In the wake of Red Bull’s total domination of F1 in 2023, it is anticipated that its competitors will converge on the concept that the Milton Keynes-based team has put to such good use since the latest ground effect era started. That should, in theory, help deliver a much closer battle throughout the 2024 season […]
Tag: F1
Why Steiner’s departure is a big loss for Haas F1
In two years, all teams but Mercedes and Red Bull have changed their team principals. Steiner has joined Mattia Binotto, Jost Capito and Otmar Szafnauer (twice) on the list of those who were ousted in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, with director of engineering Ayao Komatsu taking over at Haas. This unprecedented level of churn has made […]
F1’s super-stiff ground effect cars ‘not great’, says Allison
As part of an effort by grand prix racing’s chiefs to improve overtaking, F1 switched to a ground effect rules concept from the start of the 2022 season. But the nature of the cars means that they produce their peak downforce close to the ground – which forces teams to have to run them as […]
Estrella Galicia leaves Ferrari for McLaren return in F1 beer merry-go-round
In an unusual merry-go-round of beers, the Maranello team is in turn replacing the departed sponsor with Peroni, the top Italian non-alcoholic brand that was previously with Aston Martin for three seasons. Owned by brewer Hijos de Rivera, Estrella Galicia has long been associated with Carlos Sainz, having supported him from his GP3 days in […]
Who is Ayao Komatsu? All to know about the new Haas F1 team boss
The Haas Formula 1 team announced this week (10 January) the shock departure of team principal Guenther Steiner, with Ayao Komatsu as his replacement. It came after Haas finished bottom of the 2023 F1 constructors’ championship, which was its second last-place finish in three years. Such form has led to Steiner losing his job, a role the Italian had […]
People “expect less” from US F1 drivers
After a difficult start to his rookie campaign in F1 last year, Sargeant became the first driver from the United States since 1993 to score points when he was classified 10th at his home race in Austin. Although he had to wait until the end of the campaign to secure himself a contract extension for 2024, […]
Can F1’s latest engineer team boss pull off a McLaren-style turnaround for Haas?
After all, the way that Andrea Stella took to the team principal role at McLaren like a duck to water – helping steer one of the most impressive F1 comebacks in living memory – showed all that’s possible with the right engineering-led focus at the top. Komatsu, who has until recently been Haas’s director of […]
McLaren setting development targets, not results, as its F1 2024 goals
After a torrid start to 2023, McLaren made dramatic steps with its mid-season car upgrades that allowed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take nine podiums between them, propelling the team past fast-starting Aston Martin to fourth in the constructors’ championship. That turnaround resulted from a technical restructuring by Stella to better utilise staff already […]
All US F1 races benefit from “outstanding” Las Vegas GP, says Miami boss
Despite a dire start when a broken drain cover inadvertently led to fans being removed from grandstands ahead of a delayed practice, the much-vaunted Las Vegas Grand Prix was one of the most exciting races of the 2023 F1 season – blowing away any remaining dark clouds of criticism that had hung over the event. […]
Gene Haas “embarrassed” by his team’s poor F1 form
The American has also opened up on his reasons for not renewing the contract of team principal Guenther Steiner, and for promoting Ayao Komatsu to the role rather than taking on an outsider. The team announced the shock changes on Wednesday, while also confirming that technical director Simone Resta had left. Ferrari supplies the team […]