2022 - A Look Ahead

‘The rest is just like powder’: Steiner reveals eyewatering cost of damage to Schumacher’s Haas.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will cost the Haas team somewhere in the region of $500,000 to $1 million.
by Rob Kershaw
31 March 202231 March 2022

“I don’t know money-wise as yet but these cars, between gearbox, the whole bodywork’s gone, radiator. [The cost is] between half a million to a million [dollars] I would say.” This will come out of Haas’ budget for the 2022 season which, for all of the teams, sits at $140 million, down from $145 million last year.

However, Steiner confirms that the engine and the chassis are all that survived the scary accident, and the rest of the car was irreparably damaged. “The chassis in itself doesn’t seem to be broken, the side impact structure… the engine also, I was told from Ferrari, seems to be okay, the battery pack as well, and then all the rest is broken,” Steiner said.

The Italian cautioned that the cost to put the car back together will be steep. “I think the cost is still pretty high because all the suspension is gone, except the front left. I think there’s still something on there. The rest is just like powder, carbon powder,” he explained.

‘Carbon Powder’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/the-rest-...umachers-haas/


Haas: More to lose then to gain from fixing Schumacher's car
Michael Delaney
27/03/2022 at 14:51

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says it "didn't make sense" for the US outfit to fix Mick Schumacher's car for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and risk compromising the team's next race in Australia.

While the 23-year-old was undergoing precautionary checks at a hospital in Jeddah, and with little chances of Schumacher scoring points in Sunday's event, Steiner made the wise call to withdraw his driver from Sunday's event and spare his team any further hardship in Jeddah or in two weeks' time in Melbourne.

"You could work all night and then find out you’ve compromised yourself so much because you did everything in a hurry," explained the Haas boss. "Then you end up with not all the spare parts in Australia, and then you have a little thing [happen] in Australia, and then you cannot race when you in theory should be in a better position. It doesn't make sense to me. It's just like trying too hard to call it."

‘Wise Call’;

https://f1i.com/news/436577-haas-mor...chers-car.html


Haas explain decision not to let Schumacher race in Jeddah
‎28‎ ‎March‎ ‎10‎:‎00
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken

After undergoing checks in hospital following his high-speed crash in Saturday's qualifying session ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Mick Schumacher was later released, but Haas boss Guenther Steiner has explained why the team opted against entering him into the race.

Steiner says there were "too many unknowns" in letting Schumacher race Steiner says that there were multiple factors in deciding not to enter Schumacher into the race.

"We made the decision not to race with Mick," Steiner told media including RacingNews365.com. "There are too many unknowns, about how he will feel, and there's nothing to be gained."

‘Too Many Unknowns’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-haas-o...race-in-jeddah


“Spirits Are High” at Haas After Another Points Scoring Finish in Saudi Arabia
By Joe McCormick
March 30, 2022

Haas F1 Team principal, Guenther Steiner, has said that team morale is high at the moment, following a second consecutive points finish for the American racing team. With Kevin Magnussen finishing in ninth place at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Steiner says that Haas “cannot wait” for the first grand prix at Melbourne in three years, where they are hoping to get both cars into the points.

“It was a good day again and we got some points. Obviously, we planned to have more but we’re happy with what we got and as long as we keep scoring, we’re happy,” the boss explained.

“We started on a different strategy – on the hard tire – to most of the other teams and unfortunately the safety car came out at the wrong moment. Nevertheless, Kevin and the team fought back to get into the points which was fantastic to see again. Spirits are high here and we cannot wait to get to Melbourne to hopefully score some more points with both cars.”

‘Spirits Are High’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-saudi-arabia/


Haas can be “at the front of the midfield” with 2022 car – Steiner
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on
31st March 2022, 0:01
Written by Hazel Southwell

Magnussen’s ninth-place finish on a less than ideal weekend for Haas in Jeddah shows they can lead the midfield this year, says Steiner. “Kevin didn’t drive an F1 car for a year, comes here, has never driven here, has a miserable Friday we did three timed laps. Then he goes out there and does this time in qualifying and couldn’t do a better lap because of his neck. And in the race he said ‘the car is just doing what I want it to do’.

“Obviously, there’s always things to improve. But he said it’s really nice to drive if you’re so competitive, he said ‘I can challenge all the time.’ So the car is pretty good and then it’s down to having a good week and finding the right set-up and getting the best out of it. If we get the best out of it, I would say we are at the front end of the midfield.”

In the round-up: Günther Steiner says Kevin Magnussen’s pace shows Haas only needs a good week to score a big result.

‘Good Pace, Big Result’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/31/...nd-up-31-03-5/


Steiner confirms two Haas cars will run in Melbourne
Date published: March 28 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse

Haas principal Guenther Steiner assured that the team can field two cars in the upcoming Australian Grand Prix. Steiner was asked then if this meant Haas could still struggle to put a new chassis together for the Australian GP, but he assured that Haas will be back up to two cars for that race.

“In Melbourne yes, Melbourne is no issue,” he told Channel 4 when asked if Haas have the parts for two cars at the Australian Grand Prix. We decided not to go out there tomorrow [for the Saudi Arabian GP] and focus on Melbourne, Melbourne will not be an issue.”

Schumacher acknowledged that 20 years ago, a crash like that may well have had a different outcome for him, such is the safety advancements of the modern Formula 1 cars. Steiner also hailed F1’s safety work and is aware that they and Schumacher got lucky, but when asked if the Jeddah track was unsafe, Steiner argued that risk is a part of motorsport.

‘Two Haas F1 Cars Running In Australia’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/two-ha...australian-gp/


Haas reveal new nickname for Magnussen after impressive return
Yesterday, ‎14‎:‎30
Author Anna Francis

With Steiner having initially hailed Magnussen's performance in Bahrain as a "Viking comeback", the Team Principal admits he has slightly changed the phrase to suit his driver's condition in Jeddah...

When asked how Magnussen was feeling after the 50-lap race, Steiner told the F1 Nation podcast: "He was quite sore. "He wanted to play it how we are [like] a Viking. I called him the Viking with the weak neck!

"But anyway, he was sore and it's one of these things, especially on this race track with the high speed corners. If you haven't driven one of these cars for a year, I think it is very demanding."

‘Viking Comeback’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-revea...ressive-return


Steiner reflects on how long Haas can remain competitive
1st April 2022, ‎09‎:‎30

Haas have found themselves battling much further up the field in 2022 than in recent years, and Team Principal Guenther Steiner remains hopeful that this can continue.

When asked on the F1 Nation podcast how much longer the team can maintain their current form, Steiner light-heartedly asked: "Why should it stop? Why do you think we cannot keep it going?"

Presenter Tom Clarkson responded that Haas may have fewer resources than the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, but Steiner thinks that the budget cap introduced for 2022 is helping to balance the field out in this respect. "We are not competing at the moment against Ferrari or Red Bull, but I think we can keep growing where we are now," the team boss explained.

‘Why Should It Stop?’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-re...in-competitive

Valtteri Bottas wants to rub salt in Mercedes' wounds as he targets fight with old team.
VALTTERI BOTTAS is keen to outperform his former team in Mercedes this season
By LIAM LLEWELLYN
06:57, Fri, Apr 1, 2022

F1’s Valterri Bottas is determined to beat Mercedes this season. The Finn left the Silver Arrows following the conclusion of the 2021 campaign after five years.

Bottas is keen to hit the ground running and believes his team have what it takes to give his former employers a run for their money. "We have what it takes to take on Mercedes and become the third power behind Red Bull Racing and Ferrari,” Bottas said. “That has to be our goal now."

"It's not just his speed," he told Speedweek.com. "It's mainly his attitude. He radiates so much positivity that the whole team gets involved." Speaking about his former team over the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix weekend, Bottas admitted he was surprised to see Merecdes struggling. “It’s weird to see,” he said following Hamilton’s elimination in Q1, as reported by grandprix247.com. “I would guess he had some kind of issue, I don’t know.

‘Bottas Determined to Bear Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...d-team-f1-news


Mika Hakkinen raises concerns over Lewis Hamilton's 'very strange' Mercedes car
By STUART BALLARD
10:44, Tue, Mar 29, 2022

Mika Hakkinen felt it was "very strange" to see Lewis Hamilton struggling to battle his way through the pack at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Mercedes have begun the new 2022 season on the backfoot with Red Bull and Ferrari far out in front after two races.

"Mercedes have a significant set of problems to fix if they are to catch up with Red Bull and Ferrari," Hakkinen told Unibet. "They need to do it quite quickly because the top two teams are going to be pushing so hard on their own development.”

‘Very Strange Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix


Bottas: Strong Alfa Romeo F1 form is “best case scenario”
Valtteri Bottas admits that the strong early form of his Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team in 2022 represents “the best case scenario” in terms of what he expected going into the season.
By: Adam Cooper
Mar 30, 2022, 4:50 PM

After losing his Mercedes drive to George Russell, Bottas had a choice between Alfa Romeo and Williams for this year, and he eventually opted for the Swiss-based team.

Bottas said the team can aim to take on Mercedes and lead the chase of Red Bull and Ferrari in the fight for the third-best team on the grid. "I think that needs to be the target now," he said. "We seem to be more or less in the same place as in Bahrain, even though I thought this could be maybe more difficult.

“I think aiming to be the best of the rest is a good motivation, and good targets. Hopefully, we eventually can fight for fifth position in the race. That would be a big step for us."

‘Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo Positive’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/b...-form/9458488/


Valtteri Bottas offers thoughts on Mercedes' current struggles
By George Dagless
Published: 28 Mar 2022, 13:15

Alfa Romeo and Haas look more like Mercedes’ rivals, as well as the likes of Alpine, and that just shows the kind of shake-up we have seen thanks to the new regulations in the sport.

Bottas, of course, is one man to be benefitting from that with him scoring points on his debut race in Bahrain for the team and also challenging again inside the top 10 before his car gave up on him due to overheating issues.

Clearly, the switch has worked out nicely for him and he admits it is strange seeing a team that he knows so well in Mercedes struggling.

‘Alfa Romeo Switch Working Well’;

https://www.givemesport.com/87989292...rent-struggles


Bottas was 'looking good' for P6 in Jeddah ahead of DNF
Michael Delaney
29/03/2022 at 09:53

Valtteri Bottas believes he was on track for a P6 finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix before a cooling issues ruined his efforts.

The Alfa Romeo driver had launched his race from eighth on the grid and then gained a position during his first stint on the medium tyre when he slotted himself between the dueling Alpine duo of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

He remained among the top-ten thereafter and reckons he could have targeted P6 but for a cooling issue that forced Alfa to retire the Finn's car on lap 36 of 50.

‘P6 Looking Good’;

https://f1i.com/news/436895-bottas-w...ad-of-dnf.html


Bottas retired from Saudi to save the engine
Date published: March 30 2022 - Michelle Foster

Alfa Romeo made the call to retire Valtteri Bottas’ C42 in Saudi Arabia to hopeful save him from a late-season engine penalty. Fighting for sixth place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the Finn pulled into the pits with on lap 46 to retire his Alfa Romeo.

He told F1 TV: “It was a good race until we saw the issue with the engine temperature, it started to go up. It was initially a small rise in the engine temp but that it was rapid and even with lift and coast and finding clean air it was going up to the point that the engine was at risk of failing. We retired the car to not lose the engine, that was the only option.”

He qualified inside the top ten, P8, and was racing for sixth place when he retired the car. “I think performance wise compared to other teams it felt quite similar to Bahrain,” he said. “I think we are fighting for sixth place more or less. It was good to see that even with this different track, more high speed, we are up there fighting. That gives me hope for the coming races and I think we are not in a bad place.”

‘Up There Fighting, Gives Hope’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...ngine-penalty/

BLUNT “The fish always stinks from the head” – Ex-Formula 1 team boss hits out at Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll saying they’re ‘going nowhere’ under his leadership.
Aston Martin are ‘going nowhere’ under Lawrence Stroll, according to former Formula 1 team boss Colin Kolles.
Phil Spencer
31st March 2022, 2:49 pm

Speaking to SPORT1, Kolles said: “It won’t work anymore. You have a team owner who thinks he is the team boss, who knows everything better and thinks he should put his son up front with all his might.”

“For me, that is the completely wrong approach. The fish always stinks from the head. I can see the racing team going nowhere.”

“As long as Mr Whitmarsh is in charge and Mr Stroll doesn’t see that he should be staying at home and only giving budgetary guidelines and letting people work who know their stuff and get the right people to lead the team, it will never work in life.”

‘Stinking Fish’;

https://talksport.com/sport/motorsport/1076408/


“I don’t think he wants to drive”: Ex-team principal claims Vettel doesn’t want to return to Aston Martin
Former Force India team principal Colin Kolles has given his verdict on the current state of affairs at Aston Martin, insisting that owner Lawrence Stroll is too heavily involved in the operation.
by Rob Kershaw
30 March 2022

Kolles suggests that Vettel has no interest in returning from his COVID-enforced break to drive what looks a dire 2022 machine.

“I don’t think he wants to drive at all. He just doesn’t want to do that to himself,” he said in conversation with Sport1.

“It’s certainly a very daring thesis but I’m sure that he thinks a lot about whether he should still be doing what he’s doing.”

‘A Very Daring Thesis’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/i-dont-th...-aston-martin/


Ralf’s advice to Aston Martin: ‘Stick with Hulkenberg’
Date published: March 30 2022 - Jon Wilde

Ralf Schumacher has doubled down on his opinion that Aston Martin should keep Nico Hulkenberg as one of their race drivers. The 46-year-old Sky Germany pundit had said after the Bahrain Grand Prix that team owner’s son Lance Stroll should find himself a “different hobby”.

The four-time former World Champion should be available again for the Australian Grand Prix on April 10 and, therefore, The Hulk would naturally be the man to make way. However, Schumacher “hopes” to see Vettel back in Melbourne – but also says he would keep Hulkenberg in a race seat.

Aston Martin are enduring a poor start to the campaign having collected zero points from the first two races – they and Williams being the only teams yet to score.

‘Stick With Hulkenberg’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-s...kenberg-aston/


Vettel on Saudi GP: ‘How independent can you be when you’re on the payroll?’
Controversy has surrounded Formula 1's decision to race in Saudi Arabia.
by Rob Kershaw
28 March 202228 March 2022

Vettel suggests that it is difficult to simply withdraw from commitments in a country, and sees the significance of making a tangible difference in the nations Formula 1 visits.

“How independent can you be when you’re on the payroll?” he told ARD in Germany.

“You can say ‘boycott, don’t even go there’. On the other hand, you can go there and represent our Western values, show our freedom and stand up for it.

‘On the Payroll’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/vettel-on...n-the-payroll/


Vettel - Why F1 missed four-time champion during illness
Ewan Gale
Friday 1 April 2022 11:45

Sebastian Vettel will return to the F1 grid for the Australian Grand Prix after missing the first two races of the season after contracting Covid-19. The German was absent from the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabian and was replaced at Aston Martin by Nico Hulkenberg.

Over the past two or three seasons, Vettel has put himself forward as a leading voice for the sport when it comes to sensitive topics. Firstly, as a Grand Prix Drivers' Association director, anything Vettel says when tackling issues and concerns carries weight.

He even held a karting event for women only in Saudi Arabia last year which was an incredible visual demonstration against human rights abuses in the Kingdom given that women have only recently been permitted to drive.

‘Vettel Returns’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...uring-illness/


Hulk: Vettel will need to ‘dig a bit deeper’ on return
Date published: April 1 2022 - Jon Wilde

Sebastian Vettel will “need to dig a little bit deeper” to make up for lost time this season says his Aston Martin stand-in, Nico Hulkenberg.

In Vettel’s absence, his fellow 34-year-old German – and junior by 47 days – Hulkenberg has deputised, finishing 17th and 12th respectively. Although he described himself after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as “the old rusty guy”, The Hulk’s results were more down to the car’s lack of competitiveness than his own driving.

“Obviously he’s lacking those two races so he will start a little bit on the back foot,” said Hulkenberg, quoted by Motorsport Week. “But I think, you know, he’s very skilled, very talented. I think he’s capable of catching up, but for sure he has a bit more work to do and he needs to dig a little bit deeper to try and make up for it.”

‘Digging Deep, Digging Deeper’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebast...deeper-return/

Saudi Arabian GP: Double DNF for Williams racing.
Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi both retired from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
By Williams Racing
March 28 2022

After a tough weekend in the leadup to the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP the Williams Racing Team was remaining positive going into Sundays race. Well the race ended with just about the most disappointing result for the team with both Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi retiring. Nicholas would crash early in the race when his car was to snap into oversteer with the end result been the car being sent into the barrier.

For Alex he would attempt a pass on the Aston Matin of Stroll with the end result being the cars making contact and Alex coming away with a damaged right front wheel. Such was the dame that he was forced to stop at the side of the track. Simply said definitly not the result the team was hoping for.

On top of this disappointment was the announcement that Alex would receive a three grid place penalty in Australia as penalty for his part in his accident.

‘Double DNF’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203082.htm


Latifi branded ‘FIA industry plant’ after costing Perez victory in Saudi Arabian GP
Sergio Perez lost the lead of the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to a Safety Car caused by Nicholas Latifi.
by James Clifford
28 March 202228 March 2022

There was a slight sense of déjà vu at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend, as Nicholas Latifi collided with the barrier and turned the race on its head. This follows on from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December when Sir Lewis Hamilton was comfortably leading Max Verstappen in the dying moments of the race, and Latifi crashed at Turn 14, extracting the Safety Car.

“Latifi’s an FIA industry plant they’ve hired him for entertainment purposes,” tweeted Niran, a YouTuber and part of Lando Norris’ Quadrant group.

“His timing is immaculate,” replied one user, with another joking that he was “developed by Netflix,” who have become notorious for manipulating storylines to manufacture drama.

‘Timing Is Immaculate’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/latifi-br...di-arabian-gp/


Rosberg to return with Williams, Latifi gets demoted
Editor
1 April, 2022

The 2022 Formula 1 season just keeps on giving with the latest sensational news that 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg will return to the grid with Williams replacing badly-performing Nicholas Latifi.

The former Mercedes driver, who began his F1 career with Williams at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix, returns to the team with whom his father Keke Rosberg won his F1 world title.

The move comes about as Latifi, in the wake of a crash-packed first two rounds of the F1 season, realises he is a liability to the team and its development. The billionaire’s son stepped down to the role of Williams reserve to allow Rosberg to team up with newcomer Alex Albon.

‘April Fools’ Joke’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...-gets-demoted/


'I don't regret the move' says Albon – despite grid penalty for contact with Stroll
28 March 2022

Alex Albon has received a three-place grid penalty for April’s Australian Grand Prix as a result of his late-race move on Lance Stroll in Saudi Arabia and, despite the incident putting him out of the race, the Williams driver said he wasn't regretful.

Albon dived to the inside of Stroll into the opening chicane, spinning the Aston Martin driver out of P11 and ending his own race prematurely – also bringing out yellow flags in Sector 1 that impacted the lead battle between Charles Leclerc and eventual winner Max Verstappen.

After the race, a defiant Albon said: “It was a strong defence, but it's fine. I went for the move. Honestly, we are struggling because we are not great on the brakes, but I went for it. We were fighting for points at the end, and, at least… get some points on the table. I don't really regret the move – for me it was a racing incident.”

‘Racing Incident’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...PR6rrEPpu.html


Albon on Stroll Contact: “The points were almost there, and we had to go for it”
By Paul Hensby
April 1, 2022

Alexander Albon felt he had a ‘pretty quick’ car towards the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but the Williams Racing driver was unable to convert that into points as he ended the day in retirement after contact with Lance Stroll as the duo battled over eleventh place.

Despite the disappointing end to the race, Albon believes Williams do have a ‘decent car’ when they are able to get it into the right window, and it will be up to them to find that window early every weekend if they are to become genuine top ten contenders.

“We were trying to fight our way into the points at the end and I went for the move with Lance,” reflected Albon. “He made a strong defence and unfortunately, we made contact. We had to retire due to the puncture, but the points were almost there, and we had to go for it.”

‘Points Were Almost There’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-to-go-for-it/


JV: Latifi’s ‘rookie errors’ and Ocon’s ‘illogical’ fight
Date published: March 30 2022 - Michelle Foster

Nicholas Latifi is making “rookie errors rather often” says Jacques Villeneuve, but at least he provides “some excitement” in the grands prix.

“Nicholas Latifi’s accident was strange,” Villeneuve said in his latest Formule1.nl column. “He seems to make these kinds of rookie errors rather often.”

“It didn’t even look like an F1 accident, more like he was surprised by the new cars. Let’s put it this way – he always provides some excitement.”

‘Excitement, though, that Sergio Perez could have done without.’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jv-lat...logical-fight/

Formula One hits the jackpot in Las Vegas after sealing a deal worth £1BILLION over 10 years for a Grand Prix along the famous Strip starting in 2023, the biggest payday in the sport's history.
It is believed the race, held on Vegas' famous Strip, could generate around £100million per race
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 03:30, 31 March 2022

In a break with recent tradition, the 50-lap extravaganza will take place on a Saturday on one of the two last weekends in November, probably at 10pm local time — scheduling that guarantees F1 mass projection.

While Domenicali is cock-a-hoop at landing the fabled venue for the glamour it lends the sport, the financial rewards are eye-watering owing to the terms of the contract. Rather than receive a fee from the host city, as is usually the case, F1 will themselves promote the event.

Sources believe this could accrue more than £100million per race. If the arrangement lasts for a decade, as is minimally hoped, the billion-pound mark should be exceeded, making Las Vegas the most lucrative grand prix ever.

‘One Billion Dollar Race Series’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-1bn-deal.html


Formula 1: Huge announcement ends 38-year drought
by Asher Fair
2nd April 2022, 11:35

Formula 1 announced earlier this week that a street race will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time since 1982, and that wasn’t the only thing that got fans talking. After months of speculation, Formula 1 finally confirmed the addition of a third race in the United States to the 2023 schedule earlier this week.

In addition to traveling to Circuit of the Americas and Hard Rock Stadium for races in Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida, Formula 1 is set to travel to the famous Las Vegas Strip for a race in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Formula 1 has raced in Las Vegas before, but this race is set to be contested at a much different track. The Caesars Palace Grand Prix was contested around a 14-turn, 2.268-mile (3.650-kilometer) parking lot circuit in 1981 and 1982. It left the Formula 1 schedule and became a CART race in 1983 and 1984. The circuit for next year’s race is a 14-turn, 3.8-mile (6.116-kilometer) temporary street circuit.

‘41 Year Wait!’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2022/04/02...-year-drought/


Peugeot mulling 2026 entry into Formula 1!
Michael Delaney
01/04/2022 at 08:19

The rumor mill is in full overdrive this morning in France, with whispers that Peugeot Sport is considering an entry into Formula 1 from 2026! Grand Prix racing's current power unit cycle will run until the end of 2025, after which the sport will usher in its next-generation engines, based on a less complex and less expensive regulation platform that that has attracted the interest of multiple manufacturers, including Porsche and Audi, and now Peugeot.

Formula 1's future power unit will likely no longer feature the costly and complicated MGU-H hybrid element, but will include an MGU-K component that will see its capability augmented to 350 kw/h (476 bhp) of power, a significant boost from the current 120 kw/h (163 bhp) threshold.

The increase in electrification is a key argument to attract new manufacturers and one that is highly apparently appealing to Peugeot, as well Formula 1's move to a 100% sustainable fuel from 2026.

‘Peugeot Sport Whispers’;

https://f1i.com/news/437039-peugeot-...formula-1.html


Drivers seeking to have a voice on where Formula 1 races
Phillip van Osten
30/03/2022 at 18:06

After last weekend's drama in Saudi Arabia, Formula 1 drivers are reportedly seeking to have an input on where the sport races in the future. The Grand Prix Drivers Association convened last Friday in Jeddah after the opening day of running at the track that was marked by a missile attack perpetrated by Yemen's Houthi rebels on a nearby Saudi Aramco oil storage facility.

The meeting that ran into the early hours of Saturday brought to the fore the worries of many drivers over the risks of racing Saudi Arabia.

The group ultimately decided to continue the race weekend, having received assurances from Saudi authorities and F1, but it was also promised by the latter that further discussions would take place in the coming weeks about the safety risks or the merits of racing in certain countries.

‘Grand Prix Drivers Association Input’;

https://f1i.com/news/436981-drivers-...a-1-races.html


Domenicali: 'No one can judge Formula 1's morality'
Phillip van Osten
28/03/2022 at 19:07

Stefano Domenicali says "no one can judge F1's morality" on the basis of its commercial relationship with Saudi Arabia, insisting the sport isn't blind to the controversies surrounding the country's presence on Grand Prix racing's calendar.

"No one can judge our morality, to be honest," argued F1's chief executive. "It is a matter of putting in place all the things that have to be considered.”

"Where is the line? That is the question. Our position, and it will always be, is that we believe that what we’re doing will have a very positive impact in all the political situations for the best of our life and at all levels. This will always be the consideration we will take for our future in the sport, all over the world."

‘F1’s Morality’;

https://f1i.com/news/436880-domenica...-morality.html


Morals be damned as F1 continues to dodge unpleasant Saudi truths
Organisers claim to bring positive impact but little evidence sport changes regimes
The drivers may be the stars of the show but when considering the fallout from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix they should have no illusions as to where they stand in the eyes of the people running Formula One. A sport which now declares its moral stance beyond judgment will have no fear of putting pay day before the men delivering the show on track.
Wed, Mar 30, 2022, 20:13
Giles Richards

There was clear distaste from some in even being in Saudi Arabia, expressed once more by Lewis Hamilton, who was blunt in noting at the end of the weekend that he was: “just looking forward to getting out”. That statement that will sit uncomfortably with the Saudi ambition of selling their state as a destination for the post-oil future.

Domenicali as good as spelled this out when when asked if there was a question mark over the future of the race in Saudi Arabia. “It is a matter of understanding the situation,” he said. “We are not blind, but we should not forget one thing: this country and the sport is taking a massive step forward. You cannot pretend to change a culture of more than a millennium in the blink of an eye.”

This is F1’s most hackneyed refrain, that they can effect positive change. Yet their argument is not backed up by any evidence. Jonathan Grix, professor of sport policy and politics at the Manchester Metropolitan University, argues the Saudis are sportwashing and that F1 is complicit.

‘Sportswashing Complicity’;

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/oth...uths-1.4840457


F1 star Lewis Hamilton reveals mental health struggles after Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Ryan Young ·Writer
1 April 2022, 0:12 am

Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton spoke out on Thursday about his struggles with mental health, something he said he’s been dealing with “for a long time.”

Hamilton, following his 10th place finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, wrote a message on his Instagram story on Thursday morning.

Hamilton’s post comes after a wild weekend in Saudi Arabia — where the race nearly didn’t happen at all.

‘‘Mental Health Struggles’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/f-1-star-l...5TMvzjyf1tsqWi

Lewis Hamilton To Quit Mercedes For Better Team After 2022.
In a surprise move nobody saw coming, Sir Lewis Hamilton announced that he would not renew his contract with the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 team.
April Fools' Day
by Gerhard Horn

Hamilton is not retiring, however. Instead, he signed a contract with Red Bull, replacing Sergio Perez. Perez's contract expires at the end of 2022, leaving a spot open for a top-tier driver.
Pierre Gasly must be highly disappointed, as he was the number one driver in contention for the coveted Red Bull spot. Gasly drove for Red Bull briefly in 2020 before being demoted to the team's red-headed stepchild, AlphaTauri.

According to Hamilton, the main reason behind the move is Max Verstappen. As Verstappen is the number one driver and Christian Horner's golden boy, Hamilton knows he'll play a supporting role in the 2023 season.

"That's what convinced me to move from a manufacturer to an energy drink," said Hamilton. "As the second driver, there's a 100% guarantee that I'll always be behind Verstappen. And even if I pass him while he's boxing, the pit crew will give me enough warning when he's coming up behind me."

‘Quiting Mercedes’;

https://carbuzz.com/news/lewis-hamil...eam-after-2022


Hamilton - F1 like a "theme park"
Ewan Gale
Friday 1 April 2022 16:30

Lewis Hamilton has likened F1 to a "theme park" and insisted the sport "never gets boring".

Asked if he ever gets bored of racing in F1, Hamilton explained: "I don't get tired of racing because there are so many elements to the job, it is not just racing and going round in a circle as people think. "You are working with a large group of people, there are photoshoots, you are travelling to all these destinations, there's a training regime.

"Then you get to do the fun part, which is the racing part which is like going to a theme park every weekend and riding a different rollercoaster. There are all these different tracks and you are finding new challenges so it never gets boring."

‘Rollercoasters In Theme Parks’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...-a-theme-park/


‘Superior engine camouflaged’ Hamilton’s bad weekends
Mercedes have been a considerable distance adrift of Red Bull and Ferrari so far in 2022.
by Rob Kershaw
30 March 202230 March 2022

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher is enticed by the early indicators of George Russell’s competitiveness at Mercedes, but emphasises that the championship is far beyond them at this stage.

Mercedes have been a particular victim of the “porpoising” problem that the new ground effect aerodynamics pose, and that proclivity has opened a Pandora’s Box of multiple other setbacks as they scramble to try and find a rapid solution that will aid their ascent back up the order.

Schumacher is enthused by the dynamic at the Silver Arrows now that we have seen a glimpse of the 24-year-old’s auspicious potential at Mercedes.
“Russell is also showing that Hamilton has a teammate at eye-level, which will be exciting to watch,” he said. “Russell is not someone who will be content with his current position of the second driver.”

‘Pandora’s Multiple Setback Box’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/superior-...-bad-weekends/


How long will Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton's F1 2022 misery last?
Prior to the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the prospect of Mercedes being out of contention for wins was unthinkable, yet that is exactly where the German manufacturer finds itself after two races.
F1
Lewis Larkam
1 Apr 2022

Mercedes is struggling to get consistent performance out of its W13 challenger, which has been suffering from severe porpoising. The team is confident the car has inherent pace, but has been having to run with a compromised set-up that is masking the W13’s true potential in a bid to reduce the bouncing problem.

The Mercedes power units have also been curiously down on the straights, with both the works’ cars and its customer teams struggling in terms of top speed. But it is porpoising that is causing Mercedes the biggest headache.

"There's so many factors at play between the mechanical stiffness of the car and then the stiffness of the floors, the design of the floors, tyre pressures," Russell explained after the Saudi Arabian GP.

‘Mercedes Misery Struggles’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/999...22-misery-last


‘It’s not just pure talent’: Ex-Hamilton team-mate tips him to bounce back after abysmal Saudi GP performance
Heikki Kovalainen spent two years racing alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, winning the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
31 March 202231 March 2022

Sir Lewis Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate, Heikki Kovalainen, is full of admiration for the Briton having spent two seasons alongside him. Kovalainen was out-qualified 26 times in 35 races by Hamilton in 2008 and 2009 as the now 37-year-old claimed a world championship and seven wins, including two in their abysmal 2009 campaign.

“Occasionally I could match him but over the full season I had to stretch every session to match him,” he told talkSPORT. “You can only do so much stretching and then you run out of energy and that was the case with me, I didn’t have enough margin in my capacity to do the times and the races that he did, so it was not easy.

“His level of performance is so high that even for super talents like Max [Verstappen] it requires a lot of effort, a lot of focus, a lot of energy, so it’s not going to be easy, not everyone can handle that, it’s as simple as that.”

‘Can Only Do So Much Stretching’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/its-not-j...p-performance/


Wolff on Mercedes and Hamilton’s struggles: ‘The overall picture is sobering’
Mercedes need to "regroup" after an extremely challenging opening two rounds of the 2022 season.
by Rob Kershaw
1 April 20221 April 2022

Toto Wolff laments that the outlook for his Mercedes team looks fairly dire at the moment, but he is determined to put in the hours and climb back to the top of the tree as soon as possible. Mercedes have struggled enormously with the new technical regulations, and have looked especially caught out by the new ground effect aerodynamics.

It is estimated by the Italian edition of Motorsport.com that the floor accounts for 60 percent of the downforce this season, which explains why the wing alterations made by the team in Saudi Arabia did not seem to help their cause in any way.

Team Principal Wolff is concerned. “The overall picture is sobering, and it’s clear that we need to continue working hard if we wish to deliver a stronger performance in Melbourne,” he said, as quoted by RacingNews365.com.

The Floor Accounts For 60 Percent Of The Downforce’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-on-...e-is-sobering/


Wolff: Hamilton and Russell would be ‘much closer’ to Ferrari and Red Bull if Mercedes could make this one change
Mercedes have struggled in the opening two rounds of 2022, but many in the paddock believe they could still mount a championship challenge this year.
by Rob Kershaw
2 April 20222 April 2022

Trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin has previously testified that there is “a little bit of everything” wrong with the Mercedes car at present, while Hamilton described his car as “undriveable” after an awful qualifying in Jeddah.

Mercedes have had to raise the ride height of the W13 in a bid to tackle the “porpoising” that has plagued the team this year, and Wolff believes this sub-optimal set-up is costing them a lot of time relative to Ferrari and Red Bull. “I think we are not running the car where we wanted to run it,” he explained.

“Therefore, it is very difficult to really assess what the lap time deficit is if we were able to run the car lower [to the ground]. I would very much hope that the gap is much closer to what we’ve seen [in Saudi Arabia], but there’s deficit everywhere.”

‘IF The Car Ran Closer To The Ground’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-ham...is-one-change/


Hamilton Russell not provided with 'what they deserve' by Mercedes - Wolff
Ian Parkes & Sam Hall
Friday 1 April 2022 04:00

Toto Wolff believes neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell has been given what they deserve by Mercedes so far this season.

Initially asked to assess the job Russell has done for the team so far this year after his move from Williams, team principal Wolff said: “I think he does a great job. But he is not given a tool to fight at the front where he and Lewis deserve to be.”

"They have both…George has proven that he has the ability of racing at the front but simply at the moment we are not providing him with the car, so I am very happy with his performance overall.”

‘Not Mercedes Needed To Fight At The Front’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...ercedes-wolff/

Turrini: Feelings we had in the Schumi years are coming back.
So good has been Ferrari’s start to the 2022 Formula 1 season, that Italy is rejoicing at the prospect of the return of the “Schumi Years” writes Italian journalist Leo Turrini.
Jad Mallak
31 March, 2022

That is the view of respected Italian journalist, and Ferrari insider, Leo Turrini who spoke about the Ferrari situation in 2022 to Pit Talk on f1sport.it: “We saw a Ferrari that on two very different tracks was always competitive at the top. If it had won them both there would have been nothing to say. “A car that is fast on a single lap in qualifying, and that is also strong in the race. And I might add, also with a pit management that is absolutely up to the situation,” he added.

“To me, it feels like we’ve gone back 30 years,” he began. “Today I went for a ride on my electric bike in the hills above Maranello, and since I’m physically exhausted, at one point I had to stop at a bar for a drink.
“Four people arrived, and despite the mask, they recognized me and said: This is the good year! How wonderful! – It feels like we’re back to those feelings of the Schumi years,” the Italian revealed.

“When the season started you could see that Ferrari was very good. Obviously, you didn’t know how it was going to end. But this is beautiful. This has to be credited to the people who work in Maranello,” added Turrini, crediting Mattia Binotto and his team for producing two cars their young star drivers deserve.

‘Credit To Mattia Binotto And His Team’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...e-coming-back/


Ferrari 'much better prepared' for F1 development push – Binotto.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says the Scuderia is "much better prepared" than in the past for the inevitable development war that will unfold this season in F1.
Phillip van Osten
01/04/2022 at 15:43

"Keeping up the level on a long season is a challenge, not just for us but for all the teams," said Binotto. "It’s true that our competitors have very strong development; in 2017 and ‘18 we lost a bit of ground.”

"But since then, in car design, we have improved our [wind] tunnel, technologies, processes and simulations and so today we are much better prepared than in the past to do a good job with development.”

"We [also] have a budget cap which will affect the rate of development – we need to make sure we have the right policy on that, as it could be a game-changer in the fight for development."

‘Ferrari Much Better Prepared’;

https://f1i.com/news/437080-ferrari-...h-binotto.html


Leclerc warns of "more to come" from Ferrari.
Charles Leclerc has warned Red Bull and Max Verstappen that Ferrari has "more to come" from the F1-75.
Sam Hall
Saturday 2 April 2022 10:00

I am happy with this start to the season for sure," explained Leclerc. "I am working well with the team and the preparation for the first race was very good. I feel good in general but there is definitely more to come.

"The thing I am happy about is not really the performance but I know exactly where I still need to work and what I need to improve to unlock more performance. So yes, on that I am happy."

It is still very early on in the season but let's say it has been a very good start to the season. As I have said many times, I think development will be key and we as drivers need to help the team in the best way possible to keep this competitiveness."

‘Development Will Be Key’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...-from-ferrari/


Leclerc does not watch past title battles to shape approach
Date published: April 2 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said he is not interested in watching past Formula 1 title battles to shape his own approach.

When asked by the media if he can watch and learn from past title scraps, Leclerc replied: “I actually didn’t watch that much of these battles, some of the races I’ve watched. “I think I learned more from my own experiences. Every driver has their own driving style, I have my own one.”

Leclerc does believe that he is “quite strong” in a wheel-to-wheel battle and reiterated that he learns from his own experiences instead of watching what others did. “I think in a wheel-to-wheel battle, I am quite strong and I always try to be better,” said Leclerc.

‘Learning From Own Experiences’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...n-experiences/


Ferrari drivers’ impact lauded in president’s letter
Date published: April 2 2022 - Henry Valantine

Leclerc took victory in Bahrain and both Scuderia drivers have finished on the podium in the first two races of the season, and currently sit as the top two in the Drivers’ Championship at this early stage – a fact which team boss Mattia Binotto admitted himself was “beyond all expectations” at the start of the year.

“With five podium results and third place in the Constructors’ Championship [in 2021], the Formula 1 season has produced some encouraging signs,” Elkann wrote in his open letter.

“But now the company is focused on the 2022 challenge, aware that with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz the Scuderia has the best pair of drivers on the grid, who have started the season well.”

‘Ferrari Beyond All Expectations’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...sident-letter/


Sainz details reasons behind "best experience" with new Ferrari
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
Friday 1 April 2022 13:35

Carlos Sainz has detailed the reasons why the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proved to be his "best experience" with Ferrari so far this year.

Asked what he had discovered, he replied: "The technicalities and the specifics, I think they need to stay in the team for the sake of privacy and not giving away too much. It is something so specific and so technical that it will be very difficult to explain and I think we need to keep a level of privacy with these kinds of things.”

"But I can tell you it was the best experience this year so far, in terms of going to a track that 100 days before I was at with a super high level of confidence in last year's car. I was super quick in quali and in the race and I knew exactly what to expect from the car and what the car was giving me.”

‘Something So Specific, So Technical, That Needs Privacy’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...h-new-ferrari/


Leclerc’s eliminated doubts that might’ve derailed F1 title bid
Mar 31 2022
By Scott Mitchell

Charles Leclerc has been waiting for a car that allows him to show the full extent of his potential in Formula 1. At the start of the 2022 season, he has that car. Surprise surprise, he leads the championship for the first time in his career.

But he was a more nervous driver when he won at Spa and Monza in 2019. Leclerc made some small mistakes and in Italy got away with shoving Lewis Hamilton into the run-off area at the second chicane. He admits now: “There were some parts of the race where I wasn’t managing the situation very well and I felt a bit overwhelmed.”

Leclerc had a great command of the situation in the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he outwitted and outfought Max Verstappen. And he came very, very close to doing the same in Saudi Arabia, cleverly rebuffing Verstappen’s attempts before finally being outgunned by the Red Bull’s superior straightline speed. Leclerc: “Whether it will be enough or not to win the world championship, I have no idea. It’s still very early on in the season. But…let’s say that it’s a very good start.”

‘Very Good Start’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/lecle...-f1-title-bid/


Binotto: Leclerc driving at title-contending level
Date published: March 31 2022 - Henry Valantine

Mattia Binotto believes Charles Leclerc is currently driving at a level that can take him to a World Championship title. The Ferrari driver has diced with Max Verstappen at both races so far this season, the pair taking one win apiece as they have fought at the sharp end of the field.

The Monegasque driver signed a long-term deal with Ferrari as his future with the team was cemented, and Binotto says that faith placed in him was borne of the fact the team feel he has the talent to keep fighting at the top in a front-running car. “I think he is,” Binotto told reporters when asked if Leclerc is driving like someone who could be a title challenger, per The Independent.

“But it’s something I was expecting when renewing as well with him in the last year for up to 2024, because we know what he is capable of. I think he is simply demonstrating he is capable of fighting for the championship. No doubt he’s got the talent, he’s got the capacity. He is a very good racer and we are very happy with what he has proven in these two races.”

‘Title-Contending Level’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...nding-driving/

“Max – The Dutch Master”: Verstappen biography reviewed.
In ‘Max – The Dutch Master’, author Andre Hoogeboom takes a different approach, writing unashamedly in Verstappen’s corner and covering his triumphant 2021 championship campaign. This isn’t one for the sceptics.
F1 reviews
Posted on
3rd April 2022, 9:373rd April 2022, 12:59 | Written by Ben Evans

As only the second first-time Formula 1 world champion to be crowned over the last decade, it’s little surprise to see media interest in Max Verstappen reach an all-time high.

As F1’s hottest young property, ‘Max – The Dutch Master’ is not the first Max Verstappen biography to appear over the past few months. James Gray’s autumn offering provided a perfectly solid overview of Verstappen’s life and career prior to his title-winning season, whilst not having access to too many intimate sources.

Eschewing a strictly chronological structure, key moments from Verstappen’s life and career are dropped in throughout. Hoogeboom does a fine job in covering the key incidents, pivotal moments, and getting behind-the-scenes – particularly for the early part of Verstappen’s career.

‘Dutch Master’;

https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/03/...aphy-reviewed/


Ex-F1 driver claims Verstappen defeated Hamilton despite having a slower car
Max Verstappen and Sir Lewis Hamilton went toe-to-toe for the 2021 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.
by Rob Kershaw
3 April 20223 April 2022

Former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger has indicated that he does not believe Max Verstappen would have won the championship last year were it not for his belligerence on track, as Sir Lewis Hamilton had the faster car.

The 24-year-old claimed 10 race wins and finished on the podium 18 times in 2021, eventually wrapping up the championship in highly controversial circumstances on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Gran Prix following a bizarre Safety Car restart.

Berger is not sure he would have achieved the ultimate goal in the pinnacle of motorsport without his aggressive racing style. “Last year he had to be aggressive, because Lewis’ car was better,” said Berger. “If he had not been so aggressive, he would not have had a chance to win the championship in the end. So he did what he had to do.”

‘Beating Lewis’ Faster Car’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ex-f1-dri...-a-slower-car/


Button: Verstappen most gifted in F1, but perhaps not the best
Phillip van Osten
03/04/2022 at 13:27

In Jeddah, when Button was asked to name by Sky Sports the most naturally gifted driver he had ever see, the Briton offered an unsurprising reply. "Max. It's just natural, isn't it?" said the 2009 F1 world champion who is actually quite familiar with the Verstappen lineage.”

"When you look at Max's parents, his dad raced in F1. I raced against his dad and my first points finish was in Brazil, in my second race. To get that point, I had to overtake his dad, Jos. You didn't want to get him upset. There was a little bit of aggression there.”

"He was an amazing talent, one of the best kart drivers ever, and still probably to this day. And his mother, Sophie, I was teammates with her in karting. She was a professional and one of the best in the world, so it's definitely in the blood."

"Max. It's just natural, isn't it?"

https://f1i.com/news/437182-button-v...-the-best.html


Exclusive: Newey reveals Verstappen's greatest strengths.
‎Speaking exclusively with RacingNews365.com, Red Bull's legendary Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey, has spoken about Max Verstappen's unique strengths as a racing driver.

02‎ ‎April‎ ‎12‎:‎00
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Thomas Maher

Cars penned by Newey have resulted in championships for the likes of Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and Sebastian Vettel. At the end of 2021, Max Verstappen was added to that list as he used the Red Bull RB16B to defeat Lewis Hamilton in the title fight.

"What makes any great sportsman?" Newey pondered as he sat down with RacingNews365.com during pre-season testing in Bahrain in early March. "Obviously, you have to have a unique genetic makeup that makes you good at whatever your sport is, so Formula 1 is [the] judgement of speed, reactions, balance, etc.”

"That gets you to a certain level and, of course, you see some drivers that are naturally very good, but don't perhaps achieve as much as they should do. And you see other drivers who are the opposite. I think Max is one of those ones that combines both – where he has an obviously tremendous natural ability, but he also has an inner determination and grit to him that shines through."

‘Max Verstappen's greatest strengths’;

https://racingnews365.com/exclusive-...test-strengths


Marko claims Red Bull poaching Mercedes engineers created ‘some difficulties’
Red Bull have remained at the front amid the changes to the technical regulations in 2022, while Mercedes have fallen back.
by Rob Kershaw
2 April 20222 April 2022

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has been pondering the reasons as to why Mercedes have struggled thus far in 2022, and has suggested that their lack of pace is due to the new fuel blend as well as the engineers who have jumped ship.

Dr Marko supports Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s claim that Ferrari’s car is lighter than that of the Milton Keynes and Brackley sides. “I agree that Ferrari is a bit lighter than Red Bull and Mercedes,” he said, as quoted by the Italian edition of Motorsport.com.

“I can’t yet confirm when we will bring a lighter version to the track, today it is very difficult to take the weight off a car because there are budget cap constraints to always keep in mind, you have to find the right compromise,” he added. “But one thing is certain: this season it will not be possible to stay in the leading positions with an overweight car.”

‘Some Difficulties’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/marko-cla...-difficulties/


Mercedes: Christian Horner keeps coy amid Silver Arrows' struggles
By George Dagless
Published: 2 Apr 2022, 16:01

Christian Horner has said that he has ‘no feelings’ over Mercedes‘ current struggles and that he is focusing on the task in hand at Red Bull.

Indeed, whilst the Bulls have remained competitive for race wins, Mercedes have been replaced by Ferrari at the front of the field, with the W13 proving a rather difficult car for them to optimise right now.

“They are struggling. I have no feelings about their competitiveness. Obviously I’m focused on our competitiveness in what’s a very intense fight with Ferrari at the moment. I have no doubt at some point Mercedes will join that battle, but my focus is very much on our team.”

‘Red Bull Focus’;

https://www.givemesport.com/87991376...rows-struggles


Boardroom’s Formula 1 Beginner’s Guide to Red Bull
By Sam Dunn, Shlomo Sprung
Apr 03, 2022

It’s been a long and winding journey for the Red Bull F1 team since it launched in 2005. There’s been a lot of change, using engines from Cosgrove, Ferrari, Renault (which was re-named TAG Heuer for a year when the relationship hit a rough patch in 2015), and Honda. And of course, a growing list of drivers has come and gone.

But the one constant has been team principal Christian Horner, who’s managed the team since its inaugural year. Red Bull pulled the constructor and driver’s championship double four years straight from 2010-2013 with Sebastian Vettel before waiting nearly a decade to win the big one again.

An epic 2021 season ended with Max Verstappen besting Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes on the most controversial of final races in Abu Dhabi to win the Formula 1 Driver’s Championship.

‘Beginner’s Guide to Red Bull’;

https://boardroom.tv/red-bull-f1-team-verstappen-perez/

Wolff demands Mercedes improve "unacceptable" performance.
“We need to fight [because] it is totally unacceptable where we are at the moment on performance," said Mercedes team principal Wolff.
Sam Hall
Monday 4 April 2022 04:00

During the years of Mercedes' dominance, Wolff maintained his fondness for competition and in 2020 claimed, "I would wish for nothing more than a strong competition."

Asked if this was still the case given Mercedes' current situation, Wolff explained: “I love competition and I have always loved competition. We had a really strong run of eight years where we were leading the pack.

“Not always, but we managed our way into the lead and this time for me feels a little bit like 2013 where we just weren’t up to the speed with the Red Bull and probably not also the Ferraris. "But we kept fighting and this is how I feel at the moment.

‘W13 Unacceptable’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...e-performance/


How long has Mercedes got to salvage its 2022? Our verdict
The Race.
4/4/2022, 07:42

Mercedes is adamant it’s nowhere near 2022 Formula 1 title contention given its performance gulf to Ferrari and Red Bull right now. But many are sceptical about its pessimism given that relentless run of championships under Mercedes’ belt. At what point do we count Mercedes out of this title fight?

GLENN FREEMAN: “IT MAY BE DOOMED ALREADY”

MATT BEER: “EXPECT SURPRISES, FROM MERCEDES OR OTHERS”

EDD STRAW: “HISTORY OFFERS MIXED MESSAGES”

MARK HUGHES: “NOT WHAT MERCEDES WAS BUILT FOR”

SCOTT MITCHELL: “THE ONE LUXURY THAT WILL QUICKLY RUN OUT”

SAM SMITH: “RECALL THE LAST MASSIVE F1 RESET”

VALENTIN KHOROUNZHIY: “RED BULL HAS BAILED IT OUT”

‘Their Verdict’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-m...2-our-verdict/


Mercedes face "deficits everywhere" – Wolff.
Sam Hall & Ewan Gale
Sunday 3 April 2022 04:00

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded the team faces "deficits everywhere" after the first two races of the season.

Red Bull and Ferrari have been described as being "in a different league" by Wolff already this year and asked for a timeframe in sorting issues on the W13, the Austrian explained: “I think we are not running the car where we wanted to run it.”

"Therefore it is very difficult to really assess what the lap time deficit is if we were able to run the car lower. I would very much hope that the gap is much closer to what we have seen but there is deficits everywhere.”

‘Lap Time Deficit & Deficits Everywhere’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...rywhere-wolff/


Smedley: Mercedes first to admit they haven’t got it right
Reuters
4 April, 2022

Mercedes bungled their 2022 Formula 1 car, the W13, under the new set of regulations, and the sport’s Technical Consultant Rob Smedley said they would be the first to admit so.

Mercedes, winners of the last eight Constructors’ Titles, are busy playing catch-up due to aerodynamics issues with their cars, with team boss Toto Wolff describing their travails as going through an “exercise in humility”.

“The development phase of the car is at such an immature stage, the cars will change significantly from the first race to the final race… There’s going to be a very, very strong development curve on those cars.” Smedley, a former Ferrari race engineer, said it was brilliant for Formula 1 to have the Italian team, the “most iconic of all brands”, fighting at the front again.

‘Humility’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04...-got-it-right/


Why Mercedes F1 Is Struggling To Land A Podium In 2022
by Chase Bierenkoven Formula One
4/4/2022, 02:20

If you had told us one year ago that the Mercedes Formula 1 team would be struggling to climb onto the podium in 2022, we'd have asked you for some of whatever you were smoking. Lewis Hamilton was on for his 8th World Driver's Championship, Valtteri Bottas was providing some of the most solid support we'd seen from him yet, and Toto Wolff was in full "Smug Austrian" mode.

If you haven't heard right now, one of the team's biggest struggles is "porpoising." Basically, that means the car is bouncing about more than a low-rider with air suspension. The air moving over the 2022 Mercedes Formula 1 car isn't behaving, causing the car's body to move up and down at speed. Understandably, that makes it hard to drive. How can you brake from 180+ mph when your feet are moving about against the pedals?

For now, Merc will have to count on the AMG ONE rivaling the Aston Martin Valkyrie on the streets, and not on their F1 cars winning on the track.

‘Merc Struggles’;

https://carbuzz.com/news/why-mercede...podium-in-2022


DC challenges Russell, Hamilton to improve Mercedes
Date published: April 4 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse

With Mercedes not contending for wins, David Coulthard says George Russell and Lewis Hamilton must now speak up and take them back there.

With neither driver currently in a position to achieve their aims, Coulthard says this is where Russell, alongside Hamilton, must be the “voice” that takes Mercedes back to the top.

“His (George Russell) next job will be, along with Lewis Hamilton, to be the voice that enables his Mercedes team to develop a winning car.”

‘The Voice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...ton-challenge/


How Toto Wolff fumed at Lewis Hamilton over car: 'Always difficult'
TOTO WOLFF FUMED AT HIS STAR MERCEDES DRIVER LEWIS HAMILTON, CLAIMING IT WAS "ALWAYS VERY DIFFICULT" TO MAKE DECISIONS OVER THEIR CAR IN RESPONSE TO CRITICISM FROM THE SEVEN-TIME F1 WINNER.
By CLIVE HAMMOND
12:50, Sun, Apr 3, 2022 | UPDATED: 17:48, Sun, Apr 3, 2022

Prior to the end-of-season race in Abu Dhabi last year, Hamilton and Mercedes chief Wolff appeared already on a collision course, as they fell out after the Turkish Grand Prix. Hamilton was left incensed with his team's decision for him to pit, despite holding a third place position with only eight laps remaining of the race.

As a result of the team's decision, Hamilton finished fifth in the race and lost his top spot in the overall rankings to Verstappen. But Wolff was adamant the right choice had been made but was critical of the timing of the move.

‘Still Fuming’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...otor-sport-spt


Mercedes don’t know if the W13 is ‘fast or not’
Date published: April 4 2022 - Michelle Foster

Andrew Shovlin says such is Mercedes’ porpoising problem that the team has no idea if their W13 is actually a fast car or not.

He told Motorsport.com: “That’s probably priority number one because that’s ultimately preventing us from running the car where we’d like to run it for optimum performance.

“What we don’t know is, if we could just magically make that issue vanish, where would we actually be in terms of car pace: is the car fast enough or not? And it’s very difficult to answer that question.”

‘No idea whether W13 is Fast’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/porpoi...-one-mercedes/

Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer – “It’s clear our car has the potential to fight for big points”.
BWT Alpine F1 Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer felt that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix allowed the team to demonstrate their pace and potential to compete near the sharp end of the grid, with both Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso running in the points in Jeddah.
By Ashley Cline
March 30, 2022

“We have mixed feelings from today’s race and, in general, it’s another strong result, which underlines our competitiveness. It’s a great result for Esteban to finish in sixth place. He’s been solid all weekend and it’s good for him to convert a strong qualifying performance into a healthy bag of points.” said Szafnauer.

“We do have a taste of disappointment that we were unable to put both of our cars into the points with Fernando unfortunately retiring from the race after driving very well all evening. We’re investigating the issue to see what exactly has occurred.”

“Everyone at the team will continue to work hard on our return to Enstone and Viry to best prepare ourselves for Formula 1’s highly anticipated return to Melbourne in two weeks’ time. Well done to everyone at the team, we’ll keep pushing!”

‘Keep Pushing’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...or-big-points/


Alpine ‘not shy of anybody’ with new engine.
Esteban Ocon believes Alpine have produced a power unit worthy of competing against their rivals this year, and don’t fear racing anyone as a result.
Date published: April 2 2022 - Henry Valantine

Fernando Alonso recently said he is “much happier” with his Alpine this season, adding that the team feels as though it is in the right “ballpark” in terms of pace.

And now Ocon has got a couple of races under his belt in the A522 and has experienced how his car stacks up against the rest, and feels Alpine are in the mix in terms of raw power.

“Good. I mean, we didn’t have to be shy of anybody,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com in Saudi Arabia about the team’s engine performance. “As soon as I had the DRS open I could pass, I could overtake easily the Aston of Nico [Hulkenberg], Lando in the McLaren.”

‘Power unit worthy of competing against their rivals’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...-engine-power/


Alpine’s solo engine project ‘marginally better’
Date published: April 3 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse

Once the McLaren deal had concluded in 2020, Renault have supplied only Alpine since, the division of Groupe Renault which took over from their works team from 2021. That means Alpine are the only team on the grid with an exclusive engine, which team boss Otmar Szafnauer thinks offers a slight advantage as it removes the need to factor in the wishes of another team.

“I think it’s marginally better, but not much,” said Szafnauer, quoted by GPFans. “If two teams run your engine, just because if something goes wrong, sometimes it will go wrong somewhere else because of the installation and then you learn.”

“But we have one installation, there are benefits with that too. We have zero consideration for anybody else’s wishes and as much as the teams that supply three or four teams say ‘yeah, but we focus on our works team’, not so.

‘Exclusive Engine’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...roject-better/


Alonso gets penalty-free engine change
NEWS STORY
04/04/2022

Following Fernando Alonso’s retirement from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Alpine engineers traced the cause to a disintegrating water pump as he takes on a new unit without penalty.

Like most retirements so far this season his team was unwilling to state the issue that sidelined the two-time world champion, and while it was initially thought to be engine-related it has now been revealed as being a disintegrating water pump. "It wasn't the engine, but a water-pump failure," team boss Laurent Rossi tells Auto Hebdo, "and that led to a lack of cooling and a host of problems, like the engine overheating, which triggered more troubles.

"Fernando managed to continue as the engine was working, although in less than ideal conditions," he adds. "But we preferred to stop him as the water pump was defective. "We've since identified the problem, and hopefully ii will be solved for Melbourne. It's related to some brand new engine components that haven't yet been fully validated, as is the case for all teams.”

‘Penalty-Free Engine Change’;

https://www.pitpass.com/72165/Alonso...-engine-change


F1 legend Fernando Alonso insists he WILL continue to race for 'at least two or three more years'... as the two-time world champion, 40, believes he still has 'A LOT to offer'
By Charlotte Daly For Mailonline
Published: 16:42, 30 March 2022

Formula One legend Fernando Alonso says he will continue to race for at least 'two to three more years' as he is enjoying life on and off the track. Alonso retired from the sport at the end of 2018, following four frustrating years at McLaren where uncompetitive machinery failed to give him any realistic chance of battling for world championships.

Alonso says he is still 'enjoying racing' and says he will continue on with his career for at least two to three more years. Speaking to DAZN, via Spanish publication Marca, Alonso said: 'I think that at least two or three years you will see me here. I won't drive forever. 'I still have a lot to offer. Right now I am enjoying Formula One a lot.

The Spaniard became the oldest driver on the grid after Kimi Raikkonen retired. However, he does not believe his age is a hinderance and instead his 'experience' would help him this season.

‘A LOT To Offer’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ree-years.html


Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull in Renault "ballpark" - Alonso
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
Thursday 31 March 2022 17:20

Fernando Alonso believes Renault's F1 power unit is now in the "ballpark" with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull after challenging for a strong result in Saudi Arabia.

Asked whether he was happy with the performance from the Renault power unit in his A522, Alonso replied: "Yeah, I think we are in the ballpark with the others.”

"We could battle on the straights with other people here and in Bahrain, so let's see. Hopefully, we need to keep investigating what happened with the engine in Bahrain, the engine in Saudi and make sure we have enough for the season."

‘Renault Power Unit In The Ballpark’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...llpark-alonso/