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F1 Japanese Grand Prix: Better Lucky than Good

When you make a mistake or get caught up by someone else’s mistake, skill doesn’t really play a deciding factor in getting you through the field. Rather, it’s about the pace of your car relative to the competition and how much luck falls your way. So after complaining about luck in Malaysia, it all fell Lewis Hamilton’s way.

No, he didn’t win the race. That honour went to Nico Rosberg who dominated the entire weekend. Hamilton finished in 3rd which was the best he could have expected after an appalling start.

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F1 British Grand Prix: Not the Destination but the Journey

f1-2015-britain-hamilton-crowdAs per usual, it was a Mercedes 1-2 in the British Grand Prix. The difference was how we got to that result made the race much more exciting than the standard Mercedes 1-2. Lewis Hamilton won but he sure looked unlikely to pull that off for a good portion of the race.

Meanwhile, for all the action on-track, there was even more action happening off track as the teams start gearing up for the 2016 season.

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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 →

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Formula One: 2011 Jerez Test Recap

The second week of F1 testing ahead of the 2011 season started on a somber note after Robert Kubica’s accident the weekend prior in a rally in Italy. All the teams carried get well soon messages on their cars. Three different drivers ran the Lotus Renault GP R31 in testing and one even topped the time sheet during the third day’s running. This week’s testing saw many more names atop the daily time sheets than last week’s. Continue reading →

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Formula One: 2011 Valencia Test Recap

The first day of February brought an end to the moratorium on Formula One testing. All twelves teams took to the track for the first group test of the season. Not all team ran their 2011 car or even their most up to date aerodynamic packages but there are a few takeaways from the first test fo the 2011 season. Continue reading →

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F1 Singapore GP: Where The Streets Have No Name

Back in Germany, people were ready to have Ferrari thrown out of the sport for using team orders to get Fernando Alonso the win. After Alonso picked up his season win in as many races, it suddenly seems like a great idea. With his second win in the Singapore Grand Prix, the Spaniard vaulted himself right into the thick of the championship fight. Thanks to a clash between Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton, the title chase is wide-open again. Continue reading →

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F1 Off-Season Fallout: Back To The Future

The 1970s is informally referred to as the kit car era of Formula One. That was a time where most of the grid was running the Cosworth DFV V8 and a Heyland transaxle (gearbox, differential, and drive axle all in one). Only BRM and Ferrari weren’t running that combination in their cars. Over thirty years after the end of the kit car era, it looks as though we could be heading straight back to that. With the recent withdrawals of Honda, BMW, and Toyota, and the rumoured withdrawal of Renault, we could be headed back to kit car era. Continue reading →

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Formula 1: Renault Accepts Crashgate Charges

The whole F1 world has been very nearly turned on its head. Today, Renault F1 announced that they would not contest the charges brought against them that they told Nelson Piquet Jr. to intentionally crash his car in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Additionally, team principal Flavio Briatore and director of engineering Pat Symonds resigned from the team effective immediately. Continue reading →

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F1 Italian GP: Barrichello and Brawn Triumph at Monza… Again

f1-italy-2009-barrichello-checkered-flagThey may be at different teams than when they had their best years but Rubens Barrichello and Ross Brawn were winners again at Monza. Both were very successful at the historic Monza Circuit when they were with Ferrari. A few years after parting company with the Scuderia, they replayed the familiar scene of Ross on the pit wall guiding Rubens to the top step of the podium. The Brawn 1-2 allows everyone back at the factory to breathe easier after Red Bull had an atrocious day. Atrocious is also how we could describe the last couple of weeks for Renault, too. Continue reading →

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Nelson Piquet Statement About Crash-Gate Leaks

The problems for Renault F1 seem to be far more serious than anyone might have first thought. As I had first predicted after the Belgian Grand Prix, it was Nelson Piquet Jr. who informed the FIA that Renault told him to crash to put Fernando Alonso in a position to win. In a four page statement made to the FIA, Piquet gave details of a pre-race meeting between himself, Flavio Briatore (Renault team principal), and Pat Symonds (director of engineering) that outlined their plan for the race. Piquet’s full statement and analysis after the jump. Continue reading →