Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula One

  • Bahrain tyre allocation

    For the first time this year, we get to take a look at the tyre allocation for the weekend ahead, not just for F1 but for Formula 2 and 3.

    Pirelli has selected the three hardest compounds in the new 18 inch tyre range: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium) and C3 (Soft). The nomination is one step harder than the selection which was made last year, as the new tyres are completely different in comparison to the old 13 inch tyres.

    The choice has been made because of the layout of the track, asphalt characteristics and temperatures. Bahrain remains one of the most abrasive tracks on the calendar thanks to a high percentage of granite within the asphalt, which leads to higher levels of wear and degradation. Even though asphalt abrasion is high, the sand which blows in from the surrounding desert can cause a lot of sliding which automatically affects grip.

    The rear tyres work the hardest at Bahrain due to lateral loads. There s a high degree of track evolution over over the weekend, and this year it will be even higher as normal as both Formula 2 and Formula 3 are support races.

    The teams had the chance to get familiar with the 2022 18-inch tyre range, having spent a total of six days of testing with all the compounds, although not always in representative conditions. We know from the past that track temperatures can play an important role in Bahrain, affecting tyre degradation, and thatā€™s something we noticed at the recent test as well. During the race temperatures should be milder compared to FP1 and FP3, so the teams will have to focus on their data from FP2 and qualifying. Itā€™s still hard to predict the race strategy as, in the past, Bahrain has been a multi-stop race, but it will be interesting to see if anyone will try something different this year.

    Mario Isla, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

    Formula 2

    Formula 2 begins its season in Bahrain with the Hard compound and the Soft compound. The hard compound has been revised for this season to offer improved resistance increase the performance gap to the medium with the aim of challenging the drivers and increasing strategy options.

    Formula 3

    For the first time, Formula 3 will begin in Bahrain with the hard compound as the nominated tyre. Even though the compounds are the same before, the rear tyres have been designed to degrade faster which should shift the balances towards oversteer and make the car more challenging, with the aim of promoting greater driver involvement and showcasing talent.

  • Herta to test for McLaren

    Herta to test for McLaren

    IndyCar driver, Colton Herta will be testing for McLaren this season in the teams 2021 car.

    American racer, Colton has taken six wins- his 2019 victory at Circuit of The Americas making him the series’ youngest ever winner. He also has seven pole positions in IndyCar to date.

    This opportunity comes for Herta, as the new Formula 1 regulations state that teams are allowed to test cars that are one year old, which allows them to evaluate young talent for the future.

    As a result of this Herta will test the 2021 McLaren, MCL35M. McLaren will confirm further details of its Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme in due course.

    ā€œColton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car,ā€ said McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl. ā€œWe believe this testing programme will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future.ā€

    Herta added: ā€œI want to thank McLaren for the opportunity to get my first laps in a Formula 1 car, which has always been on my racing bucket list. This will be a great opportunity for me to gain some valuable experience in a new form of motorsport and learn from such an established team like McLaren.ā€

    My Opinion-

    Herta looks like he could be entering the sport in a few years time, so this gives him the experience in an F1 car which he currently lacks and show McLaren what he is made of. As well as this McLaren could keep him in my mind for in a few years time depending on how he does in the test.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbAn6TNs6cw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • What to take away from testing

    The Official Pre-Season Test is now complete, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend. Lets take a look over the past few days and see what we can take away from it all.

    Day 1-

    Haas made the headlines. The teams freight was delayed arriving into Bahrain, but the mechanics managed to put the car together and send it out for the afternoon session giving Pietro Fittipaldi a chance in the VF22.

    Mercedes talked about the most. Coming into pre-season testing after Barcelona there was rumours some teams will change their cars to try new things and see what works, one of them being Mercedes. The Silver Arrow grabbed attention from rival teams after they revealed a no sidepod sidepod making the car slimmer.

    Alfa Romeo making up for lost time. Barcelona wasn’t good for the team, not much running making them set of on the back foot but in Bahrain on the first day they turned it round with their lap count surpassing a century.

    Ferrari & Alpha Tauri dark horses. Ferrari were very pleased with their running in Barcelona appearing to have stepped up in competitiveness. They ignored the performance aspect of testing on day one and focused on set up.

    Where as their Italian rivals was switching focus from aero tests to mechanical runs and testing softer compounds. Pierre Gasly topped the times and clocked up 103 laps.

    Day 2-

    Ferrari still a threat. The Italian team was quickest in the second day- with both Charles and Carlos pleased with the balance and how the car responds to set up changes.

    Trouble at Williams? The team was top five on the mileage charts in Barcelona but it took a dive in Bahrain. Latifi managed 12 laps on the second day where he was forced to stop due to smoke and fire coming from his breaks.

    Possible trouble at McLaren too… McLaren stood out in Barcelona after being one of if not the most reliable team but Bahrain brought them brake problems. Norris managed 59 laps on his second day and 49 on the first. To add to this, Ricciardo has been absent on track due to an illness, now covid.

    Day 3-

    Red Bull on the right path. It is a given that teams keep their cards close to their chest, especially top teams. RB waited until Saturday to show a new sidepod and waiting until the last few hours to show a front wing end plate improvement, but the world champion topped the timesheets. Obviously its only testing so there are plenty of unknowns including the programmes they are running.

    Mercedes has issues! Mercedes had a productive day after getting through an intense programme with Hamilton focused on long runs and Russell running low fuel on softer compounds. Reliability has been good for the team throughout pre-season testing, its their performance which is lacking and the porpoising.

    Ferrari still talked about. The Italian team look like their in the top two in the pecking order. The last day of testing saw them run through set-up work, qualifying runs and race simulations, the team did not run into any problems.

    Alpine getting somewhere? We have all seen that Alpine has had a shocking pre-season, but they had their “best day” on Friday and another on the final day. Alonso focused on high fuel running in the morning before running slightly lighter to get a feel for the car on soft compounds.

    My Opinion-

    Well, lots have gone on over the past couple of days for testing. It definitely seems that Ferrari and RB are top two. If Mercedes sort out their problems we could possibly seem the a bit higher than third.

    The same goes with McLaren once they have sorted out their front axle issue we could see them higher up because they have got the pace as we saw in Barcelona.

    I would say the biggest shock for me was Haas, I believe with the pace they’ve shown in testing their somewhere in the midfield! They haven’t really had any reliability issues which is good, its all eyes on how they do next week!

  • Piastri joins pool of McLaren’s reserves

    McLaren can now call upon Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s reserve if they require a stand-in for Daniel Ricciardo or Lando Norris, following an agreement of a new deal between the teams.

    The British team already has an arrangement with Mercedes, which allows them to borrow Stoffel Vandoorne Or Nyck de Vries but both drivers have commitments to Mercedes EQ team in Formula E.

    As well as the arrangement with Mercedes, McLaren also have an agreement with former Force India driver, Paul Di Resta to act as a stand-in as possible.

    Following talks with the French team, it is to be believed that the talks have gone on for several weeks which allows Piastri to join the pool of reserves.

    Piastri who won the F2 Championship last year, is not in a full time seat this season and is instead understudy to two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon at Alpine.

    ā€œIn the spirit of offering maximum racing opportunities to our stable of young talent, we have agreed that McLaren may call upon BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri in the event one of their drivers is unable to race,ā€ tweeted Alpine.

    My Opinion-

    This is good news for both McLaren and Oscar, it gives Oscar an potential opportunity to get some miles in an F1 car but aswell for McLaren they have someone who will be at the majority of races this year, so if something does happen he will be there.

  • Ricciardo tests postive for Covid

    Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for Covid-19 but is set to be released in time for the opening race in Bahrain next week.

    The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before pre-season testing kicked off at the Bahrain International Circuit. He was due to run all day Thursday but gave his duties to Lando Norris hoping he would feel better today (Friday) so he could run himself.

    Again he was not well enough to run today, so Lando tested for the whole day. But the team said he was returning negative covid tests, until tonight when the driver returned a positive PCR test.

    The team from Woking say he is continuing to isolate in the accordance with the local regulations as well as adding : “Under these regulations Daniel will be released in time for next weekendā€™s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery.”

    Ricciardo took to social media saying: “Better this week than nextā€¦ Unfortunate to miss the test, but Iā€™m starting to feel better. Iā€™ll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone.”

    This means that Norris will be driving all day Saturday for the final test day. Over the past two days he has managed just over 100 laps, struggling with brake issues.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-UYNOL3T6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Magnussen Returns!!

    Magnussen Returns!!

    Kevin Magnussen has signed a multi-year deal to make a return to Formula 1 with the American team in 2022, following the teams decision to part ways with Nikita Mazepin.

    Having driven in F1 for McLaren in 2014 to 15 and Renault in 2016, the Danish driver raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020. Magnussen then moved Stateside where he took part in sportscars and IndyCar and was set to join Peugeot’s World Endurance Championship team this year.

    But, the 29 year old will partner Mick Schumacher in which will be the German’s second year in the sport.

    Team Principal Guenther Steiner said: ā€œIā€™m delighted to welcome Kevin Magnussen back to Haas F1 Team. When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. Kevinā€™s immediate availability means we can tap into him as a resource for pre-season testing alongside both Mick Schumacher and Pietro Fittipaldi. Pietro’s going to be first in this week with half a dayā€™s running at the test on Thursday – that’s a great opportunity for him, with Mick and Kevin doing the rest ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Kevin was a key component in our previous successes ā€“ not least when we both scored our best finishes in Formula 1 back in 2018. He continued to show last year that heā€™s an elite race car driver adding wins and podiums to his resume. As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, heā€™ll provide a solid benchmark for us with the on-going development of the VF-22. Weā€™re all looking forward to welcoming Kevin back this week in Bahrain.ā€

    Magnussen added: ā€œI was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team. I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations. Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career ā€“ I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out. Weā€™ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. Iā€™ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. Thereā€™s work to do but Iā€™m excited to be a part of it. I canā€™t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.ā€

    My Opinion-

    YESS! I’m very happy about this, I think this was the best pick out of the most experienced in F1 and with him having history with the team it seems the perfect fit. Even more so that he is on a multi year deal, he can help the team develop the car along with Mick.

  • Imola remains till 2025

    Imola remains till 2025

    The Formula 1 Rolex Grand Prix, made in Italy Emilia-Romagna at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari International Circuit in Imola is remaining on the calendar until 2025.

    This decision comes after two successful Grand Prix during the pandemic and the inclusion the race in 2022. But looking back Imola first hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1980 but subsequently became the San Marino Grand Prix a year later until 2006. The circuit then made a come back in 2020 as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

    This season, we will see the first Sprint of the year at Imola and the first to be at the circuit.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: ā€œI am delighted that we will be continuing our excellent partnership with Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix until 2025. The circuit is iconic and has been part of the history of our sport and they have done an incredible job of hosting two races during the pandemic. It is a proud moment for our Italian fans to host two races and for all our fans around the world to see this fantastic circuit on the calendar for the future. I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen and the work of the Emilia-Romagna Region, in particular the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the City of Imola. We are all looking forward to being back in Imola in April to thrill our fans.ā€

    President of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, said: ā€œIt’s an extraordinary result for the Emilia-Romagna region and for the Motor Valley. The confirmation that the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix that will be held at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome in Imola until 2025 is a reward to an important team effort that involved the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ice (i.d. the Italian Trade Agency), the City of Imola, ACI, CON.AMI and Formula 1, of course.

    ā€œAfter two successfully organized editions, a unique event of great international appeal and absolute prestige was confirmed in the long run along the Via Emilia despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic and while preparations are already underway for the 2022 edition. The event will allow us to turn the spotlight on both a region which is home to great champions and world-famous motorsport brands and Italy, a country rich in unique, internationally renowned excellence in all fields, starting from the automotive industry. For us, this is a great source of pride and a precious opportunity to discuss values, knowledge and professionalism that translate first and foremost into work, innovation and the ability to do business together and with great passion.ā€

    My Opinion-

    Yess, I’m happy about this, the past few races have been good their and it was nice to see Lando Norris to get on the podium their last season. With the sprint being their this year, it may provide a bit more extra to the weekend.

  • Fittipaldi to test in Bahrain

    It has been confirmed by Gene Haas, that Pietro Fittipaldi will be testing in Bahrain this week for the American team.

    This comes as Nikita Mazepin got axed from his seat on Saturday, as well as the teams sponsor. The decision to cut ties with both came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    There are a few options in who could partner up with Mick Schumacher, one including Pietro Fittipaldi the Test and Reserve driver for the team.

    According to BBC Sport, there are three drivers on Haas’ shortlist, those being: Pietro Fittipaldi, Oscar Piastri and Jehan Daurvala.

    ā€œThere was a lot of intense criticism about the Ukraine invasion and it was just getting overwhelming,ā€ team owner Haas told The Associated Press. “We canā€™t deal with all that, our other sponsors canā€™t deal with all that. Weā€™re in the process of looking at several candidates, weā€™ll see who is available and what we have to deal with, but weā€™ll have somebody by Wednesday. Pietro will definitely be in it, thatā€™s what heā€™s for, heā€™s the test driver. I think weā€™d obviously like to get someone with a bit more actual experience. We just have to see whatā€™s available.ā€

    My Opinion-

    Obviously they needed someone in that second seat for testing and quick, that someone is Fittipaldi, so Haas have now got one thing ticked of their list. But I can understand why they are taking their time to decide for the seat for the season.

    I’ve seen lots of possibilities over the past few days from Hulkenberg to Giovinazzi to Magnussen as well as the ones already mentioned above. But with Gene Haas saying they would ‘obviously like to get someone with a bit more experience’ it does make me think that having someone with experience is good but would they prefer that over having someone who is new to F1 e.g Piastri.

  • Drivers contracts

    With the new season about to start in the next few weeks, we shall be expecting drivers to sign new contracts throughout the season. So lets take a look at when they run out.

    This year we have 10 drivers from 8 different teams, whose contracts are running out. Some older drivers may think about leaving the sport depending on whether they can get a contract extension or a new contract for a different team. Other drivers may consider switching teams.

    We could potentially see some drivers from Formula 2 come up for 2023 as there is lots of young drivers in F1 teams programme, so teams may want to use their sister teams to get their backed driver in the sport. As well as this we also have Oscar Piastri who is a reserve this year waiting for a seat for next year.

    Lance Stroll is on a multi year contract, no-one officially knows how long it is but it is to be expected either till the end of this year or 2023, which will then make it 11 drivers contracts running out this year.

    With Max and Lando both getting contract extensions already this year, we could potentially see some more drivers get longer contracts too. Carlos Sainz is said to be negotiating a new contract with Ferrari.

    DriverTeamContract end
    Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing2022
    Carlos SainzFerrari2022
    Fernando AlonsoAlpine2022
    Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri2022
    Pierre GaslyAlpha Tauri2022
    Sebastian VettelAston Martin2022
    Mick SchumacherHaas2022
    Nicholas LatifiWilliams2022
    Alex AlbonWilliams2022
    Guanyu ZhouAlfa Romeo2022
    Lewis HamiltonMercedes2023
    George RussellMercedes2023
    Daniel RicciardoMcLaren2023
    Charles LeclercFerrari2024
    Esteban OconAlpine2024
    Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo2024
    Lando NorrisMcLaren2025
    Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing2028
    Lance StrollAston MartinUnknown

  • Mazepin will not race for Haas

    The Haas Formula One team, has announced today that Nikita Mazepin’s contract and their title partnership Uralkali contract have both been terminated with immediate effect.

    The Russian’s future had been in doubt after his father Dmitry’s sponsor branding through Uralkali was removed from the team’s car at Barcelona testing. Team principal Guenther Steiner then admitted that Mazepin’s future with the team was something that needed to be addressed.

    Since then the American team, have been under immense pressure to act on Mazepin’s future, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With sport all around the world cutting ties with the country.

    The team released an statement saying: “Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin. As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

    At this moment in time, Haas have not announced who will replace him but it is said to be announced early next week, before the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain.

    Some of the drivers who could take the spot is: Pietro Fittipaldi, he is the front runner as he currently is the team’s test and reserve driver. Another is Antonio Giovinazzi, obviously he is tied with being Ferrari’s reserve but Haas and Ferrari have a very close relationship so he may get the spot. Some outsider candidates are: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

  • F1 terminates Russian GP contract

    Following the announcement made by F1 last week that the Russian GP is cancelled, F1 has now confirmed that the contract for the Russian Grand Prix has been terminated.

    This means that F1 will no longer shift from Sochi to St Petersburg as planned in 2023. F1 was due to race at the revamped Igora Drive circuit from next year, with the contract running until 2025.

    This decision, is understood to have been taken last week as part of the talks between F1 officials and team bosses about the race following the invasion of Ukraine.

    Sport around the world has been cutting ties with Russia since the start of the invasion. With the FIA World Motor Sport Council, announced that Russian and Belarussian drivers could still race, but only under a neutral FIA flag.

    However, this has not stopped individual ASNs from taking their own action, including Motorsport UK, which announced Russian and Belarussian drivers are not permitted to race in the UK.

    Nikita Mazepin’s future is still uncertain with Haas, the teams title sponsor Uralkali has its branding removed from the car for the final day of testing, having supported Mazepin throuhgout his career.

    ā€œFormula 1 can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future,ā€ the statement reads.

  • Verstappen signs until 2028

    Verstappen signs until 2028

    World champion, Max Verstappen has signed a bumper five year contract extension with Red Bull, which keeps him with the team until at least the end of 2028.

    The Dutchman took the victory on the final lap of Abu Dhabi in which he clinched his maiden world championship, after a spectacular season fight with Lewis Hamilton.

    Red Bull, now enter a new era this year, as the team departed from engine partner, Honda and have taken over the intellectual property for the engine and set up their own division on their campus in Milton Keynes.

    Verstappen’s previous deal ran until the end of next season (2023), but both Max & Red Bull were keen to extend a successful partnership.

    The new contract is said to be worth in the region of ā‚¬40-50m (Ā£33.3 – 41.7m) a year, which would make it among the most lucrative in the history of F1.

    Verstappen said: ā€œI really enjoy being part of Red Bull Racing, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision. I love this team and last year was simply incredible. Our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now itā€™s about keeping the number one on the car long-term.ā€

    Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: ā€œTo have Max signed with Red Bull through to the end of ā€˜28 is a real statement of intent. Our immediate focus is on retaining Maxā€™s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is part of the teamā€™s long-term planning. With the Red Bull Powertrains division working towards the new engine regulations for 2026 we wanted to make sure we had the best driver on the grid secured for that car.ā€

    My Opinion-

    After, Max winning the championship last year we all knew a new contract would happen and to add 5 years on to his exisiting contract shows how much both Max & Red Bull have faith and trust in each other.

    I cannot see Max going to another team, as all his known is Red Bull, having been brought up by the junior team in his career, to then move to Toro Rosso and then RB, they seem like the perfect fit.

  • Mazepin banned from British GP

    Russian Formula 1 driver, Nikita Mazepin is banned from competing in the British Grand Prix after Motorsport UK announced their response to the situation in Ukraine.

    On Tuesday the 1st March, the Haas driver looked likely to be allowed to compete in the sport this season after the FIA confirmed Russian and Belarusian drivers could race under a neutral flag.

    However, the chair of Motorsport UK David Richards CBE along with the board of the organisation has confirmed in a statement released today, that Mazepin would not be able to race at Silverstone in the beginning of July, unless the situation changes.

    The decision was made in full consultation with the UK Government and national sports governing bodies to ensure there is a unilateral response.

    “The entire Motorsport UK community condemns the acts of war by Russia and Belarus in Ukraine and expresses its solidarity and support towards all those affected by the ongoing conflict.” Richards said. “We stand united with the people of Ukraine and the motorsport community following the invasion and the unacceptable actions that have unfolded. This is a time for the international motorsport community to act and show support for the people of Ukraine and our colleagues at the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine (FAU). Motorsport UK stands united with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the FAU, the Ukrainian motorsport community and the Ukrainian people and calls for the violence to end with a peaceful resolution.”

    FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem said in a statement on Tuesday: “The FIA is watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and I hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those suffering as a result of the events in Ukraine.”

    In the statement, the FIA added: “Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the ‘FIA flag’, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality.”

  • C42

    C42

    Alfa Romeo, are the last team to show the world their 2022 challenger with a new bold livery.

    The team, has run a special camouflage design during the three days of pre-season running in Barcelona, with Valtteri Bottas, rookie Guanyu Zhou and reserve Robert Kubica sharing driving duties.

    The Swiss team, had a series of mechanical glitches which confined the car to the garage for long periods, and they only managed 175 laps, putting them ninth out of 10 teams in the mileage charts.

    Alfa Romeo will have another chance alongside the other nine teams to gain more mileage as they head to Bahrain for the Official Pre Season Test which begins on March 10th.

    “The start of the season is always an exciting time, one in which we see the fruit of the work of hundreds of people over a long period of time,ā€ said Team Principal Fred Vasseur. “The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid.”

    Bottas, who joined from Mercedes said: ā€œWhat is exciting is that we have no idea how that first race is going to pan out. Testing helped us confirm our expectations of where we stand, the progress we have made with the car, but now we are getting closer to the moment that really matters. Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team: everyone is pushing a lot, trying to work harder than the others to be competitive, and that in turn gives me that extra boost when I am in the cockpit.ā€

    Zhou, who finished third in F2 last year before stepping up to F1 with Alfa Romeo, said: ā€œI am fully pumped up for the season and seeing the C42 in the livery in which I will race it definitely makes it real. We are at the beginning of a new era, with new cars and new regulations, and this creates an opportunity for all teams to make progress since we are all starting from scratch. Everyone at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen has been incredibly helpful since I joined and seeing all the hard work, the commitment and motivation from everyone, in Hinwil and at the track, fills me with pride and excitement. I canā€™t wait to be on the grid with this car and work with my team to bring home the results we are targeting together.ā€

  • Andretti to be powered by Renault

    The name Andretti is well known in motorsport, with Andretti Autosport competing in the IndyCar Series, IndyCar Lights, Indy Pro 2000 and Formula E. The team also has a 37.5% stake in the Australian Supercars Championship, Walkinshaw Andretti United and a stake in the Extreme E team, Andretti United.

    Last year saw Michael Andretti in talks to buy Alfa Romeo but due to the main shareholder not wanting to sell this deal fell through. But, last week saw Andretti apply for his own Formula One team, to be entered for the 2024 season.

    Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion took to twitter on Friday the 18th revealing the Andretti name wanting to enter F1 writing: “Michael has applied to the FIA to field a new F1 team starting in 2024. His entry Andretti Global, has the resources and checks every box. He is awaiting the FIA’s determination.”

    Following on from this a week later, it has been revealed by Mario Andretti that Andretti Global will be powered by Renault power units in 2024…

    Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi has recently said that right now would not be good time for Renault to supply a second team, he did say though the company was “open” to do so down the line. Well could 2024 be that line, and that second team be Andretti Global?

    “We have a formal agreement now on the engine supplier and its out there, so its going to be Renault and I’m allowed to say that now” Mario Andretti said this to David Land in an interview.

    The engine supplier is not the only aspect that the team has decided, Andretti Globabl has even fount the premises for its UK base.

    ā€œWeā€™re not just new boys in town,ā€ he said in an interview with David Land. ā€œWe know the prerequisites and also thereā€™s a time factor here. Once we said go ahead, weā€™ve got to go. So a lot of work has been done. We know where the property, where the facility is going to be built. in the UK. We know we have people, prominent individuals that have done this type of work as far as start-ups. We have a lot of things in mind.ā€

    The 1978 World Champion added: ā€œThereā€™s a lot of steps to take here and I understand that, itā€™s a huge undertaking. But weā€™re ready for it. We have incredible partners on our side, Michael does, and weā€™re there for the duration. Myself, Iā€™ve been at it for 67 years now so we know what goes on on all sides of the Atlantic. And this is a great undertaking, a wonderful undertaking on Michaelā€™s part. This shows that heā€™s very, very ambitious in the sport. Thatā€™s his business, period.”

    My Opinion-

    I think if Andretti do get the approval from the FIA, this will be brilliant, we need another Formula One team as there is so many drivers slipping through and not getting to F1 when in fact they deserve a spot.

    As well as this, having a name like Andretti in the sport may get a higher reach of F1 in America and bring new fans not just to F1 but the feeder series too. It seems like only positives can come out of this if it gets accepted.

  • Pre-Season Barcelona

    The F1 2022 cars have finally hit the track as pre-season running in Barcelona started on Wednesday lets take a look on what has happened across the 3 days.

    Day 1-

    Morning Session-

    Leclerc set the early benchmark and then later improved, the conditions warming up after a chilly start to set the quickest lap of 1m 20,165s, the Ferrari driver went on to tally up near 80 laps and ended up three-tenths ahead of Lando Norris- the McLaren driver having improved to P2.

    The Mercedes of George Russell was therefore bumped to P3 as the 1pm deadline approached but completed 75 laps, with Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel in fourth. The reigning champ, enjoyed the highest lap count (8) as he finished sith behind Yuki Tsunoda in P5.

    Afternoon Session-

    Lando Norris set the fastest overall time in the opening pre-season session, Leclerc’s morning time of 1m 20.165s put him top before Norris improved to 1m 19.568s by the end of Day 1, that bumped Leclerc down to P2 and his teammate down to third.

    Every team bar Alfa Romeo and Haas completed a century of laps on the opening day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lando Norris1:19.951102
    2Charles Leclerc1:20.16580
    3Carlos Sainz1:20.41673
    4George Russell1:20.78477
    5Lewis Hamilton1:20.92950
    6Sebastian Vettel1:21.27652
    7Yuki Tsunoda1:21.638121
    8Fernando Alonso1:21.746127
    9Max Verstappen1:22.246147
    10Valtteri Bottas1:22.57223
    Top 10 from Day 1

    Day 2-

    Morning Session-

    Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest time of the morning on Day 2, with the benchmark being 1m 20.355s with 10 minutes remaining, eclipsing Carlos Sainz’s existing benchmark by two tenths of a second.

    Perez brought out the first red flag, having coasted to a halt at Turn 12, half an hour before lunch break, the stoppage was lifted with 15 minutes left, but Perez did not re-emerge to complete the morning session.

    Afternoon Session-

    Charles Leclerc topped the leader board on the afternoon session with a 1m 19.698s with Gasly taking P2 in which dropped McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo to P3.

    There was a second red flag of the day but first of the afternoon session, this time being Nikita Mazepin as he stopped with a damage fuel pump which caused a 15 minute stop. Sergio Perez’s afternoon was quite short as he didn’t emerge until late in the day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Charles Leclerc1:19.68979
    2Pierre Gasly1:19.918147
    3Daniel Ricciardo1:20.288126
    4George Russell1:20.53766
    5Carlos Sainz1:20.54671
    6Sebastian Vettel1:20.78474
    7Sergio Perez1:21.43078
    8Nikita Mazepin1:21.51242
    9Alexander Albon1:21.53147
    10Guanyu Zhou1:21.88571
    Top 10 from Day 2

    Day 3-

    Morning Session-

    Mercedes topped the third morning session as George Russel led the leaderboard, with Max Verstappen in 2nd and Sebastian Vettel in 3rd, but five red flags, punctuated proceedings. All 10 cars emerged on a chilly Barcelona morning but the session was red-flagged before the hour mark when Alpine’s Alonso stopped with smoke emerging from the back of his car. Alpine then stated they would not be running again due to hydraulics issue.

    Gasly brought out the second pause when he crashed at Turn 5, causing front wing and suspension damage. Guanyu Zhou stopped in the gravel at Turn 10 after Gasly’s incident, but the session was once again stopped when he crawled to a halt on the main straight. The fifth red flag was when Vettel stopped with 5 minutes left

    Afternoon Session-

    Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the week with a 1m 19.138s as Pirelli conducted a wet weather tyre test. His team-mate then dropped with P2, with Sergio Perez jumped up the order to round of top 3.

    A few teams run into problem in which they was not able to run in the afternoon sessionWe are back in two weeks for the official pre-season test on March 10th to 12th, then set to return a week after that for the first round.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lewis Hamilton1:19.13894
    2George Russell1:19.23366
    3Sergio Perez1:19.55674
    4Max Verstappen1:19.75659
    5Sebastian Vettel1:19.82448
    6Charles Leclerc1:19.83144
    7Carlos Sainz1:20.07292
    8Alex Albon1:20.31894
    9Nicholas Latifi1:20.69913
    10Daniel Ricciardo1:20.75086
    Top 10 from Day 3

  • Russian GP cancelled

    Formula One’s Russian Grand Prix, has been cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine, a military attack by Russia on Ukraine began on Thursday after a long period of escalating tensions.

    This was then met with unease in F1 paddock about the planned September race in Sochi, which was meant to be the final year racing their ahead of moving to a new venue next year near St Petersburg.

    Meanwhile Haas stripped its car of the branding of Russian sponsor Uralkali for the final day of testing in Barcelona, this comes ahead of meetings planned next week to resolve legal matters in the wake of the attack. Nikita Mazepin’s position at Haas “needs to be resolved”, team principle Guenther Steiner admitted.

    Formula 1 has released an announcement on the Russian GP saying: “The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together. We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.

    On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.” The statement appears to leave the door open to the race being held if the “current circumstances” change…

    My Opinion-

    Right decision and the only decision, which was justified after Vettel said he will not race their if F1 continues to. What I don’t understand is why are they leaving the door open, to possibly go to Sochi this year even after this statement? It is rumoured that Turkey is set to replace the Russian GP.

  • Vettel will not race in Russian GP

    Sebastian Vettel has said he will not race in the Russian Grand Prix if Formula 1 still visits there later in the year, following the countries invasion of Ukraine.

    F1 said today that it was monitoring the situation after Russia commenced a major military assault on Ukraine on Thursday morning after months of tension building.

    It has been reported that UEFA plans to strip St Petersburg of the Champions League final in June in reaction to the invasion, an has put F1’s plans for the grand prix in Sochi in the limelight.

    The four-time world champion is a GPDA director and has been one of the grids most vocal figures on social matters and human rights in recent years, while Vettel said he could not speak on behalf of the GPDA as the drivers had not discussed the issue yet, he revealed that his own mind was already made up and would not race in Russia.

    ā€œIn my personal opinion, obviously I woke up again after this morningā€™s news, shockedā€ Vettel said. ā€œI think itā€™s horrible to see what is happening. Obviously if you look at the calendar, we have a race scheduled in Russia. For myself, my own opinion is I should not go, I will not go. I think itā€™s wrong to race in that country. Iā€™m sorry for the people, innocent people who are losing their lives, getting killed for stupid reasons under a very strange and mad leadership. Iā€™m sure itā€™s something we will talk about, but as I said as GPDA, we havenā€™t come together yet.”

    Max Verstappen also added: “When a country is at war, it is not right to race there.”

    My Opinion-

    First of all round of applause to Seb and Max, I completely agree with what both have said, and I think some other drivers will agree too. It will be interesting to see what the drivers association will say when they come together.

    For F1 to say they are ‘monitoring’ the situation closely I find wrong, its a simple yes or no if they are going to race there or not, they have plenty of time to find a replacement as it set to be in September.

  • A522

    A522

    Alpine are now the ninth team to launch their challenger for this season- the A522, in which they had a live show from Paris.

    The team secured their first victory under the Alpine banner, in Hungary last year when Esteban won. The same pairing as last year will continue, double world champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. As well as this, they have Formula 2 Champion, Oscar Piastri fulfilling reserve duties.

    The French manufacturer, will be wanting to continue on with their climb up the grid after finishing sixth in the Constructors standings.

    Alpine is set to run a striking new livery that is predominantly blue that features pink highlights in a nod to their new title sponsor BWT, as well as this, they presented a ‘flipped’ the livery with pink becoming the most prominent colour. The special pink design will be used in the first two races of the year- Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before reverting back to the blue.

    ā€œItā€™s with great pleasure that we launch our A522 to the world today, marking the next chapter in Alpineā€™s Formula 1 journey,ā€ said Rossi. ā€œWe have a clear plan and vision in place at Alpine and we have some of the best people in the business to help drive us forward and realise our ambitions. Our team is stronger now and, we hope, future-proof.”

    Ocon said: ā€œIā€™m very excited, of course, to not only see the A522 for the first time but to drive it for the first time this week. Itā€™s always a privilege to drive a new Formula 1 car for the first time, as you know all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes at both factories in Enstone and Viry from all of the many talented people working in the different departments there. That feeling and responsibility is truly unique and very special. I feel prepared, I feel ready physically, so letā€™s hit the track and see what weā€™ve got in our hands this year.ā€

    Alonso added: ā€œItā€™s good to be back and Iā€™ve been working hard to be ready for the new season. The build-up has been a long time coming after the rule change was delayed due to the pandemic. The car looks fantastic with the new regulations in place and I like the new livery. We have a new engine and weā€™re confident we had a good development in place for this new generation of car. We wonā€™t know where everyone stands until Bahrain, but weā€™re excited to take the car for its first spin in testing this week. I hope the new regulations have worked and we get more exciting wheel to wheel racing this year.ā€

    My Opinion-

    We all knew the Alpine would have pink on it, as BWT are the title sponsor. But do I like it? I’m not actually sure as it is quite a lot which has changed from last year, but I do feel like it will grow on me once seeing it on track.

    But the car itself on the render pictures looks like a mixture between Ferrari and Aston Martin with the way they have designed, which could be a clever move but we will not know until it hits the track!

  • US GP renewed till 2026

    Formula 1 has announced an extension until 2026 with the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas.

    The announcement follows after continued momentum that Formula One has in the United States, the motorsport having returned to the USA following a break due to the global pandemic.

    Last year saw a record-breaking crowd of 400,000 witnessed the GP at Austin, where Verstappen took his maiden win on American soil. The very first race at COTA took place in 2012, with 100,000 fans in attendance to see Hamilton take victory with McLaren.

    Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said: ā€œWe are thrilled to be announcing the extension with the Circuit of The Americas ahead of the exciting new 2022 season. I want to thank the promoter for their ongoing dedication and enthusiasm for Formula 1 where together we are continuing to grow the excitement around our sport in the US following the huge success of Netflix, the work of ESPN, and the incredible season we had in 2021. Austin is a great city, and the track is a favourite for all the drivers, and we cannot wait to be back in October for more action and entertainment.ā€

    Bobby Epstein, Founding Partner at Circuit of The Americas, said: ā€œThe Formula 1 United States Grand Prix has become one of the biggest and greatest events in the world. We are extremely proud it has found a home in Texas – at Circuit of The Americas ā€“ and are grateful to the millions of fans who visited us over our first decade. We knew Austin, along with our neighbours in San Antonio and beyond, would be welcoming hosts ā€“ and they proved it! Thanks to everyone in the Formula 1 community for supporting our endeavours and rewarding our hard work. We are glad to have renewed our commitments and look forward to many more years of World Championship racing, entertainment, and fun.ā€

    My Opinion-

    I think after last years attendance at COTA, this is fully understandable why it has been renewed, as well as the USA now having 2 Grand Prix’s a year it will give fans the chance to go to COTA if they cannot go to Miami, so they are not missing out.

  • Szafnauer named as Alpine Team Principal

    Otmar Szafnauer has been appointed as Alpines new Team Principal, with former Deputy Sport Secretary General for the FIA Bruno Famin joining to head up the engine division.

    The duo will be reporting to CEO Laurent Rossi, who took over the running of the team last January and since then has been reviewing how the squad operates before making those important changes.

    During this period, long-time Renault employee Remi Taffin left his role heading up the power unit division whilst Executive Director, Marcin Budkowski parted ways with the team in January.

    Szafnauer left Aston Martin early in the new year and joins Alpine with 33 years of experience across motorsport, he was first linked to a move to the French team in November but shut down allegations rather quickly.

    ā€œWith Otmar and Bruno joining the team, we move to a new level for 2022,ā€ said Rossi. ā€œOtmar will bring his unique experience in motorsports and his uncompromising desire to win, while Brunoā€™s proven track record in building technologies that make a difference in competition and their subsequent transference to road cars is critical for our project as a sports team and as a brand.”

    Otmar Szafnauer said: ā€œI am thrilled to join BWT Alpine F1 Team and ready to get to work with everyone to achieve our challenge: bring the team to fight for the Championship within the next 100 races. My attention is focused on preparing for the start of the season in Bahrain. As one of the three car manufacturers involved in Formula 1, Alpine is fully armed to achieve its ambition, I canā€™t wait to start the journey!ā€

    My Opinion-

    Not shocked at all, as we knew months ago this was going to happen, even more so after Alpine and BWT became partners, as Otmar has a good relationship with the company. But i’m glad that he will still be in F1.

  • W13

    W13

    The final car launch of the week is completed! The reigning world champions have revealed the car that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be driving this season- the W13.

    Mercedes have won the constructor’s title for eight successive seasons but didn’t manage the drivers title last year as it came down to a last lap battle.

    Mercedes junior, Russell has been promoted to a race seat, replacing Valtteri Bottas after three impressive seasons at Williams. He will be joining 7 time world champion, Lewis Hamilton where he enters his 16th season in F1.

    The launch, saw the team be joined by the Mercedes juniors (apart from Paul Aron), in which they were asked questions and as well them being allowed to ask Lewis, George & Toto questions too.

    “It just takes you back to being a kid,” said Hamilton at the launch. “I think itā€™s always exciting watching, I mean with this new era of car, weā€™ve never seen such a drastic change, right? So itā€™s such a huge change in so many ways, that itā€™s just been really interesting seeing the designers and everyone coming together to find the best ways of creating a masterpiece.”

    ā€œIt feels incredible, obviously Lewis and I have driven so many laps in the simulator of this. Weā€™ve seen all the drawings, weā€™ve had so many meetings and presentations about it, but suddenly seeing it all come together, seeing all of the men and women who have put so much hard work and grit into making this, and coming together here, I think it looks incredible. And I think the silver [coming] back, weā€™ve had an incredible livery with the black in the past couple of years ā€“ but the silver back on track I think is going to look incredible,” said Russell.

    My Opinion-

    What a beast! We all had a feeling it would be silver and we were right! First of all the silver looks amazing, it is good to have the Silver Arrows back and I can’t wait to see it on track! The car looks clean, but again as I have said previously it may be this new design of the car.

    The actual launch itself was brilliant, I want to take my hat of to Mercedes and say what a brilliant idea to have the young drivers in their programme their and the fact they got to be asked questions and them themselves ask the drivers and Toto questions too is brilliantly thought out. It does show that the team is here to stay and their constantly thinking about the future!

  • Masi replaced as race director

    Michael Masi will be replaced as Formula 1 Race Director, and has been offered a new position within the FIA as a part of changes following the governing bodies analysis into last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, who have both recently worked in the World Endurance Championship and DTM, they will alternate the Race Director role. As well as this, they will be assisted by Herbie Blash- who is returning to F1, having previously acted as deputy to Masi’s predecessor Charlie Whiting, as permanent senior advisor.

    The new race management trio will begin their new roles, in Barcelona next week when three days of pre-season running will take place.

    Regarding the structural changes, FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem said a Virtual Race Control Room will be created to assist the Race Director. See below to see his full statement.

    ā€œAlike the Video Assistance Referee (VAR) in football, it will be positioned in one of the FIA Offices as a backup outside the circuit. In real-time connection with the FIA F1 race director, it will help to apply the sporting regulations using the most modern technological tools,ā€ he said. “Direct radio communications during the race, currently broadcast live by all TVs, will be removed in order to protect the race director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully. It will still be possible to ask questions to the race director, according to a well-defined and non-intrusive process. Unlapping procedures behind Safety Car will be reassessed by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee and presented to the next F1 Commission prior to the start of the season. I presented this complete plan to the members of the World Motor Sport Council and the Senate who gave their full support.”

    My Opinion-

    First of all I think it is 100% the right thing for Masi to be removed as Race Director, there was many occasions last year where fans/teams/drivers were not happy with decisions being made especially in Abu Dhabi.

    The radio communications I agree with too, at the beginning of the year they were good as it was a brilliant start to the amazing season we saw, but towards the end it just got silly and they just kept going back and forth from one team to the race director then another team.

    The new virtual race control room is interesting, unsure on how it will work especially on how many things happen in a race and/or qualifying. But saying this, hopefully it does work and help the race director.

  • F175

    F175

    Ferrari have shown the world the F1-75 for the first time with a digital launch. They are the seventh team to launch their car, with world champions Mercedes on Friday and Alpine on Monday.

    Last year, saw Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finish fifth and seventh in the drivers standings, with the pair making up this years driver line up.

    The Italian team, rebounded from their worst season for 40 years with a competitive campaign in 2021 that they managed to grab 3rd place in constructors of their rivals, McLaren.

    Ferrari switched their attention early to 2022, in which they introduced a hybrid system late last year that was originally embarked for its debut this season.

    The new livery features black front and rear wings, as well as a black halo and black numbering on both the nose and engine cover, the car also features a logo celebrating 75 years since the first Ferrari production car was released.

    My Opinion-

    What a car!! I love the darker red than last year, it looks a lot better especially with the black mixed in with it too. The race suits just top it off, with the black added into it to as well, it looks really good.

  • DTS date announced

    Netflix and F1 have announced the date in which Season 4 of Drive to Survive will be released… that being on the 11th March.

    The long-awaited fourth season, builds on the success of the first three seasons, as cameras once again go behind the scenes to capture the dramatic 2021 championship, which included one of the all-time-great title fights between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, a 22 race calendar, which went right down to the wire.

    But the intensity didn’t stop there, McLaren was the only team to take a one-two at Monza, Hamilton storming through the grid at Brazil, Ocon winning in Hungary, Perez winning in an dramatic Azerbaijan GP and of course Verstappen taking his maiden F1 title.

  • FW44

    FW44

    Williams have revealed their 2022 livery on a showcar today, with the British team conducting a shakedown with their real car at Silverstone.

    Which means Williams used one of their two allocated filming days to run the FW44 with new driver Alex Albon and returning driver Nicholas Latifi splitting the duties. The teams ambassador and ’09 World Champion, Jenson Button was also in attendance to see the new car turn its first laps.

    The team founded by Sir Frank Williams and now owned by Dorilton Capitol enjoyed improved fortunes last season to finish 8th in the constructors championship.

    The team from Grove, is having an similar approach to Red Bull, with teams keep to keep their secrets hidden on the new cars for as long as possible.

    ā€œOver its history as an iconic Formula 1 team, Williams Racing has shown great strength and sophistication,ā€ said Team Principal Jost Capito. ā€œThe new visual identity of the 2022 car perfectly encapsulates these characteristics that the staff, drivers and fans have demonstrated time and time again. As we move into the new era of our sport, the FW44 highlights the transition to the future, as well as acknowledging the timeless qualities that make us who we are. Last season we were thrilled and proud to make such strong advancements as a team, with a number of well-earned points-scoring results in addition to a podium.”

    Latifi added: ā€œIā€™m a fan of the new livery. Keeping the blue was important as itā€™s synonymous with Williams Racing, but itā€™s a pattern weā€™ve not seen before and the fluorescent red will pop on track which I really like. Itā€™s a fresh new look to start off the new era of F1. Iā€™m super excited forĀ testing in Barcelona, to get back behind the wheel, push and see what the car can do. Pre-season always feels like quite a long time, but itā€™s been really busy and thereā€™s been a nice build-up at the factory with lots of hard work from everyone. The new regulations should allow for much better racing so Iā€™m excited for the challenge and we will aim to gather some good data from testing, to take us into the first few races.ā€

    Albon, who replaces George Russell after a year as reserve for Red Bull, said: “The FW44 livery is clean and simple. I like that weā€™ve gone for more blue with the dynamic diamond finish and a little bit of red; it looks really good and Iā€™m looking forward to seeing it out on track. The upcoming Barcelona track session will be about making sure weā€™re efficient with our time to best ensure we have a competitive package heading into the season. We donā€™t have many days before our first race and so we quickly need to understand which areas of the car are strong and where we need to make improvements. Iā€™m sure it will be a little bit of a learning curve as we all try to learn how to get the most out of the new regulations, but the objectives and the way that we focus on this car is very much the same as in previous years. Ultimately, weā€™re all still trying to get a racing car around a track as quickly as possible.”

    My Opinion-

    You know what I absolutley love the car & suits. The different shades of blue again look really good in the way they’ve designed it, as well as the splash of red on the car too. The car just looks so clean and fresh but also keeping the blue which is known to the Williams team.

    The race suits look really nice! I’m not really a fan of the white ones so having dark suits are a lot better!

  • Sprint Races confirmed

    The F1 commission has approved plans after talks with all key stakeholders including governing bodies at the FIA and all the teams, to run the F1 Sprint format at three Grand Prix weekends in 2022, those being at Imola, Austria and Brazil.

    F1 Sprint was introduced last year which involved a 100km dash with each lasting between 25-30 minutes, the result then determines the grid for the weekends main event on Sunday.

    With this being decided, the points system has been changed, with now the top eight driver scoring points, as before it was just the top 3 received points. The driver who finishes P1 will now receive 8 points, down to one point for the driver in 8th.

    As well as the points change, it has also been decided that the driver who sets the fastest time in qualifying, will be attributed ‘pole position’, last year it was the driver who won the Sprint. Qualifying will continue to determine the grid for Saturdays Sprint, with the result of the Sprint forming the line-up for Sundays Grand Prix.

    ā€œFollowing a review of the three Sprint events that took place in 2021 and a recognition by all that the format created positive benefits for the sport, three Sprint events were proposed for 2022, acknowledging this as a sensible number in light of the pressures already on the teams for this season with the introduction of major changes to the regulations,” an FIA statement said. “The Commission unanimously approved the three Sprint events for the coming season, incorporating a number of updates to the format based on the feedback of fans, media and teams.ā€

    My Opinion-

    I’m glad they have chose new tracks for the sprint race and keeping Brazil, we all saw the masterclass in Brazil, but having Imola and Austria have a sprint race could potentially pay of, more Austria then Imola. But i’m not ruling anything out between the two new ones until they happen!

    At first when I saw the new points I was like oh no there isn’t going to be much action between top 5 but… this could change things with people starting anywhere from 6th to 14th to try and score points, we all saw how these points from the sprint race meant a lot to the top teams, so now with more points up for grabs they will mean a lot more for more teams.

    And finally, awarding the driver with pole position on the Friday is the right thing to do, as lots of fans felt like it should be awarded for qualifying and not the sprint, which I make them right.

  • AT03

    AT03

    Alpha Tauri have kicked of a new week with revealing their 2022 car, the AT03. They are the fifth team to launch their programme.

    The Italian team scored their highest points tally to date last year, with Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda picking up a total of 142 points which led them to finish 6th overall in the constructors championship.

    The AT03 is decked out in a revised blue and white livery, which shows that the new rules have brought a variety of designs to the 2022 grid. Gasly and Tsunoda will get the chance to run the AT03 during three days of running in Barcelona.

    ā€œI am excited to finally reveal what our 2022 Formula 1 car will look like,ā€ said Team Principal Franz Tost. ā€œIt is a completely new era for F1 and we hope that this package will be very strong, following last yearā€™s success. Once again, we have worked closely with AlphaTauri (Red Bullā€™s clothing brand) to launch our new car and I think weā€™ve managed to deliver something very special.ā€

    Gasly, who scored a podium in Baku last season and finished ninth in the driversā€™ standings, added: ā€œThis year sees a huge change to the car as, due to the new regulations, the look and design is completely different, so the team has had to start from a clean sheet of paper. We wonā€™t know the true performance of the AT03 until we get it out on track at pre-season testing in Barcelona but so far, I think it looks great and I am very excited to get this new season started.ā€

    Tsunoda, who has been retained for a second season, said: ā€œIt really does look great. Of course weā€™ve not seen the real car on track yet, but the new shape and design are really cool, and I think the livery suits it really well and I hope everyone enjoys the launch video.ā€

    My Opinion-

    So with Alpha Tauri I wasn’t expecting much, but this car is wow. I definitely think the new style of the car makes everyone’s look a lot cleaner, but I think AT have hit the nail on the head with this livery compared to last years.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ9KHPpquz5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • MCL36

    MCL36

    Last night saw McLaren be the fourth team to show their 2022 challenger, which saw a bold new livery come from the team.

    The team hope this car will push them closer towards becoming World Championship contenders, the MCL36 will be driven by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.

    McLaren finished fourth in the constructors’ championship last year after a campaign that yielded their first win since 2012, the team were the only team which managed a 1-2 finish.

    Their points tally was their highest since 2012 also, while their relative performance demonstrated they had closed the gap to the pace-setters Mercedes and Red Bull and their target is to continue that upward trajectory.

    ā€œOver the last year the team have been hard at work developing the MCL36, seeking to take advantage of any opportunities we might find in the design and production of these new cars,ā€ said Team Principal Andreas Seidl. “Landoā€™s performance in 2021 was one of the standouts of the season, with four podium finishes and a pole-position. He came agonisingly close to his first race victory, and although we didnā€™t quite achieve that, heā€™s proven to the world that he can become a Grand Prix winner. After finding it harder to adapt to the MCL35M than he might have expected, Daniel rallied to a strong finish in the second half of the season and captured McLarenā€™s first win since 2012. Throughout the season we saw Danielā€™s skill, resolve and trademark positive attitude despite difficult moments, and we head into the 2022 better prepared to tackle this new challenge.”

    Norris said: ā€œLast year was my best in Formula 1 so far, and Iā€™m really proud of what I achieved as a driver, and what we achieved as a team. But I know that the best is yet to come, and my aim is to carry the positive momentum we built up over the last year and take that with me into this exciting new era of Formula 1. Iā€™m in a good position heading into this year to build on the successes of 2021. Iā€™ve grown up alongside McLaren and Iā€™m really delighted to have recently confirmed my long-term future with the team.ā€

    Ricciardo added: ā€œThereā€™s always a nervous excitement around the start of the new season, but thatā€™s turned up to 11 when you enter a new era of regulations. Having been through several regulation changes now, I feel like Iā€™m able to use that energy to help me adapt to new cars, new ways of driving and ultimately new ways of racing. Heading into my second year with McLaren feels great and I feel like we learned a lot as a team in 2021, which will help us as we take on this new challenge.ā€

    My Opinion-

    I think this may be the best livery so far if not on the same level as Aston Martin. They’ve swapped out the dark blue for light and I think it beats last year, their suits aswell just makes everything put together.

  • BWT becomes title partner of Alpine

    Alpine have announced today that themselves and BWT have combined forces in a strategic long-term partnership , which now makes the French team BWT Alpine F1 Team.

    Alpine has committed to use BTW’s iconic pink branding to spread a message of sustainability and social responsibility further around the world, utilising the combined global platforms of Formula 1 and automotive industry.

    For Alpine, this is a major step forward as it continues to aim to challenge for the championship within 100 races into this new regulations era.

    Cedric Jourel, Alpines Sale and Marketing Vice President said: “We are excited to announce that BWT will be the title partner for Alpine F1 Team for the next years. Both Alpineā€™s and BWTā€™s sustainability agendas are fully aligned on eliminating single use plastics and we are pleased to join forces to convince many people around the globe, our employees, partners, customers and fans to reduce plastic waste. In parallel we will use the huge global platform F1 provides to support BWT in their fight against the unfair distribution of clean, safe and healthy drinking water.”

    Lutz Hubner, CMO of BWT said: “We are proud to become part of BWT Alpine F1 Team as its title partner. With our unique and patented water treatment technologies and Alpineā€™s large global following, we can help to ā€˜Change the world ā€“ sip by sipā€™. The first stage will be to create BWT Bottle Free Zones across all the Alpine factories and at race events. The joining of forces to increase awareness, as well as to fight for sustainability, aligns BWT and Alpine perfectly. Besides that, BWT has been investing for more than two decades in the development of membranes for our future hydrogen-powered economy. We are meanwhile one of the worldā€™s leading suppliers in membranes for the production of green hydrogen and in membranes for fuel cells ā€“ the energy converter of the 21st century. Together with our new partners, we will contribute to emission-free racing and sustainable fuel cell electric mobility”

    My Opinion-

    Finally!! We all knew this was going to happen and we was waiting for the announcement! We now get to see a pink Alpine, and we don’t have to wait too long as Alpine will reveal their car on the 21st of February. The deal will continue to bring a lot of attention to BWT which raises awareness on what they do.