Tag: Red Bull

2024 F1 Jeddah Preview

2024 F1 Jeddah Preview

FP1 in Bahrain raised a ton of hope among F1 fans that this year might be more competitive than last. FP2 and FP3 continued to raise hope, but then the inevitable happened. Red Bull was only a top three fastest in one of the three practice sessions, but Verstappen got pole in qualifying and put in an even bigger margin of victory than he did last year as Red Bull finished 1-2 and left with maximum points.

There were plenty of big stories out of the race weekend including the struggles of Alpine, qualifying 19 and 20. They finished 17 and 18, with the only two drivers behind them being Valtteri Bottas who was in a lap one collision that saw him drive the rest of the way with a damaged front wing, and Logan Sargeant who had mechanical issues and had to pull off the track for nearly a minute before switching out his steering wheel.

RB went downhill all weekend after Daniel Ricciardo was fastest in FP1 and Yuki Tsunoda was third fastest in that session. They qualified 14th and 11th respectively but the focus was late in the race when Tsunoda was instructed to give up position to Ricciardo but the move was argued and delayed quite some time, creating clear frustration from both parties.

Only five teams scored points, with Red Bull going 1-2 followed by the Ferrari’s finishing 3 and 4. Mercedes and McClaren are in an early battle as George Russell finished just ahead of Lando Norris, who was just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who was just ahead of Oscar Piastri. The final two points spots went to the Aston Martins.

Jeddah is a high speed tight track that is sure to provide plenty of action, although it seems clear already Max Vestappen is a class all his own yet again, and the rest of the pack will battle behind him.

F2 and F1 Academy will serve as support races this weekend, just as F2 and F3 did a week ago.

F3 saw 16-year-old Arvid Lindblad win the sprint race and Luke Browning take home the featured race. Meanwhile, the F2 weekend was dominated by Zane Maloney, as he won both the sprint and featured races. He should see plenty of competition this weekend though, especially from Gabriel Bortoletto, who won pole position but made contact Isack Hadjar and was given a a 10 second penalty as Hadjar and Enzo Fittipaldi, who had the fastest lap in the sprint, both retired on lap one.

F1 Academy is in it’s second season, and this year we will see F1 liveries on the track. Amna Al Qubaisi, Hamda Al Qubaisi, Abbi Pulling, and Bianca Bustamante headline the field as they all return for another season. One name that may standout for facing fans is Lia Block. Block is the daughter of legendary late American rally driver, Ken Block. Lia will be driving for ART in the Williams livery car.

2024 F1 Season Preview

2024 F1 Season Preview

The 2023 F1 season was dominated by Red Bull, winning all but one race that season, most by Max Verstappen. Despite there being absolutely zero drama for either championship, the constructors standings were a lot of fun to follow below that. Mercedes edged out Ferrari by three points for second, while McLaren finished 22 points ahead of Aston Martin for fourth and fifth. Alpine had plenty of space on both sides as they finished sixth, while Alex Albon scored all but one of the Williams points to help them finish ahead of Alpha Tauri in seventh. Haas was unable to score any points after Singapore, and only one point after Miami to finish last on the season.

This year looks like it may be much more of the same from Red Bull after they dominated the times in preseason testing, while Haas was by far the slowest. While Williams had a quality season in 2023, they made plenty of concept changes this season, and it didn’t show all that great come testing, having the second slowest race simulation pace and qualifying simulation pace. Sauber (formerly Alpha Romeo) and Alpine had almost identical times in both sims, meaning we could be in for quite a battle there, although battling for seventh and eighth is definitely not where Alpine wants to be. The team that really opened some eyes in testing was the newly branded RB Cash Back Visa team, both with an impressive livery and impressive times. They put in times that suggest they could compete with the likes of Aston Martin rather than a team that points on a weekend feels like a success.

The big news on the driver front was the fact no seats are changing from the end of season to the start of this season, but then we learned Lewis Hamilton will be driving for Ferrari in 2025, meaning “silly season” will be all season. It should be interesting to see how this plays out as Mercedes and Ferrari anticipate battling it out for second all season, but Hamilton, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Sergio Perez are all likely eyeing second place in the driver’s championship this year, assuming Verstappen runs away with it again this year.

Here are my predictions for the finishing order this season, starting with the constructor’s championship:

  1. Red Bull
  2. Mercedes
  3. Ferrari
  4. Mclaren
  5. Aston Martin
  6. RB
  7. Alpine
  8. Williams
  9. Sauber
  10. Haas

And for the driver’s championship:

  1. Max Verstappen
  2. Charles Leclerc
  3. George Russell
  4. Lewis Hamilton
  5. Sergio Perez
  6. Lando Norris
  7. Carlos Sainz
  8. Fernando Alonso
  9. Oscar Piastri
  10. Daniel Ricciardo
  11. Piere Gasly
  12. Alex Albon
  13. Lance Stroll
  14. Vallteri Bottas
  15. Yuki Tsunoda
  16. Esteban Ocon
  17. Logan Sargeant
  18. Niko Hulkenberg
  19. Zhou Guanyu
  20. Kevin Magnussen

F1 is not the only championship starting, we will also see F2 and F3 in action, with plenty of storylines to follow there.

A season ago Theo Pourchaire won the race in Bahrain by 19.666 seconds and went on to win the F2 driver’s championship as well. This year he will serve as the reserve driver for Sauber, so we will see a new winner this season. In fact, the top four finishers from a season ago have moved on to new championships, meaning the highest scoring driver from a season ago returning is Victor Martins, although the favorite just might be PREMA Racing driver Oliver Bearman.

In F3, the opening weekend truly serves as a season preview, as the driver’s championship winner has one at least one race in opening weekend in every F3 season. Winning at the F3 level will largely be uncharted territory for the pack, as only Gabriele Mini and Oliver Goethe will lineup over the weekend with a F3 race win on their resume. There will be 17 rookies on the grid, with both MP and Jenzer rolling out all-rookie driver lineups.

I am sure I speak for all racing fans when I say we can’t wait to hear “light’s out and away we go!”

2024 F1 Season Livery Rankings

Now that all the base liveries for the 2024 season have been unveiled there is only one thing left to do…rank them! Liveries like Ferrari get bonuses for being so widely recognizable similar to the New York Yankees or FC Barcelona, while there are two completely newly branded teams that entered the fray this season. So, lets get to the rankings that I am sure won’t make anyone mad.

10) Haas

The livery doesn’t have a great overhaul from last season, and it is still uninspiring. The extra black down the front of the car actually takes away from the look rather than adding to it. Add to that a change at team principal and two drivers that don’t move the needle, the Haas car is one that will be easily forgotten throughout the season.

9) Alpine

I am not quite sure how they pull it off, but they have hot pink in their color scheme and still end up with a dull livery. Had they gone with a scheme closer to what the Alpine racing team rolled out at Le Mans, it could have been great, but instead it is just blah.

8) Stake

Or are they still Kick Sauber, I can’t keep track, anyway, it looks…unfinished. Nothing on the front wing, Stake along the side pod taking up minimal space and doesn’t flow, it just needs work. That said, going with the brightest color scheme it at least catches your eye and won’t be forgettable like the previous look. It just leaves me wanting more.

7) McClaren

I still love the Google Chrome wheels, without questions the best use of their wheel space for a sponsor, but I wanted more papaya. There is just too much black in this livery for me, or maybe it’s the lines that just don’t flatter the car. That said, the chromed out numbers are pretty sweet and could really shine on race day.

6) Aston Martin

British Racing Green is about as recognizable a color when it comes to a car as the red of Ferrari, so that automatically moves them up a few spots. And they need it because the rest of the livery is just ok. I get Aramco is a sponsor, but their color scheme takes away from the classic green of the car, and moving it from the back side of the rear wing to the front enhances the clash.

5) Visa Cash App RB

I wanted to hate it, I really did, but it doesn’t suck. Yes, it is a busier design than a NASCAR at Daytona, but it is clean at the same time. Visa fits the sidepod well and the multiple bull locations are pretty good. The shine, the lines, they did well for the busiest name/livery in the field.

4) Red Bull

It doesn’t look like there are any major changes to the livery this year, apart from the bull being moved slightly. That said, this is a car that won all but one race a season ago, which gives the livery a history. Add to that Red Bull will certainly roll out a special livery or two this season, it is solid. Didn’t expect much change, and there wasn’t, but it is a solid design.

3) Mercedes

It coulda been so good, and they tipped their toes in the water for it too. A season ago they were basically all black with the teal stripe, this year they added silver to the nose with a wave of teal and I want so much more. If the car had more silver and less black, it could have been so much better. They also added some extra red in a few spots, which doesn’t really fit their color scheme, but at least it adds some color to the livery overall.

2) Williams

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I think they nailed it with this one! The two toned blue, the white lines contrasting against the darker colors. It is really well done. Add to that they bring back the Duracell battery on top which still may be my favorite sponsor incorporation on any F1 car, just a great all-around design.

1) Ferrari

There may not be a more love ’em or hate ’em team than Ferrari (although Red Bull is getting there), but it is hard to not love the Ferrari livery. The most recognizable livery in motorsports got an upgrade this year. The white and yellow stripes on the side pod above the Shell logo is a massive improvement, and adding red to the wheels helps the whole car really pop. Number one really wasn’t a contest this year!

F1 Preview: 2023 Japan Grand Prix

Red Bull not only had their first race of the year without a win, but their first without a podium for the team, and for Max Verstappen. Now they head to Japan where they look to get back to their winning ways, and are in good shape to do so. While Verstappen has historically struggle in Singapore, and that continued a week ago, last year he qualified pole and won the race while Sergio Perez finished second despite crossing the line third, as Charles Leclerc was served a five second penalty for leaving the track to gain an advantage.

Last year race day was rain soaked, saw multiple cars crash in lap one and a red flag come out that led to the race finishing under timing rather than lap count. This year the weather looks much more favorable and should be sunny skies for most, if not all, the on-track sessions.

Verstappen will not be able to secure the driver’s championship this year, but the constructor’s title could be officially decided this weekend. Red Bull comes in 308 points ahead of Mercedes, and they need to be 309 points ahead after the conclusion of the race to secure the title. This means they simply need to score one more point than Mercedes this weekend and the title is theirs. While Verstappen is an easy favorite to win the race, it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton find the podium, I actually expect them to do just that, which would mean the title would need another week to be decided.

F1 Review: 2023 Singapore Grand Prix

The story around Marina Bay was Red Bull this weekend, as they genuinely struggled for the first time, coming away without a victory for the first time this season and Max Verstappen missing out on a podium for the first time this season.

When you look the end of a historic run, there was no shortage of drama throughout the weekend. The practice sessions were relatively quiet, but qualifying left everyone on the edge of their seats.

As time was winding down on the Q1, Lance Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin and hit the wall at high speed, demolishing his car. The good news is he was able to get out and walk himself to the medical car, although he did not participate in the race on Sunday. The one who’s qualifying was impacted the most was Oscar Piastri, who was putting in a quality lap but wound up missing Q2.

Two of the five drivers that were eliminated in Q2 were in a Red Bull, giving us our first Q3 of the season without either Sergio Perez or Verstappen. In the end it was Carlos Sainz who ended up on pole with George Russell alongside.

During the race we saw Yuki Tsunoda wound up with a DNF as he pulled off the track early with a puncture he felt would prevent him from getting back to the pit lane. Esteban Ocon and Valteri Botas also failed to see the checkered flag. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton both pit for a fresh set of medium tires during the Virtual Safety Car that came out when Ocon’s day ended, and it looked to be the perfect strategic move as they had significantly more pace than the rest of the field down the stretch.

Unfortunately, that pace got the better of George Russell in the end and he found himself in the barriers, taking him from a podium spot to a DNF. He and Hamilton found themselves pushing harder than they expected thanks to some ingenious driving by Sainz, who kept allowing Lando Norris to just get into DRS range, which allowed him to hold off both Mercedes, and prevent them from mounting a chase for the front. The strategy worked as Sainz finished on the top step of the podium, while Norris finished second, and Hamilton third.

Fernando Alonso was the last of all drivers to cross the finish line, meaning he falls out of third place in the Drivers Championship, as Hamilton now has a ten point lead there. Ferrari took home a first and fourth place in the race, slowly closing the gap on Mercedes, now only twenty four points back for second in the Constructors Championship.

2023 F1 Singapore GP Preview

The prevailing sense around the industry is this is the race! This is the race that stands in Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s way of finishing the rest of the season on top of the podium, making it a clean sweep for Red Bull. Verstappen struggled on the wet track a year ago while Sergio Perez took home the checkered flag helping create his street track dominant persona. Ferrari finished 2-3 after Leclerc held pole a season ago, but they aren’t the favorites to challenge Red Bull this weekend.

Instead, McClaren and Mercedes are the cars to watch out for, and Lewis Hamilton may be the single biggest threat to Red Bull’s chances at a clean sweep. The weather is always unpredictable in Singapore, and nobody is better at adapting in real time than Hamilton. Add to that there is a change on the course this year, with the weaving stretch under the grandstands gone and replaced with a long straight that could see some overtaking take place.

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While I am not sure what to root for as a fan or as someone covering the sport, a clean sweep is unprecedented, but the Red Bull dominance does have some casual fans losing interest this season. Ultimately I believe the new straight will actually help Red Bull during the race and allow Verstappen to continue his streak and catapult Red Bull to the sweep. It will be close though, as I anticipate Hamilton and Perez filling out the podium.

2023 F1 Monaco Grand Prix Preview

Arguably the most iconic track in all of racing, the Monaco Grand Prix takes center stage again this weekend. A year ago the race began behind a safety car on the formation lap before being red flagged due to the pouring rain. Haas has both their cars out of the race by lap 27, with Mick Schumacher’s crash bringing out another red flag.

The story of the day was pole sitter Charles Leclerc pitting well after Sergio Perez and being double stacked with his teammate Carlos Sainz, losing far too much time and falling all the way off the podium. Perez took home the win with Sainz in second and Max Verstappen in third.

This weekend there is a chance of rain all weekend but, after having last weekend’s race in Imola called off due to the immense rain and flooding in the region, it does appear to be a relatively dry weekend. Currently it appears the chance of rain during qualification and race day sitting right around 20%. If there is rain, Pirelli will get the chance to debut their new intermediate and wet tires that don’t require tire warmers.

Ultimately, I anticipate some mild weather coming into play in the strategy of the day which, based on recent seasons, doesn’t bode well for Ferrari despite the fact they may have the best car for the circuit. I anticipate this being the first non-Red Bull win of the season, with Fernando Alonso my pick to end his win drought given how quick the Aston Martin is in the corners and the fact the track will limit the Red Bull DRS impact. That doesn’t mean Red Bull won’t see the podium, as I expect the Perez to have another excellent showing on a street circuit and finish second. Leclerc is my pick to round out the podium and give him his first podium in his hometown.

Other stories to watch will be how Mercedes does this weekend, as they are expected to debut a number of upgrades in Monaco despite it being a track that is easy to clip a wall. With many other teams holding off on their upgrades another week, this may be Mercedes making a desperate swing to regain traction as a top three team, but I am not optimistic.

A driver I think is a lock to finish in the points despite not being one of the top teams is Valtreri Bottas, as I expect him to actually finish in the top eight on Sunday.

We will also see the return of F2 and F3 giving us a full weekend of racing to take in as Monaco becomes the first European race of the season.