Tost anticipates “toughest year” for budget cap in 2022 · RaceFans

In brief

Tost – 2022 will be AlphaTauri’s “toughest year” for budget cap

Franz Tost says AlphaTauri will have to be careful from the very start of 2022 to avoid problems stemming from F1’s more restrictive budget cap for this season.

As Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri have been able to buy parts directly from their stablemates, including two year old gearboxes and rear suspension during the 2021 season. Tost says that buying additional parts this year will create problems with the reduced cap.

“[This] year will become for us, I think, the toughest year regarding the cost cap,” said Tost.

“[In 2021] we are far below the cost cap. That’s not a problem. But [2022] is $140 million, and buying new parts from Red Bull technology brings us as well to the limit. And therefore, we must calculate from the very beginning onwards quite well, because this situation could bring us in some difficulty.”

First head-to-head autonomous Indy race held

Computer controlled, driverless cars raced around the Las Vegas Motorspeedway as part of the Indy Autonomous Challenge.

The competition saw autonomous Dallara AV-21 chassis compete in a time trial to decide seedings before racing in head-to-head duels around the 1.5 mile oval.

Five teams from five countries entered the event, with the PoliMOVE team from Milan taking the overall event win and a $150,000 prize. The team also recorded a new record for the highest top speed recorded by an autonomous race car on an oval at 173mph.

Links

Motor racing links of interest:

Norris reveals why 2021 was his best year in F1 – and how Ferrari fight has sharpened focus for 2022 (F1)

“It’s definitely been, I would say, my best season so far, which is always a good thing when I’m only in my third season.”

Silly season hitting top gear for engineers (IndyCar)

“Craig Hampson will serve as Rosenqvist’s new engineer, with Will Anderson staying in the same role with O’Ward. No replacement for Ward has been named at Team Penske, but the powerhouse team will see other changes due to downsizing from four to three cars in 2022.”

As new FIA vice-president, Singapore’s Lee Lung Nien hopes to see more Asian drivers (The Straits Times)

“This is the first time that a Singaporean has assumed a leadership position in the FIA – the governing body for Formula 1, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance and Formula E among other series.”

Ecclestone says race director Michael Masi was ‘overwhelmed’ by 2021 season (Independent)

“He was in many cases overwhelmed with his job the whole season and maybe shouldn’t have had it at all. But it was the right decision to let them race.”

W Series targeting its own feeder series in long-term plans (Formula Scout)

Coulthard: “Unofficially, we have growth plans to have feeder championships in South America, Asia, around the globe, domestic championships that feed in talent from those continents into the main W Series championship that runs with F1.”

Assetto Corsa Competizione latest PC Hotfixes out now! (Assetto Corsa)

A new update to ACC extends wheel compatibility to older wheels that run on 100Hz force feedback.

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Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Del Boy, Romulo Shortback and Leonardo Antunes!

On this day in motorsport

• 45 years ago today Jody Scheckter caused a stir by giving the new Wolf team a victory on its debut in the Argentinian Grand Prix at Buenos Aires, while Carlos Pace beat local favourite Carlos Reutemann to second