ThePitcrewOnline

24th October 201626th June 2017

Wales Rally GB 2016

It’s time for the home rally, the penultimate WRC rally of the year! Twenty-two stages of action from Wales and also England this year for the first time since 1999. Now the weather looks much kinder than last year with low temperatures, but no rain. Last year it rained so much, it was really muddy out there. The stages were really slippery as well with Jari-Matti sliding out very early!

Last year’s result

1. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 3:03:02.0

2. Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle (DS 3 WRC) +26.0

3. Andreas Mikkelsen / Ola Floene (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +36.2

4. Dani Sordo / Marc Marti (Hyundai i20 WRC) +2:51.3

5. Hayden Paddon / John Kennard (Hyundai i20 WRC) +3:00.5

6. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +3:09.1

7. Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson (DS 3 WRC) +4:28.4

8. Stéphane Lefebvre / Stéphane Prévot (DS 3 WRC) +5:38.4

9. Robert Kubica / Maciek Szczepaniak (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +6:22.7

10. Lorenzo Bertelli / Lorenzo Granai (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +8:05.0

Here’s the details of each stage this year.

Friday 28th of October

Time

SS 1 Myherin 1 31.82 08:20

SS 2 Sweet Lamb 1 4.24 09:11

SS 3 Hafren 1 35.14 09:24

SS 4 Dyfnant 1 17.91 11:15

SS 5 Myherin 2 31.82 13:54

SS 6 Sweet Lamb 2 4.24 14:45

SS 7 Hafren 2 35.14 14:58

SS 8 Dyfnant 2 17.91 16:49

Friday Total KM 178.22

Saturday 29th October

Time

SS 9 Pantperthog 1 9.64 08:18

SS 10 Dyfi 1 21.12 08:51

SS 11 Gartheiniog 1 11.34 09:27

SS 12 Pantperthog 2 9.64 11:04

SS 13 Dyfi 2 21.12 11:37

SS 14 Gartheinog 2 11.34 12:13

SS 15 Aberhirnant 13.91 13:18

SS 16 Cholmondeley Castle 1.80 15:41

Saturday Total KM 99.91

Sunday 30th October

Time

SS 17 Clocaenog 1 7.70 08:31

SS 18 Brenig 1 7.93 09:08

SS 19 Alwen 1 10.41 09:28

SS 20 Clocaenog 2 7.70 10:33

SS 21 Alwen 2 10.41 11:14

SS 22 Brenig 2(Power Stage)7.93 12:08

Sunday Total KM 52.08

Total KM 330.21

A long event then and the stages at the end of Friday and Saturday will be run close to sunset as well. Now, if you recall, last year was won by Seb. He’ll be coming here to this hoping to repeat this. Competing for the last time this year will also be Kris and the Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT crew. It’s been a long time since we had a winner of the home event from these shores. Richard Burns and Robert Reid were the last in 2000, so I hope that Kris and Paul can challenge at the front. Of the current drivers, Jari-Matti and Seb have won the last five Rally GB between them with Jari-Matti in 2011 and 2012 and Seb the last three years

Here’s the views of the drivers ahead of this classic rally.

Volkswagen Motorsport

Sébastien Ogier (F), Julien Ingrassia (F)
Volkswagen Polo R WRC (2015)
WRC Rally Great Britain 2015

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1

“I am very happy to travel to the Rally Great Britain as world champion. However, I remain just as motivated, as we also want to defend the Manufacturers’ title for Volkswagen. The Wales Rally GB is one of the rallies that is the most steeped in history. It took me a while to find my feet in Wales. The learning process was probably longer here than at any other rally. I have won here three times since joining Volkswagen. After everything I’ve been through in Wales, I can now say that I feel right at home here. An important factor is, as it is every year, the weather. If no rain is predicted in the weather forecasts, you can actually still count on there being rain. I expect very wet and foggy routes, which are very typical for this time of year there. The fans are absolutely crazy, as thousands of spectators turned out to cheer us on every year, despite the poor weather. I am particularly looking forward to that.”

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2

“The rally in Wales is one of my very favourite rallies. As I was really quick on the gravel stages in Spain last time out, I will also be quick in Wales. I have no doubt about that. However, the season has been really difficult for me so far. As such, I hope I can finish strongly at the final two rounds of the season and make it into the top three in the Drivers’ Championship come the end of the year. The surface can be very tricky in Wales. If it has rained heavily overnight, the tracks can be very greasy and slippery for the cars starting further down the order. That is typical for Wales. However, this year’s rally starts two weeks earlier than in recent years, so I hope it will not rain quite as much. I drove my first rally there in 2002, so have greater experience in Wales than at any other rally – I am certain that I can challenge for victory there.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9

“I particularly like the layout of the special stages at the Rally Great Britain. I always enjoy driving there. Driving the Polo at the limit on the muddy, slippery surface is very tricky. Like every year, we will have to be prepared for rain and difficult conditions in Wales. The crash in Spain meant I dropped valuable points in the championship and my friend Thierry Neuville has drawn level on points with me in the Drivers’ Championship. It is going to be a tough battle with him for second place. My goal is obviously to be second come the end of the season. Anders and I will focus solely on our own performance and try to get the maximum out of the final two races. We have already had a few great battles with Thierry this season, and Wales will be no different.”

Hyundai Motorsport

Dani Sordo said: “Wales Rally GB is a special event for everyone. It’s a ‘big name’ event on the calendar and one where we all want to achieve success. Typically, the terrain is quite challenging. If it rains a lot, the conditions can get very muddy and slippery. I feel that we are well prepared with our car for this event. It offers good grip, so often it can be very enjoyable to drive in the wetter conditions. As always, I’ll try my best to compete near the front. We had an incredible rally in Spain – and it was fantastic to be in a fight for the victory. I will carry those feelings onto Wales and see what we can achieve.”

Thierry Neuville said: “Wales Rally GB is a very fast and exciting rally, especially with the narrow roads that go through the forest. It can, of course, be quite slippery as well. This is particularly an issue on the second pass when driving on wet gravel. It can make it very interesting, I can tell you! It’s a nice event and one we all enjoy a lot. To be competitive, you need to find a good rhythm early on, so that will be our first objective. We want to be challenging again for the podium – and to keep up our positive run of results.”

Hayden Paddon said: “Rally Spain was a valuable event for us. We really made some good progress on the tarmac stages, and that was rewarded with our best result on the surface. I am now ready for a return to the loose stuff, so I’m looking forward to Wales Rally GB. It’s an event I enjoy a lot. It reminds me a bit of being back in New Zealand with the Welsh forest, and of course being an English-speaking venue. Despite it being an enjoyable rally, I’ve never really been able to put together a good result. That is definitely something we want to rectify this year. Bring it on!”

D-Mack WRT

Ott Tänak said: “The Rally GB stages are great fun to drive and this year’s event will see us make quite a few new pace-notes as many stages are either new or reversed – and that’s always a challenge. We are back on gravel so the aim is like always – to go as fast as possible and be competitive like the other gravel rallies this year.”

Abu Dhabi Citroen WRT

Kris Meeke: “Wales Rally GB wasn’t initially part of my schedule, but the cancellation of Rally China means I’m able to take part and I’m delighted to do so! In the 1980s, I remember my first experience of rallying on television, watching the Group B cars tackling the stages of the RAC rally. This was also the first World Championship rally that I saw in person, in 1996, I think it was. At the time, I was spellbound as Colin McRae and Richard Burns sped by. It didn’t matter that you were standing in the darkness and the rain, with your feet in the mud! Then I competed in my very first rally on the Welsh stages and it was also here that I made my WRC debut in 2002. It’s the event that I know the best and I feel at home here. Last year, I secured a good result with second place, but we all know that the weather and the running order are more important in Wales than anywhere else! Obviously, the first car has an enormous advantage. Once the racing lines become covered with a layer of greasy, slippery mud, it doesn’t budge… Bearing in mind that we’re ninth on the road, it’s likely to be very difficult for us. In any case, I can’t wait to get started. All the stages are special in some way, but I particularly like Hafren, which we are going to contest in the opposite direction for the first time. For my final appearance of the year, I’ll be trying to enjoy driving the car as much as possible and hopefully take some momentum into 2017.”

Craig Breen: “I’m looking forward to racing on these stages again, which I have driven on many times in the British Rally Championship and during my five appearances at Wales Rally GB. I have a lot of good memories, the highlight probably being when I won the Junior WRC title in 2011 alongside Gareth Roberts, who was Welsh. In fact, the start line for Myherin – the opening stage this year – is exactly at the point where we won the title! Although this year’s rally is being held a few weeks earlier than usual, I’m not expecting the conditions to be especially different: rain, mud, fog, etc. Maybe we’ll see a few rays of sunshine, but it would be weird! The race conditions will have a huge influence on our ability to secure a good result. If our tenth place on the road became an advantage, I think I could fight for a podium spot, like in Finland. We’ll start the rally with a positive mindset and we’ll see what we can do.”

Stéphane Lefebvre: “Two months after Rallye Deutschland, I’m happy to be back behind the wheel of a WRC. It’s an important weekend, both in terms of finding my speed again and acquiring experience for 2017. With Gilles de Turckheim, who will be my co-driver in Wales as Gabin Moreau continues his recovery, we took part in recce at Rally de España and we have done a lot of work preparing for the Welsh stages. I feel ready to drive at 100%, on a rally that I really like. My last two outings here were in four-wheel drive cars and I was quick despite the difficult conditions. I remember driving on my first gravel stage, at night and in the rain… and I enjoyed it! At first, the stages don’t seem that difficult. It looks like a series of straight sections and a few more or less muddy changes in direction. In the race, however, you realise that you hit the turns a lot quicker than expected and the car doesn’t always stop in the way you intended! You have to ‘read’ the grip changes to stay on the limit without overstepping it. It’s a little bit like the kind of conditions you get in the north of France, but on gravel. I hope I can have a consistent race, with a steady gap to the leaders.”

Quentin Gilbert: “I really like this event for the stages, the difficult conditions and the atmosphere. I have some bearings from having competed here three times before. I have also been lucky enough to drive a WRC in the French Championship. I know what to expect in terms of power, braking and handling. So I won’t be starting from scratch next weekend! The team is doing everything it can to make my job easier, working in precise detail on my position behind the wheel and running a test session, which will help me get used to the car. On my side, I have been preparing by stepping up my physical training and working on on-board camera footage. I’m trying to take on board as much information as possible so I can be in my element at the start. As regards my objectives for the weekend, I know that I can’t compete with the drivers who have been racing in the WRC all season. The most important thing for me is to improve on the stages as the rally progresses to reduce the gap to the leaders by the end. I would like to thank Citroën Racing and Abu Dhabi Total WRT for this incredible opportunity and I hope I can prove my worth.”

M-Sport WRT

2016 FIA World Rally Championship / Round 12 / RallyRACC Catalunya – Rally de Espagna 2016 / October 13 – 16, 2016 // Worldwide Copyright: M-Sport/McKlein

Mads Østberg said:

“We’ve learnt a lot on the last few Tarmac rallies, but I must admit that it feels good to be going back to gravel – and to one of my favourite events on the calendar.

“There is something special about Wales Rally GB and we really want to be back challenging for the podium. I’ve always enjoyed these stages and I’ve been competitive on them too. I’ve been on the podium twice before, and the aim is to be in a position to fight for those top positions again this year.

“The stages really are fantastic. They’re so fast and smooth and you can get into a really good rhythm. They’re actually quite similar to some of the stages we find in Norway, so I definitely feel at home in Wales. The key is to feel comfortable and confident in the tricky conditions, and that’s what we’ll be aiming to do.

“The event is a little earlier this year so we could actually see a dry rally which would be amazing. I’ve done the rally in the dry once before and it was brilliant. But whatever the weather, I really don’t mind, I’m just looking forward to throwing the car into those fast gravel corners!”

Éric Camilli said:

“Wales Rally GB is a really special event for me, and it will be even more special this year as it’s the home rally for my team. They have been so supportive this season, and it would mean a lot to repay them with a good result next week.

“We’ve only competed in Wales once before – in WRC 2 – but we were competitive from the start and came really close to the win. This year will be completely different, but I’m looking forward to it and to building on our gravel performances from earlier in the year.

“The stages are really fast and flowing and even in the wet the grip levels can be surprisingly high. We’ll need to take some time to discover how a world rally car handles and reacts to the conditions, but we always want to do our maximum.

“The most important thing is to finish the event, but if the feeling is there, it will be nice to push the limits and see how far we’ve come.”

So, this will be the swansong for the DS3 WRC as well. A very successful car over the years. Can it sign out with at least a podium place? Can Jari-Matti get a third victory?

We shall find out! Enjoy the event!

Warren Nel

24th October 20163rd July 2017

Rossi completes heroic fightback to 2nd, Lorenzo up to 6th

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi took the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to another level today, with a charge through the field from 15th on the grid to a stunning second place. Teammate Jorge Lorenzo overcame the challenges thrown at him this weekend by pushing hard from 12th on the grid and brought his YZR-M1 over the line in sixth place.

Rossi made a good start to the race at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as he jumped two places to 13th on the opening lap. Overtaking Scott Redding and Maverick Viñales, the Doctor fought his way past Nicky Hayden as he continued to battle his way to the front of the field. Having climbed up to eighth, he was trailing teammate Jorge Lorenzo, who he quickly overtook on lap three and then the pair smoothly pulled ahead of Danilo Petrucci.

Rossi gradually closed down the 0.4s margin to tack onto the back of Andrea Dovizioso and Pol Espargaró’s bikes. He then put the hammer down and set a provisional fastest lap of 1’29.795s, leaving behind his two rivals a lap later. He kept pushing in fourth place, trying to bridge the 0.4s gap to Aleix Espargarò and a podium finish.

As Rossi wrestled his way past Aleix Espargaró, drama struck as Marc Marquez crashed out of the lead on lap nine, handing the Italian second place.

The fight for the win was now between the nine-time World Champion and Cal Crutchlow, who was a little more than two seconds ahead of him. The Doctor was eager to hunt down the Briton, but the chase to the front of the field in the early stages of the race had taken its toll on his soft front tyre. Rossi decided to focus on maintaining his position after a small mistake on the brakes and cruised to a stunning second place, +4.218s from the front.

Lorenzo had a superb start from twelfth on the grid and quickly stormed to ninth in the opening laps. The Mallorcan was fully aware that his teammate and Viñales would be soon joining him at the front of the pack and hurried to deal with Stefan Bradl and Jack Miller two laps into the race for seventh place. A lap later Lorenzo was forced to let Rossi and Viñales through and followed them past Petrucci, but was unable to keep up with their pace.

With Marquez crashing at the front, the remaining second half of the race was a lonely ride for Lorenzo in sixth place, with a significant gap to both the bike in front and the back of him. Lorenzo focused on keeping the heat in his tyres to bring home some solid points and crossed the line +20.125s from the front.

Thanks to his stunning ride today, Rossi stays in second place in the championship with 216 points. He thereby increases the advantage over his teammate Lorenzo to 24 points, whose sixth place sees his points total raised to 192.

Rossi: Cal was too fast

“This morning we discovered that we had a good pace in good conditions and step by step I came back. At the beginning of the race, the first lap was very funny and I tried and hoped to go to Cal, but he was too fast and too strong. The first ten laps I enjoyed a lot. Cal was also my target and I thought that I could beat him because this morning I was a bit stronger. When I saw Marquez crash I thought I might be able to win and tried but unfortunately Cal was too fast. He is always very fast in Phillip Island and interprets this track in the maximum way. For me the second half of the race was more difficult and I couldn’t make a move, but this race is what we needed after the mistake in Motegi and the bad day we had yesterday, which I think was the most frustrating day of the season. It was a very positive day for the team and Yamaha and it’s been a positive race. Congratulations to Cal and thank you to all my team, to all the guys who did a great job.”

Lorenzo: The grip level drop on the rear tyre was huge

“The temperatures were the same as during the warm-up and we gave more or less the same performance and I made the same lap times, a 1’30.4s. The grip level drop on the rear has been huge, from the beginning I didn’t have grip, but that’s the way it is. As soon as the track has less grip, we struggle more and the problems we have with the bike double or triple. In Malaysia we shouldn’t have a problem with the cold, or grip as the track is new. It should have more grip than last year so I really look forward to a better result.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

24th October 20163rd July 2017

Hamilton untouchable in Texas

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

Lewis Hamilton has ended a win drought stretching back to July with an unassailable performance at the Circuit of the Americas. Starting from his first pole position at the Austin track, Hamilton led the field away cleanly and settled into a race of his own from the first corner onwards, leading almost every lap to take victory by four and a half seconds.

For Hamilton, who is fighting just to stay in contention of what many feel is already Nico Rosberg’s championship, his fiftieth career win was a crucial one. As the season approaches a string of races dominated by Rosberg last year, it was vital Hamilton assert himself at the US Grand Prix and turn the pressure back around onto his teammate.

But Hamilton was unable to do too much damage to Rosberg’s championship lead, as the German recovered from a bad start to finish second.

Having secured a front row start, Rosberg was aiming to do as his teammate had done to him before and jump Hamilton into Turn 1. But when Hamilton reached the apex first Rosberg was forced to try around the outside – only to find he’d left too inviting a gap for Daniel Ricciardo, who edged up the inside into second position.

But despite pulling away from Rosberg early on, Ricciardo’s race was compromised when Max Verstappen stopped beside the track with a gearbox problem and triggered a virtual safety car. With an effectively free pit stop in hand, Rosberg was easily able to regain second place from Ricciardo and then pull away on fresher tyres to a buffer of fifteen seconds.

The Silver Arrows’ respective results means the title battle closes up to twenty-six points in Rosberg’s favour – still a big enough advantage for the German to take the crown without winning again this season, but close enough for one DNF to open things right back up again.

James Matthews

23rd October 20163rd July 2017

Dear Marco…

Dear Marco,

We hope that you are keeping the party lit up there. I can just imagine you now, with even longer, curly hair, carrying out a practical joke or telling a funny story. I bet you’ve made some amazing friends in the sky, mixing with your flatmates who also got there too soon, as well as the ones who have turned up over your five-year occupancy. You, Luis and Shoya, to name all but a few. What a night out.

It’s 5 years today since we parted company. You fought until the very end, but not even you could prevent the final chapter this time. I often reminisce over the 3rd lap of your final race. At first, unusually, I thought it was Hiroshi, your teammate and former rival back in the 250cc class. However, I soon realised that it was you, lying there, with your head down against the sun-baked, Malaysian asphalt. It was strange because I was more impressed with Valentino’s save than anything else, because in the back of my mind, I never considered that you would never be able to race or breathe again.

I wonder if you know how much of an impact you had on MotoGP? You took Gilera to their last world title in Grand Prix, as well as becoming the last Italian to win a championship in the intermediate class. You have a track named after you, and now your dad has entered a Moto3 team for next season. Oh, yes, Moto3. We moved from 2-stroke 125cc bikes to 4-stroke 250cc machines as the lightweight class now. They sound like a swarm of wasps but they provide racing that is so like your style. Arms and knees everywhere, pushing through at every chance. You’d be so proud.

I wonder what you would be doing sometimes, in scenarios during races but also what you’d say to some of the controversial situations that MotoGP has found itself involved in. I want to know how many race wins, poles, fastest laps and championships you’d have to your name by now. I want to know if number 58 on the bike would have changed to number 1 on the bike, or even, if you’d have changed manufacturers, and how many great battles you’d have won.

I wonder if you stay up late, watching over the season reviews at the end of every year. Just like me; desperate to stick on the DVD which condenses over 7 months of racing down to just 4 hours of drama. I wonder if you have gatherings, going out with your pals upstairs on pocket bikes, or maybe even visit some nice monuments if your age has got the better of you.

I wonder if you are reading this. Because I hope that somehow you are. I wanted to say that we miss you very, very much. If we could see you back on the grid, we would adore you (not that we didn’t anyway). We would do absolutely anything to get you to sign one more t-shirt, or even take one more ‘selfie’, that you may or may not have heard of. It is the Australian Grand Prix today; the last event MotoGP would see your flamboyancy and style on the podium. Whatever you do, try and watch it. Make sure your mates are around too, don’t be too selfish now.

We will meet again one day Marco, but for now, its Ciao. We miss you.

Yours Faithfully,

Millions of MotoGP fans worldwide

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

20th October 20163rd July 2017

COTA Pit Patter

Formula 1

October 20, 2016

“As the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” ride into Texas this weekend, let’s take a closer look at who I am talking about: THE GOOD: The skill

and bravery of the drivers, mechanics, and race marshals. THE BAD:

Rules such as engine and gearbox changes resulting in the hard-earned

grid position of a driver to be taken away from him, which not only

unfairly penalises the driver, but confuses the public. THE UGLY: The

haters, those who insult and degrade ANY of the drivers, all of whom

perform to a level that we could never, ever, attain ourselves – that

is precisely they are Formula One drivers, and we are not. Finally…

ENJOY!

Picture courtesy of Pirelli Motorsport

20th October 20163rd July 2017

Hamilton under pressure to keep in touch of title

GP USA F1/2015 – 23/10/15
© FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO PER PIRELLI MEDIA (© COPYRIGHT FREE)

There’s no doubt about it – Nico Rosberg is on a roll. After taking his ninth win of the season and fourth in five races at the last round in Japan, the championship leader is enjoying his greatest run of form to date as he closes on his maiden F1 World Drivers’ Championship.

With such momentum behind him, Rosberg could easily be considered the favourite for victory in the United States Grand Prix this weekend, with the anxiety of challenging at a Hamilton heartland considerably assuaged by his recent dominant performances in Singapore and Suzuka.

But in reality, Rosberg doesn’t need to win in Austin to win the championship – in fact, he doesn’t need to take a single victory for the rest of the season. With his Japanese Grand Prix win giving him a thirty-three point lead over Lewis Hamilton, Rosberg could finish second to his teammate for each of the remaining four rounds and still claim the title by five points. As much as Rosberg insists he is still looking at each race in isolation, it would be naïve to think that he hasn’t at least passingly considered laying back and letting the inherent pace of his W07 Hybrid carry him this final mile.

But on the other hand, the significance of laying down another emphatic win at one of his teammate’s favoured circuits will surely figure strongly in Rosberg’s mind this weekend – as will, no doubt, the prospect of settling a few scores with Hamilton regarding last year’s controversial first corner contact.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Hamilton approaches this final leg of the 2016 season. It’s simply not in the defending champion’s mindset to back down and concede this hasn’t been his year – but at the same time, he will be all too aware that doing his best might not be enough to prevail this time.

Hamilton’s best hopes arguably lie with Rosberg suffering a Malaysia-style DNF, or at the least some qualifying trouble to drop him down the order for Sunday. But those odds are far too long to bet a world championship on, and if Hamilton is still aiming to come out the victor in November he will have to race strategically from here on out.

He will know from past experience that he has the edge over Rosberg in wheel-to-wheel combat; and will also know that if he asserts himself from the start – as in last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, for example – he has a good chance of seeing the German get swallowed up by the chasing pack.

Such tactics are not without their risk, of course – one overly aggressive defence could easily see the Briton losing out instead, and potentially incurring the ire of both the stewards and the Mercedes team. But at this late stage of the championship and with the odds stacked so resolutely against him, what has Hamilton got to lose?

James Matthews

20th October 20163rd July 2017

There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home…

In the same week where The Smithsonian has launched a campaign on Kickstarter to raise $300,000 USD aimed at preserving the ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in the beloved 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”, the Haas F1 team clicked its collective heels together and after 17 races finally gets to come home.

It took nearly eight months but the first F1 team based in the United States in 30 years gets to race on its home soil as the Formula One circus takes over The Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend.

Weather is not expected to play nearly the role in this year’s race weekend as the forecast calls for only slight chances of scattered showers as opposed to the monsoon-like thunderstorms that washed out one practice session and pushed qualifying to race morning last year.

Haas F1 Team are coming off a tough Asian swing that finished on a bit of a high note as both Haas drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutiérrez made into Q3 for the Japanese Grand Prix 2 weeks ago in Suzuka.

Haas F1 Team comes into the fourth to last race of the 2016 season as the most successful new Formula One team in recent memory. The 28 points Haas F1 Team has earned so far this season are the most of any new team in this millennium.

Delivering those points to Haas F1 Team has been Romain Grosjean. The veteran Formula One driver will make his 100th career start in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix. In COTA’s second Formula One race in 2013, Grosjean finished a career-best second for Lotus F1 team.

Grosjean’s teammate, Esteban Gutiérrez, has been knocking on the door of a points-paying finish all season long with five 11th-place finishes, each one spot shy of a coveted Formula One point. Gutiérrez looks to break that streak at COTA before heading to his own homecoming a week later – the Mexican Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

Gene Haas – Team Owner

“As an American team, having an F1 race on American soil is incredibly important,” Haas said. “We come to COTA having scored some points and proving that we can hold our own with the established teams of Formula One. We’re looking forward to our first home race.”

Guenther Steiner – Team Principal

After a run of misfortune in Singapore and Malaysia, Haas F1 Team righted the ship in Japan. You put both cars into the final round of qualifying for the first time in team history. Even though no points were scored in the race, the speed of the cars and their balance was on full display. How much confidence does this give you entering the United States Grand Prix?

“It’s difficult to say, but I think we learned a lot again. We keep on learning. We found a good balance for the car. With our new front wing we figured out how to set that one up. I hope we can do well in Austin like we did in Japan, but nothing is for sure. You know, everybody else will do a good job. So, we will see where we come out. The thing is we know the car can be quick. We just need to get the best out of it.”

How significant is the upgraded front wing to the car’s overall performance?

“I think it was very significant. The delay in getting it to work is like when you are at a grand prix and you have problems in FP1 and FP2 – you focus on trying to find out what the tire is doing and the data on the tire and basic things. You cannot develop a new part on the car. We had problems in FP1 and FP2 in Singapore and Malaysia, so we didn’t do a good job of finding out about the wing. But in Japan, we had good practice sessions and, sure enough, the wing came alive in Japan.”

You’ve had some milestone moments in Haas F1 Team’s inaugural season. How important was it to get both cars into the final round of qualifying in Japan after coming tantalizingly close all season long?

“In F1, getting into Q3 – it’s one of the things you need to do on speed. You don’t get lucky to get in there. In the race there are other circumstances, but on a one-time lap you need to be fast. For me, it means as much as achieving points at the first race in Australia. To get both cars into Q3 is fantastic and I think everyone on the team would agree. I wouldn’t say we were surprised because we felt like we were very good. We got it done. It was a fantastic moment. ”

Romain Grosjean – Driver #8 VF-16

The United States Grand Prix will be your 100th Formula One start. It’s quite a milestone. What are your thoughts on achieving this mark?

“Yes, it’s great. To be fair, when I started in Formula One I thought it’ll just be one race after the other, then here we are at 100 grands prix, 10 podium finishes, a few points and lots of good memories, and some a little more difficult. The good thing is, I don’t know when I’m going to stop, but I think I’ve still got plenty of room in front of me to keep going and to keep trying to win. Definitely 100 grands prix is quite something in my lifetime.”

Driving for an American team, how appropriate is it that your 100th start comes on American soil?

“For us, it couldn’t be better. I’m so proud to be part of this team and so proud to be able to bring the cars into Q3 in qualifying and bring points to the team. We’ve been working very hard and everyone is really giving 100 percent. It probably means more for us than other people.”

When you first began racing, just getting to Formula One was the goal. Now you’re here and you’re established. What do you want to achieve next — for yourself and for Haas F1 Team?

“For myself, I want to be world champion, ideally twice. That’s been my dream since I started. I always wanted to be in Formula One but, on top of that, I want to be world champion. For Haas, the first goal was to score points and the second one was a top-five finish. We’ve done those two. The next goal is to be wearing the team’s colors on the podium. That would be very nice. I’d like to bring the first win to the team, which would be unbelievable. I think the whole idea is wonderful and having the support of Gene (Haas) means a lot to all of us. The way Guenther (Steiner) and all the people involved are running the team is just something very special. I want to be the driver that everyone remembers at Haas.”

In joining Haas F1 Team, you took a leap of faith in the vision Gene Haas had for an American Formula One team. What has it been like to be a part of this endeavor and what makes Haas F1 Team different from other Formula One teams?

“It’s been a great adventure. From day one I liked Gene’s approach to Formula One and to the sport. He knows what he’s talking about, so that made me think it would be a great adventure. We have had ups and downs, as you would expect, but generally it’s been a wonderful first year. I still have a lot of faith in the team and I think the future is going to be bright for us.”

Esteban Gutiérrez – Driver #21 VF-16

You’re racing for an American team in the United States Grand Prix. Because of that, does walking into the paddock at COTA and driving out of the garage and onto the track take on greater significance or give you an added sense of pride?

“It’s important to represent America around the world, but now that we get back home and go to Austin for the U.S. Grand Prix, it’s something very special because we are on American soil. That gives a special touch to our weekend. More motivation and great energy from the people to achieve a fantastic result.”

Last year at COTA you were a reserve driver with Scuderia Ferrari and a week away from being named as a driver for Haas F1 Team. As you return to COTA for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, can you reflect on what this season has been like?

“It’s been very challenging, but very positive in many ways. During the first year the team has scored points. We’ve faced a lot of downsides or technical issues that we had to solve together as a team in many races. There have been a lot of challenges, but at the same time, scoring points and making it into the Q3 has been very special as a new team, and I am sure that this success will bring the team forward in the coming years.”

At COTA, you’re representing an American team on American soil. Next week at the Mexican Grand Prix, you’re representing your home country in your home race. How big are these two weeks for you?

“It’s going to be an intensive experience – something that I will enjoy so much because it’s probably the two most special events for me this year. It comes at a great time of the year where we can share all this passion with all the people that have been supporting us from America and from Mexico.”

When you first competed at COTA, what did you think of the venue?

“I thought it was fantastic. It was the United States Grand Prix, but it was also like a Mexican Gran Prix. A lot of Mexicans went there. It’s not far away from my hometown, and that made it a very nice combination because America makes very great events and the atmosphere was very special. I could not have asked for a better experience. Now that we have a full United States Grand Prix and then a full Mexican Grand Prix, the experiences are more intense.”

Did You Know?

The United States Grand Prix dates back to 1950 when the Indianapolis 500 counted as a round of the world championship. Eleven times from 1950 to 1960, points scored at Indy were added to a Formula One driver’s season tally. And in 1959 America hosted two Formula One races when in addition to Indianapolis, the United States Grand Prix was held at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway. It served as the ninth and final round of the 1959 season. In 1960, Formula One moved to Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway before finally settling down for a 20-year tenure at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International from 1961 to 1980. From 1976 to 1980, Watkins Glen was joined by Long Beach, California, on the Formula One schedule, with the United States Grand Prix West taking place until 1983. After Watkins Glen fell of the calendar, Las Vegas took its place for two seasons (1981-1982) with the Caesars Palace Grand Prix being held on its hotel parking lot. In 1982. America hosted three Formula One races when in addition to Long Beach and Las Vegas, Detroit was added to the schedule. Detroit hosted Formula One on a bumpy street circuit for seven years, with its last grand prix coming in 1988. Dallas made a one-race appearance in 1984 when Fair Park was converted to a Formula One circuit for the Dallas Grand Prix. Phoenix was next up for Formula One from 1989 to 1991 before a nine-year absence of the sport from America’s shores. But then Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George built a road course within the confines of the historic 2.5-mile oval and Formula One returned with the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis from 2000 to 2007. Sadly, very sadly for this Indy native, Formula One in America fell of the calendar again. It wasn’t until COTA was constructed in 2011, becoming the first purpose-built Formula One facility in the United States, that Formula One was able to return to America with the 2012 United States Grand Prix. Since then, COTA has been America’s one and only home for Formula One.

Pirelli is bringing three tire compounds to COTA:

P Zero White medium – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)
P Zero Yellow soft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and initial portion of qualifying)
P Zero Red supersoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)

Two of the three available compounds must be used during the race. Teams are able to decide when they want to run which compound, adding an element of strategy to the race. A driver can also use all three sets of Pirelli tires in the race, if they so desire.

Pirelli provides each driver 13 sets of dry tires for the race weekend. Of those 13 sets, drivers and their teams can choose the specifications of 10 of those sets from the three compounds Pirelli selected. The remaining three sets are defined by Pirelli – two mandatory tire specifications for the race (one set of P Zero White mediums and one set of P Zero Yellow softs) and one mandatory specification for Q3 (one set of P Zero Red supersofts).

Haas F1 Team’s drivers have selected the following amounts:

Grosjean: one set of P Zero White mediums, five sets of P Zero Yellow softs and seven sets of P Zero Red supersofts
Gutiérrez: two sets of P Zero White mediums, four sets of P Zero Yellow softs and seven sets of P Zero Red supersofts

Eric Barnes @ebarnes442

Image Courtesy of me.

19th October 20163rd July 2017

Bridewell signs off 2016 with solid results

The Bennetts Suzuki team and Tommy Bridewell ended the 2016 MCE British Superbike championship season with a top-five finish at the Brands Hatch triple-header following an eventful and unpredictable weekend.

Bridewell qualified on pole position for the first of the weekend’s races, which started in dry conditions but was red-flagged early on with the team battling for the race lead. Restarted twice, eventually in wet conditions, the race ended with Bridewell taking the chequered flag in fifth place.

Sunday’s action got underway in mixed conditions and on a drying track. After a tricky opening half of the race that saw Bridewell drop to the latter point-scoring positions, he recovered as the race went on, coming back through the pack to finish in eighth place.

The final race of the 2016 British Superbike season was again not without drama, as the first attempt to run the season finale was red-flagged. Track contamination at Hawthorn delayed the restart, which eventually got underway as a 10-lap sprint race, but with a ‘no overtaking zone’ at the end of the back straight onto the GP section of the Brands Hatch circuit.

Bridewell made a strong start, but a mistake at Druids saw him run wide, costing him lots of time and also track position. Showing the fighting spirit he’s shown all season, he put his head down, and even with the race running over a shortened distance, he recovered to take another eighth place.

Tommy Bridewell: We’ve had a good year

“That was an okay way to end the year. The weather’s really played havoc with us this weekend because we improved the bike and were fast in the dry and fast in the wet, but I need to improve my performance when it’s the in-between. As I got into it in both of today’s races our lap times were up there with the fastest out there, and we could catch people, pass them, and gap them, but by coming from so far behind there was only so much I could do. The results this weekend haven’t been what we were hoping for, but we’ve had a good year. We’ve had some bad luck, but through the second half of the season especially, we’ve been fast. Our biggest area of weakness this year was the initial punch out of corners. I think I’ve only ever really been passed in a straight line this year, because on the brakes and in the corners we’ve been so strong and the bike’s been brilliant. But I’ve had a great year with the team, I’ve had a lot of fun with everyone and really enjoyed my racing.”

Martin Halsall – Team Owner: Happy to have a solid end to the year

“This weekend’s been a bit up and down, not too unlike our season to be fair. It can sometimes take a bit of time to get going with new riders in a team, but after a little bit of a slow start, we’ve been a consistent runner at the sharp end of races in the second half of the season. Some bad luck has also cost us, and certainly cost us a place in the Showdown this year, but on the whole, if you look at the form guide over the second half of the year, Tommy has been one of the fastest riders out there, all on the outgoing GSX-R1000. We were confident going into this weekend, and it was brilliant to get Pole in qualifying. Come the races, all three took place in some fairly iffy conditions, ranging from treacherous on Saturday to the in between stuff we’ve had today, and we’ve seen what it can do to the field, with lots of regular front-runners struggling at various points, so to get fifth and a pair of eighths isn’t bad. We were hoping for more, but the weather can make it a bit of a lottery, so we’re happy to have a solid end to the year.

“Now I will go away and start preparations for 2017. I have a lot to consider and a lot of work to do to make sure we have a team structure and package in place for next year to make sure we can build on our performances this year and push on to fight for the Showdown and hopefully the championship in the future.”

Kiko Giles @MotoGPKiko

Photo Credit to Gareth Davies

19th October 20163rd July 2017

Hayden: I love Phillip Island!

Nicky Hayden is set to return to the premier class for the second time this season. However, unlike last time, he will be riding for the Repsol Honda team, replacing the injured Dani Pedrosa. Hayden started his MotoGP career on a Repsol Honda, taking the world championship in 2006 before leaving at the end of the 2008 campaign.

“First of all my best wishes to Dani, I’m sure he will come back stronger than ever like he always does. For me it’s crazy hard work but it’s a chance, ten year after winning my World Title, to get back to my old “dream team”! Doing a week-end in Phillip Island on a factory Honda, it’s pretty emotional for me to even think about it, and I’m very grateful for this opportunity and the trust that Honda gives me. I want also to thank my current team for allowing me to go and do this, and the sponsors. Everybody worked a lot on every detail to make it possible for me so now I’m excited to get on a plane, to get down to Phillip Island and hopefully I can do a good job for the team. Regarding Phillip Island there are two things to always consider, the weather and the tyres but it’s a track I love and I can’t wait to ride the bike there. Let’s get started on Friday morning and go forward”.

Hayden is familiar with the Australian circuit, having raced there in the first part of his MotoGP career and also earlier this year, making his debut in World Superbike Championship for Honda.

19th October 20163rd July 2017

Hernandez back to Moto2 with AGR

The Argiñano & Ginés Racing Team has started to give shape to its 2017 project. The first agreement is with Colombian Yonny Hernández (25/7/1988, Medellín), who is now riding a Ducati in MotoGP. Hernández arrived to the World Championship in Moto 2 and stayed in the class for two seasons, 2010 and 2011, before jumping to the highest class, where he has been for 5 seasons, one of them with Ducati.

The Moto2 class is now very different from how it was when Yonny was here. He will have the most competitive prototype up to now, the Kalex. The 6th place is his first objective, as it was his best result, achieved in 2011 (5th on the grid). Apart from a fastest lap in race.

Yonny Hernández competed in a total of 31 races in Moto2 and up to now he has competed in 84 in MotoGP, with a 5th as a best result on the grid and a 7th place as final race result. His name had already been in the list of possible riders for the team, as he caught the attention of our former Sports Director Ginés Guirado (RIP).

Yonny Hernández: I Hope to Fight at the Top

“I’m very grateful and looking forward to be part of this team and this new project. I hope I will be able to fight to be on top. This is a new challenge for me, I hope things go well and we are able to do a good job together”.

Iker Burutxaga, Team Manager: We will confirm the next steps soon

“We’re very happy with this acquisition for next year. We’re sure that we have chances to be on top with Yonny. We’ll work hard to help him adapt as soon as possible. We are very happy with this first step of the AGR project for 2017, of which we’ll confirm the next steps in the next few weeks”.