The Circuit de Catalunya is widely regarded as Formula 1’s benchmark track. Do well here, the thinking goes, and you are likely to be competitive at many other circuits. Last year’s lap times broadly support that notion, although teams progress at different rates during a season. Alpine will be hoping the benchmark theory holds. Last … Read more

Valtteri Bottas said he could not explain why he lost pace to team mate Lewis Hamilton in the final phase of qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The two Mercedes drivers were closely matched through most of qualifying. Hamilton had a difficult moment earlier, almost failing to … Read more

The 2020 F1 calendar has been revealed, featuring a record 22 races for the season. The schedule adds two new rounds in Vietnam and the Netherlands, while only Germany’s event at Hockenheim has been dropped. With that change the championship reaches an all-time high number of races. The season begins in Melbourne on March 15 … Read more

Oscar Piastri says he is not focused on his manager Mark Webber’s title loss 15 years ago as he prepares to bid for the championship this weekend. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Webber, who has overseen much of Piastri’s career, went into the final race of 2010 eight points behind leader Fernando … Read more

Williams has announced that its new Formula 1 car for the 2022 season will carry a livery that looks “more Williams” after another revision to the team’s colour scheme. The team has undergone several livery changes since title sponsor Martini left at the end of 2018. A new design introduced for Rokit in 2019 was … Read more

Christian Horner has denied reports that Max Verstappen’s three-year contract with Red Bull contains a break clause tied to Honda’s announced withdrawal from Formula One. Speculation suggested Verstappen could become a free agent if Red Bull were left without a power unit supplier after Honda confirmed it would end its F1 programme following the 2021 … Read more

In the round-up: Giancarlo Fisichella is supporting a proposal from Tanzania to build a Formula 1–standard race track. In brief Fisichella backs Tanzania grand prix track bid Former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella is advising a project to develop a Formula 1–spec circuit in Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania. According to a post from … Read more

New measures intended to prevent F1 teams using engine “quali modes” will not take effect at the next round of the championship as originally planned, RaceFans has learned. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The FIA notified teams last week that from the Belgian Grand Prix they would be required to use the … Read more

In the round-up: Daniel Ricciardo says he isn’t backing either world championship contender, but believes one would make a more popular winner. In brief Verstappen would be popular champion – Ricciardo Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Ricciardo, who was Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018, thinks Verstappen would … Read more

In the round-up: Renault sporting director Alan Permane says Renault were potentially the third-quickest team at Mugello. What they say Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Permane was referring to recent remarks by Daniel Ricciardo about a set-up improvement the team discovered for the car in low-downforce trim and how that improvement can … Read more