RaceFans Round-up: F1 schedule “on the limit”

In brief

F1 schedule “on the limit” – Horner

The 24-round calendar for the upcoming season is “right on the limit” of what teams can cope with, says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“It’s a brutal year, and I think it’s something that I’m sure will be on the agenda with Formula 1and the FIA to talk about how can we make life more bearable for everybody involved,” Horner told RaceFans. “Because it is a traveling circus, but it’s a global circus and we need to just make sure that we protect that and the people within it.

“Money is a big driver in any commercial sport. But it can’t come at the price of human health and wellbeing. I think we’re right on the limit.”

Cycling ‘great’ for my mental health – Bottas

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas says his love of cycling and bike racing helps him deal with the mental strains of racing in Formula 1.

“For me, it’s definitely freedom,” Bottas told the Bobby & Jens podcast. “Especially when I travel and I mostly travel, even to the races, with my bike so I can actually see a lot. If I have a day off before things start, it’s a great way to explore and see places.

“The fitness aspect of it, for sure – it definitely keeps me fit and gives me good endurance. And also mentally I feel like it’s for me is a great way because the Formula 1 world can be really, really hectic. Like when we have back-to-back races or triple-headers, even one single ride between those kind of hectic weeks and days can really reset your mind and get your feet back on the ground again and understand the big picture of the world.”

Links

Motor racing links of interest:

Red Bull, perché anche l’AlphaTauri ora fa paura. I sospetti dei rivali in F1 (Corriere – Italian)

‘With an engineering background, a hard worker, serious and competent, Laurent Mekies must revitalise the RB team (with the arrival of Marco Matassa, former head of the Ferrari Driver Academy) a team that finished third from the bottom in the standings and take it much higher.’

As others copy Red Bull, is Ferrari going in another F1 direction? (Motor Sport)

‘As well as the crucial geometry of the underfloor, the trade-off has implications upon gearbox length and chassis shape – and that’s for sure going to be where we’ll see how Mercedes has abandoned its concept of the previous two years. It’s not necessarily going to be about whether or not it has Red Bull sidepod shapes. But at Ferrari, sidepod shapes are more significant. It has confirmed that it has abandoned its concept of 2022-23 (that of the big-fronted outwash sidepods) and that it will be pursuing a new aerodynamic philosophy.’

Businesses in Northamptonshire town ‘up in arms’ as F1 team submits plans to expand campus (Northampton Chronicle)

‘Detailed in their hybrid…