Europe Preview Quotes: Bridgestone
Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Motorsport: "Although we did not achieve our aims in qualifying at the last round in Monaco, the car - tyre race performance was noticeably strong and I am confident that, together with our teams, we can build on that performance at the Nurburgring this weekend. The European Grand Prix is also a significant race because of its proximity to Michael Schumacher's home town and it would be very satisfying to see him do well in front of his home crowds. Furthermore, I look forward to seeing the GP2 Series racing again after the excellent performance of our GP2 tyres in Monaco, which resulted in several positive comments from the drivers."
Hisao Suganuma, Technical Manager: "The key issue at this venue is grip so we will be taking tyres from the soft end of the compound range to suit the relatively smooth track surface. However, even though the circuit is not too hard on tyres, we will need to watch the wear durability of the tyres. Stability when changing direction will also be important there. In addition to the circuit characteristics we also have to take into account the circuit's own changeable climate caused by its mountainous location. Depending on the weather, we may experience track temperatures from below 20 degrees Celsius to approximately 40 degrees Celsius, if sunny. So the tyres will need to be able to cope with a large temperature range. This weekend also sees a change in the qualifying format from two sessions to one Saturday afternoon session, running with race fuel. It will be interesting to see how this affects the grid. We had a very successful race at the Nurburgring last year with a one-two finish for the Ferrari drivers so it would be nice to be as strong again this year."
Fisichella: New Qualifying to Hurt Renault
BAR No Longer Under Investigation
Former F1 race director Masi to get Supercars Commission role
Former Formula 1 race director Michael Masi is set to become the new Chairman of the Supercars Commission in Australia.
Verstappen: No quick solution to extremely heavy F1 cars
Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen thinks there is no quick solution to tackle the burgeoning weight of Formula 1 cars, which has proven an unpopular aspect of the 2022 rules revolution.
Grading F1's 2022 drivers at half-term
Over the first 13 races of Formula 1's new ground effects era, Max Verstappen has surged into the lead in the world championship over Charles Leclerc. But as the 2022 season prepares to roar back into life, who stacks up as the top of the class, and who must do better? We graded every driver based on their performances so far
Schumacher: People too quick to criticise in F1 these days
Haas Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher believes people should take more time before dishing out criticism – especially if they don’t have all the facts.
Grading F1's 2022 drivers at half-term
Over the first 13 races of Formula 1's new ground effects era, Max Verstappen has surged into the lead in the world championship over Charles Leclerc. But as the 2022 season prepares to roar back into life, who stacks up as the top of the class, and who must do better? We graded every driver based on their performances so far
The 10 stories to watch out for across the rest of the 2022 F1 season
It’s 13 down, nine to go as the Formula 1 teams pause for breath in the summer break. But what can we expect to happen over the next three months from Belgium to Abu Dhabi? Here's the key storylines to keep an eye out for the rest of the 2022 season
The inconvenient truth about F1’s ‘American driver’ dream
OPINION: The Formula 1 grid's wait for a new American driver looks set to continue into 2023 as the few remaining places up for grabs - most notably at McLaren - look set to go elsewhere. This is despite the Woking outfit giving tests to IndyCar aces recently, showing that the Stateside single-seater series still has some way to go to being seen as a viable feeder option for F1
How a bad car creates the ultimate engineering challenge
While creating a car that is woefully off the pace is a nightmare scenario for any team, it inadvertently generates the test any engineering department would relish: to turn it into a winner. As Mercedes takes on that challenge in Formula 1 this season, McLaren’s former head of vehicle engineering reveals how the team pulled of the feat in 2009 with Lewis Hamilton
The under-fire F1 driver fighting for his future
Personable, articulate and devoid of the usual racing driver airs and graces, Nicholas Latifi is the last Formula 1 driver you’d expect to receive death threats, but such was the toxic legacy of his part in last year’s explosive season finale. And now, as ALEX KALINAUCKAS explains, he faces a battle to keep his place on the F1 grid…
The strange tyre travails faced by F1’s past heroes
Modern grand prix drivers like to think the tyres they work with are unusually difficult and temperamental. But, says MAURICE HAMILTON, their predecessors faced many of the same challenges – and some even stranger…
The returning fan car revolution that could suit F1
Gordon Murray's Brabham BT46B 'fan car' was Formula 1 engineering at perhaps its most outlandish. Now fan technology has been successfully utilised on the McMurtry Speirling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, could it be adopted by grand prix racing once again?
Hamilton's first experience of turning silver into gold
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has been lumbered with a duff car before the 2022 Mercedes. Back in 2009, McLaren’s alchemists transformed the disastrous MP4-24 into a winning car with Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. And now it’s happening again at his current team, but can the rate of progress be matched this year?