[Other Sport] F1 2024

[Audax]

Decent article on The Race re: how McLaren look to be handling Norris' possible chase of Verstappen for the WDC title (covering both Monza and future races):

Norris hasn't earned full priority - but McLaren help is coming

Lando Norris has not done enough to earn total priority from McLaren at all costs but the reality of the Formula 1 season means McLaren looks set to assist him with team orders after all

www.the-race.com

 

[Audax]

Newey to Aston Martin looks set to be announced before the Baku race:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/neweys-move-to-aston-martin-set-to-be-made-public/10650940/

 

[Audax]

Ollie Bearman confirmed to race for Haas at Baku, in place of the banned Magnussen:

 

[Audax]

Newey to Aston Martin looks set to be announced before the Baku race:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/neweys-move-to-aston-martin-set-to-be-made-public/10650940/

Aston Martin will be holding a press conference tomorrow morning, 11am (Europe, so 10am here). So, 2026: Aston Martin Honda designed by Adrian Newey.

 

[Audax]

Newey confirmed at Aston Martin from early next year.

Interesting (previously unknown) tidbit to come out this morning is that he'll actually become a shareholder as well.

---

In other news McLaren have agreed for Bortoleto to pursue talks with Sauber/Audi about driving for them, with a loan period of at least 2 years mooted.

If Audi was to sign Bortoleto, 2025 could see 5 young rookies on the grid. With three already confirmed (Bearman, Antonelli, and Doohan) and the possibility of Lawson Bortoleto.

Bearman (Haas)
Antonelli (Mercedes)
Doohan (Alpine)
(Bortoleto) (Sauber/Audi)
(Lawson) (VCARB)

 

[JackB247]

Newey confirmed at Aston Martin from early next year.

Interesting (previously unknown) tidbit to come out this morning is that he'll actually become a shareholder as well.

---

In other news McLaren have agreed for Bortoleto to pursue talks with Sauber/Audi about driving for them, with a loan period of at least 2 years mooted.

If Audi was to sign Bortoleto, 2025 could see 5 young rookies on the grid. With three already confirmed (Bearman, Antonelli, and Doohan) and the possibility of Lawson Bortoleto.

Bearman (Haas)
Antonelli (Mercedes)
Doohan (Alpine)
(Bortoleto) (Sauber/Audi)
(Lawson) (VCARB)

Understand that relocation is a factor here but the decision of Newey to go to a midfield team where one seat will always be wasted due to nepotism over working for Ferrari with Hamilton and Leclerc is bizarre to me.

 

[Audax]

Understand that relocation is a factor here but the decision of Newey to go to a midfield team where one seat will always be wasted due to nepotism over working for Ferrari with Hamilton and Leclerc is bizarre to me.

Relocation will be one factor. I think the other that cannot be underestimated is the shareholding he's being given. I've not yet seen how significant that holding is/will be, but historically one of the key reasons why Newey left Williams is because they refused to give him an entry route to being a part owner of the team. Another key reason he left Williams is because they reneged on agreements with Newey around allowing Newey to have a say in driver signings.

Knowing his history, probably goes a long way to explaining why he's not going to Ferrari. They won't give him access to a (part-)ownership stake. They won't give him freedom around decision making on technical structure etc.

Aston Martin, on the other hand, look like they're giving him everything he's always wanted at an F1 team. And he has previous working with Aston Martin outside F1 (the Valkyrie) and likely will give him freedom to do more of that in the future.

He may need to swallow having Lance in one seat for a while (but I suspect we'd discover he's no worse than Perez has been at Red Bull should they produce a title challenging car, and may even be shuffled to one side once it's clear he's not going to be good enough to secure a WCC for the team). But equally I think he knows he's going to have a title-capable driver in the other (lead) car - Alonso initially (and what a story that would be if they can get him a 3rd title in 2026), and I have a funny feeling we could see Verstappen there once Alonso goes.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Just a thought, re the recent decline in Red Bull's performance.

Do I recall correctly, a year or two back, they were found to have overspent and the FIA punishment was to be sanctioned so they were forced to spend much less on future research and car development.

Are we perhaps now seeing the fruits of that punishment?

Or has my memory let me down on this?

 

[Flounce]

I see McClaren are asking Piastri to back a Norris run for the Championship…..two races too late imo

Oh and they should be telling him, not asking him!

 

[Audax]

I see McClaren are asking Piastri to back a Norris run for the Championship…..two races too late imo

Oh and they should be telling him, not asking him!

Think that's actually a smart play from McLaren. There's rumours doing the rounds now that they actually think Piastri has the better long-term potential. If that's true, they won't want to do anything to piss him off. It's possible that we see a situation where 2025 is "given" to Norris (assuming he can cut out the mistakes and Red Bull don't solve their issues) but 2026 sees Piastri given the opportunity to go for it.

 

[Flounce]

Think that's actually a smart play from McLaren. There's rumours doing the rounds now that they actually think Piastri has the better long-term potential. If that's true, they won't want to do anything to piss him off. It's possible that we see a situation where 2025 is "given" to Norris (assuming he can cut out the mistakes and Red Bull don't solve their issues) but 2026 sees Piastri given the opportunity to go for it.

Hmm, smart play would have been to tell Piastri that this season Norris had the advantage and that they would back Norris but next season was another matter imo. If McLaren end up just a few points behind Red Bull in the driver’s championship it will look like they were a bit amateur mid season. If Red Bull recover their race pace it won‘t matter. I doubt anyone thought Red Bull would fall off a cliff like they have a few races ago though, in fairness. Hindsight eh?

 

[JJ McClure]

Think I read somewhere (can't recall where so may be BS) that the McLaren drivers were on equal contracts in terms of specifying no number one driver status so they couldn't / can't tell him to just support Lando without some sort of negotiation taking place.

 

[Audax]

Think I read somewhere (can't recall where so may be BS) that the McLaren drivers were on equal contracts in terms of specifying no number one driver status so they couldn't / can't tell him to just support Lando without some sort of negotiation taking place.

I can believe that, based on how they've approached things so far. It's a terminology thing really. Oscar will know that what he's been "asked" to do in backing Norris is a) only a request, but b) one that if he doesn't follow through on could lead to him being disadvantaged in future.

It's semantics, really. He's been "asked" rather than "ordered", but it ultimately will have the same result.

 

[Guinness Boy]

McLaren are a team. Red Bull are Max +1.

Never really an issue when Max's car was so much better than the rest of the grid but it's making things interesting now. It could very well be that Piastri has already contributed to Norris missing out on the Driver's Championship, but Perez (and their lack of support for him) loses RB the Constructors.

 

[Audax]

Friday at Baku all done.

At the moment, it looks like McLaren are struggling with Mercedes and Ferrari looking better and Red Bull back in the frame as a front runner. Norris says the car just isn't working so far. Let's hope they can find something in the data overnight to improve the car for tomorrow.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Norris out in Q1.

Long shot title hopes now completely over?

 

[jordanseagull]

Norris out in Q1.

Long shot title hopes now completely over?

Still not completely sure what happened

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Norris out in Q1.

Long shot title hopes now completely over?

Apparently not.

How did he manage to finish above Verstappen? I only saw the last 15 laps or so, so don't really know how he did it.

The fight at the top was a lot of fun too.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Apparently not.

How did he manage to finish above Verstappen? I only saw the last 15 laps or so, so don't really know how he did it.

The fight at the top was a lot of fun too.

Managed his hard tyres on a long first stint then caught Max after finally stopping for mediums when Max’s hard tyres dropped off a cliff.

Incredible race, so entertaining. This is the way F1 should be,

 

[Flounce]

What a race, gutted that Lewis had to start from the pit lane though, sooner he gets away from what look like Mercedes shenanigans the better.

This season is not quite over is it?

Fantastic drive by Piastri and great from Norris.

Sainz 100% to blame for the coming together with Perez?

Colapinto and Bearman both had great races too