Hello from Melbourne!
The Australian GP has been on my bucket list since I first discovered this sport. It's surreal to be here for the season opener of a brand new era. There’s so much that’s unknown. It’s one of those rare times when no one, not even people on the inside, seem to have a clue what to expect.
I’m going behind the scenes with Audi this week to learn about the new regulations, how their sustainable fuel was formulated, and to catch up with Nico Hulkenberg.
If you haven’t watched Drive to Survive Season 8 yet… get on it because Jonathan Wheatley (Audi Revolut Team Principal) may just be your new favorite person in the paddock. I caught up with him in London earlier this year, and he was delightful as ever:
Let me know any questions you have about Audi or the new regs and I’ll try to get them answered. I’m so curious to hear how the cars sound.
Before we dive in: my thoughts are with everyone affected by the evolving conflict in the Middle East. There's a lot more worth reading and following on this topic (some resources here and here), but since this is a Formula 1 newsletter, I’ll update you from that angle.
This past Saturday, the U.S. and Israel coordinated a large-scale offensive against Iran, killing leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched a wave of retaliatory strikes on U.S. air bases in four countries F1 hosts races: Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The FIA cancelled the Pirelli test scheduled to take place in Bahrain this past weekend. Many F1 personnel have had their Australia travel plans cancelled or re-routed due to airspace closures. The Bahrain (April 10-12) and Saudi Arabian (April 17-19) GPs may not proceed as planned.
I’m keeping an eye on the news and will update you as we learn more.
It's worth acknowledging that F1 navigates global politics more than most sports. A 24-race calendar spanning five continents means the world's crises aren't abstract. They're logistical and human realities the paddock faces head-on.
Now, let’s unpack the biggest regulations change we’ve seen since 2014, shall we?
It feels full circle to be writing about this en route to working with Audi. Attracting new manufacturers was one of the stated goals of these new regulations, and the sustainability angle (hybrid engines, sustainable fuel) is more aligned with where road cars are heading and where OEMs are putting their R&D spend.
As an off-season project, I read (skimmed) 606 pages across six new regulations PDFs. You don’t have time for that, so here’s what you need to know:
