2021

2022 MotoGP calendar revealed with Finland and Indonesia debuting

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago02 mins

MotoGP on Thursday unveiled its 2022 calendar. It will be holding 21 races with first visits being made in Kymiring circuit which is in Finland and Mandalika in Indonesia. Fabio Quartararo, Joan Mir and the rest of the riders under the MotoGP will kick off the championship battle under the floodlights of Qatar on March 6 in a 2022 season that will run through to November 6 at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit. As well as the new races, there are five non-European destinations back on the schedule after being cancelled due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions this year. Argentina, Japan, Thailand, Australia and Malaysia are all back in the fold. Finland and Indonesia had been due to return to the world circuit in 2020, but their inclusions were also victim to the global pandemic. 2022 provisional MotoGP calendar : March 6 – Qatar (Losail) March 20 – Indonesia (Mandalika) April 3 – Argentina (Termas de Rio Hondo) April 10 – Americas (Circuit of The Americas, Austin) April 24 – Portugal (Algarve circuit, Portimao) May 1 – Spain (Jerez) May 15 – France (circuit Bugatti, Le Mans) May 29 – Italy (Mugello) June 5 – Catalonia (Montmelo, Barcelona) June 19 – Germany (Sachsenring) June 26 – Netherlands (Assen) July 10 – Finland (KymiRing) Aug 7 – Britain (Silverstone) Aug 21 – Austria (Spielberg) Sep 4 – San Marino (Misano) Sep 18 – Aragon (Motorland Aragon) Sep 25 – Japan (Motegi) Oct 2 – Thailand (Chang International Circuit, Buriram) Oct 16 – Australia (Philip Island) Oct 23 – Malaysia (Sepang) Nov 6 – Valencia (circuit Ricardo Tormo)

Dramatic Albon almost lost his passport the day he was set to sign contract with Williams

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago05 mins

Red Bull reserve driver Alex Albon will be driving for Williams in the 2022 Formula 1 season after signing the contract with the team a few weeks ago. However, The 25-year-old Thai-British driver gives an account of how he would have missed the contract signage after misplacing his passport. Red Bull dropped Alex Albon after the 2020 season, but the outfit decided to still retain him as test and reserve driver this year. This means Albon travels to race tracks and events under Red Bull. In one of the events Alex Albon was able to meet Red Bull senior management at a dinner and things turned hectic when he thought he had lost his passport there. “I actually have a funny story about losing my passport,” Albon revealed. “This year, I was doing an interview for Austrian TV. First time meeting a lot of the big guys at Red Bull Austria, who I’ve never actually met before.” “For the first time I visited the main factory, and I went to one of the people’s houses to his apartment, took off my jacket, that kind of thing,” Albon continued. “We had dinner, and I had to leave my hotel at 3am to catch this flight. I left my passport in my jacket, which I left at his house. I called him, called him, called him… Obviously I don’t really want to call someone that senior…” The biggest trouble was that Albon was flying to sign the contract with Williams. However, he did not find the passport where he thought he left it but in the end he was fortunate enough to trace where it actually was. “What makes this even funnier is this was the day I was signing my contract with Williams. I was like, ‘I have to be there’, like I can’t wait, or go to an embassy or anything like that, I really need to fly that day,” Albon added. “But I called him and he didn’t pick up, obviously he was sleeping. So I was like, ‘What do I do?’. I remembered where his address was, got a taxi to go to his place, got to this apartment building and was buzzing the door, but he was still sleeping. “Luckily, there was someone from the apartment walking into his building complex at like 3:30 in the morning at that point. So I go in behind them, and I’m just knocking on his door. His name’s Max , ‘Hey, Max, sorry I think I left my passport in your apartment’. And he’s like, ‘No, you didn’t leave your jacket here. You left it at the TV studio.” “Then I had to go to the TV studio, and I was so lucky that there was a security guard there. He had all the keys to all the places and I could get my jacket, and I was on my way!”

F1 Medical Car team replaced ahead of Turkish GP after testing positive for COVID-19

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago02 mins

F1 Medical Car team has been changed prior to this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19, FIA has confirmed. Alan Van der Merwe who is the medical car driver and Dr Ian Roberts, the F1 medical rescue co-ordinator and deputy medical delegate tested positive for COVID-19 before travelling to Turkey according to FIA. They will be under self-isolation and will not be participating in the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend at Istanbul park. The duo will be replaced by Formula E Safety Car driver Bruno Correia who will be driving the F1 Safety Car this weekend and Formula E medical delegate Dr Bruno Franceschini who will replace Dr Ian Roberts. 43-year-old Bruno Correia has been driving the Formula E safety car since the series started in 2014, driving the BMW i8 and later the Mini Electric Pacesetter which replaced it this year. Before that, Correia was the Safety Car driver for the World Touring Car Championship and European Touring Car Cup. He has competed in the Portuguese Formula Ford series and Spanish Formula Renault during his racing career Bernd Maylander will continue to drive the Safety Car as usual at the Turkish Grand Prix.

Red Bull announces a longer partnership with Honda from 2022

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago04 mins

Red Bull and Honda have announced that they will be continuing to work together from 2022. This comes after Red Bull revealed a special white livery for the Turkish Grand Prix as a tribute to Honda, who will be leaving Formula 1 at the end of 2021 season. In 2020 Honda made a decision that their engine project in Formula 1 will be coming to an end and wats to put its focus on other projects and will be quiting Formula 1 entirely. The Japanese manufacture who were supplying power units to Red Bull, handed over the duty to the team to develop and make the engines themselves. However, in a press release Honda has announced that it will continue to work together with Red Bull. The partnership will revolve around three factors. Red Bull powertrains will own Honda engine and all information about it but Honda will still assinst in the engine production and development in 2022 and 2023. Red Bull will also be taking all the personnel from Honda. Honda and Red Bull will also partner in the area of talent development with Honda continuing with Formula Dream Project in which AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda is a part of. ”I’m glad that we have reached an agreement with Red Bull Group covering all the details of the IP rights for the F1 Power Unit and in this way, Honda can still contribute to the motor racing world,” said Koji Watanabe the Executive Officer Honda Motors. “We are now working hard to strengthen HRC’s structure, so that it can ensure our fans will be able to continue to enjoy Honda’s role in all types of motorsport,” he added. “Red Bull’s collaboration with Honda has been enormously successful and while our relationship in Formula 1 is changing, neither of us wish for that to be the end of the story,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said. “We are very pleased that our ambitious and exciting Red Bull Powertrains project will be strongly supported by Honda, technically and operationally, in 2022 and this will help ensure that Red Bull’s transition to the status of chassis and power unit manufacturer is seamless.” ”Equally as exciting is the news that our collaboration with Honda will extend to a variety of motorsport activities, from driver development to other racing disciplines and even across the wider sporting world. This stretch of Honda’s Formula 1 voyage is coming to an end but together we are embarking on a new and fascinating journey,” concludes the Red Bull Racing team principal.

Red Bull reveals special white livery ahead of Turkish GP inspired by Honda

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago02 mins

Red Bull has revealed a special white livery that it will be using this weekend at The Turkish Grand Prix. The RB16B is bearing white and red theme colours acting as a tribute to power unit partner Honda who will be leaving Formula 1 at the end of the year. In 1965 Honda made its maiden win with the Honda RA272 whose livery has a striking resemblance to the special white livery on the RB16B. Red Bull decided to run the livery this weekend at Istanbul park since the Japanese Grand Prix was set for this weekend before the F1 calendar was rescheduled after Japan imposed travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Red Bull will rebrand their new power units under Red Bull Powertrains after Honda leaves officially at the end of the year. Red Bull Powertrains will supply Both Red Bull and its junior team AlphaTauri with power units for the next three years.

Alpine to compete in LMDh come 2023

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago03 mins

Alpine is the latest automaker to join Audi, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche for LMDh(Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class which is set to be introduced at Daytona in 2023. LMDh will be introduced as a premier racing class in the IMSA Sportscar Championship and also World Endurance Championship. The class will be alongside LMH(Le Mans Hypercar) which was introduced to the World Endurance Championship this year. Alpine is currently competing in the LMH class this year with a grandfathered LMP1 car, the A480 Gibson. However, the French outfit will fully switch to LMDh in 2024 by fielding two cars in the category. Partnering with Signatech, they will purely focus on the World Endurance Championship which hosts the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. Alpine will be committed to at least four seasons of LMDh partnering with chassis supplier Oreca in the campaign. To monitor the cost cap, teams competing in LMDh will be required to use a chassis from one of four suppliers. Oreca is one of four chassis suppliers selected for LMDh the others being Dallara, Ligier and Multimatic. Alpine will use its own power unit, developed using knowledge gained from its Formula One program. Alpine is both a constructor and power unit supplier in F1, and plans to stay there. “By competing in both Formula One and endurance, Alpine will be one of the rare brands to be present in the two key disciplines of motorsport,” Laurent Rossi, Alpine’s CEO, said in a statement. “We will make the most of Formula One and endurance through technical and technological synergies to gain the advantage over prestigious opponents.”

Hate follows Bubba Wallace after Talladega win

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago05 mins

23XI Racing and NASCAR’s only fulltime driver Bubba Wallace won the YellaWood 500 NASCAR Cup race in Talladega on Monday. Perhaps it was a big day for the 28-year-old since he was the first black driver since Wendell Scott in 1963 to win at the premier level of the sport. Sunday being the biggest day of his career, a lot of trolls and hate came for him as he emerged as the race leader to win the Talladega cup race which was rescheduled and shortened due to the rainy and wet conditions. Some said the race was rigged and NASCAR called the race to favour Bubba Wallace. Looking back, the black driver is not new to hate and trolls. Back in June 2020, NASCAR informed Bubba Wallace that a noose had been found in his garage stall at Talladega. This happened as he was waiting in his motorhome for a rainstorm to subside on the superspeedway. Wallace was led to believe that he was the victim of hate crime because neither did he step foot in the garage nor see the noose. Even the FBI who followed up the matter were called in by NASCAR. After Bubba Wallace underwent the ordeal, some people still doubted him saying he somehow came up with the ‘hoax’ to get support during the nationwide racial reckoning after George Floyd was murdered. Others also hate him because he is vocal when it comes to social injustice. He successfully called on NASCAR to ban confederate flags in its events. Denny Hamilin, the co-owner of 23XI Racing Team with Michael Jordan, advised Bubba Wallace to keep off social media for his mental wellbeing. “People just automatically dislike me because I hired Bubba Wallace,” said Hamlin, a first-year team owner also who scoffed at the notion the race was fixed. “I spend way too much money and these teams spend too much money to fix it,” the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said. “Any time there’s unique circumstances, it’s fixed. When a team is close to winning a football game, they fumble on the one yard line, it’s fixed. It’s just (criticism from) someone that’s having a bad day.” Wallace said after Monday’s race he had followed Hamlin’s advice several months ago and stopped reading social media. “It’s helped out a ton. I would go and read the comments (and) after a bad race I would become one of those haters that doesn’t know anything. I would become one of them. Just start telling myself a bunch of dark thoughts,” Wallace said. “In high school, I was always worried about what other people thought of me. I finally let that go. “I’m not going to be able to please everybody. Doesn’t matter if I won by a thousand laps or won a rain-shortened race, not everybody is going to be happy with it,” he said. “That’s OK because I know one person that is happy and that’s me because I’m a winner and they’re not.”

Title fight is taking a toll on Mercedes – Marko

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago03 mins

Red Bull’s advisor Dr Helmut Marko claims Mercedes is suffering from engine problems as a direct result of the fight for the 2021 championship title with Red Bull. There are reports that Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton will be starting the Turkish GP at the back of the grid this weekend because of an unscheduled engine change. However, according to reliable resources from a Mercedes insider, the engine change for Hamilton this weekend at Istanbul will not be happening. It is likely to happen during United States or Mexican Grand Prix. “It probably won’t happen in Turkey unless Lewis has a problem there, we expect a close race against Red Bull,” the source said. “But then it (the engine change) has to be done. We’re trying to do it on a track where we are either particularly strong or weak or when it rains.” “Mexico will be a Red Bull circuit because of the altitude, and maybe also Interlagos.” According to Marko, Mercedes has been plagued by the engine issues as a result of the close and intense battle for the championship with Red Bull. “Mercedes used to have an easy time,” the 78-year-old said. “They accelerated in the first few laps and then turned the engines down. That is no longer possible.” “Now they have to drive more often and for longer in a higher mode. And then the problems come,” he added. Through Red Bull sources, Mercedes’ engine problem comes from the crankshaft and the valve seats which affect the horsepower when the engine mileage continues counting. Mercedes boss Toto Wolf said there is a high possibility that Hamilton’s engine will be changed. “It’s small things but unfortunately they’re always different. There is no clearly recognisable pattern.”

Albon defends Marko, says he’s not a ‘villain’

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago04 mins

Former Red Bull driver Alex Albon says Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko is not a ‘villain’ as everyone brands him because of the team’s driver story. Max Verstappen, who has displayed a very impressive performance with Red Bull has only had one long lasting teammate since he joined the team in 2016. This was Daniel Ricciardo who currently drives for McLaren, the two were together up to the end 2018 when the Australian chose to depart. since Ricciardo’s departure, Verstappen has had three teammates up to date. The first was Pierre Gasly who was promoted from AlphaTauri but only lasted 12 races after Red Bull ousted him as the season was in progress and opted for Alexander Albon who went ahead to finish a challenging 2020 season with the team. Albon only did 25 races. Red Bull announced late last year that former Racing Point driver Sergio Perez will be replacing Albon for the 2021 season. The teams decisions to change the drivers are spearheaded by Helmut Marko and team boss Christian Horner, with Marko even criticising his drivers in the media. Perhaps that is the reason he is branded as the bad guy in the Red Bull story. Alex Albon says it is not fair how the 78-year-old Red Bull adviser is potrayed. “I think there’s a misconception about it, truthfully speaking,” the Thai-British driver told the F1 Nation podcast. “I think there’s that ‘villain’ role played within the media about it all, but it’s definitely nowhere near like that, basically.” “You guys know more than I do. I think Helmut probably gets the worst role on the global side of it, but I think it’s just Red Bull in general.” “Firstly, you have to realise they are a winning team, they expect good results. “That leads to a culture within the team of ‘we’re not winning, we’re not happy’ and that’s how it should be really, especially the top three teams, generally being Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, that’s what they expect. “Of course it’s tough, especially when you don’t have much experience to be in a top team. But yeah, that is what it is. I think more than anything it’s just trying to get confident with the car.” Albon will be making a return to the Formula 1 grid with Williams next year.

Red Bull and AlphaTauri to reveal special white livery for Turkish GP

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago04 mins

Red Bull and its junior team AlphaTauri are set to reveal a special one-off white livery for the Turkish GP this weekend. The 2021 Formula 1 season will be Honda’s last season in F1, this weekend was set for the Japanese Grand Prix but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2021 Formula 1 calendar was rescheduled and the Suzuka race was cancelled. Therefore, Red Bull decided to commemorate Honda this weekend in Istanbul park. The unique liveries used by both teams will be a mark of celebrating their partnership with Honda which proved to be very successfull. The liveries will be also used to give the engine manufacturer’s fans in Japan a chance to wave goodbye to the company in F1. Both Verstappen’s and Perez’s Red Bull RB16B cars will be donning a predominantly white livery, whereas Gasly’s and Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri AT02s will display a special one-word Japanese message saying ‘arigato’ which means ‘thank you’. The main reason that the teams chose the white livery is because the first time Honda won a Formula 1 race with both chassis and engine, was in a white car back in 1965 at the Mexican Grand Prix. The car was driven by American driver Richie Ginther. AlphaTauri was the first team to link up with Honda back in 2018 when they were named Toro Rosso. Despite having three unsuccessful years with engine supplier McLaren, Honda’s partnership proved to be a success as Gasly won the Italian Grand Prix in 2020. Red Bull Formula 1 team partnered with Honda in 2019. The partnership has been fruitful as the team has enjoyed 13 race wins whith 8 of them being in the current season. “We had all been looking forward to giving Honda’s Japanese fans a chance to celebrate our extremely successful relationship in Formula 1 on home soil at Suzuka,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner said. “With the race falling victim to the pandemic, we just couldn’t let the weekend pass without paying tribute to Honda and their amazing home fans by bringing a little bit of their heritage to Istanbul. “The livery chosen for our cars pays homage to Honda’s remarkable F1 journey and hopefully we can give fans another victory in those legendary colours this weekend.” From 2022, Red Bull Powertrains, a new enterprise set up at the team’s Milton Keynes base, will be taking over the engine supply to Red Bull and AlphaTauri.

Stroll, Villeneuve and Ecclestone among F1 personalities linked with Pandora papers

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago03 mins

After the release of a report implicating famous world leaders and personalities to money laundering and suspicious tax arrangements, the Formula 1 world was not left aside as some of the prominent figures in the sport were involved. The report known as the Pandora papers, it was a leak of the offshore financial data of some of the world’s wealthiest elites. The report which comprises of almost 12 million documents, tagged some F1 personality such as Lawrence Stroll, Jacques Villeneuve, Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore. Canadian billionaire and Aston Martin F1 team owner Lawrence stroll is believed to be connected to Superwit Profits Limited, which has a complex offshore structure. The Canadian tycoon is reported to have acquired 15% of the aforementioned company through the Polo Trust family fund, registered in Liechtenstein. His son Lance Stroll is currently one of the drivers in his F1 team. 1997 Formula 1 champion and currently a commentator for French television Jacques Villeneuve is said to have received F1 salaries and sponsorships through tax havens to incur minimal taxes. According to the chain CBC from Canada, “Villeneuve lived a life of luxury in Monaco and Switzerland for most of his career as a pilot, but lived in Quebec for a period in the 1990s and from 2007 to 2013. The Pandora Papers show that there were offshore companies established in jurisdictions. without taxes since the beginning of their career, back in 1992. They were created to receive income from races and sponsorships ”. Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone bought the British football team Queen’s Park Rangers by exploiting Sarita Capital Investment, an offshore company based in the Virgin Islands.

Giovinazzi is hoping Bottas will take over Raikkonen’s legacy at Alfa Romeo

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago02 mins

Antonio Giovinazzi is hoping Valtteri Bottas will be of much resourcefulness to the team as Kimi Raikkonen. Bottas who is currently driving for Mercedes, will be replacing Kimi Raikkonen in 2022 as he retires. The 32-year old has been driving for Mercedes for the past five years. Despite not having not won any championship, he has helped Mercedes win five constructors championships with Hamilton as a duo. Alfa Romeo currently ranks ninth in the constructors championship after Williams overtook it in the last five races. This means that Bottas has huge task on his hands with also the new F1 regulations taking effect in 2022. Giovinazzi was asked on his expectations on arrival of Valtteri Bottas in 2022, “For sure it is a different team from my first experience in 2017. With Kimi coming in 2019, he brought some good things from Ferrari and from his experience.” “This is what Valtteri will find and what Valtteri will bring, he is another experienced driver and comes from a team like Mercedes so I am sure he can bring good things to the team and can still improve year after year.” The Italian’s future with Alfa Romeo remains uncertain as a couple of drivers are in line to replace him. “It is not a question for me, you need to ask this to Fred [Vasseur, Alfa Romeo team principal]. “The only thing I can do is try to get more points and I hope that will be enough.”

F1 introduces new sustainable fuel to be used in 2025

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago03 mins

F1 has released the details of new sustainable fuel that is earmarked for production and use in 2025 as the new regulations and new hybrid power units will be introduced to the sport. F1 is aiming to achieve a zero carbon footprint by 2030, and by producing sustainable fuel is just a step forward in achieving the goal. F1 is shifting to E10 fuel from 2022 which will be 90% fossil fuel and 10% ethanol. However, in 2025 F1 is aiming to produce 100% sustainable fuel by using a lab drop in fuel meaning the fuel can be used in the internal combustion engine without being changed al altered at any point. The fuel companies are well underway about the development of the fuel for Formula 1. “Crucially, the new fuel will also pack a punch worthy of the pinnacle of motorsport, matching the energy density of Formula 1’s current fossil fuel petrols – meaning the cars will be every bit as fast as they are today,” said a statement from F1. “It’s estimated that there will be 1.8 billion cars on the road by 2030, with only 8% of those pure Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) – while internal combustion engines will continue to be essential to air and sea travel, as well as to the haulage industry. “By spearheading the development of 100% advanced sustainable drop-in fuels, Formula 1 can play its part in making an enormous impact on the global transport sectors’ greenhouse gas emissions.” The intent is to create a fuel using components from a carbon capture scheme, muncipal waste or non-food biomass, all while achieving greenhouse gas emissions savings relative to fossil-derived petrol of at least 65%.

Bubba Wallace becomes the first black driver since 1963 to win in cup series after Talladega win

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago010 mins

After rain forced the delay of the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway from its originally scheduled Sunday date to a Monday afternoon affair, precipitation, once, again interfered on Monday, shortening the race from 188 laps to 117 laps. Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. was in the lead when NASCAR called the race official to claim his first-career NASCAR Cup Series win and the first victory for 23XI Racing. “Part of me is just sitting there waiting – it’s not over with,” Wallace said of the anticipation of waiting for NASCAR to call the race. “Just sit there and bide our time and if we go back racing, let’s put ourselves in position. So many cool fans behind us at the pit box just cheering for it to rain so that kind of amped up the intensity a little bit. Just so proud of everyone at 23XI Racing. New team and coming in here getting a win late in the season reminds me of 2013. Waited so long to get that first truck win. I know a lot of history was made today, which is really cool, but it’s about my guys and it’s about our team and about what we’ve done. Appreciate Michael Jordan, appreciate Denny [Hamlin] for giving me an opportunity and believing in me. Like we talked, it’s pretty fitting that it comes here at Talladega.” With the win, Wallace is only the second African-American driver to win a race in NASCAR’s premier series, the first since NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott’s in in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1963. “I never think about those things, but when you say it like that, it obviously brings a lot of emotion on and joy to my family, fans, friends,” Wallace said. “It’s pretty damn cool. Just proud to be a winner in the Cup Series.” Team Penske duo Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano finished second and third, respectively. Kurt Busch was fourth, Christopher Bell rounded out the top-five. “It was a good day for us, not the win,” Keselowski said. “Gosh, if I would have known it was gonna rain right then I had a move I could have made and I was like, ‘No, we’ve got five laps in the stage left, I don’t want to burn that move yet,’ and then it rains, so I feel like I kind of let one slip away here. All in all, it’s still a great day. We scored a lot of stage points, which is really positive and put ourselves in a good position next week to go to the Roval.” After a fourth caution on lap 98 for a crash involving playoff drivers Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., along with Tyler Reddick, Matt DiBenedetto, Ross Chastain, Quin Houff, B.J. McLeod and Ryan Preece, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Bell traded the lead back-and-fourth before Kurt Busch took the lead on lap 108. A few laps later, Wallace took the lead before a lap-116 incident involving Preece DiBenedetto and Bowman. “Just dumped over on the left-rear and turned us around really bad,” Bowman said. “Bummer for the Ally 48 team. We had a fast car; we were leading, there. That’s just superspeedway racing and the box that we’re put in by these race tracks. You’ll have that. Bummed to have torn up race car, but we’ll move on and try to go win the Roval.” The race was still under the caution for the lap-116 crash when it was red-flagged for rain and, ultimately, called official. The end of the race came three laps shy of the scheduled conclusion of stage two, so the finishing order was used to determine second-stage points, also making Wallace the official stage-two winner. Chris Buescher won stage one under caution. The yellow flag waved for the second time, the first for an on-track incident, on lap 56 for an incident involving Justin Allgaier, Preece, Chase Briscoe and playoff driver Kyle Larson. Kevin Harvick and Logano each led 13 laps in the first stage, most of any driver. After Kyle Busch started on the front row alongside pole sitter and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, he took the lead on the opening lap. Other lap leaders in the first stage included DiBenedetto, Truex, Wallace, Cole Custer, Kurt Busch, Hamlin and Keselowski. “We went up there early and led some and were feeling our car out,” DiBenedetto said. “We had good speed and was as good as always. The Quick Lane Mustang and Wood Brothers always bring really fast race cars here and really wanted to feel it out. We got shuffled a little and was just riding. We were committed to that before the day started. Leverage the situation to our advantage that we don’t need stage points, so we were gonna cruise and let the wrecks happen and then in stage three go and try to run up front and go for the win, but Mother Nature threw a little kink in our plans here and obviously we see what happened.” Hamlin’s time up front came after recovery from sliding through his pit box during a lap-25 caution. Soon after the race restarted for the second stage, a tire issue for Larson resulted in a caution on lap 67. That yellow flag was exchanged for the red flag because of light precipitation that halted the race four about 18-and-a-half minutes. When the race went back under caution before a restart, most drivers pitted to top-off their gas tanks, but Justin Haley stayed out to lead a few laps before drivers like Buescher, Bell, Hamlin and Harvick returned to the front to lead laps. Buescher finished sixth, Hamlin was seventh, Harvick eighth, Erik Jones ninth, and Austin Dillon finished 10th. “We got a little bit behind,” Harvick said. “I got shuffled out there too late for the rain storm, but our Ford Mustang was fast and we were able to make up some ground and get back up closer to where we needed…

F1 aims on holding sprint qualifying in a third of 2022 races

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago05 mins

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has revealed that F1 is aiming on holding sprint races in a third of the 23 races on the 2022 Formula 1 calendar. The sprint qualifying format is currently under trial after being used in Silverstone and Monza. It will be also be used in Brazil as the F1 management engage in talks with FIA and the teams on the plans to use the format onwards. Sprint qualifying has brought about mixed reactions with Formula 1 managing director Ross Brawn the media and some team bosses showing delight in the format. However, the drivers and the fans somehow seem unconvinced mainly because of the controversies evolving around the Silverstone and Monza races. The only advantage the sprint qualifying hold is that the drivers have the freedom to choose the tyre compounds to start with in the grand prix. According to Domenicali, rubber stamping the Sprint format is a mere formality with organisers planning to host the events at a third of next year’s Grands Prix. “We said at the beginning of the year there would be three tests this year to make sure we have the right plan for the future,” he said. “The vast majority of the comments we received were super positive. “Promoters are super happy because there is something new and important on Friday and Saturday and Sunday,” he added. “We are receiving this positive feedback therefore we need to know next year we have a great plan where we will consider also the points highlighted by people who did not like this format. Generally speaking it has been an incredible success. “I can say we will not go everywhere with the Sprint format,” he continued. “It is something we want to keep for one third of the races more or less and to connect with a certain different way of giving rewards and points and to connect with specific circuits that as you know would make the difference. “So there is a lot of food for thought. We will involve all the stakeholders: broadcasters, drivers, teams, promoters and fans. We won’t forget our role is to take the right decision and to consider all the points and points of view of everyone.” Talking about the planned 23-date 2022 Formula 1 schedule, which will see two American events, Domenicali said, “I can anticipate that, for sure, the calendar will be done with 23 races. “Of course we will be very respectful towards the COVID regulations issued around the world from the different governments. But that is our aim that F1 can give this sign of hope and to go to normal things to enjoy. “The idea is to make sure there is the right rhythm to the calendar,” he continued. “There are, of course, considerations related to periods to make sure logistically the flow has to be right. “One thing I can tell you, without discovering too many things is that next year the season will start in the middle of March and will finish in the middle of November.”

Red Bull request for inquiry on Mercedes ‘trick’ declined by FIA

Kevin Peterson4 years ago4 years ago03 mins

FIA declined on a hearing presented by Red Bull on enquiry about Mercedes trick. FIA did nothing on the claim meaning the 2021 world championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is still wide open. With only seven races left on the 2021 Formula 1 calendar, the fight for the championship is very tight between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton is currently leading the championship with a narrow margin of only two points from Verstappen. With this, both teams are trying to make any efforts within their reach to sway the championship title fight to their favour. Thats why Red Bull decided to go to the FIA to inquire about Mercedes. Red Bull claims that Mercedes is using a trick in cooling the plenum. The plenum is a volume of air that is big enough to run the engine efficiently when you go to full throttle and high revs. Normally the compressor and turbine are one unit which is called the turbo but with this design, you have the turbine which can be running at 800 to 1000 degrees sitting next door to the compressor which you want to be as cool as possible otherwise the charge air will be increased in temperature. On the Mercedes the compressor is at the front of the engine connected to the turbine which is at the rear of the engine with a shaft, the MGU-H is placed in the middle of this shaft between the compressor and turbine. This gives Mercedes the opportunity to drive the MGU-H with the turbine to harvest energy while also allowing the compressor to stop when you don’t want or need the boost pressure. So in effect, it’s just flowing ambient air through the system, which will cool everything a bit. According to Red Bull, the Mercedes trick is not in accordance with the rules and regulations but according to relative sources, FIA did not wan anything to do with Red Bull’s request. This means the two rival teams have to take the battle back to the track.

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Red Bull request for inquiry on Mercedes ‘trick’ declined by FIA

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