Today's F1 News Delivered Faster Than a Pit Stop
Williams Formula 1 team's 2024 car design process has been managed by a makeshift committee due to the absence of permanent technical leaders. The team has been without a technical leader since Francois-Xavier Demaison's departure in December. While Pat Fry was announced as the new chief technical officer, he will only begin in the winter, and a technical director has yet to be appointed. James Vowles, the team's boss, has assembled a group including aerodynamics experts and himself to guide the initial development, acknowledging that this approach is not a long-term solution but a temporary measure until Fry takes full control. The current car will not receive further upgrades this season as the team concentrates on a fundamental design overhaul for 2024 and beyond.
Click here to read the full article by Matt Kew (motorsport.com)
Liam Lawson, a Red Bull junior driver, will replace the injured Daniel Ricciardo at the Dutch Grand Prix. Lawson, a New Zealand native, has been competing in Japan's Super Formula this season. Born in 2002, he's one of the few 21st-century-born F1 drivers with a career progressing through various racing series, including FIA F3 and FIA F2. He had successful debuts in F1 machinery during previous events and is set to make his Grand Prix debut, making him the 10th Kiwi to start a Grand Prix.
Click here to read the full article by Jake Nichol (racingnews365.com)
Max Verstappen thrilled his home crowd by securing pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix after a challenging wet-dry qualifying session. The two-time world champion dominated with a commanding lap, leaving Lando Norris in second place for McLaren, while George Russell of Mercedes and Alex Albon impressed by taking third and fourth places, respectively. Notably, Lewis Hamilton struggled and was eliminated in Q2, qualifying in 13th position. The session was marked by red flags due to crashes involving Logan Sargeant and Charles Leclerc, with Verstappen ultimately claiming pole position in front of his enthusiastic fans.
Click here to read the full article by Philip Duncan (independent.co.uk)
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff discusses young drivers like Max Verstappen, the cost cap, and F1's popularity. Mercedes is behind Red Bull in the Constructors' standings, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ranking 4th and 6th in the Drivers' Championship. Wolff sees talent as key, identifying a strong young driver generation, including Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, and Esteban Ocon. He stresses F1's need to balance entertainment and performance. The cost cap levels the field, and Wolff draws parallels to the NFL's model.
Click here to read the full article on boardroom.tv
At Zandvoort, Checo and Verstappen collaborate in making authentic waffles, and Verstappen also imparts some homeland trivia to Checo.