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Ben Vinel
Author

Ben Vinel

Ben Vinel joined the Autosport team as a news writer and editor in January 2024 after eleven years at Motorsport France and its predecessor ToileF1.com, specialising in Formula 1 and junior formulae. Ben previously taught French at Bishop Stopford School in Kettering and Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine) but jumped at the opportunity to work full-time in motorsport journalism thereafter.

Latest articles by Ben Vinel

Ex-F1 race director Wittich defends Masi's decision-making at 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

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Abu Dhabi GP
Ex-F1 race director Wittich defends Masi's decision-making at 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

The questions that still need answering from the start of the 2026 F1 season

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The questions that still need answering from the start of the 2026 F1 season

McLaren confirms signing of Verstappen's F1 race engineer Lambiase

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McLaren confirms signing of Verstappen's F1 race engineer Lambiase

How Bearman is already securing his Ferrari F1 future

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How Bearman is already securing his Ferrari F1 future

Where Leclerc thinks Ferrari can achieve "huge gains" on F1 2026 car

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Japanese GP
Where Leclerc thinks Ferrari can achieve "huge gains" on F1 2026 car

Alpine F1 team denies Colapinto sabotage claims in open letter

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Japanese GP
Alpine F1 team denies Colapinto sabotage claims in open letter

Why Red Bull doesn’t regret F1 2025 title charge it’s now ‘paying the price’ for

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Why Red Bull doesn’t regret F1 2025 title charge it’s now ‘paying the price’ for

‘Stop beating yourself up,’ Haas tells Bearman after 50G Japanese GP crash

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Japanese GP
‘Stop beating yourself up,’ Haas tells Bearman after 50G Japanese GP crash

Red Bull F1 car so undriveable it was “dangerous” at Suzuka - Hadjar

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Japanese GP
Red Bull F1 car so undriveable it was “dangerous” at Suzuka - Hadjar

F1 Japanese GP: Safety car helps Antonelli to victory

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Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Safety car helps Antonelli to victory

Verstappen: “I'm not even frustrated anymore, I'm beyond that”

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Japanese GP
Verstappen: “I'm not even frustrated anymore, I'm beyond that”

F1 Japanese GP: Antonelli on pole again, Verstappen out in Q2

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Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Antonelli on pole again, Verstappen out in Q2

Why Hamilton believes 2026 F1 rules are “what racing should be” – unlike Verstappen

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Japanese GP
Why Hamilton believes 2026 F1 rules are “what racing should be” – unlike Verstappen

How April F1 break will impact Red Bull and Aston Martin

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Japanese GP
How April F1 break will impact Red Bull and Aston Martin

Eight shock Formula 1 team principal changes

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Eight shock Formula 1 team principal changes

Wheatley officially leaves Audi ahead of expected Aston Martin move

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Chinese GP
Wheatley officially leaves Audi ahead of expected Aston Martin move

Opel enters Formula E for Gen4 era

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Opel enters Formula E for Gen4 era

Why Ferrari believes F1 engine rules tweak won't stop Mercedes

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Chinese GP
Why Ferrari believes F1 engine rules tweak won't stop Mercedes

Why Hamilton is 'back to his best' in F1 2026

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Chinese GP
Why Hamilton is 'back to his best' in F1 2026

McLaren drivers explain what led to double DNS at F1 Chinese GP

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Chinese GP
McLaren drivers explain what led to double DNS at F1 Chinese GP

Why Ferrari didn't use its 'Macarena' rear wing after FP1 at Chinese GP

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Chinese GP
Why Ferrari didn't use its 'Macarena' rear wing after FP1 at Chinese GP

F1 Chinese GP: Russell grabs sprint race pole in Mercedes 1-2

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Chinese GP
F1 Chinese GP: Russell grabs sprint race pole in Mercedes 1-2

Briatore confirms Mercedes hoping to buy Alpine F1 team share

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Briatore confirms Mercedes hoping to buy Alpine F1 team share

F1 Chinese GP: Russell tops only practice session as Sainz, Lindblad suffer issues

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Chinese GP
F1 Chinese GP: Russell tops only practice session as Sainz, Lindblad suffer issues

Mercedes has "a fight on our hands with Ferrari" as true F1 pace order revealed

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Australian GP
Mercedes has "a fight on our hands with Ferrari" as true F1 pace order revealed

F1 Australian GP: Russell leads Mercedes 1-2, Ferrari’s strategy fails

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Australian GP
F1 Australian GP: Russell leads Mercedes 1-2, Ferrari’s strategy fails

Verstappen undergoes X-ray on hands after Australian GP qualifying crash

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Australian GP
Verstappen undergoes X-ray on hands after Australian GP qualifying crash

F1 Australian GP: Russell takes pole from Antonelli as Verstappen crashes out

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Australian GP
F1 Australian GP: Russell takes pole from Antonelli as Verstappen crashes out

F1 Australian GP: Piastri leads FP2 as Aston Martin's woes continue

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Australian GP
F1 Australian GP: Piastri leads FP2 as Aston Martin's woes continue

The drivers to watch out for in F2 and F3

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Albert Park
The drivers to watch out for in F2 and F3

How latest Iran-US war is impacting F1 and WEC

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Australian GP
How latest Iran-US war is impacting F1 and WEC

‘The HANS saved my neck’ – Browning on airborne Super Formula crash

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‘The HANS saved my neck’ – Browning on airborne Super Formula crash

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Ferrari fastest as Aston Martin ends running early

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Bahrain Pre-Season 2
F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Ferrari fastest as Aston Martin ends running early

Aston Martin ends F1 Bahrain pre-season test early after six laps on final day

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Bahrain Pre-Season 2
Aston Martin ends F1 Bahrain pre-season test early after six laps on final day

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Antonelli quickest on day five as Aston Martin's woes continue

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Bahrain Pre-Season 2
F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Antonelli quickest on day five as Aston Martin's woes continue

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Mercedes heads McLaren by 0.01s, as four teams hit trouble

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Bahrain Pre-Season 2
F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Mercedes heads McLaren by 0.01s, as four teams hit trouble

Why Cadillac isn’t using as many Ferrari F1 parts as it could

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Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Session 1
Why Cadillac isn’t using as many Ferrari F1 parts as it could

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Russell fastest from Hamilton in morning session

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F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Russell fastest from Hamilton in morning session

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Leclerc fastest as unreliability hits Mercedes, Red Bull

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F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Leclerc fastest as unreliability hits Mercedes, Red Bull

F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Verstappen fastest on opening morning

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F1 Bahrain pre-season test: Verstappen fastest on opening morning

Why Cadillac isn't aiming for points in F1 2026

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Why Cadillac isn't aiming for points in F1 2026

Former Hamilton manager Hynes joins Cadillac in senior F1 role

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Former Hamilton manager Hynes joins Cadillac in senior F1 role

Cadillac reveals cost of Super Bowl advert for its F1 livery reveal

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Cadillac reveals cost of Super Bowl advert for its F1 livery reveal

Cadillac reveals two-sided livery for its maiden F1 season

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Cadillac reveals two-sided livery for its maiden F1 season

Komatsu: "Nobody's satisfied" with Ocon's F1 2025 - but not all his fault

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Haas launch
Komatsu: "Nobody's satisfied" with Ocon's F1 2025 - but not all his fault

Williams launches 2026 F1 car livery

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Williams launches 2026 F1 car livery

Aston Martin was four months late with 2026 F1 car design, Newey reveals

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Aston Martin was four months late with 2026 F1 car design, Newey reveals

Haas signs Doohan as reserve driver for F1 2026

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Mercedes launch
Haas signs Doohan as reserve driver for F1 2026

Button switches from Williams to Aston Martin in F1 team ambassador role

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Button switches from Williams to Aston Martin in F1 team ambassador role

Why overtaking still looks "difficult" with 2026 F1 cars

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Why overtaking still looks "difficult" with 2026 F1 cars

The challenges facing Mercedes ahead of F1 2026

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
The challenges facing Mercedes ahead of F1 2026

What happened on day three of F1's secretive 2026 shakedown

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
What happened on day three of F1's secretive 2026 shakedown

Why Hadjar's Red Bull testing crash doesn’t mean a Gasly 2019 repeat

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Why Hadjar's Red Bull testing crash doesn’t mean a Gasly 2019 repeat

Hadjar crashes Red Bull’s new F1 car

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Hadjar crashes Red Bull’s new F1 car

Audi signs Slater as first academy driver

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Audi signs Slater as first academy driver

Red Bull reveals actual 2026 F1 car as Barcelona test begins

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Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Red Bull reveals actual 2026 F1 car as Barcelona test begins

Williams to miss Barcelona test as 2026 F1 car is late

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Williams to miss Barcelona test as 2026 F1 car is late

Alpine launches livery for 2026 F1 season on a cruise ship

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Alpine launches livery for 2026 F1 season on a cruise ship

Fallows joins Racing Bulls after short-lived Aston Martin F1 stint

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Fallows joins Racing Bulls after short-lived Aston Martin F1 stint

The challenges facing Alpine ahead of F1 2026

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The challenges facing Alpine ahead of F1 2026