IGNITION
APRIL 2020
Iexpectedtowr itewithsomethoughts reflecting
onthe earlyracesofthe newseason. By rights,you
shouldbereadingthiswith F1 havingjust held its
firstVietnamGrandPrix.
Instead,thefirsteightgrands prixof20 20have
beencalledoff, 2021’snewr ulesdelayed fora year
andF1 has broughtforwarditstraditionalsummer
shutdownast hecoronaviruscrisistakes hold.
ThisF1 season potentiallywon’tstartuntil June ’s
CanadianGP,atthe earliest.
Ofcourse,thisis ara pidlyescalatingsituation,so
by the timeyoudigest thisdispatchfrommyown
isolationbunker –Ihaven’t(tomy knowledge) yet
contracted COVID-19butam workingfromhome
followingacom panydirectivetostayawayfromthe
office –t heremight wellhaveb een even morebad
newsforF1fans.
Thedecisiontocanceltheseason-opening
AustralianGrandPrixmerehour sbeforeFriday
pra ctice wasdue to begin cameverylateinthe
day,butwasultimatelythecorrectcall.Once a
McLarenteammembercontractedthevirusand
thatteam pulled out,adominoeffectwas inevitable
as Formula 1’sbubble burst.
Aschismemergedamongtheteamsoverwhether
toraceonornot(seepage16 forour specialreport),
whileF1itselfwascriticised foraslow reactio n to
the crisisasit unfolded in Melbourne.But theright
decision was reachedin theend.Theteamshold
thebalanceofpower inF1, andcorporate sensitivity
andsocialresponsibilityeventually wontheday.
Theupshotis therewill sadlybenoF1 races for
us toenjoyfortheforeseeablefuture,soifyoustill
want toget your fixastheworldisolatesyoucould
do worsethan watch (orre-watch) thefirsttwo
seasonsoftheDrive toSurvivedocu-series
onstreamingserviceNetflix.
LukeSmithanalys es indetailtheimpactNetflix
hashadonF1 over thepasttwoyears(see page42),
andwe alsoincludeformer F1 commentatorJames
Allen’sexpertreviewof seasontwo(page48),which
launched attheendof February.
Netflixhadbegunfilmingathird seasonbefore
coronavirusscupperedeveryone, andit will
be interestingto seehowte nsionwith existing
broadcasters–whopayapretty pennyfor the
privilege–anddriversunhappywith howthey
havebeenportrayed(MaxVerstappen)affects
future outp ut.
Butfo r now,thereisnod oubt Netflixdeserves
praise forcoveringFormula1i nafreshwayand
bringingittonewaudiences,somethingF1hasbeen
desperatetodo fora while.Dani el Ricciardo,for
one, isco nvinced Netflixhasdonewonders forhis
own profileinthe US.
That’sjustas well, because F1isgoing toneed
newandengaged fans morethanever when 2020’s
racing finally does getunderway –wheneverthat is.
Uncertain future for F1's 2020 season
DAMIEN SMITH
Aston Martin’sValkyri e
(p30)brings F1’s no-
compromise approach
to the road. No space
for ourformer editor-in-
chief’s kids, though...
JAMES MANN
Always onthe hunt
for unusual carsto
photograph, James
found aquirky double
grand prix winnerfor
us this month (p80)
LUKESMITH
He’s Autosport and
Motorsport.com’s new
F1 reporter. See p42for
Luke’s investigation into
the effects of Netflix’s
presence inthe paddock
MATTYOUSON
Well-connected in the
Red Bullworld, Matt
triedto make sense
of what’s goingon with
Scuderia AlphaTauri's
two drivers (see p70)
Contributors
Ben
Anderson
Team
principals
Drivers Pit crew Subscriptions
Editor
Ben Anderson
President,
Motorsport
Network
James Allen
Vice President
of editorial
James Dickens
ThankstoJames Allen,Tim Bampton, Harry Bull, Russell Day,Lucy Genon, Will Hings, Clarisse Hoffman, Darren Jones, BradleyLord,Vicky Lloyd, Gemma
Lusty,VanessaReffay,Charlotte Sefton
CirculationqueriesSeymour DistributionLtd, 2 EastPoultryAvenue,London EC1A 9PT.Tel: +44 (0)
7429 4000.Fax: +44(0)20 7429 4001. Email: [email protected]. ISSN 2633-8157 (print) ISSN 2633-
(online). EAN 07713614480012. PrintedbyWilliam Gibbons & SonsLtd, 28 Planetary Road, Willenhall,
Wolverhampton WV13 3XT.© 1996Autosport Media UK.
Reproduction in whole or in part of any photograph,text or illustration without written permission from the
publisher is prohibited. Duecare is taken toensure that the content ofGPRacingisfully accurate, but the
publisher and printer cannot accept liabilityfor errors and omissions.GPRacingisa member of theAudit
Bureau of Circulations.WeabidebytheEditors’Code of Practice and are committed toupholding the
highest standards of journalism. If you think we haven’t met those standards and wanttomakea
complaint, contact 0203 405 8100.AutosportMedia UKLtd is a part of Motorsport Network LLC
Partners
@BenAndersonF
AustraliaMexico
Poland Turkey
GPRacingis
published monthly in
the above territories.
4 GP RACING APRIL 2020
Advertising
IS POWEREDBY
Group
managing
editor
Stewart Williams
Executive editor
StuartCodling
Art editor
FrankFoster
Head
photographer
StevenTe e
Columnists
Pat Symonds
Mark Gallagher
Nigel Roebuck
BenEdwards
Rodi Basso
Photo agency
Motorsport Images
Director, global
client success
Sunita Davies
Production
controller
BenWebster
Editorialtel
+44 (0)20 3405 8100
Email:help@asm.
secureorder.co.uk
Customer hotline/
back issues
0344 848 8826
Digital marketing
manager
Kaye Benfield
UK sales manager
Ben Fullick
SubscriptionsGPRacingsubscriptions,Autosport Media UK, 3 Queensbridge, Northampton, NN4 7BF, UK. Email: [email protected]: 0344 848 8826. OverseasTel +44 (0)1604 251 454. GPRacing, ISSN2633-
8157 (USPS 25186) is published monthlybyAutosport Media UK, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond, TW9 1AG, UK. The US annual subscription price is US$68.37. Airfreight and mailing in the USAbyagent named WN Shipping USA,
156-15, 146thAvenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA.Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256. USPostmaster: Send address changestoGPRacing, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146thAvenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica,
NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained atAutosport Media UK, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond, TW9 1AG, UK. Air BusinessLtd is acting as our mailing agent.
IGNITION
APRIL 2020
Iexpectedtowr itewithsomethoughts reflecting
onthe earlyracesofthe newseason. By rights,you
shouldbereadingthiswith F1 havingjust held its
firstVietnamGrandPrix.
Instead,thefirsteightgrands prixof20 20have
beencalledoff, 2021’snewr ulesdelayed fora year
andF1 has broughtforwarditstraditionalsummer
shutdownast hecoronaviruscrisistakes hold.
ThisF1 season potentiallywon’tstartuntil June ’s
CanadianGP,atthe earliest.
Ofcourse,thisis ara pidlyescalatingsituation,so
by the timeyoudigest thisdispatchfrommyown
isolationbunker –Ihaven’t(tomy knowledge) yet
contracted COVID-19butam workingfromhome
followingacom panydirectivetostayawayfromthe
office –t heremight wellhaveb een even morebad
newsforF1fans.
Thedecisiontocanceltheseason-opening
AustralianGrandPrixmerehour sbeforeFriday
pra ctice wasdue to begin cameverylateinthe
day,butwasultimatelythecorrectcall.Once a
McLarenteammembercontractedthevirusand
thatteam pulled out,adominoeffectwas inevitable
as Formula 1’sbubble burst.
Aschismemergedamongtheteamsoverwhether
toraceonornot(seepage16 forour specialreport),
whileF1itselfwascriticised foraslow reactio n to
the crisisasit unfolded in Melbourne.But theright
decision was reachedin theend.Theteamshold
thebalanceofpower inF1, andcorporate sensitivity
andsocialresponsibilityeventually wontheday.
Theupshotis therewill sadlybenoF1 races for
us toenjoyfortheforeseeablefuture,soifyoustill
want toget your fixastheworldisolatesyoucould
do worsethan watch (orre-watch) thefirsttwo
seasonsoftheDrive toSurvivedocu-series
onstreamingserviceNetflix.
LukeSmithanalys es indetailtheimpactNetflix
hashadonF1 over thepasttwoyears(see page42),
andwe alsoincludeformer F1 commentatorJames
Allen’sexpertreviewof seasontwo(page48),which
launched attheendof February.
Netflixhadbegunfilmingathird seasonbefore
coronavirusscupperedeveryone, andit will
be interestingto seehowte nsionwith existing
broadcasters–whopayapretty pennyfor the
privilege–anddriversunhappywith howthey
havebeenportrayed(MaxVerstappen)affects
future outp ut.
Butfo r now,thereisnod oubt Netflixdeserves
praise forcoveringFormula1i nafreshwayand
bringingittonewaudiences,somethingF1hasbeen
desperatetodo fora while.Dani el Ricciardo,for
one, isco nvinced Netflixhasdonewonders forhis
own profileinthe US.
That’sjustas well, because F1isgoing toneed
newandengaged fans morethanever when 2020’s
racing finally does getunderway –wheneverthat is.
Uncertain future for F1's 2020 season
DAMIEN SMITH
Aston Martin’sValkyri e
(p30)brings F1’s no-
compromise approach
to the road. No space
for ourformer editor-in-
chief’s kids, though...
JAMES MANN
Always onthe hunt
for unusual carsto
photograph, James
found aquirky double
grand prix winnerfor
us this month (p80)
LUKESMITH
He’s Autosport and
Motorsport.com’s new
F1 reporter. See p42for
Luke’s investigation into
the effects of Netflix’s
presence inthe paddock
MATTYOUSON
Well-connected in the
Red Bullworld, Matt
triedto make sense
of what’s goingon with
Scuderia AlphaTauri's
two drivers (see p70)
Contributors
Ben
Anderson
Team
principals
Drivers Pit crew Subscriptions
Editor
Ben Anderson
President,
Motorsport
Network
James Allen
Vice President
of editorial
James Dickens
ThankstoJames Allen,Tim Bampton, Harry Bull, Russell Day,Lucy Genon, Will Hings, Clarisse Hoffman, Darren Jones, BradleyLord,Vicky Lloyd, Gemma
Lusty,VanessaReffay,Charlotte Sefton
CirculationqueriesSeymour DistributionLtd, 2 EastPoultryAvenue,London EC1A 9PT.Tel: +44 (0)
7429 4000.Fax: +44(0)20 7429 4001. Email: [email protected]. ISSN 2633-8157 (print) ISSN 2633-
(online). EAN 07713614480012. PrintedbyWilliam Gibbons & SonsLtd, 28 Planetary Road, Willenhall,
Wolverhampton WV13 3XT.© 1996Autosport Media UK.
Reproduction in whole or in part of any photograph,text or illustration without written permission from the
publisher is prohibited. Duecare is taken toensure that the content ofGPRacingisfully accurate, but the
publisher and printer cannot accept liabilityfor errors and omissions.GPRacingisa member of theAudit
Bureau of Circulations.WeabidebytheEditors’Code of Practice and are committed toupholding the
highest standards of journalism. If you think we haven’t met those standards and wanttomakea
complaint, contact 0203 405 8100.AutosportMedia UKLtd is a part of Motorsport Network LLC
Partners
@BenAndersonF
Australia Mexico
Poland Turkey
GPRacingis
published monthly in
the above territories.
4 GP RACING APRIL 2020
Advertising
IS POWEREDBY
Group
managing
editor
Stewart Williams
Executive editor
StuartCodling
Art editor
FrankFoster
Head
photographer
StevenTe e
Columnists
Pat Symonds
Mark Gallagher
Nigel Roebuck
BenEdwards
Rodi Basso
Photo agency
Motorsport Images
Director, global
client success
Sunita Davies
Production
controller
BenWebster
Editorialtel
+44 (0)20 3405 8100
Email:help@asm.
secureorder.co.uk
Customer hotline/
back issues
0344 848 8826
Digital marketing
manager
Kaye Benfield
UK sales manager
Ben Fullick
SubscriptionsGPRacingsubscriptions,Autosport Media UK, 3 Queensbridge, Northampton, NN4 7BF, UK. Email: [email protected]: 0344 848 8826. OverseasTel +44 (0)1604 251 454. GPRacing, ISSN2633-
8157 (USPS 25186) is published monthlybyAutosport Media UK, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond, TW9 1AG, UK. The US annual subscription price is US$68.37. Airfreight and mailing in the USAbyagent named WN Shipping USA,
156-15, 146thAvenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA.Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256. USPostmaster: Send address changestoGPRacing, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146thAvenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica,
NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained atAutosport Media UK, 1 EtonStreet, Richmond, TW9 1AG, UK. Air BusinessLtd is acting as our mailing agent.