Barnard

A motorist visiting an electric vehicle dealership in Darlington has arranged an extended test drive, arguing a short spin is useless for judging an EV. The planned route takes in Barnard Castle, the high narrow roads of Weardale, the steep Crawleyside climb at Stanhope, and the return to Darlington via Castleside and the A68, testing the car on demanding terrain.

Former Formula 1 designer John Barnard has criticised today's F1 cars, calling them 'Frankenstein' machines. According to AutoRacing1.com, the legendary engineer behind multiple championship-winning designs argues that current cars have become over-complicated hybrids of ideas rather than coherent engineering concepts. His remarks add to ongoing debate among fans and pundits about whether modern F1 has lost design purity through regulation and technology layering.