It’s becoming clear from what the drivers are saying about the Circuito Urbano Valencia that it’s not a typical street track. Here’s a look at a lap of the circuit and some of the ways in which it seems more like Montreal than Monaco and other famous street circuits.
Month: August 2008 articles archive
Robert Kubica: the driver debates
Posted onRobert Kubica: he’s just won his first Grand Prix, he’s a megastar in his native Poland, and he’s still only 13 points off the world championship lead. Whether or not he’s world championship-winning material hardly seems to be a debate any more. But who will he driving for in the future, and what is his … Continue reading Robert Kubica: the driver debates
F1.com should offer more to F1 fans
Posted onF1.com, Formula 1’s official site, has a lot going for it. The live timing during F1 sessions is invaluable and it has some insightful news and features particularly on technical developments. But it falls far short of what it could provide in terms of interaction with fans, providing F1 video or other useful material. Here’s … Continue reading F1.com should offer more to F1 fans
Tom Onslow-Cole punts Jason Plato into the barriers (BTCC)
Posted onThe TV commentators sucked their teeth and said things like “ooh, it’s a bit hard to tell what’s happened from that angle.” What garbage. They were looking at footage of a collision between Jason Plato and Tom Onslow-Cole in this afternoon’s third British Touring Car race at Knockhill. Plato is chasing Fabrizio Giovanardi (Onslow-Cole’s team … Continue reading Tom Onslow-Cole punts Jason Plato into the barriers (BTCC)
Top ten closest F1 race finishes
Top Ten
Posted onHere’s the ten closest finishes to a proper F1 race, including Grands Prix as long ago as 1954, and as recent as 2002.
Lucas di Grassi: Is he F1 material?
Posted onI keep a close eye on the GP2 championship as it is clearly the best series for spotting future F1 drivers. Plus, it’s very entertaining racing. Last season’s champion Timo Glock has already made an impact on F1 but the man he beat to the title, Lucas di Grassi, didn’t make much of an impression … Continue reading Lucas di Grassi: Is he F1 material?
Get a picture next to your name
Posted onYou may have noticed a tweak to the comments at F1 Fanatic. Some users now have small pictures, usually called avatars, next to their names. These are Gravatars (‘globally recognised avatars’) and you can get one yourself which will appear on this site and any other site that uses the same system. They also work … Continue reading Get a picture next to your name
Mika Hakkinen: How good was he?
Posted onMika Hakkinen was the last driver to deliver a world championship for McLaren, winning the 1998 and 1999 titles back-to-back along with 20 Grands Prix. How do we now view his accomplishments, seven years after his retirement? Was he the radically quick racer who even Michael Schumacher had to give best to? Or a competent … Continue reading Mika Hakkinen: How good was he?
100 F1 race winners: statistics
Posted onTo finish our look at the 100 different driver to have won a Grand Prix here’s a statistical breakdown of the different winners so far. Which country has won the most Grands Prix? What’s been the longest stretch without the same driver winning twice? Who won his home race the most? Find out below.
Drivers and teams explain how they prepare for the Valencia street track
Posted onThe European Grand Prix next weekend will be held at a new circuit for the teams: the Circuito Urbano Valencia in Spain. The venue is so new it only held its first race a few weeks ago, so how are the teams preparing for this leap into the unknown? Here’s what Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg, … Continue reading Drivers and teams explain how they prepare for the Valencia street track
What cricket fans have to say about F1 as the BBC turns its back on them
Comment
Posted onMost British F1 fans I know are delighted the sport will return to the BBC next year. But many cricket fans have reacted with anger to the news last week that their sport of choice will no longer be on the same channel – and lashed out at the corporation taking the F1 rights instead. … Continue reading What cricket fans have to say about F1 as the BBC turns its back on them
GP3 to support F1 in 2009?
Posted onAn article on an Italian website appears to suggest that the International Formula Master series could be re-named GP3 in 2009 and support Formula 1 at five rounds. The site allows you to roughly translate the article from Italian into English (see the button at the top of the page) because if anyone out there … Continue reading GP3 to support F1 in 2009?
100 F1 race winners part 10: 2001-2008
Posted onThe final part of F1 Fanatic’s guide to the first 100 Grand Prix winners.
How the end of Nigel Mansell’s F1 career led to the start of Lewis Hamilton’s
Posted onNigel Mansell fans would probably like to forget the embarrassing end to his career in 1995 with McLaren. After sponsors Marlboro encouraged Ron Dennis to sign the star, Mansell missed the first two races because he couldn’t fit in the car. Once that was sorted he only appeared for the team twice before refusing to … Continue reading How the end of Nigel Mansell’s F1 career led to the start of Lewis Hamilton’s
Should Ferrari, McLaren or BMW throw their efforts behind one driver?
Posted onMathematically the drivers’ championship could still be won by anyone. Realistically, it’s likely to go to a Ferrari or McLaren driver, or just maybe one of the BMW duo. At present all three teams are operating equal status policies for their drivers. But as we saw at the end of last season the earlier a … Continue reading Should Ferrari, McLaren or BMW throw their efforts behind one driver?
100 F1 race winners part 9: 1993-2001
Posted onDavid Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello, who scored their first wins in 1995 and 2000 respectively, are the first active drivers in this series looking at F1’s 100 race winners. Plus two famous one-hit wonder of the mid-90s: Jean Alesi and Olivier Panis.
F1 2009 driver rumours: Sato and Sutil
Posted onTwo new rumours surrounding next year’s F1 drivers have emerged. Takuma Sato has been tipped for a comeback and Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella look likely to stay on at Force India for 2009.
More insight into FOTA
Posted onDoctorvee has been extolling the virtues of the Inside Line Podcast so I upgraded it from the ‘stuff I download but never get around to listening to’ (dozens of different shows) to ‘stuff I actually do listen to’ (about three). And I’m glad I did. A couple of weeks ago we looked at the teams’ … Continue reading More insight into FOTA
100 F1 race winners part 8: 1982-1993
Posted onF1’s 79th Grand Prix winner was the man who would go on to win more races than anyone in the history of the sport: Michael Schumacher. With the likes of Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell doing so much winning in the late eighties there were only three new winners between 1985 … Continue reading 100 F1 race winners part 8: 1982-1993
100 F1 race winners part 7: 1977-1982
Posted onJackie Stewart’s record of 27 victories stood for 14 years until Alain Prost surpassed his mark. The French driver would go on to win four championships and 51 races. Two other champions of the eighties covered in this part of the guide to F1 race winners are Alan Jones and Nelson Piquet. Jones won their … Continue reading 100 F1 race winners part 7: 1977-1982