F1 2021

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‘Every GP wants a sprint race’, F1 2022 plan revealed​

Formula 1 sporting director Ross Brawn says every grand prix promoter wants to host a sprint race and has revealed there is an agreement in principle in place for six sprint events in 2022. F1 has debuted its sprint race idea this year and tried it at Silverstone and Monza so far, with a third trial event coming up at Interlagos. The new F1 weekend variation has entailed moving three-session knock-out qualifying to Friday, at the expense of one of its two traditional practice sessions, and then putting in a sprint race in the Saturday slot that then determines the grid for the main event on Sunday.

Though reaction among traditional fans seems to have been inconclusive, with the intrigue for the inaugural Silverstone sprint followed by a processional Saturday race at Monza, F1 has insisted the reception has been positive overall especially from new fans. It has also been encouraged by the increased interest now generated on Friday because of qualifying, which is of great value to promoters in terms of selling tickets and that has emboldened F1 to plan to double the number of sprint events next year. Brawn said “we’ve in principle agreed with the teams that we will look toward six events for next year” with final plans around the new format only likely to be finalised after the conclusion of the third trial in Brazil. Every promoter wants to have a sprint,” said Brawn. "There’s no downside for a promoter in that they have the addition of Friday, so Friday now becomes a proper day [of competition]. “It’s clear that every promoter we have would like to have a sprint. There’s a number of factors we’ve got to take into consideration. One is the spread through the year. Do we spread these events through the year? It’s probably not something that we’d love to have at the first race, probably not something we want at the last race. The type of circuits once we see how these cars are working and developing, it would be nice to have a variety. And how do we judge that? We want promoters to be able to enhance their Fridays and get more crowds we want promoters to be able to reward the crowds they have. If you look at Austin, they had a fantastic crowd on Friday. And that was fun. That was great to see. Could we be supporting those places where they can get those crowds in on Friday and therefore we can really make the most of it? So things are very open. It’s a very open discussion. In terms of promoters, 100% – they all want it. You can understand why.”

Since the first trial at Silverstone, F1 has sought to clarify how the sprint format should be judged, prioritising the overall weekend benefit rather than the quality of the sprint itself. Brawn believes the new format has had “a bigger impact on a Friday than we’ve anticipated”. But he stressed the provisional plan for six sprints would represent a “conservative and evolutionary” step, influenced by the fact F1 also has its new generation of cars debuting in ’22.

“Our view is that we should take some progressive steps for next year but not radical steps. And that’s partly because we have a new car coming along and everyone needs to settle down,” he said. “But we’re positive about the [sprint] concept and very pleased that F1 has been brave enough to take on trying an alternative concept in three races to see how it will work, which I think actually is a good example of how we should perhaps consider things in the future.”

There is clearly potential for the number of sprint events to extend beyond the six likely to be run next season. Brawn says that will happen if it is proven that the format is successful and brings clear benefits. Asked if this was approaching the norm and if F1 could move to having more sprint events than not, Brawn said: “There’s no reason why that couldn’t evolve in that way. We’re taking it carefully step by step. Off the back of six you can then decide if you want to increase the number. I don’t think we shouldn’t be afraid of doing that because in doing that, it will be a measure of success of the sprint. And if that is the format for the future, then I think we’ve gone about it the right way. But equally we may conclude that having it as a showcase event adds some interest. That point is open. It could evolve that way but it would evolve that way because it’s the best thing to do.”

 

[Badgers]

 

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The suspension trick that got FIA to appeal against its stewards​

The Mercedes rear suspension system that Red Bull turned into a major topic of discussion recently proved to be an entirely legal and well-understood mechanism that Formula 1 teams have pursued for a long time, but there have been cases where far more controversial suspension systems have been outlawed. Perhaps the most famous example in the 21st century is the mass damper. Renault first stated running what is more correctly called the tuned mass damper in 2005. This was a mass of 5-10kg, which was tunable to the specific circuit, located in small cylinder between two springs that was placed towards the rear of the nosecone of the car.

The purpose of this damper was to react to the vertical forces created by hitting bumps, undulations and kerbs to increase stability. This had a twofold effect – firstly improving the stability of the car by reducing the compressions and travel of the suspension, but secondly therefore holding it in a better aerodynamic window. This was particularly beneficial to Renault, which had struggled a little with the raised front wing regulations of 2005 that had led to the front end being run stiffer and created a porpoising effect. The mass damper settled the front of the car dramatically and made the front wing work better. It also evened out the variation of front tyre grip when braking and cornering, slightly reducing the theoretical maximum but raising the minimum grip. By evening out the fluctuations in pitch and boosting driver confidence, this was worth significant laptime – also allowing the drivers to be more aggressive over the kerbs. It was a simple, elegant and very effective solution that offered compound gains.

Once rival teams learned of the mass damper, they all tried to copy it with varying levels of success. Ferrari introduced its own mass damper, but it couldn’t gain the same advantage thanks to the fact it ran the stiffer-sidewalled Bridgestone tyres. The mass damper was more beneficial when working with the more compliant Michelin rubber, leading to Ferrari lobbying against it. Ahead of the 2006 German Grand Prix, the FIA issued a technical bulletin declaring the mass damper illegal on the grounds that it was a moveable aerodynamic device. The so-called ‘moveable aerodynamic device’ ban is a shorthand for Article 3.15 of the technical regulations. In 2006, this stated under the heading of “aerodynamic influence” that “any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic performance… must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom) [and] must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car”.

Renault, understandably, disagreed with this. As a result, its spare car was submitted for scrutineering with the mass damper fitted in the knowledge that it would be referred to the stewards. They then issued their verdict on Friday morning at Hockenheim that the use of the mass damper was “permissible”. There were various reasons for this, including the fact that mass damper use was widespread and, most significantly, that the stewards felt there was no specific regulation that outlawed it. However, the stewards did concede the FIA was right to be concerned, stating that “whilst finding that on the basis of existing technical regulations, the use of mass dampers is permissible, [this] should not be regarded as an endorsement by the stewards for any use or further development of such devices beyond the current 2006 championship”.

The FIA then appealed against its own stewards, an unusual but not unprecedented move given it had done the same thing the previous year in relation to the BAR fuel tank affair at Imola. Renault therefore opted not to run the mass damper at Hockenheim, but did use it in the following race at the Hungaroring on the basis that the appeal hearing would not take place until after the Hungarian Grand Prix. The mass damper then was indeed banned on the basis that it contravened Article 3.15 of the technical regulations. Not only was the mass damper deemed not part of the suspension system, which was significant given the suspension system must by its very nature move and therefore has to be allowed to (a key reason the Mercedes DAS was declared legal last year is that it was considered part of the steering system rather than the suspension), but Renault’s argument that the aerodynamic benefits were a “small subsidiary effect”, as Pat Symonds put it, was not accepted.


When it comes to interpreting the regulations, the ‘primary purpose’ of devices is significant and it was felt the mass damper was first and foremost a device for aerodynamic benefit. The mass damper was therefore no more, although Alonso and Renault did go on to win the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

 

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Williams will start F1 2022 “on the back foot” by skipping test​

As F1 gears up for the arrival of all-new cars and tyres next year, teams are set to have their first proper opportunity to evaluate new 18-inch wheels at the Yas Marina circuit in the days after the season finale. As part of the annual two-day rookie test, teams will get to run with the new tyres on mule cars that have had their suspension adapted to deal with the larger wheels.

But Williams has elected against building a mule car just for the Abu Dhabi test, so looks set to miss the event completely. Williams head of vehicle performance Dave Robson said: "Unfortunately we won't be doing anything. We won't be running there as we don't have a mule car and that stops us from running at the test. My understanding is if you don't have a mule car then you are not entitled to do the test. So we won't be there."

Robson explained that the decision to not build a mule car was made for financial reasons, with Williams not convinced that the benefit of running at the Abu Dhabi test was worth the expense of creating a bespoke car. With the Abu Dhabi test the only opportunity for teams to experiment with the tyres prior to next year's first pre-season test, Robson is in no doubt that Williams will be behind in its knowledge compared to its rivals. However, he is convinced that there is plenty of time to be able to catch up before the 2022 campaign gets fully under way.

Asked how much of a disadvantage he felt not running in the Abu Dhabi test would be, Robson said: "We've not done any exercise to put numbers on it. We know that the mule car would have been beneficial but unfortunately, at the time we had to commit to that, we just didn't have the resource to do it. It was a decision that was made an awful long time ago and we can't do anything about it. What will we ultimately lose? We will start winter testing probably a little bit on the back foot I would think. But I would hope that if the car is running well, we should be able to catch up quickly. We would like be at the test but we are not. Ultimately though, we won't be far behind once the races start."

 

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F1 to introduce "compact car" in 2026​

Ross Brawn has confirmed F1 will roll out a more compact car in 2026 to counter the ongoing trend that has resulted in longer, heavier machines in recent years. In 2004, new regulations came into force that set the minimum weight at 600kg. That rose to 642kg in 2013 and 728kg in 2017. Next year, with the introduction of Pirelli's 18-inch wheels, the limit will be 792kg. In terms of dimensions, four years ago F1 increased the width of a car from 1.8m to two metres, reversing a rule that was introduced in 1998, while cars have also grown in length over time and now measure around 5.5m.

F1's managing director motorsports Brawn agrees the cars now "are big" but that steps are being taken to ensure the size is managed come 2026 when a new power unit is introduced. “As you know we’re looking at a new power unit for '26, and a new car will go with it and that’s some of the primary objectives," confirmed Brawn. "Can we save weight, which is challenging with a hybrid car and with the safety initiatives we’ve got on the cars these days, but can we have a lighter car? Certainly, can we have a smaller car? We believe we can. We think with the spec that’s evolving for ’26 there’ll be a very real chance of having a more compact car.”

Reinforcing Brawn's remarks, chief technical officer Pat Symonds said: "Not only the engines but also the cars have to become more sustainable. The only way to do this is to use the formula - smaller, lighter and more efficient."

 

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George Russell: Toto Wolff lays out stark boundaries Briton must follow at Mercedes​

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has outlined the boundaries that George Russell must not cross once he is in the Silver Arrows garage from next season in Formula 1. Russell will be sat alongside Lewis Hamilton at the current Constructors' champions in 2022 and naturally has ambitions of using the car to his advantage in order to win races and then titles. Hamilton, of course, will be eager to prove himself against another new challenger in the team, meanwhile, and many are interested to see how this new dynamic is going to work with the harmony that Valtteri Bottas brought potentially at risk. Wolff, though, has already sought to outline the boundaries that Russell must not cross when he joins the team, clearly with the view to avoid a repeat of what happened with Nico Rosberg when he was there.

"This is Mercedes. We have no place for the genius jerk. Even a superstar driver has to respect team values," he said “I wouldn't hesitate in the future if a driver talked bad about the team or wasn't appropriate, I would first deal with it internally and if that didn't yield results I would take the driver out of the car. On the bench, yes. And George Russell is another intelligent young man. He will slot into the team but that doesn't mean he has to hold back when driving. You can't expect a lion in the car and a puppy out of it. But there are certain boundaries within the team that must be respected and George knows them very well. Once the lights are green, only the drivers are responsible. I can't interfere, manage, or remote control them, but one thing is of ultimate importance, don't touch. That's your responsibility. You can race hard, but no contact. I've been there before with Nico when it wasn't just a rivalry. There was a lot of animosity and that's not going to happen. This is about showing respect for each other and it can be hard because if you race on the same spot on the race track you will eventually come across each other but there is an integrity we expect that no one is ever bigger than the team.”

 

[MrCurry]

Bad news for Hamilton fans. Nico Retireberg has applied his considerable expertise and pronounced that Lewis will win the title.

Max must be celebrating tonight!

 

[MrCurry]

What’s going on with the air quality in Mexico? A lot of the long shots have some kind of hazy smog visible. Or have they been burning lots of flares in the stands?

 

[Badgers]

What’s going on with the air quality in Mexico? A lot of the long shots have some kind of hazy smog visible. Or have they been burning lots of flares in the stands?

White powder in the breeze?

 

[MrCurry]

White powder in the breeze?

Seems like it’s dust in the track surface being thrown up by the cars, so you could be right!

 

[Badgers]

Weekend OFF sorted RaceFam

 

[MrCurry]

Verstappen’s set fastest time by 0.2s on the hard tyre, against Lewis on a soft tyre. We don’t know fuel loads, etc, but that’s ominous!

 

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FP1 Both Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez slide backwards into the barrier and pick up some rear wing damage

 

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Engine penalties for both Tsunoda and Stroll so far this weekend. It has just been confirmed by the FIA that Aston Martin driver Stroll and AlphaTauri rookie Tsunoda will be hit with grid drops this weekend, after taking on several new power unit elements.

 

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Raikkonen goes off at Turn 1 and, as per Hamilton's incident a little earlier, stewards will be looking at the way in which they rejoined the track after the session.

 

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Another improvement from Perez (who is out of sync with the rest of the field) as he slots into fourth, just behind teammate Verstappen. Only 0.269s covering the Mercedes and Red Bull cars as it stands!

AlphaTauri driver Gasly has made a strong start to the weekend in fifth. Behind him, Ferrari appear to have the early edge over McLaren as the battle for P3 in the championship continues.

 

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FP1 result

1. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes – 1:18.341
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.076
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.123
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.269
5. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +0.644
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.122
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.315
8. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.326
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.418
10. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +1.517
11. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.670
12. Kimi Raikkonen Alfa Romeo +1.685
13. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.689
14. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1.932
15. Lando Norris McLaren +1.960
16. Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo +2.003
17. George Russell Williams Racing +2.176
18. Nicholas Latifi Williams Racing +3.239
19. Mick Schumacher Haas +3.803
20. Nikita Mazepin Haas +4.478

 

[1%er]

Looks like we have 5 races in 6 weeks, a massive end to the season, I really hope reliability and grid penalties don't play any part and we have a race to the end

Nov 5 - 7	Mexican GP Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Nov 12 - 14	Brazilian GP Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace
Nov 19 - 21	Qatar GP Losail International Circuit
Dec 3 - 5	Saudi Arabian GP Jeddah Street Circuit
Dec 10 - 12	Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi GP Yas Marina Circuit

 

[MrCurry]

Looks like we have 5 races in 6 weeks, a massive end to the season, I really hope reliability and grid penalties don't play any part and we have a race to the end

This is what I need in my life! Should be such an exciting conclusion to an epic season which will surely go down in history as a classic year of F1. Such close gaps between teams up and down the field and a Max v Lewis clash which feels like the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

 

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FP2

Max Verstappen put Red Bull at the top of the timesheets in Friday's second practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix. After Mercedes finished 1-2 in FP1, the Dutchman responded during the second session of the day, taking top spot with an impressive time of 1:17.301, set on the Soft Pirelli compound. Valtteri Bottas was the quicker of the two Mercedes cars in second, 0.424s behind Verstappen, with Hamilton only able to set the third fastest time, 0.509s slower than his World Championship rival.

Sergio Perez finished fourth in front of his home fans, with Carlos Sainz rounding out the top five for Ferrari. Further back, things didn't go to plan for the likes of George Russell and Daniel Ricciardo, as both drivers saw their sessions end early due to gearbox issues.

2021 Mexico City GP - Free Practice 2 results​

Pos	Driver	Team	Time	Gap	Laps
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:17.301s		28
2	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1:17.725s	+ 0.424s	31
3	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:17.810s	+ 0.509s	26
4	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull	1:17.871s	+ 0.570s	26
5	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:18.318s	+ 1.017s	29
6	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	1:18.429s	+ 1.128s	29
7	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:18.605s	+ 1.304s	28
8	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	1:18.644s	+ 1.343s	31
9	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	1:18.681s	+ 1.380s	32
10	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	1:18.732s	+ 1.431s	27
11	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo	1:18.841s	+ 1.540s	25
12	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:18.979s	+ 1.678s	27
13	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo	1:19.227s	+ 1.926s	31
14	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1:19.431s	+ 2.130s	37
15	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	1:19.521s	+ 2.220s	7
16	Mick Schumacher	Haas	1:19.620s	+ 2.319s	30
17	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:19.730s	+ 2.429s	36
18	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	1:20.820s	+ 3.519s	17
19	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	1:21.581s	+ 4.280s	28
20	George Russell	Williams			2

 

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Shanghai event through until 2025​

The Chinese Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar until 2025 following the announcement of a new deal. The race in Shanghai has been absent from the schedule for the past two years, and will not form part of next season's record-breaking 23-round calendar either following coronavirus restrictions. But the fixture, first introduced in 2004, remains in the sport's long-term plans. Commenting on the contract extension, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said: 'This is great news for all of our fans in China and we are delighted to announce this agreement that will see us racing in Shanghai until 2025. While we are all disappointed we could not include China on the 2022 calendar due to ongoing pandemic conditions, China will be restored to the calendar as soon as conditions allow and we look forward to being back with the fans as soon as we can.'

It was announced last month that Imola would be replacing the Chinese Grand Prix on the calendar next year, taking over the vacated slot on April 24, 2022. The season will be a record 23 races long, with the inaugural Miami Grand Prix taking place on May 8, after the FIA World Motorsport Council ratified the schedule. In a break with tradition, the Monaco race will be held over three days rather than the usual four. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is due to be held on July 3. Bahrain will host the opening round of the new campaign on March 20, with Abu Dhabi the stage for the concluding event exactly eight months later. The 2022 schedule will bring added strain on the sport's travelling circus, with seven back-to-back races, two triple headers, and six races in seven whirlwind weeks following the August break. F1 will also undergo a major overhaul of it regulations next season in the hope of producing closer racing, while CEO Stefano Domenicali has stated his desire to stage sprint races at as many as eight events.

'We are excited to announce the 2022 calendar as we prepare to enter a new era for the sport,' said Domenicali in October.
'This season has been incredible so far with great battles on the track, large audiences tuning in and fans returning to the races after the impact of the pandemic. We look forward to welcoming more fans back next season and hope 2022 feels more normal than the life we have all experienced in the past two years. We are very pleased with the interest in Formula One from places that want to host races and the growth of the sport, and believe we have a fantastic calendar for 2022 with destinations like Miami joining famous and historic venues. The pandemic is still with us, and we will therefore continue to be vigilant and safe to protect all our personnel and the communities we visit.'

 

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F1 ‘back in the black’ with latest financial results​

Formula 1 is back in the black, according to the third quarter financial results just released by the sport’s commercial owner Libert Media. Specialist financial news services analysed the numbers and found that F1 has turned a more than $100 million loss into a more than $300 million profit. That is due to more normal race agreements after the badly covid-marred 2020 schedule, and the return of big crowds like the history-making 400,000 spectators who gathered across the three days in Austin recently.

“It’s great to see fans coming back in,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner in Mexico. “Austin felt like a normal race but we still have to adhere to some of the protocols to protect the drivers and the whole team.” Liberty revealed that it has also signed “multiple broadcast deals” with Asian partners, and a new deal with France’s Canal Plus to run until 2024. “Formula 1 is firing on all cylinders and producing results on the track for our fans and partners and our investors,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. “We have seen the results with fans at the track and with engagement across all platforms.”

 

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Williams considered ‘dropping Russell’, signing K-Mag​

Williams spoke with Kevin Magnussen about replacing George Russell, the team considering “dropping” the British driver for the 2021 season. With the 2020 championship shaping up to be Magnussen’s final season with Haas, the Danish driver was in talks with other teams, most notably Williams. The Grove team though wanted money for the race seat, either through sponsorship or Magnussen paying a “proper” amount himself. He wasn’t interested in that, the driver walking away from Formula 1 and instead trying his hand at endurance racing.

“I had ended up in a bit of a stalemate in Formula 1,” he said in an interview. “But I actually had an opportunity to stay because I was in contact with Williams. However, it would be like rewinding back in time at McLaren and Renault. I had to find a lot of sponsors for Williams or throw a proper cheque at them.” Surprisingly Magnussen revealed it wasn’t Nicholas Latifi who the team wanted to replace, it was Russell. Although Russell had whitewashed Latifi in qualifying in 2020, and only lost to his team-mate in two of the grands prix in which both drivers finished for Williams, it was his head that was on the chopping block with Williams in need of funds.

Magnussen added: “Williams saw me as a possible replacement for George Russell. The answer came right behind me. ‘What kind of team is that?’ I think. Dropping Russell and keeping Nicholas Latifi was ridiculous, pure idiocy. George Russell is a mega-talent who won both GP3 and Formula 2 in his first season in those series, and he should not leave Formula 1. If Williams wanted anything, it should have been out with the Canadian.”

“Then,” the 29-year-old continued, “they would have George Russell and Kevin Magnussen, a strong line-up in my eyes.”
If Williams had dropped Russell it could have potentially cost them a chunk of points this season with the Brit having scored 16 points, Latifi just seven. Nine of Russell’s points came courtesy of his podium finish at the Belgian Grand Prix, his incredible P2 in a wet qualifying session effectively handing him P2 in a Safety Car-led race. He will be leaving Williams at the end of this season, the 23-year-old signed by Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s 2022 team-mate.

 

[1%er]

Lando Norris needs a new power unit it appears and will start from the back of the grid, bad news in the McLaren fight with Ferrari

 

[Ax^]

hmm might explain lando no the tow from yesterday

 

[Limejuice]

hmm might explain lando no the tow from yesterday

Yes, he rather curtly nixed that suggestion from his engineer.

 

[Ax^]

on another side lando must of liked Ric struggling all season

cannie be happy with him starting to recover

would be like latifff getting a williams win

 

[Badgers]

Verstappen looking good again

 

[Badgers]

Hamilton is closing the gap a bit at least.

 

[Limejuice]

So far in FP3, the Red Bulls are half a second above the Mercedes.

I think I know how qualifying is going to unfold.