It’s time to start another Formula One season which means that it’s time for the return of our Formula One Power Rankings. Before every round, we rank all 22 drivers on the grid based on who we expect to be quick at the upcoming race. Sometimes it’s based on momentum. Sometimes it’s based on past results at the circuit. However, it’s always about who will be fast.
After updating you on the rules for this season, now it’s time to get you up to speed with the drivers and teams competing in this year’s Formula One World Championship. We’re short one team from the conclusion of last year’s championship after HRT closed up shop. A couple of drivers have left the grid, voluntarily and otherwise, and we have five rookies on the grid this year. Continue reading
After yesterday’s news round-up, we get properly into our 2013 Formula One Season Preview with our examination of the rules changes for the upcoming season. This year won’t have as many changes as 2012 but that’s because there’s a massive change coming in 2014. While the technical regulations may not have changed much, there are plenty of changes to the sporting regs to cover. Continue reading
Welcome to our Formula One 2013 preview week on The Lowdown Blog. This week is dedicated to getting you up to speed for this season with our annual F1 preview. We’ll have the usual examination of rules changes, team and driver outlooks and my predictions for the upcoming season. First, is a roundup of some news that we haven’t talked about yet on the blog. Continue reading
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?
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.
Formula One is back in action for another year with the start of pre-season testing. The first of 2013’s tests was at Spain’s Jerez Circuit which doesn’t host a race on the Grand Prix calendar so the teams and drivers weren’t putting much stock in the results. In fact, Fernando Alonso couldn’t even be bothered to show up to this test. That didn’t mean that Ferrari wasn’t fast last week, though. Continue reading
No sooner did my monthly F1 news recap go live than news broke that the German Grand Prix could be off the calendar. Bernie Ecclestone told the German newspaper Spiegel that he and the bosses at the Nurburgring could not come to an agreement that was “financially acceptable” so negotiations had been terminated.
The Nurburgring went into administration (the European equivalent of bankruptcy) last year. However, being tight on funds looks to have resulted in the circuit being unable to pay Bernie’s more than likely exorbitant sanctioning fee to host the race this year. Continue reading
The covers haven’t been taken off the cars for the 2013 Formula One World Championship and teams are already working on their engines and cars for 2014. With a big rules change coming in 2014 with the turbocharged V6 engines and increased emphasis on KERS, there is an opportunity for all teams to capitalize and vault to the front of the grid. Continue reading
During the off-season, we’ll be doing periodic updates of the goings on in Formula One. With the recent announcement of F1’s rules for 2013 and 2014 and the ongoing discussion as to what, if anything, will replace the postponed New Jersey Grand Prix, there hasn’t been a shortage of news. Bernie has also been talking about the current team lineup and decided that F1 doesn’t need 13 teams. He thinks ten is enough.
First, though, I’ve been giving some thought to the McLaren driver situation. At first, I thought signing Sergio Perez was swapping Hamilton with someone aggressive and fast enough to be Hamilton-esque. After some thought, I think Perez’s driving style could mesh enough with Jenson Button that he could be a bigger threat to win the title than his more experienced teammate. Continue reading
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