🔥Singapore GP: Risk Meets Rewards

Hello there, F1 aficionado! 👋

Get ready because the grid is getting hotter, and it’s not just about the rubber burning on the tarmac.

🚀 Only Three More Seats! With Zhou Guanyu confirming he's sticking with Alfa Romeo, the grid is almost full. Who do you think will clinch them?

🚀 Red Bull's Relentless Race! They're on a quest to extend their victory lap, but, rest assured, the rest of the paddock isn’t too keen on letting them have all the limelight. Will they maintain their dominance, or is a shake-up in the offing?

🏙️ Singapore's Surprise! Singapore has some tech-tastic updates and upgrades for their race machines. But find out what happens if a team pushes too far with their engines.

Till the next lap, stay revved up! 🏎️💨

⚙️Teams tweak high-load wings

RedBull's Rear Wing Update

• Cut end plate for better top speed

• Followed the lead of Aston, Merc, AT, Alpine, and McLaren

Singapore Grand Prix Insights

• Importance: Traction on short straights

• Most teams using high-load wings

Team Choices:

• Ferrari & Haas: Kept original wing design

• McLaren: Only one wing got the cut, not the high-load one

Throwback to Zandvoort:

Ferrari had the least downforce as their high-downforce wing had problems:

• More drag

• Less downforce

• Unpredictable behavior

🟠McLaren's Big Singapore Upgrade

Flashback: Remember their performance boost in Austria? This is even bigger.

Who gets it: Lando Norris will debut the upgrades in Singapore. Oscar Piastri gets his in Japan next week.

Upgrade Details:

Front: New wing shape for better aerodynamics

Engine Cover: Updated for improved airflow

Floor: Redesigned with changes to the sidepod

Halo: Adjusted for aerodynamic efficiency

Rear: Modified brake ducts, suspension, and a special rear wing

📜Singapore GP faces new flex rules

The FIA is dropping a new technical rule for the F1 race in Singapore this weekend as they want to keep the race as fair and equal as they can among all teams.

Why this matters: This new rule focuses mainly on the aerodynamics of the cars. While this new directive isn't a massive tome like some others, it's still pretty crucial. It zeroes in on how flexible the F1 cars' bodywork can be, especially the front and rear wings.

Tim Goss, the FIA's Single Seater Technical Director, shed some light on this.

Diving into the nitty-gritty, there's an F1 rule (Article 3.2.2) that says aerodynamic parts must be super firm and mostly still. This new directive means that any movement in car parts can be seen as breaking this rule, even if it fits within another rule about aerodynamics (Article 3.15). - Read more

📃Teams split on new DRS proposal

Formula 1 teams couldn't unanimously decide to add a fourth DRS zone for the upcoming 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.

Many drivers are surprised because the back straight at Marina Bay was changed due to some construction work. Instead of the usual sharp turns from 16 to 19, now there's a long, speedy straight part. They thought it'd be a perfect place for another DRS zone, especially since overtaking at Marina Bay is challenging.

The drivers hope to discuss this with the FIA during the Friday briefing. But don't hold your breath for a DRS trial in FP1 – it's probably not happening because it's too last-minute, and safety is a concern.

The FIA was open to the idea. They even contacted all the F1 teams a while ago to see what they thought. The feedback was mixed, and only some people responded. So, for now, no extra DRS zone for the Singapore Grand Prix. - Read more

🛑Teams don’t want to stop Red Bull's dominance?

This Singapore GP might be the trickiest race for Red Bull this year, especially as they're aiming for a perfect season. A construction detour has changed a chunk of the Marina Bay circuit, which might give Ferrari a shot at taking the lead.

If either Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez don’t clinch the top spot, it'll be tough for them to bounce back due to certain track conditions and how the DRS system works.

Red Bull's winning streak, which started last year in Abu Dhabi, could've been challenged way before now. If Formula 1 used something like Balance of Performance (BoP), things might have been closer at the top.

BoP is used in other car races to make sure different types of cars can compete fairly. If F1 adopted it, the aim would be to give fans closer and more exciting races.

But, here's the deal: Teams aren't into this idea.

Red Bull may seem unbeatable now because they've been perfecting their current concept for two years. But that doesn't mean others can't catch up. - Read more

🔒 Alfa Romeo Locks Zhou for 2024

Zhou Guanyu is sticking with Alfa Romeo for the 2024 F1 season, teaming up again with Valtteri Bottas.

There was talk of Formula 2 champ Theo Pourchaire taking his spot, but Zhou sealed the deal. He's especially excited about racing in China.

Alfa Romeo's representative, Alessandro Alunni Bravo, highlighted their choice was for stability, especially with Audi joining the scene in 2026.

Only three seats are left open for the 2024 F1 grid. - Read more

Engines and Formula 1 racing go hand in hand. They're like the heart of the machine, pumping life into the thrill of the race. But sometimes, engines run into problems, or teams want to upgrade them. And that's where the F1 engine penalty system comes in.

Let's dive in and demystify this somewhat confusing aspect of the sport.

How many engines do F1 teams get a season?

F1 teams have three engines per car each season. Exceed that, and there's a grid penalty. These engines are high-performance machines, but they wear out after extensive use. Given their power and the stress they're under, they need to stay hot.

But the hotter they get, the more they're strained. Ideally, one engine should last about eight races in a 23-race season, but with the extreme demands, that's a tough ask.

What's inside an F1 engine?

Nowadays, F1 engines are called a 'power unit' because it's a hybrid. Well, it's got a bunch of parts:

• internal combustion engine (ICE)

• motor generator unit-heat ( (MGU-H)

• motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K)

• turbocharger

• energy store (ES)

• control electronics (CE)

• exhaust parts

For the 2023 season, a driver can only use:

👉4 of the ICEs, MGU-Hs, MGU-Ks, and turbochargers each

👉2 energy stores and control electronics each

👉 8 each of the exhaust parts

Why do F1 teams only get 3 engines?

Well, it's mainly to keep things fair and costs low. Without limits, richer teams might keep using new engines, giving them an advantage over smaller teams. By setting a three-engine limit, everyone's on the same page. Plus, it helps save some bucks for everyone involved.

Back in the day, the FIA allowed teams to use up to eight engines for 20 races. Even earlier than that, they could use more than that! But as times changed, the FIA tightened up on these rules to make the sport more affordable and competitive.

What are F1 Engine penalties?

The Basics: If drivers use more power units than allowed, they'll get a grid penalty during the next race.

Penalty:

• First-time overspend: 10-place grid penalty.

• Every time after that: 5-place grid penalty.

• If penalties total more than 15 places in a race, the driver starts at the back.

Positioning drivers with penalties:

• If a driver's penalties are 15 places or less, they get a "temporary" spot. For instance, if they qualify 10th but have a 15-place penalty, they temporarily sit at 25th.

• If two drivers end up in the same spot, the one who did better in qualifying gets placed ahead.

• After setting unpenalized drivers, those in temporary spots get rearranged to fill in the grid.

• Any driver with more than a 15-place penalty starts at the back.

Other key points:

👉If a driver uses multiple of the same penalty-incurring part, only the last one counts for future races.

👉If a driver is replaced during the season, the new driver takes on the original's power unit count.

👉Once a new power unit is taken, it's part of that driver’s toolkit for the season. They can swap it in and out for different races without a penalty.

What are some historical F1 engine penalties?

The FIA has changed the F1 rules to clear up the confusion around grid penalties and starting spots. In 2017, at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, nine drivers got penalties and had no idea where they were starting.

🤯 Here are the top 3 engine penalties:

1. 2015 Belgian GP: McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button got a 105-grid position penalty - Read more

2. 2015 Mexican GP: Jenson Button got a 70-grid position penalty - Read more

3. 2017 Belgian GP: Stoffel Vandoorne got a 65-grid position penalty - Read more

Why F1 teams take engine penalties on purpose?

When F1 teams push their cars super hard, they expect to swap out the engine at least once during the season.

If a team doesn't switch out a tired engine, they ask for trouble. A worn-out engine can slow them down or even break down mid-race. Imagine racing for points and then - boom! - your engine gives up. That's a racer's nightmare. So, sometimes, it's smarter to accept an engine penalty and then make a strong comeback during the race.

But there's some strategy to this! Take 2021, for instance. Red Bull and Mercedes played it smart with their engine penalties. They chose tracks where overtaking was easier. Max Verstappen took his penalty in Russia and zoomed from the back to second place. Lewis took a smaller penalty in Brazil in 2021 and still won the race.

Is the F1 engine limit sticking around?

Yep, it looks like the engine limit in F1 isn't going anywhere soon. They're aiming to keep costs down, so it's doubtful they'll allow more engines anytime soon.

And get this: the FIA can't reduce the number of engines either. Teams are already having a tough time with just three engines for the entire season. If there were fewer engines, teams would either have to boost their engine reliability big time or be super cautious with their usage.

We all love F1 for the intense competition, right? It's more exciting when teams are racing at full throttle rather than holding back to save their engines. Plus, engine rules are locked in until 2026, so don’t expect big changes.

👑 Guess who won the 18th F1 in Schools World Finals in 2023? Congrats to the new champs! - Read more

🙇Lewis Hamilton thinks people like Red Bull's Helmut Marko are holding F1 back. Even after Marko's apology for his remarks on Sergio Perez, Hamilton believes it doesn't make everything okay. - Read more

🚱Logan Sargeant hasn't been using his water system in F1 this year, even though staying hydrated is crucial for focus when driving. - Read more

💺Lawson aims for a 2024 race seat after getting a unique F1 opportunity with AlphaTauri. - Read more

⚫Toto Wolff shared that Max Verstappen nearly teamed up with Mercedes. - Read more

👩‍⚖️A US court dismissed a case against Williams regarding unmet ROKiT sponsorship requirements because the lead prosecutor wasn't allowed to practice law in that area. - Read more

🔮Alex Albon mentioned he's not in a hurry to lock in his F1 future with Williams, wanting to keep his 2025 options open. - Read more

👋Daniel Ricciardo is back in the F1 paddock for the Singapore Grand Prix after a hand injury. - Read more

🇸🇬 Scheduled 15-17 September

Marina Bay Circuit

1️⃣ Circuit length: 4.94km
2️⃣ Number of laps: 62
3️⃣ Lap record: N/A because the track was overhauled
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 19 corners with 3 DRS zones

Tires

➡️The SOFTEST range of Pirelli's tires: C3 - Hard ⚪️, C4 - Medium 🟡, and C5 - Soft 🔴

⚪️ In dry conditions, teams prefer the hardest tire.

Last year: The race was delayed by a storm. Started on intermediate tires, then switched.

A little bit about the track

➡️There's a 397-meter straight between turns 16 to 19. Corners were reduced from 23 to 19, making the track faster and emphasizing drag.

🖌️Marina Bay has painted lines and manholes, which can affect grip, especially in the rain.

⏱️The longest pit stop (cca 28s) ➡️ one-stop strategy

🕖The track goes counter-clockwise, which puts more wear on the right-hand tires.

📏With many sharp 90-degree corners, good traction is crucial. This leads to increased wear on the rear tires.

🏁Starting position matters as overtaking's tough. Qualifying performance is key.