INDIA in F1

Author: David Bodapati

  • Jehan Daruvala begins with F2 pre-season test in third

    Jehan Daruvala begins with F2 pre-season test in third

    Sakhir, 8 March 2021: Charouz Racing System rookie David Beckmann was a surprise name at the top of the standings on the opening day of the Formula 2 pre-season tests in Sakhir, beating out the more experience Christian Lundgaard in the afternoon session to top the table with a time of 1:42.844.

    The two-time 2020 Formula 3 race winner looked right at home in the more powerful F2 machinery, also going faster than the morning’s top driver, Dan Ticktum.

    MORNING

    The grid were quick to set off onto the track for their first miles of 2021, but for the majority, it was only an installation lap as they headed back into the garage for further work on their cars. 10 did brave the windy and dusty conditions of the Bahrain International Circuit, led out by Ticktum.

    There was an early red flag as Richard Verschoor came to a halt down the back straight in the leadup to Turn 14. The Dutchman’s stricken MP Motorsport machine was hauled back into the garage for a check-up, while his teammate, Lirim Zendeli, got to work setting the fastest time.

    The 2020 F3 race winner got off to a sterling start, flashing round in 1:44.451 to top the opening laps of the season. The German’s time in P1 was short-lived, but he did manage to cap off a solid morning with a place in the top five, finishing fourth.

    Zendeli’s 2020 rival, Liam Lawson, was another of the rookies to impress in the early stages, setting the first sub 1m 44s time of the day, which would end up being good enough for P2.

    Experience did eventually come to the fore as Ticktum switched on the style towards the back end of the morning, beating Lawson’s time by sixth tenths to finish top, lapping at 1:43.021.

    Ticktum’s Carlin teammate Jehan Daruvala picked up where he left off last season, running towards the front of the field, though his time wasn’t quite good enough for first, as he settled for P3, seven tenths off the pace.

    Three more rookies caught the eye in the morning, as Oscar Piastri, Bent Viscaal and Beckmann all earned themselves places in the top 10, finishing seventh, eighth and 10th. The familiar names of Guilherme Samaia and Marcus Armstrong also appeared towards the front, taking sixth and ninth.

    AFTERNOON

    MP were straight back on it when action resumed in the afternoon, Zendeli taking back his place at the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:45.010. Backed up by his teammate for the tests, Verschoor, the duo got their fast laps out of the way early doors before focusing on longer runs and dropping out of the top ten.

    Reigning F3 champion Piastri made his first appearance at the top of the charts towards the halfway point of the afternoon. Like Zendeli, his attention then switched to race simulations and this saw him drop to P6.

    Last season’s surprise package Felipe Drugovich had swapped MP Motorsport for 2020 title challengers UNI-Virtuosi and looked to be quickly getting used to his new machinery, briefly setting the quickest time, before falling to fourth.

    Fresh from a two-round stint with HWA RACELAB at the end of last season, Théo Pourchaire was back with his F3 team, ART Grand Prix, and managed third in the afternoon. The Frenchman was beaten by his teammate Lundgaard, who showed his experience and went 0.063s quicker.

    None of them could match Beckmann’s Charouz, with the German rookie roaring to first in the closing stages of the afternoon as the only driver to break the 1m 43s barrier on Day 1.

    Hitech duo Jüri Vips and Liam Lawson both managed to break into the top ten in the afternoon, going fifth and eighth. Marino Sato snuck into seventh with Trident, while Viscaal and Guanyu Zhou completed the top ten, in ninth and tenth.

    We’ll be back for Day 2 on Tuesday at 11.30 am IST (9am -local time).

    2020 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 1, MORNING SESSION

    DRIVERTEAMLAPTIMELAPS
    1Dan TicktumCarlin1:43.02114
    2Liam LawsonHitech Grand Prix1:43.62117
    3Jehan DaruvalaCarlin1:43.76115
    4Lirim ZendeliMP Motorsport1:44.09535
    5Jüri VipsHitech Grand Prix1:44.14316
    6Guilherme SamaiaCharouz Racing System1:44.33231
    7Oscar PiastriPREMA Racing1:44.3468
    8Bent ViscaalTrident1:44.40819
    9Marcus ArmstrongDAMS1:44.48013
    10David BeckmannCharouz Racing System1:44.52931
    11Marino SatoTrident1:44.62015
    12Felipe DrugovichUNI-Virtuosi1:44.70625
    13Richard VerschoorMP Motorsport1:44.85938
    14Christian LundgaardART Grand Prix1:44.88021
    15Théo PourchaireART Grand Prix1:45.03819
    16Guanyu ZhouUNI-Virtuosi1:45.06018
    17Roy NissanyDAMS1:45.47118
    18Matteo NanniniHWA RACELAB1:45.48626
    19Ralph BoschungCampos Racing1:45.49624
    20Gianluca PetecofCampos Racing1:46.36227
    21Alessio DeleddaHWA RACELAB1:48.81628
    22Robert ShwartzmanPREMA Racing1:58.5467

    2020 FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP – PRE-SEASON TESTS, DAY 1, AFTERNOON SESSION

    DRIVERTEAMLAPTIMELAPS
    1David BeckmannCharouz Racing System1:42.84419
    2Christian LundgaardART Grand Prix1:43.53432
    3Théo PourchaireART Grand Prix1:43.57036
    4Felipe DrugovichUNI-Virtuosi1:43.87128
    5Jüri VipsHitech1:44.07918
    6Oscar PiastriPREMA Racing.21
    7Marino SatoTrident1:44.27938
    8Liam LawsonHitech1:44.28024
    9Bent ViscaalTrident1:44.31440
    10Guanyu ZhouUNI-Virtuosi1:44.32228
    11Marcus ArmstrongDAMS1:44.33134
    12Roy NissanyDAMS1:44.58123
    13Robert SwhartzmanPREMA Racing1:44.67818
    14Lirim ZendeliMP Motorsport1:45.01036
    15Richard VerschoorMP Motorsport1:45.13439
    16Guilherme SamaiaCharouz Racing System1:45.18916
    17Matteo NanniniHWA RACELAB1:45.31627
    18Ralph BoschungCampos Racing1:45.56117
    19Gianluca PetecofCampos Racing1:46.23833
    20Dan TicktumCarlin1:48.88524
    21Alessio DeleddaHWA RACELAB1:48.99019
    22Jehan DaruvalaCarlin1:49.63726
  • Quartararo and Miller split by just 0.077 on Day 2: Qatar Test

    Quartararo and Miller split by just 0.077 on Day 2: Qatar Test

    Yamaha and Ducati depose Aprilia as testing continues in the desert

    Doha, 7 March 2021: Day 2 is done and dusted at the Official MotoGP Qatar Test and it’s Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo back in a familiar position: the top. The Frenchman was the first and so far only rider to dip into the 1:53s, but it was mighty close as Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller ended the day less than a tenth off. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was up at the sharp end on the brand-new RS-GP once again, this time in third but just 0.212 off Quartararo.

    Sunday ushered in the best conditions the riders have enjoyed since pitlane opened at Losail International Circuit on Friday afternoon, with a bit of wind swirling across the track but nowhere near as much as the previous two days of track action. The improvements came quite early too as by the midway point, HRC test rider Stefan Bradl had beaten Aleix Espargaro’s Day 1 pace. It only got faster from there.

    By just over half an hour to play, Quartararo struck in the first 1:53 lap time of the test as the pace intensified under the lights, with Miller slicing up into P2 not long after. That was all Day 2 wrote at the top.

    Jack Miller in action on Day 2 of Qatar test posting top times on Sunday. A Ducati image

    So what was on the agenda barring simple speed? Fastest man Quartararo confirmed late on Saturday evening that Yamaha have a new chassis to try in Qatar, and the Frenchman was trying a carbon swingarm although he said he wasn’t using it when he set his best lap. After struggling to get the feeling on his YZR-M1 in the first “30 or 40 laps”, Quartararo was happy by the end of 59, but said that he needs a little bit more time compared to teammate Maverick Viñales to set that quick lap time from the off on new tyres, and it’s difficult to say whether the new chassis is better or not.

    Viñales also confirmed that Yamaha have been trying plenty of things and his main focus so far has been rear grip. Judging from the timesheets, it’s going pretty well for the Iwata factory. Both riders seem to be very pleased with their progress so far with Viñales ending Day 2 in P7, 0.455s from his teammate. It wasn’t a totally slick day for Viñales though as both he and test rider Cal Crutchlow crashed at Qatar’s notorious Turn 2 – both were perfectly ok.

    Both Petronas Yamaha SRT men also felt great after Day 1 and although Valentino Rossi’s was in P20 the day after, The Doctor seemed upbeat as he and Yamaha go through plenty of different things to try. After a “great first day at the office”, Morbidelli’s second day at the office also looked to have gone well after finishing up in P4 – a couple of tenths shy of former teammate Quartararo.

    Ever the innovators, Ducati were seen with some more new toys on Day 2 in addition to the new aero we’ve seen Michele Pirro, Miller and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) riding wth. A new rear wheel that they’re using to monitor the forces going on at the rear end was seen, but this could just be for testing purposes and it remains to be seen whether this will be something the Bologna brand race with…

    Their front-end holeshot device was confirmed today, however, and this is something that Aprilia, Honda, KTM and Suzuki have at their disposal too. The second fastest Ducati on track was Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) in P6, with Bagnaia ending the day P9 on the timesheets. Chatting at the end of Day 2, Miller confirmed that he’s enjoying himself on the bike and was able to push a little for a time attack towards the end, and the Australian also ran with the new aero for pretty much the whole day – but hinted that something more is coming soon in classic Ducati preseason style.

    Ducati’s trio of rookies were once again out on track finding their feet on the fire breathing Desmosedicis too, and it was reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) who was the fastest of the three on Day 2. The Italian took it by just over a tenth to teammate Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Avintia) as the Italians claimed P16 and P18 respectively, a good day for both. Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin, meanwhile, suffered his third crash in three days and completed the least amount of laps of any full-time MotoGP™ rider on the second Official Test day. Martin was perfectly fine after the Turn 16 tumble though and was able to claim P19, only  0.027s behind Marini. All three rookies have impressed so far to finish one and a half seconds off Quartararo’s pace.

    Over at Aprilia, the Noale factory tried to play down their Day 1 success but on the evidence that Aleix Espargaro was third fastest on Day 2, there’s plenty of reason to be excited. The entire new package seems to be going well as Aleix Espargaro put 69 more laps on the clock, with teammate Lorenzo Savadori adding 41 to his tally. The latter finished P17, 1.630 seconds away from top spot.

    Aleix Espargaro explained that he did a long run to understand what the bike is going to be like over race distance, and he had good reports but said he and Aprilia need to find a way to enable him to ride it more relaxed as the new bike is more physical than last year. The number 41 improved by half a second though and as expected, they’ve been trying lots of different things. Overall, it was a happy Aleix Espargaro with three days of pre-season testing left.

    At Honda, there was some new aero to try on Day 2 and all four riders were seen sporting the new fairing during Sunday’s action. Repsol-liveried duo Stefan Bradl and Pol Espargaro were sitting pretty at the top of the timesheets at the halfway point as the latter’s adaption from KTM to Honda continues to be smooth. Eventually, Espargaro finished the Day in P12 after another 62 laps under his belt on the RC213V, with Bradl continuing to mix it with the top times to finish P5 and impress once again.

    LCR Honda Castrol’s Alex Marquez crashed unhurt twice on Day 2, one at Turn 16 and one at Turn 2. Teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) also went down, the Japanese rider suffering his second crash of the Test – also at Turn 2 – but he too was ok. The duo were seen on Honda’s new fairing and finished together on the timesheets, P12 for Nakagami and P13 for Alex Marquez. Nakagami confirmed that some areas of the new fairings were good, others less so, with more testing needed to understand them better. 

    As aforementioned, Team Suzuki Ecstar were one of five teams to bring a front-end holeshot device to the Qatar Test. World Champion Joan Mir and teammate Alex Rins were both comfortably sitting inside the top 10 heading into the final hour of the day, with test riders Sylvain Guintoli and Takuya Tsuda out lapping as well. A new chassis is on the agenda for the Hamamatsu factory as well as some other as yet unconfirmed parts, but so far it looks like all is well in the silver and blue ranks as they packed up early on Day 2.

    Mir confirmed that he enjoyed his second day on track, rediscovering his feeling from 2020 was on the agenda and the number 36 did exactly that. One of Mir’s main aims is to improve his qualifying pace, but the Spaniard said today wasn’t the day to properly delve into that. Rins confirmed he tried a new swingarm which made the bike a little more stable, and the number 42 also tried the 2022 engine that Guintoli has been testing. Great reviews, especially on top speed, were given.

    KTM were another manufacturer that debuted a new fairing today in Doha. This was narrower than the previous one and it was pictured on Miguel Oliveira’s Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine, with initial feelings seeming positive. However, with the wind, the word was that it’s difficult to properly tell how useful it is. Oliveira was the fastest RC16 rider on circuit though, claiming P11, 0.726s from Quartararo.

    Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, described his day as a “little bit challenging” and suffered two crashes towards the end of the day. The South African was fine and although P24 on the timesheets, he confirmed everything is running pretty smoothly. The number 33 also ran with the updated fairing. Danilo Petrucci and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing teammate Iker Lecuona were P21 and P23 respectively, a quiet day for the orange men as Petrucci settles in and Lecuona starts only his second MotoGP season.

    That’s it for now! There are now two days of downtime before the action returns on the 10th of March in Qatar.

  • Espargaro tops timesheets on Day 1 of Qatar test

    Espargaro tops timesheets on Day 1 of Qatar test

    The full grid roars back into action in the desert, with Aprilia leading the way as 2021 gets in gear

    Doha, 6 March 2021: After the first day of action for the full grid at the Official MotoGP Qatar Test, it’s safe to say 2021 has started pretty well for Aleix Espargaro and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini as they finish top of the timesheets. The Spaniard set a 1:54.687 to beat Stefan Bradl (Honda Test Team) by 0.256s, with reigning World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) completing the top three as the new MotoGP season officially got underway. 

    The wind played a key role on Saturday after also proving bothersome at the Shakedown Test, but all 29 riders on the ground in Doha enjoyed some valuable track time despite another blustery day at Losail International Circuit. And this time, having sat out the Shakedown, that included Aleix Espargaro on his near brand-new RS-GP he ended the day just a couple of tenths shy of Aprilia’s best time at 2020’s Qatar Test and put in 57 laps. Updates have been made to the engine, chassis and exhaust and there’s a new carbon swingarm at the Noale factory, as well as two new aero designs that the riders are putting through their paces. Aprilia also have a holeshot device on the front and rear – along with Honda and Ducati. Lorenzo Savadori, on the other side of the garage, completed 42 laps, ending with 1:56.511 as a best time.

    Meanwhile, it was a huge day over at the Repsol Honda Team as Pol Espargaro made his eagerly awaited debut for the Japanese giants. A hefty 68 laps were rattled off by the Spaniard on his HRC debut as he, Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) all headed out on 2020 Hondas, with each rider’s two bikes having different exhausts. Alex Marquez’ day didn’t get off to the best of starts after destroying his RC213V in a final corner crash, but the double World Champion was soon back out to spin some more laps. Marquez was the second quickest Honda on Day 1, behind the aforementioned Bradl, and finished P10 just ahead of Nakagami.

    Bradl was again donning the famous Repsol livery on track and for a lot of opening day, the German was at the summit of the timesheets. He has three chassis to try in Qatar: the ‘standard’ 2020 chassis, the chassis he ended the 2020 campaign on which has carbon bonded to the main beam, as well as an entirely new chassis that we saw the number 6 testing in Jerez a few weeks ago. Bradl was very pleased with his and the team’s progress so far, looking for more of the same over the remaining four days.

    Over at World Champions Team Suzuki Ecstar, who officially unveiled their 2021 livery ahead of the test, Joan Mir and Alex Rins were the last riders to head out on track. Similar to most teams, we didn’t see many changes to the bike, but we also didn’t see much change to their impressive pace. Third for Mir is a solid start to his title defence, with Rins also inside the top 10 in P8. The duo recorded a combined 91 laps, with test rider Sylvain Guintoli adding another 50 and Takuya Tsuda another 26. Tsuda was the first rider out on track for the Hamamatsu factory.

    The World Champion is back on track! Mir heads out under the spotlights. MotoGP images

    Further down pitlane, both Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia suited up and headed out in Ducati Lenovo Team red for the first time to begin a new era for both riders and team. Miller was fourth fastest at the end of the day, completing 54 laps in total and glowing that it felt “unreal” to be back. Both riders were on 2020 Ducatis as they got back into the swing of things but did try the new aero, with Miller saying he couldn’t find any faults. Bagnaia finished P13 but was only 0.8s off the top despite a crash at Turn 3.

    Ducati test rider Michele Pirro was also circulating with new aero on the front of his GP21; a third extra aero vane was seen fitted lower down on the fairing. In addition, Ducati have a ‘salad box’ that looks slightly different to last year’s. Simon Crafar also reported that the Bologna factory are experimenting with a holeshot device at the front of the bike, along with Aprilia and Honda, so look out for that over the coming days…

    Johann Zarco, meanwhile, was in Pramac Racing colours for the first time and from the outside, it looked like the Frenchman enjoyed his first day in his new office. The number 5 was atop the standings at stages in the afternoon, eventually ending Saturday sixth overall with less than half a second splitting him from Aleix Espargaro at the top. Zarco’s teammate Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) was back on track for his second day as a MotoGP rider, albeit with a sore leg after his Turn 3 crash during the Shakedown Test. Despite this though, Martin was the fastest rookie in P18 after setting a 1:56.147 – just a couple of tenths slower than Pol Espargaro ahead of him.

    Rossi starts a new era at Petronas Yamaha SRT

    The other two Moto2 graduate rookies also got plenty more valuable laps under their belts. Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) was less than a tenth away from Martin in P20 while Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) finished P24 on the times. It’s a huge learning curve for all three riders in Qatar and there’s no doubt even more improvements will be coming over the next few days.

    Over at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira were both sitting near the summit in the early stages of the test. By the end of the day, Oliveira was the fastest RC16 rider on track, the Portuguese rider setting a 1:55.084 to finish fifth overall on his first day as a factory rider. Binder fell at Turn 2 but was perfectly ok to head out, ending the day in P12 after 52 laps.

    New KTM rider on the block Danilo Petrucci struck a bright figure out on track alongside teammate Iker Lecuona as the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing pairing lapped on their new orange RC16s too. Like the factory riders, there weren’t too many differences with the bikes they were riding compared to the 2020 model, and Lecuona and Petrucci finished P22 and P23 respectively.

    Test rider Dani Pedrosa, however, was trying out some innovations for KTM. As Simon Crafar reported from pitlane, Pedrosa was riding an RC16 kitted out with a new chassis, a whole new tail section and a new exhaust inside that tail unit. The famous number 26 was 26th on the timesheets and completed 48 laps, obviously not focusing on outright speed.

    Over in the Yamaha ranks, there was a headline stealer as Valentino Rossi headed out on a familiar bike but in unfamiliar colours. The new Petronas Yamaha SRT rider began his new adventure with the Malaysian team and was seen trying two different tank covers, likely for ergonomics, as he did more than 50 laps. It was teammate Franco Morbidelli who was the quickest YZR-M1 rider on Day 1, however, as the Italian finished P7 and 0.487s adrift. Rossi was P14.

    It was a big day for Fabio Quartararo too, who officially began life as a factory MotoGP rider at Losail International Circuit. The Frenchman was the busiest rider out there on Saturday after completing 69 laps on his new Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP machine, and was just over a second off the pace in P15 – one place behind Rossi. Maverick Viñales was the fastest Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP man on Day 1 though, notching up 51 laps and taking P9.

    There doesn’t seem to be too much different to what we saw last season on the Yamahas so far, but there was plenty of data gathering going on. Test riders Cal Crutchlow, Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Kohta Nozane were once more sharing bikes, so it’s very hard to tell who set the fastest times on each of the bikes labelled ‘Yamaha Test 1’, ‘Yamaha Test 2’ and ‘Yamaha Test 3’ on the timing screens, but the Iwata marque have a wealth of information at their fingertips.

  • Team MRF Tyres in fourth place

    Team MRF Tyres in fourth place

    Kouvola (Finland), 6 March 2021: Team MRF Tyres shone on the ice and snow in the Finnish Rally Championship and the SM OK Auto Ralli held near Kouvola today.

    The crews were greeted with snow and icy conditions in the six-stage, 111km event but the weather conditions would play a major role in the outcome of the rally.

    Team MRF Tyres drivers, Emil Lindholm and Mikael Korhonen would be battling for a podium all rally, always within reach of the podium in their Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo.

    The day got underway with the longest stage of the rally with the 29.8km Hermunen test, followed by the 11.7km Rämälä stage. The weather was perfect for ice rally, with ice and icy gravel, providing a good surface for the MRF studded tyre.

    The first leg was 42km and Lindholm/Korhonen were in third at the end of the leg.

    They would be involved in a great four-way fight for the lead with Juha Salo/Mikko Markkula, Mikko Heikkilä/Topi Luthinen and Teemu Asumaa/Marko Salminen.

    It would continue through the 29km second loop of Teuroinen and Väärtti. Team MRF Tyres would lie in fourth at the end of the loop but just a handful of seconds off a podium.

    However, the final two stages, repeat tests of Hermunen and Rämälä would prove decisive. The weather had turned, dumping up to 10cm of fresh snow on the stages.

    The top runners would be disadvantaged by the road conditions and as Lindholm/Korhonen were running third on the road, the conditions poor.

    The Team MRF Tyres duo, however, did well to keep their fourth place and were just 3.9 seconds off Riku Tahko/Markus Soininen.

    It was a successful start to the season for Team MRF Tyres. Before 2021, the studded tyre had only competed once before. Now, it has three rallies, with another podium and a top-four finish.

    The team were able to gain valuable data in one of the toughest national championships in the world and were able to show that MRF Tyres can run at the front in any competition.

    Quotes
    Emil Lindholm, Driver, Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo

    “This winter we have tripled the number of winter rallies driven by MRF Tyres. We can be proud of our results and the progress that the entire team have made at MRF Tyres. We have been able to move forward again on tyre development. I had a lot of confidence before the start of the season that MRF will be able to prepare a competitive tyre for winter conditions. That has been proven correct!”

    “This was a tough rally with horrible conditions. I was happy with our pace and we were fighting for a podium position for the entire rally. The last two stages we had sensor issue that cost us time a lot of fresh snow and despite this, we were able to keep our fourth place.”

    “The MRF Tyres worked very well and we can be proud of our winter season. I look forward to the rest of 2021.”

  • Gaurav Gill guns for APRC title again as season begins with South India Rally: April 23-25

    Gaurav Gill guns for APRC title again as season begins with South India Rally: April 23-25

    Paris, 5 March 2021: The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has finalised different calendars for various motorsports disciplines and one that India will be most-interested is the revised date for Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2021 (APRC) which will kick-start the five-round season with the first round at Chennai from April 23 to 25, simultaneously run with Asia Zone and INRC events.

    The Madras Motor Sports Club will host the South India Rally Championship on these dates and simultaneously run the APRC opening round to become a new venue for the FIA continental championship in India. India last hosted the APRC in Chikmagalur in 2017. Three-times APRC champion and Arjuna Awardee, Gaurav Gill, will be aiming for a fourth title as he rejoins the APRC campaign, albeit in Yellow colours, this time as a brand ambassador for JK Tyre. Gill joined the elite Indian club by winning his 7th INRC title to become the highest decorated rally driver along with Naren Kumar.

    The FIA President reminded council members that in the 12-months since the last physically-attended WMSC meeting in March 2020, the FIA has maintained a strong level of governance across all disciplines and all regions despite these unprecedented times.

    The FIA President led a one-minute silence which was observed by members in memory of all those from the global motor sport community who have fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also paid tribute to the Finnish rally driver Hannu Mikkola who passed away recently. The President said: “Hannu was a great champion and a gentleman. I’ve had the privilege of being his co-driver many years ago. My thoughts are with his loved ones and the families of the members of the FIA community who passed away due to the pandemic.”

    The following is a summary of the decisions taken during the meeting:

    FIA Formula One World Championship

    The World Council has agreed to grant a one-year extension to the existing exclusive tyre supply contract with Pirelli to reflect the original intention of the 2018 tyre tender and remain within the overall technical framework in the best interests of all relevant stakeholders. The COVID-19 pandemic obliged the FIA and Formula 1 to implement emergency measures that included the cancellation of tyre development tests last year and the postponement of planned new technical regulations – which included 18-inch tyres – from 2021 to 2022. As a result, 13-inch tyres will be used during the 2021 season, with a move to 18-inch tyres in 2022.

    The FIA Safety Department presented the findings of the investigation into the incident involving Romain Grosjean at the 2020 FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix – further details of which can be found here.

    Following the confirmation of Portugal as the venue for round three, the revised 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is as follows:

    Formula 1 – 2021 Calendar

    GP #DateVenue- CountryTrack
    128 March 2021BahrainSakhir
    218 AprilItalyImola
    32 MayPortugalPortimao
    49 MaySpainBarcelona
    523 MayMonacoMonaco
    66 JuneAzerbaijanBaku
    713 JuneCanadaMontreal
    827 JuneFranceLe Castellet
    94 JulyAustriaSpielberg
    1018 JulyGreat BritainSilverstone
    111 AugustHungaryBudapest
    1229 AugustBelgiumSpa-Francorchamps
    135 SeptemberNetherlandsZandvoort
    1412 SeptemberItalyMonza
    1526 SeptemberRussiaSochi
    163 OctoberSingaporeSingapore
    1710 OctoberJapanSuzuka
    1824 OctoberUSAAustin
    1931 OctoberMexicoMexico City
    207 NovemberBrazilSão Paulo
    2121 NovemberAustraliaMelbourne
    225 DecemberSaudi ArabiaJeddah*
    2312 DecemberAbu DhabiYas Marina
    *Subject to circuit homologation

    FIA World Rally Championship

    The Council approved the final Rally1 technical regulations, including an update of the 1.6 turbo engine details.

    FIA Rally – 2022 WRC and ERC Sporting Pyramid

    The principles of a Rally Sporting Pyramid, to be implemented for the FIA World Rally Championship with complementary details for the FIA European Rally Championship, have been approved. The ambition of this new structure is to align the championships names with the car categories names (e.g. Rally2 cars compete in WRC2), to identify a common theme of Open and Junior categories between the series, and to reinforce the positioning of the FIA European Rally Championship both as a feeder  series for the WRC and a goal in itself by creating a clear pathway.

    In application of these principles, the WRC2 classification, open to the Rally2 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 30. The WRC3 classification, open to the Rally3 class, will also feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 29.

    Similarly, the ERC3 classification, open to the Rally3 category, will feature an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 28, while the ERC4 classification, open to the Rally4 and Rally5 classes, will equally have an Open Championship and a Junior Championship for drivers under 27.

    In addition to age limits, experience restrictions will be implemented in the Junior Championships. As a result, former champions will not be allowed to put their titles back into play.

    For both the WRC and ERC classifications, awards for Rookies, with less than three participations before the start of the season, and Masters, for drivers over 40 years old not included on the FIA Regional Priority List, will be created.

    As a next step, details will be defined to reflect these principles in the sporting regulations.

    FIA World Endurance Championship

    Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, it was necessary to revise the 2021 calendar. A revised calendar has been approved as follows: 

    26-27 AprilBelgiumOfficial Prologue – Spa-Francorchamps*
    1 MayBelgiumTOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
    13 JunePortugal8 Hours of Portimão*
    18 JulyItaly6 Hours of Monza
    21-22 AugustFrance24 Hours of Le Mans*
    26 SeptemberJapan6 Hours of Fuji
    20 NovemberBahrain8 Hours of Bahrain
    *new dates

    FIA Women in Motorsport Commission

    The final phase of the 2020 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme came to a successful conclusion at the Ferrari Driver Academy in Maranello, Italy. Postponed from November 2020 to January, due to the pandemic, the five-day assessment was the final step for the four finalists after nearly a year of selection and evaluation. During a live broadcast on the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s Facebook page, Dutch/Belgian born Maya Weug was announced as the winner and became the first-ever female driver to become a student of the Academy. Weug will also contest a 2021 Formula 4 championship certified by the FIA. The three other finalists, Doriane Pin, Antonella Bassani and Julia Ayoub, were each awarded by Ferrari a test session in a 488 Challenge EVO.

    The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars is a four-year programme and 2021 will host a second call for talent among the FIA ASNs and the same process will result in a second female driver potentially becoming part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022.

    Michèle Mouton, the Commission President, received widespread praise from council members for her vision and leadership of the Girls on Track project.

    FIA Digital Motorsport Commission 

    The Commission President Anna Nordkvist, of Sweden, was introduced to WMSC members. The task of the new Commission is to grow participation at grassroots level and position the FIA as a key stakeholder in the Digital and Esports industry. It was also agreed that one of the aims of the Commission should be to encourage participation among female Esports competitors.

    FIA Karting Championships

    Approval was given for the re-scheduling of two events on the 2021 calendar.

    The FIA Karting European Championship event (OK & OK-JUNIOR) on the Circuito Internacional Zuera (Spain), originally scheduled for 15-18 April 2021 has been rearranged for 22-25 July 2021.

    The FIA Karting European Championship event (KZ & KZ2) and FIA Karting Academy Trophy on the Adria Karting Raceway (Italy), originally scheduled for 29 April-2 May 2021, has been rearranged for 12-15 August 2021.

    The revised 2021 calendars are as follows:

    FIA Karting World Championship – OK
    28-31 OctoberBrazilBirigui
    FIA Karting World Championship – Junior
    28-31 October Brazil  Birigui
    FIA Karting World Championship – KZ
    02-05 SeptemberSwedenKristianstad
    FIA Karting European Championship – OK
    13-16 MayBelgiumGenk
    27-30 MayFranceAunay-Les-Bois*
    08-11 JulyItaly Sarno
    22-25 JulySpainZuera
    FIA Karting European Championship – Junior
    13-16 MayBelgiumGenk
    27-30 MayFranceAunay-Les-Bois*
    08-11 JulyItalySarno
    22-25 JulySpainZuera
    FIA Karting European Championship – KZ
    17-20 JuneGermanyWackersdorf
    12-15 AugustItalyAdria
    FIA Karting European Championship – KZ2
    17-20 JuneGermanyWackersdorf
    12-15 AugustItalyAdria
    FIA Karting European Championship – Superkart
    22-24 October FranceLe Mans – Bugatti*
    FIA Karting International Super Cup – KZ2
    02-05 September Sweden  Kristianstad
    FIA Karting Academy Trophy
    17-20 JuneGermanyWackersdorf
    12-15 AugustItalyAdria
    02-05 SeptemberSweden   Kristianstad
    *subject to track homologation or re-homologation

    FIA WTCR – World Touring Car Cup

    There are several minor updates to the WTCR Sporting Regulations, including an extension to the registration deadline for full season entries as a result of the later start to the season previously announced. The new deadline is May 2, 2021.

    FIA World Cup for Cross-Country – Rallies and Bajas

    Date changes to the 2021 calendars were approved. The BP Ultimate Portugal Cross-Country Rally, previously the opening round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, will now take place from 16-21 September due to the implementation of further COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

    The Hungarian Baja, a qualifying round of the World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and the newly introduced European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, has been moved to 5-8 August for operational reasons.

    FIA Single-Seater Commission

     FIA Formula 3 World Cup

    The FIA Formula 3 World Cup has been confirmed on the International Sporting Calendar and is scheduled to take place on 21 November 2021 in Macau, China (subject to contract with the promoter).

     Formula 4

    Sporting and Technical Regulations for the Formula 4 element of the 2021 FIA Motorsport Games were approved.

    FIA Rally Commission

    In the FIA Regional Rally Championships, changes to the following 2021 calendars due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have been approved:

    FIA European Rally Championship

    06-08 May (initially 25-27 March)PortugalAzores Rallye
    18-20 JunePoland78 Rally Poland1
    01-03 JulyLatviaRally Liepaja1
    23-25 JulyItalyRally di Roma Capitale1
    27-29 AugustCzech Rep.Barum Czech Rally Zlin1
    24-26 September (initially 12-14 March)PortugalRallye Fafe
    22-24 OctoberHungaryRally Hungary1
    18-20 November (initially 06-08 May)SpainRally Islas Canarias1

    1 Round of the FIA ERC Junior Championships
     
    FIA European Rally Trophy – Benelux Rally Trophy

    09-10 JulyLuxembourgRallye Lëtzebuerg
    28-29 AugustBelgiumAarova Rally
    05-07 NovemberBelgiumRallye du Condroz

     
    FIA European Rally Trophy – Celtic Rally Trophy

    18-20 JuneIrelandDonegal International Rally
    25-26 SeptemberIrelandCork 20 International Rally
    19-20 November (initially 20-21 August)Great BritainUlster International Rally

     
    FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Asia Cup

    23-25 April (initially 26-28 March)IndiaSouth Inda Rally
    10-12 SeptemberJapanRally Hokkaido
    22-24 OctoberChinaRally Longyou

     
    FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Pacific Cup

    15-17 OctoberAustraliaAdelaide Hills Rally
    27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.)AustraliaCoffs Harbour Rally

     
    FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship – Final

    27-28 November (initially 20-21 Nov.)AustraliaCoffs Harbour Rally

     
    FIA Middle East Rally Championship

    28-30 JanuaryQatarManateq Qatar International Rally
    20-22 MayJordanJordan Rally
    03-05 SeptemberLebanonRally of Lebanon
    24-26 SeptemberCyprusCyprus Rally
    04-06 NovemberKuwaitRally of Kuwait
    TBA (initially 18-20 February)OmanRally of Oman

     
    FIA African Rally Championship

    23-25 AprilKenyaEquator Rally Kenya
    25-26 JulyTanzaniaRally of Tanzania
    20-22 AugustUgandaPearl of Africa Uganda Rally
    24-26 SeptemberZambiaZambia International Rally
    05-06 NovemberSouth AfricaRally of South Africa
    TBA (initially 19-21 March)RwandaRwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally

     
    FIA NACAM Rally Championship

    19-20 March (initially 12-13 March)MexicoRally Colima
    02-04 JulyCanadaRallye Int. Baie des Chaleurs
    13-14 AugustMexicoRally Guanajuato
    03-04 September (initially 26-28 August)MexicoRally Sierra Juarez
    25-26 September (initially 28-30 May)BarbadosRally Barbados
    27-28 NovemberMexicoRally Montanas

     
    FIA RGT Cup

    21-24 JanuaryMonacoRallye Monte-Carlo
    07-09 MayFranceRallye Ain Jura
    23-25 JulyItalyRally di Roma Capitale
    13-15 August (initially 25-26 June)BelgiumYpres Rally
    14-17 OctoberSpainRallyRACC Catalunya

    Note: The other FIA Regional Rally Championship calendars remain unchanged.
     
    FIA GT Commission 

    For a new competition designed for electric-powered GT cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.
    Council has chosen the exclusive battery cell supplier.

    Sporting regulations have been approved for both GT3 competitions scheduled for this year’s FIA Motorsport Games, the GT Cup for Silver/Bronze driver pairings and the GT Sprint Cup for a single driver of any ranking.

    FIA Touring Car Commission

    For a new competition designed for electric-powered Touring Cars, the council has selected the Promoter and will work towards concluding the next steps as soon as possible.

    Sporting regulations have been approved for the FIA Motorsport Games: Touring Car Cup.

    FIA Off-Road Commission

    Amendments to the Technical Regulations for the FIA RX2e Championship, the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship, which starts in 2021, were approved. Six race weekends are planned for the inaugural RX2e season, running alongside FIA World RX.

    FIA Hill Climb Commission

    An amendment to the FIA Hill Climb Regulations (Championship, Cup and Masters) was approved. The change allows FIA technical delegates to install randomly data loggers on cars to check the engine RPM during the competition. For Category 1 cars, this will allow crosschecking the RPM values submitted by competitors when registering their car in the “Performance Factor” system that decides in which Group the car is classified. In Category 2, checking RPM values is part of the on-going process of performance analysis of the cars.

    The following calendar changes for the FIA European Hill Climb Championship for 2021 have been approved.

    2021 FIA European Hill Climb Championship (updated)

    07-09 MayPortugalRampa da Boticas
    14-16 MaySpainSubida Internacional al Fito
    28-30 MayCzech RepublicEcce Homo Sternberk (1)
    11-13 JuneGermanyGlasbachrennen
    25-27 JuneItalyCoppa Paolino Teodori (1)
    16-18 JulySlovakiaDobšinský kopec (1)
    23-25 JulyPolandLimanowa
    13-15 AugustSwitzerlandSt. Ursanne – Les Rangiers
    27-29 AugustSloveniaGHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica
    17-19 SeptemberCroatiaBuzetski dani

    (1) Subject to obtaining guarantees from the organisers via their ASN regarding the organisational and/or safety improvements.

    FIA Historic Motor Sport Commission

    The following calendar changes for FIA Historic Championships in 2021 have been approved.

    2021 FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship calendar (updated)

    09-11 AprilItaly36° Sanremo Rally Storico
    06-08 MayCzech Republic30. Historic Vltava Rally
    24-26 JuneHungary54. Mecsek Rallye
    15-17 JulyAustriaRally Weiz
    13-14 AugustFinlandLahti Historic Rally
    02-04 SeptemberSpainRally Asturias Historico
    23-25 SeptemberItaly33° Rally Elba Storico
    21-23 OctoberSwitzerlandRallye International du Valais
    19-20 NovemberSpain69 Rally Costa Brava

     2021 FIA Historic Hill Climb Championship calendar (updated)

    28-30 MayCzech RepublicEcce Homo Sternberk
    18-20 JuneSloveniaGHD Gorjanci
    02-04 JulyItalyTrento Bondone
    09-11 JulyItalyCesana Sestriere
    27-29 AugustSloveniaGHD Petrol Ilirska Bistrica
    17-19 SeptemberCroatiaBuzetski Dani
    24-26 SeptemberItalyCoppa Chianti Classico

     
    2021 FIA Trophy for Historic Regularity Rallies (updated) 

    11-13 NovemberPoland10th Rally Poland Historic

    2021 FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup 

    16-18 JulyNetherlandsZandvoort

     FIA Truck Racing Commission

    Following a successful tender process, an exclusive supplier of biofuel for the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, covering the term from 2021-2023, has been selected, making FIA ETRC the first FIA-regulated competition to switch to a fuel fully originated from renewable sources (HVO biofuel). The announcement will be made in due course.

    FIA Drag Racing Commission

    In order to standarise class structure and regulations across national drag racing competitions, amended Technical Regulations and Race Procedures for FIA Drag Racing have been approved, with the addition of new “Sportsman” and “Grassroots” categories. The aim of this work is to support ASNs by:

    • Enabling national level competitors to be able to compete across borders more easily, increasing entry numbers for all events
    • Assisting national level technical officials to maintain a higher safety and regulatory standard
    • Minimising the resources that an ASN must invest in Drag Racing by having the regulations instead maintained by the FIA, and
    • Increasing the resale value of competition cars by making them eligible to compete in more markets.

    FIA Drifting Commission

    Sporting regulations have been approved for both the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup and the FIA Motorsport Games: Drifting Cup.

    Sport Clubs Development Programme

    The WMSC members were informed that applications had opened for the Sport Clubs Development Programme (SCDP) – an FIA Innovation Fund (FIF) initiative which provides support for the management and development of motor sport activities through an intensive, two-year mentoring process from FIA Experts. The closing date for applications is March 31.

    Upcoming World Motor Sport Council Meetings 

    Dates of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meetings in 2021 are as follows:

    09 JulyMonaco, on the occasion of the FIA Sport and Mobility Conference
    15 OctoberParis
    15 DecemberParis, on the occasion of the FIA Annual General Assembly
  • FIA releases 2021 safety initiatives after concluding Bahrain GP accident inquiry

    FIA releases 2021 safety initiatives after concluding Bahrain GP accident inquiry

    Paris, 5 March 2021: According to Festus area auto injury attorneys, the FIA’s Safety department has completed its investigation into the accident in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship race at the Bahrain International Circuit on November 29, 2020, in which the Swiss-born French driver Romain Grosjean crashed into the barrier 180 metres after the apex of Turn 3 and his Haas F1 team car caught fire before he escaped with significant but not life-threatening injuries.

    The investigation included interviews with those involved, inspection of the physical evidence, analysis of available video material, as well as examination of the data from the car’s accident data recorder and driver’s ear accelerometers. For any other types of accidents like oil field injury claim in San Antonio, they can get the best attorneys from here!

    This investigative work has been peer-reviewed by the FIA Serious Accident Study Group, led by FIA President Jean Todt. Input into the investigation was also received from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. The findings of the investigation were presented to the FIA’s Circuits Commission, Medical Commission, Single Seater Commission, F1 Commission, Safety Commission, Volunteers and Officials Commission, and the World Motor Sport Council. The findings will also be presented in the Drivers’ Commission on March 23, 2021. One can also hire a lawyer after a construction accident to make sure they stay out of legal trouble.

    The objective of the accident investigation was to identify factors that contributed to the accident consequence, as well as other tertiary factors that did not influence the severity of the outcome but nonetheless provide invaluable learnings for the FIA’s ongoing efforts to improve safety in motor sport.

    Accident Analysis

    The investigation focused on the two cars that were involved in the accident – the #8 driven by Romain Grosjean and the #26 Scuderia Alpha Tauri car driven by Russia’s Daniil Kvyat, noting that several other cars had a circumstantial but non-consequential effect on the initiation of the accident sequence.

    During the opening lap of the Bahrain GP, Romain Grosjean’s car was travelling at 241 km/h when he lost control on the exit of Turn 3 following contact between his right rear wheel and Daniil Kvyat’s left front wheel when attempting to pass from the left to right-hand side of the track.

    The car-to-car contact lifted the rear of Romain Grosjean’s car, forcing it to yaw to the right and placing it on an out-of-control trajectory into the run-off area on the inside of the circuit at the exit of Turn 3. Daniil Kvyat also altered trajectory and entered the same run-off area but was able to re-join the track shortly after without further contact.

    Romain Grosjean’s car impacted the triple guardrail barrier behind the run-off area at 192 km/h and at an angle of 29 degrees, with an estimated yaw of 22 degrees to the direction of travel and a resultant peak force equivalent to 67g. Following the failure of the middle rail of the barrier and significant deformation of the upper and lower rails, the survival cell was able to pierce the barrier and came to rest behind the barrier, constrained by the primary roll structure against the upper rail of the barrier.

    The car suffered extensive damage during the impact including separation of the power train assembly from the survival cell. The fuel tank inspection hatch on the left-hand side of the chassis was dislodged and the engine fuel supply connection was torn from the fuel tank “safety bladder”; both providing primary paths for the escape of fuel from the tank.

    The driver safety equipment including helmet, HANS and safety harness as well as the survival cell, seat, headrest and Halo frontal cockpit protection performed according to their specifications in protecting the driver’s survival space and managing the forces applied to the driver during the impact.

    The high voltage Energy Recovery System (ERS) battery was significantly damaged, with some parts of the ERS battery assembly remaining with the powertrain and others remaining attached to the survival cell.

    Fire was ignited during the final moments of the barrier impact, starting from the rear of the survival cell and progressing forwards towards the driver as the fire grew.

    The resting position of the survival cell, relative to the upper rail of the barrier significantly restricted the path for driver egress. Due to damage to the survival cell and a number of components within the cockpit environment, Romain Grosjean’s left foot was initially trapped as the car came to rest. The driver was able to free his foot by withdrawing it from his racing boot leaving the boot in the entrapped position in the car and then moved both the dislodged headrest and steering wheel to egress the car.

    The race was red flagged approximately 5.5 seconds following Romain Grosjean’s impact with the barrier.

    Medical and Rescue

    A comprehensive medical and rescue response to this incident was immediately initiated. The FIA Medical Car arrived within 11 seconds of the incident, a time achieved partly due to the fact a ‘short cut’ was taken to avoid turn 1, demonstrating both local circuit knowledge and pre-planning.

    The arrival of the Medical Car carrying the FIA F1 Medical Rescue Coordinator Dr Ian Roberts, FIA F1 Medical Car Driver Alan van der Merwe and a local doctor, provided immediate assistance with each performing a pre-determined role.

    Ian Roberts went immediately to the scene of the incident and instructed a marshal to operate the dry powder extinguisher around the cockpit where he identified Romain Grosjean as trying to make his egress. Alan Van der Merwe retrieved a fire extinguisher from the rear of the FIA Medical Car whilst the local doctor prepared the trauma bag.

    Romain Grosjean was able to egress unaided and was out of car after 27 seconds.

    Romain Grosjean suffered burns to the back sides of both hands. Following initial examination by the FIA Medical Car personnel he was transported by ambulance to the circuit Medical Centre for evaluation. He was subsequently transported by helicopter to the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital for further assessment and treatment. He was discharged from hospital after three days, on December 2, 2020.

    FIA President Jean Todt said: “Important learnings have been drawn from these investigations that will drive our continuous mission to improve safety in Formula 1 and global motor sport. The enduring commitment of the FIA, particularly the Safety Department, on reducing risks associated with motor sport enabled Romain Grosjean to maintain consciousness and survive an accident of this magnitude. Safety is and will remain FIA’s top priority.”

    FIA Safety Director Adam Baker said: “Incidents involving fire of this scale are thankfully rare, so it is very important to learn what we can, including the interaction with the high voltage system. The efforts of those involved were heroic and have quite rightly been the subject of much praise. Following the approval of our findings by the World Motor Sport Council, we will integrate the actions into the ongoing work.”

    2021 FIA Circuit Racing Safety Initiatives 

    In 2020, the FIA Safety Department conducted investigations into 19 significant accidents related to circuit racing, supported by the ASN (National Sporting Authority) in each country.

    In line with the FIA’s commitment to continuous safety improvement and as a result of its pre-existing body of motor sport safety data, extensive expertise, ongoing research projects and the knowhow generated by motor sport incidents from around the world in recent decades, including these 19 accidents, the federation is undertaking work in the following areas:

    Vehicle 

    • Regulation of survival cell front geometry, plus additional load tests in that area
    • Review of existing regulations regarding rear view mirrors
    • Review of steering column mounting requirements
    • Review of regulation and homologation requirements for headrest assembly
    • Analysis of Power Unit mounting and mount failure modes
    • Ongoing research project: Wheel Restraint Cables (tethers)
    • Design review of safety fuel bladder installations in all FIA single seater categories
    • Recommendations for safety fuel bladder installation best practice
    • Update of the FIA Standard for safety fuel bladders
    • Review of regulations for design of safety fuel bladder connections and inspection hatches
    • Fuel homologation to include compatibility of bladder material and specific fuel

    Circuit 

    • Increased functionality for Circuit Safety Analysis Software (CSAS) including quantitative impact probability classification
    • Review of existing circuit barrier opening installations
    • Review of guidelines/process for circuit homologation and licence renewal

    Driver safety equipment 

    • Investigation into improvements to the gloves’ Heat Transfer Index (HTI)
    • Ongoing research project: Visor opening/locking mechanisms; project scope extended to include requirements to ensure that visor opening systems are operational after being exposed to fire
    • Ongoing research project: Extinguisher system for open cockpit cars; project scope extended to include investigation of improved activation mechanisms

    Medical and Rescue 

    • Updates to Medical Intervention Vehicle equipment, including alternate extinguisher types
    • Provide ASN guidance on post-fire decontamination
    • Ongoing development of FIA firefighting training module for ASNs
    • Ongoing development of FIA high voltage safety training module for ASNs
    • Ongoing development of FIA Incident Command/Co-ordination training module for ASNs

    Additionally, the FIA Safety Department is also planning further research projects such as:

    • Investigation of options for proximity warning systems and electronic visibility aids 
    • Research into retrofit and upgrade options to improve impact performance of existing guardrail barriers
    • Research into novel barrier systems, effective across a wider range of impact conditions
    • Research to assess current fire extinguishing media, firefighting equipment and personal protective equipment and assess new technologies
  • Honda end Shakedown on top, Bastianini fastest rookie

    Honda end Shakedown on top, Bastianini fastest rookie

    Bradl rules a windy day in the desert and the Moto2 graduates get their first taste of the premier class as MotoGP™ shakes down in Doha

    Doha, 5 March 2021: MotoGP is Back! The Shakedown Test officially got 2021 underway at Losail International Circuit in Qatar on Friday, meaning it’s rookies and test riders only until Saturday welcomes the rest of the grid to the party. At the Shakedown, it was HRC test rider Stefan Bradl who finished finished top of the pile, the German pulling 1.2 seconds clear at the top despite the pace staying a fair margin away from “normal” Qatar speed. His 1:55.614 is a couple of seconds down on the all-time lap record and he rode around with a carbon inserted chassis, the same one he finished the season so brilliantly on in 2020.

    A big reason for the laptimes was the windy conditions, making it difficult for the riders to get a decent amount of running in and even causing their own Red Flag involving no riders. For three rookies – Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama), Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) – it was still first ever contact with their MotoGP machinery, however, and there was a buzzword for all: “FAST.” Bastianini was the quickest of the three, fourth overall after 35 laps. At this stage though, it’s all about gaining experience and the first one out was Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia), the Italian eventually finishing P8 after 33 laps. Martin, meanwhile, endured his first MotoGP crash, but the Spaniard was unhurt when he went down on the exit of Turn 3 after hitting a bump. Martin finished his maiden day as a premier class rider with a 1:58.875 in P10 after 31 laps.

    Back at the top between Bradl and Bastianini, two Yamaha test bikes were inside the top three on the timesheets, and their testing duty was split between three riders: multiple Grand Prix winner Cal Crutchlow as he returns to the fold in a testing capacity, alongside Katsuyuki Nakasuga and Kohta Nozane. The bikes were numbered and counted on the timesheets, not the riders – but Crutchlow seemed to be back on it! The third machine was registered in P6 and overall, the Iwata marque did more than 100 laps.

    Bastianini (sporting his new number) was the fastest rookie. A MotoGP image

    Ducati Lenovo Team test rider Michele Pirro ended the day 0.005s behind Bastianini in fifth place, and the Italian was seen riding Jack Miller, Francesco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco’s (Pramac Racing) machines during the Shakedown Test. Ducati debuted new wings, and we’re surely going to be seeing more innovations from the Bologna factory throughout the Qatar Test when all the riders are out on track. It’s become almost a tradition.

    Meanwhile at Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Lorenzo Savadori is, like the Moto2 graduates, also gearing up for his first full season as a premier class rider and he was out on Aprilia’s pretty much all-new RS-GP. As Simon Crafar reported from on the ground in Qatar, the 2021 machine is basically a whole new package. It features a new engine that gives improved power across its range, a new seat unit, a new top and bottom exhaust along with a new tail unit, new front aero and in addition, Aprilia have a holeshot device attached to the rear linkage. Savadori wasn’t joined on track by teammate Aleix Espargaro, the Spaniard choosing to sit out Friday’s running, but the rookie Italian headed out on the number 41 bike at stages. He was seventh after posting a 1:58.273.

    Sylvain Guintoli and Takuya Tsuda were lapping on Team Suzuki Ecstar’s GSX-RRs, the duo finished P9 and P12 respectively. Guintoli said that Suzuki have a major programme ahead with testing new parts and the Frenchman was over the moon to be back on the bike after five months off. The reigning team World Champions will welcome reigning riders’ Champion Joan Mir and teammate Alex Rins for the rest of the track action to join in the workload. Will they remain the team to beat in 2021?

    At Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa was putting in the laps, the Spaniard finishing 11th on the timesheets. The number 26 was seen testing a new tail unit for the Austrian factory and he completed 34 laps. Pedrosa’s four teammates – including Tech3 KTM Factory Racing – will be on track tomorrow to join the programme.

    With the wind causing plenty of issues for the Shakedown Test, an already busy and vital Qatar Test is about to become even busier over the next week! Saturday sees all the full-time riders get their legs over MotoGP bikes for the first time in 2021.

  • Pirelli gets one more year till 2023 as F1 tyre supplier

    Pirelli gets one more year till 2023 as F1 tyre supplier

    The FIA and Formula 1 have proposed, and Pirelli has agreed, a one-year extension to the existing exclusive tyre supply contract to reflect the original intention of the 2018 tyre tender and remain within the overall technical framework, which is in the best interests of all relevant stakeholders. The most recent tyre tender from the FIA and Formula 1 back in 2018 was for the supply of a 13-inch tyre during the 2020 season, followed by three consecutive seasons of 18-inch tyres from 2021 to 2023 inclusive. The COVID-19 pandemic, which also disrupted the 2020 Formula 1 season, obliged the FIA and Formula 1 to implement emergency measures that included the cancellation of tyre development tests last year and the postponement of planned new technical regulations – which included 18-inch tyres – from 2021 to 2022. As a result, the current rules now state that 13-inch tyres will be used during the 2021 season, with a move to 18-inch tyres in 2022.
    STEFANO DOMENICALI, FORMULA 1 PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: “The pandemic caused disruption across the world and Formula 1 was not immune from that. We therefore took the necessary measures last year to defer the regulations by one year to 2022. We are very proud of our partnership with Pirelli and grateful to them for their constructive approach to this timing change. Pirelli are very conscious of strategic role that the tyres have in F1 and we know that they are working very hard to make sure that their products will represent the best balance between performance and durability in the new technical context. We look forward to the start of the 2021 season and we are all excited for the new cars and new 18-inch tyres to hit the track under the new regulations in 2022.” JEAN TODT, FIA PRESIDENT: “I want to thank Formula 1 and Pirelli for their collaboration, flexibility and commitment to our sport during this most difficult period. COVID-19 has presented us with significant challenges across all aspects of our businesses, but by working together in a sensible, pragmatic way, we have been able to ensure that the long term stability and strength of Formula 1 remains undiminished. The shift to 18″ wheels and tyres will certainly provide a more exciting image for Formula 1 cars, but it has also presented a significant technical challenge requiring a lot of investment and development on behalf of Pirelli as they continue to deliver tyres that will perform at the highest level. In light of this, and the necessary postponement of the new regulations as a result of the pandemic, it is only logical to extend the supply of tyres accordingly”.

    MARCO TRONCHETTI PROVERA, PIRELLI EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: “The world of motorsport has also had to face up to the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the FIA and FOM did an extraordinary job to organise a 17-race championship in 2020. We’re obviously pleased to have reached this agreement that will extend our presence at the pinnacle of world motorsport until 2024. Pirelli has been alongside Formula 1 for more than 70 years, since the very first race in 1950, and the company continues to invest in the highest technological levels of research and development, as shown by the introduction of 18-inch tyres from next year. Motorsport forms part of our DNA and Formula 1 represents an open-air laboratory that allows us to apply the know-how gained on track into our road car tyres, starting off with the Ultra High Performance range that equips the most prestigious cars in the world”.
  • Williams Racing F1 unveils livery for 2021 season

    Williams Racing F1 unveils livery for 2021 season

    Grove/Virtual Launch: 5 March 2021: Williams Racing Friday proudly launches its 2021 Formula One challenger, the Williams Mercedes FW43B, featuring a striking new livery for the season ahead. The team’s new look captures the spirit of the team’s past, the present transformation and its drive to future ambitions as it heads into its first full season of ownership under US based Investment company, Dorilton Capital. However, due to technical issues the virtual launch was not held and the F1 teams released images and info to the media.

    Whilst evolutionary on the technical side due to the regulations, hence the designation FW43B as opposed to the FW44, the 2021 car will race with a dramatic new visual identity sporting a livery inspired by Williams’ all-conquering cars of the 1980s and 1990s, combining blues, white and yellow accents.

    Speaking for the first time as CEO of Williams Racing, Jost Capito said: “Williams Racing is a sporting icon, and a team that has forged a reputation of success through sheer determination and grit intertwined with innovation, passionate and skilful race-craft and an absolute desire to win. Highs and lows are typical in any long-established sporting brand’s journey and historic success can be a strong motivator, but it cannot be relied upon to define future success in the modern era of Formula One.

    “Therefore, we have created a fresh new livery for the 2021 car; one that acknowledges our incredible past and retains the spirit, drive and motivation that remains at the core of Williams’ DNA yet looks to the future and signposts our long-term ambition to return to the front of the grid. Whilst we are just starting out on this journey and there is still a lot of work to do, we are happy to see momentum in the right direction and look forward to continuing that progress on track this season.”

    Williams apologises to fans: In a Media Statement, Williams Racing said that they planned a virtual launch to reveal its 2021 challenger, the FW43B, via an augmented reality app later today (5th March). However, sadly, because the app was hacked prior to launch, this will no longer be possible. We have subsequently removed the app from both the Apple App Store and Android Google Play store.

    We were very much looking forward to sharing this experience with our fans, particularly during this difficult time when being able to bring in-person experiences directly to our fans is sadly not possible. We can only apologise that this has not been possible.

  • AMR21 makes track debut at Silverstone Promotional Day

    AMR21 makes track debut at Silverstone Promotional Day

    Silverstone, 4 March 2021: After 61 years, of an Aston Martin Grand Prix car last competed in F1, the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team on Thursday gave the on-track debut to its 2021 Formula One car, the AMR21, at Silverstone for a promotional running event.
     
    Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant each drove a DBR5 in the 1960 British Grand Prix, the last running by Aston Martin in its Formula One programme until the return of the brand, as the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, for 2021.
     
    Today, drivers Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel both drove the AMR21, sharing the allocated 100km of running on Pirelli demo tyres.
     
    Next up for the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team is testing in Bahrain on March 12-14, before Aston Martin makes its long-awaited return to the Formula One World Championship grid in the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28.

    Lance Stroll debuts AMR21 at a promotional event in Silverstone on Thursday.