August 2023: Word on the beat
Weight watchers, tyre talks and helmet mix-ups
Grand Prix Photo
- Bridgestone has made a bid for the F1 tyre supply contract running from 2025-27. Existing supplier Pirelli has also made its bid to be retained as the contracted supplier. Bridgestone preceded Pirelli as the single supplier and last competed in F1 in 2010.
- Plans for a South African Grand Prix from 2024 at Kyalami have reportedly collapsed. The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa – which was under threat for ’24 to make room in the calendar – thus looks like it is safe for a further year.
- Mercedes F1 technical director James Allison would like to see a swingeing reduction in the minimum weight in future rules. “I think you need to make how to get there our problem, giving us choices about what we choose to put in our cars.”
- Williams team principal James Vowles is seeking an exemption on the cost cap limit on capital expenditure, to give his team a chance of correcting its historical under-investment which has, “left Williams 20 years out of date. Component-tracking software costs tens of millions, for example. Over everything that’s needed to bring it up to date, it’s hundreds of millions. What we’re looking for is to have infrastructure that matches our peers, not fighting with one hand behind our back. It’s scary what we’d have to spend on machines, simulators, composites facilities, software.”
- Charles Leclerc ran a Gilles Villeneuve tribute helmet in Canada, causing controversy when Gilles’ son Jacques took issue with Leclerc having not informed the family first. A meeting between Leclerc and the family smoothed the water and the distinctive black and red helmet was used by Leclerc on his way to fourth place.
