What Aston Martin’s curfew burn told us about its F1 upgrade trajectory

Although there is no downside to using them up if needed, teams also know that if they are not in their back pocket for the end of the season, then that carries big risks.For if the points battle is tight, the last thing a team would want would be some unexpected late-night work triggering a final race grid penalty that could derail all the year’s efforts up until that point.It is why it is …Keep Read more…

Why F1 teams are racing into the unknown in China

Five years is an awful long time in Formula 1 and it feels even longer given the global pandemic that interrupted F1’s visits to Shanghai.The last time F1 travelled to China, Max Verstappen had only won five races and RB was still racing as Toro Rosso rather than its previous name AlphaTauri.In the meantime, as the Shanghai International Circuit hosted a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in 2022 rather …Keep reading

What could have been: When Villeneuve’s shock return thwarted an F1 rookie

Jacques Villeneuve’s return to Formula 1 at Renault for the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in 2004 was a seminal moment in Franck Montagny’s career. Then a test driver for Renault, he had been the logical choice for the seat vacated by Toyota-bound Jarno Trulli. But instead it was 1997 world champion Villeneuve who got the nod for the final three races of 2004 alongside Fernando Alonso.Montagny …Keep reading

Three-time F1 world champion Verstappen named in 2024 Time 100 list

Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races on the F1 calendar in 2023, and secured last year’s drivers’ championship in early October after finishing second in the Qatar sprint race.His achievements over the past three seasons in F1 have thus ensured his place on this year’s Time 100 list, which includes world leaders, writers, entertainers and other global icons across a range of industries.Verstappen …Keep reading

Newey: F1’s grid to close up even more before being ‘blown apart’ in 2026

While Red Bull remains the team to beat in F1 right now, Newey has no doubt that the opposition is closing in, as the world champion squad finds it harder and harder to make gains with its car.He sees no reason why one of his outfit’s competitors cannot even leap ahead under the current rules set before things are thrown up in the air by the new car and engines that are coming from 2026.Newey Read more…

Honda targets F1 title bid with Aston Martin from 2026

From 2026 Honda will move its works engine deal to Aston Martin, ending its successful association with Red Bull.Following Honda’s initial decision to withdraw from F1, which led to Red Bull deciding to take its engines in-house and link up with Ford for 2026, the Japanese brand was forced to seek a new works partner when it reversed its exit decision.After being approached by several candidates …Keep reading

The off-track action that makes the Miami GP an F1 race like no other

Sponsored by  This year sees the third iteration of the event, which seems to get bigger and better each year. Las Vegas is a tough act to follow, so Miami is sure to be stepping things up yet again for 2024 – and with MoneyGram, you could be there.If the number of celebrities in attendance and the amount of F1-related events taking place around the city are a measure of an F1 event’s …Keep reading

F1 publishes sustainability gains amid 2030 net zero push

F1’s Net Zero by 2030 campaign aims to cut 50% of absolute carbon emissions compared to its 2018 baseline, which encompasses the energy consumption at its facilities, F1’s race events and all the travel and logistics in between. It pledges to put a credible offset strategy in place for the rest of its emissions.While the full suite of data on 2023 is not available yet, F1’s latest impact report …Keep reading

Alpine fast-tracks F1 floor upgrade to China amid recovery push

Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have yet to score points as a late car concept change has seen the Enstone squad make a sideways step while its midfield rivals all made significant gains compared to last year.Initial upgrades brought at the Japanese Grand Prix appeared to give a glimmer of hope, with Ocon advancing to Q2 to qualify 13th, but both he and Gasly were powerless to fight …Keep reading

How Haas delivered its F1 “game changer”

Having expressed concern over the winter that it could start the year on the back foot, and potentially even be on the last row, its situation is much better than that. Amid the pack of five teams picking up the rear, its tally so far leaves it seventh in the constructors’ championship.But the biggest transformation at Haas is not something that can be measured in points. Instead, it can be gauged …Keep reading