Maurice Hamilton’s new book on the 2007 and the McLaren-Ferrari spy scandal has the full title, “Chequered Conflict: The Inside Story on Two Explosive F1 World Championships”. What’s the other world championship? That would be the 1986 F1 series, which saw Alain Prost nick the championship at the last round from the battling Williams pair … Continue reading Chequered Conflict (Maurice Hamilton, 2008)
Month: February 2008 articles archive
Superleague Formula? No thanks
Posted onAutosport have interviewed the man behind Superleague Formula, Alex Andreu, who’s unsurprisingly confident about the prospects for his motor racing-cum-football league championship, due to get the green light/kick off at Donington Park later this year. Andreu said: We did some research, and then we went to the top football clubs in Europe – Juventus, FC … Continue reading Superleague Formula? No thanks
2008: What are you most looking forward to?
Posted onIt’s getting close now: the start of the 2008 Formula 1 season is three weeks away. The teams have their final test session next week before the cars are packed away for the flight to Melbourne, Australia. The F1 Fanatic 2008 season preview starts today with my pick of what I’m most looking forward to … Continue reading 2008: What are you most looking forward to?
2008 F1 testing round-up 9: Circuit de Catalunya & Valencia
Posted onMost of the teams tested at the Circuit de Catalunya this week, with BMW decamping to Valencia for a private test, and the beleaguered Super Aguri team cancelling their planned test amid continue doubt over their 2008 entry. The highly anticipated sight of Ferrari resuming testing alongside the rest of their rivals was dampened – … Continue reading 2008 F1 testing round-up 9: Circuit de Catalunya & Valencia
F1 blogs review: Champ Car and IRL merge
Posted onThe Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended their 12-year feud and joined back together, a move that could have interesting consequences for Formula 1. Also in the F1 blogs this week, video of Juan Pablo Montoya wrestling, Spyker describe Formula 1 as a ‘massive bleeder’, F1 Racing gets a new editor … Continue reading F1 blogs review: Champ Car and IRL merge
New DTM drivers: Oliver Jarvis, Katherine Legge… and Ralf Schumacher
Posted onThree new names have been confirmed for this year’s DTM championship. The headline grabber is F1 refugee Ralf Schumacher, who will drive a one year-old Mercedes C-Class. Oliver Jarvis (pictured above with team mates Legge and Markus Wikelhock) joins Audi in a one year-old A4, which really disappoints me. Jarvis has had some excellent results … Continue reading New DTM drivers: Oliver Jarvis, Katherine Legge… and Ralf Schumacher
Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
Posted onThe Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended a rift that has lasted over a decade and issued a statement that the two championships are to merge. The full details of the merge are not yet known, including what the series will be called, how many teams will participate, and what races … Continue reading Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
F1 news review: Alonso looked at Renault move in March
Posted onIn the F1 news this week Fernando Alonso first approached Flavio Briatore about returning to Renault in March of last year after just one round of the championship. Plus Ralf Schumacher comes clean about his claims of having an F1 seat for 2008, Kimi Raikkonen hints at his eventual retirement, and Bahrain International Circuit takes … Continue reading F1 news review: Alonso looked at Renault move in March
Video: Best F1 passes of 2007
Posted onLast year I picked my favourite 50 F1 passes on video from the last three decades. I realised I’m long overdue updating it with some of the best picks from last year’s racing – featuring Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and more. Quick, watch them now before someone at FOM decides that having videos … Continue reading Video: Best F1 passes of 2007
Alonso unconcerned by racist abuse of Hamilton
Posted onFernando Alonso has broken his silence on the racist abuse of Lewis Hamilton by supporters of his at the Circuit de Catalunya two weeks ago: This is not a racist country. This was an isolated thing — and the less it is talked about, the better. There were people enjoying Carnival and look what happened. … Continue reading Alonso unconcerned by racist abuse of Hamilton
Video: Why is there no Dubai Grand Prix?
Posted onWhen Bernie Ecclestone sits down after his dinner with a globe and ticks off countries he’s added to the F1 calendar in the last five years (Bahrain, China, Abu Dhabi, India, Korea) I wonder why he keeps skipping past Dubai? It’s already setting up its own F1 theme park (see video below) F1-X which will … Continue reading Video: Why is there no Dubai Grand Prix?
Fuji gets better toilets but still needs a roof
Posted onWhen I saw the Autosport headline ‘Fuji moves to avoid 2007 problems’ I thought, “Wow, they’re building a roof over the whole thing.” It’s not as if anyone wants to see another huge downpour on the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix and have to sit through 30 minutes-plus behind the safety car as we did last … Continue reading Fuji gets better toilets but still needs a roof
How an Indycar merger might affect F1
Posted onWith the American open wheel racing seasons not far away it’s the time of year when we’ve come to expect rumours of a reunion between the warring factions in US racing: the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League. But this time there seems to be genuine cause for optimism. Both series have … Continue reading How an Indycar merger might affect F1
IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
Posted onAccording to Speed’s Robin Miller the long-awaited IRL Indycar / Champ Car World Series merger is a done deal and an announcement is due soon. Such a thing has been promised several times before and I’m won’t believe it until I see Newman-Haases and Penskes sharing the tarmac at Long Beach, but I think even … Continue reading IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
The Genocide Grand Prix?
Posted onWith the Olympic Games being held in Beijing this year many influential people have used the opportunity afforded by the publicity to attack China’s abysmal human rights record and support for regimes that perpetrate genocide. F1’s had a Chinese Grand Prix since 2004. So are none of F1’s millions of fans bothered about being tainted … Continue reading The Genocide Grand Prix?
Max Mosley is an F1 blogs fan
Posted onMax Mosley had several important and interesting things to say in his latest interview with The Times but what grabbed my attention was the but where he admitted to reading F1 blogs: I don’t mind flak – I come from a family where we have had flak all our lives – but I realise some … Continue reading Max Mosley is an F1 blogs fan
The Ben Evans column: Slowdown
Posted onAnyone with even a passing interest in the non-motorsport world cannot failed to have noticed a global recession is on the horizon. Those who like their economics with a whiff of F1 will have noted that the teams are finding it harder to pull in those all important sponsorship dollars. A disaster, surely? In the … Continue reading The Ben Evans column: Slowdown
Joyless Kent NIMBYs spoil British Touring Car finale
Posted onVery disappointing to read that the 2008 British Touring Car finale can’t be held on the full length Brands Hatch circuit. Once again the noise restriction regulations are to blame – nearby home owners crying “Not In My Back Yard” prevent the circuit from being able to use the excellent Grand Prix loop for more … Continue reading Joyless Kent NIMBYs spoil British Touring Car finale
What F1 can learn (and forget) about NASCAR
Comment
Posted onI watched the first round of the 2008 NASCAR season yesterday – the Daytona 500. I’m not a big fan of the style of racing but I’ve got a list as long as my arm of the things F1 can learn from NASCAR’s presentation.
Your questions: Team mate crashes and more
Posted onHere’s a selection of F1 questions I’ve been emailled recently – and my attempts at answering them. If you’ve got a question do email it in and please help out with any of the requests below if you can…