F1 News - Austrian GP: Leclerc, Norris & 'silly season' talk - all you need to know before the race
https://ift.tt/2XaRKPt For those who may be tiring of Mercedes' domination of Formula 1 this year, the Austrian Grand Prix will come as welcome relief. The world champions have been struggling a little all weekend - it's all relative, of course; Lewis Hamilton still qualified second - and three cars from three different teams start in the top three places on the grid. That is, as Hamilton said, "cool", especially with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, arguably the two most exciting members of F1's new generation, starting on the front row. Verstappen was bumped up to second, alongside Leclerc, after Hamilton was given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen in first qualifying, which drops him to fourth, for arcane reasons we don't need to go into here. That will make Hamilton's life considerably more difficult as he seeks a seventh win in nine races - and Mercedes' as they look for a ninth in a row. For everyone else, it simply adds to the promise of what could be the closest and most competitive race of the season so far. Hamilton held his hands up for the penalty once it was announced, and it was clear from the way he talked before the investigation that he expected it was coming. "I'm excited to get out there and race with these guys; they're both so talented," he said, before adding: "If I get to start the race with those guys, I think it will be quite a fun race." Indeed. Leclerc versus Verstappen versus Hamilton versus his team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Finally, nine races into the season, F1 has the battle everyone wanted to see before it started. Leclerc on a roll - but have Ferrari messed up?Ferrari have looked strong all weekend with Leclerc their main contender. His team-mate Sebastian Vettel was generally a couple of tenths behind the 21-year-old run-for-run, even before a problem with an engine air line forced the German out of final qualifying and consigned him to ninth on the grid. Ferrari's competitiveness in Austria is down to their prodigious straight-line speed, a combination of the most powerful engine in F1 and a slippery car. Hamilton lost 0.3secs to Leclerc on the straights, Bottas 0.6secs; the difference accounted for by Hamilton getting a tow. But they have also stepped up their cornering performance this weekend, with some aerodynamic revisions in the nose area to add to a new front wing introduced at the previous race in France. On top of that, Leclerc looks like he might have turned a bit of a corner in terms of his personal performance in the last couple of races. He has been quick all season, and should have won in Bahrain in March but for an engine problem that dropped him behind the Mercedes in the closing laps. After that, he was a little error-prone in qualifying. But he looked at that, and changes to his approach in France look to have moved him forward. "I've changed a little bit the approach from Paul Ricard and I really felt I did a step forward," Leclerc said. "Austria is also my favourite track, so it might fit a little bit better to my driving style but overall, I think, since Paul Ricard, I did a step forward." If Leclerc could convert this pole into a win, it would be a popular victory. Everyone recognises his talent and potential, and many felt for him not only in Bahrain, where victory slipped through his fingers, but also in Baku, where he again looked the form man, only to crash away his chances in qualifying. But while the Ferrari is the fastest car this weekend, and has a significant advantage on the straights, this race is a long way from a foregone conclusion. Ferrari have chosen a different tyre strategy from Mercedes and Red Bull, and Leclerc will start on the soft tyre while Verstappen, Bottas and Hamilton are on the medium. Leclerc said he was happy with the strategy, but Mercedes feel it's a mistake. "If we're on a different tyre, maybe we will be able to offset each other [on pit-stop timing]," Hamilton said. "Them starting on that tyre would tend to think they are going for a two-stop most likely, unless that tyre goes a lot further than we anticipate. I don't have the numbers but on the medium tyre hopefully we will able to go longer. It will be interesting." Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff was even more clear-cut about it. "Charles starting on the soft is a risky strategy," he said, "because it is either a two-stop if things go bad or you're being very compromised towards the end of your first stint. Whereas Red Bull and Mercedes on the medium are in a better place in terms of the strategies available to us. In summary, I'd rather be on the medium than the soft." If it turns out Ferrari have made a strategy error, it would not be the first time. But on the other hand, these things are often made into bigger things pre-race than they turn out to be during it. Either way, it simply adds to the intrigue. 'Silly season' - and talk of Verstappen at MercedesIt's mid-summer, so it's no surprise that F1's traditional driver-market 'silly season' has moved into full swing this weekend. The hot topic at Red Bull's home track has been the future of Max Verstappen, the state of his contact, and the likelihood of him leaving for greener pastures - most particularly Mercedes. Verstappen has a contact with Red Bull until 2020, but there is a performance clause that could potentially allow him to be free at the end of this season. The clause centres on his championship position at a certain point in the year, although the details of what position he needs to be in, and when, are murky. Anyway, Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko has admitted he is worried that Verstappen might be tempted away by Mercedes. The prospect of a Hamilton-Verstappen 'super-team' is a mouth-watering one for neutrals, perhaps less so for Wolff. It is far from clear he would want the headache of sticking Verstappen in alongside Hamilton and waiting for the nuclear explosion that would inevitably occur one way or another. Both drivers were asked about it after qualifying. Hamilton said: "People are always making up stuff. It's the first I've heard of it. I think the team's pretty happy with Valtteri and me. So I do know Max is definitely interested in opportunities. I don't know. Maybe. If there is [a chance], then great." Turning to Verstappen, he added: "I don't mind driving with you. I'll drive against whoever." For his part, Verstappen said: "I guess there's people who know more than me!" Wolff has to decide whether to stick with Bottas, promote reserve driver Esteban Ocon, who lost his place at what is now Racing Point at the end of last season, or entertain the possibility of something else. He rates Verstappen, but that's not the same as wanting him to be in the team next year, for a number of potential reasons. Wolff said: "I haven't spoken to Max and I would like to continue like I have done it in the past, first to evaluate our current line-up and to discuss with the drivers what their views are before really entering into a proper discussion with anyone else. "That is valid to any driver who can possibly bring something to the game at Mercedes. We have exciting junior drivers that merit to be in F1, Esteban being the one who fell through the chairs last year. And putting that puzzle into place is something I'd like to do over the summer." As for Verstappen, his preference is to stay at Red Bull-Honda and make work a partnership that he believes has great potential, and is only in its first season. But of course he is not in F1 to scrape around for lower podium positions or worse, as he has for most of this season so far. No decisions have been made, and this topic will be around for some weeks yet. Norris heading for stardomLando Norris is such a laid-back and down-to-earth character that he sounded almost disappointed with qualifying sixth, which has now become fifth following a penalty for Haas driver Kevin Magnussen. The equivocation? It was that he had not found the 0.028 seconds he would have needed to beat Magnussen on track. "The thing that makes me happy is when we know we have accomplish everything we could have done," he said. "The team gave me a good car this weekend. I was happy. The only thing that could have made it even better was beating Magnussen. "It was 0.02secs and there was 0.02secs in my driving, which let me down little bit. "I guess I'm a little self-critical sometimes but I don't think that's a bad thing." Norris entered F1 this year amid high expectations, and he is very much delivering - as is his fellow Briton George Russell in rather more trying circumstances at Williams. McLaren are impressed - like everyone else. "The most important thing is raw speed," said McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl, asked to sum up the impact Norris has made so far. "It is the basis for every successful driver and he has shown from the first race onwards that he had this speed. "If you go in your first ever F1 qualifying and you score P8, as he did in Melbourne, and then do it more and more often, and showing great speed and great handling of the races, this environment, is impressive. "He will have a great career in F1 and I am looking forward to having some good years with him at McLaren." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 June 29, 2019 at 01:57PM
MotoGP News - MotoGP Assen: Crutchlow worried to be so far behind Quartararo
https://ift.tt/2IXAWY0 Cal Crutchlow admits it is "worrying" he qualified 1.2 seconds slower than rookie MotoGP polesitter Fabio Quartararo as he took sixth in qualifying for the Dutch TT Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei June 29, 2019 at 12:24PM
MotoGP News - MotoGP Assen: Rossi unable to explain poor form that led to Q1 P14
https://ift.tt/2ZXNLaI Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi is unable to explain his poor form in Assen FP4 and qualifying, saying he was not feeling comfortable enough in those sessions Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei June 29, 2019 at 12:24PM
F1 News - Austrian Grand Prix: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc powers to pole position
https://ift.tt/2Yl9hpx Ferrari's Charles Leclerc blitzed qualifying to take pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old set two laps quick enough for pole and ended the session 0.259 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton. However, the Mercedes driver faces a possible penalty for impeding Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen. Red Bull's Max Verstappen was third and Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas fourth, as Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel failed to go out in Q3 because of an engine problem. Vettel's car had a problem with the air-pressure line to the engine and Ferrari had to withdraw him from qualifying after failing to fix it in time. Hamilton sounded on edge throughout qualifying and looked to be struggling, but pulled a lap out of the bag in the end for a place on the front row. "Charles has been quick all weekend," Hamilton said. "We have not really been able to keep up with him. Positioning was so difficult. I was always at the front and never getting the slipstream. Luckily on the last lap I got a decent position." Getting a tow from another car has become a vital part of qualifying in 2019, after regulation changes to make the front and rear wings bigger significantly increased drag. Three drivers from three different teams in the first three positions sets up a tantalising prospect for the race, especially as Leclerc will start on the faster, soft tyres, and Hamilton, Verstappen and Bottas on the slower but more durable mediums. More to follow. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 June 29, 2019 at 09:15AM
MotoGP News - Quartararo blitzes Assen MotoGP lap record for Dutch TT pole
https://ift.tt/2XaDwxT Fabio Quartararo obliterated his own lap record to top qualifying for MotoGP's Dutch TT and take his third pole of his rookie career, with Valentino Rossi only 14th Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei June 29, 2019 at 08:53AM
MotoGP News - Assen MotoGP: Quartararo tops FP3, Rossi in Q1 after lap excluded
https://ift.tt/2xuk7hb Fabio Quartararo led MotoGP Dutch TT third practice by 0.109 seconds with a new lap record, while fellow Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi missed Q2 after his best lap was cancelled Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei June 29, 2019 at 04:22AM
Motorcycle News - Rich Niches: 2019 BMW R1250 RT vs Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT SE+ Luxo-Adventure Tour-Off
https://ift.tt/2xl0lEw Sometimes adding new features and software to an existing product works out well; sometimes it doesn’t. Ask Boeing or a Kardashian. Kawasaki’s pre-existing Versys 1000 was a nice-enough but completely nondescript motorcycle until the company decided to throw fresh gadgetry at it for 2019, to the tune of about 50% of the purchase price of the base model. Check the “LT SE+” box, and for $17,999, you’ll be getting: Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension (KECS), new ride-by-wire fueling with cruise control and Kawasaki Quick Shifter, new electronics including KCMF and KIBS (that’s Kawi Cornering Management Function and Kawi Integrated Braking System), controlled by the new 6-axis IMU, a new TFT color instrumentation dash like the one on the H2 SX SE, new smartphone connectivity with Kawi Rideology app, sweet new self-healing painted bodywork with LED headlights and cornering lights, heated grips, a centerstand, hard luggage… suddenly the Versys is a contender. Get the Flash Player to see this player.
2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT SE+ First Ride Review The BMW R1200RT always has been one, winning MO’s annual Best Sport-Tourer award for several years before being dethroned by none-other-than the Kawi H2 SE SX last year. We had to give it to the H2 in 2018 for the audacity of the thing, but it and the BMW obviously approach sport touring from completely different directions: The H2 is more a heavy, comfortable sportbike, and the BMW is more a lightweight Goldwing, whose fields of fire interlock somewhere in the middle. The Versys is sort of neither. It looks more like an adventure bike until you look at its 17-inch tires. BMW’s S1000XR is probably its more direct competitor – but Kawi’s not really going for all-out horsepower here and besides, we already had the BMW RT in the garage. Really, the boundaries for all these market segments continue to blur as the manufacturers probe for rich niches… The richest niche lately, is big, expensive motorcycles. The profit margin is far more nourishing than the ones for Ninja 400s and G310 GSs. Speaking of profits, BMW sells nearly 3x as many big GSs as it does RTs, but both bikes got the new 1254 cc Shift Cam boxer twin for 2019. BMW threw in a few more upgrades – automatic Hill Start Control, Dynamic Braking Control (makes sure you’ve got the throttle closed during panic braking), and next-gen electronic suspension with a self-levelling feature: No more preload adjusting. 2019 BMW R1250 RT First Ride Review If you bought the base model BMW, you’d be within $647 of the Kawi’s asking price, but that’s not how BMW rolls. You’ll be needing the Select Package at least ($5,150), or you’ll be doing without cruise control, electronic suspension, central locking, the heated seat, and quite a few other things, including the quickshifter. Kawasaki gives you the whole enchilada for one low, low price, but the enchilada does not include a heated seat or remote central locking (you need the key every time you want in a bag, and you can’t leave them unlocked). You also don’t get the BMW’s maintenance-free shaft drive, but you do get a bike that’s 30 or 40 pounds lighter (we weigh them wet; it’s 496 lbs for the Kawi and 537 for the BMW, but the BMW holds 1.1 more gallons of gas). Shall we ride?Ergonomics are where these two begin to depart. It’s easy to slide into the BMW’s low, 31.7-inch bucket seat. The reach forward to the grips isn’t very far nor high, and the boxer’s low cg makes picking the bike up off the sidestand low-effort. You’re sitting in a more compact deep-dish cockpit, behind a wider fairing and a bigger windshield. Seat-to-footpeg distance is shorter than you’d expect, which shorter people like me (5’8”) love – but taller guys, surprisingly enough, tend to like too. (You can raise the seat to its 32.5-in position if you want, and there are no-cost tall- and low-seat options as well.
The most adventure-bikey thing about the Kawasaki is its ergos: The seat’s 33.1 inches high, and its grips are high and wide, attached to either end of a big steel handlebar. Its new fairing and bigger windscreen auger a smaller hole through the air than the BMW’s, but still provide a good-sized cocoon, with taller people wishing for a taller windscreen. The seat’s high because there’s 5.9 inches of suspension travel at either end – 1.2 inches more than the BMW in front and 0.5-inch more out back. Ryan Adams says: Jumping back and forth between these two made the R1250RT’s rider triangle feel somewhat cramped. Though after spending more time in the saddle it starts to feel perfectly neutral to my 5-foot 8-inch self. Larger riders will likely be more comfortable with the Versys’ wide open cockpit. The Versys’ new KECS (Kawasaki Electronic Controlled Suspension) has really transformed the bike, taking its ride into the same magic-carpety realm as the BMW. The more you ride them, the more you appreciate how fresh and un-beat-up your rear end feels every time you climb off. Like the BMW, a little fettling the buttons on the left handlebar lets you go from sofa, on the long boring parts, to sporty when the road goes curvy. If you’re not happy with the normal Sport, Road or Rain settings, you can also electronically further adjust damping settings at both ends – and you can also program all your preferences into a quickly accessible customizable Rider mode; then you can instantly flip through all four modes on the fly with just your left thumb. Straight & NarrowOf all the things Kawasaki added to the Versys, electronic cruise control is the most important one for turning it into a bike you can use for long distances, even if it does max out at 85 mph. Dialing in Rain mode sets suspension to full-pillow and engine power to 75% – which is still plenty for toddling along at 85 – but Road isn’t much less comfortable. The wide handlebar, smaller windshield and firmer seat are slightly less conducive to passive scenery-reeling than the BMW cockpit, but I’d be happy to go cross-country on either bike if the Man would let me. If it was chilly, I’d prefer the BMW because of its heated seat. Also because of its 1.1-gallon bigger gas tank – 6.6 gallons – and the fact that it returns 47 mpg in drone mode to the Versys’ 38-ish. Ryan A says: Not only does the Kawasaki Versys LT SE + come with heated grips, it also comes with a right ankle heater. To be fair, the heat was mostly noticeable when it was combined with the 95-degree ambient temperature of the California desert at lower speeds. Long & WindingIf the tables turn when the going gets sporty, it’s not by much, but the Kawasaki takes the upper hand. The wider bar gives more leverage and control for stuffing the Versys into corners, and there’s about 40 pounds less of it to stuff. With the higher roll center provided by its inline Four, the Kawasaki feels a tad lighter on its toes in quick direction changes; the BMW counters with a feeling of supreme plantedness and stability. The Beemer uses a steering damper; the Versys does not. Ryan A. says: For more aggressive riding, I enjoyed the Kawi; with it’s more spacious cockpit, the rider has more room to move around on the bike, and with the large handlebar there’s plenty of leverage to bend the Versys to your will. Whatever the BMW might give up going into the corner, its 94 lb-ft of torque pulls back at the exits (the Versys’ 211cc-smaller engine can only manage 71 lb-ft). The BMW’s on-rails cornering behavior and traction control encourage you to open the throttle early, and reward you with the kind of escape velocities you wouldn’t expect from looking at a thing that looks like a BMW-RT. It reminds you Red Pridmore won the first AMA Superbike championship on an RT, in 1976. In fact the two bikes are a pretty fun match for each other, each using its own talents to arrive at what feels like a pretty equal pace, and that pace can be eye-openingly quick if you’ve never ridden a big sport tourer. Both of them have made us firm believers in electronic “rider aids.” Me anyway. If I was at first loath to trust “lean-sensitive” ABS, I think I’m now fully woke. Now it’s fun to not trail-brake into corners as much as to go flying in on the verge of what feels like too fast, and then mash both brakes – more like sportscar than motorcycle. Both the Kawi and BMW hunker right down and easily slow their roll with zero drama. Encountering unexpected tight corners on unfamiliar roads, this tech can literally be a lifesaver. Back on the gas, rinse, repeat. Kawasaki’s KCMF uses its new IMU to keep you from both losing front traction on the brakes, or the rear on the gas. While I’m a little sad that I’m relying a bit less on my “skills,” I’m also greatly relieved; we’re not getting any younger or smarter over here are we? Having those failsafe systems just makes me feel more secure, and that adds to the thrill of the ride. In addition to braking and accelerating, both bikes’ electronic suspensions are busily erasing mid-corner bumps all the while – the Kawasaki adjusting itself every 10 milliseconds – to ensure tire contact patches stay glued to the pavement, which is part of why they handle so well. You might be able to unravel our test roads a bit quicker on a real sportbike, but not by much, and only if you have limited imagination as to what might be around blind corners. All those electrons really have moved the game forward. Creature ComfortsRyan Adams says: The electric-adjustable windscreen on the Beemer alone is nearly worth the premium of the German machine. Sofa king convenient. The Versys 1000 LT SE +’s windscreen is unforgivable. Not only does it require two hands to adjust it to your preferred height, but with the low pressure inlet in the middle, vision through the already yellowed plastic is skewed. Recently, I had to ride the Versys a mile-and-a-half down a rocky sandy road to camp and was left looking around the windscreen on one side or another to check for obstacles in front of me. While I would hardly call the new Versys an adventure bike, it’s still the preferred steed for light off-roading between the two. He’s right. A windshield you move up and down with your left thumb is one of those things you never knew you needed until you have it. On the road, you’re constantly adjusting to get smooth airflow as conditions change, or lowering it all the way through town to get airflow. The Versys windshield is better than no windshield at all, and of course easily replaceable as the aftermarket swings into action. StorageThe BMW wins this one hands down also. Not only are its bags big enough to hold an XL helmet each, the central locking remote fob lets you in and out easily. On the Kawi, you need the ignition key every time, because you can’t just leave the bags unlocked. (It’s another thing you don’t know is a slight PITA until somebody removes the irritant.) The Kawi does have an external helmet lock. Also, the BMW gives you two glove boxes up front. The right one has a USB port waiting for your phone, and locks when you hit the remote along with the bags. The Kawasaki has an old school cigarette lighter socket that needs a cheap adapter from the 7-Eleven. At least there’s a round handlebar for a phone mount on the Kawi. On the BMW, you’ll need to spring for the new GPS that our Select-packaged bike is pre-wired to accept. EntertainmentYou can Bluetooth your phone up to both bikes. The Kawi’s new 5-inch TFT display is pretty swell, but it won’t tell you who’s calling or texting – only that someone is. Which is pretty lame in the age of the eternal robocall. The RT, sadly, did not get BMW’s excellent new 6.5 inch TFT display like the GS bikes did. Its analog gauges are a bit hard-to-read and dated. But it’s got a stereo I’ve never used. Sorry. Shaft driveSome people say they’d never buy a sport-tourer with chain drive; other people say they’d never buy a BMW with a shaft because a few of them had problems 20 years ago. Your call. The Versys comes with a centerstand. Chain-lube your heart out. At the end of the day – a long one with a still-springtime-fresh butt at the end – these bikes are both more thrilling to ride than most people who haven’t ridden them would expect, in all manner of circumstances from Iron Butt Rallying to tearing down Latigo Canyon. The mighty MO Scorecard tells the tale: The Kawasaki wins the Objective portion with its low price and lower weight, with the BMW putting up a good scrap thanks to its tremendous engine… then goes on to trounce the Kawi in most of our Subjective rankings. In the end, it winds up being a close-run race anyway, the Beemer pulling out a 91.5 to 88.9 victory. (In my First Ride reviews of the bikes, using our simplified scorecard, I had it 90.5 to 89.5 for the BMW.) I mean, before the new Versys fell into our laps, we wouldn’t have even considered this comparison. As it turns out, the LT SE+ acquits itself extremely well. Ryan says: For the long haul, I would choose the BMW R1250RT. If i’m putting down 400+ miles per day, I want the smoothness and convenience the BMW delivers in terms of wind protection, rider comfort, and technology. If I found myself blasting off for a day ride into the mountains that may even involve a fire road or two, the Versys is more versatile. It’s fun to ride hard. The 1000cc-inline Four spools up torque smoothly and the open cockpit allows the rider space to hang off of the bike a bit – or not if your looking to max out the lean angle indicators. Both machines are fantastic touring bikes though they occupy slightly different niches in the “touring” landscape. If you’re a BMW guy let’s face it, you’re not going to sweat the extra $7,000, so yes, you shall have the BMW. On the other hand, if you always kind of wanted to be a tricked-out electronically suspended BMW guy, but didn’t want to spend the money, then the Kawasaki is a way more than reasonable facsimile for 30% off, and a fantastic, do-everything motorcycle for the money.
Motorcycles via Motorcycle.com https://ift.tt/2Std7JO June 28, 2019 at 07:38PM
F1 News - British Grand Prix: Silverstone owners concerned over F1's London plan
https://ift.tt/2KKU5P8 Formula 1's desire to hold a race in London is causing Silverstone to reconsider plans to sign a new contract for the British Grand Prix. Silverstone's contract runs out after next month's race and it had agreed terms on a new deal before F1 told it of plans to hold a race in the Docklands area of east London. Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said the plan "significantly increases the risk" in holding the race but added that talks are ongoing and the parties hope for a resolution. An F1 spokesman said: "We are still in constructive talks with Silverstone." The concern at Silverstone is that a London Grand Prix could reduce its attendance figure sufficiently to make the race unviable. The track, which first hosted the British Grand Prix in 1948 and held the first World Championship F1 event in 1950, is out of contract this season because it activated a break clause in a contract that would have otherwise run to 2026 on the basis that it could not afford the escalating fees. In an exclusive interview, Pringle told BBC Sport: "F1 have admitted to us for the first time that they want to have a race in London. That's a material change because it's different to previous arrangements and Britain is not a very big island and it's a commercial concern. "Throughout this process we have sought to manage the significant risk that comes with promoting an F1 race and this does nothing to reduce it. "In fact, it significantly increases the risk to Silverstone that only a few short years ago was nearly obliterated by its commitment to F1 and trying to maintain a British Grand Prix. We metaphorically and literally cannot afford to go back to that position. "But we are still very much talking. They've always said they want a British Grand Prix at Silverstone and we've always said we want to host one." Silverstone believes a London event would necessarily have to be held relatively close to its own race in the schedule because the British weather means there is a relatively short window in which to hold the race. Silverstone is only 80 miles from central London so there is a risk that a race in the capital could affect attendance, which would increase the financial risk. Silverstone has always said it wants to host the British Grand Prix but that it will not do so if threatens the financial future of the track. It is owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club, an organisation whose main aim is to promote and sustain motorsport in the UK. It sees itself as the 'guardian of British motorsport' and aims to foster the country's racing talent. F1 would not comment directly on its desire for a London Grand Prix, but its managing director Ross Brawn said at a news conference in March: "London would be a different race than the British GP. It is a city race. There is a place for both. "But I don't think it's feasible to have a London race in the middle of London, unfortunately - the chaos and impact it would have would be too severe - but on the periphery of London there are a number of areas that could work. I don't see it as it would necessarily replace the British GP; it would be the London GP." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 June 28, 2019 at 05:27PM
MotoGP News - Lorenzo faces a month on the sidelines after Assen MotoGP crash
https://ift.tt/2IT4rdA Honda MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo faces up to a month on the sidelines following his Dutch TT practice crash, team boss Alberto Puig has confirmed Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei June 28, 2019 at 10:49AM
F1 News - Leclerc tops dramatic practice session as Bottas & Verstappen crash out
https://ift.tt/2YfI73i Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace in a dramatic second practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix as Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen crashed. Mercedes driver Bottas and Red Bull's Verstappen both went off heavily, the session stopped each time for their badly damaged cars to be recovered. And Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel also had a big spin, just avoiding a crash. Leclerc ended up ahead of Bottas, Red Bull's Pierre Gasly and championship leader Lewis Hamilton. It is almost unprecedented for three such big-name drivers to have such significant incidents in one session - especially when no-one else crashed. And it meant the times were not representative because, of the top four at the end of the session, only Leclerc and Gasly completed qualifying-style laps on low fuel, and even Leclerc's was compromised. The Monegasque had to back off on his first flying lap because Vettel had gone off at Turn 10 ahead of him. He improved on his second lap - by going faster in the final sector where he had had to back off for yellow flags - but his first and second sectors were slower than on his previous lap. That means there was more time in his car because the tyres would have been past their best on the second lap. The times that put Bottas and Hamilton second and fourth were set earlier in the session, on the medium and hard tyres. Verstappen ended up ninth. What happened in the crashes?Verstappen started off the incidents, when he lost the rear of his car in the middle of Turn 10, a demanding corner with a downhill entry and a compression at the apex. He spun, and hit the barriers backwards, damaging a rear corner, and he swore repeatedly over the radio as he expressed his frustration at his error. The session had barely restarted when Bottas lost control at Turn Six, a long, quick downhill left-hander. He lost the car just after getting on the power, caught the snap, but was already off the track, and speared through the gravel before a sizeable impact with the barriers. That ruined Hamilton's qualifying-simulation lap. The Ferraris went out for their quick laps as soon as the track was re-opened after a second eight-minute stoppage. Both soon set fastest sector times, Vettel in the first sector and Leclerc in the second, before the German lost it on entry to Turn 10 - earlier in the corner than Verstappen had - and the car just stopped before hitting the barriers. Later in the session, McLaren's Carlos Sainz also went off at Turn Six, after a snap of oversteer on entry, but he managed to rejoin after a trip through the gravel. It seems the strong, gusting wind was an influence on the errors drivers were making, Some encouragement for FerrariAlthough it was impossible to compare the headline times for a true picture of competitiveness, there was some encouragement for Ferrari in the longer runs on race levels of fuel. Leclerc's long run was of a comparable pace to Hamilton's, which raises some hopes Mercedes might have some opposition this weekend. The silver cars have won every race so far this season, and Ferrari have let at least two opportunities to beat them slip through their fingers. Behind the top teams, Sainz was fifth fastest, ahead of the Haas of Romain Grosjean, Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen, Vettel, Verstappen and the second McLaren of Lando Norris. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 June 28, 2019 at 09:39AM |
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