Earlier this year, the Goodwood Festival of Speed course record finally fell, to the McMurtry Speirling. Nick Heidfeld had used McLaren’s 1998 Formula 1 contender, the MP4/13, to set the bar at 41.6 seconds in 1999 but Max Chilton managed to blitz this by taking his remarkable electric-powered machine up the hill in 39.08s. The Volkswagen I.D. R’s sub-40 second run in 2019, also eclipsed by Chilton, was not officially recognised as a record due to it taking place on the Saturday.
There are a number of aspects that make the Speirling unusual but the most dramatic – and most obvious from outside the car – is the twin-fan set-up that lowers the pressure under the vehicle to improve grip. In the case of Goodwood, the drama of outright speed was emphasised by an unusually dusty surface resulting in a visible rooster tail trailing the car as it stormed up the hill.
Russell: “Mixed emotions” after unexpected Spa F1 podium shot
George Russell admits he was left with “mixed emotions” after the Formula 1 Belgian GP having come tantalisingly close to securing a podium finish.
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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the harsh reality of dealing with losing in Formula 1 is a world away from fluffy Instagram posts romanticising it will be character building.
Exclusive: Zandvoort trials ‘fake’ gravel trap solution for F1 Dutch GP
Zandvoort’s Formula 1 track has fitted an experimental ‘fake’ gravel trap solution for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix to help reduce the risk of red flag stoppages.
Top 10 BRM F1 drivers ranked: Fangio, Stewart, Hill and more
BRM – or British Racing Motors – was Britain’s first Formula 1 team and one of the leading squads of the 1960s. Here are its best drivers across the squad’s history
The scale of the challenge facing Audi’s F1 assault
OPINION: Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 for 2026 was confirmed on the eve of the Belgian Grand Prix. It marks the series’ first new engine manufacturer of the hybrid era since Honda’s difficult return with McLaren in 2015. The might of Audi will surely make it a force in F1 in time, but the scale of the task ahead of it is massive
The myth and merit in Alonso’s Hamilton F1 racing claim at Spa
OPINION: Fernando Alonso was typically forthright in his immediate view of Lewis Hamilton’s driving in their crash at the start of the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix. But away from the spotlight pressure and team radio adrenaline, it’s worth assessing the accuracy of his claims in the context of Formula 1’s changing eras
Belgian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Formula 1 roared back into action after the summer break at the Belgian Grand Prix, where the grid was shaken up by engine penalties which created different opportunities for drivers to shine. While the sole top score can probably be predicted, there were plenty of other high marks at Spa
How Verstappen scored the best win of his F1 career and furthered Leclerc’s downfall
Nothing could deny Max Verstappen’s Spa surge as he charged to a ninth Formula 1 win of the season, while yet more bad luck and questionable calls mired Charles Leclerc. Here’s how the Red Bull driver dominated the Belgian Grand Prix
The traditionalist F1 venue stuck in a philosophical row
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Which teams adapted best to F1’s new 2022 rules?
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Why Verstappen has the upper hand for Spa’s recovery race
Formula 1 title rivals Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both face a battle to recover from the rear of the grid after engine penalties. But it appears the championship leader is in the box seat on pace to salvage the most from a potentially tricky Belgian Grand Prix
How Formula 1’s Audi coup has been realised
Formula 1 has pulled off a major coup in encouraging Audi to join the series as an engine manufacturer from the 2026 season. It speaks to the surge in popularity F1 is enjoying, with Porsche set to follow suit. Here’s how F1 snared the four rings, and what comes next for the famous German marque as it sets about tackling its new challenge
Russell: Spa F1 flexi floor clampdown could bring Mercedes into the mix
Wolff: F1 cannot risk “NFL situation” by doing nothing on porpoising
