Over the past decade, as NASCAR's popularity has grown, and Formula 1 has expanded into new international markets, open wheel racing in the US has floundered along with 2 rival series: IRL and CART. With little sponsorship money, the loss of big-name drivers to retirement, F1 and NASCAR, this year's unification of IRL and CART was a long time coming, and may lead to a series that race fans may start caring about again.
posted by jaimev on Mar 5, 2008 - 73 comments

Speaking, as we were, of F1 drivers, fans should take note that Live Fast, Die Young, a documentary about Swiss driver Jo Siffert has recently been released overseas. Siffert died in a crash in 1971, and fifty thousand people turned out for his funeral. Can't see the film (and if you're in the U.S., chances are you can't)? Check out the soundtrack, by the always fantastic (though apparently website-less) Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited. Samples here.
posted by schoolgirl report on Nov 10, 2005 - 11 comments

Formula One tweaked! The Formula One Commission met earlier today at what was touted as the most important meeting (PDF) in the last 20 years to discuss ways to rescue Formula One. The biggest outcome was to have single qualifying laps on Fridays and Saturdays, the historic Spa circuit was dropped from the calendar due to tobacco advertising restrictions. [More inside]
posted by riffola on Oct 28, 2002 - 17 comments

Rubens Barrichello robbed. Formula One driver Barrichello has just let Michael Schumacher win the Austrian Grand Prix. I've been getting more and more disillusioned with F1, and this has put the cap on it. No more for me.
posted by viama on May 12, 2002 - 20 comments

Michael Schumacher came to Hungaroring yesterday as a triple world champion, he left it as a legend! [More inside]
posted by riffola on Aug 20, 2001 - 21 comments