Formula 1
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F1’s wheel cover tests to resume next year after teams seek delay
The FIA has been evaluating ways of adding covers to wheels in rainy conditions to help minimise spray being thrown up, which can severely restrict visibility.Trials of an early design tested at Silverstone earlier this year did not deliver the results hoped for, with the conclusion being that the first iteration concept failed to cover enough of the wheel. A second, bigger design has been in...Keep reading -
Vasseur: Ferrari F1 team mustn’t think Red Bull has a “magic bullet” to replicate
Ferrari finished the 2023 season in third place in the world championship, some 454 points behind Red Bull, who won all but one grand prix last season - with Carlos Sainz interrupting its streak in Singapore.Vasseur stressed that the Maranello outfit has to improve in every area in order to chip away at the advantage that Red Bull has, rather than focus on replicating one major gain the world...Keep reading -
The McLaren secrets revealed in a 60th birthday celebration
McLaren’s impressive development across the 2023 Formula 1 season was a timely boost as the legendary team marked its 60th birthday. It’s not taken a title since 2008, but McLaren is still second on two of the most important F1 metrics: grand prix wins and drivers’ titles.To celebrate the team’s rich history, a 60th anniversary celebration was organised and co-hosted by former long-term...Keep reading -
Ocon switches to “war mode” after “wasted opportunity” in F1 2023
The Frenchman also insists that he will switch to “war mode” next year with an even greater focus on his racing and fewer distractions out of the cockpit.Highlights of Ocon’s year were starting and finishing third in Monaco, and earning fourth place in Las Vegas from 16th on the grid.However, he also suffered a series of non-finishes during the season, several of them after contact with...Keep reading -
Marko: Tension and money prevent Hamilton/Verstappen F1 driver line-up
Speculation about such a move erupted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when it emerged that earlier this year Hamilton’s father Anthony had suggested in a conversation with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner that he touch base with the seven-time champion. It is understood that Horner did try to contact Hamilton about an informal chat, but the message never got through as he had used an old mobile...Keep reading -
Susie Wolff: Insulting allegations rooted in “intimidatory and misogynistic” behaviour
Wolff has found herself in the spotlight after the FIA issued a statement on Tuesday night saying its compliance department had opened an investigation into a potential conflict of interest between an F1 team principal and a member of FOM personnel. It relates to what the governing body says was a suggestion that confidential information had been passed on. Although the governing body did not...Keep reading -
Mercedes rejects “unsubstantiated allegations” against Wolff
The FIA announced on Tuesday that its compliance department was investigating a potential conflict of interest over the passing of information between a member of FOM personnel and a team principal. "The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel,” said the statement...Keep reading -
F1 says allegations of Wolff wrongdoing are “wrong”
The FIA announced on Tuesday night that its Compliance Department had opened an investigation into potential breaches of the governing body's regulations.While not naming Susie and Toto Wolff directly, a statement declared that an F1 team principal and member of FOM personnel were to be investigated following a media report. "The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of...Keep reading -
FIA opens compliance investigation into potential Wolff conflict of interest
The dramatic development comes after the FIA felt it needed to act on complaints from F1 team principals regarding the activities of the couple.Toto Wolff is the team principal of Mercedes, while Susie is the managing director of the F1 Academy, which is run by F1's commercial rights holders.It is understood there have been concerns that the pair are privy to information that would not normally be...Keep reading -
Madrid closing in on F1 grand prix deal from 2026
Current proposals are to race in the Spanish capital from 2026 until 2035 on a course laid out around the IFEMA convention centre in the northeast of the city, close to its Madrid-Barajas international airport.The five-kilometre parkland circuit would use the IFEMA pavilion complex and fairgrounds, which is often used for exhibitions and conferences, as its start-finish straight and the site of...Keep reading -
Sainz outlines SF-23 car traits Ferrari must replicate in 2024 F1 season
The SF-23 proved most competitive in qualifying, with Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc combining to land seven grand prix pole positions.That one-lap success was partly enabled by Red Bull paying close attention to race pace to then pull clear over a longer stint, although Ferrari eased the pressure by struggling to manage the tyres.Unlocking the Pirellis is where Sainz believes Ferrari...Keep reading -
Miami and China join sprint race roster for F1 2024
While discussions between teams and series bosses about an overhaul of the sprint format for next year are ongoing, FOM has finalised the location of the six events that will take place next season.While Austria, Circuit of the Americas, Brazil and Qatar already featured on this season’s sprint schedule, two of the events have been swapped out.Baku and Spa will revert to a normal grand prix...Keep reading -
Albon says 2023 was his strongest season in F1
Albon logged all but one of the team's 28 points, making the top 10 seven times in grands prix, and also scoring in a sprint race.He started in the top six at Zandvoort, Monza and Las Vegas, and his only real mistake came when he spun off in Australia, although first lap incidents in Japan and Brazil were also costly.He frequently took advantage of the car's good straightline speed to successfully...Keep reading -
Alonso: 2023 my best F1 season alongside 2012 Ferrari title miss
Alonso took fourth in the 2023 drivers' championship, finishing ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on countback and one point ahead of McLaren man Lando Norris, as Aston Martin's AMR23 enabled him to take regular podiums in the early part of the year.The 2005 and 2006 world champion claimed a podium in six of his eight first races at the Silverstone outfit, after switching from Alpine over the...Keep reading -
F1 champion Verstappen says 'Alonso only wants to return to Le Mans if it's with me'
Two-time F1 world champion Alonso competed in endurance racing during his sabbatical from F1, winning Le Mans twice in 2018 and 2019 with Toyota's LMP1 team as well as taking a World Endurance Championship crown.He hasn't ruled out going back to the French endurance classic in the future even while he is still active in F1.After this year's running he said: "I may go. I did the endurance world...Keep reading -
Sauber breaks tradition by revealing 2024 UK F1 launch
In its various guises, Sauber has launched its cars in Austria, Germany and, most often, Switzerland, with the 2023 C43 unveiled in a joint ceremony in Zurich and the team’s headquarters in Hinwil.But the outfit has never lifted the covers in the UK, something that will change ahead of the 2024 season.Speaking at the Autosport Awards, Bravi said: “On the 10th of December, as soon as the FIA...Keep reading -
Mekies: Gardening leave avoided “intensity” of in-season F1 team switch
Mekies will officially join the soon-to-be-renamed Faenza outfit on January 1. He will work alongside CEO Peter Bayer in a two-man arrangement as former boss Franz Tost heads for retirement.Former Ferrari sporting director Mekies remains a Maranello employee until the end of this month, but he has been on gardening leave and has not worked since the summer break.He believes that the time off has...Keep reading -
Bottas: All-new Sauber F1 car concept for 2024 “looks interesting”
In its last season under the Alfa Romeo name, the Swiss outfit slumped from sixth to ninth in the world championship, scoring only 16 points.Bottas says the team realised that it had reached the end of the line with its 2023 car and that an all-new approach was needed as a revised design team starts to gel under technical director James Key.“I'm glad that it's over now,” said the Finn of the...Keep reading -
How to be an ace engineer: Engine designer John Judd
To most people, the scenario facing John Judd in 1988 would be a fitting dictionary definition of stress.For its entry into Formula 1 as an engine manufacturer, the Engine Developments company he’d co-founded with Jack Brabham had undertaken to supply three teams, including Williams following its split with Honda. Its high-profile alliance with the reigning world champion outfit meant Engine...Keep reading -
Perez opens up on F1 2023 slump - "I cannot be this bad, something's going on"
It feels like ages ago since Perez lived up to his once-valid 'street race king' moniker and won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, cutting team-mate Max Verstappen's lead to just six points as he vowed to take the 2023 title fight all the way.His pole in the subsequent Miami Grand Prix, with Verstappen down in ninth on the grid, was a chance to underline those credentials, but as the Dutchman scythed...Keep reading -
Tsunoda pays tribute to “biggest supporter” Tost after AlphaTauri F1 exit
Tost has spent 18 years at the helm of the Faenza outfit formerly known as Toro Rosso. In its role as a Red Bull junior team, Tost has notably presided over Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.He was also a big backer of Tsunoda, who in 2024 will contest his fourth season for the team. The current AlphaTauri racer reckons Tost’s “backup” was key...Keep reading -
FIA will wait until 2026 to act on F1’s outwash 'loopholes'
F1’s move to the current ground-effect rules set in 2022 was prompted by a desire to allow cars to follow much closer to each other. One of the core features of the regulations was to minimise teams pushing airflow away from the car and tyres – known as outwash – because this wake disturbance contributed to a loss of downforce for pursuing cars. But as teams have got to grips with the...Keep reading -
Why Palou’s latest IndyCar contract flip infuriated McLaren
When Jean Alesi entered Formula 1 in the middle of 1989 with Tyrrell, he sought three-time world champion Nelson Piquet’s counsel over what he needed to do to look more professional, so he’d fit in with the F1 paddock. “Get a briefcase,” was Piquet’s sage advice, to which Jean replied: “But I don’t have anything to put in it.”Fast forward to the following season, and his heroic...Keep reading -
Alfa Romeo focused on WEC switch after ruling out staying in F1
The Italian manufacturer’s title sponsorship deal with the Sauber team came to an end at last weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, following a successful six years together. And while Alfa Romeo was linked with a possible tie-up with Haas instead, and did speak to the American-owned outfit, negotiations never got very far. Now, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has explained to...Keep reading -
Vasseur: Verstappen mistakes will come if he’s put under pressure in F1
He stressed that the Italian team didn’t push the Red Bull driver hard enough this year.Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races over the course of this season, missing out twice to his team-mate Sergio Perez in early races, and then to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz when Red Bull had an off-weekend at the Singapore GP in September.PLUS: The hidden joy in Verstappen's 1000 F1 laps led recordThe Dutchman...Keep reading -
Why Williams F1 team keeping Sargeant makes more sense than you think
A 22-0 whitewash in qualifying, and 27-1 points split are the bare numbers behind Sargeant's first season relative to team-mate Alex Albon. Sargeant was comprehensively overshadowed after being promoted earlier than expected when other options to replace Nicholas Latifi fell through.Looking purely at results, which is what F1 is all about, Williams could have been expected to jettison the...Keep reading -
Hamilton: F1 diversity hasn't moved "anywhere near as much as it should have"
Last weekend’s 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale marked four years since an end-of-year team photoshoot - which he noted for a lack of diversity - prompted the Mercedes driver to eventually establish of The Hamilton Commission, a programme which works to improve the representation of Black people in UK motorsport.The Hamilton Commission officially launched in June 2020 and then a year...Keep reading -
Ricciardo “reborn” and “re-energised” after F1 return
Having concluded his McLaren contract a year early at the end of last season, Ricciardo joined the Red Bull camp as a test and reserve driver for 2023.His opportunity to race for AlphaTauri came when AlphaTauri dropped rookie Nyck de Vries after a difficult start to the season.Ricciardo's return was interrupted by the hand injury he suffered in a crash in practice at Zandvoort that ultimately...Keep reading -
Super Formula champion Nojiri completes maiden F1 outing in 2021 Red Bull
Nojiri, who is a factory driver for Honda, got behind the wheel of the 2021 title-winning RB16B at Mobility Resort Motegi on Saturday as part of the Sakura marque’s annual end-of-the-year celebrations.Nojiri’s maiden run in a grand prix car was described by Honda as a “reward” for the 34-year-old, who won back-to-back titles in Super Formula driving for Team Mugen in 2021-22.Carrying Red...Keep reading -
Sargeant continues with Williams for 2024 F1 season
Following an up and down rookie campaign with Williams, which saw him secure one point, Sargeant did enough to convince the Grove-based outfit that he was worth sticking with.He will line-up alongside Alex Albon once again after a season where the pair helped Williams secure seventh place in the constructors’ championship.Speaking about his new contract, Sargeant said: "I am thrilled to be...Keep reading -
Ferrari cannot repeat mistake of "too high" expectations for F1 2024 - Vasseur
After being the only team to put Red Bull under pressure in 2022, there was optimism in the Ferrari camp that it would be able to draw level and fight for the title.But the Scuderia received a blow at the start of 2023 when it turned up with a car in Bahrain testing that fell short of those expectations and struggled on race pace, especially on hot, high-downforce circuits.And, while team...Keep reading -
Pirelli goes softer for F1 2024 Australian Grand Prix
With the Italian company electing to stick with its current tyre specification for next year, teams are already well-versed on their behaviour. So, with little more to understand about the different tyres, Pirelli has already committed to its compound choices for the opening three grands prix of next season.Having decided against having a sixth C0 compound – the hardest in its selection in 2023...Keep reading -
McLaren: Rate of learning most impressive part of Piastri's "exceptional" F1 season
Piastri's stellar junior series credentials and the tug-of-war between McLaren and Alpine over his services made his debut one of the most highly-anticipated rookie campaigns in years.ANALYSIS: The real story behind Piastri's F1 move to McLarenA low-key start to 2023 for McLaren prevented Piastri or Lando Norris from grabbing headlines, but the unflappable Australian soon delivered on his promise...Keep reading -
A rising star's first day in an F1 car
The day began like many others at Silverstone do, especially in late October: damp and grey. But, unlike most others, this day marked a first. For Luke Browning, stepping into a Formula 1 car for his maiden outing, this was the culmination of a lifetime’s work.On his climb through the ranks of the British junior series, from Ginetta Junior to British F4 (which he won in 2020) before his move up...Keep reading -
Hulkenberg: Haas weakness disguised by F1 rivals’ early struggles
Haas scored all but one of its 12 points in the first five races of the year, with a best of seventh place earned by Hulkenberg in the high-attrition Australian GP.The German said that once rivals began to develop their cars Haas slipped back and its issues – notably with overheating tyres in races – became more obvious."Obviously, it was a process, and signs were there early in the season,"...Keep reading -
F1 needs more flat-out races like Qatar - Wolff
Drivers have increasingly complained about needing to manage overheating from the Pirelli tyres, with the rubber prone to thermal degradation, which forces them to back off in search of cooler air.PLUS: How Vegas thriller exposed the real enemy of racing in Formula 1Pirelli is aware of an issue it said it is down to teams developing the aerodynamics of their new ground-effect cars far more than...Keep reading -
Friday favourite: The long-standing F1 team-mates who crashed Todt's car
The careers of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger feel entwined, given their five Formula 1 seasons as team-mates and simultaneous moves from Ferrari to Benetton for 1996.Berger rejoined Ferrari for 1993 after three years at McLaren, having previously spent three seasons at the Scuderia. Ironically, given the genial relationship that lay ahead, Alesi immediately viewed the arrival of Berger - by now an...Keep reading -
Horner: No 'Pink Mercedes' risk in Red Bull/AlphaTauri F1 collaboration
As part of a revamp that Horner has helped provide input to, a relaunched and renamed AlphaTauri team in 2024 will forge closer ties with its sister team – and take more Red Bull parts than it has done recently.But the new closer alliance has raised eyebrows in the paddock amid concerns that the collaboration will deliver both teams an advantage – as they can share development ideas and...Keep reading -
AlphaTauri to address side-effects of low-speed prowess with 2024 F1 car
The Anglo-Italian squad grabbed attention with its raft of steady floor upgrades in recent months, that according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella had made the AT04 the best car in low-speed corners by the season finale in Abu Dhabi.It allowed the team to have a late go at Williams for seventh in the constructors' championship, but from sixth on the grid a one-stop gamble for Yuki Tsunoda didn't...Keep reading -
Piastri: F1 2023 a bigger rollercoaster than expected
After a difficult start with a car that wasn’t competitive, he took advantage of the team’s mid-season upgrades to make a strong impression in the second half of the year.He twice made the podium in grands prix, finishing runner-up in Qatar and third in Japan, while also logging a memorable victory in the sprint event at the former.He ended the year in a respectable ninth place in the F1 world...Keep reading -
Stephanie Carlin joins McLaren F1 as business operations director
Carlin, who was team principal of Rodin Carlin’s Formula 3 and F1 Academy Teams as well as fulfilling a similar role at Team X44 in Extreme E, will oversee a range of activities in support of McLaren’s F1 operations.Her position will also include involvement in McLaren’s participation in the 2024 F1 Academy season. She starts in January and will report directly to McLaren team principal...Keep reading -
Wolff praises Leclerc for not ‘pulling the handbrake’ in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The fight for second in the constructors’ championship between Mercedes and Ferrari went down to the wire in the season finale. In a late but ultimately unsuccessful bid to thwart Mercedes, Leclerc allowed a penalised Sergio Perez to overtake in a bid to prevent George Russell landing a podium.Leclerc wanted Perez, handicapped by five seconds for tagging Lando Norris, to pass and build a gap so...Keep reading -
Hamilton admits to self-doubt and how Abu Dhabi 2021 did prompt retirement thoughts
The seven-time champion has undergone a challenging two years with the Mercedes squad, which has found itself unable to regularly match the pace of the dominant Red Bull outfit. Those competitive struggles have also come straight off the back of the controversy from the end of 2021, where the FIA’s mishandling of a safety car restart at that year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ultimately cost Hamilton...Keep reading -
The Olympian who saved Brazil's F1 race
Not only was the race saved at its traditional venue, albeit with the new name of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it has now had its future secured until at least 2030.The man responsible is promoter Alan Adler, who was unknown in racing circles until 2020. He brought with him vast experience of running major sporting and entertainment events in Brazil, as well as – through unusual circumstances –...Keep reading -
Naked Bottas calendar raises $150,000 for charity despite his mum’s concerns
Bottas has also admitted that his mother was initially confused by his decision to strip until she was assured that the aim was to raise funds for charity, specifically prostate cancer research.The calendar resulted from the interest in prints Bottas sold last year and was put together by photographer Paul Ripke.An initial run of 10,000 was quickly sold out via www.bottass.com, so more were...Keep reading -
Horner: 2021 shows our F1 dominance is no guarantee for next year
Mercedes dominated the 2020 season by winning 13 out of 17 races, including 11 victories for world champion Lewis Hamilton.Red Bull finished a distant second with two wins for Max Verstappen, but caught up in 2021 which led to the most dramatic title showdown in recent memory.Red Bull won all but one race in 2023, as Verstappen romped home to his third consecutive world title. Meanwhile, the team...Keep reading -
Gasly: Hamilton would have gone straight if he didn’t hit me in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The pair made contact early in the race, leaving Gasly with diffuser damage that cost him downforce and lap time.The FIA stewards looked at the incident, but opted to take no action. Explaining their decision they noted: “Car 10 locked its front right tyre into Turn 6 resulting in that car approaching the turn on a slightly different line at a slightly lower speed, which was obviously unexpected...Keep reading -
Norris: McLaren on right track for F1 2024 challenge
McLaren missed its winter development targets and started the campaign poorly, with neither driver scoring a point in the first two races. But led by a three-stage car upgrade phased in from the Austrian Grand Prix, the team emerged as the second-fastest outfit behind runaway constructors’ champion Red Bull.PLUS: How McLaren revamped its F1 team to become a contender againThose gains enabled...Keep reading -
How long is an F1 race? Laps, time, distance and more explained
Formula 1 fans will notice that every grand prix lasts both a different number of laps and length of time, which makes it unlike some other motor racing categories in the world.This is because the series runs to a specific distance rather than amount of time - like the Le Mans 24 Hours, 12 Hours of Sebring and more - due to the various circuits its calendar holds. This is to ensure every race is...Keep reading -
What’s behind the AlphaTauri floor that has upset F1 rivals
But the extent of its progress got some of its rivals’ backs up, amid concerns that its ever-closer relationship with sister team Red Bull could be helping both teams gain an unfair advantage. While there are no suggestions the Red Bull squads are doing anything against the regulations, it is clear teams can benefit from closer collaboration when it comes to optimising development paths. That...Keep reading
