Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • 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!

  • RND 21 – Sao Paulo Sprint

    The last sprint race of the 2023 season is officially over, so let’s take a look at how it went.

    Max Verstappen charged ahead to another win after he took the lead from Lando Norris on Lap 1. Norris ended up second, and Sergio Perez rounded out the top three.

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

    Verstappen was on fire today, he knew what he wanted to do and got it done on lap one, which he then went on to be unchallenged even though Norris put a bit of pressure on at times.
    Perez also had a good result aswell finishing P3, this will add a few points to his tally for his fight against Hamilton.

    A great result from Norris aswell, which is needed for his fight in the Drivers’ Standings up against, Alonso and Leclerc. It also helps his team build a gap to Aston Martin’s as they failed to score in the sprint.

    More points for Tsunoda! AlphaTauri are on a roll lately, more points on the board, so they now have a 3 point gap to Alfa Romeo in 9th. They will hope to build on the points they’ve got so far as a 3 point gap won’t be enough with three races left…

    The Aston Martin’s had a shocker in sprint qualifying, which meant that they had to make up some ground in the Sprint race. Alonso worked his way from 15th to 11th and Stroll finished in 12th after starting 17th, it seems like they’ve got good pace in the race, so hopefully today we see them battling for podiums and get a big haul of points.

    Haas had a disappointing sprint, they started 11th and 12th, but they ended up finishing 16th and 18th, that’s not what the American team need, hopefully they have better luck today…

    Predictions-

    My top five predictions are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Hamilton, P3: Alonso, P4: Norris and P5: Leclerc.

    I feel like Aston Martin are finally back this weekend, so let’s hope they can turn it into a podium, but I have a feeling we will get a bit of a crazy race, maybe with a Safety Car appearance?

  • RND 21 – Sao Paulo Qualifying

    Another qualifying session done, where it ended early due to the weather rapidly changing and causing a red flag with no-one being able to improve their times.

    But Max Verstappen claimed pole position for Sunday’s race, he is joined on the front row by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and rounding out the top three is Lance Stroll!

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

    But three drivers have been hit with grid penalties after impeding incidents in the pit lane during qualifying. George Russell, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have all been hit with two place grid penalties.

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

    A great result from both Aston Martin’s especially Stroll out qualifying Alonso, which doesn’t happen often but it was nice surprise! The team will be wanting to work on what they did today on Sunday and score some points this weekend.

    Hamilton out-qualifies Perez, which is a big step into their fight in P2 for the Drivers’ Championship. Perez will need to provide some good overtakes on Sunday and stay out of trouble as his in the middle of the pack in P9.

    Daniel Ricciardo struggled in qualifying as he was knocked out in Q1. Quite a shock compared to last weekend where he was in the top 5. He has a bit of work to do if he wants to get more points on the board.

    The Haas duo start 11th and 12th this gives them a good opportunity to score points as they are in that all important fight at the back of the grid where it involves 3 teams including themselves.

    Predictions for Sprint-

    My top five for the Sprint race are: P1: Verstappen, P2: Alonso, P3: Hamilton, P4: Leclerc and P5: Sainz.

    We may get a crazy race today, it’s not meant to rain so that won’t be a factor but its Interlagos so anything could possibly happen…

  • Sao Paulo Grand Prix

    Round 21 is here and it’s the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, it is another sprint race this weekend, and we’ve had some great ones in previous years!

    Will Mercedes shine here again after taking the past two previous wins? Or can Max Verstappen make it another win and win number 17 this season?

    Or could we get a Ferrari winning? Or maybe a first time winner for McLaren? This weekend is all to play for!

    Who needs to shine?

    Sergio Perez, after crashing out on lap 1 of his home grand prix last week, he has a lot of work to do this weekend, as the gap between himself and Hamilton has lowered to 20 points, if Hamilton keeps going the way his going then he will earn P2 in the Drivers’ Championship. But Perez will not want that so he needs to get a wriggle on.

    Aston Martin, they’ve had a bit of a downfall from the beginning of the season. Now they sit 5th in the Constructors’, McLaren have managed to build a 20 point gap between the teams.
    Not only this, Alonso is among a group of drivers who could quite easily catch up to the Spanish driver as there isn’t much between each driver in the standings.

    Looking towards the back of the teams, Haas sit in 10th on 12 points, Alfa Romeo sit in 9th on 16 points and AlphaTauri sit in 8th on 16 points. This will be an interesting fight between six drivers all trying to get a few extra points.

    Predictions for Qualifying-

    My top five prediction for qualifying are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Hamilton, P3: Leclerc, P4: Norris and P5: Russell.

    Obviously, we have a sprint this weekend and it’s always a crazy sprint and race here in Brazil so we could very much see a Safety Car or a Virtual Safety Car…

  • Sao Paulo Tyre Selection

    We are at our third race weekend of our triple header, and it’s also our last sprint weekend of the year as we are here in Brazil for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix!

    The tyres have been chosen for this weekend are: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft).

    Mercedes has won the most races at Interlagos since the Brazilian Grand Prix adopted the name of it’s host city, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell winning in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

    Interlagos has hosted 39 world championship grands prix in total, with Ferrari winning 10 times and Michael Schumacher being the most successful driver on four wins.

    Kevin Magnussen gave Haas its maiden pole position last year, making the most of his soft compound tyres in the rain at the start of Q3.
    It was also the Dane’s first pole, ahead of his eighth place in the sprint race the following day.

    The Interlagos circuit in the Brazilian city of São Paulo is well-known for providing thrilling races. The lap is only 4.309 kilometres long, making it one of the shortest of the year, with only Monaco and Mexico City being shorter. It’s also run anti-clockwise and situated on a hillside, which gives it a unique character. The drivers face a steep downhill section after the first corner, followed by a long climb uphill with several winding turns, and then a long straight leading back to the finish line. The track has 15 corners –  five right-handers and nine left-handers – with several direction changes. Interlagos has a bit of everything, featuring low as well as medium speed corners, and the cars running quite a high level of downforce. The forces acting on the tyres are reasonably balanced between lateral and longitudinal. The asphalt itself has a high level of roughness: typical of permanent tracks with a long history behind them. Degradation is mainly thermal, so the C2, C3, and C4 compounds have been chosen. A two-stopper is the most likely strategy, while a one-stopper would require plenty of tyre management; affecting race pace. The safety car has often featured during the grand prix, introducing another key variable, and we have also seen that weather conditions can vary rapidly and widely at this time of year as well. Interlagos will additionally host the final sprint round of the season, giving the teams and drivers another chance to assess tyre behaviour over long runs. Since sprint races came in for the 2021 season, Interlagos has always been one of them – a sure sign of how this track consistently delivers the sort of close racing that suits the sprint format.

    Mario Isola, Pirelli – Head of Motorsport.

  • RND 20 – Mexico City Grand Prix

    Round 20 is over, and we had a very mixed race, with a top driver out on lap 1, a red flag due to another crash and a driver coming from the back to end up in the top 10.

    Max Verstappen scored a dominant victory at this weekend’s Mexcio City Grand Prix, making it his 16th victory of the season. Lewis Hamilton made it back on the podium after being disqualified the weekend before. Charles Leclerc also makes it on the podium in third.

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

    A good result for Hamilton and Leclerc, especially after being disqualified from Round 19 last week, this means for Hamilton that his closed the gap down to Perez.

    Talking of Perez… he had a good start once the lights went out but it didn’t last very long as he tried to go round the outside of Leclerc, who was sandwiched between both Red Bulls and had no where to go which saw Perez have contact and spin round. He managed to get going again, but he went into the pits and retired from there.
    It’s not very good for the Mexican at all, with the speculation surrounding his seat for next season and if he will be on the grid next year…

    Lando Norris what a drive from the Brit, starting 17th and he had an outstanding recovery drive to end up P5! Piastri also had an okay race, so a decent weekend for the team in total.

    Ohhhh Daniel Ricciardooo, POINTS!!! After having an impressive qualifying session he managed to stick it out and battled hard to stay in the top 10 and score some all important points for the team.

    The red flag was for Magnussen on lap 33, we saw the Dane spinning into the barrier at the esses, with the rear of his car on fire, forcing the stewards to stop proceedings by waving a red flag.

    Looking at the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Standings.
    Hamilton is only 20 points away from Sergio Perez in second, with three race weekend’s left. Sainz has overtook Alonso in the Standings but they are both on 183 points. Norris is only 3 points ahead of Charles Leclerc in P7, and Russell is 15 points behind the Monegasque driver.
    Ricciardo moves up to 17th, his only two points behind his teammate whose in 16th and Hulkenberg 3 points ahead in 15th.

    McLaren in 4th have built up a gap to Aston Martin in 5th, they will be looking to score more this weekend as its a sprint weekend so more chance for points.
    AlphaTauri have jumped up to 8th and are on 16 points, after Daniel Ricciardo scored well, but they have work to do as Alfa Romeo are also on 16 points in 9th and Haas are on 12 points in 10th, so its all to play for in the final 3 rounds…

  • Mexico City Grand Prix

    We are at our second race weekend in our triple header, and it’s the home Grand Prix of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez!

    Can the home hero take the win? Or will Max Verstappen show another dominating race weekend to make it victory number 16 this season?

    Or, will we see the likes of Lewis Hamilton or Lando Norris battle for the win also? It’s all to play for this weekend as we only have four races left of the season!

    Who needs to shine?

    Obviously with the news that Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are disqualified after the race last weekend, both drivers will be wanting to get those points back as much as possible!
    Hamilton is currently fighting for P2 in the Drivers’ Championship with Perez and the 7 time World Champion will be wanting a few good results to achieve that.
    Whereas, Leclerc he has been jumped by Lando Norris for P6, and he has got George Russell behind him in 8th only 8 points away, so it’s very close between P4 and P8 where only 40 points separate them…

    Looking at the results from last weekend, Alonso had a costly DNF he will be wanting to have a very different weekend, hoping to score some points. That will also be the same for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri aswell.

    Home hero, Sergio Perez will be wanting to do well in front of the home crowd, I can expect he won’t go any less than a podium, so hopefully we get to see some good overtakes from the Mexican.

    Predictions for Qualifying-

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

    The low degradation we have here at Mexico results in relatively few overtakes, as it’s hard to build a compound delta. The low degradation also means that there is a very low undercut potential.

    So I don’ think we will be getting a crazy race on Sunday, we may get a little bit of drama going into Turn 1 but nothing to drastic.

  • Doohan set for FP1 sessions

    Formula 2 racer, Jack Doohan will get behind the wheel for the Alpine F1 team during first practice in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

    The 20 year old is currently sitting fourth in the F2 drivers’ standings with one round remaining.
    Doohan – now into his second season with the Alpine Academy – previously took part in the same two FP1 sessions for the outit during the latter stages of the 2022 campaign.

    Despite his first outing in Mexcio City being cut short due to “anomalies” on his Renault power unit, the Australian admitted that the memory of making his Formula 1 weekend debut was something he would “cherish forever”.

    Now Doohan will return to the cockpit when he drives the A523 with F1 teams required to run a young driver – defined as someone who has started no more than two Grands Prix – in two FP1 sessions per season.

    The Abu Dhabi weekend will feature both the Formula 1 and Formula 2 season finales so it is likely to be a busy event for Doohan who enter the F2 final round with a seven point advantage over fellow Alpine Academy driver Victor Martins.

    Very grateful to BWT Alpine F1 team for the opportunity to drive the A523 in Free practice at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Can’t wait to go through the motions in a weeks time and hop into the car!

    Doohan took to Instagram to share the news.

  • McLaren sign F1 Academy’s Bianca Bustamante

    F1 Academy racer, Bianca Bustamante has become the newest addition to the McLaren Driver Development programme, with the 18 year old making history as the first female driver to join the British team’s development programme.

    Born in the Philipines, Bustamante made her single-seater debut in 2022, competing in W Series, where she claimed the top rookie honours. This year, she joined the grid for the inaugural F1 Academy season with PREMA Racing, earning two wins and two podiums.

    As part of the programme, Bustamante will represent McLaren on the 2024 F1 Academy grid and run their livery, switching to race with ART Grand Prix.

    Her involvement in the McLaren Driver Development programme, led by Emanuele Pirro, will see her join the team’s talent pipeline which has an overarching aim to help drivers progress towards Formula 1, IndyCar and Formula E.

    This is such an unreal moment in my career, to sign with McLaren and ART Grand Prix is way beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined growing up racing karts in the Philippines. I still have a hard time seeing my name next to McLaren without getting emotional, as the history and heritage linked to this team leaves me truly speechless. I’m so grateful for this opportunity as I believe I now have the best possible development structure around me to take the next step up in my career, and for this I am so thankful. 2023 was all about improving my speed which I demonstrated across several races this year, but in 2024 my aim is to establish consistency and improve my mental strength in order to make a title challenge in the coming F1 Academy season. For now, my focus is to finish off the F1 Academy season strongly here in Austin, but we’ll get to work immediately on the 2024 season. I’ve never been more motivated in my life! A big thanks goes to Susie Wolff and the team at F1 Academy for fighting so hard for us girls and to give us this opportunity to be the best we can be. Additional thanks go to Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, Emanuele Pirro, Sebastian Philippe, my sponsors, and all my supporters for believing in me and making this all possible. I am full of gratitude, and I promise to give it my all.

    Bianca on the news.

    The team are delighted for Bianca to join us, and for McLaren to be involved in F1 Academy. It’s a core principle of ours to be a diverse and inclusive team, so we’re pleased to be so involved in Formula 1’s work on the important topic of improving gender diversity within motorsport. We also look forward to seeing Bianca grow and progress within the McLaren Racing Driver Development programme under Emanuele’s guidance.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren’s Team Principal.

    I’m pleased that Bianca is joining our Driver Development programme. She’s a promising young talent who has a brilliant work ethic and is aligned closely to our team’s values. I look forward to working with Bianca on her development as a racing driver. We’re also excited for Bianca to be representing the team in the F1 Academy series and we look forward to seeing her race in papaya in 2024.

    Emanuele Pirro, Director of the McLaren Racing Driver Development.

  • Mexico Tyre Selection

    The tyres have been chosen for this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, where we go back to the normal race weekend format!

    The compounds the team will have are: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft), this is one step softer than last years race weekend.

    Graining is often seen at this track, with the cars sliding more due to the reduced aerodynamic effect and high altitude.

    There is also a big difference in temperature between the start and the end of each day: which is a factor to bear in mind when analysing potential degradation rates.

    Max Verstappen is the most successful driver in Mexico City, with four wins from seven participations. This also means that Red Bull has more victories than any other team in Mexico.

    A one-stopper was the most popular strategy last year. Max Verstappen started on used softs and then finished the race on the mediums, ahead of Lewis Hamilton who instead started on the mediums and then finished the race on the hard tyre.

    The second stop on Formula 1’s American tour takes place in Mexico City on the circuit named after Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez: the brothers who were local motorsport heroes throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The track, located on the west side of the city, is just over four kilometres long with 17 corners and it sits at more than 2000 metres of altitude. This has an important effect on car performance, with the rarefied air reducing drag and also downforce. As a result, the aero settings on the cars are similar to those used on high-downforce circuits – only with a much reduced effect on the tyres. The grip from the asphalt is also much less than average, as surface roughness is among the lowest of the entire calendar.

    This year we have decided to bring the three softest compounds to Mexico – C3, C4 and C5 – after careful reflection based on last year’s information, as well as the simulations that the teams have as always supplied to us. This should lead to a wider variety of strategy choices throughout the race, opening the door to a two-stop strategy as well. Last year, when the chosen compounds were C2, C3, and C4, nearly all the drivers stopped only once, mainly using soft and medium.

    Mexico also gives us the chance to try out a new variant of the C4 with all the teams. During the two hours of free practice on Friday each driver will have two sets of these new prototypes to use as they wish. Once we have analysed all the data, we will then decide whether or not to homologate this version for use in 2024.

    Mario Isola, Pirelli Head of Motorsport.

  • Alpine announce sport stars as investor group

    Alpine and Otro Capital have welcomed some of the world’s biggest sports stars as new strategic investors into their €200m fund, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Rory Mcllroy, and Anthony Joshua.

    Otro Capital have welcomed these new partners into its existing group of premiere investors in Alpine which already included RedBird Capital Partners and Maximum Effort Investments – and also actor Ryan Reynolds. Earlier this year they have invested €200m and acquired a 24% stake in the French outfit.

    Otro Capital have now welcome new investors in the form of some of the world’s best athletes, which include Kansas City Chiefs starts Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, world number two golfer Rory Mcllory, former Heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua, and Liverpool footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold.

    Also joining the group of investors are former Manchester United and Chelsea footballer Juan Mata, as well as Roger Ehrenberg, founder of Eberg Capital, investor in the Miami Marlins and Real Salt Lake.

    I am thrilled to lead an investor group and join forces with Patrick and the team at Otro Capital on this exciting venture with Alpine F1. Our shared passion for excellence and innovation forms the cornerstone of this partnership. It’s about being able to contribute to a sport that demands precision, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of success. I am looking forward to this new chapter and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.

    Kelce on the news.

    The chance to strategically invest with Otro Capital in Alpine was an opportunity I couldn’t ignore. The heritage of the team, mixed with the global growth of Formula 1 as a sport and brand made this a very serious proposition. I am excited to start this journey with Otro and a great group of fellow investors and hope to help the team achieve its full potential.

    Anthony Joshua, delighted on the news and getting involved.

    I’m excited to be joining Otro Capital’s group as an investor into Alpine F1 along with my brother Tyler. Having been to Formula 1 races as a fan, I love the high-pressure environment of the paddock and I’ve seen first hand how incredibly impressive the Alpine team is. Our shared goal as an investment group is to help contribute to its continued success on the grid, at a time when F1 is facing incredible growth as a sport. As a footballer, I understand the importance of teamwork, innovation, and determination in achieving goals.

    Alexander-Arnold, adding to the collective joy among his fellow investors.

    We are honoured at Otro Capital to be joined by this particular group of investors into our Alpine F1 investment in partnership with RedBird Capital Partners and Maximum Effort Investments. These are best in class investors, athletes, entertainers and entrepreneurs and they are all committed to elevating the Alpine F1 team.

    Co-founder, of Otro Capital, Alec Scheiner.

  • RND 19 – United States Grand Prix

    Round 19 is done, the race did start off a little slow, but there was a little bit of drama, so let’s take a look at how it went.

    Max Verstappen recovered from sixth on the grid to take a nerve-wracking win as he held off a fast-approaching Lewis Hamilton in second and then Lando Norris in 3rd.

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

    But, not everything stays the same in Formula 1, as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, are disqualified from the Grand Prix for a technical breach. After the race, the cars were inspected and irregularities were spotted by the FIA Technical team after a plank wear inspection was carried out.

    So the new top 10 is- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Sainz, P4: Perez, P5: Russell, P6: Gasly, P7: Stroll, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Albon and P10: Sargeant.

    A great result from Max, he had a brake issue he was looking after, so he will be happy he got the win and especially as it’s his 50th Grand Prix win! Not only this, having his teammate in P4 aswell! A nice little result for Perez also.

    Stroll! Back in the points, he had recovered so well considering he had started from the pitlane. The team will be happy with the Canadian’s result especially because of Alonso having a DNF.

    Williams, a double points finish, which means… Logan Sargeant first points in F1!!! And on home soil also, the American driver will be very happy with that all important point. This makes him the first American in 30 years to score points.

    Looking at the fights in the Constructors championship, Mercedes currently sit in second on 344 points, Ferrari are only 22 points away in third. McLaren have now overtook Aston Martin in the standings as the papaya team have 242 points, and Aston are on 236.
    Alpha Tauri now have 10 points, meaning they are only two points away from Haas in P9, and 6 points away from Alfa Romeo in eighth.

    Looking at the Drivers Standings, Perez has now built up a little bit of gap to Lewis Hamilton in P3. Alonso has to be a bit wary as Carlos is closing in on him, a 12 point gap between them.
    Norris has overtook Leclerc for 6th, 8 points seperate them, so that could be an interesting little fight coming up.

    Now, we don’t have to wait for too long for the next race, as it’s this week! We head to Mexico, for Round 20 and Sergio Perez’s home race!

  • RND 19 – Austin Qualifying

    Qualifying is done, lets take a look at how it went down in the States, as there were laps being deleted due to track limits with the World Champion being affected also.

    Charles Leclerc came out on top as he flew to pole position, Lando Norris put in a late effort to make it P2 and rounding out the top three is Lewis Hamilton.

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

    A great result for Ferrari! They have some pace here so they will be looking to go for the win on Sunday and get as many points as possible to close in on Mercedes in P2.

    Another great result for Lando, he predicted the McLaren wouldn’t be as good round COTA so I’m sure he will be happy with second position and look to grab big points again.

    Mercedes, P3 and P5, love to see it! Lewis was flying, so I think Leclerc and Norris may have to watch their back as the Mercedes man loves this track and will want to go for that win.

    Now onto Red Bull, Max Verstappen normally we are use to seeing him in P1 or P2 but his starting P6 on Sunday due to going over the white lines and having a lap time deleted but this means we get to see him coming through the field a little bit and give us some excitement for the race.
    Perez starts P9 for the Bulls, a bit of work to do on Sunday but I’m sure he will make up some places if he keeps out of trouble.

    Now one of the biggest shocks was Aston Martin, both cars out in Q1 which is definitely disappointing especially as they brought upgrades to the race this weekend, which at the moment hasn’t worked, a lot of work for them to do in the race but they have a second opportunity today in the Sprint.

    A decent result for Ricciardo, P15, it’s his first race weekend back, hopefully he can make up some positions in the race and maybe look at scoring some points.

    Predictions for the Sprint-

    My top five prediction for the Sprint race are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Hamilton, P4: Leclerc and P5: Russell.

    I have a feeling we may get a bit of a crazy sprint race, there are normally a few lap 1 clashes here so we could see some drama occur!

  • Austin Tyre Selection

    The tyres have been chosen for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix where we have another Sprint race weekend aswell.

    The drivers will have the C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft) at the Circuit of the Americas.

    The Medium and the Hard were used during last year’s race. Race winner, Max Verstappen did his first and final stint on the mediums and then the middle stint run on the hard and there was two neutralisations with safety cars.

    This weekend’s race will be the 75th Grand Prix to take place in the United States. A total of 11 different venues have hosted world championship races, with Watkins Glen staging the most Grand Prix.

    Some corners of the Herman Tilke-designed Circuit of the Americas are inspired by famous turns at other renowned tracks.
    Turns 3 to 6 are reminiscent of the Maggotts-Becketts complex at Silverstone, turns 12 to 15 are inspired by a section of the Hockenheimring, while turns 16 to 18 take after the celebrated turn 8 at the Isantbul Park.

    Austin kicks off a series of four races – three of them run consecutively – on the American continent. And it all begins with the United States Grand Prix: a land that is steeped in motorsport tradition but has truly made its F1 presence felt only in the last few years, thanks to all the different initiatives implemented by Liberty Media in a number of different areas.

    The Circuit of the Americas has hosted the United States Grand Prix every year since 2012, with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I would describe COTA as a complete track, with medium to high levels of downforce. Turn 1, a left-hander, is particularly distinctive at the end of a 22-metre climb, covered within just 200 metres of track distance. It makes the start particularly interesting, with drivers heading in a number of different directions to find the best line. That corner leads into a flowing first sector, characterised by a series of medium to fast corners all the way to the hairpin that is Turn 11. That’s then followed by a long straight leading into the final part of the track, which is instead typified by a series of slower and 90-degree corners.

    The forces at work on the tyres are mainly lateral, and they are quite well balanced between front and rear, without a specific corner of the car being subjected to particular stress. It’s also important to have good traction in the slow corners. The asphalt is still quite bumpy, despite the partial resurfacing that took place last year. This can lead to the tyre sliding very slightly, which is a potential cause of overheating. The degradation seen at Austin is mostly thermal, while graining is quite a rare occurrence, The race has always been held in autumn: a time of year when the weather can be very changeable, even within a very short time span. It’s not uncommon to see alternately sunny and rain days, with a wide range of temperatures.

    The Sprint format comes to Austin for the first time this year; another opportunity for a fanbase that is becoming more and more enthusiastic about modern F1 to soak up some spectacular action.

    Mario Isola, Pirelli Head of Motorsport.

  • Haas to have special livery for home Grand Prix

    Haas have presented a special livery that will adorn the cars of Hulkenberg and Magnussen on the team’s home race at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

    Austin is one of three American rounds on the current F1 calendar, alongside Miami and the new-for-2023 Las Vegas, and the US-led operation have taken the opportunity to mark the occasion.

    After previewing one-off driver race suits last week, livery concept images have now been revealed, with the VF-23 sporting a ‘Stars & Stripes’ design including the team’s tagline for the weekend, ‘We The People’ which is the opening line of the United States Constitution.

    Payment company MoneyGram will also celebrate their one-year anniversary as Haas’ title partner with an additional touch to the livery of the car, set to be revealed on the eve of the event this Thursday.

    Meanwhile, there will be one more star on the livery, with the bright yellow emblem of the Starlight Children’s Foundation – which Haas continue to work with – adorning the rear wing of both cars.

    Not only this, Haas will be introducing an upgrade package at the Circuit of The Americas, with team boss Guenther Steiner explaining the area of focus and the process behind the change.

    Haas enter their home Grand Prix weekend sitting ninth out of 10 teams in the constructors’ standings, having fallen behind Alfa Romeo in Qatar last time out.

    The upgrade on the VF-23 is aerodynamic. We changed the concept of the car because what we started with, because of the new regulations last year, we couldn’t make any more gains performance-wise. Creating more downforce and less drag, it just wasn’t there anymore, so we needed to change concept, to which is commonly known as the ‘Red Bull concept’ or the ‘downwash concept’. It is a substantial update, and we’re able to do this within the cost cap because we didn’t have any updates at the beginning of the season because again, going back, we couldn’t find any performance that we could make parts to put on the car.

    Guenther Steiner, Team Boss.

  • F1 to race in Belgium until 2025

    Formula 1 has announced that the Belgian Grand Prix will be remaining on the calendar until 2025 following a one year extension.

    The iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit holds a rich history in F1, having hosted 56 Grand Prix since its first race in 1950, and comes in as the longest circuit on the calendar at 7.004km.

    In recent years, the track has undergone significant development of its infrastructure, including a 10,000 capacity increase due to two new grandstands, as well as offering a wider variety of entertainment for fans including the addition of live music.

    This year’s Belgian Grand Prix saw an attendance of 380,000 people across the weekend, an increase of 20,000 over the 2022 event.

    The race has long been considered as potentially vulnerable as more and more lucrative flyaway events being added to the F1 schedule, and with the Dutch GP which was first held in 2021 it can be seen as potentially impacting crowd figures.

    Not only this, the disaster of the 2021 event, when the race was red flagged after a few laps behind the safety car, also called the venue into question.
    However, with the interest created by Max Verstappen has continued to boost attendance at Spa, despite the huge success of the neighbouring event in his home country.

    Spa is synonymous with Formula 1 having been one of the circuits in our first ever season and is much-loved by fans and drivers alike, so I am delighted to extend our relationship with them until 2025. The promoter has taken big strides in the last few years to improve the fan experience and infrastructure, and work is ongoing between all the stakeholders with a clear focus on delivering safe and exciting racing. I would like to thank the promoter and the Government of Wallonia for their continued support.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    We are proud and excited to announce that the Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Wallonia in 2025. Our region will once again rise to the top of the international scene, thanks to its high-quality events and legendary sports infrastructure. Beyond the prestige, I would like to emphasise the considerable economic impact that this event brings to Wallonia and Belgium. According to a study carried out in 2021, the Grand Prix generates positive spin-offs of €41.8 million for our region, after deduction of public funding, which is steadily decreasing. These figures constitute a solid indication of the financial impact, and the positive outlook means that we can expect even more positive results this year. The Formula 1 Grand Prix thus embodies both an emblematic moment in motor sport and a powerful engine of economic growth for our region.

    Willy Borsus, VIce-President and Minister for the Economy of Wallonia.

  • Pirelli continue as F1’s tyre supplier

    Formula 1 has selected Pirelli as the exclusive tyre supplier to the World Championship and Global Tyre Partner until 2027, with an option to extend for an additional year.

    The Italian manufacturer took on the role as sole supplier in 2011 and will have been in F1 for 18 seasons at the end of the latest agreement (including a possible extension).

    Throughout that time, they have responded to a series of sporting and technical changes, including the request to deliver 13-inch high degradation tyres for 2011, and also wider tyres in 2017 and the introduction of the current 18-inch rubber from 2022.

    Pirelli have put a sharp focus on research and development of sustainable tyre solutions as part of their support of the sustainability targets set by Formula 1.
    With the sport aiming to be Net Zero Carbon by 2030. From 2024, all tyres used in F1 events will be FSC-Certified (Forest Stewardship Council).

    That means the FSC have confirmed the plantations of the forest-based components of the tyres are managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and brings benefits to the lives of local communities and workers while ensuring economic sustainability.

    This new agreement also confirms Pirelli will provide the tyres to Formula 2 and Formula 3.

    Since returning to the sport in 2011 Pirelli has been an invaluable partner, supporting Formula 1 through new generations of technology and technical regulations and delivering tyres to enable fantastic racing for our fans. The company’s commitment to quality, innovation and their deep knowledge of our sport will be vital in the coming years as we approach our new regulations in 2026 and the work Pirelli is focused on relating to sustainability, proven by the FSC certification, will ensure we continue to work together towards our shared Net Zero 2030 goal. I would also like to commend Bridgestone for their impressive proposal and engagement throughout the process. They have a proud legacy in our sport and I would like to thank them for their highly professional and passionate engagement with us.

    President and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali.

    We’re delighted to extend or presence in Formula 1 and its other related championships. Pirelli was there when Formula 1 was born in 1950, and with this latest renewal, the firm will now be a protagonist throughout nearly two decades of the modern Formula 1 era. Thanks to the impetus from Liberty Media and the support of the FIA, the sport is enjoying an extraordinary period of growth both in terms of audience and global expansion, increasing its following among younger generations as well. Innovation and technology are locked into Pirelli’s DNA, and Formula 1 constitutes the ultimate open air laboratory to not only try out and test new technical solutions, but also to accelerate fresh research, development, and production processes in making tyres. Our commitment to sustainability is equally strong, as proved by the FSC certification that will be introduced to our F1 tyres from next year. Being at the forefront of motorsport’s pinnacle until at least 2027 adds another important value dimension to our company.

    Pirelli Executive Vice President and CEO, Marco Tronchetti Provera.

    Pirelli has been operating at the top level of motor sport for many years and I am sure that they will continue to deliver innovation and excellence on the world stage. Formula 1 is a unique challenge for the tyre supplier, and Pirelli has demonstrated great commitment to producing tyres that meet the extreme demands of these incredible cars. I would like to thank Pirelli for its ongoing support of motor sport not only in Formula 1, but in many other championships and categories at every level. Work will continue in the coming years to take further strides both in terms of performance and sustainability, and Pirelli have made strong commitments to both of these targets.

    FIA President, Mohamed Ben Sulayam.

  • Bearman to make F1 debut with FP1 outings

    Ferrari junior driver, Oliver Bearman will make his Formula 1 race weekend debut when he drives a Haas in first practice session in Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

    Bearman, 18, has won four races in his rookie F2 campaign this season and currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with one round to go.

    The Brit is the latest in a string of Ferrari Driver Academy racers who have previously driven Haas machinery in practice sessions, the list including, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman.

    F1 teams are required to run a young driver – defined as someone who has started no more than two Grand Prix – in two FP1 sessions per season.

    Bearman who won the 2021 Italian F4 Championship before joining the Ferrari Academy later that year, will be in Qatar this weekend to begin embedding himself in the team ahead of the two practice outings.
    He will dovetail his run in Abu Dhabi with the F2 season finale at the same venue on the same weekend.

    We’re very happy to offer Oliver Bearman these outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. He’s had a stellar rookie season in Formula 2, four wins is testament to that, and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy – we know his background preparation coming into these weekends will be first-rate. We look forward to welcoming Oliver into the team and have him drive the VF-23.

    Guenther Steiner, Haas boss.

    I am so happy to be joining Haas driving in Mexico and Abu Dhabi. Getting to Formula 1 has been my dream since I was go-karting so to be driving a car for the first time this year is really special. I’m grateful to the team, and of course Ferrari, for allowing me this chance. I’m working hard to make sure I’m ready to support the team as best I can on both occasions.

    Bearman on the news.

  • Williams want Sargeant next year

    James Vowles has backed Logan Sargeant as the Williams Team Principal insists they want the American driver in the car next season.

    Sargeant made the step up from Formula 2 to Formula 1 this year with Williams but has so far struggled, as he is the only full-time driver on the grid yet to score a point – with all of William’s 21 points this year coming from Alex Albon.

    The American’s place at the team is the only spot on the grid which is yet to be confirmed for next season.
    Vowles has moved to end any speculation of the team replacing Sargeant, saying Williams must shoulder some of the blame for his patchy form.

    Due to the realities of being one of F1’s smaller teams operating within the budget cap, Williams has been unable to introduce its upgrades to both cars at the same points this season.
    That means Sargeant’s teammate Alex Albon has often run the most up-to-date version of the car.

    Do you think the American deserves the seat for next year? Or should Williams look at other drivers?

    Logan has very clear targets of what he has to hit before the end of the season, and we are working with him continuously. And that’s the important point, we are working with him. We want him to succeed, and we want him in the car next year. This is very much on us as well. We have taken someone straight from Formula 2, without any significant testing, put him a day and half in Bahrain in this car, and then wished them well on a season that has been awfully challenging for rookies, full stop. There were some very positive signs to take out. First and foremost, Logan is not on the same aerodynamic specific as Alex was. We have updates that are on Alex’s car that are not on Logan’s, due to the amount of attrition we have had this year. So, often when you see a performance offset it is not quite what it may seem on the timing pages. Furthermore, to that, if you look at the case of Suzuka, he did a build up across the weekend, as he went into FP3, he did a time that matched Alex.

    James Vowles on Logan.

  • RND 18 – Qatar Grand Prix

    Before the race had even started we had drama, it was decided in plenty of time that the tyres had a mandatory limit of 18 laps per set due to safety reasons which were spotted on Friday during practice.

    Not only this we also saw Sergio Perez having to start at the pit lane, due to Red Bull changing several power unit components and making significant repairs.
    Just under an hour before lights out, there was more drama as Carlos Sainz was confirmed not to be taking part in the race due to a fuel system issue developing on his car.

    Now, onto the race, Max Verstappen made it another win, his first of being a triple world champion! Oscar Piastri claimed P2 making it his second podium in a row, and teammate, Lando Norris grabbed the final podium spot.

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

    Now first of all a big congratulations to Max and Red Bull for another championship in the bag! I think today was the perfect out come for Max to just win the race and control it!
    As for his teammate, he had another shocker due to getting time penalties after track limits violations.

    Another great result for McLaren! Wow, if you said to me at the beginning of the season that they will be getting double podiums now, I’d be laughing but they are which is great news for the team.

    Now onto the Mercedes duo, well they gave us a bit of entertainment at the beginning of the race, Lewis was overtaking George and Max on Lap 1 but as he was going past his teammate they touched which saw Lewis get stuck in the gravel and could not continue and George went down to the bottom of the grid.

    A good result for Bottas and Zhou, a double points finish just what the team needed! We also so Zhou do some lovely defending from Perez early on in the race which was crucial to him getting these points.

    Logan Sargeant also retired from the race but not due to the car/ crashing it was actually because he felt so unwell he had to retire, to be honest I take my hat off to him and the rest of the drivers, so many were feeling unwell and driving in that heat saw them struggle to get out of the car and were feeling faint afterwards.

    Now we have a little wait till the next Grand Prix, which is the weekend of 20th – 22nd October, where we head to the United States, which is another Sprint weekend and we could possibly see Daniel Ricciardo return…

  • RND 18 – Qatar Qualifying

    Well, qualifying wasn’t as easy for some drivers, with two drivers from two top teams out in Q2 and lap times being deleted effecting the top 10 results also!

    Max Verstappen took his 10th pole position of the season, with George Russell joining him on the front row and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top three.

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

    Amazing result from both Mercedes, and right next to each other aswell, I can see them wanting to go for a double podium on Sunday, but they have Fernando Alonso right on their tails so they’ve got to be wary.

    Not a very good result for Perez who is starting 13th, unable to get into Q3 again and joining him is Carlos Sainz who starts just ahead in 12th, not a good day for either driver, they’ve both got some work to do tomorrow.

    Both Alpines have done well to get into the top 10, I know they did well here two years ago, but a lot can change in two years as we know. Hopefully they can get some big points in the bag and see if they can bring the fight to the McLaren’s!

    Talking of McLaren’s, not the best qualifying session due to both drivers having lap times deleted, Lando was due to start P2 but now starts P10 and Oscar was due to start 3rd and now starts 6th. Its not that big of a deal, and with the car they’ve got they should hopefully be able to get through the grid easier.

    Also a little shout out to Valtteri Bottas, P9. Just what he needed, and he will be hoping for a points finish as he is only on 6 points so far this season and his team is on 10 points, just two away from Haas in P8.

    Predictions for Sprint-

    My top five for the Sprint race is: P1: Verstappen, P2: Hamilton, P3: Norris, P4: Alonso and P5: Piastri.

    I feel like we will get a little bit of a crazy race this weekend especially in the sprint, as for some drivers this is the perfect place to score some points.

  • Bortoleto joins McLaren Driver Development programme

    McLaren have announced that Gabriel Bortoleto has joined their Driver Development programme.
    The 2023 FIA Formula 3 Champion will work under the mentorship of former McLaren test driver, Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner, Emanuele Pirro, who leads the programme.

    Bortoleto, 18 made his single-seater debut in 2020 in the Italian F4 Championship where he won in the Monza and Mugello rounds.
    The Brazilian then moved on to the Formula Regional Championship by Alpine in 2021 and 2022, before gaining a seat in Formula 3 with Trident and taking the title at his first attempt.

    The McLaren Driver Development programme was formed in April, with the aim to support young drivers in their development from karting to professional racing driver to facilitate the progression of emerging talent into F1.
    Other members include Arrow McLaren IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward, McLaren’s 2024 F1 reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa and McLaren Young Driver, Ugo Ugochukwu.

    McLaren have also signed a one-year option on Italian Formula 4 driver, Brando Badoer, who will be assessed by the team over the next year, with the potential to join the Driver Development programme full time at the end of his evaluation.

    I’m excited to be joining the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m grateful to McLaren and Emanuele for giving me this opportunity. I’ve already been in the MTC (McLaren Technology Centre) for a tour and to meet the team, which was a really nice experience. I’m looking forward to continuing working on my development alongside a great team.

    Bortoleto on the news.

    I’m pleased to welcome Gabriel to the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’ve known him well since the beginning of his motorsport career and he’s got all that is needed on and off track to be a star. He also fits very well with our team culture at McLaren. I look forward to working with Gabriel and helping him develop in his motorsport career.

    Programme Director Pirro.
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