There has been much bluster about the pace of this new breed of Formula 1 car since the new, smaller-engined, energy-efficient formula broke cover at Jerez two weeks ago.
Fickle fans have bemoaned the loss of screaming, sonorous V8s for quieter, turbocharged V6s. But worse, the cars are too slow! Or so some think...
The concurrent changes to the aerodynamic regulations for 2014 have made the front wingspans narrower and robbed the cars of potent, exhaust-blown rear downforce.
Ben Anderson is GP Racing's Editor, Autosport track tester and tame racing driver. He holds an undergraduate degree in journalism studies from the University of Sheffield and joined the title in March 2008, after eight months working in local newspaper journalism for award-winning weekly the Surrey Mirror. He worked on Autosport's national desk before moving up to F1 in '14. He has raced karts and cars since the age of 11 and has tested or raced more than 100 different examples during his career so far.
Formula 1's great Lotus landmarks - Lotus 79 As Formula 1 turns 70, Autosport is marking the occasion with a series of track test features in Lotus machinery that dominated the world championship in the '60s and '70s. In the final instalment of the series, Ben Anderson tries the Lotus 79 F1
Formula 1's great Lotus landmarks - Lotus 72 As Formula 1 turns 70, Autosport is marking the occasion with a series of track test features in Lotus machinery that dominated the world championship in the '60s and '70s. In the latest instalment of the series, Ben Anderson tried the Lotus 72 F1
Formula 1's great Lotus landmarks - Lotus 49 As Formula 1 turns 70, Autosport is marking the occasion with a series of track test features in Lotus machinery that dominated the world championship in the '60s and '70s. Following hot on the heels of the Lotus 25, Ben Anderson tried the Lotus 49 F1
Formula 1's great Lotus landmarks - Lotus 25 As Formula 1 turns 70, Autosport is marking the occasion with a series of track test features in Lotus machinery that dominated the world championship in the '60s and '70s. To start off, here's Ben Anderson's experience of the Lotus 25 F1
How reliability overshadowed developments at the Austrian GP Mercedes had the fastest car in Austria, but the developments it brought to the Red Bull Ring were overshadowed by concerns with the gearbox sensor that required it to conserve for much of the way F1
How Bottas won F1's survival of the fittest in Austria After a 217-day wait, Formula 1 returned at the Red Bull Ring with a thriller that reminded everybody what they had been missing during the COVID-enforced hiatus. Mercedes crossed the line 1-2, but that hardly told the whole story F1
Tim Wright: Safety cars saved a boring Austrian GP OPINION: As feared, Mercedes proved the class of the field as F1 resumed in Austria, but ironically problems for others requiring safety car interruptions helped to keep them in range. Despite the exciting finish, omens point to a similar result next week F1
How F1’s B-teams steered away from the precipice Like all professional sports, motor racing was driven into hibernation by COVID-19. But to survive, it's had to return before the storm has passed. So how will Formula 1 cope with racing in a pandemic? And why does it have to, asks STUART CODLING F1
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