F1 Insight
Formula 1 analysis and race pondering
596 posts
- Politics
What's Wrong With F1?
Over the last few years, every F1 season has been soured and disrupted by some sort of event. In 2005 we had the disastrous Indianapolis GP disputed by only six cars after the Michelin teams withdrew because of tire…
- Teams
Thoughts on Stepneygate
I am not going to go over the details of the strange events of what is now being called Stepneygate; Autosport magazine has an excellent article summarising the events and there is no point in retelling the story. A few…
- History
Tire Tracks in the Memory
I sometimes wonder about the people who write history; to what extent are they getting it right? When one has lived through an event and then finds it recorded differently from the way it is remembered, one has to ask…
- Teams
BMW at Magny-Cours
I have mentioned before how a big accident can affect a driver adversely (my article, Reflections on Mortality ), so it was good to see Robert Kubica in top form all weekend and showing no ill effects from his horrific…
- Races
Thoughts on the French Grand Prix
I hate Fox TV. What gives them the right to delay showing the GP until the afternoon, presumably to gather a wider audience? They obviously have no idea how much anger and resentment this builds up in the only viewers…
- Races
Second Practice Session, Magny Cours
When you support Scott Speed, you don't get many opportunities to crow. So I am sure you will forgive me if I use this opportunity to do just that. How about this then: Times from Magny Cours, Second Practice 1 Felipe…
- Races
First Practice Session, Magny Cours
The weekend is nearly upon us and the teams have been out for the first practice session at Magny Cours (or Mangey Course, as I saw it described in a forum recently). And, on this showing, it seems that racing in Europe…
- Drivers
Pondering Lewis Hamilton
Although I live in the States, an English heart beats within me and my view on Lewis Hamilton is inevitably affected as a result. Whether we admit it or not, patriotism plays a part in our assessment of F1; the Germans…
- Opinion
Silly Season Speculation
The latest rumor to be debunked is that Raikkonen and Rosberg will swap seats for 2008 . Sam Michael of Williams has dismissed the idea as stupid and made much of the fact that Rosberg is tied by contract to the team…
- Drivers
Test Drivers
Franck Montagny has been talking about his role as a Toyota F1 test driver and his life in general; he seems quite content and refuses to get involved with the speculation that he is being considered as a replacement…
- Teams
Looking Ahead to the French GP
Naturally, all the teams are hopeful after the testing at Jerez and Silverstone last week; it is rare for anyone involved in F1 to be anything less than optimistic. And we could conclude that advances have been made by…
- Drivers
Toro Rosso and the Toyota Lesson
There seems to be a general consensus that Toro Rosso should replace both its drivers for 2008. Apart from the fact that everyone seems to think Liuzzi and Speed have underperformed (and I'd like to know how that is…
- Teams
The Plot Thickens at Ferrari
The good old days are back at Ferrari, it seems, with intrigue, power struggles and secrecy the order of the day. How reminiscent of the seventies is the news that the company has instituted a criminal enquiry against…
- Drivers
Filling the Gap
After a hectic couple of weeks encompassing two GPs, suddenly the F1 world is quiet again. This season's calendar, with its long gaps interspersed with races tumbling over each other, is very unsettling and I can't wait…
- FIA
Standards and the FIA
Sometimes I wonder whether the world has gone crazy. The latest ideas from the FIA do not help to make me think otherwise; Mighty Max is giving a very good impression of a man so divorced from reality that he has begun…
- Drivers
Team Mate Tensions
The press were delighted with Alonso's sudden swing towards the pits on the lap following his failed attempt to get past Hamilton - more fuel for their guesses at needle between the McLaren drivers, of course. The…
- Drivers
The Rookie Invasion
What is it with these new guys in F1? Ignoring the astonishing talent of Lewis Hamilton, who grabbed pole position yesterday for the Indy GP, there are so many others putting in surprising performances. Sebastian Vettel…
- Races
Indianapolis GP Practice
The first two practice sessions at Indy showed that McLaren still have an edge on the rest, although it is less here than in Canada and Monaco. The Ferraris were very close, Massa retaining the quickest time in P2 until…
- Politics
Racing in the Dark
Now that Bernie has declared that there will definitely be night races in F1, it seems the FIA are getting down to the task of assessing the viability of such races. Autosport reports that a test has been conducted at…
- Politics
The Battle for America
I must apologize to readers for the site being down yesterday. This was thanks to MadTV's hosts carrying out routine maintenance, during which they seem to have broken the connection to the F1 Insight sub domain; but…