After the initial sighter runs had been completed, most teams sent their drivers out for lengthy stints on higher fuel to see how they stacked up on the tricky tyre management task at this demanding layout with its abrasive track surface.Of the typical frontrunners, the two leading teams in thatContinue Reading
The last race at the Shanghai circuit was held in 2019, before COVID-19 triggered an extended absence from the country.Since then, the F1 technical regulations have changed substantially, including a switch to 18-inch tyres.Inevitably the track surface will also have altered over the intervening years. But unusually, Pirelli has notContinue Reading
Under brighter and slightly warmer conditions compared to Friday, Verstappen lined up first at the end of the pitlane and led off on a long first stint on the mediums, which meant he set the first place benchmark at 1m30.265s, but was soon supplanted by the soft-shod Hamilton.The Mercedes driver’sContinue Reading
As part of an effort to better manage his time amid F1’s calendar expansion, Wolff had planned to miss some of the flyaways – and Japan was one of those where he had originally intended to remain back at base.But off the back of a troubled start to the 2024Continue Reading
Masi came under fire for the way he handled the closing stages of the 2021 season finale, where he ended the safety car period just in time to enable a final-lap showdown between title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.It allowed Red Bull driver Verstappen, who was on fresher tyres,Continue Reading
A race win is something all Formula 1 drivers dream of achieving throughout their career, although for many it is not something they are able to claim. With a record-breaking 24-race season, there are more opportunities than ever for drivers to claim their first victory. On the flip side, there’s plentyContinue Reading
During FP1, the only dry Friday session, Melbourne winner Carlos Sainz set the best time of the Ferrari duo during a short flurry of hot laps conducted on softs but was nonetheless 0.213s shy of Max Verstappen’s headline effort.In the meantime, Leclerc was eclipsed by both McLarens and stacked upContinue Reading
Autosport understands that over the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, Stroll presented pre-eminent F1 designer Newey with a big-money bid to move.Although Newey has turned down opportunities to leave Red Bull since joining in 2006, most notably rejecting advances from Ferrari, such a statement signing would help Aston MartinContinue Reading
Max Verstappen and Red Bull led the way in opening practice for Formula 1’s 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, but this was far from a repeat affair of the opening day from the 2023 event at Suzuka just six months ago.This time, in the cooler April climate, rain intervened to limitContinue Reading
A new way of allocating wet-weather rubber for 2024 meant teams were reluctant to use any intermediate tyres in Suzuka’s damp FP2 session because they wanted to save them for later in the weekend.It meant that drivers sat in garages for most of the session, with the only major runningContinue Reading