Mercedes and Alpine are the latest teams to confirm their launch plans ahead of the 2024 season, meaning more than half of the F1 grid have done so.
Slotting in a couple of days after the Williams and Sauber outfits, Alpine will stage what they have described as a ‘motorsports season launch’ for their F1 and World Endurance Championship operations on February 7th.
Alpine, finished the 2023 season sixth overall, falling down two places since the 2022 season. The team will add to their F1 programme with an assault on the hypercar class of WEC – with Mick Schumacher having being signed as one of their drivers.
One week later, and coming just after Aston Martin and Ferrari, the Mercedes W15 is set to break cover on February 14th via a digital launch event broadcast live from Silverstone.
It is a car the Silver Arrows hope will bring them back into contention after their run of eight successive constructors’ titles came to an end in 2022, with only just one race victory recovered over the last two campaigns.
Rodin Motorsport have announced that Joseph Loake will be racing for them in FIA Formula 3 in 2024.
The 18 year old is making the move to Formula 3 after enjoying a stellar season racing in the GB3 Championship in which he finished third overall, scoring four wins to go along with eight podiums and three pole positions.
Loake started his single seater career back in 2019, where he went to BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship, even though he missed the opening round he still went on to finish second in the Championship. A year later, he came back for a second year in the series, he won all eight races and clinched the championship at Croft, where he won the title 50 points ahead of his nearest rival.
The Brit then moved onto Formula 4 in 2021, where he took 3 wins, 5 podiums on the way to finish 6th. He done a second consecutive season with JHR Developments where he grabbed four wins, two poles and 9 podiums on the way to finish 5th.
In 2023, Loake moved onto GB3 Championship, but stuck with JHR Development for the third year running. He took four wins, three poles and eight podiums to finish 3rd overall. In December 2023, Loake was also named as the winner of the Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award, and is set to receive a test drive with Aston Martin.
I’m so pleased to be moving to the FIA F3 Championship for the upcoming season. To have been given the incredible opportunity to race in such a fantastic championship with Rodin Motorsport is something I could have only dreamed of a few months ago, so I cannot wait to get cracking and make the most of it.
Loake on the news.
Joseph is a driver who has already done great things in his short career. He’s adapted well to every car he’s ever driven and I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do behind the wheel of the F3 car. While it’s going to, no doubt, be a big challenge for him I have confidence that he will work well with the team and put everything into the upcoming year. I can’t wait to start working together.
Guenther Steiner has left his role as Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, with Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu stepping up to replace him.
Steiner has led the team since the American squad entered F1 in 2016. The Italian was F1’s third longest-serving team principal, behind Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, and a popular figure in the sport.
The team enjoyed genuine highs while under Steiner’s guidance, including points on debut in Australia in 2016, a maiden pole position in Brazil last year and a fifth placed finish in the constructors’ championship in 2018.
However, when there is highs, there is lows… Last year was tough for the Haas team, the finished last in the constructors’ championship, a drop of two places on the previous season, as they struggled to transform one-lap pace in qualifying into points-scoring race pace on Sunday.
After discussions between Steiner and owner Gene Haas over the winter, it was decided that Steiner would leave the team with immediate effect.
His replacement Komatsu, 47, has worked with Haas since they debuted in F1 in 2016, starting out as Chief Race Engineer and rising to Director of Engineering.
He has over 20 years of experience in Formula 1, working across engineering and management roles with British American Racing, plus a long stint at Renault before he joined Haas.
Haas say Komatsu will take responsibility for the team’s overall strategy, and ultimately on track performance with a brief to maximise the team’s potential through employee empowerment and structural process and efficiency.
With Komatsu focused on the on-track performance, Haas plan to recruit a European-based Chief Operating Officer who will look after all non-competition matters and departments, including areas such as HR, admin, finance, marketing and communications.
I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future. Moving forward as an organization, it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as Team Principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management. We have had some successes, but we need to be consistent in delivering results that help us reach our wider goals as an organization. We need to be efficient with the resources we have but improving our design and engineering capability is key to our success as a team. I’m looking forward to working with Ayao and fundamentally ensuring that we maximize our potential – this truly reflects my desire to compete properly in Formula 1.
Gene Haas, Owner.
I’m naturally very excited to have the opportunity to be Team Principal at Haas. Having been with the team since its track-debut back in 2016 I’m obviously passionately invested in its success in Formula 1. I’m looking forward to leading our program and the various competitive operations internally to ensure we can build a structure that produces improved on-track performances. We are a results-based business at the end of the day, and we obviously haven’t been competitive enough recently which has been a source of frustration. We have amazing support from Gene and our various partners – particularly MoneyGram, and we want to mirror their enthusiasm with an improved on-track product. We have a great team of people across Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and together I know we can reach the kind of performances we’re capable of.
Carrie Schreiner will be returning for a second F1 Academy season, as the German driver has been announced as part of the Sauber Academy for the upcoming season, where she will drive for Campos Racing.
Last year, saw the 25 year old score 11 points-scoring finishes, including a maiden victory in Race 2 at Zandvoort.
Schreiner, began her racing career in 2011, she became the first and only female driver to secure the X30 Junior Championship title in the 2012 ADAC Kart Masters. After graduating to single-seaters in 2015, she made the switch to GT Racing two years later.
In 2018, she secured both titles in both the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East Pro-Am class and the DMV Grand Turismo Touring Car Cup – Class 1. Further success followed when she won the SP8 class in the 2021 ADAC 24 Hours of Nurburgring alongside finishing fifth in the Italian GT Championship GT3 Pro-Am Class Sprint Standings.
I am proud to represent this team and the Sauber Academy in F1 Academy this year. After an exciting first season, I’m looking forward to getting back to work. Sauber has an impressive motorsport history and I want to play my part in continuing its success story in F1 Academy. My goal for this season is only one: to win, and to do so flying the flag for the team, while generating more awareness for women in motorsport. F1 Academy is a great platform to realise my ambitions, and I am highly motivated to achieve new milestones with our team and Campos Racing.
Schreiner on the news.
It is a pleasure to welcome Carrie to the team, and we are looking forward to our journey together in F1 Academy. Despite her young age, Carrie already boasts an impressive track record, which shows great racecraft and a strong ability to adapt to so many different series. We can’t wait to get started and see what we can build together. With the expertise and the support of our Formula 1 team, the Sauber Academy, and Campos Racing, entities with decades-long experience in motorsport, we are confident we will achieve great things together.
Beat Zehnder, Sauber Academy Director.
We are delighted to welcome Carrie to the team, and to begin a new collaboration with Sauber. Both our outfits boast vast experience in nurturing and raising the champions of tomorrow, and we cannot wait to get started. Carrie showed great promise in her previous racing experiences, and we are ready to support her as we go for gold in the 2024 F1 Academy season.
Jenzer Motorsport have announced that they have signed rookie Matias Zagazeta ahead of the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season – the 20 year old becoming the first of the Swiss outfit’s three drivers confirmed for the year.
From Lima in Peru, Zagazeta began his career karting in the USA, winning multiple titles, before taking his talents across the pond to Europe. He then moved over to single seater racing in 2020, taking part in the F4 British Championship, finishing as the runner-up in his second year in the category back in 2021.
After two seasons, in Formula Regional, Zagazeta took part in the F3 post-season test in Imola with Jenzer at the end of the 2023 campaign before also competing in the Macau World Cup with the team.
I am delighted to confirm that I will be driving for Jenzer Motorsport for the 2024 FIA F3 season. It is an incredible opportunity for me, and I can’t thank Jenzer enough for this opportunity and to my sponsors for making this possible. Working already with the team during testing and the Macau Grand Prix helped us understand the position we are in and get to know the team. I am excited to see what next year will bring and we will work hard to achieve some memorable results together.
Zagazeta on the news.
We are looking forward to continue working with Matias after getting to know him in testing and at Macau. He is a great young racing driver with a big passion and strong motivation. It takes a big heart to step up to the third highest level of motorsport, and we are happy that Matias will be at the steering wheel of one of our FIA F3 racing machines this season. Let’s get some great results together.
NEOM McLaren has confirmed Taylor Barnard will be its Reserve and Development driver through Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
In his new role, Barnard will work directly with the team in Bicester and Woking, contributing to the team’s development, while growing his knowledge and experience within the series.
The 19 year old got his first taste of Formula E in October 2023, having driven for the team as a rookie driver during the Valencia pre-season test.
Barnard from Norwich, England, first entered single seater racing in 2020. Since then, he has become the 2022 ADAC Formula 4 runner up, as well as the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship runner-up.
In 2023, during his debut season in FIA Formula 3, he took his maiden victory in the championship at Spa-Francorchamps.
I’m super excited and honoured to be joining the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team as a Reserve and Development Driver. Having an opportunity to work with a team such as NEOM McLaren is a great opportunity for my future and I will be working as hard as I can to support the team and working hard to learn as much as possible!
Barnard on the news.
I am delighted to officially welcome Taylor to the team, after giving him his first taste of electric racing in Valencia last October. He is an incredibly impressive up-and-coming talent in single seater motorsport, and I’m looking forward to working with him in 2024. Taylor will play an important role within our team, and I am confident he will be adding value to the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team with his drive and talent, while also gaining valuable experience himself along the way.
Ian James, Managing Director, NEOM McLaren Electric Racing and Team Principal, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.
Williams have announced that Mercedes-Benz will remain as their power unit supplier from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.
Mercedes started supplying Williams with engines in 2014, when the turbo-hybrid got underway, and the new deal means the partnership will extend into the 2026 technical regulation changes.
F1’s future power units will exclusively use 100% sustainable fuel, reducing overall consumption, while their electrical systems will be upgraded to achieve higher performance.
Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles spent more than a decade at Mercedes and will have an impressive knowledge of the work Mercedes HPP do at Brixworth to create such a successful power unit.
For Mercedes it makes sense as they have enjoyed a long relationship which helps them to gather data to develop the new generation of power units, also it’s about maintaining the relationship for Mercedes to potentially run one of their juniors with Williams in the future, as they did with George Russell.
We have enjoyed a long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration into the next era of Formula 1. The expertise, support and technology that Mercedes brings to the table align perfectly with our team’s aspirations in the medium and long term. This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our objectives for the future, whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing expertise and capabilities in-house.
James Vowles on the news.
We are delighted to confirm Williams Racing as the second customer team that we will supply for the 2026 power unit regulations. Today’s news highlights the strength of the Mercedes-Benz offering in F1 and importantly not only validates, but reinforces, our overall motorsport strategy. Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply
Tim Maylon has been confirmed as the new FIA’s Sporting Director within the Single-Seater department, replacing Steve Nielsen.
In his new role, Maylon will oversee all sporting matters, including Race Direction and the Remote Operations Centre (ROC) in Geneva. He will report to Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s Single-Seater Director. Under Maylon’s direction, Niels Wittich will continue in the role of Race Director.
The Canadian has had a distinguished career within motorsport, which includes a 12 year period with Red Bull Racing, whom he joined when the team was previously Jaguar Racing. He helped contribute to Red Bull’s four constructors’ and drivers’ title from 2010 – 2013 as he worked in various engineering roles.
He went on to work for Sauber Motorsport in 2015, becoming their Head of Track Engineering, before joining BMW Motorsport as a Chief Engineer for its DTM programme in 2016. Following two successful years, and one championship, Maylon would then take the roles of both Track Engineering Department Leader and Chief Engineer for BMW’s Formula E team.
In 2019, he went on to join the FIA as Head of Research and was then appointed to the position of Safety Director in 2021. He also had a key role in the establishment of the ROC and has performed the operational duties of ROC Project Leader since May 2022.
I am delighted to be taking on the role of Sporting Director. We have already brought significant change to our Race Direction operation with the support of the ROC and I look forward to taking that to the next level. We are also committed to a broad regulatory review of sporting matters, and I look forward to applying a sharper focus to those efforts in the future.
Maylon on the news.
I am excited to welcome Tim to the role of Single-Seater Sporting Director. Tim has a wealth of motorsport experience and expertise at the highest level. He will play a major role as we continue to bring rigour to our sporting and regulatory practices and procedures, and he will drive the innovation we have brought to our Race Control operation. Tim has been pivotal in creating a strong synergy between Race Control and the ROC with the introduction of new technology including artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art data analysis and processing systems. He will continue to oversee advances in that area as well as taking the lead on the evolution of FIA sporting regulations.
Sporting Director, Tombazis.
With Maylon stepping in as the new Sporting Director, the FIA have confirmed that his predecessor Nielsen will be leaving the organisation at the end of January.
I’d like to thank the FIA for the opportunity to work on the regulatory side of the sport, which has been a fantastic experience for me over the past year. The FIA team working in Formula 1 are a hugely passionate, dedicated group of people who work incredibly hard to achieve the best outcomes for the sport, and I am sure that the positive work that we have done together already will continue into the future.
Nielsen on the news.
It has also been confirmed that Tim Gloss will leave his position as Technical Director at the FIA to take up a position outside of the federation.
It’s been an honour to work as Technical Director at the FIA and to help shape the future of the sport. I take immense pride and satisfaction from the numerous achievements of the Technical Department during my stint at the FIA. The department boasts a number of highly-talented individuals and I believe the organisation is on a firm footing in terms of technical expertise for the tasks which lie ahead – particularly the introduction of the 2026 regulations. I leave with fond memories of my time with the FIA.
Aston Martin have become the fourth team to confirm their 2024 car launch plans, with the new AMR24 set to be revealed on February 12th.
It follows on from announcements that Williams and Sauber will kick off their seasons on February 5th, and Ferrari on February 13th a day after Aston Martin.
Aston Martin were one of the surprises of the 2023 campaign as a busy winter of development saw them initially emerge as Red Bull’s nearest challengers.
While that strong start did fade throughout the season, the team and new signing Fernando Alonso ended the year with eight podium finishes, as well as rising from seventh to fifth in the constructors’ standings.
As per the rest of the F1 grid, the Silverstone based team will field an unchanged driver line-up in 2024 as Alonso continues alongside Lance Stroll, who is set for his fourth season in green.
Alonso recently commented that Aston Martin had opportunities to win races in 2023 and set a series of targets for the AMR24, including improved top speed, a wider operating window and more consistency.
The FIA Formula E World Championship got underway with Free Practice 1 in Mexico City. 22 drivers took to the 2.63km Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, but it was NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes who set the early pace with a 1m 14.364s.
However, no sooner had the British driver gone top of the timesheet’s, he had made a mistake and ended in the barrier. TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein finished in second, with ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller making a surprise appearance in third.
Getting the laps in under the hot Mexican sun, Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans started quickest. However, green flag conditions didn’t last long as Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther brought a stop to the session.
Guenther managed to slide his way around the final corner in dramatic fashion, kicking up a tonne of dust in the process. But although the move might have looked stylish, the four-time race winner damaged his suspension in the process.
The dirty track made for lots of close calls coming out of the final corner, with Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz almost replicating the same slide as Guenther but with better consequences as he just ran wide over the kerb.
The full top 10 are- P1: Hughes, P2: Wehrlein, P3: Muller, P4: Frijns, P5: Dennis, P6: Da Costa, P7: Evans, P8: Fenestraz, P9: Rowland and P10: Nato.
FP2-
Mitch Evans topped the timesheets on the first session of race day in Mexico City. The Kiwi driver, who will start the E-Prix with a one place grid penalty for not following red flag procedure in FP1, finished with a time of 1m 13.606s.
Maserati’s Maximilian Guenther finished in second which would be a welcomed result after hitting the wall the day before, and third was Envision’s newest recruit Robin Frijns.
It was a cold start to the second Free Practice session as it got underway at 7:30 local time. The low temperatures meant drivers would take a few more laps than usual to warm up their tyres.
With ever-changing conditions, the times were always improving. Several drivers were pushing their Gen3 cars to their limits, with reigning champion Jake Dennis exploring all of the track and NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird going straight on at Turn 1.
ERT Formula E’s Sergio Sette Camara brought out some double-waved yellows with seven minutes left of the session. The Brazilian made a similar mistake making contact with the barriers in shakedown.
The full top 10 are- P1: Evans, P2: Gunther, P3: Frijns, P4: Cassidy, P5: Vandoorne, P6: Buemi, P7: Rowland, P8: Vergne, P9: Dennis and P10: Hughes.
Qualifying-
Formula E’s first qualifying of the year got underway, with drivers wasting no time heading out onto the track. During Group A, Norman Nato kissed the barriers on the entry to the iconic Foro Sol stadium and narrowly managed to avoid any serious damage and contact with the wall. Not only this, Lucas di Grassi had a whack with the barriers, on what is the team’s 100th E-Prix in Formula E. Dan Ticktum was on a strong lap, before he was impacted by debris from di Grassi’s incident.
In Group B, it was much less eventful on track, with Maximilian Guenther going top. Joining him in the duels were Hughes, BUemi and Evans. There was plenty of eyes on Nyck de Vries in the Mahindra car as the Season 7 Champ makes his return to Formula E.
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein started Round 1 in the best possible fashion, sealing Julius Baer Pole Position in Mexico City. He has tied the Formula E record for the most pole positions at a single circuit.
Wehrlein took on Envision’s Racing’s Sebastien Buemi in the final of the duel, with both Jaguar TCS Racing drivers being knocked out of the semis. Reigning champion, Jake Dennis was knocked out during the Group stages and will start 14th in a shocking twist as he fights to retain his title in Season 10.
The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Buemi, P3: Cassidy, P4: Evans, P5: Gunther, P6: Hughes, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Frijns, P9: Fenestraz and P10: Vergne.
Round 1-
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein repeated the feat of two seasons prior, where he secured his and Porsche’s first Formula E victory, as the German driver sealed another well-managed drive to the top step. He lead home, Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi and Jaguar TCS Racing debutant Nick Cassidy.
Wehrlein, who was a title contender in Gen3’s inaugural campaign, threw down the gauntlet with a controlled drive from lights out and pole to the chequered flag, only briefly losing the lead through Attack Mode and a spell under Full Course Yellow.
Robin Frijns, fell all the way back through the pack from seventh on the grid to 15th, thanks to a technical issue, causing a knock-one melee in mid-pack which forced him into making up a lot of places.
At the start of lap 3, it was as you were in the top six with Wehrlein still leading. Meanwhile, contact between the sister TAG Heuer Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa and Nico Mueller saw the end of the race with broken suspension for the former and the latter in the wall and to 19th and last.
On lap 9, Robin Frijns – perhaps to make up for his slow start – found the wall, over cooking it on the exit of the Foro Sol and finding the wall in a big way, having just rounded Edo Mortara’s Mahindra. A full course yellow would be required for his car’s removal from the circuit.
With the race reaching its climax, Wherlein looked comfortable and capable to managing things from P1 – with Buemi being held back by some two second with eight laps to go plus two added laps for time lost from the full course yellow.
The top 10 is- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Buemi, P3: Cassidy, P4: Gunther, P5: Evans, P6: Vergne, P7: Hughes, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Dennis and P10: Nato.
Callum Voisin will step up to FIA Formula 3 with Rodin Carlin in 2024. The 17 year old joins F3 after winning the GB3 Championship with the British team last season.
After spending 2019 and 2020 racing in karting, Voisin made the step up into car racing, competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2021. He followed that up with a switch to single seaters and GB3, racing with Rodin Carlin in 2022 and 2023, culminating in last year’s title success.
He claimed 17 podium finishes, five fastest laps, 11 pole positions and five race victories across those two seasons, with two victories and six poles launching him to the GB3 title success.
The Brit also took part in post-season testing with the team, following the end of last year’s F3 season, forming part of the Rodin Carlin lineup at the Jerez, Barcelona and Imola tests.
I am absolutely thrilled to be staying with Rodin Carlin for the 2024 FIA F3 season. It is a dream of mine to race alongside the Formula 1 stage, so I can’t wait to get started with pre-season testing in Bahrain. There is plenty for me to learn, not least new tracks and a different car. I am immensely grateful to Rodin Carlin, RDA and Edge management for making this possible.
Voisin on his promotion.
I’m so pleased that Callum will be joining our FIA F3 team for the upcoming season. Callum has been part of the wider Rodin Carlin team for the past two seasons so being able to build on that strong working relationship is something I’m incredibly happy we can continue. Despite the learning curve ahead, I have no doubt that Callum with be a huge asset to the team following what was a brilliant GB3 Championship winning campaign.
The Sauber-run Formula 1 team that previously operated as Alfa Romeo has officially launched its new identity ahead of the 2024 F1 season, now known as Stake F1 Team.
Betting, entertainment and lifestyle brand Stake has stepped up its involvement after joining the then Alfa Romeo-branded team as a title sponsor in 2023. Stake will now be the squad’s official name for two years before it transitions to Audi in 2026.
Audi is in the process of taking over what’s now Stake, before entering F1 as a manufacturer in 2026 with its own team and engine. It bought a minority stake in the team at the start of 2023 and is set to increase that to 50% and then 75% over the next year or so.
But while Audi gears up for 2026 and Sauber’s existing Ferrari engine deal runs till the end of 2025, Sauber has struck new naming rights deals for the intervening years.
It has run under the Alfa Romeo name for the last few seasons, initially just in title sponsorship form in 2018 before selling the team and chassis name to the Italian manufacturer from 2019 through to the end of 2023.
The end of the Alfa Romeo deal could have led to a revival of the Sauber name, which the team ran under until its BMW takeover in 2006 and then again after BMW’s exit from 2010 until the Alfa tie-up.
Williams and Sauber will launch their respective 2024 Formula 1 campaigns on February 5th.
Williams did not reveal many details about their launch plans, as they look on to build a superb seventh-place finish in the constructors’ championship this season.
The British team have been working on their car for a significant amount of time, having shifted all of their resources to 2024 after race eight in Canada.
Sauber, who will be known as Stake F1 Team from 2024, also didn’t reveal much in details. However, the Swiss team did reveal they will hold an early evening event that will take place in London for the first time.
The London launch will be the first chance to see their new team identity in the flesh, with the team saying it will delivery the wow factor to our sport.
Williams and Sauber are the second and third teams respectively to send out a save the date for their season launch, after Ferrari got in first when they pencilled in February 13th.
Hitech Pulse-Eight have become the fifth team to confirm their lineup announcing that Cian Shields will be driving for them in the 2024 Formula 3 season.
The 18 year old moves up to the third tier off the back of a successful campaign in the Euroformula Open Championship this year. He earned the Vice Champion title with four wins and 10 podiums to his name.
Shields got his first taste of the F3 car during the three post-season tests, earning the sixth-fastest time of the second day of running in Jerez.
Shields’ karting career began in 2016, with him going on to achieve third in the IAME Winter Cup X30 Junior category two years later, before being crowned Champion in the IAME Series Benelux Junior category in 2019.
Graduating to single seaters in 2022, he competed in the GB3 Championship with Hitech, he finished 13th in the standings, securing one victory and two podiums across the season. He will be reuniting with the British team to partner compatriot Luke Browning and fellow rookie, Martinius Stenshorne next season.
I am excited to join Hitech in FIA F3 next year. It will be a new challenge for me, but one I am looking forward to. Having raced with the team in GB3 in 2022, I have every confidence that they will allow me to develop in my rookie season in the series. Looking forward to getting the season started in Bahrain!
Shields on the news.
We are delighted to add Cian to our Formula 3 line-up for next season. We are confident in his ability, having raced with the team in GB3 last year and taking a win and podiums together. Here’s to a successful season ahead!
DAMS have finalised their driver pairing for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season, announcing that Juan Manuel Correa will be joining the French team, partnering up with compatriot Jak Crawford.
The American driver made his full time return to the Championship this year with Van Amersfoort Racing, achieving six points-scoring finishes and a best result of fourth in the Spielberg Sprint Race.
Correa brings with him an abundance of single seater and sports car experience since his debut in ADAC and Italian Formula 4 in 2016. He then graduated to GP3 full time in 2018, finishing 12th overall.
A promotion to Formula 2 the following year, where he scored two second place finishes before sustaining major injuries in the tragic event at Spa-Francorchamps.
Proving his resilience and determination in the face of extensive rehabilitation, Correa made a hard-earned comeback to racing in 2021 to compete in Formula 3. His sophomore campaign last year was capped off with a podium finish in the Zandvoort Sprint Race before he made his return to the second tier with a one-off appearance at the 2022 Yas Marina season finale ahead of his 2023 campaign.
Additionally, the 24 year old claimed a European Le Mans Series victory last year and contested the 2023 World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
I’m delighted to be a part of DAMS for the 2024 season. I feel that it is the best place for me to continue to rebuild my career and push towards my long-term objectives. I’m eager to begin working with the team and to show what I can do on track.
Correa on the news.
We are excited to see Juan Manuel join us for 2024, he has potential and is a great team player. We’ve already seen encouraging signs that he’s forming a strong working relationship with Jak and the rest of the crew. He has shown his resilient mentality with his desire to return to racing after a very difficult period out of the sport. His ability to provide useful feedback to our engineers and his willingness to absorb new information leaves us confident that we can achieve strong results together in the coming year.
Formula E has announced an update to the Season 10 calendar, with the cancellation of the Hyderabad E-Prix Round 4, which was scheduled for Saturday 10th February.
The cancellation comes following a decision by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD), under the control of the Government of Telangana, not fulfil the Host City Agreement singed on 30th October 2023.
Formula E Operations (FEO) has been left with no choice other than to formally give notice to MAUD that it is in breach of contract. FEO is considering what position there in currently and what steps they can take next under the Host City Agreement and applicable laws.
The Hyderabad E-Prix would have been the only official FIA World Championship event in India in 2024 and was part of a multi-year agreement between Formula E and the Government of Telangana.
Other host cities confirmed on the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar for Season 10 include Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin, Monaco and London. The season begins next Saturday 13th January, with the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix.
We are extremely disappointed for the huge motorsport fanbase in India. We know that hosting an official motorsport world championship race is an important and prestigious occasion for Hyderabad and the whole country. The President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), Akbar Ebrahim, and his team have been incredibly supportive in bringing Formula E back to Hyderabad. They share our disappointment in the decision of the Government of Telangana which means that will not happen.
Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Cheif Championship Officer, Formula E.
It is deeply frustrating that we cannot build on the success of the inaugural race last year, which delivered almost 84m USD in positive economic impact to the region. We are also disappointed for our major Indian partners, particularly Mahindra and Tata Communications. Racing in Hyderabad was important to showcase the benefits of adopting electric vehicles in a market where pollution from vehicle engines has a massive impact on public health and the environment.
Jeff Dodds, CEO Formula E.
We have announced an update to the Season 10 calendar, with the cancellation of the Hyderabad E-Prix, scheduled for Saturday 10th February.
Trident have locked in their lineup for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 campaign, announcing that Santiago Ramos will be joining them next season. The 19 year old will be partnering Leonardo Fornaroli and fellow rookie Sami Meguetounif at the Italian team.
Ramos makes the step up to the third tier off the back of his second Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine campaign, finishing 11th in the Standings with one podium finish.
The Mexican driver had his first chance to get to grips with the F3 car during post-season tests, clocking in 407 laps of running across the six days in Jerez, Barcelona and Imola.
After honing his racing skills in karting, Ramos progressed to single seaters in 2019 with a three-round debut in Italian F4. Returning to run in the Championship across the following two seasons, he earned a best result of fifth before joining the FRECA grid for the 2022 campaign.
So happy to announce that I’m joining Trident Motorsport for the FIA F3 championship! Working closely with them during post-season testing has been fantastic. I’m excited about this new chapter, ready to give it my all, and looking forward to making every race weekend a memorable experience. Huge thanks to Trident, Escudería Telmex, and my sponsors for this opportunity!
Ramos on the news.
It is with extreme delight and confidence that we welcome a young prospect like Santiago Ramos to our line-up. We are looking forward to doing a great job with him, and we think we have all the necessary resources to allow him to improve and make his way through the motorsport ladder. We like to invest in rookie drivers, who have yet to express their full talent. I am convinced that, together with Santiago, we will achieve our goals as in the team’s tradition.
PREMA Racing have retained Oliver Bearman for the 2024 Formula 2 season, announcing that their partnership with the Ferrari Academy junior will continue for a third consecutive campaign.
Bearman’s relationship with the Italian team began in 2022, where the Brit scored one win and eight podiums on his way to finish third in Formula 3. Graduating to the second tier last year, he delivered an impressive rookie campaign, earning four wins and three pole positions to finish sixth overall.
The 18 year old has already made history on his path up through the single seater ladder since his debut campaign in 2020. In 2021, he became the first driver to clinch both the ADAC and Italian F4 Championship titles before earning a promotion to Formula 3.
I’m really happy to be joining PREMA Racing again in Formula 2. I’ve come a long way as a driver and as a person these two years thanks to them, and I’m excited to continue the work we have been doing into next season.
Bearman on the news as he looks on to build on the rapid progress he has made with the team.
It is great to have Ollie back with us for another year after the great seasons he had with us so far. The way he adapted, improved, and developed is outstanding, and we cannot wait to see what this progress will take us further down the road. We also think that the experience he had this year will help him and the team in adapting to the new car. It’s definitely going to be an interesting and promising experience.
Trident have announced that three-time Formula 2 race winner Richard Verschoor will be returning to compete for the Italian team next season.
The Dutch driver has scored a victory in each season he’s driven in since his debut campaign with MP Motorsport in 2021. 2022 saw him partner up with Trident, finishing 12th in the Standings with five podiums to his name.
Switching to Van Amersfoort Racing this year, Verschoor added a win in the Spielberg Feature Race to his tally, as well as two further podiums to his name, overall he finished the season ninth in the Drivers’ Championship.
After claiming both SMP and Spanish Formula 4 titles, in his debut single seater season, Verschoor has been a consistent performer as he progressed through the ranks. Finishing third overall with three victories in the 2017 Toyota Racing Series, he improved to second the following year alongside winning the Macau Grand Prix.
Two campaigns followed in Formula 3, with a best result of ninth in 2020 before he graduated to Formula 2 for the 2021 season.
I am thrilled to announce that I will be racing for Trident Motorsport in Formula 2 next year. After our successful collaboration in 2022, I am excited to be back with the Italian family and eager to work tirelessly on developing the new car together. I am grateful for this opportunity and ready to take on the challenges ahead!
Verschoor on the news.
We are delighted to welcome Verschoor back to our line-up. At the end of the 2022 season, he left great memories and we are really proud and motivated to have him back with us. I’m sure that we have all the ingredients needed to run a competitive season. Verschoor is a quick and experienced driver and is known for not wasting occasions. We will do our best to support him and reach some ambitious goals together.
Van Amersfoort Racing have completed their roster for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 campaign with the confirmation of Sophia Floersch’s return to the Dutch team.
The Alpine Academy driver makes the switch from PHM Racing, after earning her and the team’s maiden points in the Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race this year.
The German driver brings with her plenty of single-seater experience. After racing in ADAC Formula 4 and European F3, she finished seventh in the 2019 Formula Regional European Championship with VAR, before making her F3 debut in 2020.
Switching to endurance and sportscar racing full-time the following year, Floersch is three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans participant, alongside having competed in DTM and the World Endurance Championship.
I am super excited to be back with Van Amersfoort Racing, it feels like coming home. I have confidence in our ability to progress and deliver strong performances together in the upcoming FIA F3 season.
Floersch on the news.
Obviously we are very pleased to have Sophia back with us. We did Macau together this year which has been great. We believe that her experience in FIA F3 plus her familiarity with the team can benefit us next season.
Christian Mansell will return for a second FIA Formula 3 campaign in 2024, where he will partner up with ART Grand Prix after a season with Campos Racing.
The 18 year old secured two podium finishes in his rookie year in the Silverstone Sprint Race and Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race, for which he earned the Dallara Award for Best Comeback of the Year.
After concluding the campaign 12th in the Standings, he completed all three post-season tests with the French outfit alongside an appearance at the Macau Grand Prix.
Mansell’s racing journey began in karting back at home in Australia, before stepping up single seaters in 2019 with appearances in the New South Wales Formula Race Car Championship and the Australian Formula 4 Championship.
Moving to the UK, he made a strong first impression in his 2020 British F4 campaign, where he scored one win and five podiums, he finished seventh in the Standings and was crowned the Rookie’s Cup Champion. In 2021 he joined the GB3 Championship grid, achieving two wins and five podiums to secure third.
The following year, he fought for the title in Euroformula Open, ultimately finishing third with three wins and a further 12 podium finishes to his name. In addition, he also made F3 debut with a two-round appearance for Charouz Racing System in Budapest and Spa.
I’m super happy to sign with ART Grand Prix for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season. I’m looking forward to working with the team to achieve better results in the Teams’ Championship and for myself as a driver next year. I’ve already competed in Macau with the team, so I’m very well integrated into the ART Grand Prix group, and I could not be happier. I’m really excited to start this new journey and I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming race in Bahrain!
Mansell on the news.
Christian has shown he has a good ability to learn and progress with a strong second half of the 2023 season. He confirmed his qualities to the team during the off-season tests and in Macau. In 2024, he will have everything he needs to blossom and achieve both his goals as well as those of the team.
Ferrari will unveil their Formula 1 car that they hope can help them challenge world champions Red Bull in 2024 on Tuesday, February 13th.
The Italian team are the first to reveal their 2024 launch date, but they have chosen not to release any specific details about their launch plans.
The launch is set to take place eight days before the start of pre-season testing, which runs across three days in Bahrain from February 21st to 23rd.
Team Principal, Fred Vasseur says Ferrari are changing 95% of the components of the car, which finished third in the constructors’ championship behind Red Bull and Mercedes.
The 2024 season will be Vasseur’s second season at the helm of the Prancing Horse, and the third car built in Maranello to sweeping new regulation introduced in 2022.
Ferrari, field Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for a fourth straight season. Both drivers are out of contract at the end of the season, with supposed talks ongoing with both parties regarding an extension into 2025 and beyond.
Tommy Smith will be getting back behind the wheel for Van Amersfoort Racing in his sophomore FIA Formula 3 season next year.
The Australian driver experienced a challenging rookie campaign, but after positive showings during the three post-season tests and the Macau Grand Prix.
The 21 year old’s racing career began in the 2017 – 2018 New Zealand Formula 1600 Championship, achieving his first podium that same season. Two consistent campaigns would follow in the Australian F4 Championship, achieving eighth and seventh in the Standings.
2021 saw Smith compete in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, in addition to a three-round appearance in the GB3 Championship. Sticking with GB3 for 2022, he secured 18 points-scoring finishes, including one victory at Spa-Francorchamps and a podium in the opening round.
Continuing with Van Amersfoort Racing for another year is an incredible opportunity. The team and I have had a great partnership so far, and I cannot wait to see what 2024 brings us. I’m eagerly waiting for the challenges ahead, and ready to give it my all for a great second season in FIA Formula 3.
Smith on the news.
Tommy is a great character to work with and we’re thrilled to extend our partnership for another season. With his rookie season behind him, 2024 will be the year where he can put his experience in the championship to use. We’re excited to see how he will perform next year.
Trident have confirmed that Sami Meguetounif will be driving for them in FIA Formula 3 next year, this makes him the teams second signing.
Meguetounif joins the Italian team off the back of finishing ninth in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. He took three podiums in his second campaign. He also completed post-season testing with Trident earlier this year, recording six top 10 session times.
The 19 year old’s racing career began in karting, where he became the French National Champion twice in 2017 and 2018 in the Rotax Junior category. Stepping up to single-seaters the following year, he made guest appearances in the Formula 4 South East Asia Championship and French F4.
Returning for a full-season in French F4 in 2020, he finished fourth overall with one win, two pole positions and eight podiums. He then switched to ADAC F4 for the 2021 season, he finished 11th in the Standings before moving up to FRECA, taking his maiden podium in the opening round.
2023 saw him begin the year competing in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, where he earned one win, two poles and two podiums before returning for his second FRECA campaign.
I’m really really really happy to be joining Trident. We all know the good job the team did in these past seasons. I’m very excited to start this new challenge and to be driving during the same race weekends as the big boys of Formula 1. I will work hard this winter to arrive in Bahrain well-prepared. I have already started working with the team during the post-season tests and they already taught me so much to make my adaptation to this new category better and help me go faster. I would also like to thank my sponsors for their amazing support.
Sami on the news.
We are delighted to welcome a promising driver like Sami Meguetounif to our line-up. The Marseille-born driver achieved good results in the FRECA championship and impressed the team’s technical staff in the collective 2024 preparation tests at Jerez, Barcelona and Imola. We are convinced that, by joining the Trident Motorsport family, Sami will find the right environment to make great steps within the motorsport ladder.
Van Amersfoort Racing have announced that reigning EuroFormula Open Champion, Noel Leon will make the step up to FIA Formula 3.
The 18 year old joins the third tier after claiming the 2023 Euroformula Open title, where he grabbed sevens wins and 16 podiums to grab the title.
Leon made his single seater debut in 2018, competing in one round of the NACAM Formula 4 Championship with a two-race appearance the next year. A full season follow up campaign in 2019-20 saw him take the title, achieving seven wins, 10 pole positions and 15 podiums.
2021 saw him secure both the Formula 4 United States Championship and NASCAR Challenge Series Mexico titles, before moving to the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine for the 2022 season.
Being part of Van Amersfoort Racing has been a joy so far. We did the post-season tests and Macau together which was a positive experience and great preparation for the upcoming season. I cannot wait for the season to start!
Leon on the step up.
We’re delighted to welcome Noel León to our team for the upcoming FIA F3 season. Noel showcased himself as a talented and driven racer. His previous single-seater experience and determination will help him in preparing for a competitive 2024 season.
Campos Racing have locked in their three drivers for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 season, confirming that Sebastian Montoya will be racing for the Spanish team.
The Colombian makes the switch from Hitech Pulse-Eight, after earning one podium in Melbourne and finished 16th in the Standings. He returns to the team he made his F3 debut with, having made a two-race appearance with Campos in Zandvoort in 2022, where he earned back to back P8 finishes.
Graduating from karting to Italian Formula 4 in 2020, Montoya went on to finish 11th in the Standings,a s well as competing in six ADAC F4 races. Repeating the same programme the following year, he secured two pole positions and nine podiums to improve to fourth.
At the start of 2022, the Red Bull Athlete won twice in the Formula Regional Asian Championship and went on to finish seventh overall. A tough step-up to the Formula Regional European Championship followed, where he concluded the year in 13th.
I am really excited to be joining Campos Racing for the upcoming FIA Formula 3 season. To be honest, we had a nice learning curve immediately in testing after making my comeback to the team. Macau didn’t exactly bring us the result we were expecting. But the potential is there and we just need to maximise our options. We know our car is strong, enough to score points on a regular basis and hopefully we will be able to fight for podiums and wins.
Montoya on the news.
It’s nice to have Sebas in Campos Racing next year. He is a very talented driver, as he already proved scoring points twice on his debut in FIA F3 with Campos Racing, and we will work as hard as possible in order to allow him to reach his full potential. Sebas left us plenty of positives during post-season testing and the very best of his racing career is still to come. Sebas, Oliver and Mari are a young driver line-up but with plenty of experiences and races under their belt in FIA F3. The 2024 season looks exciting ahead for Campos Racing!
Alpine have announced that they will be mutually parting ways with Director of Racing Expansion Projects, Davide Brivio at the end of the year, allowing the Italian “to pursue other career opportunities”.
Brivio joined Alpine as Racing Director ahead of the 2021 season, having carved a name for himself in the motorcycle world with stints as Team Manager of Yamaha in World Superbike and MotoGP as well as Suzuki in MotoGP.
Since then, he took on a role working as Director of Racing Expansion Projects, which included managing the team’s young driver programme, the Alpine Academy.
Interim Sporting Director, Julian Rouse will continue to oversee the Alpine Academy programme, which currently features nine drivers of eight nationalities, spanning four different series from Formula 2 to European karting.
Brivio’s exit follows on from a host of mid season changes at Alpine, including Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane both leaving after the Belgian Grand Prix.
Firstly, we would like to thank Davide for his hard work and commitment over the last three seasons. His experience in motorsports has been extremely valuable, especially in the development and progression of the Alpine Academy. Davide’s wish is to leave Alpine to pursue other opportunities and we have accepted his desire by mutually agreeing to part ways. We extend our best wishes to him in his next chapter of an already impressive career in motorsports.
Bruno Famin, VP Motorsports Alpine Racing.
It has been a proud chapter in my motorsport career to be involved in Formula 1 with Alpine. I would like to thank Alpine for the opportunity to experience Formula 1 which was my desire and also for the chance to pass on some of my experience in motorsport onto its young drivers in the Alpine Academy. I wish the team and the Academy the best in the future and I’m sure we will see many young drivers go on to achieve fantastic things in their careers. To play a small part in some of that success will certainly be something I will cherish. I am grateful to Alpine for accommodating my wish to pursue other opportunities which may (and I hope that they will) arise in the future.
HiTech Pulse Eight have confirmed that Martinius Stenshorne will move to FIA Formula 3 with the British team in 2024.
Stenshorne joins the team after finishing second in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2023, taking top rookie honours with four pole positions, five wins and six podiums to his name.
The 17 year old began his racing career in karting, earning multiple titles between 2018 and 2020, including the 2018 WSK Master Series in 60 Mini alongside the Italian Championship in the same category.
The Norwegian moved up to single seaters in 2022, completing a season in Italian F4 where he finished seventh overall before moving up to FRECA.
Stenshorne also took part in post-season testing with Hitech Pulse-Eight earlier this year, he finished the final day in Jerez as the fastest driver.
I am looking forward to making the step up to FIA F3 with Hitech next season. I have every confidence that they will allow me to develop in my rookie season in the championship. It will be a new challenge for me, however I am feeling eager to be fighting for the top spots from the get-go.
Stenshorne on the news.
We are delighted to add Martinius to our Formula 3 line-up for 2024. He showed great potential during testing and given his race-winning form in FRECA this year, we are confident that we will have an exciting and successful season together.
Paul Bellringer, Hitech Pulse-Eight F3 Team Manager.
Laurens Van Hoepen will step up to FIA Formula 3 next season with ART Grand Prix.
The 18 year old moves to Formula 3 having completed two seasons in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with ART. He finished 10th in 2023, taking two podium finishes at his home event in Zandvoort.
Prior to that, he earned national success in karting, including a IAME Euro Series title in the X30 Mini class in 2017 before moving up to single seaters.
Speaking about the prospect of racing in F3, Van Hoepen said that he was looking forward to carrying on the momentum from post-season testing with the team.
I’m really happy to make the step up to FIA F3 with ART Grand Prix. This will be my third year working with the team and over the past two years, we have really gotten to know each other well, and we have shown that in the positive F3 tests. Next year will be exciting and I fully trust that ART Grand Prix and I can do a good job.
Van Hoepen on the news.
Despite a difficult environment in 2023, Laurens has always been a fighter and helped the team to turn things around. During his first F3 test, he quickly found his feet and developed a good relationship with the engineers. His qualities as a driver and fighter will be invaluable in a complex championship that leaves nothing to chance.
Mari Boya will be returning for a second Formula 3 season, with the Spanish driver linking up with Campos Racing for the 2024 season.
The 19 year old secured one podium in his rookie season with MP Motorsport, dovetailing it with a campaign in Eurocup-3, where he finished second with five wins to his name.
The three-time Spanish Karting Chamion’s single-seater career began in 2020, where he achieved the Vice-Champion title in Spanish F4, where he secured three wins and 14 podiums. From there, Boya competed in two seasons of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, finishing 14th and 10th in the Standings before stepping up to F3 in 2023.
Boya, said he feels optimistic after a successful showing with the team during the three post-season tests in Jerez, Barcelona and Imola.
I feel super happy to be joining Campos Racing for a second season of FIA Formula 3. I feel motivated and confident following such positive post-season testing in which was my first time working on track with my new team. A new era just begins and I’m looking forward to starting the new season and achieve success together.
Boya on the news.
We are glad to have Mari with us for the next season. Definitively, he is one of the most talented drivers in the field. Despite 2023 was his rookie season, there were several highlights proving the best is still to come with more experience under his belt. Post-season testing was quite good for us and the new season looks pretty promising. Campos Racing has a tradition of working with emerging Spanish talents, and Mari is just a new chapter of our history.
Jordan's Track Talk 