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F1 Academy cars have hit the track for the first time ahead of the category's debut season getting underway. The 15 drivers and five teams set to compete in Formula 1's all-female driver category – which aims to help in preparing young female drivers to progress through the ranks of motorsport – are taking part in a two-day test session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 11-12 April. Footage released on social media shows the number 2 car of Campos Racing's Lola Lovinfosse leaving the pits to take to the circuit. Other clips have also been shared from behind the scenes, with former W Series driver Abbi Pulling seen getting behind the wheel of her Rodin Carlin machine. The test will offer the teams and drivers a final chance to prepare ahead of the inaugural F1 Academy season beginning its seven-round schedule in Spielberg, Austria on the weekend of 28-29 April. From there, the category will race in locations such as Valencia, Zandvoort and Monza bef

Former F1 driver Felipe Massa has questioned how long Lewis Hamilton will remain in F1, with the Briton looking unlikely to be challenging for the title this year. Hamilton is yet to sign an extension to his current Mercedes contract which expires at the end of the year, though he has maintained that he remains committed to the team beyond 2023. With 313 Grands Prix under his belt, the seven-time World Champion is statistically F1's most successful driver of all time, with a record 103 Grand Prix wins standing among countless other accolades. Hamilton was joined at Mercedes last year by George Russell, with the younger Briton outscoring his illustrious teammate and taking the Silver Arrows' only Grand Prix win of 2022, prompting Massa to suggest that Russell's presence may be giving Hamilton pause for thought over his continued participation in F1 . "I don't know if Hamilton will choose to stop," Massa told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport

Damon Hill remains bemused by the five-second penalty that relegated Carlos Sainz from the points at the Australian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver was punished for contact which sent Fernando Alonso 's Aston Martin spinning in the Turn 1 restart melee with two laps to go and was demoted from fourth to 12th in the finishing order. But Sainz's penalty was complicated by the reordering of the race standings, with red flags thrown after further incidents involving both Alpines, Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries, as Alonso was reinstated to his podium position to eradicate the impact of his spin. "The Carlos Sainz five-second penalty in a race that didn't exist, that affected the outcome of the race that happened afterwards, I am still scratching my head over that," Hill told the F1 Nation podcast. "I think he does have a point. "I mean, maybe what they should have done is that instead of giving you a five-second penalty in a race that di

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has suggested Daniel Ricciardo's struggles with the team pushed extensive staff restructuring "underneath the surface" last year. Red Bull reserve driver Ricciardo was dropped at the end of last season by McLaren with a year remaining on his contract in favour of rookie Oscar Piastri after lacklustre performances alongside teammate Lando Norris - despite securing victory in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. But the Woking-based outfit has endured a difficult start to the new term, with Norris and Piastri forced to wait until Australia to secure the first points of the season after numerous issues across the opening two rounds. McLaren announced organisational changes ahead of the Albert Park weekend, with Technical Director James Key departing and the role remoulded to accommodate a new structure. Viewed by others: Analysis

Alex Albon has targeted the circuit characteristics that will suit Williams in their quest for F1 point s this season . The Grove-based outfit has made an impressive start to the new campaign as it fights back from a lacklustre effort last year, with Albon securing a point in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite signs of pace in Saudi Arabia and Australia, the Thai-British driver has failed to add to his tally whilst rookie teammate Logan Sargeant has struggled to pair promising pace with consistency. Albon was running well at Albert Park having qualified in the top 10, only to crash out early in the race in an accident Team Principal James Vowles explained was triggered by a chain reaction of events. Addressing the strong pace shown by the Williams FW45 across the opening three events of the year, Albon pointed to specific conditions that suited his machinery. Viewed by others:

Toto Wolff has explained the im prove ments that Mercedes have made since the 2023 F1 season kicked off in Bahrain. It has been a challenging start to the year for the Silver Arrows, with the team being outpaced by Red Bull, Aston Martin and Ferrari at the first race of the campaign. However, there have been signs of progress. Chief Technical Officer James Allison declared that the squad had "a sense of quiet satisfaction" after their seemingly improved form at the third event of the season in Australia. Speaking during the weekend at Albert Park, Wolff identified the areas where the team have made steps forward in recent weeks. Viewed by others: Lewis Hamilton Ex- F1 driver assesses Hamilton's retirement chances

Alpine's Otmar Szafnauer has given his assessment of Pierre Gasly 's start with the squad, with the team boss expecting more to come from the Frenchman. There have been mixed fortunes for Gasly in his first few races with the outfit. His debut qualifying session in the A523 ended with an exit from Q1, resulting in him start ing the Bahrain Grand Prix from the back of the grid. Despite this, Gasly made his way through the field to finish the event in P9, a position that he also claimed in Saudi Arabia. Both Gasly and teammate Esteban Ocon had looked on course for a strong result in the Australian Grand Prix, but an incident-packed penultimate race restart led to the Alpine drivers making contact and retiring from the running. Speaking before the race in Melbourne, Szafnauer praised Gasly's speed but acknowledged that he still needs time to adjust to his new environment. Viewed by others:

For all their optimism when launching the W14, the revised car concept from last years W13 has not delivered the on track results Mercedes hoped. With just one podium in the opening three races, the opening rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were a tough challenge for the squad as they appeared miles off the pace of Red Bull. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has admitted that the team must change its car concept if it stands a chance at challenging for titles again. A front row start in Melbourne appeared as though the team was finding performance in their car, however it seems they still lack the race pace needed to challenge for wins on merit. George Russell believes their recent work in the simulator has been more beneficial than their entire off-season development during the break between seasons. "We're probably finding more gains in the past two or three weeks than we found over the whole winter by clearly developing in the wrong window," said Russel

The cost of hosting a Grand Prix can be astronomical for those wanting to welcome Formula 1 . First you need to have a circuit which meets the FIA Grade 1 criteria, which means either building one from scratch or doing up an existing venue to meet the demands which will be placed on it. This includes aspects such as grandstands, run-off areas, pit infrastructure and the track itself. This is on top of the race hosting fees circuits must pay for the privilege of hosting F1 , so how much does it actually cost to host a Grand Prix? The video below guides you through the mind-boggling estimated figures, which RacingNews365 has gathered through extensive work in the paddock with various sources. You must accept cookies to view this content You have not currently accepted all necessary cookies. You can change your cookie preferences here . Do you keep seeing this message? Disable any installed browser exte

After a long aeroplane journey to Australia, Formula 1 drivers and teams have returned back home for an unusual break after the first three races of 2023. This is because the Chinese Grand Prix was supposed to be taking place in between Melbourne and Baku, but was cancelled due to COVID restrictions. This has prompted numerous drivers to take a well-earned rest to recharge ahead of Baku. Max Verstappen celebrated Easter with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet and family, while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner attended the England women's Finalissima match at Wembley. Alex Albon also went on vacation in Hawaii, with Fernando Alonso taking to the water. Check below for an overview of all the drivers ' vacation snapshots! You must accept cookies to view this content You have not currently accepted all necessary cookies. You can change your cookie preferences here . Do you keep seeing this message? Disable any in

Christian Horner has delivered a blow to Red Bull's F1 rivals by ending speculation surrounding the NFbpT1nR5u F1 Q of Chief Technology Officer Adrian Newey. Newey has forged his way to F1 greatness in a career spanning back to the late-1980s, designing numerous World Championship-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. The RB19 has been dominant in the opening three rounds of the current campaign, with its aerodynamic efficiency being hailed as the defining factor of the car, which has allowed Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to overtake with ease. But rumours last month claimed Newey's contract with the Milton Keynes-based outfit would be up for renewal, though Horner has moved to clarify the situation. Viewed by others: Red Bull Racing Red Bull at 350: the impressive stats behind a modern giant

Heavy rain has caused flooding and brought parts of Miami to a standstill - just weeks before Formula 1 descends upon the city. After last year's inaugural Miami Grand Prix, which takes place on streets around the city's Hard Rock Stadium, F1 is to return to Florida for the fifth round of the 2023 season on May 7. According to Miami news outlet Local 10 , downpours have continued across South Florida for three consecutive days, with heavy rains leaving downtown streets impassable and drivers stranded. Local 10 added that city, county and state workers were stepping up efforts to alleviate flooding, and that drivers were largely able to pass through the affected areas without issues on Monday and Tuesday. The outlet continued to say that problems arise when heavy downpours arrive and city workers are unable to drain the excess water. A combination of heavy rain, rising sea levels and low elevation cause frequent flooding in the Miami area, with Sebastian Vett

Max Verstappen left his Team Redline sim racing teammates laughing after a pre-race blunder caught on a live stream on Wednesday. The two-time F1 World Champion and current Championship leader has been vocal in his support for sim racing in recent years and often streams with Team Redline, including in more serious, official endurance races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours Virtual and the Virtual 12 Hours of Sebring. Whilst issues in both events have left Verstappen irate in the past 12 months, the Dutchman's latest misfortune left teammates Enzo Bonito and Gianni Vecchio laughing as he unplugged his monitor just moments before the beginning of a race. Can you spot the F1 -related 'furniture' Verstappen has to navigate to solve the issue? Check out the video below! You must accept cookies to view this content You have not currently accepted all necessary cookies. You can change your cookie preferences here .

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has cooled worries over Max Verstappen's future in F1 but has ruled out the Dutchman emulating Fernando Alonso's stay in the sport. Verstappen signed a new long-term deal through to 2028 with the World Championship-winning constructor ahead of his second title triumph last year. But the 25-year-old has previously suggested this contract could be his last in F1 and recent claims that the sport's format could continue to change, specifically during Sprint weekends, pushed Verstappen into a threat of quitting sooner. Speaking to Sky Sports , Horner insisted Verstappen remains passionate about racing but is unlikely to yearn for the longevity of Aston Martin driver Alonso, who will turn 42 this year. "Max is his own man and he's very, very strong in his opinions and on his outlook on what he wants to do in his life," said Horner. "I don't see him being a Fernando Alonso and still racing at 41 or 42 ye

The home town of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher is set to be demolished - although the famous karting track will be unaffected. Schumacher and his Grand Prix-winning brother Ralf grew up in Kerpen-Manheim, west of Cologne and near the Belgian and Dutch borders. The town has fallen into disrepair, with only a handful of residents remaining, and it is now set to be demolished for mining excavations. Located nearby is the massive Hambach mine, source of Lignite, a form of brown coal used in power generation, but is regarded as one of the most polluting forms. In the demolition , the famous karting track where Schumacher raced a young Lewis Hamilton in 2001 will survive as will the local church and the house belonging to Schumacher's parents. Auto Bild report that the first rental apartment that Michael and Corinna Schumacher shared no longer exists. Source: https://thefoxposts.com/michael-and-ralf-schumacher-s-home-town

Former Red Bull Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat will join the factory Lamborghini LMDh line-up in endurance racing next year. Kvyat will join former F1 rival Romain Grosjean as part of the line-up, as well as Andrea Calderelli and current-season Prema World Endurance Championship LMP2 teammate Mirko Bortolotti, and will race in both WEC and IMSA from 2024. Currently racing as a 'neutral' driver in WEC in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war, Kvyat is expected to com Pet e under an Italian license by virtue of his junior racing career. “It is a great honour for me,” said Kvyat, who also drove for Toro Rosso and the rebranded AlphaTauri outfit in F1 . “Lamborghini is a very well-known Italian brand with a great History in [the] automotive world and, having grown up in Italy, this is an additional source of pride for me. “We hope to achieve many goals together, I thank you for your trust in me and I look forward to starting work on the LMD

Pierre Gasly believes his Alpine team are in Formula 1 "no man's land" after a slow start to the 2023 season. Gasly banked ninth place in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and was looking set for a bumper haul of points with at least fifth place in Australia before he crashed out in the Lap 57 re start chaos, taking teammate Esteban Ocon with him. After the Melbourne race, Alpine are sixth in the Constructors' Championship with eight points, with Ocon adding four of them in his eighth place finish in Jeddah. The team had hoped to close the gap to the 'big three' (Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes) teams from 2022, but have been leapfrogged by Aston Martin who have made it a 'big four' - all of whom hold a significant pace advantage over Alpine. Coupled with a lack of threats from behind, Gasly feels his new squad are in something of a dead-zone in the pecking order. Viewed by others:

Lewis Hamilton has opened up about a drunken incident in a pub during his teenage years, where his dad had to collect him after he got " hammered " following a shift behind the bar. Growing up in humble circumstances, his father worked several jobs in order to help fund Hamilton's burgeoning racing career. The future seven-time World Champion himself also entered the world of work, taking a job behind a bar in order to help make ends meet, and revealed that some after-hours sampling of the delights on offer once got a little out of hand. "I've never been into pubs," Hamilton said. "I worked at one when I was 17. I was a bartender. "I think I was getting like £3.50 an hour or something ridiculous like that. It was minimum wage. It was a good experience – but the best part was when I quit. "On the last day, I cleaned up the bar and I was like, 'what are these drinks that I've been giving everyone?' &quo

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill says Max Verstappen can win a record eight World Championship title s. After snatching the 2021 title on the last lap of the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen retained his crown in much more dominant fashion last year, taking a record 15 wins in a single season. Having won two of 2023's first three races, and with his Red Bull RB19 appearing to be the class of the field, Verstappen looks well placed to take this season's title as well. Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill backed the Dutchman to break F1's record of seven World Championship titles, jointly held by Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. "I'm sure he'll get better. He has shown more maturity in the application of his talents in races," said Hill. "He knows when to twist and when to stick. There's no need to go flat out everywhere but he's always got something in his back pocket if he needs it. "The sky is

Lewis Hamilton says Red Bull's superiority so far in 2023 lies in the strength of the RB19's rear end. Red Bull have proved the class of the F1 field so far this year, winning all three races with relative ease. Just as in 2022, Mercedes do not appear close to the pace of the drinks-backed squad, though the Silver Arrows had an improved showing last time out in Australia, with George Russell leading the opening laps and Hamilton finishing a strong second. Mercedes ' 2022 car was plagued with bouncing and porpoising issues, especially in the early part of that year, which Hamilton noted the team had cured for 2023. "[In 2022] we had bouncing until the very last lap of the last race," Hamilton told media, including TheFOXposts.Com . "The race where we had the least amount of bouncing was, I think, in Brazil [where Russell scored Mercedes ' only win of 2022]. "This year's car, we don't have the bouncing. There's small remnant

Mercedes -AMG's latest road car project - the ONE - has smash ed the production car lap record at Italian Grand Prix venue Monza. Armed with a 1.6L V6 turbo engine, the same as in the Formula 1 cars - the machine lapped Monza in 1m:43.902s to smash the existing record for a production car by nearly 11 seconds. For comparison, the fastest lap time recorded in the 2022 Italian Grand Prix was a 1m:24.030s from Sergio Perez, with pole being a 1m:20.161s from Charles Leclerc. 275 examples of the car are set to be sold, with customers needing to stump up $2.7 million USD or £2.1 million GBP. Lewis Hamilton has snapped up two of them, one each for him and father Anthony, with no word whether he got an employee loyalty discount... Source: https://thefoxposts.com/new-mercedes-smashes-monza-lap-record-TheFOXposts-18635.html?utm_source=blogger_source&utm_medium=blogger_medium&utm_campaign=blogger_cam Category: F1 News Post by: TheFOXpos