Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • Round 18- Japanese GP

    Round 18- Japanese GP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Gasly to Alpine 2023

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

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

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

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

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

    Pierre Gasly on his move.

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

    Alpine Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer

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

    Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO.

  • Japanese Grand Prix

    Round 18 is here and we are in Japan for the first time in 3 years! This weekend is the first home Grand Prix for Yuki Tsunoda! As well as, Honda’s logo making a return this weekend on the Red Bull’s and Alpha Tauri’s. Its to be said it will be continuing until at least the end of season.

    Can Max Verstappen have a better weekend and clinch the title this weekend? Will Ferrari have another strong weekend? And what can Mercedes do, will they be in the fight for a podium?

    Who needs a good weekend?

    Mercedes need a good weekend, especially after Singapore only scoring a few points. But with Russell taking his engine penalty last weekend he will be starting further up the grid this weekend… hopefully!

    Alpine need a good weekend aswell, a double DNF for the team after reliability issues, and we are getting to the end of the season where these things happen, but its not normally this early on… Alpine have now been overtook in the Constructors by McLaren after they had a double points finish last weekend.

    Haas will also be wanting a good weekend aswell, as they were also overtook in the Constructors by Aston Martin but there is just three points between them, to make it worse for Haas they have Alpha Tauri behind them in the constructors and they are both level on points, so a good points finish for the team will help.

    Predictions-

    My top five for qualifying are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Hamilton and P5: Russell.

    I feel like this weekend could be quite surprising for us, we know Lewis loves this track and has a good track record round here. So would it be that much of a surprise if he put it on pole? Or even the front row?

    Times for the weekend-

    Friday 7th-

    • Free Practice 1- 04:00am – 05:00am (BST)
    • Free Practice 2- 07:00am – 08:30am

    Saturday 8th-

    • Free Practice 3- 04:00am – 05:00am
    • Qualifying- 07:00am – 08:00am

    Sunday 9th-

    • Race- 06:00am

  • Japan Tyre Allocation

    Once again its race week, and we are returning to Japan! The tyre allocation has been chosen, which are- C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft) and this will be the final outing for the hardest C1 compound.

    The second free practice session this weekend, has been extended to 90 minutes in order to allow 2023 prototype slick tyre testing. The Suzuka and Austin tests are there to fine-tune the compounds for 2023. The prototypes are easily recognisable as thy wont carry coloured markings on the sidewalls.

    Like Singapore last week, the Japanese Grand Prix was last held in 2019. The challenge is made even greater with the team having to approach the circuit, weather conditions and set-up in completely new way with the latest generation of cars and tyres.

    Suzuka is all about lateral forces rather than traction and braking, but the loads are quite evenly balanced between the left and the right hand sides of the car.

    Ask the drivers which are their favourite circuits and Suzuka will always be high on the list: it contains demanding corners like nowhere else, such as 130R and Spoon, as well as a truly special atmosphere and history with incredible fans. There’s a roughly equal number of left and right corners in the unique figure of eight layout, which means that the circuit demands are evenly balanced. The sustained energy loads through the tyres are some of the highest we register all year, and the track layout means that we bring the three hardest compounds in our range because of the high levels of tyre duty. With the latest generation of cars being heavier than before and the limits of performance constantly being pushed, that challenge is bigger than ever now. An innovation for this year is the fact that we will be testing some 2023 prototype tyres during an extended free practice session on Friday afternoon, as we finalise the specification for next year with the end of this season approaching.

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director.

  • Round 17- Singapore Qualifying

    Qualifying is now complete in Singapore and what a qualifying it was! A shock exit from Q2 from one of the top three teams, and pole swapping between 5 different drivers in the final few minutes of Q3.

    But, it was Charles Leclerc and Ferrari who got pole position for the Singapore GP, with it being Charles’ second in a row at Singapore. Sergio Perez joins him on the front row for the first time in Singapore aswell. And rounding out the top 3 is Hamilton, first top 3 in qualifying of the season.

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

    Great qualifying for Ferrari, both cars in top 4, that now gives them an advantage over Mercedes and RB. Can they turn it into a win and a podium? If not will a double podium be possible?

    Not the best qualifying for Russell, starting P11 just outside the top 10 hopefully the Mercedes driver can get back into the top 10 and grab some points.

    Now Max Verstappen was an absolute flyer of a lap, and looked like he was going to take pole from Leclerc but before he reached the finish line, Verstappen got told to pit for possibly not having enough fuel for when they do the scruiteneering later on.

    Predictions-

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

    I feel were going to get an exciting race today, Russell is starting from the back of the grid due to engine penalty, it will be interesting to see how he does, coming through the field. As well as Max, the dutchman starting 8th, and its not the easiest to overtake here.

  • Singapore Grand Prix

    We are back racing once again this week and we have a double header ahead of us, but most importantly we are returning to Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix and for the first time in three years!

    Will Max clinch the title this weekend, or will Leclerc and Ferrari come back fighting? But what can Mercedes do? 6 races left, can they finally get that win, their hoping for?

    Who needs a good weekend?

    Charles and Ferrari will be wanting a good weekend, especially if they want to continue fighting for the championship, as Max can grab the title this weekend. But even if Ferrari weren’t going for the Drivers title anymore, the Italian team have a battle with Mercedes in the Constructors.

    Lewis is closing in on Carlos in the drivers title, so both drivers will be wanting a good weekend and we know how Lewis does around the Marina Bay Circuit.

    Alpha Tauri and Haas will be hoping for a good weekend and score some points, Haas are on 34 and AT are on 33, it will be interesting to see who scores the points and can be consistent for this weekend.

    Predictions-

    My top five for qualifying are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Hamilton, P4: Sainz and P5: Russell.

    I think we will be in for a few surprises on Sunday, given the fact we haven’t raced here in 3 years and some of the drivers who have joined in those three years will be racing here for the first time.

    Times for the weekend-

    Saturday-

    • FP3- 11:00am – 12:00pm (BST)
    • Qualifying- 14:00pm – 15:00pm

    Sunday-

    • Race- 13:00pm (BST)

  • Williams waiting on Sargeant

    With the F1 driver market hotting up, Williams look like they are set to rely on Logan Sargeant qualifying for a superlicence as the last pieces of the 2023 driver market, begins to fall into place.

    There has only been two main names that has been linked to the seat which is currently occupied by Nicolas Latifi, those being Sargeant and De Vries.

    However, De Vries has also put himself in the frame elsewhere, as he has recently met with Helmut Marko with the view of driving for Alpha Tauri next season. The Dutchman is a logical candidate as the intention is for the seat to go to someone who could one day move to Red Bull as a partner to Max Verstappen.

    If De Vries did join the RB camp, then the full focus of Williams will be on Sargeant, who has enjoyed a strong rookie year in the F2 Championship and is scheduled to drive the FW44 in FP1 at his home race in Austin.

    However, the American has to emerge from the final event in Abu Dhabi in November placed fifth or higher in the championship order to guarantee that he will get an FIA superlicence that will allow him to race next year.

    He currently lies third on 135 points, but could tumble down the order if he suffers misfortune in Abu Dhabi, the final round of the season. If Sargeant doesn’t get the required licence points then Williams will have to look elsewhere.

    There’s a good choice of drivers. It’s a good choice of young drivers, there’s still some experienced drivers there as well. And so I think it’s quite different philosophies, different strategies. In the situation of the team we can work on different strategies. We are not so much in the front that we need two very experienced drivers, so we can experiment a bit, and get young drivers in. So we’ll see what turns out to be best.

    Jost Capito, making it clear Williams is open to taking on a rookie.

  • F1 to feature six sprints from 2023

    Plans have been approved for additional Sprint sessions to be staged during the 2023 Formula 1 season and beyond, with the number of events that will feature the format increasing from three to six.

    Sprint sessions were first introduced to F1 in 2021 and proved a popular addition to the usual weekend format, with qualifying moving to Friday and the extra 100km race slotting into Saturday’s schedule to set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

    On Tuesday, the World Motor Sport Council rubber-stamped the move to six Sprint events, with confirmation of the venues at which they will take place to follow in due course.

    Looking at 2021, Silverstone, Monza and Interlagos played host to the first of Sprint events, with Imola, Red Bull Ring and Interlagos selected for this season.

    I am pleased that we can confirm six Sprints will be part of the Championship from 2023 onwards, building on the success of the new format introduced for the first time in 2021. The Sprint provides action across three days with the drivers all fighting for something right from the start on Friday through to the main event on Sunday, adding more drama and excitement to the weekend. The feedback from the fans, teams, promoters, and partners has been very positive and the format is adding a new dimension to Formula 1, and we all want to ensure its success in the future.

    Formula 1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali.

    The confirmation that six race weekends featuring Sprint will take place from the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season onwards is another example of the continued growth and prosperity at the highest level of motor sport. Thanks to close collaboration with Stefano Domenicali and our colleagues at FOM, we concluded a thorough analysis on the impact of additional Sprint sessions and have adjusted relevant parameters of our work to ensure that they continue to be regulated at the very highest level. Sprint sessions provide an exciting dynamic to the race weekend format and have proven to be popular over the past two seasons – I am sure that this positive trend will continue and am pleased that the World Motor Sport Council has today given its approval for them to go ahead.

    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

  • McLaren reveal special livery

    Mclaren has revealed a special livery design that they will be using for the upcoming races in the Singapore and Japanese Grand Prix, celebrating Formula 1’s return to the Asian content.

    After the 2020 and 2021 races at Marina Bay and Suzuka were cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, both venues are back on the calendar for the 2022 season with a double-header sequence over the next two weekends.

    To mark the occasion, McLaren worked with team partner and crypto exchange company, OKX to create a bespoke ‘Future Mode’ livery for the MCL36.

    With the car’s usual colour scheme dominated by papaya, the new livery adds neon pink embellishments as well as cyberpunk-inspired engine illustrations.

    In addition to both McLaren cars having a livery change, it will also be reflected on the race suits worn by Norris and Ricciardo.

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjALC9DIica/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CjALpMMowWm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Singapore Tyre Allocation

    We are back racing this weekend and Pirelli have chosen the tyres for Singapore. Those being the three softest compounds: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    These compounds have been chosen to match the typical street circuit characteristics of the Marina Bay track, which ensures high levels on mechanical grip.

    There’s some new asphalt for Singapore this year, it isn’t as smooth as the usual asphalt seen on street circuits, having been put down with a view to the grand prix. However as a street circuit, the Marina Bay circuit is normally used by road traffic and the surface contains street furniture such as white lines and manhole covers.

    A high degree of track evolution is expected also because there are not many support races scheduled which normally help to lay down rubber.

    With the race starting at 8pm (GMT), and continuing for about two hours, track temperatures are generally stable for most of the race, whilst high humidity levels provide a big physical challenge for the drivers , the cars and also for the tyres with thermal degradation.

    We’ve missed the spectacular night action of Singapore’s streets! With 18-inch tyres that have a completely different compound and structure compared to the ones used three years ago – as well as new asphalt this year – it’s almost like a totally new race. Singapore is all about slow corners – all 23 of them – and maximising traction. We’ve got the three softest compounds for maximum speed and grip but looking after the rear tyres in order to ensure the drive needed will be key. With the tendency of the latest cars to understeer, it will be even more important to find the right set-up balance to ensure a strong front end without compromising acceleration at the rear.

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director

  • Zhou stays with Alfa Romeo

    Alfa Romeo have announced that Zhou Guanyu has a fresh new deal, that will keep the Chinese driver at the team for 2023, alongside Valtteri Bottas.

    Zhou hit the ground running by scoring a point on his debut in Bahrain and then followed that up with two more points finishes, at Canada and Italian Grand Prix. In total, Zhou has scored six points so far this season, compared to Bottas’ tally of 46, however its felt internally that tally would be much higher had he not suffered a series of mechanical problems.

    The strong relationship built up between the team mate Bottas, who is on a multi-year deal played a part in opting to give Zhou a second season.

    The team, have been impressed by his “commitment and attitude” as well as displaying “levels of maturity and race craft that belie his young age”.

    I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou. From day one with the team, at the Abu Dhabi test last year, he has impressed me with his approach to work and this is always a very positive trait. We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula 1 in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season. He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri, and the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race. He will have this experience to draw on next season, and I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team

    Alfa Romeo boss, Fred Vasseur.

    I am happy and grateful to Alfa Romeo F1 Team for the opportunity to be part of the team for another season. Making it to Formula 1 was a dream come true and the feeling of competing for the first time in a race will live with me forever: the team has been incredibly supportive, welcoming me from day one and helping me adapt to the most complex series in motorsport. There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team, and the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season. There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop but I am confident in our work: I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together.

    Zhou Gunayu on his new contract.

  • Latifi to leave Williams

    Williams have announced that Nicholas Latifi will be leaving the team at the of the 2022 season – when his current contract expires, after three seasons with the team.

    Following several free practice outings, Williams handed Latifi his F1 race debut in 2020 – the Canadian driver making 55 race starts and scoring seven points to date.

    The team said that they will announce who will join Alex Albon in their 2023 line-up “in due course” – Nyck de Vries recently staking his claim with an impressive stand-in performance at the Italian Grand Prix.

    I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Williams Racing – all the people back at the factory and those I work with trackside – for the last three years. My initial F1 debut was postponed due to the pandemic but we eventually got going in Austria and, although we have not achieved the results together we hoped we would, it’s still been a fantastic journey. Getting those first points in Hungary last year was a moment I’ll never forget, and I will move onto the next chapter of my career with special memories of my time with this dedicated team. I know none of us will stop putting in every effort until the end of the season.

    Latifi on the news.

    On behalf of the whole team, I would like to say an enormous thank you to Nicholas for his three years of hard work with Williams.He is a great team player who has a great attitude towards his colleagues and work and is well liked and respected throughout the business. Our time together is now coming to an end, but I know he will put full effort in to maximise what we can do together for the remainder of this season. We wish him all the very best of luck for his future, both in and out of the cockpit.

    Jost Capito, Williams CEO and Team Principal.

  • De Vries possible move to AT

    Despite Colton Herta’s potential move to Alpha Tauri breaking down, Pierre Gasly could still be off to Alpine. It is now being reported that Nyck de Vries is waiting in the wings to replace the Fre- nchman at Alpha Tauri.

    Red Bull have appeared to accepted IndyCar driver Herta will not be granted an FIA Super Licence to make the switch to Formula 1, so the deal appears to be off the cards.

    It had originally been claimed that Herta’s availability for Alpha Tauri was a condition upon which Gasly would be released from the final year of his contract in order to join Alpine following Alonso’s departure to Aston Martin for 2023.

    However, it looks like RB still may let Gasly go, with De Vries said to now be first in line to replace hima t the sister team.

    De Vries has long been linked with an F1 race seat but in recent times more so at Williams – with whom he made his debut at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix when deputising for the unwell Alex Albon and impressed greatly by finishing P9.

    It appears that the performance caught the eye of Red Bull adviser, Helmut Marko who has since met up with the 27 year old in Graz, Austria.

    Nyck de Vries and George Russell ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at the Circuit de Monza in Monza, Italy. REMKO DE WAAL
    Nyck de Vries at the Italian GP

  • Tsunoda stays with AT for 2023

    Alpha Tauri have confirmed that Yuki Tsunoda will remain with the squad for the 2023 season, which will be the Japanese driver’s third year with the Italian team.

    Tsunoda joined Alpha Tauri at the start of the 2021 season, and has spent two years to date alongside Pierre Gasly, netting 43 points in that time (32 of which were earned last season) alongside a best race finish of fourth – claimed at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    The 22 year old finished last season in 14th, he currently sits in 16th after scoring 11 points in the opening 16 races, with 6 remaining.

    The identity of Tsunoda’s team mate is less clear, with AT and Red Bull having publicly stating that they would be prepared to release Gasly to another team if they found a suitable replacement – with Tost admitting that Indy Car driver Colton Herta was of interest to the team.

    I want to say a huge thank you to Red Bull, Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri for continuing to give me the opportunity to drive in F1. Having moved to Italy last year, to be closer to the factory, I really feel part of the team and am glad that I get to carry on racing with them in 2023. Of course, our 2022 season isn’t over yet and we’re still pushing hard in the midfield battle, so I’m fully focused on finishing it on a high and then we will look forward to next year.

    Tsunoda speaking on his deal.

    As we’ve seen since he joined us last year, Yuki is a very talented driver and has improved a lot this season. The pace he has shown recently is clear evidence of a steep learning curve, which proves he deserves a seat in F1, and I still expect some strong results from him in the last six races of 2022. As I always say, a driver needs at least three years to fully get to grips with Formula 1, so I’m pleased he’s been given the time to show his full potential. In addition, it’s a testament to Dr. Marko [Red Bull Motorsports Adviser] and his driver programme that we’re able to bring these young talents up from the junior categories and develop them. I’d like to join Yuki in thanking Red Bull and AlphaTauri, as well as Honda, for their continuous support and for allowing him to stay with us for another year.

    Teamboss, Franz Tost on Tsunoda’s re-signing.

  • F1 to race in Monaco till 2025

    After months of uncertainty, Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until 2025 after a new three-year agreement was finalised with the Automobile Club of Monaco (ACM).

    There was uncertainty about the future of the Monaco Grand Prix, due to differences of opinion over the race hosting fee, TV rights, track-side sponsorship and infrastructure.

    F1’s fustrations with Monaco were not just limited to the fee, there was annoyance about the nature of the TV direction, which had traditionally been done by a local director rather than F1 personnel.

    As well as this, Monaco regularly did its own track-side advertising deals… Last year, Monaco did a deal with watch brand TAG Heuer which is a direct competitor of F1’s official timing partner Rolex and has prominent branding around F1 tracks.

    Monte Carlo’s streets have been an important part of the championship since the first round back in 1950, the venue offering a unique challenging for the drivers and a back drop that is famous around the world.

    Monaco will be the eighth round of the 24-race 2023 season on May 28th, the second part of a back-to-back with Imola.

    I am pleased to confirm that we will be racing in Monaco until 2025 and excited to be back on the streets of this famous Principality for next year’s Championship on May 28. I want to thank everyone involved in this renewal and especially H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club of Monaco and all his team. We look forward to being back next season to continue our partnership together.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO.

    In the interest of the Formula One World Championship, and after several months of negotiations, we are proud to announce that we have signed a three-year agreement with Formula One, and likely to be renewed

    Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club of Monaco.

  • 2023 Race Calendar revealed

    Formula 1 has announced the calendar for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, which has been approved by the World Motor Sport Council.

    Once again, the season will be kicking off in Bahrain but an earlier date of March the 5th, and concluding in Abu Dhabi on November 26th, with the season featuring a record-breaking 24 races, with China and Qatar set to return and Las Vegas arriving as the penultimate round for a Saturday night race.

    The summer break will remain in August, although there is changes to race dates, which see Belgium move to the end of the July as a back-to-back with Hungary, whilst the Netherlands is twinned with Italy just after the break.

    DateGrand PrixVenue
    March 5thBahrainSakhir
    March 19thSaudi ArabiaJeddah
    April 2ndAustraliaMelbourne
    April 16thChinaShanghai
    April 30thAzerbaijanBaku
    May 7thMiamiMiami
    May 21stEmilia RomagnaImola
    May 28thMonacoMonaco
    June 4thSpainBarcelona
    June 18thCanadaMontreal
    July 2ndAustriaSpielberg
    July 9thUnited KingdomSilverstone
    July 23rdHungaryBudapest
    July 30thBelgiumSpa
    August 27thNetherlandsZandvoort
    September 3rdItalyMonza
    September 17thSingaporeSingapore
    September 24thJapanSuzuka
    October 8thQatarLosail
    October 22ndUSAAustin
    October 29thMexicoMexico City
    November 5thBrazilSao Paulo
    November 18thLas VegasLas Vegas*
    November 26thAbu DhabiYas Marina
    *Subject to FIA circuit homologation

    We are excited to announce the 2023 calendar with 24 races around the world. Formula 1 has unprecedented demand to host races and it is important we get the balance right for the entire sport. We are very pleased with the strong momentum Formula 1 continues to experience and it is great news that we will be able to bring our passionate fans a mix of exciting new locations such as Las Vegas to the Championship with much loved venues across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

    Formula 1 CEO and President, Stefano Domenicali.

    The presence of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale. The addition of new venues and the retention of traditional events underlines the FIA’s sound stewardship of the sport. I am delighted that we will be able to take Formula 1’s new era of exciting racing, created by the FIA’s 2022 Regulations, to a broader fan base in 2023. In framing the 2023 F1 calendar, WMSC Members have also been mindful of the timing of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem

  • Race weekend shake-up looming

    Stefano Domenicali insists the controversial ‘sprint race’ format is not the end of his efforts to spice up race weekends in Formula 1.

    Domenicali, F1 CEO, wants the sprint race format to be expanded from three rounds in 2022 to at least six rounds next year. But he also sees other ways to make the weekends more exciting.

    We will address the issue in the next F1 Commission meeting. The fans, the organisers, everyone wants it. The sprint race was just the first example of what could be improved. We are putting a lot of things on the table, many say no, but we have seen on some occasions the beauty of having a reshuffled race. We have an obligation to try, at least.

    Stefano Domenicali.

    As for the 2022 world championship, Formula 1 will almost certainly not get a 2021 style close title finale in Abu Dhabi this year due to Max Verstappen’s dominance.

    But looking into a little more detail on what Domenicali said, will reverse grids actually change anything? Obviously it depends on what tracks, as somewhere like Monaco it would not be beneficial.

    At Spa, Verstappen still won the race by 18 seconds despite starting 14th, he also won the Italian GP from P7, and was set comfortably to do so even if the race had not ended behind the safety car.

    But the question is, will teams who are spending millions to put a fast car on the track agree to the idea of having their car start at the back of the grid to then be taken out? Most definitely not, so I think Domenicali might want to keep on brain storming more ideas…

  • Shwartzman FP1 run

    Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari test driver will be taking part in FP1 for the Scuderia at the 2022 United States Grand Prix.

    Shwartzman will be getting his first stint at the wheel of the 2022 Ferrari F1-75, having drive the 2021 car this season at Mugello in July and at Fiorano in September alongside reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi.

    The 22 year old, finished runner-up in the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship and will be taking part in two FP1 sessions for Ferrari, the first one being at the Circuit of the Americas on October 21st.

    In 2022, teams must run a driver who has taken part in two Grands Prix or fewer in at least two FP1 sessions.

    For us, it’s Robert Shwartzman that will do our two FP1s. You are right in saying that you would not pick races like Singapore or races where the race drivers need more running. I don’t think we have an issue in doing it during one of the weekends where we have Pirelli testing.

    Laurent Mekies, Racing Director.

  • Hulkenback?

    Nico Hulkenberg could be soon back in Formula 1 and not just being the super-sub, recent reports link him to Haas for a full-time seat for the 2023 season.

    Hulkenberg has become somewhat of a super-sub in F1, having stepped in for Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin during the opening two races of this season. As well as fulfilling the same role in 2020 when he started two races for Racing Point, scoring 10 points and putting his car third on the grid on the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

    But, its now been three seasons since the German driver has had a full time seat in Formula 1, having last done so for Renault… But this could be about to change!

    Mick Schumacher’s contract will be expiring at the end of the season, and their is currently little talk that it will be extended. Speculation has turned as to who will be sitting in the seat on the opposite side of the garage to Kevin Magnussen in 2023.

    Ricciardo had been a name that was linked although that has now gone cold and his former Renault team-mate Hulkenberg is the latest to be linked with the seat.

    Everybody with a superlicence is on the list. I think he’s a candidate like all the other ones, because he’s got a superlicence, he has done F1, he has experience. I mean, there is nobody who is racing now that you could get if you wanted to change. We just have to see what is the best decision.

    Haas boss, Steiner talking to Motorsport.com about Hulkenberg being a candidate.

    Another name which is being thrown into the mix is Antonio Giovinazzi, with the Italian not having the best season in Formula E. His recent outing with Haas at the Italian Grand Prix saw him impress, he is also due for another test with the team at the United States Grand Prix on October.

  • F2 Champ, Drugovich AM’s reserve

    Felipe Drugovich will become one of Aston Martin’s reserve drivers after the team announced the newly-crowned 2022 Formula 2 Champion as the first member of their Driver Development Programme.

    The Brazilian is expected to substitute in for Lance Stroll in FP1 at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the will also be taking part in the Young Driver Test as Yas Marina the week after.

    Looking at 2023, Drugovich will be testing Aston Martin’s 2021 AMR21 car and attend Grand Prix as part of their AMF1 Driver Development Programme – the teams new junior academy.

    Becoming a member of the AMF1 Driver Development Programme is a fantastic opportunity for me – and only adds to what has been an extremely enjoyable and successful 2022 season. Winning in Formula 2 has long been regarded as the best possible launchpad into a career in Formula 1, and I see my role at AMF1 as giving me all the tools to take that crucial next step. For me, 2023 will be a learning curve: I will be working with the F1 team, but my primary goal is to learn and develop as a driver. I hope that will give me an opportunity to race in Formula 1 in the future.

    Felipe Drugovich on his news.

    Felipe has shown incredible talent, determination, and consistency to win this year’s FIA Formula 2 Championship – I particularly remember his fantastic Sprint and Feature victories at Barcelona in May, which were hugely impressive. We are delighted that he is joining us as a member of our Driver Development Programme, and we look forward to welcoming him as part of our team in Abu Dhabi this November.

    Team Principal, Mike Krack

    We have watched and admired Felipe’s path to success in Formula 2 this year, and we aim to provide him with all the skills and experience necessary to be able to take the next step in his career. In the fullness of time, it would be the ultimate validation if he were to become a Formula 1 driver, joining the great pantheon of Brazilian racing drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi and Ayrton Senna.

    Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll

  • Round 16- Italian GP

    Round 16 is now complete, and so is the Italian Grand Prix, where we had a very mixed up grid for the start of the race but the Tifosi came out in full force!

    But for the fifth time in the row and for the first time in Monza, Max Verstappen wins, Charles Leclerc comes home for Ferrari in 2nd and Mr George Russell grabs another podium finishing P3.

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

    Can we just take a moment for Nyck de Vries, drives in an Aston Martin in FP1 on Friday, gets the call up 45 minutes before FP3 to jump in Albon’s car, debut F1 race weekend and gets into Q2, then with the penalties he moves up into the top 10! But today is where it mattered, he scored his first F1 points on his debut (get this man a seat!!!!)

    Another great drive from Max! Now onto his 30th win of his F1 career and its not going to be the last, the Dutchman can actually clinch the title at the next race in Singapore.

    A good result for Lando today, but the Monza curse strikes again as Daniel DNF’ed due to a possible oil leak which caused him to loose the engine, hopefully better luck soon!

    After qualifying, I thought the Alpine’s would’ve been a bit more further up the grid but it just wasn’t meant to be. Alonso retired in the pits, and Ocon finished 11th, so close to the points.

    The Championship-

    Max increases his gap in the Championship, Leclerc has managed to pull a little bit of a gap out between himself and Perez. Russell is now catching up to Perez in the Drivers, as the British driver has pulled a 16 point gap to Sainz.

    Not much has changed in the Constructors, just the gap between RB and Ferrari increased, Mercedes are only 35 points away from Ferrari. Alpine remains in 4th on 125 points and McLaren in 5th.

    We now have a bit of a wait until the next race, and its returning for the first time since 2019! The weekend of the 30th September to 2nd October is the Singapore Grand Prix and is round 17!

  • Round 16- Monza Qualifying

    Once again we have another weekend where penalties take a part in setting the grid for the race on Sunday, those being: VER 5 places, OCO 5 places, PER 10 places, BOT 15 places, MAG 15 places, SCH 15 places, SAI back of the grid, HAM back of the grid, TSU back of grid.

    But it was Charles Leclerc who took pole position! Max Verstappen managed 2nd with Carlos Sainz in third, making it a wonderful weekend so far for Ferrari at home turf!

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

    The top three for the starting grid though is Leclerc, Russell and Norris, anything else we are unsure about until 14th!!!

    Let’s take a moment for Nyck de Vries, 45 minute warning before FP3 that his driving this weekend, gets into Q2 on his debut and will hopefully be starting in the top 10 due to the penalties! Very much looking forward to seeing how he does, could this be his chance to get an F1 seat?…

    Alpine aren’t where I thought they would be, Alonso 10th and Ocon 11th but does have a penalty. Their pace just doesn’t seem to be their in qualifying today, so maybe they’ve set up the car for the race?

    Predictions-

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

    I’d love nothing more to see Leclerc win at Monza again but I just have a gut feeling something is going to go wrong whether that be there strategy or their pitstops…

    But to see the likes of Hamilton, Perez and Sainz all come through the field and battle it out is going to be an interesting one!

    Times for tomorrow-

    • Feature Race F3- 07:35am (BST)
    • Feature Race F2- 09:05am
    • F1 Race- 14:00pm

  • Albon out of Italian GP, De Vries in

    Williams driver, Alex Albon will be missing the rest of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix after being diagnosed with appendicitis, with former Formula 2 and Formula E champion Nyck de Vries standing in for him.

    In the free practice sessions yesterday, Albon finished a promising 10th in FP2 and 11th in FP1 as Williams’ straight-line speed appeared to put them in the fight for points in Monza.

    However, ahead of the final practice session today, Williams announced the Thai driver will not be taking part in the remainder of the weekend.

    De Vries ran for Williams in FP1 at the Spanish Grand Prix and was at the track in Italy this weekend to perform similar duties for Aston Martin. As a result, the 27 year old will be making his Grand Prix debut this weekend racing alongside Nicholas Latifi.

    Williams Racing can confirm that, after feeling unwell this morning and seeking medical advice from the FIA and local hospital, Alex Albon is now undergoing treatment for appendicitis. Following on from this, we can confirm that the team’s Reserve Driver Nyck de Vries will drive in place of Alex for the remainder of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Alex is in good spirits and the team wishes him a speedy recovery.

    A statement from the team.

  • Gasly to Alpine?

    Recently, Pierre Gasly has been rumoured he could be leaving Alpha Tauri and partnering up with Esteban Ocon at Alpine for the 2023 season.

    Originally, it was Alpine’s reserve driver Oscar Piastri whom the team intended to step up to a race seat, although he sensationally denied that wouldn’t be the case after Alpine announced his promotion in a press release.

    It’s now been confirmed that Piastri will be driving for McLaren for 2023, so essentially Alpine are 100% looking at other drivers now.

    It has led to various other drivers being linked with the seat. One of those is Gasly, who despite being under contract with Alpha Tauri until the end of 2023, has had the door closed in his face in terms of a future opportunity to return to Red Bull.

    If Gasly did go to Alpine next year, this means he would have to leave the Red Bull programme (a bit like Albon when he went to Williams). This would then leave Alpha Tauri the job of finding two drivers, as Yuki Tsunoda has not been re-signed yet.

    Red Bull have been looking into Colton Herta joining their sister team. Herta currently races in Indycar, but does not have enough points on his superlicence to compete in F1.

    The FIA is reportedly looking into Colton Herta’s credentials for a superlicence. He currently sits on 32 points, but drivers need 40 points to gain a superlicence.

  • Italian Grand Prix

    Our third race in three weeks is here! And it’s one of the most prestigious races of the year! It’s the home Grand Prix of Ferrari, and I can’t wait to see the Tifosi in action once again!

    Last year, it was a McLaren 1-2, the year before Gasly won his first race, and the year before that Leclerc won at home for Ferrari. Can we expect a crazy race again this year, maybe a first win for someone? *cough Russell cough*

    Who needs a good weekend-

    I think Ferrari will be wanting a good weekend especially at home, but if Charles wants to win this weekend he will be wanting to close down the gap to Max, 8 races left and 109 points between the pair. Not only this Leclerc will be wanting to build a gap on Perez as they are sat on the same points.

    Bottas will be hoping to get some big points on the board, he is only 13 points behind Alonso in the Drivers standings so it isn’t that big of a gap if he scores every race weekend.

    The battle between 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th in the driver standings is heating up as they are separated by 4 points those being Kevin Magnussen, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly.

    Times for the weekend-

    Friday 9th-

    • Free Practice F3- 08:15am – 09:00am (BST)
    • Free Practice F2- 09:25am – 10:10am
    • Free Practice 1 F1- 13:00pm – 14:00pm
    • Qualifying F3- 14:30pm – 15:00pm
    • Free Practice 2 F1- 16:00pm – 17:00pm
    • Qualifying F2- 17:30pm – 18:00pm

    Saturday 10th-

    • Sprint Race F3- 09:35am – 10:20am (BST)
    • Free Practice 3 F1- 12:00pm – 13:00pm
    • Qualifying F1- 15:00pm – 16:00pm
    • Sprint Race F2- 17:00pm – 17:45pm

    Sunday 12th-

    • Feature Race F3- 07:35am (BST)
    • Feature Race F2- 09:05am
    • F1 Race- 14:00pm

  • Herta to Alpha Tauri?

    Silly Season is still going on as Red Bull are now eyeing up IndyCar driver, Colton Herta to replace Pierre Gasly at Alpha Tauri for 2023.

    Red Bull are wanting to sign Herta to replace Gasly, and could possibly confirm a deal before this weekends Italian GP.

    Gasly, who has been part of the Red Bull stable since his F1 debut, five years ago is Alpine’s preferred candidate to fill the vacant seat left by Fernando Alonso, which Oscar Piastri turned down to join McLaren.

    Herta, the talented 22 year old American, has emerged as the front runner but he would require an exemption from F1’s governing body to be able to compete.

    Astonishingly enough, all of the parties and teams involved, we found an agreement. First we have to get a definite answer [from the FIA] and I think it should be by Monza.

    Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko.

    To obtain a superlicense to compete in F1, drivers need to accumulate 40 points. But despite strong performances in IndyCar with seven race wins, Herta is currently eight points short as the American series, which isn’t governed by the FIA and does not rate highly in the licensing system.

    Red Bull are hopefuly of getting a dispensation, whilst McLaren boss Zak Brown has also backed getting Herta into F1. Herta tested for McLaren in July this year and is highly rated by the team.

  • De Vries, FP1 run with AM

    Nyck de Vries will be taking part in FP1 for the third time this season with a third different team, he will be taking Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin in the first practice session for the 2022 Italian Grand Prix.

    The 27 year old, ran in FP1 for Williams in place of Alex Albon at the Spanish Grand Prix, as well as subbing in for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in France.

    As per the 2022 regulations, each team needs to allocate two practice sessions to field a driver that has not competed in two Grand Prix. Aston Martin are yet to announce who will be taking part in the remaining practice session.

    I am really looking forward to driving for AMF1, particularly at such a legendary circuit as Monza. It will be my third FP1 session of the season, and in the third different Formula 1 chassis, and these opportunities have given me a fantastic insight into how Formula 1 cars and teams function and operate. I hope I can bring a fresh perspective to the AMF1 team and can undertake a run-programme that proves beneficial to us both.

    Nyck de Vries on his FP1 session.

    We are delighted to welcome Nyck to our team, and we look forward to working with him at Monza. I have watched Nyck’s career with great interest – he drove brilliantly to win the Formula 2 title in 2019 and underlined his class by winning the Formula E World Championship in 2020/2021, so we are looking forward to gaining his perspectives and insights about our car. His achievements show that he clearly deserves a shot at Formula 1 – and, hopefully, this opportunity to get behind the wheel of the AMR22 will allow him to showcase his abilities to the wider world.

    Team Principal, Mike Krack.

  • Monza Tyre Allocation

    It’s a big weekend for both F1 and Pirelli as we are in Monza at the Temple of Speed. As well as Pirelli enjoy their 150 year anniversary at home.

    But, onto other matters, Pirelli have chosen the tyres for this weekend which are- C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft).

    Eliminating the natural understeer tendency of the current cars is a challenge at the slow corners in Monza, with a strong rear end needed to achieve a perfect balance through the fast sections.

    Traction is important to ensure a good drive into the flat out straights from the slower and more technical parts of the circuit: another well known characteristic of Monza.

    The low downforce settings with a specific low-drag package, means that the focus is more on mechanical grip from the tyres.

    t’s a big event for us as we enjoy our 150-year anniversary at home, where Monza also celebrates its first century! So we are looking forward to a big festival of motorsport in Italy, which we can rightly feel very proud of as we equip the most sophisticated and efficient cars in Formula 1 history with 18-inch tyres. Monza is well-known for its high speeds and some fast corners where it’s important to have a car with perfect balance. This year’s tyres should lead to less overheating at the rear on a track where the cars run low downforce and often use slipstreaming to gain a tow. With no sprint race in Monza this year, the teams will head into the grand prix with a bit less information than last time, which means that the strategic approach will be somewhat different.

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director.

    Formula 2-

    The Medium and Soft tyres are nominated for Formula 2 this weekend. Each driver has five sets of slick tyres to use across the race weekend. The Sprint Race will be lasting 21 laps, and the Feature Race on Sunday is 30 laps.

    Formula 3-

    Drivers have three new sets of Soft tyres, plus another set of mediums carried over from the previous round. The Sprint Race is 18 laps and the Feature Race 22 laps.

  • Piastri confirmed for 2023

    Oscar Piastri will be racing for McLaren, alongside Lando Norris for 2023 on a multi-year deal, following a decision of the Contract Recognition Board (CRB), which ruled that the young Australian has a valid contract with the team.

    The CRB met on Monday in relation to a dispute between McLaren and Alpine over which of the two teams held a valid contract for Piastri, the reigning F2 champion and current Alpine reserve driver- with Alpine having claimed, following the departure of Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin August that Piastri would drive for them in 2023, only for Piastri to refute that claim.

    Ahead of Friday’s free practice 2 session for the Dutch Grand Prix, the FIA announced that the tribunal had “issued a unanimous decision is that the only contract to be recognised by the board is the contract between McLaren Racing and Mr Piastri dated 4th July 2022”

    The ruling also added that: “Mr Piastri is entitled to drive for McLaren Racing for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.”

    Just after the ruling, McLaren confirmed Piastri would indeed drive for the team in 2023 on a multi-year deal in place of Ricciardo who agreed terms to leave McLaren at the end of 2022.

    I’m extremely excited to be making my F1 debut with such a prestigious team as McLaren and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that’s been offered to me. The team has a long tradition of giving young talent a chance, and I’m looking forward to working hard alongside Lando to push the team towards the front of the grid. I’m focused on preparing for my F1 debut in 2023 and starting my F1 career in papaya.

    Oscar Piastri on his move to the British team.

    The entire team is delighted to welcome Oscar to McLaren for the 2023 F1 season. He has an impressive racing career to date, and we are sure that together with Lando, he will be able to help us move another step forward towards our ambitions. We still have an important job to do this season which the team remains focused on, before we will then ensure Oscar is integrated into the team as quickly as possible and ready for the challenges ahead. We look forward to preparing for an exciting 2023 season together.

    Andreas Siedl on the move.

    BWT Alpine F1 Team thanks the Contract Recognition Board (CRB) for convening on Monday and we acknowledge the decision they have made. We consider the matter closed on our side and will announce our full 2023 driver line-up in due course. Our immediate focus is the Dutch Grand Prix and securing points in our fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

    Alpines statement on the CRB’s decision.
  • Round 15- Dutch GP

    Round 15- Dutch GP

    Well, Round 15 is complete and what a race it was! From long pit-stops to running over wheel guns, to VSC’s and then a Safety Car, there was a lot of drama…

    It wasn’t easy for Max Verstappen, but he took the race win in his home grand prix. George Russell follows closely behind to finish 2nd, his highest finishing position so far this season and for Mercedes! Charles Leclerc rounds out the podium in third, it’s been a few races since we last saw him on their!

    But the full top were- P1: Verstappen, P2: Russell, P3: Leclerc, P4: Hamilton, P5: Perez, P6: Alonso, P7: Norris, P8: Sainz, P9: Ocon and P10: Stroll.

    It looked like Mercedes would be the one who was going to the the race win, when they done their first pit stops (the only team in top 3 to be doing 1 stop strategy), both Hamilton and Russell were flying on the hard tyres, so it is one of those ‘what if’ situations, if the VSC and Safety Car didn’t come out would it be a different story?

    A good day for Leclerc, he wasn’t really in contention for a podium until after the Safety Car so good work for him and to be on it when racing resumed and overtook Lewis for the final podium spot. The same couldn’t be said for his teammate though, a very long pitstop for the Spanish driver, he also got an unsafe release in the pitlane, which resulted in a 5 second penalty, he originally finished 5th, but dropped down to 8th.

    A very good day for Alpine, considering both drivers started out of the top 10, no-one knew how this race would go today but they made the most of it and got a double points finish.

    Not a good day for either Yuki Tsunoda or Valtteri Bottas, both pulling over on the side to the track but different reasons why. Tsunoda’s reason is still unknown, he thought his tyre’s weren’t fitted, so he managed to get back round to the pits and the team fitted a new set of tyres, and then started to do something with his seatbelt? For Bottas it sounded like it was a mechanical issue.

    The Championship-

    Verstappen now has over a 100 point lead in the driver championship, Leclerc remains second but he is level on points with Sergio Perez who is in third. Russell now goes to fourth, leap frogging Sainz who sits in fifth.

    Looking at the constructors, Red Bull are on 511 points, a 135 point lead. Ferrari are still in second on 376 but Mercedes have now closed that gap down to 30 points. Alpine are in 4th on 125 points and McLaren round out the top five on 101 points.

    We haven’t got long to wait, we are back racing next weekend and we are at the Temple of Speed, Monza for Round 16. The home Grand Prix of Scuderia Ferrari!