BlogF1

It has been announced with tremendous sadness that America’s first Formula One world champion, Phil Hill, has passed away this evening in California. At a grand age of 81, Phil had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and finally gave up the fight after a long struggle. Hill had become the first and to date only American-born driver to win the F1 title when in 1961, he lifted the crown and brought a smile to Enzo Ferrari’s face. Continue Reading…

Ever since Nelson Piquet Jr. scored a morale-boosting second place in the German Grand Prix, Renault have been taking a slightly different look at the way they use their tyres during a typical race weekend. What prompted Renault to investigate the four boots on their R28 was Piquet’s sudden increase in pace that immediately followed a period behind the safety car. And now team mate Fernando Alonso wants the team to conduct a proper test to hopefully establish some more accurate findings. Continue Reading…

Every four years or so, usually when the British summer kicks it up a notch and the rain arrives, I end up having the same debate in my head, normally with the same outcome. However, four years ago BlogF1 did not exist, so I guess this time I can open up the conversation to others and hear what you think. The question I ask myself is this: Should motor sport be incorporated into the modern Olympic Games? Continue Reading…

After the final car had rolled back into the garage after the first free practice session for the European Grand Prix, leading figures from Formula One, the Valencia circuit and many drivers joined together and held a three-minute silence in tribute to those who lost their lives in the plane crash at Madrid airport two days ago. Bernie Ecclestone, Ron Dennis, Frank Williams and many drivers stood quietly in the port area while the sport took a few moments to reflect. Continue Reading…

Ferrari have assigned American company Moog with designing and building the Maranello team a state-of-the-art simulator for use by their drivers and tacticians. It is believed that McLaren currently possess the finest simulator and Lewis Hamilton has often spoken of using the system, particularly last season when the young driver was in his rookie year. Ferrari want to go one better though and Moog, who have previously developed flight simulators, will be charged with the project. Continue Reading…

During the Hungarian Grand Prix, several teams experienced small flash fires from the fuel as they refuelled the cars during pitstops. On occasion a team may experience a small spillage of fuel over the engine cover, and as it reaches the rear where the hot exhausts are, it can ignite. However, the fuel rig is clever and as soon as it recognises it wants to be removed, it shuts off prior to removal. This prevents fuel leaking from the nozzle, but doesn’t prevent overfill. In these cases, often the driver just leaves the pits and the fuel burns up before the pilot deactivates the speed limiter. But at least three teams suffered probems in Hungary - is there a problem…? Continue Reading…

Thames Valley police and Renault have confirmed that R&D employee, William Millar, has died at the team’s Enstone factory in Oxfordshire. Mr Millar, who was 53, was said to have been seen walking down a bridleway within the compound of the team’s factory and was found at the scene with a shot wound to his head. The incident happened earlier in the week, and the police are not treating the death as suspicious. It is suggested that Mr Millar killed himself. Continue Reading…

Toyota have now discovered what caused Timo Glock’s heavy accident at the German Grand Prix last weekend. The German driver was just coming onto the main straight when his TF108 veered quite violently over the right towards the pitwall. His car took substantial damage as it hit the wall backwards and then skated down the track and onto the other side before coming to a rest. Glock was uninjured, but went to hospital for a precautionary check-up. Toyota now know what caused the incident. Continue Reading…

BlogF1 has been neglected over the weekend, but for good reason. On Friday I drove up to Goodwood in Chichester to visit the Festival of Speed - an annual celebration of fast cars and brave drivers. Among the exhibitions and hillclimbs there were many Formula One stars and cars from both last year and many more previous. Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button turned up on the Sunday, and a variety of test drivers were out in force for their respective teams. Continue Reading…

In an act of quite unbelievable honesty, the likes that Formula One rarely sees (and probably promotes that statement above the necessary because of it) Heikki Kovalainen has laid the blame for his lack of winning at Silverstone on his own shoulders. Speaking after the rain-sodden grand prix, Kovalainen said that his rear tyres were causing him trouble during the race and prevented him from keeping pace with Lewis Hamilton. But the reason for his tyre troubles he has put down to his own driving style. Continue Reading…