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What happened in first Spanish GP F1 practice
Lando Norris led the way in the opening Formula 1 practice session of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona.
There was no early evidence of McLaren having its form upended by the much-anticipated changes to the FIA's flexi-wing compliance testing, with Norris quickest both in his initial run on the hard tyre and the first push laps on the soft.Though he may have been ever-so-slightly aided b...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-happened-in-first-spanish-gp-f1-practice/
The new headache steel skid block move will give F1 teams
Steel skid blocks which effectively "wear down like butter" could force Formula 1 teams to raise their car ride-heights later this year if they are made mandatory at specific grands prix.As first revealed by The Race, F1 teams are conducting tests on underfloor skid blocks made from steel rather than the more traditional titanium during the free practice sessions at Barcelona on Friday.The FIA has...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/the-new-headache-steel-skid-block-move-will-give-f1-teams/
Podcast: Was Hakkinen F1's 'luckiest' champion?
On this week's episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard Williams and Matt Bishop look back on the career of Mika Hakkinen, and in particular how he was able to overcome - thanks to a considerable slice of good luck - the devastating crash in 1995 that so nearly took his life to become a double Formula 1 world champion.Along the way, Matt and Richard explain what made Hakkinen - widely reg...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-was-hakkinen-f1s-luckiest-champion/
Red Bull debuts new F1 front wing to comply with FIA clampdown
Red Bull has brought a new front wing to Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix in order to comply with F1’s flexi-wing clampdown. Team boss Christian Horner said the stricter tests being introduced this weekend are “essentially a new regulation”. Red Bull explained: “in order to comply with the revisions to the 2025 F1 technical regulations applicable from the Spanish GP, the front wing geometry has been...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-debuts-new-f1-front-wing-to-comply-with-fia-clampdown/
Pirelli reveals plan to shake up British and Belgian Grands Prix
Pirelli has elected to shake things up with its Formula 1 tyre selection for the British and Belgian Grands Prix in its efforts to spice up the racing.Amid a growing trend for teams to eke out one-stop strategies this year, F1’s tyre supplier has been making efforts to try to be more aggressive with its compound selections.At recent events Pirelli has rolled out its softest C6 compound, but going ...
Why Red Bull's a huge threat to McLaren in Spain (and it's not about flexi-wings)
McLaren is braced for a much bigger threat from Red Bull at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, but it won't be down to Formula 1's flexi-wing clampdown.Red Bull and Ferrari are convinced that tightening up what teams can do with flexi-wings will have an impact on the pecking order. They have been firm believers that McLaren and then Mercedes have exploited this area of the rules more than others...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/why-red-bull-a-huge-threat-to-mclaren-and-it-isnt-flexi-wings/
'Poorly designed' F1 rules need flexi-wings, argues Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1's flexi-wing clampdown is a step in the wrong direction – because it gets rid of a "Band-Aid for poorly designed technical regulations".The FIA is toughening up its tests of aero elasticity from this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix because it was concerned that things were getting exploited in this area too much.
But teams have found themselves forced to pursue tha...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/poorly-designed-f1-rules-need-flexi-wings-argues-hamilton/
What F1 drivers think of Monaco GP track change proposals
The Monaco Grand Prix has, to quote George Russell (who in turn was paraphrasing Fernando Alonso), "always been the same" when it comes to a lack of overtaking opportunities in the Formula 1 race itself.Still, that doesn't mean efforts to improve the spectacle are without merit, and proposals from ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz to adjust the circuit to make it more conducive to overtaking have been widely...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-f1-drivers-think-of-monaco-gp-track-change-proposals/
Gary Anderson's verdict on F1 teams' changes for flexi-wing clampdown
The long-awaited introduction of the flexi-wings technical directive for the Spanish Grand Prix weekend means there’s much excitement about Formula 1 teams' potential new front wing designs. But as mentioned in my earlier article about the more stringent front wing deflection tests, I am not expecting too much of a change in the geometry of the parts.That’s because any changes will be hidden withi...
What first look at McLaren tells us about F1 flexi-wing revisions
The first images of McLaren's revised front wing aimed at passing Formula 1's tougher flexi wing tests highlight how the devil will be in the detail of what teams have had to change.This weekend's Spanish Grand Prix is the first race where new, tougher FIA tests come into force to clamp down on teams exploiting aeroelasticity too much.Under these new tests, the allowed movement from a 1000N force ...
Mercedes drops new F1 suspension until it can improve it
The Mercedes Formula 1 team has elected to park for now the upgraded rear suspension it brought to Imola, as it continues to work on improvements to it.As part of an update package for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which incorporated a new front wing and revised front suspension fairings, the team also made revisions to its rear suspension geometry.This included a new inner pickup point for the to...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-drops-new-f1-2025-suspension/
FIA's divisive skid block change set for Spanish GP test
Formula 1 teams are to conduct tests with steel skids blocks at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix as the FIA pushes on with its idea to avoid grass fires.Problems at the Japanese Grand Prix in April, with sparks thrown off the standard titanium skid blocks igniting dry grass that surrounded the track, prompted fears of repeat issues later in the campaign.The worries have been increased by the fact...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-skid-block-tests-grass-fires-steel-titanium/
Gary Anderson: Why flexi-wing change could hurt Red Bull + Ferrari
How many Formula 1 teams will head to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix on a 'wing' and a prayer?The reduction in the amount of flexibility permitted in the FIA's front wing tests kicks in and will undoubtedly hurt some teams more than others. The question is, who could lose out and who might gain?
What you should know about F1's flexi-wing clampdown at Spanish GP
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The ...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-why-flexi-wing-change-could-hurt-red-bull-ferrari/
F1 podcast: Go behind the scenes at Red Bull
We go behind the scenes with Red Bull Racing in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.Special guest Matt Majendie is embedded with the team this year for The Inside Track podcast and was at the Monaco Grand Prix with the team. He joins Ben Anderson and Edd Straw to tell us all about it.Majendie explains the strategic attempts for Max Verstappen to gain a place, tells us about Yuki Tsunoda's mi...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-red-bull-behind-the-scenes-fia-flexi-wing-rules/
What you should know about F1's flexi-wing clampdown at Spanish GP
Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix marks the start of a potential reset in the pecking order as the first race where new tests to clamp down on flexible front wings are in force. Flexing bodywork has become a major talking point in F1 again over the last year or so, amid McLaren’s rise to being the benchmark team.
While McLaren has insisted that front and rear wing aeroelasticity has not been the si...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/everything-you-need-to-know-f1-new-flexi-wing-rules-spanish-gp/
What time is F1's Spanish Grand Prix? Qualifying + race start times
Formula 1's upcoming visit to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for round nine of the season carries even more anticipation than usual - with rule changes kicking in that some believe could swing the momentum of the season.Below are all the times to tune in for the weekend's action.Spanish GP (local time) scheduleFriday May 30FP1: 1.30pmFP2: 5pmSaturday May 31FP3: 12.30pmQualifying: 4pmSunday June 1M...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-time-is-f1-spanish-gp-qualifying-race-start/
What Newey verdict means for Aston Martin F1 masterplan
Adrian Newey's race weekend debut with his new Formula 1 team Aston Martin brought with it his verdict on a key weakness that could take two years to solve.So that does set back Aston Martin's plan to get to the front of the F1 field, something owner Lawrence Stroll has sunk hundreds of millions of pounds to accelerate?Newey's verdictNewey made his trackside debut in his new Aston Martin colours i...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-newey-verdict-means-for-aston-martin-f1-masterplan/
Gary Anderson: McLaren's key advantage might be simpler than you think
The reasons for McLaren's good tyre management continue to be a major talking point in Formula 1. But rather than throwing around all sorts of questions and suspicions, rivals like Red Bull should perhaps spend more time thinking about the contribution of the rear suspension design.
While it can be difficult to get a close look at these configurations, some revealing photos show a little more t...
F1 already has a 2026 Monaco passing fix it could deploy
The manipulation between team-mates that overshadowed Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix two-stopper is going to trigger talks about whether the rule change needs rolling back.But to abandon the two-stop idea simply because one element of it did not work would be a case of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
That is because, for all the unsavoury nonsense taking place towards the back of the fi...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-already-has-a-2026-monaco-passing-fix-it-could-deploy/
How Monaco GP 'manipulation' began - The full story behind the first strategy call
It may not have seemed it at the time, but the chaotic team games that overshadowed Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix were not spur of the moment strategy gambles thrown out there in the hope of pulling off a shock.Instead, what Racing Bulls first unleashed that then forced the hands of Williams and Mercedes to do the same later on, was a logical plan that was a preferred option from the off.
While ...
Read more: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/how-monaco-grand-prix-manipulation-began/