2008 championship runner-up Felipe Massa has backed Bernie Ecclestone’s proposal to install a medals-style scoring system in Formula 1 as an “interesting idea”. But the Ferrari driver believes it is wrong of the media to say he, as the winner of the most Grands Prix in 2008, is arguably therefore more deserving of the world championship [...]

Ralf Schumacher is facing the prospect of bowing out of motor racing altogether. The 33-year-old German, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2007 following a disappointing three seasons with Toyota, also had a lacklustre debut in the German touring car series DTM this year. Driving for Mercedes’ effort, he failed to win a race and [...]

Rumours about Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari kept surfacing last year but seemed to have been killed off when the Scuderia revealed it had extended Kimi Raikkonen’s contract. So what do we make of the fresh rumours of Alonso joining the team in 2011? Here’s why I think they make a lot of sense. The best team [...]

Bernie Ecclestone has moved to play down the impact the global financial crisis may have on the world of Formula 1. The Japanese manufacturer Honda has already pulled out, citing the crisis in the car sales industry, but F1’s chief executive insists 2009 will be business as usual. “It’s clear that the world financial crisis affects everyone, [...]

It was a record-breaking year for F1 Fanatic with more visitors, comments and articles than ever before. 4,595,646 page views, 1,667,816 visits Predictably, we got a big surge in traffic as the season started, but there was also a major increase in readership in September as the title battle gathered momentum. And of course there were massive [...]

Max Mosley videos, ugly 2009 F1 cars, the first ever F1 night race… none of these were the subject of the most-read article on F1 Fanatic in 2008. So what was it? Read on to find out. 1. KERS technology revealed Sometimes you spend hours and days painstakingly researching and crafting a new article. Other days you [...]

In the last guest article of 2008 Andrew Tsvyk takes a look at David Coulthard’s career highlights as he makes the switch from F1 racing driver to F1 TV pundit. The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix was his last-ever Formula 1 race. In this article I will look at some of the races that shaped his career. [...]

Paul di Resta has revealed he is “close” to securing a Formula 1 role for 2009. It was believed the 22 year-old Scot had dropped out of contention, after Force India confirmed an unchanged driver lineup for next year. But the Daily Record newspaper reports that a test role remains a possibility. “I’m close to putting pen to [...]

Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen has leapt to the defence of two of Formula 1’s leading figures. The 40-year-old Finn, who retired as a McLaren race driver in 2001, said his countryman Kimi Raikkonen will bounce back to form after a lacklustre season with Ferrari this year. “Kimi did not have a good year, but in 2009 [...]

2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton has been made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) by the Queen. The 23-year-old McLaren driver, who last month became the youngest ever Formula 1 title winner, and the first from Britain in twelve years, said he was “humbled” by the recognition in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours. “It is the [...]

It’s out! Alonso has a Ferrari contract My good friend and colleague Pino Allievi is writing in La Gazetta dello Sport in Italy that Fernando Alonso has a four year contract with Ferrari starting 2011, but with clauses which allow that contract to be brought forward one year to 2010. Fans vote John Motson’s Tottenham gaffe as [...]

If F1 Fanatic readers were in charge Max Mosley would be looking for a new job and Lewis Hamilton would have won the Belgian Grand Prix. Here’s how the voting went in every major poll of 2008 - from adjustable wings to top rookies. Can a budget cap work in F1? 66% said ‘No’ Early on this [...]

Jenson Button should consider sitting out the 2009 season rather than racing for an uncompetitive team. That is the advice of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, after the 28-year-old British driver’s career was thrown into doubt by the shock withdrawal of Honda. Button had just committed to the Japanese manufacturer for another three years, but now faces [...]

Red Bull Technology’s 2009 Formula 1 car, to be used by the energy drink company’s two teams next year, will not roll out of the Milton Keynes factory until March. That is the revelation of Sebastien Buemi, Red Bull Racing’s test driver who is expected to step up to the Toro Rosso race seat for the [...]

Last month Alan said he had enjoyed the “quality arguing” on F1 Fanatic this year. So have I, and I thought it would be a good idea to end the year by looking back at some of our best quality arguments… Biggest row It goes without saying that Spa-gate was the defining argument of the year. This [...]

Fernando Alonso has an agreement to switch to Ferrari in 2011, Italy’s authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The Spanish former double world champion, who is often linked with the famous Maranello based team, could even switch to Ferrari in 2010 as an early replacement for Kimi Raikkonen, who performed disappointingly last season, the newspaper claimed. Gazzetta [...]

Discussions with Michael Schumacher will take place during 2009 to decide if his contract with Ferrari is to be renewed, team boss Stefano Domenicali has revealed. Schumacher, who stepped down from his race role with the Italian team as a seven time world champion in 2006, has subsequently served as an occasional test driver, ambassador and [...]

Reports that the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has or will buy Honda’s Formula 1 team have been denied. The Telmex racing team, owned by Slim’s telecommunications firm and involved in F3 and other series, said in a statement that Slim “has not bought, nor is negotiating to buy” the Brackley based outfit. Slim’s Telmex said the reports, [...]

Jarno Trulli’s manager has added another denial to speculation that the Toyota driver might be replaced before the start of the 2009 season. John Howett, the Cologne based team’s president, has already been quoted as confirming the 34-year-old’s existing contract, following reports that third driver Kamui Kobayashi may be drafted in to partner Timo Glock next [...]

Former Ferrari racer Eddie Irvine believes the Italian team should sack Kimi Raikkonen or slash his pay if the Finn fails to perform in 2009. “If you’re the highest paid you have to be the best and he’s not doing the job, simple as that,” the Ulsterman, who was Michael Schumacher’s team mate between 1996 and [...]

Fernando Alonso has inked an agreement with Spain’s new Formula 1 broadcaster from 2009. La Sexta will next year take over from Telecinco in broadcasting the sport within Spain. Alonso, 27, already had a preferential agreement with Telecinco, involving grid interviews and other special access to the former double world champion. The Spanish sports newspaper Marca reports that [...]

Massimo Rivola will in 2009 leave his post as Toro Rosso’s team manager to accept an offer from the reigning constructors’ champions Ferrari. Prior to overseeing the Faenza based squad’s activities under Red Bull ownership, Italian Rivola was Minardi’s long time team manager. Rivola is now to be in charge of Ferrari’s sporting activity and logistics. He will [...]

2008 championship runner-up Felipe Massa has dismissed suggestions that F1 teams’ drive to cut costs should involve reducing driver salaries. Team chiefs, including Massa’s Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali, have indicated that discussions to modify existing driver contracts could take place. But 27-year-old Brazilian Massa, whose strong form in 2008 would ordinarily add to his market value, told [...]

A victory parade for Lewis Hamilton on the streets of McLaren’s local town has been called off. It is reported that civic leaders in Woking, located in the English county of Surrey, baulked at the $160,000 bill to provide security for the event. “Given the council’s financial position and the national and global economic climate, Woking Borough [...]

The 2008 Formula 1 season ended on a high on the track - but the shock withdrawal of Honda was a sting in the tail. With 2009 almost upon us it’s time to take stock of F1’s position as one season ends and a new year begins: the quality of the competition, the future of the [...]