Sauber poaches ex-Ferrari figure in team reshuffle, Teams struggle with finances under 2023 budget cap, and other updates

Sauber poaches ex-Ferrari figure in team reshuffle

Sauber has hired former Ferrari strategist Inaki Rueda as its new Sporting Director, replacing Beat Zehnder, who now has a different role. Rueda, who previously worked with Jordan and Renault, left Ferrari before this season and will now manage Sauber’s trackside activities and work with the FIA. Sauber made this move to prepare to become Audi’s Formula 1 team in 2026. They also created a new position called Head of Racing Engineering, now held by Giampaolo Dall’Ara, to oversee operations both at the main facility and at the track.

Click here to read the full article by Taylor Powling (motorsportweek.com)

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Teams struggle with finances under 2023 budget cap

The 2023 financial reports show mixed results for Formula One teams since the budget cap started in 2021 to limit spending. Teams like Alpine and Williams faced big losses, while McLaren and Mercedes saw good profits, showing a varied financial picture. The budget cap has helped smaller teams compete better against the larger ones, and it has reduced uncertainty in the sport. While the cap encourages long-term investments, it's still unclear if all teams will achieve financial stability in the future.

Click here to read the full article by Cian Brittle (blackbookmotorsport.com)

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Mercedes halts upgrades after costly crashes

Mercedes has stopped developing its current Formula 1 car after several costly crashes, including incidents with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The repair bills are rising, especially after Russell damaged a chassis, leaving them without money for more upgrades due to cost cap limits. Toto Wolff said they will only have two upgrade packages for Brazil and need to manage their parts carefully. Despite these issues, he confirmed that there are no plans to stop Hamilton and Russell from racing hard, as they trust their experience.

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

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What's next for Perez?

Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez found themselves in some drama at the 2024 Mexican GP after an on track battle turned sour. The two drivers made contact which damaged Perez's car, but after Lawson fell behind due to a broken wing, he overtook Perez again and showed him the bird.

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You won't believe who they met!

Will you freak out if you finally get to meet your favorite F1 driver? Well, don’t ask these kids who met Hamilton in the most unlikely circumstances. He watched them commentate the whole time. Then, at the end, they turned around—and surprise! It’s Lewis Hamilton. Their reactions are really funny. Take a look!