The team-building role of gatekeeper-expediter determines the direct of the team’s discussion.

Listen to this article In an even more unexpected development IndyCar star Colton Herta has been linked with a future at AlphaTauri . Publicly Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer insists that the Enstone team won’t think about other drivers until the Contract Recognition Board discusses the Oscar Piastri case on Monday. However, sources suggest that Alpine has already indicated its interest in Gasly to Red Bull. The Frenchman was confirmed for 2023 by AlphaTauri on June 24, and thus any move to get him will have to involve a deal that will suit Red Bull, and inevitably a substantial payment. While he is obviously regarded as a valuable member of AlphaTauri, the bigger picture is that the Faenza team is supposed to provide future drivers for Red Bull Racing . Gasly had his chance in 2019 before being sent back to AlphaTauri, and it’s widely acknowledged in the paddock that RBR boss Christian Horner doesn’t envisage a future return for the 26-year-old to the … [Read more...] about Alpine eyes Gasly as Marko lines up Herta for AlphaTauri F1 role

Paul di Resta thinks if Alpine lose out to McLaren for Oscar Piastri, they will target financial compensation – with a view to luring Pierre Gasly. Formula 1’s Contract Recognition Board (CRB) will meet on Monday to decide where Piastri’s future lies, with reports indicating both Alpine and McLaren have a valid claim to his services for 2023. Piastri, of course, has yet to participate in an F1 race, having been in the role of reserve and test driver for Alpine – whose academy he has been attached to since the start of 2020 – since winning the Formula 2 Championship last year. On August 2, the day after Fernando Alonso was revealed as an Aston Martin driver for 2023, Alpine announced the Spaniard would be succeeded by Piastri – who, a couple of hours later, rubbished that claim with a social media post insisting it was “wrong”. The understanding was that the 21-year-old Australian wanted to move to McLaren , who have subsequently confirmed they are parting company with … [Read more...] about ‘Alpine may want Oscar Piastri compensation to go and sign Pierre Gasly’

Listen to this article Motor racing’s governing body has come under fire for making a late alternation to the 2023 technical regulations to help limit the potential for cars to bounce. It initially acted this year, introducing a porpoising metric from this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, to help limit the amount teams are allowed to let their cars bounce. It came after drivers complained about the physical trauma they were facing from the phenomenon, and subsequent research showed that there was potential for brain damage if they were exposed to shaking too much. Beyond the current changes, the FIA initially planned to raise the F1 floor edges by 25mm for next season as well. That move prompted a kickback from teams who felt it was too late to make such a major revision to car designs. In the end, following discussions between FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and teams and drivers, a compromise was reached for the change to be 15mm. But with teams appearing to … [Read more...] about FIA: Ignoring drivers health dangers from porpoising would have been wrong

Red Bull principal Christian Horner quipped “size doesn’t matter” in a hilarious response to the 2023 regulation changes. Horner has been a vocal critic regarding the FIA’s alterations to the rules in a bid to address the bouncing of the 2022 challengers, Horner feeling they were in response to Mercedes’ troubles with ‘porpoising’ in particular. The first major stage is the introduction of a Technical Directive for the Belgian Grand Prix, which targets the floor and skid blocks. And from next season further changes will be introduced, those finally announced after Horner had said back in Hungary that it’s “10 past midnight now for next year and Cinderella’s already left”. From 2023 teams must raise the floor edges of their challengers by 15mm, compared to 25 as was originally proposed, which cleared the way for Horner to drop the best quote heard this season. Regarding the regulation changes, Horner told reporters at Spa-Francorchamps : “My wife often tells me that … [Read more...] about Christian Horner provides quote of the season over FIA regulation change

Listen to this article After the news of his move to Aston broke, Szafnauer told the media that Alonso was on holiday in Greece. However, Alonso subsequently appeared to troll his team boss by posting pictures on social media that suggested he was in fact in his home town of Oviedo. Asked in Spa on Thursday about Szafnauer being surprised by the Aston Martin announcement, Alonso said he had told Renault CEO Luca de Meo and Alpine chief Laurent Rossi, as well as his engineers and mechanics, before the news was officially revealed. However, he confirmed that he didn’t tell Szafnauer in advance, while also stressing that the American wasn’t involved in his Alpine contract negotiations, and that he was dealing with de Meo and Rossi. Alonso’s revelations could be interpreted as evidence that he has an issue with Szafnauer, but the latter has denied that was the case. "No, not at all,” Szafnauer said when asked by Motorsport.com if he has a shaky relationship with Alonso. … [Read more...] about Szafnauer denies breakdown in Alonso F1 relationship