
Jake Boxall-Legge Autosport’s Technical Editor. Having studied Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at the University of Hertfordshire, West Country-born Jake's original ambition was to design racing cars. During a year between studies in which he accidentally rekindled a love of writing, he took up a Master's in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes. Halfway through his master's year, he was offered a place on the Autosport Academy, conducting occasional freelance duties before becoming the press officer for Formula 2 and GP3 in 2018. Autosport offered him a return to the fold later that year to serve as its Technical Editor. His voice appears on a number of videos and podcasts, and can often be found writing about terrible Formula 1 cars in excruciating detail. In his spare time, Jake enjoys baking and blames his failure to make it past the Great British Bake-Off interviews on his tenuous grasp on choux pastry. His dream is to open a brunch cafe - and his willingness to make outrageous puns in inappropriate situations has earned him the contempt of his colleagues.
Latest articles by Jake Boxall-Legge
How 2021's midfielders have taken lessons from F1's top teams
Formula 1’s latest Imola adventure turned into an expensive trip for many teams due to several crashes throughout the weekend. While balancing the books is an added factor in 2021 with the cost cap, a few midfield teams have cashed in early on development investments
Barber IndyCar: Palou fends off Power to secure maiden IndyCar victory
Alex Palou held off a late assault from Will Power to secure his maiden IndyCar win at Barber, converting a two-stop strategy into victory by just 0.4 seconds.
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle
How Extreme E’s charging solution could transform motorsport
The new off-road SUV series aims to go boldly into the unknown on several fronts, but perhaps its most significant measure will involve the energy source powering its fleet of cars
How the 'Great F1 Rake-Off' delivered a Bahrain GP showdown
For the 2021 F1 season, the battle of Red Bull vs Mercedes looks set to be captured in the high-rake vs low-rake philosophy clash due to this year's technical rule tweaks. While bringing the grid closer together in terms of performance, it could be the deciding factor in the race for the world title
How F1's tech restrictions could shake up the 2021 order
This year’s carryover designs initially pointed to a continuation of Formula 1’s 2020 pecking order, but now it appears that the required aero tweaks may shake things up for the entire grid
F1 teams keen for testing increase for new cars in 2022
A number of Formula 1's team principals are in favour of increasing the number of test days available ahead of the championship's 2022 regulation changes.
Williams' red F1 liveries: In defence of the Winfield era
OPINION: The 1998 and 1999 Formula 1 seasons marked a major downturn in form for the Williams squad that had won the previous two world championships. But its lack of success in these years shouldn't be used as a stick to beat its non-traditional red liveries with
Haas unveils new additions for 2021 F1 car
The Haas team's new-for-2021 Formula 1 floor has broken cover, and is strongly rooted in the design it ran in practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The car Ferrari hopes will arrest its alarming F1 slide
The 2020 Formula 1 season was a miserable one for Ferrari, made worse by the knowledge that a significant portion of its underperforming SF1000 would be carried over to 2021. Jarring livery aside, the SF21 shows intent to right the wrongs of last year
Reviewing Netflix's NASCAR sitcom The Crew
OPINION: The world of NASCAR has been brought to Netflix in its new sitcom The Crew. JAKE BOXALL-LEGGE takes a look..
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a points-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
Williams retains Aitken as reserve driver for 2021 F1 season
Williams has retained the services of Jack Aitken as its reserve driver for the 2021 Formula 1 season, after the Anglo-Korean driver made his debut last year.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
AlphaTauri reveals new nose design for AT02 F1 car
AlphaTauri has unveiled the new nose design it will use in the 2021 Formula 1 season as it shakes down its AT02 car at Imola
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years
Why Alfa's 2021 launch says more about its 2022 plans
Alfa Romeo launched its C41 with a revised front nose, but there's little to suggest it will surge up the leaderboard in 2021. As the team frankly admits, it's putting its eggs in the basket labelled 2022 and hoping to hold the eighth place it earned last year
How AlphaTauri has adapted to F1's new rules
AlphaTauri launched its AT02, complete with a new livery, as it bids to home in on an already-tight midfield battle. Although there were few outright new parts displayed on the launch render, there might be a few clues into further changes down the line...
The influences of Mercedes on McLaren's 2021 challenger
McLaren is the first Formula 1 team to show its hand with a Mercedes-powered iteration of the MCL35 that helped it to finish third in 2020. But its engine isn't the only area where McLaren has taken inspiration from the reigning champion
Why Correa's return is the feelgood story racing needed
Juan Manuel Correa has had a long road to recovery from that horrific day at Spa in 2019. ART's decision to give him his race return in FIA Formula 3 in 2021 is a victory in itself, but his determination will surely - in time - have him fighting for bigger things
Formula 1’s 2021 regulations: What will the cars look like in 2022?
In 2022, Formula 1 is due to receive an extensive overhaul to its technical regulations - having been delayed from their initial launch in 2021
What you need to know about F1 2021
Formula 1 won't get its big new regulations this year, but there are still plenty of changes to keep track of on the technical, team/driver and calendar fronts. Here's our guide to all the important details
The point-less F1 teams of 1991
Six of the 18 teams that appeared in the 1991 Formula 1 season failed to score a point, whether through lack of funds to build and test new parts, under-par engines or management musical chairs. Here are their little-known stories
Verstappen F1 slur cited in dictionary definition change campaign
Max Verstappen's Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix radio slurs have been cited in a charity's campaign for improved dictionary definitions for the word "Mongol"
Formula 1's 2021 regulations: What's new for 2021?
Thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Formula 1 regulations will remain largely the same from 2020 - with a few key changes over the off-season
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Big challenge to do Dakar without warm-up events - Meeke
World Rally Championship race winner Kris Meeke says participating in the 2021 Dakar Rally without previous rally raid experience will be "a big challenge"
Meeke "felt like a kid at Christmas" in first Dakar Rally test
World Rally Championship veteran Kris Meeke "felt like a kid at Christmas" during his first test for PH Sport, with whom he will compete in the 2021 Dakar Rally
How F1's teams developed their cars over 2020
Although 2020 was intended to be the final season of the current ruleset, the best laid plans were put to waste by the global pandemic, meaning they'll have one more year with the current cars. This gave Formula 1 teams plenty of reason to keep developing
Button's Team Rocket RJN squad to join DTM in 2021
The Jenson Team Rocket RJN team, part-owned by 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, is planning to join the 2021 DTM field ahead of its switch to a GT3 formula
The developments that hint at 2021's F1 designs
With only minor tweaks applied to next year's Formula 1 technical regulations, teams have been busy at work trialling changes which have provided an early indication of the trends to watch out for in 2021
Hyundai retains Sordo and Breen for its third car in 2021 WRC season
World Rally Championship veterans Dani Sordo and Craig Breen have been retained by Hyundai for 2021, and will share the team's third car alongside Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville
Why Red Bull is right to back its much-maligned diamond
OPINION: Alex Albon has come under plenty of criticism this year for his struggles in matching Red Bull lead driver Max Verstappen. But it's not for nothing that the famously ruthless team hasn't yet reverted to type and shown him the door
Boschung to replace Williams F1-bound Aitken at Campos for Bahrain F2 finale
Ralph Boschung will replace Jack Aitken at Campos for the Formula 2 finale in Bahrain, as Aitken deputises for Mercedes-bound George Russell at the Williams Formula 1 team
F2 and F3 unveil new three-race weekend format for 2021
The Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships have unveiled a new three-race format for 2021 onwards, with each weekend now comprising of two sprint races and one feature race
How F1's safety advances saved Grosjean
Romain Grosjean credited the halo for saving him after his horror Bahrain Grand Prix crash. But, while F1's newest safety feature deserved a show of gratitude, it was a whole range of procedures and devices in place (plus a slice of luck) that proved vital
Gelael makes F2 return in Bahrain after injury lay-off
Sean Gelael will return to his Formula 2 drive with DAMS in Bahrain, after a four-round lay-off following a fracture to his back in August's Barcelona round
How tyre strategy limbo dashed Stroll's victory hopes in Turkey
For the opening 35 laps of the Turkish Grand Prix, Lance Stroll looked in control and on his way to his maiden Formula 1 victory. But after pitting for new intermediate tyres, the Canadian finished ninth and was left ruing the misguided strategy call
Espargaro has doubts over Lorenzo as Aprilia MotoGP test rider
Aleix Espargaro has doubts about Jorge Lorenzo's commitment and "desire" as a competent MotoGP test rider for Aprilia, and says his level is "not enough" currently to develop the RS-GP
Why Italy's minnow F1 team could become its new maestro
From its origins as perennial backmarkers to genuine midfield contenders, Italy's other Formula 1 team is on course to surpass the might and majesty Ferrari has held as its nation's standard-bearer in 2020
Mongolian government writes to Red Bull over Verstappen comments
Mongolia's UN ambassador Lundeg Purevsuren has written to Red Bull over Max Verstappen's "racist and derogatory" comments during Formula 1's Portuguese Grand Prix weekend
Why do Verstappen's offensive comments get a free pass?
OPINION: Following his FP2 clash with Lance Stroll at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen's choice of language over the radio was insulting and offensive to numerous groups of people. And yet, says JAKE BOXALL-LEGGE, it has conspicuously gone unpunished
What the first look at 2021's F1 aero rules tells us
As well as learning a new circuit to Formula 1, several teams used their Portuguese GP practice running to try out new aero concepts ahead of rule changes for next year - providing an interesting first insight into what 2021 F1 cars will look like
How the cold Nurburgring weather added heat to the third-place battle
Severely limited practice and chilly conditions at the Eifel Grand Prix didn't stop the Formula 1 fight for third place from heating up, with Racing Point, McLaren and Renault all facing different quandaries
The high-tech materials helping Renault in its F1 rise
The Renault F1 team is at the vanguard of innovative solutions pushing development of the V6 turbo hybrid engine rules, embracing the full potential of material science in its bid to get back to the top
The Sochi tech tweaks amid the midfield arms race
The intensity of Formula 1's midfield battle shows no signs of abating, with each team in the fight developing their 2020 machinery to find an advantage. With Sochi proving a more familiar venue than Mugello, it was the perfect venue for a technical tussle
Five tech talking points from Mugello
The Tuscan Grand Prix produced a wild encounter but despite being the final leg of another triple-header, a number of teams came to the Italian event with new upgrades. Here are five tech talking points from Mugello
How do you solve a problem like Ferrari?
Ferrari's miserable Italian Grand Prix performance typified the team's troubles in 2020. Formula 1's most famous team should not be tempted to lose its head, but must also make concerted steps to enact a full recovery in the next few years
DAMS slams continued "unacceptable" F2 unreliability after Ticktum fuel DQ
DAMS has accused Formula 2's organisers of knowing about a problem with the spec fuel tank for "several races", following Dan Ticktum's disqualification from his sprint race victory at Monza
How Renault is powering up through the F1 order
After continual stunted progress trying to climb the Formula 1 ranks, Renault showed genuine progress at a Spa, which played to the strengths of its RS20. With Monza next, its drivers have sights set on a long-awaited podium and a trip to the tattoo parlour
F1 teams to trial low-downforce wings at Belgian Grand Prix
Numerous Formula 1 teams have brought lower-downforce wings in preparation for the Belgian Grand Prix in a bid to boost their straightline performance and top speed
What's an F1 engine party mode & why is it banned? New rule explained
During the cut-and-thrust of the Spanish Grand Prix build-up, it emerged that the FIA and Formula 1 was planning to mandate just a single engine mode per race weekend
F1 2010's lost teams: Campos Meta 1
In the final part of our retrospective of F1 2010's failed entries, we dive into the on-off history of the Campos team. Aiming to make the step up from GP2, financial issues bit the team hard - and it only made it to the grid at the eleventh hour after a buyout
F1 2010's lost teams: US F1
Having been one of the four teams to claim a Formula 1 entry for 2010, the US F1 team promised much before fading away prior to the season's commencement. Arguably, its lurch into obscurity was hardly a surprise from the outset
F1 2010's lost teams: Lola
In addition to the new teams attempting to try their luck in Formula 1's 2010 entry process, there were a few familiar names also looking to return to the field. Lola, a team with several spells on the grid, tried and failed in its comeback bid
Dixon 'should have been more aggressive' with Sato in Indy 500
Scott Dixon says he should have been "more aggressive" with IndyCar rival Takuma Sato for victory in the Indianapolis 500, having spent the latter stages on a lean fuel mix
F1 2010's lost teams: Epsilon Euskadi
When the FIA fielded entries for the 2010 Formula 1 season, a number of serious entries failed to make the cut. In this next instalment of our "Lost Teams" mini-series, we look at Epsilon Euskadi's attempt to become Spain's first F1 constructor
F1 2010's lost teams: Prodrive
Before the 2010 season, the FIA sought to add to the Formula 1 grid's depleting numbers, in which many teams tried and failed to get an entry. In this first instalment of a new mini-series, we look at Prodrive's attempt to make the grid