Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

George Russell has admitted that Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team went ‘too far’ with the development of the zero side pod concept on the W14 for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Mercedes has not had an easy start to the 2023 season, despite a podium for Lewis Hamilton in Melbourne. In Bahrain, Team Principal Toto Wolff confirmed that radical changes were to made to the car, with them expected to be introduced at Imola later in the season.

Russell has admitted that the team took the concept of no side pods too far and that a change would have to be made to see Mercedes challenging Oracle Red Bull Racing, who is a second quicker than the Silver Arrows on average per lap.

“‘It caught us by surprise to see the lack of performance when we hit the track in Bahrain and that’s why we were quick to change our approach.

“I think already on the Saturday night of the Bahrain Grand Prix, we were trying different things, going in a different direction with the development because we recognised we’d maybe gone too far.

South African riders Dwain Barnard and Ronald Venter hope to run the 2024 Dakar Rally, and will use the upcoming Sonora Rally to further prepare. The two recently trained in the deserts of Namibia with Untamed Adventures & Tours.

Both come from a background in hard enduro riding, particularly in the South African National Enduro Series where they have raced against each other. Venter unofficially won the 2022 National Enduro Championship in the Senior division on an unofficial basis, owing to the category not having enough average starters per race to qualify for the overall, while Barnard only ran the season finale to rank sixth of eleven classified.

Barnard has also competed in the Kalahari Rally, which used to be Road to Dakar leg prior to the formation of the World Rally-Raid Championship. His family owns D & D Group of Companies, which offers services like electrical installations and generator support.

Both will race for Freedom Rally Racing. Many of those competing at Sonora, including fellow FRR riders like Ashley Thixton and Étienne Gélinas, are also Dakar Rally hopefuls and will vie for free admission to the race via the Road to Dakar programme.

The Sonora Rally will take place on 24–28 April.

With Red Bull Racing proving to be a dominant force for a second year on, FIA Formula 1 World Championship CEO Stefano Domenicali said that the commanding performance of one team is not causing newer fans to turn away from the series. 

Rather, the lack of variety in which teams top the timesheets is more likely to be a criticism of devoted, long-time viewers, according to Domenicali’s statements in a recent meeting with investors. 

Only three races into the 2023 season, Red Bull has secured a solid lead in the constructors’ championship, currently fifty-eight points ahead of their closest rivals at Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team. Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen heads the pack with two wins, and is the clear favorite to take a third straight title. 

When it comes to how the remainder of this year’s championship will develop, Domenicali is confident that there is ample time for the team order to be shaken up and result in some more “surprises” by the end of the season. 

“First of all, if a team is faster than the others, congratulations, they did a better job than the others. It’s the duty of FIA as the regulator to make sure that they check the compliance of the car with the regulations.

Nyck de Vries does not believe Scuderia AlphaTauri will make a huge jump in performance in one update package during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, and instead they are likely to make smaller increments throughout the year.

After the opening three races of the season, de Vries is only of only two drivers on the grid yet to break into the top ten on race day alongside Williams Racing’s Logan Sargeant, with his best finish being fourteenth in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda has only scored one point thanks to tenth place in Australia, but de Vries has belief that AlphaTauri will make progress during the season, although a big jump in pace is not likely to come in a single update on the AT-04.

“I think the differences are quite subtle,” De Vries is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.  “And obviously, on this specific track, there’s actually not very much low speed.

“But certainly, all development on the car is very necessary because everyone is working hard.  And I think that all the little things we are constantly bringing – it’s not like there is a game-changer, you’re not going from P15 to P8 – all the little details are making a difference.

DS Penske have become the latest team to announce who’ll be completing next Monday’s Formula E Rookie Test, with the American side having gone for a duo with links to Formula 1.

Representing DS Penske at the Tempelhof Street Circuit next Monday will be Scuderia Ferrari reserve driver Robert Shwartzman and ex-Manor Marussia driver Will Stevens, who is also a winner of the illustrious Le Mans 24 Hours.

Shwartzman’s career is finally starting to get back-on-track following the ignition of the conflict in Eastern Europe, with him having been unable to compete in Formula 2 last season due to the conflict. Ferrari have kept the F2 race winner and former Formula 3 World Champion on the books, though, with the Italians rating the Russo-Israeli driver very highly.

He is Ferrari’s main reserve driver this season and is also set to compete in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for AF Corse, giving him a busier schedule than last year. Looking ahead to the test which takes place a day after the Berlin E-Prix double-header, Shwartzman is “thrilled” to be able to drive a Gen3 car and is fascinated by how it’ll feel to drive.

“‘I am thrilled to get the chance to drive a Formula E car, and I thank Jay Penske for giving me this opportunity. This championship is a very interesting, growing platform, it has quite a different approach compared to other racing series but that’s why it’s fascinating. As a driver I’m always keen to be able to gain experience with different cars and this test offers me the chance to try a new kind of single-seater in a year that sees me involved in Formula 1 as third driver and in GT racing as an official driver of Ferrari.

Daniel Ricciardo is determined to return to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship after being dropped by McLaren F1 Team at the end of the 2022 season, but the Australian does not want his return to be rushed and based on poor decisions.

Ricciardo, a decorated race winner, will be hoping that a year away from Formula 1 will give him the edge when he looks to go back into a seat in 2024, as he looks to reset and return as a better version of himself. The eight-time race winner was a surprise exclusion off the grid this season, with Ricciardo being viewed as an extremely talented driver with plenty of experience behind him. Many reports have claimed that he turned down Haas F1 Team as he wants to return to a race-winning seat, on his terms and conditions.

Ricciardo was back in the paddock in Melbourne fulfilling his role as Oracle Red Bull Racing’s third driver, a role he took up upon leaving McLaren at the end of 2022. He was welcomed back to the paddock with open arms and is hoping that he will be back in 2024, but in a full-time role.

“I still am at a point where it’s not at any cost, it’s not just to be back on the grid,” Ricciardo said to Sky Sports in Melbourne.

“A lot of the reason for taking this year off was that I didn’t want to just jump back into a car, any car just to be one of the F1 drivers. And I still don’t see myself starting from scratch and rebuilding a career and going at it for another decade.

Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal James Barclay has warned that they’ll be a “full reset” this weekend at the Berlin E-Prix double-header, due to the “unique surface” of the Tempelhof Street Circuit.

Jaguar enter this weekend’s seventh and eighth round of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on the back of one of their best performances in Formula E history, after they claimed a 1-3 in São Paulo. Mitch Evans won the race whilst Sam Bird came third, in what was a “very memorable race” for the entire team.

Reflecting on Brazil, Barclay expressed how “very proud” the entire team are following the incredible result, whilst the hope going forward is that they can replicate their sensational performance.

“São Paulo was a very memorable race for everyone here at Jaguar TCS Racing and we are all very proud of that performance. A race like this brings confidence and belief in what we can achieve this year and we will be doing our absolute best to repeat similar performances this year. We are not complacent though and realise it’s the hard work, repeating the processes and procedures and some good fortune that delivers results like São Paulo.

Looking ahead to Berlin this weekend, it’s a venue which hasn’t always been the kindest to Jaguar, with their best result being third in Germany. It looks set to actually be a very challenging weekend, with the hard Hankook rubber set to be a real challenge for the drivers due to the strangeness of the circuit’s surface.

The Short-course Off-road Drivers Association hoped to begin the 2023 season by racing at Wisconsin International Raceway on 29 April, but snags in construction have forced plans to be called off for the year. SODA hopes to try again in fall 2024.

Wisconsin International Raceway is an oval pavement speedway that primarily hosts short track racing and is a popular grassroots site for those aspiring to compete in NASCAR. While certainly not a type of circuit that one might see off-road racing take place, SODA had prior experience after kicking off 2022 at Slinger Super Speedway. SODA announced the WIR date in December.

However, SODA President Willie Freshour revealed Sunday that track construction has not gone to plan as crews were unable to produce dry enough clay, which is used for the off-road surface. The matter was further compounded by worries about the weather with rain and thunderstorms in the forecast over the next week.

“Things aren’t coming together for the WIR race. We can’t get dry enough clay and other big issues with track building and weather are arising,” he explained. “We will run the WIR race in the fall for 2024 so we don’t run into these issues again. An updated 2023 schedule should be out by the end of next week.

“There are more issues then just the tacky clay. Another big issue is the ground under the track being too soft for dump trucks. It’s unfortunately just way too early in the year to put on a event like this for this facility.”

Oscar Piastri is already keeping McLaren F1 Team team-mate Lando Norris on his toes despite the young Australian being a rookie in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2023.

Piastri has been the only McLaren driver to advance into the final segment of Qualifying during the opening three races of the season in Saudi Arabia, and although Norris has scored more points, the young Briton feels his team-mate has been keeping him honest.

Both drivers scored their first points of a difficult start to the season during the Australian Grand Prix, with Norris sixth and Piastri eighth, meaning the team jumped from the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship up to sixth in one race.

“He’s done a very good job,” Norris is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com.  “I think he’s understood the car well, it’s obviously not an easy car to drive.

“For sure, I think he did a very good job in Saudi. He got into Q3, the only Q3 this year so far. So, he’s keeping me on my toes.”

Mitch Evans heads into this weekend’s Berlin E-Prix double-header full of confidence, after claiming a remarkable victory last time out in São Paulo. Evans was sublimed in Brazil and finally managed to seal a brilliant result, with his season up to São Paulo having been full of bad luck.

He’ll be hoping that Brazil wasn’t simply a fluke and that he can be just as strong at the Tempelhof Street Circuit, a venue where he claimed a podium at in Season Seven. His victory at the previous round certainly did wonders to his championship position, with him having risen to ninth in the Drivers’ Championship; albeit, still forty-seven points behind Pascal Wehrlein.

Two strong races this weekend, though, could elevate Evans right into the mix, given how many shock results there have been to the frontrunners in recent rounds. Looking ahead to this weekend, Evans has a relit “fire” in him after winning in Brazil, with it having been a “very special moment for me”.

“São Paulo was a very special moment for me; the city, the atmosphere and the entire experience made the result one I won’t forget. Celebrating on the podium again, with the team, has given me that fire for Berlin. I’m excited to take the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 to this familiar track and know the whole team will be putting in lots of work to see what we can achieve there.”

“I know I have more to give” – Sam Bird

On the other side of the Jaguar TCS Racing garage, Sam Bird is also hoping to build on from his brilliant result in Brazil, with him having finished third. Bird did excellently in Brazil to fight his way through the field, after starting tenth due to a grid penalty.

Mahindra Racing have interestingly announced that they’ll be running three drivers during next Monday’s Formula E Rookie Test, the first of which since 2020. Mahindra has certainly chosen an experienced trio, all of which have plenty of experience in Formula 2, whilst two of them have some experience in Formula 1.

The first of Mahinda’s rookies for next Monday’s test at the Tempelhof Street Circuit, Berlin, is F2 race winner Jehan Daruvala, who is the team’s official reserve driver this season. Having previously been backed by Red Bull, Daruvala is an exceptional talent who is currently sixth in the 2023 F2 standings, with the Indian driver having claimed two podiums already this season.

With him being the team’s reserve driver, Daruvala has spent a considerable amount of time in Mahindra’s simulator, meaning he might have a vague idea of what to expect next Monday. Daruvala is “really excited” to drive the team’s Gen3 car next week and is “especially proud” to be doing so for the Indian manufacturer, with the duo making an all-Indian pairing.

“The Gen3 is the fastest Formula E car yet and I’m really excited to be given the chance to drive it in Berlin. My role as Reserve Driver means I have already driven several laps in the simulator, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the M9Electro for real. As an Indian, I’m especially proud to be driving for the only Indian manufacturer on the grid and I’m really grateful to Mahindra Racing for giving me this opportunity.”

Also running for Mahindra next Monday a day after round eight of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is F2 podium finisher and former F1 driver Roberto Merhi, who is competing in Australia and Japan this year. Merhi raced for Manor Marussia in 2015 before he was dropped in the latter stages of the season, by American Alexander Rossi.

Ahead of next Monday’s first Formula E Rookie Test since 2020, the ABT CUPRA Formula E Team have announced that reigning ETCR Champion Adrien Tambay and ADAC Sports Foundation member Tim Tramnitz will complete the test for the German team, at the Tempelhof Street Circuit, Berlin.

It’s certainly a busy week for ABT CUPRA, with the Germans currently preparing for their home E-Prix this weekend, with Berlin hosting round seven and eight of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The Rookie Test will take place a day after the second race in Berlin, with both Tambay and Tramnitz to get their first Formula E experience.

Whilst he hasn’t driven a Formula E car, Tambay is no stranger to all-electric racing, with him being the reigning Electric Touring Car Championship (ETCR) Champion. Tambay won the title last season whilst driving for CUPRA, with him having already recognised “familiar faces” amongst the ABT CUPRA Formula E outfit. He also raced for ABT in 66 DTM races from 2012-2015, further highlighting the relationship he has with the company.

He’s incredibly excited for next Monday’s Rookie Test and the opportunity to return to a single-seater, whilst he’s also “delighted” to have been trusted by the team to gather important data.

“It’s a great feeling to work with the guys again and see a lot of familiar faces. After successful years in touring cars, it’s also exciting to be back in a single-seater, continuing my journey with CUPRA. I’m delighted to have the trust of ABT and CUPRA and will do my best to support the team in their comeback year.”

Maserati MSG Racing have announced that reigning Formula 2 World Champion and current Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team reserve driver Felipe Drugovich will complete next Monday’s Rookie Test for the Monte-Carlo-based team, alongside seventeen-year-old Formula 3 driver Hugh Barter at the Tempelhof Street Circuit.

Next Monday will see the first Formula E Rookie Test since 2020, with it set to take place a day after the eighth round of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Maserati certainly have an exciting lineup for the test, with Drugovich at one point having looked likely to make his full Formula 1 debut. Drugovich completed pre-season testing for Aston Martin after Lance Stroll was ruled-out through injury; however, the Canadian returned for the season-opener.

Drugovich is certainly a very talented driver who demonstrated his speed last season, where he claimed the F2 title relatively comfortably. The Brazilian “can’t wait” for the test and is intrigued to discover how different the Gen3 car feels to Aston Martin’s AMR23, with that being what he’s used to.

“I can’t wait to get my first taste of the Maserati Tipo Folgore and Gen3 Formula E in Berlin. Formula E is a category that has always fascinated me, and it will be intriguing to experience the differences of a fully-electric car in comparison to the single-seaters I’ve raced in recent seasons. Knowing that I will be playing an active role in the development of such an iconic brand, in its first season back in World Championship motorsport, is a huge honour. I’m very excited.”

Whilst Drugovich has somewhat completed his junior and stay in the junior ranks, Barter is very much at the start of his journey. The young Australian-Japanese driver finished second in the Spanish F4 Championship last season before making the switch to F3 this year, where he competes for Campos Racing.

Newly-signed Alpine Academy driver Aiden Neate was in commanding form having led the way in the first 2 of 5 pre-season test sessions for the 2023 ROKiT F4 British Championship at a sodden Thruxton Circuit and looks set to build upon his duo of F4 victories from 2022 as he moves up to Formula Regional for 2023. Despite the tricky conditions on a dry yet green circuit, Neate managed a best time of 1:10.893 in the second session, which left him nearly four-tenths clear of his nearest rival, New Zealander Louis Sharp, and was fast enough to place him fifth, relative to the 2022 qualifying pace.

Although strong across all 3 sectors, Neate’s comfortable margin was entirely built within the first sector. Of the twenty-two strong-field, the Fortec Racing driver was alone in dipping below a 23.8 with an impressive 23.682. Kanato Le came close to breaking the 23.8 bubble with a confidence-building time of 23.801, but all behind Neate will surely be impressed by his experienced pace and will be eyeing his lines and braking points to figure out where that time came from.

Carlin Rodin’s Louis Sharp and Hitech GP Pulse-Eight Racing’s William MacIntyre will be buoyed by their performances, also reasonably clear of their fellow rivals, having set a 1:11.255 and 1:11.277 respectively to place them nearly two-tenths up over the tight grid and as the fastest of the registered competitors for 2023. Meanwhile, fourth through twelfth were separated by only 3 tenths of a second during the dry running.

Amongst the rookies, it was Gabriel Stilp, a prolific driver in British karting, who set the pace with a 1:11.654 for Hitech and was followed by Carlin’s Josh Irfan, a former Kartmasters champion, who set a marginally slower lap time of 1:11.716. Their times would leave them tenth and twelfth, respectively, and the pair should be pleased with their performances as they take their first steps out of karting. Nonetheless, they will need to keep an eye on the rest of the rookie field who also showed some great form in the unforgiving conditions.

During the third session, running was limited as the heavens opened and left the circuit soaked – a new challenge even to some of the established racers after a 2022 season that saw little-to-no wet running. Carlin was the only team to send their drivers out for more than a sighting lap with Indian driver Dion Gowda (competing under a Singaporean license) leading the session from Sharp and Irfan, having set their laps prior to the deluge. Surprisingly, Sharp actually managed his fastest lap nearly twenty-five minutes into the session and will be a driver to watch should rain fall later this year.

Sebastian Loeb will be back on the grid full-time for the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship. In a move guaranteed to set the pulses of rallycross fans racing, the legendary driver will be piloting an all-electric version of another rallying legend: the Lancia Delta Evo-e RX.

Loeb will be partnered at the new Special ONE Racing team by compatriot Guerlain Chicherit. The team is the sports branch of new company Special One, who state their aim as “to manufacture and distribute exclusive, eco-friendly, sporty vehicles such as the Delta Evo-e, an icon of the 1980s-1990s, retrofitted to electric”. The two Lancias will be fuelled by two 250kW engines which enable the cars to achieve 0-60mph times of 1.8 seconds.

Rallycross fans have already had a taste of what the Delta can do when Chicherit debuted the car at the Nürburgring at the last round of the 2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship. The car captivated audiences with its stunning looks and amazing speed before an unfortunate incident meant the campaign ended in the wall.

With two excellent drivers on board and a commitment to the sport for at least three years, Special ONE Racing clearly don’t intend to make up the numbers; they are here to win. Chicherit summed up the team’s attitude: “The scene is set to see Special ONE Racing become a top-notch team. From this season, we’ll have the opportunity to make history, becoming the first to have a retrofitted car win a World Championship race. Let’s get going!“

The scene is indeed set, as both cars and drivers have excellent racing pedigree. Chicherit has 40 WorldRX starts to his name, but the focus will surely be on Loeb. During his three seasons in WorldRX to date, he has chalked up two wins and fifteen podiums from 36 events. In 2018, he was the only driver other than Johan Kristoffersson to achieve an event win in a thrilling wet race at Mettet, Belgium. With a calendar full of races at classic rallycross circuits, and both Kristoffersson and Loeb on the grid, the stage is set for an epic clash of the titans.