Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

It looks set to be an emotional final round of the championship for Williams Racing, as they prepare for their final race with George Russell at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

It has been a memorable three years for Russell with Williams, but his time at the team is finally about to end, before he joins the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team. The team will always hold a special place in the British driver’s heart after all they’ve accomplished together, they now have one more weekend to do something magical.

Russell is ready for what will be a very emotional weekend, as the team look to secure eighth in the Constructors’ Championship.

“We head to Abu Dhabi for the final race of the season and what is sure to be a weekend full of mixed emotions as my journey with Williams comes to an end. It has been an incredible three years with the team, with many highs but also some lows, but I am determined to go out in the best possible fashion and help the team secure eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

“It would be a fitting reward for all the hard work and efforts from everyone at Grove over the past few years as we’ve battled back from our difficulties when I first joined the team. I am sure there will be plenty of feelings and emotions after the Grand Prix on Sunday but until then, my full focus is on the track and putting together a strong weekend.”

It is quite fitting that B.J. McLeod Motorsports, a NASCAR Xfinity Series team led by the closest thing to a car-driving rock star, has added a driver with an iconic mullet to its ranks. On Wednesday, BJMM announced Josh Williams has joined the team on a multi-year deal and will drive the #78 full-time in 2022.

“I am really looking forward to driving for B.J. in 2022,” said Williams. “He is a racer just like me and that makes this a dangerous combination. Seeing what B.J. and Jessica (McLeod) have built over the years is a huge accomplishment.

“From watching B.J. race super late models when I was eight years old to driving for him in NASCAR is a cool story that a lot of people don’t know. Just two guys from Florida making a name at the highest level of motorsports.”

Williams has raced in the Xfinity Series since 2016, and was a full-timer for DGM Racing from 2019 to 2021. During his three full slates with DGM, he scored eight top tens with a best finish of sixth at Kansas in 2020 and a highest points placement of fifteenth that year. After finishing eighteenth in the 2021 standings with one top ten, he departed DGM in November.

In joining BJMM for the long term, he also has an opening to move up to the Cup Series should the situation be perfect. McLeod co-owns Live Fast Motorsports, a Cup team that débuted in 2021, with Matt Tifft.

Formula 1 will say goodbye to Kimi Räikkönen this weekend in Abu Dhabi, with the Finn set to compete in his final race before retirement.

The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion will make his three-hundred and forty-ninth and final start of his career this weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit having won twenty-one races, taken one hundred and three podiums and eighteen pole positions in a career that began back in 2001 and has taken him from the Sauber F1 Team to Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN via the McLaren F1 Team, Scuderia Ferrari (twice) and the Lotus F1 Team.

Räikkönen is looking to end his career on a high by finishing inside the points one last time, but he knows when he crosses the finish line for the last time on Sunday, it will feel different to what he has experienced before.

“It’s the last race of the season and, this time, the last race of my career, but I don’t think too much about it,” said Räikkönen.  “Of course, I know it will feel different once I cross the finish line and I know this chapter of my life is closed, but once I am in the cockpit, it will be a race like any other.

“I want to finish this experience with a good result, for myself and for the team, and I also want to enjoy this weekend with my family and my friends, who will be with me to say goodbye to Formula 1.”

The final round of this incredible 2021 Formula One season is finally upon us, with the Mclaren F1 Team aiming to end the season on a high at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Mclaren need to finish at least first and third at the Yas Marina Circuit, to have any chance of beating Scuderia Ferrari.

Lando Norris will be hoping to end the season strongly after a disappointing Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend, the British driver needs a good haul of points in Abu Dhabi to claim fifth place in the drivers standings. He will need to beat realistically both Ferrari drivers by a couple of places, to claim fifth for the year.

Norris will be hoping that the circuit’s new layout will help his charge this weekend, where he is hoping to go out strong.

“I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi after a disappointing weekend in Saudi Arabia. I think we deserved a lot more and hopefully that luck turns this weekend. It’s a new layout at Abu Dhabi, so I’m excited to try it out. We had a good one there last year, hopefully we can end the season strongly there again this year.”

“I’m aiming to score some decent points” – Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo had a very good race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a repeat performance of last weekend would go down very nicely for the Australian who finished fifth at Saudi Arabia.

Max Verstappen heads into the final round of the 2021 Formula 1 season with the chance to become World Champion for the first time, but the Dutchman knows it will be a difficult weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The Red Bull Racing driver goes into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix equal on points with Lewis Hamilton but ahead on the account that he has more race victories this year.  However, Hamilton has won the past two races and has momentum on his side, and the battle between the two perhaps went over the limit last weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Verstappen was victorious at the Yas Marina Circuit in 2020, but he knows this means very little as the track has changed since, and he hopes to see Red Bull find some pace to enable him to take his maiden Drivers’ title.

“First of all I’m excited to be back in Abu Dhabi!” said Verstappen.  “Last year is not always a good reference in terms of result as there were multiple factors that contributed to it. We’ve been lacking a bit of pace for the past few races but hopefully that won’t be the case this weekend.

“The Yas Marina Circuit has had a few changes and the track is much faster now. It’s going to be interesting to see how it will affect the setup of the car. It’s very important to have a good qualifying in Abu Dhabi so hopefully we can make that happen.”

SCORE International has released the final 2021 SCORE World Desert Championship class and overall standings. Held over four rounds, the Baja California desert racing series crowned twenty-eight different class champions and an overall victor, the latter among twenty-nine eligible entries.

Headlining the bunch is Pro UTV Forced Induction driver Phil Blurton who won the overall World Desert Championship, the Pro UTV FI class title, and the overall in SCORE UTV. He and team-mate Beau Judge enjoyed a strong maiden campaign of SCORE competition that was headlined by winning their class in the Baja 1000 by over forty seconds. They finished fourth in the season-opening San Felipe 250 in April followed by a pair of runner-ups in the Baja 500 and Baja 400 in June and September, respectively. Blurton also clinched his fourth UTV World Championship in October.

The Blurton/Judge duo’s 1000 win allowed them to finish the season with 534 total points, twelve more in the overall standings than the second-placed #234 Trophy Truck Spec of Jason McNeil and his team. McNeil’s 2021 campaign was a sandwich as he began and finished sixth in the San Felipe 250 and Baja 1000, with back-to-back victories at the 500 and 400 in between; while Elijah Kiger took the 1000 Spec win, he finished sixth in points. McNeil’s overall finish also made him the highest of the trucks and therefore earned him the Overall Truck championship.

Rob MacCachren, the Baja 1000 and Mint 400 overall winner, takes his fourth Trophy Truck title after previously winning in 1994, 2007, and 2018. The winningest TT driver in SCORE history and a ten-time SCORE champion, he watched as Larry Roeseler and Bryce Menzies won the first three races of 2021 before capitalising on the latter’s mechanical failure in the 1000 to win the overall for the fifth time. Partner Luke McMillin, whom MacCachren beat for the Mint 400 after a late wreck, won the SCORE TT championship last year.

MacCachren’s son Cayden finished one spot ahead of his father in the overall standings as he and Brandon Schueler placed fourth with a win at San Felipe. The duo was third in Pro UTV FI behind Blurton/Judge and Austin Weiland, the latter winning the Baja 400.

A beloved name has returned to Indianapolis. On Wednesday, track officials announced the Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis will be renamed to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park beginning 2022.

From its opening in 1960 to 2005, the facility was known as Indianapolis Raceway Park before O’Reilly Auto Parts assumed naming rights, rebranding it to O’Reilly Raceway Park. Lucas Oil took over title sponsorship in 2011 to dub it Lucas Oil Raceway. Despite this, fans affectionately continued to use the IRP name.

“Everyone at Lucas Oil is excited for the new name change,” said Lucas Oil Director of Partnership Marketing Brandon Bernstein. “It brings back the old school oval logo and feeling of the IRP name, with added Lucas Oil of course. We are pleased to be associated with NHRA and the track for many years to come.”

IRP was an original track for the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series, being on the calendars for their inaugural seasons. However, both series departed after 2011 as Xfinity switched to the larger Indianapolis Motor Speedway while the Trucks left the Indianapolis market entirely. The Trucks will return to IRP in 2022, and many fans have also lobbied for the main Cup Series to follow suit.

Other series that race at IRP include the NHRA, ARCA Menards Series, and Superstar Racing Experience.

Toto Wolff is expecting an ‘intense’ weekend in Abu Dhabi as his Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team look to extend their run of Constructors’ Championship triumphs to eight in a row, while Lewis Hamilton is looking to win his eighth Drivers’ Championship.

Mercedes hold a twenty-eight point advantage over Red Bull Racing at the top of the Constructors’ battle with a maximum of forty-four points available, but the main battle is for the Drivers’ crown, with Hamilton and Max Verstappen equal on points.

Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, is delighted that the team are still involved in both championships heading into the season finale, and he hopes the performance levels they showed in last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will continue into Abu Dhabi and enable the team to close out the year with both championships.

“The final race will be intense, but it’s important to not get distracted, to just keep our heads down, our feet on the ground and bring the performance that we had last time out,” said Wolff.  “We’re grateful to still be in this fight.

“The fact that both championships will be decided at the season finale proves just how hard both sides have been challenging each other and pushing each other forward. It’s all or nothing for the season finale and that’s amazing for the sport, amazing for the fans and amazing for all of us, too.”

Petty GMS Motorsports is a rather redundant name as GMS stands for Gallagher Motor Sports, but it is the identity of the NASCAR Cup Series‘ newest team. On Tuesday, Richard Petty Motorsports and GMS Racing completed their marriage by announcing the team name. Erik Jones will remain in the #43 Cherolet Camaro ZL1 that comes over from the RPM side, while Ty Dillon will pilot the #42.

GMS, a Camping World Truck Series team, purchased a majority interest in RPM last Wednesday from Andrew Murstein’s Medallion Financial while Richard Petty maintains his share in the operation. Owned by Maurice Gallagher Jr., GMS announced plans to run the full Cup schedule in June, though with the #94 prior to Tuesday’s announcement. Dillon joined the team in October.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity to work with Richard, arguably the greatest driver in NASCAR history, and form Petty GMS Motorsports,” said Gallagher. “Petty GMS will have a sole focus of winning. Both teams have a track record of winning and we have a strong desire to continue this legacy in a new chapter. Ty and Erik have proven themselves through the years and we are looking forward to the success they will have as team-mates.”

The #42 was previously used by Petty’s father Lee from 1949 to 1961, followed by his son Kyle from 1979 to 1982 and 1989 to 1986. GMS president Mike Beam was also Kyle Petty’s crew chief in 1981 and 1982. Switching to #42 also allows the number to remain in the Cup Series after primarily being held by Chip Ganassi Racing, which has since been sold to Trackhouse Racing Team.

“I don’t know that I can express how special it is to me personally to have the #42 number racing alongside the #43 again,” Petty commented. “I grew up watching my dad race that car, I worked on cars with that number way before I started racing. Dad had a lot of success winning races and championships with that number. Kyle drove cars and won races with the No. 42 as well. It’s really special to me that Petty GMS will be racing that car number.”

Oscar Piastri will have his first taste of an official Formula 1 test next week as he participates in the young driver test in Abu Dhabi with the Alpine F1 Team.

The young Australian, who could go into the test as the new FIA Formula 2 Champion, will get behind the wheel of the A521 for one day of the test ahead of his planned move to the role of reserve driver for the team in 2022.

Piastri, who could make it a hat trick of championships this weekend as he bids to add the Formula 2 title to his 2020 FIA Formula 3 and 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup titles, is excited for the running at the Yas Marina Circuit.

“I’m very excited to drive in the Young Driver Test,” said Piastri.  “It’s almost like my first official day in my new job for next year when I become the Team’s Reserve Driver.

“Any day in an F1 car is pretty special but to drive the current one with other drivers on track in a somewhat competitive environment is very cool. Thanks to the team for this opportunity, I’m certainly looking forward to it and working through a very full testing programme on the day.”

It was a day of destruction for the Uralkali Haas F1 Team in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as both Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin crashed out.

Having made up a place at the start ahead of Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi, Schumacher unfortunately spun into the barriers on the tenth lap at turn twenty-two, with the German first causing a safety car that quickly turned into a red flag as the barriers needed repairing. 

The German was able to get out of his car unaided, but the crash wrecked his VF-21, with Schumacher believing he was pushing too hard trying to keep up with the other Williams of George Russell when he crashed.

“Unfortunately, it seems like I was pushing a bit too much trying to get back into the DRS window of Russell and lost it going into T23,” said Schumacher.  “The pace seemed to be there, we were comfortably keeping up with the Williams and I think that was what we really weren’t anticipating, therefore being highly motivated but maybe a bit too much in that case.

“That one point is still the target, so hopefully we’ll manage to get it there.”

Lance Stroll admitted it was disappointing not to score at least a point in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the Canadian losing out late in the day to Lando Norris for tenth position.

The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team driver had lost ground ahead of the first red flag after being one of those to make a pit stop, but he made some places on both restarts to run inside the points.

However, it was not to be for Stroll as Norris was able to find a way passed to secure the final point on offer, with Aston Martin leaving Saudi Arabia without a point.

“It was a shame not to get points, especially because we came so close in the end in P11,” said Stroll. “The first red flag went against us because we had pitted earlier, but we were able to make a couple of very good restarts following the stoppages to climb to P10.

“We initially pulled a good gap to [Lando] Norris behind, but overtaking proved easier than expected and we just lacked a little bit of pace on the straights, so we could not hold onto P10.

George Russell’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was over early after finding himself involved in a crash with Nikita Mazepin after everyone bunched up following the crash between Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc at turn three on lap fifteen.

The Williams Racing driver had lost positions on the opening lap at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and was running amongst the midfield after the restart following Mick Schumacher’s crash.

Heading into turn three, Russell came up quickly on the crash involving Pérez and Leclerc and put on the brakes, only for his evening under the floodlights to come to an early conclusion with damage after Mazepin struck the back of his car.

“I came through the small kink of turn three and there were cars everywhere,” said Russell.  “I hit the brakes to slow down and unfortunately, I got hit from behind, was up in the air and that was our day over.

“It’s a shame but with such a narrow track that is so fast, and with the size of these cars, an accident is almost inevitable.”

Kris Wright‘s sophomore season of regular NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition will come with Niece Motorsports. On Tuesday, Niece announced Wright will drive the #44 Chevrolet Silverado and complete the team’s lineup of full-time drivers at four.

“I’m looking forward to joining the Niece Motorsports organisation in 2022,” said Wright. “I learned a lot last year that I think will be beneficial next season. I’m appreciative of (team owner) Al Niece for allowing me the opportunity to race and represent his organisation. The team is working hard to prepare for 2022. I’m ready to get the season started.”

The 2018 IMSA Prototype LMP3 champion and former open-wheel racer spent 2021, his second year in stock cars, competing on a part-time basis for Young’s Motorsports. In sixteen starts, he recorded a best finish of twelfth in the opener at Daytona with four total top twenties. He finished twenty-sixth in points and fifth in the Rookie of the Year standings.

Wright also served as a road course ringer for Sam Hunt Racing in the Xfinity Series and JD Motorsports as he ran all seven races on such tracks. His best finish was seventeenth at Watkins Glen.

He joins Carson Hocevar, Lawless Alan, and Dean Thompson as the team’s full timers. Hocevar, who made the playoffs as a rookie in 2021, is the only returning driver of that year’s lineup. Niece will also field a part-time multi-driver truck for those like Tyler Carpenter.

Antonio Giovinazzi was one of the drivers of the day at the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after scoring two valuable points at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit with a ninth place finish. Team-mate Kimi Räikkönen didn’t have quite as successful a Grand Prix, the Finnish veteran crossed the line in fifteenth.

Giovinazzi’s run of just finishing outside the points finally came to an end at Saudi Arabia, after running virtually the entire race in the points. The Italian pulled off some brilliant overtakes in what was an attacking yet controlled display by the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN driver. The Italian could’ve had a seventh place finish, had it not been for both Scuderia Ferrari’s who were just too quick for the Alfa Romeo driver.

Giovinazzi was really happy with the result in what was a physically demanding race.

“I am really happy with tonight’s race – not just the result, but the performance as a whole. We were strong in qualifying yesterday already, and today we managed to keep out of trouble in the chaos: we always made some gain in the starts and we had the pace to keep in the top ten, even though at the end the two Ferraris were just too quick for us.

“It was a tough race, very physical – it reminded me of Singapore at times, with the heat and humidity – but in the end we have a good reward to show for it. We finished so many times just outside the points, in P11, so to have a ninth place feels really deserved. I am looking forward to Abu Dhabi and to fight for another good result to close the season well.”