Tag: FIA

Andretti approved as new F1 entry by FIA, needs approval from FOM

The first step for Andretti’s entry into F1 is complete, but the last step will be the hardest part.

Michael Andretti has been looking to field a team on the Formula 1 grid for some time now, and his aspirations took a big step forward on Monday.

Andretti’s hypothetical 11th team was approved by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) on Monday, bringing him one step closer to entering F1. Andretti was one of four teams that had advanced through to Phase 2 of the FIA’s evaluation, but it was the only one to be officially approved.

That doesn’t mean Andretti is confirmed, however. The final step in seeking approval is negotiating with Formula One Management, or FOM, to discuss the commercial terms of Andretti’s potential return. This is likely to be the most difficult part of the process, as F1 teams and FOM have previously discussed their desire to keep the F1 grid at 10 teams.

The hang-up from F1 teams and FOM comes from revenue sharing. With an 11th team on the grid, funds dispersed through marketing and pots won through the World Constructor’s Championship would be split thinner, and teams are reluctant to allow this with a potential new entry. The entry fee for an incoming team was initially set at $200 million — a fee that Michael Andretti claimed he was willing to pay — but F1 teams have attempted to vastly increase that number by claiming it isn’t enough.

Here is what Formula 1 officially said after the FIA’s approval, per Chris Medland of Racer:

“We note the FIA’s conclusions in relation to the first and second phases of their process and will now conduct our own assessment of the merits of the remaining application.”

Time will now only tell if Andretti’s team, which is partnering with Cadillac of General Motors, will be approved to join F1 or will be rejected in favor of the current 10 F1 teams.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

New FIA regulations on front and back wings to be introduced at Singapore Grand Prix

The FIA will be cracking down on front and back wings during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

The Singapore Grand Prix held on the notorious Marina Bay Street Circuit has always been perhaps Formula 1’s most challenging race, but a new FIA directive may make it even tougher.

According to Motorsport.com, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the governing body of F1 and most other worldwide motorsports, is introducing a new technical directive to crack down on front and back wing flexibility. The directive is essentially tightening up rules on an already-existing directive on wing flexibility that was introduced last year.

To simplify matters, the directive aims to tackle teams skirting the rules by making the front and back wings more flexible than they should be, through the use of what the FIA refers to as “mechanisms.” The FIA has insinuated that such mechanisms could be hidden beneath rubber coverings on their car and could pass inspection from the FIA outside of the track but bend when more resistance is placed on the car during an actual race where conditions would be much more intense.

Motorsport.com spoke with the FIA’s single-seater race director Nikolas Tombazis on the kind of things the FIA will be looking for when it inspects F1 cars ahead of the Singapore GP:

“If under a carbon surface, we have levers that allow a deflection in one direction and not in another, we can consider this a mechanism. Another thing we have said in the past is that it’s not acceptable when a component has relative motion against an adjacent element, sliding in a different direction [from it].

What happened recently? Some teams have components adjacent to each other that have a fairly high movement but do not slide [in tandem] because these areas are covered with rubber material. We do not consider this acceptable and, for this reason, we have made a clarification.”

It is unknown exactly which teams — if any — this new technical directive may effect over the race weekend. While it’s unlikely to end the recent streak of Red Bull domiance, some teams may find themselves hunting for tenths should they come at odds with the new crack down during testing over the grand prix.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

COTA return among 8 WEC races for 2024

The 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar was revealed today at Le Mans, following its approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council. Next season’s schedule has a fresh look to it, with an increase to eight races and the inclusion of four …

The 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar was revealed today at Le Mans, following its approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Next season’s schedule has a fresh look to it, with an increase to eight races and the inclusion of four circuits not on the 2023 calendar. During the season the WEC teams will visit the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Interlagos, Circuit of The Americas, Fuji Speedway and Bahrain.

“The 2024 FIA WEC calendar is a mix of traditional motorsport venues and key markets that are important for our manufacturers, key stakeholders and partners,” said Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“It is always a challenge finding the right balance but with four new venues, two of which are completely new to the WEC, as well as four well-established races, we have created a good mix of old and new. Eight races across five different regions will also bring our series to an even greater audience, as well as building momentum throughout the year. Today’s announcement is yet again another indication of WEC’s very bright future.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1406]

The season will get underway with a pre-season Prologue test in Doha, Qatar, at the Lusail International Circuit, before the opening race of the season at the same venue a handful of days later. The race, the first for the FIA WEC in Qatar, will run for 1812km (no longer than 10 hours) as a nod to the country’s national day.

From there the WEC will travel to Italy in April for a six-hour race at another new venue to the championship, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola). The historic venue replaces Monza on the list of destinations.

Before the Le Mans 24 Hours, the WEC will return to Belgium for its annual round at Spa-Francorchamps as part of the new extended agreement with the circuit. Then, following the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 15-16, the championship will travel to Brazil for the first time since 2014 for a six-hour race at the Interlagos circuit in July. This race has been made possible via an agreement with the city of São Paulo.

In early September the WEC will head back to Circuit of The Americas in Texas for “Lone Star Le Mans,” last held in February 2020. The return to COTA means there will no longer be a 1000-mile race run during a doubleheader at Sebring with IMSA as part of the 12 Hours weekend.

Also in September is a six-hour race at the Fuji Speedway in Japan, before the season-closing eight-hour race in Bahrain at the International Circuit in November.

“The 2024 FIA WEC season promises to be greater than ever before,” added Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). “A record number of entries in the Hypercar class and a calendar of eight races on as many magnificent circuits make for an exciting prospect. Drivers will be getting to grips with four new tracks. That’s quite a challenge!

“It gives me great pleasure to see that the calendar reflects the rejuvenation of our discipline and I am grateful to all the circuits that will be hosting races in the eagerly awaited season to come.”

2024 FIA WEC schedule

Feb. 24-25 – Official Prologue, Qatar
March 2 – Qatar 1812Km
April 21 – 6 Hours of Imola
May 11 – TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
June 15-16 – 24 Hours of Le Mans
July 14 – 6 Hours of São Paulo
Sept. 1 – Lone Star Le Mans, COTA
Sept. 15 – 6 Hours of Fuji
Nov. 2 – 8 Hours of Bahrain

FIA clarifies penalty rules and amends grid slots

The FIA has issued a technical directive clarifying what constitutes working on a car ahead of the Australian Grand Prix following Fernando Alonso’s incidents in Jeddah. Alonso was too far to the left of his grid slot at the start of the race and …

The FIA has issued a technical directive clarifying what constitutes working on a car ahead of the Australian Grand Prix following Fernando Alonso’s incidents in Jeddah.

Alonso was too far to the left of his grid slot at the start of the race and picked up a five-second time penalty that he served during his pit stop, with Aston Martin touching the car with the rear jack prior to using it once the penalty had been served. Initially cleared at the time, Alonso was then hit with a post-race time penalty that demoted him from third for serving the penalty incorrectly, before Aston Martin won a right of review stating there was no agreement that touching the car counted as working on it.

After reinstating Alonso in third place, the FIA stated it would address the topic before Melbourne and has now issued a clarification via a technical directive that states touching the car with the jack will no longer be allowed.

“For clarity and until further notice, in this context the physical touching of the car or driver by hand, tools or equipment (including the front and rear jacks) during any such penalty will all be considered to constitute work,” the technical directive from FIA single-seater sporting director Steve Nielsen read.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

The directive also states cooling fans can be used during a penalty as long as they don’t touch the car, and multiple penalties can be taken at once (for example, if a driver has one five-second and one 10-second penalty, they can serve them as a combined 15-second penalty).

The FIA is also looking into ways of addressing the initial cause of Alonso’s penalty after Esteban Ocon was also too far to one side of his grid slot in Bahrain. The slots at Albert Park have been widened by 20cm, while a center line is being trialled to aid driver positioning.

“Es bastante feo” Verstappen critica el auto de Mercedes

El W-13 que la escudería Mercedes presentó para la temporada cuenta con soluciones aerodinámicas que podrían ir contra las reglas

Todavía no da comienzo la temporada 2022 de la Fórmula 1 y el campeón Max Verstappen ya le puso sal a la herida de Mercedes de perder el título en la última vuelta del campeonato anterior.

Una nueva polémica envuelve a la máxima categoría del automovilismo, es el diseño del W-13 que la escudería Mercedes-AMG Petronas presentó para la temporada ya que cuenta con soluciones aerodinámicas que podrían ir contra las reglas de la FIA.

Ante esto el campeón del mundo se refirió asegurando que el auto es feo y habrá que ver si es legal, lo más importante para todos en Red Bull, incluyendo a Christian Horner, jefe del equipo que ya solicitó una investigación.

No sé si el W13 es legal, pero es bastante feo, ¿no?. No tiene buena pinta, ¡incluso el color!”, aseguró Max Verstappen.

Ross Brawn, director general de la FIA, aseguró que sin duda el concepto de Mercedes es algo que no habían previsto, “una interpretación muy extrema del reglamento” por lo que se harán las evaluaciones correspondientes y se determinará si puede correr o no en la presente temporada.