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F1 team bosses are split over the new Electronic Control Units set to be introduced into F1 next year. From 2008 teams will have to used a standard unit rather than build their own. Among other things this will allow the FIA to ensure teams obey next year’s ban on traction control. But the plan for the units has attracted criticism. Many expressed surprise when the contracts to produce the units was awarded to a company linked to an F1 team – McLaren Electronic Systems. Some teams have also complained the units do not work with their engines. Are the concerns legitimate? Or are a few teams kicking up a fuss for political reasons? Briatore’s complaint Renault boss Flavio Briatore voiced his concerns about the standard ECUs at the Hungaroring three weeks ago, saying: At the moment I’m writing a protest. We don’t want them. First of all, because they don’t work on our cars: the cars don’t even start up. And second, why should we send some of our data to McLaren? … [Read more...] about New row over McLaren ECUs · RaceFans

Listen to this article Dale Coyne stated that his contract with Sato last year was one-year with a one-year option, that included a clause that precluded him from racing for any other team in 2023. Sato’s manager Steve Fusek confirmed in the summer and the off-season that, yes, that was the deal. However, there was some wriggle room – a matter on which Coyne doesn’t wish to comment, even as late as yesterday – and with Sato’s financial support from Honda Japan and Panasonic being reduced, Coyne adjusted his intentions. He would, he told Motorsport.com, prefer to add a third car for Sato to run an oval-only program. While most admire Coyne, delight in his occasional successes, revel in his David-beating-Goliath achievements, one can understand why a driver in his career twilight would want his numerically reduced opportunities to be enhanced by placement at one of the greatest IndyCar teams. And lo it has come to pass: Sato will share the #11 Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda with … [Read more...] about Why Sato at Ganassi is a dream scenario for team and driver

The news that Lewis Hamilton is courting a ?�?�10m sponsorship deal with Reebok is interesting not because of the amount of money involved, but because of what it says about his relationship with McLaren. When people started talking about the immense marketing potential of F1’s first successful mixed-race driver F1 fans were quick to note that McLaren may stop him from maximising that value. McLaren generally do not allow their drivers to arrange personal sponsorship deal (nor do many of the other top teams, it seems) but an exception is being made for Hamilton just as it was for his hero Ayrton Senna when he joined the team 20 years ago. Senna was allowed to bring personal sponsorship from Brazilian bank Nacional with him (see picture below). Hamilton and father/manager Anthony apparently have negotiated the same exemption from McLaren’s usual rules on driver personal sponsorship that Senna had. Football fans are familiar with players who become bigger than their clubs – … [Read more...] about Lewis Hamilton is bigger than McLaren · RaceFans

Out of last year’s 17 races, Mercedes walked away with 13 wins and 15 pole positions, not to mention their seventh consecutive pair of championship titles. Will their opponents let them get away with it just as easily again in the 2021 F1 season ? Who will be the biggest threat to the three-pointed star? Join in our first poll of the new year. Red Bull For Max Verstappen , Red Bull have arguably the best driver in Formula 1 right now, besides Hamilton. He won twice last year and, arguably more impressively, ended the season just nine points shy of the second Mercedes, despite having a far less competitive and reliable car. Red Bull made clear progress throughout 2020 which bodes well for them in a season where teams can only make limited changes to their cars. The arrival of Sergio Perez alongside Verstappen gives them their most experienced driver line-up for years. Against The team’s performance over the second half of 2020 was flattered by how little development … [Read more...] about Poll: Which F1 team will be Mercedes’ biggest threat in 2021? · RaceFans

Stoffel Vandoorne’s arrival in Formula 1 was never in question after stamping his authority on many junior categories, culminating in a dominant GP2 title win in 2015. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free After deputising for Fernando Alonso at the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, and impressing by out-qualifying team mate Jenson Button and finishing in the points, he was duly ushered into a full-time F1 seat the following year. But just as he burst onto the scene, the team’s form nosedived in what proved to be its final year with struggling engine supplier Honda. Vandoorne failed to pick up a single point until round 11 in Hungary and finished the season with a points tally of 13, just four off his team mate, a lowly 16th in the drivers’ standings. Matters improved somewhat in 2018. Vandoorne started strongly, taking points in three of the four opening races, including an impressive recovery drive in Bahrain to eighth after wheelspin at the start dropped him to … [Read more...] about Vandoorne wants Formula E cars to make drivers look “more like heroes” · RaceFans

Listen to this article Sordo spent the past six seasons with McLaren Racing F1 as head and director of vehicle performance and, prior to that, enjoyed 10 seasons with Red Bull Racing as an aero performance team leader, then head of aero performance. Before that, Sordo had spells as a race engineer at RBR, at what was then called Scuderia Toro Rosso, at Jaguar Racing and at Arrows. Since last September, Sordo has overseen engineering at Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s new headquarters in Zionsville, IN. and aims to bring over two decades of F1 experience to an IndyCar team filled with strong talents but which last won in 2020, despite regularly showing strong pace. “What I've done so far is really create my vision,” he told Motorsport.com. “Obviously, I spend a little bit of time with the guys and understanding what they do, how they do it, what tools they have. And then I put down my vision on how we can obviously improve the team. “And that really covers all the aero of … [Read more...] about Sordo aims to bring F1 influence to RLL IndyCar team

Red Bull have announced their car for the 2023 Formula 1 season, the RB19, will be unveiled to the world in New York on February 3rd. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Red Bull will be the first of the energy drink’s two teams to launch in the American city, with junior team AlphaTauri also launching in New York on February 11th. The team announced it will be unveiling a “new car” on the date, as opposed to last year when the team originally revealed its 2022 livery on a showcar before the actual RB18 was first seen publicly during a filming run. The successor to the double title-winning RB18 car from 2022 will be Red Bull’s 19th chassis since joining F1 in 2005 and will make its race debut in the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5th March. The RB19 will be powered by a ‘Honda RBPT’ engine, with the branding reflecting former engine supplier Honda’s continued support of Red Bull’s new in-house powertrain division. It will be the second season of such an arrangement, … [Read more...] about Red Bull to launch RB19 in New York on February 3rd · RaceFans

Already 2008 is looking like being one of the most interesting F1 seasons for a long time, if only because if 2007 was a year of transition, then 2008 will be a year of consolidation (although there are a good number of top driver moves too). This is just my hunch, but I think that 2008 will be all about Ferrari domination. By the end of 2007 the Raikkonen-Ferrari package was the one on the pit-lane that was working the most effectively. Sure the McLarens were quicker, but Raikkonen and his Ferrari seemed as one, whereas Hamilton and Alonso were never 100% hooked up. Furthermore Raikkonen drove a champion’s season, when he didn?������t feel the car was 100% he didn?������t give 100% (e.g. Monaco), but instead he let the car come to him throughout the season so that he went into the final few races knowing that he would come away from the weekend unable to physically have gone any quicker. Unlike McLaren and Renault, Ferrari is retaining the same driver line up for 2008. … [Read more...] about The Ben Evans column – first thoughts on 2008 · RaceFans

In the late 1980s it often seemed like good tracks were dropped for safety reasons, and less good tracks found their way onto the calendar because money talked. How else could you explain a circuit like the awful Phoenix street track holding three Grands Prix? Or why the slow and dull Hungaroring remains on the calendar today? This period also saw some entertaining F1 venues, including Suzuka, the popular Adelaide street circuit and Mexico’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Adelaide The Australian Grand Prix was first held as a around of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1985 at a street circuit in Adelaide. Keke Rosberg won the inaugural race, the last victory of his career. The track was constructed from a combination of streets plus a purpose-built section. Although the track was tight and punishing like a typical street circuit, it also had an extremely fast street – Dequetteville Terrace – at the end of which was a tight hairpin just perfect for overtaking. Adelaide … [Read more...] about F1 circuits history part 10: 1985-9 · RaceFans