INDIA in F1

Blog

  • Mahindra provides course cars to Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix

    Mahindra provides course cars to Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix

    • Mahindra & Mahindra to supply all course cars and vehicles for VIP laps this Saturday at the first ever Formula E race in India, the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix
    • The world’s fastest-accelerating production road car – the Battista from Mahindra & Mahindra’s Automobili Pininfarina brand – will be on show to guests on the Hyderabad street circuit
    • The course cars showcase the technological advancements in EVs and the commitment of Mahindra & Mahindra to electric mobility

    HYDERABAD, India – Fri, 10 Feb. 2023: Formula E and Mahindra & Mahindra today announced that all course cars and vehicles for VIP guest laps at the inaugural 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix taking place this Saturday will be provided by Mahindra & Mahindra.

    The electric vehicle selection will consist of six course cars and eight Mahindra & Mahindra XUV4000 vehicles for VIP laps. Making its debut in India courtesy of Mahindra & Mahindra is the Battista – the pure-electric hyper GT by Italian luxury carmaker Automobili Pininfarina.

    Together, they will showcase innovations inspired by the Mahindra Racing team and developed in cars designed for road use, accelerating the development of electric mobility and the future of sustainable, luxurious transport.

    As one of the founding teams in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Mahindra Racing has competed in all 103 Formula E races to date, securing 24 podium finishes and five race wins.

    The 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix this weekend will be a home race for Mahindra Racing where thousands of passionate fans will cheer team drivers Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland in the new GEN3 –the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built.

    Matt Scammell, Chief Commercial Officer, Formula E, said:

    “We are delighted to expand our unique relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra for this historic first race in India. Their on-track vehicles will showcase the value automakers see in developing cutting edge EV technology in the championship that can be directly transferred into their consumer models. We look forward to an exciting, competitive debut race in India and are sure everyone in the Mahindra Racing team will do all they can to entertain and excite their fans at the track and tuning in on TV.”

    Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing, said: 

    “As one of the founding teams of Formula E and after racing across the world, this is a proud moment for Mahindra Racing as we come home to India for the first time, and to see Mahindra & Mahindra vehicles across the event will be the cherry on the cake. It outlines the possibilities in race to road technology that inspires our electric road cars.”

    Paolo Dellachà, CEO, Automobili Pininfarina, said:

    “We are proud to present the record-breaking Battista in India for the first time, in collaboration with our Mahindra & Mahindra friends at Mahindra Racing. This will be a true celebration of our respective innovations to lead the way in developing the pinnacle of electrified performance on road and track.”

    Showing support for its electric race team, high profile members of Mahindra & Mahindra will also be attending the race, including its Chairperson, Anand Mahindra and Managing Director and CEO, Anish Shah, as well as other special guests.

    In India, Star Sports Select 2 & Disney+ Hotstar will show all of the competitive action live from the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix, with Disney + HotStar the destination for all the Formula E action across the weekend.

  • Mahindra Racing all set for home race at Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix

    Mahindra Racing all set for home race at Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix

    Mumbai / Banbury, February 6, 2023: Mahindra Racing is all set for the the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix – the team’s home race on Sunday.

    With free practice today and Race tomorrow, the Hyderabad E-Prix marks the first time the Formula E Championship visits India, an occasion the team have been looking forward to since the formation of the championship in 2014 Following on from rounds two and three in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, the team are hoping to put on a good performance for their home fans, with the focus firmly on getting both the Mahindra M9Electro race cars into the points to keep the championship challenge alive.

    Celebrating the team’s home race CEO, Frederic Bertrand said: “It’s finally here! The team’s homecoming is something we have been preparing a long time for. Ever since it was announced that Formula E would head to Hyderabad, the team have been excited to be able to put on a show for our amazing Indian fans. We hope we can reward them for their support with a successful weekend. As a team, we need to make sure we are pushing to remain in the championship fight and the target for Oliver will be to get into the points. There is a lot of energy and excitement around the team heading to India so I’m hopeful that will translate to the performance on track.”

    Ahead of round four, Lucas Di Grassi said: “It is important for us to have a good race in India – not only for the fans, but for the championship as well. It’s a new track for us, as it is for everyone up and down the grid. It needs to be a good weekend for us. We are going to try very hard and push to the limit to get the best out of the car. We can’t wait to see all the Indian fans out in force to support us and we want to give them a good show.”

    Aiming for a good weekend in India, Oliver Rowland said: “Heading into Hyderabad we know where we need to improve following a difficult weekend in Diriyah. Having the home fans behind us will add to the motivation we have racing on the team’s home ground. We know they will be fully behind us and supporting us, which will give us the extra push to perform well. I am certainly aiming to score my first points of the season.”

    The team are encouraging fans to show their support for the team, bringing them positive energy and support heading into round four. The race begins at 15:00 local time on the 11th February (09:30 GMT).

    Mahindra Racing has a strong set of partners, including Official Powertrain Partner ZF and e-fluids partner Shell. Maurice Lacroix, the luxury Swiss watchmaker, continues as the Official Timekeeper.

  • Mahindra Racing, the pride of India at Formula E

    Mahindra Racing, the pride of India at Formula E

    Mahindra Racing stats in Formula E: 101 Races, 5 Wins, 24 Podiums

    Mahindra Racing has competed in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since Season 1, representing the Indian car giant on a global sporting scale in single-seater motor racing.

    Formula E is Indian car giant Mahindra’s first foray into international single-seater racing, and it has been committed to the series since its inaugural campaign. The company is a manufacturer of electric cars, and utilises its competition in the championship as a fast-paced test-bed to develop and refine its groundbreaking electric vehicle technology through its ‘Race to Road’ programme.

    The team scored its breakthrough win in the 2016/17 campaign and in 2017/18, went on to score two further victories thanks to Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist, who raced alongside German driver Nick Heidfeld.

    In the 2017/18 season, the team got off to a strong start before technical issues reduced Felix Rosenqvist’s title hopes to nothing more than a distant dream. The team finished fourth overall, one place behind where it finished at the end of 2016/17.

    In Season 5, the team was fronted by long-standing Formula E, and former Dragon driver Jerome d’Ambrosio as well as rookie driver Pascal Wehrlein. Another victory followed as d’Ambrosio scooped a win in Marrakesh, and was denied a second of the season by in heartbreaking fashion in Mexico City as Wehrlein saw the winner’s Moet & Chandon champagne stolen from his grasp at the last by Lucas di Grassi just meters from the finish line.

    After a strong season Season 5, Mahindra headed into the 2019/20 campaign with the new M6Electro. Jerome D’Ambrosio closed out a two-year stint with the team with 16th in the standings and four top ten finishes over the season, seeing him edge former team-mate Pascal Wehrlein’s Berlin replacement Alex Lynn by just a point. Lynn’s exploits at Tempelhof were impressive. Three Super Pole appearances were backed up with good points in the final three rounds on the way to 17th in the Drivers’ table.

    Such was the intensely competitive nature of Season 7 that Mahindra found itself down in ninth spot in the Teams’ table. A stunning maiden win on home soil for Alex Lynn – as well as an expert suplex by Team Principal Dilbagh Gill in celebration in the pit-lane – crowned a glorious weekend for the team in London. A string of five retirements in 11 races stunted Alexander Sims’ progress after an encouraging podium in Rome. He wound up ninth with Lynn finishing the season 12th in the Drivers’ running thanks to podiums in New York and Valencia, on top of that victory in the UK capital.

    It’s an all-British line-up again for the team in Season 8, with Oliver Rowland joining Alexander Sims for 2021/22. A difficult season did bring a higher finish in the team standings, but it was Mahindra’s lowest points haul since the first season. Rowland saved their best to the end in Seoul, an impressive qualifying performance saw the Brit take his first podium with the team.

    For Season 9, Rowland continues with Mahindra for Gen3 as Sims steps aside to focus on sports cars. The bespectacled Brit will be replaced by Mr Formula E and one of the most successful drivers in the series; Lucas di Grassi, as they chart a course for more silverware and consistency.

    Drivers – Oliver Rowland

    Mahindra Racing entered a technical partnership with the returning ABT Sportsline for Gen3, and Oliver Rowland returns for a second campaign with the Anglo-Indian squad, as he and the team hope to kick up a gear at the start of Formula E’s new era.

    Starting his career in karting at the age of seven, Rowland spent a decade racing in various series around the United Kingdom before progressing to Formula Renault, taking a place on the grid of the 2010 Formula Renault UK Winter Series with CRS Racing. At the same time, the British driver received funding from the Racing Steps Foundation, which helped him graduate into single-seater racing. 

    Oliver Rowland, British, born 10 Aug 1992
    57 Races, 1 win, 6 Podiums.

    Moving to Formula Renault 3.5 in 2013, Rowland finished his campaign in fourth with seven podium finishes, before taking the championship title in 2015 with Fortec Motorsports. That same year, he made his debut in Formula E with Mahindra Racing, filling in for driver Nick Heidfield in the Punta del Este E-Prix where he finished 13th. 

    After making his debut in GP2 in Silverstone the same year, Rowland competed in the series for two seasons, finishing third overall in 2017. Entering into Formula One in 2017, Rowland was signed to the role of development driver to the Renault F1 team. 
    In 2018 the Sheffield-born driver was confirmed as Williams Martini Racing’s official Junior Driver ahead of securing a full-time seat with Nissan e.dams.

    Joining Formula E full-time after one outing for Mahindra in the 2015/16 season, Rowland partnered with Sebastien Buemi for the team’s debut season. Finishing second in the teams’ championship after six podium finishes, six pole positions and 16 Super Pole qualifying appearances, the team ended the season with its first ever victory during the final race weekend in New York, which went to Rowland’s teammate Buemi.

    In his second season with Nissan e.dams, Rowland put in a consistent run of point-scoring finishes across 2019/20 that culminated in a debut victory at the penultimate round of the season in the final Berlin double-header.

    Heading into his third season in all-electric street racing, Rowland continues his strong partnership with Nissan e.dams alongside Sebastien Buemi. 

    Season 7 was a slow burn, with bad luck curtailing front-running pace – certainly for the Brit. Rowland rounded off with another podium at Tempelhof, adding to silverware in Puebla. Converting his London DNF after that tangle with Stoffel Vandoorne (Mercedes-EQ) could well have seen Rowland trouble the standings’ top three.

    Rowland moved to pastures new to complete another all-British driver line-up alongside Alexander Sims at Indian outfit Mahindra Racing for Season 8, following three seasons with Nissan e.dams. It was 14th again in the running, with a podium in Seoul the highlight.

    Drivers – Lucas di Grassi 

    Lucas di Grassi was the winner of the first-ever Formula E race – the 2014 Beijing E-Prix – and is the most successful driver in the history of the championship. For the 2021/22 season, it was pastures new at ROKiT Venturi Racing, after a seven-year association with Audi’s Formula E team came to an end.

    Adding to his storied history, the Brazilian became the first ever to reach the 100-race mark in Seoul, and di Grassi strode to yet another top six finish in the standings, with fifth spot and 126 points and a win in London to add to his collection. For Gen3, it’s all-change again, with a move to Mahindra Racing – the ultra-experienced racer tasked with adjusting to Formula E’s third great era.

    Lucas di Grassi, Brazil, born 11 Aug 1984
    101 Races, 13 Wins, 40 Podiums.

    Born in Sao Paulo in 1984, Lucas di Grassi was the first driver to commit to the series, playing a founding role in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship alongside the series’ Founder and CEO Alejandro Agag. He played a key role in the development of the original prototype car that was used as a proof-of-concept for Gen1, used from the championship’s inaugural 2014/15 season. In 2016, he became the first man in history to drive a racing car on the Arctic Ice Cap, when he took a starring role in the incredible Project Ice adventure.

    Starting out his motorsport career after driving karts at his uncle’s kart shop in Interlagos, di Grassi made his competitive karting debut at the age of 10. A journey up the single-seater ladder, as well as victory in the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 2005, overall runner-up in GP2 Series and in 2010, a season in Formula 1 with Virgin Racing. In 2012, Lucas di Grassi became an Audi factory driver, clinching three podium finishes in the gruelling 24 Hours of Le Mans – and he’s represented the brand ever since.

    The Brazilian has driven for Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler throughout his time in Formula E, finishing third in Season 1 before taking the 2015/16 title down to the wire, narrowly losing out to Nelson Piquet Jr. It was third time lucky, though, as he overcame a 10-point deficit to claim the 2016/17 Drivers’ title in Montreal.

    Heading into the 2017/18 season as reigning champion, di Grassi once again overcame the odds and fought back after a tough start to the season, eventually placing second overall behind TECHEETAH’s Jean-Eric Vergne. He took it down to the wire once again in the final round of the 2018/19 campaign, going head-to-head with Vergne for the second consecutive year as well as Nissan e.dams’ Sebastian Buemi. Neither managed to put a stop to Vergne’s domination, however, with di Grassi rounding off the season in third place. 

    Di Grassi was one of only three full-time drivers to have finished every race in 2019/20 on the way to sixth in the Drivers’ table. His race-pace and combative style netted him the most progress, at just over six positions gained per race, of any driver. Qualifying was a thorn in the side for Audi through Season 6, and limited the Brazilian to two visits to the rostrum. For 2020/21, di Grassi remains with Audi, behind the wheel of its Audi e-tron FE07 – the German marque’s first car with an all-new in-house designed and built powertrain.   

    Away from the circuit, the Brazilian is CEO of the autonomous racing car project Roborace as well as Founder and CEO of his own electric bike start-up in Brazil. Di Grassi lives with his wife and children in Monaco, just 200 meters from the start/finish line of the famous race track.

    Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler’s current run in Formula E drew to a close with a win for its 2016/17 champion Lucas di Grassi on home soil in Berlin. A one-two in Puebla was another big moment as di Grassi steered to seventh in the Drivers’ table.

    Pastures new in Season 8, in a Silver Arrow 02 driven by a title-winning Mercedes-EQ powertrain at ROKiT Venturi Racing saw fifth in the standings, and a highlight of the race win in London plus podiums in Seoul, New York City and Diriyah. Di Grassi did assemble a late title push but fell short of ultimate champion Stoffel Vandoorne’s miserly consistency in the end.

  • Formula E Hyderabad E-Prix will be 1st Net-Zero event in the world on this scale

    Formula E Hyderabad E-Prix will be 1st Net-Zero event in the world on this scale

    • Greenko will be powering the entire 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix event with renewable energy, making it first of its kind Net Zero event in the world on this scale.
    • ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will race in India for the first time this Saturday, 11 February
    • 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix takes place on a street circuit constructed in the heart of the city
    • Driver Pascal Wehrlein leads the Drivers’ championship after Porsche power dominated the first three races for the all-new GEN3 race car – the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built
    • Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland set for the loudest cheers as Mahindra Racing competes on home soil for the first time in Formula E

    HYDERABAD, 9 Feb. 2023: Formula E will make history this Saturday (11 February) as the ABB FIA Formula E Championship comes to India for the first time with the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix, Round 4 of the 16-race season.

    The 2.835km street circuit, constructed around the shores of the Hussain Sagar lake by the NTR Gardens, will see the first top-tier FIA World Championship motorsport in the country for a decade and will become India’s first elite electric motor racing event.

    Pascal Wehrlein, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team driver, moved to the top of the Drivers’ standings after winning both races in the double-header in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, thanks to an overtaking masterclass.

    But 2016/17 Formula E champion, Lucas di Grassi, and teammate Oliver Rowland are expected to attract the biggest cheers from passionate fans in the grandstand in the first home race for their team, Mahindra Racing. Di Grassi already has silverware to his name this season, sealed on his debut for Mahindra at the Mexico City season-opener, and no driver has been on the podium more than his nine in Asia.

    Lucas di Grassi, driver, Mahindra Racing, said:

    “It is important for us to have a good race in India – not only for the fans, but for the championship as well. It’s a new track for us, as it is for everyone up and down the grid. It needs to be a good weekend for us. We are going to try very hard and push to the limit to get the best out of the car. We can’t wait to see all the Indian fans out in force to support us and we want to give them a good show.”

    Oliver Rowland, driver, Mahindra Racing, said:

    “Heading into Hyderabad we know where we need to improve following a difficult weekend in Diriyah. Having the home fans behind us will add to the motivation we have racing on the team’s home ground. We know they will be fully behind us and supporting us, which will give us the extra push to perform well.”

    AS IT STANDS

    If Mahindra Racing are to take to the top step of the podium in Hyderabad, they will have two Porsche-powered teams in TAG Heuer Porsche and Avalanche Andretti to overpower, based on current form. They have dominated Formula E so far in Season 9, with the Stuttgart manufacturer’s 99X Electric Gen3 finishing one-two in every race so far.

    Andretti’s Jake Dennis set the benchmark in Mexico City with the first win of the new GEN3 era, with Pascal Wehrlein following him home. The two fought hard in Rounds 2 and 3 in Diriyah, the last time out, but the German got the better of Dennis in both races to take the top prize and a dominant win-double in Saudi Arabia and the standings lead, while Porsche still narrowly trail customer Andretti in the Teams table by two points.

    Jake Hughes (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team) sealed a maiden Julius Baer Pole Position last time out. The rookie has scored in all three rounds so far this season and has the best qualifying record of anyone on the grid. He couldn’t quite convert to silverware in the race but experienced teammate René Rast needed no second invitation to seal the team’s first podium in Formula E in Round 3.

    Jaguar TCS Racing also attracted attention in Diriyah, with a resurgent Sam Bird returning to the podium after an uncharecteristically barren spell for the veteran of more than 100 Formula E races. No driver has won more than the Briton in Asia either, with Bird’s four the benchmark – two in Diriyah, one in Putrajaya, Malaysia and another in Hong Kong.

    Before the season, some expected overtaking to be tough in the new GEN3 race car, with braking zones shortened thanks to the significant regen boost of the new car’s double powertrain. That theory was blown away in Diriyah with some 36 moves outside of ATTACK MODE position changes completed over two races.

    Round 2 winner Wehrlein steered from ninth to the top step of the podium and Dennis followed with his own drive through the pack from 11th to second. On just three occasions has a driver won from further down the grid than Wehrlein managed and it was the first time consecutive Formula E races had been won from outside the top four since Zurich and New York City back in Season 4.

    WHEN TO WATCH

    Free Practice 1 for the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix Round 4 gets underway at 16:30 IST (11:00 GMT) on Friday 10 February.

    Free Practice 2 follows at 08:10 IST on Saturday 11 February with qualifying from 10:40 IST. Round 4 of Season 9 gets underway from 15:00 local (09:30 GMT).

    FOLLOW LIVE!

    Follow the action on-track as it happens in the brand new Race Centre. Keep across Live Timing – which includes a real-time interactive track map and the ability to follow drivers during every session of every E-Prix – plus highlights, detailed session reports, exclusive interviews, all the standings and results as well as data, insight and reaction from trackside.

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Find out how to follow the action live in every country by visiting: fiaformulae.com/en/ways-to-watch

    INDIA: Star Sports Select 2 & Disney+ Hotstar will show all of the competitive action live from the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad ePrix, with Disney + HotStar the destination for all the Formula E action across the weekend.

    EUROPE

    GERMANY: the race will be live on Formula E’s home, ProSieben. Fans will also be able to catch free practice sessions and qualifying live on Ran.de.

    UK: watch the race action live Channel 4 and catch up on all the racing via All4. Viewers will also be able to watch all sessions live on Channel 4 Sport YouTube. Eurosport 2 will also be covering both qualifying and race live, whilst Eurosport.com will also bring UK based fans dedicated coverage from all sessions.

    FRANCE: fans can catch race action on La Chaine L’Equipe. Eurosport 2 will show the race live whilst Eurosport.com will be showing all sessions live.

    ITALY: the race will be live on Mediaset’s Channel 20, with all sessions available live on SportMediaset.it Sky Sports will also show race sessions live across Sky Sports platforms, with dedicated news coverage across the weekend.

    NETHERLANDS: watch on Ziggo Sport and Ziggo Sport Select. Eurosport 2 will also be providing live coverage across the weekend on linear and digital channels. 

    REST OF EUROPE

    Across the remainder of Europe (excl. Italy), all sessions will be live across Eurosport’s linear and digital platforms. Eurosport will provide bespoke, live coverage of the opening race on Eurosport 2, whilst all sessions will be live on Discovery + / Eurosport.com and Eurosport Extra. These paltforms will also provide a one-stop destination for all Formula E fans’ catch-up needs.

    AMERICAS

    USA: watch the race live on CBS Sports Network. All sessions will be live on CBSSports.com and CBS Sports HQ.

    CANADA: TVA Sports and TSN 5 will show all the race action from Hyderabad in French and English respectively.

    MEXICO: complete coverage is on Fox Sports 3, Claro Sports, and Azteca Deportes, with Claro Sports providing further coverage across Latin America.

    AFRICA

    SOUTH AFRICA: catch all of the live action from qualifying and race sessions on SuperSport Motorsport.

    MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

    Qualifying and race will be live on Saudi Sport Company’s (SSC) linear channel SSC 2 as well as their digital platform shahid.net.

    Across the Middle East and North Africa, Dubai Sports will be showcasing qualifying and race.

    ASIA

    CHINA: Formula E’s digital partnerships continue with HUYA, BiliBili, Weibo, Kuaishou and Douyin covering all sessions live, with live race action on Guangdong Sports linear channel.

    SOUTH EAST ASIA: SpoTV will be providing full coverage of practice, qualifying and the race.

    JAPAN: Viewers will be able to catch all the action from qualifying and the race s on J-Sports 3, with BS Fuji providing dedicated highlights coverage.

    INDONESIA: Catch the race live on iNews, with dedicated coverage across MNC platforms.

    AUSTRALIA: Formula E continues the broadcast partnership with Stan Sports, who will bring live coverage of all sessions on the Stan Sports platform. 9GO will wrap up the weekend with highlights for fans in Australia.

    NEW ZEALAND: catch all of the action, live on Sky Sports 5.

  • Leading Indian energy company Greenko sponsors Hyderabad E-Prix: Formula E

    Leading Indian energy company Greenko sponsors Hyderabad E-Prix: Formula E

    • First-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India will be sponsored by Greenko, one of the world’s leading energy transition and decarbonisation solutions companies
    • 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix takes place on Saturday 11 February and features the all-new GEN3 – the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built
    • 22 drivers from 11 teams including Mahindra Racing, Jaguar TCS Racing, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team and Maserati MSG Racing will be competing on the 2.83km street circuit in Hyderabad

    HYDERABAD, 9 Feb 2023 – Formula E and Ace Nxt Gen, the promoter of the first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India, today announced that Greenko will be the title partner of the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix. Greenko was announced as Title Sponsor on Jan 27.

    Greenko Group was founded in 2006 and is one of the world’s leading energy transition and decarbonisation company. As an industry leader the company is building, owning and operating high-quality renewable energy assets replacing fossil fuels with integrated decarbonised energy.

    As the title partner of the historic first FIA-sanctioned electric world championship motorsport race in India, Greenko is leading the way towards a decarbonised and sustainable future. Greenko’s core values align with the mission of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship of accelerating towards a clean energy future.

    Greenko will fully power the event with renewable energy, in line with Formula E’s net zero carbon strategy and RE100 commitment to achieve 100% renewable energy for the championship.

    Fans attending the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix will see home favourites Mahindra Racing and Jaguar TCS Racing compete against two iconic motorsport names – NEOM McLaren Formula E and Maserati MSG Racing – who join the Formula E grid for the first time from this season.

    The 11 teams and 22 drivers will be competing in the all-new GEN3 race car. The GEN3 is a huge leap in technological development and innovation with engineers at the FIA and Formula E pushing the boundaries of EV development.

    Capable of a 200mph (322kph) top speed, the GEN3 is 53kg lighter than the GEN2 with a smaller chassis optimised for street racing. An additional front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear, more than doubling the regenerative capacity of the previous GEN2 car to 600kW, with more than 40% of the energy used in-race regenerated under braking.

    Anil Chalamalasetty, Founder of Greenko Group and Ace Group, said:

    “We are delighted to be partnering with an iconic race, India’s first ever Formula E World Championship in association with the Govt of Telangana and FIA, with support from the Govt of India. We are committed to combat climate change and lead the way for global decarbonisation. Greenko will be powering the entire 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix event with renewable energy, making it first of its kind Net Zero event in the world on this scale. I am excited that one of the world’s greenest cities will host the greenest race, under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Minister K T Rama Rao. We look forward to witness history in the making, as India drives towards a sustainable future on 11 February 2023 on the streets of Hyderabad.”

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:

    “We welcome Greenko as sponsor of this historic first Formula E race in India. The 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix promises to be a milestone event for motorsport fans across India, and for fans tuning in around the world. Greenko will have a global platform to showcase their sustainability credentials as Hyderabad joins iconic world cities such as London, Berlin, Diriyah, Mexico City, Rome and Monaco in hosting the pinnacle of electric motor racing.”     

  • Hemanth Muddappa scores a double at Vroom 8th edition

    Hemanth Muddappa scores a double at Vroom 8th edition

    Bengaluru, 6 Feb 2023: Team Mantra Racing’s drag racer from Bengaluru, Hemanth Muddappa won the top-two premier classes in the 8th edition of the Vroom Drag meet, an fmsci-licensed Annual event at the Taneja Aerospace strip, near here, on Sunday.

    Muddappa, who recently annexed his 10th Indian National title at the Madras International Circuit, won the top two events beating Mohammed Riyaz and Sean Rogers.

    Winners of C3 class Abdul Shaik (right) and second-placed Mohammad Arfath (Left).

    Meanwhile, Faheem Zahran became the fastest racer at the event clocking 9.673sec in the Group D 1651cc and above class, which had a compact field but high competition between Zahran and former winner at fmsci Drag Nationals Mohammed Riyaz. Today, Zahran was in his elements bagging a win in the top class and a third place in the D1 class.

    Mohammed Riyaz also took one victory in the E3 551cc and Above Class, and managed two other podiums.

    G1 Motors Waseem Akram (not in pic) tuned bikes won the first two place in C1 class. Winner Mohammad Arfath, centre, on the podium with second-placed Mohammed Fazil and Hardik Solanki. Photo courtesy winner.

    The 2022 2Stroke 131 to 165cc National Drag Champion Abdul Shaikh, won the C3 226 to 360cc class on his Bajaj NS, and his teammate Mohammad Arfath astride an Yamaha R15, won C1 upto 165cc class followed by another teammate Mohammed Fazil in second. All the three bikes were tuned by Waseem Akram of G1 Motors.

    Over 230 bikes took part in 22 different classes. The Vroom Drag Rev Nights were held under floodlights and cooler conditions for  both bikes and cars organised by Vroom Motorsports Bengaluru and Speedway Motorsports Hyderabad.

    The following results are sourced from the timers and are provisional and the official results are awaited.

    Results for Quarter Mile (as per official timer, provisional):

    1. D3 1651cc and Above: 1. Faheem YY Zahran 09.673 seconds; 2. Mohammed Riyaz 9.717;

    2. D1 851 to 1050cc: 1. Hemanth Muddappa 09.710; 2. Sean Rogers Pachigalla 09.746; 3. Faheem YY Zehran 9.857;

    3. D2 1051 to 1650cc: 1.  Hemanth Muddappa 09.985; 2. Mohammed Riyaz 10.149; 3. Zubair Ali Jung 10.165;

    4. F1 Wheelie Class for Indian/ Superbikes: 1. Saurabh Parab 09.715; 2. Ashpak Anwar 15.844; 3. Rajesh Swami 15.973;

    5. F2 Naked Open: 1. Zubair Ali Jung 10.526; 2. Arif Khan 11.085; 3. Sabi Ualla 11.244;

    6. F3 4Stroke Open upto 500cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.394; 2. Aiyaz Rem 12.442; 3. Mujahid Pasha 12.678;

    7. F4 2Stroke Jawa Yezdi Open: 1.Yacoob Shaik 15.679; 2. Vikranth Hegde 17.972; 3. Abdul Hafeez 17.993;

    8. E1 Upto 395cc: 1. Mohammed Aymaan Baig 11.901; 2. Aiyaz Rem 12.256; 2. Nadeem Pasha 12.430;

    9. E2 396 to 550cc: 1.Nasir Jamal Ansari 12.484; 2. Ataulla Baig 12.557; 3. Thulasiram 12.704;

    10. E3 551cc and Above: 1. Mohammed Riyaz 09.746; 2. Saurab Parab 09.799; 3. . Sean Rogers Pachigalla 09.841;

    11. C1 Upto 165cc: 1. Mohammad Arfath 14.962; 2. Mohammed Fazil 15.131; 3. Hardik Solanki 15.644;

    12. C2: 166 to 225cc: 1. P Srikantha 13.933; 2. Aiyaz Rem 14.532; 3. Mubarak Pasha 15.624;

    13. C3 226 to 360cc: 1. Abdul Shaikh 13.212; 2. Mohammad Arfath 13.452; 3. Mohammed Fazil 13.762.

    14. C4 361 to 550cc: 1. Shahrukh Khan 12.207;  2. Aiyaz Rem 12.378; 3. Mubarak Pasha 12.809;

    15. C5. 551 to 850cc: 1. Saurabh Parab 10.975; 2. Naveed Ahmed 11.401; 3. Iqbal Sheik 11.483;

    16. C7 751cc: 1. Lokesh Thakur 11.507; 2. Junaid Mansoori 12.441; 3. Narinder Singh Chanana 13.433;

    17. B1 Upto 130cc: 1. Aiyaz Rem 14.014; 2. Abdul Shaikh 14.078; 3. Prahanth 14.309;

     18. B2 131 to 165cc: 1. Prashanth 13.213; 2. Abdul Shaikh 13.486; 3. Nasir Jamal Ansari 13.582;

    19. B3 350cc and Above:  1. Delhi Salman Khan 12.471; 2. Mubarak Pasha 12.585; 3. Ataulla Baig 12.614;

    20. A4 161cc and Above: 1. Prasanth 17.891; 2. Fazlu Khalikbava Khan 19.318; 3. Pushpak V Porob 19.511;

    21. EV1 Electric Vehicle Open: 1. Mohammed Rafiq 18.376; 2. Shashi Kiran 18.781;  3. Mohammed Aymaan Baig 18.867;

    22. A2 81 to 110cc: 1. Zayeem Ahmed 23.300; 2. Mohammed Azharuddin 23.468; 3. Daulith Khan 24.850;

  • Hyderabad ePrix: Safe Extrication in Electric Racing – How ‘Red Car’ exercises protect

    Hyderabad ePrix: Safe Extrication in Electric Racing – How ‘Red Car’ exercises protect

    Hyderabad, 7 Feb 2023: A feature in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since its inception, ‘red car’ extrication exercises serve to keep drivers, medical and rescue teams safe from harm and ready to face electric hazards.

    Widely renowned for its ground-breaking electric technology, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship operates at the cutting edge in more ways than one, with driver extrication another area in which the pioneering single-seater series sets the pace both on and off-track, an FIA release received here said.

    Safety is high on the agenda throughout international motor sport for the FIA, and being prepared for any eventuality is paramount to ensuring events run as safely and smoothly as possible. In Formula E, a key part of that equation are so-called ‘red car’ exercises, which concern the extrication of drivers from stricken electric cars and the recovery of the car itself.

    Overseen by the championship’s FIA Medical Delegate, Bruno Franceschini, in partnership with the FIA E-Safety Delegate, Konrad Essen, a permanent medical extrication team from MDD Motorsport Medical travels to every E-Prix. To encourage peak performance, red car simulations are conducted on-site in the immediate build-up to each race weekend, and have been since the championship was launched back in 2014 – making Formula E the benchmark for all other electric or hybrid series, as it continues to pioneer procedures that are then routinely rolled out elsewhere.

    Electric Extrication marshals at work. File photo by FIA

    A ‘red car’ is essentially a car stopped on-track as a result of either an accident or electrical issue, rendering it potentially unsafe – or ‘red’ like the safety lights located on the chassis in front of the halo. Due to the voltage running through electric vehicles, certain steps must be followed in order to carefully and safely extract the driver from the cockpit and recover the car.

    During these training exercises, FIA Formula E safety car driver, Bruno Correia, plays the role of the driver needing to be extricated. Wearing special protective gloves, the medical extrication team covers the car with non-conductive tarpaulins before beginning the operation.

    These regular simulations ensure the procedure remains fresh and clear in the mind of every member of the team, while taking into account any relevant particularities or updates to each circuit.

    Additional extrication exercises are carried out with two championship drivers at every event, to make sure they similarly are fully aware of what will happen and what they must do should they find themselves in such a situation.

    In both instances, the local medical and rescue teams are also involved in the ‘dress rehearsal’, enabling their members to practise and develop their own competencies, which may prove beneficial at future national and regional race meetings.

    “Special care is always required when extracting a driver from a stranded race car, and that is even more the case when the car in question is electric, with the additional factors that need to be considered,” explains Bruno Franceschini. “We are proud of Formula E’s status as the standard-setter in this domain, but can never rest on our laurels and must continuously train and re-train to ensure skills stay sharp.

    “In the same way, these red car exercises enable us to educate and enhance the expertise of local medical and rescue personnel in the locations the championship visits, leaving behind a positive legacy for the overall benefit of our sport”.

  • Hyderabad races to be livecast thru new facility: ABB FIA Formula E

    Hyderabad races to be livecast thru new facility: ABB FIA Formula E

    LONDON, UK. Tues. 7 Feb. 2023 – Formula E is pioneering a new broadcast production facility in London that delivers state-of-the-art coverage of its live motor racing action from around the world while reducing the environmental impact typical of major live international sports events on TV.

    Now in its ninth season, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will race in Hyderabad this Saturday, the first time the series has visited India. The race will air live in the UK on Channel 4 and Eurosport from 9am GMT.

    Beginning this season, the live international race feed distributed to more than 40 broadcasters and airing in more than 150 countries will be produced remotely from The Production Centre in London, a new state-of-the-art production facility developed by Gravity Media and located at the same address as the former BBC Television Centre in White City.

    The innovative production setup allows for the seamless remote integration of replay, audio and graphics into the live programme output, as well as a resilient disaster recovery system to ensure the broadcast feed remains uninterrupted in the event of technical difficulties.

    A new multi-year partnership with Gravity Media, the leading media and broadcast company, alongside Formula E’s existing editorial partner, Aurora Media Worldwide, means the live broadcast feed of Formula E’s international races will be produced at Gravity Media’s Production Centre in London instead of a temporary broadcast facility installed at each race location.

    Formula E is unique in world motorsport for racing on street circuits created on public roads in the heart of world cities to encourage the adoption of EV vehicles. Hyderabad will be the 27th world city to host a Formula E race, the 104th in the history of the series.

    This year, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will race in 11 world cities, more than any other season. Cape Town, São Paulo, Berlin, Monaco, Jakarta, Portland, Rome and London will follow Hyderabad while Mexico City and Diriyah in Saudi Arabia hosted the opening races of the season last month. 

    Live broadcast coverage of an international sports event is typically an environmentally-intensive process with staff and equipment travelling by air. Centralising the majority of live editing and production at the 50,000 sq.ft facility in London significantly reduces the impact of staff travel and shipping of heavy production equipment.

    Formula E has developed an on-board camera system installed on each race car with a live team radio feed that is considered the best-in-class in the motorsport industry. More than 200 cameras cover each race from every angle giving viewers an immersive, informative, action-driven experience. 

    Aarti Dabas, Chief Media Officer, Formula E, said:

    “At Formula E, as the world’s first net zero carbon sport since inception, we are constantly challenging ourselves to show how delivering world-class sports entertainment and maintaining industry-leading sustainable practices can co-exist without compromise. Our technology and broadcast teams have worked closely with Gravity Media and Aurora Media Worldwide to help us achieve this. The London-based facility and new approach to presenting Formula E coverage helps us stay true to our vision of accelerating human progress and encouraging the adoption of EV transportation while entertaining millions of viewers around the world.”  

    Ed Tischler, EMEA Managing Director, Gravity Media, said:

    “We are thrilled to be working with Formula E as the first partner to use our brand new, next-generation Gravity Media Production Centre in White City. By taking the bold, innovative step of relocating TV production from a temporary facility in a remote world city to London, we are changing the game for how major global sports events are covered on television. Our new Production Centre located in the heart of White City in The Westworks building will house a growing team of creative and innovative media specialists and we hope to encourage more major sports to adopt a similar approach for TV coverage of their live events.”

    Eleven teams and 22 drivers compete in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Two iconic names in world motorsport – McLaren and Maserati – line up on the Formula E grid for the first time this season.

    As well as the innovative approach to broadcast production for TV viewers around the world, this season also saw Formula E and the FIA introduce the fastest, lightest, most powerful, and efficient electric race car ever built – the GEN3.

    Capable of a 200mph (322kph) top speed, the GEN3 is 53kg lighter than the previous Gen2 model with a smaller chassis optimised for street racing. An additional front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear, more than doubling the regenerative capacity of the previous car to 600kW, with more than 40% of the energy used in-race regenerated from braking.

    The carbon footprint of the GEN3 has been measured from the design phase to inform all reduction measures taken to reduce environmental impact, while all unavoidable emissions are offset as part of Formula E’s net zero carbon commitment. The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the first and only sport in the world to be certified net zero carbon since inception.

    Linen and recycled carbon fibre are being used in GEN3 bodywork construction for the first time in a formula car, featuring recycled carbon fibre from retired Gen2 cars and reducing the overall amount of virgin carbon fibre used. This reduces the carbon footprint of the production of the GEN3 bodywork more than 10%. All waste carbon fibre will be reused for new applications through adoption of an innovative process from the aviation industry.

  • Al Attiyah-Baumel cruise to easy victory: Saudi Baja Hail

    Al Attiyah-Baumel cruise to easy victory: Saudi Baja Hail

    Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and his Andorra-based co-driver Mathieu Baumel maintained their terrific run of success to clinch a start-to-finish victory in the Saudi Baja-Hail, round one of the 2023 FIA World and Middle East Cups for Cross-Country Bajas.

    Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah was fastest on the Prologue and both selective sections through the An Nafud desert to initially secure victory over Polish rival Krzysztof Holowczyc by 15min 19sec. The Toyota Hilux driver had taken a 7min 42sec lead into the final day, once a series of time penalties had been imposed on several of his rivals, and he won the second stage by 5min 27sec to continue his dominant start to the season in the cross-country rallying discipline.

    Al-Attiyah said: “This is a good start. We were happy to compete here and to win here another time. The target now is Abu Dhabi, where we will face Loeb and the Audis. All good over the last two days, no problems.”

    Polish rival Krzysztof Holowczyc was second quickest on the last stage in his X-raid Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus with co-driver Lukasz Kurzeja and did enough to finish as runner-up on his first desert rally for eight years. A five-minute time penalty for a speeding infringement was imposed on the Pole and later dropped but he was then handed a 15-minute time penalty and slipped to third overall.

    Before the second penalty was handed out, Holowczyc said: “The beginning was not so easy. We were last on the Prologue and I am used to be fighting for the win. We finished second although it is not easy to understand the regulations sometimes. We were testing some new things on the car and that was important for us. The car is getting faster and we will find more in the next races. The suspension is unbelievable. I saw a big hole and the car was flying, perfect. This is the advantage of T1+. We have a good car for the next races.”

    Al-Attiyah’s Toyota team-mate Juan Cruz Yacopini recovered strongly from a collision with a spectator’s car at the end of Friday’s stage and was reinstated in third overall by rally officials before the start of the final day.

    The Argentine took full advantage of the Stewards’ decision to reimburse him 15 minutes of lost time and he and Spanish navigator Daniel Oliveras were third quickest on stage two to confirm a podium finish. He climbed from third to second when Holowczyc was penalised late on Saturday evening.

    Yacopini said: “After what happened yesterday, today was a good stage. I feel really comfortable. The navigation was not easy but Dani made it perfectly. The car was perfect also and this is my first podium in the Bajas. Now I go to Abu Dhabi in the next two weeks. It is a perfect warm-up.”

    Top seed and defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi was forced to withdraw on the eve of technical checks and pre-event scrutineering. The Saudi sustained a minor chest injury after an accident on a recent skiing vacation at Courchevel in France and had been suffering from pain on the right side of his chest. The Riyadh driver later confirmed that he had sustained a hairline fracture in his right fifth rib and incurred minor cartilage damage in the fall. He hopes to be fit for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge at the end of the month.

    FIA T3 success for Saleh Al-Saif

    Navigational delays for rival Yasir Seaidan enabled Team Black Horse Can-Am driver Saleh Al-Saif to snatch fourth overall and the FIA T3 win from his fellow countryman by just nine seconds. Defending champion Fernando Alvarez came home in sixth overall and third in the lightweight prototype class in his Can-Am Maverick and second of the registered FIA World Cup drivers.

    Al-Saif’s co-driver Nasser Al-Kuwari was competing in Hail for the first time. The Qatari said: “I am proud of this result. I missed the people, the stages and the rally here in the past. After 40km, it was a tricky place and we saw Yasir coming from the opposite way, lost. We let him pass and we drive behind for about 100km. Then we stopped to change the belt, cut every corner to reach the finish and we won by nine seconds! It was really close.”

    Last year’s T3 championship runner-up Dania Akeel was second quickest on the last 184km stage and climbed to fourth in the category and third of the drivers registered for the FIA World Cup. South Racing team-mate Otavio Sousa finished sixth behind the G Rally Team’s Kees Koolen in his OT3 and the FN Speed Team’s Santiago Navarro was seventh. Fuel pump problems side lined Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri after the first stage.

    Young Pau Navarro wins in T4

    Young Spaniard Pau Navarro and his French co-driver Michael Metge overcame the threat of a late five-minute speeding penalty to claim the second quickest T4 time on the final day and clinch T4 success and seventh overall in their FN Speed Team Can-Am.

    The French duo of Jeremie Warnier and Loic Minaudier finished second in the class in a Polaris RXR Pro R. Italy’s Michele Cinotto and Maurizio Dominella earned third place in the second of the Xtremeplus Team Polaris RXRs.

    Brazilian Cristiano Batista won the second stage but suffered massive time penalties after crashing and running his South Racing Can-Am on three wheels on Friday.

    Yasir Seaidan leads FIA Middle East Cup

    Yasir Seaidan missed out on overall T3 success by nine seconds in his South Racing Can-Am, but the Saudi had the consolation of finishing fifth overall and claiming maximum points in the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. He and co-driver Alexei Kuzmich lost their way on a couple of occasions on the final stage, but the first stage T3 winners achieved a good result nonetheless.

    Seaidan said: “We were unlucky. We lost our way in one part and we lost three minutes and a half. Then we pushed and took two minutes but we finished second by nine seconds…”

    Fellow countryman Hamad Al-Harbi was classified second of the FIA Middle East Baja Cup runners and also finished second in the regional series’ T3 points with Ukrainian co-driver Dmytro Tsyro. Abdullah and Waleed Al-Shegawi were third.

    Abdullah and Waleed Al-Shegawi came home in third, while T4 victory fell to Kuwait’s Salem Al-Dhafeeri and his Emirati co-driver Arif Yousef Mohammed. Maha Al-Hameli and Swedish navigator Annie Seel finished second and Saeed Al-Mouri and Ata Al-Hmoud were third.

    Local driver Khalid Al-Feraihi is registered in the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross Country Bajas but suffered long delays and time penalties on the opening day with alternator failure on his Nissan and finished at the rear of the field.

    Ahmed Al-Shegawi and Spanish co-driver Marc Serra claimed the spoils in the T2 class for series production cross-country vehicles. They finished 19min 08sec ahead of Ibrahim Al-Muhanna and Osama Al-Sanad in a similar Nissan Patrol.

    The second round of both the FIA World and Middle East Cups takes place in Qatar in mid-March.

    2023 Saudi Baja-Ha’il – final results:

    1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (AND) Toyota Hilux Overdrive3hr 56min 17sec*
    2. Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG)/Daniel Oliveras (ESP) Toyota Hilux Overdrive4hr 15min 19sec*
    3. Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL)/Lukasz Kurzeja (POL) Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus4hr 26min 36sec*
    4. Saleh Al-Saif (SAU)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Can-Am Maverick (T3)4hr 33min 28sec*
    5. Yasir Seaidan (SAU)/Alexei Kuzmich (ARE) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)4hr 33min 37sec+
    6. Fernando Alvarez (ARG)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Can-Am Maverick (T3)4hr 39min 59sec*
    7. Pau Navarro (ESP)/Michael Metge (FRA) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo (T4)4hr 42min 35sec*
    8. Dania Akeel (SAU)/Laurent Lichtleuchter (FRA) Can-Am Maverick (T3)4hr 42min 39sec*
    9. Kees Koolen (NLD)/Wouter Rosegaar (NLD) G Rally Team OT3 (T3)4hr 43min 30sec*
    10. Jeremie Warnia (FRA)/Loic Minaudier (FRA) Polaris RXR Pro R (T4)4hr 43min 32sec*
    11. Otavio Sousa (BRA)/João Ferreira (PRT) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)4hr 43min 47sec*
    12. Santiago Navarro (ESP)/Adrien Metge (FRA) Can-Am Maverick (T3)4hr 44min 13sec*
    13. Michele Cinotto (ITA)/Maurizio Dominella (ITA) Polaris RXR Pro R (T4)4hr 54min 53sec*
    14. Ricardo R. Suarez (ESP)/Andrei Rudnitskiy (ANA) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo (T4) 4hr 55min 45sec*
    15. Hamad Al-Harbi (SAU)/Dmytro Tsyro (UKR) Can-Am Maverick (T3)5hr 05min 06sec+
    16. Abdullah Al-Shegawi (SAU)/W. Al-Shegawi (SAU) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo (T3) 5hr 17min 31sec+
    17. Ahmed Al-Shegawi (SAU)/Marc Serra (ESP) Nissan Patrol (T2)5hr 49min 29sec+
    18. Salem Al-Dhafeeri (KWT)/Arif Y. Mohammed (ARE) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo (T4)6hr 00min 06sec+
    T1 unless stated 
    *denotes registered for FIA World Cup 
    + denotes registered for FIA Middle East Cup
  • Yamaha fastest as Sepang Shakedown kicks off 2023

    Yamaha fastest as Sepang Shakedown kicks off 2023

    Crutchlow tops the opening day in Malaysia as new parts surface from several factories

    Sunday, 05 February 2023: MotoGP bikes are back on track! The 2023 campaign has resumed with test riders and our sole premier class rookie, Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3), completing a rain-affected opening day of the Sepang Shakedown test. Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow topped the timesheets with a 2:01.146, although it’s less about laptimes and more about track time in the first few days of action this year.

    YAMAHA
    Three-time Grand Prix winner Crutchlow had three YZR-M1s at his disposal – two 2023 spec bikes, one 2022 spec machine. The main focus was pinpointed on Yamaha’s new, more aggressive engine which was a hot topic of conversation back in Valencia. Glancing at the timesheets, it looks like the problem that arose at the end of last year, causing some puzzled looks after clear improvements had been proven at earlier tests, has been diagnosed.

    Crutchlow clocked a 330km/h top speed according to the circuit’s live timing, just a couple of kms shy of the fastest. In addition, looking back at the 2022 Sepang Test, Yamaha’s fastest top speed was 327km/h – early indications that progress has been made. That’ll be music to the ears of Fabio Quartararo and his Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ teammate Franco Morbidelli ahead of the Official Sepang Test.

    KTM
    New KTM testing recruit Jonas Folger joined MotoGP™ Legend Dani Pedrosa on track for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing as the German got to grips with the RC16 for the first time. Pedrosa, meanwhile, was working with Jack Miller’s crew on the opening day.

    GASGAS
    Reigning Moto2™ World Champion Fernandez was back out with GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 and having had no plans for the Valencia Test apart from trying a MotoGP™ bike for the first time, these three days will be vital for the Spaniard to start making the bike his own. The number 37 finished second on the timesheets with a 2:01.331, just 0.185s from Crutchlow’s best effort.

    HONDA
    Stefan Bradl was lapping for HRC and the German had two RC213Vs in the box. Bradl was out on a new-look Honda machine dressed in redesigned aero, a new exhaust and the 2023 engine. Bradl’s best time was a 2:01.605, placing him fourth on the timesheets.

    APRILIA
    Lorenzo Savadori was on hand to give the 2023 Aprilia RS-GPs a shakedown, and it was a busy day for the Italian who had six bikes to ride. Aprilia debuted some new aero – something we’ll be seeing plenty of from the factories during pre-season – as Savadori also suffered a technical issue towards the end of the day.

    DUCATI
    Ducati’s trusted Michele Pirro was again putting in the groundwork for the reigning World Champions, who head into the season looking to defend not one, not two, but three Championships.

    The Borgo Panigale factory opened their 2023 account with a new fairing to show off, and Pirro worked with two GP23s. The Italian posted a 2:02.115 best lap time.

    With temperatures soaring in Malaysia, coupled with a dirty track surface following the winter and then rain coming later in the day, times were around three seconds slower than what we saw at the 2022 Malaysian GP. Expect the times to tumble the further we get into testing at Sepang!

    Come back for more Shakedown on Monday and keep up to date with all the goings on on motogp.com and across social media!