Red Bull’s rivals were delighted over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend when images of the Red Bull floor design were obtained in the wake of Sergio Perez’s crash in qualifying.A number of outfits made sure to conduct a deep analysis of the Red Bull design to try to better understand how the RB19 is such a dominant car.But while some may be tempted to copy elements of the Red Bull floor in …Keep reading
Earlier this month, it was announced that retired four-time F1 world champion Vettel will make his return to the cockpit of grand prix machinery for the showcase event in Germany on 9 September.He will pilot the Red Bull RB7 – an Adrian Newey-designed car that claimed 12 race wins in addition to securing 18 of the 19 available pole positions – in which he dominated the 2011 season.For the …Keep reading
The Milton Keynes team has won all eight grands prix so far, with Verstappen claiming six of the victories, and although Hill thinks Mercedes has made a step forward in recent races, he believes the performance gap is still so big that all of Red Bull’s rivals will struggle to catch up without hitting the cost cap limit this year.“I think Mercedes have turned a corner, but the question is …Keep reading
At the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix, a Porsche pace car intervened for the first time after a collision between Francois Cevert and Jody Scheckter.The FIA’s 50-year safety car anniversary is somewhat misleading, however, as further appearances were few and far between. The safety car as we know it has only been a regular fixture since the 1993 season.One man has been at the wheel for 24 of …Keep reading
That’s perhaps not surprising given that for many years the team struggled to balance the books. Spending on equipment for the factory was not a priority compared to reaching the end of the season. It’s taken the arrival of Vowles, a man with so much intimate knowledge of how Mercedes operates, for the realisation to fully sink in in terms of just how far the team lags behind.The good news …Keep reading
Red Bull has taken over Mercedes’ position as the dominant force in F1 since the 2022 regulations change to ground-effect based cars, with Max Verstappen an overwhelming favourite to grab his third consecutive world drivers’ championship this year.Mercedes dropped the ball with its 2022 car and has since been working its way back in contention, with a concept change of its 2023 car offering …Keep reading
Team principal James Vowles made the call to fast-track an update package that wasn’t originally intended for Montreal, and the factory managed to produce enough new parts for Albon’s car.In addition, Albon was given a brand new Mercedes power unit in the search for an extra edge over the weekend.A brilliant strategy call saw Albon fastest on slicks on a drying track in the Q2 session …Keep reading
From the launch of the MCL60, new team principal Andrea Stella played down expectations and stressed the need to be “realistic” after off-season development targets were missed.A key update package was ushered in for round four in Azerbaijan, with the revised floor and rear wing said to mark the specification in which the car should have started the year.Stella now reckons that nearly …Keep reading
The FIA recently opened the tender for the F1 tyre contract from 2025 to 2027, with an option for it to be extended by another year.Last week the selection process moved on to its second stage, as F1’s governing body completed its evaluation of applicants and selected approved bidders.It is understood that Pirelli and Japanese manufacturer Bridgestone have been chosen to go …Keep reading
F1’s calendar ballooned to a record 24 races for 2024 with the addition of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November.The return of Shanghai’s Chinese Grand Prix was then cancelled as a result of China’s on-going COVID-19 policy, while Imola’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was called off due to severe flooding, reducing the calendar down to 22 races.The 2024 calendar is expected to feature …Keep reading