- Tost: Tsunoda must find F1 limit to use “unbelievable natural speed”
13/06/2021 - 15:35
The Japanese rookie has had a rollercoaster season for AlphaTauri so far, after making the jump up to grand prix racing from Formula 2.
After impressing on his debut in Bahrain, he endured more difficult times with a big qualifying crash at Imola, criticised his team after a frustrating time in Spain and having a practice smash in Monaco.
He was back in the points at the Azerbaijan Grand ...Keep reading
- Best F1 and motorsport gifts for father's day - books, DVDs and more
13/06/2021 - 13:35
Whether they are a fan of Formula 1, the Le Mans 24 Hours, MotoGP or any other form of motorsport, there's always a plethora of items to choose from.
Autosport has put together a selection of some of the best items in 2021 to make finding that perfect motorsport gift easier.
F1 2010-19 season reviews
RRP £89.99 (DVD)
Website: dukevideo.com
Relive all the ...Keep reading
- Vettel: 'Wild' costs of junior categories need to be cut
13/06/2021 - 12:30
The issue of high costs in junior categories was raised recently by Lewis Hamilton, who told Spanish publication AS that F1 had become a ‘billionaire boys’ club’.
He added: “If I were to start over from a working-class family, it would be impossible for me to be here today because the other boys would have a lot more money.
“We have to work to change that and make this an ...Keep reading
- Alonso felt he was "losing time" in F1 before taking break
13/06/2021 - 10:22
Two-time world champion Alonso walked away from F1 at the end of 2018 after a difficult four-year spell with McLaren that had failed to yield a single podium finish.
The Spaniard outlined his intention to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice with Toyota and racing at the Indianapolis 500 in 2020.
He also took part in the Dakar Rally and the ...Keep reading
- Williams tweaks bargeboards to reduce wind sensitivity problem
12/06/2021 - 16:25
Williams entered the 2021 season looking to continue the progress it showed last year with the updated FW43 car, while also pushing more resources to the new car designs planned for 2022.
The team said last month that it was in the “final throes” of developing its car for this year as it battles with Haas to avoid finishing last in the standings.
One of the big weaknesses drivers ...Keep reading
- Street track poles don't reflect Ferrari’s true performance - Binotto
12/06/2021 - 11:09
Charles Leclerc took a surprise pole for Ferrari in Monaco last month as the SF21 car’s slow-speed strength lifted the team into contention with Red Bull and Mercedes at the front.
Ferrari scotched suggestions it would be able to take pole once again in the lead up to qualifying in Baku, only for Leclerc to top qualifying for the second race weekend in a row.
But Sunday proved more ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: I don't understand why F1 cars are getting heavier
12/06/2021 - 10:11
F1’s new generation of cars in 2022 are set to be the heaviest ever, with the minimum car weight currently set at a whopping 790kg.
The move to heavier turbo hybrid powerunits from 2014, allied to improved safety structures and the arrival of the Halo, have contributed to a big hike over the years.
From around 640kg at the end of the V8 era, the cars went past 700kg in 2016 and are now ...Keep reading
- How fast is an F1 car? Top speeds of F1, IndyCar, MotoGP and more
11/06/2021 - 20:00
For drivers and fans across the world, it’s the speed in particular that provides the biggest attraction. And the same is true in virtually every series of motorsport.
The rivalries, the talent, the triumph and the heartbreak also keep fans coming back for more, but the sheer adrenaline of seeing cars drive as fast as possible is perhaps the most intoxicating element of all.
Different ...Keep reading
- Horner: Perez "ahead of expectation", but no rush for new deal
11/06/2021 - 16:13
The Mexican was signed by the Milton Keynes-based team as replacement for Alex Albon this year, with the outfit believing it needed a stronger line-up to bolster its world championship chances.
Although Perez had some difficulty early on in adapting to the characteristics of the Red Bull car, especially in qualifying, he has made great progress and took victory in last weekend's Azerbaijan ...Keep reading
- Russell: Zero points for Williams wouldn't make 2021 F1 season a failure
11/06/2021 - 14:40
Williams has not scored a point since the 2019 German Grand Prix, where it only ended up 10th with Robert Kubica after the Alfa Romeo cars were given post-race time addition penalties for clutch setting offences detected during the race start.
That year marked the lowest ebb of Williams’ slide to the very back of the F1 pecking order but, although it has improved its car performance relative ...Keep reading
- Two bad weekends won’t make Mercedes adjust 2022 F1 plans - Wolff
11/06/2021 - 11:42
The Brackley-based outfit has endured two difficult weekends in Monaco and Baku, with team boss Toto Wolff saying its recent performances have been "unacceptable" if it wants to beat Red Bull to the F1 titles.
But while the tricky situation means Mercedes will have to focus more deeply on its current troubles than it would ideally like, Wolff says that there will be no deviation from the way it ...Keep reading
- Mazepin clarifies rumours about Russian military service
11/06/2021 - 11:11
Mazepin made his F1 debut at the start of the year with Haas after graduating from F2, recording his best result to date by finishing 14th in Azerbaijan last weekend.
But reports emerged online last week suggesting that Mazepin may be required to complete military service in his native Russia after comments attributed to his father, Dmitry, at a recent economic event in St ...Keep reading
- Alonso: Alpine's F1 rivals flattered by street circuit run
11/06/2021 - 10:06
With Ferrari in particular having leapfrogged from a best-of-the-rest contender to grabbing pole position in Monaco and Baku, Alonso senses that the competitive order has been shaken up by the nature of recent circuits.
That is why he is convinced that when F1 gets back to regular layouts, like the next race at Paul Ricard in France, things should improve for his Alpine team compared ...Keep reading
- Tsunoda's Baku F1 pace so fast Tost feared he would crash
10/06/2021 - 16:53
Tsunoda started the Azerbaijan race from seventh on the grid despite a crash in the final part of qualifying, and after a strong run he was sixth at the time of the late red flag.
At the restart gained a spot when Lewis Hamilton went straight on at the first corner, but over the rest of the lap he lost places to both Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso before claiming seventh at the flag.
Tost ...Keep reading
- GP Racing Podcast: Our exclusive Sergio Perez interview for the June issue
10/06/2021 - 16:11
An exclusive interview with Perez is the centrepiece of this month’s GP Racing magazine. In the latest edition of the Flat Chat podcast, GP Racing editor Ben Anderson and columnist Mark Gallagher join host Stuart Codling to discuss the scale of Perez’s achievement. Before winning last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he admitted that there was no point in expecting Red Bull to adapt its ...Keep reading
- Perez impressed by Albon’s openness since taking his Red Bull seat
10/06/2021 - 16:00
Red Bull opted to drop Albon after just one full season with the team following a difficult 2020 campaign, moving him into a test and reserve role as Perez took his seat.
The Mexican scored his maiden victory for Red Bull in last Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, becoming the team’s first new winner since Max Verstappen’s debut in 2016.
The win for Perez helped extend Red Bull’s lead ...Keep reading
- Rosberg: Wolff's workload puts me off wanting to be F1 team boss
10/06/2021 - 15:46
The 2016 F1 world champion, who retired from driving after prevailing in an intense fight with then-Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, has returned to motorsport competition through his Rosberg X Racing team that has won both X-Prix held so far in the new-for-2021 Extreme E series.
But while Rosberg has good experience of what's needed to be successful in F1, he says that he no desire to ever ...Keep reading
- Mansour Ojjeh: The unknown driving force behind McLaren
10/06/2021 - 14:27
While it was widely known that he had experienced health issues, having undergone two lung transplants in 2013, few knew that his situation had recently become more serious.
Ojjeh was a fixture in the sport for 43 years, known first as a sponsor of Williams, then as the backer of the TAG Turbo engine that won three titles, and subsequently as a shareholder in McLaren. He was the man whose ...Keep reading
- Verstappen: Red Bull mustn’t throw away title chance like BMW
10/06/2021 - 12:59
His view has echoes of a strategic mistake made by BMW Sauber in 2008.
That year the Swiss-based team had a competitive car, and after scoring his first grand prix win in Canada, Robert Kubica led the world championship by four points from Lewis Hamilton.
However, BMW opted early on to switch its focus to 2009, believing that the following season would bring it a better chance of ...Keep reading
- Mercedes has "really promising" theory about recent F1 struggles
10/06/2021 - 11:13
The world champion outfit has endured two tough races in Monaco and Baku, where it has not had the pace of main title rival Red Bull.
A spate of other problems, including a botched pitstop in Monaco and Lewis Hamilton accidentally hitting his 'magic button' in Baku, left team boss Toto Wolff claiming the outfit's performances were "unacceptable".
But hidden away among the frustration of the ...Keep reading
- Seidl ‘strongly disagrees’ with inaction over yellow flag speeding
10/06/2021 - 10:12
McLaren issued a complaint about AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda for allegedly speeding under double waved yellow flags in response to Max Verstappen’s accident on the main straight in Baku.
The incident was initially covered by double-waved yellows before a safety car was called for, with the race then being suspended under a red flag.
The TV world feed broadcast McLaren’s message to ...Keep reading
- The biggest incidents of F1 cheating: Spygate, Crashgate and more
09/06/2021 - 21:12
Formula 1 is populated by drivers and teams alike who revel in the competitive aspect, and will do whatever it takes to win.
For the most part, the desire to become the best driver or to build the best car suffices - but there’s also the desire to put the limits of the regulations to their absolute extremities – and F1 is no exception.
Thus, teams will spend long periods of time ...Keep reading
- Hamilton: Positives can still be taken from Baku F1 pain
09/06/2021 - 17:07
Having run in third Hamilton looked set for a spectacular turnaround in his fortunes after his title rival and race leader Max Verstappen suffered a tyre failure and crashed, triggering a late red flag.
The Mercedes driver lined up second for the restart with a chance of taking the win from Verstappen’s team mate Sergio Perez, only to overshoot the first corner after accidentally switching ...Keep reading
- Perez: No reason Baku F1 form can’t carry over to other tracks
09/06/2021 - 15:25
Perez scored his second F1 win on Sunday in Baku after team-mate Max Verstappen suffered a late tyre failure while heading up a 1-2 for Red Bull.
Perez had displayed impressive pace throughout the race weekend in Baku, leading FP2 and finishing second in FP3 before traffic in Q3 left him sixth on the grid.
He was then able to fight his way through to second place in the race, jumping Lewis ...Keep reading
- F1 drivers backed decision for two-lap standing restart in Baku
09/06/2021 - 13:38
Race leader Max Verstappen suffered a tyre failure at high-speed with four laps remaining, with the subsequent crash leaving debris strewn across the track that resulted in a red flag.
While the track was cleared, race director Michael Masi announced the race would be completed, setting up a two-lap sprint from a standing restart.
It marked the latest point in a race that F1 has used its new ...Keep reading
- Williams announces Roberts to leave, Capito to take on F1 team principal duties
09/06/2021 - 12:13
Roberts joined Williams last June as its managing director of F1 operations before taking over as interim team principal in September following the departure of the Williams family.
Roberts was appointed in the role on a permanent basis in December after the arrival of former Volkswagen motorsport chief Jost Capito as CEO.
But as part of the ongoing restructuring of the management team at ...Keep reading
- Norris could have received harsher red flag F1 penalty - FIA
09/06/2021 - 11:48
Norris was hit with a three-place grid penalty for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after failing to enter the pitlane when a red flag was shown during Q1 on Saturday.
Norris also received three penalty points on his FIA superlicence, taking him up to a total of eight for the 12-month period.
The McLaren driver was frustrated by the penalty, calling it unfair as he felt he had done the safest ...Keep reading
- Verstappen: Lost points will hurt when F1 returns to "normal tracks"
09/06/2021 - 10:15
Verstappen believes that the Brackley-based team will bounce back when F1 returns to more traditional venues from the French GP onwards, and is therefore ruing the fact that Red Bull didn’t make the most of its opportunity to outscore its main rival.
Having won in Monaco, Verstappen was leading comfortably in the Azerbaijan GP when a left-rear tyre failure sent him into the wall on the ...Keep reading
- Ferrari appoints Benedetto Vigna as new company CEO
09/06/2021 - 09:46
Following the resignation of Louis C. Camilleri in December due to personal reasons, Ferrari chairman Elkann took over as interim CEO.
In a statement issued by Ferrari on Wednesday, it was announced that Vigna, 52, would be joining as chief executive officer effective 1 September.
Vigna currently serves as the president of STMicroelectronics’ Analog, MEMS and Sensor Group, and is a member ...Keep reading
- Which F1 records does Lewis Hamilton have? Most wins, poles and more
08/06/2021 - 19:37
It feels as though every race in the last year has thrust Lewis Hamilton on the path to breaking a new Formula 1 record, largely those once-unbelievable records set by Michael Schumacher. We have also included the records Hamilton shares with another driver, some of which he could hold alone in the next few years.
Most wins in Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton: 98Michael Schumacher: 91Sebastian ...Keep reading
- Bottas: Slump in form in Baku is "weird"
08/06/2021 - 15:35
After troubled practice sessions in Baku his team-mate Lewis Hamilton found extra speed for both qualifying and the race, but Bottas was never able to recover.
He qualified only 10th having contributed to second place for Hamilton by giving him a tow.
Although he maintained 10th early on he faded to 14th at the red flag, claiming 12th by the finish after Hamilton went off at the restart and ...Keep reading
- The Red Bull design that avoided a flexi-wing protest
08/06/2021 - 15:32
With new tougher FIA pull-back tests not due to come into force until the French GP, the race in Baku was the last chance for outfits to get away with their more bendy rear wings.
That prospect annoyed teams like Mercedes and McLaren, and the threat of a protest remained if outfits went too far in what they did in Baku.
It was perhaps the threat of a formal complaint, and the inherent risk ...Keep reading
- First images revealed of planned Saudi F1 track pit building
08/06/2021 - 14:06
F1 is set to stage its first grand prix in Saudi Arabia on 3-5 December this year, serving as the penultimate round of the 2021 season ahead of the finale in Abu Dhabi.
The planned track layout for the Jeddah track was revealed by F1 in March, which is set to be the longest and fastest street track on the calendar with an average lap speed of 250 km/h.
To mark six months until the grand ...Keep reading
- Binotto "expected something better" from Ferrari in Baku GP
08/06/2021 - 12:32
In Baku Charles Leclerc took his second consecutive pole of F1's 2021 season, albeit helped by a late red flag which prevented others from attempting a second flying lap.
In Sunday's race, Leclerc was soon overtaken by title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen and then got into what he described as a "vicious circle' of battling cars who appeared to have better pace than he ...Keep reading
- When a Hamilton mishap handed Kubica F1 victory in Canada
08/06/2021 - 12:00
In an alternative universe somewhere Robert Kubica and BMW Sauber won the 2008 world championship, picking up the pieces with canny consistent scoring as both McLaren and Ferrari dropped the ball.
It seems a little far-fetched now, but for a few weeks in the middle of that season it seemed possible. Victory in Canada put the Polish driver into the world championship lead, and for a few races ...Keep reading
- Horner disagrees with way Wolff "roasts" own F1 team
08/06/2021 - 11:03
Wolff could not hide his disappointment after the race in Baku, as he suggested that Mercedes’ showings were ‘unacceptable’ if it wanted to fight Red Bull for the title.
He was clear that the Brackley-based squad was under-delivering and that everyone in the team – including himself – needed to lift their game.
“It is not only the incident at the end, that frustrates,” ...Keep reading
- Masi disagrees with Rosberg over "dangerous" Baku F1 pit entry
08/06/2021 - 10:07
Sunday’s fourth running of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix - and fifth F1 race held at the Baku City Circuit after the inaugural event was run under the European GP name in 2016 - saw two drivers, Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll, suffer tyre failures while on the main straight, causing them to spin out at high-speed.
Both drivers were able to walk away from their incidents, but they led to ...Keep reading
- Autosport Podcast: Azerbaijan Grand Prix review
07/06/2021 - 18:39
The Baku race erupted into action when Verstappen suffered a shocking tyre failure which caused a red flag with three laps to go.
A standing start was called, with the race counting down to two laps left, with Hamilton and Perez fighting for the lead at the first corner. But the reigning F1 world champion made an error by accidentally flicking a brake setting switch on his steering wheel, which ...Keep reading
- Brawn: "Thrilling" end to Azerbaijan GP bodes well for F1 sprint races
07/06/2021 - 17:20
Max Verstappen’s tyre failure with four laps to go resulted in the race being red flagged so that the debris could be cleared on the main straight.
FIA race director Michael Masi felt there was “no reason” not to restart the race, setting up a final two-lap sprint under green flag conditions after a standing restart on the grid.
The restart saw Lewis Hamilton make a mistake when trying ...Keep reading
- Why Verstappen's scepticism puts pressure on Pirelli
07/06/2021 - 16:24
While the nature of two high-speed unexpected failures in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was already enough for Pirelli to get to the bottom of the troubles, it was Verstappen's post-race comments that added to the intrigue.
With his stricken Red Bull still being returned to the garage, the Dutchman suggested that Pirelli would shake off its responsibilities for what happened and claim that debris ...Keep reading
- 10 things we learned from F1's 2021 Azerbaijan GP
07/06/2021 - 15:44
Oh, Baku. Beautiful, bonkers Baku. After a year away, Formula 1 returned to the fastest street circuit on the calendar and was rewarded with a race to remember.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both saw chances to win the race pass them by and left Azerbaijan empty-handed as Sergio Perez scooped his second grand prix victory, heading up a podium few could have predicted at the start of the ...Keep reading
- What is the Mercedes magic button and what does it do?
07/06/2021 - 13:22
Hamilton lost the chance to fight for the win and the opportunity to regain the lead of the F1 drivers’ championship at the Baku restart after a dramatic Turn 1 lock-up.
Just moments after surging to the front for the two-lap restart triggered by Max Verstappen’s crash, Hamilton’s front tyres locked up as he hit the brakes and he skated down the escape road.
After trailing home at the ...Keep reading
- Vettel hopes Aston Martin can carry F1 momentum after "rough start"
07/06/2021 - 12:58
Four-time world champion Vettel linked up with Aston Martin over the winter following his exit from Ferrari, but failed to score any points in his first four appearances for the team.
A big breakthrough came in Monaco when he was able to finish fifth, but Vettel put in his best display yet for the team by battling from 11th on the grid to finish second in Baku on Sunday.
Vettel managed to ...Keep reading
- Drivers to raise concerns over safety car delay in Baku
07/06/2021 - 11:23
A tyre failure with four laps to go caused Verstappen to spin out at one of the fastest points on the circuit on the main straight, crashing into the wall and leaving debris strewn across the track.
The incident ultimately led to the race being suspended so the track could be cleared under a red flag, following the use of double-waved yellow flags and a safety car.
But the safety car had not ...Keep reading
- Wolff: Mercedes form ‘unacceptable’ in F1 title fight
07/06/2021 - 10:39
After difficult weekends in Monaco and Baku, Wolff believes his squad has under-delivered and needs to get back to its A-game from the French Grand Prix if it is to stop Red Bull pulling away.
Wolff said that its Baku woes, which included Valtteri Bottas having no pace and Lewis Hamilton throwing away victory with a lock-up at the restart after he accidentally hit a wrong button on his steering ...Keep reading
- Masi: No reason not to restart Azerbaijan GP after red flag
07/06/2021 - 10:23
A tyre failure for Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race in Baku initially prompted a safety car period before Masi threw a red flag, suspending the race.
After the debris had been cleared on the main straight, the drivers completed a formation lap before taking a standing start, setting up a brief two-lap sprint to the chequered flag.
Such a late red flag has previously resulted ...Keep reading
- Haas: Mazepin's finish line swerve at Schumacher a ‘misunderstanding’
06/06/2021 - 19:21
Schumacher spent the majority of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix ahead of Mazepin, only for the Russian driver to jump his team-mate at the standing start that followed the red flag with two laps to go, moving into 13th place.
Schumacher was able to gain on Mazepin as they neared the finish line on the final lap, only for Mazepin to move late to the right just as his team-mate went to ...Keep reading
- Pirelli suggests Baku F1 tyre blowouts may be caused by debris
06/06/2021 - 18:59
Stroll and Verstappen both suffered huge accidents on the straight after experiencing what appeared to be similar failures while running Pirelli's C3 tyre, which was the hard compound in Baku.
Isola said a cut found on the left rear that came off Lewis Hamilton's car after the red flag indicated that a similar issue may have affected the other drivers, but in the world champion's case it had ...Keep reading
- Leclerc lost Azerbaijan GP lead to Hamilton after avoiding tree branch
06/06/2021 - 18:50
Leclerc led the opening two laps in Baku after taking his second straight pole for Ferrari on Saturday, but was passed by Hamilton's Mercedes as they came across the line to start the third lap.
Hamilton had managed to gain on Leclerc through the high-speed final sector, eventually getting the pass completed into Turn 1. Leclerc then lost places to the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio ...Keep reading
- Gasly worried engine problem could cost him Baku F1 podium finish
06/06/2021 - 18:34
The AlphaTauri driver had shown strong pace throughout the Baku weekend, initially running fourth, but faded somewhat in the race as the leaders pulled away from him.
He then made clear some frustrations over the team radio after Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel was able to draft past him on the straight midway through.
At that stage Gasly was battling an engine that was down on power ...Keep reading
