GP Racing UK June 2020

F1 cars haven’t turned wheels since February, thanks to coronavirus menacing the globe, but while some drivers have been getting twitchy feet in lockdown, others have sharpened pencils and drawn fresh life into F1 off track, giving fans something new and exciting to discuss while F1’s on pause. I’m talking of course about the recent driver merry-go-round triggered by Sebastian Vettel’s looming exit from Ferrari. In last month’s GP Racing we carried an interview with Vettel in which he declared his desire to renew terms with the Scuderia, but tellingly he stressed the need to feel “comfortable” with the deal and suggested he expected at least a three-year contract, in line with his previous two. Now both parties have decided to split, we can safely assume Ferrari’s final offer didn’t meet…

RICHARD WILLIAMS The author of several excellent F1 books, Richard has penned our seven-parter on the 70 most influential people in 70 years of F1 (p28) BEN EDWARDS Soichiro Honda's drive and desire to reach the top, and the link to Honda's ambitions today, are analysed by Ben on page 20 MARK GALLAGHER John Malone, the relatively unknown chairman of Liberty Media, comes under Mark's spotlight this month (page 25) STUART CODLING Robert Kubica's return to Alfa, née Sauber (p48) and the McLaren M14A (p66) have been the main focus of Stuart's efforts for this issue…

Sutil kerbs his enthusiasm The final chicane at Montréal is a very challenging place, especially with the ‘Wall of Champions’ waiting at the exit. In 2005 they raised the kerbs to dissuade drivers from shortcutting it. You can see here why this modification didn’t last long… There was a hole in the fence to give drivers an exit route if they crashed. You could also shoot through it, across the corner. The chicane is at the end of a straight and leads on to another one, so drivers always have to push the limits here and sometimes they get it wrong. The Spyker was an old design and a bit of a handful to drive, as Adrian Sutil is demonstrating. Photographer Ercole Columbo Where Montréal, Canada When 1.22 pm, Friday 8 June 2007 Details Nikon D2Xs, 300mm…

“ WE ARE LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR FUTURE, AND WE WANT TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSPECTIVE.WE TALKED WITH SEBASTIAN, AND WE FOUND OUT WE DIDN’T SHARE THE SAME GOALS, SHORT OR LONG-TERM GOALS ”MATTIA BINOTTO 01 2021 SEAT SWAPS SORTED BEFORE 2020 STARTS 02 BRITISH GP IN PERIL AGAIN REVISED CALENDAR TAKES SHAPE 03 ‘NEW DEAL’ AGREED TO SHORE UP IMPERILLED TEAMS 01 01 VETTEL’S OPTIONS DIMINISHING Although 2021 will now be a season of continuity on the technical front after the introduction of new rules was deferred, that stability won’t extend to the occupants of the cars. Sebastian Vettel’s failure to secure a contract extension with Ferrari has triggered a host of unexpected seat swaps and left the four-time champion in limbo. Vettel is understood to have been seeking a multi-year contract, given his…

Q1 Which was Stoffel Vandoorne’s last points-scoring race in Formula 1? Q2 Which three races did Mark Webber win twice during his F1 career? Q3 In 2021 Carlos Sainz will be the third Spaniard to drive for Ferrari in F1. Who are the other two? Q4 How many times has Lewis Hamilton been classified outside the top ten in a race in his 250 starts: nine, 14, or 21? Q5 Which two engine manufacturers have only won a single world championship race? Q6 How many times was the Luxembourg Grand Prix run at the Nürburgring: two, three or four? Q7 True or false: every time Max Verstappen has started on the front row of an F1 race he has finished the race either first or second? Q8 Which manufacturer won more world championship F1 races: Cooper or…

HONDA: A WELL-TRODDEN ROAD TO SUCCESS Inspirational people abound in motorsport. From top-level drivers who astonish us with their skill, control and courage, to people behind the scenes who create the facilities and technology for it all to be realised on track. That human element of determination and commitment in the face of sky-high challenges is always impressive. The coronavirus lockdown gave me a chance to revisit the career of a man whose influence is still part of the modern scene, and who overcame national and global traumas to emerge as a figurehead in the world of mechanised transport. A book on the subject arrived on my doorstep thanks to my neighbour having a clear out, and I was soon immersed. Soichiro Honda was born in 1906 in a period of severe economic recession.…