In response to the tidal wave of criticism of the French Grand Prix, F1’s insiders adopted a familiar tone. With more than a hint of condescension they asserted that if you cannot appreciate the brilliance of Hamilton and Mercedes as they throttle the opposition, you cannot be a true fan of F1. While the elite…
Tag: F1 2019
Australian Grand Prix notes: what we learned from the first F1 race of 2019
Assorted notes on the the good and the bad of the 2019 Australian Grand Prix and what we learned (or can assume) based on last Sunday’s results. VB77 reloaded comes with upgrades Valterri Bottas circa-2018 looked like a man who wanted to find a hut in the middle of a Finnish forest, lock the door…
F1 teammate battles and what’s riding on them: Racing Point F1 and Williams
Old and new faces are the order of the day for Racing Point F1 and Williams Racing as we continue our look at F1’s teammate battles for 2019. For the drivers in both teams 2019 will be about proving the doubters wrong. For some it will also be about making a case for moving up…
F1 teammate battles and what’s riding on them: Renault and McLaren
It’s part 3 of our review of F1’s 2019 teammate battles and we are looking at Renault and customer team McLaren. Renault new boy Daniel Ricciardo lines up against Nico Hulkenberg while it is all change at McLaren as Carlos Sainz takes on McLaren protege and 2018 F2 runner-up Lando Norris. Daniel Ricciardo – Renault…
F1 teammate battles and what is riding on them: Red Bull and Toro Rosso
In part 2 of our review of F1’s 2019 teammate battles, we look at Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso. It’s all change again at Toro Rosso as two forgotten men of the Red Bull junior programme return to the fold and it is ‘sink or swim’ time for Pierre Gasly as he takes on…
F1 teammate battles and what is riding on them: Mercedes and Ferrari
Beat your teammate is the first rule of F1. The sport’s greatest rivalries and bitterest feuds have come from intra-team battles and the 2019 F1 season looks set to ignite a few more. We fire up this series examining the teammate battles for the new season with a look at the reigning champions and undisputed…
F1 – the rise of Pierre Gasly
F1 – the rise of Pierre Gasly Pierre Gasly’s GP2 series championship victory in 2016 became the springboard for his entry into F1 with Toro Rosso. Now, two years later, the Frenchman has made the step up from promising Red Bull junior to driving for the senior Red Bull Racing team. Lining up against long…
Does F1 need a playoff?
The NASCAR ‘Chase for the Cup’ playoff system has been heavily criticised and blamed for a significant drop in spectator numbers. But it could be the perfect solution for F1’s perennial ‘two horse race’. Lewis Hamilton’s fifth World title and his elevation to a position among the absolute greats of F1 has temporarily distracted the…
Alonso and IndyCar: a long con?
Despite months of tweets, loaded comments, suggestive remarks and that test run at Barber, Fernando Alonso’s flirtatious entanglement with IndyCar appears now to be nothing more than a long con. It seems the series and its fans have been caught up in the ego-trip of a driver who knows his relevance is diminishing and his…
Liberty Media: same as the old boss?
Liberty Media promised a fan-focused, F1 revolution when they took over from Bernie Ecclestone. On the surface, their approach seems like a breath of fresh air. But 18-months since their takeover Liberty appear no less elitist than their predecessor. The takeover of F1’s commercial rights by Liberty heralded the end of Bernie Ecclestone. After decades of…
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