In his first NASCAR outing for Rick Ware Racing in tandem with Mobil 1, Button almost retired due to heat exhaustion in his #15 Ford Mustang after starting from the back of the grid. He qualified 24th out of the 39 entries and had a steady race.

He never looked threatening while running at the lower half. But it wasn’t all down to his or car performance, post-race Button revealed about of heat exhaustion, so much that he almost wanted to retire due to not being able to drive properly.

He hung on still to eventually finish 18th despite getting a late whack from former F1 rival Raikkonen, who was in the #91 Chevrolet Camaro for Project 91 team. This was the first of the three races for Button and it was already exhausting for him.

“You get to Turn 1 and everyone is in the way,” said Button to Fox Sports. “People are braking later than me and they just hit a car and use that to slow down. That was the thing for me. It’s just, I have to say, I enjoyed the race, I’d say 60% of it; 40% of it kind of felt a bit silly, the amount that we were hitting each other. In Turn 1… I would turn in and get whacked. Luckily it didn’t spin me round and on the exit I got a big whack back.

“The revenge is enjoyable but there’s points where it feels that we could do better. I mean the action’s amazing, don’t get me wrong, I have to give it to these guys. The first 10 laps, it just destroyed me… every time I was in a corner I had someone overtaking me. I had to take a while to learn the racecraft, and I hadn’t raced for three years either, and I’ve never hit a car – intentionally – and then after the first stint, when I changed tyres, I was like, ‘Guys put me in clear air, I need some laps on my own’, and they did, they did a really good job on the pit stop and I was able to run clear.

“I really enjoyed it and the pace was good. And then on the next stint I’d had a whack from Kimi and it just felt so oversteery, I just went backwards, and I also had heat exhaustion. I was like ‘guys, I have to stop’, it was that bad. It was so hot. I don’t have a fan in my seat, which really didn’t help me too much. I stopped twice for a minute. They put ice on me, gave me loads of water, and I went back out.

“I was so close to getting out of the car because I thought I was going to faint. I must have drank eight or nine bottles of water during the race. The team kept me calm, and it’s the reason why we got a good result in the end. So, I was happy,” summed up Button. On the other side, Raikkonen did not have heat issues but had late dramas.

The Finn ran as high as fourth at one stage but his pace dropped amid caution and restarts where he used up his tyres. A late spin and a penalty dropped him to 29th eventually after starting from 22nd. “I think it was not too bad, I mean the car behaved on most of the [time] pretty nicely,” he said.

“We just got unlucky with a few of the incidents and then got taken out a few times but it’s one of those things. In the end I just had no tyres left and it kept [wearing] after more restart and more restart. And with the spin that I had, the tyres were just done, but yeah, it’s a shame.

“I don’t know, nobody knows [about future events], but it’s just a shame how it went in the end but I think we did the right things, we were there… we will see what the future brings, but right now I have no clue,” summed up Raikkonen.

Here’s full results: https://www.nascar.com/results/racecenter/2023/nascar-cup-series/circuit-of-the-americas/stn/recap/

L'entrada Button had heat exhaustion, got hit by Raikkonen in NASCAR race ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Jenson Button will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Circuit of The Americas as part of a three-race partnership with Mobil 1 Racing, Button announced Thursday on Race Hub. Button will drive the No. 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang fielded by Rick Ware Racing at COTA, the Chicago Street Course and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Marketing and promotional support is being facilitated by Stewart-Haas Racing, according to a press release, noting prior collaborations between the two programs with numerous drivers.

The Englishman is also one of three primary drivers piloting NASCAR’s Garage 56 entry in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. Button won 15 times during his 17 seasons in Formula One and claimed the 2009 championship with six victories. He was announced to the Garage 56 lineup on Jan. 28, bringing him into the stock-car world for the first time at age 43. He joins seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, Le Mans and Daytona winner Mike Rockenfeller and alternate-slash-coach Jordan Taylor.

Between his full-time F1 departure in 2016 and arrival to Garage 56 this winter, Button leapt into sports cars, claiming the 2018 championship in the Japanese Super FT Series’ GT500 class ahead of a five-race stint in the 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship. From the 24 Hours of Le Mans to the Baja 1000, Button has driving plenty of unique vehicles — but none on that list includes an appearance in a NASCAR Cup Series race.

“Obviously, racing a Cup car is very different than what I’m used to,” Button said in a team press release. “It’s a lot heavier with a lot less power and, basically, no downforce. It’s got a sequential gearbox where you need to blip the throttle, so there’s lots of stuff to learn in a very short space of time.

“But I just get excited about that new challenge, and when I throw myself into something, I am 100 percent in. I’m not just doing it for fun in some one-off. I want to be competitive, and I know that to be competitive, it’s going to take a bit of time. That’s why doing these three races works very well this season.”

Sponsoring this year’s three-race effort will be Mobil 1, a longtime sponsor of both Button and NASCAR. In 2013, Button appeared with Tony Stewart, now co-owner of SHR, in the famed advertisement that introduced us to “soda cookies.” Button’s relationship with the company dates back 20 years, proving a fitting match for his inaugural Cup endeavor.

“I won the world championship with Mobil 1, and 14 of my 15 wins in Formula One were with Mobil 1, as well as winning the Super GT championship with them,” Button said. “We’ve had a really close relationship over the years and I can’t think of a better partner. Mobil 1 has been a big part of making these NASCAR races happen for me, so I’m very thankful to them for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to working alongside the brand to get the best out of every race weekend.”

A decade after their commercial debuted, the duo of Button and Stewart is reunited at NASCAR’s premier level. SHR, co-owned by the three-time Cup champion Stewart and F1 team owner Gene Haas, remains the home of 2014 title winner Kevin Harvick, whose 60 wins and 23 seasons of experience speak for themselves.

In a February interview with NASCAR.com, Button noted: “I think if I could do a few races, I would be up for it. Jumping in for one? That doesn’t interest me.” Consider the wish granted. This also isn’t the first time he has thought about hopping into a NASCAR vehicle. “I live in the States now, so I’ve looked at races in NASCAR,” Button told NBC Sports. “It’s not something I’m educated in in terms of ovals of experience there. So the road course is always something I’d like to aim for in racing. So this [Garage 56] is a perfect step into NASCAR.”

Another step closer, Button will have a multitude of other resources to prepare for his maiden competitive debut behind the wheel of a NASCAR Next Gen vehicle. While Johnson provides the easiest connection via his stock-car success and their Le Mans teamwork, Taylor will also compete at COTA, making his Cup debut for Hendrick Motorsports in place of injured 2020 series champion Chase Elliott.

On Wednesday, Button concluded a two-day test at COTA behind the wheel of the Garage 56 entry. Taylor told NASCAR.com it was a “flawless test” by his evaluation as the program strives to find better lap times in preparation for the June 10-11 event.

“The first time I jumped into the Garage 56 car, it was like, ‘What have I done? This is so different,’ and that lasted about four laps,” Button said in a release. “Then it was like, ‘Hang on, it’s still a race car. It’s got four tires that touch the road. It’s a mechanical race car, which is even better for learning.’ I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.

“A Cup car has a lot less downforce and is a lot heavier, but the Garage 56 car has given me an idea of what it will be like along with a direction, which is really useful. I know in my first race I’m not expected to be qualifying right at the front and I’m not expected to be fighting for a victory. I have a lot of respect for the drivers racing in the Cup Series. There’s so much talent there, whether it’s on ovals or road courses.”

Stewart is also no stranger to open-wheeled racers, claiming the 1997 IndyCar championship and piloting the 2008 McLaren MP4-23 which Lewis Hamilton drove to an F1 title. “It’s always a challenge to try a new racing discipline, and the best thing you can bring to a new opportunity like this is an open mind,” Stewart said in a release. “Jenson has been doing that his entire career.

Those F1 cars evolve every year, and Jenson always found a way to adapt. And when he got out of F1, he jumped into sports cars and won another championship. He’s even done off-road. There’s very little that he hasn’t experienced in a race car. He’s new to NASCAR, but he’s not new to racing. This is going to be fun for all of us, and we’re very appreciative of Mobil 1 for making it happen.”

Here’s news on Kimi Raikkonen returning to NASCAR

Here’s Jenson Button with the Guinness record

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Button signs up for three NASCAR races with Rick Ware Racing ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The Iceman is returning to NASCAR and this time at a track he knows quite well. Trackhouse Entertainment Group today announced 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen will return to the NASCAR Cup Series on March 26 at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas to race PROJECT91’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

The race will mark Raikkonen’s second Cup Series race after debuting with PROJECT91 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on Aug. 21 last year. Unlike the Watkins Glen track, Raikkonen is familiar with COTA, racing on the road course eight times during his Formula One career. One of Raikkonen’s 21 Formula One victories, and most recent, came at COTA on Oct. 21, 2018, when he led 39 laps on his way to victory driving a Ferrari.

“I had a fantastic time in NASCAR,” said Raikkonen. “There was a lot to learn in a very short amount of time, but everyone was very helpful, the competition was a big challenge. This time I get to race on a track I am familiar with so there won’t be as steep of a learning curve. I want to have fun, but also do as well as we can.”

Trackhouse Racing – a division of Trackhouse Entertainment Group – fields the No. 99 and the No. 1 Chevrolets with drivers Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain in the NASCAR Cup Series. Trackhouse Owner and Founder Justin Marks created PROJECT91 last year intent on expanding the organization’s global reach by fielding a Cup Series entry for renowned international racing drivers.

“When we announced Kimi last year I said he was the global superstar I had in mind when we created PROJECT91. I think you saw the fan reception across the world and Kimi’s performance in the car was proof of the concept. Kimi’s following is massive and it’s great for NASCAR, Trackhouse plus I think Kimi really enjoys our racing.”

Raikkonen will race the No. 91 Onx/iLOQ Chevrolet Camaro at COTA fielded by a Trackhouse crew led by 23-time wining crew chief Darian Grubb who won a Cup Series title with Tony Stewart in 2011. Onx is transforming how the world builds homes and neighborhoods through X+ Construction, a fully integrated system that merges high-end design and leading technology, delivering more value at every step of the homeowner journey.

The company served as the primary sponsor on Ross Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet when he won the COTA race last year as well as Daniel Suárez’s victory at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June. iLOQ, the Finnish pioneer of smart and mobile locking systems, is present in the American market with its battery-free technology that ensures secure and intelligent access management for people and businesses.

Last summer, Raikkonen became the first PROJECT91 driver visiting the team’s Concord, North Carolina race shop and testing with the team at Virginia International Raceway. At the Watkins Glen race, Raikkonen qualified 27th then raced in the top-10 most of the afternoon before a late race accident caused by another driver ended his day.

Marks said Raikkonen will again visit the shop in the days before the Austin, Texas event, but no test sessions are planned before the COTA race. “I’m sure there are a lot of drivers that would like to have a chance to try NASCAR,” said Raikkonen. “It’s not very easy, so maybe it will open some doors in the future for more chances to try and get more Europeans into the sport.”

The native of Espoo, Finland retired from Formula One in 2021 after competing with the Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus and Alfa Romeo teams since he started in 2001. His Formula One highlight came in 2007 when he won the F1 World Driving title for Scuderia Ferrari. He competed in the Xfinity and Truck Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2011.

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Raikkonen will make his NASCAR return with Project91 at COTA ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

NASCAR today announced a prestigious driver lineup to pilot its Garage 56 entry in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 100th anniversary of the legendary race. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, and 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button will share the driver’s seat of the Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which is anticipated to be approved for entry by l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in the coming weeks.

The Garage 56 project is a partnership between NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear – the winningest team, manufacturer and tire in the sport’s 75-year history. “Since the beginning of the Garage 56 project, it has been our goal to partner with the top racers in the world to represent us in Le Mans,” said Jim France, NASCAR chairman and CEO.

“The lineup of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is everything we could have dreamed of – three elite drivers who have won at the highest levels of motorsports worldwide. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCAR, we are honored to have these world-class champions help bring the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race car to fans in Le Mans, and across the world.”

France was honored last year with the 2022 Spirit of Le Mans Award in recognition of his longtime impact in motorsports and his work securing a historic convergence agreement between IMSA and the ACO. The first chicane at Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight is now called the “Daytona Chicane” and the chicane at Daytona International Speedway – once referred to as “The Bus Stop” – is now called the “Le Mans Chicane.”

Johnson won a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships and 83 races for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet in his illustrious career. He recently became part owner of NASCAR Cup Series team LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and will race in next month’s Daytona 500. Johnson helped test the Garage 56 car at Sebring in December.

“I’m super thrilled – it’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday,” Johnson said. “To have this opportunity come – and to partner with everybody and this driver lineup – is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of.”

Rockenfeller, whose sports car accolades include winning the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans GT Class, the 2010 ROLEX 24 at Daytona and the 2013 German DTM championship, has served as the lead test driver for the Garage 56 project.  He has driven the car at every on-track test and spent countless hours behind the wheel in the simulator.

“It has been a great journey so far with the whole team and project,” Rockenfeller said. “To be involved as a driver from day one until now was already a great honor, and to now have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable.”

Button had one of the most prolific careers in F1 history finishing with 15 wins and 50 podiums on top of his 2009 World Championship and is widely considered one of the top British drivers of all time.

“As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers and competing in certain events,” Button said. “In June, a number of those dreams will come true in one event when I get to bring NASCAR to the world stage alongside my pals Jimmie and ‘Rocky’ for the 100th anniversary of the most prestigious race in the world. I’m really looking forward to sharing this journey with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and current and future NASCAR fans from around the world.”

All three drivers will participate in next week’s two-day test at Daytona International Speedway. Jordan Taylor, who currently competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, will serve as the backup driver and help coach the drivers. Taylor won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro Class and has finished on the podium four times. He is a four-time IMSA champion.

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Button to partner Johnson, Rockenfeller for Le Mans 24H entry ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Team Hezeberg is proud to announce that former Formula One driver Daniil Kvyat will make his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Kvyat has shown success behind the wheel from the start of his career, winning his first ever professional race in 2005. After consistently showing strong results, Daniil Kvyat and his family moved to Italy to further pursue his career. At the start of the 2013 season, Daniil Kvyat made his debut in the GP3 Series, scoring three wins and five total podiums and ultimately winning the championship in 2013.

After winning the 2013 GP3 Championship, Daniil Kvyat debuted in Formula One for Toro Rosso at the start of the 2014 season, at just 19 years old. At the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, Kvyat finished 9th in the race, setting the record as the youngest points-scorer in Formula One, a record formerly held by Sebastian Vettel. Following a successful 2014 season, Daniil Kvyat was promoted to Red Bull Racing for the 2015 season. His first podium came at the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the second youngest driver to claim a podium finish at 21 years old. Kvyat continued in the Red Bull driver program until 2020, finishing his Formula One career at Alpine as a reserve driver in 2021.

Daniil Kvyat is no stranger to adversity. As a worldwide talent in motorsport, the one thing that Kvyat has shown interest in is NASCAR. The opportunity to come to the NASCAR Cup Series could not have come at a better time. “I’m very happy to be able to make my NASCAR Cup Series debut at Indianapolis. I have always been passionate about racing in NASCAR, the top form of motorsport in the United States. NASCAR has always been intriguing to me, as it is a pure form of motorsport to me.” 

Daniil Kvyat’s debut in the NASCAR Cup Series comes after a hiatus from being behind the wheel, but Kvyat is optimistic about his return to the top levels of motorsport. “I’m looking forward to being successful in this form of motorsport and I hope to contend for wins and championships in the future. I can’t thank NASCAR, Josh Reaume, Toine Hezemans, Ernst Berg, and everybody at Team Hezeberg enough for the opportunity. The guys at the shop have been working tirelessly to prepare machine and myself for this experience. It will be my first time at Indianapolis, and I am looking forward to seeing it in person. From what I have seen on video, Indianapolis is a challenging circuit, but I’m looking forward to that challenge, along with competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.”

Josh Reaume, Co-owner of Team Hezeberg, is excited about having a worldwide talent behind the wheel, and is positive about the Next-Gen’s capabilities at Indianapolis. “Daniil is a very talented driver with an amazing amount of open wheel experience. In my opinion, NASCAR is a great spot for Daniil to end up at, especially with the Next-Gen’s capabilities throughout many styles of racing. I’m looking forward to being a part of Daniil’s transition to NASCAR, and helping him however I possibly can.”

[Note: The above is as per press release with no edits made]

L'entrada Kvyat to make his NASCAR debut at IMS with Team Hezeberg ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It was a happy moment for Ricciardo in last weekend’s F1 US GP when he got to drive the #3 Wrangler-sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo of Dale Earnhardt Sr from the 1984 season. The Australian is a proper fanboy of the American driver.

The bet of a drive came from McLaren Racing boss Brown, who put Ricciardo under pressure lens. The Australian had to register a podium finish in 2021 and he would get to drive the #3 NASCAR machine – and he did better, he won the Italian GP.

With the US GP happening this time, it was logical for Brown to have the car on American soil and let Ricciardo lose around the Circuit of the Americas. The Australian was certainly chuffed with the chance and the subsequent drive as he was smiling all-through.

“I think everyone is glad that I wore a face helmet,” started Ricciardo to media including FormulaRapida.net. “It was sick, it was so much fun. It was just so different as well. I am definitely get my kicks out of it just because it is so raw and foreign. The noise, kind of smashing gears, the driving position – everything’s quite unique.

“And it’s Dale’s car – one of my all-time heroes, so that was surreal. It was good fun. And I think to do it here as well – if we had rented a private track somewhere in England, I don’t know, it wouldn’t have had the same effect. So I’m really grateful that Zak flew it out here,” summed up Ricciardo, who was then alerted about the Twitter message from Earnhardt Jr, who appreciated the Australian’s gesture.

“I’m happy for Daniel,” wrote Earnhardt Jr. “I’m also appreciative for how he celebrates my father. That makes a lot of dads family members and fans smile.” When Ricciardo told about this, he was pretty stoked and pumped up, as usual.

“I immediately got goosebumps when I was told about it,” said Ricciardo. “Honestly, if we’d been in a private setting and Dale Jr told me that one-on-one, I think I’d probably have cried a little bit. It was pretty crazy – like, happy-crazy – to be appreciated by that family in general. I’ve been such a fan. After Senior, I was a massive fan of Junior.

“I was watching every NASCAR race for years. I’d wake up and watch Junior try and win the 500 every February. It was pretty cool just to be recognised and appreciated for having support for his dad,” summed up Ricciardo, who went on to rely the first time the Australian ran a special helmet in dedication to Earnhardt Sr.

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Here’s Andreas Seidl on engine penalty situation

Here’s Zak Brown, Daniel Ricciardo on tattoo

L'entrada Ricciardo recalls his NASCAR moments; Brown adds on getting #3 car ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After his famous bet against Cyril Abiteboul at Alpine/Renault, Ricciardo had another one with Brown after he joined McLaren this year. If the Australian scored a podium this year, he would get a chance to drive a NASCAR machine from the bosses’ collection.

Not just anyone but it is the #3 Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo. With Lando Norris having already scored multiple podiums with McLaren, the pressure was on at Ricciardo and it ended up not just a Top 3 result, but a race win to win the bet.

Ricciardo gave McLaren their first win in a decade and had his first F1 victory with a different team, while also registered a podium finish with a third different team. The bet’s criteria was fulfilled and Brown was not to back out from that.

Considering the car is in the USA, Ricciardo will get to drive the #3 Chevrolet at the Circuit of the Americas during the US GP next weekend, after McLaren shared a small video of their bet and confirmed the test run for the Australian in the NASCAR machine.

Ricciardo’s NASCAR run at COTA comes after former Haas F1 duo Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean had their go in one of Gene’s car during the 2019 US GP, when they were part of the American outfit.

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1449043141147963392?s=20

The other bet of Brown is an ongoing process too, with IndyCar racer Patricio O’Ward at the McLaren Technology Center this week for his seat fit and simulator time to be ready for his F1 test in Abu Dhabi on December 14 – the first day of the post-season test.

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For Ricciardo, while one of his bets is coming to fruition, the other one remains to be fulfilled. At Alpine/Renault, he had a bet with Cyril Abiteboul to get a tattoo if the Australian scores a podium. Having done so, the Frenchman now has to get a tattoo.

But after Abiteboul left the team and F1, the bet is still to be fulfilled. The Frenchman emailed Ricciardo post his Monza victory, as the Australian noted about the tattoo still be done and the need to do it sooner than latter, as he doesn’t wish to drag it on.

“I had an overwhelming number of emails, WhatsApp messages, and all of it, so I did see an email from Abiteboul after my Monza win,” said Ricciardo to media including FormulaRapida.net. “There was the topic of tattoos, so I’m still very optimistic we could get this done before the year’s out. Otherwise it’s obviously going to drag on and become old news, so I’m determined to make it happen.”

Here’s McLaren F1 trio being bittersweet after Turkey

Here’s former Haas duo at COTA in a NASCAR

L'entrada Ricciardo gets his NASCAR drive at COTA; O’Wards gears up for F1 run ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

This is the second instance for Hamilton to be part of the TIME 100 Most Influential People as the last time he did so was in 2016, when named by Mario Andretti. This time, it is NASCAR racer Wallace, who has penned down some wise words for the Brit.

“Lewis Hamilton is someone I’ve idolized,” wrote Wallace. “He’s poised to win his seventh Formula One championship this season, tying Michael Schumacher’s record. Seven is a magic number in racing. Dale Earnhardt Sr., Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty have each won seven NASCAR season titles.

“Lewis, 35, is young enough to keep winning championships and setting new all-time records. I’m the only Black driver in NASCAR’s top level. So Lewis’ example—as the lone Black F1 driver—is particularly meaningful for me. He shows we’re out there doing it. To see him conquering the track damn near every weekend, it motivates me to try to do the same.

“His activism has also moved the world. Lewis has brought international attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, through his advocacy on social media and at F1 events. Lewis’ mental preparation, his aura, his ability to capitalize on every opportunity to use his platform to drive out racism are more than just a model for race-car drivers and other athletes. He’s an inspiration for everyone.”

Hamilton is named under ‘Titans’, whereas the last time it was under ‘Icons’. The only other F1 racer to feature on TIME 100 Most Influential People list is Michael Schumacher – whose seven titles record the Brit will equal in 2020 (and probably pass too, in time to come).

The German was named by Nick Mason under ‘Heroes & Icons’ then. Apart from the racers, the current Mercedes F1 technical chief James Allison also found himself part of the list in the past, as did Daimler head Dieter Zetsche and Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne.

Here’s the full 2020 list: https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2020/

Here’s F1 2020 stats and information so far: https://formularapida.net/f1-key-statistics-and-information-from-2020-season-so-far/

Here’s F1 drivers talking about if two-stops get mandated

Here’s vote on which driver impressed so far

L'entrada Hamilton named by Wallace in TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2020 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Johnson announced the partnership with CGR for 2021 and 2022 IndyCar seasons, where the NASCAR champion will be looking to compete at all the road and street courses. As known, the American will not be racing at any of the ovals rounds.

The move comes after Johnson tested with CGR earlier this year in July and fell in love with the whole concept. “When I tested Chip’s Indy car earlier in the year, it only lit the fire more,” he said. “I found that I wanted to do it more than ever before.

“Scott [Dixon] was just incredible to work with and in a short time I found out very quickly why Chip and his teams have won 12 INDYCAR Championships. As part of a natural progression, I wanted to publicly show the alignment with Chip Ganassi Racing to kick the sponsorship program into high gear.

“The goal is to run the full road and street program and today is a very important first step in accomplishing that goal.” At the same time, team owner Chip Ganassi stated: “It is always difficult to find great drivers but for them to be great guys too makes it even that much more challenging.

“To pair Jimmie with the likes of Scott Dixon is quite an opportunity. They are truly in rarified air and I think everyone knows by now that ‘I like winners’. The goal right now is for us to run Jimmie in an Indy car for at least the next couple of seasons, and we want to show people we’re serious about the program.

“We felt it was important to get the partnership done and start putting the financial building blocks in place to make this a reality. Jimmie’s record speaks for itself and we feel a championship-level driver of his caliber can only make our team better.”

For now, it is unknown if CGR will drop any of its current IndyCar driver to place Johnson or if they will add another car for the American. Apart from Dixon, they have Swedes Marcus Ericsson and Felix Rosenqvist – all of whom are full-time drivers.

Here’s info on Mid-Ohio confirmation

Here’s our exclusive interview with DCR IndyCar driver Alex Palou

Here’s Jimmie Johnson trying McLaren F1 car

L'entrada NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson commits to IndyCar with Chip Ganassi ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After recently being thrust into the spotlight thanks in part to the Netflix documentary ‘Uppity’, Ribbs was the guest on Episode 95 of the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast, in which he discussed his career, and diversity in motorsport.

• Ribbs opened discussions by talking about his whereabouts, specifically in relation to the world-famous COTA track.
• He then immediately dove into conversation with regards to his F1 test with Brabham, and his greater foray into racing in Europe – something he would have continued had the money not dried up.
• Ribbs was also quick to begin discussing Bernie Ecclestone, and how he paved the way for more diversity within F1, before switching back to his aforementioned test.
• The American shared stories from the test about the drivers that surrounded him for this session, adding that the brakes were hard to adjust to in a car that was ‘by far’ the fastest he has ever driven.
• Winding back the clock, Ribbs also discussed his racing roots, all the way back to his karting, and his very beginnings in England – a country that he still loves.
• He also mentioned that his talent was more recognized in Europe than it ever was in America, where he feels he was treated significantly worse among the racing fraternity.
• Ribbs then addressed the death threats, criticism, and insults he received, particularly in that famous Talladega incident, from which his nickname ‘Uppity’ originated.
• After this, Ribbs told of the influence his grandfather had over his, before he discussed his relationship with his teammate of old from Trans Am, David Hobbs, as well as his relations with other teammates.
• Keeping on the theme of relationships, Ribbs covered his association with Muhammed Ali, and how this matured over the years – similarly, he discussed his relationship with Don King.
• He further discussed the role his race played in his career, and how it limited him drastically – he also covered how other series’ have followed the actions of F1.
• On this front, Ribbs credited Lewis Hamilton with bringing change within motorsport, before cheekily suggesting that – back in his day – he dealt with racism ‘with my fists’, and joking that Ecclestone deserves statues all over London for having a child at his old age.

Due to FOM’s restrictions, we cannot use the podcast but we have the link where you can find it: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ5NjQzMzkucnNz/episode/dGFnOmF1ZGlvYm9vbS5jb20sMjAyMC0wNy0xNDovcG9zdHMvNzYzMjI3Mw?hl=en-IN&ved=2ahUKEwjH4bfbgtLqAhWR8HMBHaS4D7YQieUEegQIAxAE&ep=6

Here’s the last episode of F1 Nation

Here’s the last F1 Beyond The Grid podcast with Pat Symonds

L'entrada Podcast: Ribbs talks career, F1 test, Hamilton/Ecclestone & more ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

In response to the spread of the coronavirus in the United States of America, the ‘Month of May’ at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – in which the IndyCar GP and Indy500 take place – has been moved to a later, summertime date.

The IndyCar GP will take place on July 4 – a day which will also see NASCAR run their race at IMS, as part of a historic double-header which is the first of its kind. Meanwhile, the infamous Indy500 will run on August 23, almost exactly three months after May 23.

The practice sessions for the Indy500 will start on August 12-13, which will lead into Fast Friday on the 14th, and qualifications on 15-16. After this, there will be the hot pit stop practices on 20th with the Indy Lights Freedom 100 race on 21st.

It also see the Indy500 pit stop challenge on the same date along with the practice session. Saturday’s festivities remain unchanged, barring the rather obvious modification to the date, with the finale on August 23 at the famous Indianapolis circuit.

Owner of the Brickyard, and owner of the IndyCar series, Roger Penske, made it clear that he feels sorry for having to take this action, but the motorsports mogul also said that the move was necessary as the world reels under the virus outbreak.

“The Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite time of year, and like our fans, I am disappointed that we have had to reschedule the Indianapolis 500,” said Penske. “However, the health and safety of our event participants and spectators is our top priority, and we believe that postponing the event is the responsible decision with the conditions and restrictions we are facing.

“We will continue to focus on ways we can enhance the customer experience in the months ahead, and I’m confident we will welcome fans with a transformed facility and a global spectacle when we run the world’s greatest race.”

At the same time, President and CEO of Penske Entertainment Mark Miles, stated: “Memorial Day weekend has always provided Indianapolis 500 fans an opportunity to honor the men and women who have fought and sacrificed for our nation’s freedom.

“This August, we’ll also have a unique and powerful opportunity to honor the contributions and heroism of the doctors, nurses, first responders and National Guard members serving on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

“We’re grateful for the patience of our fans as we’ve navigated this situation, and we extend our thanks to NBC for its terrific partnership and diligent work to maximize broadcast coverage with this new schedule.”

Meanwhile, with regards to the NASCAR/IndyCar double-header, IMS president J. Douglas Boles added: “For very good reason, this historic pairing of NASCAR and IndyCar will be circled on the calendar of every motorsports fan.

“We appreciate our friends at NASCAR for their flexibility and support in this matter and will work with them on a memorable, exciting weekend of racing action.” The change will see more shuffles on the IndyCar calendar as Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio moves to August 9 and the race at Gateway on August 30. St. Pete is back as the 2020 finale.

Here’s the revised schedule presented by IndyCar – for now:

The IndyCar release also added more info on concert and health advisory:

“All concerts scheduled for the original Race Weekend in May have been canceled. This includes REO Speedwagon and Styx on Friday, May 22, Luke Bryan on Saturday, May 23 and Martin Garrix on Sunday, May 24.

“This decision was made to provide the maximum flexibility possible to complete the Indianapolis 500 by Sunday, Aug. 23 and provide room for any contingency plans necessary. IMS appreciates the understanding of fans and regrets that the COVID-19 situation has caused the cancellation of these events.

“Fans who made concert-specific purchases will be able to access a credit for any IMS event, including the Indy 500, or choose to receive a refund. IMS concert customers will receive further communication on how to exercise their ticketing options.”

Enhanced Health and Safety Measures at IMS

“IMS and INDYCAR officials will continue to work closely with local, state and federal health representatives to ensure a safe and healthy experience for spectators. Enhanced measures that will be in place once activity resumes at IMS include:

· Increasing housekeeping staff at the track to elevate frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces

· Using cleaning products that meet current EPA and CDC guidelines for registered disinfectants to be used against COVID-19

· Educating all employees on CDC prevention guidance, including proper handwashing technique and requesting that all vendors communicate strict hygiene protocol to staff

· Increasing public hand-sanitizing stations in high-traffic areas, containing sanitizer that meets or exceeds the CDC standard for alcohol content

· Reducing required hand-to-hand interactions between customers and staff at concession areas and other key IMS locations.”

Here’s summary of Netflix feature Uppity on Willy T Ribbs

Here’s Fernando Alonso talking about more races in the series

Here’s news on IndyCar races cancellation due to COVID-19

The story was edited by Darshan Chokhani

L'entrada IndyCar to race with NASCAR as Indy500 postponed to August ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Part of a slew of motorsport-related documentaries and films released lately – particularly by Netflix – a documentary named ‘Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story’ has come out, which, as the title suggests, tells the tale of the first black driver to race in the Indy500.

The documentary – directed by Adam Carolla, Nate Adams, and Mike Adams – follows Ribbs from his rebellious childhood in which he would steal his parents’ Ford Cortina, through his journey in Formula Ford in Britain, his struggle to find his feet in America, and his fight against racism in NASCAR.

From there, Ribbs himself, as well as other cast members, including Marshall Pruett, Bernie Ecclestone, Chris Miles, Wally Dallenbach, Al Unser Jr, David Hobbs, Robby Unser, Bobby Unser, Ian Brown, Pat McFall, Paul Riley, Donald Davidson, Derrick Walker, and Tommy Kendall all narrate the story of his career in Trans Am, and ultimately IndyCar.

Through it all, Ribbs faced discrimination – even several years after abolition of black slavery –  and even several forms of sabotage, some performance-based, and others life-threatening – but all from members of Ribbs’ very own team.

The film was produced by Chassy media, and has a run-time of 109 minutes. It is available on Netflix as the online streaming service pump up motorsport-related stories. Here’s a trailer of Uppity – we are sharing a link as the video is not showing up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKwfDjfO9Pw&feature=emb_title

Here’s the link where you can watch the documentary:

https://www.netflix.com/title/81232163

Here’s news on Amazon Prime show on Fernando Alonso

Here’s a Netflix documentary on Juan Manuel Fangio

Here’s a Netflix video featuring Haas F1 drivers

Here’s episode-by-episode summary of Netflix DTS S2

L'entrada Video: Netflix releases feature ‘Uppity’ on first black driver in Indy500 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Adaptability is a key trait of a racing driver, as conditions and other factors change throughout a race, and in the eyes of NASCAR driver Stewart, it’s this aspect in which his F1 counterparts excel after seeing them in close quarters.

Stewart was impressed by the pace shown by the Haas F1 drivers Grosjean and Magnussen in the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing’s NASCAR stock car during the American team’s demonstration at COTA, ahead of the US GP weekend, with no prior testing.

All three drivers got behind the wheel with Stewart taking the two F1 drivers for laps to explain the nuances, before Grosjean and Magnussen went out on their own. The Frenchman also performed donuts on the main straight post his run.

“The most fun part of seeing those guys run is that it really shows you guys and everybody in the world why they are in F1 cars, and it is a track they are familiar with obviously and to put them in a car that is completely unfamiliar and to go and run two or three laps and run the speeds they are in, it is really impressive,” said Stewart to the media.

“I was just trying to tell them of the little things that I know and felt during the runs I had that could shorten the learning curve, because they have a limited amount of time that they can drive the car so just telling them things to help them get through some of the learning curve of it.

“We had Kevin in our sprint car last year which went on the Netflix specials and within four runs of the car, he ran 40 laps, and he was within four tenths of what I ran in the car, so for race car drivers, it doesn’t matter what race car driver they are in the world or what race car they drive.

“If they oversteer or understeer or four wheel drift, every race car does those three things, it is just a matter of how do you learn them and good race car drivers figure that out really quickly. Like I said, race car drivers are race car drivers no matter what cars they run.

“What separates the good ones from the great ones, the great ones learn how to adapt to a different feel. They don’t get stuck in a feel for a race car, they know how to adapt and read what that the race car is wanting and learn to change their driving style to accommodate it. So there is plenty of race car drivers that can do that.”

Summing up his experience, Grosjean added: “It was pretty good. Having Tony Stewart taking you for a ride, and then having Kevin and myself going in we really enjoyed ourselves. Obviously it’s a very different story and you had about two hundred metres of braking zones but there is some good overtaking because braking is very long.”

Kevin’s been talking @TonyStewart around a lap of @COTA

Not long until they’ll be lapping in the @StewartHaasRcng NASCAR Cup Car!#HaasF1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/FJHlmbqXAH

— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) October 31, 2019

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1189952990674862089?s=20

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1189962133464899586?s=20

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1192456677527822337?s=20

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1189975013144907776?s=20

Here’s the pre-run release

The story was written by Duncan Leahy and edited by Darshan Chokhani

L'entrada Grosjean/Magnussen impresses Stewart by quick adaptability in NASCAR ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The president of the United States is not allowed to run businesses whilst in office and there’s good reason for that. The president should always act in the best interest of the nation. This same logic follows into IndyCar and for that matter, everywhere.

It is cause for concern within the sport now as the series’ new owner, Penske, also runs a IndyCar team, leading some to believe that he will act in his own interest, rather than that of the sport he possesses power over from Hulman & Company.

Penske, however, assured fans and the media that he would not let his involvement in the sport on a competitive level get in the way of his involvement on an executive level. His rivals have so far been positive as well for him to own the championship.

“From a competitive perspective, I’m planning to really step down from being a strategist on the pit box,” said Penske. “You won’t see me there on race day, I think I’ve got a bigger job to do now is to see how we build a series to the next level.

“I think you have to ask our competitors. Tony’s (the previous owner) been a car owner, we were talking about it today. I think Tony, you said that all along, Wilbur Shaw, and Eddie Rickenbacker were drivers, so there’s been some history.

“But I don’t want to leave this conversation. I understand the integrity, and there’s got to be a bright line, and to me, I know what my job is, and hopefully I’ve got enough credibility with everyone that we can be sure that that is not a conflict.

“I’ll do my very best to make sure that isn’t.” The motorsport-mogul’s ability to run the series alongside a private team remains to be seen, but he certainly hopes to impress in his inaugural 2020 season away from the pit wall.

Penske also talked about how the buying IndyCar came about, which only happened in the recent months after initial talks at the end of 2019. They wanted everything to be done at a quick pace rather than continue discussing without any outcome.

The billionaire also spoke about how they are going to make IMS a world class facility which not only hosts the IndyCar races – especially Indy500 – but also run NASCAR, endurance events and possibly see a return of F1 too.

“I think you look at 27 years, there’s no reason to break that string of races,” said Penske. “I had a chance to talk to Jim France late last night to tell him that we were going to have this conference here in the morning, and he obviously was excited.

“We would expect to take this for many, many years. They need to run at Indianapolis. We want them to, and there’s no question that we’re going to look at opportunities to expand the relationship with them in the future.

“Look, we’ve got to break some glass on some of these things, don’t we? We’ve got to try some of this, and I’m prepared to take a risk. No risk, no reward in many cases. I wouldn’t say it’s out of the possibility.

“I think we look at the speedway itself, the investment with the 100 million dollars that was put in a few years ago before the 100th running of Indy500. I think you’ve seen a tremendous change, and we want to add capability as there are more fan zones.

“What can we use this for? Can we run a 24-hour race here? Can we run a Formula 1 race here? What are the things we can do? This is a great asset. Once the tradition had been broken in adding the NASCAR race, which obviously we’re going to get behind.”

While NASCAR could certainly be run, it being an American-run series, but for F1 to return, it will be a big ask, especially at a time when Liberty Media is extensively looking to add another American grand prix. Running at IMS will certainly bring some nostalgia.

Here’s the initial story on the buyout by Penske

The article was co-written and edited by Darshan Chokhani

L'entrada Penske will avoid IndyCar team to erase conflict, IMS up for F1/NASCAR ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

As Haas moves towards its home grand prix i.e the US GP in the United States of America (USA) at COTA in Austin, their F1 drivers will get a taste of a NASCAR with Tony Stewart to guide both Grosjean and Magnussen with their respective runs.

The event will take place on Thursday at COTA where Stewart will first drive the #14 Haas Automation Ford Mustang from Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). He will then make way for both Grosjean and Magnussen to have a go in the stock car.

“It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s been three years since I last drove a stock car, but seeing some of these road-course races – especially the Roval at Charlotte – have piqued my interest a bit, so this is a good way to sort of satisfy that hunger,” said Stewart.

“I’ve never been to COTA. All I know about it is what I’ve seen on TV and on my iRacing simulator. I kind of like that. Even after two decades in NASCAR, there’s still new stuff to experience. I haven’t driven that race track and Magnussen and Grosjean haven’t ever driven a stock car. We’ll figure it out together.”

“I think we just need to slam the brakes a bit earlier than we do with a F1 car,” said Grosjean. “We’ll see how the engine responds to throttle application. I can’t wait. The sound of it’s going to be great. I think it’s going to be a good experience.

“I think having Tony Stewart helping us and giving us advice is going to be bloody amazing. The closest to stock car I have driven is the Ford GT1 car I drove in 2010 in the FIA GT1 Championship.” At the same time, teammate, Magnussen added:

“I don’t have any idea how it’ll be. I’ve never driven a NASCAR before. I’m pretty certain it’s going to be very different to the other car I drive around COTA. It’s going to be a very interesting experience. A NASCAR is such an iconic racecar.

“I’ve always been eager to try one. Of course, it’s usually in its element on an oval, but they do race on road courses, as well. It’ll be interesting to have a go and have a bit of fun. I drove a GT2 car once, and a DTM, but I don’t think they’re similar to a stock car.”

Here’s the tyre choices of all drivers for US GP

L'entrada Magnussen, Grosjean to drive Stewart-Haas Racing’s NASCAR at COTA ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Earnhardt Jr was traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway in East Tennessee with his wife Amy, 15-month daughter Isla and his dog, with two pilots flying him in a Cessna Citation private jet.

Upon landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, the plane skidded off at the end of the runway and caught fire but everyone onboard were able to escape without any major injuries.

Only minor cuts and abrasions were reported by Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford, with Earnhardt Jr the only one to be hospitalised. The former racer’s spokesperson told ESPN that all were doing okay.

Meanwhile, NBC Sports – where Earndhardt Jr now works as a media person – released a statement on the incident, which read as: “We’re incredibly grateful that Dale, his wife Amy, daughter Isla, and the two pilots are safe following today’s accident.

“After being discharged from the hospital, we communicated with Dale and his team, and we’re all in agreement that he should take this weekend off to be with his family. We look forward to having him back in the booth next month at Darlington.”

The 44-year-old’s sister Kelly took to Twitter to speak on her family. Her immediate tweet was: “I can confirm Dale, Amy & Isla along with his two pilots were involved in a crash in Bristol TN this afternoon.

“Everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. We have no further information at this time. Thank you for your understanding.” A while later, she added:

“Finally laying down for the night and want to say thank you to God, the angels among us, our pilots, first responders, medical staff, our NASCAR family and everyone that has reached out in whatever way to support us all.”

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent two representatives to investigate the cause of the incident, with photos circulating of a charred fuselage on the side of a road, with its nose relatively intact.

L'entrada Earnhardt Jr, his family and pilots escape serious injuries after plane crash ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The decision was taken and approved at the last World Motor Sport Council meet in Russia with the altered list available at the FIA site. The points for top series like Formula 2, IndyCar, new Formula 3, WEC (LMP1), etc remains the the same.

The first addition is the Formula Regional European Certified by FIA in the new list with the winner getting 25 points on his license, followed by 20 for second and then 15, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1 for drivers finishing in the Top 9.

The DTM-backed Formula European Masters series also features on the list despite not having the FIA backing. The points awarded is same as the regional F3 series. The growing Japan’s Super Formula series has seen a growth.

The winner will now get 25 points from the previous 20 with the rest same as the F3 series in the Top 9. Like Super Formula, the DTM series will also get more points along with the Japan’s Super GT championship.

Both of the series winner will be awarded 20 points followed by 16 to second and then 12, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1 in the Top 9. The F3 Regional Asian series winner will still get 18 with the same now awarded to the FIA Regional Americas series winner.

The latter moves from 16 to 18 for the winner while the IMSA Prototype series winner will also get 18 – up by one from the previous list. However, only the top tow drivers of the three series will be awarded 18 and 14 points respectively.

The Asian and Americas series’ will get 12, 10, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 in the descending order between third and ninth while the IMSA Prototype series will see drivers between third and eighth get 10, 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1 respectively.

Australia’s Supercars series has been bumped forward as well with the winner now getting 15 points like the winner of America’s NASCAR Cup and Indy Lights series along with FIA’s WTCR. The order will be 12, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1 for drivers between second and eighth.

The rest of the championships will remain the same with Spain’s Euroformula Open series now tagged along with the National F3 Championships – the winner awarded with 10 points, followed by 7, 5, 3 and 1 for the Top 5 drivers.

L'entrada FIA changes F1 super license points for multiple championships ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Hours after his last race in F1 – for now – Alonso was back in action in another of a Middle Eastern circuit in Bahrain for a promotional event involving a swap between F1 and NASCAR with Johnson being the other racer.

Johnson got his #48 Team Hendrick Chevrolet with Alonso bringing down the 2013 McLaren MP4-28 which was powered by a Mercedes V8 engine. The Spaniard ran first to set a benchmark time for Johnson to get on par or beat.

The American did come close to beat Alonso’s time while the Spaniard put in a consistent run in Johnson’s NASCAR as well. The two also had a run together on the track with special donuts ending the day’s proceedings.

Both McLaren and Team Hendrick updated about the event on social media with the drivers doing their part as well. More video and written content as well are to be made available at a later stage by the respective teams.

While Alonso had his NASCAR run, it remains to be seen if at all he competes at all in a NASCAR event in the future. Interestingly, he ran the Chevrolet-powered car which gives some indication regarding a possible Indy500 opportunity with that engine.

Climb on in, @alo_oficial.@JimmieJohnson and Alan Gustafson help get the @F1 champion acclimated inside the No. 48 Chevy. #JJxALO pic.twitter.com/85Ldoc6TV1

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) November 26, 2018

The @McLarenF1 team gets @JimmieJohnson comfortable in his seat before he takes off for a drive later today. #JJxALO pic.twitter.com/Lq6zk82Snr

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) November 26, 2018

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1066974048989716480

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1066984594413707266

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1066997822615154693

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1067035692654571520

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/1067049769036644353

L'entrada Alonso, Johnson complete F1, NASCAR car swap run in Bahrain ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

For weeks both Alonso and Johnson have been sharing teaser videos for a potential swap for the two champions in their categories – the date and venue of which has now been finally confirmed after the latest video.

The special swap event will take place at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Monday, November 26 which is the day after the 2018 F1 season finale, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.

That is the last event in Alonso’s F1 career – for now – as he contemplates his future course of action. The Spaniard is scheduled to drive the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet machinery while the American will drive the McLaren’s MCL33.

#JJxALO@JimmieJohnson pic.twitter.com/s8LwPyXURT

— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) November 2, 2018

For now nothing more has been revealed but it is reported that there will be more done during the swap rather the traditional drivers driving each other’s cars. Johnson is expected to spend few days on McLaren simulator to prepare for the run.

He will also attend the Abu Dhabi GP from where both Johnson and Alonso will fly to Bahrain for the special event. Not only this will be the American’s first chance in a F1 car but also Alonso’s first time in a NASCAR.

The American series hopes to see the Spaniard compete in the Dayton 500 in 2019 with Alonso yet to confirm its plans for the coming years – although it is expected that he will return to race in the Indy 500 in the bid to win it and complete the Triple Crown.

The last time a F1 driver drove a NASCAR was when Lewis Hamilton tried Tony Stewart’s Chevrolet in 2011 at Watkins Glen. Since then Haas F1 drivers – most notably Romain Grosjean – has been hinting a swap but it is yet to take place.

L'entrada Alonso, Johnson’s F1 and NASCAR car swap confirmed for Bahrain ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

With several of his rivals of past and current having tried their hands on IndyCar – most notably Fernando Alonso – when asked if anyone else would like to try out racing in any series other than F1 in their career, majority stuck to their current job.

The biggest hurdle for them not trying out any other series especially America’s IndyCar is racing on oval circuits. The idea of it, in fact, creeps Ricciardo out who admits that he is afraid to race on oval circuits at that speed.

“The thought of it [racing at oval circuit] sounds good,” he said. “[But] ovals creep me out a little bit. I won’t lie. It would be cool. I would at least like to have a go, like maybe just a test. Let’s see how things go but it was cool watching Fernando do it.

“Don’t get me wrong and part of me was like trying to picture myself being there and doing it – but yeah, maybe one day. At the moment I don’t say it’s something I’m looking to do in the near future.

“Probably the older I get, the more scared I’ll become, so if it doesn’t happen now maybe it won’t ever happen.” Haas’ Romain Grosjean agreed with Ricciardo as did Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who is keen on trying out NASCAR again.

“I kind of feel in a similar way,” he said. “I would definitely like to try it as I’ve never really driven an oval before and the cars are incredibly fast and I always want to go faster. I probably will get a chance to have a go.

“I’m sure if I wanted to have a go I could but it’s never been a series –  naturally, growing up in Europe, it’s never been a series that you grew up aspiring to be in, it was always Formula One being it was the highest technology and has always been.

“The thought was that it was the highest grade of drivers that you wanted to compete against but they’ve got some great drivers there as well. I think I would prefer to try NASCAR. Watkins Glen, I’ve always wanted to have a go up there, beer cans in the side.

“I have driven a NASCAR years ago at Watkins Glen which was awesome so that’s something I could do potentially. I honestly have no desire to do any other racing beyond Formula One if I’m really honest.

“But maybe that will change when you do stop, because you do it your whole life and temptation is always going to be there, I’m always going to be a racing driver at heart,” the four-time F1 champion added.

Having already raced in Indy500 and also in World Endurance Championship, Alonso reckons the drivers will not enjoy driving a IndyCar in a test run but in a race simulation, it will be much better for them.

“They need to commit to the race,” said Alonso. “I think if they just want to do a test they will never do the race after testing the car, because it feels quite bad. It feels quite difficult. The car is self-steering to the left.

“You go on the straights and you are turning right and it feels very weird to drive the car, but then in the race it is just a different thing. You wake up your competitive instinct and you forget about all these weird things that those cars have and it’s a lot of fun.

“It’s part of history. I think the biggest thing is to go out of your comfort zone and drive something that you don’t feel ready to handle, ready to control and that adrenaline is magic,” he added, while teasing about a potential return to complete the Triple Crown.

“As I said many times, the Indy 500 is still very attractive, as it was last year, and after winning Le Mans this year, it’s even more attractive to try to achieve it in the short term,” he said. “Still working on plans for next year and as soon as they are finalised you will know.”

L'entrada Oval circuits ‘creeps’ Ricciardo out as Hamilton eyes another NASCAR run ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.