In Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc fought out a gripping battle, which culminated in the final 10 laps when Verstappen started attacking the lead of Leclerc.

Realising the power of the DRS on Jeddah's long city streets, Leclerc purposefully started easing off the throttle well before the last corner, forcing Verstappen to overshoot ahead of the DRS detection line. That meant Leclerc would get the DRS advantage on the following start finish straight, easily enabling him to retake the lead.

Verstappen quickly caught on to the Monegasque's tactics and at his next attempt the Dutchman locked up his tyres trying to stay behind Leclerc ahead of the final hairpin, both drivers actively seeking to avoid being in the lead.

With four laps to go Verstappen finally passed Leclerc to win the race after what he called "playing smart tricks", with Leclerc admitting he was "half throttle trying for Max to overtake me and for me to have the DRS".

"It worked once and then the second time, he understood so he braked very early and then there was a bit of a mess, but I think it was it was fun," he added.

While their duel was entertaining to watch and both protagonists saw no issue with it, questions were asked about whether drivers deliberately trying to avoid overtaking each other is the type of racing that F1 should encourage.

When asked by Motorsport.com if the DRS games being played were getting a bit silly, Red Bull F1 chief Horner acknowledged that F1 should look into where the DRS detection lines as drawn to avoid "a game of cat and mouse".

"The DRS is so powerful you could see that there was a game of cat and mouse going on between the drivers, where they'd actually brake to a point that they actually accelerated into the corner," Horner said.

"I think maybe we should look at where that DRS detection zone is for future years. You definitely want to avoid being in that situation."

Horner felt the Jeddah street fight did confirm that the 2022 rules had hit the mark, even as several drivers suggested that overtaking would still be impossible without DRS.

"I think the really encouraging thing about these regulations is that in the last two races we've seen Charles and Max pass each other about 10 times, which we haven't seen in previous seasons," Horner explained.

"It's been great racing, another fantastic race there between the two teams. Of a sample of two, you'd have to say it's a big tick in the box for the ability to follow closely and race wheel to wheel. It's been outstanding."

Sebastian Vettel will return for the third round of the season in Australia after Covid-19 saw him miss the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

The four-time champion stepped aside for reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg to drive in the opening two rounds of the season, Vettel having tested positive for Covid-19. However, he will return for the weekend of April 8-10 at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit.

​​​​​​​"TEAM UPDATE: We are pleased to confirm that Sebastian Vettel is now fit to race and will therefore line up alongside @lance_stroll in Melbourne to kick off his 2022 @F1 season at the @ausgrandprix,” tweeted Aston Martin on Thursday after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The team in green are – along with Williams – yet to score points ahead of the first Australian Grand Prix since 2019.

Meanwhile, ahead of his positive Covid-19 result – which came after the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain – Vettel opened up about the challenge of driving the 2022-spec Aston Martin AMR22, saying: “The car wants to be driven in a different way. I am playing with driving styles and what I can do. Equally we are playing with the car, we are trying to sort some problems that we have, some of the challenges that we’ve faced, find solutions.

"There is still a lot to do,” he added, “everybody is flat-out and there is still a very, very steep and high mountain to climb… but it's fun, I think the challenge is fun and the belief is there that one day we will reach that peak.”

Audi and Porsche owner Volkswagen is likely to give the green light for the two brands to make their entry into motor racing's Formula One at a meeting next week, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

"We will hopefully be able to communicate our intention to enter into Formula One then," one of the sources said, with the second adding there was a "good chance" of a positive decision.

Volkswagen declined to comment. The news was first reported by Business Insider.

There has long been talk of Audi and Porsche forming partnerships with existing Formula One teams, their most likely method of entry into the highest class of international racing.

Audi and McLaren denied reports last year that a partnership between the two brands had already been formed but said that it was under discussion, with a decision to be expected this year.

Audi will offer around €500-million ($556.30-million) for McLaren, one source said, while Porsche intends to establish a long-term partnership with racing team Red Bull starting in several years' time.

Volkswagen has not previously been involved in Formula One but has worked with Red Bull, notably in the world rally championship. McLaren and Red Bull were not immediately available to comment.

A source told Reuters in November that Volkswagen's ultimate decision will rest on whether Formula One follows through on its plans to switch to synthetic fuels by 2026, and on McLaren's progress regarding electrification of its vehicles.

Volkswagen has invested the most of any global car maker by far in electric vehicle production and batteries in an attempt to clean up its image from the Dieselgate emissions scandal and remain in line with governmental carbon reduction targets.

The decision comes as Volkswagen grapples with the uncertainty of the impact of the Ukraine war on its finances, which will also be discussed at next Thursday's meeting.

​​​​​​​Formula One will soon have 2 big manufacturers entering the sport. There are reports that Volkswagen will give green light to Audi and Porsche to enter the sport in the coming years. Many have reported that both German manufacturers, Audi and Porsche, will turn engine suppliers to McLaren and Red Bull, respectively

Although it is yet to be confirmed, sources have reported that Volkswagen is about to give green light to both manufacturers. Audi will probably offer around $556.30 million to McLaren for a partnership

While Porsche will probably enter a long-term partnership with the Red Bull Racing team. But their entry into the sport might not be at smooth as predicted by everyoneAlthough both manufacturers can enter the sport, they might not supply engines to their desired customers before the 2026 season. As things stand, there will be an engine freeze later this season applied to all the engines till 2025.

This means that the teams cannot switch engine suppliers before the 2026 season. McLaren is currently racing with a Mercedes engine in the back while Red Bull have their own power trains.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown even hinted that the partnership with Audi is not a guarantee right now. He revealed that they are currently not looking for any more partners and also have an engine supplier

“If they decide (to come in) then there’s a conversation to be had, but at this point, we don’t want to have any conversations until we know someone is committed to the sport,” said Zak Brown


It would be interesting to see two of the biggest car manufacturers in the world joining the pinnacle of motorsport. McLaren may not be as excited to partner with Audi right now. But Red Bull have hinted occasionally that they will welcome Porsche into the sport. But if the Austrian team takes the engine from the Porsche soon, what will happen to its own power trains?

The reports of Audi and Porsche joining the sport have certainly caught the attention of everyone

Last Thursday night, Formula 1 announced that they will host no less than three races in America in 2023. The race in Austin has been on the calendar since 2012, while this year will be the first time we race in Miami. Starting next year Las Vegas will also be part of the F1 calendar.

It's a good development according to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. The race differs from the other Grands Prix on the calendar as the drivers will actually race on Saturday night instead of the usual Sunday. Domenicali told Sky Sports more about that decision.

"I think that is a perfect time and a perfect slot for that event in this context." For European fans it will be a less perfect time, as they will have to wake up around 5 AM in the morning to watch the race in Las Vegas. F1 reportedly made this decision because the American public is often watching sports on Saturday night and does so much less on Sunday.

According to Domenicali, it would also be wrong for European fans to host the race at a "normal" time, such as earlier in the day on Saturday. "Formula 1 cannot be static. To have a race on Saturday at 3pm, that would be a total mistake. That is the reason why we are flexible, we are showing that's the right moment to have the best show in this context," the F1 CEO concluded.

For most people, the Principality of Monaco conjures up images of grandeur, luxury, and excessive wealth. On any given day, the roads are chock-full of the finest exotics and luxury cars, with the Hotel du Paris Monte-Carlo proving a veritable godsend for the world's car spotters. But for one weekend a year, supercars like the Ferrari SF90 are barred from some of the roads, as the Formula 1 circus rolls into town.

But if the latest rumors are to be taken as gospel, this age-old tradition may soon be no more. According to journalist and F1 podcaster Joe Saward, the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix may very well be the last of its kind. In the Missed Apex Podcast, Saward said there's a possibility that Monaco may not be on the F1 calendar from 2023.

"[It] could happen. There is no contract for Monaco in Formula 1. Well, there's a contract this year. [But] It could be the last [for] Monaco," said Saward. Reputedly, the deal the sovereign city-state signed with Formula 1 dates back as far as eleven years and was brokered by former F1 chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone.

Saward elaborates on his statement, remarking that Formula 1 doesn't particularly enjoy its Monegasque visits. "Monaco has always had a cheap fee because it thinks it's more important than all the other races," he added. While Monaco's future as a Formula 1 destination remains up in the air, recent shifts suggest that changes are afoot.

As per the Concorde Agreement, Formula 1 can host 25 races per year. With Las Vegas now joining the race schedule - and China and Qatar set to make a return next year - one can assume that several other races will have to bid adieu. It would be hard to imagine Formula 1 without the Monaco Grand Prix, though, as it has only once missed out on hosting a race in the last 68 years, and only due to COVID-19.

The infamous track has been part of motorsport for years and has been the setting for some of the fiercest four-wheeled fights. In 1993, the late Ayrton Senna raced to victory, clinching a first-place finish in his McLaren MP4/8A. Sadly, it would be the last McLaren he got behind the wheel of before his untimely 1994 passing.

​​​​​​​Nevada governor Steve Sisolak has set out his ambition for Las Vegas to become the new “flagship” Formula 1 race “within a couple of years”.

Vegas will join the calendar in 2023 to add a third race in the United States, which will take place on the streets of Sin City in a Saturday night grand prix next November.

The place of Monaco as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Formula 1 is ingrained in the identity of the sport, but the lack of overtaking opportunities there presented by the ever-widening cars has led to doubts in some quarters over its continued appeal, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown saying the Principality needs to find a way to widen its track somehow, if it’s to create closer racing again and keep up its commercial appeal.

Drivers have already voiced their general support for a race in Vegas, with Max Verstappen thinking the drivers may need a bit of recovery time from the weekend.

He joked: “Let’s not do back-to-back for this one, let’s give it two weeks’ break before and after!”

Las Vegas has initially agreed a three-year deal with Formula 1 for a place on the schedule, but governor Sisolak already has his eyes set on a higher ambition for the city’s standing within the sport.

“We’ve hosted [NFL] drafts and also the Superbowl, but the opportunity to host a Formula 1 race is something, and I predict that this will be the iconic race, the flagship race of F1 within a couple of years,” Sisolak said, per the Metro.

“That is how well this is going to be received so it is a thrill to be here. It is a pretty select company to be one of the cities that has been chosen for this.

“I cannot begin to tell you how important this is,’ Sisolak added. “What happens in Las Vegas, only happens in Las Vegas and we are so looking forward to having this opportunity.

“Adding Formula 1 to Las Vegas underscores what I have been saying for quite a while that Nevada is not only the sports capital of the world, but with Formula 1, it is truly a global sport and we are the entertainment and sports capital of the world here in Las Vegas.

“We are looking at one of the most iconic, famous streets in the world. I can’t wait to see this street with Formula 1 cars travelling at 200 miles per hour down this Las Vegas Strip. It is absolutely amazing.”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes scheduling the Las Vegas Grand Prix on a Saturday night was the "obvious thing" for F1.

The long-anticipated Las Vegas event will take place over Thanksgiving weekend next season with the iconic Strip to feature in the layout.

The last time F1 held a grand prix on a Saturday was at the 1985 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami and addressing the scheduling, Brown told Reuters: “It looks very proper and all the right people are behind it. I think it’s going to be stunning for Formula 1.

“We want to respect the history of the sport but there are not many sports that haven’t changed in recent times to adapt to a changing world. I think a Saturday night race in Vegas is the obvious thing to do."

On the geographic consequence of adding Las Vegas to Austin and Miami on the calendar, Brown added: “I think these are three awesome markets. I think it’s almost the perfect schedule from an American standpoint.”

Brown refloats rotation idea

McLaren has long been an advocate for fielding a core number of races on the calendar with certain events then being rotated in order for variation to the schedule.

With Las Vegas adding to the already brimming number of races on the calendar and more locations interested in hosting events, Brown has explained how he would form an ideal schedule.

“If you could wave a magic wand I’d like to see something like 21 or 22 races,” said Brown.

“Seventeen or 18 as permanent fixtures and seven or eight that rotate because I do think to continue to grow the sport the more quality markets we can be in the better. I’d love to see us be in 30 markets but race 21 or 22 times a year.

“I think there are A markets and B markets that we race in. Maybe your B markets [should be] every other year.”

Fernando Alonso will receive a new penalty-free engine for next week's Australian Grand Prix after Alpine diagnosed a water pump failure and collateral damage on the Spaniard's Jeddah unit.

Alonso was running seventh in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and enjoying a competitive race when he was forced to retire on lap 35 of 50, the two-time world champion coasting to a terminal halt in Jeddah's pitlane.

Alpine initially suspected an engine issue had undermined Alonso's evening. But a post-race inspection revealed the root cause of Alonso's retirement and its unfortunate effects.

"It wasn't the engine, but a water-pump failure," Alpine boss Laurent Rossi told Auto Hebdo. "And that led to a lack of cooling and to a host of problems, like the engine overheating, which triggered more troubles.

"Fernando managed to continue as the engine was working, although in less than ideal conditions. But we preferred to stop him as the water pump was defective.

"We've identified the problem, and hopefully ii will be solved for Melbourne. It's related to some brand new engine components that haven't yet been fully validated, as is the case for all teams.

"The good news is that it isn't a structural or inbuilt issue. There are no doubts about the engine's design and architecture as the unit is working as expected."

Unfortunately, the extent of the issue has forced Alpine to introduce a new Renault engine into its pool of hardware.

"The problem is this component [water pump] is an integral part of the engine. The water pump ended up disintegrating and falling into the engine.

"If we had wanted to repair it, we would have had to break the seal. So the engine is lost to us. Even if its physical integrity is not directly affected, for us it's one less engine."

Despite his disappointing retirement in Saudi Arabia, Alonso believes the performance of Renault's latest unit is on apar with that of its rivals.

"I think we are now on the same level as the others," said the Spaniard last weekend in Jeddah.

"We have been able to fight on the straights, both here and in Bahrain.

"I’m happy with the performance," he said. "To be honest I think I could be in sixth or seventh place in the Championship, but I’m not there,” he said.

"And it’s not because we don’t deserve it, it’s because we haven’t maximised the points. I think we’ve lost too many points."

Hit with a $1 million repair bill for Mick Schumacher’s Jeddah crash, Toto Wolff says the cost cap “will be adjusted” for Haas.

Schumacher had a horror crash during qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the German clipping a kerb and smashing into the concrete barrier nose first.

Such was the impact that the momentum carried his car down to Turn 12 with the car breaking in half.

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner reckons it is about a $1 million worth of damage.

“I don’t know money-wise but between gearbox, the whole bodywork is gone, radiators are gone – $500,000 to $1million, I would say,” he told Motorsport.com.

That unexpected cost can really hurt a team these days given that Formula 1 is operating under a $140 million cost cap.

But according to Wolff, there is “an allowance” within the cap to adjust that figure for big crashes.

And Schumacher’s was just that, a “big” crash.

“You can say that a crash like Mick had falls into the category of a ‘big shunt’ and there is an allowance in the cost cap where if you need to build a new chassis, the cost cap will be adjusted for you,” the Mercedes motorsport boss explained as per GPFans.

The Austrian also weighed in on the layout of the circuit and whether it is too dangerous.

Several drivers spoke out after Schumacher’s accident, calling for changes to be made to the high-speed street circuit.

Wolff, though, says Formula 1 is “dangerous and city circuits are the spectacular ones, among the most spectacular ones and the drivers need to take more risks so you are always on the knifes edge.”

Schumacher did not line up on the Jeddah grid on the Sunday, Haas making the call not to risk another big crash that would impact their spares situation ahead of the trip to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

Steiner, though, did reveal that the team had set aside money in its budget for repairs, acknowledging that crashes happen.

“There’s a nominal amount,” said the team boss, “but in a racing team, you never can stick to your budget like in a normal commercial business because you have this risk.

“You have got obviously a contingency there. But if you have two or three like this, pretty quick your contingency is not there anymore.

“It’s a loss. So you just need to manage. Obviously I hope we don’t have a lot more of them.”