In the round-up: Mercedes believe the progress they made at Suzuka leaves them poised to score better results in the coming races.
In brief
Mercedes confident of better showing
Although Mercedes only finished seventh and ninth in the Japanese Grand Prix, team principal Toto Wolff expects to see Lewis Hamilton and George Russell competing for better results in the coming races.
“We had a double DNF in [Australia] and that’s not going to reflect well in the points,” he told Channel 4. “But I think our battle is with McLaren, hopefully we can catch back up to Ferrari and this is just a constant process now.
“We’ve turned the page, I believe, in how we analyse the car, how we develop it, how we’re setting it up. And that is not reflected in the result [in Japan], definitely will be in the short term future.”
Formula E to reveal ‘Evo’ car
Formula E will present a revised version of its current car, which it calls the ‘Gen 3 Evo’, ahead of its next round in Monaco next week.The current car has produced a distinctive style of racing since its introduction last year, leading drivers to run in close company for much of the race in order to save energy. FE say the updated machine will “deliver a step-change in on-track action” when it is introduced next season.
“We’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing,” said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds. “This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans.”
Gounon to substitute for Habsburg
“Ferdinand will be on our minds,” said team principal Philippe Sinault. “It is a hard blow, but that is part of the life of a team, and everything is in place to ensure that he is with us thanks to modern communication methods.
“We’ve decided to replace him with Jules at Imola. It’s never easy to make your debut in such a context, but Jules was identified, selected and signed to fill this role, even though we never imagined it would happen so early like this.
“He’s fundamentally ready but still has much to learn, even if he has already demonstrated his mastery of several aspects, given his track record in GT. We honed his preparation during our latest tests with his six teammates and then in the simulator to prepare him for all our processes.”
Mini leads Formula 3 test
Gabriele Mini, who lies third in the Formula 3 standings after the first four races, headed the opening day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya yesterday. The Alpine-backed Prema driver posted a best time of 1’28.313 on the morning of the test and came within a tenth of a second of matching it in the afternoon.
He covered a total of 39 laps – drivers have only eight sets of tyres available for the three days of running. “I love coming to a race track and not driving,” remarked Christian Mansell, sixth-fastest, on social media.
All 30 drivers participated in the test. Max Esterson brought out the red flags when he crashed towards the end of the session at turn three.
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Improved, lighter Aeroscreen to debut at Long Beach (IndyCar)
'The lighter screen debuting this weekend features vents for increased overall driver cooling and a top front duct directing air to the driver’s chest. The ducting is 3D printed in rubber to prevent hand injuries in an accident.'
IndyCar to continue experimenting with first practice format at Long Beach (Racer)
'At Long Beach, 45 of the first 75 minutes will be open for the 27 entries to use as desired before a five-minute break will separate the field into two groups, where a 13-car cluster will have the track to themselves for 10 minutes before they pit and the other 14 drivers will get 10 minutes of their own to close the day. Rookies are the only exception and will be permitted to run at all times.'
Porsche expects Toyota, Ferrari 'back on form' at Imola (Sportscar 365)
'The (Balance of Performance) has a major effect and I do expect the cars to be a lot closer, because the setup window is a bit larger at Imola just based on the track characteristics'
Pride and hype as F1 roars back to China after Covid absence (VN Express)
Ma Qinghua: 'It is a lot more popular now. I didn't even know where I could do a test or that there was such a thing as a racing license.'
‘I’m learning with every lap’ - Ritomo Miyata on rising to the F2 challenge (Formula 2)
'I think I’ve learned how to drive with this type of tyre because it’s very sensitive. If I lock-up for instance, it’s easy to damage the tyre and that will cost you lap time. It’s difficult to manage but this is where I’m improving.'
Tuukka Taponen tops afternoon session at Paul Ricard (Formula Regional Europe)
'Théophile Naël of Sainteloc Racing and Brando Badoer (Van Amersfoort Racing) also delivered strong performances, finishing the session second and third on the timesheets, both within 90 hundredths of Taponen’s pace. '
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it to us via the contact form.
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Social media
Notable posts from X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and more:
Blending in for this weekend 🐼🎋 pic.twitter.com/8Ya7IUBAke
— Alex Albon (@alex_albon) April 16, 2024
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- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
Is Formula 1 the right place to showcase advances in emissions reduction?
I’m a rabid greeny who loves new clean tech, but not in F1, I guess I’m complicated.
There are 1.5 billion cars on the planet. Do F1 think changing 20 of them will make any difference? I have often been accused of “virtue signalling” and I hate the term. I just do what I think is right, but what F1 is doing now is purely virtue signalling.
They need to go back to screaming V10s whilst they still can.
Biskit Boy (@sean-p-newmanlive-co-uk)
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Walton174!
JR Love (@dermechaniker)
17th April 2024, 0:35
I am *really* tired of reading the same old nonsense-speak out of the Mercedes camp.
Just shut up already and prove it to us on the race track.
AlanD
17th April 2024, 1:19
JR, whilst these articles are tedious, you can’t blame Mercedes. They don’t hold a press conference to announce they expect better results in the short term. No, they have a journalist stick a microphone in someone’s face whilst shouting out a question like “when do you expect bette results?” and they take a spur of the moment answer and write it up as it it is news. These stories are, as you say, the same old nonsense, but that is down to the news collectors.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage (@davedai)
17th April 2024, 3:28
Except that’s not what happened .
It was at the end of one of his diatribes and snuggling up to Xi about how wonderful and important China is.
Jay
17th April 2024, 1:06
COTD is spot on!
Want to reduce emissions on the planet? Stop mass producing everything and then shipping it halfway around the world. Cheap goods for the price of massive emissions. Heavily limit or outright ban private jets! The US military is the biggest emitter of carbon, yet they expand every single year. Never a word about it.
I was reading an article the other day about ‘recycling’ and how most gets shipped to ‘third world countries’. They either incinerate it for power, or dump it right into the ocean. Really great stuff for the planet. And if it’s not shipped halfway across the globe, it gets dumped into the same landfills as trash, again, brilliant stuff.
All this to say F1 is a micro fraction of stuff like that. Bring back the V-10’s? Amen!
Deerhunter
17th April 2024, 3:34
Again with the V10s? Just let it go.
Are there even any manufacturers that would sign up to make an engine that’s pretty much going to die in the next five years? Or am I simply imagining things when Audi and Honda have stated that the reason they’re signing up for 2026 is because the increased electrification is in line with their broader corporate goals?
It’s going to be hard to shake off the reputation that F1 is a dinosaur sport when we’re still giving platform to this kind of absurd request.
S
17th April 2024, 7:36
F1’s fetish for tying themselves to automotive manufacturers invariably means they will forever be held back by what the governments of the world determine road cars should be like. Right now, that’s small turbo hybrids running on fossil fuels and dirty battery-powered electrics.
If those types of motive devices excite you – on or off the sporting field – then that’s great for you, but it’s a massive compromise for anyone actually interested in high-performance racing engineering and sporting entertainment.
I’m sure you are aware how unpopular F1’s current engines are…
F1 could easily detach themselves from automotive manufacturers and the government policies they are obliged to follow, thus allowing significantly more freedom in technical direction – be that in technical diversity, advancement or simply for increased entertainment value.
Besides, a V10 (or V8 – whatever) can be every bit as technically advanced – and more so – than the current F1 engines – which are based entirely on tech which was already in mass production well over 20 years ago.
The only kind of motorsport that isn’t ‘dinosaur sport’ is the virtual kind – and even that comes with its own environmental and emissions problems.
For the purposes of marketing and brand awareness via global sporting entertainment? You bet they would.
Some manufacturers are still producing V8 and V10 engines, even without F1’s marketing space to benefit from.
MichaelN
17th April 2024, 14:28
Sure, V10s have always been aimed at a niche market for which it has the allure of prestige, sound, power, etc. It’s not meant to be normal, any more than a V6 Turbo Hybrid with an MGU-H is something you can find in a normal car.
And it’s also unlikely to change any time soon. BEVs have a role to play in the future, no doubt. They have advantages that make them ideal of certain use cases; emission free, ‘instant’ torque, low noise. Great for city use. Rubber use and pollution is an issue, but mostly because many current BEVs are super heavy and huge because apparently there’s a whole bunch of men who think they need 800km-ranged SUVs to do their no-passengers daily commute. It’s tragic in more ways than one… but small BEVs are great for urban environments.
But there’s more to transportation than that, and there is just as good a use case for ICE vehicles for many more years and decades to come. F1 can, and should, lead the way as a platform for synthetic fuels.
With the more equal split between ICE and MGU-K, there’s room for both angles to be promoted.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th April 2024, 5:57
A nice Panda helmet design, which is as creative as the
Golf ball design in Miami.
I wouldn’t mind getting a full-sized replica of both.
V10s with wholly sustainable fuel should be okay, just like going non-hybrid in WRC while keeping the wholly sustainable fuel type used since 2022.
Unfortunately, manufacturers prefer hybrid technology too much for such a move to happen in F1.
notagrumpyfan
17th April 2024, 8:18
As indicated last time you suggested this, ‘wholly sustainable fuel’ doesn’t exist.
The closest you get is solar and wind energy which you could use to produce Hydrogen or synthetic fuels based via carbon capture.
But you then run into the problem of opportunity costs; are there better or more efficient uses for that clean energy?
MichaelN
17th April 2024, 14:39
Yes, which is why such fuels would ideally be produced where efficiency of solar and wind is especially high and local demands low. As opposed to using the less efficient solar/wind in mainland urban regions that is very much needed to power the local society and industry. Although transportation has its own downsides in terms of emissions etc. it can still be worthwhile because unlike electricity, synthetic fuels can be transported over large distances without meaningful losses. There are always going to be parts of the chain that, in isolation, aren’t that great. So it’s always a case of finding the right balance.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
17th April 2024, 7:15
I share Biskit Boy’s view of F1’s show of caring about the ecology.
Far more damage is being done by lighting nighttime sessions just because it looks cool.
The teams have fleets of trucks criss-crossing Europe and flying around the globe just to build their hospitality suites.
It’s nothing to do with F1. It’s all about advertising themselves.
And of course there is the old, but very true, point that far more fuel is burnt by the spectators attending than by the actual race cars.
SteveP
17th April 2024, 7:30
Well, Vegas is obviously best seen at night, or to be more accurate, best not seen in daylight.
Mayrton
17th April 2024, 7:35
Well, we know the opposite of their narrative is always true at Mercedes. They have a substantial and long track record on this.
Alesici
17th April 2024, 10:38
Good to see Indycar again further improve its Aeroscreen, which was already better than F1’s Halo. The halo has made zero refinements since its introduction.
I think the main problem with the halo is that in combination with low headrests beside the helmet (particularly behind the eyeline), there is a big risk of the driver’s helmet hitting the halo in a violent crash, as has now happened several times, e.g. Leclerc in Saudi a couple of years ago, Stroll in Singapore 2023, etc.
isthatglock21
17th April 2024, 16:26
Didn’t Mercedes just announce like record breaking yearly revenue of £680m in their accounts?? Clearly they don’t care, it gets to a point you write it all off & just rake in the ££. Would be interesting to see how much the revenue drops when Hamilton leaves as we all know likes of Petronas/Mercedes & others all pay massive premiums to have him there. Russell doesn’t have the aura.