Sebastian Vettel’s return to British Racing Green is the cover story of the latest GP Racing magazine and the topic of the latest Flat Chat podcast.
At Aston Martin, the four-time world champion has reconnected with some old Formula One acquaintances, and the result has been transformative. Vettel, who was always funny and engaging off the track until circumstances drove him to miserablism at Ferrari, has found his voice and thrown himself into social activity in his new setting. He’s also taken on the task of coaching the team to fulfill the dreams of new owner Lawrence Stroll, who wants to win the world championship.
After years of instability and underinvestment, GP Racing editor Ben Anderson and columnist Mark Gallagher join host Stuart Codling to discuss how the Silverstone-based team is undergoing a radical transition. This is a team that should be going places, with a new factory on the way and a new name on the gates.
One of the levers Stroll is pulling is facility investment. Vettel was a high-profile recruitment, but others are on the way, including Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren CEO, as part of a plan to turn Aston Martin into a billion-dollar technology company.
The guests on the program also reflect on the recent Dutch Grand Prix’s success and the message it sends to F1’s commercial rights holders, who recently announced a new deal with Qatar. Whether it’s ticket-buying fans or wealthy governments eager to put their country on the sporting map, someone needs to pay to host grand prix. Is there an argument to be made for holding races without fans as a pure television spectacle? Many drivers and F1 purists would argue otherwise…
And, as Netflix prepares to release a new feature-length documentary about Michael Schumacher’s life, this month’s GP Racing features an exclusive interview with the film’s makers. Our panel discusses the project’s success as well as Netflix’s new interest in Formula One in general. Is it possible that the streaming giant will look to buy the broadcast rights at some point? And, even if they don’t, who might be next in line for a big-screen documentary?
The uniforms of Formula One racing drivers are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
