In competitive sport, small margins make the difference between winning and losing. It is therefore no surprise that elite sport is experiencing transformational change due to the increasing use of performance improvement technology. We have recently advised Formula 1 and Premier League football teams on their use of performance improvement technology solutions including in:… Continue Reading
This article was written for and first published by LawInSport. While nearly all of the column inches relating to recent FIA stewarding decisions have (unsurprisingly) focused on the fall out of the ‘Hamilton v Verstappen’ F1 2021 season finale, an interesting recent decision1 in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC3)2 underlines just how impactful decisions in the fast-paced world of … Continue Reading
As the world of traditional sports has ground to halt, esports has garnered much media attention, certainly in respect of those esports that operate within the purview of traditional sports. The esports industry was already thriving before the pandemic, attracting billions of pounds in revenues and huge viewing audiences. With the world on lockdown and … Continue Reading
Formula 1 returned to the streets of Baku, Azerbaijan last weekend; one of the most exciting of the new races added to the calendar in recent years. The race in 2017 was arguably the most chaotic of that season, with Sebastian Vettel turning into and hitting Lewis Hamilton behind the safety car. The race in … Continue Reading
At the last race weekend in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc became the second-youngest pole-sitter in Formula 1 history in just his second race with Ferrari. A few days’ prior in London, another rookie (at least, in his current role) was delivering what could be an historical change in the future of the sport: Ross Brawn’s vision … Continue Reading
“I don’t know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly, and they wouldn’t be taken seriously.” “I don’t know if they’ve got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel.” Regrettably, these inflammatory comments were not made by loose-lipped pub-goers, but by former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone and International Motorsports … Continue Reading
The immediate as well as long-term risks of concussion are an ever-topical point of discussion within sport, and one that Sports Shorts has considered previously. Player welfare is regularly called into question, with concerns often voiced as to the quality and thoroughness of head injury assessments and concussion protocols. Ever since the death of Australian … Continue Reading
Following a meeting of the Formula One Strategy Group on Wednesday, the FIA has confirmed that the ‘halo’ cockpit safety device will become mandatory in F1 cars starting from next season. The halo device is a three pronged structure with a line directly in the middle of the drivers’ sight that rises and forms a … Continue Reading
As we cruise into this weekend’s British Grand Prix the future of the event is in jeopardy. The British Grand Prix has been a feature of the F1 calendar since 1926 and has been held at Silverstone almost continuously since 1950. However, the circuit’s owner – the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) – announced late … Continue Reading
Since launching, Sports Shorts has covered the subject of eSports in some detail, in particular how more traditional sports have come alive to the commercial opportunities the new upstart presents for targeting new markets amongst the (predominantly) younger generation of gamers. The latest sport to accelerate into eSports is Formula One with the announcement today … Continue Reading
Today saw the start of the second pre-season testing window in Formula 1 (“F1”). The new 2017 cars were debuted last week in Barcelona where they have returned for another week of testing before taking the grid at the season opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 26 March. 2017 will be a significant year … Continue Reading
Tom Brady’s Super Bowl jersey, worn as he carried the New England Patriots to a stunning victory in Houston last Sunday, has gone missing. Brady says he put it in his bag after the game, turned around, and the next minute it was gone. No one knows where. Press conferences have been held, statements have … Continue Reading
So often associated with the rich and famous, with races staged in glamorous locations across the globe, the Formula One (“F1”) race calendar has long since attracted the super wealthy to its showcase events. Nowadays, countries looking to establish themselves on the world scene are bidding for spots on the race circuit as a way to … Continue Reading
The final 3 laps of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix contained as much excitement as a number of other races from this season put together. The excitement came during the battle for third place contested by Max Vertsappen, Red Bull’s teenage sensation, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo. In the final laps these … Continue Reading
