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  • RND 9 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP1-

    TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa was the quickest guy on track for the first Free Practice Session for the 2024 Sun Minimeal Berlin E-Prix.

    Getting to grips with the new layout at the iconic Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, with the Season 6 champion joined by ERT’s Sergio Sette Camara and the DS PESNKE of Stoffel Vandoorne in the top three.

    There was also some early drama as championship leader Pascal Wehrlein came to a dramatic halt a few minutes into the session.
    The German was forced to jump out of the car before even setting a time, not the ideal start to his and the team’s home race weekend.

    The super substitutes made the most of the running, with Joel Eriksson being the fastest of the bunch, who has experience in Formula E with eight race starts to his name.

    Ten minutes was left of the session, and the grid was separated by a second from Dennis to McLaren’s Taylor Barnard.

    FP2-

    Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilan Guenther was top of the timesheets in the final free practice session before qualifying.

    Guenther was able to set a time of 1m 02.177s in the final moments of the 30 minute session to give his home crowd something to cheer about.
    Just behind him was the ABT of Lucas di Grassi, and Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein in third after a technical issue in FP1.

    Making the most of the last practice session before qualifying, drivers were pushing their cars to the limits. Yet, one going a bit too much was Envision’s Joel Eriksson who clipped the wall on one of his runs.

    With ten minutes left on the clock, a brief red flag was deployed to collect a rogue advertising banner, however teams were quickly sent back out again.

    Qualifying-

    Edoardo Mortara sparked delight in the Mahindra Racing garage, as the Swiss-French-Italian steered to Julius Baer Pole Position and the team’s first points of the season.

    Nothing split Mortara and Vandoorne over more than half of the lap at the reconfigured Tempelhof circuit.
    Two thirds of the lap were down before the two could be separated – with the Mahindra Racing driver pulling out a couple of tenths over the DS racer.

    Some big names were knocked out in the Groups, including Antonio Felix da Costa, Mitch Evans, Jake Dennis and Nick Cassidy.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Mortara, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Vergne, P4: Sette Camara, P5: Guenther, P6: Wehrlein, P7: Daruvala, P8: Di Grassi, P9: Da Costa and P10: Cassidy.

    Round 9-

    Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy produced a stunning comeback drive having slipped to 21st at the half-way stage, to take the chequered flag first and the race win.

    Mortara covered off Vandoorne into Turn 1 as the pack filtered through unscathed – only Sette Camara of the top six made moves, passing Vergne for third at the final corner but only temporarily.

    Once the first round of Attack Mode shook out, Vergne led Vandoorne, with the DS pair working in tandem to maximise efficiency while keeping track position. The Porsche pair of Wehrlein and da Costa followed.

    At a quarter race distance, Vergne led Vandoorne, Wehrlein, Mortara, da Costa and Sette Camara the top six while Joel Eriksson’s Envision was recovered under a full course yellow then a safety car – the Swede clipping the wall and breaking his right-rear suspension.

    On lap 17, the race went green once again, with the lead a fluid concept between any of four cars out front as the second round of attack mode activations began.

    Mortara hit the front once again as the race hit lap 22, before being passed again by early leaders Vergne and Wehrlein, with da Costa third on lap 24.
    Jake Dennis, meanwhile had clambered from the back of the pack to eighth with as much as six percentage points of energy in-hand on some of the leaders.

    Less than a second split the top eight with 27 laps down. Wehrlein and da Costa were the current leaders, though things were changing by the sector.

    Guenther’s forward foray came to an abrupt end, as contact with Hughes on lap 30 speared the Maserati into the wall and out of the race- which then required a second appearance for the Porsche Safety Car.

    Evans led things away on lap 34, with Wehrlein holding off Rowland before the Yorkshireman fired it up the inside of the Porsche and Evans for the lead at the hairpin before da Costa sliced by just a turn later.

    Dennis ran deep into the hairpin on lap 36, losing four spots and ultimately having to pit due to a right-front puncture having come into close contact with da Costa’s Porsche.
    With six laps left and energy in-hand, having driven from 20th on the grid, it proved to be a super costly coming together.

    Six laps were added for those spells under caution, and Evans headed the way from Vergne – having taken his remaining Attack Mode.

    Every corner seemed to be three-wide for the lead and beyond as the laps ticked away.
    Cassidy meanwhile, had come for nowhere – 21st on lap 21, having slipped down from ninth – to take second from Rowland with just three laps left to run and hit the front.

    From there, he bolted – the Jaguar driver some 1.5 seconds quicker than Vergne behind and striding to a two-second advantage out-front as second to eighth squabbled.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Cassidy, P2: Vergne, P3: Rowland, P4: Evans, P5: Wehrlein, P6: Da Costa, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Mortara, P9: Fenestraz and P10: Barnard.

  • Fittipaldi & Van Der Linde to drive for Jaguar

    Jaguar TCS Racing will be welcoming back Sheldon van der Linde for the Rookie Test, alongside new debutant Enzo Fittipaldi.

    The team will be bring back Sheldon van der Linde, who represented the Jaguar squad during last season’s Berlin test as well as last month in Misano during the Rookie Free Practice.

    The South African, who is the younger brother of ABT CUPRA driver Kelvin van der Linde, showed some impressive pace and went fastest in the opening session of the Berlin test last year.

    As well as being the 2022 DTM Champion, van der Linde also won the South Africa Polo Cup Championship and Volkswagen Cup South Africa during his younger career.
    He was also a part of BMW i Andretti Motorsport as a test and reserve driver, during the seventh Formula E season before joining Jaguar as their Test Driver from Season 9.

    Alongside him will be Brazilian racer, Enzo Fittipaldi, who will be getting behind the wheel of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 for the first time.

    Fittipaldi comes from a long line of motorsport legends, with him also having a very impressive start to his 2024 racing season.
    The 22 year old won the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race in Jeddah with Van Amersfoort Racing, as well as picking up a podium in the Sprint Race that same weekend.

    I’m very excited to get back for my fourth test with the Jaguar TCS Racing team within one year – I feel a bit of a veteran at these rookie tests by now. Formula E is a really exciting championship to be racing in, one I hope to be competing in in the future, so hopefully this is a stepping stone to that opportunity.
    Sheldon on the news.

    This will be my first time driving a Formula E race car and I am really looking forward to the opportunity. I’ve spent some time in the simulator at the team’s headquarters in Kidlington to give myself the best chance to have a successful test in Berlin. The rookie test is a great opportunity for young drivers to try an all-electric motorsport category and I can’t wait to get some experience.
    Fittipaldi on the news.

  • NEOM McLaren announce Rookies for Berlin

    NEOM McLaren announce Ugo Ugochukwu and Gregoire Saucy for the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Ugochukwu, from New York City, US, has had an impressive junior career to date and is currently a member of the McLaren Driver Development programme, having initially signed with the team in 2021.

    In his short career so far, he’s sealed the FIA OK-Junior European Karting Championship title, amongst other karting achievements.
    Moving up to single seaters, he finished his rookie season third overall and winning the Rookie trophy, and his second season as Italian Formula 4 vice champion and Euro 4 Champion, where he grabbed a total of 11 wins and 44 podiums to his name.

    This season he is competing in the Formula Regional European Championship and at selected rounds of the GB3 Championship, whilst continuing his progression with the McLaren Driver Development programme where he will be supported in his journey from junior motorsport to professional racing driver.
    Ugochukwu has already spent time in the Formula E simulator at the MTC as part of his current role.

    Gregoire Saucy, from Switzerland, began racing on his family kart track at three years old and quickly established himself as a talent, where he became the youngest licensed competitor at just seven years old.

    His early career saw him regularly on the podium throughout karting championships and in 2015 he progressed to single seaters, claiming his first title in the Formula Regional Championship in 2021.
    He currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with United Autosports, in partnership with McLaren Motorsport.

    I’m looking forward to the Berlin Rookie Test in May with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. It’s an amazing opportunity to take the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 to track and I’m grateful to be given this chance through the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m excited to learn and develop my driving further with a new category of car. I’ll be working closely with the great team at Bicester and MTC in the build-up, getting prepared for the test and making sure I’m as prepared as possible to help the team.
    Ugo on the news.

    I’m really excited to start this new challenge. It will be my first time in a Formula E car. I’ve been driving single seater cars up until last year, before changing direction for this season, competing in GT3 and LMP2, so it will be nice to step into a single seater again. I want to thank the NEOM McLaren team for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to discovering Formula E first hand. See you in Berlin.
    Saucy on the news.

    It’s great to see that Formula E is continuing to provide opportunities for talented drivers to show what they are capable of, by hosting another official rookie test this season. It is also a good way for us as teams to evaluate these drivers in the current GEN3 machinery. I’m especially excited about our line-up for this test; both Ugo and Grégoire have stood out in the categories they’ve competed in to date. I look forward to seeing them hit the track in Berlin.
    Ian James, Team Principal & Managing Director.

  • Ricardo Feller to make Formula E debut with ABT CUPRA

    DTM star, Ricardo Feller is set for an outing at the Berlin Rookie Test with ABT CUPRA.

    Fresh from the podium of DTM, Feller will be making his debut for ABT CUPRA team at the rookie test on the 13th May.
    The Swiss driver will take over the number 51 car for one day, which is normally driven by Nico Mueller in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    Feller is in his third year in DTM for ABT and started the new season with a podium finish at Oschersleben. Last year he finished 3rd overall with ABT in DTM. Not only this he also competed in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Sprint Cup where he finished 1st.

    To prepare for the new challenge, Feller will be spending a day at the simulator in Kempten to familiarise himself with the track in Berlin and the car’s systems.

    We have already experienced victories and many great moments with Ricardo in the DTM – so he has more than earned his trip into the electrified world and we are all looking forward to seeing him in the Formula E car. Ricardo is a great race driver, he knows the team well and will certainly be able to support us perfectly in our test program – but of course he should also have a lot of fun during the day in Berlin.
    ABT CEO and Team Principal, Thomas Biermaier.

    I’ve been following the team’s upward trend closely and now I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I want to help with the development – if my times in Berlin are reasonably good, that’s even better.
    Feller on the news.

  • DS PENSKE confirm Edgar & Shwartzman for Rookie Test

    DS PENSKE have announced Jonny Edgar will drive for the team alongside Robert Shwartzman at the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Jonny Edgar is a British racing driver who is set to compete in the European Le Mans Series with AO by TF.
    Edgar has been busy since he went into single seaters back in 2019, in 2020 competing in ADAC Formula 4 Championship where he won the championship, he also competed in Italian F4 Championship in the same year where he came fourth.

    He has been racing in FIA Formula 3 since 2021 until 2023, where he only managed one win and one podium. But in 2022 he pulled out of a couple rounds due to being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

    Robert Shwartzman, reserve driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team, will continue his work alongside the DS PENSKE squad at the Berlin Rookie test after appearing in Misano earlier this season.

    I am thrilled to get the chance to drive a Formula E car, and I thank Jay Penske and the team for giving me this amazing opportunity. As a driver I am always keen to be able to gain experience with different cars and this test offers me the chance to try a new kind of single-seater! This championship is like no other, very exciting and I cannot wait to be behind the wheels of this stunning car.
    Edgar on the news.

  • Powell and Vanthoor set for Rookie Test

    Alice Powell and Dries Vanthoor will line-up for Envision Racing at the Rookie Test.

    Powell, has played a crucial role for many years with Envision Racing as the Test & Development driver, and previously tested the Gen2 in Marrakesh and Valencia.

    The British driver, who has five W Series victories to her name, has completed shakedowns in the Gen3 car but will soon embark on her first full day of running in Berlin.

    Dries Vanthoor is currently racing in the World Endurance Championship, who has an impressive racing CV.
    This includes a win in the LMGTE category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this test with Envision will mark his debut in Formula E.

    It’s a fantastic opportunity to take part in the rookie test day in Berlin. I’ve been working with the team for a long time and have completed a lot of simulator work over the past few seasons, so to get the chance to have a full day in the GEN3 on track is going to be really useful for me, and hopefully also for the team.
    Powell on the news.

    I’m really looking forward to my first ever Formula E test. It’s a great championship, and I’m excited to try out the Gen3 car with Envision Racing. It’s a good learning opportunity to try out a different discipline of motorsport, especially the advanced technologies in Formula E.
    Vanthoor on the news.

    We are happy to have two very talented drivers step into our cars for the rookie test day. Dries and Alice have both achieved a lot in their careers, and we’re looking forward to seeing them out on track in Berlin.
    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and CTO of Envision Racing.

  • Vesti to line-up for Mahindra at Berlin Rookie Test

    Mahindra Racing will field Frederik Vesti in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s upcoming Berlin Rookie Test on 13th May.

    The Dane is among the standout talents to emerge from the FIA’s single-seater pathway in recent times, where he has grabbed an impressive 37 race victories and 81 podium finishes across stints in Formula 4, Formula Regional, FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2.

    The 22 year old from Langelund narrowly finished runner-up in Formula 2 last season where he scored an impressive six victories and 10 podiums.

    Since departing Formula 2, Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Reserve Driver Vesti has been a pillar of the team’s simulator programme, and concentrated his racing efforts on sportscars in the European Le Mans Series but will get his first experience of the Gen3 with Mahindra Racing in Berlin.

    Lining up alongside one of Formula 2’s current leading lights and of Mahindra’s current Reserve Drivers, Kush Maini.

    In preparation, he has already visited Mahindra’s purpose-built factory in Banbury for a seat fit, and to begin building up his knowledge and understanding the car on the team’s simulator.

    First of all, I’d like to say a big thank you to Fred for giving me this opportunity. It’s a great chance to test, and to prove myself as a rookie in a new championship. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn, which is only going to help me grow as a driver. It’s what motivates me, I’m really looking forward to trying the GEN3 Formula E car, which I understand is quite a challenge. That’s probably what I like most about Formula E, it is challenging and the fact it’s a competitive World Championship that attracts some of the best drivers – and teams – is a great platform for me. I’ve finished up my preparations together with the team, so now I’m counting down the days until Berlin!
    Vesti on the news.

    We’re delighted to welcome Frederik to the team for the Berlin Rookie Test. This event is important for the team, in order to continue our testing programme and development work, but there is an equal focus on giving new talent the opportunity to experience the world of Formula E. He’s young, enthusiastic, and very quick – all the right traits for us to give him a chance in the car. His record in the junior categories speaks for itself. I’m confident that, with a drivers of Frederik’s abilities and experience, and together with Kush, we will be able to have a productive test and keep the team moving forward from there.
    Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal.

  • NEOM McLaren confirm Barnard for Berlin

    Sam Bird will sit out this weekends Berlin E-Prix double header, as he recovers from surgery on his hand.

    NEOM McLaren have confirmed that 19 year old Taylor Barnard will be continuing his duties as Reserve Driver, covering for an injured Sam Bird.

    Barnard was drafted in after Sam Bird broke his hand in an accident during Monaco in FP1, when his car locked up and went down an escape road near Sainte Devote.
    Despite his best efforts to rescue the car, Bird hit the barrier and failed to let go of the steering wheel which then led to the injury.

    Bird has now undergone a successful surgery on his left hand, with the team supporting Sam and his recovery to ensure he can compete again as quickly as achievable.

    During his Formula E debut, Barnard managed to finish the Monaco E-Prix in 14th after he started at the back of the pack.

    We’re very pleased to report positive progress on Sam’s recovery, with a successful operation on his hand supporting his journey back into the car. Taylor did a stellar job in his last-minute call-up in Monaco, as did the team, who provided him with great support and guidance throughout. He will now be able to build on that experience, while Sam works on his recovery – with the team’s full support. We’re looking forward to having Sam back in the car soon.
    Ian James, Team Principal.

  • Collet & Mini to drive for Nissan in Rookie Test

    Nissan will field Caio Collet and Gabriele Mini in the Berlin Rookie Test, set for Monday 13th May, straight after the Berlin E-Prix double header.

    Collet got his first taste of the Nissan e-4ORCE O4 during rookie free practice at the Misano E-Prix earlier this month.
    The Brazilian racer has been working with the team since the beginning of Season 10, helping to prepare for upcoming events in the simulator.

    Collet has a strong junior CV, having taken a dominant French F4 title in 2018 and finishing second in the highly competitive Formula Renault Eurocup in 2020.

    That earned him a seat in FIA Formula 3 for 2021. In the three years that followed, he was a regular feature at the front of the pack, taking three victories and several podiums, alongside his membership of the Alpine Academy.
    This season, in combination with his reserve and simulator role with Nissan Formula E Team, Collet is tackling the full Indy NXT campaign.

    Meanwhile, fellow F3 race winner Mini is part of the current Alpine Academy and will be at the wheel of Formula E machinery for the first time.

    Victory in the 2020 Italian F4 championship led him to the Formula Regional European Championship, clinching second in 2022.
    This then attracted the attention of the Alpine Academy, which signed him up ahead of his debut F3 campaign in 2023, where he picked up two wins, including the Monaco Feature Race.

    The Italian driver currently sits third in the F3 standings after two round, having scored points at every race, including a podium finish in Melbourne.

    It was my first time in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 in Misano, so in Berlin I’m looking to use that experience to help me develop my driving. It’s a very different car to what I’m used to, so it takes a while to understand what to do and how to get the best out of it. My target is to learn as much as I can and help the team continue to improve. To have more track time will also be useful for my simulator work, to make the sim more accurate. I’m looking forward to being with the team again and will do my best!
    Collet on the news.

    I’m very pleased to test the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 for the first time in the Berlin Rookie Test next month. It will be a great chance to discover the car and to challenge myself in a different type of single-seater. I’m looking forward to giving my best and learning more about this category of racing. I would like to thank both Alpine and Nissan for their trust and for this exciting opportunity.
    Mini on the news.

    We’re looking forward to the Berlin Rookie Test with two very talented drivers in Caio and Gabriele. After participating in FP0 in Misano, it will be important for Caio to continue developing in the car, becoming more and more comfortable. As our reserve and sim driver, it’s vital for him to have as much experience as possible to support the team at his best. This will be a good opportunity to gain confidence and make a step forward with plenty of track time available. The test also presents us with a great chance to introduce Gabriele to the team. He’s a very promising driver, part of the Alpine Academy and it’s great to count on cross Alliance synergies to bring young drivers these opportunities. It’s very positive for us to work with young, up-and-coming drivers like Gabriele and Caio, so we can not only play a role in their professional development, but also build a rapport and set important basis for potential future collaborations.
    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal of Nissan Formula E Team.

  • F1 Academy – RND 2 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-
    Qualifying

    Drivers’ Standings leader Abbi Pulling ran the show in Qualifying, going from strength to strength to secure both F1 Academy pole positions on offer in Miami.

    Her hold onto P1 was unrelenting, with a time of 1:58.507 in the final minutes of the session putting her over five tenths clear of Doriane Pin and Hamda Al Qubaisi.
    The Alpine driver will have different company for race 2, as Bianca Bustamante’s consistency was rewarded for P2, four tenths off, ahead of Pin in third.

    With only 30 minutes on the clock, there was not a lot of time to lose as the field flooded out as the lights went green. Having set the pace in Free Practice 2, laid down the initial benchmark at 1:59.882.

    Ferrari’s Maya Weug took over the top spot heading into the halfway mark, going 0.024s faster than Pulling’s latest attempt.

    Benefitting from the track evolution, Bustamante pushed on, deposing Pulling momentarily with a 1:59.122, whilst Pin moved inside the top three. Pulling immediately responded with a 1:58.714.

    As Pin improved to just over three tenths off, one flying lap solidified Pulling’s place at the top of the timing sheets, where she broke 0.574s clear of the Mercedes driver.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi’s late burst of pace elevated her to third for Race 1 ahead of McLaren driver Bustamante.

    The full top 10 for race 1 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Pin, P3: Hamda Al Qubaisi, P4: Bustamante, P5: Weug, P6: Marti, P7: Chambers, P8: Nobels, P9: Hausmann and P10: Lovinfosse.

    The full top 10 for race 2 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Bustamante, P3: Pin, P4: Hamda Al Qubaisi, P5: Marti, P6: Weug, P7: Nobels, P8: Chambers, P9: Edgar and P10: Hausmann.

    Race 1-

    Controlling the race from pole, the Alpine driver led every lap and never looked back, taking the chequered flag with a 5 second advantage over second-placed Doriane Pin. Chloe Chamber gave her home crowd something to celebrate, battling hard to go from P7 to her first podium in the series.

    Acing her getaway at lights out, Pulling kept Pin at bay into Turn 1 and immediately set out creating a 1 second buffer to the Mercedes driver in the space of a lap.

    At the tail end of the top 10, Tina Hausmann’s race came to an early end after contact with Aurelia Nobels sent the Aston Martin driver off into the wall at Turn 8. Nobels would later be handed a 10-second penalty for the incident.

    A three car battle for fourth saw Weug forced to go on the defensive heading into lap 3, as Nerea Marti attempted to move around the outside of Turn 1.
    Just behind, Chambers sat patiently, waiting to pounce when the opportunity arrived one lap later.

    Marti found her way past Weug on lap 6, but a mistake undid all her work and allowed the Ferrari driver and Nobels to slip through momentarily.

    Bustamante continued to make up lost ground, diving to the inside of the final corner with a move on Amna Al Qubaisi. Going side-by-side with RB driver, Bustamante managed to eke out ahead, but received a 5 second penalty for going off track and gaining an advantage a few laps earlier.

    Out front, Pulling’s mirrors were clear as she crossed the line to win by 5.2s to Pin and Chambers.
    The full top 10 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Pin, P3: Chambers, P4: Marti, P5: H Qubaisi, P6: Weug, P7: Edgar, P8: A Qubaisi, P9: Bustamante and P10: Lovinfosse.

    Day 2-
    Race 2-

    Abbi Pulling made it two for two as she brought home her second win on the streets of Miami. Bianca Bustamante righted her wrongs from Race 1, fending off a late push from Doriane Pin to earn her first podium for McLaren in second.

    Pole sitter Pulling was instantly on the defensive from Bustamante as the lights went green, locking up slightly into Turn 1, managing to outbreak the ART car, she managed to hold the lead.

    Chambers was once again on a charge after her race 1 podium. A storming start from P8 for the Haas driver saw her slide past Aurelia Nobels, Nerea Marti and Maya Weug in turn through the opening corners and moved to fifth.

    Behind her, Tina Hausmann found herself out on the opening lap for the second race in a row. Locking up into Turn 1, Lola Lovinfosse tagged the Aston Martin car ahead, forcing her to retire with a puncture. Lovinfosse later received a 10 second time penalty.

    On lap 5, Weug dispatched the Hamda Al Qubaisi, but found her mirrors full of a train of cars behind from P6 to P13. Two laps later, Lovinfosse gambled on another move as Nobels left the door open, with the two running side-by-side.

    Bustamante’s hold over P2 had a momentary scare, as Pin closed right in on her tail. However, the Filipina racer kept up her pace to break the slipstream advantage to the Mercedes driver behind.

    At the tail end of the top 10, Block hunted down her first points of her F1 Academy campaign. Eyeing a move on Carrie Schreiner in 10th, the Williams went in too deep, allowing Emely De Heus to capitalise and overtake the American driver.

    Jessica Edgar was on the march as she overtook Marti for seventh. However, the Spainard wasn’t giving up, diving up the inside of Turn 1 but she overshot the corner and allowing the American Express driver to cutback through.
    However, Edgar’s race unravelled a few corners later, losing the rear through Turns 6 and 7 and spinning wide over the runoff.

    Completing her 27th tour of the Miami circuit, Pulling brought home a comfortable second win of the season.
    The full top 10 are- P1: Pulling, P2: Bustamante, P3: Pin, P4: Chambers, P5: Weug, P6: H Qubaisi, P7: Marti, P8: A Qubaisi, P9: Schreiner and P10: Block.

    Now we have a little wait till the next round, which is Round 3 and we head to Barcelona on the 21st to 23rd of June.

  • RW 6 – Miami

    WOW… What a race we had in Miami for Round 6 out of 24! We had a first time winner in F1, and some drama along the way, so let’s take a look at it…

    McLaren driver, Lando Norris has now added his name to the list of Formula 1 race WINNERS with a sensational driver for victory in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

    Joining him in the top three is Max Verstappen in 2nd, and in third is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc!

    Norris ran sixth in the early stages of the race, with fast-starting team mate Oscar Piastri the McLaren man who initially looked most likely to cause an upset, however… A safety car at the midway point played perfectly into the Briton’s hands after he extended his opening stint.
    Norris emerged from the pits in the lead, with Verstappen in second after stopping under normal racing conditions, and despite an initial attack from the latter at the restart.
    A cool, calm and collected performance thereafter and balance problems for Verstappen, meant there was no stopping Norris.

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

    What a result for Mr Lando Norris… I honestly can’t believe it and I bet he can’t either!! Lando had a lovely drive, he kept it cool and calm. I’m so happy for him and the team.
    His teammate, was doing so well, he was running in P2 for a while at the beginning of the race, until he had a collision with Carlos Sainz where he needed to pit for a new front wing which saw the Australian drop all the way down to the bottom of the grid.

    A decent result for Red Bull, obviously Max in P2 and Checo in P4, a nice points haul for the team and keeping their lead in the constructors!

    Ferrari had a very good result aswell, P3 for Leclerc and P5 for Sainz the team will be happy with that result aswell.

    Esteban Ocon has scored his first point this season which is also Alpine’s first point this season as well! It’s just what the team needs, which hopefully will set them onto a better path.

    An unlucky driver was Logan Sargeant, Magnussen was attempting a move on Sargeant through the Turn 2 flick, where contact sent the American into the barriers and the Dane back to the pits for repairs, with the American sustaining terminal damage upon impact which was a disappointing end to the first of three home Grand Prix he is set to take part in.
    Magnussen got given a 10 second time penalty for the clash.

    Now we have a little wait till the next race, we head to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which is round 7, on the weekend of 17th to 19th May.

  • RW 6 – Miami Qualifying

    Max Verstappen has claimed his seventh consecutive pole position by taking P1 on the grid for the Miami Grand Prix, despite failing to improve during his final flying lap.

    The Dutchman had provisionally put himself into pole in the first runs of Q3 having set a time of 1m 27.241s and this proved to be enough to maintain the position. Charles Leclerc will join the red bull driver on the front row, with his teammate Carlos Sainz rounding out the top three.

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

    A good result for Max once again, it was just a copy and paste for him! Perez one position down than compared to sprint qualifying, but it’s not the end of the world for the Mexican.

    A very good result from Ferrari, I can see them challenging for the win as they have had quite good pace this weekend. If not they will want to try their hand at a double podium.

    A good result from McLaren P5 and P6, Lando will be wanting to make up for a disappointing sprint where he DNF’ed. The McLaren’s have brought some upgrades this weekend and they seem to be working, so they have got pace this weekend which could see some potential for a podium…

    A much better result for Mercedes, both cars in the top 10, P7 for Russell and P8 for Hamilton. They will be wanting to capitalise on that as much as they can.

    Hulkenberg and Tsunoda had a good qualifying both in the top 10, both drivers will be wanting to score once again in the race.

    A bit of a shocker qualifying for Aston Martin. Both drivers not in the top 10, Stroll starts P11, which is okay but his in the middle of the pack which isn’t the best place. And Alonso starts P15 which is not good at all.

    Ricciardo had a bit of a bad qualifying, a bit of a different one to the sprint qualifying… He starts P18, he needs to have a really good drive and do some lovely overtakes to make up for the qualifying position.

  • RW 6 – Miami Sprint Race

    Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Saturday’s Sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, leading home Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez at the end of an action packed encounter.

    The Dutchman defended his lead at the start and overcame an early Safety Car before building up a comfortable advantage at the head of the field.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Leclerc, P3: Perez, P4: Ricciardo, P5: Sainz, P6: Piastri, P7: Hulkenberg, P8: Tsunoda, P9: Gasly and P10: Sargeant.

    A great result for Red Bull as usual! It’s not surprising at all, especially Perez he is being really consistent at the moment.

    A nice result from Ferrari, P2 and P5, some more points on the board which will mean everything when it comes to the closing stages of the season!

    Now, we are talking about him again. Mr Daniel Ricciardo, P4! It was looking like P3 at one point during the Sprint but P4 is a very good result for the Aussie and the team. And for his teammate got in the points aswell, so double points!

    A nice result from Piastri, a few points on the board for the team. Not a very good race for Norris, he was involved in a lap one incident where he was tipped into a spin at the first corner, where he had terminal damage after contact between Hamilton, Alonso and Stroll.

    Not a very good sprint for both Mercedes, which was partly due to a bad qualifying but the race wasn’t much better. Hamilton was obviously involved in the lap 1 incident. And Russell ended up dropping back at the start and then had a few troubles getting past other drivers.

    Hulkenberg in P7 aswell, a great result for Haas and a couple points for the team in their home grand prix. His teammate, Kevin Magnussen played a big part in this, helping to stop other drivers come past so his teammate can score some points.

  • RW 6 – Miami Sprint Qualifying

    Max Verstappen will be starting from pole for the Sprint in Miami after storming to P1, while an earlier challenge from McLaren seemed to fall away.

    With every driver opting for just one flying lap in SQ3, Verstappen went quickest of all with a 1m 27.641s. The Red Bull driver will be joined on the front row by Leclerc, who was only 0.108s away. Rounding out the top three is Sergio Perez.

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

    A great result from Red Bull both drivers, Max on pole, even though he didn’t have a very good lap… and also a very good performance from Perez aswell.

    A very good result from Leclerc, P2 especially after him not running in FP1 as he caused a red flag to recover his Ferrari after getting stuck on the track. So considering not much running for the Monegasque its a decent result.

    Now the standout for me, Mr Daniel Ricciardo, P4!! In an RB aswell, he will be wanting to capitalise on this result as much as he can. And the team will be wanting him to do that aswell. But this is what the Australian driver needed to prove he deserves a seat next season whether its in the Red Bull or the RB car…

    A decent result for Aston Martin both cars in the top 10, just what the team wants, but especially for Lance Stroll, whose had some up and down performances.

    A shock in sprint qualifying was both Mercedes out in SQ2, not at all what the team wants. They had some decent pace in free practice and made a few little changes but they were not the right ones clearly. They have three more chances this weekend so hopefully something will go right.

  • Red Bull confirm Newey to leave the team

    Red Bull have announced that Adrian Newey is to leave the team, with the esteemed F1 designer departing after almost 20 years at Milton Keynes.

    Newey first joined Red Bull ahead of their second season in 2006 and has been instrumental in the squad’s success over the years, helping to turn the operation from midfield runners and point scorers into Grand Prix winners and world champions.

    Which has led Red Bull to claim six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles – between Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen respectively – with Newey designed cars to date, and they are currently on course to do the double again in 2024.

    However, it has now been confirmed just before the Miami Grand Prix that Newey will be departing from his Chief Technical Officer role in the first quarter of 2025.

    A Red Bull statement also confirmed that Newey would be stepping back from Formula 1 design duties to “focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the hugely anticipated RB17.” He will see out this project until its completion and will continue to attend specific race to support the F1 team trackside to the end of 2024.

    Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars. My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team. However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself. In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there. I would like to thank the many amazing people I have worked with at Red Bull in our journey over the last 18 years for their talent, dedication and hard work. It has been a real privilege, and I am confident that the engineering team are well prepared for the work going into the final evolution of the car under the four-year period of this regulation set. On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian, who has not only been my business partner but also a friend of our respective families. Also, thanks to Oliver Mintzlaff for his stewardship and Eddie Jordan, my close friend and manager.
    Newey on leaving the team.

    All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller. His vision and brilliance have helped us to 13 titles in 20 seasons. His exceptional ability to conceptualise beyond F1 and bring wider inspiration to bear on the design of grand prix cars, his remarkable talent for embracing change and finding the most rewarding areas of the rules to focus on, and his relentless will to win have helped Red Bull Racing to become a greater force than I think even the late Dietrich Mateschitz might have imagined. More than that, the past 19 years with Adrian have been enormous fun. For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 Championships later he leaves as a true legend. He is also my friend and someone I will be eternally grateful to for everything he brought to our partnership. The legacy he leaves behind will echo through the halls of Milton Keynes and RB17 Track Car will be a fitting testament and legacy to his time with us.
    Christian Horner on the news.

  • Courtney Crone announced as Wild Card for Miami

    F1 Academy has announced that American racer Courtney Crone will join the grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 2 of the F1 Academy season in Miami, in a deal that will see her team up with reigning Teams’ Champions PREMA Racing and shoppable entertainment retailer QVC.

    The Wild Card initiative, introduced to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions where F1 Academy races, sees Wild Card entries presented by partners at select rounds of the calendar.

    Crone will take to the track at the Miami International Autodrome in a QVC-branded livery and race suit as the series takes its place alongside Formula 1.

    The 23 year old driver’s preparation for the entry began two weeks ago in Zandvoort as she got behind the wheel of an F1 Academy car for the first time as part of a two-day Official test event.

    Hailing from California, Crone started racing karts at 3 year old and has achieved success in multiple racing disciplines including Sprint Cars, LMP3 prototypes, speedway motorcycles, and most recently Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

    The Wild Card entries are designed to promote regional talent and show young women in all our race locations that there is a clear pathway into our sport for anyone who is committed and talented. We’ve had a huge amount of interest in the Wild Card since it was introduced in Jeddah and I’d like to thank QVC for supporting our vision and joining us to present our Wild Card entry, Courtney Crone, for the second round of our season alongside Formula 1 at the Miami Grand Prix.
    Susie Wolff, MBE, F1 Academy Managing Director.

    It’s a huge opportunity that F1 ACADEMY is giving drivers through Wild Card entries, especially in America. It can be difficult for young girls from outside Europe to know how to get into international series like this, and the support that I’ve been given by F1 ACADEMY, and the PREMA Racing team, has been hugely positive for me. I’d also like to say thank you to QVC for their support of the Wild Card initiative here in Miami. I think this is an amazing opportunity to grow both this series and the sport.
    Courtney Crone, speaking about being the F1 Academy Wild Card.

    QVC is a leader in live shoppable entertainment, bringing our customers — largely women over the age of 50 — to unexpected places to discover new finds and experiences. Our new Age of Possibility campaign is all about supporting our customers to live their best and most empowered lives. F1 has been innovating and influencing live sports for more than 70 years. The launch of the all-female driver category, F1 ACADEMY, is a testament to their commitment of elevating women in the sport and we are proud to support this vision and Courtney Crone in the race.
    Annette Dunleavey, VP, Brand Marketing from QVC said.

  • RW 6 – Tyre Selection

    The Miami Grand Prix is the sixth round of the season and the first of three to be held in the United States of America.
    The temporary street circuit flows around the Hard Rock Stadium, a multipurpose venue which is home to the Miami Dolphins.

    The 5.412 kilometre long track, which the drivers will tackle 57 times on Sunday, which features 19 corners, three straights, three DRS zones and top speeds can exceed 340 km/h.
    There are some elevation changes, the main one being between turns 13 and 16, with the track rising and falling as it goes over an exit ramp and under various overpasses.

    The three sectors are each different in character, making for a lap which has a bit of everything. The first boasts a run of eight high speed corners, while the second sector has a long straight and a few low speed turns. The final run to the finish line consists of a straight and three flowing corners.

    The three dry tyre compounds chosen by Pirelli are: C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft). The track was resurfaced before last year’s race and is very smooth, therefore offering quite low grip.
    This leads to a very significant track evolution and graining could put in appearance, particularly with the medium and soft tyres.

    In terms of strategy, the Miami Grand Prixx is a classic one-stop race, with hard and medium compounds the outright favourites. Last year, Verstappen started from ninth on the grid on Hard tyres before switching ti Mediums, while the other two drivers who made it to the podium, Perez and Alonso, went the other way (medium then hard).

    This is also the second sprint of the year, therefore with only one hour of free practice the teams and drivers have to find the best set-up as well as evaluating tyre behaviour.

  • Kick Sauber sign Hulkenberg for 2025

    Nico Hulkenberg will be leaving Haas at the conclusion of the 2024 season, with Sauber securing him for the 2025 season and beyond.

    Hulkenberg joined forces with Haas in 2023, in a move that saw the German driver return to the sport after three-year absence from a full-time F1 driver.
    But now it’s been confirmed that the 36 year old will depart the American squad and make his way to Sauber at the end of the campaign.

    Hulkenberg’s switch will trigger a return to the Sauber team he previously represented in 2013, with the Hinwil operation – who have fielded Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu for the past three seasons – soon to be officially taken over by German manufacturer Audi.

    For Haas, they will be taking their time to fill the vacant seat as we are not even half way through the season yet… But there is one driver who is the favourite which is Ferrari’s Ollie Bearman!

    And for Sauber, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, who is leaving whether it’s Bottas or Zhou Guanyu…

    I’d like to extend my thanks to Nico for his contributions to the team in the time that he’s been here with us – he’s been a great team player and someone we very much enjoy working with. His experience and feedback have proved invaluable to us in terms of improving our overall performance – a fact that’s clearly evident in both his qualifying and race performances in the VF-24 this season. There’s lots more racing to go this year so we look forward to continuing to benefit from his inputs throughout the remainder of the 2024 season.
    Ayao Komatsu, on Hulkenberg’s departure.

    We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula 1. With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team – and of Audi’s F1 project. Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in building something long-term together. Nico is a strong personality, and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.
    Andreas Siedl, CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG and also CEO of the future Audi F1 factory team.

    I’m returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland. The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me.
    Hulkenberg on the news.

  • Formula E & FIA unveil Gen3 Evo

    Formula E and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) have revealed the next generation of race car, the new all-electric Gen3 Evo, capable of 0-60mph in 1.82s.

    Leveraging a roster of innovative technical upgrades, the GEN3 Evo unveiled at H.S.H Prince Albert II’s Private Car Collection will debut in Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship where some of the world’s greatest manufacturers and drivers race wheel to wheel in iconic locations around the globe.

    Developed by specialists from Formula E and the FIA, the latest Gen3 Evo edition marks a significant leap in electric racing technology, with acceleration 0-60mph 30% faster than a current F1 car, and 36% faster than then Gen3 car.

    Capable of accelerating nearly a full second faster than its predecessor – the Gen3 – that was the world’s first race car designed for street racing, it sets an even higher standard in performance, sustainability and efficiency.
    Then Gen3 Evo serves as a formidable ambassador for the future of motorsport, embodying cutting-edge advancements and a commitment to environmental responsibility.

    Key technical enhancements for the new Gen3 Evo race car include:

    • The quickest accelerating FIA single-seater race car – capable of 0-60mph in 1.82 seconds.
    • Faster, stronger, more agile – Performance upgrades providing an estimated 2% performance gain from Gen3.
    • Leaner and meaner – An aggressive new body kit designed to be stronger, more robust and more aerodynamic, delivering closer wheel to wheel racing.
    • All wheel driver (AWD) – A first for a Formula E car, available during qualifying duels, race starts and ATTACK MODE. The feature maximises acceleration and control, elevating the thrill of critical race moments and intensifying driver rivalries,
    • Better grip – Optimised all-weather Hankook iON tyres providing 5-10% more grip.

    As part of the technical roadmap of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, all powertrains will be newly homologated for Season 11, allowing manufacturers and their customer teams to implement key learnings and optimisations from Gen3 into their new cars.

    The GEN3 Evo heralds a ground-breaking chapter in the evolution of Formula E, embodying our dedication to innovation and high performance achieved sustainably. Featuring unprecedented acceleration and an advanced aerodynamic design, the car that I had the honour of unveiling in Monaco is set to intensify the thrill of our racing, captivating our drivers and fans around the world with truly superior capabilities and performance.
    Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer, Formula E.

    The FIA and Formula E have been working hard on the development process of this new GEN3 Evo race car, which represents another significant leap forward in electric racing technology. I would like to thank both FIA and Formula E teams for the hard work which underlines our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable motorsport, while delivering competitive racing.
    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA.

  • RND 8 – Monaco E-Prix

    FP1-

    Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans was top of the timesheets for Formula E’s first session in Monaco this season, as the Kiwi looks for his first Formula E win here around the principality.

    With a time of 1m30.414s he was almost three tenths clear of Envision’s Robin Frijns. Close behind Frijns was Evans’ teammate Nick Cassidy in third.

    Track evolution here was big, as time kept tumbling, and the Jaguar powertrains looked like they show some pace, as well as Sebastien Buemi.

    The session was Red Flagged around half way through the session as there was debris on the track, which was easily rectified as things went back to normal and underway.

    NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird, had a big moment down into Turn 1 with less than ten minutes of the session. He suffered a huge lock up going into Saint Devote, despite his best efforts, he made contact with the barriers on the right-hand side of his Gen3 car.

    FP2-

    Mitch Evans was on a roll, as he managed to go quickest in Free Practice 2 aswell. Not only that, but the top 2 remained the same, with Robin Frijns sticking his Envision car in second. With Pascal Wehrlein rounding out the top 3.

    The biggest story though, was ahead of FP2, and it was Taylor Barnard making his Formula E race debut with NEOM McLaren! As Sam Bird had to miss the rest of the day, after fracturing his hand after the incident in FP1.

    The Jaguar cars were continuing on with being fastest early on in the sessions, as Sebastien Buemi split the two/

    Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara set a lovely lap to go top of the timesheets, with a 1m30.452s. However he was pushing too hard with a few minutes left of the session and ended up going to wide at Turn 1 and hit the barriers.

    Qualifying-

    It was a dramatic end to Group A qualifying, with lots of favourites hoping for their chance to progress into the Duels.
    Mitch Evans continued his trend of finishing every Monaco session so far and was joined by Pascal Wehrlein, Maximilian Guenther and Antonio Felix da Costa. Envision’s Robin Frijns was knocked out by just 0.002s!

    In Group B there were plenty of drivers improving on their lap time during the final flying laps, including Stoffel Vandoorne who managed to go quickest in his group. He progressed through to Quarter Finals, as well as his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne. Joining them was Nick Cassidy and Sebastien Buemi.

    Both Jaguar drivers, failed to make the Duel finals. For Evans he had a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, and Cassidy made a rare mistake where he clipped the wall.

    But it was Pascal Wehrlein who took his third Julius Baer Pole Position of Season 10, where he navigated the challenging streets of Monaco!

    The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Cassidy, P4: Evans, P5: Vergne, P6: Buemi, P7: Da Costa, P8: Gunther, P9: Frijns and P10: Daruvala.

    Round 8-

    Wehrlein leapt away with a textbook launch to head Vandoorne and Cassidy through Sainte Devote, though by the end of Lap 1 Evans had made it past his Jaguar stablemate for third.

    On lap 3, Vergne was able to make a move stick on Wehrlein for fourth, late on the brakes into the chicane. Meanwhile on lap 4, Wehrlein’s teammate da Costa got caught in the melee at the hairpin with an ERT clattering Buemi, which blocked the Porsche as the pack backed up.

    Edo Mortara hit the wall in a big way a lap later. The Mahindra was squeezed out of position at the chicane, before Ticktum drew alongside through Tabac.
    The Swiss-French-Italian wouldn’t give the spot up easily, looking to hand on to the ERT around the swimming pool but he caught a bucket of understeer and found the wall with some force.

    The Green flag was flown on Lap 8, with Vandoorne leading Evans. On Lap 10, Rowland made super use of attack mode to jump from ninth to sixth.

    Reigning champion, Jake Dennis was making great ground, ninth on lap 10. However, his progress would come to a swift end in contact with Frijns in the Tunnel – an unusual accident. A broken front wing required a pit stop, demoting Dennis to the back of he pack.

    Jaguar’s strategy looked clear on lap 11, Evans bolted to a three-second gap, with Cassidy sitting in and backing up the pack, allowing Evans to take attack mode and extend his advantage to four seconds come lap 12.

    On lap 16, Vandoorne and Vergne looked to be up to a similar scheme – the pair working through their ATTACK MODE activations while looking to hold track position.

    Da Costa made more progress on lap 21, aggressively squeezing by Rowland for sixth at Mirabeau.
    As the laps ticked down, the energy advantage was with the leader, some 0.5% up on Cassidy.

    A late shunt for ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller at Rascasse saw the Safety Car make an appearance, with a couple of added laps to come to take us to a total of 31 and the green flag flying again came on lap 27.

    Jaguar had plenty in their pocket to hold off the DS’ behind as Evans finally made it stick in Monaco heading home his teammate.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Evans, P2: Cassidy, P3: Vandoorne, P4: Vergne, P5: Wehrlein, P6: Rowland, P7: Da Costa, P8: Fenestraz, P9: Gunther and P10: Nato.

  • ERT announce F1 Academy Champion for Rookie Test

    Electric Racing Technologies have announced that reigning F1 Academy Champion, Marta Garcia will represent the team in the upcoming Berlin Rookie Test.

    Ahead of the highly-anticipated Monaco E-Prix this weekend, the Shanghai-Silverstone based squad have shared the exciting news that they labeled as a “significant milestone in motorsport”.

    Garcia is a hugely influential and talented driver, who gained worldwide attention when she won the very first season of F1 Academy last year.
    With the Managing Director of F1 Academy being former Venturi Formula E Team Principal, Susie Wolff.

    This season, Garcia will be racing with Iron Dames in the highly competitive Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA).

    The Berlin Rookie Test allows teams to give new talent a chance to try the latest Formula E machinery, as has been the birthplace for many of the biggest talents in the paddock today.

    I am thrilled to join ERT Formula E Team for the Berlin Rookie Test. Formula E represents the future of motorsport, and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to experience it firsthand. I’ve been following the championship closely, and I’m eager to get behind the wheel of the ERT X24 car and contribute to the team’s development. This test is a stepping stone in my career, and I’m determined to make the most of it.
    Garcia on the news.

    We are incredibly excited to welcome Marta García to the ERT Formula E family for the Berlin Rookie Test. Marta’s exceptional talent and achievements in F1 Academy are undeniable. This test serves as a fantastic platform to showcase her skills within the dynamic environment of Formula E. We are confident that Marta will quickly adapt to the unique demands of electric racing and provide valuable insights for the team.
    Alex Hui, Team Principal of ERT Formula E Team.

  • Formula 1 announce 2025 calendar

    The FIA and Formula 1 has announced the calendar for the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship, with another 24-round season in store for fans, drivers and team as the championship marks it 75th Anniversary.

    Starting off with Australian Grand Prix from March 14th-16th and concluding with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from December 5th to 7th, with the paddock visiting five of the world’s seven continents.

    The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are normally held in March but due to Ramadan they are now being held in April.

    The traditional summer break remains in August, with three weekends off separating the pre-holiday Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring and the post-holiday Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

    Changes made to the calendar in 2024 to create a better geographical flow of races have been carried over to 2025, with Japan in April following Australia and Chine, followed predominantly by the European races over the summer and the Americas during the Autumn, before Qatar and Abu Dhabi finish the season back to back.

    2025 will be a special year as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the FIA Formula One World Championship, and it’s that legacy and experience that allows us to deliver such a strong calendar. Once again, we’ll visit 24 incredible venues around the world, delivering top class racing, hospitality, and entertainment, which will be enjoyed by millions of fans worldwide. We’re grateful to the FIA, our promoters, host city partners, and all the related ASNs for their commitment and support in delivering this schedule and securing what promises to be another fantastic year for Formula 1. I would also like to pay tribute to our F1 teams and drivers, the heroes of our sport, and our fans around the world for continuing to follow Formula 1 with such incredible enthusiasm.
    Stefano Domenicali on the new calendar.

    The 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar, approved by the World Motor Sport Council, is a further illustration of our collective mission of meeting sustainability objectives through the regionalisation of events. While our focus is on the overall stability of Formula 1, we also have a shared duty to the environment and to the health and well-being of travelling staff. Formula One Management, under the direction of Stefano Domenicali, have produced a calendar which strikes a good blend of traditional circuits and modern venues. We thank the host ASNs, the local organisers and the many thousands of FIA volunteers for their tireless efforts in making Formula 1 a truly global, mass audience spectacle as we prepare to celebrate the sport’s 75th year.
    FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem on the new calendar.

    RoundCountryDate
    1AustraliaMarch 14th – 16th
    2ChinaMarch 21st – 23rd
    3JapanApril 4th – 6th
    4BahrainApril 11th – 13th
    5Saudi ArabiaApril 18th – 20th
    6USA (Miami)May 2nd – 4th
    7Italy (Imola)May 16th – 18th
    8Monaco May 23rd – 25th
    9SpainMay 30th – June 1st
    10CanadaJune 13th – 15th
    11AustriaJune 27th – 29th
    12United KingdomJuly 4th – 6th
    13BelgiumJuly 25th – 27th
    14HungaryAugust 1st – 3rd
    15NetherlandsAugust 29th – 31st
    16Italy (Monza)September 5th – 7th
    17AzerbaijanSeptember 19th – 21st
    18SingaporeOctober 3rd – 5th
    19USA (Austin)October 17th – 19th
    20MexicoOctober 24th – 26th
    21BrazilNovember 7th – 9th
    22USA (Las Vegas)November 20th – 22nd
    23QatarNovember 28th – 30th
    24Abu DhabiDecember 5th – 7th

  • Alonso signs new contract with Aston Martin

    Fernando Alonso will continue to race in Formula 1 with Aston Martin next season after the team announced that he has signed a fresh deal to keep him onboard into 2026 and the sport’s next regulatory cycle.

    Alonso made the move to Aston Martin from Alpine for the 2023 season and the two parties enjoyed a strong start to their partnership by bagging six podium finishes across the first eight races of last year’s campaign.

    Highlights included P2 finishes in Monaco, Canada and the Netherlands, as the Spanish driver helped the team rise from seventh to fifth in the constructors’ standings under team owner Lawrence Stroll’s push to turn Aston Martin into a title-contending team.

    Amid relatively stable regulations and a converging field, Aston Martin have experienced a solid but unspectacular start to the 2024 season, remaining in fifth position behind Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes with a series of top 10 finishes.

    Following on from Lewis Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari, there was speculation over Alonso’s future, initially regarding whether or not he would commit to another stint in F1 and if he did, would it be with Aston Martin?
    But the team was quick to confirm that, and lock down the world champion!

    Securing Fernando’s long-term future with Aston Martin Aramco is fantastic news. We have built a strong working relationship over the last 18 months and we share the same determination to see this project succeed. We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has been true to his word: when he decided he wanted to continue racing, he talked to us first. Fernando has shown he believes in us, and we believe in him. Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, is fitter than ever, and is completely dedicated to making Aston Martin Aramco a competitive force. This multi-year agreement with Fernando takes us into 2026 when we begin our works power unit partnership with Honda. We look forward to creating more incredible memories and achieving further success together.

  • Van Der Linde to return in Berlin for ABT CUPRA

    Kelvin van der Linde will be returning to Formula E for ABT CUPRA in Berlin, where he will be replacing Nico Mueller for the weekend.

    The South African-born driver will replace regular driver Mueller for Rounds 9 & 10 of the season on 11th & 12th May, with the German competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship that same weekend.

    Van der Linde is the team’s Reserve and Simulator driver impressed in three Formula E races at the beginning of Season 9 while Robin Frijns recovered for a hand injury sustained in Mexico City.

    After van der Linde’s appearance in the ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 on the fabled Nordschleife of the Buerburgring, he will contest two weekend in DTM before the Formula E event in Berlin.
    This means that within a month he will be competing in all three motorsport categories in which ABT Sportsline is involved.

    Nico is in extremely strong form at the moment, so of course it hurts a bit to be without him for two races. However, we don’t want to put any obstacles in the way of his parallel commitment to the WEC and have therefore given him the official go-ahead. With Kelvin we are in the fortunate position of having a driver who is familiar with Formula E, our team and the current generation of the racecar and who has already completed three races for us – we are all looking forward to another weekend together.
    Thomas Biermaier, ABT CEO and Team Principal.

    I am really looking forward to my comeback in Formula E, especially to the many fans and the special location in Berlin. I’ve already spent many hours in the simulator with the team and been to the Formula E events, but of course it’s something completely different to drive myself. My goal is to play my part in the team’s upward trend. And maybe we’ll even pull off a little surprise. It’s exciting few weeks with commitments in a variety of cars and championships – but that’s exactly how I want it to be as a racer.
    Van der Linde on the news.

  • DS PENSKE reveal special livery for Monaco

    DS PENKSE are adding their own glitz to the glamorous streets of Monaco with a special livery for Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne.

    The Monaco race is the jewel on the motorsport crown and to celebrate racing on the glamorous streets of this iconic city.
    DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne will race on Saturday 27th April with the special livery.

    Named the ‘Grand Gala’ the special livery flips the usual two-tone colour palette with gloss black as the main colour complimented with signature chrome gold lining the angular shapes of the DS E-TENSE FE23.

    The design was inspired by the golden era of art deco and motorsport from the 1920s and 30s, and Monaco is a very fitting place for the special colour-way as the roads are steeped in motorsport history having seen racing since 1929.

    Both Vergne and Vandoorne have experienced winning on these hallowed streets in each of their championship winning seasons.

  • Formula E and FIA to unveil GEN3 Evo car

    Formula E and the FIA have announced that they will unveil the highly-anticipated GEN3 Evo race car on Thursday 25th April during an exclusive evening launch in the build-up to the 2024 Monaco E-Prix.

    As an evolution of the current GEN3 race car – the world’s fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever made – the all electric championship is set to raise the bar even higher with a race car that will be pushed to the limit across Seasons 11 and 12.

    The GEN3 Evo is set to deliver even more dramatic wheel to wheel racing. With improved performance characteristics that will highlight Formula E and FIA’s role in pioneering technology and sustainable motorsport.

    In addition to a revised body kit, a completely new all-wheel drive system and a softer compound of tyres from Hankook are set to provide a significant performance boost for the Formula E cars.

    As we prepare to unveil the GEN3 Evo, we’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing. This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans. We are setting new standards in performance that will intensify on-track rivalries and fan engagement, keeping us at the forefront of global motorsport.
    Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer at Formula E.

  • RW 5 – China

    Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory in a Chinese Grand Prix which was full of incidents and overtakes. Joining him in the top three is McLaren’s Lando Norris in P2 and teammate Sergio Perez in P3.

    Verstappen led the vast majority of a strategic race at the Shanghai International Circuit which featured a Virtual Safety Car and two Safety Car periods, with the Dutchman sailing off into the sunset, leaving the drama behind him.

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

    A great race for Red Bull P1 for Max and P3 for Perez, which extends their lead in the constructors, and they had four very good pitstops which they nailed perfectly.

    Mr Lando Norris, bringing home a P2! And defending from Perez in P3, a great points haul for the Brit, his teammate grabbed P8 with damage aswell, so a decent race for him!

    P4 and P5 for Ferrari, I don’t think they could’ve done much more to be honest, and it’s not a bad position. Hopefully next time out in Miami they can get back to being on the podium etc.

    A decent result for Mercedes, could’ve been better if Hamilton placed higher in qualifying but he came through the pack to grab some points.

    Valtteri Bottas was one of the retirements, as his Stake car ground to a halt at the exit of Turn 11, reporting that the “engine is gone” with yellow flags initially flown to cover the incident before the Virtual Safety Car was required.
    The VSC then turned into a full Safety Car due to Bottas’ car stuck in gear.

    There was then drama a few moments later at the restart, as Tsunoda got tipped into a spin by Magnussen exiting Turn 6, leaving the RB with terminal rear-right damage and sending the Haas limping back to the pits with a puncture.
    Replays then showed a dramatic concertina effect as cars bunched up at the final hairpin just before the restart, with Stroll running into the back of Ricciardo and briefly sending the RB airborne while littering debris all over the track in the process, which then led the Safety Car to come out again.

    We don’t have to wait too long till the next race, as we head to the US for the first of three Grand Prix this year, and its the Miami Grand Prix on the weekend of 3rd to 5th May!

  • RW 5 – China Sprint Qualifying & Race

    Sprint Qualifying-

    The first sprint qualifying of the year is complete, and it was quite entertaining with both rain and fire, yes FIRE..

    But it was Lando Norris who claimed pole during Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, however it wasn’t easy for the Brit as originally he had his lap time deleted but it was reinstated.
    In the top three joining him, is another Brit, Mr Lewis Hamilton flew to P2, looking like he was going to get pole at one point. Finishing the top three is Fernando Alonso.

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

    A great qualifying from Lando Norris, he excelled in the wet and put it on pole when he needed to. His teammate with a decent result aswell starting in P8.

    Verstappen was struggling a little as he skidded off the track a few times too, but with starting P4 his still got plenty to give, and will no doubt make up positions in no time. His teammate also isn’t too far behind him in P6.

    A great result for Kick Sauber! Especially for Zhou as it’s his first ever home grand prix and to have both drivers in the top 10 is a great result, they will want to score points in the Sprint to put towards the constructors championship.

    There was quite a shock for Yuki Tusonda as he was eliminated in SQ1 where he will start down in 19th, his teammate had a decent qualifying in 14th even though he abandoned his final attempt amid the rainfall.

    We also had George Russell who was forced to abort his flying lap in SQ2 with the rain starting to fall during the final moments which means he will be starting P11.

    Sprint Race-

    Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen move back to the top of the pecking order during Saturday’s Sprint race at Shanghai International Circuit as he turned his low-key P4 into a commanding victory.

    Verstappen slowly made moves up the order across the 19 lap race, benefitting from pole-sitter Lando Norris running off the track during the first lap and then set his eyes on Alonso and Hamilton.

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

    A good result from Verstappen to claim the Sprint victory, I think there was no doubt about it from the Dutchman he was going from strength to strength. His teammate has got a good result aswell P3 for Perez.

    A great result for Hamilton in P2, a lovely result from the Mercedes driver, a decent points haul aswell. Russell managed to grab the final points position in P8, a decent recovery drive from him.

    Fernando Alonso was the only DNF in the sprint. Sainz attacked Alonso heading Turn 6, with a strong exit from Ferrari seeing them go through Turn 7, where the two Spaniards made contact.
    Alonso dropped back with a puncture from that contact, losing several places in the last sector.

    A decent result for the Ferrari pair, they also had a very close fight at the final hair pin after the Alonso incident, which caused an angry message from the Monegasque.

    Zhou was close to the points! P9 for the Chinese driver, it’s a shame he couldn’t get any at his home race but sometimes that’s just racing…

  • RW 5 – Tyre Selection

    The Chinese Grand Prix is back on the calendar after a five year break, meaning that 2019 was the last year Formula 1 raced in Shanghai on that occasion hosting celebrations to mark the 1000th event in the history of motorsport’s most prestigious world championship.

    All 16 editions have been run on the Shanghai International Circuit, designed by Hermann Tikle, with its outline loosely based on the Chinese “shang” character.
    The 5.451 kilometre-long track boasts 16 corners, many of them very slow for example section through turns 1 to 3 and 6 to 14, while others are high speed such as the esses through turns 7 and 8. There are two long straights, both used as a DRS zone.

    Based on simulations and past data, the tyres are subjected to lateral and longitudinal forces here that fall into the medium category, with the outside of the tyre, especially on the left hand side of the car, wearing the most.
    The trio of tyres chosen back in the winter for Shanghai is in the midrange with the C2 as hard, C3 medium and C4 as soft.
    Nominally, that’s the same selection as in 2019 but the scenario is very different. Five years ago, the 13 inch tyres were in use and were fitted to the previous generation of car.

    Complicating it further is the fact that the Chinese Grand Prix is the first of six events this season running to the Sprint format, which itself has been slightly modified for this year in terms of running order of the sessions.
    This now means there is only one practice session to find the right set-up for the cars, as well as figuring out the tyres.

    Usually the Chinese Grand Prix is a two-stop race race, partly because there are several places to overtake such as braking into Turn 14 and then on the main straight as well as into turn 6. Just as Suzuka, the undercut is usually very effective on this track.

  • Mahindra Racing confirm Jordan King for Berlin

    Mahindra Racing has confirmed Jordan King, will make his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut at the Berlin E-Prix next month on the 11th – 12th May as he substitutes for Nyck de Vries.

    With de Vries unavailable to participate in the double-header around Tempelhof Airport due to a pre-existing commitment to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship on the same weekend, the team will utilise the service of King, one of its two existing Reserve Drivers.

    The 30 years old extensive CV in international single-seaters includes stints in the IndyCar Series, FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3.
    King has previously acted as Test Driver for the Manor Racing Formula 1 team, and currently holds a simulator and development role with Alpine F1 Team.

    King has extensive knowledge and experience with Mahindra’s M10Electro, having already completed eight test days – plus countless hours on the team’s simulator back at base – as part of his regular duties.

    It goes without saying that I’m hugely excited to make my debut in Formula E next month in Berlin. Mahindra is a team that I know inside and out after four years of working together, and a car that I’m already incredibly familiar with and helped to develop. My focus is on keeping the team’s momentum going on the development front, and of course to enjoy the opportunity to be out there racing again.

    King on the news.

    Although it is frustrating to lose Nyck for a weekend because of a calendar clash, he has pre-existing commitments to honour, so we’ve known for a while now that we will need to find a solution. Jordan fits the bill perfectly, for us. He knows both the car and the team and has already played an integral role in our development so far this season, so there is no ‘on-boarding’ process.

    Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal.