Hello again, this week we got some answers to the question about Mattia Binotto’s future as he leaves Ferrari at the end of the month. China zero covid policy as reported last week as forced next year’s race to be cancelled and Mercedes how they are looking to avoid the post-title slumps. The drama never falls silent even in the off-season….
General News
Next year’s Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the countries zero covid policy. The race in Shanghai was due to return for the first time since the start of the pandemic as the fourth race of the season. This is not a surprise, the country continues to peruse the same policy of lockdowns, mass testing and quarantine for new arrivals.
There are talks to fill the four-week gap between Melbourne and Baku, but its understood that Liberty media are not desperate to fill the gap. The favourite is said to be Portimao which replaced races in 2020 and 2021 before being replaced by Miami last year.
A statement said, “Formula 1 can confirm, following dialogue with the promoter and relevant authorities, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation. Formula 1 is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course.”
Looking at the wider picture, the country is facing a challenge as we know rare protests against the government’s covid policy. Also, China is or was a big target for Liberty when they took over the sport nearly six years ago, I think we will eventually be back in Shanghai as it’s a race we know drivers like.
Mercedes
Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff has urged his team to be “careful” to avoid the post-title slumps suffered by Red Bull and Ferrari but has reiterated that 2022, which he insists was less painful than 2021, was necessary to “re-energise” the Formula One powerhouse.
We know the team were effectively in no mans land after testing and for much of the season but they are going into the winter looking to re-join the front runners. The clever thing that the team does is seeing the season as a stepping stone and believing it was necessary to “re-energise and re-motivate the team.” Saying it made them appreciate how difficult its to win and recover. Mercedes will be aiming to bounce back next season, particularly against Red Bull after their whopping 205-point title victory.
Red Bull
Max Verstappen says drivers should quit if they aren’t prepared for the intensity of super-close title battles. While the dutchman wrapped up his second title at Suzuka the rivalry with Charles Leclerc running into a series of problems. Verstappen famously said after the manner of that 2021 title battle with Lewis Hamilton that he could not face the stress of such a tight contest all the time.
He told The Guardian, “You can’t have that drama every single year, for sure. It’s not good for me, it’s not healthy for anyone in the team – both teams.” Verstappen is right if you have several seasons of intense fights that can be mentally draining we know after five titles Michael Schumacher started to drop the ball in 2005 against Fernando Alonso, and Lewis Hamilton against Nico Rosberg in 2016.
Leclerc concurred that there was no choice other than to be ready for bigger and more intense seasons ahead. he said, “I think we are all prepared for longer seasons. I hope it will be tight. It’s always nice to have a fight until the end. But yeah, I’m prepared for more races and for a longer fight hopefully.”
Ferrari
Mattia Binotto has resigned as Ferrari team principal and will leave the team after almost thirty years at the end of December. I have been feeling since the championship was decided in Suzuka, that Binotto was on his way out as it hasn’t come together with the championship after the regulation change.
Binotto has paid the price for not addressing Ferrari’s weaknesses this year. While the team did return to competitiveness, Ferrari squandered their first winning car since 2018 with a series of operational errors and reliability failings. But the risk of changing as we know is creating more instability at Ferrari.
Ferrari have a big question do they modernise the teams structure, but with three months to get the 2023 car together the resignation comes at the most important time of year. Any replacement could be on the back foot immediately, given the decade or more of stability at Red Bull and Ferrari
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari cannot ignore the consequences of its mid-season slump if it wants to improve next season. These comments were made before Binotto’s departure but he says there are three key areas reliability, strategy and a better understanding of tyre management, which the team needs to do better in. that appears to be the common consensus with fans and the media.
But he feels although it was difficult to see from the outside, there was progress in the final races but they cannot forget the things they need to focus on. Leclerc also made it clear that he was not free for blame over the personal mistakes that cost him wins this season.
Alpine
Fernando Alonso says the challenge of making a successful comeback should not be “underestimated”. The two-time world champion returned to F1 at the start of 2021, having spent two seasons away from F1 following his departure from McLaren at the end of 2018.
But this year having gotten back up to speed the something like the old and at some races this year he managed to pull off some impressive performances in 2022, Alonso has netted himself a long-term contract to race for Aston Martin from next year. Throughout the season the Spaniard insisted he has felt like he had done at his peak in the mid-2000s to early-2010s.
He told Motorsport.com, “I think last year I was not maybe 100 percent happy with the performance and with how the season went. This year, I’m much more happy with the car and with the performance itself, and much more I think ready for the next challenge”
“So, you cannot underestimate coming back to the sport. But you need a few races or even one full season to feel 100 percent again, and it is what happened to me. But I’m happy now that I feel a very good level.”
Pierre Gasly made his debut for the team at last week’s test in Abu Dhabi, which he said this week was “even better” than he expected. Gasly was “very positively surprised” and that his adaptation went “pretty well” given the change in environment. This is a good start for him to life outside Red Bull and with a manufacturer team.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack says that Fernando Alonso was “very impressive” when he made his first outing for the team in Abu Dhabi. The two-time champion will join the team next year from Alpine on a multi-year deal.
Krack said Alonso was immediately fast, adding “the efficiency of transmitting messages” was “very impressive”. Saying, “It was straight to the point at all times. Very friendly, open and transparent.”
Alonso is the most experienced driver in the sports history, and Krack believes the Spaniard’s determination and will to win would have a transformative effect on Aston Martin. But Krack said Alonso was “different” from Vettel, who had driven for Aston Martin since 2021, but shared some key characteristics.
Saying they have a common focus on improving and progressing, as well as isolating what makes them progress.
On Wednesday Krack said it was on target with its long-term goal of challenging for championships by the middle of the decade, saying their recovery this season was “very impressive recovery.” But also admitted he was wary about making big changes after joining just before the start of the season. He says its sometimes is difficult not to come in and radically change things but analyse and look at the weaknesses first.
Williams
Logan Sargeant has announced he has chosen number two as his permanent number ahead of his rookie Formula One season with Williams in 2023. The American will make his debut next year moving up from F2 after finishing fifth thus securing enough super licence points to move up to F1.
Sargeant will be the second driver to use the number since drivers were first allowed to pick their career numbers since it was introduced in 2014. The team made the announcement in a short social post on its channels on Wednesday with the hashtag #LS2.
Nicholas Latifi’s frustration over his late-season struggles were not eased despite having “nothing to lose” with Williams after his exit was confirmed in September. Latifi scored nine points during his three-year stint with Williams but struggled to match the form of teammate Alex Albon throughout this season.
Despite having certainty over his future decided and him not needing to fight for his seat, he was still frustrated by the way it ended. He told Motorsport.com, “There’s the extra emotional aspect [fighting for your seat] when things aren’t going well.”
There are two ways you can take losing your seat, Daniel Ricciardo’s fighting to stay or accepting it. I think Latifi was very unlikely to be of value compared to Ricciardo or Mick Schumacher. He told Motorsport.com, “There’s the extra emotional aspect [fighting for your seat] when things aren’t going well.”
“But at the same time, I still have frustration and disappointment even when I know. Irrespective of knowing if I’m staying or not, I still wanted to do well, still wanted to end each qualifying, each race since I’ve found out as best I can.”
