Formula 1
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AlphaTauri to address side-effects of low-speed prowess with 2024 F1 car
The Anglo-Italian squad grabbed attention with its raft of steady floor upgrades in recent months, that according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella had made the AT04 the best car in low-speed corners by the season finale in Abu Dhabi.It allowed the team to have a late go at Williams for seventh in the constructors' championship, but from sixth on the grid a one-stop gamble for Yuki Tsunoda didn't...Keep reading -
Piastri: F1 2023 a bigger rollercoaster than expected
After a difficult start with a car that wasn’t competitive, he took advantage of the team’s mid-season upgrades to make a strong impression in the second half of the year.He twice made the podium in grands prix, finishing runner-up in Qatar and third in Japan, while also logging a memorable victory in the sprint event at the former.He ended the year in a respectable ninth place in the F1 world...Keep reading -
Stephanie Carlin joins McLaren F1 as business operations director
Carlin, who was team principal of Rodin Carlin’s Formula 3 and F1 Academy Teams as well as fulfilling a similar role at Team X44 in Extreme E, will oversee a range of activities in support of McLaren’s F1 operations.Her position will also include involvement in McLaren’s participation in the 2024 F1 Academy season. She starts in January and will report directly to McLaren team principal...Keep reading -
Wolff praises Leclerc for not ‘pulling the handbrake’ in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The fight for second in the constructors’ championship between Mercedes and Ferrari went down to the wire in the season finale. In a late but ultimately unsuccessful bid to thwart Mercedes, Leclerc allowed a penalised Sergio Perez to overtake in a bid to prevent George Russell landing a podium.Leclerc wanted Perez, handicapped by five seconds for tagging Lando Norris, to pass and build a gap so...Keep reading -
Hamilton admits to self-doubt and how Abu Dhabi 2021 did prompt retirement thoughts
The seven-time champion has undergone a challenging two years with the Mercedes squad, which has found itself unable to regularly match the pace of the dominant Red Bull outfit. Those competitive struggles have also come straight off the back of the controversy from the end of 2021, where the FIA’s mishandling of a safety car restart at that year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ultimately cost Hamilton...Keep reading -
The Olympian who saved Brazil's F1 race
Not only was the race saved at its traditional venue, albeit with the new name of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it has now had its future secured until at least 2030.The man responsible is promoter Alan Adler, who was unknown in racing circles until 2020. He brought with him vast experience of running major sporting and entertainment events in Brazil, as well as – through unusual circumstances –...Keep reading -
Naked Bottas calendar raises $150,000 for charity despite his mum’s concerns
Bottas has also admitted that his mother was initially confused by his decision to strip until she was assured that the aim was to raise funds for charity, specifically prostate cancer research.The calendar resulted from the interest in prints Bottas sold last year and was put together by photographer Paul Ripke.An initial run of 10,000 was quickly sold out via www.bottass.com, so more were...Keep reading -
Horner: 2021 shows our F1 dominance is no guarantee for next year
Mercedes dominated the 2020 season by winning 13 out of 17 races, including 11 victories for world champion Lewis Hamilton.Red Bull finished a distant second with two wins for Max Verstappen, but caught up in 2021 which led to the most dramatic title showdown in recent memory.Red Bull won all but one race in 2023, as Verstappen romped home to his third consecutive world title. Meanwhile, the team...Keep reading -
Gasly: Hamilton would have gone straight if he didn’t hit me in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The pair made contact early in the race, leaving Gasly with diffuser damage that cost him downforce and lap time.The FIA stewards looked at the incident, but opted to take no action. Explaining their decision they noted: “Car 10 locked its front right tyre into Turn 6 resulting in that car approaching the turn on a slightly different line at a slightly lower speed, which was obviously unexpected...Keep reading -
Norris: McLaren on right track for F1 2024 challenge
McLaren missed its winter development targets and started the campaign poorly, with neither driver scoring a point in the first two races. But led by a three-stage car upgrade phased in from the Austrian Grand Prix, the team emerged as the second-fastest outfit behind runaway constructors’ champion Red Bull.PLUS: How McLaren revamped its F1 team to become a contender againThose gains enabled...Keep reading -
How long is an F1 race? Laps, time, distance and more explained
Formula 1 fans will notice that every grand prix lasts both a different number of laps and length of time, which makes it unlike some other motor racing categories in the world.This is because the series runs to a specific distance rather than amount of time - like the Le Mans 24 Hours, 12 Hours of Sebring and more - due to the various circuits its calendar holds. This is to ensure every race is...Keep reading -
What’s behind the AlphaTauri floor that has upset F1 rivals
But the extent of its progress got some of its rivals’ backs up, amid concerns that its ever-closer relationship with sister team Red Bull could be helping both teams gain an unfair advantage. While there are no suggestions the Red Bull squads are doing anything against the regulations, it is clear teams can benefit from closer collaboration when it comes to optimising development paths. That...Keep reading -
Vasseur: Ferrari needs to make more of its opportunities in F1 2024
Ferrari was beaten by Mercedes to second in the 2023 constructors' championship in Abu Dhabi by three points after both teams went through a season full of ups and downs with peaky cars.Just like its counterpart from Brackley, Ferrari started off on the wrong foot in Bahrain with a car that it realised wasn't going to be a match for Red Bull.But apart from its lack of race pace, the Scuderia also...Keep reading -
What are track limits in F1 and how do they work?
Track limits are a key part of a Formula 1 track and ensure that all the drivers stay within the boundaries. They’ve proven to be a controversial issue for drivers this season with multiple penalties being handed out for track limit violations.What are track limits in F1?Track limits are the white lines that run around the edge of the circuit and set a boundary that the drivers are not allowed...Keep reading -
Russell: F1 illnesses highlight 'unsustainable' toll of 2024 calendar
As the 2023 campaign concluded with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix running back-to-back with the season finale in the Middle East - forcing people to overcome a 12-hour time difference in three days - drivers, team personnel and championship staff were coming down with sickness at Yas Marina.Although a 24-round schedule for next year has already been released, with China reinstated for the...Keep reading -
Hamilton: Wolff and Mercedes under “huge” pressure to deliver in F1 2024
Off the back of a winless campaign for the German manufacturer, the Brackley-based squad is pinning hopes of a revival on an all-new car concept for its 2024 W15 challenger.But seven-time world champion Hamilton suggests there is little room for manoeuvre if Mercedes get it wrong for a third time in the new ground effect era, which has served to ramp up the demands on the squad and its boss.In an...Keep reading -
McLaren agrees F1 deal that lures Monster Energy from Mercedes
Monster Energy has partnered with McLaren on what is described as a “multi-year” contract, which will lead to the recognisable ‘M’ logo featuring on the helmets, race suits, caps and drinks bottles (branded in the past by Coca-Cola) of drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from the 2024 season.While McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has used his vast experience in the commercial and marketing...Keep reading -
O'Ward: Moving to F1 after winning Indy 500 would be a "Cinderella story"
O'Ward impressed on his latest appearance in McLaren's F1 machinery by finishing second in Abu Dhabi's post-season test, completing 103 laps in the 2023 MCL60 to put himself just 0.269s behind Alpine's leading Esteban Ocon.His outing came days after being announced as one of McLaren's 2024 reserve drivers, having already completed private tests in the 2021 MCL35 as well as several FP1...Keep reading -
Mercedes changing “every component” for W15 F1 2024 car
The German manufacturer has endured a difficult 2023 campaign where, despite finishing second in the constructors’ championship, it proved to be no match for the dominant Red Bull team. It realised early on that it had made a wrong decision with its car's aero platform but, despite making major changes from the Monaco GP, it was not enough to get back to the front. The team has long been open...Keep reading -
Ocon tops F1's Abu Dhabi post-season test as Russell crashes
Abu Dhabi's one-day test is a combined exercise to hand Pirelli extra tyre data while also providing a chance to rookie drivers to gather valuable miles. All teams ran two cars, one for each assignment.Russell caused the most notable incident by crashing in Turn 6 four hours into the session after a suspected technical failure punted the Mercedes driver into the barriers.The incident, which caused...Keep reading -
How F1's impending engine revamp puts new emphasis on electrical power
With a freeze on power units until new rules arrive in 2026 and its emphasis on aerodynamics, Formula 1 is almost the exact inverse of the electric series I’ve raced in for the past decade.Formula E is all about powertrain efficiency, optimising a spec chassis with standard aerodynamics and none of the underfloor black arts. It’s not perfect, but Formula E has shown that investing in...Keep reading -
Sainz: "Dramatic" issues in final races put “dark patch” on 2023 F1 season
The Spaniard’s Las Vegas weekend was compromised by the water valve incident in practice, and after a 10-place grid penalty he was only able to secure sixth place on a day when team-mate Charles Leclerc fought for victory.In Abu Dhabi he had a big crash in FP2 and, after a poor Q1 saw him start only 16th, Sainz gambled on two stints with the hard tyres waiting for a safety car. But this failed...Keep reading -
Ocon: Abu Dhabi F1 tyre test “super important” to iron out weakness
The Enstone outfit has suffered from inconsistent form this year, with a strong race in Las Vegas – where Ocon finished fourth – followed by a disappointing weekend at the Yas Marina track that saw both cars outside the points.Ocon says that going straight into a test at a venue where the team struggled will help the team learn some lessons, with reserve driver Jack Doohan also providing input...Keep reading -
Vowles wants final Williams data check before Sargeant F1 2024 call
Sargeant is the favourite to secure the final spot on the 2024 F1 grid with Williams despite a mixed rookie campaign. While he showed signs of improving form throughout the year and scored a point at the United States GP, there were also some notable errors that resulted in big crashes. But Williams has been consistent in feeling that Sargeant needed time to prove himself, so would be given...Keep reading -
F1 set for emergency driver cooling rule to help in extreme conditions
In response to the investigation that motor racing’s governing body launched as a consequence of the physical troubles drivers faced at this year’s Qatar Grand Prix, solutions are now being put in place. At last week’s meeting of the F1 Commission, plans for a small scoop – with the opening likely to be fitted underneath the car to help direct cool air into the cockpit – were approved...Keep reading -
F1's Abu Dhabi post-season test: Who is driving and more
The 2023 F1 season has drawn to a close after Max Verstappen capped off a championship-winning year with victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - but has the 2023 season actually finished? Teams and drivers have not packed up just yet, as they are staying in Abu Dhabi for this week’s post-season test at Yas Marina Circuit. It will take place on Tuesday 28 November and gives teams the opportunity...Keep reading -
Everything you need to know about the 2024 F1 season: Driver line-up and calendar
The 2023 Formula 1 season has come to its conclusion in Abu Dhabi, with many eyes now turning to the start of 2024. The year was dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, with a few teams such as McLaren and Ferrari starting to improve their car towards the end of the year.Alfa Romeo is set for a name change in 2024 after its current title sponsorship will come to an end. The team is expected to...Keep reading -
How AlphaTauri’s "crazy" upgrade push helped Tsunoda deliver unthinkable feat
Tsunoda added that such a scenario couldn’t even have been thought about earlier in the season when the Faenza team was struggling for form.Helped by floor updates to the AT04, he qualified sixth at the Yas Marina track and held onto the position in the early laps, rising up the order as the frontrunners pitted.When Charles Leclerc came in Tsunoda took over the lead for five laps, before making...Keep reading -
Vasseur: Strategy gamble not reason Ferrari lost second in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The Italian outfit went into the race four points shy of Mercedes, but while Charles Leclerc took second place behind Max Verstappen, his team-mate Sainz failed to log any points.With George Russell earning third and Lewis Hamilton taking ninth, the Brackley team stayed in front by three points.After a frustrating Q1 session saw Sainz qualify 16th, Ferrari put the Spaniard on hard tyres at the...Keep reading -
Why P7 means more to Williams than just the $9m F1 prize boost
The Grove-based outfit had gone into the F1 finale in Abu Dhabi hoping to head off a late-season surge from closest rival AlphaTauri in the fight for seventh in the teams' battle. Although Williams failed to score any points at a track that was not particularly well suited to its car, Yuki Tsunoda’s eighth-placed finish was not enough for its Italian rival to overtake it. Speaking after the...Keep reading -
10 things we learned from the 2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP
Max Verstappen’s 19th win of the season, putting him on 1,003 laps led across the entire campaign, was never really in doubt from the moment he made it out of Turn 1 in the lead.After Charles Leclerc’s valiant attempt to trouble the 2023 dominator failed, his focus switched to those behind him and hauling Ferrari above Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, which came to no avail...Keep reading -
Autosport Podcast: F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix review
The Red Bull driver produced a microcosm of the F1 season to take his 19th win of the season and made it to 1003 laps led this year.PLUS: Why F1's 2023 Abu Dhabi GP finale wasn't a better raceMercedes held on to second ahead of Ferrari in the constructors', with Williams doing the same in seventh over AlphaTauri, as Fernando Alonso clinched fourth place in the drivers’ standings on countback...Keep reading -
Norris: "Impressive" to crash with Perez after letting Red Bull pass deliberately
In a mostly unspectacular season finale, Perez attempted to dive up the inside of Norris under braking for the Turns 6-7 chicane in a scrap for fourth place on lap 47 of 58.But the Red Bull driver appeared to need two goes at turning in to make the apex, with the later correction sending Perez clattering into the front-left wheel of the McLaren MCL60.PLUS: The reasons why F1's 2023 Abu Dhabi GP...Keep reading -
Hamilton concerned Red Bull 'hasn't touched' F1 car since August
Aside from a half-hearted lunge from Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, polesitter Max Verstappen controlled events throughout the Yas Marina season finale to win over the Ferrari by 17.993 seconds.With Sergio Perez penalised from second to fourth for hitting Lando Norris, George Russell completed the podium 20.328s adrift to narrowly seal the runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship...Keep reading -
Red Bull faces $7.4m entry fee hangover from record breaking F1 2023 season
The Milton Keynes-based squad delivered one of the most dominant performances in F1 history this season, with its drivers winning 21 out of 22 races and securing both world championship titles quite early. Its tally of 860 points well eclipsed the previous record haul from a season which was held by Mercedes when it amassed 765 during its 2016 title double. However, such success does not come...Keep reading -
The 10 best Formula 1 drivers ever: Hamilton, Schumacher & more
The best F1 driver in history is a debate that has, and will continue to, rage as long as Formula 1 exists, but we look at who the best drivers are statistically.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
1. Lewis Hamilton - 103 wins
First race: 2007 Australian Grand Prix
World Championships: 7...Keep reading -
Video: Was F1’s Abu Dhabi GP a fitting season ending?
Max Verstappen takes yet another win, proving the RB19 to be the most dominant car in F1 history, while Mercedes snaps up second in the constructors' championship from Ferrari.But why did Carlos Sainz finish in the pits? Could Leclerc's strategy to let Perez pass him have worked? And what was the issue with the F1 teams pit mechanics' visors?Martyn Lee chats with Matt Kew and Sam Hall to discuss...Keep reading -
Perez receives formal warning after stewards criticism in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
Perez was on the receiving end of a five-second penalty for hitting McLaren's Lando Norris when he tried to overtake the Briton.The Red Bull driver argued Norris was to blame as he felt he was ahead, while Norris said he was actually making room to let Perez pass on purpose, although the Mexican crashed into him anyway.At the time, Perez vehemently disagreed with the penalty, which demoted him...Keep reading -
Alonso explains DRS ploy behind Hamilton 'brake test' in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
The Aston Martin driver secured fourth place in the drivers' championship with a seventh place finish at the Yas Marina Circuit, but was noted by the stewards for an incident following his second pitstop in the season finale.As he rejoined the circuit, with Hamilton's Mercedes closing behind, Alonso moved to the right-hand side of the road on the approach to the Turn 5 left-hand hairpin, then...Keep reading -
Russell: "Lady Luck" Perez penalty made up for unfortunate F1 2023 races
Perez earned a five-second penalty for clashing with Lando Norris at Turn 6, where the Red Bull driver appeared to block off the corner to stop Norris from turning in.This ensured a frantic showdown between Russell, Perez, and Charles Leclerc - who was hoping to deliver a swing in the constructors' championship to help Ferrari beat Mercedes.Leclerc hoped to help Perez claim third in the race, and...Keep reading -
Perez summoned over criticism of FIA stewards after F1 Abu Dhabi GP finish
Perez finished second on the road in the season finale but was bumped down to fourth, having earned a five-second penalty for banging wheels with Lando Norris on lap 47 of 58 at Yas Marina.The Mexican had been set for a third place, only for Charles Leclerc to pull over and let Red Bull claim a 1-2 at the line.The Ferrari driver had been attempting to let Perez create a late 5s gap to George...Keep reading -
2023 F1 world championship points: Final standings after Abu Dhabi GP
The main attention in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale was the fight runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship between Ferrari and Mercedes. It was decided in favour of Mercedes by three points – and their battle went down to the very last lap.The placings behind the top three in the drivers’ championship were also decided as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso just pipped Charles...Keep reading -
Leclerc explains late bid to help Perez in F1 Abu Dhabi GP
Running in second place behind leader Max Verstappen, Leclerc attempted to give third-placed Sergio Perez a slipstream in the final laps to help him pull clear of Russell, who was on course to give Mercedes second in its fight against Ferrari.Perez needed to finish five seconds clear of Russell after being handed a five-second penalty for a clash with McLaren's Lando Norris.But while Leclerc let...Keep reading -
2023 F1 Abu Dhabi GP results: Max Verstappen wins finale
Verstappen beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and George Russell of Mercedes, fending off an early challenge from Leclerc but, as per usual, his dominance was unchallenged thereafter.His team-mate Sergio Perez finished second on the road but dropped to fourth due to a 5s penalty after a clash with McLaren’s Lando Norris.2023 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix...Keep reading -
F1 Abu Dhabi GP: Verstappen wins 2023 finale as Mercedes secures second
This was despite a series of late-race passes and a penalty for Sergio Perez meaning Leclerc actually gifted him second on the road on the last lap in a failed attempt to extend the Mexican driver’s gap to George Russell behind.Several drivers, including Verstappen, also face a post-race stewards’ investigation regarding possible pitstop infringements related to eyewear worn by their...Keep reading -
F1 teams avoid penalties for Abu Dhabi GP pitcrew infringements
During the second half of the 2023 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit, Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly were flagged for investigation over a possible pitstop infringement. They were soon joined by Max Verstappen, Williams drivers Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon plus Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu.The FIA stewards said the matter would be investigated after the 58-lap race and further clarification...Keep reading -
F1's most dominant cars ever from Red Bull RB19 to McLaren MP4/4 and more
Red Bull produced one of the most dominant seasons in Formula 1 history, with Max Verstappen having cruised towards a third drivers’ world championship in 2023.He and team-mate Sergio Perez had a combined 21 victories with the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, the only time Red Bull did not stand on the top step.Red Bull's race pace was so superior of its rivals that it...Keep reading -
F1 records broken by Max Verstappen in 2023
Max Verstappen had statistically the greatest Formula 1 season in history after breaking several more records at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.The triple world champion secured a record-extending 19th victory of the 2023 season, which added to other achievements like most laps led in a season, biggest points gap to second in the championship and more.It came just a week after Verstappen made...Keep reading -
Memorable moments of F1 2023
When Max Verstappen won the season-opening Grand Prix in Bahrain, little did we know this year would be one of the most record-breaking in history, with 18 victories (so far) for the Dutch driver and just one non-Red Bull win all season.That may suggest this season has been dull and un-dramatic, but in actual fact, there has been plenty to talk about. These are just some of the memorable...Keep reading -
McLaren must investigate whether F1 upgrades have introduced bad handling traits
Lando Norris was threatening to nick pole position off Max Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale but on his final flying lap in Q3, he suffered a large slide through the final sector.This left Norris to rely on his earlier banker effort, which was only good enough for fifth place while rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri - who also battled big spikes of oversteer in practice - ran to...Keep reading
