It was confirmed on the eve of qualifying of the Japanese Grand Prix (8/10/22), that AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly will race with Alpine F1 Team as their second driver for 2023 season on a multi-year deal (rumoured till the end of 2025), and completes an all-French line-up alongside Esteban Ocon.
Gasly made his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri (Toro Rosso) in 2017. Despite signed to AlphaTauri till the end of 2023. However, an agreement has now been reached, which will see Gasly compete for Alpine in 2023.
This season Gasly currently sits thirteenth in the Drivers' Standings with twenty-three points, with his best race finish of fifth place at Baku.
In my opinion, this is not a big surprise this news happen. It has been strongly rumoured since the Dutch Grand Prix that Gasly was wanted by Alpine.
Its great news for the Alpine team as they have got a talented Grand Prix driver.
Things are looking up for the Alpine team in 2023.
After two seasons away, predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Suzuka City for Yuki Tsunoda's home race.
So Predictions for the race, for the win, I predict Max Verstappen for the race win in the Red Bull and for the F1 Drivers' Championship too. Charles Leclerc second in the Ferrari, and third place for Sergio Pérez in the other Red Bull. Don't forget Carlos Sainz, Jr., the Mercedes drivers, the McLaren drivers, and the Alpine drivers as-well for a podium place.
As the title says a Petit Le Mans Review of the race at Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia.
Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian team won the race overall and Daytona Prototype international class too of Tom Blomqvist, Hélio Castroneves and Oliver Jarvis in their Acura ARX-05, Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6.
While, Whelen Engineering Racing team finished in second place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Mike Conway, Pipo Derani and Olivier Pla; they were four seconds behind the leaders. Meanwhile, Ally Cadillac Racing team finished third place in their Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac 5.5 L V8; the team of Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Rockenfeller; they were a lap behind the leaders.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Tower Motorsport team of Rui Andrade, Louis Delétraz and John Farano in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in fifth place overall and they were five laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In LMP3 class (all cars using the Nissan 5.6 L V8 engine), Andretti Autosport team of Jarett Andretti, Josh Burdon and Gabby Chaves in their Ligier JS P320 won LMP3 class. They finish in eleventh place overall and they were twenty-two laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In GT Daytona Class, Gradient Racing team of Till Bechtolsheimer, Mario Farnbacher and Kyffin Simpson in their Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 won Daytona Class. They finished in eighteenth place overall; they were thirty-six laps behind the leaders.
In GT Daytona Pro Class, Vasser Sullivan Racing team of Ben Barnicoat, Jack Hawksworth and Kyle Kirkwood in their Lexus RC F GT3 won GT Daytona Pro Class. They finished in twenty-third place overall; they were thirty-seven laps behind the leaders.
Review of the sevententh round of the 2022 MotoGP season at Buriram International Circuit, on the outskirts of Buriram in east of Thailand for the Thailand GP.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Miguel Oliveira on his works KTM RC16.
Second was Ducati Lenovo Team rider Jack Miller on his works Ducati Desmosedici GP22, he was seven tenths of a second behind Oliveira at the end. While, third was Ducati Lenovo Team rider Francesco Bagnaia on his works Ducati Desmosedici GP22, he was two seconds behind Oliveira at the end of the race.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-three four-stroke class), that race was won by Elf Marc VDS Racing Team rider Tony Arbolino on the Kalex. Second wasGresini Racing Moto2 rider Filip Salač on the Kalax, he was two tenths of a second behind Arbolino at the end of the race. While, third was Flexbox HP40 rider Arón Canet on the Kalax, he was five seconds behind Arbolino 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 Dennis Foggia on the Honda. Second was Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max rider Ayumu Sasaki on the Husqvarna, he was fifteen tenths of a second behind Foggia at the end of the race. While, third was Sic58 Squadra Corse rider Riccardo Rossi on the Honda, he was three seconds behind Foggia at the end of the race.
Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round Eleven of Rally New Zealand.
Last weekends was the eleventh round of the World Rally Championship at Rally New Zealand (29th September-2nd October) that was won by that was won by Kalle Rovanperä in his works Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Enough to give Kalle Rovanperä the 2022 WRC title with two rounds to spare and becoming the youngest driver to win the drivers title at 22 years old, contracts to Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen for winning their first WRC drivers title.
While, Current WRC Champion Sébastien Ogier finished second in his works Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Ogier was thirty-five seconds behind Rovanperä at the end of the rally. Meanwhile, Ott Tänak finished third in his works Hyundai i20 N Rally1, Tänak was forty-nine seconds behind Rovanperä at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Manufacturer entries competing in cars built to Rally2 specifications), that was won by Hayden Paddon in his own backed Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Hayden Paddon finished in sixth place overall, he was ten minutes behind Rovanperä at the end of the rally.
Next stop, Round Twelve of the 2022 WRC season for Rally Catalunya de España in three weeks time.
Review of the seventeenth round of the 2022 F1 season at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore for Formula 1's second night-time street race of the season, for the Singapore Grand Prix.
The race itself was an entertaining race to watch, despite heavy rain that delayed the start for an hour that force the race only fifty-nine laps instead of sixty-one laps.
Charles Leclerc on pole for Sundays race ahead of Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz Jr. On Sunday race, Perez took the lead at the start ahead of Leclerc and never looked back; lead all of the laps and despite a five-second time penalty late on, it was Pérez day to win in this seasons Singapore Grand Prix for Sergio Pérez's second race win of the season.
While, Charles Leclerc finished in second place in the Ferrari, Leclerc was two and half seconds behind Pérez at the end.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz Jr. finished in third place in the other Ferrari to complete the podium, Sainz Jr. was ten seconds behind Pérez at the end of the fifty-nine lap race.
Now with five races to go, Max Verstappen only managing a seventh place finish,Charles Leclerc only managing a second place finish and Sergio Pérez winning in Singapore, Max Verstappen's lead of the F1 Drivers' Standings has been reduce from one hundred-sixteen points to one hundred-four points ahead of Charles Leclerc in the standings, while Pérez still third in the standings with one-hundred-six points behind Verstappen with five races to go.
Max Verstappen could win his second Drivers' Championship at Suzuka. If Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix to guaranteed the championship.
While Red Bull still leads F1 Constructors' Standings, the gap is now reduce from one hundred and thirty-nine to one hundred and thirty-six points for Ferrari who are second in the Constructors' Standings with five races to go.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 5
Lewis Hamilton - 6 (finished ninth)
George Russell - 5 (finished fourteenth, two laps down, fastest lap)
Red Bull Racing - 8
Max Verstappen - 7 (finished seventh)
Sergio Pérez - 10 (race win)
Ferrari - 8
Charles Leclerc - 8 (pole, finished second)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 8 (finished third)
McLaren - 9
Daniel Ricciardo - 9 (finished fifth)
Lando Norris - 10 (finished fourth)
Alpine - 7
Fernando Alonso - 9 (DNF, Engine)
Esteban Ocon - 6 (DNF, Engine)
It was confirmed yesterday on the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix (30/9/22) that Formula 1 has extended its exclusive live agreement with Sky Sports to broadcast Formula 1 in the United Kingdom till 2029.
Sky Sports F1 took over rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the UK in 2012 and its current agreement ran through 2024, an extension of the deal, through the 2029 season, was announced by the parties.
Overall, not surprised about the Sky F1 deal going to 2029. Anyone dreaming about a BBC, ITV or a Channel 4 return it wasn’t going to happen due to high costs (rumoured around £250 million per season). Not surprised as well that Sky has Vito to introduce F1TV pro which would been a cheaper option for UK viewers and whould give more viewers to watch F1.
