Fast Five: F1 boss demands harsher sporting sanctions, potential Russian influence a headwind for Hitech, and other big updates

F1 boss demands harsher sporting sanctions for budget cap breaches

Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali wants the FIA to impose sporting sanctions, rather than financial penalties, on teams that violate the 2022 budget cap. Red Bull received a $7 million fine and reduced wind tunnel testing time for breaching the 2021 budget cap, which was considered too lenient by rival teams. The FIA is currently reviewing the financial submissions of all teams and plans to release its findings earlier this year. Domenicali advocates for severe penalties, such as points deductions for cap breaches, to maintain fairness in the championship. He also emphasizes the importance of a swift resolution to prevent speculation and negative comments.

Click here to read the full article by Nate Saunders (espn.com)

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Potential Russian influence a headwind for Hitech’s bid

Formula 1 is worried about a potential connection between a prospective new team - Hitch - and Russia. The team's bid coincides with a sale to a Kazakh billionaire, raising concerns about Russia’s involvement. Formula 1 may reject the team if any suspicion of Russian influence arises.

Click here to read the full article on grandprix.com

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Hungary to feature new tire rules

The Hungarian Grand Prix will be the first race to implement Formula 1's new alternative tire allocation (ATA) regulations, which aim to reduce the number of Pirelli tire sets while adding strategic variety on race day as teams have more leeway managing their allocations. Under ATA, drivers will have 11 sets of tires instead of the standard 13, with prescribed tire usage in qualifying. Pirelli has also introduced softer compounds for this race. The impact of the new regulations will be assessed before considering wider implementation.

Click here to read the full article by Adam Cooper (motorsport.com)

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Lafiti quits racing to get schooled

Nicholas Latifi, former Williams F1 driver, has announced a career change by enrolling in an MBA program at London Business School. After starting 61 F1 races for Williams, Latifi chose not to pursue other racing categories and instead decided to step away from racing completely. He expressed his lifelong interest in the business world and stated that he had always considered studying it if he hadn't pursued racing. Latifi plans to focus on his studies and transform his life through the pursuit of an MBA degree. Despite this shift, he hasn't ruled out a potential return to racing in the future. Latifi acknowledged that the decision may surprise people but believes it's the right time to prepare for a post-racing life.

Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (motorsport.com)

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The most controversial driver swap in history?

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Is the driver swap between Daniel Kyvat and Max Verstappen the most controversial in F1 history? Let's dive into it!

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