Financial filings have finally revealed the total payout made to former Red Bull boss Christian Horner. He received individual payouts from Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies, earning him roughly £33.5m and £67m respectively. This brings his total payout to an eye-watering £100.5m. Horner was instrumental in the formation of Red Bull Racing, leading the team since its debut in 2005. Things turned sour at the end of his tenure, with him ultimately being fired from the team due to performance. Although it’s still unclear where his next role will be, he made his first appearance in the F1 paddock at this year’s British Grand Prix.
Honda’s racing boss is set to return at the end of the year. Koji Watanabe joined Honda in 1987, rising through the ranks to become the head of the company’s racing division in 2022. During that time, he oversaw the merger of Honda’s motorcycle and motorsport divisions, as well as the brand’s decision to return to Formula One with Aston Martin this year. He will be succeeded by Keiichi Yasuda, the company’s current Executive Vice President and Representative Director.
Williams is suing a local garage owner over a missing historic chassis. The case revolves around a Williams FW23 chassis raced by the team in 2001. The chassis, which the team values at £750,000, is part of Williams’ heritage collection. In 2015, the team loaned the chassis to the Telford-based garage Autotech Performance Ltd for display. In 2021, the company was liquidated and eventually dissolved, during which time the chassis went missing. Williams alleges that company owner Peter Thorpe told liquidators that he personally owned the chassis and took possession of it. Thorpe’s attorneys insist that Thorpe does not know the whereabouts of the chassis and that he suffered a debilitating stroke in 2018. The defence also pushed back against Williams’ valuation of the chassis, claiming that the lack of an engine makes it far less valuable. Williams is seeking the return of the chassis or £1,000,000 to cover the cost and paid daily rental fees.
Formula One is set to return to Africa for the first time since 1993, as it works to finalize a deal for 2030. Although South Africa was interested in hosting a race, Rwanda will be the new race’s home, ruling out a return to the historic Kyalami Circuit. F1’s history on the continent was limited to only the South African Grand Prix, which ended in 1993 after 23 championship races. Racing in Rwanda will require the construction of a new circuit.
Valtteri Bottas showed off his cycling skills by making the 420km journey from Malaysia to Singapore by bike. He completed the route in three days. Bottas is known to like cycling, having qualified for the UCI Gravel World Championship in a qualifier race in the Czech Republic during the summer break.
George Russell set the pace in the sole practice session ahead of the Singapore sprint weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. The one-hour session began on a dusty track, with drivers initially using hard tyres as they adjusted to the bumpy street circuit. Nico Hulkenberg stopped with a gearbox issue, bringing out a brief Virtual Safety Car. Russell finished fastest with a 1m 32.274s, 0.198 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc, while Lando Norris was third, less than three tenths behind.
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Singapore Sprint on Friday evening. Sergio Perez caused an early red flag when he hit the barrier, while George Russell recovered from a difficult second segment to qualify second. Verstappen’s 1m 31.156s lap put him 0.120 seconds ahead of Russell, with Charles Leclerc third. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris completed the top five for McLaren.
Max Verstappen converted spring pole to sprint victory, winning his first race at the circuit. The race saw a rain delay for the second consecutive weekend, causing about a half-hour delay. When things got going, George Russell capitalized on a poor start for Verstappen, taking the lead. It was short-lived as the Brit spun into the barriers at the end of the first lap, bringing out the safety car. The circuit began to dry rapidly after the restart, but there were not enough laps in the race to justify gambling on the slicks. The race ended with drama on the final lap, as the two McLaren teammates collided when Lando Norris tried to overtake Oscar Piastri in turn five. Norris recovered to earn a point, but his teammate retired. Click here to read a full summary of the Singapore sprint race.
Max Verstappen continued his strong performance in Singapore, claiming pole position for the grand prix. He beat Charles Leclerc by a narrow margin of just 0.054 seconds. Lewis Hamilton, who had set the pace in Q1 and Q2, qualified third after failing to improve on his final lap. Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris completed the top five, while George Russell qualified sixth but dropped to the rear of the field due to power unit penalties.
Max Verstappen finished a strong weekend in Singapore by taking his first grand prix victory at the circuit. Charles Leclerc kept pace with Verstappen early on but fell back as his soft tyres wore. Lewis Hamilton attempted the alternate strategy by starting on the medium tyres, but the softs were the favourites. He ultimately attempted a one-stop strategy that left him vulnerable on the final stint, with both Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli overtaking him in the closing laps. A podium finish for Antonelli puts him in a position where he mathematically could secure the championship title next time out in Texas. Click here to read a full summary of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Next on the calendar is another triple-header in the West. But first, teams and drivers have earned themselves a week off before heading to the Circuit of the Americas in Texas for the United States Grand Prix on the weekend of October 25.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
