It was confirmed this morning (31/1/16), McLaren driver Fernando Alonso has been ruled out of driving in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, following medical checks on Thursday, with reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne stepping in for this weekend.
Alonso was involved in a vicious accident at last weekends race in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, when he flew over the rear of Esteban Gutiérrez's Haas, hit the wall, flipped over multiple times and finished upside down.
Alonso's car was heavily damaged, but the Spaniard walked away, with no injuries reported.
But after a check-up at the Bahrain International Circuit medical centre, he has been told not to compete due to suffering "rib fractures" and a partially collapsed lung from the accident.
Alonso was forced to miss last year's Australian Grand Prix after he suffered concussion in a pre-season testing accident at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
McLaren reserve driver and current GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne will now drive in alongside Jenson Button for this weekends Bahrain Grand Prix.
In my opinion, it was the right call from the doctors and McLaren not to race Alonso if his not 100% recovered. This was more of long term health rather then thinking short term. It's the right choice for McLaren to rest Fernando Alonso and replace him with Stoffel Vandoorne for a Grand Prix or two and look for their options for 2017.
As for Fernando Alonso, get well soon and lets have a 100% Fernando back to race in Formula 1.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir.
Predictions for the race, Sebastian Vettel for the win in the Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen second in the other Ferrari and third place for Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes. Don't forget the Williams drivers, the Red Bull drivers, Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull drivers, the Williams drivers, the Force India drivers and the Toro Rosso drivers as well for a podium place.
Last week (24/3/16), Toyota launch their new LMP1 race car the Toyota TS050 Hybrid for this seasons World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans. And according to Toyota it will have a total power output of 1000 bhp with both its energy-retrieval systems deployed.
Toyota unveiled its 2016 new LMP1 race car at Paul Ricard on Thursday, instead of using their normally-aspirated 3.7 litre V8 engine, Toyota will use an all new 2.4 litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produce 500 bhp. Also, Toyota will switched from the supercapacitor energy-storage system that it has used since its WEC debut to a lithium-ion battery, as it moves up from the six to eight megajoule Hybrid LMP1 class for 2016. Meaning the hybrid system produces 500 bhp, meaning the new Toyota TS050 Hybrid is a 1000 bhp Four-wheel-drive monster race car.
Toyota have also announced the driver pairings for the FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans campaign this season, Anthony Davidson, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi will drive the #5 car this season. Mike Conway, Stephane Sarrazin and Kamui Kobayashi will drive the #6 car for the whole of 2016.
It was confirmed yesterday afternoon (24/3/16), the much controversial new knock-out F1 qualifying format will remain in place for the next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, despite the sport agreeing to scrap it straight after its debut at the Australian Grand Prix.
But it was heavily criticised on its debut in Melbourne as most drivers returned to the pits following early runs, leaving an empty track, including for Q3, when pole position was settled with over three minutes to spare.
Formula 1 team bosses met with FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting ahead of the race, during which they tentatively agreed to switch back to the old format, used from 2006-2015, for Bahrain.
However, this during a crunch vote on Thursday, the required unanimous agreement was not reached, and the system will stay in place for further evaluation at next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
In my opinion, qualifying it wasn't broken from the 2006-2015 qualifying format, the new knock-out system from Australia was completely awful and people who are running the sport have not got the common scene to revert back have no idea what the fans wants (cough cough Bernie Ecclestone) and now the drivers have enough what the people who are running the sport.
It was confirmed yesterday evening (23/3/16) that Sky Sports has obtained the exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the United Kingdom from the start of the 2019 season till 2024.
Sky Sports currently broadcasts all races live on its dedicated channel, but as part of the six-year deal signed in 2012, half of the races are shown live on a terrestrial channel, with the remaining events available as highlights.
The new deal, which will see Sky Sports as the sole broadcaster in the country, will run from 2019 to 2024, with the British Grand Prix available live on a free-to-air channel, the details of which have not yet been confirmed.
"I am delighted that we will continue to work together," said Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.
"Sky's commitment to the Sport and standard of coverage is second to none."
So here's my rant, for starters I am not going to rant on Channel 4 on this post, because it was the end of their contracts at the end of 2018 despite bizarrely its two years away, as it's not in their control.
Instead, I am going to rant on Bernie Ecclestone who is the head of FOM (Formula 1 Management, the head of TV rights); CVC Capital Partners, the promoters of F1 giving the deal to Sky in the first place, and of course Sky. Back in 2011, Bernie Ecclestone said it won't be going to Sky until he change his mind that is.
With that I do want to rant on Sky. Sky did a defensive move which keeps its main rival BT Sport out of F1 until 2024 at least. BT Sport has already taken the Champions League from Sky and ITV back in 2015. With that move I think it was dirty move from Sky with three years to spare, and even to do without any terrestrial deal in place I think this is a complete bad deal for the viewers who cannot afford Sky, I doubt that viewing figures will be even a million of what the BBC or Channel 4 has combined for the last few years, as what I have heard Sky's average viewers for F1 are 650,000 viewers per race. I believe that Bernie/CVC have alienated your audience for the next six years starting in 2019 and giving the live and exclusive rights to Sky, with strong rumours that Sky paid around £150-170 million per year for the rights compared to what Sky and the BBC did in 2012 which was to believe in £65 million per year mark. This deal is a utter scumbag move from Sky and Bernie Ecclestone/CVC and once again alienate F1 viewers once again and properly for me the final nail in the coffin for my love of Formula 1.
Final thoughts are this, Sky is a luxury product just as the same as BT Sport, who owns the MotoGP rights, is a luxury product (paying £80 per month for their Sky sports package) paying over £100 per month for those two products don't make sense in a rescission world we live in. And as for Bernie Ecclestone his legacy is this the man who made Formula 1 what it is, the man who destroyed Formula 1.
As the title says a Sebring 12 Hours Review of the race. Review of Round two of the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season at Sebring International Raceway and the second round of the North American Endurance Cup.
Tequila Patrón ESM team won the race overall and Prototype class too of Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek, Scott Sharp, and Pipo Derani in their Ligier JS P2, Honda HR35TT 3.5 L V6
While, Action Express Racing team finished in second place in their Coyote Corvette, Chevrolet 5.5L V8; the team of Dane Cameron, Eric Curran and Scott Pruett; they were three seconds behind the leaders. Meanwhile, the other Action Express Racing team finished in third place in their Coyote Corvette, Chevrolet 5.5L V8; the team of João Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sébastien Bourdais; they were four seconds behind the leaders.
In Prototype Challenge Class (all teams using Oreca FLM09 race car), CORE Autosport team won Prototype Challenge Class and finished in ninth place overall; with the drivers of Jon Bennett, Colin Braun and Mark Wilkins; they were two laps behind the leaders.
In GT Le Mans Class, Corvette Racing team won GT Le Mans Class and finished in eleventh place overall in their Chevrolet Corvette C7.R; with the drivers of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler; they were three laps behind the leaders.
In GT Daytona Class, Scuderia Corsa team won GT Daytona Class and finished in twenty-second place overall in their Ferrari 488 GT3; with the drivers of Marco Seefried, Christina Nielsen and Jeff Segal; they were nine laps behind the leaders.
Next Stop Long Beach in four weeks time for round three of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Review of the first round of the 2016 MotoGP season at Losail, Doha in Qatar for MotoGP's only night race of the season. And for the season ahead, all MotoGP classes are reviewed (MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3).
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that race was won by Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rider and current MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo on his works Yamaha YZR-M1. Second was Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso on his works Ducati Desmosedici GP16, he was only two second behind Lorenzo at the end. While, third was Repsol Honda Team rider Marc Márquez on his works Honda RC213V, he was over two seconds behind Lorenzo at the end of the race.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Garage Plus Interwetten rider Thomas Lüthi on the Kalex. Second was SAG Team rider Luis Salom on the Kalex, he was nine and half seconds behind Lüthi at the end of the race. While, third was Speed Up rider of Simone Corsi on the Speed Up, he was ten seconds behind Lüthi at the end of the race.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Ongetta–Rivacold rider Niccolò Antonelli on the Honda. Second was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Brad Binder on the KTM, he was only seven thousandths of a second behind Antonelli at the end of the race. While, third was Aspar Mahindra Team Moto3 rider Francesco Bagnaia on the Mahindra, he was only fifteen hundredths of a second behind Antonelli at the end of the race.
It was confirmed on Saturday (19/3/16), Valentino Rossi has signed a new two-year deal with that will see him continue to compete with the factory Movistar Yamaha team in MotoGP in 2017 and 2018.
No word yet who is his team-mate yet for next season. Looks it would be more than likely is his current team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, unless something changes.
Finally, it was confirmed on Sunday (20/3/16) Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Bradley Smith have signed for the KTM's factory team when the manufacturer competes in MotoGP next season.
Smith will now move to KTM in 2017 after signing a two-year deal with the manufacturer. Smith finished sixth in last year's MotoGP standings, with a best result of second place at Misano.
2016 Australian Grand Prix of the first round of the F1 season at Albert Park on the outskirts of Melbourne.
Despite the new knock-out qualifying format was complete flop and quite boring, the race itself was night and day from qualifying it was entertaining and everything what a Grand Prix should be.
With Lewis Hamilton on pole and Nico Rosberg on the front row for Sunday's race, you would have thought it will be another predicted win for Lewis Hamilton with Nico Rosberg second. And at the start it was third on the grid Sebastian Vettel had a brilliant start and took the lead with Kimi Räikkönen second while Hamilton had a stinker of a start.
With Vettel leading over Rosberg came lap 19 of the race, Fernando Alonso had a major accident as he ran into the back of Esteban Gutiérrez, being lifted into the air and the car rolling over several times before hitting into the barrier at turn three. While Alonso walked away unhurt, a safety car was deployed for a short time before the race direction decided to red flag the race.
When the race restarted, Vettel retain the lead on super soft tyres, while Rosberg who was second but on medium tyres. Which means, Vettel needed to stop again with thirty-eight laps remaining while Rosberg didn't need to, then on lap 35 Vettel pitted for soft tyres and give the lead to Rosberg. Rosberg stayed there to win this seasons Australian Grand Prix for his first race win of the season.
While, Rosberg's team-mate and current F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton finished in second place in the other Mercedes to give the team its first one-two finish of the season, Hamilton was eight seconds behind Rosberg at the end.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel finished in third place in the Ferrari and his debut race for the team to complete the podium, Vettel was ten seconds behind Rosberg at the end of the fifty-eight lap race.
Finally, a quick mention to Romain Grosjean in the Haas finishing sixth place in the teams debut race, first time a new team to score a point in their debut race since Toyota from 2002, first time an American team to score a point since Alan Jones for Haas Lola (unrelated from the current team) at 1986 Italian Grand Prix, and first time for Dallara who build the cars for the team to score points since the 1992 San Marino Grand Prix when Pierluigi Martini scored a sixth place finish for the BMS Scuderia Italia team. Grosjean was seventy-two seconds behind Rosberg at the end of the fifty-seven lap race.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 8 (pole, finished second)
Nico Rosberg - 9 (race win)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 8 (finished third)
Kimi Räikkönen - 7 (DNF, Power unit)
Williams - 7
Valtteri Bottas - 7 (finished eighth)
Felipe Massa - 8 (finished fifth)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Daniel Ricciardo - 9 (finished fourth, fastest lap)
Daniil Kvyat - 5 (DNS, Electrical)
Force India - 6
Nico Hülkenberg - 7 (finished seventh)
Sergio Pérez - 6 (finished thirteenth)
Renault - 6
Kevin Magnussen - 6 (finished twelfth)
Jolyon Palmer - 7 (finished eleventh)
Toro Rosso - 7
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 7 (finished ninth)
Max Verstappen - 7 (finished tenth)
Sauber - 5
Marcus Ericsson - 6 (DNF, Driveshaft)
Felipe Nasr - 5 (finished fifteenth, lap down)
McLaren - 6
Fernando Alonso - 7 (DNF, Collision with Esteban Gutiérrez)
Jenson Button - 6 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Manor - 7
Rio Haryanto - 7 (DNF, Driveshaft)
Pascal Wehrlein - 8 (finished sixteenth, lap down)
Haas - 8
Romain Grosjean - 10 (finished sixth)
Esteban Gutiérrez - 6 (DNF, Collision with Fernando Alonso)
Next stop Bahrain International Circuit, for the Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks time.
It confirm before this mornings Australian Grand Prix (20/3/16), the much controversial new knock-out F1 qualifying format is set to be ditched after just one event following a crunch meeting between the FIA and team bosses, with a return to the 2015 format set for Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks time.
The emergency meeting was held after the new style elimination format proved to be a complete disaster after it ran for the first time on Saturday.
Team bosses and drivers throughout the paddock slated the new knock-out system, with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone felt the new knock-out qualifying was "pretty crap."
The first attempt at running the revamped system led to a lack of time and tires to allow drivers to react to ending up "on the bubble" in the 90-second elimination windows, resulting in large periods with no track action.
In my opinion, qualifying it wasn't broken from the 2006-2015 qualifying format, the new knock out from Australia was completely awful and thankfully people from the FIA and teams have common sense to revert back to the previous rules.
With the first race of the Formula 1 season coming up this weekend, Pirelli showed off their new 3D animation that lasts 80 seconds explaining the new tyre regulations for 2016, which includes introducing their brand new tyre for 2016 the ultra soft tyre.
So this weekends Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne.
So Predictions for the race, and for the win I predict Nico Rosberg for the race win in the Mercedes, Sebastian Vettel second in the Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton third in the Mercedes. Don't forget Kimi Räikkönen, Red Bull drivers, the Williams drivers, the Force India drivers and the Toro Rosso drivers as well for a podium place.
Today post is a 2016 F1 preview, all the teams and drivers. Also, predicting this seasons Drivers' and Constructors' Championships ahead for 2016. Starting of with last seasons Constructors' Champions Mercedes:
Mercedes: the team to beat for the Drivers' and Constructors' Championship this year. F1 W07 Hybrid looks fast and reliable in testing with many laps. Lewis Hamilton once again needs to defend his title. While, Nico Rosberg needs to challenge for the title and take it away from Hamilton, if not Rosberg might be another Stirling Moss.
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen are retain for another season. SF16-H looks fast in testing, better car, better power units in testing so far. Challenging for both championships is a must for Ferrari.
Williams: Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa are retain for another season. FW38 looks fast in testing, top three in the constructors' standings must be their target this season at Williams ahead of the likes of Red Bull, Force India and Toro Rosso.
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat are retain for another season. Retain the Renault power unit for another season under the Tag Heuer name, not a lot of improvement from Renaults power units maybe still around 70-90bhp less than the Mercedes power units;. RB12 looks like a great chassis without the power unit and if the RB12 is on the right track Red Bull may shine. Top three in the constructors' standings must be their target at Red Bull this season.
Force India: Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Pérez are retain for another season. VJM09 looks like an evolution from the VJM008B from last season. Looks fast in testing, and possible for Force India to finish third in the constructors' standings this season.
Renault: Renault back as a constructor since 2010 buying back their old team Lotus from Genii. That means Renault power units back in, out goes Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado, in comes Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer. RS16 looked more confident race car in the second test of two despite some reliability problems in the first test. Magnussen looks fast in testing. Sixth in the Constructors' standings must be the target but with an underdeveloped car and power unit eighth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target.
Toro Rosso: Renault power units out, year old Ferrari power units are in. While, Carlos Sainz, Jr. and Max Verstappen are retain for another season. STR11 look fast and reliable in testing with many laps. A few podiums may happen at the start of the season with the target of top three in the constructors' standings. But, with the handicap of using year old power units from Ferrari which could be 30bhp behind the 2016 spec and then some throughout the season so possibly sixth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Toro Rosso this season.
Sauber: new C35 came late to testing (the second test in fact), looked reliable so far in those four days of testing. Sixth in the Constructors' standings must be the target if the car and drivers are on form, more than likely eighth in the Constructors' standings will be their realistic target for Sauber this season. While, Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr are retain for another season.
McLaren: Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are retain for another season. Looks more reliable in testing compare this time last season, despite that the pace from the power unit from Honda is a little more stronger from the end of last season maybe still around 80-100bhp less than the Mercedes power units. MP4-31 looks like a great chassis without the power unit and if the MP4-31 is on the right track, McLaren may get a few podiums this season. And just like Sauber before, Sixth in the Constructors' standings must be the target if the car and drivers are on form.
Manor: Out goes year old Ferrari power units, in comes Mercedes power units, free use of their wind tunnel and Williams transmission and suspension components for 2016. Meanwhile, out goes Alexander Rossi, Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi; in comes Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto. MRT05 looks fast in the hands of Pascal Wehrlein despite the car had not a lot of laps in testing. Top ten in the Constructors' standings is the target this season with points is a strong possibly.
Haas: Ferrari power units, transmission and suspension components for 2016. Dallara builds the new VF-16. In comes Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutiérrez. Top ten in the Constructors' standings is the target this season with points is a strong possibly. The car looks fast in testing matching times of Renault, Sauber and McLaren despite reliability problems in the second test. Top ten in the Constructors' standings is the target this season with points is a strong possibly in the team's debut season.
So predictions time, who's going to win the World Drivers' Championship this season for 2016? My prediction is Nico Rosberg for his first World Drivers' Championships this season for a few reasons because of the end of last season form which includes five poles and three wins in the last five races, updating to the Pirelli tyres, performance and reliability in testing.
Also, if Rosberg doesn't win the title might be another Sir Stirling Moss, where Moss was runner up to the drivers' title four times during the 1950s and with two of the three of them behind team-mate Juan Manuel Fangio and I think Rosberg won't expect it either. For the last three season he has been as fast as team-mate, so this season is a make or brake season for Nico Rosberg to be champion or not.
But, if Rosberg doesn't step up Lewis Hamilton could take his fourth World Drivers' Title if things goes his way. If not, Sebastian Vettel will do it in his Ferrari if the reliability and pace is there and could take his fifth World Drivers' Title. Also, don't count out Kimi Raikkonen will also challenge for this years title as-well, Raikkonen will go into this season as the dark horse for the title which could be his last season in Formula 1. It will be another close drivers' championship once again this year in my opinion, as it might go down to the wire in a record breaking twenty-one Grand Prix season.
My top three prediction for the Drivers' Championship are:
1st Nico Rosberg
2nd Sebastian Vettel
3rd Lewis Hamilton
Constructors' Championship: I will predict that Mercedes to win the constructors championships once again. And don't forget Ferrari, they will be certainly be challenging the constructors championship as-well.
My top three prediction for the Constructors' Championship are:
1st Mercedes
2nd Ferrari
3rd Force India
Predictions for this weekends Australian Grand Prix in the next post, for now, Bye.
It was announce early this morning (14/3/16), former Force India driver Paul di Resta will be Williams reserve driver for the 2016 season.
Di Resta, made the step up to Formula 1 with Force India in 2010 first as a reverse driver then a Grand Prix driver in the following season, and spent three seasons recording a best finish of fourth on two occasions.
Di Resta returned to the DTM in 2014, where he won the title back in 2010, with Mercedes following his F1 exit after losing his drive at Force India, will combine the ongoing drive in DTM with his new role at Williams and would stand in for regular drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, if one of the drivers is unavailable.
di Resta joins test driver Gary Paffett and development drivers Alex Lynn and Lance Stroll in the Williams line-up.
Review of Round Five of the 2015-16 Formula E season held on the shorter version of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in Mexico City, Mexico. As it was the first Formula E race on a permanent race track.
The race was won by ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport driver Lucas di Grassi in his Spark-Abt Sportsline for his second race win of the year. Until, Lucas di Grassi was later disqualified of his victory as di Grassi's first car was found to be underweight.
So therefore, Dragon Racing driver Jérôme d'Ambrosio was promoted to take the win in his Spark-Venturi. Second was Renault e.Dams driver Sebastien Buemi in his Spark-Renault, he was a tenth of a second behind d'Ambrosio in the end. Meanwhile, third was Renault e.Dams driver Nicolas Prost in his Spark-Renault, he was twenty-five seconds behind d'Ambrosio in the end.
Highlights of the race bellow, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Six of the 2015-16 Formula E season in Long Beach, U.S.A. for the Long Beach ePrix in three weeks time.
It was confirmed yesterday (9/3/16), former Manor Racing F1 driver Alexander Rossi has rejoined Manor as its official reserve driver for the upcoming season, meaning he will perform simultaneous IndyCar and Formula 1 roles in 2016.
Rossi, who recently signed to race in IndyCar for Andretti Herta Autosport after losing his drive with Manor this season, after the team signed Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto, will also attend eleven Grands Prix with the team with Rossi's first event with Manor in 2016 will be the Russian Grand Prix in late April.
Rossi made his Formula 1 debut with Manor towards the end of 2015 at the Singapore Grand Prix, taking part in five races alongside Will Stevens, with a best result of twelfth place at his home Grand Prix at Austin in late October, before losing his drive for 2016.
Don't be at all surprise if Alexander Rossi will race for the team in 2016 for one way or another.
Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round three of Rally Mexico.
Last weekends was the third round of the World Rally Championship at at the Rally Mexico (4th-6th March) that was won by Jari-Matti Latvala in the works Volkswagen Polo R WRC. While, current WRC champion Sébastien Ogier finished second in the works Volkswagen Polo R WRC, Ogier was over a minute behind Latvala at the end. Meanwhile, M-Sport World Rally Team rally driver Mads Østberg finished third in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Østberg was 5 and half minutes behind Latvala at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by TGS Worldwide OU driver Teemu Suninen in his Škoda Fabia R5. Teemu Suninen finished in ninth place overall, he was 18 minutes behind Latvala at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Group R1, R2 and R3 cars) that was won by Saintéloc Junior Team driver Michel Fabre in his Citroën DS3 R3T. Michel Fabre finished in fifteenth place overall, he was over 68 minutes behind Latvala at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally bellow, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Four of the 2016 WRC season for Rally Argentina in seven weeks time.
For the last five years', I have done posts on Gymkhana Four, Gymkhana Five, Gymkhana Six, and Gymkhana Seven. This week, Ford, Hoonigan and Ken Block bring out their new Gymkhana video onto YouTube called: "KEN BLOCK'S GYMKHANA EIGHT: ULTIMATE EXOTIC PLAYGROUND; DUBAI" (video below).
And just like Gymkhana Five and Seven, its shot on the streets of Dubai, United Arab Emirates; as he uses parts of the city a personal gymkhana playground to film around. Using his trustworthy Ford Fiesta ST RX43 that produces 650 bhp. Enjoy the video below.
KEN BLOCK'S GYMKHANA EIGHT: ULTIMATE EXOTIC PLAYGROUND; DUBAI
What my thoughts about the video. Equal as Gymkhana Five and Seven (if not better) if you have to compare it with any of Ken Block's previous Gymkhanas. I thought it was still edited well, the multiple use of Go-Pro cameras' inside and outside on the ST RX43, I enjoyed the aerial shots above as-well as the change of scenery with using Dubai instead of using a City in the state of California. Also, I enjoyed Ken was doing multiple doughnuts with the ST RX43 around the aeroplane while it was slowly moving.
Overall I liked the video, is it better than the previous Gymkhanas' of past, so far with nearly 2 million views on YouTube since Monday in the space of 24 hours, its another 80 million views to catch up with Gymkhana Five record. Overall, another very cool video from Ken Block.
