F1 Fast Five: McLaren joins UK military in £1B hypersonic missile development, How Red Bull's floor upgrade could affect future pace, and other big updates

McLaren joins UK military in £1B hypersonic missile development

Formula One team McLaren is collaborating with the British military to develop a hypersonic missile capable of cornering and swerving at speeds over 4,000 mph. This missile, which is part of a £1 billion project, aims to rival advanced weapons from Russia and China. The Ministry of Defence wants these missiles within six years to counter existing threats from these countries. Hypersonic missiles can travel faster than Mach 5, which makes them difficult to intercept.

Click here to read the full article by Matt Drake (dailymail.co.uk)

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How Red Bull's floor upgrade could affect future pace

F1 teams continued their development cycles at the British Grand Prix, with Red Bull introducing a new evolutionary package to the RB20. The modifications involved reprofiling the floor and adjusting the angle of the lower flow diverters to improve aerodynamic performance, particularly in rapid direction changes like those at Silverstone. These changes aim to enhance the car's ability to travel at a lower ride height, which is considered beneficial for the championship fight. However, this setup might lead to a loss of competitiveness on tracks where extreme ride heights are not feasible.

Click here to read the full article by Paolo Filisetti (racingnews365.com)

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Fittipaldi and Bearman set for Silverstone tire test

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Pietro Fittipaldi and Oliver Bearman will participate in a two-day Pirelli Tire Test at Silverstone International Circuit on July 9-10. Fittipaldi will drive the VF-24 on Tuesday, with Bearman taking over on Wednesday. This test provides team members the chance to trial different roles and gain experience in a live environment. 

Click here to read the full article at haasf1team.com

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Mercedes open to supplying Alpine with engines in 2026

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff is open to supplying Mercedes power units to Alpine in 2026. Alpine's parent company, Renault, is considering ending its in-house F1 engine development and becoming a customer team. This change could help Alpine succeed with less capital investment, as Renault's power units have struggled since 2014. 

Click here to read the full article by Phillip van Osten (f1i.com)

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Esteban Ocon to sign with Haas for 2025

It was announced earlier this year that Esteban Ocon will be leaving Alpine at the end of the 2024 season. It is suspected that the French driver has signed a contract with Haas which will be officially announced before the summer break. Earlier this week, 19 year old Ollie Bearman was confirmed to drive for Haas as the Brit signed a multi-year contract securing his future on the F1 grid.

Click here to read the full article by Aaron Deckers (racingnews365.com)