The mid-field crisis: What’s the answer to ensuring young drivers enter F1?
Encouraging fresh talent into the sport
The current crop of young drivers is probably one of the best in the past ten years with burning young, fiery Mediterranean talents ready to burst onto the F1 scene. But with all the midfield teams blocked by middle-aged point scorers there doesn’t seem to be much incline to allow these young, busting racers on the verge of F1 stardom to make the step up the pinnacle of Motorsport. So, what’s the answer?
Finding the next British F1 star
The search is on for a new generation of drivers
When it comes to motorsport the Brits have a history to be proud of. From Mike Hawthorn to Lewis Hamilton this small island has always played an integral part in the Formula 1 story. With ten different British driver world champions and a total of 33 constructor championships going to British teams we have always outperformed in the motorsport arena. So it seems difficult to believe, with so much motorsport coursing in our blood, that there are only two British drivers competing in F1 in 2017.
All the drivers have disappeared
What F1 can learn from the Olympics
F1 was still facing negative headlines as the logistics teams moved everything from Canada all the way to Austria, for the second annual race at the Red Bull Ring. Mercedes were still dominant, but everyone hoped to see another chink in their armour. Austria had delivered the one non-Mercedes pole position of 2014, and fans were keen to see if that could happen again. In the end, the German team still dominated, but they weren’t completely untouchable, and just as last year, that gave others the smallest glimmer of hope for a competitive remainder of the season.
Which drivers crushed the official paddock quiz this year?
F1's Grill the Grid highlights driver personalities
For the 2016 season, Formula One Management have been publishing some excellent videos filmed in various Grand Prix paddocks. Mostly, the videos are additional content for their timing and news app, but they also release them on YouTube for the wider audience. It's a small step in the direction we want F1 to take, releasing more insight into driver personalities, but they did a really good job this year, so it's worth celebrating their efforts.
Rosberg announces F1 retirement days after winning title
Nico reveals intention to step back from the sport immediately
Nico Rosberg has been celebrating his world championship victory for the past few days, but now he's hit the headlines for a completely different reason. The German driver has confirmed he will retire from Formula One with immediate effect, just five days after winning his first (and now only) world title.
How Brazil has set us up for a thrilling end to 2016
Championship goes down to the wire
The rain delivered as much excitement as was promised in Brazil. With two red flags and five safety cars, Sunday’s disjointed race gave many drivers a platform to showcase their prodigious talent in the wet. Lewis Hamilton’s flawless performance from up front won him another first place finish while championship leader Nico Rosberg clung onto second place despite attempts by Max Verstappen to climb a podium step higher.
What a difference a year makes
The 2016 championship draws to a topsy-turvy conclusion
This time last year Rosberg was 73 points behind Hamilton, dispirited and doomed to watch his teammate achieve his second title in Austin. Fresh on the back of a DNF the rest of the season must have looked very bleak indeed. This time last year Sebastian Vettel was second in the championship and all the insiders and experts were talking about how 2016 would be the year where the Prancing Horse finally took the fight to Mercedes and might even win the duel in the desert. This time last year Max Verstappen was in 12th place with 33 points and had never yet stood on the podium. What a difference a year makes.
And the most disappointed German driver is...
Four drivers have very mixed results so far in 2016
Although still the most represented nationality on the grid, it is hard not to notice that things aren’t going terribly well for the Germans at the moment. They might inhabit two of the most sought after race seats on the grid and have a combined twenty two and a half years of F1 experience but the drivers seem to be competing to have the most dissatisfying season.
Hamilton's lead surely plunges Rosberg into a summer break of wistfulness, but can the German rise again?
Rosberg's recent form has seen him lose top spot as the title race takes a new dimension
The 2016 Formula One season has progressed into the summer break, implying about a month devoid of racing action, but there are many points to chew over during this period. The ebb and flow with the regulations as well as the halo U-turn, and Ferrari's slump (which is even made worse by Red Bull's improvement) are among the attractive areas for reflection over the dozen races witnessed so far. But the juiciest talking point from the last five months in Formula One is arguably the tale of two halves in just the first half of the season. A tale which can be summarized as: Nico Rosberg started it, but Lewis Hamilton ended it.
Has Rosberg turned the corner with his early dominance?
The Mercedes title battle leans towards Nico early on
The 2016 Formula One season is three races old, and Mercedes are still the team to beat - as has been the case since 2014. Ferrari have improved and may offer a bit of competition, but Mercedes have nudged the bar higher too and still have superior raw pace in their Silver Arrows compared with the Prancing Horses - along with the rest of the cars from other teams too.
The blind side
Vettel bored by current F1 regulations
Sebastian Vettel has recently been talking about the state of Formula One, in particular that it is less interesting for fans with one team dominating. He also mentioned that the focus is too much on mechanical prowess and complicated technologies, rather than driver skills. Now, the four times world champion may have some good points to make, but prefacing his arguments with the complaint that one team running away with it all ruins it for everyone is a little hard to take.
He's gone all red!
Sebastian Vettel begins his Ferrari odyssey
Sebastian Vettel was spotted loitering at the back of the Ferrari garage during the two-day test in Abu Dhabi last week, but now the four times world champion has made his official debut with the Scuderia - driving an old F2012 around Fiorano.
Lewis Hamilton crowned 2014 Formula One World Champion
A second title for the Brit after tense Abu Dhabi showdown
Lewis Hamilton crossed the line after 55 tense laps in Abu Dhabi to secure his second Formula One World Champion. Although contender Nico Rosberg had car problems, it was really decided on the first lap where Hamilton put in one of his best starts to snatch the lead and he never looked back. It wasn't an easy win, but it sealed the deal after a full year of fighting with his friend and teammate.
McLaren's choice cut
If one man has to go, who should it be?
The 2015 driver market is in full swing now, and one of the teams in the centre of what is affectionately known as ‘silly season’ is McLaren. Although very much a midfield marque this season, the team have plenty of potential going for them for the future. A new Honda engine, the return of Ron Dennis at the helm, and the distinct possibility of a driver shake-up.
Frowning in France, excitement at Enstone
What does Lotus' power unit switch mean for Grosjean?
Before Daniel Ricciardo made his smile famous throughout the paddock, there was another driver who could be relied upon for a happy grin – Romain Grosjean. After overcoming a difficult start to his F1 career, the Frenchman was riding high in 2013. He earned himself six trophies, and finished the season seventh overall, only disappointed to miss out on victory in a car that could have been capable of such a feat.
Holding all the cards
Fernando Alonso is key to the driver market yet again
We’re starting to see the 2014 silly season kick into gear, as drivers look ahead to their future plans. There have been a couple of contract confirmations, Nico Rosberg in particular has re-signed with Mercedes for an unspecified number of years, and Pastor Maldonado has extended his contract with Lotus at least until the end of next season. The big news occurred at Toro Rosso, with F1’s youngest ever driver in Max Verstappen set to make his debut in 2015, to a varied reaction.
The suspension termination
Have drivers gained from the loss of FRIC?
The removal of front-and-rear-interconnected suspension (FRIC) was big news following the British Grand Prix, but when the various components were taken off the cars, viewers barely noticed a difference. Just because there were few visible changes, however, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had an impact. Lewis Hamilton, for one has revelled in his new style car, despite admitting that it doesn’t feel significantly different to drive.
This team ain't big enough for the both of us
Why this year's fight at Mercedes is so compelling
The teammate fight at Mercedes has dominated the headlines this year. The 2014 title battle fluctuates between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, currently sitting in the latter’s favour, and their joint desire to get victory at each race weekend has upped the tension at every turn. What is fascinating about this battle though, is it is more than just your run-of-the-mill teammate rivalry. This time, it’s personal.
With two F1 seats remaining, who's in with a shot?
Caterham the only team left to name 2014 lineup
With Max Chilton confirmed for a second season at Marussia today, there are just two available seats left on the grid in 2014, and they both belong to Caterham. The green team have been very coy about who may be in the frame for a race drive this season, with no hint of whether they will retain their line up from last year, or if we will see new faces at the Leafield factory in the coming months.
F1 driver numbers made official
Number 13 returns to the grid this year
The FIA have revealed the list of brand new permanent driver numbers, with nineteen names selecting their favourite digits that will stick with them for the rest of their Formula 1 career. Several drivers had already revealed their top three nominations, and most landed at least one of their choices.
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