Race Weekend Central

Eyes on Xfinity: Series Provides NASCAR Gateway for F1 & IndyCar Drivers

Santino Ferrucci NASCAR IndyCar

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

On the same day that Ty Gibbs won his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season at Kansas Speedway last Saturday (Oct. 23), a connection between two very different racing series was being made in Austin, Texas. The Circuit of the Americas in Austin hosted the United States Grand Prix weekend in front of …

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F1 Midweek: Losing & Learning, McLaren & Lando Norris

Lando Norris, Mclaren Mcl35m Front On

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M out front at Sochi (credit: McLaren Media)

This past Sunday (Sept. 26) at the Russian Grand Prix, Lando Norris gave away what would have been his first Formula 1 win. His mistake came when he thought he could manage his slick tires to the end of the race on an increasingly wet track. While it might be easy to chalk up his …

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F1 Review: Sir Lewis Hamilton Extends His Excellence at the Russian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton emerged victorious at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix. (Photo: Steve Etherington / Mercedes)

Lewis Hamilton celebrates at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, Sunday - (credit:Steve Etherington, Mercedes - AMG)

Lewis Hamilton started fourth, got squeezed heading into turn 1, fell back to seventh, and then started his climb through the Russian Grand Prix field.  By lap 2, he had taken sixth but could not make the gains that would be anticipated from his Mercedes in the early stages of the race. Instead, he held …

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F1 Midweek: Is F1 Sending a Message to Max Verstappen?

MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 11: Second place finisher Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza on September 11, 2021 in Monza, Italy. Lars Baron/Getty Images

(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images via Red Bull Content Pool)

While Daniel Ricciardo celebrated by drinking the victory champagne out of his shoe at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend in Monza, Italy, the big story from the race – well, truly, the big story – is that Daniel Ricciardo won a race. A quick aside: Ricciardo’s win should not be cast aside too quickly. …

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F1 Review: Daniel Ricciardo’s Victory at the Italian Grand Prix Ends McLaren Drought

Daniel Ricciardo celebrates on the podium of the 2021 Italian Grand Prix Sept. 12.

(credit: McLaren Media)

For the second straight year, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (Sept. 12) provided an upset winner.  Last year, Pierre Gasly benefitted from an unusual set of circumstances that placed him in second on a restart after a red flag – a position from which he jumped to the lead and then held on for …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Peerless in F1’s Return to the Dutch Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix Of The Netherlands

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - SEPTEMBER 05: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on September 05, 2021 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) // SI202109051288 // Usage for editorial use only //

By the end of the first lap, Max Verstappen had cleared Lewis Hamilton by almost two seconds and from then on, he faced no challenge in claiming the win at the Dutch Grand Prix. Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort, Netherlands for the first time since 1985 on Sunday (Sept. 5) and the scene surrounding Verstappen’s …

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F1 Review: Max Verstappen Wins the Belgian Grand Prix That Wasn’t

Race winner Max Verstappen poses after the rain-shortened 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. (Photo: Getty Images)

SPA, BELGIUM - AUGUST 29: Race winner Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, second placed George Russell of Great Britain and Williams and third placed Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 29, 2021 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202108290481 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen earned his 16th Formula 1 win at the Belgian Grand Prix after turning just one lap at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on Sunday (Aug. 29).  There may be a prospect for confusion, a reason to question that one lap is the correct distance, but that is how the GP is officially scored. …

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F1 Midweek: The Battles Shaping the Hungarian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton inside Max Verstappen at the start of the 2021 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1

Start of British GP at Silverstone (Photo: LAT Images via Mercedes AMG F1)

The upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix marks the 11th race of the 2021 Formula 1 schedule and also the last before the summer break. When everyone in the sport goes and does whatever they do for the month of August, the sport will not even have reached its midpoint. The way this season is going, that’s …

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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: Red Bull Beats Mercedes at Its Own Game at the French Grand Prix

2021 France F1 Max Verstappen Sergio Perez embrace Clive Rose Getty Images Red Bull

(Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images via Red Bull Racing)

Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team turned the table on Mercedes at the Formula 1 French Grand Prix on Sunday (June 20).  Verstappen earned his third win of the 2021 season and the 13th of his career.  The victory extended his lead in the championship from four points to 12 (131-119) over Lewis Hamilton, …

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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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