Formula 1 articles archive

Fernando Alonso is taking nothing for granted as he closes in on the World Championship title. After all, another Renault driver failed to win the title in similar circumstances in 1983: Alain Prost. Alonso may be sitting pretty at the top of the championship table but, with six races left in 2006, his closest rival … Continue reading Editorial: Renault’s Regret

Formula One came of age as the seventies turned into the eighties: team sponsorship was widespread, the governing body was beginning to get a handle on safety issues, and television coverage was booming. The sport has come a long way since then – but has it lost its way? My knowledge of 1979 and 1980 … Continue reading The good ol’ days

Showdown! After a demanding period of racing unprecedented in the history of Formula One, the ten teams now face a three-week break in which to ready themselves for the final six races of this gruelling 19-event calendar. But for three teams in particular this short reprieve is just the calm before the storm, as the … Continue reading Showdown!

Not for the first time in 2005, Ferrari’s controversial stance on testing has drawn serious criticism. Not only have they continually refused to subscribe to the testing limits agreed by all the othe teams, but they have now reneged on the previous agreement not to test during the summer break. Ferrari’s reasoning is simple enough: … Continue reading Editorial: A question of sportsmanship

The first major driver change for 2006 has been confirmed: Felipe Massa will replace Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari. Barrichello is rumoured to be heading for BAR. Massa has secured one of the best drivers in Formula One despite an inauspicious career to date. In 2002 he was beaten 11-5 in qualifying by team mate Heidfeld … Continue reading Massa’s the man for Ferrari

Can it really be 19 years since Formula One made its first, tentative steps into the Eastern Bloc? The F1 circus first came to the Hungaroring in 1986, celebrating the spirit of glasnost that introduced the world’s most capitalistic sport into the Communist heartland of Hungary. On that weekend the tiny Zakspeed team even celebrated … Continue reading Editorial: Kicking the habit

Having just spent a fortnight touring round the Midwest of the USA, I managed to squeeze in a couple of NASCAR races and an IRL event on the TV. After all, when you have a 24 hr motor sports channel in your hotel room, Mount Rushmore pales in comparison. Now while I will never be … Continue reading Smile for the cameras

Since the first attempts at banning electronic driver aids in 1994, the Formula One rules have been in a state of constant upheaval. But by failing to understand its past, the sport’s authorities have misdirected its future. The changes to F1 since 1994 have radically altered the nature of the sport, driven teams to bankruptcy … Continue reading Editorial: Permanent Revolution

If Fernando Alonso was cruising to the title before his German Grand Prix victory, expect him to be coasting around the Hungaroring with one hand on the wheel this weekend. Meanwhile title rival Kimi Raikkonen will be flat-out all the way on the off chance that his MP4-20 permits him a trouble-free weekend and maybe, … Continue reading Hungarian Grand Prix 2005 Preview

Much has been made of the FIA survey’s revelation that – shock, horror – F1 fans want to see more overtaking. But one crucial aspect of the survey has gone without sufficient comment – the need for more teams. The FIA survey revealed that 69% of Formula One fans think that there are not enough … Continue reading Editorial: More F1, please

I find nothing more frustrating than listening to over pampered Grand Prix drivers moaning about the amount of travel in their job, firstly, because the title World Championship indicates frequent flights, and secondly, because they get to race in China, Brazil and the USA. There are worse jobs. Over in Formula Vee ‘international’ extends about … Continue reading The Grand Prix alternatives

The FIA’s survey brought up a number of head-slapping, ?�?�?����?�?��ǣI could have told you that,?�?�?����?�?�?� type results. Not least of which was Silverstone’s place among the top three of the best circuits in Formula One at present. Now, for a dedicated Silverstone enthusiast such as this it is not a major surprise. Crucially both the … Continue reading Editorial: Sublime Silverstone

Seven of the ten Formula One teams are rumoured to be lining up a potential replacement for under-fire FIA President Max Mosley. The seven teams exclude the FIA-aligned Ferrari, Red Bull, who are to take a supply of Ferrari engines from next year, and Jordan, who have distanced themselves from the ‘Group of Nine’ since … Continue reading Mosley replacement rumours

Most people, when pressed to name a female in motor sport, would probably say Danica Patrick. But what about Louise Goodman or Williams public relations manager Ann Bradshaw? Women racing drivers may be few but women are growing in number throughout motor sport. Despite gender equality becoming increasingly apparent in all aspects of the workplace, … Continue reading The gender mind-bender

Increasing numbers of racing drivers claim to use PC and Playstation games as a way of learning their way around new circuits. But is it same as, or even a close approximation of, the real thing? Our resident real racer Ben Evans takes the top titles for a spin?�?�?����?�?�?� This is a slightly contentious issue … Continue reading Even better than the real thing

With BMW’s decision to move into a partnership with Peter Sauber’s team for 2006 the opening salvo has been fired in the battle for the drivers to find the best seats – and the teams to find the best drivers – for next year. So let’s indulge ourselves in a little educated (we hope) guesswork. … Continue reading Editorial: Who goes where?