F1 news LIVE: Alpine stun audience with football icon as ambassador at new car launch

Alpine stunned onlookers at their car launch on Thursday evening when they introduced France and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane as an ambassador.

The French team, who have a new driver pairing this season with Pierre Gasly replacing Fernando Alonso to partner Esteban Ocon, revealed their A523 car in London last night, including a special pink livery which will feature in the first three races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Yet there was a further shock to come when the team introduced World Cup winner Zidane to the audience in Canada Water and he joins as a brand ambassador and sponsor of its equality opportunities programmes. British Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Nicola Adams was also announced as a mentor for the team’s academy drivers.

With all 10 teams now having launched their 2023 cars, all eyes will turn towards pre-season testing, taking place in Bahrain next week from 23-25 February before the first race of the season follows one week later.

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F1 NEWS AND UPDATES

• Alpine stun audience at car launch with football icon Zinedine Zidane as ambassador

• The French team launched their A523 challenger in London and two new liveries

• When is F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain?

F1 news: Lewis Hamilton reveals fresh helmet design for 2023 Formula 1 season

13:08 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton has revealed his helmet design for the 2023 F1 season will be combination of yellow and purple.

The seven-time world champion, who is entering his 11th season with Mercedes, is looking to bounce back this year after a disappointing 2022 when he did not win a single race, the first time he has gone a whole F1 season without a triumph.

That followed a thrilling 2021 title battle where Hamilton was denied a record eighth world title on the final lap of the final race in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton wore a purple helmet in 2021 before switching to a yellow design last year, the colour he sported as a junior and in his first years in F1.

And alongside photos of his new helmet on his Instagram page, Hamilton said of his 2023 colour-scheme: “Going with both yellow and purple this year.

“Love how they look together and how sick it looks against the black car. Keeping the rainbow accents too, always.”

Hamilton has previously displayed rainbows on his helmet and car during races in countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

F1 news: Lewis Hamilton insists he will not be silenced after FIA political ban

12:59 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton is set for a collision course with the FIA after telling Formula 1’s governing body that he will not be silenced.

The FIA has recently updated its rules to prevent drivers from making “political, religious or personal” remarks without prior approval.

Their controversial clampdown comes after drivers – including seven-time world champion Hamilton and the recently-retired Sebastian Vettel – have spoken out on issues such as racism, diversity and the environment in recent seasons.

However, the sporting federation, and its under-fire president Mohammed ben Sulayem, has attracted a backlash for the new law, with a growing number of the grid venting their frustrations.

Earlier this week, McLaren’s Lando Norris called for a U-turn and said F1 drivers should not be treated like school children.

Asked about the FIA’s move to effectively gag the drivers, Hamilton, 38, said: “It doesn’t surprise me.

“But nothing will stop me from speaking on the things that I am passionate about and the issues that there are. I feel the sport does have a responsibility to speak out on things and raise awareness on certain topics, particularly as we travel to all these places, so nothing changes for me.”

Lewis Hamilton insists he will not be silenced after FIA political ban

F1 news: ‘Everyone wants a title battle’: Max Verstappen challenges F1 rivals to step up

12:30 , Kieran Jackson

Max Verstappen has challenged Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to raise their game and provide him with the championship battle that Formula One needs.

Verstappen ran away with last season’s title, winning 15 of the 22 races, to secure his second championship with four rounds to spare. In contrast, Hamilton, in his under-performing Mercedes, endured the worst year of his career as he failed to win a race and finished 214 points adrift.

But when addressing the prospect of renewing his rivalry with Hamilton at Red Bull’s season launch in New York, Verstappen, 25, said: “In the interest of the sport you always want the teams to be super-close.

“I do think it was close last year, but as a team we executed a lot of things better than the others and that was why the points gap was so big. I never felt, apart from two or three races, that we absolutely dominated. But for the general interest of Formula One, everyone wants a title battle with multiple teams involved.”

‘Everyone wants a title battle’: Max Verstappen challenges F1 rivals to step up

F1 news: When is Drive to Survive season 5 released?

11:58 , Kieran Jackson

When will it be released?

The fifth season of Drive to Survive will be released on Netflix on Friday 24 February, 2023.

What time will it be released?

As is custom with Netflix original shows, the series will be released at midnight Pacific Time, meaning 8am (GMT) in the United Kingdom and 3am (ET) in New York.

How many episodes will there be?

There have been 10 episodes in each of the last four seasons and this new season is no different.

F1 news: Alpine announce Zinedine Zidane as brand ambassador at glitzy London car launch

11:29 , Kieran Jackson

Zinedine Zidane has been announced as a brand ambassador for Alpine at the team’s 2023 car launch.

The France and Real Madrid legend was in the Alpine garage during last year’s Monaco Grand Prix and will join as a brand ambassador and sponsor of its equality opportunities programmes, including Rac(H)er and the Concours Excellence Mecanique.

British Olympic gold medal winning boxer Nicola Adams was also unveiled as a mentor and will coach the team’s academy drivers based in Enstone.

The French team launched their 2023 challenger, the A523, in east London on Thursday night with drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon both present.

“I am very happy to be here today and happy to be part of the Alpine team. I had the opportunity to meet Laurent (Rossi, Alpine CEO) with the whole team for a Grand Prix,” Zidane said.

“We had a good exchange, and they had a project to give the opportunities to young people, to have their opportunities for all the young talent. I was interested in this project.”

Alpine, who finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship last season, have an all-French line-up this year with Gasly replacing Fernando Alonso, who has moved to Aston Martin.

Alpine announce Zinedine Zidane as brand ambassador at glitzy London car launch

F1 news: When is F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain?

10:57 , Kieran Jackson

Pre-season testing takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit from Thursday 23 February - Saturday 25 February.

Running will take place between 7am and 4:30pm (GMT) on each of the three days. There will be an hour’s break midway through each session for lunch.

Each driver will have one-and-a-half days worth of time in the car.

The first race of the 2023 season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, takes place at the same circuit a week later, on 3-5 March.

F1 news: Fernando Alonso unhappy with limited testing time in new Aston Martin car

10:28 , Kieran Jackson

Fernando Alonso has voiced his displeasure at the lack of testing time available to drivers ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

The two-time world champion was speaking at the launch of Aston Martinn’s 2023 car at Silverstone on Monday night, with team-mate Lance Stroll also present.

Alonso, who joins Aston from Alpine following Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, does not have long to acclimatise to his new team, with next week’s three day testing window meaning the 41-year-old will have just one day-and-a-half to trial the new car.

The first race of the 2023 season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, takes place a week later.

“It is a little bit unfair”, he told a group of journalists on Monday.

“This is the only sport in the world where you do one-and-a-half days practice and then you’re into a World Championship.”

While Alonso insisted he was keeping his “feet on the ground” this season, he did not rule out that his ultimate goal in his final years in the sport were to claim a third World Championship.

Fernando Alonso unhappy with limited testing time in new Aston Martin car

F1 news: Toto Wolff compares Lewis Hamilton to Tom Brady amid talk of new Mercedes deal

09:59 , Kieran Jackson

Toto Wolff insists Mercedes will “find the right time” to renew Lewis Hamilton’s contract as the team’s CEO compared the seven-time world champion to NFL legend Tom Brady.

Hamilton‘s reported £40m-a-year contract with the Silver Arrows expires at the end of the new season, though both parties have expressed their eagerness to extend beyond 2023.

The 38-year-old, who is entering his 11th season with Mercedes, failed to win a race last year - the first winless season of his career - but is optimistic that his team can challenge Red Bull and Ferrari at the front again after a 2022 plagued with issues.

And Wolff was relaxed when asked at the launch of Mercedes’ W14 car at Silverstone about Hamilton’s contract situation.

“We’ve done a few of these contracts in the past and they change little so it’s not usually complex apart from the obvious terms,” Wolff said.

“We’ve had a first chat but I don’t want to commit to any timeline because it’s not important for him and for us – it runs a full year and we’ll find the right time.

“He appears to me in great form, very positive - maybe the best I’ve seen in those 10 years after the winter.

“He knows what he has with the team, we got it wrong last year. The resources and capability is there, but we just need to continue to develop like last season. I don’t think it plays on Lewis’ mind any doubts that the team will perform. We will... eventually!”

Wolff compares Hamilton to Brady amid talk of new Mercedes deal

F1 news: Alpine launch A523 - and two liveries!

09:44 , Kieran Jackson

The French team also confirmed that a special pink livery will be used for the first three races of the season in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Alpine produced two car liveries at their launch in London, as the luxury brand of Renault look to build on an impressive fourth-place finish in 2022.

Team boss Otmar Szafnauer added: “The gap to third was big and we’ve got to close that gap.

“We need less DNFs, more points, hopefully some podiums and a lot closer to third than we were in 2022.” We will soon get to where want to be, and that’s fight for world championships.”

F1 news: Alpine stun audience with football icon Zinedine Zidane as ambassador

09:23 , Kieran Jackson

Alpine stunned onlookers at their car launch on Thursday evening when they introduced France and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane as an ambassador.

The French team, who have a new driver pairing this season with Pierre Gasly replacing Fernando Alonso to partner Esteban Ocon, revealed their A523 car in London last night, including a special pink livery which will feature in the first three races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Yet there was a further shock to come when the team introduced World Cup winner Zidane to the audience in Canada Water and he joins as a brand ambassador and sponsor of its equality opportunities programmes.

British Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Nicola Adams was also announced as a mentor for the team’s academy drivers.