(Motorsports news)19 January 2022, London: With the first season of Extreme E just finishing, it is now one month to go until Extreme E’s sport for purpose campaign is back with new faces, a new team, and a new continent to visit, but with the same amount of thrilling wheel-to-wheel on track action being showcased across the toughest terrains on the planet.

Building on the success of its debut year in 2021, Extreme E Season 2 ‘ The Race For the Planet’ promises to captivate on and off track on a another level, whilst delivering on its overall purpose to tackle climate change through sport, starting with the Desert X Prix in NEOM, Saudi Arabia, 19-20 February.

Alejandro Agag, CEO and Founder of Extreme E, said: “Using our sport for purpose platform, Extreme E delivered truly groundbreaking action in its first season, on and off the race course, and now we are ready to go and do it all again, with more experience and more determination than ever.   

“As we embark on the second chapter of our story, we are proud to finally welcome Zak Brown and his McLaren team to the party and know they will make a huge impact, which we are all excited to see. We also add a new continent to our journey as we take our voyage to South America, a hugely important home, both for motorsport fans and the climate. 

“In all this, however, we cannot lose sight of our overall purpose, that we are all together in a race for the planet. We feel more passionately than ever about the importance of using the platform of sport to raise awareness for climate issues and the solutions we can all be part of, under the great direction of our Scientific Committee, as we as a global community strive to keep temperature rise levels below 1.5°C. This is the race we can, and must win, and we all need to play our part.”   

The inaugural Extreme E season was a thriller and went down to the wire, with Rosberg X Racing (RXR) taking the Championship on count back of victories after finishing the campaign tied on points with perennial fastest qualifiers in Season 1, Lewis Hamilton’s X44.

Nico Rosberg, inaugural Extreme E Champions RXR Racing Founder and CEO, said: “Winning the inaugural Extreme E championship was just incredible. But our team is about more than just winning. We’re also here to promote an important message. A key reason we exist is to drive awareness, educate and help tackle climate change and we aim to leave a lasting legacy that drives localized change in each location that Extreme E visits. Last year we were able to achieve some incredible things through this series and that was just the beginning. Looking forward to an exciting new season and hopefully another win for RXR!”

As well as returning to Saudi Arabia, Italy and possibly Senegal, Extreme E will make its highly-anticipated debut in South America with its final two X Prix of the campaign taking place in Antofagasta, Chile, and Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Excitement for Extreme E Season 2 is boosted further with motorsport giants McLaren joining the Championship for 2022.

McLaren has been a leader in electric motorsport from the outset, supplying the battery powertrain to the FIA Formula E Championship for the Gen 1 and Gen 2 seasons, employing the same technology pioneered in the McLaren P1 hypercar. With its entry into Extreme E, McLaren Racing will continue to build its know-how and expertise in the all-electric racing space.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “From the outset, McLaren Racing has never been afraid to push new boundaries. This new venture is true to our roots of innovation and bravery. Extreme E is paving new ground in motorsport as a force for good in confronting some of the biggest challenges facing our world today and in the future.”

World Rallycross ace Tanner Foust was announced as the team’s male driver in August 2021 before Emma Gilmour was signed up to become McLaren’s first-ever female driver during the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow last November.

Both drivers will bring plenty of off-road prowess to the Extreme E grid for Season 2. Foust is a four-time and current U.S. Rallycross Champion (2019, 2012, 2011, 2010) and has also won four X Games gold medals (2013, 2010, 2007), alongside two Formula Drift Championships (2008, 2007). Gilmour became the first and only female to date to win a New Zealand Rally Championship event and also won the FIA Women in Motorsport and Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) cross country rally selection in 2015. The New Zealander also competed in two rounds of Extreme E Season 1 for Veloce Racing.

Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes are integral to the series and aim to provide both social and environmental support at each race location. Project selection is led by the location’s scientist and all five members of our independent Scientific Committee actively support these programmes.

The sport for purpose Championship selects projects that prioritise the empowerment of local communities, build resilience by helping the vulnerable to adapt to climate change, provide long lasting sustainable solutions and promote renewable energy sources that will grow economies while reducing carbon emissions. The series will continue to work with world leading experts in science, education and environmental research, to ensure the Championship’s credibility and effectiveness. 

Extreme E is the only motor racing series in the world today that mandates that every team taking part must field both a male and female driver. This was a world first in motorsport, and as well as providing opportunities at the highest level of sporting competition, the series is strengthening this commitment to development at the grassroots level in its second season. 

At the 2021 season finale in Dorset, UK, Extreme E was delighted to host an event for 50 local schoolgirls with the female motorsport initiative Girls on Track UK.  Girls on Track UK (formerly known as Dare To Be Different) is an initiative started back in 2016 by former Formula One test driver, Susie Wolff. Now managed by governing body Motorsport UK, as part of FIA’s global Girls on Track programme, it focuses on inspiring, connecting and showcasing females in motorsport as well as through science, technology and math (STEM). 

The girls, all aged between 11 and 12 years-old, got to experience life behind the scenes of Extreme E – as well as being shown the many future potential career opportunities within the sport, with the series intention being to build on this work and inspire girls all over the world with these memorable insights throughout this new season.

With less than five weeks to go until the opening X Prix of the campaign, Extreme E Season 2 is all set to be another spectacular campaign.

Also read: Maserati joins Formula E from the 2023 season

(Motorsports news) Maserati is finally making a comeback into motorsports as they will be part of the 2023 season of the Formula E. With the unveiling of the Gen3, Formula E claimed that the car will be the lightest, quickest, and most powerful racing vehicle to date. Maserati confirmed that it will compete in the Formula E World Championship from Season 9. Maserati will be officially involved in the 100% electric single-seater series as drivers and the team on which the Modena-based company will be revealed later. 

The legendary Maserati will race for the first time in almost 60 years, marking its return to single-seater competition since the 1950’s. It will be the first Italian company to compete in the Formula E series ever. Maserati was founded in 1914 and had won several major global championships in the 1950s. Formula E was chosen as the launchpad  to promote the company’s electrification ambitions.In 2023, Maserati will only compete in Formula E from next year as they have opted out of the GT category. The entry of Maserati will be much welcomed into the Formula E series because car manufacturers such as the likes of Mercedes EQ and Aud  have chosen not to continue with the electric series after 2022.

Maserati will compete in the ninth season of the Formula E World Championship as it  begins in January 2023. The new single-seaters will debut with power raised from 250 to 350 kW, or 470 horsepower, and a second motor-generator for enhanced energy recovery, marking a generational leap in Formula E. There will also be cars with entirely different aerodynamics and appearances, allowing veteran teams and new teams to compete on an equal footing with brand new cars that will be a level playing field for all manufacturers. The coming of such an iconic brand in the form of Maserati is not only going to help Formula E grow financially but also help attract more fans to watch the E prix. With the next gen cars being quicker and more efficient it will be an interesting watch to see if they can compete with the likes of  Porsche, DS Techeetah, Nissan, and Jaguar

Back to the Future, Back to Race” is the tagline chosen to celebrate the event, as Davide Grasso, Maserati’s COO, explains in a statement. “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. We have a long history of world-class excellence in competition and we are ready to drive performance in the future,” said Grasso. “Beyond this piece of history, Maserati Formula E will be our technological laboratory to accelerate the development of high-efficiency electrified powertrains and intelligent software for our road sports cars.”

“Having a brand as famous as Maserati with a racing tradition is certainly one of the best days in the history of the ABB Formula E Championship,” added Formula E founder and chairman Alejandro Agag.

Also read: Hyderabad is all set to host the first ever Formula E race in India

(Motorsports news) Hyderabad is all set to host the first ever Formula E race in India, in what is a big step towards the growth of motorsports in the country. The city will join the likes of New York, London, Berlin, Rome and Seoul which have already been hosting the event and the race proposal was all thanks to the initiative of industries and IT minister K. T. Rama Rao. An agreement will be signed by the state government, Formula E Association and Greenko, a leading alternative energy provider, “to make Hyderabad a candidate host city for Formula E race on yearly basis.”

Since 2014 Formula E has just grown immensely and it gives a wide look into the future of the motorsports industry. The best part of Formula E is that no new separate track is required, unlike F1 as the racing takes place on the existing city roads. The team had visited the Hussainsagar circuit of Tank Bund and Necklace road, the circular road around KBR Park in Jubilee Hills and financial district road in Gachibowli which can be the next venue by November 2022 or March 2023 itself if the state government undertakes infrastructure developments to make the circuit not only race worthy but also world class.

This a major boost for the motorsports fans in India as the FIA are trying to dive into the Asian market and especially after an amazing season last year, the viewership along with added sponsorship makes it possible for Hyderabad to host an E-prix. The decision to host in Hyderabad was because of the development of Hyderabad in the hub of all technologies. It is the hub for sustainability activities and is also a key player in production of clean electricity as it matches with the Formula E ideals. 

Alberto Longo, Co-founder and Chief Championship Officer, FIA Formula E said, “We are announcing Hyderabad as the official candidate city for Formula E. This is massive because it was only 29 days ago that I received a call from Dilbagh (Mahindra team) that there is an opportunity in India. I have never seen the speed in taking decisions like it happened here. That obviously has somewhat helped the group of people behind the decisions that we make. I have never seen such a speed of decisions by a Minister (referring to Industries Minister KT Rama Rao). You can clearly see the vision he has for the State. I was surprised to know that. We hope that Hyderabad will be on the calendar of Formula E soon and we can actually enjoy the race in Hyderabad soon. We are impressed with the attitude that brought us here and I am sure it will lead us to finalizing the race soon”

On the track changes he said, “The track proposed by the Telangana Government is good. We will suggest a few changes and modify it to suit the race. But I can say the location is fantastic and hopefully we will get everyone to be part of the event here. Clearly, it is a global event and we are expecting participation from several countries. About 400 to 500 million people watch the race on TV and the spectatorship at the event depends on the city. However, it is safe to say that about 50,000 to 80,000 people will watch it at the location.”

After the signing ceremony, Mahindra Racing CEO Dilbagh Gill expressed delight and said that “it has always been our burning desire to race in front of our fans and have a home race. We are now one big step closer to this dream”.

Also read: Formula 1: Ferrari and McLaren reveal launch dates for 2022 car

Anil Chalamalasetty, CEO of Greenko and promoter of the event, said that “if all goes as planned then Hyderabad would enter into a final agreement with Formula E in the next three months and could expect a race soon. Greenko has been synonymous with green and renewable energy and we hope our engagement with such global events goes a long way,” 
 

(Motorsport) The most successful team in Formula 1 history, Ferrari have revealed the launch date of the 2022 car, becoming the second team to do so after Aston Martin had revealed earlier that their car will be showcased on February 10th. The Italian manufacturers will unveil their car on February 17th while their rivals McLaren will showcase their 2022 challenger on February 11th.

After enduring a disastrous 2020 campaign, the Scuderia put on a much improved performance in the 2021 season and ended up third in the Constructors Standings ahead of rivals McLaren. However, it’s been over a decade since Ferrari has won the World Championship and the Italian manufacturer has been developing the 2022 longer than most on the Formula 1 grid. 

Team boss Mattia Binotto said “If I look at the 2022 car, and the 2022 power unit, believe me there is a lot of innovation in it, I think that the way that the entire engineering team has faced the new design, the new project, and the 2022 regulations, which were a big discontinuity, was certainly with a more open mind than before. I can myself measure it by looking at the car itself, the way it's progressing, and certainly with the amount of innovation we put in it." 

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will continue their partnership for Ferrari in the 2022 season and hope to catch up to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the front of the grid. It’s expected that the gap between Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari will be closer than it has been in the past, especially considering the amount of time and money Ferrari have invested in the car. 

Their rivals McLaren have also confirmed the new McLaren MCL36 will be unveiled on February 11th at the McLaren Technology Centre. The British team finished fourth in the Constructors Championship and Lando Norris had a pretty good season, getting four podiums and a maiden pole position while Daniel Ricciardo won the Italian GP. 

The new Formula 1 season will begin on March 20th in Bahrain.

Also read: Formula 1 team Aston Martin hire Mike Krack as new team principal

(Motorsports news)17 January 2022, London: X44 have become the winners of the first ever Extreme E Sustainability Award after topping the standings in the series’ inaugural Count Us In Challenge aimed at tackling the climate crisis.

Extreme E and Count Us In came together ahead of Season 1 to launch the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge - a campaign using the power of sport and the excitement of motor racing to inspire fans to take practical steps on climate change.

The sport for purpose series asked fans to take real pledges to lead a less carbon intensive lifestyle to reduce their footprint and, in doing so, urge governments, cities and businesses to accelerate progress on climate action. 

The Extreme E Count Us In Challenge includes a variety of actions available to fans to contribute towards a greener future, including not using single-use plastic, walking and cycling more, eating more plant-based foods and driving an electric vehicle. Each step is attributed to the fans’ favourite team, and the team with the most steps at the end of Season 1 would win the inaugural Extreme E Sustainability Award. 

This was achieved by X44, who claimed the award with 792 steps pledged, with JBXE (749 steps) and Rosberg X Racing (RXR) (422 steps) completing the top three. In total, the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge inspired 1,231 fans to take 3,207 steps saving 1,241,223 KG CO2.

The Extreme E Count Us In Challenge will return for Season 2 with fans once again urged to take climate action through their passion for the sport.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to present X44 as the winners of the Extreme E Sustainability Award via the series’ first-ever Count Us In Challenge.

“Sport is an incredible platform to not only raise awareness of the climate crisis, the single biggest threat to our planet today, but also inspire action to tackle it. At Extreme E we will continue to push the boundaries and shine a spotlight on the issues we face, along with the need to act now to help protect our futures.

“Our first season working with Count Us In has been a huge success and I am looking forward to us building on this momentum for Season 2 to go further in taking climate action.”

Sébastien Loeb, X44, said: “I was very happy to learn that X44 won the Extreme E Sustainability Award for 2021. I joined the team hoping to discover more about the environment while doing what I love, and I have learned so much from the series and the different places we visited - in fact I even bought my first electric car last year!

“To know that our fans have come on this journey with us and are making their own commitment to have a positive impact on the planet is inspiring and I feel good about what we can achieve when we work together.”

Shivani Rudra, Count Us In, said: “Through the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge, teams and their fans have demonstrated their commitment to a cleaner, healthier, thriving future for all.

“By taking meaningful, simple steps in their own daily lives, Extreme E fans have not just reduced their own carbon emissions, but they’ve added up to a growing movement of people and communities showing leaders it’s time to accelerate progress on climate action.

“Huge congratulations to X44 and its fans for their engagement in Season 1! We look forward to continuing to work with Extreme E and the teams in Season 2 to further their legacy through their passionate fanbase.”

Extreme E aims to accelerate the adoption of clean and electrified transport to help protect people and the planet, with the Extreme E Count Us In Challenge also supporting the UN's Race To Zero campaign.

In 2022, Extreme E will continue to race across the world’s most remote environments to demonstrate the performance and benefits of electric vehicles and clean technology, whilst highlighting the impact that climate change is already having on these ecosystems, such as melting ice caps, deforestation, desertification, retreating mountain glaciers, and rising sea levels.

Extreme E Season 2 begins in Neom, Saudi Arabia (19-20 February), before heading to Sardinia, Italy (7-8 May), Senegal or Scotland (9-10 July), Antofagasta, Chile (10-11 September) and Punta Del Este, Uruguay (26-27 November). 

Also read: Honda's Quintanilla takes runner-up spot in the Dakar Rally, Hero finishes with best-ever performance

Jeddah, Jan 15 (MotorSports News) Monster Energy Honda Team rider Pablo Quintanilla won the final stage of the Dakar Rally to grab second overall place, while Hero MotoSports Team finished with its best-ever performance.

Quintanilla earned the final stage victory, finishing 3 minutes 27 seconds short of clinching the outright Dakar 2022 title.

"I am very happy with the result and my performance throughout the whole race, especially during the second week, which I managed well, making up time with a steady performance," Quintanilla said.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally wrapped up a memorable campaign that saw them become the first Indian manufacturer to win a stage in the world's toughest rally for the very first time.

They ended their campaign with a stage win and one stage podium, as both their riders crossed the final finish line.

All through 2021, the team participated in multiple races, constantly upgrading their machines, and reaching the top positions.

They entered the Dakar Rally battling several last-minute hurdles - including two of their riders getting unfit for the race due to injuries.

Joaquim Rodrigues, the star performer of the team, finished the last stage of 163 kms between Bisha to Jeddah with yet another top-15 finish. He finished 13th while his teammate Aaron Maré secured the 15th place in the overall standings of the RallyGP class.

All four Monster Energy Honda team riders also managed to finish one of the toughest ever editions of the rally, with the Honda CRF450 RALLY once again making it through the entire Dakar without a single mechanical issue.

Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec and José Ignacio 'Nacho' Cornejo, riding their respective Honda CRF450 RALLY bikes, also finished the race among the leaders.

Spain’s Barreda, fourth on the final stage, finished fifth overall, equalling the result achieved in 2017. Brabec took seventh spot overall, while Cornejo, third in the last stage, consolidated his sixth place in the final rally classification. 

Also Read : India's Noah completes third Dakar, beats own record for best stage ranking

News Source : PTI

(Motorsport) Aston Martin have appointed Mike Krack as the new team principal for the Formula 1 team as a replacement for Otmar Szafnauer after a disappointing seventh place finish in the 2021 season. The former BMW chief will be responsible for improving the results in the 2022 season and has the advantage of working with Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel during his previous F1 stint at Sauber.

Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, said: "It is a thrill and an honour to have been appointed to the position of Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, and I am very grateful to Lawrence [Stroll] and Martin [Whitmarsh] for giving me such a fantastic opportunity.

"Aston Martin is one of the greatest automotive brands in the world, and to have been asked to play a leading role in delivering the on-track Formula One success that such an illustrious name so richly deserves is a challenge that I plan to embrace with energy and enthusiasm.

"I have been working in motorsport for over 20 years, and worked in Formula One with Seb Vettel in 2006 and 2007 when I was a BMW-Sauber engineer and he was the team's test driver.

"I have huge respect for his speed and ability, and it will be fantastic to be reunited with him. Lance Stroll is a seriously fast and talented driver, too, with 100 Grands Prix starts to his name, and I am very much looking forward to working closely with him.

"Team Silverstone has always impressed me. It is full of talented people and real racers. That racer's culture and values are what is required to succeed in motorsport - I know that and my new colleagues at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team know it, too. We will work incredibly hard. We want to win. Together, we will."

Team owner Lawrence Stroll said “Winning in Formula 1 is all about bringing together the best efforts of all the principal players - drivers, engineers, mechanics, everyone - and Mike is perfectly placed to do just that. We are hiring brilliant new people every week. Our new factory build is coming along very well. We have a fantastic roster of superb sponsor-partners. We are about to embark on year two of our five-year plan, the objective of which is to win Formula 1 world championships. All the ingredients we require are coming together. Mike will play a central and leading role, reporting to Martin Whitmarsh and leading our technical and operational functions, our collective aim being to fulfil those lofty ambitions. We are on our way."

Whitmarsh added: "Mike is exactly the right kind of dynamic and modern team principal who, working with our other senior leaders under Lawrence's [Stroll] and my overall direction, as well as with our ever-growing staff of skilled and committed employees, will deliver the Formula 1 world championship success that we at Aston Martin are so determined to achieve."

Aston Martin are also the first Formula 1 team to reveal that their new car launch date will be on Friday, February 10th. The 2022 season will introduce major rule changes with 18-inch wheels and an overhaul of the aerodynamics. The changes are meant to ensure the sport is more competitive with more intense races and new on-track rivalries. Four time World Champion Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll remain partnered for the Aston Martin Formula 1 team in the 2022 season.

Also read: Turkish esports player Cem Bolukbasi seals berth in Formula 2 for 2022 season

Jeddah, Jan 14 (MotorSports News) The lone Indian rider in this year's Dakar Rally, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Racing Factory completed his third Dakar Rally and recorded his best-ever stage ranking in the experience class of 44th edition of the world's toughest off-road racing event, which concluded here on Friday.

Noah, who was placed 110th after stage 10, began the penultimate stage in the Dakar Experience class on Thursday, which provided a second chance for the riders to continue the gruelling 7000 km cross-country rally-raid and experience the finish.

That meant Noah was not classified anymore in the elite RallyGP class.

However, Noah set the best Dakar stage-time ever by a rider from India at the prestigious annual cross-country endurance rally by finishing stage 11 in P18, beating his own record of P19 set last year.

He clocked a total of 66 hours, 22 minutes and 42 seconds in the overall time sheet after logging a penalty time of 21 hours and 45 minutes for a general ranking of 115.

Great Britain's Sam Sunderland won the Moto section.

While Noah is the only rider from India, his teammates from Sherco TVS Factory Rally team, Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino, finished 11th and Rui Goncalves, from Portugal, was ranked 24th overall.

The other Indian team in fray, Hero MotoSports, too did well, with lead rider Joaquim Rodriques, also from Portugal, finishing a creditable 14th and Aaron Mare clinching the 16th spot.

"It is always a great feeling to complete Dakar and I am very happy with the experience. The nature of endurance cross-country rally like Dakar is gruelling and strenuous but one has to brave dangerous conditions for both the man and the machine. "That is why this race is special. Despite not being officially classified, and not finishing for the second time, I take the good things home and the thrill of finishing spurs me on to more adventures on my bike," Noah said.

Noah finished the last day's stage 12 at 23rd place in a gruelling race that traversed through 7790 km of desert sands and dunes mixed with dangerous, tricky unforgiving terrain of rocks.

Noah rode well and excelled in navigation to clock an overall timing of 72:52:50s for the 12 stages including two stages under the Dakar Experience Class. 

Also Read : Turkish esports player Cem Bolukbasi seals berth in Formula 2 for 2022 season

News Source : PTI

(Motorsport) Cem Bolukbasi, a Turkish esports player will compete in the Formula 2 this season with Charouz Racing System, thereby becoming the first gamer to transition from F1 Esports to Formula 1’s feeder series. Bolukbasi made his debut in F1 Esports in 2017 and has spent the last few years racing in single seater championships. The 23 year old will feature in F2 this season and is already setting his sights on his ultimate goal of becoming a Formula 1 racer one day.

"If I was never in F1 Esports, I would never have had the chance to get into a real car. I would not be where I am now," said Bolukbasi. I think it's also very important to be the first gamer to do this, because it can give people hope. If people see that one person can do it, they will believe they can do it as well. If I can go from F1 Esports to Formula 2, I think anyone can." Bolukbasi raced in the F3 Asian Championship last year, scoring 13 out of a possible 15 points and also won his debut EuroFormula Open race. The 23 year old tested a Formula 2 car at the Yas Marina Circuit after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season.

Bolukbasi said “I was in Abu Dhabi in 2017 for F1 Esports as an Esports driver. To return after four years testing an F2 car was pretty insane for me, realising everything. I watched the F1 finale, testing, and then a day later I was driving the F2 car. I was like a kid living a dream over those five or six days." The Turk is backed by several big Turkish companies and agencies as well as Turkey's Motor Sports Federation (TOSFED). Jason Tahincioglu, son of former TOSFED president Mumtaz was the last Turkish driver to compete in Formula 2 in 2006 and 2007 but failed to score a single point in GP2.

The 2022 Formula 2 calendar is set to be the biggest one to date with a 14 round calendar, all of which will be held on F1 race weekends. Bolukbasi paid tribute to his F1 Esports experience in helping him become the first graduate from the virtual world into Formula 2. He said “I was in Abu Dhabi in 2017 for F1 Esports as an Esports driver. To return after four years testing an F2 car was pretty insane for me, realising everything. I watched the F1 finale, testing, and then a day later I was driving the F2 car. I was like a kid living a dream over those five or six days.”  Bolukbasi will return to the F2 cockpit when testing resumes in Bahrain from March 2nd to 4th with the season commencing two weeks later at the same venue.

Also read: Four things fans should be excited about for the 2022 Formula 1 season

(Motorsports news) Veloce Racing is now ready for Extreme E driver line-up Season 2, with the returning Lance Woolridge signed to partner Christine Giampaoli Zonca (GZ) for the forthcoming campaign.

Woolridge made his first appearance for Veloce Racing at the season-ending Jurassic X Prix in December 2021, where he made an impressive comeback in Semi-Final 2 in Dorset, UK, raising eyebrows across the Extreme E paddock.

As a double South African Cross Country Series title winner in 2018 and 2019, the 30-year-old’s much valued off-road experience in championships akin to Extreme E should help the team. In addition, Woolridge is already very familiar with Veloce Racing having been the team’s Reserve and Development Driver for Season 1. 

Lance Woolridge, Veloce Racing, said: “This is a great opportunity to continue with the team after a really promising race in Dorset at the end of last season. Although we didn’t make it to the Final, I think it was clear to see that the pace was there, and we have some solid foundations to build on in 2022.

“Veloce Racing is a great team with a really dedicated group of people behind the scenes so I’m happy to be working with them again. Christine (GZ did a great job last season so I’m confident that we can achieve great things together at Veloce.” 

Rupert Svendsen-Cook, Team Principal, Veloce Racing, said: “As with any motorsport series – and especially Extreme E due to its unpredictable nature – it’s important to have some level of consistency from one season to another, so it’s great to have Lance onboard after a really impressive showing in Dorset for us last year. We’ve both had to be patient with each other and I want to recognise Lance’s commitment to Veloce throughout his time as reserve driver for us, where we’re very happy to finally honour him with the full time race seat. 

“This year promises to be the team’s biggest yet and with Lance and Christine onboard, we’re excited to see the heights Veloce Racing can reach on the course as Extreme E prepares for another thrilling season.”

Also read: India's Harith Noah placed 26th overall after Stage 8

Wadi Ad Dawasir (Saudi Arabia), Jan 10 (MotorSports News) The lone Indian rider in this year's Dakar Rally, Harith Naoh of TVS Racing Factory team, overcame initial hiccups to be placed 26th here on Monday in the overall rankings of the world's most gruelling off-road rally.

He has till now recorded an overall timing of 29 hours 50 minutes and 47 seconds.

In Stage 8, he finished in the 26th position after clocking 4:12.30s.

India's Hero MotoSports Team Rally rider, Joaquim Rodrigues, is placed 15th overall with a timing of 28:36.47s after Stage 8.

Rodrigues finished Stage 8 at the eight spot with an impressive timing of three four and 58 minutes.

Rodrigues' teammate Aaron Mare is placed 17th in the rankings after Stage 8 with a timing of 28:50.28s. He finished the stage in the 21st spot clocking 4:8.19s. The stage was won by Sam Sunderland of Great Britain covering almost 400 km.

Starting at 22nd position from the grid and treading a cautious path for the first 86 km in the long liaisons and action-packed dunes, Noah saw off the trek to southern Saudi Arabia and its tough sands and lost about 10 places.

He progressed later on, even as the minds and bodies of the competitors were put to a hard test.

Eventually, the landscapes changed and the tough negotiator ended the day in a respectable position after traversing a distance of 820 km.

Competing in RallyGP, the premier class of the Moto section in the 44th Dakar Rally, Noah, who had a tough first week due to extreme cold conditions and a couple of falls, has come into his own and is looking forward to the last four stages.

"I enjoyed the stage for the second day running and I am getting into my rhythm. It was a long and tough day but I like tricky navigation like this stage. I am still in the race and glad to be fighting another stage tomorrow," Noah said.

There are four more stages left in this year's rally that concludes on January 14. 

Also Read : National motorcycle racing: Ryhana Bee regains girls title

News Source : PTI

Chennai, Jan 8 (MotorSports News): Local rider Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) regained the title in the girls category after two years with one race to spare as the fourth round of the MRF MMSC-FMSCI National Motorcycle Racing Championship 2021 concluded at the MMRT track near here on Saturday.

Twenty-nine-year old Prabhu Arunagiri of Chennai stole the spotlight with a maiden win for Pacer Yamaha, a team returning to the national championship after a 12-year break, in Race-2 of the Pro-Stock 165cc Open category, holding off a quality field. The race was red-flagged and reduced to five laps from eight following a lap-1 incident, but it did not stop Prabhu from winning with leader Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing) crashing in the penultimate lap.

Earlier in the day, Prabhu, who has been in and out of racing in the past few years, finished fourth in Race-1 that was won by Deepak Ravikumar who delivered a 1-2 finish for TVS Racing ahead of defending champion Jagan Kumar while Rajiv Sethu (Idemitsu Honda SK69 Racing) took third place. The two podium finishes saw Jagan moving to 159 points in the championship standings followed by Ravikumar (118) and Sethu (116).

Meanwhile, ace rider Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate) took a big step towards winning the championship in the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category as he picked up 50 valuable points. The 41-year old international finished second behind Thailand’s Vorapong Malahuan (TVS Racing), but with the foreigner ineligible for any points, Rajini picked up 25. He followed it up with a fine win in Race-2 on wearing tyres while Malahuan, who had a jump-start, faded out of contention.

After four rounds, Rajini has a tally of 168 points, ahead of Bengalurean Anish Damodara Shetty of Race Concepts (121) who finished third and second in the double-header. With one more round left in the championship and a maximum of 50 points up for grabs, Rajini has one had on the trophy with a 47-point lead.

Ryhana, 24, who missed the 2020 season owing to injuries after winning the championship in 2019, staged a remarkable recovery to catch up with early leader and defending champion Ann Jennifer before making a decisive pass on the last lap for a merited fourth consecutive victory. It took Ryhana’s tally to 100, way ahead of second-placed Mumbai’s Jagruti Kiran Penkar (Sparks Racing, 57 points) with just one more race remaining and which is scheduled to be run in the concluding round in February.

Pune teenager Sarthak Chavan chalked up a fine double in the NSF 250 category of the Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup, defeating championship leader Kavin Quintal in both races.

Results (Provisional – all six laps unless mentioned): Pro-Stock 301-400cc (Open) Race-1: 1. Vorapong Malahuan (TVS Racing, Thailand) (11mins, 18.244secs); 2. Rajini Krishnan (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate, Chennai) (11:18.657); 3. Anish Damodara Shetty (Race Concepts, Bengaluru) (11:18.921). Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Rajini Krishnan (15:04.127); 2. Anish Damodara Shetty (15:04.297); 3. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (15:04.454).

Pro-Stock 165cc (Open) Race-1: 1. Deepak Ravikumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (11:48.162); 2. Jagan Kumar (TVS Racing, Chennai) (11:48.484); 3. Rajiv Sethu (Idumitsu Honda SK69 Racing) (11:50.454). Race-2 (5 laps): 1. Prabhu Arunagiri (Pacer Yamaha, Chennai) (09:57.247); 2. Rajiv Sethu (09:57.505); 3. Jagan Kumar (09:57.655).

Novice (Stock 165cc): 1. Alwin Sundar (AS Motorsport, Chennai) (13:03.215); 2. Sarvesh Balappa (Sparks Racing, Hubbali) (13:05.798); 3. Anfal Akthar (Rockstar Racing, Thrissur) (13:05.856).

Girls (Stock 165cc) 5 laps: 1. Ryhana Bee (RACR Castrol Power Ultimate, Chennai) (11:02.702); 2. Ann Jennifer (Sparks Racing, Chennai) (11:02.886); 3. Lani Zena Fernandez (Speed Up Racing, Puducherry) (11:03.512).

Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – NSF 250 (Race-1): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune) (11:11.037); 2. Kavin Quintal (Chennai) (11:14.091); 3. Geoffrey Revinen Emmanuel (Chennai) (11:15.060). Race-2 (8 laps): 1. Sarthak Chavan (14:47.030); 2. Kavin Quintal (14:47.277); 3. Geoffrey Revinen Emmanuel (14:59.460).

Novice (CBR 150): 1. Prakash Kamat (Bokaro Steel City) (13:04.485); 2. Rakshith S Dave (Chennai) (13:04.735); 3.Vivek Gaurav (Patna) (13:06.764).

Hornet 2.0 (Support race): 1. Kevin Kannan (Chennai) (13:29.346); 2. Ajay Xavier (Nagarkoil) (13:29.437); 3. Prabhu V (Chennai) (13:29.655).

TVS One-Make Championship – Open (RR 310) Race-1: 1. Amarnath Menon (Kozhikode) (11:46.925); 2. Jagadeesh N (Bengaluru) (11:47.761); 3. Manoj Yesudian (Chennai) (11:47.899). Race-2: 1. Manoj Yesudian (11:47.967); 2. Ananthraj P (Chennai) (11:48.088); 3. Amarnath Menon (11:49.172).

Rookie (RTR 200): 1. Jinendra Kiran Sangave (Kolhapur) (12:55.139); 2. Chiranth Viswanath (Bengaluru) (12:55.220); 3. Shreyas Copparam Hareesh (Bengaluru) (12:56.356).

Also Read : India's Noah placed overall 28th after Stage 6 of Dakar Rally

News Source : PTI

Riyadh, Jan 8 (MotorSports News) Lone Indian rider in this year's Dakar Rally, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Racing Factory survived dangerous terrain and a few crashes to be placed 28th in the overall ranking after Stage 6 in the Moto section of the world's toughest off-road rally here.

The five-time national champion from Bengaluru, Noah fell in the first stage and finished 36th among 145 riders but went on to improve his rank to 31st after Stage 4 and 30th after Stage 5.

He continued his progress admirably on Friday, despite a painful shoulder, and finished a creditable 28th in the overall ranking, clocking 21:47.07s.

The bike and quad special was halted at the first neutralisation area after 101km on Friday. The deterioration of the tracks due to the passage of the cars and trucks in the previous stage in the reverse direction, combined with recent heavy rain meant that the route was impassable.

The classification for Stage 6 was established at the 101 km mark.

Noah's teammate Lorenzo Santolino is in overall sixth position after Stage 6 while Rui Goncalves is placed 32nd.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally's Joaquim Rodriques is placed overall 18th in the general ranking, while his South African mate Aaron Mare slipped to the 16th position.

Great Britain's Sam Sunderland of Gasgas Factory Racing is the overall leader after Stage 6 with a timing of 19:55.59s, while Austrian Matthias Walkner (19:58.38s) of Redbull KTM Factory Racing and Australia's Daniel Sanders (20:01.34s) of Gasgas Factory Racing are placed second and third respectively. 

Also Read : Honda's Barreda tops stage 4, Hero MotorSports keep it steady

News Source : PTI

Riyadh, Jan 6 (MotorSports News) Honda's Joan Barreda pushed his machine to the limit over the 465 kilometres in stage 4, the longest of the Dakar Rally, to finish with the day's top time here.

Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla put the icing on the cake for Monster Energy Honda Team by clinching the runner-up spot.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally, who created history by becoming the first Indian team to win a stage at the Dakar Rally, delivered a steady performance in Stage 4 with Joaquim Rodrigues and Aaron Maré finishing in the 24th and 26th places respectively, in the Rally GP class.

After winning his first-ever stage at the Dakar, JRod opened Stage 4 early morning from Al Qaisumah and managed to deliver a steady performance to maintain his 18th position in the overall rankings.

79 percent dirt, 12 percent dunes, 7 percent sand and 2 percent dried-out lake were on the menu for the longest stage of the competition.

A trial by fire for all those involved. There was a mix of different terrain types to be negotiated and some navigation too. All in all, a high-paced affair that would begin to mark out the riders who will end up in possible contention for the final Dakar prize.

The starting order for this fourth day set the stage for a promising race, particularly for Barreda, who came out guns blazing, firmly intent on victory and also on improving his position in the general standings.

With flawless riding and navigational prowess, the Spanish rider reached the finish-line in Riyadh and currently holds seventh position, just over thirteen minutes shy of the overall leader.

Barreda was penalised one minute for exceeding the speed limit in a radar zone.

Quintanilla also performed well. The Chilean turned out a very steady stage, consistently among the top three, climbing up one position in the order in the latter half of the day.

Quinta improved on his position in the table and now lies sixth, eleven minutes and thirteen seconds behind the race leader.

Ricky Brabec, who set off from sixth this morning in Al Qaisumah, had a fairly good day, posting 10th, but Brabec also received a two-minute penalty for speeding in a controlled area. 

Also Read : Dakar Rally: Lone Indian in fray Noah finishes 29th, Hero's Rodrigues wins stage 3

News Source : PTI

Al Qaisumah (Saudi Arabia), Jan 4 (MotorSports) Lone Indian rider in fray, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Rally Factory team, finished a creditable 29th in stage 3 of the 44th Dakar Rally, which saw Joaquim Rodrigues of Hero MotoSports Team win his maiden stage of the gruelling off-road race.

The steady ride helped the only Indian rider in this year's Dakar to improve his overall ranking to 31st position in RallyGP class, the premier category in the Moto section with an overall timing of 12:29.46s.

Noah successfully completed stage 3 in 2 hours, 49 minutes and 11 seconds.

Portuguese rider Rodriques of Hero MotoSports Team Rally clinched his maiden Dakar stage, clocking 2 hours, 34 minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Australian Toby Price of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, who clocked 2:23.44s and USA's Mason Klein (2:35.55s) of Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team.

Monster Energy Honda Team's Joan Barreda had won the second stage, where Hero MotoSports Team Rally’s riders finished in the top 10 here.

Barreda now holds a tally of 28 Dakar Rally stage wins. His teammate Pablo Quintanilla finished 23rd.

Hero MotoSports' Joaquim Rodrigues and Aaron Mare delivered an impressive run in the long stage 2 with the former finishing in sixth place and Mare ending 10th in the Rally GP class.

Starting on a loop around Al Qaysumah, Noah initially took the 214-km link section of 255-km special but lost a few minutes after the first way point.

However, astride a Sherco 450 SEF rally, he made up many places with steady navigation in the next special sections, and consolidated his position before returning along a 166-km link route for a respectable 29th spot finish.

After three stages, Great Britain's Sam Sunderland of Gasgas Factory Racing is holding the overall lead clocking 11:13.4s, while Frechmen Adrien van Beveren of Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team is second and Austrian Matthias Walkner of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing is third.

Nine more stages will be run with a rest day on January 8.

Noah, a 28-year-old Sports Science graduate from Kerala who made his debut in 2020, is on his third Dakar campaign.

He ended an overall 20th last January. 

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News Source : PTI