Kimi Raikkonen’s won a race, and so the F1 journalists roll out the inevitable ‘Iceman’ puns. Meanwhile, ITV apologised for their almighty cock-up during the San Marino Grand Prix. Before we get stuck into the papers, a word on ITV. Justly chastised for cutting huge swathes of the Fernando Alonso-Michael Schumcher battle in favour of … Continue reading Spanish Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Keith Collantine's articles on RaceFans
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing.
The Battle at the Back
Posted onThe cameras follow the fight at the front: there’s nothing wrong with that. But at the other end of the grid Minardi and Jordan are battling each other with equal ferocity, and a fascinating duel is beginning to develop between the two minnows of Formula One. Jordan and Minardi are, in relative terms, the poor … Continue reading The Battle at the Back
Editorial: Bad Losers
Posted onFerrari boss Jean Todt told Autosport this week, ?????ǣOur rivals are just bad losers.?????? McLaren head Ron Dennis admitted as much after Imola: ?????ǣI was in pain for days afterwards,?????? he said. But you can be worse things than just a bad loser?????? Nick Fry and the BAR team must have seen the writing on … Continue reading Editorial: Bad Losers
Raikkonen romps to comfortable Spanish Grand Prix win
2005 Spanish Grand Prix review
Posted onKimi Raikkonen delivered a performance worthy of his McLaren predecessor and compatriot Mika Hakkinen as he left the field standing in Spain.
BAR drop appeal
Posted onBAR have dropped their counter-appeal against the FIA’s victory in the row over whether they ran Jenson Button’s car underweight in the San Marino Grand Prix. This is tantamount to acceptance by BAR of the claim that the car did contravene the rules, but means they do not suffer the potential greater embarassment of being … Continue reading BAR drop appeal
BAR get two-race ban
Posted onThe FIA have thrown BAR out of the results for the San Marino Grand Prix and banned them from the next two rounds (Spain and Monaco) for running underweight in San Marino. A secondary fuel tank within the main fuel tain was used to retain fuel during post-race scrutineering. When this was emptied, the BAR … Continue reading BAR get two-race ban
Montoya back for Spain
Posted onJuan Pablo Montoya will return to the cockpit of his McLAren MP4-20 for his first race since injuring his shoulder after the Malaysian Grand Prix. He will suffer the disadvantage of running first in qualifying 1 on Saturday, but should beneift from the progress McLaren have made during his abence, and the new parts they … Continue reading Montoya back for Spain
FIA claim BAR cheated
Posted onThe hearing of the FIA appeal against BAR’s reinstatement into the San Marino Grand Prix results has begun. FIA prosecutors are aiming to prove that BAR’s ‘second fuel tank’, which retains a small amount of fuel to regulate its pressure as it enters the Honda engine, contravenes the rules. More controversially, the FIA are insisting … Continue reading FIA claim BAR cheated
Testing Times
Posted onThe dismal 2004 season was invariably eclipsed by the political disputes taking over the sport. This year the bitter division between the majority of the teams on one side, and the FIA and Ferrari on the other, threatens to ruin the action on the track and cause irreparable damage to F1. It is an appalling … Continue reading Testing Times
Editorial: DC??????s RBR PR
Posted onI promised myself I wouldn’t do it again, but sometimes it’s difficult to write a weekly article on F1 without going off on yet another rant, usually about the FIA. This week’s most likely candidate was their handling of BAR’s ‘underweight’ car in the San Marino Grand Prix.But, no, in the interests of journalistic balance … Continue reading Editorial: DC??????s RBR PR
Spanish Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Posted onFernando Alonso may be on a three-win hot streak, but Michael Schumacher in the rejuvenated Ferrari is bearing down on him hard. Alonso faces a major battle if he is to take his first home win this weekend. The teams In Imola Ferrari, with Schumacher at least, were right back on the pace. The controversial … Continue reading Spanish Grand Prix 2005 Preview
Webber criticises Heidfeld
Posted onMark Webber has slighted team mate Nick Heidfeld’s racecraft in a recent interview, in which Webber claimed Heidfeld, “just sits there,” and doesn’t try hard enough to pass other cars. Perhaps Webber needs reminding that Heidfeld was ‘just sitting there’when Webber needlessly clashed with Giancarlo Fisichella in Malaysia, promoting Heidfeld to a podium place. Something … Continue reading Webber criticises Heidfeld
ITV ‘Sorry’
Posted onITV have posted an apology to F1 fans on their website for showing adverts instead of the concluding laps of the thrilling San Marino Grand Prix. “It is ITV1’s firm commitment to continue to bring you the best F1 coverage that we can,” they claim. Rest assured, F1Fanatic will be keeping a very close eye … Continue reading ITV ‘Sorry’
Red faces at Minardi
Posted onPaul Stoddart may regret signing 40 year-old Israeli Chanook Nissany – the first Israeli to drive an F1 car – after the rookie crashed into team mate Christijan Albers during one of the team’s rare test sessions.
Jarno Trulli 4 – 0 Ralf Schumacher
Posted onFour races in and Trulli has given ‘little Schu’ a bit of a thrashing at Toyota so far. Faster in every qualifying session and ahead in every race, Trulli has amassed twice as many points (18-9) and two podium finishes, versus Ralf’s fourth and fifth placings. Ralf blames the ‘handling characteristics’ of the TF105 – … Continue reading Jarno Trulli 4 – 0 Ralf Schumacher
BAR weight row goes on
Posted onNick Fry is continuing to defend BAR against allegations that Jenson Button’s car ran underweight at Imola. It spent six hours in scrutinerring before being passed by the stewards, but the decision was bizarrely appealed against by the FIA and BAR face a potential ban if the appeal is successful. “Does anyone really think that … Continue reading BAR weight row goes on
Bernie the Train Robber
Posted onBernie Ecclestone has revealed that he hired The Great Train Robbery driver Roy James to design an F1 trophy, after James’ release from prison. Ecclestone’s many detractors will be rubbing their hands with glee at the latest unsavoury, though completely above-board, association. As you would expect the F1 supremo was on form with a cheeky … Continue reading Bernie the Train Robber
San Marino backlash
Posted onThe San Marino Grand Prix may have reached an entertaining and climactic conclusion, but the post-race talk is all controversy and skullduggery. The ‘group of sevem’ teams have lined up to condemn Ferrari’s rejection of the testing agreement and the huge testing programme that has led to their massive improvement in performance at Imola. But … Continue reading San Marino backlash
San Marino Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Posted onA resurgent Ferrari gave us a nail-biting race to the flag in San Marino, and with Jenson Button getting back on the podium surely F1 merited high mention in this week’s sports pages? We tell all in the media review… Monday’s Daily Star gives an adequate write-up of the San Marino Grand Prix, sandwiched gracelessly … Continue reading San Marino Grand Prix 2005 Media Review
Schu vs Stats
Posted onIn his fifteen years of Formula One, Michael Schumacher has been the dominant force in the sport for most of the time. As such, he has led an assault on the F1 record books almost without parallel. He is notoriously indifferent to the scale of this achievement – in public, at least. Having won one … Continue reading Schu vs Stats