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.

Nikita Mazepin, Mick Schumacher Returning to Haas in 2022

Formula 1 2021: Austrian Gp

RED BULL RING, AUSTRIA - JULY 04: Nikita Mazepin, Haas VF-21 during the Austrian GP at Red Bull Ring on Sunday July 04, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

Uralkali Haas F1 team will have the same two drivers, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, next year in Formula 1, the team announced Thursday (Sept. 23). Both are currently finishing up their rookie seasons in F1. “We knew we wanted continuity behind the wheel in 2022 and I’m happy to confirm exactly that with Mick …

Read more

A Look Back at Nikita Mazepin’s 2021 Season

Nikita Mazepin races his teammate in the Grand Prix of Bahrain. (Photo: Haas Media)

Haas may struggle with Nikita Mazepin (credit: Haas media)

At the beginning of the 2021 season, Nikita Mazepin was looked at as the laughing stock of Formula 1. Although pay drivers aren’t uncommon, (see: Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi and pretty much the whole Formula 2 grid) the Russian rookie made headlines that rippled through the F1 world. Both his dangerous driving in F2 and …

Read more

Slipstream Saturday: Vettel’s Penalty Stands, Steiner Warns of Too Many Crashes

Sebastian Vettel

(Photo: Aston Martin F1 Media)

Formula 1 is on its annual summer break, with the next race not until Aug. 29 when the Belgian Grand Prix is held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This allow the usual hectic buzz surrounding F1 to die down a little, and things have been fairly quiet since the teams left Hungary.  One of the questions …

Read more

F1 Midweek: The Next Big Pay Drivers?

Formula 1 2021: Austrian Gp

RED BULL RING, AUSTRIA - JULY 04: Nikita Mazepin, Haas VF-21 during the Austrian GP at Red Bull Ring on Sunday July 04, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Andy Hone / LAT Images)

So we all know the story of the Nicholas Latifis and the Lance Strolls, the Nikita Mazepins and the Pastor Maldonados who have frittered away positions on the Formula 1 grid but backed by wealthy benefactors – usually their families/fathers. However, with F1 being a sport reliant on money, as is not a surprising statement, …

Read more

F1 Midweek: Checking on 2021 New Driver Hires

Sergio Perez drives at the F1 Grand Prix of Spain, May 2021. (Photo: Getty Images)

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 09: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 09, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202105090420 // Usage for editorial use only //

With four races complete in the 2021 Formula 1 season, there is enough data to start checking on not only the teams that are performing well, but more importantly on the drivers that have switched seats. Consider this F1 column a way of checking on the new faces and places. Before touching upon the drivers, …

Read more

F1 Review: Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes, the Perfect Marriage in Spain

2021 Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday Steve Etherington

2021 Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday - Steve Etherington

The start of the Spanish Grand Prix portended Max Verstappen might equal Lewis Hamilton’s tally for Formula 1 race wins in 2021.  Verstappen powered by pole-sitter Hamilton into turn 1 and then pushed out to nearly a two-second lead. The power failure to Yuki Tsunoda’s Alpha Tauri brought out a safety car that looked like …

Read more

F1 Midweek: Hero & Zero – A Tale of Two F1 Debuts

Nikita Mazepin races his teammate in the Grand Prix of Bahrain. (Photo: Haas Media)

Haas may struggle with Nikita Mazepin (credit: Haas media)

While three rookies made their debuts this weekend, two of them managed to steal the show in completely opposite ways. Not to put Mick Schumacher down, but the expectations were minimal given the current situation at Haas. While Mick was respectable, Yuki Tsunoda and Nikita Mazepin stole the show in completely contrasting ways. One driver …

Read more

F1 Review: Lewis Hamilton Wins, Red Bull Rises, and Sebastian Vettel Looks Lost

Bahrain Start 2021

The start of the 2021 F1 season in Bahrain (credit: FIA images)

The 2021 Formula 1 season is already being billed as a battle between defending champion Sir Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.  Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, the titan team of the past seven years, and holding seven championships is backed by confidence and his road-tested team. But Verstappen has been nipping at Hamilton’s heels for the …

Read more