Should Ferrari have kept Sainz?

9:47 am

Should Ferrari have kept Sainz?

Many Formula 1 fans are currently asking themselves this question. Although the Spaniard has claimed Ferrari’s only two victories since the start of the 2023 season, he will have to leave at the end of the year to make way for Lewis Hamilton.

So would it be wise to part with Charles Leclerc instead, who has now not won since July 2022? Three-time Grand Prix winner Thierry Boutsen doesn’t see it that way.

On the contrary PlanetF1.com he explains: “Personally, I’d put Charles over Carlos if I had to choose.” Because Sainz has to leave Ferrari anyway, he is currently under less pressure than Leclerc.

“Sainz is there to be as successful as he can in the last race with Ferrari because he has no choice,” said Boutsen. Leclerc, on the other hand, should think long term and help Ferrari prepare for the future.

“If you look at the two of them over the years they were together, Charles was faster than Carlos,” he insists and therefore makes it clear: “I would definitely put Charles. He has more speed and more ability to win.”

10:25 am

Why Ferrari is so good (almost) without updates

We’re sticking with the Scuderia, because Ferrari is the only team other than Red Bull to win the 2024 Formula 1 season – even though they haven’t applied any significant updates to the SF-24 so far.

But that does not mean that Ferrari does not use updates at all! At the fourth race of the season in Japan, the team had revised ambitions for the rear wheel suspension.

What was new was the width of the wishbone, so it now has more surface area than the previous version. You can read more about this in this technology feature!

10:12 am

Where is Sainz headed?

The Spaniard has already driven in Formula 1 for Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren and Ferrari. If he continues his career in 2025, which is expected, he will most likely start for a fifth different team.

He is already one of the list of elites who have competed in the first class for McLaren and Ferrari. More about this in this photo series:

Photo series: Prost, Lauda and Co.: These drivers drove for Ferrari and McLaren

World record champion Lewis Hamilton is moving to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season and will become only the 17th driver in the history of the premier class to drive for the Scuderia and McLaren. We look at his 16 predecessors!

A series of pictures

9:24 am

Super Formula and Formula 1 the same weekend?

Because Formula 1 and Japanese Super Formula race at Suzuka, track bosses want both series to stop on the same weekend – preferably as early as 2025.

This was discussed as early as 2024, but ultimately the joint event did not take place, among other things for logistical reasons. However, the people in Suzuka have not yet given up hope.

In one special interview with our international colleagues Suzuka president Tsuyoshi Saito explained: “The decision is also based on Formula 1, but Super Formula is the highest racing category in Japan.”

“That’s why it would be very exciting for us to have Formula 1 and Super Formula on the same weekend. It’s a possibility and we would welcome this option, but of course we can’t decide that,” said Saito.

Let’s see if it works this time!

9:04 am

Inside and outside

We’ve already mentioned it: Formula 1 will be back in China this weekend for the first time since 2019. You can find out what’s happened in the premier class calendar since then in this series of photos:

Photo series: Changes in the Formula 1 calendar in recent years

Photo for information: 2002: 0 races, 0 races out - For the third year in a row there are the same 17 races. By the way, the season ended in mid-October in Suzuka - two months earlier than the 2020 season. Germany also has two Grands Prix, Hockenheim and Nürburgring.

2002: 0 runs in, 0 runs out – For the third year in a row there are 17 runs in a row. By the way, the season ended in mid-October in Suzuka – two months earlier than the 2020 season. Germany also has two Grands Prix, Hockenheim and Nürburgring.

A series of pictures

8:49 am

Szafnauer sees a role among Alpine bosses

Famin frontman Otmar Szafnauer (unsurprisingly) has a slightly different take on why things aren’t going well at Enstone. In an interview on the YouTube channel of journalist Peter Windsor, he recently took on the role of Alpine chiefs.

They expected and claimed success very quickly. “To believe that you can get there (at the top of Formula 1) in one or two years is ridiculous. That is impossible,” said Szafnauer, who was Enstone’s team boss for only about a year and a half.

After that, the people there lost patience with him – and now they are in a worse situation. Szafnauer’s full information can be found here!

8:37 am

Who is responsible for the Alpine crisis?

After the first four races of the season, Alpine is in last place in the World Championship without a single point. And team boss Bruno Famin probably doesn’t want to take responsibility for this false start.

In one Interview with Formula1.com Famin, who has been boss of the French team since the summer of 2023, makes it clear: “The car we have now is the result of previous management.”

“But the important thing is what we are doing now and I am satisfied with what we are doing,” said Famin, who replaced Otmar Szafnauer last summer. Since then there have been many other journeys from Enstone.

And Famin now seems to want to pass the buck for the current situation to these people who no longer exist. He himself insists that he has “full support” in the group.

“The team is not for sale at all,” he explains, after having the latest rumors in this regard. The goal remains to lead Alpine back to the top.

“We want to fight for the podium and victory as soon as possible,” said Famin. At the moment, however, I personally have no idea how this will happen in the future…

8:28 am

Race week!

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of our Formula 1 news indicator. It’s “Race Week” again and for the first time in five years the premier class returns to China this week.

The repeat will take place on the first weekend of the long race year. So it won’t be boring, and here at indicator we want to put you in a good mood to go back to Shanghai!

Ruben Zimmermann will accompany you all day today and if you have questions, suggestions or complaints you can use our contact form. You can also find us on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube, and if you have any questions, you can also use the X-hashtag #FragMST. Let’s go now!