Race Weekend Central

Slipstream Saturday: Vettel’s Penalty Stands, Steiner Warns of Too Many Crashes

Sebastian Vettel

(Photo: Aston Martin F1 Media)

Formula 1 is on its annual summer break, with the next race not until Aug. 29 when the Belgian Grand Prix is held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This allow the usual hectic buzz surrounding F1 to die down a little, and things have been fairly quiet since the teams left Hungary.  One of the questions …

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Slipstream Saturday: The F1 Summer Break, Checking the Waters

F1 Grand Prix of Hungary

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 01: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda with a broken bargeboard during the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 01, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202108010407 // Usage for editorial use only //

The Formula 1 show is on hiatus for the next few weeks, taking the customary summer break and allowing all the drivers time to flock to their yachts and relax. The series has raced 11 times thus far, and Lewis Hamilton has managed to find himself atop the standings once again, even if he is …

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F1 Review: Esteban Ocon Awesome in Hungary; Fernando Alonso Mimics Younger Self

Esteban Ocon from F1 on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix. (Photo: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon on track at the Hungarian Grand Prix (credit: FIA Images)

Esteban Ocon benefitted from calamity at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix and then a major gaffe by Mercedes to earn his first Formula 1 win on Sunday (Aug. 1).  Ocon, however, was not gifted the victory and was forced to hold off Sebastian Vettel for almost the entirety of the race.  Vettel appeared …

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Slipstream Saturday: Red Bull Still Sore, Sprint Race at Monza & Valtteri Bottas Rumor

F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 18: Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner looks on from the grid before the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 18, 2021 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202107180353 // Usage for editorial use only //

Formula 1 is taking this weekend off before heading to the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Aug. 1.  That means everyone involved in the sport can lean back into comfy chairs, sip a cold beverage and watch The Olympics; leaving the worries of the F1 world to pass by. That’s not how F1 …

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F1 Review: Peak Lewis Hamilton Wins British Grand Prix After Contact With Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton cheers after winning the 2021 British Grand Prix (Photo: LAT Images)

Lewis Hamilton 2021 British Grand Prix, Sunday - LAT Images

Lewis Hamilton made the most of his trip to his home track for the British Grand Prix.  After earning pole for the qualifying sprint race and losing the pole for the GP to Max Verstappen, Hamilton put together a classic performance in charging to victory Sunday (July 18). But his win at the British GP …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Makes It Look Easy at the Austrian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen wins again in Austria GP, Red Bull Honda Mobil 1, celebration with champagne, Photo by Christian Bruna - Pool/Getty Images

(Photo by Christian Bruna - Pool/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

Max Verstappen breezed to his fifth win of 2021 at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday (July 4).  After securing the pole on Saturday, the race was Verstappen’s to lose and once he eked ahead of Lando Norris once the lights went out, Verstappen was on his way to the win. By claiming his 15th …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Victorious in Styrian Grand Prix

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JUNE 27: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Styria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

(Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images via Red Bull Racing)

Max Verstappen earned his fourth win of the 2021 Formula 1 season with a dominating drive in the Styrian Grand Prix on Sunday (June 27).  The victory, coming at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, is the 14th of his career and gives him a 156-138 lead over second-place point man Lewis Hamilton in the …

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F1 Review: Sergio Perez Prevails in Bizarre Azerbaijan Grand Prix

2021 Azerbaijan GP Sergio Perez trophy Peter Fox Getty

Sergio Perez celebrating in Baku (Photo: Peter Fox/Getty Images via Red Bull Racing)

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix looked like it might be another Lewis Hamilton romp after he took the lead on lap 3.  For a few circuits, that narrative stayed true and it would have been easy to consider finding something else to do rather than watch Hamilton add to his ridiculous win total. But the way …

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Slipstream Saturday: Fernando Alonso Proposes Rules Shakeup For Monaco

Fernando Alonso

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Monaco Grand Prix last weekend was one of the most exciting races around the streets of Monte Carlo in recent years. This was in part due to Lewis Hamilton’s uncharacteristic struggles, which left him down in seventh in qualifying and unable to improve his position in the race while title rival Max Verstappen dashed …

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F1 Midweek: Checking on 2021 New Driver Hires

Sergio Perez drives at the F1 Grand Prix of Spain, May 2021. (Photo: Getty Images)

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 09: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 09, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202105090420 // Usage for editorial use only //

With four races complete in the 2021 Formula 1 season, there is enough data to start checking on not only the teams that are performing well, but more importantly on the drivers that have switched seats. Consider this F1 column a way of checking on the new faces and places. Before touching upon the drivers, …

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F1 Review: Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes, the Perfect Marriage in Spain

2021 Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday - Steve Etherington

2021 Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday - Steve Etherington

The start of the Spanish Grand Prix portended Max Verstappen might equal Lewis Hamilton’s tally for Formula 1 race wins in 2021.  Verstappen powered by pole-sitter Hamilton into turn 1 and then pushed out to nearly a two-second lead. The power failure to Yuki Tsunoda’s Alpha Tauri brought out a safety car that looked like …

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