🚨 Wood Shakes F1 Podium

Hey there, race engineer! 👋

A warm welcome to the 219 new faces who've accelerated into our newsletter this week. The tarmac's hotter than ever, and we have some juicy tidbits to share.

🪵 Wood You Believe It?: How did a mere piece of wood snatch a podium and points from two unsuspecting drivers? Buckle up, as we break down this bizarre twist in the race.

🏁 Sprint Shuffle: There's chatter in the paddock about tweaking the sprint race format to kick the excitement up a gear. Could we be on the verge of a game-changer?

🔴 Ferrari Fumbles: Ferrari has once again steered into the strategic error lane. Curious about the misstep? We've got the breakdown.

🏁 United States GP Highlights

🥇Max Verstappen secures his 50th victory, keeping just the right distance from Hamilton the entire time
❌ Lewis Hamilton (P2) & Charles Leclerc (P6) disqualified
🥉 Lando Norris grabbed third place, which then moved to second. However, they had some tire issues toward the end.
👏 Carlos Sainz was solid, finishing just a bit behind his ex-teammate and ahead of Perez. Perez showed a good pace in Texas!
🌟 Logan Sargeant scored his first F1 points, and Albon did great with a ninth-place finish.
🚀 Aston Martin's speed was overshadowed as they had to start from the pit lane.
🟢 Lance Stroll matched Leclerc's speed in his 2nd stint, even though he pitted 3 laps before. Plus, he caught up to Verstappen in the end.

📊 Deeper Dive into the Race 

• Verstappen dominated in sector 1, with Hamilton close behind. Mercedes aimed to enhance the car's high-speed performance with recent upgrades.

• Mercedes missed out on maximizing their W14 car's potential for the second time.

• Verstappen stopped first, on lap 16, for new tires. Mercedes waited until lap 20 for Hamilton, causing him to lose his lead.

• Mercedes really nailed it on the Medium tires

• McLaren's Hard tires and Ferrari's Mediums wore out the quickest.

🔍 Team Comparisons 

• McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin had similar race paces. Factors like strategies and updates played crucial roles in their performances.

• Aston Martin showed promise, especially with Stroll matching Norris's times.

• The two-stop strategy was the top choice, but Ferrari and Leclerc went another route, which didn't pan out.

• Despite challenges, Leclerc managed the race well, showing growth for Ferrari. However, Ferrari couldn't fully use their car's potential.

🛑 F1 Plank Rule Trips Top Teams

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been disqualified at the U.S. Grand Prix because of a rare plank rule violation. It's been a long time since this rule has caught anyone out.

What Happened

In F1's history, there aren't many instances where the car's plank has worn down too much. But interestingly, both Mercedes and Ferrari faced this issue in the same race. Once the officials found the planks overly worn, both teams had to accept the decision.

Plank Rules Explained:

• Plank can only wear down by 1mm during the race.

• FIA checks wear at four specific holes.

• Hamilton and Leclerc's cars had issues with the rear-most hole.

Why did this happen?

The cars were too close to the ground during the race, causing the planks to wear. Adjusting the car's height, fuel loads, and even the use of DRS can influence this. During sprint races, teams have less time to adjust these settings. Also, conditions like wind and the track's bumpy nature at Austin played a role.

Go Deeper

All these factors contributed to Mercedes and Ferrari's disqualification. With fewer practice sessions in the sprint format, it becomes challenging to get everything right. Looking ahead, teams might change their approach, especially on bumpy tracks. The recent events might also spark a debate on the rules for sprint weekends. - Read more

🔄 Big Changes Ahead of Sprint Races?

Qatar's sprint race was pretty exciting, especially with Oscar Piastri winning and some close races happening thanks to the track layout. But Austin's race? Not so much.

After the first lap, things got pretty dull. Verstappen took the win easily, with Hamilton and Leclerc trailing behind. Norris tried to catch up to Leclerc, but it was too little too late.

It seems like the success of these sprint races really depends on the track. Brazil's been great for shorter races, but figuring out which other tracks are good for sprints has been hit or miss.

And while F1 is committed to keeping sprints in the championship longer term, sources have indicated that racing's bosses are eyeing a bold shake-up.

What We’re Hearing

• Making the Saturday sprints their own separate championship. This means points from these races wouldn't count for the main F1 title.

• Avoid situations like in Qatar, where the championship was decided during a sprint, not the main race.

• Bring in a sponsor to offer a huge cash prize for sprint winners – like $1 million.

• They could mix up the starting grid by either switching the positions of the top ten drivers or shuffling the entire lineup.

However, not everyone's on board with these changes.

Read more

💨Red Bull Halts Wind Tunnel Project

What We're Hearing

Red Bull has canceled its plans for a new motorsport facility, including a wind tunnel.

The company initially estimated it would cost between 50 and 75 million euros to prepare the facility for its 2024 F1 car development. However, recent updates suggest that Red Bull has reconsidered.

Sam Collins, an F1 commentator, notes that this change means no construction will start soon.

Adrian Newey had reservations from the beginning. In 2022, he expressed concerns about the time it would take to achieve the desired wind speed in the new tunnel. Instead, he favored focusing on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) development, though not everyone agreed with his perspective.

Why It Matters

• Red Bull's change in strategy could affect their competitive standing in F1 races.

• Delays or strategy shifts can impact performance in upcoming seasons.

• Possible internal disagreements on development methods might be surfacing.

• Newey's preference for CFD over wind tunnel testing reveals a larger debate in racing methods.

Read more

🔴 Ferrari Makes Another Strategy Mistake

Charles Leclerc wasn't too pleased after the US Grand Prix. Even though he started from pole, the team had him step aside for Carlos Sainz. Ferrari tried different plans for the two of them, but it didn't work out. Both Sainz and Sergio Perez managed to overtake him later in the race. Many teams saw this wasn't a good move and changed their plans mid-race.

After finishing in sixth place, Leclerc was disqualified, adding to his frustration. He had already expressed his disappointment with the one-stop strategy.

Considering Leclerc started in the lead, it's puzzling why Ferrari chose a risky plan for him. The team principal, Frederic Vasseur, admitted they were unsure about the decision.

Daniel Ricciardo's Tough Return to F1

AlphaTauri's Daniel Ricciardo doesn't blame his recently healed hand for his challenging return to Formula 1 during the 2023 US Grand Prix. He finished 17th but moved up to 15th after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc got disqualified.

This was his first race since August, after he had to take a break after breaking a bone in his hand during practice at Zandvoort. But Ricciardo believes it was more about his overall fitness than the hand. He even called the race a series of "misfortunes".

During the race, his car got damaged by debris, which affected its performance. He even thought of retiring the car. Plus, the timing of his first pitstop wasn't great and landed him in traffic, which added to the challenges. - Read more

Formula 1 is mainly known as a guys' sport. Even the Netflix F1 show, 'Drive to Survive'’ barely had any women in it. A group called Females in Motorsport (FIM) pointed out that women appeared in just 1.5% of the show.

Still, women have raced in F1 before, and now the sport wants to get more women involved through different series that would lead to F1.

Just this weekend, Marta Garcia won the inaugural F1 Academy title after taking a thrilling victory in Race 1 at the Circuit of The Americas, and a month ago, Jessica Hawkins became the first woman to drive a modern F1 car in almost five years.

History Of Women in F1

Only five women have raced in a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Maria Teresa de Filippis was the first, in 1958. Then there's Lella Lombardi, the only woman to score points in F1. She raced from 1974 to 1976 and finished sixth in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.

In '76, both Divina Galica and Lombardi tried to qualify for the British Grand Prix but didn't make it. Desiré Wilson tried in 1980 and Giovanna Amati in 1992, but no women have tried since. However, there's a push to get more women into motorsport and F1.

The W Series

Started in 2019, the W Series aims to level the playing field for male and female drivers. All drivers race in the same type of car, so it's all about skill. The first season had six races, and by 2021, it was up to eight races worldwide. It's a chance for drivers to show what they've got on a mix of street and classic tracks.

The F1 Academy

In 2023, F1 started the F1 Academy to help female drivers climb the ranks. This program gives them more racing time and helps them get ready for the big leagues. For the first season, we've got fifteen drivers from five big-name teams. They'll race in 21 races over seven rounds, with most on F1 tracks. Big brands like Pirelli are backing this, so it's a big deal.

In 2024, Formula One teams are teaming up with the all-female F1 Academy. Each team will have their own chosen driver racing under their team name and rocking their colors.

What's The Difference Between F1 Academy And W Series?

While the W Series is great, there was a need for another platform for women.

Here's why:

• Format: The F1 Academy offers a clearer progression path to Formula 3.

• Teams & Cars: F1 Academy teams have a solid track record in other Formula championships. Plus, the cars they use are top-notch.

• Funding: The FIA funds the F1 Academy, making it more stable. The W Series has had some funding challenges.

Women in F1 Racing

There's still a journey ahead for women in the world of F1, but let's spotlight three female racers who might just be the next big names on the track:

1. Jamie Chadwick

Jamie's a three-time W Series champ and made waves by becoming the first woman to win the British GP Championship with her Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4. She's also the first lady to claim a title at the British F3 at Brands Hatch.

2. Maya Weug

Maya stood out among 20 contenders in the FIA's Girls on Track – Rising Stars program. She also clinched the WSK Cup in 2016 and made history by joining the Ferrari Driver Academy. Right now, she's tearing it up in F4.

3. Abbi Pulling

2020 was a big year for Abbi. She raced full-time in the British Formula 4 Championship and took home four podium finishes. She also tried her hand at the Formula Renault Eurocup at Imola. Fast forward to 2021, and she was on the reserve list for the W Series, an all-female F3 championship. She even drove an F1 car at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Women in F1 Off the Track

Hannah Schmitz

• 🏁 Current role: Principal Strategy Engineer for Red Bull Racing

• 🚺 One of the top female figures in Formula One

• 🏆 Key contributor to Red Bull's title charges in 2021, 2022 & 2023

Angela Cullen

• 🏋️‍♀️ Former Physiotherapist for Lewis Hamilton

Claire Williams

• 🏎️👩‍💼 Deputy team principal of the Williams Formula One racing team from 2013 to 2020

Monisha Kaltenborn

• 🏎️ Former team principal of Sauber Formula One team

• 📊 Held a 33.3% stake in the team until the takeover by Longbow Finance S.A. in July 2016

• 💼 Chief Executive Officer of the team from January 2010 until 22 June 2017

💓 Tsunoda almost had a "heart attack" when he got the call for the fastest lap pit during the F1 US Grand Prix. - Read more

💬 Max Verstappen reacts to fans booing him in Austin after his 50th Grand Prix victory. - Read more

🔝 Andretti Cadillac picks their top driver choice for Formula One in 2025. - Read more

🛣️ Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are urging for the Circuit of the Americas to be resurfaced before F1 comes back next season. - Read more

⚫ The young Mercedes driver is gearing up to join Formula 1's main support series in 2024. - Read more

🔎 Martin Brundle thinks the FIA should've inspected the plank wear on every car at the US Grand Prix, especially after the disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. - Read more

🤝 A$AP Rocky has been appointed the Creative Director for PUMA and Formula 1's collaboration. - Read more

😣 Helmut Marko criticized some Mexican fans for being 'unsporting' by booing Max Verstappen at the US Grand Prix podium ceremony. - Read more

🟠 McLaren nailed it again in Austin, especially after setting a world record in Qatar. - Read more

🇲🇽 Scheduled 27-29 October

Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez - Mexico City

1️⃣ Circuit length: 4.304km
2️⃣ Number of laps: 71
3️⃣ Lap record: 1:17.774 Valtteri Bottas (2021)
4️⃣ Corners & DRS: 17 corners with 2 DRS zones