2017 Indy 500 dark horses

All the attention so far during the month of May has been on two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso. The McLaren/Andretti bid to win101st Indianapolis 500 with Alonso (part 2 of Alonso’s ‘triple crown’ effort) has created enough hype to overshadow pretty much all other news coming out of Gasoline Alley. Alonso is undoubtedly the most famous…

F1 Chinese Grand Prix practice notes

Rain and more rain wrecked free practice at the 2017 F1 Chinese Grand Prix. A quick review of the (limited) highlights. A wash out in Shanghai Mixed weather conditions might not be the excitement-inducing variable we had hoped for in Shanghai. The vast majority of FP1 was a right-off due not to the rain but…

F1 – Under the skin of the new Red Bull RB13

Thanks to the team at Mobil 1 The Grid check out this new video as we go under the skin of the new Red Bull RB13 F1 car. Red Bull RB13 with Chief Aero Engineer Dan Fallows As we await the start of the 2017 F1 season, Red Bull’s Chief Aero Engineer Dan Fallows offers an insight…

IndyCar can benefit from a NASCAR decline

IndyCar has been making positive progress in recent seasons. In particular the championship has been bucking a trend that has seen NASCAR experience a decline in race attendance and viewing figures. In a recent article, IndyCar blogger George Philips proposed that the decline of NASCAR is ultimately bad for IndyCar and all forms of motor sport in…

If I was Chase Carey…

Bernie is out and the new ‘dream team’ heading up F1 is led by Chase Carey and Ross Brawn. Since the shock departure of F1’s dictator last week Brawn and Carey have been on something of a charm offensive. Everything they have had to say has been met with varying degrees of cautious and fervent optimism. As…

IndyCar talking points for 2017 – part 1

Unusually for IndyCar we find ourselves at the start of January with very little regarding the coming season still TBC. Aside from the fate of KVSH, whether Indy will manage 33 cars and what happens to the glut of young talent stuck in an IndyLights/IndyCar limbo the teams, drivers, circuits and schedule are in place. Which is great…

IndyCar: Rossi Penske bound as RHR commits to Andretti

Ryan Hunter-Reay has committed to Andretti Autosport until 2020. Continuing the long-standing partnership with Michael Andretti and DHL USA, the deal shut down rumours of a possible switch to Penske. With only 1 season left on his existing contract, Hunter-Reay had been considered a strong candidate to join Penske in 2018. Who will replace Montoya or Castroneves…

F1: 2017 F1 driver market update

The Italian Grand Prix weekend was massive for the F1 driver market as Felipe Massa and Jenson Button announced their respective decisions to retire and take an F1 sabbatical. The announcements left at least one seat free at Williams and confirmed the long-anticipated promotion of GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne to F1. But plenty of pieces…

F1: Belgian Grand Prix ‘heroes and zeroes’ 2016

Nico Rosberg won the race but all eyes were on Lewis Hamilton’s fightback and whether Kimi Raikkonen would punch Max Verstappen post-race. Here I rate the heroes and zeroes from a thrilling (and at times stomach churning) Belgian Grand Prix 2016. Belgian Grand Prix 2016 heroes Heroes – Force India Whilst McLaren, Toro Rosso and…

IndyCar: Indy Pocono 500 – heroes and zeroes 2016

Will Power closed the gap to series leader Simon Pagenaud at the 2016 Indy Pocono 500. Here I rate the heroes and zeroes from latest round of the Verizon IndyCar Series. Indy Pocono 500 heroes 2016 Hero – Ryan Hunter-Reay RHR came home 3rd but was the star performer at Monday’s rescheduled 500 miler. Watching…