The Formula One circus will soon begin its busiest period of the year, with the prospect of four races in five weeks looming on the horizon, kick-started this weekend by the Canadian Grand Prix.
On the face of it, it would seem that there is no greater contrast on the calendar than the jump from Monte Carlo to Montreal. The former is known for its slow speeds where downforce is king, whereas the latter boasts one of the highest average speeds of any race on the calendar, with 45% of the lap spent at full throttle. There are, however, more similarities than you might think. Like Monaco, Canada has areas where there is virtually no run-off with the walls only a whisker away. Controlled aggression is the name of the game, and any small mistake could prove extremely costly.
Red Bull arrive at the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve off the back of a strong showing in Monaco. Yes, Max Verstappen may have binned it in FP3 but he was the source of the most overtakes during the race, and you could not fault Ricciardo for his race-winning performance up front.
Unfortunately, it is likely that the Australian will be receiving a grid penalty after his MGU-K failure during that race. Each driver is only allowed two MGU-Ks per season, and Ricciardo has already used up both of his. Using a third merits an automatic ten-place grid penalty. Furthermore, he has also used up his allowance of batteries and control electronics, which would mean an additional five-place penalty for each should they have to be changed as well.
Red Bull have in recent years gone better in Canada than perhaps would have been expected of them, given their Renault power unit’s deficiency to both Mercedes and Ferrari. Last year, for instance, Ricciardo finished P3 ahead of both Ferraris and both Force Indias, and Canada is of course the place where he scored his first F1 victory back in 2014.
It is arguable that this is a must-win race for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton has a fourteen-point gap to Sebastian Vettel in the championship, and the next few races are probably more suited to the Silver Arrows than the Scuderia. Ferrari haven’t taken the top step of the podium since Bahrain back in early April, and it was at this point in the season last year that things began to slip away from them.
A single podium, in 2016 courtesy of Sebastian Vettel, is the highlight of the team’s trips to Canada in the hybrid era – surprisingly, even Red Bull have more podium finishes than that – although it is worth noting that in 2017 Vettel managed to recover to P4 after dropping to the back of the grid when contact with Verstappen on lap one broke his front wing.
If there has been one constant in Canada in recent years, it’s that this is Mercedes’ race to lose. There has only been one Canadian Grand Prix since the hybrid era began – the aforementioned race in 2014 – that Mercedes have failed to win. This is one of Lewis Hamilton’s best tracks on the calendar – he won the race in 2010, 2012, and every year between 2015 and 2017 inclusive – and it was here last year that he matched Ayrton Senna’s record for the number of pole positions claimed.
Team-mate Valtteri Bottas also has good history with the track. He finished on the podium twice when he was racing for Williams, and also last year in his first year with Mercedes. He also qualified an amazing P3 in his rookie year in 2013, in a car that only finished in the points once in the entire year.
Further down the grid, Toro Rosso will be hoping for a better showing than last year, when both Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz retired. Brendon Hartley in particular needs to put in a good performance, with questions about the safety of his seat continuing to be asked.
Williams have gone well in Canada recently. As mentioned, Valtteri Bottas finished on the podium twice during his stint driving for them, and in 2017 it was one of home favourite Lance Stroll’s best races. They struggled around Monaco, but they will be crossing their fingers that the long straights of Canada will better suit the design of their car and enable them to add to their meagre haul of points so far this year.
Force India will also be expecting good things – Sergio Perez scored a podium back in 2012, and Esteban Ocon will be keen to keep up the momentum from his P6 finish in Monaco.
Haas have claimed to have solved the braking problems that have plagued them seemingly since they joined the sport in 2016 and for that they will certainly be grateful, as a lot of time can be found around the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve just through having confidence on the brakes. They only have one points finish to their name in Canada so far, but there is a fair chance they will be able to add to that this weekend.
Renault are another team who have been on the bubble of being able to score points in Canada in the past. According to Cyril Abiteboul they are scheduled to introduce the next stage of their power unit development along with some aero upgrades, but with Canada’s long straights there will be no place to hide if those updates don’t prove fruitful.
McLaren – who will also be receiving updates from Renault – will be hoping that won’t be the case, but they are nonetheless bracing themselves for a difficult weekend.. Sunday’s race will be Fernando Alonso’s 300th in F1, but the track will not be one of McLaren’s best with its slow corners and long blasts at full throttle.
Finally, Sauber’s Charles Leclerc will be keen to bounce back from the brake failure he suffered in Monaco, and he believes Canada will be one of the best races of the year for himself and team-mate Marcus Ericsson, with both believing that the worst races are over and done with.
Race 1 saw Scott Dixon take his 42nd IndyCar win while in the second race, Ryan Hunter-Reay managed to break his losing streak of nearly as many races, 41, by taking the win after Alexander Rossi cracked under pressure late on. Detroit is a notoriously bumpy track, ready to severely punish any mistakes but also graciously reward those who get it right. Both races proved to be a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQALMfRkdzgbattle between the 2-stop and 3-stop strategies with each being made work by different drivers.
It may have been Marco Andretti on his first pole since Pocono 2013 for Race 1, but just a few laps into the race it became evident that Dixon had far better pace and was more confident in the trickier areas of the track. The first round of pit stops played nicely into Dixon’s hands, removing the challengers of Andretti and Rossi, thus leaving the fight for the win down to just himself, Hunter-Reay and Rahal. Once last year’s double winner, Rahal, had removed himself from contention by hitting the wall, the race was on between Dixon and Hunter-Reay with the former having the pace to pull away in the closing stages of the race, taking his first win of the season.
Race 2 was a quieter affair for Dixon, coming home in an eventual fourth place. The second race certainly had an odd start, the pace car crashed on the formation lap, causing a 34-minute delay to proceedings but once the race did eventually get going, Dixon seemed to be missing some of his Race 1 pace. He had some good battles with Sebastien Bourdais and race-winner Hunter-Reay but ultimately didn’t have the pace to challenge, leaving him in fourth.
The most relieved driver after the weekend would probably be Hunter-Reay who broke a victory drought that had spanned back to Pocono 2015. Admittedly, that gap is not as large as teammate Andretti whose last win came back at Iowa 2011, but it’s still longer than any driver would want and in breaking it, Hunter-Reay has answered a lot of the questions that have been coming his way recently. Race 1 was already a good showing from Hunter-Reay but he didn’t quite have the pace to match Dixon who seemed imperious in the first outing, leaving Hunter-Reay as the slightly disgruntled bridesmaid once again.
However, the #28 Andretti driver’s fortunes finally turned to the better, after years of bad luck and hardship, in Race 2. A poor qualifying, including two spins, had left Hunter-Reay playing catch up in the first half of the race but, even as he was cutting his way through the field, he clearly had the pace of the leaders, namely Rossi. Following his last stop, Hunter-Reay was over eight seconds back from Rossi but, with just seven laps to go, Rossi had been caught. A lock up from Rossi handed Hunter-Reay a lead he would’ve surely taken anyway and meant that his nearest challenger was over 16 seconds back, meaning the American could take a dominant victory, 41 races after his last.
Losing that race to Hunter-Reay was Rossi who, after coming home in third in Race 1, was the championship leader. Rossi was repeatedly told on the radio to think about the bigger picture, about the championship, not just this race but, racing drivers are just that, racing drivers and Rossi wanted that win more than anything else. With Hunter-Reay having the superior pace, Rossi was right on the limit, already shown by an earlier lock up that cost the #27 Andretti driver valuable time. Then, at Turn 3, Rossi had another, much larger, lock up that forced him to go straight on, losing him the lead, leaving him with a puncture and meaning that he only trailed home in 12th. Rossi’s now lost the championship lead to Will Power but he’s just 11 points back so all is far from lost.
Will Power, driver of the #12 Verizon Team Penske IndyCar Chevrolet V6, races to a seventh place finish Saturday, June 2, 2018 during the first of two Verizon IndyCar Series Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Duals on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott R. LePage/LAT for Chevy Racing)
Following on from his Indy 500 triumph, Power was top Chevrolet all weekend, getting a seventh in Race 1 and then a podium in Race 2, meaning he stays in the championship lead. In Race 1, all the Chevrolet-powered cars struggled for pace and were no match for their Honda-powered counterparts however, some overnight changes meant that their pace was much improved, meaning Power could snatch a podium. While Penske teammates Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud could hardly make it into the top-10, Power was able to take the fight to the Hondas, even if he wasn’t a threat to Hunter-Reay.
Top rookie, as it always seems to be, was Robert Wickens who came home eighth in Race 1 and then sixth in Race 2, after starting second. Schmidt Peterson, like so many others, struggled for pace all weekend with Wickens’ teammate James Hinchcliffe having an awful pair of races, a significant amount off the pace in both.
Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Ed Jones, put in very good performances in both races with a sixth in Race 1 and then a remarkable third in Race 2, showing that he can challenge teammate Dixon and removing some of the questions that had been hanging over him for the first part of the season.
IndyCar first-timer and F2 driver Santino Ferrucci also put in very respectable performances, even if the results don’t show it. His first ever IndyCar race ended in a trip to the barriers curtesy of a nudge from behind by Charlie Kimball, who served a drive-thru penalty for the collision. Race 2 was a similar story; Ferrucci managed to avoid the barriers after spinning on exiting pit lane but his race was ruined by it. Regardless, it was a good showing from Ferrucci who was, at times, outpacing teammate Bourdais who had a dire weekend.
An excursion in the run off in the opening stages of Race 1 dropped the Frenchman well down the order with Bourdais eventually finishing in 13th place. His weekend was to only get worse in Race 2 after first getting a puncture, then a penalty for pitting under caution and, to top it all off, a spin as a result of a bent tow-link. Certainly, a weekend to forget.
The races keep coming for the IndyCar paddock who now head onto Texas Motor Speedway for their third consecutive weekend of racing. A well-deserved two-week break awaits the teams and drivers after Texas, providing a crucial reset button.
The wait for a maiden TT victory finally ended this afternoon for Lincolnshire rider Peter Hickman, as he held off Michael Dunlop over four pulsating laps of racing.
As has been the case with the previous two contested races, Conor Cummins (Padgetts Honda) was the first rider to set off down Bray Hill, and once again was soon overhauled by the rampaging trio of Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki), Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW) and Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW). This time however, there was nothing Cummins could do to even offer any resistance, as his Honda began losing power over the first ascent of Snaefell. The Manxman ground to a halt at Governor’s Bridge, his fortunes this week so far in tatters.
The trio matched each other almost exactly over the opening lap and were in a league of their own – distancing the overall fourth placed contender, Dave Johnson (Gulf BMW) by over 15 seconds. By the end of the race, the gap from the top three to the rest would be an enormous 1 minute and 21 seconds.
As the riders thundered over Ballaugh Bridge, Dean Harrison was dropping back behind Dunlop and Hickman – almost certainly testament to the efforts he’d put in to his Superbike and Supersport challenges. Although unable to contest for the top spot this time, the Yorkshireman never let the leading duo out of his sights, and securing third place and his third podium of the week.
Hickman and Dunlop were left to duke it out for what will surely go down as one of the greatest TT races since the turn of the millennium. Having entered and then left the pit lane together, following their one and only stop, the pair traded fastest sector times from the Grandstand to the Bungalow. Dunlop braved it out on the descent, pulling out a small margin of 1.8 seconds by the time they passed Cronk-ny-Mona. The smallest of advantages to the Ulsterman heading into the final lap.
Hickman responded by taking a full second off Dunlop by the time the bikes thundered through the trees at Glen Helen. The gap was down to just 0.5 seconds by the time the pair made the turn at Douglas Road Corner and blasted into Kirk Michael. Dunlop hit back and again had almost a full second over his rival, as they rounded the Ramsey hairpin for the final time. Hickman clawed a few tenths back as he wound up the Gooseneck. Dunlop pulled out a couple of tenths as he shot through Verandah. Nothing between them. Hickman kept the throttle pinned as he passed Kate’s cottage and tore off towards Creg-Ny-Baa.
Dunlop crossed the line first with a finishing time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 54 seconds. Thirty agonisingly long seconds later, Hickman’s bike fired out of Governor’s Bridge and roared across the line at the Grandstand. The Brit had done it by 4 seconds. He has wins in British Superbikes to his name, on the roads he’s the master of the Dundrod circuit (which hosts the Ulster Grand Prix). Today, he can add the Isle of Man TT to his CV.
There were, understandably, highly emotional scenes in the winners’ enclosure. Hickman having to stop himself on more than one occasion as he was interviewed by Manx Radio. Who could blame him for being unable to completely fight back the tears? He had put everything into that race, and today Lady Mona had smiled upon him.
Despite not being on the podium, Dave Johnson’s race was no less eventful that the podium finishers. He was involved in a fierce battle of his own with James Hillier (Quattro Plant JG-Speedfit Kawasaki) before he finally secured fourth place.
Michael Rutter (Bathams BMW) and Martin Jessop (Riders Motorcycles BMW) both had solid races, coming home in P6 and P7 respectively. However there was an excellent scrap between Sam West (PRL-Worthington BMW) and Ivan Lintin (Dafabet Devitt Kawasaki) over eighth place. The two, although finishing almost a minute apart on the road, they were inseparable throughout the race on corrected time. West took the honours, finishing ahead by 2 seconds. Around a 150 mile race, it simply does not get any closer.
Rounding out the top ten, and increasingly becoming a sensation in his own right, is TT newcomer Davey Todd (Burrows Engineering Suzuki). The former National Superstock 600 race winner has made the transition to real road racing seamlessly during the meeting. He finished just 3 minutes off the leaders’ times. Remember the name, as it won’t be long until he steps up onto the podium.
The riders will now take stock, and with the majority having contested two gruelling races today, will rest up ahead of the resumption of racing on Wednesday. Whether Lightweight class, Supersport or Superbike – it is going to have to take something truly extraordinary to top this race today.
Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Honda) made it two wins out of two this week on the island, as he claimed his seventeenth victory around the TT course.
Whilst Saturday’s triumph had come aboard the 1000cc Superbikes, this morning’s race was contested on the smaller 600cc machines. Smaller in engine size, and slower in lap time – just as fiercely contested.
Desperate to make amends following his retirement last time out, Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawaski) once again set the early pace. The ‘Bradford Bullet’ taking the lead, on corrected time, at the first time check at Glen Helen. The Yorkshireman broke the record from the Grandstand to Ballaugh (from the standing start) and for all money like he was on course to smash yet another circuit record.
Dunlop had other ideas.
Clawing his rival back in over the mountain road, the Ulsterman closed in on his rival and claimed the lead of the race for his own as he passed the checkpoint at The Bungalow. Not content with just the race lead, the 29-year old blasted out the Supersport lap record, next time around, with an astonishing average speed of 129.197 mph (17 minutes and 31 seconds). Harrison was not far behind – the gap between the leaders was a mere 4 seconds as the pair entered the pit lane for their one and only stop of the race. Crucially, Dunlop was the only rider of the top ten to opt for a new rear tyre. A decision which would prove
With the knowledge that he would not run out of grip over the remainder of the 150 mile race, Dunlop began to turn the screw on his rivals. Although not threatening his new lap record – in fairness, he did not need to – he slowly closed down on Harrison until they were together on the road. A quick glance from Harrison over his shoulder on the approach to Ballaugh, and he saw the Northern Irishman bearing down on him. Try as he did to reduce Dunlop’s lead – he tried so hard he knocked the transponder off his machine as he brushed the wall at Guthries – he could not be shaken off.
Behind the leading duo, came a thrilling battle for the final place on the podium. Peter Hickman (Trooper Triumph) and James Hillier (Quattro-Plant Kawasaki) traded personal best lap times throughout the entire race, culminating in a thrilling dice over the final climb of Snaefell mountain. From Glen Helen to Ramsey, it was Hillier who had the advantage, inching out a couple of seconds to his rival. Hickman, however, was in a different league from the Goosneck to the Grandstand. The British Superbike race winner blasted the fastest crossing of the mountain road, ensuring that it was he who rounded out the podium. Like Harrison, Hickman was a non-finisher in Staurday’s Superbike TT race, he will be delighted to have finished in third place today.
Further back, Josh Brookes (McAms Yamaha) entertained the spectators by climbing up from tenth into P6 on the final lap – setting his personal best time in the process. It was another strong result from the 34-year old Australian, backing up his top ten finish aboard the Norton SG6 on Saturday. Such was his pace on the final lap, he managed to finish 8 seconds clear of his nearest rival Gary Johnson (RAF Regular and Reserves Triumph). Rounding out the top ten were Lee Johnston (Padgetts Honda), James Cowton (McAdoo Kawasaki) and Ivan Lintin (Dafabet Devitt Kawasaki).
It was another difficult race for Ian Hutchinson (Padgetts Honda). The 14x TT race winner continues to struggle with his injury problems, and could only manage to finish in P16. The 38-year old has effectively written off this year’s races from a performance perspective. Instead, the Bingley-based rider is focusing on clocking up the miles, in preparation for next season.
It’s time for the really dusty rally! Last year, M-Sport won the rally, thanks to a superb drive from Ott Tanak. Thierry Neuville is the championship leader, currently 19 points ahead of the reigning champion Seb. Opening the road on Friday will make the event very tricky for him. Last year we saw Seb open the road and he finished in fifth place and kept the lead in the championship.
Rally Italia Sardegna – Photo credit – M-Sport World Rally Team
Here’s last year’s result.
Final Overall Classification -Rally Italia Sardegna
1
O. Tanak
M. Jarveoja
Ford Fiesta WRC
3:25:15.1
2
J.M Latvala
M. Anttila
Toyota Yaris WRC
+12.3
3
T. Neuville
N. Gilsoul
Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
+1:07.7
4
E. Lappi
J. Ferm
Toyota Yaris WRC
+2:12.9
5
S. Ogier
J. Ingrassia
Ford Fiesta WRC
+3:25.3
6
J. Hänninen
K. Lindstrom
Toyota Yaris WRC
+3:38.5
7
M. Østberg
O. Floene
Ford Fiesta WRC
+6:31.8
8
A. Mikkelsen
A. Jaeger
Citroën C3 WRC
+8:07.8
9
E. Camilli
B. Veillas
Ford Fiesta R5
+11:15.8
10
J. Kopecky
P. Dresler
Škoda Fabia R5
+11:21.4
Here’s the full schedule for this tricky event!
RALLY ITALIA SARDINIA SCHEDULE (GMT+2)
THURSDAY 7 JUNE
8.00am: Shakedown Olmedo (3,34 km)
5.00pm: Start (Alghero)
6.00pm: SS 1 – Ittiri Arena Show (2,00 km)
7.00pm: Parc fermé (Alghero)
FRIDAY 8 JUNE
6.30am: Service A (Alghero – 15 min)
8.33am: SS 2 – Tula 1 (21,99 km)
9.48am: SS 3 – Castelsardo 1 (14,52 km)
10.37am: SS 4 – Tergu – Osilo 1 (14,14 km)
11.48am: SS 5 – Monte Baranta 1 (10,78 km)
12.44pm: Service B (Alghero – 30 min)
3.02pm: SS 6 – Tula 2 (21,99 km)
4.17pm: SS 7 – Castelsardo 2 (14,52 km)
5.06pm: SS 8 – Tergu – Osilo 2 (14,14 km)
6.24pm: SS 9 – Monte Baranta 2 (10,78 km)
7.00pm: Flexi service C (Alghero – 45 min)
SATURDAY 9 JUNE
5.55am: Service D (Alghero – 15 min)
8.38am: SS 10 – Coiluna – Loelle 1 (14,95 km)
9.33am: SS 11 – Monti Di Ala’ 1 (28,52 km)
10.11am: SS 12 – Monte Lerno 1 (29,11 km)
1.03pm: Service E (Alghero – 30 min)
2.11pm: SS 13 – Citta’ Di Ittiri – Coros (1,40 km)
4.08pm: SS 14 – Coiluna – Loelle 2 (14,95 km)
5.03pm: SS 15 – Monti Di Ala’ 2 (28,52 km)
5.41pm: SS 16 – Monte Lerno 2 (29,11 km)
8.15pm: Flexi service F (Alghero – 45 min)
SUNDAY 10 JUNE
7.45am: Service G (Alghero – 15 min)
8.45am: SS 17 – Cala Flumini 1 (14,06 km)
9.38am: SS 18 – Sassari – Argentiera 1 (6,96 km)
11.12am: SS 19 – Cala Flumini 2 (14,06 km)
12.18pm: SS 20 – Sassari – Argentiera 2 Power Stage (6,96 km)
1.15pm: Service H (Alghero – 10 min)
2.15pm: Podium (Alghero)
Let’s hear from the driver’s!
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville
“Portugal was the near-perfect weekend for us, as we took 29 out of a maximum 30 points. We now move onto Sardinia, which is one of the most technical events on the calendar, leading the championship. The roads are very narrow and become extremely rough on the second pass. The grip level is quite high on the repeat loop, but we often lack traction on the first run through. They are tricky conditions but the stages tend to suit my driving style and pace notes system. I am able to be very precise and I have been successful there many times in the past.”
2017 FIA World Rally Championship Round 07, Rally d’Italia Sardegna 8-11 June 2017 Thierry Neuville – Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC Photographer: RaceEMotion Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Hayden Paddon
“First of all, I am feeling fighting fit after the incident in Portugal and I’m ready to get back down to business. Up to that point, we were able to show a competitive level of performance, taking a stage win and battling for the lead. Rally Italia Sardegna is certainly one of the highlights of the year, located in the Mediterranean with sunny conditions and hot temperatures. The stages are very twisty and challenging. It is a rally I enjoy, and from where I have good memories. I scored my first WRC podium there in 2015 and led the rally in 2017. I would like to finish off what we started last year.”
Andreas Mikkelsen
“Rally Italia Sardegna is a very warm event and it’s important to have high concentration; there are many rocks sticking out that can cause punctures or damage. You also need a stable car because the stages are quite narrow and rough with a lot of bumps. We have made improvements to the car on gravel, which has given me an improved feeling, and I felt really comfortable during Rally de Portugal. This is a positive sign for Sardinia where our aim is to catch up some points and improve our position in the drivers’ championship, while also helping the team to increase the manufacturers’ lead. It will be tough on mind and body, as well as the car and tyres, but we’re ready for it.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala
“I always enjoy competing in Sardinia. I actually drove there for the first time in 2003 on the Rally Costa Smeralda, the year before the WRC started going there. The roads have a very hard base with a layer of sand on the top which can make it very slippery for the first cars on the road. The roads are narrow but you can go very fast if you can keep to the right line. I feel positive heading to Sardinia. I had two clean days of driving in Portugal without any mistakes and this helped my confidence a lot, and I am really enjoying driving this car.”
Jari-Matti and Miikka scored a podium last year on this event – Photo credit Toyota World Rally Team
Ott Tanak
“Sardinia is a special rally for me as it’s where I got my first win one year ago. Hopefully we can get another top result this time around. I think this will be a key rally for the championship. Portugal obviously didn’t go as well as we planned or hoped, so it will be really important to score some strong points. We are trying to be well prepared as possible, and I know that the team is working really hard. I am really happy with how the car has been performing: In Argentina it was fantastic and it felt good in Portugal as well. Now we just need to translate that speed into a good result before the summer holidays.”
Esapekka Lappi
“I am really looking forward to competing in Sardinia again. We had a pretty good result there already last year and my speed was good, as we won six stages. I think I have learnt a lot since then, and there has also been a lot of progress with the car. I have felt very comfortable over the last couple of rallies and I have had the confidence to push hard. Now that we are fifth in the championship, we will have to run quite early on the road on Friday. The road cleaning effect can be quite big there, but I got some good experience of this on the final two days in Portugal, so I am not worrying about this too much.”
M-Sport Ford WRT
Sébastien Ogier
“Portugal was a shame as we had the speed to challenge for the win. It was a small mistake with big consequences, but we put it behind us and are now fully focused on giving it everything we’ve got in Sardinia.
“Having competed here many times before, I’ve learned to really enjoy these demanding stages. It’s a beautiful island, but not the easiest of rallies with some very rough and abrasive terrain. You need to keep a margin and stay focused from start to finish – which is exactly what we intend to do next week.
“We won’t be opening the road this year, but we’ll still have something of an uphill battle with many fast drivers benefitting from a cleaner road behind. Even so, I’m confident that we can challenge for a good result. If we can keep the lead in sight on Friday night then we’ll be in with a chance – and will push for the best possible result.”
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Italy Sardegna (ITA) – WRC 08/06/2017 to 11/06/2017 – PHOTO : @World
Elfyn Evans
“Sardinia will always be a special place for me. It’s where I first got behind the wheel of a world rally car and I’ve come to really enjoy the challenging nature of the stages. It’s not an easy rally by all means, but I think that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much.
“It’s such a demanding event and there are so many things that you need to keep in mind. The stages themselves are very rough and abrasive. You need to keep a margin within your driving otherwise your rally can be over before it’s even begun.
“Then there’s the heat. At this time of year, we can be looking at temperatures as high as 30C. That takes its toll on the cars, and the 50C plus temperatures inside the cockpit take their toll on the crew too!
“After our good result in Portugal we’re keen to keep that momentum going in Sardinia. We’ve completed two days of testing and we’ll have a fairly good road position on Friday that we’ll need to make the most of. If everything goes our way, I see no reason why we can’t be challenging for another strong result.”
Teemu Suninen
“I didn’t compete in Sardinia last year, but I did win the WRC 2 category in 2016 so hopefully that will help us this year. Every rally is difficult at this level and every minor detail has an effect on the end result – I’m sure Sardinia will be no different.
“We completed a one-day test last week which proved really useful. The road was quite slow, but that was good for me as it’s on these slower roads where I need to focus on improvements – where it’s slow and narrow and you need to take an advantage over every inch of the road.
“Even on the test I noticed how hot it will be next week. Normally I drink three litres a day but in Sardinia I expect to be drinking more than five litres a day! The stages are also quite rough and that means that we will have to get every stone marked in our notes.
“By focusing on my rivals my speed won´t improve. I’ll focus purely on my own driving and on improving stage by stage – then we’ll see where we are at the end of the rally.”
Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT
Craig Breen
“This is one of the WRC rallies where I have the least experience, but fortunately it hasn’t changed much since last year and so I have most of the pace notes already. It’s not necessarily my favourite event, because it’s never easy to adopt a fluid driving style on these really narrow, technical stages. But I have a good road position in eighth in the running order, because it’s one of the events where cleaning is most significant, so I’m going to try and make the most of it on the opening day.”
Mads Østberg
“It’s one of my favourite rallies. I’ve always been quick here. First of all, you need very good pace notes and then you need to find the right balance between pushing where you can and defending when there is a real risk of smashing the car. I learned a lot about the C3 WRC in Portugal and ended up by showing some pretty decent speed. The two days of pre-event testing held this week will help me to find the right pace, especially as I fully intend to take advantage of my good position in the running order.”
Mads Ostberg – Photo credit, Citroen Racing.
Just one team will be running two cars, with the removal of Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle from the Citroen team a few days ago. This will make it hard for them to make some good ground up in the manufacturers championship, but with Mads making his third start this year for this team and Craig in the other car looking to learn more about this tricky event for the future, they’ve got two drivers that can get to the end of the rally in the points.
Now, this is a special event for Miikka Antilla. He is making his 200th WRC start. A very special moment for Jari-Matti’s co-driver. The Toyota crew will want to get a great result, to mark this weekend.
Well, who do I think could win? Hayden Paddon and Seb Marshall will make their third start this year, and with his great road position, I would expect them to be in the mix for the podium at the very least, along with Andreas, Jari-Matti and Esapekka.
Don’t forget, all the action starts on Thursday morning with shakedown at 8am, that’s 6am BST here in the UK. The latest weather reports for the area on Friday are suggesting there will be thunderstorms. If there are stages that have rain, then Thierry will be a happy man.
Michael Dunlop during the Superbike TT race – image Gary Howlett.
Michael Dunlop (Tyco BMW) completed his sixteenth victory today at the Isle of Man TT, setting a new race record around the famous mountain course.
The build up to the race had been overshadowed by the devastating news on Wednesday night, when the news broke that fellow Tyco-BMW rider Dan Kneen had been tragically killed in a crash during practice. An extremely popular rider, both with fellow competitors and fans, Dan Kneen will be sorely missed. His younger brother (Ryan) paid a simple yet heartfelt tribute during the final qualifying session on Friday, riding a single lap wearing his brother’s helmet. With the blessings of the Kneen family, today’s race would go ahead as planned.
Today, it was the turn of Michael Dunlop to make his tribute.
Setting off from sixth in line the Ulsterman was forced to push from the start, as Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki) tore off at the front with a blistering pace. The Yorkshireman, from a standing start, shattered the lap record, scorching a phenomenal 134.432 mph average speed – which translates around the 37.74 mile mountain course into a time of 16 minutes and 50.384 seconds. After the opening lap, Harrison had the overall lead of the race, and a healthy 11 seconds’ advantage over second-placed Dunlop. The two riders pushed themselves and their bikes to the very limit, as by the second descent of the mountain, they were already passing backmarkers.
By the first round of pit stops at the end of Lap 2, Harrison’s lead (courtesy of another 134 mph lap) had grown to 17 seconds. New slicks, a full tank of fuel, and Dunlop began his charge. The time splits around the course at Glen Helen, Ballaugh, Ramsey and up at The Bungalow consistently showed that the 15x TT race winner was closing the gap. By the time the leaders had dived down Bray Hill for the fourth time, there was only 9 seconds between the pair. Harrison had to respond, and at Ballaugh he’d done enough to ensure the gap remained the same.
Disaster struck the British rider on the Sulby straight when the bike gave up the ghost. He retired the bike at the crossroads, where it later transpired that the clutch had completely burnt out. Frustration all round for himself and the team, but make no mistake, he’ll have the chance to settle the score during Friday’s Senior TT.
Dean Harrison smashed a new lap record. But victory just wasn’t meant to be. (Image. Tracey Killey)
Dunlop was now clear at the front to romp away to victory. Following a smooth final pit stop, he did exactly that. Such was the consistency and the speed from the 29-year old, that he had built up an insurmountable lead of 52 seconds to his nearest rival, Conor Cummins (Padgetts Honda) in second place. However, being a time trial and the competitors starting at intervals, the pair would conclude the race together on the road. Dunlop was content to allow the Manxman to lead on the final lap, until the final blast down the Glencrutchery Road. Today, nobody was going to stop Michael Dunlop from finishing first.
It is fair to say that the pace from Harrison and Dunlop had blown the rest of the competition out into the Irish Sea. James Hillier (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) completed the podium, finishing 21 seconds behind Cummins. It had been a solid week during practice for the Englishman, and today’s result sets both he and the team up for the rest of race week. Behind him, David Johnson (Gulf BMW) and Michael Rutter (Bathams BMW) rounded out the top five. Lee Johnston (Honda TT Legends) came home in P6 – the first runner on a Fireblade, and the only rider from the factory team to go the distance.
There was a tremendous scrap for the final places inside the top ten between Martin Jessopp (RidersMotorcycles-BMW), Ivan Lintin (Kawasaki), Philip Crowe (BMW) and Josh Brookes (Norton SG6). The quartet continuously swapped places with other – both in the overall standings and on track – during the closing stages of the race. Jessopp and Lintin in particular took centre stage on the final lap as the two traded their best sector times over the mountain road, from Ramsey Hairpin to the highest part of the course at Brandywell corner. In the end, just 2 seconds separated the pair at the finish line. As close as you like after 226 grueling miles of racing.
Such is the physical and demanding nature of the course, both for man and machine, the race of attrition inevitably claimed some high profile names. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) was dealt the cruellest hand, being forced to retire the bike at the end of the opening lap. In a cheeky tweet to his followers, the Lincolnshireman was at a loss to explain what had happened to his beloved ‘Beryl’. He’ll be back on Monday in the first Supersport TT race, as he attempts to tame the mountain course.
It was also difficult day for multiple TT race winner, Ian Hutchinson (Honda TT Legends). The ‘Bingley Bullet’, as he is known, is clearly still not 100% fit following his crash during last year’s Senior TT race. After lap three, and languishing down well outside the top ten, enough was enough and his race came to an end at Governor’s Bridge. Monday’s Supersport race should at least be kinder on his body.
The day belonged to Michael Dunlop and the Tyco BMW team. The race win was the perfect tribute to Dan Kneen and his family. Speaking to Manx Radio TT in victory lane, the now 16x TT race winner thanked the team for the bike, and dedicated this race to his teammate:
‘I Just wanted to do that for Dan. Hopefully that’s for the family.’
After the thrills, and spills, of the Indy 500, IndyCar packs up shop and heads to the famous double-header that is the Duel in Detroit. The media, hype and commitments surrounding the Indy 500 are always immense for the participating drivers who generally come to Detroit on a bit of a low and rather tired. This is where one driver can exploit a silver-lining to a cloud he probably wishes didn’t exist; having not qualified for the 500, James Hinchcliffe will be far more rested than the others and, if his post-qualifying press conferences are anything to go by, more determined than ever.
The two races on the Saturday and Sunday will mark the seventh and eighth races in the season respectively and, as the half-way point draws ever nearer, crunch time championship-wise is fast approaching. As such, these races are as crucial as any for those hoping to take the glory at the end of the season, especially given the weekend is worth as much as the 500 from a points perspective.
Indycar 2017 Round Seven: Belle Isle Park, Detoit – Race One. Image Courtesy of Hondanews.eu
Last year’s duel was a show of utter dominance by Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s Graham Rahal who took the win in both races, having led the vast majority of laps. Despite Chevrolet being the title sponsor, it was a Honda-fest with the Japanese manufacturer having a clear advantage over their American counterparts. Honda conceded that they’d lost much, if not all, of their Indy 500 advantage over Chevrolet and many fear that it could be much the same story here at Detroit with the latter currently outnumbering the former on race wins two to four. This makes the coming weekend even more important for both manufacturers who are each desperate to stamp authority in the new era over the other.
Indycar 2017 Round Seven: Belle Isle Park, Detroit – Race Two. Image courtesy of Hondanews.eu
Regardless of the ongoing engine war, one of the star performers of Detroit last year was Scott Dixon who finished second and sixth in Races 1 and 2 respectively. Granted, that doesn’t sound all that remarkable on the surface of it however, the weekend prior at the 500, Dixon had been flying through the air, crash landing on the inner wall and badly damaging his ankle in the process. With a near-broken ankle, Dixon gritted his teeth and somehow got through both Detroit races with more than respectable finishes – he’ll be hoping for a less dramatic weekend this time round!
Indycar 2017 Round Seven: Belle Isle Park, Detoit – Race One. Image courtesy of hondanews.eu
After the super-speedway of Indianapolis, IndyCar’s back on a road course however, the format for Detroit is a little different to the others because it’s a double-header. The field is spilt into two groups for qualifying based on practice times as per usual but then each gets twelve minutes of track time, rather than ten. There are no further rounds to qualifying so the first group take up the odd numbered grid positions and the second the even. This will happen for each race so a driver’s finishing position in Race 1 will mean nothing towards their starting position for Race 2.
All the one-timer Indy 500 drivers have since departed so there are just two driver changes to speak of in the full-time IndyCar field. Jordan King will take the wheel of the #20 Ed Carpenter Racing car from the boss himself who achieved an impressive second-place finish at the 500. The other change is at Dale Coyne where F2 racer and IndyCar first-timer Santino Ferrucci will take control of the #19 car from Zachary Claman De Melo as a result of the driver shift-around due to Pietro Fittipaldi’s injury.
Judging by past form, you’d expect Rahal to be strong once more at Detroit but the RLL squad have been struggling so far this year, meaning Rahal’s streak of good form here may have to come to an end. Elsewhere, Hinchcliffe should come back swinging from his 500 disappointment, quite probably with teammate Robert Wickens in tow while Penske and Andretti, like usual, are not to be counted out of anything.
All the build-up sessions will be live on IndyCar’s streaming channels as usual with Race 1 on BT Sport 2 and Race 2 on BT Sport 1. Timings for the weekend, in BST, are as follows:
Monte Carlo: expensive yachts, lavish food and drink, amazing scenery and the famous casino—but above all, home to the Monaco Grand Prix since 1929. With its prestige and glamour, Monaco is called the crown jewel of the F1 calendar for a reason. Part of the Triple Crown along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500, this Grand Prix is the one that all drivers want to win. It is here at in Monaco where legends are born, with six-time winner Ayrton Senna being the greatest of all. Monaco, with all its racing heritage, is a legendary track and one that drivers enjoy.
Steve Etherington/Mercedes AMG
However, Monaco is not without its problems. The 2018 race was slammed by fans all over the world, with some going so far as to call it the “most boring race ever” and argue for it to be dropped from the calendar altogether.
And it’s not just the fans. World champions Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were also among the critics of this year’s Monaco event. In post-race interviews Hamilton said: “We were just cruising around. It wasn’t really racing.” He also said he’d spoken to Prince Albert of Monaco about potential changes to the circuit to improve future races. Alonso—who retired from the race with gearbox problems—went even further, suggesting F1 needed to “give something to the fans” to reimburse their tickets after what he called “probably the most boring race ever”.
This by no means is a way to say that this race was enjoyable to watch. With not much overtaking happening, it became a bit dull. But Monaco has never been a race in which much overtaking has been expected. Spectators know that watching this race will probably mean watching a parade. Monaco was never meant to be the most spectacular race in the world from an overtaking perspective. With the cars getting really close to the barriers, it is almost impossible to overtake. But that’s just the tracks nature. The circuit has already undergone some changes throughout the years, but the overtaking never really increased. That doesn’t mean though that overtaking can’t happen, nor that it is impossible.
Steven Tee/McLaren
For example, Max Verstappen made more on-track overtakes at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix then there were overtakes in total following lap 1 of the Australian Grand Prix, where only five on-track overtakes took place. Albert Park thus didn’t deliver lots of overtaking. Both being street circuits, it might be obvious which one is more popular with the fans and drivers alike.
As a track Monaco is one of the most enjoyable of the calendar for the drivers, as it is a very unforgiving circuit. Especially on Saturday, when qualifying can make a difference between potentially winning one of F1’s most prestigious events, or starting from the back which means you’ll have to try and overtake. Isn’t that the thing that we should enjoy from Monaco? The drivers going full throttle for 78 laps through those tight, unforgiving streets with danger in every corner. Trying to overtake with those speeds through those streets. One mistake could end their race. Any loss of concentration could leave them open to an overtake or a race-ending crash. That alone should be enough excitement for them, and for the fans.
Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Feature image courtesy of Sahara Force India F1 Team
Ah, Monte Carlo, the signature event on the Formula One calendar. While the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix won’t go down in history as the most exciting race (the word ‘processional’ comes to mind), the challenging nature of the circuit itself makes for an interesting technical race. This season’s running certainly offered up some worthwhile moments, though the lack of a full Safety Car made it seem like it wasn’t quite Monaco.
Daniel Ricciardo leading the pack in Monaco. Image courtesy of Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Daniel Ricciardo stole the show with his masterful pace control from pole position. Capitalising on a clean start, he was able to back the field up for the first several laps, babysitting his hypersoft tyres. Several other drivers commented on the slow pace of the opening stint, but due to the difficulties of overtaking on the narrow streets of Monte Carlo nobody was able to mount an effective attack.
The race appeared to begin in earnest around lap 15, when Ricciardo opened up the throttle. Responding to Vettel’s lap 16 pit stop, Red Bull pulled Ricciardo in for a set of ultrasofts on lap 17. Enjoying a comfortable lead, Ricciardo rejoined the race in first.
On lap 28 Ricciardo reported losing power. While Ricciardo later admitted that Red Bull had identified an issue with the MGU-K on lap 18, it was ten laps later when he announced the problem. Despite being down on power, and further only able to use six of his eight gears, Ricciardo was able to manage his pace remarkably.
As the race progressed, pervasive graining on the left front tyre helped discourage Vettel and others on ultrasofts from pursuing too aggressive an approach, whereas the Red Bull’s chassis served tyre management well. In time, Vettel’s tyres settled in and he was able to mount an attack on Ricciardo, but the Red Bull man defended brilliantly.
A late Virtual Safety Car played into Ricciardo’s hands, as Stoffel Vandoorne’s McLaren emerged from the pits between Ricciardo and Vettel, albeit a lap down. This traffic allowed Ricciardo to rebuild a lead that saw him cross the finish line over 7 seconds ahead of Vettel to claim victory. After the stunning strategy mistake of 2016 cost him that win, this victory was particularly sweet for the Australian. The fact that he remained in P1 through the entire race could’ve only sweetened it further. His Driver of the Day award was well-earned.
Max Verstappen – image courtesy of Rob Smalley / Red Bull Content Pool
On the other side of the Red Bull garage, Max Verstappen drove a solid race. Starting from the back of the grid, he had claimed both Haas cars on the opening lap, and patiently climbed the order. Verstappen maintained a cool head throughout the race, shepherding his starting set of ultrasofts for 47 laps.
Despite some early complaints of pitting late for a set of hypersofts, he engaged in a duel with Carlos Sainz in which both drivers cut chicanes (leading to an amusing radio call of, “He cut the chicane!” from Sainz who moments before did exactly the same thing) resulting in a warning from the pit wall to keep his overtaking clean. After a weekend of trouble and serious errors in previous races, Max drove a clean race to finish in ninth, up from 20th.
Sebastian Vettel at Monaco 2018. Finishing 2nd. Image courtesy of Ferarri.com
Scuderia Ferrari delivered a workmanlike race, though not terribly memorable. Sebastian Vettel consistently kept pressure on Ricciardo, though he wasn’t able to overtake. The pervasive left front graining on the ultrasoft tyres combined with the narrow streets prevented him from pushing past Ricciardo. Technical gremlins briefly popped up for the German on lap 41, causing a brief blackout on his dash. Happily, this wasn’t to become a more serious issue. Vandoorne’s late pitstop during the VSC period sealed Vettel’s second place.
Kimi Räikkönen, despite pushing hard against Lewis Hamilton, was similarly unable to make any meaningful gains. Suffering from the ubiquitous trouble with his left front tyre, the Finn started and finished in fourth.
On the Mercedes front, it looked briefly like Valtteri Bottas might have a chance at upsetting the order as Mercedes elected to send him out on supersofts after pitting on lap 17. While he avoided the graining issues that held up the other drivers at the sharp end of the grid, tyre temperature issues caused him to back off from Räikkönen for several laps, and he wasn’t able to mount a serious challenge to his fellow Finn. Bottas further continued the trend of finishing where he started, in fifth.
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, while vocal about his tyre issues, race pace and so forth, wasn’t able to do much about any of it either. Starting in third, he finished in third.
Steve Etherington/Mercedes AMG
And so it went for the frontrunners (and Max), though there was a bit more excitement down the grid.
Perhaps the most exciting moment of the race came on lap 72, when local boy Charles Leclerc’s Sauber suffered a brake failure while approaching the chicane. Accompanied by a large puff of brake dust (and brakes), he plowed into the back of Brendan Hartley’s Toro Rosso. While Hartley limped back to the pits to retire, Race Control invoked the Virtual Safety Car while marshals recovered the damaged Sauber.
Leclerc’s teammate Marcus Ericsson had a much less eventful race, finishing in 13th, from starting in 16th.
Pierre Gasly. Image courtesy of Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly drove an excellent race. Starting in tenth, he shepherded his used set of hypersofts for 37 laps before pitting for supersofts. Avoiding drama, the Frenchman put in a workmanlike drive to finish in seventh.
Renault displayed an admirable amount of teamwork and coordination when defending against Max Verstappen’s charge. On lap 55, Nico Hulkenberg, running in ninth, clearly had pace over teammate Carlos Sainz, who was running in eighth. Sainz did a brilliant job of ceding eighth to Hulkenberg while preventing Verstappen from following through the door. Though Sainz would eventually lose ninth to the Dutchman, he didn’t give up the position without a fight. Hulkenberg proceeded to finish in eighth, up from eleventh, while Sainz finished in ninth, down from eighth.
It’s tempting to say that McLaren’s early form is waning, though there are still many races left in the season. Long-suffering Fernando Alonso suffered his first retirement of the season, with a gearbox failure on lap 54 after running in the points. His teammate Stoffel Vandoorne finished in 14th, having stymied Vettel’s chances, starting from 12th. Perhaps Ricciardo will send him a fruit basket for his efforts, or at least a nice note.
Sahara Force India F1 Team
Force India suffered from bad luck on one side of the garage, as a troublesome right rear wheel caused Sergio Perez’s lap 23 pit stop to run precious seconds long. Though emerging on the durable supersoft tyres, he was unable to make up positions and finished in 12th, down from his starting position of ninth. Teammate Esteban Ocon, though, despite some graining in the middle stint, had a relatively trouble-free drive to finish where he started, in sixth.
Williams is… continuing to be Williams. The storied organisation’s run of poor performance continued today, even before the race start. Sergey Sirotkin was given a 10-second stop/go penalty for not having his tyres fitted by the 3-minute warning, and was investigated again when it appeared that his crew worked on his car while he served the penalty. He was cleared of this, and went on to finish in 16th, down from 13th.
Lance Stroll had an eventful, though negative, outing. One could be excused for thinking that Stroll was attempting to fill in the punches on his Frequent Pit Stop card, pitting three times. Pitting on lap 9 for a new front wing and supersoft tyres, he emerged in 20th and would have remained there save for retirements up the field. Subsequent stops in laps 34 and 59 for fresh sets of hypersofts didn’t help him overmuch. The Canadian finished in 17th, where he started.
Glenn Dunbar/Williams F1
Haas too continued to struggle. After qualifying 18th and 19th, both of the drivers failed to make significant gains on-track, though they did finish ahead of both Williams’. Kevin Magnussen, this season’s points-generator for the American team, finished out of the points in 13th, while Romain Grosjean finished in 15th.
At the end of the day, Lewis Hamilton retains the lead in the Drivers Championship with 100 points, with Sebastian Vettel in second with 96. Daniel Ricciardo rounds out the top three, with 72 points. On the Constructors side, the teams so far mirror the driver standings. Mercedes leads Ferrari by 178 to 156, and Red Bull is comfortably in third with 107 points.
As we approach Canada, the Drivers and Constructors Championships are still wide open. It should be exciting to see how the teams cope with the demands of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montréal under the new regulations. Stick with us on the weekend of 8–10 June for your Grand Prix du Canada coverage.
Featured image courtesy of Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
The wait for a maiden TT victory finally ended this afternoon for Lincolnshire rider Peter Hickman, as he held off Michael Dunlop over four pulsating laps of racing.
