Your basket is currently empty!
Tag: featured
-
Jehan Daruvala gets the taste of 2019 F3 car at Shakedown in Magny-Cours
Daruvala teammate Marcus Armstrong begins the session on Wednesday. An FIA F3 image Magny-Cours, 20 Feb 2019: Top Indian racer Jehan Daruvala of Prema Racing will be taking part in the F3 again and he got the first taste of the 2019 car on Wednesday as the FIA Formula 3 teams laid their hands on the brand new F3 2019 car at a shakedown on the Magny-Cours circuit in France. Only one car per team was used, with the main effort on learning how to operate the new machine.
The conditions were sunny, but with cold temperatures as the pitlane opened. PREMA Racing were first to hit the track at 9am local time with Marcus Armstrong behind the wheel, closely followed by Carlin Buzz Racing’s Logan Sargeant.Within the opening ten minutes, all cars had successfully completed their installation laps. At the end of the four hour session, ART Grand Prix topped the rest of the pack with the highest number of laps achieved (46). A total of 328 laps had been covered by all ten cars on Pirelli Soft tyres.Everyone enjoyed a one hour break before getting back to business. Although Fabio Scherer remained on duty at the wheel of his Sauber Junior Team by Charouz car, new faces joined the session in the other nine teams. In fact, a total of 23 drivers got their first taste of the F3 2019 today.At the chequered flag, the teams completed a total of 307 laps – with PREMA Racing ending the three hour session with the most laps covered (39). This resulted in 635 laps achieved today and totalled 2,801 kilometres of running.The FIA Formula 3 paddock will gather next at Circuit Paul Ricard in France on March 20-21 for the first official pre-season test session.FIA Formula 3 Technical Director Didier Perrin commented: “I am very pleased with how the shakedown went today. The feedback from the teams has been positive, and more importantly, the feedback from the drivers seems to show that the car is well-balanced and that it seems to be delivering some good downforce level and that it is pleasant to drive.”Complete entry listDavid BeckmannART Grand PrixMaximilian FewtrellART Grand PrixChristian LundgaardART Grand PrixSebastian FernandezCampos RacingAlex PeroniCampos RacingAlessio DeleddaCampos RacingLogan SargeantCarlin Buzz RacingFelipe DrugovichCarlin Buzz RacingFabio SchererSauber Junior Team by CharouzLeonardo PulciniHitech Grand PrixJüri VipsHitech Grand PrixKeyvan AndresHWA RACELABBent ViscaalHWA RACE LABYuki TsunodaJenzer MotorsportArtem PetrovJenzer MotorsportRichard VerschoorMP MotorsportSimo LaaksonenMP MotorsportMarcus ArmstrongPREMA RacingJehan DaruvalaPREMA RacingRobert SchwartzmanPREMA RacingNiko KariTridentPedro PiquetTridentDevlin DeFrancescoTrident -
F1 and Netflix put Drive to Survive on pole position
Formula 1 and Netflix, Wednesday announced details of the highly-anticipated docuseries, “Formula 1: Drive to Survive”, which will launch on the service on the 8 March 2019.
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive” is a gripping, high-octane 10 part series. It is the first time in the sport’s history that a series such as this has been given exclusive and intimate access to the greatest racing championship in the world. From the makers of “Senna” and “Amy”, the series will reveal the true story of the sport – not only focusing on the fight to be World Champion, but giving fans a real insight into the personal lives of their heroes on and off the track.
As a new generation of drivers steps out of the shadows, Formula 1 has opened its doors to give unprecedented access to the top drivers, team principals and owners, to set the scene for a new wave of gripping competition and challenges. Not only does the series focus on all the track action, it also takes time away from the circuit to provide a unique insight into the teams and the people that make the championship what it is, the greatest racing spectacle in the world.
The global series will show each round of the 2018 FIA Formula One World ChampionshipTM, beginning in Melbourne and culminating at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, where the championship draws to a close and scores are settled.Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights, Formula 1 said: “As we move into a new generation of Formula 1 we are thrilled to announce our new docuseries
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive”. This truly unique series embodies the sport and helps us to showcase and unearth the untold stories on and off the track. Partnering with Netflix to create an original series puts us at the forefront of becoming a media and entertainment brand and attracting new fans to the sport”.Paul Martin , Box to Box Films said: “Netflix was the perfect platform on which to tell the inside story of this incredible sport. F1 has long been a world of colourful characters and super-sized egos, thrills and drama, victory and
tragedy, but until now that world has been largely hidden and secretive. “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” takes the viewers right into the heart of this world and shows what it is like to live, work and race within the world’s fastest sport.”
This series is executive-produced by Academy-Award winner James Gay Rees (“Senna”) and Paul Martin for Box to Box Films with Sophie Todd as the showrunner. -
Charles Leclerc keeps Ferrari on top as Pierre Gasly crashes out: F1 testing
After Sebastian Vettel topped the first day of pre-season F1 testing yesterday, new Ferrari recruit Charles Leclerc kept the Italian team at the top of the timesheets, finishing three tenths of a second clear of McLaren rookie Lando Norris.
The session came to an early end for Pierre Gasly, however, when the new Red Bull Racing driver lost control of his RB15 and spun into the barriers. The French driver had spend most of the afternoon on short, data-gathering runs but as the final hour of the session neared he embarked on a quick run. However, after setting a personal best in the second sector, Gasly lost the rear of the car at the exit of Turn 10 and slid off into the barriers.
Though the damage to the rear of his car appeared minimal, his team halted running for the day to begin repairs.
Leclerc, meanwhile, had a trouble-free day and was soon into the groove in the morning session and after 90 minutes had worked his way down to a P1 time of 1:19.172s on C2 Pirelli tyres.
An hour later and the Monegasque driver emerged on the C3 compound used by Vettel to set his day one benchmark. Leclerc maximised the extra grip from the yellow banded tyre and immediately moved further ahead of the field with a time of 1:18.247. The lap, within a tenth of a second of Vettel’s day one best, remained the benchmark for the rest of the day. He posted a total of 157 laps.
Norris, meanwhile, waited until late in the day to log his best lap. The rookie Briton mirrored the day one efforts of team-mate Carlos Sainz and bolted on a set of C4 tyres late in the session to finish the day on 1:18.553s, 0.306 back from Leclerc’s time. Norris also completed 104 laps across his first day at the wheel of the McLaren MCL34.
Kevin Magnussen took P3 for Haas with a time of 1:19.206 but a problem with his seat restricted his running. Reserver driver Pietro Fittipaldi took over in the last hour of running but completed just four laps.
Fourth place on the timesheet went to Toro Rosso’s Alexander Albon. The rookie driver who finished third in last year’s F2 championship behind Norris and champion and new Williams driver George Russell had an unfortunate start to his F1 career, spinning within seconds of the session starting, but once he got jup and running properly the Thai-registered driver enjoyed a solid opening day.
Albon ploughed through 132 laps of the Barcelona track and in the afternoon edged past Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi with a time of 1:19.301 set on C4 tyres. Giovinazzi racked up 101 laps to be the fourth and final driver to log a day two century.
As with the opening day of testing Mercedes split running between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, with defending champion Hamilton at the wheel in the morning. The team once again focused on long-run pace, with Bottas ending the day sixth while Hamilton finished in P10.
Gasly took seventh place before his spin, finishing ahead of the Renault pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian’s morning running was briefly interrupted by a rear wing failure. Behind them Lance Stroll finished ninth on his debut for Racing Point after moving from Williams.
2019 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test 1, Day 2
1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:18.247s 157 laps
2. Lando Norris McLaren 1:18.553s 104 laps
3. Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:19.206s 59 laps
4. Alexander Albon Toro Rosso 1:19.301s 132 laps
5. Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo C38 1:19.312s 101 laps
6. Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1:19.535s 89 laps
7. Pierre Gasly Red Bull Racing 1:19.814s 92 laps
8. Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1:19.837s 95 laps
9. Daniel Ricciardo Renault 1:19.886s 28 laps*
10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.928s 74 laps
11. Lance Stroll Racing Point 1:20.433s 79 laps
12. Pietro Fittipaldi Haas F1 1:21.849 13 laps. -
#Rossi40: As Valentino Rossi celebrates his 40th birthday, MotoGP presents 23 seasons in review
A MotoGP image Celebrate the Doctor’s 40th birthday by re-watching his greatest moments in 23 years of motorbike racing
Hamilton, Maradona, Federer, Iniesta and more wish Rossi ‘buon compleanno’
Some of the biggest stars from Italy and around the world send their birthday wishes to the Doctor
-
McLaren unveils MCL34 alongside new 2019 drivers, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris
McLaren Racing unveiled the MCL34 today. A McLaren image Woking, 14 Feb 2019: McLaren Racing today presented its first all-new Formula 1 driver line-up in 12 years, as Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris watched 34 of their McLaren team-mates unveil the MCL34, the team’s 2019 race car, ahead of pre-season testing next week.
This year, Sainz (24) begins his fifth Formula 1 campaign, while Norris (19) embarks on his debut season, as McLaren continues its performance recovery programme throughout 2019.
The concept and design process of the 2019 McLaren MCL34, powered by the Renault E-Tech 19 engine, focuses on laying the foundations for the development of the car throughout the season.
The MCL34 livery continues to sport the iconic McLaren papaya orange, echoing the colour chosen by Bruce McLaren for the team’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix entry in 1966. This year’s scheme is a progression from 2018, featuring a complementary blue that nods to the team’s broader racing heritage.
Over a productive commercial pre-season, the team has continued to strengthen its partner portfolio, with the addition of three new brands forming a 30-strong roster.
The MCL34 will make its on-track debut during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain (18-21 February & 26 February – 1 March). Carlos and Lando will share the driving duties across both tests.
Carlos Sainz, #55
“I’m really looking forward to the tests and excited to finally go racing in McLaren colours. I know everyone at the factory has been working very hard over the winter to prepare ourselves for this year, and I think the team has done a fantastic job with the livery of the MCL34.
“I’ve been especially focused on my preparations this winter. New training routines, new diet, very specific simulator sessions, and extra time with the engineers to develop and align certain aspects of the car to my preferences. The factory has become my second home since I moved back to the UK and everyone in the team is moving in the same direction. We know the big task ahead of us and we first need to evaluate where we are after the tests. From there onwards, I can’t wait to start racing and keep pushing forward together.”
Lando Norris, #4
“Next stop, Barcelona! Seriously, I can’t wait to get behind the wheel in testing. I’ve been working hard over the winter preparing for my step up to F1. I’ve spent a lot of time with the team in the factory too, learning as much as I can to get ready for the 2019 season.
“It’s been my dream to get to Formula 1 since I was a kid. I gained useful experience behind the wheel during practice sessions in 2018, and now I’m really looking forward to making my race debut with McLaren. The MCL34 looks great and now I just want to drive it.”
Zak Brown, CEO McLaren Racing:
“The MCL34 is the result of an immense amount of hard work and dedication throughout our team. We’re all committed, motivated and united in our ambition to return McLaren to competitiveness, and the MCL34 is only the start of this process.
“We have a fresh driver pairing, who together represent the new generation of Formula 1 talent, and are an integral part of the team and our collective effort to advance McLaren forward.
“The McLaren family is not only our people and our drivers, but also our superb partners and wonderful fans. We have a strong community of partners which continues to grow, and an incredible fanbase, who have all remained loyal and supportive throughout our highs and lows, and I’d like to thank them as we head into the 2019 season.
“As ever, we move fearlessly forward.”
-
Force India becomes SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team; New car launch in Toronto
SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team launches in Toronto on Wednesday. A Racing Point image Toronto, 13 Feb 2019: Formula One’s newest team presented its fresh look today as Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll launched SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team in Toronto, Canada, in front of 200 media, hundreds of fans and select VIP guests.
The on-stage presentation at the Canadian International Autoshow showed off a striking evolution of BWT’s pink livery adding the blue of new title partner, SportPesa, the global technology and entertainment company. A new ‘point’ logo in pink, blue and magenta was also introduced alongside the team’s new identity as SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team.
The arrival of SportPesa sees prominent branding on the engine cover as well as on the front and rear wings. Logos of principal sponsor, BWT, are positioned on the sidepods, front and top of chassis, headrest and reverse face of the rear wing. The launch event also introduced new partnerships with household names, JCB, Bombardier, and Hackett, with all brands enjoying branding positions on the car’s new livery.
The longstanding partnerships with Claro, Infinitum and Telcel continue as does the NEC relationship with branding on the headrest, nose and wing mirrors. Logos from lubricants brand, Ravenol, appear on the barge boards, while insurance brand, Canada Life, takes up a position on the lower engine cover. The partnership with Acronis continues with logos situated on the rear of the sidepod.
Speaking in Toronto, Team Principal & CEO, Otmar Szafnauer, said: “After months of hard work behind-the-scenes it’s incredibly exciting to come to Canada and present our new identity. The long-term aim is to take this team to the very top of the sport. We are putting the building blocks in place and it’s important we take a good step forward in 2019 as we begin this new era. We want to be fighting for podiums on merit and aiming for a strong top four finish in the championship.”
Andrew Green offered insights on the technical side: “The design and build process for the RP19 has generally been an improvement compared to previous years, which is a positive result of the change in team ownership. I look forward to seeing the car on track. We all want to start understanding the various aspects of the car’s performance; understanding all the mechanical and aerodynamic improvements of the car, our new power unit and make sure our reliability is sound. We are already lo
Sergio Perez oking beyond our testing-spec car, actually: we’re planning what to bring to the first race, what to bring to round five in Barcelona and what we should be looking at as we develop this package, something we’ve been unable to do previously. A new set of aero rules means the development slope has become steep again.”
Sergio Perez summed up his goals for 2019: “I’m really excited to stay with this team as we begin the new era. We have stability and strong leadership at the top, which is important because it means I can simply focus on the driving and performance. I want us to be the best of the rest once again. I believe in this team and I think we can achieve great things together.”
Lance Stroll echoed Sergio’s comments: “I can see how much potential we have in this team and there’s an incredible buzz in the factory and so much enthusiasm. I always aim high
Lance Stroll so I want us to be competitive right from the start. It’s way too early to know how we compare to the other teams, but right here today I believe we should be fighting for points in every race. My goal is to get back on the podium in 2019 as well. I’ve seen what this team achieved in the past and it’s a real credit to the people involved. I’m looking forward to making our own history.”
The team’s newly-liveried car will remain on display at the Canadian International Autoshow with 350,000 spectators expected to visit the venue over the next 12 days.
-
SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team in the pink as BWT continues their partnership with the team
Toronto, 13 Feb 2019: Racing Point is delighted to announce that Best Water Technology (BWT) will extend its successful association with the team as principal sponsor. BWT will continue to give the cars their distinctive pink livery colour, which was first introduced in 2017.
Branding of the Austrian water specialist will be displayed prominently on the livery of Racing Point’s 2019 car, on the drivers’ suits and helmets, the team logo and on all other team assets.
The pink colour of BWT is meanwhile one of the most distinctive elements on the Formula One grid. The “Pink Panthers” are widely recognized fan favourites, helping to create an unmistakable identity for the team. Having one of the most recognisable liveries on the grid also contributes to highlighting BWT’s presence and commitment to the reduction of plastic use through the adoption of reusable vessels and recyclable filters to reduce waste and pollution in the modern world.
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO of Racing Point: “Over the last two years, we have created a unique partnership with BWT, on and off the track, and it’s a true pleasure to announce this next step of our journey together. BWT’s superior water technology and iconic pink colour has made our cars immediately recognisable and a fan-favourite. We have enjoyed a lot of success together over the last few years and we’re convinced the best is yet to come.”
Andreas Weißenbacher, CEO of BWT: “Now that we have established a valuable relationship with the team members in recent years, we’re all the more enthusiastic about continuing our partnership in Formula One in 2019. We are eagerly looking forward to plenty of sporting highlights over the new season and wish to build on the successes of the last two years. With the team alongside us, BWT will be working hard to see water both treated and consumed locally ̶ no disposable bottles, no plastic waste and no long transport routes.”
About BWT: The Best Water Technology Group is Europe’s leading water technology business with a staff of 4,000 working on innovative, economical and ecologically friendly water purification technologies to provide private households, industry, commerce, hotels and municipalities with the safest, healthiest and most hygienic water possible for their day-to-day needs. BWT provides modern purification systems and services for drinking water and water used in pharmaceutical and other processes, heating, boilers, cooling and air conditioning as well as water used in swimming pools. The company’s research and development staff works on new techniques and materials using cutting-edge methods to develop economical and ecologically friendly products. Employees work particularly hard to create products which use fewer resources and less energy, thereby reducing CO2 emissions.
-
SportPesa announces new title partnership with F1 team Racing Point
Toronto, 13 Feb 2019: SportPesa, the growing global technology and entertainment company, has today been announced as the new title partner for Racing Point, with the team now known as SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team.
The announcement, alongside a reveal of the team ’s new car livery, was made during their pre-season launch event, held during the Canadian International Auto Show; the first ever Formula One team launch in Canada.
Present at the reveal were the two team drivers, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, along with the Team Principal, Otmar Szafnauer, and Technical Director, Andrew Green.
The multi-year deal will commence with immediate effect, with the team referred to as SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team for the duration of the partnership. The Racing Point cars retain their pink colour, with BWT continuing as a principal sponsor of the team, with the addition of blue SportPesa branding on the front and rear wings, and engine cover.
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO of SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team said: “SportPesa is a young, dynamic, growing company whose values align with our own vision to become a team capable of competing at the very front of the grid. We are excited to have such an ambitious partner on board to help us deliver our team mission and look forward to working with them to bring the sport of Formula One closer to fans around the world. The car looks stunning with the addition of blue to the already iconic pink livery, which gives us a strong identity as we begin this exciting new era.”
Adam Beighton, SportPesa, Company Director said: “We are absolutely delighted to become part of the extended Formula One family. This partnership is very important to us because it diversifies us into new territories and allows us to reach new audiences across the globe. Equally important is the platform it provides us which enables us to stay true to our mission; to build and develop grassroots and professional sport in the countries where we operate by bringing new opportunities to local communities.”
About SportPesa
SportPesa is a growing global technology and entertainment company that is focused on sports and entertainment news. As such, our platforms immediately update sport scores and, in certain markets, offer fully licensed, real money gaming services. We are a brand committed to responsibly delivering our services and investing in the development of sports and our communities. We use the power of sport to unify people everywhere; connecting customers with excitement, sports clubs with funding and society with opportunities. -
14-year Shahan Ali Mohsin youngest to start MRF F1600 race
Shahan Ali Mohsin on the grid as he becomes the youngest to take part in MRF 1600 races at Chennai on Feb 10. Image Shahan Media. Chennai, 12 Feb 2019: Shahan Ali Mohsin entered in his first-ever single-seater competition this past weekend, where he became the youngest at the age of 14-years, to race in FMSCI Indian National Championship’s MRF Tyres-backed MRF F1600 race.
With the 2019 series to start later in the year, an invitational round was held as a support event to the international MRF Challenge (F2000) series where plenty of international drivers were racing at the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) in Chennai.
The race weekend gave Shahan a valuable insight as he made his single-seater debut.Shahan was up against some of the experienced campaigners in the Indian racing scene in the F1600, which is equivalent to Europe’s Formula Renault and Formula 4 level. The idea for the weekend was to gain experience and understand the nuances of a single-seater car.
He started off the weekend with the two practice sessions and a qualifying. The initial running was devoted to getting used to the new machine as he went into qualifying with more knowledge and qualified ninth overall ahead of the three races.
The Race 1 ended up on a short note when while battling with another car on Lap 2, Shahan spun out and was forced to retire, thereby having an anti-climatic end on his single-seater debut race. The Race 2 was more like it as he finished eighth in the 10 laps.
Shahan Ali Mohsin He finished eighth again in Race 3 as he maintained a consistent 1m41s lap time, which was a stark improvement from the practice session. Overall, it was a fun and learning first weekend for Shahan, which wouldn’t be possible without the help of Armaan Ebrahim and Aditya Patel.
“It was an amazing experience in the MRF F1600 series,” says Shahan. “Not only my first time in the Formula 1600 car but also my first competitive single-seater run. I am elated with the conversion from karting to single-seater, which isn’t an easy task as you feel so-so different on the track in a single-seater car than a kart”.
“It was a weekend of learning and I managed to adapt well with help of my coaches Armaan Ebrahim and Aditiya Patel. It took some laps to get used to the steering wheel and also the power of the car especially in the corners. My lap times got better over the weekend which was the aim and I hope to get stronger by the end of the season.”
Following his extensive karting career where he has won five titles in all, Shahan has stepped up to single-seater racing and will compete in the full MRF F1600 championship going forward in 2019 and will also race in the Euro JK (Formula BMW) series which is backed by JK Tyre Motorsport.
In addition, Shahan intends to race in selected kart events in India as well. With the Indian National Karting Championship only starting in June, the decision on whether to continue racing full-time in karts hasn’t been taken yet.
-
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport wishes Michael Schumacher all the very best
File photo of Michael Schumacher courtesy Mercedes AMG Petronas On 3 January 1969, a boy named Michael Schumacher was born in the small town of Hürth, Germany – a boy, who would go on to become the most successful Formula One driver of all times. For his 50th birthday, the entire team of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport tips their hat to Michael Schumacher and wishes him all the very best!
Very few names are so synonymous with Formula One as that of Michael Schumacher. With 91 race wins and seven FIA Formula One Drivers’ World Championships, he is an absolute icon of the sport who has dominated the series like no one else.
“Michael has had a tremendous impact on Formula One,” said Toto Wolff. “Not only did he set an incredible record – a record that is yet to be beaten – but he also shaped and changed the sport forever. As a driver, Michael took Formula One to a whole new level with his attention to detail and his technical knowledge. He did everything with great determination, from his engineering debriefs to his physical training, and was always searching for new ways to improve his on-track performance.”
Michael took some of his first steps as a professional racing driver with Mercedes when he joined the brand’s junior programme in 1990, racing in Group C sports cars and DTM. Together with Karl Wendlinger, he won the last race of the season in sports car racing- Michael’s first and only victory with Mercedes. He moved to Formula One in the following year, racing for Jordan before joining Benetton with whom he went on to win the Drivers’ World Championship in 1994 and 1995. One year later, Michael switched to Ferrari, where he laid the foundations for one of the most successful eras in Formula One. He stayed with the team from Maranello for a decade and won five consecutive Drivers’ (2000-2004) and six consecutive Constructors’ (1999-2004) Championships with the Scuderia.
Michael retired from Formula One after the 2006 campaign; however, when Mercedes re-joined Formula One as a works team in 2010, he made his return to the series as a driver. Working with the team in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart, Michael played an important role in developing the long-term capabilities of the team that were the foundation of our future success in F1.
“I remember when I first met Michael back in 2012, it was on a flight from Zürich to Singapore,” said Toto. “He was sitting next to me and asked me if I was up for a game of backgammon. I think that I’m a decent backgammon player, but he absolutely crushed me in the first two rounds because I was so star-struck. Once I was over that, my game improved, and we ended up playing and talking for the entire flight. We had a really good and honest conversation and when we landed it felt like I had known him for much longer than I actually did.”
At that point, Michael only had a handful of races with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport left before he retired from Formula One at the end of 2012. He never won an F1 race in a Mercedes, but he played an important role in the success the team would enjoy in subsequent years.
“Michael is one of the founding fathers of the success we have had in the last five years,” said Toto. “There is no other driver like him and his vast experience contributed tremendously in the development of our team. He played a crucial role when we re-joined F1 and was one of the people who laid the foundation for our future success. We’re extremely grateful for everything he did for us. Today, we all tip our hats to you – happy birthday, Michael!”
