Jack Leslie F1: March 2014

31 March 2014

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix in pictures

The second race of the 2014 Formula 1 season took place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Lewis Hamilton dominated for Mercedes to take his first win in the country. Here is the race weekend in pictures.

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix Driver Reaction

The second round of the 2014 season saw Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg score Mercedes' first 1-2 finish since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix.

A number of teams suffered mixed fortunes at the Sepang International Circuit with plenty of on-track action throughout the race. Here are some thoughts from the 2014 grid.

Video: McLaren - 2014 F1 in focus

In this exclusive video from the McLaren Mercedes team, Jenson Button describes the impact of the 2014 regulation changes on car performance.

Data experts SAP introduce the next chapter of The Perfect Lap, featuring on-board footage from the Woking-based outfit's filming day in Bahrain.

28 March 2014

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix Weekend Report

The second round of Formula 1's new era took place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

It was the 16th race to be held in the country, with the 3.44-mile track helping to paint a more realistic picture of the competitive order.

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix Thursday Snapshot

The Sepang International Circuit was a hive of activity on Thursday as preparations for the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix continued.

Drivers met fans, completed media work and attended meetings, while mechanics and engineers got to work readying the cars for the first practice session of the weekend.

Vettel not a fan of F1's new sound

Sebastian Vettel says he is not a fan of Formula 1's new sound, following the sport's change to V6 Turbo power-units for the 2014 season.

The lower volume of the new engines has already been criticised by some fans as well as F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

F1 Flashback - Schumacher dominates rain-hit Malaysian Grand Prix

The 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix was the second round of the championship and followed Michael Schumacher’s controlled victory at the season opener in Australia two weeks earlier.

The German driver put his Ferrari F2001 on pole position by just under one tenth from team-mate Rubens Barrichello, but it was a far from straightforward start to the race – the third ever at the Sepang International Circuit.

Button: "We have turned a corner"

Jenson Button says McLaren has "turned a corner" following a successful start to the 2014 season in Australia.

Ahead of the second round of the year in Malaysia, he believes the Woking-based outfit is in a strong position and should score another good result.

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

The second round of F1’s new era takes place in Malaysia and follows what was an intriguing and exciting 2014 season opener in Australia.

The race is arguably the toughest on the calendar due to the demanding circuit, high temperatures and humidity.

Hamilton targets first Malaysian Grand Prix win

Lewis Hamilton has set his sights on winning this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix and is confident that he can bounce back after a disappointing start to the new season.

The Brit retired from the first race of the year in Australia on lap three after his Mercedes W05 suffered a power-unit problem.

Red Bull in the battle to be second best - Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo believes Red Bull Racing is in the battle to be the second fastest team on the grid.

The 24-year-old remains upbeat ahead of the second round of the 2014 season in Malaysia despite being excluded from the Australian Grand Prix.

Maldonado: "E22 has a lot of potential"

Pastor Maldonado believes the Lotus E22 "has a lot of potential" and expects the car to be a podium contender very soon.

The Enstone-based outfit suffered a number of reliability problems over the opening race weekend of the 2014 season, with Maldonado and team-mate Romain Grosjean both failing to make the chequered flag in Australia.

Red Bull Racing officially appeals Ricciardo exclusion

Red Bull Racing has decided to formally appeal the exclusion of Daniel Ricciardo from the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit ran close to the deadline but the FIA confirmed today (Thursday) that the required paperwork has been submitted.

Button excited for inter-team battle at McLaren

Jenson Button says he is excited for the inter-team driver battle at McLaren in 2014 after new team-mate Kevin Magnussen's impressive debut in Australia.

Images © McLaren Mercedes

The Danish rookie set the fourth fastest time in tricky qualifying conditions and went on to score a podium finish in the first F1 race of his career.

How did the rookies fare in Australia?

Along with the seismic regulations shift for the 2014 season, Formula 1 has welcomed three fresh faces to the grid. But how did they fare on their F1 debuts?

Let’s start with Kevin Magnussen, son of former F1 driver Jan and surprise replacement for the dropped Sergio Perez at McLaren.

Video: F1 2013 vs 2014 sound comparison

The new sound of Formula 1 was one of the major talking points over the Australian Grand Prix weekend, with the lower and quieter tone of the V6 Turbo power-units replacing the high-pitched scream of the previous V8s.

YouTube user krookzeh·posted this video on Monday comparing the sound of the sport in 2013 and 2014. What do you think? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Formula E secures free-to-air UK TV deal

The inaugural FIA Formula E season will be broadcast live and free-to-air in the UK, the series has officially announced.

This is fantastic news for motorsport fans, with all 10 races of the 2014/2015 championship being shown on ITV4 and ITV4 HD, as well as coverage online and on-demand with ITV Player.

2014 Australian Grand Prix in pictures

One race down, 18 to go. The 2014 F1 season officially kicked off last weekend in fine style in Melbourne, Australia.

Set in stunning parkland and with the city skyline in the distance, the Albert Park Circuit always produces stunning photographs. Here is the race weekend in pictures.

2014 Australian Grand Prix Driver Reaction

One of the most highly anticipated seasons in F1 history kicked off at the Albert Park Circuit in Australia.

The race was dominated by Nico Rosberg but the Mercedes team suffered mixed fortunes, with Lewis Hamilton retiring on lap two. Daniel Ricciardo was dramatically excluded from second place, moving rookie Kevin Magnussen up to second and Jenson Button to third.

Ricciardo excluded from Australian Grand Prix

Daniel Ricciardo has been excluded from the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

The Aussie had crossed the line in second place after a storming debut for Red Bull Racing. However, his car was found to have consistently exceeded the maximum allowed fuel flow of 100kg per hour.

Unusual nose designs to disappear in 2015?

The FIA has promised to revisit the current regulations and address 2014's unusual and rather ugly nose designs for next season.

The rule change to lower the nose tip was initially brought in this year to avoid cars launching over one another (like Mark Webber's 2010 European Grand Prix crash) and to improve driver safety in the event of a side impact.

2014 Australian Grand Prix Weekend Report

It had finally arrived. The first race weekend of the 2014 Formula 1 season and the sport's new era got underway at the Albert Park Circuit in Australia.

After months of waiting and a highly inconclusive winter of testing, we finally got a first glimpse of the potential pecking order - for the first few fly-away races at least.

Qualifying changes approved by FIA ahead of 2014 season

The FIA has officially confirmed changes to the qualifying format ahead of the 2014 Formula 1 season.

The tweaks were discussed and approved during winter testing in Bahrain at the last F1 Strategy Group meeting.

2014 Australian Grand Prix Thursday Snap Shot

After a rather short winter break and 12 days of winter testing, the first round of the 2014 season kicked off on Thursday with the media day.

Drivers met fans and talked to journalists about the year ahead while mechanics and engineers worked to get the cars ready for first practice on Friday morning.

F1 Flashback - McLaren domination in Melbourne

The 1998 Australian Grand Prix was highly controversial and saw the McLaren Mercedes team dominate the opening race weekend of the season.

Image source: eMercedesBenz

But why was it so memorable? It was all thanks to team orders, which helped F1's 'Flying Finn' to reclaim the lead and eventually win the race.

Video: Ricciardo and Vettel explain the 2014 rule changes

Still confused by the new rules for this season? In Red Bull Racing's latest YouTube video, the team's 2014 driver line-up explains all the changes to the technical regulations.

Manager: "Small, encouraging signs" for Schumacher

Michael Schumacher's manager says the seven-time world champion is showing "small and encouraging" signs.

His family remain confident that he will "pull through" and complete the waking-up process.

Lotus predict "very challenging" start to 2014 season

Lotus technical director Nick Chester says the team is expecting a "very challenging" start to the 2014 Formula 1 season.

The new E22 missed the first winter test and when it did eventually take to the track in Bahrain, it proved to be the least reliable of this year's machines.

2014 Australian Grand Prix Preview

The F1 paddock heads to Australia full of the usual excitement for the season ahead. There is always a level of uncertainty but this year it is even more intense due to the seismic changes to the Sporting and Technical Regulations.

Winter testing has come to a close and now the first race of the year is just around the corner. The Albert Park Circuit is a popular venue and is situated right in the hustle and bustle of Melbourne, surrounded by stunning parkland and the city skyline.

Williams: 2014’s dark horse?

The Williams F1 Team has, like the rule book, gone through a major transformation for the 2014 season and looks in a strong position ahead of the opening round in Australia.

With new sponsors, a new driver and new team members, could the Grove-based outfit be this year’s dark horse?

Hamilton confident he has "the tools to succeed" in 2014

Lewis Hamilton believes he has the car to succeed and secure his second Formula 1 world title in 2014.

The Mercedes W05 proved to be the most reliable of this year's machinery in winter testing, completing a total of 974 laps over the 12 test days. This enabled the team to switch focus to performance running and race simulations earlier than its rivals.

2014 Sky Sports F1 Press Day

On Thursday I was fortunate enough to attend my third Sky Sports F1 press day.

In 2012, the first media event for the dedicated channel took place at the swanky Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Last year’s press day was at the incredible Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. This year, however, it was very, very different.

In-season test schedule confirmed by Pirelli

Formula 1's tyre supplier Pirelli has confirmed the schedule for the eight days of in-season testing.

Following last year's controversy surrounding the Italian firm's private test with Mercedes, each team must devote one of the available days to tyre testing.

Iconic Martini livery makes F1 return with Williams

Williams has revealed its official livery for the 2014 Formula 1 season, as it brings the iconic Martini colours back to the sport.

Confirmation of the new title title sponsorship deal on Thursday follows weeks of speculation. The team used its heritage blue colour scheme at the opening three winter tests.

Formula 1's female racers

We haven’t seen a female driver take part in an official F1 race session in 22 years, but that run will come to an end in 2014.

Susie Wolff will drive the Mercedes-powered Williams FW36 in two first practice sessions this year (at Silverstone and Hockenheim) and will become the first woman to take to the track on a Grand Prix weekend since Giovanna Amati in 1992.

Richland F1's Grand Prix Guide 2013/2014

Remember last year's free Richland F1 eBook? Yes, of course you do. Well I have good news. There is a brand new one looking ahead to the 2014 Formula 1 season.

It includes driver, team and circuit profiles as well as looking at the major themes we can expect to dominate the headlines over the next twelve months.

There is also expert analysis and features from inside the paddock. I may be a little biased (as I did contribute to it), but I definitely recommend that you give it a read.

It is a must for any diehard F1 fan and is completely free. You can download it from iTunes right here.

Mallya: "We will certainly be in the points"

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya believes the Silverstone-based outfit will "certainly be in the points" when the 2014 Formula 1 season kicks off in Australia.

The 58-year-old also expects the teams running the Mercedes V6 Turbo power-unit to have a clear advantage and will be presented with a "great opportunity" at the first four fly-away races.

The Lost Orphan: A Home For Mirela

On Monday night I attended the private screening of Natalie Pinkham's new documentary 'The Lost Orphan: A Home For Mirela'.

It is the follow up to the 2011 documentary 'The Lost Orphan: Mirela's Story' which saw the Sky Sports F1 presenter travel to Romania in search of a little girl who had captured her heart 12 years earlier while volunteering at a children's institution.

2014 Formula 1 Season Preview

Formula 1 enters a new era in 2014 as the rule book receives a major transformation. This season is definitely a walk into the unknown.

Last year's championship was no competition for the recent thrillers of 2010 and 2012 – where the titles went down to the wire – but we did witness an incredible display of dominance from Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel. Will this year’s changes help to mix up the order?

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