Ferrari and Mercedes both coming out with a 100% new design will take some time to understand and thus be effective on track. There's no way either will hit the track running at an effectiveness that will challenge Red Bull at the beginning. RB have been working on their 2024 machinery a lot longer now, and clearly have a better understanding of the current F1 rules. I hope I'm wrong but I believe F1 will be dominated by Maxbull until the next big rule shake-up. I think if any team could upset the Maxbull applecart it would be Mercedes, then Ferrari, but only if they get the car really right and start making really solid decisions (tires) at the track.
So given all the 'conspiracy' around Mercedes and the old rules that they dominated, its very safe to say RedBull knew exactly how to approach the aero rules in force now and started early. They cheated, they paid the FIA/FOM and I have proof LOL Its always a black Mercedes LOL Look at that number plate I saw a nice briefcase being loaded here in Frankfurt in that car in the WestEnd Image Unavailable, Please Login
According to gptoday, Charles Leclerc would have signed a 5-year extention to his present contract that ends in 2024. That would means he will be tied up at the Scuderia until the end of the 2029 season. Apparently the longest contract ever signed by a Ferrari driver ? Starting an $25M a year, his salary will grow progressively to reach $50M in the final year. On the other side of the garage, Ferrari is only proposing a one-year extension to Carlos Sainz Jr. His present contract ends at the fall of 2024 too. Carlos is apparently not happy with that proposal, and would like a 2-year extension, it is said. That puts paid to the rumour that he was looking for a drive at Audi in 2026. gptoday also claims Ferrari offer to Sainz is due to their intention to attract Lando Norris.
Charles is devoted to Ferrari. Sainz deserves better than 1 year. Thats absurd. Charles at 50mil without a title potentially. Waste of money. Sainz provides the best ROI on the grid.
Charles is way way over paid. But Ferrari is a luxury brand and has the resources. They send a clear message to Sainz. Next year he should offer Charles nothing lol. That should be fun in the team. A 1 year deal is an insult.
I can understand Ferrari reasoning, since they have set their sight on Norris for 2026 (when he will be free). They cannot offer 2 years to Sainz, or they would have 3 drivers under contract in 2026 ! It's harsh for Sainz, but at least he has been given notice well in advance.
This years car was a steaming pile of crap, towards the end of the year the car was at least consistently at the sharp end (maybe not yet at RB level) but its probably the first year in the last decade that the development team went forwards and not backwards compared to the rest of the field. If the team can start with a decent car there is chance to topple RB certainly in the constructers as the team had one driver that for 50% of the season did not turn up.
Aren't you slighly exagerating here ? Perez (I assume you are talking about Checo) had 9 podiums, including 2 wins, to finish 2nd in the WDC. Not bad for a "driver that for 50% of the season did not turn up".
Looks like Ferrari wants to build their team around Leclerc, and I'm okay with that. Sainz has had a pretty decent run with the team, and he still has two years to make plans if Ferrari choose to pursue Norris.
Yes, we don't always agree, but he is an interesting participant to this forum. I hope he comes back soon.
It's a huge gamble for Charles Leclerc to sign such a long contract. I hope he will not be dissappointed looking back on his career at the end of 2029.
you'd have to be nuts to sign with RB if Max is still there, look at the list of victims he's left behind. so RB is seemingly out of question for a while. so your options are: buckets of cash with the Scuderia, the heart and soul of F1, maybe win maybe not. wait for Lewis to retire or Russell to flame out (seemingly both well down those roads) wait for Lando to lose patience at McLaren hope for some wild card? Aston/Alpine/etc have a Brawn moment? guaranteed cash with Ferrari sounds nice to me.
yes. they've had full electric cars too. the better question is, have they built any serious racing engine in the last 50 years. I don't think so...Cadillac DPi engine is built by ECR (NASCAR team) and the old Northstar LMP engines were built by McLaren Engines (!)
Building a competitive F1 hybrid power unit proved to be complex; even Honda and Renault struggled for a while. Maybe Cadillac can draw some experience from their Hypercar program ? Large manufacturers tend to subcontract their racing programs to specialist firms: there is more flexibility that way.
If he isn't given the two year deal than Sainz has to leave just as a matter of self respect. Audi would have prestige going in...so would replacing Checco at RB. But accepting Ferrari's insulting offer is not something I see him doing.
I think Perez is caught between a rock and a hard place if Ferrari doesn't budge and he doesn't find another seat for 2026. That could signal the end of his F1 career.
