F1 2022 season - Michael Masi sacked

Otmar Szafnauer has left Aston Martin, widely expected, after Martin Whitmarsh joined the team.

"Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver to decide on F1 future after Abu Dhabi inquiry"

BBC wrote:Lewis Hamilton will not decide whether to return to Formula 1 this season until he sees the results of an inquiry into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton is "disillusioned" with F1, his Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has said, as a result of last year's title-deciding race.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/59951382

The most important part of that is the supposed ‘deal to remove Masi and Tombazis’.
From what I’ve heard, Mercedes + RB&AT, have tabled the vote of no confidence. But it’s not got any traction as they haven’t been able to convince Ferrari and McLaren to back the motion.
It seems, at this stage, very improbable they will change their minds.

Legendary Frenchman Alain Prost has left his role at Alpine. As has Marcin Budkowski.

Otmar Szafanuer is expected to join Alpine soon. He’s also taking BWT sponsorship with him. Alpine will run some form of pink livery.

Fernando Alonso has had further surgery to repair his broken jaw. Should be fit for pre season.

And maybe the most surreal news, Cyril Abiteboul is close to joining Red Bull Power units. Quite incredible after the years of abuse from Marko and Horner that the ‘love story’ is restarting.

Aston Martin F1 has finally reached an agreement with Red Bull for Dam Fallows. Fallows will join Aston on April 2. Brings to an end 10 months of haggling.

Sprint races could be cancelled over teams wanting extra budget cap allocation. 
FIA are offering $100,000 per sprint race 1-5($500,000). The sixth sprint would be granted $150,000. 
One unnamed team is demanding $5m to agree to the sprint races.

Mercedes and Red Bull have finally reached an agreement for Ben Hogdkinson. The Englishman will head up Red Bull PUs starting from May 24.

Rather interesting news coming out from Red Bull and Honda. Red Bull power units won’t be fully independent until 2026.
Honda will supply Red Bull/AlphaTauri full works engines, built in Japan, until the end of 2025.
Seems like Red Bull got the engine development freeze to work in their favour.

Red Bull’s RB18 and Mercedes’ W13 have been homologated. There had been reports that both cars had failed separate tests.

Alfa Romeo has announced they will no long use Ferrari gearboxes and rear suspension.

Testing schedule and car launch dates have been confirmed (mostly).

Test Schedule

Barcelona - 23-25 February
Bahrain - 10-12 March


Car Launch Dates

9th February - Red Bull
10th February - Aston Martin
11th February - McLaren
14th February - Alpha Tauri
17th February - Ferrari
18th February - Mercedes
21st February - Alpine
27th February - Alfa Romeo

TBC - Haas
TBC - Williams

Hope those TBCs against Haas and Williams doesn't indicate they are struggling to get their cars ready, or have cars ready, but are unhappy with their performance...

Jeff Navarro wrote:Sprint races could be cancelled over teams wanting extra budget cap allocation. 
FIA are offering $100,000 per sprint race 1-5($500,000). The sixth sprint would be granted $150,000. 
One unnamed team is demanding $5m to agree to the sprint races.

I wouldn't be unhappy with that.

Overall I don't feel sprint races added much to last season's championship. Maybe they provide extra entertainment for spectators, but I don't think they contribute much to the season as a whole.

Let me guess...that "un-named team" is:

dyrewolfe wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:Sprint races could be cancelled over teams wanting extra budget cap allocation. 
FIA are offering $100,000 per sprint race 1-5($500,000). The sixth sprint would be granted $150,000. 
One unnamed team is demanding $5m to agree to the sprint races.

I wouldn't be unhappy with that.

Overall I don't feel sprint races added much to last season's championship. Maybe they provide extra entertainment for spectators, but I don't think they contribute much to the season as a whole.

Let me guess...that "un-named team" is:

I can 100% confirm it wasn’t Ferrari...

Seems like Mercedes and Red Bull had some sort of agreement where by they agreed to pitch the $5m figure.
From what I’ve heard they convinced Ferrari to go along with them.

I don’t really see how there can possibly be any sprints now.

Personally I didn't like the sprint race weekends.   Working to close the performance level of the cars so that the driver makes more of a difference + "making overtaking easier / possible" is the way forward as that allows for more competitive racing.

Aston Martin have signed a long term deal with Aramco.
They will know be known as Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team…
Ridiculously lengthy team name

Jeff Navarro wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:Sprint races could be cancelled over teams wanting extra budget cap allocation. 
FIA are offering $100,000 per sprint race 1-5($500,000). The sixth sprint would be granted $150,000. 
One unnamed team is demanding $5m to agree to the sprint races.

I wouldn't be unhappy with that.

Overall I don't feel sprint races added much to last season's championship. Maybe they provide extra entertainment for spectators, but I don't think they contribute much to the season as a whole.

Let me guess...that "un-named team" is:

I can 100% confirm it wasn’t Ferrari...

Seems like Mercedes and Red Bull had some sort of agreement where by they agreed to pitch the $5m figure.
From what I’ve heard they convinced Ferrari to go along with them.

I don’t really see how there can possibly be any sprints now.

Wow! 

I was basing my guess on Italians being extravagant and bad at managing money.

Given how last season went I'm amazed Mercedes and Red Bull are able to co-operate on anything.


For me sprint races would make more sense if they created a separate championship for reserve / development drivers, with their own constructor and driver titles. Would be a great way to help bring on the next generation of drivers...albeit very expensive. Would need to significantly increase teams' budgets to do this.

Just having sprints as an occasional thing every so many races just seems a bit pointless.

Lewis Hamilton pretty much confirmed he’s not retiring. So the grid is finalised for 2022.

Lando Norris has re-upped at McLaren until the end of 2025. Adds further pressure on Daniel Ricciardo, another poor season could see the Aussie-Italian exit F1.

Rather bizarrely Norris’ new deal has no break clause. Whereas Verstappen, Hamilton and LeClerc have this in their respective deals.

Oracle is now the title sponsor for Red Bull Racing, replacing Aston Martin.
‘Oracle Red Bull Racing’. These names are getting ridiculous.

RB-18 https://mobile.twitter.com/redbullracing/status/1491447869848821761

Military air displays are to be banned from this season onwards, as part of the sport's efforts to be more environmentally-friendly and to avoid making unwanted "geo-political statements". 

However, in a typically muddled display of F1 thinking, some displays will still be allowed, such as the Red Arrows, since they use training aircraft and are less overtly "military". Airliners will also be allowed at races sponsored by airlines.

If you want something done half-assed...just call the FIA!


In other news the pre-race anti-racism / diversity ceremony will be dropped, though drivers will still be free to take the knee and the drivers' video promoting diversity will still be played. The scholarship scheme to support students from under-represented backgrounds is being extended.


Latest on sprint races is that they are now proposing to have just 3 races on similar commercial terms to last season. They may still be extended to 6 if they can get 8 of the teams to agree.

The new Aston Martin vs Haas cars - if anyone knows how to add the photos without the links please add them.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BradleyPhilpot/status/1491793454715731981?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Bahrain has agreed a new long term deal and will remain on the calendar until at least 2036.

https://mobile.twitter.com/F1/status/1492222386598518789?cxt=HHwWioC58deWuLUpAAAA

McLaren MC36 not a fan of the blue bits

FIA race control structure to be announced in the coming days.
Michael Masi looks likely to remains as Race Director.
WEC race director Eduardo Freitas and former DTM race director Niels Wittich set to be named as Masi’s additional support.
Wittich will support Masi on race days at the track.
Freitas will be working from Geneva as F1’s VAR.
interesting chances, Freitas in particular is very severe on penalties in WEC

Three sprint races confirmed for 2022 - Imola, Red Bull Ring and São Paulo.
Points for the top 8
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

https://mobile.twitter.com/AlphaTauriF1/status/1493203382349225985?cxt=HHwWgoCz5ZOk9rgpAAAA

AlphaTauri AT03 a really beautiful car.

https://mobile.twitter.com/WilliamsRacing/status/1493574146843987968?cxt=HHwWgMC-xb7xnropAAAA

Williams FW44 a way better livery than last year.
Rather interestingly Williams have dropped the Senna tribute from the Liberty.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gianludale27/status/1494295915703767046?cxt=HHwWjMC4zfuN57wpAAAA

Ferrari F1-75
Looks absolutely beautiful

Masi has been sacked. Two new race directors will alternate. VAR style over watch also coming.
Freitas and Wittich confirms as the two new race directors.
Herbie Blash returns at senior consultant.
Teams communication with race director banned.

Not a fan of the Williams or McLaren so far aesthetically - do love the Ferrari as ever though!

https://mobile.twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1494605340482093057?cxt=HHwWgoCy7e3o870pAAAA

Mercedes W13. The silver/white seems like that tribute livery they used in Hockenheim back in 2019.

https://mobile.twitter.com/f1newslive_/status/1495819746549415937?cxt=HHwWgoC-kcyInMIpAAAA

Alpine 2022 car

https://mobile.twitter.com/f1newslive_/status/1495820293797031936?cxt=HHwWgMC9ubmonMIpAAAA

Alpine has an alternative livery as well

The alternate livery is so much better, the mish/mash of blue and pink on the main car is horrid imo

Barcelona ‘shakedown’ testing starts tomorrow. Rather bizarrely this ‘test’ isn’t televised. With the timings potentially not being shared.

The Aston Martin is my favourite so far. Also really like Alpine's main livery (better than the alternate IMO).

Worst has to be a toss up between Alpha Tauri and Williams...very dull.


In related news I fully expect the Russian GP to be taken off the calendar after today's news (unless Putin does a very surprising and unlikely U-turn).

Jeff Navarro wrote:Barcelona ‘shakedown’ testing starts tomorrow. Rather bizarrely this ‘test’ isn’t televised. With the timings potentially not being shared.

That is bizarre! Was any reason given for this? 

dyrewolfe wrote:

Jeff Navarro wrote:Barcelona ‘shakedown’ testing starts tomorrow. Rather bizarrely this ‘test’ isn’t televised. With the timings potentially not being shared.

That is bizarre! Was any reason given for this? 

I just read that with the regulation changes, FIA stated only one official test was permitted as to increase the chance of a mixed up grid in 2022.
Teams requested an additional test to learn the car, but fia only permitted this non official test.
It’s now been confirmed there’s no timings for this Barcelona event.

https://the-race.com/formula-1/real-2022-red-bull-breaks-cover-in-barcelona-f1-test/

The real RB18 has arrived.

The RB18 is certainly a very "busy" looking car. Lots of curves everywhere.

Makes it look a bit weird IMO - not as sleek as some designs. But they usually know what they're doing when it comes to maximising aero potential.

Day one of testing drawing to a close. Obviously, far too early to read much into the times, although Ferrari and McLaren are probably quite happy with their speed from the off. Front running and expected midfield teams all with plenty of mileage under their belts - most well over 100 laps, with only Haas and Alfa Romeo having struggles with running time.

Not sure with the appearance of the new cars - the front wing now looks too high (although the last iteration it was too low and big) and the rear wing looks a bit like an after-market bolt on from some angles. Of course that doesn't really matter, if the changes actually do what they are supposed to and permit closer racing.

I wonder how these cars perform in traffic - supposedly they can get much closer to the back of cars without losing downforce and hence grip.

I quite like the look of the new cars, and there does seem to be some real different approaches - would recommend watching the videos on the Sky F1 Youtube channel, where they go along the paddock and have a look at most of them. Seems to be some real difference of approach with the sidepods, front wing and suspensions mainly!

Can't really tell much performance wise from the tests - they're mainly looking to just test reliability of different areas of the car I think. Not a great start for Alfa and Haas on that front...Ferrari putting in the most laps on day one has to bode well. Although there is no real performance indicators yet, rumours are them and McLaren are very confident they will be up there...

Suspect Haas are urgently looking into a new livery

Not gonna pretend I know aerodynamics but the Ferrari and AM look fantastic. I like the Alpine livery that isn't a racing point copy/paste.

Red Bull is good but then it always was. I like the Mercedes beyond the ineos red. Just spoils it imo. Same with the McLaren and the blue.

AT and Williams are pretty so so.

Haas have ditched the Russian livery and Uralkali sponsor for an all white one today.

Unclear what this means going forward. Uralkali and Mazepin Sr likely to be sanctioned so Haas may be looking for a new title sponsor and potentially putting Fittipaldi in the car.

We are due for the slightly bizarre sight of tankers dumping water on the track after lunch

Without the Mazepin investment, no other sponsors can get anywhere near the amount the Russian had committed. Haas will go bust before the first race.
I’m hearing talking between Haas and Michael Andretti are at a tentative stage. Nikita Mazepin would be replaced by Colton Herta if a deal can be reached.

* Guenther Steiner claims the team will survive without Mazepin’s money. Hinting that Mazepin jr is leaving.

Russian Grand Prix is cancelled.

They were building a new circuit, might be a long time before it sees any use by F1 cars

GSC wrote:They were building a new circuit, might be a long time before it sees any use by F1 cars

Considering some of the places F1 visits, by 2023 they reinstate Russia…

Yes sounds like Haas will be ditching Uralkali, and Mazepin - but need to go through legal stuff to get it done.

Would love to see Herta get the seat, but imagine it will be Fittipaldi...