Today's F1 News Delivered Faster Than a Pit Stop
Formula 1 and Netflix officially announced the return of the beloved series Drive to Survive. Season six, covering the faces and teams behind the 2023 season, will release on February 23, 2024. The show's Executive Producer, James Gay-Rees, spoke optimistically about the its growth: “The fact that it wasn’t a fluke, the fact that it’s grown [with every season]… It’s a real honor and we love it. It’s a very difficult show to make, but we love the process, we love the world. Long may it continue!”
Click here to read the full article by Formula 1
Formula 1 will introduce a reinforced wheel rim design in 2024 to address the issue of tires detaching after impacts. BBS, the standard supplier of wheel rims since 2022, focused on enhancing the larger 18-inch rims' resistance to side forces, which had caused tire dislodgements. Following incidents and a request from the FIA, BBS developed the MK2 rim, which was gradually introduced in 2023 and deemed successful. The strengthened MK2 rims will be standard for all teams in 2024, featuring improved side impact resistance without significant weight increase and enhanced visual aesthetics through better coating treatment.
Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble & Ken Tanaka (motorsport.com)
Red Bull confronts the daunting task of surpassing the unprecedented success of their RB19 with the upcoming RB20, drawing parallels to the challenge faced by successful music bands producing a difficult second album. The RB19, a car synonymous with Formula 1 history, dominated the 2023 season, prompting internal discussions on how to follow up such a remarkable achievement. Red Bull's strategic advantage, gained through their 2023 dominance, allowed them to focus on 2024, exploring avenues for improvement and enhancements despite the RB19's near-perfection. While optimism surrounds the team's progress, rivals such as Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin aim to close the gap in the 2024 season, promising an intriguing battle for supremacy.
Click here to read the full article by Sam Cooper (planetf1.com)
The new Madrid circuit at the IFEMA convention center for Formula 1, scheduled for 2026, will feature a hybrid design with a mix of street circuit roads and a permanent track section connected by twin tunnels. F1 compares its nature to Miami's combination of existing roads and purpose-built sections. The layout, led by F1's head of vehicle performance, Craig Wilson, blends temporary and permanent elements with plans for a potentially banked Turn 10 to enhance overtaking. While the concept is finalized, detailed design development, FIA submission, safety assessments, and achieving a Grade 1 track license are the next steps before construction begins. Wilson highlights specific challenging sections of the track, including a steep downhill segment and an ambitious high-speed sequence through Turns 13 to 17.
Click here to read the full article by Adam Cooper (motorsport.com)
McLaren's recent technical recruits, David Sanchez and Rob Marshall, who joined the team two weeks ago from Ferrari and Red Bull, are already making a significant impact. Hired to strengthen McLaren's revamped technical department, the duo started work in January amid the establishment of a new state-of-the-art wind tunnel. While the team anticipates the full effects of their investment to be realized by 2025, Team Principal Andrea Stella notes that Sanchez and Marshall have swiftly integrated into the organization, bringing valuable knowledge and engaging in stimulating technical discussions. Their expertise is considered crucial as McLaren navigates the development of their 2024 car, lays the foundation for the '25 evolution, and prepares for the '26 project with new technical regulations, aiming to compete at the forefront of Formula 1.
Click here to read the full article by Lewis Larkam (crash.net)
The last of a series of temporary structures built to accommodate Formula 1's first Las Vegas Grand Prix race in November is slated to be demolished by Feb. 1. This is coming after Las Vegas small businesses reported millions of dollars of lost revenue due to the temporary bridge installed for the F1 Grand Prix. Click here to watch the video.