Professional racing drivers tend to fight shy of admitting to a favourite circuit because any such pronouncement presupposes that there are tracks where they might find themselves unable to give…
Jaguar was nicely low-key at Le Mans in 1953. It had panicked the year before and radically altered its cars at the last minute, paid a heavy price for it…
Montréal is a fair city. Its Grand Prix circuit ain’t too shabby either: interesting location, quirky backdrop; layout conducive to good racing. The Wall of Champions, the big stops, the…
Ross James Brawn knows quality when he sees it. And so he should – he used to watch as a goggle-eyed kid Manchester’s Belle Vue Aces in their Hyde Road…
Ivan Lendl never did win the Wimbledon Men’s Singles. Don Bradman never did score a Test century at Old Trafford. Jim Clark never did win the Monaco Grand Prix. ‘The…
Home advantage is in the main a psychological and statistical given. Familiarity with a venue creates a powerful force when combined with the will of the majority of its crowd.…
Tip-top tin-topper Gabriele Tarquini has always been as fit as a butcher’s dog. He has possessed since shedding his curly mop a marathon runner’s look: spare and lean, with bulging…
Onofre Marimón was killed during practice for the 1954 German Grand Prix. Seven years after the event his compatriot Juan Manuel Fangio wrote: “No death on the track, I think,…
It’s difficult to think of two countries with less climatic, cultural and economic crossover than mañana Mexico and like-clockwork Switzerland. They’re chilli peppers and Emmental. But Pedro and Jo –…
Races had always been against the clock. Practice was a more leisurely pursuit: a chance to (re)acquaint and rehearse and, hopefully, to fine-tune and, at worst, rebuild. Until the Monaco…
You knew where you were with Luigi Fagioli: in his bad books – unless, that is, you were helping to ensure he was winning. Because of his generally grumpy demeanour,…
Much play was made of the Melbourne podium because Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel were/are most people’s pre-season title picks – albeit not necessarily in that order. But…