The FIA has expressed disapproval of the plans proposed in favor of manufacturing wheel covers for F1 cars to provide better stability and visibility for drivers in wet weather conditions. F1 cars have been struggling to run on the tracks under wet conditions in most circuits of the calendar.
Mercedes and Ferrari have tested solutions for wet weather conditions at Silverstone and Fiorano, respectively. The Italian outfit has hence proposed a solution that would cover most of the tires to avoid splashing water on the wheels, but the FIA disapproves of this idea due to its impracticality.
The impracticality is that such a system would allow for more water splashing by the rear diffuser of the cars, which would have further negative implications. Keeping the safety and practicality of the situation in mind, the FIA was forced to abandon the wheel guard plan altogether.
What we thought we’d do is try to do a total wheel cover, even beyond what would be practical, to see what the maximum we can possibly achieve with that is—in order to see whether that is the solution or not. The previous wheel cover test [at Silverstone last year] was way, way too flimsy and too small. And therefore, I don’t think it was ever going to work. And while they do have a bit of an effect, they don’t have a significant enough effect to say that that’s the solution. Therefore, we are back to square one. FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis told Autosport
The FIA now stands at square one after unconvincing solutions were pitched to them. They will now carry out further testing and formulate newer ideas for the wheel cover to make racing in wet conditions easier in F1.
The FIA has addressed the issue of teams putting out liveries that look similar and discussed reforms to counter the same. The liveries of the teams this season feature a lot more use of carbon fiber and the black color, due to lesser weight distribution purposes.
And another issue is that some teams seem to use similar colour schemes, so they end up with cars that maybe look visually quite close to each other. We’re discussing it still with the teams, and it will be discussed in the next F1 Commission. We need to get to some process where teams in some way or other communicate with each other and say: ‘Well, if your car is blue here, mine will not be blue there.’ Or something like that. FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis told Motorsport.com
The FIA single-seater director discussed the usage of similar color schemes in addition to black in cars due to the use of excessive carbon fiber to reduce the weight of the car. The FIA also talked of the possibility of guidelines being put together, which will prevent conflict over similar color schemes.
The regulatory body of F1 will now ensure that the teams do not produce liveries that look the same to maintain the identity and support of the fans. The teams will look to comply with that wholly for next season, which will produce new and exciting liveries in the eyes of the supporters and the drivers.
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Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is expected to miss most of training camp due to a leg injury, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. Johnson was placed on the non-football injury list when veterans reported to Chicago for camp. He suffered the injury during offseason training, according to Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Johnson is coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl and is headed into the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal. He has dealt with a number of injuries over his career, playing no more than 15 games in a season over the first four years of his career. In 2024, he played a full season for the first time, starting all 17 games with a career-high 1,032 snaps. An extended absence into the regular season would force Chicago to find another starting cornerback among their veteran depth, but Poles said that the team is not “overly concerned” about a long-term injury. “We’ve got a lot of faith that he’s going to put in the time to rehab and be his full self when he comes back,” said Poles on Tuesday. 2023 fifth-rounder Terell Smith will likely step into a first-team role in Johnson’s absence. Chicago largely relied on a cornerback trio of Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon last year; Smith is the only remaining defensive back on the roster who played at least 150 snaps on the boundary for the Bears in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. Offseason signings Nick McCloud and Tre Flowers may also see a bump in reps over the coming weeks as Johnson rehabs his leg with his eyes on returning for the Bears’ Week 1 opener against the Vikings.
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to search for different ways to improve the roster, one area where the team needs help is depth. This could see Toronto's front office explore multiple options to bring more talent to the team. And it seems that the Maple Leafs are being linked with a former All-Star to help bolster the team. That would be veteran Max Pacioretty, who spent this past season with the Maple Leafs. Toronto and reportedly have mutual interest in a reunion, but nothing has come about yet. Pacioretty was rumored to be retiring earlier in the offseason, but it seems that he could return for another season. The veteran only played 37 games for the Maple Leafs this past season, mainly due to injury. With the Maple Leafs, Pacioretty scored just five goals and put up eight assists. Since his time on the ice was limited, the veteran may want to come back to prove he can still produce. This would give Pacioretty a chance to go out on his own terms, rather than leaving following an injury-riddled season. Pacioretty would give the Maple Leafs some needed depth, and he could play an important role in the backend of the lines. While the veteran isn't the same player that he once was, he could still give this team a jolt if he can stay healthy. But whether he decides to return or call it a career remains up in the air. However, it seems that if he does return for next season, the Maple Leafs may be the only team that he considers.
The Cleveland Guardians are quite a mystery heading into the MLB trade deadline, as no one seems to know whether they will buy, sell or possibly even do nothing before July 31. The Guardians are hovering around .500, but they are still smack dab in the middle of the American League Wild Card race. That's in spite of losing 10 straight just before the All-Star break. Even with Cleveland remaining in contention, there are some who believe the Guardians might sell given their conservative nature, but talk show host Bruce Drennan has provided some rather bad news for the team in that regard: the players they might want to move don't have much value. “No top prospects for a big bat, and I don’t necessarily see us selling players, like Carlos Santana or Lane Thomas. What can you get in return?” Drennan said. Drennan has a point. Santana and Thomas are both impending free agents, and neither has been all that good this season. Santana owns a .665 OPS, and Thomas has been on and off the injured list while hitting just .160 on the year. Of course, the Guardians would surely be able to land a hefty return for players like Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase, but it does not seem like Cleveland is going to move either of those two stars. Perhaps the Guardians will surprise some people and go all in by adding pieces at the deadline, but that isn't exactly in their nature. We'll see what happens before the end of the months, but it stands to reason that Cleveland might just stand pat, as Drennan anticipates. Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage
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