F1 Tag

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor With recent news out of Ferrari it looks like Formula 1 will once again be flirting with the 1,000 horsepower threshold soon. Mercedes comfortably hit 900 plus horsepower with their 2016 power unit and the old V10’s also broke 900 hp, but the last time F1 engines produced over 1,000 hp was during the peak of the original turbo era in the mid-80’s. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari’s 2017 car, code named 668, is an all out attempt by the prancing horse to reign inRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Mercedes will officially launch the W08 Hybrid, their 2017 Formula 1 car, on February 23 at Silverstone. The reigning Constructors’ Champions unveiling comes a day prior to rival Ferrari running their new car for the first time at Fiorano. The overhaul of technical regulations will put a greater emphasis on the shakedown process for the teams when they go to Barcelona on February 27. The German squad will use the revealing for a filming day while at the British-based circuit. The team has yet to nameRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Roughly three months away from the start of the 2017 Formula 1 season and there is still just as much unrest as there was when Nico Rosberg announced his retirement just days after winning the championship in Abu Dhabi in late November. But uncertainty is a good thing. Now, it appears that longtime Williams driver Valtteri Bottas will finally get his shot with a top team as Rosberg’s replacement (although nothing has officially been confirmed). A variety of rule changes still have the teams looking atRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief A return to Manor was in the mix for Rio Haryanto, but recent events have put a major hit on a chance for a race seat for the 2017 Formula 1 season. The 23-year-old Indonesian’s main backer Pertamina, a state-owned oil and natural gas corporation, has decided to pull its sponsorship, leaving the country’s first F1 competitor without substantial funding for next season. “This year there will not be a continuation of participation by Pertamina in F1,” spokeswoman Wianda Pusponegoro said in a statement. “Of courseRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Toro Rosso is looking to rebrand its Renault power unit for the upcoming 2017 Formula 1 season. The Italian-based squad is moving from Ferrari as its main supplier to the French manufacturer next season in an effort to be as similar to its senior team – Red Bull Racing, whom reached an agreement with Renault for 2016 to re-badge the power units under the TAG Heuer name. Franz Tost, team principal for Toro Rosso, recently told Gazzetto dello Sport that his team aims to follow theRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief The FIA have unveiled their provisional list of entries for the 2017 Formula 1 season, with four seats currently vacant. Despite several entries being set several weeks ago, the recent retirement of World Champion Nico Rosberg has Mercedes scrambling to fill the seat, while both seats at Manor remain empty along with one at Sauber. Although Toro Rosso will move away from Ferrari power next season, it isn’t known yet which label they  will give the Renault powerunits – likely copying that of its senior team,Read More

*Editor’s Note: The Motorsports Tribune Formula 1 and IndyCar team got together for a round table discussion following the retirement of World Champion Nico Rosberg less than a week after the F1 season officially ended. They give their thoughts over six topics as we enter a most interesting off-season.  QUESTION 1: With Nico Rosberg’s surprise retirement from Formula 1 just days after capturing his first title, what will be his legacy? JOEY BARNES, (Editor-in-Chief): The retirement was absolutely staggering, so much so that he could be remembered more for thatRead More

Nico Rosberg was crowned 2016 Formula One World Champion as he finished second behind team-mate and title rival Lewis Hamilton at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel was third for Ferrari. Hamilton took the win he needed in the race but despite a hugely tense finish in which the leading Mercedes drivers were hunted down Sebastian Vettel, Rosberg clung on to second to win the title by just five points. Both Hamilton and Rosberg got away well at the start and the pair slotted into first and secondRead More

Lewis Hamilton will start tomorrow’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position after beating championship rival Nico Rosberg in qualifying by three tenths of a second. The drivers standings leader will start second ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The Mercedes drivers were on track early in Q1 and Hamilton laid down a heavy gauntlet by posting a superb lap of 1:39 487. Rosberg followed his team-mate across the line but with the German admitting over the radio that it wasn’t a good lap and that heRead More

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel set the quickest time of final practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg slipped to fourth and fifth respectively. The title-contending Mercedes pair had comfortably topped both opening practice sessions but on a hot, sunny afternoon at the Yas Marina Circuit, both were eclipsed in final practice as Vettel finished 0.290s clear of Hamilton and almost four tenths ahead of Rosberg. Vettel was joined in beatingRead More