Fast Five: FIA to reject three applications for new F1 teams, FIA admits to Verstappen penalty mistakes in Singapore, and other big updates

FIA to reject three applications for new F1 teams

The FIA is expected to reject applications from three of the four prospective teams who are looking to enter the Formula 1 ring, with Andretti Global’s bid expected to be the only remaining bidder in contention. The expected bids to be rejected are from Formula 2 prospects HiTech and Rodin Carlin, joined by Asian start-up LKYSUNZ (who have recently raised $1 billion in funding for their bid. Money is not the only standard to get a ‘yes’ from the FIA, though. According to their application process, new teams must prove that they will be environmentally sustainable by 2030 in accordance with their net zero CO2 initiative. 

Click here to read the full article by Christian Nimmervoll (motorsport.com)

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FIA admits to Verstappen penalty mistakes in Singapore

The FIA has confirmed that the Red Bull driver should have received the standard three-place grid penalty for one of his two impeding offenses during Singapore Qualifying, which would have dropped him from 11th to 14th on the grid for the race last Sunday. Verstappen was the subject of 3 separate violations, with even Max himself shocked that he did not receive a grid penalty for at least one of the incidents. Other drivers including Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris also spoke out about the incident leading up to this statement today by the FIA. 

Click here to read the full article by Adam Cooper

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Hamilton admits to lack of confidence on 'challenging day'

Lewis Hamilton expressed a "lack of confidence" in the W14 after a challenging day at Suzuka, finishing 14th in the second practice session. His recent discord with the Mercedes car and ongoing discussions about the W15 have raised concerns. Despite his struggles, Hamilton believes the team can make improvements as they have in the past after difficult Fridays. Meanwhile, George Russell noted low grip on the track, with Red Bull appearing strong and Mercedes aiming to close the gap for the upcoming races.

Click here to read the full article by Sam Cooper (planetf1.com)

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Drivers take on wild Japanese game show

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Max Verstappen and his Formula 1 teammate, Sergio Perez, are participating in a Japanese Game Show-inspired competition against local favorite Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. This contest involves maneuvering miniature vehicles resembling the popular small flatbed utility trucks used for transporting goods in Japan. Which team will overcome the wild challenges and drive to victory?

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Vettel 'has to answer'

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ESPN F1 recently had a playful Q&A session with Sebastian Vettel, where he was tasked with making choices between two options. Vettel seemed to prefer the beach over the pool, chocolate over cheese, and even a safari browser over Instagram or TikTok. Vettel also seems to be much of an animal person, as he would rather drop a phone than a kitten.