Formula One 2021 Motor Sport

[Deleted member 26]

Hoping that Red Bull can put up a decent fight against Mercedes this year..

I wouldn't be too surprised if the latter win both titles again (although I hope they don't), but I don't think they'll be quite so dominant.

 

[Snoops]

Is Zak Brown on a wind-up or has he got the inside gossip? He reckons Russell and Verstappen will be the Mercedes lineup from 2022 onwards.

 

[Franco Pinion]

3 sprint races weekends confirmed

Shorter 'sprint' races will be introduced to Formula 1 this year to set the grid positions at three grands prix, series bosses have agreed.

Points will be awarded to the top three finishers - three for first, two for second and one for third.

Grid positions for the shorter race - to be called 'sprint qualifying' - will be set by moving qualifying to Friday.

Avoiding calling the event a 'race' is to ensure that the grand prix remains the main focus of the weekend.

It will be the first time in history that the grand prix is not the only race on an F1 world championship weekend.

The shorter 'sprint qualifying' race will run to about one-third of the distance of a grand prix, which has a maximum length of just over 305km (190 miles).

Sprint weekend details:

Friday:
60-minute First Practice in the morning with two sets of tyres for teams to choose freely

Normal Qualifying format in the afternoon with five soft tyre sets available only

Saturday:
60-minute Second Free Practice in the morning with one set of tyres for teams to choose freely

100km Sprint Qualifying in the afternoon with two sets of tyres for teams to choose freely

Sunday:
Full distance Grand Prix with two remaining sets of tyres

The British Grand Prix on 14-16 July will be the first event to host the new format, followed by the Italian race on 10-12 September.

Brazil had been expected to be the third, but this has not been confirmed - partly because there is interest from other tracks, and also because there is doubt as to whether that race can go ahead in November given the high rate of Covid-19 infections in the country.

If the new approach delivers on its aims, it could be adopted at more races in 2022, when changes to the technical rules usher in a new generation of Formula 1 cars aimed at making the racing closer and more competitive.

 

[Tom]

Apparently the Red Bull has a very flexible rear wing according to Hamilton? Giving it an advantage on the straights. I'm not up on what he's talking about, but haven't we been here before with Newey's wing designs?

 

[Franco Pinion]

The Turkish Grand Prix has been cancelled and replaced by second Austrian race. France to move a week forward.Travel restrictions to Turkey made the race impossible.

The Turkish Grand Prix has been cancelled just two weeks after it was put on the Formula 1 calendar and replaced by a second race in Austria.

Turkey was added to the F1 schedule on 11-13 June to replace the Canadian Grand Prix, which was cancelled because of travel restrictions in Canada.
But Turkey has now become unworkable after being put on the UK's travel red list of high-risk countries.

Instead, the Styrian Grand Prix will run at the Red Bull Ring on 25-27 June.

That date was originally scheduled for the French Grand Prix, which has now been moved a week earlier to 18-20 June.

The move means there will now be races on three consecutive weekends - the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, followed by the Styrian Grand Prix and then the Austrian Grand Prix, both at the same track.

 

[Franco Pinion]

McLaren's the one-off livery for Monaco I like it.

McLaren are bringing the iconic blue and orange colours of Gulf Oil back to Formula 1 with a special one-off livery for next weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

The British team's initial association with Gulf dates-back to the days of team founder Bruce McLaren, with the two companies working together in F1 and Can-Am racing in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

They renewed their relationship last July, when Gulf Oil came on board as a strategic partner, and ahead of F1's showpiece event, McLaren have unveiled their take on one of motorsport's most famous and iconic liveries.

 

[Fraser]

Max Mosley has died, someone who shaped formula one to what it is today. He will be missed

Former motorsport boss Max Mosley, who later became a privacy campaigner, has died aged 81.

Ex-Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said it was "like losing a brother".

Mr Mosley served three terms as president of motorsport's governing body the FIA from 1993 to 2009.

He also campaigned for tighter press regulation after winning £60,000 damages from the News of the World when it wrongly published a story alleging he had attended a Nazi-themed orgy.

Mr Mosley, in his role as FIA president, led widespread reforms of safety procedures in Formula 1 following the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994.

 

[Fraser]

A modern F1 steering wheel in detail

 

[Fraser]

Lewis has signed with Mercedes until 2023

World champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes until the end of 2023.

The Briton, 36, has won six of his seven world titles with the British-based German team since joining from McLaren in 2012.
This season Hamilton is contending for a record-breaking eighth championship but is currently second behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

"We still have a lot to achieve, both on and off the track," said Hamilton.

It is the earliest he has agreed a new deal with Mercedes for some years and will take his time at the team to at least 11 seasons and into the start of a major rules change next year.

The deal has come together quickly, in contrast to 2020, when the pandemic, a compressed season and then both Hamilton and team boss Toto Wolff contracting coronavirus delayed talks and Hamilton ended the year out of contract.

Hamilton did not agree a new one-year deal with the team for 2021 until February but has been saying since the start of this season that he expected to continue in F1 beyond this year, and began discussing the terms of his new contract with Wolff in May. The pair completed a deal within two months, underlining their desire to keep working together.

Hamilton has not taken a pay cut, contrary to some reports. After an adjustment in salary as a result of the pandemic this season, his earnings will be back to pre-Covid levels, when he was said to be earning as much as £40m a year.

The bond between the team and their driver has been strengthened by their support for his push for increased diversity and inclusion in the sport, which gathered momentum in the midst of the global outcry following the death of unarmed African-American George Floyd at the hands of US police last May.

Hamilton said: "I'm incredibly proud and grateful of how Mercedes has supported me in my drive to improve diversity and equality in our sport.

"They have held themselves accountable and made important strides in creating a more diverse team and inclusive environment."

Wolff said: "As we enter a new era of F1 from 2022 onwards, there can be no better driver to have in our team than Lewis.

"His achievements in this sport speak for themselves, and with his experience, speed and race-craft, he is at the peak of his powers.

"We are relishing the battle we have on our hands this year - and that's why we also wanted to agree this contract early, so we have no distractions from the competition on track.

"I have always said that as long as Lewis still possesses the fire for racing, he can continue as long as he wants."

 

[Boot Cleaner]

Lando Norris was mugged and had his watch nicked at the Wembley final.

McLaren Racing - McLaren Racing statement