As part of a push by the FIA to slow cars down for this year, a number of changes were made to the regulations to cut downforce. A section of floor has been removed ahead of the rear wheels, plus new restrictions have been imposed on brake ducts and diffuser dimensions. With downforce cut by up to 10%, the cars have been slowed – and Leclerc has noticed a change in approach even if the 2021 challengers do not require an all-new style. "In terms of driving [style] there were no changes, but there is something different," he said in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com's Italian site. "You have to push a little less when entering corners, because the rear of the car is more difficult to manage due to the modified floor." Leclerc is a driver who likes the rear end of his cars to be loose, as it allows him better rotation in the corners. It was believed to be a factor in why he struggled much less with last year's Ferrari than then teammate Sebastian Vettel. … [Read more...] about Leclerc: 2021 cars more difficult to manage on corner entry
Autonomous driving cars
How sportscar ace Habsburg is speeding to save trees in 2021
Racing is something I’ve been doing intensely for the past 12 years since I started karting when I was 11. In that period of my life, I had school that I had to complete until I was 17, and then after that I was just fully focusing on racing all the way. This year, I’ve moved from the DTM into LMP2, and will be racing in the European Le Mans Series with Algarve Pro Racing alongside Richard Bradley and Diego Menchaca, and in the FIA World Endurance Championship with WRT alongside Robin Frijns and Charles Milesi. That’s really exciting, but I’ve also noticed in my personality that sometimes I need a change of scenery to keep my mind clear. And I noticed that I benefit from having other hobbies beyond racing, and that the trend with me is for them to be quite orientated around nature, like surfing, mountain climbing, mountain biking or hiking. Now that I’m racing everywhere, I’ve also noticed the waste that we produce and leave behind. I’m a big fan of racing, and what drives … [Read more...] about How sportscar ace Habsburg is speeding to save trees in 2021
U.S. drivers, teams make a mark at Le Mans
Drivers and teams from the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the Continental Tire Challenge made a positive impression at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France, before a worldwide TV, radio and online audience, as well as a record crowd of 263,500 spectators there in person for the 83rd running of the race. At the top of the list: The No. 64 Corvette Racing team of Tommy Milner, Oliver Gavin and Jordan Taylor, who drove their Chevrolet Corvette C7.R to the Corvette team’s eighth victory in the tough GTE Pro class. Milner and Gavin are regulars in the TUDOR Championship No. 4 Corvette GT Le Mans entry, and guest driver Taylor co-drives the family-owned No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette Daytona Prototype with brother Ricky. “I’m obviously a little speechless about the whole thing,” Jordan Taylor said. “The goal in sports car racing and almost any kind of in motorsports in general is to win Le Mans. To win with Chevrolet and Corvette Racing as an American … [Read more...] about U.S. drivers, teams make a mark at Le Mans
How to finish second after running back to the F1 pits
Having qualified only sixth, Ferrari’s Jean Alesi didn’t much look like a contender for victory when he made an awful getaway and made matters worse by spinning at Turn 1, narrowly missing his teammate Gerhard Berger but succeeding in causing a chain-reaction crash behind him – Tyrrell’s Mika Salo being rear-ended by a flying Luca Badoer (Minardi). Ligier’s Olivier Panis went off on the outside of the corner, after contact with Pierluigi Martini’s Minardi. More chaos ensued further around the lap, with Johnny Herbert’s Benetton clashing with Rubens Barrichello, who was in turn collected by the luckless Badoer. Jean Alesi, Ferrari 412T2 Photo by: Sutton Images Jean Alesi, Ferrari 412T2 Photo by: Motorsport Images With cars littering the track, Alesi – whose Ferrari was stranded on the apex kerb – suddenly realized the race was being red flagged and ran back to the pits. Barrichello did likewise, having the sense to grab the seat from his stricken car before … [Read more...] about How to finish second after running back to the F1 pits
Porsche 911 Turbo S Drag Races Itself In New Vs Old
Porsche progress personified. The Porsche 911 Turbo S is one of the quickest cars money can buy. With every generation, Porsche somehow finds a way to improve the performance figures of the 911 Turbo S with the latest 992 generation representing the latest peak of Porsche acceleration. So, what happens when you drag race the new 992 911 Turbo S against its predecessor, the 991.2 Turbo S? Well, on paper we know the answer, but what happens in the real world? The 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S debuted in 2020 replacing the previous generation 991.2 911 with a large and more capable car. Many critics complain about the ballooning size and updated styling of the new car, but you cannot argue with the insane performance figures of this hypercar slayer. The 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S is power by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-6 engine that produces 640 horsepower (477 Kilowatts) and 590 lb-ft (800 Newton Meters) of torque. The insane flat-6 is mated to Porsche’s 8-speed PDK dual-clutch … [Read more...] about Porsche 911 Turbo S Drag Races Itself In New Vs Old