INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • MRF MMSC Indian Racing Nationals enter crucial phase: 4th Round at MMRT from Friday

    MRF MMSC Indian Racing Nationals enter crucial phase: 4th Round at MMRT from Friday

    File photo of Formula LGB races at MMRT this season. Photo by Anand Philar

    Chennai, 16 Aug 2018: Teenage sensation Ashwin Datta who began the season with a bank winning all the races in the first round, will look to guard his narrow lead at the top in the MRF 1600 class as the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Racing Championship resumes amidst mounting excitement and expectations as crucial fourth round starts at the MMRT here on Friday.

    The chase for titles in various categories gets more frenetic than ever while the front-runners keep an eye on the leaderboard. Every point won will be worth its weight in gold.

    The weekend card has races in the MRF F1600, saloon cars (Indian Touring Cars, Super Stock, Indian Junior Touring Cars and Esteem Cup), and the Formula LGB 1300 besides the Volkswagen Ameo Cup, a one-make championship. Also being run is the Indian National Drag Racing Championship, post-lunch on Saturday and Sunday, for both two-wheelers and cars.

    The season, so far, has been so topsy-turvy that Chennai teenager Ashwin Datta (96 points), despite three wins on the trot in the MRF F1600 class, is only 12 ahead of Mamallapuram’s Raghul Rangasamy.

    The previous round witnessed three different winners – Rangasamy, Gowtham Parekh (68) and Sandeep Kumar (67) – in the triple-header. With the championship winner in this category eligible for a ticket to the Mazda Road To Indy shootout in the United States, an MMSC initiative, the title contenders have everything to play for. The winner of the shootout is eligible for a scholarship of USD 200,000.

    The situation in other categories is no different. Bengaluru’s Ashish Ramaswamy (101) leads his Arka Motorsports team-mate from Coimbatore Nikanth Ram (84) in the premier Indian Touring Cars class that has seen some high-quality driving. If Ramaswamy started the season with a double in the first round, veteran Arjun Balu (Race Concepts) marked his return to racing by winning both the races in the next round while defending champion Arjun Narendran (Arka Motorsports) emulated the feat in the third round. Balu (68) and Narendran (50) are placed fourth and fifth, respectively, behind another veteran from Coimbatore B Vijayakumar of Prime Racing (78).

    A mere half-a-point separate leader Srinivasa Teja (Performance Racing) and Varun Anekar (Race Concepts) in the Super Stock category while Vinod Subramaniam (73.5) of Team N1 leads Rangasamy (68) of Performance Racing in the Esteem Cup and Prabhu AS (62) of Arka Motorsports is ahead of Chrys D’Souza (59) of Unimek Racing in the Indian Junior Touring Cars.

    Equally competitive has been the Formula LGB 1300 class which is developing into a three-cornered battle involving Nabil Hussain (MSport) who heads the leaderboard with 95 points followed by Ashwin Datta (Momentum Motorsports) and Sohil Shah (MSport) who are tied second with 83 apiece.

    Kolhapur’s Dhruv Mohite, with three wins in five starts, leads the Volkswagen Ameo Cup with 220 points but needs all the points he can to stay ahead of Saurav Bandyopadhyay (214) from Mumbai and Hyderabad’s Jeet Jhabakh (204) who have won one race apiece.

  • Lloyd is Formula E’s first innovation manager

    London, 15 Aug 2018: Barnee Lloyd, is the newly-appointed Innovation Manager at Formula E, and the 25-year old will join the internship at the Technology department of Formula E next month. He was selected after a process of selection for aspiring innovators, a press release said on Tuesday.

    The ABB FIA Formula E Championship and Modis announced the name of the first-ever Modis Formula E Innovation Manager – Lloyd, who will join the electric street racing series on a six-month internship ahead of the upcoming season.

    Modis – official partner for professional solutions in IT and engineering – launched the global search for aspiring innovators to join Formula E in May earlier this year. The Innovation Manager Challenge drew nearly 2,000 applications from over 60 countries with the ambition of helping implement and deliver a brand-new software platform for the opening round of season five – under the experienced mentorship of Eric Ernst, Head of Technology at Formula E.

    The competition consisted of a demanding four-stage selection process that involved psychometric tests on a dedicated Modis online platform, face-to-face interviews with Modis consultants and complex problem-solving.

    The top-five candidates were met by a panel of experts at Formula E’s headquarters in London for the interview stage and were put through their paces in a range of exercises. In a bid to test their ability to work in a fast-paced and ever-changing environments such as Formula E and the e-mobility industry, they were given scenarios designed to measure logical thinking, behavioural traits, and numerical aptitude.

    Lloyd, a British software engineer and Cambridge University graduate – who has previously worked for other automotive brands such as Tesla and Aston Martin – impressed the judges with top scores in the combined ‘innovator profile’ and ‘aptitude’ test.

    The judges from Formula E and Modis were also full of praise for the other four finalists – and would like to thank them for their time and dedication throughout the process.

    The 25-year-old will begin his internship on September 17 in the technology department and will be fully-immersed within the series and collaborate with regional workforces for a hands-on experience at events, including pre-season testing and the opening rounds of the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship in December and January.

    Barnee Lloyd, the newly-appointed Innovation Manager at Formula E, said: “I want to work in something where I can have a direct contribution to the growth of the company and how it’s going to develop in the future.”

    Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “I’d like to officially welcome Barnee to the Formula E family and thank Modis for creating a brilliant initiative, which looks for the brightest sparks to work within the e-mobility sector. It’s an industry growing exponentially, with the ABB FIA Formula E Championship at the forefront. I look forward to seeing Barnee quickly finding his feet and developing his understanding and implementing new ideas on what surely is the start of a long and successful career in this field.”

    Alain Dehaze, CEO of the Adecco Group, said: “We’re delighted for Barnee as he begins what promises to be a fantastic career in e-mobility and electric racing. I’m sure he will perform at the highest level and produce excellent results during his internship. The Innovation Manager Challenge is all about promoting careers in this fast-growing, hi-tech sector and giving young talent the chance they deserve and the needs to shine. This first year has surpassed our expectations, and we look forward to connecting with and supporting many more talented young men and women in the years ahead through this innovation programme.”

    eom/db

  • Double world champ Fernando Alonso not to race in F1 in 2019

     

    Fernando, who turned 37 in July, is competing in his 17th F1 season, his fifth with McLaren, and has amassed 32 wins, 22 pole positions and 97 podiums to date. Beyond his two titles – in 2005 he became the then-youngest world champion in F1 history – Fernando has been championship runner-up three times.

    Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Racing, said:

    “Fernando is not only an outstanding ambassador for McLaren but also for Formula 1. His 17 years in the sport, as arguably the pre-eminent driver of his generation and undoubtedly an F1 great, have added another layer to Formula 1’s rich history.

    “There is a time for everyone to make a change and Fernando has decided the end of this season to be his. We respect his decision, even if we believe he is in the finest form of his career. Our open dialogue with Fernando has meant we could plan for this eventuality.

    “While evaluating his future during the past months, Fernando’s competitiveness has been undimmed. He has continued to perform at the highest level throughout, as we know he will do in the remaining nine races of this year’s championship.

    “I know that the entire team joins me in paying tribute to Fernando’s enormous contribution to McLaren; he is a legend both for the championship and for the team. Fernando is an important part of our story and will join an illustrious line of McLaren drivers. On behalf of Shaikh Mohammed, Mansour and our entire board, we wish Fernando every success in the future.”

    Fernando Alonso commented:

    “After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it’s time for me to make a change and move on. I have enjoyed every single minute of those incredible seasons and I cannot thank enough the people who have contributed to make them all so special.

    “There are still several grands prix to go this season, and I will take part in them with more commitment and passion than ever.

    “Let’s see what the future brings; new exciting challenges are around the corner. I’m having one of the happiest times ever in my life but I need to go on exploring new adventures.

    “I want to thank everyone at McLaren. My heart is with the team forever. I know they will come back stronger and better in the future and it could be the right moment for me to be back in the series; that would make me really happy. I have built so many great relationships with many fantastic people at McLaren, and they have given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and race in other categories. I feel I am a more complete driver now than ever.

    “I made this decision some months ago and it was a firm one. Nevertheless, I would like to sincerely thank Chase Carey and Liberty Media for the efforts made to change my mind and everyone who has contacted me during this time.

    “Finally, I would also like to thank my former teams, team-mates, competitors, colleagues, partners, journalists and everyone I have worked with in my F1 career. And, especially, my fans all over the world. I am quite sure our paths will cross again in the future.”

  • Jorge Lorenzo outwits Marc Marquez in a classic thriller: MotoGP

    Jorge Lorenzo outwits Marc Marquez in a classic thriller: MotoGP

    Lorenzo wins a thriller at Spielberg on Sunday. A MotoGP image

    Spielberg, 12 Aug 2018: Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) put on a show to remember at the Red Bull Ring in the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, with the two dueling down to the wire in an instant classic and Lorenzo coming out on top for his third win of the season. Teammates in 2019, the five years in which Lorenzo and Marquez have shared the track have produced some legendary different battles at different circuits, but the number 93’s search for a win at Spielberg will have to continue. The man who beat him to the honour last season, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), completed the podium in third this time around.

    It was Marquez who had the initial advantage as he bolted away into the distance over the first laps, putting the hammer down early and leaving the Ducati duo of Lorenzo and Dovizioso trailing him by half a second, a second, then seven tenths as the gap was a constant concertina but a sizeable one nonetheless. In clear air the number 93’s tactics seemed immediately clear, and the bigger focus over the first laps was on the two Ducati men locked together behind him – almost close enough to look like one bike at a passing glance.

    Dovizioso looked threatening and feinted a number of times but the Italian didn’t make a move. With the gap at the front staying constant and Marquez no longer gaining ground, the tide then began to turn as Lorenzo slowly reeled him in. By 11 laps to go the Ducatis were right back on the tail of the Honda but Lorenzo just ran it wide at Turn 3. Using the grunt of the Borgo Panigale machine, however, the number 99 recovered quickly to fire himself back into second and the lead trio remained in line, nothing between them… before Lorenzo decided to make his move.

    Right on Marquez’ tail over the line and passing the reigning Champion into Turn 1, Lorenzo pulled the pin and took over at the front as teammate Dovizioso ran wide and dropped off the lead duo. But that lead duo didn’t stay the same way around for long as they dueled it out, heading a bit wide at one point before Lorenzo was back ahead and the two regrouped.

    With 3 laps to go Lorenzo went wide at Turn 3 and Marquez went through, but of course the Ducati struck back – with a brutal move at Turn 9. On the penultimate lap Marquez again attacked at Turn 3, but Lorenzo led the two over the line to begin the final lap – and the gloves were most definitely off.

    Locked together, the big attack came again at Turn 3 as Marquez dived straight for the inside – but Lorenzo held his line and was able to regain the ground immediately on the exit. Pushing hard and the Repsol Honda in second squiggling around in the braking zones, Marquez looked threatening around the remainder of the final lap but the ‘Spartan’ was not for being caught – taking the victory in style and denying Marquez the chance at a final lunge.

    Behind ‘DesmoDovi’ in third, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) put in an impressive performance to take fourth as top Independent Team rider to put his Spielberg demons to bed after two fifteenths over the past two years, with Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) also able to bounce back after a tough race at the venue last season to complete the top five. Petrucci now leads the Independent Team standings by a single point from Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), with Crutchlow only another point back.

    Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) put in a stunning ride through the field, with the rider from Tavullia moving through from fourteenth on the grid to fight off Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) in a high-calibre battle for sixth. Behind the two, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) took eighth after mixing it at the front nearer the start, making for a solid result at a more difficult track for the Hamamatsu factory.

    Johann Zarco took ninth as he beat with Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) to the line – with Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) for close company. The three took P9, P10 and P11 respectively.

    Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, took P12 in a more difficult race after a difficult weekend, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) in thirteenth following an early run off for the 2016 winner. Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took points for home factory KTM and put in a good race for fourteenth, with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) completing the points as top rookie – just ahead of Hafizh Syahrin (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

    Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – 1st
    “It was an incredible race, maybe one of the best of my career, quite simply spectacular! Winning with Ducati on this circuit, where I had never won before, after a close quarters battle with Marquez, has a really special taste. Before the race I had thought about which strategy to use, and I decided to do like Brno, administering the tyre wear well and then attacking in the final part of the race, especially because I was one of the few riders who had chosen ‘soft’ tyres and my riding style allowed me to conserve them until the end. When I found myself fighting against Marquez I knew that it was going to be difficult to pass him, so I decided to improvise by making the best use of the Desmosedici GP’s acceleration and it worked perfectly. Now we’re third in the championship standings, but above all I’m proud and very pleased with the way we’re working because the feeling with the bike is better and better all the time and I believe we can fight for the win in many other races. Now let’s just enjoy this moment with all the team and I’m also very happy for them.”

    Next up is Silverstone, the stage of the first serious showdown between Lorenzo and Marquez back in 2013. Will we see another repeat? Find out in two weeks as MotoGP™ heads to UK.

    MotoGP™ Race Results
    1 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI 39’40.688
    2 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA +0.130
    3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI +1.656
    –
    First Independent Team Rider
    4 – Cal Crutchlow (GBR) HONDA +9.434

     

  • Sunday guide for all three classes: MotoGP

    MotoGP
    Spielberg: Marc Márquez has qualified on pole position for the second successive time at the Austrian GP. The Red Bull Ring is the second circuit on the current MotoGP calendar – along with Buriram in Thailand, a track we’re yet to race at – where Marc Márquez has not won in the premier class.

    This is the 49th pole position for Marc Márquez on what is his 101st start in the premier class (48.5%), and the 77th of his Grand Prix career.

    Andrea Dovizioso starts from second on the grid, which is his first back-to-back front row starts since 2015 (France/Italy).

    Andrea Dovizioso has qualified 0.002 seconds behind Marc Márquez, which is the closest 1–2 in a MotoGP™ qualifying session since the German GP in 2003 when Jeremy McWilliams qualified 0.002 seconds behind Max Biaggi.

    Jorge Lorenzo starts from third on the grid for his fourth front row start of 2018 – one more than his whole 2017 season.

    The highest-placed Independent Team rider on the grid is Danilo Petrucci in fourth, which is his best qualifying result since he was second in Germany this year. Petrucci qualified fifth last year at the Red Bull Ring, but he had to retire from the race.

    With Dovizioso, Lorenzo, and Petrucci, this is the first time there have been three Ducati riders within the top four on the grid in the MotoGP class.

    Cal Crutchlow, who finished 15th at the Red Bull Ring in both 2016 and 2017, has qualified in fifth on the grid for the second successive time.

    Johann Zarco, who won the Moto2™ race at the Austrian GP in 2016, starts from sixth on the grid as the third Independent Team rider but top Yamaha rider. This is his best qualifying result since he was on pole at the French GP this year.

    Yamaha riders have not won since Assen last year with Valentino Rossi (20 successive races). The last time Yamaha had a winless streak of more than 20 races was the 22-race sequence including the 15 races of 1997 and the opening seven races of 1998.

    Tito Rabat heads the third row on the grid as the fourth Ducati rider, which is his best qualifying result since he was the fourth fastest qualifier at the Argentina GP earlier this year.

    Andrea Iannone, who won his only premier class race so far at the Austrian GP in 2016 from pole position, has qualified in eighth for the third successive time.

    Dani Pedrosa, who crossed the line in third place last year at the Red Bull Ring, starts from ninth on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was second at the Spanish GP in Jerez earlier this year.

    Maverick Viñales has qualified in 11th on the grid as the second Yamaha rider, which is his second successive fourth row start.

    After going to Q1 for the first time since Phillip Island last year, Valentino Rossi missed Q2 for the first time since the Catalan GP last year and qualified in 14th. This is Rossi’s worst qualifying since he was 15th at Phillip Island in 2016 and his worst in dry-weather conditions since he was also 14th at Indianapolis back in 2011.

    Moto2
    Francesco Bagnaia starts from pole position for the third time this year. On his two previous pole positions, he went on to win the race. This is the 26th pole position for an Italian rider in the Moto2 class. In addition, this is the fourth successive pole position for an Italian rider, which is the first time this happens since last year.

    Champion leader Miguel Oliveira starts from second on the grid, which is his first front row start since Malaysia last year and his sixth in the Moto2 class. He crashed out of the race in Austria last year at Turn 8 after battling for second place.

    Fabio Quartararo has qualified in third on the grid, which is his third front-row start in the Moto2 class and his best qualifying result since he was on pole in Barcelona earlier this year.

    With Bagnaia, Oliveira and Quartararo, this is the first time since Australia last year that there are bikes from three different chassis manufacturers on the front row.

    Jorge Navarro heads the second row, equalling his best qualifying result since he moved up to the intermediate class, the other P4 coming in Jerez earlier this year.

    Álex Márquez has qualified in fifth place on the grid, which is the ninth time this year he has qualified on the first two rows on the grid.

    Mattia Pasini, who started from pole position at the Red Bull Ring last year, is sixth on the grid, which is his worst qualifying result since he was 11th in Assen earlier this season.

    Leader of the Rookie of the Year classification, Joan Mir, who won the Moto3 races in both 2016 and 2017, has qualified 20th, which is his worst qualifying result since he was 24th at the Qatar GP this year.

    Moto3
    Marco Bezzecchi has qualified on pole position for the first time on what is the 33rdstart of his Grand Prix career, becoming the seventh different Italian rider to do so since the introduction of the Moto3 class in 2012. On his two visits to the Red Bull Ring, Bezzecchi failed to score any points, crashing out of the race in both 2016 and 2017.

    This is the first back-to-back pole position for KTM in the Moto3 class since Gabriel Rodrigo was on pole position at both Czech and Austrian GPs last year, and the third successive pole position for the Austrian manufacturer at their home track.

    Jorge Martín, who undergone surgery on his left radius after a crash during practice at the Czech GP, starts from second on the grid as the highest-placed Honda rider. This is his ninth front row start since the opening race of the season in Qatar. He finished third last year at the Red Bull Ring after qualifying in 13th place.

    Albert Arenas completes the front row of the grid, which is his first front-row start on what is his 35th Grand Prix race in the Moto3 class.

    Heading the second row on the grid is Arón Canet, who qualified in third place last year in Austria. This is the sixth successive time this year he has qualified on the first two rows on the grid. He finished fifth last year in Austria, his best result at this track.

    Tony Arbolino starts from fifth on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was on pole position in Argentina earlier this year.

    Gabriel Rodrigo, who qualified on pole position last year in Austria, has qualified in sixth on the grid, which is his best qualifying result since he was third in Argentina this year.

    Second across the line in Austria last year – his best result at that time – from eighth on the grid, Philipp Öttl has once again qualified in eighth place on what is his 98th Grand Prix race.

  • Marc Marquez holds off the Ducatis to take pole by just 0.002; Dovi P2: MotoGP

    Marc Marquez holds off the Ducatis to take pole by just 0.002; Dovi P2: MotoGP

    Marc Marquez takes pole at Spielberg on Saturday. A MotoGP image

    Spielberg, 11 Aug 2018: It was a breathless fight to the wire for pole position at the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, with the battle boiling down to a three-way scrap between Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) vs the Ducati Team riders of Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo. The red sectors came thick and fast for both Borgo Panigale machines but in the end it was Marquez’ benchmark 1:23.241 left at the top of the timesheets as a target, with neither of the red machines able to quite push him off pole. Dovizioso came incredibly close – just 0.002 back, making the closest margin since Germany 2003 – but the Italian will line up second, with Lorenzo completing that front row and just over a tenth off. That makes a tantalising top three just a week after the trio battled it out at Brno, with many expecting a spectacular repeat on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring.

    Just behind them is top Independent Team rider Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing), who will be hoping he can get in the mix on race day with his Ducati GP18 after also showing good pace on Friday, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) starting alongside him. Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) completes that second row, meaning the top three in the fight for top Independent start very close together, and it’s just seven points cover them in the standings. Zarco is also top Yamaha.

    Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Racing) kept his good form to take seventh after also having gained automatic graduation to Q2, with Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) taking the middle of a third row at a more difficult track for the Hamamatsu factory. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), on the podium last year in third, took P9 ahead of the second Suzuki of Alex Rins. Rins was one of the riders who moved through from Q1 after having not got into the top ten in FP1 before the rain-interrupted further practice, along with Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team), who took P12.

    Between the two men starts Maverick Viñales. The Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider was only able to take eleventh at a tough track for the Iwata marque, and the result comes a week after the Spaniard started twelfth in Brno. His teammate, meanwhile, also had a tough qualifying session – and Valentino Rossi will be starting in P14. Just pipped to the top ten in FP1 by Viñales and with FP2 and FP3 affected by the weather, the Italian headed for Q1 and wasn’t quite able to move through. Moving through, though, will be something both Yamahas will be dead set on when the lights go out – with a good start crucial.

    Just ahead of Rossi, Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) flies the flag for KTM after a very positive day for the Austrian factory. With his teammates sidelined through injury, the Brit did the home team proud to only just miss out on Q2 and outqualify a difficult day for the ‘Doctor’. Behind Smith in P13 and Rossi in P14, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completes the top 15.

    Ready for race day? It’s got some serious potential and is sure to be another classic. Come back on Sunday for the race at 14:00 (GMT +2).
     MotoGP™ Qualifying Results
    1 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA 1’23.241
    2- Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI +0.002
    3 – Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) DUCATI +0.135First Independent Team Rider:
    4 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA) DUCATI +0.262

  • WRC returns to gravel stages: Rallye Deutschland

    After four consecutive gravel rallies, the FIA World Rally Championship contenders return to asphalt competition for the ninth round of the series. Rallye Deutschland is regarded as one of the trickiest sealed surface events, largely due to the variety of different roads and potentially inclement weather that can make tyre choice such a gamble.

    The event was first held in 1982, running as part of the FIA European Rally Championship, and was included in the WRC in 2002. It provides a complete mix of conditions for the crews with narrow and twisty stages in the vineyards, daunting concrete roads in the tank training grounds at Baumholder, as well as more flowing country roads around the Mosel valley. The level of concentration and stamina is high and, if the weather conditions change through the day, the work of the route note crews permitted on asphalt events is even more critical. Running ahead of the competitors, these crews relay the most up to date information about road and weather conditions to their team, helping to provide an accurate assessment of what to expect.

    Thierry Neuville continues to head the Championship standings, he and arch-rival Sébastien Ogier split by 21 points going into an event where road-sweeping duties will not be a factor. After his impressive victory in Finland, Ott Tänak also made inroads on the Championship leaders, but the Estonian remains focused on maximum rally-by-rally points before thinking about a challenge for the title. Hyundai dropped only a handful of points to M-Sport Ford in Finland and continue to lead the Manufacturers’ Championship. However, after a double podium finish last time out, Toyota has significantly closed the gap to M-Sport Ford, just one point separating the two. The FIA WRC 2 Championship contenders are also back in action, an impressive 19 crews registering for this event. Series leader Pontus Tidemand again sits out this round, but his nearest rival, asphalt expert Jan Kopecký, will be looking to head a strong field and take maximum points to retake the lead in this hotly contested series. There is also a tight battle in the FIA WRC 3 Championship, which is currently being led by Jean-Baptiste Franceschi who has not nominated this event as a points-scoring round.

    THE 2018 ROUTE

    The area around St. Wendel takes centre stage for the start and finish ceremonies and an all-new super special stage opens the action on Thursday evening. Friday heads into the vineyards for two identical loops of three stages, the opener – Stein und Wein – not included in the itinerary since 2015. Saturday’s stage distance, at 150.12 kilometres, makes up nearly 50% of the entire competitive route and takes the contenders into the feared military camp of Baumholder where avoiding the massive hinkelstein kerbs, which are designed to keep tanks on the road, adds to the challenge. The day also includes two runs through the longest stage of the event, Panzerplatte. Sunday is back to the scenic roads in the Mosel vineyards for three stages, one of which is repeated. The final Power Stage takes the crews to Bosenberg, which has also not been run since 2015. The podium and prize-giving will then take place in St. Wendel.

    Three stages will be broadcast live on television: SS1 on Thursday, SS12 on Saturday and the closing Power Stage. All stages are however available live on WRC All Live on the WRC+ platform.

    ends

  • Dovizioso fastest on Friday but 93 hits back in wet…: MotoGP Free Practice

    Dovizioso fastest on Friday but 93 hits back in wet…: MotoGP Free Practice

    Andrea Dovizioso fastest on Friday at Spielberg. A MotoGP image

    Spielberg, 10 Aug 2018: Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was the fastest man on Friday at the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich and the only rider into the 1:23 bracket in FP1, moving two tenths clear of teammate Jorge Lorenzo. And just behind the two at the top, the Ducati attack continued – with top Independent Team rider Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) locking out the top three on the combined timesheets and pipping reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to the honour.

    FP1 saw some big-time attacks as doubts about the weather forecast continued, and they were proved right as the dry and pleasant conditions of FP1 were a distant memory come FP2. A downpour delayed the session and conditions remained very wet when action continued, with Scott Redding (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) looking like he was going to end FP2 on top. But Marquez struck back and the Brit was relegated to second…ahead of the familiar trio of Petrucci, Lorenzo and Dovizioso, who also showed great pace in the wet.

    Overall, however, it’s Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar) who completes the top five from his FP1 time, ahead of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol). Tito Rabat (Real Avintia Racing) took P8 on yet another Borgo Panigale machine as Ducati dominated the top ten – with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) the top Yamaha in P9.

    It was a more difficult morning for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, although Maverick Viñales ended the day in P10 and Valentino Rossi in P11. For Viñales the day began much further down the timesheets, but for Rossi it began almost off them. An early technical problem for the ‘Doctor’ saw him forced to pull over and then head out on his second bike, costing him some time. Right at the end of FP1 Viñales pipped him to provisional graduation to Q2, leaving Rossi at risk of not making it through if the rain pays another visit to Spielberg in FP3…Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was P12 overall and fastest Aprilia in the dry, ahead of Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and KTM’s lone home team representative Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who was P6 in the wet to impress, too.

    ends

  • `Every race is different’…but will that prove true at the Red Bull Ring?

    `Every race is different’…but will that prove true at the Red Bull Ring?

    Riders pose for a photo during the Press Conference ahead of the MotoGP race on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring. A MotoGP image

    Spielberg, 9 Aug 2018: Ahead of the eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, the 11th round of the MotoGP World Motorcycle Racing Championship, it was pre-event Press Conference time after a quick turnaround from the Czech GP and Championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was joined by Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Brno winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and teammate Jorge Lorenzo, Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Moto2 Championship leader Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as they geared up for another weekend of action.

    Lorenzo

    Marquez was the first to talk, and the weekend began to take shape as another possible Ducati vs Marquez showdown: “One of the main goals in Brno we achieved: try to increase the lead in the Championship and we did it. I was happy, right after the race I was a bit bitter because of both Ducatis but then I analysed the race in the motorhome. It was a great race and a great result for us, then the Monday test was very busy with a lot of things to try. Some of them we will introduce here step by step because we found some interesting things. Both Ducati riders, like we saw in Brno, are on a really high level so we’ll try and find the best way to fight with them until the end. It will be tough, but you have to start the weekend positively, we’ll try to be there and find the step. The main aim is to be on the podium. If we can fight for victory we’ll try but you don’t know before you try the tyres and asphalt and everything.”

    Rossi, meanwhile, will be wringing the neck of the weekend to get the most out of what could be a tougher track. “It’s always a difficult track, especially last year I didn’t enjoy it a lot because it was one of the most difficult races for me. I’ve never been on the podium here although in 2016 it wasn’t bad, me and Jorge were strong and not so far from the podium but it wasn’t enough. We have to try to do everything at the maximum and look after the details to be as strong as possible. On paper maybe it’s not the best track for us so we’ll have to suffer a bit. I wanted to be on the podium in Brno but the other three were faster, but then it wasn’t a bad race because I wasn’t so far. On Monday we worked a lot but didn’t find anything better so I think our level will be like in Brno. And the weather forecast isn’t fantastic, we’ll have to be ready for all conditions!”

    Andrea Dovizioso

    Then the man on the roll, however, is Dovizioso: the 2017 Austrian GP winner after the stunning duel with Marquez and the winner last time out as we arrive back at the venue. “After the victory in Brno, you arrive at the next round with good confidence and even more to this track because on paper our bike works well here. But last year it wasn’t easy! We struggled but then in the race, our speed was really good and I was able to fight with Marc. But I expect this season our competitors will be stronger because they’ve increased their power and aero – maybe they will be closer. Marc last year already arrived at the end with me. So I don’t think it will be easy but Brno was important for us. The victory comes from hard work, we changed a few things from me and the bike and I think we have a small margin to improve so let’s see how this weekend will go – and the weather.”

    The weather – as also pointed out by Marquez and Rossi – could be an interesting factor. And so could a Lorenzo so close to being back on top in Brno.

    “The improvement compared to the first races has been huge,” said five-time World Champion Lorenzo. “We were a bit unlucky in Qatar, even if I would probably have finished fifth or fourth but I had to crash. It was difficult for me, then new pieces arrived and at Mugello, I got my first victory and from then on we could see a different Jorge riding, especially over race distance. It was a great race last time out and in the test we improved some more details, I’ve been more competitive especially on older tyres so I think we arrive in the best way possible to Austria.”

    Best way possible? The number 99 says he hopes to fight for the win.

    “Every race is different and in every race, you have to see how the performance of each rider is. But obviously, this track is where you are on the throttle the most, for our bike it should be good. We have great acceleration, great top speed, power, stability in braking so it should be a good track. But like Andrea said Honda improved the power of their engine and it should be close. But I think we’ll have a chance to fight for the win.”

    Next, the spotlight was turned on KTM, the home manufacturer. After a bad run of luck of late that sees Pol Espargaro and Mika Kallio side-lined, Bradley Smith faces down the weekend alone in the premier class.

    “It’s a big disappointment not to have my other team members here and I wish a speedy recovery to Pol and Mika. In another way, it’s a positive for me in that everyone in the garage is focused on me, and I’m all ok after the crash, fortunately. Lucky to walk away uninjured and ready for this weekend, and the expectation of all the KTM fans and our bosses.”

    In terms of development, for Smith, it’s feeling positive in terms of input and they’re just missing another step to break into the top ten. “I feel like I’m steering the bike in a good direction at the moment and the factory is working very hard to bridge the gap. We seem to be stuck in around P12 or 13 and we want to be more inside the top ten and we want to see better results later in the year.”

    Although Smith is the sole Austrian machine on the MotoGP™ grid, there are plenty KTMs throughout the field for the fans to cheer – and that includes Miguel Oliveira, the points leader and Brno winner in the intermediate class. He’s exactly where he wants to be.

    “The race in Brno was quite exciting, a lot of overtaking…and I feel good to be coming to the home GP of the team in the lead. It means we’re going in a good direction. Usually, my second halves of seasons are quite strong so I hope I can stay in the lead until the end of the year.”

    In terms of improvements? Qualifying. Which was something they managed at Brno. “Qualifying is one of the biggest points we need to improve at the moment. We know our bike is competitive overall race distance but qualifying is kind of an issue for us. In Brno it went well so I hope now we’ve changed strategy and we can qualify a bit more in front so I don’t have to pass 10 riders in half a lap! That would make my life easier for sure.”

    It was a spectacular weekend of action in Czechia and now Austria steps up to try and repeat the feat. Watch track action from Friday morning as FP1s begin from 9:00 (GMT +2), before the lights go out at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

  • Third round motorcycle Nationals postponed

    Chennai, 7 Aug 2018: As a mark of respect for former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi who passed away here today, the Madras Motor Sports Club has postponed the third round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship scheduled for August 10-12.

    Fresh dates will be announced shortly.

    The Madras Motor Sports Club has condoled the passing away of the stalwart Dravidian leader Karunanidhi.