Jordan's Track Talk

Author: jordanlhaynes

  • Gen3 race car to be unveiled next month

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Gen3 race car will be unveiled at the Yacht Club de Monaco on the 28th April, ahead of the 2022 Monaco E-Prix.

    The Gen3 car is set to race from Season 9, is going to be presented to manufactures, teams, drivers, partners and other VIP guests at the event. Fans will be able to also experience the show via the championships digital channels and get an in-depth look into it.

    The Gen3 car is evidence of the progress in EV development achieved in the championship. Formula E has worked closely with the FIA and industry-leading engineers and experts in sustainability to ensure the car will also set the benchmark for sustainability in his performance race cars.

    The car is the first ever Formula car aligned to Life Cycle Thinking, with a designed second life for tyres, broken parts and battery cells. Additionally, the Gen3 will be net-zero carbon- reinforcing Formula E’s statuses at the first sport series to be net-zero carbon from inception.

    Need to know about the Gen3:

    • A electric motor delivering up to 350kw of power, capable of a top speed of 200mph, with a power-to-weight ratio that is twice as efficent as an equivalent 470BHP internal combustion engine (ICE).
    • At least 40% of energy used within a race will be produced by regenerative braking during the race.
    • The first Formula car with both front and rear powertrains: a new front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear.
    • The first Formula car that will not feature rear hydraulic brakes due to the addition of the front powertrain and its regenerative capability.
    • Lighter and smaller than the Gen2 to enable faster and more agile wheel-to-wheel racing.

    Formula E’s Gen3 race car represents a leap forward for motorsport and electric mobility. Designed to demonstrate that high performance, efficiency and sustainability can be packaged together without compromise, the Gen3 car is our most powerful, lightest, and fastest race car to date. We look forward to finally taking the covers off the Gen3 in Monaco, a location steeped in motor racing history, and seeing the car light up city streets around the world next season.

    Jamie Reigle, Formula E CEO.

    The arrival of the Gen3 is the latest momentous step of an incredible journey for the championship. We have come a long way – as electric vehicles have – in less than a decade. And we are not stopping as we bring together industry leaders to imagine the possibilities of the future of all-electric single-seater motorsport.

    Alejandro Agag, Formula E Founder and Chairman

  • Saudi Arabia tyre allocation

    Four months after Formula 1’s first visit to Saudi Arabia, we are returning this week along with Formula 2.

    Pirelli have chosen the compounds for this weekend, those being the middle of the range: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). This is the first time this season the C4 compound is making an appearance.

    This choice has been made due to Jeddah’s track characteristics (both layout and asphalt), the expected temperatures, as well as the data from last years race. The new surface offered a good level of grip and reasonably contained levels of asphalt abrasion, which could lead to moderate wear and degradation.

    Due to the rapidly flowing layout, the track isn’t particularly demanding in terms of traction and braking, there is expected to be a high degree of track evolution over the weekend thanks to the Formula 2 support race.

    The fastest street circuit on the calendar has changed since making its debut, as the result of modifications requested by the governing body following a few on-track incidents last time. These consist of opening up slight lines through corners by moving barriers further back, whilst the final turn (27) has been widened by the removal of a grandstand, which could make the lap slightly faster.

    Turn 13, still features 12 degrees of banking, helping the rapid flow of the circuit that makes it the second quickest lap of the year overall, after Monza.

    Jeddah marks a completely different challenge compared to the opening grand prix in Bahrain due to the diverse track characteristics, both in terms of layout and asphalt. Driver will also use a softer range of compounds this weekend to cope with the specific demands of the track, which is nearly as quick as Monza. The teams head into Jeddah with no experience of these tyres and cars on the circuit, and conditions could be somewhat different from last time in Saudi Arabia, with the race now being held at a different time of year and a few track modifications in store. The nominated compounds are the same as 2021, but their make-up has also changed entirely from last year. As a result, the teams will have a lot of work to do to assimilate as much data as possible during free practice, especially in FP2 which will be the only relevant session, being held at the same time as qualifying and the race.

    Mario Isola, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

    Formula 2

    The Formula 2 season, continues in Jeddah where the Medium and Soft compounds are nominated, this is a step harder than the supersoft, which was the softest option last year. The soft tyre, will present a different challenge for drivers which add more options in terms of strategy and helping with any potential safety car restarts.

  • Round 1 – Bahrain GP

    Round 1 – Bahrain GP

    WHAT A RACE!!! So much drama and I have no clue where to start! Mr Charles Leclerc turned his pole position into the race win, making it Ferrari’s first win since 2019! His teammate made it a 1-2! And Lewis Hamilton made up the final podium spot in P3!

    Verstappen who started P2, attempted to undercut the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc on lap 15, cutting down what was 3.5s gap to just 0.35s when Leclerc emerged in the lead on Lap 16. That then triggered a three lap box strategy set to come into play.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Leclerc, P2: Sainz, P3: Hamilton, P4: Russell, P5: Magnussen, P6: Bottas, P7: Ocon, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Alonso, P10: Zhou.

    Pierre Gasly brought out the Safety Car on lap 46, as he stopped his Alpha Tauri on the side of the track as it had flames. This started a flurry of pit stops.

    Red Bull, looked set to take a podium and 4th, but it all went wrong when Max started reporting problems on Lap 44 just before a safety car but when the safety car went in he had to retire on lap 55 as the problem did not go… Then Perez was reporting problems as well, he ended up spinning at Turn 1 when his engine gave way on the last lap…

    It’s not looking good for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri, it looked like Gasly’s was an electrical fire- but to have both RB’s to go out with some what a power unit issue it makes you think could this be a knock on effect for furture races?

    Where to start with McLaren… Obviously not good with qualifying yesterday but today in the race it seemed like they was pulling everything out of the car and wasn’t getting further. I think they are still battling their problems from testing- and once they do battle them I do believe they will have a good car.

    Kevin Magnussen in his first race back- scoring 5th! What a comeback for him and the Haas team, they are definitely looking like they are in the mid-field battle. Mick finished 11th- making it his career best finish and just missing out on points!

    Alfa Romeo too, looking like a midfield team, Bottas scoring his first points for the team and Zhou Guanyu scoring his first ever points and on his debut too.

    Not long to wait until the next race, as it is next weekend and we are back in Saudi Arabia for Round 2. Will Ferrari be victorious again? If so will it be Charles or will Carlos get his first ever F1 win? It’s all to play for!

  • F2 Bahrain- Day 2&3

    F2 Bahrain- Day 2&3

    Day 2-

    Trident had only took their first F2 podium in the 2021 season, and hadn’t stood on the top step since 2016 GP2 campaign, but new recruit Verschoor had upped the chances by starting P2.

    Drugovich tumbled down the timesheets to sixth as Ralph Boschung but his Campos in P2 after starting P6. The action was brought to a half as a Safety Car come out due to Marcus Armstrong being tagged by Jake Hughes. The Van Amersfoort driver was handed a 10 second time penalty.

    Verschoor aced the restart as he pulled himself out of the DRS range, behind him Pourchaire didn’t have much luck as he was forced to enter the pits and retire from 5th.

    Daruvala had been waiting to make a move on Boschung for 2nd and managed to stick ahead before VSC came out, due to Hughes coming to a stop on the gravel. Clement Novalak had made contact with the British driver and the MP Motorsport driver was handed a 10s time penalty.

    PositionDriverTeamPoints
    1Richard VerschoorMP Motorsport10
    2Jehan DaruvalaPREMA Racing8
    3Liam LawsonCarlin6
    4Ralph BoschungCampos Racing5
    5Felipe DrugovichMP Motorsport4
    Top 5 finishers

    Day 3-

    Vips took the chance to take the lead of the race, as the front row had horrible starts with Boschung added in there as well. THe ones on the alternate strategy all benefited off the line with Williams, Armstrong, Caldwell and Iwasa gaining multiple positions.

    The first safety car arrived three laps in as Frederick Vesti was spun to a stop. The pit stops then started, and Vips luck turned as he had a slow pit stop and put him down to 12th. This meant that Doohan basically got handed the lead- although he got through the pit stop unscathed he got tangled up with Pourchaire on his return to the track and suffered damage to his front wing meaning he had to pit again.

    A five car tussle for 10th resulted in another Safety car, as Enzo Fittipaldi tagged Richard Verschoor making him stop. A flurry of activity in the pit lane led to two further retirements as Hauger and Williams both lost a tyre during their teams attempt to get them back out on track.

    PositionDriverTeamPoints
    1Theo PourchaireART Grand Prix25
    2Liam LawsonCarlin18
    3Juri VipsHiTech Grand Prix15
    4Ralph BoschungCampos Racing12
    5Marcus ArmstrongHiTech Grand Prix10
    Top 5 finishers

    F2 hasn’t got long to wait till more action on track, they will be returning next weekend for the second round of the season in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia!

  • F3 Bahrain- Day 2 & 3

    F3 Bahrain- Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    As the red light went out, O’Sullivan was automatically having to defend from Bearman on the run into the first corner. However further back in the pack, Roman Stanek and pole sitter for the Feature race- Franco Colapinto collided and were forced to pit for repairs.

    Arthur Leclerc was the standout mover as he found himself up in 9th following the opening laps after starting 13th.

    There was a 3 way battle between the ART Grand Prix team-mates but it was Saucy and Martins who collided at Turn 1 fighting for P8, both had to return to the pitlane but both were forced to retire.

    Moments after this, Bearman made his overtake on O’Sullivan stick through Turn 4. Bearman’s team mate Leclerc still continued his charge as he progressed into 7th.

    Lap 10 saw Hadjar move up into third as he went past Smolyar. O’ Sullivan’s pace started to drop he fell into a pack of drivers, which ended with Maloney and Hadjar moving past the Williams Academy driver.

    Ollie Bearman crossed the line in P1 but due to a 5 second time penalty it meant that he was demoted to P2, and Isack Hadjar took the first win of the year!

    PositonDriverTeamPoints
    1Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix10
    2Ollie BearmanPREMA Racing9
    3Alexander SmolyarMP Motorsport8
    4Zane MaloneyTrident8
    5Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing6
    Top 5 finishers.

    Day 3-

    Even though he qualifying result was a shock, it was set to be a harder task for Colapinto to hold onto the victory. In the opening stages of the race, the Argentine looked very comfortable in the lead, however its never smooth sailing in F3 as he had to deal with a safety car restart, which was required after Pizzi and Maloney coming to a stop on the circuit on the opening lap due to a bit of contact.

    Caio Collet was a victim of the first lap drama, as he broke his front suspension while driving over a kerb at Turn 7, as he tried to avoid potential contact with rivals. At the Safety Car restart, Martins overtook Stanek for P2 but the Trident driver would be soon eliminated as he made contact with Alex Smolyar.

    Juan Manuel Correa appeared to have rapid pace as he moved into the top three after overtaking Smolyar, with the latter also soon found himself to be behind Leclerc who was on the mission.

    It was Victor Martins who took the win, with Leclerc making up 11 positions to finish 2nd!

    PositionDriverTeamPoints
    1Victor MartinsART Grand Prix25
    2Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing18
    3Gregiore SaucyART Grand Prix15
    4Juan Manuel CorreaART Grand Prix12
    5Franco ColapintoVan Amersfoort Racing10
    Top 5 finishers.

    F3 will be back in just over a month, 22nd to 24th of April for the second round in Imola, Italy!

  • Round 1 – Bahrain Qualifying

    Round 1 – Bahrain Qualifying

    Well, that was a madness of a qualifying session! WOW, with these new cars it could of been anyone’s, but it looked like it was going to Max Verstappen’s but it was not…

    Charles Leclerc takes his 10th pole position and second at the Bahrain International Circuit, as he beat Max Verstappen to the top spot by 0.123s. It was Carlos Sainz who took P3 making it a very strong start for the Italian team.

    The top 10 are- P1: Charles Leclerc, P2: Max Verstappen, P3: Carlos Sainz, P4: Sergio Perez, P5: Lewis Hamilton, P6: Valterri Bottas, P7: Kevin Magnussen, P8: Fernando Alonso, P9: George Russell and P10 going to Pierre Gasly!

    I think Lewis got the most out of the car today, where as George messed up on his last quali lap missing the breaking zone in Turn 1, hence why he qualified 9th. I would say I’m most intrigued to see how the Mercedes race pace is tomorrow and if the porpoising affects them as much as it previously has…

    Mr Valterri Bottas leaves Mercedes and goes to Alfa Romeo and with his first qualifying session with the team he goes and sticks it in 6th! Definitley seems the Ferrari power unit is a lot better this year compared to last as this bring me onto…

    Kevin Magnussen!! WOW. The Haas has qualifying pace! But even with a hydraulic issue K-Mag got the car into a great position in which will be his first grand prix tomorrow in over a year! His teammate done a superb job, qualifying 12th- lets hope for some masterclass overtaking from Mick tomorrow to see him in that top 10!

    McLaren… My heart breaks for them- they showed so much pace in Barcelona testing, then it went downhill last week in the Official Pre-Season test with their breaks and Ricciardo having covid set them off on the back foot. Norris starts P13 and Ricciardo P18.

    A quick mention for Alex Albon aswell! First time back in over a year and in a Williams so a completely new car and team to learn and he out qualifies his team mate!

    Predictions for tomorrow-

    I think if Charlex and Max don’t come together tomorrow afternoon then it could be Charles taking the race win- but the pair have history and have collided here…

    Top 5 I think will be: P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Sainz and P5: Hamilton.

    I do think both Haas’ will score points tomorrow and hopefully Bottas in the Alfa Romeo too. Definitely will be interesting to see the different strategies and how the pit stops will play out with the new tyres.

    Times-

    Feature Race F3: 09:00am (GMT), Feature Race F2: 10:40am (GMT), Bahrain GP: 15:00pm (GMT).

  • F2 Bahrain- Day 1

    F2 Bahrain- Day 1

    Free Practice-

    Novalak had initially set the first laptime of the new Formula 2 season, with the Frenchman setting a 1:48.044. He then improved with his second tour of the track but it was Jake Hughes who jumped up to take P1 and setting a 1:45.294.

    Lawson’s first attempt at a flying lap put him second- half a second of Hughes, Marcus Armstrong briefly jumped ahead of him but the Carlin driver’s second attempt put him in first.

    PREMA’s Daruvala pushed Lawson down to second before Armstrong jumped ahead of him too, slotting into 2nd. MP Motorsport then bumped Daruvala down to third as Drugovich went first ahead of Novalak. With less than three minutes left, DAMS were able to break the MP pair up.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptime
    1Felipe DrugovichMP Motorsport1:44.484
    2Ayumu IwasaDAMS1:44.679
    3Roy NissanyDAMS1:44.754
    4Clement NovalakMP Motorsport1:44.769
    5Marcus ArmstrongHiTech Grand Prix1:44.833
    Top 5 Free Practice

    Qualifying-

    All 22 cars took to the track when the lights went green but the session was red-flagged due to Iwasa’s DAMS came to a halt. Once the car was off the track, the session then resumed, Jake Hughes and Amaury Cordeel the Van Amersfoort pair led the session.

    Hughes was sat in P1 after the first flying laps ended with a 1:41.469. The British driver kept on to the position as his second fast lap was enough to beat Felipe Drugovich to the top spot.

    But it was Jack Doohan who put himself on pole position for Sunday’s feature race, with Theo Pourchaire in P2 and Juri Vips in P3. Felipe Drugovich will start Saturday’s Sprint race in P1, with Verschoor lining up next to him and Jake Hughes in P3.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptime
    1Jack DoohanVirtuosi Racing1:40.542
    2Theo PourchaireART Grand Prix1:40.683
    3Juri VipsHiTech Grand Prix1:40.755
    4Logan SargeantCarlin1:40.760
    5Ralph BoschungCampos Racing1:41.000
    6Liam LawsonCarlin1:41.100
    7Jehan DaruvalaPREMA Racing1:41.115
    8Jake HughesVan Amersfoort Racing1:41.121
    9Richard VerschoorTrident1:41.178
    10Felipe DrugovichMP Motorsport1:41.210
    Top 10 Qualifying
  • F3 Bahrain- Day 1

    F3 Bahrain- Day 1

    Free Practice-

    With the teams already having some track action here for the pre-season test, the field of 30 drivers took to track so set themselves up for hopfeully a competitive weekend.

    After the light went green and a few flurry of laps, it was MP Motorsport’s Caio Collet who set the fastest, however his effort was still some way of the true pace.

    The times began to tumber, as the drivers gathered further experience at the Bahrain International Circuit. But it was the reigning team champions, Trident who got off to a strong start this weekend, as Roman Stanek ended Free Practice on top with a 1:48.012.

    PREMA’s Arthur Leclerc moved himself up into second place, in which he was less than a tenth of a second behind Stanek. With Rookie, Gregoire Saucy launching himself into 3rd.

    In the final 10 minute, there was a brief yellow flag due to Reece Ushijiam coming to a stop in sector one but was able to get his car moving again.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptime
    1Roman StanekTrident1:48.012
    2Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing1:48.090
    3Gregoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:48.099
    4Izack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:48.285
    5Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:48.402
    Top 5 Free Practice

    Qualifying-

    Gregoire Saucy was the first to jump to the top of the timesheets, placing himself just over one-tenth of a second in front of Roman Stanek. Most of the drivers, then returned to the pit lane as the qualifying session hit the halfway point.

    With 10 minutes to go, a lot of the drivers came out of the pitlane and set their minds to some more push laps. Colapinto set a fire laptime, which saw no-one be able to replace him at the top spot.

    The top 12 switch round for tomorrows sprint race, so we will have Rookie, Zak O’Sullivan on pole position, lined up next to another rookie and FDA driver, Ollie Bearman with David Vidales rounding out the top 3 for tomorrows starting grid.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptime
    1Franco ColapintoVan Amersfoort Racing1:46.249
    2Roman StanekTrident1:46.314
    3Kush MainiMP Motorsport1:46.322
    4Gregoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:46.410
    5Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:46.412
    6Juan Manuel CorreaART Grand Prix1:46.600
    7Zane MaloneyTrident1:46.622
    8Alexander SmolyarMP Motorsport1:46.642
    9Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:46.649
    10David VidalesCampos Racing1:46.707
    11Ollie BearmanPREMA Racing1:46.843
    12Zak O’SullivanCarlin1:46.860
    Top 12 Qualifying

  • Bahrain Grand Prix

    We are back! Finally it’s race weekend and we are at the Bahrain Grand Prix for round 1 out of 22. Lots has happened since we was last here, new cars, new team-mates, new tyres and a new world champion!

    But, who will be world champion this year? Someone new or will we see Max Verstappen defend his crown? Or will Lewis be hunting for his 8th… It’s all to play for this year and it all starts here at the Bahrain International Circuit.

    Who needs to shine?

    Considering its the first race of the season I would say all, but I will give you all a few of my choices!

    Mick Schumacher and Yuki Tsunoda both going into their second year this season so I’d like to see them two do well across the whole weekend and it will be interesting to see if Haas have the pace and what Mick can do with it!

    Guanyu Zhou, the only driver to graduate from F2 this year, so all eyes on him, with him having Valtteri Bottas as his teammate it will be interesting to see how he does compared to him.

    Alex Albon, back in F1 after a year out and in a Williams, he has a lot to prove, especially showing the team that it was the right decision to bring him into the team, but Alex will also have to fight to stay in F1.

    Kevin Magnussen, again a year out- but this time it’s different as he hasn’t spent his time in one of the teams sim/ going to the track for a grand prix weekend.

    Predictions for Qualifying-

    My top 5 for qualifying are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Hamilton, P4: Sainz and P5: Russell.

    If Mercedes sort out their propoising I can see them being up there for pole position, but I have to give it RB and Max as they have a very fast car it seems but I do think it will be close between RB and Ferrari.

    I also predict that we see a Haas in the top 10, maybe an Alfa Romeo too, this then might cause some shock Q2 exits…

    Times for this weekend-

    Friday 18th March-

    Free Practice F3: 8:25am – 9:10am (GMT), Free Practice F2: 9:35am – 10:20am (GMT), Free Practice 1: 12:00pm – 13:00pm (GMT), Qualifying F3: 13:25pm – 13:55pm (GMT), Free Practice 2: 15:00pm – 16:00pm (GMT), Qualifying F2: 16:25pm – 16:55pm (GMT).

    Saturday 19th-

    Sprint Race F3: 10:05am – 10:45am (GMT), Free Practice 3: 12:00pm – 13:00pm (GMT), Qualifying: 15:00pm – 16:00pm (GMT), Sprint Race F2: 16:40pm – 17:25pm (GMT).

    Sunday 20th-

    Feature Race F3: 09:00am (GMT), Feature Race F2: 10:40am (GMT), Bahrain GP: 15:00pm (GMT).

  • Vettel out of Bahrain GP

    Vettel out of Bahrain GP

    Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the season opener in Bahrain. The four time world champion is currently doing well.

    Vettel will be replaced by the team’s reserve driver, Nico Hulkenberg who will be in the car from Friday practice. This weekend will be Hulkenbergs first Grand Prix since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, when he stood in for Lance Stroll at Racing Point after the Canadian tested positive aswell.

    It was the third time he filled in for a race driver that year, having replaced Sergio Perez for the two race weekends at Silverstone.

    The former Renault driver will be making his 180th Grand Prix start on Sunday, in which he is still looking to break his podium duck.

    The news comes after Daniel Ricciardo returned a positive test last week, in which he missed the Official Pre-Season Test, he has since returned a negative test and has returned to the paddock today (Thursday).

    Speaking prior to his positive test, Vettel had said he hoped this season would see a marked improvement from Aston Martin. “Everything is new in Formula One and I think we’re looking at a very tight battle, and some very close gaps, between all the teams,” he said. “There’s a lot to play for – and that’s F1 at its best.”

    Wishing Sebastian a get well soon and hopefully we see him in the car next week!

  • F3 2022 Drivers

    The Formula 3 2022 grid is complete before the first round this weekend in Bahrain, the first of 9 rounds and 18 races across the year.

    There are 14 rookies this year, including Zak O’Sullivan in which his come of the back of 3 impressive year, being runner up in Ginetta Junior Championship, runner-up in F4 British Championship and GB3 Champion last year. Ollie Bearman, also comes inot F3 being the ADAC Formula 4 Champion and Italian F4 Champion.

    Which drivers should we look out for this season?

    Trident drivers, they are coming of the back of winning the 2021 Team standings, and no doubt will be wanting to do it again.

    PREMA, you can never ever count out, obviously they have won the drivers championship 3 years in a row. As well as this, Arthur Leclerc has already won one championship this year and it looks like F3 will now be his main focus.

    Martins and Collet, both with Alpine Academy will be looking to fight for the championship this year. It is their second year in F3 and will be hoping to move up to F2 next season if they provide the results.

    Juan Manuel Correa sticking with ART Grand Prix, hoping to fight for more points this year as he goes into his second year in Formula 3.

    TeamsDrivers
    TridentJonny Edgar
    Zane Maloney (R)
    Roman Stanek
    PREMAOliver Bearman (R)
    Arthur Leclerc
    Jak Crawford
    ART Grand PrixVictor Martins
    Gregory Saucy (R)
    Juan Manuel Correa
    MP MotorsportCaio Collet
    Alexander Smolyar
    Kush Maini (R)
    Charouz Racing SystemAyrton Simmons (R)
    László Tóth
    Francesco Pizzi (R)
    HiTech Grand PrixKaylen Frederick
    Isack Hadjar (R)
    Nazim Azman
    Campos RacingDavid Vidales (R)
    Hunter Yeany
    Josep María Martí (R)
    Jenzer MotorsportIdo Cohen
    Niko Kari
    William Alatalo (R)
    CarlinZak O’Sullivan (R)
    Brad Benavides (R)
    Enzo Trulli
    Van Amersfoort RacingFranco Colapinto (R)
    Rafael Villagomez
    Reece Ushijima (R)
  • Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    The Malaysian Grand Prix, had been apart of the F1 World Championship from 1999 to 2017, where it was held at the Sepang International Circuit. In 2017, it got announced that the Malaysian Grand Prix was cancelled due to not being profitable.

    But with the F1 calendar having changed so much in recent years, with new tracks being added and old tracks coming back and the recent events of Russia no longer holding a GP, could we see Malaysia make a comeback?

    Twitter in Malaysia, has recently been trending with #Sepang, soon after going viral the hashtag went worldwide. A Malaysian motorsport news outlet has claimed that the Circuit committee has conducted an emergency meeting, then a local motorsport outlet said that the meeting was regarding hosting F1. As well as this, Sepang Circuit on twitter tweeted a number of tweets hinting at the idea of a return for F1.

    The Malaysian GP lost its glamour to its neighbour, Singapore as the start-studded night time Grand Prix attracted major crowds compared to Sepang. The Marina Bay Circuit then became the hotspot for F1 fans in the South East Asian region.

    But with the Singapore GP not being on the calendar since 2019 and only making a return this year, could their be room for the Malaysian GP to make a comeback?

    My Opinion-

    I personally think it should make a comeback, I used to love watching the Malaysian GP, but since covid and with South East Asia not having a GP in over 3 years surely tickets would sell out quickly for the Singapore GP, so having the Malaysian GP makes sense, a bit like having two US Grand Prix’s.

  • Ricciardo set to race

    Daniel Ricciardo has tested negative for Covid-19 and will be returning to Bahrain paddock on Thursday in time for the season opener.

    McLaren had a number of drivers on standby if Ricciardo had tested positive, those being Nyck de Vries, Stoffel Vandoorne, Paul Di Resta and Alpine reserve, Oscar Piastri.

    The Australian tested positive during the Official Pre-Season Test last week, leaving his teammate to conduct the three days of running for the Papaya team. Norris completed 200 laps over the 3 days- having the highest individual tally.

    McLaren did however, run into problems with their overheating brakes and will have spent the time between the test and the Grand Prix attempting to fix those problems as they aim to join the frontrunners.

    “McLaren F1 Team confirms that after testing positive for Covid-19 last week, Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend’s Bahrain GP,” said the team on Wednesday ahead of the Grand Prix. “Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbKNBSlMDDd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Bahrain tyre allocation

    For the first time this year, we get to take a look at the tyre allocation for the weekend ahead, not just for F1 but for Formula 2 and 3.

    Pirelli has selected the three hardest compounds in the new 18 inch tyre range: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium) and C3 (Soft). The nomination is one step harder than the selection which was made last year, as the new tyres are completely different in comparison to the old 13 inch tyres.

    The choice has been made because of the layout of the track, asphalt characteristics and temperatures. Bahrain remains one of the most abrasive tracks on the calendar thanks to a high percentage of granite within the asphalt, which leads to higher levels of wear and degradation. Even though asphalt abrasion is high, the sand which blows in from the surrounding desert can cause a lot of sliding which automatically affects grip.

    The rear tyres work the hardest at Bahrain due to lateral loads. There s a high degree of track evolution over over the weekend, and this year it will be even higher as normal as both Formula 2 and Formula 3 are support races.

    The teams had the chance to get familiar with the 2022 18-inch tyre range, having spent a total of six days of testing with all the compounds, although not always in representative conditions. We know from the past that track temperatures can play an important role in Bahrain, affecting tyre degradation, and that’s something we noticed at the recent test as well. During the race temperatures should be milder compared to FP1 and FP3, so the teams will have to focus on their data from FP2 and qualifying. It’s still hard to predict the race strategy as, in the past, Bahrain has been a multi-stop race, but it will be interesting to see if anyone will try something different this year.

    Mario Isla, Head of Pirelli Motorsport.

    Formula 2

    Formula 2 begins its season in Bahrain with the Hard compound and the Soft compound. The hard compound has been revised for this season to offer improved resistance increase the performance gap to the medium with the aim of challenging the drivers and increasing strategy options.

    Formula 3

    For the first time, Formula 3 will begin in Bahrain with the hard compound as the nominated tyre. Even though the compounds are the same before, the rear tyres have been designed to degrade faster which should shift the balances towards oversteer and make the car more challenging, with the aim of promoting greater driver involvement and showcasing talent.

  • Kari makes a shock return

    Niko Kari, is making a shock return to Formula 3 this weekend at the season opener in Bahrain.

    Kari is filling Jenzer Motorsport’s third car in a one-off, marking his first appearance in the Formula 1 support series since 2019. The 22 year old, race in F3’s GP3 from 2016 to 2018, where he won one race and coming 10th in 2017.

    After getting an opportunity to do two rounds in F2 with MP Motorsport in 2018, he then raced in F3’s inaugural season in 2019 where he finished 12th with Trident, he was then set to race for Charouz Racing System in 2020 but lost his seat just before the season started.

    After that, he fount a seat in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP3 class. He came fourth in the standings with two class podiums and also appeared in the supporting Le Mans Cup.

    His focused then switched to animal hunting in his home country and did not contest in the F3 pre-season testing earlier this month. It is not anticipated to remain in F3 for the second round- if Jenzer did not fill its full roster of three cars for the season opener, it would have been subject to a fine.

    Kari also has experience in European F3, Masters of F3, Formula 4 North European zone champion, with him winning the latter.

  • Herta to test for McLaren

    Herta to test for McLaren

    IndyCar driver, Colton Herta will be testing for McLaren this season in the teams 2021 car.

    American racer, Colton has taken six wins- his 2019 victory at Circuit of The Americas making him the series’ youngest ever winner. He also has seven pole positions in IndyCar to date.

    This opportunity comes for Herta, as the new Formula 1 regulations state that teams are allowed to test cars that are one year old, which allows them to evaluate young talent for the future.

    As a result of this Herta will test the 2021 McLaren, MCL35M. McLaren will confirm further details of its Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme in due course.

    “Colton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car,” said McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl. “We believe this testing programme will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future.”

    Herta added: “I want to thank McLaren for the opportunity to get my first laps in a Formula 1 car, which has always been on my racing bucket list. This will be a great opportunity for me to gain some valuable experience in a new form of motorsport and learn from such an established team like McLaren.”

    My Opinion-

    Herta looks like he could be entering the sport in a few years time, so this gives him the experience in an F1 car which he currently lacks and show McLaren what he is made of. As well as this McLaren could keep him in my mind for in a few years time depending on how he does in the test.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CbAn6TNs6cw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • What to take away from testing

    The Official Pre-Season Test is now complete, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend. Lets take a look over the past few days and see what we can take away from it all.

    Day 1-

    Haas made the headlines. The teams freight was delayed arriving into Bahrain, but the mechanics managed to put the car together and send it out for the afternoon session giving Pietro Fittipaldi a chance in the VF22.

    Mercedes talked about the most. Coming into pre-season testing after Barcelona there was rumours some teams will change their cars to try new things and see what works, one of them being Mercedes. The Silver Arrow grabbed attention from rival teams after they revealed a no sidepod sidepod making the car slimmer.

    Alfa Romeo making up for lost time. Barcelona wasn’t good for the team, not much running making them set of on the back foot but in Bahrain on the first day they turned it round with their lap count surpassing a century.

    Ferrari & Alpha Tauri dark horses. Ferrari were very pleased with their running in Barcelona appearing to have stepped up in competitiveness. They ignored the performance aspect of testing on day one and focused on set up.

    Where as their Italian rivals was switching focus from aero tests to mechanical runs and testing softer compounds. Pierre Gasly topped the times and clocked up 103 laps.

    Day 2-

    Ferrari still a threat. The Italian team was quickest in the second day- with both Charles and Carlos pleased with the balance and how the car responds to set up changes.

    Trouble at Williams? The team was top five on the mileage charts in Barcelona but it took a dive in Bahrain. Latifi managed 12 laps on the second day where he was forced to stop due to smoke and fire coming from his breaks.

    Possible trouble at McLaren too… McLaren stood out in Barcelona after being one of if not the most reliable team but Bahrain brought them brake problems. Norris managed 59 laps on his second day and 49 on the first. To add to this, Ricciardo has been absent on track due to an illness, now covid.

    Day 3-

    Red Bull on the right path. It is a given that teams keep their cards close to their chest, especially top teams. RB waited until Saturday to show a new sidepod and waiting until the last few hours to show a front wing end plate improvement, but the world champion topped the timesheets. Obviously its only testing so there are plenty of unknowns including the programmes they are running.

    Mercedes has issues! Mercedes had a productive day after getting through an intense programme with Hamilton focused on long runs and Russell running low fuel on softer compounds. Reliability has been good for the team throughout pre-season testing, its their performance which is lacking and the porpoising.

    Ferrari still talked about. The Italian team look like their in the top two in the pecking order. The last day of testing saw them run through set-up work, qualifying runs and race simulations, the team did not run into any problems.

    Alpine getting somewhere? We have all seen that Alpine has had a shocking pre-season, but they had their “best day” on Friday and another on the final day. Alonso focused on high fuel running in the morning before running slightly lighter to get a feel for the car on soft compounds.

    My Opinion-

    Well, lots have gone on over the past couple of days for testing. It definitely seems that Ferrari and RB are top two. If Mercedes sort out their problems we could possibly seem the a bit higher than third.

    The same goes with McLaren once they have sorted out their front axle issue we could see them higher up because they have got the pace as we saw in Barcelona.

    I would say the biggest shock for me was Haas, I believe with the pace they’ve shown in testing their somewhere in the midfield! They haven’t really had any reliability issues which is good, its all eyes on how they do next week!

  • Piastri joins pool of McLaren’s reserves

    McLaren can now call upon Oscar Piastri, Alpine’s reserve if they require a stand-in for Daniel Ricciardo or Lando Norris, following an agreement of a new deal between the teams.

    The British team already has an arrangement with Mercedes, which allows them to borrow Stoffel Vandoorne Or Nyck de Vries but both drivers have commitments to Mercedes EQ team in Formula E.

    As well as the arrangement with Mercedes, McLaren also have an agreement with former Force India driver, Paul Di Resta to act as a stand-in as possible.

    Following talks with the French team, it is to be believed that the talks have gone on for several weeks which allows Piastri to join the pool of reserves.

    Piastri who won the F2 Championship last year, is not in a full time seat this season and is instead understudy to two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon at Alpine.

    “In the spirit of offering maximum racing opportunities to our stable of young talent, we have agreed that McLaren may call upon BWT Alpine F1 Team Reserve Driver Oscar Piastri in the event one of their drivers is unable to race,” tweeted Alpine.

    My Opinion-

    This is good news for both McLaren and Oscar, it gives Oscar an potential opportunity to get some miles in an F1 car but aswell for McLaren they have someone who will be at the majority of races this year, so if something does happen he will be there.

  • Ricciardo tests postive for Covid

    Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for Covid-19 but is set to be released in time for the opening race in Bahrain next week.

    The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before pre-season testing kicked off at the Bahrain International Circuit. He was due to run all day Thursday but gave his duties to Lando Norris hoping he would feel better today (Friday) so he could run himself.

    Again he was not well enough to run today, so Lando tested for the whole day. But the team said he was returning negative covid tests, until tonight when the driver returned a positive PCR test.

    The team from Woking say he is continuing to isolate in the accordance with the local regulations as well as adding : “Under these regulations Daniel will be released in time for next weekend’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery.”

    Ricciardo took to social media saying: “Better this week than next… Unfortunate to miss the test, but I’m starting to feel better. I’ll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone.”

    This means that Norris will be driving all day Saturday for the final test day. Over the past two days he has managed just over 100 laps, struggling with brake issues.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-UYNOL3T6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Smolyar to not race in F3

    Alexander Smolyar has joined a number of Russian drivers who have opted not to continue International racing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Smolyar finished F3 in sixth last year and was due to return for a third season with MP Motorsport. However the FIA announced a few weeks ago that any Russian competitors in its series would have to participate as neutrals.

    The sport’s governing body also required Russian drivers to sign declarations that they “acknowledge the strong commitment made by the FIA to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine” and undertake to “not express any support (direct or indirect) for the Russian and/or Belarusian activities in respect of Ukraine”.

    Smolyar is backed by Russian junior driver programme SMP Racing, he took to social media to confirm he has decided to pull out of the championship.

    “I will not compete in FIA F3 and any international racing series this year. I stand with the decision of SMP Racing to stop its European program as a result of an unprecedented requirements that FIA put on any Russian driver as a condition for access to international competitions. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support in these difficult times.”

    He is the latest in a series of Russian drivers who have either lost their seats or opted not to compete this year. F1 driver Nikita Mazepin was dropped by his team after they severed ties to his father’s company Uralkali. In the World Endurance Championship, Russian team G-Drive has withdrawn, leaving ex-F1 racer Daniil Kvyat and Roman Rusinov without drives.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca663v7teh5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Magnussen Returns!!

    Magnussen Returns!!

    Kevin Magnussen has signed a multi-year deal to make a return to Formula 1 with the American team in 2022, following the teams decision to part ways with Nikita Mazepin.

    Having driven in F1 for McLaren in 2014 to 15 and Renault in 2016, the Danish driver raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020. Magnussen then moved Stateside where he took part in sportscars and IndyCar and was set to join Peugeot’s World Endurance Championship team this year.

    But, the 29 year old will partner Mick Schumacher in which will be the German’s second year in the sport.

    Team Principal Guenther Steiner said: “I’m delighted to welcome Kevin Magnussen back to Haas F1 Team. When looking for a driver who could bring value to the team, not to mention a wealth of Formula 1 experience, Kevin was a straightforward decision for us. Kevin’s immediate availability means we can tap into him as a resource for pre-season testing alongside both Mick Schumacher and Pietro Fittipaldi. Pietro’s going to be first in this week with half a day’s running at the test on Thursday – that’s a great opportunity for him, with Mick and Kevin doing the rest ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Kevin was a key component in our previous successes – not least when we both scored our best finishes in Formula 1 back in 2018. He continued to show last year that he’s an elite race car driver adding wins and podiums to his resume. As a veteran presence in both the garage and the engineering room, he’ll provide a solid benchmark for us with the on-going development of the VF-22. We’re all looking forward to welcoming Kevin back this week in Bahrain.”

    Magnussen added: “I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team. I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations. Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career – I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out. We’ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. I’ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. There’s work to do but I’m excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.”

    My Opinion-

    YESS! I’m very happy about this, I think this was the best pick out of the most experienced in F1 and with him having history with the team it seems the perfect fit. Even more so that he is on a multi year deal, he can help the team develop the car along with Mick.

  • HiTech terminates sponsorship

    HiTech Grand Prix who race in FIA F2 and FIA F3 have terminated their Uralkali sponsorship deal with immediate effect.

    The Silverstone based team, had been sponsored by the company since 2016. It’s CEO being Nikita Mazepins dad, Dmitry Mazepin.

    HiTech ran without the branding during pre-season testing last week as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued.

    The team took to social media today, to announce its agreement with Uralkali as well as adding that it was “shocked and saddened” by the war and wished for a “swift and peaceful end” to the conflict.

    In a statement, the team said: “Hitech Grand Prix has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the sponsorship agreement of Uralkali. As with the rest of the motorsport community, the team are shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wish for a swift and peaceful end to the ongoing conflict.”

    Uralkali became a major team partner when Mazepin signed with the team in 2016 for the FIA European Formula 3 Championship remaining with the team the following year. He then returned to HiTech in 2020 for the F2 Championship.

  • Imola remains till 2025

    Imola remains till 2025

    The Formula 1 Rolex Grand Prix, made in Italy Emilia-Romagna at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari International Circuit in Imola is remaining on the calendar until 2025.

    This decision comes after two successful Grand Prix during the pandemic and the inclusion the race in 2022. But looking back Imola first hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1980 but subsequently became the San Marino Grand Prix a year later until 2006. The circuit then made a come back in 2020 as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

    This season, we will see the first Sprint of the year at Imola and the first to be at the circuit.

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “I am delighted that we will be continuing our excellent partnership with Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix until 2025. The circuit is iconic and has been part of the history of our sport and they have done an incredible job of hosting two races during the pandemic. It is a proud moment for our Italian fans to host two races and for all our fans around the world to see this fantastic circuit on the calendar for the future. I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen and the work of the Emilia-Romagna Region, in particular the President of the Automobile Club of Italy, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of Emilia-Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the City of Imola. We are all looking forward to being back in Imola in April to thrill our fans.”

    President of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, said: “It’s an extraordinary result for the Emilia-Romagna region and for the Motor Valley. The confirmation that the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix that will be held at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Autodrome in Imola until 2025 is a reward to an important team effort that involved the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ice (i.d. the Italian Trade Agency), the City of Imola, ACI, CON.AMI and Formula 1, of course.

    “After two successfully organized editions, a unique event of great international appeal and absolute prestige was confirmed in the long run along the Via Emilia despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic and while preparations are already underway for the 2022 edition. The event will allow us to turn the spotlight on both a region which is home to great champions and world-famous motorsport brands and Italy, a country rich in unique, internationally renowned excellence in all fields, starting from the automotive industry. For us, this is a great source of pride and a precious opportunity to discuss values, knowledge and professionalism that translate first and foremost into work, innovation and the ability to do business together and with great passion.”

    My Opinion-

    Yess, I’m happy about this, the past few races have been good their and it was nice to see Lando Norris to get on the podium their last season. With the sprint being their this year, it may provide a bit more extra to the weekend.

  • Fittipaldi to test in Bahrain

    It has been confirmed by Gene Haas, that Pietro Fittipaldi will be testing in Bahrain this week for the American team.

    This comes as Nikita Mazepin got axed from his seat on Saturday, as well as the teams sponsor. The decision to cut ties with both came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    There are a few options in who could partner up with Mick Schumacher, one including Pietro Fittipaldi the Test and Reserve driver for the team.

    According to BBC Sport, there are three drivers on Haas’ shortlist, those being: Pietro Fittipaldi, Oscar Piastri and Jehan Daurvala.

    “There was a lot of intense criticism about the Ukraine invasion and it was just getting overwhelming,” team owner Haas told The Associated Press. “We can’t deal with all that, our other sponsors can’t deal with all that. We’re in the process of looking at several candidates, we’ll see who is available and what we have to deal with, but we’ll have somebody by Wednesday. Pietro will definitely be in it, that’s what he’s for, he’s the test driver. I think we’d obviously like to get someone with a bit more actual experience. We just have to see what’s available.”

    My Opinion-

    Obviously they needed someone in that second seat for testing and quick, that someone is Fittipaldi, so Haas have now got one thing ticked of their list. But I can understand why they are taking their time to decide for the seat for the season.

    I’ve seen lots of possibilities over the past few days from Hulkenberg to Giovinazzi to Magnussen as well as the ones already mentioned above. But with Gene Haas saying they would ‘obviously like to get someone with a bit more experience’ it does make me think that having someone with experience is good but would they prefer that over having someone who is new to F1 e.g Piastri.

  • Drivers contracts

    With the new season about to start in the next few weeks, we shall be expecting drivers to sign new contracts throughout the season. So lets take a look at when they run out.

    This year we have 10 drivers from 8 different teams, whose contracts are running out. Some older drivers may think about leaving the sport depending on whether they can get a contract extension or a new contract for a different team. Other drivers may consider switching teams.

    We could potentially see some drivers from Formula 2 come up for 2023 as there is lots of young drivers in F1 teams programme, so teams may want to use their sister teams to get their backed driver in the sport. As well as this we also have Oscar Piastri who is a reserve this year waiting for a seat for next year.

    Lance Stroll is on a multi year contract, no-one officially knows how long it is but it is to be expected either till the end of this year or 2023, which will then make it 11 drivers contracts running out this year.

    With Max and Lando both getting contract extensions already this year, we could potentially see some more drivers get longer contracts too. Carlos Sainz is said to be negotiating a new contract with Ferrari.

    DriverTeamContract end
    Sergio PerezRed Bull Racing2022
    Carlos SainzFerrari2022
    Fernando AlonsoAlpine2022
    Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri2022
    Pierre GaslyAlpha Tauri2022
    Sebastian VettelAston Martin2022
    Mick SchumacherHaas2022
    Nicholas LatifiWilliams2022
    Alex AlbonWilliams2022
    Guanyu ZhouAlfa Romeo2022
    Lewis HamiltonMercedes2023
    George RussellMercedes2023
    Daniel RicciardoMcLaren2023
    Charles LeclercFerrari2024
    Esteban OconAlpine2024
    Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo2024
    Lando NorrisMcLaren2025
    Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing2028
    Lance StrollAston MartinUnknown

  • Mazepin will not race for Haas

    The Haas Formula One team, has announced today that Nikita Mazepin’s contract and their title partnership Uralkali contract have both been terminated with immediate effect.

    The Russian’s future had been in doubt after his father Dmitry’s sponsor branding through Uralkali was removed from the team’s car at Barcelona testing. Team principal Guenther Steiner then admitted that Mazepin’s future with the team was something that needed to be addressed.

    Since then the American team, have been under immense pressure to act on Mazepin’s future, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With sport all around the world cutting ties with the country.

    The team released an statement saying: “Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin. As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

    At this moment in time, Haas have not announced who will replace him but it is said to be announced early next week, before the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain.

    Some of the drivers who could take the spot is: Pietro Fittipaldi, he is the front runner as he currently is the team’s test and reserve driver. Another is Antonio Giovinazzi, obviously he is tied with being Ferrari’s reserve but Haas and Ferrari have a very close relationship so he may get the spot. Some outsider candidates are: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

  • F2 Testing Bahrain

    F2 Testing Bahrain

    Formula 2 cars are back on track, as they had their pre-season test in Bahrain before the season starts in two weeks.

    Day 1-

    AM:

    Ayumu Iwasa, lead the field out of the pits but it was Logan Sargaent who emerged in first leading, Marino Sato and Marcus Armstrong. There were three delays during the session as Juri Vips stopped on track twice, with Olli Caldwell also coming to a stop too.

    Lawson took control of the session setting a 1:44.522, ahead of Drugovich. Rookie’s Iwasa and Cem Bolukbasi posted the most laps with 26 each.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Liam LawsonCarlin1:44.52222
    2Felipe DrugovichMP Motorsport1:44.91025
    3Logan SargeantCarlin1:45.01022
    4Jehan DaruvalaPREMA Racing1:45.10323
    5Jack DoohanVirtuosi Racing1:45.18221
    Top 5 Morning Session

    PM:

    Drugovich returned to the front of the order at the beginning of the afternoon session setting a 1:43.831. After two red flags, one each for Vips and Bolukbasi, Lawson returned to the top.

    The timesheet got a reshuffle as PREMA went on a set of fast laps, with Daruvala lapped a 1:42.074, but it was Williams who split the two PREMA’s. Ralph Boschung set the most laps in the afternoon with 38 to his name.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Jehan DaruvalaPREMA Racing1:42.07425
    2Calan WilliamsTrident1:42.59031
    3Dennis HaugerPREMA Racing1:42.59025
    4Liam LawsonCarlin1:43.47831
    5Logan SargeantCarlin1:43.48331
    Top 5 Afternoon Session

    Day 2-

    AM:

    After Vips had a stop start opening day, he took to track on the second and led a long-run focused morning. He was the only driver to break the 1m 47s barrier ending with a healthy 0.526s over second place.

    The order remained consistent throughout the morning with six drivers totting up more than 40 laps each, including Fittipaldi, Williams, Sargeant and Vesi who all made the top 10.

    There were 3 red flag during the session Amaury Cordeel came to a stop twice on track, as well as Ayumu Iwasa at turn 2.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Juri VipsHiTech Grand Prix1:46.70523
    2Richard VerschoorTrident1:47.23122
    3Cem BolukbasiCharouz Racing System1:47.68833
    4Enzo FittipaldiCharouz Racing System1:48.88941
    5 Jake HughesVan Amersfoort Racing1:48.90934
    Top 5 Morning Session

    PM:

    The afternoon was aimed to lay down some fast times but the session was interrupted early on as Marcus Armstrong clipped the barriers at Turn 8. Once the session resumed, Drugovich posted the fastest time of the day with a 1:42.907.

    Carlin’s new line up, took further chunks out of the quickest time as Sargeant put a 1:42.144 on the board. Boschung then replaced them at the top but Lawson didn’t let him stay there long.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Liam LawsonCarlin1:41.62320
    2Ralph BoschungCampos Racing1:42.09620
    3Theo PourchaireART Grand Prix1:42.09625
    4Logan SargeantCarlin1:42.13326
    5Jack DoohanVirtuosi Racing1:42.14422
    Top 5 Afternoon Session

    Day 3-

    AM:

    The morning session saw teams performing long runs to get their final preparations before the opening race. Two of the three drivers to post fewer than 30 laps were at the top of the leaderboard, being the MP pair. Theo Pourchaire was the driver who set the most laps, racking up 56 in total.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Felipe DrugovichMP Motorsport1:44.91124
    2Clement NovalakMP Motorsport1:45.88322
    3Juri VipsHiTech Grand Prix1:45.97850
    4Liam LawsonCarlin1:46.11446
    5Logan SargeantCarlin1:46.76145
    Top 5 Morning Session

    The afternoon session, was cancelled due to a sandstorm which made the visibility low. But Formula 2 is back in two weeks for the season opener in Bahrain

  • F3 Testing Bahrain

    F3 Testing Bahrain

    Formula 3 returned to the Bahrain International Circuit, as a new-look field featuring 15 rookies headed out on track with their first lot of action of the year.

    Day 1-

    AM:

    Roman Stanek topped the timesheets during the opening stages, but his unrepresentative time of 2:13.030 was easily beaten by Reece Ushijima. HiTech Grand Prix’s Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar went 2nd with his teammate in 3rd.

    In the final 30 minutes of the session, Arthur Leclerc who was crowned Asian F3, champion during the off-season replaced Ushijima at the top with a 1:48.005. Maloney went second shortly after, while Ushijima managed to hold on to third.

    Enzo Trulli brought the session to slight stop as the Carlin driver stopped on track due to an engine issue just minuted before the chequered flag. MP duo Kush Maini and Caio Collet completed the most laps in the morning session, both doing 25 each.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Arthur LeclercPREMA Racing1:48.00510
    2Zane MaloneyTrident1:48.0188
    3Reece UshijimaVan Amersfoort Racing1:48.03516
    4Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:48.08912
    5Kaylen FrederickHiTech Grand Prix1:48.12814
    Top 5 Morning Session

    PM:

    Caio Collet, went first and was followed by Ayrton Simmons, but as the laps got more competitive, rookie Gregoire Saucy jumped to the top with a 1:48.045 ahead of Francesco Pizzi and Jak Crawford.

    There were only two red flags during the session, the first being caused by Stanek who stopped at Turn 8, and the second by Patrick Pasma, in the final few minutes at Turn 7.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Zane MaloneyTrident1:47.61423
    2Williams AlataloJenzer Motorsport1:47.78324
    3Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:47.79934
    4Roman Stanek Trident1:47.85421
    5Franco ColapintoVan Amersfoort Racing1:47.94329
    Top 5 Afternoon Session

    Day 2-

    AM:

    Martins set the benchmark at 1:47.602 ahead of Edgar in the early stages of a hot morning. The Alpine junior, remained up front for the majority of the session, but his time was eventually beat by Isack Hadjar who went 0.086s.

    ART driver Gregoire Saucy, put in the most laps this session, completing 45 runs overall.

    PositionDriversTeamsLaptimeLaps
    1Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:47.51630
    2Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:47.60243
    3Jonny EdgarTrident1:47.62930
    4Gregoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:47.80445
    5Juan Manuel CorreaART Grand Prix1:47.83443
    Top 5 Morning Session

    PM:

    The afternoon session of Day 2 was a mix of long runs and fast laps as the session began in hot condition but then cooled as the session went on. Francesco Pizzi knocked his teammate of the top spot, but he didn’t remain there for long as Franco Colapinto and Olli Bearman each enjoyed spells in first.

    But it was Martins, who took control of the session as he out in a 1:48.250. Edgar was the busiest in the afternoon as he completed 43 laps before a minor collision between Ido Cohen and Correa brought out a red flag.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Victor MartinsART Grand Prix1:48.25036
    2Roman StanekTrident1:48.37934
    3Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:48.49038
    4Gregoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:48.62237
    5Alexander SmolyarMP Motorsport1:48.69734
    Top 5 Afternoon Session

    Day 3-

    AM:

    All cars headed out to an cloudy and humid track, but it was Hadjar who led the field and the mileage. The Red Bull backed driver ended the session with a 0.381s gap to 2nd.

    The only red flag of the session came because of Kaylen Frederick stopping at Turn 3.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Isack HadjarHiTech Grand Prix1:47.24744
    2Jak CrawfordPREMA Racing1:47.62836
    3Gregoire SaucyART Grand Prix1:47.71936
    4Caio ColletMP Motorsport1:47.78232
    5Alexander SmolyarMP Motorsport1:47.90931
    Top 5 Morning Session

    PM:

    The grid had to battle a sandstorm as Stanek topped the final session, setting a 1:48.182, in the final hour. But it was Colapinto who set 43 laps the most out of any of the drivers.

    There were 3 red flag during the session, with Josep Maria Marti, Laszlo Toth and Saucy all stopping on track for separate reasons.

    PositionDriverTeamLaptimeLaps
    1Roman StanekTrident1:48.18234
    2Reece UshijimaVan Amersfoort Racing1:48.79838
    3Zane MaloneyTrident1:48.80728
    4Franco ColapintoVan Amersfoort Racing1:48.97543
    5Jonny EdgarTrident1:49.16738
    Top 5 Afternoon Session

    Formula 3 will be back and returning to Bahrain for the opening round of the season from March 18th to 20th.

  • Cape Town track revealed

    The proposed race track for Cape Towns inaugural Formula E World Championship E-Prix has been revealed by Formula E and e-Movement Ltd.

    Subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, the all-electric race cars will wind their way through the Green Point and Waterfront district, showcasing some of Cape Town’s most famous locations.

    The track is to be predicted one of the fastest in the series and Cape Town is joining the likes of Monaco, Mexico City, Berlin, London and NY as city centres hosting an Formula E World Championship race.

    Cape Town is set to become the first sub Saharan African city to host a round of the electric championship next year during the 9th Season- with the full calendar and dates being released later in the year.

    The Cape Town E-Prix will start at the Green Point precinct’s Vlei Road, where the field of world-class drivers will race with Signal Hill as a backdrop. Then it’s a left turn into Helen Suzman Boulevard, and another left into Granger Bay Boulevard, presenting the racers with two sharp chicanes. The drivers will then head along the ocean front on Mouille Point’s Beach Road, before taking a sharp left-hander into Fritz Sonnenberg Road and a final right to reach the finish line.

    Alberto Longo, Co-founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said: “We’ve had a very positive response within our ecosystem of teams, drivers and sponsors about coming to Cape Town, so we are delighted that the City is joining our Season 9 calendar. When I first met Iain Banner [Chairman of race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd] in 2019, he said that he was confident that Cape Town had the potential to be one of the top cities on our global calendar. This is my first visit to South Africa and having now seen the beauty of the Mother City, I feel confident that he is right.”

    Iain Banner, Chairman, race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd, said: “The public has been crying out for an open-wheel, street-circuit race and we are now answering those cries. With Table Mountain as the backdrop and Robben Island in the foreground, I have no doubt the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will garner substantial support in Cape Town and throughout South Africa.”

  • F1 terminates Russian GP contract

    Following the announcement made by F1 last week that the Russian GP is cancelled, F1 has now confirmed that the contract for the Russian Grand Prix has been terminated.

    This means that F1 will no longer shift from Sochi to St Petersburg as planned in 2023. F1 was due to race at the revamped Igora Drive circuit from next year, with the contract running until 2025.

    This decision, is understood to have been taken last week as part of the talks between F1 officials and team bosses about the race following the invasion of Ukraine.

    Sport around the world has been cutting ties with Russia since the start of the invasion. With the FIA World Motor Sport Council, announced that Russian and Belarussian drivers could still race, but only under a neutral FIA flag.

    However, this has not stopped individual ASNs from taking their own action, including Motorsport UK, which announced Russian and Belarussian drivers are not permitted to race in the UK.

    Nikita Mazepin’s future is still uncertain with Haas, the teams title sponsor Uralkali has its branding removed from the car for the final day of testing, having supported Mazepin throuhgout his career.

    “Formula 1 can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future,” the statement reads.