Springbok end of year tour 2018 fixtures

Ferrari’s new driver Charles Leclerc ended 2018 on top of the testing times at Abu Dhabi. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Leclerc kept Ferrari on top for the second day in a row after his new team mate Sebastian Vettel led the times yesterday. Drivers concluded two days of running on Pirelli’s new tyre selection for 2019 – which is numbered one, two, three, four and five – and its 2018 compounds for reference. Leclerc ended the test with the quickest time overall, three-tenths quicker than Vettel managed yesterday. Pierre Gasly was second-fastest on his first run for Red Bull since replacing Daniel Ricciardo. Lance Stroll spent a full day driving for Force India, who are expected to formally confirm him as Sergio Perez’s team mate for next season. Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat returned to the team for the first time since being cut from their line-up last season. Haas ran test driver Louis Deletraz, who had a spin early in the session … [Read more...] about Leclerc ends 2018 F1 testing on top for Ferrari · RaceFans

Sebastian Vettel admitted he wasn’t at his best in 2018 after being beaten to the drivers’ championship by Lewis Hamilton. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free A series of mid-season errors by the Ferrari driver boosted Hamilton’s lead in the championship, which he won with two races to spare. “I don’t think I ever had any problems raising my hand if I made a mistake,” said Vettel/ “Knowing as well, as a racing driver, how quickly things can go wrong, how things could have gone differently this year, I think I have to review a couple of things. “But there’s other things that I think went wrong and don’t need a lot of reviewing and not over-complicating things too much. I think I know what I need to do. “Certainly, here and there, looking back I haven’t been at the top of my game so I look at myself first. I think I can be better than I was at times this year. “Having said that though, I think we also had a lot of races where we got everything out of the … [Read more...] about Vettel admits he wasn’t “at the top of my game” in 2018 · RaceFans

Valtteri Bottas admits his second season at Mercedes this year has been the “worst” of his Formula 1 career despite having performed better. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Asked by RaceFans whether this had been his most disappointing season so far Bottas said: “Yeah I think it is.” Bottas made his debut with Williams in 2013 at a time when the team was struggling to score points. “For sure the first season was tough,” said Bottas. “But you can’t compare because with Williams in ’13 we were fighting at the back. I felt that during my first year in Formula 1 I can’t get my goals [for a] few seasons. Then a few seasons after were better than this one.” He joined Mercedes from Williams in 2017. “Last year was quite different to this year,” said Bottas. “It was my first year with the team, first year alongside Lewis [Hamilton] . “I remember this time last year I was disappointed, I didn’t meet my targets. But now when I look back, at least then I … [Read more...] about Valtteri Bottas calls 2018 his “worst F1 season so far” – RaceFans

When it comes to ways to play in Texas , it’s hard to beat a day at a Corpus Christi beach. Why spend a fortune at a tropical resort, when South Texas beaches are closer, more affordable and offer spectacular views. You can even camp right by the water, with sunrises and sunsets bookending your day. So what’s the best spot along the breeze-cooled Gulf coastline ? Do you want solitude or culture? Are you looking to enjoy water sports, a romantic escape or simply sunbathing? With more than 100 miles of sandy coastline to choose from, we've put together a guide to help you pick the best Corpus Christi beach to visit during your next South Texas getaway. North Beach Just over the Harbor Bridge from downtown Corpus Christi, North Beach will captivate the whole family with its terrific attractions. Tour the USS Lexington , a WWII-era aircraft carrier that’s home to an F-14 Tomcat you’ll recognize from the movie “Top Gun.” The battleship also offers ghost tours and escape … [Read more...] about Corpus Christi beaches for every type of Texas traveler

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 EDITORS: EMBARGOED UNTIL SUNDAY, MARCH 19 - - - PITTSBURGH - During every Adam Sandler stand-up show, he straps on his electric guitar and sings a song. Unlike the bite-size ditties he's peppered through the set about selfies or baggy shorts, this one concerns his late, great "Saturday Night Live" buddy, Chris Farley. It is a perfect tribute. Sandler, singing softly as he strums in G, captures the complicated beauty of Farley as clips of his most memorable high jinks play on a giant screen behind him. The crowd roars as he references Farley's electrifying SNL turns as a Chippendales dancer and a motivational speaker "living in a van down by the river." There is a hush as Sandler slips into the bridge, a peek into his friend's vulnerability. "I saw him in the office, crying with his headphones on "Listening to a KC and the Sunshine Band song "I said, 'Buddy, how the hell is … [Read more...] about Adam Sandler doesn’t need your respect. He just wants to make you laugh.

Formula 1 is poised to announce Pirelli has been confirmed as the sport’s tyre supplier for the 2020 to 2023 seasons, as @DieterRencken reveals in his paddock diary from the Yas Marina Circuit. 9am Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Up and about in my hotel room at the equivalent of 6am, in keeping with my anti-jetlag regime of sticking as close to home time as possible – a task made all the easier in Abu Dhabi by the race’s dusk timing: for example first practice, which usually commences at 10 or 11am on Friday, is scheduled for 1pm. Thus I have plenty of time for my morning routines before heading out for the circuit at 10am 10:30am Arrive at the circuit, settle in before taking a wander through the paddock, hopeful of gaining more insight into the Haas versus Force India protest. All I’m able to glean is that a hearing will be held at 11am, and that our previous analysis, pieced together from various bits if information from a variety of sources , … [Read more...] about F1 Paddock Diary: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix day two – RaceFans

Formula 1 drivers are today having their first taste of Pirelli’s 2019 tyres which it is hoped will improve the standard of racing next year. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Pirelli faced criticism from drivers towards the end of the year over how high levels of tyre degradation shaped some races. However the sport’s official tyre supplier pointed out the degradation levels were set down in the ‘target letter’ given to it by F1. For 2019 Pirelli has set out to improve the performance of the higher compounds, which were often considered too conservative, and to widen the performance gaps at the softer end of the range. The naming convention for the tyres will also change. The three compounds chosen for each race will always be referred to as hard, medium and soft. But the full range of compounds, which will reduce from seven to either five or six, will be referred to by number. ‘One’ will refer to the hardest compound’. “The compounds we are developing … [Read more...] about What’s changed in Pirelli’s new F1 tyre range for 2019 · RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton has received his second reprimand of the season and is one away from receiving an automatic 10-place grid penalty. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The Mercedes driver has been reprimanded for cutting the white line at pit entry during first practice. the stewards noted that “on entering the pit lane after the end of [first practice], car 44 [Hamilton] locked up and crossed the white line at the entrance to the pits. “The penalty of a reprimand is consistent with penalties imposed for other similar incidents.” As this is Hamilton’s second driving reprimand of the season any further reprimand will lead to a grid penalty even if it is not for a driving infringement. He received a reprimand for committing the same offence on his way to victory in the German Grand Prix in July. Hamilton is the third driver to receive a second reprimand this year, joining Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen. Between them they account for almost half of the 13 … [Read more...] about Hamilton one reprimand away from grid drop after pit error · RaceFans

Haas has lodged a protest against both Force India cars, the FIA has confirmed. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Representatives of Force India and Haas have been summed to a meeting of the stewards tomorrow at 11am concerning a “protest by Haas F1 Team against cars 11 and 31,” according to an FIA statement. The reason for the protest has not yet been confirmed. However RaceFans understands Haas is querying whether Racing Point Force India, which purchased the assets of Sahara Force India when the latter went into administration in July, qualifies as a constructor as defined by Formula 1’s rules. Teams must hold the intellectual property to their designs in order to qualify as constructors, and therefore score points and receive a share of F1’s prize money pot. This suggests Haas’s protest is targeted at Force India’s share of F1’s prize money. The two teams have been at odds over Force India is eligible to receive from F1 since its re-entry into the … [Read more...] about Haas lodge protest against rival F1 team Force India – RaceFans