F1 Pickings

Ferrari became embroiled in a team orders controversy in Formula 1's Russian Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel failed to let Charles Leclerc past when asked by his team

The championship leader trailed Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc during the opening stint at Sochi as Ferrari cemented its qualifying advantage and Mercedes committed to staying out longer on harder tyres. Hamilton eventually took the win when Vettel retired with a suspect MGU-K failure and triggered a virtual safety car that allowed Hamilton to make his pitstop under a caution period and ... Keep reading

Divine intervention or questionable reliability… either way, Valtteri Bottas says the VSC that followed Sebastian Vettel's retirement was "like a miracle".

A safety car after Sebastian Vettel retired allowed Lewis Hamilton to jump ahead of erstwhile leader Charles Leclerc, while Bottas was able to move up to second when Leclerc made an extra tyre stop. As Hamilton drove to victory Leclerc pushed Bottas all the way to the flag, although he was not able to find a way past. “They had a strong car today, good pace and, as we’ve seen this year ... Keep reading

Nico Hulkenberg says his Russian Grand Prix result feels "bitter" and was not what the pace of his Renault RS19 car deserved

Ferrari Formula 1 boss Mattia Binotto says the call for Sebastian Vettel to stop on track after an MGU-K failure, causing a costly virtual safety car, was for safety reasons

Kevin Magnussen was given a five-second penalty at Sochi, which dropped him from eighth to ninth in the results, after running wide at Turn 2 defending from Sergio Perez and failing to rejoin the track to the left of two polystyrene markers as instructed earlier in the weekend. Magnussen said after the race the decision was "bullshit" and argued he was not able to make it across to the markers ... Keep reading

Ferrari team boss, Mattia Binotto explains why Sebastian Vettel parked his stricken SF90 on track, thereby causing the VSC which essentially turned the race on its head.

Vettel encountered a hybrid issue shortly after making his pitstop, and he obeyed instructions and parked on the circuit just sort of the pit entry. He then jumped out, as he had to assume that the car was “live.” The stoppage led to race director Michael Masi ordering a VSC. That in turn allowed Lewis Hamilton to make a quick pi stop, allowing the Mercedes driver to jump erstwhile ... Keep reading

Valtteri Bottas says Ferrari Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel's Russian Grand Prix MGU-K failure was a "miracle" for Mercedes' race

Kevin Magnussen hit out at Sochi stewards after he was handed a 5s time penalty for leaving the track and not rejoining properly.

Lewis Hamilton may have won the Russian Grand Prix, but that was overshadowed by controversy at the Ferrari Formula 1 team as its winning run ultimately came to an end

Binotto confirmed that, based on what has happened in previous Sochi races, the team put its energies into finding a way to ensure that its cars were first and second at the end of the first lap, given that they were starting first and third, with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in between. "Looking at the past races in Russia we know that it's important to be ahead at the first lap, because ... Keep reading

Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Mattia Binotto insists that the Russian Grand Prix was running to plan before Sebastian Vettel's MGU-K failure prompted the appearance of the virtual safety car

We raced well today, making the most of the race circumstances, and splitting the tyre strategies across the cars.

We are disappointed because we did not do a perfect job today. To win, you need reliability and today we didn't have it.

It was a good performance from both of our drivers today.

Today was tough and deeply frustrating for the whole team.

It has been a few tough races, so we need to regroup and find our groove again for the final races of the season.

These 12 points are crucial in our ongoing battle to secure fourth position in the Constructors' Championship.

Since the summer break, we've been strong in qualifying with both cars in the top ten. But, in three races out of four, things haven't gone our way and that was the case again today.

We came to Russia with a harder tyre choice than last year: this enabled drivers to push hard from the start to finish of each stint, rather than manage their pace.

Vettel, who had started third, grabbed a slipstream off poleman Leclerc at the start and passed him into Turn 2, going on to lead the race until his sole pitstop. Conversations between the Ferrari pitwall and Leclerc indicated the Monegasque deliberately towed Vettel and allowed him through - which was corroborated by team principal Mattia Binotto after the race. However, while Leclerc had ... Keep reading

We got two points for ninth place, that's better than nothing.

Charles Leclerc says he retains full faith in his Formula 1 team-mate Sebastian Vettel and stresses they "need to trust each other" following the controversy at Russian Grand Prix

Vettel, who qualified third behind pole-sitter Leclerc, had slipstreamed the Monegasque at the start and got past him with little resistance at Turn 2, taking over in the lead of the race. Conversations between Leclerc and the team indicated this was part of a pre-race agreement, and Vettel was ordered to hand the lead back to Leclerc, but the German defied the instructions, beginning to build ... Keep reading

Kevin Magnussen has hit out at the "bull****" penalty he was awarded for not rejoining the track appropriately after he ran wide at Turn 2 during the Russian Grand Prix

The Haas driver had been locked in a battle with Racing Point's Sergio Perez for seventh place, but braked too late defending the position and ran across the dome kerbs at Sochi's second corner. Drivers who miss the kerbs completely are supposed to rejoin the track through two bollards. Although Magnussen had instead hit the kerb, he still attempted to follow the procedure. However, due to ... Keep reading

Here’s what was broadcast over the Ferrari team radio during the race, until Vettel was forced to retire – causing the virtual safety car which handed the race win to Mercedes. As the race settles down after the opening exchanges, Leclerc is told: “Sebastian will let you by next lap.” Vettel: “I would have got him anyways, but let’s break away for another two laps. Let me ... Keep reading

It was Ferrari's race to lose... and they obliged, the Scuderia gifting Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes a welcome victory courtesy of poor reliability and intra-team (dis)agreements.

The Finn's hopes of a points scoring finish in the Russian Grand Prix were effectively killed off on the grid when he made a jump-start which resulted in a penalty. He eventually finished 13th. But with neither he nor teammate Antonio Giovinazzi making it into the top 10 in Sochi, Raikkonen says a run of poor form since the Belgian GP needs to be properly understood. "The race was my ... Keep reading

Ferrari's Russian Grand Prix imploded after Sebastian Vettel sparked a team-orders controversy then retired, causing an ill-timed virtual safety car that handed Mercedes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton victory

Full result of the VTB Russian Grand Prix.

Vettel refused to let teammate Charles Leclerc back into the lead after drafting past him and Hamilton at the start, but eventually retired from the grand prix following an engine failure. Leclerc had got himself back ahead of Vettel and into the net lead of the race by this point by stopping early, but Vettel parked his car on track and caused a virtual safety car. That allowed Hamilton and ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton wins controversial Russian Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel ignores team orders

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McLaren believes it can eventually fight Mercedes with the same engine in Formula 1 but it is "definitely not" a realistic target for 2021

Formula 1 bosses Ross Brawn and Chase Carey have met drivers in Russia to address concerns about potential rule changes such as Saturday qualifying races

Gasly had been promoted to the main Red Bull team for his second full season in F1 to replace Daniel Ricciardo, but was forced to make way for Alex Albon after a thoroughly underwhelming 13-race stint. Yet the Frenchman’s relative form has improved since he found himself in an STR14, as he scored points in two of the three races so far and has matched up well against team regular Daniil ... Keep reading

A frustrated Carlos Sainz Jr has criticised Formula 1's television direction over the lack of airtime midfield teams receive and thinks drivers will "take action" over the issue

Albon crashed backwards into the wall at Turn 13 early in the first part of qualifying at Sochi, which brought out the red flags. He had been due to line up 18th on the grid even with his own five-place grid penalty applied for taking a new Spec 4 Honda engine this weekend. Read Also: Albon blames gust of wind for qualifying spin However, the FIA revealed on Sunday ... Keep reading

The former works partnership will be reunited as a standard customer relationship after McLaren's Renault deal ends next season. McLaren's initial move away from Mercedes in 2015, to Honda, was sparked by a belief it could not challenge the German manufacturer's works team as a customer. However, current McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown said: "I'm very confident that Mercedes supplies [every team ... Keep reading

Alex Albon is set to start the Russian Grand Prix from the pitlane after his Red Bull Formula 1 team changed to a different-specification floor following his qualifying crash

Amended starting grid for the VTB Russian Grand Prix after penalties applied.

Sainz was part of a four-car battle for 11th on the final lap of last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, a fight that was not included in the world feed as the TV coverage focused on Max Verstappen holding off Lewis Hamilton for third before switching to race winner Sebastian Vettel. After a clip of the fight was posted on Twitter with the message “why wasn’t this shown live?” Sainz ... Keep reading

McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, reveals that Sporting Director, Andreas Seidl was the driving force behind the Woking team's decision to switch from Renault power to Mercedes.

Four staff members are sacked by the Mercedes Formula 1 team after an investigation into discrimination.

Mercedes is adamant its revived McLaren engine supply is not the "start of a works deal" and does not mean its own all-conquering squad will leave Formula 1

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

It's very close in the midfield with a tenth here or there making a huge difference.

It's a track you can overtake at so it should be an exciting Grand Prix.

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Sebastian Vettel feels there is no pattern to his qualifying deficit to Charles Leclerc, after his Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate took his fourth pole in a row in Russia

Vettel trailed Leclerc by 0.425s in the final qualifying segment at the Sochi Autodrom, and was bumped off the front row by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. The session has marked the ninth consecutive time that four-time champion Vettel has qualified behind his sophomore F1 racer teammate – and while there have been mitigating circumstances like mechanical issues or the Monza Q3 chaos, the ... Keep reading

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has taken all four poles since F1 returned from its summer break and Hamilton has been resigned to starting second in the last three grands prix. The Mercedes driver was delighted to split the Ferraris in qualifying at Sochi, where he likened his rivals' engine advantage to having a "jet mode". Asked by Motorsport.com to assess his performance in the context of the ... Keep reading

Charles Leclerc produces another spectacular performance to take pole position for the Russian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc claims fourth successive pole as Lewis Hamilton digs deep to join him on the front row for Russian Grand Prix.

Leclerc set two laps fast enough for pole during Q2 and had an advantage of 0.402s over Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who split the two Ferraris with his final lap. Once again, the Ferraris showed prodigious pace on the straights, with Leclerc outpacing Hamilton by almost half a second in the first sector of the lap. Sebastian Vettel had second place after the first runs in Q3, but only ... Keep reading

The employees were dismissed on August 2, following an investigation into a complaint. In a statement, Mercedes said: “We condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms and acted immediately upon the complaint. We value the diversity of our employees and it is a source of strength for our team. “Our working environment is based upon appreciation and mutual respect.” According to a ... Keep reading

A supreme effort in the final lap of Q3 helped haul Hamilton on to the Sochi front row alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, but he said his Mercedes outfit had no response to the extra power that is helping Ferrari at the moment. "It was a tough qualifying session because these guys have some crazy speeds on the straight," said Hamilton, who famously coined the 'party mode' phrase for his own ... Keep reading

Charles Leclerc claimed his and Ferrari's fourth consecutive Formula 1 pole position in qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix

The Mercedes Formula 1 team dismissed four workers, and disciplined three more, following a breach of its diversity and equality policy at its Brackley headquarters

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

Charles Leclerc produces another spectacular performance to take pole position for the Russian Grand Prix.

As reported by Motorsport.com in the build-up to the Russian Grand Prix weekend, McLaren has decided to return to being a Mercedes customer from 2021 after its three-year spell with Renault comes to an end. McLaren's reunion with Mercedes will come after a seven-year split that was triggered by McLaren's belief it had a better chance of winning the championship with Honda. Read ... Keep reading

The FIA sporting regulations give Pirelli the option to provide tyres for Friday running, if the company wants to log more mileage. They can be used in either session. The rarely-used rule states: "At certain events one additional specification of dry weather tyre may be made available to all teams for evaluation purposes following a recommendation to the FIA from the supplier. "Teams will ... Keep reading

All Formula 1 drivers will be given two sets of 2020 tyres to test during Friday practice for next month's US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas

Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Mattia Binotto says it would be a "shame" to have to use its right to veto changes to the championship's rules in the 2021 discussions

F1’s leading teams Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have been vocal over their concern for supposed restraints over aerodynamic freedom in the technical package planned as part of F1’s envisioned 2021 overhaul. Disagreements over the compromises has led to a delay until the end of October to finalise the rules, which were meant to be published earlier this year. Ferrari’s agreement with ... Keep reading

Charles Leclerc set the pace in final practice for the Russian Grand Prix as the Ferrari driver eyes a fourth consecutive pole position in Formula 1

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

Leclerc sets the pace in final practice, as midfield battlers, from 8th to 16th, are covered by just 0.477s.

Leclerc, who won the Belgian and Italian GPs from pole, was comfortably on top in the 60-minute Saturday session at Sochi as Ferrari’s advantage over Mercedes continued. Ferrari was not expected to continue its strong Singapore form into this weekend’s event but Mercedes appears to be struggling to optimise its tyres over a lap compared to its rival frontrunners. Leclerc controlled the ... Keep reading

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The Toro Rosso Formula 1 entry will change its name to AlphaTauri next season if rival teams approve a request to do so

McLaren and Mercedes have announced that they will be reunited in 2021, after agreeing a Formula 1 engine deal that will last until at least the '24 season

Red Bull’s junior team has been on the grid since 2006, after the energy drinks company bought and rebranded Minardi. It has raced as Scuderia Toro Rosso every year since then, using an Italian translation of Red Bull as its name to honour the new team’s Italian predecessor and headquarters. Red Bull has used Toro Rosso to give its proteges race experience in F1, with the likes of ... Keep reading

McLaren Racing and Mercedes-Benz have announced that the McLaren F1 team will be powered by Mercedes from 2021 until at least the 2024 season under a long-term agreement.

Renault Sport Racing and McLaren Racing have agreed not to renew their F1 engine supply contract beyond the 2020 season.

McLaren are to switch to Mercedes engines from the 2021 season, the teams confirm.

The new deal will kick in at the expiry of McLaren's current deal with engine supplier Renault at the end of 2020, and will run "until at least the 2024 season". "This agreement is an important step in our long-term plan to return to success in Formula 1. Mercedes is the benchmark, both as a team and a power unit, so it is natural we would seek to secure a relationship with the company for the ... Keep reading

Formula 1 has axed its track limits solution at Turn 2 at Sochi after drivers drivers struggled to negotiate the 'slalom' in Friday's Russian Grand Prix practice sessions

The big rumour doing the rounds in Sochi is that McLaren is to use Mercedes power units from 2021.

In the lead-up to the race weekend, the FIA had moved to mitigate any potential advantage gained as a result of running wide off-track at the braking for the right-hander. Cars that went straight at Turn 2 were intended to weave left-right-left around a series of three blocks before rejoining for the start of the sweeping Turn 3 left-hander. Yet several drivers encountered some difficulty in ... Keep reading

McLaren are to switch to Mercedes engines from the 2021 season, BBC Sport has learned.

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, who raced for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, is appointed president of the British Racing Drivers' Club.

David Coulthard MBE, has been elected as President of the British Racing Drivers' Club.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is a surprise pacesetter as he heads Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in second practice at the Russian GP.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the second Formula 1 free practice session ahead of the Russian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen quickest in FP2 as Red Bull appears to have one-lap pace, while Ferrari looks strong on long runs.

Full times from today's second free practice session for the VTB Russian Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is a surprise pace-setter as he heads Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in second practice at the Russian GP.

Verstappen was only fourth fastest in the first part of the session using medium rubber, a quarter of a second off the pace-setting Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton just 0.001s quicker. Leclerc was the first of the frontrunners to set a time on softs to consolidate his position at the top of the timesheets, posting a 1m33.497s on his first flier and gaining six-and-a-half tenths ... Keep reading

The Scotsman, who won 13 grands prix in a Formula 1 career that spanned from 1994 to 2008, will take over from Paddy Hopkirk after he had been in the role since 2017. Coulthard had been widely tipped for the role, which he will fulfil alongside his current broadcasting commitments for Channel 4 and his involvement with the new W Series. John Grant, Chairman of the BRDC, said: "I and my ... Keep reading

Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull have all offered to take part in the October 7-8 test at Barcelona, after Pirelli requested the extra test in order to prove its latest 2020 constructions on a high severity circuit. It had completed its last planned running for next year's tyres with Mercedes at Paul Ricard earlier this month. Some teams were opposed to the test but the FIA opted to accept ... Keep reading

Sebastian Vettel will participate in Pirelli's Spain tyre test on the same week as the Japanese Grand Prix, adding an extra 'complication' amid Formula 1's end-of-year flyaways

Kvyat had hoped to run with a new colour scheme for the Russian Grand Prix, and had a new white, red and blue helmet all ready for action. However, in the build-up to the weekend Kvyat was informed that the FIA had not granted him permission to run it because he had already raced in Italy with a different design to what he normally uses. F1's regulations are clear that drivers must race with ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen says he does not want to be the deciding factor as Red Bull picks who should be his Formula 1 team-mate next season

Verstappen is currently partnered at the team by Alex Albon, who was promoted from the Toro Rosso junior outfit mid-season in a seat-swap with the underperforming Pierre Gasly. Red Bull is working out which driver in its pool is the best option to take the second seat full-time next year, with the choice apparently between Albon or Gasly after Red Bull's motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko ruled ... Keep reading

Every track is regarded by teams as front or rear limited for tyres, a characteristic determined by the corner layout. Vettel says that Ferrari is now better able to balance the car and better explore those limits, and that the aero package introduced in Singapore was a significant step. That contributed to Ferrari’s one-two at the high downforce Singapore track, which came on the back of ... Keep reading

Daniel Ricciardo says Formula 1 drivers are "pretty frustrated" at being left in the dark over major developments such as the proposal to introduce a revised weekend format in 2020

In its continued efforts to crack down on drivers exceeding track limits, the FIA has introduced a slalom run-off at Sochi this weekend.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc led Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the opening practice session for Formula 1's Russian Grand Prix at Sochi

Charles Leclerc edges out Max Verstappen by 0.082s in opening practice, as Mercedes has yet to show its hand.

Full times from today's opening free practice session for the VTB Russian Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc sets the pace, just ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, in first practice at the Russian Grand Prix.

Leclerc ended the session just a tenth up on Verstappen, but was half a second clear of teammate Sebastian Vettel and more than seven tenths quicker than the fastest Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas - although both of the German manufacturer’s drivers set their best times on a harder tyre compound than the Ferraris. Leclerc had left his first flying lap until just short of the half-hour mark, and ... Keep reading

Grosjean says that Lotus was so confident in its wind-tunnel figures that he was told that the car was a potential world championship contender in the first year of the new hybrid rules. The Renault-powered E22 performed poorly on track and the team had a disastrous season, managing only eighth place. Grosjean cited it as a case study of how wind-tunnel results are sometimes not replicated ... Keep reading

F1 is understood to be keen on trialling a revised weekend format at select grands prix in 2020 that would include qualifying races with grids set in reverse championship order. But the proposal has been met with strong opposition from drivers, and championship leader Lewis Hamilton said that F1 entertaining such experiments at this time was not congruent with its impending 2021 rules ... Keep reading

The issue of track limits at Russia's tricky first proper corner has been a cause for headaches over the years, as the FIA's tries to ensure that drivers don't gain an advantage. Ahead of the opening day of action in Russia, however, drivers have been told that a new solution has been introduced. In a note sent from F1 race director Michael Masi, he said: "Any driver who fails to negotiate ... Keep reading

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The FIA has delayed the introduction of a standard supplier of brake system and friction materials in Formula 1 from its original 2021 date

As part of a push to reduce costs, the FIA hoped to secure a standard supplier of brake system components and discs for the new generation of cars. Italian company Brembo had been the preselected bidder to supply all teams with the necessary products. However, the change had now been pushed back because the governing body wants to better understand the performance of the new 2021 ... Keep reading

The FIA has announced that it has "chosen to delay the potential implementation of single suppliers for brake friction materials and brake system components".

George Russell says he would welcome the challenge of Nico Hulkenberg joining the Williams Formula 1 team for 2020 so he can continue to further his reputation

Current Williams reserve driver Nicholas Latifi remains the favourite to take the seat, which would make Russell the senior driver on the line-up in only his second year. However, Hulkenberg is the obvious choice should the team be in a position to hire a driver who doesn't bring a budget. Russell says he just wants a quick teammate against whom he can further a reputation. "My preference ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat will be hit with grid penalties at the Russian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen says it has sometimes been "very odd" how his Red Bull Formula 1 team's form has played in recent races compared to Ferrari

As F1 reveals further details of its concept for the look of 2021, team bosses are concerned that the rules are becoming "too prescriptive".

Verstappen finished on the podium in last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, behind both Ferraris, having gone there as one of the pre-event favourites alongside Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel's win completed a hat-trick of victories for Ferrari, which narrowly defeated Mercedes at the power-sensitive tracks of Spa and Monza before surprising everybody with its performance on the ... Keep reading

While teams and F1 owners Liberty Media are continuing talks about trialling a number of reverse grid qualifying races in 2020, drivers are far from impressed about the idea. Sebastian Vettel labelled it "bullshit" over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend – and he said pursuing such an idea was "completely the wrong approach" for solving F1's problems. Grand Prix Drivers' Association director ... Keep reading

Details of drivers power unit elements used prior to the VTB Russian Grand Prix weekend.

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi says he is continuing to work with teams and drivers to address the "shades of grey" in the FIA's interpretation of driving standards

Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat will be hit with grid penalties at the Russian Grand Prix.

Among the raft of changes being planned for F1 in 2021 are new technical and financial regulations designed to reduce spending and close the performance gap between teams. However, a mix of standard parts and tighter technical rules remains concerning to teams, with Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur admitting: "I'm just a bit scared that if the room of freedom is too small at the end, we ... Keep reading

Honda reveals that all four drivers powered by its engines will take grid penalties in Sochi this weekend.

Max Verstappen and his fellow Honda-powered Formula 1 drivers will take grid penalties at the Russian Grand Prix to strategically introduce another new engine

Ferrari has won the last three grands prix of the season, following up its expected success in Belgium and Italy with a surprise triumph on the streets of Singapore. Though this run has come too late to salvage Ferrari's season after a run of near-misses over the first half of 2019 handed Mercedes an unassailable advantage, it has breathed new life into the Mattia Binotto-run team and ... Keep reading

Honda's Spec 4 engine made its debut in the Belgian Grand Prix with Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso, although Verstappen, his Red Bull teammate Alex Albon and Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly did not race it until the following grand prix in Italy. Ahead of the Russian GP, with just two race weekends completed with their new Spec 4 engines, Honda has announced that all four of its drivers will get a ... Keep reading

Formula 1 team bosses remain concerned that the 2021 regulations will not allow enough design differentiation as the parties involved work towards avoiding "a GP1 formula with silhouette cars"

Formula 1 drivers are '100% united' on the changes they want to see the championship's bosses make instead of experimenting with ideas like reversed grids