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Filip Cleeren
Author

Filip Cleeren

After concluding his journalism studies Filip decided to jump in at the deep end and become a freelance motorsports writer, which took him on a nomadic 50-country journey from Indianapolis to Le Mans and from Melbourne's Albert Park to the Dakar in Argentina. Born and raised in Belgium and now settled in sunny Barcelona, Spain, Filip first joined Motorsport.com in 2015 to help establish the Dutch edition before transitioning to the English-language team. In 2023 he became one of Motorsport Network's main F1 correspondents, with the 2026 season his fourth year on the ground at the majority of grands prix. Being Flemish, when he's not covering F1, he can likely be found watching the cycling instead, and he also has a soft spot for Southampton FC and the Toronto Blue Jays. Don't ask!

Latest articles by Filip Cleeren

'Antonelli and Sinner, Sinner and Antonelli' - Italy should handle its latest sporting hero with care

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Miami GP
'Antonelli and Sinner, Sinner and Antonelli' - Italy should handle its latest sporting hero with care

Why time is running out to make bigger F1 power unit changes for 2027

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Miami GP
Why time is running out to make bigger F1 power unit changes for 2027

Verstappen penalised for crossing pit exit but keeps fifth place at F1 Miami GP

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Miami GP
Verstappen penalised for crossing pit exit but keeps fifth place at F1 Miami GP

Leclerc handed huge Miami GP penalty after battle with Verstappen and Russell

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Miami GP
Leclerc handed huge Miami GP penalty after battle with Verstappen and Russell

Verstappen, Leclerc and Russell all summoned to stewards after F1 Miami GP

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Miami GP
Verstappen, Leclerc and Russell all summoned to stewards after F1 Miami GP

F1 Miami GP: Antonelli beats Norris for hard-fought win in chaotic race

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Miami GP
F1 Miami GP: Antonelli beats Norris for hard-fought win in chaotic race

Hadjar to be excluded from Miami GP qualifying over technical breach

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Miami GP
Hadjar to be excluded from Miami GP qualifying over technical breach

F1 brings Miami GP start time forward due to thunderstorm threat

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Miami GP
F1 brings Miami GP start time forward due to thunderstorm threat

F1 Miami GP: Antonelli holds off Verstappen for third straight pole

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Miami GP
F1 Miami GP: Antonelli holds off Verstappen for third straight pole

Has Mercedes already met its match? Miami F1's complicated form book explained

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Miami GP
Has Mercedes already met its match? Miami F1's complicated form book explained

F1 Miami GP: Norris beats Antonelli to sprint race pole with upgraded McLaren

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Miami GP
F1 Miami GP: Norris beats Antonelli to sprint race pole with upgraded McLaren

Bottas' mental health column is brutal, but also shows how F1 is changing

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Miami GP
Bottas' mental health column is brutal, but also shows how F1 is changing

Can Miami really be the start of a 'new' F1 season?

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Miami GP
Can Miami really be the start of a 'new' F1 season?

What's behind F1's long-term push to fill its 24-race calendar

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What's behind F1's long-term push to fill its 24-race calendar

Red Bull's F1 teams reshuffle their technical line-ups

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Red Bull's F1 teams reshuffle their technical line-ups

What has changed as FOM and FIA appear more aligned on F1's future?

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What has changed as FOM and FIA appear more aligned on F1's future?

Domenicali: F1 'needs to decide' on the next engine regulations this year

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Domenicali: F1 'needs to decide' on the next engine regulations this year

Racing Bulls suggest "continuous" roll-out of F1 2026 regulation tweaks

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Racing Bulls suggest "continuous" roll-out of F1 2026 regulation tweaks

F1 boss issues verdict on start of 2026 season, backs potential changes

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F1 boss issues verdict on start of 2026 season, backs potential changes

How every F1 2026 team has performed so far

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How every F1 2026 team has performed so far

FIA outlines decision timeline on F1 2026 tweaks

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FIA outlines decision timeline on F1 2026 tweaks

Red Bull confirms Lambiase exit for F1 2028

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Red Bull confirms Lambiase exit for F1 2028

Hill's standout memories from his 1996 F1 title-clinching race, 30 years on

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Japanese GP
Hill's standout memories from his 1996 F1 title-clinching race, 30 years on

Which teams will benefit and lose out the most from F1's enforced April break

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Bahrain GP
Which teams will benefit and lose out the most from F1's enforced April break

The most encouraging element from Leclerc's Japanese GP podium

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Bahrain GP
The most encouraging element from Leclerc's Japanese GP podium

How F1's smallest team has weathered the 2026 storm and started thriving

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How F1's smallest team has weathered the 2026 storm and started thriving

Why Miami will be start of a "new F1 championship" for teams

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Miami GP
Why Miami will be start of a "new F1 championship" for teams

George Russell, Formula 1 and an exercise in patience

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Japanese GP
George Russell, Formula 1 and an exercise in patience

Why Aston Martin must "take the positives" from its modest Japanese GP progress

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Japanese GP
Why Aston Martin must "take the positives" from its modest Japanese GP progress

Wolff on Horner F1 return: "He's broken a lot of glass"

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Japanese GP
Wolff on Horner F1 return: "He's broken a lot of glass"

"The more you push, the slower you go" - Japan's odd F1 qualifying explained

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Japanese GP
"The more you push, the slower you go" - Japan's odd F1 qualifying explained

Alonso: Suzuka driving challenge "gone" with 2026 F1 cars

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Japanese GP
Alonso: Suzuka driving challenge "gone" with 2026 F1 cars

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

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

F1 Japanese GP: Mercedes takes 1-2 as Antonelli fastest in FP3

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Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Mercedes takes 1-2 as Antonelli fastest in FP3

Ferrari 'lacking pace' compared to Mercedes and McLaren at Japanese GP

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Japanese GP
Ferrari 'lacking pace' compared to Mercedes and McLaren at Japanese GP

F1 Japanese GP: Russell leads Antonelli in FP1 by 0.026s

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Japanese GP
F1 Japanese GP: Russell leads Antonelli in FP1 by 0.026s

Honda's painful Japan homecoming is just the start of a bumpy ride

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Japanese GP
Honda's painful Japan homecoming is just the start of a bumpy ride

Mercedes' "two-phase" front wing activation a reliability issue, not an exploit

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Japanese GP
Mercedes' "two-phase" front wing activation a reliability issue, not an exploit

What really caused McLaren's Chinese GP double DNS?

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Japanese GP
What really caused McLaren's Chinese GP double DNS?

Is enjoying F1 in 2026 a guilty pleasure?

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Chinese GP
Is enjoying F1 in 2026 a guilty pleasure?

How 2023 is McLaren's blueprint to dust itself off after Chinese F1 no-show

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Chinese GP
How 2023 is McLaren's blueprint to dust itself off after Chinese F1 no-show

Antonelli fights tears after maiden F1 win: "I gave myself a heart attack at the end"

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Chinese GP
Antonelli fights tears after maiden F1 win: "I gave myself a heart attack at the end"

McLaren suffers Chinese F1 disaster as Norris and Piastri fail to make start

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Chinese GP
McLaren suffers Chinese F1 disaster as Norris and Piastri fail to make start

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia F1 races officially called off as Iran conflict rages

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Bahrain GP
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia F1 races officially called off as Iran conflict rages

Albon: Williams' 2026 weight problem "doesn't explain" performance deficit

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Chinese GP
Albon: Williams' 2026 weight problem "doesn't explain" performance deficit

Verstappen: Every lap is survival in "undriveable" Red Bull F1 car

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Chinese GP
Verstappen: Every lap is survival in "undriveable" Red Bull F1 car

Decision imminent on F1 Bahrain and Saudi races as time runs out

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Bahrain GP
Decision imminent on F1 Bahrain and Saudi races as time runs out

Retirement? Verstappen's stinging criticism shows he cares about F1

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Chinese GP
Retirement? Verstappen's stinging criticism shows he cares about F1

Exclusive: Lowdon on what's next for Cadillac after short F1 honeymoon

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Australian GP
Exclusive: Lowdon on what's next for Cadillac after short F1 honeymoon

Exclusive: Engineers already love "impressive" Lindblad, says Racing Bulls chief

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Australian GP
Exclusive: Engineers already love "impressive" Lindblad, says Racing Bulls chief

What's next for Aston Martin and Honda after torrid start to F1 2026?

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Australian GP
What's next for Aston Martin and Honda after torrid start to F1 2026?

Exclusive: Andretti blown away by 'unexpected' Cadillac F1 chassis tribute

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Australian GP
Exclusive: Andretti blown away by 'unexpected' Cadillac F1 chassis tribute

Why Williams cannot instantly put its overweight F1 car on a diet

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Australian GP
Why Williams cannot instantly put its overweight F1 car on a diet

McLaren has 0.5-1s performance gap to close to Mercedes after F1 Australian GP

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Australian GP
McLaren has 0.5-1s performance gap to close to Mercedes after F1 Australian GP

Piastri explains cause of Australian GP pre-race crash

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Australian GP
Piastri explains cause of Australian GP pre-race crash

Piastri out of Australian GP after crash on way to grid

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Australian GP
Piastri out of Australian GP after crash on way to grid

Stroll, Verstappen and Sainz allowed to start F1 Australian GP

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Australian GP
Stroll, Verstappen and Sainz allowed to start F1 Australian GP

Why Norris fears F1 has gone from "the best cars ever" to "probably the worst"

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Australian GP
Why Norris fears F1 has gone from "the best cars ever" to "probably the worst"

F1 Australian GP: Russell tops interrupted FP3 as Antonelli suffers heavy crash

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Australian GP
F1 Australian GP: Russell tops interrupted FP3 as Antonelli suffers heavy crash

FIA reverses Australian GP straight mode change after pushback

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Australian GP
FIA reverses Australian GP straight mode change after pushback