2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Mercedes reveal W14 digital launch on February 15th.
Mercedes’ F1 W14 car, which it will race in the 2023 Formula 1 season, is to be launched on Wednesday 15th February during a live digital event.
2023 F1 season
Posted on 12th January 2023, 12:1512th January 2023, 12:21
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The team announced that their new car will be launched through a live stream broadcast across the team’s social media channels.

After winning only one grand prix last year, Mercedes will be hoping to recapture their former success with their new design after overcoming several of the problems and the design misdirections they took in 2022 under the first year of F1’s new technical regulations. Mercedes finished third in the constructors’ championship last season, failing to win any of the two world titles for the first time in the V6 turbo hybrid era.

Mercedes are currently the only team scheduled to unveil their new challenger on Wednesday 15th February.

‘W14 digital launch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/12/...-date-for-w14/


Mercedes become latest F1 team to reveal launch date for 2023 car
12 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mercedes will launch their F1 2023 car - the W14 - on February 15. Mercedes will show off their new challenger in a special digital event from Silverstone ahead of a likely shakedown.

The launch will be available to watch live via Mercedes’ various social media channels as they hope the W14 is a title-challenger. Mercedes endured their worst season since 2012 last year, taking just one win and one pole position during the entirety of the campaign.

‘Latest F1 team to reveal launch date’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/101883...-date-2023-car


Mercedes reveals date of 2023 F1 car launch
12th Jan 2023, 12:33
The Race

Mercedes has added to a packed week of 2023 Formula 1 car launches by announcing it will reveal its W14 on February 15.

It will launch the car it hopes will return it to championship contention in the same week as Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin.

After it won 15 of a possible 16 championships during the first eight years of the hybrid era, Mercedes stumbled in 2022 with a W13 that was riddled with porpoising problems and ultimately only delivered one grand prix victory.

‘2023 F1 car launch’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/merce...f1-car-launch/


LISTEN | Mercedes fires up new F1 engine, Toto Wolff optimistic over 2023 chances
12th Jan 2023, 11:37
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

The 2023 Formula 1 season will get underway in Bahrain in just under two months. Though it is exciting times as we look forward to what promises to be an exciting year, not everyone will have their confidence shooting through the roof.

The Formula 1 driver who needs to improve most in 2023 is…

Formula 1: The Undercut. Get a Monday morning wrap of the top key talking points, insightful post-race analysis and the latest driver and team point standings.

‘Toto Wolff optimistic’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...23-is-20230112


F1 FACTORY RETHINK WAS THOUGHT AMID MERCEDES W13 WOES
Mercedes endured their toughest season in Formula 1 since the turbo hybrid era had been introduced in 2014, finishing third in the constructors' championship after winning eight consecutive constructors' championships
17:10 Tue, 10 Jan 2023.
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin revealed Mercedes’ thoughts of investing in new tools for their factory in Brackley. The thought was lightened due to the W13’s multiple problems during the 2022 Formula 1 season.

Mercedes’ 2022 car ended up being the team’s worst car since the turbo hybrid era began in 2014. The German manufacturers became a dominant force, winning eight consecutive constructors’ titles.

The Brackley team discovered early in pre-season testing – like many teams- that porpoising was a real issue. However, the Silver Arrows were affected the most with the bouncing. The problem lead to the team needing to upgrade their design tools to counteract any future problems of porpoising aerodynamically.

‘F1 FACTORY RETHINK’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

F1 SET TO CONTINUE WITH TWO RACE DIRECTORS IN 2023.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has indicated that Formula 1 will continue to have more than one race director in 2023 after a new approach last year.
11:11 Thu, 12 Jan 2023.
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

F1’s governing body made a raft of changes to its race operations in the wake of the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including splitting the role of race director.

Following the departure of Michael Masi, F1 drafted in Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas to alternate during the season, with both highly experienced in the race director position in other motorsport categories.

But after an investigation over a recovery vehicle being released on to the track during the rain-soaked Japanese Grand Prix, Wittich saw out the final four races alone.

‘TWO RACE DIRECTORS’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/01/1...ctors-in-2023/


MICHAEL ANDRETTI REVEALS TIMELINE FOR POTENTIAL F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE CHALLENGE
Thursday 12th January 2023 10:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Mr Andretti, who has led the team to success in IndyCar, believes the Andretti name could quickly emerge as one of the leading powers in F1. He told Forbes: “We are coming in, in a serious way.

“It will take a long time to get there, but eventually we want to be one of the top teams in Formula One. Our end goal is to be competing for the World Championship five or six years down the road.

Andretti revealed that he has not been disheartened by the relatively lukewarm response within F1 to his potential arrival, adding: “You have to stay focused on your job and not listen to the naysayers. I actually use the naysayers as motivation. It’s always fun to shut them up.”

“We are coming in, in a serious way”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/michae...tle-challenge/


‘FORMULA 1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE’ SEASON 5 COMING TO NETFLIX IN FEBRUARY 2023
Published on January 12th, 2023, 12:02 pm EST
by Kasey Moore
What's On Netflix

In case you didn’t know, Netflix renewed Formula 1: Drive to Survive for a fifth and sixth season meaning that Netflix F1 Championship seasons of 2022 and 2023 will be covered too.

The show has been cited as being one of the many reasons the sport is growing, particularly in the United States. Season 5 is set to be another cracker with lots of storylines and threads to follow.

The big changes going into the season were the big regulation changes which notably changed how cars can follow each other and led to more overtaking. They’ll no doubt touch on the controversy of the Red Bull cost cap breach and cover many teams’ trials and tribulations throughout the year.

‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’;

https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/new.../?nowprocket=1


VERSTAPPEN RETURNS TO DRIVE TO SURVIVE AS SEASON FIVE LAUNCH DATE IS CONFIRMED
2023 F1 season
Posted on 12th January 2023, 15:2312th January 2023, 17:23
Written by Keith Collantine

The fifth series of Netflix’s popular Formula 1 documentary Drive to Survive will appear on February 24th, the championship has announced. Drive to Survive first appeared in 2019 and has been credited with expanding F1’s audience in recent years, particularly in the USA. However the Netflix series has also been criticised for misrepresenting some events. Lando Norris said last year some parts of the programme were “definitely not correct.”

Max Verstappen was among those who accused the programme makers of “faking a lot of stuff” in Drive to Survive. He refused to contribute to the series after its first edition, but after talks with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali last year Verstappen indicated he had changed his position and said “you’ll see more of me” in the upcoming series.

Verstappen appears in the trailer for the new series, being interviewed for the programme. He won the world championship for the second time during 2022, clinching the title with four races to go. He suffered a difficult start to the season, however, retiring from two of the first three races.

“You’ll see more of me”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/12/...ate-confirmed/


Ferrari will have a competitive start to the 2023 F1 season - McLaren team boss
13th Jan 2023.07:17
TEAMtalk media
Wheels24

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes his former colleagues at Ferrari are "very happy" with how their 2023 Formula 1 car is progressing.

Stella worked for the Scuderia for 15 years as an engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, latterly spending five seasons with Fernando Alonso as his race engineer before leaving with the Spaniard to move to McLaren in 2015 to continue his partnership with him.

‘Competitive start’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...-boss-20230113


Red Bull reportedly made 154 staff redundancies due to F1 cost cap rules
13th Jan 2023, 08:00
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Red Bull were left with a smaller workforce than Mercedes after reportedly making redundancies due to the F1 cost cap when it was introduced.

The team led by Christian Horner were at the centre of the first scandal since the budget caps came in when, last year, they were found guilty by the FIA of breaching the 2021 cap and were fined.

The difficulties for teams to comply with the new rules have been laid bare by a Motorsport-Total.com report claiming that 154 people were made redundant from Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies between 2020 and 2021. They did not all necessarily work on behalf of the F1 team.

‘154 staff redundancies’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/101891...in-f1-cost-cap

[Fortitude]

EXCLUSIVE: Mercedes suffer a huge blow ahead of the new F1 season, with chief strategist James Vowles set to leave Lewis Hamilton and Co to become team principal of Williams.
Vowles will take up the position vacated by Jost Capito, who left last month
Published: 12:04, 13 January 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Mail Online

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team have been dealt a serious blow ahead of the new season with the impending departure of chief strategist James Vowles to become team principal of Williams.

Sportsmail understands that the 43-year-old engineer's departure will be announced later today. Toto Wolff, boss of Mercedes, spoke in a Zoom press conference at 1pm this afternoon to address the Vowles situation.

Mercedes boss Wolff paid tribute to his outgoing chief strategist, by saying: 'James has been a highly valued member of our team in his role as motorsport strategy director, playing an integral part in our success in recent years,' said Wolff. His departure is major headache as the Silver Arrows look to claim back the ground they lost to Red Bull and Max Verstappen last year.

‘Huge blow’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...F1-season.html


F1: Williams announce James Vowles as new Team Principal
Published: 13 Jan 2023, 12:27
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Williams have got a new Team Principal lined up for the 2023 Formula 1 campaign, with James Vowles joining them from Mercedes.

Indeed, after around a month with no-one in the post, Mercedes’ James Vowles will join the team on February 20th, leaving his position as Motorsport Strategy Director at the Silver Arrows, a role he has held for over four years.

Vowles comes in as a hugely experienced figure having spent over two decades in Formula 1 and his knowledge and expertise, built up from his time in Brackley for the likes of Mercedes, Brawn, Honda and BAR, will surely come as hugely useful for a Williams team trying to close the gap to the rest of the field in front of them.

‘James Vowles’;

https://www.givemesport.com/88104540...team-principal


James Vowles: His best and worst strategy decisions for Mercedes in F1
13 Jan 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With James Vowles making the shock switch to Williams from Mercedes as their new F1 team principal, we take a look back at some of his best and worst strategy decisions.

James Vowles has been Mercedes’ chief strategist since 2010, remaining with the Brackley team from their days as Brawn GP. Vowles has played an integral role in Mercedes’ run of success during the V6 hybrid era.

As we reflect on his time with Mercedes, Crash.net has picked out some of his most memorable strategy decisions that often allowed Lewis Hamilton to win and ultimately take the title.

‘Best and worst strategy decisions’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/101...ns-mercedes-f1


Williams hires Mercedes strategy chief as new F1 team boss
13th Jan 2023, 12:27
By Matt Beer
The Race

The Williams Formula 1 team has recruited Mercedes strategy chief James Vowles as its new team principal. Williams went into 2023 with vacancies in both its main team management roles after the abrupt departure of team principal Jost Capito and technical chief Francois-Xavier Demaison last month.

The first of those has now been filled with the appointment of 43-year-old Vowles, who will leave his Mercedes strategy director position to lead Williams.

“I cannot wait to start with Williams Racing,” said Vowles. “It’s an honour to join a team with such an incredibly rich heritage. The team is an icon of our sport, one I greatly respect, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge.”

‘Williams Formula 1 team recruitment’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/willi...-f1-team-boss/


Williams’ Mercedes signing suggests a fundamental change
Jan 13 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

James Vowles’s appointment as Williams team principal is proof of a fundamental change of direction for the team given what it suggests about its structure. “There’s no intention at the moment of bringing in a CEO,” said Vowles. “There is a very strong management structure and board structure already in place at Williams that may or may not complete all these roles.

“But certainly at the moment what we’d all like to do is get me settled down, understand where we stand and then take a review of that decision in some time to come.” In asking the question why has Williams has gone down this road, there are some obvious conclusions. Firstly, Vowles is a Wolff ‘disciple’. He’s worked alongside Wolff for the past decade and is part of the brain trust at the top of the team.

Secondly, it hints at where the owners of Williams see gains needing to be made. Williams is not only a team that has long struggled on-track, without a podium finish since 2017 and only finishing off the bottom of the constructors’ championship once in the last five years, but also that has encountered internal difficulties. The ownership therefore will see establishing a cohesive team culture as essential.

‘Fundamental change of direction’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/willi...mental-change/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull announce New York launch of 2023 F1 challenger.
The RB19 will be driven by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez once again as they seek to retain their titles.
13 January 5:06PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull's 2023 Formula 1 challenger - the RB19 - will be unveiled on February 3rd in a special launch event in New York.

The car will be driven by two-time World Champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez as the Milton Keynes squad look to defend their two titles won in 2022.

Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri are set to also launch in New York, with Mercedes set to unveil their W14 challenger on February 15th.

‘New York launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-a...-f1-challenger


Red Bull to launch RB19 in New York on February 3rd
2023 F1 season
Posted on 13th January 2023, 16:1313th January 2023, 16:14
Written by Ida Wood

Red Bull have announced their car for the 2023 Formula 1 season, the RB19, will be unveiled to the world in New York on February 3rd.

Red Bull will be the first of the energy drink’s two teams to launch in the American city, with junior team AlphaTauri also launching in New York on February 11th. The team announced it will be unveiling a “new car” on the date, as opposed to last year when the team originally revealed its 2022 livery on a showcar before the actual RB18 was first seen publicly during a filming run.

The successor to the double title-winning RB18 car from 2022 will be Red Bull’s 19th chassis since joining F1 in 2005 and will make its race debut in the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5th March. The RB19 will be powered by a ‘Honda RBPT’ engine, with the branding reflecting former engine supplier Honda’s continued support of Red Bull’s new in-house powertrain division.

‘New York on February 3rd’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/13/...-february-3rd/


Red Bull picks early date for 2023 F1 launch in New York
13th Jan 2022, 16:21
The Race

Red Bull will hold what it describes as its 2023 Formula 1 ‘season launch’ in New York. The event will take place on February 3, the earliest date announced by any team so far – beating Williams by three days.

Sister team AlphaTauri is also holding its 2023 unveiling in New York, but eight days later than Red Bull on February 11. Though Red Bull’s tweet announcing the event date used the phrasing “new kit, new car”, it’s known that AlphaTauri’s equivalent will feature a 2023 livery on its 2022 car and that only renders of the new design will be issued on the day.

Last year Red Bull used a very basic version of its 2022 car for its launch event before a significantly different design broke cover when pre-season testing began. Red Bull goes into 2023 fresh from its first world championship double since its 2010-13 domination, and with lead driver Max Verstappen chasing a third straight drivers’ title.

‘Red Bull picks early date’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-b...h-in-new-york/


Red Bull to launch their 2023 season in New York as double title defence beckons
13 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

F1 world champions Red Bull have announced that they will hold a ‘season launch’ in New York early in February, as the team look to continue their recent run of success.

On Friday, Red Bull took to social media with the message ‘New kit, new car, New York’, confirming a ‘season launch’ in the Big Apple on February 3.

Recently reflecting on Red Bull’s return to double title-winning ways, and bagging a fifth constructors’ crown, Horner said: “We went through that pain [of losing]. [In] 2013, we finished a very dominant streak and [2014], with the change in the regs, we were nowhere, and we never lost belief.”

‘Double title defence beckons’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0m1F4qrzT.html


Red Bull pip Williams with early February launch date in New York City
Friday 13th January 2023 4:08 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull are set to be the first team to unveil their 2023 car as they announce a February launch date for the RB19 in New York City. The choice of venue further demonstrates the focus on the US market from Formula 1 with three races, including a debut for Las Vegas, set to be hosted in the country this season.

With the RB18 proving to be Red Bull’s most successful car ever and the ninth most successful of any team in Formula 1 history, the RB19 certainly has a lot to live up to and will have to do so on the backfoot.

The RB19 has been designed with 10% less wind tunnel time following the team’s minor cost cap breach and Red Bull have also been punished as a result of achieving top spot in the 2022 Constructors’ standings.

‘RB19 certainly has a lot to live up to’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...nch-date-rb19/

[Fortitude]

Formula One presenter Jennie Gow, 45, reveals she suffered 'serious stroke' which has affected her speech - and is 'desperate' to recover and return to work.
• Jennie Gow revealed on social media that she had suffered a 'serious stroke'
• The Formula One broadcaster said that the stoke has affected her speech
• Journalists and F1 teams tweeted messages of support following Gow's news
Published: 17:53, 13 January 2023
By Christian Oliver For Mailonline
Mail Online

Formula One presenter Jennie Gow, who regularly appears on the Netflix series Drive To Survive, revealed that she is recovering from a 'serious stroke'. Gow, 45, said she suffered the stroke two weeks ago which has affected her speech.

The broadcaster and sports journalist thanked medical staff at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey and St Geroge's Hospital in west London for taking care of her. Fellow journalists as well as motorsport teams echoed messages of support for Gow.

‘Serious Stroke';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-speech.html


Broadcaster Jennie Gow suffered ‘serious stroke’ impacting her speech
January 13, 2023, 4:02 pm
By Press Association
The Press and Journal

“I’m desperate to make a full recovery and return to work, but it might take some time. Thank you to the medical teams at Frimley and St George’s and my family and friends who’ve got me through the last fortnight.”

A host of sports commentators took to social media to wish Gow a speedy recovery, including former BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker, who said: “Jennie… take care of yourself. So sorry to hear this. I hope you’re doing ok.”

She also appears as an F1 expert on Drive To Survive, which returns to Netflix on February 24. It will recap Max Verstappen’s road to title glory after winning his second world championship in 2022. The series, in its fifth iteration, has been credited with increasing F1’s popularity and is one of the major sports documentary success stories in recent years.

‘Serious stroke impacting her speech’;

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/li...ng-her-speech/


Media: Jennie Gow survives serious stroke
January 13, 2023
Motorsport Radio

Broadcaster and Journalist Jennie Gow announced on social media that she had a serious stroke two weeks ago. The popular motorsport presenter posted the news with the help of her husband.

From all the team at Motorsport Media and Motorsport Radio, Jennie, We’re sending you positive thoughts and We wish you return to full health soon.

‘Get well soon’;

https://motorsport.radio/media-jenni...erious-stroke/


Jennie Gow Suffers “Serious” Stroke; BBC & ‘Drive To Survive’ Presenter Says Speech Impacted
12:51 Fri, 13 Jan 2023.
By Jake Kanter
International TV
Deadline Hollywood

The journalist has appeared in the past two seasons of Drive To Survive and has been plugging Season 5 of the Netflix show, which drops on February 24.

Gow’s Twitter message prompted a flood of well wishes. “Jennie, so desperately sorry to read this and sending all my love and strength. You WILL get through this but take all the time you need,” said fellow F1 presenter Laura Winter.

McLaren F1 tweeted: “Wishing you a speedy recovery, Jennie. The entire team sends their love and strength as we look forward to seeing you back in the paddock.”

Drive To Survive’;

https://deadline.com/2023/01/jennie-...rk-1235220944/


Drive to Survive and BBC Radio F1 presenter Jennie Gow recovering from stroke
01/13/2023
By Phillip Bupp

"I'm desperate to make a full recovery and return to work, but it might take some time."

Many in the F1 community showed their support of Gow as she works to make a full recovery and get back to the track.

‘Jennie Gow recovering from stroke’;

https://awfulannouncing.com/internat...stroke-f1.html

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: How Vowles can fix F1’s worst team.
He joins Williams when it is in disarray. Owner Dorilton Capital, which bought the team in 2020, wants to see improvement.
09:28 Sat, 14 Jan 2023.
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Overseeing strategy for a top Formula 1 team is no easy task, especially when there are people like us waiting for things to go wrong so we can explain how we would have done it better.

But the pressure James Vowles has been under in that role at Mercedes will be nothing compared to what he faces in joining Williams as team principal, which will be the biggest challenge of his F1 career.

That doesn’t mean winning races yet but Williams needs to step up to feature in the final part of qualifying regularly. If that’s achieved then there’s a decent chance of grabbing a few points consistently, and if you get enough of those you move off the bottom of the constructors’ championship.

‘Fixing F1’s worst team’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...1s-worst-team/


Williams F1 boss Vowles denies he’s forming Mercedes ‘B-team’
11:06 Sat, 14 Jan 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Williams’ Formula 1 Team Principal James Vowles denies that he is forming a ‘Mercedes B-team’ as he takes on the leading role within the squad. Vowles departs Mercedes having played a key role in its success throughout the turbo-hybrid era, helping it win eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships.

His arrival follows the departure of Jost Capito, who opted to retire at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. The Williams team has endured a difficult run of form, often languishing close to or at the root of the pecking order across the last several years.

Vowles is not the first ex-Mercedes employee to take on a challenge at Williams, as Paddy Lowe joined the team in 2017 before leaving two years later.

‘James Vowles denies that he is forming a ‘Mercedes B-team’.’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...rcedes-b-team/


Williams procures iconic F1 sponsor
14 January 12:05PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365

Gulf Oil have hinted at a return to Formula 1, having previously partnered with McLaren. The iconic Gulf Oil brand have hinted at a return to F1, with RacingNews365.com understanding that a deal with Williams will be announced shortly.

The company previously acted as a sponsor for McLaren and a special livery was featured on the team's cars reflecting the colours of the brand at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.

However, the partnership came to an end in 2022 and Gulf are now set for a return with Williams. The brand gave a hint of an impending comeback via their social media channels, having shared a message about "big F1 news coming soon".

‘Iconic F1 sponsor’;

https://racingnews365.com/williams-p...nic-f1-sponsor


Why new Williams boss James Vowles is perfect match for troubled F1 team
January 14th 2023
Chris Medland
Motorsport Week F1

Few expected former Mercedes strategist James Vowles to be named new Williams F1 team principal, but his career gives him the ideal experience to turn around Williams, writes Chris Medland

Kudos to Williams and Mercedes. It’s been the off-season and therefore there are fewer opportunities to bump into F1 team members and get whispers of what’s going on, but the news that James Vowles would be the new Williams team principal seemed to catch everyone out.

And Vowles has a big job on his hands. As highlighted in a previous column, Jost Capito’s tenure came to an end with a divided team, with many not backing his management style but others frustrated by a reluctance of the personnel to adapt to change.

‘Perfect match for troubled F1 team’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...3&nowprocket=1


F1: James Vowles ‘incredibly proud’ to join Williams Racing as team principal
19:04 Fri, 13 Jan 2023.
Mary-Kate Findon
The Independent

James Vowles says he is “incredibly proud and excited” to be joining Williams Racing as team principal. The former Mercedes strategy chief has been appointed the role ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

He is replacing Jost Capito who stepped down as team principal in December.
“I feel privileged to be part of this team and hugely motivated,” he said in a video announcing the news. He said he “hasn’t lost the hunger, ambition, or desire to win,” and is excited for the challenges ahead.

‘Incredibly Proud’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/spo...cing-vbd652916

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff Sees the Value of the GM-Andretti F1 Entry, Other Teams Could Follow Suit.
“Cadillac and GM, that's a statement. Certainly, them joining forces with Andretti is definitely a positive." Toto Wolff
Published: 14 Jan 2023, 15:03 UTC
By: Bogdan Bebeselea
autoevolution

Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot of hype around Formula 1 extending its roster, but the big teams inside the sports were quick to try and shut that project down. However, it seems that Andretti’s partnership with GM through Cadillac could pave a smoother way.

When it comes to the world’s biggest circus, a lot of things revolve around backstage politics and finances. This happened to also be the key reason a few teams were opposed to having a new contender on the grid.

Clearly, the Mercedes boss sees the value this alliance could bring to the sport, and this could potentially encourage other teams to support Andretti’s entry as well. The United States is one market that F1 has struggled to break into for many years now. And the involvement of Andretti, as well as GM, could be the final piece of the puzzle the sport needs to find success in the U.S.

‘Seeing the value of the GM-Andretti F1 Entry’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/t...it-208407.html


Toto Wolff provides response after Andretti join forces with GM for F1 bid
Saturday 14th January 2023 4:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has spoken publicly for the first time since Andretti’s partnership with General Motors was confirmed but remained sceptical about the bid.

Michael Andretti, son of Mario and the one leading the venture, believed the General Motors partnership had ticked the final box that needed ticking but it would appear Wolff was not so sure. “With Cadillac and GM, that’s a statement,” Wolff said, according to RacingNews365.com.

“Them joining forces with Andretti is definitely a positive, it gives it another angle that may or may not be beneficial for Formula One. Nobody would ever question GM’s or Cadillac’s pedigree in motorsport, and as a global auto company.”

‘Andretti join forces with GM’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...llac-reaction/


Wolff declares Andretti-GM F1 alliance ‘a statement’
Sunday 15th January, 2023 - 3:51pm
By Daniel Herrero
Speedcafe

Toto Wolff believes that Andretti Global and General Motors made “a statement” with the announcement they have joined forces in an attempt to enter Formula 1. “We’re always open to the sport growing, but the truth behind it is the sport financially needs to become more and more successful,” he remarked.

“Whoever joins in that environment needs to bring with it effectively the growth that is required in order for everyone else to be in a better position, or at least a neutral position, and I think it’s been the statement from the outset, from the beginning.”

“There are a lot of lovely things about Andretti and about Cadillac. It just needs to have a good understanding of how it will grow the sport, in what way, and what the growth will be.”

‘A lot of lovely things’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/01/15...e-a-statement/


Andretti’s tie-up with Cadillac “definitely a positive” for F1 bid – Wolff
2023 F1 season
Posted on 13th January 2023, 16:30
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Andretti’s claim to a place on the Formula 1 grid has been strengthened by its tie-up with Cadillac, says Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

Many existing F1 team principals, including Wolff, reacted coolly to Andretti’s pursuit of an entry into F1. Wolff pointed out last year “an 11th team means a 10% dilution for everybody else” in terms of their income and that Andretti needed to show his entry could “add value” to F1.

Last week FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced he intended to begin a process to examine new entries into F1. Andretti formally announced his plans to enter soon afterwards, and revealed he had secured the backing of America’s largest car producer General Motors through its Cadillac brand.

‘Andretti’s claim to a place on the Formula 1 grid’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/13/...-f1-bid-wolff/


Inside story of F1 failure Toto Wolff doesn't want repeated as FIA plan expansion anyway
Things could be set to change in F1 very soon.
06:01, Sun, Jan 15, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth

Toto Wolff is one of several team bosses to have reservations about increasing the number of entrants in F1 as Andretti look to join as an 11th team. Wolff says there are fears the new entry could dilute the sport and wouldn't help increase the value of F1.

His reservations have some merit after F1’s disastrous attempt to expand the grid over a decade ago. The move came about after FIA President Max Mosely aimed to push through a $40million budget cap tier.

However, the budget formula never materialised despite 15 applications from teams across the world. The three chosen constructors - Manor, Lotus and Camps Racing - were successful but then faced increased costs and struggled on track.

‘Budget formula never materialised despite 15 applications from teams across the world’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...10-news-latest

[Fortitude]

Which 2023 F1 launch are you most excited for?
It is always an exciting time of year with early expectations based almost solely on the look of the car.
Monday 9 January 2023 13:06
Sam Hall
GPFans

There is a word of warning, however, as some teams are almost certain to use a show car in the reveal, showcasing a new livery while keeping design secrets hidden.

This was the case for a number of teams, including Red Bull, as the first interpretations of the all-new technical regulations were revealed last year.

With this in mind, which teams launch are you most looking forward to in the coming weeks? Let us know in the poll and give us your early predictions in the comments below!

‘F1 launch excitement’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99...t-excited-for/


F1 2023 car launches and livery reveals: dates and locations
January 13th 2023
Author Motor Sport

Here are all of the latest dates and times for all of the 2023 car launches ahead of the new Formula 1 season.

Team Launch Date
Red Bull February 3
Williams February 6
AlphaTauri February 11
Aston Martin February 13
McLaren February 13
Ferrari February 14
Mercedes February 15
Alpine February 16
Haas TBC
Alfa Romeo TBC

‘F1 launch season is fast approaching;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...3&nowprocket=1


How glitzy car launches can help sustain the F1 boom
13:07 Wed, 11 Jan 2023.
MATT KEW
Motorsport.com

It was only a handful of years ago that showy Formula 1 car launches appeared to be a dying art. Unveils had become little more than afterthoughts. Never mind appearances by the Spice Girls and Jamiroquai; forget demonstration runs in major cities; there wasn’t even a split livery as a talking point.

No, official reveals were largely reduced to whipping off a dust cover on the first day of pre-season testing while a press release was sent out but lost almost immediately amid the on-track running.

But, as another small indicator of F1’s current popularity boom, there’s been something of a recent return to form. In these times of ‘more is more’, there’s an appetite for any kind of spectacle. Car launches provide another source.

‘Appeared to be a dying art’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...boom/10419480/


Andretti hail "racer" FIA president's F1 bid backing
Sunday 15 January 2023 15:00
Sam Hall
GPFans

Andretti Global owner Michael Andretti has welcomed the public support of FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem as the outfit pushes to become the 11th team on the F1 grid.

Andretti held a short-notice press conference in early January in which it announced a partnership with General Motors and Cadillac, adding much-needed value to its F1 pursuit.

The reveal came days after Ben Sulayem had asked the FIA to look at launching an expression-of-interest process to expand the grid beyond its existing 10 teams. But while there was a broadly positive reaction on social media to the announcement, this has seemingly not been mirrored inside the sport as there has been a tempered response

‘Andretti hail "racer" FIA President’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99...1-bid-backing/


F1’s last entry by US car giant was a masterclass in failure
Jan 8 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Formula 1 is inching towards another manufacturer boom, with Audi coming in, Cadillac linking up with Andretti, Honda and Porsche in the 2026 rules mix and maybe even Ford and Hyundai too.

But when Gary Anderson heard Cadillac’s thoughts about F1 in the Andretti announcement, it gave him unpleasant flashbacks to the last time a giant US automotive group felt it knew what it took to succeed in F1.

Gary alluded to some of the misery of his Ford/Jaguar experience in his analysis of Cadillac’s approach on Friday. In an updated version of an article first published on The Race in 2020, here’s his full inside story of how Jaguar got it so wrong.

‘Masterclass in failure’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ford-...-manufacturer/


Exclusive: Panthera also pushing for F1 spot, will build Asian academy and aiming for 2026 launch
Saturday 7th January 2023 7:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The Panthera Team Asia F1 project is gearing up for another run at an F1 spot and this time, it may come off. In 2019, Panthera announced themselves as another team wanting a slice of the F1 pie. With the goal of becoming the team of Asia, they set about jumping through the necessary hoops to get on the grid but, as it did with all other walks of life, COVID scuppered their plans.

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Team principal and co-founder Benjamin Durand exclusively told PlanetF1.com. “We could have given up a long time ago on this project, but we believe in it.” But what has spurred Durand and his team to keep pressing on? A belief that Asia is the next great market for F1 to conquer.

Since Liberty Media’s acquisition of the sport in 2017, all eyes have been on the US with a sustained push to make F1 part of American life. Three races in the US, a US racer and potentially an all-American team all point to progress but it is on the other side of the globe where Durand feels attention has been lacking. “We still think that the Asian market and Chinese market are the next markets to be developed,” he said.

‘Panthera Team Asia F1 project’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/panthe...-f1-2026-spot/

[Fortitude]

F1 2023 predictions: Which driver will win each team-mate battle in 2023?
Only four teams on the Formula 1 grid will begin the 2023 season with an unchanged line-up from last year.
Tuesday 17th January 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The fact that three of those teams were Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – the only ones to win a race in 2022 – is evidence that stability is a key strength in F1.

The changes from last season to this carry no shortage of intrigue, so we’ve put our neck on the line by predicting the winner of each team-mate battle in 2023…

‘Team-mate battles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1...m-mate-battle/


F1 chief issues verdict on 'error generator' sprints
Tuesday 17 January 2023 06:35
Sam Hall
GPFans

F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds has delivered his verdict on the sprint weekend format that is set to feature on six occasions this season.

Speaking at Autosport International, Symonds reflected: "There are those who like it and there are those who dislike it. But to me, what we do is we have a competition. What I like about a competition is when it's not predictable. Oxford were playing Arsenal in the FA Cup the other week and they were holding them 0-0 to half time and that sort of thing is great.”

"With a normal grand prix weekend, Friday does not provide any competition and therefore, what's the attraction of it? We're here to compete. In addition, the teams are so good with their simulation these days, having all the time on Friday, they're got two hours of running to fine-tune the car, make sure that everything's good, and what that leads to is predictability."

'Error generator sprints’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/99...rator-sprints/


Takeover of the tech-heads: new trend in F1 team bosses
January 16th 2023
Author Adam Cooper
Motor Sport Magazine

F1 team principals often used to be former racers who owned their squad, but the model is rapidly changing in favour of staff with engineering or management qualifications, writes Adam Cooper

The appointment of James Vowles as Williams team principal reflects an intriguing recent trend in the sport, and as such perhaps it shouldn’t have been as much a surprise as it was.

More than ever before the current crop is predominantly comprised of guys with strong hands-on engineering or technical experience, rather than folk from the commercial or marketing side. The days of a Flavio Briatore figure calling the shots appear to be long gone.

‘Tech-head Takeover’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...3&nowprocket=1


WATCH: From Michael Schumacher unretiring to Robert Kubica's resilient return – The top 10 driver comebacks in F1 history
16 January 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg’s return to the grid in 2023 made us think about the times a familiar face has come back to the sport. So, we dug through the archives and found some of the most notable driver comebacks in Formula 1 history.

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of world champions, like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Nigel Mansell and Niki Lauda, find the allure of driving an F1 car again all too hard to turn down.

We’ve also seen some incredible comeback stories – such as Robert Kubica’s brave return to the grid in 2019, after the Polish driver suffered horrific injuries in a rally accident eight years earlier.

‘Top 10 driver comebacks’;

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


F1 set for crunch meeting to ‘tidy up’ 2026 power unit regulations
16 Jan 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds has revealed a key meeting will take place later this month to finalise the 2026 power unit regulations.

Last August, governing body the FIA approved the new cycle of F1 engines that will feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels when they are introduced in 2026.

Audi have already announced an entry as an engine supplier and sister Volkswagen Group brand Porsche remain interested in making an F1 power unit. Meanwhile, the Andretti Group recently stated their intention to join the F1 grid together with General Motors through their luxury brand Cadillac.

‘Crunch meeting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/101908...pu-regulations

[Fortitude]

Chinese GP Demise Means Two Long Breaks in 2023 F1 Season.
Formula 1 will have an April break in addition to the traditional summer break in August in 2023.
Jan 17, 2023
By Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

It means that there will be a four-week gap during the early stages of the season between races in Australia on April 2 and Azerbaijan on April 30. Formula 1’s 2023 schedule has finally been ratified after championship organizers confirmed that China’s canceled event will not be replaced.

It means that there will be a four-week gap during the early stages of the season between races in Australia on April 2 and Azerbaijan on April 30, which are rounds three and four, respectively. A request for Azerbaijan to move its date forward a week, to April 23, was dismissed by the local promoter.

It is understood that Formula 1 also explored the possibility of including a round in Portimao, Portugal on China’s April 16 date but ultimately opted against doing so.

‘Two Long Breaks’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...023-f1-season/


F1 reduces races to 23 after axing Chinese Grand Prix
Shanghai loses out for the fourth year in a row despite lifting Covid restrictions
17 JANUARY 2023 - 21:22
ALAN BALDWIN
Financial Mail

London — Formula One will have 23 races this season, still a record and one more than last year, with the sport facing a four-week gap in April after deciding not to replace the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix.

The race in Shanghai, originally scheduled for April 16 as the fourth of 24 rounds, was axed last month for the fourth year in a row due to strict local measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

F1 had said then that it was assessing alternative options, with various venues touted in the media including Portugal’s Portimao circuit that was used as a replacement in 2020 and 2021 for races cancelled during the pandemic.

‘F1 reduces races to 23’;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sp...se-grand-prix/


Chinese GP hopes ended as F1 sticks to 23-race schedule
January 17, 2023
SportBusiness Staff
Sport Business

Formula 1 has today (Tuesday) confirmed that its 2023 season will remain at 23 races, ending hopes of the Chinese Grand Prix returning to the schedule or an alternative event being found.

On December 2, F1 announced that the Chinese GP would be missing from the race calendar for the fourth consecutive season. The motor-racing championship confirmed the news following talks with the promoter and relevant authorities.

It said the 2023 Chinese GP would not take place due to the “ongoing difficulties presented by the Covid-19 situation”.

‘F1 sticks to 23-race schedule’;

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/c...race-schedule/


F1 not replacing canceled Chinese GP; 23 races in 2023
Published: 14:09, 17 January 2023
By Associated Press
Mail Online

LONDON (AP) - Formula One confirmed Tuesday that it will not replace the canceled Chinese Grand Prix, leaving the 2023 season at what is still a record 23 races. "Formula 1 can confirm the 2023 season will consist of 23 races. All existing race dates on the calendar remain unchanged," F1 said in a brief statement.

Countries such as Turkey and Portugal have stepped in as replacement F1 hosts when the last three seasons were affected by the pandemic. A replacement race on the Chinese GP's April 16 date - between Australia and Azerbaijan on the schedule - could have made it difficult for teams to change their travel and transportation plans at relatively short notice.

‘F1 not replacing canceled Chinese GP’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...aces-2023.html


How serious a setback is F1’s five-year absence for its growth in China?
2023 F1 season
Posted on 17th January 2023, 13:4517th January 2023, 13:46
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Today’s confirmation the Chinese Grand Prix will not be reinstated to the 2023 Formula 1 calendar means the world championship will be absent from the country for at least five years. While F1’s enthusiasm for racing in China appears undimmed, is the feeling mutual? In 2019, the 16th year that F1 had visited China, three-day crowds at the grand prix stood at 160,000. That was only around 40% of capacity at the vast Shanghai circuit, and well short of the record-breaking figures F1 had at many venues last year.

The strong attendance figures at grands prix since 2021 may be partly due to a post-pandemic surge in interest among millions of fans who were unable to watch races in person during the year-and-a-half of events being held behind closed doors while there was lockdowns across the globe and not just in China. But with no Chinese GP for five years how many locals will be clamouring for F1’s return and how many will have forgotten about it?

The good news for F1 is it finally has its first driver from the country: Zhou Guanyu. Unfortunately he has now seen his home event cancelled in both of the years he has been racing in F1. There will be many in F1 hoping another strong season from the Shanghai native will persuade Alfa Romeo to keep him on from a third year and ensure he is on the grid for the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix – if it happens.

‘How serious a setback’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/01/17/...owth-in-china/