Christian Horner discusses Daniel Ricciardo split as Toto Wolff picks up holiday injury – F1 news round-up

Thomas Maher 06 Aug 2023 11:00 PM

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is pinched at La Source. Belgium July 2023. F1 News

The first weekend of the summer break is now behind us, and there’s little sign of the F1 news slowing down just yet…

The big story from Sunday was the big reveal from Susie Wolff that husband Toto picked up an arm injury while on holiday, although we’re happy to report that Mercedes believe he’ll be fully recovered for the Dutch GP later this month,

Elsewhere, Daniel Ricciardo was the topic of conversation for Christian Horner, while Le Mans winner Richard Bradley has an unusual idea on how to improve the use of DRS. Check out all the news in our F1 news round-up!

Christian Horner reveals conversations with Daniel Ricciardo following Red Bull split

Daniel Ricciardo may be back in the fold at Red Bull following his promotion from reserve to AlphaTauri race driver, but that doesn’t mean the Australian has escaped some awkward conversations with his former employer after handing in his notice in 2018.

Five years ago, Ricciardo chose to leave Red Bull after enjoying their backing through the junior categories and on into F1 – leaving in order to join Renault for 2019.

但基督教霍纳说,即使他wasn’t with Red Bull, the Australian had to have some chats with him about the whys and whatnot about his decision to leave the team for pastures new.

“Occasionally we’ve spoken about it, even when he wasn’t with us,” Horner said.

“So, look, you can’t turn back the clock. And in life sometimes you make decisions that a few years later, you perhaps wish you’d taken another path.

“But the most important thing is he’s gotten himself back into a situation where he’s back within the Red Bull family, he’s in a race car and he’s enjoying his driving again.”

Would a ‘reverse-DRS’ solution enhance F1 racing?

Le Mans winner Richard Bradley has put forward an idea to enhance the racing spectacle, by using what he dubbed a ‘reverse-DRS’.

Under the current rules, cars closing up on a rival will have access to the Drag Reduction System once they get within a second of the car they’re pursuing. But Bradley believes it should be the other way around, ie. cars further away than one second get the extra boost, while those who have already latched on don’t.

“Basically, if you’re a second behind the car ahead, or more than a second behind, you get DRS, but when you’re within a second, then you don’t get DRS,” he said.

“So then you actually have to do the overtake properly. It means there is a lot of pressure on the drivers that are in front of you not to make a mistake because the field is going to be much more bunched up.

“I think that’s something worth trying. I don’t like DRS as a concept as a whole, being a racing driver, a purist, but it’s a necessary evil right now with how hard it is to follow.”

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Toto Wolff picks up an injury while on summer holiday

Having escaped on holiday immediately after the Belgian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff has picked up an injury that’s sure to put a dampener on his downtime.

The Austrian is on holiday with his family, but a decision to take part in some downhill mountain-biking has left the Mercedes team boss with a fractured elbow.

Mercedes have confirmed to PlanetF1.com that the injury is likely to be fully healed by the time F1 resumes later this month at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Red Bull dominate, but Christian Horner has ‘new challenges’

While his team have risen from the plucky underdog against Mercedes might to become the F1 superpower that now awaits toppling, Christian Horner has said he is facing a whole new bunch of challenges at Milton Keynes.

与团队的竞争对手试图不小啊f their talent and resources, Horner has outlined the biggest change now that Red Bull are ‘the hunted’ rather than ‘the hunter’.

“The challenges are always different because, when you’re the hunter, you’ve got everybody focused on the target ahead of you,” he said.

“When you suddenly become the hunted, it’s a different type of pressure. Of course, we have numerous approaches from all these guys [other teams], obviously, chasing all our staff, sponsors, you name it!

“It’s just a different pressure. I think getting there is one thing, staying there is another, but I think the spirit of the culture that we have within the team is something that we’ve got great strength and depth in and have enjoyed great, great continuity over a long period of time which, again, is so important in this business.”

Nyck de Vries’ resurfaces after Red Bull axing

Having been brutally dropped by Red Bull last month after a tough first half of the season, Nyck de Vries is set to jump back into a racing car later this month.

He’ll be heading to the Assen circuit in the Netherlands where he’ll demonstrate a Formula 2 car in front of his home fans for ‘JACK’s Racing Day’ weekend.

“Our event is known for making the international racing world accessible where we have already welcomed many a top driver to Assen,” said event organiser Hilde van Dam.

“The fact that we managed to secure a top Dutch driver this year is extra special. Like the many tens of thousands of fans, we are looking forward to a wonderful race weekend.”