INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Shell powered Vettel to drive Ferrari F1 car in Hungaroring on June 28

    Four-time Formula One World Champion and current Scuderia Ferrari Driver Sebastian Vettel will take to the Hungarian Grand Prix circuit in a Scuderia Ferrari Formula One car for the first time on Sunday 28th June.
    Vettel will thrill thousands of fans by demonstrating laps in a Formula One car, powered by Shell V-Power Nitro+, to showcase Shell’s Technical Partnership with Scuderia Ferrari atFerrari Filming Day the Ferrari Racing Days event in Budapest.
    The German driver claimed his first victory for Scuderia Ferrari in only his second race for the team at this year’s Malaysia Grand Prix, and it was Shell V-Power fuel and Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology lubricant that helped power him to the top step of the podium.
                                                                                              
    “It is an honor to have Sebastian Vettel joining us at the Ferrari Racing Days event in Budapest, a region where we have many passionate Shell customers. We are all excited to have Sebastian with us to help demonstrate the power of our high-performance Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuel on track. I would like to extend the invite to all Shell, Sebastian and Scuderia Ferrari fans to join us for what will be a fantastic racing festival.”,
    Petr Prazsky, General Manager, Shell Retail CEE.
    Shell will be running ticket promotions for the event at selected Shell filling stations throughout the Central and Eastern European region, so make sure you stop by a participating station to take advantage. For more information about the Budapest Ferrari Racing Days event, as well as ticket information, please visit www.shell.hu.
    To view an event preview video featuring Sebastian Vettel, click here.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsjK5bY_A18&feature=youtu.be&
    eom/Shell motorsports release

  • Jorge Lorenzo takes Spanish victory; Marquez endures pain to resist late charge from Rossi to finish second

    Jerez (Spain), 3 May 2015: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo underlined his dominance this weekend at Jerez by speeding to victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, setting a new Circuit Record Lap time on his way to the chequered flag.
    Lorenzo started from pole position and set an impressive pace throughout the twenty-seven lap contest, smashing the existing race lap record by eight-tenths of a second on lap two and setting an overall race time twenty seconds quicker than the old record as he crossed the finish line. Finishing in second place 5.576 seconds behind Lorenzo was Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez who despite nursing a broken finger on his left hand was able to resist a late charge from Valentino Rossi.
    Rossi was on the charge right from the start of the 27-lap race. Shooting from fifth to fourth into turn one, he soon closed the gap to Pol Espargarò to overtake him on lap four. The nine-time World Champion was now on a mission to close down a two-second gap to front runners Lorenzo and Marquez, while at the same time managing his lead over Espargarò and Cal Crutchlow. Though the gap to Marquez initially increased, the Doctor refused to give up. His determination was rewarded when, with 15 laps remaining, he started to wheel his rival back in. However, as the Doctor‘s front tyre began to wear down in the final stages of the race he was unable to repeat his performance in Argentina. He decided to settle for third and take his fourth consecutive podium this season, marking the 200th podium finish of his career.
    Yesterday’s clear and sunny conditions gave way to long periods of cloudy skies today and as a result, today’s peak track temperature of 40°C was fourteen degrees lower than yesterday’s high. The cooler temperatures didn’t have a large influence on race tyre choice, with twenty-three riders selecting the hard compound front slick – only Team SUZUKI ECSTAR riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales opted for the medium compound front slick. The medium compound rear slick was the most popular race choice with thirteen riders selecting this option, while eleven riders chose the soft compound rear slick. Only one rider selected the hard compound rear slick. The revised tyre allocation for this year’s Spanish Grand Prix brought with it a big boost in performance, with six riders able to lap under the previous race lap record.
    Lorenzo’s first win of the season moves him into third place on the MotoGP points table, twenty points behind teammate Rossi who maintains his lead in the standings. Despite finishing in ninth place, Andrea Dovizoso still holds onto second place in the standings, the Ducati Team rider sits fifteen points behind Rossi after four rounds.
    Jorge Lorenzo, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP – Race Winner
    “The fact that I could make a lap time of 1’38.7 at the beginning of the race was quite impressive. Today I felt really good, especially under braking which is what I sometimes struggle with on Sunday but this time, the whole weekend has been perfect. With the bike working so well everywhere, I was able to profit from my speed and talent, and to take a win at Jerez is really special.”
    “I am absolutely proud of myself and of the team that we finally delivered some extraordinary work, because we had some problems that have been beyond our control. Due to the lining of the helmet in Doha, my illness in Austin and the tyres in Argentina we couldn‘t demonstrate our true potential. This time I could do it during the whole weekend and especially on braking. Sometimes it happens that on Sunday I feel a bit worse on braking than during the rest of the weekend, but today that didn‘t happen. I was able to brake really late, enter well into the corners, and carry good corner speed and acceleration, so everything was fine. When this happens you have to make profit of it and win the race. I was thinking about jumping into the lake, but I am 28 years old…! It‘s not the same as when you are 23, so in the last second I decided to stop and go back to the bike. Today it‘s mother‘s day so it‘s very special, because my mum saw the race and saw me winning and tomorrow I turn 28. It‘s important that we recover some points to Vale because he‘s been very strong at the beginning of this season and always on the podium. It‘s also important we have recovered the feeling and ability to go fast and now we have to enjoy these hours, this night and this victory!”
    Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi said: “It was a difficult weekend. From Friday on we were struggling a lot to find the right setting and I wasn‘t able to ride on the maximum level. We improved and worked until after the warm up, trying to improve the setting. In the end it‘s a podium, so it‘s not so bad, but also in the race I wasn‘t strong enough to fight with Jorge and also with Marc. Especially entering the corners I wasn‘t at 100%. I had one moment in the race where I was not doing so bad and I was close to Marc. We hoped for another good fight until the end and I thought I could do it, because I got the gap down to one second, but had to give up. I have scored a lot of points and scored two victories and four podiums. This time I extended my lead to Dovizioso, but it looks like Jorge also came back into the championship with this victory. He is just 20 points behind, but the championship is still long. We don‘t have to think about the points yet, just of the bike, trying to be competitive every weekend.”
    Spanish MotoGP™ Top Ten Race Classification
    Pos
    Rider
    Team
    Race Time
    Gap
    Front spec
    Rear spec
    Tyres
    1
    		 Jorge LORENZO Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 44’57.246 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    2
    		 Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 45’02.822 5.576 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    3
    		 Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 45’08.832 11.586 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    4
    		 Cal CRUTCHLOW CWM LCR Honda 45’19.973 22.727 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    5
    		 Pol ESPARGARO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 45’23.866 26.620 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    6
    		 Andrea IANNONE Ducati Team 45’24.267 27.021 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    7
    		 Aleix ESPARGARO Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 45’32.691 35.445 Medium Soft
    Bridgestone
    8
    		 Bradley SMITH Monster Yamaha Tech 3 45’33.542 36.296 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    9
    		 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 45’39.179 41.933 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    10
    		 Yonny HERNANDEZ Pramac Racing 45’48.318 51.072 Hard Medium
    Bridgestone
    eom/With inputs from Bridgestone and Movistar

    Lorenzo wins Spanish GP. A Movistar Yamaha image
    Lorenzo wins Spanish GP. A Movistar Yamaha image

    Yamaha press releases

  • Lorenzo Stuns with Record Jerez Pole; Marquez to start on P2

    Jerez de la Frontera (Spain), 2 May 2015: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo continued his stunning return to form today, dominating the time sheets again at the Circuito de Jerez de la Frontera and setting a new pole position record. Teammate Valentino Rossi left it to the last lap to make his move, securing fifth on the grid for tomorrow‘s Gran Premio de España. Reigning world champion Marc Marquez of Repsol Honda will start on P2.

    Lorenzo became the first ever rider to set a sub 1’38 lap at Jerez by posting a 1’37.910 on his very last lap to secure his first pole position of the 2015 season. Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez qualified in second place with a personal best time of 1’38.300, while Ducati Team’s Andrea Iannone took the final front-row grid slot with a time of 1’38.468. All of the top three riders used different tyre combinations in setting their best lap times. Lorenzo used the medium compound front and rear slicks, Marquez used the medium compound rear with the hard compound front slick, while Iannone selected the soft compound rear and hard compound front slick.

    Lorenzo takes pole 2may2015 Spain MotoGP Yamaha pic

    After ruling the standings yesterday, Lorenzo continued his strong and consistent pace right from the outset of today‘s scorching hot 15 minute qualifying session. In typically style, he was the first to leave the pits to be guaranteed an empty racetrack. He moved straight to the top of the standing with his first flying lap, a 1‘38.497, before immediately returning to the pits for a fresh set of rubber with over nine minutes remaining.

    A minute later he was back and ready to put the hammer down. He extended his lead with another fastest time of 1‘38.234, but still had some margin left. With just under four minutes left the local hero had a second stop at his box, before starting his final run with less than two minutes on the clock. Having led the entire Q2 session, he saved the best for last when he ended the session by dropping 0,210s under the old pole position record with a spectacular 1‘37.910 lap to secure pole and send a clear message ahead of tomorrow‘s race.

    Rossi had a more challenging qualifying. Leaving the pits right behind his teammate, he took fourth on his first hot lap with a 1‘39.179, before dropping three places. As the Doctor was also on a three-stint strategy, he quickly made his way back to the pits to start his second run with a fresh rear tyre and eight minutes remaining.

    The nine-time World Champion posted a 1‘38.717 lap to take sixth before, with over four minutes left, he came in for a second time. He returned to the track one and a half minutes later for a final stint. His last last-minute flying lap of 1‘38.632 saw him jump two places up the timesheets from seventh to a fifth place grid start, 0.722 from pole.

    Jorege Lorenzo speaks:

    A lot of people said that I had a crisis and I was down, it was one of my worst moments, but just two days later I rode this impressive lap time. That shows that in racing you can‘t say things like “this guy is down, he‘s finished” because the next day he‘s going to be at the front. The opposite is true too, you can‘t say you‘re the best, because the next day you‘re at the back, so we have to be humble and work to take profit of the opportunities. We arrived here with everything being fine and we took profit of it every session. Setting the new pole position record is unbelievable. I rode many impressive lap times in my career, but this one is very special. A 1‘37.9 with these temperatures is very impressive and I am very satisfied. Marc will be strong tomorrow as always and the Ducati’s too, but the race is going to be another story. However our pace is very good and I feel very comfortable with the softer tyre when it‘s dropping.

    ends/Yamaha release

  • Lorenzo leads the way in sizzling Friday MotoGP practice at Jerez: A Bridgestone report

    Jorge Lorenzo tops FP2 in Spain on Friday. A Bridgestone image
    Jorge Lorenzo tops FP2 in Spain on Friday. A Bridgestone image

    Round 4: Spanish MotoGP™ – Free Practice One & Two

    Circuito de Jerez, Friday 1 May 2015
    Weather:   FP1 – Dry. Ambient 19-21°C; Track 26-29°C (Bridgestone measurement)
                     FP2 – Dry. Ambient 29-30°C; Track 50-53°C (Bridgestone measurement)
    Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium & Hard; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
    Bridgestone wet tyre compounds available: Hard (Main), Soft (Alternative – front), Extra-hard (Alternative – rear)
    Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo was quickest in both sessions on the opening day of the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, the two-time MotoGP™ champion going quicker than his own Circuit Record Lap time in the process.
    In the morning Free Practice 1 session, Lorenzo stopped the clocks with a 1’39.174, a time that is almost four-tenths quicker than the race record he set during the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix and was the quickest time set all day. Second quickest overall was Team SUZUKI ECSTAR rider Aleix Espargaro whose best time of 1’39.223 was also set in the morning session. Third quickest today was Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, who despite nursing a broken finger was able to set his personal best time of 1’39.428 in the warmer afternoon FP2 session.
    The opening day of practice at Jerez took place in warm and sunny conditions and although track temperatures in FP1 peaked at 29°C, the continuous sunshine saw temperatures spike in the afternoon, reaching a sizzling 53°C at the end of FP2. As is typical for the Jerez circuit, as track temperatures increased the grip level offered by the tarmac was reduced, yet some riders were still able lap at race record pace in the hot conditions of FP2.
    With mild temperatures present right from the start of FP1, most riders went straight to using the medium compound front slick, with only a few riders opting for the soft compound front to assess the grip level of the track in the first session. Rear tyre choice saw a general preference for softer rear slick options in FP1, but the hotter temperatures in FP2 saw many riders evaluate their harder rear slick option; hard compound for the factory Honda and Yamaha riders, and medium for the rest of the field in FP2.
    At this stage of the race weekend all three rear slick options, and the two main front slick options – medium and hard –  are viable race choices depending on the particular riding style and bike setting of each of the entrants. More evaluation will be undertaken during tomorrow’s practice sessions to help each rider decide their best race tyre combination, with the next opportunity to do so being Free Practice 3 at 0955 local time (GMT +2) tomorrow.
    Shinji Aoki – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department
    “We had a good mix of cool and hot conditions today which enabled the riders to assess many different tyre combinations, and as is usually the case at Jerez, as track temperatures increased in the afternoon the tarmac became quite greasy. The flowing nature of this circuit requires optimal bike balance, so the way the front and rear tyre work together in braking and cornering is critical to achieving good performance. Our compound selection for Jerez, which we have changed slightly for this year, performed well in this regard. All of our slick tyre options were used today and riders were able to lap quicker than race record pace in both sessions, so I am happy that no matter what the conditions are for the race that our tyres will provide good performance to all the riders. There is no clear preference on race tyre choice at this stage, this should become clearer tomorrow as the riders continue to assess the different options available.”
    Spanish MotoGP: Top ten combined Free Practice 1 & 2 times
    Pos Rider Team Combined Practice Time Gap
    1
    		 Jorge LORENZO Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’39.174 (FP1)
    2
    		 Aleix ESPARGARO Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’39.223 (FP1) 0.049
    3
    		 Marc MARQUEZ Repsol Honda Team 1’39.428 (FP2) 0.254
    4
    		 Andrea IANNONE Ducati Team 1’39.511 (FP2) 0.337
    5
    		 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati Team 1’39.535 (FP2) 0.361
    6
    		 Danilo PETRUCCI Pramac Racing 1’39.718 (FP2) 0.544
    7
    		 Cal CRUTCHLOW CWM LCR Honda 1’39.737 (FP1) 0.563
    8
    		 Pol ESPARGARO Monster Yamaha Tech 3 1’39.871 (FP1) 0.697
    9
    		 Valentino ROSSI Movistar Yamaha MotoGP 1’39.872 (FP1) 0.698
    10
    		 Maverick VIÑALES Team SUZUKI ECSTAR 1’39.909 (FP1) 0.735

  • FIA President Jean Todt appointed as UN Special Envoy for road safety

    Paris, 29 April 2015: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed FIA President Jean Todt as his Special Envoy for Road Safety at a meeting held today in Paris.

    In this capacity, he will assist the UN Secretary General in mobilizing sustained political commitment towards road safety. Mr. Todt will also advocate and raise awareness about the United Nations road safety legal instruments, and share established road safety good practices, through his participations in global and regional conferences on road safety. In addition, the Special Envoy for Road Safety will generate funding for advocacy efforts through strategic partnerships between the public, private and non-governmental sectors.

    FIA President Jean Todt said: “The road safety challenge is too often ignored, but road injuries are the number one killer of young people aged 15-29. That being the case, it deserves much more attention on the global political agenda.” adding “This appointment will bring greater visibility to efforts to tackle this health and development crisis, as well as new leadership and renewed momentum”.

    “In my position as FIA President, with the backing of our members, road safety has become a key priority. I have been committed to bringing together all stakeholders fighting for this cause. This new role will help build an even stronger coalition for road safety worldwide” he said.

    Road fatalities account for almost 1.3 million deaths every year with a further 50 million left seriously injured. 90 per cent of fatalities take place in developing and emerging countries, despite only accounting for half the world’s vehicles. The UN Road Safety Week which begins on 4 May draws attention to the 500 children that lose their lives every day on the road. At the end of the year, Brazil will host the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety on 18-19 November to review progress in the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

    Jean Todt

    Jean Todt is President of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de L’Automobile) – the governing body for world motor sport and the federation of the world’s motoring organisations. He was elected to the position in October 2009 and re-elected in December 2013. He is also President of eSafety Aware and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society. Jean Todt began his career in 1966 as a world championship rally co-driver, before joining Peugeot as Sporting Director in 1981. In 1993, he joined Ferrari Racing, later taking responsibility for all motor sport activity for the Ferrari-Maserati Group. He was appointed General Manager of Ferrari in 2004 and at the end of 2006 became Chief Executive Officer of the company until 2008. In 2011, Jean Todt was named Grand Croix de la Légion d’Honneur, the highest honour of the French Republic. He is Chairman of the Board of the Suu Foundation, a humanitarian organization dedicated to advancing the health and education of the people of Myanmar founded by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. He is also one of the Founders and the Vice-President of ICM, an institute devoted to medical research for brain and spinal cord disorders.

    Jean Todt, FIA president, poses with UN secretary general Ban-ki Moon in Paris on Wednesday. An FIA pic
    Jean Todt, FIA president, poses with UN secretary general Ban-ki Moon in Paris on Wednesday. An FIA pic

    eom/FIA press release

  • Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle claim maiden win in WRC as Citroen takes 1-2

    Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle claimed their first WRC victory today at Rally Argentina, the DS 3 WRC crew heading a Citroën one-two for the first time since Rally Finland in 2012. The duo led the event for all but one stage and survived one of the most gruelling and dramatic rallies in recent memory with a virtually trouble-free run. Team-mates Mads Østberg and Jonas Andersson finished just 18.1 seconds adrift and M-Sport’s Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt took their first podium in the Fiesta RS WRC.

    In the FIA World Rally Championship, Sébastien Ogier continues to head the leaderboard, the Frenchman only able to salvage three Power Stage points from the fourth round of t

    Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle win Argentine round of the WRC. An FIA image
    Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle win Argentine round of the WRC. An FIA image

    he series. Østberg has moved into second position ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen, another driver forced into retirement after an accident in the final stage today. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Volkswagen collected just four points but tops the table with Citroën and Hyundai both just 18 points adrift.

    Today the crews headed to one of the most famous stages in the Championship – El Condor – for two runs through this legendary 16.32 kilometre test. Meeke and Østberg got through the stage unscathed but the first victim of the day was Jari-Matti Latvala. Third last night, the Finn stopped four kilometres into the stage with a fuel supply problem, ending his hopes of another podium in Argentina and handing the position to Evans. Meeke’s smooth run through the Power Stage was enough to reward him with a fantastic victory and the accolade of becoming the first British driver to win a WRC event since Colin McRae on the 2002 Safari Rally.

    Behind Østberg, Evans had a last-minute scare in the Power Stage, the Welshman dropped over a minute with broken rear suspension. Martin Prokop was elevated to fourth when Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville also crashed in the final stage, the Belgian having an identical accident to Mikkelsen. This equals his best WRC result. Dani Sordo finished fifth and Khalid Al Qassimi rounded off the top six. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari scored his first WRC points with seventh position and also won the FIA WRC 2 Championship category in his Ford Fiesta RRC.

    The FIA World Rally Championship contenders now head back to Europe and an all-new route on the Porto-based Rally de Portugal (21-24 May).

    XION Rally Argentina – Final Unofficial Results (subject to scrutineering)

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS 3 WRC 3hr 41min 44.9sec
    2.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson DS 3 WRC 3hr 42min 03.0sec
    3.   Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 45min 12.3sec
    4.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 48min 11.0sec
    5.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 52min 31.6sec
    6.   Khalid Al Qassimi/Chris Patterson DS 3 WRC 3hr 53min 04.8sec
    7.   Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Marshall Clarke Ford Fiesta RRC 3hr 57min 47.5sec
    8.   Diego Dominguez/Edgardo Galindo Ford Fiesta R5 4hr 00min 33.1sec
    9.   Gustavo Saba/Diego Cagnotti Skoda Fabia S2000 4hr 03min 05.5sec
    10. Federico Villagra/Diego Curletto Ford Fiesta 4hr 07min 04.5sec

     

    FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 4 of 13 rounds)

    Sébastien Ogier (FRA) 84 points
    Mads Østberg (NOR) 51 points
    Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR) 47 points
    Elfyn Evans (GBR) 41 points
    Kris Meeke (GBR) 35 points
    Thierry Neuville (BEL) 35 points
    Dani Sordo (ESP) 30 points
    Martin Prokop (CZE) 26 points
    Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) 19 points
    Ott Tanak (EST) 13 points
    Hayden Paddon (NZL) 10 points
    Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE) 8 points
    Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT) 6 points
    Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) 6 points
    Sébastien Loeb (FRA) 6 points
    Diego Dominguez (PRY) 4 points
    Yurii Protasov (UKR) 2 points
    Nicolas Fuchs (PER) 2 points
    Gustavo Saba (PRY) 2 points
    Jari Ketomaa (FIN) 1 point

     

    FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 4 of 13 rounds)

    Volkswagen Motorsport 103 points
    Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 85 points
    Hyundai Motorsport 85 points
    M-Sport World Rally Team 71 points
    Jipocar Czech National Team 32 points
    Volkswagen Motorsport II 15 points
    Hyundai Motorsport N 9 points
    FWRT srl 3 points

  • Meeke and Ostberg maintain 1-2 positions for Citroen: WRC Argentina Rally

    DS 3 WRC team-mates Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg have maintained their one-two positions for Citroën after another tricky day of competition over the rough and rocky gravel roads of Rally Argentina. Meeke lost some of his advantage this morning but clawed back time this afternoon to sit 38.6 seconds ahead of Østberg with just two stages remaining tomorrow. Jari-Matti Latvala has also held station in third, the Finn’s position safer following the retirement of Dani Sordo in the final stage.

    Kris Meeke stays on top after section 7. An FIA image
    Kris Meeke stays on top after section 7. An FIA image

    Meeke started the day with more than a minute in hand but a spin in the opening stage meant over 20 seconds was immediately shaved from his advantage. Østberg had initially been pushing hard but survival became the name of the game and simply getting through the stages unscathed became an achievement in itself. This afternoon Meeke regained some of his advantage but suffered a heart-stopping scare in the final stage when the car cut-out in a water splash and he was forced to re-set the engine. Latvala, 25.1 seconds adrift of Østberg, played it safe this morning but in the second stage lost nearly 30 seconds off the road. His position is certainly more comfortable at the end of the day, as the chasing Sordo was forced to pull out of the final stage with an unconfirmed technical problem. With the Rally 2 penalty, the Spaniard drops to eighth.

    Elfyn Evans therefore moves into fourth after a largely trouble-free day and Thierry Neuville now heads the challenge for Hyundai. The Belgian has moved two places up the leaderboard today and is 48 seconds ahead of sixth-placed Martin Prokop. Khalid Al Qassimi is seventh and WRC 2 Championship contenders Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Diego Dominguez round off the top ten. Reigning World Champion Sébastien Ogier re-joined under Rally 2 regulations today but suffered power steering problems this afternoon and he remains down in 24th position. Team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen won two stages and is 14th and Hayden Paddon retired following an incident involving spectators.

    XION Rally Argentina – Unofficial Results after Section 7

    1.   Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle DS 3 WRC 3hr 14min 51.7sec
    2.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson DS 3 WRC 3hr 15min 30.3sec
    3.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila Volkswagen Polo R WRC 3hr 15min 55.4sec
    4.   Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 17min 16.3sec
    5.   Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 19min 42.7sec
    6.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek Ford Fiesta RS WRC 3hr 20min 30.7sec
    7.   Khalid Al Qassimi/Chris Patterson DS 3 WRC 3hr 25min 26.0sec
    8.   Dani Sordo/Marc Marti Hyundai i20 WRC 3hr 26min 06.6sec
    9.   Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Marshall Clarke Ford Fiesta RRC 3hr 29min 06.3sec
    10. Diego Dominguez/Edgardo Galindo Ford Fiesta R5 3hr 32min 01.7sec

  • Indians set to compete at IBSA World Games in Seoul next month

    Bangalore: This article by Laura first appeared in www.parasport-news.com India in F1 dot com publishes interesting and special non-F1 stories occasionally. 

    After some scattered reports in the Indian media that the country may not be allowed to send a national delegation to the upcoming IBSA World Games in Seoul, the organizers have confirmed that India is eligible to compete as the event is being run by the IBSA, not the International Paralympic Committee.

    The  Indian Blind Sport Association (InBSA) is in charge of naming and sending the country’s delegation for the event that officially kicks off May 10.  In a phone call with morning with them, InBSA said in response to a question about how the IPC suspension of the PCI impacted their participation, “We are participating, because this game is organised by the IBSA. So it is not really a problem.”

    India is expected to be fielding a 17 member strong team that will be competing in four sports: swimming, athletics, powerlifting and judo.  In addition, India is sending 9 officials, and their official delegation total is supposed to be 26.

    When asked about the situation with Kenya and Costa Rica, both also recently suspended by the IPC, organizers said they were still awaiting confirmation from Kenya to find out of if they will be sending a team.  Like the Indians, they are not prohibited from sending one. ParaSport News is awaiting future confirmation about this.  While Costa Rica is a member of the IBSA, they were never among the nations expected to participate in the IBSA World Games, regardless of their status with the IPC.

    eom/Article by by Laura Hale  (@purplepopple) first appeared in www.parasport-news.com, with inputs from EJ Monica Kim

    Actor Kim Bo-sung (left) and actress Ku Hye-sun (right) pose with Sohn Byung-doo, president of the Seoul 2015 IBSA World Games organizing committee, after being named goodwill ambassadors for the games in a ceremony at Seoul City Club in Seoul on Tuesday. Image courtesy: Seoul 2015 IBSA World Games Organising Committee)
    Actor Kim Bo-sung (left) and actress Ku Hye-sun (right) pose with Sohn Byung-doo, president of the Seoul 2015 IBSA World Games organizing committee, after being named goodwill ambassadors for the games in a ceremony at Seoul City Club in Seoul on Tuesday. Image courtesy: Seoul 2015 IBSA World Games Organising Committee)

  • Latvala ends dramatic day in third place; Ogier retires: A Volkswagen report

    • Extremely tough conditions make for an eventful Rally Argentina
    • Latvala/Anttila best-placed Volkswagen duo in third place overall
    • Early setback: black Friday for Ogier/Ingrassia and Mikkelsen/Fløene

    A daily report as thick as a book: Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) find themselves on course for a podium finish at the end of an eventful second day of the Rally Argentina. Friday’s headline story was the remorseless routes at round four of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), which took their toll on most of the top teams. With rough road conditions having a brutal effect on the cars, Latvala/Anttila opted to pace themselves sensibly. Despite a problem with the power train, which cost them almost a minute, the Finnish pair find themselves in third place, 1:23.5 minutes behind Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL, Citroën) and 15.1 seconds behind Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S, Citroën) after 152.12 of the 315.96 kilometres against the clock.

    Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and their Volkswagen team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (N/N) were forced to abandon their hopes of winning the Rally Argentina very early on in proceedings. A problem with the fuel supply to a cylinder resulted in a loss of performance for Ogier/Ingrassia, causing them to pull over and retire on the second stage of the rally. Mikkelsen/Fløene also had to stomach a set back as a result of the extremely tough conditions on “Agua de Oro-Ascochinga”. A puncture first led to a damaged shock absorber, which then broke completely, and a damaged servo pump affecting the power steering. Both Volkswagen duos had no option but to retire on Friday, but will rejoin the action on Saturday under Rally2 regulations.

    Quotes after day two of the Rally Argentina
    Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
    “Everything was running completely as usual until the start of the morning’s first stage. Then – after just ten kilometres – we suddenly had a drastic loss of power. And the engine did not sound as good as usual. Seven kilometres from the end of the stage we had to stop and park the car up. It is obviously a shame to miss out on the chance to win here. But that is part and parcel of motorsport. I cannot complain, as our team does an absolutely fantastic job and we have won every rally so far this year with the Polo. We were just unlucky this time.”
    Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
    “What an eventful day of rallying. Not just for me, but for the entire team. The conditions were – as we expected – extremely tough for man and machine. As far as the tactics are concerned, I tried not to push too hard from the start. And that worked well. We had a problem with the power train on the fifth special stage. After that we didn’t really have proper drive and that meant we lost almost a minute to Kris Meeke. First and foremost I am just happy to have got the car back to the service after this tough day. Tomorrow I will be able to attack on ‘all fours’ again, and try to put some pressure on the two leading Citroëns. There is still a long way to go, and a lot can happen. We certainly saw that today.”
    Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
    “Today was definitely not our day. ‘Standard’ tyre damage turned out to be the biggest possible setback. Hindsight is a wonderful thing: but it would have been better if we had changed the flat tyre straight away. The tyre came away from the rim, the many blows damaged the damper and then it ended up being useless on the next stage because it was no longer absorbing anything. On top of this massive blow, the servo pump also broke. Our mechanics did a fantastic job; they practically built a new car in 30 minutes, but couldn’t keep it in the race. I feel really sorry for them. Overall I am obviously disappointed with the result and would love to have continued my fantastic start to the season. But we’ll be back again tomorrow, and will try to gain as much experience as possible and then really go for it on the Power Stage on Sunday to pick up some points for the championship.”
    Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
    “Let’s start with the good news: Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila are still flying the Volkswagen flag at the Rally Argentina and are still on track to finish on the podium thanks to their fighting spirit. The bad news: all three of our Volkswagen duos struggled with problems today. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia were forced to end the day early when they had an issue with the fuel supply to a cylinder; tyre damage triggered a chain reaction for Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene. They – like Séb and Julien – will restart tomorrow under Rally2 regulations. The conditions push man and machine to the limit – which is why Jari-Matti and Miikka were also slowed down by a problem with their power train. But thanks to them we are still in with a chance of winning. And that is still our goal.”
    And then there was …
    … the tattoo of the day. Last year, Lorena Granelli from Córdoba made her name as a passionate Volkswagen fan. For the 2015 Rally Argentina, Lorena commissioned another expression of her dedication to the two-time World Championship winning team. Her back now bears a large tattoo with the Volkswagen logo and the words “Special Fan”.

    eom/VW release

    Latvala and Antilla of Volkswagen finish third. A Volkswagen Motorsport image
    Latvala and Antilla of Volkswagen finish third. A Volkswagen Motorsport image

  • Rossi Rules MotoGP‘s Argentine Adventure; Marquez crashes at fag end

    Termas de Rio Hondo (Argentina), 19 April 2015: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi ended his Argentine adventure in style today with a sensational victory in the Gran Premio de la República Argentina. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo started strongly as a key protagonist before dropping to finish in fifth, an Yamaha release says.

    Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s put in one of the performances of his career to win his second race of the year at Argentina’s Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo ahead of Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso and CWM LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow, adds Bridgestone.
    Starting from the third row of the grid, Rossi worked his way through the field and showed excellent pace during the race – including setting a new Circuit Record Lap time on the twentieth lap – to chase down early race leader Marc Marquez who led the first twenty-three laps of the contest. On the penultimate lap, Rossi managed to pass Marquez for the race lead, with the Repsol Honda Team rider then crashing out while the two were challenging for position. Rossi would go on to win by 5.685 seconds from Dovizioso in second place, while a last-gasp pass by Crutchlow on Andrea Iannone ensured the British rider finished in third for his first podium with his new team.

    After the win Rossi said:

    “It’s a great victory, we made the right decision and started with the extra hard tyre. When I saw Marc start with the red one I knew that he would try to push at the beginning. I made a great start but on the first corner Iannone pushed me on the outside. Step by step I came back, and when I arrived in second Marc had a little more than four seconds lead. I knew the race was long, so I knew he could have some difficulty. Catching him lap by lap, I could see him far away but coming closer and closer, it was a great taste! I overtook him in braking, but he is a rider who is all or nothing, he touched me in the corner, then he touched me again as I was accelerating, I think he made a mistake and he crashed. It’s a shame because it could have been a great fight on the last lap. In three races we have demonstrated we can be competitive everywhere and fight for the championship.”Rossi after Argentina win 19apr2015 Yamaha pic

    Starting from a less than perfect eighth position on the grid, Rossi was immediately in the middle of the pack fighting for first corner position. Taking a lap to find his rhythm he then started his move up the field, taking first Danilo Petrucci and then Aleix Espargarò to move into sixth. With 20 laps to go his teammate Lorenzo was next as the Doctor continued his charge towards the front.

    The next pack to be dispatched were Andrea Iannone, then Cal Crutchlow and finally Andrea Dovizioso to put the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider in second position. Rossi then had the seemingly impossible task of closing a gap of over four seconds to leading rider Marc Marquez.

    The nine-time world champion then delivered a performance for the record books, putting the hammer down and cutting the lead lap by lap to reel Marquez in with just two laps remaining. A fast exchange of positions followed through turns two, three and four, with Rossi exiting turn five in the lead. In his rush to counter attack, Marquez then clipped Rossi‘s back wheel on the exit, crashing out of contention.

    Teammate Lorenzo was quick to attack from the grid start, taking third through the first corner then swiftly dealing with Aleix Espargarò for second and beginning the hunt for Marquez. The charge was to be short lived as the Mallorcan struggled to make the harder rear tyre work for him, gradually dropping to take fifth at the line.

    Rossi‘s victory brings with it some incredible numbers, bringing Rossi‘s podium tally to 199, 110 of which are victories and 51 of those with Yamaha.

    The result puts him on 66 points at the top of the rider standings, six clear of Dovizioso in second. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP also lead the team standings on 103 points and Yamaha lead the constructors standings with 66 points.

    Lorenzo‘s fifth place finish delivers 11 points, putting him on a total of 37 in fourth, one point ahead of Marquez.