INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Odendaal kickstarts 2021 with hat-trick of race wins: WorldSSP

    Odendaal kickstarts 2021 with hat-trick of race wins: WorldSSP

    Five riders battled it out for victory in the opening race of the Estoril Round with just over a second separating the top five riders

    Estoril, 29 May 2021: The FIM Supersport World Championship’s racing started at the Gaerne Estoril Round in thrilling fashion as five riders battled it out for victory with just 1.023s covering the top five riders at the Circuito Estoril as Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) secured his third win of 2021 after a stunning battle at the front of the field.
     
    South African rider Odendaal got the jump on polesitter Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) at the start and immediately looked to build a gap ahead of the Italian who claimed his first pole position since returning to WorldSSP. Caricasulo was unable to hold on to second place as the race moved onto Lap 2 as Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) jumped the Italian at Turn 1 and started to close in on Odendaal.
     
    Caricasulo was the first rider to have an incident when under pressure from teammate Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) with the Italian losing the front of his Yamaha machine at Turn 4; promoting Cluzel into third place while Caricasulo tumbled down the order although he was able to rejoin the race.
     
    Despite taking the lead of the race, Oettl was unable to pull away from Odendaal who kept the pressure on throughout the middle stage of the race as the South African kept the pressure on Oettl; the pair losing time to Cluzel as they went side-by-side onto the start and finish straight and into Turn 1.
     
    Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) also joined the lead battle with less than a second separating the top five on Lap 10 of the 18-lap race. As the race headed on to Lap 14, Cluzel and Aegerter battled it out for third place with Swiss rider Aegerter making the move at Turn 1 on Cluzel before the Frenchman responded on the same lap at Turn 4.
     
    Oettl had kept the lead until Lap 16 when Odendaal made his move, taking advantage of extra pace heading into Turn 6 as the South African rider took the lead before Oettl responded at Turns 1 and 2 on Lap 17 to re-gain the lead of the race, but as the race entered the last lap, Odendaal and Aegerter made their move at Turn 1 although Cluzel moved back on Aegerter; the pair going on a drag race until the line with Cluzel claiming third by just 0.015s, behind Odendaal and Oettl. Gonzalez equalled his best result in WorldSSP with fifth place as he held on to the lead group throughout the race.
     
    Italian Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) responded from a bad start to move into sixth place but was unable to take advantage of the battling ahead of him to latch onto the lead group, while Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) secured another top ten finish with seventh place. Estonian Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) claimed eighth place with 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) in ninth place.
     
    Christoffer Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team), who had shown strong pace in the early stages of the Estoril Round, finished in tenth place with Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) in 11th despite starting the race in the pit lane following the crash with Cluzel at the Aragon Round. Caricasulo responded from his crash to claim 12th place, ahead of Marc Alcoba (Yamaha MS Racing), Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse) and Davide Pizzoli (VFT Racing) completing the points; the latter being penalized by one position for track limits infringements while defending from Frossard. Swiss rider Frossard was the highest place WorldSSP Challenge competitor.
     
    Michel Fabrizio (G.A.P. MOTOZOO by Puccetti Racing) finishing just three tenths away from a point scoring result at Estoril, finishing two seconds clear of Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in 17th place while Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) in 18th; Takala demoted one place at the end of the race.
     
    Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) finished in 19th place ahead of Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha). Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing) was 21st, 19 seconds away from Indonesian rider Pratama. Eugene McManus (WRP Wepol Racing) was 22nd on his first start of the season, finishing clear of Pawel Szkopek (Yamaha MS Racing) and Shogo Kawasaki (G.A.P MOTOZOO by Puccetti Racing).
     
    Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team), Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) all retired from Race 1.

    P1 Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)
     
    “I couldn’t have imaged to start this way especially with injury. I’m carrying with the shoulder but honestly I’m so happy with this victory because it was really difficult, and I had to really think a lot to win this race. I was really battling in the changes of direction. I’m so happy, thanks so much to the team because they did a fantastic job and also, once again, thanks to everyone supporting me”
     
    P2 Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
     
    “I’m happy with 20 points, it’s a good result for us as a team and the team did an amazing job yesterday and especially today. In Superpole, we had a really quick pace and I tried to control the race from the front because, to be honest, it’s a little bit easier and nicer. It was a good race, I tried to block Steven but… I’ll try tomorrow!”.
     
    P3 Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha)
     
    “I was looking for a little bit better, but third today was the best I could do. Actually, the last lap was really hard, with Aegerter. He passed me on the first turn, but he missed the apex, I tried go back but then I lose a little bit of time. Then I came back, I passed him, he passed me again, and then I just waited until the last turn and the last straight to pass him. It’s a good race for me. Hopefully we will make some improvements for tomorrow and the target is to get at least a podium and, if possible, a little bit better.”

    World SSP Race 1 – Top-6

    1. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)
    2. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.350s
    3. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.750s
    4. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.765s
    5. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) +1.023s
    6. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +4.519s

    Championship Standings (after Race 1, Round 2)

    1. Steven Odendaal (RSA) Yamaha (75 points)
    2. Dominique Aegerter (SUI) Yamaha (44 points)
    3. Raffaele De Rosa (ITA) Kawasaki (37 points)

    WorldSSP at Circuito Estoril – Superpole.
     
    1. Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) 1’39.973s
    2. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.121s
    3. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.211s
    4. Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.246s
    5. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.318s
    6. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.485s

  • Suzuki half a second clear for pole: Moto3

    Suzuki half a second clear for pole: Moto3

    The Japanese rider pulls clear of Acosta and Rodrigo on Saturday

    Mugello, 29 May 2021: Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went from Q1 to pole in qualifying at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, pulling out more than half a second ahead of Championship leader and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Nevertheless that’s Acosta’s first front row after he also came through Q1, with Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) third fastest.

    Earlier in a serious crash a Moto3 rider was airlifted to hospital. “Rider number 50 Jason Dupasquier was involved in a very serious crash during Qualifying 2 of Moto3. The FIM Medical Team arrived immediately on the site of the accident. After that he was transferred, in a hemodynamically stable way, to Careggi Hospital in Florence. We will wait for further updates from the hospital,” MotoGP™ FIM Medical Officer Giancarlo Di Filippo said in a statement.

    Q1
    Suzuki was fastest after the first runs and beat his own best to top the session, with Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) taking second in the session and Acosta getting more to grips with Mugello to take third. Veteran Italian Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) was fourth, moving through to fight for pole.

    Q2
    Acosta led the way early before Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took over, and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) was the next man on top. Rodrigo came to the fore with some more impressive one-lap pace and held provisional pole before the final push, but as the clock ticked down there remained some fast riders about to play their cards.

    Together on track, both Acosta and Suzuki were on to take over. And over the line, the Spaniard briefly – very briefly – flashed up to first, but as Suzuki slammed over the line the goalposts changed. Over half a second clear, he was a single thousandth off the 1:55s.

    The session the concluded with a serious incident involving Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP), Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Jeremy Alcoba. Dupasquier was attended to on track before being airlifted to hospital in Florence. Sasaki and Alcoba are both ok.

    More updates will be provided as soon as available.

    The Grid
    Suzuki lines up from pole with Championship leader Acosta alongside, the Spaniard looking to extend his already record-breaking points advantage even further. Rodrigo will be aiming for his second podium with his second front row start of the year.

    Dennis Foggia’s (Leopard Racing) Mugello form continues as he heads up Row 2, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Alcoba joining him on the second row in fifth and sixth respectively. A veteran third row sees Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Antonelli and John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) in seventh, eighth and ninth, with Sasaki completing the top ten.

    Le Mans winner Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) was 14th quickest ahead of Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and 2019 winner at Mugello Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), all of whom will be looking to move forward on Sunday.

    Tatsuki Suzuki: “I had good confidence from yesterday afternoon so I just needed to concentrate to make a good time from Q1 to Q2. That time in Q1 made me more confident, so I just needed another lap on the pace and I’m really happy.” 

    Tune in as Moto3™ take on Mugello at 11:00 (GMT +2) local time.

    Moto3 Front Row:

    1 Tatsuki Suzuki – SIC58 Squadra Corse – Honda – 1:56.001
    2 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – +0.596
    3 Gabriel Rodrigo – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +0.684

  • Razgatlioglu P1 at Estoril ahead of Redding after unpredictable Day 1

    Razgatlioglu P1 at Estoril ahead of Redding after unpredictable Day 1

    Razgatlioglu vs Redding may well be the battle to follow as the weekend unfolds in Portugal…

    Estoril, 28 May 2021: The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship takes to the Circuito Estoril this weekend and after a sunny opening Friday to start the Round, patterns are already emerging. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was shining brightly like in 2020, but the opposition are right behind him with very little to split them going into the remainder of the weekend, with three different manufacturers inside the top three.
     
    Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was once again on fine form in the hotter afternoon session at the Circuito Estoril, with the Turkish rider putting in a strong run of fast laps to head the majority of FP2 and therefore, both sessions, despite a closing-stages off-track excursion. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was also looking in good shape, with the Italian rookie quietly chipping away and making progress throughout day one, finishing 11th. With both the factory Yamahas looking in-form and one at the head of the field, it is a strong start to one of the favourite manufacturers this weekend.
     
    Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put together a 19-lap run on the SCX tyre throughout the afternoon, with numerous laps inside the 1’37s bracket. The British rider was second in FP2, and second overall on the combined times, as he aims to cement another challenge to the top this weekend. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi had it a little bit quieter in the afternoon, as he improved his time and dipped into the 1’37s, placing third in FP2 with a final flying lap to propel him up the order and to fifth overall.
     
    Championship leader and reigning six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) placed third overall and fifth in the afternoon session, as he got about dialing himself into the Circuito Estoril layout. He had good company though, as Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took fourth place overall behind teammate Rea, with the Kawasakis not on top after the opening day of action, much like MotorLand Aragon. Both riders are relying on their morning time, as neither improved in the afternoon session.

    Leading the charge for the Independent riders was Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the American once again shining on his way to sixth overall. However, he was joined by three other Independent riders in an opening day that showcased great pace from the non-factory entrants. Eugene Laverty (RC Squadra Corse) had his best day of the season so far as he placed seventh overall, ahead of Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing), both of whom were eighth and ninth combined. For Davies, the afternoon session saw him suffer a technical issue, meaning he missed the majority of the session. Completing the top ten overall was the top factory BMW and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), although he crashed at Turn 1 in FP2. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) will hope to be in the fight for the Independents as they were 17th and 19th respectively.
     
    There were all sorts of issues for Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), as he missed almost the entirety of Free Practice 1 in the morning, before having a clearer run at things in the afternoon to finish 12th overall. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) crashed not once, twice but three times throughout the course of the day, as he suffered one of his worst Fridays to finish 15th on the combined times. Teammate Leon Haslam didn’t do much better, as he was only 13th.
     
    Tito Rabat crashed at Turn 4 in FP2 on his way to 14th overall, but it was Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was 18th but suffered a huge crash at Turn 13 which sent his motorcycle cartwheeling through the air. He went to the medical centre and was thankfully declared fit. Christophe Ponsson (Alstare Yamaha) also suffered a spill at Turn 9 but re-joined. Samuele Cavalieri (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) suffered technical issues in the afternoon session, although he finished ahead of teammate Loris Cresson, with both 21st and 22nd respectively.

    The top six on the grid for first race on Saturday:

    1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 1’36.920s
    2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.414s
    3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.581s
    4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.684s
    5. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.895s
    6. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.906s

  • Bagnaia denies Rins by just 0.071 as action opens at Mugello

    Bagnaia denies Rins by just 0.071 as action opens at Mugello

    Ducati lead Suzuki lead Yamaha, with KTM stealing some of the spotlight in hot pursuit on Day 1

    Mugello, 28 May 2021: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the man to beat after Day 1 of the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Italian just pipping Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) to the top by 0.071 by the end of play. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) continued impressing to lock out the top three and end Friday as the top Independent Team rider, with a sunny day’s work at the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello welcoming MotoGP™ back to Italy.

    FP1
    The first man at the top was Ducati test rider and, this weekend, Pramac Racing replacement rider Michele Pirro as the Italian was fastest out the box. From there though, Yamaha started to put the hammer down as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and teammate Fabio Quartararo traded fast laps, pretty close together on track to boot. A new front start device was also spotted on Iwata marque machinery Day 1.

    Alex Rins enjoyed a brief stint at the top before Viñales then hit back, the number 12 eventually ending FP1 two tenths clear of Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing). Rins was third ahead of teammate and reigning Champion Joan Mir, with Morbidelli 0.008 further back and Bagnaia only a further 0.002 in arrears.

    No one crashed in the session, but Rins did have a run off at Arrabbiata 1, getting straight back onto the track.

    FP2
    In the afternoon, KTM stole a few headlines. A new chassis first spotted by pitlane reporter Simon Crafar at the Jerez Test was spotted again as the day began, and FP2 saw a show of serious form from the Austrian factory. Bagnaia was fastest first for Ducati, but the Italian was soon deposed by Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) hit the top next before Oliveira returned the favour, the Portuguese rider then beating his own best to stay fastest a lap later. And there he stayed for more than half an hour, before the final push – with an eye on Q2 – got underway.

    That’s when Rins struck to lead the way, but Bagnaia hit back on his last lap of the day to go fastest by less than a tenth. Morbidelli slotted into third, with Quartararo making his way back up to fourth. Binder had one of his best efforts scrubbed for track limits, but the South African was able to get the job done on take two to complete the top five – just pipping his teammate by the flag as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing form held firm in the face of a concerted onslaught from the rest, taking fifth and sixth.

    Once again, no one crashed in the session, although Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) had an excursion at Turn 1, the ‘Doctor’ able to rejoin.

    Combined timesheets
    The majority improved in the afternoon, with the top seven in FP2 – Bagnaia, Rins, Morbidelli, Quartararo, Binder, Oliveira and, in seventh, top Honda Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) – the top seven overall. Eighth place on the combined times is FP1’s fastest man Maverick Viñales, with the Spaniard’s best in the morning his best overall and absolutely identical to that of Nakagami in FP2.

    Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) ends Day 1 in ninth place, with Jerez and Le Mans winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) down in tenth and the second Ducati on the timesheets at a venue many would consider to be increasingly their turf. Miller voiced some frustrations over traffic in FP2 however, something that could mean there’s a fair bit more to come in FP3.

    Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) is the first looking to reiterate Ducati’s recent dominance in Mugello and move up the timesheets in FP3 as he finds himself a tenth outside the Q2 graduation zone on Friday, and by only a tenth. He was the second rider to not improve in the afternoon, along with Viñales.

    Reigning Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) ends the day down in P12, just ahead of returning eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the latter takes on one of the fastest and most physical challenges of the season. They’ll want to put in a push in FP3, as will Valentino Rossi after a tough day on the timesheets for the ‘Doctor’ down in P21.

    That’s it from Friday, with the weather in Tuscany looking a little more stable than that in Le Mans and FP3 likely to give the field a chance to push forward. Tune in for that, before qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +2).

    MotoGP – Friday’s top-five:

    1 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 1:46.147
    2 Alex Rins – Team Suzuki Ecstar – Suzuki – +0.071
    3 Franco Morbidelli* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha –+0.184
    4 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.225
    5 Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – KTM – +0.289
    *Independent Team rider

    Action from  MotoGP Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley Qualifying Race will be LIVE in India on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 16:00 Hrs (04:00 pm IST) onwards on Saturday, 29th March 2021. The same will also be live streamed on discovery.

    Qualification: 5.35 pm IST =17.35 to 18.20;

    Sunday Main MotoGP race: 5.25 pm to 6.40 IST

  • Akhil hopes for a podium at the familiar Paul Ricard track

    Akhil hopes for a podium at the familiar Paul Ricard track

    Bengaluru,  28 May 2021 :The only Indian driver in the 44-car grid for the European GT4 Championship, Akhil Rabindra is hoping for a podium finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard–Le Castellet in France, this weekend from May 28 to 30. The 24-year Indian has bagged a spot at the Aston Martin Racing (AMR) Driver Academy for the third time in a row this year.

    Akhil will be driving an Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 with his 19-Year-Old French teammate, Hugo Conde for the AGS Events Racing Team.

    This will be the third time that Akhil will be racing at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Prior to this race, he has raced at the French FFSA GT Championship in there previous season where in he along with his teammate Vannelet made a strong comeback finishing P6 in the Pro-Am category and an overall P10 position in Race 2 while finishing P9 in their respective category in Race 1.

    However, the 5.8km Circuit Paul Ricard might be familiar for most teams, but the difference from the final race of the 2020 GT4 European Series six months ago could not be bigger. The championship has seen an incredible increase in entries, with 44 cars set to contest the two races on Sunday compared with 18 last November.

    In the 2019 European GT4 Championship Akhil alongside his teammate, Florian Thoma managed to finish at P4 but a late penalty put them at overall P15. Later, the duo clocked an impressive time and managed to finish at P5 in the qualifying and P7 in the second race.

    “The track has an interesting mix of fast and slow speed corners. The competition will definitely be higher and a lot would depend upon our driving.I am really looking forward to getting back on the racetrack with AGS Events Racing,” stated Akhil post the race weekend.

    The season got underway at Monza with a double win for the #23 United Autosports entry of Charlie Fagg and Bailey Voisin and the pair will now try to take McLaren’s first outright win at Circuit Paul Ricard to increase their championship lead. United Autosports will also enter the sister #32 machine for Dean Macdonald and Gus Bowers, currently third in the Silver Cup standings.

    Qualifying on Saturday, as well as the two races on Sunday, will be shown live and free of charge on the GT4 European Series website and SRO Motorsport Group’s GT World YouTube channels.

    LIVE Streaming Time – (gt4series.com)

    29th May 2021: 

    GT4 European (Qualifying Race) –       15:25 Hrs (IST) Onwards

    30th May 2021: 

    GT4 European (Race 1) –                        13:20 Hrs (IST) Onwards

    30th May 2021: 

    GT4 European (Race 2) –                        21:05 Hrs (IST) Onward

    About European GT4 Championship:

    The GT4 European Series is a sports car championship created and organised by SRO Motorsports Group. It is a pro/am championship which followed a formula similar to the FIA GT3 European Championship, which was itself derived from the FIA GT Championship which utilized the GT1 and GT2 classes.

    GT4 class cars are mostly what can be referred to as track day cars, which are factory-built race cars available to the public. However, custom-built cars based on production models can also be built by teams. All cars are test driven by the FIA and then modified so that they all have near identical performance levels. Once a car has been approved by the FIA, it cannot be modified by the teams, eliminating continual development costs for constructors. All cars run on regulated Pirelli tires to further equalize performance.

  • Mugello welcomes MotoGP back to Tuscany

    Mugello welcomes MotoGP back to Tuscany

    The Pre-Event Press Conference sees Quartararo joined by Bagnaia, Zarco, Miller, Aleix Espargaro and Rossi ahead of track action at the stunning Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello

    Mugello, 27 May 2021: Here we go! The sun is shining, the Championship is close and we’re back at the fabulous Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. But before it’s time for engines on in Tuscany, it was time to talk shop in the Pre-Event Press Conference, with Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) joined by closest challenger and home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), top Independent Team rider Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), back-to-back winner Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro and, of course, the man who would normally – with fans in the stands – paint the hills yellow: Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT).

    Can anyone beat Ducati on home soil?

    The Bologna bullets have taken the last three victories at Mugello thanks to Danilo Petrucci, Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, and everyone knows the advantage they’re going to have down the 1.1km home straight. Ducati have proved their package is competitive everywhere this season though, they’ve had at least one rider on the rostrum at all five races this year, so they’re going to be understandably confident on home turf this weekend. However, Quartararo is also relishing Mugello, because it’s not just about superior straight line speed.

    Here are some key quotes:

    Back in the hot seat… by a single point: Fabio Quartararo

    Fabio Quartararo: “I’m expecting a great race, you know when we were in Qatar I was feeling a bit the same because Ducati had won the last three races and actually I’m feeling good on the bike. On the straight we know it’s not a strong point for us but there are many corners here, and the fast corners are where I feel good. I think we need to just start the weekend like a normal weekend, not thinking about the last three wins of Ducati or the big straight here, just go for it, do our pace and see on Sunday. The most important thing is that we have a really great feeling on the bike.”

    Francesco Bagnaia: “It would be great if I could win my first race here but at the moment it’s not my objective. First of all, it’s more important to be constant and then competitive from the start of the weekend. Then, if the win is possible, I will try to achieve it. At the moment I’m just thinking about being competitive like the last race in Le Mans. In the wet conditions I was struggling a lot at the start of the race so we have to understand that this weekend. I want to be competitive from the start like in Portimao, like in Jerez and then we will see. It’s a track that I like, it’s a track where the Ducati is really sweet so I think we have a great opportunity.”

    Johann Zarco: “Having a nice feeling on the Ducati and knowing the Ducati is quite competitive here, I’m hoping to use the advantage of the bike pretty well. The race in Le Mans, the wet conditions helped me to get a nice podium and 20 points in the championship, so pretty happy to be back in the top three and try to stay there, keep gaining points on Fabio to play my game. Ducati’s situation, if we can enjoy, Pecco, Jack and me together and put some pressure on the main opponent which is Fabio on the Yamaha, this would be great for the Championship.” 

    What’s the most demanding part of the track?
    “As we know, we have this long straight where we will have this advantage but with every bike, Turn 8 and 9, with the MotoGP bike you feel a lot of pressure on your body. Because of the track you feel you can always go fastest and faster, but it’s not that easy. But you feel you can do it and you try. It feels like some corners like Portimão, very physically demanding. All these parts, 8, 9 and going into 10 when you can’t see it braking downhill, I think this area is one of the most demanding.  .”

    Can Miller emulate Stoner and get a Ducati hat-trick?

    Miller says, It feels unreal to get the contract signed

    Jack Miller: “If you’re unhappy in my situation I mean, you’ve got something going wrong. I’ve had a pretty phenomenal couple of weeks and it feels unreal to get the contract signed up and not have to worry about that for another eight months or so and just focus on what I enjoy the most, which is riding my motorcycle. Mugello demons? I mean it’s a place I love, as I think everyone else does. Just arriving here in the beautiful landscape of this place, it’s just, you know, we definitely missed it last year. My report card of Mugello is not the most pleasant one, I’ve always been pretty quick here but just haven’t been able to see too many chequered flags. I’ll try to put that right this weekend but we’ll see what happens.”

    Miller looks for his third win in a row… captured at the Thursday Press Meet

    He could become the first Ducati rider to win three in a row since his countryman Casey Stoner in 2008 too…
    “That was basically the time when I started watching racing. I started racing the following year but we all started really watching in 2007. Of course, with an Aussie doing well. I unfortunately missed most of Mick’s era. Seeing an Aussie do well is what turned me on to the sport. I mean I prefer to not even think about the whole three on the trot or anything like that, I’m just happy to be here and be in one piece and try to do a decent weekend. No, I haven’t spoken to Casey recently. To be honest, I’ve been flat out trying to get back to as many people as possible but I’m not really good on my telephone, as most people know. I’m trying my best though.”

    Aleix Espargaro: “I’m pleased, happy with how things are going. It was a shame in Le Mans because I was in sixth and chasing Alex Marquez for fifth place so it would have been very nice points for the championship, but races are like this. We had a small technical problem but now arrive here in Mugello and as Jack said, it’s one of the most difficult, challenging but at the same time fun tracks to ride in the world. We missed this circuit last season so I can’t wait to try the new bike here, we know it’s not going to be easy because the straight is very, very long and this is one of the weak points – top speed. But the bike is going very well on changing direction and stability side, so I can’t wait to try the bike here and I’m very curious as to how we go.”

    The Aprilia rider was also asked about his comments on MotoGP™ Podcast Last On The Brakes, where he said the tougher times even made him consider retiring:
    “It’s difficult to go to the races to fight for the top 15 and not more. Every race giving your best, feeling you’re riding good, working at your maximum level but impossible to finish in the top 10. I’m not saying to win races but at least to finish in the top 10 or top six like we’re doing this year, so it was very frustrating. Every time I arrived home I couldn’t disconnect and I was very angry, I wasn’t enjoying life. Yes I love MotoGP, it’s my passion since I was born but I think life is too short to not be happy and not enjoy what you’re doing. I think I’m able to do a lot more things over than ride MotoGP so yes, I was thinking to change my life but then with the arrival of Massimo, things started to change in Aprilia. By changing things he convinced me, the project grew and I think I took the right decision. Thanks to him the results are arriving, the team and the project is growing so much and we are working very, very hard, the results are there. The new bike is much more competitive, again we aren’t fighting for victories but we’re closer than ever. When you can go to the races and fight for top sixes, the approach and mentality is another story. Now I’m enjoying life and I hope I can bring the project to the next level like we deserve!”

    Valentino Rossi: “This is a special place for all the Italians that are fans of MotoGP because it’s been the home of the Italian Grand Prix for nearly 30 years. Also, it’s a special place. When I arrived yesterday during the night, it’s great you know. The track, the Tuscan hills, all the paddock, so it’s unbelievable. We have to see because in Le Mans it was a bit better. Unfortunately on Sunday the conditions were very difficult for everybody. We will see here what my speed is like during the weekend.

    Rossi is the most successful rider at Mugello – All images by MotoGP

    “We now have a very important period of the championship because we have four races in five weeks. Also, at important racetracks like Mugello, Barcelona and Assen and then without Finland we will have one month off. Everybody will start to think about 2022 during that period, so like I said that the beginning, in that point I will make my decision. But also it’s not only my decision, I have also to speak with the Petronas team and also with Yamaha to understand what their plans are for next year. We will see but for sure now these four races are very important for us to try and find some good results.”

    That’s it from Thursday, tune in for Free Practice and qualifying before MotoGP™ brings the Tuscan hills alive at 14:00 (GMT +2), that is 4pm IST on Sunday.

    Action from  MotoGP Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley Qualifying Race will be LIVE in India on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 16:00 Hrs (04:00 pm IST) onwards on Saturday, 29th March 2021. The same will also be live streamed on discovery + app.

  • WorldSSP heads to Estoril for the second round of 2021

    WorldSSP heads to Estoril for the second round of 2021

    Just a week on from a thrilling weekend at Aragon full of drama and tension, the WorldSSP paddock gets to do it all again at Estoril

    Estoril, 26 May 2021: After returning to action at MotorLand Aragon last week, the FIM Supersport World Championship heads straight across the Iberian Peninsula for the Gaerne Estoril Round for the second round of the 2021 campaign at the Circuito Estoril, the same venue that closed out the 2020 season in sensational style. In Race 2 last year, the top four were separated by just one second at the line as the chequered flag fell on the season.
     
    South African Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) leads the Riders’ Championship after taking a maximum points haul from Aragon with two wins in different styles. Last year at Estoril, Odendaal secured his joint-best result of the season with fourth place after a thrilling four-way battle in Race 2, and with two of the four from that battle having moved on, he will be looking to move up the order. If the Race 2 battle from Aragon is anything to go by, as well as last year’s Estoril thriller, then the 2021 edition could be just as dramatic and exciting.
     
    Rookie Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) made a strong start to his WorldSSP career and currently lies second in the Championship after taking second and fifth at Aragon. Although he has not raced at Estoril on WorldSSP machines, he has competed there on three occasions while in the Moto2™ World Championship, claiming a best result of fourth place. The Swiss rider will be hoping he can at least repeat that performance as he looks to close the gap to Odendaal.
     
    Aegerter lies just four points ahead of third-placed Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), who so narrowly missed out on his maiden win in WorldSSP last time out, finishing 0.100s behind Odendaal. Like Odendaal, De Rosa was involved in the mega Race 2 scrap at Estoril last season, finishing ahead of the South African to claim a podium place. De Rosa also brings Moto2™ experience with him with a best finish of sixth. It’s been a strong circuit for the Italian in the past, could this be the weekend he finally claims his maiden WorldSSP victory?
     
    Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) is five points behind De Rosa, on 22 points, after another strong showing at Aragon, as he continues his fine form. Soomer claimed one podium at last year’s Estoril Round, in Race 1, and was only just over three seconds away from victory in Race 2 despite finishing in eighth. Another rider who has had strong performances at Estoril, Soomer will be one to watch out for.
     
    Christoffer Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team) finds himself fifth in the standing after a history-making Aragon Round where he became the first Swedish rider to lead a race in WorldSSP. Bergman did not race at Estoril in WorldSSP last year but did make an experience in endurance racing at the venue, his experience could prove to be useful as he looks to continue his fine start to the season.
     
    One rider who can count himself very unlucky to not be further up the standings after two races is Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) after the Frenchman was taken out of the lead by Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) in Race 1, while he led Race 2 for a few laps after starting at the back of the grid. Cluzel has experience of Estoril having raced there in 2020, securing two ninth places. However, for Cluzel it was his first race back after suffering an injury following a crash at MotorLand Aragon.
     
    Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) go into Estoril level with Cluzel in the standings, with San Marino’s Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) three points behind. Gonzalez secured his best result in WorldSSP last time out at Aragon while Bernardi secured San Marino’s best ever result in the class; with all three riders showing rapid pace throughout the Aragon Round.
     
    2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher’s (EAB Racing Team) return got off to a challenging start at Aragon but the Swiss rider brings with him experience of Estoril having competed there in Moto2™, taking a best result of ninth. Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) also had a challenging weekend on his WorldSSP return, but heads into Estoril with experience of the circuit from his 2020 WorldSBK exploits.

    Championship Standings (after Race 2, Round 1)

    1. Steven Odendaal (RSA) Yamaha (50 points)
    2. Dominique Aegerter (SUI) Yamaha (31 points)
    3. Raffaele De Rosa (ITA) Kawasaki (27 points)

  • Ferrari 312B,will provide F1 fans, a rare peek into the behind-the-scenes story

    Ferrari 312B,will provide F1 fans, a rare peek into the behind-the-scenes story

    “Ferrari 312B”,will provide Formula one fans with a rare peek into the behind the scenes story, of getting the revolutionary Ferrari 312B model back on the iconic Monaco circuit after almost half a century.

    Mumbai, May 25, 2021– discovery+, India’s first aggregated real-life entertainment streaming app, has added two more sporting legends into their sports documentary streaming list for Indian fans.

    The addition to the discovery+ roster, “Ferrari 312B”, promises to be a treat for Formula one lovers as legendary drivers like Niki Lauda, Damon Hill and Jacky Ickx take us through the crazy happenings in the build up to getting the revolutionary Ferrari model restored and back on the iconic Monza circuit track after a gap of 46 years.

    It is also a tribute to its original designer in the seventies, the legendary Mauro Forghieri, under whom the restoration project also took wings.

    Pele still remains amongst the greatest in the field of sports while Ferrari remains a dominant name in motorsports. Both the documentaries are available for streaming on the discovery+ app.

    Another addition, “Pele: The Last Show”, will take fans on a journey through the Brazilian football legend’s final competitive game, giving rare insights into his personality through the eyes of people who knew him; while the second, “Ferrari 312B”, is a treat for Formula one loving audiences and features the behind the scenes story of getting the famous Italian car manufacturer’s revolutionary model back on the iconic Monza track, after almost half a century.

    The documentary, “Pele : The Last Show”, is set on the backdrop of Pele’s final game for the New York Cosmos team, that dominated the golden age of Football in USA in the late seventies and early eighties. Cosmos as they were popularly known, were “the” team of Gods, celebrities and artists of soccer, with legends like Pele, Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer among others featuring in it and backed by Warner Communications at the time.

    About Discovery Plus

    ‘Discovery Plus’ is an exciting new D2C streaming app, launched to satiate the unmet need of a differentiated product offering premium real-life entertainment. Priced competitively with an introductory offer price of INR 299 per annum, the app has been developed and curated specifically for India.  Discovery Plus offers thousands of hours of exclusive content across 40+ genres, including Science, Adventure, Food and Lifestyle, in 8 languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali & Marathi.  The premium subscribers have access to a large selection of never-seen-before Premium Discovery titles, must-watch documentaries, India originals and exclusive acquisitions. Free users of the app have access to all-time favourites from the Discovery and Animal Planet library and a dedicated shorts section.

  • Can Ducati keep up the momentum at Mugello?

    Can Ducati keep up the momentum at Mugello?

    Home turf beckons for the Italian manufacturer and with Miller on a roll, three Ducatis in the top four and two 1-2s in a row, it’s great reading for Borgo Panigale and a warning for the rest.

    Mugello, 24 May 2021: Would you have predicted this in Qatar? The gossip went into overdrive back in the desert as Ducati didn’t win either of the season openers at one of their “favourite” or most successful tracks, but now the factory can enjoy its elegant silence on the matter even more. Two 1-2s in a row, with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) on the top step in both and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) taking a second place apiece, make quite a statement. The three are all in the top four in the standings too – something Ducati have never had before – and Bagnaia is only a point off the lead. That would be enough to grab some attention in itself but the next track up, unfortunately for the rest, is also the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello.

    The Italian venue is a rider and fan favourite for a reason, a stunning enough landmark in itself even before adding the spectacle of one of MotoGP™’s most golden of eras carving its way through the Tuscan hills. Fast, flowing and fast becoming a place synonymous with Ducati glory, yes it’s home turf. But it’s also somewhere Borgo Panigale machinery has won the last three editions and been on the podium since 2015.

    The favourite to keep the roll going must be Miller. With his win in Le Mans in tough conditions, and that despite two Long Lap penalties, he followed up his Jerez stunner in style and it seems safe to say the Australian will now read the stats about Mugello with glee rather than pressure. Miller is a key architect of the momentum behind the manufacturer and the monkey some saw on his back after the first three rounds of the season is nowhere in sight now, whichever way you want to spin it. Can he make it three in a row? Or can his teammate fight back?

    Bagnaia has been impressive in 2021 and led the standings for the first time just before Le Mans, with speed at every venue and few mistakes to go with it. With less premier class experience than Miller, he could have been forgiven for a few too. His French GP was a solid statement of intent, however, as the Italian somehow found himself down in 19th just after the start… then rode back through to fourth in conditions that caught out the very best, and again, like Miller, despite two Long Lap Penalties. If there was a day to lose your head, it was leading the Championship and sinking to the bottom of the top 20 early doors. But he didn’t.

    And what about Zarco? The Frenchman hunted down another podium and moved back up to third overall, so what does he have in the locker? A Pramac win on home turf would be a popular one and the number 5, like Bagnaia, hasn’t yet tasted the top step in the premier class although he’s been close. His teammate this weekend could also be one to watch complicating the lives of a few riders who could find themselves on the cusp of Q2 too as Michele Pirro steps in to replace the injured Jorge Martin. Pirro knows both track and machine, and has impressed aplenty on wildcards.

    All that said, it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Ducati will take their fourth Mugello win in a row. Three in the top four they may have, but it’s Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) back on top – and the Frenchman’s there despite his tough plummet down the order after arm pump in Jerez. He took a well-earned home podium at Le Mans despite coming back from surgery, and before Ducati started to assert their dominance at Mugello it was Yamaha territory. Jorge Lorenzo took the most recent wins but Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) was on the podium in 2018 and Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) the year before that. With a dry, less chaotic weekend hopefully ahead, what can they – and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – do?

    Dry and less chaotic will likely be a hope for Team Suzuki Ecstar too. A double DNF in France saw reigning Champion Joan Mir fall outside the top five in the standings, and left teammate Alex Rins with an even bigger hill to climb to get back into real contention. The Hamamatsu factory have form at Mugello though, with Rins only two tenths off the podium in 2019 as he hung on to the Marquez-Ducati fight and almost managed to ruin the party for all of them. The Suzuki works well around the majority of the venue and Rins will be out to show that and bounce back, as will Mir – but the reigning Champion also has a fair bit less experience of the track on premier class machinery, with MotoGP™ having not visited Mugello last year.

    Aprilia are another who, like Ducati, will be both optimistic and riding on home turf. The Noale factory have taken a big step forward in 2021 and their bike should prove a good fit for Mugello. It may have been heartbreak at Le Mans but Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) just keeps impressing, and teammate Lorenzo Savadori was a serious threat in the damp. Can he take another step forward, and can Aleix Espargaro pick up where he left off? Aprilia also have Andrea Dovizioso confirmed as doing more testing throughout the season, whose record at Mugello is one of the best in recent years. He’s also already ridden the RS-GP there, although the weather didn’t play ball…

    Mugello, meanwhile, was also a place where Honda really hammered home their top speed gains in 2019 as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) went toe to toe with the Bologna bullets and was absolutely not left in the dust. Marquez’ win in 2014 at the track is the only non-Ducati win for a rider still on the grid since then too, and his 2019 battle at the front against the factory Ducati duo at the time was a stunner. The French GP saw flag-to-flag master Marquez make an uncharacteristic mistake and crash out, but there were more flashes of his former self as his comeback continues. What can he do?

    LCR Honda Idemitsu’s Takaaki Nakagami and LCR Honda Castrol teammate Alex Marquez both took solid results in France too after a tougher start to the season, and Nakagami equalled his best ever result in Jerez just before that. Alex Marquez won at Mugello in Moto2™ last time he rode there as well, although this is his first taste of it in the premier class. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) was also gaining ground in France, so they can’t be counted out of the increasingly tough fight for Q2 and more.

    That also goes for KTM. It’s been a tougher start to the season but Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) equalled the best result of the Austrian factory’s year so far at Le Mans, and he knows the top step at Mugello, although in red. Teammate Iker Lecuona also impressed in France, so can both start to cut the gap to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira? There have been flashes of speed from them since Binder’s fifth in Portugal, but it’s not all come together on race day for either since. Binder and Lecuona have also not yet ridden at Mugello in MotoGP™ though, so that could also factor in to the weekend. Can KTM push back towards the bigger points hauls?

    Tuscany is one of the world’s most emblematic destinations, and MotoGP™ is lucky enough to have Mugello nestled right in the middle. The paddock returns to the venue in 2021 looking quite different to the last time we were there, but the track remains the same stunner for man and machine. Make sure to tune in for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley on Sunday the 30th of May, with lights out for the premier class at 14:00 (GMT +2).

    MotoGP standings after five rounds:

    1 Fabio Quartararo – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 80
    2 Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 79
    3 Johann Zarco* – Pramac Racing – Ducati – 68
    4 Jack Miller – Ducati Lenovo Team – Ducati – 64
    5 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – 56
    *Independent Team rider
  • A tribute to former FIA president Max Mosley: 1940 to 2021

    A tribute to former FIA president Max Mosley: 1940 to 2021

    The FIA community was saddened to learn of the passing of former President Max Mosley on 24 May 2021 at the age of 81. The work he undertook during his 16-year presidency, detailed below, leaves an indelible mark on the world of motor sport and mobility. His passion and commitment for improving safety both on the race track and, crucially, in transferring that work to practical solutions on the road, has had a positive effect on countless lives around the world. The FIA continues to strive for improvements in safety, remaining committed to ensuring a prosperous future across the world of motor sport, and pays tribute and thanks to the contributions made by Mr Mosley.

    FIA President Jean Todt said: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Max Mosley. He was a major figure in Formula 1 and motor sport. As FIA President for 16 years, he strongly contributed to reinforcing safety on track and on the roads. The entire FIA community pays tribute to him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

    Brief Profile

    Max Mosley was born in London in 1940 and attended schools in Britain, France and Germany. He went on to study at Oxford University, where he read physics and was elected Secretary of the Oxford Union debating society. He later trained as a lawyer and became a barrister specialising in patent and trademark law.

    In his leisure time however, Mosley spent much of his youth racing cars, first in sports cars and then later in Formula 2 driving Brabham and Lotus cars. He retired from driving in 1969 to co-found March Engineering, which quickly became one of the world’s leading racing car manufacturers. Mosley dealt with legal and commercial matters for the company between 1969 and 1977.

    In the mid-1970s, he became the official legal adviser to the Formula One Constructors’ Association (FOCA), the body that represented Formula One constructors. In this role he drew up the first Concorde Agreement, settling a long-standing dispute between FOCA and the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA), the then governing body of Formula One. In 1986, Mosley was elected president of the Manufacturers’ Commission of the FISA and represented the world’s motor industry on the World Motor Sport Council. He was later elected President of the FISA in 1991.

    Having worked closely together to plan the restructuring of the FIA, Jean-Marie Balestre and Max Mosley had agreed on the latter’s candidature for the FIA presidency when the Frenchman stood down in June 1993. It soon became clear that Mosley had majority support and he was elected President of the FIA unopposed.

    As president, Mosley pledged that the FIA should make a difference in the world outside motor racing and set about promoting increased road safety and the use of green technology.

    In his first year in office Mosley set up the FIA Brussels office, giving motor sport and 40 million members of the FIA’s motoring organisations in the European Union countries an effective voice in Brussels for the first time. In the same year, he was elected Honorary President of the European Parliament Automobile Users’ Intergroup and he formed the Expert Advisory Safety Committee, which brought together leading safety experts in motor sport to research and find solutions for the major safety issues in motor sport.

    Those issues came to a head in 1994 with the accidents in Formula 1 during the San Marino Grand Prix, in which triple world champion Aytron Senna and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger were killed. In the wake of these deaths, Mosley instituted widespread reform of safety in the sport.

    Two years later, in 1996, Mosley led the FIA’s successful campaign to modernise and strengthen EU crash test standards for the first time since 1974, achieved by proposing amendments to the European Parliament requiring the offset frontal test and 300mm clearance side impact test.

    He also promoted the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), the independent crash-test organisation described by the European Commission as the most cost-effective road safety initiative of the last 20 years. Mosley remained Chairman of Euro NCAP from 1996 until 2004. In late 1996, Mosley also formed and served as the first Chairman of the Formula One Safety Commission, which focused on the development of Formula One circuit safety.

    In 1997 he led a successful campaign for the FIA to be recognised by the International Olympic Committee. A few years later, he launched Formula Zero, a strategy for reducing fatalities and injuries on track and road. The policy document identified the safety synergies between motorsport and motoring and outlined an approach to road safety involving a zero-tolerance approach to deaths or injuries.

    In 2002, Mosley proposed the establishment of the FIA Foundation and the FIA Academy. Mosley served as a Trustee of the Foundation, a charity focusing on promoting road safety, environmental protection and motor sport safety worldwide. The FIA Academy was created to develop important projects to stimulate research and create the necessary framework to promote road safety and protect the environment.

    In 2004, Mosley also proposed the establishment of the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety in order to develop and improve safety measures and sustainability across all areas of motor sport, from junior racing to top-level championships.

    He was re-elected as FIA President three times – in 1997, 2001 and 2005 – each time unopposed. When he eventually decided to stand down in 2009, Mosley endorsed Jean Todt as his successor and like many before him, was named Honorary President of the FIA shortly after.

    Mosley received many government and industry awards, most notably the ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur’ in 2006, in recognition of his great contribution to road safety and motor sport.

    He passed away at the age of 81 in May 2021.