2023 Formula One Season

The 2023 Formula One Season, formally known as the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship, was the 74th season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the premier single-seater racing series sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.
==Entrant==
The following constructors and drivers are under contract to compete in the 2023 World Championship. All teams are due to compete with tyres supplied by Pirelli. Each team is required to enter at least two drivers, one for each of the two mandatory cars.
===Entry List===
====Free Practice Drivers====
Across the season, each team must field a driver in a free practice session who has not raced in more than two Grands Prix, on two occasions, once in each car. The following drivers were entered at selected events to drive in free practice:
Constructor	 	Driver 	Round(s)
 	98	Théo Pourchaire 	20, 23
 	21	Nyck de Vries* 	1
 	41	Isack Hadjar 	20
 	61	Jack Doohan 	20, 23
 	34	Felipe Drugovich 	14, 23
 	39	Robert Shwartzman	14, 23
 	50	Oliver Bearman 	20, 23
 	42	Frederik Vesti 	20, 23
 	81	Oscar Piastri* 	1
 	29	Patricio O'Ward 	23
 	36	Jake Dennis 	23
 	37	Isack Hadjar 	23
 	2 	Logan Sargeant* 	1
 	45	Zak O'Sullivan 	23
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Notes:
The appearances of Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant and Nyck de Vries for their debuts at the each counted as one of the mandatory sessions for , and , respectively. Liam Lawson's debut at the did not count, as Nyck de Vries had already taken the mandatory free practice slot for that car.
===Changes===
This season saw the following changes from the season:
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*Sebastian Vettel retired at the end of the season, ended his Formula One career after 16 seasons.
*Fernando Alonso, who left after two seasons, replaced the empty seat due to Vettel’s retirement.
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*Daniel Ricciardo left after two seasons. He had a contract to drive for the team in 2023, but it was terminated during the 2022 championship by mutual agreement.
**His seat was filled by Piastri, who made his Formula One debut.
*Andreas Seidl left the team after four seasons.McLaren boss Seidl joins Sauber as Chief Executive Officer - Formula1.com Retrieved 13thDecember, 2022
**His seat was replaced by ’s Executive Director of Racing, Andrea StellaMcLaren promote Andrea Stella to Team Principal role as Seidl leaves for Sauber - Formula1.com Retrieved 13thDecember, 2022
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*Nikita Mazepin was under contract to compete on the 2023, but contract was terminated due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
*Mick Schumacher left after two seasons.
**His seat was taken by Nico Hülkenberg, who last competed full-time in Formula One in with former team .
*MoneyGram joined as their new titled sponsor.
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*Nicholas Latifi left after spending three seasons with the team.
**His seat was filled by Logan Sargeant, who made his Formula One debut by graduating from Formula 2, as well as becoming the first American Formula One driver to compete since Alexander Rossi in with former team Marussia.
*Team principal Jost Capito and Technical director François-Xavier Demaison left the team.Williams part ways with Team Principal Capito and Technical Director Demaison ahead of 2023 season - Formula1.com Retrieved 12thDecember, 2022
**Capito’s place was replaced by former strategy chief James Vowles
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*Pierre Gasly, who had a contract to drive for , moved to , replacing Alonso. 
**The replacement was initially announced as the 2021 Formula 2 Champion and reserve driver Oscar Piastri. Shortly after the announcement, Piastri stated that he had not signed a contract for 2023 and that he would not be driving for . The FIA Contract Recognition Board ruled that he did not have any contractual obligations to race for .
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*As Gasly left to join 
**his place was replaced by the 2020–21 Formula E and 2019 Formula 2 Champion Nyck de Vries.
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*Frédéric Vasseur left his role as Team principal and Sauber Motorsport CEO in January 2023.Vasseur to leave role as Alfa Romeo Team Principal next month - Formula1.com Retrieved 13thDecember, 2022
**No replacements of his place in has been announced.
*Andreas Seidl will join Alfa Romeo/Sauber Motorsport as Chief Executive Officier.
**Alessandro Alunni Bravi joined the team as Team Representative’ to assist Andreas Seidl through the season Alfa Romeo appoint Alessandro Alunni Bravi as ‘Team Representative’ to assist Andreas Seidl during 2023 F1 season Formula1.com Retrieved 26thJanuary, 2023
*Stake joins as new titled sponsor.
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*Mattia Binotto left his position as Team principal at the end of season.Ferrari confirm Mattia Binotto has resigned as Team Principal - Formula1.com Retrieved 29thNovember, 2022
**His place in was replaced by Fred Vasseur from January 2023.Vasseur to replace Binotto as Ferrari Team Principal - Formula1.com Retrieved 13thDecember, 2022
==== ====
 returned as a named engine supplier to Red Bull Racing and , with both teams' engines badged as . While Red Bull Powertrains had planned to take over assembly and maintenance of the engines from this championship onwards, it was later agreed that would continue its technical support of Red Bull Racing and until the end of .
=== Mid-season changes ===
Nyck de Vries was relieved of his driving duties for after underperforming in the first ten races of his rookie season. His seat was filled by Daniel Ricciardo from the onwards. Ricciardo raced with the team in the and seasons, being known at the time as .
However, during the Dutch Grand Prix, only his third race of the season, Ricciardo broke a metacarpal bone in his left hand in a crash during the second practice session. As a result, Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri's reserve driver Liam Lawson made his Formula One debut at the race. Lawson continued to substitute in for Ricciardo at the Italian, Singapore, Japanese and Qatar Grands Prix. Ricciardo returned for the .
==Calendar==
===Testing===
Pre-season testing took place in Bahrain.
No. 	Test 	Circuit 	Date
Pre-Season Test 	Pre-Season Test 	Pre-Season Test 	Pre-Season Test
1 	2023 Bahrain Test 	Bahrain International Circuit	23-25 February 2023
Post-Season Test	Post-Season Test 	Post-Season Test 	Post-Season Test
2 	2023 Abu Dhabi Test	Yas Marina Circuit 	28 November 2023
===Car Launch Schedule===
The car launch schedule for each team are as below:
Team	Car 	Date 	Time of Day	Location 	Source
 	VF-23 	31st January, 2023 	14:00 	Online 	
 	RB19 	3rd February, 2023 	13:00 	Downtown New York, Online Stream on YouTube	
 	AMR23 	13th February, 2023	19:00 	Their new base located in Silverstone 	
 	MCL37 	13th February, 2023	19:00 	Technology Centre; Online 	
 	AT04 	11th February, 2023	 	Downtown New York 	
 	FW45 	6th February, 2023 	13:00 	Online 	
 	 	14th February, 2023	 	 	
 	F1 W14	15th February, 2023	 	Silverstone 	
 	A523 	16th February, 2023	 	Downtown London 	
 	C43 	7th February, 2023 	10:00 	Downtown Zurich 	
*Italic words on the car name represents the car launch only consist of the 2023 version livery on the teams’ car, the actual car will be released on the 2023 Bahrain Test.
*See here to see all car launches via video.
===World Championship Schedule===
The 2023 calendar featured twenty-three Grands Prix.
*S represents a sprint race will be a part the race weekend
*2 represents the weekend that Formula Two joined Formula One as a supporting series
*3 represents the weekend that Formula Three joined Formula One as a supporting series
*A represents the weekend that F1 Academy joined Formula One as a supporting series.
* represents the weekend that Porsche Supercup joined Formula One as a supporting series.
====Calendar expansion and changes ====
*The Qatar Grand Prix was scheduled to return to the calendar, after last being held in .
* The Qatar and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were initially planned to be moved to new, purpose-built circuits, before being retained in Lusail and Jeddah, respectively.
*The Las Vegas Grand Prix has made its debut, with the race being held in November on a new street track across the Las Vegas Strip. It was the first Grand Prix held in Las Vegas since the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix. Three races were held in the United States for the first time since the season.
*The Russian Grand Prix was planned to be on the 2023 calendar. It was originally meant to switch its venue from the Sochi Autodrom to Igora Drive, in Novozhilovo, located about from Saint Petersburg. However, the Grand Prix had its contract terminated in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
*The French Grand Prix was not featured on the 2023 calendar although the promoters of the Grand Prix stated that they would aim for a rotational race deal by sharing its slot with other Grands Prix. 
*The Chinese Grand Prix was on the initial 2023 calendar (after last being held in 2019), however the race was cancelled in December 2022 due to "ongoing difficulties" with the COVID-19 pandemic in China. A replacement race was considered, but did not come to fruition.
*The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix set to take place at the Imola Circuit as the sixth round of the championship, was cancelled due to torrential flooding in the region.
==Regulation changes==
=== Technical regulations ===
==== Changes to reduce porpoising====
Following large amounts of porpoising during , the FIA proposed to introduce changes to the regulations to limit excessive porpoising. Floor edges was being raised by and the throat of the diffuser was also being raised, by a yet to be determined amount. The diffuser edge stiffness would be increased and an additional sensor would be mandated to monitor the porpoising phenomenon more effectively. Lateral floor deflection tests are more stringent.
====Changes to roll hoop design regulations====
Following Zhou Guanyu's crash at the 2022 British Grand Prix, a rounded top is now being required on the roll hoop, which reduce the chance of it digging into the ground during an accident; a change had been made to ensure a minimum height for the point of application of the homologation test; there is a new physical homologation test where the load pushes the roll hoop in the forward direction; there is a definition of new tests, to be carried out by calculation.
====Banning of use of slot gap separators on front wings====
The FIA altered the wording of the aerodynamic regulations, after produced a front wing which exploited a potential loop-hole in the regulations. Mercedes introduced slot gap separators on their front wings at the 2022 United States Grand Prix, although they did not intent to run them at the event. Rival teams argued that the new front wing was illegal. Mercedes argued that the regulations allowed slot-gap separators as they were "primarily" there for "mechanical, structural or measurement reasons", and therefore any secondary aerodynamic benefit would be allowed. The FIA ruled that the brackets were illegal at the following 2022 Mexico City Grand Prix, and changed the wording of the regulations to avoid other teams using a similar argument in the future.
====Mirror size changes====
The size of the mirrors had been increased for better rearward visibility.
==== Weight and fuel temperature allowance changes====
The allowed weight of cars was decreased by compared to 2022, from to . The allowed weight of power units whad been increased for 2023 from to In addition, teams have been given more flexibility in cooling fuel mixture where fuel temperatures are now allowed to be at a minimum of , down from in 2022, or below ambient temperature when cars are operating outside designated garage areas.
===Sporting regulations===
With the intention of making tyre usage more sustainable in the future, Formula One trialed a reduction in allocated tyre sets from 13 to 11 at two races in 2023. At these races the use of tyres in qualifying was mandated as hard in Q1, medium in Q2 and soft in Q3, only if the weather is dry. Teams are usually free to choose which tyre compound they run during qualifying.
====Tyre Compount Tweaks ====
Pirelli announced a change to the available tyre compounds for 2023, with a compound to be inserted between the old C1 and C2 compounds. This change is supposed to provide teams with more flexible strategy options after criticism towards the original C1 compound for a large drop in grip compared to the other tyres., the selection is as follows:
These are the eight Formula One tyre compounds supplied by Pirelli for the 2023 season
 	Compound Details 	Compound Details 	Compound Details 	Compound Details 	Compound Details 	Compound Details 	Tyre Size 	Treading 	Driving Conditions 	Speed 	Grip 	Durability
C0 	 	Hard<BR>(White) 	 	 	 	 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	6 - Slowest 	6 - Least Grip 	1 - Most Durable
C1 	 	Hard<BR>(White) 	 	Medium<BR>(Yellow) 	 	 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	5 	5 	2
C2 	 	Hard<BR>(White) 	 	Medium<BR>(Yellow) 	 	Soft<BR>(Red) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	4 	4 	3
C3 	 	Hard<BR>(White) 	 	Medium<BR>(Yellow) 	 	Soft<BR>(Red) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	3 	3 	4
C4 	 	 	 	Medium<BR>(Yellow) 	 	Soft<BR>(Red) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	2 	2 	5
C5 	 	 	 	 	 	Soft<BR>(Red) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Slick<BR>(No Treading) 	Dry 	1 - Fastest 	1 - Most grip 	6 - Least durable
- 	 	 	 	Intermediate<BR>(Green) 	Intermediate<BR>(Green) 	Intermediate<BR>(Green) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Treaded 	Wet (light standing water) 	- 	- 	-
- 	 	 	 	<BR>(Blue) 	<BR>(Blue) 	<BR>(Blue) 	Front: 305/720-18<BR>Rear : 405/720-18	Treaded 	Wet (heavy standing water) 	- 	- 	-
Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli. 	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.	Source: "F1® tires ". Pirelli.
==== Budget Cap Adjustments====
The budget cap had been reduced to $135 million. It was originally set at $140m in before it was being increased to $142.4m to account for inflation.
There was only three days of pre-season testing, a reduction from 2022 when there were six days.
====Sprint events====
 
The sprint format had ran at six Grands Prix starting this season, compared to three in and . It had took place at the Azerbaijan, Austrian, Belgian, Qatar, United States and São Paulo Grands Prix.
To accommodate the sprint events, a fresh weekend format was introduced, departing from the one used in and . The revamped schedule kicks off with a single practice session on Friday, followed by the all-important qualifying session to determine the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix. On Saturday, a thrilling new qualifying session, Sprint Shootout, replaces the former second practice session. This session is solely responsible for establishing the grid positions for the Sprint.
The Grand Prix itself still takes place on Sunday, but the build-up and anticipation were heightened by the intense Sprint Shootout on Saturday.
In contrast to the traditional qualifying, the Sprint Shootout qualifying features shorter durations for each phase. Q1 lasts for 12 minutes, Q2 for 10 minutes, and Q3 for a nail-biting 8 minutes. Additionally, a fresh set of tires was mandatory for each phase of the Sprint Shootout. Teams must use medium tires for Q1 and Q2, while the high-performance soft tires are reserved for Q3, adding a strategic twist to the proceedings.
Ahead of the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, the FIA modified the rules for tire usage during the Sprint Shootout. Race Director, Niels Wittich, announced the revised rule for Article 30.5 h) iv), to:
Ultimately, this allowed teams to use a used set of tires in Sprint Shootout.
==== Enactment of political gestures====
The FIA's International Sporting Code has been updated for 2023 to include stricter controls on drivers and teams making political statements with a new article 12.2.1n introduced stating that drivers and teams must receive FIA permission before conducting a political statement or protest and that any protest without permission would be considered a breach of the FIA's neutrality rules. The move was widely seen as response to acts such as Lewis Hamilton wearing a t-shirt in support of police-killed black-American woman Breonna Taylor on the podium at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix. The FIA stated this update to the ISC was done to move it in line with the ethical principles of political neutrality laid out by the International Olympic Committee, which gave formal recognition to the FIA in in the Olympic Charter.
====Points====
=====Grand Prix=====
The point scoring system would remain unchanged for 2023, and would continue to follow the FIA's standardized system:
2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Points Table
1st 	2nd 	3rd 	4th 	5th 	6th 	7th 	8th 	9th 	10th 	FL
25 	18 	15 	12 	10 	8 	6 	4 	2 	1 	1
=====Sprint=====
The sprint point scoring system would remain unchanged for 2023:
2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table	2023 FIA Formula One World Championship Sprint Race Points Table
1st 	2nd 	3rd 	4th 	5th 	6th 	7th 	8th 	 	 	
8 	7 	6 	5 	4 	3 	2 	1 	 	 	
=====Points awarded for shortened races =====
The 2022 sporting regulations only specified that races ended early by a red flag used a points system that gradually increased points awarded based on the completed race distance. This caused confusion at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, where full points were awarded despite less than 75% of the scheduled distance being completed, as the race ended under green flag conditions. The wording of the regulation has now been amended: all races where less than 75% of the race distance is completed now use the sliding scale system to determine the points being given, regardless of whether they finish under red or green flag conditions. This rule change satisfies the original intention of the gradual scale points system when it was introduced in 2022.
===Relaxation of COVID-19 protocols=== 
The FIA announced that they would take further steps to relax COVID-19 safety protocols that were first introduced in . These relaxing of restrictions is likely to include the removal of the need for proof of vaccination for those working in the paddock. The FIA had previously dropped the requirements for mandatory face masking and mandatory COVID-testing in .
=== Financial regulations===
The budget cap has been reduced to 135 million USD. It was originally set at US$140 million in before being increased to US$142.5 million to account for inflation. It was initially agreed by the F1 Commission to increase the cost cap by US$1.2 million to account for additional costs caused by the increased number of races. The commission subsquently agreed to adjust to the level of future cost cap increases to US$1.8 million per race when a calendar is over twenty-one races to account for the greater costs of flyaway races compared to European races. Teams have also agreed give the FIA easier access to factories when cost cap audits are being carried out in order to more easily ensure that teams adhere to the cost cap. A winter shutdown of factories was introduced alongside the existing summer shutdown.
==Season summary==
=== Pre-season===
===Opening rounds===
===Mid-season rounds===
===Closing Rounds===
==Season Results==
===Testing ===
Test 	Track 	Date 	Fastest Driver	Team	Time
Bahrain 	Bahrain International Circuit	Feb 23 - Feb 25	Sergio Pérez 	 	1:30.305
Abu Dhabi	Yas Marina Circuit 	Nov 28 	Esteban Ocon 	 	1:24.393
===Race Results===
===Championship Standings===
====Drivers' World Championship====
The full results of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship for Drivers are to be outlined below:
====Constructors' World Championship====
The full results of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship for Teams are to be outlined below:
===Head-to-head: Team-mate Comparisons===
All informations in this table was being obtained from the Instagram posts being released by Formula One and the championship results table above. 
|}
===Pole Position Trophy===
The driver who scores the most pole positions over the course of the season won the 2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award:
Rank 	No. 	Driver 	Constructor 	Poles 	Events
1 	1 	Max Verstappen 	 	13 	BHR • AUS • MCO • ESP • CAN • AUT • GBR • BEL • NED • JPN • QAT • BRA • UAE
2 	16 	Charles Leclerc 	 	4 	AZE • USA • MEX • LAS
3 	55 	Carlos Sainz, Jr. 	 	2 	ITA • SIN
3 	11 	Sergio Pérez 	 	2 	KSA • MIA
4 	44 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	1 	HUN
Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®	Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®	Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®	Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®	Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®	Source:2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award | Formula 1®
==See Also==
==References==
Category:Formula One Seasons
Category:2023 Formula One Season