Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

James Vowles says the arrival of Pat Fry as the new Chief Technical Officer at Williams Racing indicates that the team are aiming for a cultural change as they bid to improve their status within the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Fry opted to depart the BWT Alpine F1 Team ahead of the summer break to take up his new post at Williams, and Vowles, the Team Principal of the Grove-based team, says his arrival, as well as his own pre-season, should open the eyes of other people who may wish to join the programme and help the team move forward.

“I hope that for a start, when people saw that I left the comfort of Mercedes to go to Williams and now people have seen Pat, at a time where Alpine was in a strong place, people will now understand that Williams wants a culture of change,” Vowles is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.

“So, it’s not specifically that. It’s more that once you see two very senior people that have been in the sport for 20 plus years and winning races and we want to come here, others will now see why it’s worth that journey.”

“That’s why I wanted it to be clear this wasn’t in the last few weeks. This was a long time ago wanting to join Williams.”

After a scary incident during practice at Mid-Ohio in early July, Simon Pagenaud has yet to be cleared by the IndyCar Series medical team to return to the #60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. This will be the sixth consecutive race that the Frenchman has missed out on after the crash, with Conor Daly and Tom Blomqvist filling the seat at Mid-Ohio, Toronto, and the doubleheader at Iowa. As he did in Nashville, Linus Lundqvist will occupy the seat this weekend for the Gallagher Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The 24-year-old Swede missed out on a full-time ride in IndyCar after capturing the Indy Lights (now Indy NXT) championship one year ago and has been searching for opportunities during the 2023 season. Lundqvist tested with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing at Texas Motor Speedway in April, along with another test with the Ed Carpenter Racing squad in June at Sebring. He also tested with Andretti Autosport in the Formula E rookie test earlier this year.

“…I know it is going to be tough again, but now I have a whole race weekend under my belt.” said Lundqvist in Tuesday’s press release. “Hopefully we can string some good results together and find some good speed, but I feel like it is going to be a super weekend.”

In his IndyCar debut on Sunday at the Music City Grand Prix, Lundqvist impressed by qualifying 11th and running inside the top 10 before crashing out of the race on Lap 69.

Swedish-born Lundqvist began racing in the United States in 2019, capturing the Formula Regional Americas championship in 2020 and occasionally competing in the GTD class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Zhou Guanyu hopes to have his 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship plans sorted out before the end of the summer break, with the Chinese driver aiming to stay with the Sauber F1 Team.

The current partnership between Alfa Romeo and Sauber concludes at the end of the 2023 season, and at present, neither Valtteri Bottas nor Zhou are confirmed to remain with the team beyond the current campaign.

Despite the 2023 Alfa Romeo car not being particularly strong so far this season, Zhou has shown himself to be more than a match for his more experienced team-mate Bottas, and the Chinese driver showcased his talent superbly during the Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying session by placing his car a remarkable fifth on the grid.

The first Chinese driver to start a race in Formula 1 is aiming to maintain his position on the grid, but he knows there is pressure from outside, particularly with Sauber Junior Team driver and current FIA Formula 2 championship leader Théo Pourchaire watching over his shoulder.

“I want to have a clear picture before the summer ends, that’s for sure, and we have to see what to do to make everything happen on paper,” Zhou is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “My manager is discussing with the team, so we have to see.

Richard Petty, born on July 2, 1937, is a legendary figure in the world of motorsports, particularly in NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest stock car racing drivers in history. Here are some key points about Richard Petty:

1. NASCAR Legacy: Richard Petty is often referred to as "The King" in NASCAR circles due to his incredible achievements in the sport. He has won a record seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, a record he shares with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson.

2. Wins and Records: Petty's record includes 200 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, which is the most in the history of the sport. He achieved this milestone in 1984 at the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

3. Daytona 500: Petty won the prestigious Daytona 500, often called "The Great American Race," seven times. His victories came in 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and 1981.

4. Team and Car: Petty drove for Petty Enterprises, a team founded by his father, Lee Petty. He is closely associated with the number 43 car, which has become iconic in NASCAR.

In June, Mike Rockenfeller piloted the NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 around Circuit de la Sarthe as he, Jenson Button, and Jimmie Johnson completed the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two months later, he will once again drive a Camaro, albeit in actual Cup Series competition for Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club when he races the #42 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International.

A former DTM and Le Mans champion, Rockenfeller has been associated with Johnson since 2021 when they raced in IMSA together. The following year, he made his NASCAR début in the Cup race at Watkins Glen with Spire Motorsports, where he ran as high as third but finished thirtieth; another start came at the Charlotte Roval later in the season with a twenty-ninth. He already had some stock car experience prior to the starts, having assisted NASCAR in developing the Next Gen car in 2020.

Rockenfeller did not race in the Cup Series’ first three road races of 2023 (COTA, Sonoma, Chicago), but had been focused on preparing NASCAR’s Garage 56 entry for Le Mans. Joined by Button and Johnson, the Cup car successfully reached the finish after displaying pace comparable to the LMGTE class in thirty-ninth overall.

He and Button will go from team-mates to rivals at Indianapolis as the latter races for Rick Ware Racing. Kamui Kobayashi, a fellow Le Mans winner who worked with Rockenfeller and Johnson in IMSA, is making his maiden NASCAR start.

The opportunity to race in Cup again arose in rather unfortunate circumstance as Rockenfeller replaces Noah Gragson, who was indefinitely suspended prior to last weekend’s round at Michigan. Josh Berry crashed out and placed thirty-fourth in relief duty.

When the remainder of the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway was postponed to Monday by rain, many expected Martin Truex Jr. to win yet another NASCAR Cup Series Monday race. Chris Buescher had other plans.

The final thirty laps were a dance between Buescher and Truex. After pitting as part of green-flag stops, Buescher rode in eleventh with Truex right behind as those in front of them made their stops. Truex caught Buescher and began a side-by-side duel with twelve laps remaining, only to get loose as they ran three-wide and lapped Michael McDowell.

This allowed Buescher to pull ahead, but the points leader gradually narrowed the gap once more. Despite Truex’s best efforts, he was unable to get on Buescher’s bumper as the latter scored his second consecutive win as he also won at Richmond the previous week; coincidentally, 2022 saw fellow Ford driver Kevin Harvick win back to back at Michigan and Richmond, albeit in reverse order. Buescher is also the first driver to win consecutive races for RFK Racing since Carl Edwards claimed the final two rounds in 2010, while the last #17 driver to achieve the feat was Matt Kenseth with the first two a year prior.

“Where they were so good was just wrapping the bottom. I saw it yesterday in the race. We talked about it when we went in the rain delay, that it felt like the #19 was probably the car to beat,” Buescher commented. “Was just able to manoeuvre, get through traffic very well knowing that we had to commit to a little bit higher, kind of a low, mid-lane to make our minimum lap time to try to make max speed. That was letting him get enough clean air to get really close to us at times.

“Just worked to try and cover as best we could. That one I missed, he got a good run down the bottom, I just didn’t pull the car down the hill far enough, and he was able to pull up on our quarter panel there. I knew that was going to be a very difficult move to defend. Fortunately, at that moment we were close enough to the tail end of the field that we were able to pull a little bit of draft from the outside lane. I guess probably on the unfortunate side, it’s probably also the reason we lost some speed, being that little bit of dirty air. Probably got that a little bit tight.

Nico Hülkenberg says it is up to everyone within the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team to improve their performance during the remainder of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season after another pointless weekend for the team at Spa-Francorchamps.

Not since the Miami Grand Prix in May have Haas broken into the points on a Sunday, although Hülkenberg did score some points of a sixth-place finish in the sprint race in Austria at the beginning of July.

The team have been struggling for much of the season with high tyre degradation, and although Hülkenberg believes they understand why it has been happening on a regular basis, there cannot just implement a quick fix and time will be needed to get the aero package right.

“I think we understand the cause and what happens and why it happens,” Hülkenberg is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.  “But fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn’t just lay on the street, it’s a bit more complex.

“I think we can still improve the situation this year. To what extent, that’s TBC, it’s down to us, and we have to prove it. But yeah, it’s a longer-term thing.”

Guenther Steiner believed that the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team got the most out of their VF-23 during the Belgian Grand Prix, but it was nowhere near enough to bring home a top ten finish.

Kevin Magnussen ended the race at Spa-Francorchamps down in fifteenth position, while Nico Hülkenberg could not better eighteenth despite having seen changes made to his car outside of parc ferme ahead of the race.

Once again this season, Haas were hindered by excessive tyre degradation, with both drivers showing good speed at the beginning of their stints before seeing their pace drop significantly as they began to struggle with their Pirelli tyres.

Steiner, the Team Principal of Haas, admitted that the longer the stint went on at Spa-Francorchamps, the harder it was for both Magnussen and Hülkenberg to turn good lap times, and ultimately it meant the team were unable to score their first Sunday points since the Miami Grand Prix in May.

“The team got the best out of what was possible from our car, and both fought hard,” said Steiner.  “In the end, we came short on our issue of tyre life, so we fell back in the middle of the race.

Kevin Magnussen felt he had the pace to challenge for the top ten during the Belgian Grand Prix at the beginning of each stint, but the tyre degradation of his MoneyGram Haas F1 Team car put paid to his chances of scoring points.

Magnussen was able to run in and around the top ten during the early laps of each stint at Spa-Francorchamps, with the tyres initially enabling the Dane to show good pace, but the longer the stint went on, the worse it got and he eventually slipped down the order and finished fifteenth.

Looking forward, Magnussen believes the team are working hard to overcome their shortcomings when it comes to excessive tyre wear, and he hopes they can come back fighting after the summer break and fight again to score top ten finishes.

“I felt there was a little more to fight for this race, I had a bit more competitiveness,” said Magnussen.  “We still have way more degradation than everyone else, which I think is the main differentiator today.

“Pace-wise at the beginning of the stints it felt like we could fight for the top ten but didn’t have the degradation to keep fighting to the end. I think we’re getting a good understanding of what we need to do and I’m looking forward to the second half of the year, looking forward to some upgrades, and making some changes to the car.

The Mk IV Toyota Supra, also known as the fourth-generation Supra, is one of the most iconic and revered models in the Supra lineup. Here are some key features and details about the Mk IV Supra:

1. Introduction and Production:

• The Mk IV Supra was introduced in 1993 and produced until 2002.
• It was available in various trims and configurations, including the naturally aspirated and turbocharged versions.

2. Engine Options:

• One of the standout features of the Mk IV Supra was its powerful engine options.
• The most famous engine option was the 2JZ-GTE, a 3.0-liter inline-six twin-turbocharged engine that became legendary for its potential for high power output and tuning.

3. Performance:

• The 2JZ-GTE engine was known for its impressive performance, producing around 320 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque in stock form.
• With its robust internals, the engine was capable of handling significant power upgrades, making it a favorite among tuners and performance enthusiasts.

4. Design and Styling:

Despite leading the World Rally-Raid Championship in the T4 category, Rokas Baciuška has elected to forgo the W2RC’s next race Desafío Ruta 40. In a social media post made Monday, he explained the logistical effort required to bring the team to Argentina made it difficult to justify taking part, while his T4 points lead is so massive that skipping a round will not hurt his standing.

The reigning T4 champion, Baciuška has dominated the standings in 2023. After finishing second in the Dakar Rally, he won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and Sonora Rally including every stage in the latter. He has 189 points after three of five rounds; Dakar winner Eryk Goczał, who is not running the full season, is second with 86 points whereas third-placed Shinsuke Umeda, the only other driver in the class besides Baciuška to enter all three races so far, has 79.

“My team and I have made a decision not to go to the fourth round of the World Rally-Raid Championship in Argentina, and there are many reasons for this: my early result and the corresponding number of points collected, the prospects of the opponents, logistics, financial, human resources, etc.,” he wrote. “Of course, we will not waste time, so instead of this race, we are looking for opportunities to turn the wheel in other places suitable for training.”

In late July, Baciuška made his début in a T1 car when he raced a Toyota Hilux T1+ at the Baja España Aragón, where penalties and a late tyre puncture relegated him to ninth despite otherwise setting the third best time overall. The start was mainly intended to give him more experience in higher classes, though he has expressed interest in moving up to T3 instead for 2024.

T1 outfit Bahrain Raid Xtreme is also skipping the DR 40 to focus on the season-ending Rallye du Maroc in October and the 2024 Dakar Rally; Dakar bike winner Kevin Benavides is another major face set to be absent after breaking his wrist in a testing crash. Meanwhile, although too far back to catch Baciuška, Umeda intends to race in Argentina and will likely leapfrog Goczał for second in the T4 championship barring disaster.

NASCAR just cannot catch a break with the rain.

Michigan International Speedway was assailed by rain throughout Sunday, but NASCAR managed to find an opening to begin the Cup Series‘ FireKeepers Casino 400 (albeit slightly earlier than the scheduled start time). After completing 75 of 200 laps, the weather returned and a lack of lights at the track virtually meant no more racing would take place on Sunday. The race will resume on Monday at 12 PM Eastern Time.

While nowhere near the halfway point that would have rendered the race official, the seventy-five laps were still an eventful affair. Chevrolets particularly struggled in the opening stage as Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott crashed out, as did William Byron after he hit the wall on the final lap of the segment. Josh Berry, racing as the interim driver of Legacy Motor Club‘s #42 Camaro after Noah Gragson was indefinitely suspended, was also a crash victim a lap after Stage #2 began.

Although in a Toyota, even pole winner Christopher Bell was not safe when he crashed while fighting for the lead on lap 65. Fellow Toyota driver Tyler Reddick was the leader at the time of the weather delay.

Bell’s team-mate Martin Truex Jr.—who recently rebuked retirement rumours to confirm he will return to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024—won Stage #1 and led the most laps on Sunday with thirty. Truex, who sits fourth, is expected to be the favourite on Monday, especially as he has won Monday races twice in 2023 at Dover and New Hampshire.

Guess the broken axle was a blessing in disguise.

After his Stadium Super Trucks Race #1 on Saturday in Nashville was cut short by an axle failure, Robby Gordon started on the pole for the second race on Sunday via invert. He and Matt Brabham, the Fastest Qualifier and another Saturday retirement, battled throughout the day with Gordon ultimately coming out on top.

Brabham started fourth but led the opening lap, only for Gordon to repay the favour. He held the spot through the first competition caution before Brabham fought back.

Gordon committed a rare error with two laps remaining when he locked up his brakes entering turn seven and drifted wide, which allowed Brabham to take the white flag. Fortunately for Gordon, he made up for it by utilising the draft on the second run across Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge before clearing him as they went into the seventh corner. Brabham lost another spot to Gavin Harlien in said turn and finished third.

The win is Gordon’s thirtieth in SST and first since Race #2 at Long Beach last year. He also won the inaugural Nashville SST race in 2021.

Johan Kristoffersson has won his first ever RX2e event in a chaotic final of the fourth round of the RX2e class of the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship in Mettet, Belgium. Norway’s Ole Henry Steinsholt repeated his podium success from round 3 by finishing second, with Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky rounding out the top three.

The RX2e grid at Mettet was packed with regulars from the series, as well as familiar faces from the RX1e class. Following the fire at Lydden Hill, UK, last time out, the decision was taken by the FIA and the event organisers in Belgium not to run the top class of World RX cars, as the cause of the fire has yet to be properly identified. As a result, Kristoffersson, teammate Ole Christian Veiby, and brothers Kevin and Timmy Hansen stepped into the support series to try their hand against the regulars of that series.

The deal struck by the FIA and the organisers was that the four RX1e drivers would not score any points. The championship fight would remain open and even, which makes Viktor Vranckx‘s decision to pull out of the championship look even stranger. He had the opportunity to fight against the biggest names in world rallycross and prove his talent, but has instead elected to pull out of the championship. This did, however, blow the championship even wider open, with just one point separating Andersson and Isak Sjökvist.

Heats

Kevin Hansen started the weekend strongly. He took his Hansen World RX Team RX2e car to the top of the timing chart in the qualifying practice session, putting him on pole. Estonia’s Marko Muru impressed by putting his car in second position, ahead of Veiby and Kristoffersson in third and fourth. Timmy Hansen lined up fifth, meaning that all four of the interlopers were quicker than the RX2e regulars.

In conditions that have been changeable all weekend long, Kristoffersson once again proved his talent, taking three out of four heat wins. The star of the heats, however, was Kristoffersson Motorsport‘s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky. Twice in the heats, she was second only to her teammate Kristoffersson. This means she takes the three points for being the fastest of the RX2e regulars, with Andersson taking two points and Muru one.

John Hunter Nemechek‘s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway began in disaster but ended in dominance. He and Joe Gibbs Racing team-mates Sammy Smith and Ty Gibbs all wrecked together just twelve laps into the race, but Nemechek was able to work his way back through the order to lead the most laps and secure his fifth win of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

The accident occurred when Nemechek hit Gibbs’ rear as they exited turn two, with Smith running behind them. As Gibbs went sideways and Nemechek slid into the infield, Smith collided with Carson Hocevar which ended his day. Gibbs gestured at Nemechek in frustration, though he was able to continue the race.

“I have to apologise to Ty and the #19 team. I didn’t mean to get into him,” said Nemechek. “I’m the one that has been preaching about team-mates. It was my fault. I put him in a bad aero spot. It looked like he got loose and then I couldn’t checkup. Just chain reaction type of events, but it is my fault. I take the blame for that. We will move on from it. Him and I will have a discussion about it.”

Despite the incident, Nemechek did not fall a lap down and thus remained in contention. After spending the first stage trying to make up lost ground, he won Stage #2 ahead of Justin Allgaier.

Allgaier, who claimed Stage #1, was eventually taken out of contention after a pit crewman went over the wall too soon during a green-flag stop. With Allgaier no longer a threat, Nemechek dominated the final stage to win.