It was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon (29/9/15) that Lotus driver Romain Grosjean will race with the all new Haas F1 Team as their first driver, during a press conference at their headquarters in the United States.
Grosjean had looked set to extend his stay with Lotus for a fifth straight season, but with the Enstone-based team's future still unknown, he has opted to jump ship to the new Ferrari-associated Haas Team.
In my opinion, this is not a big surprise this news happen. It has been strongly rumoured since the Singapore Grand Prix that Grosjean has signed a deal with Haas. Its great news for the Haas team as they have got a talented and experienced Grand Prix driver as showed during last months Belgian Grand Prix were he finished in third place with an under developed Lotus. But, for Romain Grosjean it is a giant gamble to join the Haas F1 Team.
First of all its going to be the team's first season in F1 of course, despite the team is basically Ferrari B-Team with Haas being supplied with 2016 power units from Ferrari and manufacturer Dallara to design and build their chassis its not the sure thing they could succeeded. Secondly when history has showed, when talented drivers go to a team in their debut season, there is mixed results.
For instance Rubens Barrichello was at midfield team Jordan in 1996, in 1997 went to Stewart who had Ford backing, best result in 1997 was a second place finish at that seasons wet Monaco Grand Prix; third season with the team, three third place finishes and a pole position in a strong third season for Stewart in 1999, went to Ferrari to team up with Michael Schumacher in 2000, and the rest is history.
Then, there is drivers who made those that made the bad decisions with debut teams, Heikki Kovalainen was at McLaren in 2009, got replace by Jenson Button at the team for 2010, could have went to Force India in 2010. Instead went to Lotus Racing (Caterham), highest result was a twelfth place finish at Suzuka 2010, stayed at the team for two more seasons and got fired by the team at the end of the 2012 season. Never scored a point for the team. The end of his Formula 1 career, now in Super GT series in Japan with Lexus.
Then, there is Timo Glock, was at Toyota in 2009, could have went to Renault in 2010. Instead went to Virgin Racing (Manor), highest result was twelfth place finish at Singapore in 2012; got fired by the team before the 2013 because the team could not afford his wages. Never scored a point for the team. The end of his Formula 1 career went to DTM with BMW after that.
Basically, its down to the gamble for Grosjean at Haas next season, if he has a good season in 2016 with the team in the midfield and above likes of Sauber and Force India and if Räikkönen isn't retain at Ferrari for 2017. Grosjean could have the hot seat at Ferrari for 2017 alongside Sebastian Vettel. If not return to Renault might happen instead.
If the gamble doesn't work and the Haas team is battling with the likes of Manor in 2016, his Formula 1 career could be over the same scenario as Kovalainen and Glock before. Time well tell for Romain Grosjean if he done the right decision to drive for Haas in 2016.
As for Grosjean's team-mate at Hass next season, no word as of yet. It is strongly rumoured that Ferrari test-driver and former Sauber driver Esteban Gutiérrez will get the second drive, bringing in sponsorship from Mexico.
A new challenge ahead for Romain Grosjean in 2016.
Review of Round Ten of the 2015 World Touring Car Championship season was the Race of China, at Shanghai International Circuit, on the outskirts of Shanghai.
In the first race, Citroën Total WTCC driver and current WTCC Champion José María López took the race win in his C-Elysée WTCC. Second was Citroën Total WTCC driver Yvan Muller in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, he was two seconds behind López in the end. While third place was Total WTCC driver Sébastien Loeb in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC to complete Citroën podium whitewash finish, he was three seconds behind López in the end.
Meanwhile in the Independent Class, was won by Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Mehdi Bennani in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. He finished in fifth place overall and fourteen seconds behind López in the end.
While in the second race, Citroën Total WTCC driver Yvan Muller took the race win in his C-Elysée WTCC. Second was Honda Racing Team JAS driver Gabriele Tarquini in his Honda Civic WTCC, he was two seconds behind Muller in the end. While third place was Citroën Total WTCC driver and current WTCC Champion José María López in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, he was two and half seconds behind Muller in the end.
Meanwhile in the Independent Class, was won by Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Mehdi Bennani in his Citroën C-Elysée WTCC. He finished in seven place overall and fourteen seconds behind Muller in the end.
Next stop Race of Thailand at Chang International Circuit for Round Eleven of the 2015 World Touring Car Championship season in five weeks time.
Review of Round Nine of the 2015 British Touring Car Championship season was on the National Circuit at Silverstone, in Northamptonshire.
In the first race, Motorbase Performance driver Mat Jackson took the race win in his Ford Focus ST and also took Independents class win too. Second was MG 888 Racing driver Andrew Jordan in his MG6 GT, he was two seconds behind Jackson in the end. While, third place was Honda Yuasa Racing driver Gordon Shedden in his Honda Civic Type R, he was two and half seconds behind Jackson in the end.
While, Jack Sears Trophy (for top 'Rookie Driver' in the series) was won by #RacingforHeroes driver Josh Cook in his Chevrolet Cruze 4dr, he finished in fourteenth place and was fourteen seconds behind Jackson in the end.
Meanwhile in the second race, Team IHG Rewards Club driver Andy Priaulx took the race win in his in his BMW 125i M Sport. Second was MG 888 Racing driver Jack Goff in his MG6 GT, he was two seconds behind Priaulx in the end. While, third place was Team BMR RCIB Insurance driver Árón Smith in his Volkswagen CC and also took Independents class win too, he was three seconds behind Priaulx in the end.
While, Jack Sears Trophy was won by #RacingforHeroes driver Josh Cook in his Chevrolet Cruze 4dr, he finished in fourteenth place and was twenty-two seconds behind Priaulx in the end.
While in the third race, Team BMR driver and current BTCC Champion Colin Turkington took the race win in his Volkswagen CC and also took Independents class win too. Second was Team JCT600 with GardX driver Rob Collard in his BMW 125i M Sport, he was two seconds behind Turkington in the end. While, third place was Team JCT600 with GardX driver Sam Tordoff in his BMW 125i M Sport, he was two and half seconds behind Turkington in the end.
While, Jack Sears Trophy was won by AmD Tuning driver Mike Bushell in his Ford Focus ST, he finished in thirteenth place and was fourteen seconds behind Turkington in the end.
Next stop Brands Hatch for Round Ten and the final round of the 2015 British Touring Car Championship season in two weeks time.
Review of round fourteen of the 2015 MotoGP season at Motorland Aragón, on the outskirts of Alcañiz in east of Spain for the Aragon GP.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo on his works Yamaha YZR-M1. Second was Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa on his works Honda RC213V, he was two half seconds behind Lorenzo at the end. While, third was Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi on his works Yamaha YZR-M1, he was three seconds behind Lorenzo at the end of the race.
In Open class (Full control ECU system, hardware and software), Aspar MotoGP Team rider Eugene Laverty won Open class and finish fourteenth overall on his Honda RC213V-RS, he was fifty seconds behind Lorenzo at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Estrella Galicia Marc VDS rider and current Moto2 champion Esteve Rabat on the Kalex. Second was Paginas Amarillas HP 40 rider Álex Rins on the Kalex, he was a tenth of a second behind Rabat at the end. While, third was Speed Up Racing rider Sam Lowes on the Speed Up, he was five seconds behind Rabat at the end of the race.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira on the KTM. Second was Estrella Galicia rider Jorge Navarro on the Honda, he was two tenths of a second behind Oliveira at the end. While, third was Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Romano Fenati on the KTM, he was one and half a second behind Oliveira at the end of the race.
Also, it was confirmed on Tuesday (22/9/15) that Stefan Bradl will remain with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in 2016 after signing a one-year contract extension.
Bradl joined Aprilia Racing Team Gresini since the Indianapolis round, after leaving the troubled Forward Racing squad, replacing Marco Melandri.
His team-mate at Aprilia Racing Team Gresini for 2016 will be his current team-mate Álvaro Bautista, both riders will ride Aprilia's all-new prototype next season named the Aprilia RS-GP.
Meanwhile, this was also confirmed as-well as the Bradl news, that Speed Up Racing Moto2 rider Sam Lowes Sam will ride for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini in 2017 MotoGP season.
Lowes will act as test rider for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini alongside another season in Moto2, switching from Speed Up Racing to Federal Oil Gresini Moto2, before a planned MotoGP graduation in 2017.
And finally, it was confirmed before Sunday's (30/8/15) MotoGP race that Avintia Racing has signed Forward Racing rider Loris Baz for the 2016 MotoGP season.
Baz currently sits fifteenth in the championship, and is currently in contention to win the Open class with a few rounds of the season remaining, with a best finish of fourth place from two weeks ago at Misano.
With Héctor Barberá remaining at Avintia Racing for 2016, Baz will replace Mike di Meglio. Avintia Racing will run GP14.2 machinery next season, as currently used by Danilo Petrucci and Yonny Hernandez at Octo Pramac Ducati, during MotoGP's first year of Michelin tyres and a standard ECU.
Yonny Hernandez, who was likely to move to Avintia Ducati until the Loris Baz deal was done. Hernandez is now being linked with Aspar MotoGP Team, which is also rumoured to be considering a switch from Honda to Ducati machinery.
Review of the fourteenth round of the 2015 F1 season at Suzuka, Suzuka City for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Overall, I thought it was a dominating race weekend for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton once again, dominating in qualifying with Nico Rosberg on a dry Saturday pole after a wet Friday. Come a dry and hot race day, Mercedes driver and current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton took control, pass team-mate Nico Rosberg on the first corner and didn't look back, lead all the laps at Suzuka; fastest lap of the race to conclude with a race win in this seasons Japanese Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton's eighth race win of the season. With that Grand Prix win, Lewis Hamilton has now equals with his hero's record of Forty-One Grand Prix wins with the late Ayrton Senna.
While, Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg finished second place in the Mercedes to give the team its eighth one-two finish of the season, Rosberg was nineteen seconds behind Hamilton at the end.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel finished in third place in the Ferrari to complete the podium, Vettel was twenty-one seconds behind Hamilton at the end of the fifty-three lap race.
Lewis Hamilton has now improve his lead of the F1 driver championship from 41 points to 49 points ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg with five races to go. While, Sebastian Vettel is still third in the standings, from 49 points from Singapore to 59 points behind Hamilton after Suzuka.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 9 (fastest lap, and race win)
Nico Rosberg - 8 (pole, finished second)
Red Bull Racing - 5
Daniel Ricciardo - 6 (finished fifteenth, lap down)
Daniil Kvyat - 5 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Williams - 7
Valtteri Bottas - 8 (finished fifth)
Felipe Massa - 6 (finished seventeenth, two laps down)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 8 (finished third)
Kimi Räikkönen - 7 (finished fourth)
McLaren - 6
Jenson Button - 5 (finished sixteenth, lap down)
Fernando Alonso - 8 (finished eleventh, lap down)
Force India - 7
Nico Hülkenberg - 9 (finished sixth)
Sergio Pérez - 6 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Toro Rosso - 7
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 6 (finished tenth, lap down)
Max Verstappen - 8 (finished ninth)
Last week, Hyundai and the creators of Gran Turismo teamed up to make the Hyundai N 2025 Vision concept, which is another car in the Vision Gran Tursimo series.
The Hyundai N 2025 is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system, with dual cells providing 670bhp. This is backed up by a 201bhp super capacitor system which is charged by kinetic energy and heat scavenging under braking. That makes the Hyundai N 2025 producing 871bhp in total, weighing just 972kg through extensive use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastics and a estimated top speed of 245mph.
During last weeks Frankfurt Motor Show, Honda showed off their concept car called Honda Project 2&4.
Designed by both Honda car and bike departments together as Honda dubbed them as "Team Honda".
Inspired by the Honda RA272 Formula 1 car from the 1965 season won that seasons Mexican Grand Prix with Richie Ginther behind the wheel. With that the Honda Project 2&4 weighing in at just 405 kg.
The engine is mid-mounted engine which, together with the low centre of gravity, and the engine none other than the 999 cc V4 four-stroke engine that came from their Honda RC213V MotoGP race bike producing 215hp at 13,000 rpm. Transmission is provided by a six-speed DCT gearbox not the MotoGP gearbox of course.
With no other facts, the Honda Project 2&4 is basically a mini Formula 1 car MotoGP bike hybrid with four wheels.
