F1 Quick Summary: F1 News Roundup

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And to those visiting for the first time or just passing by, thank you for stopping by‼️

This time, we are starting a new project where we pick up and introduce recent F1-related news.

I hope you will stay with me until the end.
Let's get started!

Driver Movements

Aston Martin, Lance Stroll Contract Extension

As widely expected, Stroll (the son), who was said to have a lifetime contract, has announced a contract extension with Aston Martin that includes participation in 2026.
Although this result was as most expected, there was some hope in some quarters that if Aston Martin were seriously aiming for the F1 championship, they might consider replacing the son at this timing, given Yuki Tsunoda's good performance.

However, in the end, it seems things settled into the expected outcome.

Haas F1 Team Announces Oliver Bearman for 2025

Haas has announced that they will employ Oliver Bearman in 2025.

Oliver Bearman is a development driver for the Ferrari Academy, and he was a name that came up from time to time because he made a shocking F1 debut by finishing 7th despite being called up as a last-minute substitute when Carlos Sainz Jr. was absent due to illness at the Saudi Arabian GP.

Given Haas's relationship as a Ferrari customer team, there had been rumors for some time that he would be with Haas next year, so it can be said that this is a logical move.

However, as you know, 2025 is an important year preceding the 2026 regulation changes, so each team wants to secure at least one driver who has the experience to develop the car.

For this reason, Sauber has also signed experienced driver Nico Hülkenberg early on.

In this regard, if Haas has signed rookie Bearman, I think they would want to employ a veteran driver for the other seat.

Reports that Esteban Ocon has signed a multi-year contract with Haas F1 Team

There have been reports that Esteban Ocon, who was announced by Alpine as not having his contract extended, has signed a contract with Haas.

Although there has been no official announcement yet, if this is true, then along with the aforementioned Oliver Bearman, the Haas seats would be filled.

Although Esteban Ocon is said to be a troublemaker, he has a lot of F1 experience, so I think he can contribute to car development.

Possibility of Perez being fired mid-season whispered at Red Bull F1

Did he get too relieved after announcing his contract extension?There are already whispers of the possibility of Sergio Perez being fired, as he is not only failing to improve his form but is also frequently being eliminated in Q1.

Since his performance has not improved, it is somewhat unavoidable, but in reality, it is said that the competitiveness of the Red Bull car has relatively declined, and while Max Verstappen is somehow managing to fight, it is a situation that Sergio Perez cannot do much about.

Williams has already announced a multi-year contract extension with Alex Albon.

It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Bottas likely to be released by Sauber, but remains confident in securing an F1 seat for next season

It appears that current Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas may be released.

As mentioned earlier, Sauber has announced a contract with Nico Hülkenberg, leaving only one seat remaining at Sauber.

Since the other driver, Zhou Guanyu, is said to have strong Chinese financial backing, does this mean Bottas will be the one pushed out?

2025 Driver Team Affiliations (as of July 15, 2024)

Team seats are gradually being filled.

Of particular note is the future of Carlos Sainz, who has effectively been released by Ferrari. Among top teams, only Mercedes has a seat available, and otherwise, there are only seats at RB, Alpine, and Sauber.

Since RB and Sauber seem highly unlikely, it will be interesting to see who he ultimately signs with.

Other news

Alpine considering switching to a 'third-party' engine starting in 2026 with the arrival of new regulations

Renault has developed its own power unit (PU) and supplied it to Alpine, but it is rumored that they may choose to stop this starting in 2026 and opt to receive a PU supply from another manufacturer.

This is because the current Renault PU is significantly behind in performance compared to those from other manufacturers, and there are also said to be doubts regarding the development of their new PU.

Given the current F1 operating structure, developing a power unit requires significantly more cost compared to being a customer, so considering Alpine's current position, the customer option is a viable one.

Although the market is different, McLaren, which also manufactures sports cars, receives engine supplies from Mercedes, so I don't believe that being a car manufacturer makes in-house PU development mandatory.

McLaren switching to Red Bull PUs?

McLaren has extended its partnership contract with Mercedes until 2030, but with Williams abandoning its own PU development, there is concern about whether Mercedes can continue to supply PUs as it has in the past, leading to reports that they are looking for a new PU supplier.

Indeed, although Honda and Audi will enter in 2026, supplying PUs to multiple teams from the first year is too much of a burden, so ultimately, only Mercedes or Ferrari are available as PU manufacturers.

However, this article seems to be based on the fact that McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited Red Bull headquarters before extending the contract with Mercedes, so it does not appear that such a move is currently being concretely considered.

Also, starting in 2026, Aston Martin, which previously received engine supplies from Mercedes, will receive them from Honda, so one Mercedes slot will open up, making the basis for this news seem thin.

That's all for this time!
Thank you for reading until the end!

The driver seats are filling up quite a bit, aren't they?
Which team's seat will Carlos Sainz be sitting in next year?
It's very exciting.

I look forward to seeing you again next time!!