Race analysis & engineering notebook
Deep, data-driven breakdowns of Formula 1, MotoGP and endurance racing — strategy calls, tyre physics, and the five-lap decisions that win championships. Written by Santhosh Reddy Pilli.
Formula 1
A thunderstorm, a red-flagged formation lap and an inters-to-slicks crossover at Sepang. Verstappen takes his first win of 2026 as Russell's late failure hands Antonelli an 84-point lead.
Formula 1
Azerbaijan GP 2026
A 0.837s pole became a 0.1s win. Two safety cars, a Turn 1 pile-up that took out Norris, and Antonelli's 16th-to-5th recovery, analysed from the pit wall.
Career
MEGA 2026 Stage 2
Four days beyond the classroom at Kari Motor Speedway — pit lane operations, driver debriefs, a track walk, and the realization that a driver's performance is only one part of the equation.
Formula 1
Driver Market
A Silverstone DNF has mathematically activated the exit clause in Verstappen's contract. Here's what the clause says, the causes behind the rumours, and where he could go for 2027.
Formula 1
2031 Regulations
The FIA is studying naturally aspirated V8s and a return of mid-race refuelling for F1's next power unit era — reopening a weight, fuel, and strategy tradeoff the sport closed in 2010.
Formula 1
British GP 2026
Leclerc won under a Safety Car after Antonelli's wheel-shield failure dropped him to 16th, Verstappen's late spin brought out the flags, and an FIA software error denied a green-flag finish.
Formula 1
British GP Sprint 2026
A shock 0.011s pole put Ferrari and a home hero in charge of the Silverstone Sprint. Five laps later, one energy-deployment move on the Hangar Straight settled it.
Formula 1
Austrian GP 2026
A clean pole-to-flag drive from Mercedes. A brutal medium-hard-hard tyre calculation. And one undercut window Red Bull left open five laps too long.
MotoGP
Czech GP 2026
Fifth on the grid after two Friday crashes. Held back through the first half. Then one decisive move at Turn 4 on lap 16 did the rest.
Endurance
24H Le Mans 2026
Starting 14th and 15th. A puncture in the opening hours. A near-surrender at hour 18. Then one of the great Le Mans victories of the modern era.
Pit Wall Notes is a personal motorsport writing project by Santhosh Reddy Pilli, a Mechanical Engineering student from RGUKT Nuzvid with a focus on telemetry analysis and vehicle dynamics. Each article works through the engineering and strategy behind a race weekend — tyre physics, pit windows, and the small decisions that decide championships.