The Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended their 12-year feud and joined back together, a move that could have interesting consequences for Formula 1. Also in the F1 blogs this week, video of Juan Pablo Montoya wrestling, Spyker describe Formula 1 as a ‘massive bleeder’, F1 Racing gets a new editor … Continue reading F1 blogs review: Champ Car and IRL merge
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Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
Posted onThe Champ Car World Series and Indy Racing League have ended a rift that has lasted over a decade and issued a statement that the two championships are to merge. The full details of the merge are not yet known, including what the series will be called, how many teams will participate, and what races … Continue reading Champ Car and IRL end war and confirm merger
How an Indycar merger might affect F1
Posted onWith the American open wheel racing seasons not far away it’s the time of year when we’ve come to expect rumours of a reunion between the warring factions in US racing: the Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League. But this time there seems to be genuine cause for optimism. Both series have … Continue reading How an Indycar merger might affect F1
IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
Posted onAccording to Speed’s Robin Miller the long-awaited IRL Indycar / Champ Car World Series merger is a done deal and an announcement is due soon. Such a thing has been promised several times before and I’m won’t believe it until I see Newman-Haases and Penskes sharing the tarmac at Long Beach, but I think even … Continue reading IRL-Champ Car merger announcement expected
Joyless Kent NIMBYs spoil British Touring Car finale
Posted onVery disappointing to read that the 2008 British Touring Car finale can’t be held on the full length Brands Hatch circuit. Once again the noise restriction regulations are to blame – nearby home owners crying “Not In My Back Yard” prevent the circuit from being able to use the excellent Grand Prix loop for more … Continue reading Joyless Kent NIMBYs spoil British Touring Car finale
What F1 can learn (and forget) about NASCAR
Comment
Posted onI watched the first round of the 2008 NASCAR season yesterday – the Daytona 500. I’m not a big fan of the style of racing but I’ve got a list as long as my arm of the things F1 can learn from NASCAR’s presentation.
Fauzy wins another shambolic race at Sentul
Posted onFairuz Fauzy converted pole position into victory in the wet sprint race at Sentul. But he was helped by the fact that so few laps were completed at race speed. Little had apparently been done to correct the numerous embarrassing organisational problems evident in yesterday’s race – cars were left in gravel traps for laps … Continue reading Fauzy wins another shambolic race at Sentul
Poll: do you watch F1 and NASCAR?
Posted onFormula 1 and NASCAR. Are they polar opposites with entirely different groups of fans, or can you enjoy them both? This poll has now closed – see the F1 and NASCAR poll results. See the results of the previous poll.
Buemi handed Sentul trophy by stewards
Posted onLuca Filippi has been stripped of his victory in today’s GP2 Asia race, meaning Sebastien Buemi has been crowned the victor. The stewards excluded Filippi from the results after it was discovered his team mate’s tyres had been fitted to his car. His disqualification also raises Ben Hanley to third giving him a well-deserved podium … Continue reading Buemi handed Sentul trophy by stewards
Luca Filippi wins bizarre Sentul GP2 Asia race
Posted onJust watched the first GP2 Asia race from Sentul – it verged on farce at times but the closing stages were pure drama. Luca Filippi won from Sebastien Buemi, but they were so absorbed on their battle they completed an extra lap, which leaves me wondering if they might be disqualified. The GP2 Asia cars … Continue reading Luca Filippi wins bizarre Sentul GP2 Asia race
Mike Conway (Meet the rookies)
Posted onI met Mike Conway in August 2006 as he was on his way to the British Formula Three championship title. He’s a friendly guy – but dead serious about his racing and fixed on getting to the top. He was driving for Kimi Raikkonen’s team at the time. Now he races in GP2 and has … Continue reading Mike Conway (Meet the rookies)
Video: Lewis Hamilton vs Nelson Piquet Jnr vs Timo Glock
Posted onLewis Hamilton will be joined in F1 this year by rookie Nelson Piquet Jnr and Formula 1 returnee Timo Glock. These three drivers were the central characters in the epic GP2 title battle of 2006. Hamilton came out on top – but Piquet and Glock made him work hard for it and together the three … Continue reading Video: Lewis Hamilton vs Nelson Piquet Jnr vs Timo Glock
IRL-Champ Car reunion: it’s looking good
Posted onMore promising news today that not only might the IRL and Champ Car finally re-unify, but they might even do it in time for the 2008 season. This can only be good news for open wheel racing in America. The prospect of Justin Wilson, Graham Rahal, Paul Tracy et al taking on Dan Wheldon, Marco … Continue reading IRL-Champ Car reunion: it’s looking good
IRL vs Champ Car: the end game?
Posted onIt’s the time of year when the terrible state of open wheel racing in America makes everyone start to ask why the IRL and Champ Car can’t kiss and make up and form a unified series. Champ Car has lost Sebastien Bourdais to F1. His former team, Newman-Haas, is threatening to defect to the IRL … Continue reading IRL vs Champ Car: the end game?
Grosjean dominates on GP2 Asia debut
GP2 Asia
Posted onNew ART Grand Prix driver Romain Grosjean took a dominant double win in the first ever GP2 Asia round in Dubai.
Formula 3000: a brief history (part 3)
Posted onThe final instalment in our columnist Ben Evans’ look at the history of Formula 3000. In the 1990s the series briefly tasted success before grid numbers tailed off again. Although it could still occasionally provide great comedy moments and good racing, it was pensioned off at the end of 2004 to make way for GP2.
Formula 3000: a brief history (part 2)
Posted onBen Evans continues his look back at the turbulent history of F1’s former feeder category, Formula 3000. Strange tracks and bad accidents dogged the sport in the late ’80s / early ’90s, but these were the years when Johnny Hebert and Jean Alesi made their way into F1 via F3000.
Formula 3000: A brief history (part 1)
Posted onJuan Pablo Montoya, Nick Heidfeld, Vitantonio Liuzzi – just three recent F1 drivers to have reached the sport through Formula 3000. The series lasted two decades from 1985 to 2004. In the first of a three part series F1Fanatic columnist Ben Evans looks at the rise and fall of F3000.
F1 circuits history part 6: 1967-70
Posted onToday’s look at the history of F1 circuits features some of the most popular tracks of the 1970s that were phased out of F1 in the 1980s as the sport looked to improve safety – and make more money. They include Kyalami in South Africa (where political pressures were also at work) and the Osterreichring … Continue reading F1 circuits history part 6: 1967-70
F1 news review: Threat to Valencia Grand Prix
Posted onIn the F1 news this week an EC investigation could put next year’s European Grand Prix at the new Valencia street circuit in danger. Silverstone is getting a lick of paint and the row continues over the McLaren-Ferrari spy saga and the future of Ron Dennis despite the FIA officially finishing the matter. All this … Continue reading F1 news review: Threat to Valencia Grand Prix