F1 makes much of its apparent unity between the sport’s bosses and teams, but the latest behind-the-scenes dispute shows it’s not always the case.
Paddock Diary articles archive
Dieter Rencken’s daily diary from the paddock.
Paddock Diary: Portuguese Grand Prix part one
2021 Portuguese Grand Prix
Posted onThe Portuguese Grand Prix is closed to fans and it looks like the next three races will be too, Dieter Rencken reports from the Algarve paddock.
Paddock Diary: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix part two
2021 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted onDieter Rencken takes the opportunity to watch the action up close at Imola, while unearthing new details about F1’s Sprint Qualifying races and more.
Paddock Diary: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix part one
2021 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted onWhy was Max Verstappen’s Red Bull taken for a “sightseeing tour” of Imola? And what was behind the ‘fibre line fault’ which disrupted coverage of practice? Dieter Rencken brings the latest from Imola.
Paddock Diary: Bahrain Grand Prix part two
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onOne down, 22 to go: But will F1 hold all its races this year? And why hasn’t Sprint Qualifying been agreed yet? Dieter Rencken brings the inside line from Bahrain.
Paddock Diary: Bahrain Grand Prix part one
2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onF1 is back, and so is Fernando Alonso, who made an eyebrow-raising remark as the new season opened in Bahrain. Dieter Rencken brings more tales from the paddock.
Paddock Diary: Bahrain pre-season testing
Paddock Diary
Posted onDieter Rencken reports from Bahrain on F1’s first test session of the new season, and why its Sprint Qualifying plan comes with a million-dollar price tag.
Paddock Diary: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Posted onWould F1’s former management have made a success of its Covid-hit championship the way Chase Carey and company did? Dieter Rencken brings his final Paddock Diary of 2020.
Grosjean unable to wear his children’s helmet design as he misses final race
2020 Abu Dhabi GP F1 drivers' helmet designs
Posted onRomain Grosjean has revealed the helmet he would have worn in his final F1 race in Abu Dhabi this weekend, which he will miss due to injury. Other drivers are also sporting new lids.
Paddock Diary: Sakhir Grand Prix
2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
Posted onA week of huge news stories preceded the Sakhir Grand Prix, and the race weekend itself added yet more drama to the closing stages of 2020.
Paddock Diary: Bahrain Grand Prix
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted onRomain Grosjean’s shocking crash in Bahrain presents Formula 1 with difficult questions. But the media’s ability to scrutinise the sport remains compromised by Covid-19 restrictions.
Leclerc and Norris reveal special Bahrain GP helmets
2020 Bahrain Grand Prix F1 drivers' helmet designs
Posted onCharles Leclerc and Lando Norris have brought special helmet designs for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Vettel reveals special Turkish GP helmet – Norris’s gets stuck at customs
2020 Turkish Grand Prix F1 drivers' helmet designs
Posted onLando Norris’s plans to wear a special helmet design have been scuppered for the second time this year. A hold-up at customs is to blame this time.
Paddock Diary: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
2020 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted onWhy wasn’t F1’s return to Imola named the San Marino Grand Prix? And do the media still need to be kept separate from the paddock? Dieter Rencken reports from the track.
Emilia-Romagna GP helmets: Gasly’s Senna replica and Italy tributes
2020 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix F1 drivers' helmet designs
Posted onPierre Gasly has revealed a special helmet in tribute to Ayrton Senna for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Daniil Kvyat also has a new lid this weekend.
Paddock Diary: Eifel Grand Prix
2020 Eifel Grand Prix
Posted onDuring his Nurburgring trip Dieter Rencken learned the W Series is likely to play a bigger supporting role to Formula 1 in 2021 – and also found time to drive his first lap of the Nordschleife.
Kvyat wears fan-designed helmet inspired by Russian artists for home race
2020 Russian Grand Prix F1 drivers' helmet designs
Posted onOne year on from being blocked from using a special helmet at his home race, Daniil Kvyat has introduced a new design for this year’s Russian Grand Prix.
Paddock Diary: Tuscan Grand Prix Ferrari 1000
2020 Tuscan Grand Prix Ferrari 1000
Posted onAt F1’s first race at Mugello, our special correspondent reveals details of Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin deal and Mick Schumacher’s chances of an F1 debut in 2021.
Ferrari pair plus Norris and Ricciardo reveal special Tuscan GP helmets.
2020 Tuscan Grand Prix helmets
Posted onThe Ferrari drivers are marking the team’s 1,000th world championship race with special helmets, while Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo also have new designs.
Paddock Diary: Italian Grand Prix
2020 Italian Grand Prix
Posted onThe paddock remained off-limits at Monza but RaceFans was still able to break the news of Renault’s plans to rebrand as Alpine and a major new agreement to ban ‘reverse engineering’ in F1.
