Alonso: Suzuka driving challenge «gone» with 2026 F1 cars
Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso feels Suzuka’s driving challenge is «gone» with the 2026 regulations as they are.The storied Japanese Grand Prix venue is a driver favourite with its challenging first sector Esses and its high-speed Degner and Spoon sequences. However, due to the energy saving demands of F1’s 2026 regulations, drivers are approaching […]
Ferrari ‘lacking pace’ compared to Mercedes and McLaren at Japanese GP
Ferrari is «just not quick enough» to trouble the front of the grid, thinks Lewis Hamilton, as the Scuderia hopes fixing its car balance will get it ahead of 2026 Formula 1 rival McLaren in Japan.Charles Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth in second practice on Friday, shipping around seven and eight tenths respectively to […]
Suzuka transformed as F1 drivers barely brake through the Esses
The new-generation of Formula 1 cars have changed how Suzuka’s first sector is tackled: beyond the reduced downforce, which lowers cornering speeds, drivers now barely touch the brake pedal, because the hybrid system decelerates the car through transitions to maximise energy recovery in a key section. Over the years, Suzuka has fascinated thanks to the beauty […]
Honda clarifies F1 timeline after Newey comments: “It is a misunderstanding”
During the opening weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 season, much of the media attention was on the number of batteries that Honda had to its disposal in Melbourne. But that Friday, Adrian Newey made an unrelated, even more interesting comment. The legendary designer revealed that Aston Martin did not know until November 2025 that […]
Mercedes’ «two-phase» front wing activation a reliability issue, not an exploit
Mercedes’ peculiar straight mode activation of its front wing, which caught the attention of some of its Formula 1 rivals, was the result of a reliability issue rather than a deliberate exploit, Autosport has learned. Mercedes caught the eye of its rivals at the Chinese Grand Prix when footage emerged of maiden race winner Kimi […]
Why Hamilton believes 2026 F1 rules are “what racing should be” – unlike Verstappen
Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1’s new regulations have delivered “what racing should be” so far in 2026 – a very different stance to Max Verstappen’s. Verstappen has been perhaps F1’s most vocal critic this year, likening the energy management aspect to “Formula E on steroids” as lift-and-coast becomes preponderant. “It’s terrible, if someone likes this, […]
What really caused McLaren’s Chinese GP double DNS?
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri suffered two separate Mercedes HPP battery issues that prevented them from starting the Chinese Grand Prix. A fortnight ago, the reigning world champions suffered a disastrous Sunday in Shanghai when Norris was unable to get to the starting grid, with the team scrambling to fix what was described […]
The greatest campaigns that didn’t win the F1 title
Hardcore motorsport fans know that the best performers aren’t always rewarded with a title at season’s end. Unreliability, misfortune, bizarre scoring systems and inferior equipment can combine to deny drivers even when they are at the top of their game. For this list, in chronological order, we have picked out Formula 1’s greatest all-season performances […]
Ayrton Senna’s F1 debut marred by early retirement in Rio
On March 25, 1984, at the Jacarepagua circuit in Rio de Janeiro, a Formula 1 career began that would go on to become one of the most iconic in the sport’s history. The 24-year-old Ayrton Senna lined up for his first grand prix, driving for the modest Toleman team. But what started as a special […]