2021 Pre-season news / Car launch dates (Updated)

[Desert Storm]

Anybody got an update on the all new Ferrari engine for this year?

Pretty much every year we get rumours (mostly from the Italian media) that the engine is up N horsepower from the previous year and how it's (supposedly) more powerful than the Merc.

It's been unusually quiet.

[oz_karter]

Anybody got an update on the all new Ferrari engine for this year?

Pretty much every year we get rumours (mostly from the Italian media) that the engine is up N horsepower from the previous year and how it's (supposedly) more powerful than the Merc.

It's been unusually quiet.

I read somewhere (can't find it right now) that they are expecting a decent improvement which will bring them to Red Bull's level (or close to it) but not at Mercedes level.

[UnlikeUday]

Anybody got an update on the all new Ferrari engine for this year?

Pretty much every year we get rumours (mostly from the Italian media) that the engine is up N horsepower from the previous year and how it's (supposedly) more powerful than the Merc.

It's been unusually quiet.

I read somewhere (can't find it right now) that they are expecting a decent improvement which will bring them to Red Bull's level (or close to it) but not at Mercedes level.

As far as I remember, they're targeting P3 in WCC due to their belief in increased hp output.

[Harpo]

Anybody got an update on the all new Ferrari engine for this year?

Pretty much every year we get rumours (mostly from the Italian media) that the engine is up N horsepower from the previous year and how it's (supposedly) more powerful than the Merc.

It's been unusually quiet.

This time, the coming Ferrari engine can only be better. Even if it is up only N-1 (with N>2) horsepower from last year.

[DOLOMITE]

Alpine has revealed an unofficial livery:


Source - Imgur


Source - Imgur

Rubbish. Looks like a backmarker F3 team.

[UnlikeUday]

Now we shall soon hear 3 street track F1 races will get cancelled - Monaco, Baku & Canada.

Replacement grand prix will become soon thereafter.

[Harpo]

Now we shall soon hear 3 street track F1 races will get cancelled - Monaco, Baku & Canada.

Replacement grand prix will become soon thereafter.

The 23 races calendar for 2021 was stupid, it was never going to happen. They'd better had a calendar with less races and already anticipating replacements dates... Being more sensible than greedy is not the way F1 took long ago and it doesn't seem that getting rid of Bernie E. changed anything. It got worse, which I didn't think was possible.

[UnlikeUday]

It's official - Davide Brivio joins Alpine F1 as racing director.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12473 ... g-director

[UnlikeUday]

Supposedly, Alfa Romeo will reveal their car on 22nd Feb in Warsaw, Poland.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-rome ... ch-poland/

UPDATE
It's official.
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... 4rkhS.html

[UnlikeUday]

As always interesting to hear Joe Saward....

[Asphalt_World]

Carlos Sainz Jr, Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Giuliano Alesi, Marcus Armstrong, Robert Shwartzman and Callum Ilott are all testing for Ferrari this week at Fiorano.

[UnlikeUday]

Red Bull & Honda are trying to make ends meet in order to be even more competitive in '21 according to the report below.

Excerpts from the article below:
'“I have heard that Honda has taken a huge step in the combustion element and seriously improved the thermodynamic efficiency. The electrical component is also very promising on the test bench,” said Paolo Filisetti, the technical analyst for Italy’s Autosprint magazine.

“For example, the intake and exhaust pressure of the engine was examined, as well as the variation and the temperature of the gases leaving the car,” he added.'

https://grandpx.news/honda-making-huge- ... f1-engine/

Honda also plan to fast track the engine for '21 which they had planned to for '22.

[JN23]

Red Bull & Honda are trying to make ends meet in order to be even more competitive in '21 according to the report below.

Excerpts from the article below:
'“I have heard that Honda has taken a huge step in the combustion element and seriously improved the thermodynamic efficiency. The electrical component is also very promising on the test bench,” said Paolo Filisetti, the technical analyst for Italy’s Autosprint magazine.

“For example, the intake and exhaust pressure of the engine was examined, as well as the variation and the temperature of the gases leaving the car,” he added.'

https://grandpx.news/honda-making-huge- ... f1-engine/

Honda also plan to fast track the engine for '21 which they had planned to for '22.

Anyone know if in-season development of engines are allowed this year? I think last season only reliability improvements were allowed.

[UnlikeUday]

McLaren will unveil their car MCL35M on 15th February.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mcla ... =widget-22

[UnlikeUday]

This is what the (new)Turn 10 at Barcelona circuit looks like now.


Source - Imgur

[UnlikeUday]

Mercedes will be launching their car on 2nd March.

[Fiki]

This is what the (new)Turn 10 at Barcelona circuit looks like now.


Source - Imgur

It makes me wonder what kind of logic F1 applies, when they go back to how the corner looked in the first place. Who knows, perhaps one day they will realize they butchered the bus stop area at Francorchamps for no good reason.

[UnlikeUday]

AlphaTauri will reveal their car on 19th Feb:
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/950732/1/ ... 021-f1-car

[UnlikeUday]

Williams' are the latest team to announce the reveal date!

[JN23]

Hadn’t thought about this from an F1 point of view, but Mazepin won’t be able to race under a Russian flag for the next two seasons:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15492 ... cas-ruling

[tootsie323]

Hadn’t thought about this from an F1 point of view, but Mazepin won’t be able to race under a Russian flag for the next two seasons:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15492 ... cas-ruling

That's understandable. But, personally, I'm questioning just what sort of doping might make you better behind the wheel.

[JN23]

Hadn’t thought about this from an F1 point of view, but Mazepin won’t be able to race under a Russian flag for the next two seasons:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15492 ... cas-ruling

That's understandable. But, personally, I'm questioning just what sort of doping might make you better behind the wheel.

Something that could allow you to train for longer? I’m guessing but good point.

[UnlikeUday]

We all might've heard about Rich Energy wanting to enter into F1 as a sponsor but no idea about which team it might be. As per a tweet I read, that team might be Williams.

[UnlikeUday]

Top 10 salaries earned by F1 drivers for 2021:

1) Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes – £40m

2) Max Verstappen: Red Bull – £18.2m

3) Charles Leclerc: Ferrari – £10.19m

4) Daniel Ricciardo: McLaren – £10.19m

5) Carlos Sainz: Ferrari – £7.28m

6) Sebastian Vettel: Aston Martin – £7.28m

7) Fernando Alonso: Alpine – £6.55m

Valtteri Bottas: Mercedes – £5.82m

9) Sergio Perez: Red Bull – £4.37m

10) Kimi Raikkonen: Alfa Romeo – £3.64m

https://www.givemesport.com/1647947-ham ... f1-drivers

[Black_Flag_11]

Top 10 salaries earned by F1 drivers for 2021:

1) Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes – £40m

2) Max Verstappen: Red Bull – £18.2m

3) Charles Leclerc: Ferrari – £10.19m

4) Daniel Ricciardo: McLaren – £10.19m

5) Carlos Sainz: Ferrari – £7.28m

6) Sebastian Vettel: Aston Martin – £7.28m

7) Fernando Alonso: Alpine – £6.55m

Valtteri Bottas: Mercedes – £5.82m

9) Sergio Perez: Red Bull – £4.37m

10) Kimi Raikkonen: Alfa Romeo – £3.64m

https://www.givemesport.com/1647947-ham ... f1-drivers

Leclerc (contracted to 2024 on that) and Alonso look like bargains.

Really shows how strong Mercedes hand is in the market at the moment too, and gives some good background to the Hamilton negotiation difficulties. They have 2 seats free at the end of the year and whilst the regulation change is coming they will still look tempting to just about any driver on the grid. Now we also see that they could offer any driver a substantial pay rise and still be saving tens of millions per year.

[UnlikeUday]

McLaren have given a good clue relating to their car's livery! Excited.....


Source - Imgur


Source - Imgur


Source - Imgur

[Siao7]

There's a lot of blue there!

[UnlikeUday]

Red Bull couldn't be happier as engine development freeze has been approved.
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-stic ... e-approved

[UnlikeUday]

Ferrari will be having 2 launch events. 1 for the team (26 Feb) & the other for the car (10 Mar).
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferr ... n=widget-1

[JN23]

Mercedes are having problems with their 2021 engine, assume it'll all be fine by the time we get to Bahrain:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15501 ... eparations

Mercedes did have issues in pre-season testing last year with their engines and when listening to the Autosport end of season podcast, it was said that Merc were concerned they wouldn't finish in Australia had the race gone ahead. Obviously other things got in the way and by the time July arrived their engine was just fine.

[Exediron]

Mercedes are having problems with their 2021 engine, assume it'll all be fine by the time we get to Bahrain:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15501 ... eparations

Mercedes did have issues in pre-season testing last year with their engines and when listening to the Autosport end of season podcast, it was said that Merc were concerned they wouldn't finish in Australia had the race gone ahead. Obviously other things got in the way and by the time July arrived their engine was just fine.

Don't you dare screw up that engine now, Mercedes!

Last year I would have been happy, but now it's in the McLaren! That changes everything!

[Invade]

Merc must be pushing like absolute madmen to extract performance out of that PU and to be able to run it in very high power modes for the races.

[Invade]

Mercedes are having problems with their 2021 engine, assume it'll all be fine by the time we get to Bahrain:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15501 ... eparations

Mercedes did have issues in pre-season testing last year with their engines and when listening to the Autosport end of season podcast, it was said that Merc were concerned they wouldn't finish in Australia had the race gone ahead. Obviously other things got in the way and by the time July arrived their engine was just fine.

Don't you dare screw up that engine now, Mercedes!

Last year I would have been happy, but now it's in the McLaren! That changes everything!

Maybe it's actually good for McLaren lol. Maybe the Merc engine will be BeastMode9000 with a bit of a hit in reliability, so on the right day Merc will blow up and McLaren will win races.

[Option or Prime]

Aren't McLaren announcing their car today 15th Feb? According to the BBC

[Option or Prime]

Its this evening and promises to be a bit of a talking point in terms of changes to the chassis, gearbox housing, cooling layout and electrics as a result of the Mercedes power unit.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mcla ... r/5404317/

[Asphalt_World]

My goodness, this Mclaren launch is rather painful, especially the return of the fan wall!

[Asphalt_World]

Nice looking new car, but the paint scheme is very very similar to last year's.

[Option or Prime]

New McLaren gets its first run out Tuesday.

Source: BBC

[UnlikeUday]

Alpine wll be revealing their car A521 on the same day as Mercedes - 2nd March.

https://www.racefans.net/2021/02/16/alp ... march-2nd/

[UnlikeUday]

Aston Martin will reveal their F1 car on 3rd March.

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/art ... ckthevault