Tag: featured

  • Nirmal Umashanker, Ishaan Madesh continue domination: X30 JK Tyre Karting Nationals Round 3

    Nirmal Umashanker, Ishaan Madesh continue domination: X30 JK Tyre Karting Nationals Round 3

    Nirmal Umashanker takes the chequered flag in the X30 Race 1 on Friday at Meco Kartopia. An INDIAinF1 image

    Bengaluru, 12 July 2019: Nirmal Umashanker of Chennai, who is leading the Championship table, notched up another comfortable win in the first race as the Round 3 of the X30 JK Tyre-FMSCI National Karting Championship 2019 began at the Meco Kartopia on the outskirts of Bengaluru here on Friday.

    In a facile win, Nirmal Umashanker clocked 15 minutes, 44.209 seconds over 15 laps to beat Bala Prasath of Coimbatore who was way behind by over 10 seconds while MR Rishon finished third. Nirmal also recorded the fastest lap in his 6th lap clocking 55.680. Debarun Banerjee, who was second on the championship table, before Round 3 began, could not even complete even one lap.

    In the Junior Class, Arjun S Nair of Bengaluru timed 11:24.498 to win Race 1 defeating MR Rishon in a tough battle which saw all the top-3 racers fight till the end. Ruhaan Alva who clocked the best lap in 55.344 had to be content with the third place but garnered important championship points. Before the race, Ruhaan was leading the overall championship table. With 2 races to be run during the weekend, Arjun looks to keep his momentum and jump to the top slot but Ruhaan is ready to give a tough fight to keep his top standing.

    Shravanthika Lakshmi #15, who started Juniors Race 2 on pole giving a tough fight to the boys. She finished 5th.

    In the Second race of the Junior Class, Shravanthika Lakshmi S of Coimbatore started on pole in the reverse grid and the only girl in this class, a 10th standard student, defended well against some of the national champion boys, but ultimately finished fifth. MR Rishon won the race while Ruhaan Alva finished second and Rohan Madesh came third. All the three are from Bengaluru and Ruhaan put in the fastest lap.

    In the Cadet Class, Ishaan Madesh of Bengaluru, the championship leader began Round 3 with a bang, notching up one more win. He timed 10:30.420 for the 10 laps around the Meco Kartopia circuit keeping at bay the girl from Pune, Shriya Lohia, who was within a second but had to settle for a second in 10:31.283. Raiden Samervel from Mumbai took the third place. Ishaan also got the fastest lap at 1min 2.172sec.

    Provisional Unaudited Results: X30 Round 3;

    Senior Class: Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Nirmal Umashanker (Chennai) (15:44.209); 2. A Bala Prasath (Coimbatore) (15:54.237); 3. MR Rishon (Bengaluru) (15:58.004); Best lap: Nirmal 00:55.680.

    Junior Class: Race 1 (12 laps): 1. Arjun S Nair (Bengaluru) (11:24.498); 2. MR Rishon (Bengaluru) (11:25.310); 3. Ruhaan Alva (Bengaluru) (11:26.941). Best Lap: Ruhaan 00:55.344.

    Race 2 (2 laps): 1. MR Rishon (2:26.691); 2. Ruhaan Alva (2:27.054); 3. Rohaan Mahadesh (Bengaluru) (2:31.581). Best lap: Ruhaan Alva – 1:02.922.

    Cadet Class: Race 1 (10 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru) (10:30.420); 2. Shriya Lohia (Pune) (10:31.283); 3. Raiden Samervel (Mumbai) (10:41.962). Best lap: Ishaan 01:02.172.

    Note: RESULTS ARE NOT OFFICIAL.

    The 3 classes:
    a) X30 Cadet – Age group – 7-12 yrs
    b) X30 Junior- Age group – 13-15yrs
    c) X30 Senior- Age group – 16 and above

    Grid order for the four races: 
    RACE 1 – QUALIFYING FASTEST LAP
    RACE 2 – RACE 1 – REVERSED TOP 6
    RACE 3 – QUALIFYING 2nd FASTEST LAP
    RACE 4 – FINISHING ORDER OF RACE 3

    Note: The JK Karting Nationals are eligible for anyone who possesses a valid National or International Karting License issued by the ASN (National Sporting Association – FMSCI) for the year 2019, and who has done at least one Training Program with an Academy registered with fmsci.

  • Jehan Daruvala clocks 10th fastest time in Friday morning practice: F3

    Silverstone, 12 July 2019: Indian racing sensation Jehan Daruvala of Prema Racing, who is running second in the F3 Championship table, finished 10th on the timesheets in Friday practice even as Max Fewtrell ensured the British race weekend got underway with a countryman on top, lapping quickest around the freshly laid Silverstone circuit to top the times in this morning’s FIA Formula 3 Free Practice.
    The ART Grand Prix man ran ahead of Trident’s Devlin DeFrancesco and teammate David Beckmann, who both secured their highest practice positions of the campaign to date.
    It was the third ART machine which got the session underway, as Christian Lundgaard set the early pace in cool 17-degree temperatures. Fellow Englishman Jake Hughes and Leonardo Pulcini then exchanged places at the top, as the grid warmed up their tyres.
    There was plenty of traffic on track in the opening minutes as the cars got a taste of the new tarmac and PREMA soon took control of the session with Championship leaders Robert Shwartzman and Jehan Daruvala leading the times.
    That was as good as it got for the PREMA duo who quickly dropped down the order. Pulcini and Beckmann began to battle it out in first, but Fewtrell then emerged as the frontrunner in front of his home crowd.
    Ye Yifei briefly claimed first ahead of the ART man, but the latter bounced back by breaking the 1m 46s barrier with just two minutes on the clock. DeFrancesco was able to set a time good enough for second, while Beckmann couldn’t improve on his teammate’s time and nestled in at third ahead of Yifei and Lirim Zendeli. Yuki Tsunoda, Lundgaard, Raoul Hyman, Pulcini and Daruvala completed the top ten.
    Fewtrell will look to keep up his early weekend pace when the cars return to the track for Qualifying at 4.50pm (local time).
    FIA Formula 3 – Silverstone Free Practice classification
    DRIVER
    TEAM
    LAPTIME
    LAPS
    1
    Max Fewtrell
    ART Grand Prix
    1:45.264
    18
    2
    Devlin DeFrancesco
    Trident
    1:45.487
    18
    3
    David Beckmann
    ART Grand Prix
    1:45.583
    19
    4
    Ye Yifei
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:45.606
    20
    5
    Lirim Zendeli
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:45.672
    19
    6
    Yuki Tsunoda
    Jenzer Motorsport
    1:45.779
    20
    7
    Christian Lundgaard
    ART Grand Prix
    1:45.998
    19
    8
    Raoul Hyman
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:46.185
    19
    9
    Leonardo Pulcini
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:46.222
    15
    10
    Jehan Daruvala
    PREMA Racing
    1:46.264
    15
    11
    Fabio Scherer
    Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    1:46.270
    20
    12
    Robert Shwartzman
    PREMA Racing
    1:46.396
    16
    13
    Felipe Drugovich
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:46.428
    17
    14
    Juri Vips
    Hitech Grand Prix
    1:46.553
    17
    15
    Niko Kari
    Trident
    1:46.578
    16
    16
    Pedro Piquet
    Trident
    1:46.681
    16
    17
    Sebastian Fernandez
    Campos Racing
    1:46.743
    18
    18
    Logan Sargeant
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:46.767
    17
    19
    Andreas Estner
    Jenzer Motorsport
    1:46.843
    21
    20
    Marcus Armstrong
    PREMA Racing
    1:46.850
    14
    21
    Alex Peroni
    Campos Racing
    1:47.096
    17
    22
    Liam Lawson
    MP Motorsport
    1:47.201
    17
    23
    Simo Laaksonen
    MP Motorsport
    1:47.220
    16
    24
    Richard Verschoor
    MP Motorsport
    1:47.235
    16
    25
    Teppei Natori
    Carlin Buzz Racing
    1:47.477
    18
    26
    Jake Hughes
    HWA RACELAB
    1:47.637
    18
    27
    Federico Malvestiti
    Jenzer Motorsport
    1:47.876
    21
    28
    Keyvan Andres
    HWA RACELAB
    1:48.315
    19
    29
    Bent Viscaal
    HWA RACELAB
    1:48.946
    19
    30
    Alessio Deledda
    Campos Racing
    1:49.124
    20
  • Fresh winds blowing in Indian motor racing

    Fresh winds blowing in Indian motor racing

    By Anand Philar

    It’s monsoon time with some fresh, cool air along with rains envigorating the Indian landscape. Something similar is happening in Indian motor racing with Volkswagen and Honda picking up the gauntlet to take the sport to the next level.

    In the past month, VW made a stunning entry into the top-end Indian Touring Cars (ITC) class with the turbo-charged Vento in the National four-wheeler championship while Honda made history by introducing the FIM Moto3-spec NSF 250R in the two-wheeler racing segment.

    VW Vento setting the standard in the Indian National Championship. Photos Anand Philar

    Last season, Volkswagen quietly introduced the Vento in the Turbo sub-class of the highly competitive and very popular ITC category. The intention then was to develop the Vento to be on pace with the pack before even competing.

    “It’s still a work in progress. We are still at the development stage. Our first target is to get our cars on pace and maybe, if all goes well, compete in the 2019 season. At this time, there is still a lot of work to be done. We are collecting data and using it to improve the cars,” SirishVissa, head of Volkswagen Motorsport India had said then.

    VW certainly burnt the midnight oil and the product of their endeavours was unveiled in the Round 2 of the MRFMMSCfmsci Indian National Car Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore last month. The results were astonishing, to say the least.

    Sirish Vissa, Head of Motorsport, Volkswagen India in a jubilant mood during a race weekend. Photo: Anand Philar

    The three Vento cars, driven by Karthik Tharani, Ishaan Dodhiwala, and Dhruv Shivaji Mohite, dominated the entire weekend, from practice to qualifying to the double-header race card. The Vento left the field in its wake and barring Coimbatore veteran Arjun Balu, a former racing and rally champion in his Race Concepts-prepared Honda Vtec, the VW factory team faced the challenge from none other.

    The June weekend was an eye-opener to the racing aficionados. Some of the competitors, mostly in their old faithful modified Maruti Esteem, that they had flogged for many years, conceded that the Vento, powered by a 1.8 litre TSi engine mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox, was the way forward. “It is time to pack up the Esteem and go with the Vento,” was the honest admission by veteran Vidyaprakash, one of the few survivors of the hoary Sholaravam past.

    A joyous Vissa could hardly contain his emotions. “Honestly, the performances of our cars far exceeded our expectations. Last year, it was about getting on pace with the competition and during the off-season, we had worked long and hard on these cars, sorting out various issues, especially compensating for the weight factor. Winning both the races here in Coimbatore? Wow! But I can’t say how much of a game-changer this will be since I am not sure whether other competitors would switch to Vento in the foreseeable future,” he said.

    In a way, it was a double-delight for VW as their Ameo Class, a one-make series had received National Championship status from the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the sport’s National governing body. Coupled with the showing of the Vento in the ITC, the excitement in the VW camp was palpable and understandable.

    A HISTORIC MOMENT – HONDA UPS THE ANTE

    Cut to the MMRT, a fortnight later, for the second round of the MRFMMSCfmsci Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2019. The motorsport wing of the Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI)showcased the FIM Moto3-spec NSF 250R imported from Japan that replaced the CBR 250 in the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup One-Make Championship.

    Md Mikail on a Honda NSF 250R during a race week-end at MMRT, Chennai.

    It was a landmark moment in the history of two-wheeler racing in India. The eight-bike grid comprised riders in the age-group of 12 to 19 years, all trained and primed over the past several months to become race ready.

    In a conversation with me at the MMRT, Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice-President – Brand and Communications, HMSI Pvt Ltd, said: “As you are aware, two-wheeler racing at the global level is getting younger in terms of the riders. We thought we will invest in youngsters, in the preferred age-group of 12-18 years on a long-term programme. Eventually, we hope that at least one of the riders would make it to Moto3.

    “We have gone to a great extent to train these youngsters in not just racing, but also help them develop as individuals. For this season, we shortlisted eight riders who were put through a rigorous training programme, and hopefully, the grid would get bigger in the seasons to come. We have other plans too for the coming season.”

    Sarthak Chavan from Pune, youngest rider (Honda NSF 250R) on the track at just 12 years

    Back in 2015, Honda won the Moto3 constructor’s Championship with the NSF250R. The race bike, shoed with Dunlop tyres, is powered by a 249.3cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine, putting out a maximum power of 47.6 HP at 13,000 rpm and 28 Nm of torque at 10,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

    These kids on the NSF 250R bikes rode fearlessly and their timings through the weekend were astounding. The top five boys were quicker than the fastest 400cc bike in the championship. Those in the know believe that the NSF 250R bikes can lower the timings even more, to maybe 1:45 or thereabouts, as against the weekend’s best of 1:48 for a hot lap.

    The 84-Kgs NSF 250R is built for young teenagers who easily fit into the saddle. Among the youngest of the riders was Pune’s Sartak Srikant Chavan, just 12 years old, but who performed like he was born to ride. The grid also contained two “veterans” in 15-year old Md Mikail from Chennai and Kritik Habib, 19, from Gadag, Karnataka, both of whom had participated in the Thailand Talent Cup race recently. That experience reflected in their performance with Mikail winning the first of the two races, ahead of Habib.

    Also, Honda made a welcome entry in the Pro-Stock 165cc with their race-spec CBR 150R, and much to their delight, Rajiv Sethu, their standard-bearer, won both the races. Sethu has come a long way and his recent performances in the Asia Road Racing Championship besides the Endurance race in Japan as part of the Honda team, have certainly boosted his confidence. In both National championship races over the weekend, Sethu defeated his nemesis and seven-times champion Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing).

    Volkswagen and Honda deserve all the kudos for taking the initiative to give a leg-up to Indian motor racing. These are baby steps yet, but the signs are very positive. Hopefully, we can look forward to acche din!

  • Friendly banter at FIA Thursday press conference at Silverstone

    Friendly banter at FIA Thursday press conference at Silverstone

    FIA Thursday press meet in progress at Silverstone. An FIA image

    DRIVERS – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), George RUSSELL (Williams), Lando NORRIS (McLaren), Daniel RICCIARDO (Renault), Antonio GIOVINAZZI (Alfa Romeo)

    PRESS CONFERENCE

    Welcome gentlemen. It was announced yesterday that Silverstone has a new long-term deal to remain on the Formula 1 calendar. I’d like to get each of your thoughts on that, starting with Lewis please?

    Lewis HAMILTON: Well, good afternoon everyone. It was a good surprise to hear that they had re-signed. It wasn’t necessarily a surprise. As I spoke to you guys before I knew that it was going to happen. It’s clear the Formula 1 can’t exist without the home of motorsport, which is the British Grand Prix. Yeah, really, really happy. It’s great for the fan base and for that to continuously grow over the next years to come.

    Q: Thank you Lewis. Lando?

    Lando NORRIS: It’s going to be my first race this weekend. I’ve race here in the past. I love driving Silverstone. It would have been a shame to ever see it go, especially if I only would have done this race, this year and not done it again. Glad to see it still here and I look forward to coming back every year.

    Q: Thanks. George?

    George RUSSELL: Yeah, obviously very pleased for it to be on the calendar again. I think F1 couldn’t live without Silverstone. It’s the home of the British Grand Prix. Formula 1 is a very British sport and overall it’s just an amazing circuit to drive and there’s something special about Silverstone when you come here. Like you said, I’m not surprised it’s continued.

    Q: Daniel?

    Daniel RICCIARDO: Very happy. It’s a cool track, cool atmosphere. It was eight years ago this weekend, it was my F1 debut here, so it’s always been pretty personal to me. But I’ve enjoyed it. I don’t know how it would feel being somewhere else. It feels normal and right it have it here. It feels like the home of British motorsport. I like that. There’s that real camping atmosphere, that festival vibe. Yeah, the Brits love and we do too.

    Q: And Antonio?

    Antonio GIOVINAZZI: Yes, it’s a track with a lot of history, so it was really nice to see that this circuit will be here for another five years. With an F1 car I think it’s amazing to drive here, so I can’t wait to start tomorrow and do my first grand prix at Silverstone.

    Q: Antonio, if we can stay with you, you got your first world championship point in Austria a couple of weeks ago. How did that feel and how confident are you of maintaining that run of form here?

    AG: Yeah, cost me a little bit of my hair! It was for a good reason I would say. It was actually a different bet with Fred, because it all started at Paul Ricard and he said: ‘if you score your first point I will cut your hair’. And then it didn’t happen and then in Austria we said ‘so, if I don’t score points you will my hair’, but I scored points, so it’s a bit of a mess. Yeah, I’m really happy with this. It was a great weekend so far for me and the team. We went to Q3 with both cars and also top 10 for me and Kimi. So we just need to keep working like that. We had a really good car since Paul Ricard and now here we have another upgrade so I hope again that we are on a good direction and I hope we can stay there and keep fighting and take a little bit of the gap from McLaren as they are still a little bit in front of us, so we just need to keep working.

    Q: You’ve not raced here before in Formula 1 yet, so just can you tell us a little bit about your preparations. What have you ascertained from the simulator, what are your engineers telling you?

    AG: Luckily, I did one FP1, back in 2017 in F1. Of course it will be a completely different story now. Of course I did some simulator, like every driver, I watched some onboard from last year, working with the team. But you know, when you are in the car it will be completely different things but we have FP1, FP2 tomorrow, so we have a lot of time. It’s track I’ve already raced in F3, Formula 2 so yeah, just looking forward to racing it in F1.

    Q: Ok, good luck this weekend. Daniel, tricky race for you and the team in Austria. What conclusions have you drawn since then?

    DR: It was. It wasn’t a fun one for us really. We obviously got pretty deep into it after and tried to figure out why we were off the pace all weekend. Definitely feel we learned some things with set-up and I think we kind of just started in a direction which we kept pursuing from Friday, thinking it was the right way to go, but I think in hindsight it wasn’t. It’s probably more just a set-up misdirection we went for as opposed to anything crazy we found on the car. I was hoping to find a cracked chassis or something like that! I think the car does have a little bit of a sweet spot and I think we had worked towards that the last few weekends, getting those Q3s and building that confidence within myself and that momentum, but we kind of shifted a little bit away from that in Austria, for reasons that seemed to make sense at the time from a set-up point of view and all that. I think we kind of moved away from something we’d got to know but we’ll try to bring it back this weekend for Silverstone and go back to what we know.

    Q: You say the car has a sweet spot. Why is it so difficult to keep it in that area?

    DR: I wish I knew. I wish I knew. Sometimes I’m glad I’m not an aerodynamicist or an engineer because it would rattle my brain. For, personally, driving the car, I know where I’m comfortable with it and I know where I like it and when we start going down a certain direction that’s where we run into problems, under braking or whatever. There’s an area where I certainly feel more comfortable and I believe the car is better in that phase. I don’t know, it’s just race cars, mate! As I said, eight years I’ve now been here and you still scratch your head. But I think that’s part of the attraction as well, because when you do get it right and it all kind of works in harmony it’s an amazing feeling.

    Q: As you said, you made your F1 debut at Silverstone in 2011. How do you sum up the last eight years of your life?

    DR: It’s been fun. I remember vividly the press conference here eight years ago. I actually get embarrassed looking back at photos, I looked like an idiot – an idiot that needed a haircut. Same boat as Antonio! I don’t know, it’s kind of a whirlwind, but it’s amazing how go through it and feel… Obviously I feel much more comfortable here now than I did eight years ago. I guess just that kind of sense of belonging. Eight years ago I was here just like a deer in the headlights, is that the expression? You’re kind of just overwhelmed by everything and it’s like ‘wow, I’m really here now in F1’. You obviously have a lot of belief in yourself but until you really get the results that you believe you can get, there’s always maybe that little bit of doubt. Obviously that has built up well over the years. I don’t feel like one of the older guys yet, I’m kind of getting there, but I still feel young and sharp and good looking.

    Q: Thanks Daniel. Lando, many congratulations on your new McLaren deal for 2020. How exciting is that news and what do you feel you and the team can achieve over the next 18 months?

    LN: Thank you very much. I’m very excited I guess. It’s just good news. Things have been going reasonably well lately, so to have that news is just a bonus. And of course knowing I’m going to be here next year makes it a bit more comforting overall, but it doesn’t change too much in hindsight. Looking ahead to the next two years let’s say, there’s a lot of progress we’ve got to make. I want to be racing this guy on my right a bit more over the next couple of years, not just myself but as a team that’s our goal. That’s what we are trying to work towards, that’s what we are slowly chipping away at but it’s going to take two years, it’s going to take even more than probably. We’ll take it step by step and see how we go.

    Q: As you say, you’re hoping to race Lewis over the next two years, but you actually raced him at the start last time out in Austria, how was that?

    LN: It was cool. I got past him in Turn 1, which was very nice of him. He didn’t force me off or anything, it was a nice little bit we did in Turn 1. And then he just had a better position down the straight, behind Valtteri, in the slipstream. It wasn’t a proper fight I don’t think. It would have been nice to hang on a little bit longer than I did, but that position is the aim for us, we want to be in P3, we want to be fighting for the podium. It was nice to be there, very momentarily, but it wasn’t to be. But it is something I would love to look forward to.

    Q: As with Antonio, I just wanted to ask you about your preparation for this weekend, but looking slightly longer term, you’ve raced at Silverstone in the FIA’s junior ranks – Formula 4, F3, F2. I just wanted to ask you how different each of those categories is and how they helped prepare you for this moment?

    LN: Well, I actually started in 2014 racing Ginettas but that was on the national circuit, so it has stepped up quite a bit since then. But they’ve prepared me more and more I guess. Every lap you do you learn something very small even, but you learn something and that always helps. But I guess the biggest progression is Formula 3 – reasonably high downforce given the size and weight of the car. So you have a very good feeling through Maggots, Becketts, you get to really push the limits and see what it’s like. And it’s kind of a similar feeling when you go to F1 – I think, I’ve not driven it yet – feeling the G-Force, feeling the downforce, that’s something you already start to get a bit of a feel of in Formula 3 and a little but in Formula 2. Nothing in particular, but every step you take is a step forward and it definitely helps.

    Q: George, you finished ahead of Kevin Magnussen in Austria last time out, so it seems the car is really starting to make progress now. How confident are you of another strong showing this weekend ?

    GR: Yeah, I think it’s a step-by-step process for us at the moment. The team has two very difficult years… or a very difficult year last year, sorry. They wanted to change a lot of the structure and it was almost that we had to make two steps back before we made three steps forward. The groundworks are kind of really in place at the moment to try to bring more performance to the car as the season progresses and I’ve got confident we can do that. But the fact is it’s going to be another difficult weekend for us and we’ve just got to do our maximum week in, week out, but yes, it was nice to be racing someone other than just Robert in Austria.

    Q: It’s 40 years since Williams won its first ever race, here at Silverstone, with Clay Regazzoni in 1979. Just how aware are you of your team’s history and how does it make you feel to be lining up with Williams on the grid this weekend?

    GR: I’m very aware of the history. I’ve been around the museum a number of times and it still amazes me every time I go there and even last week I was showing my trainer around for the first time and we decided to jump in some of the cars and it was just bonkers to think what these guys were doing back then. I could barely get my feet in this thing and you’ve only got fiberglass protecting you. But like I say, I’m very, very aware of what the team is achieved, it is an honour to race for Williams and like I said, we are almost getting the mickey taken out of us with our performance, but it’s a longer-term project for the team and you could have done a number of short-term things to be good in the moment but the team have bigger and greater things in mind.

    Q: Lewis, can you just describe how it feels to be Lewis Hamilton, coming into the British Grand Prix?

    Lewis HAMILTON: It feels pretty normal, I would say! It probably feels the same as it is, I would say, for all the drivers here. It’s such a privilege to be here up against the very few that can be a Formula One driver at the pinnacle of the sport. The British Grand Prix is the most special grand prix of the year, being that it’s… just the sheer magnitude of it and just how many people come for the weekend and how many British flags you see around here. It really is a spectacular weekend. I would say it probably just feels… I don’t know. There’s excitement, there’s the adrenaline going, there’s pressures. My whole family’s coming this weekend. It is that one weekend where… it’s probably the most special in a sense because you’ve got your family, the closest support, surrounding you. I’ve been very privileged over the years to obviously come here and have some spectacular races. I don’t know what I’ve won here but obviously here to try to improve this weekend. We are here to improve this weekend as a team. The last one was a little bit difficult for us but hopefully this weekend. I think it’ll be close but hopefully we’ll have a better shot.

    Q: As you say, Austria was, in effect, the first time you guys tripped up this year, with Valtteri finishing third, yourself fifth. Are you confident that was a one off, or have you got concerns coming into this weekend?

    LH: I wouldn’t say that I necessarily have concerns. I don’t weekends necessarily with a negative connotation to start with but, no I think we’re fully aware that the Ferraris and the Red Bulls have taken a step forward and the pace that they had in the last race was great. I think it looked a lot better than… I think it we didn’t have the issues that we had, I think we would have been a lot closer, would have been more in the fight. I expect this weekend it will be closer between us all. Last year Ferrari were super-fast here as well – as were the Red Bulls. I think the Red Bulls were a little bit down but now they’ve got the new engine I think they’ll be even quicker. So, it’s definitely not going to be an easy weekend.

    Q: And Lewis, you’ve got 79 wins to your name, five of which have come here at Silverstone.  On Sunday, you can be the first man ever to win six races at this race track. How enticing is that record and what would it mean?

    LH: Well, you know me. I’m not really one for records, so if it happens this weekend it does; if it doesn’t, it’s no biggie for me as I’ll try to be here for a little bit longer. Just the fact that that’s even a possibility is quite unreal for me. Ultimately it’s just really important to put that stuff out of your head, out of your mind and just focus on the job at hand. As I said, it’s not going to be an easy weekend for us. It’s really just about being diligent, making sure we leave no stone unturned. As Daniel mentioned, these cars all have sweet spots and it’s trying to… all those sweet spots don’t always work at each track – but this has been a strong track for us in the past. Hopefully this weekend, it’ll be a sweet spot for us.

     

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Scott Mitchell – Autosport) Lewis and Daniel, last year Silverstone was resurfaced. It was slightly controversial, not all of the drivers were happy with it. It’s been resurfaced again for this year, and there’s also a little bit more gravel around the place in a couple of areas. It’s always been described as a drivers’ track. How interested are you to go out and see what change the changes have made.

    DR: Yeah, I was trying to get out there today, I will at some point, probably just on a bike, bit quicker. Yeah, it was pretty bumpy last year but at Red Bull we had one of the smoother-riding cars. A lot of others did say it was pretty bad. So, yeah, I’ll definitely have a look. I don’t normally do track walks or anything but if there is a change, it’s worth seeing, have a browse.

    LH: Same same but different.

    DR: Different but the same.

    Q: (Livio Oricchio – LivioOricchiof1.com) Daniel, when you see what Max did in Spielberg and you see the performance of your team, do you have any regrets of changing team. And also, concerning the asphalt, do you expect any big impact in the performance of the car. I mean, any big changes in comparison to what has been seen at the last few races?

    DR: To answer the first part: no. Honestly no regrets. It was actually… part of me was pretty happy for them, and for F1 to just have a good race. It went through such… yeah… quite a lot of… I’m trying think of a better word. You know the word I’m thinking of, it’s a word I can’t really say! It went through a lot of scrutiny after France, so just for the sport to have a good race was awesome. But no, honestly, if I look back, by that time last year, Red Bull had three wins; that was the first. Obviously I’m further back at the moment, absolutely, you’re right but I expected this and really, if I stayed at Red Bull it was to win a title and sure, they got the win last weekend but they’re still a fair way from the title. And that’s not having a dig, that’s just the reality. So I don’t think I would necessarily have achieved anything else than I was already achieving there, so for that, yeah, no regrets. Obviously trying to build something here with Renault and absolutely there’s still a lot of work to do – but equally it’s pretty fulfilling when you do get a little bit of a result and Montreal was one of those moments where, it kind of… even that result alone made the first seven or so races worth it. The little bit of struggle and ups and downs. So yeah, but for the sport, honestly, I’m very happy that the last race went the way it did and hopefully there’s more like that. Hopefully I’m not running in 12th, or wherever I was, because that’s also not fun – but hopefully the battle at the front gets close and says close.

    And the asphalt?

    DR: I’ll let the others answer. It’s dark, yeah, the asphalt. Conductor of heat.

    I think we want to hear from the other drivers. George?

    GR: I won’t know until I’ve driving on it. Obviously raced F2 last year, didn’t feel a huge issue. It adds a bit of character, I think, even when it’s bumpy. It is how it is. It’s the same for everyone. You’ve got to adapt to the situation. Sometimes, if it’s too perfect, then it’s almost easier to drive – but obviously they had to do it more for the bikes than for us.

    Lando, have you been out to look at the asphalt?

    LN: Yeah, I scootered around earlier. Just looks darker than normal, I guess. It depends. I don’t know what kind of tarmac is it. Obviously in Paul Ricard we had the newer patches of tarmac and it was much slippier, or not as grippy as the older bits. So, it depends. We’ll find out tomorrow.

    Antonio?

    AG: Yeah, I agree with George and Lando. It’s nothing. You need to adapt a little bit.

    Q: (Julien Billiotte – AutoHebdo) Question to George. George, timing is everything in Formula One. When you see someone like Lando, who you’ve beaten in Formula Two last year, getting strong results, enjoying strong momentum at McLaren, are you not afraid you might miss out on bigger opportunities? Because you could be driving the best race of your life at the moment and no-one  – or not a lot of people – would take notice.

    GR: Yeah, thanks for that! No, not at all. At the end of the day, I know there are only a small number of people that are going to make a difference in my career and that’s Claire and the top people at Williams and Toto and the top people at Mercedes. At the end of the day, those guys are fully aware of the situation. They know exactly if I’ve had a good weekend or not. And even in myself, I’ve come away from some races which I know I’ve performed well, and I’ve come away satisfied, and other races I’ve come away knowing I could have done a better job, even though I ended up in the exact same position. So, but like I said, I’m also happy for Lando and Alex: the younger generation sticking it to the experienced guys and showing that we can do it. I think, y’know, I’m happy for them and if they’re doing a good job, it also looks good for me.

    Q: (Giles Richards – The Guardian) Lewis, you’ve achieved remarkable things in the sport, in what has been a very long career – but I was wondering if you could try to think back to when you started in Formula One and remember what your greatest hopes and aspirations were back then – what you thought you might achieve when you began?

    LH: I don’t really remember much back then. I think naturally you just want to excel and succeed in everything you do, and just… every driver here has a huge amount of belief in their own ability and we all have some sort of platform and opportunity in front of us and it was just really about maximising the opportunity that we do have, regardless of what team we’re in, what position you’re in. And just like George was saying, that’s really key. You know whether you’re doing the job and the lessons that you go through are huge at the early stages. And these guys are all going a great job, particularly in the early days. Me and Daniel were just saying, we’re having to represent for the 30-crew. It was extremely special but it was a huge learning process for me, as it is for all of us in the early stages. There’s no substitute for experience. That just comes over time. Of course I wanted to win world titles, I think in my first year I wanted to win the world title, that was straight away. Super-ambitious – particularly up against a two-time World Champion but there wasn’t a moment that I doubted myself, that I could do it. I think that’s ultimately what we all have – that confidence in ourselves.

    Q: (Oliver Brown – The Telegraph) Lewis, Christian Horner raised a few eyebrows earlier this week by suggesting that, if you and Max were in the same machinery, at the moment he would back Max to prevail. Given you’ve won six of nine races already this year, that seemed a fairly bold claim on his part. I just wondered your response to that and, more broadly, on how you and Max measure up as racers.

    LH: Well, firstly I don’t compare myself to anybody. Don’t need to. I don’t really have a response to his claims. Ultimately every now and again someone needs certain attention and… yeah… I think Max has been doing a great job and really, really exciting to watch. I think the last race was really fantastic and it’ll be really interesting to see how they go moving forwards.

    Q: (Rob Harris – Associated Press) Lewis, the new Silverstone deal is through to 2024; do you think you will still be driving then or what do you think you’ll be doing in F1? And we could have England in a World Cup final on Sunday, just as you’re racing. Do you think you’re going to have to produce something special to grab the national attention? Not to jinx anything for them today…

    LH: What I don’t understand is why the organisers put the race on the same day as all these other big events – Wimbledon – I really don’t understand it. But I hope in future that they put this on a… this is such a special weekend, it needs all the focus of the whole country and just not a small amount. I think people will be switching between channels on Sunday, not sure what to watch. But naturally I come here… there’s quite a few of us Brits but we come here to raise the flag and do the country proud so I’m just going to try and play my part.

    2024? Jesus, it feels like a long way away. Who knows whether I will still be here by then but if I’m not, if I’ve stopped racing, I won’t be here in any other capacity.

    Q: (Graham Harris – Motorsport Monday, Motorsport week.com) Lando, now that you and Carlos have been confirmed next year at McLaren, what is that going to do for you and possibly, speaking on behalf of your teammate, to know that everything is settled, you don’t have to go through these endless questions from us asking what you’re going to do next year? Does this give you an advantage? How do you feel about it and do you think you’ve made the right decision?

    LN: Yeah, I think I’ve made the right decision. It wasn’t something I was worried about or asking about so for me, I was pretty confident in the job I had been doing so far this season and because I wasn’t necessarily worried or asking about it in any way, for them to come forward to me with it and the confirmation, then yeah, it made me a bit happier. With me not being worried about it, it wasn’t something I don’t think… or it’s not going to be something which changes how I think about it, it’s not going to make me necessarily more confident or anything. I had all my confidence in the team. I would like to say that they had all theirs in me as well. From all of that, we will keep working hard, keep trying to progress and I’m sure Carlos and myself are going to have a lot more battles and some times together.

    Q: (Ben Hunt – The Sun) Lewis, ’92, talk about Mansell mania and the crowds coming in to see him. We’ve got a similar situation, Silverstone’s going to be absolutely sold out on Sunday, partly to come and see you with all the success you’re having. Now there’s no question about the support you have with F1 fans, they all adore you and think you’re great for what you’re doing, the titles you’re winning. You’ve also struggled sometimes to win over some of the other British public, non-F1 fans. Can you put your finger on that at all, any reason why you don’t have the same universal adulation as Nigel Mansell had, say?

    LH: I don’t really… I don’t know. I don’t really generally feel that but people have the right to chose who they support and what I can say is that… I remember growing up in Stevenage I never in a million years thought I’d have a single supporter besides my Mum and my Dad. I feel really privileged in just even having one but quite a lot of people come here and I’m so grateful just for that, which is more than enough for me, so the more the merrier. I guess the more and more time I spend here, I guess you have more and more opportunity to turn people’s opinions. But ultimately, as I said, I’m grateful for what I do have.

    LN: Maybe it’s the moustache!

    LH: The moustache? What, the fact that I can’t really grow much!

    LN: Well, I can’t do much better either. Mansell’s one was alright.

    LH: Mansell had a good moustache. It might be that, I’m not able to grow. This is like as far as it goes. And he had good eyebrows as well. Maybe one weekend I’ll try sticking them on and see if it makes a difference.

    Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Lewis, the two chaps to the left of you have got a combined age of 40, if my maths is right. I was just wondering if you have…

    LN: (Having exploded with laughter) Don’t worry, it’s nothing to do with your question.

    GR: It’s definitely not suitable for you guys.

    DR: I didn’t think it was that funny.

    Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) The question was, anyway, it was whether Lewis had any advice for the chaps sitting to his left and what he thought of the job they’re doing?

    LH: I don’t think I need to give them any advice. They’ve obviously come through similar ranks to myself and they’re doing exceptional jobs. Both have completely different challenges with George obviously in a team that’s has struggled for some time but is part of helping them take steps to improve and I really really hope… I’m a huge fan of Frank and that team and what they’ve achieved in their history so I really really… I think that’s a team that needs to be up at the top with the rest of them. It’s amazing to see McLaren doing so well. They’ve had some really tough years as well. We got to have a bit of a race in the last race and just watching Lando’s progression is incredibly impressive, to be so young in such an early phase, he’s coming in and keeping a level head and delivering on weekends, also up against a driver who’s got more experience than him. I’m personally excited to continue to watch these two grow and the trials and tribulations that they’ll face and I do hope that we get to do some racing together, as I said, representing the thirties.

    Q: (Stephen Camp – Motorsport Monday, Motorsport week.com) Over the past few weeks, if not months, there have been discussions about making life more difficult for the drivers behind the wheel. I was just wondering if there was anything in particular any one of you guys would like to see… perhaps power steering taken away, reduction in downforce? Is there anything in particular that you would like to see making your lives more difficult?

    AG: Yeah, of course I think I want better racing but less downforce, better to follow people but yeah, it really differs not from my side. We will see what happens after 2021 but yeah, for now it’s not my decision. We need to see what happens.

    DR: Yeah, I guess the racing thing’s a big one, just to be able to… obviously if it was all a bit closer that’s great as well but it’s just the ability to follow. I guess it’s two-fold now. You get close to another car, you lose a chunk of downforce but then also your tyres start to overheat so that then loses you an additional amount of grip so you’re kind of fighting against those two, let’s say, negative forces which don’t help. Power steering? Honestly, with the load and the actual downforce we have now would be literally impossible. I’ve had hydraulic failures; that’s when you lose the power steering and you can’t turn. As brave as I’d like to say I am and as shredded as I am, it wouldn’t suffice. Maybe one lap but not fifty.

    LH: I agree. I think what’s really important right now is that the drivers are unified for the first time since I’ve been in the sport. We’re all together as kind of a union and sort of working together with the FIA and hoping that we can have a positive impact on the rules in 2021. So we kind of need to make sure we stay on top of that and stay a part of it. There are definitely subtle changes we can do for sure to make the car a little bit even more physical than it is. It’s by no means easy for us to drive and definitely not taking power steering away would not be key but I think we could probably reduce it if we needed to do. We currently have the option to do that but there’s no need because it doesn’t really make a difference for us really. But yeah, I think there’s a lot of other aspects and ultimately, as Daniel mentioned, if the racing was closer it would really improve racing so that’s key for us, I think.

    LN: Nothing (inaudible). Nothing in particular. I think obviously the main thing is the racing which is probably the most important thing for all of us. The physical attributes, I don’t really mind, to be honest. I did suffer a lot since karting, with my size and everything, not really having a clue what to do when I started karting, so I suffered in every category: F4, F3, F2 – not so much F2 but I’ve had to kind of play catch-up quite a bit and in some ways, F1 was a bit nicer with power steering. F2’s much harder, physically on the arms and almost on the whole body than F1 is. So it can change but I don’t really mind, it’s how it is to be honest, I don’t think that’s the priority of F1 right now.

    GR: Yes, as the guys said, obviously to be able to race each other closer is the number one priority but I think also allowing us to drive flat-out every single lap, qualifying laps for 70 laps would be pretty cool and that would make the physical demand greater. If you’re constantly lifting-coasting or saving the tyres in high speed corners or doing whatever else, it’s obviously not as a tough as it would be if you’re going flat-out. So those two together would be my idea of what we want.

    Ends

  • Shivani Pruthvi, first Indian woman to take part in Asia Auto Gymkhana

    Shivani Pruthvi, first Indian woman to take part in Asia Auto Gymkhana

    Shivani Pruthvi  after being felicitated by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences recently. Photo: India in F1

    Bengaluru, 11 July 2019: A three-member Indian team, including a woman driver, representing the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in India (FMSCI) will take part in the first round of the Asia Auto Gymkhana championship to be held at Yogyakarta in Indonesia on July 13.

    Shivani Pruthvi of Davangere, Sahil Khanna, and Karan Malik will represent India in the event which will see 39 drivers from 12 countries vie for top honours.  The trio will be up against contingents from Taiwan, Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the host country Indonesia. There, all competitors will drive identical race-prepped Toyota Agyas (aka Wigo in the Philippines) on multiple gymkhana course layouts in a knock-out format. “It is a great honour to represent India and we will strive our best to bring laurels to the country,” said Shivani.

    Team India at the registration desk on Thursday. An INDIAinF1 image

    New for 2019 is the introduction of the ladies championship, run under the support of the FIA’s “Women in Motorsport” program. With this, FMSCI has selected Shivani Pruthvi to be India’s first female representative. Shivani has recently taken part in the South India Rally, the first round of the Indian National Rally Championship at Chennai along with her mother as the navigator in the only all-woman team. A couple of days back, Shivani was felicitated by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences before heading to Indonesia for the first round of Asia auto Gymkhana championship.

    The31-year old Sahil Khanna is the current reigning Autocross National champion in the Stock 2w class 1100 to 1400cc for 2019. He also won the third place in the T1 category of Desert Storm 2018 . The 26-year old Karan Malik won overall 2nd place in the T2 category of Desert Storm this year. Shivani, who is just 21 years, won the Times Women’s driver in 2018 and retained the title this year. She also did well in the INRC first round in Chennai with her mother Deepthi as co-driver last month.

    The AAGC’s first event in 2019 will take place under the city night lights of Yogyakarta, located on the Indonesian island of Java.

  • Ace Indian driver Jehan Daruvala raring to go: F3

    Ace Indian driver Jehan Daruvala raring to go: F3

    All of the vital information ahead of F3’s fourth round of 2019
    File photo of Jehan Daruvala, Prema Racing. FIA Formula 3 Championship, at the Austria round in June. Credit: Team Daruvala

    Silverstone, 11 July 2019: Ace Indian driver Jehan Daruvala, touted as the next best chance of an Indian in F1, will begin the Round 4 after his triple podium in a positive manner. Daruvala (82) is just eight points behind his Prema Racing teammate Marcus Armstrong (90) in the championship standings and is raring to go.

    Daruvala came second in the Sprint race and his strong performance in both races of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, the Round 3, saw him close the gap to 8 points, remaining second in the FIA F3 Championship behind Schwartzman from Russia. This weekend at the famed Silverstone circuit will be a support event to the iconic British Grand Prix, which will remain in the calendar for another six years and agreement paved the way for meaningful financial dealings for the race hosts.

    Another Indian Arjun Maini will also be seen in action at the Silverstone F1 weekend as he will race in the F2 along with compatriot Mahaveer Raghunathan, who returns after being kept out for one event.

    The Stakes       
    Two weeks after the amazing action in Austria’s mountains, the F3 paddock rolls into the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire countryside for Round 4 of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Silverstone.
    PREMA Racing’s Marcus Armstrong had the early pace at the Red Bull Ring, going fastest in practice and then nabbing pole position in qualifying, but it was Hitech Grand Prix’s Jüri Vips who took the win in Race 1 after a measured drive to stand on the top step of the podium for the first time this season. Armstrong and Championship leader Robert Shwartzman looked on course to return PREMA to winning ways in Race 2, only for the teammates to break the golden rule of racing and collide on the final lap. The New Zealander suffered a puncture and ended up P19, while the Russian was relegated to third after a time penalty meaning Jake Hughes landed his and HWA RACELAB’s first F3 win.
    Shwartzman (90 points) still leads the way in the Drivers’ Championship, though his lead has been cut to just eight points by teammate Jehan Daruvala (82) in second place. Vips (63) leaps up to third after bagging 31 points in Austria, more than any other driver. PREMA (226) are still sitting pretty at the top of Teams’ Championship, 150 points in front of second-placed ART Grand Prix (76). Hitech (71) are just five points behind in third.
    Silverstone Circuit is the venue for the fourth round of the championship. Famed for its high speeds, fast corners and long straights, the drivers will look to fly around the former airfield on Pirelli’s hard compound tyre. With 30 cars ducking and diving around the track, they’ll have to remain grounded if they are to come out on top during another incredible weekend of racing.
    Warm Up // Jüri Vips – Hitech Grand Prix
    “Silverstone is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar. I really love the fast sections of corners and everything is combined so it’s very fast but very technical at the same time. That fits me just perfectly. It’s one of the rounds that I look forward to the most.
    “Every corner is a challenge, some more than others, but it probably has the most challenging section of corners on the calendar. Out of the first four corners, Maggotts and Becketts are some of the hardest of the season. You have to drive perfectly. It’s the easiest place to make a big time difference in that sense, which I like a lot.
    “Silverstone is definitely a driver’s track. Last year, overtaking was very difficult but I think this year it will be easier because after Maggotts/Becketts it’s not that difficult to follow a car and we have a DRS zone there.
    “If you get hot temperatures and your car has oversteer and slides a lot you can get quite tired, not physically but mentally, because you’re fighting the car quite a lot. It’s not that your muscles get overloaded, it’s just that you have to think about what the car is going to do a lot more so it’s harder.
    “Tyre degradation is probably going to be quite high, especially on the front tyres, so we’ll have to set up the car for that and take care of that during the race. It’s an interesting new set of skills that we have to learn in F3.
    “I can’t wait, I’m really looking forward to it. I’m going to get pole position and win both races, or at least that’s what I’m planning for!”
    Mario Isola, Pirelli Head of F1 and Car Racing
    “Silverstone is known as the ‘home of British motorsport’ so it’s a very significant race for many teams and drivers in the F3 championship. The biggest question mark will be the new asphalt, which nobody has had a chance to drive on yet, while the weather in England at this time of year is also often variable. The 30 Formula 3 drivers will all be fighting on the hard tyre and will need to manage them to the end on this demanding circuit.”
    Season Stats
    8 The gap between Robert Shwartzman and PREMA Racing teammate Jehan Daruvala at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
    31 The number of points Jüri Vips took from Round 3, the most of any driver.
    The number of different drivers who have led races so far this season.
    235 The total race distance in kilometres a driver will cover at Silverstone in Round 4.
    Noteworthy
    Hitech Grand Prix’s Jüri Vips became the first non-PREMA Racing driver to win a race this season when he was victorious in Race 1 in Austria
    Vips, Lirim Zendeli and Marcus Armstrong all led an FIA Formula 3 race for the first time at the Red Bull Ring
    Six drivers from five different teams have earned a bonus point for setting the fastest lap so far; PREMA’s Armstrong and Jehan Daruvala, Vips of Hitech, Jenzer Motorsport’s Yuki Tsunoda, Jake Hughes of HWA RACELAB and ART Grand Prix’s Christian Lundgaard
    Just eight points separate Robert Shwartzman and Daruvala at the top of the Driver’s Championship
    19-year-old Italian racer Federico Malvestiti will make his F3 debut when he drives Jenzer Motorsport’s number 15 car at Silverstone
    Nine different drivers have stood on the podium in the opening three rounds
    Seven different drivers scored points in both races of Round 3 – Shwartzman and Daruvala of PREMA, Vips and Leonardo Pulcini of Hitech Grand Prix, ART Grand Prix’s Max Fewtrell, Jake Hughes of HWA RACELAB and Zendeli of Sauber Junior Team by Charouz
    Data (GMT+1)
    Friday
    Free Practice: 08.35 – 09.20
    Qualifying: 16.50 – 17.20
    Press conference: 18.30
    Saturday
    Race 1: 09.25 (20 laps)
    Press conference: 10.25
    Sunday
    Race 2: 1.05pm Indian Standard Time (20 laps)
    Local time: 08.35 am

    Following are the Indian Times

    QUALIFYINGFRI 12 JUL 2019, 21:20 (GMT+5.5)

    RACE 1SAT 13 JUL 2019, 13:55 (GMT+5.5)

    RACE 2SUN 14 JUL 2019, 13:05 (GMT+5.5)

  • Arjun Maini, Mahaveer Raghunathan to race in F2 during the British GP week-end

    Silverstone, 11 July 2019: Two Indian racers talented Arjun Maini and regular Mahaveer Raghunathan will feature in the F2 race, run as a support race during the British GP weekend and as the teams and drivers of the F2 paddock land at the former airfield of Silverstone for Round 7 of the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship, two weeks after the sensational action in Austria’s Styrian Alps.
    Arjun Maini, will be racing in the second and last of his two races in F2 championship this season while MP Motorsport’s Mahaveer Raghunathan returns to F2 this weekend having served a one-event suspension that saw him miss both races in Austria for amassing 12 penalty points for infringements during Virtual Safety Car periods.
    Carlin’s Louis Delétraz went fastest during practice for the first time this season, before Championship leader Nyck de Vries pulled off a masterclass in qualifying to take pole position early in the session. Nobuharu Matsushita chased the Dutchman down superbly in the last few laps to earn his first F2 Feature Race win, calling it the best drive of his entire career over the radio as he took the chequered flag. The ‘firsts’ continued in Sunday’s Sprint Race, as Sérgio Sette Câmara and his DAMS machine took victory for the first time in 2019. The Brazilian leapt to the front from third on the grid and put in a measured display to stay there until the end.
    De Vries (152) has pulled further ahead in the Drivers’ Championship, and now has a 37 point lead over Nicholas Latifi (115). Sérgio Sette Câmara (107) has climbed to third, just eight points behind his teammate. DAMS lead the way in the Teams’ Championship with 222 points, though second-placed UNI-Virtuosi Racing (182) have closed the gap to 40 points. ART (158) are 22 points further behind in third.
    Round 7 of the season takes place at Silverstone Circuit, famed for its high speeds, fast corners and long straights. Race strategy will be crucial as teams and drivers look to get the best possible performance from Pirelli’s hard and soft compound tyres. A number of British drivers will hope to enjoy victory on home soil, but the rest of the grid will have designs of their own in what should be another incredible weekend of F2 action.
    Warm Up // Jordan King – MP Motorsport
    “I’ve always been quite successful at Silverstone. My first ever car race was there in Formula Palmer Audi and I got pole and finished second which started off a good love affair as they say! I suppose the highlight at this level is winning there in back in 2016. I probably had the best part of 50 people there – friends, family and partners. It felt good to be there with lots of people who had come on the journey with me and who had supported me.
    “I enjoy Silverstone. It is a real pleasure to drive. It’s an old-school circuit and there is something special about driving there – with it being your home Grand Prix it’s like a double win. From what you see as a driver, the fans look amazing, there’s plenty of colour in the crowd and you like to think that all the union flags in the grandstand are for you.
    “It’s really fast and it’s physically one of the hardest tracks of the year on your neck, shoulders and arms. It’s tricky with all the high-speed corners and tyre degradation is normally quite high. That makes for another interesting aspect to the racing angle.
    “Although it’s high-speed and it’s hard to follow through the corners you can still overtake. The two main overtaking spots are into Brooklands and Stowe but battles go on for more than a couple of corners.
    “I used to be a lot more stressed about the smaller details but now I’m just driving for the moment, to help the team, push the guys forward. I’m still setting goals and trying to achieve things but I’m not going into qualifying thinking ‘I have to be top five’ because it’s unnecessary pressure. I’m just going out and driving the best that I can.”
    Mario Isola, Pirelli Head of F1 and Car Racing
    “Silverstone is known as the ‘home of British motorsport’ so it’s a very significant race for many teams and drivers in the F2 championship. The biggest question mark will be the new asphalt, which nobody has had a chance to drive on yet, while the weather in England at this time of year is also often variable. We expect quite a big performance gap between the two nominated compounds in Formula 2, which should hopefully lead to some interesting strategies. The soft will need careful management on this demanding circuit but will offer a considerable performance advantage.”
    Season Stats
    37 The points gap between Championship leader Nyck de Vries (152) at the top of the standings and Nicholas Latifi (115) in second place.
    The number of times a DAMS driver has picked up bonus points for the fastest lap this season. Sérgio Sette Câmara and Nicholas Latifi have both done it twice.
    357 The number of racing laps completed so far this season.
    95 The number of laps De Vries has led so far this season in his ART Grand Prix machine.
    Noteworthy
    The F2 race lap record at Silverstone is 1:42.512, set by Nobuharu Matsushita with ART Grand Prix in 2017
    Matsushita’s Feature Race win in Austria is not only his first ever Feature Race victory but also Carlin’s first win since Lando Norris won the opening race of the season in Bahrain last year
    That victory means all three British teams (UNI-Virtuosi Racing, BWT Arden and Carlin) have won at least one race this season going into their home event
    The British round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship is also the home event of Callum Ilott of Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, Campos Racing’s Jack Aitken and MP Motorsport’s Jordan King
    Dorian Boccolacci, who competed in the first five rounds of the 2019 F2 Championship with Campos Racing, also returns to the F2 paddock with Trident this weekend. The French driver has previously raced for the Italian outfit in GP3.
    Seven different drivers have won races this season: Aitken, Matsushita, Nyck de Vries, Sérgio Sette Câmara, Nicholas Latifi, Luca Ghiotto and Anthoine Hubert
    If De Vries wins this weekend he will match Artem Markelov for the record highest number of wins in the modern era of FIA Formula 2. A win in both races would see the Dutchman surpass the Russian
    De Vries has stood on the podium six times in the last five events, including three wins, the longest current podium streak in the championship. Sette Câmara is next best with three podiums from three events
    Mick Schumacher battled brilliantly during the Sprint Race in Austria. Starting 18th on the grid he finished fourth and might have grabbed his first F2 podium had it not been for good defending from De Vries in third
    Data (GMT+1)
    Friday
    Free Practice: 11.55 – 12.40
    Qualifying: 15.55 – 16.25
    Press conference: 18.00
    Saturday
    Feature race: 15.45 (29 laps)
    Press conference: 17.05
    Sunday
    Sprint race: 10.00 (21 laps)
    Press conference: 11.05
  • Laguna Seca set to put on stunning off-track show for fans

    Laguna Seca set to put on stunning off-track show for fans

    From the Paddock Show to Go-Karting, there’s action aplenty for trackside fans to enjoy during the Geico U.S. Round at Laguna Seca in 2019

    A World SBK image

    Monterey (California), 11 July 2019: With the momentum in the championship changing hands in recent rounds, the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is ready for another twist and turn at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit, situated in Monterey, California, USA. Whilst on-track drama will keep fans glued to the action, there are plenty of things to take part in off-track.

    Starting with the Paddock Show, it will feature an array of activities, from fan competitions and live commentaries of the sessions to exclusive chats with the very best riders in WorldSBK. Know the quirks and all the behind the scenes information throughout the weekend, before getting your chance to meet the stars of the WorldSBK show on Saturday – as part of the SuperShow. Team managers, riders and paddock celebrities will all be in attendance, with the ‘Party in the Paddock’ to finish the day off. Be sure not to miss out after what will be a scorching opening race day! More of the same follows on Sunday, with rider chats and fan give-aways!

    A unique experience in WorldSBK is the ability to get up close to the immediate celebrations from the podium. Once again, included in the ticket price, fans can get close to their heroes and enjoy the aftermath with all of the emotions. Get soaked with the spray, celebrate with your favourite rider and be part of the party atmosphere that has become synonymous with the WorldSBK podium – accessible for all.

    Watch the WorldSBK action from another angle too, with the Motul Action Box at garage number 22, to be immersed into the reality of watching on from the pit lane. The nerves combined with the electrifying action will be sure to make it an unforgettable experience.

    There is a unique opportunity at the Geico U.S. Round, as fans will be able to take their own motorcycles on the famous Laguna Seca circuit between 11:35am and 11:55am on Saturday morning. An escorted lap around the breath-taking 3.602km (2.238mi) layout, featuring iconic corners in the motorsport, such as the Corkscrew and Rainey’s. Conditions and supplementary tickets will be available from the Ticket Office.

    If the 55m elevation change of the real circuit isn’t enough, then Go-Karting is also available from Friday to Sunday between 09:00 and 16:00. Take out your competitive edge against friends, to see who is the next best thing when it comes to getting around a short, sharp circuit in the quickest time possible. For the children, there is Mini Moto from the same times at the Marketplace.

    Other things to keep an eye out for are the vast merchandise opportunities, to affiliate yourself with your WorldSBK hero. The Ducati Island Experience should be on everyone’s Laguna Seca bucket list, whilst the Rev Limiter Zone and FREE manufacturer demo rides are also available. Don’t forget, children 15 and under are admitted for FREE with a full paying adult and for those who want an authentic experience, trackside camping is available throughout the weekend.

  • F1 to continue at Silverstone for another five years

    Silverstone, 10 July 2019: Formula 1 is delighted to announce that the Formula 1 British Grand Prix will continue to be held at Silverstone at least until the end of 2024. The agreement between Formula 1, the British Racing Drivers’ Club and Silverstone Circuit was signed yesterday in London, in the run-up to the Formula 1 Rolex British Grand Prix 2019 weekend.

    The British Grand Prix has been part of the Formula 1 World Championship right from the start, with the 1950 edition of the race, held at Silverstone on 13th May of that year, being the very first of the 1006 Grands Prix that have taken place to date. Silverstone has hosted the British Grand Prix a further 51 times, with two other circuits, Aintree and Brands Hatch providing the venue on five and seventeen occasions respectively. Only the Italian Grand Prix can boast of featuring for the same length of time on the calendar of the top level of motorsport.

    Great Britain has played a vital role in the sport’s history and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Seven of the ten teams competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship are based in the UK, with motorsport being an important economic and technological contributor to the country. This year, Great Britain also has the largest number of drivers on the grid, with five times world champion Lewis Hamilton joined by the talented Lando Norris and George Russell.

    On the eve of the 70th British Grand Prix weekend, Formula 1 and Silverstone Circuits have announced that far from this being the last F1 Grand Prix at the historic Northamptonshire venue, a new chapter has begun, thanks to a new agreement that will keep F1 at the circuit for the coming years.

    With the future of one of F1’s most venerable and revered circuits now assured, Formula 1 Managing Director, Commercial Sean Bratches and Formula 1 Managing Director, Motorsport Ross Brawn explain why Silverstone, the track that hosted the very first world championship race in 1950, remains a key component of the incredible machine that is Formula 1…

    Sean, concluding this agreement secures Silverstone’s place on the calendar. What does that mean for the image of Formula 1 going forward?

    Silverstone sits in the pantheon of Formula 1 as one of the great races. In golf you have events like the Masters or the British Open, in tennis you have Wimbledon, and Silverstone is a race that falls into that category. It has an incredible heritage in Formula 1 and we definitely wanted to preserve that. And I think its Silverstone’s status among the great venues that enriches the Grand Prix calendar. It resonates with fans, it’s enormously popular with teams and drivers and it showcases our sport in its best light.

    Getting to this point was a lengthy process. On a personal level, how pleased are you that the future of the race has been secured?

    I’m an eternal optimist and always believed we would get over the line. I think there was a strong will on both sides to make this happen, but it always had to be an agreement both parties were happy with – that there is a sustainable model for Silverstone to proceed with but which also fulfills our goals in having a broad calendar with a truly global footprint but which maintains Formula 1’s DNA. In the end, both Silverstone and Formula 1 want the same thing – to put on an incredible spectacle at a venue that is beloved by the sport.

    What does retaining a venue such as Silverstone say about the future of other ‘heritage’ races in Formula 1?

    I think one of the things we have always been cognizant of is that Formula 1 is a sport that deeply cherishes its heritage and that it is important for us to safeguard that as much as is possible. Over the past two years, we’ve reached agreements with many of the great, historic venues in our sport. We have reached agreements with Spa and with Suzuka, we have a long-term agreement in place with Monaco, and we are engaged in a very constructive dialogue with Monza at the moment.

    The shape of the future calendar becomes a little clearer after today. Are you pleased with how it’s looking?

    It’s gratifying to be able to secure this agreement with Silverstone and it maintains that strand of heritage in the sport’s DNA. But by the same token, it’s clear that since 1950 the calendar has been extraordinarily dynamic and we see that as a positive.

    It’s exciting to bring new venues to the table and it’s always good to have people and places that want to sit at our table. We have a number of parties vying to bring Formula 1 to their territories and we are exploring multiple opportunities in that regard. That kind of dynamism is good for the sport and good for fans.

    We are of course staging F1’s first Grand Prix in Vietnam next year and that’s hugely exciting, and we’re also returning to the Netherlands. Indeed, racing at Zandvoort crosses the divide, if you like. We’re bringing back an event with enormous history but it’s almost like venturing to a new territory, as Formula 1 hasn’t raced there in 35 years.

    Looking at what Silverstone is doing in terms of development at the circuit. Does that kind of activity help F1’s offering?

    It does, but the truth is that Formula 1 myopically focuses on Silverstone for the two weeks from when we begin to set up for the Grand Prix to when the last truck leaves, and that’s true of every circuit we visit. But, the kind of infrastructure and activity Silverstone is investing in is hugely important to us because not only does it provide us with a wonderful canvas on which to display our show, it also, if done and executed properly, ensures success going forward for the circuit. It is important for us that our promoters are sustainable and successful.

    Finally, the announcement comes just ahead of what’s set to be a big show this weekend. Are you looking forward to it?

    Absolutely. There’s a huge amount happening this weekend. It’s our second Bond in Motion race and here at Silverstone, race 1007, our friends at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing will be bringing something special to their cars and to the look of their drivers this weekend. We’ll also welcome Craig, Daniel Craig as a guest. We’re looking forward to seeing a great many stars at Silverstone so it promises to be a wonderful weekend. We’ve got great tennis across the river and great racing just a bit further north of the river! I’m really looking forward to it.

     

  • Stage set for thrilling season five finale in New York City

    The final two rounds of the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship will take place on the streets of Red Hook in Brooklyn this weekend (13-14 July). The most unpredictable, most competitive season so far will end with the crowning of the fifth FIA Formula E Champion.

    The 2.32 km long circuit is set against the stunning backdrop of the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. While the track, with its 14 turns winding through the heart of Brooklyn, has a formidable reputation thanks mainly to its unforgiving concrete surface.

    Last time out

    Similar to this year, New York also hosted a double header season finale in 2018. Sam Bird and Jean-Eric Vergne went into the weekend as rivals for the championship title. In a day of high drama on the challenging circuit in Brooklyn, Vergne went from last on the grid thanks to a technical infringement during qualifying to finishing Saturday’s race in fifth place. Sam Bird was unable to capitalise on Vergne’s qualifying position, so the result was enough to put Vergne out of reach of his rival. Vergne won the title with the second race still to run. To top it off the Frenchman managed to finish the 2017/18 season on a high by winning the final race on Sunday, but Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler wrapped up the teams’ championship with second and third place for Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt respectively beating Vergne’s TECHEETAH team by a narrow two point margin.

    Current standings

    At the last outing of the current season, double points are again on offer as one race is held on Saturday and one on Sunday. Reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne leads the way with his name at the top of the standings. He could be the first driver to defend his title and – for the first time in Formula E’s history – win the crown in two consecutive seasons. While the Frenchman has a comfortable margin, there are seven other drivers mathematically still in contention for the drivers’ championship title who will do everything in their power to beat the DS TECHEETAH driver. The team championship standings look equally as tight, four teams head into the season five finale still in with a chance of winning the title. DS TECHEETAH, who top the table travelling to New York will be doing their upmost to not lose out to Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler again this year.

    While none of the drivers is American, there are two Formula E teams racing under an American flag: BMW i Andretti Motorsport and Geox Dragon. Neither of the two teams is in contention for the title anymore, but both will be eager to score the best possible results in front of their home crowd.

    Gen2 debut season

    The championship finale also marks the completion of a very successful debut season for the radical new Gen2 car, which was introduced at the start of season five. The futuristic looking FIA Formula E car has almost double the energy storage capacity in comparison to the first generation car and is able to go the whole race distance, making the mid-race car swaps of previous seasons a thing of the past! This leap forward in efficiency demonstrates the continuous progress made in the development of electric vehicle technologies and will benefit much more than world class racing drivers in the near future.

    Championship Standings

    Driver Standings:

    Jean-Eric Vergne              DS TECHEETAH                         130

    Lucas di Grassi                 Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler           98

    Mitch Evans                     Panasonic Jaguar Racing            87

    Andre Lotterer                 DS TECHEETAH                         86

    Antonio Felix da Costa      BMW i Andretti Motorsport          82

    Robin Frijns                     Envision Virgin Racing                81

    Sebastien Buemi              Nissan e.dams                           76

    Daniel Abt                       Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler          75

    Sam Bird                         Envision Virgin Racing                69

    Jerome D’Ambrosio          MAHINDRA RACING                   65

    Oliver Rowland                 Nissan e.dams                           63

    Edoardo Mortara              VENTURI Formula E Team          52

    Pascal Wehrlein                MAHINDRA RACING                   52

    Felipe Massa                    VENTURI Formula E Team          36

    Stoffel Vandoorne             HWA RACELAB                          31

    Alexander Sims                BMW i Andretti Motorsport          24

    Maximilian Gunther           GEOX DRAGON                          20

    Alex Lynn                        Panasonic Jaguar Racing            10

    Gary Paffett                     HWA RACELAB                          8

    Oliver Turvey                   NIO Formula E Team                 6

    Jose Maria Lopez              GEOX DRAGON                          3

    Nelson Piquet Jr.              Panasonic Jaguar Racing            1

    Tom Dillmann                  NIO Formula E Team                 0

    Felipe Nasr                      GEOX DRAGON                          0

    Felix Rosenqvist               MAHINDRA RACING                   0