Last world champion: Jacques Villeneuve, Williams, 1997 Last Grand Prix winner: Jacques Villeneuve, Nurburgring, 1997 Last Grand Prix starter: Jacques Villeneuve, BMW, Hockenheimring, 2006 Last Grand Prix: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, 2008 Canada is a new addition to the ‘lost nations’: Its Grand Prix has just been cancelled, and it had a former world champion … Continue reading Formula 1’s lost nations: Canada
Keith Collantine's articles on RaceFans
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing.
F1 links: Concern over diffusers
Posted onTeams to seek diffuser clarification “The diffusers at the rear of the Williams FW31 and the Toyota TF109 appear to exceed the maximum height of 175 mm at their peak through clever aerodynamic shaping of the rear crash structure. Although both teams are confident that their designs are within the regulations, rivals outfits have expressed … Continue reading F1 links: Concern over diffusers
2009 F1 cars: Hot or not? (Poll & Video)
Posted onThere’s been a huge amount of fuss over the looks of the 2009 F1 cars. Do you welcome the return to smooth sidepods? Do the wings still look out of proportion to you? Cast your vote below…
Formula 1’s lost nations: USA
Posted onLast world champion: Mario Andretti, Lotus, 1978 Last Grand Prix winner: Mario Andretti, Lotus, Zandvoort, 1978 Last Grand Prix starter: Scott Speed, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Nurburgring, 2007 Last Grand Prix: Indianapolis, 2007 Although F1 has never been hugely popular in America, and probably never will be, it has a small but dedicated following in the … Continue reading Formula 1’s lost nations: USA
F1 links: Raikkonen rally video
Posted onKimi Raikkonen at the Arctic Lapland Rally Video and photos of Kimi Raikkonen in the Arctic Lapland rally. Technical Briefing With Charlie Whiting Charlie Whiting explains the 2009 rules. But don’t be surprised if he suddenly changes his mind about them… I hope India hosts F1 race by 2011: Karthikeyan ‘”It is just possible. Now … Continue reading F1 links: Raikkonen rally video
Another disgraceful judgement which puts the future of British motor sport at risk
Posted onCroft in Yorkshire is the latest British motor racing circuit to have its future threatened by a stunningly unjust piece of lawmaking. The Yorkshire circuit, which re-opened in 1994, will have to pay almost £1m after losing an appeal against local residents who complained about the amount of noise at the circuit. It will also … Continue reading Another disgraceful judgement which puts the future of British motor sport at risk
The new safety car rules are an improvement but could still go wrong
Posted onThe final 2009 F1 rules published by the FIA a few weeks ago revealed that the much-derided ‘pit lane closure’ rule, which ruined several drivers’ races in 2007 and 2008, is finally being dropped. But today the it has revealed that instead of returning to the pre-2007 safety car rules, drives (and fans) will have … Continue reading The new safety car rules are an improvement but could still go wrong
Quiz: Can you name that race?
Posted onI’ve just finished putting together lap charts for each of the races from 2008 to go into the statistics section. But then I hit upon the idea of turning them into a quiz. How many of last year’s races can you name by looking at the lap charts? Let anorak battle commence!
Formula 1’s lost nations: Argentina
Posted onIn the first instalment of a six-part series we take a look at countries that have produced world champions – but now have neither Grand Prix drivers nor races in modern Formula 1. These are F1’s lost nations. Last world champion: Juan Manuel Fangio, Maserati, 1957 Last Grand Prix winner: Carlos Reutemann, Williams, Zolder, 1981 … Continue reading Formula 1’s lost nations: Argentina
F1 links: The Chain
Posted onThe Chain letter “We – the undersigned – are writing an open letter to you, urging you to once again use that part from Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain as the title music to your Formula One coverage that begins this year on BBC One.” Hot from Guildford – the new James Allen Grand Prix Legends’ … Continue reading F1 links: The Chain
Mario Theissen: a profile
Posted onSome time ago Becken suggested on Skribit that I write a profile of Mario Theissen. I’d been meaning to dor it during the off-season and with BMW revealing their 2009 car last week now seemed the time to get around to it. You can find the Mario Theissen biography in the Who’s who section here: … Continue reading Mario Theissen: a profile
Which team got the best start to 2009?
Posted onThe verdict of the technical writers in the British specialist press seems to be that McLaren’s MP4-24 is the most impressive of the 2009 F1 cars. But with BMW stealing an early lead on testing mileage, which team has got the new year off to the best start?
F1 links: Cartoons
Posted onBlack Flag Archive I’d not seen Gurmit’s cartoons in a while – have had a good rummage through the archive and a chuckle :-) Dodgy driving standards in GP2 Asia (Video) “GP2 racers are supposed to be the Formula 1 drivers of tomorrow (although, in Yamamoto’s case, he’s a Formula 1 driver of yesterday).They and … Continue reading F1 links: Cartoons
Dodgy driving standards in GP2 Asia (Video)
Posted onTwo drivers are side-by-side down a straight at speeds pushing 150mph. Then one driver swerves across and pushes the other straight off the track. Surely he was disqualified? Had his licence ripped up? Massive fine? Not in GP2 Asia, where a worrying lapse in stewarding has taken place.
Video: Carroll and Jani share honours at Taupo (A1 Grand Prix)
Posted onAdam Carroll converted pole position into victory in the A1GP sprint race at Taupo in New Zealand, increasing Ireland’s lead in the championship. Video highlights from the sprint race can be viewed above. He was followed home by Switzerland’s Neel Jani – who then reversed the positions in the feature race, leading Carroll home. It … Continue reading Video: Carroll and Jani share honours at Taupo (A1 Grand Prix)
Top Britons in F1 according to The Times
Posted onThe Times put together a Sporting Power 100 over the last six weeks. Six names made it onto the list, which focussed on “most influential people today in British sport.” Who made the list and, just as important, who didn’t?
F1 links: “We could sue the arse off them”
Posted onBernie Ecclestone bucks the trend in drawing up plans to avoid another Honda Bernie Ecclestone: “I always said we should give all those fancy engineers gold-plated consoles and send them off somewhere to play. That’s all they do anyway and it would be far cheaper. We could get the real job done. If the manufacturers … Continue reading F1 links: “We could sue the arse off them”
2009 F1 testing notes: January 24th
Posted onBMW completed the first test of its F1.09 in Valencia today. The team has now completed a greater distance with its 2009 F1 car than any of its rivals have with theirs. Here’s some notes and pictures from the test.
Perez cruises to Bahrain sprint race win
GP2 Asia
Posted onSergio Perez took his first victory in GP2 Asia with a straightforward lights-to-flag drive from pole position at the Bahrain International Circuit. The Campos driver was chased to the flag by Davide Valsecchi, whose second place moves him up to second in the drivers’ standings. Kamui Kobayashi, who won yesterday’s feature race, was sixth and … Continue reading Perez cruises to Bahrain sprint race win
Williams gets £14.5m from Ecclestone
Posted onWilliams told the world it had the budget in place to compete in F1 in 2009 and 2010 at the launch of its FW31 earlier this week. But the true scale of its financial plight has been made clear as it emerged that part of that money came in the form of a £14.5m advance … Continue reading Williams gets £14.5m from Ecclestone