BREAKING NEWS: Danny Ricciardo is Back

Hey guys, Ryan here, this week I went a little overboard with the memes. I mean who doesn’t love a good meme. You know what I meme?

Here’s what we got this week:

• 🍯🦡 Honey Badger Returns: Danny replaces De Vries on AlphaTauri

• 📽️ Brad Pitt Starts Filming: British GP saw cameras rolling for new F1 movie

• 🚫 No Teams for Sale: Andretti's path to F1 faces obstacle

• 🤖 How F1 Uses A.I. to Grow: Languages is the answer

• 📊 Standings/British GP Recap: McLaren rises from the dead

PLUS: Chuck Leclerc was linked to Red Bull meetings, De Vries’ future is in danger, especially with no sponsors, France wants a Grand Prix return

🍯🦡 Honey Badger Returns

Danny Ricciardo is set to make a surprising comeback in Formula 1, joining Red Bull's sister team, AlphaTauri, for the remainder of the season. The Aussie driver, released by McLaren last year, will replace Nyck de Vries, who has been dropped after just 10 races. So I guess this means we’re not going to get any more Danny and Will alternative broadcasts….might be for the best.

Ricciardo, with eight grand prix victories under his belt, rejoined Red Bull as a reserve driver this season. Following a successful tire test at Silverstone, Ricciardo expressed his excitement, stating, "I'm stoked to be back on track with the Red Bull family."

This move reflects Red Bull's swift response to De Vries' underwhelming performances. The Dutchman, a former Formula E and Formula 2 champion, struggled to match his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

Ricciardo's return to a full-time race seat offers him an opportunity to prove his capabilities after challenging seasons at Renault and McLaren. It also adds pressure on Red Bull's second driver, Sergio Perez, whose form has dipped in recent races.

Red Bull's decision to bring back Ricciardo highlights their ongoing search for talent through their junior driver program. The move marks a departure from their previous successes in nurturing top-tier drivers.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Ricciardo's performance and the potential implications for the Red Bull team dynamic. Read story

📽️ Brad Pitt Starts Filming

Last weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw an unexpected addition to the Formula 1 scene. Alongside the nearly half a million fans, Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt was present, filming for Apple TV's upcoming F1 movie.

The atmosphere at Silverstone was electrifying, with a significant number of new fans attending the race. Drive To Survive has propelled the sport's popularity, and now Pitt's involvement in the film adds an extra dimension of excitement.

Pitt's role in the untitled F1 film revolves around a former racer making a comeback. Teaming up with Javier Bardem's character, they aim to turn around a struggling team's fortunes with the help of a young prodigy played by Damson Idris.

As filming commenced, Pitt embraced the experience and expressed his joy at being a part of the F1 world. With the support and cooperation of F1 teams, including Ferrari and Mercedes, the film aims to showcase the sport authentically. The use of cutting-edge technology, reminiscent of the realistic visuals in Top Gun: Maverick, will provide viewers with a never-before-seen perspective of Formula 1.

While Pitt's driving skills are yet to be fully tested, his enthusiasm and commitment to respecting the sport have impressed those involved. As the film project progresses, fans eagerly await the release of this promising F1 cinematic experience. Read story

🚫 No Teams for Sale

In his bid to enter Formula 1, Michael Andretti has faced a major obstacle—there are no existing teams available for sale. Team principals have advised him to buy a team, but the lack of sellers has left Andretti's hopes pinned on the approval of the FIA to add an 11th team to the grid.

The FIA's decision on bids, including Andretti's, is expected to be announced as early as July 15. Andretti has garnered support from General Motors and already has driver Colton Herta ready to join the project, aiming to become the first competitive American in F1 in a long time. The final decision rests with F1 and the FIA, who will determine if Andretti's entry is a positive addition to the sport. Read story

🤖 How F1 Uses A.I. to Grow

In an effort to enhance F1 TV and expand its audience, Formula 1 has turned to artificial intelligence technology. The sport is utilizing AWS services, specifically Amazon Transcribe, to provide live captioning for races on F1 TV and F1 TV Pro. This allows Formula 1 to offer closed captions in multiple languages, making the content more accessible to viewers around the world.

The AI system, developed in collaboration with AWS, has been trained to understand the complex vernacular of Formula 1, including terms specific to the sport and different pronunciations of drivers' names by commentators in various languages. Formula 1 has built a rich catalog of terminology and worked on post-processing to ensure accurate and contextually relevant subtitles.

While AI technology is integral to the captioning process, human involvement is still crucial. Captioning teams review and correct any potential errors or confusing statements that may arise during a race weekend, ensuring that the captions are accurate.

Beyond captioning, Formula 1 is also exploring personalization strategies to cater to a wider range of viewers. The sport aims to make the content more understandable and engaging, particularly for those who are new to Formula 1.

As a first step, Formula 1 and Sky are collaborating to create a special broadcast for children in the UK and Germany during the Hungarian Grand Prix. This dedicated feed will feature customized graphics, sound effects, and 3D augmented graphics on specific camera angles, providing an exciting and educational experience for young fans. Read story

💨 Hot Laps

• 🤯 Red Bull held talks with Charles Leclerc at the end of May to find any possibility of him separating from Ferrari

• 💶 Nyck de Vries's Formula 1 future is in doubt as he departs AlphaTauri due to lackluster performances and limited sponsorship opportunities

• 🇫🇷 French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed support for the return of Formula 1 to France, with a potential street race in Nice being considered. Macron has tasked local officials with engaging in discussions with F1 and conducting a feasibility study, highlighting the importance of the race for the country's attractiveness and automotive industry

📊 Standings/British GP Recap

Silverstone witnessed another remarkable display of skill from Max Verstappen, as the Red Bull driver recovered from a wheelspin off pole to reclaim the lead from Lando Norris to secure his 8th win in 10 races. Verstappen's total of 255 points puts him 99 points ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez and would be enough to lead the constructors' championship on his own. This victory marks Verstappen's sixth consecutive win, joining the ranks of Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Nico Rosberg.

McLaren rose from the dead at Silverstone, with Lando Norris delivering for his team. From second on the grid, Norris briefly led his home race but had to finish for P2. His best result on home soil in Formula 1 earned him the Driver of the Day accolade for the second consecutive week. McLaren's podium at Silverstone was their first since 2010, solidifying their fifth position in the constructors' championship. The other McLaren finished P4. So this raises the question, do we now have a 4th team fighting for 2nd now? Or is this just a flash in the pan?

Alpine endured a brutal Grand Prix, with Esteban Ocon retiring due to a hydraulic leak and Pierre Gasly forced out with a damaged suspension. As a result, Alpine dropped behind McLaren into 6th place in the constructors' championship.