Ferrari’s team boss Binotto does not conclude that the arrival of Hamilton is certain, but does admit that the fact Hamilton praises Ferrari hasn’t gone un-noticed saying: “Lewis? His appreciation makes us proud.”

The new Ferrari will be unveiled on the 11th February and Binotto, team principal of the Ferrari team, has announced that date recently along with the future of the Prancing Horse driver lineup.

Of course, Leclerc has renewed until 2024 while Vettel has only one more year of contract.

 

It is inevitable to talk about Hamilton, multiple Mercedes champion, who has recently made an appearance at Ferrari, namely with both the president of Ferrari, and Enzo Ferrari’s son. As a result, speculation is rife.

“Lewis is a fantastic driver and the fact that he has expressed appreciation for our team makes us proud”, Binotto’s words to Sky Sports. In short, no closure to the reigning World Champion, yet.

As for the new driver line up, during the leadup to the Christmas period, TJ13 reported that the the CEO of Ferrari, Louis Camilleri, admitted during the Christmas dinner that the team would likely announce their driver lineup for 2021 and beyond in May 2020.

 

“I think that our decision about the composition of our drivers for 2021 will be taken at the beginning of May 2020, around the Spanish Grand Prix.” says Camilleri.

Already one part of that particular puzzle has been clarified with the announcement just before Christmas of Charles Leclerc’s contract extension beyond 2021 – Leclerc will be driving with the team until 2024.

 

“I am very happy to be staying on with Scuderia Ferrari,” said Leclerc. “This past season, driving for the most illustrious team in Formula 1 has been a dream year for me.

“I cannot wait to enjoy an even deeper relationship with the team after what has been an intense and exciting 2019, I’m keen to see what the future holds and I can’t wait to get going again next season.”

Binotto is also pleased with the situation, saying that Leclerc has been with the Ferrari team for a long time already (as part of the junior programme), and is happy that together they will build the future of Ferrari going forward.

“With each passing race this year, our wish to extend our contract with Charles became ever more self-evident and the decision means he will now be with us for the next five seasons,” said Binotto.

“It demonstrates that Charles and the Scuderia have a firm future together.

“Charles has been part of our family since 2016 and we are more than proud of the results we are achieving with our Academy.

“We are therefore very pleased to be able to announce that he will be with us for many years to come and I’m sure that together, we will write many new pages in the history of the Prancing Horse.”

 

 

On This Day in F1: December 26, 1959 – The Debut of Jim Clark and Ford-Cosworth

Water colour country. Here the hills
rot like rugs beneath enormous skies
and all day long the shadows of the clouds
stain the paddocks with their running dyes.

Tasmania ~ Vivian Smith

Four entwined exhaust pipes emerged in the wake of the front left wheel, melded themselves into one entity, and purposefully snaked their way along the side of the car. An elongated front nose, adorned with four foil-covered air intake funnels, followed by a curvaceous tail-end further declared the car’s racing heritage.

As the lone front-engine car in a field of more modern machinery, it was like a single scarlet tulip surrounded by a kaleidoscopic array of roses…both beautiful, but the sleek, bulbous lines of the first exquisite. It could have been a Vanwall, but it was red, and no self-respecting Vanwall owner would ever adorn their car in the hated colour of the enemy…… READ MORE ON THIS STORY

 

 

 

 

An important Christmas F1 message!

For our Christian readers, TJ13 wishes you a very happy Christmas. Regardless of religious (or non religious) beliefs, we wish you the very best of the holiday season and a happy new year.

We also wish to thank you for your contributions, shares and comments on our posts. As always, we’re on the lookout for new contributors so please register your interest using the ‘join us’ link in the menu above.

 

 

 

We will be back to provide more F1 content soon. I sincerely hope you will join us for 2020.

In the meantime, maybe enjoy some of Mr E’s Christmas card collection in the gallery below. 

All the best!

The Judge 13.

 

 

The latest, funny Christmas card to F1 from Ecclestone

Somewhat of a tradition during his tenure as the Formula 1 ‘ring-master’, Bernie Ecclestone has continued to send satirical Xmas cards, posting amusing current affair style cards to F1 team bosses, journalists and the general officialdom of the paddock.

Last year saw his take on the Chase Carey and Liberty Media takeover of the sport, the team bosses plotting away whilst Carey and the FIA president, Jean Todt, chatting away oblivious to it all. Meanwhile, Ecclestone looks on from afar in a private box housed in the Grandstands.

 

For 2019, we see Ecclestone take some serious piss out of the sport, highlighting a seemingly inexhaustive list of rules and regulations the drivers must adhere to in order to race in the driver stewards meeting.

Perhaps this is the former boss of F1 take on the coming prescriptive direction he believes the Liberty lead, FIA sanctioned, ‘scripted’ sport has and will continue to become.

The cards from previous years have always contained hidden messages and warnings, and this year appears to be keeping in that fine ‘Bernie’ tradition. 

Merry Christmas Bernie Ecclestone

 

 

 

Previous years of Bernie Ecclestone funny & satirical Xmas cards

To look at Ecclestone’s other cards, TJ13 has compiled a gallery going back to 2013.