Drugovich junior driver

Ralf Schumacher believes Logan Sargeant’s days in Formula 1 are “numbered”, and while he’d like to see Mick Schumacher step in, he says Felipe Drugovich and his millions are first in line. Yet to score a point this season and with his crash damage bill seemingly climbing by the weekend, Sargeant is a driver under pressure. His team boss James Vowles has told him he has until the end of the season to “prove” himself, after that, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll be Alex Albon’s 2024 team-mate. Williams yet to confirm their full 2024 line-up Sargeant’s chances of continuing with Williams next season were dealt a blow last weekend when the driver crashed not once but twice at the Japanese Grand Prix. While his qualifying crash necessitated a repair job that was so vast the FIA penalised Williams for breaking the third car regulations, his race-ending crash started with the need for a front wing change and ended with Williams retiring the car as unseen damage became progressively … [Read more...] about Felipe Drugovich ‘waiting with a lot of money’ to nab Williams 2024 drive – Ralf Schumacher

McLaren boss Zak Brown had a little dig at Alex Palou’s expense as he outlined the team’s reserve driver status for the rest of 2023. McLaren’s reserve driver pool was unclear following IndyCar Champion Alex Palou’s decision to cut and run from the McLaren IndyCar team before turning a wheel for them. Racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023, Palou had been due to join McLaren’s IndyCar squad for next season, but severed ties with McLaren and his own management team – Palou’s decision not to join McLaren has resulted in a legal battle starting between the two sides. Who are McLaren F1’s reserve drivers? With Palou and McLaren at loggerheads heading into the part of the season where the Spaniard was expected to take part in a rookie practice session for the F1 team, McLaren have instead added a new name to their books. Former Haas driver Mick Schumacher, thanks to his Mercedes connection, remains one of the names available for call-up by McLaren, as well as Stoffel Vandoorne. … [Read more...] about Zak Brown lands Alex Palou dig as McLaren add new reserve driver to the fold

Hirakawa will become part of McLaren's driver development programme, supporting the Woking team in its simulator as well as conducting a testing programme with its 2021 MCL35M car. The 29-year-old will dovetail his F1 testing role with his current drive for Toyota, with which he is currently leading the Hypercar class in the World Endurance Championship. Hirakawa and his team-mates Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley are the reigning champions too, having won both the overall title and the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2022. “I’m happy to have joined the McLaren F1 team as a reserve driver," Hirakawa said on the margins of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix. "It’s an exciting prospect to work with such a respected team and I’m grateful to Zak [Brown] and Andrea [Stella] for the opportunity. "I’ve already met the team and experienced the simulator at MTC which has allowed me to hit the ground running. I’m now fully prepared and focused for the remainder of 2023. "I am grateful … [Read more...] about McLaren signs Le Mans winner Hirakawa as F1 reserve driver

Logan Sargeant has clearly been making steady improvement of late with Williams’ Dave Robson ruing that his crashes are detracting from his progress. Sargeant crashed not once but twice at the Suzuka circuit, out in qualifying when he touched the grass into the final corner, before retiring from the race after hitting Valtteri Bottas. He pitted for a new front wing after that, but Williams noted the damage to his car was becoming progressively worse and made the call to retire the car. Williams: Logan Sargeant’s crashes a real shame It meant for the 15th race in his Formula 1 career Sargeant walked away from a grand prix weekend without a single point on the board with the rookie’s seat reportedly on the line. According to reports, Felipe Drugovich is in talks with the team while Liam Lawson and Mick Schumacher are also knocking on the door. For now Williams are keeping faith in their American rookie with team boss James Vowles telling Blick he has until the end of the … [Read more...] about Vote of confidence for under-fire driver amidst ‘inevitable’ headlines

Williams have signed the 2021 GB3 champion Zak O’Sullivan to their driver academy and confirmed he will contest in this year’s FIA Formula 3 championship. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free O’Sullivan is the latest driver announced to join this year’s F3 championship, racing again with Carlin after he claimed last season’s GB3 (previously known as British F3) championship title with them, taking seven race victories and 14 podiums. The 16-year-old becomes the latest signing to the Williams Racing Driver Academy after team principal Jost Capito expressed a desire to expand the team’s young driver programme into a “serious and proper junior programme” late last year. He joins Formula 2 racer Logan Sargeant in the team’s junior roster. O’Sullivan described joining the Williams junior programme as an “incredible opportunity”. “I’m honoured to have been selected as a Williams Racing Academy Driver,” O’Sullivan said. “I can’t thank Jost, Sven and the whole … [Read more...] about Williams sign Zak O’Sullivan to driver academy as he steps up to F3

The Italian manufacturer released names of 13 drivers from around the globe, aged 26 and below, that will be part of its programme in 2016. The drivers are already competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo championships in North America, Europe and Asia. India's Ebrahim is among the most experienced drivers on the list and currently races in the Asian Super Trofeo. The 26-year-old has an extensive background in single-seaters, having raced in A1GP, GP2 Asia, FIA Formula 2 and Indy Lights before moving to sportscars. The lone female in the programme - Belgian driver Bovy - picked up a podium finish in the Prestige class in last year's Renault Sport Trophy round at Spa - and currently races in Lamborghini Super Trofeo in Europe. Meanwhile, Croatian Kodric has been a Formula Renault 2.0 racer in the past couple of years, having graduated karting with a strong CV. "After three years of the Young Drivers Programme and thanks to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, in 2016 … [Read more...] about Bovy, Kodric, Ebrahim among Lamborghini’s junior programme intake

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has explained the role he played in pushing for Red Bull’s junior outfit to be a powertrain development ground to benefit the senior outfit – though it came at the expense of reliability. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free His team began using Honda power units that year. The Japanese manufacturer had endured three torrid seasons supplying McLaren from 2015 to ‘17, and seen a deal to supply Sauber fall through. Tost’s team, known at the time as Toro Rosso, switched from Renault to Honda engines in 2018. It worked with the Japanese manufacturer to develop the package Red Bull began using the following year. It proved successful and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen went on to win the 2021 title with Honda power. Before agreeing the deal for Toro Rosso to use Honda engines in 2018, Tost said he “simply could not believe that Honda is not able to build a power unit which can win in F1.” “When we decided 2017 to change to … [Read more...] about ‘It doesn’t matter if we start last’: How Red Bull’s junior team aided Honda’s leap forward

Six-time F1 race winner Ralf Schumacher believes the Red Bull driver picture for F1 2024 is actually “relatively clear” and involves Sergio Perez losing his seat to make space for Daniel Ricciardo. From the outside it seems as though the Red Bull line-up is pretty much set for F1 2024, with Perez retaining his seat alongside Max Verstappen into the final year of his contract. That then leaves a three-way battle between Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson for the two seats with Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri. Writing on the wall for Sergio Perez? But, with this trio of drivers gunning for two seats having been described by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko as a “luxury problem”, Schumacher believes there is a different route that Red Bull can and already have embarked on. Ricciardo’s ultimate aim is to return to the Red Bull line-up, and Schumacher reckons that ambition will be realised for the Aussie next season, leaving Perez out in the cold. “I believe the answer is … [Read more...] about Former F1 driver solves Red Bull ‘luxury problem’ in blow for Sergio Perez

As revealed by Motorsport.com over the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Rodin was one of three new F1 team entries that failed to make it past the final selection round from the FIA to join the grand prix grid from 2025 at the earliest. Their notification means that Andretti Global is now the only squad that still remains in the running, with it anticipated that the American squad will be given the green light by the FIA, subject to it being able to agree commercial terms with FOM. Although Rodin, which invested in the highly-respected Carlin junior outfit earlier this year, never formally announced its plan prior to the FIA selection process, it has now offered some more details about what it had intended to do. In a statement issued on Thursday, it confirmed that its bid to join F1 had not been successful but suggested that what it had lined up “justified its merit.” “We wish to emphasise that our objective here is not to criticise the FIA or seek a reconsideration of its … [Read more...] about Rodin’s failed F1 bid had seat reserved for female driver