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Ben Vinel
Author

Ben Vinel

Ben Vinel joined Motorsport's Global team as a news writer and editor in January 2024 after eleven years at Motorsport France and its predecessor ToileF1.com, specialising in Formula 1 and junior formulae. Ben previously taught French at Bishop Stopford School (Kettering, UK) and Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine) but jumped at the opportunity to work full-time in motorsport journalism thereafter.

Latest articles by Ben Vinel

Niels Wittich: Michael Masi a “scapegoat” who “didn’t do much wrong” at Abu Dhabi 2021

Formula 1
Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
Niels Wittich: Michael Masi a “scapegoat” who “didn’t do much wrong” at Abu Dhabi 2021

When Paul Di Resta beat Sebastian Vettel to the F3 title

F3
F3
When Paul Di Resta beat Sebastian Vettel to the F3 title

Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine in action with their 2026 F1 cars

Formula 1
Formula 1
Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine in action with their 2026 F1 cars

‘I’m not sure it ever works’ – McLaren won’t switch F1 focus to 2027 car yet

Formula 1
Formula 1
‘I’m not sure it ever works’ – McLaren won’t switch F1 focus to 2027 car yet

Helmut Marko: Mercedes to win 2026 F1 title, Kimi Antonelli to challenge George Russell

Formula 1
Formula 1
Helmut Marko: Mercedes to win 2026 F1 title, Kimi Antonelli to challenge George Russell

The questions that still need answering from the start of the 2026 F1 season

Formula 1
The questions that still need answering from the start of the 2026 F1 season

On this day: Ayrton Senna beats Nigel Mansell to victory by 0.01s

Formula 1
Formula 1
On this day: Ayrton Senna beats Nigel Mansell to victory by 0.01s

McLaren officially hires Red Bull’s Gianpiero Lambiase, reveals time frame for arrival

Formula 1
Formula 1
McLaren officially hires Red Bull’s Gianpiero Lambiase, reveals time frame for arrival

Finally F1 cars don’t need to be faster to overtake – Isack Hadjar

Formula 1
Formula 1
Finally F1 cars don’t need to be faster to overtake – Isack Hadjar

When Mark Blundell gave up on a career-defining Williams F1 role

Formula 1
Formula 1
When Mark Blundell gave up on a career-defining Williams F1 role

McLaren gives F2 champion Leo Fornaroli several F1 tests

Formula 1
Formula 1
McLaren gives F2 champion Leo Fornaroli several F1 tests

The ‘youngest ever’ F1 records Kimi Antonelli can still beat

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
The ‘youngest ever’ F1 records Kimi Antonelli can still beat

Why Aston Martin has no need to “make peace” with Honda

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Why Aston Martin has no need to “make peace” with Honda

‘Is the car behind in control?’ F1 2026 rules spark Alex Albon’s concern

Formula 1
Formula 1
‘Is the car behind in control?’ F1 2026 rules spark Alex Albon’s concern

Ferrari can get “huge gains” from F1 engine, chassis, aero, tyres – Charles Leclerc

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Ferrari can get “huge gains” from F1 engine, chassis, aero, tyres – Charles Leclerc

F1 should aim at return to “flat-out qualifying” for 2027 – Laurent Mekies

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 should aim at return to “flat-out qualifying” for 2027 – Laurent Mekies

Alpine F1 team denies Franco Colapinto sabotage claims

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Alpine F1 team denies Franco Colapinto sabotage claims

Red Bull now ‘paying the price’ for F1 2025 title charge

Formula 1
Formula 1
Red Bull now ‘paying the price’ for F1 2025 title charge

Pierre Gasly labels Alpine A526 his ‘best F1 car ever’ after beating Max Verstappen

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Pierre Gasly labels Alpine A526 his ‘best F1 car ever’ after beating Max Verstappen

‘Stop beating yourself up,’ Haas tells Oliver Bearman after 50G Suzuka crash

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
‘Stop beating yourself up,’ Haas tells Oliver Bearman after 50G Suzuka crash

Max Verstappen’s take on Red Bull’s problems, Oliver Bearman’s crash, and how to fix 2026 F1 rules

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Max Verstappen’s take on Red Bull’s problems, Oliver Bearman’s crash, and how to fix 2026 F1 rules

Red Bull overtaken by Alpine in F1 2026 – here’s how it happened

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Red Bull overtaken by Alpine in F1 2026 – here’s how it happened

Why Oliver Bearman was so much faster than Franco Colapinto when he crashed

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Why Oliver Bearman was so much faster than Franco Colapinto when he crashed

Red Bull F1 car so undriveable it was “dangerous” at Suzuka - Isack Hadjar

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Red Bull F1 car so undriveable it was “dangerous” at Suzuka - Isack Hadjar

F1 Japanese GP: Safety car helps Kimi Antonelli to victory

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Safety car helps Kimi Antonelli to victory

Cadillac no longer last after beating Aston Martin in Suzuka qualifying

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Cadillac no longer last after beating Aston Martin in Suzuka qualifying

Honda engine vibrations curiously vanish, then reappear, on Aston Martin F1 car

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Honda engine vibrations curiously vanish, then reappear, on Aston Martin F1 car

Max Verstappen to make “life” decisions as his discontent with F1 grows

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Max Verstappen to make “life” decisions as his discontent with F1 grows

Max Verstappen: “I'm not even frustrated anymore, I'm beyond that”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Max Verstappen: “I'm not even frustrated anymore, I'm beyond that”

F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Japanese GP

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Japanese GP

F1 Japanese GP: Kimi Antonelli on pole, Max Verstappen out in Q2

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Kimi Antonelli on pole, Max Verstappen out in Q2

Aston Martin: Jonathan Wheatley isn’t joining “for the time being”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Aston Martin: Jonathan Wheatley isn’t joining “for the time being”

Ayao Komatsu “very proud” of Esteban Ocon as he owns up to Franco Colapinto clash

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Ayao Komatsu “very proud” of Esteban Ocon as he owns up to Franco Colapinto clash

“Oh, sh*t” – How Nico Hulkenberg found out about Jonathan Wheatley’s Audi exit

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
“Oh, sh*t” – How Nico Hulkenberg found out about Jonathan Wheatley’s Audi exit

Why Lewis Hamilton believes 2026 F1 rules are “what racing should be” – unlike Max Verstappen

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Why Lewis Hamilton believes 2026 F1 rules are “what racing should be” – unlike Max Verstappen

How Honda's quest for F1 reliability is going amid Aston Martin struggles

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
How Honda's quest for F1 reliability is going amid Aston Martin struggles

Fernando Alonso to skip F1 Japanese GP FP1

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Fernando Alonso to skip F1 Japanese GP FP1

April F1 break may be “a bit of a disadvantage” for Red Bull

Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
April F1 break may be “a bit of a disadvantage” for Red Bull

Cadillac’s unexpected April F1 break will be “quite beneficial”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Cadillac’s unexpected April F1 break will be “quite beneficial”

Eight shock Formula 1 team principal changes

Formula 1
Formula 1
Eight shock Formula 1 team principal changes

Jonathan Wheatley officially leaves Audi, before replacing Adrian Newey at Aston Martin

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Jonathan Wheatley officially leaves Audi, before replacing Adrian Newey at Aston Martin

Opel enters Formula E for Gen4 era

Formula E
Formula E
Opel enters Formula E for Gen4 era

Alpine now targets McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari: “We have the potential to be in that pack”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Alpine now targets McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari: “We have the potential to be in that pack”

A "party mode" in Mercedes F1 engine? Lando Norris rebuffs Lewis Hamilton's theory

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
A "party mode" in Mercedes F1 engine? Lando Norris rebuffs Lewis Hamilton's theory

Why Ferrari believes F1 engine rules tweak won't stop Mercedes

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Why Ferrari believes F1 engine rules tweak won't stop Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton: “I’m back to my best” in F1 2026, “both mentally and physically”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Lewis Hamilton: “I’m back to my best” in F1 2026, “both mentally and physically”

Cadillac F1 drivers clash in Chinese GP, Sergio Perez apologises to Valtteri Bottas

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Cadillac F1 drivers clash in Chinese GP, Sergio Perez apologises to Valtteri Bottas

Honda F1 engine vibrations led to Fernando Alonso ‘losing all feeling in limbs’

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Honda F1 engine vibrations led to Fernando Alonso ‘losing all feeling in limbs’

“I’m lucky to be here” – Oliver Bearman avoided “monster shunt” with out-of-control Isack Hadjar

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
“I’m lucky to be here” – Oliver Bearman avoided “monster shunt” with out-of-control Isack Hadjar

Fred Vasseur was ‘a bit scared’ as Ferrari F1 drivers battled in Chinese GP

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Fred Vasseur was ‘a bit scared’ as Ferrari F1 drivers battled in Chinese GP

McLaren drivers explain what led to double DNS at F1 Chinese GP

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
McLaren drivers explain what led to double DNS at F1 Chinese GP

F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Chinese GP

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Chinese GP

Fernando Alonso: ‘10 years ago, I looked crazy criticising Honda…’

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Fernando Alonso: ‘10 years ago, I looked crazy criticising Honda…’

Sergio Perez struck by technical failure Cadillac’s had for “far too long”

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Sergio Perez struck by technical failure Cadillac’s had for “far too long”

Why Ferrari ditched its ‘Macarena’ rear wing after FP1 at F1 Chinese GP

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Why Ferrari ditched its ‘Macarena’ rear wing after FP1 at F1 Chinese GP

Red Bull’s “disaster” on Friday: how Max Verstappen lost 1.7s to Mercedes

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Red Bull’s “disaster” on Friday: how Max Verstappen lost 1.7s to Mercedes

F1 Chinese GP: George Russell takes sprint pole in Mercedes 1-2

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
F1 Chinese GP: George Russell takes sprint pole in Mercedes 1-2

Flavio Briatore confirms Mercedes wants to buy into Alpine F1 team

Formula 1
Formula 1
Flavio Briatore confirms Mercedes wants to buy into Alpine F1 team

F1 Chinese GP: Mercedes on top ahead of sprint qualifying

Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
F1 Chinese GP: Mercedes on top ahead of sprint qualifying

Cadillac upgrading its F1 car at every race, as Sergio Perez sets timeline for points

Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Cadillac upgrading its F1 car at every race, as Sergio Perez sets timeline for points