Toto Wolff is reportedly “not convinced” Mercedes’ new sidepod concept is better than the zero-pod design but the team changed it anyway, says F1 journalist Christian Menath. Having run a zero-pod design, dubbed that because of the lack of bulk to the sidepods, Mercedes won just one race in 28 in F1’s new ground effect aerodynamic era. But while the team stayed true to their philosophy even after last season’s disappointment, team boss Wolff conceded at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix that the team would probably not win a race without radical changes. Those changes included axing the zero-pods, although that wasn’t the only new part on the W14 at the Monaco Grand Prix with the team also introducing a new front suspension and floor. It’s the latter that from Motorsport-Magazin’s Menath believes it the key to Mercedes’ upturn in form. “What is a concept? You’ve heard that question from the Mercedes engineers quite a lot,” he said on the F1 Nation podcast. “They now have … [Read more...] about ‘Toto Wolff still not convinced the new Mercedes sidepod concept is the better one’
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The Christian Horner reveal that spells both good and bad news for rivals
Christian Horner has revealed that attention at Red Bull is already beginning to turn to their 2024 car, with 15 races still to go in 2023. The team have won seven races out of seven to begin the campaign, with the RB19 proving to be the dominant force on the grid and Max Verstappen leading the Drivers’ Championship by 53 points as it stands. Red Bull are already the runaway leaders in the Constructors’ Championship as well, with a tight fight behind breaking out already to be best of the rest – but both titles already look to be something of a foregone conclusion, barring a huge change in fortune. While the team’s penalty for breaching the 2021 budget cap will see Red Bull even less able to utilise their wind tunnel facilities compared to their rivals in 2023, the advantage they have over the rest of the field may make such a penalty seem immaterial at this moment in time, with the race behind being simply to catch up. If attention is turning to Red Bull’s 2024 challenger … [Read more...] about The Christian Horner reveal that spells both good and bad news for rivals
Hamilton and Russell were seeking tow from Sainz when they collided – Mercedes · RaceFans
Mercedes have shed further light on the bizarre collision between its two drivers which occured during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free George Russell was given a formal warning by the stewards after making contact with his team mate Lewis Hamilton on the pit straight. The pair were overtaking Carlos Sainz Jnr’s Ferrari at the time. The team’s head of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin said the incident occured because both drivers were trying to use Sainz’s car to get a slipstream to improve their lap times. “The drivers were trying to find a car finishing a lap in order to get a slingshot starting the lap themselves,” said Shovlin in a video released by the team . “So that will give them more straight-line speed. “You can find around a tenth, maybe a little bit more on the straight. That car that was finishing then peels in and they can then conduct the rest of the lap in clear air.” However the two … [Read more...] about Hamilton and Russell were seeking tow from Sainz when they collided – Mercedes · RaceFans
Lewis Hamilton reveals controversial take on an unloved F1 circuit
Lewis Hamilton wants to see Formula 1 stick around in Barcelona, as Madrid has been linked with a possible Grand Prix. Hamilton has stood up for the future of racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as Madrid has been linked as a possible venue for a future Grand Prix. Madrid is currently playing host to the F1 Exhibition, with the Ifema venue acting as a central hub for a potential street circuit around the Spanish city. While Barcelona holds a contract with F1 through until 2026, its future appeared shaky in recent years despite its longevity on the calendar. The Circuit de Catalunya was first used in Formula 1 in 1991, and has become a key testing venue as well as hosting its annual Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton is eager to see Formula 1 stay around in Barcelona, citing it as a ‘classic circuit’. When asked about the possibility of Madrid replacing Barcelona, Hamilton poked fun at the last Spanish city to be introduced to the calendar. “As long as it’s not like … [Read more...] about Lewis Hamilton reveals controversial take on an unloved F1 circuit
How Le Mans is using grape residues and hydrogen to drive a sustainable future
Motorsport – and Le Mans in particular – has long been a pioneering proving ground for new technologies. However, as the world zeroes in on net zero goals, reducing carbon emissions in such a high-performance environment for such a long period of time is a major challenge. The race organisers are working with TotalEnergies to explore all the options and Romain Aubry, the company’s Technical Manager – who was born and grew up by the Mulsanne Straight – explains: “There are many different technologies and we are not here to say that one is better than another. “Le Mans is a unique platform for us to test new energy approaches and these include 100% sustainable fuels that were introduced last year; a battery solution we have co-developed with Peugeot and Saft, our affiliates; and a hydrogen refilling solution for MissionH24 project with big plans for the future.” Electric power has been pioneered in Formula E, where TotalEnergies is an EV fluid supplier, and has progressed from … [Read more...] about How Le Mans is using grape residues and hydrogen to drive a sustainable future
What are LMH and LMDh? The top Le Mans 24 Hours series explained
That’s two different rulebooks to which a manufacturer can build a car for the top category of the series. So on the 16-stong Hypercar entry for Le Mans this year there are nine LMHs and six LMDhs. What is LMH and LMDh? LMH stands for Le Mans Hypercar, a rulebook that has been in force in the WEC since 2021. LMDh is new for 2023, but you’ll never see the name written out, it’s not officially an acronym. But it is easy to guess what the letters mean given that the class was formulated by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest at Le Mans and IMSA based at Daytona in the USA. That little ‘h’ on the end refers to the fact that these cars, like their LMH rivals, incorporate hybrid technology. The two types of car are very different in some respects, but actually very similar in others. What’s the difference? LMH allows a manufacturer to design and develop its own car from top to tail - or rather from the nose to the tail. That includes all elements of the hybrid system, which, if … [Read more...] about What are LMH and LMDh? The top Le Mans 24 Hours series explained
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE Review: One Expensive Electric
Verdict 8.5 / 10 Design | Comfort | Tech | Performance | Safety | Fuel Economy | Pricing | FAQs –Los Angeles, California The Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan is a polarizing figure in the modern EV marketplace. From the cab-forward stance to the tech-laden cabin, the EQE does nothing to hide its electrified credentials, looking more like a space pod than the E-Class to which it is nominally related. But there’s more to the mid-size Mercedes EV than meets the eye. With a dual-motor powertrain pumping out 402 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque, the 2023 EQE500 is as overpowered as it is overstyled. And yet, I can’t help but be charmed by its insistent futurism, with Speed Racer four-wheel steering and synthwave interior illumination keeping things interesting when the off-the-line thrust starts to feel passé. A vehicle's ratings are relative only to its own segment and not the new-vehicle market as a whole. For more on how Motor1.com rates … [Read more...] about 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE Review: One Expensive Electric
Mercedes: Canada a “bigger challenge” than Barcelona for upgraded F1 car
At last week's Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell scored a double podium after the Brackley team's comprehensive upgrade package delivered a solid step forward. While Hamilton still finished 24 seconds behind dominant winner Max Verstappen , Mercedes' W14 was the second-strongest car on the high-downforce circuit, providing the team with a solid baseline to continue its recovery. The double podium also elevated Mercedes above Aston Martin to second place in the constructors' standings. But Shovlin, the team's trackside engineering director, expects the Canadian Grand Prix to be a more difficult weekend for the Silver Arrows due to the low-downforce nature of Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which is the polar opposite of the Barcelona circuit that its revamped 2023 car was competitive at. "The fact is that the update kit works very well around circuits like Barcelona with a lot of high-speed performance," Shovlin said in Mercedes' post-race … [Read more...] about Mercedes: Canada a “bigger challenge” than Barcelona for upgraded F1 car
Toyota: Le Mans win possible with hydrogen prototype from 2026
Pascal Vasselon, technical director of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, is confident there is “no roadblock” to achieving WEC promoter the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s target of having hydrogen-powered machinery competing on equal terms with the existing cars in the Hypercar class from '26. “Everything is possible with a technological push,” Vasselon told Motorsport.com. “There is no roadblock if the technological level is allowed — it should be feasible. “In most cases, the level of performance of a racing car is determined by the regulations." Vasselon’s comments have come after ACO president Pierre Fillon firmed up plans for a new hydrogen class at the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the WEC at Fuji last month. He made several key announcements about a class that has been in planning since 2018 ahead of the Fuji 24 Hours, in which Toyota was competing with the latest version of its hydrogen-powered Corolla H2 Concept. They included the opening up of the category to … [Read more...] about Toyota: Le Mans win possible with hydrogen prototype from 2026