Formula 1 Mark Hughes: How Ferrari and Mercedes really compare right now Mercedes reckons Ferrari is in great shape in Formula 1 testing. Ferrari reckons Mercedes is very deliberately hiding its pace via power unit tricks. Mark Hughes digs into the data to search for the true picture, and where Red Bull fits in
Formula 1 Who’s thriving, and who’s toiling, with F1 2022’s car demands F1 2022’s competitive order remains unclear – but some teams are clearly handling its biggest challenges better than others right now
Formula 1 F1 didn’t anticipate Mercedes’ ‘extreme’ 2022 sidepods – Brawn Ross Brawn has admitted F1 didn’t anticipate Mercedes’ “extreme interpretation” of the rules with its new sidepods which have caused a stir in Bahrain
Formula 1 New driver choice could show if Haas is still serious about F1 Now Haas has to replace Nikita Mazepin, its driver choice will show whether it’s serious about Formula 1 success or just a business asset its owner is happy to let drift, says Mark Hughes
Formula 1 Why new Aston F1 chief sees ‘blatant’ BMW-Sauber parallels as key BMW Sauber’s infamous development decision in 2008 disillusioned Mike Krack from Formula 1 with corporate targets overriding the racing realties. Now he’s back with Aston Martin and is keen to help them avoid a repeat as Mark Hughes explains
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Verstappen’s Button-esque new driving style Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen appears to have adopted a new driving style as pre-season testing commences. Mark Hughes explains more
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: What the F1 2022 cars are really like trackside Watching the new F1 cars for the first time trackside leaves now doubt just how staggering the 2022 rule changes really are
Formula 1 Reading between the lines of Hamilton’s F1 retirement thoughts How seriously did Lewis Hamilton consider walking away from Formula 1 after 2021, and how might the feelings he still carries affect 2022? Mark Hughes gives his take on how Hamilton presented his off-season deliberations
Formula 1 Whiting’s calm, pragmatic sidekick Blash is just what F1 needs Charlie Whiting’s long-time assistant Herbie Blash is back in Formula 1’s race direction set-up as a ‘permanent advisor’. It’s a great decision, says Mark Hughes
Formula 1 Teams’ designs are already subverting 2022 F1 rules’ purpose The 2022 Formula 1 rules are specifically intended to make overtaking easier, but it already looks like teams’ designs are going to counteract that
Formula 1 Mercedes and Red Bull’s contrasting handling of Masi is key As the F1 Commission prepares to hear the FIA’s verdict on the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy, Mark Hughes explains the subtle but significant differences in how Red Bull and Mercedes tackled their conversations with race director Michael Masi
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: McLaren’s unconventional 2022 suspension explained The launch of its 2022 car has revealed that McLaren has reversed a Formula 1 suspension convention change that was started by Red Bull in 2009. Mark Hughes explains how it’s different.
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Newey’s genius solutions to F1’s last big resets The lateral thinking Adrian Newey deployed in his designs for the previous biggest rule changes in Formula 1 history set standards everyone else had to scramble to follow. As we wait to see what Newey’s come up with on the 2022 Red Bull, Mark Hughes revisits Newey’s 1998 and 2009 game-changers
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: F1 drivers should decide their own strategy Formula 1 should put the onus on drivers rather than the pitwall to decide on strategy based on the available data, argues Mark Hughes
Formula 1 More Ferrari, less Dallara – Haas’s 2022 F1 design explained Haas has always had a unique design method compared to its Formula 1 rivals, and it’s a process that has changed again for its brand-new 2022 car
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: F1’s new engine freeze has a crucial difference The engine freeze concept returns to Formula 1 for 2022. The previous version was a success, but this time the consequences for anyone who’s got an element of their power unit wrong could be greater
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: The F1 cost cap’s loopholes and likely flashpoints Formula 1 is relying on fear of unspecified huge penalties and whistle-blowers to ensure grey areas in the cost cap rules aren’t exploited. But rules cannot control what people think about
Formula 1 Williams F1 team splits with its engineering director Williams has parted company with its Formula 1 engineering director Adam Carter, who had effectively taken technical control in the aftermath of Paddy Lowe’s 2019 departure
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: The make-or-break element in the 2022 F1 rules The new 2022 F1 car design regulations have been the big topic of discussion – but they may be only the second most important factor in determining whether the upcoming campaign is a success
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Hamilton/FIA stand-off has echoes of Senna Anyone with Formula 1 memories stretching back as far as pre-season 1990 may be feeling a sense of deja-vu as the current stand-off between the FIA and Lewis Hamilton plays out
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Where the 2021 F1 title was really won and lost Abu Dhabi was the final chapter but Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 Formula 1 title fight wasn’t just decided by one controversial race. Mark Hughes digs into where each of the rivals let points slip – and why – during this epic season
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: What happened in Hamilton’s ‘down years’ Why did it take Lewis Hamilton so long to follow up his maiden F1 title? Mark Hughes revisits the seven-time champion’s ‘wilderness’ era
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: How F1 2021 team-mates stacked up in qualifying Mark Hughes crunches the qualifying numbers from the 2021 Formula 1 season to see who triumphed in each intra-team battle
Formula 1 Vettel in full: Society, activism and why F1 risks ‘disappearing’ Sebastian Vettel speaks candidly about the issues that concern him most, from Formula 1’s slow response to the climate crisis to the poor human rights records of the countries that F1 visits
Formula 1 Car or driver? Inside Red Bull’s F1 title-winning 2021 gains Red Bull became the first F1 team in the hybrid era to produce a car capable of battling – and beating – Mercedes throughout a season. Mark Hughes examines how the team and Honda pulled it off, and if the RB16B deserves more praise than it sometimes got from its own team boss late in the year
Formula 1 How Ferrari recovered from its bruising 40-year F1 low After a miserable 2020 season, Ferrari took a big stride in its journey back to the front of the Formula 1 field in 2021. Mark Hughes details the improvements the team made this year
Formula 1 Foundational or worrying? How to judge F1’s 2021 question mark Despite winning a race, Alpine’s fifth in the constructors’ championship was a relative under-performance. Mark Hughes assesses the team’s year and how its claimed focus on next year has impacted its fortunes
Formula 1 How good was Ralf Schumacher? Mark Hughes’ verdict An extreme initial driving style, a lot of paranoia, a very famous brother but plenty of talent – Ralf Schumacher definitely deserved his place in Formula 1. In an article requested by The Race Members’ Club, Mark Hughes assessed Ralf’s F1 career
Formula 1 Why F1’s ‘Green Mercedes’ tumbled backwards in 2021 Mirroring Mercedes’ design concept worked wonders for Racing Point in 2020, but when the regulation changes hit that philosophy, what had become Aston Martin couldn’t recover
Formula 1 How Williams’ peaky F1 design gamble paid off The car that began Williams’ recovery was still largely the terrible 2019 design. Mark Hughes explains a technical gamble that swapped ‘consistent but slow’ for the chance of occasional highs
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: A random piece of luck settled F1 2021 title fight Mercedes had a clear edge when it counted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but then happenstance left Lewis Hamilton a sitting duck. Mark Hughes unravels an incredible 2021 Formula 1 finale
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Expected major exits mark major F1 power shift As of next season, F1 technical matters are to be transferred from FOM to the governing body, the FIA, with Pat Symonds and Ross Brawn likely to depart
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Where Verstappen found his stunning pole pace Red Bull went into Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying seemingly off Mercedes’ pace, yet it and Max Verstappen turned things around and beat Lewis Hamilton to pole. This is how
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Who really has the edge after Abu Dhabi Friday? Is Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen in best shape after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice? It’s not as clear as the headline times suggest, and both Mercedes and Red Bull have puzzles to solve tonight
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Ferocious Verstappen made Saudi F1 on the edge Max Verstappen’s drive of startling ferocity in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix left Lewis Hamilton mentally exhausted and Formula 1’s officials struggling to keep up. Mark Hughes breaks it down
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Mercedes’ weakness can give Verstappen a lifeline Should Max Verstappen actually start the Saudi GP in third, he’s still in a great place if Mercedes’ glaring weakness carries over
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: What gives Mercedes its slender Saudi advantage Mercedes has its nose in front of Red Bull on the evidence of the opening two Formula 1 practice sessions in Saudi Arabia. But what’s making the difference? Mark Hughes gives his verdict in his Friday analysis
Formula 1 Will remaining 2021 F1 tracks suit Red Bull or Mercedes? Will the remaining circuits in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight be more suited to Red Bull or Mercedes? Mark Hughes gave his verdict on this week’s episode of The Race F1 Podcast
Formula 1 ‘It doesn’t matter’ – Verstappen’s dull but ideal media approach Max Verstappen has come into the Saudi weekend seemingly absolutely determined to deflect anything which could distract from his title mission if his super-bland answers in the press conference are any guide
Formula 1 Mark Hughes: Frank Williams was a cunning, mischievous delight Veteran F1 journalist Mark Hughes shares his memories of the late Frank Williams, a man “everyone loved – they couldn’t not”