Рубрика: Autosport News

FIA would need ‘to cross a barrier’ to support 25 F1 races

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has insisted the federation is currently unable to support a 25-race Formula 1 calendar.

The current Concorde Agreement allows for 25 races per season. But although there is a massive demand for a slot on the F1 calendar — with Argentina being the latest to express interest in hosting a Grand Prix — F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali last year stated that he would like to stick to 24 races for the time being.

“I think 24 is the right number”, he said on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time.”

According to Ben Sulayem ‘everything’ is on the limit at the moment for the FIA, with 24 events on this year’s schedule.

“You cross a barrier where you need two teams, we can’t have [more]”, Ben Sulayem told Autosport when asked if adding one extra race would already pose a problem. Logistically, then I have to have two teams.

“Can the drivers take it? I just want to know. Let’s just be sensible and logical about it. Can the drivers take it physically and mentally? This is a question I will ask the drivers. And what about the teams?”

“As for the FIA, we cannot do it with this one team. We have to have a rotation of two teams, when it comes to the staff on the ground.”

Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Formula One Group, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Formula One Group, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

But stating that Formula One Management is «sensible», Ben Sulayem acknowledged: “They never came back and said: ‘Oh, we need more.’ No way they did. What they are after is quality and that’s why we have this good relationship with them.”

“I mean, I will not stop [them] to go to 25, because it is their right, OK? [In the end] it’s up to them.

«But they are the ones who don’t want to add [more races at the moment]. Because they know that it becomes [a matter] of fatigue then. So they have their own reasons [for keeping the amount of races on 24].”



Source link

How a world karting champion ended up an F1 team boss

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Oliver Oakes might be able to lay claim to being the quickest team principal in F1, but for the meantime however, he has his work cut out in saying the same for his Alpine team.


Oakes, 36, is the latest incumbent in charge of the Enstone-based team that in recent seasons has seen it slump steadily towards the back of the grid. 

Now, though, after a period of turbulence, he is hoping that alongside Renault’s CEO Luca de Meo and Flavio Briatore, who is acting as a special supervisor to Renault’s F1 project, the trio can bring some stability and deliver an upturn in results for the beleaguered team.


Oakes has racing pedigree. His father Billy was the founder and owner of the former Formula Renault and British F3 team, Eurotek Motorsport.


He started karting at just four years old and in 2005 was crowned the world karting champion. At one point was part of the Red Bull Junior Team alongside Sebastian Vettel, Brendon Hartley, Jamie Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi.

When we meet in the Alpine hospitality unit, the subject of his early motorsport career quickly pops up, and he jokes that if he suggested he was the quickest team boss, then he might be getting a text message from McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown, who also continues to compete, rather sharpish.

«Sometimes I was quick,» he says when asked by Autosport what went wrong with his own driving career, «but ultimately not quick enough, hence why I am on this side of the fence! I had my moments. [Red Bull motorsport advisor] Helmut Marko has been pretty brutal that I did not translate that into cars. I think he he is half-right. I did in some cars but not all of them.


Oliver Oakes, Carlin Motorsport. Formula BMW Testing, Silverstone, England

Oliver Oakes, Carlin Motorsport. Formula BMW Testing, Silverstone, England

Photo by: Edd Hartley

«I don’t know why it did not work out. Perhaps I should ask myself that and do some soul searching! When you look back to then, obviously when you were young, and there were things you could have done differently. There were some things that didn’t go your way. It is a mixture of things.


«Like everything in racing, there is not one silver bullet. But I also feel quite lucky from the other side that I did do all of that; from karting all the way up to F3 level and came out of it and achieving a dream another way.”

Read Also:

Oakes is referring to the Hitech GP team he set up in 2015 and now runs successfully across six different championships, including Formula 2 and Formula 3.

Having grown Hitech GP as a business and a successful team, Oakes feels he can utilise his experience as a former driver turned team owner to good effect at Alpine, where he will now focus his full attention.


He added: «Definitely having a little bit of the driving background helps, you have to be careful not to do too much, because you think it is the engineers or its the car…and its not the driver. But then you can balance that and go too much the other way.


«Actually it is kind of strange. If someone asked me today, what do I think has been the biggest help having taken this job, from my background, I think it is a mixture of all of it. 

«The driving bit was pretty decent but I was lucky my mum made me go to school. Although I used to complain like hell to her on a Monday morning and going in for 8am after I got back in the early hours from racing in Italy!


Paul Aron, Hitech Grand Prix

Paul Aron, Hitech Grand Prix

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

«And then also building and growing my own company, from the business side; those six teams, 100 people and building that up.
»If I put it all together in a mix, I feel quite fortunate that I had all of that and I guess you call it a different education. I had a racing education.”

When James Vowles took over at Williams from Mercedes, he hit the headlines for mentioning how he was shocked the team was using an Excel spreadsheet for managing more than 20,000 car parts, saying it was «impossible to navigate».

Oakes says he has not had anything comparable during his first few months at Enstone but does admit there are areas of the campus that require some investment.


«I sort of knew different facets of it from the last couple of year,» he said. «There has obviously been a lot of change. When Otmar [Szafnauer] was here, he was a mate, so through catching up with him occasionally, you’d learn things.
»I arrived without anything much predetermined because you have to take things as they come and I dare say you never really get the truth until you get down in the weeds and see it. You have to suss things out for yourself.


«But since I have been here, lots has been talked about over the years, what has been done and for what reasons. At the moment I am front foot forward and we need o push on and the past is in the past.


«Some parts of Enstone have had a lot of investment and there are some parts that are still as they were, not quite as far back as Flavio’s time, but there are a lot of good bits and a lot of bits that we can keep improving but I think actually I would not say anything like [what Vowles found at Williams].»

Oakes replaced Bruno Famin, who was only in the role for just over a year while Szafnauer also had a similarly-short stint before being axed. 
And the Brit’s arrival coincides during a turbulent period as Renault ceases its F1 engine operation, causing disharmony within Renault’s plant in Viry-Châtillon.

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal Alpine F1 Team, Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor, Alpine F1

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal Alpine F1 Team, Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor, Alpine F1

Photo by: Alpine

Add into the mix Oakes will be working alongside the divisive character that is Briatore, who ran the Enstone team during its most-dominate period when it won the constructors’ and drivers’ championship with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006.
 The Italian’s presence will only magnify the pressure on Oakes, but he says it is «a nice pressure».


He added: «There is pressure for myself, yes, because I don’t like walking to the back of the grid. The job comes with pressure but I think it is different…I think years back a sport’s psychologist, who told me some thing that sticks with me. Pressure is like something that comes out of the shower as water pressure.


«I actually see leading a F1 team as a responsibility. There are a thousand people who rely on you for leadership to make the right decision. That’s one word I would use, and the other is competitive. You want to be the best.
I am pragmatic in that I know F1 is complexed you have a lot of big teams that are well run and have been doing it for a long time with a lot more stability than us. 


«But actually, I am quite excited about that because the great thing about F1 is that you are always judged constantly and if you can do a good job, everyone sees it. I put it on myself because I want to do well.


«Having Flavio is a great help and big part of why I committed to coming on this journey. I call it the project. 
He pushes because he wants to see this team go back to the front of the grid and anyone know knows him knows that Enstone is his baby.


«We all have a first love in life and he would not mind me saying that. For him, it is something that he really cares about and is what attracted me to doing this, and also working with him because he is hugely experienced. He’s hugely successful whether that be in F1 or his restaurant businesses and you know that he is committed.


«Ultimately maybe right or wrongly, I sat there and tracked back looking at teams that became successful in F1 and most of the time it was because of really strong leadership at the top and that can be two, three or four people really aligned and that is normally that is the owner and the senior management of the team.
 When I spent time speaking to him and Luca [de Meo], you could see their passion for the project. You could see that age is a number is is pretty about what drives you.»


Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Oakes though, is looking to stamp his own mark on the Alpine team. Insiders have praised his openness and willingness to communicate and already there is a sense of the mood lifting within the organisation and finally a feeling that the team is finally pointing in the right direction again. 

«There are a lot of different management styles,» he says. «It is interesting because you can see a real mix today. There was a bit of a trend of entrepreneurs, guys who started their teams and then ran it. Then there was another trend of ex-engineers being team principals. 


«But everybody does what best suits their background. I don’t claim to be the best engineer or the best businessman, or the best driver. 

«
I am all about, ‘if we are going to be successful we need to have the best people and a good culture to empower those people’. 
Those are the simple things we need to get right and something Enstone did really well in the past.»



Source link

People come up with bizarre things

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Max Verstappen says he was baffled by the rumours swirling over the summer on Red Bull’s alleged use of asymmetric braking, and addressed rival Formula 1 teams trying to stir up trouble.

After a dominant start to 2024, Red Bull’s fortunes took a turn for the worse around May’s Miami Grand Prix, when McLaren brought a major upgrade package that revamped its MCL38 into a race-winning car, while Red Bull says it went down a wrong development path with its RB20.

Red Bull initially struggled to respond to its downturn in competitiveness, with its last win now dating back to Verstappen’s triumph in June’s Spanish Grand Prix, and has only just started turning the corner on its car’s handling issues in recent races.

Speculation over the source of Red Bull’s form dip mounted in the summer when the FIA tightened up its regulations around asymmetric braking, effectively closing a loophole for the 2026 regulations and retroactively applying the new phrasing to this year’s rulebook.

The FIA further confirmed the rule change had not been prompted by a current team using a system that the new wording outlawed, but that didn’t stop speculation from suggesting it was Red Bull that had been using a solution that it then had to remove from the RB20.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport, Verstappen reflected on the whole episode, and the flak his world championship-winning team received, with some amusement. «People always come up with different stuff,» he said. «I find it really bizarre how they come up with some of these things, but it is what it is. It’s part of the game, but I usually just let it go.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

«I’ve been in F1 for 10 years now and I’m not wasting time on all those stories. I mean, I barely read anything about F1 anyway. Of course, sometimes I see something or someone else tells me: «Did you see what this and that person said?’ But I always say people can think what they want, I’m not going to waste my energy on that. So, I don’t really care about what other people say.»

Red Bull also caught flak from rival teams over its form dip and its off-track power struggles, which prompted McLaren CEO Zak Brown to say that Red Bull had been «destabilised». He later described the team as a «pretty toxic» environment.

«People that say all sorts of stuff should just focus on their own team,» Verstappen replied when the subject was brought up. «That’s nothing specifically against Zak Brown, by the way, it applies to everyone. People just need to focus on themselves, and that’s what I’m doing as well.»

Read Also:

The Red Bull — McLaren rivalry has now also ignited on track, with McLaren overtaking Red Bull in the constructors’ championship and Lando Norris challenging Verstappen for the drivers’ title, including a collision between the pair in Austria. But the Dutchman doesn’t think things will get as tense as they were during a fraught 2021 title clash with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.

«Yes, because right now we still have four teams at the front, while back then you just had the same two people up front,» he explained. «Of course, 2021 was my first world championship, so that was very different already. I think I’m a bit more relaxed about it now.

«Of course, I want to win and of course, I’m going to do my best to defend that [52-point] lead. But the feeling is very different from 2021.»



Source link

Audi says Schumacher in frame for 2025 Sauber F1 seat

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Mick Schumacher has emerged as a late contender for a seat at the Audi-owned Sauber team in what could be his last chance to get back to Formula 1.

The German has acted as a reserve for Mercedes for the past two seasons, after losing his drive at Haas at the end of 2022.

He had hoped to get the nod at Alpine for its vacancy next year, after racing for the French manufacturer in the World Endurance Championship, but the squad elected to take rookie Jack Doohan instead.

The closing off of that opportunity appeared to leave Schumacher with little hope of an F1 comeback, but it has been revealed that Audi’s new chief Mattia Binotto now has him on the radar for 2025.

The Audi-owned squad is still on the hunt for a team-mate for Nico Hulkenberg, and it had previously appeared that its choice was down to incumbent Valtteri Bottas or F2 front-runner Gabriel Bortoleto.

Speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Binotto said the team was not settled yet on what it wanted to do – and did not feel that it had to make a swift decision.

«We can afford the luxury of not rushing, since all the other teams have decided their line-ups,” he said.

“There are two essential options: on the one hand, experience to set us on the growth path. On the other is a young, talented driver who can accompany us on the path to the top.”

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner and Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner and Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Asked specifically about Schumacher, who Binotto knew from his days as Ferrari team principal, he said: “We are definitely evaluating him.

“I met him and spoke to him. I have known him for a long time having been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. I know his strengths and advantages. He is one of the names we have in mind.”

Binotto says that the need to think long term is important because the Audi project is a huge challenge that will take a long time to reach fruition.

“We are at the beginning of the climb,” he said. “In front of us there is Everest, and now we can only see the base.

“We are deciding which side to climb, but it is important to establish a path. If we compare ourselves with our opponents, we have about 400 fewer people. We need to add to them to be able to compete at the same level: they cannot be found in two days, and not necessarily in F1. Our choice is to invest in young people.»

Pushed on what timeframe was in his head for Audi to become winners in F1, he said: “Other teams have taken years to get to the top.

“[Jean] Todt joined Maranello in 1993 and the first constructors’ title was in 1999. Same thing for Mercedes. It will take five to seven years. We expect to be able to fight in 2030.”

Read Also:



Source link

Antonelli reveals Spa F1 test breakthrough in curing core weakness

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Andrea Kimi Antonelli says a breakthrough test at Spa-Francorchamps was key to convincing Mercedes he had overcome a key weakness and deserved an F1 race seat.

The young Italian had long been in the frame to become Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes for 2025, but early testing in an old F1 car had exposed some elements he needed to improve on.

For while there was little doubt about his raw speed and ability to deliver fast individual laps, he was still lacking early on when it came to showing consistency over race-distance runs.

But he says that a step change on that front was made during a post Belgian Grand Prix test before the summer break, and that proved enough for Mercedes to commit to him for next year.

Reflecting on his testing progress in a 2022 car during an appearance at «Il Festival dello Sport» organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Antonelli singled out the Spa run as significant.

«During the TPC [testing of previous cars] tests, one thing that impressed them was how quickly I got to the limit and how quickly I got to the target lap times that Mercedes wanted,” he said.

“But I have to say that the factor on which I struggled the most during testing was the race pace.

“However, in the last two days of testing at Spa, I improved the race pace considerably, and that pushed Mercedes to sign me.

“Until that moment, they had an idea that they wanted to put me in the Mercedes car in 2025, but first they wanted to see if I could improve those weaknesses I had.

“During the Spa tests, I made a good step forward and that convinced Mercedes.

“In fact, before the summer break, I had a call with [Toto] Wolff, my engineer and other people from Mercedes. It was there they told me that I would be one of their drivers in 2025. It was a good moment.»

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes F1 W15, crashes out in FP1

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes F1 W15, crashes out in FP1

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

While Mercedes is playing down expectations for Antonelli, especially after his first FP1 run at Monza ended with a crash after just ten minutes, he is quite ambitious in terms of what he wants to deliver.

In fact, Antonelli says that the target is to become a race winner in his rookie F1 season.

«I feel ready for F1,” he explained. “In terms of speed, I think it won’t be a problem. The only thing where there will be a lot of work to do is about how to manage the weekend in the best possible way and also to learn all the procedures. So, there will be a lot of things to learn.

“Definitely winning some races [next year] would be a dream. It won’t be easy, because all the teams will have a competitive car, so it will be very difficult, but this is the target.

“Some podiums would also be good, but the main goal is to bring home some wins.”

Home steering wheel and simulator

Antonelli also offered some insight into how Mercedes is helping prepare him for the challenges of an F1 weekend – through a mixture of overloading with information in testing, plus getting a home-sim rig set-up.

«It will be important to learn not to lose concentration when someone is talking to you from the pits, because they are doing it to give you useful information,” he said.

“In testing they are talking to me more and more, because in F1 it is crucial to learn the procedures. So when they ask you for a change, you have to know what button you have to touch on the steering wheel and what it does.

“These are all things I’m learning and getting used to, so I’m also doing the tests not only to improve as a driver, but also to learn the procedures and get used to having a person on the radio talking to you constantly.

“Mercedes is going to send me a steering wheel and a small simulator at home to learn how to do the race starts, so I will be able to practice.

“The steering wheel is the Formula 1 steering wheel, so it will help me memorise the buttons as well. At high speeds you don’t have time to look at the steering wheel. You have to know it by heart.”

Additional reporting by Gianluca D’Alessandro

Read Also:



Source link

Red Bull’s RB21 will be an ‘evolution’; team explains wind tunnel limitations

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Red Bull is planning an evolution of its current RB20 car for 2025, believing that investing in a bold revamp is not worth it.

With the Milton Keynes-based squad locked in a tight championship fight with McLaren, it is mindful that, if it does not make solid gains this winter, it could risk an even more difficult campaign next year.

However, a combination of cost cap limits, plus the need to ramp up efforts for the new rules revolution coming in 2026 when Red Bull will run its own engine, has prompted it to step away from doing anything radical.

Speaking about how the squad was dealing with the different requirements of now, next year and 2026, team boss Christian Horner said: “In this business, you’re always juggling and you’ve got to put one foot in front of the other.

“You can’t project too far into the future. Long term in F1 is about two and a half months and, basically, what we learn this year is relevant to next year.

“So next year’s car will be an evolution of this year’s car. I mean, there’s many components of last year’s car that have been carried over into this year, because with the way the cost cap works, unless there’s significant performance upgrade, it doesn’t make sense [to change].”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Engine challenge

Red Bull’s decision to not overstretch itself with car changes for next year comes as it ramps up to run its first F1 engine from the start of 2026.

It has invested heavily in its new Red Bull Powertrains division, which it is convinced will bring it gains despite the huge costs.

“It is by far our biggest challenge,” added Horner. “We’ve created a start-up business, aggressively recruited 600 people into it, built a factory, put in the process and brought a group of people together to work within a Red Bull culture that has been so successful on the chassis side.

“Of course, many have come from other teams, competitors and suppliers in F1, and that’s a massive undertaking to get 600 people and all your processes, your supply chain, everything geared up to deliver for two teams in ’26.

“We also have the benefit of a great partner in Ford Motor Company and that relationship is working very well. But inevitably there will be short-term pain, but there is a long-term gain of having everything under one roof with engineers.

“We’ve already seen the benefit and the difference of having chassis and engine engineers sitting essentially next to each other as we start to integrate the ‘26 engine into the ‘26 car.”

Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Wind tunnel factor

As Red Bull has dug deep into the factors that have hurt the progress of its current RB20, problems with wind tunnel correlation have been exposed.

It comes with the team still operating from the same Bedford facility that it has used since it entered F1 in 2005.

While work has begun on a new state-of-the-art facility at its Milton Keynes factory, that is unlikely to be up and running before 2026.

Horner insisted that Red Bull was always mindful that, while it has upgraded Bedford over the years, it is not as technically advanced as more modern facilities.

“We’ve always known the limitations of the tunnel,” he said. “But I think as we’ve really started to push the aerodynamics of these cars now and you’re into really fine margins, then the limitations show themselves up.”

He added that committing to invest in its new wind tunnel was only possible once it became clear that the idea of outlawing teams from using such facilities had been abandoned.

“There was a point in time that wind tunnels could have been banned,” he said.

“There was a discussion about whether that was going to be the case, and whether CFD would overtake it or not.

“Adrian [Newey] held off pushing for a new tunnel until there was clarity on that. But it got to a point where Aston Martin wanted a new tunnel and the FIA changed their stance.

“So it was a question of: ‘Look, we have to do this, and we have to do this now, because the regulations dictate that, within a cost cap, the tunnel that we’re running is grossly inefficient.’”

Asked what the challenges Red Bull faced with its Bedford tunnel were, Horner said:“We’ve got a facility that is a 60-year-old wind tunnel. It is a relic of the Cold War.

“It’s been good enough to produce some fantastic cars for us over the years. But it has its limitations.

“So anything under five degrees [centigrade], we can’t run it. Anything over 25 degrees, it becomes pretty unstable.”

Read Also:



Source link

The defining moments of Williams boss Vowles’ rollercoaster season

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Formula 1 can be a turbulent ride at times, but for Williams boss James Vowles the 2024 season has been extreme.

From starting the year with an overweight challenger, having no spare car early on, winning the race for Carlos Sainz’s services, dropping Logan Sargeant and then becoming a hero in Argentina because of Franco Colapinto’s brilliant form. It has been hard to keep up with it all.

Bouncing between these highs and lows may have left even Vowles struggling to catch his breath, but he is equally not a person who lets emotional swings get to him.

He well knows that he has been employed by Williams to help get the team back towards the front of the grid. And, while the Grove-based outfit has had some good days in the sun so far this year, he accepts there is still an awful long way to go before he can feel he is anywhere near accomplishing his mission.

“When I’m asked the question, are you happy with the first half of the season? You go ‘clearly not’,” Vowles told Autosport.

“We had so much potential and performance in the car that we didn’t utilise, and that’s frustrating. But my head is that everything is just stepping stones towards the long-term goal. That’s how I see things.

Alex Albon, Williams FW46

Alex Albon, Williams FW46

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

“Carlos is a fantastic addition, but he is just one of 1000 things that we need to do on our path towards going back towards the front.

“It’s the same as adding performance to the car and tangibly demonstrating to ourselves, not the world, that we are able to develop a car successfully against what is a very fierce field now.

“So, because I have that grounding of ’26, ’27 and just trying to get some fundamentals in place, you detach yourself from anything that you’re doing at that stage.

“It sounds odd, but it gives you the grounding you need, not to get carried away with the highs and lows of it all, because there’s plenty.”

Dropping Sargeant was ‘tough’

Perhaps the most difficult moment for Vowles came after the Dutch Grand Prix when he had to make the call to drop Sargeant.

With the American having not made the progress that had been hoped for against Alex Albon, a hefty crash with a newly updated car on Saturday morning in Zandvoort proved to be the final straw.

Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing, James Vowles, Williams Racing Team Principal

Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing, James Vowles, Williams Racing Team Principal

Photo by: Williams

While some individuals in the F1 paddock may revel in the opportunity of getting rid of people, Vowles admits it was not easy for him.

“I knew what came with the job when I chose to do it, but if you look up and down the grid, there’s very few team principals that ever changed their driver halfway through the year,” he said. “It is tough to do.

“But what I’m driven by is openness and honesty. Logan knew long before that point that he was at risk, and he knew what his targets were.

“I preferred to lay it down in a really raw way: ‘Here’s where you’re not performing at a level we need to, and that’s in your hands. I’ll help you as much as possible. But if we don’t get there, this is where we will make changes.’

“So as a result of that, I’m comfortable with myself, that I gave every opportunity that I could with Logan, and supported him in that opportunity at the same time.

“But my responsibility isn’t to one individual in this team, it’s to 1000 people that are here every weekend day in and day out.”

Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing

Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing

Photo by: Williams

The Colapinto impact

While dropping a driver is never nice, Vowles would probably admit that he could never have imagined Sargeant’s replacement Colapinto doing so well.

The Argentinian seemed instantly at home in F1 machinery and, after just missing out on the points in Italy, his eighth place in Baku drew massive praise from up and down the pitlane.

Vowles sees parallels to what has happened to Colapinto to his own journey through F1.

“I was a graduate 30 years ago,” said Vowles. “Someone trusted me and gave me opportunity all the way through my career, and I’m here today.

Read Also:

“Franco was someone I’ve known even before he joined Williams. He had no practice, jumped in the car, and did what he could with it.

“He’s bloody quick, deserved a chance, and I could see something that the rest of the world couldn’t see. He’s delivered on that, and it is a feel good factor. It really is.”

Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46

Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46

Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images

Vowles also thinks that the story of giving a youngster like Colapinto a chance is one that stands true for bringing the next generation of talent through at Williams.

“At my core and Williams’ core, and that is why we align so well, is investing in future generations,” added Vowles. “Franco epitomises that fundamentally.

“We’re doing the same within the factory with brilliant graduates that we’re pushing through the organisation and giving opportunity to.

“It’s rewarding because that’s really at the core of what I want. I want future generations to not push me out of my role, but challenge me to the level where I have to let go of the reins of something I have a responsibility for.”

That Schumacher remark

It is not just on-track where Vowles has been in the spotlight though, because he has learned some tough lessons off it too.

Perhaps one of the biggest came at the Italian Grand Prix when Vowles found himself at the centre of a media frenzy after he made a remark about Mick Schumacher that grabbed the headlines.

Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Speaking about the decision to bring in rookie Colapinto rather than more experienced options like Schumacher, Vowles said: “I think we have to be straightforward about this. Mick isn’t special, he would just be good.”

The fallout of his ‘not special’ remark was quite extreme, and Vowles quickly realised his phrasing had not been great – which is why he apologised to Schumacher and his family.

Looking back at events now, Vowles admits it taught him a good lesson in being more careful in what he says.

“It’s difficult because that one for me, that’s clearly not what I meant, which is why I went and immediately apologised to him, his family and everyone around it,” he said.

“I was devastated at the time, because it showed me the power of a few words, and that I have to be far more diligent in what I’m doing and how I’m saying it.

“It was a learning lesson that I hope stays with me forever.”



Source link

Hamilton’s arrival proves Ferrari is on the right track

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur reckons the fact Lewis Hamilton is joining from Mercedes confirms that his Formula 1 team is heading in the right direction.

Despite having a deal in place for next season, Hamilton broke his contract with the Silver Arrows to force through a move to Ferrari for 2025.

The switch rocked F1 as well as Mercedes but Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton previously in GP2 and the Formula 3 Euro Series, says he knew the seven-times world champion always had ambitions to join F1’s most-famous team.

He said: «Yes, it was not that difficult to convince Lewis.

«I remember that in 2004 we were together [in the F3 Euro Series] he at the time was tied to McLaren-Mercedes, but he already had in mind that sooner or later he would go to Ferrari.»

Speaking at the Festival dello Sport organised in Trento by the Gazzetta dello Sport, the Scuderia team principal added: «We talked about it some time ago, he always had this desire in mind, but of course, he is a driver who wants to have guarantees in terms of performance. For him this aspect is always in the first place.

«If he chose to join Ferrari, it confirms to me that we can have the right car. This is the ultimate goal.

«A driver like Lewis does not come to us on vacation and from my side, I think we are in the right place in terms of performance.

«We need a step forward and I can say that we are devoting a lot of resources to our next project.»

Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Hamilton will join up with Charles Leclerc, who himself raced for Vasseur in the junior categories before making the step up to F1.

Leclerc says that he is unfazed by Hamilton’s arrival and will welcome the challenge of him being on the other side of the garage, replacing Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc said: «I don’t think there is jealousy. Fred is not my girlfriend!

Read Also:

«We love each other, we value each other but there is no jealousy.

«I was always aware of the negotiations between Lewis and Ferrari, I knew there was this possibility.

«Everything was very transparent and I was the first to say that for me to have a team-mate of this depth would be motivating.

«When you have a seven-time world champion driving your own car it’s a super interesting challenge, then I have a very good relationship with Lewis and I’m sure that will be the case in the future.

«Having said that, I really want to say that we also had a great partnership with Carlos. We worked very well and our relationship has always been great.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, leaves his pit box after a stop

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, leaves his pit box after a stop

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

«In a few months, we will turn the page, and I admit I am looking forward to the new challenge with Lewis.

«Every team-mate always has very strong points and weaker ones, so you can always learn. I see this as a great opportunity.»

Watch: Back in ’74 – How McLaren Conquered the Indy500 and F1 Titles in One Year



Source link

Haas F1 team agrees technical partnership with Toyota

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The Haas Formula 1 team has announced a technical partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, the motorsport division of the Japanese manufacturer.

The deal will see Toyota, which is to become Haas’s ‘Official Technical Partner’, join the American-owned operation in a relationship where they will share knowledge and resources.

Toyota Gazoo Racing will provide design, technical and manufacturing services to the grand prix squad, while Haas will offer its own expertise and commercial benefits in return.

There are several areas where Haas and Toyota will work together as part of the agreement.

Toyota Gazoo drivers, engineers and mechanics will be involved in Haas F1 tests – helping them all understand the challenges of modern grand prix machinery in a live environment.

Furthermore, Toyota staff will assist Haas with aerodynamic development, as well as helping design and manufacture carbon fibre parts to be used by the race team.

Toyota Gazoo Racing currently competes in the World Rally Championship, the World Endurance Championship and the World Rally-Raid Championship.

Its European base is Cologne which has two rolling road wind tunnels, and was the original factory of Toyota’s F1 team that competed from 2002 to 2009, before quitting the series after failing to win a race.

As part of the deal, from next weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s branding will appear on the Haas F1 cars driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

TGR competes in various catagories, including the WRC

TGR competes in various catagories, including the WRC

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, who has been working on the deal for several months, believed it was a significant moment for his squad as it bids to push up the grid.

“I’m hugely excited that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing have come together to enter into this technical partnership,” he said.

“To have a world leader in the automotive sector support and work alongside our organisation, while seeking to develop and accelerate their own technical and engineering expertise – it’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides.

“The ability to tap into the resources and knowledge base available at Toyota Gazoo Racing, while benefiting from their technical and manufacturing processes, will be instrumental in our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1.

“In return, we offer a platform for Toyota Gazoo Racing to fully utilise and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities.”

Komatsu said that the tie-up with Toyota had received the blessing of its long-term partner Ferrari – which supplies the squad with engines, gearboxes and other parts. Earlier this year, Haas also extended its deal to use Ferrari’s wind tunnel in Maranello.

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

He added: “I’m naturally pleased that we’ve had the support of the likes of Formula 1 and our long-term partner, Scuderia Ferrari – who we announced our further continuation with earlier in the season, in the formation of this new technical partnership – designed to achieve continued success in our Formula 1 endeavours.»

Toyota Gazoo president Tomoya Takahashi believed the arrangement would benefit his company’s development.

“By competing alongside MoneyGram Haas F1 Team at the pinnacle of motorsports, we aim to cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics while strengthening the capabilities of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing,” he said. “And we desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry.”



Source link