Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Ahead of next month’s special Free Practice Rookie session prior to the Rome E-Prix, Envision Racing has confirmed that Jack Aitken will again be representing them in the Italian capital.

The ex-Formula 1 driver recently made his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut for Envision, at the official rookie test in Berlin. The designated rookie test followed the Berlin double-header, at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit. On that day, Aitken completed nineteen laps, whilst he also learnt a significant amount about the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 which Envision use.

The British-South Korean driver is certainly excited for the session, with him “looking forward to another crack”.

“Plug me back in baby,” Aitken wrote on Twitter.

“Another outing with @Envision_Racing for the rookie session in Rome, loved last time in Berlin so looking forward to another crack at it!”

Lance Stroll is “really excited” for his home Grand Prix this weekend, as the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship moves on to Canada.

This weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix is a big one for Stroll, given that he genuinely has a car which, on paper, could challenge for the podium places. Stroll has come under scrutiny already this season for not being quick enough; however, a first podium of the season at home would silence a lot of doubters. He enters his home GP having finished sixth at the Spanish Grand Prix, and ahead of his team-mate for the first-time this season.

Stroll knows that the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team will likely be in battle with multiple teams this weekend, although, upgrades for the Silverstone-based team in Canada could give them the edge. The Canadian has his eyes set on “pushing hard” for his fans in Montreal, with it being the best place to claim his highest finish of the year.

“I am really excited to return to Montréal for my home race; it’s always special for me to see all the Canadian support at the city I grew up in. It is a circuit that also holds some good memories for me; climbing seven places to finish in the points last year was especially memorable.

“With how close the pecking order has been in recent races, it will be interesting to see what the characteristics of the circuit do to the competitiveness up and down the pitlane this weekend. The margins will be very tight, so we’ll be pushing hard to put on a good show for my home crowd.”

Yuki Tsunoda is targeting points this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix, after a penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix saw a top ten finish slip through his finger tips.

Tsunoda’s significant improvement this season in the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship has so far been one of the stories of the season, with the Japanese driver having somewhat become Scuderia AlphaTauri‘s leader. He is responsible for all of the Faenza-based team’s points this season, and would’ve added to their tally had it not been for a questionable five-second time penalty.

The Japanese driver finished the Spanish GP in ninth but was demoted to twelfth, once the time penalty was added. Tsunoda was awarded the penalty for being judged to have forced Zhou Guanyu off the circuit, at the first corner. It was a debatable decision which left Tsunoda empty-handed, on a weekend where the driver put the team’s strong performance down to “how hard everyone is working”.

“It was frustrating not to score points because of the penalty in Spain, but putting that to one side, I can say we were consistent and I was really happy with the way we worked. The team did a good job, especially with the strategy for Sunday, and also for qualifying I got a lot of help from my engineers and the team.

“We are working well together, but more than that, the team itself has improved and everyone is pulling in the same direction. Even though we know we are struggling a bit this season, we have achieved good results in the races, and that is down to how hard everyone is working.”

Ahead of next month’s Pirelli tyre test, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team have confirmed that reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi will be completing the second day of the test, at the Silverstone International Circuit.

Haas will be taking part in the two day test on July 11-12, following the British Grand Prix two days prior. Completing the first day of the test will be current Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, who will each do a session. On the second day, Fittipaldi will drive the VF-23 during both sessions, with his feedback set to be “invaluable”.

Fittipaldi has been Haas’ reserve driver since 2019, whilst he also replaced Romain Grosjean for the final two rounds of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The Brazilian has gained significant F1 experience in testing the team’s cars in recent years, whilst he’s also been completing his own racing programme in 2023. This season, Fittipaldi is competing in the IMSA Sports Car Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship.

He recently claimed a front-row start in the latter, at last weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours. Fittipaldi is “very happy” to be back behind the wheel of the VF-23 next month, where he’s already “focused” on learning “as much as possible” for the North Carolina-based outfit.

“I’m very happy to be back behind the wheel of a MoneyGram Haas F1 Team car, this time in Silverstone. It’s going to be exciting for me because I’ve never driven a Formula 1 car around Silverstone and I think that’s one of the most classic tracks in the sport. Just as I’m excited, I’m also focused on doing a great job for the team, trying to learn as much as possible for them in terms of car development.

It has been confirmed by Red Bull that four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel will be returning to the cockpit this September, with an appearance at Red Bull’s Formula Nürburgring event.

Nine years on from when he last drove for Oracle Red Bull Racing, the famous German is set to be reunited with one of his title-winning cars, at a venue he was last victorious at in 2013. Despite being retired, Vettel will be jumping into his beloved 2011 title-winning RB7, known to the fifty-three-time race winner as ‘Kinky Kylie’.

Vettel will be completing a series of demo runs in his RB7 at the legendary and formidable Nordschleife, alongside former team-mate and current Red Bull development driver Daniel Ricciardo. For the event, Vettel’s RB7 will run on “synthetic, carbon-neutral e-fuel”.

Thousands of fans are expected to make their way to the circuit for the event, a number which will have likely increased following the announcement of Vettel’s appearance.

The fan favourite is keen to “demonstrate” that the likes of Formula 1 could run completely on e-fuel, with it being accessible “right now”.

The all-female racing championship W Series has entered administration, eight months after prematurely concluding its third season. Kevin Ley and Henry Shinners of Evelyn Partners LLP have been appointed as joint administrators of the series, marking an uncertain future for the championship.

Established in 2019 as a junior championship for women racers, W Series gained attention for its mission to provide a platform for female drivers to showcase their skills. Jamie Chadwick emerged as the victor in the inaugural season and continued her success in both 2021 and the curtailed 2022 season. However, the 2020 championship did not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Financial difficulties plagued the series, leading to the cancellation of its final three races in 2022, which were scheduled to be held at Circuit of the Americas in the USA and the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico. Despite hopes of securing backing and continuing the championship, no plans were announced for a fourth season.

Kevin Ley, one of the appointed administrators, expressed the disappointment surrounding the news: “The news will be upsetting for the company’s employees and drivers together with the worldwide supporters of the championship. The company had been unable to commit to the 2023 race season due to its liquidity position.”

The administrators confirmed that only one staff member remained, believed to be CEO Catherine Bond Muir. Evelyn Partners LLP aims to explore all available options to potentially restart W Series in the future. They are currently seeking expressions of interest in the business and assets of the company.

BMW Group Classic is set to make a historic return to the Le Mans Classic, showcasing the iconic BMW M1 Group 4 in its legendary “Münchener Wirtshaus” livery. The car will be driven by the original trio from the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans: HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria, Christian Danner, and Peter Oberndorfer.

To kickstart the action, the team gathered at the Spatenhaus an der Oper restaurant in Munich, recreating the pre-race photo call from 1981. The nostalgia was palpable as history repeated itself with the same venue, car, and drivers.

Prince Leopold of Bavaria expressed his excitement about the upcoming race, stating, “I’m really looking forward to driving the BMW M1 Group 4 in ‘Münchener Wirtshaus’ livery at Le Mans again after 42 years. It makes me particularly proud that my friends Christian Danner and Peter Oberndorfer are here with me, so that we can take a trip back in time in a very special way.”

This year holds multiple reasons for celebration as BMW Group Classic marks the centenary of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans by participating in the Le Mans Classic, in collaboration with BMW Motorsport and BMW France. Additionally, the BMW sales company in France celebrates its 50th anniversary, and HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria will turn 80 on 21 June.

Alongside the BMW M1 Group 4, BMW Group Classic will host an exhibition of Le Mans racing icons at the Musée des 24 Heures du Mans. Notable attractions include the overall winner of the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, the BMW V12 LMR, and the first-ever BMW Art Car, the BMW 3.0 CSL created by Alexander Calder in 1975. Visitors will also have the opportunity to admire the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car from 2010, designed by Jeff Koons.

The official game of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans Ultimate, made a grand entrance at the highly-anticipated Centenary edition of the iconic endurance race. Fans were treated to a sneak peek of the game, allowing them to experience the thrill of Le Mans before the ultimate race began.

Studio 397, the developer behind the game, showcased an early version at the Family Fan Village, where over 3,200 racegoers had the opportunity to try out a preview presented by Thrustmaster. Excitement filled the air as fans took the wheel of the Porsche 963 Hypercar or Ferrari 488 GTE on full rig set-ups, navigating the virtual Circuit de la Sarthe. The session provided a taste of the real-life action unfolding at the legendary venue, utilising the latest products from Thrustmaster, including the entry-level T248 wheel and the bespoke sim racing Direct Drive T818.

Prominent figures in the racing world also joined the gaming experience, with factory Porsche Penske Motorsport driver Matt Campbell and Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team star Joshua Rogers testing the Porsche 963 Hypercar. The Ferrari camp was well-represented too, as Scuderia Ferrari Esports drivers Timotej Andonovski and Alex Siebel provided feedback on the Ferrari 488 GTE machine.

The excitement continued at the pre-event press conference organized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), where the first teaser video for Le Mans Ultimate was unveiled. The conference also featured the announcement of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar and Toyota’s plans for hydrogen prototypes, making them the first manufacturer to reveal intentions for the new-for-2026 category.

Simultaneously, the Le Mans Ultimate Steam store went live, allowing PC gamers to add the game to their Wishlist and stay updated with the latest developments leading up to the expected release in December 2023.

Hutch, the renowned automotive mobile game developer, and Turn 10 Studios, the creators of the Forza franchise and a prominent first-party video game developer within Xbox Game Studios, have announced an exciting collaboration. The two studios are partnering to develop a mobile game that will offer a unique car customisation experience for a broad audience on mobile platforms.

The idea for this joint project emerged in 2020 during discussions between Hutch, a London-based studio, and Turn 10 Studios. Leveraging the world-leading gameplay and visual style of Forza, combined with Hutch’s expertise in mobile live ops, the partnership was formed with the shared goal of creating a groundbreaking automotive gaming experience.

Hutch, aims to deliver an engaging gameplay experience tailored to mobile audiences. While the full details of the game will be revealed in due course, it is known that car customization will be a core gameplay mechanic. With over a decade of mobile gaming experience, Hutch will take the lead in developing the title, with creative input and guidance from Turn 10.

Shaun Rutland, CEO and Co-founder of Hutch, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Our philosophy for game development is mobile first, with gameplay experiences that work for players on this platform.

“We’re committed to creating strategic games that enable our community of players to celebrate their passion for cars. It’s that same passion for cars, as well as creating platform leading titles about cars, that brought us together with Turn 10. Coming together to work on a title made immediate sense, and we’re incredibly excited to show you the results of our last few years of collaboration.”

The entry list for the 2023 Sahlen´s 6 Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen in the USA has now been officially published by the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with 57 cars to take to track on 25 June. The entries are also equal in ammount as the 1984 race at Watkins Glen, this event marks the second time all of the IMSA categories will be presented on the same, the last time was at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.

In the new 2023 top category Grand Touring Prototype there are nine cars entered, the same nine that competed last time out in Laguna Seca where the #01 Cadillac Racing entry piloted by Renger Van Der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais took the checkered flag first. The only difference will be the addition of third drivers for the #31 Action Express Cadillac entry and #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura entry. Jack Atken from the United Kingdom will go for the #31 Cadillac while the Swiss driver Louis Deletraz will be piloting the Acura.

In the LMP2 one more car is joined besides the regulars when the Italian powerhouse AF Corsa, who helped Ferrari to take the overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend, will join the grid with an Oreca Gibson 07. The team will have a mixed line-up from the FIA World Endurance Championship with Lilou Wadoux and Luis Perez Companc joining from the LM GTE-AM field and Nicklas Nielsen from the Hypercar class.

AF Corsa also adds an entry in the GT Daytona Pro category with a Ferrari 296 GT3 for Miguel Molina, Ulysse De Pauw, and Simon Mann. Returning to the class will also be the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari with Daniel Serra and Davide Rigo, and the Iron Lynx Lamborghini for Andrea Caldarelli and Jordan Pepper, boosting the class entry to nine cars in total.

The other GTD class sees an entry of 20 cars where the all-female Iron Dames entry headlines the list after a bittersweet running in Le Mans last weekend just barely missing out on a podium finish and rounding up the entry list in a 10-car field of LMP3 cars.

The 100th round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship takes place 17/18 June at the Lånkebanen circuit in Hell, Norway. Fittingly for such a momentous event, several heroes of the sport will be taking part this weekend across the RX1e and Euro RX1 categories at one of the most popular tracks on the calendar.

Hell has been a mainstay on the calendar since the championship’s inaugural season in 2014. That first season, like all of them, saw some spectacular racing, with two-time world champion Petter Solberg taking ultimate honours that year. He would go on to win the following year before stopped in his tracks in 2016 by the sport’s current sporting director Mattias Ekström. After that, the reign of the mighty Johan Kristoffersson began. He has been champion in every season he has entered since 2017 (taking a one-year hiatus in 2019) and has already stamped his authority on the 2023, with a masterful display in Montalegre, Portugal, last time out. It is far too early to call, but alarm bells must be ringing for the other teams, as the five-time world champion already looks a little unstoppable.

One team determined to stop him is Hansen World RX Team. Timmy Hansen was a finalist when the championship first visited Hell and will be desperate to make a mark this season following a disappointing opening round. Hansen failed to reach the final after contact with his brother, Kevin Hansen, in the semi-final. Kevin, however, did manage to finish second overall, and so, despite team manager Kenneth Hansen saying that “we are not at winning pace yet“, there are encouraging signs that they may not be too far from achieving their goal.

There are more scintillating battles in prospect between Construction Equipment Dealer Team and Special ONE Racing. Sébastian Loeb thrilled spectators on his return to the sport, partly because of the extraordinary Group B livery of his all-electric Lancia Delta Evo-e RX, and partly with spectacular battles up and down the grid, chiefly with both CE Dealer Team drivers. After a heat one battle with Niclas Grönholm, he went on to have a thrilling fight with Klara Andersson. For Andersson, it was a very special moment: “Sébastien Loeb was one of my biggest childhood heroes. I’ve always regarded him as one of if not the best off-road driver ever, so it was super-cool to race against him“. With both CE Dealer Team drivers showing good pace all weekend in Portugal, expectations will be high in Norway.

Similarly, Loeb will be aiming for the top in Norway. Having won his second heat race with the third best time overall, the pace of the Lancia with Loeb at the wheel is obvious. “I’m a bit disappointed with the result of the final, of course,” he said after a puncture relegated him to last place in the final. Showing the experience that has earned him his legendary status, he reflected: “it’s frustrating because we were in a really good rhythm and our strategy was faultless. We showed a good level of performance, because we mustn’t forget that we’re up against specialists in the discipline – drivers and teams who have more experience than us with electric RX1e cars.” If he is achieving this kind of pace without much experience in this particular category, imagine the fireworks when he and the team get fully up to speed.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC has announced the exciting return of Robin Larsson, the reigning Nitrocross champion, and Andreas Bakkerud, the previous season’s runner-up with Monster Energy as their primary partner for the upcoming Nitrocross season.

After their championship-winning season in 2022-23, Monster Energy will continue to support Robin Larsson and Andreas Bakkerud. Larsson and Bakkerud propelled DRR JC to the team championship and finished first and second in the driver’s championship.

Expressing his excitement about returning to the team and the upcoming Nitrocross season, Larsson said, “I am excited to return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC for the upcoming season. The team’s unwavering commitment to excellence and relentless pursuit of victory align perfectly with my own ambitions as a driver.

“Together, we have achieved great success in the past, and I believe that the 2023-2024 season holds even greater promise for us. I look forward to continuing this incredible journey with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC.”

Bakkerud established himself as one of the most formidable competitors in the Nitrocross arena. His remarkable achievements, along with his engaging personality, have made him a fan favorite around the world. With Bakkerud’s return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC, the team is confident in their ability to challenge for the championship title.

Swedish rallycross driver development team #YellowSquad is gearing up for the opening round of the FIA RX2e series with a bold new look. The team, in line with Hansen Motorsport‘s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, has revealed stunning liveries that will make their cars easily distinguishable on the track.

The yellow base color, which has been synonymous with successful programs for the team, continues for 2023 with subtle differences indicating the two drivers’ cars. Isak Sjökvist‘s #YellowSquad RX2e car features a white front panel on the nose and white wheels, while Catie Munnings‘ car sports a black front panel and black wheels.

Reflecting on the recent testing and training with the team, Catie Munnings said, “Testing with #YellowSquad for the first time last week was really good as I started to work closely with Eric, Isak, Kevin, and Timmy (Hansen). It was really useful to have Kevin and Timmy’s experience of electric rallycross cars, and it was a great couple of days.

“Going through setup options like we did was not the sort of thing I’d done before with this car, so that was great looking ahead to Norway. I’m really looking to lean on the team’s experience this weekend, and targeting a great result. The liveries look amazing, it’s been a huge effort by the team to get ready for the season, and I can’t wait to get racing – the team definitely looks the part!”

Isak Sjökvist shared his excitement about the upcoming season, saying, “From my side it was a really great testing. It was so useful and we gathered a wealth of knowledge for how the car is working. We can take those tools into this season, which is an opportunity I’m really excited about. When I looked at the car for the first time I was impressed and I think we’re really going to stand out on track. It’s the first race of the season for us, so I’m excited for the challenge and will be driving with all my heart and soul.”

Conor Daly lost his NTT IndyCar Series ride with Ed Carpenter Racing just seven races into the season and was replaced by Ryan Hunter-Reay, who ran the Indianapolis 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Ironically, Daly will now drive for DRR, albeit in a slightly different discipline from what he is used to.

On Monday, DRR’s rallycross division Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC announced Daly will compete in this weekend’s Nitrocross 2023/24 season opener at MidAmerica Outdoors, driving the #24 FC1-X in the premier Group E category. The series, a rebrand from Nitro Rallycross, is run by Daly’s close friend Travis Pastrana.

“The chance to test my abilities in this intense, adrenaline-fueled series is something I’ve been anticipating,” said Daly. “I’m grateful to the team for believing in me and providing this incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel and showcase what we can achieve together. I also want to thank Travis Pastrana and Nitrocross for all of their help and effort in getting this programme together.”

Although Daly has spent much of his career in open-wheel racing, including being an IndyCar regular for a decade, he has dabbled in other disciplines in recent years. Most notably, he began competing in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 and qualified for the Daytona 500 in February.

Prior to his sudden departure from ECR, he was twentieth in the IndyCar standings with a best finish of eighth at the Indy 500. He had been racing for teh team since 2020, when he was splitting the full calendar between the team and Carlin.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport Aims for Strong Performance at Oulton Park in BTCC Round Five

Oulton Park circuit, nestled in the heart of Cheshire, is set to witness the intense competition of the 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship as Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport gears up for round five of the series.

With the halfway point of the season approaching, and Jake Hill arrives at Oulton Park after a positive weekend at the high-speed Thruxton Circuit. Hill secured a top-five qualifying result and followed it up with two fourth-place finishes and another top-ten result in the final race. These strong performances have propelled Hill to fourth place in the Drivers’ Championship standings, amassing 130 points.

Reflecting on their previous visit to Oulton Park, Hill and the team are eager to make amends for their unfortunate qualifying incident that hindered their progress. Despite starting from a disadvantaged position, Hill showcased his skill by scoring points in all three races and even claimed the fastest lap in the final race. This weekend presents an opportunity for Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport to showcase their true pace at this challenging circuit.

Driving the WSR-run BMW 330e M Sport, Hill is determined to secure a substantial points haul at Oulton Park and reignite his championship fight with six rounds and 18 races still ahead.