Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, has urged Formula One’s rulers to risk the wrath of Ferrari and Mercedes by rubber-stamping their “ambitious” blueprint for the sport following Friday’s summit in Bahrain. Liberty Media, the American conglomerate which is now in its second year at the helm of F1, has tabled a $150 million [£106 million] cost cap, a cheaper, simpler engine, and redistribution of the prize pot to enable greater competition, as it presented its post-2020 vision in an hour-long summit led by chairman Chase Carey and technical boss Ross Brawn. The verdict among the majority of teams was one of optimism, with Claire Williams saying that Liberty’s proposed new dawn could safeguard the very future of the British outfit that bears her name. But the same cheer was not shared by the sport’s big-spending two: Mercedes and Ferrari. Even before Friday’s presentation, both had already been vocal on their … [Read more...] about Formula One owners Liberty unveil 2020 vision to make the sport fairer
Formula one management
Ross Brawn hard at work to solve Formula One’s overtaking problem
Formula One Managing Director of Motorsports Ross Brawn has said that he is already looking into finding a solution to the sport’s lack-of-overtaking problem, by putting together a group of experts, including Pat Symonds and Jason Somerville, both former grand prix car designers, to help the FIA draw up the 2021 technical rules package. While improving overtaking was not on the group’s original remit, following criticism of the 2018 Australian Grand Prix they are now fully focused on solving the sport’s current overtaking drought: “One of the things we’ve started, and we’re now six to nine months into it, is a programme to understand how we can enable these cars to race each other more effectively,” Brawn said in an interview on SiriusXM. We need to keep the aerodynamic performance at a high level, but we need to do it in a way that’s more benign and more friendly to the cars around it. There’s almost a force field that exists at … [Read more...] about Ross Brawn hard at work to solve Formula One’s overtaking problem
How will Formula One reckon with electric cars?
Drivers take turn 11 at Circuit of the Americas pretty slowly. It’s tight, and they’ll only hit about 60 miles per hour, depending on the car. Then they’ll charge down the main straight, a three-quarters-of-a-mile descent that lets the right machine clear 200. As I stand in the grandstands before turn 12, a black-and-gold racecar quickly fills my field of view. It’s Texas-hot in Austin today, close to 90 and humid, but the car brings a wind with it. The wind is made of noise. Fans come to Formula One races for this kind of sensory experience. When the series spun up in 1946, following the exhaustive end of World War II, fantastic machines replaced the terrifying cacophony of bombs with the joyful chorus of speed-linked sound. Over the years, millions of fans have swarmed the edges of racetracks to hear F1’s roar. But you don’t just hear an F1 engine. You feel it. As the car flies by the grandstand, the concussive wave emanating from its eight … [Read more...] about How will Formula One reckon with electric cars?
Formula One Replaces Grid Girls with Grid Kids Program for 2018 Season
Last week, F1 announced the contentious decision to remove grid girls from the sport. It was a bold move, resulting in mixed reactions from fans, team members and the women themselves.This week, the F1 Group and FIA announced what would replace the ladies: Grid Kids.For each race, the organizers will select local children for the task. These will be children already involved in motorsports, competing in junior categories, such as karting. Local motorsport clubs will choose the youngsters based on merit, or by lottery. The lucky few will then accompany the drivers on the grid as they prepare for the race.Working with FIA-approved sporting authorities, the kids and their families will be a part of the pre-race ceremony. The “Grid Kids” will stand alongside their immediate family on the grid, with paddock access for the race on Sunday. The FIA will chose Grid Kids for every F1 race and, where possible, every Formula 2 and GP3 event too.Sean Bratches, Formula One’s … [Read more...] about Formula One Replaces Grid Girls with Grid Kids Program for 2018 Season
Formula One Swaps Out ‘Grid Girls’ for ‘Grid Kids’
Late last month, Formula One announced it would no longer be using the professionally employed models colloquially known as grid girls, starting with the 2018 season. The rationale, according to managing director of commercial operations Sean Bratches, was that times had changed.“While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 Grands Prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms,” Bratches explained in a release. “We don’t believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world.”The decision was mocked as a prudish response to PC culture by some, while others praised it as a major victory against the objectification of women. Regardless, the women won’t be coming back in March. However, there will be a replacement. In a recent announcement, F1 said it will replace its grid girls … [Read more...] about Formula One Swaps Out ‘Grid Girls’ for ‘Grid Kids’