Magazine: F1 2023 launch season kicks off, and more

McLaren, Ferrari and Williams are three of the biggest Formula 1 names, and all had milestone moments in their 2023 campaigns as this week began. McLaren and Ferrari both launched their new machines, while the Williams FW45 hit the track for the first time.

We take a look at all of them in this week’s issue, with technical editor Jake Boxall-Legge investigating the latest trends as the second season of this ground-effects era approaches.

Many changes are needed for Williams to get back to the front of F1, a position it enjoyed for most of the 1980s and 1990s. Much has been made of the move of ex-Mercedes man James Vowles to head the team, so Matt Kew highlights the key challenges facing Vowles as he prepares to join the squad that propped up the grid last year.

The ‘change’ that the World Rally Championship needed was for a real threat to Kalle Rovanpera’s crown to emerge. Following a fine victory on Rally Sweden last weekend, Ott Tanak appears to be the contender many hoped he would be when he signed for M-Sport.

Tom Howard braved the snow to watch Tanak take the championship lead, just ahead of Toyota rival Rovanpera.

Formula E is always difficult to predict and, in just the third event with the Gen3 cars, the formbook took a surprising turn in India. The hard-working Boxall-Legge covered that too!

We also look ahead to the NASCAR Cup season as this weekend’s Daytona 500 approaches, including a chat with 2007 500 winner Kevin Harvick before his final campaign as a full-timer.

It’s been a bumper time for news in UK club racing, including the launch of Chevrolet Corvette races to mark the car’s 70th birthday, Century’s Porsche Carrera Cup expansion and the extension of the Gerry Marshall Trophy series. Stephen Lickorish and Stefan Mackley are your guides in our National section.

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