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Category: Formula One

  • Ferrari launch their 2019 campaign at Fiorano

    Ferrari launch their 2019 campaign at Fiorano

    Ferrari launched their 2019 contender this morning at a car launch event at Fiorano. 

    In attendance was Scuderia Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto, Sebastian Vettel, and Vettel’s new team-mate Charles Leclerc.

    With the updated regulations in force, the stunning SF90 sports a freshly designed matte-finish red and black livery, with several technical tweaks – most noticeably on the front wing – having been put in place in the hope of making Formula 1 races more action-packed and competitive, with more overtaking and smaller time margins between the teams.

    CEO of Ferrari Louis Camilleri said, “The car embodies the latest state of the art technology, reflects the new regulations for the coming season and is the fruit of the combined enormous work and talent of everyone in the Scuderia.”  

    Ferrari Media

    With the last Ferrari champion being Kimi Räikkönen, the team have high hopes that their two drivers will be fighting for race victories and both the drivers’ and constructors’ Championships. 2019 marks Sebastian Vettel’s fifth year with the Italian team, whereas rising star Charles Leclerc will be making his Ferrari debut in just his second year in the premier class.

    The Monégasque and the German will be fierce competition for their rivals over at Mercedes, who have retained their 2018 line-up of five-time drivers’ champion Lewis Hamilton, and Valtteri Bottas. There is much speculation regarding how Red Bull will fare having dropped Renault as their engine supplier in favour of Honda, however with winter testing coming up in Catalunya, there should be a clearer idea as to how competitive each team will be. With an experienced champion in Vettel, and with Leclerc’s natural talent, the duo will undoubtedly have starring roles in the forthcoming season. 

    Daniel Ricciardo’s surprise move to Renault caused a knock-on effect in the drivers’ market which has produced one of the most exciting line-ups in recent memory. Robert Kubica will return to the sport after a prolonged absence due to sustaining injuries in a 2011 rallying accident; Brits Lando Norris and George Russell will race with British teams McLaren and Williams; Antonio Giovinazzi will take part in his first full Formula 1 season at Alfa Romeo Racing with Kimi Räikkönen as his teammate; and at Red Bull, fan-favourite Max Verstappen is paired with Pierre Gasly.  

    Pre-season testing is set to get underway on Monday, the 18th of February, with the first race scheduled for the 17th of March. An unpredictable year lies ahead, however one thing is certain – the 2019 F1 season is shaping up to be a thriller.

     

    [Featured image – Ferrari Media]

  • On The Rise – Pierre Gasly On Joining Red Bull And His Hopes For F1 2019 | M1TG

    On The Rise – Pierre Gasly On Joining Red Bull And His Hopes For F1 2019 | M1TG

    Check out the latest Mobil 1 The Grid video in which Pierre Gasly discusses his move to Red Bull and his hopes for the season ahead.

    Make sure that you follow Mobil 1 The Grid:
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  • Verstappen “feeling positive” after RB15 reveal

    Verstappen “feeling positive” after RB15 reveal

    After a long and exciting day in the world of F1, Max Verstappen took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to post a video on Twitter to fans after driving the new RB15, which debuted at lunchtime today.

    Verstappen described his first run, explaining he was “very happy with how the car was behaving … just can’t wait to get started now for Barcelona and Melbourne”. Max also included a very brief comment on the new Honda engine, a new addition to the Red Bull cars for 2019 after a long and disgruntled partnership with Renault in previous years.

     

    After a turbulent few years with McLaren, the announcement that Honda would supply engines to Red Bull from 2019 was met with some trepidation. However, in these early stages it is quite obvious that Verstappen has no qualms with his new drive.

    The real test of course will come in Barcelona next week, but for now it’s all smiles at the Red Bull garage.

     

    [Featured image – Max Verstappen preparing for first run in RB15. Courtesy of Red Bull Racing Twitter]

  • Racing Point unveils 2019 design at Canadian International Auto Show

    Racing Point unveils 2019 design at Canadian International Auto Show

    Racing Point have revealed their 2019 livery, in a team launch held at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

    Alongside the livery of their new car, the team also announced a title sponsorship deal with online sports betting platform SportPesa and the subsequent renaming of the team as SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team.

    Water treatment company BWT remain as another major sponsor for the team, and as such their livery retains much of the bright pink that the team has run for the past couple of years, alongside streaks of SportsPesa blue along the engine cover and around the halo and rear wing.

    SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team

    Racing Point had been running in fourth in the constructors’ championship for much of the year as Force India before going into administration over the course of the summer break. They were bought out by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of 2019 driver Lance, and managed to remain on the grid, but forfeited their points tally and arrived at the Belgian Grand Prix back at square one. They ultimately recovered to finish seventh in the championship.

    Speaking at the launch, team principal Otmar Szafnauer said: “After months of hard work behind-the-scenes it’s incredibly exciting to come to Canada and present our new identity. The long-term aim is to take this team to the very top of the sport.

    “We are putting the building blocks in place and it’s important we take a good step forward in 2019 as we begin this new era. We want to be fighting for podiums on merit and aiming for a strong top four finish in the championship.”

     

  • Red Bull ‘driving into a new era’ with the launch of RB15

    Red Bull ‘driving into a new era’ with the launch of RB15

    Red Bull Racing revealed their 2019 F1 car today, labelled the RB15, ahead of pre-season testing in a few weeks time. This comes after Toro Rosso’s unveiling on Monday which revealed another high-shine and  vibrant livery with the trade-mark Red Bull colours.

    Red Bull have been a hive of activity on social media in the build-up to the launch, conducting interviews with drivers Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly that discussed how they have geared up for the new season, and how nice it is having an Aston Martin as a company car. Verstappen also addressed the youthfulness of this year’s driver pairing and said, “I don’t think it is an advantage but also not a disadvantage… When you are 30 years old you have a lot more experience, it’s not necessarily that you are faster”. Quite right Max.

    In the 2018 F1 season fans enjoyed a sleek, matte livery, contrasting with the Baby Bulls ‘fizzy drink’ aesthetic, with Aston Martin’s sponsorship proudly displayed on its rear spoiler.

    Today, Red Bull have treated fans to a one-off livery in honour of an official filming day at Silverstone. It is unclear whether this livery will be used in pre-season testing, however it is thought normal service will resume come the Melbourne Grand Prix.

    The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15. Image courtesy of Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

     

     

     

     

     

     

    For now, fans can enjoy yet another matte navy blue and red livery; the car retains its traditional ‘charging bull’ motif, but with a greater emphasis on geometric patterns than in previous years.

    So, what can we conclude from today’s unveiling?

    Yep, it’s definitely a Red Bull!

  • Mercedes reveal W10 ahead of Silverstone shakedown

    Mercedes reveal W10 ahead of Silverstone shakedown

    Reigning world champions Mercedes have released images of their 2019 title contender online, ahead of a shakedown test at Silverstone later today.

    The W10  largely sticks with Mercedes’ signature silver, black and turquoise colour scheme but has added a mesh-like gradient pattern of three-pointed stars to the engine cover, and a silver halo as opposed to last year’s black.

    F1 W10 EQ Power+ Shakedown, Silverstone

    Like the designs of its rivals, it features a simpler front wing design as mandated by the 2019 regulations, along with a larger rear wing and mirrors positioned further out on the bodywork to compensate for any reduced visibility. Mercedes Technical Director James Allison has also spoken of emphasis being placed on the suspension system and on the aerodynamics, in an attempt to make the W10 kind on its tyres.

    Mercedes have utterly dominated the hybrid era in F1, taking a clean sweep of drivers’ and constructors’ championships every year since 2014. The last couple of seasons, however, have seen Ferrari begin to challenge the Silver Arrows on track, even if internal struggles and various mistakes have meant that they have fallen short of that challenge being sustained across an entire year.

    Mercedes’ line-up remains unchanged from last year. Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to become just the second-ever driver to claim six world championships, while Valtteri Bottas enters his third season with the team and will be hoping for a more consistent performance than the one he gave in 2018.

    F1 W10 EQ Power+ Shakedown, Silverstone

    Speaking of the upcoming 2019 season, team principal Toto Wolff said, “The 2019 season will be a new challenge for all of us. The regulations have changed quite substantially. We have to start from scratch, we need to prove ourselves again – against our own expectations and against our competitors.

    “We start the season with zero points, so we’re taking nothing for granted and there’s absolutely no feeling of entitlement
    to be at the front. In fact, with the regulation change for the new season, every team can have a shot at the title and we’re seeing all of them as a potential threat.”

    The W10 will be seen for the first time on track at Silverstone as part of a shakedown test, driven by Bottas in the morning and then Hamilton in the afternoon.

     

    [Featured image: F1 W10 EQ Power+ Shakedown, Silverstone]

  • Ricciardo a “more mature person” after 2018 difficulties

    Ricciardo a “more mature person” after 2018 difficulties

    Renault’s new signing Daniel Ricciardo has said he believes he has become a “more mature person” as a result of the struggles he went through in 2018 when driving for Red Bull.

    Speaking at the launch of Renault’s R.S.19, Ricciardo said, “Everything I learnt in 2018 will make me a better version of myself in 2019. The difference will be a more mature person. I have more clarity of where I’m going and I am for that to be shown with good results on track.

    “I feel a lot of positive pressure and expectation to do good things, but that’s something I’m looking forward to taking on.”

    Ricciardo suffered eight DNFs in 2018 thanks to mechanical failures, but still managed to take two race wins on his way to sixth in the drivers’ championship, two positions behind Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.

    Renault Sport F1 Team

    Since their return to F1 as a works team, Renault have only improved, going from ninth in the 2016 constructors’ championship to sixth in 2017 and then to fourth in 2018. Ricciardo, who will be driving alongside Nico Hulkenberg in 2019, expressed his keenness to get on with the job and help elevate the team to the next level.

    “Renault has a massive history in motorsport, so to be a part of the next step of their Formula 1 journey is an exciting challenge,” he said. “I’m here to do a job on track and drive as fast as possible, but I would like to bring the team energy. I want to put a spring in everyone’s step because that’s part of my job and also my character.

    “I aim to be able to get the team to work that extra bit harder, put in more effort and rally everyone together. I’d like to be a catalyst for positive energy.”

     

    [Featured image – Renault Sport F1 Team]

  • Scuderia Toro Rosso debuts 2019 livery, myWorld partnership

    Scuderia Toro Rosso debuts 2019 livery, myWorld partnership

    On 11 February 2019, Scuderia Toro Rosso unveiled their 2019 contender, the STR14, in a Tron: Legacy-evoking YouTube video.

    For 2019, the Baby Bulls are sticking to their tried-and-true ‘drinks can on wheels’ look featuring prominent Red Bull branding. The logo of Toro Rosso’s new partner, myWorld, joins those of Casio’s Edifice brand and the human resources consultancy, Randstad.

    In a press release issued on 8 February, Toro Rosso Principal Franz Tost said,

    “Innovation is at the core of Formula 1 and I’m delighted that Toro Rosso will be working with myWorld, a future-oriented organisation that unites different brands under one umbrella to provide innovative fan and customer loyalty programmes to associations and corporations. Through this partnership we will support them in promoting how consumers, and also partners, can benefit from their international Shopping Community.”

    Rafał Pięta, myWorld International’s CEO, seconded,

    “In view of myWorld’s international focus, this collaboration is an important step. Cooperation with Scuderia Toro Rosso is an optimal platform from which to present our group of companies to an international audience.”

    This new partnership can only help the squad, which slipped from 7th in the Constructors Championship in 2017 to 9th in 2018.

    Side view of the Scuderia Toro Rosso STR14 . Image courtesy of Digital Lighthouse / Red Bull Content Pool

    In addition to the myWorld partnership, 2019 brings Daniil Kvyat’s return to fill the seat of Red Bull-bound Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon’s transition from Formula E’s Nissan e.dams, replacing the ill-starred Brendan Hartley.

    Honda returns to power the STR14 with the RA619H for 2019.

    Featured Image courtesy of Digital Lighthouse / Red Bull Content Pool

  • Renault launch 2019 F1 contender

    Renault launch 2019 F1 contender

    Renault have revealed their 2019 F1 contender, the R.S.19, becoming the fourth team to do so thus far.

    The car features largely the same livery as its predecessor, save for a touch more yellow around the rear wing and on the inside of the front wing endplates.

    Underneath the similar exterior, however, Renault claim that only the R.S.19’s power steering system bears any resemblance to their 2018 car, with the other components undergoing a radical overhaul in a search for extra performance. The changes visible in the images released online centre around those mandated by the 2019 regulations, and include the larger rear wing and simplified front wing.

    Renault Sport F1 Team

    Underneath the bodywork, particular focus was paid by Renault to their power unit, building on the promise shown by the C-spec engine used by Red Bull in the tail end of last season, in the hopes that Renault can begin to close the gulf between itself and the ‘big three’ of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull, and start to challenge for podiums.

    2018 was Renault’s most successful season in F1 since their return to the sport as a works team, and it resulted in a fourth-place finish in the constructors’ championship. The team will be hoping that the R.S.19 will continue that momentum, with the signing of Daniel Ricciardo to partner Nico Hulkenberg – who enters his third year with Renault – a real statement of intent.

    The announcement of Ricciardo’s move from Red Bull to Renault was one of the biggest stories of last year, and both Ricciardo and Hulkenberg have spoken of relishing the prospect of racing against one another as team-mates. It is a battle that is definitely worth keeping an eye on as the year progresses.

     

     

  • Williams unveil new ROKiT-sponsored livery for 2019

    Williams unveil new ROKiT-sponsored livery for 2019

    Williams have revealed their all-new livery for their upcoming season and announced telecommunications company ROKiT as their new title sponsor, replacing previous sponsor Martini after their five-year partnership came to an end.

    The livery, displayed on a 2018-spec car, features a white, blue and black colour scheme and sports the RoKit logo on the engine cover.

    The announcement was made at an event at the team’s factory in Grove, Oxfordshire, ahead of the expected launch of the 2019 car before the start of pre-season testing on Monday.

    Speaking at the event, deputy team principal Claire Williams said, “We are delighted to welcome ROKiT to our team as our title partner for the 2019 season and beyond. We share many similar values and aspirations with ROKiT; primarily putting engineering and innovation at the core of everything we do in our pursuit to be the best – the perfect platform from which to start a partnership.

    ROKiT is on an exciting journey in their world of telecommunications, as we are at Williams as we build the team for a successful future. Taking that path together will make us both stronger in our endeavours and so I can’t wait to get started.”

    Alongside the new livery, for 2019 Williams will also have an all-new driver line-up comprised of Robert Kubica and George Russell. The Australian Grand Prix will be something of a momentous occasion for both drivers – for Russell it will be his first ever start in F1, while for Kubica it will be his first race back in F1 since he suffered severe injuries in a rally crash back in 2011.

     

    [Featured image – ROKiT Williams Racing]