FORMULA 1

[Squarehead]

3 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Indeed.... What an inspiration in so many ways.

I always liked him.He's one of the few down to earth drivers

[MIKA27]

Kubica still has regrets over missed title bid in 2008

Robert Kubica says he still feels some regret over missing out on a challenge for the Formula 1 world title in 2008 after BMW stopped developing its car mid-season.
Kubica took the lead of the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time after his maiden grand prix victory in Canada in 2008, and was just two points off the top at the halfway point of the season.

But after BMW opted to shift its focus to its 2009 car and the introduction of KERS, the performance of its F1.08 model suffered as McLaren and Ferrari moved ahead with upgrades.

Kubica would score just three podiums in the second half of the season, fading to fourth in the standings as he finished 23 points behind world champion Lewis Hamilton. BMW ended up quitting F1 at the end of the 2009 season after its air-cooled KERS system proved uncompetitive.

Kubica said back in 2008 that he thought it was a mistake to abandon developing the F1.08 further, and has not changed his view in the meantime.

“I have exactly the same view as I did 12 years ago, because in the end I was involved, and I was in the situation where unfortunately I was feeling that this might be our only chance to fight [for the championship],” Kubica told GP Racing.

“We didn’t have the fastest car, this is a fact. Normally the fastest car is winning the championship, but not always.

“For whatever reason – the mistakes of others, doing a better job at the beginning of the season – in the end, without the fastest car, we were still leading the championship.

“You have to use your opportunities, because you never know in life when you’ll get a second chance. I met some of the mechanics after 10 years, who were there with me, and they had exactly the same view. And they regret it, because in the end we didn’t get another chance.”

Kubica remained in mathematical contention for the title until the third-to-last race of the year in Japan, where a second-place finish was not enough to keep his hopes alive.

It was a season that saw final title protagonists Hamilton and Felipe Massa both slip up, creating the opportunity for Kubica and BMW to stay in the fight despite suspending development of its car.

"This is racing, no one was dominating,” Kubica said.

“Ferrari and McLaren were stronger at some tracks than others, but had technical issues and made mistakes. That’s how I came to be leading the championship, and stayed in the fight so long, without the fastest car.

“I remember in Fuji qualifying sixth, with [teammate] Nick [Heidfeld] 16th. We were nowhere with performance. But I led on lap one and finished second. I’m sure if we were racing the parts we’d tested three months earlier, I’d have won that race.

“I still have some regrets about it, but I also feel that I was fortunate to be in this position – because there are many talented drivers who never had that chance.”

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RTL ends F1 TV broadcasting deal after 30 years

Formula 1 has agreed an exclusive and more lucrative TV deal with Sky Deutschland that will run from 2021.
The news comes after free-to-air broadcaster RTL announced that it won't cover F1 after the end of this season following a run of 30 years.

Previously, RTL and Sky had operated in parallel in the German market.

The new contract commits the latter to showing four races for free, while a 30-minute highlight show will be shown in free-to-air channel Sky Sport News HD.

Germany will also have its first dedicated 24/7 F1 channel, and there will be more social media content.

The deal represents some positive fiscal news for the F1 organisation after its 2020 income has been hit by the loss of race hosting fees, and potentially by reduced income from sponsors and broadcasters as the lack of races kicks in.

F1's director of media rights Ian Holmes said: "F1 and Sky have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, working well together to enhance the broadcast offering by providing comprehensive coverage of the sport for our passionate fan base.

"I am delighted that our work together will continue to build and strengthen the impressive quality of Sky's programming, as well as their digital reach."

RTL's intention to quit F1 and put a greater focus on football was officially confirmed on Sunday.

The broadcaster has been involved in F1 since 1991, the year that Michael Schumacher made his debut.

It built an audience on the back of the multiple world champion's success, and when he left, German interest switched to Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg.

However, RTL has indicated that F1 no longer works financially.

"The competition for TV rights has changed," its managing director Jorg Graf noted on the company's website. "The market has overheated in some cases and thus left the very ambitious, yet economically justifiable framework that we have set ourselves.

"We are now going with all our strength and passion and focus on football as the number one TV sport and our recently acquired rights package."

Manfred Loppe, the head of RTL sports, added: "We have transmitted F1 over three decades with great love and passion, as well as a courageous willingness to innovate and invest.

"The greatest-reaching and most emotional, unforgettable moments of the premier class in racing remain forever connected to RTL."

[MIKA27]

F1 would be "foolish" not to refine 2022 rules - Brawn

Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn says it will be "foolish" to waste the extra time afforded by the postponement of the introduction of the sport's new regulations.
As the COVID-19 crisis began to hit in March, it was agreed to delay their implementation from 2021 to 2022 so that teams were not faced with massive development costs at a time of restricted income and staff furloughs.

Brawn says the postponement has allowed more time to finesse both the new technical and sporting regulations, which were published last October.

The 2021 technical regulations were officially repurposed for 2022 in March, but they are still open to review.

Brawn expects further lessons to be learned from the cost-saving freeze imposed on the current cars for 2020 and 2021, with some elements potentially incorporated into the future regs.

"I think we could look at the regulations going forward based on what we've learned," Brawn told Motorsport.com. "One interesting aspect is this year of extra time that's given us the chance to re-assess some of the areas that the teams were concerned with regarding the new regulations.

"We're not going to waste that time – it will be foolish to sit on our hands for 12 months, so why not refine the design of the 2022 car while we've got the opportunity? Nobody [at the teams] is working on it.

"It's not big changes, it's things that people have highlighted where there's an ambiguity, or they can see ways of getting round the objective of the regulations, or not achieving the objective of the regulations.

"We're going to use those 12 months to refine it, and we're going to do the same with all the regulations for '22, we're going to look at the lessons learned from this [2020-'21] process and see whether they might be applied."

With the new Concorde not yet signed and thus no governance in place for 2021 onwards in theory the technical regulations for 2022 have to be finalised by June 30th, under the auspices of the FIA's International Sporting Code.

Last year, the same June deadline applied when the new rules were scheduled for 2021, although it was extended to October on a unanimous vote.

It's understood that there are no plans to do the same this time, so any major changes will have to be finalised by the end of this month.

"The governance for '22 has not been agreed yet, so it would be the International Sporting Code," said Brawn.

"The wording is a little bit open, and it states something like anything that fundamentally changes the design of the car – so we can make detail changes, but we can't make conceptual changes after the deadline."

[MIKA27]

Banned: F1's oddball steering solutions

Mercedes' introduction of Dual Axis Steering (DAS) during pre-season testing offered us a glimpse into the mindset of Formula 1 engineers.
At every moment, they are trying to find ways to improve on what's gone before whilst technically staying within the confines of the regulations.

Whilst DAS might be the most recent example of designers trying to steer the car in an unconventional way, it is not the first.

Steering is an area of the car where engineers have tried to probe the limits, with various solutions having been tried – and many of these subsequently getting banned. Here we take a look at some of the most famous examples.

All steer

Williams had been enjoying a spell of superiority during the early 1990's and it seemed that everything they tried turned to gold.

In a response to rumours that it planned to add to its impressive arsenal of electronic aids with a rear wheel steer system for 1994, Benetton rigged its B193C test mule with a crude rear wheel steer set-up for a test at Estoril.

The results were inconclusive as to whether it added performance. But the team decided to add another string to its bow for the last two races, and continued to test it with both of its cars fitted with the system.

It was a system that could be deactivated and should the hydraulic lines be compromised a fail-safe would return the wheels to the straight ahead position. The team ran the system during free practice on both occasions but opted not to race it.

These trials proved to be enough of a stimulus for the governing body to get ahead of the game and ban four wheel steering ahead of the 1994 season before the practice got out of hand.

The fiddler

McLaren found another way of steering the car later that decade, adding an additional pedal that would control the rear brake caliper on one side of the car and help to pivot the car under braking.

The team ran this brake-steer solution during the latter phases of 1997 and into 1998 before it was famously discovered by photographer Darren Heath, who'd spied the brakes glowing when they shouldn't during cornering and resolved himself to find out what was amiss.

He took his chance at the Luxembourg GP as both McLarens retired and he was able to get a shot in the footwell of Hakkinen's cockpit, revealing the slender extra pedal on the left hand side.

The extra pedal was set so that it needed more pressure applying to it, so that it could not be accidentally used. It offered a way of being able to balance the car when transferring to it from the main brake pedal.

This not only helped the driver to dial out the inherent understeer the car had, but also had a first unthought of aerodynamic benefit. With the car being pointed by the rear of the car, the front wheels did less steering, something that's helpful when we consider the damage that could be done aerodynamically by the wake turbulence created by the front wheels.

For 1998 McLaren had improved upon its initial system, as previously it had to rely on braking only one rear wheel with the fiddle brake. But it added a switch in the cockpit that enabled the driver to select which of the rear brakes the pedal would operate.

The system was banned in the aftermath of its discovery, with the other teams lobbying for its removal on the basis of it being a four wheel steering system.

Push and pull

The arrival of DAS during pre-season testing just highlights that even with the tightest regulatory constraints ever seen, teams are still more than able to outmanoeuvre the regulators.

A point proven when James Allison - Mercedes technical director, remarked about DAS in a recent Q&A on the team's YouTube channel, suggesting it actually wanted to introduce it a season earlier.

But, having spoken to the FIA, the governing body wasn't happy about how Mercedes planned on it being deployed by the driver.

During the Q&A, Allison confirmed that the initial design had a paddle on the steering wheel as a control mechanism, rather than pushing and pulling on the steering wheel.

The more convoluted steering column mechanism came about as a result of a consultation period with the FIA who, according to Allison, probably believed that it was too much of a challenge to overcome and would likely result in Mercedes ditching the idea entirely.

Mercedes decided otherwise though, as Allison explained.

"We have a very inventive chief designer, John Owen, and he took one look at that challenge," he said.

"He's got a really good gut feel for whether something is doable or not, and that's a really helpful characteristic, because it allows us to be quite brave spending money when most people would feel the outcome was quite uncertain.

"John took that challenge on, reckoned he could do it, put it out to our very talented group of mechanical designers, and between them they cooked up two or three ways in which it might be done.

"We picked the most likely of those three, and about a year after that, out popped the DAS system that you saw at the beginning of this season."

Other teams have opposed the use of the system, with Red Bull going as far to say it would protest it in Australia, had the race happened.

However, from a regulatory standpoint, it's clear that Mercedes will be allowed to use its DAS system throughout 2020 – unless Red Bull or another team challenge its legality with the stewards. The regulations have already been amended for 2021 so its use will be prohibited from then anyway.

Mercedes AMG F1 W11 & W10 comparison

Comparing the W10 and W11 shows some of the changes made by the team to include their DAS system for 2020.

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F1's team alliances will fall apart in 2022 - Renault

Renault Formula 1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul believes that the sport's current "two-tier" system will end in 2022, impacting relationships between the big teams and the partners with whom they share technology.
Abiteboul says that the lower cost cap and other changes coming for 2021 will lead to closer competition when the new regulations arrive in 2022.

He anticipates that the level playing field will for example make Mercedes less open to helping customer partner Racing Point.

Other than supplying a power unit to McLaren, Renault currently stands on its own with no technical allies, unlike some of its main rivals in the midfield who share technology such as gearboxes and other systems.

The team will be further isolated in 2021, when McLaren switches to Mercedes.

“It was a worry when there was either no budget cap or the budget cap was sufficiently high that the grid would remain under a two-tier system,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

“Now that we have a budget cap that is low enough that the grid will be much more competitive I’m curious to see what will happen to those collaborations between teams.

“Because I think right now Mercedes is happy to let Racing Point copy its car. Whether it’s legal or not legal it’s not my point, but they are very happy to help them in making their car very competitive.

"I will be very curious to see if that’s still the case for 2022.”

Abiteboul says that the big teams will simply be wary of their partners becoming too competitive once they are operating on similar budgets.

“Of course. Anyone will be a threat to anyone, that’s the game changer. And the ones that are winning are the fans.

“This type of construction that we have now, when the grid is not competitive and you have this two-tier system which is protecting three teams, it’s not going to be the case any longer.

“It will police itself to some extent. That’s why I’m much more relaxed about things from 2020 onwards that I am currently.”

 

[MIKA27]

Imola boss lobbies F1 for inclusion on 2020 calendar

Imola’s circuit boss has urged Formula 1 to consider an Italian triple header this year, as efforts continue for the venue to host a grand prix later this season.

On the day that F1 cars returned to action around the Imola track, with Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat conducting a filming run and test for AlphaTauri, its chief has made clear that his desire for a race remains strong.

With Mugello looking increasingly likely to get the nod to hold a second Italian event after Monza in September, Formula Imola president Uberto Selvatico Estense still sees a chance for his circuit.

“Imola has F1 in its DNA and on this track the history of F1 has taken place, it must not be forgotten and we must be rightly proud of it,” he said. “Looking ahead, and with an eye to the local economy in this serious moment of crisis, our goal is to bring back the top series to Imola’s circuit from this year. 

“The most logical and most suitable solution for F1 fans from all over the world would be to use circuits with great media impact, as Imola certainly is. [And] perhaps together with Monza and Mugello, for a legendary national triple. 

“We started since April of this year working with great dedication and passion on this hypothesis, together with the local and regional institutions and the FOWC [F1 world championship], and we hope that the national sports authority will also support our candidature for this season.”

AlphaTauri ran two cars at Imola: its current AT01, plus a 2018 STR13. Kvyat said after the test that he reckoned the track would be ideal for an F1 race.

“Imola is a special track and I am very happy to get back in a F1 car, after this long pause, on this circuit,” said the Russian. “I’ve known it for some time, because I did one of my first tests here with a single-seater in 2010.

“The track is really fantastic to drive, with some nice fast corners. I am of the opinion that it should absolutely be on the F1 calendar.”

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Homologated F1 parts system errors could lead to exclusions

Racing Point technical director Andrew Green fears Formula 1 teams risk exclusion if they make a mistake in managing the new homologated components system in 2020 and 2021.
As a cost cutting exercise some parts of the car are frozen to the end of 2021 from the first race in Austria, while others will be fixed from September 30.

A token system allows teams to make some changes after those dates.

Green says it will be critical for teams to keep on top of their homologated parts and ensure that only the approved specifications are used, and thus a dedicated group has been formed at Racing Point to keep track.

"It is quite complicated for sure," Green said of the new system. "And for us as far as managing it and the FIA managing it is incredibly complex, and it does take a significant amount of resource to do it.

"We understand the reasons why, and it has to be done. So from our perspective we need to understand what we need resources wise to manage it.

"It's a technical regulation, not a sporting regulation, so if we are found in breach of the homologated parts rule it's effectively exclusion from the event, so it's a really serious offence.

"With that in mind we've got a dedicated team working on the management of homologated parts from the first race of this season right the way through to the end of 2021.

"It does require a lot of management, it's a brand new topic for everybody, we've never done it before, and we have to implement it really rather quickly. It's a challenge, but it's the same for everybody, and we're happy to do it."

The ban on most mechanical development has freed up engineers who can now focus on keeping track of the frozen parts.

"It's more the mechanical side that is frozen, and because it's frozen we can use those teams that aren't designing new parts to be managing the homologated parts."

Green says that teams must be careful not to break the rules by mistake: "We're really conscious that because it's new, it could be very easy to fall foul of it inadvertently.

"We're trying to make sure that all the protocols are in place so we don't fall foul of it – inadvertently meaning that someone doesn't pick up a homologated part, rubs it with a file and changes it, puts it back on the car, and then you've breached your homologated component rule.

"It can be as draconian as that."

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Sauber launches new young driver academy

Sauber Motorsport has launched a new young driver academy including German Formula 4 champion Theo Pourchaire and karter Emerson Fittipaldi Jr.
Sauber - which operates Alfa Romeo’s Formula 1 operation - has a rich history of helping develop young drivers, including Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sergio Perez.

The team worked with Charouz Racing System to operate its junior team through 2019, but with their partnership concluding at the end of last season, Sauber has now announced the launch of its own academy.

The Sauber Academy will be overseen by Alfa Romeo Racing team principal Frederic Vasseur and sporting director Beat Zehnder, and will “provide inductees with the training necessary to progress on their way to their ultimate target, Formula 1.”

“Investing in young talent has always been a central part of Sauber Motorsport’s racing philosophy,” said Vasseur.

“Our Academy is just the latest project aimed at unearthing stars of the future and guiding them through their career, giving them the tools, the education and the resources needed to succeed in the world of motorsport.”

Four inductees have been announced on the launch of the academy, including 2019 ADAC F4 champion Pourchaire, 16, who will race in FIA F3 this year with ART Grand Prix.

“I am really happy to become part of and be supported by the Sauber Academy. It is a truly super chance to learn from one of the sport’s most historical teams,” said Pourchaire.

“I will be the youngest on the grid in FIA F3, where I will be driving with ART Grand Prix, and the support I’ll receive will be crucial to fulfil my goal, which is to win.”

Pourchaire is joined in the academy by 13-year-old Fittipaldi Jr., the son of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi. He will race in the OK-J karting championship with the Sauber Karting Team this year.

“I am very proud to be selected by the Sauber Academy along with these three very talented drivers,” said Fittipaldi Jr. “The experience and expertise in motorsport from the Sauber team will help me learn much faster.”

Fittipaldi Sr. added: “When I heard Emmo Jr. had been selected by Sauber Academy, I was extremely happy for him. Emmo Jr. is building a strong foundation to help him achieve his dream of becoming an F1 driver.

“I have known Frederic Vasseur and Beat Zehnder for many years. With their expertise and reputation, I feel very confident that they will provide Emmo Jr. with the proper guidance to be successful on and off the track.”

Scotland’s Dexter Patterson also joins the academy ahead of his single-seater debut in Italian F4 this year, while Formula Renault Eurocup racer Petr Ptacek completes the intake ahead of the 2020 season.

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F1 right to trim downforce to help Pirelli - Renault

Renault Formula 1 boss Cyril Abiteboul says it was right that the teams should try to help Pirelli use the same tyres for three seasons by agreeing to trim downforce levels for 2021.
After the Italian company's 2020 development tyres were rejected by the teams last year, preferring to stay with the familiar 2019 specification for a second year, the same specification tyres will be used for an unplanned extra season in 2021 following the delay to the F1 rules overhaul due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to rein in the natural increase in downforce levels in 2021, and hence control the loadings on the tyres, the teams agreed to a slight change in the floor rules that will help the 2019 tyres cope for an extra year - while Racing Point's technical director Andy Green believes the change means a "front to back" reworking of the current aerodynamic package.

Abiteboul says he has some sympathy for Pirelli, as the company always has to react to the direction taken by the teams and the FIA.

"I've been a supplier of engines, and I know the difficulty of being a supplier to F1," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com, having headed up Renault's engine supplier efforts before the French manufacturer made its works team comeback in 2016.

"It's a big ask, a lot of expectation. I think we need to do a slightly better job in giving sufficient notice and stability on our decisions so that Pirelli are given the opportunity to develop the right product for what we want to do.

"If you take the example of this year, let's not forget the circumstances. We were supposed to move to 18 inches next year, but we decided just when we were coming back from Australia to postpone the regulations by a year, and we always need to look at the consequences of our decisions.

"Having taken that decision I think it also makes sense that we try to slightly adjust our cars to their product, at least in the short term."

Abiteboul says that it's crucial teams now help Pirelli to anticipate the downforce levels that the 18-inch tyres will have to deal with under the new technical regulations in 2022.

"I think medium term, for 2022 in particular, we need to make sure that the right products are developed for our cars, with the right assumptions," he said.

"Sometimes what's remarkable with F1 is that the grid in general is capable of going above our assumptions. I think everyone has been surprised by the amount of aerodynamic development that we've been able to generate in the last 12 months, despite a change of regulations with the simplified front wing, and so on.

"It's also a bit of a credit to the sport that it's a constant moving target for a supplier like Pirelli, but having said that for 2022 we all need to be perfectly aligned with what we will be needed."

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Vettel: Mugello deserves to host F1 grand prix

Sebastian Vettel believes Mugello deserves to host a Formula 1 race after enjoying his first test at the circuit in over eight years with Ferrari.

In preparation for the delayed 2020 F1 season-opener in Austria next month, Ferrari held a private test at Mugello on Tuesday with its 2018-spec SF71H car. 

Vettel completed the morning session before handing over to team-mate Charles Leclerc in the afternoon as the Ferrari team got to grips with new procedures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It marked Vettel’s first drive in an F1 car since the end of pre-season testing in February, almost four months ago. 

The four-time world champion last drove at Mugello in 2012 during an in-season test, and said he would welcome a grand prix at the circuit. 

“I was glad to get back in the cockpit after a break that was even longer than the usual winter one. I was also very pleased to see all the guys from the team at last,” said Vettel. “It was great to once again get those feelings from a car and to do so at such a spectacular track. I really think Mugello deserves to host a Formula 1 grand prix.

“I hadn’t driven it for eight years, so it took a few laps for me to get used to the track, and then I really enjoyed myself.”

Mugello is in contention to host an F1 race for the first time this year as part of the revised 2020 calendar, with a September slot following the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on 6 September being mooted. F1 is considering a number of options beyond the eight-race calendar announced thus far, with additional races in Europe thought likely.

Mugello has held the Italian MotoGP round since 1994 and some continental GT racing, but has never held an F1 grand prix.

 Vettel’s younger team-mate Leclerc was similarly upbeat following the test running, during which he completed around a grand prix distance. 

“How great was that, getting back on track for real,” said Leclerc. “I’d missed it. Even though I’ve been pretty busy with virtual racing during this long break, I needed to once again get that physical impression of speed. 

“Being able to drive on such a spectacular track as Mugello, for the first time at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, helped to make this day even more memorable. Now, we’re looking ahead to the season and as from next week, things get serious.”

Ferrari is the fourth team after Mercedes, Renault and Racing Point to have completed F1 test running in preparation for Austria.

The test “was deliberately run in the same working conditions the teams will experience in Austria,” according to the team.

“The anti COVID-19 protocols were assessed, with mechanics and engineers working in masks and respecting social distancing in a modified garage layout,” the team said in review of the day. 

“Sebastian and Charles also did the same when they changed over seats in the SF71H at the lunchbreak.”

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Could Twitch replace TV as the way to watch F1?

One of the positives from Formula 1’s lockdown has been seeing how much closer some drivers have got to their fans.
While it would have been all too easy for F1’s big guns to disappear from the world and simply re-emerge when the racing got going again, the likes of Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen have perhaps been even more engaged with their followers than they would have been during normal times.

The direct contact through live-streaming platforms like Twitch has given us some memorable hilarious moments like Norris shaving his hair and Leclerc wearing that banana costume.

But also there's been a more serious side to it as well, because it's opened eyes in the wider F1 world about the next step the sport could take in terms of delivering a viewing platform that matches what an engaged audience at home now expects.

With Twitch boasting impressive viewer numbers - 18.5 million daily active viewers for a total of 10.6 billion hours of content watched in 2019 - it simply cannot be ignored.

Just as F1 has long moved on from being a pure linear television experience, where fans had to watch the action at the time that the networks decided.

So too the current offerings of live streaming straight to mobile where and when fans want it, or dedicated 24/7 grand prix channels, may not be enough in years to come.

The future may be about engagement with the show: chatting to fellow fans, getting a direct link to the competitors and having that feeling of being a part of what's going on, rather than just an observer.

It's why what has happened on Twitch over recent weeks has been an eye-opener for F1 chiefs like Ross Brawn, who says that lessons can be learned about how it has opened up a new side to drivers.

"The thing I've seen that is very striking to me is how because the real drivers have become involved in these initiatives and these events, how well they've been able to engage with the fans," Brawn said in an interview at last week's FIA eConference 2020.

But what is particularly relevant to the debate right now is that platforms like Twitch are moving away from being solely focused on gaming. For Twitch itself, of more interest is the broadcast of live sporting events itself.

There is growth in what has become known as 'IRL' content – In Real Life. On a basic level, we've seen Leclerc and Norris live stream some of their recent karting and racing car exploits as they continue their preparations for the F1 season finally getting going again.

That's just one step away from actual live coverage of racing itself. We've already seen the first experiments of this with F1, when last year's Mexican Grand Prix practice, qualifying and the race were streamed on Twitch in selected territories as a toe-in-the-water exercise.

With no big marketing campaign, and strict limits on the countries where the content was available, there was an average of 40,000 concurrent viewers – which peaked at 52K.

While those numbers aren't game changers for F1, for Twitch's EMEA Sports Lead Charlie Beall, they are another indication of a momentum that is growing behind IRL live sporting action.

"Something interesting is starting to happen organically on Twitch," he explained during last week's FIA eConference.

"Gaming content remains our most popular by far. It's the premier destination for the consumption of gaming streams and eSports, but we've got this organic growth in non eSports content.

"At the end of 2018, about 3 percent of the content on Twitch was what we call IRL: non gaming content. Organically that has started to grow. So fast forward a year and that 3 percent has become 11 percent.

"This validates our opinion that Twitch is a service for communities as much as it is a service for gaming and eSports. So what you're starting to see is more sports starting to engage on, with and through Twitch as a platform. So we're trying to grow and nurture that organic process."

While there is interest coming from organisations outside, Twitch says it is specifically targeting three sports that it believes have the biggest potential

"We've identified, basketball, football, and motor sport as three particularly important sports. We think there is a strong adjacency between our existing audience, and the traditional audience for those sports.

"In the case of motorsport. I think we've already heard how close and how well suited the kind of cross pollination between virtual and sim versions of the sports are. How you can get gamers interacting with drivers is just something that we don't see in any other sport."

With Twitch looking to expand its sports offerings, you could see them jump at the chance to show all F1 grands prix live, with direct links to the drivers and teams on the ground adding extra added value to any coverage for fans at home.

But it would be hard to think of the business model working in the short term, especially with Pay TV channels currently able to offer top dollar to commercial rights holders for exclusive rights to show F1.

Just look at what Sky Germany were able to offer – outbidding RTL by many times to secure live rights behind a pay wall.

Yet, there remains something tantalising about what a free platform like Twitch can offer, especially when it comes to making sure that the next generation of fans can get hooked on motor racing.

One of the big appeals of Twitch is its demographics. It's young: 72 percent of its audience is under 34, with 26 percent aged between 13 and 17.

That audience is also engaged. While current go-to App TikTok is all about hooking people with short 10-second clips, Twitch it at the other end of the spectrum with long viewership times.

"A regular twitch viewer spends 90 minutes a day on the platform, which is an enormous amount of time," says Beall.

"So when we look at, I guess the continuum of all social platforms, you've got TikTok on the one side which is very kind of transient short bytes of content although users may spend, spend longer than that on the surface.

"Then, moving along the continuum, you've got Twitch, where audiences will tune into streams that last two to three hours. And really, it kind of puts slightly to bed the view that the younger generation have a short attention span."

Twitch also offers the perfect platform for direct engagement to athletes; something that normal television broadcasts cannot. The interactivity, especially if the content creator does it well, is a USP that Twitch definitely has over regular television channels.

"The chats can be almost like crowd noise to a stream: it speeds up, it slows down, and the excitement is marked by the use of these emotes that the Twitch community holds dear and use to express their emotions or personality," added Beall.

"Drivers like Lando Norris understand the currency and the personality of Twitch. They understand that it's a way of connecting very closely and very deeply with their community.

"They come from this generation that understands interactivity, and they'll just talk with their phones and drip ins. It's a very powerful way of creating close relationships with fans and with a community."

But there are aspects to F1's coverage that Twitch would not suit. Its experience shows its audience isn't as hooked on the more hardcore sims, with the platform much better suited to fun: think head-shaving and banana costumes that front wing update analysis.

For long-standing motor racing fans who may prefer the latter depth of coverage and the detailed insight Twitch is perhaps not the right place.

One idea where it could work though is in co-streaming, so categories like F1 offer up the basic live rights to the race and a Twitch channel host – whether it be a broadcaster or a driver/athlete himself - can stream his commentary over it.

It sits well with gaming, and one of the take outs of the Mexican GP experiment last year was how well the idea worked when it was tried in the German market.

"As a way of growing awareness for and getting involved in different types of communities we see great potential in doing this," added Beall.

"In the broadcast of the Mexico Grand Prix, we found that the viewership was actually boosted seven times through co streaming, by just making the feed of the race available to racing enthusiasts and racing gamers.

"That really validated a point that we believe is true. That there is a crossover between the gaming audiences and the real traditional sports audiences, and that Twitch can be a place to facilitate that interaction. So we've got grand plans in this space."

While talk of Twitch becoming the future way to watch F1 may be premature, what is clear is that it offers up some fascinating opportunities for the future.

It's one that could see it – or similar types of platforms that are driven by engagement and interaction of live events – become a core component of the broadcast eco-system that surrounds every F1 race.

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Mercedes set to secure ROKiT F1 sponsorship deal

Mercedes is closing in on a new sponsorship agreement with ROKiT that could be in place for the start of the new Formula 1 season, Motorsport.com understands.
ROKiT previously served as Williams' title sponsor from the start of the 2019 Formula 1 season, only for the deal to be terminated by the team at the end of May.

But ROKiT is now on course to become a sponsor of the Mercedes F1 team ahead of the new season, with confirmation of the deal understood to be imminent.

A Mercedes spokesman said the team "can't offer comment on any confidential commercial discussions, be they with ROKiT or any other brand".

The ROKiT group covers a series of brands, including its own in-house phone company and the ABK brewery in Germany, the logos for both being carried on Williams' car through the 2019 season and 2020 pre-season testing.

Following the split with Williams, ROKiT stressed it remained committed to its motorsport activities, enjoying involvement in Formula E as the title sponsor of Venturi, as well as sponsoring all of the W Series cars.

Williams is understood to have informed ROKiT that it terminated the agreement on the day of the announcement, coinciding with the team confirming plans to find a new buyer or fresh investment in the coming months.

ROKiT will bolster Mercedes' raft of sponsors, joining companies such as title sponsor Petronas, Bose, Monster Energy and INEOS, the last-named becoming its new principal partner at the start of the season.

The arrival of ROKiT will support Mercedes' push to make its F1 operation more profitable in the future ahead of the arrival of the $145 million cost cap in 2021.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said in February that making the team profitable was "exactly what we have as our target", aiming to make funding the operation a "no-brainer" for parent company Daimler.

"The marketing is huge and the return on investment should be the icing on the cake," Wolff said.

"We see that in the American sports leagues that most of them, the NFL or the NBA, are profitable franchises.

"This is my personal aim and my personal contribution with our partners to turn this into such a corporate company, so that from a service standpoint it becomes a no brainer to participate."

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AlphaTauri 'now ready for Austria', says Gasly after Imola test

Pierre Gasly says AlphaTauri are now ready for the new Formula 1 season to kick off, after the team completed a private test session on Wednesday.

Unrestricted testing with current machinery is not allowed under the F1 rules, but all the teams are allowed to run their cars for two promotional filming days each year, an option AlphaTauri decided to use to allow their drivers some on-track time ahead of the first race of the new season next month.

And after the run at the Imola circuit, Gasly declared himself and the team ready to hit the ground running at the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5.

"I was really happy to be back on track after such a long wait," he said. "I had really missed that feeling you get from driving so it was incredible to be back in the STR13 and the AT01. We had a really smooth day, doing some laps in both cars.

"I woke up this morning feeling excited and happy and I will fall asleep tonight in the same mood. It was also special to drive a Formula 1 car at Imola, which is one of my favourite tracks. I think we are now ready for Austria.‬"

Daniil Kvyat also got behind the wheel, and says he enjoyed his run at Imola so much he thinks the track should start hosting Grands Prix again.

"Being here in Imola today feels great!" he said. "I’ve known the track for a while now because I did one of my first tests here for Formula BMW in 2010 and a race for Formula Renault Alps in 2012 and today I’ve finally returned for a filming day with the team.

"Imola is a track which is really nice to drive with lots of fast turns and I think it’s a track which really deserves to return to the F1 calendar. It was a special feeling today being back in the car after such a long break and I really enjoyed it."

As well as running their new AT01 challenger, the team also had their 2018 car, the STR13, at the test. And it seems Kvyat was so excited to be back behind the wheel he couldn't help but pull a few doughnuts...

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‘I needed to get that physical impression of speed’ says Leclerc after Mugello test

Charles Leclerc says it was a relief to once again get the "physical impression of speed" that only comes from driving a Formala 1 car, after he got back in the cockpit for a private test on Tuesday.

The Ferrari driver did get behind the wheel last week for a demonstration run in the new SF1000 when he took the 2020 challenger for a spin around the streets of Maranello surrounding the Ferrari factory.

But on Tuesday he was back on a race track in an F1 car for the first time since winter testing in February, when Ferrari ran their 2018-spec SF71H car at Mugello.

Both Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel drove the car on the Italian track as they looked to get back up to speed ahead of the first race of the delayed 2020 F1 season next month.

After the day's running, Leclerc said he had been missing the feeling of hitting the speeds possible in an F1 car.

"How great was that, getting back on track for real," he said. "I’d missed it! Even though I’ve been pretty busy with virtual racing during this long break, I needed to once again get that physical impression of speed.

"Being able to drive on such a spectacular track as Mugello, for the first time at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, helped to make this day even more memorable. Now, we’re looking ahead to the season and as from next week, things get serious!"

Leclerc's team mate Sebastian Vettel also got behind the wheel, and enjoyed his run at Mugello so much he said afterwards the circuit deserves a spot on the F1 calendar.

“I was glad to get back in the cockpit after a break that was even longer than the usual winter one. I was also very pleased to see all the guys from the team at last," he said.

"It was great to once again get those feelings from a car and to do so at such a spectacular track. I really think Mugello deserves to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix. I hadn’t driven it for eight years, so it took a few laps for me to get used to the track and then I really enjoyed myself.”

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Ricciardo admits he felt ‘naïve’ after Hamilton racism comments

Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about his voyage of discovery during the advent of the #BlackLivesMatter movement following the death of George Floyd in the United States, admitting that learning about racism had “opened [his] eyes” and left him feeling “naïve” about his attitudes towards the problem.

An Instagram post from Lewis Hamilton in May saw Mercedes’ six-time champion call out his fellow F1 drivers for not speaking out on the George Floyd killing, with Hamilton writing: “I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice. Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white-dominated sport.”

And Ricciardo, who subsequently reacted to the George Floyd killing in a post on Instagram, conceded in an interview with Sky Sports F1 that silence on racism “is part of the problem”.

“I’ve certainly learned a lot the last few weeks,” Ricciardo said. “I’ve been reading, I’ve been watching and it’s opened my eyes. I’ve learnt that just because you might not consider yourself a racist or a person of conflict, that’s not enough. You have to speak up, you have to educate yourself and others around you because what I understood is, being silent is part of the problem.

“I felt a bit… I don’t know if it’s guilty or just like, ‘How can I be so naïve to everything that’s been going on?’. And it’s not only the last few weeks, but it’s been months, it’s been years. It is good that finally more of the world is getting exposed to it and people are behind it. Also, understanding that it’s okay to speak up, you’re not going to be judged, you’re not going to be criticised, and I think because of the volume of everyone getting involved, and all races getting involved, that’s been really powerful.”

Ricciardo also responded to the implementation of Formula 1’s #WeRaceAsOne initiative, hoping that it was “a start” in the sport becoming “accountable”.

“Probably every aspect of everything we do in life, we can do better, we can be better,” he said. “But one thing is thinking about it, then it’s talking about it, then it’s acting on it, and I think now finally actions are being taken, and we have to hold ourselves accountable.

“It’s not just a phase, it’s not something that we do for a week and then forget about and say, ‘We’ve done our post on social media and we don’t have to worry about it anymore’… For real change to happen, it needs to continue. So I’m glad that we’re doing what we can now. It’s a start.”

Ahead of the season start, meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton recently took to the streets of London to participate in a #BlackLivesMatter peaceful protest, calling the experience “really moving”.

 

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Renault F1 boss fears empty grandstands until 2021

Spectators may not be able to return to grands prix until the 2021 season, according to Renault DP World F1 Team boss Cyril Abiteboul, due to the coronavirus and associated economic risk.

The pandemic has prompted a redrafting of Formula 1’s calendar and regulations, with the FIA approving ‘Closed Events’, at which there is a vast reduction on attending personnel.

Part of the stipulation of Closed Events is that no spectators are permitted access to the venue.

All eight rounds confirmed so far are set to be Closed Events though Formula 1 chiefs have previously expressed optimism that fans will be able to return later in the year.

But, speaking during DP World’s Enabling Smarter Conversations series, Abiteboul has cautioned that race organisers may be reluctant to fast-track the return of spectators.

“It may take a while,” said Abiteboul on the notion of well-attended grands prix.

“We are bracing ourselves for a season that will be mostly behind closed doors with a different set of economics obviously given the circumstances, but hopefully we will be able to have a very small fan attendance in the course of the summer.

“I don’t have any of my own predictions but looking at the way the pandemic has been developing and fluctuating, and being more in control in Europe, for me it looks like we may have to wait for a complete cycle, a complete winter, before we find some promotors who are prepared to take the economic risk to set up a race with grandstands with full attendance.

“That’s why the main concern has been to protect the sport, Formula 1, for next year, when we think it will be all back to normal.”

The Austrian Grand Prix will be the first race in Formula 1’s 70-year history to take place without spectators.

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Giovinazzi backs “cool” plan for three Italian F1 races

Italy’s only current Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi says he’s “a big supporter” of the suggestion that the country could host three Grands Prix in September, describing the idea as “really cool.”
Mugello and Imola are both in the running to host races after the currently scheduled Italian GP at Monza on September 6, with Imola’s boss having this week touted a triple header.

Sources suggest that it’s currently more likely that Mugello will host a race on September 13 followed by a trip to Portimao in Portugal, but Imola is not yet officially out of contention, although there are issues with the layout of its pit entry.

Both Italian venues staked their claims when they hosted F1 tests this week, with Ferrari running at Mugello, and AlphaTauri at Imola. Italy last hosted two World Championship races in 2006, the final year of Imola’s San Marino GP.

“I’m just really happy to hear this one because for me to race three times in Italy is something that will never happen again,” Alfa Romeo driver Giovinazzi told the F1 podcast. “I would be the first Italian driver to race in one year in three Italian races. 

“It will be really cool. We don’t know yet, but I’m a big supporter of this. Unfortunately, it will not be the same thing as when I raced last year, because the people make the difference for me, the fans, the Tifosi, and unfortunately the people will not be there. 

“But I’m really happy if for three weeks in a row I can race in Italy. I’m just really excited about this news. We’ll see what happens, but like I said before, I’m a supporter.”

Giovinazzi likes all three venues, and says they offer different challenges: “They are three fantastic tracks. Monza for sure I had a lot of experience there, a lot of races. It was my first Italian GP last year, so for me it’s a special track. 

“Mugello, I think with this new F1 car, it’s an unbelievable track, it will be amazing to do one quali lap there. But also Imola, a lot of history, it’s a really fast track, a really narrow track as well. I just want to race on all three of them, because they are fantastic and exciting tracks.”

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Brawn: Austria will be exciting even without reverse grid

Ross Brawn expects Formula 1 to hold “two exciting races” in Austria next month despite plans for a reverse grid qualifying format change being rejected.
F1 will hold back-to-back races at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on July 5 and July 12 to start the revised 2020 calendar after the opening 10 rounds were called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will mark the first time in F1 history that a circuit has held multiple rounds of the world championship in the same season, with Silverstone set to do the same in August.

F1 officials had proposed shaking up the format for the second race in Austria - known as the Styrian Grand Prix - by running a reverse grid sprint race on Saturday in place of qualifying. 

But the plans were rejected after failing to receive unanimous support from teams, with Mercedes opposing the idea.

Speaking in the latest part of the #thinkingforward series of interviews with motor racing’s leaders, F1 managing director of motorsports Brawn explained the renewed push for the format change. 

“We introduced the concept of a qualifying race, which was based on reverse championship order, and then that would take you through to the main event which would be the race on the Sunday,” Brawn said in an interview at the FIA eConference.

“We discussed that last year, and we had pretty good support for that, but not unanimous. And it’s been the same case this year. There have been some teams who haven’t felt that’s something we should be doing.

“Our concern was simply where we have two races at the same track, because of the situation this year. We’re going to have two races in Austria, two races in Silverstone, possibly two races later in the year at one or another of the tracks.

“The second race, we wanted to see if there was an opportunity to try a different format.”

Brawn said he remains committed to making different tweaks for the second races at circuits.

Plans are already in place for different tyre compounds to be made available to teams at the second Silverstone race, while the possibility of using an alternate layout in Bahrain has also been suggested. 

But even without the changes for Austria, Brawn expressed his confidence that F1 would deliver two exciting races to get the 2020 season underway.

“There are some small things we can do with the selection of tyre compounds, and one or two other things, but I think they’re quite minor. [Reverse grids] were a bigger step,” Brawn said.

“One or two tracks later in the year have the added attraction they can run in a different configuration, so that might be an opportunity if we have a second race there to run the track in a different configuration and create some difference between the two races.

“But I suspect Austria is going to be pretty exciting. [It’s the] beginning of the season, nature of the track there, everyone settling in, and I think we will find that we have two exciting races there without doing anything to it.

“But it’s just later in the year we were perhaps looking at these changes.”

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Racing Point: Cost cap won’t harm Mercedes relationship

Racing Point Formula 1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer doesn’t believe that a more tightly-packed field in the future will jeopardise the team’s technical partnership with Mercedes.
Along with its power unit the world championship-winning outfit provides a gearbox and other systems to Racing Point, as well as usage of the Brackley wind tunnel.

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul suggested recently that such relationships could be under threat if the cost cap closes the field up and the bigger teams become less keen to supply technology to partners who could potentially challenge them.

However Szafnauer says that the current pacesetters will still have an edge, even if the gap closes, so it won’t become an issue.

“I understand the theory, I just can’t predict the future,” Szafnauer told Motorsport.com.

“I still think the big teams will have an advantage, even in 2022. They’re not going to going to wake up, bump their heads and forget how to develop a fast racing car. That just doesn’t happen.

“There’s more than just having the right tools, it’s also having the right people, and they’ve had the right people for a long time, which is why they are where they are. They’re not going to forget.

“And usually from what I’ve seen in the past when you have wholesale technical change it’s the well-funded big guys who do a better job. I still think that’s going to be the same trend.

“Maybe the difference won’t be so big, and we’ll be able to catch up more readily, but I still think the guys with the bigger resources and better knowledge will end up doing the better job.”

Szafnauer says a big team is only likely to withdraw its technical support of a partner if a specific area plays a big role in determining the pecking order.

“There will always be some kind of differentiator in F1 where one team does a better job than the others," he said. "I think in time once we know what the regulations are, and the details, then we’ll figure out where those differentiators are.

“If they are for example the fact that if you do your own gearbox, you’ve got a huge advantage, then I can see Mercedes saying, ‘Well you know what, you can go and do your own gearbox, I don’t want to share my gearbox with you.’

“There might be a little bit of that. I get it from an economic standpoint, but it’s really, really hard to predict that.

“If it’s just a general thing that the whole grid is going to get a little bit close, therefore I don’t want to give you access to my wind tunnel and sell you my gearbox, I can’t see that, because there will be all sorts of other differentiators. But you don’t know, so let’s see where that goes.”

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Ferrari: New restrictions won't slow down F1 pitstops

Formula 1’s pitstops should not be any slower as a result of the staffing restrictions that have been put on teams, reckons Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies.
As part of the protocols introduced amid the coronavirus pandemic, teams have had to cut back on the number of staff members they are allowed at races.

An overall limit on personnel allowed to work on the car has been replaced with a limit on total team members at the event – with the ceiling set at 80.

Furthermore, amid efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus if a team member is infected, teams like Ferrari have set up their own social bubbles within their squads – with the crews of both cars separated as much as possible.

The complications will make it harder for team members to work closely together, and garage jobs are expected to take a longer time than before.

However, Mekies thinks that when it comes to pitstops, teams will be just as fast as always.

“We now have an overall [personnel] limit which was not there before, of 80 people in total," explained Mekies. "So we had to cut mainly non technical people. As a result, the pitstop operations and engineering operations are not so much affected.

“They are a little bit affected because through global responsibility we have tried to take as few people as possible to the racetrack regardless of the limit. But overall, you will not see a big change in the number of people involved in pit stop or in operations.

“We have reduced the numbers to do as many things as we could remotely. As you know, we have what we call the ‘parallel box’ here [at Ferrari], the remote garage, that supports our operations. So everything we can do, we are doing remotely. As I'm sure the other teams are doing, as are the FIA

“But as far as the pitstops are concerned, you will see the same operation there.”

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Russell: Perfecting procedures "biggest thing" on return

Williams Formula 1 driver George Russell believes that it will be easy to get back into driving mode in Austria next weekend and likens it to “riding a bike”, but admits that remembering the correct procedures and managing a race has potential for mistakes.
Russell, who has not had the opportunity to test a real car during the break, was surprised by how easily he got back into a rhythm when he returned to the Williams simulator.

The Briton also believes that his recent focus on Esports, which saw him win the unofficial Virtual GP championship, has helped to keep him sharp.

“I’ve driven on the sim and my first five laps were absolutely terrible,” he said in an F1 vodcast. “But by my 12th lap I was actually quicker than what I was prior to Australia, same track, same set-up, everything exactly the same. I was quite shocked by that to be honest.

“It took a little while to remember some of the procedures we had to do, and the way I worked with my engineers.

“I think that’s probably going to be the biggest thing, when you talk about rhythm, remembering exactly what feedback my guys need, how I need to drive in certain ways for the out lap, in-laps, cool down laps. That’s probably the point where we’ll make a couple of mistakes.”

Russell says that simply driving a fast lap will come easily.

“From a qualifying perspective, when it’s everything on the table, everything you’ve got, I think that’s just going to be like riding a bike to be honest.

“Essentially you’ve either got it or you don’t, and you know how you need to drive for a lap like that. But when it does come to the race you’ve got to manage your tyres, manage your brakes, the engine temperature, attacking, defending, engine modes, talking to the engineers, giving them feedback.

“That’s the part that requires probably the most skill, there’s a lot of finesses required to optimise your whole package.

“I’ve done a lot of looking back over my notes, how I was preparing for Australia, how I ended Abu Dhabi last year, when I went into the simulator how I need to approach the race, so fingers crossed we should be in a good position.”

Russell says his virtual racing experience was relevant because of the pressure to get it right.

“I first started out as a bit of fun with my mates, then I soon learned they are pretty damn fast and pretty competitive. I was, obviously I’m at the back of the grid in real F1, I don’t want to come here and be uncompetitive.

“So I put a bit of effort in, put a bit of work in, and just having that competitiveness was great. It gave me that opportunity to stay sharp. Even though it’s virtual, when you get to the real race, there’s still a lot of things that are very similar.

“You’ve still got to go out in qualifying, you’ve got three laps to do the job, and if you don’t do the job then you’re going to be at the back of the grid, and you’ve still got that pressure.

“You can all do a quick lap time in practice, but when it comes to quali you’ve got to do the job and that pressure’s there, it’s a different story.

“And also a race start, cars around you waiting for the lights to go off, when you’re sat on the grid and you’ve got those five red lights coming on, and you’re quite anxious and ready to let go of the clutch.

“That’s the same in the virtual world. Little things like that definitely didn’t hurt at all.”

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Red Bull upgrades revealed at its filming day

Red Bull wanted to do more than just get reacquainted with the RB16 during its filming day at Silverstone on Thursday, as it also used its allotted 100km to test out some new parts ahead of the season opener in Austria next week.

Unlike Mercedes and Ferrari, which opted for the capability to run for longer with an older car in its pre-Austria running, Red Bull felt it better to use its limited time at Silverstone to evaluate protocols and give a first run out to some updated new parts.

The most obvious aspect of the update package tested was the new rapid prototyped hedgehog-style fins mounted on top of the fully enclosed holes that run parallel to the floor's edge.

It's not a totally new solution as we've seen other teams do similar in the past, as can seen in the Ferrari SF71H illustration below.

However, it would appear that Red Bull is now looking to exploit the advantage it brings of working the corresponding floor holes harder and consequently altering the airflow that hits the rear tyre.

It would appear that the team has also been working on the shape, number and position of the fins mounted towards the front of the bargeboards' footplate which will ultimately change the behaviour of the airflow passing by.

Furthermore, it appears that a cluster of legality slots have been added to the leading edge of the upper sidepod wing, and the mid-wing that houses the side impact spar.

This indicates that there may also be many more corresponding changes on the floor below. However, whether these are just slots or an adjustment to the airflow aligning strakes that reside on the face of the upturned leading edge of the floor, remains to be seen.

The team was also monitoring the flex and rotation of the front wing during its running, as a hi-speed camera looked across at the reference point on the front wing.

This is an important parameter for teams to understand, as they continue to nudge up to what can be achieved under load out on circuit whilst being able to fully comply with the static tests conducted by the FIA in the pitlane.

It's unclear how much of its planned Austria upgrade package was revealed at Silverstone, but Red Bull is clearly heading in to the campaign as aggressive as main rival Mercedes which has also boasted of bringing a lot of new parts.

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Tents, awnings to replace motorhomes in Austrian GP paddock

Formula 1's paddock will look completely different at its first races back, with tents and awnings replacing motorhomes, and team trucks further away from garages.
As part of a move to limit the number of staff needing to attend, F1 has agreed with teams that the usual motorhomes that are a feature for European races will no longer be brought along.

The building and transportation of F1's super-structure motorhomes required a lot of staff and it was felt that it would be better for teams to use circuit facilities instead.

The absence of the motorhomes means that there is now space for a paddock rejig, with plans having been agreed for team trucks – which are normally close to the pit garage doors – being moved further away.

Teams will then build tents and awnings at the back of the pits, which they can use as overspill space from the garage to help with any social distancing requirements.

In a video explaining how Mercedes was coping with the challenge of the coronavirus races, Karl Fanson, head of its race team logistics, explained how different things will be.

"It won't be the same setup as a normal European race because we won't have any motorhomes," he said. "In agreement with F1, what we've managed to do is we're going to move the race trucks further away from the garages, and we'll be supplying our own tents and awnings.

"[This will] give us more working space within the garage. It's easier to social distance and work comfortably."

F1 teams are also going to have to change their procedures of dealing with outside suppliers in the paddock, in a bid to make sure there is minimal risk of infection.

Fanson explained that deliveries of items from the factory will now have to be collected away from the paddock, while there will be a different approach to getting fuel and tyres.

"Normally we would have our fuel delivered to the garage and then we would send people to Pirelli to collect the tyres," he said.

"Now, there will be drop off point and collection point for the fuel, and also the tyres will be taken to a drop off point. Our lads will go to the collection point and collect the tyres, and then vice versa.

"Once we're finished with the tyres we'll take them back, and Pirelli will pick them up once we're clear of the area."

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‘Seems like everything’s gone against me’, says Ocon ahead of delayed F1 return

F1 fans around the world are excited about the prospect of Esteban Ocon returning to front-line driving action for the first time since 2018. But it seems like the Racing Gods might have been less keen, with the Frenchman admitting that, after the delayed start to the 2020 season, he feels like fate is conspiring to keep him away from the track.

Ocon has endured an up and down ride in F1 thus far, losing his seat at Force India/Racing Point at the end of 2018 to make way for his friend Lance Stroll, whose father had just bought the team, while a reported move to Renault for 2019 was then scotched when Daniel Ricciardo sensationally moved over from Red Bull.

After a year on the sidelines as Mercedes’ reserve driver, Ocon then secured the drive with Renault for 2020 – only for the coronavirus outbreak to prevent his racing return in Australia.

“It seems like everything is going against me for me to restart,” chuckled Ocon during a Renault virtual press conference ahead of the start of the revised season in Austria on July 3-5. “I'm smiling here but I'm crying deep inside.

“Last year was very difficult. This year, it's a different feeling because I'm in a great team, I have a great challenge ahead, with a competitive car and I look forward to restart for sure. But having that in mind, you have a target, which is very different to when you're trying to find a challenge ahead of you. [This season] I knew what I was working for, I knew how much I wanted it, and I'm hungry to restart for sure.”

Ocon got reacquainted with F1 machinery during a test of the 2018 Renault at the Red Bull Ring on June 17 – and believes that he’s as prepared as possible for his racing return.

“I felt good, restarting in the car last week,” said Ocon. “It's been so cool to get back to a real track after spending so much time doing esports – getting back to the real track felt awesome. Going back out of the garage is a special feeling after such a long time. And it didn't take me long to get back up to pace. I felt good, I felt sharp, I felt quick, so definitely ready to restart next week in Austria.”

Ocon also revealed that he had adapted his lifestyle entirely to make sure that there wasn’t one last hurdle to his return to Grand Prix racing – a dreaded positive test for coronavirus.

“I'm changing everything – there's not one single thing that I do the same in my life,” said Ocon. “When I travel or as soon as I go out to get some food at the supermarket or anything, everything's different.

“It would be crazy to have waited so long, to have prepared that much and arrive and be positive at the test for myself, or risking myself to be positive and [creating] risk for the team. So I'm definitely massively careful. Risk-zero doesn't exist unfortunately but you can take some out if you're careful.”