2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Magnussen sums up ‘worst race we’ve had in a while’ at Spa.
Kevin Magnussen was 15th at the flag in Belgium and said afterwards Haas “just weren’t fast enough”.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Worst race we’ve had in a while’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ma...36531438297276


Belgian Grand Prix: Race Recap
July 28, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 15th, and Nico Hulkenberg 19th, at the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 14 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Magnussen prolonged his first stint until lap 18 before coming in for a set of hard tires and battled in the midfield while nursing his set of tires as one of the only drivers to manage a one-stop strategy, eventually classifying in 15th position.

Kevin Magnussen: “I think we had a decent race, we just didn’t have the pace to fight further up today. We took what we could and did a one-stop, which was fine. I can’t say we did anything wrong, we just weren’t fast enough. We thought this track was going to be good for us, but we’ve been surprised many times, and this is the worst race we’ve had in a while. I’m looking forward to the summer break – everyone is – and then looking forward to some races where we’ll score some more points.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/belg...x-race-recap-6


Magnussen admits qualifying tactics didn’t work out after double Q1 exit for Haas
Kevin Magnussen qualified down in P17 for the Belgian Grand Prix.
27 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Qualifying tactics didn’t work’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ma...44063786092320


Belgian Grand Prix: Qualifying Recap
July 27, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen qualified 16th and 17th respectively for the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 14 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Wet weather impacted Saturday’s track activities at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. A rain-affected final practice was effectively a washout – with Hulkenberg able to bank just a handful of laps in his VF-24 on Pirelli Cinturato Green intermediate tires, and Magnussen only emerging to take the practice start.

Kevin Magnussen: “I don’t think we were too far from the optimum we could do. I went out for two timed laps in the second run and the track was getting so much better that it would’ve been better to do one timed lap with new tires with the track being the best. We didn’t look as competitive in these conditions compared to the dry conditions yesterday. Our plan was for a wet session but there was almost a dry line at the end, so that didn’t work for our plan, but the performance wasn’t there.”

‘Qualifying Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/belg...ifying-recap-5


Magnussen reflects on ‘worst race we’ve had in a while’ in Belgium as Hulkenberg urges Haas to ‘forget this weekend’
1 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It was a tough day for Haas at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg both finishing the event well outside of the points in what Magnussen described as “the worst race we’ve had in a while”.

Reflecting on his afternoon at Spa-Francorchamps, Magnussen admitted that the team had simply lacked pace rather than making any errors. “I think we had a decent race,” the 31-year-old said. “We just didn’t have the pace to fight further up today, so [we] just took what we could and did a one-stop which was fine. Can’t really say we did anything wrong, we just weren’t fast enough.”

In terms of whether preparing for a dry set-up after qualifying may have contributed to the issues, Magnussen responded: “I don’t think it was that, we just kind of did the best we could for the car in broad terms. We didn’t focus specifically on the race. Actually what we thought would be best for quali was probably also going to be best for the race, so we didn’t really have any compromise – we were just not fast enough.”

‘Worst race we’ve had in a while’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...eSJHCF2Lku0NaT


Magnussen laments ‘worst race’ of 2024 as woes continue
Disappointment continued for the American-based outfit in Belgium, with the team unable to capture points
August 1, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Haas entered the Belgian Grand Prix on the back of some positive performances.

Magnussen expresses his disappointment: The race looked hopeful with Magnussen running in the points, despite this glimmer of hope, the Dane dropped back down and finished the race in 15th – which was later updated to 14th after George Russell’s disqualification.

Magnussen reflected on his race to the media, stating that nothing went wrong, the team just lacked pace: “This track, we thought it was going to be good for us, but we’ve been surprised many times and this is the worst race we’ve had in a while so, yeah, looking forward to the summer break. I think everyone is, and then coming back to more races where we’ll score some more points.”

‘Woes continue’;

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


Magnussen: 2024 the ‘first time’ Haas’ F1 upgrades have worked
12:08 Sun, 04 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“I think coming into this year we thought we were going to be the last team on the grid and we haven’t been, so I think it’s been a positive surprise,” Magnussen said.

“There’s always, when you look back at this stuff, things you could have done better but I think everyone can say that, so I feel like we’ve had a good first half of the season.”

“The second half I think with the couple of upgrades we’ve had this year, they’ve actually worked. And it’s the first time in Haas’ history that we brought upgrades to the car that made it faster. So that’s a real step forward there already. So hopefully we can keep that going. We’re on a good trend, I think. So hopefully we can just keep that going.”

‘F1 upgrades have worked’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...s-have-worked/


Magnussen open to taking on potential Haas F1 advisor role
10:31 Sat, 20 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Magnussen admitted that it was bittersweet to be leaving amid Haas’ upturn in competitiveness this term as it prepares to go into next season with an all-new line-up. “Well, I think, you know, I’ve been with this team since the very beginning of Haas’ time at F1, and I feel very much a part of the family.”

“It’s going to be strange to leave the team at the end of the year, but everything comes to an end, and, you know, it’s still quite early in the season. Haas have gone ahead and wants to secure the drivers for next year early enough, and there’s still seats available, so that’s understandable and fine by me.”

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu stated in the press release that he would be interested in initiating discussions with Magnussen about another role within the team’s setup. Magnussen has disclosed that he would consider such a proposal on the basis that he comes up short in his endeavour to salvage an F1 drive elsewhere on the grid. Asked about Komatsu’s comment, Magnussen replied: “Well, if I’m racing elsewhere in Formula 1 in another team, it doesn’t work. But I think it’s nice of him to say that.”

‘Potential Haas F1 advisor role’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-advisor-role/

[Fortitude]

Sauber strategy gamble ‘didn’t quite pay off’ – Bottas.
Kick Sauber’s wait for a first point of 2024 continues after Valtteri Bottas finished 16th in the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Sauber strategy gamble’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sa...38143450968871


Bottas feels Sauber ‘getting closer’ to first points of 2024
2 Aug 2024
Michael Delaney
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas believes Sauber is “getting closer” to scoring their first top-ten finish of the 2024 season after a performance last weekend at Spa that he describes as one of the team’s best yet.

"Yeah, I think we tried,” he said last Sunday. “The positive thing is it felt like we were in a bit better position again with the race pace against the competition, but still not enough for a top-10. We tried something different with the strategy in the end, but it didn’t quite pay off. Like I said, a bit better than in the previous events."

When asked what it will take to break Sauber’s points duck, Bottas replied: "I think we are getting closer. Today, pace-wise, was one of the best or better races we’ve had in terms of pace. We just need to keep bringing upgrades, that’s what we need to do, otherwise keep progressing in every area."

‘Getting closer’;

https://f1i.com/news/515892-bottas-f...s-of-2024.html


Bottas feels Sauber are ‘getting closer’ to first points of 2024 while Zhou says Spa DNF ‘sums up our season’
2 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas is optimistic that the second half of the season will bring a long-awaited first points finish for Kick Sauber after one of his and the team’s “better races” at the Belgian Grand Prix. Sauber head into the summer break as the only squad yet to record a top-10 finish in 2024, with Zhou Guanyu coming closest to doing so via 11th position at the Bahrain season opener.

“We tried something different with the strategy in the end [by completing a late second pit stop], but it didn’t quite pay off. Like I said, a bit better than in the previous events.” Pushed on what it’s going to take to get off the mark in the second half of the season, Bottas added: “I think we are getting closer. Today, pace-wise, was one of the best or better races we’ve had in terms of pace.”

“Yeah, nothing more to add honestly,” he commented after returning to the pits. “Losing the power, then losing the brakes, losing the race unfortunately. It summed up a little bit the last few race weekends for me, so we need to fix the issue going forward, otherwise it’s of course a disappointing day.”

‘Getting closer’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...k6PB9Z4V9SGl76


Bottas: Sauber hasn’t been ‘super stable’ with Audi F1 upheaval
4 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Bottas, whose contract with the side expires once this season concludes, has admitted that the Swiss-Italian will require time to stamp his own mark on proceedings.

“It’s a bit of a reset again,” Bottas acknowledged. “It’s not a secret that when there’s a new leadership, it will always take a bit of time, first of all. Mattia needs to know what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths, what are the priorities for short- and long-term improvements, and that’s going to take a bit of time.”\
“Again, it’s the third time now in three years, within three years, that we’ve had change at the top, so not a new situation, and the team shouldn’t be too affected at this point. I think it’s more the stuff for the future, and obviously time will show what will happen.”

‘Reset again’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...i-f1-upheaval/


Bottas retains an upper hand over Zhou – but will either keep their seat?
2nd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Bottas’ one-lap pace has been consistently better than his team mate’s. Although the gap narrowed slightly last year Zhou has usually ended up behind this year. Zhou’s race performances were markedly stronger last year, and in this respect he is continuing to perform fairly well against his more experienced team mate. However both drivers face the same problem that the Sauber has seldom if ever been a points contender.

The team is working hard to fix this and over the previous two races Bottas has had the benefit of the latest components. Once the pair converge on specifications we may finally see the two vivid green cars in the hunt for points. Whether Zhou can make the step from there to deliver the kind of results he needs remains to be seen. But on the strength of his performances so far this year he appears to have plateaued slightly below the level a team would want.

That’s a troubling situation for him, as Sauber has already inked a deal with Nico Hulkenberg for next year. That means its current drivers are vying for the single remaining seat, and so far Zhou looks like the one most likely to miss out.

‘Will either keep their seat?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/02/...ep-their-seat/


Valtteri Bottas is running out of options to stay in F1
August 1, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas finds his back against the wall as he works to stay in F1. “I’m confident I’m going to get a seat.” These were the words of Valtteri Bottas earlier in the year, as driver market speculation reached its height. In the months since then, the dominos have slowly started to fall – and they do not bode well for Bottas. Whilst still in contention for a contract, the Finn’s options are increasingly limited.

Options running out for Bottas. Recent developments in the driver market have not been especially encouraging for Bottas. Haas and Williams have both finalised their driver line-ups for 2025. With a return to a front-running team off the table, the 34-year-old’s pool of realistic destinations is shrinking.

The doors for next year are quickly closing, so regardless of how attractive the room is inside, Bottas must find a way. Luckily for Bottas, Sauber have failed to sign their ideal targets. Carlos Sainz, their well-established priority, decided against joining them – instead opting for Williams. Esteban Ocon, who is also understood to have been a target for Audi, chose to sign for Haas. In this context, the drivers available to the Hinwil-based team are limited – and they may struggle to find a free agent of a higher calibre than Bottas.

‘Running out of options’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...to-stay-in-f1/


Valtteri Bottas' F1 career may be over as Mattia Binotto considers rogue move
Valtteri Bottas could find his Formula One career in doubt.
Aug 3, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mattia Binotto is reportedly considering replacing Sauber star Valtteri Bottas with motorsport rookie Gabriel Bortoleto next year. Bortoleto has impressed with his performances during his first year of Formula Two and may be about to step into Formula One. Sauber are looking to make changes to their driver line-up for 2025. Nico Hulkenberg has already been announced as one of their racers for next season.

According to Italian publication Formu1a.Uno, the 19-year-old McLaren academy driver Bortoleto is being considered as a replacement for Bottas. The Brazilian teenager is currently second in the F2 drivers’ leaderboard, having enjoyed a successful debut campaign. Next year could see several rookies race in F1. Bortoleti could join Oliver Bearman on the grid, with the British 19-year-old announced as a signing by Haas after impressing on debut for Ferrari earlier this year.

Kimi Antonelli could yet be announced as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes. The Italian, 17, is one of few options for Toto Wolff, aside from a blockbuster move for Max Verstappen. The rookies entering F1 represent a changing of the guard on the grid, with Hamilton’s former Mercedes sidekick Bottas’s place looking increasingly precarious. The Finn had previously been confident of holding his seat.

‘F1 career may be over’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...mattia-binotto


Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell 'escape' during summer break
4 August 2024
GPblog.com

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas is making the most of the break by heading back to Finland on holiday, accompanied by his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. Usually, during time away from the track, we see Bottas and Cromwell, a professional biker in both road racing and mountain biking, involved in many cycling events, including one of their own they came up with in Finlands a couple of months ago. However, both the Finn and the Australian have ditched their bikes and are relaxing during their time off.

It's been a tough season for the ten-time Grand Prix winner and the Stake F1 team, struggling to make any progress and finding themselves at the back of the grid. Sauber still sits on zero points in the constructors' championship, the only team to do so. However, Bottas' surroundings in the beautiful mountains as he 'escapes to the North' will mean he is rested and ready to earn points in the second half of the season.

‘Making the most of the break’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29353...n-finland.html

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda: ‘Considering I started from Zandvoort I think ending up P17 isn’t bad!’
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda had a whopping 60-place grid penalty after taking a host of new power unit parts for the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Started from Zandvoort’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ts...35466289677495


F1 star speaks out after being hit with 60-place grid penalty for Belgian Grand Prix
One star at the Belgian Grand Prix has reacted to a very heavy sanction.
Jul 27, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 rules state that those who go over the limit of power unit elements in a single season are hit with a 10-place grid penalty. But due to Tsunoda making such an overhaul, he has been forced to drop a whopping 60 places to the back of the grid.

“Oh, Jesus!” Tsunoda exclaimed when speaking to F1 TV after FP2 when he was informed of his punishment, though the driver likely would have expected such a crackdown.

‘F1 star speaks out’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...sunoda-penalty


Yuki Tsunoda shares what Red Bull director Helmut Marko told him about F1 future
26 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda feared for F1 future after Helmut Marko discussion. Speaking to media outlets including Planet F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Tsunoda relayed what he’d heard behind the scenes. Executive director Helmut Marko told him in Austria that there was a particularly ‘important’ stretch of races ahead.

Speaking to media outlets including Planet F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Tsunoda relayed what he’d heard behind the scenes. Executive director Helmut Marko told him in Austria that there was a particularly ‘important’ stretch of races ahead. “He told me in Austria that the next three races would be important for the future, but Austria wasn’t good,” he said. “So I was thinking: ‘OK, maybe he’s talking about my future regarding my Formula 1 seat rather than the Red Bull seat!’”

“So I was not really thinking or asking deeply about that. And it’s typical of Helmut that if I didn’t perform well for two races, or one race, immediately he comes to you and puts on pressure. So it was kind of a usual day for me. But after that, it was quite clear what I did at Silverstone in Hungary. Other than that. I haven’t had any conversations.”

‘Heard behind the scenes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuk...out-f1-future/


Tsunoda makes striking revelation after four years in F1
Yuki Tsunoda is the "happiest" he has ever been with his performance level during his F1 career.
5 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda says he is the "happiest" he has been with his level of performance since he started his F1 career in 2021. "Definitely the happiest so far out of the last four years with my performance," the Japanese driver contended when reviewing his campaign to date. Obviously a lot of things I could have done better, but it's not bad."

"Montreal, for sure, when I was running in the points, I had a mistake and I lost points," he confirmed when asked what parts of the season could have gone better. "So, that was a bit unnecessary. Bahrain, as well. Just things I can fix by myself," he added.

"Silverstone was a race that we were not really expecting points, especially when we faced dry conditions," he explained. "For sure, the bit of rain, mixed conditions, helped a little bit, but we were able to achieve points with difficult conditions and a difficult situation. For myself, if I look back at the first two years [of my F1 career], I don't think I can achieve points, so those things for sure, I feel able to improve myself and be on the right path."

"Happiest";

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-ma...ur-years-in-f1


RB: Ricciardo helping to develop ‘rough diamond’ Tsunoda in F1
15:50 Mon, 05 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

RB CEO Peter Bauer believes Daniel Ricciardo’s vast experience in Formula 1 has been an asset that has helped to develop “rough diamond” team-mate Yuki Tsunoda. “I think Helmut is logically arguing from his position,” Bayer told Motorsport Total. “He is responsible for the junior team, which is 100 per cent under his responsibility and he logically always has a very important say in terms of driver technology. He has the authority, the knowledge, everything – and he focuses incredibly on the junior topic.”

Bayer has concurred with Tsunoda’s previous assessment that observing Ricciardo up close has helped the Japanese native to transcend into a more polished driver. “I see a bit of a broader spectrum in the overall responsibility for the team, this famous big picture theme somewhere: Yes, we have to develop young drivers,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you can also define that as Yuki is not quite finished yet.”

“He has learned a lot from Daniel when it comes to technical feedback, development, exchange. He has also learned a lot from Daniel when it comes to emotional control and management, how to structure and plan his weekend. In other words, he is learning. We are actually still in the process of perfecting this rough diamond Yuki, with the help of Daniel. Daniel has definitely justified his place in the team.”

‘Rough diamond Tsunoda’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...tsunoda-in-f1/

[Fortitude]

Sargeant admits P18 in Belgium ‘certainly wasn’t great’.
Logan Sargeant came home in 18th for Williams at the last race before the F1 summer break.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P18 (became 17th)’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sa...35491401001122


Sargeant not safe from mid-season dismissal - Williams
Logan Sargeant's Williams fate for 2025 has been sealed, but that does not mean he will necessarily survive the rest of the current F1 season.
30 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Williams team principal James Vowles has not ruled out replacing Logan Sargeant this season, emphasising the need for him to "earn" his place in the team. Despite facing calls to replace him, Vowles stuck by him for another season. However, results have not sufficiently improved, and with a racer of Sainz's calibre available, Williams had to act. Although, that does not mean Sargeant is safe from being jettisoned out of the team during the second half of the current season.

"What I've said before is this: 'earn your place'," Vowles told media including RacingNews365. "And [at] Silverstone [and] Budapest, he earned his place. [At Spa-Francorchamps] I need him to do more... but I'm not going to make a decision from one race to the next. What I don't want to sit here and say is 'Logan absolutely has a place nailed forever in the situation', earn it - as I have to earn my job, as Alex has to earn his job at the same time."

‘Not safe’;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-n...issal-williams


Williams boss hits out at Logan Sargeant ‘odd stories’ as F1 2024 status addressed
03 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

“First and foremost, there are odd stories that appear,” Vowles said of current rumors circulating around Sargeant. “Logan and I speak — I’m not going to say daily, but on a race weekend, definitely daily, and outside of that several times a week.”

“My job is to do the absolute best that I can for him because ultimately, if we’re scoring points, we need both drivers on song for doing so.” This refutation came after several outlets published quotes from former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson that Sargeant and Vowles “don’t even talk with each other anymore” and that “they barely greet each other.”

Vowles continued in the roundtable, “Second to that, I have a responsibility towards him. He is still going to be a professional racing driver in the future, and he’s still part of Williams in that regard, and we have an investment into him. We started it here, it will continue.”

‘Williams boss hits out’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/willia...atus-addressed


Sargeant has ‘made progress’ despite decision to replace him – Vowles
4th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Williams announced on Monday that Carlos Sainz Jnr will replace Sargeant in their line-up next year. However Vowles said their outgoing driver has raised his game in recent rounds. “Logan is a part of the Williams Academy, he’s one of the 20 best drivers in the world on the Formula 1 grid, and over the last few races, I hope you can see the progress that he has been making with the team,” he said in a video released by the team.

“We have a responsibility towards him. He is still a professional racing driver. He’s earned his place in motorsport and we’ll do what it takes for him in order to be a professional racing driver in his future career.”

‘Made progress’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/04/...nd-up-04-08-7/


‘Brutal honestly’: Williams boss James Vowles shares ‘blunt truth’ about whether Logan Sargeant will see out this season
5 August 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

James Vowles delivers update on Logan Sargeant’s immediate Williams future. Asked whether Sargeant will see out the rest of the season, Vowles said: “As I’ve said time and time again, I’ve done everything possible and I will continue to do so to give him the platform where he can do so.

“In other words, I want him to see out the season. I want him. He’s a Williams Academy driver. He will remain a Williams Academy driver. We’ve invested in him. And I don’t just mean two years of Formula One. I mean also in his F2 career and otherwise. As long as he earns it, he has a seat and he has to earn it and I would say that the blunt truth behind it, which I provided him as well, is Silverstone and Budapest, good job. He really did move forward.”

“You can see he’s seconds off Alex and Alex is faster than people think. But in Spa, we weren’t there and we have to understand why together, what’s different and will it apply to future races. That’s the blunt truth behind it and many will take objection at this level of what I call brutal honesty on things. But I much rather that he is given every opportunity but knows where he has to improve rather than a decision gets made from one day to the next without any influence from the side.”

‘Brutal honestly’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wil...t-this-season/


2024 F1 mid-season driver rankings #20: Logan Sargeant
5th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

When Logan Sargeant was handed a second chance to race for Williams in 2024, some considered even that as being too generous of the Grove team. The rookie had undoubtedly struggled over his rookie campaign, but with the vocal support of team principal James Vowles encouraging the young American driver to “shock the world” in 2024, Sargeant was given a blank slate with which to stake his claim that he belonged in Formula 1.

After spinning out of the wet race in Montreal, it was hard not to feel as though Sargeant’s days in Formula 1 were numbered. Especially with rumours flaring in the paddock about Andrea Kimi Antonelli potentially being brought in as a replacement for the Williams driver. But after Canada, Sargeant’s run to the summer break was a clear improvement, with him avoiding any major errors and putting in the kinds of performances that his team would have expected from him in year two.

Sadly, it’s too late for Sargeant to save his future at Williams and it may be that he’s lost out on the opportunity to convince any team to take another chance on him in the future. But with ten more rounds left of the season, he at least has plenty of chances to make sure he leaves the series with his head held high.

‘James Vowles encouraging the young American driver to “shock the world” in 2024’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/05/...ogan-sargeant/


‘Blunt truth’ from Williams leaves Logan Sargeant facing sudden F1 2024 exit
06 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles may “want” Logan Sargeant to see out the Formula 1 season with Williams but he stopped short of guaranteeing the American will be in the car come Abu Dhabi. Last Monday, Sargeant officially learned his Formula 1 fate when Williams announced Carlos Sainz would replace him as Alex Albon’s 2025 team-mate.

Although Sargeant has not been whitewashed in qualifying by Albon, he has yet to score even a single point at tracks he now knows as a Formula 1 driver. But while that has surely meant the end of his F1 career after December’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Vowles would not guarantee Sargeant would even see Abu Dhabi.

Using “brutal honesty”, the Williams team principal says the American still has to earn his seat in the final 10 races even if he does “want” to continue with him. Asked point blank if Sargeant is ‘ going to see out the season with Williams’, Vowles told the F1 Nation podcast: “As I’ve said time and time again, I’ve done everything possible and I will continue to do so to give him the platform where he can do so.

‘Blunt truth’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/blunt-...habi-guarantee


Logan Sargeant offers F1 future update as Williams door slams shut
05 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Logan Sargeant’s time at Williams is coming to an end as the team commits to Carlos Sainz for 2025. That now leaves all of Sargeant’s future hanging by a thread. When asked if he intended to use the summer break to settle on a path for his future, Sargeant chose not to offer a definitive answer: “I have no idea.”

“Conversations will be had,” he said, referring to future negotiations completed by his manager. “Whether that means we have anything or not is a very different question,” he admitted. “For sure, I’ll try and get a bit of direction — but whether that amounts to anything, I’m not sure.” …the American driver was also clear about needing a break from the strain.

“In the end, I think it’s important for me to take a bit of time off as well,” he said. “It’s hard enough to go the whole year without really stopping, so I think it is important to get a certain amount of time away from it completely. So I’ll put a bit more weight on [my manager’s] shoulders to figure it out — but no, I’m sure conversations will be had. Just what, I don’t know yet.”

‘F1 future update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-...oor-slams-shut

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg urges Haas to ‘regroup and refresh’ over summer break.
Nico Hulkenberg was left ruing a difficult weekend at Spa-Francorchamps as Haas endured a torrid time in the Belgian Grand Prix.
10:08 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“Very difficult,” Hulkenberg said of Sunday at Spa which he concluded a lowly 18th at the tail end of the field. “Just no pace, no harmony, no rhythm. I don’t know, I just didn’t get off on the right foot with the car this weekend and we didn’t manage to find a sweet spot with all the different sessions.”

“We need to look into a little bit why, but to some extent I think just forget this weekend, regroup, refresh over the summer break and go again. Yeah, I think especially on my side. Kevin looked a bit better and obviously he pulled off a one-stop which was not bad and decent. But still overall we need to look into our low-downforce performance.”

“Just no pace, no harmony, no rhythm”;

https://f1i.com/news/515797-hulkenbe...mer-break.html


Hulkenberg has the beating of his team mate again, albeit with Magnussen’s help
3rd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The fireworks some predicted when Nico Hulkenberg joined Kevin Magnussen at Haas never materialised. Instead Hulkenberg, has rebuilt his standing in F1, after being cast aside by Renault five years ago, reliably bagging points for Haas and making them genuine contenders for sixth in the constructors’ championship – maybe even better. His reward was a contract offer from incoming manufacturer team Audi, which to Haas’ disappointment, he accepted.

Hulkenberg has retained the upper hand on one-lap pace which was apparent throughout last year. As Haas solved the tyre degradation problems which plagued them last season, Hulkenberg has usually been best-placed to capitalise, occasionally with Magnussen’s help. But if anything the gap between the two has grown this year, and unless Magnussen addresses that over the remaining races, it’s hard to see him getting a chance to continue in F1 somewhere else.

‘Rebuilt his standing in F1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/03/...gnussens-help/


Hulkenberg explains new Haas 'formula' with 'bittersweet' feelings revealed
Nico Hulkenberg scored 22 points for Haas across the 14 completed rounds this F1 season.
6 August 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Nico Hulkenberg believes Haas' new "formula" has been key to the team's success so far this season, which has seen the outfit settle in seventh in the constructors' championship. Haas saw considerable change during the off-season ahead of the current campaign, with notable changes having been made to its technical department and its set-up.

The German driver outlined the changes made ahead of the season, leading to the success being enjoyed. "I think we are just a healthy, efficient, working organisation," Hulkenberg told RacingNews365 and select others. "Obviously, at the end of last year, there were some changes. But what was done, some people left the team, and especially in the technical department, there was some restructuring.”

“Obviously, the team principal changed on top of that early this season. We've streamlined everything, and let the people that we have - and we have good people - take responsibility, let them work and deliver. I think that formula has worked quite well so far this year and the performance and the consistency kind of supports that."

“We have good people - take responsibility, let them work and deliver”;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg...lings-revealed


‘Experience matters’: Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect F1 driver for 2025.
31 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect driver for 2025 Talking about what he would look for in a driver for next season, Szafnauer said: “I would like for that transition year to have one experienced driver, that’s for sure.”

“And I always like to have one driver that could get a lap out of it. Like I said, Hulkenberg. And that kind of tells you, if you know and you’re confident that the driver can get a lap out of it, it tells you where the car is.”

“If you’re always doubting it and saying, yeah, he’s a great racing driver, but he always leaves something on the table and qualifying, then you’re always doubting whether your car is good enough or the car is good and the driver isn’t. So [that’s] what I would look for. But definitely, in a rule-change situation, experience matters much more.”

‘Experience matters’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/otm...iver-for-2025/


Does Nico Hulkenberg already regret signing with Audi F1 after recent ‘turmoil’ rumours?
04 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Nico Hulkenberg insists he has no doubts about his decision to sign with Audi F1 as the team revealed the latest puzzle piece with Jonathan Wheatley joining from Red Bull. Audi, who have taken over the Sauber team before the official rebranding in 2026, have made headlines for a lot of the wrong reasons of late.

Following reports of tension amongst the higher-ups at the team, Audi axed both Andrea Stella and Oliver Hoffmann as part of a “realignment of the control structure” before installing former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto as the chief operational officer and chief technical officer. A week later the team named departing Red Bull sporting director Wheatley as their new team principal, a role he’ll take up in July next year.

In the midst of that upheaval, the team lost the opportunity to sign Carlos Sainz with the Spaniard instead joining Williams in a multi-year deal. Pundits have questioned why he chose Williams over the might of a manufacturer such as Audi with claims it was a “vote of no confidence”, while Sky’s Craig Slater believes it hints at “turmoil” within the Hinwil-based team. Asked if he (Nico Hulkenberg) had been too quick to sign with Audi, a decision he made in April already, he told Sky F1: “I don’t think so, to be honest.”

‘Upheaval’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-h...egrets-signing


Hulkenberg praises 'hands-on' Audi approach after key changes
Nico Hulkenberg will join the Stake F1 team next year ahead of its transition to Audi in 2026.
2 August 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Hulkenberg, who will race for Audi when it joins the grid in 2026, has praised the “hands-on” approach from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “I think it shows that the CEO of Audi and that everyone is looking, they’re aware, they are involved,” he said.

“The fact that they take action means that they’re very much involved and invested in it, and hands-on. And that’s, I think, good and positive news.” Hulkenberg has denied he was kept in the know regarding happenings at the project, asserting his commitment to Haas until the end of the season.

“No, no, I can't be, it would be wrong and a conflict of interest,” he said. “I'm fully invested in this season still with Haas and fully committed. So I'm not in a loop.”

‘The “hands-on” approach praised’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg...er-key-changes


Mattia Binotto could now make ‘surprise’ move to bring Fernando Alonso’s protege to Audi
2 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Gabriel Bortoleto emerges as candidate to partner Nico Hulkenberg at Audi. Audi recently sacked Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffman and brought in former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to head up their F1 project. Binotto has, in turn, recruited Jonathan Wheatley from Red Bull to run the team day-to-day.

Next on the agenda for the Italian is surely the team’s driver line-up as the market enters its final stages. And, according to Formu1a.uno, he’s made a ‘surprising’ addition to the list of candidates. Gabriel Bortoleto is now ‘a possible teammate’ for Hulkenberg after impressing in Formula 2. Bortoleto is second in the championship heading into the shutdown, 36 points behind Isack Hadjar.

The 2023 F3 champion is part of the McLaren driver academy, but Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both appear to be locked in long-term. Zak Brown may listen to offers on that basis. Audi are ready to put a rookie in the car for 2025 – they could acclimatise in a relatively low-pressure situation before the stakes are raised in 2026. But that doesn’t mean that the incumbent Valtteri Bottas, a driver who’s even more experienced than Hulkenberg, is out of the running.

‘Gabriel Bortoleto is now ‘a possible teammate’ for Hulkenberg’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mat...otege-to-audi/

[Fortitude]

2024 F1 mid-season driver rankings #17: Zhou Guanyu.
Compared to many of the rookies that had entered Formula 1 in the years before he joined the world championship in 2022, Zhou Guanyu has stood out for being one of the more disciplined young drivers of his generation.
6th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Driving the slowest car on the grid – and the only one to have failed to score a point after the first 14 rounds – is always going to limit opportunities to impress. But it’s telling that while Zhou has been slowest of all in Q1 six of the 14 grand prix qualifying sessions held so far this season, team mate Valtteri Bottas has qualified lower than 17th only once. Aside from an unfortunate incident last year at Hungary, where he triggered a chain reaction at the start that took out multiple rivals, the Sauber driver has generally been one of the cleanest on the grid.

Unlike those lower down than him on this list, Zhou hasn’t had as many truly poor weekends. His Jeddah weekend was by no means good, crashing heavily at turn eight in final practice which effectively put him out of qualifying, before he finished last after taking a gamble on strategy. In Monaco, he was half a second slower than Bottas in qualifying, then allowed himself to get mugged by Logan Sargeant for one of the few overtaking moves of the race.

Zhou has been able to put together decent weekends too. Perhaps his best came at the opening round of the season in Bahrain where he rose up from 17th on the grid to only just miss out on a point in 11th place. He also flew under the radar in Miami, where he finished 11th in the sprint race and gained five positions in the grand prix to finish 14th, two places ahead of his team mate. His Spanish Grand Prix drive was also underappreciated, finishing two places higher than he started in a race without any Safety Cars in what is likely the slowest car in the field.

‘Stood out for being one of the more disciplined young drivers of his generation’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/06/...7-zhou-guanyu/


How this driver had to teach himself a completely new driving style before 2024
16:36 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

No doubt Guanyu Zhou had imagined his third season in Formula 1 differently. After two years of learning, '24 needed to be harvested, especially as his contract with Stake F1 (Sauber) expires after the season. But the Kick Sauber C44 proved a total failure, by far the slowest car the field. No points could Zhou pick up with it so far. Indeed, the Chinese has had to adjust his driving style to go as fast as possible with the car at all.

So these were not easy months for Zhou, he tells GPblog. Instructive, certainly. Asked about the better and worse parts of his own season as a driver, he says: "For me, starting with the bad parts is that it's quite clear with the new concept of the car, for my driving style there is quite a lot to be adjusted, to be changing, just because I'm quite like, let’s say aggressive, and I need to change a little bit my approach to be smoother. The car has been super sensitive. So it's kind of a bit tricky and I'm trying to change a bit my driving style basically."

And that takes time, in Zhou's experience. ""So it's not an easy season at the moment. But things (in changing my driving style, ed.) are starting to come along a bit more likely now and the good thing I think this year is quite clear. I can understand exactly what I need to do [to be successful], or where's my strong preference on the direction we want to take. There's a question about how we can we take that or at least the understanding of everything you see."

‘Completely new driving style’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29291...uber-2024.html


Zhou Guanyu Sees Positive Signs in Sauber Upgrades
July 25, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Despite Valtteri Bottas being the only drive at Sauber to receive the upgrades, Zhou is pleased with the progress that the team have made after they introduced a new set of updates at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. Heading into the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix Sauber are set to introduce more upgrades and despite not receiving them, Zhou is hoping it’ll be another step in the right direction.

Speaking to F1TV, Zhou said: “It was only Valtteri’s car [that had the upgrades] so I’ve had the same car from Silverstone. He’s making another further upgrade this weekend, and we need to see if that makes another step because clearly it was a step in the right direction as we can see some gain throughout the entire weekend with everything in place.”

‘Positive Signs in Sauber Upgrades’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...uber-upgrades/


Audi F1 hopeful eyeing negotiation 'reset' after Binotto arrival
Audi's F1 operation will have a new figure leading the team after the summer break, presenting an opportunity for Zhou Guanyu to secure a seat for next year.
30 July 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

With Binotto now the key figure leading the Audi F1 project, Zhou admitted it presents an opportunity to refresh negotiations over an F1 seat for next year. “I think with what they want to have, in terms of their goal and for the future, for next year and also for when the Audi factory team arrives, it’s definitely going to be a little bit different,” Zhou told media including RacingNews365 of the changes at the team.

“I don't have anything, [no] news, because Mattia is not really joining the team until next week. For me, it's definitely a reset for the management group of people, try to talk differently and to understand exactly what values you can bring and what they want to you to have. Things definitely will be changing around a bit more than what was planned before but for myself, I don't think it changed a lot the overall story or the future.”

Zhou asserted he will need to introduce himself to the Italian when he starts work at the team later this week. “I know him from a few years ago already when he was at Ferrari,” he said. “So he’s not someone I've never spoken to. It's not somebody very new that I need to introduce myself a lot. I think he already knows myself and also we know him as well.”

‘Zhou admitted it presents an opportunity to refresh negotiations over an F1 seat’;

https://racingnews365.com/audi-f1-ho...inotto-arrival


Bottas retains an upper hand over Zhou – but will either keep their seat?
2nd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Zhou Guanyu gave a somewhat better account of himself in his second season in Formula 1 alongside Valtteri Bottas last year. However that modest progress has not continued this year and, at a team which will replace at least one of its drivers next year, it’s hard to make a case for them to continue with Zhou. Zhou’s race performances were markedly stronger last year, and in this respect he is continuing to perform fairly well against his more experienced team mate. However both drivers face the same problem that the Sauber has seldom if ever been a points contender.

The team is working hard to fix this and over the previous two races Bottas has had the benefit of the latest components. Once the pair converge on specifications we may finally see the two vivid green cars in the hunt for points. Whether Zhou can make the step from there to deliver the kind of results he needs remains to be seen. But on the strength of his performances so far this year he appears to have plateaued slightly below the level a team would want.

That’s a troubling situation for him, as Sauber has already inked a deal with Nico Hulkenberg for next year. That means its current drivers are vying for the single remaining seat, and so far Zhou looks like the one most likely to miss out.

‘Will either keep their seat?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/02/...ep-their-seat/

[Fortitude]

'Toto Wolff should just pay George Russell the victory bonus'.
George Russell had his heart broken on Sunday. The British driver thought he had secured his third Grand Prix victory; in fact, he had already lifted the trophy and tasted the champagne on the podium.
1 August 2024.
Matt Gretton
Editor-in-Chief

Former driver David Coulthard saw Russell do everything right in Belgium. “I really feel for George [Russell] because that was arguably his greatest win in his short-winning career, and it slips away from him. So there's all sorts of ramifications, isn't there? If you take a managerial role, drivers typically have a win bonus in their contract," Coulthard said on his Formula For Success Podcast. "It's the team that have underperformed and that the car is under the weight limit. So where do you sit in all that? Would you give a driver his just use if the car was qualified or is it only if the actual result stands?" wondered Coulthard.

Eddie Jordan, a former team boss himself, knows his way around a contract in Formula 1. “There is no real right way and there's no real wrong way on this one. And it comes down to compassion and it comes down to the relationship with the driver and the team and just generally. I know Toto. Toto is not a poor man. And he's very astute and very careful. He sees in George a world champion going forward," Jordan highlighted.

“Why not pay him the money? If there's a genuine mistake, which it looks as if it is, that's what he said in his press release. Pay him the money. George is not going to miss his next meal over whether he gets it or not. But the reality is you're Mercedes, you're a top team and you've been surprised how great this driver is. Pay him,” Jordan advises.

‘Just pay George Russell the victory bonus';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29314...m-belgium.html


George Russell contract puts Mercedes in tight spot as Toto Wolff told 'you must pay him'
George Russell was stripped of his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight, but the Brit could yet receive his win bonus
1 Aug 2024
Harry Brent
Senior Sports Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff has been told to give George Russell a win bonus despite his disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix. Amidst the swirling debate that's followed, some argue that the 26-year-old racer should nonetheless be handed a win bonus, if indeed his contract stipulates it in the event of a GP victory. Speaking on his Formula For Success podcast, ex-F1 driver David Coulthard insisted Russell deserved the payment. “Would you give a driver [a win bonus] if the car was disqualified or is it only if the actual result stands?"

Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, who co-hosts the podcast with Coulthard, said he also sympathised with Russell's predicament. "There is no real right way and there's no real wrong way on this one. And it comes down to compassion and it comes down to the relationship with the driver and the team and just generally," he said. While it isn't know if Russell has a win bonus in his Mercedes contract, Jordan believes that if such a clause exists, team principal Wolff would honour it. "I know Toto. Toto is not a poor man. And he's very astute and very careful. He sees in George a world champion going forward," Jordan continued.

'You must pay him';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...wolff-33377106


Mercedes reveal early findings that led to George Russell’s disqualification
Mercedes explain some of the factors behind George Russell's DSQ in Belgium.
31 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
F1 Technical

Mercedes have now established some of the causes that played a factor in Russell’s DSQ, including higher-than-expected plank wear. “It was obviously very disappointing and unfortunate, particularly after he had driven such a strong race to win from so far back,” Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said in the team’s latest post-race debrief video.

“We are trying to understand exactly what happened. A lot of that involves us getting the weights of all the different components. The car can lose quite a lot of weight during the race. You get tyre wear, plank wear, brake wear, oil consumption. The driver themselves can lose a lot, and in this particular race George lost quite a bit of weight.”

‘Early findings;’

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105292...squalification


How Russell ‘snowball' discovery led to disqualification
George Russell pointed out a "snowball effect" in the development path of the Mercedes W15, and it ended up being the catalyst for his disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix.
6 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell observed a performance upgrade "snowball effect" on the Mercedes W15...

"We brought a reasonable size upgrade to Montreal, but nowhere near the size that it translated to in terms of lap time," the two-time grand prix winner explained. "The way the car is handling now, we [himself and Lewis Hamilton] both have much more confidence in the car, we can push it closer to its limit.”

"Now the tyres are feeling better when we drive in the race, we can manage the tyres easy on it. It just has a bit of a snowball effect in terms of its performance. So this small upgrade has turned into something quite large in terms of lap time because we can exploit the car more. And that's the biggest thing, having that confidence beneath us."

‘Snowball discovery’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-russel...squalification


Mercedes reveal the reason for Russell's shock disqualification
1 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin revealed that Mercedes suspects that plank and tyre wear, plus weight loss by George Russell himself, may have contributed to his car being under the weight limit.

“The cars started the race the same weight,” added Shovlin. “Lewis and George were both weighed after qualifying. The cars were within 500 grammes. “George's was the only one that had the problem, and it's because things like the tyre wear was much higher. It looks like we lost more material on the plank.”

"We'll collect all that data, though, and look at how we can refine our processes, because clearly we don't want that to happen in the future," concluded the Briton.

‘Russell's shock disqualification’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25187


ANALYSIS: Russell shocks rivals with one-stop strategy before his disqualification
31 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Before he was disqualified, Mercedes driver George Russell was hailed for committing himself to an aggressive and ambitious on-stop strategy at last Sunday's Spa F1 round. F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo delivers his tyre analysis from the Belgian Grand Prix. Post-race scrutineering revealed that the number 63 car was underweight as per the technical regulations and therefore George Russell was disqualified, the win going to his team-mate Hamilton, with Piastri now second and Charles Leclerc moving up to the third step of the podium.

Pirelli's Motorsport Director Mario Isola noted: “First of all, let me say this was a really exciting race. It’s been quite a while since Formula 1 has put on such a show. It’s unusual to see a race where the outcome is so uncertain, with the top three within just over a second of one another and the first six finishers, all of whom could legitimately claim to have aimed for the win or at least the podium, all finishing within under 10 seconds. It’s a shame the race result had to be changed but, as even Mercedes agreed, the rule regarding weight is very clear.”

‘ANALYSIS’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25184


Wolff reveals "the key" to Mercedes victory after 'uncompetitive Friday'
31 July 2024
Matt Gretton
Editor-in-Chief
GPblog.com

How did Mercedes find improvements from Friday? "I must admit that the overnight work that was done from Friday to Saturday, and also here on the track set engineering side, was the key. So we changed a lot from Friday. But it wasn't a mechanical, normal alignment of what we thought the car would do. So we remedied that," Wolff said. In the Mercedes debrief, Shovlin opened up on at "key" change.

"One of the issues with Spa is it is a fast circuit, and it needs a lot of commitment from the driver. We managed to introduce a bit of bouncing to the car, so in the high-speed corners, that is not great for their confidence. There were a couple of other balance issues where they had a lack of entry stability," Shovlin said.

"When you are wanting to brake late and carry speed into a corner, that does not help. At a normal track, that might have cost us a little bit of time. On a big circuit like Spa with some pretty big corners, that was becoming a large number. The car was not in the right place, but it is one of those very specific things about Spa where if the drivers have not got the car doing what they want, it can cost them a lot of performance. It was exactly the right thing for us to just revert to that known specification," Shovlin concluded.

"The key";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29306...n-belgium.html

[Fortitude]

Report: Newey to Aston Martin reportedly a done deal!
We’ve been here before, but according to Italian media, outgoing Red Bull designer Adrian Newey has committed his F1 future to Aston Martin, with a deal set to be announced after F1’s summer break.
6 Aug 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

According to Autosprint, Newey, the mastermind behind a collection of iconic and winning F1 cars from Williams, McLaren and especially Red Bull, has agreed to a four-year deal with Aston Martin F1 worth an estimated $100 million. Newey’s lavish prospective agreement was first reported in the Italian media last month by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Only time will tell if Autosprint’s latest report will prove credible, but it’s a known fact that Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll has clearly been pulling out the stops to lure Newey to Team Silverstone.

It has also been established that the Canadian billionaire treated Newey earlier this summer to a private tour of Aston’s shiny new state-of-the-art facilities at Silverstone Park, highlighting his team’s commitment and ambitions.

‘We’ve been here before’;

https://f1i.com/news/516010-report-n...done-deal.html


Reports Adrian Newey has rejected Ferrari offer
Reports out of Italy claim Adrian Newey has decided against joining Ferrari.
7 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Italian publication claims the new deal will be announced in September owing to obligations in Newey's existing Red Bull Racing contract. It claims a four-year deal worth $100 million has been agreed. Aston Martin has been one of the front runners for Newey's services since he hit the market with rumours of his arrival gathering steam for some time.

A relationship with the brand already exists, given he penned the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which the British marque will campaign in the World Endurance Championship from 2025. He will not be available to start work for his new employer until early 2025.

That would give him little opportunity to have significant impact into Aston Martin's season next year, though he would be in place in time to play a crucial role in developing its 2026 car. New regulations for 2026, including the use of moveable wings, offer a strong opportunity for teams to make significant performance jumps.

‘Ferrari offer rejected’;

https://speedcafe.com/reports-adrian...ferrari-offer/


Huge Adrian Newey boost for Aston Martin as rival team officially ends interest
7 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

We now know one team where Adrian Newey will not end up should he return to Formula 1 after his Red Bull departure. And that team is McLaren, with CEO Zak Brown confirming they will not be striking a deal to bring Newey back to Woking…

And the reason for McLaren snubbing Newey, despite him having a CV “second to none”, is because Brown “couldn’t be happier” with the personnel which McLaren has in place now as they chase their first Constructors’ title since that 1998 triumph.

‘Huge Adrian Newey boost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/huge-a...n-end-interest


Aston Martin secures Newey F1 deal, target Verstappen – report
6 Aug 2024
Motorsport Week

Autosprint has stated Aston Martin should announce Newey’s impending switch next month due to “contractual constraints” between the design legend and Red Bull. The Silverstone-based squad is aiming to turn into a title contender in the coming seasons with billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll instigating a mass recruitment drive.

Ex-Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell has been named Group Chief Executive Officer, while Enrico Cardile has exited Ferrari to become the side’s Technical Director. Autosprint has also posted that Newey, who is reported to be in line to earn 100 million dollars in four years, could help with Stroll’s desire to land Verstappen in 2026.

Verstappen retains a contract with Red Bull through 2028 and he has pledged his commitment to the team on several occasions amid speculation over his prospects. However, the Dutchman’s father, Jos, has continued to be at odds with Red Bull boss Christian Horner since an internal probe was launched into the latter’s behaviour.

‘Target Verstappen – report’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...tappen-report/


Blockbuster Adrian Newey move ‘agreed’ as Ferrari lose ‘important’ staff member
6 Aug 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko reacts to big Ferrari blow. Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko believes Ferrari have “lost an important man” in the shape of outgoing technical boss Enrico Cardile. Cardile announced recently that he will join Aston Martin, where it remains to be seen if he will be joined by Newey. Marko fears Ferrari will be hit hard by the loss of Cardile.

‘Ferrari lose ‘important’ staff member’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-new...-ferrari-staff

[Fortitude]

Red Bull: 2024 F1 car "didn't deliver what we expected".
Red Bull admits it was expecting its 2024 Formula 1 car to be better in high-speed corners
Aug 5, 2024,
Filip Cleeren Ronald Vording
Motorsport.com

When asked if the RB20 was as good as hoped, he replied: "I would say not really. We improved compared to last year, without doubt, but we didn’t deliver what we expected in some areas.

"Especially in the high-speed corners we expected a little bit more than what we have. Without thinking about the competitiveness of the car, so just based on our own references, we expected a little bit more with our tools.”

‘Expecting its 2024 Formula 1 car to be better’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...cted/10642142/


Red Bull admits it ‘expected something more’ with 2024 F1 car
3 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Frenchman also highlighted kerb riding as a core weakness embedded in the RB20, which was accentuated when it tackled Monaco earlier this term. “I don’t know if we have a strong point yet!” he quipped. “I think we have improved a lot in medium-speed and slow corners compared to last year.”

“We are now – relatively speaking compared to the competition – slightly weaker in fast corners than last year. Last year we were very good in that respect. Finally, we are still clearly weak over the kerbs, but that was also the case last year. With that, we have not made the expected step.”

‘Expected something more’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...h-2024-f1-car/


Red Bull reveal car issues hindering 2024 campaign
Reigning champions enter summer break in a win drought
August 5, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The reigning champions started 2024 in imperious form, with three one-two finishes in the opening three races. An unstoppable Max Verstappen cruised to victory comfortably ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in what looked like a one-horse race. However, the first indication that a dominant year was not on the cards came in Australia. Verstappen suffered a dramatic brake fire and retired in the early stages of the race.

Although Verstappen won the next two rounds, indications the field was beginning to catch Red Bull were becoming apparent, with Perez’s form dramatically dropping. Going into the summer break, Verstappen has yet to take victory in four consecutive races, his longest spell without a win since 2021. The reigning champion’s radio messages have become increasingly frantic and animated in recent races, as he battles handling struggles with the RB20.

‘Win drought’;

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


Red Bull “working flat out” to improve RB20, says Horner
AUGUST 3, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner pointed out that Max Verstappen was still comfortably fastest in qualifying at Spa, and could have won the race without his PU grid penalty. “The whole team is still working flat out on this car,” said Horner. “Because with stable regs, whatever we learn now is relevant to next year anyway.

“And if you reflect on the on the first part of the year now, we’re over half distance, we’ve won seven Grands Prix. We’ve won two or three sprint races. We’re leading both championships. But over recent weeks that constructors’ [lead] has diminished somewhat, and that’s where our focus is. I think we know what we need to, where we need to focus and improve. And that’s what everybody’s doing.”

“Working flat out”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/08/03/...0-says-horner/


Red Bull’s ‘too much’ RB20 admission as 2024 concept change decision explained
5 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché has explained why the RB20 concept change was embarked upon, and why the car doesn’t appear as strong as RB19. Speaking in an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché opened up on the general feeling on the RB20 within the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

“I think we pushed the boundary a little bit high and, in some areas, maybe too much, and that has created some characteristics that are not designed for the driver,” he said. “The success is coming, not by yourself, it is also coming by the relative performance to the others. Last year, we were fortunate that the others didn’t do as good a job as they have done this year, I think that is also an aspect we have to take into account.”

‘Pushed the boundary a little bit high’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...ange-explained


Horner more positive than Verstappen: 'We have a good car'
21 July 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing 's updates are not good enough, judges Max Verstappen. Christian Horner is keeping more to himself, both about the performance of the updates and that of Sergio Perez, who crashed for the second time in a row in Q1.

'We have a good car';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29048...p-hungary.html


Verstappen discusses Red Bull option to go back to 'old' RB20
4 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

The summer break has come at just the right time for Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing. The Dutchman thinks it is high time for his team to analyse where the performance of late has come from and what it will take to have the fastest Formula 1 car on the grid again. Speaking to the Dutch press during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen answered the question of whether he is a bit done with it after the first half of the season. "Not done with it, but I think it's good for us to analyse everything for a while," the Red Bull driver told, among others, GPblog.

Did his team go down the wrong path after the F1 race in Shanghai? " Of course, I don't want to say that now, but we are going to look at everything and analyse what it all mattered, what it did to the car," the three-time world champion continued.
Could it be an option to go back to the pre-Miami Grand Prix basics and take a different direction in developing the car from there? "No, not at the moment," Verstappen replied firmly.

‘Go back to 'old' RB20’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29341...ious-rb20.html


Perez explains his problem with the RB20: 'Something we introduced...'
4 Aug 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

"It's definitely been pickier and harder," Perez told GPblog and others about the RB20. "At the moment, we feel like there has there has been something that we have introduced in a few of the weekends that whether it's with an upgrade or with setup or with the tyres, these cars are so sensitive, that has made this window a lot smaller," the Mexican continued to explain what proves to be challenging for him at the moment.

He continued: "But like I said there will be teams that will be in a similar situation to us. There are teams that have been in this situation, but Red Bull is obviously a lot more noticeable. But it's OK. I think the focus is over there. I've tried that [change] in the sim. It felt positive. It helped my feeling with the car. So I really hope that it translates well to the track and we'll see," Perez added. The Mexican could finish qualifying in third position at the Belgian Grand Prix, but then fell down to finish the race only in P7.

'Something we introduced...';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29348...sues-rb20.html


How the Belgian Grand Prix definitely proved Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car
28 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The writing has been on the wall for several weeks, but the Belgian Grand Prix definitively proved something that’s been on every Formula 1 fan’s mind: Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car in the field.

Spa-Francorchamps is a favorite track of Max Verstappen, at least when it comes to scheduling engine changes and taking grid penalties. For the past several years, that hasn’t prevented the Dutch driver from taking a dominant win — but in 2024, things have changed.

‘The writing has been on the wall’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ho...r-the-best-car

[Fortitude]

Why McLaren thinks it has gone only ‘50% of the journey’ with its F1 car.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella has admitted the team must develop its car to be more competitive on low-drag tracks in order to be the complete package in Formula 1.
4 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Asked to assess McLaren’s progress on low-downforce tracks compared to last season, Stella said: “I think we have gone 50% of the journey. I’m more confident that at high downforce we have the car in a good place, like the car does what we want in terms especially of aerodynamic behaviour.”

“But we haven’t yet done a lot of development at lower drag level. So to me it’s not a surprise that here in Belgium we were not as competitive as Hungary, and it’s not a surprise that for the same or a little bit better top speed.”

“Still we were losing quite a bit in the second sector. It means that if we want to gain speed, we’ll give up quite a lot of grip. But I hope that in the future, possibly next year in Belgium, we have completed this quest to have the most efficient car even when top speed is important.”

‘50% of the journey’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...th-its-f1-car/


McLaren pour 'water on the fire' of 'best car' theory
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has rejected suggestions his team currently has the best car in F1.
31 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has attempted to pour "water on the fire" of assertions that McLaren currently has the best car in F1. However, McLaren has been competitive on a more consistent basis, and displayed better one-lap pace, over the past nine rounds. It has become considered the team to beat, usurping Red Bull - a claim Stella rejects.

"I'm not surprised, but I keep receiving observations that McLaren is the best car," the 53-year-old told media including RacingNews365 when asked about the pace shown by Mercedes and Ferrari during the Belgian Grand Prix. "I always keep putting some water on the fire and say 'There are four cars that are pretty much at the same level. There's a bit of variability, which is a function of the track, a function even of the conditions to some extent."

'Water on the fire';

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-po...est-car-theory


'Buzz of winning disturbs our mindset', admits McLaren F1 boss
August 7th 2024
Author: Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

Despite a slow start to the 2024 campaign, McLaren has now hit a title-contending stride. But as legendary commentator Murray Walker once stated: “Catching is one thing, passing is quite another”. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is seemingly well aware of the phrase, as in this month’s magazine the Italian warns that just because his side have managed to catch up to the performance level of Ferrari and now Red Bull, it does not mean it will now lead the pack for the rest of the season.

“Over the last 12 months we have been able to deliver performance trackside at a faster rate than our competitors,” he says. “That means we’ve been able to catch up with the best teams on the grid. But there is no guarantee or technical reason that means you will continue with this gradient.”

“First of all, because you get started on the back foot you might have had more opportunities [to improve],” he explained. “There was nothing wrong with the car, but it was underdeveloped so we accelerated development in many areas of the car and this has led us to close up with a faster, steeper gradient. You are not necessarily going to continue this momentum in the future in a way that guarantees you will overtake them.”

“Catching is one thing, passing is quite another”;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


McLaren’s big lesson: ‘Never prepare the flight plan as you fly'
04/08/2024 at 12:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren will head into its summer break with a big lesson to ponder, according to team boss Andrea Stella, one derived from its controversial management of team orders in last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Speaking in Spa last weekend, Stella acknowledged that McLaren had been caught out by the scenario that played in Hungary. But the clear oversight left the team with a valuable lesson as the McLaren boss explained. One point that we definitely take on board is that we should have prepared the situation better, before the race, so that you never find yourself preparing the flight plan as you fly," Stella said.

"That's a golden rule in any kind of challenging situation, and this is a responsibility of the team - it's my responsibility. We entered the race having planned many, many things, but this one actually was left undiscussed, so this is definitely something we take on board as a team."

‘Never prepare the flight plan as you fly';

https://f1i.com/news/515909-mclarens...s-you-fly.html


McLaren rules out Adrian Newey as Zak Brown opens up on Andrea Stella's contribution to the team's rejuvenated form
9 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking in an interview with BBS Sport, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown addressed speculation that Newey could return to the Woking-based squad and made it clear that such a reunion was not in the works.

"We're not going to sign Adrian. I'm very happy with the team. Adrian is a great friend, huge talent, resume [CV] second to none. But with what we have in place here, I couldn't be happier. We can get the job done. I'm happy with the race team we have and we're going to try to win the world championship with the team sitting here today."

‘Team's rejuvenated form’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25237


Brown surprised by McLaren’s breakout success in F1
07/08/2024 at 17:49
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren’s unexpected rise to prominence this season has caught the world of Formula 1 by surprise, including Zak Brown himself who never imagined the Woking-based outfit gunning for glory at this stage of the team’s development.

“If I were to sit here and say I’m not surprised, that would be disingenuous,” Brown explained, talking to BBC Sport. “I felt like we’d continue to close the gap. Did I think we would be here at the summer break, one race away from getting the lead - that race would have to be the first and second and fastest lap, and do I think it’s going to happen like that? No.”

“But if we keep the same trajectory we’ve been on the last six, seven races, we’ll be where we need to be by the end of the year. “I thought we might get where we are now by 2025. I didn’t think we would be where we are now in 2024, but I’m not complaining.”

‘Surprised’;

https://f1i.com/news/516055-brown-su...ess-in-f1.html


Brown admits surprise at McLaren’s 2024 season
McLaren's CEO has spoken up about McLaren's unexpected title challenge
August 8, 2024
Alejandra Guajardo Lozano
FormulaNerds

McLaren’s biggest competition this year is the reigning champions, Red Bull Racing. Consistency from both drivers is a crucial factor behind McLaren’s form. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has been struggling to get good results but has promised to improve after the summer break. Brown reflected on this:

“It’s going to be tough. I think it’s going to come down to the last race. There’s not much between the cars.”

“It’s gonna come down to how does Sergio Perez perform? If he can perform as he’s capable of performing, it’s going to be a hard fight. If he continues to perform as he has this year, we have a pretty good chance. ”

‘Down to the last race’;

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