If the pitstop battles of the last two rounds have failed to excite you, don’t expect any better at the Spanish Grand Prix. Last year the Barcelona round set up the championship battle as Kimi Raikkonen won from Fernando Alonso. Raikkonen will need a similar result this year if he is to have any hope … Continue reading Spanish Grand Prix 2006 Preview
Keith Collantine's articles on RaceFans
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing.
Aguri ‘need young driver’
Posted onSuper Aguri fans are phlegmatic about the predicament of Yuji Ide. Writing on Formula3.cc one fan has admitted that Ide’s performances were disappointing and that he failed to resolve communication problems within the team. Ide has little to no English, and was forced to request setup changes via team boss Aguri Suzuki, which caused further … Continue reading Aguri ‘need young driver’
DC to join the 200 club
Posted onDavid Coulthard will become the tenth driver to have participated in 200 Grand Prix at the Spanish Grand prix this weekend. Fittingly, it is also the circuit where he started his Formula One career in 1994 at Williams, replacing the late Ayrton Senna. Two active drivers have already passed the 200 mark – Michael Schumacher … Continue reading DC to join the 200 club
Trackside: Schu won’t stop
Posted onFor my weekly Auto Trader column Trackside I expanded on some of my thoughts in an earlier post here about why Michael Schumacher doesn’t look ready to retire just yet. It’d be great to hear some feedback on it. Related links Auto Trader: Trackside – Why Schuey Won’t Stop (external) Thoughts from abroad #1 Tags: … Continue reading Trackside: Schu won’t stop
Super Aguri vs Superlicence
Posted onSuper Aguri driver Yuji Ide has had his FIA Superlicence formally revoked, ending any chance of him participating further in Formula One this year. Franck Montagny, who drove in his place at the European Grand Prix, will continue for the team in Spain this weekend. Some have criticised the decision on the grounds that Ide … Continue reading Super Aguri vs Superlicence
European Grand Prix Media Review
Posted onFind out what the British press made of the European Grand Prix in our media review.
Montreal contract extended
Posted onThe Canadian Grand Prix will remain at the circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal for a further five years. A group lobbying on behalf of Toronto had approached Midland F1 boss Alex Schnaider about pitching for a Grand Prix in the rival city, but without a suitable circuit (the Champ Car venue presumably not being adequate) the … Continue reading Montreal contract extended
Schumacher closes on Alonso with home triumph
2006 European Grand Prix Review
Posted onThe Michael Schumacher-Fernando Alonso needle match picked up at the Nurburgring where it left off in Imola. The entire weekend was about the finely poised battle between the two of them. But sadly the battle was once again resolved in the pits and not on the track. Feeling the pressure from Schumacher’s Imola win Renault … Continue reading Schumacher closes on Alonso with home triumph
Europe: Starts & stops
Posted onHow the top ten lined up and when they made their first stops. Position Driver Lap of first pit stop 1 Fernando Alonso 17 2 Michael Schumacher 18 3 Felipe Massa 17 4 Rubens Barrichello 20 5 Kimi Raikkonen 23 6 Jenson Button 21 7 Jarno Trulli 25 8 Jacques Villeneuve 21 9 Juan Pablo … Continue reading Europe: Starts & stops
Harsh penalty for Villeneuve
Posted onJacques Villeneuve lost his best laptime after qualifying as punishment for holding up Giancarlo Fisichella during the second part of the session. He drops to ninth place, which doesn’t benefit 11th-placed Fisichella. Villeneuve was coming towards the end of his out lap when Fisichella, on his fast lap, caught him. The stewards seem to be … Continue reading Harsh penalty for Villeneuve
A point about points
Posted onThe 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points system introduced by the FIA in 2003 has failed to make subsequent Formula One championships – and other championships using the same system – any more exciting. The strongest effect of granting of extra points for lower positions has been to encourage championship leading drivers to settle for second or third place … Continue reading A point about points
GP Masters to miss Monza
Posted onProdrive aren’t the only people suffering at the hand of a group of local busybodies with nothing better to do. Now the Monza circuit has been forced to cancel its round of the Grand Prix Masters series due to complaints from locals about noise levels. The chief villain in this piece is Judge Marco Manunta … Continue reading GP Masters to miss Monza
Worst. Blog. Ever.
Posted onFerrari launched their Felipe Massa Blog nearly two months ago now. And it’s rubbish. For starters, the blog reads no different to your standard press releases – the usual bland quotes (“we will be working hard”…”I reckon things went prety well”), very little detail at all about life behind the scenes at Ferrari, and nothing … Continue reading Worst. Blog. Ever.
D-Day for Ide
Posted onFrenchman Franck Montagny will make his Formula One debut at this weekend’s European Grand Prix. He will replace the under-fire Japanese driver Yuji Ide at Super Aguri-Honda. Ide started the season with no prior Formula One experience. He struggled to match the pace of more experienced team mate Takuma Sato and in Melbourne compromised the … Continue reading D-Day for Ide
F1Fanatic by name…
Posted onBeing in a foreign country isn’t going to stop any Formula One fan getting their fix. But I must confess I was a bit disappointed that the fairly plush hotel I’m staying in in Mexico didn’t have satellite television. Without that, no Fox Sports and no F1. Fortunately the tourist resort of Playa del Carmen … Continue reading F1Fanatic by name…
Thoughts from abroad #2
Posted onDavid Richards is the name most people are linking to the empty 12th slot on the grid for 2008 – and rightly so. Of the other known possible new teams for ’08 his Prodrive outfit is clearly the most credible – whatever tedious local protesters may have to say. Richards set out his stall as … Continue reading Thoughts from abroad #2
Thoughts from abroad #1
Posted onI may be holidaying in Mexico at the moment (hence no new features!) but I’m not taking a holiday from Formula One. But as I haven’t the time to scour the news sources for some interesting or overlooked titbit, I’m going to enter the dangerous territory of prediction-making instead. The three-week break between races has … Continue reading Thoughts from abroad #1
Schnaider to sell?
Posted onThe Daily Telegraph have reported that Alex Schnaider is keen to sell his Midland F1 team – only three races into their first ‘proper’ Formula One season. Many commentators have been vocally sceptical about the team which is backed by Russian heavy industry company the Midland Group. The article insists that team boss Colin Kolles … Continue reading Schnaider to sell?
F1 at Valencia ‘by 2009’
Posted onBernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the Valencia track will host a Formula One race in 2009, when modifications to the circuit to accommodate the cars have been completed. Valencia held the opening round of this year’s GP2 championship last weekend. Like many Spanish circuits Valencia is a popular testing destination due to the favourable winter … Continue reading F1 at Valencia ‘by 2009’
Alonso wins again after pole winner Button blows up
2006 Australian Grand Prix review
Posted onFernando Alonso stamped his authority all over the Australian Grand Prix – while the field behind him fell by the wayside. Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jenson Button were among the casualties. Button rocketed to pole position on Saturday on a very competitive fuel load, and successfully converted the advantage into the race lead. … Continue reading Alonso wins again after pole winner Button blows up