DNF Drama in Suzuka

DNF train, strategy goofs and the latest news after the Japanese GP.

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Hey there, podium sitter 👋

A massive shout-out to the 491 new members! You’ve chosen an exciting time to tune in. Buckle up because we’re diving deep into this race weekend’s hottest highlights.

🚀 Mclaren Magic: If you’re a Mclaren fan, this was YOUR weekend! Not only did they bag a double podium, but a rookie also snatched a win.

🎉 Red Bull has its hiccups: Red Bull has clinched the constructors’ championship! Max, being Max, added another trophy to his growing collection. But, not all was rosy in the Red Bull camp. Perez, unfortunately, didn’t have the best of weekends.

🚫 FIA Shuts the Door: There were a few new teams itching to join the elite F1 club. However, the FIA has shut the door on them – for now, at least. Curious about who they were? Dive in for the full scoop.

Strap in, because there’s a lot to digest from this race weekend.

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In today’s email:

1. Speedy Race Review – Want to feel like you were at the Japanese GP? Check out all the latest buzz!
2. In-depth education– What Are Speed Traps on F1 Circuits?
3. Fast Lane News – Stay updated with the freshest news. Believe us, it’s a rollercoaster you won’t want to miss.
4. The Qatar GP – Round 18 coming up!
   Lights out, and away we go!

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Speedy Race Review

📊 Race pace after Japanese GP

🐢 Russell and Ocon chose 1-stop strategy. They were slower by 0.68s/lap and 0.55s/lap respectively compared to their 2-stop teammates.

⏱️ That’s a 30s+ loss over 53 laps – more than a pit stop!

🟢 Alonso’s bad decision: Started on soft tires which led to an early pit stop (Lap 12).

🔴 Ferrari had the highest median speed at the speed trap despite running a relatively loaded wing. Their choice for a less loaded beam wing visibly reduced their drag.

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🏆 Red Bull wins but Perez faces some hiccups

Max Verstappen just grabbed his 13th win of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix. That win also means Red Bull has bagged the Constructors’ Championship two years running.

🟠 Double podium for McLaren ➡️ Secured more points than in the first 9 races combined

🥉 Piastri on the podium in his rookie season ➡️ First rookie on the podium since 2017

🛑 5 DNFs (Albon, Sargeant, Stroll, Perez, Bottas)

😞 Difficult day for Perez

🥲 Lando Norris has set the record for scoring the most points without securing a victory.

 

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🔵 Double exit for Perez

 

Things went south early on for Sergio Perez. It was a very strange race both for him and for us.

Here’s why:

• He got tangled up in a mess during the first lap, which damaged his car’s front wing.
• Then, the Safety Car rolled out because of some debris on the track.
• Perez passed some cars under the Safety Car, which you’re not supposed to do. So, he got a time penalty for that move.
• After the SC, Perez tried to overtake Haas’ Kevin Magnussen but crashed into him. Boom, another penalty for Perez.

Fast forward to Lap 15, and Red Bull pulled Perez out of the race because he needed another front wing.

🤯 But here’s the twist: 20 laps later, he was back! He zoomed back in on Lap 41, served his pending five-second penalty, and then – guess what? – he retired again.

Why this matters

According to the rules, if Perez hadn’t served that penalty during the race, he’d start further back in the next Grand Prix.

So, the only decent thing we managed to get out of today was not carrying a penalty through into the next race in Qatar.

Christian Horner

Red Bull just played it smart to avoid that. – Read more

🚨 RELATED: Despite some saying that the FIA might close the loophole, It has said that this is untrue and that it won’t be rushing to change the rules. – Read more

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⚫ Tire strategies at Japanese GP

• 🏆 Verstappen:
  • Fended off McLarens at the start.
  • Used a two-stop strategy: mediums ➡️ hards.
  • Won by 20 seconds! 🥇
• 🟠 McLaren:
  • Also two-stopped, but double hard tires.
  • Secured a double podium. 🍾
• 🔴 Ferrari:
  • Started strong but couldn’t challenge McLaren.
  • Sainz got stuck behind Hamilton.
• ⚫ Mercedes:
  • Hamilton vs. Russell! 🔥
  • Hamilton overtook with fresher tires.
• 🎲 Risk-takers:
  • AlphaTauri & Aston Martin started on softs.
  • Alonso scored P8. 👏
  • AlphaTauri missed out on points. 😔
• 🃏 Wildcard – Ocon (Alpine):
  • Early pit stop due to a first-lap drama.
  • Rocked two 25-lap stints on hard tires.
  • Helped Alpine get points. 🎉

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🔵 AlphaTauri announces 2024 lineup

Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are teaming up to race for AlphaTauri in 2024. Plus, Liam Lawson’s stepping in as their reserve driver.

Tsunoda’s been shining since his 2021 debut with AlphaTauri. The team loves his raw talent and how quickly he’s fit in. Meanwhile, Ricciardo, who’s healing from a hand injury, had some memorable races in Hungary and Belgium.

Remember, he’s not new to the team – he raced for them (when they were Toro Rosso) back in 2012 and 2013. Plus, he’s got eight Grand Prix wins under his belt.

While Liam Lawson had some strong performances, especially in Singapore, he won’t be a regular racer in 2024.

Next year, the technical regulations remain largely unchanged and it was therefore logical to go for continuity in our driver line-up too.

Team Principal Franz Tost

RELATED: Rumor has it, though, that Red Bull has promised Lawson a seat in 2025. – Read more

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👎 FIA turns down three new F1 team applications

The FIA has turned down three out of four applications for new Formula 1 teams, leaving Andretti Global, backed by Cadillac, as the only contender still under consideration. The rejected applicants include Formula 2 teams Hitech and Rodin Carlin, as well as start-up LKYSUNZ.

What We’re Hearing

• Andretti Global’s bid is still under evaluation: The team, supported by Cadillac, is the last man standing in the race to become the 11th F1 team.
• Existing teams are skeptical: Incumbent F1 teams question the value a new team would bring and believe the $200 million dilution fee is insufficient.
• LKYSUNZ was ready to pay big: The start-up claimed it could pay a $600 million dilution fee but has likely been rejected.
• FIA’s criteria are stringent: New teams must prove financial stability, environmental sustainability, and positive social impact.

Go Deeper

The FIA has not officially confirmed the rejections, but sources suggest that only Andretti Global has made it to the final stage of evaluation. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has emphasized that a new team must bring “additional value” to the grid, a sentiment echoed by existing teams who are not thrilled about Andretti’s potential entry. – Read more

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⚫ Suzuka race reveals Mercedes team strain

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton had some real tension at the Japanese GP, making it clear why Lewis might’ve preferred having Valtteri Bottas around at Mercedes.

Why this matters:

During the race at Suzuka, they clashed a few times, and George wasn’t pleased when asked to let Lewis pass, ending up in seventh place.

George joined Mercedes in 2022, replacing Bottas who had been Lewis’s right-hand man during his championship runs. With Bottas at Alfa Romeo now, the dynamics at Mercedes are definitely shifting.

You could tell that there is definitely acrimony between the two now – and that’s not a good thing. Imagine if Mercedes had a Championship-winning car and this was the World Championship and grand prix wins they were racing for, imagine what it would be like between Lewis and George.

F1 commentator Peter Windsor

Word on the street? Toto Wolff, who is recovering from surgery, made the call for Russell to let Hamilton pass at Suzuka. – Read more

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🔥 RELATED: Sainz was “laughing in the car” as Mercedes pair copied his DRS tactics at Suzuka – See the video

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😡 Alpine to Address Gasly’s “Sweary Rant” Over Late Suzuka Swap

Pierre Gasly’s frustration over a last-minute position swap with teammate Esteban Ocon at the Japanese GP has Alpine’s interim team boss, Bruno Famin, calling for internal discussions.

Despite the heated radio exchange, Famin insists there’s no tension between the drivers.

What We’re Hearing

• Gasly was told to let Ocon pass him in the final laps, a move he vocally disagreed with on the team radio.
• Ocon claims this is standard practice at Alpine—if you can’t capitalize on a position swap, you give it back.
• Famin downplays any notion of a rift between Gasly and Ocon, attributing strong words to the stress of the race.
• The team will review whether the initial instructions were clear to Gasly.

Go Deeper

Gasly was visibly upset about the late-race position swap, arguing that he was on fresher tires and had a faster car. Alpine’s response was that closing a five-second gap to Fernando Alonso in the last lap was unlikely. Ocon, on the other hand, defended the team’s decision, stating that this has been the team’s rule for years. – Read more

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What are speed traps on F1 circuits?