RaceFans Round-up: Two-day weekend format isn’t suitable for every grand prix

What they say

With a record 23 races on the 2021 F1 calendar, a two-day race weekend could reduce strain on teams but Wolff says it isn’t suitable everywhere:

I like it very much. It’s so compact, lots of adaptability needed. You just have to get the car in a good position straight from the get go and there’s not a long time to analyse data and run the simulator overnight. And in that respect is something new and I like it.

I don’t think it works for every track. There will be big races, hopefully, with a lot of spectators again, where a three day event makes a lot of sense.

I’m thinking about Melbourne and the amount of people there and the narrative, the content that we can provide around these tracks. So I don’t think it’s fit for everybody, but I think for here, it works really well.

Links

More motor racing links of interest:

Hamilton in Kritik wegen Saudi-Arabien? Das sagt Schumacher (Sport1 – German)

Ralf Schumacher says Hamilton should confine his political views to social media only and not when he is representing Mercedes at race weekends.

C4F1 credits Ben Edwards, as he announced he is leaving Formula 1 (Whisper TV)

“Formula 1 commentator Ben Edwards announces today that he will be stepping down from his C4F1 lead commentary position at the end of the 2020 season.”

Final of FIA Girls On Track: Rising Stars Postponed (FIA)

“The final phase of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program, scheduled for Maranello this week, has been postponed following the positive Covid-19 of one of the four finalist girls. The young woman, who was already in self-isolation awaiting the result of the swab, has not had contact with other people involved in the program, apart from the adult who accompanied her, and remains in quarantine.”

World Champions on the cusp of history ahead of Bahrain Eight Hours (Aston Martin)

“Unfortunately, only Martin will be able to compete alongside the Danes for the world title after Lynn received a positive test for Covid-19 last weekend and has therefore not travelled to Bahrain. His place in the line-up has been taken by Richard Westbrook (GB), who was already expected to race with the team in the #98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE Am entry.”

The 500 Club (Sauber)

“We take great pride in joining the ‘500 Club’, a very exclusive group of teams comprising some of the most historical names in the sport – only Ferrari, McLaren and Williams have passed the 500 Formula One events’ mark. Cars produced in our Hinwil headquarters have graced the Formula One grid for nearly half the 1,032 races that will have taken place with Turkey.”

Changing perceptions (W Series)

“I’m seeing the effect at home too where more young girls are starting to come through and I’m proud to be coaching two of them. I work with Ella Stevens, 14, in karting and 17-year-old Abbi Pulling who has been doing a great job in British F4.”

Former F1 racer Karun Chandhok on designing Pune’s Nanoli racetrack (The Hindu Times)

“We visited the site last year and came up with a few design options. I ran these options on my simulator last year and came up with the final design.”

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