Latest articles by Gary Anderson
Ask Gary: Is there value in crossovers like Hamilton/Rossi?
Is there any value for a Formula 1 team in organising a crossover such as Valentino Rossi and Lewis Hamilton's? Can Ferrari gain from an early car launch? Gary Anderson answers these questions and more
Gary Anderson: How F1's 'privateers' really fared in 2019
F1's Class B battle has really come into its own in recent seasons and the unofficial 'best of the rest' category often provides as much excitement if not more than happens at the front. GARY ANDERSON breaks down a complicated battle in detail
F1's 'big four' teams' real 2019 performance levels revealed
In the first of two pieces, our technical expert assesses how F1's big three - and the other full works team that should have been hunting them down - fared during 2019, including a detailed breakdown of the numbers behind their performances
What F1 learned from Ferrari's fuel breach
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix may not have featured much on-track action, but there was still plenty to be discussed. The most eye-catching controversy was the latest chapter in the Ferrari engine saga, as our ex-F1 technical director explains
Ask Gary: Will the 2021 rules mean a Mercedes car concept change?
Now Formula 1's rules for 2021 are in place, will standard-setting Mercedes be forced into a change of philosophy? Our ex-F1 technical director tackles this question, and further queries on Haas's struggles and the strength of Honda's engine
Where did Red Bull-Honda's pace come from?
Though Red Bull and Honda have been getting better and better all year, the Brazilian Grand Prix was still a particularly significant - and in some ways, out of the blue - performance
Will Wolff's absence affect Mercedes in Brazil?
What impact will the absence of Toto Wolff have on Mercedes in Brazil? Should F1 switch to biofuels? Would Eddie Irvine have been a deserving or flukey world champion?
F1's prescriptive 2021 rules will only cause design convergence
OPINION: Our resident technical director has cast his eye over the 2021 rules that were revealed at the US GP. While he likes the initial concept, he fears its restrictive nature will lead to convergence of car design - not a potential boost in overtaking
Why Renault should learn from McLaren's revival
OPINION: One team's 2019 Formula 1 season has not lived up to the big promises it made at the start of the year. But there could be light at the end of the tunnel for Renault, if it learns from the lessons it is being taught by its customer squad
Why is Ferrari's engine legality always being questioned?
Why is Ferrari's Formula 1 engine being scrutinised? How did Racing Point find out about Renault's brake bias system? Is Sebastian Vettel any good at car development? Our ex-F1 technical director answers these questions and more
What Ferrari has to do to match Mercedes' dominance
Mercedes' era of dominance is casting a shadow on the success Ferrari enjoyed during its Michael Schumacher days, but the Silver Arrows squad has one key skill that its Formula 1 rival must learn to dethrone it
Is McLaren's return to Mercedes a humiliation?
Given McLaren's language around its move to Honda, is returning to Mercedes an embarrassment? Our technical expert answers this and more of your questions
The data revealing where Mercedes is really losing out
Ferrari's engine advantage has been talked up throughout 2019, but is it the real difference-maker? Gary Anderson's analysis of the Sochi weekend suggests there's multiple factors in the Ferrari/Mercedes battle
Gary Anderson explains new Mercedes F1 suspension part
Mercedes has updated the heave spring element of its front suspension and, having trialled it in the Formula 1 race in Singapore, will retain it for the Russian Grand Prix
One of F1's craziest grands prix remembered
It's 20 years since Johnny Herbert and Rubens Barrichello came from the midfield to score an astonishing 1-3 finish for Stewart at the Nurburgring. Gary Anderson, the team's technical director at the time, relives that wild day
Ferrari gave Mercedes a team-management lesson
OPINION: Though the focus was on Ferrari accidentally upsetting Charles Leclerc in Singapore, it was Mercedes that made the call most damaging to one of its drivers
How would qualifying races change F1?
What impact would the mooted Saturday qualifying races have on grands prix? Can Sebastian Vettel recover Ferrari's focus from Charles Leclerc? Does DRS need to be 'BoP-esque'? Our ex-Formula 1 technical director answers these questions and more
How Ferrari's victories expose its biggest weakness
Ferrari restored some credibility with wins in Belgium and Italy, but the characteristics of both tracks helped it out. Our technical expert pored over the data from the first of those races - and believes it indicates another Ferrari victory may be a while off
Gary Anderson: Ferrari and Mercedes both made Spa strategy errors
OPINION Our ex-Formula 1 technical director analyses the tactics used by Ferrari and Mercedes during the Belgian GP, as well as examining what can be done to reduce some of the risks shown by the events of a tough weekend for motorsport
Ask Gary: Is there enough time to design cars for 2021?
Our technical expert gives his thoughts on the changing function of technical directors in modern Formula 1, as well as offering his take on the events of the first half of the 2019 season
Gary Anderson ranks the F1 teams at mid-season
With the 2019 Formula 1 season at its halfway point our technical expert ranks the teams on pure performance so far, and discusses the areas in which each must improve when F1 returns at Spa
Red Bull hung Verstappen out to dry
OPINION: Red Bull said it saw no way of pitting Max Verstappen for a second time without consigning itself to defeat in the Hungarian Grand Prix, but that decision left our technical expert shouting at his TV to try something different
Ferrari is nothing but a shambles right now
OPINION: Ferrari had the pace to take pole in Germany and could have won the chaotic race, but the team was again undone by issues. This, argues former Formula 1 technical director Gary Anderson, is a result of changes the team has made to itself
Ask Gary: The fundamental flaw with F1's 2021 plan
After Formula 1's intentions for the 2021 rules reset became clear last week, our technical expert received many questions on this topic. He therefore gathered together several to present his thoughts on a critical moment for the championship
How a Red Bull-era weakness is still plaguing Vettel
As Sebastian Vettel suffered another high-profile mistake at Silverstone, his young Ferrari team-mate was impressing once more at the sharp end. Our technical expert explains a flaw Vettel showed at Red Bull, and how it is rearing its ugly head again
Why McLaren and Red Bull starred on Friday
A glance at the FP2 order suggests normal service in the 2019 Formula 1 season will resume at Silverstone. But while Mercedes may well be the form team once more come Sunday, it was the performances of two cars that impressed our technical expert more on Friday
Why truly fixing F1 may mean upsetting the purists
Is Ferrari still coming to terms with Charles Leclerc's lost victory in Bahrain? Should Red Bull drop Pierre Gasly? And how much of a problem are the front wings on Formula 1 cars? Our technical expert answers these questions and more
Mercedes' cooling "Achilles' heel" explained
Mercedes suffered its first defeat of the 2019 season in Austria last weekend, which it put down to poor performance in the sweltering heat. Our technical experts explain how high temperatures can thwart even the strongest Formula 1 squads
Why the F1 formbook disappeared in Austria
OPINION: The Austrian Grand Prix was one of the most exciting in recent seasons and stood in stark contrast to the dullness of the previous race in France. Our technical expert outlines the factors that led to such a cracking race
The magic bullet Mercedes might have found
Mercedes has produced a perfect Formula 1 season so far in terms of race wins, and there have been several theories expounded to explain this. After the team dominated again in France, our technical consultant thinks he's spotted a new reason
Should Ferrari give up on error-prone Vettel?
OPINION: After Sebastian Vettel made another mistake that led to his penalty in Canada, should Ferrari start making plans to replace him? Should bargeboards be banned? What should be Formula 1's future engine technology? Our technical expert answers your questions
Vettel penalty decision turned F1 into a farce
OPINION: The Montreal stewards' ruling didn't just cost Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari a victory, it cost Formula 1 credibility and potentially fans. Our ex-F1 technical director expert columnist cannot fathom it
Ask Gary: A radical proposal to improve overtaking
Is the size of the current generation of Formula 1 cars affecting racing, and should it therefore be reduced? Why was Ferrari so impressive in winter testing if it has issues warming its tyres? Our technical expert answers these questions and more
Gary Anderson: Ferrari is self-destructive, Renault is all talk
The Monaco Grand Prix proved yet again that Ferrari is incapable of reacting to situations quickly enough, and that Renault is still flattering to deceive, says our technical expert
How did McLaren get Indy so wrong?
Should Fernando Alonso shoulder some of the blame for McLaren's Indianapolis 500 embarrassment? How will spec brakes change F1? Our technical expert answers those questions and more, as well as sharing his memories of racing at Zandvoort
Can Verstappen save the 2019 F1 season?
After five rounds Ferrari is failing to live up to its tag as a Formula 1 championship contender, and any threat to Mercedes seems to be toothless. Red Bull and Max Verstappen could be the only hope of saving F1 from a foregone conclusion in 2019
The updates each F1 team should bring to Spain
The return to pre-season test venue Barcelona is typically when Formula 1 teams introduce large rafts of updates. Based on form and car behaviour so far, our technical experts Giorgio Piola, Gary Anderson and Jake Boxall-Legge suggest what each individual squad ought to have for the Spanish Grand Prix
What exactly is Ferrari's problem?
Does Ferrari simply lack downforce, can other teams adopt Red Bull's front suspension idea, and were pundits too harsh on McLaren pre-season? Our technical expert answers these and other questions, and shares a tale of when Ayrton Senna helped Jordan
How McLaren is the biggest winner of F1 2019 so far
While the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes at the front of the Formula 1 field has occupied the spotlight, our technical expert has been analysing performance trends across the entire grid - and the team that's made the biggest gains isn't one you'd expect...
Why Rosberg is wrong about the 2019 Ferrari
Nico Rosberg recently suggested that Ferrari's 2019 Formula 1 car has been pitched in the wrong place aerodynamically. Our technical expert tackles a question on that topic and many more
Ferrari's early struggles pile pressure on Binotto
After Mercedes claimed a third one-two finish of the 2019 Formula 1 season, pressure is rising at Ferrari. All the teams privately agree that Ferrari won the testing war, but our technical expert says it needs to make good on that potential - and do so fast
Ask Gary: Who was the best driver never to get a top seat?
Who was the best driver never to race for a top team and which era was the greatest in F1 history? Gary Anderson tackles these questions and more as F1 heads to its 1000th GP
Ferrari's Bahrain edge goes beyond straightline speed
Ferrari may not have won the Bahrain Grand Prix, but its performance impressed our technical expert, who believes the team learned a lot from its Melbourne struggles to adapt best of all to the demands of the Sakhir circuit
Ask Gary: Did the Australian GP flatter Honda's progress?
Honda got its first podium since returning to Formula 1 at the Australian Grand Prix. But did the race's layout flatter its performance? Our technical expert answers this and a host of other questions
Flexing floors and impervious sieves - Whiting remembered
Our technical Consultant remembers Charlie Whiting - the man who swapped pushing the F1 technical rule limits for guarding them, and maintained his focus to keep F1 at the cutting edge for four decades
Has Williams used Lowe as a scapegoat?
Is it right for Paddy Lowe to have seemingly been blamed for Williams's dire state? Our technical expert answers this and a host of readers' questions about 2019 Formula 1 car designs and development ahead of the season opener
Gary Anderson ranks the teams at the end of testing
With pre-season 2019 Formula 1 testing complete, our technical expert has been analysing the times, adjusting for tyres and fuel loads, and measuring progress from 2018 form to get the clearest possible picture of how the teams stand
Gary Anderson ranks the teams after test one
The 'actual' lap times in Formula 1 testing rarely reveal the true story, so we've delved into the data and factored in tyre choices and adjusted fuel loads to attempt to rank how the 10 teams actually stand at the end of week one
Rating the 2019 F1 grid from trackside
With the first Formula 1 test of 2019 already heading rapidly for its conclusion, Gary Anderson headed trackside at Barcelona to see just what the new cars look like in full action
What the FW42 reveals about Williams's plight
The 2019 Williams challenger finally hit the track after two and half days of Formula 1 testing had passed by. The new car looks basic compared to its rivals, but it has potential if the team makes the right developments
How Ferrari made a Mercedes-style start in testing
Ferrari stole a march on the first day of pre-season F1 testing, which Sebastian Vettel described as "very close to perfection". The team shouldn't get carried away, but its form was nevertheless impressive on a day all nine squads that ran looked good
Why there's much more to come from new Racing Point
Under its new ownership, Racing Point starts 2019 with a brighter future and more resources compared to the uncertainty of the end of the Force India era. The initial version of the RP19 hints at what's to come
Toned down Alfa still looks like a midfield leader
Certain elements of Alfa Romeo's new F1 car are less extreme than the version spotted in action last week, but the C38 seen in testing still has the hallmarks of a machine ready to help the team pick up where it left off at the end of last season
Ferrari reveals its tech strategy for toppling Mercedes
Ferrari has come closest to toppling Mercedes over the past two Formula 1 seasons, but failed to keep up its momentum each time. Has its off-season shake-up had the desired effect and made its 2019 car the one to beat?
Has McLaren learned from its mistakes?
Stuck in a transitional time between technical management departures and arrivals, McLaren needs its MCL34 to be a step forward after last year's misery. Has it done enough?
Aggressive Red Bull design shows Honda's progress
The Honda engine is one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2019 season and the Adrian Newey-designed Red Bull's integration of it hints at the manufacturer's off-season progress
How Mercedes is pushing for perfection with W10
Mercedes is clearly not taking anything for granted with its 2019 car. There's nothing revolutionary or outwardly aggressive, but it's pushing to get even more from its previous design concepts and trying out intriguing ideas
The question marks over the new Renault
Renault has plenty to prove in 2019 as it bids to break away from the midfield and make serious ground on F1's top three. The first images of its new car suggest something is missing - is this just its launch spec, or is its design too conservative?
How Toro Rosso's design gap to Red Bull is closing
Toro Rosso is no longer flying the Honda flag solo in Formula 1, and the first images of its new STR14 show how it's rebuilding closer design ties with big brother Red Bull for 2019 after a period of greater independence
What the new Haas reveals about 2019 F1 design trends
Haas is the first team to reveal its 2019 Formula 1 challenger, which has been built to a new set of rules ahead of the wider changes coming for '21. Although not a revolution, it gives insightful pointers on how the teams have adapted to the changes