INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Redding tops frantic WorldSBK FP2 session as 2020 kicks off

    Redding tops frantic WorldSBK FP2 session as 2020 kicks off

    The British rookie led the way as 12 riders were covered by a second after Day 1 in Australia

    Phillip Island (Australia), 28 Feb 2020: After the first Free Practice session, topped by Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati), ran in mixed conditions, the second session was completely dry. It was a disrupted session following a Red Flag ten minutes into the session for debris on the track, but Redding was able to top the session as the 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well and truly underway in frenetic fashion.

    Scott Redding tops Friday times
    Scott Redding tops Friday times at Phillip Island. A WorldSBK image

    Redding was one of several riders who set a flurry of fast laps at the end of the 50-minute session as he finished first by almost half-a-second from Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team). Turkish rider Razgatlioglu held off teammate Michael van der Mark who finished third in the session. Razgatlioglu and van der Mark were leading the onslaught to British rider but he was able to resist, slamming in a strong lap time to put a healthy margin between his rivals.

    Leon Haslam (Team HRC) had been top of the session until the final flurry of laps but finished fourth on his Honda. While Haslam was top of the order, he faced competition from Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha). Baz was consistently setting fast laps and lapped within 0.037s of Haslam but was unable to usurp the British rider. Baz finished the session in fifth place ahead of five-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in sixth place and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in seventh. Rea’s Kawasaki teammate, Alex Lowes, finished just outside the top ten in 11th place.

    Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) started off the session in the lower half of the field but improved his pace throughout the session and finished in eighth place. Bautista’s run throughout the session included a slide through Stoner Corner, the third corner on the circuit. The 35-year-old Spaniard seems to have found a breakthrough following the Official Test and will be one to watch throughout the rest of the weekend.

    Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) finished in ninth despite a mechanical issue at the start of the session which meant he returned to the pits minutes after joining the track. He was able to re-join the action around halfway through the session and kept improving his lap time to eventually finish in ninth place ahead of Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who rounded out the top ten in the second practice session on his return to the Championship.

    German rider Sandro Cortese (OUTDO Kawasaki TPR) finished the session in 12th place, the last rider to finish within one second of pace setting Redding. Chaz Davies ( Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) finished the session in 13th place ahead of Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and American rider Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team); Gerloff particularly impressing on his first time at the track in a race weekend.

    Gerloff’s teammate Federico Caricasulo finished the session in 16th place, a tenth of a second behind his teammate, and 0.024s ahead of Chilean rider Maximilian Scheib (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura). Leon Camier (Barni Racing Team) and Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team) rounded out the field in 18th and 19th respectively.

    #AUSWorldSBK at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – Friday
    Top six combined below.

    1. Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) 1’30.436
    2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) +0.418
    3. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) +0.469
    4. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) +0.500
    5. Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.537
    6. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.542
  • Vettel tops timesheets on Day2: Formula 1 Test

    Vettel tops timesheets on Day2: Formula 1 Test

    Barcelona, 27 Feb 2020: Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time of the penultimate day of 2020 pre-season Formula 1 testing, while defending champions Lewis Hamilton’s session ended early due to a suspected engine issue. 

    Vettel tops timesheets on Day 2 of Barcelona test
    Vettel tops timesheets on Day 2 Barcelona test. An FIA image

    Vettel jumped to the top order in the morning with a time of 1:16.841 set on C5 compound Pirelli tyres, and the Ferrari driver’s effort remained the benchmark until the end of running. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly took second place with a late lap on the same compound with just 15 minutes left in the session to finish 0.225s behind Vettel. Racing Point’s Lance Stroll took third place with a lap of 1:17.118 on C3 tyres from the morning session. 

    It was a tough day for Hamilton, however. Having taken over from team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon session, after the Finn had posted 47 laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Hamilton stayed put in the Mercedes garage for the first hour of the afternoon. The champion eventually took the track and set about a long run but that ended after 12 laps when he ground to a halt on the run to Turn 7.

    Hamilton did not reappear again after that as Mercedes revealed the issue had been caused by an oil pressure problem.

    With Stroll third, fourth place went to Williams’ Nicholas Latifi, with McLaren’s Lando Norris fifth. That left sixth place to Max Verstappen. With the track damp after overnight rain, the Red Bull sat out the first hour of running and when he did go out on track he seemed to find the damp track and the strong winds tricky as he spun twice, the second bringing out the red flags midway through the morning. 

    With no damage sustained he returned to the action but only managed a total of 31 laps. Things went better for team-mate Alex Albon in the afternoon and the Thai driver was able to add 61 laps to the team’s total on his way to P10.

    Bottas took seventh place with his morning best of 1:17.985 and that wasa good enough to put him clear of Renault’s Esteban Ocon and ninth placed Kevin Magnussen of Haas 

    2020 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test 2, Day 1
    1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:16.841s   145 
    2 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:17.066s +0.225 139
    3 Lance Stroll Racing Point 1:17.118s +0.277 130
    4 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1:17.313s +0.472 160
    5 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.573s +0.732 113
    6 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:17.738s +0.897 31
    7 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:17.985s +1.144 47
    8 Esteban Ocon Renault 1:18.013s +1.172 37
    9 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:18.225s +1.384 111
    10 Alex Albon Red Bull 1:18.393s +1.552 61
    11 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:18.395s +1.554 59
    12 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 1:19.670s +2.829 92
    13 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:22.425s +5.584 14

  • 2020 WorldSBK season officially launched at Phillip Island

    2020 WorldSBK season officially launched at Phillip Island

    The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit played host to the official WorldSBK season opening ceremony

    Phillip Island (Australia), 27 Feb 2020: The 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season got underway at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on Thursday with the traditional Official Media Conference set on the unique stage of WorldSBK Paddock Show.

    WorldSBK riders attend the launch Press Conference on Thursday. A WorldSBK image
    WorldSBK riders attend the launch Press Conference on Thursday. A WorldSBK image

    Attending the 2020 Championship launch, WorldSBK stars Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati), Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha World Superbike Team), Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), and WorldSSP riders Randy Krummenacher (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team), who spoke about the new 2020 season and their expectations from the new season.

    Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit General Manager David Bennet and Yamaha Motor Finance Representative opened the ceremony, welcoming the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in Australia, as the Championship opens its curtains for the new season for the 12th consecutive time at the Australian venue.

    Then it was the turn of Marc Saurina, WorldSBK Commercial, Marketing and Media, Executive Director to speak: “It is always a fantastic and highly anticipated moment for us and people around the world, but this year we are perhaps even more excited, as the Yamaha Finance Australian Round marks the start of a new and very exciting chapter for the Motul FIM Superbike World Championship.”

    Reigning WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing WorldSBK Team) also spoke about the new season: “I feel great. I spent a lot of time here so it’s really nice to be here. Also, it’s the nicest circuit on the calendar, it’s very unique, very fast and has lots of corners. We got to play with the elements, being so close to the sea because some days, the bike is working really well and you wake up the next day and it’s a little bit different. We had a really good test where I felt good with the bike. I’m looking forward to start with the year. So it’s nice to start with and get some points to the board.“

    The FIM Supersport World Championship will kick off in Australia this weekend too. The new season will see a lot of competition and many riders aiming for the title, as reigning WorldSSP Champion Randy Krummenacher (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) also confirmed: “It’s a big challenge but I really love challenges. We had some good testing here. We tried a lot of things. Obviously, we still have lots to do but we’re already on the good speed. Of course, the other riders are strong as well so we’ll see what will happen. The goal here is to win again.”

    Action will begin on Friday morning with WorldSBK Free Practice 1 at 10.30 local time (LT, GMT +11) before the first race of the 2019 season will take place on Saturday afternoon at 15.00 LT. The battle will continue into Sunday with the Tissot Superpole Race in WorldSBK history at 12:00 followed then by Race 2 again at 15.00LT

  • Rea edges Baz as Phillip Island Official Test ends with a flurry

    Rea edges Baz as Phillip Island Official Test ends with a flurry

    Phillip Island (Australia), 25 Feb 2020: The final pre-season test for the 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has been completed with the action too close to call ahead of the first round of the season. The spectacular Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit brought in wet weather at stages, whilst numerous crashes and red flags occurred, including offs for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) and Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC). Despite the crash, it was Rea who pipped Independent sensation Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) to the top ahead of the first round.

    Action photo of Jonathan Rea who topped the timesheets on Tuesday in WorldSBK test at Phillip Island. A WorldSBK image
    Jonathan Rea who topped the time sheets in Phillip Island on Tuesday. A WorldSBK image

    Leading the way into the weekend, Jonathan Rea moved into top position and put in a strong lap time of 1’30.448, coming in the morning session. The Ulsterman used today for long runs, showcasing his ability to work well and return to first place. However, his day wasn’t without incident and was one of a handful of riders who crashed at Turn 4. He was OK and the bike was virtually undamaged. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) continued his switch to the KRT squad but was down in 12th and suffered a crash at Turn 6 in the morning, giving him plenty of work ahead of the racing weekend.  

    Flying the flag for the Independent teams once again was Loris Baz as the Frenchman continued to be quick in the pre-season tests and finished second. What is impressive for Baz is that he hasn’t used the 2020 engine yet, so his pace is done purely on the 2019 engine; he expects a big step forward come Friday and his race pace is already looking strong. Other Independent revelations inside the top ten included Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) in eighth.

    2013 WorldSBK Champion Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led the BMW charge as he continued to shine at the sharp end. Having struggled with rear grip in the 2019 races, Sykes can now run comfortably for longer in the 1’31s. He’s been working on the balance of the bike, whilst also using a new rear shock, placing him third. Teammate Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) completed his swingarm and chassis work and is now focused on electronics and short runs. He finished ninth overall.

    Having been flying high at the head of the field on day one, Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team’s day two was slightly different. Toprak Razgatlioglu couldn’t replicate his day one pace in the tricky conditions, but was focused on settling in a good race pace and not just setting a strong one-off lap time. However, his ability to set a strong one-off lap time with the Q tyre itself confirms the strides he has made over the pre-season at a time attack in Tissot Superpole style. Michael van der Mark crashed in the morning session at Turn 10 but was OK. The Dutchman didn’t put a fast time in on Monday but set 15 consecutive laps in the 1’31s, demonstrating a good race pace. Toprak was fourth whilst van der Mark was seventh.

    ‘Pocket Rocket’ Leon Haslam (Team HRC) was once again in the top six, making it all six manufacturers inside the top half dozen once again. His lap time of a 1’30.882 was right on his race pace from last year, so there’s plenty of promise from Honda and their new CBR1000RR-R already. On the other side of the garage, Alvaro Bautista wasn’t up at the sharp end and suffered a crash at Turn 4 during the morning. He was in the top ten however, which is an important step forward ahead of the weekend.

    There was a vast improvement in lap time from Scott Redding, despite the more inconsistent weather at the start of the day. The WorldSBK rookie managed to get into the 1’30 bracket as he perfected the balance of his bike. Still learning the Q tyre, Redding is aiming to be on the pace come the start of the weekend. His teammate Chaz Davies (Aruba.IT  Racing – Ducati) struggled to keep pace with his rookie teammate but worked away nonetheless. Redding finished in sixth but with big gains, whilst Davies was 11th on combined times.

    Sandro Cortese (OUTDO Kawasaki – TPR) was just outside the top ten in 13th, 0.005s behind Lowes. Cortese was impressive, considering this was his first testing on the ZX-10RR. Behind Cortese in 14th was returning Spaniard Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), whilst Maximilian Scheib (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) continued to impress in 15th. He was just ahead of Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) and his teammate Federico Caricasulo, whilst Leon Camier (Barni Racing Team) and Takumi Takahashi (MIE Racing Althea Honda Team) were just behind. In all, the top 17 were covered by just 1.5s.

    #AUSWorldSBK at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – Tuesday
    Top six combined from day two below.

    1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’30.448
    2. Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.078
    3. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.120
    4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) +0.304
    5. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) +0.434
    6. Scott Redding (Aruba.IT Racing – Ducati) +0.437
  • MotoGP pre-season test comes to an end in Qatar

    MotoGP pre-season test comes to an end in Qatar

    Losail (Qatar), 24 Feb 2020: If there’s one thing 2020 preseason has taught us to expect, it’s some serious speed from Yamaha and Suzuki. At the close of testing before the first race weekend of the year that remained entirely true, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) getting into the 1:53s with a 1:53.858 to head the pile. And Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) wasn’t too far behind, just 0.033 in arrears, with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in third a couple of tenths back. Fourth? Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), as the inline-fours came out on top.

    At Yamaha, the Day 3 timesheets made for good reading and even more so overall, as Quartararo was third fastest in the combined standings. Viñales has looked like the man with the threatening race pace with Quartararo extremely close to him, Morbidelli has been consistently quick and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) seems happy and fast despite not being quite as far up the order (P12 overall). The ‘Doctor’ rarely is before race day, however…

    It wasn’t all perfect reading for the Iwata marque though. Quartararo suffered a technical issue on Sunday and on Monday, and Rossi crashed on Day 3 – rider ok. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director Massimo Meregalli was pleased with the progress made with improved grip and on acceleration, saying the 2020 package “is very competitive.”

    Quartararo said his race simulation on Day 3 was very pleasing, pretty much every lap was in the 1:54s and the Frenchman didn’t go for a proper time attack – the 20-year-old going as far as saying “there’s margin for more”. That bodes very well for the 2019 Rookie of the Year.

    The main job for Team Suzuki Ecstar, meanwhile, was to continue comparing the standard and new chassis, nothing radically new was on the GSX-RRs of Rins and Joan Mir as they focused on the finer details: adjustments in setup and gathering data for the race. Mir was sixth on Day 3 and the combined timesheets. Along with Yamaha, Suzuki look arguably in the best shape ahead of the Qatar GP with both the Sepang and Qatar Tests proving very good for the Hamamatsu factory. Rins confirmed he is “so happy” with the work done over the three days at Losail International Circuit – and Mir echoed his thoughts too.

    Breaking the domination in the top five was a job for Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) on Day 3. The Australian was the top Ducati in fifth, 0.247 off the top, and said he completed a couple of time attacks and two longer runs. The number 43 is “quietly confident” heading into the opening weekend of the season, and clocked the fastest-ever top speed at Losail, a ridiculous 355 km/h…

    In the Bologna factory camp, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) was sporting new front aero on one of his bikes, while his other GP20 had the older aero fitted. The Italian said he was pleased with his 22-lap race simulation on Day 3, but the one-lap pace still needs work ahead of the Grand Prix. Teammate Andrea Dovizioso was still trying the new swingarm.

    Ducati Team Manager Davide Tardozzi said the engine is working very well but corner speed – especially on maximum lean angle at the apex – still needs work. In addition, Tardozzi said they are experiencing some issues adapting to Michelin’s new rear tyre. After finishing P6 on Day 2, Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing) didn’t improve his time as the Frenchman finished P14 overall, two places ahead of Petrucci, with Dovizioso – who was happy with his long run pace – P10 and Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) P11. Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) was just 0.040 off Petrucci’s time.

    It was a busy and intriguing day for reigning Champions Honda as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) started with three bikes in his garage, one of those being Takaaki Nakagami’s (LCR Honda Idemitsu) 2019 RC213V. Marquez was seventh overall, Nakagami less than a tenth off. 

    Nakagami’s teammate Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) completed 70 laps as HRC went in search of finding improvements on the final day in Qatar, with the Japanese giants testing things “from two or three years ago” according to Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig. Crutchlow said he was happy with his pace, but over one or two laps the number 35 is struggling with stopping the bike and grip with the new tyre.

    Premier class rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completed another 47 laps as the Spaniard admitted it was a difficult test for himself and the team, but the reigning Moto2™ World Champion was reasonably confident that he has a decent pace for the race weekend.

    One of the riders of the test based on timesheets alone has to be Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rookie Brad Binder, however. The South African slammed in a mighty impressive 1:54.283 on Day 3 to leave him ninth on the combined and Day 3 times, just 0.425 from Viñales’ pacesetting lap. As his teammate Pol Espargaro explained earlier in the test, KTM didn’t have anything new to try on Day 3 as they don’t want to start getting lost. Working for the race was the Austrian factory’s objective as it seems their initial 2020 base is pretty much sorted, however there was a slight blip for Espargaro on the final day as he crashed unhurt at Turn 2. Over in the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 camp, Miguel Oliveira and premier class rookie Iker Lecuona finished P19 and P20, but the gaps were only 1.150 and 1.443 respectively.

    On Day 3, Aprilia Racing Technical Director Romano Albesiano confirmed their sole purpose to MotoGP reporter, that it was to decide on the engine spec they’ll use for the season. At the end of play, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) finished P13 on the timesheets, just over half a second off Viñales, with test rider Bradley Smith completing a further 55 laps on Monday as Aprilia continue to gather crucial data on their brand new RS-GP. Espargaro said he showed a strong pace on race simulation, lapping in mid-1:54s for plenty of laps was good news for the number 41. A busy test for both riders means Aprilia have a lot of analysing to do before the Qatar GP…

    So that’s it for 2020 preseason testing. In simple terms, Yamaha and Suzuki have emerged as early Qatar GP favourites, with Honda seeming to have plenty of work to do ahead of Round 1. However, a Grand Prix weekend is a different kettle of fish and we will find out on judgement day – Sunday 8th March – as to how competitive each rider and team really are. The top 18 were split by less than a second, so let’s bring on Friday 6th March when the 2020 MotoGP™ World Championship will get underway!

    Reigning champion Marc Marquez, who finished overall 7th in timesheets said: “After the first two days I was a little worried in all honesty as we were struggling to understand how to improve where we needed to. But today we have made a big breakthrough and now we understand what we need to do, I’m really pleased with what we have done. I was able to be really consistent and I was happy with my rhythm. I have to say a big thank you to Honda, the engineers and my mechanics because they have worked a lot this test and the results are showing for us. We have a direction to follow when we return here for the race.”

  • Quartararo fastest on Day 2: MotoGP testing

    Quartararo fastest on Day 2: MotoGP testing

    Qatar, 23 Feb 2020: Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) set the fastest lap of the Qatar Test to top the timesheets on Day 2 with a 1:54.038, the Frenchman going a couple of tenths faster than the laptimes we saw at the event last season. Day 1 pacesetter Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was 0.162 in arrears in second, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) completing a top trio split by 0.226 as Yamaha and Suzuki continue to look very strong.

    Fabio Quartararo in action at the MotoGP test on Sunday.
    Fabio Quartararo fastest on the Day 2 of MotoGP testing. A MotoGP image

    In the Yamaha camp, the timesheets make for positive reading. Quartararo shot to the top with just over an hour and a half of Day 2 remaining with the best time of the test, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) claiming P4 and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) sitting P9. Quartararo commented that he had a better day than he did on Saturday, despite the Iwata factory having a couple of issues with engine braking. But things seem positive from the likes of Viñales – tipped by a couple of riders as the man in the best shape as it stands – and all the Yamahas are inside the top 10. Rossi stated they’re ready, too.

    At Team Suzuki Ecstar, meanwhile, Alex Rins and Joan Mir both had a bumpier ride on Day 2 after proving the men to beat on Saturday, with crashes for both, riders ok. Nevertheless, the two Spaniards looked in good shape on the whole as they continued to test the new GSX-RR chassis, as well as some electronic, rear shock and new Michelin tyre testing. Rins put it simply: “We are ready”, with the Hamamatsu factory sounding confident ahead of the Qatar GP. Mir was seventh, his fastest lap a 1:54.612.

    In the red corner, there was a little more caution but some positivity too. Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso said they were in better shape than Malaysia and teammate Danilo Petrucci said he’d also had a better day than Saturday as they continue to focus on their programs rather than chasing a laptime. Dovizioso was eighth with a 1:54.662, Petrucci P12 with a 1:54.852.

    The revolutionary “ride height adjuster” was a talking point again, with Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) admitting that he’d been using the device for a number of races. The Australian also noted the GP20’s superior top speed, describing it as a “rocketship”. In terms of the timesheets, however, Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was the leading Desmosedici, the sophomore briefly sitting P1 with two hours remaining and eventually finishing up P5. In terms of race pace though, ‘Pecco’ says he needs “five tenths” to stick with the lead guys and he’s looking for more grip on the exit.

    Johann Zarco (Reale Avintia Racing) impressed again to sit as the second fastest Ducati on Day 2, in P6.

    Over at Honda, reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) suffered a crash at Turn 9 and ended the day in P14, a second off the top. Thankfully he was unhurt. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) also crashed, going down at Turn 2 and heading to the medical centre afterwards. The fall ultimately ended Crutchlow’s day, the number 35 suffering swelling to his forearm. He and the team decided it was best to not ride again on Sunday, hopefully he will be on track on Monday for the final day of testing.

    Front end feel for the two experienced riders is the main problem, with rookie Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) also experiencing some issues. The reigning Moto2™ World Champion has been feeling under the weather at the Qatar Test but he was happier with how Day 2 went compared to Day 1. And it was Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) ended the second day as the fastest Honda rider in P10, the Japanese rider enjoying a decent day as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, with the injury feeling better than it did on Day 1. All in all, a big Day 3 lies ahead for the HRC riders.

    There was big news on Sunday for Aprilia as they confirmed Lorenzo Savadori as their new MotoGP™ test rider. And for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), Day 2 targets were working on electronics and setting up the engine, as well as trying to figure out why the new RS-GP started suffering in the cooler temperatures – vital for race day in Qatar. And by the sounds of it, Espargaro found something in the cooler temperatures, describing his feeling as “extremely good” at 7pm. The Spaniard did have a crash on Sunday at Turn 4 though, but thankfully he was ok.

    At KTM, it seems the four riders are pretty much set on the new fairing they’ll be using. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) admitted they haven’t been going for an outright lap time so far in Qatar, the Spaniard was P13 on the timesheets on Day 2 – 0.852 shy. Working on the new Michelin rear tyre was a must today for the Austrian factory and speaking after Day 2’s action, Red Bull KTM Tech 3 rookie Iker Lecuona said he was really happy after he completed a race simulation. His teammate Miguel Oliveira took a tumble, rider ok, and the two weren’t far apart on the timesheets. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was another to crash, rider ok.

  • FIA Rally Star, a programme to develop young rally drivers

    FIA Rally Star, a programme to develop young rally drivers

    Paris, 23 Feb 2020: The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile has announced a FIA Rally Star, a global, FIF-funded programme to detect, train and develop talented young drivers. Spotted by the National Sporting Authorities, the best young people between 17 and 25 years old will eventually be able to join the World Rally Championship, benefiting from a sporting programme set up by the FIA and its partners.

    Ace Indian rally driver Gaurav Gill photo for representation purpose only
    File photo of Gaurav Gill in the APRC Malaysian leg with MRF tyres. Gill won three APRC titles on MRF tyres. Photo by Anand Philar

    At the heart of the FIA’s strategy for the development of rallying throughout the world, FIA Rally Star aims to encourage the emergence of a new generation of drivers and to identify those with the greatest potential to target a professional career. The programme is funded by the FIA Innovation Fund (FIF), which aims at supporting innovative and high-impact initiatives that generate lasting benefits for the FIA community. 

    At the base of the pyramid, the 144 member National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) of the FIA will be encouraged to organise detection operations, offered to young boys and girls between the ages of 17 and 25. In order to make these selections accessible to as many people as possible, two grassroots disciplines will make the framework for these operations:
    –    Digital Motorsport, using driving simulators and the FIA Rally Star partner video game;
    –    Motorkhana, which involves manoeuvring a production vehicle through a handling course.

    ASNs will also be able to use their own detection methods to identify young talent.

    The second phase of the programme will be a tour of six continental finals organised by the FIA in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Africa, Asia-Pacific, South America and North America. Candidates selected by the ASNs will compete against the clock at the wheel of XC Cross Cars to win one of the seven seats granted: one per continent, plus one for the best woman driver in the world.

    This group of seven youngsters will then benefit from an intensive season of training, including personal coaching, testing sessions and participation in a minimum of six rallies at the wheel of Rally3 cars. This development programme will identify the four most promising drivers, including at least one female competitor, who will then join the FIA Junior WRC.

    Over the next two seasons, these future stars will need to demonstrate that they can compete for victories and then for the title, as a full season in FIA WRC 3 will be the ultimate reward for a FIA Rally Star driver winning the championship. 

    Innovative and far-reaching, the FIA Rally Star programme will benefit from the support of ambassadors and partners already acclaimed in the world of rallying. The official launch is scheduled for mid-June, during the FIA Sport Conference in Thailand. The ASNs will then be able to deploy the first selections.

    Jean Todt, President of the FIA: “When we talk about the detection of rally drivers, we obviously think of Rallye Jeunes, which enabled the FFSA to identify the potential of Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier with the success that we know. Thanks to the support of the FIA’s Innovation Fund, we are embarking on an extremely ambitious and innovative programme, made available to our 144 ASNs for worldwide deployment and amplification. FIA Rally Star is a great opportunity for those who dream of becoming rally drivers.”

    Yves Matton, FIA Director: “At a time when the World Rally Championship is exploring new territories, FIA Rally Star will encourage the emergence of a new generation of drivers. By using grassroots disciplines such as Digital Motorsport and Motorkhana, we will be able to give many young enthusiasts their chance. The most promising will then benefit from a tailor-made development programme, ultimately enabling them to join the WRC. With FIA Rally Star, we hope to find a future World Champion, wherever they are, whoever he or she is.”

  • Red Bull Racing F1 signs Jehan Daruvala to Junior Programme

    Red Bull Racing F1 signs Jehan Daruvala to Junior Programme

    Mumbai, 22 Feb 2020: In a huge boost to Indian Motorsport, Red Bull Racing Formula One Team have signed up Jehan Daruvala for their Red Bull Junior Program, paving the  way for the country’s big racing hope to compete in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. 

    Jehan Daruvala portrait
    Jehan Daruvala, A Red Bull F1 team image

    Jehan, who has taken giant strides in the sport since his debut in 2009 as a 10-year-old kid, will race for Carlin, alongside fellow Red Bull Junior Yuki Tsunoda, in his maiden F2 season; it was announced on Friday. His first race is in the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 21st.   

    The Red Bull Junior program has been instrumental in producing some of the world’s best F1 racers over the years including, four-time World F1 Champion – Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon, and many others. The selection into the Red Bull program is a huge recognition for the young Indian who has consistently performed well at the top of every series he has participated in, culminating in a fantastic season last year where he finished 3rd in the FIA F3 championship.

    Jehan had started the season on a strong note with a victory in the first round. A second consecutive victory and more podiums saw him briefly lead the F3 championship around the half way mark. He entered the last round at Sochi in Russia, with an outside chance at the title &minimum second almost assured. Unfortunately, his car did not start the formation lap of the last race. Forced to start from the pitlane, 29th and last, Jehan drove arguably one of the best races of the season. He charged through the field climbing up from 29th to 9th on track but unfortunately, lost the runner up spot by a mere 1 point.

    Jehan began his career with a stellar record in Karting. Soon after attending a program in Mumbai, he started karting in 2009. He went on to win the Micro Max Rookie Cup & National Title in 2010, followed by the Malaysian Junior Yamaha Title in 2011. That was the year he was selected as a member of the Sahara Force India Junior Program. He went on to become the first Indian to win an FIA title in motorsport, when he won the 2012 CIK FIA Asia Pacific KF3 Championship. He was also the first Indian to win a title in Europe when he was crowned the British Super One KF3 Champion. In 2014, Jehan became the first and only Indian till date to step on the podium of an official FIA World Championship when he finished 3rd in the CIK FIA World Karting Championship.

    Jehan stepped up to Formula Racing in 2015, earning multiple podiums in his maiden season in Formula Renault. In 2016 he was runner-up behind Lando Norris in the Toyota Racing Series. Jehan became the first Indian to win an official Grand Prix, when he won the 2017 New Zealand Grand Prix. He moved to the FIA F3 Eurpoean Championship in 2017 & 2018 earning 8 podiums besides finishing 2nd in the Rookie Championship with 26 rookie podiums in 2017.

    “After an excellent year for me in FIA F3 in 2019, I hope to carry my form into my first year in F2 with the support of the Red Bull Junior Team and Carlin. There are many experienced F2 drivers and a number of strong rookiesmaking it an exciting grid this year – I’m looking forward to the challenge!” said Jehan.

    Trevor Carlin, owner of Carlin Motorsport added “We are delighted to welcome Jehan back to the team for his third season with us. His performance last year in FIA F3 was extremely impressive and we really believe in him. There is no reason why he cannot make it all the way to the top. Without a doubt there will be a lot to learn – both for Jehan as a driver in a more powerful car and also for the team with the new 18-inch wheels but we have a great team ready to meet those challenges “

    Jehan is the only Indian to –

    – Be on the Podium of an FIA World Championship event in any form of motorsport
        (He was 2nd runner up of the CIK FIA World Karting Championship)

    – Win a British Championship (Winner of the British Superone KF3 Championship

    – Win an official ‘Grand Prix’ – Won the New Zealand Grand Prix in 2017

    – To win an FIA Asian Championship (First Indian) (Only winner of the CIK FIA Asia Pacific KF3 Championship)

    – Finish in the top 3 of an FIA Championship which is a feeder series to F1 ( 3rd in FIA F3 2019 )

    – Earn Pole / Win a race / bag fastest lap in an FIA F3 Championship race

    The 2020 FIA F2 season is going to be exciting for Indian Motorsport fans. The grid of 22 drivers has a mix of very experienced F2 drivers and some very fast rookies. The competitiveness of the series is seen from the fact that 13 of the 22 drivers are a part of the junior development program of F1 teams. It is the final frontier from where racers make their way into F1, driving at over 330 kmph on the same weekend as the F1 races.  

  • Hamilton fastest in pre-season test at Barcelona: Day 1

    Hamilton fastest in pre-season test at Barcelona: Day 1

    Barcelona, 19 Feb 2020: Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton went quickest on the opening day of pre-season Formula 1 testing in Barcelona, with the Briton beating Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by three tenths of a second. Racing Point’s Sergio Pérez was third fastest ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. 

    With regulations largely stable for 2020 reliability was impressive and with no red flags or major technical issues hampering running, the grid’s 10 teams managed impressive mileage, with each passing the 100-lap barrier at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. 

    It was Mercedes who managed the most, though, with Bottas getting through 79 laps in the morning to lead the standings at the lunch time mark before Hamilton added another 94 in the afternoon to bring the team’s total to 173. Hamilton’s table-topping time was set midway through the afternoon session on Pirelli’s C2 compound. 

    Sergio Pérez took third place for Racing Point, with the Mexican finishing just six hundredths of a second behind Bottas in the Silverstone team’s new RP20 car. Perez set his time on the C3 compound in the morning session. Lance Stroll took over in the afternoon and followed Pérez’s 58 laps with 52 of his own. The Canadian ended the session in P10, 1.3s off Hamilton’s pace.  

    Fourth place in the session went to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver posted the largest number of laps for a single driver, 168, and over the course of a marathon session he posted a C3-shod time of 1:17.516 to finish half a second behind Hamilton. 

    Daniil Kvyat was fifth quickest on day one for AlphaTauri, the squad formerly known as Toro Rosso. The Russian driver worked through 115 laps and finished seven tenths of a second off the pace. 

    Kvyat ended the day 0.144s clear of sixth-placed Carlos Sainz of McLaren, with afternoon Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo seventh, three hundredths of a second ahead of new team-mate Esteban Ocon who drove in the morning. 

    George Russell ended a solid first day of testing for Williams in ninth place, having completed 73 laps through the morning. New team-mate Nicholas Latifi then added a further 63 laps in the afternoon. It was a far brighter start for the team than last year when late delivery of its 2019 car led to it missing the first two days of pre-season testing. 

    With Stroll rounding out the4 top 10, Ferrari had to settle for P11 as Charles Leclerc opened the Italian squad’s pre-season account in place of the unwell Sebastian Vettel. 

    Leclerc got through an impressive 131 laps in a busy day that included a lengthy pause after lunch, with the team staying in the garage for more than an hour at the start of the afternoon session. 

    Robert Kubica took 13th place at the end of his first outing as Alfa Romeo’s reserve driver with the Pole finishing ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Alfa team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi. 

    2020 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test 1, Day 1
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.976s 94
    2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:17.313s +0.337s 79
    3 Sergio Perez Racing Point 1:17.375s +0.399s 58 
    4 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:17.516s +0.540s 168 
    5 Daniil Kvyat AlphaTauri 1:17.698s +0.722s 115 
    6 Carlos Sainz McLaren 1:17.842s +0.866s 161 
    7 Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:17.873s +0.897s 54 
    8 Esteban Ocon Renault 1:18.004s +1.028s 62 
    9 George Russell Williams 1:18.168s +1.192s 73 
    10 Lance Stroll Racing Point 1:18.282s +1.306s 50 
    11 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:18.289s +1.313s 131 
    12 Nicolas Latifi Williams 1:18.382s +1.406s 63 
    13 Robert Kubica Alfa Romeo 1:18.386s +1.410s 59 
    14 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:18.466s +1.490s 104 
    15 Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo 1:20.096s +3.120s 78 

  • Gardner fastest in Moto2; Garcia top in Moto3

    Gardner fastest in Moto2; Garcia top in Moto3

    The Australian breaks the lap record on Day 1 and the Spaniard picks up where he left off
    Jerez, 19 Feb 2020:
    2020 is up and running in Moto2™ and Moto3™ and it was Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) who ended Day 1 at the Official Jerez Test as the man to beat in the intermediate class, with Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) taking the honour in the lightweight class. There were pleasant conditions for the riders at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as the first of three days testing began on Wednesday, with each class able to maximise their track time.

    In Moto2™, Gardner set his scorching 1:40.848 in the final session of the day to top the timesheets, with an impressive Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) slotting into second but 0.269 down. Perennial title challenger Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was the only other rider to get within half a second of Gardner, taking P3.

    Behind the quickest trio came reigning FIM CEV Moto2™ European Champion Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) to make it a Kalex top four lockout, the Spaniard sitting 0.587 off Gardner. After an impressive private test, rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) began the Official Test in fine form too as the Spaniard finished P5 on Day 1 with a 1:41.439 – the top Speed Up and rookie.

    Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Tetsuta Nagashima, who gets on the team’s new Kalex chassis with previous experience, was fifth, ahead of an impressive first run out for MV Agusta Forward Racing’s Simone Corsi, with the Italian veteran less than half a tenth off Nagashima, in P7. The second-fastest Speed Up on Day 1 was 2019 Jerez podium finisher Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing) in P8, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) splitting Navarro from his teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, who was tenth.

    Navarro is also the man whose pole lap from 2019 is the lap record time Gardner beat on Day 1, so there’s likely plenty to come from the field yet. But it was nevertheless a competitive start to the season for the intermediate class, with under two seconds splitting the top 25 riders.

    In Moto3™, it was Sergio Garcia who picked up where he left off in 2019. The Valencia GP winner topped the timesheets on Wednesday, although it wasn’t by much – with Petronas Sprinta Racing’s John McPhee just 0.060 in arrears. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) impressed to complete the top three, another tenth and a half back.

    2019 Jerez winner Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was fourth fastest overall, although he was just 0.011 ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), the man who broke the lap record in private testing last week. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) took P6, ahead of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) in seventh as the Spaniard seems to have quickly settled into life on the Honda.

    The top KTM rider on Day 1 was Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) just behind Masia, with Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) in P9 after a noteworthy day on the timesheets for the Czech rider.

    Noteworthy was also apt for the man in tenth: Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team). The veteran Italian was fastest Husqvarna on Wednesday as the marque return to Moto3™ competition, making it all three manufacturers in the top ten as 2020 begins.