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A decade after his last Dakar Rally, Krzysztof Hołowczyc will chase the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas in 2023 to prepare for his return to the legendary race in 2024. He will race a Mini Countryman for X-raid Team with Łukasz Kurzeja as co-driver. The campaign has been dubbed “Road to Dakar”, though it is not to be confused with the Road to Dakar programme that rewards rookies with invitations to the race if they perform well in certain events.

“The upcoming season is a unique challenge for us,” said Hołowczyc. “Lukasz and I are starting a programme called Road to Dakar, which includes starts in the full cycle of the World Cup in Baja rallies in the 2023 season, as well as starting the legendary Dakar Rally 2024. Told you we’d be back there.

“The next novelty will be the rally that we will race. We are getting on with Łukasz to the brand new Mini Countryman T1+ prepared by the German X-raid Team. It’s a brand new vehicle that will have its presentation in mid-December.

“Great things are born out of passion, persistence, determination, which we share with the owner Jarosław Peczka. We are going there to win.”

Hołowczyc is no stranger to the World Cup and its European Cup counterpart, though mainly because his native Baja Poland is a round on both championships’ schedules. He is the most accomplished driver in the event’s history, having won the overall eight times including all but once from 2010 to 2015. Despite retiring from racing after his 2015 victory, he returned for more and secured additional wins in 2021 and 2022.

Isidre Esteve Pujol has joined the growing list of racers competing in a T1+ vehicle at the 2023 Dakar Rally. After his first starts in the Toyota Hilux T1+ at the Rallye du Maroc and Andalucía Rally in October proved to be successes, he will once again pilot the truck at Dakar.

Prior to the upgrade, Esteve raced a Toyota Hilux Overdrive prepared by Overdrive Racing in the T1.1 subclass. In his first race with the T1+ at Morocco, he finished seventh overall among the Cars and the second best Hilux behind third-placed Nasser Al-Attiyah, who won the 2022 Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid T1 Championship in the T1+. Esteve backed up this performance in Andalucía by placing tenth.

As the name suggests, the T1+ is significantly better in performance than the Overdrive/T1 versions with a wider base (24 cm wider), more suspension travel (330 mm versus the 275 mm of the T1), and bigger wheels (14 cm longer in diameter and 7 cm in width). Nicknamed “BlackHawk VII”, the T1+ also uses a monoshock system instead of dual shocks like its predecessors.

His Repsol Toyota Rally Team will introduce a new biofuel that is 75 percent renewable. By comparison, the fuel used in Morocco and Spain was 50 percent in reusable material.

“We used it from the first kilometre with the new Hilux and, of course, in both competitions that we dispute And the performance has always been extraordinary,” said Esteve. “As a team, we are proud to be able to contribute in such a direct way in the development of products designed to mitigate climate change. Repsol’s biofuels can play an essential role in the immediate future. It is the path that society is taking and the competition must lead, as always, this change.

Astara Team will field a trio of cars at the 2023 Dakar Rally as Óscar Fuertes Aldanondo returns to the team while Carlos Checa Carrera and Laia Sanz have joined in, as previously reported in October. All three will pilot a Astara 01 Concept, which is relatively the same from the version used at the 2022 Rally save for differences to improve its performance and environmental footprint.

The 2023 Astara 01 Concept is 1,590 kg without fuel, making it lighter than the 2022 counterpart’s 1,621. Such a reduction was also taken by Audi Sport for their RS Q e-tron E2, which sheds much of the weight from the 2022 car. Unlike Audi, the 01 Concept still retains its shape for the most part.

In dropping weight, the 01 Concept gains speed with 450 horsepower versus 380. It is also capable of carrying a spare tyre if necessary.

The car is also more dependent on e-fuel with 90 percent of its power consisting of it. By comparison, the 2022 01 Concept used 70 percent.

Sanz is a Dakar Rally star on two wheels before switching to a car for the 2022 Rally, where she finished twenty-third overall in a Mini Cooper for X-raid Team. Likewise, Checa was a MotoGP veteran and former Superbike champion before entering Dakar for the first time that same year, though his début for MD Rallye Sport was marred by a wreck.

After a very disappointing few rounds, Scuderia Ferrari ended the year very respectfully at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where for the first-time since the Japanese Grand Prix the Italians had the second best package on the grid.

It’s been a bit touch and go for Ferrari in their fight with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team over the last few rounds, with the Germans having been incredibly competitive in the season’s close. However, Mercedes weren’t with it at the Yas Marina Circuit, whilst Ferrari produced impressive pace.

After locking out the second row, Charles Leclerc found himself in third for the majority of the race, before tricking Sergio Pérez into making a second pit-stop. Once Checo pitted for a second time, Leclerc inherited second spot after opting to end the race on a one-stop, like race winner Max Verstappen. The result claimed the Monegasque driver second in the Constructors’ Championship, demonstrating some great progression.

Carlos Sainz Jr endured a tough start to the race following a duel with Lewis Hamilton; however, the British driver fell right off the pace which allowed the Spaniard to claima a safe fourth place finish. The result meant Sainz claimed fifth in the standings, matching his 2021 position.

With Mercedes having struggled, Ferrari in the end claimed second with ease, marking their best Constructors’ result in years. Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto labelled 2022 as an “important year”, but admitted that should the Scuderia “want to win the titles” then they still have a “lot of work to do”.

It was the perfect end to a mixed season for Charles Leclerc at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as a superb second-place finish sealed the Monegasque driver second in the Drivers’ Championship.

After qualifying third, Leclerc settled into the race at the Yas Marina Circuit excellently, with his mid-race pace having been somewhat of a shock to Oracle Red Bull Racing. Midway through the race and he was beginning to put some pressure on Sergio Pérez, the driver he was battling for the runners-up spot in the championship.

Scuderia Ferrari then remarkably got their strategy correct, after making a dummy call to Leclerc, where they told him to “box opposite Pérez”. This call to Leclerc made Red Bull suddenly pit Checo for a second time, dropping him well behind the Ferrari star.

Leclerc in the end didn’t actually pit again and managed to look after his Hard tyres all the way to the end of the race, where he sealed second place in the race and the championship, after finishing 1.3 seconds ahead of the Mexican driver.

As well as Leclerc claiming second, Ferrari sealed second in the Constructors’ Championship, something that was looking unlikely not too long ago. It’s been an up and down year for Leclerc, who has arguably made too many errors to be a World Champion. However, he’s not entirely to blame after being the victim of several strategic blunders by his side.

Liam Lawson ended his time in the FIA Formula 2 championship with a double podium in Abu Dhabi, with the New Zealander ending the season third in the final standings.

The Red Bull Junior Team driver is set to leave Formula 2 to race in the Japanese-based Super Formula championship in 2023, but he secured his fourth Sprint race victory of 2022 on Saturday before taking third in the Feature race on Sunday.

Lawson admits his performances he showed during other parts of the 2022 campaign should have been as strong as it was in Abu Dhabi, which meant the Carlin driver could not fight for the championship as he wanted to do.

However, having started the final weekend of the season sitting seventh in the standings, ending up third was a great way to conclude his time in the championship.

“Very happy with the weekend,” said Lawson. “Obviously to finish on a high is nice, I think we, as a team, deserve it after the struggles we’ve had this year.

Ayuma Iwasa closed off his rookie FIA Formula 2 campaign in the best possible way on Sunday, with the DAMS driver taking victory in the Feature race at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The twenty-one-year-old Japanese racer, part of the Red Bull Junior Team and also backed by Honda, started from pole position in Abu Dhabi after an impressive performance from DAMS saw them lock out the front row of the grid.

Despite late pressure from 2022 series champion Felipe Drugovich, Iwasa held on to take the victory – his second of the season after previously winning at the Circuit Paul Ricard back in July – with the result moving him up to fifth in the final standings ahead of Virtuosi Racing’s Jack Doohan.

Iwasa admitted it was tough to manage his tyres throughout the thirty-three-lap event, and even though MP Motorsport’s Drugovich seemingly had better pace, he was able to take the chequered flag first to end the season in a perfect manner.

“I’m so happy with this weekend, we can’t ask for a much better event than pole position and Feature Race victory!” said Iwasa.  “We had great speed in qualifying so I was delighted to take pole and to have Roy alongside me on the front row.

Arthur Leclerc will make the step up to the FIA Formula 2 championship in 2023, with Ferrari Driver Academy linking up with the French DAMS outfit.

The FIA Formula 3 race winner moves away from the Prema Racing team that has guided him through both Formula Regional European Championship and F3 for the first time since joining the Italian outfit ahead of the 2020 season.

Leclerc, the younger brother of current Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, is delighted to be making the jump up to Formula 2 for the first time, and he will run in the post-season test with DAMS later this week.

“I’m delighted to be making the step up to Formula 2 with DAMS in 2023,” said Leclerc.  “They’re a very successful team that has achieved great results in the championship, and I hope I can be a part of that and continue the team’s success.

“Charles Pic has done an amazing job to help the team back to winning ways throughout the season and I’m aiming to keep that going next year.

Frederick Vesti will remain in the FIA Formula 2 championship in 2023 but will move back to the Prema Racing outfit he compete in both the Formula Regional European Championship and the FIA Formula 3 championship.

The Danish driver, the champion of the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema in 2019, won three races with the Italian team as he stepped up to Formula 3 the following year, but he switched to ART Grand Prix for his second season in Formula 3 and for his first year in Formula 2. 

Vesti, a Mercedes-Benz Junior who will have his first taste of FIA Formula 1 World Championship machinery this week as he tests for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, is thrilled to be back with Prema and is looking to fight for the title in his second season in Formula 2.

“To join Prema Racing for the 2023 Formula 2 season is great news for me,” said Vesti.  “I have known Prema since 2019 when we won the Formula Regional European Championship together.

“Prema is an amazing place to be at and in my opinion, gives me the best opportunity to fight for the F2 title in 2023! I have big dreams and Prema is the team I believe that I can achieve those dreams with.

Ayuma Iwasa held off the late challenge of 2022 champion Felipe Drugovich to take the final Feature race victory of the FIA Formula 2 championship season on Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Starting from pole position, Iwasa held onto the lead at the start despite a first corner attack from DAMS team-mate Roy Nissany, and from there, the Japanese Red Bull Junior driver was seemingly in control.

A virtual safety car was required before the end of lap one after Campos Racing’s Ralph Boschung was spun around by Van Amersfoort Racing’s Juan Manuel Correa at turn nine.  Boschung’s car was stranded on the outside of the track, but it did not take long for the marshals to remove it.

Théo Pourchaire, who had dropped from third to fight on the opening lap after running wide at the exit of turn one, capitalised on the restart by jumping back into fourth ahead of Prema Racing’s Dennis Hauger, the ART Grand Prix driver getting a faster restart than his rival.

Drugovich, racing for the final time for MP Motorsport in Abu Dhabi, passed Nissany to run second on lap seven at tun nine, while Hauger and Carlin’s Liam Lawson were the first ones to make their mandatory pit stops a few moments later.

The 2022 SCORE International Baja 1000 course might have been shorter than the previous year’s as its mileage was in just the triple digits at 828.25 miles (760.91 for Moto/Quad), but what the Ensenada loop lacked in distance was compensated with a technical and difficult route that took its toll on competitors. Yet despite the attrition presented, one variable remained constant: Luke McMillin, Rob MacCachren, Mark Samuels, Justin Morgan, and Kendall Norman winning the overall.

McMillin and MacCachren, sharing the #83 Trophy Truck with Jason Duncan as co-driver, was the first Four-Wheeler to complete the race with a total time of sixteen hours, thirty-seven minutes, and forty-five seconds. The overall was a family feud as McMillin, his older brother Dan in the #23, and cousin Andy in the #7 were the top trucks. However, Andy and team-mate Bryce Menzies suffered a case of déjà vu when a pair of transmission failures ended their race after 478 miles; the duo had led much of the 2021 race before their engine gave out. Luke and MacCachren fell behind with a driveshaft problem but made up ground after the #7’s exit. The #23 and #83 battled for the rest of the race, and Luke capitalised on Dan suffering a flat tyre to retake the lead and pull away. Dan settled for second at 16:59:39. Nearly forty minutes behind the McMillin Racing 1–2 was Larry Roeseler, who completed the full distance on his own.

The McMillin/MacCachren duo enjoyed their second straight overall victory, while Menzies’ retirement enabled McMillin to secure the Trophy Truck class championship. McMillin had started the season with a victory in San Felipe and was poised to clinch at the 1000 despite Menzies winning the pole via his Baja 400 victory as the latter retired from the Baja 500 (which MacCachren won in his own truck).

“[It] was probably the most highs and lows I ever had in a Baja 1000, and then also by the end, the most calm Baja 1000 I ever had,” said McMillin. “At the beginning, Rob passed Bryce at Mile 70 for the physical lead and I was like, ‘Alright, that’s pretty cool, but it’s early. It’s very, very early.’ And then Rob got a flat, Dan and Bryce got by him, and Rob worked his way past both of them again. My brother started having a little bit of engine issues—just some popping and stuff, no big deal, it worked its way out and his truck was running good after that. Rob also caught Bryce down at San Felipe, passed him on a line, and I was down there waiting at Zoo Road and to my surprise, Rob was first so that was pretty cool.

“So that was the high. And then the low was we lost the driveshaft on Puertecitos Road and we had about twenty minutes of downtime. I was sitting at my pit at Morelia Junction waiting for the truck. I was ready to get in first or second and then go do battle with the #7, I was looking forward to that, but unfortunately it didn’t work out for either of us. At the time, Rob was down, he dropped down to fourth vehicle on the road but there was no one else. There was four or five vehicles running, it was the two McMillin trucks, Bryce and Bebo (Andy’s nickname), and then also Larry Roeseler was back there, also Cameron Steele was in the mix. But behind that, it was a big ol’ gap, so once we changed the driveshaft, I knew Rob could push back up and catch him and sure enough, he got right up on Cameron. The #7 went down with a transmission change, so we were third on the road. I got in the truck third, and then Cameron Steele and Ryan Arciero lost a transmission so then we’re sitting 1 and 2, my brother and I. We got up on him through the desert, Josh Daniel, who was in my brother’s truck, and then they did a driver change.

After the BWT Alpine F1 Team were able to secure fourth-place in the Constructors’ Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has praised the team’s “strong level of competitiveness” displayed throughout the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Alpine’s fourth-place finish in the Constructors’ marks the first time that the French team has managed to finish inside the top four since the 2018 season, when the then-named Renault team were able to beat the Haas F1 Team to secure fourth-place.

This year, Esteban Ocon’s seventh-place finish combined with the McLaren F1 Team’s failure to capture a substantial points-haul at the Yas Marina Circuit, would see the Enstone-based team prevail in what had been one of the more tightly contested battles of the 2022 season and capture fourth-place in the championship.

Speaking on the team’s success in the Constructors’ Championship this season, Szafnauer was full of praise for the team’s collective effort shown throughout the campaign.

“Firstly, congratulations to all at BWT Alpine F1 Team on this fantastic achievement of securing fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. This was our target at the start of the year and we certainly deserve it after showing a strong level of competitiveness on a regular basis to pick up good points at most races.

It was a positive last race of the season for McLaren F1 Team, despite the British outfit not being able to overturn BWT Alpine’s F1 Team’s nineteen-point advantage going into the weekend. However, a double points finish was a nice way to round out what has been a season of difficulties for McLaren.

McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl was pleased with the last race of the season, with Lando Norris finishing in sixth with the fastest lap and Daniel Ricciardo climbing a few positions, to secure a points finish in ninth ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

“This was a nice way to finish a long, tough season. The team pulled it off today with a double-points finish at the Yas Marina Circuit, three excellent pit-stops and fastest lap. It was a well-executed race, with P6 for Lando and P9 for Daniel representing a good return for a lot of hard work. Fastest lap for Lando is a nice reward, while Daniel put in a great defensive drive at the end to hold onto his position. We say goodbye to him now after a drive that exemplifies the unflagging enthusiasm and determination, he’s shown this year.”

It has been a tough year for McLaren, who have given up fourth place in the Constructors’ championship to a rather unreliable Alpine team. However, there has been some good moments, such as Norris’ podium in Imola, and Ricciardo’s ‘Driver of the Day’ performance in Mexico.

“We finish the season P5 in the Constructors’ Championship. It is a fair reflection of our overall performance as a team this year. We definitely had some challenges to overcome. At the same time, we had many positives including the podium in Imola, and we learned a lot to become a better team next season. We start with the preparation of the next season tonight getting ready for the young driver test with Lando and Oscar on Tuesday.” 

Esteban Ocon was left delighted after his seventh-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix helped the BWT Alpine F1 Team secure fourth-place in the Constructors’ Championship, at the final round of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The French driver was able to see out a two-stop strategy which saw him come home for the final seventeen laps on the Hard compound of tyre. In the closing stages of the race around the Yas Marina Circuit, Ocon had his sights firmly set on Lando Norris and despite the Alpine driver managing to get within DRS, he would ultimately run out of laps and have to settle for seventh position.

Despite failing to catch Norris in the closing stages, the French driver chose to look at the positives after his six-point haul from Abu Dhabi allowed him to surpass his previous best points record across a Formula 1 season.

“On my side, it is the best points finish of my career, so that is very satisfying. In terms of today’s race, seventh place is a great result and, with one more lap, it could have been sixth as I was catching Lando [Norris] at the end.“

Ocon’s sixteenth points finish of the season combined with the McLaren F1 Team’s failure to take home a substantial points haul, would allow Alpine to claim fourth in the Constructors’, allowing the Enstone-based team to secure their best finish in the Constructors’ Championship since 2018.

It was an emotional day for Daniel Ricciardo, as he raced for the last time for McLaren F1 Team in the 2022 FIA Formula 1 season at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Ricciardo saw his McLaren career come to an end as he crossed the finish line at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in a respectable ninth position. This will be his last race as a full-time driver until at least 2024, with the Australian expected to take a reserve role next season at former side Oracle Red Bull Racing.

Ricciardo recorded McLaren’s first win since 2012, with an incredible drive in Monza that will go down in McLaren history, with Lando Norris making it a one-two. His final race today may have not been as memorable, but it was good final race for the Australian claiming points for the team and defending Sebastian Vettel on the last lap.

“I’m really pleased to get some points in my last race for McLaren. I felt like I did the best I could with the pace I had. I was struggling to keep the front tyres alive. That was the biggest limitation, that’s where it got a bit tricky.

“I felt in terms of moves, I defended when I could and overtook when I could, so from that point of view, I’m pretty pleased. Vettel caught me quite quick in the end and trying to hold him off I think I killed the tyres a bit, but I am happy to have held on and got the points.“