Author Profile: Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

Leopold Pleijsier

F1 Journalist

30037 published articles
5 Sep 2026 latest publication

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

Latest story: Alpine now hints at a further fight after Monaco ruling

Alex Zanardi: Vettel only thinks of winning

Alex Zanardi, the former F1 driver who inspired millions in the wake of his near fatal 2001 Champ Car crash, has admitted his admiration...

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7 Mar 2013

Lauda will stay German TV commentator

Despite becoming Mercedes' major shareholder and chairman, triple world champion Niki Lauda will remain an expert commentator in 2013. RTL, the German free-to-air broadcaster,...

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7 Mar 2013

Pedro de la Rosa: 2013 F1 title is all about details

Pedro de la Rosa is predicting a close race to the 2013 title. Red Bull, McLaren, Lotus, Mercedes and Ferrari have all looked quite...

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7 Mar 2013

F1 Cutaway Insights - Episode 1 - Sauber Team

Welcome to episode 1 of our Cutaway Insights series! In each of these 15 'shorties', we will pick one particular car part or subject...

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7 Mar 2013

Lotus F1 Team and Ridley Scott Associates Present....

Warning: this film contains flashing images. We're well known for doing everything just that little bit differently, and our 2013 season trailer is no...

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7 Mar 2013

Jean Todt likely to stay FIA president beyond 2013

Jean Todt looks set to remain FIA president for a second term. The former Ferrari chief (135 votes) beat ex world rally champion Ari...

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7 Mar 2013

Valentino Rossi rules out Formula 1 switch

Valentino Rossi has ruled out switching to formula one. Some years ago, the MotoGP legend flirted with a change of codes, conducting a series...

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7 Mar 2013

Williams: PDVSA F1 sponsor contract will continue after Chavez death

Williams on Wednesday played down fears the death of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez could hurt the British team. Through 2012 Barcelona winner Pastor Maldonado,...

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6 Mar 2013

Death Chavez could be threat for Maldonado's F1 future

State-sponsored F1 driver Pastor Maldonado's future appears clouded, following the death of controversial Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Backed by the state-controlled oil company PDVSA,...

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6 Mar 2013

Melbourne night F1 Grand Prix is being investigated

Leading formula one figures have called on organisers of the Australian grand prix to consider switching to a Singapore-style night race format. Keen to...

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6 Mar 2013

Red Bull denies mapping saga slowed down RB9 pace

Dr Helmut Marko has played down suggestions a clampdown on Renault's intended engine mapping solution for 2013 has hurt the performance of the new...

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6 Mar 2013

Whitmarsh not clear about McLaren-Honda F1 contract

Martin Whitmarash has not categorically denied reports McLaren could team up with former engine partner Honda for F1's new turbo V6 era. It had...

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6 Mar 2013

Montezemolo happy with 2013 Ferrari F138

In stark contrast to a year ago, team president Luca di Montezemolo sounds happy with Ferrari's preparation for the looming F1 season. Last year's...

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6 Mar 2013

Maria de Villota becomes Spain F1 TV coverage

Maria de Villota has been signed up as an expert pundit for Spanish television Antena 3's coverage of the 2013 formula one season. The...

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6 Mar 2013

Launch Red Bull RB9 F1 car

See the launch of Red Bull Racing's 2013 F1 car. The RB9 got launched in Milton Keynes, base of Red Bull Racing.

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5 Mar 2013

2013 F1 drivers to be drug tested

Several F1 drivers were drug tested on Tuesday. McLaren's Sergio Pérez confirmed he had endured a very "early morning" as the result of a...

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5 Mar 2013

LaFerrari Super sports car official launch video

We normally don't do any road car news on F1-Fansite.com, but for this beautiful machine we make an exception. LaFerrari, the new limited-edition special series car from the Prancing...

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5 Mar 2013

Red Bull Racing 2013 F1 season preview video

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber try out their 2013 Formula One World Championship challengers for size ahead of the season start in Melbourne next...

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5 Mar 2013

Fernando Alonso expects Red Bull to win Australian F1 GP

Fernando Alonso is heading into next weekend's 2013 season opener with realistic expectations of a podium finish. "I think so," the 2012 title runner-up...

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5 Mar 2013

Bernie Ecclestone wants 22 races on 2014 F1 calendar

Bernie Ecclestone has revealed he wants to push out F1's already bustling calendar to 22 races in 2014. This year, with New Jersey's demise,...

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5 Mar 2013

Toto Wolff: Melbourne will show fastest F1 car

Toto Wolff, Mercedes' new shareholder and director, has played down claims the Silver Arrows is a definite title contender for 2013. The Brackley based...

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5 Mar 2013

Bianchi expected to stay Force India reserve in 2013 F1 season

Jules Bianchi has admitted he expected to spend the 2013 season as Force India's reserve driver. The Frenchman served in that role last year, but...

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5 Mar 2013

Ecclestone wants third-generation Hill in F1

A third-generation formula one driver would be "fantastic", the sport's chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has admitted. Actually, the possibility is now quite real, with...

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5 Mar 2013

Kubica to contest second-tier WRC in 2013

Robert Kubica will contest the second-tier WRC2 world rally championship at the wheel of a Citroen in 2013. The former Renault and BMW driver...

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5 Mar 2013

Red Bull Racing bluffing or struggling with RB9 F1 car

As the sun set on the final day of pre-season testing late on Sunday, the words on everyone's lips were Mercedes and Red Bull....

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4 Mar 2013

McLaren confirms Paddy Lowe move to Mercedes F1

Sam Michael, McLaren's sporting director, has finally confirmed what the entire F1 paddock suspects -- Paddy Lowe is heading to Mercedes. It is a...

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4 Mar 2013

Mark Webber not thinking about F1 exit in 2013

Mark Webber has dismissed any suggestion he has replaced Michael Schumacher as F1's oldest driver speeding towards the paddock exit. With Schumacher now back...

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4 Mar 2013

Valsecchi's only F1 offer for 2013 from Lotus

, the latest GP2 champion, has revealed he will never forget Lotus' offer of a role in formula one this year. We reported last...

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4 Mar 2013

Luiz Razia lost F1 seat because sponsor did not pay

Luiz Razia insists he is not losing any sleep, despite coming tantalisingly close to realising his dream of racing in formula one this year. In...

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4 Mar 2013

Review 2013 F1 Winter Testing in Barcelona

With only two weeks to go before the start of the 2013 Australian F1 GP in Melbourne, the final four-day test took place in...

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3 Mar 2013