Fast Five: Perez’s DNF results in pit lane start, FIA imposes an 18 lap maximum on tires in Qatar, and other big updates

Perez’s DNF results in pit lane start

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was left beached in the gravel during yesterday’s Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix after colliding with Esteban Ocon’s Alpine. The collision, which also included Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas, meant significant work for Red Bull’s engineers which ultimately required the team to work tirelessly and accept a pit lane start penalty. “As chassis two was assembled without supervision to more than an assembly comprising a survival cell as defined in SR Article 27.2, this has to be considered as a third car available to the competitor,” Jo Bauer, the FIA’s Formula 1 technical delegate, noted.

Click here to read the full article by Keith Collantine (racefans.net)

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FIA imposes an 18 lap maximum on tires in Qatar

Throughout the weekend, Pirelli has conducted tests and tire analysis to combat degradation issues seen throughout the Qatar GP weekend. Due to only 12 laps of the Sprint Race being completed at race speeds, with the added concern of the new 2023 ‘pyramid’ kerbs, a call has been made by the FIA to limit new tires to run only 18 laps during the full length GP today. While this is not the ‘mandatory’ 3-stop strategy formerly discussed, this rule does infer that drivers will need to stop AT LEAST 3 times during the race.

Click here to read the full article on autosport.com

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How pit wall keeps Wolff connected in Qatar

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, recovering from knee surgery, created a home pit wall to stay connected with the team. He missed the Japanese Grand Prix. Despite his absence, Lewis Hamilton emphasized Wolff's continued integral role through remote communication, using the same channels as team strategy members. Wolff confirmed his active involvement, stating, "I've built a pit wall at home, and I'm fully connected with the team."

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

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Stroll addresses trainer tension

Lance Stroll has reconciled with the trainer he pushed in frustration after facing another Q1 elimination at the F1 Qatar Grand Prix. Stroll acknowledged the incident, describing it as a shared moment of frustration with his trainer, Henry Howe. Despite struggling with the car's performance this season and expressing his frustration, Stroll affirmed his commitment to F1. He admitted to difficulties in extracting performance from the car and experiencing a lack of confidence due to handling issues.

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

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Prepping an F1 helmet

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Michael Aumento, the Racing Manager at Bell Helmets, details the setup of Lewis' race helmet and the visor changes he makes for day and night sessions. Lewis has two helmet options for night races. One of them is equipped with an ML red visor with a 30% darker tint, primarily used during the day, and it also has a mirrored visor to deflect sunlight. The other option features the second visor with a red mirrored visor.