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  • RND 7 – Misano E-Prix

    FP3-

    Despite having Round 6 already and collecting lots of data, practice makes perfect as the grid headed back out for another session.

    All drivers got lap times in, but Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries slowed whilst he was on the track, he managed to make his way back to the garage and got out later on in the session to finish ninth.

    ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller, topped the timesheets for a while in the middle of the 30 minute session, with the team looking to get more points on the board this weekend.

    However, it was Robin Frijns who managed to go quickest. The Envision driver crossed the finish line in last and 18th Saturday, but moved up to 17th after post-race sanctions were applied.

    Qualifying-

    NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes achieved the third Julius Baer Pole Position of his Formula E career, as he took on two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne in the final of the qualifying Duels.

    It’s a great result for Hughes, especially given he was demoted to the back of the grid for not having his car’s fire extinguisher armed during the session.

    During the final Hughes had the advantage in sector one, but Vergne claimed it back in the second sector. However the Brit, ended up two-tenths ahead at the chequered flag.

    Things went from bad to worse for Antonio Felix da Costa, as he had his lap time deleted in the final stages of the group in 11th. Misano not quite going his way after the disqualification.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hughes, P2: Vergne, P3: Wehrlein, P4: Mueller, P5: Bird, P6: Vandoorne, P7: Frijns, P8: Cassidy, P9: Dennis and P10: Rowland.

    Round 7-

    Pole sitter Hughes led cleanly away with Vergne and Wehrlein plus the rest of the pack following close behind, with the top three as they’d left the gird at the end of Lap 1.

    Drivers jostled to find space and clean air over the early laps – desperately trying to avoid the pinch points at Turn 8 & 9 and fall foul of contact.
    On Lap 4, Hughes and Vergne were the first to jump for Attack Mode. From there, Hughes ceded the race lead to the DS Driver, having led until that point while Wehrlein and Cassidy then jumped for Attack Mode and occupied P1 and P2 respectively at the end of Lap 5.

    ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller was next to lead, with the top 10 pretty much level on usable energy remaining on Lap 7, while Robin Frijns caught his wing in contact, sending him straight on and into gravel, requiring the Safety Car to be deployed for his recovery.
    On lap 9, the race went green once again with Mueller leading Wehrlein and Cassidy away, while most of the pack leapt for Attack Mode activations.

    On Lap 11, thing went from bad to worse again for Antonio Felix da Costa after as he got contact at Turn 1 which required his front wing to be replaced which then pushed him down the order.

    Mueller hit the front again on lap 13, with Wherlein behind, while Rowland picked his moment to push – taking third from Wehrlein before moving into the race lead, as Mueller was shuffled first ot third by the Nissan then reigning champion Jake Dennis.

    Wehrlein looked to be in the box seat with 10 laps to go – the Porsche driver with a massive 2% usable energy in hand on those around him.
    On lap 18, the German driver leapt to the front of the field with enough in-hand to punch his way through the air out front to the finish.

    Rowland took the lead through Sector 1 on Lap 20, looking to gain track position with five tours to go. The German’s engineer was over the radio to his driver to make a move for P1 with four laps to run with the lead pair pulling two seconds on third-placed Dennis.

    Wehrlein seemed powerless, though with his battery derating – overheating – heading into the final lap. Drama though saw Wehrlein swoop by the Nissan as Rowland slowed to a crawl, running out of usable energy long before the flag.
    Dennis followed him home with Cassidy pipping Mueller on the line for third position – heartbreakingly close to silverware for the ABT CUPRA squad.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Wehrlein, P2: Dennis, P3: Cassidy, P4: Mueller, P5: Fenestraz, P6: Sette Camara, P7: Vergne, P8: Hughes, P9: Daruvala and P10: Bird.

  • RND 6 – Misano E-Prix

    FP1-

    The DS PENSKE duo of Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne dominated the timesheets in first and second positions during the championship’s first visit to Misano.

    After lending out their cars for the Rookie Free Practice earlier in the afternoon our Season 10 grid made their way out onto the Misano circuit for their first in-car experience of the weekend.

    The session was filled with drivers exploring the limits, as they prepare for the double-header of Round 6 and 7.
    But there was troubles down at Mahindra Racing which saw home hero, Edoardo Mortara unable to set a single lap. With Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther facing problems during the first practice aswell.

    FP2-

    DS Penske’s Jean-Eric Vergne made it two for two, topping the second Free Practice session of the weekend in Misano. The two-time Formula E Champion went quicker than his time in FP1, setting a benchmark of 1:17.482.

    NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes finished just 0.020s behind Vergne to claim second, with Sebastien Buemi in third.

    The session was impacted by a red flag for the ERT of Sergio Sette Camara who came to a stop on track. Not only this, it ended with a big incident for championship contender Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing.
    Cassidy ran off the track, through a gravel trap and ended his session in a tyre barrier to avoid the NEOM McLaren of Sam Bird.

    Track limits have been a popular topic of discussion this weekend, with 24 lap times being deleted over yesterday’s first free practice. One driver who appears to be finding it tough is Reigning World Champion Jake Dennis, the Andretti driver had eight track limit violations yesterday, and things didn’t look better this morning.

    Qualifying-

    Jean-Eric Vergne continued his strong run of form, as he topped another session in Misano. Joining JEV in the Duels was the TAG Heuer Porsche Pascal Wehrlein who ended the session second, with Oliver Rowland and Maximilian Guenther being the fastest four in the group.

    In Group B, with NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes going quickest of 11 drivers. Hughes has experience racing round Misano in junior categories, and was 0.163s ahead of Mitch Evans in second.
    Hughes’ teammate Sam Bird also flew into the Duels in third and ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller making it to the Duels, a third consecutive appearance.

    First up in the quarters was Nissan’s Oliver Rowland and Tag Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein. Rowland has taken pole on both occasions he has reached the Duels stage this year. But it was Wehrlein who managed to finish ahead, with Rowland making a few small mistakes on his way to missing out on the Semi’s.
    Next it was Vergne and Guenther, with JEV continuing his streak of topping every session of the weekend, which continued as Guenther made an error on his lap.

    But it was Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans who scored pole, which is his seventh Julius Baer Pole Position, in which he took on the DS PENSKE of Jean-Eric Vergne in an intense finale.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Evans, P2: Vergne, P3: Wehrlein, P4: Muller, P5: Rowland, P6: Bird, P7: Guenther, P8: Cassidy, P9: Frijns and P10: Buemi.

    Round 6-

    Antonio Felix da Costa qualified 13th and timed his push to perfection to take the race lead for the definitive time with three laps to go, from form man Oliver Rowland.
    From there, he was able to hold off the advances of Rowland to the chequered flag while Reigning Champion Jake Dennis clambered from a lowly 17th on the grid to complete the podium.

    As early as Lap 5, da Costa had made his way through the tightest of pack – with all 22 cars split by less than five seconds for much of the encounter – to the podium positions, trailing teammate Wehrlein on Lap 5.

    At a circuit like Misano, energy was always going to be on the drivers’ and engineers’ minds with cars starting the encounter with between 60 and 70% of the usable energy needed to finish the race – the rest recovered by regenerative braking.

    The concertinaing field always looked like it would catch driver out, as five wide through Turn 1 proving too much to handle with an early leader in Sam Bird, Nick Cassidy and Wehrlein among those suffering damage – race ending damage for the former pair.

    With eight laps remaining, Da Costa inherited the lead again but Rowland wouldn’t back off – as the Nissan driver jumped the Porsche on lap 23 for P1.
    From there, the race was a straight contest to the finish with drivers bolting for the chequered flag – energy calculations measured to the tenth of a percentage point opening up a flat out finish.
    On the outside of Turn 5, with three laps to go, da Costa swooped by Rowland for first while Jean-Eric Vergne, Dennis and Guenther battled in behind.

    It was Da Costa who led Rowland home for his first win of the season, and Jake Dennis pipped Vergne for third.

    However, Formula E isn’t Formula E without someone being penalised… Antonio Felix da Costa has been disqualified from the Misano E-Prix Round 6 as the throttle damper spring on his car was not found in conformity with one of the three optional declared items.

    As a result, the cars beneath da Costa in the original race classification move up a slot, meaning Nissan’s Oliver Rowland inherits the race win.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Rowland, P2: Dennis, P3: Guenther, P4: Ticktum, P5: Evans, P6: Vergne, P7: Nato, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Fenestraz and P10: Di Grassi.

  • ABT to partner with Lola and Yamaha from Season 11

    ABT have confirmed their entry for Gen3 EVO, starting next season, alongside newly-registered powertrain manufacturer Lola Cars, in technical partnership with Yamaha Motor Company.

    After a brief hiatus, the title-winning ABT team re-joined the Formula E grid in 2023 for Season 10 alongside CUPRA as its partner, equipped with a Mahindra Racing powertrain.

    The contract with Mahindra has since been mutually terminated, coming to an end at the end of the current season. ABT now enters into a fresh alliance with motorsport icons.

    Preparations for the launch are well underway at Lola and Yamaha, with software refinement and hardware testing in progress on the dyno. The inaugural on-track shakedown of the powertrain is scheduled for June, Further updates, including the unveiling of a title partner, additional sponsors, team structure and nomenclature, driver line-up and car design will all be disclosed in the coming months.

    ABT is among Formula E’s most successful outfits, with Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler winners of the Drivers’ title at the hands of Lucas di Grassi in 2017/17 and the Teams’ Championship in 2017/18.
    The German outfit has been part of Formula E from the very first race in Beijing and has 47 podium finishes and more than 1,400 points to its name.

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is thrilled to welcome Lola Cars and Yamaha Motor to the paddock, and excited for ABT as they embark on this exciting journey together for the highly-anticipated GEN3 Evo era. This partnership signifies their commitment to innovation and performance in the world of electric racing and EV development, and we will be eagerly waiting to see the impact they will make on track.

    Alberto Longo, Chief Championship Officer of Formula E.

    We are delighted to have found two renowned partners for our future in Formula E. Of course, it will be a big challenge for a new manufacturer to enter and establish itself in a world championship. But during our discussions and negotiations over the past few months, we have clearly sensed how skilled, motivated and determined Lola and Yamaha are to make this project a success – just like every member of our team. In the meantime, we are fully focused on the current season. Our goal is to achieve as many sporting highlights as possible in the coming weeks.

    Thomas Biermaier, CEO and Team Principal of ABT.

    We are thrilled to be partnering with ABT as we bring the technology we’ve developed with Yamaha Motor Company to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. It’s exciting to be working with a team that has so much history and success in the sport. Operating factory-backed programmes is ABT’s bread and butter and their experience in Formula E will give us a critical leg up. We look forward to developing our relationship within and beyond the electric racing series.

    Till Bechtoisheimer, Chairman of Lola Cars.

  • Eriksson & Aron step in at Envision for Berlin

    Envision Racing have announced a changed line-up for the Berlin race weekend – Round 9 & 10 on the 11th to 12th May, with Joel Eriksson and Paul Aron stepping into the seats.

    A calendar clash with the FIA World Endurance Championship rules Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns out of Round 9, with the FIA regulations preventing them competing in Round 10 on the Sunday – with the two races being considered as the same event. Both Buemi and Frijns will be on-site in support of the team.

    Eriksson, 25 is the current Jaguar TCS Racing test, simulator and reserve driver and has been released by Jaguar and will race for the team.
    The Swede who tested with Envision back in 2018, has already competed in eight Formula E races to date and is very familiar with both Gen3 and the Jaguar powertain.

    Aron, 20 is currently competing in FIA Formula 2 and sits second in the current standings for his rookie campaign, deeming himself one of the most exciting young prospects in single-seater racing. He has already grabbed three podium finishes this season.

    Aron will embark on an intensive simulator programme with the team to get him prepared for Berlin as well as taking part in Free Practice 0 at Misano.

    This is a very unusual situation for us as a team, and we are obviously frustrated that the calendar clash could not be resolved by the FIA and FEO. However, we have to make the best of the situation, and I believe with both Joel and Paul we have two very exciting and competitive drivers.

    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and CTO at Envision Racing.

    It’s a great opportunity to race for Envision Racing in Berlin. I’m very much looking forward to experiencing Formula E for the first time and working with the team. We’ll be working hard up until the race to prepare for the event, starting with the rookie session this week in Misano.

    Aron on the news.

    It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to be racing in Formula E again, this time with Envision Racing. After taking part in my first ever Formula E test with Envision, it’s great to be racing for them in Berlin, and we’ll be working hard together to have a successful weekend.

    Eriksson on the news.

  • Barnard confirmed by NEOM McLaren for Misano

    NEOM McLaren will be giving Taylor Barnard another opportunity behind the wheel of their Gen3 car at the Misano Rookie Free Practice session on Friday 12th April.

    Barnard, from Norwich England, entered single seater racing in 2020. Since then, he has become the 2022 ADAC Formula 4 runner-up, as well as the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship runner-up.

    In 2023, during his debut season in FIA Formula 3, he took his maiden victory in the championship at Spa-Francorchamps and finished the season 10th in the Drivers’ standings. He has now moved up to FIA Formula 2 for the 2024 season.

    Taylor got his first taste of Formula E racing in October 2023, having driven for the team as a rookie driver during the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Valencia Pre-Season Test.
    Since then, he’s become an integral part of the team in his role as Reserve and Development Driver for NEOM McLaren.

    I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the NEOM McLaren GEN3 car in Misano. I’ve enjoyed working with the team so far this year as Reserve and Development Driver, and I’m looking forward to putting this into practice on-track.

    Barnard on the news.

    I am delighted that Taylor will be representing the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team in the Misano Rookie Free Practice Session next week. In his current role of Reserve and Development driver, Taylor is an integral part of the team and has helped us improve our performance on-track. This session will help him further understand the team and the correlation between his work in our simulator and on-track racing, while giving him that all-important experience in GEN3 machinery.

    Ian James, Team Principal.

  • Porsche announce Formula E rookies

    Matt Campbell is set to jump into the car at Porsche at Misano Rookie Free Practice session.
    Porsche’s sportscar racer will take part in FP0 on Formula E’s visit to Misano ahead of Rounds 6 & 7, which will be his first taste of Formula E machinery.

    Campbell has more than impressed so far in 2024, with wins at the famed Daytona 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hours for Porsche, while he took pole and third position in the FIA World Endurance Championship season-opener in Qatar in March.

    Porsche works driver, Thomas Preining will be joining Dennis Hauger at Porsche for the Rookie Test after May’s Berlin double-header, at the all-day session on Monday 13th May.

    Preining is currently competing in Deustche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), where he won the championship last year. His been racing in the championship since 2022, which he scored his and Porsche’s first win in the series.
    Due to Preining’s affiliation with Porsche, their Formula E team offered him a drive in the Rookie Test at Marrakech back in 2020.

    Hauger who currently races in Formula 2, won the FIA Formula 3 Championship back in 2021 and the Italian F4 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing.
    In September 2017, Hauger was named as one of Red Bull Junior Team, and later announced as one of four reserve drivers for the Formula One team in 2023. Hauger then announced he would split with Red Bull following the end of 2023 after six years with the team.

  • Aitken to return to Formula E with Envision

    Jack Aitken, the current IMSA and DTM racer and past Formula 1 reserve driver, will be in the cockpit in Misano at the Rookie Free Practice session with Envision Racing.

    After getting behind the wheel of a Formula E car for the first time in May at the Berlin Rookie Test last season, Aitken also had a further opportunity to test for the Silverstone-based outfit ahead of July’s double-header in the Italian capital.

    Prior to Formula E’s first visit to Misano this season, there’s another Rookie Free Practice session with FP0, on Friday set to offer fresh faces a chance in the world’s foremost electric race series – and Aitken is set for another opportunity to impress and assist the team as they continue to gather data and insights into their Gen3 development.

    The British-South Korean racer has a vast amount of single-seater experience in his career to-date, including making his Formula 1 debut with Williams Racing at the Sakhir Grand Prix back in 2020.

    I’m looking forward to another outing with Envision, this time at Misano, a much more traditional circuit than the ones I’ve experienced so far. Apart from this change in scenery I’m glad to join the team at another event, it’s always fascinating to sample the car and then watch and learn from everyone during the weekend.

    Aitken on the news.

    We are very pleased to welcome Jack Aitken back to Envision Racing for the rookie session in Misano. Jack provided lots of useful feedback to the team following his tests last season in Berlin and Rome, so we are excited to have him step into the car again. This will be our first ever race in Misano, and we are confident Jack will once again provide the team with great feedback following the session.

    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and Chief Technical Officer at Envision Racing.

  • Tim Tramnitz will test for ABT CUPRA

    German racer, Tim Tramnitz will jump back into the ABT Cupra’s Gen3 car again this season, in Free Practice in Misano and at the Berlin Rookie Test after the Berlin double-header.

    Tramnitz has already tested for the team in 2023, and made a strong impression strong enough for an invite back to take part in the rookie tests.

    The 19 year old, first started karting back in 2011 and continued until 2019 getting lots of experience under his belt. In 2020 he moved to single seaters where he raced in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship.

    From there he went on to do ADAC F4 again but this time he paired it with Italian F4, he had strong campaigns in both, where he finished runner-up in both series’.
    The German driver went on to compete in the Formula Regional European Championship, and then moved to Formula 3 this year for his rookie season.

    Last year, Tramnitz got announced as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. He is also part of Motorsport Team Germany and has been a member of the ADAC Sports Foundation team for seven years.

    I am really looking forward to the ABT team and the Formula E test. The first few hours last year were already a lot of fun – and it’s always cool to sit in a race car. I especially like working with the engineers when we look at and analyze all the data, because it’s much more comprehensive than it is for me in Formula 3. I can learn a lot and take a lot with me.

    Tramnitz on the news.

    Tim was not only consistently fast at his first test in 2023 and gave our engineers good feedback, but he is also simply a great guy. That was obviously a perfect start – especially because Formula 3 has many new challenges with tyre management, more aerodynamics on the car and DRS.

    Thomas Biermaier, Team Principal on Tramnitz and getting off to a dream start in F3 with a podium.

  • RW 4 – Japan

    Round 4 is complete, with a lot of different strategies going on and it all started because of a red flag early on in the race.

    But it was Max Verstappen who took the chequered flag first and bounced back after retirement in Australia! His teammate followed behind in 2nd, making it another 1-2 for Red Bull and rounding out the podium is Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

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

    A dominating display by Red Bull for both drivers, a third successive pole-to-victory conversion for the Dutchman, while also marking a third win from four races in 2024, boosting his lead in the drivers’ championship.

    A very good result for Ferrari aswell, P3 and P4 for Sainz and Leclerc. A good team effort, especially with Leclerc’s strategy as him and Sainz were on alternate strategies to get the best situation.

    A good result for Fernando Alonso, I don’t think anyone doubts he wont be in the points each race unless it’s something which isn’t his fault. I think people need to start looking at his teammate a bit more aswell, finishing 12th and then moaning about the car, when his teammate scored points? Doesn’t make sense really.

    For Mercedes it was a better weekend than Australia, they at least had both cars finish and both cars in the points. But they really are struggling at the moment, whether it’s strategy or just the car they need to make some improvements as soon as possible.

    A point for Yuki Tsunoda on his home turf. His doing the right thing to get a seat for next year, and making himself look more like a number one driver which is interesting…
    However for his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon had a little coming together, which sent both cars across the gravel and into the barriers at speed, which cause the red flag due to the damage of the tyre barriers. Luckily both drivers were okay, but it’s not what Daniel needed as he knows he needs to prove himself at the moment.

    Haas had a strong showing, just missing out on points with Hulkenberg in P11 and Magnussen in P13. I think the team is just taking every race as it comes at the moment, and will try and capitalise on others misfortune.

    We don’t have long to wait till round 5, as we finally make a return to China, for the Chinese Grand Prix, in two weeks time on the 19th to 21st April.

  • RW 4 – Japan Qualifying

    Qualifying is over for the Japanese Grand Prix and it was Max Verstappen continued his run of pole positions in 2024 as he took P1 on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix.

    The Dutchman was joined by teammate Sergio Perez in 2nd, making it a 1-2 in qualifying for Red Bull, the team will want to do a copy and paste situation tomorrow and make up for last time out in Australia. Joining them in the top tree is McLaren’s Lando Norris!

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

    A lovely result for Red Bull, starting as they mean to go on! It was good to see Perez get closer to Verstappen aswell, only ending up 0.066 away from the champion.

    A nice result for McLaren aswell, Lando starting on the second row! Himself and the team will be aiming for a podium tomorrow but anything could happen… Oscar Piastri in P6 a decent result from him aswell.

    Mercedes had an okay result P7 for Hamilton and P9 for Russell, not the best result for the team, but with the track always improving someone has to be worse off.

    Yuki Tsunodaaaa P10 for the Japanese driver, and infront on his home crowd as well!! He will be aiming for points, but with him going P10 he did knock out his teammate Daniel Ricciardo who will be starting P11.

    Quite a big shock i’d say is Lance Stroll being knocked out in Q1, he will be starting P16 quite a big difference between him and Alonso who starts P5. The Canadian has a lot of work to do in the race to be able to score some points.

  • McLaren unveil bespoke livery

    McLaren have unveiled a bespoke livery that will adorn Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s car across the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

    Designed by Japanese artist MILTZ, the livery highlights the Driven by Change campaign, which returns for its fourth F1 season. The campaign celebrates emerging creatives through the global motorsport platform, providing opportunities to showcase their innovative artwork to the world.

    For McLaren’s special design, MILTZ’s artwork is inspired by Edomoji, a traditional Japanese calligraphy, which he fuses with modern art and culture.
    On the McLaren MCL38 he has used this to represent the speed of a Formula 1 car in the form of a dragon racing through the clouds.

    When I first became a freelance artist, I never thought an opportunity like this was possible – this is the biggest international project I have ever done! As I continue to build my profile as an artist, I want my artwork to champion the rich traditions of Japanese writing culture, such as Edomoji, but with a modern twist. From my work with local businesses in Japan to the McLaren Formula 1 Team, there are so many beautiful stories to tell through art.

    MILTZ on the livery.

  • McLaren announce several organisational changes

    McLaren have made another raft of changes to their technical department following the first three rounds of the 2024 season, with David Sanchez departing the organisation just a few months on from starting in his new role.

    Former Ferrari aerodynamic specialist Sanchez was one of two key winter signings by McLaren, alongside ex-Red Bull technical wizard Rob Marshall, as the team look to build on their initial reshuffle last year.

    However, “following a number of discussions” over the job responsibilities, Sanchez has vacated his position as Technical Director, Car Concept and Performance, leading to a series of updates across his department.

    Following Sanchez’s exit, Marshall will assume the role of Chief Designer, Neil Houldley moves over to become Technical Director of Engineering, while Peter Prodomou will continue in his role as Technical Director of Aerodynamics.

    McLaren added that the Concept and Performance department will be streamlined to focus on performance and will be led by the Technical Director of Performance – team boss Andrea Stella will assume this role in the interim until a permanent appointment is confirmed.

    This further step in the evolution of the structure of the Technical Department and of the working model within the team signify our commitment to constantly enhancing our technical capabilities and workflows for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Following thoughtful discussions between David Sanchez and the team leadership, the mutual decision has been taken for David to leave the team. Upon our joint reflection, it became apparent that the role, responsibilities, and ambitions associated with David’s position did not align with our original expectations when he agreed to join us in February 2023.Recognising this misalignment, both David and I agreed that it would be best to part ways now, so to enable him to pursue other opportunities that will better leverage the full scale and breadth of his remarkable skillset. We greatly and gratefully value the contributions that David has made during his relatively short time with us, and we wish him the best in his future endeavours.

    Stella on the news.

    I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this team. While the role we envisioned and had agreed to was not aligned with the reality of the position I found, I leave with respect for the leadership, admiration for the dedication of my colleagues, and appreciation for the openness and honesty in which we discussed and arrived at this decision. I wish this team continued success as it continues its journey to the front of the grid where it belongs. I look forward to my next challenge within F1.

    Sanchez added.

  • RW 4 – Tyre Selection

    Formula 1 returns to Japan just over six months after its last visit to the country, with this years Japanese Grand Prix takes place in April for the first time in history.
    Normally, Suzuka has frequently crowned world champions – both drivers’ and manufacturers’ standings. The last two years have been no exceptions, in 2022 Max Verstappen sealed his second title at the venue and last year Red Bull were crowned constructors’ champions.

    Suzuka is a true classic with the 5.807 kilometre track testing every driver’s talent with a demanding layout characterised by a figure-eight layout which is unique in Formula 1.

    The track also tests the tyres both in terms of wear as well as the forces and loads to which they are subjected throughout the variety of corners that make the lap.
    As usual Pirelli has selected the hardest trio of compounds: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft).

    A two-stopper is the most common strategy due to the energy gong through the tyres and the stress to which they are subjected. However, lower temperatures might mean a one-stop strategy become possible.
    Not only this, a one-stopper also decreases the effectiveness of the undercut, which is usually very useful at Suzuka.

  • Nissan becomes first Manufacturer to commit to Gen4

    Nissan has committed at least an additional four years to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship until 2030, continuing its manufacturer outfit into the Gen4 era.

    During a press conference held in Tokyo ahead of the first Formula E race in Japan last weekend, Nissan Formula E Team Managing Director and Team Principal Tommaso Volpe signed the official registration document for car manufacturers in the FIA Formula E World Championship for Seasons 13 to 16.

    The historic agreement emphasises a long-term partnership aimed at advancing electric racing technology and underscores Formula E, Nissan the FIA’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of electric mobility and innovation on the global stage.
    It also marks the first of the Formula E manufacturers in the paddock to commit to Formula E’s next chapter: GEN4.

    The next-generation GEN4 technology will herald a new era of electric racing, boasting unparalleled advancements in energy efficiency, race performance and safety innovations.
    It will include cutting-edge features, such as regeneration capacity up to 700kW, and increased power output to 600kW and safety innovations.

    The Nissan team is one of the most successful and long-standing teams in the Formula E paddock. Since its entry into Formula E in Season 5, Nissan has expanded its operations, exemplified by the recent relocation of the Nissan Formula E team headquarters to the Paris area.

    Nissan’s pledge extends its ABB FIA Formula E World Championship involvement to at least 12 years, marking a significant milestone in the company’s motorsport history. With Formula E serving as the ultimate testing ground for Nissan’s electric vehicle technology, this commitment also aligns seamlessly with Nissan’s Ambition 2030 objectives. This ambitious plan positions electrification as the cornerstone of Nissan’s strategy, with a goal to introduce 34 new electrified models by fiscal year 2030.

    We’re very happy at Formula E to see Nissan extending their involvement in the series until 2030. Nissan shares our values of promoting sustainability around the world, striving for the best automotive performance through electric solutions. Having a truly global brand like Nissan, with great presence in every country we visit and beyond, is vital for us as a truly global championship. It not only helps us promote the series to a wider and more diverse audience, but also contributes enormously to promote EV technology worldwide. Nissan is a highly respected manufacturer that is perfectly aligned with our goals and values, and we’re excited to see the role the marque will play in the bright future ahead of us.

    Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E.

    We’re extremely pleased to continue our involvement in Formula E until 2030. In addition to bringing excitement and an on-track spectacle to our fans, our participation in the series will make a significant contribution to our electrification goals set out in our Ambition 2030 plans. The technological breakthroughs that we make on the track will provide great insights to the development of our future products. We’re excited to see the future of electric racing unfold and to keep working towards a sustainable world for everyone.

    Makoto Uchida, CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation.

    I’m delighted to confirm our long-term future in Formula E as a manufacturer. We’re also proud to be the first company to sign up until 2030, which is a big year for Nissan as we aim to match or exceed the targets set out in our Ambition 2030 pledge. Formula E is an incredible testing ground for new electric technology, and we can’t wait to continue to develop and compete until at least the end of Season 16. The team is on an upward trajectory, and our new headquarters will contribute massively to future growth, with advanced facilities helping us to develop our car for future seasons. A big thank you to Formula E Operations and to the FIA for their support – we’re very excited to continue working together.

    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal of Nissan Formula E Team.

  • Lola Cars returns to top tier Motorsport with Yamaha

    Lola Cars have announced that it is returning to global motorsport in a multi-year technical partnership with Yamaha Motor Company and will enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from Season 11.

    The iconic, globally renowned motorsport brand. which has more than 500 championship wins, is working with Yamaha to develop and supply a powertrain to compete in the world’s first all-electric, single seater race series.

    With track racing deep in the DNA of both Lola Cars and Yamaha, this new partnership not only provides an opportunity to join the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as it moves to the Gen3 Evo platform for the 2024/25 season but also creates opportunities across global motorsport and in the broader zero emissions transportation space.

    Founded by Eric Broadley in 1958, Lola Cars has designed and produced nearly 5000 race cars spanning 400 different model types, gaining unparalleled success in motorsport championships around the world, including:
    IndyCarm Le Mans, Formula 1, Can-Am, Formula 3000, Formula 5000, A1GP, Formula Ford and Touring Cars.

    This partnership continues Lola Cars’ longstanding prominence in Japan. Lola Cars has a long history of involvement in Japanese motorsport, primarily in what is now known as the Japanese Super Formula CHampionship, winning 13 Championships in two decades from 1987 when it was known as the All Japan F3000.

    We are thrilled to confirm our entry in Formula E. For us, this is more than just an opportunity to return Lola to the track, it’s also a fantastic platform for technological development. Lola Cars has a decorated history of success in chassis and aerodynamic design. This project will allow us to create a unique electrified platform with a software focus at its core to provide a basis for Lola’s wider plans in defining the future of motorsport technology. The partnership is the first of several major projects planned to re-establish the British company as an industry leader in sustainable engineering and motorsport, strategically focusing on three areas of electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels and materials.

    Mark Preston, Motorsport Director, Lola Cars.

    We are incredibly excited to be partnering with the Yamaha Motor Company as we enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. To be selected by one of the most innovative OEMs in the world to partner on a project of this significance is a testament to the caliber of the team that we have been building at Lola. The focus of this project is squarely around technological development in which Lola is fully invested. We see the highly efficient 350 kW electric powertrain that underpins the manufacturer’s perimeter in Formula E, as a cornerstone technology with exciting applications across many forms of topflight international motorsport in the coming years.

    Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman Lola Cars.

    Yamaha Motor Company is accelerating the research and development of various technologies that contribute to sustainability. As the technical partner, we hope to acquire more advanced energy management technologies through the highest level of electric racing in Formula E. We also share Lola’s new philosophy of sustainable motorsport and we are very pleased and honored to form this partnership with them.

    Heiji Maruyama, Managing Executive Office and Director of Yamaha Motor Co.

  • RND 5 – Tokyo E-Prix

    FP1-

    Envision Racing’s Robin Frijns headed the way in an eventful FP1 session on Formula E’s first visit to Tokyo.

    The top 15 runners were split by less than a second and six teams represented in the top six at the chequered flag, with the field getting their first taste of the Odaiba streets.

    The sun shone down for the first Free Practice 1 session in Tokyo, a big contrast to the weather seen in the capital that morning.
    The heavy rain was still left around parts of the track which made it even more challenging for the drivers.

    One area affected by the standing water was Turn 1 with drivers such as TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa and ABT CUPRA’s Lucas di Grassi going wide just minutes into the session.

    Red flags were shown eight minutes in when the DS Penske of Stoffel Vandoorne came to a halt at the entry into Turn 4. The Season 8 World Champion had a technical problem with his Gen3 machine.

    Reigning Champion, Jake Dennis made a small but costly mistake as he nudged his Andretti into the barriers at Turn 16, with the front nose taking most of the impact.

    There was also an unusual incident between Sam Bird and Sacha Fenestraz towards the end of practice. Fenestraz was whacked by Bird as they both entered the first turn and suffered significant damage to the front of his car.

    FP2-

    Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans set the fastest time of Free Practice 2, a 1m19.339s as the grid got grips with the new circuit.

    The track will still wet after the huge downpour yesterday morning with Turn 1 still being rather slippery with standing water, which isn’t ideal.

    Both Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns set the pace early on, with Frijns going quickest overall in Free Practice 1. However timings were soon improved by the likes of Andretti’s Jake Dennis, TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein and ERT’s Dan Ticktum the top three before a red flag brought a stop to running.

    The red flag was issued due to Lucas di Grassi as he clipped the front of his car near turn 12 which caused a range of debris to litter the track.

    Things got going again quickly and drivers were keen to get out again, Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara has been looking rapid. His teammate Nyck de Vries lost part of his front wing on a lap towards the end of the session, having to pull into the pit lane to have some repairs.

    Qualifying-

    Nissan and Oliver Rowland made history in Japan, as the home team achieved the Julius Baer Pole Position for the second time this season.

    Rowland was just 0.021s ahead of the Maserati MSG Racing of Maximilian Gunther in the finals, as big names like Championship leader Nick Cassidy will start in 19th due to having his lap time deleted for a technical infraction.

    In Group A, Oliver Rowland went quickest with a 1m19.658s. Edoardo Mortara was just behind him by 0.020s. Nick Cassidy got through in third, but his lap time was deleted. Jake Dennis got the final sport, and was promoted to third due to Cassidy, which meant his teammate Evans moved into fourth.
    However, Jake Hughes and Mitch Evans were also placed under investigation for impeding.

    The drama didn’t stop there, as Group B also had some. ERT’s Sergio Sette Camara made contact with the wall early on, which sent debris scattering onto the track, but he still managed to find his way to the duels.
    He was beaten to the top spot by Maximilian Gunther who set a 1m19.391s. Joining him in the duels was Nico Mueller and championship favourite TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein.
    There was also a close moment between the NEOM McLaren of Sam Bird and Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries who both went down an escape road near Turn 16.

    The Qualifying top 10 is- Pole: Rowland, P2: Gunther, P3: Mortara, P4: Sette Camara, P5: Dennis, P6: Evans, P7: Wehrlein, P8: Muller, P9: Da Costa and P10: Frijns.

    Round 5-

    Rowland held fast off the line to keep the lead with Mahindra’s Mortara clambering over the back of the Nissan as he gained ground on Gunther into second.
    Through the opening laps, less than 10 second split the 22 car field with the lead three separated by less than a second.

    On lap 3, Ticktum, Fenestraz and Buemi were the first drivers to jump for the initial of two mandatory Attack Mode. Meanwhile, Wehrlein was looking raciest in the top 10 – making it by Sette Camara for fifth at Turn 1 on the same lap, and hassling Dennis for fourth.

    Wehrlein was the first of the front runners to jump for Attack Mode on lap 8, with Da Costa holding off the chasing pack to make the German’s life easier.
    On lap 10, Rowland led Mortara and Gunther with again no more than a second between them. Rowland jumped for attack and held the lead while Mortara followed from second – dropping down to third with Gunther profiting in the process.

    Da Costa had dispatched Dennis at Turn 15 on Lap 17, and made it by his teammate Wehrlein who was shuffled to sixth and some front wing damage.
    A lap later, Jaguar’s 100th celebrations came to a quick end with Mitch Evans out in contact with Frijns in an overambitious overtaking manoeuvre gone wrong.

    The race fired into life from there, with Nato and Frijns sixth and seventh on Lap 18, jumping for Attack Mode. Dennis was just ahead of the pair, with the Brit able to help his teammate and vice versa with track position through their attack mode activations.

    Rowland gave up track position to Gunther on lap 24, with the Brit happy to save energy in the slipstream, aware that the Maserati driver was yet to take his second Attack Mode which should allow the Nissan back ahead.

    However, Rowland could only hang on some 1.7 second back which meant Gunther was able to take his Attack and hold the lead. Mortara was in third, and was holding off the close attention of da Costa, Dennis, Nato and Wehrlein.

    Nato took his final 50kW boost on lap 31 and in the accordian effect, Frijns unfortunately got caught up in contact and span out in 10th spot.

    Da Costa spied a chance to jump onto the podium around the outside of Turn 15 however Dennis was not having any of it.
    Rowland did his utmost to pressure Gunther for the lead with a look around the outside of Turn 1 and the inside of Turn 3 but Gunther’s Maserati looked really wide.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Gunther, P2: Rowland, P3: Dennis, P4: Da Costa, P5: Wehrlein, P6: Nato, P7: Muller, P8: Cassidy, P9: Frijns and P10: Sette Camara.

    Now we have less than two weeks until the next race weekend! As we head to Misano, Italy for Round 6 and 7!

  • Ayumu Iwasa to make F1 Debut at Japanese GP

    RB have announced that Super Formula racer Ayumu Iwasa will make his Formula 1 weekend debut at the Japanese Grand Prix by appearing in free practice with the team.

    Iwasa, 22, is set to drive Daniel Ricciardo’s car during FP1 at Suzuka next week, meaning an all-Japanese RB line-up alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the opening session.

    Iwasa finished fourth in last year’s F2 standings, where he took three race victories and three further podiums across the season, along with one pole position.
    He made the move to the Japan-based Super Formula championship for 2024, scoring points on debut at the Suzuka opener earlier this month.

    While the outing will mark Iwasa’s practice debut, it will not be his first time in an F1 car, having driven for the then-named Alpha Tauri at last year’s F1 post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

    Under F1’s current regulations, each team must run a rookie – by definition a driver who has started two or fewer Grand Prix – in two FP1 sessions over the course of each campaign.

  • Zak Brown signs new contract with McLaren

    McLaren have confirmed that Zak Brown has extended his contract as the team’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with the new deal seeing him stay in the role until 2030.

    Brown first joined McLaren back in 2016 as the Executive Director of McLaren Technology Group before going on to become CEO in April 2018.

    Since assuming his position, Brown has overseen operations across all of McLaren’s race teams and has shaped the strategic direction of McLaren Racing, as well as driving the outfit’s marketing and commercial development.
    McLaren are now involved in IndyCar, Extreme E, Formula E and obviously Formula 1.

    The American has been crucial to the regeneration of the team including hiring a number of top-end staff such as Ferrari’s David Sanchez and Red Bull’s Rob Marshal. As well as opening their new windtunnel at their factory in Woking last year.

    Earlier this year, Brown secured the future of Lando Norris on a new multi-year deal, while Oscar Piastri is also tied down for many years to come.

    Zak has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and has been instrumental in driving McLaren Racing forward. His extension reflects our confidence in his ability to lead the team to even greater success in the years to come.

    Paul Walsh – McLaren Group’s Executive Chairman.

    I am thrilled to continue leading McLaren Racing and to be a part of such a historic race team. It is a privilege to work alongside the talented men and women across McLaren Racing’s different race series. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of motorsport and strive for the highest performance on and off the track.

    Brown on the news.

  • Andretti to run Maloney & Crawford in rookie tests

    Andretti have chosen Zane Maloney who will take the wheel of the teams’ Porsche 99X Electric in the Free Practice 0 session in Misano and the Berlin Rookie Test, with Jak Crawford joining the American squad for the first time to sample the Gen3 machine.

    The next generation of racing talent will again have a chance to showcase their skills in Season 10. Free Practice 0 running ahead of the 2024 Misano E-Prix on Friday 12th April, followed by the 2024 Berlin Rookie Test after the double-header in the German capital on Monday 13th May.

    Andretti is the first team to reveal the two drivers stepping into the seat of reigning champion, Jake Dennis and teammate Norman Nato.
    Zane Maloney is back to represent the American outfit, as he is the team’s official reserve and development by running laps in the FPO session in Milano.

    Maloney will again take part in the Berlin test and American Jak Crawford will join for a full day behind the wheel of the Gen3 machine around the Tempelhof circuit.

    Crawford who will make his Formula E debut at the 2024 Berlin Rookie Test has enjoyed a long history of on track success starting in karts before making his car racing debut in Formula 4 in 2018.
    After two years in FIA Formula 3, Crawford was promoted to Formula 2 quickly becoming a race winner at the Sprint race in Austria in 2023.

    Recently announced to the Aston Martin Young Driver Development program, Crawford will be the seventh American to participate in an official Formula E session joining fellow countrymen Marco Andretti, Matthew Brabham, Scott Speed, Oliver Askew, Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood.

    I can’t wait to represent Andretti Formula E once again at both Misano and Berlin. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the team and thank them for all the trust they have put in me. It will be interesting to see how the development work I’ve contributed to behind the scenes translates to the actual car on track during both occasions I get to drive it.

    Maloney on the news.

    We are excited to announce Zane Maloney’s participation in the Free Practice 0 session at the 2024 Misano E-Prix, as well as his inclusion in our 2024 Berlin Rookie Test lineup. Zane has proven to be a valuable asset to our team through his development work on the simulator, and we are confident that his knowledge will benefit us during the Misano E-Prix doubleheader weekend and the Berlin Rookie Test. Additionally, we are pleased to announce Jak Crawford’s rookie debut at  the Berlin Rookie Test,which marks an important milestone in his career. We look forward to seeing him showcase his talents on the Formula E stage. These opportunities are integral to Andretti Global’s commitment to developing and mentoring the next generation of drivers, and we are eager to see both Zane and Jak excel on track.

    Roger Griffiths, Andretti Team Principal.

  • F2 – RND 3 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    A slow getaway from the front row gave Hadjar the momentum to take the lead, but as the Frenchman moved to pass pole-sitter Stanek, he tapped teammate Josep Maria Marti who collided with Gabriel Bortoleto.

    Victor Martins was a big winner of lap 1, where he climbed eight places from P21 to 13th in the space of half a lap.

    After five laps behind the Safety Car, racing got underway entering lap 7, but Zane Maloney had a tough restart, dropping from fifth position to 10th after running into the gravel out of Turn 6.

    The fight for second was a five-car battle headed by Stanek, with the chasing pack bunched up behind closely. Going into Turn 12 on lap 10, a spin for Andrea Kimi Antonelli sent Richard Verschoor spinning also, while Paul Aron sustained front wing damage in the process.
    The PREMA and Trident drivers were out on the spot and the Safety Car was called upon.

    Back to racing, Hadjar got the jump on Stanek once again to establish a comfortable lead. A fastest lap with seven to go gave him a lead of three seconds over the Trident driver, who was defending hard from Maini behind.

    Onto the penultimate lap and Hauger finally got the move done on Maini to take third, sweeping around the outside of the Invicta driver at Turn 9 to take the place.

    Hadjar had disappeared into the distance after the final Safety Car and crossed the line to win by over six seconds.
    However, Isack Hadjar has been handed a 10 second time penalty after the race as he was found to cause a collision at the start of the race. Which means he loses his victory and drops down to sixth.

    So the top 10 is- P1: Stanek, P2: Hauger, P3: Maini, P4: Colapinto, P5: Miyata, P6: Hadjar, P7: Martins, P8: O’Sullivan, P9: Crawford and P10: Maloney.

    Day 3-

    Dennis Hauger got the perfect start to lead Andrea Kimi Antonelli into Turn 1. Contact further back in the pack between Zak O’Sullivan and Roman Stanek left the sprint winner spinning and put him last in the order.

    Further around the first lap, Antonelli made a dive to the inside of the polesitter to secure P1 at Turn 11, but the MP driver responded on the following tour to retake the lead at Turn 9.

    There was a brief virtual Safety Car on Lap 7 to recover Joshua Duerksen’s car following contact with O’Sullivan at Turn 13.
    Racing was resumed and Maini was on the move, he took the lead from Hauger on Lap 9 before the Norwegian led Antonelli and the first leaders in for mandatory stops, filtering back out just outside of the top 10.

    The polesitter’s day was over shortly afterwards though, as he crashed at Turn 6 to bring out the Virtual Safety Car on lap 11.
    Isack Hadjar made his mandatory stop before the VSC was deployed to come back out ahead of Antonelli on the road in 8th.

    Hadjar cleared the yet to stop Taylor Banard for sixth to put a car between himself and his closest rival. The Frenchman was on the move on the following lap, taking fifth from Enzo Fittipaldi at Turn 9.
    The Campos driver’s charge continued at the expense of Stanek on Lap 20, easing by the Trident driver with DRS on the back straight.

    Having cleared teammate Ritomo Miyata, Maloney was next to pass Barnard to move himself up to ninth position and he set off in pursuit of the PREMA driver further ahead.

    Lap 24, and with Stanek battling to stay ahead of Fittipaldi, the VAR driver ran out of room at Turn 4 to allow Aron, Antonelli and Maloney through.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hadjar, P2: Aron, P3: Maloney, P4: Antonelli, P5: Miyata, P6: Verschoor, P7: Colapinto, P8: Villagomez, P9: Martins and P10: Bearman.

    However, Colapinto has been disqualified from the race as he was found to have not engaged the race start set up procedure at the start of the race in breach of technical regulations. The Argentinian loses P7 with Jak Crawford moving up into the final points position.

  • F3 – RND 2 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    The top five remained the same at the start with pole-sitter van Hoepen covering off Stenshorne to retain the lead. His ART teammate and home favourite Christian Mansell stayed in third ahead of the Red Bull-liveried cars of Oliver Goethe and Lindblad.

    However, van Hoepen and Stenshorne quickly became embroiled in a multi-lap battle for the lead on lap 3. But this battle brought the rest of their rivals into play, with the top 10 only covered by three seconds.

    On lap 6, Mansell was now coming under attack from Lindblad with the PREMA driver taking P3 at Turn 9. Just behind the pair, Goethe lost P5 to his Campos teammate Mari Boya at the same corner.

    In the battle for points, Dino Beganovic was on the move in other PREMA car and quickly dispatched Fornaroli at Turn 12 for 9th, the Trident driver then ran wide onto the gravel, dropping him to 15th.

    Back at the front, Stenshorne had built a gap of over two and a half seconds to van Hoepen, but the ART driver was then overtaken by Lindblad.
    As the race moved past the halfway stage, Beganovic was now coming under attack from Sebastian Montoya. The Campos driver made the move past on the run down to Turn 1, with the Swede then losing another position to Charlie Wurz two corners later.

    Van Amersfoort Racing’s home hero Tommy Smith collided with the rear of Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak at Turn 1. The Thai racer was out of the car and the race whilst the Australian continued on.

    Back to green flag racing, Beganovic made the move past Wurz for P8 at the popular Turn 9. The Austrian ran wide at corner exit, losing further positions to drop him down to 13th.

    The full top 10 is – P1: Stenshorne, P2: Lindblad, P3: Van Hoepen, P4: Boya, P5: Goethe, P6: Mini, P7: Dunne, P8: Montoya, P9: Fornaroli and P10: Mansell.

    Day 3-

    Fornaroli led away from pole, staying ahead of the PREMA pair of Mini and Beganovic. But there was plenty of action at the back of the pack as MP Motorsport’s Tim Tramnitz suffered a puncture after colliding with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak.

    The PHM AIX Racing driver then hit Sophia Floersch and despite both being able to continue to the pitlane, they were both forced to retire with damage.

    We were back to green flag conditions, with the top three remaining the same, Luke Browning and Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top five with the pair pouncing on the PHM AIX’s Nikita Bedrin to move up the order.

    On lap 11, there was more bad news for the Australian fans as Christian Mansell lost two places at Turn 11, with Jenzer Motorsport’s Charlie Wurz and Campos’ Sebastian Montoya overtaking the ART Grand Prix driver.

    Beganovic after being given the all clear to overtake Mini for second, and he did just that on lap 12, making his way past at Turn 9. The PREMA driver then quickly got within DRS range of Fornaroli.

    Mini’s struggles continued as by the end of Lap 13, he lost another position at Turn 9. A lap later, Beganovic took the lead from Fornaroli at the same corner. Elsewhere, Campos Racing teammates Mari Boya and Sebastian Montoya quickly got past Bedrin, moving them up to fifth and sixth.

    The top three were now covered by just a second a half with Fornaroli well within DRS range of Beganovic as the drivers set off on lap 18. Mini was however beginning to show strong pace and closed in on Browning for third.

    The full top 10 is: P1: Beganovic, P2: Fornarolli, P3: Mini, P4: Browning, P5: Wurz, P6: Montoya, P7: Boya, P8: Bedrin, P9: Goethe and P10: Mansell.

  • RW 3 – Australia

    Well Australia always provides some drama in the race and we certainly got some of that!

    Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz took his and the team’s first win of the season, taking advantage of Max Verstappen’s technical trouble which resulted in the first non-Red Bull win of the season.

    Bidding for a record-equalling 10th victory in a row, Verstappen converted his pole position advantage as the race got under way but soon reported issues, with a compromised second lap which opened the door for Sainz to take the lead.
    From there, Verstappen’s brake-related woes got worse and with plumes of smoke exiting the rear of his RB20 he then returned to the pits and retired for the first time in two years.

    Carlos Sainz was followed closely by his teammate, Charles Leclerc making it a 1-2 for the Italian team! And rounding out the podium places is Mr Lando Norris, his first of the season.

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

    What a drive from Carlos Sainz, who is still not feeling 100% performed a drive which should really secure him a seat next year!

    Obviously very gutting for Max Verstappen, it’s very rare for him to have a DNF due to something wrong on the car, I had no doubt he would of been fighting for the win if it didn’t happen, but it’s racing that is just the way it goes sometimes.

    Points for Tsunoda!! He pretty much stayed in the top 10 all race unless he pitted, the team and Japanese driver will be happy with that after their start to the season.

    Double points for Haas aswell! They had a really good race today, good pit stops and it benefited them as they were there incase anything happened within the top teams which it did.

    A disappointing day for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton had a mechanical issue which saw him pull over to the side and then on the last lap George Russell was chasing Fernando Alonso down for P6 and ended up spinning and crashing which was a nasty crash but luckily he is all okay.
    Mercedes will be wanting to forget this weekend and just move onto the next race.

    However due to the crash with Russell, Fernando Alonso has been given a 20 second time penalty ( drive through) as the stewards determined the Spanish drivers driving was “potentially dangerous” which has dropped the driver down to P8.

    Now looking onto Round 4, we head to Japan for the Japanese Grand Prix from the 5th to 7th of April!

  • F2 – RND 3 Day 1

    Practice-

    Dennis Hauger ended practice fastest of all for MP Motorsport, recording a 1:29.654 to hit the ground running in Melbourne. Isack Hadjar followed in P2, the Campos driver just 0.001s down on the fastest laptime while Andrea Kimi Antonelli led the PREMA Racing charge in third.

    Not long after the green light, Amaury Cordeel brought out an early Red Flag after running deep at Turn 1 and becoming beached in the gravel trap.

    Once the Hitech Pulse-Eight car was clear, the top spot changed hands multiple times, but Victor Martin led the way for ART Grand Prix after he set a 1:32.359, 0.074s clear of teammate Zak O’Sullivan.

    That was swiftly beaten by Gabriel Bortoleto as he moved up to P1 on a 1:31.043. Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney went second-quickest until Antonelli closed the gap to the Brazilian to just 0.130s.

    The track continued to improve rapidly as Bortoleto improved on his next lap to lower the time to beat to a 1:30.373.
    Hauger bettered that by 0.070s shortly afterwards, while Martins went third overall a further 0.008s further back from the Norwegian.

    The MP driver then went to the top himself, a 1:29.654 leaving him 0.4s quicker than Antonelli, who moved up to second with over 15 minutes to go.

    Paul Aron suffered a similar spin at Turn 1 as his teammate but was able to recover to the circuit and continue on his way.
    There was a few more improvements in the latter stages of the session, though Hadjar was able to move himself up to second.

    The second red flag of the session came with three minutes remaining, as Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagomez spun and came to a stop at Turn 2 which brought an early end to the session.

    Qualifying-

    Dennis Hauger made it a Friday sweep for MP Motorsport, taking pole position in Melbourne after topping Practice timesheets.

    The Norwegian beat PREMA Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli to the top spot with his final flying lap to record a 1:28.694. Richard Verschoor made a late improvement to end up third overall.

    Before any laps were on the board, the red flags were waved after ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins came to a half at Turn 7 after a spin on corner exit. He managed to avoid the barriers, but his session was over and his car was recovered.

    Once action resumed, Kush Maini set the initial benchmark with a 1:30.359.
    Hitech Pulse Eight’s Paul Aron then took over P1 with a 1:29,984 while Hauger was just 0.031s down on that effort in second.

    With 14 minutes left, cars returned to the pits for fresh supersoft tyres heading into the final runs of the session

    Once back on track, Maloney took to the top spot with a 1:29.374 just prior to the second red flag of the session. Jak Crawford lost his DAMS Lucas Oil car and hit the barriers at Turn 12.

    Qualifying got back underway with 4:14 left on the clock and the top four were separated by less than a tenth of a second.
    Bortoleto was set to make an improvement but ran off the road at Turn 12.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Hauger, P2: Antonelli, P3: Verschoor, P4: Maini, P5: Maloney, P6: Aron, P7: Marti, P8: Hadjar, P9: Bortoleto and P10: Stanek.

  • RW 3 – Australia Qualifying

    Max Verstappen claimed an assured pole position in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz following closely behind in second and Sergio Perez in third.

    After setting a time of 1m 16.048s in the first runs of Q3, the Dutchman improved on his effort in his final laps with a 1,15.915s. This put him 0.270s clear of Sainz, who looked impressive in his first qualifying since returning following surgery for appendicitis two weeks ago.

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

    However, Sergio Perez has been handed a three place grid penalty for impeding Hulkenberg. So he will now be starting from P6, and Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri all move up a place.

    A great result from Carlos Sainz, just what the Spanish driver needed especially after missing the previous race, plus his also on a search for a seat for next season so a great performance from him.

    Yuki Tsunodaaaa, in Q3! Great result from him, him and the team will be wanting to score some points this weekend and that means capitalize on his great qualifying position. However for his teammate, not a great day at all, Daniel Ricciardo qualifying P18 at his home race, he will be wanting to make up as many positions as possible.

    A decent result from George Russell, unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, he was pushed out of the top 10 in the final moments of Q2 and will be starting P11 tomorrow, which isn’t the worst place but he is in the middle of the pack so he will want to take it easy and not get in any trouble.

    Esteban Ocon got into Q2 and qualified P15, after he brushed the wall in Q1. Another little mention to Valtteri Bottas a keen fan of Australia will be starting from P13.

    The McLaren duo had a good qualifying aswell, they will be looking to score a podium this weekend, especially because of Oscar Piastri a podium at home? Any driver would want that!

  • F3 – RND 2 Day 1

    Practice-

    PREMA Racing’s Gabriele Mini set the early pace in Melbourne as the Italian topped timesheets in Free Practice ahead of Qualifying thanks to a time of 1:33.225.

    Mini proved to be the one to beat for the majority of the morning session with compatriot Leonardo Fornaroli his nearest challenger, ending up three-tenths off his time. PREMA teammate Dino Beganovic wound up third.

    But at the start of proceedings it was an all-PREMA top three as Mini hit the ground running with a lap of 1:34.874, leading Beganovic by three tenths, as Arvid Lindblad tucked into third.

    Soon after, Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Cian Shields spun into the barrier at the final corner, bringing out the Red Flags after 15 minutes of running.
    The drivers were back out on track with half of the session remaining and once again it was Mini who set the pace, strengthening his grip on P1.

    With three minutes left in the session, another Red Flag was waved after ART Grand Prix driver Nikola Tsolov collided with MP Motorsport’s rookie Alex Dunne. The Irishman ended up in the barriers, and the session was not resumed.

    Qualifying-

    Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli took his second Formula 3 pole position, beating rival Gabriele Mini to take the top spot in Melbourne thanks to his time of 1:33.044.

    Mini had provisional pole until the final flying laps and wound up just 0.019s off the top spot, but sealed a front row start for the Feature Race, with his teammate Dino Beganovic in third.

    After the first set of laps Fornaroli set the pace thanks to his time of 1:33.882 with Free Practice timesheet-topper Mini over four-tenths back of his compatriot in second.
    The Trident driver could not improve on his next attempt, but the PREMA racer did and closed the gap to 0.020s. Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning then went up to third, two-tenths back of Fornaroli’s time.

    With only five minutes left in the session, Sami Meguetounif crashed his Trident into the barrier at the exit of the final corner bringing out the red flags. Moments prior, Mini had gone up to P1 with a 1:33.505.

    The lights went green, which left the drivers with four and a half minutes to set their final laps, and it was Fornaroli who took pole position.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Fornaroli, P2: Mini, P3: Beganovic, P4: Bedrin, P5: Browning, P6: Tsolov, P7: Lindblad, P8: Goethe, P9: Mansell and P10: Stenshorne.

  • Albon to take over Sargeant’s car after FP1 crash

    Williams have announced that Alex Albon will be taking over the car of his teammate Logan Sargeant for the remainder of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix weekend, following his crash in Free Practice 1.

    Towards the end of FP1, Albon lost control of his Williams FW46 at the exit of Turn 6 at Albert Park, running over the kerbs and then spinning out into the wall on the other side of the track.

    Luckily Albon was unharmed but he was forced to sit out of Free Practice 2 as Williams confirmed they have no third chassis available this weekend so they had to assess the damage to the car.

    With that damage to have been too significant to continue using the chassis, the team made the call for Albon to take over the car of teammate Sargeant.
    The Thai driver, last season claimed 27 of the team’s 28 points helped the team to finish P7 in the constructors’ championship.

    For Logan, he will now sit on the sidelines for the rest of the weekend, as Albon jumps into the American’s chassis from Free Practice 3 onwards.

    Due to the extensive damage sustained, [Williams are] forced to withdraw the chassis for the remainder of the Grand Prix. This chassis will be returned to the team’s HQ at Grove for repair. Due to the fact that a third chassis is unavailable, the team can confirm it has taken the decision for Alex to compete for the remainder of the weekend in the chassis that Logan Sargeant drove in FP1 and FP2.

    Statement from Williams.

    We are hugely disappointed that the damage sustained to the chassis has meant we need to withdraw it from the weekend. It’s unacceptable in modern day Formula 1 not to have a spare chassis, but it is a reflection of how behind we were in the winter period and an illustration of why we need to go through significant change in order to get ourselves in a better position for the future. As a result, we have had some very difficult decisions to make this afternoon. While Logan should not have to suffer from a mistake that he did not make, every race counts when the midfield is tighter than ever, so we have made the call based on our best potential to score points this weekend. This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his graceful acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player. This will prove a tough weekend for Williams, and this situation is not one that we will put ourselves in again.

    James Vowles, Team Principal on the news.

    I have to be totally honest and say that no driver would want to give up his seat. I would never want anything like this to happen. Logan has always been a consummate professional and a team player from day one, and this won’t be an easy one for him to take. At this point though, I cannot dwell on the situation and my only job now is to maximise our potential this weekend and work with the whole team to make sure we do the best job possible.

    Albon on the news.

  • Ferrari provide update on Carlos Sainz

    Ferrari have provided an update on Carlos Sainz’s health ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, after the Spanish driver was forced to miss the previous race in Jeddah.

    Sainz was withdrawn from the F1 weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the two-time race winner forced to undergo surgery after being diagnosed with appendicitis.

    Ollie Bearman stepped into his place as Ferrari’s reserve driver, who caused a sensation with a P7 in the race.

    However, ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari confirmed that Sainz was looking likely to return to the cockpit of the SF-24 with Bearman remaining on call as reserve driver, alongside his Formula 2 duties with PREMA racing in Melbourne this weekend.

    Should he not be required to step in for Sainz, Bearman will be keen to kick-start his F2 campaign, with the Brit currently on zero points after failing to score in Bahrain, before being withdrawn from the event in Jeddah.

    Fred Vasseur, Ferrari team principal, predicted that Ferrari would be “front runners” at the Australian circuit, with the team having provided the sternest challenge so far to Red Bull having been able to grab two podiums in the first two races.

    Carlos Sainz is expected to be back in the car, having had to miss Jeddah with appendicitis. He and team mate Charles Leclerc will most likely be fighting at the front of the field, as they have done in the first two rounds.

    The team in a pre-race statement.

    I’ll let you know tomorrow when I get back in the car and the G-forces throw me around a bit. But I feel ready. I’ve done as much as possible to recover and you cannot imagine the effort and logistics that I have done to be fit for this race. Progress, I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made and now, as I said, it’s time to jump in the car and see how I feel.

    Sainz on how much of a challenge it would be to get back in the car.

  • RW 3 – Tyre Selection

    Pirelli’s C5 tyre – the softest of the five compounds – will make its debut this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix. This has been nominated alongside the C4 and the C3.

    This is a softer selection compared to last year, when the C2, C3 and C4 were chosen. But it’s not the first time that the softest compound has been seen in Melbourne as back in 2022 Pirelli brought the C5 to Albert Park.

    The decision to go with a softer compound was taken after analysing last year’s race which centred around the C2 tyre. The C2 tyre last year was used for 46 out of 58 laps by 10 drivers, and three drivers running it for more than 50 laps.
    The Grand Prix last year was characterised by numerous stoppages which included three safety car and three red flag with two restarts and a rolling start aswell.

    The Albert Park track is made up of 14 corners, having recently been redesigned to make it more flowing. Historically, a one-stop strategy has been the favoured option but the move to a softer tyre may change that.
    The track isn’t too hard on tyres, with degradation being a bigger factor than wear. In Australia currently it’s the beginning of autumn and there could be some weather-related surprises, with temperature swings and rain having made their mark on the race weekend in the past.

    We also have a packed programme as Formula 2 and Formula 3 are supporting F1 this weekend.

  • When does each F1 driver’s contract end?

    Seeing as the season is in full swing, driver contracts are always a big topic, but I think this year’s silly season is going to be one to remember as it already kicked off before the season even started!

    However, we know that sometimes contracts mean nothing, and there is always a way to get out of them early… 12 drivers contracts are up at the end of the season.

    Red Bull-

    Max Verstappen – 2028
    Sergio Perez – 2024

    Mercedes-

    Lewis Hamilton – 2024
    George Russell – 2025

    Ferrari-

    Charles Leclerc – “Several more seasons”
    Carlos Sainz – 2024

    McLaren-

    Lando Norris – 2026
    Oscar Piastri – 2026

    Aston Martin-

    Fernando Alonso – 2024
    Lance Stroll – Rolling

    Alpine-

    Esteban Ocon – 2024
    Pierre Gasly – 2024

    Williams-

    Alex Albon – 2025
    Logan Sargeant – 2024

    RB-

    Daniel Ricciardo – 2024
    Yuki Tsunoda – 2024

    Sauber-

    Valtteri Bottas – 2024
    Guanyu Zhou – 2024

    Haas-

    Kevin Magnussen – 2024
    Nico Hulkenberg – 2024

    That’s all 20 drivers contract lengths, obviously we know Lewis is moving to Ferrari next season, so there is a vacant seat at Mercedes which definitely doesn’t come around too often…
    There are also a few junior drivers and drivers sitting on the sideline waiting for an opportunity.

    Those being, Liam Lawson, Felipe Drugovich, Ollie Bearman, Frederik Vesti and Theo Pourchaire. All five drivers are linked to F1 teams and I could possibly see maybe one or two of them coming in for the 2025 season.
    Not only this but looking at Formula 2 aswell, depending on how the drivers go in this season they could maybe be a possibility aswell.

    Now all we have to do is wait until the next team announces whether they are sticking with their drivers or going to have a little bit of a switch around…

  • RND 4- Sao Paulo E-Prix

    Free Practice 1-
    Mitch Evans started his Sao Paulo weekend in the best way possible, as the Jaguar TCS Racing driver topped the first free practice session of the weekend.

    The Jaguar team come into the weekend as the favourites after dominating the race result here last season. The British manufacturer achieved their first 1-2-3 result here as a powertrain supplier, and will look to replicate it again.

    This 2.93km street circuit is home to the longest straight in Formula E, and will certainly be a prime overtaking spot.
    ERT’s Dan Ticktum was using the session to find the limits, going off at the entry into the first chicane and having to rejoin the track down at Turn 3 where ATTACK MODE is.

    With halfway through the session, Stoffel Vandoorne was fastest on track. However, track evolution meant the times kept tumbling. Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra Racing went second just 0.028s off Mitch Evans. Ticktum slot into third with less that two minutes to go.

    Free Practice 2-
    NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird topped the timesheets for the second and final free practice in Sao Paulo, as the grid prepare for qualifying. The Brit, who stood on the podium here last year, set a time of 1:12.773s in a session that was impacted by a red flag.

    Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans also suffered an unlucky mechanical issue which limited the running time for him. Team Principal, James Barclays confirmed that the problem was with the car’s front driveshaft but the team were quick to try and fix it.

    Maximilian Guenther went quickest 10 minutes into FP2, but despite the German’s rapid pace he will be starting toward the back of the grid as he picked up a 20 place grid penalty for changing his gearbox before FP2.

    Double waved yellows were waved with nine minutes of practice left to go, after Edoardo Mortara received a warning on the steering wheel of his Mahindra Racing telling him to stop the car.
    The six time race winner pulled his car over to the side off the track just after Turn 3, and brought out the red flags as his car needed to be recovered.

    The session did get back to green flag racing for the last minute, but left no time for setting fast laps. Instead, the grid completed some practice starts ahead of the race.

    Qualifying-

    TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein managed to grab a second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season, beating DS Penske’s Stoffel Vandoorne but just 0.002s – the second closest pole margin in Formula E history.

    It was a dramatic session for the Jaguar powertrain cars, with Evans being the highest placed car in fourth. Nick Cassidy, who leads the championship, failed to make it through to the Duels and will start ninth, with both Envision cars down in 17th and 18th.

    DS Penske had a very strong qualifying, as Vandoorne starts second and Jean-Eric Vergne just behind him in third. A great result for new Deputy Team Principal Phil Charles.

    Nico Muller made a surprise appearance in the Duels, but an earlier incident meant he wasn’t able to make it to the track in the Quarter finals.

    Maserati’s Maximilian Guenther will start from the back of the pack due to the grid-drop penalty mentioned earlier – the German’s penalty also incurring a stop/go penalty on the race.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrelin, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Vergne, P4: Evans, P5: Bird, P6: Mortara, P7: Muller, P8: Da Costa, P9: Cassidy and P10: Dennis.

    Round 4-

    Sam Bird sealed one of the most dramatic victories in Formula E history in the Sao Paulo E-Prix Round 4, with a stunning final lap move on former teammate Mitch Evans to secure NEOM McLaren’s first victory in the World Championship and his first with the team.

    Wehrlein started sharply to lead with Vandoorne following as you were into Turn 1 in second, with Evans jumping Verge for third. Porsche’s da Costa made a demon launch, gaining two spots to sixth off-the-line and defending hard from Mortara’s Mahindra to hold that spot over lap 1.

    The lead group squabbled constantly as each looked to maximise their energy consumption while keeping pace with leader Bird. Evans had briefly took third before losing it at Turn 1 on lap 6 to Wehrlein.

    A Safety Car was required for the recovery of a rogue Andretti front wing as Nato hit Di Grassi as the pack squeezed through the first chicane. The Brazilian also lost his front wing while standings leader Cassidy gave the front of his car a nudge into the same corner at the start of lap 8.

    More lead changes happened once green flag conditions continued, as Da Costa and Evans hit the front then dropped back into the mix with their second attack mode activations- but Jake Dennis had been quietly working his way through from 10th at the start to lead on lap 12.

    Lap 16 saw a huge moment, with Drivers’ World Championship leader Cassidy’s three-race podium streak coming to an end as the Jaguar driver smashed into the wall through Turn 9 as he slid wide at speed – his front wing falling loose beneath his front wheels.

    Through the clamour before the Safety Car, Bird managed to retake the lead and had half a percent of usable energy in hand over Evans, now in second.
    Lap 20, saw the green flag fly again with Bird leading Evans, Wehrlein, Dennis, Da Costa, Vergne, Rowland, Vandoorne, Guenther and Buemi in the top 10.

    As the laps ticked down, Bird and Evans continued to hold the advantage. Despite Dennis in third, keeping 1.5% usable energy in hand, his car was running too hot to capitalise.
    Inside the final seven laps, including three added on for those periods under the Safety Car, Evans appeared to have done enough with a move around the outside of Bird at Turn 3 for P1.

    However, the McLaren driver was not done. He could not resist a last-ditch manoeuvre on his old teammate. Bird went all the way around the outside of Turn 10 is last chance to make something stick and hung on to take the inside line and the lead into Turn 11, steering to the win with Evans just half a second back.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Bird, P2: Evans, P3: Rowland, P4: Wehrlein, P5: Dennis, P6: Da Costa, P7: Vergne, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Guenther and P10: Buemi.

    We don’t have to wait too long till the next race, as it’s less than two weeks away on the 30th March and we head to Japan for the Tokyo E-Prix!