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  • Kari makes a shock return

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Herta to test for McLaren

    Herta to test for McLaren

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

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

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

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

  • What to take away from testing

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

    Day 1-

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

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

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

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

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

    Day 2-

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

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

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

    Day 3-

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

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

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

  • Piastri joins pool of McLaren’s reserves

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

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

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

  • Ricciardo tests postive for Covid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Smolyar to not race in F3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Magnussen Returns!!

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

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

  • HiTech terminates sponsorship

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Imola remains till 2025

    Imola remains till 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

  • Fittipaldi to test in Bahrain

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

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

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

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

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

    My Opinion-

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

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

  • Drivers contracts

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Mazepin will not race for Haas

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • F2 Testing Bahrain

    F2 Testing Bahrain

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

    Day 1-

    AM:

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

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

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

    PM:

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

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

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

    Day 2-

    AM:

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

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

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

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

    PM:

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

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

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

    Day 3-

    AM:

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

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

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

  • F3 Testing Bahrain

    F3 Testing Bahrain

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

    Day 1-

    AM:

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

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

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

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

    PM:

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

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

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

    Day 2-

    AM:

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

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

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

    PM:

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

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

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

    Day 3-

    AM:

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

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

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

    PM:

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

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

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

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

  • Cape Town track revealed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • F1 terminates Russian GP contract

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Verstappen signs until 2028

    Verstappen signs until 2028

    World champion, Max Verstappen has signed a bumper five year contract extension with Red Bull, which keeps him with the team until at least the end of 2028.

    The Dutchman took the victory on the final lap of Abu Dhabi in which he clinched his maiden world championship, after a spectacular season fight with Lewis Hamilton.

    Red Bull, now enter a new era this year, as the team departed from engine partner, Honda and have taken over the intellectual property for the engine and set up their own division on their campus in Milton Keynes.

    Verstappen’s previous deal ran until the end of next season (2023), but both Max & Red Bull were keen to extend a successful partnership.

    The new contract is said to be worth in the region of €40-50m (£33.3 – 41.7m) a year, which would make it among the most lucrative in the history of F1.

    Verstappen said: “I really enjoy being part of Red Bull Racing, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision. I love this team and last year was simply incredible. Our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now it’s about keeping the number one on the car long-term.”

    Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: “To have Max signed with Red Bull through to the end of ‘28 is a real statement of intent. Our immediate focus is on retaining Max’s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is part of the team’s long-term planning. With the Red Bull Powertrains division working towards the new engine regulations for 2026 we wanted to make sure we had the best driver on the grid secured for that car.”

    My Opinion-

    After, Max winning the championship last year we all knew a new contract would happen and to add 5 years on to his exisiting contract shows how much both Max & Red Bull have faith and trust in each other.

    I cannot see Max going to another team, as all his known is Red Bull, having been brought up by the junior team in his career, to then move to Toro Rosso and then RB, they seem like the perfect fit.

  • Mazepin banned from British GP

    Russian Formula 1 driver, Nikita Mazepin is banned from competing in the British Grand Prix after Motorsport UK announced their response to the situation in Ukraine.

    On Tuesday the 1st March, the Haas driver looked likely to be allowed to compete in the sport this season after the FIA confirmed Russian and Belarusian drivers could race under a neutral flag.

    However, the chair of Motorsport UK David Richards CBE along with the board of the organisation has confirmed in a statement released today, that Mazepin would not be able to race at Silverstone in the beginning of July, unless the situation changes.

    The decision was made in full consultation with the UK Government and national sports governing bodies to ensure there is a unilateral response.

    “The entire Motorsport UK community condemns the acts of war by Russia and Belarus in Ukraine and expresses its solidarity and support towards all those affected by the ongoing conflict.” Richards said. “We stand united with the people of Ukraine and the motorsport community following the invasion and the unacceptable actions that have unfolded. This is a time for the international motorsport community to act and show support for the people of Ukraine and our colleagues at the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine (FAU). Motorsport UK stands united with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the FAU, the Ukrainian motorsport community and the Ukrainian people and calls for the violence to end with a peaceful resolution.”

    FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem said in a statement on Tuesday: “The FIA is watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and I hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those suffering as a result of the events in Ukraine.”

    In the statement, the FIA added: “Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the ‘FIA flag’, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality.”

  • Azman joins HiTech

    Nazim Azman, joins HiTech Grand Prix for the 2022 campaign, which makes him the first Malaysian driver to race in Formula 3. Azman completes HiTech’s line-up, joining Kaylen Frederick and Isack Hadjar.

    The Malaysian racer, spent the 2021 season in the Euroformula Open, where he won once and took seven podiums to finish 4th overall.

    He then spent all three days of post-season testing in Valencia, the first two with Jenzer Motorsport and the final with Charouz Racing System as he got his first taste of F3 machinery.

    Azman made his single seater debut in the 2016-17 season of Formula 4 SEA and has since gained further experience with races in Spanish F4, SMP F4, Formula Masters Asian Series and Italian f4.

    The 20 year old, then spent two season in BRDC British F3, where he finished third with Carlin in 2020, before making the move to Euroformula.

    “I’m really excited to be stepping up to the FIA F3 series with Hitech GP,” said Azman. “The team is an established race and championship winner in the F3 category and will provide me with the perfect platform from which to focus on racing against some of the best young talent in the world. I’m looking forward to racing in Bahrain again, visiting some of the most iconic circuits in Europe — some of which I am already familiar with and others that will be new to me. I can’t deny that this is a big step up for me but, having raced — and won — in both the British and EuroFormula Open series, I believe that I am ready for the challenge.”

    Team manager Jay Davenport added: “We are delighted to have Nazim join the team for the 2022 season, he has a competitive track record in the other series and we aim to give him a package to do the same this season. We have been working hard over the winter and we are keen to get back to business on track in Bahrain.”

  • Trulli completes Carlin line-up

    Enzo Trulli has complete the Carlin line-up for this season, with the racer set to join, Zak O’Sullivan and Brad Benavides.

    Trulli, debuted with Carlin in the second half of last season competing for the British team in Euroformula Open where he took three podiums in the final four races.

    He finished 7th overall, with spending the first nine races with Drivex School scoring one podium and nine top eight finishes before he made the switch to Carlin.

    The Italian, jumped into single seaters for the first time competitively in early 2021, Trulli’s first taster was in the UAE Formula 4 Championship, which he won with four victories and 13 podiums.

    “It is with great pleasure that I announce my commitment with Carlin for the 2022 FIA F3 Championship,” said Trulli. “I am so happy to stay in the Carlin family for this fantastic experience, after a very successful first season with them in the Euroformula. I am truly thankful to Trevor Carlin and the team for believing in me. Of course, it’s going to be a learning season for me, considering the limited experience I have and the limited mileage available in the car. Yet, I’m ready to work hard and to support the team’s work and progress, in order to bring Carlin on the top of the F3 list. It is such a fantastic opportunity and I look forward to starting the learning process!”

    Carlin Racing Director Trevor Carlin added: “Enzo has made a remarkable start to his single seater career. He impressed us greatly with his performances in Euroformula Open despite having extremely limited experience. His performance in the rain in Monza, his first ever wet single-seater race, was particularly indicative as to his mindset and approach. This season will be massive learning curve for him. FIA F3 is a hugely competitive series and a huge ask for a driver in only their second season of racing. Enzo needs to focus on learning and taking something from each weekend. We are thrilled to be working with him and look forward to helping him progress with each race.”

  • C42

    C42

    Alfa Romeo, are the last team to show the world their 2022 challenger with a new bold livery.

    The team, has run a special camouflage design during the three days of pre-season running in Barcelona, with Valtteri Bottas, rookie Guanyu Zhou and reserve Robert Kubica sharing driving duties.

    The Swiss team, had a series of mechanical glitches which confined the car to the garage for long periods, and they only managed 175 laps, putting them ninth out of 10 teams in the mileage charts.

    Alfa Romeo will have another chance alongside the other nine teams to gain more mileage as they head to Bahrain for the Official Pre Season Test which begins on March 10th.

    “The start of the season is always an exciting time, one in which we see the fruit of the work of hundreds of people over a long period of time,” said Team Principal Fred Vasseur. “The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid.”

    Bottas, who joined from Mercedes said: “What is exciting is that we have no idea how that first race is going to pan out. Testing helped us confirm our expectations of where we stand, the progress we have made with the car, but now we are getting closer to the moment that really matters. Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team: everyone is pushing a lot, trying to work harder than the others to be competitive, and that in turn gives me that extra boost when I am in the cockpit.”

    Zhou, who finished third in F2 last year before stepping up to F1 with Alfa Romeo, said: “I am fully pumped up for the season and seeing the C42 in the livery in which I will race it definitely makes it real. We are at the beginning of a new era, with new cars and new regulations, and this creates an opportunity for all teams to make progress since we are all starting from scratch. Everyone at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen has been incredibly helpful since I joined and seeing all the hard work, the commitment and motivation from everyone, in Hinwil and at the track, fills me with pride and excitement. I can’t wait to be on the grid with this car and work with my team to bring home the results we are targeting together.”

  • Andretti to be powered by Renault

    The name Andretti is well known in motorsport, with Andretti Autosport competing in the IndyCar Series, IndyCar Lights, Indy Pro 2000 and Formula E. The team also has a 37.5% stake in the Australian Supercars Championship, Walkinshaw Andretti United and a stake in the Extreme E team, Andretti United.

    Last year saw Michael Andretti in talks to buy Alfa Romeo but due to the main shareholder not wanting to sell this deal fell through. But, last week saw Andretti apply for his own Formula One team, to be entered for the 2024 season.

    Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion took to twitter on Friday the 18th revealing the Andretti name wanting to enter F1 writing: “Michael has applied to the FIA to field a new F1 team starting in 2024. His entry Andretti Global, has the resources and checks every box. He is awaiting the FIA’s determination.”

    Following on from this a week later, it has been revealed by Mario Andretti that Andretti Global will be powered by Renault power units in 2024…

    Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi has recently said that right now would not be good time for Renault to supply a second team, he did say though the company was “open” to do so down the line. Well could 2024 be that line, and that second team be Andretti Global?

    “We have a formal agreement now on the engine supplier and its out there, so its going to be Renault and I’m allowed to say that now” Mario Andretti said this to David Land in an interview.

    The engine supplier is not the only aspect that the team has decided, Andretti Globabl has even fount the premises for its UK base.

    “We’re not just new boys in town,” he said in an interview with David Land. “We know the prerequisites and also there’s a time factor here. Once we said go ahead, we’ve got to go. So a lot of work has been done. We know where the property, where the facility is going to be built. in the UK. We know we have people, prominent individuals that have done this type of work as far as start-ups. We have a lot of things in mind.”

    The 1978 World Champion added: “There’s a lot of steps to take here and I understand that, it’s a huge undertaking. But we’re ready for it. We have incredible partners on our side, Michael does, and we’re there for the duration. Myself, I’ve been at it for 67 years now so we know what goes on on all sides of the Atlantic. And this is a great undertaking, a wonderful undertaking on Michael’s part. This shows that he’s very, very ambitious in the sport. That’s his business, period.”

    My Opinion-

    I think if Andretti do get the approval from the FIA, this will be brilliant, we need another Formula One team as there is so many drivers slipping through and not getting to F1 when in fact they deserve a spot.

    As well as this, having a name like Andretti in the sport may get a higher reach of F1 in America and bring new fans not just to F1 but the feeder series too. It seems like only positives can come out of this if it gets accepted.

  • Pre-Season Barcelona

    The F1 2022 cars have finally hit the track as pre-season running in Barcelona started on Wednesday lets take a look on what has happened across the 3 days.

    Day 1-

    Morning Session-

    Leclerc set the early benchmark and then later improved, the conditions warming up after a chilly start to set the quickest lap of 1m 20,165s, the Ferrari driver went on to tally up near 80 laps and ended up three-tenths ahead of Lando Norris- the McLaren driver having improved to P2.

    The Mercedes of George Russell was therefore bumped to P3 as the 1pm deadline approached but completed 75 laps, with Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel in fourth. The reigning champ, enjoyed the highest lap count (8) as he finished sith behind Yuki Tsunoda in P5.

    Afternoon Session-

    Lando Norris set the fastest overall time in the opening pre-season session, Leclerc’s morning time of 1m 20.165s put him top before Norris improved to 1m 19.568s by the end of Day 1, that bumped Leclerc down to P2 and his teammate down to third.

    Every team bar Alfa Romeo and Haas completed a century of laps on the opening day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lando Norris1:19.951102
    2Charles Leclerc1:20.16580
    3Carlos Sainz1:20.41673
    4George Russell1:20.78477
    5Lewis Hamilton1:20.92950
    6Sebastian Vettel1:21.27652
    7Yuki Tsunoda1:21.638121
    8Fernando Alonso1:21.746127
    9Max Verstappen1:22.246147
    10Valtteri Bottas1:22.57223
    Top 10 from Day 1

    Day 2-

    Morning Session-

    Daniel Ricciardo set the fastest time of the morning on Day 2, with the benchmark being 1m 20.355s with 10 minutes remaining, eclipsing Carlos Sainz’s existing benchmark by two tenths of a second.

    Perez brought out the first red flag, having coasted to a halt at Turn 12, half an hour before lunch break, the stoppage was lifted with 15 minutes left, but Perez did not re-emerge to complete the morning session.

    Afternoon Session-

    Charles Leclerc topped the leader board on the afternoon session with a 1m 19.698s with Gasly taking P2 in which dropped McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo to P3.

    There was a second red flag of the day but first of the afternoon session, this time being Nikita Mazepin as he stopped with a damage fuel pump which caused a 15 minute stop. Sergio Perez’s afternoon was quite short as he didn’t emerge until late in the day.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Charles Leclerc1:19.68979
    2Pierre Gasly1:19.918147
    3Daniel Ricciardo1:20.288126
    4George Russell1:20.53766
    5Carlos Sainz1:20.54671
    6Sebastian Vettel1:20.78474
    7Sergio Perez1:21.43078
    8Nikita Mazepin1:21.51242
    9Alexander Albon1:21.53147
    10Guanyu Zhou1:21.88571
    Top 10 from Day 2

    Day 3-

    Morning Session-

    Mercedes topped the third morning session as George Russel led the leaderboard, with Max Verstappen in 2nd and Sebastian Vettel in 3rd, but five red flags, punctuated proceedings. All 10 cars emerged on a chilly Barcelona morning but the session was red-flagged before the hour mark when Alpine’s Alonso stopped with smoke emerging from the back of his car. Alpine then stated they would not be running again due to hydraulics issue.

    Gasly brought out the second pause when he crashed at Turn 5, causing front wing and suspension damage. Guanyu Zhou stopped in the gravel at Turn 10 after Gasly’s incident, but the session was once again stopped when he crawled to a halt on the main straight. The fifth red flag was when Vettel stopped with 5 minutes left

    Afternoon Session-

    Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of the week with a 1m 19.138s as Pirelli conducted a wet weather tyre test. His team-mate then dropped with P2, with Sergio Perez jumped up the order to round of top 3.

    A few teams run into problem in which they was not able to run in the afternoon sessionWe are back in two weeks for the official pre-season test on March 10th to 12th, then set to return a week after that for the first round.

    PositionDriverTimeLaps
    1Lewis Hamilton1:19.13894
    2George Russell1:19.23366
    3Sergio Perez1:19.55674
    4Max Verstappen1:19.75659
    5Sebastian Vettel1:19.82448
    6Charles Leclerc1:19.83144
    7Carlos Sainz1:20.07292
    8Alex Albon1:20.31894
    9Nicholas Latifi1:20.69913
    10Daniel Ricciardo1:20.75086
    Top 10 from Day 3

  • Russian GP cancelled

    Formula One’s Russian Grand Prix, has been cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine, a military attack by Russia on Ukraine began on Thursday after a long period of escalating tensions.

    This was then met with unease in F1 paddock about the planned September race in Sochi, which was meant to be the final year racing their ahead of moving to a new venue next year near St Petersburg.

    Meanwhile Haas stripped its car of the branding of Russian sponsor Uralkali for the final day of testing in Barcelona, this comes ahead of meetings planned next week to resolve legal matters in the wake of the attack. Nikita Mazepin’s position at Haas “needs to be resolved”, team principle Guenther Steiner admitted.

    Formula 1 has released an announcement on the Russian GP saying: “The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together. We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.

    On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.” The statement appears to leave the door open to the race being held if the “current circumstances” change…

    My Opinion-

    Right decision and the only decision, which was justified after Vettel said he will not race their if F1 continues to. What I don’t understand is why are they leaving the door open, to possibly go to Sochi this year even after this statement? It is rumoured that Turkey is set to replace the Russian GP.

  • F2 2022 Drivers

    Formula 2 has now had all their drivers confirmed for this year. The 2022 season will see a 14 round calendar, and 28 races across the year.

    Half of the grid are rookies this year, with reigning Formula 3 Champion, Dennis Hauger making the step up into F2. As well as many different drivers from all different F1 team juniors, but 2022 their will be no Ferrari Driver Academy drivers, with the most recent drivers graduating to other roles…

    Which drivers should we look out for this season?

    Definitley both PREMA drivers, they will be want to go for both the drivers and teams championship for a third year running.

    Liam Lawson moving to Carlin, is definitely one to watch, he had a few reliability issues last year, so if he doesn’t have those this year hopefully he can be a title contender.

    ART Grand Prix, have a very strong line-up this year, Pourchaire will be wanting to go for the drivers championship, and Vesti will be wanting to help as the team and possibly fight for the team championship.

    Jack Doohan, Olli Caldwell, Jake Hughes and Clement Novalak all stepped into F2 seats last year with some scoring points rather quickly. These 4 are ones to look out for, with scoring points consistently.

    Formula 2 is back next Wednesday the 2nd of March in Sakhir, Bahrain for pre-season testing, then 2 weeks later is the first race of the season!

    TeamsDrivers
    PREMA RacingDennis Hauger (R)
    Jehan Daruvala
    VirtuosiJack Doohan (R)
    Marino Sato
    CarlinLogan Sargeant (R)
    Liam Lawson
    HiTech GPJuri Vips
    Marcus Armstrong
    ART Grand PrixThéo Pourchaire
    Frederik Vesti (R)
    MP MotorsportClément Novalak (R)
    Felipe Drugovich
    Charouz Racing SystemCem Bölükbasi (R)
    Enzo Fittipaldi (R)
    DAMSRoy Nissany
    Ayumu Iwasa (R)
    TridentCalan Williams (R)
    Richard Verschoor
    Campos RacingRalph Boschung
    Olli Caldwell (R)
    Van Amersfoort RacingJake Hughes
    Amaury Cordeel (R)
    (R)- Rookie

  • Vettel will not race in Russian GP

    Sebastian Vettel has said he will not race in the Russian Grand Prix if Formula 1 still visits there later in the year, following the countries invasion of Ukraine.

    F1 said today that it was monitoring the situation after Russia commenced a major military assault on Ukraine on Thursday morning after months of tension building.

    It has been reported that UEFA plans to strip St Petersburg of the Champions League final in June in reaction to the invasion, an has put F1’s plans for the grand prix in Sochi in the limelight.

    The four-time world champion is a GPDA director and has been one of the grids most vocal figures on social matters and human rights in recent years, while Vettel said he could not speak on behalf of the GPDA as the drivers had not discussed the issue yet, he revealed that his own mind was already made up and would not race in Russia.

    “In my personal opinion, obviously I woke up again after this morning’s news, shocked” Vettel said. “I think it’s horrible to see what is happening. Obviously if you look at the calendar, we have a race scheduled in Russia. For myself, my own opinion is I should not go, I will not go. I think it’s wrong to race in that country. I’m sorry for the people, innocent people who are losing their lives, getting killed for stupid reasons under a very strange and mad leadership. I’m sure it’s something we will talk about, but as I said as GPDA, we haven’t come together yet.”

    Max Verstappen also added: “When a country is at war, it is not right to race there.”

    My Opinion-

    First of all round of applause to Seb and Max, I completely agree with what both have said, and I think some other drivers will agree too. It will be interesting to see what the drivers association will say when they come together.

    For F1 to say they are ‘monitoring’ the situation closely I find wrong, its a simple yes or no if they are going to race there or not, they have plenty of time to find a replacement as it set to be in September.

  • Verschoor joins Trident

    With a little over a week to go until pre-season testing in Sakhir, Richard Verschoor has claimed the last seat on the grid as he signs for Trident for 2022.

    Verschoor competed in seven out of eight rounds in 2021 and finished 11th in the standings including his first victory with MP Motorsport in Sprint Race 2 at Silverstone.

    The racer left the team before round 7 in Jeddah, but returned to the gird for the finale at Yas Marina with Charouz Racing System, where he finished 10th in the Feature Race.

    In his first season of single-seaters in 2016, Verschoor won both the SMP and Spanish Formula 4 Championships. He then gained experience in ADAC F4, Italian F4, Formula Renault Eurocup and the Toyota Racing Series.

    Verschoor then spent two seasons in Formula 3 with MP Motorsport and won the 2019 Macau Grand Prix with the dutch team.

    “I’m extremely proud and motivated to join a highly-professional and winning team like Trident Motorsport for the 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship,” said Verschoor. “I think we have all conditions needed to achieve important goals and experience a positive season. I cannot wait to get on track. I will give my best to take full advantage of this great opportunity.”

    Trident Team Manager Giacomo Ricci added: “We are proud to welcome a driver of undisputed value like Verschoor to our team. We are motivated by the prospect of working with such a talented and experienced racer, who already proved capable to achieve outstanding goals. I think Verschoor and Williams will be an extremely solid and promising combination, and they will keep pushing each other to the next level, laying the conditions for a successful season. We cannot wait to be back on track for the 2022 season with our new lineup.”

    My Opinion-

    Finally! I’m glad the last seat has gone to Verschoor, as I feel like he has got a lot more to give. Hopefully him going into a new team will give him the opportunities to show what his got.

  • Maini completes MP’s line-up

    Kush Maini completes MP Motorsport’s line-up for 2022, in which the rookie will line up with Caio Collet and Alex Smolyar.

    Maini began his single-seater career in 2016 racing in Italian Formula 4, he then continued to race in the series in 2017 where he finished eight overall.

    He switched to BRDC British Formula 3 in 2018, where he placed third with eight podiums and a win, before he stepped up to Formula Renault Eurocup, ending the year in sixth. Maini, then returned to BRDC British F3 in 2020 where he finished as vice-champion with 12 podiums and 3 wins.

    In 2021, the 21 year old began in Asian F3, partnering F2 racer Jehan Daruvala at Mumbai Falcons, he also made his FIA World Endurance Championship – LMP2 debut last season competing in 6 hours of Bahrain.

    “I’m excited to join MP Motorsport for my first year in FIA F3”, said Maini. “In 2021, MP proved to be race winners and in the final standings they were the only FIA F3 team to have two rookies finish in the top-ten. This shows their ability to coach rookie drivers on their way to immediately performing well in the series. I can’t wait to get going for pre-season testing and the first round at Bahrain!”

    MP Motorsport Team Principal Sander Dorsman added: “I’m pleased to welcome Kush to our FIA F3 team. In the past few years, Kush has proved himself extremely well at regional F3 levels, now it’s time for him to step up to FIA F3. I’m sure he will mix well with Alex and Caio, and we will do our best to help him shine during each of the nine race weekends coming up in the championship.”

  • A522

    A522

    Alpine are now the ninth team to launch their challenger for this season- the A522, in which they had a live show from Paris.

    The team secured their first victory under the Alpine banner, in Hungary last year when Esteban won. The same pairing as last year will continue, double world champion Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. As well as this, they have Formula 2 Champion, Oscar Piastri fulfilling reserve duties.

    The French manufacturer, will be wanting to continue on with their climb up the grid after finishing sixth in the Constructors standings.

    Alpine is set to run a striking new livery that is predominantly blue that features pink highlights in a nod to their new title sponsor BWT, as well as this, they presented a ‘flipped’ the livery with pink becoming the most prominent colour. The special pink design will be used in the first two races of the year- Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before reverting back to the blue.

    “It’s with great pleasure that we launch our A522 to the world today, marking the next chapter in Alpine’s Formula 1 journey,” said Rossi. “We have a clear plan and vision in place at Alpine and we have some of the best people in the business to help drive us forward and realise our ambitions. Our team is stronger now and, we hope, future-proof.”

    Ocon said: “I’m very excited, of course, to not only see the A522 for the first time but to drive it for the first time this week. It’s always a privilege to drive a new Formula 1 car for the first time, as you know all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes at both factories in Enstone and Viry from all of the many talented people working in the different departments there. That feeling and responsibility is truly unique and very special. I feel prepared, I feel ready physically, so let’s hit the track and see what we’ve got in our hands this year.”

    Alonso added: “It’s good to be back and I’ve been working hard to be ready for the new season. The build-up has been a long time coming after the rule change was delayed due to the pandemic. The car looks fantastic with the new regulations in place and I like the new livery. We have a new engine and we’re confident we had a good development in place for this new generation of car. We won’t know where everyone stands until Bahrain, but we’re excited to take the car for its first spin in testing this week. I hope the new regulations have worked and we get more exciting wheel to wheel racing this year.”

    My Opinion-

    We all knew the Alpine would have pink on it, as BWT are the title sponsor. But do I like it? I’m not actually sure as it is quite a lot which has changed from last year, but I do feel like it will grow on me once seeing it on track.

    But the car itself on the render pictures looks like a mixture between Ferrari and Aston Martin with the way they have designed, which could be a clever move but we will not know until it hits the track!

  • Benavides joins Carlin

    Brad Benavides will be making his Formula 3 debut with Carlin this year, alongside fellow rookie Zak O’Sullivan.

    The American-Spanish spent the first half of last season in the Formula Regional European Championship before switching to Euroformula Open in the second half of the year where he finished in the top 10 in eight out of nine races with Carlin.

    The British team then ran him in their Formula 3 machinery on Days 1 and 3 of post-season testing, where he impressed to earn a deal.

    The 20 year old, made his single-seater debut at the end of 2018, in the final two races of the Euroformula Open Championship at Barcelona, before opting to run in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019, after a year out in 2020. Benavides returned to Europe with a seat in Formula Regional European in 2021.

    “I’ve been a die-hard fan of racing my whole life, and I now have in my hands the greatest opportunity I’ve ever had,” said Benavides. “I feel like, at the same time, my greatest achievements are closer than ever. I am going to give my maximum effort this season and make it one to be proud of.”

    Racing Director Trevor Carlin added: “Brad is still a very young driver at the start of his career. Making the step up to FIA F3 in only his second season in Europe will be a big learning curve but Brad has a fantastic attitude both in and out of the car. We’re delighted he has chosen to stay with the team for this next step in his career and we can’t wait to get started with testing later next month in Bahrain.”