Kimi Raikkonen was finally graced with some good fortune at the Hungaroring and claimed his fourth win of the season while title rival Fernando Alonso hit trouble.
Month: July 2005 articles archive
Silly season 2006
Posted onUnlike the rest of Britain, apparently, I am not enthralled by the latest Jenson Button saga. For what it’s worth I hope he does drive for Williams next year, because he shouldn’t be allowed to worm out of the contract simply because the winds of fortune have changed. But the really perplexing aspect of the … Continue reading Silly season 2006
Editorial: Kicking the habit
Posted onCan it really be 19 years since Formula One made its first, tentative steps into the Eastern Bloc? The F1 circus first came to the Hungaroring in 1986, celebrating the spirit of glasnost that introduced the world’s most capitalistic sport into the Communist heartland of Hungary. On that weekend the tiny Zakspeed team even celebrated … Continue reading Editorial: Kicking the habit
Smile for the cameras
Posted onHaving just spent a fortnight touring round the Midwest of the USA, I managed to squeeze in a couple of NASCAR races and an IRL event on the TV. After all, when you have a 24 hr motor sports channel in your hotel room, Mount Rushmore pales in comparison. Now while I will never be … Continue reading Smile for the cameras
Editorial: Permanent Revolution
Posted onSince the first attempts at banning electronic driver aids in 1994, the Formula One rules have been in a state of constant upheaval. But by failing to understand its past, the sport’s authorities have misdirected its future. The changes to F1 since 1994 have radically altered the nature of the sport, driven teams to bankruptcy … Continue reading Editorial: Permanent Revolution
Tobacco no-show?
Posted onWith time running out until the imposition of new European Union rules governing the display of tobacco advertising in sporting events, BAR claim they have not received an adequate clarification of the law from the British government despite BAR boss Nick Fry insisting they had requested on, “several times.” They are afraid that British teams … Continue reading Tobacco no-show?
German Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onThe German Grand Prix was not a high point for F1 in 2005. The championship battle more or less fizzled out and yet another McLaren failure gifted Alonso an unchallenging victory. It’s little surprise to see the quality and size of newspapers coverage has fallen this week. You can’t really blame newspapers like The Independent … Continue reading German Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Hungarian Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Posted onIf Fernando Alonso was cruising to the title before his German Grand Prix victory, expect him to be coasting around the Hungaroring with one hand on the wheel this weekend. Meanwhile title rival Kimi Raikkonen will be flat-out all the way on the off chance that his MP4-20 permits him a trouble-free weekend and maybe, … Continue reading Hungarian Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Alonso grabs another win as Raikkonen’s car fails
2005 German Grand Prix Review
Posted onKimi Raikkonen’s third successive car failure robbed him of yet another potential victory. That and a qualifying error by team mate Juan Pablo Montoya has given Fernando Alonso an almost insurmountable advantage in the title chase. The German Grand Prix was not the overtaking-fest the media hype promised it would be beforehand. What action there … Continue reading Alonso grabs another win as Raikkonen’s car fails
Editorial: More F1, please
Posted onMuch has been made of the FIA survey’s revelation that – shock, horror – F1 fans want to see more overtaking. But one crucial aspect of the survey has gone without sufficient comment – the need for more teams. The FIA survey revealed that 69% of Formula One fans think that there are not enough … Continue reading Editorial: More F1, please
German Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Posted onThe punishing F1 schedule continues with round 12 at the Hockenheimring. Mercedes will be desperate not to see a repeat of the engine failures that ruined Kimi Raikkonen’s last two races – especially not on home ground. How times changes. Twelve months ago the Formula One circus arrived at the Hockenheimring outside Heidelberg with the … Continue reading German Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Alonso cruises to fifth win as Raikkonen limits damage
2005 French Grand Prix review
Posted on“Watch the Ferraris”, everyone seemed to be saying after the United States ‘race’. “They’ve made a big step forward.” Michael Schumacher unusually bullish, suggested as much after qualifying. But on the track, Fernando Alonso blitzed them all for his fifth win from ten. It was not a thrilling French Grand Prix. Indeed, after the shame … Continue reading Alonso cruises to fifth win as Raikkonen limits damage
British Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onJenson Button is the next Tim Henman as far as the British press are concerned. But that won’t stop Ferrari snapping him up. Don’t believe everything you read in the papers or, for that matter, in this week’s media review. Amid the frenzy of the British Grand Prix the tabloid heavyweights slugged it out in … Continue reading British Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
The Grand Prix alternatives
Posted onI find nothing more frustrating than listening to over pampered Grand Prix drivers moaning about the amount of travel in their job, firstly, because the title World Championship indicates frequent flights, and secondly, because they get to race in China, Brazil and the USA. There are worse jobs. Over in Formula Vee ‘international’ extends about … Continue reading The Grand Prix alternatives
Editorial: Sublime Silverstone
Posted onThe FIA’s survey brought up a number of head-slapping, ?â?ó?óÔÇÜ?¼?àÔÇ£I could have told you that,?â?ó?óÔÇÜ?¼?é?Ø type results. Not least of which was Silverstone’s place among the top three of the best circuits in Formula One at present. Now, for a dedicated Silverstone enthusiast such as this it is not a major surprise. Crucially both the … Continue reading Editorial: Sublime Silverstone
Montoya grabs win as Alonso extends points lead
2005 British Grand Prix Review
Posted onJuan Pablo Montoya broke his 2005 duck and took his first win for McLaren in fine style. But a second consecutive weekend troubled by engined failure for Kimi Raikkonen stymied his assault on Fernando Alonso’s championship lead. The final practice session for the British Grand Prix had barely begun when the number nine McLaren-Mercedes of … Continue reading Montoya grabs win as Alonso extends points lead
Mosley replacement rumours
Posted onSeven of the ten Formula One teams are rumoured to be lining up a potential replacement for under-fire FIA President Max Mosley. The seven teams exclude the FIA-aligned Ferrari, Red Bull, who are to take a supply of Ferrari engines from next year, and Jordan, who have distanced themselves from the ‘Group of Nine’ since … Continue reading Mosley replacement rumours
French Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onThe French Grand Prix was as dull as ditchwater – there’s no avoiding that fact. Did the British press tell it as straight? And how did ITV-F1 cope with the Magny-Cours snoozeathon? The post-race media review reveals all. At long, long last Wimbledon is over. It feels as if we’ve had months of the tedious … Continue reading French Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
F1 05 (PlayStation 2)
Posted onThe latest Playstation 2 F1 game to hit the shelves boasts the full 2005 roster of teams, drivers and circuits. Is it worth parting with a significant chunk of your hard-earned for? We give it a thorough track-testing.
British Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Posted onFrance was not quite the reputation recovery exercise that F1 might have hoped for. Alright, nothing went wrong, but the race was rigidly dull at best. We can surely hope for better at F1’s spiritual home, Silverstone. Fast, flowing, dramatic and challenging – Silverstone is one of the best circuits in modern Formula One, a … Continue reading British Grand Prix 2005 Preview