FIA sporting director Nielsen resigns at end of first year

Steve Nielsen, who assumed the role of sporting director for the FIA in January of this year, has reportedly resigned from his position within the governing body. According to the BBC, Nielsen, who previously served as Formula 1’s sporting director for five years, decided to step down due to dissatisfaction with the FIA’s apparent reluctance to implement the changes he believed were essential for its race control operations.

Nielsen’s appointment was part of the FIA’s broader efforts to address criticisms of its operations, particularly in response to the contentious conclusion of the 2021 Formula 1 season. Following the replacement of Michael Masi as F1 race director for 2022 with two new race directors, including Niels Wittich, Wittich served as the sole race director throughout the entire 2023 season.

Wolff wants to see “many more” titles

Despite achieving remarkable success with eight constructors’ championship titles and seven drivers’ championships since joining Mercedes in 2013, team principal Toto Wolff expresses his ambition for even more titles in the future. Despite the team’s dominance, Wolff envisions additional victories to fill the 27 open slots on a board at the factory that displays all the constructors’ world champions since 1958.

Wolff is eager to see more Mercedes stars represented on that board and envisions a future where the team continues to add to its legacy. Reflecting on the team’s achievements, he acknowledges the impressive record of the past decade, with a sequence of second, first, first, first, first, first, first, first, first, third, second-place finishes. Looking ahead, he hopes to witness many more successful chapters for Mercedes in the years to come.

Tsunoda reveals “biggest mistake”

Yuki Tsunoda has acknowledged that his collision with Oscar Piastri at the Mexican Grand Prix stands out as his “biggest mistake” of the 2023 season. While holding the eighth position, Tsunoda’s clash with the McLaren driver at turn two on lap 48 resulted in an eight-place drop, ultimately finishing 12th after a recovery effort. Tsunoda admitted to having “a couple of regrets” over the season, with the incident in Mexico being particularly significant.

Despite recognizing the error, Tsunoda emphasized the nature of motorsports and the importance of learning from such experiences. He explained that attempting the move was driven by the desire for a higher finishing position, even though securing eighth place wouldn’t have been sufficient for a seventh-place outcome. In reflecting on the incident, Tsunoda expressed minimal regret, highlighting the proactive approach he took in attempting to improve his position on the track.