The Official Formula 1 Thread 🏁

[LiveFromLondon]

I’m a newbie to this F1 thing but I haven’t been impressed with Ricciardo at all since I’ve started watching. I guess he’s a goofy character but dude is lower mid tier to me.

Newey aerodynamic baby as once he didn't have the aero to brake late in to the corner he's been kinda exposed like Vettel. Look how Vettel made unforced errors in corners at Ferrari because the car didnt have the aero to bail him out.

Danny Ric is quick though and I would've fancied him against Max as he's less error prone.

 

[MoneyTron]

Ricciardo in the same place as Seb was in 2020.

Their fans think this is some outrage but in reality, the team was right. You can't pay drivers $15-20million/year to get smacked around by a kid.

Norris has 76 points and Ric has 19. That's crazy.

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

Ricciardo in the same place as Seb was in 2020.

Their fans think this is some outrage but in reality, the team was right. You can't pay drivers $15-20million/year to get smacked around by a kid.

Norris has 76 points and Ric has 19. That's crazy.

Danny Ric been chasing the money since leaving Red Bull. Can't be mad at the whole situation at all . Dude might as well ride off into the sunset and join Indycar.

 

[MoneyTron]

Danny Ric been chasing the money since leaving Red Bull. Can't be mad at the whole situation at all . Dude might as well ride off into the sunset and join Indycar.

Yup. It is what it is.

He's probably made close to $100 million in salary since leaving Red Bull. Not bad if that was your priority.

 

[Mainevent_7]

Ricciardo should have stay at RedBull. That car suited him the best and he was getting good results.

 

[phillycavsfan]

Riccardo should go to Haas for the American connection. Either that or make the move to IndyCar.

 

[Lootha VanDraws]

Danny Ric been chasing the money since leaving Red Bull. Can't be mad at the whole situation at all . Dude might as well ride off into the sunset and join Indycar.

Yup. It is what it is.

He's probably made close to $100 million in salary since leaving Red Bull. Not bad if that was your priority.

Now McLaren will probably have to pay a ton of money just to send him away.

 

[Reflected]

Interesting video and channel:





If they weren't so restrictive with content we could some insanely detailed analysis channels. Used to have incredible videos like this:



That original channel is dead now due to copyright strikes but it was honestly the perfect visual representation for comparing setups, drivers, and overall performance.

 

[Reflected]

Found an older favorite, back when people refused to admit the Red Bull was faster than the Merc, you know, because Hamilton can only win in a dominant car and Verstappen is only ever carrying the car to pole.

 

[jj23]

Sorry in advance for posting a link from the Sun brehs...

Hamilton dances with Pokot people in Kenya as he continues holiday in Africa

LEWIS HAMILTON was seen dancing with Pokot people in Kenya as he continued to love life on his African holiday. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has already visited countries such as Rwanda …

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[nyknick]

Very good interview with Helmut Marko, a lot of interesting info.

Saturday morning before the Hungarian Grand Prix, 8:30 a.m. in the paddock at the Hungaroring. Helmut Marko arrives at the track with a briefcase in hand. We have arranged to meet for breakfast for an interview with the "doctor", as he is called with equal respect and affection.

On the upper floor of the wooden energy station, Marko first eats a yoghurt with fruit before he treats himself to a croissant. The paddock is otherwise pretty empty. Despite his advanced age, the 79-year-old is one of the hardest workers in Formula 1. His early-morning calls to the junior drivers, which he loves to wake up, are legendary and the subject of dozens of anecdotes.

There is something to discuss with Red Bull's motorsport consultant. Documents from the antitrust authorities in Morocco have revealed what 'Motorsport-Total.com' has been reporting for months: that Porsche will take over 50 percent of Red Bull's Formula 1 project and the deal is only a matter of form.

It is a deal of the century that Marko has engineered for his boss Dietrich Mateschitz: Red Bull cashes in an estimated 500 million euros, pulls in Porsche, one of the most prestigious partners in motorsport, creates the perfect exit scenario should Mateschitz one day want to pull the plug - and in the end, Red Bull is still huge on the cars.

According to information from 'Motorsport-Total.com', which Marko does not explicitly confirm at our breakfast, the cornerstones of the agreement have already been signed. Only the official announcement is still dragging on. As long as the FIA has not passed engine regulations for 2026, Porsche will not say yes in public. But that should be done in the next few days.

Question: "Mr. Marko, before the Hungarian Grand Prix we revealed the so-called 'Morocco Document'. Now of course I'm asking myself: If nothing has really been fixed between Red Bull and Porsche, why are the antitrust authorities already informed? " Helmut Marko: "It's very simple. The decision of the VW board is: If the technical regulations meet the criteria, then you have the mandate to go into Formula 1."

"This primarily affects cost cap, sustainability, emission-free petrol, equal opportunities as a newcomer, i.e. more test bench capacities and the like. In purely formal terms, however, these new regulations do not yet exist. The FIA President will supposedly do so in an e-mail voting soon bring it to life. Only then does it officially start."

Question: "The date for this is August 2, right?" Marko: "Yes. If it goes through. The criteria mentioned must then be reflected in the regulations, otherwise the whole thing makes no sense. Or it will be much more difficult in planning."

Question: "The 2026 engine regulations should have been passed at the end of June. Do you have the impression that this decision is being deliberately delayed?" Marko: "It's the usual game in Formula 1. The top dogs - in this case Mercedes and Ferrari, because Renault is more of a sidecar - try to get the best out of it. Then there is some kind of compromise that everyone can live with, and that in hours of discussion. But that's part of Formula 1 policy."

Question: "What are the remaining stumbling blocks that have not yet been agreed?" Marko: "First of all, it's about the test bench hours, which newcomers should get more. But it's the same as with everything, like with every regulation: the less time the newcomers have to prepare, the better for the established ones. Because the investments through the cost cap are limited."

"We founded Red Bull Powertrains last year. The Mercedes engine factory is probably 20 or 30 years old. Ferrari as well. You have to find adjustments in the cost cap."

"Example: If we are granted an amount X, we cannot currently build it because we cannot get the necessary materials. There are shortages on the world market. AVL cannot deliver ad hoc because steel is scarce. You can hardly find construction companies. You have to take that into account in such an overall package, which is particularly difficult for a newcomer."

Question: "Do you have difficulties building Red Bull Powertrains because of the issues mentioned? Marko: "We were lucky that we completed most of the construction work before the start of the war. We had already ordered from AVL beforehand. This means that the steel shortage no longer affected us as much. And then luck in England with the weather. In Austria we would not have been able to carry out these adaptations in such a short time."

Question: "The newcomer status negotiations definitely affect Red Bull. Either with Red Bull Powertrains or with a new manufacturer, because Honda is gone in 2026, right?" Marco: "Right."

Question: "One has the feeling that Honda would actually like to continue now. Has there ever been any discussion about this?" Marko: "Thank God there is a change in policy among the Japanese. Originally we would have had to assemble the engines ourselves from 2023. But you need spare parts for that, and 90 percent of the suppliers are in Japan."

"Thank God that has been revised, because that would have become a technical, logistical and linguistic problem. Now Honda is making the engines until the end of 2025."

Question: "Completely?" Marko: "Completely. We get them sealed, we can't look in there. That's also important for our newcomer status in 2026. They deliver it in a box, and if there's any problem, only Honda mechanics are allowed to work on the engine."

Question: "If Honda is still doing everything, what are the employees of Red Bull Powertrains actually doing in Milton Keynes?" Marko: "There are currently 300 employees. They only work towards the 2026 regulations. If a new manufacturer comes along, you can cooperate. They could use the facilities that we have, which is another bonus point. If a new manufacturer comes, he immediately has a new engine factory with six functioning test benches. Everything there is the finest of the finest."

Question: "Will AlphaTauri continue to use the same engine as Red Bull Racing after 2026?" Marko: "Yes, that's planned."

Question: "You are 79. Dietrich Mateschitz is 78. Assuming that 50 percent is now sold to a manufacturer. Then Red Bull has a great exit scenario if at some point you no longer want to do Formula 1. Because then you will also sell the remaining 50 percent could." Marko: "Formula 1 is the strongest marketing tool Red Bull has and the most successful. The team has a secure future."

Question: "You won Le Mans in 1971 in a Porsche 917. That was your biggest success as a racing driver. Would you say you have a special relationship with the Porsche brand?" Marko: "I had a relationship with some of the people involved and with Ferdinand Piëch that was based on reverence."

"Back then the conditions were different. An example: In Daytona I crash into the concrete wall at 300 because the tire came loose. The problem has been known for X races, but it has recurred. I get out, luckily I'm okay, run full of anger into the box and start telling Mr. Piëch my opinion."

"His answer: Don't I know that it's a 24-hour race and I'm supposed to bring the car to the pits! I was really taken aback! Such conditions prevailed at the time. I haven't had much with Porsche since then to do."

Question: "You mention Piëch and you are sometimes considered a 'tough dog' yourself. Would you say that you learned from Piëch when it comes to team management?" Marko: "As a driver, I didn't pay much attention to these things back then. But what you could certainly learn from him and what I also learned from him: You have to be completely committed and you have to lead a team tightly if you want to be successful in motorsport want to have."

Question: "Max Verstappen is 80 points ahead in the World Championship. But recently in Spielberg and Le Castellet, the Ferrari seemed to be a bit faster. Do you perhaps have the more complete, but not the faster package with Red Bull?" Marko: "I don't see it that way. Apart from Barcelona, we were always on par with Ferrari this season."

"Often the day's form decided who was ultimately in front - apart from strategic or technical problems, which we have far fewer. We may only be slightly behind on the individual lap."

"Leclerc has about as many pole positions as we have victories. Pole position doesn't mean much, and since the tracks are where overtaking is possible, that's no longer such a criterion. It will be different in Monte Carlo or Singapore."

"But the crucial thing is that you can keep up the speed in the race without overtaxing the tires. And I have to disagree: In Le Castellet, Max was faster in the race. If you're ten laps behind within a second, that shows that you're the faster one. We were the faster car there in the race."

"Looked at over the season, it's on an equal footing. It depends on the day's form and the updates. They always have an effect for one or two races. But even those aren't a significant shift in power."

 

[nyknick]

Question: "Was Spielberg a key race? Because you learned there to focus more on the race? Or was that just a result of only having one practice session before qualifying?" Marko: "I think that was primarily due to the sprint system. You only had one training session."

"In Spielberg the temperatures changed drastically and we saw in the sprint that Leclerc went from 3.2 to 1.7 seconds in the last two or three laps. That was the first alarm signal. But at the time we couldn't do anything change more."

Question: "Sergio Perez kept up really well with Verstappen around the time in Baku/Monaco. Recently he has fallen back again. Because the changes that have been made to the car are more accommodating to Verstappen than to him?" Marko: "Max loves a car that really bites at the front. He doesn't care what the rear does."

"If it breaks out at 300 km/h and Perez and all the others who were there earlier say it's undriveable, then Max doesn't even get worried. At the beginning of the season the car was rather understeering. Ultimately it's about pushing the car to the maximum to do quickly."

"With a car that suits Max better, the Verstappen factor is emphasized again. When you have such an exceptional driver, it's important that you use your full potential. That may have brought Perez back to normal. Being Verstappen's teammate isn't a cakewalk."

Question: "Is Verstappen the best driver who has driven for Red Bull so far?" Marko: "Yes, of course. After winning the World Cup, he gained sovereignty without the speed suffering. And he's even faster with less risk and less material wear."

Question: "Red Bull used to be good in the corners. Now you're suddenly a top speed wonder. How much of that is Red Bull and how much is Honda?" Marko: "The vehicle concept comes from Newey, who has created a car that produces a lot of downforce with little air resistance. That's one thing."

"The other thing is that Honda has evolved and the switch to E10 petrol hardly cost any power. It's the combination of both. Now it's just a completely different approach. In previous years we were mostly the slowest on the straights. Now we're the fastest. That's nice. And in the corners we don't lose nearly what we gain in the straights."

Question: "Verstappen can become world champion with his lead with second places." Marko: "That's not our goal and it would be extremely risky. We saw that last year when we suddenly only managed second places."

"We still have to win three or four races if the balance of power stays the same. If Mercedes can still fight for victories under their own power, that would be better for us and worse for Ferrari. Because Ferrari have to score optimally so that they have a chance. "

Question: "With the budget cap, it's the case that you can get even more benefits than before if you switch development early to next year, or do you see it differently?" Marko: "Last year many wrote that we would be one or two seconds behind in 2022 because we were forced to develop the chassis until the last race in order to even have a chance against this Hamilton engine in Brazil."

Question: "I'll gladly admit: I thought so too. Even if not for a second or two." Marko: "We have a solid team, we have little fluctuation. It happens that someone leaves, but it was nothing essential in our aerodynamics department. Because we have such a solid and passionate group, that was possible. And a good one Financier who regulates that with the budget cap."

Question: "Has there ever been a situation in which the financier said that this update will not be carried out now because it is too expensive?" Marko: "The finance department has been expanded significantly. In the past, the technicians only had to register how much they needed, and if they were outside of the business plan, you had to somehow coordinate this with Red Bull in Salzburg."

"Now it's the case that the cooperation with the financiers determines the updates and also that of the massiveness of the updates. But it's not the case that the financier says, from then on there can be no more updates. We in the team management look at it and say we still need an update. Then that has to be saved somewhere else."

"We have cut people at Red Bull Racing, but we still have Red Bull Technology. The people will then be moved and given other tasks. We have the hypercar, we're in the America's Cup. There are some projects where we are accommodating staff something you don't want to lose."

"It's a process where the FIA learns, where we learn. I hope it doesn't degenerate into an accountant's championship."

Question: "Will the car reach its ideal weight this year?" Marko: "It's gotten a lot better."

Question: "One hears that somewhere between zero and five kilos are still missing." Marko: "Yes."

Question: "Let's come to AlphaTauri. Are you satisfied with how things are going there?" Marko: "No. Alpha Tauri only came with a reasonable update in Le Castellet, they didn't have enough updates."

"The race was bad. Gasly made a mistake there when he lost his points position trying to overtake. Ocon drove into Yuki and the car was massively damaged. The update improved a bit and was successful. Now you have to work from there."

"But the claim to be successful in midfield is currently not fulfilled."

Question: "Will the psychologist help with Tsunoda?" Marko: "Yes. But Tsunoda is not the only driver who has problems in this area and who claims something like that. That's nothing reprehensible either."

"We have two Japanese in the squad and they couldn't be more different. Isawa is on pole position and afterwards comes along: 'Sorry that I'm here.' Yuki is completely different. He doesn't care about anything. He's very emotional. For a Japanese, it's more of an exception."

"But at some point his outbursts of rage on the radio went too far. He learned how to swear in English from Carlin. But if you swear and curse in the middle of a bend, that's not good. Then you drive slower. We explained that to him that he has to stop it."

"In addition, the engineer can't do anything with feedback like 'bloody fukking car'. We have to know: what exactly is the car doing? He has to analyze that and then say it factually."

Question: "I have the impression that they like him precisely because he is who he is." Marko: "Yes. Yuki has a certain cult status with us."

Question: "Does he have world champion potential?" Marko: He has the potential to win Grands Prix. And that is what we aspire to in the junior program. World champion, so much has to come together. There has to be a step more from the driver as an overall personality, because in a critical situation the driver can raise the whole team up or pull them along or bring them down."

 

[nyknick]

Question: "How much better is Pierre Gasly today than in 2019 when he didn't see any country at all with Red Bull Racing?" Marko: "Gasly was lapped by Max in Hungary in 2019. He's certainly more stable, has a lot more self-confidence. But it's hard to say to what extent he could hold his own against a Verstappen."

Question: "Can't you tell from the simulator whether it's gotten faster since then?" Marko: "I have to tell a story about that. Rudy van Buren races in the Porsche Supercup. He weighs 100 kilos, is 190 centimeters tall. He drives these sim races with Verstappen, and he's the best in the simulator."

"It probably wouldn't even fit in a Formula 1 car, and even if it did, it wouldn't be anywhere. The simulator is a very good tool and is constantly being developed, but you drive there alone."

"Our juniors have to drive a qualifying lap in the simulator to determine where they are. We call it the 'Helmut lap'. Some do it better, some worse. You don't have any pressure in the simulator either."

"Sometimes it's also a mental thing. There are people who are incredibly fast, but not good in qualifying. Perez is one of them. It's been like that for his whole career."

Question: "Perez has a contract until the end of 2024. Does Gasly have any prospects of promotion at all?" Marko: "Perez's contract will prevent a transfer from Gasly to Red Bull Racing in 2023. Gasly will be free from 2024."

Question: "Would you let him go if there was an attractive opportunity for him? Like you did with Carlos Sainz?" Marko: "Yes. We have a good relationship. As team leader at Alpha Tauri, he has been very successful in recent years. But Yuki is already at his level in terms of speed for one lap. Things don't quite go that way in the race Improved Gasly's contract financially, although we shouldn't have done that."

Question: "Was there no alternative to separating from Jüri Vips after his racist statement?" Marko: "The English press unleashed such a shytstorm that Red Bull Racing had no choice but to relieve him of all his functions."

"I think he's 21 years old and has apologized. It annoys me that it happened in a stupid video game because they don't have anything better to do in the afternoon. I don't understand how you can do something like that for more than two minutes. But well, that's youth. I can't do anything with it."

"Max always has his simulator with him. After a Grand Prix victory, it can happen that he still drives a virtual race with Rudy van Buren. Then he is the second driver. The race engineer of the two is based in Kyiv and the data engineer in South Africa. That's how they spend their time."

Question: "A few years ago, Verstappen called Lance Stroll on the pit radio. At that time, Red Bull backed him despite critical media reports. What is different about Verstappen and Vips?" Marko: "You can't compare that. It's also about the whole development of the two as personalities. Max has always shown a clear edge on such topics. And of course the pressure from the press and sponsors was so great at Vips that that we had to react."

Question: "The next opportunity for advancement from the junior program to Formula 1 could be when Gasly leaves. Who is the next one who could make the step?" Marko: "Dennis Hauger dominated Formula 3 in a really unbelievable manner and now in Formula 2 he has ups and downs, no consistency. The decisive thing is performance and nothing else. And that's changing. People who we believed they can handle it, suddenly couldn't cope anymore, and vice versa. That's why it's difficult to make predictions."

Question: "How important is it to be able to offer the junior drivers the prospect that there will be a place for them in Formula 1?" Marko: "We bring people into Formula 1. We were the first to dare to do something like that. Then the others followed suit, to a lesser extent. Nevertheless, we are always criticized for allegedly dropping our drivers."

"That's not true. 95 percent of the people we retire drive DTM, GT, Formula E and earn a lot more money than they could ever earn in a normal job. Sometimes for 15 years. And with the sport they love. We have created the basis for that."

Question: "Most of them still drive with the Red Bull logo on their helmets even after the breakup." Marko: "Because we still partially support them. That will be decided individually."

Question: "When did Sebastian Vettel call you and tell you he was quitting? Did he call you at all?" Marko: "Vettel has been writing letters lately. Handwritten. I am the proud owner of such a letter."

"It's becoming apparent. He's not in a competitive car and I don't think he saw the prospect of the car being able to make a regular podium finish next year. And there's no space in the top teams."

"He wants to see his children grow up. I think his speech that he posted on Instagram is very good. He has different priorities and a different world view. Then you can't drive for a brand that is sponsored by an Arab mineral oil company. Aston Martin is a luxury brand with eight and twelve cylinders. That's not credible, and then that's the logical consequence."

"I'm sure that more attention will now be paid to the issue of environmental protection."

Question: "Can you imagine him making a comeback like Michael Schumacher did?" Marko: "No, I think that's final."

Question: "When he left Ferrari, you advised him to take a year off. Did he also consult you this time?" Marko: "He's done enough in his career and he knows that we don't have any opportunities. When he left us, we didn't have a competitive engine and we didn't have a competitive overall package."

"Our philosophy, like in football, is to encourage young talent. It's the same in football. Red Bull has an academy there. I wish we could sell our talents in motorsport and earn a lot of money with them. For We would certainly have gotten something for Sainz, and for some others as well."

Question: "Do you remember your first encounter with Vettel?" Marko: "He was an inconspicuous boy. With half a kilo of iron in his mouth. I think it was in Formula BMW in Germany and he drove for a German team. He won 18 out of 20 races at the time, and that he didn't win all of them really annoyed him. We saw that he was something special."

"But he had a whole flood of contracts. His father signed everything if he got a few marks for it. It took a while for us to sort it all out."

Question: "He was also under contract with BMW. How did you get him out of there?" Marko: "They should have provided a cockpit. That didn't happen."

Question: "Will Adrian Newey still build the Red Bull Porsche for 2026?" Marko: "Newey builds our current car and our hypercar RB17. It's specially designed for the racetrack, not street legal. The most extreme thing you can buy and what a normal person can drive. When his contract expires, we'll talk."

Question: "When does it expire?" Marko: "Contract details are not discussed."

Question: "You are 79 years old. What does your own future look like?" Marko: "Although many would like that, I'm not in my grave yet! I'm in good shape mentally and physically. I'll do it as long as I enjoy it. I'm financially independent and wouldn't have to do this job. If it fits, then it fits ."

Question: "Can you even imagine going into retirement?" Marko: "I have quite an extensive real estate portfolio that I have to take care of. Restoration, development and the like. This is commercially oriented, but embedded in scenic places, or also in old and historical buildings. Most of the buildings are listed buildings. I'm not going into retirement shock!"

Exklusiv: Helmut Marko über Porsche und das "Marokko-Leak"

Das Interview: Wie Helmut Marko den Porsche-Deal sieht, was ihm Sebastian Vettel geschrieben hat und warum Sergio Perez wieder zurückgefallen ist

www.formel1.de

 

[jj23]

Exklusiv: Helmut Marko über Porsche und das "Marokko-Leak"

Das Interview: Wie Helmut Marko den Porsche-Deal sieht, was ihm Sebastian Vettel geschrieben hat und warum Sergio Perez wieder zurückgefallen ist

www.formel1.de

I wish he fell down a well...

 

[Legal]

Exklusiv: Helmut Marko über Porsche und das "Marokko-Leak"

Das Interview: Wie Helmut Marko den Porsche-Deal sieht, was ihm Sebastian Vettel geschrieben hat und warum Sergio Perez wieder zurückgefallen ist

www.formel1.de

This the guy that that thought the problem with Juri Vips was the English media over reporting him using a slur, and not him actually saying it, right?