Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • McLaren unveil 2024 livery

    McLaren have become the first Formula 1 team to unveil their 2024 look by revealing their livery for the upcoming season.

    The 2024 challenger will be named the MCL38 and is due to break cover on February 14th, when the team complete a shakedown at Silverstone. It will then head to Bahrain for pre-season testing, which begins on February 21st.

    It features more papaya, which has been a staple of the colour scheme since 2018 in referring to their early cars, compared to last year’s livery.
    Anthracite is the other dominant colour – along with hints of chrome, the latter being a colour used more extensively by the team from 2006 to 2014.

    The British team will run an unchanged line-up of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, with Team Principal Andrea Stella set for his second season in charge.
    He’s been joined by respected ex-Red Bull technical wizard, Rob Marshall and former Ferrari aerodynamic David Sanchez, the duo starting work on January 2nd.

    We’re delighted to launch our 2024 Formula 1 livery ahead of the new season. The design looks awesome, and I can’t wait to go racing and see it come to life on track next month. We didn’t start 2023 as we wanted but Andrea and the team did a great job following the organisational restructure coming into action, and the hard work continues as we carry that excellent momentum into the 2024 campaign. I’m confident the exciting pairing of Lando and Oscar will continue to create more mega memories together after such an impressive second half of last year, which saw the team finish fourth in the championship with 302 points. These are all steps forward from the year before as we continue our mission to push and compete at the front of the grid.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    After a busy and productive off season, we head into 2024 with our sights set on continuing our journey towards the front of the grid. Last year allowed the team to set a strong foundation for the future through continued hard work, commitment, effort and talent. With our new infrastructure upgrades and people in place, we must continue to elevate our standards and incorporate high performance in everything we do. The 2024 livery looks great and I’m looking forward to seeing our exciting driver line-up of Lando and Oscar take the MCL38 to track next month.

    Stella adding to the news.

    I’m looking forward to the new season ahead, it will be my sixth in Formula 1 and I’m hoping to carry the momentum we gained as a team at the end of last season to hit the ground running in Bahrain. The new livery looks great with the inclusion of segments from last year’s enhancements, I’m sure the fans will love it as much as me. Everyone at the factory has worked incredibly hard in the off season, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the 2024 car to challenge our competitors towards the front of the grid.

    Norris on the livery.

    The 2024 livery looks really cool and I’m looking forward to racing in the iconic colours of McLaren for a second season. I made some special memories with the team in my rookie year, securing two podiums and a Sprint win. I‘m going to work hard alongside the whole team to take those results into the start of the new season and compete well with our competitors to give the fans more memorable moments.

    Piastri adding to it.

  • 15-02-24

    Reigning world champions Red Bull, have followed swiftly in the footsteps of Mercedes and Alpine by confirming the launch date for their 2024 challenger.

    Red Bull are preparing for their 20th season in Formula 1, having debuted back in 2005, and will show off their car on February 15th.

    Following F1’s move to ground effect regulations in 2022, Red Bull have dominated proceedings to rack up drivers’ and constructors’ titles for the last two seasons.
    It was a particularly commanding display from the Milton Keynes quad last year, who won 21 out of 22 races, with Max taking 19 of them.

    Verstappen will be pushing to make it four drivers’ crowns on the bounce in 2024, having also claimed the 2021 title after a fierce battle with Mercedes rival, Lewis Hamillton. Whilst his teammate Sergio Perez is looking to build on a personal best P2 in the standings.

  • Toto Wolff signs new deal until end of 2026

    Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ Team Principal and also owns one-third of the team, will remain in his role until at least the first year of F1’s next big rule change.

    Wolff, INEOS and Mercedes-Benz said the trio decided “let’s do it again” as they plot a way back to the summit of the sport.

    The Austrian has held the team principal role in addition to shareholding at Mercedes since joining from Williams in 2013, which led them to a record eight successive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021.

    There was some speculation over Wolff’s future in the day-to-day team boss role at Mercedes, but the 52 year old feels he remains the best person for the job.

    Mercedes this year are looking to build on respective P3 and P2 finishes in the 2022 and 2023 constructors’ standings.

    I think the most important thing between the three of us is that we trust each other. At the end of the day, as a shareholder myself, I want the best return on investment. And the best return on investment is winning. I’m not going to try to hang on to a position that I think somebody is going to do better than me. I make sure that I have people around who can tell me otherwise. In the end the three of us decided: ‘Let’s do it again’. I’m part of this team in various functions. I’m a co-shareholder. I’m on the board. These are things which will not change whatever executive, or non-executive, role I have. But I feel good. The risk for me is always more bore-out than burnout. And that’s why I embrace the challenges we have today, even though they sometimes feel very, very difficult to manage.

    Wolff telling the Daily Telegraph.

  • 07-02-24 & 14-02-24

    Mercedes and Alpine are the latest teams to confirm their launch plans ahead of the 2024 season, meaning more than half of the F1 grid have done so.

    Slotting in a couple of days after the Williams and Sauber outfits, Alpine will stage what they have described as a ‘motorsports season launch’ for their F1 and World Endurance Championship operations on February 7th.

    Alpine, finished the 2023 season sixth overall, falling down two places since the 2022 season. The team will add to their F1 programme with an assault on the hypercar class of WEC – with Mick Schumacher having being signed as one of their drivers.

    One week later, and coming just after Aston Martin and Ferrari, the Mercedes W15 is set to break cover on February 14th via a digital launch event broadcast live from Silverstone.

    It is a car the Silver Arrows hope will bring them back into contention after their run of eight successive constructors’ titles came to an end in 2022, with only just one race victory recovered over the last two campaigns.

  • Guenther Steiner leaves Haas with immediate effect

    Guenther Steiner has left his role as Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, with Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu stepping up to replace him.

    Steiner has led the team since the American squad entered F1 in 2016. The Italian was F1’s third longest-serving team principal, behind Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff, and a popular figure in the sport.

    The team enjoyed genuine highs while under Steiner’s guidance, including points on debut in Australia in 2016, a maiden pole position in Brazil last year and a fifth placed finish in the constructors’ championship in 2018.

    However, when there is highs, there is lows… Last year was tough for the Haas team, the finished last in the constructors’ championship, a drop of two places on the previous season, as they struggled to transform one-lap pace in qualifying into points-scoring race pace on Sunday.

    After discussions between Steiner and owner Gene Haas over the winter, it was decided that Steiner would leave the team with immediate effect.

    His replacement Komatsu, 47, has worked with Haas since they debuted in F1 in 2016, starting out as Chief Race Engineer and rising to Director of Engineering.

    He has over 20 years of experience in Formula 1, working across engineering and management roles with British American Racing, plus a long stint at Renault before he joined Haas.

    Haas say Komatsu will take responsibility for the team’s overall strategy, and ultimately on track performance with a brief to maximise the team’s potential through employee empowerment and structural process and efficiency.

    With Komatsu focused on the on-track performance, Haas plan to recruit a European-based Chief Operating Officer who will look after all non-competition matters and departments, including areas such as HR, admin, finance, marketing and communications.

    I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future. Moving forward as an organization, it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as Team Principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management. We have had some successes, but we need to be consistent in delivering results that help us reach our wider goals as an organization. We need to be efficient with the resources we have but improving our design and engineering capability is key to our success as a team. I’m looking forward to working with Ayao and fundamentally ensuring that we maximize our potential – this truly reflects my desire to compete properly in Formula 1.

    Gene Haas, Owner.

    I’m naturally very excited to have the opportunity to be Team Principal at Haas. Having been with the team since its track-debut back in 2016 I’m obviously passionately invested in its success in Formula 1. I’m looking forward to leading our program and the various competitive operations internally to ensure we can build a structure that produces improved on-track performances. We are a results-based business at the end of the day, and we obviously haven’t been competitive enough recently which has been a source of frustration. We have amazing support from Gene and our various partners – particularly MoneyGram, and we want to mirror their enthusiasm with an improved on-track product. We have a great team of people across Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and together I know we can reach the kind of performances we’re capable of.

    Komatsu on the promotion.

  • Mercedes to power Williams for 2026 regulations

    Williams have announced that Mercedes-Benz will remain as their power unit supplier from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.

    Mercedes started supplying Williams with engines in 2014, when the turbo-hybrid got underway, and the new deal means the partnership will extend into the 2026 technical regulation changes.

    F1’s future power units will exclusively use 100% sustainable fuel, reducing overall consumption, while their electrical systems will be upgraded to achieve higher performance.

    Williams’ Team Principal, James Vowles spent more than a decade at Mercedes and will have an impressive knowledge of the work Mercedes HPP do at Brixworth to create such a successful power unit.

    For Mercedes it makes sense as they have enjoyed a long relationship which helps them to gather data to develop the new generation of power units, also it’s about maintaining the relationship for Mercedes to potentially run one of their juniors with Williams in the future, as they did with George Russell.

    We have enjoyed a long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and we are thrilled to extend this collaboration into the next era of Formula 1. The expertise, support and technology that Mercedes brings to the table align perfectly with our team’s aspirations in the medium and long term. This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our objectives for the future, whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing expertise and capabilities in-house.

    James Vowles on the news.

    We are delighted to confirm Williams Racing as the second customer team that we will supply for the 2026 power unit regulations. Today’s news highlights the strength of the Mercedes-Benz offering in F1 and importantly not only validates, but reinforces, our overall motorsport strategy. Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply

    Toto Wolff on the news.

  • FIA confirms Tim Maylon as new Sporting Director

    Tim Maylon has been confirmed as the new FIA’s Sporting Director within the Single-Seater department, replacing Steve Nielsen.

    In his new role, Maylon will oversee all sporting matters, including Race Direction and the Remote Operations Centre (ROC) in Geneva.
    He will report to Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s Single-Seater Director. Under Maylon’s direction, Niels Wittich will continue in the role of Race Director.

    The Canadian has had a distinguished career within motorsport, which includes a 12 year period with Red Bull Racing, whom he joined when the team was previously Jaguar Racing.
    He helped contribute to Red Bull’s four constructors’ and drivers’ title from 2010 – 2013 as he worked in various engineering roles.

    He went on to work for Sauber Motorsport in 2015, becoming their Head of Track Engineering, before joining BMW Motorsport as a Chief Engineer for its DTM programme in 2016.
    Following two successful years, and one championship, Maylon would then take the roles of both Track Engineering Department Leader and Chief Engineer for BMW’s Formula E team.

    In 2019, he went on to join the FIA as Head of Research and was then appointed to the position of Safety Director in 2021. He also had a key role in the establishment of the ROC and has performed the operational duties of ROC Project Leader since May 2022.

    I am delighted to be taking on the role of Sporting Director. We have already brought significant change to our Race Direction operation with the support of the ROC and I look forward to taking that to the next level. We are also committed to a broad regulatory review of sporting matters, and I look forward to applying a sharper focus to those efforts in the future.

    Maylon on the news.

    I am excited to welcome Tim to the role of Single-Seater Sporting Director. Tim has a wealth of motorsport experience and expertise at the highest level. He will play a major role as we continue to bring rigour to our sporting and regulatory practices and procedures, and he will drive the innovation we have brought to our Race Control operation. Tim has been pivotal in creating a strong synergy between Race Control and the ROC with the introduction of new technology including artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art data analysis and processing systems. He will continue to oversee advances in that area as well as taking the lead on the evolution of FIA sporting regulations.

    Sporting Director, Tombazis.

    With Maylon stepping in as the new Sporting Director, the FIA have confirmed that his predecessor Nielsen will be leaving the organisation at the end of January.

    I’d like to thank the FIA for the opportunity to work on the regulatory side of the sport, which has been a fantastic experience for me over the past year. The FIA team working in Formula 1 are a hugely passionate, dedicated group of people who work incredibly hard to achieve the best outcomes for the sport, and I am sure that the positive work that we have done together already will continue into the future.

    Nielsen on the news.

    It has also been confirmed that Tim Gloss will leave his position as Technical Director at the FIA to take up a position outside of the federation.

    It’s been an honour to work as Technical Director at the FIA and to help shape the future of the sport. I take immense pride and satisfaction from the numerous achievements of the Technical Department during my stint at the FIA. The department boasts a number of highly-talented individuals and I believe the organisation is on a firm footing in terms of technical expertise for the tasks which lie ahead – particularly the introduction of the 2026 regulations. I leave with fond memories of my time with the FIA.

    Goss on the news.

  • 12-02-24

    Aston Martin have become the fourth team to confirm their 2024 car launch plans, with the new AMR24 set to be revealed on February 12th.

    It follows on from announcements that Williams and Sauber will kick off their seasons on February 5th, and Ferrari on February 13th a day after Aston Martin.

    Aston Martin were one of the surprises of the 2023 campaign as a busy winter of development saw them initially emerge as Red Bull’s nearest challengers.

    While that strong start did fade throughout the season, the team and new signing Fernando Alonso ended the year with eight podium finishes, as well as rising from seventh to fifth in the constructors’ standings.

    As per the rest of the F1 grid, the Silverstone based team will field an unchanged driver line-up in 2024 as Alonso continues alongside Lance Stroll, who is set for his fourth season in green.

    Alonso recently commented that Aston Martin had opportunities to win races in 2023 and set a series of targets for the AMR24, including improved top speed, a wider operating window and more consistency.

  • Sauber relaunches under new identity

    The Sauber-run Formula 1 team that previously operated as Alfa Romeo has officially launched its new identity ahead of the 2024 F1 season, now known as Stake F1 Team.

    Betting, entertainment and lifestyle brand Stake has stepped up its involvement after joining the then Alfa Romeo-branded team as a title sponsor in 2023.
    Stake will now be the squad’s official name for two years before it transitions to Audi in 2026.

    Audi is in the process of taking over what’s now Stake, before entering F1 as a manufacturer in 2026 with its own team and engine.
    It bought a minority stake in the team at the start of 2023 and is set to increase that to 50% and then 75% over the next year or so.

    But while Audi gears up for 2026 and Sauber’s existing Ferrari engine deal runs till the end of 2025, Sauber has struck new naming rights deals for the intervening years.

    It has run under the Alfa Romeo name for the last few seasons, initially just in title sponsorship form in 2018 before selling the team and chassis name to the Italian manufacturer from 2019 through to the end of 2023.

    The end of the Alfa Romeo deal could have led to a revival of the Sauber name, which the team ran under until its BMW takeover in 2006 and then again after BMW’s exit from 2010 until the Alfa tie-up.

  • 05-02-24

    Williams and Sauber will launch their respective 2024 Formula 1 campaigns on February 5th.

    Williams did not reveal many details about their launch plans, as they look on to build a superb seventh-place finish in the constructors’ championship this season.

    The British team have been working on their car for a significant amount of time, having shifted all of their resources to 2024 after race eight in Canada.

    Sauber, who will be known as Stake F1 Team from 2024, also didn’t reveal much in details.
    However, the Swiss team did reveal they will hold an early evening event that will take place in London for the first time.

    The London launch will be the first chance to see their new team identity in the flesh, with the team saying it will delivery the wow factor to our sport.

    Williams and Sauber are the second and third teams respectively to send out a save the date for their season launch, after Ferrari got in first when they pencilled in February 13th.

  • 13-02-24

    Ferrari will unveil their Formula 1 car that they hope can help them challenge world champions Red Bull in 2024 on Tuesday, February 13th.

    The Italian team are the first to reveal their 2024 launch date, but they have chosen not to release any specific details about their launch plans.

    The launch is set to take place eight days before the start of pre-season testing, which runs across three days in Bahrain from February 21st to 23rd.

    Team Principal, Fred Vasseur says Ferrari are changing 95% of the components of the car, which finished third in the constructors’ championship behind Red Bull and Mercedes.

    The 2024 season will be Vasseur’s second season at the helm of the Prancing Horse, and the third car built in Maranello to sweeping new regulation introduced in 2022.

    Ferrari, field Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz for a fourth straight season. Both drivers are out of contract at the end of the season, with supposed talks ongoing with both parties regarding an extension into 2025 and beyond.

  • Davide Brivio to leave Alpine

    Alpine have announced that they will be mutually parting ways with Director of Racing Expansion Projects, Davide Brivio at the end of the year, allowing the Italian “to pursue other career opportunities”.

    Brivio joined Alpine as Racing Director ahead of the 2021 season, having carved a name for himself in the motorcycle world with stints as Team Manager of Yamaha in World Superbike and MotoGP as well as Suzuki in MotoGP.

    Since then, he took on a role working as Director of Racing Expansion Projects, which included managing the team’s young driver programme, the Alpine Academy.

    Interim Sporting Director, Julian Rouse will continue to oversee the Alpine Academy programme, which currently features nine drivers of eight nationalities, spanning four different series from Formula 2 to European karting.

    Brivio’s exit follows on from a host of mid season changes at Alpine, including Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane both leaving after the Belgian Grand Prix.

    Firstly, we would like to thank Davide for his hard work and commitment over the last three seasons. His experience in motorsports has been extremely valuable, especially in the development and progression of the Alpine Academy. Davide’s wish is to leave Alpine to pursue other opportunities and we have accepted his desire by mutually agreeing to part ways. We extend our best wishes to him in his next chapter of an already impressive career in motorsports.

    Bruno Famin, VP Motorsports Alpine Racing.

    It has been a proud chapter in my motorsport career to be involved in Formula 1 with Alpine. I would like to thank Alpine for the opportunity to experience Formula 1 which was my desire and also for the chance to pass on some of my experience in motorsport onto its young drivers in the Alpine Academy. I wish the team and the Academy the best in the future and I’m sure we will see many young drivers go on to achieve fantastic things in their careers. To play a small part in some of that success will certainly be something I will cherish. I am grateful to Alpine for accommodating my wish to pursue other opportunities which may (and I hope that they will) arise in the future.

    Brivio on the news.

  • F1 announces 2024 Sprint Calendar

    Formula 1 has announced the six venues that will host F1 Sprint events during the 2024 season.

    F1’s Sprint Calendar is designed to feature circuits which encourage overtaking and make for closer and entertaining racing.

    Since its introduction in 2021, the Sprint format has had a positive impact on audience figures, especially on a Friday compared to the normal regular practice sessions, and has also provided promoters and fans with extra competitive on-track action at the six events.

    Brazil is set to host its fourth Sprint weekend, with Austria to host its third, Austin and Qatar return for a second year and China and Miami join the line-up for the first time.

    During discussions at the F1 Commission meeting in November, there was overall support for an update to the Sprint Format for 2024 to further rationalise the weekend by separating Sprint activities from those for the Grand Prix.

    The Sporting Advisory Committee will work through specific details, particularly regarding timing and parc ferme regulations, for a final proposal to be presented to the F1 Commission for the first meeting of 2024.
    Following that meeting, any potential changes to the Sprint format will be announced.

    I am delighted to announce six exciting venues for next season’s F1 Sprint events, including two new hosts China and Miami, both of which will be fantastic additions and provide great racing for all our fans at the race and watching at home. Since its creation in 2021, the Sprint has been consistent in delivering increased audiences on TV, more on track entertainment for the fans at events and increased fan engagement on social and digital platforms, and we are looking forward to the exciting events next year.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    I’m pleased to confirm the six Sprint events for next season and am looking forward to the return of four host venues that have provided some thrilling action in the Sprints this year. The addition of Shanghai will be a challenge for the teams and drivers as Formula 1 heads back to China for the first time since 2019, while a Sprint in Miami will add a new dimension to an enthralling weekend. We must continuously develop and adapt to ensure we are doing what is best for the sport, and as such we are working with FOM and the teams to define the future direction of the Sprint format.

    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of FIA.

  • Sargeant retained by Williams, F1 Grid complete

    Logan Sargeant will keep his spot at Williams in 2024, the Grove outfit have announced, with the American driver earning an extension following his rookie season.

    Sargeant stepped up to F1 as a race winner in Formula 4, Formula 3 and Formula 2, where he placed fourth in the 2022 standings behind Red-Bull backed Liam Lawson, Sauber’s Theo Pourchaire and Aston Martin reserve, Felipe Drugovich.

    While his first campaign in the top echelon brought several incidents and plenty of scrutiny, the 22 year old made gains as the year went by, this was enough that Williams ultimately decided to keep faith and retain him alongside the already-confirmed Alex Albon.

    Sargeant claimed one point over the course of the 2023 season, combined with the 27 points scored by team mate Albon, was enough for Williams to rise from the bottom of the F1 Constructors’ standings to seventh position.

    Williams confirmation stated that Sargeant had “demonstrated the fundamental speed required to perform at the highest level, building on these foundations race by race”.

    I am thrilled to be continuing with Williams Racing for the 2024 season. It has been an incredible journey with the team so far, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue developing as a driver within such a talented and dedicated group. We have exciting plans for the future, and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success in the coming year.

    Sargeant on the news.

    I am pleased to continue our journey with Logan into the 2024 season. Logan has demonstrated immense skill whilst under the pressure of the world stage, making him a perfect fit for our team. We have great confidence in his abilities and believe that together we can achieve even greater success in the upcoming season.

    James Vowles on keeping Sargeant.

  • Stephanie Carlin joins McLaren

    McLaren has announced that Stephanie Carlin is to join the team as it’s Formula 1 Business Operations Director next year.

    Carlin who was team principal of Rodin Carlin’s Formula 3 and F1 Academy Teams as well as fulfilling a similar role at Team X44 in Extreme E, will oversee a range of activities in support of McLaren’s F1 operations.

    Her position will also include involvement in McLaren’s participation in the 2024 F1 Academy season. She starts in January will report directly to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella.

    Carlin is very well known within international motor racing circles, having operated across many different championship’s before moving into a senior management role.

    Having originally worked in press and marketing, in 2011 she became commercial manager at Carlin, which was run by husband Trevor.
    The in May 2022, she stepped up to the overall deputy team principal role, and took specific responsibility for running the squad’s efforts in multiple series’.

    Throughout last year, the team participated in British F4, FIA F3 and FIA F2, along with British GB3 and raced in F1 Academy and Spanish F4 for the first time.

    Carlin is one of the most successful racing teams outside of F1, having claimed over 470 race victories and 30 titles since 1999 across F4, F3, F2, Indy Lights, IndyCar, ELMS and Asian Le Mans Series. Not only this, but the team has helped promote more than 30 drivers to F1.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RdLqWoROS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

  • McLaren agree extension to use Mercedes power until 2030

    McLaren have opted for continuity and stability by extending their deal to run Mercedes power units until 2030.

    The British team have run Mercedes power since 2021 and previously between 1995 and 2014 – and already had an arrangement that run until 2025.

    However, with new power unit regulations – with an enhanced focus on electrical power looming in 2026, McLaren and Mercedes have moved to get a deal done quickly.

    After returning to Mercedes following a disappointing partnership with Honda, followed by three seasons of Renault power, McLaren have since won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix – the most recent win for any customer team in F1.

    They have also had 15 podiums in that period, plus pole at the F1 Sprint in Brazil and pole and a victory in the F1 Sprint in Qatar earlier this year – and they have emerged as the second-fastest team on pure pace behind Red Bull in the second half of this season.

    Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead. We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    We are pleased to confirm a long-term renewal of our power unit deal with Mercedes-Benz into the new era of regulations. We have great confidence in Mercedes and our relationship with them. They’ve supported our journey back to the front of the grid so far, and the security and stability this partnership brings is vital in ensuring we remain on this upward trajectory. I would like to thank them for their collaboration so far and we look forward to the years to come.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal.

    It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams. This has many advantages. It gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning, and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz. McLaren have been fierce and fair competitors since 2021, especially in the second half of this season. McLaren’s strong performances underline the importance of transparent and equal supply to all customer teams in the sport, if we wish to achieve the goal of 10 teams capable of fighting for podium finishes.

    Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff.

  • McLaren sign Pato O’Ward as reserve driver

    Mexican driver, Pato O’Ward has earned a promotion to McLaren’s reserve driver pool for the 2024 season, dovetailing the role with his driving duties for Arrow McLaren in IndyCar.

    O’Ward has steadily been increasing his experience with F1 machinery, taking part in several development tests in the MCL35M as well as driving in the 2021 young driver test in Abu Dhabi and FP1 at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    After finishing fourth in this year’s IndyCar championship with seven podiums, he accrued enough points to qualify for a Super Licence that paved the way for him to step up into the reserve role for McLaren.

    The 24 year old, who first joined the McLaren Racing family in 2020, will join Le Mans 24 Hours winner Ryo Hirakawa in the papaya team’s reserve pool for 2024. They will be available to step in if regular race drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are unable to drive.

    The McLaren Formula 1 team are pleased to welcome Pato O’Ward to our pool of reserve drivers for the 2024 season. Pato had an impressive season in the NTT IndyCar Series and has performed well in his Driver Development tests, so it felt natural to take this next step now he’s been granted an FIA Super Licence. With the expansive calendar, it’s prudent to ensure we have a wide pool of drivers that we can call upon if required. We look forward to seeing him progress in this new role.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal.

    Pumped to take on this new role within the McLaren Racing family. I’ve spent a lot of time with the F1 team having driven previously in free practice and taken part in a few tests. I’ve always said it’s never a bad day when you get to jump into an F1 car, so I look forward to joining the reserve driver pool for next year alongside my driving duties with Arrow McLaren. Thank you to Andrea and Zak for this great opportunity.

    O’Ward on the news.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_bvsboxQN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

  • Schumacher switches to endurance with Alpine

    Mick Schumacher has announced he will be racing for Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) next season – his first foray into racing outside of single seaters.

    Schumacher has been serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver during the 2023 campaign, having lost his place on the F1 grid after two seasons with the Haas team in 2021 and 2022.

    With Williams the only outfit year to confirm their full line-up for 2024, Schumacher has been weighing up his options outside F1, which included a recent test at the wheel of the A424 hypercar Alpine have been preparing.

    Having impressed the team, the 24 year old German has been named as part of Alpine’s line-up, which also includes French racers, Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Charles Milesi amd Paul-Loup Chatin, and Austrian Ferdinand Habsburg.

    Following Alpine’s announcement, Mercedes confirmed that Schumacher will continue as their F1 reserve driver for 2024, providing support to regular racers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in a combined programme.

    A new chapter is beginning for me with Alpine in the FIA WEC hypercar category. The car is impressive, and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve grown up with single-seaters, so driving a car with a closed cockpit and covered wheels is a great opportunity to hone my driving skills. I sorely missed racing this year; it’s what I’ve loved to do since I was a kid, and it was sometimes difficult to watch the other drivers take to the track. Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, and I’m sure we will share great moments together next year with Alpine.

    Schumacher on the news.

    With [Team Principal] Philippe Sinault, we wanted drivers who are not only fast and reliable, but also showing a real team spirit and good racing acumen to best represent the Alpine colours in the premier category of the World Endurance Championship. It might be [Schumacher’s] first foray into endurance, but his enthusiasm for the project and his will to join us are palpable. I’m sure he will be a real asset.

    Bruno Famin, VP Alpine Motorsports.

  • RND 23 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

    The 2023 season is officially over which means Round 23 is done! Let’s take a look at how it went in Abu Dhabi…

    Max Verstappen once again converted pole position to victory, where he made it win number 19 of the season. Charles Leclerc grabbed P2 and George Russell P3, after Sergio Perez had a five second time penalty due to a clash with Lando Norris which promoted both drivers up a spot.

    The full top 10 is: P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Russell, P4: Perez, P5: Norris, P6: Piastri, P7: Alonso, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Hamilton and P10: Stroll.

    A great result for Red Bull, having Max win the final race of the season, ideally they would have wanted Perez on the podium too but with the penalty looming over his head they probably knew they weren’t going to get there.

    Leclerc, the only Ferrari in the points, unfortunately it wasn’t enough to beat Mercedes to P2 in the Constructors. Carlos Sainz ended up finishing in 18th due to the alternative strategy which caused him to do a late pit stop which ruined his chance of points.

    Overall a strong result for McLaren, a double points finish! I still find it crazy to see that they ended P4 in the Constructors after a shocking start at the beginning of this season, but it makes you think, what can they do next season with a car which is great from the start…

    Points for Tsunoda, but it wasn’t enough to grab P7 in the Constructors, they were only 4 more points away and they would’ve been successful.

    Alonso came out on top for the fight for P4 in the Driver Standings with 206 points, Leclerc finished P5 with 206 points but Alonso just ahead with higher finishes. Norris in 6th on 205 points and Sainz 7th with 200 points.

    Now we have a bit of a wait till the next race… It’s only 97 days away until the new season starts and we have cars back on track!

  • RND 23 – Abu Dhabi Qualifying

    The last qualifying session of the season is done with a few drivers out of place, so let’s take a look at how it went down!

    Max Verstappen claimed another pole position, with Charles Leclerc claiming P2 and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top three.

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

    The only team which had both drivers do well i’d say is McLaren both in the top 5, where as Ferrari and Mercedes one driver is outside the top 10 and the other driver inside the top 10.

    Piastriiii, what a result from the Australian driver, a nice way to end the season for him and the team, he will be hoping to grab a podium in the race, and help McLaren in their fight for P4 in the Constructors standings with Aston Martin.

    A lovely result from Leclerc and Russell, just what the teams would want from them, however with both their teammates starting outside the top 10 they have a lot of work to do, and will be wanting to score as many points as available. Hamilton starts 11th and Sainz 16th.

    A really good result from Tsunoda, P6! That equals his best qualifying result in his F1 career. The team will be wanting him to secure points so that they get that P7 in the constructors.

    Nicoooo Hulkenbergggg! A lovely little P8 from the Haas driver, he will have high hopes to score points so Haas don’t finish the season at the bottom of the Constructors.

    A bit of a rough one from Aston Martin, P7 for Alonso which isn’t too bad, but Lance Stroll 13th, quite a bit of work to do from the Canadian driver if he wants to score some decent points.

    Battles to look out for-

    As it’s the last race of the season, there will be a lot to look out for the fight in the constructors, so here are the main ones…

    • Mercedes VS Ferrari for P2
    • McLaren VS Aston Martin for P4
    • Williams VS AlphaTauri for P7
    • Alfa Romeo VS Haas for P9
    • Sainz, Alonso, Norris and Leclerc all fighting for 4th in the Driver standings.

  • Jak Crawford to leave RB Junior Team

    Jak Crawford has announced that he will leave the Red Bull Junior Team in 2024, but has already secured his racing future with a second season in Formula 2.

    The 18 year old became a Red Bull junior in early 2020, and that year he finished second in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship.
    He was Euroformula race-winner in 2021, took a first FIA Formula 3 Championship win in his second there last year then became a winner on his 13th F2 start in Austria.

    He currently sits in 13th in this season’s F2 standings ahead of this weekend’s season finale, and has so far stood on the podium five times and claimed a pole position.

    Crawford has been racing for HiTech Pulse-Eight this year, and has not indicated if his 2024 F2 deal is with the British outfit or a different team.

    We are thankful for the Red Bull funding for four years, and honestly, we could not have done much of it without their substantial support. We were wanting to make key decisions and we let them know mid-year. After that, they didn’t pick up my fifth and final year, so we are in control now. I truly appreciate everyone at Red Bull, especially Rocky [Guillaume Rocquelin]. I really enjoyed the last two years with him at the factory. Everyone has a different path, but mine has been to be moved up fast and to a different team every year. In two years, I will be only 20 years old, so we are going to slow it down and work a more thoughtful plan. That is all I can say about our plans at this point in time. Again, I am grateful for Red Bull for four years of support.

    Crawford in a statement issued by the Sunday Group Management firm.

  • Abu Dhabi Tyre Selection

    The tyres have been selected for the last Grand Prix of the 2023 season! The chosen compounds are- C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    Nearly all of the drivers started last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the medium tyres. The top three finishers – in order, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez – all stopped just once to put on the hard tyre, between laps 16 and 21.

    The Yas Marina lap consists of 16 corners as well as some faster sections, including a 1.2 kilometre straight between turns 5 and 6. The track modifications that took place in 2021 shortened the lap to 5.28 kilometres.

    Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver on five wins in Abu Dhabi, followed by Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel (on three wins each). Mercedes and Red Bull are the most successful teams, with six wins each.

    We go from the lights of Las Vegas to the Abu Dhabi sunset in the space of just a few days, after a journey of just over 13,000 kilometres, for a race that is now well-established as the season-closer. Yas Marina will host the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the 15th time this weekend, and 11 of those have marked the final race of the season.

    The track was modified in 2021 to make it faster and more flowing, which also created extra overtaking opportunities, as we saw over the last two races there. Yas Marina is on the lower end of the scale when it comes to tyre demands, despite the vertical loads on the front axle in particular. As a result, we’ve selecting the softest three compounds, with C3 as the hard, C4 as the medium, and C5 as the soft. This is the same choice as last year, and also an identical selection to that seen at Las Vegas last weekend: confirmation of the versatility of the current compounds.

    As has become customary now, there will be a test day on the Tuesday after the grand prix with each team fielding two cars: one for young drivers and the other in theory for testing tyres. However, there will be no new compounds to try out: the FIA recently communicated that the 2024 compounds will be the same as this year, with the only change being that there are now five rather than six available of them, due to the elimination of the C0 (which was never used during a race weekend this year). So the test could be helpful for the teams to work on tyre management by gathering data for next season. The teams will have a predetermined tyre allocation for the test. The car doing the tyre work will have 10 sets available at the test, consisting of one C1, one C2, two C5, and three sets each of C4 and C3. Meanwhile, the car for young drivers will have two sets each of C3 and C5 available as well as four sets of C4.

    Mario Isola – Pirelli Head of Motorsport.

  • RND 22 – Las Vegas Grand Prix

    Round 22 is officially over and what a thrilling Las Vegas Grand Prix we had! From VSC to full Safety Car’s and penalties, it was all going on…

    But, Max Verstappen took the win in Sin City, with Charles Leclerc finishing second for Ferrari and Sergio Perez rounded out the top three.

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

    A brilliant result from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, seeing the Mexican come through the field and be fighting for podiums was nice to see and the battle with Charles towards the end of the race.

    Leclerc had a great race, I definitely think he could’ve won it if the second Safety Car didn’t come out. He will be hoping that he can hopefully get an even better result next week!
    His teammate had an okay race, obviously he had a bit of a tangle on lap 1 with Lewis Hamilton with a bit of under-steer, but he still managed to grab P6 after his penalty this weekend.

    Alpine have had a good weekend but it seems like their driver’s swapped places? Gasly started the race fourth but finished 11th just outside the points. And Ocon started 16th but finished fourth? In the end it’s a good haul of points for the team.

    Stroll has another good result! Two P5 finishes in two weeks, just what him and the team needs for their fight in the Constructors battle. As they look to fight for P4 against McLaren.

    Talking of McLaren a mixed day for them, Lando Norris crashed on lap 3 just after the VSC ended due to loosing control of his car through turn 11, he slammed into the barriers and was very close to taking his teammate out. Thankfully he is all okay and went to the hospital for extra precaution but the team has since confirmed his okay.

    With Perez finishing third and Lewis 7th this means Perez has claimed P2 in the standings and Hamilton third, as Sainz cannot score more than 32 points next weekend.
    However, there is a four way battle for P4, Sainz currently sits fourth on 200 points, Alonso in 5th on 200 points aswell, Norris on 195 points and Leclerc 188 points.

    Looking at the Constructors, Mercedes are still ahead of Ferrari and are on 392 whereas Ferrari is on 288 just 4 points between the teams.
    McLaren are still fourth on 284 points, and Aston Martin is on 273 points, just 11 points between the teams.

    But we don’t have too long to wait, as the season finale is next week and we close the season out in Abu Dhabi!

  • RND 22 – Las Vegas Qualifying

    Qualifying is done for the day, so let’s take a look at how it went in Sin City!

    Charles Leclerc stormed to pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix around the all new Strip Circuit, Carlos Sainz finished second and Max Verstappen third.
    However, Carlos Sainz has a 10 place grid penalty for the chaos from FP1, which forced Ferrari to change parts on his car so he will start 12th…

    The full top 10 after penalties are: P1: Leclerc, P2: Verstappen, P3: Russell, P4: Gasly, P5: Albon, P6: Sargeant, P7: Bottas, P8: Magnussen, P9: Alonso and P10: Hamilton.

    Well, Charles and Ferrari had a feeling they were going to be okay here, so for them to get pole position I think they will be happy with that! Hopefully they can turn it into a win for Charles!

    George had a good result for Mercedes, however Lewis had a bit of a rough time he originally qualified 11th, due to not being able to go any faster and improve on his lap time, so he will have some work to do in the race!

    Gasly had a really good result! P4 and he will be hoping for points tomorrow and to keep out of trouble. Unfortunately his teammate, Esteban Ocon starts 16th which is a bit rough compared to Gasly.

    Now onto Williams! Albon P5 and Logan Sargeant in P6!! Wow, that is the teams best qualifying result in 7 years! Logan will be hoping to score points again this weekend so he can secure his seat for next season, could the points come again?

    A bit of a shocker for McLaren, P15 for Norris and P18 for Piastri, they both seemed to really struggle, i’m not sure whether it’s the track which doesn’t suit them or not being able to heat up tyres who knows? But the team will want to score points this weekend.

    But, we do have some drivers coming through the field including Hamilton 10th, Perez 11th and Sainz 12th and the McLaren’s, so we could have some drama…

  • F1 to race in Sao Paulo until 2030

    Formula 1 has announced that the Sao Paulo Grand Prix will remain on the F1 calendar until 2030 inclusive following a five-year extension.

    The Interlagos circuit, officially known as the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace after the 1975 race winner, has featured on the Formula 1 schedule for over 50 years and is one of the most iconic racetracks in the world.
    Featuring 15 corners over 4.3kms, the circuit’s design originally took inspiration from racetracks in the UK, the United States and France, but has since had part of the track, including the famous Senna ‘esses’ replicated at other venues.

    With its carnival atmosphere, Interlagos has been the scene for some of the most memorable moments in Formula 1 history including Ayrton Senna’s emotional home victory in 1991, Kimi Rakkonen clinching the World Championship in 2007 and Lewis Hamilton’s enthralling battle with Max Verstappen in 2021.

    The 2022 Grand Prix welcome 235,000 fans across a dramatic race weekend as George Russell won both the F1 Sprint and the Grand Prix, taking the top step of the podium for the first time in his F1 career. Kevin Magnussen also secured a shock first Pole Position of his career for the F1 Sprint, as Interlagos again delivered an entertaining weekend of racing action.

    The extension of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix follows recent significant investment by Sao Paulo Mayor Nunes’ administration, as the city looks to upgrade the Interlagos circuit into a venue suitable for hosting wider entertainment events, including music concerts.

    In addition, the Grand Prix continues to evolve under the leadership of the promoter MC Brazil Motorsport, backed by Mubadala, who have closely with the City of Sao Paulo to enhance the fan experience and have placed an increased focus on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including the upskilling of 100 women from vulnerable backgrounds to become qualified mechanics, all of whom graduated in a special ceremony at the circuit last week.

    I am delighted to announce we will be staying at Interlagos until 2030, and I can’t wait for many more years of the wonderful atmosphere that the Brazilian fans bring. Brazil has such a rich racing heritage, and this iconic circuit is a favourite of drivers and fans around the world. It embodies everything that is great about racing, and we look forward to seeing how it develops over the years to come to create an even better experience.

    Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.

    The extension of the contract for the Formula 1 Grande Premio de Sao Paulo, broadcasted in approximately 180 countries, solidifies our city as a global leader in hosting major events with economic and social impact, generating jobs, revenue, and opportunities. Each year, we also advance our sustainability agenda, incorporating innovations to overcome challenges and bring more benefits to the city of Sao Paulo and Brazil.

    Ricardo Nunes, Mayor of Sao Paulo.

    It is a great honour to have the contract extension that ensures Sao Paulo’s place on the Formula 1 calendar. This is the recognition of the work we have been doing, with the crucial support of the Sao Paulo City Hall. Continuing to be a partner of Formula 1 is a matter of great pride. Now, we will immediately start planning for the years ahead so that we can have even better Grand Prix editions in the coming years.

    Alan Adler, CEO of Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

  • Williams announce Academy Driver to take part in FP1

    Williams are set to fulfil their final remaining rookie Free Practice 1 outing of 2023 by running their academy driver Zak O’Sullivan in Abu Dhabi – with the Briton and fellow Williams Driver Academy member Franco Colapinto to share driving duties at the subsequent post-season Young Driver Test.

    Since 2022, F1’s regulations have included a mandatory pair of FP1 outings per year for drivers who have completed less than two Grands Prix, with each team’s race driver obliged to give up their seat once.

    Williams running rookie Logan Sargeant in 2023 used up one of those requirements for the team in Bahrain’s FP1 – while O’Sullivan’s Abu Dhabi experience is set to fulfil the second, the Briton to take over Alex Albon’s Williams FW45 in the final Free Practice 1 session of the year.

    I’m really excited to participate in FP1 at Abu Dhabi. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the FW45 for the first time and get some good mileage under my belt. In addition to that, I’m returning to the car for the post-season rookie test to further my development with the team.

    O’Sullivan on the news.

    As O’Sullivan mentions, he will then be run by Williams at the post-season Young Driver Test at the Yas Marina Circuit, sharing driving duties with fellow F3 racer Colapinto – who claimed P4 in the standings in 2023.

    The Argentinian driver will also make his Formula 2 debut in Abu Dhabi, ahead of his and O’Sullivan’s promotion to the series in 2024 with MP Motorsport and ART Grand Prix respectively.

    Both Zak and Franco have had impressive seasons in Formula 3. We’re now looking forward to giving them the opportunity to drive the FW45 in Abu Dhabi to aid their development as part of their roles in the Williams Racing Driver Academy. The pair have demonstrated a high level of understanding and maturity during their simulator work conducted at Grove. I know they’ll both be working hard in preparation for this experience and will make the most of it.

    Sven Smeets, Williams Racing’s Sporting Director.

  • Las Vegas Tyre Selection

    The tyres have been chosen for the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend!

    The tyres chosen are: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft), this is the softest selection of tyres in the range.

    For the first time in F1 history the sessions will overlap more than one day, with a different schedule for the night race weekend.

    The new Las Vegas street circuit consists of 17 corners and three straights, with two DRS zones. The lap is 6.12 kilometres long, with an estimated top speed of 342kph.
    The finish line is on the corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, with the layout stretching from Las Vegas Boulevard to Sands Avenue and a race distance of 50 laps.

    More than 30 different variants of the street track were designed before the final layout was selected. The main infrastructure, including the pit building in the shape of the F1 logo.

    Formula 1 previously raced at Las Vegas as the last round of the 1981 and 1982 seasons, with both events called the Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
    On each occasion the race decided the championship: Alan Jones won the Grand Prix for Williams in 1981 but the title went to Brabham driver Nelson Piquet.

    The podium finishers will wear a special edition Pirelli podium cap with gold braiding. The Stars and Stripes flag as well as “Las Vegas 2023” scrip will also appear on the cap.

    Formula 1 returns to the United States for the third time this year, following Miami and Austin. And it’s with one of the most-eagerly grands prix of the year, in Las Vegas, where the pinnacle of motorsport hasn’t been seen since 1982. This will be an incredible race, as every day is showtime in Las Vegas, and all of us working in Formula 1 want to put on the sort of spectacle that is worthy of this amazing city. 

    It will also be a major technical challenge for both the teams and us, as we head into this race with no real references apart from simulation. Nobody has ever actually driven the 6.12-kilometre Las Vegas Strip circuit before, which is second only to Spa in terms of overall length this year, characterised by three straights and 17 corners. The surface will be a mix of the usual street asphalt, especially on the actual Strip, as well as other parts that have been completely re-asphalted for the occasion; adding another unknown element. There won’t be any support races and the track will be opened again to normal traffic for long chunks of the day, which means that the surface won’t rubber in as usual and deliver improved grip. 

    We’re expecting the cars to run quite low levels of downforce, similar to Baku or indeed Monza: hitting a high top speed will be key to being competitive. All the sessions will take place at night, with unusual ambient and track temperatures for a race weekend; more similar to those found back when pre-season testing used to take place in Europe. Those long straights also make it harder to warm up tyres in qualifying, as well as keep them in the right window: the same challenge as seen in Baku, which will probably be more pronounced in Las Vegas. 

    Bearing all this in mind, we’ve selected the trio of softest compounds for this weekend: C3, C4, and C5, which should guarantee good grip. Minimum tyre pressures should be 27 psi at the front and 24.5 psi at the back, due to the expected low temperatures as well as the track layout. In cold conditions, the gap between cold tyre pressures and normal running pressures is greatly reduced – so when the car is moving, tyre pressure will increase a lot less than on other circuits due to the low asphalt temperatures. As a result, we think that running pressures will still be lower than on other circuits that are tough on tyres, such as Baku for example. 

    So all the elements are in place for an extraordinary race, packed with surprises and unpredictability. As the title of Elvis Presley’s famous racing film goes…Viva Las Vegas! 

    Mario Isola – Pirelli Head of Motorsport.

  • Ferrari unveil special livery for Las Vegas

    Ferrari have unveiled a special livery for the Las Vegas Grand Prix with the traditional red of the SF-23 cars featuring a hint of white.
    Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s race suits and helmets have also been given the same treatment to celebrate Ferrari’s look from the 70s.

    With Formula 1’s highly anticipated return to Las Vegas fast approaching, the Italian team’s design is a nod to the first golden age of the sport in the USA where Ferrari enjoyed some of the most memorable moments in its history.

    The great Niki Lauda won two world titles in that era – in 975 and 1977 with victory at Watkins Glen in 1975. Clay Regazzoni also won at Long Beach in 1976 while Carlos Reutemann triumphed at Watkins Glen in 1978.
    More success followed in 1979 when Gilles Villeneuve scored an American double with wins in Long Beach and Watkins Glen.

    Throughout that decade there was plenty of white alongside the Ferrari red on the livery, with the team deciding to reprise it for the unique spectacle that is this year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

  • Alpine sign Kush Maini to Academy programme

    Alpine have announced that Formula 2 rookie, Kush Maini has become the latest addition to the team’s growing young driver programme.

    Maini is about to complete his first full season in Formula 2 with Campos Racing, where the Indian driver is sitting 11th in the drivers’ standings.
    He secured his first F2 podium with a third-place finish in the Sprint Race in Australia, as well as his best qualifying result of second at Silverstone.

    He will now benefit from the guidance and support of both the Academy’s fleet of staff and the wider Alpine F1 team, as well as access to their state-of-the-art facilities at their Formula 1 base in Enstone.

    The 23 year old joins an Academy line-up that currently features F2 rivals Jack Doohan – who is currently Alpine’s reserve driver – and Victor Martins, and has a host of successful F1 graduates in Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

    I am super excited to be joining the Alpine Academy. It’s a dream come true to be associated with a team like BWT Alpine F1 Team, where I can learn and grow to hopefully one day be ready to take the step into Formula 1. A massive thank you to Alpine for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.

    Maini on the opportunity.

    We are happy to welcome Kush into the Alpine Academy. He is a young talent who we believe has strong potential and will be a great asset to our driver development programme. The Alpine Academy will enter its ninth year in 2024 and currently features nine drivers of eight nationalities, spanning four different series from FIA Formula 2 through to European Karting. The continual expansion of the Academy’s talent pool runs in parallel to the expansion of our facilities at Enstone with the development of our new state-of-the-art training and testing facilities, the AHPC, underway.

    Julian Rouse, Alpine F1 Team Interim Sporting Director.

  • RND 21 – Sao Paulo Grand Prix

    Wow, the Sao Paulo Grand Prix never disappoints, we had drama before the race even started and it continued on into the race!

    Max Verstappen grabbed his 17th win this season, ahead of Lando Norris in P2 and Fernando Alonso who returned to the podium in P3!

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

    Charles Leclerc went off on the formation lap, after he lost the hydraulics which then forced him to retire before it even began…

    When the lights went out, we had drama, there was a heavy collision between Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen.
    Replays showed that Hulkenberg was squeezed and subsequently made contact with Albon, which ricocheted the Williams into the path of Magnussen. Piastri was also caught up in the incident, having suffered a broken rear wing. This then caused a red flag to be shown due to the extensive debris out on the track.

    A strong result from Aston Martin, from both drivers, this is what they needed for the fight in the Drivers’ and Teams’ Standings. Alonso had a great battle with Sergio Perez at the end of the race where they had a photo finish! The gap between the Spaniard and Mexican was less than a tenth of a second in the incredible finish.

    Talking about Perez, a really strong performance from him and a good haul of points aswell. This will help him in the fight with Hamilton as he only scored 4 points in the race.

    Talking of Hamilton, where did Mercedes pace go?? They certainly had pace in the first part of the race until Hamilton radioed his team about a steering issue with his front right tyre just after pitting. Russell was forced to retire his W14 from the race later on due to high and worsening oil temperature. The team won’t be happy with the result at all.

    Tsunoda points again! His loving life at the moment he currently has 13 points, he sits 14th in the Driver Standings. For the team themselves they grow a gap to Alfa Romeo in 9th with 5 points between them. But Alpha Tauri will be looking towards Williams who are only 7 points away in 7th.

    Next up for Round 22, we head to a brand new track for 2023 as it’s the Las Vegas Grand Prix!