Is Giancarlo Fisichella right to be this optimistic about Force India?: Looking at everybody’s lap times I believe we will not have a car that will be last anymore. His boss certainly thinks so – Colin Kolles reckons the team will make it into the second part of qualifying in Melbourne in three Saturday’s time. … Continue reading 2008: Force India
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.
A first for F1Fanatic.co.uk
Posted onI’ve just finished reading Alan Henry’s new book “The Top 100 F1 Drivers of All Time” – I’ll be posting the review as usual on Sunday. But I got a pleasant surprise when I flipped through the back pages and found the publishers had printed a portion of my review of Mark Hughes’ “Lewis Hamilton: … Continue reading A first for F1Fanatic.co.uk
Spygate and racism: F1 back in the news (updated)
Posted onEvery major British newspaper has at least one Formula 1 story in it today – and they aren’t good news for the sport. McLaren boss Ron Dennis’s home has been raided as the spygate investigations intensify. Two days ago a report in Spanish newspaper Marca alleged Mercedes were on the verge of taking over McLaren … Continue reading Spygate and racism: F1 back in the news (updated)
What F1 can learn from other racing series
Posted onThe other week I wrote about lessons that F1 could learn (and forget) about NASCAR and got a big response. It got me wondering what other ideas should F1 steal from other sports? Here are a few of my suggestions. What other motor sports do you watch – and what would you like to see … Continue reading What F1 can learn from other racing series
Video: 3D lap of the Singapore Grand Prix track
Posted onBig thanks to Toncho who spotted this 3D video lap of the Singapore Grand Prix track made using Google Earth. I do hope the track doesn’t really go through that grandstand. You can also compare it to the video of the Valencia Street Circuit that was seen earlier. More on the Singapore Grand Prix Night … Continue reading Video: 3D lap of the Singapore Grand Prix track
Video: F1 testing at Barcelona (part 6)
Posted onI always find the closer a new season gets, the more sharply I feel the pangs of withdrawal. Happily these days we have Youtube, and the wonderful people who go along to the F1 tests and film them, which keeps me going… Here’s some footage of Michael Schumacher testing on Monday alongside Kimi Raikkonen at … Continue reading Video: F1 testing at Barcelona (part 6)
2008: The calendar
Posted onLast year Ferrari and McLaren took every race victory on offer and, more often then not, filled the top three. On only five of 51 occasions did we see a driver in something other than McLaren or Ferrari overalls on the podium. But we also saw the two teams dominate at different types of track: … Continue reading 2008: The calendar
The FIA must solve the customer car problem
Posted onOnce again the Super Aguri transporters have departed a testing session with the teams’ F1 cars not even having turned a wheel. The teams presence in the 2008 championship looks less likely with every passing day. They could be the second team to announce their non-participation in F1 this year, following Prodrive who were originally … Continue reading The FIA must solve the customer car problem
2008: The rookies
Posted onI can’t remember the last season to see such a diverse crop of rookies. There’s a four-times Champ Car champion, a guy who actually made his F1 debut four years ago then disappeared off into the wilderness, one who looks fast but wild and is perhaps reaching F1 12 months too soon, and one who’s … Continue reading 2008: The rookies
Poll: should F1 have push-to-pass?
Posted onNext year F1 cars will have to use KERS which will allow them to re-use energy generated under braking. The FIA intends for drivers to be able to used the stored energy to get an 80bhp power boost on-demand. Other series like A1 Grand Prix use similar systems called ‘push to pass’ where drivers can … Continue reading Poll: should F1 have push-to-pass?
Poll results: NASCAR vs F1
Posted onLast week I asked how many of you watch NASCAR as well as Formula 1. I also watched the Daytona 500 and suggested some things F1 can learn from NASCAR. Here are the results of the poll:
2008: The new rules
Posted onSeveral major changes to the rules this year have attracted a lot of attention – the traction control ban, four-race gearboxes, and changes to qualifying. Which change are going to have the biggest impact on F1 this year? Here’s a quick look at some of the rules changes for 2008.
Interview: F1 journalist Nigel Roebuck
Posted onNigel Roebuck hasn’t missed many races since he started covering Grands Prix in 1971, but when he skipped the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos for the first time, he wrote about relieved he was not to be going to Sao Paulo – and incurred the wrath of the most powerful man in Formula 1: When … Continue reading Interview: F1 journalist Nigel Roebuck
F1 Fanatic in 2008: new look, new stuff
Posted onF1 Fanatic is getting a total redesign for the 2008 season and brand new site will be launched next week. Here’s a little peek at the new logo… I want to thank everyone who helped out by completing the survey last year and emailling me with feedback and suggestions. There’s going to be lots of … Continue reading F1 Fanatic in 2008: new look, new stuff
2008: The year ahead in numbers
Posted onBeing a sucker for stats I wanted to take a look at what milestones were coming up in 2008. There’s already been some discussion about Rubens Barrichello being poised to break Riccardo Patrese’s 15-year record as the most experienced driver in Formula 1 – but exactly when will he pass the mark? McLaren have one … Continue reading 2008: The year ahead in numbers
Wickens goes from hero to zero in A1GP crash-fest
Posted onRobert Wickens was looking good for another strong finish while running second in the A1 Grand Prix feature race at Durban until he spun at the exit of turn one. But he compounded the mistake by driving against the flow of traffic and hitting Oliver Jarvis, who was running third. It was just one of … Continue reading Wickens goes from hero to zero in A1GP crash-fest
Dominant win for Wickens in A1GP Durban sprint
Posted onCanada’s teenage star Robert Wickens took a classy win from pole position in the A1 Grand Prix sprint race at Durban. He fended off Brazil’s Bruno Junquiera at the start and shot into an immediate two second lead as Junqueira and Oliver Jarvis were assaulted by New Zealand’s Jonny Reid at the first corner. Jarvis … Continue reading Dominant win for Wickens in A1GP Durban sprint
Chequered Conflict (Maurice Hamilton, 2008)
Posted onMaurice Hamilton’s new book on the 2007 and the McLaren-Ferrari spy scandal has the full title, “Chequered Conflict: The Inside Story on Two Explosive F1 World Championships”. What’s the other world championship? That would be the 1986 F1 series, which saw Alain Prost nick the championship at the last round from the battling Williams pair … Continue reading Chequered Conflict (Maurice Hamilton, 2008)
Superleague Formula? No thanks
Posted onAutosport have interviewed the man behind Superleague Formula, Alex Andreu, who’s unsurprisingly confident about the prospects for his motor racing-cum-football league championship, due to get the green light/kick off at Donington Park later this year. Andreu said: We did some research, and then we went to the top football clubs in Europe – Juventus, FC … Continue reading Superleague Formula? No thanks
2008: What are you most looking forward to?
Posted onIt’s getting close now: the start of the 2008 Formula 1 season is three weeks away. The teams have their final test session next week before the cars are packed away for the flight to Melbourne, Australia. The F1 Fanatic 2008 season preview starts today with my pick of what I’m most looking forward to … Continue reading 2008: What are you most looking forward to?