Jordan's Track Talk

Author: jordanlhaynes

  • Maini completes Campos line-up

    Kush Maini will be joining Campos Racing for next year’s FIA Formula 2 campaign the team has confirmed. With the 22 year old will be partnering Ralph Boschung, having been confirmed earlier this month.

    The Indian driver made his single-seater debut back in 2016 in the Italian F4 Championship. He subsequently graduated through British Formula 3, Formula Renault Eurocup and eventually FIA Formula 3.

    Maini moves up to F2 after finishing this years F3 season 14th in the Drivers Championship, having recorded a best finish of third with that result coming in the Budapest Sprint Race.

    On behalf of Campos Racing, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Kush. He is a very committed, professional racing driver with a great work capacity, so we expect he will be able to complete a strong rookie season next year. He carried out some strong performances in FIA Formula 3 this season and hopefully he will make further improvements in the ultra-competitive FIA F2 Championship.

    Team Principal, Adrian Campos.

    Super happy to be joining Campos Racing team! I’ve spent some time with the team at their workshop and really enjoyed the atmosphere and the professionalism, looking forward to the three-day test at Abu Dhabi to officially start our relationship together! I would like to thank Mumbai Falcons, Omega Seiki Mobility and JK Racing for all their support

    Kush Maini.

  • Novalak reunites with Trident

    Trident have confirmed that Clement Novalak will be driving for the team next season in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

    The Frenchman will reunite with the outfit he last drove with in 2021 on his way to third place in FIA Formula 3, where he claimed four podiums and 147 points.

    Novalak finished 14th in the F2 Driver’s Championship this season, taking 40 points and a season-best result of P2 in the Zandvoort Sprint Race. He and teammate, Felipe Drugovich helped MP Motorsport claim their first Teams’ Championship title in the process.

    Team Principal, Giacomo Ricci said that Novalak’s return to the team would bring useful experience from his year with Champions MP Motorsport.

    We are proud to welcome Clément Novalak back to our family. He is a driver with undeniable and undisputed value who did really well with Trident Motorsport in Formula 3 and achieving the third position in 2021 Championship. Novalak brings a year of experience with him in Formula 2 and I’m sure he will be able to make an important contribution to the team.

    Giacomo Ricci.

    I’m extremely happy to be heading back to Trident. We had an amazing partnership together in 2021 and I’m very proud to be wearing their colours again. I’d like to thank Mr. Salvadori for the trust and I’m hoping we can have an amazing 2023 full of success.

    Novalak on his move.

  • Leclerc graduates to F2

    DAMS have announced that Ferrari junior, Arthur Leclerc will be joining the French team for his debut Formula 2 season in 2023.

    Leclerc steps up off the back of two solid Formula 3 campaigns with PREMA Racing, where he scored victories in his rookie season at Le Castellet and Zandvoort.

    Returning for a second campaign this year, the 22 year old finished sixth in the Drivers’ Championship with one win in the Silverstone feature race and further feature race podium in Sakhir.

    He got his first taste of F2 machinery with DAMS during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit this week.

    The Monegasque driver has been steadily rising through the ranks across the past five seasons. His debut year in single-seaters came in 2018 French F4 Champuonship where he finished fifth, before switching over to the ADAC Formula 4 Championship the following year, finishing third.

    In 2020, Leclerc scored six victories, 12 podiums and eight pole positions on his way to claiming second in the Formula Regional European Championship Standings with PREMA and continued with the team on his move up to F3. At the start of 2022, he also took third in the Formula Regional Asian Championship.

    I’m delighted to be making the step up to Formula 2 with DAMS in 2023. They’re a very successful team that has achieved great results in the championship, and I hope I can be a part of that and continue the team’s success. Charles Pic has done an amazing job to help the team back to winning ways throughout the season and I’m aiming to keep that going next year. We’ve a lot of work to do before the start of the new campaign in Bahrain in March, and I’m really looking forward to getting started in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi!

    Leclerc on his move.

    It’s great to have Arthur join DAMS for 2023. We’ve seen his talent and skill throughout his career so far, and he’s shown in the last two years in F3 that he’s capable of challenging for victories. We’re excited to have him in the car for the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, preparing for next season. The team is aiming for a strong campaign in 2023, and we’ve no doubt that the addition of Arthur will help us towards our goals.

    DAMS Team Owner, Charles Pic.

  • Vesti to PREMA

    Frederik Vesti will be driving for PREMA Racing, the team has confirmed. The Dane will swap from ART Grand Prix for next season, reuniting with the Italian team for the first time since 2020.

    During his last spell with PREMA, Vesti captured the Formula Regional European Championship title in 2019, the following year he finished fourth in the FIA Formula 3 Championship before switching to ART for the 2021 F3 season.

    This year, Vesti finished ninth in the Driver’s Championship on 117 points in what was his rookie F2 campaign, he took a maiden victory in Baku Spritn Race and a further four podium finishes.

    We are delighted to welcome Frederik back. He is a quick and hard-working driver, which we already had the chance to appreciate in 2019 and 2020. We are obviously looking forward to joining forces again and seeing what we will be able to achieve together next season. With his skills and the experience, he has matured. We expect him to be a contender and we are determined to support him the best way we can.

    Rene Rosin, PREMA Team Principal.

    To join PREMA Racing for the 2023 Formula 2 season is great news for me. I have known PREMA since 2019 when we won the Formula Regional European Championship together. PREMA is an amazing place to be at and in my opinion gives me the best opportunity to fight for the F2 title in 2023! I have big dreams and PREMA is the team I believe that I can achieve those dreams with. There is no doubt that 2023 F2 is going to be incredibly close, but I will give my everything to be fast and consistent throughout the season.

    Frederik Vesti on his new seat.

  • Williams confirm Sargeant

    Williams have confirmed that American driver, Logan Sargeant will be stepping into a full-time race seat alongside Alex Albon for 2023, following the conclusion of the 2022 Formula 2 season.

    Sargeant headed into the Abu Dhabi F2 season finale, needing to score 10 super licence points in order to meet the required threshold to compete in Formula 1 – with Sargeant easily surpassing that figure by securing P4 in the final drivers’ standings.

    Therefore he met the criteria set out by Williams Team Principal, Jost Capito earlier in the year, with Williams duly handing the race seat to Sargeant, having announced in September that they would be parting company with Nicholas Latifi after three seasons.

    Sargeant will become the first driver to fly the flag for the United States of American on the F1 grid since Alexander Rossi in 2015.

    We’re delighted to officially announce Logan as our driver for next year after qualifying for a Super Licence following the final F2 event of the season in Abu Dhabi. Logan completes our exciting driver line-up for 2023 alongside Alex. Since joining our Driver Academy at the end of 2021, Logan has been able to fully integrate with the team at Grove while on the simulator and more recently at track during the four free practice sessions he’s participated in. He’s had a strong rookie season in Formula 2, and we are excited to watch him make the step up in Formula 1. We are here to support that journey with him.

    Jost Capito on his 2023 line-up.

    It’s a huge honour and a dream come true to be given this opportunity to compete in Formula 1 with Williams Racing. A massive thank you to every person at Williams Racing and Dorilton Motor Sports for the support they’ve given me since the day I first joined the team at the 2021 United States Grand Prix. Being a part of the Williams Driver Academy for the past year has given me an important platform to develop as a driver and prepare me for this next chapter. I’m ready and excited to be a part of this journey as the team looks to progress up the grid

    Logan Sargeant on his 2023 seat.

    To be able to give Logan the opportunity to compete in Formula 1 for Williams Racing next year after being an integral part of our Driver Academy is a proud moment for the team. Seeing a driver from the Academy getting in our F1 seat is a motivation for all the other Academy drivers and demonstrates legitimacy of the programme and the platform it provides. We are not only preparing him on track, but will be working hard over the winter off track to ensure he’s in the best possible position to start 2023.

    Sven Smeets, Sporting Director of Williams

  • O’Sullivan to PREMA

    PRMEA Racing have announced that Williams junior, Zak O’Sullivan will be joining them for his second Formula 3 season, completing their driver line-up for the 2023 campaign.

    17 year old O’Sullivan finished 11th in the Drivers’ Championship this year for Carlin with 54 points and two podiums – including a spectacular showing on home soil in Silverstone where he claimed his first F3 pole position.

    He will be partnering Mercedes Junior, Paulo Aron and Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine Champion and Ferrari backed junior, Dino Beganovic as the Italian team aim to retain their Teams’ Championship title.

    O’Sullivan’s single-seater career began in 2019 and has included plenty of success for the British race. In his first two years racing, he finished second in both the Ginetta Junior Championship and the F4 British Championship.

    In 2021, he dominated the field on his way to the GB3 Championship title, racking up seven wins, 14 podiums and five pole positions on his way to glory – earning him a promotion to F3 in 2022 and a spot in the Williams Driver Academy.

    Making his debut with PREMA at the post-season testing in Jerez, O’Sullivan finished five out of the six sessions inside the top 10 clocking in the third fastest time of Day 2’s morning session.

    I am really excited to be joining PREMA for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 season. It will be a new environment for me, but PREMA’s history says all we need to know, so hopefully, we can have a good year together. The first impressions in testing were good, and the pace was pretty strong. I was still learning the car as there are a few differences, getting to know all the team and the engineers, and learning some Italian as well!

    Zak on his new move.

    We are particularly looking forward to working with Zak. We are impressed by what he achieved in his maiden FIA F3 season and his career so far. He will bring in his experience, which is something we always really value, and he already did an outstanding job in post-season testing. That will boost our preparations for 2023, and we are confident we will see Zak thrive in our environment. We are equally delighted to work with the Williams Driver Academy, and we are grateful for the trust they have put into us.

    Team Prinicpal, Rene Rosin.

  • Mari Boya steps up to F3

    MP Motorsport have announced Mari Boya will be making his Formula 3 debut with the team next season, becoming their first signing for the 2023 campaign.

    Boya will make the step up from the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine after two seasons in the category. The 18 year old scored his maiden podium in Valencia last year, before going on to finish 10th in the Standings in 2022.

    During his first run behind the wheel of MP’s machinery at the post-season test in Jerez, Boya put in a solid showing, finishing inside the top 10 during the final morning session, and clocking in 225 laps across the three days.

    After five years of karting, Boya made his single-seater debut in Spanish F4 in 2020 where he acheived three wins, 14 podiums and two pole positions on his way to finish second in the Drivers’ Championship as a rookie.

    It’s a great feeling to know that this winter I will be gearing up for a vital next step in my career, moving up to FIA Formula 3 with MP Motorsport. It’s so good to be able to do that together with MP. Having worked so well with the team in 2020 and in recent months, I had no doubts in signing with them for my FIA F3 debut. I’m really looking forward to racing in front of all the Grand Prix teams, and can’t wait for the first round in Bahrain!

    Mari Boya on his move up the ranks.

    We are very pleased to welcome Mari to our FIA Formula 3 team. Although he will be new to FIA F3, he is very much a known quantity to us. In 2020, his first season in single-seaters with us in Spanish F4 was truly outstanding, and it was good to welcome him back into our FRECA team in the course of this season. He already showed much promise during the post-season tests. Now we are eager to use that as a platform to set him up for the strongest possible rookie year in FIA F3.

    Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.

  • Season 9 sporting regs announced

    Formula E and the FIA announced a series of updates to the sporting regulations for Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship following approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

    Laps replace time-

    Races will now run laps instead of time period. To maintain consistency with the switch to laps, Safety Car and Full Course Yellow interruptions to racing will now be compensated by added laps, replacing the additional racing time feature.

    Attack Charge will be introduced at select races later in Season 9-

    Attack Charge will be introduced later in Season 9: Formula E and the FIA have been working with strategic technology partner to develop pioneering battery and charging capabilities that will allow the new smaller, faster and lighter Gen3 cars to receive a boost of energy in the race.

    This collaboration has resulted in the development of a battery capable of receiving 4kWh of energy inside 30 seconds – the most advanced EV battery in the world today.

    A mandatory 30-second Attack Charge stop during a re-determined period in the race will unlock two enhanced Attack Mode periods to be deployed later in the race where the power output of the Gen3 race cars increase from 300kW to 250kW.

    Rookie drivers given platform to impress-

    Every team must complete at least two Free Practice 1 sessions during the season with a driver who has never previously competed in the championship. The goal is to give up and coming drivers the chance to experience the unique qualities of Formula E racing to contribute to the progress of the team.

    Our updated sporting regulations are evidence of the continued evolution and positive impact of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship for drivers, teams, partners and fans into the consumer EV world. The combination of sporting enhancements, a step change in car performance, cutting-edge battery technology and the innovation of Attack Charge will make our racing more competitive and entertaining while showcasing the future for EV development. This is at the heart of what Formula E set out to achieve and we look forward to seeing the new generation come to life in Season 9.

    Jamie Reigle, CEO Formula E.

    Capitalising upon a successful Season 8, we have now made further slight modifications to the racing format as we endeavour to bring the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to an ever-wider audience while encouraging teams to trial fresh talent. With the advent of the eagerly-anticipated Gen3 single-seater, a 22-strong grid featuring iconic automotive names and some of the best drivers in the sport, I am confident that Formula E’s new era will be bright.

    Pablo Martino, Head of Formula E Sporting Matters, FIA.

  • F1 announces F1 Academy

    Starting in 2023, Formula 1 will be launching an all-female driver category, the F1 Academy to develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition – including W Series, Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3.

    The series will consist of five teams run by current F2 and F3 teams, each entering three cars to make up a 15 car grid. The first season will comprise of seven events with three races – amounting to a total of 21 races – plus 15 days of official testing, with the 2023 calendar set to be released in due course.

    The drivers will be getting behind the wheel f Tatuus T421 chassis, with Autotecnica supplying turbocharged engines that will deliver 165 horsepower while Formula 1’s Global Partner Pirelli will provide the tyres.

    The series – which will be managed by the CEO of Formula Motorsport Bruno Michel – will see Formula 1 subsidise the cost of each car with a budget of €150,000 whilst the drivers cover the same amount of costs – a fraction of the usual costs in comparable series – with the teams covering the rest of the budget.

    The aim of the series is to maximise the opportunity and potential of young female drivers to reach the highest level in motorsport and to provide young talent currently in go-karting or other junior categories with access to the fundamental level of experience needed before going racing in F3 and joining the pyramid to Formula 1.

    Formula 1’s intentions are to ensure aspiring female drivers have the best opportunities to reach their potential, with an important first step of getting into Formula 3 and progressing through the ranks.

    The W Series continues to provide a great platform for drivers and the F1 Academy is intended to add an extra route for the next generation of young female drivers, who will race in an environment that will allow them to gain fundamental experience thanks to a great amount of track time.

    Everyone should have the opportunity to follow their dreams and achieve their potential and Formula 1 wants to ensure we are doing everything we can to create greater diversity and routes into this incredible sport. That is why I am delighted to announce the F1 Academy that will give young female drivers the best chance to fulfil their ambitions through a comprehensive programme that supports their racing careers and gives them everything they need to move into F3 and hopefully to F2 and then the pinnacle of Formula 1. The more opportunity there is the better and this is designed to provide another route for the drivers to succeed.

    Formula 1 President & CEO, Stefano Domenicali.

    I am very excited to launch this new category. Diversity is extremely important in motorsport, and with the F1 Academy we will prove that female drivers have what it takes to compete at high levels. I am absolutely convinced that if young women are given the same amount of experience as any other driver, they can successfully make their way through the pyramid. Our goal is to see female drivers on the F3 grid in the next two to three years, and for them to quickly challenge for points and podiums. The aim is to increase the field in the near future, because we hope that this category will inspire more young girls to compete in motorsport at the highest of levels.

    Bruno Michel, Manager of the F1 Academy.

  • F2 Abu Dhabi- Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    It was a frenetic start to the final sprint race of the 2022 season, but not for Verschoor who calmly kept his rivals behind him to retain the lead off the line.

    Jehan Daruvala and Enzo Fittipaldi collided and hit the barriers at Turn 3 and bringing out the Red Flag as the end of the opening lap. Slotting back into position for the rolling restart on Lap 3, Verschoor got a good getaway to hold the lead.

    The cooler early evening conditions left the field struggling to light up their tyres. After being passed by Frederol Vesti for P11, Ayumu Iwasa attempted to go round the outside of the Dane at Turn 9.

    Out front, Verschoor was unable to pull out of Lawson’s DRS window. It wouldn’t take long for Lawson to pounce on Lap 10 – going late on the brakes to catch the Trident driver by surprise and snatch the lead.

    A lock up for VAR driver Cordeel, allowed Drugovich to slot his way through into third and left Cordeel at the mercy of Hauger, who made his own move on the Belgian into Turn 6. Missing the corner, Hauger tactically gave the place back into Turn 10, in order to avoid losing out to Sargeant and Doohan behind.

    Lawson, had extended his advantage lap-by-lap and drove off into the distance to claim victory by a whopping 7.9s ahead of Verschoor and Drugovich.

    Day 3-

    Iwasa moved to cover off his teammate immediately at the start bu Roy Nissany had the momentum. The duo remained side-by-side into Turn 2 until the Red Bull junior claimed the lead heading down the hill into the hairpin.

    Drugovich made the move for P3 immediately as Theo Pourchaire went wide in the first corner and fell back to fifth as a result.

    At Turn 6, the Carlin teammates were fighting for position, with Lawson overtaking Sargeant out of the chicane for sixth. Into Turn 9, Ralph Boschung spun and couldn’t get going again, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car.

    There was a close call for Drugovich on Lap 13, into the Turn 6 braking zone, the MP driver thought about a late dive but had to bail on the move. He narrowly avoided running into the back of the DAMS driver and dropped to over a second behind Iwasa.

    Doohan finally pitted on Lap 26 after running further than everyone else barring Enzo Fittipaldi. He looked to be re-joining fifth on the road but after filtering back out on track, lost his front left tyre, forcing him out of the race.

    Onto the final lap and the gap for the win stood at just 0.5s. Drugovich, forced Iwasa to go on the defensive into Turn 6 and had DRS once again into Turn 9. Iwasa just about held Drugovich at bay to take his second win in F2. Lawson closed up at the end to make it two podiums from two in the final weekend.

  • Round 22- Abu Dhabi GP

    What a season, but more importantly the final race weekend of the 2022 season is complete which means it was Sebastian Vettel’s last race as well.

    The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the race where it decides the runner-up this season, as well as the closeness in the Constructors too.

    But it was Max Verstappen who wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix making it 15 wins in a season for the Dutchman, Charles Leclerc comes home to make it 2nd, and also second in the drivers championship too. Sergio Perez rounds out the podium, after falling short not being able to overtake the Monegasque driver.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Sainz, P5: Russell, P6: Norris, P7: Ocon, P8: Stroll, P9: Ricciardo and P10: Vettel.

    First and foremost it was wonderful to see Seb get points in his last race, as well as Daniel too. Two out of four drivers leaving the sport this weekend, but managing to hold on and get points is probably more than what they could wish for!

    Not the best race for Mercedes, they had their first mechanical retirement of the season, as Lewis had to pit due to loosing power because of an hydraulic issue. Their fight for P2 in the constructors was then over.

    A good finish for Ferrari, after an up and down season I think they will be pretty pleased with 2nd in the drivers and constructors, there is definitely some things they need to work on if they want to be in the title fight again, but its all apart of learning.

    The Championship-

    Firstly looking at the Drivers championship, Leclerc finishes his highest in the championship, as well George Russell in his first year as a Mercedes driver. But one person I have to mention, Mr Lando Norris (Mr P7…) being best of the rest and beating out both Alpines.

    Now taking a look at the Constructors, Alpine beat McLaren to that all important P4. Alfa Romeo manage to stay ahead of Aston Martin due to Valtteri Bottas’s 5th place in Imola. Haas finish 8th ahead of Alpha Tauri and Williams in P10.

    Now, we have 105 days until the next race at the beginning of March and we obviously have testing aswell! It’s been a mad season, keep your eyes peeled for the latest news and some articles coming out soon on the 2022 season!

  • Boschung to continue with Campos in 2023

    Campos Racing have retained Ralph Boschung for the 2023 Formula 2 season, announcing that the Swiss driver will be continuing his partnership with the Spanish team.

    After getting his 2022 season of to a positive start with two top four finishes in Bahrain, Boschung followed this up with his first podium of the year in the Imola Feature Race.

    Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan, after he suffered with facet syndrome and neck pain, he was forced to put out of six rounds mid-season. Despite this, Boschung immediately impressed on his return, netting a third-place finish in the Spa-Francorchamps Sprint Race.

    His relationship with Campos first began in 2017, where he scored their first points of the F2 season with back-to-back top eight finishes in Baku. The 25 year old reunited with the team full-time last season, going on to achieve his maiden podium in Jeddah, before claiming a second podium in Yas Island.

    I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue with Campos in F2 next year. With 2021 being my only Full F2 season, this year started so well but with the neck injury, my whole season was compromised. I have unfinished business and will want to prove that together with Campos Racing we can achieve consistently very good results.

    Boschung on his news.

    We are delighted to continue working with Ralph (Boschung), because after the health issues encountered, all we have a pending matter. Our goals together are still to be fulfilled and it will be our mission for next year, in which we expect to fight for top honours on a regular basis.

    Team Principal, Adrian Campos.

  • F2 Abu Dhabi- Day 1

    Free Practice-

    Ayumu Iwasa, hit the ground running at Yas Marina ending Free Practice being quickest of all, 0.055s ahead of Theo Pourchaire. The DAMS driver strung together his best time early on and nobody could usurp him fro the top spot in the remainging time.

    Perfect conditions were presented to the drivers as the first session of the final weekend in 2022 got underway. Following plenty of installation laps, the times tumbled as the track ramped up and Marcus Armstrong put in the early benchmark with a 1:38.987.

    Juri Vips had been running in the top three but had a lucky escape, avoiding the barriers at Turn 14 after a snap of oversteer almost led him into the barriers.

    A red flag was thrown as the clock ticked underneath 10 minutes to go as Ralph Boschung spun into the barriers between Turns 13 and 14. The session got underway with 3 minutes to go, but nobody could improve over Iwasa’s 1:38.168.

    Qualifying-

    DAMS proved that its never over until the chequered flag in Formula 2, as Ayumu Iwasa stormed to his second pole position of the 2022 season. With his teammate Roy Nissany putting together an unbelievable lap, only 0.036s down on his teammate to bring home his first front row Feature Race. Theo Pourchaire will be starting 3rd.

    Unlike previous visits to the Yas Marina Circuit, the 30 minute session got underway in the blistering mid-afternoon sunshine rather than under the flood lights.

    Seven minutes into qualifying and with only half of the field having put a lap on the board, running came to a brief hault. Virtuosi’s Marino Sato suffered a spin underneath the hotel section between Turns 13 and 14 bringing out the red flag and forcing several drivers to abandon their laps.

    As predicted pre-session, Sector 3 would prove to e the undoing for several attempts.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Iwasa, P2: Nissany, P3: Pourchaire, P4: Drugovich, P5: Doohan, P6: Sargeant, P7: Hauger, P8: Codeel, P9: Lawson and P10: Verschoor.

  • Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

    The final race weekend is here, and its set to be an emotional one as it will be 4 time World Champion’s Sebastian Vettel’s last race as well as saying goodbye to Daniel Ricciardo, Nicholas Latifi and Mick Schumacher…

    But, there is still so much up for grabs! The fight for P2 in the Driver standings is still available, as well as the teams getting as many points as possible to see if they can move any further up!

    Who needs a good weekend?

    McLaren will be hoping for a good weekend as last weekend saw them have a double DNF, not only this they are in the fight with Alpine for fourth in the constructors and will be hoping for a double points finish, which would be a great way to send of the Honey Badger.

    Perez will be hoping for a good weekend as Red Bull seeks 1-2 in the Constructors and will be hoping that his teammate will be helping him this time round…

    The battle for 6th in the Constructors is heating up as Alfa Romeo sits in 6th on 55 points and Aston Martin in 7th on 50 points, and with Aston Martin having scored quite a few points recently so Alfa Romeo will be hoping to score big.

    Predictions-

    My top five predictions for qualifying are: P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Perez, P4: Russell and P5: Leclerc.

    I think we will see all top 3 teams in the top 10, maybe a bit mixed up. As well as Lando, Fernando and Ocon mixed up in the top 10 and possibly a Haas or an Aston Martin joining them in the top 10.

    Times for the weekend-

    Friday 18th-

    • F2 Qualifying: 11:30am – 12:00pm (GMT)
    • Free Practice 2 F1: 13:00pm – 14:00pm

    Saturday 19th-

    • Free Practice 3 F1: 10:30am – 11:30am (GMT)
    • Sprint Race F2: 12:20pm – 13:05pm
    • Qualifying F1: 14:00pm – 15:00pm

    Sunday 20th-

    • Feature Race: 09:00am (GMT)
    • F1 Race: 13:00pm

  • McLaren special livery

    McLaren will be saying farewell to their MCL36 car with a special one-off livery for this weekend’s 2022 season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    Having run a special paint scheme in Singapore and Japan, McLaren have taken a different route for the season-ending race at Yas Marina, the team having collaborated with Lebanese artist Anna Tangles for the Abu Dhabi livery.

    Produced for the Driven by Change programme which was an initiative launched last year to give underrepresented creatives the platform to showcase their work to a global audience through motorsport.

    Last season, the team collaborated with Emirati artist Rabab Tantawy for their one-off Abu Dhabi look.

    As a lifelong F1 fan, I never believed that I would one day have my artwork showcased at a Grand Prix – and it’s all thanks to Driven by Change. I dedicate my spare time to training and encouraging other artists, particularly other Middle Eastern female creatives, to embrace their passion and skills, and so it’s a privilege to be a part of a community that supports the same ambition of empowering underrepresented artists in this way

    Anna Tangles.

    We are delighted to represent an emerging artist’s design on our race cars once again, championing creativity together with Vuse. Anna Tangles produces stunning artwork and has a powerful story which perfectly embodies the spirit and values of the Driven by Change campaign. The initiative is building a legacy which we are excited to continue driving, using our global platform to amplify the talent of emerging creatives.

    Louise McEwen, executive director of brand and marketing at McLaren.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/ClB7uI8Lyqh/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

  • Schumacher out, Hulkenback!

    Mick Schumacher and Haas will be parting ways at the end of the season – with his hopes of finding a seat at another team for 2023 looking slim…

    The German driver joined Haas for 2021, to race alongside Nikita Mazepin, with Schumacher having won the F2 Championship the previous year.

    This year, alongside Kevin Magnussen, Schumacher scored his first points at Silverstone with eighth, following that up with sixth at the following race in Austria.

    However, he has failed to score since then, and has contributed less than a third of Haas’s total points tally – with the American squad eighth in the constructors championship. Schumacher has also had several crashes which have been quite costly. As a result, Haas have opted not to keep the German for a third season.

    I would like to thank Mick Schumacher for his contribution to the team over the past couple of years. Mick’s pedigree in the junior categories was well known and he has continued to grow and develop as a driver in his time with Haas F1 Team – culminating in his first Formula 1 points-scoring successes earlier this season. While choosing to go in separate directions for the future, the entire team wishes Mick well for the next steps in his career path and beyond.

    Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner.

    Nico Hulkenberg will be making a full-time racing return to Formula 1 with Haas in 2023, replacing Mick Schumacher.

    The German, 35, left F1 at the end of 2019 but subsequently made five substitute appearances for Racing Point and Aston Martin, most recently standing in for Sebastian Vettel for the first two races of the year.

    He has amassed 181 Grand Prix starts – driving for Williams, Force India, Sauber, Renault, Racing Point and Aston Martin – as well as playing the reserve role for Aston Martin for the last two seasons.

    Hulkenberg has scored 521 points with a career high finish of fourth plus one pole position which was achieved at the Brazilian Grand Prix in his rookie season in 2010 with Williams.

    I’m naturally very pleased to be welcoming Nico Hulkenberg back to a full-time racing role in Formula 1. The experience and knowledge base Nico brings to the team is clear to see – with nearly 200 career starts in Formula 1 – and a reputation as being a great qualifier and a solid, reliable racer. These are attributes, which when you pair them together with Kevin Magnussen’s experience, gives us a very credible and well-seasoned driver line-up which we believe will help push the team onwards up the grid. That’s obviously the goal and it was that ambition that has prompted Nico’s return to Formula 1 – he shares our vision and can be a key player, together with the rest of the team, in building on the foundations we’ve laid this year with our return to the points battle.

    Haas boss, Guenther Steiner.

    I’m very happy to move into a full-time race seat with Haas F1 Team in 2023. I feel like I never really left Formula 1. I’m excited to have the opportunity to do what I love the most again and want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for their trust. We have work ahead of us to be able to compete with all the other teams in the midfield, and I cannot wait to join that battle again.

    Nico Hulkenberg on his return.

  • Bearman to Formula 2

    PREMA Racing have announced that Ferrari junior, Oliver Bearman will be graduating to Formula 2 with the team for the 2023 season.

    The 17 year old will be getting his first taste of F2 machinery during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit from November 23rd to 25th.

    Bearman steps up on the back of an impressive rookie season in Formula 3 with the Italian team, where he finished third in the Drivers’ Championship. Along the way, he claimed eight podiums, including a maiden victory in Spa-Francorchamps and his efforts helped PREMA to regain the teams title.

    The British driver, already has an impressive single-seater CV with 2023 set to be only his fourth season in single-seaters. In 2021, he broke new ground as he became the first driver to achieve two Formula 4 titles in the same year by winning the ADAC and Italian F4 Championships.

    I’m really excited to continue another year with the PREMA family, this time in F2. I’m really happy with how my first season went in F3. It was a really nice introduction and I felt like the team coached me throughout the year really well. I will continue to work hard over the winter with the Ferrari Driver Academy, in order to be fully prepared for 2023. It will be a tough challenge, but everyone works so hard and I’m really looking forward to the challenge. I’m already really excited for the test in Abu Dhabi and for the first round of 2023 in Bahrain.

    Ollie on his move.

    We were amazed by how quickly and successfully Ollie transitioned from F4 to Formula 3 racing. He is a really talented driver, and while he will be making his first steps in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, we are confident he will improve race by race with the support of our team and the Ferrari Driver Academy as well. It won’t be easy, because the step from F3 to F2 is considerable, but we are confident in his potential for the season ahead.

    Team Principal, Rene Rosin.

  • Fittipaldi joins RB academy

    Red Bull have added Brazilian racing driver and currently Formula 2 driver, Enzo Fittipaldi grandson of two-time former World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, to their junior academy.

    It has been a strong season for the Brazilian driver who drives for Charouz, having achieved a trio of P2 finishes and the same number of P3’s.

    Fittipaldi stated it ad been his performance back in Hungary where he finished P3 in the sprint and then P2 in the feature race which caught Red Bull’s attention before then having a meeting Marko at the Belgian GP round.

    The 21 year old, currently sits in P6 in the standings, and is one of three drivers tied on 126 points. Logan Sargeant in P3 who is set to join Williams next season should he secure his super licence, is only nine points further up, so a lot can change.

    I think after my result in Budapest, where I got two podiums on the same weekend, we started [talking more seriously]. I’ve always had a bit of contact since last year with Dr Helmut Marko and then at Spa this year we had a meeting — so after Budapest — and we were talking and I’m very happy to announce I’m now part of the Red Bull family. The junior team is an amazing opportunity for me.

    Enzo Fittipaldi on joining the RB Academy.

    It’s difficult to say now. I still have to do a really good job in Abu Dhabi. I’m fighting for third in the championship in Formula 2, I have the race this week, so it’s really important I do a good job there, so the goal is to finish top three this year. Let’s just say Abu Dhabi is very important for me. It’s very important I do a good job there. We’ll see what comes after. For sure, being part of a [Formula 1] team for me has always been a dream, especially Red Bull — the championship-winning team, the best team in Formula 1. It’s a dream for me. So all I can do is thank Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull, Christian Horner — it’s an unbelievable opportunity. Now is the time to work hard and keep pushing.

    Enzo on his future

  • Abu Dhabi Tyre Allocation

    The last race of the season is here and the tyres have been chosen for this weekend’s Grand Prix. Pirelli have nominated the three softest compounds in the range those being: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft).

    The circuit characteristics aren’t particularly demanding for the tyres, as well as the asphalt not being as abrasive, which allows the use of the softer compounds. It’s important to consider the falling track temperature during the race as the chequered flag falls late into the evening.

    The Yas Marina circuit is made up of 16 corners as well as some fast sections, where aerodynamics are an important aspect to guarantee a strong performance.

    The teams used a number of different strategies at last years Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen won the race after being on a 3 stop, as he put the soft tyres on 5 laps from the end due to a safety car appearing.

    At Abu Dhabi, a truly thrilling season comes to an end. Last year’s modifications to some of the straights and corners on the Yas Marina track have made the circuit faster, balancing the longitudinal and lateral demands on the tyres – whereas previously it was more about traction and braking. Despite these changes to the layout, there is still going to be a lot of attention paid to the rear tyres in order to guarantee the best traction over long stints. On the Tuesday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2023 slick tyres will be tried out during a full day of testing, where the teams will be able to decide their run plans as well as which drivers to use: race drivers or young drivers..

    Mario Isla, Motorsport Director.

    Formula 2-

    Abu Dhabi hosts the final round of this year’s Formula 2 season, two months after the penultimate round in Italy. Whilst the Driver’s title is claimed, the teams title is still up for grabs. The medium compound and soft compounds have been chosen for this weekend. The Sprint race will last 23 laps, whilst the feature race will last 33 laps.

  • Round 21 – Sao Paulo GP

    What. A. Race. Where do I even start? I hoped for a crazy race and we definitely got part of that mixed into the race.

    But, we now have a new F1 race winner… GEORGE RUSSELL wins the Sao Paulo GP and takes home Mercedes first win of the season as well as his! Not only this but… Lewis Hamilton makes it a 1-2 for the Silver Arrows! Carlos Sainz rounds out the podium in P3.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Hamilton, P3: Sainz, P4: Leclerc, P5: Alonso, P6: Verstappen, P7: Perez, P8: Ocon, P9: Bottas and P10: Stroll.

    A great weekend for Mercedes, this is exactly what they needed, Hamilton did have a little battle which caused contact between himself and Verstappen but it wasn’t too much where his race was ruined.

    A decent race for the Ferrari team, Leclerc had a battle with Norris which saw the pair also make contact and it looked like Charles’ race was over but his spin into the wall wasn’t as bad as it looked. Norris was deemed at fault for the collision and got a 5 second time penalty.

    Carrying on with McLaren things went from bad to worse as Daniel Ricciardo was caught up in a first lap incident with Magnussen which saw both drivers retiring from the race. Later on in the race Lando then pulled over on the side of the track. A double DNF for McLaren which doesn’t help in their fight with Alpine.

    Now onto Red Bull, they haven’t been on the pace much this past weekend, Max has definitely struggled more than Perez. Now for Perez his battle for 2nd in the Championship is still alive so you would think Red Bull would do anything to help that… Well not according t Max Verstappen, towards the end of the race he was told to let Checo through if MV couldn’t pass Alonso. He couldn’t, but he didn’t let his teammate through which has compromised Perez quite a bit going into the last race now as the Mexican and the Monegasque go into Abu Dhabi level on points…

    A great race for Alpine, they definitely made up for Saturday’s Sprint with a double points finish on Sunday, one more race together as team-mates and then it will be a new driver pairing for both of the drivers, lets hope for no more teammate collisions between the pair of them.

    We haven’t got long to wait as we are back this weekend, for the final round in Abu Dhabi to see how the drivers will all finish in the standings!

  • Round 21- Sao Paulo Sprint

    Round 21- Sao Paulo Sprint

    WOW, we are being treated to such an amazing weekend so far! An amazing qualifying on Friday, and an exciting sprint yesterday what could this mean for the race??!

    But it was George Russell who won the Sprint after keeping it cool and collected once he passed Magnussen and Verstappen! Carlos Sainz finished 2nd and Lewis Hamilton makes it a 1-3 for the Silver Arrows.

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

    What a sprint for the Merc boys! George was absolutely on fire, overtaking Magnussen first and then holding on to Verstappen and not letting him get away, it took the Brit 3 tries to get past the Dutchman but once he did he was off. Lewis made up good ground aswell, with Carlos having a 5 place grid drop it makes it an all Mercedes front row lockout for the first time this season!!

    Not the best of days for RB, they didn’t show much pace, it was definitely the wrong decision for Max to be on the Mediums, but Checo did a few good overtakes to get further up the grid. So they have a bit of work to do in the race if they want to win.

    The same goes for the Ferrari boys, especially with Carlos having his penalty. With the Mercedes at the front, the Italian team will be wanting to grab as many points as possible to minimise the gap Mercedes may close in on them.

    Even though, K-Mag dropped down 7 positions he still earned a point and has the opportunity to score more in the race today. As for his teammate who started P20 in the sprint will start the race in P12 after doing some overtakes to get further up the grid, so will be interesting to see how Mick will do today.

    Predictions-

    My top five are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Russell, P4: Perez and P5: Charles.

    I feel like we will get a bit of a crazy race today, only two more races left so the gloves will be off and all teams and drivers will be fighting for those all important points… It will be nice to see Mercedes win today, as they haven’t done this season yet.

  • Round 21- Sao Paulo Qualifying

    What. A. Qualifying. It started off a wet qualifying but with the track soon drying out, drivers were at risk of a potential shock exit.

    But, for the first time ever!!! KEVIN MAGNUSSEN is on POLE for the São Paulo Sprint!! With Max Verstappen joining him on the front row, and George Russell rounding out the top 3.

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

    A very mixed top 10 for the sprint later today! Carlos Sainz has a 5 place grid penalty which will be added on after the Sprint.

    What a result for Haas! I don’t think anyone expected it at all and that’s what makes it so great! K-Mag had to wait 141 races to grab that all important pole position.

    Not the best qualifying for the top 3 teams, they all have one driver in the top 5 and then another driver at the back end of the top 10. Having the sprint today, will bring these drivers further up the grid especially if it’s wet…

    Alpine have a strong start for this weekend both drivers P6 & P7, which is needed as there battle with McLaren is still ongoing .

    Predictions-

    My top five for the sprint are: P1: Verstappen, P2: Russell, P3: Norris, P4: Magnussen and P5: Perez.

    If it rains and we have a wet track then it would most definitely be interesting and I can’t wait to see how K-Mag will do athletes the front!

    Timings-

    Saturday 12th-

    • Free Practice 2: 15:30pm – 16:30pm (GMT)
    • Sprint: 19:30pm – 20:30pm

    Sunday 13th-

    • Race: 18:00pm (GMT)

  • Sao Paulo Tyre Allocation

    Pirelli will be bringing the three compounds in the middle of the range to the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend those being: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). The previous two races had the same selection.

    Interlagos will be hosting the third and final F1 Sprint race of the season, after Imola and Spielberg. As a result, the Pirelli Pole Position Award will be given out on Friday after qualifying.

    The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, runs anti-clockwise and contains 15 corners,which place medium lateral demands on the tyres.

    The Brazilian Grand Prix is known for plenty of overtaking and frequent appearances from the safety car. With the weather taking its part in it aswell, as it looms a big question mark over the weekend, could it be torrential rain as well as high temperatures and sunshine?

    The teams used various strategies in 2021 but the drivers on the podium all stopped twice. Hamilton who won, finished the race on the hard tyre ahead of Verstappen and Bottas on the same compound.

    Formula 1 heads to Interlagos next weekend: the shortest lap of the year after Monaco and Mexico. It’s a historic track run anti-clockwise, which alternates some quick sections as well as medium-speed sequences of corners, such as the famous ‘Senna esses’. There aren’t any big demands on the tyres in terms of traction and braking because it’s a very flowing layout, and the lack of slow corners means that the teams are able to control the degradation on the rear tyres. Brazil will host the “Sprint” also this year, the last of the season, and it will be particularly interesting with this car package to see what will happen on the track and, once again, the key role of the different strategies that can be used: in 2021 the grid on Saturday was equally split between drivers starting on the medium and the soft tyres. Despite the short length of the track, there’s normally plenty of overtaking. Just think of Lewis Hamilton who was the protagonist of a comeback that brought him to victory from 10th place, using a two-stop strategy. So the new generation of cars and tyres seems set to provide us with another thrilling race this year.

    Mario Isola, Motorsport director.

  • Maloney to drive for Trident in finale

    Trident have confirmed that Zane Maloney will be making his Formula 2 debut with the team at Yas Marina in the 2022 season finale.

    Maloney finished as runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Trident after putting together a stellar rookie campaign, taking three consecutive Feature Race wins to end the season on a high. As well as ending the year just five points behind eventual Champion Victor Martins.

    Trident team boss, Giacomo Ricci said that his strong results in F3 weren’t the only factor that impressed the team, adding that his adaptability and work ethic would put him in a good position to take on the challenge of Formula 2.

    Maloney will be joining, Richard Verschoor at the Italian team, driving the #21 car previously raced in by Calan Williams.

    We are very proud to be able to compete with Zane Maloney in the final event in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. Zane, the Barbadian driver, terminated the Formula 3 Championship with three consecutive feature race victories and has proven to be second to no one in terms of competitiveness, almost winning the driver’s title. We are therefore pleased to have Zane on board, once again this year, and we are confident that Trident will be able to provide him with the maximum support and dedication for the challenging Yas Marina Circuit.

    Giacomo Ricci.

    I’m really looking forward to Abu Dhabi. It’s an opportunity to learn a lot before the end of the season and prepare me for what my future holds. Trident and I had a great year, so to do another race with them and Giacomo is a pleasure. Really looking forward to next weekend and it’s an amazing opportunity to keep improving myself on track.

    Maloney on his F2 chance.

  • Vesti, Young Driver Test with Mercedes

    Mercedes junior driver, Frederik Vesti will be getting his first Formula 1 opportunity at the post-season Abu Dhabi test, with the team confirming that the Dane will be at the wheel of the W13 on the rookie day of the session.

    Vesti, signed to the Mercedes young driver programme prior to the 2021 season, going on to finish fourth in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and graduated to Formula 2 with ART Grand Prix for the 2022 season.

    He took his maiden victory in the series in the Baku Sprint Race earlier in the season and has scored a further four podium finishes so far this year. The 20 year-old currently sits eighth in the F2 drivers’ standings on 117 points ahead of the final round in Abu Dhabi next week.

    The post-season test is set for November 22nd to 23rd following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    A childhood dream coming true! On the 22. of November I will complete my first ever running in a Mercedes Formula 1 car at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi! It’s an incredible sign of trust from Mercedes which I like to thank them for! No words can describe the feeling of getting this opportunity. It’s something that will boost my career in the future and I can’t wait to be behind the wheel of W13! A lot of preparation is coming ahead of the test with seat fit, simulator and quite a few procedures to learn.

    Frederik Vesti took to social media.

  • Saucy sticks with ART

    ART Grand Prix have announced that Gregoire Saucy will be remaining with the team for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 season. The Swiss driver has been with the French team for the past three years, graduating to F3 this season and finishing 15th overall.

    Saucy has enjoyed success in the past with ART, securing the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021 with eight race victories to his name.

    Prior to that title success, the 22 year-old competed in German Formula 4 and Toyota Racing Series before linking up with ART GP in FRECA.

    In 2023, I will celebrate my 4th anniversary with ART Grand Prix, a milestone I am very proud of. Knowing the team for this long is a plus because we know each other’s strengths and we know how to work on our weaknesses. I have already started on my mental and physical preparation so I can be ready for the first laps of 2023. I learnt a great deal in the first season of F3 and I will be using that to bring ART Grand Prix a second title, following the one in FRECA back in 2021. The Championship will be long and exciting, with new dates, and one of the keys will be to be consistent right from the onset. This is what we missed last season and I know that to achieve my title objective we will have to do what we did in 2021: score the maximum number of points when victory is not within our reach. I am very happy to continue working with ART Grand Prix and I can’t wait for the new season to start. I want to thank ART Grand Prix, Dominique Guenat, Richard Mille and my sponsors without whom this project would not have been possible.

    Gregoire Saucy on staying with ART.

    Grégoire has been a member of the ART Grand Prix family for three years and we could only congratulate ourselves on his personal and sporting qualities. In the wake of his title in the European Regional Formula by Alpine where he moved forward a step, he made a promising debut in Formula 3 by climbing onto the podium in Bahrain during his first weekend of racing in the series. Like the team, Grégoire has had his ups and downs, but he fought hard throughout the year and in 2023 his first year of experience in the discipline will be an asset to help him aim for regular victories.

    Sebastien Philippe, Team Principal.

  • Hauger to MP Motorsport

    Dennis Hauger, has confirmed his plans for the 2023 FIA Formula 2 season, where he will be swapping from PREMA Racing to MP Motorsport for his sophomore campaign in the second tier.

    The Norwegian driver has enjoyed a mixed rookie season and currently sits 11th in the standings on 98 points heading into the season finale in Yas Marina. After securing his first podium during the Imola Sprint Race, he brought home victory on his maiden appearances in Monte Carlo and Baku, before he returns to the podium in Zandvoort.

    Having taken Felipe Drugovich to the 2022 Drivers’ Championship title in spectacular fashion, MP Motorsport will be eager to retain its levels of performance next year.

    The Dutch outfit will give Hauger his first running for them across all three days of the post-season test in Abu Dhabi from November 23 – 25.

    Entering this season as the reigning Formula 3 Champion, Hauger already has five years of single-seater experience under his belt. Since his debut in British F4 in 2018, he stormed his way to the Italian F4 title the following year with 12 wins and 16 podiums, alongside finishing runner-up in German F4.

    Stepping up to F3 in 2020, he moved to PREMA for his second season and notched up four wins and nine podiums on his way to glory and remained with the Italian team for his maiden F2 campaign.

    I am really excited about joining MP Motorsport for another assault on the FIA Formula 2 Championship. MP have been the revelation of this season, consistently producing a great car for every round of the season. We have recognised that, and it’s wonderful news that we have been able to make the deal work. I’m looking forward to working with the team starting at the Abu Dhabi test, which I hope will be our jump start to a very successful 2023 season.

    Hauger on his move.

    We are absolutely delighted that someone of Dennis’ calibre will be part of our Formula 2 programme in 2023. His 2021 Formula 3 title year is still fresh on my mind – he made no prisoners and was truly outstanding. With the knowledge and experience that he has gained in his F2 rookie season, I’m positive that he will translate those into consistent pace-setting form and more results like the ones he produced at Monaco and Baku this year.

    Sander Dorsman, Team Principal.

  • Maserati announce Season 9 line-up

    Maserati MSG Racing has confirmed their driver line-up for Season 9, which is Edoardo Mortara and Maximilian Guenther.

    Mortara extends his relationship with the outfit as Maserati joins the fold for Gen3, whilst Guenther makes the move after stints at Dragon, BMW/Andretti and Nissan.

    The former put himself in the picture for Drivers’ World Championship honours in both Season 7 and 8 and spearheaded the team to second in the Teams’ standings and its best points-haul to date in Formula E, under its prior Venturi guise.

    The Swiss-Italian took the title fight to the finale for the second season in a row, finishing runner-up last time out with four wins. That tally was an unbeaten high but a sticky patch – non scores in London and the Seoul opener – gave eventual champion Stoffel Vandoorne the edge despite Mortara’s victory in the final race of the Gen2 era in South Korea.

    Since joining in Season 4, the team has become home for me and I’m really happy to continue my journey with such a collection of hard working and talented individuals into Season 9 and beyond. The past five seasons have been some of the best of my career … and I’m looking forward to building upon our current success together in Gen3. As a Swiss-Italian, representing the Maserati brand in their return to international motorsport will be a great honour. I’m also looking forward to working with Max who has already shown promise as a Formula E driver. As the reigning Vice-World Champions, it’s a great time to be joining the team and I think Max and I will make a strong team as we take on the championship together.

    Mortara on racing for Maserati.

    Joining Mortara is Formula E’s youngest race winner, Maximilian Guenther, who will set about his fifth season in the championship. The 25 year old has three wins to his name. Guenther has crossed paths with Mortara as far back as 2016, and sees the pair’s analytical approach as a collective strength.

    I’m very proud to be joining the Maserati MSG Racing family alongside Edo ahead of Season 9. I have a lot of admiration for the team and their achievements in recent seasons – they have been tough to beat and fully deserve their current status as Vice-World Champions. To be part of the Maserati brand’s return to racing in partnership with MSG Racing is a huge honour for me and I‘m looking forward to building something very strong together. I first met Edo back in 2016 and we have similar values when it comes to racing – we’re both very detail orientated and driven for success. We have always had a great relationship on and off the track, based on mutual respect. I believe we’ll make a formidable team and I know that we will work hard together to ensure we extract the maximum performance together with the team. I can’t wait to get this exciting journey started.

    Guenther on his new team.

    Season 9 marks an exciting new era for Formula E and I’m delighted to extend our existing relationship with Edo, and welcome Max to the team. Edo has been a cornerstone of our operation since 2017 and, ahead of his sixth season, he’s undoubtedly one of the best drivers on the grid. We’re very excited to see him be partnered by Max who is an exceptional young talent with immense promise and potential. In this pairing, we have a very strong driver lineup for Gen3, and we intend to be in a position to fight at the very front. We have exciting times ahead.

    Team Principal, James Rossiter.

    As Maserati heads back to racing we’re delighted to welcome Max and Edo into the Trident family for Season 9 in what is set to be an exciting and electrifying new era in Formula E. We’re proud to be back on track where we belong, powered by passion and innovative by nature. In the race for performance, we’ll be taking Maserati forward as we charge on the streets of the world’s most iconic cities. Formula E is more than just a racing series, for us, it’s a competitive platform bringing new technologies to accelerate the development of high efficiency electrified powertrains and intelligent software for our sport road cars. And, as the first Italian brand to join, we’re looking forward setting in motion our full-electric Folgore strategy.

    Giovanni Tommaso Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse.

  • Gabriele Mini to drive for HiTech

    HiTech Grand Prix have confirmed that Italian driver, Gabriele Mini will be competing with the team in next season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship.

    Mini, took part in the post-season test at Jerez with the team, setting the fastest time on the opening day at the Spanish circuit.

    His debut season racing in single-seaters was capped off with the Italian F4 title, which included foure wins and 12 podiums by the end of the campaign. The 17 year old has previously driven for Hitech, competing in the Formula Regional Asia series earlier this year, finishing fourth in the standings.

    This season, Mini finished second in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, taking three wins and six podiums along the way.

    After two seasons in FRECA, FIA F3 is the logical step for me and I’m delighted to be joining Hitech for the 2023 season. We already worked together last winter in Formula Regional Asia and enjoyed strong results. The team did a solid job last season fighting for the driver’s title until the last round so I’m confident they will perform at the highest level. Testing in Jerez last month went well and I cannot wait to be back in the car next year.

    Mini on his new new seat.

    I have been following Gabriele’s career for some time through Karting, then into F4. We had the pleasure to work with him earlier this year in Asian F3 with good results, seeing first-hand his commitment and talent. He has had an impressive season in FRECA and he was instantly up to speed during the FIA F3 post-season testing in Jerez, so we look forward to seeing him with Hitech in 2023.

    Team Principal, Oliver Oakes.

  • Formula 3 reveal 2023 Calendar

    FIA Formula 3 has announced the calendar for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship. With next season having a total of 10 rounds, all support events of the FIA Formula One World Championship and the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

    Teams and drivers will contest a total of 20 races across the 10 rounds, and over three continents. With two new prestigious tracks been added to the calendar, with Melbourne in Australia and Monte Carlo in Monaco.

    F3’s fifth season will again begin at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 03 – 05 with the final round in 2023 taking place in Monza, Italy on September 01 – 03. The season will include one triple header and two double-headers.

    RoundDateLocation
    103 – 05 MarchSakhir, Bahrain
    231 March – 02 AprilMelbourne, Australia
    319 – 21 MayImola, Italy
    425 – 28 MayMonte Carlo, Monaco
    502 – 04 JuneBarcelona, Spain
    630 June – 02 JulySpielberg, Austria
    707 – 09 JulySilverstone, Great Britain
    821 – 23 JulyBudapest, Hungary
    928 – 30 JulySpa-Francorchamps, Belgium
    1001 – 03 SeptemberMonza, Italy

    It’s great news to be able to confirm the Formula 3 calendar for 2023 for hopefully another thrilling season. There is no doubt that in its fifth year we can expect drama, action and some of the most exciting battles on track to date. We’re looking forward to seeing the talent of the future take to the track at 10 rounds of the Championship, and visiting two exciting new venues in Melbourne, Australia and Monte Carlo, Monaco, for the first time.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.

    As the final two steps on the junior single-seater pathway, I am pleased that in 2023 FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 continue to race alongside the FIA Formula One World Championship. There is no better preparation than to compete on these gold-standard grand prix circuits, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the next generation of drivers take on a new challenge with the addition of a round in Australia next year.

    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President.

    I am very pleased to present the 2023 calendar. It features two brand-new circuits, Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne and Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, which is really amazing. These two very prestigious tracks are the first street circuits to be added to the F3 calendar. They will offer the teams and the drivers an exciting new challenge, and I’m sure that the fans will love seeing the F3 cars race on both layouts. Formula 3 will be present at ten Formula One Grand Prix in 2023, one more than in 2022. The Championship will also visit three continents next year, more than any season previously. Despite the increase of the number of races, we keep specific attention to the teams’ budgets, and notably we will cover the freight costs to ensure that their budgets do not escalate.

    Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO.