Fast Five: Brundle warns against F1's tire blanket ban, Mazepin fights UK sanctions in return bid, and other big updates

Brundle warns against F1's tire blanket ban

Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has criticized the proposal to ban tire blankets, stating that it "doesn't make sense" and would increase the risk of crashes. The ban is being considered to reduce electricity consumption and align with environmental targets, but drivers have expressed concerns about the safety implications. Brundle argued that using F1 cars to heat racing tires is the most expensive and inefficient way to do so and suggested that the ban could ultimately be counterproductive by causing more crashes.

Click here to read the full article by Ewan Gale (racingnews365.com). 

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Mazepin fights UK sanctions in return bid

Nikita Mazepin, the former Haas F1 driver, is challenging British sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in an attempt to resume his racing career. Mazepin was dropped by Haas last March, and his father's company, Uralkali, lost its title sponsorship. The sanctions include an asset freeze and travel ban, which Nikita Mazepin's lawyers argue is preventing him from negotiating with F1 teams to return to the sport in 2024. However, Britain's Foreign Office argued that Mazepin could still negotiate with F1 teams with the sanctions in place.

Click here to read the full article by Sam Tobin (grandprix247.com).

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Mercedes on Hamilton's Baku set-up issue

Mercedes faced an unforeseen challenge in Baku due to an issue with Lewis Hamilton's car before the first new sprint race format. The team had planned to run Hamilton and George Russell's cars with different set-ups on Friday, but the issue with Hamilton's car made it difficult to compare the two set-ups. Mike Elliott, chief technical officer, said the team is uncertain whether they made the right choice in hindsight. 

Click here to read the full article by James Dielhenn (crash.net).

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Aussie billionaire plans to join F1

Australian billionaire David Dicker, who has a net worth over double that of seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, plans to enter a new F1 team, Rodin Carlin, in the reformed F1 structure. Dicker wants his team to join the grid as one of two extra teams and build their own power unit. Dicker oversees an engineering plant and is ready to take up F1's opening for new teams as early as the 2025 season.

Click here to read the full article by Alex Turk (express.co.uk)

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Red Bull unveils fan-designed livery

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The championship leaders launched a competition for fans to submit livery designs, with the best selected for use at the Miami GP. Check out the winning livery design.