Stalinist Russia had nothing on propaganda, F1-style. F1Fanatic takes an ever-so-slightly cynical look at what those team press releases really mean… You know the score, halfway through a deathly dull one shot qualifying session, Louise Goodman grabs David Coulthard or Felipe Massa to talk through their heroic drive to 12th on the grid. They will … Continue reading F1-Speak
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.
Editorial: A Rules Revolution
Posted onThe FIA have put forward a radical proposal for the Formula One rules package from 2008 onwards. But in the light of the shambolic preparations for the United States Grand Prix, is there any cause for optimism that they might get it right? Let’s turn our minds back to the recent FIA survey of what … Continue reading Editorial: A Rules Revolution
Jordan drop Dallara
Posted onJust five days after announcing the departure of technical director Trevor Carlin, the troubled Jordan team have now revealed that their 2006 car will not be manufactured by Dallara, but be built in-house. Although team owner Alex Shnaider threw a lavish party at his adopted homeland Canada last week in celebration of his team competing … Continue reading Jordan drop Dallara
United States Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onThe nation’s sports writers lined up to condemn the travesty of a Grand Prix that took place in the United States. The June 20th newspapers did not make welcome reading for dedicated fans of Formula One. At least ITV made a decent fist of the broadcast for once. Ecclestone and Mosley have presided over a … Continue reading United States Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Canadian Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onThe Canadian Grand Prix gave us drama, incident and a smattering of controversy. But did it capture the attention of the nation’s sports writers? Find out in our post-race media review. So, when was Jenson Button’s last retirement as a result of driver error prior to his Canadian crash? The Sun quote the man himself … Continue reading Canadian Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Editorial: Unintended Consequences
Posted onA chance Google mix-up earlier this week got me musing on the problem of unintended consequences. Plan for one thing, get the other. Luckily for us, unintended consequences have played a major part in making the 2005 season rather good so far. Take Ferrari’s sudden and shocking decline in form relative to the opposition. The … Continue reading Editorial: Unintended Consequences
United States Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Posted on2005 sees the sixth running of the United States Grand Prix on the Indianapolis ‘infield’ circuit and, for the first time in this period, the field of drivers will include an American. But will F1’s brave new rules win over the notoriously indifferent American audience? F1 has had a rough time in America. Although for … Continue reading United States Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Raikkonen takes vital win as Renault falter
2005 Canadian Grand Prix review
Posted onThe Canadian Grand Prix proved dramatic and incident-filled from start to finish, if lacking in much outright racing. But, with Kimi Raikkonen winning and Fernando Alonso failing to score, it gave a welcome shot in the arm for the championship battle. Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher provided the Saturday shock by stealing the front row … Continue reading Raikkonen takes vital win as Renault falter
Williams slam BMW
Posted onThe Williams-BMW partnership looks unlikely to last for a seventh season as both team owner Frank Williams and technical chief Patrick Head have lashed out at the Munich car manufacturer for deflecting blame from themselves for their car’s failure to win a championship so far. Rumours suggest BMW will buy into the Sauber team and … Continue reading Williams slam BMW
Carlin departs Jordan
Posted onMeanwhile Jordan’s dismal start of to 2005 has been compounded by the loss of technical director Trevor Carlin, who has left to concentrate on running his F3 team. As Carlin was put in place my new owner Alex Shnaider, his departure may signal that Shnaider is indeed losing interest in entering his own team next … Continue reading Carlin departs Jordan
Safety car ‘unsafe’
Posted onMark Webber has warned that the use of the safety car could precipitate more serious accidents as the enforced low-speed running causes tyre pressures to become dangerously low. This problem has been observed in F1 since the growing regularity of the use of the safety car in 1994, when it was suspected to have been … Continue reading Safety car ‘unsafe’
FIA warning on tyres
Posted onMax Mosley has fired a double salvo in retaliation to media criticism of driver safety in the wake of Kimi Raikkonen’s last-lap crash in the European Grand Prix. Mosley has warned teams not to risk accidents by allowing drivers to race on seriously worn or damaged tyres – potentially a futile plea, as no team … Continue reading FIA warning on tyres
Wheldon to F1?
Posted onDan Wheldon’s victory in the Indy 500, his fourth win in the first five roudns of the 2005 Indy Racing League, has led to inevitable speculation that he will switch to F1. He has denied that he would be willing to make the switch with anything other than a front running team. The Briton has … Continue reading Wheldon to F1?
European Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onWe had a thrilling chase to the finish and ITV let us watch it all this time. Raikkonen’s heart breaking last-lap failure made big news in the British papers – or was it just because the football season’s finally over? ITV commentators James Allen and Martin Brundle did not see eye-to-eye on McLaren’s decision to … Continue reading European Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
The Eurovision Grand Prix
Posted onOn an already jam-packed calendar, why does Germany get two races? The case for the European Grand Prix to be held at a different venue each year is a sensible one. It’s time someone took notice of it. In the midst of last-week’s white hot build-up to the Eurovision song contest (I voted for Norway) … Continue reading The Eurovision Grand Prix
Missing the points
Posted onChanging the number of points that are given for finishing positions in Grands Prix could revolutionise how drivers approach races and fundamentally alter the meaning of the Driver’s Championship. It is something the governing body should very seriously consider. The Formula One rules have been in a state of flux since 2002. Not a year, … Continue reading Missing the points
Editorial: No joy at Jordan
Posted onHaving slumped almost to the very back of the grid, Jordan are now not far short of being beaten by usual backmarkers Minardi. In theory, 2006 should bring a relaunch of the team as Midland F1 – but the current sorry state of affairs is not breeding much optimism. The European Grand Prix was a … Continue reading Editorial: No joy at Jordan
A1 Grand Prix Calendar Revealed
Posted onThe A1GP series, which is due to start this September, announced the provisional calendar for their 2005 winter championship this week. It promises to be the most internationally diverse motor sport series, even more so than Formula One. In all, twelve events are planned for the inaugural championship year, and the list of destinations makes … Continue reading A1 Grand Prix Calendar Revealed
Last-lap drama for Raikkonen hands Alonso victory
2005 European Grand Prix review
Posted onFernando Alonso kept Kimi Raikkonen under pressure throughout the European Grand Prix and capitalised at the last possible moment, when Raikkonen’s suspension shattered and pitched the Finn into the barriers. Alonso now has a 32-point advantage in the title race. From the outset the European Grand Prix looked like it was going to be McLaren-Mercedes … Continue reading Last-lap drama for Raikkonen hands Alonso victory
Liuzzi out, Klien back in
Posted onRed Bull have confirmed that Vitantonio Liuzzi will be replaced by Christian Klien after the European Grand Prix. This is the first time that a team have deliberately shared a single seat between two drivers since Ligier made a similar arrangement with Aguri Suzuki and Martin Brundle in 1995. Brundle started eleven races to Suzuki’s … Continue reading Liuzzi out, Klien back in