McLaren have started a Formula 1 season with victory on 13 occasions, and in a further seven seasons they managed to win by the second race. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free But after two grands prix in 2023, the team have finished no higher than 15th and sit last in the constructors’ standings. Have they ever started a season this badly before? 1966 Monaco GP: DNF, Belgian GP: DNS In McLaren’s first year as a manufacturer team in F1, founder Bruce McLaren raced a single M2B and did not even enter all of that season’s races. The team’s debut came in Monaco, where McLaren put his car tenth on the grid. He only went nine laps before an oil leak ended his day, but did briefly make it up to sixth place after some thrilling wheel-to-wheel action. His short time in the race was also recorded for the ‘Grand Prix’ film that was released in cinemas later that year. Later, points finishes at the British and United States grands prix meant McLaren finished … [Read more...] about Two races, no points: How 2023 compares to McLaren’s worst starts to a season
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Hamilton urges more action on human rights after letter from death row inmate
Lewis Hamilton has called on those in positions of power to do more to improve human rights in countries such as Saudi Arabia, where Formula 1 is racing this weekend. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Following reports 81 men were executed in Saudi Arabia on a single day earlier this month, Hamilton revealed he had been contacted by Abdullah al-Howaiti, who is on death row in Saudi Arabia. Howaiti was sentenced to death in 2019 over a robbery which occured three years earlier, when he was 14, which his family insist he was not involved in . “It’s obviously mind-blowing to hear the stories,” said Hamilton during Friday morning’s FIA press conference. “I’ve heard that there’s a letter sent to me, for example, from a 14-year-old that’s on death row. At 14 you don’t know what the hell you’re doing in life.” Last year Hamilton described Saudi Arabia’s legislation against its LGBTQ+ community as “terrifying.” Yesterday he said: “My position’s still the … [Read more...] about Hamilton urges more action on human rights after letter from death row inmate
Helmet rows, hot mics and more forgotten motorsport stories from 2022
The 2022 Formula 1 season was full of drama on track and in the paddock, some of it leftover from the previous year’s controversies. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free With all that going on, it was easy to overlook some of the strange and surprising stories of the last 12 months. Red Bull ‘launched’ a show car Formula 1 car launches always attract huge interest as they can give the first indication of how the teams will compare against each other for the season ahead with any innovative designs. That was especially the case this year as teams produced their first designs for radically new regulations. Preferring not to give the opposition an early peek at their real RB18, Red Bull instead presented a repainted show car at their launch on February 9th. The real thing, which appeared in testing two weeks later, looked very different. Red Bull presents first images of new car for 2022 F1 season Magnussen’s F1 return has big repercussions After … [Read more...] about Helmet rows, hot mics and more forgotten motorsport stories from 2022
Are tickets too dear? Crowds fell at some tracks in 2016
The high price of Formula One tickets has been seized on by many as an example of how Liberty Media’s purchase of Formula One might change the spot for the better. But are ticket prices really deterring fans from attending races? Crowd figures obtained by F1 Fanatic for the 2016 season show sharp drops in audiences at some tracks but much healthier figures elsewhere. Race day and weekend attendance in 2016 Lewis Hamilton , once again boasted a capacity crowd. There was no hint of ‘second year syndrome’ at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez which posted an even larger audience than it did for its F1 return in 2015. Concerns Mexico’s race could weaken demand at the Circuit of the Americas were eased as the Texas track reported a much larger audience, no doubt thanks to the rain staying away in 2016. Note that not all circuits issued race day or race weekend attendance figures when requested, meaning we have an incomplete picture here. And the likelihood is that those with the … [Read more...] about Are tickets too dear? Crowds fell at some tracks in 2016
F1 2023 struggler unsure on popularity in home nation and key market
Despite being the first American in the sport since 2015, Logan Sargeant feels he does not have the home crowd support having spent many years away. As is the nature with Formula 1, if you want to make it to the top, you often have to live in Europe. Oscar Piastri, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo are examples of drivers who moved across the world to further their career, while Sargeant is another one. The American left the States at a young age to continue his karting career and even now as F1 visits the country three times, he is not sure he has won over the home crowd just yet. Logan Sargeant unsure of popularity within American F1 fans For a country that has been given three races in a single season, it is clear there is a huge F1 interest in the US but they have yet to find someone to root for. Haas brand themselves as the American team but many feel disappointed that much of their productions takes place in the UK and Italy. While Sargeant has been labelled as … [Read more...] about F1 2023 struggler unsure on popularity in home nation and key market