Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Introduction

For the second time in as many weeks, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen enjoyed a serene drive to victory at the Red Bull Ring, leading every lap of the 2021 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix from pole position – much to the delight of the thousands of orange-clad fans who flocked to cheer him to a third victory in a row.

In contrast to the Styrian Grand Prix, Verstappen faced no real threat from behind, even having enough time to take an extra pit stop with 10 laps to go to ensure an extra point for fastest lap – and a first ever ‘grand slam weekend’, with pole, fastest lap and victory, having led every lap.

Behind him, championship rival Lewis Hamilton worked his way up to the second place from P4 on the grid before aerodynamic damage, picked up by running over exit kerbs, slowed his progress, allowing both Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and McLaren’s Lando Norris to get past.

Despite heavy pressure from Norris, who was awarded Driver Of The Day honours, Bottas held on for P2, with the McLaren driver taking a third podium finish of the season in P3. Hamilton held on for fourth but slipped from 18 to 32 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings.

Home Deluxe, a German online retailer, and Uralkali Haas F1 Team signed a partnership agreement today. Specializing in the online distribution of items for both the home and garden, Home Deluxe – which was founded in 2009 by entrepreneur Alexander Thoss, successfully ensures that deluxe products are accessible to everyone while at the same time showcasing that quality does not need to mean expensive.

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In partnering with Uralkali Haas F1 Team, Home Deluxe will enjoy branding on the team’s VF-21, driven in the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship by Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, with their logo also featuring prominently throughout additional team assets for the remainder of the season.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal of Uralkali Haas F1 Team commented:

Home Deluxe was born out of a desire to offer something different to the German consumer and it’s that entrepreneurial spirit and forward-thinking innovation that makes the brand a great fit with us.

The FIA announced that rules concerning pit stops in F1 would change from the next Hungarian Grand Prix with ambitions to improve the safety of drivers and mechanics. Let’s find out why the Federation stated this change.

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F1 pit stops are the most important moments during a race. They can reach maximum tension conditioning race’s result both positively and negatively. In the last few years, some accidents have happened in this phase. One of the scariest mishaps took place in Bahrain in 2018 when Kimi Raikkonen restarted because the green light turned on very soon while his mechanics were changing his tyres. This fact caused some physical problems to one mechanic and a fine for Ferrari for unsafe release.

If someone wants to go back to the past decades of Formula 1, the history is full of these accidents. It has happened to Verstappen in the German Grand Prix in 1994 and Massa in Singapore in 2008, where this accident probably caused the loss of the championship for the Brazilian driver.

The new Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro takes the ultimate hypercar genre to new extremes. Radical design is an extreme evolution of the Valkyrie Le Mans racer concept. Designed to be capable of lapping 24H. Le Mans circuit in 3mins 20seconds. Features new longer wheelbase/wide-track chassis and unique aerodynamic package.

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First came the revolutionary Aston Martin Valkyrie road car. Now comes the radical evolution, in the sensational form of the new Valkyrie AMR Pro: a machine that takes a car designed to win the Le Mans 24 Hours as its starting point, then pushes further to explore extremes of performance unconstrained by racing regulations or registration for road use.

In 2019, Aston Martin, Adrian Newey, Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) and engineering partner Multimatic worked intensively on an Aston Martin Valkyrie race car design, aimed at winning the 24H Le Mans race in the new Hypercar class. That well-advanced design has now formed the basis of the radical new Valkyrie AMR Pro.

Where the original concept proposal – first seen at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show – was very much an exercise in squeezing as much performance from the road-legal Valkyrie platform, the new Valkyrie AMR Pro benefits from the Le Mans project’s pure, race optimised chassis, aerodynamic and powertrain developments. Moreover, with its design and performance freed from race rule constraints, the AMR Pro’s capabilities now exceed those of the machine designed to challenge for outright victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Pirelli is the sole Formula 1 tires supplier for 11 years, who have always distinguished itself by stability and quality of their products. Tires have a crucial influence on the choice of racing strategies and speed, and one of the main goals of the Italian team is to make the races as exciting and spectacular as possible.

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Pirelli has been subjected to harsh criticism from the drivers due to unpleasant surprises during the races – punctures or explosions that can lead to sad events. The first problem had occurred in 2013 when the tires burst in Silverstone on the cars of four drivers-Hamilton, Massa, Vergne and Perez. After the race, Pirelli pleaded guilty and reinforced the tires. Of course, there were some other incidents. However, it was rare and related to the excessive self-confidence of the teams or the debris on the track.

The last two seasons turned out to be disastrous. Failure after failure haunts Pirelli. Verstappen had DNF due to a tire explosion in Imola 2020. He lost a win and important points for him in the championship. Hamilton had to finish on three wheels in Silverstone 2020 and almost lost the victory. Only a big advantage over Verstappen helped him keep up ahead. In addition to that, there were many other incidents related to Pirelli. After that, Pirelli decided to change the tire’s power cord design to make it more durable and prevent a string of failures that occurred last summer. Overall, the tires have become slower. It offsets by the fact that today’s tires are stronger and more durable. The drivers were again unhappy due to the loss of speed. But safety comes first.

The troubles continue. During the race in Baku 2021, Stroll and Verstappen have DNF due to tire explosions. The teams were furious. Pirelli stated they are not in a breach of the operating rules and that the teams blame the Italian outfit for everything.

Ferrari awarded the three stars of the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme. The programme developed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile aims at helping key players in the motorsport and automotive sector measure and enhance their environmental performance by means of an independent certification process.

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The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is based on existing best practices in environmental sustainability, primarily the ISO 14001. Ferrari, who was previously awarded the certification in 2001 – with a renewal in 2016 to comply with the latest ISO 14001:2015 standards – have continued to press forward to achieve the three-star level, the highest level of accreditation.

Over the years, the Group has strived to lower energy consumption and minimise its environmental impact by adopting innovative solutions and using renewable sources at manufacturing facilities. This result can be attributed, among others, to meticulous management of energy requirements, 81% of which was covered by Maranello’s trigeneration system, while almost 99% of the remaining energy was purchased from certified renewable sources.

Ferrari’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact, however, is not new and has already produced noteworthy results. By 2020, the group had achieved its goal of reducing the CO2 emissions of its European fleet by an estimated 35% compared to 2007 levels.

Recently, Stefano Domenicali, F1 President and CEO, announced that in 2023 the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix will be held at the new Igora Drive circuit near St. Petersburg. Sochi Autodrom will host the world championship stage for the next two years. Let’s see what the new track is all about.

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Igora Drive is a modern race track, which was built in 2019. The author of the project is German architect Hermann Tilke. The circuit, which is located 54 kilometres from St. Petersburg, is the whole racing complex. It includes ten professional tracks for road and circuit racing, drift, rallycross and motocross, karting, pair racing, as well as a centre for emergency training.

The length of the track is 4086 meters. Its width is 12-16 meters, and there are 14 turns and height differences. The maximum speed is 280 km/h. In 2020, Igora Drive received the FIA Grade 1 license – this is the highest category, which allows it to host competitions of any level, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Introduction

2021 Formula 1 Styrian Grand Prix was great for Max Verstappen, who claimed a second win in seven days with a great victory, enjoying a dominant lights-to-flag performance at the Red Bull Ring over the Mercedes of title rival Lewis Hamilton, as Valtteri Bottas claimed third ahead of Sergio Perez.

Following on from his win in the French Grand Prix, Verstappen led away from pole position at a dry Red Bull Ring, leading every lap of the race to claim his 14th career win, and his third at his team’s Red Bull Ring home track.

The Dutchman duly stretched his lead over Hamilton to 18 points in the drivers’ standings, after the Mercedes driver was unable to offer any serious answer to Verstappen’s pace on race day, although he was at least able to limit the damage after taking the bonus point for fastest lap thanks to a late pit stop.

Having started P5 after his grid drop for spinning in the pit lane on Friday, Bottas was able to claim third, holding off a late charge by the second Red Bull of Perez for Finn’s first podium since the Spanish Grand Prix.

Frank Appel was born in 1961 in Hamburg and completed a masters in chemistry from the University of Munich in 1989 before going on to obtain a PhD in neurobiology in 1993, during which he was involved in spinal cord regeneration research with ETH (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). He then sharply changed direction at the age of 32 and started working as a consultant with McKinsey & Co in 1993, becoming a partner in the firm in 1999.

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Having begun his career in scientific research before moving into management consultancy, Appel then took another volte-face in joining Deutsche Post, assuming the position of Managing Director of Corporate Development in 2000. He rose quickly to prominence, becoming a member of the board in 2002, holding a number of positions thereafter. Finally, Frank Appel was appointed CEO in February 2008.

One of the most important developments that Appel has spearheaded has been the expansion of the business into Asia, where he has overseen the investment of more than $2.5bn. In 2013, this region contributed nearly 20 per cent of DHL’s total revenue. Furthermore, projections for the next five years estimate that the Asia-Pacific region will amount to approximately one-third of the group’s total global income.

DHL draws on over 35 years of motorsports experience to ensure that the “race behind the race” runs smoothly at all times. As the global Logistics Partner of Formula 1, DHL manages the complex shipping of up to 2,000 tons of freight to the racetracks including cars, replacement parts, marketing and hospitality equipment. In doing so, DHL provides a multi-modal transport solution, using land, sea and air freight, depending on the race calendar requirements.

Attempts to change the Formula 1 format is nothing new. The official announcement from the Formula 1 management came in April this year to confirm three sprint races for the 2021 season. The experiment will make its debut on the track in Silverstone, then in Monza, and maybe in Interlagos.

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Opinions about the new format of race weekends divided F1’s paddock. This innovation has already received a lot of criticism. We decided to take a look at the history of the championship and recall several reforms that were initially doomed to failure.

Qualifying experiment

Today’s Saturday Formula 1 qualifying with three segments was not like this before. During its history, the championship has tried various options. In the first decades, the format did not change, but in the 1990s, the first experiments began. For example, in 1993, racers could drive a maximum of 12 laps in qualifying. Ten years later, in 2003, a new format has been chosen: drivers took turns driving only one lap on Saturday. Friday’s session determined the starting order. According to the results, the slowest driver went to the track first.

But the most ambiguous change occurred in 2005. That season was very unusual and eventful. A new qualification system has been introduced, according to which the starting grid has been determined by summing up two attempts. Drivers drove one lap on an empty track and an empty tank on Friday. On Saturday – with a refuelled one for the first segment of the race. Then the cars were lined up on the grid according to the final results. There was an assumption that this was supposed to make the drivers give their best. This rule was not to the taste of either the racers or the fans and existed for only five stages. After this change, everything came almost back as the previous season, with only one qualifying session which determined the grid for Sunday’s race.

The Ferrari 296 GTB, the latest evolution of Maranello’s mid-rear-engined two-seater Berlinetta, was premiered yesterday during an online event broadcast on Ferrari’s social media and web channels. The 296 GTB redefines the whole concept of fun behind the wheel, guaranteeing pure emotions not just when pushing the car to its limits, but also in day-to-day driving situations.

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The 296 GTB ushers in an authentic revolution for Ferrari as it introduces a new engine type to flank the marque’s multi-award-winning 8- and 12-cylinder power units: a new 663 cv 120° V6 coupled with an electric motor capable of delivering a further 122 kW (167 cv). This is the first 6-cylinder engine installed on a road car sporting the Prancing Horse badge; it unleashes its massive 830 cv total power output to deliver previously unthinkable performance levels and an innovative, exhilarating and unique soundtrack.

The car’s name, which combines its total displacement (2992 l) and a number of cylinders was chosen, with the addition of the GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) acronym in finest Ferrari tradition, to underscore this new engine’s epoch-changing importance to Maranello. It is not simply the living, beating heart of the 296 GTB, but it also ushers in a new V6 era that has its roots deep in Ferrari’s unparalleled 70-year-plus experience in motorsports.

The very first Ferrari V6, in fact, featured a 65° architecture and debuted on the 1957 1500 cc Dino 156 F2 single-seater. This was followed in 1958 by bigger displacement versions on the front-engined sports prototypes – the 196 S and 296 S – and F1 cars, such as the 246 F1 which powered Mike Hawthorn to the F1 Drivers’ Championship title the same year.

Williams Racing is pleased to announce that PPG, a leading global manufacturer of paints, coatings and speciality materials, will continue as the team’s long-standing Official Supplier.

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The partnership marks its 18th consecutive year, as PPG’s paints and coatings continue to ensure that Williams Racing cars achieve minimum weight and high definition. This synchronised focus on performance and appearance is a hallmark of PPG’s innovative paint system, which allows for an increase in paint application speed, in addition to reducing the total volume of the high-finish coatings. The custom approach contributes to vital weight reductions, translating to all-important time savings on the racetrack, while simultaneously achieving the highest possible presentation standards for Formula One race car – the Williams FW43B.

“Williams Racing is delighted to continue our relationship with PPG, which began in 2003,” said Al Peasland, Williams Racing Head of Technical and Innovation Partnerships. “We have benefited enormously from the constant innovation and quality that PPG has been able to deliver. Through dedication and creativity, the company has consistently provided a custom approach to help meet our demands in a fast-paced and challenging industry. We look forward to continuing our partnership with PPG for many years to come.”

PPG will supply paint finishes for Williams Racing cars and for use within the team’s headquarters at Grove. PPG will also have prominent branding on the team’s race trucks, within the garage and in the hospitality areas at Grands Prix.

Fanatics and Formula 1, the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, has yesterday announced a multi-year extension to their e-commerce and manufacturing deal.

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The extension agreed following an outstanding 2020 performance, will see Fanatics retain global e-commerce and manufacturing rights and is announced following a year in which sales on the official online F1 Store grew by more than 40% globally, with official F1 merchandise being delivered to fans in 143 different countries across the world. This strong performance has accelerated in the first six months of 2021, with sales on the official online F1 Store growing by triple digits compared to the same period in 2020, while the sport’s increased presence in the US is evident, as the region has become the most significant market (most sales) for the F1 site.

Fanatics, which partners with more than 300 of the biggest sports clubs and organizations in the world, has worked with Formula 1 to grow sales by almost 200% since 2017 and has changed the way F1 fans purchase their merchandise online through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first culture.

The official F1 online store utilizes Fanatics’ vertical commerce model, which combines on-demand manufacturing with an agile supply chain to produce the timeliest assortments of merchandise for Formula 1 fans. A key driver of sales on the official F1 online store in 2020 was the store’s move to Fanatics’ industry-leading Cloud Commerce technology, which provides rapid navigation for fans across online and mobile sites. It meant faster website performance, larger hi-resolution product displays, local languages and currencies and frictionless checkout, transforming the online shopping experience for F1 fans.

The Finnish driver from the Alfa Romeo Racing – ORLEN Formula 1 team has conducted the final testing session on the definitive versions of the Giulia GTA and GTAm.

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The session comes after the tests conducted last fall by the drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi, aimed at honing the new aerodynamic solutions developed by Alfa Romeo and Sauber Engineering.

To follow the testing session on the Giulia GTA and GTAm last fall, the Finnish world champion was back at the Balocco Proving Ground a few days ago to personally evaluate the work done on the highest-performing sports sedan the Italian brand has ever produced. His words leave no doubts in the mind: “I really like it. We’re looking at a car that can be used on an everyday basis, but that can also be taken onto the track, one in which you can really enjoy yourself.”

Introduction

2021 Formula 1 French Grand Prix saw Red Bull taking their third consecutive win of the season with a cracking victory of Max Verstappen, who passed Lewis Hamilton with two laps to go to claim the thirteenth victory of his career, Hamilton finishing second as the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez completed the podium.

In a mirror of the Spanish Grand Prix – when Mercedes out-strategised Red Bull to claim the victory – Verstappen stopped twice to Hamilton’s one-stop, with the Dutchman then using his fresher tyres to close up to the Mercedes, passing on Lap 52 of 53 to check out for his third win of the year.

It more than made up for Verstappen losing out to Hamilton from pole at the race start, Verstappen taking the win as well as the extra point for fastest lap – with the result also marks the first time Red Bull have won three races on the bounce in the turbo-hybrid era.

Behind, Valtteri Bottas ended up a disgruntled fourth behind Perez, having complained to Mercedes that he was ignored when he advised them to switch to a two-stop, as Red Bull did with Verstappen.