F1 Today – Mexico City Prixview – 27/10/2022
Audi announces partnership with Sauber
Audi has chosen Sauber as the team with which it will enter F1 from the 2026 season. In a long-expected deal, the German car giant is set to buy a stake in the Swiss team, making it Audi’s factory entrant.
The German manufacturer is designing an engine for its entry, which coincides with the introduction of F1’s new power-unit regulations for 2026. The team which currently has a sponsorship deal with Alfa Romeo will temporarily revert back to Sauber for 2024 and 2025 but continue using Ferrari power units until the end of 2025.
Finn Rausing, chairman of Sauber’s board of directors, said: “Audi is the best strategic partner for the Sauber Group. It is clear that we share values and a vision, and we look forward to achieving our common goals in a strong and successful partnership.”
Oliver Hoffmann, the Audi board member responsible for its F1 programme, said: “We are delighted to have gained such an experienced and competent partner for our ambitious Formula 1 project. We already know the Sauber Group with its state-of-the-art facility and experienced team from previous collaborations and are convinced that together we will form a strong team”
Audi which is part of the Volkswagen Group, had planned to enter F1 in 2026 with Porsche as well.
However, its plan to team up with Red Bull as its engine partner fell through because the Austrian owned team refused to give up its independence.
The FIA said in a statement last week that Porsche was still in talks with F1 teams over a partnership. However, it remains to be seen how that would work, as Porsche does not yet have an engine – it had planned to partner with Red Bull’s new powertrains division.
Red Bull future secure despite Mateschitz’s death
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the teams future is secure despite the death of founder Dietrich Mateschitz last weekend. Red Bull’s involvement in F1 and in motorsport in general was very much the result of Mateschitz’s personal passion, inevitably leading observers what might happen after his death, given the huge ongoing investment required.
Horner insists that before his death the Austrian had put the pieces in place to secure the future of the Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri teams. He stressed that Mateschitz’s support for the Red Bull Powertrains project, which is creating an all-new power unit for the 2026 regulations, was a clear sign that he had his eye on the long term.
Asked by Motorsport.com, if any changes would follow Mateschitz’s death, said Horner “No, the future is set He’s put in place a very strong foundation for the future. And within 2026 Red Bull becoming a power unit manufacturer that was the missing piece of our jigsaw, and he had the vision to enable that to happen.
“And just as we’ve done with the chassis, we will take that same spirit, his spirit into the future engine company. He set that vision, and he was he was involved right up until last week. He had the vision for and endorsed the plan for Red Bull Powertrains, to set the team up for the future, for the long term.”
He added that Mateschitz’s commitment to the sport has enabled the team to be in a very strong position for many years to come. Asked if Max Verstappen’s second title was a sign that Red Bull could be entering a period of domination for the team, Horner was circumspect.
He believes that the team are still up against ‘very strong’ competitors, despite “very, very competitive neighbours, and I’m sure they’re going to come back strong next year.”
Red Bull wants closure on cap breach
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner insists the team want “closure” as soon as possible following their F1 cost cap breach and has vowed full transparency once there is a resolution with the FIA, with talks set to resume before this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
The build up to last weekend’s race had been dominated by rivals accusing Red Bull of cheating, after the FIA confirmed the team had a ‘minor’ breach of the £130m cap. But talks were put on hold following the death of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz on Saturday.
Red Bull said the deadline for an ‘accepted breach agreement’ [ABA] with the FIA had therefore been extended, and that they expect talks to pick back up before the Mexico City GP. For an ABA to be agreed, Red Bull would need to accept wrongdoing – despite their insistence they have followed the rules and that their initial submission was below the cap – although would likely lead to a lesser penalty.
An announcement was expected in Austin, before talks were suspended, and so there could feasibly be developments early on in the Mexico weekend – which Horner and the team would welcome. Before MJateschitz’s death Horner said, “”I’m certainly hopeful that there can be closure on this in the very near future.”
The full range of punishments would not be on the table if Red Bull agree to an ABA, with rumours swirling in Austin that the FIA had offered Red Bull a fine and a reduction in aerodynamic testing for next year.
If Red Bull do not accept that, more severe penalties such as points deductions are possible, if unlikely, while it could also significantly extend the process and clarity on Max Verstappen’s 2021 title. A victory still mired in controversy about the way the rules were applied.
If the case goes to the ICA the FIA’s top court, the row could drag on well into 2023, which isn’t Red Bull’s intention. Horner added “We want closure on 2021. I think that we’ve had some healthy and productive discussions with the FIA, and I’m hopeful of being able to reach a conclusion in the near future.”
Sky Sports and BBC News have reported that Red Bull were about $1.8m over despite their initial submission back in March being $4.5m under the required limit. Red Bull maintains that their “relevant costs are compliant”, with the team disputing unused spare parts, which are thought to have been a big factor in pushing them into a minor breach – being included.
Horner said that “there are many lessons to be learned from” the first year of F1’s cost cap enforcement and the FIA had been “taken by surprise” by the scale of the job. He was also critical of the sport’s governing body for not giving more feedback during the process on their submissions.
FIA set for ‘important day’ after Alpine protest
Fernando Alonso believes that the sports regulations are set for a crucial moment after his Alpine team appealed the penalty which knocked him out of the points at the United States Grand Prix.
The Spaniard finished seventh in Austin that was despite an airborne crash at 200mph with Lance Stroll, his 2023 teammate who will serve a three-place grid penalty for in Mexico. The impact of his collision left Alonso’s car damaged and over 20 laps later his right wing mirror fell off his car.
Haas later protested that Alonso was allowed to drive an unsafe car and the FIA agreed, issuing Alonso a 30-second time penalty, the rough equivalent of driving into the pit lane, serving a 10-second stop-go penalty and then driving out again.
The FIA verdict deemed Alonso’s car had been dangerous and that the loose mirror could have come off when there was a driver directly behind him. The penalty dropped Alonso from seventh to fifteenth, but their appeal against the protest will be heard today.
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen has been shown the black and orange flag, denoting a driver must pit to fix a dangerous car, on three different occasions this year. Alpine’s official protest said: “The team acted fairly and deemed the car remained structurally safe”.
It added: “The FIA has the right to black and orange flag a car during the race if they consider it unsafe and, on this occasion, they assessed the car and decided not to action the flag. Moreover, after the race, the FIA technical delegate considered the car legal”.
Alpine also said Haas’ protest was lodged 24 minutes after the deadline for protests and should not have been accepted.
Haas also protested Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez for the same reason after the race. Perez’s car lost a front wing endplate several laps after a collision with Valtteri Bottas in the opening moments of the race. The FIA decided the Perez was not admissible, with the verdict saying Red Bull had sent a photo of the front wing to the stewards after the incident.
Hamilton expects winless season but talks about future
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he expects that his record of winning at least one win in each season he has competed in F1 to come to an end, despite having come agonisingly close to sealing victory at the United States Grand Prix.
Mercedes despite making huge progress throughout the season the team has struggled to fight with Red Bull and Ferrari following the changes to the regulations. After an encouraging display in Austin, whether or not Mercedes can win one of the final three races – starting in Mexico this weekend – has been a hot topic of discussion, but the seven-time world champion is not confident.
Hamilton said that his strong race last weekend was aided by both Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez having grid penalties. He told Sky Sports, “I think we really need to be realistic. The Red Bull car has been the fastest car by far all year and it is still the fastest car.”
“So [in USA] we were in the position we were in through reliability. If Charles was there, if Perez was there for example, it would have been a different race because they would have been ahead of us. We would have been on the third row. It was great to start third and be in a position to fight, but on true pace they were ahead of us today and they will be the next three races.”
If Hamilton were to win one of the remaining three races, it would break the tie with Michael Schumacher for number of consecutive seasons with a win. His hopes of a sixth win in Austin and seventh in the US, were boosted by an eleven-second stop where Verstappen joined seven seconds behind himself and Leclerc.
However, Verstappen showed incredible speed to catch and pass both the Ferrari and Mercedes, before sealing his thireteenth victory in nineteen races this season. He added, “Unless something drastic happens to any more of them, it’s highly unlikely we’ll have the true pace to be able to compete with them. We’ll give it everything we’ve got and we’re working on a car to be able to fight with them.”
Hamilton who turns thirty-eight in January and still is insisting he wants to continue for some time yet. He told Autosport, “We are going to do another deal. We’re going to sit down and we’re going to discuss it in these next couple of months, I would say.”
This appears to suggest a u-turn on his plans to retire by the age of forty, but he continues to take an annual review of his long term plan, but says its difficult to do another decade.
Adding “where do I see myself? What are the things I want to do? What are my goals? And things are being added. And I’m adding in lots of business things. I have a lot of business going on. I have a lot of successful, really positive things that have lots of opportunity for success outside.”
“But I want to keep racing. I love what I do. I’ve been doing it for 30 years, and I don’t feel that I should have to stop.”
Mercedes can give Red Bull a “run for their money” in Mexico
Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff is hoping that Mexico City’s high altitude conditions may allow the team to give Red Bull “a run for their money” by masking the draggy nature of its car.
Mercedes has three races remaining this season to break its win drought and avoid its first campaign without a victory since 2011. The team struggled in the early part of 2022 after the regulation changes but has since made progress with the car, and Lewis Hamilton was only seven laps away from winning when he was passed by Max Verstappen fought back from a slow pitstop.
One of the biggest issues for Hamilton in the lead fight against Verstappen was his top-speed deficit to the Red Bull, which has enjoyed a straight-line advantage over the field through much of the season.
However the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez sits 2.2km above sea level, the high altitude conditions and thinner air mean teams struggling with draggy cars will be at less of a disadvantage this weekend in Mexico, with everyone running high downforce packages.
Asked about Mercedes’ chances in Mexico, team principal Wolff said he would “need to bite his tongue” and avoid making any bold predictions, but that the conditions should aid Hamilton and teammate George Russell’s chances.
Wolff said after Sunday’s race in Austin, “Sometimes this year I’ve said we should be good at a particular track, and we didn’t [perform] and then the other way around. So on paper, Mexico looks good. Our draggy car should be effective in the thin air.”
Mercedes has only scored one win in Mexico in the last five years, courtesy of Hamilton in 2019. The track has typically favoured Red Bull more given its previous high downforce strength, with Verstappen winning in 2017, 2018 and 2021. There was no race in 2020 due to the circuit being used as a ‘Nightingale Hospital’ during the pandemic.
Retirement “getting more real” – Vettel
Sebastian Vettel says his retirement from F1 at the end of 2022 season is “getting a little bit more real” as the races keep passing by. In Budapest, the four-time champion announced he would not renew his contract with Aston Martin and retire after a fifteen-year career at the end of the season.
Since then the reality of retiring from the sport has started to sink in as he counts down to Abu Dhabi. Suzuka his favourite circuit he was visibly emotional, and last weekend in Austin he admitted he would “miss the adrenaline” from fighting wheel to wheel as he did with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen on the final lap.
Vettel said, “It is getting a little bit more real. At Suzuka, I was a bit sad after qualifying and Sunday was a little bit up and down and mixed emotions because the race was so different. It’s a special place and I will miss it. I don’t know how Abu Dhabi will be.”
“Obviously, from a results point of view I don’t think we expect miracles all of a sudden, but I also tend to look forward to what’s next. I’m excited about what’s coming, it’s not like I completely hate Formula 1 now and I’m happy to get out, but obviously I made the decision and look forward to what’s coming.”
While America may not be as high-rank Vettel’s list, it will be a special place as it where at Indianapolis in 2007 he made his debut and scored his first point for BMW Sauber.
Adding after the race in Austin, “Yeah absolutely. I think in the end is a great place to come. Obviously, my first race was in Indy, so it has a special place. I kept the one-cent coin that I found on the Sunday morning in Indianapolis while I was running, and it’s still with me. It is a special place to me.”
Doohan set for practice debut
Jack Doohan is set to run rookie FP1 sessions for Alpine in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. These are the last opportunities for teams to run rookies this year because of the sprint format in Sao Paulo.
Motorsport.com, says it understands that formal confirmation of Doohan’s outings had been delayed by complications over formally finalising Oscar Piastri’s exit from the team. The latter was supposed to do the Alpine FP1 running this year, but that naturally became unrealistic after his move to McLaren was confirmed.
Doohan has been preparing for these runs by driving last year’s Alpine car in Budapest at a private test alongside Nyck de Vries and Antonio Giovinazzi drove the car. He also gained some brief experience with the current car on a filming day at Monza.
Doohan is highly regarded within the Alpine camp, and he was regarded as a possible Plan B should the team have failed to secure the services of Pierre Gasly for 2023. He has had a strong F2 season winning the sprints at Silverstone and Budapest, as well the feature race at Spa.
Doohan said: “I’m extremely grateful to Alpine for giving me this opportunity to drive in Free Practice in Mexico. It’s always a huge honour to be entrusted to drive a Formula 1 car, so to have the opportunity on a Grand Prix weekend is very special. Ultimately, the aim is to be doing this every week and this experience is another step closer to achieving that goal.”
“I’ve prepared as best as I can, and I think it’s going to be very exciting to experience the car at this type of circuit with the high altitude and very high top speed. I’ll work hard on the day, do everything the team sets out and, at the same time, enjoy the moment as I know it’s going to be a unique opportunity.”
With Gasly and Ocon both now secure at the Enstone camp it remains to be seen what Doohan’s options are for next year and beyond. Some other teams have yet to confirm who will fill their final FP1 slots, with both Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri still having to do one session.
No concrete backup for Williams if Sargeant fails to get super licence
Williams says it has no concrete back up plan if Logan Sargeant fails to get enough points to qualify for a super licence. In Austin team principal Jost Capito announced the American F2 driver would partner Alex Albon next season, as long as he gets the required FIA super licence points.
Sargeant currently has 28 points to his name but could get up to 30 with two clean practice outings for Williams in Mexico and Abu Dhabi, leaving him in need of a top-six finish in the F2 standings to secure the super licence. He is currently third in the standings. But Williams has made no firm decision on who would get the second seat alongside Alex Albon for 2023 if Sargeant was unable to secure the required points.
Asked by Motorsport.com if there was a backup plan in place, Capito replied: “Yeah, but not concrete, not a name. There will be drivers who do not get a contract. There are still very good drivers, and have the super licence points on that, so that’s fine.”
Williams has explored several options to replace Nicolas Latifi next year, they were expecting to sign Oscar Piastri on loan from Alpine, only for the contract saga to result in the Australian joining McLaren.
Nyck de Vries was another driver on the radar following his impressive stand-in appearance for Albon at Monza, but he was snapped up by AlphaTauri to replace the Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly.
Capito said that teams “have to play the politics” when negotiating the driver market, but added that Sargeant’s F2 performances since Silverstone had convinced the team he was ready for the seat. His practice outings are due to help him to get more super licence points.
With one race weekend in F2 to go, Sargeant is eighteen points behind clear of eighth place with thirty-nine still on the table in Abu Dhabi. Sargeant said he would “let Williams figure out” what points he required and that he was “just driving as fast as I can at all times.”
Capito explained that the extra practice runs for Sargeant were intended to “make the risk as minimal as possible” in the bid for the super licence, as well as helping his preparation for the step up next year.
The weekend ahead
Having wrapped up the constructors in Austin, you need to still believe that Red Bull are unbeatable here. It also is a goof circuit for Max Verstappen, victory this weekend would see him break thirteen wins in a season and surpass Jim Clark’s three wins in Mexico City. This however is a race because of the high altitude where the teams are closer anyway.
Normally when both championships are decided we see almost like all the drivers unleashed, where there is a lot closer racing and on-track battles as there is nothing to fight for. However the challenge now for Verstappen is not to ‘switch off’, which I doubt anyway, as that could allow Ferrari and Mercedes to fight for wins getting a bit of momentum to carry into both the winter and 2023.
Mercedes are making progress the question is does Mexico City present them with the same set of circumstances to challenge for the win, it looked to me as they had a great car in Austin but Red Bull were just too quick.
The battle between Alpine and McLaren in the mid table is the interesting one as we said last weekend, I think its likely to go to Alpine. The fact is that Daniel Ricciardo isn’t motivated and delivering results for McLaren which isn’t helping his case to stay in F1, I think it’s over.
The off-track battle is going to be the same as Austin, Red Bull breeching last years cost cap. What punishment do they get and do they reach a settlement with the FIA before more serve up to exclusion from the championship are imposed? I expect that could be resolved or a course of action decided next week.