ThePitcrewOnline

Category: Open Wheel Racing

  • Formula E Season 8 Preview

    Formula E Season 8 Preview

    Series 7 of Formula E seemed to have it all. Despite Covid-19 still causing problems in every branch of motorsport, the electric series still managed to have a close, tightly contested title battle with any number of drivers predicted to lay their hands on the coveted FIA approved championship. Season 8 is set to be no different. With debut races in South Korea and Indonesia and the beckoning of the Gen 3 car next season, the future of the all electric series seems brighter than ever. The stage is set for the new season to become somewhat of a curtain call for the Gen 2 car, a machine that has pushed the limitations of electric racing and of the drivers to the limits. However, what can we expect from season 8?

    Mercedes EQ Formula E Team

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    World champions Mercedes look like the favourites coming into the new season. They were arguably the strongest team last year, collecting both the driver and constructors championship. However, they did so through sheer consistency and the ability to score points whilst their competitors struggled. Nyck de Vries emerged as the driver to beat but he did so in a quiet unassuming way. However, this season could be different. Mercedes are confirmed to be leaving the series prior to the beginning of the Gen 3 era and there is very little development on the current car bar a few software updates. It could be argued that Mercedes may have become complacent in their final season as they have nothing left to prove. Coupled with the fact that their sister team in Formula One endured such a hardship last season, Mercedes Formula E team could potentially end up taking a back seat to Mercedes’ other exploits.

    Mercedes have chosen to retain their line up of de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne, a wise decision on their part. Both drivers are proven winners within the series and it appears to be a solid partnership. The pair are familiar with the team and adapted to the car with ease, showing that they are very capable of producing the results that Mercedes have come to expect. De Vries in particular seemed to come into his own this season, the former F2 champion was able to silence the critics who criticised his move to the electric series instead of attempting to get a seat in Formula One. However, despite the perceived harmony, it could all be a facade. Vandoorne was incredibly strong in season 6, and would have been disappointed not to achieve the same success last season. A rivalry between the two could emerge in what will be Mercedes’ last season in Formula E. However, it’s impossible to write Mercedes off entirely given their history in motorsport and their sharp rise to the top in Formula E, expect them to be favourites to snatch at least one title again.

    Jaguar TCS Racing

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Jaguar has gone from strength to strength since first beginning their journey in series 4 with their best season result to date. The British outfit claimed more podiums than any team last season as a result of arguably the strongest line up on the grid. A few eyebrows were raised when Sam Bird, a veteran of the series moved from Virgin Racing, a team he had been with since the series’ infancy, to Jaguar. However, the Brit claimed two wins for his new team, with his first win coming in only his second race which is testament to his incredible ability to adapt. Jaguar’s title charge was also spearheaded by Mitch Evans, the driver that the team has been built around. Evans had a strong start to the season, collecting three podiums in the first half to become a strong title contender to de Vries. However in the latter half of the season, his title chase fell apart, leaving the Kiwi out of the coveted top three spots of the championship. Evans and Bird would have been disappointed not to be in the title fight for the duration of the championship given their reputation within the series and it’s expected that they will return hungrier than ever.

    The retention of two of the most experienced and talented drivers in Formula E is a bonus to Jaguar, and although a rivalry between the two could derail Jaguar’s title hopes this season, James Barclay’s ability to force them to work together in harmony last year helped the team dynamic. Evans is familiar with both the car and the team having been with them from the start of their journey and Bird is a driver whose reputation as a hard worker precedes him. This is crucial as the drivers are familiar with the car and are able to focus entirely on their racecraft, rather than getting to grips with the machinery. Jaguar were hindered this year particularly by the old qualifying format, which put both Bird and Evans at a disadvantage for the majority of the season, but with a new format that focuses more on pure pace and perfection over one lap, this should improve.  It is expected that Jaguar will continue to be a force going into the new season, they have always been viewed as the dark horses of the competition but it would be foolish to write them off as title contenders for season 8, they have much to prove. 

    DS Techeetah

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Compared to the previous two seasons, Techeetah had somewhat of a quiet season 7. Techeetah seemed to suffer with reliability issues last year which dramatically hindered their progress to retain the team championship. It was surprising considering their dominance over the past few years that Antonio Felix da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne were not in the title fight, both former champions only collecting a win each. It was in direct contrast to the year prior where da Costa claimed his first championship in dominant fashion at the six-race header in Berlin. However, the Portuguese driver did manage to claim the first win on the full Monaco circuit used for the first time last season. Double champion Vergne also looked strong, taking two pole positions and collecting the tenth win of his career. Keeping hold of both drivers was crucial for Techeetah going into season 8. Both are proven champions and the familiarity with the team and the machinery they are in will help spearhead the Chinese team’s attempt to reclaim their throne.

    The bigger problem is that of Techeetah’s future as Formula E looks towards the Gen 3 era. The Chinese outfit is yet to confirm their participation in the next season, leaving it more likely that this season will be somewhat of a swansong for arguably the most dominant team of the Gen 2 era. DS Automobiles, co-partners in the team, have committed their future to Formula E, but it remains to be seen if this is with the Techeetah team. Maserati are waiting in the wings, and DS will have taken notice of the first Italian team to join the electric series. The uncertainty over season 9 could indeed cause serious problems within the team, particularly if it is allowed to play out over the season. One thing is certain – if Techeetah wants to persuade DS to continue their partnership, they need to prove that they can win races and fight their way back to the top step. They have the drivers in order to achieve this goal. Techeetah have proven time and time not to write them off and it would be foolish to do so – if this is indeed their swansong, they will try to end their time in Formula E with a bang.

    Envision Racing

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    On paper, Envision Racing looked a certainty for the title battle last year given their success in the past. However, they were hindered by their customer status to some extent. Customer teams usually have significantly less testing time and are governed by their supplier. The powertrain supplied by Audi is not the beast that it used to be. Although this could be for a number of reasons, it seems likely that Audi are committing to other series and redirecting their resources towards these as opposed to focusing on Formula E. Audi have confirmed that they would be leaving at the end of season 8 and presumably reduced the support to Envision Racing in favour of focusing on their other motorsport endeavours. This brings another problem to the forefront as we look towards the Gen 3 era, Audi are not committed to the next season and it’s likely that Envision will have to find a new powertrain for their season 9 challenger. 

    However, despite these problems, Envision had a promising season with four podiums to their name. Nick Cassidy had an excellent start to his Formula E career, taking two second-place finishes in his rookie season. The Kiwi also looked particularly strong in qualifying, a key aspect of success in the electric series. It’s expected that he will continue to grow going into his second year as he becomes more familiar with the car. Envision are also retaining regular driver Robin Frijns, who in the past has produced excellent results for them. The Dutchman almost won the first full length Monaco ePrix last season and although a win eluded him on this occasion, he is proven to be able to extract everything he can out of any car. The retention of such promising talent is a bonus to Envision as they step into the unknown. However, the question remains whether they can pull themselves out of the rut this season, they certainly have the drivers to do so but the machinery is less of a safe bet.

    Avalanche Andretti Formula E

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    The former BMW team had a solid season last year, taking three wins between their driver pairing of Jake Dennis and Maximilian Gunther. Andretti have always had somewhat of a revolving door policy on drivers, and losing both Antonio Felix da Costa and Alexander Sims in recent years, two incredibly experienced drivers, could have spelled disaster. However, Andretti has managed to find a diamond in the rough with Jake Dennis. The former DTM and Blancpain driver was arguably the standout star of season 7, taking two wins and scoring third in the driver’s championship. He would have been a title contender if reliability had not been such an issue. Gunther too continued his fine form in the series, taking a win in New York. However, the German has confirmed that he will be moving to Nissan to partner Sebastien Buemi, a decision that certainly raised a few eyebrows given his success this season. However, he possibly could have been persuaded due to the fact that BMW are stepping down from Formula E and a drive in a factory outfit is definitely more appealing.

    It remains to be seen as to whether Andretti will continue to experience the same success this season, given BMW’s withdrawal from the sport. The manufacturing giant played a key role in creating the success story we know today, and it will be interesting to see how Andretti will operate with less support from the German manufacturer. The loss of Gunther to Nissan is another blow, the German driver has been somewhat of a marvel in the past few seasons of Formula E. They welcome Oliver Askew, the first full time American to compete in the all-electric series. Although it appears somewhat of a PR move, with an American driver in a newly branded American team, Askew has vast experience in single seaters and was the 2019 Indy Lights champion. It will certainly be a baptism of fire for the American in his rookie season but it’s an ideal time to join the sport on the cusp of the new era. Write Andretti off at your own peril.

    Rokit Venturi Racing

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Venturi benefited last year again from the excellent Edo Mortara, who emerged at the end of the season as the runner up to the coveted world championship. Their start to the season was somewhat troubled by a brake failure issue that flagged up in their software, forcing them and their supplier Mercedes off the grid for the first race. However, they soon sorted out the issue in true efficient German style and the Swiss driver scooped a win at the Puebla ePrix during the mid-season period. Equally, Norman Nato had a solid season, picking up his first win in the series in the season closer in Berlin. However, as always, the Monegasque team missed out on a few crucial opportunities to win points and ultimately go to battle with their supplier, Mercedes.

    There have been many changes at Venturi as we head into the twilight period of the Gen 2 car. Jerome D’Ambrosio has now replaced Susie Wolff as team principal as she departs for a more senior position within the team. D’Ambrosio has a vast amount of knowledge around the series, having participated in it since its infancy. His presence can only strengthen the team. Retaining Mortara, the runner up of last season, was crucial to Venturi’s success and although a few eyebrows were raised at the exclusion of Norman Nato, who had a stellar season with the team, one look at his replacement’s statistics sheet will silence any critics. With the departure of Audi, one of Formula E’s most seasoned drivers came into the frame. Lucas di Grassi is a driver who needs no introduction – he is a proven winner, champion and his name features amongst many of the records in Formula E. It will be interesting to see how Di Grassi adapts to a new team, but if D’Ambrosio manages it right, they could potentially be unstoppable.

    Tag Heuer Porsche

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Given Porsche’s vast experience and budget that they have poured into making their Formula E venture a success, even they would have considered this season as somewhat of a disaster. The German manufacturing giants could only muster two podiums for the entire season, one for both Pascal Wehrlein and Andre Lotterer – robbing us of another epic battle between themselves and fierce rivals BMW and Mercedes. The Porsche Gen 2 seems to lack the punch of its competitors with the pair often fighting at the back of the grid. However, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. Porsche have only been in Formula E for two seasons – both of which have been badly affected by the Covid pandemic – and this has vastly impacted their development and running of their motorsport teams. With some sense of normality returning to real life and the new era looming, it could be entirely possible that Porsche is waiting for season 9 and will push for development into the future.

    Retaining their two drivers Wehrlein and Lotterer is the smartest move. Although they have a number of drivers who could fill those two seats within the Porsche programme, it’s logical to keep two of the more experienced drivers who know the Gen 2 car and will presumably be involved in testing into the new era. Both Lotterer and Wehrlein are capable of achieving results and have done so in the past, Wehrlein in particular was victim to a number of race direction injustices last season.  It remains to be seen what Porsche can achieve in future seasons, but they certainly have something to prove. They could indeed have another quiet season and potentially end up like Jaguar, another team that joined in the middle of a massive development war and have emerged as one of the frontrunners. Only time will tell.

    Mahindra Racing

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Compared to previous seasons, Mahindra seem to be in a rut that they cannot pull themselves out of. Losing experienced driver Jerome D’Ambrosio to a role in management was a crucial blow, but they replaced him with the equally brilliant Alexander Sims, a driver who is very knowledgeable in electric cars and mechanics. However, despite the presence of Sims, and Alex Lynn, another driver who has become somewhat of a fixture in Formula E, the Indian team struggled. They can only muster a single win in the entire season, which came for Lynn at his home race in London. There were a handful of podiums split between the two drivers, but despite this, they had a relatively quiet campaign. A stalwart of the series, Mahindra always seems to have kept up with the pace of the other major manufacturers in a way that the likes of Dragon and NIO never have but it remains to be seen how they will cope with the new era looming. Mahindra showed sparks of promise throughout last season, but ultimately, it was the car that let them down. It’s been proven that they are capable of racing against the top dogs, but consistency is key in doing so.

    Mahindra appear to have lost their way in recent years, a far cry from the team they used to be. The revolving door of drivers doesn’t help matters – there has been no stability and experience at the team for one than a few years. This problem has been prevented this year with the retention of Sims, an experienced driver who is well more than qualified to take Mahindra into the new era. He is partnered by Oliver Rowland, a move which has raised more than a few eyebrows – particularly as Alex Lynn was arguably the stronger driver last year – but Rowland could potentially be the missing piece that Mahindra have been searching for. Reminiscent of former Mahindra drivers such as Felix Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld, Rowland possesses that ruthless streak that isn’t afraid to fight for the top prize. We could see a revival of the Mahindra of old before the new age beckons if they can remain consistent.

    Nissan e.dams

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Nissan e.dams have never quite hit the heights of their previous success in earlier seasons, and season 7 was no different. Although Oliver Rowland holds enormous potential as a future champion and success, his racecraft can be sloppy at times and a few mistakes on track have cost him a win or points-paying positions on a number of occasions. Sebastien Buemi appears a shadow of his former self. His best position of last season was fifth. It could be argued that Nissan, although a giant in the automotive industry, are lagging behind on their competitors. They finished a lowly tenth in the team championship, just ahead of struggling Dragon and NIO. Like many of their competitors, there are flashes of brilliance that hark back to the golden age at the start of Formula E. Rowland’s podiums in Mexico and Berlin are proof of that. Perhaps they’re already looking forward to the Gen 3 era. Nissan and their predecessors Renault always seemed to be one step ahead of the competition in regards to development.

    It was a surprise when Rowland announced that he was leaving the team that gave him his big break in Formula E for Mahindra. However, Nissan proved their efficiency at dealing with the problem of replacing such a stellar driver by poaching Maximilian Gunther from Andretti. Gunther to Nissan is arguably the signing of the season – a proven race winner who is able to push his car to the absolute limit. The German driver was able to collect points in a Dragon so it will be definitely exciting to see what he can do at a big team like Nissan. Likewise, the retention of Buemi is a smart move on the Japanese manufacturer’s part. Season 2 champion Buemi has a wealth of knowledge and experience that he can use to help his younger teammate to progress further. It remains to be seen if Nissan can again gain the success of previous seasons, but the strength of their driver line up is very promising.

    Dragon

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Dragon are a case of what happens when big manufacturers join a fledgling series. Whilst successful in the first two seasons, they have fallen by the wayside with the emergence of the likes of Audi, Mercedes and Porsche. With a revolving door of drivers for the last few seasons, development appears to be the last thing on the mind of the American outfit. However, despite the disappointment of another season, there were a few bright spots. The retention of Sergio Sette Camara last year was a masterstroke with the Brazilian sealing a fourth-place finish in the second race. If reliability were to be improved, there is more potential within Camara. His teammate for the first few races, Nico Muller also showed promise with a couple of points finishes before leaving to prioritise DTM. Similarly, Joel Eriksson was hindered by the capability of the machinery underneath him.

    Camara enters his second full season with Dragon, a positive for the team if he can recreate the few moments of magic he had last season to secure them valuable points. However, it’s the other side of the garage that is certain to command attention. The signing of Antonio Giovinazzi within Formula E was to be expected, but to see a driver of his calibre snatched up by Dragon was somewhat of a surprise. The former Formula One driver has experience within the electric series, having undertaken rookie tests with the Virgin team prior to joining Sauber. Giovinazzi’s signing can help the team as a whole, potentially bringing in vital sponsorship money and publicity to the struggling outfit. It remains to be seen what will happen at Dragon this year, but a solid season would certainly help the team as they head into the Gen 3 era without any of the big name manufacturers who have hindered their success. 

    NIO 333 Formula E Team

    Credit: Courtesy of Formula E

    Season 7 was once again a season to forget for the Chinese based team. They started off on solid ground with the ever reliable Oliver Turvey picking up two points finishes in the season openers at Diriyah. On the other side of the garage, Tom Blomqvist also picked up some impressive point-scoring finishes in the opening rounds. However, as the season progressed, they began to fall behind as reliability began to bite. They remain the only team to have not scored a podium since the 2018-2019 season. The problem for NIO is as always the lack of horsepower within their powertrain and it seems like it will be a case of the same old for the Chinese outfit this season. They have the same problem as Dragon, being an independent manufacturer without the clout of big name teams like Porsche and Audi.

    Retaining their key asset Turvey was a must for NIO and he will be expected to quietly go about his business in season 8. He is joined by rookie Dan Ticktum, a controversial figure within the motorsport community best known for his behaviour off track, including a feud with Nicholas Latifi at Williams, an incident that saw him dropped from the F1 team. The former Formula 2 driver has some scores to settle and could easily reinvent himself within Formula E. It remains to be seen if Ticktum has grown both in his personal life and as a driver, but he’s in the best team to do so. There’s less expectation riding on the young Brit and if he keeps his head down and delivers a few decent results, he could yet find himself a home in Formula E. NIO aren’t expected to do much in season 8, but with new management and the consistency of the brilliant Oliver Turvey, they could deliver a few surprising results.

    Formula E will begin on January 28th and 29th in Diriyah. 

     

  • Sam Bird and Jaguar Agree Contract Extension

    Sam Bird and Jaguar Agree Contract Extension

    Sam Bird and Jaguar TCS Racing sign a new contract extension ahead of the first race of Season 8.

    Season 8 may not have begun, but Sam Bird has already secured his future with Jaguar TCS racing by signing a multi-year contract extension.

    The team and driver pairing enjoyed a successful season 7, their first year together, with Bird taking two race wins in Diriyah and New York. He also enjoyed a further podium finish in Rome. These results, alongside the efforts of his teammate Mitch Evans, helped the team to secure 2nd in the championship.

    It was undoubtedly a successful first season together and this contract extension shows that Jaguar is confident Bird is the right man to continue this success. It will provide a huge boost to all parties so close to the first race of Season 8.

    Image Credit: Formula E

    The exact length of the contract has not been confirmed, however it means that Sam Bird will enter the new Gen3 era, in Season 9, as a Jaguar driver.

    Bird stated “My first season with Jaguar TCS Racing told me everything I needed to know – I wanted to continue to be a part of the Jaguar TCS Racing family.”

    He added that “The whole team is determined, focussed and ready to get results and that’s exactly who I want to be working with. Now it’s time to get season eight underway and ensure we put all our off-season practice and learnings into action to score as many points as possible.”

    This sentiment was echoed by the Team Principle of Jaguar TCS Racing, James Barclay. “It is a really positive start to Season 8 as we confirm Sam Bird will continue his electric racing career with Jaguar TCS Racing after a great first season with the team. Sam’s results from last year demonstrate he fits in extremely well here at Jaguar TCS Racing, shares our goals and is very much part of the family.”

    Feature Image Credit: Formula E

  • Formula E Reveals New Porsche Safety Car

    Formula E Reveals New Porsche Safety Car

    The all-electric Porsche Taycan will be the new Formula E safety car, launching at the first race of Season 8.

    Shortly ahead of the first race of Season 8, Formula E has launched their new safety car. The Porsche Taycan is the first fully electric sports car made by Porsche.

    Under the striking and colourful paint job, designed to represent all current Formula E teams, is 560kW of power, allowing the machine to reach top speeds of up to 260kh/h.

    The aim is for this vehicle to highlight the “social values such as diversity and community” of all teams, as well as paying homage to the commitment of all 22 drivers.

    Image Credit: Formula E

    Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach, commented that “The distinctive design illustrates our commitment to the successful future of this innovative racing series. Although we’re rivals out on the track, we’re spreading this message to the world together. What’s more, we hope that this also enables us to appeal to a younger target audience who are not yet motorsport fans.”

    Jamie Reigle, Formula E’s CEO added that “In designing the Formula E Safety Car, Porsche reimagined the critical on-track safety function to be a powerful symbol of the championship’s commitment to an electrified future and the unity of the competitors in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.”

    Feature Image Credit: Formula E

  • Maserati joins Formula E

    Maserati joins Formula E

    Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer, Maserati, have announced they will be joining Formula E in Season 9.

    When the new Gen 3 Formula E cars launch, a new team will be lining up on the grid. It has been announced that Maserati will be joining the all-electric series from Season 9.

    Maserati, and their Folgore electric brand, are “proud” to be returning to single-seater motorsport after a long 60-year absence.

    “We are very proud to be back where we belong as protagonists in the world of racing. We are powered by passion and innovative by nature” stated their CEO, Davide Grasso. He continued by saying “We have a long history of world-class excellence in competition and we are ready to drive performance in the future.”

    Maserati’s successful motorsport history includes an F1 World Championship, won by Jan Manuel Fangio in 1957, and two Indy500 wins, in 1939 and 1940. Arguable, Maserati’s greatest successes came in Sportcar and GT racing, with 4 Targa Florio wins and, more recently, 14 FIA GT titles since 2004.

    Image Credit: Formula E

    The news comes after the announcement that three giant teams – Mercedes, Audi and BMW – will be leaving the sport at the end of Season 8. This much-needed boost will help to quash some of the discussions around the future of Formula E and the potential success of the Gen3 era.

    CEO Jamie Reigle commented that “Formula E races in the heart of the most iconic cities in the world and is followed passionately by a progressive global audience. Our millions of fans will be thrilled to see Maserati line up on the grid as one of the world’s elite electric car brands.”

    Alejandro Aga, Founder and Chairman, continued this by stating that “The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the pinnacle of electric racing. It provides the perfect environment for the most dynamic and innovative high-performance car brands to showcase their technological capabilities alongside their sporting ambitions.”

    Feature Image Credit: Formula E

  • Formula E Launches Gen3 Cars and Introduces New Cost Cap

    Formula E Launches Gen3 Cars and Introduces New Cost Cap

    Ahead of the 2022/2023 season, Formula E has provided us with a glimpse at their new net-zero carbon Gen3 cars, as well as announcing a new cost cap for manufacturers.

    With the car due to officially launch in spring 2022, Formula E has provided some insight into the changes we can expect to see in their Gen3 cars. This new generation of all-electric racing machines will be used from season 9 onwards and, overall, will be more efficient and faster.

    The teaser images shared at the end of November don’t give away too much about the car’s design but they do start to show the angular shape of the chassis and wings. This look has been inspired by an “aero-efficient delta wing of a fighter jet”.

    The design also boasts a wider rear and a lack of wheel covers. The latter feature should allow for closer wheel-to-wheel battles as the cars will be able to cope with more considerable contact.

    Image Credit: Formula E

    When it comes to the technical specs, the most notable development is the increase in regenerative energy, harnessed from the braking system. Up to 40% of a Formula E Gen3 car’s power will now be produced in this way.

    Additionally, all racing cars will also have a front and rear powertrain, with 250kW of energy coming from the front of the car and 350kW coming from the back. This development means that the Gen3 car will have more than double the amount of energy when compared to the Gen2 model. Thanks to this added front powertrain, the Gen3 car will also be the first formula car to not feature a rear hydraulic brake system.

    With the overall cars being lighter and smaller than their Gen2 predecessor, the Gen3 machine will have a more efficient power-to-weight ratio and will be capable of top speeds of up to 200mph.

    In addition to the changes to the cars, for the 9th season of Formula E teams and manufacturers will face a new cost cap. This means that powertrain manufacturers will be limited to spending €25 million across two consecutive seasons. However, with most teams already working on their Gen3 machines, this cost cap is unlikely to have an immediate effect on the teams.

    Image Credit: Formula E

    When discussing the developments we will see in the 9th series, Formula E’s CEO Jamie Reigle stated that: “In designing the Gen3 car, we set out to demonstrate that high performance, efficiency and sustainability can co-exist without compromise. Together with the FIA, we have built the world’s most efficient and sustainable high performance race car.”

    “The Gen3 is our fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient racing car yet. It is a creature designed for its habitat: racing on city streets in wheel-to-wheel combat. We look forward to witnessing it inspire and excite the next generation of motorsport fans in cities around the world from Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.”

    Feature Image Credit: Formula E

  • F2 Abu Dhabi: Piastri rounds out F2 campaign with feature race win

    F2 Abu Dhabi: Piastri rounds out F2 campaign with feature race win

    Newly-crowned Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri signed off his time in the series by winning his final feature race from pole position, while the battles for second place in the drivers’ and teams’ standings were settled behind him.

    Piastri got away well off the line to hold the lead from MP Motorsport’s Jack Doohan in second. Doohan started the race on the slower medium tyres and so had to immediately go defensive as the supersoft runners Guanyu Zhou and Robert Shwartzman swarmed him from the second row of the grid.

    That difference in tyre strategy set up a frantic opening lap as Zhou tried to find a way past Doohan at every opportunity, while their battle helped Liam Lawson join the fray by attacking Shwartzman for fourth. As they headed into Turn 9 both pairs went side by side for position which saw Doohan and Lawson run wide on the outside.

    Jack Doohan, MP Motorsport (Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool)

    As they rejoined the track, both drivers then spun on dirty tyres. Lawson managed to keep his car on track albeit down in seventh, but Doohan ended up in the wall and out of the race to bring out a safety car.

    When the safety car period ended on lap 5, the race resumed with Piastri leading Zhou and Shwartzman, who were battling over second place in the final standings. Further back Theo Pourchaire was fighting to hold on to fifth position on the medium tyres, with Dan Ticktum on the supersofts behind him.

    As the highest driver on the mediums, Pourchaire took the lead of the race on lap 10 when Piastri, Zhou, Shwartzman and Ralph Boschung pitted to swap from the supersofts to fresh mediums. Once the frontrunners who started on supersofts had all stopped, Pourchaire led from Felipe Drugovich and Jehan Daruvala, while net leader Piastri was in P12.

    The race then entered a lull as those at front on their starting tyres waited for their own stops to switch to the supersofts. By lap 26 Piastri was leading Zhou and Shwartzman from fifth as those ahead of them had stopped, but Pourchaire and Drugovich had extended their stint and had enough time over Zhou and Shwartzman to emerge in the podium fight once they made their own stops.

    Guanyu Zhou, UNI-Virtuosi (Clive Rose, Getty Images / FIA F2)

    Pourchaire came in first at the end of lap 27 but a slow stop meant he ended up behind Shwartzman once he rejoined the track. Drugovich came in on the following lap and emerged ahead of Pourchaire, although Pourchaire’s extra lap getting the supersoft tyres up to temperature allowed him to pass the Brazilian on track and retake fourth.

    At the end of that lap Pourchaire set the fastest lap time as he continued to close on Shwartzman. But despite his pace he was unable to drop Drugovich, and Drugovich passed Pourchaire again for fourth place on lap 31 with Shwartzman just ahead.

    Shwartzman was given a momentary relief at the end of lap 31 when Lawson pulled off the track with a mechanical problem and brought out the virtual safety car. But when that was withdrawn shortly after, Drugovich began lap 32 on Shwartzman’s gearbox and passed him under DRS down to Turn 6. Pourchaire then demoted Shwartzman to fifth on the run to Turn 9.

    Theo Pourchaire, ART (Lars Baron, Getty Images / FIA F2)

    With one lap to go Drugovich and Pourchaire didn’t have enough time to challenge the remaining positions, and so Piastri took the chequered flag from Zhou with Drugovich taking third over Pourchaire and Shwartzman. Ticktum finished sixth ahead of Marcus Armstrong, Juri Vips, Boschung and Richard Verschoor.

    With Zhou and Drugovich on the podium UNI-Virtuosi sealed second place in the teams’ championship over Carlin. But despite Zhou finishing three places higher than Shwartzman in the race, Shwartzman held on to the runner-up spot in the drivers’ standings by nine points.

  • F2 Abu Dhabi: Piastri clinches title as Daruvala holds on to sprint victory

    F2 Abu Dhabi: Piastri clinches title as Daruvala holds on to sprint victory

    Jehan Daruvala took his second win of the year in the first Yas Marina sprint race after a race-long battle with Felipe Drugovich, while Oscar Piastri sealed the Formula 2 Championship by beating out his teammate Robert Shwartzman on track.

    Jehan Daruvala, Carlin (Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool)

    Daruvala started the race from reverse grid pole ahead of his Carlin teammate Dan Ticktum. The polesitter had a clear run down to the first corner as Ticktum was slow off the line and passed by both Drugovich and Liam Lawson. Behind them the two Premas of Shwartzman and Piastri jumped from seventh and tenth to fifth and sixth respectively behind Ticktum.

    Ticktum tried to retake third from Lawson on the opening lap but struggled for pace with an apparent car issue. Within two laps he was under pressure from Shwartzman and Piastri, who both passed the Carlin for fourth and fifth on lap 3.

    By this point in the weekend Shwartzman was Piastri’s only remaining rival for the title and had to finish in third at the least to keep his title hopes alive. On the following lap after clearing Ticktum he set the fastest lap and started hunting down Lawson for that crucial third.

    Shwartzman took the final podium place from Lawson on lap 6, but his rival Piastri was only half a second behind Lawson himself. After taking the fastest lap, Piastri then overtook Lawson for fourth on lap 7.

    Robert Shwartzman, Prema (Bryn Lennon, Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images / FIA F2)

    At the front of the field, Drugovich was told by his UNI-Virtuosi team to clear Daruvala as fast as possible, as the two Premas were closing rapidly on the leading pair. Drugovich closed the gap to within a few tenths, but each time he got close enough to press for first place Daruvala responded with enough pace in the first sector to protect himself throughout the rest of the lap.

    On lap 12 Drugovich pressured Daruvala into a mistake as his tyres began to fade, and momentarily got ahead as he dived up the inside of Turn 9. But Daruvala managed to stay side by side with Daruvala as they went down to Turn 12, and by the end of the corner Daruvala was back out in front.

    As Daruvala and Drugovich battled for the lead, Shwartzman and Piastri closed up to within half a second behind them. But instead of pressuring the leaders, the Premas started battling each other as Piastri put the attack on Shwartzman for third.

    With three laps to go Shwartzman locked up going into Turn 6 and opened the door for Piastri to take third. Shwartzman tried to fight back around the outside of Turn 9, but Piastri held the inside line and kept ahead.

    Daruvala, Drugovich and Piastri took the three podium positions with Shwartzman in fourth. Lawson and Ticktum came home in fifth and sixth, with Theo Pourchaire and Guanyu Zhou taking the final points.

  • F2 Jeddah: Armstrong pounces on maiden win in first sprint race

    F2 Jeddah: Armstrong pounces on maiden win in first sprint race

    Marcus Armstrong took advantage of a front row start in the first Jeddah sprint race to take his first win in the series, seeing off polesitter Liam Lawson.

    Armstrong had wheelspin off the line and looked to drop behind Lawson, but found better acceleration in the second phase of the start. The two cars went into the first corner chicane side by side, but Armstrong muscled Lawson to the edge of the track and came out ahead.

    Behind them, Ralph Boschung improved from fourth to third by passing Juri Vips. Further back there was contact between Guilherme Samaia and Marino Sato into the Turn 4 chicane, which left both cars stranded and brought out the safety car.

    Ralph Boschung, Campos (Dan Mullan, Getty Images / FIA F2)

    When the race restarted again on lap 4 it only lasted a few corners, as title contender Guanyu Zhou was tipped into a spin trying to pass Christian Lundgaard for sixth. Zhou managed to keep the car going albeit at the back of the field and with a broken front wing, and a brief virtual safety car was deployed to clear away the debris.

    When the VSC was withdrawn on lap 5, Boschung in third started putting in fastest laps to close the distance to Lawson ahead. But with overtaking so difficult around Jeddah he wasn’t able to make a move for second place, and Boschung instead burned through his tyres and came under attack from Vips.

    On lap 10 Vips blasted past Boschung for third under DRS on the start/ finish straight. At the same point on the following lap Boschung lost fourth place to Felipe Drugovich, and by the end of lap 13 he’d been passed by Robert Shwartzman, Lundgaard, Theo Pourchaire and Oscar Piastri to drop out of the points.

    Robert Shwartzman, Prema (Bryn Lennon, Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images / FIA F2)

    The safety car made another appearance in the closing stages of the race when Pourchaire spun into the wall at Turn 22, the same place Charles Leclerc crashed during FP2.

    When the race resumed it was with just three laps to go, and at the front Lawson put a renewed attack on Armstrong. The Hitech driver managed to hound the DAMS by just a few tenths of a second across the closing laps, but Armstrong’s defensive driving saw him hold off Lawson until the chequered flag and keep first place.

    Lawson finished second ahead of Hitech teammate Vips, with Drugovich in fourth. Shwartzman crossed the line in fifth but dropped to sixth due to a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage earlier in the race.

    Jehan Daruvala benefited from the penalty to finish fifth, after a bold move at the restart saw him pass both Lundgaard and Piastri. Lundgaard finished seventh behind Daruvala and Shwartzman, and Dan Ticktum took eighth place after passing Piastri for the final point on the last lap.

    Piastri finished ninth and Bent Viscaal took reverse grid pole for the second race with tenth place. Jack Doohan was the highest of the F3 graduates making their debut this weekend with a P11 finish.

  • F2 Jeddah preview: who can keep the focus as the title approaches?

    F2 Jeddah preview: who can keep the focus as the title approaches?

    Formula 2 returns after a long absence this weekend, for the penultimate round of the 2021 championship at Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Street Circuit.

    When the cars take to the track in Jeddah, it will have been nearly 10 weeks since the last race of the championship in Sochi. The previous longest gap this season was eight weeks between Silverstone and Monza, and it was evident in the three races in Italy that several drivers were rusty after such a long time away from the track.

    At this late stage in the season, with just two rounds and six races left to run, it’s going to be more important than ever for the drivers to renew their focus fast. And that’s especially true for the title protagonists Oscar Piastri and Guanyu Zhou, as the championship could mathematically be decided in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

    Oscar Piastri, Prema (Joe Portlock, Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)

    Piastri currently leads Zhou by 36 points with 130 remaining in the final two rounds. That sounds like a slim chance to wrap up the title by this Sunday, but if Piastri outscores Zhou by 29 points across the weekend — the amount for a feature race pole and win — the title will be his.

    It will be tough for Piastri to make up that kind of ground this weekend without some major misfortune befalling Zhou. But with such a long time off between races, that’s exactly the kind of scenario that could play out if the rust isn’t shaken off in practice.

    But Piastri will have to watch out, too. With 130 points still to be won, everyone down to Richard Verschoor in tenth is still technically able to take the title. Most of those will likely be eliminated this weekend, but not all of them can be written off completely.

    Robert Shwartzman, Dan Ticktum and Theo Pourchaire sit third, fourth and fifth in the standings with multiple wins so far. Any slip-up by Piastri or Zhou will be gratefully received by this trio of drivers, who still have time to launch a late dark-horse bid for the crown.

    What to expect from Jeddah

    Ralph Boschung, Campos (Lars Baron, Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images / FIA F2)

    With Jeddah being a brand-new circuit and coming after such a long gap, there’s not much to go on when looking ahead to the race.

    Piastri would be a good bet for feature race pole this weekend, given that he’s taken the last three poles in a row. But another driver who should come to Jeddah with high hopes is Juri Vips.

    What we do know about Jeddah is that it’s a high-speed street circuit, which immediately brings comparisons to the “Monza with walls” sections of Baku. And during F2’s visit to Baku this year, Vips was decisively the driver to beat as he swept up two wins in a row and launched himself up the championship table.

    Speaking of street circuit specialists, Ralph Boschung could be one to watch as well. The Swiss driver has scored six points finishes this year and each one has come at previous street tracks — not only that but they’ve all been top-six results, with the highlight being fourth place at Monaco.

    Boschung and Campos are unlikely to be challenging for wins or pole this weekend, but a podium appearance could well be on the cards.

    Driver changes

     

    We might be nearing the end of the year but that hasn’t stopped the F2 grid changing up once again before Jeddah, as four drivers from the 2021 Formula 3 season are stepping up this weekend.

    F3 vice-champion Jack Doohan will be making his F2 debut at MP Motorsport, taking the #11 car driven by Verschoor all season. He’ll be joined by Clement Novalak, who replaces Lirim Zendelli in the #12 and will be preparing himself for next year when he joins MP Motorsport full-time.

    Olli Caldwell, who raced for Prema in F3 this year, will become the latest driver in the #20 Campos, which has been piloted by Gianluca Petecof, Matteo Nannini and David Beckmann throughout the year so far. Lastly, recent Williams F1 academy signing Logan Sargeant will replace Jake Hughes in the #22 HWA.

  • The Chinese Grand Prix – New deal signed with the FIA

    The Chinese Grand Prix – New deal signed with the FIA

    Formula One announce that they have signed a new deal with the Chinese Grand Prix organiser Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of People’s Republic of China and the Shanghai Administration of Sports and the Chinese Grand Prix Promoter, Juss Sports Group to extend their contract to 2025.

    The race has been on the calendar since 2004 and seen some dramatic moments over the years. From Lewis Hamilton’s dramatic 2007 exit in the pitlane, to Nico Rosberg taking his maiden grand prix victory in 2012. Rubens Barrichello took the first victory in 2004 when driving for Ferrari and Fernando Alonso who had already wrapped up the world championship that year took victory in 2005 from pole. The Spaniard also took victory in 2013 for Ferrari. Mercedes have taken the most victories at the track with six wins. It is also the place that Michael Schumacher took his final victory during 2006, his last year at Ferrari.

    Photo credit: Ferrari Media

    Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said:

    “This is great news for all of our fans in China and we are delighted to announce this agreement that will see us racing in Shanghai until 2025. Our partnership with the promoter Juss Sports is incredibly strong and we look forward to continuing our long-term partnership. While we are all disappointed, we could not include China on the 2022 calendar due to ongoing pandemic conditions, China will be restored to the calendar as soon as conditions allow and we look forward to being back with the fans as soon as we can.”

    Of course, the race has been cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic, so the promoter will be happy that they have secured the future of the event on the calendar for the next few years.