Ricciardo's AlphaTauri Seat Fitting Sparks Speculation Amid de Vries' Testing Season

Hey Guys, Ryan here, I just wanted to pop in to say that this week’s email is going to be a little different from previous ones. Would love to get your feedback on which format you like better. I’ll put a poll at the bottom for you to vote. Thanks!

Here’s what we got this week:

• 🐂 | Red Bull Rumors: Ricciardo's AlphaTauri seat fitting sparks speculation amid de Vries' testing season

• 🏎 | 2026 Engine Swap: Honda's possible F1 comeback with Aston Martin in 2026

• 🚩 | Quali Crashes: Time to penalize red flag offenders?

• Standings: How many times can we get 2 Red Bulls and an Alonso on the podium?

PLUS: Mercedes' bid to snag Red Bull's Newey fails, Who’s the better racer on the team

🐂 Red Bull Rumors

Daniel Ricciardo's recent trip to the AlphaTauri factory in Italy for a seat fitting has ignited speculation about a potential driver change, with Nyck de Vries currently in the hot seat. Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet! This visit is a routine part of Ricciardo's reserve driver role with Red Bull, which also includes AlphaTauri.

Despite de Vries' challenging rookie season, the team remains supportive, emphasizing the learning curve inherent in the sport. Yet, if performance doesn't improve, Ricciardo isn't necessarily the automatic replacement. Other promising contenders, such as Super Formula standout Liam Lawson and F2's Ayumu Iwasa, are also on Red Bull's radar. The upcoming triple-header races at Imola, Monaco, and Barcelona are set to be a crucial testing ground for de Vries. Link

🏎 2026 Engine Swap

In an intriguing turn of events, Honda seems to be warming up its engines for a potential comeback to Formula 1 in 2026, likely in partnership with the Aston Martin team. Although Honda officially exited F1 at the end of 2021, it remained tied to Red Bull’s two F1 teams, supplying engines until 2025. Now, it appears the Japanese manufacturer might rejoin the grid with the 2026 new engine regulations. Even though Red Bull is set to partner with Ford for a new in-house F1 engine, multiple sources are pointing to Aston Martin as Honda's likely new partner.

This change from Honda aligns with F1’s sustainable fuel rules and increased electrical output, which resonates with the company's wider goals. Honda's decision to reconsider its F1 future has been fueled by its ongoing success with Red Bull. The possibility of a Honda-Aston Martin union also comes with a touch of nostalgia, as it would reunite 'Team Silverstone' with the manufacturer it last worked with in the early 2000s. However, the final decision hasn't been rubber-stamped just yet. Link

🚩 Quali Crashes

In the wake of the recent crash at the Miami GP during the qualifying session, an urgent call for rule changes has resurfaced. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc lost control of his SF-23 during the third round of qualifying, bringing the session to an early close. Despite causing the red flag, Leclerc held onto his seventh place on the starting grid, further underlining the lack of penalties for such incidents in Formula 1.

This isn’t the first time Leclerc, or other drivers, have caused red flags in qualifying without facing substantial consequences. The issue highlights a potential loophole where a driver could effectively halt a session without any real penalty. It's suggested that a driver causing a red flag during qualifying should lose at least their fastest lap from that session. IndyCar, for example, already enforces a similar rule to great effect. If implemented in F1, such a rule change could make the qualifying process fairer and help prevent the premature termination of these high-stakes sessions. Link

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💨 Hot Laps

• ❌ | Despite ongoing struggles, Mercedes' recent bid to poach Red Bull's star aerodynamicist Adrian Newey proved unsuccessful, as the F1 giant continues to look for solutions to their current performance woes.

• 📊 | Tsunoda and Alosno have consistently outperformed their teammates de Vries and Stroll by finishing in front in the first five races. Sainz stages an unexpected reversal from last year by finishing ahead of Leclerc 4 to 1. See all the other drivers.

Standings

The Red Bulls go 1-2 in Miami with Alonso getting 3rd. I’m starting to see a pattern here. How many more races will we see where Red Bull and Alonso sweep the podium? It looks like Red Bull is way too fast for anyone to challenge them. Max made it look easy going from 9th to 1st and then staying out so long on the original tires.

Alonso is still within striking distance of Max for the Drivers’ Championship. If Aston Martin can unlock some extra power he has a chance. The real fight though is between Max and Checo. I would have loved to see Checo take first in Miami. We need a battle between two drivers! And it appears Max verse Checo is our most likely one.