Edd Straw

Formula 1

Why the spirit of the regulations does exist in F1

F1 now effectively has a system in place to regulate whether the spirit of its regulations have been respected. That doesn’t mean the mechanism will always be used to effectively declare designs illegal – but it can do so if necessary

Formula 1

Jeddah set to keep Saudi GP for longer than planned

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit that hosted last year’s inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix could continue to host the race until 2025, an extension of two years beyond the original plan

Formula 1

Upgraded Mercedes F1 car emerges with minimised sidepods

The upgraded Mercedes W13 featuring a bold and aggressive minimal sidepod treatment has broken cover on the morning of the first day of the Bahrain Formula 1 test

Formula 1

Haas to miss start of Bahrain F1 test, will field Fittipaldi

The Haas F1 team’s start to the Bahrain test has been delayed by the late arrival of freight, with the team now set to miss the first morning

Formula 1

Haas needs morale boost and to show head-start wasn’t wasted

Even putting the Nikita Mazepin/Uralkali upheaval aside, Haas needs a good final 2022 pre-season Formula 1 test having only managed one decent day from three at Barcelona. And given it wrote off its 2021 season to focus on getting 2022 right, that’s not ideal

Formula 1

Test two F1 cars could be very different – especially Mercedes

Whether it’s down to just the nature of development and build cycles, or in reaction to Barcelona problems, many Formula 1 teams are expected to have very different cars in Bahrain for this week’s final pre-season test. And will Mercedes repeat its trick of 2017 and ’19?

Formula 1

Why F1 is so much more of an ‘efficiency race’ in 2022

Formula 1’s development battle in 2022 is “an efficiency race” given the impact of the cost cap and aerodynamic testing restrictions, according to Williams team boss Jost Capito

Formula 1

The ‘aggressive’ dark horse of F1 testing so far

With admiring glances from rivals for a tidy car and a relatively untroubled start to 2022, AlphaTauri could be on course to continue to mix it with the manufacturers

Formula 1

Why weight is such a headache for F1 teams in 2022

Even top Formula 1 teams are struggling to get their 2022 cars down to the minimum weight. Edd Straw explains why

Formula 1

How ‘brute force aero’ makes 2022 F1 cars easier to drive

It seems easier to make a stable and predictable Formula 1 handling platform under the simplified 2022 aero rules. That’s good news for McLaren

Formula 1

Active suspension is the fix F1 teams need – but won’t get

The porpoising problem tormenting Formula 1 teams could be solved in an instant if active suspension was allowed again. Some technical directors fancy that, but it’s not going to happen – as Edd Straw explains

Formula 1

Why a four-decade-old problem took F1 teams by surprise

Porpoising quickly became the big tech talking point and form differentiator at the Barcelona Formula 1 test. But why did a problem common in the previous ground effect aero era appear to catch the 2022 F1 field unprepared?

Formula 1

Alfa Romeo has fix for problems that shocked it in F1 test

Alfa Romeo had one of the worst Formula 1 test weeks of any team as porpoising led to other problems. It believes it’s found a solution

Formula 1

Barcelona hid the ‘true difficulties’ of the 2022 F1 cars

If teams and drivers thought the 2022 Formula 1 cars’ porpoising was bad at Barcelona, just wait until they get to bumpy circuits and tracks that need heavy kerb use

Formula 1

F1’s new philosophy in combatting design loopholes

The FIA now has the measures in place to enforce not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of its high-stakes 2022 F1 rules overhaul

Formula 1

The engine knock-on of F1’s 2022 chassis reset explained

Formula 1’s new chassis regulations will have a profound effect on the way that the power unit packages are operated during 2022

Formula 1

Ferrari forced into ‘daring design solutions’ with F1 engine

Ferrari has made massive changes to its Formula 1 engine for 2022, creating a power unit containing “so much that is new and innovative” as it pushed to get ahead before the engine freeze kicks in

Formula 1

Ferrari to run new 2022 F1 car twice before testing

Ferrari will give its newly-revealed 2022 Formula 1 car an initial shakedown in a demonstration run at Fiorano on Friday, the first of two days that the 2022 Ferrari will run on before pre-season testing.

Formula 1

What makes McLaren’s 2022 F1 car a ‘futureproofed platform’

McLaren technical director James Key describes the team’s newly-launched 2022 Formula 1 car as a “future-proofed for development”

Formula 1

F1 sprint races announced for 2022, will award more points

Three sprint races will be held during the 2022 Formula 1 season, and award more than double the points of their 2021 predecessors

Formula 1

Why Norris is ‘prepared to drive in different ways’ in 2022

Lando Norris admits he is aware “in the back of my head” that modifying his driving style to suit the 2022 Formula 1 cars could prove difficult given he adapted so well to the esoteric characteristics of the last generation of McLaren machinery

Formula 1

Stroll: Ridiculous Abu Dhabi shows rules must be set in stone

The incorrect handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was “ridiculous” according to Lance Stroll, who has called for the application of the regulations to be set in stone

Formula 1

Set-up errors could lead to huge pace swings in F1 2022

There will be a much bigger difference in pace between teams “getting it right and getting it wrong” with the way they are setting up and running the cars in the early stages of the 2022 Formula 1 season, reckons Mercedes

Formula 1

The two-pronged performance boost new Norris deal can offer

The multi-faceted psychological boost of a new McLaren deal is part of why Lando Norris didn’t explore rival F1 teams’ interest further

Formula 1

The out-of-sight ‘total redesign’ within F1’s 2022 revolution

Big Formula 1 wheels in 2022 means bigger braking discs. Edd Straw explains what’s changed to cope with the demands of F1’s new era

Formula 1

Alpine reveals its reshuffled F1 technical line-up

The Alpine Formula 1 team has announced its revamped technical leadership structure following the departure of former executive director Marcin Budkowski last month

Formula 1

What lingering ‘deficiencies’ mean for an F1 underdog

During Formula 1’s last regulations cycle, AlphaTauri emerged as a top-half-of-the-grid team by making steady but relentless progress. With major rule changes posing a huge challenge, it’s legitimate to ask whether what remains one of F1’s smaller teams can sustain such progress

Formula 1

We really might be witnessing F1’s biggest-ever rule change

Many experienced figures in F1 have spent much of the lead-up to 2022 talking up the size of the changes – and with good reason, for they are seismic

Formula 1

Where Mercedes expects most visual variety in 2022 F1 cars

Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott admits the 2022 Formula 1 cars will “look similar” to each other given the prescriptive rules, but has identified one area where visual differences will be clear

Formula 1

Why Alpine failing is Piastri’s best shot at F1

Oscar Piastri will be working his hardest to support Alpine from the sidelines in 2022. But his best shot at getting into Formula 1 is for the team to fail this year as Edd Straw explains

Formula 1

Why F1 still hasn’t outgrown its decade-old ‘necessary evil’

The often-maligned DRS heads into its 12th F1 season this year, having – for now – survived yet another rules overhaul

Formula 1

Why first F1 2022 test will be more private than usual

The first test of Formula 1’s new era will be far lower-key than fans have been used to in recent yers, with no live timing or TV coverage

Formula 1

Why Ferrari’s Leclerc/Sainz pairing is F1’s best balanced

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have a complementary skillset and good relationship that makes the pairing “as good as it gets”, according to the Formula 1 team’s racing director Laurent Mekies

Formula 1

Some teams will get 2022 F1 rules ‘badly wrong’ – Mercedes

Mercedes has warned that “one or two cars on the grid will have got it really badly wrong” when Formula 1’s 2022 season begins

Formula 1

Gasly must make his ‘key move’ – But where can he go?

“It’s important for me to show that if there is a free seat, I should be the first choice.” Whether it’s back to Red Bull or elsewhere, Pierre Gasly wants to progress up the Formula 1 grid in 2023 in what he admits is a “key move” for his career

Formula 1

Will 2021 F1 intensity hurt Red Bull and Mercedes in 2022?

Did the ferocity of the 2021 Formula 1 championship fight put Red Bull and Mercedes at a disadvantage in their preparations for the 2022 rules? Especially given the aero testing restrictions both face?

Formula 1

What Russell’s Mercedes F1 debut tells us about 2022

We’ve already had a preview of what George Russell can do in a Mercedes. And it’s the attitude he showed and how he worked behind the scenes on that incredible Sakhir Grand Prix weekend that really bodes well for his big 2022 Formula 1 chance

Formula 1

Brown calls for F1 stewards to be full-time – Why aren’t they?

As McLaren boss Zak Brown calls for Formula 1 to have full-time stewards, Edd Straw tries to fathom why it doesn’t already

Formula 1

Verstappen blends Senna and Prost but can learn from Hamilton

Max Verstappen is often seen as an Ayrton Senna style racer, yet he also has Alain Prost like qualities that tend to be underestimated. But looking at Lewis Hamilton’s trajectory shows how much better Verstappen can still become

Formula 1

F1 in sprint race stand-off over ‘nonsense’ demands

Zak Brown has warned that Formula 1’s plan to stage six sprint-race events this year could be derailed by the “nonsense” arguments used by certain unspecified big teams to push for an increase in the cost cap