James Elson

United Kingdom

Staff Writer at Motor Sport

@Motor_Sport @ENGINE_BAND @phil_madeley

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Articles

Ex-FIA deputy president Robert Reid: 'speaking up came at a cost'

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | Pablo Elizalde |James Elson |Mark Hughes

Former FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid says he paid the price for speaking out about his concerns about the ruling body, but felt “fundamental principles were being eroded”. Former WRC champion co-driver Reid announced last week that he had resigned amid “growing alarm over critical decisions being made without due process or proper consultation”.
Lundgaard: McLaren can make history with F1/IndyCar double win

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

Almost five decades ago, McLaren shot into the racing record books by winning on both sides of the pond on the same day. On May 2 1976 F1 dynamo James Hunt tasted champagne at Jarama’s Spanish GP, before ‘Lone Star JR’ Johnny Rutherford triumphed for McLaren’s IndyCar team at the Trenton oval just a few hours later. They say that history doesn’t repeat itself but rather rhyme, and it’s a sentiment not lost on new McLaren IndyCar star Christian Lundgaard.
The Ferrari updates Hamilton hopes will fix his car problems in Bahrain

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | Pablo Elizalde |Katy Fairman |James Elson |Mark Hughes

Ferrari has revealed all the updated car parts it will introduce in the Bahrain Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton hopes they will solve the issues that he has been having. Hamilton said during the Japanese GP that his SF-25 was “underperforming” compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc‘s, and that he was losing over a tenth of a second per lap to the Monegasque. “We have found something in the car that has underperformed in the last three races.
F1 rules out 2026 V10s - but engine 'adjustments' still being discussed

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | Mark Hughes |Pablo Elizalde |Katy Fairman |James Elson

The discussions centred around reducing the costs of research and development of F1 engines, reducing the complexity of the power units, and considerations on sustainability, weight reduction, performance, road car relevance and sound appeal. The gathering was seen as a ‘crisis meeting’ amid concerns that the regulations could result in a huge disparity in performance between some of the manufacturers.
F1 Fantasy: top picks & predictions for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

To join the official Motor Sport magazine 2025 F1 Fantasy league, click here. Each of the four F1 races so far in 2025 has been won by different drivers – we did say it would be competitive, after all…That’s meant making your crucial F1 Fantasy choices even trickier. Now’s the time to pay ever more attention to our race-by-race guide. Max Verstappen was superlative at Suzuka, paying back just the 17% of those who owned him with a 36-point Fantasy haul.
McLaren wants to win 2027 Triple Crown with Le Mans Hypercar

2 weeks ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

“And now with this exciting news, we’re going to try and win all three of these big races, and in the same year, we’re up for it. We’re ready. We’ll see you at the track.”Brown’s United Autosports team currently runs McLarens in WEC’s LMGT3, but now the marque will run in the top class for the very first time. It is thought that squad will run the Hypercar concern, and that Dallara – who already supplies BMW and Cadaillac – will provide the chassis.
F1 snore-fest shows new cars badly needed: Up/Down Japanese GP

2 weeks ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

Ah yes, V10 F1 – that cochlea-searing era when grand prix cars were 200mph fag packets, Bernie Ecclestone ruled the series with an iron fist and political correctness was something for the rest of the world to worry about. And as well as that, the races were terrible. ‘90s/early ‘00s F1 cars might have looked and sounded incredible, but the grands prix were lacklustre as standard.
Red Bull F1 strife like Ducati MotoGP disaster of 13 winless years

2 weeks ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

Since 2019, Red Bull has ploughed through Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez and now Liam Lawson – each driver broken by the strain of trying to get their heads around an incredibly difficult car only Max Verstappen can master. As former grand prix driver and Motor Sport columnist Karun Chandhok points out in this month’s edition, an eerily similar situation played out at Ducati’s MotoGP team almost 20 years ago.
Red Bull F1 strife recalls Ducati MotoGP disaster of 13 winless years

2 weeks ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson

Since 2019, Red Bull has ploughed through Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Sergio Perez and now Liam Lawson – each driver broken by the strain of trying to get their heads around an incredibly difficult car only Max Verstappen can master. As former grand prix driver and Motor Sport columnist Karun Chandhok points out in this month’s edition, an eerily similar situation played out at Ducati’s MotoGP team almost 20 years ago.
Is Yuki Tsunoda Japan’s most successful racing driver?

3 weeks ago | motorsportmagazine.com | James Elson |Dominic Tobin |Gary Watkins

Three things stand out about Yuki Tsunoda: he’s clearly quick; he’s also funny, coining iconic team radio phrases such as “****ing traffic paradise”; and, finally, he’s now an F1 veteran. So much so in fact, that Red Bull’s new star will soon become Japan’s most experienced grand prix driver ever before we reach the halfway mark this season. Tsunoda will make his 90th start at his home race in Suzuka, with only Takuma Sato (also 90 starts) and Ukyo Katayama (95) ahead of him.