F1 Features

Crash.net brings you its daily round-up of all the news, updates and added gossip from the paddock after Thursday’s media briefings ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

After spending most of his career in the shadows, Mick Schumacher now finds himself very much in the spotlight as he begins one of the biggest weeks of his life.

Formula 1 bosses will meet in London on Tuesday for a crunch meeting in a bid to outline the sport’s future and make steps towards a final agreement for 2021 - but will it bring the breakthrough desired?

Formula 1 is back this weekend with the second round of the 2019 world championship, the Bahrain Grand Prix. 

There were plenty of storylines to follow heading into the first weekend of 2019 in a season that has promised to deliver a mouth-watering prospect. 

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes – 8

Formula 1 drivers have to complete their fair share of media activities throughout a season, with some being more tolerable or suitable than others. Recent favourites include Lance Stroll making poutine, Fernando Alonso talking about the future of Virtual Reality, or Carlos Sainz Jr.

- Valtteri Bottas dominated the Australian Grand Prix thanks to a sizzling start to scythe past polesitter Lewis Hamilton. It was Bottas’s first win since the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and puts him atop the championship standings for the first time in his Formula One career.

It may only have been the fourth of his Formula 1 career, yet Valtteri Bottas’ victory in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix carried a great deal of significance.

The only two firm certainties in life may be death and taxes, but the next-closest thing would be Lewis Hamilton scoring pole position for the Australian Grand Prix.

– Lewis Hamilton, already in possession of the record for most career pole positions (84), has now equalled the record for most pole positions at a single grand prix after taking his eighth at Albert Park.

Recapping all of the news and notes from the Albert Park paddock on Friday, here is Michael Lamonato's notebook.

Having hit the reset button over the winter, Valtteri Bottas plans on making the 2019 Formula 1 season his best one to date. 

For the first time this year, Crash.net brings you its daily round-up of all the news, updates and added tidbits of information from the paddock after Thursday’s media briefings ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

A number of Formula 1 drivers have aired doubts over the impact the return of a bonus point for setting the fastest lap of the race will have through the 2019 season.

Heading into this weekend’s Formula 1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, a number of eyes will be on the three full-season rookies gearing up for their race debuts.

Mercedes What’s New: Not a huge amount. Naturally, a new car, and a tweaked livery. Valtteri Bottas has a new set of engineers, and the team has support from both Esteban Ocon and Stoffel Vandoorne back at base.

Renault What’s new: Star signing Daniel Ricciardo dominates the attention having left Red Bull this winter, while behind the scenes Renault continues to expand both its engine and team bases.

2019 F1 drivers’ world champion? Luke Smith:  Sebastian Vettel. Ferrari has looked super strong through pre-season testing, and I'm backing Ferrari's changes to have the long-desired effect at long last this year and deliver Vettel his fifth world title.

Haas  What’s new:  A first major title sponsorship deal with British energy drinks firm Rich Energy has provided Haas with a welcome boost heading into 2019, as well as a fresh black-and-gold livery. 

After a long winter break, competitive Formula 1 track action finally gets underway this weekend for the season-opening 2019 Australian Grand Prix. 

- FIA president Jean Todt says F2 driver Mick Schumacher should be left in peace to pursue career as he bids to make it all the way to F1 ( RaceFans )

With Formula 1’s pre-season test running in Barcelona now complete and most of the teams back at their bases, attention is now turning to the 2019 season-opener in Australia in two weeks’ time.

With eight days of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya now in the books, Formula 1’s 2019 pre-season is officially over. Next stop: Melbourne, Australia.