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  • Verstappen’s Penalty is Excessive and F1 Needs More Common Sense

    Verstappen’s Penalty is Excessive and F1 Needs More Common Sense

    Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing labelled Max Verstappen’s penalty for overtaking Kimi Raikkonen “unbelievably harsh.”

    They have every right.

    The Dutchman passed Raikkonen on the final lap on the inside of turn 17 for third place as the two duelled for a spot on the Austin podium.

    Yes, he did leave the track with all four wheels and yes, track limits should always be respected even

    in an era where run off areas become bona-fide parts of the circuit.

    However, the Finn hadn’t exactly left oceans of space for the Red Bull hotshot as the cars accelerated through four flat out apexes, with speeds approaching 160mph through the complex.

    The alternative for Verstappen would have been to make contact and most likely cause a major accident.

    In a year where stewarding in Formula One was supposedly relaxed in order to help improve the show, Verstappen’s penalty shows an incredible lack of common sense.

    Raikkonen must certainly have been surprised to have got the call to head straight to the podium when he returned to parc ferme.

    This is not the first time the stewards have been heavy-handed on this issues.

    Four years ago at the Hungarian Grand Prix Romain Grosjean was given a drive-through penalty for overtaking Felipe Massa around the outside, completing his move millimetres off circuit.

    The move itself was magnificent and excited fans, and Grosjean was rightly lauded for this daring manoeuvre.

    By everyone except the stewards.

    Formula One has for the past couple of years been desperately searching for ways to bring back those that have stopped watching, with audiences down since the beginning of the decade.

    They will have been helped by a close battle for the title between Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes’ probably champion Lewis Hamilton, but it needs more than that to persuade viewers to come to pay-per-view TV and back to F1.

    So often in the last two years, Verstappen has been that bit extra, the little bit more.

    The author of this has been a critic in the past, but whether you agree with his harsh defending or bolt-from-the-blue overtaking manoeuvres, the 20-year-old is a man to lift people out of their seats.

    The stewards this season have on occasion exercised common sense with sporting penalties, including in Azerbaijan after Vettel and Hamilton’s road rage incident.

    But there was also the double penalty given to Daniil Kvyat, who got a stop-go and a time penalty for the crime of regaining his grid position after falling backwards.

    A return to that common sense, at all levels, is needed if Formula One is to accomplish its mission to bring back many that have switched off.

  • United States Grand Prix Quali Roundup

    United States Grand Prix Quali Roundup

    The word of the day for qualifying is ‘pace’. Lewis Hamilton wasn’t content to rest on the track record he set in P3, and went on to set new course records several times during qualifying as well as the record for front-row starts. Ferrari looks like it might be able to breathe some life into the Drivers Championship again.

    Red Bull continues to nip at Mercedes and Ferrari’s heels – they may not realistically be able to unseat Ferrari for second place in the Constructors Championship, but they sure can play the spoiler in the Drivers Championship (well, but for those pesky penalties). Force India continues to dominate fellow Mercedes customer team Williams, and Fernando Alonso keeps wringing impossible results out of the Honda power unit, aided by McLaren’s excellent chassis and a few upgrades that his teammate doesn’t have.

    Renault keeps showing hints of their future potential, while Toro Rosso is floundering a little due to driver availability issues. Haas is continuing their sophomore slump, and we’re all carrying a torch for Sauber, hoping that next year’s improved power unit and stabilization in the organization will bring them back to competitiveness.

    Q1
    Most of the field took to the track on the pink ultrasoft tyres, while Mercedes and Ferrari elected to use softs. The backmarkers opened the session with Pascal Weherlein setting a decent pace for Sauber. Unfortunately, but predictably, he was quicly eclipsed by cars with more capable power units. Next year, Sauber! Next year!

    The leaderboard underwent its usual early churn, with Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Max Verstappen, and others – seemingly half the field – taking turns in P1. Fernando Alonso even briefly held P2 before everyone began to find their pace and the more dominant cars rose to the top. Valtteri Bottas set the pace for the first half of the session, with a lap of 1:35.309.

    Lewis Hamilton’s early laps were somewhat lackluster while he found his pace, placing him in 7th with a 1:36.425. Hamilton wasn’t the only one appearing a bit sluggish, with Verstappen running into traffic, Daniel Ricciardo sliding around a bit, and the Ferraris split by Felipe Massa.

    The middle of the session featured some excitement of the negative kind. Haas found themselves in the interesting position of being on both sides of impeding investigations. Romain Grosjean found himself off cutting the grass when forced to swerve wide to avoid Lance Stroll’s Williams. Stroll was seemingly living up to his name (he was in fact being coached through a setting change at the time; perhaps not the wisest time and place to do so) while Grosjean was coming up quickly behind. Grosjean moved to pass on the right, but Stroll abruptly moved further to the right himself, sending the Haas driver out onto the grass. Stroll was awarded a three-place penalty for his efforts, and his very first penalty point for his license. Not exactly the kind of first a driver wants, but into every life a little rain must fall.

    On the other side of the coin, Kevin Magnussen found himself under investigation for impeding Sergio Perez. Due to a miscommunication with the pit wall he slowed at turn 11, unaware that Perez was approaching quickly on a flying lap. Perez was forced to slow abruptly to avoid contact. Driver and team both owned up to the error, and Magnussen was handed a three-place grid penalty and a penalty point on his license as a result.

    At the midpoint of the session the timing sheet was thoroughly mixed. It was at this point that Lewis Hamilton came alive, turning in a lap almost as quick as his record-setting lap in P3 and putting himself firmly atop the timing sheet with 1:34.822.

    As is often the case, the closing minutes of the session featured spirited efforts by those lower in the order attempting to secure a place in Q2. Carlos Sainz catapulted his Renault into 5th, while Hartley found himself edged below the cutoff despite a spirited drive, being outpaced by Stroll and Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson. Grosjean barely made it through for Haas – his 15th place 1:36.835 being only .007 quicker than Ericsson’s 1:36.842 for 16th.

    At the conclusion of Q1, Hamilton sat atop the timings, followed into Q2 by Verstappen, Bottas, Vettel, Sainz, Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Ricciardo, Kvyat, Vandoorne, Perez, and Grosean.

    Ericsson, Stroll, Hartley, Weherlein, and Magnussen were excluded, falling below 15th place.

    Q2
    Q2 opened with a notable absence. Nico Hulkenberg elected not to run due to his 20-place grid penalty despite having placed in 9th in Q1, 0.15 seconds ahead of the Force India driven by Esteban Ocon. While perhaps understandable from a race strategy perspective, this proved to be a disappointment to commentators and fans alike.

    Everyone but Max Verstappen elected to run Q2 on ultrasofts, while Verstappen opted for the soft tyres.

    Unlike in Q1, Lewis Hamilton put his best foot forward for Q2. Initially dueling for fastest sectors with his teammate Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton set a seemingly-unassailable time of 1:33.560, setting a new track record once again. Bottas turned in a respectable time of 1:33.793.

    Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 3, being 0.829 seconds behind Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo made his way to 4th, .935 behind Hamilton. Kimi Raikkonen, despite always looking very quick (red ones go faster, right?) found himself in 5th in the first half. Verstappen, on the soft tyres, was in an unexciting 6th.

    The Force India duo of Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez were in 7th and 8th place going into the Q2 lull, and Carlos Sainz found himself in 9th. Felipe Massa rounded out the top 10.

    Both McLarens found themselves in the drop zone, along with Romain Grosjean and Dany Kvyat as the teams regrouped for the final Q2 push.

    When the action resumed in the dying minutes of the session, Kvyat was first to take to the track in his Toro Rosso. Other teams followed suit with the exception of Red Bull, who elected to keep Ricciardo and Verstappen in the pits. Wary of Ferrari, Mercedes elected to send Hamilton and Bottas out, while both Vettel and Raikkonen took to the track in an attempt to unseat the Mercedes duo.

    As the chequered flag descended, drivers on track began to finish their flying laps. Kvyat was first to complete his session, and while he improved his time he wasn’t able to crack the top 10, finishing in 12th. Grosjean was next, and found found himself in 14th. While he also improved his time it wasn’t enough to improve his position.

    Lewis Hamilton’s seemingly unassailable lap time was then beaten – by Hamilton himself. Hamilton once again set the record for fastest lap, with a blistering 1:33.437.

    Fernando Alonso delivered a significant improvement to his time bringing him to 7th, pushing Ocon down to 8th. Ocon then crossed the line, improving his time, but not his position. Vandoorne was next across the line, echoing the refrain of improving his time he was unable to improve his position, finishing the session in 13th between Kvyat and Grosjean. Bottas in turn crossed the line in 2nd place, a full third of a second behind Hamilton.

    Felipe Massa the pulled himself up out of the drop zone, splitting the Force India duo and crossing the line into 9th, pushing Carlos Sainz into the drop zone and leaving Perez in 10th. Vettel meanwhile crossed the line 0.666 (spooky!) seconds behind Hamilton, but was then pipped for third by Raikkonen, in turn pushing Ricciardo into 5th.

    Sainz brought his Renault across the line with a significantly improved time, propelling himself into 7th while leaving Massa in 10th and Perez in the drop zone. Perez, the last man on track, finished the session by beating Sainz to 7th and pushing Massa back into 11th.

    When the dust settled following this frantic scene, Massa, Kvyat, Vandoorne, and Grosjean joined Hulkenberg in not advancing to Q3. Hamilton, Bottas, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Alonso, and Ocon advanced.

    Q3
    Lewis Hamilton led the charge into Q3, followed by Valtteri Bottas, and they quickly began trading fastest sector times. In short order all the others save Carlos Sainz were on track.

    Esteban Ocon was the first to set a time in Q3, coming in with a respectable 1:34.743

    Echoing his performance in Q2, Hamilton yet again set a course record. His time, 1:33.108.

    Bottas then set a solid second place time of 1:33.568. Fernando Alonso was the next to set an initial time, crossing the line in 1:35.126.

    Daniel Ricciardo then brought his Red Bull into third, with 1:34.130, but was eclipsed by his teammate, with Max Verstappen setting a time of 1:33.868.

    Hot on Verstappen’s heels, Sebastian Vettel crossed the line with a time of 1:33.867, occupying third and squeezing Max into 4th by the narrowest of margins. Sergio Perez delivered a slower 1:35.167 for 8th place.

    Kimi Raikkonen then crossed the line, pushing Vettel out of third with a time of 1:33.852 before the drivers began to filter back into pit lane to prepare for the final push. clearly felt his performance in the first half of Q3 wasn’t up to par, commenting, “S**t. Too many mistakes,” when told he was in P3.

    Meanwhile, Sainz had yet to set a time. He was the first to head out onto the track in the final minutes of the session.

    As with Q2, the teams released their boys onto the track with just enough time to complete the out lap and begin a flying lap before the chequered flag fell.

    Alonso was the first to cross the line with an 8th-place time of 1:35.007. Sainz topped that with 1:34,852, claiming 9th for himself and pushing Alonso down into 9th and provisionally putting Perez in 10th. Ocon placed himself in 7th, improving his time to 1:34.647.

    Vettel then found his pace, though he was unable to top Hamilton’s record-setting time. His time of 1:33.347 was sufficient for him to move up the ranking to second. Across the world, fans rejoiced at the prospect of the title fight remaining alive.

    Ricciardo improved his time a bit, provisionally holding onto fourth place with a time of 1:33.577, followed closely by his teammate who set a provisional fifth place time of 1:33.658.

    It wasn’t to last, though, as Raikkonen split the Red Bulls with a time of 1:33.577, matching Ricciardo. As Ricciardo was the first to post the time, he remained in fourth and Raikkonen moved to fifth.

    Despite setting a fast first sector time in his late push, Hamilton was unable to venture into 1:32 territory. Perhaps his engineering team forgot to refill the cheetah blood tank in their excitement.

    Bottas was similarly unable to improve his time and remained in third place, while Perez remained in tenth despite improving his time slightly to 1:35.148.

    The finishing order for Q3 was Hamilton, Vettel, Bottas, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Verstappen, Ocon, Sainz, Alonso, and Perez.

    But of course, there are penalties to account for. Stoffel Vandoorne incurred a 5-spot drop, Max Verstappen had 15, Nico Hulkenberg received a 20-spot penalty, and Brendan Hartley, for reasons that technically make sense but still manage to seem mystifying, faced a 25-spot penalty.

    After penalties are applied, the starting grid for Sunday’s race session is: Hamilton, Vettel, Bottas, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Ocon, Sainz, Alsonso, Perez, Massa, Kvyat, Grosjean, Ericsson, Vandoorne, Wehrlein, Stroll, Verstappen, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, and Hartley.

  • United States Grand Prix P3 Roundup. We’re calling it a ’roundup’ because Texas, y’all.

    United States Grand Prix P3 Roundup. We’re calling it a ’roundup’ because Texas, y’all.

     

    The word of the session for Free Practice 3 of the United States Grand Prix is, ‘workmanlike’. The teams are continuing to dial the cars in, find the limits, and push them. While rain didn’t make an appearance the wind was particularly noticeable along the back straight, blowing at 3.7 m/s (around 8 miles an hour for us Yanks unused to SI measures) from the north and making turn 12 exciting. A track temperature of 35 C (95 F) and an air temperature of 28 C (82 F) made for warm running. Following the usual churn in the leader board as the session progressed, an unsurprising back-and-forth finally ensued between Ferrari and Mercedes at the top of the timing sheet, with the familiar final order of Hamilton, Vettel, Bottas, and Raikonnen in the top 4.

    Mercedes had, by all appearances, an uneventful session. After slowly ramping up, Lewis Hamilton set a new record of 1:34.478 to top the timing sheet. Hamilton made some creative interpretations of the track limits in the closing moments, but ran into no major issues.

    Valtteri Bottas showed respectable pace as well, and with a fastest lap of 1:34.692 claimed third on the sheets.

    After a raft of complaints from Sebastian Vettel following yesterday’s sessions, Ferrari claims to have completely changed the chassis on his car. Though as Will Buxton pointed out in his commentary on NBC Sports, supported by his fellow commentators, there have been occasions where the mechanics have simply taken a car apart and reassembled it – a placebo for the drivers. Maranello swears it was a full chassis change, so we’ve no choice but to take them at their word.

    Seb’s times gave the impression he was happy, though. After the usual back-and-forth at the top of the timing sheet, Vettel’s best lap of 1:34.570 saw him finish in second, 0.092 seconds behind Hamilton. If he can keep this pace in quali and the race, the title battle may go down to the wire – were that to happen, the true winners would be the fans. Seb appeared to have a moment of nostalgia for his Red Bull days, accidentally pulling into a Red Bull pit box before correcting himself.

    Much like his fellow Finn and #2 driver (search your feelings, you know it to be true), Kimi Raikkonen turned in respectable pace but was overshadowed by his teammate. His fastest lap of 1:34.755 earned him 4th on the leaderboard for the session.

    Red Bull showed good pace early on, with Daniel Ricciardo topping the timing briefly during the middle of the session. Sadly it wasn’t to last, and with a bit of a scruffy showing he finished in 9th, with a fastest lap of 1:35.723.

    Max Verstappen, who may be forced to start the race from Taylor after taking a new engine and MGU-H, was up to 2nd for a moment, but settled in at 5th with 1:35.103

    Brendon Hartley, helmet issues resolved, continued to put in the work for Toro Rosso. First out and closing with 26 laps, he easily put in the highest mileage in the session. Toro Rosso is clearly happy with his performance, as the flow-viz paint on the back of his car indicates they’re running some experimental parts. With a best lap of 1:36.818, he came in at 15th place, and the speculation of a Gasly-Hartley line-up for the Baby Bulls in 2018 continues apace.

    Speaking of Toro Rosso, poor Dany Kvyat can’t catch a break any more – even though Pierre Gasly couldn’t make it back from Japan in time thus giving him a race seat, he suffered from steering issues and spent significant time in the garage. With a best lap of 1:38.5, Dany is dead last in 20th, with only 6 laps under his belt.

    It wouldn’t be practice without Romain ‘I’m not moaning’ Grosjean beaching his Haas. Though not quite as dramatic as Vettel’s excursion yesterday, this nonetheless brought out the Virtual Safety Car and ended his session after only 9 laps. His best time of 1:37.891 left him in 19th.

    Kevin Magnussen had a far less eventful session, finishing 16th with a fastest lap of 1:37.271. His dad was there, which was nice.

    Renault put in a solid, though comparatively uneventful showing. Nico Hulkenberg put in the second highest lap tally of 21, and had a best time of 1:35.608. He finished the session a comfortable 7th.

    His freshly-minted teammate Carlos Sainz was right behind, landing 8th with a best lap of 1:35.650. Sadly, there is no time bonus to be found in their livery – though the cats leave them solidly tied for P1 in our hearts.

    Force India, fetchingly color-coordinated with their pink livery and the pink ultrasofts, rocked up 10th and 11th, with Sergio Perez bringing a lap of 1:35.802 and Esteban Ocon weighing in with 1:35.965. Sadly, no time benefit for style here either, lads.

    McLaren continued to show hints of what they could do with a better power unit, briefly having both cars in the top 10. Sadly, they’ve still got Hondas in the back and came to rest with Alonso in 13th with a time of 1:36.239 and Vandoorne in 14th, clocking 1:36.599.

    Williams left getting out on track until comparatively late in the session, but they turned in reasonable times themselves. Felipe “will he retire again or what” Massa finished up in 6th, with a best lap of 1:35.346, while Lance Stroll ended 12th, turning in a best time of 1:36.118.

    Sauber quietly rounds out the time sheets, with Marcus Ericsson finishing in 17th with 1:37.319, and Pascal Weherlein in 18th with 1:37.807.

    The final order for P3 is:
    HAM
    VET
    BOT
    RAI
    VER
    MAS
    HUL
    SAI
    RIC
    PER
    OCO
    STR
    ALO
    VAN
    HAR
    MAG
    ERI
    WEH
    GRO
    KVY

  • WSBK Preview: Fiesta Time at Jerez

    The World Superbike circus arrives at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in the south of Spain this weekend, for the final European round of the season.

    There is somewhat of a party atmosphere running through the paddock as the championship has been decided. Gone are the long nights for team bosses working out title permutations, and sleepless nights for the contending riders.

    Instead, the racing can return to its purest origins – every man for himself.

    For Jonathan Rea, this weekend is about celebration. He arrives at the Spanish round as a triple world champion – and the first to win his three titles in consecutive seasons. Its fair to say that the champagne will be flowing all weekend for he and the Kawasaki Racing Team. Metaphorically speaking as there are, of course, two races to win. Jerez is one of the few circuits on the calendar where Rea has never secured victory at. That is something he’ll be wanting to have changed by Sunday night.

    In contrast, the circuit has been a very successful hunting ground for Tom Sykes (KRT). The Yorkshireman has been a regular podium finisher in recent years, including victory in 2015’s opening race. In a season which has been utterly dominated by his teammate, this weekend presents a timely opportunity for Sykes to remind the world of his prowess, as well as lay down a marker for next season’s campaign.

    One man who will be relishing this weekend will be Aruba.it Ducati’s Chaz Davies. There is something about circuits on the Iberian peninsular for the Welshman, who has made habit in recent seasons of making his own. Whilst Motorland Aragon is undoubtedly Davies’ de facto track, the Circuito de Jerez is certainly another haven for him, with three wins in the last two years. This weekend and the series finale in Qatar will be targeted by the Italian team – not just to end the year on a high, but to give their Panigale-R machine a fitting send off, before it is replaced for next season with their new V4 contender.

    The Pata-Yamaha team arrive at the Spanish circuit full of confidence. Their double podium finish last time out at Magny-Cours was a major breakthrough for the team – and perhaps the sport too. World Superbikes desperately needs more teams to be finishing at the front, rather than just Kawasaki and Ducati, and a resurgent Yamaha outfit is just what the doctor ordered. Both riders, Alex Lowes and Micheal van der Mark, are locked in a fierce duel for fourth place in the championship standings – Lowes leading his teammate by only 11 points. With the bike constantly improving, and both riders pushing to the limit in every session, they are bound to break onto the winners’ step in the near future.

    Elsewhere battles will be raging amongst the privateer teams. Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta) will once again be pushing hard to get amongst the front runners. The duo have provided some of the highest quality on-track duels this season, and are within touching distance of the Yamaha riders in the standings.

    Finally, WSBK welcomes back Sylvan Guintoli this weekend. The Frenchman has spent the season competing for Bennetts-Suzuki in the British Superbike Championship, and now joins the Pucetti-Kawasaki team until the end of the season. Its remarkable to think that his entry means that Guintoli is the first Frenchman to participate in this year’s championship. He has a good machine under him, and will be looking to make a solid impact over the final two rounds of the campaign.

     

  • Max Verstappen has agreed the contract with Red Bull Racing for a further three years

    Max Verstappen has agreed the contract with Red Bull Racing for a further three years

    Max Verstappen continues to race for Red Bull Racing for a further three years. The 20-year-old Dutchman, who won this year’s Malaysian GP, is happy with the decision. “Their support, from the guys and girls in the factory through to the crew in the garage, no matter what plays out on the race track, has always been 100 per cent. We’ve also had some fun times! I’m very happy to commit further to Red Bull Racing.”
    Max started his F1 journey as a part of Red Bull’s young driver programme. “Red Bull has always shown their faith and belief in me with actions; inviting me in to the young driver programme as a 16-year-old, then giving me my start in Formula One when I was just 17, and then the opportunity to race with Red Bull Racing where I had such a dream start with this team. They have always backed me and my ambition and I know we share that ambition.” He expects more successes in the future.

    Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

    The Team Principal said: “We are delighted that Max has agreed to extend his contract with Red Bull Racing. We had a phenomenal start together in Spain last year and Max has only pushed on from there. It was a great moment for the whole team to see him put the frustrations of this season behind him in taking that fantastic victory in Malaysia last month. He is pure racer, with an undeniable talent at the wheel and a rare instinct for what it takes to compete consistently at this level. Coupled with a committed work ethic and a mature approach to learning his craft that belies his years, Max is right to be hungry for success”. Christian Horner belives that Red Bull Racing is the right team for Verstappen to win the championship. “As we now look to the long term with Max he is in the best place in the sport to build a team around him to deliver our shared ambition.”

    Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
  • #FlashbackFriday – ‘Brendon Hartley Prepares For His F1 Debut At The U.S. GP (Interview From 2015)’ – Mobil 1 The Grid

    #FlashbackFriday – ‘Brendon Hartley Prepares For His F1 Debut At The U.S. GP (Interview From 2015)’ – Mobil 1 The Grid

    Check out the flashback video from Mobil 1 The Grid in which Brendon Hartley compares WEC to F1.

    Make sure that you follow Mobil 1 The Grid:
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  • Seconds out, Round Two for Mir and Fenati

    The Moto3 series returns this weekend to the stunning Philip Island circuit, Australia. A venue now infamous for its uncertain weather conditions is sure to provide similarly unpredictable racing.

    Once again all eyes will be on series leader, Joan Mir (Leopard Racing). The Spaniard had a nightmare last time out at Motegi, and will be looking to bounce back and wrap up the championship in style here. The title permutations remain the same as last week:  If Mir wins, he’s crowned champion. Equally, should Mir outscore Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers) by five points or more, he will be champion. Mir now also doesn’t have to worry about a possible challenge from Aron Canet (Estrella-Galicia 0,0) anymore. The Spaniard failed to finish on the podium in Japan and, despite Mir not scoring a point, has been eliminated from the fight for the championship.

    Not that Fenati will have any intentions of yielding up his challenge so easily. The Italian took a stunning victory in Japan last weekend, and will be looking to repeat that performance in Australia. It is still a very tall order for him to wrestle the crown away from Mir’s grasp – if he is to realistically win the championship he needs to win all three remaining races, with his rival slipping up along the way.  However, this is Moto3 – where nothing is certain and anything is possible.

    This weekend the paddock also welcomes back Maria Herrera to the fold, as she fills in for the injured Albert Arenas at the Mahindra-Aspar team. Philip Island is a circuit where the 21-year old has traditionally produced good showings (having scored points here in 2015 and 2016 respectively).  She will be racing with the team until the end of the season and will be hoping to find a full-time ride on the grid for next season.

    Expect action galore from a multitude of riders this weekend, including the likes of: John McPhee (British Talent Team), Andrea Migno (Sky VR|46), Enea Bastianini (Estrella-Galicia 0,0) and Phillip Oettl (Schedl GP) – all of whom are fighting over sixth place in the championship. The competition between these riders could not be more fierce, with only 11 points separating sixth placed McPhee from tenth placed Phillip Oettl. With the former still yet to secure a ride for next season, expect a no-holds-barred effort from the British rider as he aims to consolidate his position at the sharp end of the championship standings.

  • MotoGP Australia Preview: Seagulls, Take Cover

    Image by HondaProRacing

    MotoGP heads Down Under for round 16, as we go to the Australian Grand Prix, coming from the high-speed, high-stakes Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, near Ventnor, Victoria. The track oozes fast bends and long, sweeping corners, as well as dead-stop hairpins and undulations. After their battle in Japan, Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso will be looking to reignite their title fight and go head-to-head once more. Likewise, Maverick Vinales will want to give Yamaha something to cheer about as the manufacturer is still yet to win a race in the second half of 2017. Phillip Island has consistently hosted some of the best GPs over time and can also spring a few surprises. Last season, it was Cal Crutchlow who took the win and back in 2006, Marco Melandri took a surprise victory. Who will it be this time?

    Marc Marquez’ championship lead has been whittled away after losing a last-lap last-corner battle with Andrea Dovizioso at Motegi. The Spaniard has a terrible form in Australia, finishing just one race in the premier class, of which he won, in 2015. A disqualification in 2013, crash in 2014 and likewise again last season place Marquez on the back foot going into the Australian Grand Prix. Marquez is one of just three Spaniards to win at Phillip Island in the premier class, the others being Alex Criville in 1997 and Jorge Lorenzo in 2013. Will be become the first Spaniard to win two?

    Andrea Dovizioso will be desperate to prove a point at Phillip Island. The smooth Italian left it late to take victory in Japan but, like in Austria, he beat Marquez on the run to the line. Ducati as a manufacturer have enjoyed endless success in Australia, winning four races with Casey Stoner. ‘Dovi’ has also won at the circuit, back in the 125cc class in 2004. He was 4th last season but 13th the season before, whilst his last podium was back in 2011 on a Repsol Honda. He has just one other podium in 2007 in the 250cc class, finishing 3rd.  In 2016, Marquez outscored Dovizioso in the last three races by the just three points. Will it be the same again this year?

    Maverick Vinales is 41 points back of Marc Marquez and 30 behind Andrea Dovizioso. You’d have to say that it really is over for a championship challenge from the new Yamaha rider. Another disappointing result in Japan – where he was 9th – now means that Vinales can’t hand more than 9 points to Marquez or more than 20 to Dovizioso if he is to remain in the championship race. Vinales was third at Phillip Island last season and 6th in 2015, both results coming for Suzuki. He was a winner in Moto2 in 2014 and 2nd in Moto3 in 2013. Vinales isn’t out of the title race just yet but it’d take bad luck to go the way of the two ahead. Anything is possible in GP racing.

    Dani Pedrosa’s championship charge is now realistically over, as he is 74 points back off leading teammate, Marc Marquez. The Spaniard retired in Japan, meaning he must win every race and hope that Marquez picks up just one point from the remaining races. On top of that, Pedrosa doesn’t go well at Phillip Island, with his light body weight often being the reason he can’t generate heat into his tyres on an often cold track. Pedrosa didn’t start last season’s Australian GP and was 5th in 2015. His best result was 2nd, in 2013 but he’s never won in the premier class. Could he shock us all come Sunday?

    Valentino Rossi mathematically can’t win the MotoGP championship in 2017, as he is now 76 points back of Marc Marquez with just 75 points left for the taking. Rossi has endured one of his most injury hit seasons of his career this year and of late, that has been detrimental to the Italian’s fall in form. He loves Phillip Island however, taking 2nd last season, 4th in 2015 and winning most recently, in 2014, as well as a podium in 2013. Rossi won every Australian Grand Prix from 2001-2005 and had won at the track in 1998 and 1999. ‘The Doctor’ is the only rider to have won more times than Casey Stoner at the venue and he will be looking to extend that margin this weekend, as he is out there purely to race.

    Johann Zarco completes the top six in the standings. The Frenchman started from pole at Motegi before dropping back to 8th in the closing stages – although he still finished top Yamaha. Tech 3 as a team have been successful at Phillip Island before, with a 3rd place back in 2014, with Bradley Smith. Zarco hasn’t had a top five at the Australian Grand Prix since 2012 in Moto2 but did score a podium there in 2011. There has never been a French winner in the premier class at Phillip Island and the last time a French rider won at all in Grand Prix at Phillip Island was 2008, with Mike Di Meglio in the 125cc race. The last French rider to stand on the podium at Phillip Island in the premier class was Regis Laconi, also on a Yamaha, in 1999. The only other Frenchman to stand on a premier class podium at Phillip Island was Christian Sarron, in 1989. Could Zarco set the record straight?

    Jorge Lorenzo is the 7th rider in the standings. He has won at Phillip Island three times; once in MotoGP and twice in the 250cc class. Lorenzo finished 6th in Japan and he hasn’t had back-to-back 6th places since Donington Park and Assen in 2008. That is one record Jorge Lorenzo will not want to break.

    Danilo Petrucci is closing in on Lorenzo for 7th. Petrucci, currently 8th, took his fourth podium of 2017 and will be hoping to make it five at Phillip Island. The Australian circuit is one of just two tracks at which Petrucci has finished every race in the points – the other is Valencia. His best result is 9th, coming last season.

    Cal Crutchlow has mixed memories of Phillip Island. The Brit, who is 9th in the championship standings, won last year’s race – the first time a British rider had ever won the Australian Grand Prix in any class. However, he crashed out of 2nd on the penultimate lap in 2014. He has one other podium, coming in 2012, when he was 3rd.

    Jonas Folger isn’t racing again this weekend. His seat is filled by Broc Parkes. The Australian has four World Supersport podiums to his name at the track as well as a 5th way back in 2001 in WSBK, for NCR Ducati. He has never scored points at Phillip Island in his GP career.

    Suzuki looked well and truly back in good shape at Motegi, taking 4th and 5th with Iannone and Rins. This was the first time Suzuki achieved a double top-5 placing in a GP since the 2016 Japanese GP, when Vinales was 3rd and Aleix Espargaro was 4th. Suzuki haven’t had back-to-back double top-5 placings since Brno and Misano in 2007, with John Hopkins and Chris Vermuelen.

    KTM arrive in Australia, looking to improve on a mixed Japanese GP. They haven’t had all of their fielded bikes in the points since Misano. Both riders have scored podiums at Phillip Island at some point in their careers, with Smith scoring one in MotoGP. KTM have never raced at Phillip Island so we will get a better indication of their performance after practice.

    Aprilia had a good Japanese GP, with Aleix Espargaro finishing 7th and Sam Lowes finishing 13th, a personal best for Lowes. It was the first time that both of their bikes had scored points in the same race since Valencia last year. Stefan Bradl scored a third row start for the manufacturer last season at Phillip Island and they will want the same again from their riders this season.

    The Aspar Ducati team will want more from their riders at Phillip Island. Both failed to finish at Motegi and they haven’t had back-to-back non-point-scoring rides since Eugene Laverty and Nicky Hayden in 2015, at Malaysia and Valencia. Bautista has had a win and two podiums in the smaller classes but neither rider has finished higher than 5th in the premier class.

    Scott Redding’s difficult 2017 continued in Japan, when he finished 16th and out of the points. He was 7th at the Australian Grand Prix last year and has two podiums at Phillip Island from Moto2, in 2010 and 2012. His Moto2 championship challenge in 2013 came to an end at Phillip Island when he suffered a bad wrist injury, so he will want to make happier memories.

    The Marc VDS Honda team are back to their normal line-up this weekend, with Jack Miller returning from injury for his home Grand Prix. Miller was 10th in the race last season and won the Moto3 event in 2014. Tito Rabat has just one podium at Phillip Island back in 2014 in Moto2. That was also the last time he scored a point in Australia.

    The Avintia Ducati team had both of their bikes in the points at Motegi, with Baz 10th and Barbera 14th. That was the first time since Silverstone, back in August. They haven’t had back-to-back double point-scoring rides since Losail and Termas de Rio Hondo at the start of the year. Baz has never scored a GP point at Phillip Island, although he was 2nd in a WSBK race at the track in 2014. Barbera was 2nd in the 250cc class in 2009 but that is his only podium. The Spaniard hasn’t scored a point at the track since he was 5th there, in 2014. This is his best result in the premier class at the venue.

    The championship can’t be decided this weekend but it could take a turn in either Dovizioso’s or Marquez’ direction. One mistake or bad weekend could prove costly to their title charge and allow the pendulum to swing in either direction. Maverick Vinales will be there to pick up the pieces if the two leading riders in the championship tangle. You can never discount Valentino Rossi at the Phillip Island circuit and just watch out for Danilo Petrucci, who could spring a surprise come race day.

  • United States Grand Prix Preview, Who will be the next Texan Cowboy?

    United States Grand Prix Preview, Who will be the next Texan Cowboy?

    GP USA F1/2016 – AUSTIN (TEXAS) 23/10/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Formula One is travelling to the United States and more specifically in Texas for the American Grand Prix which will be held in Austin.

    Lewis Hamilton needs to score 16 more points than Sebastian Vettel in order to secure his fourth title in his Formula 1 career, considering Ferrari’s performance in the last races, it is not an unachievable target for the British driver.

    Ferrari was not able to be competitive in Asia and now Lewis Hamilton has the upper hand in the drivers’ championship. Scuderia, must finish ahead of the two Mercedes if they want to stay in the game and go to Mexico, a track which suits Ferrari, with more confidence and hopes.

    Austin entered Formula 1 in 2012, it is an anti-clockwise circuit which is contained by 20 corners.  The 5.5 kilometre track, designed by Hermann Tilke in collaboration with local architects, the layout of the circuit was inspired by other tracks.

    Circuit of the Americas

    Laps: 56

    Circuit Length: 5.513 km

    Race Length: 308.405 km

    Lap Record: 1:39.347 (Sebastian Vettel – 2012)

    Pirelli will provide three tyre compounds to the teams, Ultrasoft (purple), Supersoft (Red) and Soft (Yellow).

    Lewis Hamilton is the only driver, on the grid, who have won more than once in COTA, Sebastian Vettel have won only one time in the American Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen’s best finish was second, whilst Daniel Ricciardo have finished two times on third place.

    Brendon Hartley will make his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso, the New Zealander will replace Pierre Gasly, who will race for the Super Formula series in Japan.

    Carlos Sainz will make his debut with Renault in COTA, the Spanish driver said:

    “I’m very excited to joining the team and I hope to hit the ground running. We have some hard work ahead of us going into Austin with lots of things to learn and many people to meet. I’m going to give everything to be on the pace as soon as possible even though I know it can take a bit of time to adapt, but I’m confident we can do it. It’s key to have this immediate taste with Renault and get to know the people and the car. It’s a big challenge, but it motivates me. We have this last push for the season and I have to find where the limit of the car is, get used to the steering wheel, things like that. That’s the procedure and I will embrace the challenge. It’s good to see the people at Enstone putting the work in to get back to the top. They can be sure all the effort being put in is being matched on my side of things and I will be pushing flat out to help the team. Austin is one of my favourite tracks and I had one of my best races in Formula 1 there last year, finishing sixth. I can go there with confidence as I know how to go fast in Austin. I just need that adaptation to the car and the engineers. The first sector is special, it’s one of these modern tracks which is well designed, very fast with quick changes of direction and high G-forces. I love these sort of tracks and it’s a good opportunity for me to test the limit of the R.S.17.”

    GP USA F1/2016 – AUSTIN (TEXAS) 20/10/2016
    © FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

    Red Bull Racing was competitive in the final races and they want to keep up the pace. The Bulls aiming for another podium, if Ricciardo finishes on the podium, it will Daniel’s 10th podium this season.

    “Everyone knows I love the city of Austin but I also love the circuit. It’s certainly unique with the wide apexes, you can pass in more than three areas, it’s fast, it flows well and it’s definitely one of the best tracks on the calendar for overtaking.In the city there is so much to see, I like going to the well-known places like Pete’s Piano Bar but also some of the more local places for live music and food. I have done Barton Springs, visited a ranch and this year I’m doing Austin City limits, there’s so much to do and it’s all so good.Some people are asking if I have a beard plan for Austin this year, I haven’t thought that far ahead yet but I still feel my little beard in 2014 was my best, so I might just bring that one back.”

    Watch Max Vertappen’s preview for the U.S. Grand Prix via Mobil 1 The Grid.

    I am expecting to see a fast and strong Lewis Hamilton who will give everything for the pole-position and the chequered flag, the British feel comfortable in COTA and he wants to secure his fourth title as soon as possible.

    Twitter * FP_Passion

  • Exclusive: Jakub Smrz Q&A: In BSB, It Is Not Easy to be Successful

    Image by Peter Backhurst

    There aren’t many riders who have been around for a long time and still have the determination to become champion but Jakub Smrz shows no signs of slowing down. He talks to us about his BSB life so far, his Lloyds and Jones/PR Racing team and his plans for the future.

    How have you found BSB so far?

    It has been difficult. In the beginning, it was very tricky, especially the tracks. There is nothing in Great Britain that resembles anything in World Superbikes. The tracks are so, so different. In addition, I spent a lot of my time in World Superbikes riding the Ducati. I also sustained a few injuries, which have held me back a little bit but now, we are getting better.

    British Superbikes in general is getting quicker and quicker, so it is definitely not easy to be successful. In FP2 at Brands Hatch, I was 18th in the session but only a second from the top. It was frustrating but I am enjoying it, especially this season. It is my 2nd season in the UK with the BMW and it is really nice. The atmosphere within the team is great and although the start was difficult, we as a team have grown and improved. The team in years gone by have not been very lucky and lacked experience with BMW.

    In the last couple of rounds, we have understood a lot more. It would be nice to start next season where we are now. It is going in the right direction and the main thing is that we improve each time, both me on the bike and the team in the garage.

    What are the main differences between a V-Twin and a 4-cylinder?

    Obviously, as you say, one has four cylinders and the other has two cylinders. You use a lot more torque with a V-Twin and with the Ducati, the chassis is different. The characteristics of the bike in general are just very different.

    The BMW is a difficult bike for me and it did take me a while to understand it and get used to the it, also with the BSB regulations. However, like I say earlier, it is going in the right direction, round by round and that is very important.

    How would you sum up BSB 2017 so far from your perspective?

    What we were aiming for was to get in the points in every race. We didn’t know this season would be so difficult but lets say, we score points quite regularly. Two races at Brands Hatch in July, I did not race because of an injury from a crash in FP3, with the bike being on the fence too.

    Given your World Superbike experience, are you surprised that you haven’t gone straight to the top?

    Of course, it is a little bit frustrating. In the past in World Superbikes, there are riders that are in front of me now that I would beat. I know this is different. Many riders race in the UK for a long time; they grow up here and ride the circuits so already, there is an advantage for them. I think I am  not far away now. Fingers crossed that we are better next season because I feel this season has gone quite well.

    How are the Lloyds and Jones/PR Racing Team to work with?

    I would say that they are probably the best team I have been with. It is a little family team with a little budget. I like to work with everyone in the team and hopefully, they like working with me! I feel really good and that is probably more important to me than having a big team with a bigger budget. What I like is that at the start of the season, we could see that things were going well and they have invested in the parts through the season. This has allowed us all to develop and work harder and for that, I am truly thankful of the team.

    Is a return to WSBK likely?

    Not at the moment, I think I still have things to do here and things to prove in the UK – not just to doubters but to myself too. I did World Superbikes for one round this season and it didn’t go very well. Things didn’t work out, especially with the bike. I am enjoying the racing a lot more in the UK. Even to be 18th, you have to be very fast! In WSBK, you can be 18th and one of the last riders and it just isn’t much fun.

    What are your plans for 2018?

    I can say that I am staying in the UK and hopefully with the Lloyds and Jones/PR Racing team.

    Image by: Peter Backhurst