Budget at completion formula

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Still fuming over pandemic-era shutdowns, Kentucky Republicans are pushing to obtain behind-the-scenes correspondence that Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and his inner circle had about school closures at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Their sweeping request comes as Beshear ramps up his bid for a second term this year in a state Republicans have come to dominate. A dozen Republicans are competing for a shot at trying to unseat Beshear, whose approval ratings have remained high on the strength of his response to tornadoes and flooding as well as a string of economic development and infrastructure successes. Such a broad-based records request isn't uncommon among political operatives. The Kentucky GOP wants to dig into pandemic-era correspondence received or sent by Beshear and key administration members, looking for any opportunities to inflict damage on education and pandemic management issues that Beshear has championed as governor. They've asked for … [Read more...] about Kentucky GOP seeks school closure records from Dem governor

Who isn’t envious of Formula 1 drivers? Bravery, stunning ability, physical supremacy and gold-plated glamour make the likes of Lewis Hamilton categorical superstars. They are paid for putting their lives on the line in would-be death machines for our entertainment. Their salary is often as mind-blowing as street circuit top-speeds. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport for prestige but other series are just as demanding. Championships like NASCAR and IndyCar require similar levels of courage and honed craft, but how does the lifestyle of their drivers live up to that of F1’s feted stars? Based on estimates from the 2022 season, let’s compare the pay packet a talented racer can expect stepping into Formula 1, IndyCar or NASCAR. F1 salaries – $11.4 million average (£9.4m) F1 drivers are the highest-paid athletes in motorsports, taking home $11.4 million on average across all 20 drivers on the 2022 grid – a figure set to slightly reduce this year with high-earners Sebastian Vettel … [Read more...] about Which drivers are paid the most? F1, IndyCar and NASCAR salaries revealed

Formula One goes on economy drive "But what drove me to distraction was all this one-stop strategy, two-stop strategy business and the times when positions only changed when someone stopped at the garage. This virtual overtaking didn't make for satisfactory sport." Early deetails of 2009 BBC F1 coverage "I have also managed to get a quick look at a (very) provisional Grand Prix Night schedule full of holes, but it gives us a general idea of what is happening:" Sidepodtour Heads North to Grove "We were treated to a lesson in ground effects, saw the six-wheeled FW08B up close and decided that the more modern BMW powered machines were by far the best looking of the lot." Tata Enters the Game "We bemoan (quite rightly) the fact that the traditional circuits of Europe and North America are gradually being phased out of the sport in favor of new tracks in developing nations; but let us not forget that the auto industry has already shifted its center of gravity to … [Read more...] about F1 links: Provisional BBC F1 schedule · RaceFans

Fernando Alonso may not consider himself “political” , but that doesn’t stop him from toeing the Ferrari party line . At the team’s annual pre-season media event he duly restated their well-worn complaints about the reductions in testing in recent seasons: “Maybe it would be better to have one or two fewer races and a few more test sessions.” Restrictions on testing were introduced to spare teams the enormous costs they were inflicting on themselves for little benefit. And they worked: The amount of testing done by F1 teams last year was less than 30% of what it was ten years ago . As recent developments have shown, effective cost-cutting measures such as these are essential. Particularly as efforts to save money in other areas, such as designing and building the cars, is fraught with disagreement over whether to do so through budget caps, customer cars or tight restrictions on development. While efforts to bring down the sky-high cost of competing in F1 stall, the grid … [Read more...] about Fewer races and more testing? No thanks, Alonso · RaceFans

Formula 1 motorsport director Ross Brawn made it clear yesterday he is determined to carry on with plans to evaluate changes to the race weekend format in 2020 . Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free It’s not been decided yet exactly what form his “experiments” will take. Some of the rumoured proposals are quite radical, including using a system of mini-races to set the starting positions for Sunday’s main event, and using a reverse grid for those races. Brawn insists there has been “positive” feedback to the plan to trial new formats at a small number of races next year. He previously spoke of how he’d like to use non-championship races to evaluate such changes. But adding yet further rounds when the 2020 F1 calendar already boasts a record 22 races is a non-starter. So the experiment must take place during championship rounds. Testing the changes next year would make sense, says Brawn, because most other aspects of the regulations will remain unchanged, … [Read more...] about Carlos Sainz Jnr nailed the F1 qualifying argument · RaceFans

While the FIA’s regulations for Formula 1 outline that there can only be a maximum of 24 grands prix on the 2023 F1 calendar , they also dictate that only circuits with Grade One certification can be permitted to host them. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Unsurprisingly, there are very strict guidelines that all circuits must meet in order to obtain Grade One status. Covering minimum and maximum track lengths and widths, safety features, race control facilities, pit lane specifications and more, only the circuits with the highest level of standards – and often the biggest budgets – will have the ability to stage F1 races. With that, there are fewer than 50 venues that meet the criteria to host Formula 1. While most of them have already held grands prix, there are some interesting examples that have yet to. Among these are more recently completed tracks such as Kuwait’s Motor Town circuit – one of the newest circuits on the Grade One list which is … [Read more...] about Which F1 tracks would feature on your 2023 calendar? · RaceFans

The addition of the Vietnam Grand Prix to the 2020 F1 calendar means drivers will have to cope with even more changes of time zone next year. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Daniel Hayes got in touch to ask what affect F1’s increasingly global schedule has on them, and how thy avoid jet lag. I live in the UK but I’m currently in Thailand on holiday, still suffering from jet lag. All I have to do is swim and relax, not prepare or drive an F1 car! How do the various teams, drivers, mechanics and support crew travel to the flyaway races and how do they deal with jet lag? It can’t be private jets for the whole grid… Daniel Hayes A topical question, Daniel, particularly as we have just completed the opening set of fly-away races that unusually featured no back-to-backs. Thus many of us – by which I mean Formula 1 personnel of all walks and job descriptions – shuttled between Europe and foreign destinations more than had generally been the case by this … [Read more...] about Dieter’s Inbox: How do F1 drivers cope with jet lag? | RaceFans

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been president of the FIA for a little over 12 months. During that time Formula 1, undoubtedly the governing body’s most famous series, has kept him busier than he would like. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free He was elected to the position five days after the acrimonious conclusion to the 2021 world championship. The FIA’s race director had failed to follow its own rules, leading to a last-lap change of positions which swung the outcome of the title fight, and prompted the governing body to overhaul its race management set-up. The far-reaching changes were finally completed just one week ago . The 2022 F1 season added more pressing issues to Ben Sulayem’s in-tray. These included concerns over the effect porpoising was having on drivers, and subsequent revisions to F1’s newly-introduced technical regulations. There was also crucial negotiations over F1’s overhaul of its power unit rules for 2026. Later in the year came the discovery … [Read more...] about Will Ben Sulayem be “sucked into F1” again in 2023? · RaceFans