’s boss Andrea Stella.
Jul 31, 2023, 10:03 AM
By: Matt Kew
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Lando Norris classified seventh in the Belgian GP after dropping three places during the opening stint due to struggles on the medium tyres. He then made an earlier stop for hard tyres, which similarly backfired to leave the Briton feeling as though he was running “last”.
Stella reckoned the Spa weekend had proved a “reality check” and showed that his team had “urgent work” to undertake to resolve weaknesses that would carry over to the Italian GP. He said: “This weekend told us that where we could do work. The car is improved in some areas. This was confirmed. But, at the same time, this weekend confirmed the areas that we haven't addressed yet.”
“[It] gives us a reality check that there's more work to do and, to some extent, confirms that those areas, they need to be addressed quite urgently. This urgency, for instance, comes from the fact that a second race after [the summer] shutdown is Monza. You can't go racing in Monza like [we did in Spa]. So, there's urgent work that needs to happen at McLaren to fix the situation.”
‘Reality check’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...n-gp/10502539/
McLaren explain F1 upgrade risk
10 August 10:02AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has conceded aerodynamic development will always carry a "degree of uncertainty". "When you have aerodynamic development, you carry a degree of uncertainty," Stella told media including RacingNews365. "In mechanical design, it is much of a consolidated science in terms of the tools you use to go from point A to point B - you kind of have more control of the process.”
"But in aerodynamics, air has such a non-linear behaviour, things can vary quite significantly just by changing starting conditions just a little bit, it always retains a degree of uncertainty even when the tools tell you this works.”
"You put it trackside and you are always a little nervous. So that's the specifics of aerodynamics as a science, so that's why you see me prudent. If it was something to do with metal design, I would be more certain in my conclusions.”
“Degree of uncertainty";
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-ex...1-upgrade-risk
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Former driver claims Ferrari F1 staff 'WORK IN FEAR' at Maranello.
“I'm telling you, all the people there work in fear," he revealed to Formel1.de. "They don't raise objections because they're afraid of losing their jobs." Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer.
Sunday 13 August 2023 06:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Marc Surer has claimed this has a knock-on effect for new staff that join the Italian ranks too. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs," said the Swiss-German. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs.”
“This mainly concerns the Italian staff. Of course, it's an honour to work at Ferrari, and one wouldn't want to jeopardise their job.” Although Ferrari may be struggling with keeping up with expectations from last season, Vasseur has asked for time in order to bring in the right people to fix the Prancing Horse.
'WORK IN FEAR';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ar-marc-surer/
Rubens Barrichello reveals Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher bias
Rubens Barrichello claimed nine wins for Ferrari from 2000-2005, partnering Michael Schumacher at the team.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Barrichello very much saw Schumacher at his very best; however, the Brazilian insists that the German was “never supportive”. Ferrari also supposedly used to have meetings just with Schumacher, which Barrichello would just sit in.
“I always made friends and I’ve always had a good relationship with all my teammates,” Barrichello said on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “But he was never supportive. He was never there to offer help, so I never asked. Michael was different. He was a bit naive in the way that he worked.”
“So many times, we would finish a meeting and then they would start another one with just Michael there! So I took my chair and would just sit there! Eventually I felt that the team was his.”
“Never supportive”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/rubens-ba...humacher-bias/
F1 legend opens up on WALKING OUT on Schumacher and Ferrari
Sunday 13 August 2023 08:27
Dan Davis
GPFans
"I always say he was better than me, no doubt," Barrichello told F1.com. "But because he was already there from '96, he had four years [in the team], he had gone through the injury, and obviously Jean [Todt] considered him like a son, so it was tough for someone new to come in and say 'OK, give me the freedom'.”
"I told Ferrari if it was written in my contract to let Michael go [ahead], I didn't want to sign. My contract said nothing about that. For my benefit I accepted so many things, there were many things I did not accept, but some I did because I saw I was growing there. For six years I saw I was going forward and my time was coming."
"Honda approached me in 2005 and I said I can't [join] because I have a contract with Ferrari for 2006," he added. “But something happened [at Ferrari] in the middle of that year - I’ll put it in my book one day! - and I didn't like it. I said 'I can see you guys are not giving me the freedom to race, I waited six years, and I thank you guys very much but I want you to sign me off and I want to leave the contract'."
‘WALKING OUT’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...i-walking-out/
‘Ferrari president personally contacted Lewis Hamilton - but he said no’
12 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
“Hamilton had been contacted personally by [Ferrari president John] Elkann,” wrote Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist respected for his ties to the Scuderia, in Quotidiano. “I understand he politely replied ‘no thanks’. And you can understand it (unfortunately).”
Previously the Daily Mail insisted that Ferrari were offering a £40m deal to prise Hamilton away from Mercedes. They insisted that Elkann was “already in close contact with Hamilton” over a deal which would partner him with either Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. But Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have constantly stated their belief that an extended arrangement would be thrashed out between them.
‘You can understand it (unfortunately)’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103320...ton-he-said-no
Lewis Hamilton bluntly rejects Ferrari president’s offer
Lewis Hamilton is set to remain with Mercedes after rejecting Ferrari, but he still doesn't have a contract for 2024.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Hamilton rejecting Ferrari is a clear sign of his intent to remain with Mercedes, something he’s informed the media he’s keen to do. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also told the media countless times this season that the Silver Arrows are planning for a future with the 103-time race winner, with it being believed that his new deal will be for two seasons.
Hamilton has very much been the lead Mercedes driver this season, having finished behind George Russell in 2022. The deal was supposedly for Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz, who has been linked to Sauber ahead of their merge with Audi in 2026.
‘Ferrari president’s offer rejected’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-ham...sidents-offer/
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Formula 1 legend blasts the current state of the sport.
German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has voiced strong criticism of some of the latest developments in Formula 1.
August 3, 2023
BaylaSportsF1.com
In a recent interview with Eurosport Germany, the 72-year-old former F1 driver was asked about the suggestion that the FIA should introduce certain rules to curb Red Bull’s dominant performance. “I think that’s totally unfair,” Stuck expressed his discontent.
Regarding Formula 1’s commitment to sustainability, Stuck finds it unconscionable that synthetic fuels are not already powering the cars. He questioned, “Why hasn’t this been the case – for a long time?” and stressed that Formula 1 must consistently take on a pioneering role in the automotive world.
He also criticized the opposition faced by potential new teams, like Andretti-Cadillac, who desire to join Formula 1 from 2025. “If the FIA bends to the will of the teams that are against new teams like that, then I ask myself: would this have happened under Jean Todt?” Stuck questioned.
‘Current state of the sport’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/formula-1-...-of-the-sport/
1 Man Is Killing Formula One Stock Hype
Aug 11, 2023
Posted by Chad Stone
Money and Markets
Have you caught the Formula One bug? Like many, I was hooked after watching the first season of Drive to Survive on Netflix. I loved the mix of fast-paced Formula One action on the track and personal drama in the paddock. My wife calls it “Real Housewives of Racing,” ha!
Now … I’m obsessed. I’m up at ungodly hours of the morning to catch practice and qualifying sessions on the other side of the world, my social feeds are dominated by F1 analysis and I’m even considering attending a race next season (and I thought a Disney trip was expensive…).
But one person is doing everything he can to kill the Formula One hype machine… Max Verstappen is on an absolute tear. He’s won eight straight races and could easily win eight more. It’s like watching prime Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.
Real Housewives of Racing”;
https://moneyandmarkets.com/verstapp...ne-stock-hype/
5 Biggest Disappointments of 2023 Formula 1 Season, So Far
Some teams and drivers using August as a chance to regroup, maybe even save their season.
PUBLISHED: AUG 8, 2023
BY PHILLIP HORTON
AutoWeek
Not a Single Close Battle Up Front: This is not a criticism against Red Bull or Max Verstappen—they’ve been the class of the field.
Nyck de Vries: This could extend to AlphaTauri as a whole—a team that spent years in the midfield and has now drifted to the back
Ferrari: Ferrari started Formula 1’s new era in 2022 on top but quickly allowed its position to slip due to in-season development, strategic blunders, reliability setbacks and driver errors. Ferrari’s performance level has fluctuated from podium contention to barely scraping into the points and it does not yet fully understand the SF-23. Another era of rebuilding is underway.
Haas F1 Team: It has been a frustrating season for a Haas team that is eighth in the championship and ahead of Alfa Romeo on countback only.
Lance Stroll: A few drivers have had fairly average first portions of the season—George Russell, Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen have all had a largely forgettable time—but Lance Stroll has had a humbling stretch, for sure.
‘5 Biggest Disappointments’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...season-so-far/
The 2026 Engine Regulations: Transforming Formula 1 Racing
13:43 Fri, 04 Aug 2023.
By Theo Gayle
World In Sport (Weblog)
New Carbon-Free Fuel: As part of the 2030 “Net Zero Carbon” project, Formula 1 will introduce a revolutionary carbon-free fuel in 2026.
Increased Electric Power: The Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU-K) will see a substantial boost in power, transitioning from 120 kW to an impressive 350 kW.
Removal of MGU-H: The complexity and cost of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H) have led the FIA to eliminate it from the power units.
Reduced Fuel Allowance: The new regulations will enforce a reduction in the allowed amount of fuel for each race.
An Exciting 2026 Season: The 2026 Formula 1 season promises to be one of the most thrilling in recent history. The introduction of new teams is expected to bring unpredictability and shake up the established order among leading teams.
‘2026 Engine Regulations’;
https://worldinsport.com/the-2026-en.../?nowprocket=1
Explained: The 2026 engine regulations set to seriously shake up Formula 1
02 Aug 2023 1:55 PM
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com
In 2026, we will experience significant changes in regulations, mainly impacting the power units. The last major step was taken in 2014 when the FIA decided to introduce hybrid systems in F1.
But, the real questions are: What do the new rules bring? Are they good for the sport, and most importantly, will racing be more exciting in 2026? Let’s dig into the technical details of the new engine changes and explain how they will affect racing.
It seems that the Red Bull team members are not happy with the new regulations. Max was highly dissatisfied with the new rules, claiming that the team with the most powerful engine will also be the fastest one on the track. He also added that drivers will have to downshift on straights to recharge the battery. Horner also spoke about how the new rules need to be re-evaluated, expressing doubt about their benefits for F1.
‘Seriously shake up Formula 1’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/ex...e-regulations/
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Guenther Steiner: 24 Races is the Limit for F1 Success.
“If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1. Guenther Steiner.
August 12, 2023
13:28 Sun, 13 Aug 2023.
BaylaSportsF1
The schedule for the 2024 Formula 1 season comprises an unprecedented 24 rounds. This tally aligns with the cap established by the Concorde Agreement, an accord encompassing the teams, Formula 1, and the FIA, slated to be in effect until 2026.
Guenther Steiner holds the viewpoint that adhering to the 24-race threshold is optimal.
Expanding to 25 or beyond within a 52-week timeframe presents substantial logistical challenges, necessitating significant alterations to the functioning of Formula 1 teams, he asserted. If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1.”
“It is putting an effort in. I see from my side, obviously I come in on Wednesdays [but] some of the crew which are the set-up crew, they are away sometimes months in a row. That’s a long time and for them it’s more difficult than for me. Obviously for us personally as well it’s not easy to be away 24 weekends for racing.”
‘24 Races is the Limit’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/guenther-s...or-f1-success/
Haas 'very fluid' on vital 2024 decision - Steiner
03 August 4:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the situation is "very fluid" on whether they chose to switch focus to their 2024 car. "We need to learn exactly what it is [causing issues]," he explained to media, including RacingNews365.
"There is no point to move on now 100% to the 2024 car and not even know why we are here this year. You could end up in the same place next year. It's a topic which comes up all the time: 'How long can we push it?' ”
"We will bring some parts for after the summer break to see how they work and things like this, and then we will make the decision. But it's very fluid at the moment on when we will move over 100% to the 2024 car."
‘Vital 2024 decision’;
https://racingnews365.com/haas-very-...-focus-to-2024
F1 team principal backed for incredible DRIVE on 2024 grid
Thursday 3 August 2023 14:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has been hilariously backed by a Formula 1 fan to not only drive on the grid in 2024, but to possibly even become world champion. Ever since his inadvertent starring role in Netflix's Drive to Survive, Steiner has become somewhat of a cult hero among F1 fans.
The Haas team principal's face is often seen on t-shirts, hats and plenty of other paraphernalia brought to a track by fans for a race weekend. And at Spa, one fan took things a step further than most in rather hilarious style. As the rain poured down, through the crowd of umbrellas and ponchos, the cameras picked up one fan holding up a bright yellow banner with Steiner photoshopped into a Haas race suit.
Alongside the image, a caption read: "The next world champion? Guenther on the grid 2024." The Haas team principal was seen laughing at the suggestion, before offering a thumbs up to the cameras in acknowledgement of the drenched race-goer.
‘Cult hero among F1 fans’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...incipal-drive/
Steiner can’t explain cult-figure popularity
Friday 11th August, 2023 - 6:59pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Guenther Steiner has admitted that he can’t explain why he enjoys cult-figure popularity in the world of Formula 1. “You cannot be unhappy,” Steiner told Speedcafe if asked what he thought of the attention his popularity brings. “But the strange thing is when you achieve something not trying to do it, and you get there, it’s like ‘explain it’.”
“People say, can you explain it to me? I say no, I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?! It has become what it is. I think it’s one of those things, like Drive to Survive, nobody thought the series will be this popular – never ever.”
“A lot of people tried to do a series, Ferrari, Mercedes not taking part the first year, and all of a sudden this thing picks up so big, and me being part of it… It’s weird. If you try to do something like this, it’s very difficult to achieve, but this is just right place, right time.”
“I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?!”;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/11...re-popularity/
Steiner renews F1 warning over new teams
12 August 7:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Will F1 rock the boat with new outfits from 2025? Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has stood firm with his belief that the admittance of new teams to the F1 grid would risk long-term stability in the sport.
"You have 10 very stable teams which are all technically stable, financially stable," Steiner told media including RacingNews365. "If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe eight or nine teams leave.”
"The business is run by FOM and they need to make sure that this is sustainable. At the moment, we are at a peak, everything seems to be growing and there is never an end to it - we could have 56 races a year and 22 races a year and everything would be happy.”
‘Risking long-term stability’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-re...over-new-teams
Steiner: New teams 'pose risk to long-term stability of F1'
13/08/2023 at 16:09
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner fears that adding new teams to the Formula 1 grid would risk the long-term stability and financial success of the sport.
"We made big growths in the last year. It is very stable. We have ten very good teams and if you change something, you could go the other way. If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe only eight or nine teams will be left,” he cautioned.
“If you do too much and the teams aren’t stable anymore, what would you achieve then?" he continued. “You’ll be sitting here in three years saying you’ve lost a team because it went bankrupt. At the moment we are at the peak. Formula 1 is growing and there is never an end to it. We could have 56 races in a year and 22 teams in a year, and would be happy."
'Pose risk to long-term stability of F1';
https://f1i.com/news/483768-steiner-...ity-of-f1.html
Steiner keen to use McLaren 'proof' in Haas turnaround
09 August 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the team can use McLaren's example of turning its season around as "proof" it can be done.
"If you take the positives, obviously we are not doing what McLaren is doing and a lot of other teams are bringing upgrades and are still where they were," Steiner told media including RacingNews365.
"McLaren is doing a very good job, you have to compliment them, but it shows that with hard-work and a bit of luck, it can be done. It's not that I think you give up now, or you will never get there. If something has been done, you can try and do it.”
‘Proof it can be done’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-ke...aas-turnaround
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Why Helmut Marko is the best motorsport talent spotter.
Marko has a phenomenal CV as far as getting drivers to F1 goes. He has helped 16 drivers get to the top-class of motorsport, with the two stars in his portfolio being Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
August 5, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Between them, the pair have won 98 races, six world championships, 85 pole positions and have stood on the podium 211 times.
Five of his drivers have gone on to win F1 races once Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly bringing their total to 107 wins, whilst the cult-hero racer Juan Pablo Montoya also credits Marko for improving his talent.
His eye for talent shows no sign of slowing down, as he is nurturing highly-rated youth prospects such as Lawson, Ayumu Iwasa, Dennis Hauger and Isack Hadjar are all in Formula 2 – the final step before F1.
‘Best motorsport talent spotter’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...alent-spotter/
Horner: If you can’t handle ‘ruthless’ Marko, you can’t handle F1
17:10 Sat, 05 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has praised right-hand man and advisor Helmut Marko for his ‘ruthless’ behind-the-scenes management. As Red Bull’s chief talent scout, Marko has played an instrumental role in the vast success the Austrian outfit has endured since entering Formula 1 in 2005.
Most notably he was behind Max Verstappen’s jump from Formula 3 to Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in 2015. Just one year later, the then 18-year-old found himself in the main Red Bull team, winning on his debut with the team and he is now closing in on a third consecutive World Championship.
However, Marko has often been criticised for operating the two Red Bull-owned team F1 teams under somewhat of a revolving door policy, with the hardwired Austrian not being afraid to dismiss many a driver that has failed to meet his lofty standards.
‘Ruthless behind-the-scenes management’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ant-handle-f1/
Marko reveals Senna-Prost fears in Verstappen-Hamilton partnership
14 August 7:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko has insisted the heated relationship between F1 World Champions Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost as teammates prove it is better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers.
"But we as team management want success and we want to win the championship - if possible both the Drivers' and Constructors'. Then it is better if you have a hierarchy, where it is clear who is the clearly faster number one and who is the number two driver.”
"Norris I can still imagine but with Hamilton as a teammate, I have a hard head. The whole team atmosphere and our performance should not suffer. In the past, we saw, for example, Senna and Prost, two superstars, who only looked at each other and put the team in second place."
‘Better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-reve...on-partnership
Helmut Marko makes honest confession over offering Lando Norris a Red Bull contract
Lando Norris has recently been linked with a move to Red Bull, much to the excitement of the neutrals.
13:04, Mon, Aug 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Helmut Marko has dashed fans’ hopes of seeing Lando Norris partner Max Verstappen in the near future, suggesting that while he admires the British driver’s talent, Red Bull prefer to have a clear hierarchy between the two drivers in order to avoid conflict.
Red Bull know all about the difficulties of managing two drivers who both believe they should be winning races. The infamous ‘Multi 21’ incident caused major friction between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel at the start of the last decade, and Verstappen and Ricciardo also had their on-track squabbles during their stint as team-mates.
“In principle, we never have a stable order, but the entire team, atmosphere and competitiveness must not suffer. If you have two such stars, let's take the past: Senna with Prost did not go well. They then only looked at themselves, the team was then in the background.”
‘Honest confession’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Marko-Red-Bull
The crazy world of working with Helmut Marko - “When he goes rogue…”
12 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Christian Horner says Helmut Marko is a “communication manager’s nightmare” when he “goes rogue” as he provided an insight into his Red Bull F1 colleague. Marko’s brutally honest remarks have often landed him in hot water over the years, and Horner admitted the media “only have to prod him” to “get a headline”.
“I’ve known him for a long time,” Horner told ESPN. “When I first met him in 1996, I needed to buy a trailer for the Formula 3000 and Formula 2 team that I had. Helmut, first of all, he’s a passionate racer. He was a good driver himself until his accident and he’s just very direct.”
“With junior drivers, he’s picked some great ones. He’s a tough operator with the junior drivers but if they can’t survive Helmut, they’ll never survive Formula 1. He’s 80 years young, he’s still watching every Formula 3 session and following the young talent religiously. I’ve always had a very straightforward and good relationship with him.”
‘Marko’s brutally honest remarks’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103320...-he-goes-rogue
Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’ blasted as rivals gang up on Red Bull.
Helmut Marko is not expecting to receive any support from Ferrari as he said Fred Vasseur is in a “love affair” with Toto Wolff.
Sam Cooper 14 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Red Bull have led the way with their main concern being the size of the battery, so much so that Christian Horner described it as a potential “Frankenstein” car. Horner is not the only Red Bull voice to shine a spotlight on this with Marko suggesting Max Verstappen’s 2021 Silverstone crash could have been very different with a bigger battery. “The weight is a safety risk,” he told Motorsport-Total.com. “The Silverstone accident that Max [Verstappen] had in 2021 can end very differently with such a heavy battery.”
“A battery always entails certain risks. We already have cars that are close to the sports car level in terms of weight and dimensions. But the race tracks remain the same. We would have to make them all a metre wider in order to keep up with the development of the cars.
Marko went on to suggest it is not just Red Bull who have these concerns but revealed who he does not expect to get any support from. “The fact that you then have to slim down the car aerodynamically so that it no longer has any air resistance means that the effect of the slipstream is lost,” the Austrian said. “There are brands that have the same concerns. Vasseur is continuing his love affair with Toto. Therefore there is little resonance at Ferrari.”
‘Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...fair-red-bull/
Helmut Marko blasts ‘made up’ Sergio Perez story
Sergio Perez has disappointed Red Bull in the last few races, as he has spiralled downwards.
10 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News
The narrative took a new twist during the summer break when Dutch media outlets reported that Perez might face the consequences of his performance deficit to Verstappen, potentially resulting in a pay cut.
In response to the rumors, Marko emphatically stated, “I don’t know where this is coming from again. “It’s completely made up out of thin air. The contracts are precisely regulated. There will be no salary cuts. I can only say it again and again: we are leading the Drivers’ Championship with both drivers and are clearly ahead in the team ranking.”
‘Made up Sergio Perez story’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-ma...o-perez-story/
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Vowles only offering 'truthful' long-term vision to prospective drivers.
Williams team boss James Vowles will offer the truth and nothing but the truth to drivers interested in joining the British outfit rather than lure candidates with false promises or numbers.
12/08/2023 at 16:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Vowles reiterated the importance of not describing to potential recruits and candidates the situation at Williams in a way that makes it seem more acceptable than it really is.
"If you do anything else to them, all you do is at one point they'll be disrupted with 'This isn't the reality of what you promised them'", he said.
"So, this is why the whole way through I've been focusing on the long-term and a truthful analysis of the long-term, but allowing people to buy into that vision."
'Truthful long-term vision’;
https://f1i.com/news/483709-vowles-o...e-drivers.html
James Vowles warns against ‘long-term massive deficit’ created by ‘fictitious’ number
11 Aug 2023 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
New Williams team boss James Vowles says he won’t dish out “fictitious” numbers when he tries to persuade top talent to join Williams. Bottom of the log in four of the last five seasons, it’s been hard-going for the former World Champions who have suffered from a lack of investment in the Formula 1 team.
That has left them lagging behind their rivals with new team boss Vowles tasked with bringing their infrastructure into the 21st century with the former Mercedes head of strategy revealing some things haven’t been updated in two decades.
This season Williams are seventh on the log with Albon having scored all 11 of their points with his best result being a P7 at the Canadian Grand Prix. “I think five years is not a bad period of time to be talking about,” Vowles said of a timeframe, but he stopped short of setting a definitive target such as Audi, who’ve said they want to be at the front within three years of its arrival on the grid.”
‘Some things haven’t been updated in two decades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...bers-williams/
No sugar coating vows Vowles
14/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
Williams boss, James Vowles promises that any new recruits to the team, including drivers, will be told exactly where the teams stands and what its genuine prospects are.
Meanwhile, there is media speculation that Mick Schumacher could replace Logan Sargeant, whom Vowles appeared to deliberately omit from his comments. The German is test and reserve driver with Mercedes after being dropped by Haas at the end of last season, and has won praise from both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell this season for his commitment and development work.
When it was unclear whether Sargeant would gain the requisite points for his superlicence, Williams held exploratory talks with Schumacher before the American got the all-clear.
‘Media speculation’;
https://www.pitpass.com/75881/No-sug...ng-vows-Vowles
Vowles proves to be excellent choice
August 8 2023
By Andrew Hooper
WilliamsF1 Supporters
As the Williams Racing Team enjoys their Formula One Summer Break we can look back at the arrival of James Vowles into the position of Team Principal, and the subsequent challenges that he has had to face as he works on returning the Williams Team back to a more competitive position in the F1 championship. For James this focus on the teams technical department will allow senior leadership the opportunity to focus more on the teams overall recovery.
In recent interviews James spoke of how the situation as it stands within the team is like being “on crutches” with senior management having to address issues across the whole team. James explained his comment by saying: “We're fortunate with the team I have behind me at the moment because they are filling voids that exist. But clearly, we're on crutches. We're trying to do 10 things and it's always better if you focus on one. I'm not a strong engineer within the paddock. There are much stronger engineers than I am.”
“What I am, though, is someone with a vision of where we want to get to and lead people there on that direction. People, at the moment, are very much aligned with that view.” James added: “At the moment, we have a small leadership team that are cascading ideas. But you get an almost exponential improvement in the amount of people you put in place, the training you put in place, and the ideas, the more you have lieutenants that you trust. That’s not the case today.”
“Lieutenants that you trust”;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st204999.htm
Vowles to ‘break Williams systems’ to move forward
Sunday 16th July, 2023 - 9:10pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
James Vowles is aware he is likely to cause problems inside Williams by breaking existing systems long in place but believes such a task is crucial if he is to continue to move the F1 team forward. Vowles maintains a complete culture change is required, adding: “You don’t change that by just using words, you change that by showing what you would like, and hope people follow your direction of travel.”
“What I’m trying to bring in through the organisation is honesty, openness, proper communication, which for a lot didn’t even exist. That’s not the organisation’s fault, but it was surviving, has been surviving for probably 15, 20 years, which means it was only thinking one week ahead, one month ahead.”
“And what I’ve really tried to bring in is to stop that, and from the get-go, thinking six months ahead, 12 months ahead, 24 months and 36 months ahead. Those are the timelines we need to think about. It means you don’t firefight anymore, you think about how we’re going to be better, making those large steps. It’s a complete mind shift from where we are.”
“Don’t firefight anymore”;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/16...-move-forward/
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F1’s Much-Loved Imola Cat Has Sadly Passed Away.
This is the saddest of news. The iconic Imola cat, named Formulino, has reportedly passed away. You don’t tend to go to racetracks and find cats lingering around, but the Imola circuit was different. Formulino was the secret cat king of Imola paddock
Posted on August 14, 2023
by Charley Williams
wtf1.com
He was often spotted wandering in and out of teams’ garages and around the media pen and even had his own paddock pass. When the Emilia Romagna GP was cancelled this year from flooding, many fans were anxious to know Formulino was safe – and the circuit confirmed he was.
Something the Imola cat is most known for deciding the fate of F1 drivers; if you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune, which Lewis Hamilton discovered in 2020.
Mercedes let Formulino wander into the Mercedes garage and have a good look around, a quick hello and a stroke from Lewis, and just hours later, he was able to pull off the ultimate overcut and push on into the lead, taking his first Imola victory.
‘If you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune’;
https://www.wtf1.com/post/f1s-much-l...y-passed-away/
Formulino, the legendary F1 cat who tormented Sebastian Vettel has passed away
14 Aug 2023
F1 Desk
Crash.Net
Formulino, the legendary cat who lived at the site of the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, has reportedly passed away. The grey tabby cat shot to fame in 2020 when F1 returned to Imola - it soon became clear that she lived at the location, as he marched through the paddock inspecting garages.
“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck,” Sebastian Vettel was told by Sky’s Ted Kravitz three years ago as Formulino interrupted their interview. “I don’t like cats,” Vettel replied. “I have nothing to offer. She’s a bit overweight, though.”
The then-Ferrari driver endured a miserable weekend at Formulino’s home thereafter, qualifying 14th and finishing the grand prix 12th. However, Lewis Hamilton benefitted from his acceptance of Formulino.
“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103328...as-passed-away
RIP FORMULINO: F1 cat that had own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends dies as heartbroken fans say ‘run free beautiful Imola kitty’
Published: 13:17, 15 Aug 2023
Ciaran Wiseman
TheSun.co.uk
AN F1 cat that had its own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends has sadly passed away. Heartbroken fans have left emotional tributes after Formulino's death was reported. Such was the animal's popularity, it even wore a VIP pass round its neck as it strolled around the paddock.
ESPN report, though, that Formulino has died, with one fan commenting on the news: "Run free beautiful Imola kitty." Another wrote: "Rest in peace Formulino." A third F1 fan added: "So sad, my daughter thought it was such a lovely story and was so jealous of the cat." Meanwhile, one more said: "This made me so sad. RIP beautiful kitty, you will be missed at Imola."
"Rest in peace Formulino";
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23500...weekend-imola/
Italian F1 icon Formulino dies at the age of 16
Monday 14 August 2023 23:27
Chris Deeley
GPFans.com
'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy': A post on the 'official' Instagram account of Formulino, shared to his 37.5k followers on Monday evening, confirmed his passing. "It's hard to find the right words in times like these," the caption read.
"After more than sixteen years the day we hoped would never come is here, and our beloved Arturo has left us. It’s like a part of us has been taken away with him. He was a member of the Formula Imola family, the first to arrive when the offices opened and the last to leave at sunset after punching his time-card.”
"Our mascot, therapist and snack buddy filled our working days with joy. There is no Motorsport lover who will not remember him, ready to welcome anyone arriving at the racetrack direction building. We will miss you more than we can express. You will always be our Formulino."
'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-imola-cat-16/
F1: Imola’s much-loved cat mascot Formulino that cursed Sebastian Vettel dies aged 16
Formulino was often spotted wandering around Imola’s paddock and was known to bring both good luck and misfortune to drivers including Lewis Hamilton
Published 15th Aug 2023, 17:08 BST
By Rebecca Braybrook
LancashireEveningPost.co.uk
The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino, had passed away at the age of 16. Formulino, dubbed the king of Autodromo di Imola was often spotted wandering around the team’s garages and was even given his own paddock pass. Imola had set up the iconic feline with his own Instagram account where they regularly shared pictures of Formulino exploring the race track.
After the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled earlier this year, many Formula 1 fans were left anxious to know if Formulino was safe, forcing the circuit to confirm he was being cared for. Formulino was known amongst F1 fans for deciding the fate of the drivers, with those who were welcoming of the cat, being dealt good fortune in their race. In 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton discovered the cat’s magical abilities. After being allowed to wander into the Mercedes garage, Lewis Hamilton approached the cat for a stroke.
Hours later, the seven time world champion pulled off a dramatic overcut to take the lead and his first victory at Imola. The iconic feline visited the four time world champion as he spoke to Sky Sports, with host Ted Kravitz telling Vettel that it was considered a sign of good luck. The German driver responded: “I don’t like cats but maybe I like this one. I have nothing to offer it. He’s a bit overweight though.” Vettel then finished the race in 12th place after a faulty wheel nut caused a 13-second pitstop.
‘The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino’;
https://www.lep.co.uk/read-this/form...t-dies-4256496
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Former Ferrari chief berates team: ‘Enzo would not have accepted it’.
Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo has berated the Scuderia for celebrating Charles Leclerc’s P3 at the Belgian Grand Prix, saying Enzo Ferrari “would not have accepted” that.
16 Aug 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Former chairman di Montezemolo says that’s a sign of how far Ferrari, who haven’t won a Drivers’ title since 2007 and a Constructors’ since 2008, have fallen. “You know what I’m sorry about?” he told Quotidiano. “Celebrating a third place, like Spa. This is not like Ferrari and the old man would not have accepted it. Never.”
He added: “Ferrari taught me a lot. For example, never to be satisfied. After a win, he immediately thought about the next race.” Di Montezemolo recalled another side of Ferrari’s character in his strive to always do better, so much so the founder wasn’t a fan of Formula 1’s summer break. “Commanding! For example, Enzo hated holidays, in August he kept me in the office, he couldn’t stand people going on vacation,” he said.
“But he was also a funny guy. Do you know the one about the telephone? Ferrari said that in the office I was always on the phone talking to beautiful women. So one morning he showed me a huge pink telephone on the desk. And when I introduced him to Edwige Fenech he said ‘She is definitely smarter than you’.”
‘Enzo hated holidays’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/former...ver-accept-p3/
Ferrari boss issues DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict on star driver
Wednesday 16 August 2023 11:57
Sam Cook
GPFans
Frederic Vasseur has branded Charles Leclerc as "impulsive" in an interview in which he expresses his concerns about his current driver pairing. Ferrari have had a tough first half of 2023, in which they appear to have regressed from challenging for race wins to scrapping with numerous other constructors for a place in the top five.
When asked if he was content with his driver pairing in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur stated, "You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles didn't expect a season like this and at the beginning he pushed more than he should, now he seems to have digested the situation better. Carlos is very consistent and for this reason he's a good reference for us."
‘DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...eur-impulsive/
Charles Leclerc called out by his own boss as Fred Vasseur risks starting Ferrari row
Charles Leclerc is reportedly close to signing a new deal with Ferrari, but he is not without criticism.
10:51, Wed, Aug 16, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Speaking to Italian news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur explained: "We can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles was not expecting a season like this and at the beginning he pushed harder than he should have, now he seems to have digested the situation better.”
These words could be taken either way by Leclerc, but it is certainly a bold call from Vasseur, who is currently taking part in negotiations with the Monegasque driver over a new, long-term deal with the team.
‘Starting Ferrari row’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...r-Carlos-Sainz
Fred Vasseur: ‘Impulsive’ Charles Leclerc guilty of pushing ‘more than he should’
16 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes an “impulsive” Charles Leclerc was sometimes guilty of pushing “more than he should” in a challenging first half of the F1 2023 season. He told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport: “You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers.”
“As a character Leclerc is impulsive, if something doesn’t go well he doesn’t hold back. However, for his own good and that of the team, sometimes it’s better to calm down before speaking. In the heat you don’t have all the information you need to form a definitive judgment and in front of an open microphone it’s better to take your time.”
‘Guilty of pushing more than he should’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-v...arles-leclerc/
Leclerc Baffled by Verstappen-Perez Gap: “Wide Margin Hard to Explain”
August 14, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has expressed his astonishment at the noticeable disparity that has occasionally surfaced between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez within the Red Bull team throughout this season.
During an interview with Motorsport.com(Italian edition), the Monegasque openly acknowledged: “I think Max is a great driver, but at the same time there are many who cannot explain such a wide margin between him and Checo. Personally I think it is impossible to read the situation well from the outside, only inside the team do they know exactly everything.”
“At times the margin between Max and Checo was greater than I would have expected, but on the other hand Verstappen is an incredible driver and it is probably very difficult to be alongside him. But again, I don’t have the full picture of the situation.”
‘Leclerc Baffled’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/leclerc-ba...rd-to-explain/
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Aston Martin assess chances of returning to second-fastest car.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack believes this car development war will impact their ability to return to second quickest.
Author Rory Mitchell
16 August 4:25PM
RacingNews365
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has assessed the team's chances of returning to being the second quickest car behind Red Bull.
"Under normal circumstances, you would say to gain three positions in such a field, over the short time of 11 events, it’s very hard and very ambitious.”
"On the other hand, the gaps are very small. We have seen how much we have lost, and I think the most important is to recover that and try to recover a little bit more."
“The gaps are very small”;
https://racingnews365.com/aston-mart...nd-fastest-car
Krack insists Aston Martin need to 'recover' and 'close the gap' after slipping down the pecking order
16 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack admits his team now have the fifth-fastest car on the grid but has given the reasons why his side have tumbled down the pecking order, as they now plot their route back on to the podium places.
He later added: “From our side we will try to improve the car further. There are a couple of things planned for Zandvoort, and we need to close that gap again.”
‘Need to recover';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...OIzhJg3oO.html
Aston Martin have "good" amount of budget left to spend on developing 2023 car
16th August 2023, 00:06
Ida Wood
RaceFans
Aston Martin remain in a position where they have money to spend within their 2023 budget on car development, and plan to use it later this year.
Aston Martin’s performance director Tom McCullough told RaceFans. “Our job is to understand what we’ve actually done to our car on track, relative to the development tool, where our relative competitiveness in low, medium, high [speed] corners, straight-line speed – with and without DRS. Obviously each track has different requirements as well. So that side of the analysis, I think we’ve understood what we’ve done to the car.”
“The developments that are coming in the second half of the season are already actually addressing some of the areas. Of course you try to address the areas you’re not as strong in. I think really from Zandvoort onwards, we’re going to have some continuous development as we’ve done all year. We still have good budget left to keep developing our car hard. And that’s our plan for the second half of the season.”
‘Good amount of budget left’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/16/...nd-up-16-08-6/
Aston Martin send ominous warning to Mercedes
Aston Martin have fallen backwards in the pecking order since introducing a recent large upgrades package.
15 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has revealed that the Silverstone-based team still have money to continue developing the AMR23, but noted that they will also focus on next season’s car.
When the second half of the season gets underway, further upgrades will be installed in the hope of rediscovering their early year pace, whilst they’ll also have an eye on 2024. “We’ve been targeting quite strong development throughout the year and we have budget to keep developing the car,” McCullough said.
“That’s our aim, so we are bringing some steps all the way to the end of the championship really – as much as we can do. At a certain point, you have to fully focus on 2024, but we’re in the phase now where we’re able to work on both cars.”
‘Fallen backwards’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-mar...g-to-mercedes/
Lance Stroll dubbed ‘most stressed driver on the grid’ thanks to Fernando Alonso
15 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Lance Stroll “sounds like the most stressed driver on the grid” on team radio, according to Le Mans winner Richard Bradley. While discussing mid-season driver ratings on the On Track GP Podcast, 2015 Le Mans winner Bradley believes that the Canadian has cut a “stressed” figure on team radio this year, but his achievements should not be forgotten either.
“It’s difficult at the beginning [of the season] because remember at the beginning he was injured as well, obviously there was a question mark over whether he’d miss the first couple of races when he fell off his bike,” he said.
“So it’s very hard to look at and rate those because it’s obviously [difficult] when you’re recovering from injury, I was going to say three, maybe a four [out of 10]. When you listen to him on the radio, he certainly sounds stressed – he sounds like the most stressed driver on the grid, maybe that’s just his personality.”
‘Most stressed driver on the grid’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-...rnando-alonso/
Q&A with Fernando Alonso
"IT HAS BEEN A DREAM START FOR US!"
AUGUST 15, 2023
GrandPrix.com
The Spaniard insists the first half of the 2023 World Champion has surpassed his and his team's expectations and vows to continue to fight to come back to the front of the field and, eventually, score that elusive 33rd Grand Prix win the whole of Spain seems to be desperately hoping for.
Q: More recently you had a couple of disappointed weekends, but in Belgium you finished ahead of one Mercedes, and the sole surviving McLarens, so is there some satisfaction that things are coming back in the right direction?
Alonso: I think so. I think the car felt fast on race day in Spa, the guys did an incredible job again on the strategy, also on the pit stops.
Q: Based on what's going on at Alpine, you're now certain you made the right decision coming here instead of staying where you were?
Alonso: Obviously you never know that. You know, it would be nice to have a crystal ball and before you make a decision in switching teams you know the future, but yes, at the end I'm happy where I am, and there is a project here into the future and I'm very proud.
‘Q&A EL PLAN’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/qanda...do-alonso.html
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Watch out Ferrari and Audi: Red Bull’s F1 2026 engine is ‘miles ahead’.
Rather than Red Bull Powertrains struggling to hit targets, advisor Helmut Marko says they are “miles ahead” of Audi and Ferrari in the development of their new power unit for 2026.
15 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
The regulations for 2026 are set, but recently Red Bull principal Christian Horner called for some revisions to be made, fearing that drivers were going to need to downshift on the straights in order to harvest electrical energy for these power units.
Mercedes principal Toto Wolff subsequently shut that possibility down, suggesting it was born from Red Bull perhaps fearing that their Red Bull Powertrains division, which has partnered with Ford, was not finding the desired success with their power unit.
It is quite the opposite though Marko ensures, who believes while Mercedes are about on a par with the development of their PU, Ferrari and newcomers Audi are lagging “miles behind” in the process. “I don’t think we are technically behind. We have brought in people from Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth [for the engine department],” Marko told Motorsport-Total.com.
‘Miles ahead’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...i-2026-engine/
Marko goads Mercedes as Red Bull chief THANKS F1 rivals for key staff members
Wednesday 16 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Helmut Marko has claimed that Red Bull are 'miles ahead' of their Formula 1 rivals when it comes to their engine development, in part due to the team's aggressive recruitment strategy.
Marko also emphasised that Red Bull's new engine factory in Milton Keynes is 'state of the art', going on to insist that the team are clear of teams such as Ferrari and future F1 rivals, Audi.
"In August, we are still running a complete combustion engine with MGU-K and battery," he added. "There we are miles ahead of Audi, we are miles ahead of Ferrari, and Mercedes is about the same."
‘THANKS F1 rivals for key staff members’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-2026-changes/
Marko, Alonso and Verstappen united in PROTEST against FIA
Tuesday 15 August 2023 11:57
Luis Raya
GPFans
Helmut Marko has joined Alonso and Verstappen's protest for the reduction of weight and size of the current F1 cars. "The size complicates things more than the weight. In the early corners of the race, it's now difficult to position the car solely due to its size, not its weight. I think significantly reducing the weight of the cars will be tough, as hybrid engines will always be heavier than regular engines, and safety in these cars is also much greater," said Fernando Alonso.
Helmut Marko also took the opportunity to discuss his collaboration with Ford starting in 2026, which will coincide with a major rule change. "We have the best when it comes to internal combustion engines. And we have two very brilliant minds on the electric side," Marko said, confident in his bid for 2026.
‘United in PROTEST against FIA’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...t-against-fia/
David Croft demands major change: 'Stop the FIA being F1 rule-makers'
16 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has made a bold claim on the rule-making process in F1, stating that Liberty Media should have more of a say. When asked about the subject and what he would like to see changed in Formula 1, Croft told the Sky F1 podcast: “First and foremost, I’d have to stop the FIA being the rule-makers.”
“That’s the trouble the commercial rights holder (Liberty Media) has, it’s that they don’t make the rules – they can have an influence because they have a standing on the F1 Commission, but they don’t make the rules… the FIA does. I think the time has come in F1 to actually bring the two parties a lot more closely aligned.”
While Croft admitted F1 had a large say in the current regulations along with the FIA, he still feels the sport should place more importance on it’s marketing by giving more power to Liberty Media: “They are a lot more closely aligned and these regulation changes had been driven by F1 rather than the FIA.”
'Stop the FIA being F1 rule-makers';
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103336...-f1-rulemakers
David Croft calls for drastic FIA removal that would rock F1’s foundation
16 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Sky F1 commentator David Croft believes the FIA should have no further involvement in the evolution of Formula 1’s rulebooks. “That’s the trouble the commercial rights holder (Liberty Media) has, it’s that they don’t make the rules – they can have an influence because they have a standing on the F1 Commission, but they don’t make the rules… the FIA does.”
Croft also posited that the expanding race calendar for 2024, an expansion that has come about under Liberty Media’s watch, is pushing the limit of what fans can cope with – particularly with the inclusion of Sprint weekends. “I think we’re getting there with the Sprint,” he said.
“But, personally, I think we’re at the limit for the number of races. I don’t think we need any more races and sometimes less is more on that one. We’ll do 24 next year, and then we’ll revisit it again – maybe 24 might be a bit too much. Because to actually ask people to invest so much time in the sport for 24 races, as fans, is asking a huge amount. But I understand why it’s happening.”
‘Drastic FIA removal’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-...r-fia-removal/
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Steiner impressed by Hulkenberg's speed in readapting to full-time F1 drive.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was impressed by the speed at which Nico Hulkenberg became reacquainted with the rigours of Formula 1 without a full-time seat for three years.
Aug 17, 2023, 12:31 PM
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Co-author: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
Reflecting on his decision to sign Hulkenberg, Steiner explained that he feared the Rhinelander would need time to fully reacquaint himself with the day-to-day work as an F1 driver - but his anxieties were quickly relieved.
"I've been pretty, pretty impressed. We took him for one reason, because we know we can drive a race car. The doubt was after three years as not a full-time driver, how long does it take him to catch up?" Steiner explained.
"It didn't take him any time because he was there from day one, you know, which is very good. It's actually very impressive, but also as a human being, he tries to help the team and that's what we wanted with the experience, that's what I always said.”
‘Impressed by Hulkenberg's speed’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...rive/10508280/
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg set to be retained by Guenther Steiner at Haas for F1 2024 season
14 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Kevin Magnussen’s contract is expiring but he is reportedly set to remain at Haas next season. Guenther Steiner’s team are expected to want to keep the same driver line-up for the 2024 season. They brought in Nico Hulkenberg this year, as Mick Schumacher’s replacement, to team with Magnussen.
“Having had their hands burned trialling an inexperienced line-up that brought funding, Haas have flipped back to experience,” F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto reported. “It’s paying dividends with the American team in the fight to finish seventh in what would be their best finish since 2018.”
“It’s almost certain they will name an unchanged line-up for 2024.” Talks to extend Magnussen’s stay are “ongoing” and “believed to be very positive”, it was reported. Hulkenberg is also discussing a new deal with Haas.
‘To be retained’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103327...-driver-lineup
Two seats taken off the F1 driver market with new contracts imminent
F1's ‘silly season' is fast approaching with drivers up and down the grid searching for new contracts.
11:49, Mon, Aug 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Haas duo Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are both set to sign new contracts with the team for the 2024 season with no changes expected from Guenther Steiner, according to a recent report. With nine points to his name, Hulkenberg has brought in the lion’s share of the team’s tally this campaign with the issues in the team largely coming from the other side of the garage.
Even more impressive have been the German’s qualifying performances. While Magnussen has failed to reach Q3 on all but one occasion this season, Hulkenberg has appeared in Q3 in half of the Grands Prix this year, exiting in Q1 only three times in the process. These performances have made the decision to renew his deal a no-brainer for Steiner and Haas.
‘New contracts imminent’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...n-new-contract
Steiner: No alternative to Haas solution
Wednesday 16th August, 2023 - 12:12pm
By Ian Parkes, Mat Coch
Speedcafe
There is no current alternative to the way Haas operates its Formula 1 team, according to its boss Guenther Steiner. The American-registered operation employs arguably the most complicated model of all 10 current teams with offices spread across three counties.
However, given the choice, Steiner admits he would consolidate the Haas operation. “But I don’t have a choice in the moment,” he admitted. “If you would like to do something different, you need to come up with a good way how to do it. But in the moment, there is no good way how to unify the team like this.”
“The only thing would be to take the race team to Italy,” he added. “That is much easier than to take the design team to the UK, but that is also not possible because we have got 100 people working there and I will need to replace at least half of them, maybe more, because more than half of them wouldn’t come to Italy.”
‘The most complicated model’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/16...haas-solution/
38: Steiner-FIA Spat Great For Netflix-F1 Show
In PodcastsPublish DateAugust 17, 2023
Kunal Shah
Kunal's F1 Blog
Guenther Steiner is a character that keeps giving, especially when it comes to the Netflix-F1 show. Thankfully, the star of season 1 of ‘Drive to Survive’ was let off with a small financial penalty.
‘Guenther Steiner is a character that keeps giving’;
https://www.kunalsf1blog.com/38-stei...tflix-f1-show/
Guenther Steiner casts verdict on ‘not normal’ sackings at Alpine
16 Aug 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Sacking Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane on the eve of the summer holiday, Guenther Steiner concedes that’s not “normal” but “everybody does it their own way”. Having previously achieved success with Racing Point, a team that punched above its weight financially, Haas team boss Steiner feels Szafnauer’s exit makes little sense, and the timing of it even less. He, however, has backed the long-time Formula 1 team boss to recover “pretty quick” from his exit.
“It was done in not the normal way,” conceded the Haas team boss, “but everybody does it their own way. I think obviously Otmar will be disappointed, but he has been there before. If you are in this job, I think most of us have been there before. One door closes, another one opens. In the end, in this job, it is just a difficult job.”
“You are in the public eye; things can happen, and you just have to deal with that. I’m not saying that it’s nice to deal with it, but it’s part of it. I think Otmar will be over it pretty quick. As I said he has been there before, and these things they happen, it’s part of our life as a team principal.”
‘Not normal sackings’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...ot-normal-way/
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Massa lawyers start LEGAL ACTION to strip Hamilton of F1 title.
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa's legal team have initiated legal proceedings against Formula One officials and the governing body FIA, alleging that a 'conspiracy' denied him the 2008 Formula One championship, according to Reuters.
Friday 18 August 2023 06:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
The legal action seeks substantial damages for the alleged manipulation that cost Massa tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses. In a formal 'Letter Before Claim,' Massa's lawyers have stated that the Brazilian driver was deprived of the championship title through actions at the highest echelons of the sport.
The letter was sent to Formula One's CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. It was dated August 15 and came from the London offices of Enyo Law. "Simply put, Mr. Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver's Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title," the letter claims.
‘Initiated legal proceedings’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-legal-action/
Ex-Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa claims he is ‘rightful’ 2008 champion not Lewis Hamilton
Thu, Aug 17, 2023, 8:53 PM
Mauricio Savarese
Sports.Yahoo.com
SAO PAULO – Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa has accused the auto racing series' governing body of conspiring to prevent him from winning the 2008 title, and the Brazilian claimed he is the “rightful” champion.
A member of Massa’s management team told The Associated Press on Thursday that the letter was also sent to Formula One Management, alleging the two bodies failed to act after learning that same year that Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix to help then-teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.
Massa’s letter was triggered by an interview of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, who said in March that he was aware of Piquet’s deliberate crash in that same year but chose not to investigate it until Hamilton received the season’s title at an FIA ceremony.
‘Rightful 2008 Champion’;
https://sports.yahoo.com/ex-formula-...iGCm961aVLXuOZ
Ex-F1 star threatens F1 with legal action over ‘conspiracy’ to deny him 2008 title
August 18th, 2023 3:25 pm
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has commenced legal action against Formula 1 and motorsport governing body the FIA over allegations a “conspiracy” denied him the 2008 world championship. The Renault F1 team had secured victory for Fernando Alonso by ordering his then teammate Nelson Piquet Junior to crash, triggering a safety car that put the Spaniard into the lead. Pole-getter Massa dropped from first place to outside the points. Title rival Lewis Hamilton finished third, extending his championship lead to seven points.
Hamilton won the title by one point at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. Renault’s actions came to light in 2009 when Piquet Junior went public with his claims after being sacked by the team. In an interview with German website F1 Insider earlier this year former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone revealed that both he and then FIA president Max Mosley had known the race had been fixed during the 2008 season.
“We decided not to do anything at first,” Ecclestone said. “We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the (FIA) statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. That means it would never have happened for the world championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.”
‘Conspiracy’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...37d9184beda474
F1’s ‘Crashgate’ scandal returns as Felipe Massa seeks justice for a lost title
21:33 Thu, 17 Aug 2023.
By Madeline Coleman
The Athletic
One of Formula One’s most infamous scandals, “Crashgate,” is back in the headlines after Felipe Massa and his lawyers made a push for justice and understanding this week.
The incident went down during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed in that September race, triggering a chain of events that helped his teammate, Fernando Alonso, win the race and left Massa out of the points. That made all the difference at season’s end, when Lewis Hamilton bested Massa for the drivers’ championship by a single point.
In 2009, Piquet Jr. revealed he was told to purposefully crash. A subsequent investigation led to heavy punishments for Renault personnel, and the world moved on — until this season. In March,F1-insider.com published quotes attributed to former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, suggesting that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley decided not to investigate the potential breach, despite being aware of it.
‘F1’s ‘Crashgate’ scandal returns’;
https://theathletic.com/4785380/2023...son-piquet-jr/
Felipe Massa seek compensation for lost 2008 F1 title
18th August 2023.03:38
Malay Mail
LONDON, Aug 18 — Lawyers for former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa have started legal action against Formula One bosses and the governing FIA seeking substantial damages resulting from an alleged “conspiracy” that denied him the 2008 championship.
A formal eight-page Letter Before Claim, seen by Reuters, was sent to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and Paris-based FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on August 15. Such a letter is a required formal legal notice before court proceedings. London-based Enyo Law said Brazilian Massa, now 42, had been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One Management”.
It said Massa had lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of another driver’s deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that was allegedly covered up before becoming a scandal in 2009. The crash cost Massa vital points in a season where he ultimately lost out by a single point to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, the first of the Briton’s record-equalling seven.
‘Seek compensation’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sport...f1-title/85825
Massa taking legal action against FIA, FOM over crashgate - reports | RaceFans Round-up
18th August 2023, 00:06
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
Former FOM chief Bernie Ecclestone claimed in an interview earlier this year that he and former FIA president Max Mosley were aware that Piquet’s crash was intentional but had not acted to avoid a controversy over the results of the championship.
‘Legal action against FIA, FOM’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/18/...nd-up-18-08-6/
Massa steps up legal challenge over lost 2008 F1 world title
Felipe Massa has stepped up his legal battle over losing the 2008 Formula 1 world championship by sending a letter to the FIA and F1 laying out the details of his impending claim.
18:32 Thu, 17 Aug 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
In March (2023), Ecclestone was quoted in an interview by F1-insider saying the result of the Singapore race, in which Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to help Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso win, could have been thrown out, which would have swung the title race in favour of the Ferrari driver.
In April (2023), Massa signalled his intention to take legal action against the results of the 2008 F1 world championship, which he lost to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton by a single point.
After assembling a legal team, Massa has now sent a so-called Letter Before Claim to the FIA and FOM (15th August 2023) which sets out the details of the case the Brazilian intends to pursue in court.
‘Letter to the FIA and F1 laying out the details of his impending claim’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...itle/10508519/
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Dutch GP threatened by protest.
The upcoming Dutch Grand Prix could be interrupted by local taxi drivers, who are threatening to block the roads to the circuit in a dispute over services.
18 August 11:35AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Taxi drivers have been informed by letter they cannot work during the Grand Prix weekend, as they will not be permitted to enter the area. This has caused uproar among drivers as the event expects over 100,000 visitors per-day, many of whom would be able to use these taxi services.
It is reported that 150 taxi drivers will be blocked from being able to get close to Zandvoort over the race weekend. This has led to the drivers demanding a solution from the municipality of Zandvoort or the Dutch GP organisers, otherwise they will come up with 'extreme measures' such as protests or blocking the access roads to the circuit.
‘Threatening to block the roads’;
https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-t...ned-by-protest
Huge protests threaten to DERAIL Dutch Grand Prix
Saturday 19 August 2023 09:12
Janice Kusters
GPFans
Over the past few months, several Grands Prix have encountered recurrent risks of protests and blockades, with climate activists frequently being the source of these challenges.
The tables have turned for the upcoming race in Zandvoort, as Dutch taxi drivers find themselves in a state of fury triggered by a recent alteration in the monitoring of taxi licensing for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Only Zandvoort-based taxis are being granted this coveted license. Meanwhile, taxis operating out of the nearby city of Haarlem are being denied. "There is no consideration for us at all, absolutely none," complained Samir Belgnaoui, a taxi driver from Haarlem who represents around 150 colleagues.
‘Protests threaten to DERAIL’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-protest-taxi/
Zandvoort bracing for Dutch GP blockade threat
18/08/2023 at 14:42
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
The municipality of Zandvoort says it is in talks with local taxi drivers who are threatening to disrupt F1's Dutch Grand Prix weekend with a blockade protest due to restrictions imposed on their services.
A proper certification is required for taxi drivers to gain access to a designated zone outside the circuit, but only a specific quota of 'Taxi-Pass' authorizations has been assigned and distributed.
The limitations that have been decided have arisen following an issue encountered last year by the event's organizers, when taxis illegally entered the restricted zone and wreaked havoc on the latter's organization, according to Walter Sans, a Zandvoort municipality representative.
‘Bracing for Dutch GP’;
https://f1i.com/news/484013-zandvoor...de-threat.html
Zandvoort respond to Dutch GP blockade threat
18 August 1:06PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Marnik Kok
F1i.com
Taxi drivers have threatened to disrupt the weekend either through protest or blocking the access roads to the circuit. The municipality of Zandvoort says they are in consultation with local authorities on how to deal with the matter.
"Now they say: we're going to block. What you get then is a situation just like with other demonstrations. You can do a protest in the Netherlands, you can demonstrate, so it goes like any other action," said the spokesperson. "There is consultation with the people who are about public order and security, such as the police.”
“Then we look at how such a demonstration can be managed. We have further explained why we have the rules [of the admission tickets etc]. Last year's evaluation report found that there has been too much nuisance due to illegal taxi pass-through certificates. So what we are doing now is entering into a conversation about the protests and demonstrations."
‘Dutch GP blockade threat’;
https://racingnews365.com/zandvoort-...lockade-threat
F1 Dutch GP promotes inclusivity and clamps down on flare use
16:05 Fri, 18 Aug 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com
The sheer scale of the support for local hero Max Verstappen can be intimidating to overseas visitors or fans of other drivers, and Zandvoort is keen to avoid the sort of harassment issues that were reported in Austria last year.
One ongoing topic at Zandvoort has been the use of orange flares by fans, and Van Leeuwen has made it clear that they are not allowed at the circuit. "Because of the popularity of the sport and Max, fans brought in these flares in Austria a few years ago," he said. "The image looked great on TV, and they shot footage with the flares.”
"This is also dangerous for the drivers because I think two years ago during the formation lap in Austria, the drivers had poor vision. And that was something that a normal fan did not know. They just saw two guys with a flare and then there were four guys and then eight and 16 and 32. And now we have to bring it down."
‘Clamping down on flare use’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...down/10508168/
Dutch GP pokes fun at Verstappen trophy mishaps
20 August 3:25PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
The Dutch Grand Prix X [formerly Twitter] feed has poked fun at Max Verstappen's recent trophy mishaps. Verstappen has been in sublime form this season, securing 10 wins from 12 races, including each of the last eight.
But whilst it has been smooth sailing on track, the Dutchman has had a rough relationship with winners' trophies at the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix. In a humourous post on social media, the Dutch GP has posted a picture of its winners' trophy wrapped in bubble wrap, captioned: "Let's break records, not trophies."
‘Wrapped in bubble wrap’;
https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-p...trophy-mishaps
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Ecclestone claims to have 'NO MEMORY' of damning Crashgate interview.
Former chief executive of Formula 1, Bernie Ecclestone, has said he ‘cannot remember’ comments he made which sparked Felipe Massa to take legal action against F1.
Friday 18 August 2023 18:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans
In March 2023, the Brazilian driver initiated legal proceedings after Ecclestone was quoted stating that he and former FIA President Max Mosley were aware of the intentional nature of the Singapore 2008 Grand Prix incident long before they came to light in the public – saying outright that Massa was 'cheated' out of the title.
However, in the incident referred to as ‘Crashgate’, Ecclestone now has insisted that he does not recall making these comments. "I don't remember any of this, to be honest. I don't remember giving the interview, for sure," Ecclestone said to Reuters.
'NO MEMORY';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...nelson-piquet/
Bernie Ecclestone: “I don’t remember giving the interview.”
August 18, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
In a puzzling turn of events, Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula 1 supremo, has claimed he has no recollection of his previous assertion that he was aware of the intentional nature of Nelson Piquet’s crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
Earlier this year, Ecclestone and former FIA President Max Mosley purportedly acknowledged their awareness of the premeditated crash but claimed inaction. However, recent reports from Reuters have quoted Ecclestone expressing uncertainty about the exact details of his prior statements, further deepening the intrigue surrounding the ‘Crashgate’ scandal.
“I don’t remember any of this, to be honest. I don’t remember giving the interview, for sure,” Ecclestone said, adding that neither Massa nor the Brazilian’s lawyers had approached him to ask what he might have said.
“Don’t remember”;
https://baylasportsf1.com/bernie-ecc...the-interview/
Ecclestone "cannot remember" key Crashgate interview
18 August 9:50AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365
The 92-year-old has cast doubt over some quotations attributed to him regarding the 2008 Crashgate affair. Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he does not remember saying that he knew in 2008 that then-Renault driver Nelson Piquet's crash in that year's Singapore Grand Prix was deliberate.
"I don't remember any of this, to be honest. I don't remember giving the interview, for sure," Ecclestone said, adding that neither Massa nor the Brazilian's lawyers had approached him to ask what he might have said.
"Cannot remember";
https://racingnews365.com/ecclestone...gate-interview
Ex-F1 supremo denies knowledge of comments central to Felipe Massa lost title claim
19 Aug 2023 6:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com0
Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he does not remember giving the interview which has led to a legal challenge from Felipe Massa over the 2008 World Championship outcome.
But, as Massa and his representatives now reportedly use this claim as grounds for legal action, Ecclestone has drawn a blank when it comes to his memory of speaking these words in such an interview in the first place.
“I don’t remember any of this, to be honest,” Ecclestone told Reuters. “I don’t remember giving the interview for sure.”
‘Denies knowledge’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/bernie...e-massa-claim/
Bernie Ecclestone drops fresh twist on Felipe Massa's legal battle on Lewis Hamilton title
Felipe Massa sought legal advice after Bernie Ecclestone said in March that he knew about 'Crashgate' in 2008 but was unable to act on it.
17:33, Fri, Aug 18, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express
Felipe Massa's legal action against F1 bosses and the FIA appears to have hit its first hurdle with Bernie Ecclestone backtracking on quotes he made earlier this year about the controversy surrounding the 2008 World Championship.
The Brazilian's lawyers have now started legal action against F1 and the FIA to seek millions in compensation. However, Ecclestone has told Reuters that he doesn't recall ever saying the quotes attributed to him from earlier this year.
"I don't remember any of this, to be honest," he said. "I don't remember giving the interview for sure."
‘Bernie Ecclestone drops fresh twist’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ton-2008-title
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Newey’s ‘challenge the system’ F1 approach a boost to Red Bull success.
Adrian Newey’s willingness to ‘challenge the system’ at Red Bull has been singled out as a big benefit in helping the team push forward with its Formula 1 success.
15:40 Sun, 20 Aug 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
The legendary F1 designer is currently Red Bull’s chief technical officer and, although he admits the countdown to his retirement is now underway, he still maintains a hands-on involvement in the squad. Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache thinks that the manner of Newey’s involvement, in looking at the big picture, works really well in helping the team get the best out of itself.
“The structure is done to have people we trust in the system, either at the track or at the factory, and to be able to develop the work in the way we want to,” Wache told Motorsport.com. Adrian, he's going to each area where he wants to be able to interact with everybody and will challenge the system.”
“It's a chance for him to be able to go into small details in some areas, and then bigger pictures in others. When you do your job, and you have somebody at the side you know well, if you take that step back it can be a massive benefit.”
‘Newey’s ‘challenge the system’ F1 approach’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/n...oach/10508814/
Why Red Bull have no need to axe Sergio Perez as future rumours swirl
20 Aug 2023 4:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull have been advised there are plenty of reasons to keep hold of Sergio Perez even if he is unable to challenge Max Verstappen. The 2024 Red Bull seat is one of the much-discussed topics in Formula 1 as although Perez is contracted for that season, Daniel Ricciardo’s return sparked rumours the Milton Keynes outfit may be looking at alternatives.
But even if Perez is never going to be in the same bracket as Verstappen, Red Bull have been advised he comes with other advantages. Although Perez’s run of poor form seems to be over for now, it has been a long time since he stood on the top step of the podium.
“Helmut Marko made a good point,” Le Mans class winner Richard Bradley said on the On Track GP podcast. “He’s still running second in the championship. He seems to get on okay with Max.” Bradley went on to suggest that another reason for keeping Perez is the boost in marketing it gives the team in the Americas. In the same way Verstappen has reignited Dutch passion for the sport, Perez has had a similar effect in Mexico.
‘Plenty of reasons to keep hold of Sergio Perez’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/richar...-sergio-perez/
Max Verstappen Bemoans Continuous Changes in F1
August 19, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Two-time world champion, Max Verstappen, has urged Formula 1’s leadership to curtail the frequency of alterations to the sport, citing a perception that the current emphasis primarily revolves around financial gains. I am concerned about the sport that I have always loved,” the 25-year-old stated in an interview with De Telegraaf.
“And still like it, but to a certain extent. It’s not that I’m completely against change, as is sometimes said. But it must be adjustments that benefit Formula One. Why do you have to change certain things when things are going well? I think a traditional qualifying session is well set up in that form.”
“It shouldn’t just be about money. People may think: ‘he earns a lot of money, what is that guy complaining about?’ But it’s about well-being, how you experience things and not how much you earn. Sometimes I think I have to do too many things, and not do them.”
‘Continuous Changes in F1’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/max-versta...changes-in-f1/
Marko denies Verstappen Red Bull favouritism
20 August 2:20PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Dr Helmut Marko has again moved to clarify that the Milton Keynes-based squad is not favouring Max Verstappen. The performance differential between the duo has led to suggestions that Red Bull is developing its cars to suit Verstappen.
“No, that is not true. At the beginning of 2022 the car suffered a lot of understeer," Marko told Motorsport Magazin. "This was due to the car being overweight. In the long run, you will not be successful with an overweight car, but as the car became lighter, the car went more to a 'neutral' balance - or even a bit more oversteer.”
Its run of success has seen it set a new record for the most consecutive race wins in F1, sitting at 13 with the likelihood of Verstappen and Perez extending the streak. On why Red Bull had found such success, Marko said: "I think because we have a team that has been unchanged for years. So the continuity, the stability in the whole organisation and the flexibility to make quick decisions.”
‘Verstappen Red Bull favouritism denied’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-a...en-favouritism
Verstappen ponders worth of remaining in F1
20/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
Not for the first time, world champion Max Verstappen has hinted that his time in F1 may be limited. "Travel isn't the biggest problem," he insists, "it's more about all the extra stuff I have to do. Thursdays on a race weekend can be very long depending on where we are and outside the grands prix there's a lot of simulator work.”
"For example, I lose over a month per year to marketing. At a certain moment you just don't feel like doing all that anymore." His current deal with Red Bull sees him committed to the Austrian team until 2028, asked if he might look to quit the sport before then, especially if the 2026 rules overhaul should work against his team, he replied: "Things would have to be really bad for that to happen.”
"I don't expect the team to fall back that much with all the great people we have. But in this sport it's always possible you're not that competitive. It depends on what the prospects are," he added, "but yeah, I don't see myself touring in the midfield for three years. Then I'd rather stay at home or go do something else. But again, I don't expect that to happen."
‘Time in F1 may be limited’;
https://www.pitpass.com/75893/Versta...emaining-in-F1
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Ferrari no longer working on 2023 car – boss.
Ferrari is no longer working on its 2023 in the wind tunnel, team boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed.
12:49, 21st August 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
The Maranello team is currently behind Red Bull, Mercedes and even Aston Martin in the constructors’ standings – meaning Vasseur is now looking at 2024 more than the rest of this season. “For this season we stopped development in the wind tunnel at the end of July,” the Frenchman told La Gazzetta dello Sport, “but we have pieces already approved that we will take to Qatar or Austin.
“For the 2024 machine, we are still at the philosophical concepts. We need to think differently and find margins so the drivers can race without always being at the limit. But the deadline for the new car is not the end of the year. We have to be ready for Bahrain in March so we still have many months ahead of us,” Vasseur added.
In the meantime, Vasseur has been busy trying to recruit new staff. “We have hired about 25 people, but we are looking for more,” he said, pointing out that it is hard for Ferrari to woo British-based top engineers. We have signed with a leading name,” Vasseur added, “which should start on 1 January 2025 but I am trying to convince Toto Wolff to release him sooner.
‘No longer working on its 2023 Car in the wind tunnel’;
https://grandpx.news/ferrari-no-long...2023-car-boss/
James Allison ‘stigma’ hanging over Ferrari in their search for top F1 talent
21 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Respected Italian journalist Leo Turrini believes one of the reasons Ferrari struggle to bring in foreign engineers is because of yesteryear’s treatment of James Allison and the “stigma” it left behind. British designer and engineer Allison has a long history with Ferrari having initially joined the team in 2000 for five years before moving to Renault and then returning to Ferrari in 2013.
Taking on the role of technical chief, he abruptly left the team in August 2016 following the death of his wife in March of that year. How Ferrari dealt with Allison’s leave of absence after his wife’s passing is a stain that Ferrari are still having to deal with, says Turrini. “Quite a few foreign technicians hesitate in the face of Ferrari proposals because they know the Scuderia’s recent history,” he declared on his blog.
“And Allison’s story, unfortunately for [former bosses] Marchionne and Arrivabene, is a stigma across the Channel. “Some debts are not paid immediately, but later.” Joining Mercedes, Allison played an integral role in the team’s continued success through to 2021, the last season in Mercedes’ eight-year Constructors’ Championship run.
‘Stigma hanging over Ferrari’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...a-recruitment/
Ferrari drivers can ‘do better’ – Vasseur
21st August 2023, 08:27
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
As uncertainty looms over Ferrari’s driver lineup beyond 2024, team boss Frederic Vasseur admits both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz can “do better”.
It had been rumoured that Lewis Hamilton might be an option for Ferrari, especially given his closeness to Vasseur. “I talk to him at every race,” Vasseur admitted. “He raced for me 20 years ago and we’re still close. I helped him when he went to McLaren at the start of his career and we talk every now and then.”
“I don’t want to compare him to our drivers – it wouldn’t make sense. But the contribution of a top driver isn’t just driving, it’s also technical, strategy, help in hiring engineers. And in this case, if you have Hamilton or Verstappen but also Leclerc, it’s easier,” he said.
“Can do better”;
https://grandpx.news/ferrari-drivers...etter-vasseur/
‘Charles Leclerc will be rewarded for his patience with Ferrari’
21 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Former F1 racer David Kennedy, a multiple Le Mans winner and a former junior category team boss rival of Fred Vasseur through his involvement with Status GP, believes Vasseur’s appointment as replacement for Mattia Binotto will eventually lead to stability and a more competitive Ferrari as he moulds the team in his image.
“Fred has earned his spurs in all the junior categories, and has an exceptional pedigree. He’ll know the business from nuts and bolts all the way through. This is a people business, and he will know who the stars are in terms of engineers and designers. He’s been at the coalface long enough and I think, given a little bit of time, and if Ferrari doesn’t do what they often do by getting wobbly knees and pulling the rug from under them, they’ll let him get on with it.”
“I remember when Jean Todt started, he had a tough couple of years till he got the pieces in place. And, when he did, they were dynamite, and I think Fred is in that process.”
‘Patience with Ferrari’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...ience-ferrari/
HALF TERM REPORT: Ferrari – Fallen championship aspirations but an intense battle for second place looms
20 August 2023
Nadim Bart-Williams
Junior Staff Writer
Formula One - Official Site
Ferrari came into the 2023 season with championship aspirations following their second place finish last year. Instead they have slipped down the pecking order and currently find themselves in a battle for second. But, is it all doom and gloom? Here's their half term report…
Best finish: Charles Leclerc — 2nd in Austria
Qualifying head-to-head: Charles Leclerc 8 – 4 Carlos Sainz
Race head-to-head: Charles Leclerc: 7 – 5 Carlos Sainz
Best moment: Ferrari’s best moment this year came on the Friday and Saturday of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, as Leclerc put in an outstanding performance to take pole position for both Sunday’s race and for the Baku Sprint.
‘HALF TERM REPORT’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...cmaK74eFd.html
Charles Leclerc told career descending into ‘traditional Ferrari driver story’
20 Aug 2023 2:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
F1 business expert Mark Gallagher believes the career path of Charles Leclerc is following one typical of a Ferrari driver as rumours continue to swirl over his future. Aston Martin and Mercedes are among the teams Leclerc has been linked with and Gallagher, when appearing on the GP Racing magazine podcast, claiming it is “extraordinary” how it has come to this for a driver who not long ago was the Ferrari “golden boy”.
“It’s extraordinary really, watching the sport and seeing how careers develop, and the ebb and flow of careers, Charles has gone from the golden boy at Ferrari, that kind of rocket ship trajectory of his career, and here we are in the middle of 2023, his fifth season, and we’re wondering what he should do next,” said Gallagher.
“If I may say, it looks a little bit like a traditional Ferrari driver story, where you come in with great hope and then it just starts to slightly sour. Charles has made some driving errors over the years plus the team, apart from the fact that the team strategically, operationally, and personnel wise leaves a bit to be desired. So basically, every aspect of the team leaves a bit to be desired. You then have Charles with those few driving errors.”
‘Traditional Ferrari driver story’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mark-g...errari-career/
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Wolff elevates d'Ambrosio to team boss 'reserve' status.
Toto Wolff says Jerome d'Ambrosio who stands next to the Mercedes boss' command post on race weekends is now the Brackley squad's reserve team principal.
20/08/2023 at 14:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
D'Ambrosio – a three-time winner in Formula E who competed in F1 with Marussia in 2011– was appointed earlier this year by Mercedes as the team's new director of driver development, working alongside long-standing Mercedes-AMG driver development advisor Gwen Lagrue. The Belgian took over the responsibilities previously entrusted to James Vowles before the latter's move to Williams.
However, d'Ambrosio's perennial presence this season alongside Wolff in the Mercedes garage on race weekends is a clear indication that something bigger is at play for the 37-year-old former races, which Wolff has now confirmed.
"When I am absent on a race weekend, Jerome will replace me," the Austrian told French weekly Auto Hebdo. "It is true that in 11 years it has only happened three times, but it is a situation that we have to anticipate. Now, he has to gain credibility within the team and in the paddock, he still has time, but in case I can’t be there, he will be in my place."
‘Jerome d'Ambrosio: Team Boss 'reserve' status’;
https://f1i.com/news/484109-wolff-el...ve-status.html
Toto Wolff names his replacement as Mercedes team boss
20 Aug 2023 7:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff has announced former F1 driver Jérome D’Ambrosio, who joined Mercedes in March, will be the one to replace him if he can’t attend a grand prix this season. There was, however, no mention of D’Ambrosio doing so at the Dutch Grand Prix despite Wolff having suffered an arm injury during his summer break shenanigans.
He added: “Jérôme did a very good job last year with his role at Venturi. A small structure, which obviously has nothing to do with ours, which still has 2,500 people. However, he is involved and I must even say that half of his interventions during the grands prix are sensible.”
“I assure you that this is already a remarkable score, James Allison often told me that I said 50 percent intelligent things, and 50 percent nonsense. More seriously, you have to give him time, but I have the impression that he has the right profile to take on this role.”
‘James Allison often told me (Toto Wolff) that I said 50 percent intelligent things, and 50 percent nonsense’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...des-team-boss/
Wolff reveals DIFFICULTY of being Mercedes F1 team principal
Wednesday 16 August 2023 06:57
Neil Goulding
GPFans
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that the hardest part of being in charge of the Formula 1 team is 'being able to juggle' the different roles demanded of him within the job. The 51-year-old has worked with Mercedes for a decade and has a 33 per cent share in the company.
But even the hugely-successful Austrian entrepreneur has found it hard to manage a race team at the top level. “Getting the balance right is tricky,” said Wolff in Q&A on TikTok when asked about the challenges he faces in his role. “The hardest part of being a team principal is being able to juggle all the areas.”
"There’s the racing side and the regulations, and then to keep working with our sponsors and having a long-term view. What I would say to my young self is just keep your eyes open and grab the opportunities,” he said.
‘Juggle the different roles demanded’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ulty-juggling/
The Benz and the Billions: Along the Road with Mercedes F1 Boss Toto Wolff
17:56 Sun, 20 Aug 2023.
Shlomo Sprung
Boardroom
The celebrated racing exec speaks with Boardroom on his unique path as an entrepreneur, his relationship with Lewis Hamilton, and getting back to the top of Formula 1. The team’s tweaks and simulations, however, didn’t translate to the desired results on the track, marking another start to a Formula 1 season in which they had to revisit their fundamental approach to the car as the season carried on.
“There were a few really painful races,” Toto Wolff told Boardroom of the period before Mercedes decided to make what he called a radical concept change, which included a new front suspension, altered bodywork, and a new floor. “Now, we are on an encouraging path, but I wouldn’t want to say now we are out of the woods. But as long as the trajectory goes in the right direction — like an increasing share price, we’re still going to see oscillations up and down during the season. And that’s to be expected.”
As we’ve seen on TV, the 51-year-old Austrian is an intense, driven leader who has overseen several years of winning through a mix of racing acumen and entrepreneurial expertise — so much, in fact, that Forbes estimates Wolff to be worth $1.6 billion thanks to his reported 33% ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 team. Unlike so many in the billionaire class, however, this fortune was self-made.
‘A few really painful races’;
https://boardroom.tv/toto-wolff-merc...1-team-part-1/
Wolff recalls Nordschleife crash: ‘I thought I was dead’
20 August 12:10PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Wolff suffered a puncture while travelling almost 200mph. Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff has provided an insight into his high-speed crash at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2009. The German track - nicknamed the 'Green Hell' - is known to be one of the most dangerous in the world and last held an F1 World Championship race in 1976.
Speaking on BBC's Desert Island Discs, Wolff explained that he returned to the track in 2009 to stamp his own mark at the venue. “It was said that only locals can be really fast there," said Wolff. ”And there were professionals who were very successful at an international level, who drove on the Nordschleife and were never able to get near the locals.”
“So I said to myself, I'll show them that I can beat the records. Niki [Lauda] had his bad accident there when he almost died in the flames. He said to me, 'Don't be so stupid. Nobody cares about the lap time on the Nordschleife. You could kill yourself’.”
“I thought I was dead’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reca...ght-i-was-dead
Wolff says 'sails are set' as Mercedes shift focus to 2024 car and plot route to 'winning titles again'
15 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Toto Wolff insists there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for Mercedes in this frustrating season for the Silver Arrows – and has revealed the team's focus is now switching to next year's car.
“It’s a frustrating process because it takes time to change the car fundamentally, the concept and aerodynamics. But there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.” Asked what the team could do better with the car, Wolff answered: “Main areas of improvement is just about giving the drivers a more reliable car.
“It’s not about absolute amount of downforce but it’s just for them to know the car is going to be stable when they come into the corner, which isn’t the case at the moment.” Looking ahead to the second half of the year, which is set to kick off in Zandvoort with the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25-27, Wolff explained that Mercedes are looking forward to optimising the performance of the W14, with attentions already turning to their 2024 car.
‘shift focus to 2024 car and plot route to 'winning titles again’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...eAECEzlBD.html
Wolff takes aim at 'CATASTROPHIC' life decision
Tuesday 15 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has taken aim at people who put pineapple on their pizza, labelling the decision as 'catastrophic'. "Pineapple on pizza is catastrophic," he said. "It's called Hawaiian and every Italian will turn in his grave. It's like the same sin as drinking a cappuccino after 12 o'clock." Curiously though, the Austrian was a fan of pineapple, just not when served on top of a pizza.
Answering one fan who wanted to know his secret for looking so young. "I'm not sure I'm looking so young anymore," he jokingly replied. "In any case, my wife doesn't tell me that. I'm washing my face in the morning and evening with cold water. Somebody told me once, or I must have read it at the hairdresser, that it gives [your face] a natural lift."
"Pineapple on pizza is catastrophic";
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...neapple-pizza/
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Aston Martin warn rivals it is not ‘game over’ as development race continues.
“I’m not an engineer, but I speak with our team, with all our members, and I get this very positive feeling that they know exactly what’s going on” Fernando Alonso.
22 Aug 2023 4:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
When pressed further on exactly has happened to see Aston Martin fall away from the front in recent races, the Spaniard was unable to put his finger on why – or would not give the game away – but added that he expects the team to keep pushing with the AMR23 for a little while yet.
“They know exactly where they have to focus on, and they’re focusing on [it], so I’m very relaxed. I want to congratulate other teams because they’ve done a fantastic job, but this is not game over. You know, it’s not like ‘ah, we are done, that’s it for the season.’ No way, we are still gradually improving our car.”
“And it gives you this sense of peace when you know where the areas of improvement are, because when you focus on the areas that are not that critical, you might lose a bit of focus, but we know exactly where the improvement areas are, and we’re working flat out.
‘EL PLAN: Gradually improving our car’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...not-game-over/
Alonso reveals biggest F1 regret
22 August 4:00PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso has said his failure to win a World Championship with Ferrari is the first thing he would change about his F1 career. "Winning a championship with Ferrari would probably be the first thing that I'd [change], if I could go back in time," said Alonso.
"In 2010 and 2012, we were within a few laps of winning a Championship, and that probably could have changed the outcome of many things, and the history behind a few things, and I was disappointed for sure to miss those."
Aside from his failure to win a title with Ferrari, Alonso also noted his regret at not enjoying the successes of his earlier career, acknowledging that, at 42 years old, his time in F1 is drawing to a close. "What I regret for sure was not enjoying [myself] more. My time, my career, I know that I'm at the end of it, and a new life, in few years' time, for me [will be] without driving.”
‘Biggest F1 regret’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-rev...gest-f1-regret
Third F1 title no longer ‘the highest priority’ for Alonso
21st August 2023, 14:36
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Two-time Formula 1 Champion Fernando Alonso has admitted he “would love” to win a third title but claiming that long-awaited championship isn’t his primary objective. The Spaniard missed out on a hat trick of titles in 2007 by a solitary point in a tumultuous year with McLaren.
More near misses occurred in 2010 and 2012 with Ferrari, but now, speaking on the High Performance Podcast, he is no longer concerned with chasing that elusive third title.
“I would love to win the championship once again but it’s not the highest priority,” he said. “I am enjoying the process, especially now with Aston Martin, to become a contender for the future.”
‘Enjoying the process’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ty-for-alonso/
ALONSO: ‘I APPRECIATE FANS MORE AFTER COMING BACK TO F1’
The Spaniard discussed returning to the sport after early retirement
August 22, 2023
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds
2-times World Champion Fernando Alonso came out of retirement in 2021 to join Alpine after having previously retired at the end of the 2018 season. Now, the Spaniard admitted his period out of the sport made him appreciate more fans.
“But when I stopped, the only thing that I received every time that I was meeting people or any fan or people at the airport or in the hotels or whatever was ‘you need to come back, you need to come back’, these kind of things. So the people, it was a surprise that they loved what we were doing because for me, the last few years before I stopped, it was like we are nearly anonymous here, no one is seeing us and the sport was not maybe great as it is now with all this Drive to Survive and Netflix. So I thought that it was much less interesting, but I was surprised at how much love I received from people.”
‘APPRECIATE FANS MORE AFTER COMING BACK’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al...ng-back-to-f1/
Fernando Alonso brands Formula 1 "selfish and fake" compared to "more pure" motorsports
Fernando Alonso has opened up about his career, reflecting on his decision to leave Formula 1 in 2018 and his decision to return in 2021
13:00, 22 Aug 2023
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has suggested other motorsports are 'purer' than F1 in a stinging criticism despite sitting third in the standings for the 2023 season.
He also competed in the IndyCar Series and the Dakar Rally before returning to F1 in 2021 with Alpine. Reflecting on his time away from F1 in an appearance on the High Performance Podcast, Alonso said: "Formula One in motorsport is very different to any other category, much more selfish, much more glamorous in a way, but also more fake in another way.
"I think it's more pure motorsport in Le Mans, or Indy or Dakar but yeah, for sure Formula 1 has this appeal, you know, people wanted to attend the races, want to watch it on TV. I was also watching the F1 races on TV, I appreciated a little bit more all of the stuff as a driver I didn't like before.”
‘Brands Formula 1 selfish and fake’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...artin-30760269
Alonso opens up on 'SELFISH' and 'FAKE' F1
Tuesday 22 August 2023 08:27
Sam Cook
GPFans
He said that, despite trying out other motorsports during his two-year sabbatical from the sport, he missed the buzz around F1.
"Formula One in motorsport is very different to any other category, much more selfish, much more glamorous in a way, but also more fake in another way.”
‘ 'SELFISH' and 'FAKE' F1’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...fish-and-fake/
Fernando Alonso makes Michael Schumacher claim
Fernando Alonso defeated then-Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher to the title in 2005 and in 2006.
22 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso has admitted that he “never doubted” that he could beat Michael Schumacher, something he did to the shock of the Formula 1 world. Whilst at Renault in 2005, Alonso ended Schumacher’s five-year reign, with the seven-time World Champion having won every title from 2000-2004 at Ferrari.
Alonso ended Schumacher’s dominance and started his very own, which saw him also claim the title again in 2006. Schumacher actually chose to retire at the end of 2006, before returning with Mercedes in 2010.
Alonso’s and Schumacher’s fights were epic, especially as very few drivers previously had ever been able to duel with the legendary German. 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen was able to at times but never over an entire season.
‘Alonso’s and Schumacher’s fights were epic’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-...umacher-claim/
ALONSO’S ASTON MARTIN JOURNEY: TRIUMPHS, CHALLENGES, AND AGELESS EXCELLENCE
Fernando Alonso excels with Aston Martin, securing podiums and defying age-related stereotypes in a thrilling 2023 Formula 1 season
August 22, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds
Alonso’s perspective on the season remains positive and uplifting despite the challenges. According to motorsport.com, he describes it as “incredible,” a testament to the remarkable journey he’s embarked on.
“[It has been] a dream first half of the season. We are P3 in the constructors’ championship in front of Ferrari, we are P3 in the drivers’ championship together with Lewis. It was impossible to think this way in Bahrain,” Alonso said, reflecting on the team’s achievements.
“Incredible”;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al...ss-excellence/
Revealed: The most valuable piece of advice Fernando Alonso has ever received
21 Aug 2023 8:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
“Second is the first loser. In this sport, you win, or you don’t’. ‘To finish second, seventh or 11th is the same. There is only one guy with the trophy and it’s not us. So I understand your emotion, but this is nothing to celebrate’.”
“It was shocking, because I was 13 and I thought that was really good and that was really bad for a kid. But then with time I understood that was good advice in general.”
‘Only one guy with the trophy’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/most-v...onso-received/
