In the early phase of the season, the Mercedes would have the edge in races because its W14 car was much less harsh on its tyres than the Ferrari SF-23.However, as Ferrari has made gains in understanding why its 2023 challenger was so hard on its rubber early on, its race pace has improved dramatically.And with the two teams now locked in a fight for runners-up in the constructors’ championship …Keep reading
With its two drivers on slightly offset strategies at Suzuka, McLaren had to ask Piastri to let Norris through at one point to ensure that they did not waste time fighting each other and risk squandering the team’s prospects for a double podium finish.The latest call to get the drivers to help each other came after similar team orders requests at the Hungarian and Italian Grands Prix.McLaren …Keep reading
The Silverstone-based outfit began 2023 as Red Bull’s main challenger, with Fernando Alonso rolling off five podium finishes from the first six races. He also had a shot at winning the Monaco Grand Prix. But since the midpoint of the season, Aston Martin’s form has fallen back, and Alonso has had just one podium – second place in the Dutch GP – in the last eight races. It has also …Keep reading
Vandoorne has shared the Aston reserve job with Felipe Drugovich this year, essentially fitting in trips to grands prix around the Formula E calendar.As well as driving the simulator, he also had his first chance to sample the AMR23 on track in a Pirelli test at Spa.However, next season he will run the full WEC schedule alongside his Formula E commitments, which will reduce his availability to be …Keep reading
The dramatic sight of Damon Hill’s Bridgestone-shod Arrows overtaking the Goodyear-rubbered Ferrari of old rival Michael Schumacher for the lead in the 1997 Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the enduring images of the decade in Formula 1. For a different reason, so was the sight of Schumacher, now with Bridgestones on his Prancing Horse, leading away a grid of six cars at Indianapolis in 2005 after …Keep reading
Newey, whose top-flight tenure started with a stint at Lola in 1986, has designed grand prix cars that have so far won 12 constructors’ titles and 12 drivers’ crowns for three teams.Notably, Williams scored 10 wins – including six 1-2s – from 16 GPs in 1992 and 12 victories in 1996.After moving to Red Bull as chief technical officer in 2006, Newey oversaw machines that won 12 races in 2011 …Keep reading
Piastri secured the first podium of his F1 career with third at last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, joining team-mate Lando Norris on the rostrum, but admitted after the race that it was not his finest performance. Reflecting on why he felt that way, the Australian rookie explained that, on a day when there was a need to heavily manage the tyres, he did not think he had done a good enough …Keep reading
Red Bull clinched its sixth constructors’ title with six races to spare in Japan, which is another entry for the Milton Keynes squad into the series’ record book that it has been steadily rewriting this year.Team principal Horner conceded that losing its streak of consecutive race wins in Singapore was inevitable.And while the carrot of an invincible season is no longer dangling in front of his …Keep reading
After using customer units from McLaren and latterly Mercedes since its early Force India days in 2009, the Silverstone outfit is currently ramping its own transmission department ahead of 2026, when its new relationship with Honda obliges the team to create a bespoke gearbox.Inevitably, that push has focused Aston’s attention on the costs associated with designing and producing gearboxes, and …Keep reading
After a strong run of points finishes for Albon, Williams is currently in a solid seventh in the championship on 21 points, ahead of Haas on 12, Alfa Romeo on 10, and AlphaTauri on five.However, while Williams has no new parts coming through the system for the FW45 as it focuses on its 2024 car, its rivals have continued to bring updates, with AlphaTauri introducing a new package in Singapore and …Keep reading