F1 abandons LED wheel cover plan for 2024

The idea of cars running LED wheel covers to display extra information to fans has been considered for several years, and the option was even there in the rules for them to be introduced for racing if the technology was ready.As long ago as the 2021 post-season test in Abu Dhabi, McLaren trialled the LED light system on its cars, amid hopes that they could be used to help fans better …Keep reading

Podcast: Mercedes’ F1 tech rethink, Aston Martin success & Baku sprint changes”

Mercedes’ ongoing troubles in F1’s new ground-effect era are the subject of GP Racing’s cover story this month, written by Pat Symonds – formerly Michael Schumacher’s race engineer and one of the consultants responsible for F1’s new ruleset.When Mercedes talks about its development direction being “a dead end” and that “a new concept” is required, what does that actually …Keep reading

F1 agrees to allow teams extra power unit elements without penalty in 2023

The change, which comes part way into a record-breaking season of 23 races, is set to reduce the number of grid penalties applied for the use of extra PU elements in the latter part of the campaign.With immediate effect, each driver is allowed to use four rather than three examples of the internal combustion engine, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K within this season before penalties kick in.The …Keep reading

F1 reveals rules for new ‘sprint shootout’ qualifying session

The new format will be used for the first time this weekend in Azerbaijan, the first of the six sprint weekends on the 2023 schedule, with the Austrian, Belgian, Qatar, USA and Sao Paulo events to follow.The changes have been designed to create a standalone Saturday event that doesn’t impact the grid for Sunday’s main race in an attempt to encourage drivers to push harder, as a mistake will be …Keep reading

Melbourne crash won’t delay Alpine’s Baku F1 upgrade

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly made heavy contact with the wall after they touched following the final grid restart in Melbourne.The incident caused extensive damage to both cars, but the Alpine factory started immediately replenishing its stock of spares, taking advantage of the three-week break between races.Szafnauer admits that there was a risk that the extra work might delay the Baku …Keep reading

Vowles: Time at Mercedes didn’t give “full picture” of team principal role

Until his 2023 appointment at the helm of Williams, Vowles served two decades at Brackley, rising to the ranks of Mercedes chief strategist and latterly its motorsport strategy director.Beyond influencing in-race strategy, Vowles co-managed the Three-Pointed Star’s junior driver roster in his former position and steered the manufacturer’s presence in other categories.He was considered …Keep reading

Massa has assembled legal team to evaluate 2008 F1 title review

As revealed by Autosport earlier this month, Massa has been spurred into action by comments from former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggesting that knowledge of the controversial ‘crashgate’ moment at the 2008 Singapore GP came early enough for action to be taken that season.However, by the time that Nelson Piquet Jr.’s deliberate crash that helped Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso win was …Keep reading

F1 teams “nervous” about extra strain of Baku sprint damage

Baku is the first F1 sprint event to be held on a street circuit, and the chances of accidents occurring have been ramped up by the decision to make the sprint a standalone event.That is being done largely to encourage drivers to take more risks and produce a better show on Saturday because there will be no impact on their grid positions for Sunday’s main event.As an extra challenge, the …Keep reading

2023 F1 Azerbaijan GP – How to watch, sprint race, session timings and more

F1 sparks back into life after a month-long break due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix. The Baku event begins a run of five races across six weeks, while the majority of teams are expected to deliver a raft of upgrades in the coming rounds which may shake-up the pecking order.During the impromptu break Ferrari saw its attempt to overturn Carlos Sainz’s Australian GP penalty …Keep reading

Why making gin is such a tonic for Valtteri Bottas

However, some prefer to do things that take them out of their comfort zone and that provide not only a useful distraction from the pressures associated with their profession, but that can also lay the foundations of the life that will follow their retirement.The classic example is Lewis Hamilton, who has a wide range of interests in clothing, music, food and now movie production. The …Keep reading