It was confirmed on Tuesday (28/1/20) Maverick Viñales has signed a new two-year deal with that will see him continue to compete with the factory Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team in MotoGP in 2021 and 2022.
Viñales finished in third place in the MotoGP standings last season winning two MotoGP wins.
Also, it was confirmed on Wednesday (29/1/19) Fabio Quartararo will join Maverick Viñales at Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team in 2021 and 2022 on two-year deal.
Quartararo finished in fifth place in the MotoGP standings last season finishing five second place finishes on his debut season in the premier series with Petronas Yamaha SRT team replacing Valentino Rossi who is more than likely will move to the Petronas Yamaha SRT team next season.
Finally, it was confirmed on Thursday (30/1/19) that Yamaha has signed former MotoGP Champion Jorge Lorenzo for 2020 as part of its test team, with wild-card rides for the three-time MotoGP champ a “possibility”.
Lorenzo won all MotoGP world title with Yamaha back in 2010, 2012 and 2015; before switching to Ducati in 2017.
Lorenzo retired from MotoGP in 2019 after a poor final season with Honda.
Lorenzo who won 44 MotoGP wins for Yamaha between 2008-2016, will "take part in a selected number of MotoGP tests" for the brand next year, while the potential for a race return through wild card appearances has also been mooted should Lorenzo want to race again.
Don't be at all surprise if Lorenzo returns to full MotoGP ride with Petronas Yamaha SRT team in 2021 alongside Valentino Rossi. In my opinion I think it might just happen.
As the title says a Rolex 24 at Daytona Review of the race.
Konica Minolta Cadillac team won the race overall and Daytona Prototype international class too of Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Kamui Kobayashi and Renger van der Zande in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8.
While, Mazda Team Joest team finished in second place in their Mazda RT24-P, Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0 L Turbo I4; the team of Oliver Jarvis, Tristan Nunez and Olivier Pla; they were sixty-five seconds behind the leaders. Meanwhile, JDC-Mustang Sampling Racing finished third place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of João Barbosa, Sébastien Bourdais and Loïc Duval; they were eighty-five seconds behind the leaders.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), DragonSpeed team of Colin Braun, Ben Hanley, Henrik Hedman and Harrison Newey in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in ninth place overall and they were twenty-two laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In GT Le Mans Class, BMW Team RLL won GT Le Mans Class and finished in thirteenth place overall in their BMW M8 GTE; with the drivers of John Edwards, Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert; they were forty-seven laps behind the leaders.
In GT Daytona Class, Paul Miller Racing team won GT Daytona Class and finished in eighteenth place overall in their Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo; with the drivers of Andrea Caldarelli, Corey Lewis, Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow; they were sixty-eight laps behind the leaders.
Recap of the last round of WRC from this weekends round 1 of Rallye Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo of course.
This weekend was round one of the 2020 World Rally Championship at the Rallye Monte Carlo (23rd-26th January), that was won by Thierry Neuville in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC.
While, Sébastien Ogier finished second in the works works Toyota Yaris WRC. Ogier was twelve seconds behind Neuville at the end of the rally. Meanwhile, Elfyn Evans finished third in his works Toyota Yaris WRC, Evans was fourteen seconds behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Manufacturer entries competing in cars built to Group R5 specifications), that was won by PH-Sport driver Mads Østberg in his Citroën C3 R5. Mads Østberg finished in tenth place overall, he was fourteen minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Open to privately-entered cars; Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Eric Camilli in his own backed Citroën C3 R5. Eric Camilli finished in ninth place overall, he was thirteen minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Next stop, Round Two of the 2020 WRC season for Rally Sweden in three weeks time.
Review of Round Three of the 2019-20 Formula E season held at the Parque O'Higgins Circuit in Santiago, Chile.
The race was won by BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver Maximilian Günther in his Spark-BMW. Second was DS Techeetah driver António Félix da Costa in his Spark-DS, he was two seconds behind Günther in the end. Meanwhile, third was Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Mitch Evans in his Spark-Jaguar, he was five seconds behind Günther in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Three of the 2019-20 Formula E season at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the Mexico City ePrix in three weeks time.
Last weekend was the fifteenth annual Dubai 24 hour race at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai (10-11th January). Black Falcon team was victorious at the Dubai 24 in their Mercedes-AMG GT3; with team of Khaled Al Qubaisi, Ben Barker, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Hubert Haupt and Manuel Metzger came out on top to win this years Dubai 24 hour race in 168 laps in total.
While the Car Collection Motorsport team came in second place in their Audi R8 LMS Evo; with team of Rik Breukers, Christopher Haase, Mile-David Ortmann, Dimitri Parhofer and Markus Winkelhock as drivers. They were four and half minutes behind the leaders at the end of the 24 hour race.
While the MS7 by WRT team came in third place in their Audi R8 LMS Evo; with Rik Breukers, Mohammed Saud Fahad Al Saud, Michael Vergers, Christopher Mies and Dries Vanthoor as drivers, they were five minutes behind the leaders at the end of the 24 hours race.
It was confirmed yesterday (7/1/20) that Red Bull will retain Max Verstappen through to the end of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Verstappen's current Red Bull deal was set to expire at the end of the 2020 season despite been linked to Mercedes and Ferrari for 2021, when the driver market will open up, but has opted to sign a new deal with Red Bull covering the next three seasons.
Verstappen joined Red Bull from Toro Rosso in May 2016 replacing Daniil Kvyat, winning on his team debut at the Spanish Grand Prix. Verstappen finished third in the drivers' standings last season with three Grand Prix wins.
Overall, a very good decision from Red Bull to keep Max Verstappen for next four seasons. Although, is there a contract clause for Verstappen if the car is rubbish going into 2022? can Verstappen win the Drivers' Title with Red Bull in the next four seasons? time will tell. It's a very good deal for Red Bull for the next four seasons.
It was announce last week (1/1/20) that former Williams driver Robert Kubica will be Alfa Romeo's reserve driver during the 2020 season.
The deal also includes the deal for Polish petrol company PKN Orlen to become a title sponsor to the team.
Kubica will be the teams test driver and will focus on car development in the simulator, and will now move across to Alfa Romeo, in providing support to Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Kubica made his Grand Prix return to F1 in 2019 after eight seasons away after a near-fatal rally crash in 2011 which effect his right arm and hand.
But having struggled to deliver consistent form and just one point in 2019 was comprehensively outpaced by team-mate George Russell, Kubica was let go from Williams at the end of the 2019 season replaced by Nicholas Latifi for 2020.
Kubica race with the team as BMW-Sauber between 2006 till 2009 winning their only Grand Prix win in Formula 1.
Happy new year to all, with the first post of 2020. And just like last year, this post is five predictions for 2020, if this happen or not this more of a fun post on what might happen.
Number 1, McLaren to score three or more podiums in 2020.
McLaren finished fourth in the F1 Constructors' Standings in 2019 which include one podium finish for Carlos Sainz Jr., McLaren will more than likely to have a stronger season in 2020 I am predicting that McLaren will score three or more podiums in 2020 for both Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris meaning McLaren will more than likely to finish at least fourth in the F1 Constructors' Standings once again in 2020.
Number 2, An LMP2 team to finish in the top three positions in this seasons 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Really? Yes really, there's only five cars in LMP1 class this season. Meaning there will be more of a change that an LMP2 team will finish on the main podium in the World Endurance Championship this season and even better change for one of them to finish on the main podium at Le Mans this season in mid-June.
Number 3, Williams to score at least 25 points in the F1 Constructors' Standings in 2018.
Williams F1 Team only managed just one points last season with a limited budget. Going into 2020, I am predicting that Williams will score at least 25 points in the F1 Constructors' Standings and that would be enough for at least top nine of the F1 Constructors' Standings in 2020.
Number 4, Jorge Lorenzo back in MotoGP as a Ducati/Yamaha test-rider then confirmed as a rider for 2021.
This might not sound stupid as it seems. With Jorge Lorenzo retiring at the end of last season, Lorenzo will more than likely to sign with either with Ducati or Yamaha as a test-rider and then a MotoGP return in 2021.
Number 5, Porsche to win two races in Formula E this season in Season 6 (2019/20).
Yet again this might not sound stupid as it seems. With Porsche deputing in Formula E this season using their own power-trains this season. I predict in Season 6 (2019/20) of Formula E that Porsche team to win two or more ePrix with either André Lotterer or Neel Jani behind the wheel to win.
As I said at the start of the post, this is a fun post on what might happen, would any prediction might happen? maybe one or two, I have to wait till December to find out.
