Review of the ninth round of the 2017 F1 season at the Red Bull Ring, on the outskirts of Spielberg, Styria, for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Overall the race itself was enjoyable and entertaining race to watch. Valtteri Bottas was on pole for Sunday's race, while his team-mate Lewis Hamilton was force to start eight on the grid after a gearbox change in practice.
At the start of the Austrian Grand Prix, Bottas had a lightning start (despite some drivers thought Bottas jump the start) and took the lead and took a strong lead over Sebastian Vettel. Bottas took control throughout the race, despite a late charge from Vettel with a few laps to go. But, it was not enough, to conclude with a race win in this seasons Austrian Grand Prix for Valtteri Bottas's second race win of the season.
While, Sebastian Vettel finished second place in the Ferrari, Vettel was seven tenths of a second behind Bottas at the end.
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo finished in third place in the Red Bull to complete the podium, Ricciardo was six seconds behind Bottas at the end of the seventy-one lap race.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 8
Lewis Hamilton - 8 (finished fourth and fastest lap)
Valtteri Bottas - 9 (pole and race win)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Daniel Ricciardo - 8 (finished third)
Max Verstappen - 7 (DNF, Collision with Kvyat)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 8 (finished second)
Kimi Räikkönen - 7 (finished fifth)
Force India - 7
Sergio Pérez - 7 (finished seventh, lap down)
Esteban Ocon - 7 (finished eighth, lap down)
Williams - 6
Felipe Massa - 6 (finished ninth, lap down)
Lance Stroll - 6 (finished tenth, lap down)
McLaren - 6
Fernando Alonso - 7 (DNF, Collision with Kvyat)
Stoffel Vandoorne - 5 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Toro Rosso - 5
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 6 (DNF, Suspension)
Daniil Kvyat - 4 (finished sixteenth, three laps down)
Review of Round Seven of the 2016 World Rallycross Championship season was the World RX of Sweden, at Höljesbanan Circuit on the outskirts of Höljes, in the west of middle Sweden.
In the four Heats, those were won by Sébastien Loeb, Johan Kristoffersson(winning twice), and Petter Solberg.
In the first semi-final that was won by PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver Johan Kristoffersson in his Volkswagen Polo GTI. Second was Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Sébastien Loeb in his Peugeot 208, he was a second behind Kristoffersson in the end. While, third was Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Timmy Hansen in his Peugeot 208, he was two and half seconds behind Kristoffersson in the end.
In the second semi-final that was won by Hoonigan Racing Division driver Andreas Bakkerud in his Ford Focus RS. Second was MJP Racing Team Austria driver Kevin Eriksson in his Ford Fiesta, he was three seconds behind Bakkerud in the end. While, third was STARD driver Jānis Baumanis in his Ford Fiesta, he was four seconds behind Bakkerud in the end.
In the final race, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver Johan Kristoffersson took the race win in his Volkswagen Polo GTI. Second was Hoonigan Racing Division driver Andreas Bakkerud in his Ford Focus RS, he was two and half seconds behind Kristoffersson in the end. While, third was Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Sébastien Loeb in his Peugeot 208, he was three seconds behind Kristoffersson in the end.
Next stop World RX of Canada at Circuit Trois-Rivières for Round Eight of the 2017 World Rallycross Championship season in five weeks time.
Review of Round Six of the 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the third round of the North American Endurance Championship at Watkins Glen International Raceway on the outskirts of New York.
Mustang Sampling Racing team won the race overall and Prototype class too of João Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 6.2 L V8. While, JDC-Miller Motorsports finished in second place in their Oreca 07, Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8; the team of Mikhail Goikhberg, Stephen Simpson and Chris Miller; they were a seconds behind the leaders. Meanwhile, Mazda Motorsports finished in third place in their Mazda RT24-P, Mazda MZ-2.0T 2.0 L Turbo I4; the team of Jonathan Bomarito, Tristan Nunez and Spencer Pigot; they were eight seconds behind the leaders.
In Prototype Challenge Class (all teams using Oreca FLM09 race car), Performance Tech Motorsports team won Prototype Challenge Class and finished in seventh place overall; with the drivers of James French, Kyle Masson and Patricio O'Ward; they were five laps behind the leaders.
In GT Le Mans Class, BMW Team RLL team won GT Le Mans Class and finished in eighth place overall in their BMW M6 GTLM; with the drivers of Bill Auberlen and Alexander Sims; they were eight laps behind the leaders.
In GT Daytona Class, Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian won GT Daytona Class and finished in seventeenth place overall in their Acura NSX GT3; with the drivers of Andy Lally and Katherine Legge; they were thirteen laps behind the leaders.
Next Stop Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in a weeks time for Round Seven of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Review of Round Four of the 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season was held at Norisring, Nuremberg in central Germany.
On Saturday's race, BMW Team RBM driver Bruno Spengler took the race win in his BMW M4 DTM. Second was BMW Team RBM driver Maxime Martin in his BMW M4 DTM, he was four seconds behind Spengler in the end. While, third place was Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline driver Mattias Ekström in his Audi RS5 DTM, he was five seconds behind Spengler in the end.
On Sunday's race, BMW Team RBM driver Maxime Martin took the race win in his BMW M4 DTM. Second was Mercedes-AMG Motorsport BWT driver Lucas Auer in his Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM, he was three seconds behind Martin in the end. While, third place was Mercedes-AMG Motorsport BWT driver Edoardo Mortara in his Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM, he was four seconds behind Martin in the end.
Next stop Circuit Park Moscow Raceway, Volokolamsk in Russia for Round Five of the 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in three weeks time.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring (formally the A1-Ring) on the outskirts of Spielberg, Styria.
So Predictions for the race, for the win, I predict Lewis Hamilton for the race win in the Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas second in the other Mercedes, and third place for Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari. Don't forget Kimi Räikkönen, the Williams drivers, the Red Bull drivers and the Force India drivers as well for a podium place.
Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round eight of Rally Poland.
Last weekends was the eighth round of the World Rally Championship at the Rally Poland (30th June - 2nd July), and was won by Thierry Neuville in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC. While, Hayden Paddon finished second in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC to complete a Hyundai one-two finish, Paddon was eighty-three seconds behind Neuville at the end. Meanwhile, M-Sport World Rally Team driver and current WRC champion Sébastien Ogier finished third in his Ford Fiesta WRC, Ogier was two and half minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
While in the WRC Trophy (crews entering World Rally Cars used between 2011 and 2016), that was won by Eurolamp World Rally Team driver Valeriy Gorban in his Mini John Cooper Works WRC. Valeriy Gorban finished in sixteenth place overall, he was over seventeen and half minutes behind Neuville 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 Printsport driver Ole Christian Veiby in his Škoda Fabia R5. Ole Christian Veiby finished in twelfth place overall, he was over theirteen minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Group R1, R2 and R3 cars) that was won by Nil Solans in his own backed Ford Fiesta R2T. Nil Solans finished in twenty-fourth place overall, he was thirty-seven minutes behind Neuville at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Nine of the 2017 WRC season for Rally Finland in four weeks time.
Review of the round nine of the 2017 MotoGP season at Sachsenring, in Eastern Germany.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Repsol Honda Team rider and current MotoGP champion Marc Marquez on his works Honda RC213V.
Second place was Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Jonas Folger on his Yamaha YZR-M1, he was three seconds behind Márquez at the end.
While, third was Repsol Honda Team rider Dani Pedrosa on his works Honda RC213V, he was eleven seconds behind Márquez at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli on the Kalex. Second was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira on the KTM, he was seven hundredths of a second behind Morbidelli at the end. While, third was Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Francesco Bagnaia on the Kalex, he was half a second behind Morbidelli at the end of the race.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Leopard Racing rider Joan Mir on the Honda. Second was Marinelli Rivacold Snipers rider Romano Fenati on the Honda, he was only a tenth of a second behind Mir at the end. While, third was Platinum Bay Real Estate rider Marcos Ramírez on the KTM, he was only two tenths of a second behind Mir at the end of the race.
And finally, it was confirmed on Saturday (1/7/17) that Danilo Petrucci will remain with Octo Pramac Racing till 2018 after signing a new one-year deal to remain with Pramac Racing team.
Petrucci currently sits eighth in the championship, with a best finish of second place at last weekends Assen TT race, ending recent speculation over his future at the team. No word yet who is his team-mate yet for next season at Pramac Racing.
