Matt Beer

Formula 1

What McLaren’s best day yet tells us

On day five of six in 2020 Formula 1 testing Lando Norris gave the McLaren MCL35 its most competitive showing of pre-season to date. So where does the team stand now?

Formula 1

Why what Ferrari is “clearly hiding” is so confusing

Ferrari is still pushing a clear narrative with one day of Formula 1 testing left: that it is behind Mercedes. Rivals think it’s being disingenuous, but it’s a confusing picture

Formula 1

Verstappen among drivers racing in rFactor 2 GT Pro Series

All 30 drivers competing in the rFactor 2 GT Pro series have been confirmed, including Formula 1 star Max Verstappen

Formula 1

Vettel remains fastest, engine trouble halts Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel’s morning benchmark remained the fastest time set on the penultimate day of Formula 1 pre-season testing, as an oil-related engine problem ended Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton’s running

IndyCar

Pigot gets IndyCar lifeline with new team

Spencer Pigot has been announced as the driver for the new Citrone/Buhl Autosport IndyCar entry, and will compete at both Indianapolis events

Formula 1

Red Bull introduces dramatic bargeboard changes

Red Bull introduced an upgrade package during the second day of the final pre-season Formula 1 test that includes a dramatic bargeboard change

Formula 1

Mercedes’ day ends early as it hits more engine problems

Mercedes’ penultimate day of 2020 Formula 1 pre-season testing has been interrupted by a power unit problem during Lewis Hamilton’s session

MotoGP

The missing pieces in MotoGP’s 2021 rider market

The 2020 MotoGP season hasn’t turned a wheel in anger and already there are a significant number of riders with their future secure for 2021 and beyond. That’s something of a surprise, because with every single works rider out of contract at the end of 2020 this was expected to be a long-winded and

Formula 1

Vettel fastest as Ferrari starts to show rapid pace

Sebastian Vettel topped Thursday morning of the second Formula 1 test, as Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all had off-track moments

Formula 1

Williams having to make test ‘sacrifices’ amid Mercedes failures

Williams is frustrated by the loss of track time due to being onto its third Mercedes engine during pre-season Formula 1 testing, which has caused it to “sacrifice” parts of its programme

Formula 1

First images of Zandvoort’s banked corners revealed

The first images of Zandvoort’s completed new banked corners have been revealed following the completion of work on two sections of track for Formula 1’s returning Dutch Grand Prix

Formula 1

Why Wednesday was the most misleading day of testing so far

Throughout 2020 Formula 1 pre-season testing we and the teams have preached that as time passes and we acquire more data, the picture will become clearer. But that wasn’t the case as week two kicked off

Formula 1

The reasons behind McLaren’s new floor

McLaren arrived at the second Formula 1 test of 2020 with a new floor, following some trials in week one at Barcelona. Gary Anderson explains what it’s changed and why

Formula 1

Video: Mind games between Ferrari and Mercedes begin

The first day of the second Formula 1 test of 2020 brought an escalation in the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, as our reporters explain from the Barcelona paddock

Formula 1

Kubica stays on top, Verstappen sets afternoon pace

Robert Kubica concluded the first day of the second pre-season Formula 1 test fastest for Alfa Romeo, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the fastest time of the afternoon in second overall

Formula 1

Ferrari had idea like DAS but thought it was illegal

The Ferrari Formula 1 team says it considered a system like Mercedes’ DAS in the past but did not pursue it because of concerns over legality and performance benefits

MotoGP

MotoGP on edge as coronavirus travel fears threaten early races

MotoGP’s concerns about coronavirus have stepped up ahead of next weekend’s 2020 season-opening Qatar Grand Prix, as fresh outbreaks of the respiratory illness hit Italy and Japan

Formula 1

Gary Anderson on a “confusing” new Alfa wing

Alfa Romeo introduced a new front wing at the second Formula 1 test. The design is all-new and some of it is confusing – says our technical expert

Formula 1

Mark Hughes explains what morning times really mean

The first morning of the second week of 2020 Formula 1 testing had Robert Kubica’s Alfa Romeo heading the times 0.6s clear of Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri – but the true picture was very different

Formula 1

Kubica fastest for Alfa as testing resumes

Alfa Romeo’s Robert Kubica set the fastest time of the morning session as the second Formula 1 test began at Barcelona, with most teams focusing on long runs and harder tyres

Formula 1

Vietnam track finished but coronavirus risk hits more GPs

The Hanoi circuit has been completed ahead of Vietnam’s planned first Formula 1 race, but the coronavirus outbreak has prompted fresh concerns over the first three grands prix of 2020

Formula 1

Williams tries revised front wing at second test

The Williams Formula 1 team introduced a revised version of its front wing on day one of the second Barcelona test

Formula 1

Why it’s naive to expect an Alonso Indy fairytale

Fernando Alonso will make his third attempt to win the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren Arrow SP in May – but how likely is a victory?

Formula 1

Curved Ferrari wing headlines first new parts at test two

A different rear wing on the Ferrari headlined the early updates introduced by Formula 1 teams as the second 2020 pre-season test began at Barcelona

IndyCar

Alonso reunites with McLaren for 2020 Indy 500

Fernando Alonso has completed a deal with Arrow McLaren SP for his third attempt at the Indianapolis 500 this year

Formula 1

Podcast: We answer your F1 pre-season questions

Gary Anderson joins Scott Mitchell and Edd Straw to answer The Race F1 Podcast listener questions ahead of the second Formula 1 pre-season test

Gaming

The debate over Esports championships prize money

The Gran Turismo Championship doesn’t offer any prize money to its participating drivers and it recently caused a mini-social media storm

Touring Car

Five challenges facing PURE-ETCR

Launching a new motorsport series always comes with many challenges, and the new electric PURE-ETCR series is no exception

Formula 1

McLaren targets being F1 ‘pioneer, not follower’

McLaren needs to become a ‘pioneer’ in Formula 1 again and use the opportunity afforded by new financial and technical regulations to escape the midfield fight after 2021, says Andreas Seidl

Formula E

What’s really going on at Formula E’s bottom team?

The NIO333 Formula E team was last in the championship standings in 2018/19 and is still yet to record a point this year. Sam Smith asks what is really going on at a team which has undergone so many transformations in its short history so far

MotoGP

Honda makes last-gasp breakthrough, will use 2019 aero

Marc Marquez believes he has saved his 2020 MotoGP season at the final moment, figuring out the issues with his new Honda with only two hours of testing to go after experimenting with a 2019 bike

Formula 1

Video: F1 testing 2020 – The story so far

Formula 1 teams are halfway through the shortest pre-season in recent memory, and already some pointers for the 2020 season are emerging

MotoGP

Honda reaching crisis point as Marquez reverts to 2019 bike

Honda’s problems with its 2020 MotoGP machinery have potentially reached a crisis point on the final day of pre-season testing, prompting Marc Marquez to commandeer Takaaki Nakagami’s 2019 bike

Formula 1

Alfa’s new weapon will take “a long time” to use

Alfa Romeo last year became the final Formula 1 team to acquire a driver-in-loop simulator, but has emphasised that it will take a long time before the system will be contributing to its performance

Gaming

€15,000 prize pool for new rFactor 2 Esports championship

The Race has partnered with rFactor 2 to present the all new GT Pro and GT Challenge Series starting in March

Formula 1

Racing Point vehemently hits back over Haas comparisons

Racing Point has hit back vehemently at suggestions its move towards Mercedes’ Formula 1 design concept is ‘ironic’ given its previous criticism of the Haas/Ferrari relationship

IndyCar

The best IndyCar rookies

McLaren SP has picked two very inexperienced drivers for its 2020 IndyCar campaign. Which rookies should Patricio O’Ward and Oliver Askew regard as their benchmarks?

MotoGP

Quartararo quickest in Qatar on day two

Fabio Quartararo ended the second day of MotoGP testing at Qatar back in control for Yamaha

Gaming

Can an Esports star end Brazil’s F1 drought?

Igor Fraga has proven his racing credentials in both the real and virtual sense – could he be the driver to end Brazil’s F1 drought?

Formula 1

Mercedes found ‘really impressive’ engine gains for 2020

Mercedes has made a “really impressive” engine step and developed a Formula 1 car that is “streaks ahead” in terms of downforce from 2019, according to technical director James Allison