Today's F1 News Delivered Faster Than a Pit Stop
Charles Leclerc has received a contract extension at Ferrari, but ongoing talks between the Scuderia and Carlos Sainz have yielded no results. Silly season rumors for 2024 have already begun, with Leclerc's teammate, Sainz, in a precarious position due to his expiring contract. Sainz may be seeking a long-term deal, but with Leclerc likely to be favored as a product of Ferrari's development pathway, the Spaniard faces uncertainty. While a new deal with Ferrari seems attractive, there are limited options at other top teams, with a potential move to Audi emerging as a rumored possibility in 2026.
Click here to read the full article by Pepijn van der Hulst (racingnews365.com)
Ferrari has revealed Oliver Bearman as one of its Formula 1 reserve drivers for the upcoming season, joining Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman in the shared role due to the extended 24-race schedule. Giovinazzi and Shwartzman's commitments to Ferrari's World Endurance Championship Hypercar program may limit their availability for standby duties at races. Bearman, in his second season of F2 with the Prema team, will be present at F1 weekends overlapping with his racing schedule and is eligible for FP1 sessions with either Ferrari or Haas. Additionally, Arthur Leclerc, despite leaving the Ferrari Driver Academy, becomes a development driver, working on simulator activities, car development, and set up with veterans Davide Rigon and Antonio Fuoco.
Click here to read the full article by Adam Cooper (motorsport.com)
Brad Pitt is at the Rolex 24 at Daytona filming scenes for an upcoming Formula One movie, playing an aging driver returning to sports car racing. His heavy security presence has caused inconvenience for other drivers, with restricted access to motorhomes and disruptions to sleep due to late-night filming sessions. The movie involves six cars on track, including three Porsche 911 GT3s matching the ones racing in the event. Despite the challenges, drivers like Jenson Button see it as a unique and exciting aspect of the race, acknowledging the involvement of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
Click here to read the full article by Jenna Fryer (santafenewmexican.com)
Lando Norris has signed a contract extension with McLaren to fuel their Formula One title ambitions, taking the 24-year-old British driver into the sport's new engine era in 2026 and beyond. Norris has openly expressed his happiness about being with the people who have played a crucial role in his development into the person he is today.
Two of F1’s best drivers, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, are sticking with the status quo by betting on McLaren and Ferrari, respectively. In doing so, they are removing themselves from what looks like a very volatile driver market for the next couple of years. But are there more wide-reaching consequences than both of them staying put might initially suggest?