#they better rename it the Daniel Ricciardo Grand Prix

[rickybaby]

I was so confused by the headline only for it to turn out that Shaq and Becks are hosting an event at the Vegas GP

[leclerc-s]

big reputations - part eight

series masterlist // previous // next

charles leclerc i've decided that this week i will be driving like a menace.

daniel ricciardo i see track terror is making a comeback this week.

max verstappen no more inchidents please.

charles leclerc mate let it go already. it's been over 10 years.

max verstappen admit you pushed me into that puddle and i'll let it go!

oscar piastri i see why the entire internet is convinced you two are secretly dating

charles leclerc excuse me? max verstappen they're what? sabrina carpenter lestappen is lestappening

daniel ricciardo to be fair, they think k-mag and nico are in love with each other, have been since the whole 'suck my balls' thing

daphne jones didn't we have this conversation already?

max verstappen that was in the other group chat

sabrina carpenter YOU HAVE A GROUP CHAT WITHOUT US? THIS IS TREASON!

oscar piastri OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

charles leclerc THIS IS TREACHEROUS!

daphne jones oh grow up, it was started before you three were even in the picture. we don't use it much these days.

sabrina carpenter good. otherwise i'd throw a fit.

max verstappen don't you always?

sabrina carpenter i will make your life miserable verstappen

max verstappen you already do by existing every day.

lando norris MR. RICCIARDO ARE YOU OR ARE NOT A MASTERMIND?! THE TWITTER GIRLIES WANT TO KNOW!!

daniel ricciardo the hell are you talking about lando?

pierre gasly so you saw the same twitter thread i did?

max verstappen i completely forgot daphne had performed at the 2016 austin grand prix.

lewis hamilton huh that did happen

lando norris DANIEL ARE YOU A MASTERMIND?

logan sargeant was going to ask why but then i realized what the song is about.

mark webber i don't get it? what's the song about?

oscar piastri forgive him, he's uncultured.

mark webber that's it, no more sabrina time for you. oscar piastri sabrina said you can't separate siblings. tell him charles! charles leclerc yeah! what she said! lando norris wait a fucking minute, are you all together right now?

carlos sainz is that family thing working for you guys?

max verstappen it actually is. you should've seen the group chat after texas.

max verstappen on second thought maybe not. daniel ricciardo yeah, that's not a good idea. oscar piastri things were said by sabrina. charles leclerc well when you say it like that you make it sound bad. nothing bad was said, they're being dramatic. although, she might be in love with fernando daniel ricciardo you do remember the spa inchident don't you? alex albon they call him fernando rizzlonso

lando norris renamed daniel ricciardo

mastermind hilarious lando. truely.

lando norris you never confirmed or denied it. i took matters into my own hands.

pierre gasly question for sabrina, how does one get a song like nonsense written about them?

sabrina carpenter what an odd question pear gasly, i'd say by dating a singer? which is better for me because that way i can steal your girlfriend with no obstacles.

aelx albon she's a menace.

max verstappen THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING!

oscar piastri it's not that great of a song. i don't get the hype?

sabrina carpenter added one person

sabrina carpenter oscar's been disowned. he didn't know the words to love story.

charles leclerc max doesn't either?

oscar piastri what the hell are you talking about sabrina?

sabrina carpenter i saw that mclaren video.

daphne jones it's one song sabrina, let it go. this is not going to turn into another spa situation.

yuki tsunoda excuse me while i go scream into the void

logan sargeant wait for me! lance stroll and me!

lando norris daniel probably

sabrina carpenter lando with all of his teammates

lando norris man fuck you sabrina

carlos sainz what's the spa situation?

daphne jones you don't want to know, trust me. oscar piastri for your sanity, you don't want to know. daniel ricciardo please don't get her started again.

sabrina carpenter mr. sainz, you truly do not want to get me started. as i said before, i may not have been present for spa but i can and will bite ankles for oscar.

mastermind so who's free to go to daphne's concert in argentina on the 11th?

lando norris SIGN ME TF UP!!

yuki tsunoda I'M IN!

alex albon depends, can i bring lily?

mastermind of course! - sabrina mastermind that's my wife! - sabrina

logan sargeant ready to dance along to the fearless era

mastermind bold of any of you to think you have a choice. I EXPECT ALL OF YOU THERE! - SABRINA

mastermind love the name btw - sabrina

charles leclerc to quote sabrina, "i expect ass shaking for vigilante shit."

oscar piastri dear i god i hope none of you do that.

lando norris well now i'm going to.

sebastian vettel well she's certainly something.

max verstappen she's a menace.

lewis hamilton huh, sounds like someone back in 2016 to 2018. max verstappen YOU TAKE THAT BACK! lewis hamilton i don't think i will

mastermind JUSTICE FOR ABU DHABI 2021 - SABRINA

oscar piastri she just likes to stir the pot.

mark webber sounds like someone else and the infamous alpine tweet.

oscar piastri okay, that was one time.

esteban ocon argentina right before vegas? doesn't seem like a good idea to me but i'm in.

lando norris BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!

jenson button so is daniel dating daphne or not?

mastermind that's a secret i'll never tell - xoxo gossip girl.

alex albon something is brewing i can feel it.

taglist: @glow-ish @agustdpeach @msolbesg @spilled-coffee-cup @1nt3rnetgf @six-call @smol-scream @fernandoswarcrimes @arieltwvdtohamflash @Mimolovescookies @brekkers-whore @camdensreg @mycenterfold @dear-fifi @chiliwhore @tygecjjd @cataf1 @nothaqks @caipng @nataliambc @formulaal @prongsvault @kaa212 @anxxiousaries @julesbabey1 @julesbabey @georgeparisole @hobiismyhopeu @melissayalene @nikfigueiredo

strikethrough means i couldn't tag you

¡leclerc-s speaks! i’m back for 2024! i tried something different for this chapter and i think i liked it so i'm going to change it for all of the other parts, which is going to be a bitch because it's gonna take forever. it's also not that big of a change but i think it makes a difference.

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet. enjoy!

[agendabymooner]

colour me your colour || toto w. x ofc (9)

toto w. x ofc (hearth sister!ofc)

Summary: Tilly Marie nearly loses faith in her passion as she refuses to listen to everyone who told her to quit. Everyone but one. And it’s the man she met years ago at a racing event she didn’t want to attend. Who would have thought that her father’s partial ownership of three brands could take her to the zone of Mercedes and meet the love of her life?

Chapter summary: Tilly goes on a date with Toto after responding to an email that could potentially change the course of her career. Two words that explained their relationship and her career: Serious business.

Content warning: Use of explicit language, never edited these, Lewis Hamilton being a resident piece of shit, 2014, flirting, banters

Note: This is very old. A very old draft (I have two more chapters to post hehe), I know better than what I knew a year ago so please... bear with my old writings. enjoy xx

colour me your colour masterlist

f1 masterlists: a - n o - z

SENDER: Emily Smith [esmithªhearthautog.com]

TO: Tilly Marie [tilly.fordhearthªhotmail.com] 

[CONFIDENTIAL] Meeting Request: Paperwork Signing for Hearth Automotive Groups

Dear Miss Tilly Hearth,

I hope this email finds you well. We kindly request a meeting to discuss and sign the necessary paperwork regarding the ownership of Hearth Automotive Groups and its subsidiaries. The office was recently acquired to make certain changes as the owner, Mr. Julius Hearth, was given the promotion in an association of a different field. He believes that it is in his best interest to rename the owner and shareholders of his business and would like you to get involved in the process as well. 

To ensure a smooth process, we would greatly appreciate your presence during this meeting. It will provide an opportunity to address any concerns or queries you may have regarding the ownership transfer.

Proposed Meeting Details:

Date: July 8th, 2014

Time: 15:00 PM

If the proposed date and time are inconvenient, please let us know your availability, and we will do our best to accommodate your schedule.

Please bring any relevant identification documents and additional paperwork related to the ownership of the company and its subsidiaries.

Kindly confirm your availability and preferred meeting details by the sixth. You can reach me directly to this email. A notary will be contacted as soon as we’ve gotten a response from you. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Finalizing the ownership paperwork is crucial for the smooth operation of Hearth Automotive Groups and its affiliated companies.

We look forward to meeting with you soon.

Best regards,

Emily J. Smith

Secretary to the Chairman

Hearth Automotive Groups

SENDER: Tilly Marie [tilly.fordhearthªhotmail.com] 

TO: Emily Smith [esmithªhearthautog.com]

RE: [CONFIDENTIAL] Meeting Request: Paperwork Signing for Hearth Automotive Groups

Good evening,

I will be there at the expected date and time. I am also expecting for Julius Hearth to be there if I were to sign and if I don’t get any confirmation from anyone prior to the meeting or I get a news that he wouldn’t be there because he couldn’t find any time, then consider my obligation nullified. I wouldn’t find any time for his company either. 

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Tilly Marie.

FRISKY TILLY: The Hearth Heiress Celebrates Red Bull’s P3 Finish with a Shoey

“Danny Ric and Lewis Hamilton brought the fun out of the distressed writer.”

“You have to admit, that’s a good headline,” Lewis says to me as he leans forward, eyes peering down on my screen as he reads the article. “Tilly Hearth, daughter of FIA Executive Julius Hearth, had gone wild as she, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo celebrated his P3 finish alongside her best friend, the winner of the Silverstone Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton— oh look, that's me!” 

Locking my phone shut, I look at Lewis with a frown. “You need to stop giving me that attitude,” Lewis huffs out petulantly, “I haven’t done anything today but land in the first place. And why aren’t you getting enough appetizer from the buffet? Haven’t you mentioned that you’re going to snack on some stuffed mushrooms?” 

Right. 

It’s been an hour since we left the venue. Now we’re inside a restaurant, feasting and celebrating Lewis’ home race. Regardless of whether or not he’d win, it’s a tradition to celebrate his home race with his family. I’m fortunate enough to celebrate with them this time. Plus, my sisters and mother are here—making Lewis even happier.

Stevie is sitting next to Lewis and on his right happens to be me. I’ve been trying my best to socialize with his sisters and brother, but my mind is occupied by one thought. Toto Wolff. 

Of course he isn’t here. It’s a family dinner. But his tall figure remains memorable (and his godlike figure after he was sprayed with champagne) and our plan for tonight remains in my mind. Fuck, I do need to get out soon. 

Clearing my throat, Nicholas shoots me a questioning look as I lean forward and murmur, “I need to get out soon, Nico.” 

“Oh?” Nicholas asks me quietly. He, too, leans forward, making Sylvie and Lewis look in our direction while he continues to ask, “Why?” 

“I’ve got an agenda to follow,” I answered quietly.

“A date?” He asks. I nod. “Wait. Is this the lad that Lewis talks about?” 

“Lewis is talking about what—now?” The man next to me also leans over in our direction. Sylvie’s curiosity got the best of her as she finally gave in and leaned.

“Sylvie— go eat or something—“ I hissed, trying to shoo her away, “the adults are talking.” 

“No—“ she whisper-shouts, “are you going to see Toto?” 

Lewis, hearing the name finally, leans back and smirks at my direction. The smug little bast— I reach out and pinch him in his side as he lets out a groan, trying to get out of my grasp as he accidentally leans back at Stevie. The noise gathers the attention of the older people as they look at our direction, wondering what the hell is going on. 

“Tilly,” Maman calls from the other side of the table, sitting next to Lewis’ mother as she continues, “Don’t do that to Lewis.” 

“Oh nothing’s happening, Maman,” Sylvie denies helplessly. “I think an ant got to Lewis’ polo and it’s pinching him.” 

Maman and the other adults laugh at the sight in front of them before they return to their conversations. I pull my hand away from Lewis. 

“If you want me to go on a date with your boss, quit teasing,” I warn him with a glare, “you’re making me want to chicken out.” 

“I’m not going to let you dip out,” he shakes his head insistently, “not when it’s my boss and my best friend.”

“I thought you had to go soon?” Nicholas asks with a frown, “why are you still here?” 

There’s a vibration coming from Lewis’ pocket, making him grunt in annoyance before he pulls out his phone to see which person decides to text him this time. He suddenly looks up at me with a grin and says, “He’s outside.” 

What? I don’t recall telling him to pick me up here? 

“I told him you were heading here before I pulled you out of your team’s debriefing,” he explains before he pulls up my purse and jacket. “I knew you planned on going out with him tonight but I pulled you for a family dinner.” Slipping on my light coat, my movement catches the eyes of the adults once more as I stand up.

“Where are you going, love? Finishing dinner so soon?” Lewis’ mother asks me. 

Lewis answers her with, “She’s having one someplace else, Mum. She just came with us to celebrate a little bit.”

“Well, I hope you enjoy it!” Lewis’ father tells me with a cheeky grin, “Don’t enjoy it too much, though.” 

I roll my eyes with a smile, leaning forward to kiss Lewis on the cheek before saying, “I’ll text you when I get back.” 

“You better,” he mutters. “I did not set you up with Toto only for me to live under the rock.” 

“And I will see you all at the next celebration!” I exclaim at Lewis’ relatives. Walking away at the table, I then look back at my siblings before saying, “Maman, Stevie. Drive my Bentley?” 

Stevie’s smile widens as she nods eagerly, catching my car key as she lets out a loud ‘woo’ as I dash out of the restaurant. A black Mercedes is already parked at the front, making it easier for me to slip into the passenger seat with a cheeky smile. 

The Austrian, who remains handsome even after he was soaked by the champagne, smiles at the sight of me. “Have you eaten yet?” He asks.

“Hello,” I greet him, “No I haven’t. Have you?”

“I’m waiting for you,” he shrugs. 

I nod, “‘Kay good, because I am famished. Where are we off to?”

“I hope you are hungry for some Italian food,” he grins lazily. My hand takes the seat belt and buckles it in. 

“I can be hungry for anything,” I tell him with a laugh. “You can take me to a pub, I’ll be starving for a good fish and chips.”

He laughs heartily, his joyous expression brightening the dimming road as he begins driving off. 

I swore to myself that I wouldn’t read much into our conversation and strange affections. But I can’t help it; I keep finding myself wanting to hold his hand. There’s no such thing as proximity when I don’t want a space between us. 

Perhaps the bottle of cabernet sauvignon that the waiter served tastes better than usual. I have always been a sauvignon blanc kind, but there’s a hint of romance that comes with the red wine. As if it was a witchcraft of some sort. 

Ugh. Romance. Feelings. Butterflies in my stomach. It’s so 2004.

I still can’t help it. I could barely pay attention to the slice of pizza margherita in front of me. My eyes are looking at his handsome face as he continues to talk about his family in Austria. He speaks highly of them. He tells me about his home race— which was when Christian lost his shit when Mercedes took the P1. He tells me a lot about Austria and how I’ll like it there. Sounds a lot like the future, huh?

Then he asks me about myself— or whatever I have regarding that area of discussion. I only chuckle, “Haven’t I told you enough about my family?” 

“You did not tell me more about yourself, I am certain of that,” Toto tells me with interest. Finishing the rest of my wine, my hand reaches for the glass of water as the liquid almost immediately washes the intoxication away. “Tired of wine?” 

“Well I cannot be the only one drunk here,” I grin, “I’d hate to leave you sober by yourself. So… what would you like to know?” 

It started there. From the most superficial interests and opinions toward the most competitive team principals to my personal life. It was immediately uncovered by the time that I finished the rest of my food. 

“I personally didn’t think that you would be interested in this… what do I call this. Dinner,” I tell him meekly. “Normally, I would be rattling off about my little world and all I’d see is a man who’s practically begging me to shut up.”

“It’s a good thing that I don’t like normal,” he tells me with a smile. “It is quite foolish of them to think of you that way. Your words are more interesting than anyone else’s.” 

“Gee, thanks,” I murmured and joked, “where were you when I needed that boost of confidence?” 

“Something tells me that I was still working hard enough with Niki to sign Lewis to my team,” he says, “otherwise I wouldn’t have met you.” 

My face turns red, yet without any mention, I continue on, “You would have. Still met me I mean. But, it’s not going to be the same. I’d be even more miserable.” 

“If I had not met you beforehand,” he starts with a glint in his eyes, “Christian would have kept you away from me.” 

“How is that?” I ask him. 

“You were at the entrance when I first saw you,” he shrugs, “with the Red Bull ID. Something told me you were important to the team.” 

“Don’t tell me that you stalked me on the way to the Mercedes hospitality, too,” I smirk mischievously. 

He laughs aloud, “I do not think I will end up in this place if my behaviour goes along the lines of being weird, no?” 

“Fair enough,” I nod.

“But yes,” he continues, “Christian probably would have kept you under wraps if Lewis hadn’t brought you to the hospitality. Was I ever thankful that he did.” 

“He’s not exactly being subtle about setting us up on a date,” I giggle, my eyes squinting in joy.

“Have you ever been a thing?” He asks me, curiosity written all over his face. “You and Lewis… have you ever…”

“Oh!” I exclaim before shaking my head, “No! I would never. I do not like him that way. We’ve been friends for so long that I never even thought of him that way.” 

“Oh,” he replies quietly. One simple word, yet it lifted the weight off his shoulders like he was dreading me to say yes.

“Yeah,” I huff out a laugh, “my sister Stevie has always had a crush on Lewis. Whereas I wouldn’t even step foot into that kind of situation with him.”

“That’s good—with you not dating Lewis, I mean. But, I wouldn’t let her near him,” he tells me, “I’ve seen how he is at the afterparties. He is a good driver but— he simply takes his pick of the week before he moves on to another.”

Sucking on my teeth, I can’t help but nod. Toto isn’t wrong. Lewis, even if he’s my best friend, isn’t someone I wouldn’t trust to be around Stevie or any of my sisters. I’ve seen him parade some women around every other 3 months. And each time he did, Stevie ended up in her bedroom with her head tucked in a book. I thought her interest in him was going to fade away by the time she went to university. It didn’t.

It’s hard not to tell her about moving on. I don’t want to be an arse about her unrequited love for Lewis. At some point, maybe they’ll cross each other’s paths. But it’s something that I have no control over. 

Still, Toto is right. I’m worried about Stevie. What if she suddenly became his target of interest? No. He won’t do that. 

He’s my best friend. He isn’t a manwhore who would sleep with his best friend’s sister. He wouldn’t dare disrespect our friendship like that. 

“There’s only much that I can do,” I shrug, nonetheless, “she’s… an adult. She’s a model. She knows what she wants. But for now, I can just support and navigate.” 

He stares at me for a moment, and I’m holding eye contact for as long as I can. He lets out a small smile. 

“I admire your dedication,” he tells me. “You’re protecting your sisters and still respecting their boundaries. I like that about you.” 

“Thank you,” I smile gleefully, “I’m the eldest sister for a reason.” 

“And you keep your head up regardless of how exhausted you are,” he continues, “sometimes, it never hurts to rest.” 

“This is me relaxing,” I gesture at my sitting figure, making him laugh, “I don’t need much to rest besides a cigarette and… this.”

“I sure hope I am making you feel at ease,” he says with a hopeful smile, “that’s the purpose of the dinner.” 

“If this is the kind of treatment I get every major event,” I pause before leaning forward. “I can barely imagine what it’s like everyday being around you.” 

His mouth snaps shut for a moment, the tip of his ears turning red as he tries to keep his composure. Two can play at this game. 

“As I said before, liebling,” he says with a smirk, “I like to take my dear time. I suppose you’ll expect nothing of normalcy.” 

“Sounds like a convincing case for me,” I grin. I did not even realize my foot swinging underneath the table until I felt his brush over mine. 

He acts as if he doesn’t know what he’s doing as he asks, “So, are you heading back to London tomorrow?” 

“I’ll be driving back, sadly,” I roll my eyes, the game of footsies long forgotten as I continue, “Go back to my sad little flat. In my sad little office. Writing my sad little articles.” 

“Well, if you want,” he leans back finally. “You can always come to the next race.” 

My gaze hardened at the thought. I have to write. I can’t just leave my passion behind just like that. Nah uh. 

But then again, I tell myself, I’m about to become a big part of Formula One. Fuck, I’m going to be a somebody in this industry — they recognized either talent or my title. At least they gave me what I thought I deserved— recognition.

“Tempting, but,” I pause for a second, “I’ve a book to write and a work to go to.” And a work to quit from.

“You are writing a book?” Now he’s curious.

I nod, “Novel. Fairly close to writing the epilogue actually.”

He continues to beam and asks, “Any spoilers for me? An exclusive thing, perhaps?” 

I giggle and roll my eyes, “I’ll give you the first signed copy.” 

“I will make sure to put it in my office,�� he laughs. “It would be an honour to have your first signed copy.”

“I hope you won’t sell it,” I joke.

He quips, “Darling, I own a racing team. I think I’m quite satisfied with where I’m standing at now.” 

The response only brings me closer to tears. My eyes water as I laugh silently, trying to gather my breath.

“I feel honoured,” I tell him, a grin still on my face as I continue, “I don’t have to do something for profit, for once.”

“It’ll be priceless,” he tells me, “I’ll be the first to criticize you.” 

“Oh please,” I nearly pleaded. “You would do me a huge favour if the annotations come from you.” 

“Does this mean that you’ll be in contact with me?” He proposes with a murmur, “I definitely do not mind that.” 

“Are you kidding me,” I gasp in disbelief. This man. I have been flirting with him for a weekend straight, and he’s asking me if I want to keep seeing him? Does he take me for someone who loves summer romance? 

His expression tells me he didn’t get the memo, so I continue, “Darling, all of those drivers who tried to grab my attention would be upset to learn that I chose the Mercedes Team Principal over them.” 

Clearly intoxication plays a role in my decision making. I’m not even buzzed, but my mouth told him everything I never would’ve thought I’d say to anyone. 

But I suppose this is what happens when you give an attractive, older gentleman to a love-deprived younger woman. The last thing that you would expect from this is an unattached result. Nobody can ever come out of this situation without any evidence that they’ve somehow fallen one way or another. 

But his eyes are saying something. You would think that he would be running off after all of the confessions that I made over the round table, in front of these candles and bottles of wine that’s not even half-empty. I would have expected him to drop me off then go. That he’s just joking about keeping in touch. His eyes told me otherwise. 

And it wasn’t even lust. His eyes were telling me that he wanted something brighter than a casual dating situation. 

Who am I to deny that?

[f1]

TEAM GUIDE: The essential lowdown on Italian team AlphaTauri as Tsunoda and De Vries prepare for 2023

AlphaTauri have a new driver for 2023, but how did Red Bull’s sister team begin life in F1? Here’s a brief guide on the Italian squad and their hopes for the season ahead. Drivers for 2023 Nyck de Vries #21: 2 points, 1 Grand Prix start Yuki Tsunoda #22: 44 points, 44 Grands Prix starts Yuki Tsunoda jumped from Japanese F4 to Formula 1 with AlphaTauri within four years as the youngster managed three wins and P3 in his debut Formula 2 campaign. The Honda-backed driver boasts a best race finish of fourth in his two seasons with the squad, and will be joined by a near-rookie, as Nyck de Vries has left the Mercedes family – for whom he was an F1 reserve and Formula E driver – for the Red Bull-powered team. The 27-year-old Dutchman (28 as of February 6) won the 2020-21 Formula E Championship after taking the 2019 F2 title, and he made his F1 debut for Williams last year in place of Alex Albon. De Vries ran for AlphaTauri in the end-of-season young driver test Last season AlphaTauri started 2022 as consistent points scorers when Tsunoda managed P8 in the season opener before Pierre Gasly – now at Alpine – took points at Jeddah and Melbourne, and Tsunoda backed that up with P7 at Imola. From then on, the team struggled to hit the top 10 – their best result delivered by Gasly as he scored P5 at Baku – and they scored just five times in the second half of the season. Tsunoda scored just once from Rounds 7-22, and the team finished ninth in the standings with 35 points to their tally, with the Japanese racer retained for 2023. De Vries (L) joins Tsunoda (R) at AlphaTauri in 2023 History AlphaTauri’s roots lie in the Minardi team, who were formed at Faenza, Italy, in 1979 and made their F1 debut in 1985. In 1988 they scored their first F1 points thanks to Pierluigi Martini and thus began a promising period for the Italian minnows, who fielded the likes of Alex Zanardi, Michele Alboreto, Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fisichella through the ‘90s. Fernando Alonso made his F1 debut with the team in 2001, the year that Paul Stoddart took over the team, and at the end of 2005 the squad was sold to Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz and renamed Toro Rosso. Fernando Alonso made his debut with Minardi in 2001 They would serve as a Red Bull feeder squad, the likes of Sebastian Vettel – who took a famous Toro Rosso win at Monza in 2008 – Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen all graduating to the senior outfit. In 2020, they re-branded as AlphaTauri, Red Bull’s fashion label. Still based at Faenza, they are currently the only ‘customer’ team of Red Bull Powertrains – but carry Honda branding, just as Red Bull do. Greatest achievement Pierre Gasly’s victory in the 2020 Italian Grand Prix marked the fashion brand’s debut F1 season in style. Vettel took a stunning win for Toro Rosso in 2008 This season AlphaTauri’s 35-point haul in 2022 was their lowest in three years, and the team will be looking to get back to the points. De Vries is proven in junior series and Formula E, and there’s little doubt that he’s a solid hire for the team headed by Franz Tost – but De Vries’s appointment will only pile more pressure on Tsunoda. READ MORE: AlphaTauri announce 2023 livery launch date – and confirm name of new car The Japanese driver scored just 12 points last season, and with Gasly gone, Tsunoda will need to step up and show he’s ready to lead the team. They do have a class-leading power unit with Red Bull, but with the likes of Aston Martin, Haas and Alfa Romeo around them, AlphaTauri might be facing an uphill battle to place better than ninth in 2023. via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[junker-town]

F1 2017 season preview: What to expect, driver changes, schedule, and how to watch in United States

The Formula 1 season is here. Will Ferrari compete with Mercedes? Will McLaren’s car stop catching fire? We walk you through what to expect.

The 2017 Formula 1 season is just about here, and once again many believe Mercedes will be the dominant team. Their power unit has been far and away the best in the sport for consecutive seasons, though last year they were pushed at times by Ferrari and Red Bull Racing.

There have been major, sweeping changes around the sport — from several new changes in the driver lineup, to altered technical and sporting regulations, to a new ownership group for Formula 1 proper.

On top of all of that, last year’s winner of the Drivers’ Championship, Nico Rosberg, elected to retire and call it a career after narrowly defeating Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton for the honor. His retirement prompted a scramble by Mercedes to fill an empty seat.

An empty seat that was surely coveted. Mercedes knew early who it wanted, though, and managed to broker a deal that allowed it to poach Valtteri Bottas from Williams Martini Racing to fill the seat opposite Hamilton. Bottas is considered an up-and-comer in the sport, and he was to be the lead driver at Williams due to the retirement of long-time veteran Felipe Massa.

As part of the deal that allowed Bottas to go to Mercedes, Massa came right back out of retirement to regain his seat at Williams. Lance Stroll, the 2016 European Formula 3 champion, was already brought in to replace Massa, but now will race as his teammate for 2017.

Those are the changes for the top teams, with Ferrari and Red Bull led by drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen for the former, and Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen for the latter. Ferrari has impressed big-time in preseason testing, with many thinking they will have a steady lead over Red Bull and might be able to push Mercedes.

McLaren Honda is a much different story. McLaren has been a top team in years past, but last year opted to go with Honda engines and it went ... poorly. It secured Fernando Alonso from Ferrari and added veteran Jenson Button to field the most-seasoned team on the grid, but the car was simply bad and they were never competitive.

Now Button is retired and Alonso, while committed to McLaren, is still faced with the potential of racing for a terrible team. McLaren’s issues with its Honda engines have not improved this offseason, and though it brought on young up-and-comer Stoffel Vandoorne to pair with Alonso, things are looking bleak.

McLaren has suffered mechanical failure after mechanical failure in preseason testing, and things are not at all looking like they might improve. It was reported in recent weeks that McLaren has met with Mercedes to discuss potentially acquiring its engines for use in the future.

Formula 1 has a new rule this season that gives engine manufacturers an “obligation to supply” to other teams unable to reach satisfactory agreements prior to the start of the season. It’s unclear if this rule would apply to Mercedes and McLaren, however.

Alonso still thinks McLaren can be competitive this season, but it’s less likely it’ll be racing Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Williams, and more likely it’ll be mixing it up with the likes of Sauber, who in 2017 will use year-old Ferrari engines. It’s a similar situation that Toro Rosso was in last year, when it used 2015 Ferrari engines.

Fortunately, this year Toro Rosso will use Renault power units, after the TAG Heuer-branded Renaults in the Red Bulls performed better than expected last year. Toro Rosso could certainly be mixing it up with the top teams, with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Dany Kvyat returning as drivers.

For Kvyat, he’s likely just looking to put the past behind him. He was demoted by Red Bull in favor of Verstappen last season, which means he was sent down to Toro Rosso. It seemed like Kvyat just could not catch a break a season ago, and many feel an offseason of stability would do him some good.

The American-owned Haas F1 Team will continue in its second year of operation. Haas managed to get a few points last season right off the bat. Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez were the drivers last season, but Haas made a move by signing Kevin Magnussen, formerly of Renault.

Gutierrez will not be part of the Formula 1 grid this season. Renault brought in Nico Hulkenberg to fill Magnussen’s spot. Hulkenberg thus vacated his spot with Force India, which was taken by Esteban Ocon, who left the now-defunct Manor Racing Team. Pascal Wehrlein, the other Manor driver, moved to Sauber, where he replaces Felipe Nasr.

Non-driver changes

There are various changes to the body requirements for the cars, which can be found in our big Formula 1 changes primer right here. The token system put in place to manage engine development — the one that most people believed was too complicated — has been done away with. Power units are now cheaper by a fair margin, and teams are now restricted to four power units per season, regardless of the number of Grands Prix.

In non-technical regulation changes, the grid penalty system has been revamped. Teams can no longer stockpile part changes and then unload them all in a single race, serving a massive grid penalty that did not transfer to the following race. Now teams will only be able to use one new component over their quota per race, with any additional components incurring further penalties.

Another regulation change alters the way races are started and resumed under extreme wet conditions. Previously, races would start under a safety car until they were deemed safe, at which point cars would begin racing as soon as the safety car went in, same as they would under a normal caution. Now, when the safety car pulls into the pit lane, the grid will line up for a standing start regardless of what lap they are on when the track is finally deemed safe.

The new ownership

Liberty Media purchased a minority stake in the sport in September 2016. Bernie Ecclestone, the longtime chief executive of Formula One Group, was ousted after 40 years in the role. The new ownership wants to adopt a business model similar to some of the major sports organizations in the United States, with teams being entitled to purchase a stake in the sport.

There has been a lot of restructuring behind the scenes, and actual changes to rules and regulations should be steadily coming in the next few years. The new ownership also has a goal of reducing overall cost to participate in the sport, something that has been a consistent issue for a long time.

Ecclestone has done a lot for the sport, more than perhaps anybody else in history, but over the last decade or so he has been repeatedly called out of touch and close-minded. It’s seemed for some time like a change was in order, and now that change has been made.

Full schedule of races

There will be 20 Grands Prix this year, with no German Grand Prix and the 2016 European Grand Prix being renamed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for its second year at the Baku City Circuit. The only other notable change saw the Chinese and Bahrain Grands Prix swapping places on the schedule.

Coverage of Formula 1 in the United States is carried by NBC and its networks. The races can air at odd times due to the international nature of the sport, with some beginning as early as 1 a.m. ET, though many wind up starting at or around 8 a.m.

Television coverage will be carried by NBCSN, NBC, and CNBC throughout the season. A live stream of all races will be available via NBC Sports Live regardless of which NBC channel the race airs on. Some of those races will require login credentials from a cable or satellite provider.

Below is a full look at the races, their TV channels, and time. All times Eastern.

Live timing and other tracking measures can be found at the official Formula 1 website.