Formula 1 is set for a condensed calendar in 2016 after organisers of the Australian Grand Prix confirmed that their season-opening event will take place on the first weekend in April. Formula 1 campaigns have usually begun in mid-March but next year's event in Melbourne will take place on April 3, allowing for an earlier start time due to daylight saving time. It is not clear yet why Formula 1 management has opted to compact next season's races into a shorter time frame. "It's fantastic […]

Melbourne has secured the Australian Formula One Grand Prix until 2020 after striking a new deal that will reduce the taxpayer subsidy of around $50 million a year, the head of the Victoria state government said on Sunday. The race, which has been run in the city's Albert Park since switching from Adelaide in 1996, became a local political issue because of the noise and the subsidy, which amounted to A$50.67 million ($47.17 million) in 2013. Race organiser Ron Walker had negotiated a new deal […]

It doesn’t quite seem possible that it’s been almost four months since Formula 1 2013 disbanded for the final time. Yet the 2014 season is upon us as the paddock gears up for the first race of the year around the streets of Albert Park in Melbourne. It’s the first of 19 rounds that encompasses some of the classic circuits, including Monaco, Silverstone, Spa and Monza, as well as the return of Austria and the introduction of Russia. The 11 teams from 2013 remain, each […]

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen believes that the 2014 Formula 1 season is wide open, as he prepares for his comeback race with the team in Australia next weekend. Raikkonen is gearing up for his first race with Ferrari since Abu Dhabi in 2009 as he returns to the venue where has won twice. Raikkonen won on his Ferrari debut in 2007 and again six years later with Lotus. "If I had to compare the two Australian wins, somehow, winning it last year for the second […]

Adrian Sutil believes the season-opening Australian Grand Prix could be a lottery as Formula 1 enters a new era. 1.6 litre v6 power units have replaced 2.4 litre v8 engines and Sauber driver Sutil expects the uncertainty surrounding the pecking order to cause excitement. "Everything is new," he said. "Driving in qualifying will be very different to the race, because the cars will have more power than in the race." The German driver predicts that the new regulations will provide a challenge for both drivers […]