F1 2022

[1%er]

The Drive to Survive dilemma​

Might the forthcoming release of Season 4 of Drive to Survive influence the future of Lewis Hamilton and possibly the sport itself. In the coming weeks (days?) Netflix will drop the much-anticipated fourth season of its highly successful Drive to Survive 'fly-on-the-wall' documentary series. With its unique behind-the-scenes access to drivers and their teams, the series has been a worldwide success ever since the first series was released in March 2019. That the series has been particularly successful in the United States, where a whole new generation of fans have been introduced to the sport, has gone down particularly well with the sport's American owners, Liberty Media. However, the three series to date have come in for a fair amount of criticism, with claims of 'staging' scenes, misrepresenting relationships and even fabricating commentary and radio messages.

Indeed, last year, as he battled Lewis Hamilton for the title, Max Verstappen said he would not be working with the series makers claiming that they misrepresented drivers and their relationships with one another, and that the series deliberately sets out to create bitter rivalries that didn't actually exist. It's a claim supported by a number of other drivers, team bosses and various other inhabitants of Planet Paddock, but the ongoing success of the series suggests that, despite the criticism, it is what (some) fans want. In their anticipation of Season 4, which witnessed one of the most hard-fought championships in years, fans can hardly wait to see the behind-the-scenes coverage of the Hamilton/Verstappen battle. However, the highlight of the series and one that surely most will be fast-forwarding to is the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Season 1 was released on 8 March 2019, with Season 2 following on 28 February 2020 and Season 3 on 19 March last year, this, covering the 2020 season, having been delayed due to the late (July) start due to the pandemic. Consequently, it is likely that Season 4 will appear before the FIA makes public its investigation into the goings on in Abu Dhabi last December. Regular viewers will be aware that the series takes sides as opposed to reporting impartially, which therefore puts the makers, and thereby Netflix, in an almost impossible situation. The series can hardly take the side of Lewis Hamilton because, as the official F1 Netflix series, it would be criticising its paymasters. However, if it were to side with the FIA and Liberty it could well prove to be the final straw for the Briton who has yet to make an announcement on his future. Indeed, how Drive to Survive handles the Abu Dhabi debacle could prove more crucial to Hamilton's decision on his future than anything the F1 Commission or the World Motor Sport Council can come up with. Whatever one might think, the fact is that Sir Lewis Hamilton is the most famous driver in F1 at present, certainly among those new fans introduced to the sport by Drive to Survive, which is one of the main reasons the sport cannot afford to lose him.

Last season, still under threat from the pandemic, everything was focussed on the championship battle between two drivers, Hamilton and Verstappen. Indeed, at times one would have thought they were the only two drivers on track. Listening to the commentary, first time viewers might have got the impression that the two had never gone head-to-head before, that the rivalry between the pair was synonymous with F1, such was the hyperbole from the broadcasters and media in this new Netflix-age of the sport. Yet - his impending decision on his future aside - in July Hamilton signed a two-year extension to his contract, thereby keeping him with Mercedes for 2022 and 2023. Just two more years of the 'big two' seems a little short-sighted of Liberty, imagine if Bjorn Borg had retired just one year into his legendary rivalry with John McEnroe, and there are many more examples in numerous sports.

Hamilton has been battling Verstappen for the last couple of seasons, but before that there was Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Fernando Alonso... the guy's been battling for years... and has seven titles, and finished runner-up three times, to prove it. Should he walk away now it would appear that, in the wake of Abu Dhabi, he doesn't think F1 is worth the effort and that is something that could very well rub off on the public. He has spent 15 years busting a gut making history for F1, holding the title in the highest regard, only for his efforts to be repaid with a knee-jerk decision which the governing body upheld. Furthermore, in the eyes of some, the frenzied mess that is social media has turned him and his boss into a meme, a laughing stock causing him to cease posting to his 6.9 million followers on Twitter and 26.8 million on Instagram.

One cannot help but feel that the events of Abu Dhabi won't merely devalue the title going forward in Hamilton's mind but also cause him to question whether he should have ever held it in such high regard in the first place. If the FIA thinks the title is only worth a decision on a whim why should drivers not think the same? Hamilton signed a two year extension to beat Michael Schumacher's record but what's the point in fighting for something which now has no value in his mind? He is a laser-focussed guy, he puts 1,000% into what he does, so if he has any doubt about the value in the end game it is likely he will walk away. Hence the feeling that much will rest on how Drive to Survive handles Abu Dhabi.

Liberty has long since realised that it isn't going to make the four-fold profit realised by CVC, indeed it will be lucky to even double its money… then again, maybe it should have done its homework before buying the sport. With revenue limited by the number of races it can stage, little wonder F1 bosses are looking to cut costs dramatically, with talk of the organisation haemorrhaging staff. Last summer it emerged that one of the potential buyers of the sport, which Liberty is anxious to sell, is Netflix. Should Hamilton walk away from F1 the value of the sport would plummet, which, ironically, would suit a potential buyer, like Netflix, perfectly. Now that's genuine drama and intrigue.

 

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Vijay Mallya extradition (taking its bloody time)

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said here on Saturday that India has made its best case on Vijay Mallya being wanted for economic offences and the Indian government has the “best assurance" from the UK authorities of his extradition to face charges of fraud and money laundering related to unpaid loans to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. During his two-day visit to the UK, Shringla held meetings with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials to review the Roadmap 2030 strategy for an enhanced UK-India partnership. Consular matters such as the extradition of economic offenders wanted in India to face charges were also raised during the wide-ranging discussions. “We have been given to understand that there is a process in place and that the British side is working on his (Mallya) extradition based on that process," Shringla told reporters, in response to a question over the delay in Mallya’s extradition – which is believed to be undergoing a "confidential" asylum application process after all legal appeals were exhausted last year.

“We have no reason to doubt that assurance that this man wanted for economic offences in India, owes a lot of money in India has to be returned to the country. We have made our best case and they have given their best assurance," said the Foreign Secretary. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Gaitri Issar Kumar said that the Indian mission in London has been keeping the pressure on over the issue. “In the High Commission, the assessment is that the extradition has been decided, the only thing is this remaining legal process which they are duty bound to do because it is a judicial process," she said.

Meanwhile, Mallya’s bankruptcy case will return to the High Court in London on Monday:
Embattled businessman Vijay Mallya lost a legal battle to hold on to his plush London home after a British court refused to grant him a stay of enforcement in a long-running dispute with Swiss bank UBS. The 18/19 Cornwall Terrace luxury apartment overlooking Regent’s Park in London, described in court as an "extraordinarily valuable property worth many tens of millions of pounds". Delivering his judgment virtually for the Chancery Division of the High Court, Deputy Master Matthew Marsh concluded there were no grounds for him to grant further time for the Mallya family to repay a GBP 20.4-million loan to UBS – the claimant in the case. "The claimant’s position was a reasonable one… further time is not likely to make any material difference," Deputy Master Marsh ruled. "I would also add from my review of the correspondence, I can see no basis whatever for the suggestion that has been made that the claimant has misled the first defendant [Vijay Mallya]… in conclusion, I dismiss the first defendant’s application,” he said. Fenner Moeran QC made it clear that UBS intends to proceed with the enforcement order without delay.

Vijay Mallya bankrupt
A British court granted a bankruptcy order against Vijay Mallya, paving the way for a consortium of Indian banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) to pursue a worldwide freezing order to seek repayment of debt owed by the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

 

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Aston Martin respond to report they’ll miss Barcelona test​

Aston Martin have denied rumours that their 2022 car will not be ready in time for the pre-season test in Barcelona next month, amid reports that the team is not at all full of happy campers. Formerly Racing Point, Aston Martin have undergone significant change since Vijay Mallya was ousted midway through 2018. Businessman Lawrence Stroll purchased the Force India team that year, changing the name to Racing Point Force India for the remainder of the season. The Canadian then signed his son, Lance, from Williams as they transitioned to Racing Point before eventually becoming Aston Martin at the end of 2020 following their maiden win with Sergio Perez at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Due to the overhaul in recent years, their number of employees has reportedly increased exponentially, and therein lies one of their issues. There is a feeling of “deepening resentment” at the Silverstone factory following the departure of former team principal Otmar Szaufner, who was instrumental in bringing four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel to the team for 2021 to replace Perez.

The Romanian-American has been replaced by Mike Krack. Reportedly, what was once a “modest, but efficient workforce” has now descended into chaos. reports describe the team as a “far larger entity of what appears to be ‘headless chickens’”. The supposed unrest at Aston Martin is said to be so bad that it will be a miracle if they are able to roll the car out of the garage for the first test of the pre-season on 23 February in Barcelona. “[Aston Martin are] miles behind, to the point if it makes first test at Barcelona on Feb 23rd everyone will be so surprised you’ll hear the cheer from outer space,” suggests the report.

The British team have, however, robustly denied these rumours, insisting that everything is running smoothly. “Work on our 2022 vehicle is making good progress and we will be ready for the first winter test in Barcelona,” a spokesperson told reporters. The Racing Point car was labelled a “pink Mercedes” in 2020 when it had become apparent that they essentially designed a replica of the Mercedes car. Technical director Andy Green is optimistic that this will pay off in the long run, even though Aston Martin slumped to seventh in the Constructors’ Standings last year. “It definitely opened our eyes to new ways of working – new concepts, new ideas,” he said in conversation with reporters. “And it has enabled that thinking then to follow through to some degree on the 21’ car but the 2022 car definitely.” He went on to detail the research and collection of data that will prove vital to the Silverstone outfit’s success going forward. “What we did was look at the car and went about working out why that car was significantly quicker than everybody else,” he explained. “We did our own learning. There’s no shortcut to doing it. It’s not a copy, it’s developing a solution where you’ve got a rough idea of what you think the answer is, but you’ve still got to get there and it takes a lot of development and a lot of work to understand.”

After a podium finish through Vettel in Azerbaijan and 16 points finishes between himself and Stroll in 2021, the pair have been retained for the 2022 season that gets underway on 20 March, a week after the second and final test in Bahrain.

 

[Limejuice]

Hoping the "headless chicken" report isn't accurate.

 

[Epico]

Lawrence Stroll doesn't come across as the easiest guys to get along with & being a billionaire, is used to getting his own way. I can well see how difficult it would be to build success amidst the tantrums - especially if you have to pander to his mediocre son as well.

 

[MrCurry]

Lawrence Stroll doesn't come across as the easiest guys to get along with & being a billionaire, is used to getting his own way. I can well see how difficult it would be to build success amidst the tantrums - especially if you have to pander to his mediocre son as well.

Based on what was shown on the last season of Drive to Survive, his management style is in the “intolerant bully” category, which could well turn out to be disastrous in F1 where people need to be unafraid to raise problems to get them resolved.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

After catching the last race last season, spending two weeks in Covid isolation binging F1 videos on YouTube and playing the PC game, and now working my way through the Netflix show that I'd ignored up until now, I'm fired up for 2022 - not followed it really seriously since the Button/Brawn era.

 

[MrCurry]

After catching the last race last season, spending two weeks in Covid isolation binging F1 videos on YouTube and playing the PC game, and now working my way through the Netflix show that I'd ignored up until now, I'm fired up for 2022 - not followed it really seriously since the Button/Brawn era.

Hope it stays as good as it’s been the past couple of years. We’ve had some awesome races and a perfect championship fight last year. I’m a bit worried these new car regulations will shake things up to the point where there’s one team dominating again, but we will see soon enough. Good that you’re back into it

 

[1%er]

Red Bull RB18 has been ‘given the all-clear’​

Red Bull’s RB18 has been “given the all-clear” after a report suggested the car had failed an FIA crash test. Every year the Formula 1 cars have to undergo a mandatory FIA crash test, designed to ensure the car protects the driver in the event of an accident. Red Bull, according to the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, failed their frontal test. The publication claimed the RB18 “would not have passed the earlier crash test for chassis homologation. “At Cranfield, where the British teams converge for the dynamic tests, Red Bull would have registered a failure in the front of the car that would force the Milton Keynes team to review the ability to absorb energy from the nose and the chassis in the front”.

Red Bull did not comment on the report. However, according to F1-Insider, the RB18 has been homologated. Correspondent Bianca Garloff claims: “The team of World Champion Max Verstappen has, like Mercedes, given the all-clear, although a presentation date is still pending.” The report does not clarify whether that was only after changes were made to the car or if the previous report was incorrect. It was also claimed Mercedes’ W13 had failed its test, but in their case the Brackley squad denied this. “W13 completed full FIA homologation on January 13,” the team stated.


Mercedes will unveil their W13 on February 18 while Red Bull have yet to confirm a date. There is, however, speculation that is because the team are waiting on a sponsorship deal. Although Red Bull enter this year’s championship as the defending World Champions, Verstappen having beaten Lewis Hamilton to the Drivers’ crown last season, and Mercedes are the reigning Constructors’ Championship holders, Christian Horner recently stated he is worried about the threat Ferrari could pose. “I think you could see teams like Ferrari, McLaren, maybe even one or two surprises, because it’s a complete reset of the regulations and ourselves and Mercedes were very much involved in last year’s championship fight,” the Red Bull team boss told broadcaster's.

 

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A tribute to a fallen star born on this day​

Roger Williamson the young British hopeful who was lost to motorsport in a fiery crash in the dunes of Zandvoort in 1973 would have turned 74 on this day, today. After starting his career in saloon cars in 1967, Williams enjoyed a swift rise through the junior ranks in single-seater racing, supported by mentor and benefactor Tom Wheatcroft. As one of Britain's brightest prospects, Williams made his F1 debut mid-season at the British GP at Silverstone with March, but at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort two weeks later it all went terribly wrong for the 25-year-old. Williamson hit the barrier on lap nine, the March 731 rebounding and sliding down the track, overturned and ablaze. David Purely who was following Williamson stopped his car to help his friend in a heroic but vain effort, while under-equipped trackside marshals were of little help. Alas, Williams died in the carnage from asphyxiation, depriving motorsport of a talent set for stardom.

 

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Fry promoted to become Alpine CTO in staff reshuffle​

Pat Fry and Matt Harman have both landed an improved role at Alpine as part of the team’s off-season work on its personnel. While all teams are busy preparing their all-new challengers for the 2022 campaign, Alpine have also been one of the busiest when it comes to getting their workforce in order for the new era of Formula 1. Marcin Budkowski departed his role as executive director, while four-time World Champion Alain Prost stepped away from his non-executive director role. Prost had clashed with Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi, with the Frenchman taking a verbal swipe at Rossi upon his departure. And while Alpine have not announced any new faces, there has been important job changes among two current employees.

Firstly British engineer Fry has been promoted to the position of chief technical officer, with the team saying that he will “oversee all technical activities” at the team’s Enstone base. Meanwhile Harman has moved from his engineering director role to that of technical director, tasked with “delivering performance and experiments to the track, structuring the technical organisation and processes, plus growing talents and teams”. The ex-Mercedes employee, who arrived in 2018, will also oversee “chassis technical direction” and is expected to “strengthen the link to the engine department at Viry”. In a statement Rossi said: “We are considerably strengthening Alpine F1 Team by having Pat and Matt at the helm of Engineering in Enstone. Pat is one of the most experienced engineers in Formula 1, while Matt’s drive and expertise will prove critical in extracting the full potential of our race cars, thanks in particular to his unique expertise combining chassis and engine development.”

It remains to be seen whether Otmar Szafnauer will feature in Alpine’s future staff announcements, with the former Aston Martin team boss heavily linked with a switch to the team. Szafnauer left Aston Martin following the 2021 campaign, while it is believed that he would bring the backing of Austrian water treatment firm BWT with him to Alpine, inspiring a return of the pink that had characterised the Force India and Racing Point liveries when Szafnauer was in charge of both incarnations.

 

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Haas reveal look of new car for 2022​

Haas have revealed the first images of the design of its VF-22 chassis for the 2022 Formula 1 season. The team’s new livery will again make heavy use of the white, red and blue colours of the Russian flag reflecting the nationality of the team’s title sponsor Uralkali. The images revealed of the Haas livery also give an early impression of the design of its VF-22 chassis. Some details are likely to differ on the final design, but the model gives the most revealing representation yet of the radical new look of Formula 1 cars built to the new regulations for 2022.

Haas will again field a driver line-up of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin after the pair completed their rookie seasons with the team in 2021. The team finished last in the constructors’ championship the only team to fail to score points after Haas announced prior to last season that they would forgo all development work on their 2021 car in order to focus on their chassis for the 2022 season. The opening pre-season test ahead of the 2022 season will take place over three days in Barcelona at the Circuit de Catalunya, beginning on Wednesday 23rd February. A second three day test in Bahrain will follow on the 10th-12th of March, ahead of the opening race of the season in the kingdom.

 

[spitfire]

Doesn't look as weird as I thought it would. Looks good!

 

[MrCurry]

Doesn't look as weird as I thought it would. Looks good!

That’s just what I was thinking. Actually looks like an F1 car, so that’s a relief.

 

[1%er]

Drive to Survive release date 'leaked'​

Apparently it is set to be released at some point between March 9 and March 11. Leaked or a guess? Season 1 and 3 were both released in March with season 2 at the end of February, so I think this is a guess from a jorno looking to get themselves in the papers But for sure it will be coming soon.

 

[1%er]

Doesn't look as weird as I thought it would. Looks good!

That’s just what I was thinking. Actually looks like an F1 car, so that’s a relief.

I don't think we will see the real cars until the first race weekend, with all the changes for this season I think teams will keep lots of things to themselves until the last moment. Why show all your new aero to others to give them time to copy it before the season. For the first time in years I believe this test will be a power-unit test only, with teams puting bits on now and then to test the aero.

Edit: Haas described this as a livery launch we do not know if these images are based on the real design.

 

[1%er]

Aston Martin F1 team seals Aramco sponsorship deal ​

Oil and gas company Aramco has signed a name sponsorship deal with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, it was announced on Thursday. The "long-term strategic partnership" means the British squad will be known as Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team from now on. The deal includes sponsorship rights, a licensing agreement, and joint research and development of sustainable fuels, advanced lubricants and non-metallic materials in vehicles, according to a team statement. Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco already has an agreement with Formula 1, with its trackside advertising visible in several races over the course of the season. The Aramco deal is primarily commercial, however, as Aston Martin will not be using fuel or oil from the company, instead continuing with Petronas like all the Mercedes-powered teams. "We are in the sport to win so I am delighted to welcome an incredible partner of the stature of Aramco, who I have learnt from this process has a tremendous amount of intellectual property and technical capability, which I know will greatly assist our team to achieve our goals of winning Formula 1 world championships," team owner Lawrence Stroll said. "Our historic partnership demonstrates the scale of our ambition to make our team a pioneering and winning force in Formula 1 and showcase the sustainability and performance of Aramco's products."

Aramco's senior vice-president Mohammed Al Qahtani added: "The partnership reflects Aramco’s efforts to reduce emissions in the global automotive and transport industries. Our ambition is to supply premium fuels and lubricants to the global automotive sector, and our tie-up with the Aston Martin team will help drive awareness of our high-quality products. It is an alliance that harnesses our shared commitment to engineering excellence and innovation, and has the potential to deliver winning results both on and off the track."
Aston Martin will unveil its 2022 Formula 1 challenger on February 10 in the car maker's headquarters in Gaydon.

The team finished seventh in the constructors' championship in the 2021 Formula 1 season, dropping three places from 2020, when it raced as Racing Point.
Aston Martin will retain an unchanged driver line-up in Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll this year.

 

[1%er]

Fuel changes the biggest since 2014, say Mercedes​

Mercedes see the switch to E10 fuel for the 2022 power units as the biggest engine regulation shift in the V6 turbo-hybrid era. Since 2014, Formula 1 has gone racing with these power units, an era very much dominated by Mercedes, who have collected all eight Constructors’ Championships on offer as well as seven Drivers’ titles. These V6 turbo-hybrid engines are expected to remain until 2026, at which point the new generation of power units are set to be rolled out. That said, 2022 is the final opportunity to make major gains in the engine department as a freeze on development will then come into place once these versions are put into action.

While Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda are working to pack every drop of performance possible into their new engine, they have also had to do so while contending with the introduction of a new fuel. Previously, 5.75% of the fuel used had to come from bio-components, but the new E10 fuel features 10% ethanol, a set requirement, whereas previously the manufacturers could choose the bio-components. And this is no small change, in fact, Hywel Thomas, managing director of Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, believes this marks the most significant change yet for the turbo-hybrids.
“The change this year, going to the E10, is probably the largest regulation change we’ve had since 2014,” he said in a Mercedes YouTube video. “It was a sizeable undertaking to make sure we really developed that fuel. The number of candidates we had, the single-cylinder running, the V6 running, it shouldn’t be underestimated how much work that took. The engine will react slightly differently to the fuel. Some areas of the performance we are really happy with and [there are] other areas where honestly we are less happy.”

Adding to the challenge is the fact that as well as the fuel, the cars themselves have also been designed to new regulations, which Mercedes’ chief technical officer James Allison believes represent the biggest change in F1 history. And so Mercedes are expecting a different dynamic between the power unit and chassis. “The 2022 car is very, very different. We know the aerodynamics are different and from all of the things we’ve been told, we believe the car will be doing slightly different things,” said Thomas. “The requests from the drivers will be different as they go through the corners than in previous years. We’ve got simulations, we’ve done all of our calculations, modified the engine in the way the engine drives in order for us to be ready. We will be able to react for when the driver puts the power on in a slightly different way, perhaps in a slightly different time. Of course, we are absolutely desperate to get to the first track test so we can see if those simulations are correct. Hopefully they will be. If not, we will be ready to adjust the PU as necessary to make sure the driver gets exactly what they want when they ask for it.”

 

[1%er]

How F1's gearbox rules are changing for 2022​

Formula 1 has changed the rules regarding how teams can use gearboxes throughout a season, introducing a similar restriction on the parts as is already in place with power unit components. Up until 2021, the restrictions for gearboxes were simple. Should a driver complete six consecutive Grands Prix (i.e. qualifying and the race) with the same gearbox, then the team could fit the car with a new one without penalty. If the gearbox was required to be changed before those six consecutive events had passed, the car affected would be given a five-place grid penalty. The exception was that, if a driver retired from a race, a new gearbox could be fitted at the next race without penalty. Drivers could also turn back to fit older, used gearboxes if desired, which was usually done for practice, leading to the terminology of the 'practice gearbox'. But, the rules have been tweaked for this year, meaning grid penalties could become more prevalent in 2022.

F1 introduces a three-gearbox limit
It is important to stress that the rules for penalties have separated out the gearbox from the internal components it encloses. To that end, a different limit has been set for component usage when talking about the outer casing mounted on the cars, as well as the cassette that houses the gear change and driveline components. The 2022 rules will enforce a three casing and cassette limit on the cars taking part in the championship. This means that every driver is only permitted three 'gearboxes' for the season, and can pick and choose from that pool of three to get through the season. Like the power unit rules, this means that drivers could run short on working gearboxes in their pool by the end of the season. Once a driver requires a gearbox in excess of that three-component rule, they will receive a five-place grid penalty, with the same penalty being imposed for every subsequent gearbox introduction. However, a different limit will be imposed on the components within the gearbox cassette itself. For the more intricate gear-change components and mechanisms, and the components involved in the transmission of torque between the gearbox and the driveshafts, F1 has introduced a strict limit of four new components for the season. Once a driver requires more of any of these components, a five-place grid penalty will be imposed the same penalty being imposed for any subsequent changes.

F1 gearboxes also enter a 'freeze' until 2025
Just like the upcoming engine freeze, which kicks in on 1 March, F1 has introduced a specification freeze on gearboxes which will remain in effect until 2025. The individual gearbox designs (referring to the casing, cassette, driveline and gear-change components) will all be homologated at the same time as the power units. Once these have been signed off on by the FIA's Technical Department, the teams/manufacturers will be bound to their designs until 2025. Just a single upgrade will be permitted between now and the 2025 season, with that upgrade only allowed between individual seasons. In the event of a manufacturer supplying a customer team with a gearbox, the teams must each use the same design whichever one the supplier has homologated. Just like the power units, modifications may only be made to resolve issues related to safety, reliability and not yield any performance advantage. In order to be given permission to modify the design, the manufacturer must write to the FIA with a summary of the problem, evidence of the research undertaken to fix the issue and why they believe the solution will fix it. The FIA will consult with other gearbox manufacturers to assess the viability of the fix, and will permit the modification if satisfied.

 

[Indeliblelink]

He's back.

 

[MrCurry]

He's back.

Sponsored by McD Happy Meals?

 

[spitfire]

He's back.

Came here to post this.

 

[Limejuice]

Kimi's retired so number 7 is spare.

And Jammy Mr Fixit's Friend is going to use the privileged number 1 next season, for the first time in decades.

I hope Hammy underlines how much more Max needs to get lucky by choosing number 7 for his car.

 

[1%er]

Horner secures Mercedes factory tour in charity auction​

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has landed himself a tour of the Mercedes F1 factory after he cheekily bid on the item in Sunday's Autosport Awards Charity Auction. As the bids rolled in, Horner opted to get involved and ultimately came out on top – his offer of £4,000 beating the competition. Proceeds from the auction went to the Grand Prix Trust, which has provided help and advice to F1's trackside and factory-based team personnel for more than three decades. Horner joked that he wants to take "about 20" people with him for the tour. Adrian [Newey, Chief Technical Officer], myself, Pierre Waché [Technical Director] and probably Paul Field, our Director of Production," he smiled, off the back of a hard-fought 2021 title battle with Mercedes. Horner then quipped that "it'll be interesting to go and see how they're spending their budget cap", before underlining that his successful bid was all for a "great cause".

It's not the first time Horner has visited a rival F1 factory
It would not be the first time that Horner sets foot in a rival team's factory, however, having visited McLaren's headquarters back in 2008 with David Coulthard and Newey – who both had spells at McLaren and Red Bull in F1. "DC invited us and [then McLaren team boss] Martin Whitmarsh was there," Horner recalled. "I went with Adrian; he obviously knew his way around and everywhere he wanted to go we weren't allowed! I think we saw the marketing and electronics departments, and had a very nice lunch, and that was about it!"

 

[1%er]

FIA president Ben Sulayem launches a restructuring process​

The newly elected FIA President Ben Sulayem, who took over the role from Jean Todt in December, outlined his plans to reform the organisation when he chaired the World Motor Sport Council and the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism on 3 February. The governing body stated that “in respect of the commitments already made by the President and the strong will expressed by the FIA Members at the 2021 Annual General Assembly (AGA) last December in Paris, governance topics such as transparency and collaboration were at the heart of these World Councils.”


Following the election of the new World Councils members at the AGA, four additional Senate members have been appointed, guided by the key priorities of ensuring greater diversity and representation of the world’s regions. The new senate member are Faisal Bin Al-Hussein, Monica Mailander, Carlos Slim Domit and Guojun Zhan. The decision has been taken to undertake “the launch of a new and robust governance process, including a fully independent financial audit of the FIA, and the recruitment of an FIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO).” Furthermore, the governing body also announced former Williams and McLaren sporting director Sam Michael as the new president of the Safety Commission, replacing Sir Patrick Head.


Former Ferrari race winner Felipe Massa has become the new President of the Drivers’ Commission with Deborah Mayer set to succeed Michele Mouton as the president of the Women in Motorsport Commission. In the announcement of that move by the FIA, Ben Sulayem said: “A new era has begun for the FIA, through the creation of a governance framework founded on openness and global diversity. This is a key pillar of our strategy and I warmly thank the World Councils’ Members, who have approved the changes. Responsibility and authority of World Councils, which emanate from our Members, will be increased. A more effective oversight model will be designed, stakeholders’ priorities will be aligned and a responsibly profitable FIA operation will be ensured. To reach these objectives, the Federation’s governing bodies and administration will work closely together to make the FIA the global voice of motor sport and mobility.”

 

[Limejuice]

President Ben appears to have the knack of speaking and saying absolutely nothing down to a T.



It's also clear that the PR people who draft his hot air are on piece-work.

 

[spitfire]

No more knees. I hope F1 follow through with some action and it doesn't just become a series of empty gestures.

F1 chiefs choose to move away from kneeling gesture in 2022 season

Lewis Hamilton will stop taking a knee at the front of the grid after Formula One bosses revealed they are removing the gesture

www.theguardian.com

 

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Red Bull change team name ahead of new car launch​

Red Bull has rebranded itself ahead of the new F1 season in tandem with the launch of its new car, the RB18. The team is to be known as Oracle Red Bull Racing after enhancing its partnership it began last year with the American multi-national computer technology corporation. Red Bull claim the company was instrumental in helping it win the drivers' title with Max Verstappen last season via its Cloud Infrastructure. In 2021, the team increased its number of simulations by 1,000 in a bid to improve the accuracy of its predictions, while simulation speed was increased by 10, enabling the race strategists more time to make the right calls.

Team principal Christian Horner said: “Oracle Cloud enabled us to make race-day decisions that helped Max win the 2021 drivers’ championship. Discovering and reacting to opportunities quickly is crucial to our success on and off the track, and Oracle is integral in that effort. "Every element of our performance is driven by data analysis. Having Oracle as our title partner shows the confidence we have in their expertise and their ability to deliver a true competitive advantage.”

Red Bull handed "a strategic weapon"
This season, Oracle will enable the team to expand the volume and variety of data it analyses and increase the speed at which simulations run in order to better predict tactics that will lead to the podium. Oracle is also working with Red Bull Powertrains to help develop the new power unit due for 2026. Oracle executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Ariel Kelman said: “Red Bull Racing has been more committed than any other F1 team in its use of technology to gain an edge, and it is paying off. Our commitment to this partnership reflects our belief that OCI is a strategic weapon on race day, helps create the most exciting fan experience in sports, and can define the future of F1. Oracle Red Bull Racing is, and will continue to be, the most forward-thinking and innovative F1 team in the world.”

 

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Mercedes small print prevents Horner factory tour​

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner's tour of the Mercedes F1 factory in Brackley appears to be off as the terms and conditions of the Silver Arrows' offer prohibit staff from rival teams attending. Horner won the tour of the factory in a charity auction at the Autosport Awards night, with teams from all motorsports offering prizes that amounted to almost £50,000 worth of donations. The tour is set to be a guided walk through the home of the eight-time consecutive constructors' champions for four people, with Horner bidding £4,000 for the prize. The small print in the offer, however, reads: "Please note that employees of other Formula 1 teams are not eligible to take this tour." The bid seems to have been a lighthearted joke in the wake of a furiously contested and controversial 2021 season in which tensions regularly boiled over between Horner and counterpart Toto Wolff.

 

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New Miami GP circuit layout praised by Danny Sullivan​

Former Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan says that the the new Formula 1 track currently under construction at Miami International Autodrome features a "great layout" and will be a strong addition to the F1 calendar. “I’ve been there twice, when it was pretty basic, but I’m going to drive it next week when it’s ready," he told reporters at a reception in Miami’s Design District this week. "They’ve made a really good job of the track, on paper it looks a great layout," said Sullivan, who won the Indy 500 in 1985 and clinched the CART championship with Penske in 1988. Sullivan also competed in Formula 1 for a season in 1983 with the Benetton-sponsored Tyrrell team, but finished in the points only once in Monaco in a campaign marred by seven retirements and a disqualification in Canada for an underweight car.

Since retiring from competitive motorsport, he has served as the drivers representative on the stewards' panel for several Grand Prix races. Sullivan is pleased the race finally got the go-ahead after a protracted battle to win approval from local authorities in the city which meant the initial idea of running on the waterfront and over bridges had to be rethought. “When you think back to all the politics, I think it’s a great solution because they were never going to get a street race approved downtown. In this day and age, it’s so difficult with the noise and complaining residents, even though it’s in May when it’s pretty quiet in Miami. I like what they’ve got there,” Sullivan said of the final design centred on the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens which is home to the city's NFL team the Miami Dolphins. “I’ve never liked ‘roval’-style tracks, apart from Daytona, because it’s always a compromise," he said of the 3.36-mile, 19-turn track. "But what you do have around stadiums is infrastructure, and that helps a lot. Getting people in and out is a big factor, and it’s in a great position near the end of the Turnpike there."


The inaugural race in May will be the the first of two Grands Prix of 2022 to be held in the United States. F1 will also return to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas later in the year after 2021's event attracted 400,000 spectators.



The Miami race in May is already a sell-out. For Sullivan, it's confirmation of the rise in popularity in the sport in the US after years of struggling to raise its profile. "Credit where credit is due, the growth in America is all due to Drive to Survive," said Sullivan, referring to the popular behind-the-scenes Netflix documentary. "Sean Bratches was the brain behind it," he added, referring to F1's former managing director of commercial operations. "[F1] paid for it, Netflix didn’t, and it has influenced America because of how well it’s been done.” The first Miami GP is scheduled to take place on 6-8 May. A final layer of asphalt was put down at the weekend, and construction is reported to be running ahead of schedule.