The stakes have been raised in the dispute between the FIA and car manufacturers over the FIA’s controversial plans to freeze engine development. According to an article in today’s Sunday Times the GPMA-aligned manufacturers are threatening to leave the sport if the terms of Max Mosley’s engine plans are not changed. One executive summer up … Continue reading F1 car makers threaten walk-out
As if the tension and expectation ahead of today’s Hungarian Grand Prix wasn’t great enough, the GP2 race this morning was run in heavily wet conditions, raising the prospects of a wet Hungarian Grand Prix. In 20 years of Hungarian Grands Prix there has never been a wet race. Championship contenders Michael Schumacher and Fernando … Continue reading Heavy rain in Budapest
Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher both punished before the Grand Prix gets started? You better believe it happened, and here’s how. Fernando Alonso brake-tests Robert Doornbos (video, external) Alonso was held up by Doornbos in the second practice session on Friday. He reated by waving his fist at the Red Bull-Ferrari test driver, and brake … Continue reading Hungary for controversy?
Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso’s indiscretions in practice at the Hungaroring have left them 11th and 15th respectively on the grid. The last time we saw such a grid was at Suzuka last year when Schumacher started 14th, Alonso 16th and Kimi Raikkonen 17th. Raikkonen won from Giancarlo Fisischella, followed by Alonso with Schumacher seventh. … Continue reading Can Hungary serve up a Suzuka?
The drivers’ and constructors’ championships get ever closer. But there are intriguing battles up and down the F1 field this year. Take a closer look at who’s beating who in our statistics update. Tags: f1 / formula one / grand prix / motor sport
UK Formula One broadcaster ITV suffered very poor TV ratings in July and are set to lose their chief executive. Their audience share in July was 16.7% – one-fifth less than they managed last year. Poor advertising revenue has seen their revenue drop by 4.6% in the first half of 2006. Their Sales MD Gary … Continue reading ITV ratings woe
Alex Wurz will return to full-time racing in Formula One for the first time since 2000 next year, as he will replace Mark Webber at Williams. The surprise move prompts speculation about the Webber’s future. Is manager Flavio Briatore about to parachute him in at Renault to replace Fernando Alonso? Could a shock move to … Continue reading Wurz gets race drive
Over at the Motor Racing Journal, Qwerty has some very interesting thoughts on Max Mosley’s plans for the future of Formula One. Particularly on the controversial move to standard specification engines from 2008 and Mosley’s desire to see car manufacturers develop alternative fuel technologies in Formula One: For 100 years the emphasis of racing has … Continue reading The big green elephant in the corner
The Scuderia hammered the opposition in Indianapolis, Magny-Cours and Hockenheim. Now they are bearing down upon the Hungaroring with every indication that they will continue the red-wash. Their chief opponents, Renault, have just one ray of hope to cling to: they will be able to use their mass damper system that had been banned before … Continue reading Hungarian Grand Prix 2006 Preview
Direxiv, who sponsor McLaren-Mercedes and Alex Wurz and were unsuccessful in a bid for a place on the 2008 F1 grid, are to substantially reduce their involvement in motor sport, it is being reported. As well as ending their Formula One sponsorships they will terminate their support of Japanese GP2 driver Hiroki Yoshimoto and his … Continue reading Direxiv to quit F1
I had a few thoughts on how Formula One and NASCAR stack up against each other a few days ago. One thing I overlooked was the popularity of accidents. One effect of the NASCAR regulations – possibly intentional, possibly not – is that the tightly bunched fields inevitably lead to more crashes. And there’s no … Continue reading F1 vs NASCAR: One more thing…
The British newspapers marked the continuation of Michael Schumacher’s title assault – and the resurgence of Jenson Button. Find out more in our media review. Tags: f1 / formula one / grand prix / motor sport
It was a Bridgestone day. The Ferraris cruised to an easy win, never even needing to approach the stunning pace they hinted at in qualifying. The only reason they didn’t lock out the front row of the grid was that McLaren inexplicably gave Kimi Raikkonen only ten laps’ worth of fuel. But even with half … Continue reading Schumacher storms to Hockenheim win
How the top ten lined up at the Hockenheimring, how much fuel they were allocated after qualifying part three, and when they made their first stops. Position Driver Lap of first pit stop Fuel allocation (laps) 1 Kimi Raikkonen 10 10 2 Michael Schumacher 20 12 3 Felipe Massa 19 12 4 Jenson Button 15 … Continue reading Germany: Starts and Stops
During the French Grand Prix Formula One team owners and the governing body fired accusations back and forth about the future supply and regulation of engines in Formula One. Renault even issued a press release during the race, which certainly provided more interest than what was going on on-track. This has become a talking point … Continue reading GP2 in the limelight
The Suzuka circuit, gave us esily the best race of last year – if not the decade – voted second best circuit in Formula One by the fans in 2005, will not be in the Formula One calendar next year. The first details of the 2007 calendar that came out today indicated that when the … Continue reading Bernie gives Suzuka the boot
Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he’s considering appointing a public relations company to assist with the promotion of Formula One. This is something F1 has badly needed for years, thought die-hard fans may struggle to understand why. There are many challenges to projecting a positive image of a sport that is perceived to be environmentally unfriendly, … Continue reading Why F1 needs PR
The 2006 calendar saw only two major changes – Bahrain promoted to the first round of the season ahead of Melbourne, and Spa dropped for one year. But Bernie Ecclestone looks to have a few more changes up his sleeve for 2007. Let’s take a look at them.
Mercedes’ Norbert Haug has told Kimi Raikkonen that staying at McLaren would be the “smart” thing to do. But that is not as self-evident for Raikkonen as it might be for Haug. In 88 races for McLaren Raikkonen has beenforced to retire from 21 of them because of car failure. And that doesn’t include the … Continue reading Raikkonen told to be “smart”
In American racing the names Andretti and Rahal command instant respect. So it’s no surprise that Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal – teenagers both – are being touted as the next two drivers that could make it all the way to F1. Have they got what it takes?
