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STRATEGY UNPACKED: How Albon beat a host of faster cars in Canada to seal Williams' best result for 2 years.
So how did Albon and Williams pull out such an impressive result after six races out of the points? Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins explains all…
20 June 2023
Bernie Collins
Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy
Formula One - Official Site
Alex Albon was one of the standout performers at the Canadian Grand Prix, setting the fastest time of all in the Q2 qualifying segment, before racing from ninth on the grid to P7 at the chequered flag – which is not only Williams’ best result of the year, but their best finish since George Russell scored second place in the rain-affected 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.
The race in Montreal featured no less than seven variations in tyre strategy, with the majority featuring the medium and hard tyres. Sixteen drivers chose to start on the mediums, with all – apart from Albon and both Ferraris – going on to complete a two-stop strategy (as the chart below shows). Albon started the race from P9 after a brilliant performance in qualifying saw him top Q2 by nailing a lap on slick tyres while others were still on intermediates.
And despite losing positions in the race to the faster cars of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez (who all started behind him), he managed to gain places over both McLarens and Esteban Ocon – all three in faster cars, and having started ahead of him on the grid. But it was the gains over both McLaren drivers and Ocon that made the difference between failing to score and those crucial six points for Albon.
‘STRATEGY UNPACKED’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...e5aTnl2mY.html
Albon pays tribute to Williams for fast-tracking upgrades
20/06/2023 at 10:54
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
"This weekend, we’ve had a great car. I can’t thank the team enough," he told Sky F1 after last Sunday's race. I’ve been at the factory the last two weeks quite a lot, in terms of simulator work, but also with James [Vowles, Williams Team Principal] and I can’t tell you how much of a part deficit we were at after Barcelona.”
"We were on the edge. We decided to fast-track the upgrade into Canada, and the people at the factory, composites, everyone, actually we went, James and I went to meet them and discuss with them, we’ve got to try and get this upgrade ready for Canada. It’s going to be our only chance possibly until one of these Monza races come along. The guys worked absolutely flat out to get it ready.”
"It’s great to be able to put it on the car. We put a new PU in it this weekend, we put everything into this weekend. Actually, [there was] a bit of pressure in some respects coming into this weekend to deliver, and we did."
‘The guys worked absolutely flat out to get it ready’;
https://f1i.com/news/478260-albon-pa...-upgrades.html
How Alex Albon delivered his best Williams finish at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
19 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
It was a brilliant 2023 Canadian Grand Prix weekend for Williams driver Alex Albon.
‘Alex Albon delivered his best Williams finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...777384866.html
Albon reveals the secret behind Canadian GP MASTERCLASS
Tuesday 20 June 2023 18:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
Alex Albon has explained how he kept a train of cars behind him on his way to a P7 finish at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Thai driver was awarded the Driver of the Day award by the fans for his heroic race, in which he climbed to seventh place from a P9 start.
Albon explained: “It was stressful as well, I have to say. I don’t enjoy them races but the team love putting me in them situations so, yeah, it was good. There was a point in the race where were on them tyres and they told me ‘you’ve got 40 laps or what to do the rest of the race' and I thought ‘you guys are crazy’, but we made it last."
Albon then explained what allowed him to keep the train of cars behind him at bay for such a long stint. “The closing speed of the cars behind was quite big, so I didn’t think I’d be able to hold them off. But obviously George [Russell] looked like he ran into some brake issues and then Esteban [Ocon] just didn’t have the straight-line speed to get past us, so it works in our favour.”
‘MASTERCLASS Secret’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...x-p7-williams/
'It was more than I expected' – 'Super happy' Albon praises 'monumental' Williams upgrades after P7 finish in Canada
19 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Alex Albon described his run to a season-high seventh place at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix as both “super” and “stressful” – with the Thai racer also heaping praise on his Williams team for their "monumental" upgrades and performance in Montreal.
The Williams driver started the race from ninth on the grid – after gaining a place from Carlos Sainz’s three-place grid drop for impeding in qualifying – but lost a place off the line to the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, dropping him to 10th. Albon then made his one – and only – pit stop of the day on Lap 12, switching from the medium tyre to the hards.
He then gained track position on his rivals, with others opting to make a second stop, which saw Albon ascend up to sixth place. Albon eventually dropped to P7 when the Red Bull of Sergio Perez came steaming past him. However, he was able hold off the challenge of the likes of George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and Lando Norris late on in the proceedings, sealing his second top-10 finish of the season.
'It was more than I expected';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...rJkebzgmk.html
Williams’ Dave Robson feels Montréal upgrade “delivered well” after season-best finish for Albon
June 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag
Williams Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson was disappointed to see Sargeant’s race come to such an early end, considering the “opportunity” he had to battle for positions at a circuit that FW45 had proven to be strong at.
“There were mixed fortunes for the two sides of our garage today. We were forced to retire Logan’s car after we spotted an oil leak, which was starting to affect his power unit. We need to inspect the car tonight and find out exactly where the leak is coming from. It was a shame for Logan as he had a good opportunity for some close racing and a good result.”
Along with this aspect, Robson said that his ability to defend against drivers behind also played a major role in his securing the result. “With Alex, we benefited from a well-timed safety car but were also able to put together a very strong 1-stop race. We have seen in the past that Alex is exceptionally good at managing a race and defending against a group of cars.”
‘Montréal upgrade “delivered well” after season-best finish for Albon’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ish-for-albon/
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“There will be crashes”: F1 drivers oppose ban on tyre heaters ahead of 2024 vote.
Formula 1 drivers have warned the series is not ready to handle a proposed ban on tyre heating blankets next year.
16th June 2023, 10:1216th June 2023, 10:14
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Pirelli is developing revised tyres for next year which are designed to work without heating blankets, which F1 teams have used since the eighties to ensure cars leave the pits on tyres which are close to or at the optimum operating temperatures. F1 has reduced the permitted temperature range of the blankets in recent seasons as part of a move towards phasing out the use of the blankets entirely.
However based on their test runs with Pirelli’s prototype 2024 rubber, drivers remain concerned the new tyres cannot be brought up to temperature quickly enough in cooler conditions in order for them to be used safely. George Russell, who conducted a recent test of the tyres at the Circuit de Catalunya, said the conditions were closer to ideal than they encounter at other circuits during a typical season.
“In hindsight it probably wasn’t tested in the right conditions at the right circuit,” said Russell. “If you go to a circuit such as Barcelona which is quite an aggressive Tarmac, it was 40-odd degree track temperature, fully rubbered-in from the race weekend, the tyres were very sketchy coming out pit lane but by about turn five on the out-lap it was at a respectable level. But if I compare that in contrast with the start of the year when I did one run in Jerez in 10-degree track temperature it was extremely difficult getting out of the pits.”
“There will be crashes”;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/16/...-of-2024-vote/
F1 drivers warn "there will be crashes" ahead of vote on controversial rule change
F1 drivers recently got another chance to test new tyres being developed by Pirelli ahead of the planned ban on tyre blankets being used in the sport from next year
21:18, 16 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
F1 chiefs want to get rid of them altogether. Their argument is that, as the blankets require a notable amount of energy, their use goes against F1's attempts to become more sustainable. Supplier Pirelli has been developing compounds to be used on track which do not require the use of the blankets. Whether or not they will be used next year depends on the outcome of a vote to be held at the end of July.
Several test events have been held in recent months to gather date on how effecting those new compounds are. The most recent took place this month, in the days after the Spanish Grand Prix at the same Barcelona track.
"In hindsight it probably wasn’t tested in the right conditions at the right circuit," said George Russell, who shared duties with Mick Schumacher in the Mercedes test. "If you go to a circuit such as Barcelona which is quite an aggressive Tarmac, it was 40-odd degree track temperature, fully rubbered-in from the race weekend.
"There will be crashes";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ssell-30254192
Martin Brundle warns how tyre blanket ban could ruin F1 qualifying sessions
21 Jun 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
F1 pundit Martin Brundle believes the slick-tyre gambles which paid off for some and punished others in Canada GP qualifying will cease to be without tyre blankets. Drivers and team personnel are certainly not fully onboard with the plan, safety concerns being the main sticking point, but for Brundle it is strategy worries.
Take the tyre blankets away though, which Brundle is not convinced are worse for the environment than adding extra fuel for tyre warm-up laps, then the former F1 driver suspects the current stars would not dare to deliver a lap on cold dry tyres in such conditions.
‘Strategy worries’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...t-ban-warning/
F1 drivers told to change driving style amid 2024 tyre safety concerns
20 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
After participating in Pirelli’s most recent tyre test at Barcelona, Mercedes driver George Russell warned: “I don’t think we as a sport are at a position to bring these tyres into a racing scenario”. But Russell’s concerns have been rejected by Pirelli, who have suggested that drivers will need to adapt their driving styles.
“Obviously drivers need to think about the fact that not using the blankets is different than today, so they need to approach the out-lap in a different way,” Pirelli engineer Simone Berra said. “In cold conditions, it could be trickier to bring the tyres up to temperature but it’s just a matter of doing the first portion of the lap [cautiously].”
“But in terms of safety, I don’t see from the data any specific risk.”
“Obviously…………………………….”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102953...afety-concerns
F1 drivers send warning to FIA over proposed rule change as George Russell speaks out
14:53 Sun, 18 Jun 2023.
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible
Leading F1 drivers have sent a warning to the FIA over a proposed change to the regulations surrounding tyre blankets. Tyre blankets are a vital component in F1, as they keep the tyres warm before being fitted on to the car. They are particularly important in cooler conditions, as they retain heat in the tyre and allow it to have more grip on the circuit itself.
The ability to warm up your tyres quickly - and keeping them at an optimal temperature - can be the difference between winning a race or finishing further down the field. However, the FIA have placed a limit in recent years on what temperature the tyre blankets can reach, and how long they can be used for before a car goes out on track.
As is traditional with any new tyre compound, drivers have tested the proposed tyres on track at 'test events' and during race weekends. The switch to the new compound is only planned at this stage, with a vote due to be held next month on whether to use them moving forwards. However, leading stars such as Fernando Alonso and George Russell have voiced their concerns. Alonso echoed Russell's thoughts, stating that he didn't understand why there needed to be a ban on tyre blankets. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, said there was still a 'question mark' over the suitability of the new compounds in cold conditions, and wants to carry out further tests.
‘Leading F1 drivers have sent a warning to the FIA’;
https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1...23976-20230618
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Aston Martin’s Canadian GP upgrade brings new confidence for upcoming races.
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack is keen to see what progress the team has made in high-speed cornering following the upgrade it introduced in Canada.
22nd June 2023, 8:14
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans
The effectiveness of Aston Martin’s upgrades for the Canadian Grand Prix was demonstrated by Fernando Alonso‘s second place, as he finished less than ten seconds off victory despite extensive fuel-saving. Alonso was instructed to lift-and-coast for around two-thirds of the 70-lap race as a precaution over concerns over a problem in the team’s fuel system, which “did not materialise in the end”. But team principal Mike Krack was wary that had Alonso been driving at the car’s potential then Red Bull’s race winner Max Verstappen may have upped his pace in response to maintain his advantage.
It was a strong comeback weekend for Aston Martin, at least on Alonso’s side of the garage, as second place in qualifying and the race was a vast improvement on the previous race at Barcelona, where he started and finished outside the top six. However his team mate Lance Stroll suffered a disastrous qualifying session in Montreal which left him 16th on the grid, from where he was only able to recover as far as ninth.
Krack said the upgrades, focused around the floor and the engine cover towards the rear of the Aston Martin AMR23, brought everything in performance gains that the team had expected. However the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is among the six temporary circuits that have formed the first eight rounds of the season, while the Circuit de Catalunya with its medium and high-speed corners exposed the AMR23’s weaknesses two weeks ago.
‘EL PLAN: What progress the team has made’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/22/...pcoming-races/
Could Aston Martin be at ‘Red Bull’s level’ soon with wind tunnel data boost?
21 Jun 2023 6:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Less than 10 seconds behind Red Bull in Canada, a report claims Aston Martin believe their upgraded AMR23 can “drive at Red Bull’s level”, they just need to understand the upgrades a little better. Aston Martin brought their biggest round of upgrades for the car to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend where they ran a new floor and engine cover while there were also changes to the undercut behind the sidepod inlets.
The team acknowledge the changes were “enormous”, but almost seemed to downplay their performance gains, gains that saw Fernando Alonso bring his AMR23 home in second place having beaten Lewis Hamilton in the B-spec Mercedes to the line. But for the Spaniard it was a case of what could’ve been with Alonso telling the team he wanted to go for the win shortly after he was told to lift and coast with his car seemingly having a fuel system issue.
‘EL PLAN: Red Bull’s level’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...d-tunnel-data/
Alonso's Canadian GP advantage over Hamilton EXPLAINED by F1 expert
Tuesday 20 June 2023 21:57
Shubham Sangodkar
GPFans
The Canadian Grand Prix gave us an equal Fernando Alonso vs Lewis Hamilton battle for the first time this season, where both cars were equally matched, and were stronger in different phases of the race. Race Start: Lewis Hamilton had a much better launch compared to Fernando Alonso in both the first and second phases of acceleration towards turn 1. They were both joking post-race about how Alonso’s reaction time is slower because he’s older.
The First Stint - Mode “Push” - Both the drivers had started the race on mediums, and Alonso was pushing Hamilton to wear his tyres out in order to obtain a tyre delta advantage. The Second Stint - The Difference Maker - Alonso had really good consistency with the hard tyre while Hamilton was not able to consistently put in quick lap times. This allowed the Spaniard to catch up with his old team-mate and eventually pass him on lap 22 with DRS open.
The Third Stint - Hamilton Is a Fighter - As Hamilton pitted on lap 40, Mercedes looked at data from Ferrari and decided to put him on medium tyres, whose tyre degradation was much lower than expected. Aston decided to stick with hard tyres for the third stint. The medium tyres brought the Mercedes back to life again…
‘Shubham Sangodkar is a former F1 Aerodynamicist with a Master's in Racing Car Design specialising in F1 Aerodynamics and F1 Data Analysis’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...prix-analysis/
Aston Martin reveal misleading reason for Fernando Alonso’s lift and coast order at F1 Canadian GP
20 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Aston Martin have revealed that a fuel system error led to their request for Fernando Alonso to lift and coast during the F1 Canadian Grand Prix. Alonso had repassed Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in the battle for second place after initially losing out off the line but was instructed to “lift and coast” by his team in the closing stages of the race.
That enabled Hamilton to catch Alonso, though after seeing the gap reduce down to around 1.5 seconds, the Spaniard was able to pull clear and seal second place on the rostrum behind Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack explained that the the team’s data was indicating a possible problem on Alonso’s car which "did not materialise in the end”.
"We thought we had a problem with the fuel system,” Krack said. “But we were not sure. So as a precaution we said the best thing is to save some fuel and to do lift and coast.”
‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso’s lift and coast order’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102952...nd-coast-order
Revealed: The role Fernando Alonso played in George Russell’s Canada shunt
19 Jun 2023 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
George Russell said his error that put him in the wall at the Canadian Grand Prix came when he was “doing everything” he could to pressurise Fernando Alonso. Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton was able to make the pass on Alonso to improve to P2, putting the Aston Martin driver between the pair of Brits.
Alonso then in the opening laps was plotting a way past Hamilton, though he could not do that in comfort as he had Russell breathing down his neck, until he was not. On Lap 12 Russell took too much sausage kerb at the Turn 8/9 chicane, putting him out of shape as he clattered the wall on exit.
Russell was able to drag the heavily wounded W14 back to the pits and rejoin the race in P19 and last, and after the race Russell would detail the innocent role which Alonso played in his date with the wall. “Apologies to the team,” Russell began. “We’ve put so much hard work and effort into this weekend and a small mistake has had massive consequences. I was doing everything I could to put Fernando under pressure…”
‘EL PLAN: “Doing everything” ’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...-canada-crash/
How Aston Martin played it coy with its major Canada F1 upgrade
11:42 Tue, 20 Jun 2023.
By: Matt Somerfield
Motorsport.com
There was a lot more to the upgrade than initially met the eye, especially as the team was fairly coy when it came to detailing the changes it had made in the official car presentation submission document before the action got underway. This is usual fare to be honest though, as all of the teams have, over time, become more accustomed to generalising the changes being made to their cars at each grand prix.
After giving some in-depth analysis of its changes when this new era of F1 began, most now take more of a catch-all approach to explain what has been altered in the various legality zones/boxes, with the vagaries of the actual changes still needing to be explored.
The prime example in Aston Martin's case is the changes made to its sidepods, which aren't mentioned in its submission documents at all but have obviously been overhauled as part of the package of alterations made to the AMR23.
‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin played it coy’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...ade-/10485463/
Aston Martin baffled by Mercedes warning Lewis Hamilton of non-existent Fernando Alonso issue
20 Jun 2023 10:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Mike Krack has joked Mercedes “know more about our car than we do” after Lewis Hamilton was told Fernando Alonso had a brake issue, one Aston Martin didn’t know about. Chasing down Alonso in the final 10 laps of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton brought the gap down to 1.4s and was told by Mercedes there was a rear brake issue that his Aston Martin rival was having to manage.
Bono: “Sounds like Alonso is nursing a rear brake issue.” That was news to the Aston Martin pit wall. “I was surprised as well to hear that,” team boss Krack said after the race. “I think Lewis was told we had a brake situation. We looked at each other and we said ‘They know more about our car than we do, we should speak to our Mercedes engineers’.”
‘EL PLAN: Bono: “Sounds like Alonso is nursing a rear brake issue.”!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...-alonso-issue/
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FIA warning spells trouble for Red Bull hopes of continuing F1 dominance.
FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis claims it is “only a matter of time” before the F1 pack converges and the all-conquering Red Bull dominance is no more.
21 Jun 2023 6:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull have made the perfect start to the F1 2023 campaign, winning all eight grands prix to leave the competition in the dust as they seemingly march towards successive title doubles.
Tombazis though insists this is merely temporary, and with the pack behind Red Bull so competitive, which sees Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari scrapping with the pursuers not far behind, Tombazis says Red Bull will soon fall into this battle, perhaps as soon as in the coming months.
“Putting Red Bull aside, everyone else is close,” he told Corriere della Sera, “and I think it’s only a matter of time before performance convergence is achieved. Maybe it will be achieved in the next few months, maybe it will be early next year.”
“Only a matter of time”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-wa...-f1-dominance/
FIA comments on scrapping DRS
There have been calls from both within and outside the Formula 1 paddock for DRS to be scrapped.
22 June 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
The FIA’s single seater director Nikolas Tombazis has ruled out Formula 1 scrapping DRS “in the short term”, due to the Greek engineer believing it to be too big a “risk for the sport”. According to Tombazis, DRS isn’t going anywhere just yet, with him believing that overtaking will be “very difficult” if the system is removed.
“In an ideal world it is conceivable to remove DRS, but in the short term it will not happen because otherwise overtaking would be very difficult,” Tombazis told Italian outlet Corriere della Sera.
“We are no longer in the ’80s, when simulations were not so advanced and the differences between one car and the next were great. With the current level of technology, of science, removing the DRS would be a risk for the sport.”
‘Ttoo big a “risk for the sport”.’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fia-comme...scrapping-drs/
FIA set to make MAJOR change to race weekends
Thursday 22 June 2023 17:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans
The FIA is considering a major shakeup to the F1 calendar, including holding certain races on Saturday and adding the China Grand Prix back to the calendar. The FIA General Assembly, held in Cordoba, has met to discuss the future of the sport. F1 owners Liberty Media have shown signs of wanting to modernise the calendar, already altering the sprint race format to include a special sprint qualifying session.
Traditional races at risk. Much has been said about the future of traditional races, even iconic locations like Monaco. Although Monte Carlo seems to have held onto its spot for now, the Belgian Grand Prix’s future has not been decided, with the potential for it to alternate with Zandvoort in the Netherlands.
Stefano Domenicali has denied that these changes neglect the sport’s roots, telling the Beyond the Grid podcast: “I‘m laughing when I hear people that are saying Formula 1 is not respecting historical races. It’s absolutely the other way around. For sure it’s very important that the historical races have their own personality. What we want is to use this incredible moment, where Formula 1 is growing, to make sure that everyone is doing the right thing. It’s a matter of understanding that the world is evolving.”
“I‘m laughing’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...se-grand-prix/
FIA Extraordinary General Assemblies 2023
23.06.23
FIA (Press Release)
The Extraordinary General Assemblies of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (France and Switzerland) were held in Cordoba, Andalusia, today (22 June) at the completion of the FIA 2023 Conference, which took place under the theme of “Accelerating Change: Member-Driven, Knowledge-Led Transformation".
FIA Member Clubs took part in the voting process and approved several proposals, most notably the FIA’s annual audited accounts for 2022 and the reaffiliation of the Automobile Association of the United Kingdom as an FIA Member Club.
The next meeting of the FIA General Assemblies will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 8 December 2023.
‘Accelerating Change: Member-Driven, Knowledge-Led Transformation";
https://www.fia.com/news/fia-extraor...ssemblies-2023
THE FIA HINT AT REDUCING PRE-RACE GRID ACCESS
With the continued growth and interest in Formula One, pre-race grid walks are becoming more popular and overcrowded. But could this be a thing of the past?
June 21, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds
We are only eight races into the Formula One 2023 season, but it has not been smooth sailing for the FIA so far. In particular, the sport’s governing body has had to deal with multiple track-side safety issues. The most recent incident occurred at the Spanish Grand Prix. As the cars were given the green light to start their formation lap, there was a large crowd of guests next to the racetrack.
While the Spanish Grand Prix is the subject of these potential rule changes, it is not the only event that has suffered safety breaches this year so far. At the end of the Australian Grand Prix, fans invaded the track before the end of the race. Afterwards, the stewards summoned race officials and organisers over the breach. The incident sparked an investigation, with the FIA World Motor Sport Council still waiting on the findings.
The next incident happened at the following race in Azerbaijan. During the closing stages of the Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was involved in an almost fatal near-miss in the pit lane. Videos of the incident showed FIA-sanctioned officials allowing parc ferme barriers and personnel to filter into the pit lane. But the race hadn’t finished, with the Alpine driver still to make his pit stop. The French driver has since received an official apology from the FIA for the incident.
"This is a SHAMBLES, absolute shambles!!" ��
A scary moment in the pit lane at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with people not realising Esteban Ocon was still to pit ��pic.twitter.com/L2I56JV2OI
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 30, 2023
‘REDUCING PRE-RACE GRID ACCESS’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/th...e-grid-access/
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Domenicali: 24 F1 races is the "right number" for long term.
"What we want to do next year is 24 and I think 24 is the right number," Domenicali said on F1's Beyond the Grid podcast. "It’s the number that is required within the market.
23rd June 2023, 14:57.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
F1's calendar ballooned to a record 24 races for 2024 with the addition of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. The return of Shanghai's Chinese Grand Prix was then cancelled as a result of China's on-going COVID-19 policy, while Imola's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was called off due to severe flooding, reducing the calendar down to 22 races.
The 2024 calendar is expected to feature the same 24 events as this year's schedule, with talks underway to extend the Belgian Grand Prix's contract as a bid to return to South Africa faltered for a second consecutive year.
According to F1 CEO Domenicali, the series will continue to target 24 events. "I would say it’s the right balance between that, the complexity of the logistics and of the people that are working. I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time."
‘24 is the "right number".’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...mber/10486463/
FIA clarifies F1’s budget cap regulations through TD45 update
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd June 2023, 14:44
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans
The FIA has clarified a key part of Formula 1’s Financial Regulations in an update issued to teams last month. TD45, a technical directive and cost cap administration clarification, provides added detail on how the sport’s governing body interprets the distinction between teams’ F1 activities and non-F1 activities.
The difference between the two is important because non-F1 activities are excluded from teams’ spending under the budget cap. If any team was able to gain benefits for its F1 programme through non-F1 activities, they could gain an advantage from spending outside of the budget cap. Several teams are involved in businesses outside of F1 and in some cases began doing so long before the budget cap was introduced in 2021. Others formed technology businesses and later sold them.
Mercedes has an Applied Science division which has developed technologies for use in the America’s Cup sailing race. Red Bull’s Advanced Technologies, which supplies both the world champions and AlphaTauri, has contributed to another entrant in the same competition and is developing the RB17 road car. Aston Martin’s comparable division, Aston Martin Performance Technologies, was set up in 2021. No team has been accused of breaking any rules.
‘FIA clarification’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/23/...h-td45-update/
Major European F1 race could be resurrected with early ‘signals’ sent
23 Jun 2023 2:15 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Hockenheim’s track manager Jorn Teske has said there is “pressure” for a return of a German Grand Prix. The Hockenheim circuit dates back to almost 90 years since it first opened for motor racing, although it would be 1970 before the track held its first Formula 1 race.
But finances plagued the hosting of the German Grand Prix, particularly as the Michael Schumacher effect faded away and well-funded races around the world were introduced to the calendar. The last edition of the German Grand Prix, held in 2019, came about with Mercedes backing as a title sponsor – such funding being necessary for the event to be held again.
But how likely is a return of Formula 1 to Hockenheim? Not very, according to Teske, as a result of the very high fees the circuit would need to pay to F1 to host a race. “I can’t say that seriously,” he said. “Neither the probability nor an exact timetable. In recent years it has repeatedly failed due to the financial situation. The staging involved such a great risk that we couldn’t take responsibility for it. We cannot jeopardize years of good work with a supposedly loss-making Formula 1 race a year.”
‘Great risk’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/german...-signals-sent/
FIA tackles impact on cost cap of teams' non-F1 projects
23/06/2023 at 12:18
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
The FIA recently issued a technical directive to F1 teams that closes a potential loophole in the sport's cost cap regulations regarding the use of staff assigned to non-F1 projects. Earlier this year, Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer voiced his concerns about teams gaming the system by employing staff officially assigned to outside projects.
"I think what some of the other teams are now doing, the bigger teams, is they're looking to exploit or have a better understanding of where there's some loopholes or some organisational changes you can make to actually stuff more people under that budget cap," commented Szafnauer.
"They're looking at: ‘I got rid of 100 people, but now I want to hire them back’. They can find spots for them, where they either don't count as a whole person or they do some marketing stuff or whatever it is, or they work on a boat for some of the time."
‘Technical directive’;
https://f1i.com/news/478414-fia-tack...-cost-cap.html
How FIA’s trying to close an F1 team ‘side project’ loophole
23rd June 2023, 11:52
By Mark Hughes
The Race
The FIA has issued a new technical directive to tackle potential grey areas around Formula 1 teams’ non-F1 engineering activities. The newly-imposed TD45 comes into immediate effect and is backdated to January 1 of this year.
It is described by the FIA as both a technical directive and a cost cap admin clarification which addresses the issue of non-F1 activities costs. Many of the top teams have non-F1 engineering divisions – notably Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, Aston Martin and McLaren.
How could it be proven what thought process initiated a technology which ended up being of benefit to the F1 team? What about engineering staff transferred from the F1 team to the sister company working on the new technology? Could they be discounted from the cost cap? What if they returned to the core F1 team afterwards?
‘Potential grey areas’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-f...ject-loophole/
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Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer admits two-stop strategy was “not the optimal approach” in Montréal.
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer felt that the team missed out on a greater haul of points at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve due to their strategy decision to take two pit stops as opposed to one, which had proved to be a competitive alternative for rival teams.
June 21, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer: “It’s not been a straightforward afternoon with Esteban in the points and Pierre unfortunately missing out.”
“I think we have many things to learn from the race as we saw both Ferraris, Sergio [Perez] and Alex [Albon] make the one-stop strategy work, whereas we planned a one-stop but converted to a two-stop on both cars, which probably was not the optimal approach given the final outcome. That’s something we’ll review to see what we can do better going forward.”
“Not the optimal approach”;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...h-in-montreal/
Ocon urges Alpine 'review' after Canada loss
22 June 9:40AM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Having been running in P4 in the early stages of the Canadian Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was left wondering what could have been after ending the day further back in eighth place. Ocon lost positions as the Grand Prix progressed and ultimately ended the event in P8 after being unable to pass the Williams of Alex Albon in seventh.
"I managed to overtake Nico [Hulkenberg, at the start], and then with the problem for George [Russell] I was fourth," Ocon told media, including RacingNews365.com. "We were fourth before the first round of stops. It's after that really that we started to lose positions."
"So we need to review where that was lost, if that was [during] the Safety Car or that was the strategy in general, going [to] two stops [from a one-stop]. [We need to see] what exactly it was because we ended up behind Alex and we knew we shouldn't end up behind the Williams – they are extremely difficult to pass, and we couldn't we get in front.”
‘Alpine review';
https://racingnews365.com/ocon-urges...er-canada-loss
Esteban Ocon: “We know that perhaps we did not maximise our opportunities today in Montréal”
June 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag
Ocon, who started in sixth, lost out on places from the strategy front, with one-stop runners including both Scuderia Ferrari drivers, Sergio Pérez and Alex Albon making major strides in the field. Ocon said that their pace that he had was solid, but not quite enough to counter-attack in the end.
“I think we can be satisfied with finishing another race in the points but we know that perhaps we did not maximise our opportunities today in Montréal. Our car and our pace was strong but, in the end, it was not enough to pass Alex [Albon] in the Williams, who was quicker on the straights.”
‘Did not maximise our opportunities’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...y-in-montreal/
‘We’ve got way more pace than we’re showing’ – Gasly desperate for a clean weekend to show Alpine potential
18 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Pierre Gasly finished the Canadian Grand Prix outside the points in P12 – but said afterwards that was not a reflection of the pace of his Alpine car.
‘Desperate for a clean weekend’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...505485759.html
Gasly lost 'seconds a lap' in DRS train in Canadian GP
21/06/2023 at 09:47
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Pierre Gasly says his botched qualifying session in Montreal inflicted permanent damage on his race weekend as he was unable to extract himself from a DRS train on Sunday. Gasly was left fuming on Saturday afternoon at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after he had missed the Q2 cut through no fault of his own.
A forced move down the escape road left him a P17 in the pecking order. While he gained two spots on the grid thanks to penalties levied upon two other drivers, his lowly starting position consigned him from the outset to the lower tier of the midfield.
"I just want to get to Austria," a frustrated Gasly told the media after completing his race in 13th position. The damage we suffered [in qualifying] put us massively on the backfoot, and I think we saw why track position is so important."
‘DRS train’;
https://f1i.com/news/478310-gasly-lo...nadian-gp.html
Ocon plays down rear-wing issues in Montreal but says Alpine 'need to review' why they finished P8
21 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly left this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix disappointed for differing reasons. While Ocon was frustrated not to finish higher, Gasly was left ruing his poor luck that saw him unable to use the “potential” in Alpine's package.
After pitting for the hards in his first stop, he lost track position to the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as the Red Bull of Sergio Perez – with all three drivers staying out. And, after pitting for the second time, he ended up behind the one-stopping Alex Albon.
Asked if he was pleased with the result, Ocon replied: “Pleased? No. Probably not. Happy to be in the points again, but we were fourth before all the rounds of stops. So, we need to review what happened, why we lost to all the other cars after the stops.
'Need to review';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...NVXUwgoih.html
Gasly expects talks over impeding: It's out of our control
22 June 2:15PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly is expecting the issue of impeding to be discussed at the next Formula 1 race weekend after various incidents in recent qualifying sessions. The Alpine driver was issued with two penalties for separate impeding offences in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, demoting him from P4 on the grid to P10.
"I was on the other side in Barcelona," Gasly told media, including RacingNews365.com. "The only thing that I tend to disagree a bit [with] is when you impede someone that finished on pole position, it's different than when you impede someone in a way that kicks him out of Q1 or Q2.”
"Clearly the damage was not only in qualy, but clearly in the race. Your whole weekend is affected by it. Maybe that needs a review, but honestly this is out of our control. I'm sure it's going to be talked about at the next race. At the moment, I just hope for a clean and smooth weekend and that's what we'll target in Austria."
‘It's out of our control’;
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-expe...of-our-control
Alpine chasing race pace improvements
Friday 23rd June, 2023 - 4:57pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer has singled out race pace as an area his team needs to improve, noting Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon enjoy good single-lap speed. Alpine has emerged as another contender towards the front of the grid, slotting in comfortably as the fifth-best team in F1 when everything goes to plan, and occasionally higher.
Those performances, however, rely on a strong Saturday with the Alpine seemingly unable to charge through the field in the race itself. “I think one-lap performance is good,” said Szafnauer.
“We have to work to make the race pace equal, relatively equal, to the one-lap performance. We’re not quite there, but we’re not far off. So there will be other things that we’re looking at to bring that race up to where the qualifying performance is, and then we’ll have an even better chance to score more points.”
‘Race pace improvements’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/23...-improvements/
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Bottas encourages Alfa Romeo to continue to take 'steps forward' after well 'executed' P10 finish in Canada.
Valtteri Bottas was “pleased” to finish 10th in Canada this past weekend, as he lauded the “progress” made by Alfa Romeo in recent races – although his team mate Zhou Guanyu was left bemused by the team’s strategy that left him 16th.
22 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Starting in 14th, on the hard tyre, Bottas made a slow start which saw him drop down to 16th. However, he moved up into the top-10 after opting not to pit under the Safety Car, while the drivers ahead of him made their first stops.
The Finn was running in P8 when he was called in for his first – and only – stop of the afternoon. He later found his way back up to ninth, but lost places to Lando Norris and Lance Stroll across the line – although he moved back up to 10th after Norris, who had a five-second penalty anyway, ran wide at the final chicane on the last lap.
Reflecting on his performance, Bottas said: “I am pleased with our race today. I made up four positions during the race, and it’s always a good day when that happens, especially when you get a top ten finish, which had been our main goal all weekend long.
‘Well 'executed' P10 finish in Canada’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...aaKDq3Pte.html
Bottas: Important points result in Canada
Tuesday 20th June, 2023 - 12:05pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
His point comes off the back of two collected by team-mate Zhou Guanyu in Spain in the race prior, leaving Alfa Romeo Sauber’s tally for the year at nine – one more than Haas. “Pleased with how today went, and I think when you make up four positions in the race, it’s a good day,” Bottas said after Sunday’s race. Even if it’s only a point, it’s something that important, so I’m pleased with it.”
Bottas had started the race on the hard compound tyres, gaining track position by staying out when the bulk of the field pitted on Lap 12 under the Safety Car triggered by George Russell. He finally stopped on Lap 35, swapping onto the medium rubber for the run to the flag. “I think it was the right call that we stayed out,” Bottas opined. “The stint I had on the mediums was a bit too long, so I think we did well with the strategy. Starting with the hard tyre was a good one, so overall I don’t think there was much more we could have done.”
‘Important points’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/20...ult-in-canada/
Bottas: Montreal race showed 'light at the end of the tunnel'.
20/06/2023 at 16:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Valtteri Bottas says his run to P10 in last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix was a welcome result and "a bit of light at the end of the tunnel" after a dismal period for the Alfa Romeo driver. "I think it’s important for myself and the whole team because we can see again the progress we’ve made," said Bottas after the race.
"I think, again, this weekend in every session the car has been capable of a top 10, and it was the same [in the race], so it’s good to see. It just gives us a bit of hope and a kind of feeling that there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel."
‘Welcome result’;
https://f1i.com/news/478286-bottas-m...he-tunnel.html
Canada Point ‘Proof of all the hard work’ and a ‘Motivation Boost’ for Alfa Romeo – Bottas
June 21, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Valtteri Bottas returned to the points for the first time since the opening race of the season last weekend, with the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake driver earning tenth place in the Canadian Grand Prix.
It could have been even better for the Finn as he was passed on the run to the chequered flag by Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team’s Lance Stroll, with Bottas struggling with tyre wear at the end of the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
‘Proof of all the hard work’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ltteri-bottas/
‘No interference’ as Sauber, Audi prepare for 2026
08:29 Fri, 23 Jun 2023.
Grandpx.news
Audi is already focused on preparing for its works Formula 1 foray for 2026, according to Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi. He says Sauber is also making plans for 2026 whilst also racing as Alfa Romeo in 2023.
"We cannot think of being competitive in 2026 if we are not capable of doing an optimal job and improving as a team during these years," said the Italian.
"At the same time Audi is concentrating on the engine project," Bravi added. "There is no interference and we are both working on our main focus - us on the car and Audi on the engine."
‘No interference’;
https://grandpx.news/no-interference...pare-for-2026/
-
‘Teams are terrified of speaking out after Guenther Steiner’s layman enquiry’.
With McLaren questioning, but making a point of not criticising, Lando Norris’ ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour’ penalty in Canada, Ted Kravitz says that’s because the teams are “terrified” of speaking against the FIA.
21 Jun 2023 4:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Norris was perplexed, telling the media “it doesn’t make sense to me”, while his team boss Andrea Stella said he wanted ongoing discussions with the FIA over the penalty. But, he made it clear McLaren weren’t criticising the stewards or expressing “too strong an opinion”, they just wanted an explanation. He added: “Ultimately we trust their judgement but we are reviewing the behaviour of Lando because we come out of this race very surprised that this has caused a penalty.”
Kravitz reckons that’s because McLaren, and all the other teams, are too scared about having a negative opinion lest the FIA come down on them as they did Guenther Steiner after his Monaco “laymen” remarks. “When Gunther brought it up after Monaco he was then penalised, censured by the FIA for speaking out about it in a kind of misunderstanding of the word, ‘layman’,” he told the Sky Sports podcast.
“Layman was what they didn’t like about it. So McLaren have learned from that. And McLaren were very keen not to say anything about sportsmanlike with the Lando penalty, less to they get a reprimand from the FIA. Teams are terrified of speaking out. Is that healthy? And if teams aren’t feeling like they can say anything about the FIA without getting called before the stewards like Guenther was, then is it incumbent for the media to ask the questions? I suppose it is.”
‘Teams terrified of the FIA’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/teams-...aking-out-fia/
Steiner reiterates calls for 'continuity' with F1 stewarding
17 June 9:20AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Haas boss Guenther Steiner has reiterated his desire for Formula 1 to have permanent stewards after receiving a reprimand from the FIA over comments made. In Monaco, Nico Hulkenberg was given a penalty for an aggressive first-lap overtake, while Kevin Magnussen also made a similar move up the inside of Mirebeau in the race, but did not receive any sanction.
Responding to that in Spain, Steiner commented that "F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world, and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people which invest millions into their careers," a comment which earned him a reprimand from the FIA, with use of the word 'laymen' highlighted as having potential to cause offence.
"Exactly how would you solve the continuity [of stewarding], how would you solve that or who would you have there?" the Haas boss explained to media, including RacingNews365. "I'm not going to choose the stewards, I don't really care. For me, the system, the continuity [needs to be] always the same. I still [believe] the penalty we got in Monte Carlo was wrong. It wasn't [at] a wrong turn, it was in a proper turn and there was collision, so how can you be penalised for something you didn't do?”
‘Permanent Stewards!’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-re...-f1-stewarding
FIA got a Steiner apology. Now it must follow his logic
Jun 11 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race
Guenther Steiner may have had to apologise for the way he expressed his criticisms of Formula 1’s stewarding systems, but the fundamental point he made is correct. It is an anachronism for a sporting competition as wealthy and high-profile as Formula 1 not to have permanent, professional stewards.
To avoid falling into the same trap as Steiner, it’s important to delineate between professional in status and professional in conduct. The use of the word “laymen” and mentioning other sports had “professional” referees, according to the stewards “could be, and indeed were, perceived to cause offence and in our view reasonably did cause offence not only to the stewards in Monaco but also to other FIA personnel and many motorsport volunteers”.
There are plenty of volunteers and what should be technically classed as ‘amateurs’ who do a very professional job so this is not fundamentally about that. Instead, it’s about the role of what Steiner called ‘the referees’, the significance of the stewards and the unique place they have in the wider perception of F1. While the stewards generally do a good, professional job – genuinely – there is always room for improvement.
‘Fundamental point Guenther Steiner made is correct’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/fia-g...low-his-logic/
Guenther Steiner responds in wake of Bernie Ecclestone ‘unsuccessful team boss’ jibe
17 Jun 2023 7:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Guenther Steiner has said “I don’t really care” when it comes to his popularity, in the wake of Bernie Ecclestone’s recent jibe about him. The former F1 supremo threw his support behind Mick Schumacher after he was cast aside by Haas this season, claiming “an unsuccessful team boss” made sure his place on the grid would not continue into 2023.
In fact, his fame and what others think of him has never figured much in his mind – though he acknowledged the popularity he has does serve a wider purpose for the sport. “Look, it’s not bad, it’s good for Formula 1, it’s good for Haas, it’s good for me from time to time, so you have to deal with that and respect the fans because without fans we wouldn’t exist,” Steiner told MARCA in Spain.
“We need to be seen, because we have to make money and it costs a lot. But I insist that I didn’t wake up one morning and say ‘I want to be popular’. I don’t like it or dislike it, I don’t really care. I’m very passionate, but I’m not a bad guy, I tell people what I want and I have to do it if I want to achieve something because it’s not an easy fight out there.”
“I don’t really care”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...oss-criticism/
Steiner: Haas unsure about root cause of wild F1 fluctuations
21 June 7:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Haas boss Guenther Steiner has denied suggestions the team will not be able to solve their Sunday problems due to Ferrari links. Haas boss Guenther Steiner says the team are unsure about what is causing their wild Formula 1 performance fluctuations, but that they are aware of a "pattern" with Ferrari.
As a Ferrari customer squad, Haas take many parts of their car from the Scuderia – which, as RacingNews365.com revealed earlier this year, is subject to strict FIA and in-house checks to avoid transfer of information between the two teams.
In 2023, Haas' season has been punctuated with strong qualifying results such as Nico Hulkenberg's second in Canada (although he would start fifth due to a penalty) and Kevin Magnussen's fourth in Miami.
‘Unsure about wild F1 fluctuations’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-ha...1-fluctuations
Guenther Steiner highlights unwanted ‘pattern’ Haas are sharing with Ferrari
23 Jun 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Haas boss Guenther Steiner acknowledges a “parallel” between their struggles on a Sunday and that of technical partner Ferrari. Tyre management is a key sticking point for Haas right now, a statement true also for Ferrari at times this season which has made Sundays a weakness for them both, though there was seemingly some respite for Ferrari at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a venue not renowned for punishing the Pirelli rubber.
Steiner though cannot overlook this “parallel” which has emerged between his Haas team and Ferrari. “It seems to be a parallel, obviously in different regions because they [Ferrari] are starting further up front, and the less dirty air you have, the easier it is,” Steiner is quoted by RacingNews365.com.
“But they fall back in the races on certain racetracks, so it seems there is a little bit of a pattern with them. So, it seems like a double-investigation is needed as Haas and Ferrari battle with what is apparently the same issue. If I would have the answer, we would be working on it, but we used to say it was the wind tunnel, and things like this, you need to look at the bigger picture,” Steiner continued.
‘Unwanted ‘pattern’ Haas are sharing with Ferrari’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...-race-pattern/
Haas F1 Boss Guenther Steiner Keeps it Running
June 17, 2023
Shlomo Sprung
Boardroom
Boardroom gets the latest from the Haas team principal about his unlikely fame, his new book, Logan Sargeant, and his standards for success in 2023. The 58-year-old Italian-born exec is a major contributor to F1’s success in the US as a breakout star of the hit Netflix docuseries Drive To Survive.
The show got Formula 1 and Haas a ton of exposure and new support given that it arrived, to hear Steiner tell it, at the right place at precisely the right time. The only downside for Guenther? “I get harassed a lot more on the streets now,” he said.
Somehow, Steiner even found time to publish a book called Surviving to Drive: A Year Inside Formula 1 that became a Sunday Times bestseller. He considers the book something for fans to enjoy who aren’t necessarily deeply invested in the wonkiest details of F1, giving them instead an inside look into what takes place behind the scenes in motorsports‘ most high-stakes, frenzied atmospheres. “It’s a good beach read,” he said. “When you’re on holiday this year, this summer, it’s a good place to read it.”
‘Good beach read’;
https://boardroom.tv/guenther-steine...-f1-team-2023/
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AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton: Tsunoda Strategy Gamble, “didn’t work out”.
AlphaTauri Technical Director, Jody Egginton explained that the team tried to differ the strategy to help Tsunoda recover and get back into contention to challenge for points.
June 25, 2023
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag
Jody Egginton: “Yesterday’s qualifying positions made today’s race more difficult than it needed to be. This, combined with Yuki’s three-place penalty, forced us into trying something different and unfortunately, it didn’t work out. We made a very early stop with Yuki to use the free air to recover race time.”
“The strategy was working quite well and Yuki got back into the pack, however, losing a bit of time behind Magnussen on older tyres, the decision was made to convert to a two-stop. This cost a bit more track position than expected due to a slow stop so ultimately, we couldn’t get back to the pack led by Albon.”
‘Strategy Gamble’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...idnt-work-out/
Tsunoda laments troubles mastering tricky AlphaTauri
22 June 8:55AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Yuki Tsunoda says he is still at a loss of how to "extract performance" from his AlphaTauri Formula 1 car after a difficult Canadian Grand Prix weekend. In a slow start to the season for AlphaTauri, Tsunoda has been a shining light, picking up their only two points with 10th place finishes in Australia and Azerbaijan.
The Japanese driver also has three 11th places to his name but had a quiet weekend in Montreal, having been knocked out in Q1 and then being unable to fight for points. Reflecting on his weekend, Tsunoda admitted that Canada was the first weekend of the season he "wasn't able to perform".
"It's a shame," he told the F1 Nation podcast. "I'm pretty happy with the performance I did in the race, but I just have to put it all together. We definitely have to work on the qualifying pace. With the conditions we had, with the damp track, we expected to have a good qualifying, because FP3 in the rain was pretty good.”
‘Still at a loss’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-la...cky-alphatauri
Tost makes SHOCKING De Vries claim despite POINTLESS 2023 season
Sunday 25 June 2023 15:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has insisted that Nyck de Vries has what it takes to win races and championships in F1. The Dutchman is one of just two drivers, the other being Logan Sargeant, who are yet to register a point in the 2023 season with AlphaTauri at the bottom of the constructors' standings.
“I said to him he should stay concentrated, he should stay confident because we all know he can do a good job," Tost told Formula 1's official website. “He won races in Formula 3 and Formula 2, he won championships – he won the Formula E World Championship. That means he knows how to win races and win championships. “He just needs to get the confidence – and we have to provide him with a good car.”
‘SHOCKING De Vries claim’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...aim-pointless/
Tsunoda assesses AlphaTauri's Austria hopes
21 June 3:40PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365
Following a disappointing weekend in Montreal, Yuki Tsunoda is bracing himself for another trying outing next time out in Austria. Yuki Tsunoda says the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix is likely to prove a difficult weekend for his AlphaTauri squad.
"It's hard, because we need a good qualifying, and because we have Sprint qualifying, the top eight [positions] will count [for points in the Sprint race] and we'll have to be around P9 at least in Sprint qualifying to score points," Tsunoda told the F1 Nation podcast.
The Japanese added that he didn’t expect the Red Bull Ring to suit the characteristics of his AlphaTauri AT04. "In the race, I think it's going to be a little bit difficult to overtake there as well, so I wouldn't expect too much," said Tsunoda. "We definitely need a good car there, and I don't know if our car will suit well there, to be honest.”
‘AlphaTauri's Austria hopes’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-as...-austria-hopes
Yuki Tsunoda addresses Red Bull rumours and opens door to F1 move elsewhere
17:35 Sat, 24 Jun 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport
Despite what the standings say, Yuki Tsunoda is having a relatively positive season this year in F1 for AlphaTauri. The Japanese driver may only have two points to his name so far but that does not fairly tell the whole story, with him regularly finishing on the cusp of the points and seemingly getting the most out of the car more often than not this year.
Now in his third season in F1, he might not be quite ready yet for a move to a top team in the sport, but he is doing everything he can this season to show that he is on the right path to achieving that, and obviously with him part of the Red Bull programme, the more he impresses the more chatter will grow about him potentially moving to the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
‘Getting the most out of the car’;
https://www.givemesport.com/yuki-tsu...ove-elsewhere/
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Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari criticism evokes memories of Alain Prost’s sacking.
David Coulthard doubts the relationship between Ferrari and Charles Leclerc will deteriorate in a fashion similar to Alain Prost’s over 30 years ago.
24 Jun 2023 8:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Following another tough weekend for Ferrari in which Leclerc could only manage fourth despite issues for a car from each of the Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes teams, David Coulthard has downplayed the possibility of Ferrari being annoyed with the Monégasque.
Following the qualifying session in which Ferrari had sent Leclerc out on intermediates as the track dried in Q2, not the first time the Scuderia have made a strategic faux pas, Leclerc made his feelings clear after the session. “When the track is so dry and we are staying on the inter tyres, we are not making our life any easier,” he said.
“So, we will, again, discuss with the team but we need to do a step forward now because it’s not the first time that it happens. We are quite often on the wrong side of making those decisions in those tricky situations. I had a clear opinion and a clear intuition and we went for something opposite. That was obviously frustrating to accept it first then you’re putting yourself in a very difficult situation. From that moment on, basically it’s slipped away from us.”
‘Memories of Alain Prost’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...prost-sacking/
Vasseur on Ferrari troubles: Leclerc should 'put himself in our shoes'
25 June 2:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has urged Charles Leclerc to "put himself in our shoes" after another strategic fallout at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari's strategy team has been much maligned since Leclerc joined in 2019 after a string of critical errors, not least during the ultimately failed championship charge last season.
"You can always do a better job," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.com. "But it is true that the picture you have 10 seconds after quali is not always the best one. We had a good discussion with Charles and gave him the global picture of the situation during the session.”
‘In our shoes’;
https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-on...f-in-our-shoes
VASSEUR RESPONDS TO LECLERC’S BLUNT CANADIAN QUALIFYING INTERVIEW
Frederic Vasseur and Charles Leclerc took their opinions to the media after yet another Ferrari strategy blunder
June 25, 2023
Luke Edmonds
FormulaNerds1
The Formula One world is well aware of Ferrari’s strategy blunders. However, Frederic Vasseur did not take kindly to these critiques from the Ferrari Wonder Boy. As a response to Leclerc’s comments during his post-qualifying interview, Vasseur sums that up to nothing more than short-term anger.
This is something that have plagued F1 drivers and staff members alike. After every frustrating moment throughout your career, a microphone is being put up to your face, and you’re expected to answer without having any time to reflect. Nonetheless, Frederic was quick to take accountability for Leclerc’s poor starting position.
Since his pole position in Baku, we have yet to see Leclerc start a Grand Prix inside the top 5. However, in the grand scheme of things, this has been the first time in quite a while that the majority of the blame can be placed on the Ferrari team.
‘Ferrari Wonder Boy’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/va...ing-interview/
Hill: Ferrari still in need of 'a firm hand' to solve team's malaise
25/06/2023 at 16:33
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Damon Hill has questioned whether Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur is "the firm hand" the Italian outfit needs to pull it out of its perennial "malaise". "They need to have a good, long, hard look at themselves, or someone does," Hill told The Express.
"It just seems this is the malaise that they perennially suffer from. It’s like, you’re not sure who’s really in charge there. It’s such a potent force in the sport, it needs the firm hand of someone like a Ross Brawn or a Jean Todt to grab it and get everyone to march with them."
Hill's Sky F1 colleague Martin Brundle warned that Vasseur isn't immune to falling victim to Ferrari's "revolving door" policy. "He knows which way is up. It has been a revolving door there and he’s got to be careful he doesn’t get caught up in it," he said in Montreal.
"Revolving door";
https://f1i.com/news/478549-hill-fer...s-malaise.html
Hill slates 'suffering' Ferrari with Leclerc future at risk
24 June 4:05PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill has urged Ferrari to have a "long, hard look at themselves" to end its current "malaise". The Monégasque made a plea for a switch to slicks to set a competitive time but had his call denied by the pit wall and was able to qualify only 11th on Intermediates.
It was not the first instance of strategy chaos experienced by Ferrari and Leclerc since he joined the team in 2019, with questionable decision-making a constant of late. Assessing where he could go if patience is lost with the Scuderia, Hill questioned: "What options are there? There aren’t any.”
“I suppose he could look at Aston Martin but I think Fernando’s got a two-year contract with them anyway. I think he’d probably step aside if they paid him enough money, but I don’t think he wants to give up a competitive drive."
‘Leclerc future at risk’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-slate...future-at-risk
Martin Brundle warns Fred Vasseur of Ferrari ‘revolving door’ amidst rebuild mission
24 Jun 2023 1:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Martin Brundle does not want to see Fred Vasseur get caught up in the “revolving door” at Ferrari before finding his feet. “He knows which way is up. It has been a revolving door there and he’s got to be careful he doesn’t get caught up in it,” the Sky F1 broadcaster said after the Canadian Grand Prix.
The former F1 racer outlined how Vasseur needs to find more no-nonsense personalities like his own to slot into senior positions at the Scuderia, but said it could be a problem given the attractive options of teams that don’t require relocation to Italy.
“I think he needs four or five more like him, to be honest,” Brundle continued. “You’re trying to attract world-class aerodynamicists and technicians and designers, but Aston Martin ramped up massively and have been hiring. Audi, with Sauber, are hiring. They’re at a premium, these people, and they’re not easy to get hold of and to get out of long-standing, long-term contracts, and then to get them to move to Italy with their family.”
‘Rebuild mission’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...sseur-ferrari/
Ralf Schumacher: Leclerc to Aston Martin is logical move
Both Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso lead Ferrari and Charles Leclerc in the 2023 constructors' and drivers' championships
June 24, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Ralf Schumacher believes Charles Leclerc should pursue a move to Aston Martin as Lawrence Stroll‘s team continue to overshadow Ferrari in 2023. Aston Martin‘s Fernando Alonso has scored over twice as many points as Leclerc including six podiums to the Monegasque driver’s one – a far cry from the first half of 2022 which saw him fighting for wins and the championship.
Leclerc‘s contracted to Ferrari until the end of 2024, but Schumacher urged him to explore other options than the team he’s been part of since 2016. “So far, there have only been Mercedes and Red Bull as potential options,” Schumacher told Sky Germany. “Mercedes is not quite as current at the moment, and it’s safe to assume that Hamilton will continue there.
“But I believe a strong candidate is also Aston Martin, as they also need to look around. Fernando Alonso will have another year after that.” In the middle of 2022, such a suggestion would’ve been laughed out of the room – but things move quickly in the world of F1.
‘Logical move’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/ral...-logical-move/
