The MotoGP title battle has intensified after Jorge Martin romped to a double victory at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. Having already dealt significant damage to Francesco Bagnaia 's championship lead in India after the factory Ducati rider crashed out of the grand prix, Martin twisted the knife in Japan. Storming (quite literally on Sunday) to his second brace of wins in three rounds, Martin is now just three points behind Bagnaia in the title chase. But it was not all lost for Bagnaia, as he cured the braking problems that had been plaguing him in recent rounds. Behind them on Sunday, Marc Marquez scored his first grand prix podium since last year's Australian round. Whether it's enough to keep him in place at Honda, he says it won't make a difference to his decision. Of that, he is "quite sure", even if no announcement arrived in Japan. Elsewhere, KTM made gains with its new carbon fibre chassis, while Cal Crutchlow 's one-off return as a wildcard offered some … [Read more...] about 10 things we learned from the 2023 MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix
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Two races, no points: How 2023 compares to McLaren’s worst starts to a season
McLaren have started a Formula 1 season with victory on 13 occasions, and in a further seven seasons they managed to win by the second race. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free But after two grands prix in 2023, the team have finished no higher than 15th and sit last in the constructors’ standings. Have they ever started a season this badly before? 1966 Monaco GP: DNF, Belgian GP: DNS In McLaren’s first year as a manufacturer team in F1, founder Bruce McLaren raced a single M2B and did not even enter all of that season’s races. The team’s debut came in Monaco, where McLaren put his car tenth on the grid. He only went nine laps before an oil leak ended his day, but did briefly make it up to sixth place after some thrilling wheel-to-wheel action. His short time in the race was also recorded for the ‘Grand Prix’ film that was released in cinemas later that year. Later, points finishes at the British and United States grands prix meant McLaren finished … [Read more...] about Two races, no points: How 2023 compares to McLaren’s worst starts to a season
FIA bans drivers from making ‘political statements’ without permission
Formula 1 drivers and other participants in FIA events have been banned from making “political statements” without the permission of the governing body. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The clampdown has been defined in an update to the International Sporting Code, the rules which govern all series run by the FIA. The FIA has banned “the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for National Competitions within their jurisdiction.” Competitors are also advised that “failure to comply with the instructions of the FIA regarding the appointment and participation of persons during official ceremonies at any Competition counting towards a FIA Championship” will now be considered a breach of the regulations. Lewis … [Read more...] about FIA bans drivers from making ‘political statements’ without permission
Helmet rows, hot mics and more forgotten motorsport stories from 2022
The 2022 Formula 1 season was full of drama on track and in the paddock, some of it leftover from the previous year’s controversies. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free With all that going on, it was easy to overlook some of the strange and surprising stories of the last 12 months. Red Bull ‘launched’ a show car Formula 1 car launches always attract huge interest as they can give the first indication of how the teams will compare against each other for the season ahead with any innovative designs. That was especially the case this year as teams produced their first designs for radically new regulations. Preferring not to give the opposition an early peek at their real RB18, Red Bull instead presented a repainted show car at their launch on February 9th. The real thing, which appeared in testing two weeks later, looked very different. Red Bull presents first images of new car for 2022 F1 season Magnussen’s F1 return has big repercussions After … [Read more...] about Helmet rows, hot mics and more forgotten motorsport stories from 2022
‘We were built for racing, unlike Vegas’: COTA boss not concerned by new F1 rivals
Just this past weekend, the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas held one of its biggest events on its annual calendar: the NASCAR Cup Series. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Featuring a handful of special guest drivers including F1 champions Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen and multiple IMSA champion and Daytona 24 Hours winner Jordan Taylor, it was one of several major international motorsport events being held at the now ten-year-old circuit in 2023 – including the United States Grand Prix, which will take place in October. After a decade of the US Grand Prix at COTA – interrupted only by Covid – Formula 1 appears to have finally found a solid footing in America. Rather than fizzle out like so many other attempts to establish a US race over the decades, attendance at COTA has grown over recent years to the point where it now boasts the largest crowd of the season in terms of total attendance over the race weekend. F1’s arrival at COTA in 2012 … [Read more...] about ‘We were built for racing, unlike Vegas’: COTA boss not concerned by new F1 rivals
Nato to race using number 17 in tribute to Bianchi
Nissan driver Norman Nato has chosen to race as number 17 in his return to Formula E next year as a tribute to Jules Bianchi , his fellow French racer who died seven years ago. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Bianchi suffered serious head injuries in a crash during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and died nine months later. He raced with the number earlier in his career but had number 71 on his car during his rookie FE campaign in 2021 with Venturi, as Nyck de Vries was already using 17. Now he will get to use his preferred number for his second season in the series, as de Vries has left FE for Formula 1. In a social media post Nato said he was “happy and proud to race under number 17 in FIA Formula E”. “This number means a lot to me. I started in karting and won championships with the 17. Jules also raced in F1 with this number which makes it even more special for me. Can’t wait to get started.” The number 17 was Bianchi’s fourth choice. He … [Read more...] about Nato to race using number 17 in tribute to Bianchi
FIA president Ben Sulayem stresses his commitment to “diversity and inclusion”
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has stressed his commitment to encouraging diversity in Formula 1 after comments attributed to him in a recent interview were interpreted as being critical of drivers promoting such causes. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Asked what he feels motorsport should not become, Ben Sulayem was reported to have said : “ Niki Lauda and Alain Prost only cared about driving. Now, Vettel drives a rainbow bicycle, Lewis [Hamilton] is passionate about human rights and Norris addresses mental health. “Everybody has the right to think. To me, it is about deciding whether we should impose our believes [sic] in something over the sport all the time. “I am from an Arabian culture. I am international and Muslim. I do not impose my believes [sic] on other people? No way! Never. If you look at my operation in the UAE: 16 nationalities! Name me one federation that has that many nationalities. “On top, there are over 34% women and seven … [Read more...] about FIA president Ben Sulayem stresses his commitment to “diversity and inclusion”
Ferrari power unit reliability concerns “a little bit bigger” after Monaco – Steiner
In the round-up: Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says that concerns over the reliability of the Ferrari power unit grew after the Monaco Grand Prix In brief Ferrari PU reliability concerns “a little bit bigger” after Monaco – Steiner Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says that concerns over the reliability of the Ferrari power unit grew after the Monaco Grand Prix. The team had to retire driver Kevin Magnussen’s car during the race due to a water leak with his car’s ERS. Two days earlier, Valtteri Bottas had missed almost the entire first practice session due to a Ferrari power unit problem in his Alfa Romeo. Steiner says that following the multiple problems in Monaco, concerns about the reliability of the Ferrari power units has grown. “Obviously we had some issues, mainly in Monte Carlo – before we didn’t have any big issue with it – but Monte Carlo, there were issues for us and Alfa [Romeo], so … [Read more...] about Ferrari power unit reliability concerns “a little bit bigger” after Monaco – Steiner
F1 drivers banned from wearing T-shirts on podium after Hamilton’s Breonna Taylor protest
The FIA has announced changed to its post-race procedure after Lewis Hamilton wore a T-shirt drawing attention to the Breonna Taylor case at the last race. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Revised guidance issued to drivers by the sport’s governing body states the top three finishers in the race “must remain attired only in their driving suits, ‘done up’ to the neck, not opened to the waist” throughout the podium ceremony and post-race interview procedure. At the previous round in Mugello, Hamilton wore a T-shirt bearing the message “Arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor” while he was interviewed after the race and during his appearance on the podium. Taylor was shot multiple times and killed by police officers who entered her home in Kentucky in March. The case has been highlighted by worldwide anti-racism protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, which Hamilton is a vocal supporter of. Hamilton said on Thursday he was expecting “a new … [Read more...] about F1 drivers banned from wearing T-shirts on podium after Hamilton’s Breonna Taylor protest