Cold Challenges In Vegas

The Formula 1 community is buzzing with excitement as they prepare for the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix. As the much-awaited moment draws closer, Pirelli’s decision to use their softest tire compound gets some attention.

Mario Isola, the motorsport director for Pirelli, is gearing up for a significant focus on their tires, given the unexpectedly low temperatures.

Forecasts suggest temperatures could plunge to 3℃ (38F) during the qualifying rounds, posing a substantial challenge for the tires. Instead of the usual issue of tires wearing out too fast, the focus shifts to the difficulty of heating the tires adequately in cooler conditions.

It is a step into the unknown, for everybody I believe. Las Vegas will be cold, it’s a street circuit. So we were working with the teams and we asked them for simulations in advance to try to understand how much energy the layout of the circuit is putting on tires.

Pirelli motorsport director Mario Isola

The C5 set, marked as the soft tire, is among the three softest compounds Pirelli has chosen for the event. – Read more

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🚗 General Motors to Power F1 Engines from 2028

General Motors (GM) is all set to become a key player in the Formula 1 arena. The US automotive giant has officially registered with the FIA to manufacture power units for F1, starting from the 2028 season.

What’s Next:

• GM, through its Cadillac brand, is teaming up with Andretti for the American team’s F1 project, aiming to join the grid from 2025.
• Andretti now needs to prove to Formula 1 that its presence will enhance the current field of contenders.
• The majority of the current teams are against expanding the grid to eleven teams as it could dilute the sport’s prize fund and reduce the teams’ income.

Go Deeper:

GM’s move to become an engine supplier to F1 from 2028 significantly boosts Andretti’s ambitions of becoming a Grand Prix entrant.

However, there’s a catch. If Andretti enters F1 in 2025 as planned, it will need a temporary engine supply from one of F1’s current power unit manufacturers. Last year, Andretti signed a conditional agreement with Renault, but this has now expired. It’s likely, however, that the French manufacturer would be the American outfit’s partner of choice during its interim period.

Read More

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🚨 FIA Tightens Formula 1 Review Rules

The FIA is making some significant changes to its review procedure. Before Haas’s recent request for a review of track limit offenses by rivals at the US Grand Prix, which the FIA rejected, there was already a plan for change.

This incident underscores an increase in the frequency of review requests. The FIA aims to discourage teams from making these requests too readily. This year, teams like Aston Martin in Saudi Arabia, Ferrari in Australia, and McLaren in Austria have also submitted review requests.

Why It Matters:

⚖️ Decision-making: It affects how teams can challenge decisions made during races

⏳ Shorter Review Window: Teams now have only four days (96 hours) to request a review, reduced from 14 days.

What We Are Hearing:

📊 Increasing Review Requests: There’s been a rise in the number of review requests, like Haas’s recent query about track limits at the US GP.

🔄 Past to Present: Initially, there was no time limit on review requests; then it was 14 days, and now just 96 hours.

📝 Special Circumstances: The review request window can be extended to 120 hours in exceptional cases.

💼 Appeal System Changes: Teams used to submit a notice of intent to appeal and decide within 96 hours to proceed. Now, even if they withdraw, the case might go to the International Court of Appeal.

🚫 Closing Loopholes: This change aims to prevent teams from temporarily avoiding penalties through the appeal process.

💰 Introduction of Fees: A new fee is required for review requests, encouraging teams to think twice before submitting.

Read more

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↔️ Haas Splits Car Setups for Vegas GP

Haas plans to split their car setups for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Nico Hulkenberg will be using their older aerodynamics package, while Kevin Magnussen will be in the car with the new specs.

What We’re Watching:

• Nico Hulkenberg will use the pre-US Grand Prix spec package.
• Kevin Magnussen will continue with the most recent aero spec.
• The team hopes to improve aerodynamic efficiency and solve tyre degradation issues.
• The team’s split specification approach for Vegas is based on each driver’s preference.

Go Deeper:

Last month, Haas introduced a significantly revised car at The Circuit of the Americas. This was a major shift in their approach, inspired by Red Bull’s successful downwash sidepod concept. The goal was to boost the car’s aerodynamic efficiency and lay a solid foundation for the next season. They also aimed to address the persistent issue of tyre degradation.

However, the team struggled to fully understand the new package during the US Grand Prix’s sprint weekend due to the tight schedule. In Mexico, they had more time to assess potential improvements. But the high altitude, which typically reduces downforce, left them with little clarity. – Read More

We’ve opted to give them what they want, we have two races to go and nothing to lose, so we’ve tried to do what we can. We could discuss gathering data, but we’ve got enough data, it’s a decision based on what each driver likes more than anything else. It puts them in a comfortable position so that they’re as happy as they can be with the car they get.

Guenther Steiner, Haas Team Principal

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💸 Christian Horner Discusses Impact of FIA Cost Regulations

Christian Horner recently compared the latest cost cap scrutiny, saying it felt like going through “a full colonoscopy.”

Earlier this year, the FIA confirmed that all 10 teams followed the 2022 cost cap rules, which was a change from 2021. Back then, Red Bull was found to have spent over the limit, mainly due to a tax rebate mistake, and ended up with a $432,000 overspend. As a result, they were fined and lost some wind tunnel and CFD development time.

Thankfully, we came out with a very strong car at the beginning of the year and we’ve been able to apply most of that development time, from quite early in the season, to next year’s car.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal

Horner spoke positively about the evolving financial regulations and the thorough job the FIA is doing. He noted that the FIA is learning to handle the complexity of these rules better. Every team is different, which adds to the challenge, especially with subsidiary accounts. – Read more

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🏌️‍♂️ The Excitement of the Netflix Cup in Las Vegas

❓ What’s the Netflix Cup?

Netflix Cup is a blend of F1 and golf, which will happen for the first time in Las Vegas. Some of your favorite stars from the F1 series “Drive to Survive” and the golf series “Full Swing” are teaming up for a thrilling competition before the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

🤝 Pairings Revealed

From the F1 world, we’ve got Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly showing off their golf skills. They’ll be paired with renowned golfers:

1. Lando Norris & Rickie Fowler
2. Carlos Sainz Justin Thomas
3. Pierre Gasly & Collin Morikawa
4. Alex Albon & Max Homa

🏌️‍♂️ The Game Format

Each team will play eight holes of match play, and there will be some unexpected challenges thrown in. The format is a scramble – both players tee off, and then they choose the best drive to play from. The lowest-scoring team wins the hole.

📺 How to Watch

You can watch the Netflix Cup live on Netflix at 3pm Pacific Time (Midnight, CET) on November 14. You can also stream it later if you can’t catch it live.

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What Are Sidepods On F1 Cars

What Is A Side pod On An F1 Car?

A sidepod on an F1 car is basically this big bulge you see on the sides, right next to the driver’s seat. It stretches back towards the engine. Side pods do two major jobs:

👉 Cooling important parts like the engine and electronics

👉 Managing airflow for better speed and stability on the track