F1 Pickings

Such is the unpredictability of the Baku City Circuit, Sergio Perez is the only driver to have finished on the podium in two of the three Grands Prix of Azerbaijan. It might well have been a hat-trick of Baku podiums – and even a win – were it not for the collision with his team-mate […]

Both drivers were eliminated from the race after Ricciardo crashed into the back of Verstappen following several laps of wheel-to-wheel battling.Horner was keen to stress that he felt both drivers were equally responsible for the collision, and that they need to know where the limits are.The team boss said the scenario had even been discussed right before the race, and insisted it ... Keep reading

Bottas suffered a heartbreaking puncture after he hit a piece of debris with three laps to go, having taken the lead from Sebastian Vettel due to making his pitstop under safety car conditions, and then surviving an attack from the Ferrari on the restart.Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said "these things shouldn't be on the track when we have six laps behind the safety car", claiming the ... Keep reading

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting says the FIA was not made aware of the debris that cost Valtteri Bottas victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Hamilton took the lead in the closing laps after teammate Valtteri Bottas suffered a right rear puncture.He felt so sorry for the Finn that he headed from parc ferme to the upper level of the Mercedes hospitality building to commiserate with him before returning for the podium ceremony."This is a lottery race, and whether or not you use 'gifted' as the word, I don't know if I would ... Keep reading

Red Bull begin formal talks with Honda about the possibility of becoming their engine partner in 2019.

Red Bull begin formal talks with Honda about the possibility of becoming their engine partner in 2019.

Sirotkin hit the Force India of Perez from behind under braking into Turn 2 on the opening lap, with the collision leading Perez to make contact with the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.The Mexican would go on to finish the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in third, whereas Sirotkin's race lasted only until the following straight, where he was involved in a three-car collision with Fernando Alonso and ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton believes other Formula 1 drivers would celebrate an inherited victory more than he did in Azerbaijan on Sunday, because he is "wired differently"

Lewis Hamilton accuses title rival Sebastian Vettel of breaking the rules behind the safety car during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda believes Max Verstappen was 70% to blame for the accident with Daniel Ricciardo that took both Red Bulls out of Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The Red Bull teammates both retired on the spot after Ricciardo ran into the back of Verstappen on the brakes for Turn 1, in a race where they had already had several moments of wheel-to-wheel racing and had already touched wheels once.The FIA reprimanded both drivers for the clash, and while Lauda accepted Ricciardo was partly at fault, he felt Verstappen was more responsible for the ... Keep reading

Formula 1 trademark Daniel Ricciardo's shoe celebration, Niki Lauda blames Jos Verstappen for Red Bull collision in Azerbaijan, plus more.

First mooted by Pitpass weeks before Toro Rosso agreed an engine deal with Honda, the Japanese manufacturer has now confirmed that initial talks have been held with a view to supplying Red Bull.

Williams Formula 1 driver Sergey Sirotkin says he was perplexed that the FIA stewards did not quiz him about his Azerbaijan Grand Prix clash with Sergio Perez before penalising him

Formula One Licensing has trademarked the word 'Shoey', Daniel Ricciardo's customary celebration following a win.

Lewis HamiltonRating: 8Rating Hamilton is a tricky one - as he said himself, his performance was below his usual exceptional standards, with a couple of off-track moments in the race, one of which forced him to curtail his first stint. It's a sign of his quality that even when underperforming he could still win, albeit with some luck, and he did outpace Bottas in qualifying. ... Keep reading

Pierre Gasly has labelled Haas Formula 1 rival Kevin Magnussen "the most dangerous" driver he has ever raced against following their clash in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The duo made contact near the end of the race after Magnussen moved to the left and hit the Toro Rosso driver as they fought for position at the very fast Turn 20 that leads into the main straight.The FIA deemed Magnussen's move "unpredictable and unnecessary" and handed him a 10-second penalty and two penalty points.It put Magnussen on eight penalty points, four away from the 12 ... Keep reading

When you watch one of your rivals lock up and slide off the track on one lap, and the other drop out with a right-rear blowout a lap later, you know fortune is on your side. Lewis Hamilton understands what it takes to win grands prix better than any other driver on the grid - this was his 63rd grand prix victory - and after winning a race he described as "a lottery", the Mercedes ... Keep reading

Honda and Red Bull have held their first formal meeting over a possible Formula 1 engine supply

Red Bull, which currently uses Renault engines, has been using Toro Rosso to monitor Honda's operation and progress after the junior team switched from a Renault supply for this  season.Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, met with Honda's motorsport boss Masashi Yamamoto in the build-up to this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.The Baku meeting is the first formal conversation ... Keep reading

Kimi Raikkonen admits late mistake almost cost him second in dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton was late for the post-race ceremonies as he had stopped off to console Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda believes Max Verstappen must shoulder most of the blame for Baku clash.

Fernando Alonso believes other drivers would have "parked their cars" had they suffered the kind of damage he had at the start of Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix

RED BULL MELTDOWNMax Verstappen, Red Bull Rac ... Keep reading

It was a really frustrating race for the team today.

We have been quick all weekend and it's very satisfying to convert our potential into solid points.

TRACK INTERVIEWS(Conducted by David Coulthard)We have our top three here. Lewis Hamilton just being weighed in. We just have to wait for the guys to get their helmets off. We’ve got a very happy Checo Pérez there and Kimi Räikkönen. Checo, you’re first with the helmet off: fantastic, absolutely brilliant, last time you were on the podium was here.Sergio PÉREZ: Yeah, two years ago. I ... Keep reading

Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen have all escaped punishment for a DRS infringement during today's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

To bring both cars home in the points today was a pleasant surprise after a relatively tricky weekend.

Red Bull F1 team management have ordered both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo to visit the team factory in Milton Keynes UK before the next race, to apologise to staff after they crashed out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But team orders will not be imposed; the pair will still be allowed to race, as […]

Hamilton was only third at the late safety car restart, but gained one position when Sebastian Vettel ran wide trying to pass Bottas for the lead and was then handed the victory when Bottas picked up a dramatic rear puncture.“I have very mixed emotions for today,” said Hamilton. “It's really quite a humbling experience.“Ultimately, Valtteri deserved to win. He did an exceptional job ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton says his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas deserved to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Red Bull tell drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen their crash in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was "unacceptable".

Force India Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez has kept his third-place finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, having escaped punishment following a stewards' investigation into a possible DRS irregularity

Perez delivered his and Force India's first F1 podium since the race at the same venue in 2016, the Mexican recovering from an opening-lap hit from Sergey Sirotkin to bring the car home in third behind Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen.He was then summoned to the stewards post-race, alongside fellow drivers Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen, over alleged improper use of DRS midway ... Keep reading

Daniel Ricciardo and Mex Verstappen have both been given reprimands following today's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Red Bull Formula 1 drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have both been given a reprimand by the FIA for their part in the collision that put them out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kimi Raikkonen has revealed he was lucky to finish Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix after hitting the wall "at full speed" in the closing stages of the race.

The Ferrari driver recovered from a first-lap tangle with Esteban Ocon to finish a crazy race second to Lewis Hamilton, but he thought he was going to have a high-speed accident coming onto the start/finish straight with three laps to go when he clipped the wall in the final kink on the lap.“On the first lap after the restart on the little kink coming to the last part of the straight ... Keep reading

The drivers were summoned to see the race stewards immediately after the race in Baku to examine whether either of them had been at fault for their crash at Turn 1.But following discussions with them and team representatives, the FIA deemed that both the Australian and the Dutchman were equally to blame for what had happened.However, despite both men apologising, they were given ... Keep reading

Azerbaijan Grand Prix victor Lewis Hamilton was late to the Baku podium because he went to tell Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate Valtteri Bottas that the win should have been his.

The Ferrari driver – who led the race comfortably until a safety car period allowed Bottas’s Mercedes to make a pitstop and emerge still ahead – locked up trying to retake the lead on a restart with four laps to go, ultimately dropping to fourth.“I’m happy that I tried, I’m not happy that it didn’t work, but I have to try,” said Vettel.“I don’t think it was overly optimistic to jump ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a slice of good fortune in Azerbaijan as he took his first win of the 2018 season in a manic race on the streets of Baku to take the lead in the drivers’ championship for the first time this year. The Briton was the beneficiary of a combative race which prevented rivals […]

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have been ordered to Red Bull's Formula 1 factory to make a personal apology to staff over their collision in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel says he had to try to make a race-winning pass in the closing stages of Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, even though its failure cost him a podium

The two drivers crashed out of the race after a coming together at Turn 1 as they fought for position in the closing stages of the race.The collision – which came after some fraught side-by-side moments throughout the Baku race – left Red Bull chiefs furious.Team principal Christian Horner said that both drivers were in the 'dog house' - and that they had been asked to travel to the ... Keep reading

The Russian hit Perez's VJM11 from behind under braking into the Turn 2 left-hander, leading the Mexican to then collide with his Force India teammate Esteban Ocon and further damage his car.Sirotkin would go on to retire further down the road in a three-way collision with Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso, and was assessed a three-place grid penalty by the FIA stewards, which he is ... Keep reading

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has blamed both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo for the collision that took the Formula 1 team-mates out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Williams Formula 1 driver Sergey Sirotkin has been penalised for his collision with Force India's Sergio Perez on the opening lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Bottas had managed the final restart of the race, having jumped ahead of Sebastian Vettel by pitting under the safety car when Red Bull teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collided.The Finn steered around Vettel when the Ferrari man overshot the first corner, and looked set to take his first win of the season when he picked up a right-rear puncture due to debris on the ... Keep reading

After several feisty moments between the two Red Bulls, who raced closely throughout the F1 race in Baku, they both retired on the spot after Ricciardo ran into the back of Verstappen on the brakes for Turn 1.When asked for his reaction to the incident, Marko told Sky Sports: "We let the drivers race and then they are doing that. Unbelievable. Both were wrong."It was a racing ... Keep reading

Lady Luck plays a major role in Lewis Hamilton's Baku victory as Red Bull duo collide and Valtteri Bottas suffers heartbreak late puncture.

Sergio Perez's Azerbaijan Grand Prix podium could be in jeopardy after the Force India Formula 1 driver was summoned to the stewards over improper DRS use

Perez came back from having to pit for repairs following a first-lap hit from Sergey Sirotkin to take third place in Baku, pouncing on Sebastian Vettel when the erstwhile F1 world championship leader flat-spotted his tyres trying to attack Valtteri Bottas for the lead at the final safety car restart.But having held off Vettel's retaliation attempts to claim his first F1 podium since ... Keep reading

The McLaren driver was hit by the Williams of Sergey Sirotkin on the opening lap and was forced to crawl back to the pits with two punctured tyres which disintegrated as he tried to reach it.After replacing the front wing and the wheels, Alonso returned to the race and managed to recover to seventh position despite the damage to the floor of his car.Alonso said the position was the ... Keep reading

Hamilton didn’t appear to have the pace to challenge for the win in the early stages of the race, and was running third behind Bottas and Vettel at a late safety car restart.But the race came to Hamilton as first Vettel outbraked himself at the first corner and ran wide, before Bottas retired from the lead a lap later when he suffered a puncture after running over debris. ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton stole Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory from Valtteri Bottas after a safety car caused by the Red Bull Formula 1 drivers colliding set up a dramatic Baku finish

Sebastian Vettel was on course to score a comfortable win before the race was changed by a safety car caused by Daniel Ricciardo rear-ending teammate Max Verstappen at Turn 1.Bottas survived a lunge from Vettel into Turn 1 at the restart and appeared to be heading for victory before a puncture handed Mercedes' first win of the year to Hamilton, with Kimi Raikkonen second and Sergio ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton wins a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the Red Bulls crash into each other following a race-long battle

Full result of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Esteban Ocon has hit out at Kimi Raikkonen following their accident during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying the Finn doesn't belong in Ferrari.

Force India driver Ocon retired from the race on the opening lap after making contact with Raikkonen as the Ferrari driver attempted to pass down the inside of Turn 3.Raikkonen was able to continue, but Ocon wound up hitting the wall and retiring on the spot.An angry Ocon blasted Raikkonen for the accident, which will be investigated by the stewards after the race."Clearly I had a ... Keep reading

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The F1 Commission will hold an e-vote on Monday at which time it will be decided if new rules can be introduced on overtaking for next year.

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A last-minute vote on Monday will decide whether Formula 1 cars are modified for 2019 to improve overtaking

April 30th is the last date for changes to next year's technical regulations to be passed without requiring unanimity.As previously reported, FOM and the FIA have been working together on ways to allow cars to follow each other more closely, with research conducted by a group led by F1 chief technical officer Pat Symonds.Their focus has been on "outwashing" front wing elements ... Keep reading

Kimi Raikkonen should have been the man to beat in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and is still a threat despite his qualifying error, believes Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff

All six drivers from the top three teams attempted to get through Q2 on the supersoft tyre rather than the less favoured ultrasoft.However, after making mistakes and with no spare supersofts left, Raikkonen was forced to use ultrasofts for his second run, committing him to that set for the start.In Q3 he was on target to grab pole position from teammate Sebastian Vettel when he made ... Keep reading

Renault Formula 1 drivers Carlos Sainz Jr and Nico Hulkenberg admitted they were surprised to see Force India dominate the midfield battle in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying

The Silverstone-based picked up just one point in the first three races of 2018 - but its VJM11 was a standout in Baku qualifying, with both Esteban Ocon in seventh place and Sergio Perez in eighth more than half a second on the team's nearest midfield rival Hulkenberg in Q3.Baku has been one of Force India's best venues since the street track's arrival on the calendar, with ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton has dismissed Bernie Ecclestone's claim that he is not the racer he was.

A German media report has suggested that Lance Stroll’s father Lawrence is pushing for Williams to have a Haas-style “B team” deal with Mercedes that would both give it access to technology from the Brackley outfit, and also allow Williams to trim its staffing levels and potentially cut costs.Williams currently employs 550 people, significantly more than the likes of Force India ... Keep reading

Pierre Gasly admits that today's near-miss with teammate Brendon Hartley was the scariest moment of his career.

The Williams Formula 1 team is not under the illusion it has made the progress its Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying performance suggests, according to chief technical officer Paddy Lowe

Today's post-qualifying press conference with Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Mercedes lose their 'fastest car' status, Hamilton works until 10pm to get faster and Alonso whispers begin.

Ecclestone told Sky Sports he feels Hamilton is "not the racer he was", suggesting he could be "getting a little bit tired of travelling and he's fed up with things".Hamilton declined to comment on Ecclestone's remarks, but Wolff said in Baku on Saturday evening that the reigning world champion is "relaxed" about such speculation."All of us very much respect Bernie, but we have also ... Keep reading

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has described Bernie Ecclestone's comments questioning Lewis Hamilton's desire as nothing more than a "hand grenade" from the ex-F1 supremo

A reasonably straightforward Qualifying.

It was an eventful qualifying session for us, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.

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Obviously we have worked hard to get to where we are now, but everybody in the team knows there's more to do. We have to stay focused and keep pushing.

We can be pretty satisfied with that qualifying result.

Going into qualifying, we expected a very close fight between three teams and this is exactly what we got.

An important step forward for Sauber which finished with rookie Charles Leclerc in Q2 for the first time this season.

Seventh and eighth on the grid is a well-deserved result and confirms that all our hard work is paying off.

One stop is the most likely option for the race tomorrow, but there are a number of different combinations of one-stopper possible.

TRACK INTERVIEWSQ: Sebastian Vettel is in pit lane and will be out here to speak to us soon, but let’s go and talk to the Mercedes guys who had such a quick car today but maybe not quite enough. Lewis, that first sector was phenomenal, just seemed to lose something in the second, but are you happy with your job today?Lewis HAMILTON: Yeah, well firstly you’ve got a great crowd here – ... Keep reading

We're happy today with that result.

A very disappointing qualifying session for us.

Qualifying 13th and 16th is a solid effort ahead of what's almost certain to be a tough and relentless Grand Prix tomorrow.

The Ferrari drivers was two tenths quicker than Sebastian Vettel's benchmark until he had a big sideways moment exiting Baku's Turn 16 left-hander just after completing the second sector.That left Raikkonen sixth fastest, and he would have snatched pole had he completed the lap at that pace because Vettel did not improve his time after a mistake of his own.Raikkonen was unsure what ... Keep reading

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted the "fuck up" that cost him pole position for Formula 1's Azerbaijan Grand Prix is "painful" and his own fault

The German had been at the top of the timesheets after the first runs, despite making two small mistakes, so was confident he could do even better on his second effort.But his hopes of an improvement were dashed at Turn 3 when he locked up, forcing him to abandon his lap and leaving him fearing the worst as he returned to the pits."Q3 run one I was really happy with," explained the ... Keep reading

Mercedes had a difficult first day of practice on Friday, but Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were back in the hunt in qualifying, securing second and third on the grid behind Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. “We were struggling yesterday, we came into today and the engineers did some really great work last night to understand where we were and how we could progress forward,” said ... Keep reading

Sebastian Vettel feared he may have blown pole position on his final Q3 run at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after making an error as he got "too excited"

Lewis Hamilton says the Mercedes Formula 1 team changed "pretty much everything" to transform its car's performance after Friday practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel secured a third consecutive pole position for the first time since the 2013 season, finishing ahead of Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas at the Baku City Circuit. Despite being unable to improve on his final qualifying run, his nearest rivals failed to overhaul the Ferrari driver’s lap. Vettel is now in […]

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to take his third consecutive pole position.

Sebastian Vettel edges out Mercedes duo, as Raikkonen rues last sector mistake which cost almost certain pole.

The incident occurred at the end of Q1 in Baku, as Gasly happened upon a touring Hartley near the end of the lap before Turn 15.Hartley was going slowly, as he had hit the wall and punctured his front-left tyre, and Gasly had to take evasive action to avoid a massive accident, ending up down an escape road."It was really scary, the scariest moment of my career," said Gasly. "I didn't ... Keep reading

Sebastian Vettel claimed his third consecutive Formula 1 pole position in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Brendon Hartley has apologised for the near-miss that Toro Rosso team-mate Pierre Gasly called the "scariest moment of my career" in Formula 1 qualifying in Baku

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to take his third consecutive pole position.

The Ferrari driver's first run in the Q3 top 10 shootout was good enough to secure pole position by 0.179s from Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton after a lock-up spoiled his second attempt.But in the dying seconds of the session, it seemed the other Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen was set for pole position having set the fastest times of all in the first two sectors.He threw away that time by ... Keep reading

Full times from today's qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Claire Williams has denied speculation Williams would consider forging a closer relationship with Formula 1 engine supplier Mercedes and share components in the way Haas does with Ferrari

The fuel limit was 100kg in 2014-16, but it rose to 105kg last year as it was realised that higher downforce and drag levels would increase fuel consumption.However, some teams have argued that the change was not enough and, combined with a belief that talk about fuel saving does not create a positive impression to TV viewers, an extra 5kg for 2019 was agreed at the recent F1 Strategy ... Keep reading

Nico Hulkenberg takes 5-place grid penalty after Renault elects to change his gearbox.

The German driver sat out the final quarter of Saturday's practice session after reporting a problem at the rear.Renault immediately decided to change the gearbox ahead of qualifying, which means the component has not lasted the six consecutive grands prix required by the regulations.Hulkenberg, who has started the last six races from seventh, will therefore take a five-place grid ... Keep reading

Nico Hulkenberg is set to receive a grid penalty for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after his Renault Formula 1 team changed the gearbox on his car

Combined times from all three practice sessions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Following his 'freak Friday', Sebastian Vettel is back on form in final practice for Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel set the pace in the final practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, ahead of Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel sets an imposing pace as he heads Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes in final practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Vettel ended the session 0.361s clear of his nearest rival, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, but came up short of the overall best lap of the weekend set by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo on Friday.The Saturday morning practice was briefly suspended for a late crash for rookie Sergey Sirotkin, whose Williams FW41 suffered a hard impact with the outside wall a ... Keep reading

Full times from the final free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The weather forecast for the remainder of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend has gusts of up to 41km/h predicted for Saturday, with the peak wind speed then rising to 56km/h on race day.Toro Rosso's Brendon Hartley reckoned much of the Baku street circuit would be protected from the wind by its surroundings, but admitted it could still have a significant impact in some places – like ... Keep reading

The FIA has modified the Baku Formula 1 circuit's pitlane entry after concern from drivers ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

A new section of dotted lines has been added ahead of the usual solid white pit entry line after some back-and-forth over how to manage pitlane entry at the unique Baku city circuit.After the end of second practice on Friday, the FIA opted to disregard the usual rule stating drivers must enter the pitlane if they have four wheels to the left of the solid white line.The idea was that ... Keep reading

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Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer believes the teams lobbying for Formula 1 to increase its race fuel limit "fooled" the championship's bosses into pushing the change through

Bernie Ecclestone says Lewis Hamilton is not the racer he once was, Sebastian Vettel won't stop Daniel Ricciardo joining Ferrari, plus more.

Mercedes powered teams set to benefit from engine mode boost following successful dyno tests.

Wind gusts of almost 60km/h could make for a "crazy" Formula 1 race in Baku on Sunday, according to drivers

The FIA confirmed earlier this month that an agreement has been reached to raise the grand prix fuel limit to 110kg next year compared to the current 105kg mark, in order to stamp out fuel saving and allow drivers to use their engines “at full power at all times”.F1 drivers have by and large welcomed the change, but many have suggested that it is unlikely to have a tangible impact on ... Keep reading

Former F1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, believes that Lewis Hamilton is tiring of F1, claiming that the Briton "isn't the racer he was".