2023-24 Formula 1 Off-Track Thread

[Veinz]

I keep seeing things online about Ocon getting benched for the Canandian GP. Seems far fetched but I would not be surprised. Alpine are ruthless and Ocon just cannot get along with any of his team mates, this has to catch up to him eventually.

 

[McLaren]

Checo to be sign an extension with Red Bull?

According to information from Motorsport-Total.com, Sergio Perez is about to extend his contract with Red Bull Racing. Helmut Marko had recently indicated that they would like to have a clear picture “by Barcelona” as to whether the Mexican will be allowed to stay or not. And as of today, everything indicates that this could be sealed in the next few days or weeks.

Because: Of the in-house squad drivers, only Yuki Tsunoda is currently considered for the A team thanks to his outstanding performances in the RB. According to Marko, 2024 will be “the first season in which he is consistently fast and has his emotions under control.” But he also has to prove this “in the long term and consistently”. So, if anything, more with a view to 2026.

Until recently, the only real alternative to Tsunoda was Carlos Sainz, who was not allowed to stay at Ferrari and whose management recently knocked on Red Bull's door. But according to information from Motorsport-Total.com, Red Bull has now canceled the Spaniard. This in turn suggests that the talks with Perez are well advanced.

Marko had already said in Imola in an interview, which YouTube channel on the Formula1.de can be seen as a video , that it was "a logical consequence that we agreed on further cooperation." And Christian Horner also describes Perez as “very popular in the team and he started the season well.”

Even though Monaco was "a brutal weekend" for Perez with the exit in Q1 and the crash in the race , the team boss praises: "His first six races were very strong. Often on the front row of the grid, usually second or third in the race. There "We just have to get back there. He's very focused and he feels comfortable in the team."

Horner: “Checo is a priority for us”​

Perez can only take himself out of the Red Bull cockpit, Horner suggests between the lines that there may no longer be any real alternatives that the team is seriously considering. He explains: "There is a lot of interest in our cars, as you can imagine. But for us, Checo is a priority."

Mistakes like the one in qualifying in Imola “shouldn’t happen, but they did,” analyzes Marko. But: "This is not a structural problem. He is fast enough and has also improved qualifying this year." Perez is therefore "in a good position" for 2025, says the motorsport consultant and, when asked, specifies: "I wouldn't say in pole position. But in a good position."

Perez's management, as we hear in the Formula 1 paddock, has also submitted its application folder to Audi. But that would only be Plan B. "I'm completely relaxed," says the Mexican in an interview with Sky . "I'm already happy with what I've achieved in Formula 1." In his opinion, the new contract is “only a matter of time.”

In Miami, where he almost got rid of Verstappen with a harakiri attack, Perez came within inches of endangering his future. He was just lucky in the situation. In Monaco he was just a passenger in the collision with Kevin Magnussen on lap 1. And his gap to Verstappen in qualifying was the usual three tenths of a second.

What speaks for Perez is that he seems to have resigned himself to not being able to beat Verstappen: "He has changed his attitude," confirms Marko. "He's now taking over Max's set-up because he knows that's the fastest. You can't beat Max because you're using a different set-up. You just can't beat Max. That's just the way it is."

After Red Bull cancellation: What does Sainz do now?​

The imminent agreement between Perez and Red Bull for another season also means that Sainz now has to look elsewhere. According to information from Motorsport-Total.com , the outgoing Ferrari driver will make his decision as soon as the Perez deal has been officially announced.

After Red Bull's rejection and Mercedes' announcement that the decision there won't be made very soon, Sainz still has two realistic offers on the table: a longer-term one from Audi, a short-term one from Williams. And Sainz is said to be leaning towards Williams because he would be more flexible there at the end of 2025 should opportunities arise for him elsewhere.

In addition, Sauber was by far the slowest team in the field in Monaco and Williams scored their first championship points there. With an overweight car , which Sainz can also see as positive: If the designers manage to get rid of the excess pounds for 2025, Williams could be noticeably more competitive than in 2024.

In addition, the respective teammate could also play a role in his considerations. From their time together at Renault, Sainz knows that Nico Hülkenberg is a tough nut to crack. Alexander Albon, on the other hand, didn't see any land against Verstappen and then "only" swept away Latifi and Sargeant, but is still much more hyped than Hülkenberg.

The decision about Sainz's future has not yet been made. Audi may improve the offer by agreeing to a one-year contract with the option of two more. Then Sainz could become weak. It is said that his father Carlos Sr. would like to work with the Volkswagen Group, with which he himself has close ties.

Perez vor Unterschrift bei Red Bull, Sainz jetzt doch zu Williams?

Die nächsten Dominosteinchen fallen: Sergio Perez wird aller Voraussicht nach bei Red Bull bleiben, Carlos Sainz überlegt noch zwischen Williams und Audi

www.motorsport-total.com

A a couple theories I've been reading is basically down to either: A) Horner loves Checo & Horner won the internal struggle. Or the other that I think makes more sense in B) Checo has major marketing appeal in his region. Danny Ric has not performed well either, but there was also a story that Danny was a major factor for RB's sponsors & thus, the belief during that report was RB won't be letting him go, either.

As I read another comment, Red Bull has dropped past drivers for less, so clearly Checo (& Danny I suppose) bring more to the table for Red Bull than just driver talent.

 

[Veinz]

B) Checo always gets a lot of support in the races over here. Ricciardo is washed up, sadly.

 

[Liquid]

Perez probably should be shifted on but I can understand retaining a driver because of marketing appeal. Sainz is a Spanish speaker as well though.

 

[Spacegoat]

I keep seeing things online about Ocon getting benched for the Canandian GP. Seems far fetched but I would not be surprised. Alpine are ruthless and Ocon just cannot get along with any of his team mates, this has to catch up to him eventually.

Alpine is a total clown show but put Jack Doohan in for the rest of the year, I say*.

*Not Australian biased at all.

Probably.

 

[Grand Prix]

The Indy 500s weren't Formula One races so outside parental ownership such as Chrysler owning Lamborghini at the time and the obvious loophole of Ford being the financial backers of English Cosworth engines, have there actually been American engines in Formula One before? It would be interesting to see a genuine American engine in the sport which only adds to the attraction that Andretti would undoubtedly bring.

The Brabham BT19 which won the driver's championship for Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme used an Oldsmobile V8 that was originally intended for a passenger car, disguised and modified as a Repco V8. They were perhaps better prepared than anyone else in the '66 and '67 seasons, which saw a increase in displacement from 1.5 to 3 litres. The Cosworth DFV powered Lotus 49 was faster but was let down by reliabillity issues. Incidentally, 1967 was one of those rare and noteworthy seasons which had many different race winners, the others being 1982 and 2012. Ferrari, Honda and Eagle-Weslake all had very competitive designs in 1967.

Brabham-BT 19 (Repco)

Brabham-Repco BT-19 Car: Brabham-Repco / Engine: V-8 Oldsmobile / Maker: Brabham / Bore X Stroke: 88.9 X 60.3 mm / Year: 1966 Capacity: 2,996 cc / Class: Formula 1 / Power: 315 bhp at 7,800 rpm / Wheelbase: 91 in Track: 56 in / Weight: 1,259 lbs / Tires: Originally 13 in front and rear were...

sportscardigest.com

 

[-Fred-]

Also of note, the Mercedes engines in the Saubers back in the mid 90s were built by Ilmor, an American company, but branded as Mercedes-Benz engines. Tyrell and Leyton House also used Ilmor engines at some point in the early 90s.

 

[Liquid]

Also of note, the Mercedes engines in the Saubers back in the mid 90s were built by Ilmor, an American company, but branded as Mercedes-Benz engines. Tyrell and Leyton House also used Ilmor engines at some point in the early 90s.

I was pretty sure that Ilmor was a British company with significant operations in the US.