Are you having Formula One withdrawals yet? It has been 60 days since we last saw live Formula One action. Today Netflix announced that they would be giving us the opportunity to relive the 2023 season. Netflix announce that Formula One: Drive to Survive season 6 will be released on February 23rd, 2024. This release will coincide with the end of pre season testing at Bahrain International Circuit.
James Gay-Rees, Executive Producer of Drive To Survive
Gay-Rees had the following words in an exclusive interview with Formulaone.com. “Genuinely, we are enormously proud to be a part of it [referring to the Drive to Survive series],” he said. “There’s also a lot of satisfaction at being first with these things, and I think that it kind of does feel like the first main access show – certainly out of the UK anyway – that has had this profound effect.
We’ve all had the statistics about the changing, younger demographic, and it’s tough out there for anybody, for any big organization, to hold its ground given the amount of choices that are out there for the consumer.
Bringing such a big new audience to a sport – which obviously was deserved, it just needed somebody to open it up – is massively satisfying.
The fact that it wasn’t a fluke, the fact that it’s grown [with every season]… It’s a real honor and we love it. It’s a very difficult show to make, but we love the process, we love the world. Long may it continue!”
Today Formula One announced that the Spanish Grand Prix will not longer be held at the seasoned Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona after 2025. Instead it will be held in Madrid from 2026 to 2035 following an agreement with IFEMA MADRID to bring an all-new circuit to the Spanish capital, incorporating both street and non-street sections. The circuit will include 20 corners and is expected to host 110,000 fans per day with the potential to expand to 140,000.
“Madrid is an incredible city with amazing sporting and cultural heritage, and today’s announcement begins an exciting new chapter for F1 in Spain”.
“I would like to thank the team at IFEMA MADRID, the Regional Government of Madrid and the city’s Mayor for putting together a fantastic proposal. It truly epitomizes Formula 1’s vision to create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment that delivers maximum value for fans and embraces innovation and sustainability.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA Stated
“Modern Formula 1 cars racing on a new circuit in the Spanish capital city of Madrid is an enticing prospect.
“As we build towards the introduction of the FIA 2026 Formula One regulations, which have been framed with Net Zero carbon by 2030 in mind, it is pleasing to see that the local organizers have placed a sharp focus on environmental sustainability in their plans for the event.
“As is customary, the proposed circuit will be subject to FIA homologation and safety checks and calendar approval by the World Motor Sport Council.”
“It is with great satisfaction that we announce Formula 1 is coming to the Community of Madrid, to a region and a capital that inspires openness and confidence within and beyond our borders. We are the main engine of Spain’s prosperity and progress.
“This event, which we expect to be followed on a global scale by 70 million people, will represent an increase of more than 450 million euros in Madrid’s GDP per year and the creation of 8,200 jobs.
“The Community of Madrid is a region with a great international projection, open, plural, and competitive, and F1 will contribute to further consolidate the Madrid brand among the best in the world.”
After an abrupt exit from Alpine in 2023, ex-Alpine team principal Alan Permane is rumored to be making a return to F1. Permane is a multi decade veteran in the sport. Given the latest rumor, it appears Permane could be headed for Alpha Tauri. While no official statement has been made, the speculation is in the air for where Permane may end up. Alpha Tauri is widely known to be the junior team of Red Bull Racing. Coincidentally, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has previously praised Permane after his departure from Alpine was announced.
“Alan Permane is one of the rocks of F1. He is one of the longest-standing senior engineers in the sport and certainly someone with a lot of knowledge. I don’t know about the ins and outs of the management reshuffle there, but there is a lot of very respectable people in there. And definitely, you shouldn’t discount anyone of that seniority.”
“Whilst I’ve never worked with Alan Permane, I think sometimes there has to be respect shown for somebody that’s put in 34 years of hard graft and been involved in world championships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso…He has also been a steady hand during periods of that team going into administration, and out of administration, and into different ownership and so on.
“He’s very much been a constant there during that period. I think that earns respect and recognition, and I’m sure he’s a guy, like with Otmar, that won’t find themselves out of work. It won’t be the last you’ve seen of them in the pitlane, no doubt about that.”
Whether this comment was foreshadowing is not yet confirmed. However, given the status of Alpha Tauri and the team currently in a state of transition. It would make perfect sense for someone with his experience to step into a role as a leader. With Alpha Tauri planning a rebrand in 2024 it would be the perfect time for the team to usher in new leadership. Time will tell if the rumors will be confirmed.
Earlier this week Haas made a shocking revelation that fan beloved team principal Guenther Steiner would be immediately replaced as team Principal at Haas. Now that the dust has settled both team owner Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner have made public comments on the matter.
Guenther Steiner Responded to being Blindsided by the Move
“I didn’t have the chance to say thank you to a few people when I left Haas F1. I would just like to thank all the team members which I couldn’t give a proper goodbye to when I left…I want to say also thank you to all the fans who supported Haas while I was there – it’s fantastic. It’s one of those occasions, with so many people here. Thanks for coming as well, [for me] to say thank you to everybody for the support I got and I’m getting.
“It stung [not being able to say goodbye to the team], but they all know me and that I still appreciate what they did. It would be nice to say, ‘Hey guys, thanks for all that you did’, because the team started very small, running on adrenaline a lot of times, and they did a good job. Obviously it doesn’t make you happy not saying thank you, but I think I did it now.”
Steiner Continued Regarding the Phone Call That Ended His Role
“Gene called me and said that he doesn’t want to extend the contract which was up at the end of the season, and that was it. I don’t know [if it was a surprise]. It’s always a little bit of a surprise, but then in the end, he owns the team, he can do what he wants and it’s his decision.
I think [whether a change was needed] can be answered only in time. I cannot answer that one because otherwise I could say what is happening in the future. Gene thought that is the way he wants to take the team forward and, as I said, it’s his decision, not my one. He owns the place, so if you own something you’ve got the right to do what you want.”
“It came down to performance,” Gene Haas tells me when we spoke exclusively via a video call. “Here we are in our eighth year, over 160 races – we have never had a podium. The last couple of years, we’ve been 10th or ninth.
I’m not sitting here saying it’s Guenther’s fault, or anything like that, but it just seems like this was an appropriate time to make a change and try a different direction, because it doesn’t seem like continuing with what we had is really going to work.”
Gene Haas, Owner and Founder, Haas F1, and Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 during the Formula One United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas Texas, USA. (Photo by Andy Hone / Motorsport Images)Funding Could Become an Issue if Haas Can’t Find Results
After finishing at the bottom of the championship table the Haas camp is regrouping for 2024. Haas has the smallest budget of all F1 teams but Gene Haas claims that is not the source of their shortcomings. He stated, “I just think we don’t do a very good job of spending that money. A lot of teams have had previous investments in their infrastructure, buildings, equipment and personnel. Our model was to outsource a lot of that. We spend a lot of money. We haven’t exceeded the cap but we’re pretty darn close to it. I just don’t think we’re doing a very good job of spending it in the most effective way.”
It appears that Haas has a spending problem and a funding problem which is not a positive space for a team looking to stay in F1. Gene Haas personally bankrolls a portion of the operating costs for the team which could explain the rapid decision regarding Steiner. Nonetheless it’s clear that Haas is undergoing some personnel and possibly team culture. Whether removing Steiner will be a positive move is yet to be determined. However, it’s clear the timing of the whole debacle puts Haas at a disadvantage as their competitors have already move forward on 2024 development with more unified fronts.
The first earth shattering news of 2024 hit the F1 airways today when Haas F1 team announced that team principal Guenther Steiner will be leaving Haas F1 team. The decision appears to be effective immediately leaving some fans in heartbreak. Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu will step up to replace Steiner for the 2024 campaign.
Steiner has lead the Haas F1 team since 2016. The team has face many woes over the years. Generally Haas has never bee a championship contender but the team has found a presence as a mid pack contender over the years. However, in 2023 the tea finished dead last which raised questions as to whether Steiner was still the man for the job. Haas wasted no time with his replacement. We assume this was a mutually beneficial move for the parties involved.
Words from Gene Haas, Haas Team owner
Owner Gene Haas said: “I’d like to start by extending my thanks to Guenther Steiner for all his hard work over the past decade and I wish him well for the future.
“Moving forward as an organization, it was clear we need to improve our on-track performances. In appointing Ayao Komatsu as Team Principal we fundamentally have engineering at the heart of our management.
We have had some successes, but we need to be consistent in delivering results that help us reach our wider goals as an organization. We need to be efficient with the resources we have but improving our design and engineering capability is key to our success as a team.
I’m looking forward to working with Ayao and fundamentally ensuring that we maximize our potential – this truly reflects my desire to compete properly in Formula 1.”
“I’m naturally very excited to have the opportunity to be Team Principal at Haas. Having been with the team since its track-debut back in 2016 I’m obviously passionately invested in its success in Formula 1. I’m looking forward to leading our program and the various competitive operations internally to ensure we can build a structure that produces improved on-track performances.
We are a results-based business at the end of the day, and we obviously haven’t been competitive enough recently which has been a source of frustration…We have amazing support from Gene and our various partners – particularly MoneyGram, and we want to mirror their enthusiasm with an improved on-track product. We have a great team of people across Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and together I know we can reach the kind of performances we’re capable of.”
In November it was announced that Carlos Sainz trainer Rupert Manwaring would be leaving Sainz to train Max Verstappen. Verstappen lost his fitness coach at the end of the 2023 season. The time for that transition is now upon us. Carlos was in shock at the news when he was originally informed, but offered the following heart felt words on a recent post,
“Eight years can’t be summed up in one video but here is a little taste of what it has meant. 2023 has been [Rupert Manwaring’s] last season as part of Team 55 and I wouldn’t know how to thank you for all your work, dedication and support during these years.
“Not only have we trained, we have fought together for the same goals and we have had lots of fun along the way! I wish you all the best Ruperto!”
Manwaring will head to Red Bull to work with reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen. The move has a bit of a story as Manwaring’s father was a trainer for Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen. The opportunity for the father and son trainers to work with a father and son pair of drivers is unique. Possibly unique enough to never happen again. Its clear that legacy played a role in the move. We will see if Verstappen is able to build a synergy with Manwaring for the 2024 season. Verstappen’s fitness will be paramount if he is to go for the 4 peat in 2024.
Sainz has not yet named a replacement trainer. We will report back when that information is available.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has signed a 3 year contract extension with Red Bull. The announcement comes after Red Bull announced their new CEO who stepped in to replace the now deceased Dietrich Mateschitz. While many speculated that team principal Christian Horner or Helmut Marko might be gunning for the mantle. Its now clear that those rumor can be put to rest and that Horner and Helmut are look forward to 2024 to maintain the dominance Red Bull has achieved in recent years.
Credited with the discovery of Max Verstappen, Marko has been praise in the Red Bull camp for Verstappen’s recent success having won 3 straight F1 titles. With Helmut solidified in the Red Bull camp for 3 more years, and no other major personnel changes pending. Its hard to imagine the synergy that Red Bull has built dwindling in any capacity. The team has prided itself on winning and attributes those wins to continued consistency and open communication. If its not broken do fix it is the saying. As Re d Bull heads into the 2024 season the pressure will be on to perform.
What does Marko’s Extension mean for Red Bull?
Marko’s contract extension means that Red Bull can continue to maintain their well oiled machine and make a run for the F1 championship in 2024. Additionally, its no secret that Max Verstappen holds Marko in very high esteems. The relationship between the two would suggest that if one left the team the other would follow.
One man who will have his work cut out for him is Max Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez. Marko has vocally been against Perez being resigned at the end of 2024. This is despite the Red Bull 1-2 finish in the constructors championship during the 2023. Whether this opinion will change over the off season is yet to be determined. Marko’s focus seems to be on the future of Red Bull and with an aging Perez the ideology behind such a decision makes sense long term. However, it’s clear that Marko’s eye for young talent is not something to be ignored. His latest driver of interest appears to be Lando Norris who has had an up and down season with McLaren. Time will tell if Marko will make a move to recruit Norris to Red Bull or if he has his sights set on another driver come the end of 2024.
With the most recent announcement that 2023 FIA sporting director Steve Nielsen has chosen to resign from his seat. Nielsen was appointed the position to replace Michael Masi after Masi’s role in the 2021 Formula One title controversial decision that crowned Max Verstappen the 2021 world champion and prevented Lewis Hamilton from reaching his 8th career title.
The biggest motivation for the move was the FIA’s lack of willingness to make the necessary changes the Nielsen felt would improve the governing body. The news comes at the worst time for the FIA as they have been the subject of inconsistency for 2023 the season making questionable penalty calls and inconsistent incident rulings. Additionally, the latest spectacle was the farce of an investigation into teh Mercedes F1 Team Principal and his wife. The couple was accused of collusion and sharing information that would constitute a conflict of interest that was in violation of the FIA bylaws. However, there was not merit to these claims despite the FIA spending resources to investigate them.
With Nielsen’s resignation, we can only conclude that the current landscape of the FIA is not open to change. An opportunity for good was missed with Nielsen’s exit so now the FIA is under pressure to find a replacement during this short break before the Formula One season gets started in February.
With the departure of Alfa Romeo as a title sponsor. Sauber has announced a new title sponsor that will join the team from the 2024 season. For the next two years the team will rebrand under the name KICK Sauber C44. Kick.com is a streaming platform that has secured chassis naming rights for 2024 and 2025.
“Sauber has always been about innovation, breaking the mold and defying convention,” said Sauber Motorsport Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi. The partnership with Kick.com is the latest and boldest display of the philosophy that drives us. Kick.com is redefining the way live streaming is done and they will adopt the same disruptive approach in the world of Formula 1. With Kick.com, our goal is to make the next step in finding new and innovative ways to get closer to our fans.”
About Kick.com
Founded in October 2022, kick.com is a community-driven live streaming platform that is based on a creatorfirst model.
KICK’s beta launch saw an astounding 200,000 sign ups in a little over 24 hours since the platform went live. In just four months, the platform has managed to attract top entertainers and streamers like Canadian superstar Drake, Trainwreckstv and many more.
KICK recently announced that it has plans to expand monetization with a 95-5 split where the creator will keep 95% of the revenue from subscriptions. This will be the most rewarding monetization split content creators are offered, to date. The platform’s developers are aggressively working towards improvements, additions of special features as well as launch of Android and iOS apps to enhance IRL streaming experiences.
All 10 Formula One have denied the allegations that they were sources of an unverified story released by a British news outlet BusinessF1 that Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff and his wife and director the F1 Academy, Suzie Wolff have shared confidential information in a conflict of interest scandal.
The investigation began after BusinessF1 reported that multiple team principals had expressed concern to the FIA that Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and F1 Academy series lead and Toto’s wife Susie Wolff were sharing confidential information with one another illegally. All 10 teams denied these allegations unifying the F1 community against the claim. The following statement was released by the FIA earlier this week.
“The FIA is aware of media speculation centered on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel. The FIA Compliance Department is looking in to the matter.”
The situation appears to be a case of poor journalism from one news outlet with no basis. Today the FIA reviewed F1’s code of conduct and conflict of interest policy and determined “appropriate protective measures are in place to mitigate any potential conflicts.” It was also confirmed “that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual.”