Mark Hughes

6 days ago | motorsportmagazine.com | Mark Hughes

We have a potentially very interesting challenge facing the drivers in qualifying for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The combination of a super-grippy surface with very high-speed corners with the walls up close has always been challenge enough around the Jeddah track. But this time there’s an added complication, one which will really focus the minds of the drivers: Pirelli has brought its C5 tyre, one step softer than anything it’s run here before. Why is this such a challenge?

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”.

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

The fifth round of the Formula 1 season in Saudi Arabia wraps up an intense first triple-header of 2025 in which Red Bull has been on a rollercoaster ride and McLaren has continued to consolidate its position as championship favourite. Here we look at the main themes ahead of the Jeddah weekend. After winning in Japan and enduring a challenging weekend in Bahrain, it is still unclear which Red Bull will show up in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

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

The 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix was the last at Sakhir before a major regulation change the following year, just as last weekend’s race there was too. The perceived wisdom is that the final year of a set of regulations will see the closest racing as everyone will have learned the secrets and their performances therefore will converge. It didn’t happen like that in 2013 and nor has it this season. In both cases there were unforeseen randomising factors preventing the expected convergence.

1 week ago | motorsportmagazine.com | Mark Hughes |Matt Bishop |Pablo Elizalde

How realistic it is that Verstappen will use that to find a way out of Red Bull only he knows, but comments like Marko’s in Bahrain will up the pressure on Red Bull to find competitiveness as soon as possible. Verstappen has been linked with a possible move to Aston Martin for some time, and while it was initially believed to be just a logic conclusion of Adrian Newey‘s arrival at the team, the scenario started to sound more realistic earlier this year.