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Category: General
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Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday remembered
Schumy file photo courtesy FIA Michael began his career in karting and became German Junior Champion in 1984 and 1985. Two years later, he won the German and European titles. Then he jumped into Formula 3, with a prestigious victory in Macau in 1990. He started in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 1991 at Spa with Jordan. He won his first F1 race at the Belgian Grand Prix one year later with Benetton. He won two drivers titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, and five consecutive titles with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. After a first break between 2007 and 2009, he returned to F1 in 2010 with Mercedes. He definitively retired at the end of 2012. Michael Schumacher is the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time, with 68 pole positions, 155 podiums, 91 Grand Prix victories and seven World Championships.
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Obituary: Charlie Whiting 1952 to 2019
Image courtesy Twitter Moments The FIA is deeply saddened to report that its Director of Formula One Charlie Whiting has died suddenly aged 66 after suffering a pulmonary embolism overnight on Thursday morning in Melbourne, where he was set to officiate at this weekend’s season-opening Australian GP.
“It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s passing,” said FIA President Jean Todt. “Charlie Whiting was a great Race Director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie. All my thoughts, those of the FIA and entire motor sport community go out to his family, friends, and all Formula One lovers.”
Whiting began his Formula One in 1977 when he joined the Hesketh team as a mechanic. The team, which had brought James Hunt to worldwide recognition, was in a parlous state when Whiting joined and when it closed at the end of the season, he moved to Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham squad the following year.
Whiting stayed with the team for the next decade, working on the cars of Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet before rising to the position of chief mechanic during the period it twice took Piquet to Drivers’ Championship glory, in 1981 and 1983.
He left Brabham at the end of the 1987 season, when Ecclestone sold the team. At Ecclestone’s suggestion Whiting joined the FIA’s technical department in 1988, initially working under then technical delegate Gabriel Cadringher before becoming technical delegate in 1990. Later in the decade he took on the race starter role he is perhaps most publicly well known for, assumed the position of safety delegate and took on responsibility for circuits.
In 1997 he was appointed Formula One Race Director and in the more two decades that followed steered the running of 400 grands prix.
Following his sudden passes tributes to Whiting have flowed in from teams and drivers across Formula One.
Formula 1’s Managing Director, Motorsport Ross Brawn a former technical director at Ferrari and a former team boss at Brawn and Mercedes, said: “I have known Charlie for all of my racing life. We worked as mechanics together, became friends and spent so much time together at race tracks across the world.
“I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news. I’m devastated. It is a great loss not only for me personally but also the entire Formula 1 family, the FIA and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”
Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner said: Charlie has played a key role in this sport and has been the referee and voice of reason as Race Director for many years. He was a man with great integrity who performed a difficult role in a balanced way.
“At heart, he was a racer with his origins stretching back to his time at Hesketh and the early days of Brabham. On behalf of everyone at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing we pass on our sincere condolences to his family and friends. Charlie was a great man who will be sadly missed by the entire Formula 1 paddock and the wider motorsport community.”
Five-time FIA Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton said he was “incredibly shocked to hear the sad news.
“What he did for this sport, I mean, his commitment… he really was a pillar, an iconic figure in the sporting world and he contributed so much for us. May he rest in peace,” said the Mercedes driver.
Ferrari’s four-time champion Sebastian Vettel said: “I was shocked when I head the news this morning, especially because I spoke to him yesterday and walked the track for the first couple of corners together with him. I’ve known him for a long time and he’s been our man, the driver’s man. Obviously there are regulations and then there is us and he was the middleman. He was someone you could ask anything of, anytime. His door was always open. He was a racer and just a very nice guy. Shocked. I think all our thoughts, of the whole family of Formula One, are with him and especially with his family in these difficult circumstances.”
Williams driver Robert Kubica, who is returning to the sport this year after an eight-year absence added: “It is a hard moment. I saw Seb walking with Charlie yesterday and thought I would not interrupt them because I would see him on Friday at the Drivers’ Briefing. Unfortunately this will not be the case. It’s very sad. He was kind of an icon of Formula One. He was a racer, but also keeping up everything in the regulations. He was really the kind of a person you could always trust and commit.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen said: “It was a big shock, also because I spent the day with him in Geneva a few weeks ago [at the FIA Stewards’ Seminar] and we had a good chat, just about a lot of things. When I left at the time, I was like ‘see you in Australia for another season of racing’ and when you hear this news it‘s just unbelievable.”
Verstappen’s former Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, now with Renault, added that Whiting had always been on the drivers’ side.
“He was there for us, and we gave him a hard time. We would really press him and push him and make him work, but he was always really receptive and you always felt like he was on our side,” he said. “I guess we were like a broken record with a lot of the things we would complain about but he never shut it down. He was always ‘ears open’. I think he did a lot for the sport. “We’ll all race with a lot of passion this weekend and it’s just a reminder we are all very lucky to be in this position.”
The McLaren team Tweeted that Whiting would be “remembered as one of the giants of our sport, as well as a great colleague. Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with all of his loved ones”, while 2016 FIA Formula One World Champion Nico Robserg said: “he cared so much for us drivers, for our safety and for trying to keep things fair out on track. My thoughts are especially with you, Mrs Whiting and your children.”
The 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti also paid tribute to Whiting saying: Charlie was a true Giant in our sport and very possibly irreplaceable. Sincere condolences to his family and everyone who appreciated this man. RIP my friend.”
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F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting passes away
Image courtesy Twitter Moments Melbourne, 14 March 2019: FIA Director of Formula One, Charlie Whiting, has sadly passed away this morning (14 March 2019), in Melbourne, aged 66, as the result of a pulmonary embolism, three days before the Australian Grand Prix which will open the F1 season. He began his F1 career in 1977 working at the Hesketh team, then in the 1980s at Brabham, has been an integral part of the organisation of the FIA Formula One World Championship since he joined the Federation in 1988, and has been the Race Director since 1997.
FIA President Jean Todt said: “It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie’s sudden passing. I have known Charlie Whiting for many years and he has been a great Race Director, a central and inimitable figure in Formula One who embodied the ethics and spirit of this fantastic sport. Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie. All my thoughts, those of the FIA and entire motor sport community go out to his family, friends, and all Formula One lovers.”
Ross Brawn, Managing Director, Motorsports, Formula 1 said: “I have known Charlie for all of my racing life. We worked as mechanics together, became friends and spent so much time together at race tracks across the world. I was filled with immense sadness when I heard the tragic news. I’m devastated. It is a great loss not only for me personally but also the entire Formula 1 family, the FIA and motorsport as a whole. All our thoughts go out to his family.”
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Aishwarya Pissay tops among women in FIM Bajas World Cup at Dubai
Aishwarya who topped the women’s field in action on Saturday. A TVS Racing image Dubai, 9 March 2019: India’s Aishwarya Pissay completed a highly successful run in the first round of the FIM Bajas World Cup as she topped the women’s category and also picked up useful points in the junior category as the two-day event, covering 400 Kms of Special Stages across sand dunes, concluded here today.
Aishwarya Pissay, 23, from Bengaluru, and supported by TVS Racing, Mountain Dew, Scott Motorsports India and Big Rock Dirt Pack, not only achieved her immediate target of completing the grueling two-day event but also collected useful championship points.
After crossing the finish line on completing the day’s 204 Kms Special Stage, Aishwarya, said: “I am thrilled to have finished the rally as it is a confidence booster. Day 2 was much better for me as I made fewer mistakes and looked to pick up my pace.
“All the training from the past few weeks really made a difference in the dunes. I will definitely be back next year and look to improve my performance.”
Aishwarya, India’s first-ever women’s National Racing champion, finished the World Cup 26th in Overall classification with a much-improved performance on Day 2.
Aishwarya was competing in only her second international event after her debut in Spain last year ended with a heavy cash leading to injuries and lengthy rehabilitation.
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Aishwarya completes Day 1: FIM Bajas World Cup
Aishwarya Pissay survives Day 1 at Bajas World Cup on Friday. Images: TVS Racing Dubai, 8 March 2019: India’s Aishwarya Pissay completed Day 1 of the FIM Bajas World Cup despite a few crashes on the 201.6 Kms stage as she also battled the sand dunes and navigation here on Friday. The event concludes tomorrow with the competitors negotiating another Special Stage of 204.93 Kms.
Aishwarya, the 23-year old from Bengaluru, sponsored by TVS Racing, Mountain Dew, Scott Motorsports India and Big Rock Dirt Park, picked up the pace in the latter half of the day and was placed 31st among 37 starters.
“It was a tough start to the rally. I fell multiple times in the first 60 kms and lost lots of time. Also since the cars started ahead of bikes, the tracks were all quite deep and so I had to set my own track.
“Using the GPS Navigation took some time to get used to, but I was confident by the end of the stage. I am Looking to better my performance on Day 2 and end the rally on a high,” said National women’s rally champion Aishwarya, who holds the unique record of being India’s first women’s National racing champion before switching full-time to rallying.
On Thursday evening, HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum flagged off the competitors at the ceremonial start.
While on Friday, the competitors headed out from Dubai Autodrome into the Al Qudra desert to tackle the 201.6lkm Special Stage, the riders will negotiate the second Special Stage (204.93 Kms) on Sunday before the event returns to the Autodrome at 12.30 pm with the ceremonial finish taking place at 5 pm (local time).
Aishwarya Pissay in action on Friday, 8 March 2019. -
Aishwarya set for FIM Bajas World Cup in Dubai
Aishwarya Pissay at the official press conference in Dubai on Wednesday, Image: TVS Racing Dubai, 6 March 2019: India’s Aishwarya Pissay, having fully recovered from the injury she suffered last year in Spain, is all set for her second international event, the first round of the FIM Bajas World Cup commencing here on Thursday with a ceremonial flag-off.
Bengaluru-based Aishwarya, 23, sponsored by TVS Racing, Mountain Dew, Scott Motorsports India and Big Rock Dirt Park, will be competing in the 450cc, women and junior categories, astride a non-TVS bike. The event has attracted over 100 riders from 25 countries.
Aishwarya, who was injured after a crash in the Spanish Baja last year and was out of action for nearly six months, said: “This is an exciting start to my international racing season. I have been training really hard over the last few weeks in the sand dunes, which has been a tremendous learning experience. I am thankful to my sponsors TVS Racing, Mountain Dew, Scott and Big Rock Dirt Park for believing and supporting my dreams to represent India on the global motorsport stage.”This will be Aishwarya’s second attempt at an international rally. In 2018, she competed in the Baja Aragon. However, her debut on the global stage ended with a crash that required lengthy rehabilitation. In the past couple of months, she has been training at the Big Rock track run by ace cross-country rider CS Santosh, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. She also went in advance to Dubai to train on the sand dunes.
The first rider will leave the start at 06.45hrs on Friday, March 8th for a 50kms liaison section before starting the opening selective section of 201.60km, one hour later. The second timed section of 204.03km takes place on Saturday, March 9th. In a total of 607km, 407km will be timed against the clock.
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Ajgar-Musthafa hat-trick: JK Tyre Himalayan Drive
Ajgar and Mustafa in action. JK Tyre Photos Siliguri, 2 March 2019: After four days of cross-country rallying, the formidable team of Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Musthafa successfully defended their JK Tyre Himalayan Drive 7 crown.
Hailing from the small port town of Haldia in West Bengal, Ajgar Ali, along with Erode’s Mohammed Musthafa, achieved the rare feat of winning their third successive title in the country’s only international TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) rally.In the national category, Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Musthafa ended with a final tally of 1110 penalty points to emerge victorious. Securing the second position were the team of Gagan Sethi and Rajkumar Mundra with 1847 penalty points while Jogendra Jaiswal and Nagarajan Thangaraj ended their campaign in third position with 2035 penalty points.In the open category, the team of Govind Dalmia and Anand Agarwal edged past category leader Rohit Agarwal and Kunal Joshi to finish with 9149 penalty points. The Agarwal-Joshi team scored 9691 penalty points. Finishing third in this category were the team of Suyash Raj and Mohammad Sharif with 10796 penalty points.Ajgar & Mustafa This year’s title battle saw a nail-biting finish. The team of Jogendra Jaiswal and Nagarajan Thangaraj who started the final day (Day 4, Saturday) as championship leaders lost their bid to the crown in the very final moments by missing the penultimate time control and suffering a 900-penalty points blow.
“We made a big mistake (by missing the second-last time control) and we handed the championship title to them (Ajgar and Musthafa). It is a disappointment for us, but the winners deserve the title,” Nagarajan Thangaraj said.“We are very happy to score this hattrick. It was a very exciting rally and I can say that the seventh edition of JK Tyre Himalayan Drive is the best TSD rally in the country till date. The competitive sections were superb and posed a tough challenge to drivers, navigators and our cars,” said Ajgar Ali.He was also all praise for Just Sportz, the rally organisers. “This rally is always well-organised and everything is transparent. The hospitality of the organisers is unparalleled,” Ali added.This year’s victory takes the total winning tally of Ajgar Ali and Mohammed Musthafa to four titles (2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019) since the Himalayan Drive was first held in 2013. The team of Sudip Ghosh and navigator Arindam Ghosh were the only other team to have won more than one championship title at this event (2014 and 2016). Anubhav De and co-driver Chandan Sen won the title in 2015.The last leg of the rally was flagged off from the Kalimpong stadium and started with a steep climb on the road from Mungpoo to Jorebungalow that was lined with verdant forests and offered majestic views of snow-capped peaks of the eastern Himalayas for a few kilometres. This was followed by another competitive section downhill through winding mountain roads of Rohini. The third and last competitive section was a tough drive stretching over nearly 23 kilometers through the bed of the Mechi river that forms the border between India and Nepal. -
Raghul rangasamy crowned `Upcoming Motorsports Person of the Year’: FMSCI awards
Gautam Singhania (CMD Raymond Group), Raghul Rangasamy winner of the FMSCI Upcoming Motorsports Person of the Year Award, Jean Todt (president FIA), J. Prithiviraj President of FMSCI on Monday. An FMSCI image Mumbai, 25 Feb 2019: India’s top performers in the world of motorsports were felicitated during the 2018 FMSCI Annual Awards function here on Monday, with Chennai’s Raghul Rangasamy winning the coveted ‘Upcoming Motorsports Person Of The Year Award.
The awards function once held at a make-shift venue under tents some years back, under the guidance of the late Bharat Raj now travels every year to five-star hotels, with pomp and show. Lakhs and lakhs of rupees, which ideally need to be spent on the sportspersons, riders and drivers, end up in corporate kitties. Many more lakhs are being paid as income tax to the government every year for lack of any innovative programmes by the FMSCI which can reduce such taxes in productive expenditure for the promotion of sport.
Rangasamy, the 25-year-old racer had a spectacular year, completing a fine double by claiming the LGB Formula 4 title in the JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship and the FF 1600 category in the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship to pocket the prestigious Raymond Gautam Singhania Trophy.
The chief guest at the glittering function, the President of FIA (Le Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), Jean Todt, gave away the top prize as also a number of other important trophies in the presence of a galaxy of stars.
Todt, famously known as the force behind Ferrari’s spectacular rise in Formula 1, expressed his delight at the way Indian motorsport has progressed and believed that the country was on its way to bigger things on the world stage. But sadly, the fact is that the Formula One continues to elude the country and there is no positive sign that it would return to India in the near future. The Indian Government and the Indian Olympic Association lay down rules where the sport needs to be democratically governed and represented by all States in its governing body to get the nod for recognition.
The annual function, held under the stewardship of new FMSCI president J Prithiviraj, saw as many as 61 winners receiving the trophies. The former president of FMSCI (1981-82 & 1985-87), GR Karthikeyan, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his valuable contribution to Indian motorsport.
Basking in the progress made in the year gone by, and appreciating the efforts of all the stakeholders, promoters, sponsors and winners, Prithiviraj revealed that much more was in store.
“We are entering the golden period of Indian motorsports. We have events in virtually all the disciplines possible and our boys and girls are competing and winning at the world level, like never before,” he said. “We are going to introduce many other exciting verticals very soon,” he added.
The FMSCI handed out Special Awards to all those made the country proud at the international level too while making a special mention of multiple winner Gaurav Gill, for taking part in the World Rally Championship.
Among others, Armaan Ebrahim (podium finish at the Lamborghini Trofeo series), Anindith Reddy Konda (podium at Lamborghini Trofeo Series), Amiitrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik (winners at ERC 2 Acropolis Rally) and Malswandawngliana (2nd in Asia Cup of Road Racing India round) received these awards.
Leading female drivers of the country, including Mira Erda, Sneha Sharma and Shriya Lohia, were also bestowed with the ‘Outstanding Women in Motorsport’ trophies.
The FMSCI meanwhile underlined its new philosophy, ‘equal investment in competitor & training officials’, to take the sport to the next level.
Lifetime achievement award: G R Karthikeyan; Upcoming Motorsport person of the year: Raghul Rangasamy
JK Tyres FMSCI National Racing Championship
Euro JK 18: Karthik Tharani; LGB Formula 4: Raghul Rangasamy; Champion Team (LGB Formula 4): Msport; Rookie Driver (LGB Formula 4): Sohil Shah
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship
MRF FF 1600: Raghul Rangasamy; FLGB 1300: Sohil Shah; Champion Team (FLGB 1300): Msport; Super Stock K Srinivas Teja; Champion Team (Super Stock ):Performance Racing; Indian Junior Touring Cars: AS Prabhu; Champion Team( Indian Junior Touring Cars): Arka Motorsports; Indian Touring Cars: Ashish Ramaswamy; Champion Team (Indian Touring Cars): Arka Motorsports
FMSCI Indian National Autocross Championship
Driver Stock (2-wheel drive upto 1400 cc ):Sahil Khanna; Driver Stock( 2-wheel drive Over 1400 cc upto 1650 cc): Samrat Yadav; Driver Stock (2-wheel drive Over 1650 cc) Arjun Rao; Driver Open (2-wheel drive upto 1400 cc): Abhishek Mishra; Driver Open (2-wheel drive, over 1400 cc upto 1650 cc): Dean Mascarenhas; Driver Open (2-wheel drive Over 1650 cc): Arjun Rao; Driver (Open, Unrestricted): Abhishek Mishra; Driver (Ladies): Bani Yadav
MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Racing Championship
Driver Indian (Open Stock Body): Vivek Ramachander; Driver Indian (Open Altered Body): Jayant V; Driver Indian (Touring Cars): Kasha Sai; Driver (Unrestricted Class): Vivek Ramachander
MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship
Driver Overall INRC: Gaurav Gill; Co-Driver Overall INRC: Musa Sherif; Team Overall: INRC Mahindra Adventure; Driver (INRC 1): Gaurav Gill; Co-Driver (INRC 1): Musa Sherif; Team (INRC 1): Mahindra Adventure; Driver( INRC 2 ):Karna Kadur; Co-Driver( INRC 2 ): Nikhil V Pai; Team (INRC 2): Arka Motorsports; Driver (INRC 3): Aroor Vikram Rao; Co-Driver (INRC 3): Somayya A.G; (Team INRC 3): Falkon Motorsports
Meco Motor Sports FMSCI National Rotax Max Karting Championship
Micro Max: Ishaan Madesh; Team (Micro Max ): Peregrine Racing; Junior Max Shahan Ali Mohsin; Team (Junior Max) Msport; Senior Max: Debarun Banerjee; Team (Senior Max): MSport
MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship
Rider (Pro Stock 301-400 cc): Satyanarayana Raju; Team (Pro Stock 301-400 cc): Gusto Racing India; Manufacturer: (Pro Stock 301-400 cc KTM); Rider (Super Sport Indian upto 165 cc): Jagan Kumar; Team (Super Sport Indian upto 165 cc): TVS Racing; Manufacturer (Super Sport Indian upto 165 cc): TVS; Rider (Pro Stock upto 165 cc): Anish D Shetty; Team( Pro Stock upto 165 cc): Honda Ten10 Racing; Manufacturer (Pro Stock upto 165 cc): Honda; Rider (Stock upto 165 cc Girls): Ann Jenifer; Team (Stock upto 165 cc Girls ): Sparks Racing; Manufacturer (Stock upto 165 cc Girls): Yamaha; Rider (Stock upto 165 cc): Karthik Mateti; Team (Stock upto 165 cc): Sparks Racing; Manufacturer (Stock upto 165 cc): Yamaha
MMSC FMSCI Indian National Drag Racing Championship
Rider (2 Stroke upto 130 cc): Hussain Khan; Rider (2 Stroke 131 to 165cc): Hussain Khan; Rider (4 Stroke upto 165 cc): Aravind Ganesh; Rider (4 Stroke 166 to 225 cc): Harshil Thakur; Rider (4 Stroke 226 to 360 cc): Shankar Guru; Rider(4 Stroke 361 to 550 cc): R Ashwin Kumar; Rider( 4 Stroke 851 to 1050 cc): Hemant Mudappa; Rider( 4 Stroke 1051 & above): Hemant Mudappa; Rider (4 Stroke Unrestricted): Hemant Mudappa; Team: Mantra Racing
MRF MOGRIP FMSCI National Supercross Championship
Rider (Group A SX1 2 Stroke 250 cc & 4 Stroke 500 cc): Harith Noah; Rider (Group C 2/4 Stroke: 260 cc Novice) Imran Pasha; Rider( Group C 2/4 Stroke:260 cc Indian Expert): Imran Pasha; Rider( Group C 2/4 Stroke 260 cc Expert): Jagdeesh Kumar; Rider (Group A SX2 2 Stroke 250 cc & 4 Stroke 500 cc): Saijith ES; Rider( Junior SX 1 2/4 Stroke 250 cc): Yuvraj Kondedeshmukh; Rider (Junior SX 2 2/4 Stroke 250 cc )Sarthak Chavan
MRF MOGRIP FMSCI National Rally Championship
Overall R Nataraj; Rider (Super Bike Pro Expert Group A Rider): R Nataraj; Rider (Super Bike Expert Group A Rider): Jatin Jain; Rider (Super Sport 130 cc Group B Rider): Rakesh Kumar V; Rider (Super Sport 165 cc Group B Rider ): Imran Pasha J; Rider (Super Sport 260 cc Group B Rider) Rajendra R.E.; Rider (Super Sport 400 cc Group B Rider ): Venu Ramesh Kumar; Rider( Super Sport 550 cc Group B Rider): Vinit Sharma; (Rider Scooters Group B Rider): Pinkesh Thakkar; Rider( Ladies Class): Aishwarya P.M.
Outstanding Achievement In World Motorsport
Abhilash PG: Winner APRC 2 Cup for Drivers; Abdul Wahid: 2nd Overall in category of Rally of Morocco , a FIM Cross Country World Championship Event; Armaan Ebrahim: Podium in Lamborgini Super Trofeo Asia; Anindith Reddy K: Podium in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia; Amittrajit Ghosh:Podium ERC Acropolis Rally ERC 2 Driver; Ashwin Naik: Podium ERC Acropolis Rally ERC 2 Co-Driver; Jehan Daruvala: Several Podiums in FIA Euro F3 Championship; Karthik Matei: 2nd in Asia Cup of Road Racing (Indonesia Round); Musa Sherif: Winner APRC 2 Cup for Co-Drivers; Malsawndawngliana: 2nd in Asia Cup of Road Racing India Round.
Outstanding Women in Motorsports
Mira Erda; Sneha Sharma; Shriya Lohia
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F1 and Netflix put Drive to Survive on pole position
Formula 1 and Netflix, Wednesday announced details of the highly-anticipated docuseries, “Formula 1: Drive to Survive”, which will launch on the service on the 8 March 2019.
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive” is a gripping, high-octane 10 part series. It is the first time in the sport’s history that a series such as this has been given exclusive and intimate access to the greatest racing championship in the world. From the makers of “Senna” and “Amy”, the series will reveal the true story of the sport – not only focusing on the fight to be World Champion, but giving fans a real insight into the personal lives of their heroes on and off the track.
As a new generation of drivers steps out of the shadows, Formula 1 has opened its doors to give unprecedented access to the top drivers, team principals and owners, to set the scene for a new wave of gripping competition and challenges. Not only does the series focus on all the track action, it also takes time away from the circuit to provide a unique insight into the teams and the people that make the championship what it is, the greatest racing spectacle in the world.
The global series will show each round of the 2018 FIA Formula One World ChampionshipTM, beginning in Melbourne and culminating at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, where the championship draws to a close and scores are settled.Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights, Formula 1 said: “As we move into a new generation of Formula 1 we are thrilled to announce our new docuseries
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive”. This truly unique series embodies the sport and helps us to showcase and unearth the untold stories on and off the track. Partnering with Netflix to create an original series puts us at the forefront of becoming a media and entertainment brand and attracting new fans to the sport”.Paul Martin , Box to Box Films said: “Netflix was the perfect platform on which to tell the inside story of this incredible sport. F1 has long been a world of colourful characters and super-sized egos, thrills and drama, victory and
tragedy, but until now that world has been largely hidden and secretive. “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” takes the viewers right into the heart of this world and shows what it is like to live, work and race within the world’s fastest sport.”
This series is executive-produced by Academy-Award winner James Gay Rees (“Senna”) and Paul Martin for Box to Box Films with Sophie Todd as the showrunner. -
MotoGP legend Mick Doohan terms Madras circuit as great `with a little bit of character’
Chennai, 9 Feb 2019: The ongoing MRF Challenge provides an ideal platform for young racing aspirants to showcase their talent and also secure exposure ahead of the new international season, and hence, former five-times World 500cc champion Mick Doohan from Australia said he decided to enter his 16-year old son, Jack, in one of Asia’s premier winter series.Speaking to the Media on the sidelines of the third and final round of the MRF Challenge at the MMRT here today and soon after his son finished third in Race-1, 53-year Doohan, said: “The primary reason (for Jack Doohan to enter MRF Challenge) is that my son (Jack) turned 16 only this January and so this is his first real series. I was in Dubai a few years ago and a number of the Australians I knew were driving in MRF Challenge. I was also in Bahrain. So, I had a feel for the series. We had heard a lot of good things about it (MRF Challenge). It was pretty easy for us to get here, and get some experience.
“For a winter series, this (MRF Challenge) is a great platform. This offers us some real race miles before the start of the European season. The cars are competitive, the platform is basically identical. This is what attracts a lot of the drivers. There is a wide variety of drivers here. It is like a starting school. It is great to be here in Chennai and experience the racing. This (MMRT) is a great circuit. I actually like circuits with a little bit of character. It adds attraction to the series.”
Mr Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Ltd, who presided over the Media interaction, said: “MRF has been associated with motorsports for the last 30 years. Every year, it has been a wonderful journey. Here at the MRF Challenge, all the cars are the same, identical cars, same tyres, specs etc. So what differentiates these cars is the caliber of the drivers and the skill tests. And it is a dream learning platform for them to master their skills and gain exposure. That is what we are trying to do with MRF Challenge.
“Apart from motorsports, we are also active in various championships, including gravel and rally championships in UK, Europe and Australia. So, the MRF Challenge is an extension of our endeavor to produce quality racing and rally tyres.”
Doohan, when asked about his son’s choice of four-wheeler racing instead of bikes, said; “He has been riding dirt bikes and we have a go-kart track on our property. Because his friends were driving cars and he hurt himself on a bike when very young, he never really showed interest (in bike racing). On a motorcycle, if you make a mistake you crash. Also, thankfully, in a car, he is not judged against what his father did.”
Doohan also fielded questions on the current state of MotoGP, the evolution of the machinery and the on-track rivalries. “The talent today is there for all of us to see. The top guys are the same as in any period in the sport. There are some young guys coming through. The bikes are a little bit easier to ride with all the electronics and other bits and pieces on the bike which are still prototypes, like the Formula 1 cars. The rivalry (among the riders) is good because it keeps some talk going about the sport.
About the chances of current World champion Marc Marquez, becoming an all-time great rider, Doohan said: “He certainly has the desire. As long as he doesn’t burn out, he has plenty of time left in him (to add to his five titles).”
