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  • Rallye Monte Carlo, Friday’s Report

    Rallye Monte Carlo, Friday’s Report

    After the first three stages on Thursday evening and 50km’s gave a top three of Thierry, Elfyn and Seb.

    First up then was SS4 Saint-Maurice / Aubessagne 1 – 18.68 km and Kalle was fastest from Greg and Sami. Of course, the leaders were quite different with Elfyn moving into the overall lead from Thierry who was leading at the start of the day and Seb holding third. Four seconds covered the top three.

    Sadly, SS5 Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve 1 – 16.68 km was cancelled as there was a medical emergency with one of the spectators.

    Next up then came SS6 La Bréole / Selonnet 1 – 18.31 km and with frost near the end of the stage it would be a very tricky end. However, three crews had trouble with moments in the stage. First was Thierry who went off the road at a right-hand hairpin. He’d broken the rear left suspension, and the tyre was dragging along the road. Next up Seb went wide on a left hander but didn’t lose too much time. However, Ott also had a moment as well and went off the road into a ditch on the right-hand side of the road. When he got to the end of the stage he discovered huge damage to the bodywork at the rear. There was a change to the standings behind Welshman Elfyn with Seb and Adrien both gaining a position each as they moved into second and third overall.

    After the service break came SS7 Saint-Maurice / Aubessagne 2 – 18.68 km and Elfyn was fastest from Kalle and Thierry. Kalle gained two positions in this stage, moving ahead of Ott and Greg. It seemed that the two-time champion was finding some pace out there. There was 15.4 seconds covering the top three which remained Elfyn, Seb and Adrien.

    Onto SS8 Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve 2 – 16.68 km and there was a change in positions at the front. Elfyn who was leading by 7.9 seconds at the start of the stage emerged 6.8 behind Seb at the end. The reason for this lay in the halfway point of the stage, around 10km’s as the Welshman had a spin at the exit of a right-hander which was very slippery with ice and snow. He and Scott had to reverse to reposition the car leading to the time loss. The top three fastest were Seb, Adrien and Thierry.

    The final stage then, SS9 La Bréole / Selonnet 2 – 18.31 km and Seb was fastest from Adrien and Elfyn. There was more drama for Thierry as he went off the road again at the same corner as earlier. One of his front tyres had failed and he could not stop the car again. Once returned around, he completed the stage in road mode.

    Let’s take a look at the top positions and hear from the drivers.

    Classification after Saturday

    1 S. Ogier V. Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 1:27:00.6
    2 E. Evans S. Martin Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +12.6
    3 A. Fourmaux A. Coria Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +14.2
    4 K. Rovanperä J. Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +38.5
    5 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +47.3
    6 T. Katsuta A. Johnston Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1:37.7
    7 S. Pajari M. Salminen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +3:32.9
    8 T. Neuville M. Wydaeghe Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +3:58.6
    9 Y. Rossel A. Dunand Citroën C3 +5:04.0
    10 N. Gryazin K. Aleksandrov Škoda Fabia RS +5:25.4

    Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

    Sébastien Ogier

    “It’s been a positive day, turning a 13s deficit into a 12s lead, but not everything has been perfect. I was struggling to find a rhythm in the morning and also in the first stage this afternoon, when I was not really driving close enough to the limit. I’m glad I managed to find that for the last two stages, and especially that I managed to win my home stage with a lot of family and friends watching. But we can’t relax yet, there’s still a long way to go and we have to continue in this way tomorrow.”

    Elfyn Evans

    “It’s been tricky again out there today. This morning, the first stage was evolving with every car, and the last one of the loop was hard to judge also with the sun coming out and melting the ice that had been marked in our pacenotes. We had a pretty decent start to the afternoon, then in the middle stage a bit of a spin on the one full icy corner that we had, which cost us the lead. We lost a bit more on the last one too but it’s still not a huge gap and there’s a long way to go.”

    Kalle Rovanperä

    “For us it’s been a clean day with no drama, but overall, we were just not quick enough. In the morning the conditions were tricky, but it was going OK. The pace seems to be good when we’re on the snow or studded tyres, but I still need to find some more pace for when the road is cleaner and we’re on the slick tyres. Tomorrow it seems like the roads will be a bit drier so hopefully I can find some more speed.”

    Takamoto Katsuta

    “This afternoon was much better for me than the morning, when I was struggling to follow the information that was in my pacenotes. The route note crews went through the stages very early in the morning when there was a lot of black ice and frost, some of which had melted by the time we did the stages, so I found it hard to know how much grip to expect. In the afternoon it was easier, just a bit muddy and a few icy corners. There’s still interesting days to come and I just want to stay calm.”

    Sami Pajari

    “It’s been a really tricky day. Some stages were really good and some split times really good. We were also trying some different tyre combinations just for the experience. I can see many places where I can improve, but my mindset is to be clean and build up the confidence and knowledge step-by-step and then increase our pace. In this sense everything is still going to plan even though I would like to be a bit quicker. Tomorrow the conditions could be easier for us but we need to see how it is in the morning.”

     

    Hyundai Motorsport

    Adrien Fourmaux

    “It’s been a really good day. We didn’t make any mistakes with the tyres, we had really good pace and we made it to third in the provisional classification. There’s still a long rally ahead, but we are really pleased with what we have achieved so far. I think every driver wants to win here, although it is not my target, but we will keep this pace and see where we are. As a team today has been quite a shame, but it’s positive for us so we will see what happens. Tomorrow will be a new challenge, but we are confident that we can keep a good pace – nothing is impossible at Rallye Monte-Carlo.”

    Photographer: Vincent Thuillier
    Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

    Ott Tänak

    “It’s been a demanding day; lots of condition changes, even from first loop to second loop you don’t really recognise the conditions. We have seen more or less everything today – from dry tarmac to black ice. The contrast is huge between the grip levels we had on the same stage, so in the end we just had to go with the information we had, trust it and go for it. This afternoon was a bit of a struggle to get into the rhythm. Before the last stage we balanced some settings on the car, and after that it behaved a bit better. Now we need to get back into the faster rhythm. We need to see what’s coming tomorrow, and we are still not sure what is waiting for us.”

    Thierry Neuville

    “Today was a day to forget, I made a mistake this morning and misjudged the braking with these studded tyres. The target this afternoon was to see if we could gain back a bit of time this afternoon, maybe a position or two, and then unfortunately we had a puncture three kilometres into the same stage. We don’t know these tyres very well, but we decided to continue with the puncture and the tyre went in a braking zone. I am disappointed with the one mistake this morning, but a puncture can happen to anybody. We made some changes overnight for the day and I couldn’t find the confidence I needed all day. We’ll go back to the setup we used Thursday evening and see if we feel more comfortable.”

     

    Saturday’s stages.

    Saturday sees the longest day of action with 120km’s over six stages and the longest stage of the whole weekend is the first stage of the day. At 27km the crews will need to be ready for this. Who knows what it has in store!

  • Opinion: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s partnership at Scudaria Ferrari is the most emotional one in Formula 1’s History

    Opinion: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s partnership at Scudaria Ferrari is the most emotional one in Formula 1’s History

    IMPORTANT: This article contains important regarding the passing of several people. Continue at your own convenience.

    1st February 2024-Rumours emerged of the 7 time world champion leaving the UK based Mercedes team to join the most famous team in the world: Scudaria Ferrari. Rumours like this have circulated for years. However, this one felt different: accredited journalists and news outlets started reporting it. This was happening. 


    I remember hearing about it and being shell shocked, surprised at the move. Talking to people online, everyone was denying it. When it was announced that evening, everyone was so surprised. The most successful driver in F1 history across multiple eras of the sport, the most recognisable driver was leaving the Silver Arrows to join the prancing horse. 

    While I have been watching the media covorage of Hamilton’s first few days at Maranello, I became overthrown with emotion and which I could not understand why. As I thought about it more and more, I realised how emotional this partnership and lineup genuinely is.

    Carlos Sainz’s Seat Removal


    Of course, this meant that 3 into 2 didn’t go so sadly Carlos Sainz had to depart the legendary team to join Williams Racing. I don’t think Williams Racing, with all due respect, was the highest team on Sainz’ radar given the obviously vacant seat left by Hamilton at Mercedes or even the Red Bull seat of Sergio Perez which had a contract expiration at the end of 2024. Sadly, those pieces fell short for Sainz but there is one major positive to leave behind for Sainz: he did nothing wrong. Sometimes in life, things don’t work out for one reason or another. I don’t think Sainz has any bad blood at all with Hamilton, Leclerc, Vasseur or Ferrari. In fact, apart from Hamilton, Verstappen and Alonso, Sainz never would have left that seat. He left his mark at the team and I would never rule out a move back to Ferrari.

    Back to Hamilton now and up until now, I didn’t think it was real. It felt like a F1 24 Career mode move with Hamilton to Ferrari, Leclerc to Aston Martin and Dino Beganovic to Mercedes.  Seeing the images of Hamilton in Italy, dressing head to toe in very fancy clothes (which I am jealous of) and impressively speaking Italian so naturally it shows that he wants to make this move work. By work, I of course mean Hamilton getting that 8th Drivers Championship title with Ferrari which I think it will happen. 

    A Formula 1 Butterfly Effect?

    Personally, I am strong believer of “Everything happens for a reason” and when I cast my mind back to 2021 and to Abu Dhabi, I remember Lewis Hamilton and Anthony Hamilton (Lewis’ father) going up to Max Verstappen and Jos Verstappen (Max’s father) to shake their hands. That showed me what kind of person Hamilton is like. Despite all of his effort, and fighting so much, he lost by so little. The reason that event links up to “Everything happens for a reason” is if Hamilton won that title in 2021, he may have retired and never get to live out racing in red and for Ferrari. Of course, these are all what ifs and sure, Hamilton would more than likely before an 8th title over racing for Ferrari; but it feels like something good will come of this. 

    Lewis Hamilton meeting staff at Scudaria Ferrari in Maranello. Image Credit: Scudaria Ferrari’s Media Centre

    Charles Leclerc’s Emotional Barriers to and in F1

    I want to reflect on Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate for 2025 and beyond. Since I started watching Formula 1, stories of how drivers either came from nothing and built their way up or drivers who suffered grief and heartbreak and always attached and stayed with me. Charles’ story of losing his god father Jules Bianchi after a horrific crash in 2014 is one which still looms over not only Formula 1 but Leclerc as Bianchi told Ferrari to give his godson a chance. That is not the only tragedy Charles’ has faced in his life, however. Charles’ father, Herve Leclerc, passed away from an illness. Before his father passed, Leclerc told his father that he signed the contract to race in F1 which, at the time, was not true. Sadly, Charles told his father this as he knew he would not survive to see it come to reality. However, this was not the final grief Charles or the entire Formula 1 family would have suffered as sadly, in 2019, Antoine Hubert lost his life in a crash in Spa during a Formula 2 Sprint Race. Hubert passed away on the same day of the accident and Leclerc went on to take his debut win the following day.

    An emotional era for the Scudaria

    I am sure you are wondering “Kieran, what does 2021 and Charles’ personal griefs have to do with Hamilton going to Ferrari?” Well, I am glad you asked! To circle back to the main point of this article, Formula 1 has not been easy for Leclerc or Hamilton. Performances, cars, emotional factors or just bad luck in general. While yes, this happens in general in F1, the loss of anyone, especially a relative or parent is something which can tug at your heartstrings so much. While Hamilton has both of his parents’ alive, he has had his fair share of emotional abuse while not directly at grief but in relation to racial comments which started since he was a young boy first getting into kart racing. While I, a white male, cannot begin to understand the emotional toll this could take on anyone, I do understand Charles’ pain of losing a relative. The emotional impact this can have on someone so close to you not knowing you’ve partnered with one of the best drivers ever seen in Formula 1 history truly makes this an emotional but inspirational era at the Maranello based team.

    I cannot help but feel that this was written in the stars. A young, thriving driver who has been impacted by life’s punishment for love and a vetern of the sport who has had been to hell and back due to outside forces is one partnership which is willing to prove the critics wrong. 

    As Enzo Ferrari once said: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

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    All Image Credit: Scudaria Ferrari’s Media Centre

  • Rallye Monte Carlo 2025 Preview

    Rallye Monte Carlo 2025 Preview

    The world rally championship returns for the first of fourteen rounds this year. Thierry and Martijn will begin their defence of their crown on the classic roads of this iconic rally.

    There are some sporting changes which have been well reported already for this year, but here are the key changes. Hybrid has been removed from the cars and therefore there will be a key change in the power delivery. The cars will also be lighter as well. There have also been another change to the points scoring with the removal of the ridiculous situation that the winner could score less points than some who finished in what would have been lower positions. Now the points will revert back to previous years with additional points just for Sunday’s top five fastest drivers. The other change to report is that Pirelli’s time has come to an end and Hankook tyres will now be supplying the teams with the tyres. It will be interesting to see how the teams and crews take to the new rubber.

    There have also been some movements of crews around during the off-season as well. Adrien and Alex have switched to Hyundai and will be in a third car for the whole year. This is a key change in the teams structure when they normally run a third car which is shared by two or even three crews.

    2025 FIA World Rally Championship
    8-11 January 2025
    Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid
    Photographer: Dufour Fabien
    Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

    At Toyota they will be running four cars all year with the same crews. Elfyn and Scott begin their fifth season at the team, whilst Kalle and Jonne return to the championship on a full-time basis instead of the part-season from last year. Sami and his new co-driver Marko Salminen will begin their first full season in the Yaris Rally1. You may recognise the name there – Marko was Teemu’s co-driver at the start of the 2020 season when they were at M-Sport Ford. Also competing will be Takamoto and Aaron, whilst Seb and Vincent will compete in a fifth Yaris on some events which includes Rallye Monte Carlo.

    Finally at M-Sport Gregoire and Louis return for a second full season at the top level whilst Josh McErlean and new co-driver Eoin Treacey will make their top-level debut. They have excellent support from Motorsport Ireland and have a big challenge ahead but one that they are relishing. Last year the team from Cumbria had one of their best seasons and we know that their car is capable of podiums and wins. Finally, Martins and Renaur will also take to the cockpit of a Puma Rally1 on six rounds this year starting in Rally Sweden next month.

    Let’s look ahead to the stages that will form this years Rallye Monte Carlo and hear from the drivers.

    Hyundai Motorsport

    Thierry Neuville

    “It’s never three without two, and of course I would like to win Rallye Monte-Carlo for a third time, but it’s also one of the most difficult events to win. Alongside the usual difficulties at Monte-Carlo, we also have the challenge of the new tyres so there will be plenty of surprises in the conditions we haven’t tested in yet – we need to take it step-by-step to approach the limit. At the moment we are expecting more wintery conditions than we have had in the past few years, which will make the event even more challenging, although we know in Monte-Carlo the conditions are never guaranteed. The first target is always to finish, so if we are in the fight towards the end of the weekend, we will definitely give it an extra push.”

    Ott Tänak

    “There are many sections that are new this year, so again it’s difficult to know what to expect. Monte is always very unknown, so it makes the long-term preparation quite difficult. The weather is the main character, and we need to be ready for every outcome over the weekend. The main thing to consider about that is the tyres, which is quite a big component in our rally. Everyone has quite a big unknown, and I think this will make Monte very interesting. It’s always a tricky event, we have been on the podium but never been strong enough to win it. It really is a unique event with a big history, and a win here is something I would appreciate a lot. It’s always the target, and let’s say this trophy would be in a special place.”

    Adrien Fourmaux

    “My first round in the World Rally Championship was at Rallye Monte-Carlo, and I was able to score my first ever championship points there, so it holds good memories for me. Saying this, it’s the most difficult rally of the year because of the conditions. It’s hard to describe the feeling here, it’s really something special. We work closely with the team on what tyres we need to take, sometimes considering what will be the fastest for the loop and rather than for the stage. For me, my aim in Monte-Carlo is to help the team as much as possible with the manufacturers’, but I also know I need a tidy start to make sure I score some points for the start of my championship. It’s like a home event for me, with a lot of stages in France, so to do well here would mean a lot to me.”

     

    Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

    Elfyn Evans

    “Starting a new season, the goal is as always to give our best to win. We have a strong team for 2025 and the target from my perspective remains to fight for rally wins and for the championship titles. With the introduction of a new tyre supplier and some changes to the technical regulations, there will be some adaptation and learning to do on all surfaces, but it’s the same for everyone and we just need to do the best job we can to be as ready as we can. Rallye Monte-Carlo is the event with the biggest choice of tyres available and with the limited testing allowed, it’s not possible to try the tyres in all the different conditions. It’s always an extremely challenging rally and adapting to the conditions and making the right calls at the right time will be as key as ever.”

    Kalle Rovanperä

    “It’s cool to be back with the team for a full season of WRC. It’s a different feeling getting prepared and excited for the full year and to fight for the title, which has to be our goal. Last year we were fast but this year we need to be more consistent through the whole year. Rallye Monte-Carlo is always a super difficult start to the season. It has never been my strongest rally but still we’ve managed to do a few good results there. I’ll be happy if we can have a clean rally and good points to start the season. Having a new tyre supplier will be quite a big thing, because everybody has to learn about the tyres in all types of conditions, and on the Monte you want to be able to feel confident in the car as soon as possible.”

    Sébastien Ogier

    “It’s always exciting for me to be preparing for Rallye Monte-Carlo, and to continue my relationship with TGR-WRT into another year. I’m still enjoying driving for this fantastic team, which I’ve now been with for longer than any other in my career, and I hope to have more fun in the car this year. With less power, less weight and new tyres there are a lot of question marks at the beginning of the season, and it’s a new challenge for the teams and the drivers to see who can adapt best. Even after many starts, this rally never gets any easier and I always go into it with respect for the challenge and in some way a little bit of fear, because you know you will face unpredictable conditions. It’s about trying to manage the risk, even more than on other rallies.”

    Takamoto Katsuta

    “It’s the start of a new season with new expectations. I will try to keep the same speed as before and be more consistent: this is the main goal for me this year. Last season was difficult, but I felt big support from the team, and I learned a lot about how to manage those situations. I definitely feel that it made me stronger, and this is a year to show what I learned. Monte-Carlo is one of the most difficult rallies in terms of the conditions, and it’s hard to prepare for everything in only one day of testing. We have to find the best setup to suit the different balance following the change in regulations, but my feeling is generally good with the car and with the tyres.”

    Sami Pajari

    “I have a really good feeling ahead of my first full season with a Rally1 car. We had a first taste of it last year and I’m really looking forward to getting started. With some new regulations and a new tyre supplier, there are some new things for everyone to get used to, which is interesting and quite exciting. So far, the feeling has been really nice in testing. For this first rally of the year in Monte-Carlo, the goal is maybe just to reach the finish with a good feeling. If the conditions are good then maybe we can increase the pace like we could do already sometimes last year, but I think we still need to gain a bit more experience before we can really be fighting for the top positions.”

     

    M-Sport Ford WRT

    Grégoire Munster

    “We had a good pre-event test; the first day on the dry we tried some new things which I think will be a key factor for this year, and we had a good feeling on snow as well with this. There are some adjustments to make, now we don’t have the hybrid, but the feeling so far is good.

    “Monte-Carlo is always a tricky event with all the varied conditions, especially with all the ice that can gather throughout the night. You need to have a car that you feel comfortable in, and that works on every surface, and we are confident we have this for the event. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere on Thursday night during the night stages, it’s such a special feeling for the first stages of the new season. I think all the drivers know the feeling!”

    Josh McErlean

    “It was a fantastic couple of days of testing, we have learnt a lot from Greg and the team, they have been super supportive and welcoming, making the process easier jumping into the Rally1 car. The test itself was fantastic: these cars are amazing, the downforce and the grip they create is phenomenal! We got running both on snow and full dry conditions, making it very productive being our first time in the car.

    “Lining up in Casino Square will be a special moment for me come next Thursday. It is a moment I have dreamt of since childhood, so I just want to appreciate and enjoy that. We are in a very privileged position, and I just want to do the best job possible for everyone involved, be consistent and make progress throughout the event.”

     

    WRC2

    Oliver Solberg

    ““I think the journey has already started,” smiled the Swede. “We have been doing some testing before Christmas and in the last week – so, already, we are having a good idea of how the Toyota is feeling. And it feels really good, it’s nimble, nice to drive and, obviously, a three-cylinder engine, so that was a little bit different.

    “After the testing we have done and the time with everybody from Printsport, I feel ready for Monte-Carlo, and I feel ready for the year ahead. It was nice to take some time over the holidays to recharge the batteries, but I think everybody knows this sport is never far from my mind! I can’t wait to be back.

    “And, for the first time, I am competing in the whole championship – all 14 rounds. This is a fantastic experience for me and something I’ve always dreamt about. It’s so exciting to see what lies ahead.”

    “Starting with Monte-Carlo is always tricky; the conditions are always bringing something unexpected. As well as the new car, we have the new Hankook tyres to use for the first time. Testing went well with the new tyre, but it’s normal that everybody will take some time to understand them completely.

    “For me, as the test was going on, the feeling with all parts of the package was getting better and better. Like I said, I can’t wait to get started now. We don’t take the [WRC2] points [at Rallye Monte-Carlo], the rules are the same from last year: we can only score on seven rounds, so we prefer to fight for points on the rallies where we have more experience.”

    The stages facing the crews are as follows:

    Thursday 23 January 2025

    Three stages make up the first evening of competitive action and total 54km’s.

    Friday 24 January 2025

    Six stages make up the action on the first full day of action and total 107km’s with a service break at lunchtime.

    Saturday 25 January 2025

    Six stages again but with a total of 131km’s with a midday service again. Saturday also includes the longest stage of the rally at 27km’s.

    Sunday 26 January 2025

    The final day will see the crews tackle three stages totalling 50km’s and in an interesting move the powerstage will only be run once.

     

    Summary

    Well, we are set for an exciting 2025 season then. We shall have four world champions as well lining up as well for this first round of the year.

    Let’s see who takes victory!

  • Formula E Season 11 Round 2: Rowland Takes Victory in Mexico City After Sensational Safety Car Restart

    Formula E Season 11 Round 2: Rowland Takes Victory in Mexico City After Sensational Safety Car Restart

    The Nissan driver of Oliver Rowland managed an unlikely victory at Mexico City for Round 2 in Formula E Season 11. How did it happen? Lets look into it!

    The Race:

    We went racing in Mexico City with Pascal Wehrlein holding the start from his teammate Antonio Felix Da Costa. Vergne managed to hold P3 ahead of Oliver Rowland. Ticktum had an unfortunate spin after being tagged by the Maserati of Jake Hughes, falling down the grid and his race ultimately coming to an end.

    Rowland was able to make his way up to P3 and then set his sights on P2. Bird, Mortara and De Vries had a little fight going into turns 4 and 5 with Bird ultimately getting a 5 second time penalty for this as Mortara had to pit. Mueller meanwhile was taking advantage of his attack mode usage, making moves and managing to catch up to his teammate and join in on the battle with Vergne. The 2 Andretti’s of Mueller and Dennis played the team game with Mueller holding the pack back so Dennis could take his attack mode.

    An insane fight broke out between the Porsches, Andrettis and Rowland. After the scrap, Wehrlein led from Rowland, Dennis and Vergne with Dennis then attempting to make a move on Werhlein after passing Rowland. Da Costa then set his sight on the lead of the race with him managing to get the place before a yellow flag was brought out. 

    The yellow flags were for the Cupra Kiro of David Beckmann who got hit by Zane Maloney as both of them attempted to make the corner leading into the stadium. Due to this, a safety car was brought out with many drivers having active attack mode, including Rowland. 

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JANUARY 11: Oliver Rowland of Great Britain driving the Nissan Formula E Team Nissan e-4ORCE 05 leads Nico Muller of Switzerland driving the Andretti Formula E Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 during the Mexico City E-Prix, Round 2 of the 2025 FIA Formula E World Championship at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on January 11, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)

    We went green after the safety car on lap 31 with Rowland having active attack boost and putting his foot down to overtake Dennis into turn 1, Wehrlein into turn 5 and Da Costa at turn 12! However, another safety car was brought out for Mitch Evans who ended up colliding with the Andretti of Nico Mueller.

    Once the safety car came in again, there were no added laps and Rowland managed to hold off the 2 Porsche cars to win the Mexico City E-Prix! Da Costa took home the silver trophy and the lead in the drivers championship while Wehrlein took home the bronze. Jake Dennis took home P4 and the fastest lap, DS Penske finished P5 and P6 with Vergne leading Guenther, Vandoorne finished P7, De Vries P8, Mueller P9 and Jake Hughes P10. Taylor Barnard crossed the line in P10 but was given a 5 second time penalty due to leaving the track and gaining an advantage. 

    Prediction Review:

    Pole Position: Oliver Rowland

    This prediction was close-ish as Rowland got through to the semi finals but ultimately got beaten by the 2 Porsche cars and Vergne. 

    Winner: Antonio Felix Da Costa

    This prediction was….quite close  until Rowland decided to make monumental moves after the first safety car restart.

    Biggest Shock: McLaren

    The papaya based team certainly did not have a good time this race compared to Sao Paulo.

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  • Formula E Season 11 Round 2: Mexico City E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    Formula E Season 11 Round 2: Mexico City E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    A new year, a new round of Formula E in Mexico City! The previous 2 rounds held at the Autodromo Hermandas has crowned the next Formula E champion of that season. Will that happen again? Who knows but what we do know from Sao Paulo is that every single round in Season 11 will be a must watch!

    Schedule:

    FP1: 5:00pm-5:40pm Mexico City Time

    FP2: 7:30am-8:10am Mexico City Time

    Qualifying: 9:30am-11:10am Mexico City Time

    Countdown to Formula E Season 11 Round 2 Race

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    Circuit Information: 

    Formula E Season 11 Mexico City Track Map. Image Source: Formula E Media

    This 2.628km circuit has an altered layout in comparison to Formula 1. The run down to turn 1 sees a sharp turn towards turn 2 and turn 3 which is a sharp left. Leading to a narrow section of turn 4,5,6,7 and 8 before leading to a chicane of turn 9, 10 and 11. Turn 12 then shows the stadium section which allows drivers into turn 13,14,15,16,17, and 18. Attack Zone is at turn 15 which will be very important this year due to the all wheel drive which will allow drivers a MASSIVE advantage out of the stadium, into turn 19 and out to the start/finish straight.

    Predictions:

    Pole position:

    Oliver Rowland

    The Nissan British driver got very unlucky in Sao Paulo with a software issue causing a drive through penalty for an over use of power. Last race in Sao Paulo, Rowland was beat by Wehrlein by just over 1 tenth! So it seems to be clear that the Nissan and Porsche power trains are strong at the hand of Wehrlein and Rowland.

    Race Winner:

    Antonio Felix Da Costa

    As I mentioned already, the Porsche powertrain seems to be very strong in the hands of Wehrlein. However, that doesn’t mean Da Costa and Nato should be ruled out. With Wehrlein having suffered a big crash in Sao Paulo which resulted the number 1 car being turned upside down, I don’t expect him to be at his peak of this year primarily due to that.

    Antonio Felix da Costa, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 Credit: Simon Galloway and Formula E Media Bank

    Podium finishers:

    1 Jaguar and 1 Kiro

    I know what you might be thinking: Kieran, are you okay? Well, yes….I think. Anywho, I am expecting a Jaguar driver and a Cupra Kiro driver to complete the podium at the Mexican capital. I am not saying which driver as it could be any 4!

    Other predictions:

    Shock: Neom McLaren. With them finishing a massive 3rd and 4th finish in Sao Paulo, I am not expecting the British team to follow this up with a similar performance primarily due to the track and the amount of time between Round 1 and Round 2.

    What predictions do you have for round 2 of Formula E Season 11? Let us know on our social channels or on my social channels linked below!

    Kieran’s Socials:

    X: https://www.x.com/megavsprimus

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kieran.f321/

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kieran.f321

  • test23

    testing 212

     

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  • Formula E Season 11 Round 1-Mitch Evans On Top After a Drive From The Back To The Front

    Formula E Season 11 Round 1-Mitch Evans On Top After a Drive From The Back To The Front

    Formula E returned this past weekend and we were treated TO A RACE AND A HALF! SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED! Lets dive into what happened:

    The race started where last season ended: Reigning world champion Pascal Wehrlein on pole ahead of Oliver Rowland which is how they ended in London last year, only reversed. Before the race got underway, the Envision Racing of Robin Frijns had an issue which caused the start to be delayed. Frijns was taken off the grid and the lights eventually went out! They took off from the grid with all wheel drive towards turn 1 which was neatly done. Rowland managed to get the jump on Wehrlein at the start with the DS Penske of Vergne attempting to pass Dennis. Mueller and Hughes both collided then which brought their debut race with their new teams to an end and the safety car being deployed. While this was all happening, the jaguar of Mitch Evans made his way from P22 to P12!

    After the safety car came in, Di Grassi stopped on track due to an issue but then he managed to get going again. Cassidy took the lead due to attack mode which has had a MASSIVE advantage over his competitors. Moves happened up and down the field with Bird, Barnard and Nato ALL receiving drive through penalties due to overuse of power. That did not give good hope to Rowland, the remaining Nissan powered car who did not overuse on power. Once many attack modes were taken, it was Porsche vs Porsche for the lead with Da Costa winning over Wehrlein. However, Dennis then suffered a red car which caused the race to be red flagged. Mueller and Hughes were no longer under investigation for racing incident collision and the lapped cars were able to go around again due to their excess of energy.

    SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – DECEMBER 07: Nick Cassidy of New Zealand driving the Jaguar TCS Racing Jaguar I-TYPE 7 at Sao Paulo Street Circuit on December 07, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)

    Cars went back onto the grid to lineup for a standing start! Rowland managed to take the lead with Guenther shooting up the grid to take P2. Maloney received a drive through penalty as Rowland was then placed under investigation for overuse of power, similar to his Nissan counterparts. Cassidy managed to make moves with attack mode with his teammate Evans managing to get up to P6. We then had 4 added laps due to the safety cars with Rowland receiving a drive through penalty!

    Towards the latter stage of the race, Evans lead from Cassidy, a Jaguar 1-2 with Da Costa P3! Disaster struck for multiple drivers, however as Guenther went into the wall, he collided with Cassidy, who couldn’t steer the car and he and Wehrlein collided which caused the Porsche driver to go UPSIDE DOWN and bring out the red flag. Thankfully, Pascal Wehrlein was alright.

    This red flags brought everyone close again with Cassidy,seemingly, having to retire from the race too due to damage. However, he then got into his car which confused a few people.

    We went green once again with Evans leading and managing to hold onto the lead to win after starting from P22! It was an extraordinary result from the Kiwi after a disasterous qualifying. Antonio Felix Da Costa finished in P2 with Taylor Barnard scoring his first Formula E podium at his 4th attempt! Sam Bird was P5, Edoardo Mortara was P5, Norman Nato was P6, Nyck De Vries was P6, Sebastian Buemi was P7, Dan Ticktum was P9 and Jean-Eric Vergne was P10! However, after the race, Norman Nato got a penalty which dropped him outside of the points. promoted everyone below him down to P13 up a place with Stoffel Vandoorne getting the final points paying position.

    What did you think of the race? Did you think if was a good race and a good debut for Formula E Gen3 EVO? Let us know on our socials!

  • Formula E Season 11 Season and Round One Predictions

    Formula E Season 11 Season and Round One Predictions

    The world of electric motorsport rejoice: Formula E is BACK this weekend and this time, for season 11! This season is set up to be an epic weekend with thrillers, new circuits and more! So why not do some season and round 1 predictions!

    Season 11

    World Champion-Oliver Rowland

    Yes, you read that correctly. I think that Oliver Rowland will be the ABB FIA Formula E World Champion of Season 11. Ollie was on a very high season in Season 10, picking up victories across the season including winning the final round last year in London, his home E-Prix!

    Ollie could very well have entered the season 10 finale close to the championship contenders of Pascal Wehrlein, Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans had it not been for the one lap misconfiguration in Misano and missing the double header in Portland due to an illness.

    While this will be a big challenge for Nissan and Ollie, considering they have shown that they have been able to push through and with Norman Nato returning to Nissan, Ollie will need a rear gunner if he is going to fight for the championship.

    Teams Champion-Porsche

    Not too much of a surprise given how well Porsche did in Season 10 and how well their driver lineup is. I think having the reigning world champion Pascal Wehrlein will certainly help their case too. Porsche were possibly the strongest team overall last season. Despite some challenges both from drivers and team strategy, considering they managed to get Wehrlein onto the champion row and with them being the only team with 2 different champions, this will give them the push they need.

     

    MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 07: Pascal Wehrlein of Germany driving the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 during day three of Formula E Pre-Season Testing at Circuito del Jarama on November 07, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)

    Female representation at an E-Prix:

    Over the past few months and even years, Formula E has been putting more of an emphasis on the female representation within motorsport, hosting an all-women’s test in Jarama during pre season testing and supporting FIA causes for such reason.
    While I wish no driver to get ill or injured, sometimes accidents happen in our sport which are outside of our control. With a long calendar like this and new circuits and double headers such as the new Jeddah circuit for Formula E and the double header in Monaco, I think that if a driver falls ill or gets injured, a team will pop a female driver into the car to see what they are made of.


    I also predict similar tests to be conducted across the season such as what happened in Jarama as many high profile figured in Formula E want to see more female encouragement. Speaking to selected media, including The Pit Crew Online, at the Red Bull F1 show run last month in Galway, David Coulthard stated that “I think it’s great that they had a test day for the women that are competing in various forms of motorsport. The real gauge of that isn’t a random test here and there. It’s when someone is given a full-time drive. And the goal of F1 Academy is to support women in motorsport.”


    Different routes have been constructed by many series’ in order to try and guide women into motorsport with some succeeding and some failing. David Coulthard spoke about how F1 Academy will succeed where W-Series failed:
    “Well, W Series failed because Formula One didn’t own it. I was involved in W Series, and it cost me several million pounds that I invested from my companies to help women in motorsport. And I sleep okay with that, because it has moved women in motorsport forward. Jamie Chadwick, racing in America. Alice Powell is part of heading up the Alpine Academy, helping Abby Pulling. Naomi Schiff is now a full-time professional broadcaster, out of the back of being in W Series. So, we’ve achieved the goal. And I did that because my younger sister raced. She never got the same chance that I did. Because I always regretted that she didn’t get the same support. And I wanted to be involved in something that makes sure that female talent is recognized and supported. F1 Academy is owned by Formula One. And the thing that we tried to do with W was get the teams to take teams. And it wasn’t allowed. F1 Academy is allowed to have teams. And that will, for the greater good, move that forward. And it’s obviously, it’s a great thing for women in motorsport.”


    2 drivers mentioned there by David being Jamie Chadwick and Abbi Pulling have actually tested with Formula E teams being Jaguar TCS Racing and Nissan Formula E Team respectfully. Having this representation is incredible important. 

    Round 1: Sao Paulo

    Winner: Mitch Evans

    After what happened in Season 10’s Sao Paulo E-Prix, the kiwi will be on a mission of revenge and vengeance. Losing the race to his former teammate, Mitch Evans will be putting 110% into this performance in order to right the wrongs from last year and to get that win around Brazil.

    Biggest Team Improvement: Kiro Race Co.

    Kiro (formally ERT) went through some huge changes over the breaks between seasons, with new investors arriving at the team. Considering where Cupra Kiro were last year, I think they will make huge strides in the opening round in Sao Paulo with a double points finish with Dan Ticktum and rookie teammate David Beckmann.

    MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 08: Dan Ticktum of Great Britain and Kiro Race Co has a conversation with his teammates during day four of Formula E Pre-Season Testing at Circuito del Jarama on November 08, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)

    What do you expect to happen in Formula E Season 11? Will we see Dan Ticktum get a podium? Can we see a rookie win a race? Let us know on our social media!

  • Did Francesco Bagnaia Really Lose The Title Because Of His Mistakes?

    Did Francesco Bagnaia Really Lose The Title Because Of His Mistakes?

    The 2024 MotoGP season was nothing short of a rollercoaster, with Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia battling fiercely all the way to the end. When the dust settled, Martin walked away as the champion. But as fans and analysts picked apart the season, one question kept coming up: did Bagnaia lose the title because of his own mistakes?

    It’s easy to see why people point to moments like Bagnaia’s crash in the Sepang sprint race as the turning point. But was that really the defining moment? Or is it just a convenient headline for what was actually a messy, unpredictable, and mistake-filled season for both riders?

    Many argue that if Bagnaia hadn’t suffered so many DNFs, he likely would have won the championship, but if we remove Bagnaia’s errors, it is only fair that we also exclude the errors of Martin, otherwise this hypothetical scenario is trivial.

    Looking Closely At The Mistakes

    This wasn’t just a season where Bagnaia made mistakes. Martin had his fair share of blunders too. In fact, both riders admitted the 2024 championship was defined as much by their errors as their successes. Bagnaia may have crashed more often, but Martin’s mistakes were arguably more costly.

    Bagnaia had seven crashes this season—three in main races and four in sprints. When added up, those mistakes cost him 73 points to Martin, factoring in both the points he missed out on and the small gains Martin made when Bagnaia dropped out. For example, in the Catalunya sprint, Bagnaia’s crash boosted Martin from 5th to 4th, earning him an extra point.

    But here’s the twist: while Bagnaia made more mistakes, Martin’s crashes cost him more points. He fell only four times—twice in main races and twice in sprints—but three of those crashes came while he was leading. That handed Bagnaia maximum points in those races as Bagnaia was always second to him. In total, Martin’s errors cost him 82 points, nine more than Bagnaia, which does not even take into account the Spaniard’s Misano blunder, as he did not crash.

    The tables below give a deeper dive into how the points losses were calculated.

    For Bagnaia

    For Martin

     

    Not All Mistakes Have The Same Impact

    So although it may seem that Martin has in fact lost out more this year from his errors, it is not immediately obvious that this is the case, as the natural assumption is that if a rider has more DNFs, he will have lost out on more points, but it is so important to consider what position each rider was in when they crashed and what position the contenders were relative to eachother when the crash happened. For example, if a rider crashed from 15th position, it is nowhere near as costly as if they crash from first place, so it’s not as simple as a “crash is a crash”.

    Take Jerez and Sachsenring. Martin was leading both main races when he crashed, handing Bagnaia the extra points for winning while also missing out on the 25 points he would have scored. This amounts to a total points swing of 30, which is a monumental amount in the context of this fight. By comparison, Bagnaia’s crashes often came when he wasn’t in contention for a win, so the points he missed out on were usually smaller.

    When you dig into the numbers, it’s clear that the story of the season isn’t as simple as “Bagnaia made more mistakes, so he lost.” Yes, he had more DNFs. But Martin’s errors, fewer as they were, had a massive impact on the championship too.

     Why Martin Won

    So, did Martin win because of Bagnaia’s mistakes? Not really. Sure, Bagnaia’s crashes played a role, but that’s not the whole picture. It is rather ironic that if we create an errorless championship from the two riders, then Martin actually has a bigger lead!

    Martin didn’t just win because Bagnaia slipped up—he won because he nailed the other crucial aspects of being a champion. His consistency this season was off the charts, managing to finish second 16 times across all races. He stayed calm under pressure and learned from past struggles with mental focus. That’s what made the difference, not just Bagnaia’s crashes.

    It’s also worth highlighting how incredible it is that Martin won the title despite Bagnaia taking 11 wins this season. On paper, that might make Martin’s championship seem less impressive, but it actually highlights his strength. This wasn’t about piling up race wins—it was about delivering consistently strong performances across 40 gruelling races.

    So, no—Bagnaia didn’t hand the title to Martin. Martin earned it. He proved that being a champion isn’t just about raw speed or winning the most races. It’s about resilience, strategy and mental fortitude.

    This season will be remembered as one of the most intense and dramatic in recent MotoGP history. And Jorge Martin, the man who battled through it all to come out on top, deserves every bit of credit for his victory. Mistakes may have played a part, but in the end, it was Martin’s incredible consistency and growth as a rider that made him a champion.

    Image credit to Gold & Goose

  • Cadillac/GM Driver Thoughts

    Cadillac/GM Driver Thoughts

    General Motors-backed Cadillac is set to join the Formula 1 circus after an initially rejected bid using the Andretti name. They will enter in 2026 as an engine customer team before using their own engine by 2028 if, hopefully, they remain in the sport by that season. This announcement came very much as a surprise due to the withdrawal of Michael Andretti, although his father Mario will remain as a director. The talk of who will be behind the wheel of the two cars will begin in late 2024 and 2025. Who are the most likely based on what we know currently? The chance ratings are my personal thoughts.

    Colton Herta

    Colton Herta standing by his pit box (Photo by Chris Jones/IndyCar Media)

    Colton is American and currently drives for Team Andretti in Indycar, the F1 team may not have the Andretti badge but is this a chance for a return for the name? Colton finished P2 in the 2024 Indycar championship, winning the season finale, and is in great form. The investor of the new F1 team, Dan Towriss, is a big fan of him, which may put him in pole position as long as he gets enough super license points from the FIA, as the Indycar Series is absurdly underrated. If he has a strong 2025, there would be no issue.

    Chance: 9/10

    Alex Palou

    Álex Palou celebrating in victory lane with his team (Photo by Travis Hinkle/Penske Entertainment)

    Alex is the 2024 Indycar Champion and has been reportedly in talks with 3 teams in the past couple of seasons, Mclaren, Sauber & Red Bull, but none of them have ever materialised. He made one free practice appearance with McLaren in 2022 at the United States GP and was the reserve driver in 2023 doing the mid-season tyre test. He also competes for the Cadillac team in the IMSA series. A strong chance for Alex to be one of the few champions in America to move to F1.

    Chance: 8/10

    Jak Crawford

    Jak Crawford, Hitech (David Ramos, Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images / courtesy of FIA F3)

    As Formula E reserve driver for Andretti for the 2024-25 season, he already has some links to the team. He also has a solid link with F1 as an Aston Martin development and current Formula 2 driver. He is due to partake in the end of season test with Aston Martin.

    It could be a chance for Cadillac to take a driver from a rival who will continue to grow in confidence; he is only 19 presently, so skills will ever improve.

    Chance: 7/10

    Checo Perez

    Pole position qualifier Sergio Perez Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

    If the team goes for one experienced driver and one rookie, then look no further. If Red Bull decided to drop Checo for 2025 or 2026 due to his current form, then this could be his way to stay in the sport. As a probable midfield team, he could thrive, similar to his years racing for Sauber, Force India & Racing Point. As a new team, they may seek experience, and as a driver currently in his 14th season, from the Americas, could this be a fit? Perez for the last couple of months hasn’t been at his best, but sometimes a driver in the twilight years of his career needs a new challenge.

    Chance: 7/10

    Franco Colapinto

    Franco Colapinto, the Las Vegas GP (Photo by Simon Galloway / LAT Images)

    The shock of the year, when Logan Sargeant was given his marching orders, the Argentine was calm and collected, as he has performed well against new teammate Albon. The current situation is that there is no room for him in the upcoming 2025 F1 season. After initial success, he has made a few errors, costing Williams dearly. Cadillac could consider Colopinto with his few races of experience that excited the paddock, who is no longer a rookie after a great start to his career.

    Chance: 6/10

    Valtteri Bottas

    Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes (Jiri Krenek / courtesy of Mercedes AMG F1)

    An experienced driver in his 13th season, Bottas has lost his seat at Stake F1, aka Audi, for the 2025 season. So what’s next for him? While he waits for official confirmation, he has started a charity for families who suddenly lose their jobs called… ‘What’s Next?’. In F1, however, he has experience in the dominant Mercedes and midfield Willams teams, which gives him insight a new team like Cadillac will need.

    Chance: 5/10

    Jack Aitken

    Jack Aitken (Courtesy of Williams Media)

    Aitken has competed with Cadillac in the IMSA Sportscar Championship and in the 24 hours of Le Mans for last 2 years, and he is due to compete for them in 2025. He has been a member of 2 junior programs in Renault (2016-20) & Williams (2020-22). In 2020, he did Free Practice 1 in Austria and drove for Williams during the Sakhir Grand Prix. He held the reserve role for Wiiliams until 2022 before moving to Sportscar Racing. He may have a relationship with Cadillac, but his chance in F1 could have gone.

    Chance: 2/10

    There are a few drivers in the mix, and there could be further added to this list. This team have been given the opportunity to extend the grid to 22 cars for the first time since 2016, when Manor Racing were on the grid. The good thing is that two teams are joining in Audi & Cadillac/GM and a fresh canvas of rules, so hopefully not a team sitting at the back.