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Alpine's Push to Join F1's Elite
Mike Elliott is joining Alpine F1 Team from Mercedes as the new Chief Technical Officer, leading all technical and engineering functions at the team's Enstone factory.
He is one of the most experienced and highly regarded experts in F1, and Flavio Briatore had to overcome plenty of obstacles to secure his services. Elliott has worked with Renault, McLaren, and most recently Mercedes, where he served as Chief Technical Officer.
His track record speaks for itself. He has been part of every one of Lewis Hamilton's World Titles with Mercedes and McLaren, as well as Nico Rosberg's title with Mercedes — contributing to 8 Drivers' Championships and 8 Constructors' Championships across his career.
This is a clear statement of intent from Alpine. Gasly's pole at Monza showed the car has real pace. With Elliott on board, fighting the top four regularly is now expected very soon.
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Can Ferrari Do a Mercedes Monza in Baku?
Ferrari are expected to take an engine penalty for Charles Leclerc this weekend. Baku is one of the best tracks for overtaking — with the longest straight on the calendar — so a recovery drive is possible. Vasseur himself has hinted Baku "should go quite well" for this scenario.
The SF-26 has always been strong on street circuits. Its chassis and aerodynamics are a genuine benchmark, and the car has been compensating for a horsepower deficit all year. Baku's tight corners and long straight will test both strengths and weaknesses.
Baku has a habit of producing chaos — and opportunity. With an engine penalty likely and a car that thrives on street tracks, this could be Ferrari's best chance to strike back — and replicate what Mercedes did with Kimi at Monza.
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Will Hadjar be rusty in Baku?
After three races as a spectator, Hadjar will be back in the cockpit from Thursday.
Baku is a street circuit that demands confidence and precision. Hadjar still has a point to prove on street circuits after his crash in Miami earlier this year — a moment he'll want to put behind him. But there's reason for optimism: his solid podium in Monaco proved he can deliver on tight, unforgiving tracks. That performance should give him the belief he needs.
The bigger picture, though, is clear. Hadjar has missed three races and he can't afford to ease back in. Red Bull needs him close to Max immediately — no more than two tenths off. That's the standard. That's the expectation.
Just two tenths of a second. So easy to say, so difficult to achieve — with an F1 car, on a city course, millimetres away from the concrete walls, against one of the all-time greats.
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