Is Ferrari Back?

Hey there, F1 fanatic! 👋

This season shows no signs of slowing down! From historic wins to team battles, we’re back with stories that'll make your heart race faster than an F1 car on the straight at Monza.

🏆 Max Does the Double: Not only has Verstappen shattered any whispers of a curse, but he's also smashed a record in the process.

🔴 Forza Ferrari: Tifosi, rejoice! The prancing horse has galloped onto the podium. Whether you're team red or not, seeing Ferrari claim their spot in the limelight again was a treat for all F1 enthusiasts.

😢 Danny Ric Pause: Word on the pit lane is that we might be missing Danny Ric's infectious smile for a bit longer.

See you at the finish line!

 📈 Italian GP in stats

Race Pace

🔵 Verstappen had some issues near the end. He was going 3 seconds slower per lap, which was confirmed over the radio.

🔴 Ferrari did really well, almost catching up to Perez. They had the 2nd best cars on the grid after Red Bull.

⚫ Russell was doing great, even with the high drag.

🟠 Norris couldn’t pass Albon the entire race showing yet again that the Williams upgrades package was a succes. - More charts here

Stints

• Teams that did 3 stints compared to 2 had a better speed but needed an extra 23 seconds for a pit stop.

• Teams with later stints had less fuel, so their laps were quicker.

• Aston were the slowest team that stopped only once.

• Haas’ tires wore out the fastest.

Tyre Strategy

• Half of the drivers, including big names like Verstappen and Perez, started on Medium tires and swapped to Hard

• Hamilton and Bottas, both top 10, began on Hard and shifted to Medium around laps 25-27.

• Magnussen also started on Hard, but ended up 18th with a different tactic.

• Piastri could've done well with the Medium-Hard swap, but a collision with Hamilton forced him to pit again. Piastri nailed the fastest lap, but didn't get the bonus point since he wasn't in the top 10.

• A few others, like Lawson and Zhou, used a Medium-Hard-Medium strategy at Monza.

⚙️ The small design detail behind Red Bull’s massive advantage in 2023?

The Red Bull RB19 is on track to break the record for consecutive Grand Prix wins.

A victory in Singapore would make it the most successful single model in the sport's history, overtaking the 1952-53 Ferrari 500 and its own predecessor, the RB18.

Why this matters:

• The RB19's innovative vee-shaped chassis creates more space for underfloor tunnels, increasing downforce and overall speed.

• The new design has helped Red Bull outpace key rival Ferrari in year-on-year performance gains. The RB19 has clocked in an average of 0.503s faster than its predecessor, outpacing the improvements made by 2022 rival Ferrari, which saw an average gain of only 0.311s

• A win in Singapore would set a new historical benchmark, possibly triggering a design shift in Formula 1. - Read more

💰FIA's Verdict on 2022 F1 Team Spending

The FIA just confirmed that all 10 F1 teams played by the rules for the 2022 season, sticking to the spending limit.

After buget for an extra race was added to the season & everything was adjusted for inflation, teams ended with a cap of $145.5 million.

No team went over the limit or made any procedural slip-ups this season. This is a relief, especially after last year's drama, where there were rumors that a couple of teams might have overspent.

🕰️ A little throwback: 

❌ Red Bull did go over by $432,000 in 2021, and they had to pay the price in both fines and development time.

🟨 Williams and Aston Martin had a few procedural hiccups last year, but they stayed within the spending limit. - Read more

🔟 Max makes history

Max Verstappen made history at the Italian Grand Prix with a record-setting 10th straight win – something no other Formula 1 driver has achieved since its 1950 inception. - Read more

Starting the race from the second spot, Max overtook Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on lap 15 and held the lead from then on. Sainz ended up third, behind Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Pérez, who bounced back to second from fifth.

After the race, he showed both hands, fingers spread out, symbolizing his 10 wins. What will he do when he gets to 11 or 12 wins? Who knows!

🔥 A cool stat: Red Bull has now won 24 out of the last 25 races.

Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc had their own fierce battle for third place. It was an exciting race moment that got Ferrari fans, the Tifosi, roaring.

🚦Ferrari teammates battle for the Tifosi

Ferrari's F1 chief, Fred Vasseur, let Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc race against each other during the Italian GP's final laps as a treat for fans.

After being overtaken by Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Sainz and Leclerc found themselves in third and fourth positions.

Rather than instructing them to maintain their spots for guaranteed points, Vasseur gave them the green light to race but cautioned them to be risk-free.

Vasseur stated he personally made the decision and feels content with it. He believes the race ended positively. - Read more

💥Hamilton admits fault in Piastri collision

Lewis Hamilton admits he messed up in the F1 Italian Grand Prix, causing a collision with Oscar Piastri.

While trying to overtake Piastri on lap 41, Hamilton accidentally pushed him towards the grass. This led to Piastri having to pit for a new front wing and missing out on points.

Hamilton received a five-second penalty, which didn't end up costing him a position as he remained sixth. - Read more

McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, echoed the sentiment. While he believed Hamilton acted hastily, he appreciated the apology. But Stella also added a bit of lament.

🤕Ricciardo's F1 return uncertain

After hurting his hand during a practice crash at Zandvoort last month, Ricciardo missed both the Dutch and Italian Grand Prix. While he's healing post-operation, Liam Lawson's covering for him.

Red Bull's boss, Christian Horner, doesn't expect Ricciardo to be back for the upcoming Singapore and Japan races.

If things go as Horner predicts, we'll likely see Ricciardo back in action by the Qatar Grand Prix next month. - Read more

We’re soon going to Singapore's Marina Bay Circuit, where F1 cars not only race under the stars but are also challenged by one of the most demanding street circuits in the world.

Get going on the Marina Bay Circuit:

1️⃣ It’s the first-ever F1 venue to host a full-night race.

2️⃣ It has a whopping 23 turns, making it one of the most turn-heavy circuits on the F1 calendar

3️⃣ Over 1,600 floodlights illuminate this track, making it brighter than the day

History

In 1961, Singapore held its first organized race called the 'Orient Year Grand Prix.' By the next year, it was renamed the Malaysian Grand Prix.

After Singapore gained independence in 1965, it took on the name Singapore Grand Prix.

But the track was super dangerous. It had bus stops, monsoon drains, and other risky features. After a few tragic accidents and concerns about safety, motor racing was banned in Singapore after the 1973 Grand Prix.

Fast forward a bit, and the Marina Bay Street Circuit entered the scene. It held its inaugural Formula 1 race in 2008, setting the stage for some exciting racing. Constructed in 2007 and designed by KBR Inc., it was special because it was the first F1 track with permanent lighting - making it the first-ever night race.

Challenges and thrills of navigating Marina Bay

The Marina Bay Circuit is a street circuit. This means it's literally built on public roads, unlike some other racetracks which are designed exclusively for racing.

And since these are regular streets for the rest of the year, the track surface isn't as smooth. That means more bumps and more challenges for drivers and engineers alike.

1. Track Length and Turns

Clocking in at 5.063 km, with a total of 23 turns (there will be some changes; keep reading), Marina Bay is one of the longest and most complex circuits in F1. Those turns range from high-speed sweeps to hairpin bends. Every corner poses a unique challenge.

2. Night Racing

One of the standout features of the Singapore Grand Prix is that it's a night race. While this provides a visually striking backdrop, it comes with its own set of challenges.

The floodlights do provide excellent illumination, but the contrast between the lit track and the dark surroundings can play tricks on a driver's perception.

3. Braking Intensity

With so many tight turns and heavy braking zones, brakes take a real beating on this circuit. Teams often have to optimize their cars for better braking performance, making sure the brakes don't overheat and lose efficiency. The track sees an incredible 81,435kg of braking force over its 61 laps.

4. Tire Wear

Those constant accelerations and decelerations, coupled with the bumpy street surface, lead to high tire wear.

Picking the right tire strategy and managing them throughout the race becomes crucial.

5. High Downforce Setup

The numerous turns mean drivers won't be spending much time at top speed, and only 44% of the lap is spent on full throttle.

As a result, teams usually go for a high downforce setup. This allows cars to navigate corners faster but at the cost of straight-line speed.

6. Humidity

Racing in Singapore is a sweaty affair. Drivers can lose up to 3 liters of fluid during the race due to the extreme heat and humidity.

They have to be in peak physical condition to handle the conditions and still maintain their concentration for almost 2 hours.

7. Car Cooling

The hot and humid environment also means teams have to work hard to ensure the cars don’t overheat.

Special attention is given to cooling systems, making sure the engine, brakes, and other critical components stay within safe operating temperatures.

8. Race Duration

Unlike the Monaco street circuit, which shortens its race because of slow speeds, Singapore's race goes the usual distance. It's set to be over 305 kilometers.

Why it matters? It's the longest Grand Prix of the year, often pushing close to the two-hour limit. It's tough. Imagine staying laser-focused for two whole hours, especially with that intense humidity.

Changes to the Marina Bay circuit

2008-2012: The original layout. This was the debut design, setting the tone for the iconic circuit that we've come to know.

2013-2014: They ditched the Singapore Sling Chicane(Turn 10).

The chicane was quite challenging and controversial, so it was decided to remove it for better race flow and safety.

2015-2017: They gave a fresh twist to Turns 11-13. Adjustments here aimed to improve overtaking opportunities and provide more thrilling race moments.

2018-2019 and again in 2022: Turns 16-17 received some attention. These modifications were made to enhance the racers' challenge and viewer experience.

Changes in 2023

It's the sixth tweak since the first race in 2008. Because of some city development work, the race will take place on a slightly shorter track.

Cars will skip turns 16 to 19 and head straight to what's now turn 20. This new track layout might shave off around eight seconds per lap!

Quick numbers for you:

👉 The track length will be reduced by 137 meters

👉 We're going from 23 corners down to 19.

👉 The race will have 63 laps instead of the usual 61 (still TBC)

👉 Based on some digital simulations using the 2020 F1 car models, we're looking at 1’27.7 lap times during qualifying and 1’30.3 during the actual race. That's about eight seconds faster than before!

🏥 Toto Wolff is skipping the Japanese Grand Prix for surgery. - Read more

📅 Mick Schumacher might not make it to the F1 2024 grid. His chances as Mercedes' backup driver are getting slim. - Read more 

👮‍♂️Carlos Sainz was mugged near his Milan hotel just hours after clinching a podium spot in the 2023 Italian Grand Prix. - Read more

⚫ Just weeks after renewing his contract, Nico Hulkenberg criticizes Haas's poor development, saying they don't deserve any points. - Read more

🍔 George Russell jokingly labeled Charles Leclerc a 'McDonald’s worker' and quickly wished he hadn't. - Read more

🟢 Fernando Alonso says his Aston Martin F1 team needs to fix the efficiency issues spotted during Monza's qualifying and take some cues from the Williams team. - Read more

⚫ Toto Wolff mentioned that Mercedes will hold off on any decisions about Andrea Kimi Antonelli's unexpected jump to Formula 2 until after the Formula Regional Championship wraps up. - Read more

🟠 McLaren tells Norris and Piastri that their contact during the Italian GP wasn't okay. - Read more

🇸🇬 Scheduled 15-17 September

Marina Bay Circuit

1️⃣ Circuit length: TBC
2️⃣ Number of laps: 63 (TBC)
3️⃣ Lap record: N/A
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 19 corners with 3 DRS zones