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Everything you need to know about the Dutch GP fan experience The 2024 Dutch Grand Prix is scheduled to take place at Circuit Zandvoort from August 23-25. The event will feature on-track action and off-track festivities, including "Super Friday" which includes a fan zone with driver Q&A sessions, music performances, and activities for fans. The weekend will also include concerts by Dutch Hour, DI-RECT, and DJ Armin Van Buuren. Off-track activities will include food vendors offering traditional Dutch delicacies and a Ferris wheel with a spectacular view of the circuit. Racing simulators and pitstop challenges will be available for fans to compete against each other and virtual drivers, including Max Verstappen. The track is accessible by public transport from Amsterdam airport, making it easy for international fans to attend. Additionally, the circuit is close to nearby cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, allowing fans to explore the area while attending the race. Tickets are selling fast, so readers are encouraged to visit the Dutch GP to experience the electric atmosphere.. Source: Motorsport

Gasly solved mystery handling problem by using Ocon’s settings Pierre Gasly, an Alpine driver in the Formula 1 championship, resolved a mystery handling issue with his car by switching to teammate Esteban Ocon's differential map settings during the sixth round of the season. The change significantly improved consistency and performance. Initially, Gasly struggled with his car's balance, which couldn't be diagnosed or solved by the team. After using Ocon's map, they found more performance and resolved the issue. Although Gasly is still not fully satisfied with his car's balance, he believes Alpine has a clear plan to improve it this season and next year.. Source: Race Fans

Newey’s F1-inspired Red Bull RB17 hypercar revealed at Goodwood Adrian Newey, renowned Formula 1 designer, unveiled the RB17 hypercar with Red Bull's Advanced Technologies division at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car features a 4.5-liter V10 engine instead of an initially planned F1-inspired V8 turbo power unit and has abandoned its early 4WD interpretation. Newey prioritized sound quality over performance, aiming to create "works of art" that can be displayed in one's home or garage. Only 50 units will be built, with production currently underway. The finished car will undergo track testing and may undergo changes compared to the Goodwood model. Although it's possible for the RB17 to race in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Le Mans, a redesign of its aerodynamics and engine would be necessary. Red Bull is offering a track program to customers who purchase the RB17, allowing them to use the car on various circuits. The company will also provide a two-year or 2,485-mile warranty for the vehicle.. Source: Motorsport

Sauber bolsters F1 management team with senior Mercedes engineer Sauber Formula 1 team has appointed Stefan Strahnz as its new Programme Director, effective October 1st. With 23 years of experience in leadership roles, Strahnz will report directly to CEO Andreas Seidl and focus on driving overall effectiveness and preparing the team for Audi's official works entry in 2026. Strahnz previously held various engineering and management roles at Mercedes, Lotus-Renault, Renault, Toyota, and BAR-Honda, where he won multiple races and championships. His primary goal is to deliver fully streamlined and optimized F1 car programs from concept to track introduction.. Source: Motorsport

The F1 superweapon that's no longer being wasted Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu predicted that Nico Hulkenberg would be a "huge" asset if the team's race pace issues were solved, and this prediction has come true in the 2024 season. Despite breaking his front wing on the first lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hulkenberg has consistently performed well, making up for Haas' slow race pace with strong qualifying performances. He has averaged a top-10 finishing position and has featured in the top five drivers' rankings on five occasions, impressing rival teams with his ability to overachieve despite his car's limitations. Hulkenberg's high performance level has given Haas an additional 0.6% pace advantage over other midfield teams and has helped them stay competitive, accumulating 22 points this season. His consistency and ability to peak at a high level have been unmatched by other drivers in the midfield, making him a crucial factor in Haas' success, currently seventh in the championship standings behind Red Bull and clear of Alpine/Williams.. Source: The Race

Verstappen urges more Red Bull upgrades as F1's aero testing rules begin to bite Max Verstappen, the top-ranked driver since the introduction of ground effect technology in Formula 1 (2022), believes Red Bull should continue to develop and upgrade their car as new aerodynamic testing regulations take effect. Despite being ahead in the standings, Verstappen recognizes increased competition from Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren, who will benefit from increased testing time under the new regulations. Although he acknowledges the benefits of additional testing, Verstappen accepts the current rules and praises a recent upgrade package that showed promise despite qualifying damage. He encourages Red Bull to continue bringing improvements to stay ahead of the competition, expressing confidence in his team's ability to continually improve their car's performance without becoming complacent.. Source: Motorsport

“Impossible” to build mule cars to test tyres for new 2026 F1 rules – Pirelli Pirelli, the official tire supplier of Formula 1, is facing challenges in preparing for the sport's new technical regulations in 2026 due to a drastic overhaul of rules. The changes include narrower wheels, new power units, and increased use of active aerodynamics. Pirelli will rely heavily on simulation data and work with virtual and physical models to develop its 2026 tires until the first cars arrive at the beginning of the season. The company is designing tires that can handle increased torque demand from electric power units and will conduct tests with Aston Martin in September. Initially, FIA proposed smaller wheels, but Pirelli opposed this due to concerns about reduced performance, and instead proposed an 18-inch tire size with improved loading capacity.. Source: Race Fans

Behind the tears, Hamilton and Wolff are moving on – separately Here is a summary of the article: Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, his 104th overall win in Formula 1, thanks to a well-timed pit stop that allowed him to outlast Lando Norris' McLaren on soft tires. Mercedes had been quick throughout the weekend and has now shown its strength with recent wins in Canada and other races, making it a serious contender for victories. The win comes amidst tension between Hamilton and his team principal Toto Wolff due to Hamilton's dissatisfaction with a one-year contract offer without an option for renewal from Mercedes, leading to Ferrari offering him a longer-term deal which he took advantage of to leave the team. Despite the uncertainty over his future, the Silverstone win demonstrates the strength of the Hamilton-mercedes combination when given the right car, and Mercedes must continue their current form to secure more wins, potentially leading to tense moments between Hamilton and Wolff as they vie for success.. Source: Racer

Haas seeing team changes start to pay off Here is the summary: Haas F1 Team owner Gene Haas is optimistic about maintaining their improved position in the midfield after replacing team principal Guenther Steiner with Ayao Komatsu. Despite finishing last in two of the past three years, the team has started strong this season, ranking seventh in the constructors' championship with consecutive sixth-place finishes for Nico Hulkenberg. Haas attributes his decision to appoint a new principal as easy due to the team's four years of near-last place finishes under Steiner. The goal is to stay ahead of other mid-pack teams and achieve competitiveness through upgrades throughout the year.. Source: Racer

From a thrilling charge through the field to a three-way battle for the lead – Five of the greatest moments from the F1 Sprint The F1 Sprint, introduced in 2021, has brought excitement to Formula 1 seasons with intense racing, team conflicts, and drivers making bold moves. A notable moment was Fernando Alonso's impressive opening lap at the first-ever Sprint held at Silverstone in 2021, where he gained six positions, moving from 11th place to 5th place...png) Source: Formula 1

“Embarrassing” team principals’ meetings prevent F1 fixing rules – Brown McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown expressed frustration with Formula 1's governance structure, citing "embarrassing" outcomes in team principal meetings. He believes teams have too much power to block rule changes due to self-interest and proposes reducing the majority needed for votes from 28 out of 30 to 50%. Brown also suggests giving more power to the FIA to make decisions for the sport's benefit, as well as consistent penalties regardless of outcome. This comes after a recent row between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris highlighted concerns about the complexity of racing rules.. Source: Race Fans

What to look out for at the Goodwood Festival of Speed The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual celebration of motorsport marking its 75th anniversary. The event features a four-day exhibition showcasing the history of racing, including iconic vehicles like the BMW V12 LMR and McMurtry Speirling. Formula 1 stars attending include Max Verstappen, who will drive a 2021 Red Bull Racing-Honda RB16B on Sunday, as well as other notable drivers. The event highlights various F1-related activities, such as "Legends of F1" featuring veteran drivers driving iconic cars from their eras, Red Bull Racing's 20th anniversary celebration, and the unveiling of the two-seat RB17 Hypercar.. Source: Motorsport

Where has Red Bull's F1 advantage gone? Red Bull's dominance in Formula 1 has decreased significantly since the start of the 2024 season due to other teams, such as Mercedes and McLaren, closing the gap through upgrades and development. Red Bull's early success is attributed to its understanding of low-slung ground-effect cars, but this advantage has turned into a handicap due to the sliding scale of development time, which limits wind tunnel and CFD runs based on a team's success. Despite this, driver Max Verstappen is determined to push his team for more gains rather than accepting their new reality. The RB20 car has shown improvement, but as teams approach the summer shutdown, they will start focusing on their 2025 cars, making it challenging for Red Bull to find further gains. Chief engineer Paul Monaghan stated that Red Bull is "asymptoteing" with the current regulations, meaning smaller and smaller laptime improvements are being made. Team principal Christian Horner believes there are still updates in the pipeline that can make a difference, but any gains will be marginal. Despite not having the quickest car, Red Bull is executing well, punishing mistakes made by others, particularly McLaren.. Source: Motorsport

F1 podcast: Raikkonen's dramatic + decisive Nurburgring failure The 2005 European Grand Prix was a decisive moment in the Formula 1 championship, where Kimi Raikkonen's suspension failure on the final lap allowed Fernando Alonso to snatch the win. The incident marked how close Raikkonen came to retaining his lead, amidst other significant events from that season. Ferrari struggled throughout the year, while Jacques Villeneuve faced challenges with Peter Sauber, and rumors circulated about BMW potentially purchasing the BAR team.. Source: The Race

Which F1 rounds will have sprint races in 2025 Here is a summary of the article: Formula 1 will maintain six sprint weekends in its 2025 season, featuring sprints at six races: Chinese GP (round two), Miami GP (round six), Belgian GP (round 13), US GP (round 19), Brazilian GP (round 21), and Qatar GP (round 23). The sprint format was introduced in 2021 and has been successful in increasing fan engagement and attendance, despite mixed reactions from fans. The 2025 schedule will see Red Bull Ring cede its sprint weekend to Spa-Francorchamps. The sprint format has undergone changes, including a single Friday practice session, shortened qualifying, and car changes allowed between the sprint and grand prix qualifying. There are currently no plans to make further changes to the sprint format.. Source: The Race

Wolff: Mercedes return to winning ways has no influence on 2025 F1 driver call Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that their recent two-race winning streak will not influence their decision-making process in choosing Lewis Hamilton's replacement. The vacancy left by Hamilton's departure to Ferrari is being considered for various drivers, including Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a talented young driver who impressed in his first F2 season. Wolff emphasized the need to stay calm and focus on the car before making a decision, suggesting that options may not be as clear-cut as they seem.. Source: Motorsport

Ferrari's 'worse than a nightmare' F1 run isn't going to end soon Ferrari has been experiencing performance issues since introducing an upgrade package at the Spanish GP, causing bouncing problems at high speeds. Drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz expressed frustration after finishing 11th and 10th respectively in the British GP, calling it "not good enough". Team principal Fred Vasseur stated that the correlation on downforce is okay but the bouncing issue remains a problem to solve. Ferrari's rivals have successfully managed this issue through careful ride height adjustments. The team plans to bring an updated package after the August break and may need to adapt their strategy for high-speed tracks. This is not the first time Ferrari has faced mid-season struggles, as they also experienced this last year before regaining competitiveness. The 2025 Formula 1 season is expected to be highly competitive with multiple teams capable of challenging for the championship, potentially leading to a multi-team fight for the title.. Source: The Race

HINCH'S HEROES: Who does IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe reckon shone at Silverstone? Lewis Hamilton won the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, securing his ninth victory at the track and first win since joining Mercedes. This was his last appearance for the team at Silverstone as he departed Mercedes after the season. His performance impressed IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe, an F1 TV pundit, and proved his doubters wrong, including a group of dedicated fans who had always believed in his ability to win again.. Source: Formula 1

What's prompted Alonso's stark Aston Martin warning shot Fernando Alonso criticized Aston Martin's underperforming Formula 1 team after finishing outside the points in the Spanish Grand Prix, saying "it's time to work harder, talk less, and deliver more". The team had a strong start but has struggled since, with performance improving at a slow rate. Alonso expressed optimism about upcoming upgrades but warned that results are needed, not just promises. He believes the car lacks downforce and struggles in long, fast corners, making improvement difficult. Despite expecting a tough weekend in Austria and Silverstone, Alonso hopes hard work and fewer empty promises will help turn things around.. Source: The Race

Mercedes will take "as long as possible" to make Antonelli F1 decision Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff is taking his time to decide on a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who will leave the team in 2025. Reports suggest promoting young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell, but Wolff denies making any decisions and wants to see how the driver market develops. The team's focus remains on improving its W15 car, which has shown signs of improvement with back-to-back podiums in Canada and Spain. Max Verstappen, contracted to Red Bull until 2028, is a potential target for Mercedes, but Wolff states that there are no talks about him leaving his current team. The FIA's decision to consider special dispensation for 17-year-old drivers could pave the way for Antonelli's grand prix debut before he turns 18 in August. Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing team principal, has expressed skepticism over Toto Wolff's denial of talks with Max Verstappen regarding a potential switch to Mercedes.. Source: Motorsport