F1 2023

[1%er]

Porsche ends bid to join Formula 1​

Porsche will not join the 2026 Formula 1 grid as it had hoped. This decision will have no bearing on the manufacturer's Formula E program, VW Group executive Herbert Diess originally confirmed last May that Porsche would return to Formula 1 alongside sister brand Audi, which is still on track to join the series for the first time. If Diess's comments from last year hold true, it will likely be at least a decade before Porsche reconsiders the move.

While Audi has made visible progress toward its first entry in the series, Porsche fans watched with increasing uncertainty last fall as efforts to partner with Red Bull stalled and eventually collapsed. Unlike Audi, which committed to building its own powertrain tech and may remain satisfied with just a minority stake in the F1 Sauber team, Porsche was reportedly looking to purchase a significant likely controlling interest.

A new engine design is due for 2026, which would have given Porsche the chance to enter the series at the ground floor of a new powertrain era for F1 an opportunity that usually only presents itself about once a decade. Earlier this month, Porsche Motorsports VP Fritz Enzinger suggested that the manufacturer would be more interested if the series committed to the use of e-fuels, which have become part of Porsche's carbon-neutral commitment.

Reading between the lines, it appears Porsche will remain on the F1 sidelines for quite a while.

 

[Ax^]

hmm was the turned over rule for Alonso not for the jack touching his car during the 5 second time penalty before the pit stop

 

[Limejuice]

hmm was the turned over rule for Alonso not for the jack touching his car during the 5 second time penalty before the pit stop

True, yes. The team showed previous 5-second penalties where the jack touched the car and no penalty was given. Faced with proof of their own inconsistency, the stewards had no choice.

I guess the thinking is that, for both Ocon and Alonso, it was faulty grid positioning that started the penalty ball rolling. If they sort that problem out, other subsequent penalties won't arise.

And the drivers all seem to agree. I guess they could all fall foul of the grid rules through no fault of their own.

 

[Ax^]

not seen the Ocon one but Alonso was pretty far out of his box so could be seen as an unfair advantage to the car behind

interesting that Max and Perez have a unified voice about it

 

[a_chap]

Piquet fined for racist comments about Hamilton

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Nelson Piquet is fined for using racist and homophobic language about British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

www.bbc.co.uk

Good. I never liked the little shit anyway.

 

[1%er]

Nike put a stop to Max Verstappen’s ‘Max 1’ clothing brand​

Max Verstappen has hit some opposition in the form of apparel giant Nike as he looks to delve into the clothing world. The Dutchman’s on-track activities in Formula 1 are currently taking him to continuously greater heights. Already a two-time World Champion, Red Bull’s dominant start to the F1 2023 campaign has made Verstappen the overwhelming favourite to make it three in a row this season. And with his Red Bull contract running until the end of 2028, Verstappen’s Formula 1 endeavours will continue to be the centrepiece of his career for many more years to come.

However, having suggested that he wants to leave Formula 1 for other racing challenges after that, even though he will have only just moved into his 30s by that time, Verstappen already is giving great focus to his life outside of Formula 1. That is not only in relation to racing either as it would seem Verstappen also wants to launch his own clothing brand. The plan was to call it ‘Max 1’, though De Limburger reported that Nike have taken issue with that name as they believe it is too similar to their Nike: Air Max shoe range. And the region’s trademark agency, The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), has issued a report that confirms its investigation and opposition from Nike, with the reasons why a roadblock has been put in front of Verstappen’s plans.

As well as suggestions that the similarity of the names could lead to confusion for the public, who may assume there is an affiliation between the brands, the styling also appears to be an issue. The report states: “Both signs contain the word MAX, albeit in a different place. In the trademarks invoked, the elements AIR and MAX have equal weight in the overall impression. In the contested sign, the emphasis is on the word MAX. The number 1 will be regarded as a specification of MAX. To that extent the signs agree. The goods in question (Nike and Max) are partly identical and partly similar. Visually and aurally, there is a certain degree of similarity between the signs. Based on these and the other factors mentioned above and given their interdependence, the Office considers that there is a likelihood of confusion in the sense that the public may believe that the goods covered by the trade marks invoked and those of the contested sign belong to the same undertaking or, as the case may be, from economically linked companies. Since it is common practice in the clothing sector for the same mark to be configured in different ways, the relevant public might also think that the contested sign is a sub-mark of the opponent (Nike).”

While Verstappen sets about finding a new route to getting his clothing brand off the ground, he also seemingly has opposition to his World title quests in Formula 1 in the form of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. The Mexican racer is yet to sustain a challenge against Verstappen across a season, but his impressive performance in Saudi Arabia suggested that could be about to change as he kept Verstappen comfortably at bay on his way to victory, thus sending quite the warning shot. Verstappen did at least snatch the fastest lap bonus point from Perez, meaning he goes into the Australian GP with a one-point lead over his team-mate.

 

[1%er]

Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button split by just 0.03s in COTA Cup qualifying​

2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button found himself extremely close to another former F1 champ Kimi Raikkonen as he made his NASCAR Cup Series qualifying debut in Austin. Button has tried his hand at a range of different racing categories since his Formula 1 career came to an end, such as the World Endurance Championship, Super GT, DTM and Extreme E. NASCAR though is a new one for the list with Button having signed up for three Cup Series events, the first of those with Rick Ware Racing being the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, home of Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix.

Qualifying for the event took place on Saturday 25 March, where Button would record a P11 finish in the Group A session as he got his first feel for NASCAR qualifying action. He will start the race from P24. Meanwhile in the other group it was ‘The Iceman’ Kimi Raikkonen in action, who returns to NASCAR with Trackhouse Racing following a one-off outing at Watkins Glen last season. Raikkonen would finish P12 in his group and will start the race from P22. It was almost fitting though how these former World Champions were separated by so little, with Raikkonen’s time of a 132.526 just 0.033s faster than Button’s on his Cup Series qualifying debut.

Raikkonen’s average speed of 92.631mph was also just a fraction higher than Button’s 92.608. Still, at least this time Button was able to start the car correctly, as he had struggled to do at the start of practice in Austin. “[I was] a little bit anxious but excited at the same time,” he said after practice. “I forgot how to start the car, which was interesting. So they pushed the car back, and I’m like ‘It won’t start’. There were a few other switches I had to put up. But then it was okay.”

 

[Limejuice]

G'day, 'roo fondlers. Guess what?

Time for another Grand Prix, with a few overnight cold ones and prawns on the barbie.

All the sessions will be later than an MP's apology, so we're going to need alarm clocks and caffeine-infused undercrackers.

The UK times - note the UK is now on British Summer Time (=UTC+1) - will be:

Fri 31 Mar
FP1 - 02:30
FP2 - 06:00

Sat 1 April (no joke)
FP3 - 02:30
Qual - 06:00

Sun 2 April
Race - 06:00

And let us all join in the votive offering for this escapade: "May the Red Bulls be fuelled with 17-octane wombat-piss. Amen."

 

[1%er]

This is a 2am race for me so for sure will not be off to the bar after but off to bed ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[1%er]

James Key Out as Executive Technical Director​

James Key has left his role as Executive Technical Director of the McLaren F1 Team as part of an organisational reshuffle following a disappointing start to the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. McLaren have failed to score points in either the Bahrain or Saudi Arabian Grand Prix leaving them bottom of the Constructors’ Championship, and Key has been relieved of his duties as a result.

As part of the reshuffle, Peter Prodromou will switch to the role of Technical Director of Aerodynamics, with Giuseppe Pesce being promoted to Director of Aerodynamics and Chief of staff. David Sanchez will join the team as Technical Director of Car Concept and Performance next January after he ends his gardening leave having recently left Scuderia Ferrari, while Neil Houldey is being promoted to a new role of Technical Director of Engineering and Design. Another move sees Piers Thynne move into the role of Chief Operating Officer for the Formula 1 Team, with the team admitting all the moves have been months in the making.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank James for his hard work and commitment during his time at McLaren and wish him well for the future,” said Andrea Stella, the Team Principal at McLaren. “Looking ahead, I am determined and fully focused on leading McLaren back to the front of the field. Since taking on the Team Principal role I have been given the mandate to take a strategic approach to ensure the team is set on a long-term foundation, for us to build on over the years. This new structure provides clarity and effectiveness within the team’s technical department and puts us in a strong position to maximise performance, including optimising the new infrastructure upgrades we have coming in 2023. Alongside Peter and Neil, I’m delighted to welcome David Sanchez back to the team to complete an experienced and highly specialised Technical Executive team, with the collective aim of delivering greater on-track car performance. I’m looking forward to continuing working together with Piers, who will play a fundamental role to define and deliver the plans to create an innovative and effective F1 team.”

Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, says it was important to switch things around to ensure they have a solid foundation at Woking, and he hopes the new set-up will be able to quicken their technical development, something he feels has been going to slowly under the previous team. “It’s important now that we ensure we have a solid foundation as the next phase of our journey,” said Brown. “It has been clear to me for some time that our technical development has not moved at a quick enough pace to match our ambition of returning to the front of the grid. I’m pleased that, having completed a full review with Andrea, we are now able to implement the restructure required to set the wheels in motion to turn this around. These strategic changes ensure the long-term success of the team and are necessary to see McLaren get back to winning ways. We have everything coming into place now with our people and infrastructure and alongside an exciting driver line-up, I’m determined to see McLaren get back to where we should be.”

[I wonder if Zak Brown has much time left at McLaren, the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (ineffect the royal family of Bahrain) can't be very happy with his management of the McLaren F1 team. I understand the McLaren group is a public company but the Bahrainis are by far the biggest shareholders and will not be happy sitting bottom of the table]

 

[1%er]

‘Nervous and annoyed’: Red Bull warned over Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez​

Peter Windsor, who worked as team manager for both Williams and Ferrari, has warned that Red Bull’s bosses should be “very nervous” and “quite annoyed” over the behaviour of their drivers during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Another successful outing for Red Bull in Jeddah was marred by reports of a rift between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, which has apparently been growing since Monaco last year.

As the pair raced to the finish in Saudi Arabia, well clear of the third placed Aston Martin, Verstappen appeared to ignore team orders when he grabbed the fastest lap point from Perez as he crossed the finish line. The move from Verstappen denied Perez the opportunity to lead the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in the Mexican’s career. “There was a lot of tension in the back half of the race, after the Safety Car once Max Verstappen had got up to P2, which he did beautifully. It was just a phenomenal drive from P15 up to P2,” Windsor said “Once he got there he was five or six seconds behind Sergio Perez and the big question then of course was Brazil 2022 and what would be going through the mind of Sergio Perez, indeed what would be going through the minds of the Red Bull management on the pit wall,” he continued. “Sergio Perez is on the radio saying, ‘what’s going on, we don’t need to be doing this’. And the answer was, ‘well, you can race’,” Windsor said. “So it was a tense moment, certainly from Perez’s point of view. If I had been on the pit wall, I would have been very nervous today and actually quite annoyed that the two drivers were pushing one another as hard as they were, because they were going quicker than they needed to go,” he explained.

In Monaco last year, Perez reportedly angered Verstappen by bringing out the red flag in qualifying, securing pole position for himself and leaving the Dutchman starting in fourth. Later in the season, seemingly in revenge for Monaco, Verstappen refused team orders to swap places with Perez, aiding his campaign to finish runner-up in the title race, as the pair raced around Interlagos. Red Bull claimed last season that the issues between its two drivers had been ironed out, playing down any reports of a rift.

 

[1%er]

Saudi Prince comments on plans to launch Formula 1 team​

According to reports, a fourth contender has entered the race to join the Formula 1 grid from 2025, putting pressure on the likes of HiTech and Panthera. Following the FIA’s announcement that they were open to applications from prospective new F1 teams, four parties are believed to have shown an interest in joining the grid; however, only two new sides are set to be given the greenlight. Any prospective side has until April 30 to submit their Expressions of Interest document to the FIA, with Andretti currently looking like the most complete new team. The Americans have already announced a partnership with Cadillac for their F1 entry, with the company being a division of General Motors. That alone is more progress than any other prospective side, with Andretti having also signed former Renault/Alpine technical director Nick Chester, with the Americans already designing a chassis for a 2026 entry. If Andretti aren’t awarded one of the slots on the grid, then it will be one of the biggest shocks in the modern history of the sport, given that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has publicly supported them.

With that in mind, Panthera and HiTech are seemingly set to battle for the final garage on the grid; however, it’s been revealed that a fourth contender has entered the frame. New reports have revealed that a Swiss-based project led by Craig Pollock, the founder of British American Racing, is attempting to get a team onto the grid. The plan is for the team to have the same number of men and women, whilst representing equality, diversity and inclusion, with their being the possibility of a female driver as well. Reportedly, the prospective entry is being backed by key Saudi Arabian figures, who want a team in the paddock to represent the Middle Eastern nation. Prince Khalid, President of the Saudi Motorsport Federation, has revealed that talks are still “in the very early stages” but that “we have a lot of interest” in joining the grid. “It’s still in the very early stages,” the Prince admitted adding, “there are lots of feasibility studies, there’s a lot of things we still need to do and consider. Now things are a lot easier to enter Formula 1, but there’s a lot to do before we take the final decision. Hopefully we can sort a lot of things soon and not later, because to enter Formula 1 later will cost a lot more. We are looking closely, and we have a lot of interest.”

The Prince didn’t confirm or deny, though, if the links between Saudi Arabia and Pollock’s potential entry are true. One thing that is for certain is that Saudi Arabia want a “bigger role in Formula 1”, with the Kingdom having set it as a “goal not just to host events”. During a media conference the Prince said: “Turning motorsport into a profitable business,” in the country, adding, “It’s our goal to bring the knowhow, experience and expertise [to Saudi Arabia]; its our goal not just to host events. We want to have a bigger role in Formula 1, we want a Saudi team hopefully, one day in the near future we want to have Saudi mechanics, maybe we can start manufacturing cars here, maybe move some of the [team] headquarters to Saudi.”

 

[1%er]

Toto Wolff warns of major changes at Mercedes if key upgrade package fails​

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that the Germans will make “more radical changes” to the W14 should their new concept fail to work at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where the Silver Arrows are set to introduce a large number of updates. After a woeful start to the 2023 F1 season, Wolff has finally accepted that the Brackley-based team did indeed get the new aerodynamic regulations wrong, with the side now in a race against time to make radical changes to the W14 before it’s too late.

Mercedes are hoping that a new concept will see them close the gap to Red Bull, given that they’ve actually fallen further behind the Austrians this season. Lewis Hamilton has finished fifth in both races so far this season, whilst Russell claimed seventh in Bahrain and fourth in Saudi Arabia. The results have left Mercedes third in the Constructors’ Championship, with the Silver Arrows currently finding themselves 49 points behind Red Bull. It appears that the target for returning to the front will be 2024, given that only so many changes can be made to the W14 in the cost cap era.

Imola will see Mercedes offer the first glimpse of a new concept, with the side having to battle through this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the end of April and the Miami Grand Prix first of all. One thing that is for certain is that the Germans are determined to return to the front and challenge for victories, with the initial target being to finally find “the right avenue” in terms of a car concept. “So when you speak about the chassis, the question is, do you speak about the monocoque and basically the tub or are we speaking about everything else around?” Wolff said, when asked if Mercedes will make changes to their chassis in 2024.

“I think the monocoque is one thing, and that’s obviously there are weight implications, COG implications, where does the driver sit, more forward or more rearwards, but I think the biggest gains that we need to find is how can we extract more downforce all around the track. These are the areas we are chasing now, and once you come to the conclusion in the next few months, that that was the right avenue, then things are going continue that way. If we see that is not enough to actually challenge at the front, then there might be more radical decisions that need to be taken.”

 

[1%er]

Lewis Hamilton opens up on why Angela Cullen left​

Lewis Hamilton has reflected on his relationship with former physiotherapist Angela Cullen at the F1 Australian Grand Prix after she left his inner-circle this year. Ahead of Friday practice in Saudi Arabia earlier this season, Hamilton announced via Instagram that after seven years Cullen would be leaving her role. Cullen was an integral part of Hamilton’s team, often pictured carrying his helmets or assisting him during F1 race weekends. The pair maintained a close relationship even sharing matching “loyalty” tattoos.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix - the second race Hamilton will be without Cullen - the seven-time world champion spoke about her and revealed that they are still in close contact. “Angela is living her life right now,” he said. “She’s got so many ideas of things she wants to do. We message pretty much every day. We are still going to skydive together. We are always going to be in each other’s lives. We’re stuck with each other, unfortunately, or fortunately! We’ve been through thick and thin. I am grateful our relationship is as good as it is. We’ve probably had one of the longest relationships I would say in the sport. I am incredibly grateful for her, I love her dearly. I think now I have got one of the guys, Stevo, who has been with me since my first race with McLaren, is helping me out as well.”

Hamilton also stressed the importance of having a physio and team around you. He made reference to Aki Hintsa - a former McLaren doctor who played a big part in his early F1 career - who died in late-2016 from cancer. “Well when I started in F1, my dear friend Aki [Hintsa], passed away from cancer, had a huge influence on me, getting into a team and started up this company that was servicing athletes - pretty much all the drivers use Hintsa,” he added. “For medical, trainer applications, physios, stuff like that. It’s an incredibly challenging role for anyone in those positions. It’s a lot of travelling, a lot of time away from family. You grow incredibly close together - during your weekends or where you're travelling, it's usually you or your trainer or physio. It’s incredibly intimate in that sense - you become great friends.”

 

[1%er]

Safety Car driver makes controversial comment about Michael Masi scandal​

Bernd Maylander has sat behind the wheel of the Formula One safety car for over two decades, and he had a front row seat to the final moments of the 2021 season. Formula One fans remain divided to this day over the ending of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen win his first World Championship after a controversial safety car decision. On the final lap, with Verstappen on fresh soft tyres and Lewis Hamilton on old hard tyres, under-pressure race director Michael Masi cleared the lapped cars between the pair, allowing a last lap shootout. Hamilton felt like he had been hung out to dry by the decision, with the different tyres guaranteeing he couldn’t compete, while Red Bull felt it was fair to let the pair go racing to the chequered flag

Months after the end of the 2021 season, with Mercedes fans still angry at what occurred, Masi left his role as Formula 1 race director, with the FIA saying it was so he could “be closer to his family and take on new challenges.” Now, the man who was behind the wheel of the safety car during that infamous race has spoken up about how he saw the situation unfold. “I talked to my co-driver Richard [Darker] about two or three laps before the accident… he was more on Verstappen’s side, and I was a bit more on Mercedes’ side. It changed during the season. I said it would be nice if someone else became champion,” Maylander told Auto Motor und Sport. “[In Abu Dhabi], it was a done deal for me. The championship went to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes together for the 8th time. Even if that would have broken Michael’s [Schumacher] record of seven world championship titles, well, that’s just the way it is,” the safety car driver said.

“[Hamilton] did a great job, and everything was actually good. And then suddenly there was a bang, and I knew precisely: okay, at that location, this kind of accident, this must be a safety car phase. And then I knew, okay, now there’s another situation,” he added. “I then hid a little bit on the side of the car…got out and went to the hospitality with my helmet on. I went through the hospitality and sat down at the back of the harbour and didn’t even see the finish,” Maylander admitted. “Afterwards, I took a step back and did some soul-searching. In the following days, I hoped that no journalists would call me. I didn’t switch off my mobile phone, but I didn’t answer some of the numbers because I knew, okay, good, I’ll get a question like that,” he explained.

 

[Limejuice]

FP1 - loads of near-misses and traffic problems.

It turns out the on-track GPS system is borked and no-one knows where the other cars are and closing speeds.

Red flag.

Ah, back on again. Good-o.

 

[Limejuice]

FP2 - same traffic and flying lap congestion. Has GPS system fallen on its nose again?

 

[1%er]

FP1: Verstappen heads Hamilton in opening practice in Melbourne​

Championship leader Max Verstappen led the timesheets in the opening practice at the Australian Grand Prix, beating Lewis Hamilton and his team mate Sergio Perez almost by half a second.

Results​

Pos.	No.	Driver	Car	Time	Gap	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing Honda Rbpt	1:18.790		17
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:19.223	+0.433s	20
3	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing Honda Rbpt	1:19.293	+0.503s	19
4	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:19.317	+0.527s	23
5	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:19.378	+0.588s	16
6	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:19.505	+0.715s	20
7	4	Lando Norris	Mclaren Mercedes	1:19.536	+0.746s	16
8	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine Renault	1:19.646	+0.856s	22
9	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:19.699	+0.909s	23
10	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:19.766	+0.976s	19
11	23	Alexander Albon	Williams Mercedes	1:19.766	+0.976s	21
12	81	Oscar Piastri	Mclaren Mercedes	1:19.777	+0.987s	22
13	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas Ferrari	1:19.806	+1.016s	19
14	21	Nyck De Vries	Alphatauri Honda Rbpt	1:19.933	+1.143s	25
15	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams Mercedes	1:20.074	+1.284s	21
16	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine Renault	1:20.175	+1.385s	20
17	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Alphatauri Honda Rbpt	1:20.399	+1.609s	14
18	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo Ferrari	1:20.419	+1.629s	21
19	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo Ferrari	1:20.569	+1.779s	22
20	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas Ferrari	1:21.147	+2.357s	17

 

[1%er]

FP2: Alonso tops rain-hit second practice in Melbourne​

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso set the fastest time in the second practice session before the rain came down over Albert Park, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen slotting in second and third respectively.

Results​

Pos.	No.	Driver	Car	Time	Gap	Laps
1	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:18.887		13
2	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:19.332	+0.445s	10
3	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing Honda Rbpt	1:19.502	+0.615s	12
4	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:19.672	+0.785s	20
5	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:19.695	+0.808s	12
6	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine Renault	1:19.725	+0.838s	12
7	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing Honda Rbpt	1:20.083	+1.196s	15
8	4	Lando Norris	Mclaren Mercedes	1:20.176	+1.289s	20
9	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas Ferrari	1:20.194	+1.307s	19
10	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine Renault	1:20.206	+1.319s	12
11	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Alphatauri Honda Rbpt	1:20.220	+1.333s	18
12	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo Ferrari	1:20.312	+1.425s	22
13	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:20.323	+1.436s	17
14	81	Oscar Piastri	Mclaren Mercedes	1:20.380	+1.493s	24
15	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo Ferrari	1:20.470	+1.583s	22
16	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes	1:20.579	+1.692s	15
17	21	Nyck De Vries	Alphatauri Honda Rbpt	1:20.600	+1.713s	8
18	23	Alexander Albon	Williams Mercedes	1:21.182	+2.295s	18
19	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas Ferrari	1:21.266	+2.379s	18

 

[Sasaferrato]

Nike put a stop to Max Verstappen’s ‘Max 1’ clothing brand​

Max Verstappen has hit some opposition in the form of apparel giant Nike as he looks to delve into the clothing world. The Dutchman’s on-track activities in Formula 1 are currently taking him to continuously greater heights. Already a two-time World Champion, Red Bull’s dominant start to the F1 2023 campaign has made Verstappen the overwhelming favourite to make it three in a row this season. And with his Red Bull contract running until the end of 2028, Verstappen’s Formula 1 endeavours will continue to be the centrepiece of his career for many more years to come.

However, having suggested that he wants to leave Formula 1 for other racing challenges after that, even though he will have only just moved into his 30s by that time, Verstappen already is giving great focus to his life outside of Formula 1. That is not only in relation to racing either as it would seem Verstappen also wants to launch his own clothing brand. The plan was to call it ‘Max 1’, though De Limburger reported that Nike have taken issue with that name as they believe it is too similar to their Nike: Air Max shoe range. And the region’s trademark agency, The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), has issued a report that confirms its investigation and opposition from Nike, with the reasons why a roadblock has been put in front of Verstappen’s plans.

As well as suggestions that the similarity of the names could lead to confusion for the public, who may assume there is an affiliation between the brands, the styling also appears to be an issue. The report states: “Both signs contain the word MAX, albeit in a different place. In the trademarks invoked, the elements AIR and MAX have equal weight in the overall impression. In the contested sign, the emphasis is on the word MAX. The number 1 will be regarded as a specification of MAX. To that extent the signs agree. The goods in question (Nike and Max) are partly identical and partly similar. Visually and aurally, there is a certain degree of similarity between the signs. Based on these and the other factors mentioned above and given their interdependence, the Office considers that there is a likelihood of confusion in the sense that the public may believe that the goods covered by the trade marks invoked and those of the contested sign belong to the same undertaking or, as the case may be, from economically linked companies. Since it is common practice in the clothing sector for the same mark to be configured in different ways, the relevant public might also think that the contested sign is a sub-mark of the opponent (Nike).”

While Verstappen sets about finding a new route to getting his clothing brand off the ground, he also seemingly has opposition to his World title quests in Formula 1 in the form of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. The Mexican racer is yet to sustain a challenge against Verstappen across a season, but his impressive performance in Saudi Arabia suggested that could be about to change as he kept Verstappen comfortably at bay on his way to victory, thus sending quite the warning shot. Verstappen did at least snatch the fastest lap bonus point from Perez, meaning he goes into the Australian GP with a one-point lead over his team-mate.

I have long looked in wonder at people who are prepared to pay ridiculous prices to buy a garment that makes them an unpaid walking advert for the manufacturer.

 

[1%er]

Max Verstappen fined as Red Bull suffer setback ahead of Australian Grand Prix​

Red Bull star Max Verstappen has been handed a £616 (€700) fine after breaking the rules in FP1 at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday, with the Dutchman exceeding the pit lane speed limit as he was penalised by race stewards. However, Red Bull have been able to avoid a sporting penalty despite the FIA reporting that the 25-year-old’s car was clocked going at just 6.4km/h over the 80km/h limit. As a result, Verstappen will not face a grid drop. The FIA’s decision document reads: “Car 1 exceeded the pit lane speed limit which is set at 80 km/h for this event by 6.4 km/h. Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”

The reigning champion topped the timesheets in FP1 ahead of taking to the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on Sunday but suffered an error rarely expected of the Red Bull ace. What will also be a concern for Red Bull fans is that the Dutchman reported gear shift issues, not for the first time this season having suffered similar issues in Saudi Arabia, moaning at engineers: “Shifts are terrible, up and down shifts.” Speaking ahead of Sunday’s race in Melbourne, Verstappen admitted that he felt Red Bull still have plenty of work to do, explaining: “I mean, to be honest, it was not even so much about the car, it was just very low grip out there. The tarmac seems to be really slippery, already last year, and it’s quite tough to switch on the tyres. I think it was alright. It’s a bit difficult to tell. I think we never really got into a window where I felt like we were on top of the tyres, so that’s a bit of studying to do for tonight, but it should be okay.”

Teammate Sergio Perez also highlighted the fact that the team were not confident going into qualifying and Sunday's race due to a lack of running. He stated: "It was just a mess, I couldn’t get a lap in in the afternoon. We made some changes which seemed to be working well into Sector 1, Sector 2, but not much to say really. I think tomorrow there’s plenty to do, too much to do in FP3, so I think we’re going to be somehow going a bit blind into the race, which should be interesting.”

 

[1%er]

Australian GP Free Practice 3 - Results​

Pos	Driver	Team	Time	Gap	Laps
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:17.565s		24
2	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:17.727s	+ 0.162s	26
3	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1:17.938s	+ 0.373s	23
4	George Russell	Mercedes	1:17.955s	+ 0.390s	23
5	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1:18.094s	+ 0.529s	23
6	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull	1:18.123s	+ 0.558s	18
7	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:18.127s	+ 0.562s	29
8	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:18.138s	+ 0.573s	25
9	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:18.198s	+ 0.633s	22
10	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo	1:18.330s	+ 0.765s	20
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas	1:18.410s	+ 0.845s	24
12	Alexander Albon	Williams	1:18.553s	+ 0.988s	21
13	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:18.691s	+ 1.126s	28
14	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:18.713s	+ 1.148s	21
15	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo	1:18.809s	+ 1.244s	24
16	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	1:18.901s	+ 1.336s	22
17	Logan Sargeant	Williams	1:18.947s	+ 1.382s	20
18	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	1:19.056s	+ 1.491s	26
19	Nyck de Vries	AlphaTauri	1:19.092s	+ 1.527s	23
20	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:19.146s	+ 1.581s	12

 

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British GP protesters sentenced for causing a public nuisance​

The six protesters four men and two women, all aged between 22 and 47 were handed either suspended prison terms or community service orders, the BBC reported. The group planned to invade the track on the opening lap of the race, breaching the circuit through security fencing along the Wellington Straight. Despite reaching the track before they were removed by marshals and arrested by police, the race had already been red flagged due to the violent start line accident involving Zhou Guanyu, George Russell and Pierre Gasly. Two of the group of six had previously been convicted of causing criminal damage to a Van Gogh painting at a London art gallery last year.

 

[Limejuice]

Uncertainty about the weather for qualifying.

Excellent.

 

[Limejuice]

Red Bull driver Perez beaches his car deep into the gravel. Red flag. This buggers up team-mate's fast lap effort.

What a disappointment for team Red Bull.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Checo.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Great result for Mercedes - think I'll put my lucky Merc shirt on tomorrow morning.

 

[1%er]

2023 Australian Grand Prix grid​

Row 1	1. (1) Max Verstappen 1’16.732 Red Bull RB19
		2. (63) George Russell 1’16.968 Mercedes W14
Row 2	3. (44) Lewis Hamilton 1’17.104 Mercedes W14
		4. (14) Fernando Alonso 1’17.139 Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR23
Row 3	5. (55) Carlos Sainz Jnr 1’17.270 Ferrari SF-23
		6. (18) Lance Stroll 1’17.308 Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR23
Row 4	7. (16) Charles Leclerc 1’17.369 Ferrari SF-23
		8. (23) Alexander Albon 1’17.609 Williams-Mercedes FW45
Row 5	9. (10) Pierre Gasly 1’17.675 Alpine-Renault A523
		10. (27) Nico Hulkenberg 1’17.735 Haas-Ferrari VF-23
Row 6	11. (31) Esteban Ocon 1’17.768 Alpine-Renault A523
		12. (22) Yuki Tsunoda 1’18.099 AlphaTauri-Red Bull AT04
Row 7	13. (4) Lando Norris 1’18.119 McLaren-Mercedes MCL60
		14. (20) Kevin Magnussen 1’18.129 Haas-Ferrari VF-23
Row 8	15. (21) Nyck de Vries 1’18.335 AlphaTauri-Red Bull AT04
		16. (81) Oscar Piastri 1’18.517 McLaren-Mercedes MCL60
Row 9	17. (24) Zhou Guanyu 1’18.540 Alfa Romeo-Ferrari C43
		18. (2) Logan Sargeant 1’18.557 Williams-Mercedes FW45
Row 10	19. (77) Valtteri Bottas 1’18.714 Alfa Romeo-Ferrari C43
		20. (11) Sergio Perez No time Red Bull RB19

 

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Bridgestone eyeing F1 return​

Japanese tyre marque Bridgestone may be considering a return to Formula 1. Recently, it emerged that F1’s governing FIA had kicked off a new mandatory tender process to determine the identity of the sole tyre supplier for 2025, 2026, 2027 and possibly 2028. The successful applicant will also supply Formula 2 and F3.

“It’s never an easy decision,” Pirelli’s F1 boss Mario Isola said in Melbourne, “because we invest a lot of resources and money in Formula 1. But we are happy with the results so far. 13 years is a long period and to continue for another three, four years is also a bigger commitment.” He said Pirelli is therefore “analysing” the new tender documentation that is “different from the past” including new provisions about sustainability. “The general feeling is that we want to apply and to continue,” added Isola. “It’s a process and we will wait for the end of the process.”

Part of that process could be competition from another applicant to be F1’s sole supplier Bridgestone. The Japanese company was last in F1 in 2010, after which Pirelli took over. “It is said that Bridgestone is very interested in a return to the pinnacle of motor racing, The hype surrounding Formula 1 has not passed the Japanese manufacturer by. At Liberty Media, they are rubbing their hands, as two applicants automatically puts the rights holders in a better negotiating position.”

Interested parties have until mid-May to submit their applications.

 

[1%er]

Right off to bed almost 3.30am here, with the Merc's 2nd and 3rd I'll dream of a Mercedes win, but have a feeling tomorrow could be a nightmare if Max runs off and hides out front ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)