Latest articles by Edd Straw
Archive: When the French GP almost produced F1's greatest shock
Formula 1 returns to Paul Ricard for the French Grand Prix this weekend after a topsy-turvy podium last time out in Baku. But 31 years ago, it was the Le Castellet track that almost produced one of the greatest F1 shocks courtesy of Ivan Capelli, as he regaled to Autosport for the 1990-themed 13 August 2015 issue.
The lost F1 team that launched Newey
It never won a race, but the March team of the late 1980s and early 1990s was very significant for the future of F1. Motorsport.com's sister title Autosport magazine explained why in the 16/23 December 2010 issue.
How big is a Formula 1 car? Mercedes’ F1 car examined and rules explained
The true scale of a Formula 1 World Championship-winning Mercedes is revealed in this video from Motorsport TV’s show The Flying Lap.
McLaren planning to run at budget cap level
McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Seidl says McLaren will try to match the top three teams in 2021 by running to the limit of the budget cap.
Why Haas' dreary 2019 season is bad news for F1
Haas headed into the 2019 Formula 1 season after showing promising form in winter testing. But what followed was a tough campaign, blighted by car-handling issues. Here's why that development is not good for F1's future.
The real step that ended McLaren’s F1 nightmare
McLaren’s recent history in Formula 1 has been disastrous. But in 2019, it finally showed significant signs of recovery – a major step towards getting the team back to the front of the grand prix grid
Rating the 2019 Formula 1 rookies
In Formula 1 2019, three drivers made their debut and went on to make major impacts – just like three famous names from the championship’s history did back in the ‘01 campaign
How Toro Rosso gave Renault a major scare
Toro Rosso underwent some substantial changes in 2019, but it nevertheless scored its best result since its glory days of 2008. In the process it scared a works squad that ultimately underwhelmed after making some lofty pre-season aims
Will Williams' 2019 soul-searching be enough?
The 2019 Formula 1 season was the worst in Williams' history. It has taken steps it hopes will mean such a disaster is not repeated - and with '20 already approaching the answer to questions over those changes will soon be revealed
The top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2019
The 2019 Formula 1 world championships may have gone back to the same homes once again, but there were stars throughout the field. Here are the best from another year in grand prix racing
The five best race drives of the 2019 F1 season
The 20 Formula 1 drivers completed 420 individual races across the 21 grands prix of the 2019 season. Many were memorable and many were decidedly not, but here are the five best Motorsport.com has picked from F1's joint-longest (with '16 and '18) season
The signs that suggest Vettel isn't about to retire
Sebastian Vettel gave on honest assessment that he "must do better" in the 2020 Formula 1 season. These aren't the words of a driver about to give up, as some have suggested, and there are other signs that he is determined to recover his best form
Abu Dhabi shows Mercedes will be hard to dethrone
Mercedes ended the F1 season with a flourish and, though Lewis Hamilton might have longed for more battles in Abu Dhabi, a crushing victory at the end of an open second half of 2019 was a timely reminder of the potency of F1's dominant combination
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix driver ratings
Despite the dominance with which the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was won, no full marks were forthcoming as no driver ended the season with a perfect score. But a settled top-end order gave more midfield runners the chance to shine
Norris says he was a "s*** driver" in Perez defeat
McLaren Formula 1 racer Lando Norris says he was a "s*** driver" in his last-lap defeat against Sergio Perez in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Abu Dhabi GP: Hamilton grabs final pole of 2019
Lewis Hamilton claimed the final Formula 1 pole position of the 2019 season in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Abu Dhabi GP: Bottas tops FP2, crashes with Grosjean
Valtteri Bottas set the pace in the second Formula 1 free practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, although his evening was marred by a collision with Romain Grosjean.
Kubica says he's closing on F1/DTM programme for 2020
Robert Kubica says he has taken a decision regarding his 2020 plans and expects to confirm them "quite soon", as he looks to combine a Formula 1 role and a DTM race seat.
Opinion: Abu Dhabi shouldn't host F1's finale
The Brazilian Grand Prix was a perfect reminder of why the historic track has hosted Formula 1 title showdowns. Yas Marina's run of season-ending races shows why F1 should ideally reconsider its finale
What Gasly can learn from his superb response to demotion
Pierre Gasly is almost unrecognisable from the driver who left Red Bull no choice but to demote him. While his response to that has been outstanding, he must do more if he is to fulfil the promise his talent offers
Sainz: Brazilian GP charge "definitely" my best-ever race
Carlos Sainz has no doubts that his charge from the back of the grid to take his maiden podium finish in Formula 1 at the Brazilian Grand Prix was the best race of his life.
Brazilian Grand Prix driver ratings
A wild race inevitably led to a wild variety of scores in our rankings - from three full-marks performances to some slatings for poor performances and inexplicable errors
How Red Bull forced Mercedes into clumsiness
Outpaced and outduelled, the usually flawless Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes combination ended up making a lot of mistakes in Brazil as they tried to respond to the brilliance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull-Honda
Brazilian GP: Verstappen beats Vettel, Hamilton to pole
Max Verstappen claimed his second Formula 1 pole position in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Why Ferrari is back in business in Brazil
Amid the undercurrent of accusations over its engine and after a lacklustre weekend last time out in America, Ferrari showed revitalised form in practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix. But can it capitalise on its single-lap pace to beat Mercedes?
Brazilian GP: Vettel pips Leclerc by 0.021s in second practice
Sebastian Vettel led a Ferrari one-two in the second Formula 1 second free practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
How Albon kept his Red Bull F1 drive
Red Bull made a bold call when it promoted Alexander Albon to its senior Formula 1 team when he had just half a season of grand prix racing experience. We explain exactly how he's done enough to keep one of the best drives on the grid
How Russell is performing like Alonso
Back in 2001, Fernando Alonso made a low-key Formula 1 debut that nevertheless caught the eye of those in the know. This year, another rookie is putting in stellar performances that totally outshine his machinery
United States Grand Prix driver ratings
F1's pre-eminent driver performed immaculately on the day he was crowned champion for a sixth time, but he nevertheless failed to score full marks while others succeeded thanks to polished performances all weekend at Austin
Why Hamilton's finest moment was also Bottas's
Lewis Hamilton sealed his sixth Formula 1 world championship in style, to well and truly enter the greatest of all time debate. He was beaten on the day by his teammate, though, who turned in his best grand-prix winning performance to date
The 10 moments that decided the 2019 F1 title
Lewis Hamilton sealed his sixth Formula 1 world title in Austin to come out on top in what quickly became an intra-Mercedes battle in 2019. Here are 10 key moments that decided the title in his favour
United States GP: Bottas beats Vettel to pole, Hamilton fifth
Valtteri Bottas claimed his fifth pole position of the 2019 Formula 1 season in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix at Austin.
United States GP: Hamilton tops FP2 from Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the second Formula 1 free practice session ahead of the United States Grand Prix, outpacing Charles Leclerc by 0.301s.
The standout element that makes Hamilton a great
Pinpointing a weakness in Lewis Hamilton is proving increasingly difficult, and Valtteri Bottas's choice of words during Formula 1's Mexican Grand Prix provided a telling insight into why Hamilton is so difficult to match
Mexican Grand Prix driver ratings
The Formula 1 championship leader and a local hero were the standout performers of the Mexican Grand Prix, but plenty others also showed their worth.
How Hamilton went from "no hope" to victory in Mexico
There were a lot of reasons why Lewis Hamilton shouldn't have won the Mexican Grand Prix, but he did. How much of it was down to others leaving the door open and how much due to his and Mercedes' performance?
Verstappen "annoyed" Hamilton wasn't penalised too
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen says he understands the penalty that cost him Mexican Grand Prix pole, but feels it's "annoying" Lewis Hamilton wasn't penalised as well.
Mexican GP: Verstappen on pole as Bottas crashes hard
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Mexican Grand Prix as the session was red-flagged after Valtteri Bottas crashed hard.
Mexican GP: Vettel tops FP2 from Verstappen
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel headed the second free practice session for Formula 1's Mexican Grand prix, outpacing Max Verstappen by 0.115s.
Latest veto shows F1 is not aligned with its objectives
Formula 1's push for three reverse-grid races in 2020 hit the buffers when the teams rejected the idea. By delaying the latest change to improve the racing spectacle, self-interested teams have proved they fear change
Why Button can relate to Vettel's 2019 woes
Sebastian Vettel's form has no doubt improved, but it's clear Ferrari's 2019 Formula 1 car doesn't suit his style. One fellow world champion can relate to that - an example that proves just one characteristic is the difference between the great and the good
Why F1 junior schemes produce more flops than stars
Many Formula 1 teams throw resources at young talent in the hope of discovering the next superstar. But their strike rate is poor for a reason.
The confusing history of F1 team name changes
The recent news that Toro Rosso might be rebranded as AlphaTauri in 2020 is the latest chapter in a long line of confusing F1 team makeovers, turning defining each team's true identity into a statistical nightmare
Williams plans front wing 'experiment' in Suzuka
Williams is poised to trial an experimental front wing in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as it assesses potential aerodynamic options for next year’s Formula 1 season.
Vettel's defiance shows he isn't finished yet
There were doubts about whether Sebastian Vettel could once again be a leading force in Formula 1. But by ignoring a team order in the Russian Grand Prix he showed he may be able to dig deep and return to the fore
Hulkenberg: Renault “deserved better” than “bitter” Sochi
Nico Hulkenberg says his Russian Grand Prix result feels "bitter" and was not what the pace of his Renault RS19 Formula 1 car deserved.
Russian Grand Prix driver ratings
As nobody got it quite right at the head of the Russian Grand Prix order, it was two midfielders who instead turned in the most impressive performances - though only one earned full marks in our ratings
How Ferrari's most convincing win escaped its clutches
The Russian Grand Prix weekend was supposed to prove just how much Ferrari had improved its SF90. But while its speed was impressive, Ferrari struggled to control its drivers during a race that got away from it
Russian GP: Leclerc storms to fourth straight pole
Charles Leclerc claimed his and Ferrari's fourth consecutive Formula 1 pole position in qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix.
Russian GP: Verstappen outpaces Leclerc in second practice
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the second Formula 1 free practice session ahead of the Russian Grand Prix.
Why Grosjean is F1's most infuriating driver
Romain Grosjean is capable of challenging Formula 1's best on his day - but those performances are few and far between. This is the conundrum of one of grand prix racing's genuine enigmas.
Singapore Grand Prix driver ratings
Victory in the Singapore Grand Prix ended Sebastian Vettel's long win drought, but he was among a handful of contenders to just miss out on a perfect score in our ratings - something only one driver achieved
How a bad qualifying lap put Vettel on pole for Singapore win
If Sebastian Vettel had produced the qualifying lap he was truly capable of in Singapore, he wouldn't have been in the right place to capitalise on the unique race circumstances that allowed him to show the world his capabilities again
Russell: "Shame" Grosjean clash didn't also ruin his race
Williams Formula 1 driver George Russell says it's a "shame" his Singapore Grand Prix collision with Romain Grosjean ended only his race and not Grosjean's as well.
Singapore GP: Leclerc beats Hamilton to pole by 0.191s
Charles Leclerc claimed a surprise third consecutive Formula 1 pole position after outpacing Lewis Hamilton by 0.191s.
Singapore GP: Hamilton outpaces Verstappen in FP2
Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen to the fastest time by 0.184s in the second Formula 1 free practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Singapore GP: Verstappen tops FP1 as Bottas crashes
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the opening Formula 1 free practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, while Valtteri Bottas caused a red flag by crashing his Mercedes.
Hulkenberg: Underachiever or wasted talent?
Dropped by the first manufacturer team to put its faith in him as its leader and with his podium-less record getting ever longer, Nico Hulkenberg is beginning to look like an underachiever. But do the statistics do him an injustice?
Why the Ferrari dream is as good as over for Vettel
Sebastian Vettel was once seen as the saviour of Ferrari in its post-Fernando Alonso era, but after a run of errors, Charles Leclerc is fast overtaking Vettel in the pecking order. Is the Ferrari dream now over?
Italian Grand Prix driver ratings
The 2019 Italian Grand Prix was a thriller, with Charles Leclerc seeing off the Mercedes challenge to take a famous home win for Ferrari. There were plenty of talking points in the action, but only one driver earned a perfect score