#it's really interesting actually! he was actually racing in DTM at the same time as being the SC driver for a while which is wild to me

[racingliners]

mercedesamgf1 25 seasons of Mr Safety Car 😎 Celebrating two and a half decades of @.berndmaylaender in one of @.f1’s most important roles 💪

Head to our link in bio for the full chat 📲🔗

[mediumtires]

Weird brain worm but: Toto’s ralley years w Red Bull coincide w Christian’s early years w the f1 team. Opportunity for meeting possibly?? 👀👀👀

urgh okay my sources on this are pretty slim but i’ve tried to piece this together best as i can.

so toto did some rallying “for fun” starting 1999 and stretching as far as 2013 actually. in the early 2000s toto drove mainly GT world championships and a few long long distance races for porsche, BMW, and ferrari. now my sources tell me red bull was a sponsor for some of those race teams which is why toto can be seen wearing red bull suits and driving red bull sponsored cars, mainly between 2004 and 2006.

between 2006 and 2013 he was driving for BRR (raimund baumschlager’s team) and red bull wasn’t a sponsor for them.

now, i think toto’s rallying was limited to a few races during his time as it really was more of a hobby to him. he was running his investment companies and also supporting young racing drivers at the same time so pretty busy overall. through his connections to the Mercedes junior programme he later bought the Mercedes DTM team, then co-invested in HWA which then led to his interest in f1 and williams inviting him to the factory. all of this happened between 1999 and 2009, but as far as i’m aware toto’s rallying was limited to a few races during this time and all of them in GT classes.

christian took over at jaguar/red bull in 2005. he was never really invested in GT or DTM, even during his own racing days he preferred single seaters; formula renault, formula 3000, british f2/3.

red bull as a company is known to invest in many many different sporting categories, one of which are different motorsports classes, so i don’t think it’s surprising that they sponsored GT cars. only christian wasn’t and isn’t involved in any of that; he doesn’t do sponsorships, he doesn’t do and never did GT/DTM, he’s obviously only concerned with the f1 division of red bull racing.

so i think chances of them meeting prior to toto joining forces with williams in 2009 are pretty slim. but not impossible! could make for a fun fic for sure!!

(here’s a fun red bull bulletin article on toto called “the secret life of toto wolff” published in 2021. they’re so unhinged)

[dizzyduck44]

Daniel sound waayy too bitter in that article, I liked Daniel outside of the car but lately hes been too much of an old bitter man, I struggle to warm up to him because he was a fucking bully to Lando in late 2020 but I let it pass because he was ass (lol) , he finally admit that he knows what to do, that Lando help him and share what to do with him but he lacks the technical knowledge to immitate him and that is 100% his fault.

I have this belief that one of the reasons nothing worked for him, not the upgrades, his setups and Landos setups is because he doesn't know how to describe whats wrong or which part he is struggling with (apart from the brake, which is his "speciality"), mechanics in every single team he has been had mention his lack of interest and knowledge of the car, the reason he did great in RB was because (this was said by Christian and Marko) he was using Max setups and since both of them formed in the same teams he could keep up until Max begin to make his setups more aggresive. The "I race with vibes" was not a joke.

Daniel lack of interest last year seal his future, like idk if you remember when Andreas (?) commented that Daniel barely did any sin work and that he was barely in the MTC while at the same time calling Lando furniture because he was there too much and then this year Daniel said that he was working really hard and then you read the article and it was just that he was doing sim work 💀.

He really thought mclaren wouldn't dare to fired him and that he was safe. And he still cant admit he at fault for this, he is a grown man with a decade of experience making excuses for driving like a rookie and wont drive in other teams because he thinks he too good like he hasn't driving at the same pace as them 2 years.

I love how detailed this ask is and I’d forgotten about the whole “vibes” thing or the comment about his lack of interest.

Sadly Daniel has brought this on himself. I still maintain if you are a “great” driver you can adapt to anything. All those of his experience have proven they can, Lewis, Seb, Fernando, Valtteri, Carlos, Sergio. Kimi was a master of it.

Meanwhile Lando, threw himself into driving anything the team would let him, George is the same, Max drives different things for fun, Alex did a year of DTM, even Pierre is up for a bit of off roading. They all don’t want to get too comfortable with the one car, just in case.

If I’m being kind, Daniel got blindsided by the generation that came through. 8 or so years ago the karting press were talking about the talent of Max, Charles, George and Lando. People were touting Pierre, Esteban, Nyck, Alex, Lance, Mick for F1. There was so many of them and Daniel acted as though it wasn’t a problem, he had this. But they were all great and F1 bound. They now make up half the grid and he isn’t the number 1 in a team that leans towards him. It too late to see them off now.

Also bless him, Lando was part of the furniture as he was told to come to the factory any time of day or night if his anxiety got too much, so he did. I spoke to a McLaren employee who told me he would just randomly turn up with biscuits and start making tea for people. He discussed with the team about moving to Monaco. He is a complete and utter nerd and absorbs data. Lando actually admitted that was one of the things he worked on, was being able to vocalise how the car felt to his engineers.

Maybe the biggest downfall for Daniel was he was so different to Lando in that respect. He didn’t want to be at the track at midnight going over data. He didn’t want to stay behind to help pack up rather than go back to an empty hotel room. He didn’t love sim work. I don’t know. And let’s be fair, until last year Lewis didn’t want to do any of those things either. He proudly told journalists he did 2 days of sim work a year!

I think Daniel really needs to do some soul searching. I honestly don’t think he realises how many people he has thrown under the bus along the way to end up where he is. Things he’s said about Red Bull, about Renault, now McLaren. I think his comments about Lando will age as well as his comments about Max.

I think ultimately he just wants a to be a racing driver and doesn’t deal well with all the other crap. In some ways he is like Kimi in that respect, but he doesn’t have the career stats or natural god given talent Kimi has (to be fair few do). As I’ve said before, the sad reality is that Lewis or Kimi or I think even Fernando would be doing what Lando is doing and dragging that car into Q3 week in week out, on a wing and a prayer. That’s what Daniel needed to do.

I think he is a little bitter, because he realises this could be it and he’s not ready to go. But wishing for a Jenson Button set up where someone hands you a championship winning car, set up for you, from the start of the season is a fantasy.

[yammineyammine]

Yammine: Opinion: Want to Convince Me that a Tiguan R Isn’t a Bastardization, VW? Prove it on Track

When I was younger I had a friend whose dad was something of a low-key hot rodder. Blessed with the type of income that only the baby boom could have provided for, he also had a great big cabin cruiser. Naturally, he wanted it to make more power, but when he asked his marine mechanic to put bigger motors on it, the guy told him that he could but that it would be a waste of money.

You see, a cabin cruiser is meant to do just that: cruise. So its hull isn’t shaped in such a way as to allow for high speeds. You can throw more power at the problem, but a given boat can only move through the water at a given speed.

That’s kind of how I feel about so-called performance SUVs. I know that a Tiguan R could make lots of power, but isn’t there an inherent limit to the speeds it can achieve? Aren’t SUVs the automotive equivalent of a cabin cruiser, more designed to fit people and things than to go quickly? Volkswagen seems not to think so. It thinks that SUVs can also be performance vehicles. So here’s what I say to them: Prove it.

When you think about it, SUVs are kind of filling the role of old school, full size sedans in the modern automotive landscape. You don’t need to look much farther than “The Graduate” to see that. In that film, there’s a scene in which you get a really good idea of the size difference between a foreign sports car and the average American sedan. Honestly? It’s not that different than the size gulf between a modern sports car and your average SUV.

That kind of makes sense. Americans sedans were always about being huge and comfortable. The SUV-as-on-road vehicle is just a refinement of that concept. And by that logic, the performance SUV is the modern muscle car.

Both are among the largest vehicles on the road, both appeal to affluent families, both are defined by the liberal application of horsepower coming from big engines (made possible by the size of the vehicles), and both even come at a time when the energy supply is plentiful, but uneasy.

Where the comparison falls apart, though, is that the sale of muscle cars was predicated on motorsport. The big three were constantly at the races in the ‘60s. Drag strips, NASCAR tracks, and sports car racing all obsessed carmakers and featured huge sedans.

We now think of muscle cars as big, luxurious, mechanically crude, soft-riding vehicles that weren’t particularly well-suited to cornering. And yet, they were constantly on track. Why, then, aren’t the big, luxurious, mechanically crude, soft-riding vehicles of today not racing?

Sure, it may seem like an SUV has no place on a circuit next to an Golf GTI TCR, but why not? Automakers have already proven that SUVs don’t need to be subject to the same hull-speed limits as cabin cruisers. The liberal application of horsepower allows them to reach hundreds of miles per hour without too much trouble (see Cayenne)

As for the weight of the vehicle, I’ll remind you that we live in an era in which every single car on the market is as heavy and secure as a bank vault. Even so-called hypercars regularly tip the scales at more than 3,000 lbs. But these cars aren’t careening off the road whenever they try to enter a corner. In fact, corner speeds seem only to increase.

One of the many functions of motorsport has always been to back an automaker’s bold claims. Calling an SUV sporty, to anyone who knows anything about motorsports, seems like a bold claim. So why don’t automakers feel the need to back their bold statements up on track?

Ultimately, this is what I’d like to see: A Tiguan R racing around a track like the Golf it’s based on. Wouldn’t that make TCR a little more entertaining? Don’t you think automakers would be less likely to rush into EV racing if they thought they’d be able to sell some highly profitable SUVs at the end of each race?

Better yet, imagine if VW had the only SUV in TCR (or whatever racing series, it doesn’t really matter). Imagine if it won. Volkswagen already makes a habit of making big cars go faster than they ought to, they just need focus on actually applying that to a racing program. And imagine the ad copy that you could get from beating a Civic with a Tiguan.

And it wouldn’t necessarily have to win, either. Remember when Volvo raced a wagon in BTCC? Do you remember any other fact about BTCC? Putting an unusual car in a touring car race makes a splash and people pay attention and that’s kind of the point of racing if you’re an automaker.

No offense to the enthusiasts in the crowd, but you’re a known quantity. Advertising to you is preaching to the choir. Be honest, the result of the next TCR race between an GTI TCR and the equivalent Civic will have little to no impact on any coming buying decisions you make. You’ve already decided which you prefer and one season of racing won’t change that. The SUV crowd, though, is so big nowadays that a number of them will naturally be undecided. A number of them can actually be swayed by the results of, say, a race.

And sure, SUVs may be a little unsteady on track, but aren’t you more interested in a racing series that involves a little uncertainty than one that doesn’t? Better yet, racing engineers will actually have to do some engineering that could eventually become relevant to you.

Racing series are increasingly forced to make artificial design rules that feel irrelevant to me (who cares if, say, a DTM car makes more or less downforce, Audi won’t sell me that spoiler) to encourage competition. They have to make up these rules because we’ve been making small cars go fast for so long that the only advantages available are ludicrously esoteric and ridiculously expensive.

Trying to make a brick fly through the air like an arrow (or an SUV cut through the air like a race car) is a natural limitation that actually has some off-track applications. Making a heavy vehicle behave like a light one may actually lead to the type of ingenuity that makes racing series inherently watchable. The races are actually proving something, and that gives them stakes, and stakes make every sport better.

Racing an SUV off-road at Dakar is impressive, but what does it prove? We all know SUVs are good off-road. We’ve known that a high ride height and floaty suspension are good in the dirt for more than half a century. That’s why the Jeep hasn’t really had to change in that time.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is such a lasting spectacle because running a car ragged for 24 hours is still a huge challenge; Top Fuel drag racing still grips a portion of the population because the cars play at the limit of what known materials can handle, tearing through the atmosphere at sci-fi speeds; VW’s Pikes Peak run challenged our conceptions of EV range and found a balance that rested on a knife’s edge.

You know what else sounds like a fascinating, inherently challenging thing to do? Make a cabin cruise overcome its hydrodynamic hangups and achieve speeds normally reserved speed-boats. Bring me more SUV racing. Show me I’m wrong to think that the very notion of making an R SUV is dumb. Prove it to me on Sunday and I’ll show up to the dealership on Monday.

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[eddiejpoplar]

An interview with Jens Marquardt and Michael Andretti

The course has been set for BMW to join the FIA Formula E Championship as an official manufacturer with a works team in Season 5. In an interview, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt and MS&AD Andretti Formula E CEO Michael Andretti talk about the close partnership and their expectations for the future of Formula E. In a relaxed discussion, they also chat about their personal interests away from motor racing.

Mr Marquardt, Mr Andretti, Season 4 of Formula E is already underway. What are your goals with the MS&AD Andretti Formula E team?

Michael Andretti: “Our goal is obviously to do better than in the past. Last year was not the best for us. I hope we can improve on that. A realistic goal would be top-five finishes, if we can get there. Maybe we can also pick up the odd podium here and there if things work out.”

And from a BMW perspective? Jens Marquardt: “We are obviously immersing ourselves even deeper into Formula E this year, and will be more heavily involved in the MS&AD Andretti Formula E team. We have three employees working full-time with the team this season. We are also supporting wherever and however we can to extract the maximum out of the package, together with the drivers. It goes without saying that we are also using our resources back in Munich. At the same time, we at BMW Motorsport and BMW i are obviously also gathering information, which will help us to develop the powertrain for Season 5. That programme is running parallel to this.” Michael, you have been actively involved in Formula E from day one. How has the series developed in that time? Andretti: “It is fantastic to see how the dream of Formula E founder Alejandro Agag has become reality. His vision was for Formula E to offer companies like BMW a stage on which to compete against other manufacturers out on the racetrack. He has achieved that. It is a great honour for us to have been involved from the outset. We are a part of the future of motor racing.”

Jens, did you believe that the series would develop so well? Marquardt: “Yes, I did. And it was also important that BMW was involved from the start as Official Vehicle Partner of the series. There were obviously a few things that we discussed with Alejandro and his guys. Our involvement was dependent upon a few changes being implemented in Formula E. The roadmap that Alejandro drew up, with all the technical steps, actually happened. That simplified our decision to be involved as a manufacturer out on the track. We then found a team, in Michael’s outfit, which operates at a top level in motor racing and has a wealth of Formula E experience. That was really an ideal scenario for us. Taking this partnership to the next level working together in Season 4, while at the same time looking ahead to Season 5, is very exciting for all of us.”

You have both experienced motorsport in many different racing categories. What do you find so fascinating about the Formula E project? Andretti: “For me personally, it is primarily the venues. I am really impressed when we arrive at locations like New York, Paris, London and Hong Kong, where other racing series have been trying to race for decades. It is amazing what Alejandro and his team have achieved.”

Marquardt: “For me, it is more the technological side of things. In the past, we have often spoken about transferring things from motor racing to the production side. Never has that applied more than in Formula E. Here, we have a real tech lab for our production technology. Everything we do here is cutting-edge technology. We have exactly the same engineers as developed the BMW i3 and the electric powertrain for the BMW i8. We told them: ‘forget all the boundaries you normally have to consider in development, and just focus on performance, maximum efficiency, lowest weight, and the best overall package’. Once we have achieved that point, we will consider how exactly we can integrate that in production – for example, for the BMW iNext models and all future BMW i models. For us, this is the perfect realisation of our motto: from the racetrack into the street car.”

Before your partnership began, what did you know and think of your future partners? Michael, what did you know about BMW Motorsport?  Andretti: “I have always followed what BMW Motorsport have done, and they win in everything they do. Our team already has a strong partner in Formula E, in MS&AD, with whom we work together superbly. The fact that we are also constantly stepping up our collaboration with BMW is a fantastic situation.”

Jens, you have worked in the USA for many years. Did the name Andretti already have special meaning for you? Marquardt: “Yes, it really did. But that goes a long way back. I don’t think Michael actually knows this story. As a ten-year-old, I always used to race my brother to school on our bikes. He was always Jackie Stewart, I was Mario Andretti – because Michael’s father used to drive that beautiful black and gold John Player Special Lotus. I even won a few races to school as Mario Andretti. I came to America in the late 1990s, where I was involved with IndyCars, in which Michael was a hero. He won a lot of races, including many against the team I was working for. This family name – and Michael himself, with everything he has achieved: you don’t find that kind of thing very often in motorsport.”

How well do Germans and Americans work together?  Andretti: “I think it works well. Sure, the cultures are a little different, but we are all racers in the end. That is what it is all about, so we speak the same language in that regard. We have seen for a few years, with our partner MS&AD Insurance, how well different cultures can complement each other in motor racing.”

Marquardt: “I think we complement each other very well. What Michael and his guys bring to the party, combined with the sometimes rather stubborn and tight German approach really works well, because you need both to be successful. It is true that the cultures differ a little, but at the end of the day we are united by the passion we share for racing.”

What is your roadmap for Season 5? Is there a BMW roadmap and a team roadmap?  Andretti: “That is already all together. At the moment we are working very hard together toward the powertrain for Season 5. At the same time, we are also working to be as successful as possible this season with the MS&AD Andretti cars. The roadmap is the same on both sides.”

Marquardt: “It is really a challenge, and is probably more difficult for Michael and his team at the moment than it is for us at BMW. They have to be fully focussed on Season 4, the racing side of things, while at the same time setting up the tests for the new car, as soon as it is ready. Development of the powertrain is currently mostly done in Munich. However, from next year we will work even closer together on the test and development side. The goal is to have maximum performance and efficiency from the start of Season 5.”

The next race will take place in Marrakech. Is driving in Africa special? Are you looking forward to it? Andretti: “I love the fact that the series races on so many different continents. It is cool to head from Hong Kong to Marrakech, then on to South America. And we are not just going anywhere in these countries, but to the very heart of them, to the city centres. That is what makes Formula E so unique.”

Marquardt: “The outing in Africa just goes to show that Formula E is a truly global series. At the same time, it also says that E-mobility is global. The major cities of this world, no matter which continent they are on, will be electrified in the near future. BMW, as a global player and pioneer, has to be involved. We are looking forward to appearing in Marrakech in January, then on to South America, North America and Europe.”

—

The sprint interview: Quick questions – quick answers.

What is the biggest challenge you face running a racing team? Andretti: “Having the right people in the right positions.” Marquardt: “And then keeping them motivated, sharp and ensuring their hearts are in it – through the good times and the bad.”

What job would you do, if you were not in motor racing? Andretti: “Honestly? I have no idea. I really don’t know what I would do. I am very lucky to be able to do what I love.” Marquardt: “I would probably be a teacher.”

Which is your favourite racetrack? Andretti: “Spa is my favourite racetrack.” Marquardt: “I agree. It is a manly track. Michael knows it as a racing driver, I know it as an engineer. It is a natural track, and a real challenge for every driver.”

What is your biggest success to date? Andretti: “When I came back from Formula 1 and won the very first IndyCar race back in Australia. That was a big moment for me.” Marquardt: “Obviously 2012, when we returned to the DTM with BMW and won all three championships in the first year back.”

Which is your favourite car, or racing car? Andretti: “Racing car… I would have to say the Lotus 79, with which my father won the Formula 1 World Championship. That car was just beautiful.” Marquardt: “I would rather go for a road car: the BMW 507.”

Who, in your opinion, is the best racing driver you know? Andretti: “My father, Mario, was always my hero. Nobody has achieved what he has achieved: winning in every category he has driven in. I don’t think that will ever be repeated.” Marquardt: “For me, it is Jackie Stewart. I have met him a few times, and was very impressed with how reserved he was.”

Which is your favourite airport? Andretti: “Indianapolis.” Marquardt: “Munich. I associate it with home.”

What is the most important thing in life? Marquardt: “Two things: health and happiness.” Andretti: “I agree.”

V8 or BMW eDrive? Marquardt: “That’s very easy: today V8, tomorrow eDrive.” Andretti: “Nice answer.”

Steak or fish? Marquardt and Andretti (simultaneous): “Steak!”

Suit or hoodie? Andretti: “Hoodie.” Marquardt: “Politically correct answer: suit. Private answer: hoodie.”

Travel by plane or car? Andretti: “That is easy: plane.” Marquardt: “That depends on the distance. Within Germany and neighbouring countries, I obviously prefer our BMW vehicles. The plane then comes into play on long journeys.”

Champagne or beer? Andretti: “Depends on the situation.” Marquardt: “Mineral water, if I am driving.” Andretti: “Another clever answer …” Marquardt: “Beer on normal days, champagne when I am celebrating a win with Michael.”

Top speed or balance? Andretti: “Balance.” Marquardt: “Top speed.”

Le Mans or Nordschleife? Andretti: “Le Mans.” Marquardt: “Nordschleife. Even Le Mans cannot top that.”

Stairs or elevator? Andretti: “Stairs.” Marquardt: “Stairs.”

Fastest lap or pole position? Andretti: “Pole position.” Marquardt: “Pole position.”

Blockbuster or theatre? Andretti: “Theatre.” Marquardt: “Theatre.”

Metallica or Madonna? Andretti and Marquardt (simultaneously, laughing): “Metallica!”

Baseball or soccer? Marquardt: “Soccer, by a mile.” Andretti: “Oh goodness, I guess soccer.”

Diving or hiking? Marquardt: “Definitely hiking. I don’t like diving.” Andretti: “Hiking for me too.”

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