When you think of those integral to F1 and motorsport you think of drivers, engineers, mechanics and more, but how many people think of the marshals who work long days in difficult conditions that allow races to continue in all eventualities? Carole Brackley is one of those in the Specialist Motorsport Marshal role, and loves every minute of it. She is among a growing number of women getting involved in motorsport in this way, so we spoke to her to see where her love of the sport began and what her role involves.

For many of us, January is a month of post-Christmas blues. It’s when we (half-heartedly) resolve to refrain from excess, and – amid the grey mornings and rainy days – determine some kind of shape and form for ourselves over the long year ahead. By most accounts, January isn’t a month in which to go racing.

In a way, the racing year mirrored current events outside the racing world, in the sense that any number of things happened during the year, any one of which, had it happened 5 or 10 years ago, would’ve been considered incredible, the big story of the year. And yet some of those stories barely made any headway, so much else was going on. Some was good news and some was bad, all of it made for a hell of an interesting season.

Ah, January – a new year begins and the 2018 Formula 1 season isn’t far away. Before we get caught up in pre-season rumour and testing time sheets, let’s take a look at some of the new year’s resolutions across the paddock.

There’s not a toolbox in sight in the makeshift Roborace garage at the 2017 Formula E Hong Kong ePrix—not exactly the kind of setting you’d expect if you’re used to the conventional idea of a motor racing garage, but then again, Roborace is nowhere near your ‘normal’ idea of what motor racing is.

The thrill of racing is not the speed but the feeling of driving on the edge. The first time in the car, you think: “Oh my God, this speed is crazy.” But after five laps it becomes normal. It is more about driving so close to perfection and getting perfection out of the car. It is exciting to know you have taken a corner better than anybody else in the world.

A new look Formula 1 will greet fans at the start of the 2018 season, both on and off the track. On track, we say hello to the Halo. Will the introduction of the cockpit protection system cause a ratings drop worldwide for F1, or will audiences continue to be enticed by the machinery on offer?

Yesterday, people started to notice that Hamilton’s Instagram was losing photos by the refresh. Not just select ones; everything. At least five years worth of memories and experiences being deleted with no warning and with no explanation as of writing this. His Twitter has also suffered with many recent tweets being removed, including the apology he made on Boxing Day.

I’ll be honest: 2017 was garbage at best, even in racing. We even had a literal dumpster on fire in the parking lot of at one of the races I did. Yet shockingly, it wasn’t all bad. Bernie Ecclestone finally left F1, for example. Maybe we all forgot the good parts in our collective disgust at this year, but they happened. Let’s take a look back at 2017 in racing: the good, the bad, and the utterly confusing.