F1 features

Ferrari’s new driver Charles Leclerc ended 2018 on top of the testing times at Abu Dhabi. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Leclerc kept Ferrari on top for the second day in a row after his new team mate Sebastian Vettel led the times yesterday. Drivers concluded two days of running on Pirelli’s new tyre selection for 2019 – which is numbered one, two, three, four and five – and its 2018 compounds for reference. Leclerc ended the test with the quickest time overall, three-tenths quicker than Vettel managed yesterday. Pierre Gasly was second-fastest on his first run for Red Bull since replacing Daniel Ricciardo. Lance Stroll spent a full day driving for Force India, who are expected to formally confirm him as Sergio Perez’s team mate for next season. Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat returned to the team for the first time since being cut from their line-up last season. Haas ran test driver Louis Deletraz, who had a spin early in the session … [Read more...] about Leclerc ends 2018 F1 testing on top for Ferrari · RaceFans

Formula 1 teams are likely to continue using one-stop strategies to win races next year despite changes to tyres, according to Pirelli. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The sport’s official tyre supplier is considering whether to be more conservative with its selections for next year. Pirelli’s sporting director Mario Isola pointed out that its move towards more aggressive tyres this year largely failed to encourage teams to make more pit stops. With next year’s tyres already designed, Pirelli now has a week to decide its tyre nominations for the first race of the season. But Isola said it isn’t clear what F1 wants from its tyres next year. “The range and the construction are defined,” said Isola. “We cannot change it now, what we can change is the selection. I discussed that with drivers and also with teams, but there is no clear indication on the direction to take. “That’s why I want to involve them and the teams in the selection, because it is not … [Read more...] about F1 may have to accept more one-stop races in 2019 – Pirelli · RaceFans

Formula 1 drivers are today having their first taste of Pirelli’s 2019 tyres which it is hoped will improve the standard of racing next year. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Pirelli faced criticism from drivers towards the end of the year over how high levels of tyre degradation shaped some races. However the sport’s official tyre supplier pointed out the degradation levels were set down in the ‘target letter’ given to it by F1. For 2019 Pirelli has set out to improve the performance of the higher compounds, which were often considered too conservative, and to widen the performance gaps at the softer end of the range. The naming convention for the tyres will also change. The three compounds chosen for each race will always be referred to as hard, medium and soft. But the full range of compounds, which will reduce from seven to either five or six, will be referred to by number. ‘One’ will refer to the hardest compound’. “The compounds we are developing … [Read more...] about What’s changed in Pirelli’s new F1 tyre range for 2019 · RaceFans

If a single 2018 incident demonstrated just how disjointed Formula 1 has become, it was the Haas versus Force India protest filed late on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Significantly, the protest came within F1 hours of scrutineering and ahead of the season’s final championship round. Also crucial to proceedings is that Abu Dhabi steward Garry Connelly also officiated in Belgium, where Racing Point Force India was declared a new team holding a new entrant license. Thus there was no cause to postpone or reconvene the matter at a later date, enabling both the hearing and the crucial (and expected) outcome – namely that the Force India cars were legal – to be handed ahead of FP3 on Saturday. However, Force India’s victory actually represents a defeat as we outlined here immediately after verdict. The road map of the mess F1 found itself in has been detailed in these pages since Force India plunged into administration at end-July. But … [Read more...] about Haas’s protest a legacy of F1’s missing Concorde Agreement – RaceFans

Formula 1 is poised to announce Pirelli has been confirmed as the sport’s tyre supplier for the 2020 to 2023 seasons, as @DieterRencken reveals in his paddock diary from the Yas Marina Circuit. 9am Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Up and about in my hotel room at the equivalent of 6am, in keeping with my anti-jetlag regime of sticking as close to home time as possible – a task made all the easier in Abu Dhabi by the race’s dusk timing: for example first practice, which usually commences at 10 or 11am on Friday, is scheduled for 1pm. Thus I have plenty of time for my morning routines before heading out for the circuit at 10am 10:30am Arrive at the circuit, settle in before taking a wander through the paddock, hopeful of gaining more insight into the Haas versus Force India protest. All I’m able to glean is that a hearing will be held at 11am, and that our previous analysis, pieced together from various bits if information from a variety of sources , … [Read more...] about F1 Paddock Diary: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix day two – RaceFans

Last month we outlined how precariously Formula 1’s fortunes hinge upon its share price , in turn driven by factors surrounding the sport and the subsequent opinions of investment analysts. Yet, many of these have seldom – if ever – seen a grand prix live or on TV, and base their (critical) analyses on developments that profoundly affect stock value. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free In a nutshell, uncertainty immediately knocks the price; positive, hard news gradually boosts it. At the time we flagged two dates: November 8th, on which F1’s commercial rights holder Liberty Media would field investor calls on Q3 earnings; and November 14th, Liberty Media’s Annual Investor Day, at which the results and prospects of group entities are presented to shareholders. F1 in particular seemed to leave the investment community distinctly lukewarm. During the investor call F1’s share prices – A Class FWONA and C Class FWONK – dipped. Steeper falls followed the call’s … [Read more...] about RacingLines: What is and isn’t behind F1’s share price moves – RaceFans

Haas has lodged a protest against both Force India cars, the FIA has confirmed. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Representatives of Force India and Haas have been summed to a meeting of the stewards tomorrow at 11am concerning a “protest by Haas F1 Team against cars 11 and 31,” according to an FIA statement. The reason for the protest has not yet been confirmed. However RaceFans understands Haas is querying whether Racing Point Force India, which purchased the assets of Sahara Force India when the latter went into administration in July, qualifies as a constructor as defined by Formula 1’s rules. Teams must hold the intellectual property to their designs in order to qualify as constructors, and therefore score points and receive a share of F1’s prize money pot. This suggests Haas’s protest is targeted at Force India’s share of F1’s prize money. The two teams have been at odds over Force India is eligible to receive from F1 since its re-entry into the … [Read more...] about Haas lodge protest against rival F1 team Force India – RaceFans

Valtteri Bottas admits his second season at Mercedes this year has been the “worst” of his Formula 1 career despite having performed better. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Asked by RaceFans whether this had been his most disappointing season so far Bottas said: “Yeah I think it is.” Bottas made his debut with Williams in 2013 at a time when the team was struggling to score points. “For sure the first season was tough,” said Bottas. “But you can’t compare because with Williams in ’13 we were fighting at the back. I felt that during my first year in Formula 1 I can’t get my goals [for a] few seasons. Then a few seasons after were better than this one.” He joined Mercedes from Williams in 2017. “Last year was quite different to this year,” said Bottas. “It was my first year with the team, first year alongside Lewis [Hamilton] . “I remember this time last year I was disappointed, I didn’t meet my targets. But now when I look back, at least then I … [Read more...] about Valtteri Bottas calls 2018 his “worst F1 season so far” – RaceFans

The rescued Force India team will not lose its share of Formula 1’s prize money following a unanimous agreement between its rival teams, RaceFans understands Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The team was rescued from administration following the Hungarian Grand Prix but had to be granted a new entry by the FIA in order to continue competing in the championship. This would have meant forfeiting its right to the ‘column one’ prize money it had earned, which is shared equally between all 10 teams. RaceFans has learned from multiple sources all nine of Force India’s rivals agreed yesterday to allow the new team, officially known as Racing Point Force India, to inherit its predecessor’s share of ‘Column 1’ earnings. This is in addition to the ‘Column 2’ revenues it qualifies for via points earned from the balance of the season after the Belgian Grand Prix. However the teams insisted Racing Point Force India could not retain the points it had scored over the … [Read more...] about Force India’s F1 rivals agree to let team keep its prize money – RaceFans