Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round thirteen of Rally Australia.
Last weekend was the thirteenth and final round of the 2018 World Rally Championship at Rally Australia (15th-18th November) was won by Jari-Matti Latvala in the works Toyota Yaris WRC. With the rally win that gives Toyota their first WRC Manufacturers title since 1999, congrats to Toyota for winnings this years title.
While, Hayden Paddon finished second in the works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Paddon was thirty-two seconds behind Latvala at the end of the rally. Meanwhile, Mads Østberg finished third in the works Citroën C3 WRC, Østberg was a fifty-two seconds behind Latvala at the end of the rally.
Finally, Sébastien Ogier finished fifth in the works Ford Fiesta WRC, he was two and half minutes behind Latvala at the end of the rally; and enough to give Sébastien Ogier the 2018 WRC title, contracts to Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia for winning their sixth WRC drivers title and becoming the second WRC driver to win six WRC drivers' championships in a row.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by M-Sport driver Alberto Heller in his Ford Fiesta R5. Alberto Heller finished in eighth place overall, he was twenty-two minutes behind Latvala at the end of the rally.
Highlights of the rally below, enjoy.
And so this years champions, WRC champions: Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, WRC Manufacturers' Champions: Toyota. WRC-2 Champions: Jan Kopecký and Pavel Dresler, WRC-2 for Teams Champions: Škoda Motorsport II, WRC-3 Champions: Enrico Brazzoli and Luca Beltrame, WRC-3 for Teams Champions: ACI Team Italia. And J-WRC Champions: Emil Bergkvist and Johan Johansson.
It was confirmed on Tuesday (13/11/18), that BBC will replace Channel 5 in broadcasting Formula E races live in the UK across the 2018/19 season.
The BBC will screen every race of the 2018/19 Formula E season via its website and TV red button platforms for viewers in the UK.
The broadcaster will also show at least one Formula E race (Monaco) live on one of its channels during the upcoming season.
Channel 5 had been the free-to-air Formula E coverage in the UK for the last two seasons, while ITV did the coverage for the first two seasons for the electric series.
Overall, a good and a bad deal in general, a good deal that its not on a premium/pay channel such as a Sky or BT for example. Really a bad deal in general, not on the main two channels and hidden on their website and TV red button to me shows that they are not interested with the sport, to be fair if it stayed on Channel 5 for another at least it feel to be wanted on their channel. Thankfully Formula E did a deal with YouTube to show races live on their website that was announced last month, to me a better place to watch Formula E this season.
It was confirmed of Saturday on the eve of the Brazilian Grand Prix (10/11/18) Fernando Alonso will contest next seasons Indianapolis 500 with McLaren once again.
The former double F1 world champion will step away from McLaren's F1 team and Formula 1 at the end of this season, but beyond completing the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship super-season with Toyota, he had nothing else firmed up for next year.
However on Saturday, McLaren announced it will once again make a one-off entry at Indianapolis with Alonso, as it did in 2017 when he led parts of the race before retiring in the closing stages.
Alonso's 2017 Indy attempt was run in conjunction with IndyCar team Andretti Autosport using Honda engines, but McLaren has not released details yet of its 2019 plans, beyond saying the entry will be under 'McLaren Racing'.
If Alonso wins Indy 500 next season, he will achieve motorsport's 'Triple Crown': victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans 24 Hours (only Graham Hill has only achieve this in history).
In my opinion, no surprises that Fernando Alonso or McLaren themselves will competing in the Indy 500 next season after the news of quitting F1 at the end of this season.
Review of the twentieth round of the 2018 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. Current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton was on pole for Sunday's race. At the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton took the lead ahead of both Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. By lap 19 Max Verstappen took the lead when Hamilton pitted for tyres. When Verstappen pitted for tyres on lap 36, Hamilton retook the lead, within a few laps Verstappen retook the lead.
Things were going Verstappen way, until the start of lap 43, Verstappen was pitched into a spin after being clobbered by Esteban Ocon at the second corner.
That dropped Verstappen behind Hamilton, Ocon stupid error cost Verstappen the race win, I don't blame Verstappen for shoving Ocon in the pits after the race, if it wasn't gentlemen like.
In the end it was Lewis Hamilton day despite managing engine and tyre concerns in the race to win this seasons Brazilian Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton's tenth race win of the season.
With Lewis Hamilton win was enough for Mercedes to win this seasons F1 Constructors' Championship with sixty-seven points ahead of Ferrari with a race to go. Contracts to Mercedes for winning their fifth Constructors' Championship in Formula 1.
While, Max Verstappen finished second place in the Red Bull, Verstappen was fourteen tenths of a second behind Hamilton at the end.
Meanwhile, Kimi Räikkönen finished in third place in the other Ferrari to complete the podium, Räikkönen was under five seconds behind Hamilton 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 (pole, race win)
Valtteri Bottas - 7 (finished fifth, fastest lap)
Ferrari - 7
Sebastian Vettel - 6 (finished sixth)
Kimi Räikkönen - 8 (finished third)
Red Bull Racing - 8
Daniel Ricciardo - 8 (finished fourth)
Max Verstappen - 9 (finished second)
Force India - 4
Sergio Pérez- 6 (finished tenth, lap down)
Esteban Ocon- 3 (finished fourteenth, lap down)
Williams - 3
Lance Stroll - 3 (finished eighteenth, two laps down)
Sergey Sirotkin - 4 (finished sixteenth, two laps down)
Renault - 5
Nico Hülkenberg - 5 (DNF, Engine)
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 5 (finished twelfth, lap down)
Toro Rosso - 6
Pierre Gasly - 6 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Brendon Hartley - 6 (finished eleventh, lap down)
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, Max Verstappen for the win in the Red Bull, Lewis Hamilton second in the Mercedes, and Valtteri Bottas third in the other Mercedes. Don't forget Daniel Ricciardo, the Ferrari drivers, the Force India drivers, and the Renault drivers as well for a podium place.
It has been confirmed yesterday (7/11/18) that Vietnam will stage the Vietnamese Grand Prix from 2020 onwards.
The race is the first new addition to the calendar to be secured since Liberty Media took over the running of F1 in 2016.
It remains to be seen whether Vietnam will replace an existing Grand Prix on the schedule.
Renowned designer Hermann Tilke will be tasked with formulating the circuit on the capital's streets.
It's a fair old wait until April 2020 for the first ever #VietnamGP... So, to whet your appetite, we've created the opening titles for the race! 📺@TomClarksonF1 has the mic - here's an introduction to Hanoi 🇻🇳 pic.twitter.com/K17oAP9PDf
Review of round eighteen of the 2018 MotoGP season at Sepang International Circuit, on the outskirts of Selangor, south of Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian GP.
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 Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Álex Rins on his works Suzuki GSX-RR, he was eighteen tenths of a second behind Marquez at the end.
While, third was Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Johann Zarco on his Yamaha YZR-M1, he was two and half seconds behind Marquez at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Luca Marini on the Kalex. Second was Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira on the KTM; he was a second behind Marini at the end. While, third was SKY Racing Team VR46 rider Francesco Bagnaia on the Kalex, he was three seconds behind Marini at the end.
Third place finish was enough to give Francesco Bagnaia the 2018 Moto2 title. Francesco Bagnaia was 32 points ahead of Miguel Oliveira with a race to spare. Contracts to Francesco Bagnaia for winning the Moto2 championship.
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. That was enough to give Jorge Martín the 2018 Moto3 title. Jorge Martín was 26 points ahead of Marco Bezzecchi with a race to spare. Contracts to Jorge Martín for winning the Moto3 championship.
Second was Leopard Racing rider Lorenzo Dalla Porta on the Honda, he was thirty-five tenths of a second behind Martín at the end of the race. While, third was Leopard Racing rider Enea Bastianini on the Honda, he was thirty-seven tenths of a second behind Martín at the end of the race.
