F1 Insight
Formula 1 analysis and race pondering
596 posts
- Races
Friday Practice, Istanbul 2009
It was a relief from F1 politics to watch the practice sessions today in Istanbul, even though the FIA/FOTA war rolled on like a thundercloud on the horizon. News of a possible split from FOTA by Force India added to…
- Teams
The Ghosts of Years Past
It seems that Brabham, one of the hallowed names of F1, has filed an entry for the 2010 season along with the other hopefuls. That includes March, another well known name from the past although not quite as illustrious…
- Politics
Mosley and the Provisional Entry
And then there were five. Or maybe six, or even seven, depending upon which source you decide to believe. General consensus is that USF1, Prodrive, Lola and Campos have registered for F1 in 2010, thereby accepting…
- Politics
A Cease Fire From FOTA
The bells are ringing - it seems that the FIA/FOTA war is over. Autosport has reported that all the FOTA teams, including Toyota, have signed on for next season and suddenly F1 is filled with optimism and good cheer…
- Races
Garcia in Monaco
Yesterday I received a slim package in the mail from Garcia, my man in Barcelona. This turned out to be a few photographs with notes included to explain them. It seems that Garcia did indeed attend the race weekend in…
- Politics
A Civilized Suspension
It was announced today that FOTA has temporarily suspended Williams from membership of the teams' organization. The reason is obvious - Williams has signed on for next year in spite of having agreed with all the teams…
- Regulations
The Curious Case of KERS
Let me say right at the outset of this post that I have hated the idea of KERS in F1 from the moment it was announced. More than for any other of a multitude of reasons, I object to it because it enables the creation of…
- Teams
Button and the Brain
Brawn GP's success this year has highlighted Ross Brawn's talents as a strategic mastermind. When we see Jenson Button winning as relentlessly and faultlessly as he is, memories of the Schumacher years surface and we…
- Races
Musing on Monaco
Before I look at the Monaco GP, there is something that has been boiling up within me all weekend and I just have to say it. As I have explained before, my main problem with Sebastian Vettel is the exaggerated praise he…
- Races
Monaco 2009 - Qualifying
Even at Monaco, the Brawn BGP 001 remains the car to beat it seems. Raikkonen did an impressive job in Q3, going quicker with each lap and finally setting a fastest time that looked as if it must secure pole. But Button…
- Politics
FOTA in Agreement
The FOTA meeting on board Flavio's yacht in the harbor at Monaco has ended and now the teams will present a united front in their meeting with Mosley later today. So says Luca di Montezemolo and he makes it clear that…
- Races
Thursday Practice, Monaco 2009
I love the Monaco GP. It was the race that turned me on to F1 way back in the early sixties and it remains the most charismatic, atmospheric and awe-inspiring motor race of them all. Forget all the nonsense spoken about…
- Politics
Use it or Lose it says the Court
Well, the French court has said, "Non," to Ferrari's bid for an injunction on the FIA's rules for 2010. It is not quite as simple as that, however, as the decision agreed that the Italian team has a veto; the problem is…
- Politics
A Ready Made Candidate
Whenever a faint chance of Max Mosley ceasing to be president of the FIA occurs, our thoughts turn to his successor. We have all suggested suitable candidates and my favorite for the job is Alex Wurz. But that is…
- Politics
If The Cap Fits...
Max Mosley has given an interview to the BBC in which he answers questions regarding his recent meeting with FOTA over the rule changes slated for 2010. Many have picked up on the fact that Max calls Toyota's John…
- Politics
The First Shots Fired
Predictably, the gunfight at OK Corral began today with a lot of noise and smoke but no result. The FIA refused to move on the budget cap of £40 million and there will have to be other meetings as a result. All fired up…
- Misc
Garcia in Barcelona
Not many know this but I have an agent in Spain who sends me occasional reports on the F1 scene. I don't often post them because Garcia (as he prefers to be known) is a little too fond of the sangria and he rarely makes…
- Politics
Ferrari, FOTA and the FIA
Although the Ferrari board's announcement that they will not be signing up for next season if the rules for 2010 remain unchanged sparked heated debates in the F1 world yesterday, it was not exactly unexpected. As I…
- Drivers
A Perspective on Vettel
I have said before that I do not understand the fuss over Sebastian Vettel and it remains true for the moment. Yes, he has won a couple of races and been a strong contender this year but is his brief career in F1 really…
- Drivers
Defending Nick Heidfeld
It is no secret that I rate Nick Heidfeld very highly and would dearly love to see him win a GP. But this is not a fan site and I try not to let my preferences influence my view of the races. A large part of that has…