Jordan's Track Talk

Category: 2024

  • Schumacher contender to replace Sargeant

    Mick Schumacher has been named as the ‘obvious contender’ for replacing Williams driver, Logan Sargeant if there is no improvement in his performances.

    Williams, currently hold seventh place in the Constructors Standings with Alex Albon accounting for all 11 points being scored this season.

    Sargeant hasn’t had the best start to his rookie season, and has failed to score points 10 races in, and struggled to match his teammates performances. This has now led to speculation of where his future lies.

    Earlier on in the season, there was speculation of a mid-season swap with Schumacher replacing Sargeant, however Williams chose to support their drivers development and provide him with an opportunity to improve his performance first.

    Schumacher, currently holds the position of Mercedes’ reserve driver, also recently testing for the team. Not only this he is also an active presence in the garage during grand prix weekends.

    With the strong partnership and share engine between Williams and Mercedes, the possibility of Schumacher taking over Sargeant’s seat for the 2024 season is certainly credible if the current conditions persist.

    Rookie Logan Sargeant has had a solid but unspectacular start to life in Formula 1, and knows he needs to up his game to stick around for another season. Williams have thrown their collective arm around the American’s shoulders and tried to keep the pressure off him in a bid to help him find a rhythm. They are backing him to succeed and earn a second campaign in blue – but he needs to not only find consistency but also close the gap to Albon, particularly in qualifying, and get himself on the scoreboard. If he doesn’t, his seat is under threat. Mick Schumacher would be an obvious contender, having briefly had talks with the team last year and having kept his hand in through his Mercedes reserve role, where he has earned public praise for his efforts from [Lewis] Hamilton and [George] Russell.

    Lawrence Barretto, F1 Correspondent in an article for Formula 1.
    Mick Schumacher of Germany, Reserve Driver of Mercedes walks in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami...
    Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

  • McLaren extends Jake Hughes deal

    NEOM McLaren has announced that Jake Hughes will extend his stay with the British team for the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    Hughes stepped up from his reserve and development driver with Mercedes-EQ in Season 7 and 8 into an impressive rookie campaign in Season 9.

    Jake qualified third on his debut at the Mexico City E-Prix back in January where he went on to finish 5th.
    He then went on to secure the team’s first Formula E podium in Diriyah before doubling his pole count in Monaco.

    While Hughes remains, McLaren announced the other day that Rene Rast will not be hanging around for Season 10 – which will leave Hughes with a new teammate for the approaching season.

    I’m really happy to be remaining with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team for Season 10. The team has been my home for a number of years, and I have loved every minute of it. We had a bit of a mixed season, but I had a lot of personal highlights which I’m hoping to build upon next year with the team and fight for wins and podiums, which I have no doubt we’ll be able to achieve together. I can’t wait for Season 10.

    Hughes on staying in papaya.

    I am excited to be able to share that we will be continuing our relationship with Jake. Even though we never had any doubts about his performance, he impressed the team and the wider paddock with a great rookie season. Jake’s commitment to the team and to Formula E is outstanding. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Jake and the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.

    Ian James, Managing Director and Team Principal.

    I am delighted that Jake will remain with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team for Season 10. As we expected, Jake has proven himself to be an exceptional talent, delivering some strong results for the team in 2023, including two pole positions. As we look forward to Season 10, I’m excited to see what Jake and the team can achieve.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

  • Rene Rast leaves NEOM McLaren

    NEOM McLaren and Rene Rast have parted ways after a season together at the start of Formula E’s GEN3 era.

    NEOM McLaren had signed Rast at the close of Season 8, with the German the first of the team’s driver line-up to be announced ahead of its Formula E bow in Season 9.

    Rast made his return to Formula E after a full time spell with Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler back in Season 7, with a best result of second in Puebla.

    The Minden-born driver’s first appearance in the series came back in 2015/16 and was followed by a stint with Audi back at the Season 6 six race nine-day finale in Berlin that earned him a full-time seat a year later.
    Rast scored his first Formula E silverware on home soil in the German capital, having impressed with his combative driving style.

    The triple DTM champion went on to score McLaren’s only podium of the season in Diriyah, and finished just eight points behind rookie Jake Hughes in the sister car – winding up 13th in the Drivers’ World Championship.
    A tough run through the second half of the season from his home E-Prix in Berlin onwards saw him fail to finish higher than 12th.

    Rene has been an integral part of the team’s successes and learnings as its first season as the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. Rene has taken the difficult decision to pursue other opportunities, and the team fully supports his decision. We can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for the team over the past year. Having said that, the team has been working in the background to secure the best possible driver line-up for Season 10, and we are excited to announce the full driver line-up for the 2023/24 season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in due course. Thank you again, Rene – you will be missed.

    McLaren on the news.

  • Robin Frijns returns to Envision

    Robin Frijns will be returning to Envision Racing for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    The Dutchman, twice a Formula E race winner, enjoyed a four season spell with the team between Seasons 5 and 8.

    He then spent this season with ABT CUPRA, with the Spanish manufacturer’s first foray into the championship at the start of the Gen3 era and on ABT’s return to competition in the world’s top tier electric racing series.

    It’s a return which makes sense, with the new that Nick Cassidy will be replacing Sam Bird at Jaguar TCS Racing – and Frijns is wasting no time in stating his intentions of steering the team to further title silverware in Season 10.

    Frijns’ two E-Prix wins came at Envision Racing in his inaugural season with the squad at the Paris E-Prix and the season-finale New York City E-Prix – helping the team to fourth position in the teams standings.

    In Season 7, Frijns ran right at the sharp end throughout, winding up fifth in the Drivers’ running having challenged for the championship for much of the season.

    Season 8 saw the 32 year old turn in ever more consistent performances – once again running right at the front for much of the campaign with seven second-placed finishes and three further podiums.

    I’m really excited about getting started again with Envision Racing after a year away from the team, it really does feel like coming home. It will be great to be joining a championship-winning team. Envision Racing have been fighting at the top pretty much every season, and I can’t wait to get started. We have a great car, and the aim is to be competitive, which I am sure we will be, and I am driving to win the championship.

    Frijns coming back.

    It is great to have Robin back with the team after one year away. He enjoyed some memorable moments with Envision Racing over the years and was always pushing at the front and regularly fishing on the podium. The combination of Robin and Sébastien will be a strong one, and we can’t wait to get started for Season 10.

    Sylvain Filippi, Envision Racing’s Managing Director and CTO.

  • Cassidy joins Jaguar TCS Racing

    Jaguar TCS Racing have announced Nick Cassidy will join the team’s driver line-up for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    The Formula E race winner and title challenger will join fellow New Zealander Mitch Evans, who has been with Jaguar since they joined the Championship in 2016.

    The two Kiwi’s will arguably be one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid, with 15 wins, 37 podiums, 11 pole positions and 1076 championship points between them.

    Cassidy joins Jaguar TCS Racing off the back of his most successful season to date, having finished the 2023 season runner-up in the Drivers’ World Championship, bringing the title fight to the final weekend of the season. He was also instrumental in winning the Teams’ World Championship with Envision Racing.

    I’m very excited to be joining the Jaguar TCS Racing team for the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and I am looking forward to racing for a team like Jaguar that has such a successful motorsport history. This season has been my most successful to date, so I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 and fight for points, podiums and wins. Looking forward to having Mitch as a teammate, we have known each other since we were kids and have raced against each other for years, so I’m proud that we will be racing together and hope to continue to put New Zealand on the map in motorsport.

    Nick Cassidy on the move.

    We are thrilled to announce that Nick Cassidy has joined Jaguar TCS Racing. Nick’s track record speaks for itself and is someone we have always had our eye on back to his time racing in Japan. Since joining Formula E he has gone from strength to strength and his 2023 season was very impressive. Nick was highly motivated to join the team and we are proud to welcome him into the Jaguar family. We head into the new season with one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid and paired with the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 and our talented team we will be looking to once again challenge for both the Drivers and Teams World Championship titles.

    James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

  • Formula 3 reveal 2024 Calendar

    FIA Formula 3 has announced the calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship. Next season includes 10 rounds, which all support the Formula One World Championship and the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

    The 10 teams and 30 drivers will contest a total of 20 races, across three different continents, with no new tracks being added for next season.

    F3’s sixth season will kick off again at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 29th – March 2nd and the season concludes in Monza, Italy on August 30th to September 1st.

    RoundDateLocation
    129th February – 2nd MarchSakhir, Bahrain
    222nd – 24th MarchMelbourne, Australia
    317th – 19th MayImola, Italy
    423rd – 26th MayMonte Carlo, Monaco
    521st – 23rd JuneBarcelona, Spain
    628th – 30th JuneSpielberg, Austria
    75th – 7th JulySilverstone, Great Britain
    819th – 21st JulyBudapest, Hungary
    926th – 28th JulySpa-Francorchamps, Belgium
    1030th August – 1st SeptemberMonza, Italy

    We are all excited to announce the 2024 Formula 3 calendar that brings huge anticipation and excitement after an already thrilling season this year. The intensity on the track is delighting all our fans and once again shows the talent in the system and the pipeline we have for the future. I want to thank the FIA, Bruno, his team and all the competitors for the incredible job they do and also pay tribute to our longstanding partners Dallara, Mechachrome and Pirelli for their continued support of the series. We are all looking forward to the rest of the season and an exciting 2024.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1.

    The FIA junior single-seater categories are of vital importance to the success of motor sport at the very highest levels, and for the young drivers to develop on the global platform of Formula 1 is without doubt the right pathway. The calendar that we are very pleased to confirm today provides a broad range of circuits, including some of the most challenging and iconic racing venues anywhere in the world, on which the potential stars of the future will give the drivers the best possible preparation for the next step up the ladder to the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

    In 2023, we introduced two new circuits – Melbourne and Monte Carlo – which held extremely successful events for Formula 3. I am very pleased to include them again in the 2024 calendar. We will have 10 rounds, across 3 continents, starting in Sakhir and ending in Monza, all events running alongside Formula 1. In a matter of five years, the FIA Formula Championship 3 has become a decisive category that features the best up-and-coming talents on their way to the top steps of motorsport.

    Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO.

  • Formula 2 reveal 2024 Calendar

    FIA Formula 2 have announced their calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship. With next season including a total of 14 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

    The eleven teams and 22 drivers will contest a total of 28 races across 13 countries with a new venue added to the calendar as Formula 2 head to Qatar for the first time.

    The eighth season of Formula 2 will open at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 29th – March 2nd, with the season concluding at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi on December 6th – 8th.

    RoundDateLocation
    129th Feb – 2nd MarchSakhir, Bahrain
    27th – 9th MarchJeddah, Saudi Arabia
    322nd – 24th MarchMelbourne, Australia
    417th – 19th MayImola, Italy
    523rd – 26th MayMonte Carlo, Monaco
    621st – 23rd JuneBarcelona, Spain
    728th – 30th JuneSpielberg, Austria
    85th – 7th JulySilverstone, Great Britain
    919th – 21st JulyBudapest, Hungary
    1026th – 28th JulySpa-Francorchamps, Belgium
    1130th August – 1st SeptemberMonza, Italy
    1213th – 15th SeptemberBaku, Azerbaijan
    1329th November – 1st DecemberLusail, Qatar
    146th – 8th DecemberYas Island, Abu Dhabi

    It is fantastic to announce such an exciting F2 calendar for 2024, following on from the 24 race calendar we announced for Formula 1 a few weeks ago. The breadth of venues and the addition of Qatar is another sign of the strength and interest in F2 globally and the talent we have in the Championship is very positive for the future. The Championship is delivering exciting racing at every event for all our fans and that is a tribute to the work of Bruno, his team and all the competitors across the grid. I would also like to thank the FIA for their collaboration on this fantastic championship, and our long-standing partners Pirelli, Dallara and Mecachrome for their continued support. We are all looking forward to the rest of the season and crowning the 2023 Champion.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1.

    The 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship calendar, which has today been approved by the World Motor Sport Council, ensures another exciting season of racing on some of the most iconic and challenging circuits around the world. As the final stepping stone before the pinnacle of single-seater motor sport, Formula 2 is a hugely important championship that creates intense competition, and its success is the result of the strong collaboration between the FIA team, the promoter and all of the teams, which I look forward to seeing continue into 2024 and beyond

    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

    The 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship calendar, which has today been approved by the World Motor Sport Council, ensures another exciting season of racing on some of the most iconic and challenging circuits around the world. As the final stepping stone before the pinnacle of single-seater motor sport, Formula 2 is a hugely important championship that creates intense competition, and its success is the result of the strong collaboration between the FIA team, the promoter and all of the teams, which I look forward to seeing continue into 2024 and beyond.

    FIA Formula 2 CEO, Bruno Michel.

  • Evans extends with Jaguar TCS Racing

    Jaguar TCS Racing have announced that Mitch Evans will return to race for the British team for the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and beyond, with the New Zealander singing a multi-year contract extension.

    The deal means Evans and Jaguar TCS Racing’s relationship will become the longest-standing driver and team pairing in Formula E history.

    The partnership is also one of the most successful since the inception of the all-electric World Championship.
    Evans made his debut with Jaguar Racing in 2016 in his inaugural Formula E campaign and has since become widely accepted as among the quickest and most talented drivers on the grid.

    In 2019, he translated his promise into a first race win for the team in Rome. Together, Evans and the team have formed a formidable pairing achieving 10 wins, 25 podiums, eight TAG Heuer Fastest Laps, six Julius Baer Pole Positions and 733 championship points over the least seven years.

    The New Zealander, finished Season 9 in third, achieving his biggest points haul to date – where he was apart of the title fight to the final weekend.
    Evans also helped Jaguar TCS Racing to secure second place in the Teams World Championship.

    Also, Evans is one of the most successful drivers to have represented the iconic British Marque, joining legends of the sport including Norman Dewis, Stirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn to name a few.

    Having been with Jaguar TCS Racing since 2016, it was the natural choice to continue our successful partnership. We’ve had some incredible moments over the last seven years and I’m looking forward to writing our next chapter together. I am proud to race for Jaguar and play my part with the team in JLR’s Reimagine strategy.

    The 29 year old on the news.

    It’s an absolute pleasure to confirm that Mitch remains a key part of Jaguar TCS Racing for the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and beyond. Mitch has been one of the founding members of the team since Jaguar returned to racing in 2016 and is now one of the longest serving drivers in Jaguar’s history. The fact that our future remains together for a new chapter is an accolade we are both proud of. Mitch has time and again demonstrated that he is one of the most talented drivers in the world, so we are pleased that our formidable partnership continues. I’m excited to build on the successes we have enjoyed to date and challenging for more championships together.

    James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

  • F1 teams to have F1 Academy drivers and liveries for ’24 season

    Formula 1 and F1 Academy have announced that, as of the 2024 season, all 10 F1 teams will have one driver and their livery on one car competing in the all-female racer series.

    F1 Academy boasts five teams – ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, PREMA Racing and Rodin Carlin – who each have three cars and three drivers, making a total of 15.

    From next season, 10 of these drivers will be nominated by F1 teams and each team will have livery on one car, with details on the drivers and liveries to be confirmed by the F1 teams at a later time.

    The remaining five drivers in the series are set to be supported by other partners, with announcements surrounding these also to be made in due course. The final 2024 driver line-up for each team will be revealed at a later date.

    First and foremost, I want to thank the Formula 1 teams for their support and vision as we embark on this journey together. This landmark moment not only demonstrates the depth of support for F1 Academy from across the F1 community but will inspire a whole generation of young girls to realise the opportunities both on and off track in motorsport. As we join the F1 calendar for next year and host F1 Academy Discover Your Drive events in the lead up to our races, I am confident that we will have a positive impact across our sport in the long term.

    Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.

    We created F1 Academy to bring about real and lasting change to ensure young female talent have the right system in place to follow and achieve their dreams. Today is a very important moment as it shows the impact the project is having and the support it is receiving from across the F1 community. Susie, the teams, and everyone involved are working tirelessly to ensure we go from strength to strength and continue to deliver on the important objective we have set out together. In 2024 the F1 Academy will join our race calendar, raising the awareness and profile of the series globally and to have the F1 liveries on the grid will be something very special.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

  • F1 announces calendar for 2024

    Formula 1 has announced the calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, approved by the World Motor Sport Council.

    Formula 1 has made clear its intention to move towards greater calendar regionalisation, reducing logistical burdens and making the season more sustainable.

    The calendar features 24 race weekends and begins in Bahrain on March 2nd and finished in Abu Dhabi on December 8th.

    By moving Japan to April, Azerbaijan to September and Qatar back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, this calendar creates a better flow of races in certain regions, and this work will continue while being realistic to the fact that as a world championship, with climatic and contractual constraints, there will always be travel required that cannot be completely regionalised.

    For the opening two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Grand Prix will take place on a Saturday, to accommodate Ramadan.

    RoundDateGrand PrixVenue
    129th February – 2nd MarchBahrainSakhir
    27th – 9th MarchSaudi ArabiaJeddah
    322nd – 24th MarchAustraliaMelbourne
    45th – 7th AprilJapanSuzuka
    519th – 21st AprilChinaShanghai
    63rd – 5th MayMiamiMiami
    717th – 19th MayEmilia RomagnaImola
    824th – 26th MayMonacoMonaco
    97th – 9th JuneCanadaMontreal
    1021st – 23rd JuneSpainBarcelona
    1128th – 30th JuneAustriaSpielberg
    125th – 7th JulyUnited KingdomSilverstone
    1319th – 21st JulyHungaryBudapest
    1426th – 28th JulyBelgiumSpa
    1523rd – 25th AugustNetherlandsZandvoort
    1630th August – September 1stItalyMonza
    1713th – 15th SeptemberAzerbaijanBaku
    1820th – 22nd SeptemberSingaporeSingapore
    1918th – 20th OctoberUSAAustin
    2025th – 27th OctoberMexicoMexico City
    211st – 3rd NovemberBrazilSao Paulo
    2221st – 23rd NovemberLas VegasLas Vegas
    2329th November – 1st DecemberQatarLusail
    246th – 8th DecemberAbu DhabiYas Marina

    I am delighted to announce the 2024 calendar with 24 races that will deliver an exciting season for our fans around the world. There is huge interest and continued demand for Formula 1, and I believe this calendar strikes the right balance between traditional races and new and existing venues. I want to thank all of the promoters and partners for their support and effort to achieve this great schedule. Our journey to a more sustainable calendar will continue in the coming years as we further streamline operations as part of our Net Zero 2030 commitment. We have plenty of racing to look forward to in 2023, including the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, and our fans can look forward to more excitement next season.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    The planned 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar, that has been approved by the Motor Sport Council Members, demonstrates some important steps towards our shared goals. We want to make the global spectacle of Formula 1 more efficient in terms of environmental sustainability and more manageable for the travelling staff who dedicate so much of their time to our sport. Stefano Domenicali and his team have done a great job to both bring in new and exciting venues in emerging markets for Formula 1, and stay true to the sport’s long and remarkable heritage. Each race can only happen thanks to the collaboration between the FIA, FOM, the promoters, and the host ASNs who bring together the thousands of volunteer marshals and support personnel so that we can go racing, and as we forge ahead into the future we must ensure that our priorities grow and develop with the needs of society and what is best for our sport, our fans and our environment.

    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA.

  • Ricciardo to return in 2024?

    Daniel Ricciardo is Red Bull’s third driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season; with the eight-time F1 race winner targeting a return to the grid next season; with Ricciardo and several team principals addressing his future during the Australian Grand Prix.

    Ricciardo was let go by McLaren at the end of last season after a hugely disappointing two year spell with the papaya team, and rather than taking a 2023 seat towards the back of the grid, he opted for a year out of sorts by re-joining Red Bull.

    The Australian driver, established himself as one of the sport’s top drivers by winning seven races for Red Bull between 2014-2018 but decided to leave for Renault before moving onto McLaren two years later.

    His popularity and commercial value alone could almost guarantee him a seat at some teams, but with Ricciardo holding out for a drive in a competitive car, it remains unclear whether an offer to tempt him back onto the grid will be forthcoming.

    Is a Red Bull return possible?

    Red Bull have had a dominant start to the season, with them winning five out of five races so far this season, and Max looking to take a third consecutive world championship, where as Checo looks to battle him on that hoping to take his first.

    There has also been speculation that in the event Verstappen or Perez were unavailable to drive in a race this season, Red Bull would promote Yuki Tsunoda from AlphaTauri rather than put Ricciardo in the season.

    While that could be related to contractual obligations rather than performance expectations, it feels like Ricciardo is a long way from driving a Red Bull in competitive circumstances.

    Where else could Ricciardo go?

    While the Australian driver appears to be adamant he will only return in a competitive car, the chances of a seat becoming available at Red Bull or one of their main challengers – Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari appears highly unlikely.

    The most realistic scenario for a permanent Ricciardo return would appear to be a team convincing him that they can follow in the footsteps of Aston Martin and take a big step forward to contend at the front.

    Haas were reportedly linked with Ricciardo last season, but a deal failed to materialise before Guenther Steiner filled his second seat with Nico Hulkenberg. After Oscar Piastri was confirmed as Ricciardo’s McLaren replacement, there were talks over a possible return to Alpine, the team which Ricciardo had ditched two years earlier.

    They ended up signing Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri, who is contracted until the end of the 2024 season, along with team-mate Esteban Ocon.

    MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 06: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the Paddock prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 06, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

  • Seidl appointed CEO of Sauber Group

    McLaren Team Principal, Andreas Seidl will become Sauber’s new Chief Executive Officer in January.

    Fred Vasseur is set to vacate the role, which he dovetailed with his duties as Team Principal of Alfa Romeo, to take over from Mattia Binotto at Ferrari.

    Once Seidl is in place, Sauber who will become Audi’s factory team in 2026 – say he will focus on working on the appointment of the squad’s new team principal.

    Seidl returns to Sauber, having worked their previously as Head of Trackside Operations for several years. He subsequently won several World Endurance Championship titles with Porsche as Team Principal before joining McLaren in 2019.

    It is great to join the Sauber Group from January: this is a team with a rich history in Formula 1 and an organisation I know really well from my time working and living in Hinwil for four years. I can’t wait to join the team and work with all the colleagues at the Sauber Group on the ambitious goals we have set together. I want to thank Finn Rausing and everyone at the Sauber Group for their choice: I am looking forward to repaying their trust with my work.

    Seidl on his move.

    It is an immense pleasure to welcome Andreas Seidl back to Hinwil as CEO of the Sauber Group. Andreas’s experience is second to none and he brings to Sauber Group a clear understanding of what is required to achieve sustained success. He takes over a company on an upward path and he shares our commitment to keeping our organisation growing: I look forward to many years of success together.

    Sauber Holding AG Chairman of the Board of Directors, Finn Rausing
  • Overview Formula E

    Overview Formula E

    With the season starting in less than two weeks- lets take a look on how a race day works/ points system/ tyres.

    Race day format-

    Shakedown– At most of the E-Prix’s a shakedown session is held on the Friday-the day before the main event but this all depends on the track being available. When this does happen drivers use this session to check the electronic systems and the reliability of the car, but not overall performance as the cars run at a reduced speed.

    Practice- Each event has two practice sessions- an opening 30 minute session which is then followed by a further 30 minute session. This is reduced to only one session on the second day of a double header. The practice is the first time the teams and drivers will take to track under timed conditions in which they can get a feel for the track and adapt to the car set-up.

    Qualifying format- Brand new for season 8 the qualifying allows the best teams and drivers to showcase their speed and skills but maintains the possibility of any driver to step up, pull a lap out of the bag which makes them go further up the grid.

    The group stage sees two groups of 11 based on their Drivers World Championship position battle it out at 220kW to set lap times in a 10 minute session, with the fastest four progressing to the Duels stage.

    The 8 then through will battle it out in the quarter finals where they compete against one another head to head in a knockout at 250kW.

    The winning driver of the final dues takes Julius Baer Pole position whilst the runner-up lines up second. The semi-finalists will line up 3rd and 4th, the quarter-finalists between fifth and eighth depending on their lap-times.

    The 5th to 12th placed drivers who competed in the pole sitters group will fill the odd positions on the grid. The corresponding drivers from the other group will be classified in the even grid slots- fro example if the pole sitter comes from Group 1, the fifth place driver in Group 1 will line up 9th on the starting grid.

    E-Prix- Races or E-Prix begin with a standing start, meaning that the cars are stationary until the lights go green. The drivers line-up on a dummy grid which is a short distance behind the actual grid- they slowly file into their position to start the race.

    The E-Prix lasts for 45 minutes, at the end of the 45 minutes and the leader has crossed the finish line, there is still one more lap to go until the race finishes.

    Attack Mode was introduced for the 2018/19 season, which let drivers pick up an extra hit of power at their own risk. To fire up Attack Mode, drivers will need to aim their car to drive off the racing line and through the Activation Zone- as taking a slower line through the corner they will be able to collect an extra 30kW of power.

    As well as Attack Mode, there is also Fanboost which is where the fans have a chance to impact the race. The five drivers who receive the Fanboost are awarded a significant burst of power which they can deploy in a five-second window during the second half of the race.

    Tyres and allocation-

    18 inch treaded all weather tyres used by all teams and drivers are supplied by Michelin which is official tyre supplier of the FIA Formula E World Championship. Each driver can’t use more than four new rear and four near front tyres for each event. That means they need to make a total of two sets of tyres last from Shakedown all the way to the end of the race.

    Points system–

    Formula E follows a standard points system, used in other FIA-sanctioned series – awarding points to the top-10 finishers.

    • 1st – 25pts
    • 2nd – 18pts
    • 3rd – 15pts
    • 4th – 12pts
    • 5th – 10pts
    • 6th – 8pts
    • 7th – 6pts
    • 8th – 4pts
    • 9th – 2pts
    • 10th – 1pt


    Additional points are also awarded for securing Julius Baer Pole Position as well as the Fastest Lap in Qualifying and the race.

    Julius Baer Pole Position: 3 points

    Fastest driver in Qualifying: 1 point

    Fastest Lap in race: 1 point (if in a top-10 finishing position)

  • Dan Ticktum joins FE

    Dan Ticktum has announced that he will be joining Nio 333 in Formula E for Season 8 which starts at the end of January.

    Dan is currently in his second season of Formula 2, his sitting in 4th, with two rounds left this year. His won twice this year with also scoring 6 podiums too, no doubt Dan will add some more by the end of the season.

    The Brit will be partnering up with Oliver Turvey who is also another Brit and has been with Nio 33 since 2017. Oliver is also McLaren’s F1 Team Test Driver since 2009.

    “I am very happy to be racing with the NIO 333 Formula E team,” said Ticktum. “It’s going to be quite a big challenge as I have not had long to prepare for the test next week, and Formula E is complicated, but it’ll be very exciting. There are quite a few different tools you can use as a driver but it’s a totally different experience to Formula 2, so I’m really looking forward to it, both mentally and physically. I’ve had a great few days with the team at Silverstone this week and hopefully we can try to make some progress next season and get further up the grid.”

    “The results that impress me the most are Daniel’s two victories in the Macau Grand Prix, one of the most famous races in the world,” adds the team’s CEO Vincent Wang. “Though he has shouldered some difficulties during his career, I believe that his experience will pave the way to success. He is a young, bright new star who will shine in Formula E.”

    My Opinion-

    In my opinion, this is great! Dan is talented, otherwise he wouldn’t be on podiums or win, he goes for the overtakes people don’t want to, he risks it and sometimes it does pay off, so I’m happy to see him driving in 2022!

  • Lundgaard joins IndyCar

    Christian Lundgaard has joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team in IndyCar full-time for 2022 onwards as he has signed a multi-year deal.

    Lundgaard made a big impression in his debut in August as he qualified 4th and finished 12th at Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

    Lundgaard who is apart of the Alpine academy is currently sitting 11th on 43 points in the drivers championship in F2, he still has a reaming six races left (2 rounds) before his focus switches to IndyCar.

    The 20 year old said: “I’m very excited to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IndyCar. They are a fantastic team who made me feel very welcome earlier this year when I made my debut in the series. They are the perfect choice and I’m happy to join them on this next chapter in my career. I was very much open minded when I raced at Indianapolis in August and the experience then only grew my hunger to give it another go, so to have the opportunity as a full-time professional racing driver is a privilege.”

    “I can only thank Bobby, Piers and the team, as well as my investors and Alpine for putting it all together. I’m determined to repay that faith with on-track performances beginning when the season starts in February. For now, though, my focus is on finishing the Formula 2 Championship before fully committing to taking on IndyCar. I can’t wait for the experience to begin.”

    Bobby Rahal, the co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing said: “I’m very pleased that Christian will be joining us for the next several years. His performance on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway certainly surprised everybody. For him to do the job he did was tremendous and certainly beyond our expectations. With a little more time under his belt, I think the performance would have been even stronger. Everyone within the team was very pleased and it created a lot of excitement and positive reactions from the fans on social media and online as well as a positive buzz in the paddock.”

    My Opinion-

    This is a great move for Christian, he done very well in his debut, and i’m looking forward to see what he can do next year in IndyCar and future years after that. I won’t be surprised if other F2 drivers go this way in the future as their isn’t enough spots to facilitate all of the drivers who come through the feeder series.

  • Norris announces own karting team

    During the week of last week it saw Lando Norris announce something very special, his own karting team. He has collaborated with the OTK Kart Group to launch his own kart, LN Racing Kart.

    Lando won a world championship on OTK’s FA Racing Kart back in 2014 and he was the youngest to ever do it, OTK and Lando have kept a good relationship since to then have his own kart to be used by them!

    The LN Racing Kart will soon be on track, making its debut in international competitions in 2022, under the direction of Ricky Flynn Motorsport. The drivers, not yet announced, will compete in all the WSK and FIA Karting international events. LN Racing Kart products, available for MINI, Junior/Senior single-speed and shifter categories, will soon be available in the official worldwide sale network.

    Lando took to his social media and said: “Karting is where it all started for me, I won my first world championship on OTK’s FA Racing Kart and I can’t wait for the day when someone wins their first championship on the LN Racing Kart. Bring on the future talent! Let’s do this @LNRacingKart, OTK & RFM.”

    I think this is such a good thing to do, not many F1 drivers can say they have their own kart especially with the people who they kart with when they were younger! It must feel special for him to do this as its going back to a part of his child hood! I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a few more things come from Lando in the future and I can’t wait to see what he does!

  • Ilott to debut IndyCar

    Some news which recently got announced is that Callum Ilott, is set to make his debut in IndyCar this weekend.

    Ilott, was the runner up to Mick Schumacher in the Formula Two 2020 world championship, he unfortunately didn’t get a seat in F1, however his kept himself busy…

    Callum, who is part of the Ferrari driver academy is also one of Alfa Romeo’s reserve drivers, he is also a test driver for Ferrari. Callum also takes part in competing in sports car races including the 24 hours of Le Mans where he finished 3rd.

    However he has now been given the opportunity to race in IndyCar this weekend. He will be driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing.

    “I am pleased and excited to be announcing I will be racing with Juncos Hollinger Racing at Portland,” Ilott said. “This will be my first time in the NTT IndyCar Series and running in the United States, which will be a bit of a change from running on the European side. I am looking forward to working with the team during this first phase of their development. I would like to thank the Ferrari Driver Academy for allowing me to take this opportunity and for Ricardo Juncos and Brad Hollinger for bringing me on board the team.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is good for Callum, it could be a full time thing if he doesn’t get an F1 seat this year. It seems he just excels in everything he does, which isn’t a bad thing at all and he should count himself very lucky to get opportunities like this and i’m sure he does!

    However, I would like to see him in F1 and we all know there are seats up for grabs this year…

  • 02-03-21

    The 2nd of March is the date Mercedes will reveal their car for the 2021 season. They are the third team to announce when their car will be revealed.

    The world champions car will be called the W12, they showed a little snippet of the W12 the other day on Instagram giving everyone a bit of a teaser of whats to come.

    In 2020 they changed the silver arrows to black to make a stand for racism, discrimination and also to pledge their diversity of their team, Lewis also made an End Racism campaign all throughout the F1 2020 season and the other drivers joined in by wearing t-shirts stating it and also taking the knee before the start of the race.

    All the Mercedes and Lewis Hamiltons fans are patiently waiting for them to announce Lewis as you may have seen in the comments of Mercedes social media pages. The 7 time champion is yet to sign a deal after his contract finished at the end of last years season.

    TeamsDate
    McLaren15-02-21
    Alfa Romeo22-02-21
    Merecedes02-03-21
    Red BullTBA
    HaasTBA
    AlpineTBA
    FerrariTBA
    Aston MartinTBA
    WilliamsTBA
    Alpha Tauri TBA
    Updated Car Reveal 2021
    Posted by Mercedes Instagram