F3:

The majority of the 27 drivers set to contest the FIA Formula 3 World Cup – and write their names in Macau Grand Prix history – have been revealed. Representing 20 countries and possessing talent and potential in abundance, the drivers will aim to follow in the wheel tracks of a host of motor sport greats who used the legendary street race as a platform to progress up the ranks.

They include Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Takuma Sato, Felix Rosenqvist and António Félix da Costa. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson, Logan Sargeant and Yuki Tsunoda, who have all raced in the FIA Formula One World Championship this season, took part in the last FIA Formula 3 World Cup to be held in 2019.

Nine teams have entered the 2023 FIA Formula 3 World Cup, which co-headlines the 70th Macau Grand Prix event along with the FIA GT World Cup. They will each field three drivers in identical Mecachrome-powered Dallara cars equipped with tyres from official supplier Pirelli. The star-studded list of drivers includes Richard Verschoor, the winner of the 2019 FIA Formula 3 World Cup, and Dan Ticktum, who triumphed in Macau in 2017 and 2018.

Paul Aron, third in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship standings, and Gabriele Mini, who showed his street-racing prowess by winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship Monaco Feature Race earlier this season, are also entered. Other standout names include Red Bull Junior Team drivers Zane Maloney, an FIA Formula 2 podium finisher this season, and Iasck Hadjar, who won the FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race at Circuit Zandvoort in August.

Of the drivers confirmed so far, only Ticktum, Verschoor and Sophia Floersch have raced in the FIA Formula 3 World Cup at Macau, which points to a wide-open battle for victory when the event takes place from November 16-19. Trident Motorsport, which guided Gabriele Bortoleto to the FIA Formula 3 title this season, can count on Czech Roman Staněk, who, like Dutch team-mate Richard Verschoor, steps back from FIA Formula 2 for what will be his first Macau appearance. American Ugo Ugochukwu, a McLaren Driver Development programme member and a former European karting champion, will also fly the Trident flag.

Jenzer Motorsport hands FIA Formula 3 World Cup debuts to New York-born ex-sim racer Maxwell Esterson, Austrian teenager Charlie Wurz, son of ex-Formula One driver Alex, and Peruvian Matias Zagazeta, a regular in FIA Formula Regional events. Estonian Paul Aron, Swede Dino Beganovic and Italian Gabriele Mini form Prema Racing’s challenge, with the three-time FIA Formula 3 World Cup-winning team bringing the famous Theodore name back to the event under the SJM Theodore Prema Racing banner.

Hitech Pulse-Eight can count on its FIA Formula 3 Championship driver Luke Browning and its French FIA Formula 2 racer Isack Hadjar for Macau success. The team’s third driver will be revealed in due course. Having placed fifth in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship standings, Spain’s Josep María Martí continues his alliance with Campos Racing. Sebastien Montoya, whose father Juan Pablo raced at Macau on his path to the FIA Formula One World Championship, joins Campos for his first Macau start, along with Danish driver Oliver Goethe, eighth in this year’s FIA Formula 3 standings.

Mexican Noel León, the Euroformula Open champion of 2023, will make his FIA Formula 3 World Cup debut with Van Amersfoort Racing, which also features Germany’s Sophia Floersch and Australian Tommy Smith in its ranks. ART Grand Prix’s Macau challenge features Grégoire Saucy, Switzerland’s FIA Formula Regional European Championship winner from 2021, and Australian Christian Mansell, who brings experience from a season in FIA Formula 3 to Macau. Bulgarian 16-year-old Nikola Tsolov completes the ART line-up.

Rodin Carlin, which claimed its first of three FIA Formula 3 World Cup victories with Takuma Sato in 2001, has entered Barbadian Zane Moloney, plus double Macau winner Dan Ticktum from Great Britain. The team’s third driver is to be announced. MP Motorsport, which is bidding for a second FIA Formula 3 World Cup victory in succession, has so far entered its Argentine FIA Formula 3 Championship star Franco Colapinto, who finished fourth in the final table in 2023, plus Mari Boya. The Spaniard raced for the Dutch squad in FIA Formula 3 this season, while an additional driver will be added to the MP Motorsport line-up.

The FIA Formula 3 World Cup is returning to Macau after a break of four years through the joint efforts of the FIA, Macau’s FIA member club, Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC), and the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee. Using the iconic 6.120-kilometre Guia Circuit, the event features two Free Practice sessions, two Qualifying sessions, a 10-lap Qualification Race, plus the 15-lap finale, which awards the prestigious FIA Formula 3 World Cup title.

Here’s full entry list: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/2023_fia_f3_world_cup_-_official_entry_list.pdf

Here’s F4 entry list:

GT:

This year marks the return of FIA racing to the streets of Macau for the first time since 2019 and, therefore, the first edition of the FIA GT World Cup in four years. All five winners of the event held between 2015 and 2019 are due to battle for their second FIA GT World Cup glory, along with a star-studded line-up of some of the world’s best closed-roof specialists, each seeking to triumph on the 6.120-kilometre circuit.

This year’s edition of the FIA GT World Cup will host a grid of 21 cars, with machinery from five different manufacturers and a total of 12 Platinum-ranked drivers, making it arguably the strongest field since the event first ran in 2015. Headlining the entry list and Mercedes-Benz’s fleet of AMG GT3s is the most recent FIA GT World Cup winner, Raffaele Marciello. The 28-year-old is one of the most decorated and formidable GT3 racers of his era, who – in addition to his 2019 Macau triumph – won two GT World Challenge Europe crowns, as well as Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and ADAC GT Masters titles.

On top of this, prior to making GT racing the focus of his career, Marciello also clinched the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2013. Seeking his second triumph on the streets of Macau, and first with a roof over his head, will be Mercedes’ GT regular, and 2011 Formula 3 winner, Daniel Juncadella. Another vastly experienced racer from Mercedes’ stable who should be in the mix is the winner of the inaugural FIA GT World Cup, Maro Engel, whose relationship with the three-pointed star dates back to his Formula 3 stint in the mid-2000s and includes spells in some of the world’s most competitive closed-roof series such as DTM and Australia’s Supercars Championship.

Jules Gounon will be making his Macau debut, but the Andorra-based Frenchman is a force to be reckoned with behind the wheel of a GT car. His resume includes a hat-trick of Bathurst 12 Hours victories, an ADAC GT Masters title as well as two GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup titles in a row. Seeking its revenge in Macau is BMW, with a pair of M3 GT3s. One car will be operated by Rowe Racing and the other by Team WRT. Both BMW and WRT have been victorious in Macau in the past, but on different occasions.

BMW won in 2018 with Augusto Farfus, while Team WRT triumphed in the memorable 2016 edition but running an Audi and with current Porsche racer Laurens Vanhtoor behind the wheel. The Brazilian was triumphant in the 2018 FIA GT World Cup, taking a win for BMW in a Schnitzer Motorsport-operated M6 GT3. The 2022 DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde will be making his Macau debut driving the Team WRT entry.

Audi’s hopes of winning its second FIA GT World Cup will rest on start driver Eduardo Mortara. The 36-year-old is considered a Macau specialist, having won at the Guia Circuit an impressive seven times, taking back-to-back victories in Formula 3 in 2009 and ’10, and winning the 2017 FIA GT World Cup for Mercedes. He also scored a hat-trick of GT Cup victories from 2011 to 2013 for Audi, before the event earned FIA World Cup status, and won in the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup support race. Now back with Audi, the Swiss racer will be seeking yet another Macau triumph.

Porsche is set to challenge for its maiden FIA GT World Cup victory with a fleet of seven cars. The manufacturer’s challenge will be headlined by a pair of its FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class star drivers, 2016 FIA GT World Cup winner Laurens Vanthoor, as well as FIA WEC LMGTE Pro champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner Kévin Estre.

Another WEC Hypercar regular, although representing Cadillac in the series, who is set to drive a Porsche in Macau is Earl Bamber. The two-time Le Mans winner will be making his fifth FIA GT World Cup appearance for Porsche, on this occasion driving a car operated by his eponymous Earl Bamber Motorsport outfit, although entered under a D2 Racing Team banner. The New Zealander came third in 2019 but has tasted Macau victory having won a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race back in 2013, passing rally legend Sébastien Loeb on his way to win.

Porsche’s line-up will be completed by FIA WEC regular and Nürburgring 24 Hours winner Matteo Cairoli as well as Gold-ranked drivers Thomas Preining (this year’s DTM champion, 2018 Porsche Carrera Cup Germany title winner) and Alessio Picariello (European Le Mans Series GTE class title winner and FIA WEC regular), with the latter of the two making his second FIA GT World Cup outing, having competed in a Mercedes in 2019.

Ferrari will challenge for victory with its new 296 GT3, aiming for the first FIA GT World Cup triumph for a non-German manufacturer. The prancing horse’s effort will be led by its stalwart factory driver and two-time Le Mans class winner Daniel Serra, whose career highlights also include a hat-trick of titles in his domestic, but very competitive, Stock Car Brasil series.

The FIA GT World Cup takes place from November 16-19 with two 30-minute practice sessions followed by a single qualifying session of the same duration. Racing action will be held across two heats, with a 12-lap qualifying race followed by a 16-lap title-deciding main race.

Here’s the entry list: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/2023_fia_gt_world_cup_-_official_entry_list.pdf

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada FIA releases entry list for 2023 Macau GP as several stars return ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The third edition of the FIA Motorsport Games will take place from 23-27 October 2024 in Spain, with the Generalitat Valenciana and Circuit Ricardo Tormo set to host the popular multidisciplinary event that unites athletes from all four corners of the globe in a unique spirit of sporting competition.

The third running of the Games – jointly launched by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and SRO Motorsports Group – promises to be the biggest yet. Not only are all 16 categories that made up the 2022 event confirmed to return, but they will be joined by ten new ones, increasing opportunities for drivers from National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) worldwide to vie for medals under the flag of their home country.

This growth underscores the momentum that has been building since the highly successful inaugural event in 2019, which took place in the Italian capital of Rome and at the nearby Vallelunga circuit before moving to Marseille in France last year and expanding from six categories to 16.

The 2022 Games set a new record for the number of nations ever to contest a single motorsport event. Over four days of action spread across the Circuit Paul Ricard, Autocross Veynois, and the surrounding region, 463 athletes representing 72 ASNs did battle for glory in front of 45,000 enthusiastic spectators, with Team Italy ultimately prevailing courtesy of a haul of three gold medals and one silver.

The torch now passes to Spain as the category count increases again to 26, spanning the full spectrum of the sport from Circuit Racing to Electric Street – that includes Auto Slalom and Karting Slalom – Karting, Esports, Off-road, and Rally. The original founding categories of the FIA Motorsport Games – GT, GT Sprint, Touring Car, Formula 4, Drift, and Esports – continue to feature prominently, alongside a new medal opportunity in Esports Rally.

In Karting, the Junior and Senior Sprint categories will return, while Karting Endurance will welcome female/male pairings aged 14 and over. The new addition in this discipline is Karting Mini, which will be introduced for drivers aged between eight and 11.

The Rally disciplines account for the greatest number of new categories. Rally2, Rally4, and Historic Rally have each been separated into three contests – one for Gravel specialists, one for Tarmac specialists, and one comprising both surfaces for all-rounders, offering no fewer than nine possibilities to win medals. The new Rally All-Stars category, meanwhile, is open to drivers listed on the FIA priority list who are not currently eligible to enter Rally2 or Rally4.

Cross Car Junior and Senior return alongside the new Cross Car Eco category, which complements the existing electric competitions in Auto Slalom and Karting Slalom. Further new categories remain under consideration.

In addition to the coveted trophy for the winning nation outright, there will be regional trophies for Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East/North Africa (MENA). There will also be a NewStar trophy for the nation whose upcoming talents shine brightest in the grassroots categories and an AllStar trophy for the top-performing nation in categories reserved for more established drivers.

Further information and details will follow, before official entries for the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games open early next year.

Notes to Editors

FIA Motorsport Games 2024 – Provisional list of categories 

Circuit Racing
1: GT
2: GT Sprint
3: Formula 4
4: Touring Car
5: Drift

Esports

6: Esports GT

7: Esports Rally NEW

Rally

8: Rally2

9:  Rally2 Gravel NEW
10: Rally2 Tarmac NEW
11: Rally4
12: Rally4 Gravel NEW
13: Rally4 Tarmac NEW
14: Rally All-Stars NEW

15: Historic Rally

16: Historic Rally Gravel NEW
17: Historic Rally Tarmac NEW

Off Road

18: Cross Car Junior
19: Cross Car Senior
20: Cross Car Eco NEW
Karting

21: Karting Sprint Jr
22: Karting Sprint Sr

23: Karting Endurance
24: Karting Mini NEW

Electric Street 

25: Auto Slalom
26: Karting Slalom

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada FIA announces third edition of Motorsport Games in Spain ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

AlphaTauri’s Tsunoda is to join Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel for a show run at Nordschleife during the 12 Hours of Nurburgring weekend on September 9. Unlike the former two, the Japanese will not drive a F1 car but a Honda NSX GT3 Evo.

“I’ve never driven at the Nurburgring before, so I’m really looking forward to the event in September,” said Tsunoda. “I can’t wait to drive around it in my HONDA NSX GT3 Evo, which is an incredible car and a proven race-winning machine at the highest level of GT3 competition.

“The Nordschleife is a legendary circuit, I just experienced it on the Gran Turismo videogame and already enjoyed it a lot,” summed up Tsunoda, who becomes the only driver – for now – from the regular F1 drivers lot to drive at Nordschleife.

Interestingly, Tsunoda has been allowed to do the run at Nurburgring, but Verstappen wasn’t since the Dutchman would have gone the extra mile to set a new record at a tricky circuit. “We all know Max,” said Marko over the weekend in Canada.

“First he would have checked what the record was. Of course he wouldn’t want to beat that just by a second. Those cars aren’t suited for chasing records. It’s too dangerous.” Marko’s saying was reciprocated by Verstappen as well, who agreed he would have done that way.

“I wanted to do it, but I was not allowed by Helmut,” said Verstappen. He knew that I would try and go to the limits. I would have loved to do it. I didn’t want to start unnecessary issues. I heard this thing was coming up, and Helmut was sitting at the table when it came up, and he said: ‘No, no, no, you’re not doing that.”

Here’s Sebastian Vettel doing Nordschleife

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo confirmed for Nordschleife run

Here’s Max Verstappen, Christian Horner on Ayrton Senna, 100 wins

Here’s Sergio Perez had issues under braking

Here’s Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso on iconic Top 3 in Canada

Here’s Max Verstappen on bird hit

L'entrada Tsunoda allowed to run at Nordschleife in a Honda NSX GT3 Evo ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

L'entrada F3 returns to headline Macau GP along with GT World Cup ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.

Directed by: Neill Blomkamp

Screenplay by: Jason Hall and Zach Baylin

Produced by: Doug Belgrad, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan and Dana Brunetti

Executive Producers: Kazunori Yamauchi, Hermen Hulst, Jason Hall and Matthew Hirsch

Cast: David Harbour (Jann’s trainer), Orlando Bloom (based on Darren Cox’s role from Nissan GT team), Archie Madekwe (Jann Mardenborough), Darren Barnet (top GT driver threatened by Jann), Geri Halliwell Horner (Jann’s mother) and Djimon Hounsou (Jann’s father).

Release Date: August 11, 2023

Here’s the trailer –

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Sony releases Gran Turismo trailer based on Mardenborough ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Morning –

Sheldon van der Linde (Jaguar TCS Racing) headed the way in the opening session of the Berlin Rookie Test, as an ultra-competitive field got their first taste of Formula E machinery. Current DTM champion and sportscar driver Sheldon van der Linde took top spot in the morning’s running at the Berlin Rookie Test, and with a 300kW lap, to boot – not the full-power 350kW available.

His 1m05.814s was just half a second away from the fastest time seen over the SABIC Berlin E-Prix weekend, set in similar, dry conditions. The South African – brother of Kelvin van der Linde who stepped in at ABT CUPRA earlier this season – also completed the most laps of the morning, with 67 under his belt with some 1,035 laps driven by the 21 drivers that hit the track.

Luca Ghiotto (Nissan) wound up second, just 0.073s back. The former FIA Formula 2 driver’s best lap was set in 350kW mode, as did Mahindra Racing Test and Reserve driver Jehan Daruvala in third and former Formula 1 driver Danil Kvyat in fourth spot.

Incumbent FIA Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich jumped into the Maserati MSG Racing fold for the day, and found himself 12th in the morning’s running, 0.765s shy of the ultimate pace. Reigning FIA Formula 3 champion, Victor Martins, fared better in the Nissan – winding up eighth, inside half a second of van der Linde’s benchmark.

Afternoon and overall –

FIA Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich (Maserati MSG Racing) set the fastest time at the Berlin Rookie Test; inside the quickest Julius Baer Pole Position effort of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix weekend and just two tenths of a second off the best time set in practice by Maximilian Guenther – in the same car.

The afternoon’s running proved quicker than the morning’s with Drugovic, Victor Martins (Nissan), Zane Maloney (Avalanche Andretti) and Luca Ghiotto (Nissan) all inside Sheldon van der Linde’s benchmark from the opening session. Current DTM champion and sportscar driver van der Linde couldn’t replicate his earlier pace and ended up in the wall by the Airplane turn with the right front corner and front wing of his Jaguar I-PACE 6 missing.

He wound up in 16th this time around. Drugovich his the incumbent F2 champion and his 1m05.509s lap, set towards the end of the three-hour second session of the day, was only 0.208s slower than the quickest time of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix weekend set by Maximilian Guenther – in the same Maserati MSG Racing Tipo Folgore in Free Practice 2. The time also beat any set in either Rounds 7 or 8 proper.

Reigning FIA Formula 3 champion Martins was a tenth of a second back from Drugovic in the end with FIA Rookie of the Year and current F2 racer Maloney third as the chequered flag was thrown. Former F2 driver Ghiotto added the fourth fastest time in the afternoon to the second quickest time he sealed in the morning’s running while Scuderia Ferrari reserve driver Robert Schwarzman and Mahindra Racing reserve Jehan Daruvala rounded out the top six runners.

Here’s German group taking responsibility for protest

Here’s how Race 1 panned out in Berlin

Here’s how Race 2 panned out in Berlin

Here’s rookie test line-up for Berlin

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Drugovich fastest from Martins in Formula E rookie test at Berlin ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

With his brakes gone, Areia was a passenger during a freak incident in a practice session of Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibercia championship at Portugal’s Portimao circuit. His Porsche GT3 Cup car flew into the grandstand after hitting the tyre barrier.

There is no proper video of how the car hit the tyre barrier and flew over the safety fence onto the grandstand as one fan video only caught the incident half-heartedly. Fortunately, there were no spectators present at that time of the hour which usually filled up.

The circuit is hosting the FIA WEC’s 6 Hours of Portimao this weekend. “It was very angry, I ran out of brakes at the end of the straight, I practically became a passenger,” wrote Areia on his social media. “Luckily no one was in that area of the grandstand and I managed to get out of the accident unharmed, thanks to the safety level of that car, keep strong.”

Assim ficou a rede de protecção e o Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup pic.twitter.com/sdUkvck2WS

— SportMotores.com (@SportMotoresCom) April 14, 2023

L'entrada Video: Areia unharmed in a freak Porsche incident at Portimao ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

A glance at the capacity 36-strong full-season entry list whets the appetite for what’s to come both this Easter Bank Holiday and throughout 2023. Indeed, eight world-class factory drivers, nine manufacturers and 10 reigning or former champions make this perhaps the most eagerly anticipated season in series history.

Fans unable to attend Oulton can watch Saturday’s qualifying session and both of Monday’s races live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel, while the latter are also live on Sky Sports F1. But it’s those in attendance trackside who will have the best seats in the house if last year’s season opener is anything to go by…

GT3: THE FASTEST ENTRY IN SERIES HISTORY?

Adam. Bell. Gounon. Gunn. Harper. Kirchhoefer. Marciello. Mitchell. Not since the BTCC’s revered Super Touring era have so many world-class factory drivers contested a domestic UK series. Throw in a raft of proven Pros capable of mixing it with their better-known rivals, as well as an ultra-competitive Am contingent, and you’ve got the makings of a mouth-watering GT3 campaign.

Forget picking a favourite. You can’t. Instead, let’s begin with the reigning champion, Ian Loggie, and Mercedes-AMG ace Jules Gounon who lit up Oulton 12 months ago with pole position, a new lap record, first and second place finishes, and some outrageous overtaking.

The duo switched teams during the winter, moving from RAM to 2 Seas, and are now also rocking an iconic D2 livery made famous by the factory’s ITC, GT1 and DTM programmes. They’ll certainly be amongst the fan favourites this weekend, as well as the primary victory contenders.

Gounon’s Mercedes-AMG counterpart, Raffaele Marciello, is making his British GT debut with RAM alongside John Ferguson. Attention will undoubtedly and understandably focus on the spectacular Swiss who enjoyed a stellar title-laden 2022 season in Europe. However, his co-driver was also one half of the only Silver-Am crew to win a GT3 race outright last term.

Aston Martin also has two factory drivers on the grid, although only one of them – Ross Gunn – is at the wheel of a Vantage AMR GT3. 2015’s GT4 champion hasn’t raced domestically full-time since Beechdean AMR’s aborted 2016 campaign but is back with the same team and co-driver – two-time title winner Andrew Howard – for a proper tilt. The latter hasn’t won a British GT race since 2015, but you wouldn’t bet against that changing on Monday…

Jonny Adam’s winless streak doesn’t stretch back quite that far, although it might be surprising to learn the last of his 16 victories came as long ago as 2019. A 17th on what will be his 100th and 101st British GT starts would be the perfect way to kickstart his and James Cottingham’s season in 2 Seas’ second Mercedes-AMG.

McLaren are the best represented manufacturer this year with nine GT3 entries. And two of them are crewed by works drivers.

What Rob Bell doesn’t know about the 720S ain’t worth knowing. He also helped to develop its predecessors as well as the Evo kit the majority of Woking’s customer teams are using this year. The 2019 championship contender joins GT3 debutant Mark Radcliffe in Optimum’s example.

Meanwhile, Marvin Kirchhoefer teams up with Alex West full-time at Garage 59 after the same combination very nearly won on its only appearance last year at Silverstone. The German will be an unknown quantity to some British GT fans but that doesn’t make him any less rapid. Indeed, he was one of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe’s standout drivers last season. West’s Am credentials and continental class titles further underline this pairing’s potential.

Kirchhoefer was denied Silverstone victory by last year’s eventual runner-up and 2020 champion Sandy Mitchell. The Scot returns for a fourth season at Barwell but is paired with a new co-driver in the shape of Shaun Balfe who debuted in British GT before his 23-year-old Lamborghini factory co-driver was born! Nevertheless, this crew, the championship’s most successful team and new Huracan GT3 EVO2 appears on paper at least to be one of this season’s fastest and most consistent combinations. What’s more, Balfe took pole for and victory in Oulton’s opening race 12 months ago.

Then there’s newly minted BMW ace Dan Harper who has predominantly raced in Europe since winning 2019’s Porsche Carrera Cup GB title. He joins Century and British GT3’s most recent winner Darren Leung who was victorious at Donington in October despite never previously racing in the senior class. He and Harper first joined forces at the Gulf 12 Hours late last year and have also raced in Europe at the start of this.

It’s easy to get carried away with the factory drivers but this year also represents a golden opportunity for young and experienced Pros, as well as their Am co-drivers, to make a name for themselves against some of the world’s very best.

Sam Neary, Michael O’Brien, Callum Macleod and Marcus Clutton are no strangers to victory lane and will be confident of visiting it again with Abba, Orange/JMH, Greystone GT and Enduro. The latter was also a title contender last year and his co-driver – Morgan Tillbrook – fully expects to mount another assault this season.

Mark Sansom and Will Tregurtha showed flashes of pace in their Bentley last term but will really have a chance to shine with Barwell, which is back up to its preferred two-car quota. It looks most likely to challenge for the teams’ title along with 2 Seas, Greystone GT and debutants RACE LAB.

Meanwhile, Kevin Tse (Sky Tempesta) was a race winner at Oulton in 2021 and will be targeting Silver-Am honours this time alongside Chris Froggatt. That category includes three more entries: Abba’s father-son duo of Richard and Sam Neary, Sansom/Tregurtha, and RACE LAB’s Iain Campbell and James Kell. The latter was class runner-up last season.

GT4: FRESH FACES AND FAMILIAR FOES

While GT3 grabbed the pre-season headlines, GT4 was quietly but effectively going about its business ahead of what looks set to be a wide-open campaign.

That’s partly due to who’s not racing this weekend. Sennan Fielding and Richard Williams scored a rare double victory at Oulton last year to get their title winning campaign off to the perfect start, while Pro-Am champions and overall runners-up Matt Topham and Darren Turner have also moved on to pastures new.

However, there is no shortage of talent or former champions on this year’s GT4 entry, which also features two all-new cars: the McLaren Artura and BMW M4.

But it’s one of the class’ older models, the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, that features perhaps 2023’s pre-season favourites: Josh Miller and Seb Hopkins. R Racing’s 17-year-olds already have a year of British GT experience under their belts, while Miller and the team – who finished second on debut at Oulton 12 months ago – were also part of GT4’s three-way title decider last October.

Elsewhere, one of Matt Nicoll-Jones (2008), Stuart Middleton (2017) and Dan Vaughan (2020) could become the first driver in British GT4 history to win the title twice. Academy’s owner/driver won the class in its very first season, while Raceway’s Middleton remains one half of the youngest crew to ever lift the title. Incredibly, Vaughan hasn’t raced at all since sealing the crown in dramatic fashion at Silverstone three years ago.

His Team Parker co-driver Zac Meakin will, at 16 years and 114 days, be the youngest driver to line up on Monday. Taking a victory or setting fastest lap would see him break two long-standing records currently held by Sandy Mitchell.

Just like GT3, McLaren enjoys a numerical advantage in GT4 thanks to five new Arturas and another older 570S.

Championship debutants DTO have assembled a particularly potent combination featuring the last two Ginetta Junior champions, Josh Rowledge and Aston Millar. The latter also finished third in Ginetta SuperCup last season and was recently added to McLaren’s Academy Driver roster.

Another Artura entrant, Enduro, makes its British GT4 debut this weekend after expanding from GT3 over the winter. And its eye catching Only Fans livery, seen on the 720S last season, has followed suit by switching classes.

Optimum, Paddock and RACE LAB also have a foot in both the GT3 and GT4 camps, but it’s the latter’s entry that could be a cut above the rest if its mobile hairdressers – overseen by mental health charity The Lions Barber Collective – is anything to go by! The Collective’s group of passionate barbers, who are trained to recognise, ask and listen for signs of depression with their clients, will be offering free haircuts to men and women this season. Look out for them in the paddock.

The 570S uniquely homologated with hand controls is also back courtesy of Team BRIT’s Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley who will be hoping to improve upon their Pro-Am runners-up spot from 2022. However, they’ll face stiff opposition from a raft of new and returning crews also eyeing class honours.

One of them – Ed McDermott and Mikey Broadhurst – have, like 2 Seas, opted for a famous DTM livery from back in the day. Their One Motorsport Mercedes-AMG features the gold and dark green combination made famous by Zakspeed’s 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 that raced in 1992.

Neither of Century’s two new BMWs features a livery inspired by Bavaria’s motorsport back catalogue (alas, Ainsley Harriott never sponsored a Schnitzer M3). However, the team has opted for two promising Pro-Am line-ups in the form of Michael Johnston/Chris Salkeld and Carl Cavers/Lewis Plato. The latter last raced in British GT some eight years ago.

Michael Crees and Tom Holland will also be amongst the class front runners aboard the second of Raceway’s two Ginettas, and Toro Verde’s Ian Duggan and James Townsend share this year’s only Am/Am entry.

Their team-mates, Joe Wheeler and former DTM racer Esmee Hawkey, are one of 10 Silver crews entered this season. Drivetac’s James Wallis and Sam Maher-Loughnan are another, while the second Academy Mustang shared by Erik Evans and multiple British GT4 race winner Matt Cowley could – and should – be one of this weekend’s primary victory candidates.

TIMETABLE

Friday 7 April
10:45 – 11:40: Test 1
13:55 – 14:50: Test 2
16:05 – 17:00: Test 3

Saturday 8 April
09:30 – 10:30: Free Practice 1
12:35 – 13:35: Free Practice 2
16:10 – 16:20: GT3 Q1 – LIVE
16:24 – 16:34: GT3 Q2 – LIVE
16:38 – 16:48: GT4 Q1 – LIVE
16:53 – 17:03: GT4 Q2 – LIVE
 
Monday 10 April
09:05 – 09:20: Warm-up – LIVE
10:55 – 11:55: Race 1 – LIVE
15:50 – 16:50: Race 2 – LIVE

L'entrada Preview: Oulton welcomes world’s best this easter weekend ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Having joined Williams in 2020, Aitken earned his F1 debut with the team when George Russell subbed in for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes during 2021 Sakhir GP. He finished 16th and continued in his reserve role for the following year in 2022.

But with him moving towards endurance racing, Aitken eventually ended terms with Williams and is no longer part of the team this year. In fact, he is no longer involved in F1, not even as a simulator driver capacity for any other team on the grid.

Aitken is not sad about leaving F1, but more proud of what he could managed to do so despite the limited budget and opportunities in a difficult driver market. It was reported last week, but a proper goodbye to the team that gave me my F1 debut seemed right,” he said.

We’ve had a lot of fun over the years Williams, and did some pretty kick-ass stuff on track too. I’m not sad about leaving the story here, I’m proud that I did what I did. This will be the first season in a long time I don’t have an active role in F1, so I’m looking forward to being a fan with the rest of you! Well… that and ripping up the Endurance scene, summed up Aitken.

Here’s James Vowles on what he can do to take Williams forward

Here’s Jamie Chadwick sticking with Williams academy

Here’s James Vowles and Toto Wolff on the Williams move

Here’s news of James Vowles joining Williams

Here’s Franco Colapinto joining Williams academy

Here’s Williams getting modernaised at Grove

Here’s Williams focusing more on long-term

L'entrada Aitken not sad but proud of achievements as he bids F1 goodbye ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Double DTM and FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström put in a stunning performance to eclipse 17 fellow superstars of motorsport and win the 2023 Race Of Champions for a record-equalling fourth time – on a day of non-stop action on the frozen Baltic Sea at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad, just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle.

Following Team Norway’s triumph in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup, all cooperation went out of the window today. The individual Race Of Champions pitted some of the world’s greatest drivers – from series including Formula 1, Formula 2, IndyCar, Le Mans, W Series, World Rally, World Rallycross, Nitro Rallycross and X-Games –head-to-head on an icy parallel track featuring ROC’s iconic crossover bridge.

On a sunny afternoon at Pite Havsbad, the Race Of Champions saw greats of global motorsport battling for glory in a mix of identical machinery – including the electric Cupra UrbanRebel Concept, Zeroid X1 rallycross car powered by QEV and FC1-X Nitro Rallycross car. The off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP made a welcome ROC return as did the SuperCar Lites, now powered by 100% fossil-free biofuel.

In front of packed crowds of Swedish fans braving the cold, the best-of-three Grand Final boiled down to a duel between home hopeful Ekström and Mercedes-AMG F1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher. After a thrilling finale as both drivers pushed to the limit, Ekström saw off his German rival by two heats to nil – despite a brief scare when he had to put out a fire in his car – to be crowned ROC Champion of Champions for the fourth time. The Swede thus equals the all-time Race Of Champions record also held by French rally greats Didier Auriol and Sébastien Loeb.

Incredibly, Ekström won two of his previous ROC titles against Mick’s father Michael – at London’s Wembley Stadium in 2007 and at Beijing’s Olympic Stadium in 2009 – which made today’s finale even more special. To reach the Grand Final Ekström and Schumacher had to see off a field featuring 18 of the world’s greatest drivers. Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s Race Of Champions used a straight knockout system with the field split into two halves: one featured the international racing drivers while the other had the rally experts and those with more experience of off-road driving.

At the semi-final stage Schumacher defeated his fellow countryman, the four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, 2-0 to take bragging rights in the circuit racers’ half of the draw. On the rally side, Ekström finished on top of the pile having brought an end to a spirited run by Thierry Neuville, the winner of 17 WRC rallies. The quarter-finals saw many big names bite the dust – not least nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen, who lost to Vettel. The reigning FIA Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovich was the other racing driver who went out, beaten by Schumacher on countback of fastest times after a 1-1 tie.

On the rally side Ekström saw off his fellow Swede, the five-time World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, after a close battle between the two home hopefuls. The last driver going out at this stage was yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup winner for Team Norway Oliver Solberg, who lost to Neuville after crashing out of their first heat.

The Round of 16 was another graveyard for motorsport’s superstars. In the racing half of the draw, double F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen fell to Drugovich and 10-time F1 grand prix winner Valtteri Bottas lost to Kristensen. 2022 eTouring Car World Cup Champion Adrien Tambay and triple W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick also left the competition at this stage, beaten by Schumacher and Vettel respectively.

The rally side of the draw was just as brutal. Reigning ROC Champion of Champions and nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb fell to Neuville, albeit beaten by just four hundredths of a second. Loeb’s fellow World Rally Champion Petter Solberg lost the battle for family pride, defeated by son Oliver after their shared triumph for Team Norway in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup. McLaren Extreme E driver Tanner Foust was another of the early casualties, falling to Kristoffersson, while extreme sports legend and Nitro Rallycross Champion Travis Pastrana lost out to Ekström.

Kicking off the afternoon’s action, four of the racing drivers were matched up in pairs for two Round 1 play-offs. 13-time F1 grand prix winner David Coulthard fell to defeat by Tambay while IndyCar race winner Felix Rosenqvist had to bid an early goodbye after spinning off against Schumacher.

Ahead of the main competition, the home fans were given a treat as four Swedish heroes took part in a celebrity race in the Polaris RZR PRO XP. The field featured Olympic skiing gold medallists Ingemar Stenmark and Anja Pärson, ice hockey’s NHL legend and Olympic gold medallist Tomas Holmström and YouTube sensation Emil Hansius. In the end it was Holmström who came out on top, beating Stenmark in the final while Hansius pipped Pärson for bronze.

This year’s Race Of Champions has raised funds and awareness towards a selection of worthwhile charities. The key recipients have included German children’s charity Kinderlachen, the Zelmerlöw and Björkman Foundation’s school in Kenya, the ICM (institute for advanced research on brain and spinal cord injuries in Paris) plus a range of the drivers’ other favourite charities.

Here’s how Team Norway won Nations Cup: https://formularapida.net/video-team-norway-wins-2023-race-of-champions-nations-cup/

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Video: Ekstrom beats Schumacher to win 2023 Race of Champions ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Team Norway’s father and son pairing of Petter and Oliver Solberg are celebrating after they took a stunning victory in the ROC Nations Cup on the snow and ice of Sweden’s Pite Havsbad, to retain the title they first won last year.

On a sunny afternoon on the frozen Baltic Sea just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle, legends from the world’s biggest motor sport series – including Formula 1, Formula 2, IndyCar, Le Mans, W Series, World Rally, World Rallycross, Nitro Rallycross and X-Games – teamed up in pairs to battle for national and regional pride.

They raced head-to-head on a parallel track featuring ROC’s iconic crossover bridge in a stunning mix of cars. This year’s range of mighty machinery included the electric Cupra UrbanRebel Concept, Zeroid X1 rallycross car powered by QEV and the FC1-X Nitro Rallycross car. The off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP made a welcome return to ROC as did the SuperCar Lites, now powered by 100% fossil-free biofuel.

And what a festival of icy action it was – as FIA World Rally and World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg and his rising WRC star son Oliver Solberg prevailed in the final against the might of Team All Stars: winner of 17 WRC rallies Thierry Neuville and reigning FIA F2 Champion Felipe Drugovich.

In the first heat Neuville saw off the challenge of Petter Solberg before both Oliver and Petter beat Felipe Drugovich, who started the week in the thirty degree heat of his home country Brazil. Oliver then defeated Neuville to take the decisive win, which means Team Norway retain the ROC Nations Cup trophy.

Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s ROC Nations Cup used a straight knockout system. To make it as fair as possible, races were decided over four heats, with each driver racing against both drivers from the other team. For matches tied 2-2, the team with the best total time made it through.

To the dismay of the home fans packing the venue, Team Sweden’s Mattias Ekström and Johan Kristoffersson went out in the semi-finals to Team Norway. The two World Rallycross Champions ended up tied 2-2 but they went out on countback of fastest total times. That result came despite one of the tightest finishes in ROC history when Ekström defeated Petter Solberg by a single thousandth of a second.

Team Germany’s four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel and his fellow F1 racer Mick Schumacher also made it all the way to the semi-finals, before they were beaten 3-1 by Team All Stars. There were some huge stars of global motorsport who went out in the quarter-finals, including Team Nordic’s nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen and IndyCar racewinner Felix Rosenqvist, who were defeated 4-0 by Team Sweden.

Team France’s pair of nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and 2022 eTouring Car World Cup Champion Adrien Tambay fell to another 4-0 quarter-final defeat by Team Norway. Loeb flew into the venue by helicopter this morning, arriving only an hour before today’s racing began. He will now hope for better luck tomorrow as he defends his crown in the individual Race Of Champions.

Team USA’s extreme sports legend and Nitro Rallycross Champion Travis Pastrana and fellow rallycross ace Tanner Foust also went out in the quarter-finals, beaten 3-1 by Team All Stars even though Pastrana took a solitary heat win against Drugovich. Another casualty at this stage was Team eROC’s F1 Esports Pro Series Champions Lucas Blakeley and Jarno Opmeer, who were defeated 3-0 by Team Germany. But the simracers can sleep well tonight after they pulled off a stunning early shock.

The afternoon’s action began with a huge surprise in the two Round 1 play-offs as Team Finland’s pair of F1 greats Mika Hakkinen and Valtteri Bottas went out to Team eROC. Blakeley repeated his heroics from last year – when he defeated Vettel in his first ever race in a real car – and this time he added both Finns to his growing list of victims. Bottas and Hakkinen both beat Opmeer for an overall 2-2 scoreline, but they went out on a countback of total lap times.

Team GB’s 13-time Formula 1 grand prix winner David Coulthard and triple W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick were the other pairing to bid an early farewell. They fell to a 3-1 defeat by Team Germany, even though Chadwick salvaged some national pride by winning her heat against Vettel. Ahead of today’s on-track activities, the drivers unfurled a banner in conjunction with the institute for advanced research into brain and spinal cord injuries ICM in honour of ROC’s absent friend (and six-time ROC Nations Cup winner) Michael Schumacher as he continues his recovery.

“Everyone loves the Race Of Champions but I was nervous today: the conditions change every run so it was easy to make a mistake,” said Petter Solberg. “You get butterflies in your stomach and you still have to go out and do what you do. Sébastien Loeb didn’t have a fair chance because of his late arrival, but to beat him was quite enjoyable.

“Then the feeling got better and better. As for Oliver, I knew he’s fast but coming up against the Swedish drivers you really need a perfect run. That’s what he did, and the same in the final. Oliver had a fantastic day’s racing: not just for winning but his speed. He saved me today, just as he did last year.

“I just want to say thank you to the whole team behind the Race Of Champions. As ever it’s been a great event and a fantastic atmosphere. It’s a big job to organise this with the drivers, the track and everyone involved, and I’m just so happy to be a part of it. I’m very impressed with Fredrik, Jessie and the crew: what they do, and their passion and the positivity. You deserve a big clap tonight.”

At the same time, Oliver added: “It’s fantastic to win the ROC Nations Cup again, particularly to win the final heat against Thierry Neuville, my WRC team-mate last year. I don’t tend to beat him very much so I’m very happy to beat him now. Congratulations to Team All Stars and Felipe did a fantastic job too. We were together in the car for practice yesterday and we had a lot of fun together with the big jumps. Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought him in the car because he was a bit too fast…

“I didn’t know I was going that quickly today. When you start racing against drivers Loeb, Ekström and Kristoffersson from the beginning you get very nervous. But I had consistent lap times. When that happens, you don’t want to overdo it, you just try and drive as you always do. When it works out it’s a fantastic feeling.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Video: Team Norway wins 2023 Race of Champions Nations Cup ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

While it was not unknown about Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman taking up the reserve role for the 2023 F1 season, Ferrari officially confirmed the news on Thursday where at least one of them will be present at every grand prix this year.

Giovinazzi continues in the role while dovetailing his year racing in the WEC series in the Hypercar class. Shwartzman, meanwhile, gets a promotion to be a full-time reserve F1 driver as he is no longer part of the Ferrari Driver Academy even.

In addition to that, the Russian will compete in the GT World Challenge Europe driving the new Ferrari 296 GT3 car for AF Corse alongside Alessio Rovera and Nicklas Nielsen. Continuing in as a development driver will be Davide Rigon and Antonio Fuoco.

The duo have been on simulator duty for few F1 seasons now which they will continue doing alongside their respective racing programmes. In fact, the two will also be compete in the GT World Challenge Europe in the same team alongside Daniel Serra.

“Honoured to step up as Scuderia Ferrari F1 Reserve Driver and continue my journey with the Ferrari family,” said Shwartzman. “I look forward to working hard, getting back behind the wheel of the F1 car and racing in the GT World Challenge with Ferrari Competizioni GT.”

Here’s list of its junior drivers

Here’s Carlos Sainz on Frederic Vasseur

Here’s Ferrari counting on Carlos Sainz

Here’s Mattia Binotto on Sebastian Vettel

Here’s Carlos Sainz having clear target for 2023

Here’s Sebastian Vettel on time with Charles Leclerc

L'entrada Ferrari shares pool of reserve and development drivers for F1 2023 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Heading into the 2022 Italian GP, Albon had a special helmet prepped up to be used during the race weekend at Monza. In fact, the Thai racer used his normal helmet on Friday and was due to use the special one for the weekend ahead.

But due to appendicitis, Albon couldn’t take part in the rest of the weekend in Monza with Nyck de Vries being roped in to make his F1 debut. That grand prix solidified his credentials which eventually got him a seat at AlphaTauri for 2023 and beyond.

Albon, meanwhile, couldn’t use the Rossi-inspired helmet which Williams released the pictures if now that the 2022 F1 season is over. The Thai racer did return well for the rest of the year, but chose not to use the helmet at any other grand prix.

Albon used fluorescent orange for the base colour instead of the yellow that Rossi uses and had his own face in a similar pose to how the MotoGP champion does. Apart from the Thai flag and Red Bull logo, he also used Rossi’s race number ’46’ – double of Albon’s ’23’.

Here’s some photos:

Here’s Williams on ‘too nice’ Alexander Albon

Here’s Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant on the departure of Jost Capito

Here’s news of Jost Capito, FX Demaison leaving

Here’s Nicholas Latifi pens blog on his final race

Here’s Williams again winning against ROKiT

Here’s Alexander Albon visiting orphanage

L'entrada Photo: Williams reveals Albon’s Rossi-inspired helmet he didn’t use ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The BMW M works driver squad for the 2023 season is gaining a well-known 21st member. Valentino Rossi (ITA) and BMW M Motorsport have agreed a works commitment that goes beyond the race appearances with BMW M Team WRT announced last week. The nine-time motorcycle world champion, who called time on his long-standing, successful career on two wheels back in autumn 2021, is set to contest the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and Bathurst 12 Hour in the BMW M4 GT3 next year – and will also be available for further race and test appearances in BMW M Motorsport racing cars.

“Valentino Rossi needs no introduction. As one of the most successful motorcycle riders of all time, he has made history. His successes on the racetrack and his personality have quite rightly made him a living legend,” said Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport. “But Valentino has proved that he is also an excellent racer on four wheels. He has shown that car racing has become his second motorsport home, and he brings all his passion, skills and commitment to this new chapter of his career. It’s fantastic that Valentino will be joining our BMW M Motorsport family as a new works driver next year. We’re really looking forward to working together – welcome aboard Vale!”

“I am very proud to become an official BMW M works driver and it is a great opportunity,” said Rossi. “Last year I started racing seriously in cars and I finished my first season with the WRT team with whom I got on very well and I am very happy that the WRT team chose BMW M Motorsport as a new partner. I have already had a chance to test the BMW M4 GT3 twice and the feeling with the car is very good. I think we could be competitive next season. Also, BMW M Motorsport has given me the opportunity to race with two very strong drivers next year, Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus. I still have a lot to learn and improve, but I hope to be up to the task and fast enough to fight during the race weekends.”

Rossi celebrated his first world championship title in the 125cc class in 1997. He followed this up with the title in the 250cc class two years later. He was promoted to the highest Grand Prix category at the time in 2000, the 500cc class, where he was crowned world champion in 2001. This category was superseded by the MotoGP the following year, and Rossi remained the measure of all things. By 2005 he had added a further four world championship titles to his collection, with titles number eight and nine following in 2008 and 2009. Rossi continued to do battle for the world championship crown regularly after that. ‘The Doctor’ has also long been committed to youth development with his VR46 Rider Academy – a ‘school‘ that helps young Italian riders with the goal to bring them to MotoGP.

Rossi also took part in testing in various racing cars early on – including a Formula 1 Ferrari and Mercedes. There were also starts at the Monza rally (ITA) in 2009 as well as two races in the World Rally Championship, one in 2006 in New Zealand and one in 2009 in Wales. In 2019, Rossi competed in an endurance race in Abu Dhabi (UAE). After retiring from active motorcycle racing after the season finale in 2021, Rossi embarked on a new chapter of car racing. He contested the GT World Challenge Europe with Team WRT in the 2022 season.

The new year will see him compete in that race series and in the endurance classic at Bathurst (AUS) alongside his BMW M works driver colleagues Maxime Martin (BEL) and Augusto Farfus (BRA). His status as works driver also gives him plenty of other options. In addition to his current fixed engagements, Rossi will be able to make further race and test appearances in various BMW M Motorsport racing cars. The 43-year-old will also have the opportunity to represent BMW M Motorsport. Details will be announced at a later date.

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada BMW signs Rossi as its factory driver for 2023 season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

With his decision to retire from F1 at the end of the 2022 season, Aston Martin’s Vettel indicated for the first time about his desire to undertake at least a one-off outing in future if given the chance when asked about racing in Suzuka, maybe in Super GT/Super Formula.

And he was affirmative about racing at Suzuka, more in a one-off chance whether it is Super GT, Super Formula and or even F1. But that is for that time to see as nothing is planned for the moment. He is open to the idea in all seriousness.

“I guess they’re racing in Suzuka as well, so I don’t know,” said Vettel. “Never say never. I mean, it is a great track for many, many reasons. And yeah, who knows what the future brings? I don’t know. Obviously I love driving and I think around this track I always felt very alive and the passion feels very alive.

“So yeah, we will see what type of car maybe in the future will come up. Maybe one of the guys, in the future, who races here will feel a bit sick, I don’t know. I don’t wish them to feel so, but I wouldn’t mind jumping back in for a race in Suzuka at any time. But yeah, obviously. We’ll see what the future brings. At the moment, I have no plans.

“But I think there are some exciting races happening in Japan and I don’t know, we’ll see. If anybody’s happy to sign up a driver for a single race. I’m sure those guys wouldn’t be happy to step aside but it would be something I would seriously consider,” summed up Vettel.

Here’s Sebastian Vettel on Singapore GP

L'entrada Vettel open to one-off grand prix return at Suzuka or in Japan ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Joining the FIA in the near future, American-born Natalie is a leading international executive with over 15 years experience in both the automotive and financial sectors. Prior to joining the Federation she has held a variety of senior management positions at Volvo, Nissan and DaimlerChrysler.

In this new role, she will be responsible for the successful operation and financial performance of an integrated and aligned FIA administration, as well as driving the overall strategy to deliver the leadership’s vision of reform the Federation. Natalie will also develop new commercial growth plans to increase and diversify the FIA’s revenue streams, ensuring financial stability to provide more resources for our Members.

Commenting on the appointment the President of the FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The appointment of Natalie Robyn as our first ever CEO is a transformative moment for our Federation. Her extensive experience and leadership will be crucial to improving our finances, governance and operations. She has a proven track record of delivering diversification and growth, as well as developing executive leadership capabilities which will be an extremely valuable asset to the FIA and our Members and I welcome her to the team.”

Commenting Natalie Robyn said: “I am delighted to be appointed the first ever CEO of the FIA at such an important and exciting time for the Federation. I look forward to working with Members, the senior leadership team and the President to deliver their vision of reform and growth with the involvement of all staff.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada FIA names Natalie Robyn as governing body’s first-ever CEO ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The Race Of Champions (ROC) will make a return to the snow and ice of Sweden’s Pite Havsbad on January 28-29, 2023 – following the success of this year’s event at this stunning venue on the frozen Baltic Sea, just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle. ROC is a unique festival of global motorsport where stars from series including F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Le Mans, World Rally and Rally X battle head-to-head in identical cars, with the winner decided by driver skill alone – often by fractions of a second.

With a history dating back to 1988, the Race Of Champions has been held at some of the world’s greatest venues – including Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, Stade de France in Paris, Wembley Stadium, London’s Olympic Stadium, Mexico City’s Foro Sol plus a wide range of exotic locations all over the globe from Bangkok to Miami to Riyadh to Barbados. This year at Pite Havsbad was the first time the Race Of Champions has ever been held on snow and ice, and now it will return to Sweden for an encore – with the action taking place on a purpose-built parallel track featuring ROC’s iconic crossover bridge.

The Race Of Champions is run over two days: first comes the ROC Nations Cup (on Saturday January 28, 1200-1500 local time) when drivers pair up in teams based on nationality to bid for the title of ‘World’s Fastest Nation’. Then on Sunday January 29, 1200-1500 local time, it’s time for the Race Of Champions itself, when all teamwork goes out of the window and it will be a flat-out battle for individual glory.

The event enjoys a rich record of attracting superstars and all-time greats from every corner of global motorsport, and the first drivers to have signed up for ROC Sweden prove the 2023 race will be no exception. Multiple Formula 1 World Champions Sebastian Vettel – record seven-time ROC Nations Cup winner for Team Germany and this year’s individual runner-up – and Mika Hakkinen will show off their icy skills. But they will have to race a host of stars who might feel more at home on the snow, such as four-time FIA World Rallycross Champion and Extreme E Champion Johan Kristoffersson, who will be one of the main hopes for the home Swedish crowd.

Vettel said: “I can’t think of a better place for my first race after I retire from Formula 1 than the Race Of Champions. This will be my 11th appearance, and I keep coming back because it’s a special event, and so much fun. I don’t have much experience of racing on snow and ice so it made for a steep learning curve in Sweden earlier this year – and a very pleasant surprise to reach the individual final against Sébastien Loeb. Now I can’t wait to come back and give ROC-style ice racing another try and hopefully help Team Germany win another ROC Nations Cup title.”

Hakkinen added: “I made my first appearance at the Race Of Champions earlier this year and I’m delighted to be coming back again. This event has a great atmosphere, it’s fantastic to meet up with so many great drivers and everyone in the organisation does a great job. I’ve done the Arctic Rally a few times, so I have at least driven on ice before. Here’s hoping that can help me out this time…”

ROC President Fredrik Johnsson said: “After taking the Race Of Champions all over the world, it’s been an honour to bring the event to my home country of Sweden, and now we can’t wait to come back. Pite Havsbad is a stunning venue and it’s such a privilege to watch some of the world’s best drivers battle on the snow and ice of the frozen Baltic Sea. Can a Swedish driver use the energy from their home crowd to find the fractions of a second that so often make the difference in a ROC head-to-head? If you’re into non-stop action and excitement you can be there to find out…”

The Chairman of Pite Havsbad Group Tobias Lindfors added: “It feels great to welcome both drivers and the audience back to Race Of Champions at Pite Havsbad. Last year we got to create an unique event with motorsport superstars and a devoted audience. It’s going to be two exciting days and a popular event in January.”

[Note: The story is as per press release]

L'entrada Vettel, Hakkinen part of Race of Champions line-up for 2023 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After a few years racing the European and German championships of karting, this season the Holzem Twins made their debut into GT racing with the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Dörr Motorsport.

The Holzem Twins focused the Friday practice sessions to make race simulations. That meant driving with a very big amount of fuel, which meant, that the lap times were not significant.

Race 1

On Saturday, Juliano Holzem was in charge of Qualifying 1. The driver from Polch was constantly running in the top10 positions. But when qualifying had the checker-flag he saw himself at seventeen position. That lap was only two tents worse than a top10 lap.

Starting from seventeen place, Juliano Holzem had a difficult start, but he managed to keep on track and make up a few positions. At half point of the race, Juliano Holzem came in to change the driver. Now it was Sandro Holzem moment to take the Aston Martin Vantage GT4.

Sandro Holzem was involved in a few incidents during the race while fighting for the last points positions. At the checker-flag, the number 97 of Dörr Motorsport was in twenty-first position.

Race 2

After this debut race, Sunday started similarly to Saturday. Sandro Holzem was at the steering-wheel of the Cologne Watch sponsored car, when he finished in eighteen position during qualifying.

At Oschersleben starting from the outside is not a bad thing, and Sandro Holzem made the most from the start. During the opening laps he was consolidating a very good comeback.

When he came to the pit lane for driver change, Sandro Holzem was running in thirteen position. But then the race stopped for the Holzem Twins who had to retire due to a water leak from the radiator, which did not allow Juliano Holzem to do any lap during Sunday.

It was a missed opportunity for the Holzem Twins who where fighting for the podium positions in Junior class.

The next race of the season will be held at Red Bull Ring, Austria, from 20 to 22^nd of May.

Verstappen wins 2022 Laureus award as Rossi named Sporting Icon

L'entrada Opportunity lost for the Holzem Twins in GT4 debut ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Individual:

France’s world rally legend Sébastien Loeb put in a stunning performance to eclipse 17 fellow superstars of motorsport and win the 2022 Race Of Champions – on a day of non-stop action on the frozen Baltic Sea at Sweden’s Pite Havsbad, just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle. Following Team Norway’s triumph in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup, all cooperation went out of the window today.

The individual Race Of Champions pitted some of the world’s greatest drivers head-to-head on ROC’s iconic parallel track, purpose built on ice for the first time. After an unprecedented tidal surge saw yesterday’s racing take place on just the inner half of the track, today the drivers could let rip on the full circuit featuring ROC’s famous crossover bridge.

On an afternoon of heavy snow at Pite Havsbad, the Race Of Champions saw greats of global motorsport battling it out for glory in a mix of identical machinery – including the FIA RX2e electric rallycross car, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP and the 100% fossil-free biofuel powered SuperCar Lites. In front of packed crowds of Swedish fans braving the cold, the best-of-five Grand Final boiled down to a duel between a pair of true legends: nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

After a thrilling finale as both drivers pushed to the limit in the blizzard, Loeb saw off his German rival by three heats to one to be crowned ROC Champion of Champions for the fourth time. He thus equals the all-time record set by Didier Auriol, his partner for Team France in yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup.

Loeb said: “It’s been a long time since I was last at the Race Of Champions, so I’m happy to find out that at 47 years of age I still have the pace! This adds to my good start to the season: second in the Dakar Rally, first in Monte Carlo and now a victory here at ROC. It wasn’t easy for us to go up against all the Swedish and Norwegian guys because they are more used to these conditions.

“I also knew it would be tough adapting between the Porsche, buggy and rallycross cars. But after I made it through against Petter Solberg I got more confidence with each run. It was a nice fight with Seb in the final and I had a good feeling – except for when I completely lost control of the car in the third heat! Now here we are, and it’s great to equal Didier’s record of four ROC Champion of Champions titles.

“We also need to congratulate the Fredrik Johnsson and the ROC organisers who have done a great job all week in difficult circumstances. They had to deal with a practice track that sailed off towards Finland, a snowstorm during practice and a rising sea. But everyone kept up a great mood and a positive attitude, with no stress, always finding solutions. And they found it.”

Vettel added: “Sébastien was just too fast today. The conditions were tricky out there and it was getting more and more slippery, which I guess is normal for snow and ice! I don’t have that much experience so it was a struggle to adapt; in my day job getting sideways is what we try to avoid. But I felt I was improving every time I drove.

“That’s a good sign, but also a sign that I still have a lot to learn. Yesterday was a short day because I let Team Germany down and we went out very quickly, but today I could get more into the groove. I knew the final was a big stretch and I maybe pushed too hard, but I knew I had to go for it to be close to Seb. l made mistakes here and there, so in these conditions I have a bit of catching up to do…

“We’ve missed two years of the Race Of Champions so it’s great to be back and to have a sense of normality. I’ve really enjoyed coming here on a different surface too, and it’s special to be on Fredrik’s home soil. It’s great to have the fans back too and I’m impressed to see so many people in the crowds. I don’t know how they can stand the cold and the wind in their face, but they seemed happy and up for it! Now I hope we can come back to Sweden again.”

To reach the Grand Final Loeb and Vettel had to see off a field featuring 18 of the world’s greatest drivers. Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s Race Of Champions used a straight knockout system with the field split into two halves: one featured the international racing drivers while the other had the rally experts and those with more experience of off-road driving.

At the best-of-three semi-final stage Vettel beat nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen 2-0 to take bragging rights in the racing drivers’ half of the draw, though the Dane was hampered by a mechanical problem in the first heat. On the rally side, Loeb finished on top of the pile having brought an end to a spirited run by double DTM Champion and FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström, who was the last Swedish driver standing in front of his home fans. The match went to a deciding third heat, won by the Frenchman.

The quarter-finals, which were decided over two heats, saw many big names bite the dust – not least seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who lost to Kristensen. IndyCar’s youngest ever race winner Colton Herta was the other racing driver who went out, beaten by Vettel on countback of fastest times after a 1-1 tie. On the rally side Loeb saw off rising WRC star Oliver Solberg after a match in which one of their races finished in a dead heat, to the nearest thousandth of a second.

The other driver exiting at this stage was four-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, who lost to Ekström despite winning their first race heat by just one hundredth of a second. The Round of 16 was another graveyard for motorsport’s superstars. In the racing half of the draw, double F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen went out at the hands of Johnson while his long-time McLaren F1 team-mate David Coulthard was defeated by Kristensen.

Double W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick and this year’s W Series runner-up Emma Kimilainen also left the competition at this stage, beaten by Herta and Vettel respectively. The rally side of the draw was just as brutal. FIA World Rally and World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg couldn’t find a way past Loeb so there was to be no repeat of yesterday’s ROC Nations Cup glory. His fellow World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen had to accept defeat by Kristoffersson after crashing out, while four-time ROC Champion of Champions Didier Auriol fell to Ekström. Mexico’s reigning ROC Champion of Champions Benito Guerra was another of the early casualties after being beaten by Oliver Solberg.

Kicking off the afternoon’s action, four of the racing drivers were matched up in pairs for two Round 1 play-offs. Germany’s FIA F2 and F3 Champion Mick Schumacher was defeated by Chadwick while four-time Indy 500 Winner Helio Castroneves also had to bid an early goodbye after falling to Herta. The Brazilian ace was later seen relaxing in style in the ROC Drivers’ Lounge after declaring he and snow ‘don’t mix’.

Ahead of the main action, the home fans were given a treat as four sporting legends took place in a celebrity race in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The field featured tennis great Jonas Björkman plus Olympic skiing gold medallists Ingemar Stenmark, Anja Pärson and Aksel Lund Svindal, who was the only Norwegian taking on three Swedes on their home turf.

In the end it was Lund Svindal who came out on top, beating Stenmark in the final by just 0.8 seconds. The skiing great thus added to his home country’s amazing run of success here this weekend following Petter and Oliver Solberg’s triumph for Team Norway in the ROC Nations Cup yesterday. This year’s Race Of Champions has raised over 1 million SEK (€100,000) towards a selection of worthwhile charities. The key recipients have included German children’s charity Kinderlachen, the Zelmerlöw and Björkman Foundation’s school in Kenya, the ICM (institute for advanced research on brain and spinal cord injuries in Paris) plus a range of the drivers’ other favourite charities.

Nations Cup:

Team Norway’s father-and-son duo of world rally aces Petter and Oliver Solberg are celebrating after they took a stunning family victory in the ROC Nations Cup on the ice of Sweden’s Pite Havsbad. On a sunny afternoon on the frozen Baltic Sea just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle, legends from the world’s biggest motor sport series teamed up in pairs to battle for national and regional pride.

They raced a mix of cars including the FIA RX2e electric rallycross car, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport,100% fossil-free biofuel powered SuperCar Lites and the off-road Polaris RZR PRO XP. Overnight flooding at Pite Havsbad following an unprecedented tidal surge meant today’s action took place on just the inner half of ROC’s iconic parallel track, which has been purpose built on ice for the first time. The racing adopted a pursuit format similar to one first used at ROC 2015 at London’s Olympic Stadium.

And what a festival of icy action it was – as FIA World Rally and World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg and his rising WRC star son Oliver Solberg prevailed in the final against the might of Team USA. In the first heat Petter beat off the challenge of seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, who suffered a mechanical problem. Oliver then defeated IndyCar’s youngest race winner Colton Herta before he jumped straight into the Porsche for the next heat – with four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel in the passenger seat.

That’s when Johnson hit back with a win of his own, forcing the match into a fourth heat. But Petter struck the decisive blow with victory over Herta, sealing the ROC Nations Cup final for Team Norway. Afterwards a delighted Petter Solberg said: “It’s unbelievable. I got my motivation when I saw Sébastien Loeb winning the Monte Carlo Rally last month and I thought: ‘it can’t be so difficult.’ So I was so ready for this race – and to do it together with Oliver is a big dream.

“The Race Of Champions has been so special for many years. It’s so much fun to be with all these guys: everyone has had so much success in their careers yet they are so friendly. Oliver has been flying around like a yoyo all week because he’s been so excited. When you are 20, that’s how it is. So I must say thank you to Fredrik, Jessie and everyone working behind the scenes. It’s a fantastic atmosphere and I’m very thankful to have a chance to come here.

“The conditions out there were hard for everybody today, but the race organisers did a brilliant job to find a solution. On the snow you get a slushy feeling, like floating. So it’s about not making mistakes. I was nervous about racing with Oliver but when you can do something like this with your son and see the happiness when he does well, it’s great. He did a very good job, and actually raced better than me. But by the final I was really pumped up. Jimmie’s run in the Porsche was very impressive and I knew I had to be at my best to beat these guys, but we did it.”

Oliver Solberg added: “This is crazy! I’m shocked because doing this together as father and son is very emotional. We had fantastic teamwork and it shows we work well together. It’s been a dream come true to come to the Race Of Champions with all the legends who I look up to, like Jimmie. There are so many stars here and so much experience to take in. They’re all so humble and nice to me so it’s been a fun time, then when we come to the track it’s serious.

“Today I was only really happy with one run, my race against Johan Kristoffersson. I knew he was fast in the Porsche so that was my most nervous moment, but I had a perfect run and I beat him. Then I tried to drive the same against Jimmie but he was much faster than me. I had Sebastian Vettel in the car with me so I thought: ‘If I don’t win I’ll look stupid.’ Then I lost. So I need to find some more speed for tomorrow, but it’s been an awesome day and it’s fantastic to be standing here at the end.”

Beaten finalists Team USA also had a fine afternoon’s work, but they narrowly missed out on bringing home the trophy. Because the track conditions on snow and ice can change quickly depending on the weather, ROC’s traditional group stage did not take place. Instead this year’s ROC Nations Cup used a straight knockout system. To make it as fair as possible, races were decided over four heats, with each driver racing against both drivers from the other team. For matches tied 2-2, the team with the best total time made it through.

Team Finland’s Mika Hakkinen and Emma Kimilainen did well to make it all the way to the semi-finals, before they were finally defeated 3-1 by Team USA. Double F1 world champion Hakkinen did take a solitary win but it was not enough to progress. Team Nordic (‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen and World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson) also reached the semi-finals. They both won a heat in an exciting 2-2 draw with Team Norway before they were beaten on a countback of fastest times.

There were some huge stars of global motorsport who went out in the quarter-finals, including the might of Team Germany (Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher) who were defeated by Team USA on a countback of fastest lap times after a 2-2 draw. Another casualty at this stage was Team GB’s David Coulthard and Jamie Chadwick, who fell to Team Finland.

All four drivers won a race apiece for another 2-2 draw but Hakkinen had the last say by beating his old McLaren F1 team-mate Coulthard in the final heat, with enough of a margin to go through. Team France’s pair of World Rally Championship legends Sébastien Loeb and Didier Auriol fell to a 3-1 defeat by Team Nordic, despite a win for Loeb over Kristensen.

To the dismay of the home fans packing the venue, Team Sweden’s Mattias Ekström and Timmy Hansen also went out in the quarter-finals. They were beaten 3-1 in an all Scandinavian battle with Team Norway, even though Ekström did take a consolation win against Oliver Solberg. The afternoon’s action began with two Round 1 play-offs.

Team Latin America (Helio Castroneves and Benito Guerra) were the first team to go out after a tight battle with Team USA. Reigning ROC Champion of Champions Guerra won both his races as it finished 2-2, but they went out on a countback of fastest laps. Team eROC All Stars (Jarno Opmeer and Lucas Blakeley) were the other pairing to bid an early farewell after a 3-1 defeat by Team Germany.

But that was not before Blakeley gave himself a story that should earn himself free drinks for life in the pubs of Scotland by defeating Vettel in his first ever race. Before the racing action began the drivers unfurled a banner in conjunction with the institute for advanced research into brain and spinal cord injuries ICM in honour of ROC’s absent friend (and six-time ROC Nations Cup winner) Michael Schumacher as he continues his recovery.

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

L'entrada Loeb beats Vettel to win individual ROC; Team Norway takes Nations Cup ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Eyeing a sportscar career for his future outside MotoGP, Rossi has taken first step having committed to a full season in GT World Challenge Europe in 2022 with Team WRT. The Italian will drive the Audi R8 LMS Evo II carrying his iconic #46 number.

He will race both in the Endurance and Sprint categories with his teammates to be announced by Audi at a later stage. “I am delighted to join Team WRT for a full Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS programme,” said Rossi.

“Everybody knows that I have always been a great car racing fan and that I have always been interested in racing on four wheels once my MotoGP career would come to an end. Now I am completely available to devote myself to a car racing programme at a high level and with the right professional approach.

“Team WRT is the perfect fit I was looking for and I am anxious to start this new adventure in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS with them.” At the same time, Vincent Vosse, WRT Team Principal, stated: “I am sure that a lot of fans will be as pleased as we are that Rossi is starting a new career on four wheels and that he is doing it in GT, with Team WRT and Audi.

“We all know what a great motorbike champion and sports figure Vale is, but most of all, he is a true racer and a very professional and competitive sportsman, eager to be as successful as possible in the new challenge he has decided to embrace. This is exactly why we really wanted to work with him.

“The test we made at Valencia was extremely positive for both parties, in terms of technical feedback and working approach, and we took things from there. We warmly welcome Vale in the WRT family and I am sure that we are off to a very exciting experience for both.”

And finally, Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group founder & CEO, added: “I am delighted to welcome Valentino Rossi to the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS grid for 2022. Having followed his illustrious career in motorcycle racing for more than two decades, it is truly exciting to witness the start of this new chapter in GT machinery.

“To attract a competitor of Valentino’s stature is a tremendous vote of confidence for our championship and for GT racing in general. He will bring new energy to our paddock and I look forward to watching him on-track this season.”

L'entrada Rossi starts post-MotoGP career with Team WRT in GT WC Europe ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.