Races and Competitions

Mid-season helmet livery changes have been banned, according to reports on Wednesday. The respected German publication Auto Motor und Sport and the international news agency Reuters report that F1 drivers this year will have to start and finish the season with the same helmet colours. German correspondent Tobias Gruner said it was a proposal by Bernie Ecclestone that was adopted by the governing FIA and team bosses at Tuesday's meeting of the F1 Commission. Gruner said it means "the days...

At first glance you could easily mistake these images as emanating from the mind of aFerrari fanboy, when in fact they have been penned by Maranello’s design division in tandem with its F1 aerodynamic department. This is what Ferrari thinks it’s Formula One cars will look like in the future. The aim was to "come up with an F1 car that is technologically advanced, and captivating to the eye.” The second part of the brief has obviously been accomplished, and this was the important as Ferrari...

Nearly 14 months after his late 2013 skiing accident, little new is known about the great Michael Schumacher's medical progress. The 46-year-old is reportedly cared for by a private medical team numbering 15 professionals around the clock at his mansion on the shores of Lake Geneva. But in a new report published by the UK newspaper Express, it is claimed the seven time world champion "remains mute with limited awareness of his environment", and still "unable to walk". "Progress is...

Dominant 2014 champion Mercedes thinks its rivals can catch up. Germany's authoritative Auto Motor und Sport on Thursday estimated the marque's advantage last year at as much as 60 horse power. Many believe that is too great a gap to bridge in just one winter, but Renault has worked hard on its structure and engine, Ferrari set the test pace at Jerez and newcomer Honda is famous for having dominated F1 in the 80s. Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell agrees: "The rules of physics and...

A "calmer" environment may have contributed to the return to form of former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa. In 2008, the Brazilian went wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton for the world championship, but a year later he was fighting for his life after the qualifying accident in Hungary. Massa admitted to Spain's El Confidencial that when he returned in 2010, he entered a period of form that was the "worst" in his entire racing career. "A lot of people thought 'well, ok Felipe, what a shame',"...

Ferrari tester Marc Gene has acknowledged that Mercedes remains the favourite for the 2015 season. After Jerez, where the formerly struggling Maranello team surprised the F1 world with its headline test times, many predicted Ferrari might be in a position to challenge the ultra-dominant 2014 champions Mercedes this year. Also vastly improved at Jerez was the Ferrari customer Sauber, amid rumours designers at Maranello have found between 40 and 80 horse power over the winter...

2014 runner-up Red Bull has emerged as a big question-mark ahead of the new season. Last year, Daniel Ricciardo was the only driver other than the occupant of a Mercedes to see the view from the top of the podium. But after the first official test of the 2015 pre-season, the Australian's best aggregate time at Jerez was good for just twelfth overall. New teammate Daniil Kvyat fared even worse in the camouflaged RB11, outpaced only by the stuttering McLaren-Hondas. Reliability was also a...

Khalifa, you have returned to the Middle East Rally Championship, but this time it’s in an RRC car. This is the first time you drive an RRC car and you finished on the podium. How do you feel and what do you think of the rally after what is probably one of your best finishes?    Thank God we were able to finish in third place. I’ve finished in third and second places several times in the Middle East Rally Championship, but this is the first time I do it in an RRC car. Nasser helped me in...

Qatar claims it is about to join the F1 calendar. Earlier, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said that despite the oil-rich Arab state's interest, Qatar's grand prix aspirations were being blocked by Bahrain. "They (Bahrain) said to me would I give them a guarantee I wouldn't stage another race in the Gulf, and I said yes," Ecclestone revealed recently. "Now this other race (Qatar) has been proposed, I put the people together and said can you sort this out between you? They haven't managed to...

McLaren-Honda is confident it will see the chequered flag in Melbourne. Together again after more than two decades, the famous British team and the returning Japanese manufacturer notably struggled at the opening winter test at Jerez. "I thought they would be on the same level as Renault and Ferrari," said former McLaren driver David Coulthard. "They (Honda) had an extra year to develop the package for racing, having announced two years ago that they are returning to formula one. "I was...