Today's F1 News Delivered Faster Than a Pit Stop
Formula 1 is considering a significant overhaul of the sprint race format due to concerns that it lacks excitement. While no formal proposals have been made yet, discussions are underway about potential changes, including making Saturdays a standalone F1 Sprint championship, offering a major cash prize, and introducing a reverse grid format. Red Bull's Christian Horner supports adding more jeopardy to the sprint, but not all team bosses, like Mercedes' Toto Wolff, are in favor of such dramatic changes.
Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (motorsport.com)
Alpine's Formula 1 team has added Formula 2 racer Kush Maini to its driver academy. Maini, who initially had a promising start in F2 with a third-place finish, has faced a dip in performance, currently standing 11th in the Drivers' Championship. He is set to be mentored by two-time F1 champion Mika Hakkinen and will join Alpine's driver development program with one round left in the F2 championship. Maini aims to compete in F2 for another season with Alpine's support and becomes the ninth driver in their academy.
Click here to read the full article by Taylor Powling (motorsportweek.com)
Pirelli recommended a two-stop strategy for the United States Grand Prix, but four drivers attempted a single-stop plan, which didn't succeed. The tire selection for the high-speed Circuit of the Americas included the C2, C3, and C4 compounds. The track featured corners reminiscent of famous turns from other circuits, subjecting tires to high lateral loads. Most drivers started on Medium tires, but Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell initially tried a one-stop strategy before switching to two stops. Charles Leclerc and Daniel Ricciardo pursued the single-stop approach with mixed results. The Medium compound proved most effective for the race, confirming the two-stop strategy's advantage.
Click here to read the full article at f1technical.net
Lando Norris has proven to be a remarkable talent and a valuable asset to the McLaren racing team. Ahead of his 100th race in Austin, the Woking-based team took him through some old photos to remember his best and worst moments. Norris recalled his first podium at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, meeting new people, and other fun times.
COTA 2023 marked Max Verstappen's 50th Formula 1 victory, a feat that saw him join the prestigious 50-win club alongside only Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost. Red Bull documented his journey from his first win in Barcelona, where he became the youngest-ever race winner, to his 50th win. Christian Horner praised Verstappen's achievement as exceptional, given his relatively young age.