April 2021

Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn insists the championship will drop its Sprint Qualifying race proposal if it does not prove to be a success when trialed this season. On Monday it was announced that the F1 Commission had unanimously approved the new format – that will see a shortened 100km race take place on Saturday to set the grid for Sunday’s main event – at three selected rounds in 2021. The proposal has been met with a mixed response from fans and drivers alike but Brawn has stressed that F1 will only roll over Sprint Qualifying races into next season if they work. “[One of the challenges was] finding a format that had the right balance between giving us an opportunity to have exciting Friday and Saturday running – perhaps a shorter format race but one which did not take anything away from main event,” Brawn told the official F1 website. “We had to find that balance. Everyone had a different opinion on what that should look like. It was also about finding an economic and logistical solution that didn’t impact teams too severely. “They want this event, but they are all working under massive challenges and we had to find a solution that worked with them without compromising the event. “The drivers are open minded about the format – and that’s all we ask, that the drivers keep an open mind so we can evaluate this event and then we decide if in the future it forms a feature of the F1 season. If it doesn’t work, we put hands up and we will think again.” Brawn made it clear F1 is determined to ensure the new format does not undermine the grand prix but instead enhances the weekend spectacle as a whole. “The thing to remember about Sprint Qualifying is that it’s intention is to expand the whole weekend,” he explained. “It is not intended to impact the race event. The Grand Prix is still the vital event of the weekend. “We want to give fans engagement throughout the whole weekend. Sunday’s Grand Prix is fantastic, and we don’t want to cannibalise that, but we want to lift up the engagement on a Friday and a Saturday. “Friday is really for the aficionados at the moment. Watching practice session on Friday is fun but there is no conclusion to it. But on a Friday now [at these selected events], we’ll have the excitement of the qualifying format. “I think it will be a great addition. There is unlikely to be pit stops, so it’ll be a clean race. It’ll be 30 mins roughly, 100km of action. “We want to see how fans engage with it and if the short format is appealing, it’s complimentary and if it works with the main race. We feel it will. We feel it’s going to be very exciting.”

Formula 1 has approved the introduction of Saturday ‘Sprint Qualifying’ races at a trio of grands prix this year in the biggest shake-up to the format in years. Championship organisers have been keen to amend the structure of the weekend for several years and previously floated the idea of a reversed-grid Saturday race at select grands prix. This proposal was twice rejected and organisers focused on a different approach for 2021. The overall concept has been in the public domain for several months but the finer details – including the financial implications – have been under discussion between teams and championship officials. The amended format has now been ratified and while precise locations have yet to be outlined, it is set to take place at grands prix in Britain, Italy and Brazil this year. The usual qualifying format will be shifted to Friday afternoon, with Sprint Qualifying taking place on Saturday, after a second one-hour practice session. A race, of length approximately 100km, will take place, with the outcome determining the grid for Sunday’s grand prix. Three points will be awarded to the driver in first place at the end of Sprint Qualifying, with two for second and one for third spot. “We are excited by this new opportunity that will bring our fans an even more engaging race weekend in 2021,” said Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali. “Seeing the drivers battling it out over three days will be an amazing experience and I am sure the drivers will relish the fight. “I am delighted that all the teams supported this plan, and it is a testament to our united efforts to continue to engage our fans in new ways while ensuring we remain committed to the heritage and meritocracy of our sport.” FIA president Jean Todt welcomed F1’s move to seek new and exciting ways of engaging new and existing fans. “I am pleased to see that Formula 1 is seeking new ways to engage with its fans and enlarge the spectacle of a race weekend through the concept of Sprint Qualifying. “It was made possible thanks to the continued collaboration between the FIA, Formula 1, and all of the teams. F1 is showing itself to be stronger than ever with all stakeholders working together in this way, and much has been done to ensure that the Sporting, Technical and Financial aspects of the format are fair.”

The long-debated Sprint Qualifying format is expected to be approved by the F1 Commission today, paving the way for its introduction at three rounds later this year. In order for it to go ahead the plan must receive at least 28 votes out of 30. Each team has one vote, while Formula 1 Management and the FIA have a further 10 apiece.The scheme, first revealed by RaceFans in February, is likely to gain unanimous backing. Formula 1 believes adding extra races on Saturdays will increase viewership of race weekends, and has been trying to introduce the format in one form or another for years. But while Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has claimed the plan enjoyed “great feedback from everyone”, several drivers publicly expressed scepticism over it. Sebastian Vettel said it “makes no sense”, Sergio Perez urged F1 to think carefully about “risky” experiments with the race weekend format and Daniel Ricciardo said the extra races must not diminish the value of winning grands prix. The drivers largely fell into line following a meeting with Domenicali during pre-season testing in Bahrain, where they are believed to have been urged to rein in their criticism having panned a similar proposal last year. Pierre Gasly confirmed the sprint race proposal was discussed but said “I don’t want to go public.” “We did this meeting to see all together whether we can move the sport forward and improve the show for all the people and all the fans, because that’s what we all want,” he added. “The main target is to improve the racing. I think all drivers are united in trying to make the car performance closer to each other, improve the show.” The Sprint Qualifying races will be held at three rounds this year. The British, Italian and Sao Paulo grands prix are expected to be chosen. The remuneration package teams will receive in exchange for putting their cars at risk of extra damage has been a sticking point, and could be subject to further last-minute revisions. This is not expected to prevent the format being approved. Final ratification will come from the World Motor Sports Council, which will likely be done via an electronic vote.

Istanbul Park in Turkey could be added to the 2021 F1 calendar in place of the Canadian Grand Prix, which may have to be cancelled again due to the pandemic. While recent media reports in Canada claiming the race has already been called off are understood to be premature, F1 is making preparations to abandon its trip to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the second year in a row.Canada has experienced a ‘third wave’ of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. The number of infections rose to 8,616 per day over the past week, and the increasing spread of new variants of the virus is a particular concern. The home race for Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi was due to take place on June 13th, one week after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. If it cannot go ahead, F1 is planning to replace it with another race closer to the teams’ bases in Europe. A meeting of the F1 Commission today will discuss plans to relocate the seventh round of the championship to Istanbul Park. The Turkish venue featured on the F1 calendar between 2005 and 2011, and returned last year when the schedule was reorganised due to the pandemic. Germany’s Nurburgring, another 11th-hour addition to last year’s calendar, is also under consideration as an alternative to the Montreal round. However Turkey’s circuit is believed to have offered the championship better financial terms. The commission will discuss other subjects including plans for Sprint Qualifying sessions at three races this year, increasing the number of formal testing opportunities for junior drivers, addressing potential loopholes in the Financial Regulations which were introduced this year and the potential introduction of a salary cap.

Red Bull have struck an important blow with the arrival of Ben Hodgkinson. The man who played an important role in the development of the engine at Mercedes, will make the switch to Red Bull in 2022, and that does cause some tension. The 2021 Formula One season has only just begun, but with Hodgkinson’s move, Red Bull Racing have dealt the first blow. In a year like this, it’s all about sticking together as a team, and there will be internal problems at Mercedes since news of Hodgkinson’s departure came out. Not only is Hodgkinson leaving the team, but it also emerged earlier that he had spoken to some colleagues to join him at Red Bull. Of course, this causes a lot of commotion at Mercedes, because they don’t know which of their employees would like to join them. For Red Bull this is an important move on two fronts. On the one hand it brings in knowledge about Mercedes’ engine and someone who is capable of leading a project towards an own engine for 2025. On the other hand, this move also ensures that the major competitor is disrupted. Where Mercedes has been very quiet in recent years and every departure was dealt with internally, this is a huge blow. After seven world titles, a key member of staff suddenly opts for the big rival, and apparently staff members within the organisation have also been told to leave. It’s time for Toto Wolff to start putting out those fires. In the meantime, according to Motorsport.it, Mercedes is doing everything possible to postpone Hodgkinson’s departure as long as possible. Because this would involve a key pawn in the organization, Mercedes is demanding the longest departure before the new position at Red Bull can be started. Mercedes would thus try to have Hodgkinson make the switch to Red Bull only at the end of 2022.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen believes that new regulations being introduced into F1 for the 2022 season will make it more difficult to drive the cars. A range of changes will come into effect next year that were originally planned for 2021 before being postponed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The regulations include changes to components such as the aerodynamics, bodywork and tyres, though some things – such as the engine and gearbox – will largely remain the same. Verstappen thinks that balancing the new aspects of the car with those that have not changed could prove to be a challenge. “Of course I haven’t driven the new car yet, so I can’t answer that yet,” Verstappen said in an interview on his website when asked if the new regulations will suit him. “But we do know that the cars will be a lot slower. I understand that it will also have very different driving characteristics. The engines will be the same, so with the same or more power and less grip, it will not be easy. “We will see. I think it will go back to the 2014 or 2015 grip levels, so that’s a big change.” On the topic of whether Formula 1 fans will like the 2022 cars, Verstappen hopes that they will create more competitive racing to keep the fans entertained. “They will look very different,” the Red Bull driver said. “But the most important thing, and we all hope this, is that the racing will improve. That’s what the fans will like.” The future of the sport in 2022 might still be unclear but so far the 2021 F1 season is proving successful for Verstappen. A close battle with Lewis Hamilton at the opening race of the year in Bahrain saw the Dutchman finish in second. He went on to take victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix following a chaotic race. Verstappen is in second place in the drivers’ standings, just one point behind Mercedes’ Hamilton.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said he is searching for a suitable replacement so he can step back from “this madness.” It has long been speculated that Wolff has been looking to walk away from his current position despite him purchasing a one-third stake in the Mercedes F1 Team in December – and the Austrian has revealed that he had asked technical director James Allison if he was interested in being his successor. “James and I speak multiple times every single day and we are totally coordinated on the strategic direction of Mercedes Motorsport and Mercedes Grand Prix,” Wolff said. “So, much earlier than before we decided the CTO role, it must have been a year or two ago, we discussed the future of the team principal role in Mercedes. He made it very clear it was not for him. “Since then, obviously, I am thinking and I am looking and I am observing what is happening out there and who is doing a good job so finally I can step back from this madness.” Earlier this month, Mercedes announced that Allison would be leaving his position as technical director to take on the newly created role of chief technical officer (CTO) in July. Commenting on this move, Wolff described Allison as a “huge asset” and outlined how they decided that making him CTO was the right move for him and Mercedes. “James is obviously a huge asset to the team, not only as a brilliant engineer but also as a leader. He has a good understanding and an overview of what is happening in Formula 1 beyond the technical space,” Wolff said. “He is a sparring partner of mine when it comes down to strategic discussions, political discussions and he is getting more involved also with the other departments and racing programs that we have. “It was almost a logical step to make him my technical twin brother. I am also the head of Mercedes Motorsport so it makes sense to have a technical director for all motorsport. “He enjoyed the idea, so we’ve worked on that for a year.”

Formula 1 will continue to stage the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka until the end of the 2024 season after securing a three-year contract extension. Suzuka has held the Japanese Grand Prix in all but two years since its first staged an F1 race in 1987, but its existing contract was due to expire after the 2021 race scheduled for October 10. In an announcement made on Saturday morning, F1 revealed that it had agreed a three-year extension to the existing Japanese Grand Prix with the race promoter, Mobilityland. “I am truly delighted that Formula 1 will continue to race at Suzuka Circuit for another three years,” said F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali. “Japan holds a special place in the hearts and minds of F1 fans all over the world, and Suzuka has played host to many of the sport’s most legendary moments, with 11 drivers’ titles being decided there. “The Japanese Grand Prix has always showcased gripping, edge-of-your-seat drama, and I am thrilled we can continue to bring the action and excitement that is Formula 1 to the passionate motorsport fans of Japan.” Concerns had been raised about the future of F1 in Japan given the planned exit of Honda at the end of 2021, but the rise of AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda means there is likely to still be Japanese interest on the grid in the coming years. Domenicali said the contract extension with Suzuka was “part of our long-term commitment to growing the sport in Asia”. F1 also has races in Singapore and China, while the cancelled race in Vietnam remains an avenue the series is keen to explore in the future. “As a result of repeated negotiations with Formula 1, we have been able to conclude a contract on hosting the event from the year 2022 and onward,” said president representative director of Mobilityland, Kaoru Tanaka. “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Formula 1 members, including first of all Mr Stefano Domenicali, for the great understanding that was shown during the negotiations. “We are determined to continue to our efforts together with local residents of Mie Prefecture and Suzuka City so that Suzuka Circuit will continue to be loved by fans all over the world and contribute to the prosperity of the motorsports culture.” Suzuka will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022, with Tanaka saying the track will mark the milestone by taking on “new challenges for the future while also cherishing the history and traditions of the sport so that we may provide fans with surprises, joys and emotional experiences.”

Kevin Magnussen will team up with his father, Jan, for the 2021 Le Mans 24 Hours, with the two driving an LMP2 car. After being dropped by Haas, K-Mag joined the IMSA Sportscar Championship for 2021, signing with Chip Ganassi Racing. One of the things he has spoken of being keenest to do going forward is to compete in the iconic race at Le Mans, and he stated back in December that his dream was to be able to do so alongside his dad, who has entered it every year since 1999 and was part of Corvette’s line-up from 2004 to 2019. However, with Jan having left the American team at that point, Kevin doubted it would be possible. “We’ve always wanted to do it, but I think it’s become more difficult now that my dad isn’t a factory driver,” Magnussen told Autosport. “When he was a Corvette driver, there were some opportunities to do it because Corvette could place me in the car for Le Mans. “But it became impossible with just logistics and time because you need to prepare. Also, it’s difficult for Corvette to put one driver in the car for Le Mans and not the same driver for the other big races that year. “Now that he’s not a factory driver, we would have to do it in like an LMP2 or a GTE-Am, which is difficult because we are both platinum drivers. It can be difficult with driver status, whatever the system is. It’s a bit complicated in terms of that. “It could get tricky with my dad. But we will always keep an eye open for it.” The pair have done just that, and have now found the opportunity that they were looking for. They’ll drive in the LMP2 class for Danish team High Class Racing, sharing a car with team regular Anders Fjordbach. The younger Magnussen announced it on social media, stating that it’s a dream come true for both him and his father. “Here we go!” he said. “My dad and I are going to be racing in the same team at Le Mans this year in LMP2. “It’s something we’ve tried to do for years and truly a dream come true.” Jan had driven the Le Mans 24 hours a total of 22 times and has won it four times in the GT class. This will his first time entering in the LMP2 category.

Red Bull have recruited a senior figure from rivals Mercedes to lead their new Formula 1 engine programme. Ben Hodgkinson, head of mechanical engineering at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, will become technical director at Red Bull’s equivalent department. It is being set up close to the chassis factory in Milton Keynes to take over the running of Honda’s engines. Honda will quit F1 at the end of the current season. They have sold their engines and intellectual property to Red Bull. Red Bull said Hodgkinson would take over his new position “once the terms of his current contract with HPP are fulfilled”. He is currently tied to Mercedes until the end of 2022, although typically in these situations the two parties tend to negotiate terms for an early release. A statement added: “[This is] a key leadership role heading up all technical aspects with a key focus on developing Red Bull’s inaugural power unit, to comply with the new Formula 1 regulations currently planned for 2025.” The sport is working on defining a new engine formula that will increase the proportion of power provided by electrical energy and also use fully sustainable carbon-neutral fuels. Hodgkinson has been working at Mercedes’ engine base at Brixworth in Northamptonshire for two decades and before that developed engines in both the World Rally Championship and for Le Mans. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “Ben comes to this hugely exciting project as a proven race-winner and as an innovator capable of leading a like-minded team of highly skilled engineers. “When Red Bull announced the creation of Red Bull Powertrains, it was also announcing a new phase of the company’s ambition in F1 – to bring every aspect of car design in-house and to put our destiny in our own hands. “The ultimate expression of that is the development of a Red Bull power unit to meet the next generation of F1 engine regulations. “Ben’s appointment signals our long-term intent and we will support him and his team with every available resource required in order to succeed.” Hodgkinson said: “It was not easy to make the decision to leave HPP after almost 20 years but the opportunity to take on such a far-reaching and important project is a great honour. “Red Bull are a serious player in F1 and have been our biggest rival in the hybrid era, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in this new phase of the company’s journey.”