Listen to this article Loeb called time on his glittering full-time career in the WRC at the end of the 2012 season after a record nine titles with Citroen, earning his place among motorsport’s all-time greats. The Frenchman went on to compete in four WRC events the following year and continues to make one-off appearances in the championship to this date, adding four further wins to his impressive tally - including most recently at the Monte Carlo season opener in January. He also dabbled in a wide variety of tin-top championships in the ensuing period, most notably driving a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the FIA GT series with his self-owned team in 2013 before embarking on a two-year stint in the World Touring Car Championship with Citroen. However, Loeb’s post-WRC career may have looked quite different, with the 48-year-old revealing in an exclusive interview that he may have well ended up in the DTM in 2013 with BMW, a year after the Munich-based manufacturer won the title … [Read more...] about WRC legend Loeb came close to joining DTM with BMW 10 years ago
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Alonso: 2022 ‘good reminder’ of car’s role in Hamilton success
Fernando Alonso has said Lewis Hamilton’s struggles this season are a “good reminder” as to how crucial the car is to anyone’s success. For the first time in nine seasons, Hamilton is driving in a car currently unable to fight for the championship. His race results so far have ranged from good to downright awful and after five grands prix, he has just one podium to his name largely due to a double retirement from Red Bull. It is a far cry from the form we are used to seeing from the seven-time World Champion. After the same number of races last year, he already had three wins but both he and Mercedes currently seem a far way off that achievement. Another World Champion who has found himself fighting in the midfield due to the car beneath him is Alonso and he said Hamilton’s current form is a “good reminder” as to how important the car is. “This is F1. It is not going to be a fair sport in terms of numbers,” the Spaniard told BBC Sport . “This is a team sport more … [Read more...] about Alonso: 2022 ‘good reminder’ of car’s role in Hamilton success
Capito: Qualifying speed hiding Williams’ true ‘potential’
Williams team boss Jost Capito believes the team’s disappointing performances in qualifying are leaving them unable to show their true potential in races . A Williams driver has started a grand prix no higher than 14th this season and while Alex Albon has produced some driving heroics to finish within the points twice, it remains to be seen just how quick the car actually is. The team are currently last in the Constructors’ Championship , but Williams boss Capito believes there is still more to come from them over the course of the season. Speaking to Motorsport.com , Capito said their issues in qualifying were having a negative effect on their race performance and that they needed “some luck.” “It’s difficult to get points when you’re qualifying in position 18/19,” the 63-year-old said. “So you need some luck as well, that something happens ahead of you. But still, the race speed and the race performance of the car is really good. “Alex did an outstanding race … [Read more...] about Capito: Qualifying speed hiding Williams’ true ‘potential’
Verstappen was mentally tough from his first day in an F1 car – Tost interview · RaceFans
The first team principal to run Max Verstappen in Formula 1 is “convinced” he will win the championship this weekend. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Franz Tost described how he had been impressed by Verstappen’s mental toughness from his first practice outing for his team, at the age of 17, at no less a track than the formidable Suzuka . “I knew him from the very beginning onwards and he was already mentally strong in those days,” Tost recalled in an exclusive interview for RaceFans. “Because if you remember right there were many people who criticised us to sit him in the Formula 1 car because he was only 17 years old, and even didn’t have a driver’s licence.” Ahead of Verstappen’s practice debut at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, Tost says some journalists told him he was “completely wrong” to put such a young driver in his car. “I said to them let’s talk in five years once more, I think it’s right. In the end it was right.” After Verstappen made … [Read more...] about Verstappen was mentally tough from his first day in an F1 car – Tost interview · RaceFans
Russian soldier on trial asks victim’s widow to forgive him
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 11 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian soldier facing the first war crimes trial since the start of the war in Ukraine testified Thursday that he shot a civilian on orders from two officers and pleaded for his victim's widow to forgive him. Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin told the court that the officer insisted that the Ukrainian man, who was speaking on his cellphone, could pinpoint their location to the Ukrainian forces. The 21-year-old sergeant could get life in prison if convicted of shooting the Ukrainian man in the head through an open car window in a village in the northeastern Sumy region on Feb. 28, four days into the Russian invasion. Looking subdued, Shishimarin said he at first disobeyed his immediate commanding officer's order to shoot the unarmed civilian but had no other choice but to follow the order when it was repeated forcefully … [Read more...] about Russian soldier on trial asks victim’s widow to forgive him
Ralf expects ‘disastrous’ Spanish GP for Vettel
Ralf Schumacher has predicted a “disastrous” Spanish Grand Prix for Sebastian Vettel and pondered whether the four-time World Champion may retire. The 2022 season has not been kind to Vettel. Forced to miss the first two races due to a bout of Covid, he returned to the track in Australia and to a car performing well below where he would have liked. In his first race back in Melbourne, his comeback was a disaster with two crashes, two fines and an Aston Martin breakdown. So bad was his performance that after the race, he was told he should retire by former F1 team boss Giancarlo Minardi because “he won’t win any more” races. The rain at Imola provided him with an opportunity to showcase his talent as he took his Aston Martin car to P8, but he followed that up with another retirement in Miami following a crash with Mick Schumacher. Mick’s uncle Ralf has now predicted another bad weekend at the Spanish grand Prix for Vettel. “It will be a disastrous weekend … [Read more...] about Ralf expects ‘disastrous’ Spanish GP for Vettel
‘Freudian slip of the century’: George W. Bush accidentally admits to ‘brutal invasion’ of Iraq in Ukraine speech
Former President George W. Bush may have just accidentally likened himself to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 41st president spoke Wednesday night for an event at his presidential center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, during which he compared Ukrainian leader Volodymr Zelenskyy to former British leader Winston Churchill. He even described Zelenskyy as a "cool little guy." However, while referring to Putin and Russia's attack on Ukraine during the 10-minute speech, the 43rd President of the United States had a regrettable slip of the tongue. "Political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated from participating in the electoral process," Bush said. "The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq." Wincing, Bush quickly correctly himself: "I mean of Ukraine." The former president then shrugged and muttered under his breath, "Iraq, too," which drew a few … [Read more...] about ‘Freudian slip of the century’: George W. Bush accidentally admits to ‘brutal invasion’ of Iraq in Ukraine speech
A CEO Title Doesn’t Always Equal Success. Here’s What Does.
The last time I got a haircut, my stylist and I got into a discussion about wanting more out of life. We talked about taking more time off, making more money, working fewer hours and all kinds of things. As she snipped and combed, I started asking some questions. Did my stylist have a good relationship with her daughter? Could she go on vacation to her favorite spot in the world? Was her job flexible, and did she have great friends? Going through all of these questions, my stylist gradually brightened and so did I. Maybe she didn’t have a crew of stylists working for her, but she was making it — actually, she was crushing it. In our discussion, we learned that sometimes people think of success as a big title like CEO. I can certainly think of CEOs that are enjoying their life, but I can also think of more than one miserable CEO who is swimming in accolades and money but starving for real friends — unable to be present with their families and having no time for the simple … [Read more...] about A CEO Title Doesn’t Always Equal Success. Here’s What Does.
GT Asia: Consistency paves the way for a third straight victory in Korea
Listen to this article 12-months ago, a little known combination made their debut in the GTA Asia Series and won both rounds of the season opener at Korea International Circuit, a result which allowed lead driver Anthony Liu to take his title challenge all the way to the final round in Macau. 12-months on the GT Asia Series regulars were well aware of the abilities of the two BBT Ferrari drivers, but after qualifying towards the tail end of the top ten, they could well have been forgiven for letting the 2014 result slip their minds, a situation which ultimately played into the hands of the Chinese-based team who went on to win their third straight Korean round. “To be honest we expected maybe third,” Liu admitted matter-of-factly, but I could see the leaders fighting for position ahead of me, and before long I was on their tail, and neither of them made it difficult to move into the lead.” ...there was a Bentley between us [Fong] that moved at the last minute and … [Read more...] about GT Asia: Consistency paves the way for a third straight victory in Korea