Formula 1 - Season 2021

[genius83]

F1 drops reverse grid plan in new push for Saturday sprint races in 2021
Formula 1 will make another attempt to win teams over to its plan for Saturday sprint races, which has been rejected on three occasions in the last two seasons.

F1 won’t jump the queue for vaccinations to safeguard its season – Domenicali
New Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has insisted the sport will not seek to have its staff and competitors prioritised for vaccinations to ensure its longest-ever calendar can go ahead.

F1 considering races in Africa and hasn’t ruled out Miami or Hanoi
Future Formula 1 calendars could include a return to Africa for the first time since 1993 following approaches from local promoters, says the sport’s new CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Williams to reveal FW43B on March 5th
Williams has named its new car for the 2021 F1 season the FW43B, and will reveal it on March 5th.

Delay over Hamilton’s new Mercedes contract not about his salary – Domenicali
Lewis Hamilton’s salary demands are unlikely to be the sticking point in his negotiations with Mercedes over a new contract to drive for them, according to new F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

[genius83]

F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
Formula 1 says its audience during the 2020 season remained “strong” despite a drop in television viewership, which it blamed on disruption caused by the pandemic.

Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
Lewis Hamilton’s long-awaited new deal to drive for Mercedes in the 2021 F1 season has finally been confirmed.

Wolff explains Hamilton’s one-year deal and dismisses ‘Verstappen clause’ rumour
Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff has explained why Lewis Hamilton only extended his contract to drive for the team by a single season.

[genius83]

New ‘Monaco F1 Racing Team’ seeking to enter Formula 1
A potential new Formula 1 entry under the name ‘Monaco F1 Racing Team’ is seeking to join the world championship.

Hamilton’s one-year deal shouldn’t excite those hoping he’ll retire soon
After seven consecutive seasons of almost uninterrupted domination, it’s no surprise some are longing to see someone else besides Lewis Hamilton winning in Formula 1.

F1’s new plan for three Saturday sprint races in 2021 faces Thursday vote
Formula 1’s latest plan to introduce sprint races will be put to a vote at Thursday’s F1 Commission meeting.

[saad2006]

A potential new Formula 1 entry under the name ‘Monaco F1 Racing Team’ is seeking to join the world championship.

Exciting stuff

[genius83]

F1 to discuss dropping FIA-specified components from technical rules
The F1 Commission will discuss whether to scrap rules which allow the FIA to specify the design of certain car parts at its meeting tomorrow.

Portugal’s Algarve track to host third round of 2021 F1 season
The Autodromo do Algarve in Portugal will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2021 as the venue for the third round of the championship.

@saad2006
I hope it happens but the track record of new team arrivals in F1 is quite bad for last 20 years at least.

[genius83]

Domenicali to remind drivers of “big responsibility” to act as role models
New Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali will urge drivers to make the most of their opportunity to promote the sport in a positive light.

Paul Ricard reprofiles corners in bid to improve racing
The Paul Ricard circuit has undergone an extensive resurfacing and reprofiling programme which it is hoped will aid racing in this year’s French Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Engine freeze agreed unanimously, sprint race plan yet to be finalised
Formula 1 has agreed a plan to introduce a freeze on engine specifications after the 2021 season.

New F1 power units planned for 2025, engine freeze agreed for 2022
Formula 1 will freeze its power units with effect from the start of next season, the FIA has confirmed, ahead of the introduction of a new engine formula which is planned for 2025.

“Support from all parties for a new qualifying format at some races” – FIA
The FIA has established a working group to investigate changes to the F1 race weekend format in time for the 2021 season, which may include the introduction of sprint races.

Portuguese Grand Prix expected to complete 2021 F1 calendar – FIA
The 2021 F1 calendar is to be completed by the addition of the Portuguese Grand Prix in its previously vacant May 2nd slot, the FIA has indicated.

Alonso “awaiting medical examinations” on possible injury after cycling accident
Fernando Alonso has been taken to hospital following a cycling accident in Switzerland, his team have confirmed.

“I’m okay” says Alonso after surgery on fractured jaw following cycling accident
Fernando Alonso said he is “okay” and eager to resume preparations for his return to F1 in 2021 after suffering a fractured jaw in his cycling accident yesterday afternoon.

[genius83]

Ferrari fires up new SF21 and confirms dates of car and team launches
Ferrari fired up its new car for the 2021 F1 season for the first time this morning.

McLaren Racing reports reduced £71 million loss in 2019
McLaren Racing has reported a reduced loss in the latest accounts for the group’s division which includes its Formula 1 team.

Latifi’s “very good” season overshadowed by Russell comparison – Roberts
Nicholas Latifi drove a “very good” rookie campaign which was under-appreciated because of how well his team mate performed, Williams principal Simon Roberts believes.

[genius83]

Red Bull confirms deal to continue using ex-Honda engines until 2025
Red Bull and its sister team AlphaTauri will continue using Honda’s power units until Formula 1’s new engine rules are introduced in 2025, the teams have confirmed.

Red Bull’s ex-Honda power unit will be branded “a Red Bull engine”
Red Bull will take over the branding of Honda’s power units after the Japanese manufacturer leaves the sport at the end of the year.

F1 teams have informal agreement to ensure all engines are competitive – Horner
Formula 1 teams have an informal agreement to ensure no power unit manufacturer is disadvantaged by the incoming freeze on development, according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

Alonso discharged from hospital following surgery
Fernando Alonso has been discharged from hospital after having surgery on his jaw which he injured in a cycling crash last week.

Red Bull believe Verstappen is ‘top of Mercedes’ list’ if Hamilton leaves
Red Bull expect Mercedes to make a swoop for Max Verstappen if Lewis Hamilton decides not to drive for them again in 2022.

[saad2006]

Red Bull’s ex-Honda power unit will be branded “a Red Bull engine”

@genius83 Are these engines exclusive for Redbull / Alphatauri or do you think that Redbull will also become an engine supplier like Mercedes / Ferrari / Renault ?

[genius83]

First pictures:
McLaren reveals its new Mercedes-powered MCL35M for 2021
McLaren has become the first team to present its new car for the 2021 F1 season.

MCL35M

Ricciardo confirms his new McLaren deal is for three years
Daniel Ricciardo has revealed his new contract with McLaren will last three years, keeping him at the Woking-based outfit until the end of 2023.

First tests of Mercedes power unit “completely problem-free” for McLaren
McLaren had no problems with their first tests of their Mercedes power units, despite reports of “issues” with the world champions’ 2021 engine.

Norris “back to normal” after recovering from Covid-19
Lando Norris says he feels “back to normal” after contracting Covid-19 earlier this year.

Red Bull preparing to develop their own power units for new 2025 F1 rules
Red Bull is preparing to develop its own power units when Formula 1 introduces new regulations in 2025.

Unrealistic for McLaren to think of title in first year after Mercedes switch – Brown
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says the team’s switch to Mercedes power units for the 2021 F1 season won’t immediately put them in contention for the championship.

Interactive:
Compare the new McLaren-Mercedes MCL35M with last year’s car
The major change on McLaren’s new car for the 2021 F1 season isn’t the aerodynamic tweaks which they and all their rivals have had to make under this year’s new rules.

New McLaren MCL35M makes its debut on track: First pictures and video
McLaren’s new MCL35M has run on-track for the first time since it was revealed at the team’s headquarters yesterday.

Aston Martin and Alpine confirm launch dates for their 2021 cars
The two new brands which have entered the 2021 F1 season, Alpine and Aston Martin, have announced their launch plans for the championship.

@saad2006
For now they are only available to RedBull/Alpha Tauri but the chances are that if FIA allowed them to supply to other teams they will be available to other teams too.

On the other hand if they develop their own engine for new regulations for 2025 then they could provide to other teams from the get go.

[genius83]

Williams shakes down new FW43B at Silverstone
Williams’s new car for the 2021 F1 season has run for the first time.

McLaren confident sprint races will not “artificially change the pecking order”
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is confident Formula 1 can devise a sprint race format which will not affect the competition in an artificial way.

Albon losing his Red Bull drive shows how cruel F1 can be – Norris
Lando Norris predicts Alexander Albon will “fight back” after losing his Formula 1 drive with Red Bull at the end of last year.

[genius83]

Honda reveals changes to power unit for final season in F1
Honda has revealed details of the changes it has made to its power unit for the 2021 F1 season, its final year at the sport before pulling out.

Tost expects strong performance and “some crashes” from Tsunoda on debut
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost says it is to be expected the team’s new driver Yuki Tsunoda will crash during his debut season.

First pictures:
AlphaTauri presents its new AT02 for the 2021 F1 season
AlphaTauri has become the second team to reveal its new look for the 2021 F1 season.

AT02

AlphaTauri used tokens and 2020 Red Bull parts to overhaul front end of AT02
AlphaTauri used a combination of development tokens and parts from last year’s Red Bull to overhaul the front end of its new car for the 2021 F1 season.

Gasly expects more “great things” from AlphaTauri in 2021 after breakthrough win
Pierre Gasly says AlphaTauri can build on its successful 2020 campaign, which included a shock win at Monza, with their latest F1 car which was revealed today.

Interactive:
Compare the new AlphaTauri AT02 with last year’s car
AlphaTauri’s new AT02, revealed today, retains a significant part of the architecture of last year’s car but incorporates changes elsewhere, as this interactive comparison of the two shows.

Pirelli confirm tyre choices for all 23 F1 races including Portugal
Pirelli has confirmed details of the tyre compounds it will supply for all 23 rounds on the 2021 F1 calendar.

Red Bull to reveal new F1 car for 2021 on Tuesday
Red Bull has confirmed details of its launch plans for the 2021 F1 season.

[genius83]

Fittipaldi returns to test and reserve driver role at Haas
Pietro Fittipaldi will continue in his role as test and reserve driver at Haas having raced for the team in the final two rounds of last year.

Tsunoda eager to learn from “incredible talent” Gasly
Formual 1 rookie Yuki Tsunoda says he rates AlphaTauri team mate Pierre Gasly highly after watching him race in Japan.

2023 is “more likely” date for return of South African Grand Prix at Kyalami
Formula 1’s return to Africa is more likely to happen in 2023 than next season, according to the CEO of a company looking to revive the world championship round at Kyalami.

[genius83]

Grosjean ‘finalising plans’ to test Mercedes F1 car
Romain Grosjean says his plans to test a Mercedes Formula 1 car are at an advanced stage.

Honda engine deal “safeguards” Red Bull’s commitment to F1 – Horner
Failure to agree a deal to continue using Honda’s power units would have left Red Bull’s commitment to Formula 1 in doubt, says team principal Christian Horner.

First pictures:
Alfa Romeo presents its C41 for the 2021 season
Alfa Romeo has presented the new C41 chassis which it will campaign in the 2021 F1 season.

C41

Alfa Romeo use tokens to introduce slimmer nose on C41
A new, slimmer nose is the most significant change on Alfa Romeo’s new C41 chassis, introduced today.

Albon aiming for 2022 return with Red Bull or AlphaTauri
Alexander Albon is targeting a return to Formula 1 in 2022 after losing his race seat at the end of last season.

[genius83]

Alfa Romeo focused on “complete revolution” next year as they launch 2021 car
Alfa Romeo will prioritise taking full advantage of the opportunity offered by new regulations for 2022 F1 season, the team’s technical director said as they launched an updated car for the coming championship.

“I was slightly down on experience”: Albon on what went wrong in 2020 and his determination to return
Alexander Albon’s demotion from Red Bull at the end of last season isn’t the first setback his career has suffered. Speaking ahead of the launch of the team’s new car today he made his goal clear: “I want that seat back.”

First pictures:
Red Bull reveals its new RB16B F1 car for 2021
Red Bull has revealed the first images of its updated chassis for the 2021 F1 season, the RB16B.

RB16B

Red Bull must pick up where they left off to take the fight to Mercedes with new RB16B
It won’t just be Red Bull hoping its new RB16B, which has appeared for the first time this morning, is a championship contender.

Catalunya’s new turn 10 has more gravel run-off and “historical” shape
Revisions to turn 10 at the Circuit de Catalunya have made it similar in shape to the original version of the corner.

[genius83]

Revealed:
Three safety changes coming to F1 cars following Grosjean’s fireball crash
The investigation into Romain Grosjean‘s fiery accident during the opening lap of last November’s Bahrain Grand Prix is nearing publication and will be presented to the FIA World Motorsport Council meeting on March 5th prior to the outcome and recommendations being publicly released, RaceFans understands.

Perez makes track debut for Red Bull at Silverstone
Sergio Perez has got behind the wheel of a Red Bull for the first time in a filming day at Silverstone.

Aston Martin to retain BWT logos
The logos of BWT, whose bright pink colouring has been seen on Racing Point’s cars in recent years, will remain on the team’s livery following its rebranding as Aston Martin for the 2021 F1 season.

[genius83]

Perez first to drive new Red Bull RB16B at Silverstone
Red Bull’s new RB16B ran for the first time today in the hands of Sergio Perez, who has joined the team for the 2021 F1 season.

Lack of a GP in Africa is “just wrong” says F1’s race promotion director
Formula 1’s global director of race promotion says it is “just wrong” the world championship does not have a round in Africa.

Ferrari makes further changes to technical department ahead of new season
Ferrari has announced further changes to the structure of its technical department ahead of the 2021 F1 season.

“It’s all looking promising but it doesn’t make sense to hype everything up” – Verstappen
Max Verstappen was encouraged by his brief first run in Red Bull’s new RB16B but said next month’s testing will provide a better indication of the improvements the team has made.

Verstappen ‘not thinking about’ chance to replace Hamilton at Mercedes next year
Max Verstappen says he isn’t dwelling on the possibility of joining Mercedes next year, after his team principal Christian Horner said he would be ‘top of their list’.

[genius83]

Red Bull drivers doubtful over “risky” plan for F1 sprint races
Red Bull’s drivers expressed doubts over Formula 1’s latest plan to introduce sprint races during the upcoming season.

Signing Hamilton “definitely tempting” for Aston Martin boss
Aston Martin CEO Lawrence Stroll says the possibility of signing Lewis Hamilton when his Mercedes contract expires at the end of the year is “definitely tempting”.

Perez aims to “over-deliver” on Red Bull’s potential in first year at team
Sergio Perez says he aims to “over-deliver” on the potential of Red Bull’s car in his first season with the team.

Verstappen hopes Perez’s arrival makes life more difficult for Mercedes
Max Verstappen hopes the arrival of Sergio Perez makes Red Bull more effective rivals to Mercedes, who he expects will remain the team to beat this year.

Sprint races will ‘update the format but preserve the DNA’ of F1
Formula 1’s global director of race promotion has addressed concerns a planned trial of sprint races this year will break away from the sport’s traditional weekend format.

Simulations show Ferrari has “recovered quite a lot of speed” with new car – Binotto
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says the team has successfully addressed the main weakness of last year’s car with its new design for the 2021 F1 season.

Sainz tight-lipped over rumoured crash during 18-inch tyre test for Pirelli
Carlos Sainz Jnr refused to confirm claims he crashed a Ferrari while testing Pirelli’s prototype 18-inch tyres at Jerez.

F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
Formula 1 has reported revenues of $1.1 billion (£790 million) during its disrupted 2020 season, a fall of $877m (£627m) compared to the previous year.

New Alfa Romeo C41 makes its debut on track
Alfa Romeo has revealed the first photograph of its new car for the 2021 F1 season running on track.

[genius83]

Alonso will not attend Alpine’s 2021 team launch
Fernando Alonso, who fractured his jaw in a cycling accident earlier this month, will not attend Alpine’s launch event next week, the team has confirmed.

Ferrari’s deficit to top teams prompts early focus on new car for 2022
Ferrari’s strategy for the year ahead is to focus on new regulations for the 2022 F1 season because the team has fallen so far behind its rivals under the current regulations.

Sainz: “Very difficult” to be 100% ready for first race with Ferrari
Carlos Sainz Jnr says it will be hard to begin the new season at the top of his game, partly because of how little testing drivers are able to do this year.

F1’s sprint race plan enjoyed “great feedback from everyone” – Domenicali
New Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the series’ plan to hold qualifying sprint races at three rounds this year has had a positive reception within the sport.