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Russell: Mercedes' 2024 F1 car won't be as rushed as last year.
George Russell says he is confident Mercedes will not fall into car design “traps” with its 2024 Formula 1 challenger, as it did with the “little bit rushed” W14 design.
2nd January 2023, 08:58
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com
Speaking to select media including Motorsport.com, Russell said he felt “more confident going into this [2023-2024 winter] break” because Mercedes has been “working on the new [W15] concept for a long time and there’s been so much due diligence gone into that concept”.
“Whereas I think last year it was all a little bit rushed,” he added. “We didn’t have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences.”
“And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn’t taken that into consideration.”
‘Mercedes will not fall into car design “traps”!’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...year/10561923/
What unexpected F1 2024 record says about current state of the sport
02 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com
F1 2024 to begin without a rookie driver. The current prioritisation of experienced drivers highlights F1’s current desire for stability and growth based on metrics it has already established.
While the sport intended for more teams to be able to compete for wins thanks to the introduction of its latest rule set in 2022, it is clear that Red Bull Racing is the only team to have comfortably mastered the changes in technology.
That being said, competition is still tight for everyone else. Mercedes and Ferrari battled for second place in the World Constructors’ Championship until the very final lap of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, while there was a close four-way battle for fourth place in the World Drivers’ Championship.
‘Unexpected F1 2024 record’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2024-record-state
Lewis Hamilton outlines “dream” for 2024 when explaining his F1 motivations
2 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has said his “dream of standing on the top step” is keeping him motivated to race in F1. Hamilton has failed to win in F1 since the end of 2021, going through the last two years winless.
Hamilton was asked what is keeping him motivated ahead of the new season, he replied: “It's the dream of standing on the top step, seeing your team. One of the most amazing things is being able to look back and having the flag of the nation rising behind you, and seeing the team.”
“I remember the first win I had with this team. I have a particular picture of 2015 in Australia with the [team] down there in tears – it was just amazing to be a part of that. The power of that is a huge part of the drive. Winning the world championship is a huge part of the drive.”
‘F1 motivations’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104295...f1-motivations
F1 pundit makes HUGE Williams prediction for 2024
Tuesday 2 January 2024 13:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Formula 1 pundit Lawrence Barretto has backed Williams to defy the odds and secure a podium during the upcoming 2024 season. The F1 pundit has backed the team to take part in the champagne celebrations next season thanks to the leadership of team principal, James Vowles, and star driver, Alex Albon.
"Williams entered the season fearing the worst, having lost their team principal and technical director in quick succession," he penned for the official F1 site. "But James Vowles steadied the ship, after an impressive stint at Mercedes, and Williams made the most of some sterling development work over the winter and their chunky upgrade introduced in Canada.”
"Alex Albon led the team like a lion, scoring 27 of their 28 points to essentially single-handedly guide them to P7 in the constructors’ championship and the chunky slice of prize money – that runs into the tens of millions – that comes with it.”
‘Champagne celebrations next season’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ence-barretto/
Carlos Sainz admits Ferrari face ‘difficult task’ daring to realise 2024 F1 goal
Tue 2 January 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Carlos Sainz has admitted that Ferrari face a ‘difficult task’ to win Grand Prix in 2024 but if any Formula 1 team ‘dares’ to rival Red Bull for the titles, it will be the Scuderia. Carlos Sainz denied Red Bull a perfect Formula 1 season in 2023. It was Sainz and Ferrari who denied Red Bull a perfect season, though, when the 29-year-old won the Singapore GP. He held off the threats of Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Lando Norris to capitalise on Red Bull having their only bad weekend of the entire campaign.
Sainz expects Ferrari plus Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin, will again meet a ‘difficult task’ to beat Red Bull for wins in 2024. “We’ll see,” Sainz asserted, via Motorsport-Total. “I have the feeling that we, as a team, are definitely capable of improving. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we will win races.”
The Spaniard added: “This requires a big step forward. Achieving this goal will be a difficult task, not only for Ferrari but also for Aston Martin, McLaren and Mercedes. It will not be easy to defeat Red Bull in the world championship fight, especially after this season. But if anyone dares to take on this task, it’s Ferrari. We improved significantly over the course of the season and ended the year on a high.”
‘Ferrari face difficult task’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/car...-2024-f1-goal/
2024 F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain: dates, times and how to watch
January 2nd 2024
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine
The 2024 F1 season is fast approaching, with all ten teams set to unveil their title contenders in the coming weeks. Pre-season testing in Bahrain will provide the first indication of which outfit could end up on top.
Dates and times for 2023 F1 pre-season testing
Results Date Session start (GMT) Session end (GMT)
February 21 TBC TBC
February 22 TBC TBC
February 23 TBC TBC
‘F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain: 21st Feb – 23rd Feb 2024’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#
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Stay? Move? Leave F1? – Predicting the outcome of the 14 out-of-contract F1 drivers.
2024 could see one of the silliest silly seasons of all time with almost three quarters of the grid currently out of contract at the end of this year.
03 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Sergio Perez – Red Bull: We will start with the reigning Constructors’ champions and one of the most-talked about seats on the grid, that of Sergio Perez. Prediction: Leaves F1.
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari: Charles Leclerc may well be a man who is not on this list for much longer with reports that he has already agreed an extension with Ferrari. Prediction: Stays.
Carlos Sainz – Ferrari: Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz’s future is less certain. Both parties indicated at the end of last year that they would be open to an extension but reports over the winter suggested they disagreed on the length of the deal. Prediction: Stays.
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin: The idea of a 42-year-old extending would seem silly if that driver’s name was not Fernando Alonso. Prediction: Stays.
‘Stay? Move? Leave F1?’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/st...ntract-drivers
Regression or right path? Judging Ferrari's latest F1 reboot
Jan 3, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
By basic measures, Ferrari has regressed once again in Formula 1. It did not win as many races in 2023 as in 2022, scored nowhere near as many points, and fell to third in the constructors’ championship. These metrics would suggest that Ferrari has shot itself in the foot with its latest team overhaul. And would fit the prevailing narrative of last winter, given this disappointing season followed what many felt would just be the latest futile team boss switch in Maranello.
In Abu Dhabi last year, Charles Leclerc neatly summarised the duality of Ferrari’s season on paper and how its season played out in reality. “To be honest it's been a disappointing season,” Leclerc said. “We expected to come to try and fight for the championship, which after the first race we straight away understood how difficult it would be compared to the Red Bull that had done a huge step forward, especially in race pace.”
‘Regression or right path?’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...n-or-progress/
This is how far F1 teams travel around the world to races
03 January 2:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
You might be wondering, which races features the largest distance between each?
Largest distances between races
From To Distance (km)
Belgium Netherlands 238
Qatar Abu Dhabi 337
Imola Monaco 349
Netherlands Monza 828
Hungary Belgium 1,018
Spain Austria 1,174
Texas Mexico 1,203
Austria Great Britain 1,256
Bahrain Saudi Arabia 1,259
Japan China 1,484
Silverstone Hungary 1,533
Monza Azerbaijan 3,316
Canada Spain 5,898
Monaco Canada 6,128
Azerbaijan Singapore 6,955
Mexico Brazil 7,439
Australia Japan 8,141
Miami Imola 8,818
Brazil Las Vegas 9,979
Jeddah Australia 12,831
Las Vegas Qatar 13,037
China Miami 13,263
Singapore Texas 15,860
TOTAL: 122,344
‘Which races features the largest distance’;
https://racingnews365.com/this-is-ho...world-to-races
Williams boss James Vowles frustrated with F1 rule that has put his team ‘on the back foot’
Wed 3 January 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Speaking about the development of the team, Vowles said: “In terms of when I joined and still today for that matter, we’re still behind. I mean there’s no doubt about the infrastructure we have here it’s 20 years out of date, I’ve been pretty vocal and public about it for good reason because I wanted to make sure we start to invest in this site.”
“Now, there’s some good, lovely things in this sport and one of them is the cost cap. There’s an operational cost cap and a capital and expenditure cost cap and it’s awfully complicated. But the operational one is basically salaries and the building of the car and that’s a really good cost cap. That’s why the sport is getting better in my opinion and the teams are getting closer together.”
“The second cost cap is on capital and expenditure and what that means is any machines or large infrastructure you’re keeping for multiple years that also gets restrained fundamentally. Again it’s a good thing, but it does hurt organisations like ourselves that have infrastructure that my CEO described as from the Ming Dynasty.”
‘Ming Dynasty infrastructure’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wil...the-back-foot/
FIA won't tweak F1 ride-heights despite bump-induced crashes
03/01/2024 at 13:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
The FIA has opted not to intervene in enforcing higher ride heights for Formula 1 cars, despite two high-profile accidents in 2023 that were triggered by bumps on the track.
FIA Head of Single-Seater Matters Nikolas Tombazis stated that while ideally cars should run higher, there are limits to the extent the governing body should interfere with performance-related matters. He emphasized the delicate balance between safety and preserving the competitive nature of Formula 1.
“Well, we do need to make sure circuits, generally speaking, avoid features which may cause that,” Tombazis told the media recently. “It's a thin line between if maybe there is the possibility for the circuit to sort out some features in detail, and where the teams may just need to raise the car a bit more.”
‘FIA won't tweak F1 ride-heights’;
https://f1i.com/news/497352-fia-wont...d-crashes.html
Toto Wolff's 'No 1 option' to replace Lewis Hamilton is not even in F1 anymore
Lewis Hamilton remains central to Mercedes' F1 plans, although the seven-time world champion's long-term future is still uncertain.
15:15, Wed, Jan 3, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Toto Wolff’s former Lewis Hamilton back-up plan Nyck de Vries will be racing in Formula E in 2024, despite once being branded as the Mercedes team principal’s ‘insurance policy’ by rally driver Tom Coronel. De Vries was once a hot property on the feeder series ladder, winning the Formula 2 title in 2019 at the third time of asking following a trophy-laden karting career that saw him added to the McLaren driver academy back in 2010.
However, De Vries never got the chance to succeed Hamilton at Mercedes. Instead, a memorable, points-scoring debut as a substitute for Williams’ Alex Albon at the Italian Grand Prix prompted Helmut Marko to sign him for AlphaTauri ahead of the 2023 season.
The celebrations were short-lived, though, as De Vries struggled to acclimatise to the difficult AT04, struggling against team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who was entering his third year with the team. After ten underwhelming races, the 28-year-old found himself on the chopping block and Daniel Ricciardo replaced him for the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards.
‘Toto Wolff's No 1 option’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ack-up-F1-news
Toto Wolff's leadership questioned as Sky Sports F1 pundits share Mercedes concern
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft discussed Toto Wolff's leadership during the 2023 season with colleague Ted Kravitz as the Mercedes chief's methods came under question
3rd January 2023, 16:12
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
The team stuck with its unsuccessful 'zeropod' aerodynamic concept for the start of the campaign but, after just one race, team principal Wolff admitted they needed to change course. Sky Sports F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz pointed to that as an example of questionable decision-making from the Austrian. "Maybe that's a hangover from the seven drivers' and eight world constructors' championships of the past. He keeps the drivers happy. He keeps the sponsors - some amazing sponsors on that Mercedes team...”
“The only thing I'd mark him down on was his keenness to throw the concept away so publicly after qualifying in Bahrain. We don't really know why he managed to sign off what he did sign off, the sister of the bad car. W14 was the sister of W13 and they were both not great cars. Toto must have signed it off - as a leader he could have said, 'I disagree, let's go with the Red Bull concept'. For whatever reason they didn't and he signed it off.”
"That very first interview, I remember him coming out so strongly and it kind of took me back when he said it, that this car is bad. This was after qualifying at the first race. To immediately throw the whole concept in the trash can then was the only way that I'm slightly thinking that it wasn't quite the calm, assured Toto leadership that we've seen."
‘Toto Wolff's leadership questioned’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-2024-31799351
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Perez thanks Red Bull for support through 2023 'roller coaster'.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has thanked his team for sticking with him during what proved to be a wild up-and-down ride through 2023.
04/01/2024 at 08:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
“Obviously we started really strongly the year," Perez trold last month's FIA Prize Giving Gala. "Then we had a bit of a rollercoaster mid-season, but we didn’t give up, we stuck together as a team, and I want to thank my whole team for supporting me," he continued.
“We went through very tough times, but we managed to secure the best season in the history of our team," he added. "We’ve learned from those difficult moments, [and] we will come back next year stronger," he concluded.
‘Support through 2023 'roller coaster' ’;
https://f1i.com/news/497364-perez-th...r-coaster.html
Horner: Perez's Miami defeat a "big psychological blow" in title race
4th January 2024, 09:06
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com
“The first four or five races he was very, very strong,” Horner said of Perez in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com. “And it was really after Miami that I think that was a big, psychological blow for him – losing that race. Then off the back of that, Monaco Q1, making a mistake.”
“You know, confidence is such a vital thing in this sport and I think that that momentum that he built up – because his races in Saudi and Azerbaijan were truly outstanding – [was hit]. I mean, in Azerbaijan he had the clean sweep with a sprint win and the grand prix itself.
“So, by the time we headed back into Europe, it started to disintegrate for him. And then there was sort of peaks and troughs.”
“I mean he drove, for example, a brilliant race in Monza, made a great call in Zandvoort in the wet, then unfortunately mistakes started to creep in as he put more pressure on himself. But what was good to see is him pick his form up again at the end of the season. And, of course, to achieve second place in the championship – something he's never done, something we've never done – to achieve a 1-2 finish.”
"Big psychological blow";
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...race/10562325/
Red Bull rumour suggests major setback during key pre-season test
Thursday 4 January 2024 08:27
Cal Gaunt
GPFans
In a dramatic twist ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Formula 1 season, Red Bull's aspirations have apparently encountered an early hurdle, casting doubt on the prowess of their forthcoming car.
Reports from Motorsport Italia reveal that the team's new RB20 machine failed a critical frontal crash test related to the chassis in December, prompting concerns about safety and the crucial homologation approval by the FIA. This (is an) – albeit as yet unsubstantiated – test failure…
Beyond the weight considerations, the team's approach also aligns with the quest for a more responsive and sensitive front end. A lighter nose, while a potential risk in crash tests, aligns with the precision and preferences of their three-time world champion, Max Verstappen, who excels in creating oversteer and minimal steering inputs.
‘Red Bull rumour suggests major setback’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...eason-failure/
Ted Kravitz hails Christian Horner for leadership of ‘uncontrollable’ figure at Red Bull
Thu 4 January 2024 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz has admitted that he’s been really impressed by how Christian Horner has managed Red Bull in the past 12 months and in particular the way he dealt with Helmut Marko. Kravitz praised how he managed to deal with so many difficult characters while maintaining their lead over the rest of the grid.
One of the most exciting aspects of any Formula 1 season is what’s going on behind the scenes at Red Bull. There were only two driver changes during 2023 and it’s no surprise they both came at sister team AlphaTauri.
After 10 races, Nyck de Vries was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo as Christian Horner and Helmut Marko saw an opportunity to get the Australian back on the grid. He was then replaced by Liam Lawson after injuring his hand and while the Kiwi impressed, he couldn’t earn a permanent spot on the grid. Ted Kravitz has praised how Christian Horner led a team full of very big personalities including Helmut Marko.
‘Really impressed by how Christian Horner has managed Red Bull’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...e-at-red-bull/
Red Bull boosted by FIA rule change as F1 rivals' advantage taken away
Red Bull's RB19 was peerless in terms of race pace throughout the 2023 season and car design legend Adrian Newey thinks an FIA rule change ended up helping his team
4th January 2024, 06:05
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Speaking to The Race, Newey admitted there were some of his colleagues who were concerned that it would have a detrimental impact on their performance. However, he spotted a reason to advise the team against fighting the change.
"The interesting thing about that was, when the change was announced last year, we were discussing it internally," he said. "Some of our guys were saying, 'No, we've got to really fight this'.
"But I took the view that actually in the high-speed corners last year we were probably behind Ferrari. Our car was getting itself into problems in the very high speed so, actually, that reg change might suit us - so we didn't really push against it too much. It turned out it seems it has suited us."
‘Red Bull boosted by FIA rule change’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...newey-31801515
Sainz melancholic after losing key ally to Verstappen
04 January 6:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz and Rupert Manwaring have been inseparable for eight years in Formula 1, but now the personal trainer will switch to Max Verstappen for the 2024 season. "Eight years cannot be summed up in one video, but here is a hint of what it has meant to me," wrote Sainz on social media.
"2023 was Rupert's last year serving Team 55 and I wouldn't know how to thank you for all your work and support during those years. Not only did we train together and fight for the same goals, but we also had a lot of fun. I wish you all the best, Ruperto!" Manwaring in turn also shared a note of farewell, with similar words of thanks to Sainz: "Thank you for eight great years that were filled with fun, excitement and friendship."
"I didn't get to tell you this during our collaboration, but I certainly learned as much from you as you learned from me (if you would at least listen once). It has been a crazy ride and we have grown together. It is also because of you as my wingman that I met my wonderful wife and mother of my baby daughter, the real boss of Team 55."
‘Sainz melancholic’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-wist...-to-verstappen
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Aston Martin become fourth team to confirm 2024 F1 launch date.
The AMR24 will be unveiled at the team’s headquarters in Silverstone on Monday, February 12.
4 January 2024, 11:18
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
Aston Martin is the fourth team to confirm its launch plans, with Williams and Stake – formerly Alfa Romeo Sauber following the reveal of a new name on New Year’s Day – opting for February 5, and Ferrari on the 13th.
Technical director Dan Fallows sees no reason why the team cannot make a leap as significant as the one last winter. “It’s absolutely possible,” insisted Fallows. “We’ve seen with what we did (last year) that there are still opportunities to make a big step forward. But it’s a relative game. It depends on what other people are doing.”
“For us, the most important thing is that we’re making that big step forward. We have our internal targets. We have things that we want to achieve, and as long as we achieve that, then we’ll be happy. Where that sits us on the grid will play out according to what our competitors do.”
‘Fourth team to confirm 2024 F1 launch’;
https://speedcafe.com/aston-martin-2024-f1-launch-date/
Aston Martin announces date for AMR24 car launch
04/01/2024 at 11:59
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
The Aston Martin team has revealed on social media that it will be holding its 2024 team launch event on Monday, February 12. An enigmatic post had a close up shot of Fernando Alonso's face with a green glint to his eye, set against a moody black background overlaid with text declaring 'Hyper-focus 12.02.24".
The post itself stated: "Get ready to welcome the #AMR24", making it clear that this would be the public bow of this year's car. The team's website carried a message promising "An unshakeable belief. An unwavering energy. Every detail considered and optimised in the relentless pursuit of progress. This is hyper-focus."
A text message to the media confirmed that the new car would "break cover" at Silverstone, where the team has its new upgraded headquarters and factory facilities. This date was also announced in an email to members of the team's I/AM fan campaign, which invited people to enter a competition to attend the unveiling.
'Hyper-focus 12.02.24’;
https://f1i.com/news/497377-aston-ma...ar-launch.html
Ambitious Aston Martin eager to build on last year’s F1 promise
3 January 2024 at 8:00 am
Giles Richards
Yahoo! Sport
Alonso acclaimed 2023 as a success despite the lacklustre finish but was under no illusions that there is hard work to be done. “I see only positives,” he said of last season. “It was unthinkable 12 months ago, at this stage, to think about the campaign we did.
“Now comes the tricky period for Aston Martin, the next two or three years, to find that extra bit, to create something that no one has in that moment, to be creative, to be innovative.”
His opinion was echoed by team principal, Mike Krack. “We think about what is needed next, to make the next step,” he said. “The initial steps are always easy but they get more and more difficult.”
‘Eager to build’;
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/amb...xWI-urqd9-jDxY
Alonso 'sees only positives' amid Aston's drop-off in form
04/01/2024 at 08:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
The decline in performance in later races led many to wonder just how sustainable the team's surge would be heading into 2024, but Alonso himself had few doubts that they were on the right path. “I see only positives,” he said when asked to look back at 2023. "Those struggles, I think, are part of the job and part of the journey of this team.”
“We started really strong with a car that was, surprisingly maybe, more competitive. Even to us, the step from last year to this year [was a surprise]. We found ourselves maybe in a position that we were not ready for it," he suggested. "Fighting with Mercedes, Ferrari, you know, top teams. They're used to fighting at that level.”
“We are not at the top level yet,” he admitted. "We maybe stepped back a little bit in terms of development and in the car during the season. We found ourselves a little bit less competitive [toward the end]," Alonso admitted. "But all in all I think it was unthinkable 12 months ago, at this stage, to think about the campaign we did.”
'Sees only positives';
https://f1i.com/news/497366-alonso-s...f-in-form.html
Rob Smedley shares the ‘huge advantage’ Fernando Alonso has over the rest of the F1 grid
Wed 3 January 2024 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Former Formula 1 race engineer Rob Smedley has shared the advantage that he thinks Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso has over the rest of the grid. At 42 years old, Fernando Alonso is the most experienced driver in Formula 1 right now but easily still one of the quickest.
Rob Smedley has now shared the advantage he thinks Alonso has over his rivals that have helped him deliver so many impressive results. The Spaniard has admitted he’s ‘rather confident’ ahead of next season which suggests things are going well behind the scenes at the team. “Intelligence, I think, shows itself in many ways.”
“It shows on the track, he shows it on the track when he has this incredible ability to not only drive the car at 300 km/h, but also to analyse and process everything that is happening around him. And that is useful. That’s a huge advantage against your competitors, because not only can you drive as fast as them, but you’re also thinking better than the vast majority of them as well. And also intelligence is seen in his tenacity, in emotional intelligence, the tenacity of being solid as a rock mentally and never, or almost never, being destabilized by, for example, his teammate.”
‘Huge advantage’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob...f-the-f1-grid/
BARRETTO: After their lightning start to 2023, can Aston Martin take the next step in 2024?
04 January 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site
When Fernando Alonso put pen to paper to sign a deal with Aston Martin, the double world champion – even with his remarkable self-confidence – didn’t believe he could kick off his latest era in F1 with a run of six podiums in eight races.
But the Spaniard pleasantly surprised himself with the kind of performances that suggested age is only a number – the 42-year-old driving just as well as at any point during his two-decade-long career in Formula 1 and delivering on the lofty expectation the team’s billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll bestowed upon him when he tempted him away from Alpine.
Aston Martin sat second in the constructors’ championship after six races in 2023, having finished the previous season seventh. They had grabbed the attention of their rival teams with such a big step in relative performance and at that point were Red Bull’s most potent threat for supremacy. But then came a mid-season slump, one that left the Silverstone-based team perplexed as to why they couldn’t get more out of the AMR23. Updates came – but they did not deliver as intended.
‘Can Aston Martin take the next step in 2024?’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...yV53U8wUq.html
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Gary Anderson: What each F1 team is chasing with its 2024 concept.
There’s 10 Formula 1 teams all hoping that 2024 will bring them everything they wished for over the Christmas period.
Jan 5, 2024
by Gary Anderson
The Race
When your new car breaks cover, it’s a bit like Christmas Day. You really want something special and exciting and the last thing you need is another pair of socks. But unlike the mystery of Christmas presents, as a technical director you will have followed the progress of your car daily. Eddie Jordan always - well, mostly - used to say to me when the car sat on the ground for the first time that I must be pleased with how it looks. I would reply, ‘Eddie I have been looking at it growing up for the last six months’.
As the head aerodynamicist, chief designer, or head of vehicle dynamics, your challenge is to manage your group of people to achieve the objectives set out by the technical director when they create that performance specification. It should never be straightforward and you should always be chasing that last little bit. If it’s too easy, the specification was not demanding enough so it’s always a fine line between achievement and underachievement.
When you are talking about the car concept, it’s important to remember that it’s not about what the car looks like but how it behaves across the vast range of transient conditions. Deciding on what characteristics you want is one challenge and the other is delivering them, which is what makes this so difficult.
‘Must be pleased with how it looks’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...pt-priorities/
Horner expecting grid of RB19 lookalikes
05/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
Christian Horner admits that he expects to see a lot of familiar looking cars on the grid this season as rivals seek to emulate the success of the all-conquering RB19. A number of teams have already admitted that their latest contender will see a return to the drawing board, with many likely to use the concept of the RB19 as their starting point.
"It's been a very special period for the team and, hopefully, we can carry that momentum into next year," says Horner. "But I'm fully expecting, with stable regulations, there will be diminishing returns for us because I think we got to the top of the curve quicker than others.”
"The field is going to converge," he insists, "and for us, it's difficult to know who that will be. Will it be McLaren? Will it be Ferrari? Will it be Mercedes? It keeps moving around behind us. That's what we're fully expecting as we go into next year."
‘Grid of RB19 lookalikes’;
https://www.pitpass.com/76892/Horner...B19-lookalikes
Eddie Jordan’s worrying Red Bull F1 2024 prediction as ‘no chance’ verdict cast
05 Jan 2024 10:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan told David Coulthard there is “no chance” the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari jump to Red Bull’s level, tipping them to “walk” F1 2024. “They should finish first and second next year and walk away with the Constructors’,” Jordan predicted of Red Bull on the Formula For Success podcast.
“Max, can he win 20 grands prix, can he improve on where he was this year? My view is no, because when you don’t have big rule changes, and this coming year there’s no big rule change, the cars concertina.” Jordan offered a clear “no chance” in response to that, (David Coulthard: “So surely, they should be closer, or maybe even able to beat where Red Bull are.”) revealing that his cycling pal and Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey has a real pep in his step, a clear sign that he is very confident over Red Bull’s situation.
“No. No chance, simple,” said Jordan in response to Coulthard. “When you’re building a car and you have somebody of the likes of Adrian Newey and his team, which full marks to them, phenomenal to achieve this kind of landmark, because this probably may never be beat, we may look back in 20, 30 years time and you’ll say, ‘You know that 2023, that was just off the charts brilliant for what was achieved’.”
‘Worrying Red Bull F1 2024 prediction’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-...l-walk-f1-2024
What Mercedes’ W14 errors tell us about its 2024 F1 car changes
When Mercedes reveals its new 2024 Formula 1 car next month, it is clearly going to be a very different beast to last year’s W14.
UPDATEDJAN 5, 2024, 9:15 AM
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Mercedes' issues can be traced back to the horrendous porpoising that its W13 suffered from in 2022, with a car that delivered its peak downforce in an area so close to the ground where bouncing became a problem. However, lifting the car did not help much as it found itself losing too much performance, backing itself away from low ride heights.
It eventually got on top of the issues at play and did stage a good recovery throughout that campaign to find downforce higher up, winning the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, and that gave it some confidence that the worst was behind it. Heading into last year, though, the enforced raising of the floor edges by 15mm meant that there was a critical decision to be made.
As Allison explained: “There was a big debate internally: should we cash in that 15mm and drop the car down, operate in a window that's 15mm smaller because the cars will be less bouncy inherently? Or should we do more of what has done us well over the course of the [previous] year, which is force ourselves to keep looking for downforce where it's difficult: high up?
‘W14 errors’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...nges/10562679/
The storylines likely to dominate F1 in 2024
Jan 5, 2024, 03:48 AM ET
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com
VIDEO of Red Bull practicing pit stops in the dark!
F1's new season begins on March 2 with the Bahrain Grand Prix after three days of testing the week prior at the same venue. While Red Bull's RB19 instantly earned itself a place in F1's all-time great cars, Verstappen was consistently special in 2023. His 19 wins - 10 of which came consecutively between May's Miami Grand Prix and September's Italian Grand Prix - were unprecedented. Only Carlos Sainz's Singapore win denied Red Bull a perfect season.
For much of the year Verstappen was driving on another level and even if Red Bull's new car is less dominant, the Dutchman is as difficult to beat as it gets in racing, a perfect combination of supreme talent and unshakable confidence in a car he knows can win races and titles.
‘The storylines: Can Mercedes or Ferrari get it right? Perez's Red Bull seat. What will happen with Andretti's F1 bid? Will the F1-FIA relationship improve or deteriorate? Can Norris finally get win number one? Can Alonso and Aston Martin repeat its 2023 start? Can Aston seriously contend with Lance Stroll? The driver market.’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/3...minate-f1-2024
Ranked: The best and worst F1 tracks on the F1 2024 calendar
05 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
With a record number of races this season, we have ranked every venue set to host an F1 2024 race.
With 24 different venues across 21 countries and five continents, F1 is truly a global sport.
In 2024, changes have been made to ease emissions but the F1 circus is set to travel to almost every corner of the world. We have ranked every track ahead of us.
The best
Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan (April 7)
Circuit de Monaco, Monaco (May 26)
Silverstone Circuit, United Kingdom (July 7)
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (July 28)
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy (September 1)
Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Brazil (November 3)
Worst
Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia (March 9)
Miami International Autodrome, United States (May 5)
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (June 23)
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico (October 27)
‘The best and worst F1 tracks’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1...-2024-calendar
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Controversial Mercedes upgrade set to bring 'absolute pandemonium'.
Mercedes have reportedly caused fury after announcing expansion plans that are set to cause major impacts.
Friday 5 January 2024 18:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans
Mercedes have reportedly caused fury after announcing expansion plans that are set to cause major impacts.
Simon Wheeler, managing director of a local business told the Chronicle: “Everyone is up in arms about the idea of this happening because at the moment we all have fairly unfettered access into this premises which means we have no issues getting staff or commercial vehicles in.
“If you’ve got several hundred cars first thing in the morning and last thing at night trying to enter and exit the site it’s going to cause absolute pandemonium. Our customers, our suppliers, or our employees all of a sudden could be having to leave home earlier to avoid getting caught up in everyone else’s traffic.”
'Absolute pandemonium';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...sion-brackley/
Mercedes accused of ‘gross disrespect’ as they face HQ expansion headache
05 Jan 2024 11:42 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Mercedes could face some backlash to their plans to grow their Brackley base with local residents reportedly unhappy at the knock-on effect it will have on the area. According to local newspaper the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, residents are “up in arms” about the plans which they say will bring high levels of traffic in the area.
Mercedes are planning to build a three-storey marketing building, a health and well-being building and an extension to the main headquarters. The main issue appears to be the impact these plans will have on St James Road which is the next road down from Lauda Drive which leads to Mercedes’ factory.
‘Gross disrespect’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...nsion-headache
F1 tech review: Mercedes takes design U-turn to beat Ferrari
Mercedes initially plowed on with its radical zeropod concept, but then quickly decided to overhaul the W14 to establish a performance baseline for a new design direction in 2024.
UPDATEDJAN 5, 2024, 5:48 PM
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
CO-AUTHORGiorgio Piola
Motorsport.com
This resulted in a large-scale update arriving in Monaco with further adaptations being implemented throughout the remainder of the season.
Let’s take a detailed look at some of the car’s finer details in full, and how that big development programme was rolled out to overtake Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
A comparison of the W13 and W14, showing how the zeropod’s inlet had been pushed back for 2023.
‘Design U-turn’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...rari/10562996/
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff admits F1 rival faced an ‘awful’ situation in 2023
Fri 5 January 2024 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff believes the grid penalty Carlos Sainz received at the Las Vegas GP was ‘absolutely unfair’ and ‘awful’ for the Ferrari star. The 29-year-old had to accept a 10-place grid penalty as Formula 1 returned to Sin City last November. Ferrari were helpless to prevent the penalty after a water valve cover destroyed Sainz’s car. It made the Scuderia replace the Spaniard’s battery, ICE and control electronics.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown also stated that it was ‘unfair’ for Sainz to get a grid penalty for an incident out of the Ferrari driver’s control. Now, Mercedes boss Wolff has also called Sainz’s grid penalty at the Las Vegas GP ‘absolutely unfair’ and has urged the FIA to tweak its rules. Wolff believes it would have been ‘awful’ for Sainz after putting himself in the Ferrari pilot’s shoes. So, it is only right that the FIA now looks at its rules and considers if Formula 1 needs a force majeure clause that allows the stewards to void certain penalties on key conditions.
‘Absolutely unfair’ and ‘Awful’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mer...ation-in-2023/
Major Mercedes W15 concept admission delivered by George Russell
05 Jan 2024 10:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
George Russell believes the added time Mercedes have had to focus on the W15 will bring them performance. “[I am] more confident going into this break,” he said before the 2023 season ended, according to Autosport. “[We have been] working on the new concept for a long time and there’s been so much due diligence gone into that concept.”
“Whereas I think last year it was all a little bit rushed. We didn’t have all the information to hand, we may have jumped to a couple of conclusions without thoroughly going through the consequences. And we learned when the car hit the ground this year that we made a step forward in some regards, but it came with a lot of baggage and we hadn’t taken that into consideration.”
‘W15 concept admission’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...george-russell
Hamilton and Wolff exchange over 'bad' Mercedes gains attention
Friday 5 January 2024 12:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff's public frustrations during the Austrian Grand Prix in 2023 has been voted as the 'best team team radio' exchange of the year. During the race Hamilton asked his race engineer Bono if rivals were also being considered for track penalties as well as complaining about the driveability of the W14 in general.
But following Bono's update, team boss Toto Wolff then dived into the conversation telling Hamilton, "Lewis, the car is bad we know - please drive it." The exchange proved memorable to GPFans readers who have voted it in our annual awards as their favourite radio exchange with 43 per cent of the vote.
‘Public frustrations’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...e-mercedes-f1/
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How Kimi Raikkonen Nearly Bankrupted a Formula 1 Team…
It was reported that he would earn 50,000 Euros per point he scored. In two years at Lotus, Kimi Raikkonen scored a total of 390 points.
Published: Jan 5, 2024
By Alastair Smith
World In Sport
Kimi Raikkonen is most famous for his no-nonsense, blunt personality. As well as his personality he is also very famous for being an all round motorsport athlete. As well as F1 Kimi Raikkonen has raced in Nascar and the World Rally Championship.
By the end of the 2011 season, it was announced that Kimi Raikkonen would return to F1 with Lotus. This would be the first season that Lotus would be in F1 since its rebrand from Renault. When the 2012 season came about there was a lot of hype around him and the team. Come the first round in Australia, all eyes were on him. He would finish a 7th place after starting 18th.
By the end of the season, he would finish an unexpected yet incredible 3rd place in the driver’s standings. He would finish with 207 points. His junior teammate finished 8th with 96 points. It became clear that Kimi Raikkonen’s experience was vital to the team’s success. By the 2013 season, Kimi Raikkonen continued to prove it was not a first-season fluke by winning the opening race of the season in Australia by 12.4 seconds. Kimi Raikkonen would go on a 3 race podium streak from rounds 3 to 5.
‘Using that math, he would have brought in a total of 19.5m euros in bonuses’;
https://worldinsport.com/how-kimi-ra.../?nowprocket=1
Silverstone among 10 F1 tracks with short contracts as possible axe looms for favourites
Many of F1's most iconic events, such as the races at Silverstone, Monza, Spa-Francorchamps and in Monaco, have only short-term contracts as newer venues threaten their places
Jan 5, 2024, 06:06
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
British GP, Silverstone – 2024 As it stands, Silverstone currently has just one more year left on its existing contract. But there is no reason for UK-based fans to worry - the Northamptonshire circuit is far too important and historic for the world championship for it to be at risk. A new contract is inevitable and the British Grand Prix will remain a key part of the schedule for years to come.
Japanese GP, Suzuka – 2024 A near ever-present on the F1 calendar since 1987, Suzuka also has an unclear future beyond this year. But, like Silverstone, it is a firm favourite among fans and drivers alike not to mention one of the more challenging circuits on the calendar. The value of the Japanese market along makes the Japanese Grand Prix safe, you would imagine.
Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps – 2025 Another very challenging circuit, but Spa-Francorchamps feels less secure than either of the above. Two more races in Belgium are guaranteed but, of all the historic European venues, Spa feels like one of the most at-risk. Facility upgrades are required and there are safety concerns, particularly after the death of 18-year-old Dilano van't Hoff last summer. There's work to be done to save Spa, you feel.
‘Chinese GP, Shanghai International Circuit – 2025, Dutch GP, Zandvoort – 2025, Emilia Romagna GP, Imola – 2025, Italian GP, Monza – 2025, Las Vegas GP, Las Vegas Strip – 2025, Mexican GP, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – 2025, Monaco GP, Monte Carlo – 2025’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...onaco-31810470
Verstappen addresses widespread F1 rumour over Perez rivalry
Friday 5 January 2024 20:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Max Verstappen has categorically denied that Red Bull do not develop the team's car to suit his driving style more than that of Sergio Perez, as he admitted that it is down to the driver to 'adapt to the needs of the car'. And according to the three-time world champion, it all comes down to the fact that he knows how to change his approach to get the very best out of the car.
“I just try to get the best out of it. And I do that every time. I don't know how dominant this car is compared to previous cars. Nobody knows that. I tune the car the way I like it and the other driver tunes it to suit him," he added when asked whether the car is developed specifically towards his needs.
"The engineers develop the car to make it faster. And not how I would like it to be. It's the same with the driving style. What is your driving style? I don't know. I adapt to the needs of the car to make it the fastest. That's the key to being a really good Formula 1 driver. Adapting to what you get from the team."
‘Categorically denied’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...car-rb19-rb20/
Six things Mercedes must stop getting wrong in F1
Jan 6, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race
1 CAR ARCHITECTURE: The Mercedes W15 needs to have the fundamentals nailed from the start, eliminating the baked-in structural limitations that held it back last year.
2 PLATFORM CONTROL: This generation of F1 cars is all about nailing the interaction of the aerodynamic characteristics and the mechanical platform. This is what makes the aforementioned changes to the front and rear suspension so important.
3 CONCEPT: The word concept is bandied sound endlessly in F1, but poorly defined. Often it’s applied to the physical look of the car, but with F1 cars today it’s more about the performance windows you want to operate in.
4 RISK v REWARD RATIO: As Mercedes made a respectable recovery during 2022, emerging as a race winner late in the season, it chose to carry that car concept into 2023, but there was a curveball in the form of the rule changes introduced to tackle concerns about the physical toll porpoising took on drivers.
5 COLLABORATION: After returning to the front line as technical director in the middle of the 2023 season, Allison identified a weakness. As a result of the shock of the slump in competitiveness, he characterised the way the team was working as “fragmented” as everyone scrambled to recover.
6 EXPECTATIONS: The odds are against Mercedes being able to fight Red Bull for the championship in 2024. It’s not impossible, but realistically a good season will be one in which it closes the gap and can be a more regular threat for race wins.
‘Six’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...-in-formula-1/
Sainz wants 'easier' Ferrari after 2023 'headaches'
06 January 9:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz said he wants the 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car to be "easier" to setup after issues with its predecessor. The SF-23 proved to be a difficult car to get into the right setup window for both Sainz and Charles Leclerc, with their qualifying pace often not translating in the race.
As a result they would suffer from high tyre degradation, leading to one of the worst starts to a season since 2009 having only scored 26 points after three races. By contrast the 2009 season saw them score just 12 points in the same period.
Their problems with tyre degradation hit its peak during the Miami Grand Prix, when they Sainz finished seventh place after starting inside the top three and Leclerc only fifth after starting from seventh. “There has been talk that [the 2023 car] is a car that suits me, that I like,” he told As “Honestly, it has given me headaches not only myself but also to my team mate and to Ferrari.”
‘Wants the 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car to be "easier" to setup’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-want...2023-headaches
F1 team confirm Schumacher as 'family' along with rival star
Friday 5 January 2024 22:57
Sam Cook
GPFans
Mick Schumacher has been welcomed with open arms to his new team, having recently started a new role. The young German has been confirmed as a driver for Alpine's endurance team in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), meaning a return to full-time racing after spending 2023 as Mercedes' test and reserve driver.
While Schumacher will retain his role with Mercedes alongside working with Alpine, the German isn't likely to be as present around the Formula 1 paddock as he was in 2023. The 24-year-old will be back in full-time racing for the first time since 2022, when he was dropped by Haas after some costly mistakes and inconsistent performances throughout his debut two years in F1.
'Family';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...amily-besties/
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Red Bull confirm incredible admission over RB21 plans.
…started to think about their 2025 car, likely to be named the RB21, and that their RB20 for next season is 'at least six months old'.
Saturday 6 January 2024 14:57
Sam Cook
GPFans
During the Milton Keynes-based outfit's remarkable, record-breaking 2023 season, team principal Christian Horner revealed that the team had already switched their attentions to 2024. Red Bull will be hopeful that this was the reason for their rivals starting to catch up with them at the end of 2023, with McLaren showing some impressive pace.
Red Bull's new challenger: Now, Waterhouse has revealed quite a startling admission about the team's 2024 car. “The RB20 is a car that is at least six months old," he said in quotes reported by Formula Passion. "And we are already starting to move our attention on the RB21, even if the season has not yet started."
‘Move our attention on the RB21’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ble-admission/
F1 tech review: Red Bull finds new ways to pull further ahead
Red Bull’s RB19 was clearly the class of the field in 2023, with the team finding numerous ways to build on its earlier success under the new regulations.
UPDATEDJAN 6, 2024, 4:14 PM
AUTHORMatt Somerfield
CO-AUTHORGiorgio Piola
Motorsport.com
A comparison of the RB18 and RB19’s from beneath shows how the team developed its underfloor to deal with the changes in the regulations, which is more visually notable on the floor’s edge and with the change in approach when it came to their edge wing design.
Red Bull made changes to the layout of its sidepod inlet at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, widening the aperture but reducing its height, in order to improve flow through the undercut beneath. It’s a design process that continued to be exploited too, as an even more adventurous variant arrived at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Red Bull almost exclusively used an asymmetric layout for the engine cover cooling louvre panel in 2023 with more cooling used on the right-hand side of the car, as a five-louvre panel was used in Hungary. Red Bull introduced their open-ended rear wing tip section variant at the Singapore Grand Prix, having seen a number of rivals already extract performance from similar solutions.
‘Clearly the class of the field’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...rets/10563204/
F1 News: Helmut Marko addresses failed Red Bull crash test
January 5, 2024
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Helmut Marko dismissed the importance of Red Bull’s failed crash test for 2024, which was reported some weeks ago. In the words of Toto Wolff, Red Bull has a clear target on its back in 2024. After taking last year’s Championship in such convincing fashion, several teams are working to hunt them down.
With the arrival of McLaren and Aston Martin as regular podium finishers, the reigning Champions will have more teams to worry about than in most of the hybrid era. The question on everyone’s lips is whether Red Bull is within striking distance this year.
Helmut Marko has a clear response to suggestions that failing the crash test is a concern: “Ridiculous. If we had passed the first test, there would be a problem,” he told f1-insider. “Then we would have done a bad job.” As outlined previously, there were many different reactions on social media to the news of the RB20 failing these pre-season tests.
‘Helmut Marko dismissed the importance of Red Bull’s failed crash test’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ll-crash-test/
Marko inks three-year extension with Red Bull
05/01/2024 at 10:52
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s long-standing motorsport advisor, has reportedly signed a new three-year contract with the energy drink company according to several media reports. The 80-year-old Austrian’s new deal puts an end to speculation that he might depart the team following the expiration of his previous contract at the end of 2024.
Speaking to Austrian outlet OE24 last month, Marko remarked on the changed dynamics within Red Bull since the passing of its co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, expressing regret that his late friend could not witness the team's dominant performance in 2023, in which Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races.
“It’s now an extended group of people, including Mark Mateschitz, the Thais, and Oliver Mintzlaff,” he said. “The way we used to be able to decide things with Dietrich Mateschitz was unique. After this winning season, which put everything in the shade, I was incredibly sorry that he was no longer able to experience it.”
‘New three-year contract’;
https://f1i.com/news/497415-marko-in...-red-bull.html
"It has to work," says Marko of Red Bull power unit
05/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
2026 finally sees Red Bull go it alone in terms of its engine, and Helmut Marko admits that it is a gamble that "has to work". "Even though we are still a long way from competitive use, everything is going according to plan and the performance curve is right," he tells Austria's OE24.
Asked, should things not go to plan, if Honda might yet remain a potential 'Plan B', the Austrian replied: "No, it has to work," he insists, "from 2026, we will be racing with our own engine. Until then, we want the best possible performance potential from Honda, which has worked well so far," he adds. "Honda was my deal, so I will continue to look after it."
Max Verstappen is expected to continue his winning ways this season and next, but how does the Dutchman feel about his team's huge gamble. "A difficult question," he admitted to Blick. "But hundreds of people are working on this Red Bull Powertrains project in Milton Keynes. We don't want to be caught on the wrong foot in 2026," he added. "We all hope it will be a rocket. We will see."
‘We will be racing with our own engine’;
https://www.pitpass.com/76891/It-has...ull-power-unit
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Business Owners Could Prevent F1 From Returning To Las Vegas In 2024.
If local business owners have anything to say about it, it could well be the last time the sport hits the strip.
JANUARY 6, 2024 11:27 AM
BY CLAY SAUERTIEG
BroBible
Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com reports that several small business owners believe they were misled by race organizers, who ensured that the event would be a huge boon for local companies.
“We don’t need the F1. The F1 needs us,” Jay’s Market owner Wade Bohn told Snel. “We want to be compensated for the losses that occurred due to everything F1, the county and the LVCVA did.”
Bohn claims that his business’ revenue was cut in half, from $8.5 million in 2022 to $4.2 million. He believes this is due to customers being unable to access his business because of work on and around the track. “We believe the county is responsible. They’re using taxpayer dollars to bring F1 into town. When F1 went before the county, they promised they would not be a hindrance, that they would be a part of the community,”
Bohn said. “What they did was they came in, tore everything up, ran the race and got the hell out of dodge. . . If this (the business loss) happens again next year I will be out of business one hundred percent.” And Bohn isn’t alone. Local restaurant owner Randy Markin says that he, and others, feel misled. “We as a community got bamboozled, we got fooled. This has not ever happened before. It just steamrolled out of control,” Markin said of the race.
“We as a community got bamboozled, we got fooled”;
https://brobible.com/sports/article/...as-vegas-2024/
Business Owner On Formula 1 Race Impact On Las Vegas: ‘We As A Community Got Bamboozled, We Got Fooled’; Businesses Ask Clark County, LVCVA, F1 For Compensation For Revenue Losses
January 3, 2024January 5, 2024
Alan Snel
LVSportsBiz.com
Businesses that lost millions of dollars in revenues because of the Formula 1 car race in the Strip corridor in November have banded together to ask Clark County government, the LVCVA public tourism agency and F1 for financial compensation for their losses.
“We believe the county is responsible. They’re using taxpayer dollars to bring F1 into town. When F1 went before the county, they promised they would not be a hinderance, that they would be a part of the community,” Bohn said. “What they did was they came in, tore everything up, ran the race and got the hell out of dodge. . . If this (the business loss) happens again next year I will be out of business one hundred percent.”
Jay’s Market, Battista’s, Stage Door and several other businesses that lost millions of dollars in revenue because of Formula 1’s race course have joined forces and enlisted a representative who appeared before the Clark County Commission at its meeting Tuesday. The businesses are located in the heart of the Strip corridor where Formula 1created a 3.8-mile course for the Nov. 18 race. The track and surrounding closed roads impeded customers from buying items at many local stores.
‘Revenue Losses’;
https://lvsportsbiz.com/2024/01/03/b...evenue-losses/
Open letter calls for changes to F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix to help fans, businesses
06:54 Fri, 15 Dec 2023.
By Jaclyn Schultz
Fox 5 Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The leader of several productions on the Las Vegas Strip wrote an open letter to push for logistical changes to the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix to help fans and local businesses—most notably, moving the start time up earlier.
Ross Mollison, Impresario Extraordinaire of Spiegelworld, drafted a letter that has been seen by resort and casino leaders from the Strip to Downtown Las Vegas. He tells FOX5 his shows—Absinthe, Atomic Saloon and Opium—lost a total of $500,000 during the week of F1 when they went “dark” due to the race—but he wants it known that he’s a major F1 fan.
Numerous other shows canceled performances or had very little audience attendance. “It’s not just live entertainment that I think was really hit hard. A lot of restaurants were really hit hard,” he said. “Our sales have bounced back from the week that was F1, which was really, really tough for us. But I’m still in a post F1 glow, because I’m an enormous Formula One fan,” he said.
‘Open letter calls for changes’;
https://www.fox5vegas.com/2023/12/15...ns-businesses/
Upcoming traffic restrictions for Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Sat, January 6th 2024
by News 3 Staff
News3LV.com
Las Vegas Blvd, Sands Ave to Harmon Ave
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, midnight-9am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Harmon Ave, Las Vegas Blvd to Koval Ln
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Koval Ln, Harmon Ave to Westchester Dr
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures
Sands Ave, Koval Ln to Las Vegas Blvd
• Work hours: Nightly, Tues 1/8 – Thurs 1/11, 9pm-6am
• Intermittent single lane closures
‘The new year means more construction’;
https://news3lv.com/news/local/upcom...esort-corridor
Ferrari 'reopen' controversial Las Vegas F1 dispute
Wednesday 3 January 2024 09:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed that they have 'reopened' the case of who is responsible for covering the cost of repairing the damage sustained to Carlos Sainz's car at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
In the current era of strict budget caps, the money spent on repairing the car would have been hugely damaging for Ferrari. But Vasseur has now revealed that they have 'reopened' the incident and are in discussions with insurance companies to hopefully receive compensation.
“No, no,” he told the media when asked if Ferrari had received answers as to who was going to pay for the damage done to the car. “You know that, when you open the discussion with the insurance, it’s ages! It’s true everywhere, including in F1.
‘Controversial Las Vegas F1 dispute’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-fred-vasseur/
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Aston Martin to welcome ‘big change’ this year.
Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows has revealed the team's R&D departments are "champing at the bit" to work with its new wind tunnel that is due to go online later this year.
7 January 2024
by Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
Speaking to Speedcafe, he said: “Having been in an environment where you have that flexibility (with your own wind tunnel), and then having to share a wind tunnel with somebody else, even though it’s a very good facility, it gives you so much more ability to do research projects around your normal wind tunnel development programme.
“It’s particularly relevant for understanding the aerodynamics of new cars, so, for example, when we go into the 2026 regulations, with them being very new, it will play an enormous part in that. So it’s very exciting for us because there are a lot of projects that we’d like to be able to do, but we don’t have the time to do them in the (Mercedes) wind tunnel.”
“I’ve got R&D departments absolutely champing at the bit to get into this new tunnel. The thing is, are there going to be enough hours in the week to do all these projects? Even so, it’ll be a big step forward for us.”
‘R&D departments are "champing at the bit"!’;
https://speedcafe.com/aston-martin-n...el-big-change/
Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 car to be “very different” with radical changes mooted
5 Jan 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 car is reportedly set to be “very different” and feature radical changes from last season. The Silverstone-based outfit emerged from last winter as Red Bull’s nearest challengers and enjoyed having the second-fastest car during the early rounds of 2023, before tailing off as the season went on.
According to F1.com's Lawrence Barretto, the AMR24 “looks very different to its predecessor on the outside, with a plethora of changes under the skin and away from prying eyes”. We are not heading into 2024 with a hangover from 2023. Quite the opposite, in fact,” team principal Mike Krack commentated.
“[Last] season – and especially the races at the end of the season – have been very positive for us, with some really valuable learning that will carry over into the '24 car. We're not wrestling with any doubts.”
‘Radical changes’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104304...changes-mooted
Aston Martin confirms 2024 F1 car launch date
04 Jan 2024, 22:53
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Aston Martin have become the latest team to reveal 2024 F1 car launch plans with the Silverstone-based squad set to take the covers off their AM24 two weeks before the pre-season testing. Aston Martin have now joined the three teams, announcing that their new challenger - the AMR24 - will be unveiled at Silverstone on Monday February 12.
‘AM24 car launch’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/24342
Aston Martin reveals 2024 F1 car launch date
Jan 4, 2024
The Race
Aston Martin will unveil its 2024 Formula 1 car on February 12 at Silverstone, becoming the fourth team to announce a launch event.
The team enjoyed a breakthrough start to the 2023 season in which it left F1's midfield behind and earned a string of podium finishes, all courtesy of new star driver Fernando Alonso. It wasn't able to maintain that form as rivals - particularly McLaren - made strides but Alonso still added podiums at Zandvoort and Interlagos.
Aston ultimately slipped to fifth in the constructors' championship behind McLaren but that still comfortably marked the strongest season for the Silverstone-based team since it was rebranded as Aston Martin in 2021.
‘Fourth team to announce a launch event’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...r-launch-date/
Fernando Alonso’s love affair with Aston Martin continues with rare car purchase
03 Jan 2024 9:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Fernando Alonso has bought himself an ex-DTM racing car from Aston Martin, after driving the machine in a sponsor outing in Spain. The Spaniard took part in a sponsor event at the Jarama circuit in early September 2023, driving an ex-Dani Juncadella Aston Martin Vantage AMR from the 2019 DTM season.
Alonso was clearly impressed by the Class 1 machine, with Alonso opting to buy one of the five chassis prepared by R-Motorsport from engine manufacturer HWA AG, with some minor modifications made to the car before the sale. Juncadella, who appeared at Jarama alongside Alonso, said Alonso had had no problems adjusting to the handling of the DTM machine.
“I was there to give him some support in case he needed help with the car basics,” Juncadella explained. “He has a lot of experience and knows racing cars well. But it was interesting to spend the day with him. It seems that everything is very natural for him. He understands everything very quickly and doesn’t ask many questions because he knows what he’s doing. He said he was impressed by the car. The performance was better than expected for him.”
‘Alonso’s love affair’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...in-vantage-dtm
