Race Weekend Central

Slipstream Saturday: The F1 Barcelona Test – Pace, Porpoising, Power, & Politics

2022 Barcelona Pre Season Test, Day 3 Wolfgang Wilhelm

2022 Barcelona Pre-Season Test, Day3 - Wolfgang Wilhelm

With the first pre-season test for the Formula 1 season over, it is time to look at some of the storylines that emerged from Barcelona.

F1 Midweek: Saying Cheers to 2021 in Roundtable Fashion

Max Verstappen

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

This week the Frontstretch Formula 1 crew looks back at the 2021 season.  From the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to Esteban Ocon’s surprising win to the question of how many races the US should host, they offer their thoughts on many of the year’s top storylines. Favorite moments of the season Caleb …

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F1 Midweek: Examining the Abu Dhabi GP Ending and What To Do Differently

2021 Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton start overtakes Verstappen Peter Fox Getty

(Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

This week we’ve got a roundtable discussion on the controversial ending to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that saw Max Verstappen benefit from race director’s Michael Masi strange decision-making process.  First calling off having lapped cars unlap themselves, then reversing the decision, then pulling in the safety car without the one-lap grace period all amounted …

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It’s Official: Max Verstappen Is World Driver’s Champion

2021 Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton start overtakes Verstappen Peter Fox Getty

(Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

After hours of deliberation, the FIA has ruled not to uphold protests by Mercedes-AMG Petronas, giving both the race win and the World Driver’s Championship to Max Verstappen. To make a long story short, Lewis Hamilton was leading Verstappen by 11 seconds with just a handful of laps to go when a full course safety …

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F1 Title Decided in 1-Lap Sprint, Mercedes Protests Results

Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton congratulates Max Verstappen after 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lars Baron Getty Images

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen’s breakout Formula 1 title campaign ended on the top step of the podium under the Dutch flag after a controversial, but nail-biting, one-lap sprint to decide the championship. However, that sprint is now under protest from Mercedes. From the race’s start, Lewis Hamilton was on his usual form, maintaining a healthy lead over …

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Max Verstappen Wins 1st World Championship Title on Last Lap Pass

Max Verstappen

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

All season long Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been at each others throats for this world championship. From a tense battle at the season opening race Bahrain to incidents at Imola, Britain, Jeddah, Brazil and Italy, Formula 1’s best season ever came to an exhilarating end for one driver and a crushing defeat for …

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2021 F1 Championship Drama Heads to Abu Dhabi

F1 Grand Prix Of Abu Dhabi Previews

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 09: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP and Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing talk in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 09, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Antonin Vincent - Pool/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202112090231 // Usage for editorial use only //

Formula One’s long, competitive, controversial, and tense 2021 campaign will come to a close under the lights of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday (December 12). Championship protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will enter the weekend tied in points, with 369.5 apiece. This is a development nearly 50 years in the making, as …

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F1 Review: Hamilton and Verstappen Taking Title Drama to Abu Dhabi

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday Lat Images

2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday (credit: LAT Images / Mercedes AMG)

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first trip to Saudi Arabia to break in the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a street course by the Red Sea designed by Hermann Tilke.  Highlighted as the fastest road course in the world, the narrow lively track provided wild theater for the penultimate race of the season. Lewis Hamilton …

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Hamilton and Verstappen Level After Tumultuous Trip to Saudi Arabia

2021 Saudi Arabia Formula 1 Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Collide, Lars Baron Getty

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 05: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W12 collide during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on December 05, 2021 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202112050202 // Usage for editorial use only //

For only the second time in the history of Formula 1, the championship contenders will enter the final round of the season level on points. The points total for both drivers, after 21 races, sits at 369.5. Whoever finishes ahead of the other in Abu Dhabi will be the champion. The last time drivers entered …

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Slipstream Saturday: Lewis Hamilton on Pole as Max Verstappen Clobbers Wall

2021 Saudi Arabia Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton hugs Valtteri Bottas after qualifying hugging LAT Images

(Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

Pole position at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix came down to the final corner. Max Verstappen had been on provisional pole, with a lap time of 1:27.653, nearly four tenths of a second up on his title rival Lewis Hamilton. As the clock wound down, Hamilton set a blistering lap time of 1:27.511, snatching …

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F1 Review: Hamilton Rising as Red Bull Undergo a Soap Opera Weekend

F1 Grand Prix Of Qatar

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 21: Second placed Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing stands on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Losail International Circuit on November 21, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202111210382 //

This past weekend, Formula 1 made its first-ever visit to Losail Internation Circuit in Qatar.  From that information alone, there should have been a good reason to believe that Lewis Hamilton would walk away with the win.  He has made a habit of winning inaugural races and followed this trend after doing so last year …

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Lewis Hamilton Dominates Qatar Grand Prix, Moves Within 8 Points of Verstappen

lewis hamilton with trophy

(Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

For the first time in 2021, Formula 1 visited a brand new country and Lewis Hamilton did what he does best: win. Having won the last three races at new circuits, Hamilton dominated for his 102nd career victory and seventh on the season. Taking pole in Saturday’s qualifying session, the British driver faced some good …

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