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British and Australian Grands Prix cancelled
Paris, 29 May 2020: The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the British and Australian Grands Prix. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak and resulting calendar changes have obliged the cancellation of both events.
The British Grand Prix was set to take place from the 28th to the 30th of August at the classic Silverstone Circuit. Silverstone hosted the first Grands Prix held on the British mainland from 1977, and MotoGP™ returned to the illustrious track ten years ago. 2020 will now sadly mark the first year MotoGP™ sees no track action in the British Isles for the first time in the Championship’s more than 70-year history.
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix was set to take place at the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from the 23rd to the 25th of October. Phillip Island hosted the very first Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1989 and since 1997 has been the only home of MotoGP™ Down Under – with its unique layout providing some of the greatest battles ever witnessed on two wheels.
File photo of Marc Marquez at Jerez test. A MotoGP image The cancellation of the British Grand Prix also obliges the cancellation of the corresponding British Talent Cup track activity at the same event.
Stuart Pringle, Silverstone Managing Director: “We are extremely disappointed about the cancellation of the British MotoGP event, not least as the cancelled race in 2018 is still such a recent memory, but we support the decision that has had to be taken at this exceptional time.
“I want to thank the stoic British fans for their patience and support. We must now look forward to 2021 when Silverstone will once again host the fastest and most historic MotoGP race on the calendar and work hard to make it a truly exceptional event for all to enjoy.”
Paul Little AO, Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman: “We’re very disappointed that MotoGP fans throughout Victoria, Australia and internationally won’t get the chance to make the pilgrimage to see the world’s best riders compete on one of the best circuits anywhere in the world, but the right decision has been made.
“The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix puts Phillip Island on the global stage and it’ll be back better than ever in 2021.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “We’re saddened to have to announce the cancellation of these iconic events after finding no way through the logistical and operational issues resulting from the pandemic and rearranged calendar. Silverstone and Phillip Island are always two of the most thrilling race weekends of the season, with both tracks never failing in their promise to deliver some of the closest racing in our Championship.
“On behalf of Dorna, I would like to once again extend my thanks to the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We look forward to returning to Silverstone and Phillip Island next year for more incredible battles.”
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NK Racing Academy Signs up India’s Fastest Gamer
Chennai, 22 May 2020: In an important move in Indian motorsports, NK Racing Academy and Ultimate E have partnered on Friday to find out the Fastest Gamer in India, in the days of COVID as almost all the drivers and riders are restricted to their homes due to lockdown.
NK Racing Academy, founded in 2006 and operated by Narain Karthikeyan, India’s first Formula 1 driver, bounces back in 2020 to help the next set of young talent in India. Aditya Patel, one of India’s foremost racing drivers, who spent his formative years with NK Racing Academy has won his National championship under the academy. The academy has taken a different view this time, identifying India’s `Fastest Gamer’ and has decided to take him under its wings.
Ultimate E is an eSports organisation that focuses on gaming events as well as promoting and managing gaming talent. Co-founded by Aditya Patel and Armaan Ebrahim, Ultimate E brings together Pros and Amateur gamers from around the country to compete in various disciplines at various levels.
Aditya Patel, co-founder of UltimateE: A file photo. NK Racing Academy aims at developing motorsports talent within the country. With Narain Karthikeyan providing hands-on training, the drivers can expect nothing but the best. The academy helps drivers in various aspects of motorsports varying from driving techniques, mental and physical fitness and media training. Drivers who excel in the academy will have the chance of gaining scholarships from the academy for their future racing endeavours.
This collaboration with Ultimate E will provide the best eSports racing driver a chance to make a
career in motorsports. “We are extremely happy and positive about this collaboration with ultimate E. It aims at expanding horizons in Indian motorsport and promoting young talent. eRacing has become more relevant now with the Covid19 situation.
“In the first edition of this collaboration, Amith Kutti, who has excelled in multiple eSports leagues and has easily come on top as the fastest gamer in India, is signed up by the Academy. Amith will be testing for NK Racing Academy in the Karting programme, in the near future, once the lockdown is lifted. Then the Academy will evaluate his capabilities, train him and ultimately push him to a race seat in the Rotax Max National Championship.” said Narain Karthikeyan, Founder of NK Racing Academy.
“We are happy to be collaborating with one of the best training grounds in India, the NK Racing Academy and with Narain’s guidance we feel this is the best opportunity for the all-round development of the eSports drivers. As a product of the academy myself, I know Amith is in a great place to give his career a boost,” said Aditya Patel, co-founder of Ultimate E.
“I’m really happy to be guided by Narain Karthikeyan. It’s an honour and a huge opportunity to be guided by him and moving from the virtual world to real-world racing, I’m really excited and I hope to impress him with my skills,” said Amith Kutty.
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Chennai’s Amith Kutti wins Indian Sim Racing League 3
Abdul Malik and Sai Prithvi finish runners up
Mumbai, 19 May 2020: Chennai’s Amith Kutti was crowned champion in the Mumbai Falcons Indian Sim Racing League that concluded, after a thrilling finale, on Sunday. The Indian SIM Racing League (ISRL) has been growing in leaps and bounds. Its wide success has seen Mumbai Falcons step up to sponsor the ISRL, while Volkswagen Motorsport continues their association, taking the ISRL to newer heights.
Amidst a close competition, the speedy Kutti amassed 377 points, winning six out of the ten races over five rounds to pip Thrissur’s Abdul Malik (345 points; one win and four podiums) and another Chennai lad Sai Prithvi (341 points; six podium finishes) to the title.
Start of the MUmbai Falcons ISRL .The Season 3 winners received cash prizes from Mumbai Falcons, with the champion getting Rs 15,000, the first runner-up Rs 10,000 and the second runner-up Rs 5,000. In addition, the title winner Kutti also earned a fully paid testing and training session for a day from Volkswagen Motorsport India, who have been part of the ISRL from the first edition. Second-placed Malik won a training session with Rayo Racing while Prithvi, third, got a race entry from IndiKarting.
Top racers from across the country took part in the competition, with Kutti dominating the first 2 rounds and winning all 4 races; UK based Muhammad Ibrahim snatched pole and won Race 1 of Round 3. Round 4 was dominated by the lads from Thrissur; and saw Abdul Malik earn his maiden victory in Race 1 while Abdul Fattah won Race 2.
Entering the final round, 3 racers were in a close fight for the title. Kutti had a narrow lead and secured his position by winning Race 1 after Malik had a relatively poor race by his standards. Former International racer and India’s representative to the Volkswagen Scirocco Cup in Europe, Oshan Kothadiya, currently based in the Netherlands, won his final race of the season.
Ameet Gadhoke owner of Mumbai Falcons commented “We at Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited are proud to associate with the Indian Sim Racing Challenge. There was a lot of great racing by the competitors which shows the potential and talent available in our great nation. During these trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic, SIM racing has offered an alternate platform for racing aspirants to continue to hone their talents.”
Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said “I am glad that ISRL is making racing fun and exciting for the young racers. It is great to see the enthusiasm and traction for Mumbai Falcon ISRL in its third season. Basis the continuous development of the ISRL platform, I believe, it is offering a near realistic experience to the racers on the way we run our national racing championships in India. I look forward to meeting these young champions and train them in one of our Polo Cup cars in the near future. Till then, I urge you all to stay safe, stay at home and keep honing your racing skills on your SIMS.”
“Season 3 has been a big step up. We are grateful to Mumbai Falcons showing faith in our progress and would also like to thank Volkswagen Motorsport for their continued support,” Rayomand Banajee, of IR eSports, organisers of the ISRL, said.
Season 4 dates and format will be announced shortly, with the new schedule promising to increase the duration of the season.
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FMSCI announces stimulus package for Indian motorsports
Chennai, 19 May 2020: The Indian Motorsports Federation, FMSCI, has announced a slew of concessions to clubs and sportsperson to promote the sport during these tough times due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has disrupted the sporting activities worldwide including motorsports.
The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the National Sports Federation, responsible for the governance and promotion of motorsports in India, has announced this package for the year 2020 to stimulate the Indian motorsports activity on Tuesday.
To give impetus and to encourage the resumption of grass root motorsports activities as well as National Championships, the FMSCI Council has announced a spate of initiatives as under:
· Free renewal of National level Competition Licences applied for in 2020 for the year 2021, if these licence holders do not take part in any event in 2020.
· 100% waiver of the Permit Fees for organisers of all status of events, if no sponsor/s associated with the event. 50% of permit fees will be charged otherwise.
· 100% waiver of the Naming Rights fees for events, if no sponsor/s associated with the event. 50% naming rights fees will be charged otherwise.
· One year extension for the existing Promoters of various National Championship events irrespective of whether the National Championship is conducted in 2020 or not
· Local Stewards will be appointed to ease the burden of travel and hospitality costs for the organizers.
The FMSCI sincerely hopes that with these initiatives, the motorsports in India will resume as soon as the lock down is lifted for sports activities.
The Government has already announced that stadiums can be opened but with no spectators, though a clarity is needed if sports can be conducted without spectators or not.
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Carlos Sainz to race for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and 2022
Maranello, 14 May 2020 : Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow is pleased to announce that Carlos Sainz will drive for the team in the 2021 and 2022 seasons of the Formula 1 World Championship.
Mattia Binotto, Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal, said: “I’m pleased to announce that Carlos will join Scuderia Ferrari as from the 2021 championship. With five seasons already behind him, Carlos has proved to be very talented and has shown that he has the technical ability and the right attributes to make him an ideal fit with our family.
“We’ve embarked on a new cycle with the aim of getting back to the top in Formula 1. It will be a long journey, not without its difficulties, especially given the current financial and regulatory situation, which is undergoing a sudden change and will require this challenge to be tackled in a different way to the recent past.We believe that a driver pairing with the talent and personality of Charles and Carlos, the youngest in the past fifty years of the Scuderia, will be the best possible combination to help us reach the goals we have set ourselves.”
Charles Leclerc (in pic) will have the company of
Carlos Sainz from 2021. A file photo by
Scuderia Ferrari Press OfficeCarlos Sainz said: “I am very happy that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I’m excited about my future with the team.
I still have an important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I’m really looking forward to going racing again with them this season.”Born in Madrid on 1st September 1994, Carlos already has plenty of Formula 1 experience, having taken part in 102 World Championship Grands Prix, over five seasons. In 2019, he finished sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, his best ever result, in a year when he also made it to a podium position for the first time, finishing third in Brazil.
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Daniel Ricciardo for McLaren from 2021; Sainz moves to Ferrari
Woking (England), 14 May 2020: McLaren Racing announced today that it has signed Daniel Ricciardo to a multi-year agreement to race for the team in the Formula One World Championship from 2021.
Meanwhile, at Maranello, Scuderia Ferrari has announced that Carlos Sainz will join the team in 2021 following the decision to let go of Sebastian Vettel after this season.
Ricciardo, 30, from Perth, Australia, will join Britain’s Lando Norris, 20, who will start his third season at McLaren in 2021. Carlos Sainz will leave the team at the end of the 2020 season after two years with McLaren.
Daniel Ricciardo image by McLaren Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, commented:
“Signing Daniel is another step forward in our long-term plan and will bring an exciting new dimension to the team, alongside Lando. This is good news for our team, partners and of course our fans.
“I also want to pay tribute to Carlos for the excellent job he has been doing for McLaren in helping our performance recovery plan. He is a real team player and we wish him well for his future beyond McLaren.”
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1, commented:
“Daniel is a proven race-winner and his experience, commitment and energy will be a valuable addition to McLaren and our mission to return to the front of the field. With Daniel and Lando as teammates, I believe we have two racers who will continue to excite our fans and help the team grow.
“Carlos is a true professional, a pleasure to work with and we will continue to enjoy going racing with him this year. We all wish him good luck for the next stage in his career when he leaves McLaren.”
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Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel decide not to extend contract beyond 2020
Maranello, 12 May 2020: Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow and Sebastian Vettel have jointly decided not to extend the current contract covering Sebastian’s services as a driver with the team, beyond its current expiry date of the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season.
Mattia Binotto, Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal
“This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best. It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastian’s worth as a driver and as a person. There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives.
Sebastian is already part of the Scuderia’s history, with his 14 Grands Prix wins making him the third most successful driver for the team, while he is also the one who has scored the most points with us. In our five years together, he has finished in the top three of the Drivers’ Championship three times, making a significant contribution to the team’s constant presence in the top three of the Constructors’ classification.
Ferrari Logo “On behalf of everyone at Ferrari, I want to thank Sebastian for his great professionalism and the human qualities he has displayed over these five years, during which we shared so many great moments. We have not yet managed to win a world title together, which would be a fifth for him, but we believe that we can still get a lot out of this unusual 2020 season.”
Sebastian Vettel, #5
“My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020. In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony. The team and I have realised that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season. Financial matters have played no part in this joint decision. That’s not the way I think when it comes to making certain choices and it never will be.
What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.
Scuderia Ferrari occupies a special place in Formula 1 and I hope it gets all the success it deserves. Finally, I want to thank the whole Ferrari family and above all its “tifosi” all around the world, for the support they have given me over the years. My immediate goal is to finish my long stint with Ferrari, in the hope of sharing some more beautiful moments together, to add to all those we have enjoyed so far.
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FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship goes digital; Whangarei rally from May 8
Chennai, 6 May 2020: The FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship will go digital this weekend (May 8-10) with the online running of the International Rally of Whangarei that can be contested by any gamer of the DiRT Rally 2.0 platform. Supporting the initiative, the world motorsport governing body the FIA are working towards greater awareness starting with the #RaceAtHome social media tag.
The virtual event is being held on the same dates as the New Zealand round that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pending resumption of the on-road championship, the Digital APRC will make use of dates made available by rounds forced to postpone due to the pandemic.
Gamers contest each round as a virtual event, accruing automatically calculated points based on their finishing position. An overall winner will be declared once the final round is completed. Each online event will run to a timetable resembling the originally scheduled event.
File photo of Gaurav Gill in APRC round. Image by India in F1 for representational purpose For this weekend’s New Zealand round, action starts on the Friday night with a night-time stage repeated three times. Gamers get a window of time to complete each stage, similar to each leg of the rally from Friday, May 8 through to Sunday, May 10.
Along with other motorsport codes under the Digital brand, the APRC focus is on relevance as a feeder to the top-level World Rally Championship (WRC) category, including use of the type of car available to gaming competitors.
APRC president Vicky Chandhok says the concept is a stimulating extension to the formal championship.
“Knowing how many gaming drivers are already in this space, giving them an international category to contest is very exciting. This gives a truly global opportunity for new drivers to contest our sport, virtually, and very important at the moment, from the safety of their home. Many of our top drivers are active in this market, so to bring the two together and compete on very level terms is fabulous.”
The Digital APRC calendar is expected to be at least five rounds, with dates to be confirmed in the near future. Updates and details will be posted to the FIA APRC Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FIA.APRC.
The event starts at 18:00 (11.30 am IST) on May 8 and finishes 15:30 (9 am IST) on May 10
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Sai Prithvi crowned champion of IR eSports ISRL2
Abdul Fattah and Raiden Samervel finish second and third respectively.
Mumbai, 2 May 2020: For the new generation of India’s racers, its practice arena has turned into a battlefield in the lockdown era.
Cooped up inside homes and missing out on valuable wheel time, racers from 14 cities took part in the country’s most popular competition: the Indian Sim Racing League (ISRL) in association with Volkswagen Motorsport.
Chennai’s Sai Prithvi garnered the maximum points, 252 over the five rounds, with the final one held on Friday night, to emerge Season 2’s undisputed champion.
Thrissur’s Abdul Fattah collected 191 points over the five rounds, to claim second position. Raiden Samervel from Mumbai managed 172 points to take the third position.
The Indian Sim Racing League receives good response. An INDIAinF1 image Incidentally, following innumerable queries, the ISRL announced that the third season would begin on May 8, with the promise of upgrades, a more viewer-friendly format and an attractive prize pool. Registrations are already open.
In the final race on the Laguna Seca track, Chennai’s Amith Kutti grabbed pole in qualifying, a mere eight-thousandth of a second ahead of points leader, Sai Prithvi. As the lights went out, a determined Prithvi went breathing down the tail of the leader pressurising him into an error.
Kutti and Prithvi exchanged fastest laps before Kutti tragically hit a back-marker. The resulting suspension damage forced him to retire. Title challenger Abdul Fattah (Thrissur) then crashed and pitted, losing valuable time and any hopes of winning the title. Jessie Jakhar (Thrissur) was the star of the race, climbing from seventeenth to finish fourth.
Sai Prithvi’s four victories in the five rounds were sufficient to crown him champion. He earns himself testing in a Volkswagen Motorsport race car. Abdul Fattah eventually finished eleventh to secure second in the final standings earns himself kart training sessions with Rayo Racing. Raiden Samervel, and gets a free race entry courtesy IndiKarting.
Organised by 8-time national karting champion Rayomand Banajee and his IR eSports, in association with Volkswagen Motorsport India, the championship pits India’s best online racers against real world racers: held on the popular online iRacing platform, each competes in an FIA homologated Dallara Formula 3 car, with identical setups, using his or her own simulator.
Mr. Sirish Vissa, Head Motorsports at Volkswagen India, said: “We are proud to associate with IR eSports and the Indian Sim Racing League. This gives a different dimension to our motorsport program in India. With this association we look forward to expanding our footprint in terms of accessibility to the sport.”
“We have always been looking at growing motorsport at the grassroots level. We gained a lot of knowledge organising India’s largest eSports Racing Championship last year. The lockdown created a perfect opportunity for the sport to grow and we are happy to create a competitive avenue for motorsport to grow in India via iRacing,” Rayomand added.
In this season, watched live by thousands on multiple social media channels, the five rounds saw the competitors racing on some of the world’s most iconic circuits, including Silverstone, Daytona and Laguna Seca.
The ISRL follows all the racing norms, with a proper rule book and experienced officials overseeing the conduct of the racers. Each round consists of two practice sessions totalling 90 minutes, a 10 minute qualifying and a 20 minute race. Points are awarded as per the Volkswagen India Championship, with additional points for pole position and fastest lap.
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#VirtualSpanishGP: MotoGP and Two Wheels for Life unite against coronavirus
The Red Bull Virtual Grand Prix of Spain sees Two Wheels and Dorna Sports team up to raise funds for the fight against Covid-19
Jerez, 30 April 2020: The Red Bull Virtual Grand Prix of Spain takes place this Sunday at 3 pm (GMT +2), with the MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes all suiting up to do digital battle in a world-first event. The star-studded line-up will be taking on the challenge on the new official MotoGP20 Videogame from videogame developer, publisher and long-standing partner Milestone; racing around the legendary Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto in Andalucia.
This time there’s more than glory at stake, however, as the event is in aid of MotoGP™’s official charity Two Wheels for Life to support their fight against Covid-19. The campaign is open for donations now and Dorna Sports begins the fundraising drive with a donation of €20,000! Fans and supporters can make their donations HERE, and links will also be available on social media throughout the broadcast of the Red Bull Virtual Grand Prix of Spain.
Two Wheels for Life works with on-the-ground partners Riders for Health in a number of African countries, supporting African run and led healthcare initiatives using motorcycles. Experts in healthcare delivery across the continent, Riders for Health use their unique systems to ensure motorcycles and other vehicles run reliably, allowing health workers to access difficult-to-reach communities and villages delivering services such as child immunisation and emergency health transport, as well as ensuring test results can be taken to labs and returned swiftly to enable diagnoses.
