F1 2023

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F1 Asked GM to Partner With Someone Other Than Andretti​

It's been a rocky road for Michael Andretti's plans to make the Formula 1 grid come 2025 or 2026. The American racing organization has faced disdain by Europe's Billionaire Boys Club, even after securing as massive an automaker partner as there is in General Motors. Now, the Associated Press reports that F1 management went as far as asking the manufacturer to partner with someone else.

"[Michael] Andretti can make a case that keeping him out of F1 is indeed personal: Three different people with direct knowledge of the conversations confirmed to AP that F1 asked General Motors if it would partner with someone other than Andretti," wrote Jenna Fryer in her latest AP column. Back in January, Andretti Global confirmed it would partner with the Cadillac brand to form the Andretti Cadillac F1 team. Earlier this month, F1's governing body, the FIA, approved Andretti Global's application, the only one it greenlit of seven applicants. It was at that point that things got serious, though it didn't quite mark a victory for Team Andretti yet.

As we've reported before, joining the F1 circus requires two approvals, at the very least. The first one is from the FIA, check. The second one is from Formula One itself, owned by media conglomerate Liberty Media, whose CEO is ousted Scuderia Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali but run parallel (and similarly to a mafia) by the current 10 F1 teams. That's the box Andretti is currently struggling to check. And as Fryer highlights, the world is starting to see through the team boss' claims that "it's not personal."

The constructors' stance is easy to understand: they don't want to split the money in more ways. As FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said before, "It’s about the money. It’s only about the money. That’s what’s personal. They don’t want to share the money." What's not as easy to understand is F1's own reluctance to welcome Andretti and General Motors, especially given its desire to expand in the United States. Domenicali has reportedly been ghosting Michael Andretti during most of this process, though that's no surprise given his earlier remarks that the sport "has no need" for the new entry.

Things are so bad that when Mario Andretti presented Domenicali with an award from the National Italian American Foundation last week, he reportedly did not respond to a congratulatory text from Michael. Per the AP report, Michael had to essentially ambush Domenicali in Austin for a meeting. Similar to high school drama, this situation between Andretti Global and F1 may have to be resolved in the principal's office if they can't amicably figure it out themselves. As Fryer cleverly said, that office may be the U.S. court of law.

 

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Mercedes share upgrade news despite embarrassment over illegal W14​

Mercedes’ technical director James Allison has opened up on the success of the team’s upgrades despite being disqualified from the US GP. Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from the United States GP after the plank underneath his car was found to have excessive wear, meaning the seven-time World Champion lost his second-place finish. Hamilton had been Max Verstappen’s nearest rival during the race, hunting down the Dutch driver in the closing stages as Verstappen struggled with his brakes.

James Allison explains how Mercedes made an error with Lewis Hamilton’s plank
Speaking in the team’s post-US Grand Prix debrief, technical director James Allison explained how the situation had unfolded. “The skid blocks are basically little discs of metal that are put into the plank material,” he said. “At the end of the race, there has to be a guaranteed thickness. They begin the race at 10mm thick and, by the time you get to the end of the race, they must be no less than 9 mm. You are allowed a certain amount of erosion of that skid block by touching the ground but no more than 1 mm, else if your car is inspected and found to be below that 9 mm then you will have been deemed to running your car too low and you’ll be disqualified. Indeed, that is what happened in our case".

With Hamilton’s car found to be in breach of the rules, it opened up the obvious question of whether his increased competitiveness was down to running too low, or whether the upgrades the team brought to the W14 – which included a new floor – had unlocked more performance. “The weekend was a very cast-iron vote of confidence in favour of what we put on the car,” Allison said. “That gives us great hope for the races that remain. But, the disqualification had everything to do with the setup and the bumpiness of the track, amplified by the fact that it was a sprint weekend.”

How did Mercedes get caught out by Sprint weekend format?
With Mercedes – as well as Ferrari with the also disqualified Charles Leclerc – having openly admitted to having gotten things wrong when they met with the stewards on Sunday evening, Allison re-iterated the fact the sprint weekend format had resulted in a lack of proper data. “Normally in a race weekend, you have three untimed sessions; Free Practice 1, 2, and 3 in which you gradually hone the setup of the car, getting it ready for qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday,” he said. “In that period of practice, you are trying to get the car as fast, reliable, and legal as you can, making sure that you are ticking all the boxes that enable the car to get through to the end of the weekend fast and in good shape for when you go into parc ferme. At a sprint weekend, you are under much more pressure, you have just a solitary hour at the very front of the weekend. In Free Practice 1 you have to get the car ready for the next session, which is qualifying, the next session which is the sprint shootout, the next session which is the sprint race, and then the race itself. After that one hour, you have cast your die. You have chosen your setup and you have then got to run the rest of the weekend with the bets you placed in that one hour of running. That means much less time to assess things than normal and much less time to make corrective action ahead of the remaining sessions later in the weekend. Austin is a track with a very bumpy surface and therefore you are a bit more vulnerable to bumping the car on the ground. We just simply didn’t take enough margin at the end of Free Practice 1. When we had done our setup we checked the plank and everything all looked fine, untouched after the FP1 running. But the results of the race speak for themselves. We were illegal, so clearly, we should have had our car set a little bit higher up to give ourselves a little bit more margin. It’s of course a mistake, it’s an understandable sort of mistake in a sprint weekend where it’s so much harder to get that stuff right, especially on a bumpy track. But a lesson for us in the future is to make sure that we take more margin, especially at a track like that with all its bumps.”

But, despite being disqualified and losing the 18 points that came with it, Allison said the mood has shifted from annoyance and despair to confidence that more competitiveness has been unlocked from the W14. “Of course, the disqualification is a significant blow,” he said. “It’s a miserable feeling. It hurts and everybody here feels it. Everybody is upset, and embarrassed to a degree as well because we absolutely don’t like being on the wrong side of the rules and just lamenting the lost points. Give it a day or two and that will start to wane and be replaced by the much happier feeling, which is we moved our car forward this weekend and that’s hard to do. But we did it and we did it by a decent amount. And with four races left in the championship, four races where I am sure we will stay on the right side of the skid block rules, the initial feeling of hurt, disappointment, and frustration will pass to be replaced by the sunny optimism of knowing that the car looked bright on this upgrade package and we’ve got four more races to show what we can do with it.”

 

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Audi puts planned Formula One entry under review​

Audi has placed its plans to enter Formula One under review, German news outlet Spiegel reported on Thursday. Citing sources at parent company Volkswagen, Spiegel said the plans were being "analysed in detail" in the wake of a management change and cost-cutting measures. Asked for official comment by Spiegel, Audi said the plan for Formula One entry had been agreed by its management and supervisory boards as well as its parent company, and that the timetable remained unchanged.

Audi announced last year that it would enter Formula One from 2026 with one of the sport's existing teams and using a new power unit to be built in Germany. The driving force behind the deal was then-Audi boss Markus Duesmann. At the beginning of September, Duesmann was replaced by Gernot Doellner.

 

[Limejuice]

Audi looks like a dilettante.

In or out, you wibbling invertebrates.

 

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Mexican GP practice one​

2023 F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 results in full:

1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull 1:19.718
2 Alexander ALBON Williams +0.095
3 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull +0.297
4 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.519
5 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.579
6 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +0.745
7 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.761
8 Daniel RICCIARDO AlphaTauri +0.850
9 Esteban OCON Alpine +0.959
10 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +0.969
11 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +1.006
12 Nico HULKENBERG Haas +1.250
13 ZHOU Guanyu Alfa Romeo +1.411
14 Logan SARGEANT Williams +1.439
15 Oliver BEARMAN Haas +1.595
16 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +1.629
17 Isack HADJAR AlphaTauri +2.223
18 Jack DOOHAN Alpine +2.391
19 Frederik VESTI Mercedes +3.219
20 Theo POURCHAIRE Alfa Romeo No time set

 

[Limejuice]

Go, Checko, go!



Shame that poor Pourchaire didn't get any value from his F! allocation.

 

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Mexican Grand Prix – Free Practice 2​

1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull 1:18.686
2 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.119
3 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.266
4 Valtteri BOTTAS Alfa Romeo +0.269
5 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull +0.302
6 Daniel RICCIARDO AlphaTauri +0.316
7 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +0.338
8 Esteban OCON Alpine +0.391
9 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +0.477
10 George RUSSELL Mercedes +0.541
11 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.571
12 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri +0.604
13 Guanyu ZHOU Alfa Romeo +0.729
14 Alexander ALBON Williams +0.760
15 Nico HULKENBERG Haas +0.849
16 Pierre GASLY Alpine +0.956
17 Logan SARGEANT Williams +1.214
18 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.389
19 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas +1.426
20 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +1.740

 

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Hamilton reveals HOW Mercedes can take fight to Red Bull in Mexico​

Lewis Hamilton is confident that Mercedes are closer to Red Bull than this time last year and believes that his team can lay down the gauntlet to the constructors' champions. Mercedes have looked much more competitive in recent rounds but have very little to show for their improved efforts. George Russell lost out on a potential podium in Singapore as he crashed out in pursuit of victory on the final lap, while Hamilton has taken zero points from the last two races after his opening lap collision with his team-mate in Qatar and his disqualification following a podium finish in Austin.

The final four rounds of the 2023 season still offers plenty of opportunity for Mercedes to upset Red Bull’s dominance. Hamilton believes that it is in Mexico City and Sao Paulo where his team will have the best chance of taking their maiden victory of the campaign. “Brazil was a great circuit for us last year, and if it turns out we're closer again there, then that's two great strong races for us,” the seven-time world champion added. "And then when you go to Abu Dhabi, I think the gap gets bigger again, so it's these next two that I think we have our best chance."

[I hope so, it seems like a lifetime since I had a free meal ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ]

 

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Norris regrets showing McLaren's Mexican GP pace 'too early'​

Lando Norris felt his quickest effort during practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix was "too quick" for so early in the weekend as he nipped at Max Verstappen's heels. Fresh off securing a podium for the fourth straight race last time out in the United States, Norris finished second quickest at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with a time just 0.119s slower than Verstappen's benchmark of a 1:18.686 on the Soft compound Pirellis. Norris clocked up 30 laps for the team at a track he warned would not suit the MCL60 package, with a number of slow-speed corners - but the Briton still managed to pull out a strong time on the low fuel runs, surprisingly something he regretted.

Norris: Things could switch very quickly either way
"Many drivers were within three-tenths, but I think it was a good Friday and good start to the weekend," Norris told F1 TV with the top eight drivers down to Esteban Ocon close behind Verstappen. Things could swing very quickly either way. I did a very good lap, maybe it was too good for this early in the weekend, but we'll continue to try and improve. We generally always start weekends off quite well, and we always have a good idea of where to put the car to begin with, and it's not far normally where we end up. There's always little things that add up and stuff to improve from my driving, little things here and there, but to challenge the Red Bull [for pole and the win], I think is going to be tough around here."

 

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F1 Mexican Grand Prix safety measures questioned​

Williams driver Alex Albon has poured water over concerns surrounding paddock numbers at the Mexico City Grand Prix and has instead questioned safety when leaving the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. F1 and the race organisers have limited the number of fans allowed in the paddock at the circuit following a number of concerns raised at last year's event. Drivers were often mobbed by swarms of fans eager to get photographs and autographs between sessions, often making the short journey between garages and hospitality nigh-on impossible. But more egregious issues came with people gaining access to the garages and, as then-AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly explained during last year's event, his backpack had been unzipped without his or his trainer's knowledge.

Albon 'not too worried'
Asked if he felt the correct measures had been taken given the safety concerns, Albon told media "It's a tricky one. I do think we do need to make our sport as accessible as possible, so I don't see such a big issue with people being in the paddock, but I do know there's obviously limitations to it. To be honest with you, I don't think the paddock has been that bad. For me, it's more been kind of just getting out of the paddock. Sometimes you kind of leave the paddock and almost run over people's feet because they're kind of all coming up to your windows and everything. That stuff is maybe a little bit more touch and go, but yeah, with the paddock I’m not too worried about it.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Might stay up to watch the qualifying, since we get an extra hour in bed tonight.

 

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Free Practice 3 Results​

POS	DRIVER	NATIONALITY	ENTRANT	TIME
1.	Max Verstappen	Netherlands	Red Bull-Honda RBPT	1:17.887
2.	Alexander Albon	Thailand	Williams-Mercedes	1:17.957
3.	Sergio Perez	Mexico	Red Bull-Honda RBPT	1:18.026
4.	George Russell	Britain	Mercedes	1:18.248
5.	Oscar Piastri	Australia	McLaren-Mercedes	1:18.392
6.	Valtteri Bottas	Finland	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	1:18.437
7.	Yuki Tsunoda	Japan	AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT	1:18.450
8.	Lando Norris	Britain	McLaren-Mercedes	1:18.480
9.	Daniel Ricciardo	Australia	AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT	1:18.499
10.	Lewis Hamilton	Britain	Mercedes	1:18.522
11.	Logan Sargeant	United States	Williams-Mercedes	1:18.718
12.	Guanyu Zhou	China	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	1:18.917
13.	Charles Leclerc	Monaco	Ferrari	1:18.970
14.	Lance Stroll	Canada	Aston Martin-Mercedes	1:19.094
15.	Carlos Sainz	Spain	Ferrari	1:19.293
16.	Nico Hulkenberg	Germany	Haas-Ferrari	1:19.320
17.	Fernando Alonso	Spain	Aston Martin-Mercedes	1:19.471
18.	Pierre Gasly	France	Alpine-Renault	1:19.509
19.	Kevin Magnussen	Denmark	Haas-Ferrari	1:19.573
20.	Esteban Ocon	France	Alpine-Renault	1:19.839

 

[Limejuice]

Come on, Checko. And up yours, Marko!

 

[spitfire]

Mexico!




Areeba areeba

 

[1%er]

O Lando

 

[Ax^]

Spoiler: lingage

Formula 1 2023 - Mexico GP Live Stream - Streameast

Formula 1 2023 - Mexico GP Free live stream. Streameast offers the best free live streaming links.

streameast.app

 

[Ax^]

not a bad lap by danny ric

 

[Ax^]

go lewis

 

[spitfire]

Ah man, Alex?!?!

 

[spitfire]

I would love to spend an afternoon sinking beers in that Heineken enclosure next to the track.

I know it's not great beer but would be a fun day.

 

[Ax^]

bit open this session

 

[spitfire]

honey fucking badger

 

[Ax^]

strange qualiy indeed

 

[1%er]

I can't see Ferrari staying out front in the race for that long

 

[Ax^]

hmm a good show for Danny ric

could he still have some fire left

 

[spitfire]

I can't see Ferrari staying out front in the race for that long

Oh yeah.

 

[Limejuice]

Oh yeah.

View attachment 397520

FFS don't anyone show that to Adrian Newey!!!

 

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Qualifying results for Mexican Grand Prix

Position	Driver	Team
1	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari
2	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari
3	Max Verstappen	Red Bull
4	Daniel Ricciardo	AlphaTauri
5	Sergio Perez	Red Bull
6	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
7	Oscar Piastri	McLaren
8	George Russell	Mercedes
9	Valterri Bottas	Alfa Romeo
10	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo
11	Pierre Gasly*	Alpine
12	Nico Hulkenberg*	Haas
13	Fernando Alonso*	Alpine
14	Alex Albon*	Williams
15	Yuki Tsunoda*	AlphaTauri
16	Esteban Ocon**	Alpine
17	Kevin Magnussen**	Haas
18	Lance Stroll**	Aston Martin
19	Lando Norris**	McLaren
20	Logan Sargeant**	Williams

[not the grid yet there are loads of stewards investigation]

 

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Eight drivers summoned to Mexico stewards​

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are among those who will visit the Mexican Grand Prix stewards after qualifying. Verstappen, Alonso and Russell caused big queues at the end of the pitlane before joining the track for their final runs in Q1 in Mexico. Verstappen did not seem to quite come to a complete stop but was barely moving, even beyond the white line denoting the pit exit, as he looked to make a gap to the cars in front.

Alonso did a similar thing, although he seemed to stop entirely – doing so just before the white line. The next car in the queue that Alonso caused was Russell, who has also been summoned. He moved forward slightly, crossing the white line in doing so, before waiting several seconds then pulling away. When he did, the cars behind all left the pitlane normally.

How the stewards handle this will be an interesting test case given Verstappen escaped a three-place grid drop for impeding when he blocked cars in the pitlane in Singapore. At the time, the stewards said no obvious advantage was gained for waiting – as Verstappen was deemed to have been negated by catching cars going so slowly on their outlaps anyway – but “the potential for this to negatively impact other drivers warrants a penalty”. Verstappen was only given a reprimand, though, rather than a grid drop. And the onus is not on other drivers to overtake a car stopped at the pit entry like this because, according to the stewards “it is preferable that cars depart the pit exit in an orderly manner”.

A week later the FIA admitted that Verstappen had got away without a penalty in Singapore but this related to another impeding incident in the session, not stopping at the pitlane exit. So presumably any precedent, should the stewards decide to follow one, will be that making a gap in this way is permitted.

There are other investigations from this session too. Russell, Lando Norris and Zhou Guanyu will be investigated after the session for exceeding the maximum delta time while Lewis Hamilton and Logan Sargeant are being investigated for failing to slow under yellow flags and Sargeant and Yuki Tsunoda will be investigated after the session for overtaking under yellow flags.

 

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Starting grid for the 2023 F1 Mexican Grand Prix

Position​	Driver​	Team​
1st​	Charles Leclerc​	Ferrari​
2nd​	Carlos Sainz​	Ferrari​
3rd​	Max Verstappen​	Red Bull​
4th​	Daniel Ricciardo​	AlphaTauri​
5th​	Sergio Perez​	Red Bull​
6th​	Lewis Hamilton​	Mercedes​
7th​	Oscar Piastri​	McLaren​
8th​	George Russell​	Mercedes​
9th​	Valtteri Bottas​	Alfa Romeo​
10th​	Zhou Guanyu​	Alfa Romeo​
11th​	Pierre Gasly​	Alpine​
12th​	Nico Hulkenberg​	Haas​
13th​	Fernando Alonso​	Aston Martin​
14th​	Alex Albon​	Williams​
15th​	Esteban Ocon​	Alpine​
16th​	Kevin Magnussen​	Haas​
17th​	Lance Stroll​	Aston Martin​
18th​	Lando Norris​	McLaren​
19th​	Yuki Tsunoda​	AlphaTauri​
20th​	Logan Sargeant​	Williams​