Author: autosport

This post was originally published on Autosport The Ferrari Formula 1 team says excessive tyre wear from the Chinese Grand Prix’s surprise one-stop race is behind Charles Leclerc’s car being found underweight, while it admitted “misjudging” Lewis Hamilton’s skid wear.Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday, but soon… Continue reading Ferrari: One-stop tyre wear behind Leclerc's underweight car in China

This post was originally published on Autosport Toyota’s Elfyn Evans clinched a second win of the World Rally Championship season to boost his title hopes after surviving the toughest Safari Rally since the event rejoined the calendar.Evans and co-driver Scott Martin emerged from a gruelling 21-stage rally of attrition with victory by 1m09.9s from Hyundai’s… Continue reading Evans wins brutal Safari Rally to boost WRC title bid

This post was originally published on Autosport Red Bull team principal Christian Horner might not be aware of it, but he was channelling his inner William Edwards Deming as he discussed Liam Lawson’s future following another disappointing outing at the Chinese Grand Prix. “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion,” the American statistician and… Continue reading Red Bull to crunch numbers amid Lawson/Tsunoda switch talk

This post was originally published on Autosport Liam Lawson accepts that he must perform to keep hold of his Red Bull Formula 1 seat, but notes that he needs time he doesn’t necessarily have to get acquainted with the team’s 2025 car.The Kiwi racer qualified last for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, which Red Bull used… Continue reading Lawson accepts he 'won't be around' at Red Bull if he doesn't perform, but wants time

This post was originally published on Autosport Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have both been excluded from the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix for falling foul of the technical regulations, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly also thrown out of the results.During post-race scrutineering, Leclerc’s and Gasly’s cars were both found to weigh 799kg after… Continue reading Leclerc, Hamilton and Gasly disqualified from Chinese GP

This post was originally published on Autosport Haas Formula 1 boss Ayao Komatsu has hailed the “amazing reaction” from his team to recover from a disastrous Australian weekend to achieve a double top-10 Chinese Grand Prix finish.Esteban Ocon finished seventh in China, while Oliver Bearman made the most of an alternate tyre strategy to reach… Continue reading Haas boss hails “amazing reaction” to secure double points in China

This post was originally published on Autosport Charles Leclerc has explained that the decision to soldier on with a broken front wing throughout the Chinese Grand Prix after contact with Lewis Hamilton was to preserve track position.The two Ferraris made light contact at Turn 3 on the first lap as Hamilton tried to assume the… Continue reading Why Leclerc opted to continue throughout Chinese GP with broken wing

This post was originally published on Autosport Lando Norris admits he was lucky to finish the Chinese Grand Prix having taken second place despite a worsening brake issue to remain at the top of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.While his team-mate Oscar Piastri secured victory in Shanghai, Norris had to manage a brake problem in… Continue reading Norris had “sketchy” end to Chinese GP with brake issue

This post was originally published on Autosport Liam Lawson could be replaced at Red Bull by Yuki Tsunoda as early as the Japanese Grand Prix, Autosport understands.Amid a difficult start to the season for Lawson, Red Bull is already considering changing its driver line-up ahead of Suzuka, with Tsunoda named by paddock sources as a… Continue reading Red Bull considers immediate swap of Lawson and Tsunoda for Japanese GP

This post was originally published on Autosport Formula 1’s 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey is your opportunity to tell the series what matters most to you.The results of the last survey in 2021 saw Max Verstappen named as the most popular driver overall, with Lando Norris in second, though the Briton was the overwhelming favourite… Continue reading Take part in the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey

This post was originally published on Autosport Oscar Piastri secured victory at the Chinese Grand Prix as he benefited from putting his McLaren on pole position to avoid the tyre issues of the chasing Formula 1 pack.With tyre management the order of the day throughout the field, Piastri was able to control his race and… Continue reading F1 Chinese GP: Piastri dominates, Norris defies brake woes to complete McLaren 1-2

This post was originally published on Autosport Kalle Rovanpera will leave Safari Rally Kenya without scoring any World Rally Championship points after retiring on the final day.The two-time world champion’s latest setback, in what has been a gruelling Safari Rally, occurred following the opening stage of Sunday morning.Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen clocked the third-fastest… Continue reading Rovanpera exits Safari Rally Kenya with technical issue

This post was originally published on Autosport The FIA has confirmed it is seriously evaluating a range of future engine scenarios in Formula 1, including a potential return to V10 power units running on fully sustainable fuels.According to FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis, discussions remain at an early stage, but no options are off the… Continue reading FIA considering F1 V10 return, doesn't rule out scrapping 2026 engines

This post was originally published on Autosport Elfyn Evans says an almost two-minute lead is no guarantee of victory after wild conditions have rendered this year’s Safari Rally the toughest since the event rejoined the World Rally Championship.The WRC points leader survived incredibly challenging conditions to head into Sunday’s final five stages with a 1m57.4s… Continue reading Evans: Two-minute lead no guarantee of victory in toughest modern Safari Rally

This post was originally published on Autosport A car that’s quick but difficult to drive: this has become a familiar refrain up and down the grid in the final season of Formula 1’s current ground-effect ruleset.Lando Norris struggled with graining in the sprint race in China, labouring to eighth place after dropping three positions on… Continue reading McLaren F1 car quirks are “more of a penalty” for Norris

This post was originally published on Autosport Patience is a virtue, but who has got the time? Not Liam Lawson, who suffered another disastrous qualifying session in which he finished last while team-mate Max Verstappen extracted fourth out of the difficult-to-handle Red Bull.Read Also: Formula 1What’s going wrong for Lawson at Red Bull Lawson knows… Continue reading Marko on Lawson's struggles: “A fast car is always difficult to drive”

This post was originally published on Autosport McLaren’s Oscar Piastri had a surprise rival for pole position at Formula 1’s 2025 Chinese Grand Prix in Mercedes driver George Russell, but the data behind the headline times show that the first-time pole-winner was ultimately unbeatable.Both of Piastri’s laps would’ve netted pole position, which was eventually set… Continue reading Why Piastri was unbeatable even without “hairpin of my life” in claiming China GP pole

This post was originally published on Autosport The 2025 Formula 1 season is not even two rounds old and already Red Bull is facing the same questions it pondered for the majority of last season.It has a peaky car that only Max Verstappen can master, while new team-mate Liam Lawson is already feeling the weight… Continue reading How do you solve a problem like Red Bull? Our writers have their say

This post was originally published on Autosport Kalle Rovanpera’s Safari Rally victory bid has been dented by a pair of costly punctures, the second caused by an off-road excursion to avoid a herd of zebra.The two-time world champion started Saturday 7.7 seconds behind leader and Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans but ended the morning loop of… Continue reading Zebra avoidance triggers costly puncture for Rovanpera as Evans takes WRC Safari command

This post was originally published on Autosport Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari’s qualifying display is a true indication of its current Formula 1 performance levels, with Lewis Hamilton’s sprint race victory at the Chinese Grand Prix an outlier.Hamilton sprung a surprise on Friday when he took pole position for the sprint, which he then converted into… Continue reading “This is where we are” – Leclerc believes F1 qualifying showed true Ferrari pace

This post was originally published on Autosport Red Bull is not a team in which to be struggling to unlock performance from a difficult car. Especially when your illustrious team-mate seems to be managing it.Perception is everything in Formula 1 and the timesheets suggest Max Verstappen is making it look easy. Obviously the picture is… Continue reading What’s going wrong for Lawson at Red Bull

This post was originally published on Autosport Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is worried his team has slipped to fourth in Formula 1’s 2025 pecking order after enduring a sobering sprint race and qualifying session in China.Verstappen struggled to keep up with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in the 19-lap sprint on Saturday morning, having started alongside the… Continue reading Verstappen: “Too slow” Red Bull now fourth fastest team in F1

This post was originally published on Autosport Isack Hadjar reckoned his Racing Bulls car had the potential to be even further up the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix after qualifying seventh for his second Formula 1 race.The Frenchman eased into the final part of qualifying and outqualified team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, albeit as the Japanese… Continue reading Hadjar: Better than seventh possible in China F1 quali without wind changes

This post was originally published on Autosport Lando Norris is leading the Formula 1 drivers’ championship for the first time in his career after his victory in Australia – but given he has now made a trio of mistakes in China it seems as though this new pressure is something he is yet to come… Continue reading Norris rues latest mistakes in Chinese GP qualifying

This post was originally published on Autosport Oscar Piastri took his first-ever pole position for an Formula 1 grand prix as he set the pace in China.Starting from the front could prove to be vital given how badly the field struggled with tyre degradation throughout the sprint race.Piastri had previously started on the front row… Continue reading F1 Chinese GP: Piastri grabs first pole as Russell splits McLaren pair

This post was originally published on Autosport They say a week is a long time in politics. It’s not that long in motor racing.Straight after exiting his Ferrari following his sprint-race win in Shanghai, Lewis Hamilton took aim at the “people yapping” about his difficult maiden race for the Scuderia in Melbourne last weekend. They… Continue reading How Hamilton rebounded in China from difficult first race with Ferrari

This post was originally published on Autosport McLaren team principal Andrea Stella reckoned the Formula 1 squad took the wrong approach to managing tyre graining in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, despite claiming second through Oscar Piastri.Tyre graining tends to rear its head in either colder track conditions or in situations where tyres are… Continue reading How tyre graining caught out McLaren in Chinese GP sprint race

This post was originally published on Autosport Having admitted to making a mistake that cost him in sprint qualifying on Friday, Lando Norris again took the blame for a poor outing in Saturday’s Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race.An error on his final qualifying run meant the McLaren man started sixth on the grid… Continue reading “Worst nightmare” for Norris as Chinese GP struggles continue

This post was originally published on Autosport Lewis Hamilton will ‘not get ahead of himself’ after a dominant sprint win at Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix, but said the result shut down early critics after a tough Melbourne weekend with Ferrari.Hamilton recorded his first sprint pole for Ferrari by narrowly edging out world champion Max… Continue reading Hamilton shuts down 'yapping critics' with China F1 sprint win

This post was originally published on Autosport Lewis Hamilton dominated the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix, winning from pole to take his first Formula 1 victory for Ferrari.In a 19-lap race where tyre wear became talk of the town, Hamilton benefitted from driving in clear air to convert sprint pole into a win… Continue reading F1 Chinese GP: Hamilton dominates for first Ferrari win in sprint race

This post was originally published on Autosport Williams has been fined €50,000, with €40,000 suspended, for failing to install SD cards in onboard cameras after a mix-up with the FIA.The British squad fell foul of “failing to provide the video files recorded by the wireless forward and rearward facing cameras in the specified timescale.”Specifically, this is a… Continue reading Williams fined for wing footage breach at Chinese GP

This post was originally published on Autosport The FIA has confirmed TotalEnergies will take over as the World Rally Championship fuel supplier after P1 Performance Fuels went into administration.The motorsport governing body has moved quickly to appoint a new supplier now that P1 Performance Fuels can no longer fulfil its contractual obligations to act as… Continue reading FIA appoints new WRC fuel supplier for 2025

This post was originally published on Autosport Ott Tanak is hopeful of regaining the Safari Rally lead if his car can “stay together” as extreme conditions once again proved to be Hyundai’s downfall in Africa.The 2019 world champion won four of Friday’s opening six stages to build up a 46.1s lead over Toyota’s Elfyn Evans,… Continue reading How extreme conditions once again triggered Hyundai’s Safari hoodoo

This post was originally published on Autosport Four-time British Touring Car Championship title winner Colin Turkington has made an unexpected return to the West Surrey Racing BMW team for a Brands Hatch test.The Northern Irishman is celebrating his 43rd birthday on Friday by filling in for reigning champion Jake Hill, who has a clashing commitment… Continue reading Turkington in surprise BTCC test return

This post was originally published on Autosport It’s very early days. F1’s 2025 season has only just started. But making an impression in a Formula 1 paddock is somewhat similar to a date: the initial impact really matters. You screw the first few lines during a dinner at a restaurant, and it’s almost impossible to… Continue reading How Tsunoda has already put Lawson and Red Bull under pressure

This post was originally published on Autosport Lando Norris seemed to roll a grenade under the door during a press conference ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix when he said he had effectively given up persuading his McLaren team to design a car which suits his preferred attacking style.Since the MCL39 was the benchmark car… Continue reading McLaren car “may well” be slower if adapted to Norris's driving style

This post was originally published on Autosport Alex Kalinauckas and Ronald Vording report from the Shanghai International Circuit to review Friday’s sprint qualifying session for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.In a surprise, it’s a sprint pole for Lewis Hamilton, the oldest pole of any F1 format since Nigel Mansell in 1994. Alex and Ronald explain… Continue reading Autosport Podcast: Reviewing Friday practice and sprint qualifying at the Chinese GP

This post was originally published on Autosport A little-known FIA system was behind the decision to send recovery vehicles on-track during Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix, according to information gathered by Autosport.The incident in the Melbourne race produced a notable split in opinion, with many observers puzzled as to how the scenes had unfolded while… Continue reading Explained: The safety system behind the Australian GP on-track recovery vehicle scenes

This post was originally published on Autosport Having dominated Formula 1 in Australia, the expectation was McLaren would at least be as quick on the resurfaced Shanghai International Circuit for round two. With China being a sprint weekend, Friday’s sole practice pace was particularly difficult to read much into, with almost no meaningful long-run comparisons… Continue reading Can F1 rivals hold off McLaren in China's sprint race?

This post was originally published on Autosport Aero-elasticity continues to be a hot topic in Formula 1 in the wake of the FIA announcing more stringent tests on rear wings to detect if they are flexing under load. So naturally there has been an immediate presumption of guilt when the governing body circulated a report… Continue reading Why Williams wing-footage breach exposes a fundamental problem

This post was originally published on Autosport Carlos Sainz admits he still does not feel at home in the cockpit of his Williams Formula 1 car after a disappointing showing in Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying.The Spaniard joined Williams from Ferrari over the winter and set the pace in pre-season testing before crashing behind the… Continue reading Sainz admits he's “still not feeling at home” in Williams

This post was originally published on Autosport World Rally champion Thierry Neuville feels he has been wrongfully handed a penalty for a jump start due to what he believes was a timing glitch at Safari Rally Kenya.Neuville has already endured an eventful trip to Kenya after only six of the 21 stages comprising the third… Continue reading Neuville questions Safari Rally Kenya jump start penalty

This post was originally published on Autosport The rolling cheers were the first clue. Reverberating as if sprint qualifying for Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix was taking place within a leisure centre swimming pool – such is the way the Shanghai track’s giant main grandstand traps noise – was the noise that greeted Lewis Hamilton’s first… Continue reading Trackside view: Hamilton has China sprint pole, but Ferrari still struggling most of leading teams

This post was originally published on Autosport Liam Lawson put his Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying woes down to an inability to cool his tyres enough for his final flying lap, leading to him propping up the rest of the Formula 1 field.The New Zealander was up to 10th after the opening runs, having opened… Continue reading Lawson puts F1 Chinese GP SQ1 elimination down to inability to cool tyres

This post was originally published on Autosport Lando Norris admitted his own mistakes left the early Formula 1 championship leader qualifying down in sixth for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix.After winning in Australia last weekend, Norris had been towing a fine line between admitting McLaren was the team to beat while also attempting… Continue reading Norris admits “trying to push too much” after “struggling” with McLaren car in China

This post was originally published on Autosport Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says he is “a bit gobsmacked” after taking his first sprint pole of his nascent Ferrari era.Hamilton came to Shanghai after a difficult weekend for both himself and Ferrari in Australia, only managing 10th in Melbourne through a lack of pace… Continue reading Hamilton “gobsmacked” as he gets first Ferrari sprint pole

This post was originally published on Autosport Lewis Hamilton announced his arrival at Ferrari by taking pole position for the Formula 1 sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix and is joined on the front row by old foe Max Verstappen.McLaren had looked dominant until the third qualifying session, with Oscar Piastri third and Lando… Continue reading F1 Chinese GP: Hamilton takes stunning first Ferrari pole for sprint race, Norris sixth

This post was originally published on Autosport Alpine and Haas have revealed they have needed to make changes to their Formula 1 cars’ rear wings in light of the latest technical directive that has tightened flex tests.It is understood that four teams were affected by the changing parameters of the rear wing flex tests for… Continue reading Alpine, Haas make wing tweaks after China F1 flex test changes

This post was originally published on Autosport Formula 1 drivers have been given further clarification by the FIA on the recent tightening of rules surrounding inappropriate language, following concerns triggered by the wording of the initial guidance.Tensions around the issue escalated further after Hyundai World Rally Championship driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined €10,000 – with an… Continue reading F1 drivers given clarification about swearing in “quite fair” Australia FIA discussion

This post was originally published on Autosport Lando Norris needed the whole of the one and only practice session at the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix before he ultimately set the benchmark with a stunning lap.With the pace of the McLaren a talking point heading into the second race weekend of the year, Norris was… Continue reading F1 Chinese GP: Norris sets blistering pace in sole practice session, Leclerc second