Guenther Steiner OUT as Boss

🌎 Around Formula 1

🇩🇪 Germany’s F1 Downfall - Their decline in F1 is marked by the absence of a German GP for five years and a lack of top-performing German drivers. The country's motorsport legacy, once thriving with champions like Schumacher, Vettel, and Rosberg, and famous circuits, now faces challenges. The departure of Michael Schumacher significantly impacted F1's popularity in Germany, leading to reduced race hosting and a gap in driver talent. Economic crises and changing global F1 dynamics further contributed to this downturn, leaving Germany's F1 future uncertain. Read more

🍫 Watch this guy make an F1 car out of chocolate, it’s insane.

🤔 F1's US Growth Plateau? - F1's recent surge in the US, marked by three races including the Las Vegas GP, seems to have hit a plateau. Despite the sport's increased presence, including an American driver and team, TV ratings and event attendance suggest a leveling off in interest. This trend raises questions about F1's long-term growth strategy in the US, where it previously struggled to gain a foothold. The sport's future success may hinge on maintaining fan engagement and ensuring competitive racing at the front of the grid. Read more

🇮🇹 Monza's Crucial Renovations - The iconic F1 circuit has initiated a major renovation to meet modern standards and secure its place in F1's future. The project, costing millions, includes resurfacing the track, constructing a new underpass, upgrading pit facilities, and repairing grandstands. Scheduled to be completed in 140 days, the upgrades aim to ensure Monza's readiness for the 2024 Italian GP and strengthen its bid to remain an F1 venue beyond its current contract, which ends next year. F1 CEO emphasizes the importance of these improvements for maintaining Monza's global prestige and attracting new fans and investors. Read more

🛞 Drivers

✋ Danny’s Return Almost Blocked by Red Bull - Ricciardo's 2023 F1 return, initially uncertain, was almost blocked by Red Bull, reveals AlphaTauri boss Peter Bayer. After leaving McLaren, Ricciardo rejoined Red Bull as a reserve driver. His move to AlphaTauri, replacing Nyck De Vries, faced initial resistance from Red Bull, who wanted to retain him as a reserve. However, a successful test at Silverstone changed Red Bull's stance, leading to Ricciardo's AlphaTauri seat and revitalizing his career. Read more

👑 Perez's 2024 Ambition - Acknowledges the significant challenge he faces in attempting to surpass Verstappen for the 2024 championship. Despite a strong start in 2023, performance wavered, especially in qualifying, leading to a substantial gap behind Verstappen. Not wanting to settle for second place again, Perez is using the winter break for improvement and to maintain consistency throughout the season. Verstappen's dominant performance has opened up Perez’s interest in adapting strategies that could enhance his driving. All amidst external pressures and the return of Daniel Ricciardo to the Red Bull fold. Read more

🏎 Teams

👀 Guenther Out as Boss - After a decade as team principal, he has departed due to the team's need for improved on-track performance. His innovative leadership style wasn't enough to consistently deliver results. Steiner's contract expired, and Haas chose not to renew it, opting for a more engineering-focused approach under Ayao Komatsu. Steiner's charismatic presence, amplified by Netflix's "Drive to Survive," significantly boosted the team's profile, but his departure raises questions about Haas's future appeal and performance. Read more

↪️ Alfa Romeo Rebrands - For the 2024 season, the Swiss Sauber team will revert to its original name, ending its Alfa Romeo branding since 2019. This change precedes Sauber's transition to the Audi factory team in 2026, with the team continuing to use Ferrari engines until then. Read more

🏎 Mercedes' Major Makeover - Toto Wolff reveals a major overhaul for their 2024 car, aiming to challenge Red Bull's dominance. After two seasons without a constructors' championship, Mercedes plans significant changes to almost every component of the W15. Wolff remains cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the potential risks and rewards of this ambitious strategy. Read more

🚒 2026 Engine Roster - The engines for 2026 are going to be much different than the upcoming seasons. The gist of it is that they will be more electric, less fuel-consuming, better for the environment, and cheaper to build. Right now there are six engine manufacturers registered for 2026, including Audi and Ford-supported Red Bull Powertrains, alongside Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, and Alpine. Teams have aligned with these suppliers, with Red Bull and McLaren using in-house and Mercedes engines respectively, Aston Martin switching to Honda, and Haas yet to announce their choice. Audi's entry marks a significant addition to the grid. Read more

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