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Schumacher targeting podium: ‘We’re allowed to dream!”

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Formula 1 newcomer Mick Schumacher believes that aiming for the podium is not out of the question in 2021.

The reigning Formula 2 champion will make his F1 debut for Haas F1 Team next month in Bahrain alongside fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin in an all-new line-up after the departure of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

Grosjean provided the team’s best result in 2020 with ninth place in the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. Haas’ only other points finish last season was at Hungary. Even so, Schumacher is already aiming for higher things.

“We have to be clear about what the car’s potential is,” he told Auto Motor Und Sport in an exclusive interview. “We have to be honest with ourselves and do our job.

  • Read also: Schumacher preparations for F1 debut hit by COVID

“The best thing would of course be to collect points,” he acknowledged. “And if there should be some crazy races like last year, maybe a podium will come out.

“Even if it is a bridging year for us, if the option arises and the spark of luck plays along, we will give everything to then use the luck and bring the results home.

“Sure that’s a dream, but we’re allowed to dream. But first and foremost we have to be realistic,” he added. “I’ll have to wait for the first couple of races to give an informed answer.

“I want to get used to the team very quickly so that I feel very comfortable and they get along with me,” he continued. “If we can do that, the results will come.

“Of course, I promise myself a lot from myself,” he admitted. “There is always pressure. I make it myself. I have expectations of myself.

©Haas

“I want to see a difference between the beginning and the end of the year, that I’ve developed, improved and worked with the team as well as I can. I want to build a relationship and achieve that we can move forward together.”

Schumacher was confident that it had been the right choice for him to start his F1 career at Haas rather than Alfa Romeo or Ferrari which had also been mentioned as possibilities.

“The decision was of course made together,” he said. “But in the end I personally have very little experience in F1,and Ferrari is extremely knowledgeable. They know the business, they know exactly what is best for me.

“[Haas] is not the biggest team, but in return they have a very direct line to their drivers. We are in contact very often, which is of course nice.

“It is also good to know or discuss what the team’s goals are. They work very well with their drivers. I also believe that a breath of fresh air will be very good for the team. Hopefully it motivates and lets us go well together.

“I felt at home straight away. Sometimes that takes longer. At Haas, the time had come after the first day, after the first meeting. I am happy to have stayed there. It is a good station to develop myself further.”

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

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Ricciardo samples McLaren MCL35M at Silverstone

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Daniel Riccardo took over from Lando Norris on Tuesday afternoon at Silverstone as the Aussie sampled McLaren’s new MCL35M during the team’s filming day at the British track.

Both drivers were forced to contend with predictably wet conditions as they conducted a thorough systems check of their new mount during their respective runs.

On Monday, at McLaren’s team launch at Woking, Ricciardo revealed he had signed a three deal with the papaya squad, a duration that attests to the 31-year-old’s commitment to McLaren and his hope of reaching his dream of winning the world championship.

“It’s three years [on the contract] so it’s certainly enough time to get this thing going,” Ricciardo said.

“Obviously, I feel I’m coming here with a bunch of momentum behind the team as well.

“We don’t have a crystal ball. Leaving Red Bull or leaving Renault, it’s obviously what I feel is right.

    Read also: McLaren MCL35M hits the track at Silverstone

“Do I know 100 per cent how it’s going to turn out? I don’t, but I certainly feel like McLaren have done the right things particularly the last few years to set themselves up for these rule changes coming in ’22.

“That kind of next era of F1 has the ability to turn the field around a little bit and everything I’ve seen and known up until now really excites me about where McLaren is heading.”

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Victor Li takes us to the wild west for New York Fashion Week

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We might be grounded until further notice as we all dream of traveling again, but until then Victor Li is here to fulfill the void with some domestic travel inspiration. The designer’s yearning for the beauty of what we can discover within America’s borders became a definitive part of artistic representation with the art form we live our lives in: clothes.

Li was inspired by the lingering picturesque landscape of Wyoming, which he reimagined onto fabrics, beginning with washed denim that mimics the erosion of granite and sand, layered with colors that reflect the plunge of clear water, and motifs from vintage postcards collected along the way. After five seasons of making a name for himself in menswear, fall/winter 2021 marked the launch of Li’s foray into womenswear.

Described as a “a suspension of time” Li’s collection was also inspired by the acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain. While most people don’t look to the Great Plains region of the United States for fashion inspiration, Li took the road often less fashionably traveled, and found a fashion statement. Motifs from vintage postcards collected along the way were interspersed through the overall collection. Silhouettes were both loose and free while simultaneously having elements of strong tailoring.

Denim was the most prominent fabric in the collection, fitting as also one of the most universal fabrics both domestically and globally. Denim appeared in many forms including raw, tie-dyed, and printed, and was accompanied by a liberal use of plaid and patterns throughout the collection. Life on a western ranch was taken and suspended in time.

For women, Victor Li’s debut offerings included cropped blazers cut close to the body and wrapped around the waist, jeans were done in boyfriend cuts with a rugged look, and the postcard prints were used for blazer-on-skirt look. Accessories are also becoming key to Li’s business, notably a saddle bag he created that took inspiration from a horse-riding trail bag, and the tool bag, a cross body bag that could also be worn on the waist.

Li took us to the wild west and showed us that in even the most humble of travel destinations, fashion inspiration can be found. Denim and western style might be all too familiar to us, but they were made more intricate and exceptionally attractive.

photos: courtesy of Agentry PR

FILA celebrates 110th anniversary by collaborating with British stylist Katie Grand

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Italian global sportswear brand, Fila, is celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2021. To honor its heritage, the brand is launching a unique collaboration with British stylist, curator, creative director, and founder of The Perfect Magazine, Katie Grand.

The new collection highlights the history, heritage, and spirit of the Italian brand by reinventing past looks from the Fila archive for a modern redesign.

Grand says Fila’s history in sports inspired her to focus on tennis, mountain, water, basketball, golf, and motocross when curating the collection.

The collaboration will be presented with a unique video, set to debut during Milan Fashion Week in later February.

“Fila is one of most enduring sportswear brands in existence, and their archive is phenomenal and extensive,” said Katie Grand in a press release.

“With shoes dating back to the eighties and the most amazing books full of illustrations by the designer Pierluigi Rolando – shelf upon shelf of them – it was super inspiring. I started with sports categories that Fila is known for and put archive pieces into themes. Then we worked on making the fit more contemporary.”

Gene Yoon, global chairman at Fila, added: “We will celebrate this milestone and Fila’s worldwide accomplishments throughout the year, beginning with a partnership with Katie Grand. This project will honor our legacy while modernizing iconic pieces for all generations of Fila fans. Fila’s evolution has been fueled by creativity in design, performance, and style. Our rich heritage includes unforgettable moments, epic victories, and legendary individuals who transformed sports and fashion.”

Fila will also launch a microsite for the anniversary. The interactive site will explore the brand’s influence in sport and style, highlighting the historical context of its most distinguished fashion creations and sports moments through an interactive timeline with photos and video footage.

photo: Fila press

Mazepin expects to be close to Schumacher in 2021

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New Haas recruit Nikita Mazepin says it will make little difference to his rookie season whether the new Haas car is any good, as he’ll be concentrating on his own transition to Formula 1.

Mazepin will make his F1 debut in Bahrain at the end of March. He’ll be joined at Haas by fellow newbie Mick Schumacher with the pair replacing the former line-up of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

“I’m very much looking forward to it,” the 21-year-old Russian told The Race website. “Graduating to F1, it’s going to be exciting, regardless of how the car is performing.

  • Read also: Schumacher preparations for F1 debut hit by COVID

“At this stage in my career, being a young driver, it’s irrelevant to talk about whether the car is good or not,” he suggested.

“My focus is on getting ready for F1. The car is very different to what I’m used to, and the calendar is going to be almost double what I’m used to.

“Those are the challenges that are ahead of me, and that’s my focus for now,” he added, while insisting that he wasn’t daunted by the task.

“I believe I’m ready for F1 and I want to show it to the team, first of all,” he said. “When you’re getting to F1 there’s usually only one shot at it.”

Mazepin said that it was vital that he not be out-performed by his new team mate. The pair spent the last two seasons competing against each other in Formula 2, with Schumacher successfully claiming the 2020 title.

“My job is to outperform my team-mate as always, and do the best I can, so the pressure is still there on my shoulders,” acknowledged Mazepin.

“I’m expecting to do well in regards the potential performance and speed of the car I’ll be racing, and I believe that me and my team-mate should be close within the lap times.”

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

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Alonso: ‘I’m ok and looking forward to getting 2021 underway’

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Fernando Alonso underwent surgery for a fractured jaw on Friday following his cycling accident, but the Alpine driver says he is feeling “ok” and “looking forward” to starting his 2021 season.

Alonso tumbled head over heals after colliding with a car while training near his home in Lugano, Switzerland on Thursday.

The Spaniard was immediately transported to a hospital where x-rays revealed a fractured jaw, the 39-year-old undergoing a “successful corrective operation” on Friday.

“Fernando Alonso was kept under observation in hospital in Switzerland,” read a statement from Alpine. “Medics discovered a fracture in his upper jaw and conducted a successful corrective operation. The attending medical team are satisfied with his progress.

“Fernando will remain under observation in hospital for a further 48 hours.”

The two-time world champion also posted a short message on social media to reassure his fans.

Meanwhile, a statement from the cantonal police in Lugano provided a detailed account of Alonso’s unfortunate mishap.

“The cantonal police report that yesterday [Thursday] just before 2pm in Viganello, a 42-year-old Swiss motorist domiciled in the Lugano area was driving in via La Santa in the direction of Pregassona,” read the statement.

“According to an initial reconstruction and for reasons that the police investigation will have to establish, while making a left turn maneuver to enter a supermarket parking lot, there was a collision with a 39-year-old Spanish citizen, who was riding his bicycle, as he was passing the column of stationary vehicles in the opposite direction on the right.

“The collision occurred against the right side of the car. On the spot agents of the cantonal police intervened and, in support of the police of the city of Lugano as well as the rescuers of the Green Cross of Lugano who, after having given the first care to the cyclist, transported him by ambulance to the Hospital. The 39-year-old suffered a fractured jaw.”

Alonso will be up and running with Alpine and behind the wheel of his new team’s 2021 contender on March 12 when pre-season testing kicks off in Bahrain.

The first round of the 2021 F1 World Championship will also take place at Sakhir on March 28.

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F1 aiming for ‘powerful and emotive’ engine for 2025

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Formula 1 has laid down the framework for the sport’s next generation power unit, ensuring the sport’s fans that the engine of tomorrow will be “powerful and emotive”.

Thursday’s virtual meeting of the F1 Commission yielding a unanimous decision to put a freeze on engine development from 2022, a decision that will allow Red Bull to move forward with its plan to take over Honda’s engine program.

But looking to the future, the sport’s chiefs, the FIA and the teams also agreed to target a 2025 introduction of F1’s next generation engine, a year earlier than originally anticipated.

    Read also: Formula 1 teams approve engine freeze from 2022!

To define the specification of its future power unit, which will rely once again on hybrid technology,
F1 said that “a high-level working group has been established including current and potential power unit manufacturers and fuel suppliers”.

“The definition of the objectives for the next generation of F1 car and Power Unit is of the utmost importance to the FIA and Formula 1, and together with teams and Power Unit manufacturers, there is strong alignment on the overall goals – particularly the need to reduce cost and reach carbon neutrality.”

The key objectives for the 2025 Power Unit are:

  1. Environmental Sustainability and social and automotive relevance
  2. Fully sustainable fuel
  3. Creating a powerful and emotive Power Unit
  4. Significant cost reduction
  5. Attractiveness to new Power Unit manufacturers

The words “powerful” and “emotive” will hopefully resonate with F1’s fans who often label the current V6 turbo hybrid engines as unexciting, especially compared to their loud and high-pitched, normally-aspirated V10 and V8 predecessors.

Raising the rev limit, increasing fuel flow or removing the MGU-H component that partly muffles the sound are but a few ways the engines could be made louder or more harsh-sounding.

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IMG releases final New York Fashion Week schedule

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The final schedule for New York Fashion Week: The Shows has been released by IMG. The event, which is schedule to take place next week from February 14 to 18, will see a slate of mostly virtual events with a few shows at Spring Studios. 107 designers from 14 countries will be participating in the upcoming iteration of NYFW.

A few first-time designers on IMG’s roster include Aarmy, Chaance, Colin Locascio, Frederick Anderson, Loring New York, Maison Asia, Maison Kitsuné, Marrisa Wilson, Nicole Benefield Portfolio, PizzaSlime, Sincerely Ria, Studio Amelia, Theo, Tombogo, and Victor de Souza. While some of these brands aren’t strangers to showing at New York Fashion Week, this will be their first affiliated with NYFW: The Shows, which is produced specifically by IMG.

Returning designers include Jason Wu, Veronica Beard, Alice + Olivia, Markarian, Tadashi Shoji, Badgley Mischka, Anna Sui, Monse, Adeam, Victor Glemaud, Rodarte, Anna Sui, Tanya Taylor, Anne Klein, Dennis Basso, Cinq à Sept, Jonathan Simkhai, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nicole Miller, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Cowan. Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff hold the distinction of being the only in-person shows.

IMG has also partnered with the Black in Fashion Council for showroom appointments for emerging Black designers in New York and Los Angeles. TikTok will also be the official editorial partner for TikTok Fashion Month. TikTok will feature both live and taped content from IMG and distribute it through various TikTok channels.

photo: via EB Consults Worldwide

Brown in favour of calendar rotation for more ‘sustainable’ F1 races

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McLaren boss Zak Brown believes a calendar rotation in F1 involving a quarter of the sport’s events would help some races become more sustainable in the future.

Formula 1 is set for a record-breaking 23-race schedule this season, at least if race promoters are spared any further disruption caused by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

Teams will kick off their campaign in Bahrain on March 28 and conclude the season in Abu Dhabi on December 5, a long stretch that will also include three triple-headers in the back half of the season.

Last year, new venues such as Portimão and Mugello successfully hosted their first ever Grand Prix while F1 returned to the Nurburgring and revisited Imola and Istanbul.

Among the new or revived venues, several have expressed their interest in being awarded a permanent slot on the sport’s calendar.

But despite this year’s packed schedule, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali recently alluded to a reduction of the number of races in the future and the possibility of rotating events moving forward.

©McLaren

Brown finds the prospect appealing as it would lighten the burden on team personnel but also introduce more variance into the calendar while allowing some events to become more cost-effective.

“I’d like to get to a place where we are rotating some races,” the McLaren Racing boss told Motorsport.com.

“I’m a big believer that if a good country wants a Grand Prix, that’s a great thing. I think the more countries we race in, the better.

“That being said, I think there’s two things to consider with the size of the schedule. There’s first and foremost is your people. It’s a brutal schedule.

“And then the other is the scarcity of the races. If you look at NFL, there are I think 16 regular season games, and three or four play-offs. The Olympics is massively popular, that’s every four years, as is the World Cup.

“We know some Grands Prix tail off over time, and so actually if you didn’t make it an annual thing, but every two years, would some of those grands prix be actually more sustainable because you don’t have the burn-out?”

    Read also: Domenicali aiming for fans in F1’s grandstands in 2021

Brown sees an F1 world championship built around 20 events as “ideal”, with a quarter of the races rotated each year.

“In our ideal world, you would do 20 grands prix per year,” he said.

“Maybe there are 25 markets, and maybe 15 of those are fixed events, because there is a commercial reality of this sport.

“You do have to balance all of the various interests, and we do need to get the sport to add up.

“I’d like to see there be a day where we’re in 25 markets, 15 core grands prix, and 10 other races – five of them are one year, and then five the next year.

“You might create more sustainable venues in some of those instances because people will go, ‘oh, it’s only around every two years, so I don’t want to miss it next year’.”

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Tommy Hilfiger announces key partnerships to drive minority representation

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Tommy Hilfiger has announced key partnerships with its People’s Place Program to champion Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) in fashion to advance underrepresented communities.

The American fashion brand, owned by PVH Corp., said the first of its partnerships will see it joining forces with Harlem’s Fashion Row and The Fashion and Race Database on several initiatives. Both organisations the company added were chosen to help it lead the way on engaging year-round with “recognised leaders who are known for championing inclusion and diversity”.

Tommy Hilfiger, principal designer at Tommy Hilfiger Global, said in a statement: “The People’s Place Program is a cornerstone in our efforts to open the door to everyone who has been left out by fashion. This welcoming spirit has always been at the heart of our brand, and we are here to do more and to do better.”

The People’s Place Program was launched in July 2020, drawing inspiration from Hilfiger’s very first store of the same name established in 1969 in his hometown of Elmira, NY. The initiative aims to amplify the company’s efforts and dedication of resources to increasing opportunities and visibility for underrepresented communities within the fashion and apparel industries around the world.

The platform acts through three pillars: Partnerships and Representation, Career Support and Industry Access, and Industry Leadership – to achieve meaningful, long-lasting change, explains the company.

Tommy Hilfiger joining forces with Harlem’s Fashion Row and The Fashion and Race Database

The Fashion and Race Database is an online platform created by Kim Jenkins, assistant professor of fashion studies at Ryerson University that expands the narrative of fashion history and challenges misrepresentation within the fashion system. The database is an educational resource that brings the focus back on people who previously had been hidden in the margins of fashion history.

The People’s Place Program will partner with the Fashion and Race Database to fund and support a new research study called ‘The Unsung History of American Sportswear’ to uncover overlooked influences from Black American culture on signature Tommy Hilfiger styles. Throughout 2021, the research will be developed into content series and educational resources that will be available internally, and to industry peers and consumers. The material will be designed to engage with audiences about the unrecognised areas of American style and to open a new dialogue on how marginalised history can come forward through purposeful collaborations in the industry.

“The Fashion and Race Database is thrilled to partner with an American company like Tommy Hilfiger and its namesake brand, a vibrant piece of fashion history,” said Jenkins. “As a professor and founder of the database, it has been my mission to urge brand owners to embrace what fashion education has to offer the industry. Tommy Hilfiger understands and respects the power of this learning, and is leading the charge, showing its peers what is possible in building a more intelligent and compassionate fashion system.”

The research will include a detailed examination of American sportswear through a study of denim, the cotton trade, origins of preppy style at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the sartorial expression of social activist moments, streetwear culture, and additional categories that will come to life through the Fashion and Race Database’s research.

Randy Cousin, SVP, product concepts and People’s Place Program, added: “This critically timed relationship will support the Fashion and Race Database’s goal to centre and amplify radicalised fashion scholarship, illuminate under-examined histories and address representation throughout fashion.”

The second partnership will be with Harlem Fashion Row, a New York-based agency founded by Brandice Daniel in 2007 to champion the advancement of people of colour in the fashion industry.

Tommy Hilfiger will be a supporting sponsor for Harlem Fashion Row’s 3rd Annual Digital Fashion Summit, taking place on February 18, 2021. Hilfiger and Cousin will join Daniel to discuss how the company is working towards creating more access and opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of colour in the fashion industry.

The American brand will also partner with Harlem Fashion Row to identify ways for emerging talent to receive mentorship and network with internal teams as well as industry insiders.

Commenting on the partnership, Daniel, founder and chief executive of Harlem Fashion Row, said: “We are delighted to partner with Tommy Hilfiger on the Annual Digital Fashion Summit to highlight solutions and practices for diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry.

“With our collaborative effort, we aim to address and implement change. Addressing the concerns takes a long-term commitment and we acknowledge the steps that Tommy Hilfiger is taking, and we are elated about their upcoming plans to provide opportunities for designers of colour.”

In addition, Tommy Hilfiger said that it would be using its global reach to bring communities together to drive positive change through its spring campaigns for both its mainline and Tommy Jeans. Each campaign will feature a diverse cast of social, cultural and creative influencers, including activists, musicians, poets, dancers, and filmmakers.

This month, Black talent, including musician and producer Saba, and the horse riding and mentorship collective Compton Cowboys, will take over the brand’s social media channels to highlight significant moments in Black American history and celebrate the people and culture that inspire them every day.

Over the summer, Hilfiger will launch collaborative capsule collections with actor, model and activist, Indya Moore, and fashion designer and longtime mentee of Hilfiger, Romeo Hunte.

Avery Baker, president and chief brand officer at Tommy Hilfiger Global, added: “We are determined to continue putting real action behind our words. Equity and inclusion cannot be achieved through short-term recognition; we have to bring them to the forefront every day.”

Images: courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger