Andretti Autosport, will race in Australia's Supercars Championship next season after joining forces with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports.
The trio will compete under the Walkinshaw Andretti United banner. Walkinshaw Racing current runs a pair of Holden Commodores for James Courtney and Scott Pye.
"To be able to partner with both Andretti Autosport and United Autosports is an honor," said Walkinshaw Racing chairman Ryan Walkinshaw.
"We've looked from a far at what both have to offer the team moving forward, which is why everyone should be so excited. Fundamentally, we are doing it differently. This combination of international expertise is a pivotal step in accelerating our development, getting us where we need to be. We've been looking for partners who can add value to this team, both on and off the track, so to be able to find that so resoundingly is the most pleasing element.
"It's not only an alliance of technical expertise, but commercial prowess. Their experience, knowledge and record, both on and off the race-track, gives us, our current partners, and any future partners, access to global networks and talent pools. Today is the beginning of a new era. We are still firmly focused on the job at hand for 2017, but eagerly looking forward to 2018."
Michael Andretti said that the partnership fits well alongside Andretti Autosport's diverse racing portfolio, which also includes Formula E, Global RallyCross and Indy Lights alongside its flagship IndyCar program.
"I'm very excited to announce our new partnership with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports," he said.
"I have always set a goal for Andretti Autosport to diversify and succeed across multiple platforms, and this opportunity is a natural next step for the team as we continue to expand globally. Together with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports, we now have three iconic organizations working together. We are determined to succeed, and I have full confidence that this new venture, Walkinshaw Andretti United, will become a leading Supercars team."
Zak Brown, United Autosports team owner and chairman, said:
"I'm delighted United Autosports have joined forces with Walkinshaw Racing and Andretti Autosport. It is bringing together three iconic names in motorsport across three continents – Europe, Australia and America, where we can share our experience and resources to make each team stronger."
Andretti is the second IndyCar team to expand into Supercars in recent years. Team Penske entered a partnership with Dick Johnson Racing in 2014.
News
#4816
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Posted 05 October 2017 - 14:56
#4817
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Posted 06 October 2017 - 16:06
F1 bosses in talks to hold Vietnam GP
Formula 1 bosses are in talks with officials in Vietnam about holding a race in the future, while there is also a push for a second grand prix in China.
Earlier this year, former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone said he could have done a deal with Vietnam but turned the chance down as he felt there were enough races in Asia.
But F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches has since said he wants more Asian street races with a particular focus on holding them in "iconic cities".
After Malaysia chose not to renew its F1 deal beyond this season, Motorsport.com understands the push for another race in Asia in the short term is high on F1 bosses' agenda.
Vietnam is on its list of potential venues, with talks between F1 and officials in the country on-going.
There is also a push for a second race in China, which is considered a very important market by F1's new bosses.
Bratches recently concluded a fresh three-year deal to retain the race in Shanghai, which will keep the venue on the calendar until at least 2020.
F1 bosses are now evaluating the potential of a second race, ideally a street race and potentially in Beijing - the world's second most populous city behind Shanghai.
Under the bi-lateral agreements, Bratches has said the number of races is capped at 25 per season, which based on next year's calendar means there is scope to add four more.
More than 40 venues have expressed an interest in holding a race, including from the likes of Portugal and Turkey.
#4818
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Posted 06 October 2017 - 17:48
Prica se da bi ta "druga trka" u Kini mogla biti u Makau - ali ne na Guja stazi gde se vozi tradicionalna VN Makaoa nego nesto sasvim novo. Ideja im je da prekopiraju koncept staze u Bakuu, brza ulicna staza sa dugim pravcima.
#4819
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Posted 10 October 2017 - 10:54
#4820
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Posted 11 October 2017 - 19:48
F1 teams to get budget cap proposal by year's end
Wednesday, 11 October 2017
Chris Medland / Dunbar/LAT
Formula 1 teams have been told they will receive a budget cap proposal by the end of the year.
Since taking over F1 at the start of this year, Liberty Media has been keen to discuss the potential for a budget cap in order to lower costs and create closer racing. A ballpark figure of $150 million has been circulated over the past few months, and while any cap would have to be regulated by the FIA, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says the teams are expecting to receive a firm plan from Liberty by the end of 2017.
"We need to wait until Liberty gives us a proposal for a budget cap, because there's not point going over it to go under it again," Steiner told RACER when discussing his team's future growth plans. "I don't think we're anywhere near where the budget limit will be, but still we don't want to get too aggressive and we need to grow consistently.
"We were promised to have it by the end of the year. That's what we were promised, so I hope it happens. That's their aim, by the end of the year, to give us some information about how it will be done."
Adding that Haas is "absolutely" in favor of cost restrictions being introduced, Steiner also says the top three teams of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull believe the current levels of spending are too high.
"The gap is just too big," he said "If we were the only ones standing out who could not keep up then it would be OK, but there are seven teams who cannot keep up with it and three which are having their own fight. I think even the three that are having their own fight realize [change is needed]."
The current power unit regulations run until the end of 2020, making the following season an obvious target date to reach any final budget limit. Asked if he feels the cap is likely to be imposed from 2021 onwards, Steiner replied: "Maybe.
"It could be introduced on a sliding scale because you cannot go from one day to another, but maybe we could start before. Everybody has got a contract and nobody has to do anything [before 2021] if everybody doesn't agree."
#4821
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Posted 11 October 2017 - 19:51
Koje preseravanje 
Nadam se da će zdrav razum pobediti!
New directive could 'close down all motorsport' in EU, claims UK body
Motorsport could cease in the European Union amid an insurance crisis unless the sport's businesses and employees reply to an EU consultation by October 20, according to the UK’s Motorsport Industry Association.
The consultation is into the VNUK ruling – which applies to all 27 EU member states – and was made by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in September 2014. It requires compulsory unlimited third-party liability insurance to be carried by anyone using any form of motorised transport, in any location.
That includes everything from ride-on lawnmowers and tractors to single-seater and saloon competition vehicles – even at private venues like race circuits – throughout the EU.
This means crashes in motorsport events would be treated as road traffic accidents, and would involve the police as would any road traffic collision.
Chris Aylett, chief executive officer of the MIA, is calling on any employer or business in European motorsport to respond to the EU Consultation and has provided guidelines to help them do so.
“This threat is real, make no mistake, it could close down all motorsport [in countries in the EU],” said Aylett.
“My appeal will safeguard jobs and the industry. If you want to protect your job in motorsport then make sure your employer responds before the deadline of October 20.
“The EU offers an option, known as Option 3, where their insurance requirement applies ‘in traffic only’. If we succeed in getting this option supported then motorsport will be safe.”
For the more information on the MIA’s call to action visit: the-mia.com/Vnuk-Update. The consultation can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu...or-insurance_en.
#4823
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#4824
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Posted 16 October 2017 - 15:47
Pantelija i dalje busi...
Bernie Ecclestone says Liberty Media is not making him welcome at grands prix.
F1's long-time supremo has attended a handful of races this year, after being stepped down as chief executive by his successor Chase Carey.
"Chase sent a message to one of the girls in the office to tell me that they haven't got so many offices at the circuits -- only what the race promoter gives them," the 86-year-old, who will attend the Brazilian grand prix next month, told the Daily Mail.
"So basically they don't want me to come to races. It would have been just as easy to have said that to me. Anyway, I have obliged them," Ecclestone said.
He admits stepping away from the sport he oversaw for decades has been difficult, but he is moving on with his life by relocating from London to Switzerland.
Asked if leaving London will be a wrench, Ecclestone answered: "Yeah. It's a bit of a wrench not being involved in formula one, but you get used to it."
But he also said he thinks new F1 chief executive Carey is having a tougher than expected time running the sport without him.
"They (Liberty) haven't done anything yet as far as I can see," said the Briton.
"I got things done quietly. All they do is talk," Ecclestone said. "They said they wanted six races in America, for example.
"Chase had preconceived ideas of what needed to be done. But now he's on board, it isn't quite as easy as he thought. So I feel sorry for him," he added.
#4825
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#4826
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Posted 18 October 2017 - 16:38
The important of Max – and hopes for a Dutch GP
October 18, 2017 by Joe Saward
Max Verstappen is the key figure in the future of Formula 1. The next megastar. The man who everyone hopes will bring a new generation of fans to the sport. Already, at the age of just 20, he has an army of tens of thousands of fans, who travel around Europe to watch him in action. There is orange is every grandstand and the numbers of Verstappen in places like Austria, Belgium, Italy and Britain are impressive. These are fans of all ages, few of them being his own generation, but Formula 1 hopes that Max’s precocious success will lead to younger fans. The problem is that the Verstappen generation is, according to sociologists, rather different from the generations that have gone before, which makes them more difficult to attract to a sport like Formula 1. They do want heroes, as can be seen from the cult of celebrity that exists today. They want to know about people living interesting lives, but they are not a very sociable bunch. They do not remember a time when there was no internet and so their lifestyles and social interactions are radically different to previous generations. Their social life is their phone and they are supposed to be more comfortable online than out partying. They appear to like phones more than they like people. Statistics show that meeting up with friends on a daily basis is down more than 40 percent compared to 15 years ago and when they do get together, some cannot stop using social media. They sleep with their phones on their beds and researchers say that it is a lonely and dislocated generation, sleep-deprived and more prone to depression. The number of them who are dating is significantly down compared to the previous generation, fewer teens are having sex, the teen birth rate is at an all-time low, down a whopping 67 percent compared to 25 years ago. Kids no longer get driving licences because it offers them freedom, nowadays they do it to stop their parents nagging. All of this is troubling, but at the same time, it shows that opportunities exist to engage with them and get excited about Formula 1. The sport has been slow to adopt social media, but things are changing and Verstappen’s generation is interested in him. They may not sit through a Grand Prix, but they want to know how he is doing. Perhaps they will pick up on others of the same generation as a result, but one must understand just how ahead of his peers Max actually is. Verstappen is 20 and the next youngest winner in F1 at the moment is Valtteri Bottas, eight years his senior. The Vettels, Hamiltons and Alonsos are in their thirties. There is hope that the Vandoornes, Sainzs, Ocons, Wehrleins, Strolls, Leclercs and Norrises will add to the appeal of F1, but right now Max is the locomotive of his generation.
And while it is good to see his army driving around Europe, it is entirely logical that the Formula One group is keen to cash in on Max’s success and hold a race in the Netherlands. It would be a sellout, no question. The country has a population of only 17 million, but it seems as though most of them are Verstappen fans.
Ask a Dutchman about reviving the Grand Prix (which has not happened since 1985) and most will laugh and say it is impossible and yet for a decade Rotterdam hosted a major street demonstration event every summer in the Cool district (really), which attracted up to 500,000 spectators and many of the F1 teams took part. Rotterdam currently say that nothing is possible because of roadworks going on in the area for a couple of years. Amsterdam’s bureaucrats say that racing should take place on race track, not on roads. Amsterdam attracts around six million international visitors a year and ranks seventh of the European cities, behind London, Paris, Rome, Prague, Milan and Barcelona. It is ahead of Vienna and Venice. Rotterdam is a long way behind in terms of numbers but has now overtaken The Hague as a tourist destination. In other words, Rotterdam would benefit more from a race
The Netherlands has a reputation for being eco-conscious, a paradise of windmills, cycling and recycling, and this certianly caused some problems for Zandvoort, the country’s primary racing circuit, back in the 1980s. It is true that there are hopes that by 2018 the country’s trains will be powered by wind-generated electricity and the nation is the only one in Europe where there are more bicycles than people. But, at the same time, Dutch carbon emissions per capita are amongst the highest in Europe, almost double the figure of the French and 50 percent more than Britain. And the share of energy coming from renewable sources is below the figures in Germany and Denmark. So it is not that green a place.
Zandvoort could be rebuilt if money but could be found, but that would be a major project and access would remain a problem, unless spectators arrived only by train, which is quite possible and happens in other places, such a Melbourne, Montreal, Singapore and Monaco. There is another circuit at Assen, famous for motorcycles, but it is a bit out in the wilds and would require modification. Building a circuit might be possible, but the Netherlands is not a big country. It’s a maximum of 194 miles long and 164 miles wide, so empty land is in short supply. However, there are areas which have been reclaimed from the sea where big new facilities could be built, if someone wanted to fund them. There is an opportunity here, let’s see if anyone will grab it.
#4827
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Posted 19 October 2017 - 16:32
French anti-corruption authorities are investigating the FIA over Liberty Media's acquisition of formula one.
The New York Times reports that the body called Parquet National Financier is concerned the Paris-based federation approved the sale of the sport to Liberty despite holding a stake.
The FIA denies it was a conflict of interest.
"We are entirely confident that any investigation would find that the FIA has acted appropriately at all times, and we stand ready and willing to cooperate with any enquiries should any investigation be commenced or clarification sought by the appropriate authorities," the governing body said.
Britain's Serious Fraud Office is also investigating the sale.
The FIA's 1 per cent stake in the sport was agreed in 2013 between president Jean Todt and former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.
"This is what they wanted in order for them to go along with it," Ecclestone said.
"A lot of things happen in business that if you look at it you can't understand why it is allowed to happen. Somebody said to me there's a problem.
"I think in the end people were part of it in France and they'll have a look at these things if they think it's wrong," he added.
A spokesperson for Liberty did not comment.
#4829
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Posted 19 October 2017 - 23:40
FIRST NEW FORMULA 3 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCED
F3 Americas Championship set to be the first FIA-sanctioned intermediate F3 regional competition
The first in a new tier of regional FIA Formula 3 competitions has been confirmed as the F3 Americas Championship, which was unveiled on 19 October at the FIA Formula One United States Grand Prix. The announcement follows the agreement of the World Motor Sport Council in September to the launch of an intermediate single-seater category between Formula 4 and the upcoming Formula 3 International Championship, which will begin in 2019.
The F3 Americas Championship, which will run its first season in 2018, will be recognised by the FIA and sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing in a similar model to the successful FIA Formula 4 championships which are currently held in 12 regions around the world.
The FIA Formula 4 US Championship has been a great success story, with entries consistently increasing since its inaugural 2016 season to see grids in excess of 30 cars in recent races. The addition of F3 Americas will bolster the FIA single-seater pyramid in the region, giving the most talented local junior drivers an ideal next step in their careers.
This new F3 race car will feature an all-new Ligier Crawford chassis, developed by Onroak, and will be powered by a 270-horsepower turbocharged engine (a non-turbocharged version is used in the F4 U.S. Championship).
FIA Director of Single-Seater Championships, Charlie Whiting, said: “It’s great to see that this region has jumped on the concept of an intermediate F3 championship following the huge success of the F4 US Championship. With so many young drivers in the Americas choosing FIA F4, it’s important for them to have another accessible step up in their careers close to home. We are continuing to refine the FIA single-seater pyramid, and in 2019 will have an F3 International Championship which will be the place for the best regional F3 drivers to test their skills on the world stage. Hopefully we will see more F3 regional championships take shape in the near future to help strengthen the ecosystem even further.”
Steve Oseth, Vice President/General Manager of SCCA Pro Racing, said: “SCCA Pro Racing’s introduction of an FIA F3 race series is a great opportunity for our partners and SCCA Pro Racing to reset the current paradigm of open wheel racing in North America. Its introduction, combined with the steps above and below the F3 series, will work to greatly lower the running costs of open-wheel race cars.”https://www.fia.com/...nship-announced
#4830
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Posted 24 October 2017 - 09:52
Ross Brawn says that F1’s new management has considered dropping Friday practice to help to squeeze more races into the calendar.
Speaking at an event in Austin, Brawn opened up on future prospects for a 25-race calendar, suggesting that scrapping Friday running is an option to ease logistical pressure on the teams.
However, he also admitted that the idea of a two-day race weekend clashes with efforts to give promoters something more to sell, with a number of European races having this year expanded to the four-day format used by the Australian Grand Prix, with support categories running on Thursday.
According to Brawn, an ‘open mind’ approach will be applied as the sport looks for the right solution in terms of format.
“I think on the number of races, quality is the vital thing,” said Brawn.
“There’s no point in having more races unless they are quality races – so location, the type of track, the ability to have a great race there is vital.
“The teams have logistical issues the more races we add, of course. One of the things we’re doing is looking at the format of a race weekend, to see if we need to change that to make it logistically easy for them to do more races. So we’ve got a very open mind about how we go forward.”
Brawn stressed that he doesn’t want to change the Sunday format: “I think the core race is still for me personally very important, we’re not looking at changing the core event. But open question, do we need Friday running?
“Because if we didn’t have Friday running, we could do more races, because logistically it’s better for the teams. But Friday running is important for the promoters and the broadcasters. How do we find the right solution?
“So we’re looking at all those elements to see the best way forward. Quality is the vital thing with the races, we mustn’t just add races because we can increase the numbers, because it’s not sustainable. We’ve got races in the past that came, the quality wasn’t there, and they fall away, and that’s not great for our business.”
Brawn added that helping the individual race organisers has also become a top priority.
“One of the things I’m proud of this year is the change in the relationship with the promoters, with the race tracks,” he said.
“We’re an organisation now that wants to say ‘yes’ when the promoter needs something.
“Here we moved the qualifying back two hours [in Austin] to 4pm, and [COTA boss] Bobby Epstein told me this morning that he had 20,000 more spectators for qualifying than he’s ever had before.
“So we’re very receptive with how we work with the promoters, and I promise you that was not the case in the past.
“And there’s a completely different attitude to how we work together. And I’ve seen it. These guys [Liberty] never saw what went on in the past. I did. And I promise you it’s a world of difference.”
Edited by alpiner, 24 October 2017 - 09:53.
