Holzem took part in the ADAC GT Masters at the Nurburgring last month. As part of the Project 1 team, he finished fourth in the first race and finished second on the podium in the second race of the weekend.

Before that, at the end of last year, he had his first taste of this type of racing at the ADAC GT4 Germany at the Hockenheim and Sachsenring circuits

With this background, Holzem will be making his debut as a rookie at the Nurburgring this weekend. The driver himself recently announced: “I will start in the DTM next week at the Nurburgring, after a comprehensive test programme and some races we have come to the conclusion that it is time to take the step. I am very happy and we will do our best.

For Holzem, this event will be a chance to adapt to such a demanding category as the DTM, with renowned drivers such as Jack Aitken, Rene Rast, Mirko Bortolotti and David Schumacher among others.

In fact, Mirko Bortolotti was the fastest driver in Friday’s free practice at the fourth round of the DTM at the Nürburgring. On Saturday, the 33-year-old, at the controls of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, continued from where he left off, securing his third DTM pole position with a time of 1:25.118 minutes. The Italian was 0.827 seconds faster than Sheldon van der Linde’s pole time in the Eifel mountains last year. Holzem, meanwhile, will start 26th.

L'entrada Sandro Holzem, FormulaRapida driver, makes his DTM debut 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.

Nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb of France will attempt to bring his winning ways to circuit racing when he joins Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse in the DTM season opener. Here is all you need to know:

– DTM fans can look forward to seeing a new motorsport legend on the grid for the 2022 season opener in Portimao, as French rally star Sebastien Loeb takes the wheel of the Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse Ferrari.

– Filling in for driver Nick Cassidy, whose Formula E commitments clashed with the calendar, Loeb will pilot a car carrying the livery of Red Bull’s premium fashion brand, AlphaTauri, as he and teammate Felipe Fraga of Brazil launch the team’s defence of the DTM Teams’ Championship title.

– While the race in Portimão, Portugal will be the Frenchman’s first in the DTM series, he’s no rookie, with strong circuit experience to draw on.

– ITR Chairman Gerhard Berger, says, “Having the most successful rally driver of all time at our season opener in Portimão is a real highlight for our fans. The successes in his career speak for themselves, but it will also be a tough battle for Sebastien Loeb against 28 other very strong drivers. He will be fighting for points in the AlphaTauri Ferrari, so I’m sure a champion of his calibre will come highly motivated to the race track.”

– With nine WRC championships and 80 rally wins, Loeb is considered to be the discipline’s Greatest of All Time, and one of the best drivers in motorsport history, period – and at 48, he shows no signs of slowing down. Already in 2022, he leads the FIA World Rally Raid Championship having finished runner-up at the Dakar Rally at the wheel of the BRX Hunter T1+. The Prodrive driver also won the Monte Carlo Rally just one week post Dakar, in a showdown for the ages against longtime rival Sebastien Ogier.

– In all, Loeb’s race program for 2022 includes driving in the WRC, Dakar, the FIA World Rally Raid Championship, Extreme E and now DTM. “In my career I’ve always enjoyed changing disciplines,” he says. “DTM is a famous championship, so when I had this opportunity to participate, for sure I took it – it’s an exciting challenge because the driving style is completely opposite.”

– Loeb’s fans fondly remember his previous highlights in circuit racing, including second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, third overall in the World Touring Car Championship in both 2014 and 2015, and a triumph in February this year when he edged out F1 driver Sebastian Vettel to win the Race of Champions – on an ice track – for a record-equalling fourth time.

– With the DTM opener rapidly approaching, Loeb says, “Now I’m into the work. I will have to fight against specialists in these kinds of races and it’s a long time since my last real GT3 race. My goal will be to find my rhythm as best as possible and I will try to use my experience to give good feedback to the team about the settings of the car. I know it will be tough, but the cars are really fun to drive – really fast, nice cars – so I’m looking forward to it.”

– The 2022 season marks DTM’s second campaign in its high-powered new era of GT3 regulations. Each of the season’s eight rounds features two sprint races of 55 minutes plus one lap, without driver changes. On the DTM circuit in Portimao, Loeb will be racing the Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 EVO 2020.

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

L'entrada Loeb to fill in for Cassidy during DTM’s round at Portimao ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Having competed in FIA F3 championship for the last two seasons, Schumacher is switching to compete in the DTM series in 2022 with Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD outfit in a third GT3 car alongside already confirmed Lucas Auer and Maximilian Gotz.

The Schumacher Jr follows on his father’s footsteps to race in the German series. He already tested with Mercedes after the end of the F3 campaign. He wasn’t announced as a driver in the initial line-up announcement by the German manufacturer.

But has now been added in the roster as a third entrant for WINWARD team. “The two car categories are worlds apart,” said Schumacher. “Only because of the considerably higher weight, the GT3 requires a much smoother driving style than the single-seater. Initially, the ABS was a real shock for me, I didn’t know that from a race car at all.

“Still, I quickly felt at ease in the Mercedes-AMG GT3. It really is a joy to drive. I am aware that I have to learn a lot to hold my own in this unbelievably high-class race series. My goal for the first year is to get used to the race car and to take in the many details that are important in DTM. With Lucas and Maximilian, I have two vastly experienced teammates towards whom I can orientate myself.”

His Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD team boss Christian Hohenadel stated: “We all know how high the level in DTM is, so from that perspective, his maiden season in this very tough competitive environment can be nothing but a learning year.

“With all our experience, we will be supporting him as much as we can. I am convinced that David will be bringing us a lot of joy with his talent, his diligence and his team spirit. There is no doubt that he has the perfect genes.”

At the same time, Frederic Elsner, director event & operations of the DTM organisation ITR, added: “Of course, the fact that David Schumacher is racing in DTM in 2022 is making us happy. The Schumacher name stands for success in international racing and David has already shown very good initial steps in single-seater racing, too.

“The DTM drivers’ field is extremely professional, the competition is hard-fought, so it will certainly be an intense year for him. Still, I am certain that he and his team Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD will be dealing with that in a good way together. Fans can look forward to a super exciting season at this stage already.”

Here’s the 2022 DTM line-up so far: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Deutsche_Tourenwagen_Masters

L'entrada Schumacher switches to DTM for 2022 season with Mercedes ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The Le Mans 24 Hours Virtual will return on January 15-16 with another edition. The race will feature 2021 F1 champion Verstappen who will team-up with IndyCar racer Felix Rosenqvist alongside Maximilian Benecke and Atze Kerkhof for #123 Team Redline.

The latter two are the two ESports racers which each team consist of. Verstappen will be racing in the lead LMP2 class which will also feature Fernando Alonso from the current F1 grid, but the Spaniard will only captain the pair of Alpine cars entered for the race.

Alpine academy’s Victor Martins will drive one of the cars. Among other racing drivers, both Montoya Sr and Jr (Sebastian) are also part of the event with the duo driving for #24 LMVS Guest Car as the reigning IndyCar champion Palou is to drive for #966 Team Fordzilla.

Other notable race car drivers include Oliver Rowland, Sergio Sette Camara, Sage Karam, Bent Viscaal, Felipe Drugovich, Fabienne Wohlwend, Ayla Agren, Beitske Visser, Louis Deletraz, Dani Juncadella, Gabriel Aubry, Job van Uitert, Yifei Ye, Bruno Spengler,  Tom Dillmann, Franco Colapinto, Gabriele Mini, Alex Smolyar and more.

Here’s the entry list: https://lemansvirtual.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/24HLMV_provisional-entry-list_060122.pdf

You can watch the race live on Traxion.GG’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels from 5 am PT / 8 am ET / 1 pm GMT / 2 pm CET on Saturday, 15th January 2022 with qualifying the day before.

L'entrada Verstappen, Montoya, Palou enter to compete in Le Mans 24 Hours Virtual ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Munich/Assen (15 September 2021). The battle for the title in the 2021 DTM is getting more and more intense. This weekend (17-19 September), Assen in The Netherlands is the venue for the sixth season round of the international race series. After that, there is the big showdown with the double-header at Hockenheim (1-3 October) and Norisring (8-10 October), hosting the finale for the first time. A sextet is dominating the battle for the precious DTM title. In Assen, it is still South African Kelvin van der Linde who continues to lead the drivers’ standings. However, things have become considerably closer, his margin in the hot battle for the title has been reduced significantly. The TT-Circuit Assen with its fast and medium-speed corners is putting the 21 world-class drivers, including the two guest drivers Mirko Bortolotti with Lamborghini and ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Klien with McLaren to a high-class test. In Assen, spectators are admitted again, too, both in the grandstands and in the paddock. Tickets can be ordered from the DTM Ticket Shop (tickets.dtm.com) and the DTM Ticket Hotline (+49 1806 99 11 66). The DTM races start on Saturday and Sunday at 1.30pm and are broadcast live on SAT.1 (from 1pm on both days) and in over 60 countries.

Kelvin van der Linde is coming to Assen with a total of 147 points he has collected with his Team ABT Sportsline Audi in the ten races held so far this season. With two victories and a total of 55 points at Red Bull Ring, Liam Lawson from the Red Bull AF Corse Ferrari team, only 19 years old, has come within just twelve points from van der Linde. After the Nürburgring round, where the New Zealander didn’t score any points, his title hopes already seemed to have been blown. Only four points down on Lawson, the best-placed German is third in the standings: Maximilian Götz for Mercedes-AMG Team HRT. Another ten points down, two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann (GER) is fourth with the Walkenhorst BMW, followed by Swiss Philip Ellis (Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD, 99) and Thai Alex Albon (Ferrari, AlphaTauri AF Corse, 94). At Red Bull Ring, this sextet more or less divided the points between them and scored 174 of the 188 possible points for the first six places in the two races at Styria. As a result, their gap to the following drivers increased.

Only two-time DTM champion Wittmann has scored points in all races so far

The statistics also prove how well balanced and strong the drivers’ field is: seven different drivers secured the ten pole positions, six different drivers won the ten races held so far this season and race cars from four different manufacturers crossed the finish line as the race winner.

All drivers already had the occasional non-score, with only one exception: Marco Wittmann. The singleton driver from the Walkenhorst Motorsport team from Melle near Osnabrück finished in the points in al the ten races so far, an impressive consistency. In the process, the best-placed driver from previous DTM years racked up one victory and a pair of pole positions. A performance that even surprised Wittmann himself as it is the final season for the BMW M6, after all. Its successor, the BMW M4, had a respectable competition début at the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring last weekend and is also expected in DTM next year.

The TT-Circuit – fastest corner and longest grandstand

The TT-Circuit in Assen, the Hockenheim Grand Prix track and the ultra-short Nuremberg street circuit: the DTM drivers have to adapt themselves for three very different race tracks in the final part of the season. Assen is particularly challenging the drivers with the long Ramshoek corner. Apart from Turn 1 as a part of the tri-oval at DEKRA Lausitzring, Ramshoek is the fastest corner of the DTM season. Speeds of around 235 km/h are expected here, prior to the demanding change of direction for the subsequent chicane. And all that in front of the grandstand, the longest in Europe at 1.1 kilometre. Some DTM drivers have already raced in Assen, but for numerous competitors, Assen is uncharted territory. Marco Wittmann is among those who knows the track where the first DTM race was held in 2019. The winner of the inaugural race: Marco Wittmann.

Already for the third time this year, ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Klien is joining the DTM field with the JP Motorsport McLaren. During his most recent outing at Nürburgring, the Austrian’s performance clearly showed an upward trend. Lamborghini, meanwhile, is dispatching its works driver Mirko Bortolotti to Assen. The Italian is reinforcing the T3 Motorsport team and is to get a first impression of DTM. As a result, DTM is racing in The Netherlands with a field of 21 GT race cars.

Seven race series: DTM sparks fireworks of racing action

Fans can look forward to a veritable firework of racing action in Assen. A total of seven race series is providing plenty of spectacle. Next to DTM as the top event, DTM Trophhy with production-based GT sports cars,

DTM Classic Touring car Legends with DTM cars particularly from the 1990s and the BMW M2 Cup are present, joined by Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Mazda MX-5 Cup and Supercar Challenge. This means three days of pure motorsport action with DTM as the highlight.

» Quotes from pre-event press conference on 15 September

#63 Mirko Bortolotti (ITA), Lamborghini, T3 Motorsport

“Making my début in DTM is really cool. I am very curious about Assen, I have never been at this track before.”

“I got a phone call from Lamborghini asking whether I wanted to race in DTM at Assen. I immediately said yes. Racing in DTM has always been my dream. I have been following DTM since I was five years old. I am looking forward to this new experience.”

“For me, it doesn’t make any difference whether I am racing as a permanent entrant or as a guest driver: I always try to achieve the maximum. That is also our goal in Assen. The T3 Motorsport team has shown that it is getting better race after race, they have good quality.”

“For me, DTM is a return to the roots. I have been racing GTs for seven years already, but prior to that, I raced in karts and single-seaters and there, it was just about me as well. Now, it is the same again in DTM. We can concentrate on the set-up for one driver. But there are some things to learn, too, like for instance the competitive pit stops.”

#57 Philip Ellis (SUI), Mercedes-AMG, Team WINWARD

“I am quite happy with the way the season has been going. Of course, I could have done with a few more points, because there was this annoying retirement from the first race at Monza, for instance.”

“Currently, we are testing at Hockenheim to find some more improvements for the three remaining rounds. As it is raining at the moment, we are testing rain tyres.”

“Consistency is incredibly important, especially when it is about the top positions in the championship. Now, there are three different tracks coming up, which is a good mix. I will be concentrating on myself and my own races.”

“In preparation for Assen, I have watched many videos and I have been driving in the simulator. It is about finding the rhythm for the track already. But preparation is the same for almost everybody, there is nothing magic about it.”

#99 Sophia Flörsch (GER), Audi, Team ABT

“It has been a tough year for me as the level in DTM is extremely high. But it is getting better and better.”

“Kelvin van der Linde is a very good GT3 driver. He is fast in every race. He is leaving nothing untested, but there is still a long way to go with different tracks until the battle for the title has been decided.”

“The track at Assen looks cool. I am also preparing with data and videos and I hope to be able to find my rhythm more quickly like that.”

“It is simply fascinating that spectators are admitted again, also into the paddock. Taking photos, making selfies, signing autographs, that is great.”

#11 Marco Wittmann (GER), BMW, Walkenhorst Motorsport

“At the beginning of the season, my expectations were pretty low. For me, GT3 was uncharted territory and the BMW M6 is in its final year. However, we have had several good weekends most recently and now, it is very nice where we are. I want to continue to score points on a consistent basis. I had three podium finishes in a row in the last races, I want to carry this momentum. Assen suits us.”

“Assen is a cool track, not a typical touring car/GT circuit. I won the first-ever DTM race in Assen, that was a highlight. I really like these fast and medium-speed corners a lot, they suit me. Especially the fast Ramshoek corner is really cool. I am curious how this corner will be with our cars.”

“DTM is different from the years before. But it is good racing with different brands and that is good for the fans. DTM with Gerhard Berger has done a good job, DTM is more interesting than it has been for a long time.”

#91 Stéphane Kox (NED), Toyota, Ring-Racing – DTM Trophy

“Having been away from racing for two years because of my study, I first had to find my way again. But that worked out pretty well and I quickly found back to my rhythm, even though I had to get used to a different car, my Toyota. So far, I am pretty happy.”

“Competition in DTM Trophy is very hard. The series is good for young and experienced drivers. There are many different brands, but we are getting further and further ahead with the development of our Toyota.”

“Racing on home soil and seeing fans from your own country in the grandstands and in the paddock is always nice. That doesn’t change anything on the track, though, I just want to be as competitive as I can there. And Ramshoek is something special, a really cool corner.”

“Yes, DTM is my goal, always has been. However, first of all, I am focussing on DTM Trophy, and then we will see.”

L'entrada The battle for the DTM title is getting tighter ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Following its decision to move from DTM and Formula E, Audi announced its intention to make a return in WEC under the LMDh programme in 2021 and make its Dakar debut in 2022 – the latter being an electric machinery for the grueling off-road event.

The idea to get into Dakar is due to its liberties with car development, which is restricted in other forms of competitions like Formula E and DTM. The work on the off-road car has already begun, as it is using its knowledge from other championships.

Revealing further details of its Dakar challengers, Audi informed that they are to use the Formula E motor generator unit, in addition to the high-voltage battery. The first prototype is being built at Audi Sport in Neuburg an der Donau.

Audi is scheduled to roll it out at the end of June, followed by a world’s first look in July. Post that, there will be intensive test run until January 2022 when it makes its Dakar debut with an electric machinery. “With the Dakar project, we at Audi remain true to our philosophy of using new technologies in motorsport for the first time that are groundbreaking for future road cars,” said Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH and responsible for all motorsport activities of Audi.

“In our rally history, for example, this was the quattro drivetrain, and now we will test components for future electric drivetrains under extreme conditions at the Dakar Rally. At the same time, we offer exciting customer and fan experiences.”

At the same time, Andreas Roos, stated: “The Dakar project is a huge challenge for the entire team. We have a tight schedule to implement our innovative concept. We are the first car manufacturer to tackle the Dakar Rally with an electric drivetrain. Everyone in the team is working flatout so that we are ready to go in time for the 2022 Dakar.

“We will have one MGU on the front axle and one on the rear axle. A third MGU serves as a generator to charge the high-voltage battery while driving. Of course, we have to make modifications, because the desert has different challenges than in the cities where we are currently racing in Formula E: jumps, sand, the very long stages.

“But we can basically build on the expertise from Formula E and also from our Le Mans prototypes with the e-tron quattro. This engine is incredibly efficient and state of the art in terms of weight and consumption. The important thing is: our drivetrain is fully electric. The TFSI engine is only used to charge the batteries on the special stages.

“The battery has to be charged while driving, as there are currently no other options to do so in the desert.” Audi plans to run fully electric on all the liaison stages.” Audi is taking help from Q Motorsport team, who will be running the operation of the Dakar team, as they plan to reveal its driver line-up by May.

Here’s initial news of Audi planning a Dakar move

L'entrada Audi to use Le Mans, Formula E & DTM knowledge for Dakar challenger ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Sportscar driver, Maini, will make his DTM debut in 2021 after signing up with GetSpeed Performance, to drive the outfit’s sole Mercedes-AMG GT3 machine, in the championship. It is also the team’s first foray in the revamped series, which moves on from touring class.

Maini was scheduled to drive for Bentley in GT World European series in 2020 until COVID-19 ruined the plans. He then teamed-up with Narain Karthikeyan to race for Racing Team India in Asian Le Mans Series and will make his Le Mans 24 Hours debut later this year.

“I’m really looking forward to my first season in the DTM with GetSpeed ​​and the Mercedes-AMG GT3,” said the former F2 racer, Maini. “I still know the DTM a lot from my time in the Formula 3 European Championship. It enjoys a good reputation worldwide and is the perfect opportunity for me to compete with fast GT3 drivers.

“At the moment, of course, it is difficult for me to assess where I stand compared to my colleagues. Regardless of that, however, my goal is to deliver good results in the DTM.” The team takes it as a challenge, considering it is a first time for both them and the driver.

“It is the first time for us in a performance-oriented series that we can concentrate exclusively on one driver in the vehicle,” said team principal Adam Osieka. “This is a very comfortable situation, because until now it was always necessary to reconcile the different preferences of the drivers in a vehicle in a long-distance race. There are no compromises in this regard in the DTM and I expect thrilling races and first-class motorsport.”

Apart from Maini, there was another announcement in the form of Juncadella, re-joining DTM with GruppeM Racing, to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT3 machine. Team boss Kenny Chen said: “We welcome Dani to Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing for 2021 and really look forward to the challenge together with Mercedes-AMG.

“We have been so successful in our relationship together with Mercedes-AMG as a performance team, winning many races in the last few years and we are looking forward to continuing that success.” Elsewhere, ROWE Racing confirmed the signing of Glock for his ninth DTM season alongside Sheldon van der Linde.

“I’m delighted to be able to stay in the DTM in 2021. First off, I would like to say kudos to Gerhard Berger and the ITR, who did a fantastic job to retain this platform and produce a great starting field. It is brilliant that I get to drive for ROWE RACING. Hans-Peter Naundorf’s team has a lot of experience and has already enjoyed a lot of success.

“They have won everything there is to win in endurance racing. I’m really looking forward to working with the team and with Sheldon van der Linde, who is a really fast, young guy. Even though I am the older one of us both, I can probably learn more from him because he has much more experience with the BMW M6 GT3.

“Let’s see what we can do this season; no doubt it will be an exciting year. I can’t wait for the first test drives and the first race at Monza.” In more of DTM news, Jenson Button’s Team Rocket decided to postpone its intended entry for the 2021 season to 2022, with the McLaren 720S machine, while Audi confirmed a third car for ABT with Sophia Floersch.

Here’s more details on DTM Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Deutsche_Tourenwagen_Masters

Here’s last news on DTM drivers

L'entrada Maini, Glock latest drivers to join DTM for 2021 season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The confirmation of former F1 racer Klien came via DTM themselves, when they announced JP Motorsport’s entry with a McLaren 720S GT3. The 2021 deal is only for three races, though, which will be at Zolder, Nurburgring and Assen.

The idea from JP Motorsport is to build itself up for a full assault in 2022. It will not be the first time for Klein with JP Motorsport, as he raced with the Austrian outfit in various GT championships. It will be debut in the new-look DTM series, though.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenging season that lies ahead,” said Klien, who becomes the second former F1 racer to join the grid after Alexander Albon – both from the Red Bull stable. “The DTM races will be the absolute highlight for me this year.

“There we can compete with the best teams and drivers in GT3 racing and show what we are capable of. With McLaren we have found an excellent partner for this and we are very much looking forward to working with this renowned manufacturer.”

While the news of Klien racing has been confirmed by all parties, the news on Floersch has come from German publication, BLID. In fact, the driver herself shared the article, which reported about the deal between the German racer and Abt Sportsline.

It is unclear if it will be a full season campaign, as Abt has already announced Kelvin van der Linde and Mike Rockenfeller for the 2021 DTM season. They are to drive the Audi R8 LMS Evo, as one of the two outfits to run the German manufacturer’s car.

It will be another busy year for Floersch, who is to continue with Richard Mille Racing in the LMP2 class, this time, in WEC than ELMS. They are also to take part in Le Mans 24 Hours.

Here’s more about 2021 DTM season: https://www.dtm.com/en

L'entrada Floersch, Klien sign-up to race in 2021 DTM season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

As a reserve driver, Albon will not just limit himself for Red Bull, but the Thai racer will be available for work with AlphaTauri as well. He already had the chance to drive the RB15 at Silverstone and he will also get the chance to drive during the tyre testing too.

Also, with COVID-19 still around, Albon will be in a good space to not only replace the Red Bull drivers, but also the AlphaTauri duo. It remains to be seen, though, if he does so outside the programme, considering the latest experience he has of driving these cars.

“This year we’re obviously trying to address some difficulties with last year’s car, and then coming through to this year,” said Albon to selected media. “It’s doing a lot of simulator support and being there for all four drivers really, included with AlphaTauri, making sure if there’s any situation where I’m needed. I’m there for the team.

“That’s what I’m there for. My goal of course is to be back in a seat next year, and just be ready for this year as well. You never know what’s going to happen in terms of fitness or with COVID around. This winter has been kind of making sure that I’m as ready as I can be, being as fit as I can, doing all the simulator stuff.

“And, yes, even hopefully we get a few days where I can drive, and do some tyre tests and things like that,” summed up Albon. As known, he will devote his full time on the F1 project and undertake the DTM driving whenever free, with Nick Cassidy to fill in for him.

He is to drive the AF Corse’s Ferrari GT3 machine, which he hasn’t driven so far. He feels, it will be a new challenge and something which is good for him to push Red Bull for a possible F1 return in the future. “I’ve driven two laps in a GT3 car,” said Albon. “So it’s going to be different. I haven’t done any testing yet. So, it will be a new challenge, a new experience.

“But it shouldn’t be too difficult. Actually I think when you drive formulas so different from each other, your brain can almost separate them. It’s a little bit like if you go karting and do f1at the same time. It is not that difficult to change. It will be interesting. Even learning about GT3 and the whole driving style and everything so different to what we are used to with so much less downforce.

“I’m excited to get going. I’ll do to the best of my ability. But Red Bull knows what I am capable of. The team would have gotten rid of me let’s be truthful if they didn’t believe in me. On my side I know they still trust me, they still have faith in what I can do. And we just have to see how things work out during this year,” summed up Albon.

Here’s Alexander Albon talking about using past experience

Here’s is what Alexander Albon will drive in DTM

Here’s Max Verstappen on analysing his performances

Here’s Sergio Perez on difficulties with Red Bull and 2021 season

Here’s Max Verstappen on RB16B, Honda gains

Here’s Max Verstappen driving the RB15 and thoughts on RB16B

L'entrada Albon will be there for all four drivers in F1, up for dual challenge with DTM ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It has been a long journey for Albon to make it into F1, where he almost moved away from the sport after his F2 stint to race in Formula E, before his contract had to be cancelled and thrown out, for him to sign up with AlphaTauri (Toro Rosso).

It was a dream run in AlphaTauri, where in only his first season, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing to replace Pierre Gasly. But the fun didn’t last long for Albon, as his first full year with the senior F1 outfit, became his last, after being replaced by Sergio Perez.

He is still part of the team as a reserve but he will be trying his hard to find a way back in F1. “I’ve been through this kind of situation many times in my racing career so it hasn’t been all that bad let’s say,” said Albon to media including F1, Sky Sports and more. “There hasn’t been any violence in the background! It’s more just being about getting back into it.

“I’m confident in myself. I know I can bounce back. And that’s my target. I have been dropped before. It’s not been the first time. But what I learned was in the end of the day, you know, how much do you want it?  I want it more than I would say anyone on the grid, and with that comes a lot of determination. And I won’t stop at any point. For me it’s just about putting my head down.

“I got through it before. I’ve been able to get to where I am, because of all the hard work I have done. And as I said I want that seat back. It is something I’ve carried with me since a very early age. What can I do right now that gives me a better chance or is beneficial to me? The way I see it is that, if you do wallow around you’re not doing anything to open any doors or to get a seat back.

“You just have to put yourself in a position where you ask yourself:  ‘what can you do as a driver to give me the best opportunity?’ To me, that is obviously to get straight back into it and not to be negative,” summed up Albon, as he stressed on being disappointed certainly with the outcome where the timing didn’t side him, especially with the performances of Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri and Yuki Tsunoda in F2.

Even though Albon is to race in DTM with AF Corse in 2021, the Thai racer’s main goal is to be in F1 with Red Bull. “My priority is F1,” he said. “That’s very clear . Both Christian and Helmut know that. If any races do clash, the priority will always be F1. There is that link between Red Bull, and DTM, and that’s been there for a very long time so it makes sense that when I do have any free time.

“I drive. I stay fit. Racing is always nice . if you can just get in the car it always helps to not sit around too much. For F1, my goal has to be with Red Bull. There’s not just two, there’s four seats there. My goal is really to wait and assess you know how it’s going. Obviously if everyone’s performing then  you’d know what the situation is. On my side no.

“My duty is to focus on what’s going on right now. To focus on getting the best for the team and doing what I can like improve myself within the factory and with the guys. Once we can do that, then we’ll see what happens next,” summed up Albon.

Here’s is what Alexander Albon will drive in DTM

Here’s Christian Horner on Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen

Here’s details of Honda power unit changes for 2021

Here’s Christian Horner on steps with Honda beyond 2021

Here’s Sergio Perez getting Red Bull F1 tour

Here’s Sergio Perez on Max Verstappen challenge

L'entrada Albon using past experience of tough times to find his way back in F1 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Last month, Red Bull announced Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson as the two drivers to enter the new GT-backed DTM series in 2021, where the former will run in select events alongside his F1 reserve role, while the latter is to compete full-time alongside his F2 programme with Hitech GP.

The teammate of Albon has now been confirmed by Red Bull, with Super Formula and Super GT champion Nick Cassidy joining him alongside his Formula E programme with Envision Virgin Racing. The company also announced a partnership with AF Corse to run two Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020.

Albon and Cassidy will drive the AlphaTauri-liveried car, whereas Lawson will be in the Red Bull traditional colour. The division of the races the Thai and the Kiwi will take part in hasn’t been informed but it should be as per the F1 and Formula E calendar and whoever is free.

“DTM is a great series with highly talented drivers in the field and exciting racing,” said Albon. “I’ve only driven a ‘tin top’ once back in 2015 when I was nominated for the Autosport BRDC Young Driver award, and they’re really different to single seaters.

“There’s a lot less downforce and the tires are very different, so it requires a different kind of driving style. It will take a bit of time to get used to, but I’m looking forward to a new racing challenge when I’m available outside of my existing F1 commitments.”

Meanwhile, Lawson added: “GT racing is going to be very new to me. I am super excited for this opportunity in such a high-level series with world class drivers, and to team up with someone who has top experience like Alex. I’m also super excited to drive the Ferrari.”

Red Bull with AF Corse Ferrari are the first entrants in the revamped DTM series, something which Gerhard Berger is working upon, ever since the traditional touring cars reign came to an end in 2020. “Both Red Bull and Ferrari are leading global players that represent absolute success in the world of motorsports and beyond,” he said.

“We are very delighted to unite these two top brands in a unique project in the DTM, where they will join forces in the effort to win the prestigious championship. The unprecedented collaboration of the three high-class drivers is particularly promising: Formula 1 driver and podium finisher Alex Albon, GT professional and multiple race-winner Nick Cassidy and young talent Liam Lawson in one team – it is the perfect mix, which will keep the excitement level high in the upcoming DTM season.”

At the same time, AF Corse team boss, Amato Ferrari added: “This challenge started thanks to Gerhard Berger, the idea is his. In a short time, we have reached the agreement to work with Red Bull with great enthusiasm. We have just one ambition: victory. Considering the brands involved, all the requirements are there to aspire to be successful.”

#BREAKING Red Bull ANNOUNCEMENT – Red Bull will return to DTM this season, partnering with Italian team AF Corse and two Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020s. Behind the wheel will be young standouts Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Nick Cassidy. #DTM #RedBull #WeLoveDTM pic.twitter.com/AL4zHdz00T

— DTM (@DTM) February 2, 2021

#BREAKING Red Bull ANNOUNCEMENT – Welcome back to #DTM! Red Bull has announced to enter two Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020s, partnering with Italian team AF Corse. Behind the wheel will be young standouts Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Nick Cassidy.#DTM #WeLoveDTM #WeFeelTheRoar pic.twitter.com/usyqzMOoIX

— DTM (@DTM) February 2, 2021

In other news, Mercedes revealed its launch date of the 2021 F1 car, W12, for March 2. It becomes the third outfit to release a launch date after Alfa Romeo and McLaren. It is the second to have a March slot after Aston Martin informed about its intention to launch then.

Here’s James Allison on wind tunnel, CFD use

Here’s video of Lewis Hamilton in FIFA game

Here’s Toto Wolff on 3-years contract unlikely for Lewis Hamilton

Here’s James Allison on downforce cuts and performance level

Here’s news on Gianluca Petecof leaving Ferrari

Here’s Sergio Perez on having ideas for Red Bull

L'entrada Red Bull pairs with AF Corse/Ferrari in DTM; Mercedes F1 has launch date ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

In a surprising news, it was announced that former F1 driver, Albon, will be racing in DTM in 2021 in select events for Red Bull, who are likely to field a team in the revamped GT championship. It is his first racing assignment since being replaced by Sergio Perez.

The release notes that Albon will primarily work for Red Bull in F1 and the will race in DTM when there is a gap. The driver with whom he will share the car will be announced at a later stage along with the GT car he and his teammate will be driving.

The second car in the team will be taken up by another Red Bull junior Lawson, who is tipped to graduate to F2 in 2021 after two years in F3. The Kiwi tested for Hitech GP in the post-season test alongside stablemate Juri Vips, another in the F1 line.

Looking at the calendars of F2 and DTM, it doesn’t seem like there is any clash – unless COVID-19 forces changes – and so, it is likely that Lawson gets a full year. “The DTM with a high-class field and GT3 sports cars is an interesting platform and a real challenge, both for successful race drivers like Alex Albon as for our Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson,” says Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport consultant.

At the same time, Gerhard Berger, added: “Formula 1 drivers like Alex Albon, DTM stars like three-time champion René Rast, GT professionals and young talents like Liam Lawson – that is a high-class driver mix the way I would like it for the 2021 DTM season.

“It is also a perfect fit that ex-Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button has already submitted an entry for the DTM with his team. Alex Albon is a young, ambitious driver and an outstanding gain for the DTM. My big goal is 20 cars with at least five brands, strong drivers and a battle for the title that goes down to the wire, the final race.”

Here’s Alexander Albon on learning from Max Verstappen

Here’s Alexander Albon on his improvements

Here’s a run-down on if Max Verstappen is the reason for Red Bull’s junior troubles?

L'entrada Albon will race in select DTM races for Red Bull, Lawson gets second seat ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

As expected, PKN ORLEN has announced an extension of its contract with Alfa Romeo for another F1 season in 2021. The company has also confirmed that Kubica will remain as the test and reserve driver, even though the team is yet to formally announce it.

In addition to its title sponsor role, PKN ORLEN will also partner with Sauber Motorsport academy, especially its Karting team. “Our investment in the partnership with Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN is bringing tangible benefits, with over PLN 400m in advertising value equivalent received in 2020 alone, three times the figure reported for the previous season.

“This best demonstrates the sport has strong growth potential from the sponsor’s perspective. We are aptly exploiting this potential in Poland, where our partnership with ARRO and Robert Kubica is helping us to drive retail sales, including non-fuel sales. In the third quarter alone, our retail business delivered a record operating profit of PLN 1bn.

“Being the title sponsor of the Alfa Romeo Racing team helps to build the awareness and prestige of the ORLEN brand around the world, which in turn facilitates implementation of our business ambitions and competition with global players,” saidDaniel Obajtek, President of the PKN ORLEN Management Board.

At the same time, Kubica – who completed six FP1 sessions and also tested in Abu Dhabi – added: “My job is my passion, and I feel lucky that my partnership with PKN ORLEN is helping me to pursue this passion.

“My role on Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN is to be in the paddock, of course. The opportunity to drive a Formula One car is something truly special, and the adrenaline rush I get every time I’m behind the wheel can’t be compared with any other series.”

Here’s Alfa Romeo’s Jarno Opmeer winning F1 ESports title

Here’s F1 2021 entry list having Alfa Romeo ORLEN name

Jenson Button’s team to race in DTM:

Button’s Jenson Team Rocket RJN – an outfit formed alongwith Chris Buncombe and team principal Bob Neville – have confirmed their intentions to enter the new DTM series in 2021 with a McLaren 720S GT3. The driver of the car is yet to be confirmed.

“I’ve always loved DTM and it’s exciting to see the Series evolve into this new chapter with GT3,” said Button. “I’ve known Gerhard (Berger) for a long time and I’m sure he will ensure they put on a great show! We are all working behind the scenes to make this DTM plan come together and I’m pleased to be able to expand our plans with McLaren.”

Meanwhile, Buncombe added: “When we set out on this journey as a team, it has always been our ambition to evolve and grow, competing in a number of different Championships whilst working closely with a manufacturer. When this DTM opportunity was presented to us it felt like a great fit and I look forward to seeing how everything develops with the plans around this project.”

Conor Daly stays with ECR in IndyCar:

Having raced with Ed Carpenter Racing in 2020, Daly will continue his relation with them in 2021, where he will drive the #20 Chevrolet in road and street courses. The partnership with U.S Air Force also continues as the American will compete in Indy500 again.

“It feels incredible to have another year together with the U.S. Air Force and Ed Carpenter Racing,” said Daly. “Continuity has always been helpful for me in my career; the fact that we are able to hit the ground running in 2021 already having experience together gives me a lot of confidence. Every day we learn more and develop a stronger relationship.

“This would not be possible without the support of the U.S. Air Force, who have been an incredibly supportive and loyal partner. I want nothing more than to win races and compete for the entrant championship for the Airmen, the guys at ECR and my boss Ed, who has become a true friend of mine. I can’t wait to get back to work.”

Team boss Ed added: “It is a very exciting day to be able to announce the return of both the U.S. Air Force and Conor to Ed Carpenter Racing! We are looking forward to the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, having the same driver lineup to continue our progression back to a race-winning and championship-contending organization. We are very grateful for the support of U.S. Air Force and honored to represent everything that they stand for. We’re thankful for the opportunity to inspire and engage the next generation of men and women who join the U.S. Air Force!”

Here’s news on Long Beach becoming IndyCar finale

Jari-Matti Latvala named Toyota WRC team principal:

In another driver-to-team principal news after Jerome D’Ambrosio’s decision to join Venturi Formula E team, Toyota announced Latvala as its team principal from the 2021 WRC season. He will replace Tommi Makinen, who takes up an advisory role.

Latvala was selected by Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, to bring a driver’s perspective to a management team that also includes Yuichiro Haruna, Project Director; Kaj Lindstrom, Sporting Director; and Tom Fowler, Technical Director.

Having missed on a WRC drive in 2019 where Toyota fielded Sebastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanpera, Latvala stayed with the Japanese manufacturer as its ambassador. The trio will continue to race in 2021 with the Finn commanding the team.

“I am really honoured to be taking on this position with the team, and by the trust that Akio Toyoda has shown in me,” said Latvala. “I’m really excited to continue the work he started together with Tommi, having been a part of this team from the beginning as a driver. Now, as Team Principal, I have to see the bigger picture: I have to motivate everybody in the team to work together to achieve the best results.

“It’s a new challenge and I’m up for it. Tommi has done a fantastic job with the team, building it up from zero and bringing the success that he has. Of course, there is always room for improvement and I want to use what I have learned over the years as a driver and work together with the team directors to make this team as successful as possible.

“The 2021 season is just around the corner but the entire package is already there within the team, with a proven car and the same strong driver line-up, and everybody knows what needs to be done to prepare for Rallye Monte-Carlo in January.”

Here’s news on WRC front FIA WMSC

L'entrada ORLEN stays with Alfa, Kubica likely too; news from Button, Daly & Toyota ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The latest update patch by Codemasters on the 2020 F1 game has several changes undertaken which includes the performance rebalance for the Ferrari-powered cars and also Racing Point, seeing how the real life championship is panning out to be.

With the engine deficit, not just the two Ferrari cars but the performances of Alfa Romeo Racing and also Haas has dipped a bit which has been adjusted in the 2020 F1 game, although, they cannot make it same as it is in the real life.

At the same time, they have increased the performance of Racing Point. They added that the ‘My Team Power Unit’ selection stats and prices remains the same, so that there is no unfair balance for any player. Apart from these there were few other changes:

• Livery updates for Ferrari and Red Bull
• Team-wear updates for Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren
• Fixed an exploit in time trial and events caused by entering and fast-forwarding an instant replay
• Fixed an issue that caused a colour mis-match between sponsors on suits, helmets and car liveries on PS4 Pro
• Fixed an issue that caused the McLaren race-suit to appear broken for the player character in Driver Career
• Fixed a progression issue in My Team
• Fixed an issue in multiplayer that allowed the player to start a flying lap in qualifying when there is not enough time left in the session
• Fixed an issue in multiplayer that stopped corner-cutting penalties being applied when quitting and re-joining a race after a formation lap
• Improved texture quality on several customisation items
• Addressed an FPS issue when re-joining a race
• Title stability improvements

Robert Kubica scores first DTM podium:

Alfa Romeo F1 reserve and ART BMW driver, Kubica, registered his first-ever podium in DTM in Race 2 at Zolder on Sunday after finishing third. The Polish racer has had a difficult campaign in the touring car championship in a privately run outfit.

In the eight rounds so far, Kubica has only one points finish at Assen before his podium at Zolder. He started 10th and immediately made progress to be sixth in Race 2, taking advantage of mishaps from others. He went long in his first stint and had track position.

Even though he joined outside the Top 3 after his pit stop, Kubica made up the places to eventually finish third – the best of BMW drivers’. The German manufacturer hasn’t had the season they would have hoped for against Audi, with just the two wins.

“This is a great moment for the entire ART Grand Prix Team after a difficult season,” said Kubica. “We had a lot to learn and needed to improve in many areas. Everything worked really well. We managed to steer clear of all the problems and took our chances.

“We had really good pace in the decisive stages of the race. The tyres were an important factor today, so I didn’t push too hard after my pit stop and tried to keep them alive. I was able to build up a lead over the cars behind me and get home in third place.”

Here’s how Round 1 of 2020 F1 ESports panned out

L'entrada F1 game updates Ferrari’s performance dip; Kubica talks first DTM podium ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Ducati’s Dovizioso surprised everyone by putting ‘Unemployed’ sticker on the back of his race suit at the start of the Emilia Romagna MotoGP weekend at Misano. It was hilarious, indeed, as the Italian is out of contract beyond the 2020 season.

It felt like, he was taking in good spirits with no Plan B. However, on Saturday, he clarified the real reason for carrying the message, which was a bet he lost against his friends. They were confident that Dovizioso will lead the MotoGP standings after San Marino GP.

It is what happened as Dovizioso took over from Petronas SRT’s Fabio Quatararo by six points and as a result, he had no choice but to carry the message. “I was forced to put that because I bet with my friends,” said the Italian to MotoGP feed.

“They said to me ‘if you are first in the championship after Misano 1, you have to put that on for the second race’. And it happened! So I had to put it on. If you bet something with your friends, you can’t go back. So, I was forced to from my friends.”

It will be hard to keep it for Dovizioso post the second Misano race as he starts 10th, while Quartararo is third. The MotoGP race could still go either way but Ducati doesn’t seem to have the same pace as the Yamaha rider, especially the factory Italian manufacturer’s bikes.

DTM future:

Following the decision of Audi to pull the plug on its DTM programme at the end of the 2020 season, the series will switch to become an independent professional GT-based championship from 2021 onward, with the support of two key manufacturers.

In a press brief on Saturday, former F1 racer Gerhard Berger revealed that Audi and BMW have agreed to help in setting-up the new series, away from the ITR ambit. The full details will be released at a later stage with the Austrian taking over the programme.

“During the past months, we have been discussing various strategic options for the future of the DTM in complex negotiations,” said Berger. “In the past days, I have had very constructive talks with Audi and BMW. Both manufacturers enable for me to take over the full responsibility for the future of a race series in which, for the moment, primarily GT cars will be running.

“That Audi and BMW are supporting a scenario for continuation is great news for all the employees and motorsport fans. In the future, no longer the factories, but independent professional privateer teams will be competing for victories on the platform. For me, it was important that both manufacturers commit to this concept, in order for the GT models of these brands to race here as well. I have this commitment.

“Therefore, I express my sincere thanks to the manufacturers: with their decision, they not only have contributed essentially to securing the jobs at the ITR and the DTM partners, but also enable fans and supporters to continue to enjoy top-level motorsport. Now, I am looking forward to working on a sustainable strategy for the future, together with our strong partners like Sat.1, one that will thrill the fans.”

Here’s how Emilia Romagna MotoGP qualifying went where Andrea Dovizioso was P10

L'entrada Dovizioso reveals bet loss for ‘Unemployed’ tag; DTM shares series’ future ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

• The host of the show, Tom Clarkson, asked Russell about his feelings after the first triple-header as he responded with positive intent, particularly after Hungary – a race at which his pace was strong.
• He discussed his history with the Hungaroring and specifically, his test with Mercedes back in 2018, in which he broke the lap record.
• On a similar note, he covered how he became part of Mercedes, even after he thought he would have to go the way of DTM. In doing so, he shared an anecdote of his first proper conversation with Toto Wolff at an awards show in 2015.
• He also answered the tough question of whether or not he’d be ready for a top drive were he to be called up – and Russell didn’t hesitate to reply, ‘yes’.
• The young driver spoke on his strides in performance on a personal level, before discussing Williams’ obvious improvement over the F1 off-season.
• Later, Russell spoke on the pace of his teammate Nicholas Latifi, who he says has impressed him in the early race – he was, however, complimentary of his previous teammate Robert Kubica, whom he says he has learned a lot from.
• Russell addressed his relationship with Alex Albon, and his remarks on the Thai driver after the Hungarian GP qualifying.
• Looking back at his karting career, he discussed competing against Lando Norris’ brother, and his own brother, who often claims he is the fastest Russell.
• He was hesitant to react to previous comments from Claire Williams, who said that he bested any of the other Williams drivers in history, before discussing his relationship with Sir Frank Williams – a team principal who has worked with all of the F1 teams’ drivers.
• After this, he told the story of his first trip to Silverstone, and discussed where the track ranks among those on the calendar.
• As the podcast neared its end, Russell covered the sim racing in the lockdown period, and explained why so many drivers were able to come out of their respective shells.
• On the greater topic of driver expression in the media, Russell proposed a camera angle that shows the faces of drivers, rather than a communications system between drivers as some have proposed. He feels the whole Albon episode showed why drivers are reserved in media and how lockdown showed that they can enjoy and speak their mind.
• Russell also spoke about a turning point in his career in the junior championships with regards to his driving style and approach to races.

Here’s the link of the podcast as FOM doesn’t allow to use it: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ5NjQzMzkucnNz/episode/dGFnOmF1ZGlvYm9vbS5jb20sMjAyMC0wNy0yODovcG9zdHMvNzY0MzE2NQ?hl=en-IN&ved=2ahUKEwipzYbE0fTqAhVC7nMBHZkGD5wQieUEegQIAxAE&ep=6

Here’s the last episode of F1 Nation

Here’s the last F1 Beyond The Grid podcast with Willy T. Ribbs

L'entrada Podcast: Russell on DTM, F1 driver relation, career turning point & more ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After Mercedes left DTM to focus on Formula E, the German touring car series were left with only Audi and BMW as their sole bearers of the championship. Aston Martin joined in through customer racing route but pulled out ahead of the 2020 season.

It left Audi and BMW as the two big manufacturers again but not for long as the former has made the big decision to leave DTM after the 2020 season, leaving the championship in a huge spot of bother with only one manufacturer in competition.

Audi has decided to focus on Formula E and customer racing, which means, they could still feature in the series but only through customer teams like Team WRT. The decision was taken in a board meet on Monday as COVID-19 pandemic has worsen the situation.

“Audi has shaped the DTM and the DTM has shaped Audi,” said Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “This demonstrates what power lies in motorsport – technologically and emotionally. With this energy, we’re going to drive our transformation into a provider of sporty, sustainable electric mobility forward.

“That’s why we’re also focusing our efforts on the race track and systematically competing for tomorrow’s ‘Vorsprung.’ Formula E offers a very attractive platform for this. To complement it, we’re investigating other progressive motorsport formats for the future.”

At the same time, Member of the Board for Development Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, added: “We’re hoping that this currently difficult situation will improve soon and that we’ll still be able to contest a few DTM races this year.

“The fans would deserve this, and so would the ITR, our drivers as well as our teams and partners, who will now have adequate advance notice to reposition themselves for the time after 2020. Successful motorsport is – and will continue to be – an important element of Audi’s DNA.”

As mentioned, Audi is looking to compete in 2020 but it is unknown if the season will get going due to COVID-19 pandemic. In the years gone by, the manufacturer has had 23 championships won as it has helped in 11 drivers’ title victories too.

Audi has had 114 wins, 345 podium finishes, 106 pole positions and 112 fastest laps in all its years of competition and hopes to add more accolades before it bids goodbye. The move has, though, shocked ITR head Gerhard Berger.

Statement from ITR Chairman Gerhard Berger: pic.twitter.com/kEMJbrLZE7

— DTM (@DTM) April 27, 2020

Here’s the details on the updated calendar

L'entrada Audi pulls plug on DTM to focus on Formula E, customer racing ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Continuing for the third weekend running, both All-star ESports battle and Veloce ESports’ respective sim races returned to fill the real-world racing void which has befallen fans as a result of the ever-disruptive COVID-19 pandemic.

Both events were modified slightly, with Veloce changing their series from the ‘Not the…’ F1 race to the Pro series (given that no Grand Prix was scheduled for this weekend in the first place), and All-Star ESports Battle adding a ‘Legends Trophy’ for retired drivers.

All-Star ESports Battle:

Starting with the Legends Trophy in All-Star ESports Battle, Dario Franchitti won the event, ahead of Darren Turner, Adrian Fernandez, David Brabham, Emanuele Pirro in the Top 5 after Juan Pablo Montoya took pole on the rFactor game.

Montoya did not have the best of outings to finish only 10th behind Jan Magnussen who was sixth from Tiago Montiero, Max Papis and Tony Kanaan. On the other hand, it was Bono Huis who took the win in the main All-Star ESports Battle.

Huis did so against a field of drivers which included Rudy Van Buren, Ed Jones, Stoffel Vandoorne, Phillip Eng, James Davison, Esteban Gutierrez, Maximilian Gunther, and countless others. It was Wisniewski on pole position for the race, though.

But in the early stages, he was under pressure from van Buren and Huis. The Dutchman managed to get on top of the battle for second, but after his contact with pole-sitter Wisniewski, it sent him into a spin as van Buren inherited first position.

Later, Huis pressured van Buren and took the lead after a battle between the two. The Dutchman slipped back into the clutches of Yuri Kasdrop, getting caught in a battle with him. It helped Huis ahead as he took the win eventually.

Van Buren came out on top of his battle with Kadorp, with James Baldwin fourth, who was overtaken by Kevin Siggy and Kasdorp early on in the race. DTM racer Eng was fifth as despite the earlier spin, Wisniewski managed to slice his way back through the field and take sixth.

He had Petar Brljak behind in seventh with DTM racer Dani Juncadella was eighth ahead of DTM’s Jones and Formula E’s Vandoorne in the Top 10. Gutierrez, meanwhile, was 13th with Formula E’s Gunther in 16th.

Here’s the full video of how All-Star ESports Battle panned out:

Veloce ESports Pro Series:

Veloce ESports Pro Series race was run – unlike in past times – on iRacing, and also unlike times before, this race was run with Supercars, rather than F1 cars. The race featured drivers like Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi, Vandoorne, Antonio Felix da Costa, Helio Castroneves, Esteban Gutierrez, Sean Gelael, Ed Jones, Benjamin Daly, James Davidson, Nick Cassidy, Arjun Maini , Louis Deletraz, Luca Ghiotto and Juan Manuel Correa.

Norris led from pole into turn one at Silverstone, ahead of Fenestraz and Jones. Towards the middle of the pack, though, it was far more chaotic, with a pile-up already on the pit straight involving Gelael, and many others.

After an excellent start, Gutierrez lost all the ground he gained, and dropped back to tenth from starting eighth. Even after this, though, it wasn’t easy for the Mercedes reserve, as he got involved in a thrilling three-car battle with Ghiotto and Bolukbasi.

Other epic battles raged on up and down the grid, but at the front Norris retained a commanding lead, and was not threatened. Meanwhile, Jones disconnected and Vandoorne continued to battle for 10th. Ultimately, the McLaren F1 racer won the race with an 11-second lead over Baldwin and Fenestraz, who rounded out the podium.

Fourth place was occupied by Deletraz, who finished one place ahead of Ryan Tveter, and two places ahead of Bolukbasi. F2 driver Ghiotto finished seventh, leading fellow real-world driver Gutierrez, Kodric, and Ticknell.

Vandoorne – who came out on the losing end of that tenth place battle – finished 11th from Maini, while Super Formula’s Nick Cassidy was 13th. For Race two, Tincknell was on pole due to the reverse Top 10 order, and he led for the first several laps.

Meanwhile, Fenestraz came up from eighth and powered through the field to second in just one lap. Norris also followed the Frenchman through the pack, and soon the Brit was in fourth. Shortly after disposing of Deletraz and taking third, he was on the hunt for second.

Making up yet another position, Norris passed Fenestraz and began his chase of Kodric. However, it wasn’t meant to be for the British driver, as he stayed in second and finished just behind Kodric. The Frenchman was fourth ahead of Deletraz, Bolukbasi and da Costa.

Returning after disconnecting in race one, Jones came seventh, beating out Tveter, Baldwin, and Tincknell – who rounded out the Top 10. Vandoorne dropped from his race one result and finished 13th behind Fittipaldi. Gutierrez once again involved himself in numerous incidents, and as a result he finished in 16th position, one position ahead of Latifi.

Challenge Lando:

With no actual F1 race, they put Norris in a ‘Challenge Lando’ ESports event where he had four challenges to get through. He faced golfer Ian Poulter in Challenge 1, followed by Ferrari junior Dino Begonavic in second and Eng in third – all won by the British racer.

The fourth challenge was him to race 19 F1 fans chosen randomly where they all raced in the 1988 McLaren at Suzuka. Norris had to complete certain challenges to win more points but several mistakes meant, he was a lap down in 16th.

Here’s the full video link of Challenge Lando: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g1EwMxqKpc

Here’s what happened in All-Star ESports Battle and Veloce Pro Series Week 2

Here’s how MotoGP Virtual Race went

Here’s how IndyCar Challenge went

The story was edited by Darshan Chokhani

L'entrada Video: All-Star ESports Battle, Veloce Pro Series & Challenge Lando recap ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Grosjean here opens up about his feelings during the F1 winter testing for 2020 season as he looks back at 2019 as well and how things are shaping up to be. He also talks about 2021, where we will witness big changes in the regulations.

Additionally, he talks about the state of F1, his best/bad moments and later on shifts to talk about his association with Praga in karting as he also discusses his future beyond and how he feels about championships like Formula E and DTM.

Here’s the full and exclusive Q&A with Grosjean:

Q) Just to start, tell us about your feelings this winter testing, are you positive looking at the 2020 F1 season ahead?

Romain Grosjean: “Yes, we’re still going around, so it’s not over and we are testing everything we can in the car, but definitely things are going in the right direction, it’s true that last year we were fast in winter testing but then slower in the race so I don’t think it means that much to be fast or not here.”

Q) The whole grid has worked so hard this winter, you think that Haas can be the fourth best team?

Grosjean: “It is our goal, we will try, I don’t know yet, but we will try it.”

Q) Looking ahead to 2021 regulations, with big changes, how you as a driver and Haas as a team faces a season in terms of development and preparation?

Grosjean: “Certainly the drivers don’t have much to do, we’ve pushed for some changes and regulations and we’re quite happy with what happened. In team terms, obviously, is more a question for Guenther Steiner, he will have to make a lot of important decisions because it’s a big change of regulation, next year is gonna be very different, so it will be interesting.”

Q) Do you think F1 has lost its essence during the last few seasons? 

Grosjean: “Not at all. Well, in the amount of overtaking, nowadays we have the highest ever been before, so that’s quite positive, or at least more that in 90’s years. In the other side, Mercedes is doing an amazing job, they are making the sport not too exciting, but they are doing a better job than the others, so it’s up to the other teams to catch up them. Obviously, a team like Haas doesn’t have the same budget and the same resources so we can not really compare it, but they are doing definitely a good job.”

Q) If I am to ask, what will be your best and the worst moment in your F1 career?

Grosjean: “It’s very difficult to pick up one and one after more than 160 GPs, but what can I say… There has been so many moments, but I will say as the best moment my podium at Spa in 2015, and I’ll pick Baku 2018 as my worst moment.”

Q) What is the main difference you find between the F1 when you started and the current one?

Grosjean: “Well, I have had running with and without refueling, with different tyres, with different regulations. Every area has gone up and down, but the nowadays cars are faster then ever before, they are incredibly fast, almost too fast for fighting and overtaking during the race, but they are funny to drive and they are so beautiful, so…every season has its weakness and his strengths.”

Q) Moving to karting and feeder series, we wanted to know about your relationship with Praga Motorsport? And if you have tasted the new 2020 chassis what differences did you spot between this one and the last year one?

Grosjean: “Yes, I have a good relationship with them, but I still haven’t tested this year’s chassis. I drove last year car, and I like it a lot, the brakes are really good and it fits with my driving style, the chassis is not the easiest to drive but I’ve had a good feeling and they always go really fast.”

Q) What advice will you give to the young drivers that want to reach F1 someday?

Grosjean: “For sure. It’s not easy, there are only 20 seats in the world, and the pyramid is very shallow at the end, but keep believing in your dream, do always the best you can, and see what it brings you.”

Q) There are a lot of racing series outside of F1, looking into the future, do you have a special interest to join some of that series?

Grosjean: “Yes, I like endurance, because I consider it as a quite fun championship. Formula E, obviously, is the biggest constructor championship coming in, so it’s interesting, and also the DTM, I’ve always really loved DTM, so it can be one of them. I look forward to the future, and I would like to join some of that series one day.

Here’s Guenther Steiner on avoiding 2019 mistakes

The Q&A has been edited by Darshan Chokhani

L'entrada Grosjean Q&A: 2020/2021 seasons, F1 career, karting, future & more ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.