Hello, This Week the first big non-moves in the driver market was made with Charles Leclerc committing to five more years with Ferrari, Barcelona loses the rights to the Spanish GP, the exit of Gunther Steiner you would think its late August not late January. This time of year with a month to go until Bahrain the agenda is starting to take shape we have launches confirmed and a month today we will be on the eve of practice in Bahrain when the talking will stop and we will start to get answers…
General News
The Spanish Grand Prix will return to the country’s capital Madrid in 2026 after signing a ten-year contract, which leaves the rival Barcelona venue fighting to remain on the calendar. While Barcelona may have lost the hosting rights discussions are ongoing with the Catalan government and the circuit for what could be called the Catalan Grand Prix.
The 5.47km circuit will be a hybrid street circuit similar to Montreal, and will be built around the IFEMA fairgrounds and convention centre located to the north-east of the city. Still subject to FIA approval, the track will feature twenty corners, with a predicted lap time of 1m32s. It will have what F1 calls a “premium” paddock building.
The twenty-corner circuits layout hasn’t been announced yet, but it will have twenty corners, will incorporate both street-circuit and road-course sections, F1 said. It said it would “create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment that delivers maximum value for fans and embraces innovation and sustainability.”
This plan again is delivering on ‘dentation cities’ which Liberty wanted to create its hard without seeing the layout to judge how good it will be. I hope they have learned lessons from Miami which I think is the worst new circuit, there has been both successes like Baku and Las Vegas. I think people are fed up of predictability in Barcelona given limited overtaking and the amount of testing we have had over the years
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Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is working on a second Formula 1 book after the success of his previous volume in 2023. Steiner’s first book, Surviving to Drive, was written after he was approached by ghostwriter James Hogg.
Initially published in the UK by Penguin Random House, it told the inside story of the Haas team’s 2022 season, while also dipping into episodes from earlier in Steiner’s career. It has sold some 150,000 copies and appeared in twelve languages, with a UK paperback version due in March.
Steiner’s contract with Haas wasn’t renewed after it expired at the end of last year. He told Motorsport.com, “It was a completely new experience,” he said. “And I learned a lot about how some industries work, how things are done because I was never exposed to this before.
“I actually enjoyed working with the writer, he is a cool dude, we had good fun. And he had good fun as well. He said hanging out with me was always good fun because it was never the pressure of ‘we need to do this’. It all came very organically.”
Netflix hit series Drive to Survive will be released date for its sixth season, taking the covers off the 2023 season on 23 February. The main plot is to centre on Max Verstappen’s and Red Bull’s record-breaking championship run while picking up other narrative strands across the 2023 season, likely including Aston Martin’s and McLaren’s moments in the limelight, Mercedes’ looking to return to the top.
The series continues to be produced by Box to Box Films with James Gay-Rees, producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary Senna, staying at the helm as Executive Producer alongside Emmy winning producer Paul Martin, who was also behind the 2019 documentary Diego Maradona.
While the 2023 season hasn’t been as dramatic as previous years, Gay-Rees feels the series still has a lot of runway left to continue telling F1’s stories. he said in a recent interview on F1.com, “We’ve all had the statistics about the changing, younger demographic, and it’s tough out there for anybody, for any big organisation, to hold its ground given the amount of choices that are out there for the consumer.”
Organisers of Australian Grand Prix chiefs have told fans they will be banned from any post-race track invasion this year, following the problems that marred the 2023 event. The AGPC were found guilty by the FIA of breaching FIA security protocols when fans invaded the track while cars were still running. As well as the clear safety implications of potentially being hit, fans were also able to reach the stranded Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.
The car had parked on the exit of Turn 2 after finishing seventh and had its flashing red warning light activated, signalling it was in an unsafe condition with potential electrical discharge. It was ordered to come up with a remedial plan after race stewards declared: “The security measures and the protocols which were expected to be in place for the Event were not enforced resulting in an unsafe environment for the spectators, drivers and race officials.”
with the matter still ongoing between organisers and the FIA, a decision has been taken to impose a total clampdown on any fan access to the circuit after this year’s Grand Prix. This marks an end to a long tradition where Melbourne fans have rushed onto the track in time to join the podium celebrations.
- You can see everything you need to know in The Guide
Mercedes
Mercedes technical director James Allison says the hard knocks of being beaten by Red Bull have not stopped his return to the frontline being fun. Allison returned to the role of technical director following a job swap with Mike Elliott who replaced him as chief technical officer as the team looks to fight for titles again, it appears it as and says himself it has enthused him.
Critical to the enjoyment was having around him fellow employees who embrace the challenge and are ready to do all that it takes to ensure Mercedes can deliver an uplift in form. reflecting on the experience of seeing rival Red Bull dominating so much, said Allison, “You say it’s no fun, actually it’s lots of fun. It isn’t as much fun as winning, that’s definitely true, but you have to sort of love the whole of the sport. It involves taking your licks when you haven’t done a good enough job.”
He is trying to follow what Red Bull did when Mercedes was in their dominant period, by keep pushing forward and sticking to what he described as ‘stuck gamely.’ He says the team are enjoying the fruits of that well-placed labour, they are looking to challenge Red Bull and fight for titles again, but they’ve always accepted its going to take time.
Mercedes has been working on a major revamp of its F1 car design in a bid to address the problems that have hampered Lewis Hamilton and George Russell over the past two years. But whether the modelling translates in to track performance that is the key to returning to the front, which they are fully aware off.
He said in another interview that designers are far from running out of ideas on how to get more speed from the current generation of ground-effect cars. This year is the third season of these regulations, it is expected that there will be a convergence on Red Bull’s concept in an attempt to stop a third consecutive title double.
while competitors appear to be coming together and agreeing on the best way to attack the current regulations, that does not mean that they are all out of new ideas that can give them a vital edge over the opposition. Allison said “I think most people will be iterating down a similar sort of avenue. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for innovation at all. These cars, and it is no secret, run super-near the ground and that’s where they get their best performance.”
“But there is also the ground there, so it is just trying to figure out how you can reliably, precisely and in an informed way, place the car at a point above the ground that you know will be survivable from a skid legality point of view, but will also give you every bit of downforce that the car is capable of offering.” This appears to be the consensus amongst Red Bull’s rivals and analysts that there needs to be a big step this year if they are to beat Red Bull.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc has signed a new deal with Ferrari for “several more seasons to come.” He joined the team after a single with Sauber on a five-year deal in 2019, it has been clear for months that there Monacan would sign a new contract with his “dream team,” describing it as his family.
Added, “Ever since I joined the Ferrari driver academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years. However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race. My dream remains that of winning the World Championship with Ferrari.”
I think while the length is unknown typical contracts for a driver of his age are between three and five years, Leclerc is seen as their lead driver and its reported to be a new five year contract with a doubling of his salary to £42.6m by 2029. Leclerc could spend his whole career at Ferrari in theory but their could be exit clauses but I think he still has faith that he can win a championship with Ferrari.
Team principal, Fred Vasseuer added “His values and those of our team are intertwined and so it was natural for us to be in agreement on extending our collaboration. We are determined to give Charles a winning car and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”
This deal comes as no surprise to many but perhaps earlier than I thought in the year, but it is a huge risk committing to Ferrari well past his thirtieth birthday given the team hasn’t won drivers since 2007 or constructors championship since 2008. There could be exit clauses I think 2026-27 when the regulations change could be key, Vettel dropped the ball too many times and Leclerc can’t do the same.
Leclerc looked like he had a chance himself in 2022, but a bright start to the season imploded in a series of reliability and operational-management failures as Ferrari’s car, initially competitive, slid further and further from the Red Bull pace. There have been a handful of crashes over the years, but his skewed pole-to-win ratio – 23 poles to five wins – is a reflection of a driver who has the skill to pull speed out of a car few others could.
Ferrari has announced it is teaming up with ocean racing yachtsman Giovanni Soldini to build boats and enter world sailing competitions. The car manufacturer first step beyond motorsport in what Chairman John Elkann said the project will expand its “racing soul”.
Soldini has over three decades experience in solo and crewed ocean races, including two round-the-world races. He will join Ferrari’s project as team principal. Ferrari said it would rely on “cutting-edge technologies throughout the entire cycle, from conception and engineering to realisation” of the boat.
Ferrari said it would rely on “cutting-edge technologies throughout the entire cycle, from conception and engineering to realisation” of the boat. Adding “In addition to competing on tracks all over the world, Ferrari is now embarking on this new venture to enhance its technological know-how.”
The Italian team won its last drivers’ championship in 2007 and constructors’ in 2008. Elkann “With this new competitive challenge, motivated by our innovative capacity and commitment to sustainability, we will push beyond current boundaries.”
I don’t think this is a surprise but Ferrari has I think been a bit behind the other big teams in having a active applied technology division, even Mercedes another car manufacturer has an ATD, but under Elkann/Vassuer we have seen changes I think Ferrari look more like a modern business.
McLaren
Lando Norris has extended his contract beyond 2026 after signing a new multi-year deal with the team. The Englishman signed a deal in 2022 until the end of 2025, but his value as a target for Red Bull or Audi but in an effort to pre-empt any attempts from rivals to lure him away, McLaren has moved to get Norris committed for the long term.
Although the team has not specified the length of the contract, it is likely to run for at least two years into 2027, with potential options beyond that. McLaren CEO Zak Brown said it was: “a multi-year extension that goes well beyond his current contract.”
Speaking about his new deal, Norris said: “It’s a great feeling to be staying in papaya. I’ve grown up with McLaren and feel at home here, the team are like family to me. The journey so far has been exciting, we’ve had ups and downs, but last season showed our desire to get back to competing at the front of the grid.”
This is the domino effect after Leclerc signed his new deal, though I think it was certain that baring a major surprise that Norris would commit to McLaren. It means he partners with Oscar Piastri for three more years, I think it proves he has faith in McLaren are going in the right direction towards where they want to be fighting for championships.
Team principal Andrea Stella said: “This reflects the commitment and confidence we have together, with our shared ambition to ultimately win championships again in the future. Lando has grown as a driver and a person since initially joining McLaren in 2017. He impressed last season, playing an important role in our progress throughout the year, securing seven podiums with many fantastic drives.
Norris has raced all of his F1 career at McLaren, having made his racing debut in 2019. While he has yet to take a victory, he has one pole position to his name from the 2021 Russian Grand Prix narrowly missing out on converting that into a maiden win after running off in wet weather in the closing stages. I think he wanted to in his own words “shut down” rumours of Red Bull or Ferrari moves.
The timing of Norris’s decision to extend his contract now is interesting because, with a 2025 deal already in the bag, he could have waited longer to see how McLaren’s competitiveness stacked up this year. But he can now focus on the regulation change in 2026, as a highly rated driver his future is in his own hands. He added “I’m comfortable, I’m happy with where I am, and the team are happy with me. So it’s just an easy decision.”
RB
Alpha Tauri has announced they will formally change its name and launch its 2024 car in Las Vegas on 8th February. Although not mentioned in today’s announcement, the Faenza outfit is also using the VCARB acronym, and it’s understood that it might eventually be revealed as the type designation of the RB chassis, with a final decision yet to be taken.
The name Racing Bulls which had been a working name is understood now not to be used. Visa is s the first global sponsor of both Red Bull-owned teams, and thus its logo will also appear on the RB20s of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as well as on the F1 Academy entries for both outfits.
The deal represents Visa’s first major new sponsorship agreement for fifteen years, while Cash App had an earlier involvement with Red Bull that was announced in 2021.
RB CEO Peter Bayer said, “It’s fantastic to reveal the new identity and to welcome new partners as we embark on the next phase of the team’s F1 story. Faenza is entering a new era of racing, staying true to our roots as a hothouse for talent but now with an even greater focus on competing for the biggest prizes in F1.’
“We have a bold vision for the team led by myself and team principal Laurent Mekies and having future-focused partners such as Visa and Cash App alongside us on that journey is hugely exciting.”
Red Bull Technology’s chief marketing officer Oliver Hughes, added “The new identity is not simply a name change, it’s the start of a thrilling new journey designed to take the team to new levels of competitiveness and that’s demonstrated in the presence of one of the world’s most iconic brands as the team’s title partner. The team’s new identity as Visa Cash App RB leans into a future in which the team charges towards the front of the grid every weekend.”
Haas
New team principal Ayao Komatsu has backed owner Gene Haas’s comments that the team’s performances have been “embarrassing.” In the wake of a challenging 2023 season, where Haas finished bottom of the constructors’ championship, it parted ways with its long-serving boss Guenther Steiner over the winter.
While Haas’s comments raised eyebrows at the time, Komatsu believes that his comments were well justified. He said, “Gene at the moment, he wants to get off the back of the grid. You saw and heard how unhappy Gene was. I mean, of course, who’s going to be happy competing in last place? It is embarrassing. It really is embarrassing.”
“So I think it’s positive that Gene’s unhappy where we are. If the people in the team think, ‘Okay, we are last, and then we’re not sure where we’re going because Gene doesn’t say anything’ then [they will think], is Gene happy just making up numbers being P10? That’s clearly not the case.”
Komatsu described it as motivating as everyone wants to improve, Haas doesn’t attend every F1 race, he is known to take a hands-on approach when he visits and pays particularly close attention to technical matters.
Adding that Mr Haas paying close attention to the goings on at his F1 team is a much better scenario than what happened at his previous Lotus/Renault team where there was little enthusiasm from the upper echelons. He described him as ‘engaged and enthusiastic’.
Adding, “I think it was winter testing when we had a certain car failure, he was in the garage looking at the part because he is interested in the hardware and the mechanical side of things. He was just so interested to understand and know what went wrong. I think that is good that this owner is passionate about what he is investing in.”
The team also announced they will unveil their livery on Friday, using computer renders on social media and the physical car will be unveiled at Silverstone on Sunday 11th February as part of a double shakedown plan ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
The Week Ahead
Next week I think it’s the time of year when drivers start ‘returning’ to work with four weeks to go, so we will begin to get the first big interviews of the year. We know there is a lot of spin at this time of year and we now have all the key dates, teams are starting to play media spin and there’s a common theme which will continue in the weeks ahead about Red Bull being still the team to beat.
The big news story this week was Charles Leclerc committing to Ferrari, seems weird we are at the end of January, and we are already talking 2025 driver contracts that leaves one seat at Ferrari and one at Red Bull after the upcoming season. Carlos Sainz I think will be now the one who needs to decide his future are the Audi. As we finalised on Friday, Lando Norris further extended his contract until 2027 we think, but we haven’t started the season yet.
We are still waiting for the finalisation of the sprint format we know that the political battles to get that through by the end of February are likely to continue, the issue is around the order of the sessions this doesn’t appear to be settled yet. But they are debates about moving the sprint to Saturday morning and qualifying to Friday afternoon thus GP qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
I’m not surprised we haven’t heard from the big names yet that has become common but we now have three weeks until Bahrain, so its coming soon, we need to try and cut through the spin to really understand the thinking once we see the interviews.
