What’s going on at Honda? Reports indicate chairman Yasuhiro Wada, the man behind Super Aguri, is leaving the team. So is chief designer Kevin Taylor, who had apparently been squeezed out by the rival of ex-BMW man Jorg Zander. Is this Ross Brawn getting his outfit ship-shape?
Renault are one of the most fascinating propositions of 2008 for me. As Felipe Massa said yesterday, many expect them to struggle again in 2008: If you have to take on Alonso it’s better that he’s driving for the French team than McLaren because it seems to me that Renault aren’t at the same level … Continue reading 2008: Renault
There’s a buzz around Williams as the new season approaches but team boss Frank Williams isn’t getting carried away: I don’t subscribe to what the press has said. Our competitors around us, of which there are many, are just as competitive. Is he being cautious or pessimistic?
I’m delighted to mark F1Fanatic’s third birthday by revealing a brand new design and lots of new features. Continue reading for more on the redesign and new stuff on the site this year.
Frank Williams revealed last week that McLaren made a serious bid to sign Nico Rosberg for the 2009 season. He described McLaren’s offer for Rosberg as “majestic”, saying: “He could not have gone there this year, he had a fixed contract, but 2009 was going to be the worry. We had an option for 2009 … Continue reading Poll: Should Nico Rosberg have signed for McLaren?
Along with Williams, Red Bull are early contenders for the title of ‘most improved team’. Adrian Newey’s flaky RB3 of 2007 seems to have evolved into a rapid but reliable car in the form of the RB4. This was what the man himself had to say: This car is very much an evolution of RB3. … Continue reading 2008: Red Bull
Williams have shown off the final livery for their 2008 FW30 which looks only slightly different to the leaked version revealed a few weeks ago. Notable changes are the appearance of sponsor Hamleys on the side pods where previous it had less prominent position. As Pitpass noted last week Hamleys is owner by Baugur Group … Continue reading Pictures: Final 2008 Williams livery
Augusto Farfus has been stripped of the points he scored in yesterday’s first WTCC race at Curitiba after it was found an engine protection support had been incorrectly mounted to his car. However he has not lost the points he scored in the second race, which suggests that his car was legal in the later … Continue reading Farfus half-disqualified from Curitiba races
A lot of mixed messages have been coming out of Toyota this winter. First boss John Howett back-tracked on reported remarks that the team had to become successful within two years: The rumours about us leaving the sport have always been groundless. Having signed the Concorde Agreement, we are in it at least until 2012. … Continue reading 2008: Toyota
As is often the way, potentially the most significant motor sport story of the winter has gone largely unnoticed in the UK press, namely the reconciling of the Indy Racing League and Champ Car after 12 seasons of war. There are few more significant motor sport cautionary tales.
Most F1 fans would like to see the quality of racing improve. But how far should the governing body go in trying to make the sport better? Other series like A1 Grand Prix use ‘push to pass’ systems to give drivers a brief boost of power to let them overtake an opponent. Is this too … Continue reading Poll results: Push-to-pass
Gabriele Tarquini was chased home by 2007 champion Andy Priaulx in the second WTCC race at Curitiba. Further back another Seat, race one winner Yvan Muller, desperately kept Augusto Farfus at bay for fifth place. Seat have started the year with a quicker car over a single lap – their turbo engines aided by the … Continue reading Another Seat win at Curitiba
Yvan Muller bounced back from the disappointment of losing the 2007 WTCC to win the first round of 2008. But it looks like being another year of tiresome political wrangling over how competitive the cars are. The turbo diesel-powered Seat Leons were able to cruise away easily from the petrol BMWs on the straights. Seat … Continue reading Yvan Muller wins WTCC round 1 at Curitiba
The Sunday Times claims Ron Dennis will hand over the role of chief executive at McLaren to Martin Whitmarsh this week. According the newspaper Dennis had planned to relinquish his role in the team at the end of 2007 but postponed the change because of the espionage affair. The story alleges Dennis’s decision to step … Continue reading New rumours say Ron Dennis to quit this week
Toro Rosso are supposed to be using the same car as sister team Red Bull this year, as they did last year. But they’re having to wait until later in 2008 to get their hands on the new car, even though Red Bull got the latest model earlier than they did in 2007. Are Red … Continue reading 2008: Scuderia Toro Rosso
It’s a book called “The Top 100 Formula 1 Drivers of All Time”, it’s written by a British journalist, and Michael Schumacher isn’t in the top ten. This is going to go down well.
The final big test before the 2008 season was completed this week and it wasn’t Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen or Michael Schumacher who set the fastest time – it was Jarno Trulli. Afterwards a confident Trulli praised the new Toyota: The TF108 is a completely different car. Last year straightaway I knew we had a … Continue reading F1 testing round-up 10: Catalunya & Jerez
Honda had a nightmare 2007. But chief executive Nick Fry did the right thing by using it as a starting point for major change. Fry scored a major coup by luring Ross Brawn to the team as principal. He’s made several other astute hires in the past 12 months including Loic Bigois (aerodynamics), Jorg Zander … Continue reading 2008: Honda
Here’s some of my favourite picks from the F1 blogs this week including an excellent video showing the detail changes Ferrari have made to their front wing in time for the first race at Melbourne. Plus Michael Schumacher gets back in an F1 car, rumours about Ron Dennis, and a Ferrari that’s good enough to … Continue reading F1 blogs review: Ferrari aero video
Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed what many people were saying last year, that he wants to move the French Grand Prix from Magny-Cours to Paris in 2009. I wouldn’t be sorry to see the back of the Circuit Nevers – it’s too flat and featureless for my liking. Presumably Ecclestone wants another new street circuit in … Continue reading Ecclestone wants French Grand Prix in Paris from 2009