F1 Pickings

The 2023 F1 season was known for the dominance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull, as the Dutchman clinched a third drivers’ world title after winning a record-breaking 19 of 22 grands prix.He and Red Bull won both championships with six grands prix to spare, yet the rest of the positions were closely fought as many were still up for grabs in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale. This meant teams ... Keep reading

The Anglo-Italian squad grabbed attention with its raft of steady floor upgrades in recent months, that according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella had made the AT04 the best car in low-speed corners by the season finale in Abu Dhabi.It allowed the team to have a late go at Williams for seventh in the constructors' championship, but from sixth on the grid a one-stop gamble for Yuki Tsunoda didn't ... Keep reading

After a difficult start with a car that wasn’t competitive, he took advantage of the team’s mid-season upgrades to make a strong impression in the second half of the year.He twice made the podium in grands prix, finishing runner-up in Qatar and third in Japan, while also logging a memorable victory in the sprint event at the former.He ended the year in a respectable ninth place in the F1 world ... Keep reading

The fight for second in the constructors' championship between Mercedes and Ferrari went down to the wire in the season finale.In a late but ultimately unsuccessful bid to thwart Mercedes, Leclerc allowed a penalised Sergio Perez to overtake in a bid to prevent George Russell landing a podium.Leclerc wanted Perez, handicapped by five seconds for tagging Lando Norris, to pass and build a gap so ... Keep reading

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After a difficult start with a car that wasn't competitive, he took advantage of the team's mid-season upgrades to make a strong impression in the second half of the year.He twice made the podium in grands prix, finishing runner-up in Qatar and third in Japan, while also logging victory in the sprint event at the former.He ended the year in a respectable ninth place in the F1 world championship ... Keep reading

The fight for second in the constructors’ championship between Mercedes and Ferrari went down to the wire in the season finale. In a late but ultimately unsuccessful bid to thwart Mercedes, Leclerc allowed a penalised Sergio Perez to overtake in a bid to prevent George Russell landing a podium.Leclerc wanted Perez, handicapped by five seconds for tagging Lando Norris, to pass and build a gap so ... Keep reading

Williams boss James Vowles insists that finishing seventh in the team standings wasn't just about the money, even though fending off AlphaTauri's late charge was worth $7m to his team.

The seven-time champion has undergone a challenging two years with the Mercedes squad, which has found itself unable to regularly match the pace of the dominant Red Bull outfit. Those competitive struggles have also come straight off the back of the controversy from the end of 2021, where the FIA's mishandling of a safety car restart at that year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ultimately cost Hamilton ... Keep reading

The seven-time champion has undergone a challenging two years with the Mercedes squad, which has found itself unable to regularly match the pace of the dominant Red Bull outfit. Those competitive struggles have also come straight off the back of the controversy from the end of 2021, where the FIA’s mishandling of a safety car restart at that year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ultimately cost Hamilton ... Keep reading

Not only was the race saved at its traditional venue, albeit with the new name of the Sao Paulo GP, it has now had its future secured until at least 2030.The man responsible is promoter Alan Adler, who was unknown in racing circles until 2020. He brought with him vast experience of running major sporting and entertainment events in Brazil, as well as – through unusual circumstances – solid ... Keep reading

The calendar resulted from the interest in prints Bottas sold last year and was put together by photographer Paul Ripke.An initial run of 10,000 was quickly sold out via www.bottass.com, so more were printed.Bottas has also admitted that his mother was initially confused by his decision to strip until she was assured that the aim was to raise funds for charity, specifically prostate cancer ... Keep reading

Seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton has admitted that at times this year he wondered if he was at fault or his car.

Not only was the race saved at its traditional venue, albeit with the new name of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, it has now had its future secured until at least 2030.The man responsible is promoter Alan Adler, who was unknown in racing circles until 2020. He brought with him vast experience of running major sporting and entertainment events in Brazil, as well as – through unusual circumstances – ... Keep reading

Bottas has also admitted that his mother was initially confused by his decision to strip until she was assured that the aim was to raise funds for charity, specifically prostate cancer research.The calendar resulted from the interest in prints Bottas sold last year and was put together by photographer Paul Ripke.An initial run of 10,000 was quickly sold out via www.bottass.com, so more were ... Keep reading

The Anglo-Italian squad grabbed attention with its raft of steady floor upgrades in recent months, that according to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella had made the AT04 the best car in low-speed corners by the season finale in Abu Dhabi.It allowed the team to have a late go at Williams for seventh in the constructors' championship, but from sixth on the grid a one-stop gamble for Yuki Tsunoda didn't ... Keep reading

Mercedes dominated the 2020 season by winning 13 out of 17 races, including 11 victories for world champion Lewis Hamilton.Red Bull finished a distant second with two wins for Max Verstappen, but caught up in 2021 which led to the most dramatic title showdown in recent memory between the two.Red Bull won all but one race in 2023 as Verstappen romped home to his third consecutive world title ... Keep reading

Mercedes dominated the 2020 season by winning 13 out of 17 races, including 11 victories for world champion Lewis Hamilton.Red Bull finished a distant second with two wins for Max Verstappen, but caught up in 2021 which led to the most dramatic title showdown in recent memory.Red Bull won all but one race in 2023, as Verstappen romped home to his third consecutive world title. Meanwhile, the team ... Keep reading

The 2023 Formula 1 season came to its conclusion in Abu Dhabi, with many eyes now turning to the start of 2024.The year was dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, with a few teams such as McLaren and Ferrari starting to improve their car towards the end of the year.Alfa Romeo is set for a name change in 2024 after its current title sponsorship will come to an end. The team is expected to change ... Keep reading

The pair made contact early in the race, leaving Gasly with diffuser damage that cost him downforce and lap time.The FIA stewards looked at the incident, but opted to take no action. Explaining their decision they noted: “Car 10 locked its front right tyre into Turn 6 resulting in that car approaching the turn on a slightly different line at a slightly lower speed, which was obviously unexpected ... Keep reading

The pair made contact early in the race, leaving Gasly with diffuser damage that cost him downforce and lap time.The FIA stewards looked at the incident, but opted to take no action. Explaining their decision they noted: “Car 10 locked its front right tyre into Turn 6 resulting in that car approaching the turn on a slightly different line at a slightly lower speed, which was obviously unexpected ... Keep reading

McLaren missed its winter development targets and started the campaign poorly, with neither driver scoring a point in the first two races.But led by a three-stage car upgrade phased in from the Austrian Grand Prix, the team emerged as the second-fastest outfit behind runaway constructors’ champion Red Bull.Those gains enabled McLaren to leapfrog early success story Aston Martin for fourth in the ... Keep reading

McLaren missed its winter development targets and started the campaign poorly, with neither driver scoring a point in the first two races. But led by a three-stage car upgrade phased in from the Austrian Grand Prix, the team emerged as the second-fastest outfit behind runaway constructors’ champion Red Bull.PLUS: How McLaren revamped its F1 team to become a contender againThose gains enabled ... Keep reading

As the 2023 campaign concluded with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix running back-to-back with the season finale in the Middle East – forcing people to overcome a 12-hour time difference in three days – many drivers, team personnel and championship staff were coming down with sickness at Yas Marina.Although a 24-round schedule for next year has already been released, with China reinstated ... Keep reading

As Red Bull claims 21 of 22 wins, F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali believes that there will be increased competition next season.

But the extent of its progress got some of its rivals’ backs up, amid concerns that its ever-closer relationship with sister team Red Bull could be helping both teams gain an unfair advantage. While there are no suggestions the Red Bull squads are doing anything against the regulations, it is clear teams can benefit from closer collaboration when it comes to optimising development paths. That ... Keep reading

Formula 1 fans will notice that every grand prix lasts both a different number of laps and length of time, which makes it unlike some other motor racing categories in the world.This is because the series runs to a specific distance rather than amount of time - like the Le Mans 24 Hours, 12 Hours of Sebring and more - due to the various circuits its calendar holds. This is to ensure every race is ... Keep reading

Ferrari was beaten by Mercedes to second in the 2023 constructors' championship in Abu Dhabi by three points after both teams went through a season full of ups and downs with their peaky cars.Just like its counterpart from Brackley, Ferrari started off on the wrong foot in Bahrain with a car that it realised wasn't going to be a match for Red Bull.But apart from its lack of race pace, the Scuderia ... Keep reading

Ferrari was beaten by Mercedes to second in the 2023 constructors' championship in Abu Dhabi by three points after both teams went through a season full of ups and downs with peaky cars.Just like its counterpart from Brackley, Ferrari started off on the wrong foot in Bahrain with a car that it realised wasn't going to be a match for Red Bull.But apart from its lack of race pace, the Scuderia also ... Keep reading

Track limits are a key part of a Formula 1 track and ensure that all the drivers stay within the boundaries. They’ve proven to be a controversial issue for drivers this season with multiple penalties being handed out for track limit violations.What are track limits in F1?Track limits are the white lines that run around the edge of the circuit and set a boundary that the drivers are not allowed ... Keep reading

But the extent of its progress got some of its rivals’ backs up, amid concerns that its ever-closer relationship with sister team Red Bull could be helping both teams gain an unfair advantage. While there are no suggestions the Red Bull squads are doing anything against the regulations, it is clear teams can benefit from closer collaboration when it comes to optimising development paths. That ... Keep reading

As the 2023 campaign concluded with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix running back-to-back with the season finale in the Middle East - forcing people to overcome a 12-hour time difference in three days - drivers, team personnel and championship staff were coming down with sickness at Yas Marina.Although a 24-round schedule for next year has already been released, with China reinstated for the ... Keep reading

Off the back of a winless campaign for the German manufacturer, the Brackley-based squad is pinning hopes of a revival on an all-new car concept for its 2024 W15 challenger.But seven-time world champion Hamilton suggests there is little room for manoeuvre in Mercedes getting it wrong for a third time in the new ground effect era, which has served to ramp up the demands on the squad and its boss.In ... Keep reading

Off the back of a winless campaign for the German manufacturer, the Brackley-based squad is pinning hopes of a revival on an all-new car concept for its 2024 W15 challenger.But seven-time world champion Hamilton suggests there is little room for manoeuvre in Mercedes getting it wrong for a third time in the new ground effect era, which has served to ramp up the demands on the squad and its boss.In ... Keep reading

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton gives an expansive, revealing interview as he reflects on the 2023 Formula 1 season.

This year’s season saw 22 races (the planned Emilia-Romagna GP was cancelled due to flooding) packed with action and impressive dominance from Max Verstappen and his Red Bull car.The 2024 F1 season will begin on 29 February and run until 8 December with a record-breaking 24-race season. Pre-season testing will take place in Bahrain at the end of February, just a week before the opening race.The ... Keep reading

Monster Energy has partnered with McLaren on what is described as a “multi-year” contract, which will lead to the recognisable ‘M’ logo featuring on the helmets, race suits, caps and drinks bottles (branded in the past by Coca-Cola) of drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from the 2024 season.While McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has used his vast experience in the commercial and marketing ... Keep reading

Monster Energy has partnered with McLaren on what is described as a “multi-year” contract, which will lead to the recognisable ‘M’ logo featuring on the helmets, race suits, caps and drinks bottles (branded in the past by Coca-Cola) of drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from the 2024 season.While McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has used his vast experience in the commercial and marketing ... Keep reading

Esteban Ocon tops the timesheets as 25 drivers pull the curtain down on the 2023 F1 season.

O'Ward impressed on his latest appearance in McLaren's F1 machinery by finishing second in Abu Dhabi's post-season test, completing 103 laps in the 2023 MCL60 to put himself just 0.269s behind Alpine's leading Esteban Ocon.His outing came days after being announced as one of McLaren's 2024 reserve drivers, having already completed private tests in the 2021 MCL35 as well as several FP1 ... Keep reading

O'Ward impressed on his latest appearance in McLaren's F1 machinery by finishing second in Abu Dhabi's post-season test, completing 103 laps in the 2023 MCL60 to put himself just 0.269s behind Alpine's leading Esteban Ocon.His outing came days after being announced as one of McLaren's 2024 reserve drivers, having already completed private tests in the 2021 MCL35 as well as several FP1 ... Keep reading

Today's times from the Yas Marina where the post-season Young Driver and Tyre test took place.

Abu Dhabi's one-day test is a combined exercise to hand Pirelli extra tyre data while also providing a chance for rookie drivers to gather valuable miles. All teams ran two cars, one for each assignment.Russell caused the most notable incident by crashing in Turn 6 four hours into the session, after a suspected technical failure punted the Mercedes driver into the barriers.The incident, which ... Keep reading

With a freeze on power units until new rules arrive in 2026 and its emphasis on aerodynamics, Formula 1 is almost the exact inverse of the electric series I’ve raced in for the past decade.Formula E is all about powertrain efficiency, optimising a spec chassis with standard aerodynamics and none of the underfloor black arts. It’s not perfect, but Formula E has shown that investing in ... Keep reading

The German manufacturer has endured a difficult 2023 campaign where, despite finishing second in the constructors’ championship, it proved to be no match for the dominant Red Bull team. It realised early on that it had made a wrong decision with its car's aero platform but, despite making major changes from the Monaco GP, it was not enough to get back to the front. The team has long been open ... Keep reading

Abu Dhabi's one-day test is a combined exercise to hand Pirelli extra tyre data while also providing a chance for rookie drivers to gather valuable miles. All teams ran two cars, one for each assignment.Russell caused the most notable incident by crashing in Turn 6 four hours into the session, after a suspected technical failure punted the Mercedes driver into the barriers.The incident, which ... Keep reading

Abu Dhabi's one-day test is a combined exercise to hand Pirelli extra tyre data while also providing a chance to rookie drivers to gather valuable miles. All teams ran two cars, one for each assignment.Russell caused the most notable incident by crashing in Turn 6 four hours into the session after a suspected technical failure punted the Mercedes driver into the barriers.The incident, which caused ... Keep reading

The Spaniard's Las Vegas weekend was compromised by the water valve incident in practice, and he was only able to secure sixth place on a day when team-mate Charles Leclerc fought for victory.In Abu Dhabi, he had a big crash in FP2, and after a poor Q1 saw him start only 16th and gamble on two stints with the hard tyres. Waiting for a safety car failed to pay off, and he tumbled out of the points ... Keep reading

With a freeze on power units until new rules arrive in 2026 and its emphasis on aerodynamics, Formula 1 is almost the exact inverse of the electric series I’ve raced in for the past decade.Formula E is all about powertrain efficiency, optimising a spec chassis with standard aerodynamics and none of the underfloor black arts. It’s not perfect, but Formula E has shown that investing in ... Keep reading

In response to the investigation that motor racing's governing body launched as a consequence of the physical troubles drivers faced at this year's Qatar Grand Prix, solutions are now being put in place. At last week's meeting of the F1 Commission, plans for a small scoop – with the opening likely to be fitted underneath the car to help direct cool air into the cockpit – were approved for ... Keep reading

The Spaniard’s Las Vegas weekend was compromised by the water valve incident in practice, and after a 10-place grid penalty he was only able to secure sixth place on a day when team-mate Charles Leclerc fought for victory.In Abu Dhabi he had a big crash in FP2 and, after a poor Q1 saw him start only 16th, Sainz gambled on two stints with the hard tyres waiting for a safety car. But this failed ... Keep reading

The Enstone outfit has suffered from inconsistent form this year, with a strong race in Las Vegas – where Ocon finished fourth – followed by a disappointing weekend at the Yas Marina track that saw both cars outside the points.Ocon says that going straight into a test at a venue where the team struggled will help the team learn some lessons, with reserve driver Jack Doohan also providing input ... Keep reading

The Enstone outfit has suffered from inconsistent form this year, with a strong race in Las Vegas – where Ocon finished fourth – followed by a disappointing weekend at the Yas Marina track that saw both cars outside the points.Ocon says that going straight into a test at a venue where the team struggled will help the team learn some lessons, with reserve driver Jack Doohan also providing input ... Keep reading

Sargeant is the favourite to secure the final spot on the 2024 F1 grid with Williams despite a mixed rookie campaign.  While he showed signs of improving form throughout the year and scored a point at the United States GP, there were also some notable errors that resulted in big crashes. But Williams has been consistent in feeling that Sargeant needed time to prove himself, so would be given ... Keep reading

Sargeant is the favourite to secure the final spot on the 2024 F1 grid with Williams despite a mixed rookie campaign.  While he showed signs of improving form throughout the year and scored a point at the United States GP, there were also some notable errors that resulted in big crashes. But Williams has been consistent in feeling that Sargeant needed time to prove himself, so would be given ... Keep reading

Despite Lewis Hamilton's understandable fears, Christian Horner doubts that Red Bull will be able to repeat its 2023 form again next season.

The German manufacturer has endured a difficult 2023 campaign where, despite finishing second in the constructors' championship, it proved to be no match for the dominant Red Bull team. It realised early on that it had made a wrong decision with its car's aero platform but, despite making major changes from the Monaco GP, it was not enough to get back to the front. The team has long been open ... Keep reading

In response to the investigation that motor racing’s governing body launched as a consequence of the physical troubles drivers faced at this year’s Qatar Grand Prix, solutions are now being put in place. At last week’s meeting of the F1 Commission, plans for a small scoop – with the opening likely to be fitted underneath the car to help direct cool air into the cockpit – were approved ... Keep reading

Just one seat is officially vacant for the 2024 Formula 1 season, with many teams opting to keep their driver line-up for next year.Williams is yet to confirm the re-signing of rookie Logan Sargeant, who in 2023 has scored just one point compared to the 27 of team-mate Alex Albon, but looks the favourite to be retained.It has been a much quieter driver market than 12 months ago, where six of the ... Keep reading

The 2023 F1 season has drawn to a close after Max Verstappen capped off a championship-winning year with victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - but has the 2023 season actually finished? Teams and drivers have not packed up just yet, as they are staying in Abu Dhabi for this week’s post-season test at Yas Marina Circuit. It will take place on Tuesday 28 November and gives teams the opportunity ... Keep reading

The 2023 Formula 1 season has come to its conclusion in Abu Dhabi, with many eyes now turning to the start of 2024. The year was dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, with a few teams such as McLaren and Ferrari starting to improve their car towards the end of the year.Alfa Romeo is set for a name change in 2024 after its current title sponsorship will come to an end. The team is expected to ... Keep reading

Tsunoda added that such a scenario couldn’t even have been thought about earlier in the season when the Faenza team was struggling for form.Helped by floor updates to the AT04, he qualified sixth at the Yas Marina track and held onto the position in the early laps, rising up the order as the frontrunners pitted.When Charles Leclerc came in Tsunoda took over the lead for five laps, before making ... Keep reading

The Grove-based outfit had gone into the F1 finale in Abu Dhabi hoping to head off a late-season surge from closest rival AlphaTauri in the fight for seventh in the teams' battle. Although Williams failed to score any points at a track that was not particularly well suited to its car, Yuki Tsunoda's eighth-placed finish was not enough for its Italian rival to overtake it. Speaking after the ... Keep reading

The Italian outfit went into the race four points shy of Mercedes, but while Charles Leclerc took second place behind Max Verstappen, his team-mate Sainz failed to log any points.With George Russell earning third and Lewis Hamilton taking ninth, the Brackley team stayed in front by three points.After a frustrating Q1 session saw Sainz qualify 16th, Ferrari put the Spaniard on hard tyres at the ... Keep reading

Helped by floor updates to the AT04, Tsunoda qualified sixth at the Yas Marina track, and he held onto the position in the early laps, rising up the order as the frontrunners pitted.When Charles Leclerc came in, Tsunoda took over the lead for five laps, before making his late first and only stop.He was only the second Japanese driver to lead a grand prix after Takuma Sato enjoyed a brief spell in ... Keep reading

The Grove-based outfit had gone into the F1 finale in Abu Dhabi hoping to head off a late-season surge from closest rival AlphaTauri in the fight for seventh in the teams' battle. Although Williams failed to score any points at a track that was not particularly well suited to its car, Yuki Tsunoda’s eighth-placed finish was not enough for its Italian rival to overtake it. Speaking after the ... Keep reading

Everything you need to know about the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix... all the details, stats, pictures and quotes.

Max Verstappen’s 19th win of the season, putting him on 1,003 laps led across the entire campaign, was never really in doubt from the moment he made it out of Turn 1 in the lead.After Charles Leclerc’s valiant attempt to trouble the 2023 dominator failed, his focus switched to those behind him and hauling Ferrari above Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, which came to no avail ... Keep reading

The Red Bull driver produced a microcosm of the F1 season to take his 19th win of the season and made it to 1003 laps led this year.PLUS: Why F1's 2023 Abu Dhabi GP finale wasn't a better raceMercedes held on to second ahead of Ferrari in the constructors', with Williams doing the same in seventh over AlphaTauri, as Fernando Alonso clinched fourth place in the drivers’ standings on countback ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen’s 19th win of the season, putting him on 1,003 laps led across the entire campaign, was never really in doubt from the moment he made it out of Turn 1 in the lead.After Charles Leclerc’s valiant attempt to trouble the 2023 dominator failed, his focus switched to those behind him and hauling Ferrari above Mercedes in the constructors’ championship, which came to no avail ... Keep reading

The Italian outfit went into the race four points shy of Mercedes and needed both cars to score well in order to make up the deficit.But while Charles Leclerc took second place behind Max Verstappen, his team-mate Sainz failed to log any points. With George Russell earning third and Lewis Hamilton taking ninth, the Brackley team stayed in front.After a frustrating Q1 session saw Sainz qualify ... Keep reading

In a mostly unspectacular season finale, Perez attempted to dive up the inside of Norris under braking for the Turns 6-7 chicane in a scrap for fourth place on lap 47 of 58.But the Red Bull driver appeared to need two goes at turning in to make the apex, with the later correction sending Perez clattering into the front-left wheel of the McLaren MCL60.PLUS: The reasons why F1's 2023 Abu Dhabi GP ... Keep reading

Perez attempted to dive up the inside of Norris under braking for the Turns 6-7 chicane in a scrap for fourth place on lap 47 of 58.But the Red Bull driver appeared to need two goes at turning in to make the apex, with the later correction sending Perez clattering into the front-left wheel of the McLaren MCL60.Perez was handed a five-second penalty for the bash, meaning he dropped from second ... Keep reading

Aside from a half-hearted lunge from Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, polesitter Max Verstappen controlled events throughout the Yas Marina season finale to win over the Ferrari by 17.993 seconds.With Sergio Perez penalised from second to fourth for hitting Lando Norris, George Russell completed the podium 20.328s adrift to narrowly seal the runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship ... Keep reading

Aside from a half-hearted lunge from Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, polesitter Max Verstappen controlled events throughout the Yas Marina season finale to win over the Ferrari by 17.993 seconds.With Sergio Perez penalised from second to fourth for hitting Lando Norris, George Russell completed the podium 20.328s adrift to narrowly seal the runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship ... Keep reading

The Milton Keynes-based squad delivered one of the most dominant performances in F1 history this season, with its drivers winning 21 out of 22 races and securing both world championship titles quite early. Its tally of 860 points well eclipsed the previous record haul from a season which was held by Mercedes when it amassed 765 during its 2016 title double. However, such success does not come ... Keep reading

Despite his best efforts in assisting Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc is left disappointed that he was unable to secure the runner-up spot for Ferrari.

The Milton Keynes-based squad delivered one of the most dominant performances in F1 history this season, with its drivers winning 21 out of 22 races and securing both world championship titles quite early. Its tally of 860 points well eclipsed the previous record haul from a season which was held by Mercedes when it amassed 765 during its 2016 title double. However, such success does not come ... Keep reading

Fernando Alonso has denied that he brake tested Lewis Hamilton as the pair battled during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Yuki Tsunoda admits to regretting that he couldn't secure the points needed to overhaul Williams in the team standings.

Lewis Hamilton admits to fearing that Red Bull's dominance of the sport will continue for the foreseeable future.

Perez was on the receiving end of a five-second penalty for hitting McLaren's Lando Norris when he tried to overtake the Briton.The Red Bull driver argued Norris was to blame as he felt he was ahead, while Norris said he was actually making room to let Perez pass on purpose, although the Mexican crashed into him anyway.At the time, Perez vehemently disagreed with the penalty, which demoted him ... Keep reading

Verstappen beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and George Russell of Mercedes, fending off an early challenge from Leclerc but, as per usual, his dominance was unchallenged thereafter.His team-mate Sergio Perez finished second on the road but dropped to fourth due to a 5s penalty after a clash with McLaren’s Lando Norris.2023 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen takes yet another win, proving the RB19 to be the most dominant car in F1 history, while Mercedes snaps up second in the constructors' championship from Ferrari.But why did Carlos Sainz finish in the pits? Could Leclerc's strategy to let Perez pass him have worked? And what was the issue with the F1 teams pit mechanics' visors?Martyn Lee chats with Matt Kew and Sam Hall to discuss ... Keep reading

The Aston Martin driver secured fourth place in the drivers' championship with a seventh-place finish at the Yas Marina Circuit but was noted by the stewards for an incident following his second pitstop in the season finale.As he rejoined the circuit, with Hamilton's Mercedes closing behind, Alonso moved to the right-hand side of the road on the approach to the Turn 5 left-hand hairpin, then ... Keep reading

Today's post-race press conference with Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and George Russell.

This car is going to go down in the history books as a very, very special car. To have won 21 races out of the 22 is an achievement we never thought possible.

It was a fight for P2 in the Constructor's Championship up until the very end and so close and today feels like we've won.

The most important thing to say today, after such a long and tough season, is to thank Alfa Romeo for six successful seasons together.

Perez was on the receiving end of a five-second penalty for hitting McLaren's Lando Norris when he tried to overtake the Briton.The Red Bull driver argued Norris was to blame as he felt he was ahead, while Norris said he was actually making room to let Perez pass on purpose, although the Mexican crashed into him anyway.At the time, Perez vehemently disagreed with the penalty, which demoted him ... Keep reading

With a two-stop strategy we could've finished P6 or at least P7 with Yuki, as he was faster than other competitors that overtook him in the final laps.

Today was a tough race for both cars and we have much to review to see what we could have done better even if it had no bearing on our championship outcome.

Perez was on the receiving end of a five-second penalty for hitting McLaren's Lando Norris when he tried to overtake the Briton.The Red Bull driver argued Norris was to blame as he felt he was ahead, while Norris said he was actually making room to let Perez pass on purpose, although the Mexican crashed into him anyway.At the time, Perez vehemently disagreed with the penalty, which demoted him ... Keep reading

The race was an accurate reflection of the season as a whole, with Max Verstappen totally dominant, while behind him a close battle raged for every place.

The Aston Martin driver secured fourth place in the drivers' championship with a seventh-place finish at the Yas Marina Circuit but was noted by the stewards for an incident following his second pitstop in the season finale.As he rejoined the circuit, with Hamilton's Mercedes closing behind, Alonso moved to the right-hand side of the road on the approach to the Turn 5 left-hand hairpin, then ... Keep reading

The race was difficult today, especially after Alex suffered a poor start and lost five places immediately.

The Aston Martin driver secured fourth place in the drivers' championship with a seventh place finish at the Yas Marina Circuit, but was noted by the stewards for an incident following his second pitstop in the season finale.As he rejoined the circuit, with Hamilton's Mercedes closing behind, Alonso moved to the right-hand side of the road on the approach to the Turn 5 left-hand hairpin, then ... Keep reading

Perez finished second on the road in the season finale but was bumped down to fourth, having earned a five-second penalty for banging wheels with Lando Norris on lap 47 of 58 at Yas Marina.The Mexican had been set for a third place, only for Charles Leclerc to pull over and let Red Bull claim a 1-2 at the line.The Ferrari driver had been attempting to let Perez create a late 5s gap to George ... Keep reading

Perez finished second on the road in the season finale but was bumped down to fourth, having earned a five-second penalty for banging wheels with Lando Norris on lap 47 of 58 at Yas Marina.The Mexican had been set for a third place, only for Charles Leclerc to pull over and let Red Bull claim a 1-2 at the line.The Ferrari driver had been attempting to let Perez create a late 5s gap to George ... Keep reading

The main attention in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale was the fight runner-up spot in the constructors’ championship between Ferrari and Mercedes. It was decided in favour of Mercedes by three points – and their battle went down to the very last lap.The placings behind the top three in the drivers’ championship were also decided as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso just pipped Charles ... Keep reading

Running in second place behind leader Max Verstappen, Leclerc attempted to give third-placed Sergio Perez a slipstream in the final laps to help him pull clear of Russell, who was on course to give Mercedes second in its fight against Ferrari.Perez needed to finish five seconds clear of Russell after being handed a five-second penalty for a clash with McLaren's Lando Norris.But while Leclerc let ... Keep reading

During the second half of the 2023 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit, Hamilton and Pierre Gasly were flagged for investigation over a possible pitstop infringement. They were soon joined by Verstappen, Williams drivers Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon plus Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu.The FIA stewards said the matter would be investigated after the 58-lap race and further clarification from the ... Keep reading

Result of the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

This was despite a series of late-race passes and a penalty for Sergio Perez meaning Leclerc actually gifted him second on the road on the last lap in a failed attempt to extend the Mexican driver’s gap to Russell behind.Several drivers, including Verstappen, also face a post-race stewards’ investigation regarding possible pitstop infringements related to eyewear worn by their mechanics.At the ... Keep reading

Max Verstappen had statistically the greatest Formula 1 season in history after breaking even more records at the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix.The triple world champion secured a record-extending 19th victory of the 2023 season, which meant he became the first driver to ever win three times in one country during a campaign.His victory in the streets of Vegas added to wins in Miami and Austin ... Keep reading

Red Bull produced one of the most dominant seasons in Formula 1 history, with Max Verstappen having cruised towards a third drivers’ world championship in 2023.He and team-mate Sergio Perez have a combined 20 victories this year with the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, the only time Red Bull has not stood on the top step at the time of writing. Red Bull's race pace ... Keep reading

When Max Verstappen won the season-opening Grand Prix in Bahrain, little did we know this year would be one of the most record-breaking in history, with 18 victories (so far) for the Dutch driver and just one non-Red Bull win all season.That may suggest this season has been dull and un-dramatic, but in actual fact, there has been plenty to talk about. These are just some of the memorable ... Keep reading

Lando Norris was threatening to nick pole position off Max Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale but on his final flying lap in Q3, he suffered a large slide through the final sector.This left Norris to rely on his earlier banker effort, which was only good enough for fifth place while rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri - who also battled big spikes of oversteer in practice - ran to ... Keep reading

The German says his pace with the older-spec VF-23 relative to Kevin Magnussen’s upgraded model in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix confirms that the team has been “overtaken and out-developed” by rivals.Haas introduced a major new package at the United States GP and, after inconclusive results, agreed to allow the two drivers to follow their personal preferences for the last two ... Keep reading

In a tight Q2 session, Hamilton could only muster 11th and reported on the radio afterwards that "there’s something not right with this car". Meanwhile, team-mate George Russell went on to qualify fourth in Q3.Hamilton and Russell have been plagued all year by a capricious Mercedes W14 that is hard to trust.Hamilton felt it was worse than ever on Saturday on the Yas Marina Circuit, which started ... Keep reading

Turns 12 to 16 are notably off-camber, where the apex of the corner is marginally higher up compared to the outside, and this has often resulted in limited opportunities to race side-by-side with a clear racing line defined.There are also off-camber corners through Turns 7 and 8, which break up the two DRS zones, which Verstappen added makes it difficult to gain traction on the run down to Turn ... Keep reading

The German says his pace with the older spec VF-23 relative to Kevin Magnussen’s upgraded model in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix confirms that the team has been “overtaken and out-developed” by rivals.Haas introduced a major new package at the United States GP and, after inconclusive results, agreed to allow the two drivers to follow their personal preferences for the last two ... Keep reading

Lando Norris was threatening to nick pole position off Max Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale but on his final flying lap in Q3, he suffered a large slide through the final sector.This left Norris to rely on his earlier banker effort, which was only good enough for fifth place while rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri - who also battled big spikes of oversteer in practice - ran to ... Keep reading

Sainz complained about traffic after qualifying 16th for the Abu Dhabi GP, while also claiming that drivers deliberately throw “a little bit of dirty air” at rivals in order to hamper them while not technically being guilty of impeding. Told that Sainz is starting a place behind him in Sunday’s season finale at Yas Island, Ricciardo suggested that the Spaniard is known for making life ... Keep reading

Turns 12 to 16 are notably off-camber, where the apex of the corner is marginally higher up compared to the outside, and this has often resulted in limited opportunities to race side-by-side with a clear racing line defined.There are also off-camber corners through Turns 7 and 8, which break up the two DRS zones, which Verstappen added makes it difficult to gain traction on the run down to Turn ... Keep reading

Sainz complained about traffic after qualifying 16th for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, while also claiming that drivers deliberately throw “a little bit of dirty air” at rivals in order to hamper them while not technically being guilty of impeding. Told that Sainz is starting a place behind him in Sunday’s season finale at Yas Island, Ricciardo suggested that the Spaniard is known for making ... Keep reading

Drivers are not allowed to drive slower than a certain delta time between safety car lines two and one, which covers everything but the pit area, to avoid dangerous situations in which cars approach each other at wildly different speeds.At recent races that meant drivers were using the pitlane and pit exit instead to leave a gap to the car in front and get clean air for their qualifying lap, while ... Keep reading

As the FIA develops a possible AI solution to the policing of track limits, Sergio Perez urges the sport's governing body to get on with it.

Out-qualified by his teammate, Lando Norris says he is making too many mistakes on Saturdays.

Drivers are not allowed to drive slower than a certain delta time between safety car lines two and one, which covers everything but the pit area, to avoid dangerous situations in which cars approach each other at wildly different speeds.At recent races that meant drivers were using the pitlane and pit exit instead to leave a gap to the car in front and get clean air for their qualifying lap, while ... Keep reading

Marko and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner agreed a bet ahead of qualifying for the F1 season finale over where Verstappen would qualify, following the struggles he had faced through the weekend. But Marko’s belief that Verstappen would only line up on the second row of the grid proved wide of the mark, as the world champion pulled off a surprise pole position. And although that meant Marko ... Keep reading

Marko and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner agreed a bet ahead of qualifying for the F1 season finale over where Verstappen would qualify, following the struggles he had faced through the weekend. But Marko’s belief that Verstappen would only line up on the second row of the grid proved wide of the mark, as the world champion pulled off a surprise pole position that Verstappen admitted felt ... Keep reading

Red Bull's Max Verstappen will start the race from pole position after bouncing back from a difficult run in practice.Ferrari driver Charles Lerclerc will line up alongside Verstappen in second.What time does the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix start?The Abu Dhabi GP will begin at 5pm local time (+4 GMT) at the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday. Date: Sunday, November 26, 2023 Start time: 17:00 local time / ... Keep reading

Today's post-qualifying press conference with Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.

Jeopardy is in short supply in F1, but there's a fight going on between titans Mercedes and Ferrari over second in the constructors' championship.

The car was competitive which allowed Lando and Oscar to fight for the top positions of the grid.

Verstappen will start ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.Abu Dhabi Grand Prix grid: Verstappen on pole from Leclerc Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / ... Keep reading

Obviously this sets us up well as we head into our last race. Its been a phenomenal season so far, lets see if we can bring that home tomorrow.

It's hard to see the C5 coming into play, unless someone wants to gamble in the final stages on exploiting the Soft's grip advantage over a used Hard, with a lighter car.

We cannot deny that this has been a very disappointing qualifying session. We know the importance of a good starting position, especially on a track like this, so the balance for us, tonight, is very negative.