INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Flash: Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin win tricky Rally Turkey

    Flash: Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin win tricky Rally Turkey

    Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin have claimed their second win of the season for Toyota after a dramatic final day of Rally Turkey, a result that moves Evans into the lead of the drivers’ championship.

    Two Hyundai crews completed the podium with Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul in second position and Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena coming third. With Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen finishing fourth, Toyota increases its manufacturers’ championship lead even though Sébastien Ogier had to retire on the penultimate stage of the rally.

    Neuville took top points in the Power Stage ahead of Tänak, Rovanperä, Evans and Loeb.

    Pontus Tidemand took the win in FIA WRC2 in eighth overall, one place behind the FIA WRC3 victor Kajetan Kajetanowicz.

  • Kush Maini to start P2 on the Grid for British F3

    Kush Maini to start P2 on the Grid for British F3

    Leicestershire, 20 Sept 2020: The final race of BRDC British F3’s second visit of the year to Donington Park starts at 16.05, with Carlin’s Kaylen Frederick set to line up on pole position. Indian racer Kush Maini will start on P2 on the grid.

    Earlier in Race 1 on Saturday, Kush Maini finished third and extended his Championship lead.

    The grid for the race three is determined by each driver’s second fastest time in qualifying, with Frederick securing a double pole position in yesterday’s session. The American championship challenger was over a quarter of a second faster than his opposition when it came to second best times, and he heads the grid in front of Hitech GP’s championship leader Kush Maini, with a tantalising battle between the championship contenders in prospect.

    After qualifying third Kush Maini said on Saturday: I would have liked a better result to be honest after testing, the team has done amazing this weekend. A few issues in qualifying, no excuses, could have been, would have been, should have been, but didn’t, so we’ll just look at the race. P3 is still a good starting spot and points are the key, so we’re going to be focussing on a good start and see where we are. It’s all to play for in the races. 

    “The car has been really good and the team have been really good. Obviously at this track we have the two hairpins at the end where you can pass, so if we have the pace we will be fighting for positions so I’m looking forward to it.

    “If I get up behind him [Kaylen Frederick], then I’m going to be elbows out because the championship means nothing yet. I’m going to be going for the win.

    Douglas Motorsport’s Ulysse De Pauw, already a podium finisher this weekend will start third ahead of Hillspeed’s Sasakorn Chaimongkol, with Nazim Azman (Carlin) and Bart Horsten (Lanan) completing the top-six on the grid. 

    Reece Ushijima heads up row four for Hitech GP ahead of Double R’s Benjamin Pedersen, with Kiern Jewiss (Douglas) and race two winner Louis Foster (Double R) completing the top-10. 

    Hillspeed’s Oliver Clarke has been combative this weekend, and will need to be again from 11th on the grid, ahead of Fortec’s Frank Bird, who will be aiming for a top-10 result on his debut weekend. 

    Race two podium man Manaf Hijjawi starts 13th for Douglas Motorsport ahead of Chris Dittmann Racing’s Josh Skelton, with Lanan’s Piers Prior and Fortec’s Roberto Faria in 15th and 16th. 

    Josh Mason, another podium finisher this weekend will start 17th for Lanan ahead of Chris Dittmann Racing’s Alex Fores. The race will again be streamed live, and will be viewable by clicking here.

    The full grid line-up is shown below.

    BRDC British F3 Championship, Donington Park, race three grid:

    1. Kaylen Frederick, Carlin, 1m24.855s
    2. Kush Maini, Hitech GP, +0.271s
    3. Ulysse De Pauw, Douglas Motorsport, +0.275s
    4. Sasakorn Chaimongkol, Hillspeed, +0.351s
    5. Nazim Azman, Carlin, +0.442s
    6. Bart Horsten, Lanan Racing, +0.451s
    7. Reece Ushijima, Hitech GP, +0.496s
    8. Benjamin Pedersen, Double R Racing, +0.592s
    9. Kiern Jewiss, Douglas Motorsport, +0.600s
    10. Louis Foster, Double R Racing, +0.705s
    11. Oliver Clarke, Hillspeed, +0.758s
    12. Frank Bird, Fortec Motorsports, +0.779s
    13. Manaf Hijjawi, Douglas Motorsport, +0.786s
    14. Josh Skelton, Chris Dittmann Racing, +0.866s
    15. Piers Prior, Lanan Racing, +0.874s
    16. Roberto Faria, Fortec Motorsports, +0.957s
    17. Josh Mason, Lanan Racing, +1.111s
    18. Alex Fores, Chris Dittmann Racing, +1.237s

  • Jonathan Rea takes a commanding lights-to-flag win in Race 1

    Jonathan Rea takes a commanding lights-to-flag win in Race 1

    Catalunya, 19 Sep 2020: The first ever MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was won by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) as the reigning Champion claimed victory in Race 1 for the inaugural Acerbis Catalunya Round; extending his Championship lead to 41 points.

    Rea started from pole position after going quickest in this morning’s Tissot Superpole session and held position off the line as the lights went out, maintaining and increasing a gap to his nearest rivals on track. Scott Redding (Aruba.it) acing – Ducati) finished in second place after getting a superb launch off the grid after starting from seventh place; the British rider taking advantage of a close call between Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) and teammate and Michael van der Mark at Turn 1 with both able to stay on their bike.

    Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) and Redding battled in the early stages of the race before trying to work together to close the gap to Rea but they were unable to do so with Rea extending his lead to eventually win by 2.6s. Redding came home to finish in second place while Rinaldi fell down the order in the latter stages, eventually finishing in seventh.

    Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) battled his way through the field to finish in third place meaning British riders have now locked out the podium on 54 occasions in WorldSBK, with Davies finishing ahead of van der Mark in fourth. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) lost ground compared to his starting position, finishing in fifth place with Razgatlioglu in sixth after the incident with his teammate at Turn 1. Bautista lost a position to Davies on Lap 15 of 20 when he went wide into Turn 1, allowing Davies to sweep around the outside of Bautista.

    Rinaldi finished in seventh place after losing lots of time in the final few laps, being passed by Davies, van der Mark and Bautista in three successive laps. He finished ahead of Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) as the American continued his strong performances in dry conditions in Barcelona.

    Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was in ninth place with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) completing the top ten. Eugene Laverty picked up points for his efforts with 11th place, just one tenth away from a top ten finish. Wildcard Jonas Folger (Bonovo Action by MGM Racing) battled his way through the field after not setting a time in qualifying, moving up from 21st to finish 12th.

    Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) completed the points paying positions by rounding out the top 15. Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) finished in 16th on his first appearance in 2020, ahead of last-minute call up Lorenzo Zanetti (Motocorsa Racing).

    Sylvain Barrier (Brixx Performance), Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing HONDA Team) and Valentin Debise (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) were the rest of the finishers in the race with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) retiring from the race in the early stages.
    P1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    “I had a lot of motivation in this race. It’s my team home race. Obviously, Ana Carrasco can’t be here with us in the team, so this race win is for her and also for my grandfather. It is his anniversary today, 27 years ago he died so I was using that as a lot of power in the race to just never give up. I am super happy for me, my team. I wish the fans could be here, and their families to celebrate with us but lot of info for tomorrow. I am looking forward to that one because in the last laps, the front was moving quiet a lot. In this temperature with this grip level, we just need a bit more for tomorrow. So, looking forward to sleeping on that and coming back stronger tomorrow.”

    P2 Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati)
    “In qualifying I struggled a bit, I think the qualifying tyre was not so good so I started seventh on the grid which is not ideal but I got off to a mega start, then van der Mark came through and made some space for me so it made it a little bit easier. I was behind Rinaldi and I felt good. I needed to get passed him and I got by him, and I lost the rear in Turn 3. This is a corner where we suffer a lot and I tried to push and that’s what happened. He came back, passed me again. He tapped the seat so I thought he was a bit faster than me in some sectors, I tried to see something. I saw the tyre drop and I thought he needed to go and close the gap and had a good run to close the gap a little bit to Jonny, but it was just give and take all the time. So, from seventh to finish second, I am happy with that I must say. It’s a shame we couldn’t fight for the win but in this point of the Championship, we have to get the best results we can, when we can.”

    P3 Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati)

    “Yes, a bit steady the first ten laps, I think. I was giving it everything, but I just didn’t seem to have the ability to get it hooked up in some of the longer corners in the early parts. And then it seems that everybody dropped, well the people I was riding with dropped to my sort of grip and then I was able to move forward, and I stayed maybe a bit more consistent than those who were around me. It is the first 10 laps where we are missing out. Start was good, I was in a good position, I was well placed to go forward but had a lack of traction.”
    #CatalanWorldSBK at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – Race 1.
     
    1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
    2. Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) +2.625s
    3. Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) +4.459s
    4. Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) +6.078s
    5. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +6.989s
    6. Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) +8.770s
  • Multiple crashes mark Ferrari’s 1000th race and a record 90th win for Hamilton

    Multiple crashes mark Ferrari’s 1000th race and a record 90th win for Hamilton

    Lewis Hamilton won the first-ever Grand Prix held at Mugello as Valtteri Bottas finished second and Alex Albon scored his maiden F1 podium. The 1000thrace for Ferrari saw multiple car crashes and two red flags as Hamilton took the 90th race win of his career, one behind Michael Schumacher.

    By Malhaar Khaladkar

    London, 19 Sept 2020: Qualifying saw Mercedes maintain their Saturday pace advantage as Hamilton qualified on pole and Bottas second. Max Verstappen and Alex Albon lined up astern of the Mercedes drivers in P3 & P4. Charles Leclerc managed to qualify P5 in an inferior Ferrari, ahead of the two Racing Points of Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll. Ricciardo wasP8 and Renault teammate Esteban Ocon in P10. McLaren’s Carlos Sainz qualified in P9. His teammate Lando Norris lined up in P11- missing out on Q3 for the first time this season. Daniil Kvyat started in P12, while his AlphaTauri teammate and surprise Monza race winner, Pierre Gasly could not get out of Q1 and settled for P16 on the grid. Kimi Raikkonen dragged his Alfa Romeo up to P13, his ex-teammate Sebastian Vettel could only manage to qualify his Ferrari in P14. Haas drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen qualified in 15th& 20th respectively. Antonio Giovinazzi was in P17 and the Williams duo of George Russell and Nicholas Latifi lined up in 18th& 19th.

    P2 looked like the place to start from the grid as Bottas got a better start than Hamilton and used the slipstream to get ahead of the championship leader. Behind them, Verstappen too had a good start, but due to power unit issues bogged down and lost places. As the field approached turn 2, Sainz spun with contact from Stroll and Gasly was squeezed by Raikkonen and Grosjean. The trio of Raikkonen, Gasly and Grosjean collected Verstappen. Due to the contact Gasly and Verstappen were beached in the gravel trap. Raikkonen escaped with front wing damage and Grosjean survived but with lot of car damage resulting in downforce loss. Understandably, Verstappen showed frustration as this was his second consecutive DNF. Meanwhile Vettel had collected spun Sainz and damaged his front wing.

    The safety car was called- which was red in colour as a tribute to Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix.  The race resumed on lap 7. The start/finish line is halfway down the straight on this circuit. Therefore, so as to not give slipstream to Hamilton, Bottas left it late for the restart. The middle of the pack accelerated as they pre-empted Bottas’s start. This resulted in a horrific crash which included Giovinazzi who reared into Magnussen and collected Latifi. Sainz could not evade Giovinazzi and crashed into him. Barely 3 corners of racing had taken place and the race was red flagged-second time in as many races.

    The two Mercedes and Williams’ Russell changed to medium tyres as the field got ready for a second standing start. This time it was Bottas on pole and Hamilton in advantageous P2. Leclerc had made up to P3 before the safety car and red flag.

    History repeated itself, Hamilton darting past Bottas into P1 as they exited turn 1. Behind them Leclerc was running in P3, Stroll P4, Ricciardo P5, Albon P6 and Perez in P7. As Leclerc’s tyres faded he fell down to P7. He pitted on lap 21 for hard tyres.

    Hamilton takes the flag for his 90th win at the Tuscan Grand Prix, on Sunday – A LAT Image for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team

    Stroll was in P3, in the running for a second consecutive podium. Renault pulled the trigger and boxed Ricciardo from P4 in an attemptto undercut Stroll. It worked as Stroll emerged behind Ricciardo on lap 30 after pitting for medium tyres. Meanwhile Perez and Norris had pitted on lap 27 & 28 respectively. Ahead Bottas was unable to close up to Hamilton and requested for an alternate tyre strategy. Due to vibrations on Bottas’s medium tyres Mercedes pitted him on lap 31 for hard tyres, subsequently pitting Hamilton for the same on lap 32. Bottas request was overruled by Mercedes as they had flashbacks to the British GP and tyre blowouts. As the race progressed Ricciardo maintained his P3 and Russell was running in P9, on the cusp of achieving his first career points.

    The drama was not over yet. On lap 43 Stroll smashed into the barriers at turn 9, fortunately unhurt. The safety car was once more called to duty. The race was red flagged a second time as the damaged barrier had to be repaired. The whole grid bolted on soft tyres for a 12-lap sprint race in the end. This was the first race to see 2 red flags since 2016 Brazilian GP.

    This time Bottas was in P2- prime position to take the lead as Hamilton was once again on pole for the third start. Hamilton had his best start of the race, as Bottas had the opposite and fell behind Ricciardo. Bottas was able to overtake the Renault on the next lap. Behind Ricciardo’s dream of a podium was shot down as Albon passed him for P3.

    Hamilton won the race and with it took the fastest lap point as Bottas completed 1-2 finish for Mercedes. Albon achieved his first podium in F1, thanking Red Bull after the race for sticking with him. Ricciardo missed out on podium and unfortunately Ocon retired under the second red flag as his brakes overheated. Perez finished in P5, Norris had an uneventful race in P6 and Kvyat finished in P7. Leclerc finished in P8, Raikkonen in P9 due to a 5-second penalty because of entering the pit lane after the pit line.Vettel rounded of the top 10.Russell just missed out on his inaugural points in P11 and Grosjean finished last in P12. There were 8 car retirements in the race.

    Mercedes still maintain pace advantage over Red Bull. Red Bull looked closer to Mercedes in terms of race pace, but due to Verstappen DNF, we do not know if Red Bull could have challenged for the race victory. Renault did not have the pace in qualifying as they could not find the optimum downforce set up. Their race pace was much better as Ricciardo might have got a podium had there not been the second red flag. McLaren performed below their expectations in qualifying and race as they finished behind Racing Point and Renault. Interesting to note, McLaren trialed Mercedes style thin nose cone in Friday practice. It remains to be seen if they will incorporate it permanently on their car.

    Racing Point arrived at Mugello with significant upgrades around the bargeboard and sidepod area. The opening of the sidepods was overhauled, they start behind the mandatory crash structure for better airflow management. The sidepod shape changed too, they drooped down at the rear and made a sharper coke bottle shape to accelerate the airflow for greater downforce generation. This upgrade was worth three-tenths of a second (0.3s). Only Stroll had the package on his car because only one was available. After their surprise win, AlphaTauri slipped into their customary midfield position. Gasly underperformed & DNF’d while Kvyat made the most of red flags to finish in a respectable P7. Ferrari were disappointing in their 1000th GP as their race pace was slower than Alfa Romeo and Williams. Vettel barely managed to get to Q2 while Leclerc was overtaken quickly as he neither had straight line speed nor the tyres as he was unable to conserve them. Alfa Romeo and Williams can be encouraged as they showed better pace than Ferrari, especially in the latter stages of the race when tyre wear was a factor. Haas’s true pace could notbe seen as Magnussen retired and Grosjean had damage through which he lost 70 points of downforce.

    Breaking story before the race weekend was that Vettel would be joining Racing Point next season (2021) as Sergio Perez was let go. It remains to be seen if Perez will drive for any team next season.

  • Maverick Vinales takes pole again

    Maverick Vinales takes pole again

    San Marino, 19 Sept 2020: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) has done it again. A week on from pole at the San Marino GP, the Spaniard slammed in 1:31.077 to set a new lap record in qualifying at the Gran Premio TISSOT dell’ Emilia Romagna e della Riviera di Rimini, taking his third pole of the season and third in succession at Misano when including 2019. It was still pretty close, however, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) cutting the gap to 0.076 as the Australian leapt up the timesheets to take second on the grid, with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) taking third to lock out the front row.

    Sunny skies on the Riviera di Rimini since the paddock arrived have seen the times tumble and tumble, right down to another new lap record in Q2. On the way there though, there was Q1 to decide first and it was a real shootout. In the end, Miller was the man on top, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) in second as two of the key contenders moved through to fight it out for the top 12.

    Once Q2 was underway, it was a familiar story for Viñales: two stops, three runs. He was the man on top first as Bagnaia slotted into P2, but then the Italian really got the hammer down on his second lap – a 1:31.313 handing the Pramac Racing rider provisional pole. Quartararo then slotted into P2 less than a tenth off ‘Pecco’, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder slotting into third ahead of Viñales and teammate Pol Espargaro.

    Quartararo was right on the money again though, just 0.032 off Bagnaia coming through Sector 3, but the Frenchman made a mistake coming into Turn 16 – lap over. That was the first runs down for most but as the field filed in, Viñales was back out.

    Already on his second run, ‘Top Gun’ was flying. The number 12 nailed the lap to the end but he still didn’t quite manage to beat Bagnaia, 0.073 off and forced to reload for another run at it. Next time around the Spaniard was a quarter of a second up through the first sector and it looked like this might be it, but he lost time in the middle of the lap – with just 0.013 covering him and Bagnaia into the final sector. Viñales was on rails through Sector 4 though and sure enough, a Yamaha was at the summit – a 1:31.268 was now the time to beat for pole position.

    Meanwhile Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – one of the pre-race favourites – was lingering down in P10 after his opening few flying laps, one-lap pace still seemingly hampering the Spaniard and Suzuki on Saturday afternoons. Dovizioso was P8 heading into the final three minutes, and his nearest title rival Quartararo P3. With two minutes to go though, Dovizioso found some time and moved up into P6 – a provisional second row start.

    Tucked in behind VR46 Academy protégé Bagnaia, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then improved from P9 to P5, shuffling Dovizioso onto Row 3, as Binder and Bagnaia lit the timing screens red. The South African moved into P3 with a great lap, but an even greater one (kind of) was coming in for Bagnaia. The Ducati rider rounded the final corner with Rossi and Miller in tow and it was a scintillating 1:30.973, the fastest ever lap round Misano, but it had looked outside track limits… and it ultimately was. Bagnaia’s record-breaker was cancelled for the infraction on the exit of Turn 16 – the same thing that had bitten Viñales earlier in the season.

    Miller’s lap, meanwhile, put him second and then provisional pole as Bagnaia’s lap disappeared off the screen, but Viñales was still out on the hunt. The San Marino GP polesitter would take the chequered flag in P1 with another new Misano outright lap record, making it three poles in a row for Viñales, and Yamaha, at Misano as well as Viñales’ fourth overall at the venue. That, in turn, sees him equal Jorge Lorenzo for most MotoGP™ poles at the track.

    Quartararo set a personal best on his last lap to claim P3, 0.069 off Miller, with Pol Espargaro just beating Bagnaia’s valid fastest time to give the KTM rider his second best qualifying result of the season. Bagnaia didn’t seem too disheartened in fifth, however.

    Binder joins his KTM teammate Pol Espargaro on Row 2 after qualifying in sixth, which is also the rookie’s best Saturday afternoon result of 2020. Rossi spearheads the third row in P7, The Doctor just three tenths away from Viñales’ time, with the nine-time World Champion sitting ahead of San Marino GP winner Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT). It was P8 for Morbidelli this time around, who is nursing an illness this weekend.

    Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) eventually got the better of teammate Dovizioso and the factory GP20 machines will line-up P9 and P10 for the Emilia Romagna GP. What can the title chase leader do from P10? And what can Mir do from P11 on the grid? The Suzuki rider has been one of the leading contenders throughout the weekend, but finishing outside the top 10 in Q2 wasn’t how the script was supposed to go – although it’s only 0.540 covering the leading 11 riders. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) will want more too, the Japanese rider having crashed at Turn 15 in the early stages. Rider ok, and P12.

    The top six in Emilia Romagna GP Q2 were all faster than last week’s pole position, but it’s the same man emerging at the top. Viñales will again launch from pole at Misano, but he’ll be hoping the story of the race plays out a little different his time around. Judging from the Free Practice timesheets, the Emilia Romagna GP is going to be electrifying, so don’t miss any of the action when the lights go out for the MotoGP™ race at 14:00 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday afternoon.

    1 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 1:31.077
    2 Jack Miller* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – +0.076
    3 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.145
    *Independent Team riders
  • Ogier and Neuville locked in battle after five stages: WRC

    Ogier and Neuville locked in battle after five stages: WRC

    Six-time World Champion Sébastien Ogier and arch rival Thierry Neuville set up the prospect of a fascinating afternoon loop of stages at Rally Turkey on Saturday.

    Two stage wins for Ogier and one for Neuville meant that the Toyota and Hyundai drivers were separated by just 1.6 seconds after three demanding morning specials. Overnight leader Sébastien Loeb slipped to fourth place and found himself embroiled in his own battle with Elfyn Evans and young Kalle Rovanperä for the final podium slot.

    The shock news from the morning was the sudden retirement of defending World Champion Ott Tänak after a steering issue on the first stage of the loop on his Hyundai i20 WRC. The Estonian had been pushing hard to catch his rivals after losing vital seconds in hanging dust on Friday evening.

    The M-Sport Ford trio of Teemu Suninen, Esapekka Lappi and Gus Greensmith were handily placed in sixth, seventh and eighth places while Pierre Louis Loubet was ninth in his second outing with the Hyundai i20 WRC.

    Poland’s Kajetan Kajetanowicz overhauled Bolivia’s Marco Bulacia during the morning to lead FIA WRC3 and his pace had been sufficient to displace the FIA WRC2 leading Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux as well. The respective category leaders were 10th and 11th in the overall rankings. 

    Drivers plunged straight into the perils of the 31.79km Yeşilbelde stage and road-sweeping duties fell to Pierre-Louis Loubet and Gus Greensmith.

    The FIA field had been whittled down to 22 overnight following the retirement of American Sean Johnston. The FIA WRC3 contender sustained accident damage after incident in the second stage on Friday afternoon.

    Tänak was the quickest of the early runners and was on course to post an impressive stage time until he veered off the track 25.9km into the stage and collided with the banking. The crew managed to move the stricken Hyundai into a safe position further down the track and tried in vain to repair the damage, only to retire with hefty time penalties to follow.

    Rovanperä carded the target of 25min 14,8sec but Evans shaved 11.8 seconds off the Finn’s effort to remain in fourth place. Attention then focused on the tussle between Ogier, Neuville and Loeb for the stage win. Loeb struggled with grip, ceded a handful of seconds as the stage progressed and slipped to fourth overall, but Ogier snatched the win and a 1.7-second outright lead with a time of 24min 54.2sec.

    Eyvind Brynildsen dropped time to FIA WRC2 rivals Fourmaux and Pontus Tidemand before stopping near the stage finish and Kajetanowicz moved in front of Bulacia in FIA WRC3, as the front-runners headed to the faster and softer Datça stage (8.75km).

    Rovanperä found himself locked in a tussle for fourth with Loeb and the Finn pushed hard to card a time of 6min 56.1sec. It gave him the fourth fastest time and he headed to Kizlan trailing the nine-time World Champion by 3.5 seconds.

    The stage win fell to Ogier and the Frenchman extended his lead over Neuville to three seconds, his rival complaining that tyre choice had made the difference.

    After a 14-minute delay in SS5 for safety reasons, action resumed with four World Rally Cars already en route to service and a regroup in Asparan after completing the stage. Neuville snatched the win and headed to the midday break trailing Ogier by just 1.6 seconds.

    It set up the prospect of an fascinating repeat loop of the three stages on Saturday afternoon.

  • Binder heads a top five split by less than a tenth on Friday

    Binder heads a top five split by less than a tenth on Friday

    Five riders in less than a tenth and the top ten within 0.444? Sounds about right for the incredibly competitive 2020 MotoGP season, and that was the case on Day 1 of the Gran Premio TISSOT dell’Emilia Romagna e della Riviera di Rimini. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is the man on top as action draws to a close on Friday, just 0.002 ahead of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), with Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) slotting into third. Covering the three is an infinitesimal 0.071…

    FP1
    Quartararo began the day as the man to beat, but San Marino GP winner and teammate Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) made for close company as he ended the session within 0.090. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was third quickest as KTM’s promised step forward in Tuesday testing started to materialise early. 

    It was a rapid start to proceedings on Friday morning for the premier class riders, with Quartararo’s quickest time just three tenths away from Maverick Viñales’ (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) lap record set in Q2 last weekend. A mini time-attack in the final few minutes is when the Frenchman unleashed his speed, although second place Morbidelli set his best time on the hard rear tyre, which could bode well for the Italian if he’s planning to race it.

    Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), third at Misano last Sunday, was fourth fastest behind Pol Espargaro as the Suzuki rider continued to shine. Mir was 0.205 off Quartararo’s pace, with Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) making it two RC16s inside the top five in FP1 with a best time of a 1:31.965 – 0.244 away from Quartararo, in fifth.

    It was a tougher session for Mir’s teammate Alex Rins, who escaped a highside as he got spat out his seat a couple of times on the exit of Turn 5, lucky to stay on. The Spaniard did then crash later in the session – rider ok. 

    FP2
    In the opening stages of FP2, Quartararo was the pacesetter on the hard front, medium rear tyre and was setting very impressive lap times – as he did this morning. The Frenchman’s fastest time was a 1:32.320 before he then improved to a 1:32.273 soon after in the opening 15 minutes, with Nakagami sitting second already – 0.099 off the pace.

    The two Red Bull KTM Tech 3 riders of Miguel Oliveira and Iker Lecuona were going well as the duo sat P3 and P5, with Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller splitting them in P4. Having said that, Miller, Lecuona and Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing) were the only riders to have improved their combined times in the opening 20 minutes of FP2.

    The first man to oust Quartararo from the top of the timesheets was San Marino GP podium finisher Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) as the Italian slammed in a 1:32.138, and then they were off and the times tumbling. Pol Espargaro – a crasher in the early stages of FP2 – recovered from that to really move the goalposts, the Spaniard heading to the top with a 1:31.699 – the first lap quicker than Quartararo’s 1:31.721 from the morning.

    Nakagami hit next to go top, by 0.069, as the Japanese rider’s improvements in testing kept impressing. It still wasn’t quite all she wrote, however, as Binder made his move. Tucked in behind lap record holder Viñales, the Brno winner demoted Nakagami to P2 by 0.002 seconds – leaping up the timesheets after P14 in the morning. Viñales, just ahead of the South African on track, went to P4.

    Quartararo couldn’t quite retake the top and slotted into P3, with Viñales improving again abut staying fourth. Pol Espargaro’s 1:31.699 eventually saw him slip to fifth and at the end of the session, you could throw a blanket over the top five – it was that close. Just 0.071 between three manufacturers is a timely reminder of how close the premier class is in 2020!

    The top five overall, then, are the top five from FP2: Binder, Nakagami, Quartararo, Viñales and Pol Espargaro. Morbidelli then slots into sixth courtesy of his FP1 time, not improving in the afternoon, with Joan Mir just behind him in seventh and likewise faster in FP1. The same is true of Oliveira, who ends Friday in P8.

    Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) gained some time in the afternoon to take P9 overall and the honour of top Ducati, although not by much. Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) was tenth, Bagnaia 11th and Dovizioso 12th overall – leaving the latter duo especially with work to do on Saturday morning in FP3 if they want to guarantee themselves a place in Q2.

    Joining them on the FP3 charge to take a place in Q2 are another two names outside the top ten: Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) in P15 on Day 1, and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) just behind him. Will they make it through? Find out from 9:55 (GMT+2), before qualifying decides the grid from 14:10 (GMT +2). 

    1 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – 1:31.628
    2 Takaaki Nakagami* – LCR Honda Idemitsu – Honda – +0.002
    3 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.016
    4 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.041
    5 Pol Espargaro – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – +0.071
    *Independent Team rider

  • Seven riders within less than 20 points as MotoGP is back at Misano

    Seven riders within less than 20 points as MotoGP is back at Misano

    Four first time winners in six races make for a cool stat. How about five in seven? The Emilia Romagna GP could give us just that…

    Misano, 16 Sept 2020: Another week, another maiden winner… and another huge twist in the Championship. Can 2020 get any more dramatic? We’re about to find out as MotoGP™ gears up to take on Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in the Gran Premio TISSOT dell’ Emilia Romagna e Della Riviera di Rimini, returning to the track after not only the San Marino GP but also after a day of testing that could well increase the intrigue even more. 

    The man in the hot seat now, despite all the twists, turns and surprises of the season, is veteran Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team). The Italian had a more muted race weekend last time out, but his trademark consistency brought him home with some solid points – and more than enough to overhaul former points leader Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) after the Frenchman crashed out. Dovizioso is six points ahead and that may not seem much, but he was brimming with positivity after the test and we can likely expect him to be a little further up the board this weekend. When Dovizioso says he’s happy with what they’ve achieved, he really means it…

    The fastest Ducati on Sunday, however, was Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing). Coming back from a broken leg, no one expected him to pick up exactly where he left off, but that he did. The impressive Italian blasted through to take his first podium, and made it look easy – so can he do it again? And could he even take to the top step? He’s a candidate to make it five first timers in seven races. His teammate Jack Miller was in the mix early on in the San Marino GP too, and then faded, so he’ll be looking for more. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) will want a step forward as well, and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) could be one to watch. Still struggling to get back to full fitness, he nevertheless put in quite a shift at the test – and was third fastest.

    San Marino GP victor Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT), did not test, however. The first time winner was sidelined through illness but will be back for the weekend – so it will be interesting who’s managed to cut the gap to the runaway man at the front. His teammate Fabio Quartararo hasn’t even shown his full hand at Misano either as he crashed out too early to unleash his pace – so can he bounce back and take back to the top step? Ominously for the man who made everyone else fade into the distance in Jerez, he said he was working on race pace at the Misano test… when he already had a fair bit of before the extra track time. Can he regain that top spot?

    At Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, meanwhile, there’s even more to talk about. Maverick Viñales was on pole and then faded back in the early stages on the harder tyre… before finding some serious speed later in the race. Can he iron that out? At the test the Spaniard was fastest and focused on working with the medium tyre for much of the day, which he says is work he’ll continue during the race weekend. If he can solve that and get in the mix earlier on… Jaws music may be heard by those around him.

    Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was tantalisingly close to that 200th podium in the San Marino GP too. Over more than 400 corners of the race, ‘The Doctor’ was there – and then with a handful to go, got mugged by Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). His pace was good and his defence of position exemplary as ever, however, so don’t count Rossi out… especially on home turf.

    On the topic of Joan Mir, that Jaws music may need to make a return for him, and not just this weekend. The Spaniard has scored more points than anyone else in the last few races, despite the Red Flag in Styria interrupting what looked like a charge for the win, and the San Marino GP saw the Suzuki man put in a stunner and take his second podium. His ruthlessly brilliant charge through whole postcodes of distance on Sunday to catch and dispatch those fighting for third was something to behold – and then he says he found some more race pace at the test. His gap to the top of the Championship is just 16 points… and he’s the one man in the seven close at the top who hasn’t won yet. Mir is, surely, one of, if not THE candidate to continue the history-making run of first time winners.

    His Team Suzuki Ecstar teammate Alex Rins was no slouch in San Marino either. Still recovering from his shoulder injury sustained earlier in the season, the number 42 was right in the podium fight until the last couple of laps. He also explained that compensating for the weaker shoulder ended up giving him arm pump in the latter stages, but another new week is a little more time to recover – and some more time in testing to work towards a solution. The last time a Suzuki was on the podium at Misano before Mir’s second place last time out was in 2007, but that day… there were two. Could we see that again in the Emilia Romagna GP? And which way round? It’s a stunning battle at the Hamamatsu factory between two seriously fast riders.

    At KTM, meanwhile, the euphoria of the last few races faded into a tougher first weekend at Misano, but the Austrian factory seemed to have a positive day testing, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) happy with an improvement in race pace and ending the day in fourth. Can he move forward? His rookie teammate and Brno winner Brad Binder is always an interesting prospect too, and Misano was the first time the South African hadn’t teased a serious threat on race day. Styria GP Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was also testing and said the focus was on those details they’d be lacking… so if they’ve solved those, what can we expect from KTM in Emilia Romagna?

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) continues to lead the Honda charge, and despite a tougher race in the San Marino GP there are positives to be expected next time out. Testing saw the Japanese rider end the day happy, and he’ll want to get back to the top five fight he’s frequented so far in 2020. Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) will also want a step forward after a tougher time since some solid opening races.

    Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro and Bradley Smith, after a solid day of testing and a mountain of laps, will also be looking for a step forward at one of Aprilia’s home races. The Noale factory are continuing work on their new bike and both have scored some solid points finishes, but will definitely want more as the season goes on…

    Seven riders are within less than 20 points at the top of the Championship. Every single one of them has now won a premier class race bar one… and that’s the man in form, Joan Mir. Four maiden winners in the first six races hasn’t happened since the first season of the MotoGP™ World Championship. Can Mir – or maybe Bagnaia – make it five in seven? Strap in on Sunday the 20th of September at 14:00 (GMT +2)… we’re about to find out!

    MotoGP Championship Standings:

    1 Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team – Ducati – 76
    2 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – 70
    3 Jack Miller* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 64
    4 Joan Mir – Team Suzuki Ecstar – KTM – 60
    5 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 58
    *Independent Team riders

  • Viñales tops busy Misano test from Nakagami and Zarco

    Viñales tops busy Misano test from Nakagami and Zarco

    The Spaniard dominated the top of the timesheets, but there were five factories in the top five on Tuesday

    Misano, 15 Sept 2020: Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) topped the Tuesday test at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, putting in a 1:31.532 to end the day two and a half tenths clear of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu). Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) was third quickest despite still recovering from a broken scaphoid, the fastest Ducati at the test. There was plenty on show, and five factories in the top five!

    Viñales was out on track focusing a lot on the medium tyre, which he didn’t use in the race on Sunday when he missed out on the podium from pole. He said he’s intending to use that more during the upcoming Emilia Romagna GP and work more on the graining issues with the medium – already improved – that affected him last weekend. In addition, a new exhaust was out on track from the Iwata marque, and Yamaha also had a new carbon swingarm to try that they’ll probably use at the Emilia Romagna GP. And there’s even more, with a new rear brake system and chassis also on show. Viñales said what he tried on Tuesday didn’t make a huge step forward, but allowed him to ride more relaxed – and that could help him to push more. His teammate Valentino Rossi didn’t push for a fast lap and was 17th of 18 riders on the timesheets, but more can most definitely be expected from the number 46 on Sunday.

    Rossi was also the man who debuted the new exhaust, the aim of which, according to Team Manager Massimo Meregalli, is drivability and top-end speed – important for the long straights in Barcelona and Aragon, although for the moment the riders have said there is no big improvement. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) tried the exhaust too and ended the day in ninth, 0.804 off the top as he focused on race pace. His teammate and Misano race winner Franco Morbidelli sat the test out due to a stomach complaint.

    Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was second on the timesheets, seemed happy with a step forward and got to ride the 2020 bike too. That got a positive review, with “no negatives” although he suffered a small crash on it that he put down to hitting a bump. Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was P11 overall and on test duty for a few things including a new Honda exhaust and aero. The Spaniard explained that he went faster than he did over the weekend on his second run of the day, and that he has managed to find a better feeling over one lap. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) remained sidelined by injury, and Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) also sat out the test, not planned to be on track after having already tested at the venue ahead of the GP.

    Zarco, in third, appeared pleasantly surprised by his feeling on the bike as he continues his recovery from scaphoid surgery just ahead of the Styrian GP. He was quick, as ever, and top Ducati after a solid fast lap. He suffered a small crash exiting pitlane but nothing too dramatic. The man fresh from a maiden podium, Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), was seventh despite his ongoing recovery from a broken leg… and that was also the reason he elected to test only in the morning.

    Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was the next man from the Borgo Panigal factory on the timesheets as he ended the day in eighth – and pretty glowing. He also only tested in the morning with “no reason” to continue in the afternoon once the work was done and some solutions found. He was working on the setup and the details, as ever, and praised a new part that had arrived and the increase in confidence he’d been able to achieve on Tuesday. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was a little more downbeat but continued work on the first sector and Turn 11, and tried the chassis updates from Ducati. He was P12 overall despite some technical trouble when he’d wanted to use the same time of the day as the race to work on another step forward. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was in P16 and using Dovizioso as a spotter in the afternoon as he looks for some progress, with Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing) in P18 and suffering a technical issue during the test.

    At KTM, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the lead man on the timesheets in P4, and explained how his main aim was to improve grip and stability, especially on the rear. The stability through the fast corners had been improved, as has the grip on entry. Espargaro didn’t push for a lap time and was working a lot on race pace.

    Three of the four KTM riders were putting in the laps, with Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech3) sitting out the action and leaving Espargaro, Lecuona’s teammate Miguel Oliveira and fellow rookie Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) on track. Red Bull KTM Factory Team Principal Mike Leitner said that they were trying to improve the turning of the RC16, with the riders also appearing with a new white cover over some cables that come out from the tank cover, go around the steering head and back under the tank cover on the other side… Binder ended the day in P10 overall, and Oliveira P13. The Portuguese rider also had a small crash and said he didn’t have many new parts to try, working instead on a more immediate step forward for the Emilia Romagna GP.

    Over in the Team Suzuki Ecstar garage, Team Manager Davide Brivio said Joan Mir and Alex Rins tried a different swingarm, although the initial feedback was that it didn’t make much of a difference, so Suzuki won’t be using it – according to Brivio himself. Rins, fifth overall, said he had a positive day though as he tried the swingarm and some electronic settings, and that he was riding comfortably free from pain despite some complaints in the latter laps of the San Marino GP as he continues to fight back to full fitness. Mir said he was happy with his day’s work overall too, which included some setting changes… and not pushing for a lap time. The Spaniard said he and Suzuki tried to improve their qualifying pace, but ended up improving their race pace even more if that’s a good warning shot for many. He was only just off his teammate, in P6 by the end of play.

    Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro and Bradley Smith were testing the holeshot system on the rear, with the intention of trying to use it during the race – just like Ducati – in the near future. Chassis and electronics were also a focus for the Noale factory, with Espargaro trying a setting that gives him more torque, the aim being to give him more pace over a qualifying lap. Smith was happy to set a mid-1:32 and confirmed he was testing a new chassis too, with the Brit putting in a mammoth 96 laps over the course of the two sessions. He was P14 just 0.055 behind Espargaro, who was in turn only 0.006 off Oliveira. 

    That’s a wrap from testing and we’ll be back on track on Friday to begin the Emilia Romagna GP, before the lights go out for the race on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +2)

    Top-3 times: 1 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 1:31.532
    2 Takaaki Nakagami* – LCR Honda Idemitsu – Honda – +0.271
    3 Johann Zarco* – Esponsorama Racing – Ducati – +0.367
    *Independent Team riders

  • Lewis Hamilton wins drama-filled Tuscan GP; Maiden podium for Alex Albon

    Lewis Hamilton wins drama-filled Tuscan GP; Maiden podium for Alex Albon

    Mugello, 13 Sept 2020: Lewis Hamilton won a drama-filled, incident-packed Tuscan Grand Prix that was twice red-flagged due to crashes. The Briton took his 90th career F1 win ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas, while Red Bull Racing’s Alex Albon scored his first Formula 1 podium finish with third place in the 9th round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship here on Sunday. 

    Hamilton didn’t have it all his own way, however, and at the start, he was beaten off the line by Bottas who surged into an early lead. For the first time this season, a limited number of fans were present.

    Further back though there was trouble for Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver reported a power unit issue on his laps to the grid and once he lined up in P3 his crew were quickly into action to try to solve the problem. 

    The issue appeared to have been resolved but after making a great start Verstappen suddenly lost power and dropped back into the pack. There, in Turn 2, Haas’ Romain Grosjean made contact with the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly who vaulted over the rear right wheel of Kimi Räikkönen’s Alfa Romeo. The Finn slammed into the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull and the Dutchman was pitched into the gravel where he became beached. 

    The safety car was released but on the lap six restart, there was more drama as a chain reaction crash involving Alfa’s Antonio Giovinazzi, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz brought out the red flags and the remaining cars funnelled into the pit lane. 

    After an almost half-hour stoppage the cars reformed on the grid for a standing start, with Bottas ahead of Hamilton, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and the second Red Bull of Alex Albon. 

    When the lights went out Hamilton made a good start passed Bottas to take the lead through Turn 1. Albon, though, got a poor getaway and he fell to seventh as Leclerc held third ahead of Racing Point’s Lance Stroll and Sergio Pérez, and Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo. 

    Leclerc held onto P3 as bravely as he could, but with his Ferrari down on power compared to his rivals, it wasn’t long before he was passed by, first, Stroll and then by Ricciardo and Albon. 

    The first round of regulations stops saw the Mercedes drivers both take on hard tyres as they continued to hold the top two positions. Behind them, though, Ricciardo successfully undercut Stroll to steal P3. 

    Albon then pitted for medium tyres on lap 32 and he was soon outpacing Stroll by over a second a lap. He cut the gap to just 1.1s but on lap 42 the race took another dramatic twist when Stroll crashed out at Arrabbiata 2. The Canadian appeared to suffer a puncture as he entered the high-speed corner and his Racing Point slid off track and hit the barriers hard. 

    For a second time the race was red-flagged and the remaining cars streamed back to the pit lane to await a third standing start. 

    When that came, with just a dozen laps remaining, Hamilton got away well, but Bottas was passed by Ricciardo. Albon again had a tricky getaway and lost ground to Pérez in Turn 1. The Red Bull driver was in no mood to give up fourth place, however, and powered past the Mexican around the outside of to retake fourth place.

    Bottas was just a quick to exact revenge on Ricciardo and Albon then closed on the Renault driver. On lap 50 The Red Bull man got close enough and under DRS he powered around the outside to Turn 1 to complete the move on the Australian. 

    Though Bottas pushed Hamilton in the final laps, the Briton managed trhe gap well to eventually cross the line first. Bottas completely another Mercedes one-two and four seconds later Albon took the flag to seal his first F1 podium finish. 

    Behind him Ricciardo took fourth place, with Pérez fifth. McLaren’s Lando Norris finished sixth ahead of AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat, while Leclerc was eighth for Ferrari. Räikkönen managed to hang to a points finish with ninth place despite incurring a five-second time penalty for a pit lane infringement and the final point on offer went to Vettel who sealed a double points finish for Ferrari at its 1000th grand prix. 

    2020 FIA Formula 1 Tuscan Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 59 2:19’35.060 
    2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 59 2:19’39.940 4.880
    3 Alexander Albon Red Bull/Honda 59 2:19’43.124 8.064
    4 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 59 2:19’45.477 10.417
    5 Sergio Pérez Racing Point/Mercedes 59 2:19’50.710 15.650
    6 Lando Norris McLaren/Renault 59 2:19’53.943 18.883
    7 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri/Honda 59 2:19’56.816 21.756
    8 Kimi Räikkönen Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 59 2:20’03.405 28.345
    9 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 59 2:20’04.830 29.770
    10 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 59 2:20’05.043 29.983
    11 George Russell Williams/Mercedes 59 2:20’07.464 32.404
    12 Romain Grosjean Haas/Ferrari 59 2:20’17.096 42.036
         Lance Stroll Racing Point/Mercedes 42 1:31’32.748 Retirement
         Esteban Ocon Renault 7 15’39.081 Brakes
         Nicholas Latifi Williams/Mercedes 6 13’28.971 Collision
         Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 5 11’16.573 Collision
         Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 5 11’18.546 Collision
         Carlos Sainz McLaren/Renault 5 11’19.454 Collision
         Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda 0 Collision
         Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri/Honda 0.