BlogF1

As the build up to the 2008 season continues, today we have the the second of BlogF1’s guest post series to enjoy. This time we welcome the thoughts of Sidepodcast writer and podcaster, Christine Blachford. Christine discusses the return of Fernando Alonso to Renault and the pairing of the Spaniard with young hotshot Nelson Piquet Jr. Continue Reading

Over the following four days; today, Friday, Monday and Tuesday, BlogF1 is being handed over to four excellent writers from the field of Formula One blogging. Each writer has submitted a post comparing the team mates from the top four squads, and having read through them, you are all in for a real treat. First up is Clive Allen from F1 Insight. Clive’s blog has become a real treasure to read with well-thought out and explanatory pieces. I’m not ashamed to say I get excited when I see F1 Insight updates in my feed reader.

Today though, Clive is talking about one of his favourite teams, BMW. Take it away my good man… Continue Reading

Every season brings with it a few young hopefuls, eager to learn and show off their driving talent while trying not to get swamped among the media, PR, and general business of racing motor cars. These particularly entrants are known as the rookies, and presuming Super Aguri stay with Sato and Davidson, 2008 will see two brand new stars join the grid, and a further two who have completed only a few races between them. Continue Reading

Not everyone thought they could do it. Following Michael Schumacher’s retirement from competitive racing, the year out and subsequent leaving of Ross Brawn and a fairly major shake-up of other key staff at Ferrari, few thought they’d actually be able to continue their winning ways. But in 2007, win they did. The final race saw Kimi Raikkonen collect a long overdue and deserved championship. A few races previous the team had seized the constructors and the Scuderia had succeeded. But it wasn’t all plain-sailing, and 2008 is going to be difficult for a number of reasons. Continue Reading

Some eagle-eyed readers may have noticeed that McLaren’s preview post, this very entry you’re reading, is out of sync with the previous. The previews were published in the reverse order of their constructor’s finishing place in 2007, which would mean McLaren should have been dealt with a long time ago. But as the Woking squad looked good, up until the Belgian Grand Prix at any rate, to finish in either first or second, I’ve chosen to post their entry as the penultimate in the series. And as the McLaren MP4-23 looks good to challenge for the 2008 title, it only seems right that they should be surrounded by the other top teams. So here, perhaps slightly late, is how I think McLaren’s title campaign is going to go this year. Continue Reading

BMW have to be one of the fastest growing teams on the grid at the moment in terms of overall performance. In 2006 they finished in 5th, improved to 2nd (3rd inc. McLaren) in 2007 and now enter 2008 with a lot of expectations on their shoulders. While BMW finished third in reality last year, can we really expect the squad to improve on this in 2008? With McLaren and Ferrari keeping a firm grip on the top of the grid, it is going to be difficult for the Swiss-German team to break through. They will need a good combination of drivers, car and team to split the front row. It’s not impossible, but I fear BMW will struggle to improve on their current form in the short term. Continue Reading

From heroes to zeroes, the story of Renault’s 2007 campaign is one of disappointment and anguish. Following two sensational seasons in Formula One, the frugally budgeted Anglo-French squad fell on their backsides with the R27, not helped by the defection of their wonder-driver Fernando Alonso to rivals McLaren. Despite losing out to BMW and slipping out of the top three (McLaren inclusive), Renault do have a lot of talent working away in their Enstone factory, and with a little more effort and maybe some luck the flamboyant Flavio could raise the manufacturer squad back up to the top within a year. Whether or not Renault choose to wait that long though is another question entirely. Continue Reading

Williams haven’t won a drivers or constructors championship since 1997. Their last win came in Brazil at the end of the 2004 campaign. As the team start their eleventh season of championship drought, the fourth year of victory drought, a lot of hope is being echoed around the grandstands and online forums that this year will see some better performances. Team owners Frank Williams and Patrick Head must surely wondering when the rain of champagne will fall their way again? However, celebrating 30 years in Formula One as well as a few other landmark statistics being met this season, maybe a bit of luck will land on the plucky privateer’s laps. And like the team’s many thousands of fans the world over, I’m hoping the FW30 will be one of great progress and improvement, pushing the team further towards the top on the road to recovery. Continue Reading

If ever one team looked as they were carefully orchestrating the puzzle pieces into place with high-precision, then Red Bull Racing would surely match the bill. From the team’s first season in 2005 onwards Red Bull have steadily improved, enjoying a few flash-in-the-pan results and gaining some key staff while a masterplan is followed. In 2006 Adrian Newey arrived from McLaren and a deal was struck to run Ferrari engines. In 2007 the team ran Renault engine units and apparently courted Fernando Alonso when he became available. But despite all this, last year was perhaps a year of treading water for the squad as reliability troubles hit the team and stopped them in their tracks. Continue Reading

The 2008 season will be Toyota’s seventh in Formula One and it could prove to be very important for the future of the squad. Since their inaugural season in 2002, the highly-funded team have have failed to score a victory and have only been on the podium four times, each occasion being a third place finish, 75% of which were during their most successful year to date - 2005. The bosses are looking very carefully at the team, weighing up the pros and cons of continued investment in what is little more than a mobile advertising board. Continue Reading