It was confirmed yesterday (16/11/17) that Scuderia Toro Rosso will retain both Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley for next season, after the team handing both of their Formula 1 debuts over the second half of the 2017 F1 season.
Gasly made his Formula 1 debut at the Malaysia Grand Prix, replacing the dropped Daniil Kvyat, and went on to compete in Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
Hartley was given his Formula 1 deabut in Austin, taking over from new Renault signing Carlos Sainz Jr., and remained on-board at Mexico and Brazil.
Gasly, a long-time member of Red Bull's junior programme, claimed last year's GP2 title and finished runner-up in Super Formula this season.
Hartley, lost his initial Red Bull backing in 2010, and switched to sportscars in 2012; with this season he claimed a second World Endurance Championship title with Porsche.
Overall, a good decision from Toro Rosso to keep both Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley for another season. With Honda coming in as an engine partner next season. Its interesting 2018 F1 season ahead for Toro Rosso.
Review of Round Twelve of the 2017 World Rallycross Championship season was the World RX of South Africa, at Killarney Motor Racing Complex on the outskirts of Cape Town.
In the four Heats, those were won by Timmy Hansen (winning twice), Jānis Baumanis, and current World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson.
In the first semi-final that was won by PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver and current World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson in his Volkswagen Polo GTI. Second was PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver Petter Solberg in his Volkswagen Polo GTI, he was eight tenths of a second behind Kristoffersson in the end. While, third was EKS RX driver and outgoing World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström in his Audi S1, he was a second behind Kristoffersson in the end.
In the second semi-final that was won by Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Timmy Hansen in his Peugeot 208. Second was MJP Racing Team Austria driver Timo Scheider in his Ford Fiesta, he was eighteen tenths of a second behind Hansen in the end. While, third was Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Kevin Hansen in his Peugeot 208, he was two seconds behind Hansen in the end.
In the final race, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver and current World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson took the race win in his Volkswagen Polo GTI. Second was Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Timmy Hansen in his Peugeot 208, he was a second behind Kristoffersson in the end. While, third was EKS RX driver and outgoing World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström in his Audi S1, he was three seconds behind Kristoffersson in the end.
And so this years champions in World Rallycross Championship, World Rallycross Championship Drivers' Champion: Johan Kristoffersson. World Rallycross Championship Teams' Championship: PSRX Volkswagen Sweden.
Review of round eighteen and the final round of the 2017 MotoGP season at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia for the Valencia GP.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa on his works Honda RC213V.
Second place was Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Johann Zarco on his Yamaha YZR-M1, he was three tenths of a second behind Pedrosa at the end. While, third was Repsol Honda Team rider and current MotoGP champion Marc Marquez on his works Honda RC213V, he was eleven seconds behind Pedrosa at the end.
With Marc Márquez finishing third, and Andrea Dovizioso retiring out of the race. It was enough to give Marc Márquez the 2017 MotoGP title, and his fourth title in the premier class. Contracts to Marc Márquez for winning the MotoGP championship.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira on the KTM. Second was EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider and current Moto2 Champion Franco Morbidelli on the Kalex, he was two seconds behind Oliveira at the end. While, third was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Brad Binder on the KTM, he was four seconds behind Oliveira at the end.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Del Conca Gresini Racing Moto3 rider Jorge Martín on the Honda. Second was Leopard Racing rider and current Moto3 Champion rider Joan Mir on the Honda, he was three and half seconds behind Martín at the end of the race. While, third was Platinum Bay Real Estate rider Marcos Ramírez on the KTM, he was over three and half seconds behind Martín at the end of the race.
And so who won what in which class, MotoGP Champion: Marc Márquez, MotoGP Manufacturers' Champion: Honda, MotoGP Teams' Champion: Repsol Honda Team. Moto2 Champion: Franco Morbidelli, Moto2 Manufacturers' Champion: Kalex. Moto3 Champion: Joan Mir, and Moto3 Manufacturers' Champion: Honda.
Review of the nineteenth round of the 2017 F1 season at Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos on the outskirts of São Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Overall the race itself was enjoyable and entertaining race to watch. Valtteri Bottas was on pole for Sunday's race. At the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel had the better start and took the lead and took a strong lead over Bottas.
Despite the safety car come out after the first lap due to a accident between Esteban Ocon and Romain Grosjean. Vettel took the advantage after the safety car went in; lead the race throughout, to conclude with a race win in this seasons Brazilian Grand Prix for Sebastian Vettel's fifth race win of the season.
While, Valtteri Bottas finished second place in the Mercedes, Bottas was three seconds behind Vettel at the end.
Meanwhile, Kimi Räikkönen finished in third place in the other Ferrari to complete the podium, Räikkönen was under five seconds behind Vettel.
Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth place in the other Mercedes despite starting in the pit-lane after a crash in qualifying; in a master-class overtaking race. Hamilton was five seconds behind Vettel.
Finally, a quick mention to Felipe Massa in the Williams finishing seventh place in his final home Grand Prix. Massa was seventy-eight seconds behind Vettel at the end of the seventy-one lap race.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 9 (finished fourth)
Valtteri Bottas - 8 (pole, finished second)
Red Bull Racing - 8
Daniel Ricciardo - 8 (finished sixth)
Max Verstappen - 8 (finished fifth, and fastest lap)
Ferrari - 8
Sebastian Vettel - 9 (race win)
Kimi Räikkönen - 8 (finished third)
Force India - 6
Sergio Pérez - 7 (finished ninth)
Esteban Ocon - 6 (DNF, Collision damage from Grosjean)
Williams - 7
Felipe Massa - 9 (finished seventh)
Lance Stroll - 5 (finished sixteenth, two laps down)
McLaren - 7
Fernando Alonso - 9 (finished eighth)
Stoffel Vandoorne - 5 (DNF, Collision with Ricciardo)
Toro Rosso - 5
Pierre Gasly - 5 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Brendon Hartley - 5 (DNF, Engine)
Haas - 4
Romain Grosjean - 4 (finished fifteenth, two laps down)
Kevin Magnussen - 5 (DNF, Collision with Vandoorne)
Renault - 6
Nico Hülkenberg - 6 (finished tenth, lap down)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 6 (finished eleventh, lap down)
Sauber - 7
Marcus Ericsson - 7 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Pascal Wehrlein - 7 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Next stop Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi in two weeks time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the last round of the 2017 Formula 1 season.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos, São Paulo.
So predictions for the race itself, for the win, I predict that, Lewis Hamilton for the win in the Mercedes, Max Verstappen second in the Red Bull, and Valtteri Bottas third in the other Mercedes. Don't forget Daniel Ricciardo, the Ferrari drivers and the Force India drivers as well for a podium place.
Review of Round eight of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship at 6 Hours of Shanghai held at Shanghai International Circuit on the outskirts of Shanghai, China.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team won the race overall and the LMP1 class too of Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid. While, second place was the Porsche Team, with the team of Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber in their Porsche 919 Hybrid, they were a lap behind the leaders at the end of the race. Meanwhile, third place was the Porsche Team of Neel Jani, Nick Tandy and André Lotterer in their Porsche 919 Hybrid, they were a lap behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), the Vaillante Rebellion team of Julien Canal, Nicolas Prost and Bruno Senna in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in fifth place overall and they were twelve laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Pro class, was won by Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK of Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell won in their Ford GT. They finish in fourteenth place overall and they were twenty-five laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Am class, was won by Aston Martin Racing team of Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda in their Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE. They finish in twenty-first place overall and they were twenty-nine laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
Highlights of the 6 Hours of Shanghai below, enjoy.
Next Stop 6 Hours of Bahrain in two weeks time for round nine and final round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
It was confirmed yesterday (4/11/16) that Felipe Massa will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2017 season, which means the Brazilian will thus be leaving Formula 1 after sixteen seasons thus far, which includes eleven Grand Prix victories.
Massa revealed at last year's Italian Grand Prix that he would depart the sport at the end of 2016. However, following Nico Rosberg's retirement as World Champion, Valtteri Bottas moved from Williams to Mercedes, leaving a vacancy at Williams.
Williams duly prised Massa from retirement and he ultimately remained part of the team for 2017, alongside Formula 3 Champion Lance Stroll, and signalled his intentions to stay for 2018.
However, Williams began exploring options elsewhere, including evaluating both Paul di Resta and Robert Kubica, and the prospects of Massa remaining with the team became increasingly unlikely.
On Saturday, on the eve of his home Grand Prix in Brazil, Massa announced that he will exit the sport after the final round of the campaign in Abu Dhabi later this month.
Massa career in Formula 1 started when he stepped up with Sauber back in 2002, contesting three full seasons over the next four years, include best result for the team two fourth place finishes at Spa in 2004 and Montreal in 2005.
Then Massa signed by Ferrari for the 2006 season, which included eleven Grand Prix in the first three seasons, and almost claimed the 2008 world title, losing out to McLaren rival Lewis Hamilton by just one point after a dramatic season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.
Midway through the 2009 season in Hungary, Massa suffered a serious head injury when he was hit on the helmet by a spring from Rubens Barrichello's car, which ruled him of the remaining races.
Massa returned to Ferrari in 2010, but did not win again with the team in four more seasons afterwards, which prompted a switch to Williams for 2014.
So far in Massa's Williams career, results include a pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix in 2014, five podiums between 2014 and 2015 and a best result of second place during the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and three more chances of winning a Grand Prix.
Should have been F1 World Champion back in 2008 in my opinion. I personally thought he might do another season with Williams or another team at least maybe another season more going into 2018. But, with yesterday's news happening, it maybe the right time to retire from Formula 1. Good luck whatever Felipe Massa does next, as his been a great ambassador for the sport and a great driver for Formula 1.
