F1 has completed its first full season under Liberty Media’s ownership, all 20 races have been and gone, the champion has been crowned and everyone’s preparing for the year ahead. Liberty are the new kids on the block, their arrival has been met with a mixed response and they’ve got a lot to learn if they’re to manage the sport successfully.
While critics will argue that Liberty haven’t achieved an awful lot so far, it’s important to remember the unstable mess that they picked from Bernie Ecclestone on the 23rd January 2017. Bernie’s strategy was to keep F1 on an unstable platform so that no one got too comfortable however, this is the opposite of what is needed for growth and expansion.
The bias within the F1 remains for now, Ferrari still get a disproportionate amount of prize money but that’s unlikely to change as it is part of the Concorde Agreement which was signed in 2013 and runs to 2020. In spite of this, Liberty have made it clear that they intend on scrapping the controversial agreement as soon as possible.
“We have the infamous document called the Concorde Agreement, which is this agreement that comes up every six to eight years – it comes up in 2020 – which defines the financial arrangements with teams,”
“Our goal is to create much more of a long-term partnership, not a partnership that sort of has a point in time that you go out and renegotiate the next eight-year partnership, that there’s a continuum.” – Chase Carey, F1 Chairman
Even with the majority of the inner workings of F1 being locked in contracts, Liberty have started to make changes to the social element of the sport. Almost immediately the strict regulations surrounding social media usage in the paddock were relaxed, allowing teams and drivers to better connect with and involve fans.
The London Live event was an entirely new concept for F1 which brought all the drivers, bar Hamilton, to the centre of London with live music, interviews and an impressive demo run in the old cars. This type of event is going to become more common in the coming years and, with the relaxation of more regulations, can now include the current cars doing demo runs.
Another of Liberty’s changes was to the logo, this was met with swathes of criticism however, the FIA stood by Liberty’s decision so the new logo will be sticking around for 2018 and beyond.
“What we wanted to do was provide a fresh energy to the sport and I think we have a lot of plans for the future, a lot of things we want to do and we thought the logo was a good way to emphasise the excitement, fresh energy and a new day to take the sport to a new place,” – Carey
F1 unveiled their new logo at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2017 was just the start of Liberty’s new venture, they intend to set up an in-house live streaming service for 2018 however, it will only be available in countries where there isn’t a pre-exiting TV deal that guarantees exclusivity, for example the UK and Sky.
They will also have to tackle the looming engine regulation change, set to come in for 2020. The current hybrid engines have proven to be unpopular with fans, monumentally expensive to teams and have detracted any new manufactures from joining – just look what happened to Honda. The change will be a delicate balancing act to please the current manufactures while attracting new ones and improve the show for the fans.
It’s clear that some fundamental changes need to be made to F1 if it’s to succeed in this modern world. Liberty need to take back control from the manufactures for a start; if Ferrari want to quit, let them – decisions need to be made for the benefit the sport, not one or two manufactures.
Likewise, changes need to be made to the ludicrous engine penalties; capping them at 15 places for 2018 is a start but more needs to be done to stop them ruining races, confusing fans and even deciding the championship.
Even with all that, F1 as a whole needs to be modernised, it needs to attract new fans and it needs to have a bigger, more global reach. F1 was the fastest growing sport on social media in 2017 but it still has a long way to go to have anything like the presence of the NBA, the Premier League, La Liga and such like.
Overall, Liberty Media’s first year in charge has gone as well as it could’ve, the confident manner in which they are talking is promising but there’s still a long way to go and a lot more hurdles to clear before F1 is anywhere near where it should be.
Its time for a new season! Will this year be as amazing as last? Who knows what will happen in 2018?! First up, we’ve got the iconic Rallye Monte Carlo, an event being run for the 86th time, that really challenges the drivers, with ice and snow-covered stages!
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 -WRC Monte Carlo (FRA) – WRC 18/01/2017 to 22/01/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Reigning champion Seb Ogier has won this event four times and will be targeting a fifth! If you’re looking for challengers, then last year’s early leader Thierry, plus Andreas and Kris are the drivers likely to be there. Jari-Matti and Ott in the Yaris will also be challenging near the top. Any number of these drivers could stand on the podium.
Here’s the full details of the stages.
WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY
4.00pm: shakedown (Gap)
THURSDAY 25 JANUARY
5.50pm: Start day 1 (Monaco – Place du Casino)
9.43pm: SS 1 – Thoard – Sisteron (36,69 km)
10.51pm: SS 2 – Bayons – Bréziers 1 (25,49 km)
11.56pm: Flexi Service A (Gap – 48′)
FRIDAY 26 JANUARY
8.00am: Start day 2 and Service B (Gap – 18′)
8.51am: SS 3 – Vitrolles – Oze 1 (26,72 km)
10.04am: SS 4 – Roussieux – Eygalayes 1 (30,54 km)
11.37am: SS 5 – Vaumeilh – Claret 1 (15,18 km)
12.52pm: Service C (Gap – 33′)
1.58pm: SS 6 – Vitrolles – Oze 2 (26,72 km)
3.11pm: SS 7 – Roussieux – Eygalayes 2 (30,54 km)
4.44pm: SS 8 – Vaumeilh – Claret 2 (15,18 km)
5.49pm: Flexi Service D (Gap – 48′)
SATURDAY 27 JANUARY
6.57am: Start day 3 and Service E (Gap – 18′)
8.08am: SS 9 – Agnières en Devoluy – Corps 1 (29,16 km)
9.16am: SS 10 – St Léger les Mélèzes – La Batie Neuve 1 (16,87 km)
10.31am: Service F (Gap – 33′)
11.57am: SS 11 – Agnières en Devoluy – Corps 2 (29,16 km)
1.08pm: SS 12 – St Léger les Mélèzes – La Batie Neuve 2 (16,87 km)
2.23pm: Service G (Gap – 33′)
4.09pm: SS 13 – Bayons – Bréziers 2 (25,49 km)
5.29pm: Service H (Gap – 48′)
10.17pm: Parc ferme (Monaco)
SUNDAY 28 JANUARY
6.49am: Start day 4
8.32am: SS 14 – La Bollène Vésubie – Peira Cava 1 (18,41 km)
9.08am: SS 15 – La Cabanette – Col de Braus 1 (13,58 km)
10.55am: SS 16 – La Bollène Vésubie – Peira Cava 2 (18,41 km)
12.18pm: SS 17 – La Cabanette – Col de Braus 2 (13,58 km)
1.58pm: Parc ferme (Monaco)
3.00pm: Prize giving (Place du Palais Princier – Monaco)
That’s a total of 17 stages, covering 388.59km in total.
Flashback to 2017
Thierry Neuville had built a commanding lead over the first two days, but after running wide during the final stage on Saturday and breaking his suspension, Sébastien Ogier came through to take his fourth victory!
Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja (Ford Fiesta WRC) +2:57.8
Okay, let’s hear from the teams then.
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
Malcolm Wilson OBE
“Last year saw us enjoy our most successful season in motorsport and that’s something that we want to see continue in 2018. The hard work has not stopped and everyone has been working around the clock to ensure that we start our title defence on a high.
“We have completed two comprehensive test sessions and the feeling amongst the team is more determined than ever. It might not be possible to make huge gains within the regulations, but we have been working with our partners to enhance what was already an extremely strong package.
“Every team is capable of securing the ultimate prize this year and I am expecting the competition to be closer than ever. It’s so difficult to predict who will even come out on top this week, and that in itself is fantastic for the sport.
“In Sébastien, Elfyn and Bryan we have three very competent and intelligent drivers who are all more than capable of securing a Monte-Carlo victory. That has to be our aim so let’s see what happens. Like every rally fan, I am very much looking forward to the start of this exciting new season.”
Sébastien Ogier
“We start the new season with an event that is always a real highlight for me – Rallye Monte-Carlo. As my home event, I always want to give my best and challenge for the top results.
“We started something great here last year and want to try and build on that in 2018. We will need to work hard as the competition will be very tough. Every team has a winning car and a winning driver so everyone is a threat and we need to be ready right from the start.
“It’s such a challenging start to the season – the ultimate test with extreme conditions that can see us go from dry Tarmac to pure ice and snow in the space of a single stage. It’s certainly not easy, but that’s what makes a good result here so rewarding.
“We’ll start this year with what could be the biggest challenge of the entire rally – Sisteron, in reverse, in the dark. It doesn’t get much tougher than that, but that’s Monte. It’s always a challenge and that will be the case from the very first stage this year.”
Sebastien Ogier, Rallye Monte Carlo 2017, Photo credit, Alastair Cummins
Elfyn Evans
“Rallye Monte-Carlo is one of those events that every driver looks forward to. I’ve always said that it offers some of the best Tarmac roads in the world, but at this time of year the conditions make it a true challenge and the ultimate test of strategy. To do well, you really do need to get absolutely everything right.
“We’ve just completed two days of testing in mixed conditions. The road was constantly evolving which is great when it comes to getting a flavour for everything we’ve come to expect on a rally like this, but it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword at times – making it difficult to judge which direction to go in terms of set-up.
“Overall, I would say that we had two pretty good tests and that we are feeling fairly well prepared. Monte can always be a bit of a lottery and it can go either way, but we’re definitely ready to get the season started. We want to start the year on a high, so we’ll give it our best and see what happens.”
Bryan Bouffier
“Since learning that I would be driving the Ford Fiesta WRC, Rallye Monte-Carlo could not come soon enough! It’s one of my favourite events and having the opportunity to do it in one of these new generation world rally cars – the championship-winning car – is a dream come true.
“I have a lot of experience at Rallye Monte-Carlo which helps when it comes to reading the road and adapting the pace to suit the conditions, but this event is never easy. It’s one of the toughest events on the calendar and to do well you need to drive a clever rally by making the right calls on the tyres and finding the right balance between pushing hard and being more cautious.
“As one of the ‘French’ events, I feel at home at Rallye Monte-Carlo and am really looking forward to it. First and foremost, we want to have fun. We’ll start in a relaxed frame of mind and if we could help the team by scoring some good points for the manufacturers’ championship it would be amazing.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Pierre Budar
“The new season is upon us, which obviously means both excitement and uncertainty. After claiming second place in Germany and winning in Spain in the second part of 2017, which confirmed the growing strength of the team, I am determined to continue the work begun by Yves Matton, so that the team picks up in 2018 where it left off at the end of last year. This is especially the case since the C3 WRC has been further improved during the off-season, with intensive work put into widening its operating spectrum. Kris Meeke has the required experience to fight at the front at this unique event, as he showed in 2016, whilst Craig gained a lot of confidence from last year’s appearance and is determined to use it to push for a good position. They both also know that you can’t approach this rally just like any other: you must remain composed and treat the stages with the respect they deserve to avoid getting caught out by one of the many tricky sections.”
Citroen C3 WRC, Rallye Monte Carlo, Photo credit, Citroen Racing.
Kris Meeke
“Monte is probably one of the season’s hardest rallies, because of the constant changes in grip, but I’ve always really enjoyed it. I’ve also been quick here. I won the event in the Junior WRC class in 2005, I picked up a podium (3rd) on my full-time return to the WRC with Citroën in 2014 and I fought for the win in 2016… So, I think that we can do a good job here, especially since our off-season tests were held on roads that are fairly representative of what we’ll be facing during the rally, with a good variety of weather conditions. The test sessions also enabled us to keep improving the ability of our C3 WRC to adapt to changes in road surface, particularly by heading back to the Col de Faye, which is where we were least comfortable last year.”
Craig Breen
“Monte-Carlo is a rally that I love. It’s a unique challenge, something you don’t get on any of the other events. Until 2017, however, I never felt sufficiently confident in the kind of changeable, slippery conditions you get here. But last year, with the old car, we surprised ourselves. With a bit more horsepower, we could have aimed for the podium, so that gives me confidence. I’d like to think we can do it this time around, even though I’m not the most experienced driver in the line-up. Especially in that based on what we learned in 2017, we come into this event better prepared and with a C3 WRC that is even more versatile.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Tommi Mäkinen
“This time last year, we didn’t really know where we were as we prepared for the debut of the Toyota Yaris WRC. In the coming season, I believe that we can be a lot more consistent, which is really what we need in order to fight for the championship titles. That is our aim after our learning season last year. The break since Rally Australia finished has not been very long but we have been very busy trying to make our car even better. Rallye Monte-Carlo is always a tough event to start the season with. Although I won it four times during my career as a driver, I didn’t prepare for it very well back then: I would not even think about rallying, and just go skiing instead! Our three drivers have been doing much better preparation, with a lot of testing, and we hope for a good result.”
Jari-Matti Latvala
“We learned a lot last year during our first season together. We discovered where we needed to improve, and we are now ready for the second year and I think we should be very competitive. We have a very good driver line-up: all of us managed to win in 2017 and when everybody is aiming for victories it is usually good for the team. We already achieved a good result on Rallye Monte-Carlo on the debut for the Yaris WRC last year, finishing in second place, which equalled my best result there. Then, it was important to have a clean rally and the same will be true this year, but we also want to have good speed.”
Jari-Matti Latvala, Rallye Monte Carlo 2017, Photo Credit Alastair Cummins
Ott Tänak
“There is a lot of excitement ahead of my first rally for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. The team did a really good job last year: even though it was their first season they were already very competitive. I could see how much potential there is and I wanted to make sure I was part of this team in the coming years. Our target is the same: to win the championship. I am just getting used to the team but already I feel very welcome and the preparation has been going really well. In Monte Carlo we will see how we are compared to the competition. For sure, it is one of the most challenging events on the calendar. You don’t know what to expect: whether it will be snow or ice, wet or dry.”
Esapekka Lappi
“This will be my first full season in a World Rally Car and the approach needs to be a bit different to before: I need to be a bit more consistent. I still need to gain some more experience: during the first part of the season there are rallies I do not know so well, and Rallye Monte-Carlo is one of those. It is an event where experience can really help, so my aim has to be to do all the stages. Later in the season there are the rallies where I have confidence and where I should be most competitive. The preparation is good: we have just been trying to improve the car and ourselves.”
Hyundai Motorsport
Michel Nandan
“We are as well prepared for this new season as we can be with renewed ambitions for the championship. The performance of our Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in the final rounds of last season, especially winning in Australia, gave us a good springboard for winter development. We have taken the car and crews to France and Spain for seven days of testing in the past month, in an effort to replicate conditions that we expect in Monte. The beauty of this opening event is its unpredictability, so we have to be prepared for anything. Autosport International brought together all the manufacturer teams for a unique event, one that perfectly showcases the WRC’s community spirit. We know our rivals will be formidable and relentless, so we have to be on top of our game at all times. Bring on round one – let’s hope it’s another classic Monte.”
Andreas Mikkelsen
“It’s an amazing feeling to be starting a complete WRC season with Hyundai Motorsport. Last year was a bit frustrating, so I am looking forward to a consistent year with lots of rallying and aiming to be in the championship fight. Monte, of course, is an incredibly difficult challenge to start a new year with all kinds of conditions, including night driving where black ice can catch anyone out. Alongside Anders, I can’t wait to get our 2018 campaign underway.”
Thierry Neuville
“Excitement for this new WRC season is at fever pitch. The launch event in Birmingham put us all in a very positive frame of mind, and ready to attack the year ahead. Monte-Carlo is a very special event, one at which even the slightest error can be rally-ending. We saw last year, having led the event comfortably right until the penultimate day, that a small mistake put us out in a very frustrating manner. That’s what Monte is all about; it’s a tough challenge to start the year. We will aim to put all the lessons learned from our participation in the recent editions of this event to good use.”
Thierry Neuville, Rallye Monte Carlo, Photo credit, Alastair Cummins
Dani Sordo
“I am pleased to be starting my fifth season with Hyundai Motorsport at one of the most demanding events on the calendar – Monte-Carlo. We have developed a strong working relationship and although my schedule for this season is just seven events, I will aim to get as much out of them as I possibly can. I have a new co-driver for this season, Carlos, so there will be some areas we need to refresh, but we are optimistic we can deliver a positive result in this debut rally of the new year. We have to expect the unexpected at Monte-Carlo, and it will definitely be a tough fight against our rivals.”
In recent weeks it has been snowing, and this means that the teams and drivers will have a big challenge in getting the right strategy in terms of tyres. With the first stage on Thursday evening, the shakedown held in Gap at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon will be crucial in allowing the teams to really judge how their cars are behaving on these unique roads.
We’re all set for an amazing year then! Who will take victory?
We are just a little over a week away from the start of the new WRC season! This year’s calendar features a couple of changes. Rally Turkey has returned and has a slot in the middle of September and Wales Rally GB is now on the first weekend of October. Rally Poland does not return this year, which means that there are still 13 rounds like last year.
Here’s the full calendar!
Monte-Carlo 25 – 28 January
Sweden 15 – 18 February
Mexico 8 – 11 March
France 5 – 8 April
Argentina 26 – 29 April
Portugal 17 – 20 May
Italy 7 – 10 June
Finland 26 – 29 July
Germany 16 -19 August
Turkey 13 – 16 September
Great Britain 4 – 7 October
Spain 25 – 28 October
Australia 15 – 18 November
Reigning champion Seb Ogier will lead the M-Sport challenge with Elfyn Evans alongside him in the number two car. Teemu Suninen will drive a third Fiesta WRC in eight rounds.
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport WRT
“Every year we look forward to revealing our liveries, and this year we were able to do it in style with a joint launch at what is widely considered to be the traditional start of the motorsport season – Autosport International.
“We pride ourselves on producing striking liveries year after year, and this year is no different. Increased technical support from Ford Performance is represented, as is the increased involvement from Red Bull which sees their support extend to the younger drivers coming through our ranks.
“Another thrilling year of close-fought competition awaits, and we can’t wait to get going.”
M-Sport’s Fiesta WRC, Photo credit, Warren Nel
Ott Tanak has switched to the Toyota Gazoo WRT alongside Jari-Matti and Esapekka. Jari-Matti and Miikka have their eyes set on regular points and podiums with their re-worked Yaris, and Ott has definitely made the switch, looking to win championships.
Tommi Mäkinen, Toyota Team Principal
“It’s great to launch the 2018 season at the Autosport International show in front of so many motorsport fans. After a very pleasing first season in 2017 we are excited to build on that in the year ahead. We saw last year that the Toyota Yaris WRC was already capable of winning rallies, which was a great achievement by the team, but the competition also allowed us to discover areas that we can improve. With more time and more learning, we have been able to update the front end of the car to give us better aerodynamic performance, and we also have improvements to the cooling. I’m very excited that we’re going to keep on learning this year, as part of our mission to make ever-better cars.”
Hyundai sees Thierry and Andreas do the full season, with Hayden and Dani sharing a third car. Hayden will be driving in Sweden.
Team Principal Michel Nandan said:
“All of us at Hyundai Motorsport have been honoured to play a small part in today’s WRC launch at Autosport International. To have the chance to unveil our Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in such a unique way has been incredible, and we are excited by the plans announced by WRC to show every stage live this season. We are always looking to reach new audiences, and show our sport in the most authentic way possible. WRC All Live is the ideal way to do that, and we are sure fans will be closer to the action than ever before. It’s really been the best way to kick-start 2018.”
Citroen will feature Kris Meeke doing the full season and Craig Breen doing ten rounds. Legend Seb Loeb will drive in three rounds, Mexico, Corsica and Spain. Also announced at the Autosport Show, WRC launch day, Mads Ostberg will drive a third C3 WRC in Rally Sweden as a one-off drive, although he’s set his sights on securing more competition time in that car. Khalid Al Qassimi will also drive a few events as well.
Citroen legend Sebastian Loeb, Photo credit, Citroen Racing.
Yves Matton, Former Citroën Racing Team Principal
“For 2018, we have decided to capitalise on what we’ve been building for a number of seasons now with Kris and Craig. Kris’ speed is unquestionable, and with the more relaxed mindset he had at the end of the year, he proved he had it in him to be a leader. The aim will be to target podiums, secure some wins, but Kris can also go for position in the championship. Meanwhile, Craig proved that he was the perfect foil, with some very consistent performances. There is still room for him to improve and aim even higher. I’m also delighted to see that there will be another chapter in the great history between Sébastien Loeb and Citroën: he couldn’t have returned to the WRC with anyone other than us! Seb confirmed that he has lost none of his speed and skill during the test sessions completed, although he is bound to be short of knowledge of the stages and time in the car, compared with the increasingly tough competition. We still believe in Stéphane: we are convinced that he will be a good ambassador for the Citroën C3 R5, for which the brand has great hopes. And this programme will allow him to continue to add to his experience and therefore keep improving.”
The big questions remain. Who will emerge triumphant this year? Can Thierry go one better than last year? When I spoke to him and his co-driver Nicolas last week, they were thinking more of the championship, than wins, realising that consistency is crucial when the cars and drivers are so evenly matched.
2018 FIA World Rally Championship 2018 Birmingham Team Launch 10-11 January 2018 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Photographer: Helena El Mokni Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Citroen are the sleeping giant, of all the teams, I’d say. They had a better second half in 2017 after changes to the car. With Kris, they have a very good talent, and he can certainly challenge for the championship. Craig will continue his development at the highest level.
You can read what a few of them had to say, when I interviewed them at last week’s Autosport Show. Check out my separate article
Come back soon to read my preview for Rallye Monte Carlo!
Grand Prix 1970 van Nederland voor Formule I wagens , Zandvoort; Dan Gurney , kop *21 juni 1970
We at The Pit Crew Online join the global motorsport community in marking, and mourning, the passing of the legendary Dan Gurney.
Gurney came of age in the wild mid-century era of motorsport, racing for several teams across several series from 1959 to 1970 before focusing on managing his team, All American Racers. The list of his accomplishments could fill several lifetimes: racing for Scuderia Ferrari, winning at Le Mans, the most successful American driver in Formula One, winning in NASCAR, winning in Indy Car (the first driver to win in all four series), winning in Can-Am, the first to spray champagne from the podium at Le Mans, the first driver to wear a full-face helmet in a Formula One Grand Prix, inventor of the eponymous Gurney Flap and inspiration for the Gurney Bubble, manufacturer, team owner…
The list of names associated with Gurney throughout his storied career is no less luminous on both the driver’s and manufacturer’s side: Jack Brabham, Carroll Shelby, AJ Foyt, Bob Bondurant, Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Roger Penske…
The 1967 season in particular stands out in Gurney’s rich career, thanks to the Golden Week of 11 – 18 June. It was on June 11th, 1967 that Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt won at Le Mans, and Gurney established the tradition of spraying champagne from the podium. A scant week later, Gurney won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in his Eagle Mk 1, the only US-built car to win a Formula One Grand Prix. Beyond this, the car was built by Gurney’s own team, then known as Anglo American Racers. This was the second time of only three in Formula One history that a driver has won a Grand Prix in a car of his own manufacture.
There is so much more one could say about Dan Gurney, and doubtless drivers and motorsport fans alike are recounting their favorite memories around the world in his honor.
Dan Gurney died from complications of pneumonia on 14 January, 2018, in Newport Beach, California. He is survived by his wife, their children, and grandchildren.
The final checkered flag has waved for one of the greats of global motorsport. Godspeed, Dan.
Pierre Budar succeeds Yves Matton, who joins the FIA as FIA Rally Director, after having initiated the return of the brand to the WRC.
The Citroën Racing Team, under the leadership of Pierre Budar, to recpnnect with the brand’s prestigious victories in motorsport, with 8 World rally championship titles, 3 WTCC World championship titles and 4 victories at Paris-Dakar Rally.
A graduate of the Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Pierre Budar joined Groupe PSA in 1989 as an engineer before being an official 309 Group N driver for the Peugeot Talbot Sport Team in 1991 and pursuing a brilliant career in engineering in France and in Asia.
After having created in 2010 the department of sports road versions (DS3 Racing, 208 GTi 30th, 308 GTi, DS3 Performance), he expanded his scope in 2016 to activities related to the Customer Competition. With his teams, he notably developed the 308 TCR and the C3R5.
His passion and his skills are undoubtedly an asset to reinvigorate Citroën Racing who is preparing to start the 2018 season of WRC at Monte Carlo rally with his C3WRC entrusting young talents Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle and Craig Breen / Scott Martin
On the occasion of his appointment Pierre Budar says: “Groupe PSA has given me a unique opportunity to reconcile my passion for motorsport with an engineering career. I never imagined one day running one of the most prestigious competition teams in the world. I measure the challenge that is proposed to me at the head of an extraordinary team and I will strive to obtain the best of its talents”
Jean Marc Finot, Senior Vice President of PSA Motorsport, adds: “I am proud that the FIA nominates Yves Matton to this prestigious position and would like to thank him for his contribution. I am pleased to give Pierre Budar the opportunity to express all his energy and enthusiasm in the service of ourcit passion: motorsport”
I got the opportunity to speak to the stars of the WRC during the launch day of the Championship.
2018 WRC Launch, Autosports International Show, NEC – Birmingham, UK, 11/01/2018
Here’s what they had to say.
First of all, I asked Citroen driver Craig Breen to sum up his 2017 season. This is what he said.
“It was a good first season in the world championship, close to a full season. The car wasn’t as good as we’d hoped, and we had to work hard on development in the middle of the year. Even still, it was a good year I’m quite happy, we showed some good speed and some rallies we were quite consistent finishing six times in fifth, so I was happy with that.”
I then asked him about his stellar drive to fifth in Monte Carlo in a 2016 DS3, and of course driving a C3 WRC there this year.
“Yes, Monte was a surprise with the old car, it was nice to do it, to get familiar with the event. Yes, I’m really looking forward to it, first time out with the big car there, and really excited!”
I then asked him which events he was most looking forward to this season.
“Finland, we’ve done well in Finland in the past, bagging a podium with third place in 2016. Portugal as well, Germany too.”
I then asked him if the team had got a good handle with the cars technical aspects.
“Yes, its definitely getting better and better with every test session and it’s going in the right direction and the team have already tested for Monte Carlo and have another two-day test next week.”
I spoke to Paul Nagle next, co-driver with Kris Meeke.
I started by asking him which events he was most looking forward to.
“Corsica was the first that he mentioned, saying we should have won that last year and the car gave up. Looking forward to going back to places that we won (Mexico and Portugal). It would be good to get a result in Monte and Sweden, solid results would be good, then Argentina as well (where they took their maiden victory).
I then asked him if he thought they had the pace in the car to challenge as last year was a mix, with a car that was hard to handle.
“We had the pace on tarmac, but the car was a handful. We improved as the year went on, getting more consistent results.”
Finally, I asked him about Sebastian Loeb joining the team for three events.
Autosport International Show, January 2018, Photo credit, Warren Nel
“It’s a good thing, he’s nine times world champion, brings a lot of experience, plus a lot of profile and support to the team and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Kris Meeke was next up. I said to him that Paul was really positive for the season.
He said, “Its nice to start with a clean slate, and 2017 wasn’t the year we’d hoped for, yet we were able to take two victories. It could have been more with Corsica and Portugal. We certainly struggled in certain areas, I made a few mistakes, probably through my usual trait of trying too hard, when things aren’t right. We identified things that where we were inconsistent and needed to improve, even looking to improve myself as well. We’ll take each event as it comes and hopefully we can try to be in the mix for the title, and give it their best shot.”
I then asked if they’d got a handle on the car.
“Yes, it turned around quite a bit, for sure the car was strong on tarmac, bar Monte Carlo, on gravel we certainly improved after we changed our suspension supplier to Ohlins, and that improved everything. However, there are still areas we have to work on, so we’ll wait and see.”
We then got the surprising news that Mads Ostberg had signed to drive in Rally Sweden for the team!
He said, “Well, for now its just for Rally Sweden, and that he’s working with Yves Matton to drive more events. I’m motivated to work with Citroen, it was some of the best years of my career, it’s a good mix and I’m happy to be back.” He continued, “I had eight or nine podiums whilst there.
He’s yet to drive the car, but the amount of test time is already agreed.
Mads continued, “I’m happy with the programme that is ahead of me for Rally Sweden.”
He had a real up and down Rally Sweden in the One Bet Fiesta WRC. I asked him for his memories of it.
“We were doing well and in the podium position, then we lost the wing, then we had the gearbox problem and then also had a puncture! I got the longest jump on Colins Crest as well!”
Now it was time to talk to the Hyundai team, and I started with Thierry Neuville’s co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul.
2018 FIA World Rally Championship 2018 Birmingham Team Launch 10-11 January 2018 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Photographer: Helena El Mokni Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
I asked him what his hopes were for the new season.
“I think it’s quite clear. We missed the title last year, it’s our main target this year. He said less focus on the wins and more on the title itself and look to get the optimum result each time.”
Asking him if he was disappointed at all with the results, he said,
“No, not at all. A few had said that, and there is a little frustration, but that’s completely gone now and actually its been a fantastic season. If you check the numbers, you can see we have a lot of stage wins, more than Ogier and Tanak together, and except mid-season on a few rallies we struggled, for example we had a mechanical problem in Sardinia, in Finland the car was not competitive, we lost a wheel in Germany, three rallies in a row where we were not competitive or suffered mechanical problems, so except for that it was a very good season. Thinking of the problem at the start of the season, for sure, it should not happen, but I never count the corners through the year but we need some jokers, it’s close to impossible to drive at full speed to not do a mistake and sometimes its only a little mistake and its okay, and sometimes its not and you lose a wheel, or you break something and it’s over.”
I suggested that this is what he and Thierry wanted to do, to conquer these moments and overcome them.
“Yes, it’s a combination of things, to be really strong together, we are winning together and losing together and it’s the same for the team, for example three years ago when it was looking like we were not wanted by the teams we started to complain about the procedures, but it’s not the right way. The most important is to analyse what’s happened, to define what’s happened, to try and win through and solve the problem.”
Speaking about last season, he continued;
“I think last season, we didn’t start with the right mindset, because we didn’t expect it to be so competitive, and when we realised it, it was already too far through the season. Now this season we will start thinking of the championship. Now last year we mostly focused on rally wins.”
I asked them how long they’ve driven together and he said;
“Since 2011” he said. “We are very strong together, we know each other very well, we like working together and it’s easy and not boring at all, it’s still exciting, it’s good because now we are experienced and you are more confidant, because at the beginning you checking and double checking everything, and you are sometimes tired, and now it’s not being lazy, you trust yourself and you its been done and you don’t have to keep checking.”
Next, I had a chat with Seb Marshall, who is Hayden Paddon’s co-driver. He’s been working with the Kiwi for a couple of years now, but this will mark a first time they start a season together.
Seb Marshall, Hyundai Motorsport, Autosport International Show, January 2018, Photo credit, Warren Nel
He said “Yes, it’s nice to start a season together, and its confirmed that we have seven events this year, starting with Sweden, and gravel the rest of the year. Now the key objective is results wise with the drivers’ title not a consideration for us one of the key objectives is helping the team win the manufacturers championship, so that means that we need to score well. Last year we scored a couple of podiums and the target is that we can repeat that, and also take advantage of our road position on some events and string things together and target a win. We’ll take things as they come, take opportunities and see where we are at the end of the year.”
I spoke next to Thierry. I said to him, that it got away from him, but that it was a positive year on the whole despite the odd slip up.
He said, “It was a very positive year, the speed was there, the car was very good, the best performance of the team, we can’t complain. We just missed out on the objective, the most important, probably its not all about being world champion, but also enjoyable to do, I really enjoyed what we did we had a huge satisfaction, and I think a great preparation for the up-coming year as well, running in this position, we were one of the contenders for the title and at one point we were leading the championship, these are all things to experience and we have experienced it now we have to be constantly in this position. It won’t be easy. Looking forward to it!”
Next up, I spoke to Jari-Matti and his co-driver Miikka from Toyota. The second year with the team run by Finnish legend, Tommi Makinen. I started by saying, its your second year at Toyota.
2018 WRC Launch, Autosports International Show, NEC – Birmingham, UK, 11/01/2018
Jari-Matti said “Yes, it’s going to be exciting, Easier to start the second year than the first year, but there is a little more pressure of course, but you know on the other hand that the car is competitive!”
Of course, we did see Jari-Matti lead the championship after Rally Sweden last year.
Jari-Matti continued, “The first half of the season was very well and the first two races were special, it was an amazing feeling to be leading after Sweden, I knew that it would be more demanding in the high altitude races coming up, Mexico, Argentina, yes we were suffering in those, then it was getting better and I thought that wouldn’t face problems but we did mid-season, and of course it was disappointing to get them at the time when we could almost fight for the championship, but on the other hand it was the learning year and you know that they were coming, but still I prefer this way, that we had a good start to the season, it was really a bit great.”
I asked him next what his hopes were for the new season and what they had worked on over the winter.
“We have the new front bumper, the new front aero, which will give help to the turnings, work done on the engine, gears and suspension and I feel the car is better than last year. The target is to try to fight for podiums in every race.”
I then suggested that we saw a rebirth of him last year after leaving Volkswagen and asked him if that was fair to say.
He replied, “That yes that was fair to say, at Ford I was young and fast but made a lot of mistakes, then I went to Volkswagen and I was close and two times I finished second in the championship, but Ogier was always a step ahead with the consistency but then coming to the Toyota I thought start a new era just focus really for the consistency and it was going well and the target is to keep that this year as well.”
I asked him next on his feelings about Rally Finland where he retired with a problem on the Saturday afternoon.
He said, “Ah, that was very, very, disappointing, I mean my best single day performance in the morning before the technical problems, but these things can happen.”
I then asked him about the relationship between the drivers.
His reply was typically honest as you’d expect.
“In our team we are close and even with the little change with Ott Tanak coming in and Juho being test driver, to try and keep that spirit. All in all, in the rally world basically I would say all the drivers have a very good relationship, it’s not like in the racing world.”
Finally, I asked him which events he was most looking forward to this year, well, other than Rally Finland of course!
He said “For sure Sweden is important, I like Sardinia, Catalunya which I have really wanted to win for a long time.”
Then I spent some time talking to Miikka Anttila. I asked him how many years he’d been in the car with Jari-Matti and also how he found the transition from Volkswagen to Toyota.
2018 WRC Launch, Autosports International Show, NEC – Birmingham, UK, 11/01/2018
“Since 2003, I think it’s the fifteenth year already, a long time. We have a very good working relationship. The biggest part is that the team is from Finland, working so much with the Finnish people, for sure makes it a much, much easier, I mean let’s say if we went to Citroen, it wouldn’t have been so easy, and then of course already in the team there were people we knew from the past, I mean not Finnish guys, but from M-Sport times, so all in all its been really easy. When we went there, we found it was a good boost for all the people in the team, that we came from Volkswagen who’d just scored the fourth title.”
Asking him their goals for the year, I said that Jari-Matti had said lots of podiums were what they were hoping for.
“Yes, to fight for the championship, you don’t have to win everything, but you do have to be in the points constantly, when you think the 2017 season there were so many different winners, it means the car needs to be on a good level. The other thing is that it’s the second year of the team, now in this sport you cannot happen that go and win at the top level straight away. Okay, in a way, Volkswagen did that, they did enter the car 18 months before the first rally with the world rally car, they went there with the smaller car, and they faced all the conditions, whereas we faced all the conditions with the new car. If we’d joined with the old regulations, then probably the gap would have been a lot bigger, but now it was new for everybody.”
I asked him next about the development of the Polo WRC and how it compared to the Yaris when they first drove it.
Autosport International Show 2018, Toyota Yaris WRC, Photo credit, Warren Nel
“We didn’t drive the latest of the 2017 Polo, as it was October the last time we drove it, and there would have been improvements to come, but they didn’t come and the car wasn’t finalised when we did our final test. That’s why it’s a bit difficult to compare. For sure, our car was changed a lot between the first test and before Monte Carlo and there were new parts coming all the time which were decided before we joined the team, because it was already December when we joined the team.”
Finally, I asked him about Seb, former teammate at Volkswagen and what he was like to work with.
“Let’s say he was a proper competitor, in the way he is always thinking for the competition what he can improve, not always telling to others, a bit not giving all the secrets of what he has in his pocket.”
Finally, I spoke to Elfyn and asked him what his hopes were for this new season
Elfyn Evans, M-Sport driver, Autosport International Show, January 2018, Photo credit Mitch Oakley
He said, “Yep, massively looking forward to it, there’s a lot to do, a lot of expectations to live up to thanks to the success of the team last year, expectations are high but so are my own expectations, to be honest, I would really like to be consistently on the podium as often as we can, we’re anticipating that its going to be even more competitive year, this year so we could find that a big challenge, looking forward to it!”
I then asked him about that win that got away in Argentina.
He said “After the rally it was a second-place finish, after a tough start in the first three or four rallies, although we were starting to show good speed, we’d not been able to bag a good result for different reasons so on reflection of the rally it wasn’t such a bad result, finishing second. At the time, it was hurting pretty badly, I have to be honest after showing such good speed through the first day and fighting through problems on the second, to lose by such a fine margin was tough to accept, but like I say looking back now with everything that happened it is was it is and second at the time was a positive result”
I also asked him about #ElfynsCorner.
“Well, yes it was a surprise to be honest when it came up, I had no involvement in it what-so-ever, I still don’t, its purely a fan base thing, we enjoyed massive support on the rally, both through ElfynsCorner and otherwise, just throughout the weekend, the amount of people supporting both on and off the stages was incredible, something I’d never experienced before, okay I’d always enjoyed great support in Wales before, but never to this extent.”
I then explained that I’d been in touch with the individuals, before it all it all spiraled into what had happened. The reason they did it was because they wanted to raise your profile, they felt you weren’t valued and wanted to show their support. I gave him the names of all the individuals who made it happen and he recognized them.
Autosport International Show 2018, M-Sport Fiesta WRC, Photo credit Warren Nel
His response was interesting, “It especially hard in the UK, because we have so many successful, high level sports, it’s very difficult to build a profile, especially through motorsport, so many high-profile tennis players, football players, football is massive, whereas let’s say Ott, he’s in the top three sportsmen in Estonia!”
Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the thoughts of the teams. We are getting really close to the start of the season, with just twelve days to go!
Pop back soon, as I’ll have my preview for round one very soon.
In a bid to reinvigorate their junior driver program, over the course of 2017, Red Bull recruited four young karters to its Junior Team. One of this select handful of up and coming talents is 13-year-old British karter, Harry Thompson, who becomes one of the youngest ever members of the programme.
We had the chance to speak with Harry about karting, Red Bull and his goals for the future.
Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
“I started go karting at the age of 5…my Dad’s friend’s son had done karting and asked if I wanted to give it a go. Dad took me and I have been hooked ever since.”
Hooked, and successful too. Competing in the Cadet class of go karting, Thompson was the holder of several national titles by the age of 12, and took the step to the Junior class in 2017. This is where he caught the attention of Red Bull, who were keeping an eye on the international karting scene as part of their new strategy of looking beyond the usual junior single seater categories of motorsport to find their new star.
“After a few good performances, Red Bull showed interested. They invited me to have a drive on their simulator and after testing on the simulator Red Bull decided to give me a contract.”
Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
The Red Bull Junior Team is notoriously successful at nurturing young drivers and bringing them through the ranks to Formula 1, and arguably has the highest success rate of churning out F1 drivers. Formula 1 is where Thompson’s eyes are set, but like many young drivers nowadays, he “would be happy to drive any formula for a living”. He hopes that with Red Bull’s backing, he will be able to achieve this dream.
Many of the other successful examples of graduates from the Red Bull Junior Programme act as inspiration for Thompson:
“Verstappen has done a fantastic job with Red Bull. I look up to him because he has achieved a lot in go karting. Ricciardo seems like a very down-to-earth character who I also have a lot of respect for.
“I also think Lewis Hamilton has done an amazing job and I look up to him.”
After a busy 2017, in which he won the IAME X30 International Final with Fusion Motorsport, Thompson is aiming for a few more years in karting with Red Bull’s backing:
“I will hopefully be competing at the highest level and this could lead into a single seater drive when I am around 15/16.”
We here at ThePitCrewOnline wish Harry all the success for the future, and if you want to follow his progress you can find his Facebook page here.
Force India has signed Canadian F2 racer Nicholas Latifi as its new test and reserve driver for the 2018 F1 season.
Latifi’s role will comprise simulator work as well as participation in young driver tests and “a number of Friday practice sessions” throughout the year.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity,” Latifi said in a statement. “Sahara Force India is a team that has shown constant improvement for the last few years and I’m proud to become a part of one of the success stories of Formula One.
“I am eager to show the team what I can do and help them as they continue to close the gap to the front of the grid.”
Joe Portlock/FIA Formula 2
Force India team boss Vijay Mallya said of the appointment, “Nicholas joins us off the back of a strong season in F2 and strengthens our driver development programme. He will support our simulator programme and work with the team during a number of Friday practice sessions.”
Mallya added: “We have a long track record of bringing on young talented drivers and Nicholas will learn a huge amount as he gets embedded in the team, and looks forward to a career in Formula One.”
Latifi, who previously held a test driver role at Renault, took one race win and nine podiums to finish fifth in the 2017 F2 Championship.
One of Sean’s 2018 car designs: The new Sauber with the Alfa Romeo livery and the Halo
We talked with designer Sean Bull about his work in Formula E and his change from casual F1 fan to creator of fictional and real car designs, and show the person who stands behind some of the most popular fantasy F1 liveries.
Most of the F1 community knows it: the feeling weeks before the presentation of the new F1 cars. Especially when a team has a big new sponsor or has changed their engine partner for example, everybody talks about possible livery changes. How would Ferrari look without Santander? Or the new McLaren in an old-school papaya coat? What about Red Bull with the new Aston Martin deal, or Sauber with Alfa Romeo? And most importantly: how will the cars look with the new halo system above the cockpits?
Only a few of the many questions in this year’s pre-season. Thats where the work of Sean Bull begins. A man who not only creates possible designs of real and fictional F1 teams—he also started with a real design for the Dragon Formula E team this season.
The fictional designs are iconic to many people. Thats why the disappointment is often big, when the teams reveal their real cars with a much more conservative livery. Some people might ask why the real teams don’t look as good as popular examples from designers like Sean Bull. Let’s ask the man himself about this and know more about him, his hobby and his job at the same time.
A dream came true: Sean’s livery designs for Dragon Racing in this year’s Formula E season.
1. First of all, congratulations on your first real car livery, the Dragon Racing Formula E cars and their driver suits. They look great. Could you tell us, what was your reaction when you learned that your design had been chosen for the car?
Sean: The Dragon design was months of hard work, working closely with the team’s owner, Jay Penske to design and develop the teams refreshed identity this season after the departure of Faraday last year, going back to the team’s roots of the striking red chrome and a more elegant and flowing design was a pleasure to draw and create, with the car lending itself heavily toward the livery layout. A classic use on subtle pinstriping around the key feature lines and the minimalist American flag motif that adorn the roll hoop and front wing are the result of continued fine tweaking and development.
The decision to split the liveries came quite late and continue what is left of the team’s corporate DNA from last year with the split faraday designs, only presented in a more obvious and dramatic fashion this year, with each car being the mirror imprint of the other, something I wish F1 would be allowed to adopt with such difficulty telling the drivers apart from one another.
The race suits and garage design were also fun aspects to design and create, we went with a range of options before we settled on something more minimal and classy rather than anything too outlandish and obvious, and I believe they look great, with obvious relation between the cars, pits and corporate branding and I’m very proud to have been part of it and am certainly looking forward to working with the team for the rest of the season.
2. Tell us what got you started designing. What inspired you to design car liveries, and is that your full time job now, or is it still a hobby for you?
Sean: I started, as I believe any fan of F1 has, sketching the cars watching the race as a young kid, and it’s from then that it’s always been my passion to be a car designer, so I studied Automotive Design at Coventry university and after gaining an industrial placement in my 3rd year I continued to work for that company as an Automotive Stylist after graduating in 2016. It was the skills in Photoshop and CAD learnt at university and work that helped me develop a hobby designing fantasy F1 liveries that slowly evolved into designing and creating the real thing for some big race teams around the world. Fortunately, it is still my side hobby and one that I take great passion in, but as I enjoy my main career as a car designer, it makes for a good break and free time relaxation, I’m just lucky enough that the livery work I do for ‘fun’ has given me the opportunity of a “second career”.
Another idea from Sean: making the most of the unpopular halo system with driver-specific liveries.
3. Your designs for the upcoming year are everywhere on the web, especially during the winter break. Many are disappointed when the real cars are presented by the teams after the break. In contrast to your designs they are often more simple and less warmly received. Does this reaction make you proud?
Sean: As mentioned, this is what I love to do in my free time, so it’s good to see how my fantasy designs are received by the public, and that’s the difference between mine and the real ones that get presented in February. I’m not tied down to any corporate restrictions, branding guides or sponsor requirements, hence why my designs can be so much more extreme and dramatic compared to the real life counterparts. So I do have sympathy for the team’s actual design departments, especially now knowing the creative restrictions that do apply after working on a few real world commissions.
4. Could you tell us how much time you spend on a typical livery design?
Sean: Usually when just playing around with my F1 designs, it’s anything from ten minutes to an hour. The real time is spent creating my templates and trying to get them as photo-realistic as possible. That’s where the hours and hours of work is spent. With the real-world teams it can be a lengthy process of design and development, or it can be relatively quick if the team love an initial concept and want to go with that. For example, the Dragon designs were five months from initial sketches to the final application, with changes and tweaks being made even as the car was being wrapped. However, in contrast the F2 livery for MP motorsport last year went straight from an initial sketch to the final proposal in a matter of weeks, such was the reaction from the proposed title sponsor the designs were created for!
Also one of Sean’s most popular livery series’: the 2017 McLaren with all the team’s liveries from 1966 onwards. This is the design of the 1968 McLaren M7A.
6. 2017 has been a special year for you, with many successes. What is your next goal? Do you have an ultimate goal, perhaps designing a livery for an F1 team in the near future?
Sean: 2017 has honestly been the best year of my life, both professionally and personally. I was lucky enough to be engaged to my now-fiancée and we are getting married next year, so that was the personal highlight for me!
In terms of professional success, this year has been incredible. I only started in November 2016, so for all this to happen in such a small space of time has been amazing—especially the work with Leclerc, going to see my first F1 race as a guest of his, and the Red Bull work I have done with their North American team this year (I was lucky enough for them to fly me out to LA to meet them and see my GRC liveries in action at the last race of the rear). And to top off the year, the Formula E commissions with Dragon and the contest win with Mahindra have been incredibly well received!
Looking forward to the future, my ultimate goal is of course F1, and to gain a commission with a team there or eventually work as part of the team. I have other aspirations that I hope will be realised in the coming year, but they’re all secret for now!
Throughout 2017 there have been stories aplenty. Whether it be the old guard proving that they still have it, or a new generation suggesting they might upset the apple cart, it’s certainly been memorable. Here are eight men that excelled and enthralled in their respective fields, with a poll at the bottom so you can pick your favourite.
Jason Doyle:
After heartbreak in 2016 when the affable Australian looked set to win his first Speedway World Championship before injury robbed him, Doyle simply picked himself up and carried on in 2017. A battle with rookie Patryk Dudek went to the final round in Melbourne, where the 32-year-old took what he felt what was rightfully his.
Jason Doyle became Speedway World Champion in 2017: Image courtest of www.Speedwaygp.com
Lucas Di Grassi:
2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02. Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _56I7110
The Brazilian’s Formula E victory in the 2016/17 season came against all odds. After Sebasiten Buemi and Renault e.dams’ sensational start it looked a forgone conclusion, but other commitments for Buemi and a sudden loss of form while Di Grassi remained consistent meant the Brazilian stole the championship from the Swiss.
Charles Leclerc:
The new kid on the block in Formula One for 2018, Leclerc has earned a drive at Sauber after dominating Formula 2. At 20, Monaco’s finest looks set to have a long career ahead of him at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Charles Leclerc (MCO, PREMA Racing) Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2. ref: Digital Image _J6I1710
Lewis Hamilton:
Mercedes content pool. Lewis Hamilton is now a certified great after a fourth championship.
There is little to say about Lewis Hamilton that has not already been said. The Briton has not only won his fourth title after a titanic battle with Sebastian Vettel and moved into an elite club of just five to have won more than three World Championships, but also broke the great Michael Schumacher’s pole position record and with 62 is now the closest man to the German’s record of 91.
Marc Marquez:
In the past, Marc Marquez has won his MotoGP titles with varying degrees of difficulty. This year was one of his biggest challenges as Andrea Dovizioso led a rejuvenated Ducati challenged. Eventually the mercurial Spaniard won his fourth World Championship at the final round in Valencia.
MotoGP: Marc Marquez has won four of the five MotoGP Championships he has contested
Sebastien Ogier:
Sébastien Ogier (F), Julien Ingrassia (F) Volkswagen Polo R WRC (2016) WRC Rally Australia 2016 Photo: Helena El Mokni
Ogier continued his dominance in the World Rally Championship over the last five years with another title in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta. Two wins and nine podiums meant that he beat nearest rival Thierry Neuvile of Belgium by 24 points
Jonny Rea:
It’s been a record-breaking year in the World Superbike series for the man from Northern Ireland. A third straight Championship win would have been enough to see his name on the list, but in doing so he scored 556 points to break a 15-year-old points record that had previously been held by Colin Edwards with 552.
Ash Sutton:
Ashley Sutton (GBR) Team BMR Subaru Levorg, leading at Oulton Park.
A Baby-faced Assassin in the British Touring Car Championship, Sutton had given fair warning to his rivals of what could happen given the chance during his debut season in 2016 with victory at Croft. Six further wins in 2017 saw the man from Kent dethrone reigning back-to-back champion Gordon Shedden in style in the final round at Brands Hatch.
