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The key personnel Ferrari wants from the teams it’s losing to.
Ferrari’s getting aggressive in its attempt to address a disappointing performance in Formula 1 2023 but it’s probably not enough.
11th August 2023, 08:02
The Race
So it’s no surprise that there’s more and more evidence in the paddock that it’s trying to solve its problems with proactive attempts to bring in fresh expertise from the teams that are beating it right now. It’s been mostly silent since early season news and rumours of various staff leaving Ferrari and others potentially doing so as well.
The exits of people like David Sanchez have inevitably been played down, with the argument being that he was not an essential figure as head of vehicle concept, nor a hugely effective one. One anti-Sanchez theory in the paddock is that given Ferrari started 2022 well enough but failed to progress, then clearly hit a wall in 2023, his concept didn’t have enough potential to begin with.
But Sanchez is now joining McLaren, which is saying the opposite – that the concept role is vital and Sanchez, who was a central figure to all the race-winning Ferraris in the hybrid engine era, is a key acquisition. So Ferrari has jobs to fill. And it continues to be linked with poaching all manner of Mercedes and Red Bull staff members – with the first major acquisition expected to be Loic Serra joining from Mercedes, although probably not until 2025.
‘Ferrari’s getting aggressive’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-k...its-losing-to/
Ferrari should be 'protagonists, not extras’, says disappointed ex-chairman Luca di Montezemolo
11 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo is disappointed by the lack of progress made by his former F1 team, saying they should be “protagonists, not extras”. Di Montezemolo, who oversaw Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s period of F1 domination in the early 2000s, stepped down from his long-time role amid a poor 2014 season.
Di Montezemolo says he expected more from Ferrari in the decade that has passed since his departure. “As a fan I dream of a Ferrari not that always wins, but that fights for the title until the last race,” he told Quotidiano Nazionale. “As in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2010, 2012. You can lose, but as protagonists, not as extras.”
The Italian believes Ferrari need to tie down Charles Leclerc for as long as possible but says the Maranello outfit’s problem is not their drivers. “He’s good and I don’t think there are free riders stronger than him,” Di Montezemolo said of Leclerc. “But in the present who drives the red is the least of the problems. As president I had built a dream team, from Schumi to [Jean] Todt, from [Ross] Brawn to [Rory] Byrne.”
'Protagonists, not extras’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103317...ted-exchairman
Ferrari boss fires warning about catching Max Verstappen
Ferrari are a staggering 312 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.
9 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted that it’s “quite difficult” to catch Red Bull in the current era of Formula 1, with the budget cap being to blame. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Crash.net.
“It means that when there is a gap, and a real gap, it’s quite difficult to catch up. One weekend to the others over the last four or five weekends it was a one time [Ferrari] ahead in quali, one time McLaren, one time Mercedes. But we are always behind Red Bull and at least in the race they have still a huge gap.”
“Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-b...ax-verstappen/
Ferrari to use new Mercedes signing to entice number one target to Maranello – report
07 Aug 2023 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Failing to sign Pierre Waché when Ferrari made a play for the Red Bull technical director earlier this year, reports claim Fred Vasseur is going to use his newest recruit, Mercedes’ Loïc Serra, to get his number target.
Having lost David Sanchez to McLaren and Laurent Mekies to AlphaTauri, earlier this year Ferrari made a play for Waché, the Red Bull technical director and one of the key men behind the all-conquering Red Bull RB19 and its superior DRS. They were, however, rebuffed by the Frenchman before turning their attention to his compatriot and Mercedes’ performance director Serra.
Expected to join Ferrari in 2025, unless the Scuderia can reach an agreement with Mercedes that will allow for a shorter period of gardening leave, AMuS’s Michael Schmidt reports the Scuderia are hoping to use Serra to persuade Waché over to Ferrari as they are good friends. “I believe Loïc Serra was chosen carefully,” Schmidt said in his post-Spa video. “He is one of the best friends of Pierre Waché, the technical director of Red Bull. The two often spend hours together in the paddock, even though they are from rival teams.”
‘Entice number one target’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...-pierre-wache/
Frederic Vasseur blames FIA for Ferrari’s struggles
Ferrari have fallen 312 points behind Red Bull after just 12 races of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
8 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes catching Red Bull has been made more difficult by the introduction of the budget cap, which came into effect in 2021.
As a result of Ferrari not being able to throw everything at development because of the $135 million cost cap, closing Red Bull has become “quite difficult”. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Motorsport Week.
Despite the gap to Red Bull being so large, Vasseur has stressed that Ferrari are focusing on themselves and not their rivals. He revealed that the Italians are “pushing like hell” to improve whatever they can to increase their performance, with the side seemingly trying everything. “To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” added Vasseur.
“Pushing like hell”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/frederic-...ris-struggles/
Ferrari claims F1 cost cap has made Red Bull harder to catch
8 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
The introduction of the F1 cost cap has made it even harder to close the gap to Red Bull, according to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. Ferrari boss Vasseur believes the F1 cost cap, which is set at $135m for each team this year, has only made the deficit for the chasing pack more difficult to bridge.
“To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” Vasseur said. “You have to work on yourself. It means that we are developing, we are developing in every single direction, we are trying to improve aero, suspension and whatever we can do.”
“We are pushing like hell to do a better job but if you have a look, and this is crucial, with the bouncing and so, it’s not when you are bringing upgrades that you are doing a huge step forward."
‘Red Bull harder to catch’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103306...l-harder-catch
Leclerc wants Ferrari investigation into race weakness
07 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Leclerc wants to know the reason for the drop-off when asked about Ferrari's weaknesses by media, including RacingNews365: "We have statistics of all the pit stops around the paddock and before this race [Belgium] we were still one of the best ones.
"In the last few races, we started to struggle a bit more, so now we will look into it. It's been two or three races in a row where we've had one or two pit-stops where we've struggled. It has to become one of our priorities to maximise our points."
‘Ferrari investigation’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-wa...-race-weakness
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Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief as Lewis Hamilton closes in.
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso as the team continue to lag behind rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and now McLaren in the development race and the Spaniard loses further ground in his fight with Lewis Hamilton.
18:40, Tue, Aug 8, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
“The drivers, I have to say credit to both of them,” Krack explained to Formula1.com. “Because it was a difficult situation when you are used to having a front-running car and then you start to slip back a little bit. It’s easy to get destructive and it happened exactly the opposite so I’m really happy with the way that this has evolved.”
Krack then made his apology to Alonso and Stroll, stating: “I’m really sorry for our drivers that we have not maybe managed to keep up there but, rest assured, we will try everything to come back.”
‘Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...n-Aston-Martin
F1 boss issues APOLOGY to drivers amid sudden form slump
Tuesday 8 August 2023 16:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Alonso, in particular, started the 2023 season like a house on fire, scoring multiple podiums and regularly being the closest challenger to Red Bull. Aston Martin have since gone off the boil, with Mercedes and Ferrari bringing useful upgrades. McLaren have also now entered the conversation with a remarkable turn of speed.
Alonso is still holding onto third in the drivers' standings but Lewis Hamilton is only one point behind. Stroll is ninth in the points, behind Lando Norris. Team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll due to Aston Martin's recent slump in form.
‘F1 boss issues APOLOGY’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...troll-apology/
F1 team principal admits DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'
Wednesday 9 August 2023 12:12
Lauren Sneath
GPFans
In an interview on the Aston Martin website, he said: “We've lost small amounts compared to our competitors and as an engineer, that makes you disappointed, but it's the qualifying and finishing positions that give the perception that we've dropped back massively when in reality we haven't.
“Our competitors have just improved more than us and jumped into that gap between us and Red Bull.” Krack said: “We're constantly pushing the development, and these cars are so complex that any change will impact other areas of the car – there are side effects. Very few changes you make to the car work in isolation.”
“We made a change earlier in the season and didn't anticipate it having some of the side effects that it did. It wasn't until after several races at different types of circuits that we realised how it was influencing the car. The upgrades we have put on the car have worked, and the numbers are where they should be – but I think the results over the last few races are representative of where we are.”
‘DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...nada-outliers/
Alonso unhappy with 'one factor' affecting Aston Martin
06 August 4:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso is unhappy with the mid-season change in Formula 1's tyre construction by Pirelli. Alonso discussed his stance on rule changes halfway through a season when speaking to media, including RacingNews365: "I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship.”
"In sport, you know, you change the balls in the middle of the tennis tournament or something like that, and it’s what happens when we change tyres here, we change the rules in the middle of a F1 World Championship.
"But you know, at the end of the day, is the same for everybody again, so we just need to understand the tyre the best we can, and hopefully extract the maximum."
"I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship”;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-unh...g-aston-martin
Alonso makes track RETURN despite F1 being on summer break
Wednesday 9 August 2023 16:57
Nilanjana Chatterjee
GPFans
Formula 1 might have gone on a hiatus, but that didn't stop Fernando Alonso from hitting the race track. Alonso went go-karting on the track at his Museum, posted pictures of his day out on Twitter for his followers.
Alonso has a considerable part to play in bringing F1 motorsport to Spain. It was after he won the first championship title that F1 began drawing a fanbase in the country. After it became the most followed sport in the country, the Fernando Alonso Museum and Circuit were built to pay tribute to the two-time F1 world champion and promote motor racing.
The Museum curates all his trophies, from his karting days to his time with Renault and Ferrari. It is a living testament to what Alonso has achieved in his career in motor racing for 21 years. Speaking about Aston Martin's dip in performance, he said: "We need to keep working, understanding, a few qualifying [sessions] already on circuits that we were not competitive," he said. "Barcelona, Austria, and Silverstone - all three of them seem a little bit similar in a way in track characteristics. So, we need to understand that."
'One factor';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...break-karting/
Performance at Spa ‘Good News’ for Aston Martin Heading into Summer Break – Alonso
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Fernando Alonso admitted he was concerned about the potential performance of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team during the Belgian Grand Prix, but he was happy to be able to head into the summer break with a fifth-place finish.
“I was lucky at the start: I made up a few places into Eau Rouge, but then I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to hold onto those positions through the first stint,” said Alonso. “We were fast – we kept one Mercedes and one McLaren behind us – so we were in the mix. That’s good news for the whole team as we head into the summer break.”
“The car felt great today – and really gave me confidence. This is a high-efficiency circuit – and, after the British Grand Prix, we were a little concerned about our performance coming here. The team changed a few characteristics on the car and it really paid off.”
‘Performance at Spa Good News’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-break-alonso/
Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target through mid-season struggles
06 Aug 2023 6:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Fernando Alonso isn’t thinking about life after Aston Martin just yet, remaining laser-focused on his years of involvement as a driver. While Aston Martin hit the ground running in 2023 with multiple podium finishes, the last four races prior to the summer break have proven far more of a challenge as the team have struggled to keep up with the development progress made by other teams, such as McLaren and Mercedes.
As a result, Alonso says the obvious obstacle in transitioning into a true top-flight team is still one they must overcome, and he’s ready for the challenge of making that happen. “Not thinking too much into the future, thinking on these years only,” when asked about his future with Aston Martin.
“The target is to keep growing as a team. We are finding some obstacles right now. We are dealing with some extra performance from our opponents, our lack of performance in certain circuits and these kinds of things. Which I find very interesting and very useful for us as a team to grow up.”
‘Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...son-struggles/
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McLaren poised to stay in attack mode with another major upgrade in the works.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed there will be no let-up in the Woking-based team’s push on development in the second half of the season.
12 Aug 2023 10:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
“We’re working on some evolution of these concepts for post-shutdown,” he told media in Belgium. “We are definitely working on an evolution of this package. So another round of bodywork and floor – we still have to sign this off, we have a few more days of work. If we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it to one of the events soon after the shutdown.”
“We will see, it’s very difficult to say,” he said. “I think we kind of understand what happened with this one. But what we’re working on is not only simple millimetres, is a bit of a conceptual evolution. So there’s a degree of uncertainty like in all aerodynamic evolutions.
“Really the evidence comes only when you test these kinds of things trackside because, even if you have good wind tunnel correlation, and good CFD correlation, you’re always a little bit on the edge of knowledge. This is the same for every team so you can always say yes, once you have tested trackside.”
‘No let-up’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...ond-half-2023/
McLaren pushing to sign off final F1 ‘conceptual evolution’ update for 2023 car
McLaren has revealed it is pushing to sign off a ‘conceptual evolution’ upgrade that could be the final major update for its 2023 F1 car.
Aug 1, 2023, 9:02 AM
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Ahead of a landmark moment for the team, as it prepares to put its 2024 car in its new wind tunnel for the first time, the squad still wants to eke out one final effort for its current MCL60. “We are working on an evolution of these concepts for post shutdown,” he said.
“There is another kind of round [of changes to] the bodywork and floor. We still have to sign this off, and we have a few more days of work, but if we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it in one of the events soon after the shutdown.”
‘Conceptual evolution’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...-car/10502886/
McLaren have Red Bull and Newey to thank for STUNNING F1 turnaround
Saturday 12 August 2023 16:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has said that his team 'need to pay credit' to Peter Prodromou in light of their recent positive developments. Team principal Stella has put this recent performance success down to his head of aerodynamics Peter Prodromou. “It soon became very apparent to us that Peter Prodromou was the person that needed to lead Aerodynamics,”
Stella said in an exclusive interview with McLaren. “Peter’s leadership has been exceptional since he has been given authority over aerodynamic development and reorganisation of the department. We need to pay credit to Peter because this has been done by him, supported by Giuseppe Pesce, the Director of Aerodynamics, and the rest of the Aerodynamic leadership team.”
Earlier in his career he partnered with Red Bull’s highly credited Adrian Newey whilst working for McLaren in 2005. Christian Horner took Newey’s services to Red Bull in 2006, with Prodromou following closely behind, and they collaborated to see Sebastian Vettel win his four consecutive championships. Having collaborated with one of Formula One’s greatest technical minds, Prodromou’s wealth of experience is now proving invaluable to McLaren's advancements.
‘STUNNING F1 turnaround’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...f1-turnaround/
McLaren target crucial Red Bull weapon on F1 'to-do list'
11 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
McLaren is pursuing Red Bull's powerful DRS and beam wing configuration with its latest updates after the summer break. The team brought the first step of this update to the Belgian Grand Prix, with a concept that is close to mimicking that seen on the RB19.
Team Principal Andrea Stella told media, including RacingNews365: "The underlying level of drag is more, it has to do with the overall configuration of the car. Red Bull has done a very good job of having a car that is low drag independent of the rear wing.”
"If I take our case specifically - like in Spa - the main opportunity is to keep working on the rear wing. This is something that was on our to-do list, but kind of we are not there yet. So I think the main opportunity for us is on the rear wing. But overall, the impact on drag comes actually from the entire car."
'To-do list';
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-ta...-f1-to-do-list
Why McLaren F1 didn’t address its high drag problem sooner
13:59 Thu, 10 Aug 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
McLaren started the season off the pace with a car that was both lacking overall downforce and suffering from a lack of aerodynamic efficiency, meaning it creates too much drag for a given downforce level.
Incoming team principal Andrea Stella rolled out a recovery plan to get the team's MCL60 back on track, which included a philosophy change and then a comprehensive upgrade package overseen by a revised technical structure at Woking.
"We have done quite a lot of work on re-designing of the car from the start of the season," Stella explained. "One thing that we haven't attacked yet is actually the car at low drag level, so there wasn't much efficiency to gain by going on a small rear wing and we decided to stay at the point in which the car is at the moment most efficient.”
‘Recovery plan’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...oner/10506240/
F1 mid-season review: McLaren disrupts the fun
09 August 1:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Up to the Canadian Grand Prix in June, 2023 had been a poor showing from McLaren with just 17 points on the board, a massive restructuring of the technical department and a whole lot of questions beginning to bubble around its lead driver.
But the lid could not be kept on much longer after a stunning British Grand Prix weekend where Norris and Piastri took second and third on the grid with the Australian only missing out on finishing there in the race thanks to Lewis Hamilton getting lucky with the Safety Car timing.
This was backed up again in Hungary, a circuit Norris downplayed hopes for, with another run to second for Norris as Piastri struggled after an early bright start, but still took fifth. The team was caught out at Spa with its high-downforce rear-wing and the lack of a low-downforce option in the dry conditions for the race...
‘Questions beginning to bubble’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-mid-sea...srupts-the-fun
McLaren requires “urgent work” after F1 Belgian GP reality check
McLaren requires “urgent work” to remedy weaknesses exposed by the “reality check” that was the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, according to the Formula 1 team’s boss Andrea Stella.
Jul 31, 2023, 10:03 AM
By: Matt Kew
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Lando Norris classified seventh in the Belgian GP after dropping three places during the opening stint due to struggles on the medium tyres. He then made an earlier stop for hard tyres, which similarly backfired to leave the Briton feeling as though he was running “last”.
Stella reckoned the Spa weekend had proved a “reality check” and showed that his team had “urgent work” to undertake to resolve weaknesses that would carry over to the Italian GP. He said: “This weekend told us that where we could do work. The car is improved in some areas. This was confirmed. But, at the same time, this weekend confirmed the areas that we haven't addressed yet.”
“[It] gives us a reality check that there's more work to do and, to some extent, confirms that those areas, they need to be addressed quite urgently. This urgency, for instance, comes from the fact that a second race after [the summer] shutdown is Monza. You can't go racing in Monza like [we did in Spa]. So, there's urgent work that needs to happen at McLaren to fix the situation.”
‘Reality check’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...n-gp/10502539/
McLaren explain F1 upgrade risk
10 August 10:02AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has conceded aerodynamic development will always carry a "degree of uncertainty". "When you have aerodynamic development, you carry a degree of uncertainty," Stella told media including RacingNews365. "In mechanical design, it is much of a consolidated science in terms of the tools you use to go from point A to point B - you kind of have more control of the process.”
"But in aerodynamics, air has such a non-linear behaviour, things can vary quite significantly just by changing starting conditions just a little bit, it always retains a degree of uncertainty even when the tools tell you this works.”
"You put it trackside and you are always a little nervous. So that's the specifics of aerodynamics as a science, so that's why you see me prudent. If it was something to do with metal design, I would be more certain in my conclusions.”
“Degree of uncertainty";
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-ex...1-upgrade-risk
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Former driver claims Ferrari F1 staff 'WORK IN FEAR' at Maranello.
“I'm telling you, all the people there work in fear," he revealed to Formel1.de. "They don't raise objections because they're afraid of losing their jobs." Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer.
Sunday 13 August 2023 06:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Marc Surer has claimed this has a knock-on effect for new staff that join the Italian ranks too. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs," said the Swiss-German. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs.”
“This mainly concerns the Italian staff. Of course, it's an honour to work at Ferrari, and one wouldn't want to jeopardise their job.” Although Ferrari may be struggling with keeping up with expectations from last season, Vasseur has asked for time in order to bring in the right people to fix the Prancing Horse.
'WORK IN FEAR';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ar-marc-surer/
Rubens Barrichello reveals Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher bias
Rubens Barrichello claimed nine wins for Ferrari from 2000-2005, partnering Michael Schumacher at the team.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Barrichello very much saw Schumacher at his very best; however, the Brazilian insists that the German was “never supportive”. Ferrari also supposedly used to have meetings just with Schumacher, which Barrichello would just sit in.
“I always made friends and I’ve always had a good relationship with all my teammates,” Barrichello said on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “But he was never supportive. He was never there to offer help, so I never asked. Michael was different. He was a bit naive in the way that he worked.”
“So many times, we would finish a meeting and then they would start another one with just Michael there! So I took my chair and would just sit there! Eventually I felt that the team was his.”
“Never supportive”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/rubens-ba...humacher-bias/
F1 legend opens up on WALKING OUT on Schumacher and Ferrari
Sunday 13 August 2023 08:27
Dan Davis
GPFans
"I always say he was better than me, no doubt," Barrichello told F1.com. "But because he was already there from '96, he had four years [in the team], he had gone through the injury, and obviously Jean [Todt] considered him like a son, so it was tough for someone new to come in and say 'OK, give me the freedom'.”
"I told Ferrari if it was written in my contract to let Michael go [ahead], I didn't want to sign. My contract said nothing about that. For my benefit I accepted so many things, there were many things I did not accept, but some I did because I saw I was growing there. For six years I saw I was going forward and my time was coming."
"Honda approached me in 2005 and I said I can't [join] because I have a contract with Ferrari for 2006," he added. “But something happened [at Ferrari] in the middle of that year - I’ll put it in my book one day! - and I didn't like it. I said 'I can see you guys are not giving me the freedom to race, I waited six years, and I thank you guys very much but I want you to sign me off and I want to leave the contract'."
‘WALKING OUT’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...i-walking-out/
‘Ferrari president personally contacted Lewis Hamilton - but he said no’
12 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
“Hamilton had been contacted personally by [Ferrari president John] Elkann,” wrote Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist respected for his ties to the Scuderia, in Quotidiano. “I understand he politely replied ‘no thanks’. And you can understand it (unfortunately).”
Previously the Daily Mail insisted that Ferrari were offering a £40m deal to prise Hamilton away from Mercedes. They insisted that Elkann was “already in close contact with Hamilton” over a deal which would partner him with either Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. But Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have constantly stated their belief that an extended arrangement would be thrashed out between them.
‘You can understand it (unfortunately)’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103320...ton-he-said-no
Lewis Hamilton bluntly rejects Ferrari president’s offer
Lewis Hamilton is set to remain with Mercedes after rejecting Ferrari, but he still doesn't have a contract for 2024.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Hamilton rejecting Ferrari is a clear sign of his intent to remain with Mercedes, something he’s informed the media he’s keen to do. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also told the media countless times this season that the Silver Arrows are planning for a future with the 103-time race winner, with it being believed that his new deal will be for two seasons.
Hamilton has very much been the lead Mercedes driver this season, having finished behind George Russell in 2022. The deal was supposedly for Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz, who has been linked to Sauber ahead of their merge with Audi in 2026.
‘Ferrari president’s offer rejected’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-ham...sidents-offer/
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Formula 1 legend blasts the current state of the sport.
German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has voiced strong criticism of some of the latest developments in Formula 1.
August 3, 2023
BaylaSportsF1.com
In a recent interview with Eurosport Germany, the 72-year-old former F1 driver was asked about the suggestion that the FIA should introduce certain rules to curb Red Bull’s dominant performance. “I think that’s totally unfair,” Stuck expressed his discontent.
Regarding Formula 1’s commitment to sustainability, Stuck finds it unconscionable that synthetic fuels are not already powering the cars. He questioned, “Why hasn’t this been the case – for a long time?” and stressed that Formula 1 must consistently take on a pioneering role in the automotive world.
He also criticized the opposition faced by potential new teams, like Andretti-Cadillac, who desire to join Formula 1 from 2025. “If the FIA bends to the will of the teams that are against new teams like that, then I ask myself: would this have happened under Jean Todt?” Stuck questioned.
‘Current state of the sport’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/formula-1-...-of-the-sport/
1 Man Is Killing Formula One Stock Hype
Aug 11, 2023
Posted by Chad Stone
Money and Markets
Have you caught the Formula One bug? Like many, I was hooked after watching the first season of Drive to Survive on Netflix. I loved the mix of fast-paced Formula One action on the track and personal drama in the paddock. My wife calls it “Real Housewives of Racing,” ha!
Now … I’m obsessed. I’m up at ungodly hours of the morning to catch practice and qualifying sessions on the other side of the world, my social feeds are dominated by F1 analysis and I’m even considering attending a race next season (and I thought a Disney trip was expensive…).
But one person is doing everything he can to kill the Formula One hype machine… Max Verstappen is on an absolute tear. He’s won eight straight races and could easily win eight more. It’s like watching prime Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.
Real Housewives of Racing”;
https://moneyandmarkets.com/verstapp...ne-stock-hype/
5 Biggest Disappointments of 2023 Formula 1 Season, So Far
Some teams and drivers using August as a chance to regroup, maybe even save their season.
PUBLISHED: AUG 8, 2023
BY PHILLIP HORTON
AutoWeek
Not a Single Close Battle Up Front: This is not a criticism against Red Bull or Max Verstappen—they’ve been the class of the field.
Nyck de Vries: This could extend to AlphaTauri as a whole—a team that spent years in the midfield and has now drifted to the back
Ferrari: Ferrari started Formula 1’s new era in 2022 on top but quickly allowed its position to slip due to in-season development, strategic blunders, reliability setbacks and driver errors. Ferrari’s performance level has fluctuated from podium contention to barely scraping into the points and it does not yet fully understand the SF-23. Another era of rebuilding is underway.
Haas F1 Team: It has been a frustrating season for a Haas team that is eighth in the championship and ahead of Alfa Romeo on countback only.
Lance Stroll: A few drivers have had fairly average first portions of the season—George Russell, Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen have all had a largely forgettable time—but Lance Stroll has had a humbling stretch, for sure.
‘5 Biggest Disappointments’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...season-so-far/
The 2026 Engine Regulations: Transforming Formula 1 Racing
13:43 Fri, 04 Aug 2023.
By Theo Gayle
World In Sport (Weblog)
New Carbon-Free Fuel: As part of the 2030 “Net Zero Carbon” project, Formula 1 will introduce a revolutionary carbon-free fuel in 2026.
Increased Electric Power: The Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU-K) will see a substantial boost in power, transitioning from 120 kW to an impressive 350 kW.
Removal of MGU-H: The complexity and cost of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H) have led the FIA to eliminate it from the power units.
Reduced Fuel Allowance: The new regulations will enforce a reduction in the allowed amount of fuel for each race.
An Exciting 2026 Season: The 2026 Formula 1 season promises to be one of the most thrilling in recent history. The introduction of new teams is expected to bring unpredictability and shake up the established order among leading teams.
‘2026 Engine Regulations’;
https://worldinsport.com/the-2026-en.../?nowprocket=1
Explained: The 2026 engine regulations set to seriously shake up Formula 1
02 Aug 2023 1:55 PM
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com
In 2026, we will experience significant changes in regulations, mainly impacting the power units. The last major step was taken in 2014 when the FIA decided to introduce hybrid systems in F1.
But, the real questions are: What do the new rules bring? Are they good for the sport, and most importantly, will racing be more exciting in 2026? Let’s dig into the technical details of the new engine changes and explain how they will affect racing.
It seems that the Red Bull team members are not happy with the new regulations. Max was highly dissatisfied with the new rules, claiming that the team with the most powerful engine will also be the fastest one on the track. He also added that drivers will have to downshift on straights to recharge the battery. Horner also spoke about how the new rules need to be re-evaluated, expressing doubt about their benefits for F1.
‘Seriously shake up Formula 1’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/ex...e-regulations/
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Guenther Steiner: 24 Races is the Limit for F1 Success.
“If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1. Guenther Steiner.
August 12, 2023
13:28 Sun, 13 Aug 2023.
BaylaSportsF1
The schedule for the 2024 Formula 1 season comprises an unprecedented 24 rounds. This tally aligns with the cap established by the Concorde Agreement, an accord encompassing the teams, Formula 1, and the FIA, slated to be in effect until 2026.
Guenther Steiner holds the viewpoint that adhering to the 24-race threshold is optimal.
Expanding to 25 or beyond within a 52-week timeframe presents substantial logistical challenges, necessitating significant alterations to the functioning of Formula 1 teams, he asserted. If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1.”
“It is putting an effort in. I see from my side, obviously I come in on Wednesdays [but] some of the crew which are the set-up crew, they are away sometimes months in a row. That’s a long time and for them it’s more difficult than for me. Obviously for us personally as well it’s not easy to be away 24 weekends for racing.”
‘24 Races is the Limit’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/guenther-s...or-f1-success/
Haas 'very fluid' on vital 2024 decision - Steiner
03 August 4:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the situation is "very fluid" on whether they chose to switch focus to their 2024 car. "We need to learn exactly what it is [causing issues]," he explained to media, including RacingNews365.
"There is no point to move on now 100% to the 2024 car and not even know why we are here this year. You could end up in the same place next year. It's a topic which comes up all the time: 'How long can we push it?' ”
"We will bring some parts for after the summer break to see how they work and things like this, and then we will make the decision. But it's very fluid at the moment on when we will move over 100% to the 2024 car."
‘Vital 2024 decision’;
https://racingnews365.com/haas-very-...-focus-to-2024
F1 team principal backed for incredible DRIVE on 2024 grid
Thursday 3 August 2023 14:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has been hilariously backed by a Formula 1 fan to not only drive on the grid in 2024, but to possibly even become world champion. Ever since his inadvertent starring role in Netflix's Drive to Survive, Steiner has become somewhat of a cult hero among F1 fans.
The Haas team principal's face is often seen on t-shirts, hats and plenty of other paraphernalia brought to a track by fans for a race weekend. And at Spa, one fan took things a step further than most in rather hilarious style. As the rain poured down, through the crowd of umbrellas and ponchos, the cameras picked up one fan holding up a bright yellow banner with Steiner photoshopped into a Haas race suit.
Alongside the image, a caption read: "The next world champion? Guenther on the grid 2024." The Haas team principal was seen laughing at the suggestion, before offering a thumbs up to the cameras in acknowledgement of the drenched race-goer.
‘Cult hero among F1 fans’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...incipal-drive/
Steiner can’t explain cult-figure popularity
Friday 11th August, 2023 - 6:59pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Guenther Steiner has admitted that he can’t explain why he enjoys cult-figure popularity in the world of Formula 1. “You cannot be unhappy,” Steiner told Speedcafe if asked what he thought of the attention his popularity brings. “But the strange thing is when you achieve something not trying to do it, and you get there, it’s like ‘explain it’.”
“People say, can you explain it to me? I say no, I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?! It has become what it is. I think it’s one of those things, like Drive to Survive, nobody thought the series will be this popular – never ever.”
“A lot of people tried to do a series, Ferrari, Mercedes not taking part the first year, and all of a sudden this thing picks up so big, and me being part of it… It’s weird. If you try to do something like this, it’s very difficult to achieve, but this is just right place, right time.”
“I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?!”;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/11...re-popularity/
Steiner renews F1 warning over new teams
12 August 7:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Will F1 rock the boat with new outfits from 2025? Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has stood firm with his belief that the admittance of new teams to the F1 grid would risk long-term stability in the sport.
"You have 10 very stable teams which are all technically stable, financially stable," Steiner told media including RacingNews365. "If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe eight or nine teams leave.”
"The business is run by FOM and they need to make sure that this is sustainable. At the moment, we are at a peak, everything seems to be growing and there is never an end to it - we could have 56 races a year and 22 races a year and everything would be happy.”
‘Risking long-term stability’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-re...over-new-teams
Steiner: New teams 'pose risk to long-term stability of F1'
13/08/2023 at 16:09
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner fears that adding new teams to the Formula 1 grid would risk the long-term stability and financial success of the sport.
"We made big growths in the last year. It is very stable. We have ten very good teams and if you change something, you could go the other way. If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe only eight or nine teams will be left,” he cautioned.
“If you do too much and the teams aren’t stable anymore, what would you achieve then?" he continued. “You’ll be sitting here in three years saying you’ve lost a team because it went bankrupt. At the moment we are at the peak. Formula 1 is growing and there is never an end to it. We could have 56 races in a year and 22 teams in a year, and would be happy."
'Pose risk to long-term stability of F1';
https://f1i.com/news/483768-steiner-...ity-of-f1.html
Steiner keen to use McLaren 'proof' in Haas turnaround
09 August 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the team can use McLaren's example of turning its season around as "proof" it can be done.
"If you take the positives, obviously we are not doing what McLaren is doing and a lot of other teams are bringing upgrades and are still where they were," Steiner told media including RacingNews365.
"McLaren is doing a very good job, you have to compliment them, but it shows that with hard-work and a bit of luck, it can be done. It's not that I think you give up now, or you will never get there. If something has been done, you can try and do it.”
‘Proof it can be done’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-ke...aas-turnaround
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Why Helmut Marko is the best motorsport talent spotter.
Marko has a phenomenal CV as far as getting drivers to F1 goes. He has helped 16 drivers get to the top-class of motorsport, with the two stars in his portfolio being Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
August 5, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Between them, the pair have won 98 races, six world championships, 85 pole positions and have stood on the podium 211 times.
Five of his drivers have gone on to win F1 races once Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly bringing their total to 107 wins, whilst the cult-hero racer Juan Pablo Montoya also credits Marko for improving his talent.
His eye for talent shows no sign of slowing down, as he is nurturing highly-rated youth prospects such as Lawson, Ayumu Iwasa, Dennis Hauger and Isack Hadjar are all in Formula 2 – the final step before F1.
‘Best motorsport talent spotter’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...alent-spotter/
Horner: If you can’t handle ‘ruthless’ Marko, you can’t handle F1
17:10 Sat, 05 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has praised right-hand man and advisor Helmut Marko for his ‘ruthless’ behind-the-scenes management. As Red Bull’s chief talent scout, Marko has played an instrumental role in the vast success the Austrian outfit has endured since entering Formula 1 in 2005.
Most notably he was behind Max Verstappen’s jump from Formula 3 to Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in 2015. Just one year later, the then 18-year-old found himself in the main Red Bull team, winning on his debut with the team and he is now closing in on a third consecutive World Championship.
However, Marko has often been criticised for operating the two Red Bull-owned team F1 teams under somewhat of a revolving door policy, with the hardwired Austrian not being afraid to dismiss many a driver that has failed to meet his lofty standards.
‘Ruthless behind-the-scenes management’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ant-handle-f1/
Marko reveals Senna-Prost fears in Verstappen-Hamilton partnership
14 August 7:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko has insisted the heated relationship between F1 World Champions Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost as teammates prove it is better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers.
"But we as team management want success and we want to win the championship - if possible both the Drivers' and Constructors'. Then it is better if you have a hierarchy, where it is clear who is the clearly faster number one and who is the number two driver.”
"Norris I can still imagine but with Hamilton as a teammate, I have a hard head. The whole team atmosphere and our performance should not suffer. In the past, we saw, for example, Senna and Prost, two superstars, who only looked at each other and put the team in second place."
‘Better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-reve...on-partnership
Helmut Marko makes honest confession over offering Lando Norris a Red Bull contract
Lando Norris has recently been linked with a move to Red Bull, much to the excitement of the neutrals.
13:04, Mon, Aug 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Helmut Marko has dashed fans’ hopes of seeing Lando Norris partner Max Verstappen in the near future, suggesting that while he admires the British driver’s talent, Red Bull prefer to have a clear hierarchy between the two drivers in order to avoid conflict.
Red Bull know all about the difficulties of managing two drivers who both believe they should be winning races. The infamous ‘Multi 21’ incident caused major friction between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel at the start of the last decade, and Verstappen and Ricciardo also had their on-track squabbles during their stint as team-mates.
“In principle, we never have a stable order, but the entire team, atmosphere and competitiveness must not suffer. If you have two such stars, let's take the past: Senna with Prost did not go well. They then only looked at themselves, the team was then in the background.”
‘Honest confession’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Marko-Red-Bull
The crazy world of working with Helmut Marko - “When he goes rogue…”
12 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Christian Horner says Helmut Marko is a “communication manager’s nightmare” when he “goes rogue” as he provided an insight into his Red Bull F1 colleague. Marko’s brutally honest remarks have often landed him in hot water over the years, and Horner admitted the media “only have to prod him” to “get a headline”.
“I’ve known him for a long time,” Horner told ESPN. “When I first met him in 1996, I needed to buy a trailer for the Formula 3000 and Formula 2 team that I had. Helmut, first of all, he’s a passionate racer. He was a good driver himself until his accident and he’s just very direct.”
“With junior drivers, he’s picked some great ones. He’s a tough operator with the junior drivers but if they can’t survive Helmut, they’ll never survive Formula 1. He’s 80 years young, he’s still watching every Formula 3 session and following the young talent religiously. I’ve always had a very straightforward and good relationship with him.”
‘Marko’s brutally honest remarks’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103320...-he-goes-rogue
Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’ blasted as rivals gang up on Red Bull.
Helmut Marko is not expecting to receive any support from Ferrari as he said Fred Vasseur is in a “love affair” with Toto Wolff.
Sam Cooper 14 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Red Bull have led the way with their main concern being the size of the battery, so much so that Christian Horner described it as a potential “Frankenstein” car. Horner is not the only Red Bull voice to shine a spotlight on this with Marko suggesting Max Verstappen’s 2021 Silverstone crash could have been very different with a bigger battery. “The weight is a safety risk,” he told Motorsport-Total.com. “The Silverstone accident that Max [Verstappen] had in 2021 can end very differently with such a heavy battery.”
“A battery always entails certain risks. We already have cars that are close to the sports car level in terms of weight and dimensions. But the race tracks remain the same. We would have to make them all a metre wider in order to keep up with the development of the cars.
Marko went on to suggest it is not just Red Bull who have these concerns but revealed who he does not expect to get any support from. “The fact that you then have to slim down the car aerodynamically so that it no longer has any air resistance means that the effect of the slipstream is lost,” the Austrian said. “There are brands that have the same concerns. Vasseur is continuing his love affair with Toto. Therefore there is little resonance at Ferrari.”
‘Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...fair-red-bull/
Helmut Marko blasts ‘made up’ Sergio Perez story
Sergio Perez has disappointed Red Bull in the last few races, as he has spiralled downwards.
10 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News
The narrative took a new twist during the summer break when Dutch media outlets reported that Perez might face the consequences of his performance deficit to Verstappen, potentially resulting in a pay cut.
In response to the rumors, Marko emphatically stated, “I don’t know where this is coming from again. “It’s completely made up out of thin air. The contracts are precisely regulated. There will be no salary cuts. I can only say it again and again: we are leading the Drivers’ Championship with both drivers and are clearly ahead in the team ranking.”
‘Made up Sergio Perez story’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-ma...o-perez-story/
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Vowles only offering 'truthful' long-term vision to prospective drivers.
Williams team boss James Vowles will offer the truth and nothing but the truth to drivers interested in joining the British outfit rather than lure candidates with false promises or numbers.
12/08/2023 at 16:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Vowles reiterated the importance of not describing to potential recruits and candidates the situation at Williams in a way that makes it seem more acceptable than it really is.
"If you do anything else to them, all you do is at one point they'll be disrupted with 'This isn't the reality of what you promised them'", he said.
"So, this is why the whole way through I've been focusing on the long-term and a truthful analysis of the long-term, but allowing people to buy into that vision."
'Truthful long-term vision’;
https://f1i.com/news/483709-vowles-o...e-drivers.html
James Vowles warns against ‘long-term massive deficit’ created by ‘fictitious’ number
11 Aug 2023 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
New Williams team boss James Vowles says he won’t dish out “fictitious” numbers when he tries to persuade top talent to join Williams. Bottom of the log in four of the last five seasons, it’s been hard-going for the former World Champions who have suffered from a lack of investment in the Formula 1 team.
That has left them lagging behind their rivals with new team boss Vowles tasked with bringing their infrastructure into the 21st century with the former Mercedes head of strategy revealing some things haven’t been updated in two decades.
This season Williams are seventh on the log with Albon having scored all 11 of their points with his best result being a P7 at the Canadian Grand Prix. “I think five years is not a bad period of time to be talking about,” Vowles said of a timeframe, but he stopped short of setting a definitive target such as Audi, who’ve said they want to be at the front within three years of its arrival on the grid.”
‘Some things haven’t been updated in two decades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...bers-williams/
No sugar coating vows Vowles
14/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
Williams boss, James Vowles promises that any new recruits to the team, including drivers, will be told exactly where the teams stands and what its genuine prospects are.
Meanwhile, there is media speculation that Mick Schumacher could replace Logan Sargeant, whom Vowles appeared to deliberately omit from his comments. The German is test and reserve driver with Mercedes after being dropped by Haas at the end of last season, and has won praise from both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell this season for his commitment and development work.
When it was unclear whether Sargeant would gain the requisite points for his superlicence, Williams held exploratory talks with Schumacher before the American got the all-clear.
‘Media speculation’;
https://www.pitpass.com/75881/No-sug...ng-vows-Vowles
Vowles proves to be excellent choice
August 8 2023
By Andrew Hooper
WilliamsF1 Supporters
As the Williams Racing Team enjoys their Formula One Summer Break we can look back at the arrival of James Vowles into the position of Team Principal, and the subsequent challenges that he has had to face as he works on returning the Williams Team back to a more competitive position in the F1 championship. For James this focus on the teams technical department will allow senior leadership the opportunity to focus more on the teams overall recovery.
In recent interviews James spoke of how the situation as it stands within the team is like being “on crutches” with senior management having to address issues across the whole team. James explained his comment by saying: “We're fortunate with the team I have behind me at the moment because they are filling voids that exist. But clearly, we're on crutches. We're trying to do 10 things and it's always better if you focus on one. I'm not a strong engineer within the paddock. There are much stronger engineers than I am.”
“What I am, though, is someone with a vision of where we want to get to and lead people there on that direction. People, at the moment, are very much aligned with that view.” James added: “At the moment, we have a small leadership team that are cascading ideas. But you get an almost exponential improvement in the amount of people you put in place, the training you put in place, and the ideas, the more you have lieutenants that you trust. That’s not the case today.”
“Lieutenants that you trust”;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st204999.htm
Vowles to ‘break Williams systems’ to move forward
Sunday 16th July, 2023 - 9:10pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
James Vowles is aware he is likely to cause problems inside Williams by breaking existing systems long in place but believes such a task is crucial if he is to continue to move the F1 team forward. Vowles maintains a complete culture change is required, adding: “You don’t change that by just using words, you change that by showing what you would like, and hope people follow your direction of travel.”
“What I’m trying to bring in through the organisation is honesty, openness, proper communication, which for a lot didn’t even exist. That’s not the organisation’s fault, but it was surviving, has been surviving for probably 15, 20 years, which means it was only thinking one week ahead, one month ahead.”
“And what I’ve really tried to bring in is to stop that, and from the get-go, thinking six months ahead, 12 months ahead, 24 months and 36 months ahead. Those are the timelines we need to think about. It means you don’t firefight anymore, you think about how we’re going to be better, making those large steps. It’s a complete mind shift from where we are.”
“Don’t firefight anymore”;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/16...-move-forward/
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F1’s Much-Loved Imola Cat Has Sadly Passed Away.
This is the saddest of news. The iconic Imola cat, named Formulino, has reportedly passed away. You don’t tend to go to racetracks and find cats lingering around, but the Imola circuit was different. Formulino was the secret cat king of Imola paddock
Posted on August 14, 2023
by Charley Williams
wtf1.com
He was often spotted wandering in and out of teams’ garages and around the media pen and even had his own paddock pass. When the Emilia Romagna GP was cancelled this year from flooding, many fans were anxious to know Formulino was safe – and the circuit confirmed he was.
Something the Imola cat is most known for deciding the fate of F1 drivers; if you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune, which Lewis Hamilton discovered in 2020.
Mercedes let Formulino wander into the Mercedes garage and have a good look around, a quick hello and a stroke from Lewis, and just hours later, he was able to pull off the ultimate overcut and push on into the lead, taking his first Imola victory.
‘If you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune’;
https://www.wtf1.com/post/f1s-much-l...y-passed-away/
Formulino, the legendary F1 cat who tormented Sebastian Vettel has passed away
14 Aug 2023
F1 Desk
Crash.Net
Formulino, the legendary cat who lived at the site of the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, has reportedly passed away. The grey tabby cat shot to fame in 2020 when F1 returned to Imola - it soon became clear that she lived at the location, as he marched through the paddock inspecting garages.
“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck,” Sebastian Vettel was told by Sky’s Ted Kravitz three years ago as Formulino interrupted their interview. “I don’t like cats,” Vettel replied. “I have nothing to offer. She’s a bit overweight, though.”
The then-Ferrari driver endured a miserable weekend at Formulino’s home thereafter, qualifying 14th and finishing the grand prix 12th. However, Lewis Hamilton benefitted from his acceptance of Formulino.
“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103328...as-passed-away
RIP FORMULINO: F1 cat that had own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends dies as heartbroken fans say ‘run free beautiful Imola kitty’
Published: 13:17, 15 Aug 2023
Ciaran Wiseman
TheSun.co.uk
AN F1 cat that had its own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends has sadly passed away. Heartbroken fans have left emotional tributes after Formulino's death was reported. Such was the animal's popularity, it even wore a VIP pass round its neck as it strolled around the paddock.
ESPN report, though, that Formulino has died, with one fan commenting on the news: "Run free beautiful Imola kitty." Another wrote: "Rest in peace Formulino." A third F1 fan added: "So sad, my daughter thought it was such a lovely story and was so jealous of the cat." Meanwhile, one more said: "This made me so sad. RIP beautiful kitty, you will be missed at Imola."
"Rest in peace Formulino";
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23500...weekend-imola/
Italian F1 icon Formulino dies at the age of 16
Monday 14 August 2023 23:27
Chris Deeley
GPFans.com
'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy': A post on the 'official' Instagram account of Formulino, shared to his 37.5k followers on Monday evening, confirmed his passing. "It's hard to find the right words in times like these," the caption read.
"After more than sixteen years the day we hoped would never come is here, and our beloved Arturo has left us. It’s like a part of us has been taken away with him. He was a member of the Formula Imola family, the first to arrive when the offices opened and the last to leave at sunset after punching his time-card.”
"Our mascot, therapist and snack buddy filled our working days with joy. There is no Motorsport lover who will not remember him, ready to welcome anyone arriving at the racetrack direction building. We will miss you more than we can express. You will always be our Formulino."
'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-imola-cat-16/
F1: Imola’s much-loved cat mascot Formulino that cursed Sebastian Vettel dies aged 16
Formulino was often spotted wandering around Imola’s paddock and was known to bring both good luck and misfortune to drivers including Lewis Hamilton
Published 15th Aug 2023, 17:08 BST
By Rebecca Braybrook
LancashireEveningPost.co.uk
The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino, had passed away at the age of 16. Formulino, dubbed the king of Autodromo di Imola was often spotted wandering around the team’s garages and was even given his own paddock pass. Imola had set up the iconic feline with his own Instagram account where they regularly shared pictures of Formulino exploring the race track.
After the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled earlier this year, many Formula 1 fans were left anxious to know if Formulino was safe, forcing the circuit to confirm he was being cared for. Formulino was known amongst F1 fans for deciding the fate of the drivers, with those who were welcoming of the cat, being dealt good fortune in their race. In 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton discovered the cat’s magical abilities. After being allowed to wander into the Mercedes garage, Lewis Hamilton approached the cat for a stroke.
Hours later, the seven time world champion pulled off a dramatic overcut to take the lead and his first victory at Imola. The iconic feline visited the four time world champion as he spoke to Sky Sports, with host Ted Kravitz telling Vettel that it was considered a sign of good luck. The German driver responded: “I don’t like cats but maybe I like this one. I have nothing to offer it. He’s a bit overweight though.” Vettel then finished the race in 12th place after a faulty wheel nut caused a 13-second pitstop.
‘The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino’;
https://www.lep.co.uk/read-this/form...t-dies-4256496
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Former Ferrari chief berates team: ‘Enzo would not have accepted it’.
Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo has berated the Scuderia for celebrating Charles Leclerc’s P3 at the Belgian Grand Prix, saying Enzo Ferrari “would not have accepted” that.
16 Aug 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Former chairman di Montezemolo says that’s a sign of how far Ferrari, who haven’t won a Drivers’ title since 2007 and a Constructors’ since 2008, have fallen. “You know what I’m sorry about?” he told Quotidiano. “Celebrating a third place, like Spa. This is not like Ferrari and the old man would not have accepted it. Never.”
He added: “Ferrari taught me a lot. For example, never to be satisfied. After a win, he immediately thought about the next race.” Di Montezemolo recalled another side of Ferrari’s character in his strive to always do better, so much so the founder wasn’t a fan of Formula 1’s summer break. “Commanding! For example, Enzo hated holidays, in August he kept me in the office, he couldn’t stand people going on vacation,” he said.
“But he was also a funny guy. Do you know the one about the telephone? Ferrari said that in the office I was always on the phone talking to beautiful women. So one morning he showed me a huge pink telephone on the desk. And when I introduced him to Edwige Fenech he said ‘She is definitely smarter than you’.”
‘Enzo hated holidays’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/former...ver-accept-p3/
Ferrari boss issues DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict on star driver
Wednesday 16 August 2023 11:57
Sam Cook
GPFans
Frederic Vasseur has branded Charles Leclerc as "impulsive" in an interview in which he expresses his concerns about his current driver pairing. Ferrari have had a tough first half of 2023, in which they appear to have regressed from challenging for race wins to scrapping with numerous other constructors for a place in the top five.
When asked if he was content with his driver pairing in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur stated, "You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles didn't expect a season like this and at the beginning he pushed more than he should, now he seems to have digested the situation better. Carlos is very consistent and for this reason he's a good reference for us."
‘DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...eur-impulsive/
Charles Leclerc called out by his own boss as Fred Vasseur risks starting Ferrari row
Charles Leclerc is reportedly close to signing a new deal with Ferrari, but he is not without criticism.
10:51, Wed, Aug 16, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Speaking to Italian news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur explained: "We can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles was not expecting a season like this and at the beginning he pushed harder than he should have, now he seems to have digested the situation better.”
These words could be taken either way by Leclerc, but it is certainly a bold call from Vasseur, who is currently taking part in negotiations with the Monegasque driver over a new, long-term deal with the team.
‘Starting Ferrari row’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...r-Carlos-Sainz
Fred Vasseur: ‘Impulsive’ Charles Leclerc guilty of pushing ‘more than he should’
16 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes an “impulsive” Charles Leclerc was sometimes guilty of pushing “more than he should” in a challenging first half of the F1 2023 season. He told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport: “You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers.”
“As a character Leclerc is impulsive, if something doesn’t go well he doesn’t hold back. However, for his own good and that of the team, sometimes it’s better to calm down before speaking. In the heat you don’t have all the information you need to form a definitive judgment and in front of an open microphone it’s better to take your time.”
‘Guilty of pushing more than he should’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-v...arles-leclerc/
Leclerc Baffled by Verstappen-Perez Gap: “Wide Margin Hard to Explain”
August 14, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has expressed his astonishment at the noticeable disparity that has occasionally surfaced between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez within the Red Bull team throughout this season.
During an interview with Motorsport.com(Italian edition), the Monegasque openly acknowledged: “I think Max is a great driver, but at the same time there are many who cannot explain such a wide margin between him and Checo. Personally I think it is impossible to read the situation well from the outside, only inside the team do they know exactly everything.”
“At times the margin between Max and Checo was greater than I would have expected, but on the other hand Verstappen is an incredible driver and it is probably very difficult to be alongside him. But again, I don’t have the full picture of the situation.”
‘Leclerc Baffled’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/leclerc-ba...rd-to-explain/