Formula One Tag

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Fernando Alonso has announced that he is committed to staying on at McLaren despite recent rumors linking him with the vacant seat at Mercedes. News had barely broken of Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement before the silly season went full steam ahead and rumors of Alonso jumping ship to Mercedes were rife. Despite the Spaniard’s past history of unexpected team changes, it looks like the speculation has been put to rest, at least for the time being. Speaking at the McLaren factory in Surrey he said, “IRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Reports are starting to emerge that Valtteri Bottas is Mercedes main target as a replacement for recently retired world champion Nico Rosberg. In any other year this would be a slam dunk move, as Mercedes boss Toto Wolff manages Bottas and would gladly give a large discount to Williams on their Mercedes engines for the next season. Wolff has already made an offer as such, roughly $10 million off for Williams engine package for 2017, but Williams has said no. They did so because this isRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Mercedes technical director Paddy Lowe is on the verge of a shock move to Williams Martini Racing for 2017. Negotiations between Lowe and Williams have been rumored for some time, but a deal has not yet been announced. Lowe would replace Williams current technical director Pat Symonds who is ready for retirement after a career of much success and scandal, most notably crashgate in 2008, which crucially hurt recently retired Williams driver Felipe Massa’s championship bid that year. If Lowe goes he will be the second leadingRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor The reborn French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, scheduled for summer 2018 has determined which of the famous test rack’s 167 layouts it will use. The layout, of 5.482 km will closely follow that of the last French Grand Prix held at the circuit in 1990, but it will not use the full 1.8 km Mistral straight, which has not been used since 1985 after Elio de Angelis passed away after a testing accident there. The circuit served purely as a testing venue from 2002 toRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Pirelli’s racing manager, Mario Isola has claims that the tires Pirelli will supply Formula One with in 2018, will be different from the 2017 compounds they are currently working on. Much is being made about the vast changes to the cars for 2017 that will see them lap up to five seconds quicker than in 2016, but none more so than about the much wider tires Pirelli will bring to the table. Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull were tasked with modifying 2015 cars to simulate theRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Last weekend, Formula One cars hit the 31 degree high banks of Daytona for the first time in history as part of Ferrari’s Finali Mondiali year end celebration and races. The event, held in North America for the first time featured thousands of Ferrari road and race cars from across the globe in a series of races and exhibition laps with everything from historic cars, and challenge series cars to recent F1 machinery. Scuderia Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were on hand and thrilledRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor The French Grand Prix will officially return to Formula One in 2018. The news which broke just days ago, was confirmed today during a press conference at the Automobile Club de France in Paris. As previously reported the race will return the Grand Prix to the Paul Ricard Circuit, which last hosted a Grand Prix in 1990. Since then the track has mainly been used as an extensive testing facility and only held low level F3 and touring car series races. The contract gives the promoters valuableRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor The French Grand Prix is poised to make a surprise return to the Formula One calendar in 2018, after an absence of a decade. The race, last hosted by the rural Magny-Cours circuit in 2008, will come to the Paul Ricard circuit, where the French Grand Prix was previously held between 1971 and 1990. The track is owned by Bernie Ecclestone’s family trust, but the F1 supremo has insisted that they will rent the circuit to the event promoters for the Grand Prix in order toRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor In the surprise announcement heard ’round the world, newly crowned Formula One Champion Nico Rosberg retired from F1 today, effective immediately. The news came as a shock to Mercedes, to F1, and to fans around the world. Even Lewis Hamilton who has claimed not to be too surprised, no doubt was. Rosberg who completed 206 starts, for 23 wins, 30 poles, 57 podiums, and one World title; thanked his family, his team, his wife and his fans for all the support he has received in hisRead More

By Adam Tate, Associate Editor Red Bull Racing announced a lubricant and sponsorship deal with oil giant ExxonMobil today. The deal is somewhat of a coup against rivals McLaren who have enjoyed a very succesful, 21 year partnership with the world’s wealthiest company. The deal will see Red Bull use ExxonMobil fuels and lubricants, as well as feature ExxonMobil branding on the cars, the drivers’ fire suits and helmets. Renault, who supplies Red Bull’s engines will stick with fellow French company Total for their lubricant and fuel needs. It will beRead More