F1 2023
- Thread starter spitfire
- Start date
1%er
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‘Profound changes’ to come at Ferrari, John Elkann's letter to shareholders reveals
Ferrari chairman John Elkann has vowed that “profound changes are underway” to turnaround the form of F1’s most famous team in a letter to shareholders. Following their disastrous championship capitulation in 2022, Ferrari entered 2023 aiming to dethrone Red Bull and Max Verstappen after an off-season of upheaval that saw Fred Vasseur replace Mattia Binotto as team principal. But the Italian outfit have endured a dire start to the 2023 season and sit a distant fourth in the constructors’ championship, nearly 100 points adrift of early leaders Red Bull.Ferrari have shown little competitiveness at the opening three races and are yet to claim a podium, while Charles Leclerc’s early title hopes have seemingly already been shattered with the Monegasque failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia. Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Elkann has promised major changes at Maranello in a letter to Exor shareholders addressing financial affairs. It comes just days after Elkann’s brother, Lapo, posted scathing criticism of Ferrari on social media. “Ferrari needs Seriousness and Winning Team in the Pits and Outside,” he wrote. “It’s time to WAKE UP enough with politics and games like this WE WILL NEVER WIN ‼ ‼ ‼ ‼”
“Profound changes are underway between the walls of Maranello, particularly in strengthening sporting activity on the track,” Elkann wrote. “The desire to progress that our founder, Enzo Ferrari, had in his heart continues to keep Ferrari’s people humble and ambitious in shaping the future of the Prancing Horse.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
F1 president confirms where they are looking for new Grand Prix
Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali has revealed where the next new Grand Prix could be added to an almost packed out F1 calendar. Three races into the season, and already it looks like Max Verstappen will be a three times champion come the end of the year, and it would take a minor miracle to stop him. The Dutchman has won two of the three races so far, coming second in the other, in which he started 15th on the grid, and no one looks capable of catching the Red Bulls right now.Lewis Hamilton did finish second last time out, in the Australian Grand Prix, not that any of his team were there to celebrate at the end of the race. Despite his dominance so far, there is some fear that Verstappen could walk away from the sport in the near future, because of the potential changes in the sport. And he might not be too keen on the latest update from Domenicali, who has revealed that they're looking at more venues for future races.
This season is one of the longest on record, with 23 races taking place, although it would have been 24 if the Chinese Grand Prix hadn't been cancelled. There can only be 25 races at a maximum, thanks to the agreement between the teams, but the F1 boss has quite a few potential new locations in mind, meaning some of the 'classic' courses could be removed. "Today, the money is huge, but we need to protect the quality of the events and the sport," the former Ferrari team principal told Sky Sports. "When 'historical' is only connected to looking behind, that is a problem."
On future locations he added, "100 per cent, Africa is still a continent that we are working very hard. "As I always said, we need to find the right partners, the right middle-term plan. What I want to avoid is that we go there one year and then forget it. We are working, trying to find a solution for the best of the sport, for the best of the country." There is three Grand Prix in the US this year, with Las Vegas debuting for the penultimate race of the season, but the 57-year-old confirmed there was interest for more races there.
"There is a lot of interest in far East Asia, more interest in the US. But in this moment, we have three which I think is the right number for the next couple of years." And finally he talked up the prospect of a potential street race in London, saying, "I think that London maybe has other priorities to tackle but, of course, that would be a great project. We are ready to discuss it because London is where we have the offices, so it would be not bad - easy commuting."
dessiato
🇪🇸 my spirit is crying for leaving
This! I hardly ever watch live yhese days because it's such a faff and expensive.
In Spain I had Dazn with seven F1 channels, including in pit and in garage cameras. All 4k UHD for €10 a month. I'd happily pay that here if it was available. Of course I'd prefer fta but I'm not paying Sky prices especially as I only want the F1.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Marko provides Red Bull Ford powertrains update
Red Bull Motorsports Advisor Helmut Marko has given an update on the team's preparations for the 2026 power unit regulations alongside new technical partner Ford. Red Bull Ford will enter the sport as a powertrain provider for the main team and AlphaTauri the first of the Milton Keynes-developed engines after its long-lasting partnership with Honda. The powertrains division will be housed on-campus for the World Championship-winning constructor, meaning Red Bull joins Ferrari as the only team to host a chassis and engine facility on the same site, allowing for greater synergy between departments.Red Bull Ford progress
Red Bull is taking a risk in forging its own path with its power unit rather than relying on manufacturer expertise, but Marko told Formel 1: "We are aware of that, but that is why we rely on many experienced people and assume that this will be fine. The current feedback on the internal combustion engine makes us feel good and I don't expect us to be at a disadvantage. The reliability will also be good. In addition, with Ford we have a partner who, when it comes to the electric part of the engine, is very large and if they do not have something in-house, they do look together with young companies or startups. In terms of batteries, we can certainly use some know-how: this is a very important addition for us and with this we think we will be competitive."
On the progress made alongside Ford, Marko added: "They are on campus with us and there are already six test benches that have been running since last year. More than one engine is already ready and the improvement is clearly visible. That's how you should develop an engine," says the Red Bull advisor, who hopes that other components such as the ERS [Energy Recovery System] will also be ready for use in the short term. "We are exactly on schedule and the recruitment of staff is going well. We are not yet at our optimal staff level, but that does not make much difference. Of course, a new competitor has also emerged [Audi], which has only made us hungrier to win."
1%er
Well-Known Member
Rosberg opens up on F1 retirement decision after 2016 title
Nico Rosberg has opened up on his decision to retire from Formula 1 after winning the 2016 World Championship. The German driver prevailed following a season-long battle against team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who had pipped Rosberg to the previous two titles. The pair endured an intense rivalry from 2014 to 2016 when Mercedes’ pace at the front of the field was unrivalled. Days after Rosberg secured his title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he announced that he would walk away from the sport in a decision that shocked the motorsport world.Speaking in an interview with Men’s Health Magazine, Rosberg explained that he was unsure if he would be able to keep his championship-winning form going beyond the 2016 campaign. “[I was] afraid that at some point I wouldn’t be good enough and that no team would want me anymore,” Rosberg said. “I wanted to decide for myself.” It has been well-documented that Rosberg devoted much of his attention in 2016 to the F1 championship, which included time separated from his family. Rosberg, who has appeared as a pundit on Sky Sports F1 following his retirement, says that he felt he became a different person when he committed to beating Hamilton to the championship.
“In a way, I gave up my identity,” Rosberg said. “Everything in my life was racing: my mechanics, my engineers, my team-mates, even my social environment. To put all that to zero in one fell swoop was a shock to my system. Then there was the addiction to recognition and success. I had never asked myself what other passions I had. There was always just the next race.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
Surprise name emerges as reported top Audi Formula 1 target
Mick Schumacher has reportedly been usurped by Carlos Sainz as the new favourite to join Audi when the German company takes over the Sauber team in 2026. Audi have already began the process of buying the Sauber team, the company taking an undisclosed stake in the Sauber Group back in January. That stake will increase in 2024 and again the following season before Audi takes majority ownership in 2026.Already personnel changes have been made with an eye on the future, Andreas Seidl joining from McLaren as the Sauber Group CEO to oversee the transition. But one thing no one is saying, at least not publicly, is who will be the two drivers come 2026. Current Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas has made it clear he wants to continue into the Audi era, telling Crash.net that he feels “like I have many more years to come and I will stick around as long as I enjoy it and as long as I can still perform and have something to give to the sport. I can see that going for many, many years. I think it’s exciting that there’s a new manufacturer coming into F1 but 2026 is still quite far away. We’ll see – you can ask me in one or two years!”
The 33-year-old is reportedly the favourite to lead the Audi charge while initially it was speculated that Schumacher could be his team-mate given his German nationality. However, according to Swiss publication Blick there’s a new name leading the charge: Sainz. The publication report there is a rumour in Spain that “Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, probably without great chances of winning the title next to Leclerc, is said to be at the top of the list for Sauber CEO Seidl.”
Bringing in the Ferrari driver is just one of the German’s goals with Seidl and Audi also keen to grow the team. “Audi also wants to increase its team, which will be driving with Sauber cars from Hinwil from 2026, by a few hundred employees as quickly as possible,” reports Blick. “Currently only AlphaTauri is smaller than Alfa-Sauber (530 employees). And Audi knows very well that the choice of driver also plays a decisive role.” Last season Sainz extended his Ferrari contract which now runs through to the end of 2024. If there is any truth to the rumours, he could then either join Sauber in 2025 and get to know the team before the transition over to Audi or he could opt to extend with Ferrari for a future season.
Audi CEO Markus Duesmann recently revealed that team has not began negotiations with another drivers, not even Schumacher. He told Der Spiegel: “We are currently talking to many decision makers, drivers, team managers. There have been no concrete discussions with Mick Schumacher regarding a commitment. “Of course, German drivers interest us as much as they interest the top of the parent company, but that is not a requirement for us.” This week Audi are presenting their Formula 1 project in China for the first time showing off its launch livery with the motto ‘F1 Power made in Germany’.
“Motorsport is an integral part of our DNA,” Duesmann said at Auto Shanghai. “We are convinced that our Formula 1 commitment will strengthen Audi’s sporting focus. The racing series is continuously increasing its global reach, especially among young target groups and in our most important sales market: China.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
Mercedes plan spate of car upgrades
Mercedes will bring “consistent” upgrades for their W14 in the coming races, says team principal Toto Wolff, as they strive to cut their deficit to Red Bull. The team failed to start the 2023 season as close to the world champions as they hoped and have even been out-scored by power unit customers Aston Martin so far this year.Mercedes lie third in the constructors’ championship, nine points behind Aston Martin and 67 behind leaders Red Bull ahead of the fourth round of the season in Azerbaijan. Wolff previously indicated during the Australian Grand Prix that Mercedes would not bring any performance upgrades until the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola in May. “The next three races, we won’t be adding any performance,” he said after the end of Friday practice for the Australian Grand Prix. “[It’s now about] finding the best set-up solutions and [getting] the tyres in the right window.”
However Wolff has confirmed the team does plan to introduce some new parts over the coming rounds. “We will consistently be bringing upgrades to the car over the next few races, which is something to look forward to,” said Wolff in a Q&A posted on Mercedes’ website. “But there is no such thing as a magic bullet that transforms the car, and it’s about being realistic with your expectations. Hopefully we will see a steady improvement.”
Lewis Hamilton has commented in recent races that he lacks confidence in the handling of team’s new car as a result of his seating position. Mercedes chief technical officer James Allison indicated the team plans to make changes to its suspension, which may help give Hamilton the feel he needs. Wolff says he has full confidence in the ability of the team’s chassis and power unit factories in Brackley and Brixworth to bring Mercedes back into contention for race victories. “The machine is continuing to run in Brixworth and Brackley at a fast pace,” he said. “What you see on track is only the tip of the iceberg, but the performance of the car and power unit is made in these two factories. The mindset is great, the spirit is there and I see a lot of buzz. I believe 100 percent in our organisation, because our perspective is not always on a single race weekend, not even a single season. It’s on trying to build our capability so we are successful over multiple years, while recognising the fact you are never going to win every single season, because no sports team has ever done it.”
With Mercedes already having scored less than half the points of rivals Red Bull, Wolff says the team’s aim is to improve their car more quickly than Red Bull can develop their RB19. “We understand the knowledge that we need to recover. We need to have a steeper development curve than Red Bull and fundamentally, we want to compete for race wins,” he said. “They are setting the benchmark now. We trust in the process and in the people, and there will be setbacks. But if the trajectory is up, that’s where we want to be heading.”
1%er
Well-Known Member
Vowles banned from poaching Mercedes staff
James Vowles says he was prohibited from taking Mercedes personnel with him to Williams. Mercedes’ former strategy boss succeeded the ousted Jost Capito to become Williams’ new team principal this year. He says the struggling former champions began to decline some years ago because the team was merely fighting to survive from one season to the next. “Was enough money invested to keep up?” Vowles told Auto Motor und Sport. “The answer is no. When you walk through the factory, you realise that there was a lack of investment. And when that happens, you lose touch with what’s good, what’s great, and what’s not going so well.”He defends the decline on the basis that Williams was in “survival mode for years”. “So you’re not concerning yourself with what will happen in 12, 18 or 24 months. You think about what you have to do tomorrow to get through the day,” said Vowles, 43. And so Vowles’ first tasks as boss became obvious – catching up with the basics. “We had no working ERP (enterprise resource planning) software,” he revealed. “But you need it to track where certain parts are. None of that existed at Williams.”
Probably the easiest way to improve, however, would have been by taking staff with him from the recently-dominant Mercedes team – but it was in his contract that this is not allowed. “That’s right,” Vowles confirmed. “But that’s not just the case between Mercedes and me – anyone who leaves a team cannot simply take people with them. In my particular circumstances, I know some very intelligent people from other organisations that I’m in touch with.”
The budget cap, however, while seeming to favour the smaller teams, actually makes it more difficult for Williams to spend big on expensive items like infrastructure. “We are discussing this now with the FIA, Formula 1 and the other teams,” Vowles admitted. “If we want a meritocracy, please allow me to spend what money I have to at least match other teams on facilities. Because if things continue as they are, it will be almost impossible to catch up.”
He admits that Williams may therefore need to allocate funds within the budget cap to upgrade for the longer term – potentially at the cost of the current season. “I’d rather throw away this year to have a good foundation for next year. And I’d rather sacrifice 2024 to have even better bases for 2025,” said Vowles. “If we just throw ourselves into the now, that’s where we’ll stay. But I don’t want to be seventh, eighth or ninth with this team. Achieving this requires radical and significant decisions, which we are doing.”
One of those decisions, however, won’t be scrapping the current situation in which Williams simply buys a gearbox from another team – like, as is the case today, Mercedes. “In our sport, the gearbox has become very reliable. It does its job,” said Vowles. “So I’m not really worried about that level of independence, and Aston Martin is proving that. You do need to be in control of where you’re going with your aero, but Mercedes provides us with a very good power unit. We have to invest our time in other areas,” he insisted.
1%er
Well-Known Member
A story I had to post as I know Limejuice would need to know
Yesterday evening, a rumor popped up: Swift and two-time F1 champion and current Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso have been dating for a week. This is a rumor with no statements by either party, no photographic evidence, and really nothing concrete to go on, I'd be remiss if I didn't keep you up to date on this breaking (rumored) news.Basically, Alonso and his long-term girlfriend, TV presenter Andrea Schlager, recently broke up. Swift and her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, also recently broke up. That led to people online being suspicious about the timing of the breakups and deciding that meant the two were dating,
1%er
Well-Known Member
Allison and Elliott swap technical roles at Mercedes F1 team
James Allison has returned to his former role of technical director at Mercedes in a job swap with Mike Elliott as the once-dominant team reorganise after a slow start to the Formula One season. Elliott took over from Allison in July 2021, when the latter shifted to a broader but part-time role as chief technical officer (CTO). “Mike has led a review of our technical organisation to ensure we have the right structure to deliver sustainable success in the future,” said a team spokesman. “We are focused on building the best racing car and building the best team to develop that car, with everybody playing to their greatest strengths in the organisation.”Team boss and co-shareholder Toto Wolff told motorsport.com that the changes were driven by Elliott, who will perform the CTO role full time. “We have reversed the roles. Mike has moved up to CTO, as he has a brilliant switched-on scientific mind. And James Allison has returned to his technical director position, reporting into Mike,” said Wolff. “Mike’s assessment was... that with James we have a gladiator on the field and the troops are going to go through the fire for him and with him.”
Wolf said the team was also creating a structure for the future, with artificial intelligence and machine learning opening up innovation. The Austrian said jobs had been restructured also among senior designers to adapt to the new requirements of the sport’s cost cap. John Owen remains chief designer but his role has been split, with Giacomo Tortora appointed engineering director, to allow him to focus on car design rather than cost cap administration.
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
Well, F1 is back - Baku beckons.
It's one of the weird sprint qualifying races.
These are the UK telly times:
Fri 28 Apr
FP1 - 10:30
Qual - 14:00
Sat 29 Apr
FP2 - 10:30
Sprint - 14:30
Sun 30 Apr
Race - 12:00
Let us all echo the special F1 motto for this Azerbaijani weekend:
Ümid edək ki, Red Bull sürücüləri qüdrətli, bənövşəyi yastıqlar kimi hemoroidlərlə yarışa dözəcəklər.
Amen, say we all.
It's one of the weird sprint qualifying races.
These are the UK telly times:
Fri 28 Apr
FP1 - 10:30
Qual - 14:00
Sat 29 Apr
FP2 - 10:30
Sprint - 14:30
Sun 30 Apr
Race - 12:00
Let us all echo the special F1 motto for this Azerbaijani weekend:
Ümid edək ki, Red Bull sürücüləri qüdrətli, bənövşəyi yastıqlar kimi hemoroidlərlə yarışa dözəcəklər.
Amen, say we all.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Formula 1 confirms Sprint Shootout with tyre twist
Formula 1 has confirmed that a new qualifying format – called Sprint Shootout – will determine the starting grid for Sprint races in 2023. The changes were proposed last month and ratified on Tuesday after a unanimous vote by the F1 Commission and subsequently by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council. Sprint was introduced in 2021, with qualifying shifted to Friday, followed by a 100km race on Saturday, the outcome of which determined the starting order for Sunday’s grand prix.But Formula 1 has opted to shake up the structure of Sprint weekends for this year’s expanded roster. From the upcoming round at Azerbaijan’s Baku City Circuit Friday’s qualifying session – the format of which remains unchanged – will now set the grid for Sunday’s grand prix. Saturday’s second practice session has been scrapped and, in its place, will be a truncated qualifying session known as Sprint Shootout. Sprint Shootout will mirror the standard Q1/Q2/Q3 knockout format but the duration of each session will be reduced. Q1 will last 12 minutes (down from the usual 18), Q2 will last 10 minutes (down from 15), and Q3 will last 8 minutes (down from 12).
In another twist in Sprint Shootouts drivers will be forced to use only Medium tyres in both Q1 and Q2, before Softs are compulsory for Q3. It is hoped that whittling Q3 down to just eight minutes will effectively mean drivers have time for only one push lap in the fight for top spot. The changes also mean that drivers will have only one hour of practice all weekend. As per 2022 the top eight Sprint race finishers will score points from eight down to one.
The changes have been implemented following feedback from fans, drivers, media and broadcasters. It has also been clarified that any grid penalties incurred in practice or qualifying will apply to the race only, any grid penalty incurred in Sprint Shootout will apply only to the Sprint, while any grid penalty incurred in the Sprint race will apply to the race. Power unit penalties will apply only to the race. Sprint will this year take place in Azerbaijan, Austria, Belgium, Qatar, the United States (Austin) and São Paulo.
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
1%er
Well-Known Member
AlphaTauri sign Ferrari chief and reject huge buy-out offer
Ferrari Racing Director Laurent Mekies is poised to join the AlphaTauri Formula 1 team, learned from Italian sources. According to the sources, Mekies will be working alongside Team Principal Franz Tost, and it is expected to be part of a wider personnel rearrangement at the Faenza team. Mekies previously worked for the team in their Minardi and Toro Rosso days, joining in 2002 and working there for over 10 years and becoming Chief Engineer before taking on roles at the FIA and then Ferrari. As part of their restructuring, AlphaTauri recently announced the signing of Lars Stegelmann, who joined as the team's Head of Commercial in March. The moves suggest that the AlphaTauri team is not for sale, and points to a commitment by Red Bull to improve the performances of their second team.It is also understood that various offers have been made to the Red Bull group to purchase AlphaTauri, including one for at least $800m which was rejected, but the restructuring points to AlphaTauri not being for sale for the foreseeable future. Speculation has been building about the future of the team, with Red Bull's Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko previously telling reporters that the team was not for sale, but there were "several considerations" being discussed. Rumours had begun to circulate that Team Principal Tost was considering retirement and when asked by reporters earlier in the season for a response to the rumours, the 67-year-old declined to address them.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Monaco Grand Prix at high risk of being cancelled
The upcoming Monaco Grand Prix has been thrown into huge doubt, after major energy sector union Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT) warned that power cuts could be experienced at major sporting events, in protest against French president Emmanuel Macron. It’s been reported by RMC Sport and multiple other sources that “100 days of action and anger” will take place in protest against Macron, who has called for the country to be healed in 100 days. Almost daily strikes are currently taking place in France after Macron’s government announced plans to change the pension system and raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 years old.As a result, May’s Monaco GP could be impacted by power cuts, something which would result in the race being red flagged and potentially cancelled depending on the length of any stoppage. “We are far from giving up,” is what the CGT recently stated, meaning the chances of the historic race being interfered with are fairly high. The energy union has openly warned that major sporting events like the Monaco GP and the French Open could be impacted by the strikes, as well as the famous Cannes film festival. The threat of power cuts certainly isn’t what the Monaco GP needs this season after the start of the race was heavily delayed last season, following a sudden downpour.
Last season’s race was delayed by 16 minutes after a sudden huge shower soaked the circuit, with the FIA having decided to delay the start due to no wet running having been completed during the weekend. The race eventually got underway behind the Safety Car, before it was red flagged again after two formation laps, due to the rain having intensified. All the cars sat in the pits for 50 minutes, before finally the race properly got underway, again after two laps behind the Safety Car had been completed. Sergio Perez went on to win the race from Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc finished fourth after Ferrari botched their strategy once again, with the Monegasque having led his home race until the Italians got it all wrong.
Ax^
Silly Rabbit
hmm
how is this suppose to enhance the show as some off the best moments of f1 in the last 20 years have been second run at the death of q3
all this will do is group everyone for their final run
1%er
Well-Known Member
F1 power unit allocation expanded for rest of 2023
Formula 1 drivers will have additional power unit parts available in 2023 after changes were approved on Tuesday. Six components comprise Formula 1’s power unit: the Internal Combustion Engine, Turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, Control Electronics and Energy Store. Under the initial 2023 regulations drivers were permitted three ICEs, TCs, MGU-Hs and MGU-Ks per season, along with two CEs and ESs before the application of penalties. For the ICEs, TCs, MGU-Hs and MGU-Ks this has now been increased to four per driver, for 2023 only. It means grid penalties will be applied only if a fifth element is used; the allocation for CEs and ESs remains unchanged.The F1 Commission also outlined that the time allocated for the grid procedure at grands prix has been increased from 40 to 50 minutes. The extra time will be used for the presentation of drivers to spectators at certain events. The updated definition of ‘working on a car’ during a pit stop penalty – which caused Fernando Alonso’s penalty in Jeddah to be rescinded – will be included in the Sporting Regulations from now on.
There will also be minor revisions to Formula 1’s financial regulations, which were introduced into the sport in 2021. Certain sustainability initiative costs will now be added to the list of items excluded from a team’s cost cap. This includes aspects such as costs associated with installing sustainable infrastructure, the auditing and monitoring of teams’ carbon footprints, and donations made to charities engaged in environmental sustainability projects.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Where's that from 1%er ? I may be going to Monaco and Mlle Fire is working Cannes so would like to find out more.
(Up the workers obvs.)
Monaco Grand Prix at high risk of being cancelled
The 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on May 26 at 2pm GMT, but disruption is expected.
formula1news.co.uk
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Monaco Grand Prix at high risk of being cancelled
The 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on May 26 at 2pm GMT, but disruption is expected.
Thank you, appreciate it.
1%er
Well-Known Member
Red Bull fire serious allegation at rival Formula 1 team
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has condemned the “underhand” tactics being deployed by a rival on the grid, as he repeatedly claims that an unnamed team approached several of their sponsors after the title-holders were found to have breached the cost cap. The FIA formally found Red Bull guilty of breaching the cost cap rules imposed in 2021, handing the team a $7 million fine and a reduction in their allotted wind tunnel time.Speaking to Sky Sports News prior to the Australian Grand Prix, Horner explained that “it wasn’t about stealing sponsors. I think what you’re referring to was a reference that several of our sponsors were contacted by one of our rival teams saying that we were perhaps bringing them into disrepute,” he alleged. When pressed over which team he was talking about, Horner simply replied: “I’ll let your imagination run away with you.”
While Horner didn’t specifically name the team in question, Mercedes and Ferrari were particularly vocal during the saga in their condemnation of Red Bull’s actions. Ferrari’s new team principal Fred Vasseur has continued the team’s protestations over Red Bull’s behaviour, claiming the FIA’s penalty was “very light” and hasn’t stopped them dominating this season.
Horner has disputed that the penalty is ineffective, cautioning teams to wait and see how it affects the team going forward, especially as other teams hone their car’s performance. “We have to remember that other upgrades are coming through with other teams,” Horner added. “We have a significant disadvantage in the amount of wind tunnel time and our development capacity this year, and therefore whilst we have a competitive car, it’s important we get those points on the table as quickly as we can.”
Going into round 4 of the 2023 season, Red Bull sits on 123 points, almost 60 points clear of their nearest rivals Aston Martin and nearly 100 points ahead of their 2022 rivals Ferrari. Red Bull’s drivers, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, sit in P1 and P2 of the Drivers’ Standings respectively.
MapWatcher
Currently visiting Earth from Rigel VII
Hope it is! By far the most boring race.
Ax^
Silly Rabbit
aye the other race with a marina is so much better and with easy parking
Monaco at least has a fun qually and history
1%er
Well-Known Member
Italian media makes claim about Ferrari upgrades
Ferrari has suffered a disappointing start to their 2023 season after last year saw them fight Red Bull for the title in a number of close races. Charles Leclerc has suffered two DNFs, one due to reliability issues and another after a collision with Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. Carlos Sainz has completed all three races but was stripped of points at the Australian Grand Prix with a last lap penalty for causing a collision with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.After the opening three races, Ferrari sits in P4 of the Constructors’ Standings, leaving fans wondering what has happened to the championship-worthy car from last year. The four-week extended April break had initially left Ferrari and its supporters believing that the team can return to the factory and address their performance failures. However, Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that the upcoming upgrades will not do enough to solve the team’s woes. “The developments that will be seen in a week’s time in Baku do not form part of the package of modifications defined to solve the problems that have so far prevented us from extracting the full potential from the Ferrari SF-23,” the Italian outlet claimed. The targeted development plan will unfold between Imola and Montmelò, with perhaps a sort of preview in Miami with regards to the wings.”
With Sainz on 20 points, less than a third of title-leader Max Verstappen’s 69 and Leclerc, who was runner up in the 2022 Drivers’ championship, on six, Ferrari will need a lot of luck if they are to have a comeback this season. The poor performance from Ferrari will do little to quell the rumours that Leclerc is eyeing an exit at the Italian outfit, as he looks for a team that can deliver his first world title. The Monegasque has been linked to Mercedes and Red Bull but either move would require those teams to drop a drive mid-contract, which could be a costly move that they aren’t willing to make. Sainz, on the other hand, seems content at Ferrari, even if he isn’t at the front of the grid, with the Spaniard committed to driving for the team for many years to come.
1%er
Well-Known Member
F1 drivers want answers over "rogue" FIA calls
Scrutiny over calls made by F1 race control ramped up after the chaotic end to the Australian Grand Prix, which was red-flagged three times and then restarted to finish under the safety car. Russell, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said that the biggest concern was an apparent lack of consistency in some of the decisions. Asked by Motorsport.com for his thoughts on the calls race control made in Australia, Russell said that the drivers and the FIA needed to talk to clear some issues up."For sure, there's going to be a lot of conversations with the FIA to understand their views," he said. "It's a bit of a challenging time, no doubt for all of us in that regard, and for sure as well for the FIA. They're not stupid, and they're trying to do the best job possible. But things do need to be ironed out to understand where their approach is going to lie. We can't really be having weekends that are just totally dictated by what somebody in the race control office wants to do. We've seen a few crazy or rogue decisions being made recently. If they're consistent, that's absolutely fine. But it's the inconsistency that makes it challenging for the rest of us."
Russell said he felt that dialogue between the FIA and drivers was not as good as it should be, and he highlighted the lack of consultation there had been in moves to cut back on DRS zones as an example. "I think the overtaking is harder this year than it's been last year," explained Russell. "I think as the cars have evolved away from the initial regulations that F1 introduced, overtaking has become more difficult. Obviously they're shortening all the DRS zones as well, which the drivers have had zero impact on. I've been a little bit disappointed again that we weren't in that loop on that. I'm not even sure the FIA are aware that we feel that the overtaking is harder, yet they're basing the DRS off historic information."
Russell reckons that drivers would speak about the DRS issue with the FIA, as they felt that shortening the zones was not what was needed right now. "We will be raising it for sure," he said. "I mean, it's only a hundred metres [here]. It's not going to change the world, but it's directionally incorrect. We just want to be kept in the loop whenever these decisions are being made, and to have an opinion or share a thought that can contribute towards their decision. That's a process that we still need to work on because, clearly, we're all in this together and we only want the best for the sport." He added: "We just need a bit more of a collaborative effort to improve the sport from an excitement factor, but then also on a safety regard. Who better to give them feedback than the people who are actually driving the cars themselves?"
Limejuice
Well-Known Member
Hmm... Gasly's car on fire in FP1.
Not much urgency among the fire marshals. It's been smouldering away for a good few minutes now.
They're sending the extinguishers off down the air box.
Between the fire and water, that car's a mess. And they've decided to do qualifying this afternoon.
Not much urgency among the fire marshals. It's been smouldering away for a good few minutes now.
They're sending the extinguishers off down the air box.
Between the fire and water, that car's a mess. And they've decided to do qualifying this afternoon.
