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  • Lando Norris takes Hungarian pole; McLaren lockout front row: F1

    Lando Norris takes Hungarian pole; McLaren lockout front row: F1

    Lando Norris beat team-mate Oscar Piastri by just two hundredths of a second to take pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix, as the pair handed McLaren its first front-row lockout in 12 years. F1 Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen was third, another two hundredths of a second further behind.

    Despite light rain falling in the hour before Qualifying, the start of Q1 was judged dry enough for slick tyres and when the lights went green all 20 cars streamed out on track ahead of an expected further shower. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton made the most of the tricky conditions with the Silverstone winner taking an early lead with a lap of 1:17.087. Carlos Sainz then moved to second for Ferrari and after taking P6 with his opening flyer, Verstappen jumped to third place with a lap of 1:17.287. 

    The Dutchman’s team-mate Sergio Pérez was not finding similar improvements, however. Sebeth after his first run, the Mexican failed to improve on a second attempt. He stuck with the same set of tyres for a third run but midway through his flying lap he took too much of the damp kerb on the right-hand side as he went into Turn 8 and he spun off into the barriers. The red flags came out and the session was halted as his car was recovered. 

    After an 11-minute delay and with six minutes left on the clock, the session resumed. With more rain having fallen during the halt, and with DRS disabled, it looked like improvements would be hard to come by. However, as the final minutes unfolded the track rapidly dried and the final flyer became all important. 

    Verstappen was one of the first to profit and the Red Bull driver’s final lap of 1:17.087 initially moved him up to second behind Hamilton. It was RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who made the biggest leap, though, and the Australian put in an impressive lap of 1:17.050 to jump from 16th  to top spot at the end of the session. 

    Others, though, were headed the other way. Pérez, already out, dropped to 16th as improvement arrived elsewhere but it was George Russell who became the biggest casualty of the session. The Briton was unable to find the same kind of pace as team-mate Hamilton and he slumped to 17th at the end of the session, exiting ahead of Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. 

    Verstappen was first on track at the start and new Softs the Dutchman laid down a marker with a time of 1:15.770, eight tenths clear of Hamilton who was on used tyres. Piastri then took second just 0.005s behind Verstappen as Sainz slotted into third with a second flyer ahead Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Norris. 

    In the final runs it was Norris who set the pace. The McLaren driver went quickest in the final two sectors to steal P1 with a lap of 1:16.540, with Verstappen progressing in P2 ahead of Piastri and Sainz. 

    Hamilton narrowly avoided the exit door at the end of Q2. With both RBs through to Q3, with Tsunoda in eighth ahead of Ricciardo, seven-time champion Hamilton just scraped into Q3 in 10th place one hundredth of a second ahead of Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg, who went out in P11 ahead of Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, and the second Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

    With rain expected midway through the final session, the 10 remaining drivers took to the track on new Softs at the start of Q3. Verstappen was first across the line and it looked like the Red Bull driver was determined to take a ninth pole of the season as he stopped the clock in 1:15.555 to take provisional pole. Norris was finding more time, however, and the McLaren driver moved ahead of the Red Bull driver with a lap of 1:15.227.

    Verstappen was now under pressure and after making swift adjustments to his front wing to cure the understeer he’d experienced on his opening flyer, the Dutchman headed out for a final charge. 

    Over the first two sectors it looked like the Dutchman might make it but after going quicker than Norris across the first two sectors his tyres faded in the final section and though he improved, his 1:15.273 only proved good enough for third as Piastri went 0.024s quicker. Norris therefore took his third career pole and his second of 2024 as McLaren recorded its first front-row lockout since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix. 

    Behind them all, Tsunoda ran wide at the exit of Turn 5 and the Japanese driver was hurled into the barriers. The red flags immediately came out, Norris was denied a second lap out and the session was stopped for a second time, with just over two minutes on the clock. 

    After a 13-minute delay the session resumed, but with only used tyres available, any improvements were unlikely. Verstappen and Alonso chose to settle and climbed out of their cars. Norris and Piastri took their place at the head of the queue to defend their positions but in the end the only diver to find a meaningful improvement on his final lap was Ricciardo who leapfrogged Tsunoda to take P9. 

    2024 FIA Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Qualifying 
    1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:15.227 – –
    2 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:15.249 0.022 
    3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:15.273 0.046 
    4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:15.696 0.469 
    5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:15.854 0.627 
    6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.905 0.678 
    7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:16.043 0.816
    8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:16.244 1.017 
    9 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:16.447 1.220 
    10 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:16.477 1.250 
    11 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:16.317 1.090 
    12 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:16.384 1.157 
    13 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:16.429 1.202 
    14 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:16.543 1.316 
    15 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:16.548 1.321 
    16 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:17.886 2.659 
    17 George Russell Mercedes 1:17.968 2.741 
    18 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:18.037 2.810 
    19 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:18.049 2.822 
    20 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:18.166 2.939

  • Historic debut at WorldSBK by an Indian: Kavin Quintal roped in by Gaman Racing

    Historic debut at WorldSBK by an Indian: Kavin Quintal roped in by Gaman Racing

    Chennai, 18 July 2024: Indian rider Kavin Quintal is all set to make a historic debut at WorldSBK SSP300 competitions to become the first Indian rider to participate in a World Superbike Championship. Thanks to the opportunity provided by the Irish team, ‘Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki’ and its management company, Gaman Racing Global Service, Kavin’s entry is accepted for the SSP event in the fourth round which begins at Most, Czech Republic on Friday.

    The 19-year Chennai star, Kavin Quintal, will be filling in for the Irish team’s main rider, Spaniard Daniel Mogeda, who suffered an injury after leading the Supersport 300 class, in an unfortunate crash that paved the way for the Irish team to rope in Kavin Quintal.

    Kavin, a world-class rider, is currently competing in the European Stock Championship within the FIM JuniorGP and in the Asia Road Racing Championship. In the three rounds of JuniorGP, Kavin had a top-10 finish. As a rider who started his baby steps at 13, he was the youngest rider to earn points in the Indian National events. He went on to win the Talent Cup twice in 2021 and 2023 in India. Later, after Asia Talent Cup events, he soon blossomed into a mature rider moving to Europe. He will be looking for his best results in this ‘magnificent opportunity’, as the Indian described it.

    Kavin Quintal: ‘It is a great opportunity that I will try to learn and enjoy at the same time. I will be able to show my maximum level together with a great team that surrounds this structure. I would like to thank the team for this opportunity’.

    Paul Tobin, Team Manager 109: ‘I would like to welcome Kavin to the team for the weekend toreplace Daniel. Kavin Quintal has good experience in the Asia Talent Cup and in the Stock 600 in the FIM JuniorGP. We are very happy to have the first Indian rider into the World Championships’.

    The practice sessions will be on Friday followed a race each on Saturday and Sunday at Most, Czech Republic.

  • Herrera just pips Carrasco to the WorldWCR Race 2 win

    Herrera just pips Carrasco to the WorldWCR Race 2 win

    16 July 2024
    Race 2 Highlights:
     Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) and Sunday’s Race 1 victor Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) proved to be in a league of their own in Race 2 at Donington Park, with Herrera securing her third win in four races, just two tenths of a second ahead of a very combative Carrasco
     From second on the grid, Herrera made a lightning start to take an early lead ahead of Carrasco. Soon breaking away from their closest rivals, the pair crossed the finish line almost twelve seconds ahead of the rest of the field
     Fellow Spaniards Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) and Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) were embroiled in an exciting battle of their own for third, a duel that was ultimately won by Sara, with Beatriz closing just a fraction behind in fourth
     Israeli rider Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) and Australian Tayla Relph (Tayco Motorsport) both brought home solid points after crossing the line P5 and P6 respectively
     Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) sustained a back injury after a lap two crash and has been transported to Queen’s Medical Centre for further assessment. Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) also failed to finish after crashing on lap five, while Yamaha Motoxracing WCR team-mates Roberta Ponziani and Ornella Ongaro both went down at turn 11 on lap seven
     Britain’s Alyssia Whitmore (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) was ruled unfit to compete in Race 2 after sustaining a left wrist contusion in Saturday’s Race 1
     The third round of the WorldWCR championship is scheduled to take place over the weekend of 9-11 August at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal
     Championship Standings:Now with 88 points, Herrera retains the championship lead, followed closely by Race 1 winner Carrasco (81)
     Sanchez (68) and Neila (57) place third and fourth in the standings, with both having worked hard to boost their tally this weekend
     Key Points:

    Race 1 winner:     Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team)
    Race 2 winner: Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
    Race fastest lap: Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) – 1’39.209 (Race 2)More on worldsbk.com
    P1 | Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team
    “I felt confident that we could do well today. I was fast in warm-up and knew that I had to push right from the start of the race to build a gap. Ana followed me but I knew I was going to be able to battle until the end as I felt comfortable and strong on the brakes. I was pretty angry about the Race 1 result, to be honest, as I knew I had the potential to finish at least P2 but lost ground when I had to brake to avoid Beatriz when she made a mistake. So  honestly I set out to make up for that result today, aware that I needed to break away from the pack early on to avoid any risky situations.”
     
    P2 | Ana Carrasco | Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team
    “I’m really happy with my weekend and it was difficult to ask for more. I wanted the win in Race 2 and did my best but lost a little time on the first lap with Beatriz, which meant I then had to push to reach Maria, who was really fast in the beginning. I eventually caught her and got in front but in the end, she got the better of me when I ran wide. But we’ve had a good weekend, scoring pole, a race win and the fastest lap in Race 2 so this is a positive result. I felt really good and now it will be important to continue in this way, as I know Maria and I will battle like this all season long. We’re really close in the championship right now and so we need to continue working to be ready for the next round at Portimao.”
     
    P3 | Sara Sanchez | 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team
    “Ana and Maria had more than us today; I did my best to stick with them through the early stages, but it was not possible, their pace was simply stronger. I lost ground when Neila passed me, and it was hard to close that gap once it opened up in front of us. I was also struggling a little with corner entry in some places. But the important thing is to be on the podium, and we were able to secure third again today, so we’re pleased with that.”
  • Perfect weekend for dominant Razgatlioglu at Donington Park

    Perfect weekend for dominant Razgatlioglu at Donington Park

    • Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) dominated the UK Round of WorldSBK with pole position, three victories and three fastest laps at Donington Park
       
    • Razgatlioglu extends his championship lead to 41 points from Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) a further 14 points adrift.

    Tissot Superpole Race Highlights:

    • Bulega took the hole-shot and led the opening two laps before Razgatlioglu came through to lead at Turn 11
       
    • Razgatlioglu opened his lead consistently to take the victory by just under five second from Bulega
       
    • Starting from the middle of the third row Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was able to move into third position on the opening lap. With riders fighting behind him Rea opened a lead over the chasing pack and after 14 races was able to claim his first Yamaha podium
       
    • After suffering a technical failure in Race 1 Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) claimed his first top five finish of the season in fourth position. Redding ran inside the top six throughout before moving past Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) as the race progressed to finish fourth

    Race 2 highlights: 

    • A crash for Bautista on his way to the grid for Race 2 saw the Ducati team repair his bike on the grid. Despite a good start he dropped down the order from sixth position on the grid. The Spaniard recovered to finish fifth
       
    • Razgatlioglu led for the 23 lap duration of Race 2 with the BMW rider able to claim his seventh consecutive victory. The win also marked his ninth for BMW and equalled the record of Marco Melandri as the most successful rider for the German manufacturer
       
    • Bulega was the closest challenger to Razgatlioglu throughout the race and held an advantage of two seconds to the chasing pack for much of the race. It was Bulega’s eighth second place finish of the season
       
    • Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was the leading British rider once again and finished third after battling with Redding for the opening third of the race

    Key Points:

    Pole position: Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’24.629s
    Race 1 winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu 
    Tissot Superpole winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu 
    Race 2 winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu 
    Race fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu – 1’25.597s – new lap record.

    P1| Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
    “I’m feeling incredible. My target coming here was to win all three races and we did that. I’m strong but my bike was also incredible at this circuit, and the team found improvements for the bike each day. I want to say thank you to everyone because I’m really happy about how this weekend went. We will see what happens in the next race but even though there are many races to go we can look to the World Championship title.”
     

    P2 | Nicolo Bulega| Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
    “I’m really happy because we improved the bike from yesterday. I worked a lot with all my guys inside the garage and we found some improvements. The feeling on the bike was better and it was a great Superpole Race this morning. I started really well and then Toprak overtook me. When he overtook me I forgot about him because this weekend he was very fast. In Race 2 I understood that if I could follow Toprak during the first laps I could open a gap to the riders behind. Alex was very fast at the end and he pushed until the last lap. It’s very difficult to keep your concentration and stay on the bike until the last corner, but I’m really happy to have another podium.”
     

    P3 | Alex Lowes | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
    “I’m delighted. I was on the limit for the whole race. I didn’t make the best start and I had to attack from the first lap to pass Johnny and Alvaro and then I managed to pass Scott. I hoped that Nicolo would come back to me a little bit, but his pace was relentless. I was on my limit to stay in third and I couldn’t do any more. I wanted to try to get into second but I wasn’t fast enough. I did a good job this weekend and the team did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed the weekend. To have two podiums at my home round is a dream come true with everybody here.”

  • Bagnaia back on top, Marc Marquez battles to second; Martin crashes: MotoGP

    Bagnaia back on top, Marc Marquez battles to second; Martin crashes: MotoGP

    A ten point lead remains, but for Bagnaia as Martin makes a late blunder at the Sachsenring – while Marc Marquez scythes through and Alex Marquez makes it a historic double podium.

    Sachenring, 7 July 2024: A dramatic Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland saw Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) come out on top after piling the pressure on Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) throughout as the duo pulled away to make the race a chess match at the front. Martin was holding on to a half second advantage as the final laps closed in, but then suddenly went sliding out at Turn 1, rider ok but Championship lead far from it. The #89 cedes the top of the leaderboard to Bagnaia as the reigning Champion swept through to take the 25-point haul.

    If the fight for the win was a chess match decided by tenths, the battle behind was a rollercoaster ride. Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) scythed through from P13 on the grid to take second place after battling a gallery of rivals, the last of whom to overcome was brother Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). But the #73 held on to third and took his first GP podium of the season, with the Marquez brothers becoming the first to share a premier class podium since Nobuatsu and Takuma Aoki in Imola in 1997.

    Martin got the best start but didn’t get the perfect T1, giving Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) chance to have a look, but the Portuguese rider was forced to settle into second. Bagnaia was holding third but the reigning Champion struck at the end of Lap 1 to overtake Oliveira, taking up the chase as Martin tried to bolt at the front. He couldn’t, however, and the #1 pulled off a carbon copy of his last corner move on Oliveira to take the lead.

    Morbidelli was then the rider in the spotlight as he shot past Oliveira and into second, then starting to harry his teammate Martin. Bagnaia, Martin and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) started to build a small gap as the shuffle continued in a big group battle behind, but then the shuffle kicked off again in theirs as Martin struck late at Turn 1 to take back the lead with 24 to go.

    Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) then suffered a run off from the battle behind, leaving Alex Marquez, Oliveira and now Marc Marquez in the chasing group as Martin started to put the hammer down at the front. Bagnaia had been reeling a couple of tenths back in, but then Morbidelli sailed down the inside of Turn 1 past the reigning Champion, somehow getting it stopped and nabbing second. And there were still 22 to go.

    Martin led Morbidelli with around half a second between the Prima Pramac duo, with the group behind holding high-speed station. By 16 to go Morbidelli then went deep at Turn 1, and Bagnaia was right on him looking for a way though. He found one at Turn 12, and then Marc Marquez found one on Oliveira. Martin was a second clear, Bagnaia was now the rider on the chase, and Alex Marquez got past Morbidelli before Marc Marquez also homed in. The podium fight was starting to take shape.

    As Morbidelli headed wide at Turn 1 with nine to go, #93 went for it, but the #21 cut back. The two bashed into each other and just stayed on, but Marquez ultimately came off worse, dropping back into the clutches of a charging Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team). One dance of high-speed ballet wasn’t enough and the two staged another at Turn 1 next time around. Marquez was then able to hold him off, and the duo stalked down the deficit to Morbidelli up ahead.

    It was an absolute late lunge when it came, the #93 suddenly darting out from behind the #21 at the final corner and making the pounce stick to perfection. At the front, Martin was holding Bagnaia at bay by five, seven, six tenths, and Alex Marquez was now in the space between the duo and the #93. The gap between the two Gresini machines was over two seconds. But then it was 1.5, then just under a second, then even less… when the #93 arrived he sliced straight past, more tyre underneath him and only a few laps to go.

    Those few laps delivered the headline drama. Martin seemed on course to complete his second consecutive double at the Sachsenring, with that margin to Bagnaia looking to be enough. And then the #89 was sliding out across the tarmac into the gravel, with his closest rival so far this season sweeping through to create a 20-point swing in the title fight.

    Bagnaia just had to avoid the same to take the victory, and that he did as he crossed the line with just under four seconds in hand to become the Championship leader for the first time since Saturday in Portimão

    Marc Marquez, after his huge highside on Friday, a dramatic Q1, and then an all-out war up from P13 in the Grand Prix – including full combat with Franky – takes second for this fourth podium of the season, but loses that undefeated record at the track. Alex Marquez is back on the podium for the first time since Sepang last year and makes that history as two brothers sharing the podium in the premier class.

    Bastianini added some stunning racing to the mix at the front but had to settle for fourth this time round, ahead of Morbidelli in fifth after a standout race day for the #21. Oliveira takes a very solid P6 to follow up his Tissot Sprint podium on Saturday, with some breathing space ahead of a big battle for seventh. That was won by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) completed the top ten.

    Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) stayed ahead of Viñales after his run off, with another close set of finishes just behind as Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) pipped Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) after tyre pressure penalties for Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR). For Marini, a point rewards a weekend with a big step forward seemingly taken in all sessions just ahead of summer break.

    That summer break sees Bagnaia head in as the points leader, a position he’s not held since Saturday night in Portugal. A 20-point swing in one weekend is a big one, and Martin will be looking to hit back immediately. First, he has to stew on it. And it’s far from a two-horse race in the world’s most exciting sport, with the whole grid ready to be back out at Silvestone from the 2nd to the 4th of August as the second half begins… in vintage style for a very modern spectacle!

  • Hamilton takes emotional, record ninth win at Silverstone ahead of Verstappen: F1

    Hamilton takes emotional, record ninth win at Silverstone ahead of Verstappen: F1

    Silverstone, 7 July 2024: After two and a half years away, Lewis Hamilton returned to the top step of the podium to win a remarkable ninth British Grand Prix and to set a new record for the most victories at a single event. In tricky, mixed conditions at Silverstone, seven-time champion Hamilton put in a finely judged  driver to navigate rain showers, critical tyre choices and to hold off a later charge by Max Verstappen to take his 104th win in Formula 1 and his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. 

    “I can’t stop crying,” said a visibly emotional Hamilton afterwards. “I think, it’s been since 2021, just, every day getting up, trying to fight, to train… I’m very grateful to everyone in this team, everyone at Mercedes, and all of our partners. And I just want to say thank you to all of you for being here with us today. And then otherwise to all our incredible fans. I could see you lap by lap as I was coming around, and there’s just no greater feeling than to finish at the front here.” 

    When the lights went out at the start, polesitter George Russell got away well to take the lead ahead of Hamilton. Verstappen also made a good start and as Norris struggled for grip off the front row, the Dutchman snatched third as they swept through Turns 3 and 4. Behind the top four, Mclaren’s Oscar Piastri held fifth but Nico Hülkenberg dropped from sixth down to ninth as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc jumped up to P8 from 11th on the grid. 

    With rain on the horizon and with drivers carefully managing the life of their starting tyres in case they needed a long stint ahead of the wet weather, the order at the front froze. By lap 14 Russell was 1.5 seconds clear of Hamilton, while Verstappen, struggling for pace, had allowed the gap to the Mercedes cars to grow to 4.5s. Norris was just under a second behind the Red Bull with Piastri still in fifth ahead of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Leclerc.

    On lap 15 Norris closed in and on the run to Stowe he powered past Verstappen to retake third place. The Red Bull driver’s pace was now flagging and on lap 17 Piastri made the same move into Stowe and Verstappen slid to fifth as the rain began to fall across Silverstone. 

    At the front, Russell was beginning to struggle in the increasingly treacherous conditions and on lap 18 Hamilton roared past his team-mate to take the lead. Russell tried to fight back with the result that at the start of lap 19 both went off at Turn 1. That allowed Norris to slip past Russell and on the following lap the McLaren driver muscled past Hamilton on the pit straight to take the lead. 

    The McLarens now appeared to have huge amounts of grip in hand and as Norris began to stretch ahead, Piastri powered past both Mercedes to rise to second place. 

    Further back, Ferrari gambled on heavier rain arriving sooner than expected and they pitted Leclerc for Intermediate tyres. It was replicated by Red Bull, who fancied the idea of heavy rain vaulting 16th-placed Sergio Pérez up the order, but as the rain abated both were severely hindered by the slower Inters, and their chances of major points disappeared.

    As second, heavier shower eventually arrived and Verstappen and Sainz seized the moment, pitting for Intermediate tyres ahead of the pack. Norris then pitted from the lead at the end of lap 27, followed by both Mercedes. That briefly propelled Piastri into the lead on Medium tyres, but the Australian pitted on the following lap and when he came out he dropped back to sixth place. 

    Russell, slowed by being the second car in a stacked Mercedes stop also lost time and after the changes, Norris led ahead of Hamilton with Verstappen in third with Russell now in fourth ahead of Sainz. However, Russell’s race went from annoyance to furious exit soon after. On lap 34 the Mercedes was given the message to box and retire his car due to a water system issue. The Briton’s exit boosted Sainz to fourth, nine seconds behind Verstappen 

    As the race entered its final third, the conditions began to improve and that sparked a move back to slick tyres. 

    On lap 38, Hamilton and Verstappen made their moves with the Mercedes driver taking Softs and Max moving to Hard tyres. Norris, though, stayed out, and the delay cost the McLaren driver dearly. Slower on his in-lap and then slow in the pits as he overshot his marks, Norris rejoined just as Hamilton swept through to take the lead once more. 

    It was Verstappen, though, who appeared to have made the best call. With 11 laps to go the champion was just 2.7s behind Norris but surprisingly lapping much quicker than the Sof-tyre pair ahead of him. 

    Over the next seven laps, the Red Bull driver stalked Norris and on lap 48 he outdragged Norris down the Hangar Straight before sweeping past the McLaren around the outside through Stowe. 

    Verstappen began to chase down Hamilton and with three laps to go he was just three seconds off the leader. However, although the Red Bull driver managed to halve the gap, Hamilton held on to take a stunning ninth British Grand Prix win and the new record for most wins at a single circuit. 

    “It’s so tough, but I think the important thing is just how you continue to get up and you’ve got to continue to dig deep even when you feel like you’re at the bottom of the barrel,” said Hamilton afterwards. “I mean, there’s definitely been days between 2021 and here where I didn’t feel like I was good enough or whether I was going to get back to where I am today. But the important thing is I had great people around me continuing to support me. And my team, every time I turn up and see them putting in the effort that really encouraged me to do the same thing.”

    Behind Norris, Piastri took fourth ahead of Sainz and Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso took seventh and eighth respectively. Alex Albon took ninth place for Williams and the final point on offer went to RB’s Yuki Tsunoda. 

    2024 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix – Race 
    1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 52 1:22’27.059 
    2 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 52 1:22’28.524 1.465
    3 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 52 1:22’34.606 7.547
    4 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 52 1:22’39.488 12.429
    5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 52 1:23’14.377 47.318
    6 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 52 1:23’22.781 55.722
    7 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 52 1:23’23.628 56.569
    8 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 52 1:23’30.636 1’03.577
    9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 52 1:23’35.446 1’08.387
    10 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 52 1:23’46.362 1’19.303
    11 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 52 1:23’56.019 1’28.960
    12 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 52 1:23’57.212 1’30.153
    13 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 51 1:22’36.996 1 lap /9.937
    14 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 51 1:23’07.532 1 lap /40.473
    15 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 51 1:23’08.880 1 lap /41.821
    16 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 50 1:22’37.741 2 laps /10.682
    17 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 50 1:22’45.064 2 laps /18.005
    18 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 50 1:23’21.535 2 laps /54.476
         George Russell Mercedes 33 52’51.677 Retirement
         Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 0 – Not started

  • Jagan Kumar, Sarthak Chavan in historic dead-tie at MIC on Sunday

    Jagan Kumar, Sarthak Chavan in historic dead-tie at MIC on Sunday

    Chennai, 7 July 2024: History was scripted at the Madras International Circuit here on Sunday when a dead-heat finish, involving two TVS Racing team-mates Jagan Kumar and Sarthak Chavan, was decided in favour of the former on the basis of the fastest lap of the race as the second round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2024 – Powered by STORM came to a thrilling finish.

    Old-timers believe that it is the first time in the Indian racing history that two competitors had the same timing at the finish, requiring the fastest lap provision to be implemented to decide the winner. The incident occurred in the Pro-Stock 165cc Open race when veteran Jagan Kumar, a 10-time National champion, and his TVS Racing team-mate 17-year-old Sarthak Chavan crossed the finish line together, clocking the same timing. Jagan was declared winner because he had posted the fastest lap of the six-lap race.

    The result denied Sarthak an all-win record across both Pro-Stock categories, the 301-400cc Open and the 165cc Open. Earlier today, Sarthak had achieved a double in the higher class and looked set for a clean sweep before the photo-finish which went in Jagan’s favour.

    Meanwhile, Chennai’s Jagathishree Kumaresan (One Racing) completed a double in the Girls (Stock 165cc) category as did another local rider, Abdul Basim (Rockers Racing) in the Novice (Stock 165cc) class while Pradeep C from Bengaluru notched his maiden win in the National Championship with a P1 finish in the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race.

    Bengaluru’s Chiranth Vishwanath (TVS Racing) won the Indian Oil award for the fastest lap on Sunday across all categories for clocking a blistering 01:48.648 in the Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open category, but he lost the race to Sarthak when he missed a gear on the back sweep on the last lap to concede the slender lead.

    In an innovative move, promoters Madras Motor Sports Club decided to present trophies to the top five finishers in a race instead of the top three.

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup: Mohsin Paramban from Malappuram completed a fine double in the NSF 250R category to open up a 37-point lead in the provisional standings. Two Bengaluru riders Savion Sabu and AS James finished second and third respectively in the eight-lap race.

    TVS One-Make Championship:

    Sarthak Chavan extended his domination with a second consecutive win in the TVS Electric RTE race that was reduced to three laps following an on-track incident. Chiranth Vishwanath came in second ahead of Alwin Sundar (Chennai).

    Provisional results (all 6 laps unless mentioned):

    National Championship – Pro-Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-2): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11min, 06.298sec); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, TVS Racing) (11:06.388); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:10.557).

    Pro-Stock 165cc Open (Race-2): 1. Jagan Kumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:37.786); 2. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, TVS Racing) (11:37.786); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, TVS Racing) (11:44.162).

    Girls (Stock 165cc) Race-2 (5 laps): 1. Jagathishree Kumaresan (Chennai, One Racing) (11:04.106); 2. Ryhana Bee (Chennai, Motul Sparks Racing) (11:04.182); 3. Ann Jennifer AS (Chennai, Alpha Racing India) (11:04.327).

    Novice (Stock165cc) Race-2: 1. Abdul Basim (Chennai, Rockers Racing) (12:56.217); 2. Tasmai Cariappa (Mysuru, Motul Sparks Racing) (13:07.206); 3. Lal Nunsanga (Aizawl, Motul Sparks Racing) (13:07.502).

    Stock 301-400cc (Novice) Race-2: 1. Pradeep C (Bengaluru, Pvt) (12:20.775); 2. Raj Kumar (Coimbatore, RDX Torque Racing) (12:27.930); 3. Varun Nanjundegowda (Chennai, Gusto Racing India) (02:03.803).

    Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – Open (NSF 250R) Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Mohsin Paramban (Malappuram) (15:07.015); 2. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru) (15:10.965); 3. AS James (Bengaluru) (15:15.953).

    TVS One-Make Championship: Open (Apache RR310) Race-2: 1. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:47.555); 2. Jayanth P (Chennai) (11:53.712); 3. Lokesh V (Bengaluru) (11:55.233).

    Rookie (Apache RTR 200) Race-2: 1. Harshit V Bogar (Bengaluru) (13:20.972); 2. CS Kedarnath (Tirupati) (13:26.089); 3. Rajivsham AS (Tirpur) (13:44.946).

    TVS Electric RTE (3 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (05:34.704); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru) (05:35.877); 3. Alwin Sundar (Chennai) (05:42.046).

  • Martin halts Bagnaia’s charge as Oliveira claims Sprint podium for Trackhouse

    Martin halts Bagnaia’s charge as Oliveira claims Sprint podium for Trackhouse

    The Sprint King extends his lead back to 15 points, Marquez vs Viñales goes down to a photo finish.

    Sachsenring, 6 July 2024: Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) converted pole position to a sublime Tissot Sprint win at the Sachsenring – extending his Championship lead to 15 points. Despite losing out slightly in the launch off the line, Martin battled back to the front to finish 0.676s ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing), who put together an impressive ride to follow Martin home in P2 and take Trackhouse Racing’s first rostrum finish in the paddock.

    Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the Sprint podium to put in some damage limitation, but some more headlines also went to a duel to the flag between Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as the two crossed the line in a photo finish to decide sixth.

    As the lights went out it was Oliveira who was brieflly ahead on the run to Turn 1, before Bagnaia threaded the needle in signature style to launch down the inside of both the Portugese rider and Martin as the polesitter dropped to third. He didn’t wait there long though, launching his attack for P2 on Lap 2.

    Meanwhile, Marc Marquez cracked on with a tough task ahead after qualifying down in 13th. The #93 made a solid start and latched onto the back of his brother Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) in the battle for P9 early doors.

    Martin soon pulled off a carbon copy of his earlier move at Turn 1 on Lap 3, this time on Bagnaia, but this time with the #89 running wide and handing the Italian the lead once again. It instantly turned into a dogfight at the front with Martin making a move stick later in the lap, and Oliveira then passing the reigning World Champion at the final corner.

    Further back, Marc Marquez’ charge continued and he was on the back of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in the fight for P8. The #93 found a way through at the end of Lap 4, and then soon began to set his sights on passing Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing), who began to struggle as the Sprint progressed.

    At the front, the front three were holding station but Martin was starting to get the hammer down as Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) arrived on the scene, having escaped the clutches of Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) and Viñales. Martin had extended his gap to over one second on Lap 12.

    Further back, there was some drama for the #31 as any point-scoring hopes were quickly taken away from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) with a trip through the gravel – dropping down to last position, but able to rejoin.

    Down to the final lap at the front though, everything was still to play for in the podium fight and the duel behind. Martin was in just enough clear air to hold off Oliveira, who likewise kept himself with just enough in hand to take some historic silverware for Trackhouse.

    Ducati Lenovo Team had to hold their breath as Bastianini swarmed behind Bagnaia, but over the line the reigning Champion kept it, ensuring Martin’s win only extends his lead by five points. Bastianini was forced to settle for fourth, with Morbidelli taking fifth and one of his best finishes of the year after accelerating away from Viñales.

    Binder and Alex Marquez also battled to the line to decide the final spots inside of the Sprint points at the Sachsenring, split by just a tenth and a half. For full results, click below!

    After a Saturday of storylines we know Sunday only offers the chance to make more. Can Martin complete the double? Will Bagnaia hit back? Can Marquez use those laps to make more progress… and can Aprilia stay in that fight at the front? We’ll find out at 14:00 (UTC +2)!

  • George Russell takes pole at home Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton: F1

    George Russell takes pole at home Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton: F1

    Silverstone, 6 July 2024: George Russell led an all-British top three in qualifying for the British Grand Prix with the Mercedes driver beating team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just under two tenths of a second as Lando Norris took third for McLaren. Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen will start fourth after his qualifying was compromised by floor damage sustained in an early off. 

    At the start of Q1, on a damp track and on Intermediate tyres, Verstappen took top spot with a lap of 1:37.518, with Norris a tenth off in P2. They were soon shuffled back by Mercedes George Russell who took top spot with his second flyer, but the track was rapidly drying and Charles Leclerc quickly headed back to the pits for a set of slick Soft tyres. 

    That prompted Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez to make the same switch but on a still slippery track he suffered a snap of oversteer going into Copse corner and though he managed to save that he lost control in the run-off and slid backwards into the gravel where he exited the session and the red flags came out. 

    After a nine-minute halt the session resumed with all drivers on Softs. But as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took P1 with a lap of 1:30.895, Verstappen almost suffered the same fate as his team-mate. A snap in Copse sent the Red Bull driver off track and though he was able to keep going, a thumping trip through the gravel trap caused floor damage that would have a major impact on the rest of his session. 

    With improvements flooding in elsewhere, the Dutch driver sank down the order and with the clock counting down he had to immediately make another attempt and as Hamilton took top spot ahead of Russell, Leclerc and Sainz, the world champion limped through in a relatively lowly P11 thanks to a lap of 1:31.242. 

    Out, though went Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas in P11 ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Checo, in P19, and last placed Pierre Gasly in the second Alpine. 

    In the early exchanges of Q2 it was Norris who took top spot, with the McLaren driver posting a lap of 1:27.432 to sit a tenth clear of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen, meanwhile, was again suffering and after claiming fourth with a time of 1:27.799 he soon slid back to 10th as drivers stayed out and improved. It was a similar story after his second flyer and after initially rising to third he dropped to an eventual sixth as Norris took P1 ahead of Russell and Alonso.

    However, while Verstappen avoided becoming the major casualty of Q2, Leclerc was unable to avoid that fate and battling porpoising in his Ferrari, the Monegasque driver was ruled out in P11 ahead of Williams’ Logan Sargeant, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and the second RB of Daniel Ricciardo. 

    In the opening runs of Q3 Russell led the way by just 0.006s over Norris, as Hamilton and Piastri were both within touching distance in the battle for pole and with Verstappen down in fifth it was shaping up to be a duel between Mercedes and McLaren. 

    Neither Hamilton nor Russell improved on their first sectors, but both improved later in the lap and, first across the line, Hamilton jumped to top spot with 1:25.990s. Russell was finding more time, however, and when Norris made a mistake in Turn 14, Russell’s improved time of 1:25.819 was enough to clinch his third F1 pole.

    Norris preserved his place in that top three, but couldn’t improve on his final run and ceded one position to Hamilton to lead the second row alongside Verstappen. Behind the Red Bull man, Piastri qualified fifth ahead of Hülkenberg, while Sainz took seventh ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Williams’ Alex Albon and the second Aston of Fernando Alonso.

    2024 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix – Qualifying 
    1 George Russell Mercedes 1:25.819 – –
    2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:25.990 0.171 
    3 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.030 0.211 
    4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:26.203 0.384 
    5 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:26.237 0.418 
    6 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1:26.338 0.519 
    7 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:26.509 0.690 
    8 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:26.585 0.766 
    9 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:26.640 0.821 
    10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:26.917 1.098 
    11 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:27.097 1.278 
    12 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1:27.175 1.356 
    13 Yuki Tsunoda RB/Honda RBPT 1:27.269 1.450 
    14 Zhou Guanyu Sauber/Ferrari 1:27.867 2.048 
    15 Daniel Ricciardo RB/Honda RBPT 1:27.949 2.130 
    16 Valtteri Bottas Sauber/Ferrari 1:32.431 6.612 
    17 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:32.905 7.086 
    18 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1:34.557 8.738 
    19 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:38.348 12.529 
    20 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:39.804 

  • Hat-trick hero: Bagnaia retains Assen crown ahead of Martin, penalty for Marquez

    Hat-trick hero: Bagnaia retains Assen crown ahead of Martin, penalty for Marquez

    It’s now 10 points in it at the top of the table and a little further back to #MM93 after a tyre pressure penalty sees the eight-time World Champion classified tenth.

    Assen, 30 June 2024: Francesco Bagnaia‘s Motul TT Assen couldn’t have been better. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider did the double from pole, with a Sunday masterclass cutting the Championship deficit to just 10 points as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) was forced to follow him home and focus on limiting the damage. Bagnaia is the first rider to win three successive MotoGP™️ Grand Prix races in a single season since he did it in 2022 with four in a row from Assen to Misano, it’s his third win in a row at the TT Circuit Assen, and he equals Casey Stoner’s 23 wins with Ducati to tie the MotoGP™ Legend as the two most successful riders with the Borgo Panigale factory. All that said, Martin will now look to use his right of reply in Germany.

    Meanwhile, Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) charged up from a tougher qualifying to complete the podium, denying Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was also denied after crossing the line in fourth, with a tyre pressure penalty dropping him to P10.

    As the lights went out, Bagnaia nailed the start to take the holeshot, with Viñales just holding onto second to deny Martin. Still, the #89 launched it to near perfection from his P5 after that three-place penalty, and soon enough he did get it done to take over in second. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was on the march and soon put his own moves on Viñales to slot into third.

    That duo stayed glued together as the battle behind was hotting up. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) had shot up past front-row starter Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), but soon it was Di Giannantonio on the move, and he made it past Acosta at Turn 1, caught the Marquez-Viñales duo and then pounced on the Aprilia at the final chicane. Next up: #MM93.

    By 19 to go, the yellow flash of the VR46 machine went past, but with Marquez also seeming to gesture at the Italian and make it a little easier for him too. Expecting to have been in a group fight and set up for it? Wanting a reference to follow? Either way, the two Ducatis stayed close together, with Viñales on their tail and Acosta on his. Lap by lap, however, Bastianini was cutting the deficit to the podium battle.

    He made it past the rookie by nine to go, and a lap later the group shuffled again. Diggia was wide, Marc Marquez didn’t seem to want to take advantage, and Viñales shot past both. Bastianini was then right on that trio once again, and by seven to go was past Diggia. A lap later he did a near carbon copy on Marquez to take over in fourth, with a bit of a closer racing kiss for the #93, who headed wide but recovered it in time to keep Di Giannantonio at bay. At the time, anyway, before the two started duelling, Acosta got involved once more, and it looked like Viñales and Bastianini had disappeared up the road. But not so.

    At the final chicane, the ‘Beast’ struck for the podium and got past Viñales with four full laps remaining, and from there the group couldn’t quite stay with him. By the penultimate lap it then looked like a Viñales-Marquez duel for the podium, but there was still drama to come.

    On the final lap, Acosta slid out at Turn 7, and then Viñales headed just wide enough to allow Marquez through, leaving it an Aprilia-VR46 drag to the line for fifth instead. But when all is judged and confirmed, Viñales was forced to drop one position due to exceeding track limits at the chicane, promoting Diggia to fifth, and then the tyre pressure penalty for Marquez saw the #93 drop to P10.

    When the dust settles, Bagnaia’s masterclass puts the cherry on top of a weekend that saw him top every session bar Warm Up, but Martin took a valuable second. Bastianini takes back-to-back podiums to recover from a P10 qualifying, and it’s Diggia classified fourth ahead of Viñales, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) taking P6 after a quiet but valuable ride. Alex Marquez takes P7 ahead of a solid result for Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) in eighth, with Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) next up ahead of the #93 completing the top ten. Check out the full results below.

    Unfortunately, one piece of tougher news on the grid was for Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who suffered a big crash at Turn 1 and was declared unfit for a right wrist fracture.

    Now, the paddock heads for Germany. It’s ten points in it, a venue we’ve seen Martin deny Bagnaia before… and some of the most successful turf Marc Marquez has ever raced. Will the number 93 be able to find that form at one of his true signature tracks, or do his rivals have a statement of their own up their sleeves? Join us next weekend to find out!