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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cadillac names Tommy Hilfiger as first 2026 F1 team partner amid all-American identity
Cadillac has announced its first official partnership ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, signalling a commitment to its all-American identity with a deal with Tommy Hilfiger. The Michigan-based manufacturer has named Tommy Hilfiger its apparel partner and lifestyle sponsor in a multi-year agreement with the iconic New York fashion house - a brand with a long-standing history in F1. Advertisement 'Two icons. One vision. A bold new era of American motorsport,' Hilfiger said in a statement on Tuesday. 'We're proud to continue our Formula 1 story alongside TWG Motorsports and Cadillac. 'We share a vision to honour the heritage of F1 while pushing it forward — celebrating where we come from, and reimagining where we can go. 'As the sport's presence around the globe continues to soar, there's never been a better time to dream big, and show the world what an American team can bring to the grid.' Team principal Graeme Lowdon echoed the sentiment that Cadillac is 'an American team representing one of the most iconic American brands of all time'. Advertisement He went on: 'Tommy Hilfiger too is an American icon, and the brand's legacy in Formula 1 is unmatched. As we bring a bold new vision to the paddock, this partnership truly reflects the spirit of what we're building. 'Together, we're not only racing, but driving innovation that will shape the future of both entertainment and engineering.' The partnership will comprise official team kit worn by the drivers, pit crew, paddock staff and management, along with a fanwear collection set to drop globally next March at the beginning of the season. The company logo will also be present on the car, race suits and helmets. Hilfiger, whose lifelong passion for motorsport began near his home at the Watkins Glen circuit in New York, has sponsored F1 teams since the early 1990s. Most recently, he outfitted Mercedes, until Adidas took over at the start of 2025. Tommy Hilfiger on the grid Tommy Hilfiger on the grid Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Advertisement During the brand's seven-year partnership with the Silver Arrows, it signed Lewis Hamilton as a global ambassador, which resulted in him producing multiple collections and sitting in the front row at fashion week. Beyond the track, Tommy Hilfiger has played a visible role in growing F1's cultural footprint. The brand sponsors a car in F1 Academy and will release a special collection tied to this summer's 'F1' movie. Now, the brand aims to bring that same ethos to Cadillac's entry into F1. 'From the very beginning, entertainment and sport have been part of our brand's heritage,' Tommy Hilfiger global brand president, Lea Rytz Goldman, said. 'By doubling down in motorsport, we are excited to present a fresh expression of what's possible when fashion evolves at the speed of pop culture. This iconic partnership continues our legacy of breaking boundaries, bringing style to the grid, and driving the future of Formula 1.' Advertisement Cadillac's marketing rollout has leaned heavily into its cultural positioning as an all-American challenger in a historically Europe-centric sport. The partnership with Hilfiger seems to be setting the tone for the team's unique brand identity. 'This collaboration represents the fusion of two bold, innovative brands - where performance meets iconic style,' Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1, said. 'As we build a team that reflects American ambition on the global F1 stage, this partnership sets the tone for what's ahead.' To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why McLaren's Miami F1 dominance wasn't just a factor of tire management
'We saw that when McLaren was pushing, we were between seven tenths and a second behind. For the first time, we saw their pure speed,' was Helmut Marko's verdict after the Miami Grand Prix, offering a clear, raw picture of the McLaren's superiority. Of the six rounds held so far, the most recent one is the first in which the papaya team fully showcased its potential. Until then, owing to various race circumstances, that speed had been at least partially concealed. Advertisement Two elements stood out the most in Florida: the final gap, and the speed with which Lando Norris managed to get back behind Max Verstappen after the first-lap incident. After slipping to sixth position, with two Mercedes and a Williams to overtake, Norris took just 13 laps to close the gap to Verstappen. Granted, he had some assistance from factors such as the ease of overtaking in Miami with DRS (improved this year by the extension of one of the zones), and Verstappen's battle with Oscar Piastri, which slowed both of them down. However, the speed with which Norris made his comeback gave a concrete measure of McLaren's potential in Miami. Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Andy Hone / Motorsport Images Advertisement All of this fits into a broader picture: a gap of nearly 40 seconds to third-place man George Russell at the chequered flag. But where does such a large gap come from – one of the biggest in the ground-effect era? Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren James Sutton / Motorsport Images James Sutton / Motorsport Images It was 12 months ago in Miami that McLaren's comeback began – but even though the MCL38 was transformed by the update package applied that weekend, tire management wasn't its forte. On the contrary, especially on a flying lap, high temperatures made it difficult for the car to extract grip from the soft compound. For the MCL39 McLaren has applied the lessons of 2024, not just in terms of tire management but also mechanical and aerodynamic versatility and effectiveness in the slow sections – which also used to be a weakness. And this is precisely where that nearly 40-second gap to the competition comes from, even if McLaren did save a few seconds by benefiting from the Virtual Safety Car during its pitstops. Advertisement Analysing the race data it's clear that, in the first stint, after wearing out his tires in the battle with the McLarens, Verstappen was no longer able to exploit the potential of the RB21 in the high-speed sections. In Turn 5, where in qualifying McLaren had a deficit of 8 km/h, by the end of the first stint the papaya car had gained a 15 km/h advantage. But it's in the second half of the race that an even more interesting fact emerges: after switching to the hard tires, Verstappen regained pace in the fast corners, once again making use of his car's only remaining real strength. But it wasn't enough to overturn McLaren's effectiveness in the slow corners. Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Advertisement Where a year ago the MCL38 suffered from chronic understeer, the MCL39 has now turned that into one of its greatest weapons. This topic fits into the broader context of versatility. The MCL39 isn't the perfect car, but it is the most complete – capable of adapting to a wide range of tracks. While Miami is a circuit that played more to McLaren's strengths than Red Bull's, it remains a complex track to set up for, requiring a balance between slow corners, fast sections, and straights. And it is precisely thanks to this versatility that McLaren is able to make the difference – continuing to dominate in the slow sections without overly compromising performance in medium-high speed areas, where other cars remain absolutely superior. It's not just a matter of temperature. If you look at the track temperature on Sunday in Miami, it was comparable to – if not lower than – what was seen in Jeddah. Yet Red Bull suffered greater tire overheating than in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement 'We had hotter tires than in Jeddah, and even a small temperature variation can change a lot of things,' said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. 'The tires are very sensitive.' Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Steven Tee / Motorsport Images If in Jeddah Red Bull was able to set up its car to shine in the fast corners, in Miami it failed to find a compromise as effective as McLaren's. It's not just a matter of tire management, but also of operating window and technical versatility – areas in which the MCL39 excels. Another performance factor is clearly temperature-related, though. The Honda engine – like the Ferrari to some extent – requires more pronounced hot air dissipation, and it's no coincidence that in the hottest or most humid races, Red Bull is among the cars with the largest cooling louvres. Advertisement By contrast, the Mercedes power unit seems to handle this requirement better, and some of McLaren's design choices have maximised its potential. This allows for tighter, more streamlined bodywork – not just along the engine cover, but also at the end of the central cooling outlet – resulting in clear benefits for aerodynamic efficiency. 'There's another characteristic that works very well with our car: cooling. When it's hot, you can see how our car remains relatively closed, precisely because a lot of work has gone into this area as well,' added Stella. 'I believe McLaren's engineering excellence has reached a level that really makes a difference.' A car that isn't perfect – but certainly the most complete. To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Here's how the FIA's presidential elections work
In December this year incumbent Mohamed Ben Sulayem is seeking a second terms as FIA president. To win another four-year term, he'll face a democratic election, and this is how it will work. Every four years, the FIA holds presidential elections at its General Assembly, the supreme decision-making body of the FIA that generally convenes once a year. The General Assembly is composed of national sporting authorities and automotive clubs representing the 245 member organisations across 149 countries. Advertisement It handles agenda points brought forward by the FIA's two World Councils (World Motor Sport Council and World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism), as well as items coming from the Senate. It also votes in all major FIA officials, including the president. The next general assembly, and with it the next presidential election, will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 12 December. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images The candidates for the presidential and deputy presidential roles must be under 70 years of age on the day of the election - down from 75 previously - and an FIA president may not serve more than three four-year terms for a maximum duration of 12 years. For a list to be eligible in the first place, it must have the support of a certain number of sporting and mobility members. How does the voting work? Each member country receives a maximum of 24 votes, 12 for sport and 12 for mobility. Some countries only have one batch of votes as they only have an eligible member organisation on either the sport or mobility side. Advertisement Voting in the General Assembly is carried out by secret ballot, with the votes counted in private by the FIA's legal department under supervision from observers nominated by the assembly. Members can either vote for their preferred candidate or abstain. The candidate with an absolute majority in a first voting round or a simple majority in the second round is elected as president. Incumbent president Ben Sulayem defeated Graham Stoker at the last election in 2021, succeeding Jean Todt in the role. Ben Sulayem received 61.62% of the votes to Stoker's 36.62%, with 1.76% of the members abstaining. Ben Sulayem, a 14-time FIA Middle East Rally Champion, held a number of senior FIA roles before being elected. Officially, no candidate has opposed him yet as he seeks a second term, but understands former rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr was approached and is considering running against Ben Sulayem to be the next FIA president. Advertisement Read Also: Susie Wolff sets record straight after FIA president rumours Ben Sulayem came under intense scrutiny over the past few years over his running of the governing body, with concerns being raised by Motorsport UK president Dave Richards over the body's governance. Numerous senior FIA staff also left the organisation in recent years, including Ben Sulayem's elected deputy president for sport, Robert Reid. To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Malcolm Wilson nominated as new FIA deputy presidential candidate
British Rally Championship winner and M-Sport founder Malcolm Wilson has been nominated by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem as his preferred candidate to succeed Robert Reid as the governing body's deputy president for sport. Members will vote on this at the extraordinary general assemblies and conference in Macau in June. Advertisement Reid resigned from the role earlier this month, citing a 'standards breakdown' and saying: 'Over time, I have witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold. Decisions are being made behind closed doors, bypassing the very structures and people the FIA exists to represent.' FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem Dom Romney / Motorsport Images Dom Romney / Motorsport Images 'Malcolm has had a distinguished career in global motor sport. For over 40 years he has competed at the highest level both as a driver and technical partner to teams. This experience will be invaluable to the FIA and our member clubs as we continue to grow grassroots and professional motor sport, driving innovation in the sport to benefit fans, drivers and teams.' Advertisement 'The FIA has played a central role in my career,' said Wilson, 'and I very much look forward to supporting the president and all the FIA family in its important mission. There has never been a more exciting time to be in motor sport, and I know first-hand the benefits the sport brings to families and communities across the world. 'I look forward to working with the president for the duration of his current term of office, bringing our sport to new audiences and ensuring we deliver the very best championships for all our competitors.' Ben Sulayem's current term of office ends this year; he is up for re-election in December. To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Williams still "cornered" with current F1 tools
Motorsport photo Williams boss James Vowles has said that the Grove squad is still at a disadvantage with some of the tools it uses to design and develop its cars - one of the reasons why he feels the current FW47 is difficult to drive. Advertisement Vowles' tenure at the team has been underpinned by the restorative work he has directed investment in behind closed doors, with one famed example being the migration away from a central Excel spreadsheet used to track the car's build. Further investment into more modern tooling and machinery has continued; Williams was one of the key advocates for a tiered capital expenditure limit to ensure F1's lower-placed teams could put more finance into bringing their facilities in line with the front runners. understands that Williams does not expect the full impact of the new infrastructure to be realised until the build of its 2028 car, although the improvements have continued to escalate as the team becomes acquainted with the new internal systems. "I would say we have some characteristics in the car that are still not at the right level," Vowles explained. Advertisement "I don't think we have the balance that we should do for the drivers, and we're a little bit cornered on some of the tools that we're using at the moment. "I think there's some elements that we can bring in line this year, but I think some of it, however, is actually a different direction that we need to take for the future." James Vowles, Williams James Vowles, Williams Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Vowles offered an update on the improvements taking place at Williams, which involves not only the infrastructural investments but also changing the culture at the team to ensure a more collaborative process in the development of the car. Advertisement He says that the management systems that he has implemented have required a lengthy process of adaptation, particularly as any off-the-shelf solutions are not F1 specific. But, he thinks that adapting those systems to produce a target output measured in lap time is bringing the Williams personnel to improve. "I think it is where I expected the continuation of the development path to be, just by fixing some fundamental bits,' Vowles added. 'Really, the secret behind this is just getting people to talk together and a little bit of infrastructure that allows you to actually work a little bit more efficiently as well. Advertisement "What I'm pleased by is that this direction of travel should continue on with a little bit more plus-plus into 2026. Carlos Sainz, Williams Carlos Sainz, Williams Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images "It's hard for fans as well to understand why we're doing this, but our targets are actually around introduction of infrastructure, technology, systems, KPIs internally, how long it takes to build a front wing, how expensive it is to build a front wing, how much we do internally, externally, how long it takes to design, how many loops we do, how many wind tunnel hours it takes to add X performance. "Those are all the KPIs that then drive you towards championship material. And the results on track are just an output from it, and that's why I'm not focused on the results on track because as with '25 and I think as with '26, it'll move forward. Advertisement "This is data-driven; if you keep changing these variables, you will just build a faster and faster car every year and eventually you outdo your competitors. "The cultural change is absolutely enormous because you've got to work with a very different set of people, and that brings organisations to a standstill. It's not that I'm saying anything more than that change was big. It'll be big for any organisation in the world. "However, here's how you get the milliseconds out of it. You have KPIs: how many milliseconds per week are we producing both aerodynamically or vehicle dynamics or through simulation? "Those are the same ones that drive you forward. It's just instead of targeting 10 milliseconds a week, you're targeting 15 in order to be championship material. Advertisement 'Once you've got the right data wrapped around it, with the right tools wrapped around it and the right communication, you can effectively turn up the dial without being blase about it to a certain extent." Read Also: Mercedes is not the right place for Max Verstappen, says James Vowles Photos from Saudi Arabian GP - Practice Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing and Raymond Vermeulen, Manager of Max Verstappen Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing and Raymond Vermeulen, Manager of Max Verstappen Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team with Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer of Scuderia Ferrari Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team with Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer of Scuderia Ferrari Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Carlos Sainz Sr. Carlos Sainz Sr. Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Alex Albon, Williams Alex Albon, Williams Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Carlos Sainz, Williams Carlos Sainz, Williams Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Jack Doohan, Alpine Jack Doohan, Alpine Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal, Sauber talks with Mick Doohan Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal, Sauber talks with Mick Doohan Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Zhou Guanyu, Ferrari Zhou Guanyu, Ferrari Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Pierre Gasly, Alpine Pierre Gasly, Alpine Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Lars Baron Lars Baron Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Peter Fox - Getty Images Peter Fox - Getty Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Rudy Carezzevoli - Getty Images Rudy Carezzevoli - Getty Images Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Steven Tee / Motorsport Images Steven Tee / Motorsport Images To read more articles visit our website.
