Everything Trackside
Driven by the fans, for the fans
Category: F1
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Madrid has reportedly secured a deal with Formula 1 to host the Spanish GP from 2026, moving it from Barcelona. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been home to the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991. From Michael Schumacher finishing in P2 after technical difficulties to Fernando Alonso becoming the first Spanish driver to win their home…
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Alpha Tauri went through four drivers, gathered 25 points and ended the season 8th in the Constructors. A season of changes, underperformance and the end of an era. New Drivers Alpha Tauri started the season with the returning Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries, the latter securing his seat off the back of a great…
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In their best year since 2017, there’s no doubt that one of their drivers has done almost all of the heavy lifting. January 2023 saw Mercedes’ James Vowles announce he was leaving the Brackley factory to become Team Principal for one of their customer teams. After a disappointing 2022, finishing last in the Constructors’ standings,…
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Alpine were the enigma of the season. Two talented drivers, manufacturer support and a solid 2022 season, however you would be forgiven for not noticing them during a race, or if you did, it was more than likely for the wrong reasons. Alpine were the final car to launch their 2023 challenger on the 16th…
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Assessing the 2023 season for Aston Martin is very difficult for two reasons. Firstly, the teams results in the first and second half were so different as the development race caught up with them. They went from being Red Bulls only challenger to finishing 7th and 10th in Abu Dhabi. Not disastrous by any stretch,…
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Despite the belief Sargeant would be replaced, Williams have announced they are keeping the American for 2024. Williams announced the 2024 contract with Sargeant earlier today, excited to see how he performs in the new season. Sargeant finished 21st in the drivers championship, scoring one point across the 22 race season. His teammate, Alex Albon…
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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said Formula 1 needs more races like the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix in fear of a 2023 repeat. Although Qatar was one of the most hotly debated races, Wolff believes it provided a solution to F1’s issues. Many drivers suffered illness during and following the race due to dehydration.…
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Development mistakes, management changes and a rookie driver. These are the ingredients for a disastrous campaign, however McLaren did the unthinkable. They turned their season around and set themselves up nicely for a strong campaign in 2024. The early signs for the 2023 season were not good for McLaren fans. The team were open during…
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As the Formula 1 2023 season comes to an end, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the twists and turns of Ferrari’s season. From their ambitious start to the challenging finish, the team has undergone significant changes. After finishing a distant second in the Constructors’ Championship in 2022, Ferrari underwent an overhaul. The management hierarchy…
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George Russell described 2023 as one of his worst seasons ever with only two podiums compared to teammate Lewis Hamilton’s six. Despite outscoring his seven time world champion teammate last season, Russell finished eighth in 2023. Matters were made worse when this is compared to Hamilton who finished third. Mercedes endured it’s first winless season…
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Lewis Hamilton has said both Mercedes and team principal Toto Wolff have a “huge amount” of pressure on them to make the 2024 car perform. 2023 was the first winless season for the Brackley team since 2011. With hopes the W15 can turn their fortunes, Hamilton believes they have to get it right to avoid…
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Despite much promise of a return to the top step, Mercedes once again struggled this year, with their first winless season since 2011. The end of 2022 left many Mercedes fans hopeful of a return to the highs of 2021. Although only achieving one win, Mercedes driver George Russell proved the W13 had some pace…
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In the Abu Dhabi GP qualifying, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen provided a business as usual performance, securing pole position with a blistering lap time of 1m 23.445s. The reigning champ bounced back from setup struggles in free practice, leaving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailing in second. The drama unfolded as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri capitalised on Lando…
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Two red flags were brought out in FP2 after both Sainz and Hulkenberg had incidents while Charles Leclerc topped the session. With only a quarter of the running time actually used, Charles Leclerc topped the session followed by Lando Norris. Before Carlos Sainz’s crash, George Russell took the fastest time with a 1.25.906 on the…
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George Russell topped FP1 in Abu Dhabi but Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich was best of the rookies in second. FP1 was full of new faces with 10 current drivers making way for rookies to drive. All teams bar AlphaTauri put a young driver in the car in order to complete their rookie practice…
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The FIA has given both Toto Wolff and Fred Vassuer formal warnings after their use of bad language in the Las Vegas press conference. Both team principals took part in last Friday’s press conference. Joined by James Vowles and Zak Brown, both Wolff and Vassuer showed frustration during the Las Vegas conference. The conference took…
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Christian Horner has claimed ahead of Abu Dhabi that Lewis Hamilton reached out to him to discuss a move to Red Bull. Hamilton has clarified neither he nor a representative for the Mercedes team approached Red Bull. This comes after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed Hamilton’s entourage contacted the Milton Keynes team prior…
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AlphaTauri has decided to bring a substantial floor upgrade to Abu Dhabi despite being the final race of the year. Although a tough year for the Italian team, they have taken major steps in the final quarter of 2023. The team has had gradual floor upgrades and help from sister team Red Bull. Using rear…
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It has taken Formula 1 15029 days since the last Las Vegas GP but it was worth the wait. Close racing, last lap passes, Safety Cars but still a Max Verstappen victory. The Start The start of the Las Vegas produced the drama that was expected. Heading into the first corner Max Verstappen passed the…
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The Las Vegas Grand Prix faced an abrupt setback. The first free practice session lasted a mere 10 minutes, cancelled after an incident involving Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz and a manhole cover. Challenges on the New Circuit Drivers, eager to explore the new Las Vegas circuit, faced a challenging situation in the early stages of…