🚨 Cold Challenges In Vegas

Hey there, F1 fanatic! 👋

Let’s get right into the latest happenings in Formula 1, because we’ve got a lot to cover.

❄️ Las Vegas Chill Factor: The F1 circus is heading to Las Vegas for the first time in 40 years, but there's a cold front causing concern. We're diving into how F1 braces for an unusually chilly race in the desert.

🏁 FIA's Fresh Formula: Big news from the FIA as they overhaul their review procedure. This significant shift could change the game in F1. We've got all the insider info on what's changing and why.

⛳️ Teeing Off with Tires: Golf meets Grand Prix! In an unexpected twist, F1 and golf are joining forces, and you can catch all the action on Netflix. We're exploring how these two worlds are colliding and what it means for fans.

🥶 Pirelli Braces for Vegas GP Challenges

The Formula 1 community is buzzing with excitement as they prepare for the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix. As the much-awaited moment draws closer, Pirelli's decision to use their softest tire compound gets some attention.

Mario Isola, the motorsport director for Pirelli, is gearing up for a significant focus on their tires, given the unexpectedly low temperatures.

Forecasts suggest temperatures could plunge to 3℃ (38F) during the qualifying rounds, posing a substantial challenge for the tires. Instead of the usual issue of tires wearing out too fast, the focus shifts to the difficulty of heating the tires adequately in cooler conditions.

The C5 set, marked as the soft tire, is among the three softest compounds Pirelli has chosen for the event. - Read more

🚗 General Motors to Power F1 Engines from 2028

General Motors (GM) is all set to become a key player in the Formula 1 arena. The US automotive giant has officially registered with the FIA to manufacture power units for F1, starting from the 2028 season.

What’s Next:

• GM, through its Cadillac brand, is teaming up with Andretti for the American team’s F1 project, aiming to join the grid from 2025.

• Andretti now needs to prove to Formula 1 that its presence will enhance the current field of contenders.

• The majority of the current teams are against expanding the grid to eleven teams as it could dilute the sport’s prize fund and reduce the teams’ income.

Go Deeper:

GM’s move to become an engine supplier to F1 from 2028 significantly boosts Andretti’s ambitions of becoming a Grand Prix entrant.

However, there’s a catch. If Andretti enters F1 in 2025 as planned, it will need a temporary engine supply from one of F1’s current power unit manufacturers. Last year, Andretti signed a conditional agreement with Renault, but this has now expired. It’s likely, however, that the French manufacturer would be the American outfit’s partner of choice during its interim period.

Read More

🚨 FIA Tightens Formula 1 Review Rules

The FIA is making some significant changes to its review procedure. Before Haas's recent request for a review of track limit offenses by rivals at the US Grand Prix, which the FIA rejected, there was already a plan for change. 

This incident underscores an increase in the frequency of review requests. The FIA aims to discourage teams from making these requests too readily. This year, teams like Aston Martin in Saudi Arabia, Ferrari in Australia, and McLaren in Austria have also submitted review requests.

Why It Matters:

⚖️ Decision-making: It affects how teams can challenge decisions made during races

⏳ Shorter Review Window: Teams now have only four days (96 hours) to request a review, reduced from 14 days.

What We Are Hearing:

📊 Increasing Review Requests: There's been a rise in the number of review requests, like Haas’s recent query about track limits at the US GP.

🔄 Past to Present: Initially, there was no time limit on review requests; then it was 14 days, and now just 96 hours.

📝 Special Circumstances: The review request window can be extended to 120 hours in exceptional cases.

💼 Appeal System Changes: Teams used to submit a notice of intent to appeal and decide within 96 hours to proceed. Now, even if they withdraw, the case might go to the International Court of Appeal.

🚫 Closing Loopholes: This change aims to prevent teams from temporarily avoiding penalties through the appeal process.

💰 Introduction of Fees: A new fee is required for review requests, encouraging teams to think twice before submitting.

Read more

↔️ Haas Splits Car Setups for Vegas GP

Haas plans to split their car setups for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Nico Hulkenberg will be using their older aerodynamics package, while Kevin Magnussen will be in the car with the new specs.

What We’re Watching:

• Nico Hulkenberg will use the pre-US Grand Prix spec package.

• Kevin Magnussen will continue with the most recent aero spec.

• The team hopes to improve aerodynamic efficiency and solve tyre degradation issues.

• The team’s split specification approach for Vegas is based on each driver’s preference.

Go Deeper:

Last month, Haas introduced a significantly revised car at The Circuit of the Americas. This was a major shift in their approach, inspired by Red Bull’s successful downwash sidepod concept. The goal was to boost the car’s aerodynamic efficiency and lay a solid foundation for the next season. They also aimed to address the persistent issue of tyre degradation.

However, the team struggled to fully understand the new package during the US Grand Prix’s sprint weekend due to the tight schedule. In Mexico, they had more time to assess potential improvements. But the high altitude, which typically reduces downforce, left them with little clarity. - Read More

💸 Christian Horner Discusses Impact of FIA Cost Regulations

Christian Horner recently compared the latest cost cap scrutiny, saying it felt like going through "a full colonoscopy."

Earlier this year, the FIA confirmed that all 10 teams followed the 2022 cost cap rules, which was a change from 2021. Back then, Red Bull was found to have spent over the limit, mainly due to a tax rebate mistake, and ended up with a $432,000 overspend. As a result, they were fined and lost some wind tunnel and CFD development time.

Horner spoke positively about the evolving financial regulations and the thorough job the FIA is doing. He noted that the FIA is learning to handle the complexity of these rules better. Every team is different, which adds to the challenge, especially with subsidiary accounts. - Read more

🏌️‍♂️ The Excitement of the Netflix Cup in Las Vegas

❓ What's the Netflix Cup?

Netflix Cup is a blend of F1 and golf, which will happen for the first time in Las Vegas. Some of your favorite stars from the F1 series "Drive to Survive" and the golf series "Full Swing" are teaming up for a thrilling competition before the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

🤝 Pairings Revealed

From the F1 world, we've got Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly showing off their golf skills. They'll be paired with renowned golfers:

1. Lando Norris & Rickie Fowler

2. Carlos Sainz Justin Thomas

3. Pierre Gasly & Collin Morikawa

4. Alex Albon & Max Homa

🏌️‍♂️ The Game Format

Each team will play eight holes of match play, and there will be some unexpected challenges thrown in. The format is a scramble - both players tee off, and then they choose the best drive to play from. The lowest-scoring team wins the hole.

📺 How to Watch

You can watch the Netflix Cup live on Netflix at 3pm Pacific Time (Midnight, CET) on November 14. You can also stream it later if you can't catch it live.

What Is A Side pod On An F1 Car?

A sidepod on an F1 car is basically this big bulge you see on the sides, right next to the driver's seat. It stretches back towards the engine. Side pods do two major jobs:

👉 Cooling important parts like the engine and electronics

👉 Managing airflow for better speed and stability on the track

Transformation of Formula 1 Sidepods Over the Years

Sidepods have been a key part of race cars for a long time. Initially, the cars had high sidepods to help push air to the rear wing, making the car more aerodynamic.

But then, designers started trying out lower sidepods because they found out it cut down on drag and made the car faster. There are also rules about how big and what shape the sidepods can be, so teams have to think about aerodynamics and keeping the engine cool, all while following these rules.

Now, sidepods are super important in a Formula One car, and they keep getting better as teams look for ways to be more aerodynamic and cool the engine more efficiently.

One of the biggest changes was lowering the sidepods in the 1980s. This helped reduce drag, making cars faster and easier to handle. Another big step was using more complex parts inside, like heat exchangers, to cool things down better.

In 2022, Formula 1's new regulations drastically changed car designs, particularly the sidepods, due to the ban on bargeboards, which were crucial for airflow management and downforce.

Teams like Ferrari and Red Bull came up with innovative designs to adapt to these changes. This highlighted the importance of sidepod design in overall car performance while also considering other design aspects and development costs.

Different Sidepods in Formula One

Teams in F1 have their own styles of sidepods, each with unique designs and features. Some go for the basic standard sidepods that fit the rules about size and shape. Others go all out with extra aerodynamic features. Here are some of the different types:

📏 Standard Sidepods 

• Basic and regulatory-compliant

• Houses the radiator for engine cooling

• Variations in size and shape for track-specific requirements

🦈 Shark Fins 

• Aerodynamic feature at the car's rear

• Aims to reduce drag and increase downforce

• Different sizes and designs depending on the team's strategy

🕊️ T-Wings 

• Located at the rear for enhanced aerodynamics

• Focuses on increasing downforce for better speed and handling

• Small, lightweight, with varying levels of complexity

Car Cooling with Sidepods: Key Points

🌬️ Sidepods' Role: Direct airflow to radiators, crucial for maintaining engine temperature.

🌡️ Radiator Basics: Transfer heat from coolant to air; a process similar in F1 and road cars.

🏎️ F1 Car Radiators: Located in sidepods near the rear engine; larger than road car radiators.

💨 Hot Air Ejection: Expelled from the car to prevent overheating, using exhaust systems and cooling slats.

🛠️ 2022 F1 Designs: Focus on efficiently managing hot air from sidepods for aerodynamic stability.

🙇 Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has apologized for the significant disruptions caused to Las Vegas residents and tourists while preparing the city and the strip. - Read more

🏎️ Having faced a challenging season with Aston Martin, Lance Stroll insists he has no intention of pursuing a new venture soon. - Read more

🏴 Demand increases for a ban on a Red Bull junior driver for disregarding black flags. - Read more

🟢 Felipe Drugovich remains dedicated to his Formula 1 future, entering a second season as Aston Martin's reserve driver in 2024 despite having no races planned. - Read more

🛣️ Formula 1's tire supplier, Pirelli, believes selecting suitable tracks is more crucial than changing the format to enhance the excitement of sprint races. - Read more

🤞 Andretti's trying to get into Formula 1, and there's one driver who's really hoping they'll pick him if they make it. - Read more

🤷‍♂️ Cyril Abiteboul, the ex-boss of Renault F1, called Daniel Ricciardo "selfish" for how he left the team after the 2020 season. - Read more

🤔 Adrian Newey's talking about his retirement plans while Red Bull keeps winning. - Read more

🎲 Toto Wolff implements rigorous Las Vegas policy for the entire Mercedes squad. - Read more

🇺🇸 Scheduled 16-18 November

Las Vegas Strip Circuit - Las Vegas, US

1️⃣ Circuit length: 6.201km
2️⃣ Number of laps: 50
3️⃣ Lap record: N/A - inaugural race
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 17 corners

Las Vegas Grand Prix Overview

• First-time Event for Formula 1: A new challenge in the F1 calendar.

• Cold Weather Conditions: Likely temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius.

Race Schedule and Conditions

• Night Race: Held along the famous Strip.

• Timing:

  • Practice Sessions: Start at 8 PM.

  • Main Race: Begins at 10 PM, ends around midnight.

Track Characteristics and Challenges

• Track Description: Approximately 3.85 miles long, featuring mostly straight roads with smooth asphalt.

• Lack of High-Speed Corners: Limited opportunities for tires to warm up.

Tire Concerns and Comparison with Past Races

• Tire Heat Loss and Damage Risk:

  • Previous cold races (e.g., 2020 Eiffel GP) had different track conditions.

  • Barcelona tests: Colder but had a rougher track with more turns.

• Impact on Tires in Vegas:

  • Long straights lead to less stress and cooling of tires.

  • Potential issues: Oversteer, understeer, uneven wear, longer braking distances, increased skid risk.