Oscar Piastri commits to McLaren long term!

go to bed!

The indicator will sleep early today because it has to prepare for the coming days. Then it always starts very early – in the middle of the night. This also applies to Thursday, which is the program’s media day.

The indicator starts as soon as my colleague Kevin Shurin wakes up, so let’s hope he doesn’t miss his alarm tomorrow 😉 The plan is to start around 5am.

Norman Fisher bids you farewell now and wishes you a pleasant rest in the day. Ciao!

Max Verstappen: There is no title at Suzuka

Could Max Verstappen also become world champion this weekend and thus secure the title in Japan like last year? Short answer: No.

The Dutchman would have to leave Japan with a lead of 180 points – which is not possible. He currently has a 151-point lead, and even in the best-case scenario, he can only gain 26 points over Sergio Perez. Then he will have 177 points.

The title is likely to be decided later in Qatar. To do so, Verstappen would need to move 146 points clear of Qatar. With the current gap of 151 points, this means a decision will not be made until later if Perez scores more points than his team-mate in the next two races – something that is difficult to imagine given the way the season has gone so far.

But it could happen that Verstappen wins the title on Saturday. Deciding on a sprint race in Qatar would certainly be a nightmare scenario for many fans who are critical of Formula 1’s current trajectory.

This means that Red Bull could become world champion this weekend

The decision on the World Cup in Singapore has been postponed. Red Bull could have been world champion there, but that meant the bulls could now win every race. In Singapore, the decision was unlikely anyway because Red Bull needed a double win – including a complete failure for Mercedes with a maximum of one point.

In Japan, opportunities are now somewhat better. To do this, Red Bull must lead by 309 points after the race. Mercedes currently has 308 points. If Red Bull gets more points than Mercedes at Suzuka, it will no longer be possible to knock them out of the championship.

But we shouldn’t forget Ferrari, who are currently 332 points behind in third place. But Scuderia will have to score 24 more points than Red Bull to stay in the title race.

Stella: This is how Piastri impressed McLaren

Team boss Andrea Stella is also happy with his protege’s confirmation: “It’s great to confirm that Oscar has signed a multi-year contract extension with the team. Oscar is an asset to McLaren and continues to impress with his performances, work ethic and attitude, which is why he says: ‘It’s an easy decision for McLaren.’ “For the team.”

“He has already proven himself to be a key component of the team, so it’s great that he has put his trust in us as we look to win trophies again in the future. I look forward to seeing how he develops with us as we continue this journey.” together.”

Zac Brown: Piastri is an ‘amazing talent’

“I am very pleased that we are continuing our partnership with Oscar until the end of 2026,” said McLaren Managing Director Zak Brown. “He’s an incredible talent and an asset to the team, so it’s great that we can commit to each other for the long term.”

“Oscar has already proven what he can do on the racetrack and has been instrumental in the transformation we have seen so far this season,” Brown continued. “He has been a perfect fit for the team and is highly regarded by the entire McLaren Racing family. I’m excited to see how he develops on and off the track.”

Statement by Oscar Piastri

“I’m very happy to be able to extend my partnership with McLaren for many years. I want to fight with this team at the front of the grid and I’m excited about the vision and foundations that have already been laid to get us there.”

“The welcome I have received and the relationships I have built mean I truly feel at home here. The team’s continued commitment to me has made me feel incredibly valued and the team want me to be part of their long-term future.” “It made the decision easy for me. The fact that I am so in demand and that the team has so much confidence in me after only half a season means a lot to me.”

“Since the young driver’s test in Abu Dhabi last year, I have felt part of the Papaya team and I extend my thanks to everyone in and around the team and all the fans.”

“Stability is a huge advantage at this early stage of my career, and having this at a prestigious brand like McLaren gives me the opportunity to continue the work we have started.”

“We had some good moments together in my rookie season, but I look forward to working with everyone at MTC in the coming years and creating some great moments.”

This is how long contracts last

In our series of images, you can see how long each driver’s contract lasts.

All the best, Juan Pablo

Best wishes today to former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who turns 48 today. The Colombian has won seven victories in 95 races with Williams and McLaren.

Although Montoya’s Formula 1 career was almost 20 years ago and he was there for a relatively short period from 2001 to 2006, he is of course still well-known to many fans – particularly for his brash style as a rival to Michael Schumacher. His greatest success was third place in the World Cup in 2002 and 2003.

But today he remains a regular guest at the paddock, despite being a mentor to his son Sebastian, who drove in Formula 3 in 2023 and is part of the Red Bull junior team.

Buzz Corner

The curbs in the second turn will be painted black and yellow, but only those. This has to do with Sebastian Vettel. No, the German’s move from Eintracht Frankfurt to Borussia Dortmund is not from a fan perspective, rather it has to do with his ‘Buzzin’ Corner’ project, which is related to biodiversity.

The bee represents all insects with their colors. Eleven bee hotels have been built nearby, and the curve will also have a black and yellow border as a symbol.

However, the German announced that Suzuka is just the beginning and that there will also be a ‘Buzzin’ Corner’ at other racetracks.

© Sebastian Vettel

Impressions from Japan

Since we are currently in the driver introductory program, I will give you some impressions.

Hülkenberg: Early Access

Although some drivers stayed in Singapore for a few days after the race, Nico Hulkenberg took the opportunity and traveled to Suzuka early. “Japan is very remote, so you should definitely take the opportunity to explore it for a few days,” he says.

“Myself, our technical department and some other team members went to Tokyo. It’s also rare that I get to spend time with the team away from the track, so this was a nice way to spend that time.”

The German also expects to have a good time at Suzuka itself because he loves the track: “It has elevation differences, it’s a physical challenge for the body – it has everything.”

“The 130R, Degners and Spoon are all incredible cornering. It’s a track for racers and no matter the conditions, we know they can go to the extreme, and it’s usually a wild ride.”

© Motorsport Pictures

Comparison with the virtual world

Some of you also brought examples from your own virtual leagues of how to do this. “In the event of a collision, the person causing the collision must move within two turns of the injured party,” Ingo writes. “If the injured party fails during these two turns or has to stop to make repairs, the responsible person must go to the back of the field.” His conclusion: “It’s difficult, but it works :-)”

Bastian also has an F1 eSports league, where the following penalties apply:

– Causing a collision, without any real damage to the other driver, awards 10 seconds (and 1 penalty point) if the driver is observed multiple times during the season.

– Causing a collision when the other driver has a lane defect: 20 seconds 2 penalty points

– Causing a collision if the other driver causes serious damage to the car. 30 seconds, 3 penalty points

If one driver overtakes the other in this way, it will be considered an illegal overtaking maneuver and the at-fault driver will automatically be classified behind the other at the finish line. If the other car does not finish, the next race will automatically start from behind.

“In this way drivers also gain respect for what they do with other drivers. Learning through pain,” he writes.

Whether this will also be a real-world benchmark is another matter 😉

Your opinion: Penalties in Formula 1

Yesterday we discussed penalties and their impact, because neither Sergio Perez in Singapore nor Lewis Hamilton in Monza lost anything due to five-second penalties, even though they spoiled another driver’s race. I threw the penalties and asked for your opinion. Many people have responded and I’d like to offer a selection here.

Some thought this was a good idea, but there were also other suggestions: Kevin was inspired by the DTM championship and suggested a penalty zone that should be crossed. “It will happen live on the track, you no longer have to compare and calculate positions and pit stops, and the most important thing for me is that the driver will probably have to attack people again, which will make it more exciting.” .

On the other hand, Olaf believes that the responsible person should lag behind the injured party – if they are eliminated, they will have to go to the end of the field. So Perez had to be behind Albon in Singapore and Hamilton behind Piastri in Monza. “If it is too dangerous on the track, the driver must wait in the pits until the other (or last) driver has crossed the finish line or SC line.”

Ingo simply resorts to penalties and stop-and-go penalties, which have been used frequently in the past, while Jörg will be strict: “If you, like Perez, take someone out of the race or the points, black flag, out, done!”

Red and white again

Esteban Ocon also has a new helmet design in Japan – and how it should be: red and white, like the special helmets of Alonso and Max Verstappen. At this rate, we end up with 20 red and white helmets on the field – and many fans have trouble distinguishing between the drivers 😉