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  • Beganovic makes the step up to F3

    PREMA Racing have announced that Dino Beganovic will be graduating to FIA Formula 3 with the team next year, off the back of his title-winning season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.

    The 18 year old made his single-seater debut with the Italian squad in 2020, finishing third in Italian Formula 4. Moving up to FRECA the following year, Beganovic took one podium during his maiden campaign before returning for a second outing this season.

    Dominating the start of the campaign, Beganovic claimed four victories on his way to being crowned Champion at the penultimate race in Mugello.

    The Ferrari junior had a successful showing for PREMA in his first outing in F3 machinery during the post-season test in Jerez last month, clocking in the second fastest time of Day 1’s afternoon session.

    I am extremely happy to be racing with PREMA, my team, in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship. It will be our fourth year together, and I’m very proud to continue working together. PREMA has an amazing history in Formula 3 and won at least one championship per year there. I think it is definitely a step in the right direction for my future and for the team, as we have been working for a long time together. Testing in Jerez put us in a good position with the preparations for next year, and we want to continue from that.

    Dino Beganovic on his new seat.

    We have been working with Dino since the very beginning of his single seater career, and we are elated to continue for 2023. We went through Formula 4 and Formula Regional with increasingly impressive results together, and his run in FRECA shows how competent and outstanding he has become as a driver. The 2023 season will be a key step in shaping the rest of his career and there is great promise. We are willing to support Dino in making a positive impact right from the start, and we will work as hard as possible throughout the winter months.

    Rene Rosin, PREMA Racing Team Principal.

  • Formula 2 reveal 2023 Calendar

    FIA Formula 2 have announced the calendar for the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Next season will comprise a total of 14 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship, as per the 2022 season.

    The teams and drivers will contest a total of 28 races, across 13 different countries in 2023. With Formula 2 also visiting a new continent for the first time in its history, with the addition of the iconic Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia.

    The seventh season of Formula 2 will begin at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 3rd to 5th, with the season concluding at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi on November 24th to 26th.

    RoundDateLocation
    103 – 05 MarchSakhir, Bahrain
    217 – 19 MarchJeddah, Saudi Arabia
    331 March – 02 AprilMelbourne, Australia
    428 – 30 AprilBaku, Azerbaijan
    519 – 21 MayImola, Italy
    625 – 28 MayMonte Carlo, Monaco
    702 – 04 JuneBarcelona, Spain
    830 June – 02 JulySpielberg, Austria
    907 – 09 JulySilverstone, Great Britain
    1021 – 23 JulyBudapest, Hungary
    1128 – 30 JulySpa-Francorchamps, Belgium
    1225 – 27 AugustZandvoort, Netherlands
    1301 – 03 SeptemberMonza, Italy
    1424 – 26 NovemberYas Island, Abu Dhabi

    “We are pleased to confirm the Formula 2 calendar for 2023 and look forward to another exciting season where the drivers will battle it out for the title and the chance to reach the highest level of motorsport. The Championship continues to play a hugely important role in nurturing the talent of the future and we are excited to see the next generation of F1 stars take to the track at 14 rounds of the 2023 season, visiting fan-favourite circuits and also travelling to the iconic Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne for the first time.

    Stefano Domenicali, President ad CEO of Formula 1.

    The 2023 F2 calendar will have 14 rounds, the same amount as the current one. In 2022, we’ve enjoyed more action than ever, with a total of 28 races, and we wanted to keep this for next season. The good thing is that there are a lot of tracks who would love to add F2 to their race weekend programme, but we always keep in mind the costs related to more racing. So, we have decided to limit the number of rounds to 14 again for 2023, and we will keep helping the teams to ensure their budgets remain at a proper level. As announced previously, we have added Melbourne to the calendar, a fantastic venue both for our teams and drivers, but also for everyone watching and enjoying F2. It will be very interesting to see our cars battling on those streets.

    Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 2 CEO.

  • Vandoorne joins AM as test & reserve driver

    Aston Martin has announced that reigning Formula E World Champion, Stoffel Vandoorne will be joining the team as test and reserve driver for the 2023 season.

    The Silverstone based team, revealed that he will be sharing duties with Formula 2 Champion, Felipe Drugovich who joined the team’s driver development programme back in September – with Aston Martin saying that Vandoorne will undertake an intensive simulation and development programme at the team’s Silverstone factory.

    Vandoorne is a former GP2 winner and has made 41 Grand Prix starts – all for McLaren from 2016 to 2018. The Belgian driver has also been the Mercedes reserve driver since 2019, whilst also racing in Formula E – where he won the championship earlier this year.

    Vandoorne will be conducting his role with Aston Martin alongside his commitments in Formula E where he will be racing for the DS Penske team for the 2022/23 season.

    It is incredibly exciting to be stepping into a reserve-driver role in Formula 1 – and I’m delighted to be doing it with Aston Martin. I’ve watched with great interest how the team has developed and expanded operationally, and I know how incredibly determined it is to make progress in every area. Joining Fernando [Alonso], who I already know from my Formula 1 racing career, and Lance [Stroll], to help them develop and improve next year’s car will be a terrific job, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge – and reward – of working together with the whole organisation at Silverstone.

    Vandoorne on his new role.

    Stoffel has all the capabilities we need for this new and expanded role within the team: he is fast, analytical, hard-working and a fantastic team player, and will fit perfectly into our growing organisation, working alongside our other test driver, Felipe Drugovich. The whole team is hugely motivated for next year, and the appointment of Stoffel, alongside Fernando, Lance and Felipe, gives extra depth to our fantastic driver line-up. This will be a significant role for Stoffel, and we will be reliant on him to work hard with both our track and simulation and engineering teams to improve our performance for 2023 and beyond.

    Mike Krack, Aston Martin Team Principal.

  • AM enter agreement with FIA over breach of ’21 Regs

    Aston Martin have entered an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA) with the FIA following a procedural breach of the 2021 Financial Regulations.

    After the submission of financial documents by all 10 Formula One teams, the Cost Cap Administration carried out a review under the Financial Regulations, and Aston Martin were found to be in a procedural breach of the rules – even though their costs during the 2021 reporting period were under the cost cap.

    The Silverstone based team were found to have incorrectly excluded and/or adjusted costs pertaining to the building of their new headquarters, new F1 simulator, wind tunnel fees, R&D tax credit, a signing bonus cost, use of transferable components, used inventories, service desk costs, cost of catering services at their headquarters, costs of desks and chairs, sponsor services and outsourced personnel services.

    The team now must pay a financial penalty of $450,000 within 30 days of the date of execution of the ABA, plus bear the cost incurred by the Cost Cap Administration.

    The Cost Cap Administration recognised that AMR has acted cooperatively and in good faith throughout the review process and has sought to provide additional information and evidence when requested in a timely manner, that this is the first year of the full application of the Financial Regulations and that there is no accusation or evidence that AMR has sought or obtained any undue advantage as a result of the breach.

    FIA statement.

    Non-compliance by the team with any terms of the ABA will result in further procedural breach and automatic referral to the cost cap adjudication panel.

  • Round 20- Mexico GP

    Round 20 is now complete, and it’s definitely safe to say that it wasn’t the most exciting race this season however a special record got broken after 9 years!

    Max Verstappen wins the 2022 Mexico Grand Prix, making it 14 race wins in a season passing Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel! Lewis Hamilton comes home in 2nd and Sergio Perez rounds out the podium – the exact same podium as the 2021 Grand Prix.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Hamilton, P3: Perez, P4: Russell, P5: Sainz, P6: Leclerc, P7: Ricciardo, P8: Ocon, P9: Norris and P10: Bottas.

    What a day for the World Champion, we all know Max isn’t really one for records but this one I think feels a bit different for the Dutchman as the last person who equalled the record (Sebastian Vettel) was with Red Bull when he accomplished this! Not only this Max Verstappen has scored the most points in a season with two races to go!

    A great day for the Silver Arrows, they’re getting closer and closer to that win but will it be too late with only two races left? With Hamilton finishing 2nd and Sainz finishing 5th, Hamilton now sits in-front of Sainz in the Driver standings.

    A good race for McLaren with both drivers scoring points, even though Daniel got a 10 second time penalty for his collision with Yuki Tsunoda, he drove his heart out and managed to build up a big enough gap between himself and Esteban and stay in the same place!

    On the other hand for Alpine, it wasn’t the best of days for them, Alonso DNF’ing to an engine problem during the race and Ocon not doing as much as expected… It definitely brings McLaren back into contention for the fight for fourth in the Constructors.

    Not much can be said about Ferrari, the whole weekend they were off the pace or having problems with the car, it may be because we were in Mexico and we were quite high up, hopefully we see them bounce back in Brazil and they will hope so too as Mercedes are now only 40 points behind them in the Constructors.

    We are back racing in just under two weeks for round 21, where the Sprint returns in Brazil which could shake a few things up for the drivers…

  • RB enter agreement with FIA over breach of ’21 Regulations

    Red Bull have entered an Accepted Breach Agreement (ABA) with the FIA following a breach of the 2021 Financial Regulations, F1’s governing body have said.

    For the first time in Formula One history, all 10 teams were required to submit their accounts of their annual spending against the Cost Cap for 2021 by the following March. On Friday in Mexico, the FIA announced that Red Bull was found to be in breach.

    The Cost Cap Administration recognised that Red Bull Racing has acted cooperatively throughout the review process and has sought to provide additional information and evidence when requested in a timely manner, that this is the first year of the full application of the Financial Regulations and that there is no accusation or evidence that RBR (Red Bull Racing) has sought at any time to act in bad faith, dishonestly or in fraudulent manner, nor has it wilfully concealed any information from the Cost Cap Administration. In these circumstances, the Cost Cap Administration offered to RBR an ABA to resolve this matter. That offer was accepted by RBR.

    The FIA.

    In the summary, it was revealed Red Bull exceeded the cost cap in 2021, of £118,036,00 by less than 5% by less than 5% ( £1,864.00 or 1.6%) which is a minor breach. The FIA said they acknowledge that had Red Bull applied “the correct treatment within its full year reporting documentation of their Notional Tax Credit within its 2021 submission of a value of £1,431,438” and therefore would have exceeded the cap by $432,652 or 0.37%.

    Regarding sanctions for breaching the cost cap, Red Bull must pay $7 million to the FIA within 30 days of the date of execution of the ABA.

    They also receive a minor sporting penalty in the form of 10% reduction in their allocated Restricted Wind Tunnel Testing and Restricted Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) limits. Based on Red Bull’s championship position, the coefficient used to calculate their allocation will drop from 70% to 63%.

    Non-compliance by Red Bull with any terms of the ABA will result in further procedural breach and automatic referral to the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel.

  • Round 20- Mexico Qualifying

    Qualifying is complete for the Mexico Grand Prix and it was a close call, as one team gets closer to the top team and another aren’t as close as previous weekends.

    It was Max Verstappen who took pole position, with George Russell lining up on the front row in P2, and Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top 3!!

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Russell, P3: Hamilton, P4: Perez, P5: Sainz, P6: Bottas, P7: Leclerc, P8: Norris, P9: Alonso and P10: Ocon.

    A great qualifying result for Mercedes – there best this season and they have a great shot at the win tomorrow. We all know what they say about starting 3rd here in Mexico, even 2nd might be worth it, but the most important thing is that long run down to turn 1.

    A great qualifying for Bottas, splitting the two Ferrari’s. He will be hoping for a good points finish, as he hasn’t scored since Canada!

    Only two drivers have penalties for tomorrow’s race those being Lance Stroll for causing a collision at the previous round and Magnussen 5 places for use of additional power unit elements.

    Predictions-

    My top five predictions for the race are – P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Perez, P4: Russell and P5: Sainz.

    Going off the fact that for quite a few years now the person who takes pole position doesn’t win the race here… We saw last year Max starting P3 and he took the lead at Turn 1 so it could be a repeat again…

    Time for tomorrow-

    • Race – 20:00pm (GMT)

  • F1 to race in Mexico City until 2025

    The Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will be remaining on the calendar until 2025, following an agreement between F1, the Government of Mexico City and the race promoters.

    Formula 1 returned to Mexico in 2015 and this season’s race is set to attract 350,000 fans over the three days. The first Grand Prix held under the contract extension is set to take place on October 27th to 29th, 2023.

    Between 2015 and 2021, the event generated over $2,443 million USD in economic activity and created 57,080. The 2021 event created 9,236 jobs alone and generated an economic benefit for the region on $768 million USD with a further $494 million USD in global media exposure.

    I am very pleased to announce that Formula 1 will continue to race in Mexico City for another three years under this new agreement. Every year the race attracts a large number of passionate fans, and the atmosphere is incredible, and I know everyone will be excited by this news. I want to thank Claudia Sheinbaum, the Head of Government for Mexico City, and Alejandro Soberon and his team for their ongoing commitment to Formula 1 and the continued success of the event.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    The Mexico City Grand Prix contract extension has been made possible thanks to the leadership of Claudia Sheinbaum and the Mexico City Government. The ability to host the race in the nation’s capital until 2025 is the result of a coordinated effort to preserve an event that brings benefits to the city and excitement to thousands of fans. We will keep working to ensure the race continues to be a strong contributor to our city’s economy.

    Corporacion Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE) President and CEO, Alejandro Soberon.

    Formula 1 is very important for the city, not only because of its considerable economic impact, but also because millions of people around the world watch it and it showcases the beauty and grandeur of Mexico City to the whole country and the entire world. Since we took over the government of Mexico City, we endeavoured to put in place a mechanism that would allow Formula 1 to be held with the participation of entrepreneurs who not only benefit from the event but are also keen to make it happen because they love the city, and they love Mexico.

    Head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum.

  • Doohan FP1 sessions

    Formula 2 racer, Jack Doohan will be making his Formula 1 race weekend debut at the Mexico City Grand Prix when he drives for Alpine in the opening practice.

    Doohan, is part of Alpine’s Driver Academy, will tackle the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Esteban Ocon’s car. As well as this he will get a second outing in FP1 in the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP.

    Mexico will be the second time the 19 year old has sampled 2022-spec machinery, having completed the permitted 100km of running on demonstration tyres during the teams filming day at Monza last month.

    Doohan, son of five time 500cc motorcycle world champion Mick, has also tested last year’s Alpine this season through test days in Qatar in May, Monza in June and Budapest in September.

    The Australian, is currently fourth in his debut season in F2, having stepped up a class after finishing second in F3 in 2021. He has won three races this season, plus scored three further podiums and three pole positions and is in the hunt to claim third in the standings.

    Doohan is Alpine’s most high-profile junior driver following the departure of F2 champion Oscar Piastri who will be making his F1 race debut alongside Lando Norris at McLaren next year.

    I’m extremely grateful to Alpine for giving me this opportunity to drive in Free Practice in Mexico. It’s always a huge honour to be entrusted to drive a Formula 1 car, so to have the opportunity on a Grand Prix weekend is very special. Ultimately, the aim is to be doing this every week and this experience is another step closer to achieving that goal. I’ve prepared as best as I can, and I think it’s going to be very exciting to experience the car at this type of circuit with the high altitude and very high top speed. I’ll work hard on the day, do everything the team sets out and, at the same time, enjoy the moment as I know it’s going to be a unique opportunity.

    Jack Doohan on FP1 sessions.

    We are very pleased to announce Jack will join the team in Mexico and take over driving duties for Free Practice 1. We have all been impressed with Jack’s progression across many areas this season and he’s deserving of this chance as we continue to nurture his high potential. It’s important to give our young drivers opportunities to test Formula 1 cars and our Academy programme has proven to be successful in doing just that. We expect Jack to work hard during the session and take as much as he can from the experience of being involved in a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.

    Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal.

  • Tyres for Mexico

    As was the case last weekend, the C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft), has been chosen for the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.

    Mexico is the highest event on the F1 Calendar, at more than 2200 metres above sea level. The thin air affects engines as well as aerodynamics, generating less downforce at lower speeds especially. With this year’s ground effect floors, its going to be interesting to note the impact on downforce compared to previous years.

    During the day in Mexico, there’s quite a lot of temperature variation, even in the space of a few hours, which affects thermal degradation an important parameter that the teams will need to monitor.

    The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is the ‘contingency plan’ to replace the cancelled 2023 tyre test planned for the Japanese Grand Prix. The FP2 session in Mexico will run for 90 minutes to assess the softer slick compounds for next year, while in Austin the harder prototypes were run.

    If a team uses a young driver for FP1, t is allowed to run its own programme for the first part of FP2 before concentrating on the tyre test, for the remainder of the session.

    Over the course of a season, our tyres have to cope with a wide variety of conditions depending on the individual characteristics of each venue. If you look back at the last two races, Suzuka was all about lateral forces and Austin was well-balanced aerodynamically, but Mexico this weekend focuses on traction and braking. The Hermanos Rodriguez circuit does not offer a lot of grip and the energy demands on the tyres are reasonably low, as the cars do not generate much downforce in the thin air at high altitude, especially in slow corners. This year, the circuit might be more front-limited, as the current generation of car tends to understeer through slow corners – which Mexico has plenty of – and this can lead to some sliding on the front tyres. Due to the nature of the venue the circuit tends to feature a dusty surface with plenty of track evolution. Understanding this and getting the tyre warm-up exactly right is likely to be the key to success.”

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director

  • Audi & Sauber to join forces in 2026

    Audi have reached an agreement with Sauber to make the Swiss Formula 1 operation their works team from 2026.

    The German manufacturer announced in August that they will be joining F1 as a power unite supplier, when new regulations that feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels will be introduced in four years time.

    Ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, Audi said Sauber – who are currently running under the Alfa Romeo banner – will become their “strategic partner” for their F1 programme and that the automotive company plans to acquire a stake in the Sauber Group.

    Audi will create their power unit at their base in Neuburg in Germany where already more than 120 people are working on the project – while Sauber will develop and manufacture their race car at their headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland. Sauber will also be responsible for planning and executing the race operations.

    Ahead of Audi’s arrival, Alfa Romeo will end their title sponsorship of Sauber a the end of the 2023 campaign. The Swiss team will continue to use Ferrari power units through to the end of 2025, before taking on Audi power for the following campaign.

    Audi who are apart of the Volkswagen Group – say expansion of their Neuburg facility in terms of personnel, buildings and technical infrastructure should “be largely in place for 2023”. They intend to do their first tests of the 2026 power unit in an F1 test car in 2025.

    We are delighted to have gained such an experienced and competent partner for our ambitious Formula 1 project. We already know the Sauber Group with its state-of-the-art facility and experienced team from previous collaborations and are convinced that together we will form a strong team.

    Oliver Hoffmann, Audi AG Board Member.

    The partnership between Audi AG and Sauber Motorsport is a key step for our team as we continue to make progress towards the front of the grid. To become Audi’s official works team is not only an honour and a great responsibility: it’s the best option for the future and we are fully confident we can help Audi achieve the objectives they have set for their journey in Formula 1.

    Sauber Motorsport CEO and Team Principal, Fred Vasseur.

    It is great news to hear that Audi will have a partnership with Sauber for their entry into Formula 1 in 2026. The combination of those two names is a very exciting prospect for our sport. It highlights the strong momentum that Formula 1 has and the belief in our strategy to further grow and enhance the sport while delivering on our sustainability plans to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030 with advanced sustainable fuels in the cars in 2026. We look forward to seeing their progress over the coming years and the car on the grid for the team’s first race.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1.

  • Sargeant to race for Williams if enough SL points

    Team Principal of Williams, Jost Capito has said that Logan Sargeant will be racing for the team, alongside Alex Albon in 2023 IF he manages to get the requisite Super Licence points in the final Formula 2 round later this season.

    Sargeant replaced Nicholas Latifi in the Williams FW44 during last Friday during free practice 1 at Austin, and in doing so became the first American driver to run in an F1 session since 2015.

    On Saturday, Capito announced that the American driver will step up to a full-time race seat with Williams if he gets his F1 super licence.

    The 21 year old currently sits in third in the 2022 Formula 2 standings, behind Theo Pourchaire and Champion Felipe Drugovich, Sargeant needs to finish fifth in the standings, or sixth provided he gains the two extra points for completing the season without receiving any penalty points, in order to acquire the 40 Super Licence points needed to make it to F1.

    Yeah, we feel he’s ready to race. under the condition that he has enough Super Licence points after Abu Dhabi, he will be our second driver next year. He’s had one season in F2, and I’m a fan of getting young drivers as quick through as possible into Formula 1 because the series below, the cars compare to Formula 1 cars… so get him in as quick as possible and find out if he’s capable of staying in Formula 1 for a long time, which we believe he is. And his first year in F2, and he won races, and he has been qualifying very strong all these years in his career – and we believe he’s absolutely ready to get into Formula 1. Yeah, I think we can have a rookie because with Alex we have a still young, but also very experienced driver. He is established so well in the team, fantastic results, he’s working well with the team – so we can put the rookie alongside him

    Jost Capito.

    FP1 Sessions-

    Logan will be borrowing Albon’s car in Mexico and Latifi’s in Abu Dhabi as well as getting a full day in the car at the Young Driver Test at Yas Marina Circuit.

    Williams also say he will be completing a number of private testing days and extensive simulator work adding to the development work he has already carried out as part of his Williams Academy role.

    I’d like to start by saying thank you again to Williams Racing and Dorilton Motor Sports for giving me the opportunity to drive on home turf yesterday (Friday) here at COTA. It was one of the most enjoyable moments of my career so far. I’m very grateful to be given further time in the FW44 at Mexico and Abu Dhabi. My aim is to make the most of every minute in the car and with the team to build on the progress I’ve made in Austin and throughout my time on the simulator at Grove. Of course, my focus is on finishing my Formula 2 season in Abu Dhabi in the best position possible, and I’m sure my time in the FW44 will keep me sharp and ready for the F2 finale.

    Logan Sargeant on the latest news.

    Logan showed a high level of understanding during his FP1 debut in Austin and provided useful feedback to help in the team’s preparations for the rest of the weekend. We are providing Logan further opportunities in Mexico and Abu Dhabi to integrate himself with the team trackside in both free practice sessions and the Young Driver Test as we work hard to support Logan in his efforts towards earning the FIA Super Licence. It’s great that as a team we can provide invaluable time for Logan to get behind the wheel of the FW44 to continue his development as a Williams Academy Driver and harness his talents. We’re looking forward to seeing how Logan progresses this season and finishes out his last race of the season in Formula 2.

    Williams Sporting Director, Sven Smeets.

  • Moneygram Haas F1 Team

    American Formula 1 team Haas have signed a deal with MoneyGram which will see the digital payment firm become the title sponsor from next season and beyond.

    Haas have been on the look out for a new lead partner after terminating their contract with Russian company Uralkali and Russian driver Nikita Mazepin ahead of this season.

    After months of talks, Haas announced a multi-year agreement at the Circuit of The Americas ahead of the United States Grand Prix last week – that includes team naming rights. The livery will also be revised to incorporate the new partner and unveiled ahead of the 2023 season.

    We are pleased to welcome an incredible brand like MoneyGram as our new title sponsor. Since our entrance into the F1 World Championship in 2016, Haas F1 Team has earned a reputation of strength, agility and resilience. MoneyGram brings a similar drive to the world of financial services, and we’re ready to work together to maximize results on and off the track.

    Owner, Gene Haas.

    MoneyGram is a global leader in fintech and payments and is always setting out to push the boundaries of technology. It’s that eagerness for innovation that really drew us to partner with MoneyGram, and we’re confident that we will continue to grow together and reach our full potential.

    Team Principal, Guenther Steiner.

  • Singapore track changes

    Singapore’s Formula 1 track layout is being changed temporarily for 2023 to help accommodate the construction of a new events venue.

    Work on redevelopment of the float area at Marina Bay into a new entertainments and stage area means the previous section of the circuit from Turns 16 to 19 cannot be used next season. This section of the circuit is most famously known as the scene of Nelson Piquet Jr’s deliberate crash in 2008 that helped teammate Fernando Alonso win that years grand prix.

    Work on what is to be ‘NS Square’ will begin in March next year and it means for next year’s Singapore GP, the track will be missing the entire section. Instead, the circuit will now feature a flat-out section from the right hander at Turn 14, which will incorporate a new 379.3 metre long straight from Turn 15 to the new tight Turn 16.

    Early simulations of the changes to the track estimate that the lap time will drop dramatically down to 1m 27.7 seconds. This year’s Singapore GP, Charles Leclerc took pole position with a lap time of 1m 49.412s.

    As the result of the revisions, which will reduce the track length to 4.928 kilometres, the number of laps will be increased to 63 from its current 61.

    Whilst the changes have been sorted with local architects and approved in principle by F1, they are still subject for formal approval from the FIA’s world motorsport council. It is anticipated that the track will revert back to its traditional layout for 2024 once the new NS Square is complete.

  • Round 19- US GP

    Wow, what a race! I was hoping for a mixed race due to the grid penalties and I think we got just that and more! However, on a weekend where Red Bull’s co-founder and owner, Dietrich Mateschitz has died, the team managed to take home their fifth Constructors title and the team made a tribute to him.

    Not only did they take the Constructors, they also took the win as Max Verstappen took home his 13th win this season, matching Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher. Hamilton comes home in 2nd after battling for the win and Charles Leclerc makes up ground and rounds out the podium.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen P2: Hamilton, P3: Leclerc, P4: Perez, P5: Russell, P6: Norris, P7: Alonso, P8: Vettel, P9: Magnussen and P10: Tsunoda.

    However, nothing stays the same as Fernando Alonso got given a 30 second time penalty which sees him drop out the points. The point scorers are: P1: Verstappen, P2: Hamilton, P3: Leclerc, P4: Perez, P5: Russell, P6: Norris, P7: Vettel, P8: Magnussen, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Ocon.

    Not a good day for Carlos, a what could’ve been for the Spaniard as he got spun round on the first lap by Russell and then having to go back to the pits and retire.

    It’s mostly a mixed result for most of the teams, but one team did look like they were having a promising race until lap 21, Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel were on fire this weekend and showed a lot of pace, with both drivers being in the top 10 during the race, until Alonso went to overtake Stroll and it all went wrong – Stroll has been penalised for the incident with a 3 place grid drop.

    A good weekend for Mercedes, they showed some pace in the race and those upgrades they brought definitely seem like it brought them closer to the front, as Lewis was battling for the win. I think if George didn’t get a 5 second time penalty for the lap 1 incident, he could’ve been a bit further up the grid.

    The Championship-

    With Max Verstappen taken his second Championship the focus turns to the rest of the drivers, Leclerc is now in 2nd as he leap frogs Perez, George builds on the gap between himself and Sainz in P4 and P5, and Lewis closes in on the Spaniard.

    Red Bull have managed to grab their fifth constructors title, Mercedes are closing in on Ferrari with only 53 points between them and 3 races remain! Alpine are still ahead in P4 on 144 points, McLaren on 138 points just six points between them.

  • Round 19- Austin Qualifying

    Qualifying for the United States Grand Prix is complete, but penalties once again shake up the grid a bit, however its all about what happens during the race…

    It was Carlos Sainz who took pole position, with Charles Leclerc in 2nd making it at 1-2 for the Italian team and Max Verstappen in 3rd.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Sainz, P2: Leclerc, P3: Verstappen, P4: Perez, P5: Hamilton, P6: Russell, P7: Stroll, P8: Norris, P9: Alonso and P10: Bottas.

    However the starting grid is: P1: Sainz, P2: Verstappen, P3: Hamilton, P4: Russell, P5: Stroll, P6: Norris, P7: Bottas, P8: Albon, P9: Perez, P10: Vettel, P11: Gasly, P12: Leclerc, P13: Tsunoda, P14: Alonso, P15: Magnussen, P16: Ricciardo, P17: Ocon, P18: Schumacher, P19: Zhou and P20: Latifi.

    A good result for Mercedes, its what they’ve needed after a few tough qualifying’s as well as weekends so the Silver Arrows will be hoping to get a good result on the board.

    What a day for Carlos Sainz, his second pole position and he will be wanting to take the win and hope for his teammate to get further up the grid so they can carry on with the Constructors fight.

    A stand-out qualifying from Stroll, originally qualifying P7 but starting P5 due to others penalties, it will be interesting to see how he does during the race and to hope that Aston have a good strategy and capitalise on the points.

    Predictions-

    My top five predictions are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Sainz, P3: Hamilton, P4: Perez and P5: Russell.

    It is most definitely going to be an interesting race with Perez and Leclerc coming through the field. There will be some drivers hoping to capitalize on there starting positions and hopefully score as many points as possible with four races left.

  • Cape Town added to Season 9 Calendar

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to race in Cape Town, South Africa for the first time on 25th February 2023, following approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.

    The original calendar draft unveiled after the WMSC meeting in June featured three calendar slots to be confirmed, with the already agreed Cape Town E-Prix left off the provisional schedule.

    In further updates to the Season 9 calendar, Berlin will now host a double-header race weekend on 22 and 23rd April while the two races previously announced for Seoul have been removed from the calendar. Rounds 10 and 13 are still to be finalised and will be announced at a later date.

    RoundLocationDate
    Pre-Season TestingValencia, SpainDec 13 – 16
    Round 1Mexico City, MexicoJan 14
    Round 2 & 3Diriyah, Saudi ArabiaJan 27 – 28
    Round 4Hyderabad, IndiaFeb 11
    Round 5Cape Town, South AfricaFeb 25
    Round 6Sao Paulo, BrazilMar 25
    Round 7 & 8 Berlin, GermanyApr 22 – 23
    Round 9MonacoMay 6
    Round 10TBDMay 20
    Round 11 & 12Jakarta, IndonesiaJun 3 – 4
    Round 13TBDJun 24
    Round 14 & 15Rome, ItalyJul 15 – 16
    Round 16 & 17London, UKJul 29 – 30
    Updated Calendar

    We are excited to announce Cape Town as a new destination for our series in Season 9. Our local partners are working incredibly hard to bring an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race to the city and we cannot wait to see the futuristic Gen3 race cars competing against the iconic natural backdrop of Table Mountain. Renovation work at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, the venue for our first races in South Korea earlier this year, means we cannot return to the same location next season as originally planned and so we are exploring other options in South Korea to replace this venue. We are also in active discussions with more world cities and venues to host an event on the other date without a confirmed location.

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E.

  • Austin Tyre Allocation

    The tyre allocation for Austin has been chosen and the middle of the compounds have been nominated: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft).

    The teams will need to be careful of the uneven track surface, as they may need to run a higher ride height – so studying the data carefully is key to find the best set-up.

    The 2021 United States Grand Prix, was a two-stopper but with a completely new range of tyres, it may be a different story – thanks to the new regulations, different weather conditions and other variables on track.

    As was the case in Japan, the second free practice session has been extended to 90 minutes to test the 2023 slick tyre prototypes, to help fine-tune the compounds for next season.

    The entire FP2 session will be devoted to the tyre test with Pirelli setting the run plan. If teams are running a rookie in FP1, it is allowed to run its own programme for some of FP2, before concentrating on the tyre test for the remainder of the session.

    The Circuit of The Americas is a balanced layout when it comes to the demands placed on cars and tyres in terms of traction, braking and lateral loads, but it’s mainly a flowing track that the drivers love, which nonetheless presents some challenging sections that shouldn’t be underestimated. The track was partially re-asphalted in 2020, with a ‘milling’ process also taking place last year to shave off the worst of the bumps that oblige teams to raise the ride height, which affects aerodynamics. In the first free practice session, there could be a high degree of track evolution so it’s going to be vital for the teams to maximise the data collected during FP3 to define the best strategy. The second free practice session will be dedicated to slick tyre testing for 2023, weather permitting. Weather conditions in Austin have been extremely variable in the past, so it’s a circuit where you have to be ready for anything!

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director.

  • Palou and O’Ward FP1 runs

    IndyCar drivers, Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward are set to make their Formula 1 race debuts this season, when they run in the first practice sessions for McLaren.

    Both drivers have previously driven last year’s McLaren car in private tests, but are now getting a taste of current F1 machinery in a Grand Prix weekend environment, as McLaren look to fulfil their two young drivers practice runs.

    The 2021 IndyCar Champion – Palou will be taking over Daniel Ricciardo’s car for FP1 at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix at Austin.

    Meanwhile, Arrow McLaren SP driver, Pato O’Ward will be taking the wheel of Lando Norris’ MCL36 in first practice at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

    I’m so excited to be making my F1 weekend debut. It’s great to be driving in the United States in front of fans that may have seen me race in IndyCar. Having driven the 2021 McLaren MCL35M in a few tests now, I can’t wait to put the MCL36 through its paces. I look forward to helping the team in their preparation for the 2022 United States Grand Prix.

    Alex Palou on driving for McLaren.

    I can’t wait to get out on track in Abu Dhabi. I’ve developed as a driver and had a lot of fun testing last year’s car with the team, so it will be a great experience to drive the MCL36. Thank you McLaren F1 for the opportunity.

    Pato O’Ward on driving for McLaren.

    We’re pleased to give Alex and Pato the opportunity to take part in Free Practice sessions with McLaren. With Alex’s great successes in IndyCar, it will be useful for the team to get his feedback on the car and for us to continue to evaluate him as a driver. Alex and Pato impressed with their recent tests in Barcelona and Austria and we’re excited to offer them the experience in the MCL36. It’s a great chance for them to showcase their skills on Formula One’s global stage, where the focus will be to help the team prepare for the race weekend and not on ultimate lap times.

    Andreas Seidl, McLaren Boss.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjse7paI8z6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Pourchaire to make FP1 debut

    Sauber Academy driver, Theo Pourchaire will be making his F1 race weekend debut at the Circuit of the Americas during the United States Grand Prix. Where he will be driving in first practice for Alfa Romeo and he will also be one of the teams reserve drivers for 2023.

    Pourchaire, joined the Sauber Academy in 2019 and will be taking over Valtteri Bottas’s C42 on Friday in Texas. The Frenchman has previously driven for the team in a private test, he got to sample the C38 car at the Hungaroring in 2021.

    Currently 2nd in the Formula 2 standings, Pourchaire has taken home 3 wins and 3 further podiums, he currently has 164 points to his name and will be wanting to score more in the final round in Abu Dhabi.

    Theo has been delivering great performances over the course of this season, as well as during the previous years. We have been working closely with him for almost four years now, as a member of our Academy, and we have been impressed by his constant progress and development as a driver first and, equally importantly, as a person. We are delighted to give him his first Free Practice outing next week: it’s a well-deserved opportunity, and I’m confident he will once again impress us with his performances, as he will help the team gather valuable data ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

    Team Principal, Frederic Vasseur.

    I am thrilled to be making my Free Practice debut in Austin; it will be my second time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but in some ways, it will feel like it’s the first time, as this time it will be during an official Grand Prix session. It feels like a dream coming true, and I want to thank Alfa Romeo F1 Team for putting their trust in me and granting me this amazing opportunity: I am looking forward to being on track, and I will make sure to get the most out of it and to do my best to support the team as they prepare for the United States Grand Prix.

    Theo Pourchaire on his FP1 debut.

    Ever since he joined the Sauber Academy back in 2019, Théo has shown impressive progress. He has been a title winner in 2019 and a contender in 2020 in F3; in F2, particularly this season, he’s given his all and was in the battle for the title for most of the championship. He is, without any doubt, one of the most promising young drivers coming through the ranks, and it’s a pleasure for us to finally see him stepping up and earning his first Formula One Free Practice outing. From the very beginning he impressed us with his professional approach and dedication to always give his very best on- and off-track, and we can’t wait to see him further unlocking his potential on track.

    Alfa Romeo’s Sporting Director, Beat Zehnder.

  • DS Automobiles, Penske Autosport to partner as DS Penske

    DS Automobiles one of Formula E’s most successful marques is set to begin a new chapter as a partner of PENSKE AUTOSPORT, with the newly christened DS Penske.

    Not only this, they have confirmed their driver line-up for Season 9, they welcome the current World Champion, Stoffel Vandoorne alongside double champion, Jean-Eric Vergne.

    With the new partnership alongside one of motorsport’s most recognisable team names sealed, and two of the quickest drivers on the grid in the bag. With the Director of DS Performance, Thomas Chevaucher has his eyes on silverware including the world titles.

    DS was among one of the first manufacturers to enter Formula E back in 2015, and the French marque continues to see the world’s foremost electric racing series as key to its race to road technology transfer and research development.

    The start of a new association is always a big moment, and all of us at DS Performance are eager to begin this new adventure with PENSKE AUTOSPORT. We are starting this partnership in the best possible way by having two champions in the team! Thanks to Stoffel and Jean-Eric, we probably have one of the best line-ups and also the fastest pairing on the grid. With the powertrain and software expertise of DS Performance, we are now in an ideal position to continue our hunt for victories and titles.

    Thomas Chevaucher.

    We’re thrilled to partner with DS Automobiles, an iconic automotive brand who shares our ambitions in striving for excellence. This is a major milestone for our team, and something we have been looking forward to for years. Together we will push the technological boundaries in our hunt for performance and wins. With world champion driver Stoffel and two-time champion Jean-Eric, I am confident that we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid!

    Jay Penske, Founder and Owner of PENSKE AUTOSPORT.

  • Fittipaldi to complete FP1 sessions for Haas

    Pietro Fittipaldi, took to social media to say he will be taking part in FP1 for Haas in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

    As part of the 2022 Sporting Regulations teams must, in two FP1 sessions, field a driver who has not taken part in more than two Grand Prix.

    The Brazilian-American reserve and test driver Fittipaldi, is currently in his fourth season with the team.

    The 26 year old stood in for injured Romain Grosjean at the final Grand Prix of 2020, making his starts at Sakhir and Abu Dhabi with a best finish of 17th.

    Fittipaldi didn’t get much choice on when he will be fulfilling the role, as Brazil we only have two practice sessions due to the Sprint. The team is also running Ferrari-affiliated Antonio Giovinazzi in FP1 at the United States Grand Prix.

    I’m super happy to announce that I’ll be driving the VF-22 in FP1 at Mexico and Abu Dhabi. I want to thank Haas F1 team for the opportunity. I drove the VF-22 for the first time in Bahrain at the Official Pre-Season Tests but now to drive it during a race weekend is an amazing opportunity, so thank you to the team.

    Pietro Fittipaldi on his FP1 sessions.

  • Ticktum sticks with NIO 333

    Dan Ticktum will be competing for a second year in Formula E with NIO 333, with the driver signing on for Gen3’s bow and Season 9 with the Anglo-Chinese team.

    Ticktum impressed in his debut campaign, regularly mixing it with outgoing teammate Oliver Turvey. His high of the season came in Rome with points and 10th spot.

    The British driver revealed over social media that he too had been in the car since the Seoul finale, and was at the team’s Silverstone HQ for a seat fit on Tuesday morning.

    I’ve been in the car a couple of times and it’s a big step forward from Gen2; I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m really looking forward to getting cracking with this new era of electric racing.

    Ticktum on his new contract.

    Sergio Sette Camara singed for NIO 333 in September and has since tested the teams ER9 Gen3 in both Italy and England as the team steps up its preparations for Season 9 and Formula E’s new era.

    With the announcement that Ticktum would join him, one of Formula E’s longest-standing and most experienced racers, Oliver Turvey says his goodbyes to the team – having been a part of the squad from the inaugural 2014/15 campaign.

  • Aron to PREMA 2023

    PREMA Racing has confirmed one driver for their Formula 3 2023 season, with Paul Aron making the step up to the series.

    The Mercedes Junior driver, has driven for PREMA almost exclusively since his single-seater debut in Italian F4 back in 2019. Since then, he returned to the outfit for his Formula Regioanl European Championship by Alpine efforts in 2021 and ’22, most recently achieving a P3 finish in the drivers standings last season.

    The 18 year old, currently sits third in the Championship on 176 points, with four victories and a further two podium finishes to his name in 2022.

    As a member of the Mercedes F1 Junior driver set-up, Aron will complete the remaining races of the 2022 FRECA campaign before turning his attentions to F3 and the 2023 season with the PREMA team.

    I am very, very happy, excited, and thankful to join a team like PREMA in the FIA Formula 3 Championship for the 2023 season. They proved themselves year after year, always having three cars on top and showing great pace. I am delighted to spend another year with them, and I am confident they will give me the best possible package to fight for the win. I am really looking forward to seeing what we will be able to achieve next year.

    Aron said.

    We are extremely delighted to continue working with Paul. We have always been aware of his winning potential, and we think he will keep producing impressive runs in the future, even in a very competitive and highly-challenging environment like Formula 3. It will be a learning year, but we are sure there will be many chances to challenge for high-profile results, so our goal is to push right from the winter preparations to be ready for 2023.

    Team Principal, Rene Rosin.

  • FIA announces cost cap breaches by two teams

    The FIA has announced that two teams have breached the 2021 Financial Regulations, as they announce their review into the regulations.

    According tot the FIA, who released their findings into a cost cap investigation on Monday, Aston Martin are in ‘Procedural Breach’ and Red Bull have committed a Procedural Breach and a Minor Financial Overspend (less than 5% of the cost cap) according to the FIA.

    Williams were found to have made a Procedural Breach on May 2022, that the team then rectified in a “timely, cooperative and transparent manner”.

    Procedural Breaches and Minor Overspend Breaches can result in a financial penalties and/or minor sporting penalties. The following could be penalties for Red Bull-

    • Public reprimand
    • Deduction of Constructors’ Championship points awarded for the Championship that took place within the Reporting Period of the breach.
    • Deduction of Drivers’ Championship points awarded for the Championship that took place within the Reporting Period of the Breach.
    • Suspension from one or more stages of a Competition or Competitions, excluding for the avoidance of doubt the race itself.
    • Limitations on ability to conduct aerodynamic or other testing; and/or reduction of the Cost Cap provided that the reduction specified shall only be applied with respect to the year following the punishment being handed out.

    The review of the Reporting Documentation submitted has been an intensive and thorough process, and all Competitors gave their full support in providing the required information to assess their financial situation during this first year of the Financial Regulations. The FIA Cost Cap Administration notes that all Competitors acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process. The FIA would also note that with respect to this first year of the application of the Financial Regulations the intervention of the FIA Cost Cap Administration has been limited to reviewing the submissions made by the Competitors and that no full formal investigations were launched. The FIA Cost Cap Administration is currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken under the Financial Regulations with respect to Aston Martin and Red Bull and further information will be communicated in compliance with the Regulations.

    The FIA on the findings.

  • Rookie FP1 sessions complete so far

    At the start of 2022, the FIA approved a change to the sporting regulations that would give fresh talent the chance to get behind the wheel of an F1 car.

    During two FP1 sessions this season, every team on the grid have to give up both of their cars to make way for a rookie driver. To qualify for this, the rookie can’t have taken part in more than two Grand Prix and will have to have enough SUper Licence points.

    Despite the fact this is mandatory, many teams on the grid still haven’t shared details of who they have lined up and when it actually happens, there are only 4 races left…

    Three teams haven’t completed one session yet those being Alpine, McLaren and Haas. There’s only 4 races left so teams may want to get the hurry up…

    Here’s how many rookies in FP1 each team has used so far this year:

    TeamRun 1Run 2
    MercedesNyck de Vries – French GP
    Red BullJuri Vips – Spanish GP
    FerrariRobert Shwartzman – United States GP*
    Alpine
    McLaren
    Alpha TauriLiam Lawson – Belgian GP
    Aston MartinNyck de Vries – Italian GPFelipe Drugovich – Abu Dhabi GP*
    WilliamsNyck de Vries – Spanish GPLogan Sargeant – United States GP*
    Alfa RomeoZhou Guanyu – Bahrain GP
    Haas
    * To be Completed but confirmed.

  • Bortoleto graduates to F3

    Trident has confirmed Gabriel Bortoleto as their first recruit for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 campaign, with the rookie joining off the back of a successful post-season test with the team in Jerez and is the first driver to be announced for next season.

    Currently competing in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, the 17 year old has one win, three podiums to his tally across the first eight rounds. Earlier this year he also took home a victory in Formula Regional Asian Championship at Yas Marina.

    Prior to stepping up to FRECA, Bortoleto finished fifth in Italian F4, claiming one win, five podiums and two pole positions along the way.

    Topping the time sheets on Day 2 of post-season test for the Italian team, Bortoleto also recorded the fastest overall time from the three-day event around the Spanish circuit.

    I am extremely delighted for the chance to compete in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship with a high-level team like Trident Motorsport. I would like to thank every member of the team for the warm welcome I have been given. I feel ready for a new chapter in my career and to move to a higher series in single-seaters. I will put my best effort to make the most of this great opportunity.

    Bortoleto on his move.

    We are proud to welcome a promising driver like Gabriel Bortoleto to our line-up. He needs no introduction as he has been extremely competitive since his karting days and is now collecting impressive results in the FRECA championship as well. We are sure that by joining the Trident Motorsport family, Gabriel will receive solid support from every team member and prove his value and qualities.

    Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager.

  • De Vries to AT

    Alpha Tauri have announced that Nyck de Vries will be joining the team from 2023, following the news that Pierre Gasly will be moving to Alpine to partner Esteban Ocon next season.

    De Vries has been enjoying his FP1 outings for Mercedes, Aston Martin and Williams in 2022, giving him plenty of mileage in the new generation of Formula 1 machinery.

    The Dutchman then stepped in for Alex Albon when he was ruled out of the Italian Grand Prix. De Vries impressed the paddock with a mature drive to P9 on his maiden outing. With Alpha Tauri didn’t waste anytime in obtaining the signature of the 2019 Formula 2 champion once it became clear that Gasly was moving to a different team.

    I’m extremely excited to be joining Scuderia AlphaTauri for 2023 and I want to thank both Red Bull and the team for giving me the opportunity to drive in F1. After Formula 2, I took a slightly different path with motorsport, but F1 has always been my dream and I’m grateful to be able to fulfil it. I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season, I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come. Having spent most of my teenage years in Italy for karting, I’ve always felt at home there, so for me it’s great to be joining an Italian team, that already has a real family feel, and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and to start to build our relationship before the next season.

    Nyck de Vries on stepping up to a full-time F1 race seat.

    Scuderia AlphaTauri had a very successful time with Pierre. We will never forget his fantastic victory in Monza and his podium finishes in Brazil and Azerbaijan. I want to thank Pierre for all the effort he’s put into the team in the last years, and I wish him all the best for his future. Now, we are pleased to start a new chapter with Nyck, who’s very much welcome at Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is a very high skilled driver, as he won in all the categories he competed in, with many races and championships under his belt. His last big success was winning the Formula E World Championship, and this is clear evidence that he is a very competitive driver, who deserves a seat in F1. I am looking forward to seeing him in our car and I’m confident that with Yuki and Nyck we will have a very strong driver line up for 2023.

    Franz Tost, Alpha Tauri Team Principal.
  • Round 18- Japanese GP

    Round 18- Japanese GP

    The Japanese Grand Prix finally comes to an end after it looking like it almost didn’t happen due to the rain. Lights went out at 6am (BST) and we got half a lap of racing before there was a safety car and then on lap 3, the race then got red flagged.

    But it was Max Verstappen who took the win in Japan, and secured himself a second world title! Sergio Perez comes home in 2nd making it a 1-2 for Red Bull and Charles Leclerc finishes 3rd after being penalised for cutting the chicane…

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Perez, P3: Leclerc, P4: Ocon, P5: Hamilton, P6: Vettel, P7: Alonso, P8: Russell, P9: Latifi and P10: Norris.

    First lap incident was Carlos Sainz, who spun round and then hit the barriers. As well as this Alex Albon couldn’t move from 2nd and had to pull to one side of the track.

    It was a very weird race, obviously having the race red flagged for over 2 hours so we only ended up with around 40 minutes of racing! But not only that there was a recovery vehicle on track whilst Pierre was also on the track.

    Completely unacceptable that they allowed this to happen, even more so at a track where a driver collided with a vehicle back in 2014 at the Japanese GP and then died in 2015. Jules Bianchi lost control of his car in very wet conditions and collided with a recovery vehicle.

    Honestly im so shocked, but I am also glad to see that drivers and team principles agree that the recovery vehicle shouldn’t of been on the track. But the FIA have announced that they have launched an investigation into by releasing a statement of the following- “While it is normal practice to recover cars under Safety Car and Red Flag conditions, due to the particular circumstances and also taking into account feedback from of a number of drivers, the FIA has launched a thorough review of the events involving the deployment of recovery vehicles during the Japanese Grand Prix. This is part of the common practice of analysis of all race incidents to ensure continual improvements of processes and procedures.”

    But on another note, Max Verstappen is world champion for the second time in a row, after an absolute stellar of a season and winning it with 4 races to the end! He now has to focus on the Constructors as Red Bull haven’t won it yet, but it can be won in Austin.

    Now we have to wait until the 21st to 23rd of October for Round 19 but it is the first of a double header and we are heading to the States!

  • Gasly to Alpine 2023

    Pierre Gasly is the final piece in the puzzle as he forms an all-French line-up with Esteban Ocon at Alpine from the 2023 season, after he signs a multi-year deal.

    The 26 year old, was contracted to Alpha Tauri for 2023 but Red Bull – who have supported him for the past nine years – agreed to release him early if they find a suitable replacement.

    Gasly has been keen to secure a drive after having rebuilt his reputation at AlphaTauri following his demotion from Red Bull in 2019.

    When Fernando Alonso announced he was leaving for Aston Martin and Alpine’s reserve Oscar Piastri chose McLaren, Alpine marked Gasly as their number one target.

    I am delighted to join the Alpine family and begin this new chapter in my Formula 1 career. Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special. I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive. I wish to thank Red Bull as this marks the end of our nine-year journey together. It is thanks to their trust and support that I became a Formula 1 driver, and what we’ve achieved with Scuderia AlphaTauri over the last years has been very special. Looking ahead, I want to give the maximum and utilise all my experience to fight for podiums and ultimately contribute to Alpine’s fight for championships in the future.

    Pierre Gasly on his move.

    I’m very happy that Pierre will be joining the team for 2023 and beyond. He is already a proven talent within Formula 1, and we are looking forward to harnessing that within the team. Our team has several objectives for the coming seasons and I firmly believe our driver line-up is a great reflection of the team’s high ambitions. I trust Pierre and Esteban can, together, motivate the team to continue its progress towards these goals. We would also like to thank Red Bull for agreeing the terms to allow Pierre to take this step.

    Alpine Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer

    I would like to welcome Pierre to the Alpine family. He is a talented and motivated driver who will contribute positively to our objectives in Formula 1. Pierre is completely aligned with the ambition and progression that has, to date, been a hallmark of the Alpine project. As a young, but highly experienced and successful driver, his trajectory is on course with our own, and we look forward to growing together.

    Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO.