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Kari grabs the honours in free practice, Maini 9th fastest: GP3 Series
Niko Kari has laid down a marker for his rivals for the final round of the 2017 season by claiming the top spot on his final lap of the Yas Marina Circuit in this morning’s free practice session, biding his time before claiming the honours when his rivals had no chance to usurp him for a lap time that was less than a tenth faster than Dorian Boccolacci and Nirei Fukuzumi. Meanwhile, Indian driver Arjun Maini of Jenzer Motorsports, was 9th fastest.The Finn’s best time of 1:55.796 after the chequered flag had dropped was the quickest of a string of fast laps that came in the final minutes of a session which saw times tumbling throughout but was otherwise quiet, with no major off-track drama given the short gap before this afternoon’s qualifying session.The track opened to warm and sunny conditions, with a number of drivers spending time on the top of the timesheets: Fukuzumi was the first person under the 2 minute mark with Kari, Dan Ticktum and Leonardo Pulcini swapping P1 between them until Boccolacci grabbed the top spot just before the 20 minute mark and held on until late into the session as everyone worked on their race simulations.With 5 minutes remaining everyone turned up the wick once more: Anthoine Hubert picked up the pace ahead of a string of drivers swapping the top spot between them, with Giuliano Alesi, Kevin Joerg, George Russell, Kari and Fukuzumi rotating through before Boccolacci reclaimed P1 with 2 minutes remaining. Ticktum went purple in sector 1, soon overtaken by Boccolacci, and it looked like the Frenchman had done enough as he slowed in the 2nd sector only to hear that Kari had claimed P1, leaving him no time to improve as he rolled to the flag.Behind the top 3 Ticktum, Russell, Hubert, Raoul Hyman, Pulcini and Arjun Maini were among the 14 drivers within a second of the top spot, promising fireworks in this afternoon’s qualifying session in just a few hours’ time.Provisional Qualifying ClassificationDriverTeamLaptimeLaps1.Niko KARIArden International1:55.796192.Dorian BOCCOLACCITrident1:55.865183.Nirei FUKUZUMIART Grand Prix1:55.886184.Daniel TICKTUMDAMS1:56.006165.George RUSSELLART Grand Prix1:56.071186.Anthoine HUBERTART Grand Prix1:56.159187.Raoul HYMANCampos Racing1:56.225168.Leonardo PULCINIArden International1:56.323199.Arjun MAINIJenzer Motorsport1:56.5581810.Steijn SCHOTHORSTArden International1:56.6071911.Marcos SIEBERTCampos Racing1:56.6081712.Kevin JOERGTrident1:56.6121713.Giuliano ALESITrident1:56.6401714.Jack AITKENART Grand Prix1:56.6411815.Ryan TVETERTrident1:57.0681616.Bruno BAPTISTADAMS1:57.2551817.Juan Manuel CORREAJenzer Motorsport1:57.8851818.Alessio LORANDIJenzer Motorsport1:58.7231819.Julien FALCHEROCampos Racing1:58.8201420.Tatiana CALDERONDAMS1:59.3459 -
Gill, Veiby locked in fierce contest for APRC crown
Chikkamagaluru, November 23: Excitement and expectations have reached unprecedented levels as the Coffee Day India Rally 2017 which doubles up as the fifth and concluding round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, organized by the Motor Sports Club of Chikkamagalur, commences here tomorrow after tonight’s ceremonial flag-off at the sponsors Coffee Day Global premises.
The fourth round of the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship, promoted by Ramakrishna Race Performance Management, Kolkata, will be run concurrently with 39 entries.
The highlight of the weekend gala will be the title shootout between defending APRC champion Gaurav Gill and his Team MRF mate Ole Christian Veiby, the 21-year old speed merchant from Norway, both driving the Race Torque-prepared Skoda Fabia R5, with six points separating the two.
Also in the APRC fray are two more Indians, PG Abhilash of Team PGA Motorsports in a Subaru Impreza WRX Sti who leads in the production class and US-based Sumit Panjabi (SNAP Racing) piloting Mitsubishi Evo VIII besides New Zealand’s Mike Young (Volkswagen Polo R2) and Sri Lankan Sharfaz Junaid (Volkswagen Polo).
The coffee town is agog with excitement with most hotels fully booked by rally enthusiasts and even a bunch of die-hard Gill fans flying in from Singapore to cheer the Indian ace.
Delhi-based Gill (136 points), the twice APRC champion, and Veiby (130) are primed for a no-holds barred battle in the twisty and tricky coffee estate roads of the Coffee Day Global, about 35 Kms from this popular holiday destination.
While Gill, with Belgian Stephane Prevot in the co-driver’s seat, is all too familiar with the terrain and route that is often aptly described as “Rally of 1000 corners” and which he dominated last year when he won all six rounds of the APRC for his second title, Veiby, partnered by compatriot Stig Rune Skjarmoen, has some catching up to do, but has the pace, confidence and daring of the youth to pull off a win.
Through the season, the duo has fought every inch of the way over four rounds as Gill triumphed in New Zealand and Japan, while Veiby took the honours in Australia and Malaysia.
While acknowledging that he is the favourite for the title and enjoys massive home support, Gill summed up the task before him saying there is only one way to retain his crown and that is by winning.
“Yes, I am on familiar terrain here in Chikkamagaluru, but I still have to drive to win. Because of the twisty route, the average speeds will be low and you have to be very precise. It is very much a tactical rally. I may have an advantage over OC, but he has done more rallies this year, including WRC-2 and as such more seat time in the R5. However, it is pretty straightforward as I have to win here to win the championship,” said 35-year old Gill who enjoys a cult following in these parts.
Veiby, seemingly unfazed by the challenge ahead, said: “This is definitely the most thrilling rally this season and without doubt, the most important in the APRC. I am extra excited this time. I am in no way stressed about this even though victory is the only thing that matters. I feel, the pressure will be more on Gill as he is leading the championship and driving on home soil.”
Meanwhile, the MRF FMSCI Indian National Rally Championship has attracted 39 entries headlined by Mahindra Adventure’s UK-based Amittrajit Ghosh (co-driver Ashwin Naik) who is among the favourites to win this round.
Also in the INRC mix are country’s top guns like Arjun Rao, Karna Kadur, Rahul Kanthraj, and Dean Mascarenhas among others who add more glamour and excitement to the star cast.
After Thursday night’s ceremonial flag-off, the event kicks-off with the popular Super Special Stage at the Amber Valley school grounds on Friday evening before the competitors head to the Special Stages on Saturday.
The APRC round covers 502 kms of which 207.54 Kms comprise Special Stages while the INRC cars will do 224.72 kms with 81.63 Kms of Special Stages. The INRC round concludes on Saturday while APRC event terminates on Sunday afternoon.
eom/
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Pride at stake in Abu Dhabi GP
By Amol S Ghokale
Abu Dhabi: “Lewis, this is Paddy, we need you to pick up the pace, that’s an instruction,” came in a team radio for Lewis Hamilton.
“Right now, I am losing the World Championship, so I don’t really care if I win or lose this race,” was a blunt reply from Hamilton to Mercedes’ then Executive Director Paddy Lowe.
The clear defiance of team orders by Hamilton caused quite a stir in the F1 world as Nico Rosberg celebrated his title and subsequently announced his retirement.
Exactly a year later, the 32-year old Brit, returns to Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi as the Four-time World Champion, as the sun sets on the 2017 Formula One season.
As the things stand, apart from the pride there is hardly anything at stake this weekend, unlike last year, with both driver’s as well as constructors’ championships were sealed in Mexico in October itself.
But still, there is a lot to look forward to when one takes a look back at things.
All eyes will be on champion Lewis Hamilton after he finished fourth, starting from pit lane in the Brazilian GP a fortnight ago. His arch-rival this season, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who won a thrilling race at Interlagos, would look to end the season on a high having already lost the championship.
Then comes their team-mates, two Finn’s – Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen, having played second fiddle all along, with moments to cherish in between as spotlight remained focused constantly on their team-mates.
Two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have had a season to forget in first and second half of season respectively as Red Bull struggled for reliability all along.
The much-awaited divorce from engine supplier Renault did happen eventually as Red Bull are most likely be forced to use Honda engines from 2019 season.
Esteban Ocon signing for Force India was definitely the best signing of the season after Bottas’ move to Mercedes from Williams. The 21-year-old French driver along with seasoned campaigner Sergio Perez secured the fourth spot in constructors’ championship for their team with some margin over their mid-table rivals Williams, Renault, Toro Rosso.
But the success Force India enjoyed this year has come at a cost as drivers’ were put on a leash by the team after repeated collisions in Azerbaijan and Belgium. But with a good weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit, Sergio Perez, on 94 points, can reach the 100 mark. Meanwhile, Ocon, who suffered his first retirement in a single seater after 2014, is on 83 points.
Meanwhile, Williams’ Felipe Massa will race for the ‘one last time’ second time as he finally hangs his boots this year. A possible 10th placed finish in the driver’s standing is on the cards for the icon of the sport if he manages to keep his team-mate Lance Stroll behind; for whom highlight of the season has been a surprise podium finish at the Baku.
A sly dig Hamilton had at Fernando Alonso when the McLaren driver wished for same engines at the beginning of the season in Melbourne, with Hamilton promptly responding, “I hope not the Honda,” and Alonso’s rants on team radio are the proof of trouble McLaren had with Honda.
McLaren were put out of their misery when at the Singapore GP it was announced that McLaren would switch to Renault engine in 2018.
The same period followed a scramble as Toro Rosso sacked Daniil Kvyat for poor show and lost Carlos Sainz to Renault, replacing Jolyon Palmer, as part of their deal. After much speculation, Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley would take the seats at Toro Rosso for the final race of the season as well as for the next one.
As the drama unfolded in the paddock for smaller teams, the big guns were fighting their own battles with Mercedes eventually securing the double crown for the fourth time running.
The teams will look to try and put more and more updates on their cars with one eye on 2018 season. Although, Williams has denied that deal for Robert Kubica deal is not done, with Massa seat up for grabs, the Polish driver will test with the team during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
19 out of 20 races are done, and now it has come down to the last one, a unique, twilight race in the desert, where the pride will be at stake with one eye on the future; probably fretting over how the future will look with halo, a protection for driver, installed on their cars, a beast, a diva, whatever they might choose to call it.
eom/from Abu Dhabi
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Force India look to develop next year’s car: Team preview
Abu Dhabi: having already bagged the 4th place in the constructors World championship, Sahara Force India gets ready for this weekend’s season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Both the drivers and the team Principal echo confident feelings.
Sergio Perez: “I enjoy driving at Yas Marina. It’s a track where we’ve been strong for the last few years and I would love to end the year on a high with a strong result. The final race is always a strange feeling because it’s your last opportunity to drive the VJM10 and you don’t know what next year will bring. We don’t have any pressure because fourth place in the championship is confirmed so I can focus on simply enjoying the experience and getting the best result possible.
“There are some interesting corner combinations at Yas Marina and it’s a track that is hard on braking, with a lot of emphasis on traction. There are overtaking opportunities at the end of the long straights so you often find yourself either attacking or defending, especially towards the end of the race.
“As a team we can be satisfied with our season. Finishing fourth is the best we could achieve and, on a personal level, finishing just behind the top six drivers makes me feel proud. We just need to make sure we deliver this weekend and end the season well.”
Esteban: “The Abu Dhabi weekend is always special and racing at night creates such a nice atmosphere. This season went by so quickly – it’s unbelievable to think we’re already at the final race of the season because it feels like yesterday that we were in Australia. It’s been a successful season and I hope we can finish it in style with a big result.
“I have great memories from Yas Marina: this is where I was crowned GP3 champion in 2015 and where I drove my first FP1 session in Formula One. I have done so much testing around there and I like the place. The two long straights are good opportunities to overtake: you can use the first to get really close to the car in front and make the move on the second. There are opportunities to shake the order up so the race can be quite exciting.
“After Abu Dhabi, it’s not really holidays. It’s back to training, back to the mountains for almost two months. I want to be ready for next season, when the cars are likely to go even faster. It’ll be nice to spend some time with family and friends around Christmas and New Year, but other than that, my focus is on getting ready physically and spending time at the factory.”
Vijay Mallya: “Whatever happens in Abu Dhabi this weekend, 2017 has already been our most successful season to date. I can’t stress just how proud I am of our achievements. Claiming fourth place in the World Championship for two consecutive years doesn’t happen by accident and I have to pay tribute to each and every one of the 400 staff who played their part in making it possible.
“With fourth place secure, it’s nice to end the season free from pressure. Of course, the focus is firmly on 2018 and we will continue experimenting with different things on the car this weekend. We will also continue running George Russell in Friday practice. We have usually been competitive in Abu Dhabi and it’s important to end the season well before the start of a busy winter finalising a new car for 2018.”
Meanwhile, Vijay Mallya’s hearing in the deportation case in London is scheduled for Dec 4.
Sahara Force India’s Chief Race Engineer, Tom McCullough, looks ahead to the final race of the season in Yas Marina.
“The final race of the season takes us back to a more standard lap length of 5.554km and to sea level, a change after the high-altitude challenges of Mexico and Brazil. This anti-clockwise track produces one of the slowest lap times of the year, courtesy of the high number of corners – the majority of them being low-speed. The three sectors making up the lap are quite distinct: short sector one tests the medium to high-speed performance of the car, while sector two is dominated by long straights and low-speed corners. At the end of the lap, sector three is an intense series of low-speed corners. The Yas Marina circuit is a challenge for engineers too: it’s very hard on the brakes and the practice sessions take place early in the day, with higher track temperatures than those we experience during qualifying and race at twilight, meaning it’s important to assess the car requirements accurately. As in Brazil, having secured fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, we will use Friday not only to prepare for the race, but also to help the development of next year’s car.”
eom/press release
Image courtesy Sahara Force India -
Tough debut for Jehan Daruvala at Macau Grand Prix as he finishes 10th
Jehan Daruvala finishes 10th at Macau World Cup. 19 Nov 2017; Photo by James Gasperotti Macau: Jehan Daruvala of the Sahara Force India Academy, overcame numerous hurdles, while gaining valuable experience, on his debut at the FIA F3 World Cup. The nineteen year old Indian finished a commendable tenth in his rookie race at the Macau Grand Prix. The notoriously unforgiving street circuit witnessed high drama throughout the weekend with most sessions witnessing either a red flag or a safety car, due to multiple accidents.
Jehan’s weekend at the Macau Grand Prix began with the Indian teenager finding his way around his the circuit during his first time on track. The Grand Prix in Macau deviates from the normal racing format, with the average of 2 qualifying sessions deciding the start position for a qualifying race, which in turn decides the grid for the Grand Prix race.
The 6.1 Guia street circuit is considered as one of the toughest circuits in the World and numerous F1 stars have raced and won here, enroute to F1. The circuit has no run-off at most corners, while metal armco barriers or walls, line the edge of the narrow circuit for most of its length. The added twist of the extremely high speeds that can be achieved, often result in mayhem with multiple crashes in all categories.
Jehan’s progress was hampered after crashes in practice 1 and qualifying 1, as it was for numerous other experienced and rookies alike. However the young Indian improved significantly in the second practice session which saw him just 1.1 seconds off the pace, in tenth position. Qualifying 2 undid his efforts after a crash on his first quick lap left him down in nineteenth. Jehan started nineteenth in the qualifying race, but unfortunately by then he had damaged too many tyres in his accidents. He was forced to use an old set for the race and could do little in terms of progressing up the order and eventually finished the race in sixteenth.
The FIA F3 World Cup Race at the Macau Grand Prix proved to be the most exciting. Jehan finally on fresh tyres immediately made a move once the lights went out. He was unfortunately forced wide and once again hit the barriers. Luckily the only damage that Jehan had was a slow puncture. He soon had to make an unscheduled pit-stop to change the punctured tyre and then resumed his race on track. He was fortunate to pit during a safety car period which meant he did not lose too much ground to the leaders.
Jehan joined the race in last and put his head down to close the gap. He soon started overtaking cars and also benefitted from others crashing. Jehan eventually took the chequered flag in a commendable tenth position, 10.45 seconds behind the race winner. Up ahead, the race was one of the most exciting races in the history of the Macau GP. The early leaders crashed in the first few laps after which Jehan’s teammate, Habsburg from Austria took the lead from Brazilian favourite, Sergio Camara on the last corner of the last lap! Ironically however, both crashed as they exited the last corner and handed victory to British racer Daniel Ticktum who started from eighth.
“I expected a mixed weekend – and it was exactly that. It was a steep learning curve with absolutely no margin for error. My qualifying race was compromised because ran out of tyres. At the start of the GP race I was forced into the barriers, which was a shame because I had good pace. Considering all the set-backs, I am happy with the pace I managed at the end, in my first Macau GP. I have learnt a lot and would definitely love to come and race here again next year” said Jehan after his top ten finish in the FIA F3 World Cup.
Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard are some of the Formula 1 winners who have won the Macau Grand Prix in the past besides, numerous other F1 racers who have participated but were unable to win.
eom/Press Release
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Double for Drugovich in MRF Challenge opener
Bahrain, 17 Nov, 2017: Felipe Drugovich, the 17-year-old Brazilian, got his 2017 MRF Challenge campaign off to a perfect start by winning both races in the season opener at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, here on Friday.
Drugovich pulled off a last lap move on Manuel Maldonado, cousin of former F1 racer Pastor Maldonado, to win Race 2. Presley Martono also passed Maldonado on the run up to the chequered flag to beat the Venezuelan by 0.010 secs to take second spot. In Race 1, Drugovich benefitted from race leader Rinus van Kalmthout’s retirement to win ahead of Martono and Dylan Young.
Earlier in the day van Kalmthout was dominant in qualifying to put his car on pole position by almost half a second. He set a 2:00.754 to set the fastest time of the weekend. Drugovich qualified 2nd, albeit 0.461secs off with Karkosik in 3rd place. Falchero qualified in 4th place ahead of Martono and Friday pace setter Pavan Ravishankar.
The season got underway with van Kalmthout having the perfect start from pole position to lead into the first corner. Drugovich followed him in 2nd place with Dylan Young jumping from 7th to 3rd after getting a brilliant start. Drugovich managed to stay with van Kalmthout for the first few laps before the Dutch driver started pulling away at the front. Meanwhile Martono passed Young for 3rd and started catching Drugovich. It was heartbreak for van Kalmthout as he was forced to retire from the lead with 2 laps to go due to a mechanical problem. Meanwhile Martono closed up right behind Drugovich and the two cars were side by side as they headed down the main straight. Martono tried to get past but Drugovich held on to win the first race of the season. Young crossed the line in 3rd place to take only his second podium in championship. Alex Karkosik finished in 4th place ahead of Maldonado, Julien Falchero and Robert Megennis.
In the reverse grid based Race 2, Maldonado jumped Falchero to lead into the first corner. Drugovich had a strong start from 6th on the grid to slot into 3rd behind the fast starting Karkosik. Karkosik and Drugovich put pressure on Maldonado but the Venezuelan did well to stay in front. Van Kalmthout, who started last, sliced through the field and was upto 6th place on lap 5. Martono passed Falchero into the first corner on lap 6 while 2nd placed man Karkosik was forced to retire with a mechanical problem. On the last lap Drugovich out braked Maldonado to take the lead, with Martono close behind. Coming out of the last corner and heading into the start finish straight Martono managed to get his nose ahead to beat Maldonado by 0.010secs. It was heartbreak for Maldonado who slipped from 1st to 3rd on the last lap. Behind the top 3, Falchero finished in 4th ahead of the charging van Kalmthout, with Megennis and Ravishankar rounding off the top 7.
Double winner Felipe Drugovich, commented, “I am really happy to win both races today. In qualifying we were still trying things with the setup. We were lucky to win Race 1 with Van Kalmthout retiring. In race 2 I had a great start and managed to get behind Maldonado. He made a small mistake into the final corner and I took advantage to pass him into the first corner. It has been a great start and I hope we can do the same tomorrow.”
Presley Martono impressed with a double podium finish in the season opener. He commented, “The car was great today and I felt that we really nailed the setup. I have to improve my starts and then I feel I can challenge for the win. Overall I am very happy with today’s performance.”
Race 3&4 will take place tomorrow.
MRF Challenge 2017, Round 1, Bahrain, Qualifying:
- Rinus Van Kalmthout – 2:00.754
- Felipe Drugovich – 2:01.215
- Alex Karkosik – 2:01.533
- Julian Falchero – 2:01.900
- Presley Martono – 2:01.961
MRF Challenge 2017, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 1:
- Felipe Drugovich – 20:33.897
- Presley Martono – 20:34.546
- Dylan Young – 20:38.456
- Alex Karkosik – 20:40.984
- Manuel Maldonado – 20:43.096
MRF Challenge 2017, Round 1, Bahrain, Race 2:
- Felipe Drugovich – 20:33.019
- Presley Martono – 20:34.689
- Manuel Maldonado – 20:34.699
- Julian Falchero – 20:36.847
- Rinus van Kalmthout – 20:39.456
eom/press release
eom/press release
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JS group South Lake TSD rally successfully completes 7 editions
Bengaluru, 13 Nov 2017: After a thrilling battle for top honours Vinay Prasanna and co-driver Ravi Kumar BM logged 18.46 penalty points to narrowly win the annual JS Group 7th South Lake TSD Rally organised by Startline Motorsports here on Sunday.
Balaji Shetty along with navigator Natarajan were close behind in the TSD Challenge class with a penalty of 18.50 to take second behind Vinay and Ravi while the pair of Naveen and Lenin Joseph came third in 20.18. Mohan and Chandran duo won the Stock Amateur category with 40.49 penalty points. The drivers and organisers carried the messages of road safety and protection of lakes on the cars and promotion materials.
Three categories were run in the TSD Endurance class. Akshay and Aprameya won the Corporate class. Supree Sagar along with co-drier Anushree won the couple class while Minaxi and Rajaratna claimed the all-Ladies class.
Provisional results: TSD Challenge: Pro Expert: 1. Vinay Prasanna & Ravi Kumar BM 18.46 penalty points; 2. Balaji Shetty & Natarajan 18.50; 3. Naveen & Lenin Joseph 20.18. Pro Stock: 1. Mohan & Chandran 27.51; 2. Sai Prasad & Arun 37.56; 3. Pavan Kumar & Pradeep Nagaraj 46.02.
TSD Endurance: Stock Amateur: 1. Shiva Kumar & Vignesh 40.49; 2. Manjunath & Shivaprasad 41.37; 3. Sachin & Vinay Prasad 44.09. Corporate: 1. Akshay & Aprameya 20.50; 2. Ponappa & Chengappa 23.20; 3. Prajwal Gowda & Devkanth GM 26.30. Couple: 1. Supreet Sagar & Anushree 15.30; 2. Abbas Anil & Aini Anil 18.37; 3. Suresh B & Manjushree 37.54. All ladies: 1. Minaxi & Rajaratna 15:14; 2. Noopur Agrawal & Nilofer Ibrahim 3:12.00; 3. Fernandes Dominic & Sonia Kaveriappa 3:32.00.
eom
Winners all: Winners of all the categories pose for a group picture after the PD in Bangalore on Sunday. Photo by Startline Motorsports -
The curtain comes down on another stunning and record-breaking MotoGP season
After another three stunning races on Sunday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana, the FIM Awards ceremony brought the incredible 2017 season to a close – with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) taking top billing, and Marquez receiving his MotoGP™ World Champion trophy after taking the title earlier in the day in a dramatic final race.
The 2017 Awards were hosted by Dylan Gray and Izaskun Ruiz, with Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and FIM President Vito Ippolito in attendance to present the range of awards throughout the evening.
Youngest ever six-time World Champion Marquez took center stage as he received his hard-earned 2017 MotoGP™ trophy, along with Moto2™ World Champion Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Moto3™ World Champion Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) – two riders who also re-wrote some history in 2017.
The MotoGP™ Rookie of the Year award was presented to Valencia GP podium finisher Johann Zarco of Monster Yamaha Tech 3, with the Frenchman also taking the title of top Independent Team rider in 2017 following a stunning campaign.
In Moto2™, Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Francesco Bagnaia received the Rookie of the Year prize, with Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team) taking Moto3™ Rookie of the Year after a great final race for the Japanese rider at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
The BMW M Award for best qualifier in the MotoGP™ class went to Marquez for the fifth year in a row, and the Tissot Pole of Poles went to Morbidelli in Moto2™ and Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) in Moto3™.
The Repsol Honda Team picked up the MotoGP™ Team world title trophy after the results in the race earlier on Sunday, and Honda took the MotoGP™ Constructor Title in the premier class. Kalex came out on top in Moto2™, and Honda in Moto3™.
The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion Kazuki Masaki, runner-up Aleix Viu and third-placed rider Can Öncü also made appearances on stage to receive their medals for their fantastic seasons in the Cup.
Now the dust is left to settle for a day and the cava flows free, until Tuesday sees the engines fire up once more as testing begins for 2018.
eom/MotoGP press release
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Vettel beats Bottas at the start, wins 47th career Grand Prix; Hamilton recovers to 4th
Sebastian Vettel took his 47th career grand prix win in a tight Brazilian Grand Prix that saw him finish just 2.7s ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas. Ferrari team-mate Kimi Räikkönen took the final podium position after fending off Lewis Hamilton in the closing laps, the Briton having charged through the field after a pitlane start.
At the start, Vettel snatched the lead ahead of Bottas, with the German sneaking through on the inside past the Finn. Further back Haas’s Kevin Magnussen collided with McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne, who was in turn pitched into the side of Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull. The Dane and the Belgian were forced out of the race but the Australian was able to continue.
There was more drama to come. A few corners later, Haas’ Romain Grosjean tangled with Esteban Ocon, with the result that the Force India driver was forced to retire.
That brought out the safety, which remained on course until the end of lap five. When the action resumed Vettel held his lead ahead of Bottas with Kimi Räikkönen third in the second Ferrari and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fourth.
Lewis Hamilton, though, was on a march and after starting from the pit lane due to repairs needed after qualifying crash, the Briton was already up to ninth place on lap 10. Ricciardo too was advancing and by the same tour he had made his way from 17th place to 14th, behind Lance Stroll. He was quickly dismissed, along with Sauber’s Marcus Ericson and by lap 12 the Australian was 12th.
Hamilton too was continuing to stride forward and on lap 14 he claimed the scalp of Force India’s Sergio Perez to take seventh place. That put him 15.2s behind race leader Vettel, who was two seconds clear of Bottas and a further two ahead of Räikkönen.
By lap 21 Hamilton had muscled his to way to fifth place, 10 seconds behind Verstappen and was continuing to gain ground as the Dutchman began to complain of rear tyres wear on his starting set of supersofts. At the front, Vettel was losing ground to Bottas, with the Finn now 1.7s seconds behind the German.
Bottas was the first of frontrunners to Pit on lap 27 for soft tyres and he was followed a lap later by Vettel who responded to the undercut attempt. Verstappen and Raikkonen too made their stop for tyres and on lap 31 Hamilton, who had yet to stop, was promoted to the race lead.
Three seconds behind him was Vettel, with the German now enjoying a 2.7s advantage over Bottas. Räikkönen held fourth ahead of the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Ricciardo, who had not yet pitted, Williams’ Felipe Massa and McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton and Ricciardo finally pitted to change their starting supersofts on lap 44, with both taking on supesoft tyres. Vettel was boosted back into the lead, 2.5s ahead of Bottas, with Räikkönen a further two seconds behind. Verstappen was now fourth, 4.1 behind Räikkönen and 7.3s ahead of Hamilton. Massa now found himself sixth ahead of Ricciardo and Alonso.
The question now was how far Hamilton would be able to advance and his race engineer offered a clue by telling the four-time champion that he was battling for a podium place. That meant he would need to pass Verstappen and find the 10s necessary to get him onto third-placed Räikkönen’s gearbox.
He swiftly began to close on Verstappen and by lap 55 he was just 3.0s in arrears to the Dutchman who was complaining that his tyres felt “like rocks”. By lap 59 the gap had been erased almost entirely and though the Red Bull driver defend well in the Senna S at the start of the lap, he couldn’t resist Hamilton’s pace and the Mercedes man swept past on the straight before Turn 4 to claim fourth place. He now targeted Räikkönen who was 4.8s ahead and with five laps remaining he closed to within DRS range of the Ferrari.
Räikkönen though was alive to the threat and he expertly kept Hamilton at bay over the closing laps. Ahead Vettel took his 47th career victory in relative comfort with Bottas second. Räikkönen took his 91st career podium finish ahead of the superb Hamilton, while Verstappen, in fourth, led home team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
Felipe Massa ended his final Brazilian Grand Prix with an excellent run to seventh place, the hometown hero finishing ahead of Alonso and Perez. The final point on offer went to Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg.
2017 Brazilian Grand Prix – Race
1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1’31:26.260
2 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 2.762
3 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 4.600
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 5.468
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull 32.940
6 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 48.691
7 Felipe Massa Williams 68.882
8 Fernando Alonso McLaren 69.363
9 Sergio Perez Force India 69.500
10 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1 lap
11 Carlos Sainz Renault 1 lap
12 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso 1 lap
13 Marcus Ericsson Sauber 1 lap
14 Pascal Wehrlein Sauber 1 lap
15 Romain Grosjean Haas 2 laps
16 Lance Stroll Williams 2 laps
Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
Esteban Ocon Force India
Kevin Magnussen Haas
Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren.eom/FIA press release
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Marquez takes sixth world title and youngest to win fourth MotoGP crown
File photo of Marc Marquez in action at Sepang 2017. Photo by Srinivasa Krishnan Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) is now a six-time World Champion following a dramatic #FinalShowdown. Taking the MotoGP™ crown for the fourth time in five years makes it an 80% success rate for the rider from Cervera, who continues to work his way through the record books and has wrapped up title number six at Valencia. The end of 2015 saw Marquez lose the title of World Champion for the first and so far only time since moving to MotoGP™, 2016 saw the number 93 launch a controlled re-assault on the Championship and 2017 has seen that same control as he’s battled at the front, but with more scope to attack. Six wins before being confirmed as Champion make for good reading, before a podium to finish the year in the final round.
A 15-year-old Marquez made his debut in the World Championship in 2008, and although his rookie season was curtailed by injury, he made headlines by achieving a podium result at Donington Park. He picked up another podium result in 2009, before becoming 125 World Champion for the first time in 2010 – winning ten of the last 14 races of the year.
Moving into the Moto2™ class for 2011, Marquez had more difficult start to the season before going on an incredible winning run, taking seven wins to close down the once-large lead of title rival Stefan Bradl – including a podium in Phillip Island from P38 on the grid. A crash in practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix put a stop to his charge that season, however, and Marquez was forced to sit on the sidelines with serious problems with his eyesight. Not knowing whether the problem could be solved, Marquez had a tough off season with his career in doubt until surgery was able to correct the problem. Back on track for 2012, he then took the Moto2™ World Championship in style – including an impressive win from the back of the grid at the season finale.
Then it was graduation time and the reigning intermediate class Champion moved up to MotoGP™. On the podium in Qatar and winning his second Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, Marquez became the youngest ever rider to clinch the premier class world title in MotoGP™, thanks to a truly amazing debut season. He also became the first rookie premier class World Champion for 35 years.
The 2014 campaign saw Marquez raise the bar as he took ten successive victories in the opening ten rounds of the season, and Marquez wrapped up the title in Japan at the Twin Ring Motegi for the first time – the home of manufacturer Honda. 2015 began well, with a win at the Americas GP and the number 93 looking to defend his crown. But too many crashes and points lost as the Yamaha charge of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo gained traction saw Marquez out of contention by the time the flyaways came around. A stunning win in Phillip Island saw Marquez back on the top step. After taking victory in one of the greatest races of all time, Marquez and Rossi then clashed next time out in Sepang. Valencia saw the rider from Cervera take another home podium in P2 to complete the year, ready to recharge over the winter and take back his crown from new World Champion Lorenzo.
The strategy was then changed for 2016, as Marquez rode to win a title rather than win the most races. That saw him take the crown at the home of Honda at Motegi – as he did in 2014. Wins in Texas, Argentina, Germany and Aragon saw the Spaniard 52 points clear ahead of the Japanese GP, and arriving there as the only rider to score in every race. 2017 hasn’t played out the same, but the result is the same: an incredible sixth crown.
Beginning the year off the podium at Qatar and then with a DNF in Argentina, Texas was where Marquez first gained some traction, taking his now customary pole and win. That was followed up with a podium at Jerez before what seemed like a disastrous third DNF of the season at Le Mans. After a tough Mugello that saw key rival Andrea Dovizioso take a stunning home win, Marquez then began a podium run until a mechanical issue at Silverstone, but included a win at Sachsenring and Brno. One of those races was a stunning duel at the Red Bull Ring versus Dovizioso, which will be penned into the history books. After Dovizioso won his fourth race of the year at Silverstone, Marquez struck back at Misano – and then again at Aragon. But his Italian rival was far from done, with another jaw-dropping duel lighting the fuse on the rivalry once more in the pouring rain at Motegi – which Dovizioso won.
Phillip Island saw Marquez extend his lead in the points in the Australian GP, and was yet another incredible showcase of the best of MotoGP™ as Marquez pulled away from the dogfight of the year. That set the number 93 up with his first chance at the crown next time out in Malaysia, but Dovizioso won in the rain as Marquez took fourth. It all went down to the wire, with the Italian needing a win and Marquez only to finish 11th or higher.
In that dramatic final race, Marquez almost crashed, saved a huge moment and then rejoined behind Dovizioso – but the Italian crashed out of contention in the race and Championship soon after. Then calmly able to regroup and take the flag in third, Marquez wrote another stunning chapter in both his own history and that of the sport he has pushed the boundaries of since since 2013, with four premier class crowns in five years.
eom/MotoGP release
