Max Mosley has approved increases in the cost of F1 drivers’ superlicences that will net the FIA an extra ??1.1m* (??818,000). F1 drivers have seen the cost of their licences increase by up to 479%. The top drivers will pay the most but it’s not as if they’re impoverished to begin with – Lewis Hamilton … Continue reading How much does an F1 driver cost? And why…
F1 articles archive
F1: Formula 1 articles on RaceFans. The Formula One world championship began in 1950 and is considered the world’s leading form of single-seater motorsport.
The most successful F1 drivers include seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher, who also set a record of 91 career wins, and five-times world champion Juan Manuel Fangio.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are the leading drivers among the 20 competitors who take part in the championship today.
Ferrari has won the F1 constructors’ championship more times than any other team, with 16 titles. It is also the only team which has competed in every championship since the first season of Formula 1. There are 10 teams active in the championship, each of which fields cars for two drivers.
The Formula 1 calendar typically runs from March to November each year. Pre-season tests take place in February and March, and a post-season test is usually scheduled for late November or December.
How much F1 did ITV miss showing adverts in 2007?
Television
Posted onITV broadcast every round of the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship. But how much of the action was missed during advert breaks?
Video: Road cars with F1 engines
F1 video
Posted onThe kind of technology transfer I like to see is where mechanics get mischievous and bolt howling F1 race engines into road-going cars.
Video: F1 testing in Valencia (part 1)
Posted onI came across a series of excellent videos covering last week’s F1 test in Valencia on Youtube today. The footage includes the debut appearances of two new 2008 F1 cars – the Williams-Toyota FW30 and Renault’s new R28, the latter driven by Fernando Alonso. See below for over half an hour of footage from the … Continue reading Video: F1 testing in Valencia (part 1)
The Massa delusion
Posted onFirst Kimi Raikkonen’s manager, now Felipe Massa is claiming unreliability has cost him a world championship: I think my countrymen understand that I would have been the 2007 World Champion if my car had been more reliable. Let’s get the calculators out and do some sums…
ITV Sport to broadcast in HD… but not F1?
Posted onSome time ago I started putting a bit of cash to one side so that when ITV finally arranged to broadcast F1 in high definition I could run out and buy a HD TV. Predictably enough there’s been little sign of progress towards HD. I gave up hope of seeing a race in HD last … Continue reading ITV Sport to broadcast in HD… but not F1?
It’s Nazir Hoosein all over again
Posted onSidepodcast have done some first-class sleuthing about the man who will appear as the new FIA-appointed permanent steward to rule on disputes during Grand Prix weekends. As of this year there will be three different stewards officiating on each race, plus one extra person appointed by the FIA who will be at every race. This … Continue reading It’s Nazir Hoosein all over again
2008 F1 testing round-up 4
Posted onAs testing for the 2008 F1 season continues apace it is becoming easier to tell how each of the different teams are faring. BMW have had trouble getting their new F1.08 up to speed, and the car has sprouted some unusual extra wings on its nose. On the other hand Williams?s new FW30 looked quick … Continue reading 2008 F1 testing round-up 4
Honda reveal their 2008 F1 car: the RA108
Posted onHonda actually revealed their 2008 F1 racer earlier this week – I’ve only just been able to get some pictures of it. This is one of the most important cars on the grid this year. Honda desperately need to recover from an awfully poor 2007. Boss Nick Fry has made the right staffing moves – … Continue reading Honda reveal their 2008 F1 car: the RA108
F1 blogs review: free Red Bulletin download
Posted onIn the F1 blogs this week grab yourself a complete back-catalogue of the free paddock magazine Red Bulletin in PDF format from the past three years. Just don’t try taking them into the McLaren pit… Plus an Australian F1 fan frustrated with the organisation of the Melbourne race, plenty of thoughts on testing and more.
‘Fuel burn’ qualifying laps get dropped
2008 F1 season
Posted onGood news – there will be no boring hiatus at the start of part three of qualifying in 2008. The FIA has finally gotten around to banning the ‘fuel burn’ phase (as many people had expected). I was hoping they would do this by getting rid of ‘race fuel’ qualifying altogether. Race fuel qualifying was … Continue reading ‘Fuel burn’ qualifying laps get dropped
If only Michael Schumacher had said this
Posted onLewis Hamilton has given some interesting quotes to the press. What would I have given to hear Michael Schumacher say something like this a few years ago: I just like fairness and I want Heikki Kovalainen to have the exact same opportunities and if he does and I beat him, there’s the reward. I beat … Continue reading If only Michael Schumacher had said this
F1 news review: Malaysia considers night race
Posted onF1 could have two races under floodlights in 2009 as the organisers of the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang look at hiring the same company used for this year’s Singapore Grand Prix, which will be the first to be held at night. Elsewhere Nigel Stepney gets a new job, Max Mosley and Jackie Stewart continue … Continue reading F1 news review: Malaysia considers night race
Ecclestone under pressure to set United States GP for 2009
Posted onThis month’s issue of “The Paddock” sheds some light on last July’s negotiations between Bernie Ecclestone and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George. The pair failed to reach an agreement for a 2008 race reportedly because they failed to agree a price. Ecclestone apparently demanded $10m more than George was willing to pay. According to … Continue reading Ecclestone under pressure to set United States GP for 2009
Max Mosley can’t stop talking about spygate
Posted onI enjoyed American political drama “The West Wing” very much before it was cancelled two years ago. I thought of it today, and how the president’s communications experts in the series would earnestly debate the implications of anything he said in public, when I read a new quote from Max Mosley. The same care and … Continue reading Max Mosley can’t stop talking about spygate
F1’s new reason for cost cutting
Posted onWhy cut costs in Formula 1? Is it to give the smaller teams a chance? To make sure it isn?t the team with the biggest wallet that always wins? Or is it to stop the car manufacturers from leaving the sport? F1 is faced with complaints that it is a frivolous, environmentally-unfriendly waste, as the … Continue reading F1’s new reason for cost cutting
Formula 3000: a brief history (part 3)
Posted onThe final instalment in our columnist Ben Evans’ look at the history of Formula 3000. In the 1990s the series briefly tasted success before grid numbers tailed off again. Although it could still occasionally provide great comedy moments and good racing, it was pensioned off at the end of 2004 to make way for GP2.
Video: BMW testing at Valencia
Posted onHere are two new videos of BMW testing their new F1.08 at Valencia. Robert Kubica is driving the car and you can clearly see him struggling to put the power down at the start of the second clip, as he wrestles with a car that has no traction control on a dusty track. You can … Continue reading Video: BMW testing at Valencia
Formula 3000: a brief history (part 2)
Posted onBen Evans continues his look back at the turbulent history of F1’s former feeder category, Formula 3000. Strange tracks and bad accidents dogged the sport in the late ’80s / early ’90s, but these were the years when Johnny Hebert and Jean Alesi made their way into F1 via F3000.
Williams reveal their 2008 F1 car: the FW30
Posted onWilliams elected to launch its 2008 F1 car with zero fanfare. The new FW30 was rolled out at a foggy Valencia on Monday morning.