The venue of the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix is using the off-season to overhaul its ageing facilities as part of an €80m, government-backed refurbishment. The circuit broke ground in November on new run-off areas in several key corners, while also demolishing old grandstands and the Raidillon chalet in favour of new, more modern facilities. […]
Month: January 2022
Ex-MotoGP star Rossi out of Gulf 12 Hours due COVID-19 contact
Nine-time grand prix motorcycle world champion Rossi was scheduled to make his now-regular Gulf 12 Hours appearance in Abu Dhabi with the Kessel Racing squad in a Ferrari 488 GT3. A class winner and overall podium finisher at previous events, Rossi was set to share a car with close friend Alessio Salucci and half-brother and […]
Ferrari expects “easy discussion” with Sainz over new F1 contract
Sainz joined Ferrari last season as a replacement for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, signing a two-year deal. He scored four podiums en route to fifth place in the drivers’ championship during his first year with the team. Sainz quickly formed a good relationship with new teammate Charles Leclerc as the duo combined to secure […]
How F1 wheel rim covers work, why they were banned and why they’re back
Alongside the much-vaunted return of the ground effect concept is the revival of wheel rim covers. F1 hopes these will help smooth out the turbulence ordinarily created by the wheel and tyre, and thus help reduce the overall wake generated by the lead car when another is chasing. The rim covers used in 2022 will be […]
“A shame” McLaren didn’t hang on with Honda in F1
Honda returned to F1 after a six-season absence in 2015 as McLaren’s works engine partner, only for the two parties to cut ties after three difficult and unsuccessful years. An initial deal with Toro Rosso in 2018 paved the way for Honda to link up with Red Bull the following year. Honda announced in 2020 […]
Alpine “very encouraged” by 2021 F1 season progress
Alpine suffered from an inconsistent 2021 campaign, but a shock maiden win for Esteban Ocon in Hungary and a podium for Fernando Alonso in Qatar gave the Enstone outfit the edge over AlphaTauri to clinch fifth in the constructors’ championship. While it is clear Alpine has plenty of work to do to catch up with […]
McLaren eager to continue with occasional one-off F1 liveries
McLaren ran an all-new livery for the Monaco Grand Prix race weekend, ditching its regular papaya for the orange and powder blue colours of Gulf Oil to run on the cars of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo. The team also opted to tweak its livery for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, […]
New FIA president confident Hamilton won’t walk away from F1
Hamilton missed out on a record-breaking eighth world championship after being passed by Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a late restart by race control that did not appear to follow the regulations. Mercedes initially protested the restart procedure and considered a further appeal, but ultimately put an […]
Ricciardo “wanted to make a statement” with Monza F1 victory
Ricciardo joined McLaren from Renault on a three-year deal starting in 2021, but struggled to get up to speed with the team at first, leaving team-mate Lando Norris to score the majority of its points. But Ricciardo bounced back after the summer break to score a dominant victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, […]
“Naive” to think closing Red Bull and Mercedes F1 gap will be easy
This year will mark the start of a long-anticipated new technical ruleset for F1, forcing teams to pursue different aerodynamic concepts and manage the introduction of the new 18-inch tyres. It will provide an opportunity for all teams to make a big step forward, with Ferrari in particular looking to return to the front of […]