Formula 1

The Albert Park venue in Melbourne is set to host Formula 1 in full for the first time since 2019, after the 2020 event was cut short by a positive COVID-19 case , and the 2021 running was called off altogether due to Australia's closed borders . The break in racing has allowed the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to complete significant works to the Albert Park layout aimed at creating more overtaking opportunities . Changes to the layout include Turn 9/10 being turned into a fast sweeping complex, while a number of other corners have been widened to increase apex speed. Read Also: Albert Park F1 layout changes explained Paired with the new-spec cars its expected the layout will be provide improved wheel-to-wheel racing. The circuit, mostly made up of public roads around Albert Park lake, has also been resurfaced for the first time since first hosting Formula 1 back in 1996. "Five seconds a lap quicker, but [with] the new-spec cars, closer racing," … [Read more...] about Albert Park Formula 1 modification works complete

Listen to this article If you had taken a glance at Super Formula’s rookie class of 2021 at the start of the season and guessed who would come out on top, you would have probably chosen Ritomo Miyata. After all, Super Formula Lights champion Miyata was stepping up to TOM’S to replace Nick Cassidy, and even qualified on the front row last year in his very first outing in the senior category as Kazuki Nakajima’s replacement at Okayama. But while Miyata failed to make it on the podium all year in a frustrating campaign, two other rookies with lesser reputations coming into the season ended up outscoring him fairly comfortably: Mugen driver Hiroki Otsu and Inging’s Sena Sakaguchi. Otsu coming away with Rookie of the Year honours and a race win – becoming only one of four drivers all year to stand on the top step of the podium – was one of the pleasant surprises of the season, considering there was a fair degree of scepticism coming into the campaign that he would do a better … [Read more...] about The Super Formula rookies that surpassed expectations

Listen to this article After a weather-disrupted first day of testing on Tuesday, both of Wednesday's sessions were held in dry conditions, with the morning's two-hour session being extended by 30 minutes. But it was at the end of the afternoon session that the majority of the fastest times were set, with Nakajima Racing driver Oyu leading the way on a 1m36.092s set as the chequered flag came out. That was more than half a second up on the pole time achieved by Nobuharu Matsushita during October's season finale at Suzuka, but the use of tyre warmers in the test makes comparisons irrelevant. Morning pacesetter Hiroki Otsu was second-fastest overall with a time 0.266s off the pace in his second day of running for Dandelion Racing, narrowly demoting Kondo Racing's Sacha Fenestraz to third. Hiroki Otsu, DANDELION RACING Photo by: Masahide Kamio Ryo Hirakawa (Impul) was a further thousandth of a second back in fourth place, with Matsushita going fifth-fastest for … [Read more...] about Oyu completes clean sweep in Suzuka Super Formula test

Three drivers were unable to take part in second practice for Formula E’s Rome EPrix following a freak crash at the end of the first session. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free NIO driver Oliver Turvey struck the stationary Techeetah of Jean-Eric Vergne as first practice came to an end. Vergne was part of a group of drivers waiting in a queue to perform practice starts. Turvey arrived on the scene at speed and struck Vergne’s car with enough force to rip the right-rear quarter off the Techeetah, tearing its driveshaft out, and heavily damage the front of his own machine. The NIO car then struck the BMW Andretti machine of Jake Dennis. Formula E confirmed the trio were unhurt in the crash. “I’m okay and all drivers are fine,” said Vergne. However the extent of the damage meant all three were unable to participate in the second practice session. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to take part in qualifying for the first of this weekend’s two … [Read more...] about Turvey hits stationary cars in freak Formula E practice crash · RaceFans

Channel 4 have signed a multi-year deal to become the exclusive broadcaster for Formula E in the UK with live coverage of all races. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Starting with the upcoming 2022 season of the all-electric racing series beginning in Saudi Arabia next weekend, Channel 4 will take over all live coverage of the championship across the UK. Coverage of races will be split across Channel 4’s network, with the majority of races shown live on Channel 4 or All4 and others broadcast live on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel. All qualifying sessions for each E-Prix will be shown live on Channel 4 Sport’s YouTube channel, with race highlights packages also shown on Channel 4 and All4. The existing English-language broadcast team of presenter Vernon Kay, reporter Nicki Shields and commentators Jack Nicholls and Dario Franchitti will remain as part of the new deal. Channel 4 have confirmed to RaceFans that their live coverage will be shown … [Read more...] about Channel 4 secures exclusive Formula E live broadcast rights for UK · RaceFans

Frederik Vesti will make his Formula 2 debut with ART after the team announced his promotion to the category with them this season. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The 20-year-old moves up from Formula 3 with the same ART team he raced for in the third-tier championship last year. After two seasons in F3, will compete alongside Theo Pourchaire in his first Formula 2 campaign. Together, Vesti and ART secured fourth place in last year’s FIA Formula 3 championship, with five podiums and a race victory. He also finished fourth in his first season in the series in 2020 with Prema, taking three wins in his debut year. Vesti described stepping up to Formula 2 as a “big thing” for his career. “We worked incredibly hard in F3 last season and to continue the progress into Formula 2 together is important for my next step,” said Vesti. “Now it is crucial to understand all the small details of Formula 2 to achieve the maximum in 2022.” Vesti’s graduation to … [Read more...] about Mercedes junior Vesti steps up to Formula 2 with ART · RaceFans

Listen to this article Firstly, what we did find out: in SUPER GT, there was the announcement of a ‘new model’ of NSX-GT to be used in the GT500 class this year, a clear reference to the NSX Type S-based car that has already been spied testing at Motegi even if the car itself remains officially under wraps. There was also the driver line-up, which confirmed the widely anticipated return to the Honda fold for Nobuharu Matsushita after a season at Nissan. Read Also: Matsushita 'surprised but happy' about Honda SUPER GT offer Likewise in Super Formula, the driver roster was revealed, albeit with two TBAs listed and a new team – Team Goh – that didn’t issue any official communique of its own until Tuesday. Earlier this week we wrote about Team Goh’s split from Mugen and who could fill its second cockpit . Since them, team boss Kazuhiro Ikeda has taken to Twitter to clarify the driver will be Japanese because of continued travel restrictions , in a boost to … [Read more...] about The SUPER GT and Super Formula questions Honda hasn’t answered

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown does not agree with the suggestion the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was proof of corruption in Formula 1. The 2022 campaign is fast approaching but Formula 1 cannot yet shake off the effects of how the 2021 title battle ended in Abu Dhabi. An investigation is ongoing into what happened at the season-ending grand prix as race director Michael Masi’s controversial use of the Safety Car directly contributed to Max Verstappen passing Lewis Hamilton on the final lap, thus clinching the World Championship. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the team probably will never get over what happened while Hamilton , who has been silent ever since, is reportedly still not certain to take his place on the 2022 grid. Masi had cleared only the lapped runners between Verstappen in P2 and leader Hamilton before restarting the race on the final lap, at which point Hamilton was a sitting duck as Verstappen had  stopped for fresh tyres. Hamilton called the result … [Read more...] about Brown does not agree Formula 1 is ‘corrupt’

Formula 1 raced on one of the shortest circuits to hold a round of the world championship when it visited Bahrain for the penultimate race of the season. Having already raced on the familiar grand prix layout the previous weekend, F1 took advantage of the opportunity to race on the shorter Outer circuit for its second race, the Sakhir Grand Prix. It produced one of the more exciting races of the year, though that was arguably not entirely due to the change in layout. Nonetheless should F1 use the curiously short circuit, with just four braking points on a flying lap, for future races? For It’s no coincidence that one of the livelier races of 2020 happened on the novel, short layout. The low and close lap times ensured the field did not spread out. It also meant teams had little time to react strategically and had to make decisions under greater pressure – resulting in the error which compromised Mercedes’ race. The regular grand prix layout is nothing special, but the Outer … [Read more...] about Poll: Should Formula 1 use Bahrain’s Outer circuit again? · RaceFans