While the first five races of the season have gone exactly as planned for those who paid attention to the pre-season testing, that doesn’t mean that testing follows the same script. With Mercedes testing the new “megaphone” exhaust and the other teams on various testing programs, there were a couple of unexpected drivers and teams topping the time sheets during the second in-season test of 2014.
Barcelona
F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Gone in 60 Seconds
Over the last four years, Formula One fans complained about the dull dominance of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel as they won four-straight Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships with numerous race wins along the way. Before that, there was five straight years of Ferrari dominance with Michael Schumacher leading the way.
This season, things are shaping up to be worse than the Red Bull / Vettel years and approaching Schumacher / Ferrari levels of dominance. Lewis Hamilton won his fourth-straight race after retiring from the pole in the other race in what is shaping up to be a dreadfully dull year for Formula One.
F1 Spanish GP: Send Them Home Happy
When putting on live events, most promoters and performers have a simple philosophy: “Send the fans home happy.” Well, Fernando Alonso and Scuderia Ferrari certainly did that at yesterday’s Spanish Grand Prix as the Spanish driver and local hero took his second career win in the Spanish Grand Prix.
F1 Power Rankings: Spanish Grand Prix
After four flyaway races to start the season, the Formula One World Championship returns to Europe to start the heart of the season. The European season runs from May through to mid-September will separate the pretenders from the contenders. Given that we’ve had a pretty varied set of results for the first four races, a little settling into a groove is probably due.
Formula One: 2013 2nd Barcelona Test Recap
This past weekend was the final pre-season test ahead of the 2013 Formula One World Championship. Once again, the teams returned to the Circuit de Catalunya for one final tune-up before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix which was only two weeks after the conclusion of the test.
So who would enter the new season with the momentum from a strong showing in the final test?
Formula One: 2013 1st Barcelona Test Recap
As per usual, the Formula One circuit will run a pair of pre-season tests at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain. While it’s not the first test of the year, it’s the first one that teams and driver will use to properly gauge how they stand heading into the season. That’s because the teams will spend two weeks in February and March here but also a weekend in May for the Spanish Grand Prix.
F1 Spanish GP: Anything Can Happen
Just when you thought the 2012 Formula One World Championship couldn’t get any more unpredictable, another strange turn occurred. From a surprise pole position, it was Pastor Maldonado and Williams who got the strategy right and took care of their tyres to pick up his first career win. Continue reading
F1 Power Rankings: Spanish Grand Prix
After a three-week break which included the first in-season test session since 2008, the 2012 Formula One World Championship is set to resume with the European portion of the season. This weekend is the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. This track is home to the majority of F1’s pre-season testing but a lot has changed since testing in February and March. Continue reading
Formula One: 2012 Barcelona Test 2 Recap
Last week saw the drivers and teams of competing in the 2012 Formula One World Championship return to the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona for the final pre-season test before the start of the championship. This was the final opportunity for the teams to tune their cars up before the first official session of the season. Not surprisingly for a new season with some new rules, we saw some unexpected names and teams put in good performances during the test. Continue reading
Formula One: 2012 Barcelona Test 1 Recap
As we close in on the start of the 2012 Formula One World Championship, the cars, drivers and teams made their first appearance at a circuit on this season’s calendar. The Circuit de Catalunya is the home to the Spanish Grand Prix and to Formula One pre-season testing. With less than a month to go before the first race of the season, eleven of the twelve teams came to Barcelona to run their 2012 challengers. Continue reading
The Lowdown 