Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Formula One

  • Leclerc leads a 1-2 finish for Ferrari in 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

    Leclerc leads a 1-2 finish for Ferrari in 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix

    Charles Leclerc and Ferrari commenced the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship season with an emphatic statement after both captured a dominant victory in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, March 20.

    The 24-year-old Leclerc from Monte Carlo, Monaco, who qualified on pole position on Saturday, took off with the lead at the start, led all but two of the 57-scheduled laps and benefitted from three strong, strategic pit stops to remain ahead of his front-runners en route to a victory over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. under caution as Ferrari captured a 1-2 finish to commence their bid for this year’s championship battle. 

    The victory at Bahrian was the third of Leclerc’s Formula One career and first since winning the Italian Grand Prix in September 2019. In addition, Ferrari captured its first Grand Prix victory since the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix in September with Sebastian Vettel.

    “It feel amazing,” Leclerc said. “It really feels amazing. After all the hard work, to do the pole yesterday felt good, but I had to finish the business today and to have a race win, especially with a one, two [finish] for the team, it feels absolutely incredible.”

    “A victory’s always very, very special,” Leclerc added. “I definitely feel much grown as a driver compared to my victory in 2019. Here today, everything felt a bit more under control and it felt nice. Obviously, there were some tense moments on track with Max [Verstappen] after the first stop, with the Safety Car restart after that, but everything was managed well. It’s great.”

    “So happy,” Mattia Binotto, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, added. “I think we’re not expecting or hoping for such a good result at the end. It’s great to be here, to win and finally, a one, two [finish]. I think it has been, overall, a great team effort, great team result. Everyone worked very well. Both drivers did a fantastic race.”

    Behind, Sainz, who qualified in third place, commenced his eighth full-time season in F1 competition by tying his career-best result of second place.

    “I think it’s a great day for the team,” Sainz said. “It’s a massive day. I just need to say congratulations to everyone, to everyone back at the factory because you cannot imagine how much hard work there’s behind these results. These last two years, there’s been a lot of struggles, a lot of suffering and suddenly, to come back with a one, two, it’s something huge for Italy, for Ferrari. Great day. Time to celebrate and then, time to get our heads down and keep going.”

    Rounding out the podium was Sir Lewis Hamilton as the seven-time F1 champion, who never contended for the victory but settled quietly near the top five, settled in third place for his 183rd career podium in Formula One competition.

    “Honestly, I’m generally quite happy with today, given the struggle that we’ve had in the forms we’ve had,” Hamilton said. “I’m positive. I had a pretty decent lap in the end. I’m excited. I know it’s a long, long season. It’s easy to get down when you know that you can’t compete for wins, but just proud of the team. Proud of us all keeping our heads down. I know that this is the best team. We will huddle together, unite and fix whatever problems we have, and be back in the fight with these guys.”

    While Ferrari celebrated their strong start to the season, Red Bull Racing, the reigning champions, were left disappointed after both Max Verstappen and Sergio “Checo” Perez retired late due to late fuel pump issue. Verstappen, the reigning champion, retired on Lap 54 of 57 after he fell off the pace due to his mechanical issues while running in second place, thus retiring in 19th place. Meanwhile, Perez, who had third place locked up on the final lap, spun through the first turn and just in front of Hamilton as he was unable to continue. With his late issues, Perez settled in 18th place as both competitors failed to record points for Red Bull Racing one race into the new season and in their bids to defend the drivers’ championship.

    George Russell, Hamilton’s new full-time Mercedes teammate, came home in fourth place while Kevin Magnussen finished fifth in his return to Formula One competition following a one-year absence, thus scoring the first points for the Haas F1 Team since the Eifel Grand Prix in October 2020 with former F1 competitor Romain Grosjean.

    Valtteri Bottas earned a strong sixth-place result in his first event with Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen followed by Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso. Rookie Guanyu Zhou for Alfa Romeo completed the top-10 points-paying results by capturing his maiden point in F1 with a 10th-place result.

    The first competitor to finish outside of the points was Mick Schumacher, who rallied from an early spin following contact with Ocon, in 11th place followed by Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris. Nicholas Latifi finished 16th while Nico Hülkenberg, who filled in as an interim competitor for Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel after Vettel tested positive for COVID-19, settled in 17th place.

    Pierre Gasly settled in 20th place, dead last, following a late overheating issue to his AlphaTauri-RBPT under the final 15 laps.

    Results:

    1. Charles Leclerc, 26 points, 55 laps led

    2. Carlos Sainz Jr., 18 points, two laps led

    3. Lewis Hamilton, 15 points

    4. George Russell, 12 points

    5. Kevin Magnussen, 10 points

    6. Valtteri Bottas, eight points

    7. Esteban Ocon, six points

    8. Yuki Tsunoda, four points

    9. Fernando Alonso, two points

    10. Guanyu Zhou, one point

    11. Mick Schumacher

    12. Lance Stroll

    13. Alexander Albon

    14. Daniel Ricciardo

    15. Lando Norris

    16. Nicholas Latifi

    17. Nico Hülkenberg

    18. Sergio Perez – Retired

    19. Max Verstappen – Retired

    20. Pierre Gasly – Retired

    Following the first event of the 2022 F1 season, Charles Leclerc leads the drivers’ standings by eight points over teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., 11 over Lewis Hamilton, 14 over George Russell, 16 over Kevin Magnussen and 18 over Valtteri Bottas. 

    In addition, Ferrari leads the constructors’ standings by 17 points over Mercedes, 34 over Haas Ferrari, 35 over Alfa Romeo Ferrari and 36 over Alpine Renault.

    Next on the 2022 Formula One schedule is Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the second running of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, March 27.

  • Magnussen reunites with Haas for 2022 F1 season

    Magnussen reunites with Haas for 2022 F1 season

    Haas F1 Team announced the return of Kevin Magnussen to their drive roster for the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship season and on a multi-year basis.

    The 29-year-old Magnussen from Roskilde, Denmark, and the son of former F1 competitor, Jan, will compete alongside Mick Schumacher, who returns for a second full-time season at Haas, as he embarks in his first full-time Formula One season following his departure from the sport and the American team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

    The news comes following Haas’ decision on Saturday, March 5, to terminate Nikita Mazepin’s contract that prevents the 23-year-old Russian from competing in Formula One and for the American team this upcoming season amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The team also terminated their title partnership with Uralkali, a Russian potash fertilizer producer that is owned by Mazepin’s father, Dmitry.

    Haas’ decision in terminating their partnership with Mazepin occurred two days after Formula One terminated its contract with Russia with no intentions of running a Grand Prix in the country for this season and in the near future.

    “I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team,” Magnussen said. “I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations.”

    “Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career – I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out,” Magnussen added. “We’ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. I’ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. There’s work to do but I’m excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.”

    Magnussen is no stranger to the Formula One grid. He made his F1 debut during the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, where he notched his lone podium result to date after finishing in second place while competing for the McLaren F1 Team. In doing so, he became the first Danish competitor to achieve an F1 podium result. After finishing in 11th place in the 2014 F1 drivers’ standings before becoming a test-and-reserve competitor for McLaren in 2015, Magnussen campaigned as a full-time F1 competitor for Renault Sport F1 Team in 2016, where he finished 16th in the final standings, before joining forces with Haas F1 Team in 2017.

    From 2017 to 2020, where he made 79 starts with Haas, Magnussen recorded 21 top-10 points-scoring results and two best on-track results of fifth place in 2018, which occurred during the Bahrain Grand Prix in April and the Austrian Grand Prix in July. His best points result with the team occurred in 2018, where he notched a career-high 56 points and finished in a career-best ninth place in the drivers’ standings.

    Following his departure from Haas in 2020 and prior to his return for the 2022 season, Magnussen competed in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship region in 2021 for Chip Ganassi Racing. He claimed his first win in the Detroit Grand Prix at The Raceway on Belle Isle in June and racked up four additional podiums before finishing in seventh place in the Drivers’ Daytona Prototype International (DPi) Championship standings. To go along with two consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona starts (2021 and 2022) and his first 24 Hours of Le Mans at France’s Circuit de la Sarthe in 2021, Magnussen made his NTT IndyCar Series debut at Road America in June as an interim competitor for Arrow McLaren SP, where he led six laps but finished 24th in the 25-car field due to a power issue.

    Through 119 previous starts in Formula One, Magnussen has achieved one podium, 35 top-10 points-paying results, 158 points and an average-finishing result of 13.1.

    “I’m delighted to welcome Kevin Magnussen back to Haas F1 Team,” Guenther Steiner, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, said. “When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. Kevin was a key component in our previous successes – not least when we both scored our best finishes in Formula 1 back in 2018. He continued to show last year that he’s an elite race car driver adding wins and podiums to his resume. As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, he’ll provide a solid benchmark for us with the on-going development of the VF-22. We’re all looking forward to welcoming Kevin back this week in Bahrain.”

    Magnussen will be participating in this weekend’s pre-season test session at Bahrain International Circuit (March 10-12) alongside Mick Schumacher and Pietro Fittipaldi, Haas’ test and reserve driver, before making his first Formula One start of this season at Bahrain for the 2022 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 20.

  • Formula One terminates contract with Russia

    Formula One terminates contract with Russia

    Formula One announced that the sport has terminated its contract with Russia with no intentions of holding any Grand Prix events in the near future.

    The announcement comes a week after Russia commenced an ongoing, large-scale military invasion of Ukraine. It also comes after Formula One initially cancelled plans to hold a Russian Grand Prix for the 2022 season, which was scheduled to occur at Sochi Autodrom on September 25.

    “Formula One can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter,” Formula One said in a released statement. “[The decision] meaning Russia will not have a race in the future.”

    The Russian Grand Prix made its debut in 1913 at Saint Petersburg followed by 1914 before being canceled due to World War I and the Russian Civil War. A century later, the country returned to hosting Grand Prix events in 2014 at Sochi Autodrome, an annual event that lasted through 2021. Russia, which had a contract to host Formula One events through 2025, was initially set to relocate its annual Grand Prix event from Sochi Autodrome to Igora Drive in St. Petersburg in 2023.

    The decision to cancel the Russian Grand Prix will not prevent Nikita Mazepin, the lone Russian F1 competitor currently competing for Haas F1 Team, from competing this upcoming season in spite of a request from the International Olympic Committee to have all Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in international sporting events. In a released statement from the FIA earlier this week, all Russian and Belarusian competitors and officials will be allowed to compete in international competitions in their neutral capacity under the FIA flags. Mazepin will be barred, however, from competing in this year’s British Grand Prix scheduled for July 3 following a ban request from Motorsport UK. An announcement for Mazepin’s replacement from Haas has not currently been made.

    During the final day of a pre-season test session last week at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, the Haas F1 Team removed its title sponsor Uralkali from their entries. Uralkali is a fertiliser company that is part-owned by Dmitry Mazepin, Nikita’s father.

    Any decisions for Formula One to modify the 2022 schedule or replace the Russian Grand Prix with another country have not currently been made.

  • Formula One unveils 2022 schedule

    Formula One unveils 2022 schedule

    The 2022 Formula One schedule was revealed, featuring a record-breaking 23 Grand Prix events that will span from mid-March through mid-November. It is a schedule that will feature some new and familiar venues with one notable country absent for the upcoming F1 season.

    For a second consecutive season, the Bahrain International Circuit will kick off a new season of Formula One competition with the Bahrain Grand Prix (March 20) while the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit will remain as the final F1 event on the schedule (November 20).

    New on the schedule is the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida (May 8). The event will mark Formula One’s first of two visits to the United States of America with the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, primed to return (October 23).

    Familiar circuits that are set to return and host Formula One competition for the upcoming season include Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit for the Australian Grand Prix (April 10), Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix (June 19), Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix (October 2) and Suzuka International Racing Course for the Japanese Grand Prix (October 9). All circuits, which last hosted a Grand Prix event in 2019, were absent for the previous two seasons due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

    Other circuits that will host a Grand Prix event in 2022 include Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the second annual Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (March 27), Imola Circuit for the third annual Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (April 24) and Circuit Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix (September 4), which will mark the second time the F1 competitors will be competing in the Netherlands since returning last September and for the first time since 1985.

    The annual Russian Grand Prix (September 26) will take place at Sochi Autodrom for the ninth and final time before moving to Autodrom Igora Drive in St. Petersburg for the 2023 season.

    Not included on the schedule for next season is the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. China, which last hosted a Grand Prix event in 2019, will announce its plans for its return to the Formula One schedule and for the future at a later date.

    The Portuguese Grand Prix and Turkish Grand Prix, which were featured on the schedule for the previous two seasons amid the pandemic, will also not be featured for the 2022 season. The inaugural Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit, which is scheduled to occur this season on November 21, will not be featured for 2022, but will become an annual Grand Prix event at an undetermined circuit, beginning in 2023 and on a 10-year contract.

    A statement was made following the announcement of the 2021 Formula One schedule:

    “The 2022 season follows an unprecedented two years for Formula 1 in which the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in revised calendar of 17 races in 2020 and 22 races in 2021 – a huge achievement given the international nature of the sport. It has been fantastic to welcome fans back to events this year, and we will continue to ensure this is done safely and in line with national guidelines. The pandemic has continued to present challenges to the 2021 season, but the entire sport has shown its ability to react and adapt to the challenges as they have arisen. While we hope the virus recedes further in the coming months for everyone around the world, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and work closely with the promoters and national authorities.”

    The 2022 Formula One schedule comes as the competitors and teams prepare to embrace new technical regulations for the upcoming season involving new aerodynamics and bodywork to the F1 cars, power units, standardized components towards the gearbox and fuel system and a tyre increase from 13 to 18 inches.

    “This season (2021) has been incredible so far with great battles on the track, large audiences tuning in and fans returning to the races after the impact of the pandemic,” Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula One, said. “We look forward to welcoming more fans back next season and hope 2022 feels more normal than the life we have all experienced in the past two years. We are very pleased with the interest in Formula 1 from places that want to host races and the growth of the sport and believe we have a fantastic calendar for 2022 with destinations like Miami joining famous and historic venues. The pandemic is still with us, and we will therefore continue to be vigilant and safe – to protect all our personnel and the communities we visit.”

    “The impressive 2022 FIA Formula One Championship calendar is the result of the great work made by Formula 1, led by Stefano Domenicali and his team, in strong synergy with the FIA,” Jean Todt, President of FIA, added. “Over the past two years, F1 has shown remarkable resilience. This is clearly demonstrated by the continued growth of the sport despite the important challenges of the pandemic. The 23 Grands Prix in 2022 will be an exciting showcase for the all-new cars and I am looking forward to it.”

    The full 2022 Formula One schedule is as follows:

    1. March 20: Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir)

    2. March 27: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Jeddah)

    3. April 10: Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)

    4. April 24: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Imola)

    5. May 8: Miami Grand Prix (Miami)

    6. May 22: Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona)

    7. May 29: Monaco Grand Prix (Monaco)

    8. June 12: Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Baku)

    9. June 19: Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)

    10. July 3: British Grand Prix (Silverstone)

    11. July 10: Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg)

    12. July 24: French Grand Prix (Le Castellet)

    13. July 31: Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest)

    14. August 28: Belgian Grand Prix (Spa)

    15. September 4: Dutch Grand Prix (Zandvoort)

    16. September 11: Italian Grand Prix (Monza)

    17. September 25: Russian Grand Prix (Sochi)

    18. October 2: Singapore Grand Prix (Singapore)

    19. October 9: Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)

    20. October 23: United States Grand Prix (Austin)

    21. October 30: Mexico City Grand Prix (Mexico City)

    22. November 13: São Paulo Grand Prix (São Paulo)

    23. November 20: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Abu Dhabi)

    Also announced were the Formula 2 and Formula 3 schedules, which will run in conjunction with Formula One throughout the season from mid-March through mid-November. F2 is scheduled to compete in 14 rounds, beginning at Bahrain International Circuit (March 18-20) and ending at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit (November 18-20). F3 is scheduled to compete in nine rounds, beginning at Bahrain (March 18-20) and ending at Monza Circuit (September 9-11).

    With the 2022 racing schedule set, the 2021 Formula One World Championship season is set to resume on October 24 at Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

  • Formula One 2021-22 Silly Season Update

    Formula One 2021-22 Silly Season Update

    Thirteen races down and nine remain to a competitive 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship season highlighted with a new financial regulation and budget cap for every team, aerodynamic and technical changes to the current F1 cars, sporting regulations, race weekend and on-track activity changes, calendar and circuit changes amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a series of on- and off-track, competitive exchanges between two organizations (Mercedes and Red Bull) vying to emerge as champions of 2021.  

    Mixed into the competitive 2021 season are a series of changes pinpointing a number of drivers and teams prior to the 2022 F1 season, with nearly all of the 20 seats on the grid being filled and a majority having guaranteed spots to remain with their current organizations while others are bound to move to a new home for the new season. 

    Here is a rundown of each team and their driver lineup for next season:

    For the first time since 2017, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, which entered this season as the reigning championship-winning team and currently leads this year’s constructors’ standings, will feature a new competitor to its two-car roster. That competitor is George Russell, who was named a Mercedes F1 driver for the 2022 season on September 7. Russell, a native from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, is currently competing in his third racing season with Williams Racing. Despite being mired back in 15th place in the drivers’ standings, he achieved his maiden podium result after qualifying and finishing second in the rain-shortened Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in late August. Russell will be a teammate to Sir Lewis Hamilton, the reigning seven-time F1 champion who has won four Grand Prix events this season and is runner-up in the current drivers’ standings. Hamilton, meanwhile, signed a two-year contract extension in early July to remain with Mercedes, a deal spanning to 2023, as he continues to his pursuit for a record-setting eighth Formula One title and 100 Grand Prix victories.

    Russell’s transition to Mercedes means that he will be replacing Valtteri Bottas, a native from Nastola, Finland, who has been competing with the silver arrow team since 2017 and has achieved nine career wins in F1. While he has yet to achieve his first Grand Prix victory of 2021, Bottas is up in third place in the drivers’ standings. The Finnish competitor, though, revealed on September 6 that he will be joining Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen on a multi-year basis, beginning in 2022. Bottas will be replacing Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 F1 champion who announced his intention to retire from the sport on September 1. Alfa Romeo has yet to announce its full two-car driver lineup for next season, with the status of Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo’s current second competitor and a third-year F1 driver from Martina, Italy, unconfirmed. 

    Like Mercedes, the Williams Racing team will feature a new competitor to its organization next season. That competitor is Alexander Albon, a former Red Bull Racing competitor who has competed under the Thai flag, as announced on September 8. Albon made his Formula One debut in 2019 while driving for Toro Rosso, now know as AlphaTauri. Midway into the season, he replaced Pierre Gasly to drive for Red Bull and continued to drive for the team through 2020, where he earned two podium results, before being demoted to the role of reserve and development for Red Bull this season. Albon will be a teammate to Nicholas Latifi, a native from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, who is in his second full-time season in F1 and will remain with Williams for the 2022 season. Latifi is currently in 16th place in the drivers’ standings, one spot behind his current teammate, George Russell, while the Williams team is up in eighth place in the constructors’ standings following four top-10 points-paying results.

    Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing Honda, which is runner-up in the constructors’ standings behind Mercedes, will be retaining its two-driver lineup for the 2022 season. Max Verstappen, the current championship leader who has won seven Grand Prix races this season, including the recent Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort, is guaranteed to be with the team through 2023 while Sergio “Checo” Perez, an 11-year racing veteran who won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June, signed a one-year contract extension on August 27 to remain as a Red Bull competitor for another season. Perez is ranked in fifth place in the drivers’ standings.

    Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda, a sister team to Red Bull Racing, will also feature the return of Pierre Gasly and rookie Yuki Tsunoda as the team’s two drivers for 2022, which was confirmed on September 7. Gasly, winner of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, has achieved a podium result at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June along with 12 top-10 points-paying results while Tsunoda, the 2018 F4 Japanese champion, a three-time Formula 2 winner and a newcomer to Formula One this season, has finished in the top-10 five times. Gasly is currently in eighth place in the drivers’ standings, five spots ahead of teammate Tsunoda, while AlphaTauri is ranked in sixth place in the constructors’ standings.

    Like the two Red Bull organizations, Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow, which is ranked in third place in the constructors’ standings, will feature no changes to its driver lineup for next season. Charles Leclerc, who has won his maiden two Grand Prix races since joining the historic organization in 2019 and is placed in sixth in the current drivers’ standings, is under contract with Ferrari through 2024 while Carlos Sainz Jr., the newest member of the organization who has achieved four podium results since 2019, is scheduled to retain his Ferrari seat for 2022. Sainz, currently, is a spot behind teammate Leclerc in the standings.

    Another team that will feature no changes to its driver lineup is the McLaren F1 Team, which is ranked in fourth place in the constructors’ standings. Lando Norris, who has achieved four podium results since 2020 and is in fourth place in the drivers’ standings, inked a fresh multi-year contract in May to remain as a McLaren F1 competitor for 2022 and beyond while Daniel Ricciardo, the team’s newest competitor and a seven-time Grand Prix winner, is slated to remain with the organization on a multi-year basis. Ricciardo is ranked in ninth place in the drivers’ standings, five spots behind his teammate, with nine top-10 results.

    Coming off their recent on-track successes, the Alpine F1 Team, which rebranded from Renault and is in fifth place in the constructors’ standings, will also feature no changes to its lineup for the 2022 season. Esteban Ocon, who won his maiden Grand Prix event in Hungary in early August and is 11th in the drivers’ standings, signed a contract extension in mid-June to remain with Alpine through 2024 while Fernando Alonso, a two-time F1 champion who returned to full-time competition following a two-year break, confirmed in late August that he will return to compete with Alpine next season. Alonso is currently a position ahead of teammate Ocon in the standings.

    Despite enduring an up-and-down season, the Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team, which rebranded from Racing Point and is placed in seventh in the constructors’ standings, is expected to retain Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll as the team’s two drivers for next season. Vettel, a four-time Formula One champion who achieved his first podium result with the team at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in June, is in 12th place in the drivers’ standings, two spots ahead of teammate Stroll, who has achieved six top-10 points-paying results.

    Finally, the Uralkali Haas F1 Team, which sits in the bottom of the constructors’ standings and has yet to score a single point through 13 scheduled Grand Prix events, is also expected to retain its two-driver lineup for the 2022 season. Mick Schumacher, an F1 newcomer and the reigning Formula 2 champion who is the son of seven-time F1 champion, Michael Schumacher, is in a tie at the bottom of the drivers’ standings with his rookie teammate Nikita Mazepin, who finished in fifth place in the 2020 F2 standings with two victories and is the son of Dmitry Mazepin, a Russian businessman who is also the chairman and core shareholder of Uralchem Integrated Chemicals Company.

    With the 2022 Formula One full driver-team lineup yet to be determined, the 2021 F1 season is scheduled to resume at Monza Circuit for the Italian Grand Prix on September 12 followed by Sochi Autodrom for the Russian Grand Prix on September 26.

  • Formula One rookie Latifi to use race number as homage to hometown

    Formula One rookie Latifi to use race number as homage to hometown

    2020 Williams rookie Nicholas Latifi recently chose his racing number not only due to it’s championship history, but also as an homage to his hometown of Toronto, Ontario. He will be racing with the number six adorning the sides of his car.

    Toronto is also known as “The Six,” due to it’s two area codes – 416 and 647. Also, at one point in Toronto’s history it was broken up into six areas – Old Toronto, Scarborough, East York, North York, Etobicoke and York.

    Latifi, who finished second in the 2019 Formula Two points with four wins and eight podiums, becomes the first driver to use the number six since Nico Rosberg won the 2016 Formula One championship. Coincidentally, Rosberg’s career also started at Williams.

    The rookie replaces Robert Kubica, who opted to leave Williams after one season. Latifi will race as teammate to George Russell, who will be in his second season with Williams.

    2019 was the worst season in Williams history, as the team only scored one point throughout the season, coming at the German Grand Prix in Hockenheimring, the 11th event of the 21-race season.

  • Crossover Stars Help NASCAR’s Fan Appeal

    Crossover Stars Help NASCAR’s Fan Appeal

    NASCAR needs more crossover stars. It’s a time-honored tradition in the sport to bring in drivers from across the pond (mostly on NASCAR’s dime) and put them in our cars not only to perform but to draw in the fans. This is usually met with success more on the fan side of things, although former F1 drivers Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya did find a bit of success in NASCAR.

    Lewis Hamilton’s comments to TMZ regarding a foray in NASCAR have been given a bit of levity considering how his 2018 season has gone without a win, not to mention he has yet to finalize any plans beyond 2018. Hamilton has been vocal in the past regarding his love for American motorsports as well as a possible NASCAR venture, and considering he’s the closest thing to a mainstream A-list celebrity the racing world has, it’s easy to imagine the NASCAR brass salivating at the idea of Hamilton in a competitive car at Daytona. It’s not impossible to imagine NASCAR possibly even footing some of the bill to bring him.

    It’s had its pitfalls before, though. Two-time Formula One champion Jim Clark and Ludovico Scarfiotti were entered in the 1967 American 500 at Rockingham. Although Scarfiotti, winner of the 1966 Italian Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963, did not compete due to his time being disallowed, Clark was able to bring his Holman-Moody Ford up into the top-15 before mechanical failure knocked him out of the race.

    Another Formula One champion, Kimi Raikkonen, competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s May 2011 Speedweeks in the Camping World Truck Series race as well as the Nationwide Series race. Raikkonen, the 2007 World Champion (and arguably one of F1’s most enigmatic personalities), drove for Kyle Busch Motorsports in both events, scoring a 15th-place finish in the truck race while finishing four laps down in 27th during the Nationwide race.

    Both instances had a lot of fanfare from across the racing world, and although they ended in less-than-stellar fashions, that hasn’t always been the case. Montoya won three races across the three national touring divisions in NASCAR. Andretti became a Daytona 500 winner for Holman-Moody in 1967. Nelson Piquet Jr. won two truck races and a Nationwide event.

    It’s been more than just an F1-to-NASCAR crossover. In 2017, two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso made his IndyCar debut at the Indianapolis 500, where he piloted an Andretti-Herta Autosport entry to Rookie-of-the-Race honors. Alonso managed to lead several laps and appeared in contention to win before an engine failure sidelined his Honda. The fanfare was so great it even garnered attention in the NASCAR world, where NASCAR-to-IndyCar and vice versa are not uncommon; NASCAR has seen its own Kurt Busch, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart, and John Andretti make the Indy 500-Coke 600 double multiple times over the years.

    In 2008, on the heels of Formula One standout and Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya winning the 2007 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie-of-the-Year with one win, three top-fives, and six top-10s, IndyCar champions Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti ventured into NASCAR with hopes of success. They dominated the storylines early in the season as part of the “Open-Wheel Invasion” despite struggling, and Franchitti dropped out halfway through the season while Hornish is now a part-time Xfinity Series competitor with a handful of wins.

    Even Danica Patrick’s move from IndyCar to NASCAR was fruitless overall, although she was one of the faces of the sport and spent her entire career in top-caliber equipment.

    It’d be easy to become jaded at the prospect of a crossover star coming to NASCAR, admittedly so. When has one actually set the sport on fire other than Tony Stewart, the 1997 Indy Racing League champion? Even those who have found success have received it in short bursts. Ultimately, it’s a matter of experience – more seat time means more success unless you’re a racing anomaly like Andretti or Montoya. But the buildup, the hype, the suspense of a driver who may be established elsewhere making the dive into another major motorsport, i.e., NASCAR, is noteworthy to the brass. Fans and media get especially excited, PR people go all out and come race day it’s almost certain that the Next Big Thing has arrived.

    Should NASCAR invest into another crossover star (training, seat time, equipment, so on), it could help bolster attendance and ratings issues, same with IndyCar and F1. The day can and will come when a crossover driver is discovered and happens to truly be the Next Big Thing.

  • Will the tragedy at Pocono cause open wheel racing to abandon the open cockpit?

    Will the tragedy at Pocono cause open wheel racing to abandon the open cockpit?

    Last weekend at Pocono, IndyCar driver Justin Wilson lost his life when he was struck by debris from a single car accident ahead of him on the track. To say it is a tragedy is an understatement. Could conditions have been altered in order to make racing safer so that we might avoid such anguish in the future?

    That is what the powers that be will be looking at. Wilson’s death was not caused by a crash, contact with the wall, or a wild tumble. The 37-year-old father of two died when a piece of a car broke off after contact with the wall, sailed in the air and struck him while he was driving a fair distance behind the incident. Could the part that flew off, a portion of the nose cone, have been secured better or constructed in such a fashion that it did not become a deadly projectile? Could the driver have been better protected?

    Even in the most dangerous occupations, never mind sports, one expects the participant to return home safe and sound. However, the reality is that some activities come with inherent risks. In 1989, champion bull rider Lane Frost lost his life in the arena when broken ribs punctured his heart. All competitors now wear a protective vest.

    Duk Koo Kim lost his life in a championship fight with Ray Mancini in 1982. Shortly after, championship bouts were reduced in duration from 15 to 12 rounds. Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars struck his head on the ice in an NHL game in 1968. Although it took more than a decade, rules were eventually brought in to make helmets mandatory for new players. It took more than 30 years for baseball to react following the death of Ray Chapman in 1920, finally introducing the batting helmet.

    The host of changes NASCAR has introduced following the 2001 death of Dale Earnhardt has without a doubt saved lives. Since the Cup series began in 1949, 28 drivers have lost their lives in the division, including a trio of Hall of Famers; Earnhardt, Fireball Roberts, and Joe Weatherly. The 14 years since the loss of the Intimidator marks the longest we have gone without a loss of life in the series. However, before we start to think NASCAR drivers have become invincible, five drivers in other related series have died in races since then. There is still work to be done with the cars and the venues they race on.

    Open-wheel cars have their own dangers. In fact, it is a style that sees safety sacrificed for speed. The slightest amount of contact can send a car out of control into the fence or a competitor. The wheels are exposed and unprotected, sticking out from the chassis and easily clipped by a passing opponent. Then there are the open cockpits, where a driver sits vulnerable to a host of potential dangers, such as the one that took the life of Wilson. It brings to mind the haunting images from the 1977 South African Grand Prix. Tom Pryce struck a marshal who was darting across the track, with the fire extinguisher he was carrying, striking the exposed helmet of the driver, as both died in the accident.

    Does the open-wheel concept also demand an open cockpit? Could a new design incorporating a canopy to protect the drivers in the case of such incidents be in the offing? Four years ago, after an injury, Wilson himself stated, “You’ve got to know the risks and work out if those risks are acceptable – to me, it’s acceptable.” That did not mean he stopped trying to improve safety, though “at the end of the day, it’s a race car” and “when it goes wrong, it can get messy.”

    Race cars will never be totally safe. When you hit speeds at 200 mph and beyond, something bad can happen. NASCAR has done an amazing job to make their cars safer, more like their street counterparts where the preservation of its occupants today is as important as performance. Open-wheel divisions of motorsports have to decide if that is a path they wish to follow. It comes down to just how willing they might be to sacrificing some of their traditions in order to avoid sacrificing more of their participants.

  • The Final Word – Kurt rises to the top at Richmond as Roush-Fenway continues to free fall

    The Final Word – Kurt rises to the top at Richmond as Roush-Fenway continues to free fall

    Rain changed the Saturday night race at Richmond into a Sunday afternoon affair. Was it worth the wait? For Kurt Busch, the answer was “yes.”

    After Joey Logano set the pace over the initial 94 laps, Busch came through to dominate all but 15 of the final 306 circuits to take his first of the season. After his forced three event delay to start this campaign, his 26th career decision lofts him into a Chase place. All he has to do is keep within the Top Thirty, and he looks free and clear in that department.

    Not so for Tony Stewart. After finishing well at Bristol, he clipped Dale Earnhardt Jr. and in the aftermath his jalopy failed to fire. Stewart was out, in 41st, and now just four points ahead of Sam Hornish Jr. in the fight for 30th in the standings. As for Danica Patrick, who also did well the previous week, she was back down in 25th on Sunday. At least Kevin Harvick continues to roll along, coming home right behind his victorious teammate.

    Last year, the Penske pair swept Richmond. Logano’s ride faded after his fast start though he managed to claim fifth. Brad Keselowski lost a cylinder and faded to 17th. Three of the Hendrick drivers had Top Ten days though Junior finished 14th. As for Roush Fenway, who have been tanking like an unarmed Sherman attempting to cross a lake, all sank. None were among the Top Twenty.

    Denny Hamlin was 22nd on Sunday, yet won the XFINITY race on Friday night. Of greater note was the fact the two teenagers, Erik Jones and Chase Elliott, were fourth and fifth. Jones is registered to drive the trucks, where he is three for three in Top Tens, has won on the junior loop in taking another five Top Tens in eight attempts, and could be Kyle Busch’s stand-in after this weekend in Cup. Not bad for a kid who won’t turn 19 years old for another month.

    So, was Sunday’s race worth the wait the rain imposed upon us? Well, if you were a channel surfer, having no idea what the race meant to the Stewart-Haas crew, or to Penske, or Roush-Fenway, or even Hendrick, you might have stuck with it for five or ten minutes. A visual spectacular it was not, even though the cars looked pretty.

    That changes this week, as next up we have the Sunday race at Talladega, a must watch for even the most transient NASCAR observer. You watch that race like you would the Formula One race from Monaco, not believing any sane person would be behind the wheel in any of these entries. Some wags might suggest there is good reason for their disbelief.

  • Gene Hass’ Formula One Team Beginning To Form; Still Far From Announcing Driver

    Gene Hass’ Formula One Team Beginning To Form; Still Far From Announcing Driver

    Gene Haas is determined and striving to create the first successful United States-based Formula One organization – and on Monday afternoon during a press conference he expressed the lengths he’d take to prove critics wrong.

    “There’s going to be a lot of people following us from that skepticism to see if, ‘these guys are going to fail or not?’” Haas commented. “I’m sure that most people are betting that we do fail.

    “That is why it is going to be successful because if we don’t fail, then we have done something other people haven’t.”

    Haas, who’s a part-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), received approval of his request to form a Formula One team this past week. The, what most people consider outrageous, decision comes during a time period in which F1 is dominated by European franchises, not Americans, however, Haas is the least concerned about that.

    “We’re not going to be an European-led team.” Haas explained during the conference.  “We’re going to be an American-led team, and we’re going to do it the way we think is the most efficient.”

    “We’re going to spend our money wisely, we’re going to do it with an American flair for design and efficiencies, and that’s how we’re going to control our costs.”

    Haas, 61, explained that Tony Stewart, part-owner of SHR, will have no involvement in the team, now named, Hass Formula. He also eluded that it’s unlikely any SHR drivers will join the newly introduced team.

    “What we would like would be to have an experienced Formula One driver, probably someone who is familiar with the current engine package rules (because) they change quite a bit even from last year,” Haas further explained about the driver situation. “Going forward, we certainly would like to have a young American driver. That would be the ideal situation.

    “But at the moment, we haven’t really narrowed it down. We have had quite a few people talk to us.”

    Guenther Steiner, former Formula One team executive, will be the new team principle for Haas – and the offices and shop will be orchestrated in Kannapolis, North Carolina, around SHR’s location.

    Haas’ team will be required, by the FIA, to compete in at least two seasons, and will be expected to compete until the 2020 season.

    The debut of the team is unknown, however, Haas believes it’ll be a challenge to have the full setup by 2015, but he didn’t rule it out.

    “I would like to (be racing by) 2015 simply because I think the first year is going to be a difficult year no matter what happens,” Haas said. “It is a very big challenge. Part of that learning curve is just simply getting to the track and sorting out the logistics of going race to race.

    Haas, owner of the multi-million dollar company Haas Automation, isn’t concerned necessarily with the cost of beginning the operation; he’s actually hoping to reveal his company worldwide, not just locally in the United States.

    “Every week it goes up by another billion,” Haas said. “We have a budget and there’s a lot of unknowns in it. … The numbers I’ve seen are reasonable.”

    “My basic goal is to change Haas Automation from just a machine tool builder into a premium brand,” Haas said. “I think Formula One can provide that, especially in the overseas markets. There are a lot of fans from China to South America to Europe to Eastern Europe to Japan to Malaysia that we really want to become a household name in.”

    “That really is the ultimate goal, to take the image of Haas Automation and turn it into a brand that is desired and known throughout the world. The ultimate goal would be to double our sales for Haas Automation.”

    Haas is obviously imagining limitless goals for his team, and he’s hoping to silence doubters by becoming a well-run, and long lasting, American Formula One team.

    “I think we can beat the Europeans at their own game.”