Why 'party modes' on Formula 1 engines are a necessary evil
Formula 1 engine 'party modes' have become a big topic at the start of the 2018 season, with debate increasing over whether manufacturers should be allowed such settings

In this clip from Motorsport Show, Peter Windsor and Craig Scarborough explore what the term really means, and why teams cannot just push their engines to full power throughout a grand prix weekend.
"You've got to manage your performance versus reliability and fuel consumption," says Scarborough.
"You'll have very conservative race modes when you are trying to conserve fuel or save the engine, and then you've got qualifying or those moments when you are trying to overtake or defend, where you want to crank it up.
"The other factor you've got is the duty cycle of the engine. You couldn't run one of these engines flat out for four or five races - it just won't be reliable enough.
"The teams have these complex algorithms to work out how much the engine has been run at maximum power, how much it's been run at high temperatures, and that all affects subsequently how much you can turn it up at different points.
"There is a wider question here - do we want people turning up the power during qualifying and certain points in the race, and do we want people turning the engine down?
"What we really want is maximum power through the race, where the driver isn't having to manage the engine, which is a slightly negative thing for Formula 1.
"The regulations were shaped that way, but I think now we realise that's something we don't want."

Formula 1 urged to think 'seriously' after spate of unsafe pitstops
Formula 1: Vettel tops final practice as Red Bull hits trouble

Latest news
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures