The Race F1 Podcast
Hollywood investment and a big upgrade: Austrian GP preview
Thu Jun 29 2023Description
The episode covers topics such as consistency in success, investment in F1 teams, major upgrade for McLaren, upcoming races and team performance, challenges for Ferrari and new sprint format, and a summary of the Austrian Grand Prix.
Insights
Investment in F1 Teams
Recent team sales in Formula 1 show the significant increase in their value over the years. New teams hoping to join the grid will need a substantial amount of money to get involved. McLaren Racing was bought by a consortium of US investors for £185 million, giving them a 33% stake in the team. Audi is buying into Sauber, with the total value of the deal estimated at around $600-700 million. There have been rumors of AlphaTauri being valued at a billion dollars and Williams rejecting offers up to that amount since being bought. The recent investment in Alpine is focused on developing the team and brand, rather than just selling a chunk of it. Alpine acknowledges that more investment is needed to catch up with other teams and improve infrastructure and personnel.
Major Upgrade for McLaren
McLaren is introducing a major upgrade spread across three races. The upgrade aims to address the team's performance gap and improve efficiency. McLaren wants to gather data on the upgrade package before the summer break. The new upgrade builds on previous changes in floor edge treatment philosophy. The upgrade is the first manifestation of the new technical department's input. McLaren has a new organizational structure in place and this upgrade package is the first test of its benefits. The team is optimistic and confident that this upgrade is the right direction. McLaren has been facing characteristic problems with the car's behavior, particularly in longer corners and combination entry. The upgrade package may address some of these issues.
Challenges for Ferrari and New Sprint Format
Ferrari's performance in Austria last year was dominant, but they are not expected to perform as well this year. Ferrari claims to be making progress with their car, but there is no clarity on what exactly has improved. Ferrari needs a clean weekend and cannot afford to be on the back foot after FP1. Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes are less likely to get caught out in practice sessions compared to Ferrari. The new sprint format for qualifying and the disconnected Saturday event is not favored by everyone. There may be rain during the sprint race, which could lead to more damage and potential arguments about cost cap implications. Nick DeVries will be interviewed, but it is unlikely that he will respond aggressively to Helmut Marko's comments about him. Helmut Marko has been making unhelpful comments about drivers and teams within the Red Bull stable. There have been tensions within Red Bull since the new ownership took over after Dietrich Mateschitz's passing.
Chapters
- Consistency is Key
- Investment in F1 Teams
- Major Upgrade for McLaren
- Upcoming Races and Team Performance
- Challenges for Ferrari and New Sprint Format
- Summary of Austrian Grand Prix
Consistency is Key
00:02 - 06:51
- Consistency is important for success.
- Michelob Ultra is a consistently smooth, refreshing, and light beer with only 2.6 carbs and 95 calories.
Investment in F1 Teams
06:25 - 13:08
- Recent team sales in Formula 1 show the significant increase in their value over the years.
- New teams hoping to join the grid will need a substantial amount of money to get involved.
- McLaren Racing was bought by a consortium of US investors for £185 million, giving them a 33% stake in the team.
- Audi is buying into Sauber, with the total value of the deal estimated at around $600-700 million.
- There have been rumors of AlphaTauri being valued at a billion dollars and Williams rejecting offers up to that amount since being bought.
- The recent investment in Alpine is focused on developing the team and brand, rather than just selling a chunk of it.
- Alpine acknowledges that more investment is needed to catch up with other teams and improve infrastructure and personnel.
Major Upgrade for McLaren
12:52 - 20:05
- McLaren is introducing a major upgrade spread across three races.
- The upgrade aims to address the team's performance gap and improve efficiency.
- McLaren wants to gather data on the upgrade package before the summer break.
- The new upgrade builds on previous changes in floor edge treatment philosophy.
- The upgrade is the first manifestation of the new technical department's input.
- McLaren has a new organizational structure in place and this upgrade package is the first test of its benefits.
- The team is optimistic and confident that this upgrade is the right direction.
- McLaren has been facing characteristic problems with the car's behavior, particularly in longer corners and combination entry.
- The upgrade package may address some of these issues.
Upcoming Races and Team Performance
19:42 - 26:13
- Red Bull and Mercedes are optimistic about their chances in the upcoming races.
- The sprint weekend format could potentially catch Red Bull off guard.
- Cooler temperatures and rain may affect Red Bull's performance.
- Aston Martin is targeting improvements in straight line speed.
- Ferrari looked good in Canada but it could be track-specific.
- There is no particular reason to believe that this layout won't suit Red Bull.
- Sergio Perez needs to end his bad form at this track.
- Perez's struggles show that success is not guaranteed even with a Red Bull car.
- It's unlikely that Ferrari will end their win drought on merit alone.
- Ferrari believes they are making progress, but it remains to be seen.
Challenges for Ferrari and New Sprint Format
25:50 - 32:31
- Ferrari's performance in Austria last year was dominant, but they are not expected to perform as well this year.
- Ferrari claims to be making progress with their car, but there is no clarity on what exactly has improved.
- Ferrari needs a clean weekend and cannot afford to be on the back foot after FP1.
- Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes are less likely to get caught out in practice sessions compared to Ferrari.
- The new sprint format for qualifying and the disconnected Saturday event is not favored by everyone.
- There may be rain during the sprint race, which could lead to more damage and potential arguments about cost cap implications.
- Nick DeVries will be interviewed, but it is unlikely that he will respond aggressively to Helmut Marko's comments about him.
- Helmut Marko has been making unhelpful comments about drivers and teams within the Red Bull stable.
- There have been tensions within Red Bull since the new ownership took over after Dietrich Mateschitz's passing.
Summary of Austrian Grand Prix
38:20 - 39:18
- The first Austrian Grand Prix at the Ripple Ring is marked by controversy with Matt Schitz firing drivers and teams within the Ripple stable.
- Red Bull drivers are always in the spotlight, so Nick DeVries will likely face more questions this weekend.
- Scott and Josh provide insight on the Austrian Grand Prix on therace.com.
- Don't forget to check out other podcasts like Bring Back V10s and their YouTube channel for more content.
- Stay tuned for comprehensive coverage of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.