Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

By Rob Smedley | F1 Chief Technical Engineer

The start, or launch as it’s known within F1, is absolutely edge of the seat stuff for fans, drivers, and engineers alike. It is one of the most exciting parts of a Grand Prix race and yet it’s all over and done within seconds.

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Given the importance of these initial few seconds of a Grand Prix race, the teams put a huge amount of effort into every detail. There are a number of precise and concurrent actions that the driver needs to carry out in harmony with the vehicle control system and power unit. This is by no means a simple task and requires, as is the norm in Formula 1, the optimal blend of both engineering and technical excellence and driving skills.

A simple example: too little throttle in the initial getaway phase will result in the engine bogging and the car pulling away at a slower acceleration than is optimum. On the other hand, too much throttle and the rear wheels will spin excessively. In turn, this also affects the optimum acceleration, and the driver therefore must judge this to perfection. Another example would be the clutch drop phase, where the driver has to manage the clutch position from the moment the lights go out to the point that they have fully engaged it.

Almost all Formula One teams have already signed contracts with the drivers for 2022. And if an extension of the contract with Mick Schumacher is expected in Haas, then who can become Valtteri Bottas’ teammate in Alfa Romeo is not yet clear. Different drivers are called applicants for a seat in the team. But in fact, all eyes are on the “youth” of Formula 2.

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Most of the rumours revolve around Guanyu Zhou, a Chinese racer who is currently second in the drivers’ championship. Also Théo Pourchaire, a young racer from France. He is now in fifth place. And then there is Robert Shwartzman, who is spending his second Formula 2 season for the Italian PREMA Racing.

On the eve of the Russian Grand Prix, we talked to Robert Shwartzman as part of an interview for the Paddock Magazine, where we discussed his results in the first part of the season, learned about the main contenders in the fight for the title, asked how hard is it for a young driver to get into Formula 1, and also raised the topic of moving the Russian Grand Prix from Sochi Autodrom to Igora Drive.

Turning Japanese with one-off liveries celebrate race-winning alliance with power-unit supplier. Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri are set to race with special liveries on what should have been Honda’s home race weekend.

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At this weekend’s Formula One Turkish Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri will race with unique liveries to celebrate the teams’ race-winning alliance with power-unit supplier Honda and to give the manufacturer’s fans in Japan a chance to wave farewell to the company, on what should have been the occasion of its final home race at Suzuka.

The twin Red Bull Racing RB16B cars of Max Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Pérez will feature a predominantly white livery inspired by the legendary Honda RA 272 car, in which US racer Richie Ginther secured the company’s maiden Formula One win at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, at AlphaTauri, the rear wings of the AT02 cars driven by Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda will feature the one-word message ありがとう(arigato), meaning “thank you”.

I was recently invited by Chris Browning, F1’s Podcast producer, to take part in the recent “F1 on The Edge” series of podcasts, looking back at some of the most significant events during the sports’ history.

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In my case, it was back in 1982 when the F1 drivers went on strike at the South African Grand Prix. It was all about the thorny issue of Super Licences. For me, a drivers’ strike was just what I needed in only my second year as Manager of the Kyalami Circuit.

Having recorded the podcast, I started to wonder what it would take to motivate the drivers of 2021 to take similar strike action to that of their 1982 counterparts. Would it even get that far today or would rebellion in the ranks be stamped upon so quickly by the team bosses, the FIA and the Corporate Rights Holders that even the use of the word “strike” would be banned? My mind went into overdrive!

Who would come to the fore as the natural leader, be able to harness the opinions of the drivers in the same way that Niki Lauda was able to 39 years ago?

Losail International Circuit will hold its first ever Qatar Formula 1 Grand Prix on November 19-21, with the country set to host the 20th event of the 2021 season, as well as signing an additional 10-year deal to host F1 from 2023.

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The Qatari circuit is most famous for its association with the world of two-wheeled racing, with Losail having hosted the MotoGP series since 2004. Ooredoo, the international communications company, will be the title sponsor for the event.

The race’s inclusion on the calendar will create a three-part Middle Eastern ending to the 2021 season, with the race in Qatar followed up by the first ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on December 3-5, with the season rounded off by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 10-12.

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Exor N.V. (“Exor”), the leading diversified holding company controlled by the Agnelli family, and Ferrari N.V. (“Ferrari”) announce a long term, multi-year collaboration with Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson at the creative collective LoveFrom.

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The first expression of this new partnership will bring together Ferrari’s legendary performance and excellence with LoveFrom’s unrivalled experience and creativity that has defined extraordinary world-changing products. Beyond the collaboration with Ferrari, LoveFrom will explore a range of creative projects with Exor in the business of luxury.

Sir Jony Ive will also join Exor’s Partners Council. This annual forum draws on the experience, expertise and insights of a group of highly successful Exor friends and partners, to share ideas and explore potential business opportunities.

Commenting on the LoveFrom partnership, John Elkann, Chairman and Chief Executive of Exor and Chairman of Ferrari said:

Introduction

 

Lewis Hamilton took his 100th Grand Prix victory in the 2021 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix that started in dry conditions and ended under the rain, the Mercedes driver making a late switch to intermediate tyres to take the lead when pole-sitter Lando Norris agonisingly slid out of the lead with just two laps left. Max Verstappen made it from P20 to P2, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took third having started second.

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Grid penalties were the talk of the town on Sunday morning with Valtteri Bottas the latest to take the hit, Mercedes putting a new power unit into his car to see him start 16th with the knowledge that Max Verstappen would start 20th (having taken a new Honda engine earlier in the weekend) and Charles Leclerc 19th with a new Ferrari unit.

As for tyres, there was a mix of mediums and hards on the grid with the first five drivers – Norris on pole, Sainz second, Russell third, Hamilton fourth and Ricciardo in P5 – on mediums, and only Fernando Alonso starting sixth, Sergio Perez (P8), Pierre Gasly (P11), Bottas, Antonio Giovinazzi (P17), Leclerc and Verstappen starting on the hard compounds.

FTX Trading Limited, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, today announced a long-term relationship with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. This relationship will span multiple race seasons with the FTX logo being featured prominently on both the cars and the drivers.

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Part of the FTX branding will be unveiled during the upcoming Russian Grand Prix, which is scheduled for this coming Sunday, September 26th and will continue to expand leading up to the start of the 2022 season.

Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO & Founder of FTX, commented on the news:

We are thrilled to partner with the reigning Formula One World Champions and current team point leaders, Mercedes-AMG Petronas, to continue amplifying our position as the leading global cryptocurrency exchange. Under Toto’s leadership, the entire Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has been focused on excellence and they have leveraged innovation to help them become seven-time Constructors’ Champions. We look forward to watching Lewis Hamilton continue to challenge for his potential eighth Formula One World Drivers’ Championship title across the remainder of the 2021 season.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, concluded:

We are very excited to welcome FTX, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Their innovative spirit and creative energy in such a rapidly developing global industry make them a well-matched partner in our own relentless pursuit of performance. Together we look forward to creating new and exciting opportunities to engage with our fans and deliver world-class experiences for them.

Nikita Mazepin is a 22-years-old driver from Russia who is spending his debut season in Formula 1. Mazepin’s career traditionally began with karting when he was 7 years old. And in 2014, he achieved outstanding results, finishing second in the World Championship organized by the FIA.

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Since that moment the Russian has consistently showcased his talent across various racing categories. In 2016-17 Mazepin spent two seasons in Formula 3 for Hitech Grand Prix. And in the first year, the driver signed a contract with the Formula 1 Force India, becoming their development driver. 2018 was very successful for Nikita: he moved to GP3, where during the season claimed eight podiums, scored 198 points and became the runner-up of the championship!

In 2019, the Russian got the seat in Formula 2, where he spent two seasons. And after an outstanding 2020 campaign for Hitech GP, he started 2021 in a new status as a Formula 1 driver. Recently, Haas extended the contract with him for the next season. We called Nikita during the Russian Grand Prix and talked to him about his debut year in F1 and how ready the team is for 2022.

Jastina Golopolosova: Hi Nikita! It is a pleasure to meet you! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the contract extension with Haas.

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN will soar high in the skies as it announces a partnership with Switzerland’s leading leisure travel airline Edelweiss. The carrier will acquire the designation of Official Airline Partner of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN and will support the team as it flies to race destinations around Europe and the World.

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Based at Zurich Airport, Edelweiss is Switzerland’s leading leisure carrier, currently flying to 82 destinations in 38 countries around the world, including destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia and The Americas. The company prides itself on offering Swiss premium quality, living by and applying globally appreciated Swiss values: they cater to the individual needs of passengers with their distinct inflight-service in the economy and business class, provided with the warmth and hospitality that Edelweiss is known for. Edelweiss is the sister carrier of SWISS International Air Lines and an affiliate of the Lufthansa Group.

Edelweiss branding will be visible on the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN C41 cars’ sidepod floor line.

Patrick Heymann, CCO Edelweiss:

Edelweiss is as unique in Switzerland as the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team. We proudly carry Swiss values like quality, reliability and precision all over the world. And we are honoured to be asked to fly Team Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN to the most diverse race destinations in the world in the future. We will do our utmost to ensure that the team arrives relaxed at each destination so that they can deliver top performances at the racetrack. I am delighted about this exciting partnership, which connects modern Switzerland with the world.

Williams Racing is pleased to welcome Blackbird, an AI-driven Disinformation Intelligence Platform, as part of new investment by Dorilton Ventures.

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Formula One has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence. Blackbird was founded by a team of artificial intelligence, behavioural psychology and national security experts. Backed by Dorilton Ventures, the early-to-mid stage investment arm of Williams Racing owner Dorilton, Blackbird has been recognized by Forrester as a “Top Threat Intelligence Company” and their platform helps Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations detect and respond to fast-moving information-driven attacks that cause significant reputational and financial harm. Their ability to process complex signals at very high speed enables organizations to proactively manage a new class of threats that were previously undetectable.

In partnership with Dorilton Ventures, the Blackbird logo will be proudly displayed on the nose and halo of the FW43B at the Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix 2021.

Uralkali Haas F1 Team will enter the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship fielding a retained driver line-up of Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.

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Mazepin and Schumacher will be partnered together at the American-owned outfit for a second consecutive year and the team’s seventh season in the sport.

Guenther Steiner – Team Principal:

We knew we wanted continuity behind the wheel in 2022 and I’m happy to confirm exactly that with Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin competing for Uralkali Haas F1 Team next year. 2021 has afforded both drivers the opportunity to learn Formula 1 – and as rookies – they’ve done a lot of that this year. It’s been a tough season for sure with the package we’ve had, but at the same time, they’ve both embraced the challenge and worked closely with the team to learn our processes and adapt to the rigours of a Formula 1 campaign and all that brings – both internally and externally. Now as we look ahead to the 2022 season, we’re confident we can move forward as a team and give Mazepin and Schumacher a competitive race package to make the next step in their Formula 1 careers.

Mick Schumacher:

Construction of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team’s brand-new buildings (a new factory and a new wind tunnel) in Northamptonshire has begun and a ceremonial breaking-ground ceremony has taken place on the new plot.

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Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll and JCB Chairman Lord Bamford both attended the ceremony, which marks the official start of an 18-month construction and installation phase for a new headquarters for the Formula One team, which has been designed by Ridge and Partners LLP and project-managed by Ridge, construction consultancy Gardiner & Theobald, and the team’s own in-house resource.

The 400,000 square feet (37,000m2) buildings will become the new home of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team, which has outgrown its existing facilities and will rapidly grow its current headcount by the expected completion date of late 2022 or early 2023.

The new three-unit factory will be constructed on land across the road from the historic Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit: one building will house the team’s design, manufacturing and marketing resource; a second will be occupied by the brand-new wind tunnel; the third will redevelop and repurpose the existing factory premises as a central hub featuring staff amenities and a logistics centre.

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN is adding Salt to the team’s growing family, as the Swiss telecommunications provider joins as partners to provide mobile services to the Formula One operations.

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Salt, a household name in Switzerland, will help the team ensure stable and reliable communications when trackside around the world and at our headquarters in Hinwil. In a sport as connected as Formula One, where clear, instant communication can make the difference between success and failure, the company will be the extra ingredient to the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN family.

Christian Aveni, Chief Business Officer at Salt:

Salt Business offers Swiss companies personalized, high-quality solutions for their mobile fleet. Our offer provides customers with fast and reliable mobile connections, full cost control and generous roaming allowances during their business trips around the world. We are glad the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN family chose us as their trusted partner on the go.

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN:

The world of Formula One is constantly on the move and making sure our staff is connected at all times is vital. Salt is bringing their expertise and their networks to the team’s help, making sure that, wherever we are in the world, we can rely on stable mobile connections to keep in touch with colleagues and loved ones alike. It’s a pleasure and an honour to partner with such a company and we’re looking forward to our future together.

The 2021 Formula 1 power List is here.  Paddock magazine presents its tenth 100 Most Influential People in Formula 1 list. It’s our very own annual register of the most powerful people in the industry.

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Since 2010 Paddock magazine, Formula 1’s business & lifestyle monthly, had compiled an annual list of the most powerful people in Formula 1. Places are allocated based on the amount of human, managerial and financial resources that they have sway over, as well as their influence on the sport.

To determine the ranking, we considered more than 200 of the most influential players in Formula 1, and we evaluated their influence by using metrics in four major areas: economic power, command, newsworthiness, and impact — a subjective measure that captures how important they are in their respective positions.

We’ve gathered a team of experts of the racing business for this occasion: after a lot of research, the team sent an online survey for motorsport professionals, and then tweaked the final results.