Racetrackmasters

Ricciardo was the latest guest on the Australian Grand Prix’s ‘In The Fast Lane’ podcast and was asked to help construct a list of the top 10 drivers of the 2020 campaign. The Aussie found it to be a difficult process as he felt a case could made for quite a few drivers in a season that produced five different winners and 13 different drivers on the podium. But, eventually, he decided to choose himself, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. “I don’t think it’s that obvious,” Ricciardo said. “Because I think a lot of people stepped up this year. “I mean the Mr Consistent at the top of course is your Lewis Hamilton. So he’s going to be there, whether it’s first, second, he’s going to be there. “Then you go down to Red Bull and Max is always there. So he’s in contention. “The way Charles got that Ferrari doing things this year, but then again I feel like probably Charles made more mistakes, so I wouldn’t put him there. “Yeah, probably myself! After all that. It’s hard not picking yourself but it’s also hard picking yourself because you sound like a bit of a douche. “Put it this way, I would put myself, Max, and Lewis in the top three. But I’d sneak myself a nose in front.” Ricciardo also did make a point of mentioning just how his former team-mate Verstappen has improved over the years. “I think he definitely did a large step of his development through 2016 and then 2017,” he said. “I also felt like the new cars, when we changed to the bigger tyres and all that in 2017, having more grip actually helped him or suited him as well. “He was already doing very well and then those cars were more for him as well. “Everyone says he was one of the best go-karters ever, and on a go-kart there’s a lot of grip in that and I thought maybe he just does like a car that really sticks. “So, 2017, I think already the speed was there. And then there was still the mistakes which he needed to clean up, even through a bit of 2018. “But once you clean that up, now he’s just got that high level of consistency with few mistakes.”

AlphaTauri has officially announced that Tsunoda will partner Pierre Gasly for the 2021 season. Tsunoda is part of both the Red Bull Junior Team and the Honda’s Young Driver Programme and finished third in this year’s Formula 2 Championship driving for Carlin. That result means the 20-year-old from Kanagawa, Japan, qualifies for a Formula 1 Super License. After winning the F4 Japanese Championship in 2018, he moved to Europe the following year to compete in the newly-formed FIA Formula 3 Championship, ending the season in ninth position with three podiums and a win. He graduated to Formula 2 for 2020 and enjoyed a successful season, amazing seven podiums, two Feature Race victories and a Sprint Race win. He recently covered 300 kilometres in a 2018 Formula 1 car during a test at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit in Imola, as well as driving for us at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi on 15 December. The last time a Japanese driver raced in Formula 1 was when Kamui Kobayashi took part in the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The last Japanese driver to race in Formula 1 was Kamui Kobayashi, while the last Honda-supported driver in the category was Takuma Sato, who competed in F1 from 2002 to 2008. “Red Bull has been following Yuki’s career for a while now,” said Franz Tost, “and I am sure he will be a great asset to our team. “Watching him in Formula 2 this year, he has demonstrated the right mix of racing aggression and good technical understanding. During the test in Imola in November when he drove our 2018 car, his lap times were very consistent over a race simulation, he progressed throughout the day and gave our engineers useful feedback. “In addition, his integration with the Honda engineers has been seamless, which certainly helps. At the test in Abu Dhabi this week, he proved to be a fast learner and that he is ready to make the step to Formula One.” “Like most racing drivers, it has always been my goal to race in Formula 1,” added Tsunoda, “so I am very happy with this news. I want to thank Scuderia AlphaTauri, Red Bull and Dr. Marko for giving me this opportunity, and of course everyone from Honda, for all their support so far in my career, giving me great opportunities to race in Europe. “I must also thank the teams that I have raced with to get to this point, particularly Carlin, with whom I have learned so much this year. I realise that I will be carrying the hopes of a lot of Japanese F1 fans next year and I will be doing my best for them too.”

Christian Horner is feeling “positive” about Red Bull’s efforts to take over departing partner Honda’s works engine program for 2022 and beyond. Recently, the energy drink team had gained the tentative support of some rivals in pushing for a development ‘freeze’ for 2022, which would make running Honda’s engines viable after the Japanese marque’s formal F1 exit. There are even rumours that Red Bull could keep Honda’s F1 technical boss Toyoharu Tanabe on board. “That’s very much an unexpected question for me,” the Japanese said in Abu Dhabi. “If something happens in the future, I will take time to consider carefully for my future.” Tanabe said “discussions” about 2022 are currently taking place with Red Bull. “We haven’t got any conclusion yet so we will consider every circumstance,” he said. Team boss Christian Horner confirmed that the talks between Red Bull and its rivals are highly politicised. “As you can imagine, I cannot say too much about what is being discussed,” he said. “But I would say the conversations that are going on behind the scenes are positive.” However, Horner admitted that the talks are political. “Unfortunately that’s all part of the game,” he said. “I’ve been around this business long enough to know how it works.”

F1 legend Gerhard Berger says Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen would be a “strong lineup” for Red Bull. It is believed the energy drink company will finally confirm on Wednesday that Yuki Tsunoda already in action in the young driver test will replace Daniil Kvyat at the junior team Alpha Tauri in 2021. The identity of Verstappen’s teammate at the senior team, meanwhile, is set for confirmation prior to Christmas. Berger thinks it is a straight contest between incumbent Alex Albon and Racing Point refugee Sergio Perez. “There are two hearts beating in my chest,” the former F1 driver told Servus TV when asked who he would choose. “With Albon they would have a young driver who they want to take to the winning circle from their own ranks,” Berger said. “But Perez is a constant who can win grands prix, as he proved in Sakhir. “What is clear is that a team like Red Bull needs to work with two top drivers. Red Bull is also loyal, so Albon still has his chance. But I can imagine that Verstappen-Perez would be a strong lineup. “With Max, they already have an absolutely top guy, but they also need to protect themselves. Red Bull’s goal must be to win both the drivers’ and the teams’ world championships,” added Berger. Berger also commented on the departure from Ferrari of quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel. “As far as I can remember, Ferrari only had two drivers who put them on the road to success – Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher,” said the former Ferrari driver. “Kimi Raikkonen was a bit lucky and everyone else failed.” Like Bernie Ecclestone, Berger thinks Ferrari’s main problem is home-made. “Controlling that team with the Italian mentality is a difficult thing,” he said. Finally, Berger was asked about Valtteri Bottas’ situation in the wake of George Russell’s highly impressive one-off outing for Mercedes in Bahrain. “Bottas doesn’t have the speed that Russell has,” he said. “On the other hand, they have already committed themselves for the future to Bottas, so we will have to see if there is the opportunity to change the contract behind the scenes.”

Williams Formula One team founder Sir Frank Williams was admitted to the hospital, the team announced today. No specific reason for the hospitalization was given, but the team confirmed that he is currently in stable condition. Williams, who is 78, founded the Williams F1 team in 1977 alongside engineer Sir Patrick Head. Since then, the F1 team went on to win nine constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ championships. Williams’ F1 chassis still have codenames that start with FW in Frank’s honor. Williams’ eponymous F1 team also birthed Williams Advanced Engineering, which takes on go-fast projects ranging from Singer 911 engines to Formula E batteries and even 103-mph tractors. Williams Racing posted the following statement on Frank’s condition on Twitter: “Sir Frank Williams has recently been admitted to hospital where he is in a stable condition. Frank’s medical condition is a private matter and therefore the family will not be releasing any further details at this time. We ask for you to respect the family’s privacy. The team will release a further update in due course. Thank you.”

Britain’s Callum Ilott will be Ferrari’s Formula 1 test driver next season, the Italian team said on Tuesday.Ilott, 22, was Formula 2 runner-up to Germany’s Mick Schumacher this year but missed out on a F1 race seat for 2021. He tested with Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Schumacher, son of seven times world champion Michael, will race for the Ferrari-powered Haas team while Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda, who finished third in F2, is expected to move up with AlphaTauri. “I look forward to contributing to the work the team does on and off track, and to all of the new things I can learn by taking on this exciting new challenge,” Ilott said in a statement. “I will give my all to do a good job and gain as much experience as possible to continue making progress as a driver.”

Formula 1 has revealed the entry fees teams will have to pay to race in the 2021 season, with champions Mercedes unsurprisingly at the top of the list.A system that sees F1 teams required to make a payment to the sport’s governing body, the FIA, in order to race next season, teams are required to make the payment based on the amount of points in the preceding season. Under the rules, all teams must pay a base entry fee of $556,509, with an extra $5,563 for each world championship point they scored. However, the constructors’ champions must pay an additional $6,677 for each point scored, meaning Mercedes’ bill is substantially larger than any other team’s. As a result, Mercedes will pay $4,382,430 for the privilege of defending their title, although it’s worth noting that the loss of races due to the COVID-19 pandemic means there were less points on offer for 2020, and thus even Mercedes got a discount compared to the fee they had to pay this past season. The full list of entry fees can be found below: Mercedes- $4,382,430 Red Bull- $2,331,106 McLaren- $1,680,235 Racing Point- $1,641,294 Renault- $1,563,412 Ferrari- $1,285,262 AlphaTauri- $1,151,750 Alfa Romeo- $601,013 Haas- $573,198 Williams- $556,509

Romain Grosjean is set to undergo surgery in the wake of his horror and fiery crash in Bahrain. The Frenchman missed the final two grands prix of his Formula 1 career as a result of the burns to his hands. “I could almost live normally with my right hand already,” Grosjean, 34, told RTL. “The only problem is that it is quite painful in this cold weather.” As for the left hand, he said it will take “another three good weeks” for the burns to heal. “But there are small victories every day. The first is that I 99.9 percent don’t have to have a graft, and I also have my little finger out of the bandage now,” said Grosjean. “I do need to go to the operating room this week because the ligament of the thumb was torn off, so it will mean between four and six weeks of immobilisation of the thumb. “Apart from that, I have joked with friends that I will not be a hand model next, but honestly it’s nothing compared to what could have happened in that accident,” he added.

Formula One and the FIA jointly announced that three people tested positive in the last seven-day period, which was the ultimate test period of the 2020 F1 season. Since the coronavirus-delayed 2020 F1 season kicked off in Austria on July 5, the sport has done a tremendous job to ensure that the safety of drivers, teams and staff is guaranteed. This included the social distancing in the paddock area and the mandatory wearing of face coverings. During race weekends, teams and F1 staff are operating in bubbles to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Everyone entering the paddock must undergo tests for Covid-19 every five days. Formula One and the FIA announced every seven day the results of the tests of the previous period. The sport has now confirmed that between Friday 4th December and Thursday 10th December, 7,723 tests for COVID-19 have been performed on drivers, teams and personnel. Of these, 3 people tested positive. „The FIA and Formula 1 are providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and transparency. No further details as to teams or individuals will be provided by the FIA or Formula 1 and results will be made public every 7 days,” read Formula One statement.

The Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi has started and after driving about two hours it is Fernando Alonso who leads the test for ‘rookies’. Sebastien Buemi had a nasty moment for Red Bull Racing. After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Formula 1 teams have not quite finished the F1 season. In Abu Dhabi there will be another test for the younger drivers. At least, that was the idea, but after an approval for the participation of Fernando Alonso there were even more possibilities. The Spaniard is therefore the number one at the moment, although times do not say everything during such a test, of course. However, it is an extra chance for the drivers and the teams to test certain things. For Red Bull Racing it is therefore annoying that precisely the experienced driver goes into the fog. Sebastian Buemi already drove in Formula 1, but he was already in the wall this morning with his Red Bull. With a fifth fastest time he is a lot faster than the young Juri Vips, but that Est is still on the track where Buemi had to go to the garage. Nyck de Vries can be found in third place in front of Mercedes, with 35 laps already behind his name.

The 2020 Formula 1 season is over after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but not every driver has finished Formula 1 yet. In Abu Dhabi, the Young Driver Test will be completed on Tuesday, although not every driver is so ‘young’. Read here who will take part in this test. At the end of the season, Formula 1 teams would have the opportunity to test their new cars, but when the regulations were shifted, the test was also shortened. The test would be renamed a Young Driver Test, in which only drivers were allowed to take part with a maximum of two races to their name in Formula 1. However, the FIA cut itself off by having Fernando Alonso tested for Renault. The two-time world champion was not in the car in 2020, so he was allowed to take part in the test. However, this opened the door wide to other teams, including Stoffel Vandoorne, Robert Kubica and Sebastien Buemi. All drivers who have made enough kilometres in F1. So the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi is no longer so much a test for young drivers, but rather a test for the teams to test that car with the new floor and tyres for 2021. McLaren, together with Racing Point, is not present. They decided to abandon this test earlier this season, due to the lack of official junior or test drivers. Mercedes- Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries Red Bull Racing- Sebastien Buemi and Juri Vips Renault- Fernando Alonso and Guanyu Zhou Ferrari- Robert Shwartzman and Antonio Fuoco AlphaTauri- Yuki Tsunoda and Marino Sato Alfa Romeo- Robert Kubica and Callum Ilott Haas- Mick Schumacher Williams- Jack Aitken and Roy Nissany

The 2020 Formula 1 season concluded on Sunday in Abu Dhabi with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen besting the Mercedes team to take his second win of the season. All eyes are now on the Austrian team, which is yet to confirm their driver lineup for the 2021 campaign. Verstappen’s father Jos remained coy when questioned about his son’s next teammate. Alex Albon partnered with Verstappen in 2020 and did not give a good account of himself as he struggled to match the pace set by the Dutchman. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner made it clear that a decision will only be made after the end of the season as the organization was keen to give Albon every opportunity to stake a claim for the seat. The British-Thai driver failed to leave a lasting impression, and recent reports suggest that Sergio Perez, who was let go by Racing Point, is in line to replace him. Red Bull has played their cards close to the chest, but they are expected to make an announcement in the coming days. Jos, an integral member of the Red Bull crew, admitted that he is also in the dark about his son’s next teammate. “No, I really don’t know. I haven’t heard anything yet. Otherwise, I would have known,” Jos said, as quoted on GP Blog. “Let’s wait and see where he stands in relation to Max and Albon next year. I don’t know how good Perez is.” Meanwhile, Mercedes suffered a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Red Bull in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. They had no answer to Verstappen’s pace with Valtteri Bottas finishing over 10 seconds behind in second place. Chief trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin was lost for words in explaining the blunder that they committed during the race’s weekend stretch. “The surprise came from the fact that on Friday we looked all right,” Shovlin stated via ESPN. “We did our own program on the 2021 tires, and we were keen to focus a fair chunk of our effort on that. “If we were struggling [for performance] on Friday, then we might have said that we’d spent too much time on those tires, but we weren’t and we were very quick,” he continued. “So to be honest, on Friday night, we were fairly relaxed where we stood and the surprise was on Saturday morning when we hit the track and we were slow.”

Red Bull Racing has closed the 2020 Formula 1 season in style. Not only was Max Verstappen the fastest of the whole weekend, but the Red Bull pit stop team was also the fastest in Abu Dhabi. If there is one part in which Red Bull excels, it is the pit stops. Ever since Red Bull entered F1 they have been strong in the pitlane, as seen by their several awards. The DHL Fastest Pitstop Award will once again go to Red Bull Racing in 2020, after they dominated once again. In Abu Dhabi, Red Bull was once again the fastest, with a pit stop of 2.36s for Max Verstappen. Alexander Albon also had a quick stop, 2.62s. Red Bull have been so good at changing tyres this season, they ended with more than double the points of second-placed Williams.