Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Mitsubishi Motors has been eager to get back into the cross-country rally scene since the turn of the decade. While their main division back home in Japan is preparing to defend their Asia Cross Country Rally championship after winning on début in 2022, Mitsubishi Motors Brasil has revived their racing arm for the 2023 Rally dos Sertões.

As part of their return, the manufacturer will provide factory support to Spinelli Racing‘s Mitsubishi L200 Triton Sport piloted by Guiga Spinelli and co-driver Paulo Fiuza. The two previously worked together in 2014 at the Baja España Aragón.

“It’s always an honour to be able to wear official Mitsubishi Motors overalls again, at a time when we celebrate the brand’s return as an official competitive team and also my return to the Rally dos Sertões,” said Spinelli. “My five titles in this race were won aboard a Mitsubishi vehicle, as well as my best result in Dakar. I am excited about this comeback with a view to future plans and confident that we will do our best.”

Mitsubishi Motors Brasil last raced in 2015, with Carlos Sousa and Fiuza finishing eighth overall in the Dakar Rally. The flagship company was a powerhouse at Dakar between 1984 and 2009, winning a record twelve times with the guidance of their racing department Ralliart. While Mitsubishis continued to race the Dakar over the next few years, they did not receive full factory backing as they did during Ralliart’s run.

Besides rally raid, Ralliart’s portfolio also includes four driver’s World Rally Championships and the manufacturer’s title in 1998. The name is also used for regional licencees like in Brazil, and Ralliart branding is thus also present on Spinelli’s Triton.

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso finished the Austrian Grand Prix in sixth place before being promoted to fifth after the post-race track limits penalties were applied. He felt that he extracted all that he could from the car over the Sprint weekend. 

Alonso opted for an alternative strategy, and was one of a few drivers to start the race on hard tyres. However, the Virtual Safety Car brought out on lap fourteen meant that drawing out the stint wouldn’t be advantageous, and they rather chose to pit Alonso with the medium runners. Considering this as well as the new-found pace of Lando Norris’s McLaren, he felt that sixth was the best that could be done. 

“I think it was more or less the maximum we could achieve today. We were very close to Lando [Norris] in terms of pace and also the Mercedes. We tried something different by starting on Hards but then the VSC meant our advantage of going longer in the first stint wasn’t possible anymore.”

The Spanish driver added that the Red Bull Ring wasn’t a strong track for them in 2022 either, and that they might need to review the weekend to gain insight on this. 

Otherwise, Alonso was pleased with the haul of points in Austria overall, scoring fourteen points between the Sprint and main race. The team also made a step toward Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in the Constructors’ Championship. 

Despite missing out on points in the Austrian Grand Prix, Alexander Albon was pleased with the pace of his FW45 throughout the weekend, and it proved that the Williams Racing team are making good progress with the car.

Albon acknowledged that the top four teams – Oracle Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team – all had normal and problem-free races, meaning there was only likely to be two spots within the top ten up for grabs.

And with Lando Norris playing a starring role in the race to finish fourth for the McLaren F1 Team and Pierre Gasly also securing a place inside the top ten for the BWT Alpine F1 Team, Albon was forced to settle for eleventh at the chequered flag.

Albon, who was handed a time penalty post-race for exceeding track limits although it did not affect his final position, felt the Red Bull Ring suited Williams, and with both he and team-mate Logan Sargeant showing good pace, it proved the team are making positive steps forward.

“I’m not disappointed about the race today; I think it’s a normal thing with the top 4 teams and top 8 cars in those positions, so there’s only two points up for grabs,” said Albon.  “Lando had a great race, as did Pierre, so that was the remaining points and we were the next best.

The BWT Alpine F1 Team experienced a challenging Austrian Grand Prix weekend at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring, leaving Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer expressing disappointment with the team’s performance. Despite scoring one point over the weekend, Szafnauer acknowledged the areas where they fell short, particularly in their ability to compete with close rivals on race day who currently maintain a slight advantage of a couple of tenths of a second.

“We are not satisfied to leave Austria with one point across the weekend. This end result highlights where we are lacking, especially in terms of being able to fight with our close rivals on race day who, right now, are a couple of tenths of a second ahead of us,” stated Szafnauer.

Looking ahead to the next race at Silverstone, Szafnauer revealed that the team is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to introduce an upgraded car. This upgrade is expected to enhance the team’s performance and contribute to a stronger showing in the upcoming races.

“Next week is Silverstone where we will have an upgrade on the car and we look forward to adding more performance in the coming races,” Szafnauer added optimistically.

However, the Austrian Grand Prix weekend was marred by a tragic incident. Dilano van ‘t Hoff, a participant in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine at Spa-Francorchamps, lost his life.

Toto Wolff admitted the Austrian Grand Prix was a ‘bruising’ race for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton ending up only seventh and eighth at the chequered flag.

Hopes had been high heading into the weekend at the Red Bull Ring that Mercedes could continue their form from the Spanish and Canadian Grand Prix, with the team fighting for podium places in both after updates were brought to their W14 car.

However, the pace seemed to drop off substantially as they were unable to match the pace of the likes of Scuderia Ferrari, the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team and even the McLaren F1 Team, all who were able to finish ahead of them on Sunday.

Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, said the team knew early in the weekend that the pace in the car was not there, but they will take it on the chin and move forward.

“Today was a bruising day for the Team,” said Wolff.  “We’ve had a positive upward trajectory recently but clearly, we didn’t have the pace we needed here.

The BWT Alpine F1 Team wrapped up the Austrian Grand Prix with a solid performance, securing valuable points at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring. Pierre Gasly finished in ninth place, while Esteban Ocon crossed the line in twelfth position.

However, both drivers were handed time penalties post-race for track limit offences, a ten-second penalty relegating Gasly to tenth, while Ocon was handed a combined thirty-second time penalty for four separate track limit offences, the Frenchman having exceeded track limit more than eighteen times.

Gasly’s point marked a return to the top ten after missing out in the previous race in Canada, contributing to the team’s total of three points from the Austrian Sprint weekend. Ocon had a strong showing in the Sprint race, finishing in seventh place.

However, both drivers encountered setbacks during the 71-lap race, as they were penalized with five-second penalties. Ocon received a penalty for an unsafe release during his first pit-stop, while Gasly was penalized for exceeding track limits.

Reflecting on the race, Ocon shared his disappointment but remained optimistic about the team’s future performance: “It’s not been an easy race for us today. Of course, it’s always disappointing to miss out on scoring points. We’ll need to sit down and carefully review the race to see where we can improve and ensure we can be more competitive on Sunday next week in Silverstone.”

After the highs of the Canadian Grand Prix where the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team were contending for positions on the podium, the Austrian Grand Prix was a much more difficult weekend for the team, with the drivers finishing only seventh and eighth.

Lewis Hamilton was heard complaining early on about the driveability of his W14 at the Red Bull Ring and was handed not one but two penalties for exceeding track limits.  The second penalty came post-race that relegated him from seventh to eighth.

Hamilton admitted he did not expect to struggle as much as he did on Sunday, but he feels it will give the team an understanding on what areas of the car they still need to improve on.

“It was not the greatest of days today,” admitted Hamilton.  “We weren’t expecting to be as slow as we were and our performance this weekend was a surprise.

“We don’t have the answer as to why just yet, but this track has highlighted several areas of improvement we need to focus on.

Scuderia AlphaTauri has announced that Yuki Tsunoda will be participating in the premier show event at the iconic Nürburgring on 9 September. The young Japanese driver will take the wheel of the HONDA NSX GT3 Evo, adding to the already impressive line-up that includes F1 stars Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel.

At just 22 years old, Tsunoda will become the youngest driver to tackle the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a legendary circuit known for its 73 corners, challenging ascents and descents, and the iconic Caracciola Carousel. The event promises to deliver amazing show runs and a host of thrilling motorsport highlights.

Expressing his excitement about the upcoming event, Tsunoda said, “I’ve never driven at the Nürburgring before, so I’m really looking forward to the event in September. I can’t wait to drive around it in my HONDA NSX GT3 Evo, which is an incredible car and a proven race-winning machine at the highest level of GT3 competition. The Nordschleife is a legendary circuit, I just experienced it on the Gran Turismo videogame and already enjoyed it a lot.”

Tsunoda’s journey to Formula 1 has been remarkable. In 2020, he secured a sensational third place in the FIA Formula 2 Championship as part of the Red Bull Junior Team and Honda Junior program. His impressive performance earned him enough points for a super license, paving the way for his debut in Formula 1. Tsunoda’s passion for motorsport began at a young age, watching kart races with his father at the Nakai kart track in Japan when he was only four years old.

Red Bull Formula Nürburgring will not only showcase Formula 1 show runs but also offer spectators the chance to witness the 12-hour race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series up close, with an estimated 30,000 motorsport fans expected to attend.

Last month Haas F1 Team partnered with the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ) in an exciting collaboration aimed at empowering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students and providing them with firsthand insights into the world of motorsport.

To commemorate International Women in Engineering Day, the team’s Engineering Department organised an online Q&A session featuring Laura Mueller, Monica Jalem, and Anna Saad, accomplished women engineers at Haas F1 Team. These professionals engaged with a group of female students aged 14 to 17 who were studying various STEM subjects, including math, physics, robotics, computer science, environmental science, and material science.

Mueller, Jalem, and Saad shared their personal journeys into motorsport, discussing the subjects they studied, work experience opportunities they pursued, and their current roles within Haas F1 Team. The session shed light on the challenges women face in engineering and offered valuable advice on prioritizing personal well-being in a fast-paced working environment.

The partnership between Haas F1 Team and AISJ takes a holistic approach to identify barriers hindering students’ transition from education to the workplace. It also aims to enhance specific areas of the school curriculum by incorporating industry-based case studies, mentorship programs, and raising awareness about STEM career opportunities.

The collaboration originated during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when engineers Gary Gannon and Trevor Green-Smith visited AISJ. They engaged with students from various courses, emphasizing the importance of sustainability in motorsport and showcasing the diverse range of roles covered by STEM subjects.

Neel Jani has been signed by Audi as a simulator driver for the development of their Formula 1 power unit. With his extensive experience in various motorsport programs, Jani will play a crucial role in supporting the development of Audi’s power unit, focusing on concept work and energy management. In parallel, Audi is updating its dynamic driving simulator at the Neuburg site to aid in the development of the Formula 1 hybrid powertrain as they get set to return to Formula 1 in 2026.

Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development of AUDI AG, emphasized the significance of simulation in Audi’s Formula 1 project, stating, “Our simulator is an important tool for the power unit development. It requires a development driver who, in addition to a grasp of technology, brings versatile experience to the project, especially in terms of energy management in racing conditions.”

Jani’s background includes being a former test and reserve driver at Red Bull Racing, where he spent numerous hours in a Formula 1 simulator. He also gained valuable experience in a hybrid race car as a race driver in endurance racing, winning the FIA World Endurance Championship and the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans as a member of the Porsche factory team.

Jani expressed his excitement about joining Audi in their Formula 1 endeavor, stating, “I am delighted to accompany Audi on their way into Formula 1. It is both an honor and a great responsibility to be involved in a project of this magnitude at an early stage. I am sure that with my experience from Formula 1 and LMP projects, I can forge good links between theory and practice.”

Audi’s development of the power unit has been progressing, with testing of a one-cylinder engine yielding valuable results since the end of 2022. The current phase focuses on fundamental concept questions that are performance-related and lays the groundwork for the power unit’s performance in 2026 when the new regulations will increase electrification. The electric motor (MGU-K) is expected to deliver nearly the same output as the internal combustion engine, while the 1.6-liter turbo engines will be powered by sustainable synthetic fuel.

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso crossed the line in sixth place before being moved up to fifth due to Carlos Sainz’s post-race track limits penalty, while team-mate Lance Stroll ended the race in ninth. 

Before Alonso’s promotion to fifth, Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack said that he was content with the nine points they added to the board on Sunday. He also felt that they missed out on an even better finish for both cars due to their poorly timed first stop, which saw them pit Alonso and Stroll a lap later than optimal under Virtual Safety Car conditions. 

“Today was not our strongest performance, but we still managed to score nine important points. The podium fight was out of reach, but there was the opportunity to finish higher up with both drivers. 

“We lost some track position early on when we chose to pit and stack both cars just as the VSC was ending and that proved quite costly for both drivers.”

From their strategic falter on lap sixteen, Krack said that Stroll did a great job at battling through the field to reenter the points after his drop down to fifteenth. 

The Rallye du Maroc is typically used as a last dry run in competitive conditions for those planning to race the Dakar Rally, and Anja van Loon will take full advantage of that when October arrives.

Any practice she can get for Dakar 2024 is imperative as it will be her first time at the race in a truck, driving an IVECO PowerStar for Team de Rooy. Furthermore, it will mark her first rally with her all-female crew as Floor Maten and Suzanne Peek respectively serve as her co-driver and mechanic.

Van Loon made her Dakar début in 2023, driving a Can-Am Maverick in the T3 class and finishing fourteenth overall. The effort came alongside her husband Erik van Loon, who drove in T1 only for his final Dakar Rally to end with a crash. Erik is close friends with Team de Rooy owner and twice Dakar truck champion Gerard de Rooy, hence his operation providing a ride for her; Team de Rooy won the 2023 Dakar Rally in T5 for trucks.

The Morocco Desert Challenge in April, of no relation to the Rallye du Maroc save for being in the same country, was her first time racing a truck. Maten was unavailable as she was working in an organisational position with the MDC, so van Loon instead worked with her brother Ben van de Laar and Peek; van de Laar and his brother Jan finished seventh in T5 at Dakar 2023. In Morocco, van Loon finished fifth in class in what she called “a good truck début for me.”

While SSVs and trucks are different types of vehicles, van Loon still frequently races the former to gain as much track experience as she can. This weekend, she and Erik will race Can-Ams at the Italian Baja, a leg of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, with Maten finally able to join her.

Sebastián Urquía was a regular at the Dakar Rally when it went through his home country of Argentina and South America in the 2010s. As the overarching World Rally-Raid Championship visits Argentina for the first time with the Desafío Ruta 40, he will be there too on a KTM 450 with Xraids Experience.

Urquía comped at Dakar seven times from 2014 to 2020, with the first six coming during its time in South America. However, luck was scarce during the race’s time in the continent as he failed to finish three straight rallies from 2015 to 2017, all in the second half. His best overall finish was forty-fifth in 2019.

2020 was his final Dakar as he planned to focus on the Argentinian and Uruguayan motocross championships, but wanted to experience racing in Saudi Arabia before stopping. Urquía placed fifty-ninth overall.

To prepare for Dakar, he used the Desafío Ruta 40 as a dress rehearsal where he was consistently among the top domestic entries. His last start there in 2018 saw him finish twenty-second overall and win the Group N class for non-World Cup riders. During its original run through the 2010s, the DR 40 was a leg of the Campeonato Argentino de Rally y Navegación (CaNav), where Urquía competed in the M1 category.

He currently races in the Argentine Motocross Championship’s MX3 class, scoring a podium in the MX3 C race at the season opener in Trenque Lauquen in April. While Xraids Experience specialises in rally bike rentals, the Spanish outfit also provides support for his motocross programme.

2022 British Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan has joined Extreme E as the male Championship Driver for this weekend’s Island X Prix, where he partners with the returning Tamara Molinaro.

As part of his duties, he will test the track in Sardinia for the series and provide input. If a male series regular is unable to race, he will take his place.

Although only nineteen years old, O’Donovan has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the rallycross ranks. In 2022, he became the youngest driver to win the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy while also claiming a pair of wins in the FIA World Rallycross Championship’s RX2e division at Riga and Spa en route to a fourth-place points finish.

For 2023, he is defending his British RX title and competing in the FIA European Rallycross Championship’s top-flight RX1 class. O’Donovan leads the British championship after winning the first two races. In Euro RX, he recently scored his first win in Höljes to remain in contention as he now sits fourth and nine points behind the standings leader with two races left.

“It’s exciting to get the call up from Extreme E to be Championship Driver,” said O’Donovan. “It’s going to be something completely new to me, but I’ve seen how great the racing can be and I can’t wait to get in the car.

Reaume Brothers Racing prides themselves on giving drivers opportunities to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and this will continue Saturday as they field the #34 Ford F-150 for Caleb Costner in his Truck début at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“Caleb is a true embodiment of our team slogan ‘Built Different,'” said team owner Josh Reaume. “He understands the value in equipment, and knows how vital each piece is. I’m really excited to take Caleb to a place that relies heavily on the talent of the driver, something we as a team are very confident in.”

Costner began his career in Bandolero racing before moving to dirt late models. In 2021, he ran the final two ARCA Menards Series West races, respectively finishing fourteenth and thirtieth at All American Speedway and Phoenix. He and his family-owned Costner Weaver Motorsports entered the 2022 ARCA East opener at New Smyrna, where he retired and was classified thirteenth.

For 2023, CWM is running a limited slate in the national ARCA Menards Series. After finishing twenty-fourth at Daytona, he crashed late at Talladega due to a blown tyre. The accident led to concerns about whether they could run their next planned race at Charlotte as the car was their lone vehicle with no outside support, but they were able to get on track and finish thirteenth.

Outside of racing, he is a sheriff’s deputy in Gaston County, North Carolina.