The Sainz name has a very strong link with Audi, which could be interesting.

 

Ocon is also technically still affiliated with Mercedes...

@1753066635966267466

Confirmed by Mercedes:

 

@1753130989054763178

Who goes to Mercedes?

 

Vettel? Wishful thinking

 

Schumacher? Very possible

 

Alonso? Who wouldn't love that?

 

Sainz? More likely at Red Bull

 

Piastri? Costly but possible

 

Norris? Very pricey

 

Perez? Not likely

 

tsunoda obvs

@1753133900925129140

In other news -

 

Suzuka confirmed until 2029

 

And the latest Haas is unveiled today

tsunoda obvs

Maybe Grosjean will finally get that promised Merc drive...

but it's a tad early for the announcement, like Sanz now has to run for 1 yer x Ferrari knowing he's not wanted anymore and not gonna continue although he wanted to

 

whats Sanz link to Audi? cos of his father?

but it's a tad early for the announcement, like Sanz now has to run for 1 yer x Ferrari knowing he's not wanted anymore and not gonna continue although he wanted to

 

whats Sanz link to Audi? cos of his father?

Yeah Carlos Sr is a member of Team Audi so could well forge some ties. A year at Sauber to bed in and launch with Audi would tick a lot of boxes.

 

I agree though, I don't see Mercedes in any rush to pick a driver from the available options. They clearly want to see how Antonelli develops so the replacement will likely be short term (2 years?) which is why I won't rule out Vettel, Alonso or even Hulkenburg.

 

 

Great to hear that Suzuka is staying on the calendar and not replaced by a street circuit in Osaka.

@1753417931742924860

Alonso to Mercedes, Red Bull or remain at Aston Martin for 2025?

Red Bull (the parent company not the F1 team) have launched an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Christian Horner.

 

No further details yet.

In the latest change to the sport’s sprint race format, it has been agreed that sprint round Fridays will see a single practice session, followed by the sprint qualifying session. The Saturday sprint race will now be the first session on the second day, followed by grand prix qualifying and the grand prix itself in their traditional positions on Saturdays and Sunday.

 

Formula 1’s DRS rules have also been modified ahead of the new season. After the regulations around the use of DRS in sprint races were changed to allow for the overtaking aid to be activated from the end of the first lap or after one green flag lap after a restart, that will now also apply for all grands prix throughout the 2024 season.

 

In other announced changes, the allocation of power units each driver will be allowed to have over the course of the 24 round season has increased from three to four for the upcoming two seasons in 2024 and 2025.

 

Source - Racefans.net

Don't like the sound of this new format, think they had it right the past 2 seasons.

I think most people so far seem to prefer it, as it means they can completely ignore the sprint if they choose to and the weekend itself is dedicated to the Grand Prix. Which if we're realistic is the thing the fans, drivers and teams actually care about.

 

What I'd really like to know though is at which point Parc Ferme is locked in.

If someone gets taken out in the Sprint, that's their entire race weekend ruined as there won't be time to fix the car before qualifying for the Sunday race. That's a bit too much jeopardy for me...

That applies to 3rd practice on a normal weekend too though. It's potentially more likely now certainly, but the drivers tend to be risk averse in the sprints more often than not. When it eventually does happen it'll only serve to further highlight a problem with the sprint concept.

 

What it will also do is mean that teams will have three sessions to set the car's balance up before qualifying which will likely see a less mixed up grid for the race. Somebody elsewhere suggested one shot qualifying for the sprint would liven it up a bit and I honestly wouldn't object to that if they came out in reverse championship order - essentially putting the fastest cars out first. Still very much a gimmick but better than the reverse grids which Liberty seem dead set on.

Edited February 7, 20241 yr by Severin

I do think it's much better having the two separated. Qualifying for the race followed by qualifying for the sprint made very little sense.

the order is the right one now

main qualifier on Fri was a Big No!!