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  • Rally Sweden 2018 Preview!

    Rally Sweden 2018 Preview!

    Its time for Round Two! The WRC heads for the amazing snow-covered roads of Sweden, one of the fastest rallies of the year! Helping the drivers keep a grip will be the special tyres that Michelin bring.

     

    Two centimetres narrower that their gravel equivalent, and a full five centimetres narrower than the tarmac version, Michelin’s “Sweden” tyre mainly stands out due to the 384 studs glued into drilled holes on the tyre tread. The studs provide such a high level of grip that at equivalent speeds, the braking distances are the same as on dry tarmac! The challenge in Sweden therefore consists of taking great care of these twenty-millimetre-long spikes, which protrude around seven millimetres from the tread blocks. The Scandinavian rally is also one of the few events where taking two spare wheels, especially on the second pass when gravel begins to appear and lines form, actually helps performance. The challenge is to switch tyres at the right moment, so that the studs wear out evenly, and avoid having an uneven tyre set-up.

     

    This year there are 19 stages and a total of 314,25 competitive km’s.

    FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World

     

    Here’s the full details of the stages!

     

    THURSDAY 15 FEBRUARY

    8.00am: shakedown (Skalla)

    8.04pm: Start day 1 (Karlstad)

    8.08pm: SS 1 – Karlstad (1,90 km)

    9.54pm: End of day 1

     

    FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY

    6.00am: Start day 2 and Service A (Torsby – 15 mins)

    7.55am: SS 2 – Hof-Finnskog 1 (21,26 km)

    9.07am: SS 3 – Svullrya 1 (24,88 km)

    9.54am: SS 4 – Röjden 1 (19,13 km)

    11.31am: Service B (Torsby – 30 mins)

    1.41pm: SS 5 – Hof-Finnskog 2 (21,26 km)

    3.03pm: SS 6 – Svullrya 2 (24,88 km)

    3.50pm: SS 7 – Röjden 2 (19,13 km)

    4.56pm: SS 8 – Torsby 1 (9,56 km)

    5.31pm: Flexi Service C (Torsby – 45 mins)

     

    SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY

    7.05am: Start day 3 and Service D (Torsby – 15 mins)

    7.54am: SS 9 – Torntorp 1 (19,88 km)

    9.12am: SS 10 – Hagfors 1 (23,40 km)

    10.08am: SS 11 – Vargasen 1 (14,21 km)

    11.40am: Service E (Torsby – 30 mins)

    12.44pm: SS 12 – Torntorp 2 (19,88 km)

    2.12pm: SS 13 – Hagfors 2 (23,40 km)

    3.08pm: SS 14 – Vargasen 2 (14,21 km)

    5.45pm: SS 15 – Karlstad 2 (1,90 km)

    7.26pm: SS 16 – Torsby Sprint (3,43 km)

    7.56pm: Flexi Service F (Torsby – 45 mins)

     

    SUNDAY 18 FEBRUARY

    6.30am: Start day 4 and Service G (Torsby – 15 mins)

    7.50am: SS 17 – Likenäs 1 (21,19 km)

    9.51am: SS 18 – Likenäs 2 (21,19 km)

    12.18pm: SS 19 – Torsby 2 (9,56 km)

     

    1.00pm: Podium (Torsby)

     

     

    Here’s the views of all the teams then!

    M-Sport Ford

    Sébastien Ogier

    “It looks as though we are in for a true winter rally next week with everything needed for a classic Rally Sweden. Reports from the region suggest that there’s a good ice base and high snow banks which is everything a driver wants to hear ahead of this event.

    “In those conditions, we can reach incredible speeds and lean the cars on the snow banks to help guide us through the corners. It’s an amazing feeling, but it’s not without its challenges.

    “There’s certainly an art to driving on snow and you need to be precise. You have to judge the strength of the snow banks perfectly and – with more snow than previous years – there could be a lot of work to do on the Pacenotes.

    “As the first car on the road, we’ll also have to wait and see what the conditions are like and we’re certainly not hoping to see any fresh snow on Friday.

    “We got the season off to a great start last month, but we all know how strong the competition is and we’re expecting it to be even stronger next week. The Scandinavians are always strong here, but we plan to give them a hard time and secure another strong haul of points for our championship defence.”

    FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 -WRC Sweden (SWE) – WRC 09/02/2017 to 12/02/2017 – PHOTO : @World

    Elfyn Evans

    “Rally Sweden is an event that everyone looks forward to. On a classic Rally Sweden – like what we’re expecting this year – we can reach incredible speeds and if you get it right it’s easily one of the most enjoyable rallies on the calendar.

    “The feeling on snow isn’t a million miles away from driving on gravel, but there are certain techniques that we’ll need to adapt and it can take a bit of getting used to at first.

    “Vision can often be a challenge – particularly if there is a lot of fresh snow making it difficult to read the road ahead. Our Pacenotes and recce are going to have to be spot on, but we’re ready for it and really looking forward to it.

    “There’s something of a score to settle after Monte where we were capable of achieving more than we did, so let’s see what we can do in Sweden.”

     

    Teemu Suninen

    “We’ve just completed some good test kilometres in Northern Sweden which went really well. I’ve not driven the Fiesta WRC since last year’s Rally Finland, so that gave us a chance to get familiar with the car and we’re now feeling well prepared for the start of the rally.

    “It would be amazing to challenge for a podium again. Perhaps that is a realistic goal, but we would have to deliver the perfect rally to achieve it. With eight events this year, we also have to consider a slightly different approach. In 2017, we were solely focused on our future and showing what we could do, but this time we also have to think about the team and scoring points for the manufacturers’ championship.

    “In terms of the weather, there have been talks of freezing temperatures and high snow banks but we’ll have to wait for the recce before we can see for ourselves. Whatever the conditions, the speed is always high. On a rally as fast as this the seconds are harder to gain, and we will have to be on the pace from the very first stage.”

     

    Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT

    Kris Meeke

    “It looks like we going to get perfect winter conditions this year and like all the WRC drivers, I can’t wait to get started! In the last few seasons, with a limited amount of snow, you had to be very cautious or risk getting stuck in a snow bank after the slightest impact. The snow banks seem to be bigger and more compact this time around, so we’ll undoubtedly be able to drive more aggressively and use the banks more, although we may need a bit of time to get used to that. In any event, it’s an exciting challenge that I’m going to try and tackle with the same sensible approach as in Monte-Carlo.”

    Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle, Rally Sweden 2017. Photo Credit, Citroen

    Craig Breen

    “Between the start and end of last season, the C3 WRC made a lot of progress on gravel, so I hope it’ll be the same on snow and ice. Especially as Sweden is one of my favourite rallies, and one where I feel really confident. In fact, I had my very first race in a WRC here in 2014 and also made my maiden appearance in Sweden with Citroën Racing in 2016. After a difficult Monte, I’d love to get decent points on the board. And it looks like the road conditions will be perfect for this year’s rally, with really solid snow banks that are forgiving if you make a relatively minor mistake.”

     

    Mads Ostberg

    “Rally Sweden is a special event for me and I have always been quick here, so I’m very happy to have this opportunity to rejoin the team. I’m hoping to make the most of the shakedown at Satory and then the day of pre-event testing to adapt quickly to the C3 WRC. In any case, I’m already up to speed in these conditions, having contested two winter rallies in Norway, the second of which I won. With the bigger snow banks this year, the roads are likely to be narrower and more technically demanding, so perhaps we Scandinavians may be able to take advantage of our greater experience in conditions like these.”

     

    Toyota Gazoo WRT

    Jari-Matti Latvala

    “Sweden is one of my favourite rallies and actually the place where I took my first WRC victory 10 years ago – although it really doesn’t feel like so long ago! Compared to last year I think we have a better car: we concentrated on improving it on the slower and more technical sections during our test, and we definitely made a step forward in this area. Having said that, the competition is even tougher this year: within our own team as well. It’s going to be a really nice challenge in proper winter conditions and that of course helps me raise my own game; I’m confident we can fight for the win again. This weekend I’m also taking part in a local rally on snow in Finland with Juho Hänninen in my historic Toyota Celica, so this will be a lot of fun and the perfect way to prepare.”

    Last years winners for Toyota Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Antilla tackle Colins Crest. Photo Credit, Toyota Gazoo WRT

     

    Ott Tänak

    “I’m still learning about the Yaris WRC, but after driving it on snow during the test I’m beginning to understand why Jari-Matti won in Sweden last year. For the first part of the rally we’ll just have to see how everything goes, but of course I’m hoping that we can fight for the podium and even the win. If the snow is heavy on the stages, which seems to be the case, our start position of second on the road won’t be ideal, but of course the weather can change. I’m just going to enjoy the weekend and do my best. There’s a lot more still to come.”

    Esapekka Lappi

    “It took me a few days to get over the disappointment of losing fourth place in Monte-Carlo on the last stage, but in the end, there were more positives than negatives. Up to that point, we had driven a very consistent rally, and my aim is to do the same in Sweden. We had a good test and did around 400 kilometres in two days, which was enough for me to get a good feel. Our car should be well-suited to Sweden but it’s a very different type of rally to Monte-Carlo: in Monte, sometimes you have to be brave by going slow enough, whereas in Sweden you need a different type of commitment. I didn’t compete on the rally last year, so I am missing a bit of experience, but snow is a surface I always feel comfortable on.”

     

    Hyundai Motorsport

    Andreas Mikkelsen

    “Rally Sweden is a very special event for me because of the opportunity we have to go rallying across the border into my home country of Norway. We have a lot of support from fans, family and friends. It’s a beautiful event and the only one we get to tackle completely on snow and ice with proper studded tyres. They give amazing grip and the feeling is unbelievable. We expect a good number of snow banks this year, so we will be able to explore the limits.”

    Thierry Neuville

    “We had good speed on the Swedish and Norwegian stages last year but unfortunately things didn’t end well when we were forced to retire on the penultimate day. This year, I am aiming to challenge once again for the win but with a far better outcome. Sweden is truly a unique event; the only one where we can compete with fully studded tyres for the complete rally. As one of the fastest rallies of the season, it’s an exhilarating one from inside the cockpit and for the fans lining the stages. We want to put on a good show and, most importantly, deliver a good result.”

    Hayden Paddon

    “I can’t wait to get my 2018 season underway finally. It feels like a long time since we were competing in Australia.  Sweden will be a fresh start for us. I have good memories from finishing on the podium two years ago, and I will be trying to repeat some of that performance. It was great to get re-acquainted with the car in testing recently. We were able to enjoy some outstanding winter driving conditions. More of that in the rally, as well as a decent result, would be the perfect start to my season.”

    2017 FIA World Rally Championship
    Round 02, WRC, Sweden
    06-12 February 2017
    Hayden Paddon, John Kennard, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
    Action
    Day 1
    Photographer: Helena El Mokni
    Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

     

    Now, there are lots of spectacular stages in this event, none more so than Vargasen, which features Colins Crest! Lots of fans base themselves there, just to see these amazing cars fly through the air and last year, Mads got the biggest jump of the event.

    This year looks to be just as amazing! There has been a lot of snow, which means the snow banks are of very good quality!

    We’ve got the returning Hayden and Mads, plus a good battle between Ott and Seb. What chance we have seeing a different driver leading the championship on Sunday afternoon?

     

    Enjoy!

  • F1 Season Preview: The Contenders

    2017 saw the long-awaited dogfight between Hamilton and Vettel but it petered out towards the end, missing that tense showdown that everyone wanted. 2018 promises to be even better. Hamilton and Vettel will be going at it again but they could be joined by Alonso, Verstappen, Ricciardo and maybe even Bottas—some of the best drivers on the grid going all out for glory, what’s not to love?

    Here we’ll take a look at the potential contenders and their hopes for 2018.

    Lewis Hamilton

    Wolfgang Wilhelm/Mercedes AMG F1

    The reigning champion has lofty ambitions for 2018 with the Brit claiming that he’ll be “stronger than ever” and “unbeatable”. It’ll be hard for him to live up to the latter but nevertheless, he is an exceptional driver in what is still the car the beat.

    A fifth world title could be looming for Hamilton which would put him ahead of Vettel, equal with Juan Manuel Fangio and behind only the great Michael Schumacher. But he won’t, by any means, have it all his own way—Mercedes dominance has been dwindling and with the Renault power units almost level with Mercedes and Ferrari, there are more drivers than ever to race him to the title.

    Sebastian Vettel

    Foto Studio Colombo/Ferrari Media

    2017 was, undoubtedly, a disappointment for both Vettel and Ferrari, to be leading the title for the whole first half of the season and then not win it was a huge blow for them. As such, Vettel is looking for redemption in the shape for his fifth world title—he wants to beat Hamilton to five, show that he can win titles outside Red Bull and take Ferrari back to the top.

    It won’t be easy. He needs to prevent the ‘red mist’ from descending on him like it did in Baku and Singapore. But more than that, he needs Ferrari to up their game and be there for all the races, without any of the petty failures that cost him so dear in 2017. The determination on Vettel’s side will be stronger than ever, that fifth title is his sole objective for 2018.

    Fernando Alonso

    Steven Tee/McLaren

    After three miserable years with McLaren-Honda, 2018 could be the year that Alonso is a championship contender once more. The two-time champion has been left disappointed with woeful reliability and an almost comical lack of power but now, McLaren-Honda is no more with the team instead being powered by Renault.

    Over the years, the Spaniard has become renowned for being at wrong team at the wrong time but in 2018, he might actually be in a good place—a third world title for Alonso is no longer a laughable prospect.

    Max Verstappen

    Marcel van Hoorn/Red Bull Content Pool

    Verstappen is one of the brightest young talents on the grid, showing his class in every race that he didn’t break down in during 2017—and even in the ones that he did. If Red Bull can start the season strong and Renault can provide a reliable power unit, few would doubt Verstappen’s ability to take a title over the likes of Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso.

    The Dutchman is not one to be underestimated for 2018 and he could just give the old guard a run for their money.

    Daniel Ricciardo

    GEPA Pictures/Red Bull Content Pool

    After spending the majority of both 2016 and 2017 in Verstappen’s shadow, Ricciardo will be desperate to show his worth and put up a proper title challenge. Few doubt Ricciardo’s talent but most think that he’ll be eclipsed by Verstappen in a straight, season-long fight.

    One of the worst kept secrets of the paddock is that Ricciardo is looking around for 2019. If Red Bull don’t provide him a championship winning car for 2018, he’ll likely jump ship to either Mercedes or Ferrari so this really is Red Bull’s last chance to keep Ricciardo.

    Valtteri Bottas

    Steve Etherington/Mercedes AMG F1

    This season is crucial for Bottas. If he doesn’t deliver he’ll be out of a Mercedes drive. Being in the Mercedes, arguably the best car on the grid, means a sustained title challenge is expected of Bottas—whether he has the ability to deliver that or not remains to be seen.

    In 2017, Bottas seemed to do best at low-grip tracks like Austria but that won’t be good enough with the added competition in 2018. He needs to deliver at all tracks to convince the F1 paddock of his worth. He can’t be counted out for a title challenge but he’s not one to put money on.

     

    This is how the drivers stand according to SkyBet:

    Lewis Hamilton – 6/5

    Sebastian Vettel – 10/3

    Max Verstappen – 4/1

    Daniel Ricciardo – 15/2

    Fernando Alonso – 11/1

    Valtteri Bottas – 14/1

    Kimi Raikkonen – 33/1

    Carlos Sainz – 50/1

    Nico Hulkenberg – 50/1

    Stoffel Vandoorne – 80/1

    Esteban Ocon – 150/1

    Sergio Perez – 200/1

    Lance Stroll – 250/1

    Romain Grosjean – 250/1

    Kevin Magnussen – 400/1

    Brendon Hartley – 500/1

    Pierre Gasly – 500/1

  • F1 Season Preview: 5 things to watch

    With the start of the F1 season nearly upon us, here are 5 things to watch out for in 2018.

    McLaren-Renault

    Glenn Dunbar/McLaren

    After a dismal three-year marriage, McLaren-Honda finally divorced at the end of 2017 with McLaren going to Renault and Honda going to Toro Rosso.

    Throughout the troubled times, McLaren claimed, time and time again, that they have one of the best chassis on the grid. So, with the Renault engine of the rise, McLaren’s word will be put to the test—can they challenge for podiums, wins or even the championship or will Alonso be left disappointed once more?

    Alfa Romeo Sauber

    Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team

    Following the fallout over the short-lived Sauber-Honda deal, the Swiss team strengthened their partnership with Ferrari by becoming their effective ‘B-team’.

    This means that, along with up-to-date engines, Sauber will be responsible for looking after some of Ferrari’s junior drivers. For 2018, they’ll have reigning F2 champion Charles Leclerc as a full-time driver and 2016 GP2-runner up Antonio Giovinazzi as their third driver. Mercedes have already said that the alliance could be “dangerous for them” with the Germans hinting that they may follow suit in the coming years.

    The ‘Halo’

    Steve Etherington/Mercedes AMG F1

    Controversial as it is, we will see the halo raced for the first time in 2018. The FIA had to do something for this season as they had said a ‘frontal head protection device’ would be in place by 2018.

    Some would say that it’s been rushed through the development process. Nevertheless, the FIA have allowed the teams some leeway with winglets and such like on the halo and the structure of it will be blended into the colour scheme of the car, so that it doesn’t stand out quite as much.

    Softer tyres

    Zak Mauger/LAT Images/Pirelli Media

    Pirelli have admitted that they were too cautious with their tyre compounds in 2017, leading to widespread one-stop races and minimal degradation.

    While they’re not going back to the days of super high-degradation tyres, the 2018 tyres will be softer. Along with the introduction of the Hyper-Soft, each compound will be a step softer; the Super-Soft will be like the old Ultra-Soft, the Soft will be like the old Super-Soft and so on. This should increase the variation in strategies, hopefully leading to more exciting and unpredictable racing.

    The midfield

    Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool

    2017 involved an intense mid-field fight between Renault, Toro Rosso and Haas with the teams finishing within 10 points of each other.

    A shake up is on the cards for 2018, however. The newly-powered McLaren and the works Renault team are both expected to rise above the rest of the midfield for fourth and fifth places in the championship which will make the midfield battle for sixth down to tenth. Force India should be as strong as ever and could give McLaren and Renault a run for their money while less is expected of Williams, given the standard of their drivers. The new Toro Rosso-Honda partnership has the potential to be very good, as does Alfa-Romeo Sauber, while Haas remains to be an unknown.

  • F1 Season Preview: Make or Break

    After 2017, there are several drivers and teams facing a critical 2018—one which could have serious implications for their future in F1. Here we’ll look at those who are under the most pressure for 2018, why they have to perform and the potential consequences if they don’t.

    Valtteri Bottas

    Wolfgang Wilhelm/Mercedes AMG F1

    Replacing the out-going world champion with just three months to go until the start of the season was always going to be a challenge. However, the majority of the F1 paddock expected more from Bottas in 2017. While he seemed able to be around the pace of Hamilton in the first half of the season, his form soon deteriorated with Bottas being cast adrift by both Hamilton and Vettel.

    As such, Bottas needs to deliver a stunning performance in 2018 to keep his seat for 2019. We’re not just talking about one race though—he needs to consistently be on the pace of Hamilton throughout the season, which is a hard ask for anyone.

    If he doesn’t perform as Mercedes expect, either Ricciardo or Ocon will be quick to snap up his seat—leaving Bottas out of a top drive and potentially out of F1 altogether.

    Kimi Raikkonen

    Foto Studio Colombo/Ferrari Media

    After years and years of the “will Raikkonen be retained” saga, it seems that Ferrari’s patience for the Finn is waning. Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne has stated that 2018 is Raikkonen’s last chance to rediscover his form—if he doesn’t, he will be replaced.

    While he was once a world champion and still is a brilliant driver, Raikkonen’s consistency been missing since he returned to F1 in 2012, and even when he’s at the top of his game he’s still no match for Vettel. He’ll have to pull off a miracle to stand any chance at retaining his seat for 2019.

    Should Raikkonen not miraculously rediscover his form, Ferrari have a long line of drivers knocking at their door. They’re unlikely to take Grosjean or Perez but instead either Ricciardo or their very promising youngster, Charles Leclerc. Whoever they chose, Ferrari aren’t short of talented replacements if Kimi isn’t up to scratch.

    Sergio Perez

    Sahara Force India F1 Team

    Perez is generally considered to be a midfield driver in a midfield team. He’s undoubtedly talented, but seems to be lacking that extra something that would put him up with the champions. This became more apparent in 2017 when Ocon started consistently beating him throughout the second half of the season.

    If, like everyone is anticipating, Ocon takes the next step in 2018, Perez will likely be left far behind and that could seriously compromise his 2019 options. He’s been holding out for a Ferrari drive since who knows when, but with every year that passes, that seems more and more unlikely—if Ferrari wanted him, they’d have taken him by now.

    He should be able to keep his seat at Force India for 2019 with his only other serious option being Renault if Sainz were to be called up to Red Bull. Any progression up the grid looks unlikely for the now 28-year-old Mexican.

    Romain Grosjean

    Haas F1 Media

    The successes of 2016 with Haas have long been forgotten for Grosjean, and that supposed Ferrari promotion looks further away than ever. Over 2017, the Frenchman gained a reputation for moaning and was often beaten, quite comprehensively, by teammate Magnussen.

    With decent performances becoming distance memories, Grosjean hasn’t been having the best of times of it lately. He needs to rediscover his consistency of the later Lotus years to keep his seat at Haas and remain in F1.

    Admittedly, Haas don’t have that many options to replace Grosjean. Ferrari may push them into taking one of their junior drivers but really, Haas need experience and that is one thing Grosjean has going for him. Regardless of that, improvement is needed from the Frenchman in 2018.

    Nico Hulkenberg

    Renault Sport F1 Media

    Hulkenberg has been the nearly-man of F1 for years. He holds the record for the most F1 races without a podium but you’ll struggle to find anyone who doubts his talents. With Renault on the rise, that podium could come in the next year or two. However Hulkenberg has a more pressing issue: Carlos Sainz.

    The highly-regarded Red Bull junior driver switched to Renault in the closing races of the 2017 season, with Hulkenberg seeming to have the measure of Sainz. The German has to beat or at least strongly challenge Sainz if he’s to maintain his perceived ranking in the F1 paddock.

    His F1 career isn’t on the line in 2018 as he has a long-term Renault deal in place. But he still needs to show that he can go up against Sainz to ensure his fundamental place at Renault in years to come.

    Marcus Ericsson

    Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team

    If anyone’s career is on the line in 2018, its Ericsson’s. He controversially kept his Sauber seat, despite Ferrari pushing for Antonio Giovinazzi to get the drive, by virtue of having lots of money from his backers that are mysteriously linked to the team’s owners…

    The funds cannot hide the fact that Ericsson hasn’t scored a point in F1 since 2015 while all his teammates have. With F2 champion Leclerc in the other seat for 2018, Ericsson is going to have to massively up his game if he’s to avoid getting shown up by the promising youngster.

    Ferrari want Sauber to become their effective ‘B-team’, so Ericsson will likely lose his seat to one of the Ferrari juniors in 2019—and it will be hard for Ericsson to find a seat at another team, even with all his money.

    Williams

    Steven Tee/LAT Images/Pirelli Media

    The season hasn’t even started and Williams are already facing a lot of criticism for hiring Sergey Sirotkin over Robert Kubica, Daniil Kvyat and Pascal Wehrlein with Sirotkin being brandished a ‘pay driver’. This means that for 2018 Williams will have a 19-year old in his second season of F1 and a rookie who’s failed to produce any convincing results in years.

    That already sounds like a recipe for disaster—and when you consider the highly competitive nature of the midfield, the outcome doesn’t look good for Williams.

    Fifth in the championship isn’t going to happen with McLaren and Renault on the rise and most expect Williams to sink further down the standings. This could put them in danger of losing sponsorship and without a star driver, it’s hard to see who’s going to bring the results in. Maybe basing driver decisions on bank accounts rather than talent wasn’t such a good idea.

    McLaren

    Andy Hone/McLaren

    For McLaren, 2018 will be a test of all that they have said over the last three seasons while they were with Honda. Throughout those years, McLaren claimed to have the best chassis so, on equal footing with Red Bull and Renault, that will be put to the test.

    Their last win came in 2012 and last podium in 2014, if there was ever a time that McLaren needed to deliver, for the sake of all involved, it’s in 2018. Alonso may have signed a multi-year deal but he won’t hang around forever, he wants that third title but has interests elsewhere if that fails to materialise in the coming years.

    If they’re not winning, or at least on the podium, in 2018 they probably won’t be until the engine regulation change in 2020. It’s paramount that they get the Renault transition right as they need to be frontrunners again—four winless seasons is four too many for a team like McLaren, they better not make it five.

  • Opinion: Why grid girls had to go

    Opinion: Why grid girls had to go

    Grid girls have long been part of F1 and the wider motorsport scene –they’ve been a staple of grids for years with their driver boards and skimpy clothing. However, while acceptable in years gone by, their presence has come under criticism and now F1 has made the controversial, but not unprecedented, move to ban them altogether.

    The move has been hinted at before but any suggestion of change hasn’t exactly been met with overwhelming support; when grid boys were used in Monaco in 2015, the reception was not positive with drivers and fans alike somewhat missing the point. It had gone too far the other way; girls can’t just be replaced with all boys – that’s just moving the issue onto something else entirely.

    The change has come as part of Liberty Media’s project to drag F1, kicking and screaming albeit, into the 21st century. Things that have previously been seen as tradition or trademark in F1 are being challenged – the world has changed and F1 is only just starting to. Besides F1, the move will also affect all support races at F1 weekends so F2, GP3 and Porsche Super Cup, amongst others.

    It’s not just motorsport where this subject has been addressed; the UK Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) announced that walk-on girls would no longer be used at its events this week. That was met with widespread dismay from darts fans, an online petition was even formed to get the PDC to reserve the decision – but they’ve stood by their choice and reasons behind it.

    So, why now?

    Slowly but surely, women have started to shift the balance in what is still a male dominated sport with more than ever working as mechanics, engineers or even drivers. As such, having them adorn the grid was always going to become a contentious issue.

    Female drivers are becoming more common by the year; last year GP3 racer Tatiana Calderon was often given a grid boy as a substitute but that was hardly a solution. With more and more female racing drivers on the rise, a change has been sitting on the horizon for some time.

    Clearly, the days of F1 being all male are long gone yet many of the ideas from those times still remain – what was once acceptable is now not but F1 has been typically slow to respond.

    Little change came about on this front during the days of Bernie Ecclestone however with Liberty Media here to stay, changes are slowly but surely being made – this doesn’t mean that they haven’t caused controversy though.

    If you even dared look at Twitter today, you would’ve seen a barrage of opinions, some whole-heartedly agreeing with Liberty’s decision while others who couldn’t disagree more.

    The case for Liberty’s decision pleads the out-dated and downright unnecessary nature of grid girls. This is 2018, having girls parading around with umbrellas is clearly a redundant practice and some would even go as far to say that their use is degrading. This crowd would say that today’s news was a necessary step in the right direction for women and equality in motorsport, across the board.

    Another argument for the banning is that of role models. Boys growing up have the figures of male drivers and team members to look up to whereas girls have a lot less of them, instead they predominantly see the grid girls as the only women in motorsport – if that doesn’t seem wrong, I don’t what does. Coming from someone in that situation, I never understood the use of grid girls, it seemed senseless and it often angered me that the only women had a seemingly meaningless job.

    But, of course, for all those agree, there are those who firmly don’t. One of the points that I’ve seen raised time and time again today is that these grid girls were just doing their job and that they weren’t forced to do it – it was completely their choice. If you speak to some of them, they’ll often say that they loved their experience as an F1 grid girl, that they were treated excellently by the teams and had an altogether amazing experience.

    Whether you agree or not, the fact still stands that they are going. That then leaves the question of their replacement.

    One of the main suggestions is fans; a competition would be run for each race for 20 fans to get the chance to go onto the grid and hold the driver boards. This could be accompanied by VIP tickets or a chance to spend the weekend with the team and to meet the driver allocated to them. This concept would likely appeal to Liberty as it would increase fan engagement and would add a whole other element to the show. Of course, the fans would have to be split 50/50 male/female to avoid any the previous debate and inequalities.

    Another suggestion is the use of ‘grid kids’; much like the use of children walking on with players in football matches, this would give the children an unforgettable experience of F1. Again, they, and their families, could be treated as VIPs by their allocated team and driver.

    The other main idea is that of mascots. The thinking behind this is that either the drivers or teams design a mascot to use for the season – this could be something to do with the driver, so the Hulk for Nico Hulkenberg, or the teams, so pink panthers for Force India. It’s a quirky idea that might just work.

    There’s no going back from the decision made today by Liberty; along with F1, it’ll have effects on the wider motorsport scene with BTCC and MotoGP starting to come under fire for their grid girls.

    For me, it feels like a real step forwards for women and equality in motorsport but I know not everyone shares my stance. Whatever your argument, for or against, the lack of grid girls is something that F1 fans will just have to get used to and soon the point of debate will move on, like it always does in F1, to something new.

  • Seb Ogier takes his fifth Rallye Monte Carlo win!

    Seb Ogier takes his fifth Rallye Monte Carlo win!

    Day One, Thursday evening

     

    First stage of the event and there was lots of drama in the Thoard – Sisteron 36km opener! There was no snow and ice in the first 12km and then broken ice for a couple of km’s.

     

    Seb Ogier was first in, and spun in the stage! Ott stopped 11km into stage, but got going again and Thierry was another to stop, but got going again as well. Both had slid wide into snow banks. Another to spin was Jari-Matti and he managed to spin twice! Elfyn picked up a puncture at about 12km into the stage, so they had to change the tyre. The Citroen duo of Kris and Craig both spun as well, Kris losing a minute or so.

     

    Esapekka completed the stage third fastest, with a good run though, whilst Andreas was the closest challenger to Ogier, just 7.7 seconds off the Fiesta WRC pilot!

    Seb Ogier, Rallye Monte Carlo leader. Photo credit M-Sport Ford

    Stage two, Bayons – Breziers 25,49km stage which includes a rise of 1184 metres above sea-level to the summit of Col de Sagnes! Ogier won the stage with a very good clean run through with Thierry going second fastest and Ott third. There were a few changes in the leaderboard with Dani moving ahead of Esapekka and into third. Kris and Thierry are a long way off the lead sadly, over two minutes away for the Citroen pilot and over four for the Belgian. That’s a big ask for them.

     

    Classification after Day One

    1              S. Ogier                 J. Ingrassia          Ford Fiesta WRC                            38:09.8

    2              A. Mikkelsen      A. Jæger              Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                 +17.3

    3              D. Sordo               C. del Barrio        Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                +25.6

    4              E. Lappi                J. Ferm                   Toyota Yaris WRC                               +37.4

    5              O. Tänak              M. Järveoja          Toyota Yaris WRC                                +42.4

    6              J. M. Latvala        M. Anttila            Toyota Yaris WRC                                 55.4

    7              C. Breen               S. Martin               Citroën C3 WRC                                +1:02.3

    8              B. Bouffier          X. Panseri            Ford Fiesta WRC                                +1:51.0

    9              K. Meeke            P. Nagle                  Citroën C3 WRC                                +2:12.7

    10           E. Camilli              B. Veillas               Ford Fiesta R5                                     +2:42.2

    17           T. Neuville           N. Gilsoul              Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                +4:18.2

     

    Day two, Friday

    Well, what a day! Where to start my round up of Friday’s six stages? Seb in his Fiesta was our leader all day, but there were different stage winners and the person leading to fight to the Frenchman changed as well.

     

    Andreas Mikkelsen was the man who was closest at the start of the day, but after dropping behind Dani in stage three, he then retired in stage four with alternator failure. There was more pain for Thierry as well, who suffered another puncture in stage three.

    2018 FIA World Rally Championship
    Round 01, Rallye Monte-Carlo
    25-28 Janvier 2018
    Andreas Mikkelsen, Anders Jaeger, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
    Photographer: Austral
    Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

    The lead grew in stage four, but Ott Tanak was feeling at home in his new car, moving up the leaderboard and closing the gap to second placed Dani. Meantime, Craig was having a nightmare in his Citroen, with a stone breaking part of the caliper and meaning he’d suffer from brake failure and he was not enjoying that one bit. The good news though was that after stage five, the cars headed for service and the problem was fixed.

     

    The afternoon loop began with the 26km and Ott took the fight to Seb, winning the stage and taking six and a half seconds out of erstwhile leader Seb’s lead. Craig was feeling a lot more comfortable now he had working brakes!

     

    Elfyn Evans took the long stage seven when the heavens opened, but Seb lost 14 seconds to Ott and the lead was down to 19 seconds after a spin put the Fiesta into a ditch! Craig was increasingly comfortable, setting the fourth fastest time in the stage, whilst Dani, Esapekka and Jari-Matti continued their battle for third overall.

     

    The final stage of the day fell to Thierry who after his puncture had been fighting back and closed the gap to Elfyn to just a little over three seconds.

     

    Leaderboard at the end of Friday

     

    1              S. Ogier                 J. Ingrassia          Ford Fiesta WRC                          2:07:15.4

    2              O. Tänak               M. Järveoja        Toyota Yaris WRC                                  +14.9

    3              D. Sordo               C. del Barrio        Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC                +59.7

    4              E. Lappi                J. Ferm                   Toyota Yaris WRC                           +1:09.9

    5              J. M. Latvala        M. Anttila            Toyota Yaris WRC                            +1:10.1

    6              K. Meeke              P. Nagle                Citroën C3 WRC                            +2:45.5

    7              B. Bouffier          X. Panseri            Ford Fiesta WRC                            +3:34.6

    8              E. Evans                D. Barritt              Ford Fiesta WRC                            +4:01.7

    9              T. Neuville           N. Gilsoul             Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC           +4:04.1

     

    Day three, Saturday

    The second full day of Rallye Monte Carlo started with snow falling, which we had been waiting for! Boy, did it come down!

     

    Craig Breen was first into stage nine, the first of the day. At the end, he referred himself as a snowplow! Sadly, Dani went off the road and so one of the teams that we expected to see standing on the podium, now will be nowhere near it. The stage was won by Andreas, but clearly the team could do with some luck. Seb made a great start, increasing the gap to former M-Sport teammate, Ott by a full minute who now found himself in second and Jari-Matti a further 21 or so seconds in third. Elfyn Evans in the number 2 Fiesta WRC, gapped Thierry by 20 seconds in their battle for seventh overall.

     

    Stage 10 saw Ott close down 15 seconds to Seb, with the French champions advantage a little over a minute at the end of the 16km stage. The Toyota’s were running well, all three in the top four overall positions.

     

    The following stage saw Esapekka Lappi pick up a puncture, so Kris Meeke picked up fourth place, despite sliding off into a field. Elfyn also picked up a position, moving ahead of Bryan Bouffier into sixth place. Ogier’s lead was now down to 48 seconds.

    2018 FIA World Rally Championship, Round 01, Rallye Monte-Carlo 2018, January 25-28, 2018.
    Worldwide Copyright: Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC

    The next stage, number twelve, was won by Thierry, and this edged him a little closer to seventh placed Bouffier’s Fiesta, the gap just 12 seconds! Kris also was just hanging onto fourth place, with Lappi in the Yaris setting the third quickest time.

     

    The last stage of the day was won by Thierry and Elfyn was just two seconds slower than the Belgian keeping the gap between them above 30 seconds. Kris lost fourth place to young Finn, Esapekka Lappi after the Irishman spun in a hairpin, losing a couple of seconds.

     

    Heading into the final day , Seb Ogier leads Ott by just a little over half a minute. Just four stages and a total of 64km. It’s certainly possible for something to happen!

     

    Leaderboard at the end of Saturday

     

    1 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 3:30:30.9
    2 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +33.5
    3 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +1:32.7
    4 E. Lappi J. Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC +4:38.5
    5 K. Meeke P. Nagle Citroën C3 WRC +4:40.1
    6 E. Evans D. Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC +5:00.2
    7 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +5:33.6
    8 B. Bouffier X. Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC +5:43.4
    9 C. Breen S. Martin Citroën C3 WRC +8:49.0

     

    Day four, Sunday

    Sunday morning was cold and a bit cloudy. We had four stages covering 64km before it was all decided! First up was stage 14 and it was won by Seb and the gap opened up between him and Ott by 11 seconds.

     

    The next stage would be the power stage later and at 13km being quick from the off would be key.  Citroen drivers Craig and Kris were surprised how tricky it was, Kris commenting on how there was black ice on gravel! Thierry won the stage, but Seb’s closest challenger, Ott set pretty much the same time and the gap to the front remained pretty static.

     

    Stage 16, the penultimate stage was won by Thierry as he was targeting Elfyn who was just a few seconds up the road and holding sixth overall. However, the Welshman was just a second and a half slower meaning the gap was still seven seconds with just one stage to go.

     

    The power stage beckoned and there were a could more twists to come…. Despite his surprise earlier in this stage with black ice on gravel, Kris flew through the stage and took all five points for winning it, ending up 2.3 seconds faster than Thierry. Further back there was more drama! Esapekka slid wide and lost a bundle of time which meant he would lose fourth and drop behind Thierry and Elfyn into seventh. Meanwhile, Elfyn would keep sixth place, despite losing out to Thierry who went from seventh to fifth and of course Kris would claim fourth overall! So much drama!

    Kris Meeke & Paul Nagle, Rallye Monte Carlo – Photo credit Citroen Racing

    In the midst of all of that, Seb Ogier had taken his fifth Rallye Monte Carlo victory and the new Toyota driver, Ott would finish one better than last year in second place and in third, Jari-Matti.

    M-Sport Ford WRT

    Sébastien Ogier 

    “We always face tough conditions at Rallye Monte-Carlo but this year they were really extreme. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled so much with the tyre choices, so to have come out on top is fantastic.

    “I think everyone made mistakes this weekend – myself included – but it was almost impossible to have the perfect drive. Luckily we only had some small mistakes and once we had a good gap it was just a case of trying to manage it – but that is never easy in these conditions either!

    “It’s the best way to start the season and I need to congratulate the team because everyone has worked really hard and I know that they will also be super happy with this result. The competition is going to be stronger than ever and we’ve made a strong start which is really important.”

    Elfyn Evans

    “It’s been a tough edition of the rally this year and we had an especially tough start losing so much time on the very first stage. Over the next few days I think we were there or there about’s in terms of outright speed, but overall there were just too many little errors.

    “When it came to making the smart choices at the right time, we weren’t quite there and that’s what cost us a really good result today. The comforting thing is that the speed is there, but we still need to be better.”

     

    Toyota Gazoo WRT

    Jari-Matti Latvala

    “Rallye Monte-Carlo is never easy. We had difficult conditions once again today, particularly with the ice on the Col du Turini that came since the recce. I’m really relieved to get to the finish and to be on the podium. The team has done an excellent job and the car is performing really well so I’m excited for the season ahead. It’s going to be about staying cool and to think about the championship and about the points. This has been a good start.”

     

    Ott Tänak

    “It’s really nice to start the season like this. It looks like I have joined a very strong team! The car has been amazing and I’ve felt really comfortable in it since the start of the rally. It was an extremely tough rally with such difficult conditions, but we managed to get through without any serious problems. We were expecting easier conditions today, but it was still really icy. We were able to take it steady because we were in a strong position. I’m now really looking forward to the coming rallies.”

     

    Esapekka Lappi

    “Today started really well with some good speed and the plan was to keep up the rhythm, including on the Power Stage. Unfortunately, I went wide on one corner and then I couldn’t get reverse, so we lost a lot of time and three positions. At the moment I am quite disappointed but at least I completed every kilometre, gaining experience and learning many things, so there are also a lot of positives. It has been a good rally for the team and Sweden should suit me better.”

     

    Citroen Abu Dhabi WRT

    Kris Meeke

    “It was the hardest Monte-Carlo that I have ever experienced. We had everything: sheer ice on slick tyres on Thursday evening, rain on Friday, snow on Saturday and frost on the Col de Turini today. I’m surprised to finish the rally with seventeen points, but I’ll certainly take them! We now have to stay humble and keep working hard to try and improve.”

     

    Craig Breen

    “The weekend got off to a difficult start, with our mistake on Thursday evening. And then things went from bad to worse with the brake problems on Friday, which left us opening the road as something of a snow plough on Saturday. But we produced some good performances on a good few occasions, and did so again today on the dry tarmac. We now need to keep working in more changeable conditions, like those you typically get in Monte-Carlo.”

     

    Hyundai Motorsport

    Thierry Neuville

    “On balance, I think we have had a good rally, despite the various issues we have encountered along the way. Thursday was the biggest factor, when we lost over four minutes getting stuck through my own fault. We have fought back from those early problems, and a few others, and tried to regain as many positions as we could. The places we have made up today – right to the end of the Power Stage – show how important it is to push right to the finish. Without the puncture and tricky snow conditions yesterday, a podium would still have been possible. That’s Monte-Carlo, though. I would like to say thanks to the team for doing an incredible job in hard circumstances this weekend, and together we look ahead to Sweden.”

     

    Andreas Mikkelsen

    “Our rally was over on Friday when we stopped after SS3 with the alternator problem. The focus shifted to salvaging as many points as possible from the Power Stage, which was our aim for today. With no tyre zone or service, we adopted a compromised strategy taking five soft tyres for both loops. We knew that the run up to Col de Turini would be tough, so we took it carefully and accepted we would be slow. SS15 was a good practice for the Power Stage and it was nice for the team to take a 1-2. I was happy with my run, considering we were first on the road and it was still drying in places. It’s my best drive feeling-wise so far with the car on dry tarmac, which is encouraging.”

     

    Final Overall Classification – Rallye Monte-Carlo

    1 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 4:18:55.5
    2 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +58.3
    3 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +1:52.0
    4 K. Meeke P. Nagle Citroën C3 WRC +4:43.1
    5 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +4:53.8
    6 E. Evans D. Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC +4:54.8
    7 E. Lappi J. Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC +4:57.5
    8 B. Bouffier X. Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC +7:39.5
    9 C. Breen S. Martin Citroën C3 WRC +9:06.7

     

    FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 -WRC Monte Carlo (FRA) – WRC 24/01/2018 to 28/01/2018 – PHOTO : @World

     

    2018 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings
    After round 1

    1 M-Sport Ford World Rally Team 33
    3 Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team 33
    3 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 18
    4 Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team 14

  • Pata Yamaha: “Much Faster Than Before”

    Winter pre-season testing concluded this week for the World Superbike competitors at the Autodromo do Algarve, Portugal. The two-day event presented the teams with one final chance to make sure their setups are optimised, ahead of the opening round next month in Australia.

    One team who managed to fully capitalise their on-track running was the Pata Yamaha outfit. Whilst both riders had managed a solid return last week at Jerez, this week the team ramped up preparations for the season, with both riders completing multiple race and qualifying simulations. As one of the teams expected to close the gap to the Kawasaki Racing Team this season, this final test on the Algarve coast presented the factory supported outfit with a final chance to get everything with the bikes right before the season opener.

    Testing can be extremely difficult to gauge the true form of a team. There are simply too many non-disclosed variables – such as tyre compound usage, amounts of fuel in the tank, what engine mode is being run etc – to give onlookers a true indication of who is actually in a strong position or not.

    One thing from this test is clear however, Pata Yamaha are definitely looking like they are ready to hit the ground running when the races start. Having finished as the third best team last year (behind KRT and Aruba.it Ducati respectively), the team have targeted victories in the forthcoming season. Following the test in Portugal this week, both the team’s riders will be very confident about their prospects in 2018. Michael van der Mark in particular had nothing but praise for his machine.     

    VDM: We had some important things to test, we tried different settings and we found some really good solutions for a number of setups, plus we were really fast and consistent as well. I am really happy with my race rhythm, I did my fastest time on race tyres so, I am really pleased with that and even with used tyres, we were a lot faster here than we have been here before.

    For fans, this will come as welcome words indeed for a team who have made no secret that they believe they can challenge KRT this season. Van der Mark’s statements are firmly supported by the timesheets. During the Portuguese round last season, the best time for the flying Dutchman was 1:43.710 – in testing this week his best time was down to just 1:42.028. Even when fuel loads and tyre compounds are taken into account, it is still an astonishing time, and confirms that Yamaha have really made serious progress over the winter.

    The progress that has evidently been made was not limited to just Van der Mark’s side of the garage. Team-mate Alex Lowes, the 2013 British Superbike champion and double Suzuka 8 hours winner, also had reason to be delighted with how the test at Portimao unfolded. The 27 year-old from Lincoln chalked up 170 laps over the two days, confirming not just improved pace, but solid reliability as well.

    AL: We have had a really strong test because we have managed to find solutions to all the issues I had here at the race, which means I have a lot of optimism heading to Phillip Island! I’ve tried to not push too hard and ‘keep my powder dry’, as they say, before the first race and I am ready to go! It really has been a good few days of testing, we have had some negative things as well, which is always good to get them out the way now instead of during the season and today we finished with a positive performance.”

    If both Lowes and Van der Mark were indeed keeping the powder dry, then we should expect the team to come out all guns blazing at Phillip Island next month. Perhaps the early predictions of complete Kawasaki domination this season might have been a little premature.

    The 2018 World Superbike Championship begins at the Phillip Island circuit, Australia, 23rd-25th February.

  • 5 Things To Look Forward To In F1 2018

    5 Things To Look Forward To In F1 2018

    Pre-season testing for the 2018 F1 season gets underway at the Circuit de Cataluyna on 26th February. With less than a month to go, here are my top five things to look forward to in the coming season.

    Charles Leclerc (MCO, PREMA Racing).
    Photo: Zak Mauger/FIA Formula 2.
    ref: Digital Image _W6I4169

    1 – Charles Leclerc

    Runaway 2017 F2 champion Charles Leclerc will make his F1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix with the newly rebranded Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team. The Monegasque driver has progressed rapidly through the junior formula and has emerged out the other side with a very impressive CV. He is the first driver since Nico Hulkenberg in 2009 to win the F2 championship, or GP2 as it was when Hulkenberg won, in his rookie year, and only the forth ever after the German, Lewis Hamilton, and Nico Rosberg. Not bad company at all. Add to that a GP3 title, also won in his first year in the series, membership of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and a second place finish at the Macau Grand Prix in 2015, and it’s no wonder that Leclerc is widely tipped to be driving for Ferrari at some point in the near future, possibly as early as 2019 if and when Kimi Raikkonen retires.

     

    2 – Final Year of Live Channel 4 Coverage

    From 2011 to 2015, the rights to F1 television coverage in the UK were jointly held by the Sky Sports and the BBC. The former aired all races live, while the latter broadcast only a few live, with the rest showed via highlights a few hours later. In 2016, Channel 4 took over the BBC’s part of the contract. That same year, it was announced that Sky Sports had signed a deal which will see it solely hold the rights to live F1 coverage from 2019 all the way through to 2024. The only exception is the British Grand Prix, which will continue to be available on a free-to-air channel as yet undisclosed. Despite the deal being made prior to Liberty Media’s takeover of the sport, Management Director Sean Bratches has said that Liberty Media plan to honour it. So it seems that 2018 may well be the last year of free-to-air live coverage in the UK for the foreseeable future.

     

    3 – Return of the French Grand Prix

    Having dropped off the calendar in 2008, the French Grand Prix will this year make its return. Magny-Cours was the last circuit to stage the event, but the 2018 race will be held at the Circuit Paul Ricard, also known as Le Castellet, in the south of the country. Several of the circuit’s corners have been modified to accommodate the increased cornering speeds of the new breed of F1 cars, whilst the organisers are also trying to improve the capacity of the access roads for fans travelling to and from the track. The race will take place on 24th June, as part of a triple-header with Silverstone and Hockenheim. With Renault, Romain Grosjean, and Esteban Ocon on the grid, the French fans will surely have a lot to cheer for.

    (c)Jake Archibald released under Creative commons 2.0

    4 – Introduction of the Halo

    One of the most controversial debates in Formula 1 over recent years has been surrounding cockpit head protection. Despite large amounts of backlash from fans and from some of the teams and drivers, 2018 will be the first year that the halo will be used in F1, with F2 doing likewise and other junior formulas set to follow suit in the coming years. Click here to read more about it (shameless plug I know).

     

    5 – McLaren and Renault Team Up

    It’s safe to say it’s been a pretty miserable few years for McLaren. Their last podium came in 2014 when Kevin Magnussen finished second at the Australian Grand Prix, and their last win came courtesy of Jenson Button at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, and their partnership with Honda was woefully underwhelming in the three years they were together. For many fans it was a case of good riddance when it was announced that for 2018 McLaren would revert to Renault power. Renault had its fair few reliability issues in 2017, not least in Mexico when, over the weekend, four out of the six Renault-powered cars had engine issues, but McLaren have said that they’re pleased with the early data being produced by the car and powertrain, and are cautiously optimistic about what the coming year could bring.

  • Formula E reveals its new generation of car

    Formula E reveals its new generation of car

    After much hyped and anticipation, the newly named ABB FIA Formula E Championship unveiled its next generation of car on the 30th January 2018. Posed to make its debut in the 2018/2019 season at the end of the year, the car will be used for three seasons, and marks the first time a car has been specially designed by the FIA for one of its own series.

    In keeping with the ethos of Formula E, the new model is decidedly more futuristic and advanced looking than its predecessor. The sharp angles and neat lines all constitute a more modern era of motorsport. And given Formula E’s focus on leading the way in new automotive technology and trying to push motorsport into new, uncharted territory, the Gen2 car seems a perfect fit.

    Not only does the season 5 car feature an updated look, it also comes with a host of technological updates. Though the majority of the technical specs are yet to be released, the FIA can confirm that this new model comes ‘almost double the energy storage capacity and double the range’ meaning the battery will now be able to complete full race distances. This means getting rid of the contentious car swap that currently happens at the midpoint of Formula E races.

    The Gen2 car and the work of the team of engineers and designers has attracted much praise. FIA President Jean Todt expressed how the car heralds the start of “exciting times for Formula E” and that he considers the FIA’s unprecedented project of designing and developing a car to be a “huge success”. Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E, also believes that the car represents Formula E’s goal of “breaking the mould and challenging the status quo – bringing a revolution to motorsport”.

    This new model will hit the track at the end of the year, just in time for Nissan and BMW formally joining Formula E, with Mercedes-Benz and Porsche planning their entry for the following season.

    The full technical specifications and physical model of the Gen2 car will be revealed on the 6th of March at the Geneva Motor Show.

  • Rallye Monte Carlo- Day Three, Seb steers clear of trouble

    Rallye Monte Carlo- Day Three, Seb steers clear of trouble

    The second full day of Rallye Monte Carlo started with snow falling, which we had been waiting for! Boy, did it come down!

    Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle, Photo credit Citroen Racing.

    Craig Breen was first into stage nine, the first of the day. At the end, he referred himself as a snowplow! Sadly, Dani went off the road and so one of the teams that we expected to see standing on the podium, now will be nowhere near it. The stage was won by Andreas, but clearly the team could do with some luck. Seb made a great start, increasing the gap to former M-Sport teammate, Ott by a full minute who now found himself in second and Jari-Matti a further 21 or so seconds in third. Elfyn Evans in the number 2 Fiesta WRC, gapped Thierry by 20 seconds in their battle for seventh overall.

     

    Stage 10 saw Ott close down 15 seconds to Seb, with the French champions advantage a little over a minute at the end of the 16km stage. The Toyota’s were running well, all three in the top four overall positions.

    2018 FIA World Rally Championship, Round 01, Rallye Monte-Carlo 2018, January 25-28, 2018.
    Worldwide Copyright: Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC

    The following stage saw Esapekka Lappi pick up a puncture, so Kris Meeke picked up fourth place, despite sliding off into a field. Elfyn also picked up a position, moving ahead of Bryan Bouffier into sixth place. Ogier’s lead was now down to 48 seconds.

     

    The next stage, number twelve, was won by Thierry, and this edged him a little closer to seventh placed Bouffier’s Fiesta, the gap just 12 seconds! Kris also was just hanging onto fourth place, with Lappi in the Yaris setting the third quickest time.

    2018 FIA World Rally Championship
    Round 01, Rallye Monte-Carlo
    24-28 January 2018
    Day 2
    Action
    Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
    Photographer: Helena El Mokni
    Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

    The last stage of the day was won by Thierry and Elfyn was just two seconds slower than the Belgian keeping the gap between them above 30 seconds. Kris lost fourth place to young Finn, Esapekka Lappi after the Irishman spun in a hairpin, losing a couple of seconds.

     

    Heading into the last day tomorrow, Seb Ogier leads Ott by just a little over half a minute. Just four stages and a total of 64km. It’s certainly possible for something to happen!

    FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 -WRC Monte Carlo (FRA) – WRC 24/01/2018 to 28/01/2018 – PHOTO : @World

    Leaderboard at the end of Saturday

     

    1 S. Ogier J. Ingrassia Ford Fiesta WRC 3:30:30.9
    2 O. Tänak M. Järveoja Toyota Yaris WRC +33.5
    3 J. M. Latvala M. Anttila Toyota Yaris WRC +1:32.7
    4 E. Lappi J. Ferm Toyota Yaris WRC +4:38.5
    5 K. Meeke P. Nagle Citroën C3 WRC +4:40.1
    6 E. Evans D. Barritt Ford Fiesta WRC +5:00.2
    7 T. Neuville N. Gilsoul Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC +5:33.6
    8 B. Bouffier X. Panseri Ford Fiesta WRC +5:43.4
    9 C. Breen S. Martin Citroën C3 WRC +8:49.0