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F1 rule changes: In defence of making necessary improvements
Formula 1 rule changes are sometimes greeted with dismay by both fans and teams alike, depending on how the alterations impact those with a vested interest. But through safety upgrades or competition improvements, getting comfortable with the ‘new normal’ is a necessary and integral process to stop F1 going stale.
Opinion: DTM has proved naysayers wrong with GT3 move
The DTM’s decision to drop Class One in favour of GT3 regulations was met with a largely negative response last year, but a strong cast of drivers and manufacturer-backed teams has restored faith in the championship ahead of the start of its new era, says Rachit Thukral.
Emilia Romagna GP qualifying as it happened
Live updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend at Imola
NASCAR just tried dirt racing, so what about ice?
The NASCAR Cup Series has already seen its first dirt race this season in more than 50 years, could a race on ice and snow be next?
Podcast: How will Marquez fare on his MotoGP return?
Six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will make his long-awaited return to action this weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Why Sir Stirling Moss was ‘Mr. Motor Racing’
One of the greatest and most versatile drivers of all time has left a legacy of brilliance and indomitability that may never be matched, writes David Malsher-Lopez.
How Sasahara proved he's more than a 'super-sub'
After losing his Mugen Super Formula seat over the winter, Ukyo Sasahara was handed a chance to deputise for Tadasuke Makino at Dandelion Racing - and he turned in a drive belying his 'super-sub' status.
Why a Mazda IMSA Prototype title would bring bitter joy
Can Mazda win this year’s IMSA Prototype championship? Undoubtedly. But it will be the culmination of an achingly hard struggle, after which the brand has decided to quit. David Malsher-Lopez tells the story of a bizarre blend of heartache and positivity.
How does Yamamoto stack up against Japan's greats?
Naoki Yamamoto's haul of five titles across Super Formula and SUPER GT mark him out as statistically the most successful driver in Japan's top two series in recent years. But can he really be considered the equal of past legends?
Bahrain Grand Prix - Driver ratings
The eagerly-anticipated first race of 2021 produced a surprise winner and plenty of stellar performances throughout the field. But only one driver took a maximum score in our driver ratings under the Bahrain floodlights.
How F1 launch season heightened anticipation for racing
When the flag drops, you know what stops... And it's about time, says Stuart Codling.
Why Lorenzo needs to ditch social media and enjoy retirement
OPINION: Jorge Lorenzo's status as one of the greatest MotoGP riders of all time is hard to dispute. But his constant social media spats with fellow riders and insistence on listing his achievements to his detractors are running the risk of tarnishing a legacy he worked hard to create.
Opinion: Why Super Formula needs its own Super Licence
With B-Max Racing resorting to signing a teenage driver yet to complete a full season of single-seaters to race in Super Formula this season, Jamie Klein asks if it's time the Japanese series started tightening its entry requirements.
Podcast: Conclusions from 2021 pre-season MotoGP testing
The 2021 MotoGP pre-season has come to a close with Ducati’s Jack Miller fastest on the combined timesheets after just five days of running.
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
Podcast: What kind of Marc Marquez will we get this year?
Six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez made his first public press appearance since July last Monday at Honda’s launch event and offered an update on his injury situation.
Opinion: Why safety cars are an outdated institution
The above headline might make some people feel uncomfortable. After all, we have become so used to seeing more races with safety cars (SC) nowadays than those without them, so we have never really dared to question it.
Why Red Bull's Honda takeover is a gamechanger for its F1 mindset
Red Bull's takeover of Honda's Formula 1 engine project has solved a potential short-term headache Honda's withdrawal at the end of 2021 would have caused. But, in taking destiny into its own hands, it could have a positive long-term impact too.
Dale Earnhardt death: NASCAR’s tragic Daytona 500 remembered
When Dale Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500, it changed NASCAR forever. Jim Utter remembers what it was like to be there on that most tragic of days.
Why F1 shouldn't be afraid of trying sprint races
Formula 1's push to experiment with qualifying races has divided opinions among its fanbase, but Jonathan Noble argues F1 should at least give it a try.
How Ducati's latest Aussie union can return it to MotoGP glory
Australians on Ducatis is an iconic partnership, the marque's last one yielding its sole MotoGP crown to date. But its latest Aussie union with the often underestimated Jack Miller can end this drought.
Where F1's calendar shuffling hurts its new drivers
OPINION: Formula 1 endured major scheduling challenges thanks to the pandemic in 2020, but still managed to save its season. These difficulties remain in 2021 and create a tough knock-on effect for the championship's new arrivals.
Podcast: What 2021 tech rules mean for F1
Formula 1's 2021 technical regulations have largely mandated the carryover of last year's cars, but with a few key changes to address the rising speeds.
The image battle facing F1's 'nice guy'
He's had his fingers burned by social media's keyboard warriors who have trouble appreciating that he’s only human. But after two years in the intense spotlight Formula 1 brings, Lando Norris has no plans to change his outlook
What Button can offer Williams upon his surprise F1 return
Jenson Button's return to Williams is a welcome feel-good story, but its re-signing of the driver it handed a Formula 1 debut back in 2000 could also be a shrewd move in its mission to move up the grid, says Luke Smith.
In defence of Luca Badoer
Much-maligned given his record for the most races without a point and his disastrous two-race foray with Ferrari in 2009, Luca Badoer is perhaps the embodiment of the old adage that your most important race is your last one. James Newbold argues that his reputation is undeserved.
Why Suzuki's Brivio replacement must come from within
With its charismatic leader Davide Brivio leaving for Formula 1, the Suzuki MotoGP squad he turned into a world championship-winning force in 2020 has a major recruitment headache that it needs to resolve carefully.
The advice for Ferrari's in-waiting F1 star from his predecessor
Two of Ferrari's Formula 1 juniors ended up fighting for the 2020 Formula 2 title. One has a deal with Haas for 2021 while the other faces a year on the sidelines. But that didn't work out badly for the last driver Ferrari brought through, as he explains
Why Binder was destined to lead KTM in MotoGP
Brad Binder's debut MotoGP season featured extreme highs and a few rookie errors. The South African gives no excuses for his errors, but it is precisely this trait that explains why KTM believes he is the right man to lead its post-Pol Espargaro era.
The ethos change behind Williams F1's bid to move forward
Williams' decision to increase its Mercedes ties and start using the Formula 1 powerhouse's gearbox from 2022 presents a dramatic shift in policy for F1's plucky independent.
Why a new era for Williams could beckon success
The Williams family bid farewell to close an F1 chapter in 2020, but fresh investment and new leadership offer genuine belief that a revival in form is possible in the future
Podcast: The best and worst of Formula 1 in 2020
In a season like no other, Formula 1 in 2020 was filled with stunning races, incredible moments and huge intrigue both on and off the track.
How bad luck hindered Bottas' F1 title challenge
The focus lay largely on George Russell following his heartbreaking defeat at last weekend's Sakhir Grand Prix, dealing him a brutal lesson in Formula 1 fortune.
The Top 10 Supercars drivers of 2020
After a Supercars season like no other, we rank the 10 best drivers of 2020.
How MotoGP's wildest season unearthed a new superstar
Perhaps fittingly amid this most unpredictable of years, the 2020 MotoGP season was a rollercoaster ride from one weekend to the next as the absence of Marc Marquez opened the door for a new champion to follow in his ultra-consistent mould
How the dull F1 finale could be improved
The anticlimactic ending to the 2020 F1 season in Abu Dhabi left many wishing it had finished with the thriller in Sakhir one week before. But while the cars are partly to blame, a few simple layout tweaks could make a big difference.
Why F1 still sees value in ageing drivers
It's easy to poke fun at the number of not-so-young drivers in this week's Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi - but with experience comes value, says Ben Edwards
How Bahrain F1 crash showed warrior mentality hasn’t gone away
OPINION: Romain Grosjean's Bahrain crash brought back uncomfortable memories for Formula 1, but the mental strength of the shocked drivers to carry on was no less than their predecessors in times before social media and TV replays…
The risk and reward of Russell's Mercedes opportunity
Mercedes selecting George Russell as Lewis Hamilton's stand-in for the Sakhir Grand Prix provides a dynamic set to challenge both the British driver and Valtteri Bottas for different reasons, while potentially delivering the team some unexpected answers.
Why Audi’s shock return promises a new age for sportscars
OPINION: The news that Audi will return to Le Mans means we'll at last get to see the fight promised in 2012 against Peugeot and Toyota. It also gives LMDh a tangible form, which could open the floodgates for more like-minded marques to follow suit…
The logic behind Audi’s surprise change of course
OPINION: Audi announcing its imminent Formula E departure on the eve of its first season with world championship status might come as something of a shock. But while it doesn't equate to a rejection of VW's electrification push, there is reason to it...
The key questions F1 must ask after Grosjean’s horror crash
Formula 1 was relieved to see Romain Grosjean escape his horrifying crash in Bahrain. As ever in such incidents, questions arise about how and why the situation came to be, but these can lead to further improvements in the safety structures that saved him…
How a much-changed Macau GP kept the party going
OPINION: The 67th edition of the Macau Grand Prix might have been a largely muted affair to the outside world without its international influx and star line-ups, another victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organisers deserve huge credit for keeping the party going…
Why F1’s new leader marks a break from the past
Chase Carey will soon step down as head of Formula 1, to be replaced by ex-Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali. Mark Gallagher examines what we can expect from the latest poacher-turned-gamekeeper to take up a senior leadership role within F1.
Why Mercedes won’t leap into choosing a Wolff successor
You might think Toto Wolff's job is easy - but it isn't, and that's why he can't hand over the Mercedes team principal role to someone else quickly, even though he wants to move on, says Stuart Codling.
The eternal debate revived after the 2019/20 WEC season
It may have been missed amid the clamour over Lewis Hamilton's seventh F1 title, but Britain had another world champion crowned last weekend. Mike Conway's WEC crown raises an old conundrum - does title glory make up for the pain of Le Mans defeat?
The Lewis Hamilton trait that only helps fuel his critics
His place in the history books was secure even before that record-equalling seventh title. But Hamilton's numbers can create a misleading perception of a driver who has contributed greatly to the Mercedes juggernaut, as an ex-colleague explains.
Was Leclerc too hard on himself after his late Turkish GP mistake?
OPINION: Charles Leclerc responded to his podium-losing late mistake in Formula 1's 2020 Turkish Grand Prix with a lengthy lambasting of his own performance. But while it was painful to hear, it included another reminder of a key trait Ferrari's star holds…
How Mir became Suzuki’s humble MotoGP hero
MotoGP's newly crowned champion has been a rare exception in managing to put together a consistent title challenge. But it's the way Joan Mir has gone about 2020 off-track that has been just as impressive as his displays on it
Podcast: What Rossi's replacement choice says about Lorenzo
Yamaha has lined up World Superbike rider Garrett Gerloff as a replacement for Valentino Rossi should he be unable to race in the MotoGP European Grand Prix due to COVID-19.
Why F1’s Imola experiment won’t become a permanent fixture
OPINION: Formula 1 introduced an abbreviated weekend format for its first Emilia Romagna Grand Prix that was met with plenty of praise from paddock insiders, but there are a few immovable stumbling blocks that will prevent it becoming the norm...
How binge-watching is helping Ocon prepare for Alonso's return
After a year out of a race seat, the 2020 F1 season hasn't all been plain sailing for Renault's Esteban Ocon. But, with Daniel Ricciardo's departure, Ocon has the chance to become a team leader next year - even if his new team-mate will be Fernando Alonso
The surprise weakness Hamilton revealed in his Portugal win
Lewis Hamilton produced another excellent overall Formula 1 performance to defeat an in-form Valtteri Bottas in Portugal. But towards the end of race he had a difficult moment, which revealed a surprising weakness in his otherwise bulletproof game.
The headache Verstappen is giving Red Bull
Max Verstappen has been the only driver consistently able to live with the terrific pace shown by Mercedes in 2020, but has still only bested the Black Arrows once. Sooner or later, given his talent and expectations, something has to change.
How Honda has fixed a bike that only Marc Marquez could ride
The Honda RC213V was for a long time seen as 'Marc Marquez's bike' but, with his injury lay-off, none of Honda's other riders had been able to get a tune out of it. But it's undergone a transformation, and is now a force in the hands of his brother Alex
The latest state of play in F1's 2021 driver market
Formula 1 may be lacking some of the paddock buzz this year that help fuel its annual silly season of driver market intrigue.
Why Honda's exit will not force F1 hybrid U-turn
Honda's decision to quit F1 at the end of 2021 has prompted suggestions the series simply isn't going far enough for manufacturers with its green technologies. But, as Jonathan Noble explains, F1 won't be abandoning its hybrid concept post-Honda.
Why latest Honda Formula 1 exit means it may never come back
It’s a universal truth of Formula 1 that manufacturers come and go. With the exception of Ferrari, which has competed in every world championship season, other car makers have flitted in and out over the years.