ThePitcrewOnline

Blog

  • Three Polish finalists of the “The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” program were selected

    Three Polish finalists of the “The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” program were selected

    Link do polskiej wersji artykułu: https://www.thepitcrewonline.net/2018/11/27/trzy-polskie-finalistki-programu-the-girls-on-track-karting-challenge-zostaly-wylonione/

    After a special training program prepared by Gosia Rdest, three Polish finalists of the “The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” program were selected. The girls will represent Poland in the European final of the challenge in Le Mans.

    On Sunday, November 18th, during the Warsaw Motor Show, the names of three finalists of the Polish edition of the “The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” program were revealed. After the successful, special training program prepared by Gosia Rdest, lasting from September to November, the jury chose: Natalia Lelek from Nosówka near Rzeszów, Joanna Piwowarek from Piaseczno near Warsaw and Michalina Sabaj from Krakow. In March 2019, the girls will go to Le Mans, where they will take part in the European final. As reserve drivers the jury selected Sara Kałuzińska from Gdynia and Kornelia Olkucka from Chotomów near Warsaw. For all of them, the D & D Motorsport karting team host a several-day test in the Italian Lonato as the preparation for the final of the challenge.

    The “The Girls on Track” program is a FIA project for girls aged 13-18, aimed at discovering talents and creating an easier access to start their careers in motorsport. The long-term goal is to create a culture that facilitates and appreciates the participation of women in all aspects of motorsport.

    The project consists of several stages. National eliminations took place this year in 8 European countries (Poland, Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden). Three winners of national elimination from each country will take a part in the European Final in March 2019, and six of the best athletes will take part in the professional Training Camps for FIA Drivers in 2019.

    The Polish elimination of the project took place on 26th-27th May in Tychy and on August 11th in Rzeszów. The project gained a lot of interest – a total of over 170 drivers were recorded on a karting slalom specially set up for the elimination of the event.

    Additionally, only in Poland, for the winners (14 girls), there were organized training sessions by Gosia Rdest. Under her supervision, Gosia Serbin and other specialists, there were practise seasons held on karting tracks, simulator training, conditioning classes, lectures on communication, presentations, etc.

    Gosia Rdest, the author of the training program, sums up: “My goal was to share my knowledge and experience with the girls. I started my adventure with motorsport with karting, so I can fully identify with them. What surprised me the most during the training, it was great satisfaction for me to appear in a new role for me – a person who shares experience with young drivers. It was great to be able to observe/watch the participants’/girls’ progress, their enthusiasm and motivation. Each of them was unique and the selection became to be really tough. I hope to continue the program in the future. ”

    The finalist Natalia Lelek is 15 years old and has so far she was karting amateurly, with her family. She wasn’t hiding the joy of choice: “I am very excited, I am very happy that I have been chosen. I know that I have a lot of work ahead of me because I want to present myself at Le Mans as best as I can to proudly represent myself and Poland. I believe this program is a great initiative, and the training what we had with Gosia really gave us a lot. For all of us, also for those girls who are not going further, it was a wonderful time and opportunity for self-development. ”
    The next finalist Joanna Piwowarek from Piaseczno near Warsaw is 17 years old and has been karting four times a week for 5 years. Joanna, when she answered the question about the program, said: “Certainly, these were classes with Ms Joanna Janowicz (business advisor of interpersonal communication [editorial note]) during the first meeting, which helped us improve our self-esteem and self-confidence. The program was a great opportunity for me to further develop in the motorsport and an opportunity for others to notice the potential of Polish kart drivers. I am proud that I can represent Poland in the European final in Le Mans. ”

    Michalina Sabaj, the last of the winning three, is 16 years old and has been karting for 8 years. She drives with a license in the ROK Cup competitions. Michalina says about the program: “Thanks to the training program, I learned how much work should be done to become a fully fledged driver. Now I know how many factors contribute to the good results on the track and what I need to work on. In addition, I learned to work in a group with other drivers. During the meetings, I gained new experiences and made many new and valuable acquaintances. I enjoyed the meeting in Gdynia the most. During this training I took part in practice on simulators, which was a new experience for me. Also very interesting were classes conducted by Gosia Rdest on social media in motorsport. The whole team of organisers, headed by Ms. Gosia Serbin and Mikołaj Pogonowski, created an atmosphere that gave me security and great joy. All competitors presented a very high level. I am really surprised by the choice. “

  • Trzy polskie finalistki programu „The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” zostały wyłonione

    Trzy polskie finalistki programu „The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge” zostały wyłonione

    Po specjalnym programie szkoleniowym, przygotowanym przez Gosię Rdest, zostały wyłonione trzy polskie finalistki programu „The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge”. Dziewczyny pojadą reprezentować Polskę w europejskim finale w Le Mans.

    W niedzielę 18 listopada podczas Warsaw Motor Show poznaliśmy nazwiska trzech finalistek polskiej edycji programu „The Girls on Track – Karting Challenge”. Po zakończonym sukcesem, specjalnym programie szkoleniowym przygotowanym przez Gosię Rdest, trwającym od września do listopada, jury wybrało: Natalię Lelek z Nosówki k. Rzeszowa, Joannę Piwowarek z Piaseczna pod Warszawą i Michalinę Sabaj z Krakowa. W marcu 2019 dziewczyny pojadą do Le Mans, gdzie wezmą udział w europejskim finale. Jako zawodniczki rezerwowe wyłoniono Sarę Kałuzińską z Gdyni i Kornelię Olkucką z Chotomowa koło Warszawy. Dla całej piątki zespół kartingowy D&D Motorsport ufundował kilkudniowe testy we włoskim Lonato w ramach przygotowań do finału.

    Program „The Girls on Track” to projekt FIA skierowany do dziewczyn w wieku 13-18 lat, mający na celu odkrycie talentów oraz stworzenie łatwiejszego dostępu do rozpoczęcia kariery w motorsporcie. Celem długofalowym jest stworzenie kultury, która ułatwia i docenia pełny udział kobiet we wszystkich aspektach motorsportu.

    Projekt składa się z kilku etapów. Eliminacje krajowe odbyły się w tym roku w 8 krajach europejskich (Polsce, Belgii, Finlandii, Holandii, Niemczech, Portugalii, Słowacji i Szwecji). Po trzy zwyciężczynie eliminacji z każdego kraju pojadą na Finał Europejski w marcu 2019 roku, a sześć jego najlepszych zawodniczek weźmie udział w profesjonalnych Obozach Szkoleniowych dla Kierowców FIA w 2019 roku.

    Polskie eliminacje projektu odbyły się w dniach 26-27 maja w Tychach oraz 11 sierpnia w Rzeszowie. Projekt cieszył się dużym zainteresowaniem – odnotowano w sumie ponad 170 przejazdów na ustawionym specjalnie na potrzeby eliminacji slalomie kartingowym.

    Dodatkowo, tylko w naszym kraju, dla wybranych podczas eliminacji 14 dziewcząt, odbył się cykl szkoleń autorstwa Gosi Rdest. Pod okiem jej, Gosi Serbin oraz innych specjalistów odbyły się zajęcia na torach kartingowych, treningi na symulatorze, zajęcia kondycyjne, wykłady z komunikacji, prezentacji, itp.

    Gosia Rdest, autorka programu szkoleniowego, podsumowuje: „Moim celem było podzielenie się swoją wiedzą i doświadczeniem z dziewczynami. Sama zaczynałam swoją przygodę z motorsportem od kartingu, mogę się z nimi w pełni utożsamić. Co najbardziej zaskoczyło mnie w trakcie szkoleń, to jak wielką satysfakcję sprawiło mi wystąpienie w nowej dla mnie roli, osoby dzielącej się doświadczeniem z młodszymi zawodniczkami. Wspaniale było móc obserwować progres uczestniczek, ich zapał i motywację. Każda z nich była wyjątkowa, a wybór okazał się bardzo ciężki. Mam nadzieję na kontynuację programu w przyszłości”.

    Finalistka Natalia Lelek ma 15 lat i do tej pory jeździła amatorsko, z rodziną. Nie kryła radości z wyboru: „Jestem bardzo rozemocjonowana, bardzo się cieszę, że zostałam wybrana. Wiem, że przede mną sporo pracy, ponieważ chcę zaprezentować się w Le Mans jak najlepiej, godnie reprezentować siebie, a także nasz kraj. Uważam, że ten program jest super inicjatywą, a szkolenia, które miałyśmy z Gosią, naprawdę dużo nam dały. Dla nas wszystkich, również dla tych dziewczyn, które nie jadą dalej, był to cudowny czas i możliwość do samorozwoju.”

     

    Finalistka Joanna Piwowarek z Piaseczna pod Warszawą ma 17 lat i od 5 lat trenuje karting po 4 razy w tygodniu. Joanna odpowiadając na pytanie o program, mówi: „Co w programie szkoleniowym podobało mi się najbardziej? Z pewnością były to zajęcia z Panią Joanną Janowicz (doradca biznesowy w zakresie komunikacji interpersonalnej – przyp.red.) podczas pierwszego zjazdu, które pomogły nam poprawić własną samoocenę i pewność siebie. Program był dla mnie ogromną szansą na dalszy rozwój w motosporcie i okazją, aby inni zauważyli potencjał polskich zawodniczek kartingowych. Jestem dumna z tego, że mogę reprezentować nasz kraj w finale europejskim w Le Mans”.

    Michalina Sabaj, ostatnia ze zwycięskiej trójki, ma 16 lat i od 8 lat trenuje karting. Jeździ z licencją w zawodach ROK Cup. O programie mówi: „Dzięki programowi szkoleniowemu dowiedziałam się, jak dużo pracy należy włożyć w to, aby być pełnowartościowym kierowcą. Teraz wiem, ile czynników składa się na dobre wyniki na torze oraz nad czym muszę popracować. Dodatkowo nauczyłam się pracy w grupie z innymi zawodniczkami. Podczas zjazdów zyskałam nowe doświadczenia oraz zawarłam wiele nowych i cennych znajomości. Najbardziej podobał mi się zjazd w Gdyni. Podczas tego szkolenia brałam udział w zajęciach na symulatorach, co było dla mnie nowym doświadczeniem. Bardzo ciekawe były również zajęcia prowadzone przez Gosię Rdest o mediach społecznościowych w motorsporcie. Cały zespół organizatorów, na czele z Panią Gosią Serbin oraz Mikołajem Pogonowskim, tworzył atmosferę która dawała mi bezpieczeństwo i dużą radość. Wszystkie zawodniczki prezentowały bardzo wysoki i wyrównany poziom. Jestem bardzo miłe zaskoczona wyborem”.

     

  • Fernando Alonso and Jimmie Johnson complete Bahrain car-swap

    Fernando Alonso and Jimmie Johnson complete Bahrain car-swap

    A mere 14 hours after his emotional goodbye to F1, Fernando Alonso was already back at a race track and at the wheel of an F1 car. The car in question was the 2013 McLaren, the last of the V8’s in F1, though that was not his main focus for the day. Alonso was there to try out Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR, with growing speculation around a potential Daytona 500 entry for the Spaniard in the coming years. While Alonso got his first taste of NASCAR, Johnson, in turn, got his first experience in an F1 car, having already spent a day in the McLaren simulator in Woking.

    As day broke at the Bahrain International Circuit, Johnson headed out for an installation lap in his #48 NASCAR. He gave Alonso a few pointers and showed him how to exit the car in the customary NASCAR way… through the window. After that, Alonso emerged onto the Bahrain track for the first time since his seventh-place finish in April, with the two-time F1 champion also completing installation laps in the McLaren.

    They’d given their own cars a run, but now it was time for them to have a go in each other’s cars, as that was the whole reason they were all there in the first place! Alonso, impatient as ever, was the first to head out, taking time to adapt to the different challenges that the NASCAR posed compared to his F1 car. The biggest change for Alonso was the braking and downforce of the NASCAR, which were nowhere near the levels of F1, as well as the sheer weight of the #48 and its tendency to slide through corners.

    For all the difficulties Alonso had, Johnson had them pretty much in reverse. He had to deal with huge levels of acceleration and deceleration, not to mention the G-forces that go with it, and the increased downforce of the F1 car, meaning he had to completely rethink his driving style. While some of that could’ve been recreated on the simulator, the over 6 Gs of loading could not, so Johnson was in for quite a shock when he hit the brakes for the first time. Afterwards, he took to Twitter to say how this loading made his eyes ‘lose focus’ and his ‘vision to go blurry’.

    But, despite the challenges, Johnson certainly impressed Alonso with his attitude and times, ending the day only a few tenths shy of the Spaniard’s morning benchmark. Equally, Alonso impressed in the NASCAR, but then that was to be expected – he’s already proven he’s a weapon in any car he drives, and this was no exception.

    Alonso ended his F1 career by doing donuts on the start/finish straight at Abu Dhabi with fellow champions Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. He ended the car swap by doing donuts with Johnson, with both soon mastering the donut technique needed in their new cars.

    Although this was all posed as a bit of fun, it did have true meaning, for Alonso at least, as he eyes up opportunities across the racing world. He’s likely to be driving a NASCAR in anger in the not too distant future while Johnson, as impressive as his times were, is unlikely to climb in an F1 car again unless it’s for an event like this. But, either way, both drivers seemed to have a brilliant time in Bahrain, getting a taste of each other’s worlds and attracting a lot of media attention in the process.

    Knowing Alonso and Johnson, that probably won’t be the last of their adventures together… who knows what the next chapter might involve!

    #JJxALO

    Featured image courtesy of Andy Hone/McLaren

  • The Chequered Flag Falls On The 2018 Season With Dramatic Finale in Abu Dhabi

    The Chequered Flag Falls On The 2018 Season With Dramatic Finale in Abu Dhabi

    After another impressive season with Mercedes, it seems that nothing could stop five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton from dominating the race track once again on Sunday afternoon in a somewhat dramatic fashion.

    Qualifying results meant that Mercedes had a front row lockout, Hamilton taking prime place on pole position followed by Bottas in second, ahead of the two Ferrari’s of Vettel and Raikkonen in third and fourth, and the two Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in fifth and sixth. The top ten was completed by Romain Grosjean in seventh, an impressive lap time put Charles Leclerc in eighth, Esteban Ocon  was ninth and rounding out the top ten was Nico Hulkenberg for Renault.

    As daylight faded and the floodlights dominated the night sky, the drivers lined up on the grid, many facing an emotional race ahead; the likes of Kimi Raikkonen who was about to take on his last race for Ferrari, Daniel Ricciardo’s last dance for Red Bull Racing, and of course Fernando Alonso’s final ever Formula One race. It was going to be a challenging afternoon in the desert.

    Lights out and both Mercedes, followed by both Ferraris and Daniel Ricciardo, got a clean start into turn one, chased by the rest of the pack. Grosjean and Alonso both ran wide but quickly rejoined, with Fernando losing a few places to Ericsson and Gasly. Max Verstappen was strong off the line, however he encountered a problem with a water temperature sensor which temporarily slowed him into turn two, dropping him down the order.  After speaking over the team radio, Max managed to reset the system and the sensor issue was resolved.

    2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sunday – Steve Etherington

    Leclerc shot up the order to sixth followed by Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Verstappen, Ocon, Sainz and Perez. Leclerc was closing in on Ricciardo and the two switched places numerous times, with Daniel eventually fighting his way back up the field.

    Meanwhile, Grosjean and Hulkenberg were fighting behind them for position. Grosjean’s Haas was on the outside line going into the corner, Hulkenberg right alongside him. Nico attempted to move across in front of Grosjean, however he misjudged the corner and, as a result, the pair locked wheels, forcing Hulkenberg’s car to barrel through the air into the barriers, the car coming to rest upside down and with some flames igniting in some of the rear bodywork. The Safety Car was deployed and, thankfully, Nico was unscathed if not a little shaken from the accident.

    It was a disappointing race for Kimi Raikkonen whose Ferrari came to a stand still on the start-finish straight at the end of lap seven, the display on his steering wheel going black; a disappointing end to his last race for Ferrari.

    Kimi’s technical issue meant that Virtual Safety Car was deployed and Mercedes took the plunge, deciding to bring Hamilton in for supersoft tyres on lap eight of fifty-five. He emerged in P5.

    Numerous battles were being had across the board, notably between Ocon and Verstappen who had collided in Brazil. This time, Max got the place without any problems. Gasly and Ericsson were having a scrap before Ericsson’s car suffered a technical failure, and Ocon and Sainz were scrapping for P7.

    2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sunday – Steve Etherington

    By lap 23, many of the drivers had pitted. However, Red Bull decided to keep Daniel Ricciardo out for a long stint on the ultrasofts, the Australian leading the race before pitting on lap 34 for supersofts, the slower of the compounds. He came out of the pitlane in P5 behind teammate Verstappen.

    By lap 35 Bottas was struggling, locking up on several occasions. Sebastian Vettel took advantage of this and managed to steal second place. Both Red Bulls soon closed up on a struggling Bottas and snatched another two places from him, Max up to the final podium spot and Daniel in 4th position.

    As the race reached its closing stages, technical issues arose for Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly and Marcus Ericsson who all were forced to retire, a disappointing end to each of their seasons.

    Despite the drama behind him, Lewis Hamilton had a faultless race, cruising to his 73rd career victory in Formula One. The podium was completed by Sebastian Vettel in 2nd place and Max Verstappen in 3rd, Daniel Ricciardo finishing his 100th race and last for Red Bull Racing in an admirable 4th position.

    Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

    Valtteri Bottas finished in 5th followed by an impressive result for Renaults’ Carlos Sainz in 6th and Alfa Romeo Saubers’ Charles Leclerc in 7th, both in their final races for their respective teams before moving on to pastures new at McLaren and Ferrari.

    It was a well fought but disappointing final race for double world champion Fernando Alonso, who just missed out on the points in P11. At the end of the race, Alonso was joined by Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel who all performed doughnuts on the home straight for the Abu Dhabi crowds as a farewell to the 2018 season and the legendary Spanish driver, a truly remarkable end to the championship. The countdown is on for 2019!

     

    Featured Image: 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Ferrari Media

  • 2018 World Rally Championship Review – Citroen Racing

    2018 World Rally Championship Review – Citroen Racing

    Seb Loeb took Citroen Racing’s only victory this year in Spain. Photo credit Citroen Racing

    It really was an up and down season for the former champions. The second season with the new C3 yielded a few podiums and just one win. Kris Meeke had his contract terminated after Rally Italia Sardegna, when he crashed again. Mads Ostberg, who had started the season as a part-time driver, then completed the year.

    In Monte Carlo Kris Meeke finished in 4th place and Craig Breen 11th. A good start on the whole, given that Kris was targeting the championship.

    Sweden however, saw Kris have an accident which gave him no chance of scoring points, and it was Craig who came through and scored his best result yet with second place behind winner Thierry. In his first event of the year and after a battle with Lappi, Mads scored a fine sixth place in his first drive in the C3.

    Mexico was next up, the return to the event which Kris had won the year before, and it was a second consecutive podium for the lead driver, Kris finishing in third. It was a false dawn, though. Seb Loeb also impressed, challenging for the top spots, before finally finishing in fifth place.

    This is how the championship positions looked after those three rounds

     

    DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Sébastien Ogier – 60 points
    2. Thierry Neuville – 51 points
    3. Andreas Mikkelsen – 34 points
    4. Kris Meeke – 32 points
    5. Jari-Matti Latvala – 30 points
    6. Ott Tänak – 26 points
    7. Esapekka Lappi – 23 points
    8. Craig Breen – 20 points
    9. Dani Sordo – 18 points
    10. Sébastien Loeb – 10 points

     

    MANUFACTURERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Hyundai WRT – 84 points
    2. M-Sport Ford WRT – 72 points
    3. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT – 71 points
    4. Toyota Gazoo Racing – 67 points

    Next up was Tour de Corse, which again Kris had led in 2017, but an oil leak put him out then. This year he was challenging well, but slid off the road after a pacenote mistake from Paul in the final stage of Saturday whilst running in second overall. Seb Loeb was also doing well too, but slid off the road as his tyres hadn’t come up to temperature enough for the dirty road in front of them. They both finished, but down in ninth and fourteenth positions respectively. A shame given the pace that had been shown.

     

    Argentina was next, round five. This would be the final rally Kris would complete for the team, finishing in seventh overall after getting a puncture whilst challenging again near the front. Craig Breen would also go well, until a roll which would damage his rollcage beyond repair, putting him out of the event, whilst Al Qassimi in the other car would finish twelfth.

     

    Portugal next up and with three cars entered for Kris, Craig and Mads the team were looking for good points. Mads finished in sixth place, with Craig in seventh, but all of this was overshadowed by the crash on Saturday for Kris and Paul where the car left the road and crashed into some trees. It was a big one, and at this point there was no suggestion he was heading out of the door. Yet, six days later we got the huge news that the team had terminated their contract over safety reasons.

     

    Italia Sardegna was next, with two cars being run for Mads and Craig. Rain on day one made tyre choice hard, with some stages as muddy as Wales, and others dry! With the following days stages being dry, the two crews ultimately finished in fifth (Mads) and sixth (Craig). For Mads, this was the best finishing position for him so far in this car.

     

    The amazing Rally Finland was next, and the schedule had had some tweaks to make it less friendly for the non-Scandinavian drivers. Three cars were entered for Mads, Craig and Khalid. Craig suffered a puncture during Friday’s stages, leaving him to sweep the roads on his way to eighth place. Khalid went off the road, re-joining under Rally2 regs, but it was the performance of Norwegian, Mads that stood out. He held off a determined drive from three-time winner Latvala to clinch second place.

    Mads and Torstein scored a brilliant second place in Rally Finland. Photo credit Citroen Racing

    The summer break followed, and the points standings looked like this after eight rounds, with five still to go.

    DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Thierry Neuville – 153 points
    2. Sébastien Ogier – 132 points
    3. Ott Tänak – 107 points
    4. Esapekka Lappi – 70 points
    5. Dani Sordo – 60 points
    6. Andreas Mikkelsen – 57 points
    7. Jari-Matti Latvala – 55 points
    8. Elfyn Evans – 52 points
    9. Mads Ostberg – 48 points
    10. Kris Meeke – 43 points
    11. Craig Breen – 39 points

     

    MANUFACTURERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Hyundai WRT – 228 points
    2. M-Sport Ford WRT – 202 points
    3. Toyota Gazoo Racing – 201 points
    4. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT – 153 points

     

    Following the long summer break, Rally Germany restarted the season after a six-week break. Mads and Craig once again would be in the cars. A tricky event, with rain on Friday, really mixed things up. Unfortunately, Mads didn’t complete the event, after going off the road and damaging the cooling system, whilst Craig finished in seventh place.

    The return of Rally Turkey to the championship would definitely make things interesting. A totally new event for this year, therefore the crews would have to create new pacenotes from scratch. Three cars were entered for Mads, Craig and Khalid. After taking the lead on Friday, Craig then suffered two punctures, dropping him down the field. After climbing back up the standings, his car burst into flames on Saturday, completely gutting it. Meantime, Mads was doing well, till broken suspension followed by turbo failure then put him well down the order. Khalid also suffered turbo failure, but he re-joined and finished in fifteenth.

    Next up was Wales Rally GB, and with two cars for Mads and Craig, what would this event hold? Well, after a very spirited attack, and finally getting some good luck during Friday with no punctures, Craig finished in fourth overall after challenging for a podium throughout Saturday and Sunday. Mads also had a good event running in the top five, before a spin on Sunday relegated him to eighth in the end.

    Rally Spain was next, the dual surface event. Seb Loeb, Craig and Khalid would drive the cars. The nine-time champion was taking part for the last time this year and he didn’t disappoint! After good runs through Friday and Saturday, he seized the lead on Sunday after taking a gamble on hard tyres and won for the 79th time! Meantime Craig had a couple of spins on the wet tarmac, finishing in ninth and Khalid in twenty-third in his final appearance this year.

    The last event of the year, Rally Australia saw Mads and Craig line-up. They both drove really well, with Mads and Craig holding first and second at the end of day one. Moving into day two, Mads continued to show good pace, but Craig suffered first with a sticking throttle, before then damaging his suspension, which he fixed after the stage, but gained time penalties dropping him down after arriving at the stage late. When the rain arrived on Sunday, Mads put a great performance together and kept the car on the road for his second podium of the year, ultimately finishing in third. Craig put his troubles from Saturday behind him and drove to seventh overall.

    After leading at the end of day one of Rally Australia, Mads and Torstein came through and finished in third overall. Photo credit, Citroen Racing

    The Citroen team had a tricky year, and ultimately didn’t get the results that you’d expect. Sacking Kris the way they did was certainly a surprise, and they didn’t really have the person that could really lead the team. Next year will be very different, with Seb Ogier and Esapekka Lappi joining the so-called Red Army. What this means for Mads and Craig, it’s hard to say right now. Khalid will almost certainly be driving the car at some points and perhaps we’ll see either Craig or Mads in a third car on occasions.

     

    By signing Seb, they’re certainly making a statement of intention that they want next year’s world championship. These last two years, with finishing bottom of the pile the manufacturers championship will have been very painful for them.

    DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Sébastien Ogier – 219 points
    2. Thierry Neuville – 201 points
    3. Ott Tänak – 181 points
    4. Jari-Matti Latvala – 128 points
    5. Esapekka Lappi – 126 points
    6. Andreas Mikkelsen – 84 points
    7. Elfyn Evans – 80 points
    8. Hayden Paddon – 73 points
    9. Dani Sordo – 71 points
    10. Mads Ostberg – 70 points

     

    MANUFACTURERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    1. Toyota Gazoo Racing – 368 points
    2. Hyundai WRT – 341 points
    3. M-Sport Ford WRT – 324 points
    4. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT – 237 points
  • MotoGP eSports 2018 Final: Trastevere73 Becomes Double World Champion in Valencia

    MotoGP eSports 2018 Final: Trastevere73 Becomes Double World Champion in Valencia

    After several rounds of qualifying and two semi-finals, the twelve fastest MotoGP 18 riders arrived in Valencia for the final of the 2018 MotoGP eSports Championship.

    Ahead of the final race of the second season of MotoGP eSports, there was a ten-minute qualifying session, in which reigning champion Trastevere73 took pole position on the factory Ducati GP18. EleGhosT555 (EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda) and Cristianmm17 (Repsol Honda) joined him on the front row for the final. Meanwhile, paul_ig7 (Monster Tech 3 Yamaha), AndrewZh (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) and Luigi48GP (Gresini Racing Aprilia) made up row two; Vindex813 (Givi LCR Honda), ADRIAAN_26 (Pramac Ducati) and timothymcgarden (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completed the third row. The fourth and final row of the grid featured Davidegallina23 (Angel Nieto Team Ducati), RLLORCA26 (Reale Avintia Ducati) and XxBoMbeR_45xX (Ecstar Suzuki) who completed the grid, 0.5 seconds off pole position.
    Between qualifying and the race, pole sitter Trastevere73 received his Tissot pole position watch from Jorge Lorenzo.

     

    Trastevere73 receives a Tissot watch from Jorge Lorenzo. Photo curtesy of MotoGP.com

     

    The start of the ten lap race was extremely action-packed, with two riders going down before the first two turns: Cristianmm17 dropping the Repsol Honda in turn one, before Davidegallina23 crashed the Angel Nieto Team Ducati on the exit of the first turn. It was unclear from the cameras, but it seemed like contact may have been involved in both of these incidents. This isn’t surprising with such a tightly-compacted group going into the opening corners, and the pressure involved in a situation like this too; a pressure which was only heightened by the addition of Marc Marquez in the commentary box.

    From an early stage, it was clear that Trastevere73 and EleGhosT555 had a pace advantage on the field, maybe with the exception of AndrewZh. The gap between the Ducati Team rider and the EG 0,0 Marc VDS pilot went back and forth for the entire race, and it never looked like any other rider could get involved.

    What became clear were three things: track limits, with all riders looking to maximise their lap time; the pace between all the riders was very close, as had appeared in qualifying; and that in turn caused overtaking to be extremely tough. Especially because of the incredibly short braking zones, and the high amount of time the riders were spending on the side of the tyre, at maximum lean angle.

    From experience playing this year’s MotoGP game, I can say that it is not possible to brake a little bit later than your limit because you lose the front very fast and have no chance to save it. Since these riders were on the absolute limit (the front tyres were completely locked for 20 metres or more on almost every corner entry), braking later was not much of an option. The slipstream effect also seemed almost completely negligible from more than a bike length or two. So, the riders found it difficult to get alongside one another in a straight line to make a pass. EleGhosT555, therefore, spent the entirety of the MotoGP eSports Final staring down the virtual exhaust pipe of Trastevere73, unable to do anything about it.

     

    Trastevere73 wins the MotoGP 2018 eSports Championship, his prize is a BMW M240i. Photo curtesy of MotoGP.com

     

    So, with a lights to flag win, Trastevere73 took the second MotoGP eSports crown in history, and the second of his career. If you like, it was also Ducati’s first MotoGP World Championship since 2007, and their first win at Valencia since 2008. It also seemed like a precursor to Sunday’s premier class race, which Andrea Dovizioso won for Ducati to end the 2018 season.
    EleGhosT555 was just 0.298 seconds away from the MotoGP eSports crown in second place, ahead of AndrewZh who completed the podium.

    Fourth place went to timothymcgarden, ahead of paul_ig7 in fifth; then came Luigi48GP, Cristianmm17, Vindex813, RLLORCA26, XxBoMbeR_45xX, Davidegallina23 and ADRIAAN_26 who was the last of the 12 riders.

    eSports tends to get flack from some motorsports purists, but whatever your opinion on it, you cannot deny that the emotion is there. Trastevere73’s celebrations were a prime example of that. For a lot of people video games are just that: games, but for the elite players, who dedicate themselves to it, it is a way to show their talent. Now with MotoGP eSports it is possible for these gamers to showcase their skills on the world stage, in front of a live audience who are the same as them: MotoGP fans (as well as people like Marc Marquez and Paolo Ciabatti).

     

    Like what you just read? Then follow us on Twitter (@CrewOnTwo) for article notifications and all things two-wheeled.

  • MotoGP Valencia Test, Part 2: Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia

    MotoGP Valencia Test, Part 2: Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia

    It might feel like the 2018 season has just come to an end, but the 2019 season is well underway at the Valencia tests for Suzuki, KTM, Tech 3 KTM and Aprilia.

    Suzuki’s main weakness in 2018 was straight line speed, so they had a new engine for Valencia. It has a lot of power, but currently the Ecstar squad are looking for new electronic solutions to harness those extra horses, and as of right now they are faster on the old engine. Only Alex Rins tried the new motor, as Joan Mir looked to get himself better acquainted with the GSX-RR. The 2018 Moto2 rookie of the year had ridden one day with Suzuki after the Japanese Grand Prix back in October, but still had a lot of work to do to acclimatise himself to MotoGP. He did fairly well, ending the test less than one second off the top time.

     

    Alex Rins and new Suzuki teammate Joan Mir. Photo curtesy of Suzuki Racing.

     

    Johann Zarco got off to a tough start with KTM. He pinpointed corner entry as a weak point on the first day, and didn’t find the improvements he expected on Wednesday, ending 1.7 seconds off the top. On the other hand, Pol Espargaro had a decent test, which he ended 0.871 seconds off front runner Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha). He had a revised version of KTM’s Yamaha-style aero fairing, as well as some new electronic solutions and no doubt a raft of different chassis’ and engine specs to try. Like Yamaha, KTM suffered with tyre wear last year, hence the electronics focus.

    The Tech 3 KTM riders did not have such a great time. Miguel Oliveira highlighted braking as something he needed to work on, as he adapts to the carbon disks of MotoGP. His teammate, Hafizh Syahrin, also made some progress on Wednesday, but feels he needs more time to understand the RC16. Of course, both Syahrin and Oliveira have the additional difficulty of their team changing manufacturer.

    Aprilia seemed to have a mixed test. Aleix Espargaro was quite fast, if somewhat indifferent about a new chassis from Noale. In comparison, Andrea Iannone was pleasantly surprised by his first contact with Aprilia. He was running 2017 bikes because it is from last year’s machine that the 2019 bike will derive. There were two crashes for Iannone on the second day, which he put down to him finding the limit with a new bike. Bradley Smith also got his first contact with the Aprilia, using a 2017 and a 2018 machine. He wasn’t too far from Iannone’s time which, considering his job title of test rider, should perhaps worry Aprilia a little.

    As previously mentioned, Joan Mir had a brilliant debut on the Suzuki but arguably Francesco Bagnaia’s first appearance on the Pramac Ducati was even more impressive. He ended his first real MotoGP test just 0.6 seconds from the top. Braking is Bagnaia’s main focus at the moment, which is a common thing with new MotoGP riders. His competitors will hope he can’t find too much time there. Fellow rookie Fabio Quartararo also made some big improvements on Wednesday, to end just over one second from Vinales and in front of Iannone on the Aprilia.

     

    Fabio Quartararo at the Valencia MotoGP tests, November 2018. Photo curtesy of SIC Racing Team.

     

    Franco Morbidelli also had a stunning test; to be four tenths ahead of Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) on his first day with Yamaha was really quite impressive. The young Italian was especially complimentary about the smoothness of the M1, and commented on how easy it was to ride in comparison to the 2017 Honda RC213V he rode during his 2018 season.

    Although, the undisputed hero of the Valencia test was Tito Rabat. He rode his Reale Avintia Ducati to 15th on the second day, 1.1 seconds off Vinales, and completed 59 laps. The first day of the test was nothing more than exploratory for Rabat, as he looked to see if it was even possible to ride in his current condition. On Wednesday he made some more progress, but realistically it won’t be until Sepang that he will really start focusing on the setting of his GP18. The MotoGP paddock now heads south to Jerez, where they will have the final chance to define their direction before the winter break.

     

    Like what you just read? Then follow us on Twitter (@CrewOnTwo) for article notifications and all things two-wheeled.

     

    Click here for testing news about Yamaha, Ducati and Honda.

  • MotoGP Valencia Test, Part 1: Ducati, Yamaha and Honda

    MotoGP Valencia Test, Part 1: Ducati, Yamaha and Honda

    Tuesday saw the beginning of the 2019 MotoGP season, as preseason testing started for the premier class in Valencia, following the conclusion of the 2018 World Championship on Sunday.

    There was plenty to see: the Ducati GP19 had been highly praised ahead of the test; Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda) would get his first taste of the Honda RC213V; Yamaha had two new engine specs to try in their search for tyre life; Franco Morbidelli (SIC Racing Team ) took to the Yamaha M1 for the first time; Danilo Petrucci moved to factory Ducati; Johann Zarco moved to KTM, as did Tech 3; and there were four rookies getting the chance to try out MotoGP machinery for the first time.

    However, things did not go the way the teams would have liked. The first part of the morning was unusable for them because of overnight rain. Zarco was the only rider to go out before the track dried, but only for a couple of laps.

    Eventually, the track dried and the riders were able to get their 2019 campaigns underway.  Starting with Ducati, they did not manage to get much of anything done on the first day. Andrea Dovizioso spent the time he had making a base setting with the GP18, since he did not have the opportunity to run in the dry in the weekend. This was the same for everyone, of course, but the time Dovizioso spent on the 2018 bike meant he did not get to try the GP19 until Tuesday. It was the same situation on the other side of the garage, as Danilo Petrucci was acclimatising to his new box, and new team. That said, when they got around to the new bike, Dovizioso was enthused by what his team had discovered, and Petrucci essentially said the GP19 was perfect. Nonetheless, the next test in Jerez will be important for the factory Ducati team to confirm what they found in Valencia, and to determine their direction for the winter before Sepang.

    Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) was also highly impressed with the first version of the GP19, saying he couldn’t understand how it was derived from the GP17 he has ridden in the 2018 season. Miller noted that the biggest thing with the new bike compared to the 2017 Desmosedici was the ease with which the 2019 bike changes direction. They have only had one day on the GP19 so far, but already the three factory Ducati riders look strong for the new season.

     

    Valentino Rossi during Testing in Valencia. Photo curtesy of Movistar Yamaha Factory Racing

     

    The factory Yamaha squad’s entire focus over the course of the test was on the two new engine specs they took with them. On Monday, the focus was on an engine which they had already tried at Aragon. Both Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales were happy with the engine, especially Vinales who was particularly enthusiastic about the engine braking. Rossi reflected Vinales’ opinions, but was more realistic in insisting that there is still work for Yamaha to do before they’ll be in a position to fight consistently. A newer engine spec on the second day seemed indifferent to the one tried on Monday. Vinales could not decide which he preferred, whilst Rossi didn’t seem too happy with either of them. Whilst both of these engines helped in the engine braking, they were still not helping with the acceleration or the tyre life either. However, both riders were happy with the direction after a 2018 season plagued with technical issues.

    Yamaha also had Jonas Folger out for his first MotoGP experience since September 2017. Whilst the German’s work in these two days was perhaps not so important, he could be critical for Yamaha come the middle of 2019.

     

    Marc Marquez during the Valencia Test. Photo curtesy of Repsol Honda Team.

     

    Honda face a difficult winter, and Valencia was the beginning of that. Marc Marquez is injured, as is Jorge Lorenzo (who is new to the bikes) and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) who may still be unfit come the Sepang tests in 2019. Stefan Bradl was on the LCR Honda on Tuesday, but was just testing different suspension, whilst Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) got his hands on 2018 HRC machinery, and was somewhat taken aback by the progression made from 2017 to 2018. Marquez was limited in his track time, due to that injured left shoulder, but had three bikes to test. One was the 2018 spec, there for comparison, and then he had two black bikes, which were 2019 prototypes. Marquez couldn’t say much of his testing, but it seemed as though at least one new engine spec was there for him to try. There was also a new chassis for Marquez to try, but because of limited track time, he and Honda will need to use the Jerez test next week to confirm their feelings from Valencia.

     

    Like what you just read? Then follow us on Twitter (@CrewOnTwo) for article notifications and all things two-wheeled.

  • Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso prepared for “very emotional” last race in F1

    Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso prepared for “very emotional” last race in F1

    McLaren’s Fernando Alonso is certain that this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be a “very emotional” race for him, as he hangs up his helmet in F1 and moves on to pastures new.

    “Abu Dhabi will certainly be a very emotional race for me, as it will be the end of a long and happy 17 years in Formula One,” he said. “The time has come for me to move on, but I’m looking forward to ending the season – and my F1 career – on a positive note.”

    In a career spanning more than 300 races that began in a humble Minardi all the way back in 2001, Alonso won two world championships along with 32 wins and 97 podiums, in stints driving for Renault, McLaren (well, the first stint at least) and Ferrari. His last win was at his home race around the Circuit de Catalunya in 2013, with first an underwhelming 2014 Ferrari and then a woefully underpowered McLaren Honda making his pursuit of further victories difficult and then virtually impossible.

    Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA
    Sunday 21 October 2018.
    Fernando Alonso, McLaren.
    Photo: Sam Bloxham/McLaren
    ref: Digital Image _W6I8618

    Despite this, Alonso is not severing all ties with McLaren once he retires from F1, and plans to fight as hard as ever in Abu Dhabi.

    “I’m also pleased that my relationship with McLaren will continue with the Indy 500,” Alonso added, “and there will be more new challenges together. There are very exciting things ahead, and I’m enthusiastic for what the future will bring. For now, I’m not ruling anything else.”

    “I’m fully focused on this weekend in Abu Dhabi, and making the most of every day – in the car, with the team, and with my family and friends. Abu Dhabi is a tough circuit, but we don’t have anything to lose, so both Stoffel and I will be fighting hard as always.”

    Alongside Alonso, Abu Dhabi will also be the last race at McLaren for Stoffel Vandoorne. Speaking of the duo, McLaren Sporting Director Gil de Ferran said, “The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will certainly be a significant end of the season for everyone at McLaren, as we bid farewell to Fernando and Stoffel in their final Grand Prix for the team. They have been incredible team-mates and ambassadors for McLaren and for the sport, as well as great guys to work with.”

    Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA
    Sunday 21 October 2018.
    Fernando Alonso, McLaren, at the team photo call.
    Photo: Glenn Dunbar/McLaren
    ref: Digital Image _X4I9809

     

    Featured image – Steven Tee/McLaren – Digital Image _2ST7317

  • Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Esteban Ocon aiming to finish season “on a high”

    Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Esteban Ocon aiming to finish season “on a high”

    Heading into this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Esteban Ocon has said he is hoping to finish the season “on a high”, with his future beyond the floodlights of Yas Marina currently uncertain.

    “It’s always a bittersweet feeling when you get to the end of the season,” he said, “but the main motivation is to finish on a high, especially when there is so much at stake in the championship. The last couple of races have been very disappointing, but there’s still one last chance to score a good result before the end of the year.”

    Force India currently lie seventh in the constructors’ championship on 48 points, sandwiched between McLaren and Sauber. They, of course, had to start from scratch at the Belgian Grand Prix following their buy-out and rebranding over the summer break. Their fight-back has been rather remarkable, ignoring the coming together between Ocon and team-mate Sergio Perez on the first lap in Singapore.

    Heading into Abu Dhabi, tens of millions of dollars worth of prize money is at stake for the team, and Ocon is keen to deliver.

    “Abu Dhabi is always good fun. We travel there when it’s getting cold in Europe so it feels a bit like you’re going on holiday. It’s a wonderful paddock too – one of the best – and I always feel very relaxed there.

    Esteban Ocon (FRA) Racing Point Force India F1 VJM11.
    Brazilian Grand Prix, Friday 9th November 2018. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    “I have a lot of good memories from Abu Dhabi: it’s the place where I first drove during a Formula One weekend and I was crowned GP3 champion there. The start of that race in 2015 was incredible – I knew I had to take the title right there on lap one and I did it.”

    Ocon knew that his future at Force India was in doubt even before the summer break when, as mentioned, a consortium led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll bought out the team, making it more than likely that son Lance would make the jump from Williams for 2019. Ocon’s fate at Force India was then sealed when Sergio Perez renewed his contract with his team, leaving the Frenchman out in the cold. For a long while Ocon had been linked to the second seat at Williams alongside fellow Mercedes junior George Russell, however it was announced this morning that Robert Kubica had been signed instead.

    Ocon has since been linked to a role with Mercedes as simulator and reserve driver, with some suggesting that he is being primed to be brought in as a Mercedes race driver in 2020.

    For now and for one last race, though, Ocon’s allegiances lie with Force India, and he is hoping the partnership ends on a high under the lights of Abu Dhabi.

    Esteban Ocon (FRA) Racing Point Force India F1 VJM11.
    Brazilian Grand Prix, Friday 9th November 2018. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

     

    Featured image – Racing Point Force India