2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Every F1 2024 launch date so far.
Formula 1's traditional launch season is again set to take place in February, when the teams will unveil their challengers ahead of the February 21-23 pre-season test and the March 2 season opener - both in Bahrain.
18:25 Fri, 22 Dec 2023.
The Race

It will be the each of the 10 teams' third car under the current regulations cycle, which runs until the end of 2025. This page will be updated as teams make their launch plans public.

‘Every F1 2024 launch date’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...h-date-so-far/


Ferrari become first F1 team to reveal launch date of 2024 car
18 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Ferrari are the first F1 team to reveal the launch date of their 2024 challenger. Dubbed the Ferrari 676, their all-new car will be revealed to the world on February 13 at a media event in Maranello.

“The launch will take place on the 13th of February, the day before the Valentine's Day,” Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said. “You will see the rest [of the details] on that day. Why? Because we will have one day more before the [Bahrain] test.”

“No, it's quite tight, more seriously. We have the test a bit before and it's quite a challenge to put everything together. It means that we had no other option. I think also that some other teams are doing it on the 14th, but it's quite challenging to be all ready for Bahrain.”

‘Ferrari become first F1 team to reveal launch’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104280...-date-2024-car


First F1 2024 car launch revealed as FIA want unannounced visits – F1 news round-up
17 Dec 2023 10:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Sunday’s F1 news has the first F1 car launch date revealed, while the FIA is aiming to scare some F1 teams by showing up unannounced. Ferrari is the first team to announce their car launch date for 2024, with February 13th as the unveiling date for the unnamed machine.

Why did the team push a day earlier for next season? “We will have one day more before the test!” Vasseur explained. “It means we had no other option I think also, but some other teams are doing it also on the 14th. It’s quite challenging to be ready for Bahrain.”

‘First F1 2024 car launch’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-new...urprise-visits


F1 team confirm bold early launch for new 2024 car
Saturday 23 December 2023 13:57 - Updated: 15:02
Sam Cook
GPFans

Williams have provided us with a release date for their new 2024 car, with a rather early launch date of February 5 causing some surprise. After Ferrari announced last week that they will be releasing their car to the world on February 13, they said that they believed their rivals will all be scrambling for that same week, with pre-season testing starting on February 21.

However, Williams have disproven that theory, going a full eight days earlier, with a car that James Vowles previously said they had sacrificed the end of the 2023 season for.

Off the back of a successful first season for Vowles as team principal of the Grove-based outfit, they have told fans to 'save the date' for the launch of a design that they hope can bring them closer to the top five in the constructors' championship.

‘Bold early launch for new 2024 car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...y-launch-date/


Sauber becomes third team to unveil 2024 F1 launch plans
22 December 7:36PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Sauber has committed to a 2024 season launch on February 5th - the same day as Williams. The team has undergone a name change after the departure of Alfa Romeo with the name officially being 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber' after two sponsors, but the team has hinted further changes could be made on January 1st 2024.

In a post on social media, the team, which will become Audi in 2026 revealed its season launch plans will be on February 5th. Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi previously indicated that this would be in the United Kingdom due to close links with a new sponsor, for the first time ever for the team, with the team confirming the C44 will be unveiled in London.

Drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have been kept on for 2024 - with the unveiling set to take place on the same day as Williams' season launch, which was also announced on December 22nd.

‘Third team to unveil 2024 F1 launch’;

https://racingnews365.com/sauber-bec...1-launch-plans


Mercedes chief addresses controversial F1 design ahead of 2024 car launch
Monday 18 December 2023 13:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Mercedes technical director James Allison has denied that the team's zeropod concept was solely to blame for their lack of competitiveness in 2023. A collective holding of breath was felt around the paddock when the Silver Arrows unveiled their new-look design in 2022.

Wheeling out a car that appeared to be without sidepods, playfully dubbed a 'zeropod' concept, was an all or nothing play for Mercedes. Unfortunately for Toto Wolff and the rest of the team, it proved to be the latter, with the concept eventually ditched in its entirety during the 2023 season.

‘Ditched in its entirety’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...james-allison/

[Fortitude]

Mick Schumacher shown route back to F1 grid as team boss admits 'opportunity' to return.
Mick Schumacher has a "very good opportunity" to work his way back onto the Formula 1 grid, according to Toto Wolff.
11:45 Fri, 22 Dec2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mick Schumacher spent 2023 as a Mercedes reserve having lost his Haas seat and hoped to use it to find a place on the grid next year, but no changes materialised for him. Facing a second year off the grid, young Schumacher decided he needed to get back to racing. So he has signed with Alpine for the French manufacturer's upcoming World Endurance Championship season. He'll also remain a reserve for Mercedes.

Wolff, who has been pleased with the 24-year-old's work in that role, has always spoken highly of the young driver. Referring to Schumacher's 2024 plans, he suggested the opportunity is there for him to prove he has what it takes to cut the mustard back in F1.

"I think him going into WEC, which is a world championship with a constructor, with Alpine, is a very good opportunity for him," he said in a Mercedes end-of-season video. "I believe he's going to do a perfect job and it keeps him sharp, racing, and maybe coming back into Formula 1."

‘Route back to F1 grid’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...cedes-31733182


Learning how to collaborate a 'step forward' for Schumacher
23/12/2023 at 09:39
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Mick Schumacher says that his year serving as Mercedes' official reserve driver has taught him the importance of sharing information and collaboration within the team, resulting in a big step forward in his own career development.

“As a driver, I now know much more what I want from my team around me,” Schumacher told the media last month at Abu Dhabi. "What I feel I'm worth, and what I can bring to a team. “Obviously going into my first year in F1 [with Haas] it was kind of hard to know exactly what should be my position and how far can I go with my comments and everything," Formula1.com quoted him as saying.

"Having worked with Lewis and George for a year now, I kind of know how high the bar is set and how far I can go, and I have no problem sharing my information in the future. Lots of drivers in F1 are usually selfish,” Schumacher said. “I think in F1 there would be a lot of people that would benefit from it, if both drivers were working together.”

‘Learning how to collaborate’;

https://f1i.com/news/496939-learning...chumacher.html


Michael Schumacher’s brother issues update about F1 legend's health
11:08 Wed, 27 Dec 2023.
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Michael Schumacher’s brother, Ralf, has given an update on the Formula 1 legend’s health. Back in December 2013, Michael suffered life-changing injuries after being involved in a skiing accident.

The seven-time F1 world champion was placed into a medically induced coma but came around in 2014. Since then, details about the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver’s health have been kept secret.

‘Michael Schumacher’s brother issues update’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/michae...63271-20231227


Michael Schumacher: Damon Hill marks anniversary of accident with heartbreaking admission
December 29 will mark the 10-year anniversary of the skiing accident which left Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher seriously injured and requiring constant medical care
• 17:16, 28 Dec 2023
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Michael Schumacher's former rival Damon Hill has paid tribute to the Formula 1 legend, who suffered a life-changing brain injury while skiing a decade ago. Speaking to the PA news agency, Hill said: "It is a terrible tragedy. This is not how you want anyone to end up. It makes you treasure every day and be thankful for your good fortune. I think about his family. It is so hard for them."

‘Heartbreaking admission’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-hill-31763534


Michael Schumacher's former Ferrari team-mate reveals how long-suffering wife Corinna polices who can visit the stricken Formula One legend, 10 years on from his tragic skiing accident
Published: 07:55, 28 December 2023
By Oli Gamp For Mailonline
Mail Online

Luca Badoer said, via the Sun: 'Only a few people are allowed to visit. Corinna decides who is allowed to see him. 'The family wants to maintain a sort of secrecy about this and I respect their will.

Badoer - who is one of the people permitted to visit - added: 'They do all this for the good of Michael.' Schumacher was withdrawn from the coma early the following year but hasn't been seen in public since with updates as to his well-being few and far between.

‘Corinna polices who can visit’;

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


Footage shows moment Michael Schumacher is airlifted to hospital after life changing injury
15:19 Wed, 27 Dec 2023
LADbible

Footage captured the moment Michael Schumacher was airlifted to hospital after suffering life-changing injuries in a fall while skiing in 2013. The 54-year-old Formula One legend suffered severe injuries while skiing on December 2013, which led to him being placed in a medically induced coma.

His brother and fellow former F1 driver, Ralf, recently gave an update on Michael's condition, saying 'nothing is like it used to be' following the accident 10 years ago. Schumacher came out of the medically induced coma in 2014, but since then information about how well he is has been scarce, with a lawyer for the family saying details were not released to protect 'private things'.
Felix Damm said releasing a report into Schumacher's health wouldn't have been the end of things, while the F1 legend's wife Corinna said they 'try to carry on as a family as Michael liked it and still does' while accepting an award on his behalf.

‘Footage shows moment Michael Schumacher is airlifted to hospital’;

https://www.ladbible.com/news/sport/...98066-20231227


Michael Schumacher speaks into a microphone in previously unseen footage from documentary marking 10 years since his tragic skiing accident... but all is not as it seems
Published: 17:13, 28 December 2023
By James Cohen For Mailonline
Mail Online

Previously unseen footage of Michael Schumacher speaking has been revealed as part of a new documentary marking 10 years since his tragic skiing accident. The documentary 'Being Michael Schumacher' - released on ARD on December 28th - the ex-Ferrari driver appears in a blurred shot before he steps into the foreground to a microphone and says 'Now it starts'.

Fans were quick to question when the footage had been shot, with some hoping that it could indicate a marked improvement in the condition of the former F1 champion. However, filmmakers later revealed that the footage was in-fact filmed prior to his accident in 2013.

According to BILD, Andreas Troll, who is responsible for the film, said: 'With the documentary we paint an overall picture of the person and athlete Michael Schumacher. 'We therefore used recordings from the many years in which we reported on him and accompanied him. The two videos are from 2012, so they are not current.”

‘Previously unseen footage of Michael Schumacher speaking’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...not-seems.html


Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum' says she doesn't speak to family despite hope he returns.
Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum', who he developed a close relationship with during his time at Ferrari, still hopes he will walk through the door of his restaurant
18:54 Mon, 25 Dec 2023
BY WILL SCHOFIELD SPORTS REPORTER
Daily Star

Michael Schumacher's 'Italian mum' has revealed she doesn't talk to the family anymore - but she still hopes he will walk through her front door. "Every day I look at the front door and hope that he will walk through again and that I will make him tagliatelle al ragu [Schumacher's favourite dish at the restaurant].”

"I can hardly believe that the accident happened ten years ago. In the meantime, I was able to make peace with the situation. I no longer suffer, but remember the beautiful moments." Giannini revealed her "world collapsed" after hearing of Schumacher's accident when skiing the French Alps. The German was placed into a medically-induced coma, which he was later withdrawn from, but his condition has been kept away from the general public.

"World collapsed";

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...-says-31748318

[Fortitude]

Damon Hill tells Michael Schumacher's son Mick to 'block everything out and FORGET his father's name' if he is to be a success in Formula One, 10 years on from witnessing tragic skiing accident.
Damon Hill has urged Michael Schumacher's son Mick to 'forget' his father's name a decade on from the tragic skiing accident that changed his family's lives forever.
Published: 08:45, 29 December 2023
By Ben Willcocks For Mailonline
Mail Online

'My father Graham was also world champion. I lost him when I was 15 years old,' Hill told BILD. 'When I heard about Michael's accident and the consequences, I was shocked and horrified. I immediately felt for Mick because your father is the guidance person for you.’

'Mick has to block everything out now. He has to get to the point where he says: "Forget Michael! Forget everything around you! Forget everything that happened! Forget the name Schumacher!"

'During the learning phase, I didn’t have anyone who really had my back. Only fathers can do this in racing - I don't want it to sound discriminatory. They know, because they have been successful in their cars, what they need to teach their sons. And Mick certainly missed that in the crucial years of development as much as I did back then. You need that!'

'Block everything out and FORGET his father's name';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-son-Mick.html


Michael Schumacher: Ten years of silence and a health enigma
29/12/2023 at 08:07
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

On December 29, 2013, the world of Formula 1 and beyond was plunged into shock and sorrow as news broke of a horrific skiing accident involving seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. While enjoying a family ski trip at Meribel in the French Alps, Schumacher collided with a hidden rock, suffering severe head injuries that would forever alter his life. The impact of the accident was immense. Schumacher's helmet was split in two, and he was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Doctors immediately placed him in a medically induced coma to minimize brain swelling, and he underwent two surgeries to stabilize his condition. For the next six months, Schumacher remained in a coma, a period of intense anxiety and uncertainty for his family and fans. While the medical team kept a tight lid on details, reports of his condition were grim. There were fears of irreversible brain damage and the possibility that he might never regain consciousness.

In June 2014, Schumacher's family made the difficult decision to bring him home from the hospital, continuing his rehabilitation at their private residence in Switzerland. But since then, little is known about the German driver’s true condition and health. The Schumacher family has been fiercely protective of their privacy, offering only sporadic and limited updates on Michael’s well-being.

‘Formula 1 and beyond was plunged into shock and sorrow’;

https://f1i.com/news/497125-michael-...th-enigma.html


Michael Schumacher: 10 years on from skiing accident, F1 icon’s stardom still shines bright
A decade since he was last seen in public, the Ferrari legend’s blueprint on F1 and beyond is still plainly evident
07:45, 29th December 2023.
Kieran Jackson Formula One Correspondent
The Independent

In a five-part documentary series aired a fortnight ago exclusively in Germany, the finale to the second episode of Being Michael Schumacher encapsulated quite flawlessly the emotional hold the seven-time Formula One world champion had – and still has – on the sporting world. For we are not in Germany. Nor are we at Monza or Imola, home to Ferrari’s legendary tifosi fanbase. We are in Stavelot, Belgium, five miles away from the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, deep in the Ardennes Forest.

The show speaks to Gregory Lucassen-Servaty, an F1 fan based in the small municipal town. Asked to reminisce about the German driver, he tells of how Schumacher fans were “more noisy in a good sense… now it’s not the same, it’s different”. Then he precedes to describe Schumacher as his “idol”, before a statement which would be impractical if the memories and records did not support it. “Michael Schumacher is a dream.”

‘F1 icon’s stardom still shines bright’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/mic...-b2469421.html


Sad update on Michael Schumacher’s recovery as today marks 10 years since life-changing accident
Published 7:26, 29 December 2023 GMT
LADbible

Schumacher was airlifted to hospital in Grenoble and placed in a medically induced coma, which he was later brought out of in 2014. Since then he's been recovering at his home with his family, who have kept details about his condition sparse.

A family lawyer had previously said that a health report about Schumacher's condition was not made public in order to protect 'private matters'. Felix Damm said a final report was considered, but not released to the public as that would not have been the end of interest in his recovery, and there would have been subsequent request for updates anyway. Friends and family have spoken about Schumacher's condition from time to time following his accident.

In Netflix documentary Schumacher his wife Corrina said: "I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. "Different, but he's here and that gives us strength, I find. We try to carry on a family as Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. "'Private is private', as he always said. It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible.”

‘10 years since life-changing accident’;

https://www.ladbible.com/news/sport/...30103-20231229


Why Michael Schumacher’s wife Corinna is fighting to keep his condition a secret
December 29, 2023 7:00 am(Updated 8:20 am)
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent
i News

In the decade since a skiing accident in the French resort of Meribel changed the course of Michael Schumacher’s life, the story has become more about the remarkable fortitude and commitment of a loving wife and family. Corinna Schumacher insists on absolute privacy about the details of her husband’s condition, allowing only family members and a few close friends any kind of access. The 10th anniversary of Schumacher’s accident necessarily prompts reflections on the health of a remarkable sportsman, one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One.

Such is Corinna’s control, little is known about the quality of life experienced by Schumacher, who was placed in an induced coma after suffering a head trauma and spent weeks in hospital before returning to his home in Switzerland, where, according to German media organisation Bild, a team of up to 15 staff, including doctors and physiotherapists, provide 24-hour care.

It is clear from the testimony of experts, including ex-F1 medical delegate, Gary Hartstein, a clinical professor of anaesthesia and emergency medicine, that Schumacher’s injuries were so profound as to render any kind of meaningful recovery unlikely. Based on his long experience in the field, Hartstein argued that in the absence of significant improvement in the first six months after impact, Schumacher would exist only in a “minimally conscious state”.

‘Remarkable fortitude and commitment of a loving wife and famil’;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...04?ITO=newsnow


Wild Michael Schumacher partying story shared from classic F1 celebration
29 Dec 2023
F1 Desk
Crash.Net

Michael Schumacher’s “party trick” has been described by Johnny Herbert who reminisced over F1 drivers’ changing habits. Herbert drove in 12 F1 seasons, ending in 2000, and watched Schumacher arrive as a talented kid and grow his legend. Also legendary was how F1 drivers of that era would enjoy themselves.

“Yes, the social side was better in my day,” Herbert told Lucky Block. “The big one we had was in Adelaide after the last race. Everyone went to the same bar or club. Michael would get quite drunk early on. His party trick was to go up to someone and rip their shirt apart with buttons popping everywhere. You knew it was coming!”

“It was an easier thing to do back then. Adelaide was the main blow out. What has changed is the advent of social media. It has changed everything. You can’t go anywhere without being papped. They still have fun now but it has to be more controlled behind closed doors.”

‘Wild Michael Schumacher partying story’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103838...f1-celebration

[Fortitude]

Michael Schumacher's F1 star son Mick would 'give up everything' to talk racing with Dad.
Mick Schumacher has been "unfairly" deprived of his father's guidance and support during his own racing career.
29th Dec. 2023.13:41
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

A decade has passed since Michael Schumacher crashed while skiing in the French Alps, suffering life-changing injuries from which the seven-time F1 world champion continues to recover.

Young Mick is son of seven-time world champion Michael who supported his son's karting career as a boy. However, he has been unable to do so since suffering life-changing injuries in a skiing accident 10 years ago, which left him needing round-the-clock care.

Clearly, it is a situation Mick has found hard to come to terms with. In 2021, he was emotional as he expressed his sorrow over the situation. "I think dad and me, we would understand each other in a different way now," he said. Michael's old Benetton team-mate Johnny Herbert also understands how difficult it must be for the younger Schumacher. "Mick has said he could always talk to Michael about racing before the accident and that is one of the saddest things for any sportsman," he told Grosvenor Casino.

'Give up everything to talk racing with Dad’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ck-f1-31768298


Ralf Schumacher’s emotional comment about Michael Schumacher’s family
29 Dec 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ralf Schumacher has made an emotional comment about his brother Michael Schumacher. "Unfortunately, sometimes life isn't fair,” Ralf told German magazine Bunte when asked about contact with his brother’s family. We have to accept it.”

While ex-driver Ralf remains in the F1 paddock as a broadcaster for Sky in Germany, Michael’s son Mick Schumacher had two seasons as a full-time driver with Haas. "When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles,” Ralf said. “If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I'm there. They go their own way."

‘An emotional comment’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103988...acher-s-family


Vettel emotional over Schumacher: 'I just miss my friend'
29 December 3:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Following the tragic skiing accident in December 2013, Schumacher has not been seen in public life ever since. Vettel recalls the last conversation he had with his friend and former mentor. "The first thoughts were, of course, at the last joint conversation we had," recalls Vettel when speaking to German outlet RTL.

"I told him that I will be a father and what is in store for us." Vettel had a tough spell through his latter years at Ferrari and final two seasons at Aston Martin, believing advice from the seven-time World Champion would have been invaluable. "I just miss my friend. In recent years, he would have been so important. I would have had so many questions and he could certainly have given so many answers or inspirations," said Vettel.

'I just miss my friend';

https://racingnews365.com/vettel-emo...miss-my-friend


Former Schumacher team-mate reveals 'unfortunate' relationship situation
Tuesday 26 December 2023 10:57 - Updated: 11:01
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Statements from individuals like former Ferrari chief Jean Todt and Schumacher's ex-manager Willi Weber have conveyed the challenges and changes the racing icon has faced since the accident.

'Unfortunate relationship situation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...tionship-mick/


Inside Michael Schumacher's 10-year health mystery - 'surgeries, non-verbal and glimmer of hope'
Formula One icon Michael Schumacher suffered life-changing injuries in a catastrophic skiing crash 10 years ago today - and since then his family have been dedicated to his recovery
11:47, 29th Dec. 2023.
By Frances Kindon Features Editor
Saffron Otter Assistant Features Editor
The Mirror

When the crash happened, Schumacher's helmet absorbed much of the force, but the severity of the impact cracked the shell and fractured his skull, leading to a brain injury. He was quickly transported to hospital by air ambulance and medics carried out two life-saving surgeries to reduce pressure on the brain.

Late in 2014, fellow former racing driver Philippe Streiff said Michael was paralysed and used a wheelchair - although it's unclear if this is still the case. Philippe, a good friend of Michael's who also uses a wheelchair after a racing accident, said: "He is getting better but everything is relative. It's very difficult. He can't speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair paralysed. He has memory problems and speech problems."

And ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt said that his miraculous survival was the result of Corinna's steely determination - but that it had come at a price. He told Bild: 'I've spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013. She is a great woman and runs the family. She hadn't expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me. Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived - but with consequences."

‘His family have been dedicated to his recovery’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ealth-31766475


‘Friend' of Michael Schumacher tried to sell leaked picture of F1 legend for €1m.
Published 15:44, 29 December 2023 GMT
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

German prosecutors were once forced to intervene after a 'friend' of Michael Schumacher attempted to sell a photo of the F1 legend following his skiing incident.

The Sun reported in 2016, that an unnamed 'friend' had been granted access to Schumacher's house, before taking a picture of the F1 legend. It was alleged that the photo was offered to European media groups, for a price of €1 million.

German prosecutors determined both the photograph and its attempted sale a 'violation of his personal range of life' and 'breach of privacy'. The image did not surface. It was claimed that an investigation was launched at the time, although there were later claims that it had been put on hold.

‘German prosecutors were once forced to intervene’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/michae...35883-20231229

[Fortitude]

Schumacher will prioritise F1 if Mercedes call-up clashes with Alpine WEC duties.
Mick Schumacher returns to racing next year as part of Alpine’s World Endurance Championship line-up, but he will continue as Mercedes’ reserve driver in Formula 1 and if he is needed there then that will take priority.
28th December 2023, 0:01
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Bruno Famin, who is vice-president of Alpine Motorsport, said “the contract is clear, the agreement with Mick is clear, if he has the opportunity to drive in F1 to replace George [Russell] or Lewis [Hamilton], he will go to F1,” in an interview.

The 2024 F1 and WEC seasons start on the same date, and in neighbouring countries in the form of Bahrain and Qatar, then four of WEC’s remaining seven rounds also clash with F1 races. Should Schumacher therefore need to be called up to F1, Alpine will need to have a reserve driver ready to drive their A424 hypercar on five weekends.

“A reserve driver will be known in due time,” added Famin. “We will have one. From among the Alpine Endurance family if we have a problem, we will find easily a reserve driver.”

‘Schumacher will prioritise F1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/12/28/...nd-up-28-12-6/


Alpine reveal Mick Schumacher plans: “He is underestimated”
December 24, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Having spent this year as a Mercedes reserve driver, the German driver will race competitively once again. He will race in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine.

Only recently, Toto Wolff described this as a chance for Schumacher to make himself a contender to return to F1. Whilst this is more an optimistic hope than a realistic assessment, it would be unfair to dismiss the 24-year-old’s chances.

Speaking with dailysportscar, Alpine’s Bruno Famin expressed his admiration for Mick Schumacher: “I’m convinced that in Formula 1, he is underestimated. Because I think he’s a very good driver, a very fast driver. Don’t forget he has been the Formula Two Champion and Formula Three champion. He has a lot of very good skills. Having the opportunity to have such a fast and good driver, I don’t see why we would have missed it.”

“He is underestimated”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...nderestimated/


Michael Schumacher's F1 brother Ralf gives groundbreaking new insight on his condition as 'modern medicine has made it possible to do some things', 10 years to the day since skiing accident
Published: 08:34, 29 December 2023
By Adam Shergold for MailOnline
Mail Online

Michael's younger brother Ralf, 48, who was also an F1 driver, told German newspaper Bild this week that 'nothing is like before.' He added: 'I miss my Michael from back then. Life is sometimes unfair. Michael had been lucky many times in his life, but then the tragic accident happened. 'Fortunately, modern medicine has made it possible to do some things.'

Reflecting on how the Schumachers have dealt with Michael's devastating skiing crash, Ralf said: 'It has been a significant experience for me but, of course, even more so for his children.' Ralf concluded: 'Life is unfair at times. That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.'

‘Groundbreaking new insight’;

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


‘When I think of Michael now, I don’t have hope’ – How family and friends are coping, ten years on from Schumacher’s horror ski crash
30th Dec. 2023, 02:40
Oliver Brown of The Telegraph
The Irish Independent

It is a landmark of almost impossible bleakness. December 29, 2023: the date signals 10 years since Michael Schumacher, Formula One’s once-insuperable idol, struck his head on a rock descending the Combe de Saulire above Meribel in the French Alps. He has not been seen in public since.

All the waves of public sympathy have washed up against the wall of omerta demanded by his wife, Corinna. As such, the closing of this darkest of decades will go unacknowledged by his family, with their overwhelming silence negating the faintest hope for his recovery from brain injury.

‘When I think of Michael now, I don’t have hope’;

https://www.independent.ie/world-new...354069477.html


Ten years after Michael Schumacher's ski crash, silence only adds to ghoulish fascination
11:15, Dec 30 2023
Oliver Brown of The Telegraph
Stuff

The secrecy has served only to heighten the ghoulish fascination with his condition. Earlier this year, Die Aktuelle, a women’s weekly magazine in Germany, screamed on its cover: “Schumacher – the first interview!” It seemed, given Corinna’s scrupulous refusal since 2013 to shed any light on Michael’s health, an unlikely claim. Sure enough, the alleged interview turned out to have been generated by Artificial Intelligence. The family threatened legal action, and the editor was sacked.

But still the appetite for an update is insatiable. This week, a headline in Bild declares: “New Schumi documentary leaves fans guessing.” Attaching a blurry still of Schumacher beside a microphone, the story asks breathlessly: “When was the scene filmed? Is there reason for his supporters to hope?” Not on this evidence. Andreas Troll, director of the five-part ARD series released on Thursday night, reveals that the footage was shot in 2012, a year before the fateful skiing accident.

This preying on people’s morbid curiosity can be distasteful. But it raises an intriguing question: how do Schumacher’s disciples, counted in the millions at his peak, mourn someone who is still alive but who, in all probability, they will never see again? Willi Weber, his manager during all seven of his world title triumphs, has wrestled with this very dilemma. Once the driver’s ever-present sidekick, he discovered that the family’s insistence on privacy over medical details left him frozen out.

‘Ghoulish fascination’;

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motors...sh-fascination

[Fortitude]

SAINZ PINS BLAME ON FIA VEGAS FARCE FOR LOSING P2 IN CONSTRUCTORS’: ‘STILL ANGRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED’.
Scuderia Ferrari lost out to Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team for the runners-up spot in the 2023 Constructors' Championship.
December 27, 2023
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz Jr. admits that the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend left him more “frustrated as a racing driver” than any other moment in his career. Formula 1 racing along the famous Las Vegas strip brought unprecedented crowds and fanfare to the entertainment capital, but it wasn’t without controversy. Notwithstanding the criticism from drivers and teams regarding the spectacle, as well as the legal dispute that followed forceful fan removals, race organisers faced yet more backlash when Sainz Jr. was handed a ten-place grid penalty after exceeding his quota for energy store elements on his SF-23.

The complaints arose from the fact that the replacement parts were necessitated after a loose drain cover on the back straight tore through the underside of the Ferrari driver’s car during the first practice session. Many deemed it unfair that an issue with the circuit’s construction would directly result in a penalty for the Spanish driver.

Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur launched a scathing attack towards organisers after the incident, calling the situation “unacceptable from F1”. And it seems as though Sainz Jr. hasn’t quite managed to forget the ordeal more than a month later.

‘FIA VEGAS FARCE’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sa...what-happened/


Sainz still blaming F1 for Ferrari losing P2 in championship
Wednesday 27 December 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Carlos Sainz has expressed his dismay over the grid penalty he incurred at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a situation that he attributed to circumstances beyond both his and Ferrari's control. While the damage suffered was in no way attributable to Sainz or Ferrari, their woes compounded when the subsequent reconstruction of the SF-23 led to a 10-place grid penalty.

Despite the stewards acknowledging the non-culpable nature of the incident, they asserted a lack of authority to waive the penalty. This turn of events left Sainz grappling with a level of frustration that eclipsed any he had experienced throughout his career.

“It was such a disastrous weekend for me and the team and we lost such a good opportunity there to score big points and fight for a win that I haven’t fought [for] since Singapore,” Sainz told PlanetF1. “It was an incredibly frustrating feeling. I’ve never been as frustrated as a racing driver, or never been more upset towards the sport than I was in Vegas.”

‘Blaming F1 for Ferrari losing P2 in championship’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-championship/


Vasseur and Sainz speak out as Ferrari reopen Las Vegas compensation case
Carlos Sainz picked up just eight points in the final two races of the season
December 26, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Fred Vasseur insists Ferrari are still pursuing financial compensation from the FIA, Formula 1 or the Las Vegas Grand Prix after a circuit failure meant Carlos Sainz‘s SF-23 was extensively damaged by a loose manhole cover just nine minutes into FP1 on The Strip Circuit.

The Ferrari team principal was furious in Las Vegas when it transpired Sainz would earn a ten-place grid penalty for replacing engine components broken in the incident as he went over his limit for the year, Ferrari appealed and the stewards even admitted it was harsh but said they had no mechanism in the rules to waive the penalty.

With the cost of repairing the incident also coming out of the budget cap, at the time Ferrari indicated they’d look to be compensated as the incident was due to a circuit malfunction, and after the end of the season Vasseur doubled down on that intent. “The discussions with the insurance company always take an eternity. We all know that,” Vasseur said at Ferrari‘s Christmas lunch. “It’s the same everywhere, even in Formula 1.”

‘Ferrari reopen Las Vegas compensation case’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ensation-case/


Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz now in agreement with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on needed F1 change
Fri 29 December 2023 18:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari star Carlos Sainz is now in agreement with Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez about one change Formula 1 needs after the troublesome Las Vegas GP. F1 returned to Nevada for the first time in 41 years this November for its maiden race on the Strip. But Sainz now echoes Verstappen and Perez’s frustration about how F1 scheduled the Las Vegas GP. It acted as the first of a season-ending double-header with the Abu Dhabi GP.

The 2024 schedule does not make for much more enjoyable reading, either. F1 has planned a season-ending triple-header for it’s record-breaking 24-race calendar. The Las Vegas GP is the first of the streak before Formula 1 heads to Qatar and Abu Dhabi to round off the year. It is barely an improvement on 2023 with Qatar 11 hours ahead of Nevada compared to the 12 of Abu Dhabi. So, Ferrari driver Sainz has now urged Formula 1 to consider changes to its calendars in the future and prevent creating the same time zone issues for the Las Vegas GP.

“I don’t know if you can say, ‘You’re going to die because of your own success’. But I think Formula 1 has to adapt as we head towards 24 races,” Sainz shared, via Motorsport-Total. “Then we have to see how we manage the weekends, the travel and we can make calendars as compatible as possible.” He added: “We can’t then travel from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi within four days and accept a time difference of 12 hours. Because we have to make sure that everyone involved reaches the end of the season safe and healthy.”

‘Carlos Sainz: “You’re going to die because of your own success”!’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...ded-f1-change/


CARLOS SAINZ OPENS UP ON HIS FUTURE WITH FERRARI
After a fairly successful year with the Scuderia, Sainz is ready for more
December 30, 2023
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

It was an up and down season for Sainz, who finished seventh in the standings (two places behind his teammate Charles Leclerc). By far his highlight of the season was the Singapore Grand Prix, which he won from pole. That win made him the driver to break Max Verstappen’s ten race-long win streak, and eventually the only driver other than Verstappen or Sergio Perez to win a Grand Prix in 2023.

“I’m so happy at Ferrari and so happy to be part of this team that, at the moment, I don’t see an expiry date,” commented Sainz, speaking to the DAZN network. “I hope I have many, many years ahead of me and I wouldn’t mind having all of them in red. My main motivation is to be a world champion. And if I can achieve that with Ferrari, even better. That’s what we have to try for in 2024 and I think we have the capacity.”

‘Ready for more’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ca...-with-ferrari/


Sainz: Three months to reach 2025 contract agreement at Ferrari or otherwise.
Carlos Sainz's Ferrari contract runs out in 2024, while Charles Leclerc has reportedly been offered a bumper extension
December 23, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Carlos Sainz has reiterated he wants to have his 2025 contract agreed before he starts the 2024 Formula 1 season, but also rubbished any rumours that he and Ferrari don’t see eye-to-eye on a new deal.

Ferrari are reportedly unwilling to offer Sainz the multi-year extension he’s seeking with a huge shake-up of the driver market potentially incoming to coincide with F1‘s new regulations for 2026, but the Spaniard stressed he does feel valued in Maranello.

s victory on the Marina Bay Circuit was the only non-Red Bull grand prix win of the 2023 season, and certainly wasn’t a cakewalk – Sainz was under serious pressure from both Mercedes in the closing stages but cannily kept second-placed Lando Norris in his DRS range to make it harder for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to catch the leading pair.

‘Three months to reach 2025 contract’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ement-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

FORMULANERDS’ 2024 F1 SEASON PREDICTIONS.
After a dreadful performance in the FormulaNerds' 2023 F1 season predictions review, our team are back for more. Will they fare better than last time?
December 25, 2023
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

James M
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Red Bull
• Driver of the Year: Outside of Formula Verstappen… Lando Norris
• Biggest surprise: Oscar Piastri will underwhelm
• Hot take: The artists formerly known as AlphaTauri will finish above Alpine

Samuel
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Red Bull
• Driver of the Year: Oscar Piastri
• Biggest Surprise: Lando Norris will leave McLaren for Red Bull at the end of the season
• Hot take: Only Mercedes and Alpine will keep the same driver line-up for the 2025 F1 season

Abby
• Drivers’ Champion: Max Verstappen
• Constructors’ Champion: Mercedes
• Driver of the Year: Lando Norris
• Biggest surprise: Red Bull will win the drivers’ championship with Max Verstappen, but not the constructors’
• Hot take: Four different constructors will win a race

‘Dreadful performance in the FormulaNerds' 2023 F1 season predictions review continues…’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/feature...n-predictions/


The five F1 drivers under the most pressure heading into 2024
31 Dec 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

With the 2024 F1 season fast approaching, here’s five drivers who are immediately under pressure going into the new campaign.
Sergio Perez: Unsurprisingly, the first driver under the most pressure heading into F1 2024 is Sergio Perez. Team boss Christian Horner says Perez’s future is in his own hands - and he’s right.

Logan Sargeant: For 2024, Logan Sargeant was the 20th and final driver to be confirmed as a driver for the upcoming season. With Williams seemingly on the rise in terms of pace, the team cannot afford to have another season where Sargeant struggles to score points.
Zhou Guanyu: Zhou’s lack of performance went under the radar in the latter part of the year, out-qualifying Bottas just once after the summer break. Sauber have already called on Zhou to be “more consistent” in 2024.

Kevin Magnussen: While Haas did finish bottom of the constructors’ championship, Kevin Magnussen endured a poor year in 2023. Magnussen was consistently the slower of the two Haas drivers, particularly over one lap.
Daniel Ricciardo: The whole point of Ricciardo’s F1 comeback is to return to Red Bull - that’s why he’s under immense pressure in 2024. It’s hard to read what level Ricciardo is at given that his comeback was disrupted by his wrist injury.

‘Under the most pressure’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/104...e-heading-2024


‘Wild’ F1 2024 prediction with struggling team tipped to surge to top three finish
28 Dec 2023 5:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 broadcaster Harry Benjamin stuck his neck out by predicting Sauber will join Red Bull and Ferrari in F1 2024’s top three. The Sauber team is very much in a period of transition, returning to this identity following the conclusion of their alliance with Alfa Romeo.

Two seasons are now ahead before a further game-changing new chapter in this team’s story, as they morph into the Audi works team, using their newly-designed power unit, as of F1 2026.

‘Wild F1 2024 prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/wild-f...uber-top-three


Steiner: Haas 'could end up in the top F1 midfield' in 2024
28/12/2023 at 17:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Despite a disappointing 2023 campaign, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner is optimistic about the US outfit’s prospects for 2024, boldly cliaming that it could even end up "top of the midfield" next season.

“With the budget cap in place now, everything is possible,” Steiner told Sky Sports F1. “AlphaTauri end of the season, McLaren beginning of the season, they didn’t start strong then at some stage they were the second fastest car out there, more than once. Everything is possible.”

“For 2025, I think there’s a big opportunity for young drivers to come in,” commented the Italian. “Because some of them, the drivers who are [on the grid] now maybe will stop doing it at the end of 2024, some of them would have not performed, nobody will pick them up. I might see a better opportunity taking a risk on a young driver than keeping somebody who didn’t perform.”

‘Haas F1: Everything is possible’;

https://f1i.com/news/497120-steiner-...d-in-2024.html


Guenther Steiner delivers intriguing Haas claim ahead of F1 2024 season
27 Dec 2023 8:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Haas boss Guenther Steiner is convinced the team could head F1’s midfield battle in 2024 despite a challenging 2023 season. Steiner is refusing to get downbeat after a largely miserable season for his team – and believes Haas could even emerge as the leading midfield car in 2024.

Asked to outline his hopes for next year, he added: “Success. Being back in the midfield.” Steiner’s optimism is in stark contrast to Hulkenberg, who struggled to hide his frustration with Haas’s lack of in-season progress as the campaign deepened.

“Success. Being back in the midfield”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...f1-2024-season


Every 2024 F1 driver’s FIA superlicence cost as Max Verstappen pays record fee
Sun 31 December 2023 08:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Success comes at a cost for Max Verstappen as the Red Bull star faces a record fee for a superlicence, so here is how much every Formula 1 driver must pay the FIA in 2024.

Driver’s name (2023 F1 points) – 2024 Superlicence Cost
Max Verstappen (575) – €1,217,900 (£1,047,825)
Sergio Perez (285) – €608,900 (£524,003)
Lewis Hamilton (234) – €501,800 (£431,835)
Fernando Alonso (206) – €443,000 (£381,233)
Charles Leclerc (206) – €443,000 (£381,233)
Lando Norris (205) – €440,900 (£379,462)
Carlos Sainz (200) – €430,400 (£370,425)
George Russell (175) – €377,900 (£325,241)
Oscar Piastri (97) – €214,100 (£184,266)
Lance Stroll (74) – €165,800 (£142,696)
Pierre Gasly (62) – €140,600 (£121,008)
Esteban Ocon (58) – €132,200 (£113,815)
Alex Albon (27) – €67,100 (£57,768)
Yuki Tsunoda (17) – €46,100 (£39,689)
Valtteri Bottas (10) – €31,400 (£27,033)
Nico Hulkenberg (9) – €29,300 (£25,225)
Daniel Ricciardo (6) – €23,000 (£19,801)
Zhou Guanyu (6) – €23,000 (£19,801)
Kevin Magnussen (3) – €16,700 (£14,374)
Logan Sargeant (1) – €12,500 (£10,759)

‘FIA superlicence costs’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/eve...ys-record-fee/

[Fortitude]

A 2024 New Year's Resolution for every F1 team.
RacingNews365 has come up with one thing each Formula 1 team must do to improve in 2024 yes, including even Red Bull.
01 January 6:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull: Now, when you've just come off a season with 21 Grand Prix wins from 22 and got a record 860 championship points, it's hard to see where to go. But Red Bull's focus must be on ensuring the RB20 is more to Sergio Perez's liking and style so he can maximise it. There are no doubts about Max Verstappen's ability to drive and adapt to whatever is under him, but Perez cannot drive a car as sharp on the nose as the World Champion. Engineering the car to unlock more of Perez's potential must be key for Red Bull.

Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin: The resolution for Mercedes is clear. It must develop its understanding of its new concept as fast as possible. The switch from zero to normal sidepods in Monaco was a bodge-job only designed to get the team heading in the right direction. It stumbled over the finish line at the end of the season and must hit the ground running and ensure whatever upgrades it brings eat into the gap to Red Bull or the wait until 2026 will be a long one.

As for Ferrari, it must work to continue the late momentum it had after a minor floor upgrade to the SF-23 in Japan. This transformed Charles Leclerc, who was the standout driver behind Verstappen from Suzuka onwards. As for Carlos Sainz, the team is in a similar boat to Red Bull with Perez - he needs to unlock more of his potential from the car more consistently.

‘McLaren, Aston Martin, Alpine, Williams, AlphaTauri, Sauber, Haas New Year Resolutions’;

https://racingnews365.com/a-2024-new...-every-f1-team


F1 2024 season predictions: World champion, biggest underachiever, surprise star and more
Mon 1 January 2024 08:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen and Red Bull produced the most dominant Formula 1 season ever in 2023 but the year ahead delivers a new horizon, so here are our predictions for 2024. F1 is already set to make history when the lights go out at the Bahrain GP on March 2. All 10 of the teams have kept the same driver line-up from the final race of the previous season for the first time. So, there will also be no rookies entering the pinnacle of motorsport this year.

2024 Formula 1 world champion – Max Verstappen: Well, it is almost impossible to predict anyone but Verstappen to win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship again in 2024. He dominated the grid like no driver had in the series’ history in 2023. Red Bull even also turned their attention to developing their 2024 car back in July.

2024 Formula 1 constructors’ champion – Red Bull: Such was Verstappen’s dominance in F1 in 2023 that he alone would have won Red Bull the constructors’ championship. The Dutchman earned 575 of Red Bull’s 860 points, 166 more than Mercedes pair Hamilton and Russell earned together to hand the Silver Arrows second.

‘F1 2024 season predictions’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-...star-and-more/


Five ridiculously early F1 2024 predictions: McLaren surge, Perez exit and more
01 Jan 2024 7:00 AM
Editor
PlanetF1.com

Perez/Ricciardo swap? McLaren to keep pushing on? Mark Scott: Just because we are going early doesn’t mean I am going to go particularly wild. I’m not falling for that trap just yet and will reserve my wilder picks for the eagerly-anticipated season predictions once pre-season is in the books. Call it boring, call it (relatively safe), or both, but I am going to predict McLaren finish P2 in the Constructors’ Championship behind Red Bull, leapfrogging both Mercedes and Ferrari.

Jamie Woodhouse: I reckon we are going to see a mid-season driver change at Red Bull, but not the one that perhaps most would expect. So, I can see Sergio Perez heading for the Red Bull exit before F1 2024 is done, with Ricciardo’s stand-in Liam Lawson instead given the opportunity to show what he can do alongside Verstappen.

Oliver Harden: Nico Hulkenberg will not see out the season with Haas. Hulkenberg enjoyed a fine return to F1 in 2023 from a personal perspective, but struggled to contain his frustration with the team as the season deepened. His public criticisms – “at this rate, you can’t compete in F1” – are accurate, but Hulk’s home truths will surely touch a nerve with the Haas hierarchy. Another season of struggle will see relations stretched beyond the point of no repair.

‘Five ridiculously early F1 2024 predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ea...24-predictions


Which F1 team is best placed to challenge Red Bull in 2024?
2024 is here and with the first race of the season just 61 days away in Bahrain, Crash.net is taking a look at which team is best placed to rival Red Bull.
1 Jan 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mercedes: Mercedes managed to secure second in the constructors’ championship, beating Ferrari by just four points in 2023.
That didn’t tell the full story, as on balance, Mercedes achieved that on consistency rather than having the second-fastest car.
Ferrari: Ferrari’s wait for championship success goes on after another disappointing season. Their decision to abandon their high downforce, high drag philosophy in favour of straight-line speed performance initially back-fired.

McLaren: The surprise package of 2023 was McLaren. It’s easy to forget that after the opening two races, McLaren had failed to score a single point, with many seriously questioning the Woking-outfit.
Aston Martin: Aston Martin surprised everyone by starting 2023 as the second-fastest team. It was short-lived as they fell back in the development race before a mini-resurgence at the end of the year.

‘Best placed to challenge Red Bull’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/104...-red-bull-2024


Lewis Hamilton faces 1,000-day wait as Max Verstappen gets new rival - F1 2024 predictions
Express Sport takes a look at what could happen when F1 returns for the 2024 season.
08:30, Mon, Jan 1, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Hamilton's winless streak goes on… It has certainly been a turbulent couple of years for Hamilton, who has slipped down the F1 pecking order following the emergence of Verstappen as the sport's dominant force. He is without a single victory since winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021 and there is little to suggest that his barren spell will come to an end any time soon.

Mercedes have continued to talk the talk but have struggled to walk the walk, with the Silver Arrows failing to restore their former glories despite promising to do so on multiple occasions. They will be up against the might of Red Bull and possibly McLaren once again in 2024, which could wreck their hopes of ending Hamilton's long and painful wait for another race win.

If the 38-year-old fails to break his duck in 2024, it will be 1,099 days since his last victory when the campaign draws to a close at the Abu Dhabi season finale.

‘Faces 1,000-day wait’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...24-predictions

[Fortitude]

What’s new for 2024? Your guide to the F1 season ahead.
A return to China, new sprint race venues and multiple renamed teams. The 2024 Formula 1 season might not feature as many sweeping changes as many recent years, but there are some notable differences heading into the upcoming season.
1st January 2024, 12:00
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Drivers: It doesn’t take long to recap all of the driver market moves for 2024 – because there aren’t any. Teams: The last 12 months have seen the question of whether Andretti will get to join the grid as an 11th team in the upcoming years become one of the hottest talking points in the sport.

Team principals: Unlike the drivers on the grid, there are a couple of changes to the line-up of ten team principals who will be sitting on the pit wall this season. The most notable change being at the team formerly known as AlphaTauri who have bid farewell to Franz Tost, the man who led Red Bull’s junior team since they purchased the former Minardi squad in 2005. Instead, the team have swapped the oldest team principal on the grid to 46-year-old Laurent Mekies.

Races: A record 24 grands prix planned on the 2024 F1 calendar – the most in history. Rule changes: Much like last season, the technical regulations will remain largely static for 2024 compared to the previous year. As such, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told RaceFans that he expects the world champions to face greater competition from their rivals this year as a result.

‘What’s new for 2024?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/01/01/...-season-ahead/


Helmut Marko gives Sergio Perez future update ahead of key F1 2024 campaign
01 Jan 2024 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez will fulfil his Red Bull contract until the end of 2024 “as things stand”, with a key year ahead for the Mexican driver. “As things stand he will fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see,” Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.

As for Perez himself, he admitted that his qualifying form let him down in 2023, often having to recover through the field to salvage what he could in the fastest car in the field. “I think the Sunday form has been very, very strong this year. That’s the only reason we finished P2 in the Championship,” Perez told media including PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.

“I think that many Saturdays have been very difficult this season, and it’s something we’ve got to work on [and] make sure that we improve for next year. I think we also have to give credit to Max, he’s done an incredible year in the history of the sport. He’s been driving really, really well and it’s been very impressive to see.”

“Fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...-future-update


F1 fans deliver surprising verdict over Red Bull rivals in 2024
02 January 8:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Formula 1 fans have delivered their verdict on who they feel will be the closest challengers to Red Bull in 2024 - and it is not good news for Mercedes or Ferrari.

Who will be Red Bull's closest challengers in 2024?
Team Votes Percent
Mercedes 196 20.71%
Ferrari 229 24.20%
McLaren 480 50.73%
Aston Martin 41 4.33%
TOTAL 946

‘Red Bull rivals in 2024: McLaren’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-fans-de...rivals-in-2024


Christijan Albers names the one F1 driver who can challenge Max Verstappen in 2024
Tue 2 January 2024 08:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers has admitted that he thinks Lewis Hamilton is the only driver who can stop Max Verstappen from winning the championship in 2024. Mercedes haven’t produced a decent car in the past two years and if Lewis Hamilton stands any chance of catching the Dutchman, they’ll need to pull out all the stops this winter.

Speaking about next season, Albers said: “For the neutral observer, I hope that Mercedes will come with a better car in 2024. “Because if you look purely at the qualities of the current drivers, I think Lewis Hamilton is the only one who can come close to Verstappen.”

“I am mainly talking about the quality of being able to perform consistently and be very stable in lap times during a race. Just like Verstappen, Hamilton is someone who can manage his tires wonderfully. Assessing certain situations, feeling the rubber; in that respect they are alone.”

‘Being able to perform consistently and be very stable in lap times’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...appen-in-2024/


Key F1 2024 signing reveals plans to drag new team into 21st Century
01 Jan 2024 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Pat Fry has unveiled his plans to bring Williams kicking and screaming into the 21st Century having identified areas of the team which are 20 years out of date.

Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, he said: “You certainly have a lot of catching up to do. Some bits of the company are, if anything, better than where I’ve come from. There’s other bits that you could say are 15-20 years out of date.”

“We certainly have got a lot of work to do. It’s not just the machinery or the tools, as such: it’s also the methodologies we use to actually design a car. So we need to be thinking about all those and trying to move into the 21st Century of actually designing things.”

‘Drag new team into 21st Century’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/key-f1...gning-new-team


Yuki Tsunoda: I will prove to be “top F1 driver” in 2024
January 1, 2024
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Yuki Tsunoda identifies the 2024 season as pivotal for his F1 career, setting a clear objective for the upcoming campaign. This will be a crucial season for Yuki Tsunoda. Speaking with jp.motorsport.com, he left no doubt about this year’s significance:

“Last year, I was able to take a step forward in terms of discovering my value as a driver. “Furthermore, I think the car will be better this year, and I think we will have more opportunities to compete in the top 10. I think this will be the year I prove that I have what it takes to be a top F1 driver.”

‘Have what it takes’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...river-in-2024/

[Matthew]

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez will fulfil his Red Bull contract until the end of 2024 “as things stand”, with a key year ahead for the Mexican driver. “As things stand he will fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see,” Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.

As for Perez himself, he admitted that his qualifying form let him down in 2023, often having to recover through the field to salvage what he could in the fastest car in the field. “I think the Sunday form has been very, very strong this year. That’s the only reason we finished P2 in the Championship,” Perez told media including PlanetF1.com in Abu Dhabi.

“I think that many Saturdays have been very difficult this season, and it’s something we’ve got to work on [and] make sure that we improve for next year. I think we also have to give credit to Max, he’s done an incredible year in the history of the sport. He’s been driving really, really well and it’s been very impressive to see.”

“Fulfil his contract until the end of 2024, then we’ll see”;

2024 will surely be a really important season for Sergio Perez. No one is expecting him to beat Max for the drivers' champsionship but he should do a lot better in 2024 than he was able to do in 2023 if he wants to retain his Red Bull seat beyond 2024.