Jordan's Track Talk

Author: jordanlhaynes

  • RW 24 – Abu Dhabi

    Lando Norris has brought the 2024 season to a close in style by winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in dominant form, the Brit put in an assured drive to claim victory and also help McLaren to clinch their first constructors’ championship since 1988.

    It was a strong start to the race for pole-sitter Norris amid chaos behind him with Verstappen and Piastri making contact in a battle for second, which saw the four time champion receive a penalty and Piastri drop down the order.

    And while various other fights played out across the field – which saw a solid performance from McLaren’s title rivals Ferrari – Norris kept a cool head up front to triumph, taking the chequered flag by five seconds from former team mate Carlos Sainz, which confirmed that the constructors’ crown has gone to the papaya squad.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Norris, P2: Sainz, P3: Leclerc, P4: Hamilton, P5: Russell, P6: Verstappen, P7: Gasly, P8: Hulkenberg, P9: Alonso and P10: Piastri.

    WOW, what a result for Mr Lando Norris, a very dominant drive to the chequered flag, and what a way to end the season! It confirmed that McLaren is officially the Constructors’ Champions after a very long wait to be number one again! And I have to say I believe the best team one, the most consistent with BOTH drivers always wanting to score as many points as possible and the strategy has nine times out of ten always been perfect – so in my eyes it’s fully deserved!

    A very good result for Ferrari, a double podium to close out the season, just falling short of the Constructors’ however, they should still be proud of what they’ve achieved this year as it’s not an easy thing to compete for.
    Obviously the race meant it was Carlos Sainz last race in Red and what a few years it’s been with the Spanish driver, 4 wins, 6 poles and 25 podiums all in four years!

    Now onto Mercedes, what a recovery drive for Sir Lewis Hamilton, P4! Now that’s a Champions drive coming from the back to P4, it was a shame he just missed out on a podium however he’d be proud of what he done. It was his last race in Mercedes and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional because I am… It’s sad to see such an iconic partnership part ways after so long however all good things just come to an end and I can’t wait to see Hamilton in red!
    As for George, its been a pretty decent season, he ended the race in 5th – obviously the car has been a bit temperamental this season so I think if they iron out a few problems, next year they will be battling for more wins, podiums, poles etc!

    A bit of a meh result for Verstappen, P6, it definitely could’ve been better but with penalties and faster cars you’ve gotta pick and choose your battles wisely and he had already secured the Drivers’ championship.
    As for his teammate, was this his last race in Red Bull colours? Sergio Perez suffered a spin on lap 1 following contact with Bottas and could no longer continue. It’s definitely been a shocker of a season for the Mexican driver and his had a big part to play in with Red Bull not retaining their Constructors’ crown and finishing third overall!

    A decent result for Gasly, P7! That result secure Alpine P6 in the Constructors’ championship after a long and hard season for the team. Doohan had a decent race with the team, he did finish 15th but he stayed out of trouble and got some mileage under his belt before his first season in F1 next year.

    It feels incredible, not for myself but for the whole team. The team have done an amazing job this year to come from where we were at the beginning. I’m so proud of everyone – it’s been a lovely journey, and to end the season like this is perfect, so just a congrats and big thank you to everyone in McLaren, everyone in papaya, everyone who supported us this year because it’s been a tough one. For us to win a constructors’ after 26 years is pretty special.
    Norris on the win.

    Now the race is over, there’s still cars returning to the Yas Marina Circuit next week for post-season testing on December 10th.

  • RW 24 – Abu Dhabi Qualifying

    Lando Norris will be starting from pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Brit leading teammate Oscar Piastri to secure a McLaren front row lockout on a weekend where the team are hoping to clinch the Constructors’ title.

    After Max Verstappen initially set a time strong enough for provisional pole during the first runs of Q3, it was Norris who surged ahead during the decisive final laps on an effort of 1m 22.595s, putting him 0.209s clear of Piastri.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Piastri, P3: Sainz, P4: Hulkenberg, P5: Verstappen, P6: Gasly, P7: Russell, P8: Alonso, P9: Bottas and P10: Perez.

    However, Hulkenberg has received a three place grid drop for failing to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars on the pit exit road.
    He is now demoted to seventh, meaning Verstappen is fourth, Gasly 5th and Russell 6th. However it’s still a good result for the team and his main target is Gasly and Alpine as there are only 5 points between them in the Constructors.

    What a lovely result for McLaren, Norris on pole and Piastri second, this is what the team would’ve of wanted going into the weekend, having both drivers in those positions will help massively with the Constructors’ all they can hope is that they score enough to win it!

    As for Ferrari, they’ve had a good result with Sainz in P3 so he is their main contender to score points for the team. As Charles Leclerc has got a 10 place grid penalty so will be starting the race from 19th, so the Monegasque driver will have a lot of work to do to grab some points for the team in an all important battle.

    A decent result for Verstappen, even though he has the championship wrapped up he would like to finish the season on a high and grab a decent result! His teammate, Sergio Perez qualified 10th which obviously isn’t the best as it’s middle of the pack but I suppose its not the worst position this year for him.

    A bit of a mixed qualifying for Mercedes, P7 for Russell, not the best result but not the worst he could still get some good points for Mercedes.
    As for Hamilton, it was a bit of a shocker, qualifying 18th, but after some penalties, he starts 16th. This was due to hitting a loose bollard that had been knocked onto the track by Magnussen.

    A perfect day for us. Probably a little bit tougher than we were hoping for – we’ve been very quick all weekend so we’re pleased with a 1-2, but it was just a bit trickier than what we would have liked. My lap in the end was strong, and just how we wanted to end today.
    Norris on pole position.

  • Leclerc hit with 10 place grid penalty

    Charles Leclerc has been hit with a 10 place grid penalty for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after the Ferrari driver took on a new energy store, a big blow to the team’s hopes in the constructors’ battle with McLaren.

    The Monegasque was forced to wait in the pits for the first 20 minutes of FP1 in Abu Dhabi while Ferrari dealt with a suspected battery issue on his car – he did get the opportunity to drive on track with his younger brother, Arthur Leclerc.

    However, in order to fix the problem, he has now exceeded the allocation of two energy stores per season and must serve the grip drop which will force him into a massive recovery drive if Ferrari want to keep their championship hopes alive.

    The Maranello team are just 21 points behind McLaren in the battle to be Constructors’ champions but will need to have a near perfect weekend in order to maximise their hopes with the expected penalty set to be a massive spanner in the works…

    Leclerc demonstrated strong pace in the first practice session despite his delay in getting out on track as he topped the timesheets with a margin of 0.221s to McLaren’s Lando Norris.

  • Kiro sign Ticktum and Beckmann

    Kiro Race Co have announced Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann as their 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship driver pairing.

    As the newest team in Formula E, built on the foundations of former competitor, ERT – itself tracing its roots back to the race-wining NEXTEV and NIO outfits.

    Kiro Race Co has eyes on battling back to the front of the Formula E grid, with Ticktum and Beckmann set to be key to the team’s goals starting at the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix this weekend.

    Ticktum, who has competed in Formula E since 2022, reached new heights in Formula E by taking a career-best finish of fourth at Misano in Season 10 and holds extensive success out of the paddock.
    With three wins and 11 podiums in FIA Formula 2 and back to back victories at the Macau Grand Prix in 2017 and 2018.

    For Beckmann, the 2024/25 season will mark his first full time campaign racing in Formula E. Although the German driver is more than familiar with the championship and after holding Test & Reserve Driver roles with Andretti and Porsche since 2021, as well as racing at the Jakarta E-Prix in 2023.

    Beckmann has raced single seaters since 2015 and has been a consistent challenger at every level, with victories in FIA Formula 3, podiums in FIA Formula 2 and one win in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

    It’s clear to me that Kiro Race Co is hungry, ambitious, and ready to make a statement in Formula E, and that’s exactly the kind of environment I thrive in as a racing driver. Over the past few years, I’ve learned first-hand that Formula E is unlike any other form of motorsport – the racing is relentless, the on-track battles are fierce, and it pushes you to your limits, demanding absolutely everything from both the driver, and the team. Ahead of a new season, it’s important to have modest expectations, but in a category as wild as this, there are open opportunities every single lap. After a promising pre-season test, I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to convert this attitude into regular top 10 performances. The atmosphere and energy within the team is very positive, and I can’t wait to get the season started in São Paulo.
    Ticktum on the news.

    Joining Kiro Race Co’s ranks for my first full season in Formula E is a dream come true, and I’m excited to rise to the challenge. Although I’ll be a rookie this year, I think I’m coming into the season with a unique experience having seen the evolution from Gen2 to Gen3, and again with the GEN3 Evo, first-hand in my past roles with Andretti and Porsche. At testing, my main goal was to get comfortable in the car and integrate myself well in the team, and overall, the week was very encouraging. The whole atmosphere right now is very inspiring, and it feels like we’re all working in the same direction, with one shared goal. I’m really looking forward to Brazil.
    Beckmann on the news.

    Since announcing Kiro Race Co’s involvement in Formula E for Season 11, we’ve been very transparent with our aims – we want to defy expectations, we want to be consistent top-10 contenders, and we want to redefine what it means to be a racing team. Our driver lineup embodies that mission perfectly. In Dan – who has been described as the best British driver not in F1 – we have an experienced, young athlete who not only has the drive and determination to the be the best, but also has the speed and ability to one day be a World Champion. David’s ambition, meanwhile, is unmistakeable, and although he’ll be a rookie this season, his existing experience in Formula E – which includes two race starts and three seasons as a Reserve Driver – put him in a better position than the majority of drivers who join the series. Season 11 is just the first chapter of our journey in Formula E. There’ll be highs and lows, ups and downs, and we know that success won’t come overnight. We’re only at the start of what will be a long road, but we’re committed to this journey, and we’re excited to see what the coming season has in store.
    Alex Hui, Team Principal.

  • RW 24 – Tyre Selection

    The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend brings the curtain down on the longest ever Formula 1 season!

    As has been the case at this track, Pirelli have chosen its three softest compounds for the event, which are C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    Thanks to significant changes to the track layout introduced in 2021, its a much faster and flowing track, with several overtaking opportunities.
    In general the forces exerted on the tyres are in medium to low range, because of the high speed corners.

    The surface offers little grip and its level of abrasiveness is average for the season. However temperatures will play an important role, with two of three practice session taking place in daylight, FP2 and the race gets underway at sunset and then qualifying at night.
    Therefore track conditions can change quickly as the temperatures drop and they will evolve rapidly as the track rubbers in.

    On a track where graining could have a significant impact and where overtaking is possible, a two stop strategy seems like the most preferable, as was the case last year.
    As well as the undercut is very effective, and in order for a one-stop to work it requires a great deal of tyre management.

    https://twitter.com/pirellisport/status/1863913281880023073

  • Alpine confirm Doohan to race in Abu Dhabi

    Alpine have confirmed that Jack Doohan will be making his F1 race debut earlier than expected in the season closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the team releasing Esteban Ocon in a deal that allows the French driver to participate in the post-season test for new team Haas.

    It was confirmed back in June that Ocon would be departing the Enstone-based team after the 2024 season, bringing his five-year spell at the team to an end.
    News later followed that he would be switching to Haas for 2025, where he will be partnered by rookie Ollie Bearman.

    Alpine, meanwhile went on to confirm that reserve driver Doohan would become part of their line-up next season as teammate to the incumbent Pierre Gasly – but now the Australian is set to get his first taste of a Grand Prix sooner than thought.

    While this means that Ocon will not be a part of the 58 lap finale, he will still get to put in some mileage at the Yas Marina Circuit when he gets behind the wheel for Haas at the end of season test.

    It comes after Ocon faced a difficult weekend in Qatar, having lined up at the back of the grid before seeing his race end at the first corner following a Lap 1 collision with Hulkenberg and Colapinto.

    BWT Alpine Formula One Team announces that Reserve Driver Jack Doohan will race in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in place of Esteban Ocon. The change allows Esteban to be released to Haas to drive in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi. Jack, who has already been announced as an official driver for the 2025 season alongside Pierre Gasly, will race with the #61 as his registered Reserve Driver number and will also participate in the end-of-season test for the team at the Yas Marina Circuit. The team would like to thank Esteban for his time at the team and he will remain part of the team’s history achieving the first win for Alpine in Formula 1. We wish Esteban the best for the future.
    Alpine’s Statement.

    I think it comes from all sides really. I guess you could say it’s good to get Jack in early, I think you could say from Esteban’s side it’s good to move on early. I think it suits everybody, so I think the discussion was quite natural really, and I think Esteban’s been a big part of this team as well and from both sides it suits each other.
    Oakes on whether the move was prompted by the team or Ocon’s camp.

  • Rodin confirm Fornaroli for Yas Marina

    Rodin Motorsport have confirmed that Leonardo Fornaroli will replace Zane Maloney for the final round of the Formula 2 season at Yas Marina.

    Fornaroli makes the step up to F2 fresh from winning the 2024 Formula 3 title thanks to his seven podium finishes, two pole positions and two fastest laps.

    The 19 year old will now get behind the wheel of F2 machinery for the first time at the last round of the season. Maloney had his final race weekend with the team in Lusail.

    Maloney is moving to Formula E, with the season starting next month at the Sao Paulo E-Prix with Round 1 on the 7th December. The same weekend as the finale for F1, F2 and F1 Academy!

    Very grateful to be able to do the last round of the F2 Championship with Rodin Motorsport who are such a good team in the series. It will be a big challenge for me because this is my first time in the F2 car without any practice so I have a lot to learn but I can’t wait for it and I’m looking forward to being behind the wheel in Abu Dhabi
    Fornaroli on the news.

    I wish Leo a great weekend in Abu Dhabi. I will miss working with the Rodin Motorsport team and look forward to seeing their success in the future! But we still have one more weekend in Qatar to look ahead to and finish off our season strongly.
    Maloney on the news.

    It’s great to welcome Leo to the team for the final round of the season. It’s going to be a step up for him, but we’ve seen what he can do in Formula 3, and we’re confident he’ll adapt quickly and perform well. Obviously, we still have one more round in Qatar to look forward to with Zane on board before he begins his Formula E season; we thank him for his contributions and wish him the best in his new venture.
    Benn Huntingford, Team Manager.

  • Fallows to leave Aston Martin ahead of Newey arrival

    Dan Fallows has stepped down from his role as Aston Martin’s Technical Director – but the team say he will stay within the group.

    Fallows joined Aston Martin from Red Bull in April 2022, and played a key role in their growth and development – which included the team taking eight podiums with Fernando Alonso.

    However, the team’s technical department has swelled in recent times, as billionaire owners, Lawrence Stroll marches on with his bid to make the squad a World Championship-contending team.

    Design guru Adrian Newey and former Ferrari tech chief Enrico Cardile are set to join the team alongside recent appointment Andy Cowell, who took over from Martin Whitmarsh as CEO.

    I would like to thank Dan for his contribution to Aston Martin Aramco in the last two years. Dan led the team to the success of the AMR23 which secured eight podiums last season.
    Cowell on the news.

    In my time at Aston Martin, it has been a joy and a privilege to guide the technical team on their journey towards being race and championship winners. It is time for me to pass on the baton, but I look forward to watching the team’s future success, which I am sure will come soon.
    Fallows on the news.

  • F2 – RND 13 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    Pole sitter Bearman covered off Hadjar at light out as the Championship challenger settled into P2 ahead of compatriot Victor Martins, who launched his way into the top three from seventh on the grid.

    With the medium compound fitted, Hadjar was hustling Bearman around the opening two laps and he seized the lead at Turn 10 to take top spot on the second lap.

    The Campos driver set off into the distance, leading by 3.5s over Bearman by Lap 5 while Martins followed a further two seconds adrift on the Brit and with a DRS train in his mirrors.

    Gabriel Bortoleto moved himself up to seventh with a pass on Oliver Goethe just before the MP driver was forced into retirement with an issue.
    With his car stationary in the second sector, a Virtual Safety Car was called upon to recover the stricken MP.

    The VSC was withdrawn on lap 7, and the battle for third was incredibly close. With Martins also running the Medium tyres, he came under pressure from Crawford as the yellow marked rubber began to fade.

    Bearman took four tenths out of Hadjar on Lap 9 as the race leader also began to struggle with his tyres despite running in clear air.

    Behind them, Martins and Crawford’s fight for third continued and the American looked to have the move done, but the ART driver defended hard and held onto the place.
    Their squabbling allowed Richard Verschoor, Paul Aron, Gabriel Bortoleto and Dino Beganovic to join their fight in the points positions.

    Bearman continued to work away at Hadjar’s advantage and broke into DRS range on lap 17 while Crawford finally got a move done on Martins.
    Verschoor was through on the ART car to take fourth place, while Bortoleto attempted to round Aron at Turn 1, but he ran out of road and had to run through the gravel.

    After getting to within half a second in the final sector, Bearman had the sliptsream he needed to attempt a pass and he dived to the inside of Hadjar to take the lead on Lap 21.

    The Frenchman’s night was made worse immediately, as he dropped to fourth with a spin at Turn 4.
    Contact between Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Kush Maini brought out a late race Safety Car as both were left stricken on the side of the track.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Bearman, P2: Crawford, P3: Verschoor, P4: Hadjar, P5: Bortoleto, P6: Maloney, P7: Aron, P8: Durksen, P9: Martins and P10: Beganovic.

    Day 3-

    It was a great start from Bortoleto who got ahead of pole-sitter Aron off the line, while debutant Dino Beganovic came out on top in the Turn 1 battle for third with Victor Martins.

    The race settled down early on until Kush Maini had a difficult start to Lap 4, dropping from P7 to P11 in the space of a few corners.

    Back at the front the top two were separated by 1.2s at the start of Lap 6. They had created a gap of over three seconds to Beganovic in third.

    But Beganovic’s teammate Jak Crawford was the first of the option tyre runners to pit from sixth. The Swede followed him in a lap later as did Aron, Martins, Verschoor and Antonelli.

    However, a VSC was soon deployed with Antonelli in the gravel in the first sector. The Italian driver complained of a broken steering wheel after having collided with Verschoor in the pitlane.
    With his car stranded, a full Safety Car was deployed, allowing Bortoleto to pit and retain the net race lead on Lap 9, but was soon given a five second penalty for failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions relating to crossing the line at pit entry.

    Racing returned on Lap 13 of 32, as Duerksen challenged Bearman for the lead, although the Brit was able to keep the position.

    However, the Safety Car was back out after Crawford and Rafael Villagomez collided at Turn 6. The former was forced to retire with a suspension issue, while the latter was stationary on track.

    The drama resumed on lap 17 as Bearman went wide at the final corner to give Duerksen the lead. The PREMA driver managed to stay within track limits, making Duerksen’s overtake before the start/finish line against the rules.

    After the Safety Car interventions, the race was run to time, and with less than 13 minutes to go, Bearman was now over four second clear out in front.

    Duerksen was now back up to second ahead of Maini, who pitted at the end of the lap, allowing Bortoleto to move up to third on the road.
    The Brazilian then got ahead of Duerksen after a multi-lap battle with just over five minutes left in the race, as Aron followed him through a lap later and Hadjar closed in.

    With under three minutes to go, Bearman and Duerksen pitted, giving Bortoleto the lead on track with four seconds separating him and his closest title rival Hadjar in third,

    Despite pushing on the last lap, Bortoleto could not create the gap needed across the line, giving Aron the victory and Hadjar second as the Brazilian dropped third.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Aron, P2: Hadjar, P3: Bortoleto, P4: Goethe, P5: Beganovic, P6: Mansell, P7: Cordeel, P8: Bennett, P9: Maloney and P10: Miyata.

  • F1 Academy – RND 6 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-
    Qualifying-

    Mercedes backed Doriane Pin secured double pole in qualifying, meaning she will start first in both races across the penultimate 2024 F1 Academy weekend.

    Alongside her on both front rows will be her PREMA Racing teammate, Ferrari’s Maya Weug, with Alpine’s Abbi Pulling have to settle for third across the two events as she chases down the Drivers’ title.

    After a delayed start to the session due to barrier repairs from an earlier event, Qualifying got underway with just 23 minutes available.

    Pin who was quickest in both Free Practice sessions on Friday, set the first representative time of the session to go top of the timesheets with a 1:55.998.
    However, it didn’t take long for Weug to beat that with a 1:55.779 with the two PREMA teammates going back and forth with the fastest times.

    As Pin found herself quickest once again, Standings’ leader Pulling tried to add to her tally of seven pole positions this season.

    Several drivers found themselves testing the limits of the circuit layout, with the likes of Haas’ Chloe Chambers driving through the gravel traps, Bianca Bustamante losing the rear of her McLaren into Turns 13 and 14 and Block experienced a spin.

    However in the end it was Pin who finished on top as she set a blistering final lap of 1:55.267, going purple in the first sector and improving on her own best time.

    Race 1-

    Abbi Pulling has secured the 2024 F1 Academy title in Qatar, despite Mercedes’ Doriane Pin claiming a dominant victory from pole position in Race 1.

    Pin had been unstoppable so far this weekend, topping every session before delivering a brilliant win in the desert in an attempt to keep her own title hopes alive.
    However, it wasn’t enough to stop Pulling from claiming the Drivers’ title with the Briton’s second place putting it out of mathematical reach.

    Pole-sitter Pin managed to hold her lead over the pack behind on the approach into Turn 1. Behind her, there was a brilliant battle for second place unfolding between Maya Weug and Pulling, as the Alpine racer managed to find a space past.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi was also on a charge at the start and made up a position from fifth, while F1 Academy Wild Card Alisha Palmowski also moved up a spot on her race debut.

    By the start of the third lap, Pin had pulled out a 1.5s gap to Pulling and continued to extend her lead lap by lap, whilst Weug dropped further off the Brit’s tail in third.

    Bustamante had an eventful outing with the McLaren driver finding the gravel on multiple occasions during the race, including at Turn 12 at the start with two big snaps of oversteer.
    She would also bring out some brief yellow flags during the final few laps as she spun out after getting her wheels in the gravel between Turn 4 and 5.

    Meanwhile attentions turned to the front as the race entered its final laps. “You have a four second gap behind so just bring it home” Pulling was told by her Rodin Motorsport team, as Pin drove off into the distance.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Pin, P2: Pulling, P3: Weug, P4: H Al Qubaisi, P5: Palmowski, P6: Block, P7: Edgar, P8: Marti, P9: Nobels and P10: De Heus.

    Day 3-

    Due to extended barrier repairs at the Lusail International Circuit, the race was cancelled.

    As a result, no points will be awarded for the race. However, Doriane Pin will receive the two points for pole position.

  • RW 23 – Qatar

    Max Verstappen took a masterful victory in a hugely eventful Qatar Grand Prix, a race which featured three Safety car appearances, numerous incidents and a few penalties…

    Having lost pole position following a one-place grid penalty for an incident in qualifying, Verstappen looked to be in fighting mode from the start, the Dutchman won the battle for the lead against Russell and Norris into Turn 1.

    It was not a straightforward drive from there, with the Safety Car appearing on the first lap after Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon were both casualties in an incident with Nico Hulkenberg.

    This proved to be the first of three Safety Car outings during the 57 lap encounter – and while the second restart saw Norris run close to Verstappen in a fight for the lead, the world champion ultimately held on and remained in the position through to the chequered flag.

    Norris meanwhile, saw what looked to be a certain podium result slip away after being handed a 10 second stop/go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags, dropping him down the field and leaving him with a battle on his hands to grab some points.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Piastri, P4: Russell, P5: Gasly, P6: Sainz, P7: Alonso, P8: Zhou, P9: Magnussen and P10: Norris.

    What a lovely result for Max! Especially after his penalty which saw him loose pole position which he did seem like it was unfair, but he soon stopped people talking with a great drive to the flag.
    However for his teammate, Sergio Perez, found himself out of the running after suffering a spin he done all on his own…

    A really good result for Leclerc, P2! This will help with his battle for second in the Drivers’ championship and 2nd in the Constructors’. Carlos done quite well as well, considering he was one of the drivers who had a puncture due to debris on track. The Constructors’ will be decided next race as Ferrari can still catch up.

    A decent race for Piastri! P3 is good, exactly what the team would’ve wanted from him at the weekend.
    A bit of a downer for Norris, who looked like he was going to bring a really good battle for the win if not the podium at least until he had the stop/go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags. But he managed to claw it somewhat back for a point.

    A decent result for Russell, he didn’t have the best start as he lost a few positions and then after that he was put on the Hard tyre and it just wasn’t the best tyre for the Mercedes (which we have seen before) however he managed to pull it back to P4.
    Not the best race for Hamilton, a puncture, a penalty and then just a bad strategy with tyres. He will be ready to move on to the last race of the season which is his last race as a Mercedes driver.

    A very good result for Gasly!! P5 wow, this has helped Alpine hop back up the Constructors’ which will make this last race weekend a good one!
    Ocon was in the collision in the first lap, which saw him DNF, which is a shame as it seemed like the track actually suited the Alpine car, so he could’ve been on for some points.

    A little mention for Zhou Guanyu for scoring his first points of the season and Kick Saubers! Which they waited for quite a while to get this season.
    Also a little mention for Alonso back in the points for the Spanish driver, and also points for Magnussen who finished P9!

    Now, we head to the last race of the season which is of course Abu Dhabi where the Constructors will be decided and P2 in the Drivers’ Championship!

  • F2 – RND 13 Day 1

    Free Practice 1-

    Paul Aron was in impressive form in Formula 2’s first session at the Lusail International Circuit after finishing at the top of the Practice leaderboard.

    The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver was in eye catching form throughout as he ended up 0.642s clear of Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto. MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor rounded out the top three.

    However, it was ART Grand Prix driver, Victor Martins that led the way early on, going to the top of the leaderbaord on a 1:43.018.

    But as the first set of laps were being completed, the Virtual Safety Car was signalled after DAMS’ debutant Dino Beganovic stopped on track with an issue.

    Action then resumed with 33 minutes left on the clock as the drivers started to return to track for their second flying laps it was Championship leader, Bortoleto that went fastest with a 1:40.366.

    The times continued to drop as the track ramped up but this time it was Aron who was quickest with a 1:39.236 putting him three-tenths clear of Bortoleto as Martins once again ended up in P3.

    Aron went even quicker on his next two attempts, first moving to a 1:38.926 before going over nine tenths fastest on his next lap to drop the benchmark to 1:38.024.

    However, there was 17 minutes left on the clock when the drivers were forced to return to the pit lane after ART’s Luke Browning beached his car in the gravel at Turn 9 bringing out the Red Flags.

    The green flag was waved with under nine minutes left leading to a flurry of activity in the pit lane as the drivers came out for their final laps of the sessions.

    Qualifying-

    Paul Aron made it a Friday weep, topping Qualifying for Hitech Pulse-Eight in impressive fashion. The Estonian driver went to the top with his first flying lap and couldn’t be dethroned.

    Championship leader, Bortoleto wounded up second, 0.3s down on the 1:35.115 of Aron, while Victor Martins rounded out the top three.

    With the early laps of the session, PREMA Racing’s Oliver Bearman put himself to the top with a 1:38.065, 0.125s quicker than familiar foe Martins.

    The track evolution continued to be rapid and on the next go around, Bortoleto set the time to beat with a 1:36.914. Bearman, Martins and then Aron bettered his time, the Hitech driver quickest again on a 1:36.614.

    While Bearman and Aron opted to pit, Bortoleto continued to do a third push lap, and he set a 1:36.586 to take over at the halfway stage with direct title rival Hadjar in 13th.

    With 12 minutes to go, drivers returned to the track with fresh Mediums fitted, but the first of the final attempts came with seven minutes left on the clock.

    Aron lowered the time to beat a 1:36.088 with an impressive final sector, while Bortoleto filtered through 0.3s down on that effort in P2.

    Inside the final five minutes and the track ramped up once more, and Richard Verschoor lifted himself into P1, but Aron had yet another answer for his rivals.
    Bortoleto responded and closed the gap down once more but was 0.023s down in second position.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Aron, P2: Bortoleto, P3: Martins, P4: Beganovic, P5: Verschoor, P6: Crawford, P7: Maini, P8: Goethe, P9: Hadjar and P10: Bearman.

  • F1 Academy – RND 6 Day 1

    Free Practice 1-

    Doriane Pin’s dream of keeping her title hopes alive got off to an ideal start as the PREMA Racing star topped the first practice session around Lusail.

    Abbi Pulling of Rodin Motorsport was close behind in second, as the Alpine driver tries to secure the Drivers’ title this race weekend.

    Aurelia Nobels in her ART Grand Prix machine was the first to hit the track, but it wasn’t long before she was joined on track by the MP Motorsport duo of Emely De Heus and Amna Al Qubaisi.

    It was a slow start to the session for Standings’ leader Pulling, who had an issue with her car’s starter motor. The Brit spent the first part of the session in the pit lane but got out on track with just under 20 minutes of the session to go.

    Rodin Motorsport’s Jess Edgar looked comfortable around the Lusail circuit as she went top of the timesheets early and continued to improve over the practice session.
    Hamda Al Qubaisi tried her best to knock her off the top spot, but despite going purple in the first and second sectors, was unable to beat the 1:57.592s benchmark set by Edgar.

    With the track improving, Doriane Pin of PREMA Racing put her Mercedes to the top with a time of 1:56.654s. This would be he quickest time of the session with Pulling getting close to her title rival.

    Free Practice 2-

    Doriane Pin made it two-for-two in the second Free Practice in Lusail, edging ahead of title rival Abbi Pulling at the chequered flag.

    It was a closely-fought session, with the top three separated by only 0.142s as Wild Card driver Alisha Palmowski made her mark in third.

    Driving under the floodlights around the Lusail International Circuit, the field had their eyes on preparing for both tomorrow afternoon’s Qualifying and their first-ever night race.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi was the first to get a time on the board, clocking a 1:58.348 as the initial benchmark. Setting the field’s quickest time yet in Qatar, Standings leader Pulling went top on a 1:56.453, whilst Chloe Chambers slotted into second in the Haas-liveried car.

    The Brit continued to lower the time to beat to a 1:56.038, before Maya Weug eclipsed her effort by 0.019s. Pulling quickly regained the top spot on a 1:55.785, going two tenths clear of the Ferrari driver as Palmowski climbed into the top three.

    Less than seven minutes were left on the clock as the fight for P1 ramped up. Block seized the top spot on a 1:55.517, only for the Williams driver to be immediately beaten by Palmowski’s 1:55.477.

    Pin then went fastest of all on a 1:55.043, whilst Pulling kept in close range of the Mercedes driver, sitting in just six hundredths adrift.
    Entering their final attempts, Palmowski staked her claim on the quickest effort of the day, becoming the first driver to break into the 1:54s and putting her 0.107s ahead of Pin.

    The top spot then shifted into Pin’s hands on a 1:54.914 until Pulling wrestled it away by 0.019s. It appeared to be job done, but Pin wasn’t finished just yet and snatched the fastest lap away from the Alpine driver with a 1:54.794.

  • RW 23 – Tyre Selection

    Formula 1 now heads to Qatar after Max Verstappen won the Drivers’ title in Las Vegas for a fourth consecutive year, however three teams are still in with a chance to claim the Constructors’ title as there is still 103 points on the table.

    The last back-to-back of the longest ever Formula 1 season gets underway in Qatar, the sixth Grand Prix weekend to run the Sprint format this season.

    An eleven hour time difference separate Doha from Las Vegas. They are both night races, held on the edge of large deserts, but that’s where the similarities end.

    When it comes to the tyres to be used Pirelli have picked C3 (Soft), C2 (Medium), C1 (Hard). With the Lusail track, the tyres are subjected to energy levels comparable to those at Suzuka and Silverstone so the hardest of compounds will be used.

    This is the third edition of the Qatar Grand Prix, the two previous events having been held in 2021 and 2023.
    Last year the weekend was affected by a decision taken by the FIA, imposing a maximum of 18 on the number of laps that one set of tyres could complete in the race, which led to all the driver making three pit stops.

    Over the past few months, the FIA and Pirelli have worked together to prepare for this Grand Prix to ensure that what happened last year will not be repeated.
    The pyramid-shaped kerbs have had their tips rounded off at seven of the track’s 16 corners.

    It’s hard to avoid the high temperature emanating from the Lusail track which was resurfaced in time for last year’s Grand Prix, to the extent that graining could be a feature.
    This could have a significant impact on race strategy with the tyres possibly suffering from significant thermal degradation.

  • AIX Racing confirm Shields for rest of season

    AIX Racing have confirmed that Cian Shields will see out the rest of the Formula 2 season with the team, replacing Niels Koolen for the Lusail and Yas Marina rounds.

    Shields steps up to F2 after a single season in Formula 3 where he achieved a best result of 14th at the Barcelona Sprint Race.

    Prior to that, the 19 year old finished as the runner up in the 2023 Euroformula Open Championship thanks to 10 podiums which included four wins.

    He is now set to step up to Formula 2 for the final two rounds of the season with AIX, an opportunity he is delighted to be getting.

    I’m super excited to be joining AIX Racing for the final two rounds of the FIA Formula 2 Championship in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. I’m looking forward to this fantastic opportunity and ready to make an impact with the team, giving it everything in these last races.
    Shields on the news.

  • Alisha Palmowski confirmed as Wild Card

    Alisha Palmowski will line up on the F1 Academy grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 6 of the 2024 season in Qatar.

    The British racer will take to the track at the Lusail International Circuit off the back of a successful debut season in single-seaters.

    Competing in the 2024 GB4 Championship, the 18 year old clinched the Vice Champion honours with three wins, two pole positions and 11 podiums – more than any other driver in the field.

    Palmowski will be in action in the number 6 F1 Academy Discover Your Drive – liveried car, operated by PREMA Racing, to highlight the success of the global programme which aims to increase the talent pool of young women entering motorsport.

    So far, four Wild Cards have featured on an F1 Academy grid – Reema Juffali, Courtney Crone, Nina Gademan and Ella Lloyd, with the drivers gaining valuable experience and exposure from the series’ global platform.

    I’m very excited to be the Wild Card Entry in Qatar, it’s an incredible opportunity and one I never could have dreamt of 12 months ago. This will be my first race outside of the UK, and for it be on the F1 ACADEMY grid as a support series to Formula 1 is a dream come true. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at F1 ACADEMY, and of course Susie Wolff, for giving me this opportunity to learn and hopefully secure a seat on the grid for next year.
    Palmowski on her F1 Academy debut.

    Our global F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE programme identifies, supports and nurtures future talent, both on and off track. On track, the programme provides opportunities for talented young drivers to develop their skills and performance, as well as a platform to showcase their potential on an international stage. We’re delighted to welcome Alisha as our Round 6 Wild Card, and we look forward to seeing her in action in the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE livery.
    Katie Denver, F1 Academy Driver Development Lead.

  • Max Esterson to finish 2024 with Trident

    Trident have confirmed that Max Esterson will drive for the team for the remainder of the 2024 Formula 2 campaign.
    The American driver steps up from Formula 3 and replaces Richard Verschoor for the Lusail and Yas Marina Rounds.

    Esterson made his full-time Formula 3 debut this year with Jenzer Motorsport, securing a front row start at Silverstone as well as two points-scoring results across the season.

    Prior to F3, Esterson began his racing career on iRacing, before making the switch to Formula Ford in the UK and winning the Formula Ford Festival in 2022.

    It’s great to be making the step up to Formula 2, even if it’s a little sooner than I had imagined. Just two years ago I was running a Formula Ford and winning the FF Festival, and now I’m about to make my debut in Formula 2. It’s all happened quickly but the people closest to me are all confident about my ability to successfully make the jump. I’ve been working hard with the team at Trident and feel I’m well prepared and ready to go. I want to give a special thanks to Maurizio Salvadori and Giacomo Ricci for making this happen, and to the rest of the Trident team for making me feel so welcome.
    Esterson on the news.

    We are excited to finally be working with Max in a race situation. We first met him over two years ago when he was still driving Formula Fords and have closely followed his progress since then. He had some very strong outings this year in FIA Formula 3, his first year in international competition, especially as he was with one of the smallest teams, and on circuits which were almost all new to him. He is smart and has a mature, calm personality; he is hard working, and while he has already shown great pace, he is only in his fourth full year of racing and still learning – so we’re excited to see his progress this year.
    Trident Team Manager, Giacomo Ricci.

  • Verschoor switches to MP Motorsport

    MP Motorsport have announced that Richard Verschoor will complete the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season with the team, and confirmed he will race for them in 2025.

    The Dutch driver returns to the team he made his Formula 2 debut with back in 2021, replacing Dennis Hauger for the final two rounds of the current season.

    Verschoor has achieved four race wins across his F2 career, and earned a further eight podium finishes, with four of those coming in 2024.

    Previously, the Dutch combination won the Macau FIA F3 World Cup back in 2019 and ahead of his return to the MP cockpit in Lusail.

    Signing up with MP for more Formula 2 feels like coming home. I spent half of my entire racing career with MP, so it means a lot to me that we are able to move forward together for 2025 while also adding the two final 2024 rounds at Losail and Yas Marina. It’s been a partnership that has led to success in Formula 4, Formula 3 and Formula 2, including that legendary victory at Macau. I can’t wait to travel to Qatar and go back to working with the team once again.
    Verschoor on the news.

    I’m extremely happy to welcome back Richard for another season in Formula 2. We have celebrated many wins together, so it’s a true privilege to tap into his wealth of Formula 2 knowledge as we head towards a new season. Richard returning to the MP fold is testament to the way we go racing as a family, and he has always fitted right in. Meanwhile, I would like to thank Dennis for his huge contribution to the team in the past two F2 seasons. Three wins, nine podiums and two poles is no mean feat, and I am certain that he will take his career to a new level in North America.
    MP Motorsport Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.

  • DAMS Lucas Oil confirm Beganovic for rest of season

    DAMS Lucas Oil have confirmed that Dino Beganovic will replace Juan Manuel Correa for the final two rounds of the 2024 Formula 2 season.

    Beganovic steps up to the second tier fresh from a Formula 3 campaign in which he fought for the Championship until the final round, finishing the season in sixth in the Standings, with two victories and an additional two podiums.

    Prior to F3, the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy prospect won the 2022 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine after also enjoying a trophy-laden karting career.

    Beganovic will now graduate to F2 with DAMS, replacing Correa in Lusail for Round 12 and at the season finale in Yas Marina.

    I can’t wait to make my Formula 2 debut with DAMS Lucas Oil, who has so much history as well as tremendous drive to achieve great results. This feels like the natural next step in my career, and I’m ready for the challenge in an extremely competitive championship. My aim for these two races is to learn as much as possible and to be scoring points in my first F2 action in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
    Beganovic on the news.

    We’re excited to take on a talent like Dino for the remainder of the season. It’s a step up from Formula 3 and a very competitive championship, but we’re confident that with the help of the team Dino can be competitive in these final two rounds. He has an excellent racing CV, and we believe he has what it takes to fight for strong points. I would also like to thank JM for his efforts this season, it was a pleasure to work with him and we wish him all the best for the future.
    DAMS Lucas Oil Team Owner, Charles Pic.

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas

    Max Verstappen became a four-time world champion with an assured drive to fifth place during Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, while pole sitter, George Russell and the charging Lewis Hamilton earned a one-two finish for Mercedes!

    Verstappen entered the 50 lap encounter knowing that all he needed to do was keep title rival Lando Norris behind him to secure another title, which the Dutchman achieved by holding position into the first corner and gradually pulled away from the British driver.

    Having held a podium spot after the second round of pit stops, Verstappen opted against a fight when the Ferrari’s arrived at the rear of his Red Bull in the closing laps – both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finding a way past before the chequered flag.

    At the front, Russell expertly managed a tricky race in cool, slippery conditions, keeping a fast-starting Leclerc at bay in the early laps – the latter running into tyre troubles as a result of that aggression – and controlling proceedings thereafter.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Russell, P2: Hamilton, P3: Sainz, P4: Leclerc, P5: Verstappen, P6: Norris, P7: Piastri, P8: Hulkenberg, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Perez.

    What a result for Mercedes, 1-2 for the team!! Coming into the weekend I would’ve been surprised however because they’ve had a very strong weekend it wasn’t too much of a shock.
    George kept his cool and grabbed the win from pole position and Lewis just had a superb drive from P10 to P2, it does make you think if he had qualified well, could he of got this win?
    An overall note though from the race is that the Mercs were just flying and no-one could really challenge them so it will be interesting to see if this happens again in the final two races…

    A very good result for Ferrari especially with the battle of the Constructors’ Championship still to win. Sainz finished 3rd and Leclerc 4th! There was a few words said after the race from Leclerc with the radio message. It will be interesting to see how the team goes forward with two races left.

    P5 for Verstappen, I think in an ideal world he would’ve loved to win the race and claim his fourth Championship. However, he got it done with two races left! A big congratulations to Max and Red Bull for a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship it’s not an easy task!
    His teammate had made some good overtakes in the race to finish 10th so his managed to score a point, but it’s still very dissapointing.

    A not so good weekend for McLaren, they were kind of nowhere, didn’t really do anything amazing as the pace just wasn’t there. Norris finished 6th and Piastri in 7th, so still a decent haul of points but still not good enough.

    A very good result for both Hulkenberg who finished in P8 and Tsunoda who finished P9, it will help the teams massively in the Constructors’ and with two races left they will be trying to grab as many points as they can.

    A disappointing race for Pierre Gasly, as he DNF’ed from starting P3. He had smoke exiting the rear of his pink Alpine, he was forced to pit lane and retire from the race.

    We don’t have too long to wait till the next race as its this week! And it is the return of the Sprint in Qatar…

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas Qualifying

    Mercedes driver George Russell, stormed to pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz and the flying Alpine of Pierre Gasly in Friday night’s pulsating qualifying session.

    Having topped final practice and led the way after the first Q3 runs, Russell posted a time of 1m 32.312s on his final lap to secure the top spot and end a run of Ferrari and McLaren poles stretching back to his P1 at Silverstone in July.

    Sainz was a tenth of a second back, while Pierre Gasly and Alpine built on their sensational double podium finish last time out at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to deliver another eye-catching result in third place.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Russell, P2: Sainz, P3: Gasly, P4: Leclerc, P5: Verstappen, P6: Norris, P7: Tsunoda, P8: Piastri, P9: Hulkenberg and P10: Hamilton.

    A lovely little result for Russell and Mercedes, especially as they have been having good results all weekend so far in the practice sessions. It’s a shame for Lewis to have a lap time deleted as it looked like he would of been top 3 if he carried on the way the practice sessions went.

    What a result for Mr Pierre Gasly!! They have clearly brought upgrades before Brazil and they clearly work or it’s just their car suiting these last few tracks. Who knows but they may aswell keep enjoying it!

    A good qualifying for Ferrari! P2 for Sainz and P4 for Leclerc. They will be hoping for a good result for both drivers as they have got the Constructors’ fight to think about..

    A not so good result for both Verstappen and Norris, P5 and P6 respectively. It will be an interesting race, as Verstappen can win his fourth world championship this weekend! Norris will need to pull something special out the bag in the race to keep the fight going for another week!

    A good result for Tsunoda! P7, what a lovely result! As well as Hulkenberg who qualified P9 too, they will both be wanting to grab some points this weekend!

    A disappointing result for Perez who has qualified in P16, this isn’t what the team needs unfortunately, they are going to be losing so much ground in the Constructors’ with these awful results… He needs to get in the points this weekend to make it a better weekend.

    Awful qualifying for Aston Martin, P20 for Stroll and P17 for Alonso, I still don’t understand to this day how they done so well last year compared to how bad they’ve done this year, it’s just so strange.

    It feels incredible to be back on pole. We’ve been so quick all weekend and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap… that’s going to be the one that counts. It doesn’t matter what’s happened before then. I had a bit of a moment on my first run and we had to change the front wing, so there was a moment when I thought we weren’t going to make the flag. I’m just so happy. We’ve got to do some deep diving to understand why we’ve been so quick so far this weekend because it was a real surprise.
    Russell on pole.

  • Kick Sauber confirm Bortoleto for 2025

    Brazilian racer Gabriel Bortoleto will be making his Formula 1 debut in 2025 after signing a multi-year deal with Sauber / Audi, with the team confirming that they are parting ways with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

    Bortoleto fended off competition from 10 time race winner Bottas to secure the seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg in an all new lineup for the Hinwil based team next season and in 2026 when the team become Audi’s work squad.

    The 20 year old reigning F3 Champion from 2023 is currently leading the F2 Championship with two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to go.

    He signed for Fernando Alonso’s driver management company A14 in 2022 and last year joined the McLaren driver programme, which gave him his first taste of F1 machinery with a test at the Red Bull Ring in a 2022 spec McLaren.

    Bortoleto has impressed with his consistency in F2 this year with Invicta Racing, scoring two wins and three further podiums to lead Isack Hadjar by 4.5 points.

    His Sauber/Audi deal will make him the fourth full-time rookie on the 2025 grid, joining Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Alpine’s Jack Doohan and Haas’ Ollie Bearman.

    He is also the first full time Brazilian Grand Prix driver since Felipe Massa, who retired at the end of 2017. His appearance comes after countryman Pietro Fittipaldi subbed in for Romain Grosjean for two Grands Prix in 2020.

    Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver. We are very pleased that he will become a team member of Sauber and Audi. Together with Gabriel, we are on a journey towards success, and we will evolve into a unified force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future.
    Sauber COO and CTO, Mattia Binotto.

    This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports. Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honour. Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent, and I am confident that together, we will write our own success story.
    Bortoleto on the news.

    Led by Mattia, Audi’s Formula 1 project is making great progress in many areas. The signing of the second driver is another milestone. We are currently witnessing a generational shift in Formula One, with young drivers immediately making an impact. By signing Gabriel Bortoleto, we have secured one of these top talents. His signing underscores Audi’s long-term strategy and commitment to Formula 1.
    Chairman of the Board of Sauber Motorsport AG Gernot Dollner.

  • RW 22 – Tyre Selection

    The Las Vegas Grand Prix is the third round this year to be held in the United States, following on from Miami and Austin.

    After the 7.004 kilometre-long Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the Nevadan track is the second longest on the calendar at 6.201 kilometres.
    It features 17 corners, tackled over 50 times in the race. It is a high speed venue, with three straights and top speeds that hit 350 km/h last year.

    Once again this year, track action begins with two free practice sessions getting underway on Thursday, leading up to the race on Saturday night, run entirely under the floodlights.

    As has become the normal for street circuits, Pirelli has selected the three softest compounds in the race – C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    The main challenge on the tyre front will be the warm up, especially during qualifying and for the front axle in particular. Drivers will have to be careful to bring the tyres up to temperature without overworking them, avoiding any lock-ups at the heaviest braking points.

    Furthermore, low temperatures lead to reduction in grips and that can cause increased graining.
    These factors could lead to a speeding up of the wear process, which suggests a two-stop strategy, which was in fact the most popular choice last year.
    However a one-stop can still be quite competitive, especially if the driver gradually brings the tyres up to temperature, prolonging its life over a long stint.

    As always on a street circuit, red flags and Safety Cars are a strong probability with all the unknowns that can bring, including a restart in terms of tyre temperature management.

  • Andretti sign Jak Crawford as Reserve

    Andretti have announced that Jak Crawford has joined the team as its official Reserve and Development Driver for Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    Crawford joins Season 9 World Champion Jake Dennis and Formula E veteran Nico Mueller to complete Andretti’s lineup for Season 11.

    Crawford returns to the team after an impressive Formula E debut at the 2024 Berlin E-Prix Rookie Test where he demonstrated a strong understanding of the Andretti Porsche 99X Electric finishing the day second overall in classification.

    The American has quickly climbed the motorsport ranks from winning multiple karting championships to competing in Formula 2 with DAMS Lucas Oil and becoming part of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team’s Young Driver Development program this year.

    Building on his experience, Crawford will play an integral role in the team’s Gen3 Evo development through simulator development and setup testing at Andretti Formula E’s Banbury headquarters.

    I’m very excited to be the official Reserve and Development Driver for the Andretti Formula E team in Season 11. Growing up in America, Andretti is such a household name in motorsports so it’s a privilege to have the opportunity to be part of the team. I’m keen to learn as much about the car as possible from both Jake and Nico, and to play a role on the development side through simulator work. I’m looking forward to getting started and to hopefully have the chance to get more experience in the car.
    Crawford on the news.

    We are very pleased to announce that Jak is taking a more permanent role with the Andretti Formula E team as our Reserve and Development Driver. His debut with us at the Berlin Rookie Test was very impressive and he immediately showed strong pace. When the opportunity of a Reserve and Development Driver arose, Jak was immediately of interest. He has demonstrated a mature approach through his second season in Formula 2, and since his appearance with us, has already achieved a win and three additional podiums. We look forward to his contributions in helping improve the team’s performance though his active role driving the simulator.
    Team Principal, Roger Griffiths.

  • Campos Racing sign Tsolov for 2025

    Campos Racing have finalised their driver lineup for the 2025 Formula 3 campaign having confirmed that Nikola Tsolov is set to race for the Spanish team next season.

    Tsolov returns for a third year in Formula 3 and after a campaign in which he achieved three victories and finished 11th in the Drivers’ Championship with ART Grand Prix.

    But he reunites now with Campos, where he has enjoyed previous success having won the Spanish F4 Championship with the team back in 2022.

    Tsolov was part of Alpine’s junior programme for two seasons. The Bulgarian announced the news on his socials.
    And since he has made a deal with Red Bull, becoming one of their junior drivers and joins the likes of Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar.

    I couldn’t be happier and more thankful for joining Campos Racing again in FIA F3 for next year. Great opportunity for me as I have a successful past with the team winning in F4 Spain so it feels like going back home again. We target to continue our dominant history together!
    Tsolov on the news.

    It is a pleasure to reunite with Nikola, a driver we have excellent memories of. He took his first steps in single-seaters with Campos Racing, winning the title in his first experience with us, and did so in an overwhelming manner. In the post-season tests we have conducted, we performed at a very high level in Jerez and Barcelona. I am confident that we are on the verge of a great year together.
    Team Principal, Adrian Campos Jr.

  • Roman Bilinski completes Rodin Motorsport’s lineup

    Rodin Motorsport have confirmed that Roman Bilinski will race for the team next season, completing their driver lineup for the 2025 Formula 3 campaign.

    Bilinski makes the step up to Formula 3 after winning the 2024 Formula Regional Oceania Championship thanks to his six victories and 12 podiums in total.

    He also took part in 12 races of this year’s Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, achieving one podium and eight points paying results in total in a season affected by injury.

    Not only this, the 20 year old has previously taken part in two seasons of FRECA and prior to that competed in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the British F4 Championship.

    In 2021, he also raced in the GB3 Championship where he secured three wins, and four podiums to finish seventh in the Standings.

    His teammates for 2025 will be Louis Sharp and Callum Voisin, having also taken part in both post-season tests in Jerez and Barcelona.

    This is really a great opportunity for me and I am looking forward to starting the new season. Rodin has shown that it is an excellent platform for a young driver to be and I intend to make the most of this opportunity, while doing the best possible job for the team. I want to thank everyone in the team for giving me the chance to prove myself at the maximum level and my sponsors and my family for supporting me again.
    Bilinski on the new seat.

    We are pleased to welcome Roman to the Rodin Motorsport team and look forward to working with him next season. He’s already been testing with us in Jerez and Barcelona and has been not only fantastic to work with, but a driver who has really impressed us since he stepped in the car – I can’t wait to hit the ground running next season with him on board.
    Sam Waple, Rodin Motorsport Team Manager.

  • Rafaela Ferreira signs with RB

    RB have announced that they will be fielding Brazilian driver Rafaela Ferreira for the 2025 F1 Academy season.

    Ferreira stepped up to single seater after achieving karting success in her home country, becoming the first women to score a pole position in the 2022 Copa Brasil de Kart, where she finished fourth in the Championship.

    The following year she secured one podium in the F4 Brazilian Championship, racing at the Interlagos Circuit during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

    Returning for a second campaign this year, she made history as the series’ first female winner and currently sits fourth in the Championship, with two wins and a further five podiums to her name.

    The team also took the opportunity to thank current driver, Amna Al Qubaisi for her hard work this season, with the Emirati driver set to depart F1 Academy as she reaches her maximum two-season stint.

    I’m extremely happy to be driving for the Visa Cash App RB Academy Programme in F1 ACADEMY in 2025. This opportunity represents a big step in my career, and is a dream come true to work with a team that has so much talent. I’m determined to give my best and go after great results. It’ll be something new for me, but I’m confident that we will achieve a lot together. I’m already preparing and am excited for next year!
    Ferreira on the news.

    Everyone at the Team is hugely excited to welcome Rafaela to the VCARB family. Rafaela is an exceptional emerging Brazilian talent, and we’re pleased to share this global, and empowering, platform to compete, race, and grow together. F1 ACADEMY has been a great success this season, the exposure that it’s generated for women’s motorsport is revolutionary. I hope we can continue to inspire the next generation of female talent in motorsports, and we look forward to seeing Rafaela grow and flourish as a driver. The Team would also like to thank Amna for her commitment across the season, we look forward to watching her progress and wish her the best of luck in the next phase of her career.
    RB Team Principal, Laurent Mekies.

    We’ve been impressed by Rafaela’s performance this season and are very pleased to welcome her to the Team and work with her in F1 ACADEMY in 2025. Rafaela has great talent and potential and has already cemented herself as a race winner in Brazil. I’m looking forward to supporting her development and am excited to see what next season brings.
    Red Bull Academy Programme Manager, Sarah Harrington.

  • Nicola Lacorte joins DAMS for 2025

    DAMS Lucas Oil has confirmed their second driver for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with Nicola Lacorte joining the team.

    The Alpine Academy driver joins the French team for what will be his rookie campaign after competing in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2024.

    Lacorte also raced in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship this season, where he secured a race victory and podium finish.

    Prior to that, the 17 year old raced in the Euro 4 and Italian F4 Championships. He is the second confirmed driver at DAMS after Matias Zagazeta’s signing was announced.

    Speaking about joining DAMS, Lacorte said that he was looking to take what he’d learned in FRECA and apply it to F3 next year.

    I’m delighted to sign for DAMS Lucas Oil for next season, considering their great history in Formula 2. I’ve learnt a lot from my experiences of 30 car grids in FRECA this year, which will be important with a similar size field in F3. My goal for the campaign is to maximise my performance and look to score points whenever possible.
    Lacorte on the news.

    It’s great to have Nicola on board for 2025 following the tests in Jerez and Barcelona earlier this month. We’re looking forward to seeing him develop throughout the campaign. With the team’s proven methods in other series, we’re aiming to help one another to achieve great results.
    Charles Pic, DAMS Team Owner.

  • Callum Voisin sticks with Rodin

    Rodin Motorsport have confirmed their second driver for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 season, with Callum Voisin re-signing with the team for next year.

    The British driver completed his rookie campaign in the Championship this year, securing a maiden victory in the Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race, along with a pole position and one further podium, as well as six top 10 finishes in total.

    Prior to Formula 3, Voisin won the GB3 Championship in 2023 and also competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2021 where he finished sixth.

    He joins the previously announced Louis Sharp as a confirmed Rodin driver for 2025.

    I am absolutely delighted to be teaming with Rodin Motorsport once again for the 2025 FIA F3 season. It will be my fourth year in this team so it really does feel like a second home. We made a huge amount of progress last year including winning and taking pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix last year. Going into my second season of F3 there is only one goal in mind and I will give it everything to make sure we achieve that. I would like to thank RDA UK and Edge Management for their continued support, As well as Rodin Motorsport for once again putting their trust in me.
    Voisin on the news.

    We are so pleased to have Callum back with the team for another season. This will be his fourth season as part of the wider Rodin Motorsport family and we are really looking forward to continuing to work with Callum and his team. Having that continuity will be a great help in getting used to this new F3 chassis and I have no doubt that he’ll be a strong contender for this upcoming season.
    Sam Waple, Rodin Motorsport F3 Team Manager.

  • Bruno Del Pino joins MP for 2025

    MP Motorsport have confirmed their second driver for next season, with Bruno Del Pino joining the Dutch team for the 2025 season.

    Del Pino took part in post-season testing for the team, finishing the second test in Barcelona seventh overall and as the lead MP driver.
    He joins Tim Tramnnitz as being confirmed for the 2025 season.

    Del Pino raced for MP in the Eurocup-3 series for the past two years and is currently third in the Standings with seven race victories to his name along with one pole position and three fastest laps.

    Speaking about his promotion to F3 with the team, Del Pino said he was very excited to get started on a new challenge.

    It’s fantastic news that I’m graduating to Formula 3, and it couldn’t be with a better team than MP Motorsport. In my two years with the team, they have made me feel at home in an environment that has helped me to get the best out of myself. It was wonderful to bag our first wins together this season, and it’s with these positive conditions that we will continue our successful collaboration, as we embark on a fresh challenge in F3.
    Del Pino on the news.

    I’m delighted to welcome Bruno in our in our 2025 FIA F3 line-up to partner Tim. Bruno deciding to stay us is testament to the family atmosphere at MP, and further proof of our motto of accelerating talent. This year, he has been a revelation in Eurocup-3, and it’s our goal to transfer that form to the new F3 car for 2025. In the process, Bruno has shown that Eurocup-3 is a viable route into Formula 3, where I’m certain he will flourish.
    MP Motorsport Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.