Auto Action #1817

GEN 3 SECRETS NEW ENGINE & CHASSIS INFO

REVEALED

KELLY RACING FUTURE

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SUPERTEAM PLAN FIRST LOOK

TEAM 18 CAMAROS

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POWER PLAY GEN3 ENGINE SECRETS REVEALED

MARK FOGARTY discovers key information about the new Ford and GM V8s FORD HAS had a surprise head start on development of the Gen3 Mustang’s new ‘Coyote’ V8, while the Camaro’s engine has been confirmed as a Supercars-specific version.

As DJR chief Ryan Story revealed the new Mustang racer’s 5.4-litre motor is a development of the Ford V8 that powers the Australian-made e Brabham BT62 track hypercar, Triple e Eight boss Roland Dane elaborated d on the 5.7-litre GM V8 tested recently tlly y in an Asian TA2 racer.

Both agree that the low-cost, lowmaintenance Gen3 V8s are much more than standard crate engines, each featuring bespoke development n nt and components.

The biggest surprise is that the Ford is a derivative of the Adelaidebuilt Brabham BT62’s powerplant, developed by DJR’s engine supplier er Mostech.

Ford Performance in the USA has also helped with the Gen3 Supercars version, a stroked variant of the 5.2-litre ‘Aluminator’ crate engine.

“We’ve been track testing it in the back of a BT62 for the last three years,” Story told Auto Action. “We’ve been working with the Coyote family of engines for years now.”

The existing five-litre V8s will be replaced by cheaper, longer-life engines in the Gen3 Camaro and Mustang, due for a mid-season introduction in 2022.

Dane asserted that both new motors were variations unique to Supercars.

Ford’s Aluminator engine has found a home-away-from-home in Australia! The quad-cam V8 in slightly differing forms is found in the Brabham BT62 GT car, Australia’s S5000 single-seaters, MARC cars, and now Supercars. Image: Brabham Automotive

“Neither engine is what you’d call a crate engine,” he told AA. “They’re being built specifically specifical a ly for this purpose. purpose “You can’t buy either off the shelf.”

The Gen3 Camaro’s V8, being developed by Triple Eight engine supplier KRE, underwent initial track trials at Queensland Raceway in a Mercedes-look Asian TA2 racer.

The car was brought back here and converted for Gen3 engine testing.

According to Dane, the 5.7-litre V8 is a ‘hybrid’ of GM racing parts, defying categorisation as part of the LS family of crate engines.

“It’s a collection of parts, some bespoke, but most are from the GM parts inventory,” he said. “It went well – there were no problems.”

DJR’s Story was more moderated

in his description of the new Ford V8.

While based on n Ford Performance’s 5.2-litre ‘Aluminator”, he revealed that the ‘Aluminator” 5.4L Supercars version has distinct differences.

“It’s not technically a crate motor, but every component is from the Ford Performance parts catalogue,” Story said. “We know it’s a reliable engine because of the work we’ve done.

“It’s been in the back of that BT62, which has done 12- and 24-hour races. The thing is bullet-proof.”

It is believed Mostech has built two Gen3 Ford V8s for development and parity testing.

The Coyote base is a double overhead cam, four-valves-percylinder V8, while the GM motor has

a sin ngle single camshaft camsha aft operating per two valves p er cylinder with pushrods.

Supercars is Mostech working with Mos stech balance and KRE to balanc ce the performance off maximum both, limiting maxim mum around horsepower to aroun d higher, 600. The Ford revs hig her, bigger to be offset against the bigg ger GM motor’s greater low-end torque. torque They will be equalised by 3D fly-by-wire mapping of the electronic fly by throttle control that is baked into Gen3 engine controls.

According to DJR’s Story, the new engines will be much cheaper to build and service.

“The cost of an engine will be half and the life span will be significantly extended,” he said. “The cost savings are extensive.”

The Gen3 engines are targeted to at least double their life before a major rebuild, from 4000 km to up to 10,000 km.

The aim is for a $10,000 service around at 4000-5000 km, with a $20,000-25,000 rebuild at 800010,000 km.

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GEN3 REVEL Image: ssMEDIA

BLUEPRINT FOR CHEAPER, CLOSER RACING Supercars’ racing boss gives MARK FOGARTY a detailed rundown of when and how new Camaro and Mustang will happen SUPERCARS HAS provided the most comprehensive outline yet of the progress of development of the Gen3 prototypes, as well as details of how teams will build their race versions.

Construction of the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang test cars, due to be ready for initial track trials in October, has moved towards finalisation of the control chassis design.

Bodywork replicating the appearance of the road cars is set and most external panels are in manufacture.

Although encouraged to source control-spec components from Supercars authorised suppliers, teams will have some latitude to make their own.

The main chassis supplier will be Pace Innovations, but three teams – Triple Eight, Erebus and WAU – will build their own to the mandated specifications.

Scheduled for introduction in August 2022, Gen3 will incorporate many

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more standardised parts to reduce build and running costs.

The Gen3 Camaro and Mustang will be identical under the skin except for engines, which will be new cheaper, lower-maintenance 5.7- and 5.4-litre V8s respectively. Parity controls will equalise their performance.

Supercars head of motorsport Adrian Burgess, who is leading the Gen3 project, outlined the progress and processes of Gen3 to Auto Action in an extensive briefing.

Burgess revealed that the Mustang prototype being built by Ford homologation team DJR is being used to finalise the detail design of the chassis, with refinements then to be passed on to Triple Eight for incorporation into the Camaro platform.

“They’ve tried a few more things in their car because it hasn’t been painted, so it’s a little bit easier for us to weld on brackets, put holes in bulkheads and things like that,” he explained.

“We’re purposely not doing that in the Triple Eight car until we have all those holes and points defined, and then they’ll get transferred into that car.”

DJR is using a Pace-made chassis, while Triple Eight has fabricated its own.

Burgess dismissed suggestions the Mustang prototype build was more advanced than that of the Camaro trial horse.

“It’s not a competition about which one gets built first,” he declared. “As long as we’re putting the prototype equipment in one of the two cars, because they’re both the same, it ends up the same.

“We’re identifying if we have any fitment issues or tolerance issues or any of those things and that’s the purpose of having two teams doing it.”

Triple Eight and DJR designers have access to each other’s work to maintain consistency in partnership with Supercars technical staff.

“Both teams are working collaboratively and without any secrets,” Burgess said. “We have a very good group of people with a lot of experience and everything is completely open and transparent to ensure that Supercars and the two homologation teams deliver the best car for the paddock.”

He elaborated on the aim to regulate costs for the benefit of all teams.

“This isn’t about building a car that the best-funded and most successful teams think is nice,” he said. “We have to build a car that the other end of the field and all the competitors are happy with.

“We need to make sure it all goes together in the right way. The least amount of engineering required when they receive the car, the better.”

Burgess also confirmed that the road car-look replica body panels, made from composite materials, had been finalised and were mostly in production.

“I’d say probably 80 per cent of it

ATIONS

now is in manufacture,” he said. “There are still a couple of parts that are still being designed. It’s not so much the outside surface – we have the outside surface designed.

“It’s more the attachment back onto the chassis – how we mount the front bar, how we mount the rear bar. It’s more developing the attachment mounts as opposed to deciding what the external surface is.

“So we’re pretty close – probably 80 per cent of the bodywork is out for quote

or the moulds and tooling are being produced as we speak.”

The bodywork and inner panels are all being made in Australia.

They are rendered from different lightweight materials according to likely replacement requirements.

“Some parts are pure carbon fibre, some have Kevlar weave in them, some are ABS moulded plastics,” Burgess said. “Not every part is constructed in the same way. Some parts you build and you fit once, and

they’re normally on the car for the life of the car.

“Other parts are consumable, so you make them a little bit cheaper because they’re more throwaway-type bodywork.

Rear bars and sills and parts of the front bar are obviously expendable and you go through a fair few of them.

“But a roof, for example ... hopefully you only need one for the life of the car. They’re all constructed slightly differently just to make sure we’re at the right price point.”

Other than the external body panels (and the engine) the two new Gen3 cars (above and below) will be virtually identical.

Image: Nick Moss Design

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HOW THE TEAMS WILL ADAPT Gen3 designed to “save them from themselves”

ACCORDING TO Adrian Burgess, Gen3 is on budget and as on time as COVIDdisrupted overseas delivery times allow.

“The global supply of parts is very slow, impacting our ability to deliver on time,” Burgess said.

Unspecified new mechanical control components have been sourced from overseas.

It is the main official reason Gen3’s racing introduction was delayed from the start of the ’22 season until next August. A midseason switch on this scale is unprecedented.

Burgess detailed for the first time Gen3’s new level of costsaving standardisation.

“I don’t really see any element of the car that the teams will need to do on their own when they get the car,” he told AA. “We’re even going down to the detail of mandating a single drinks bottle and a single driver cooling system and putting the radiators and the batteries all in the same place.

“Everything chassis-related and suspension-related will be interchangeable.I can take a wiring harness out of the Triple Eight car and put it in a Kelly Grove car, for example. This is why we need the communication between the two homologation teams as we’re building the prototypes.”

All the components will be single-sourced from Supercars-vetted suppliers. There will be no team proprietary arrangement like Triple Eight’s exclusive supply of ZB Commodore body kits.

“Supercars owns the IP of all the components,” Burgess said.

“There won’t be a single part that’s given to any manufacturer as a control supplier unless it’s gone through a tender process.

“At the moment, there isn’t anyone that has the sole rights to make the front bars, the rear bars, etc. With all these parts, we want market forces to drive down to the best price for the competitor, so everyone’s getting the best opportunity to build and run these cars as cheaply as we can.”

Teams can bid for the rights to supply control-spec items, although building their own bespoke variations seems to be ruled out.

“We’re making all those prices transparent. We’re making the teams be up-front and honest with each other to try to drive down the price and try to drive down the margin they put on things so that we can make this thing as good and as economical as we can.”

Teams will be able to make their own control chassis, but Burgess wonders why they would bother.

“If they choose to, yes,” he acknowledged. “At the moment there are three teams that are building chassis and Pace Innovation will be doing the majority of them.

“The teams will work out that it’s inefficient to just build two of their own when they can go and buy the same thing probably cheaper. You’re not gearing up with jigging and all the infrastructure you need to produce one.

“We’re trying to bulk source as much as we can.”

No team outside of DJR and Triple Eight have received Paceconstructed chassis to begin building their Gen3 racers – but Supercars has a store of frames ready to go when the design is finalised.

“We are in a position to deliver chassis,” Burgess said. “We do have chassis that are sort-of ready to go, but we’re still fitting out the chassis. We pressed ‘go’ on production a couple of months ago because we were aiming to have 25 cars ready for March.

“With Pace, we pushed the go on production a long time ago, but then subsequent to that, the introduction date was moved back. So instead of rushing the chassis out the door and then the teams needing to make small modifications that come to light as we’re building the prototypes, we’ve elected to just hold them back.

“We will deliver them all at the right time with all of the small updates.

“There are two other teams (Erebus and WAU) that are building their own and they’ve received tube work and things to start building them, but they certainly don’t have a finished chassis in their hands yet.” MF

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6 AutoAction FEATURE LATEST NEWS

BRONCOS LINKED TO ADDERTON SUPERCARS BID Famed rugby league club offers sports-marketing smarts and News Corp link

By BRUCE NEWTON THE BRISBANE Broncos rugby league team is being linked with a rebooted bid by the ‘Adderton’ consortium to buy Supercars.

The consortium, which includes the Boost Mobile boss Peter Adderton, motorcycle racing hero Mick Doohan, Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris, BTCC supremo Alan Gow and Supercars REC holder Peter Smith, appeared to be out of the running as recently as mid-July.

But that ‘withdrawal’ is now being characterised as either an impetuous unilateral action by Adderton that’s since been countermanded by his colleagues or one of his typically brazen bluffs.

The consortium is understood to be in there pitching against the Skaife/TLA and Australian Racing Group to acquire

at least Archer Capital’s majority stake (a little over 60 per cent) in Supercars racing.

The Adderton consortium had stood out from other bidders originally because it wanted to buy out the teams (who own 35 per cent) as well, and not just Archer.

It is understood Archer boss Peter Wiggs is pressing for the sale process to be wrapped up within weeks, perhaps in September and certainly well before the rescheduled Bathurst 1000 in November.

As previously reported by AUTO ACTION, a $60 million price tag is understood to have been put on the Archer share. The sale is being brokered by Miles Advisory, the business headed by former ormer (Triple 8) Supercars team ownerr Tim Miles.

The unusual ploy to woo in the Broncos is apparently being made to

bolster the sports marketing credibility of the Adderton bid.

It’s also potentially significant that the Broncos are majority-owned by media giant News Corp, which also has a controlling stake in the primary broadcaster of Supercars, Fox Sports.

Intriguingly, Seven boss James Warburton is a Supercars shareholder, and also an ARG non-executive director.

AA understands the connection between the consortium and one of the most famous rugby league clubs on the planet has been facilitated by Paul Morris’ father Terry.

Terry Morris has a long-standing friendship and business relationship with Karl Morris (no relation), who is chairman of the Broncos.

It is understood the Broncos are yet to commit to being involved in the Supercars bid. Terry Morris also has no official involvement.

But he was a co-owner along with Adderton and Terry Morris in Australian Super Touring racing in the 1990s when it made a brief and ultimately failed bid to topple the dominance of Supercars in Australian racing.

He also backed his son’s venture in Supercars racing and team ownership.

Just how much impetus the involvement of the Broncos would give this bid is unclear. Some AA sources say it is out of the running, others that they are the front-runner or close to it.

AA is attempting to gain comment from the Broncos and will provide any updates at autoaction.com.au if successful.

Meanwhile, the Skaife/TLA and ARG bids continue to press their case.

A variety of sources insist these two groups have the inside running to get the nod from Archer, which is keen to close the capital fund in which Supercars is retained by selling off the business.

Other mooted contenders; IMG, the France family, and the Peregrine Group are all thought to be out of the process.

Initial bids have been made and prospective Supercars buyers are now conducting due diligence in a ‘data room’. The next step expected within weeks is final bids.

Archer gets the job of plucking its favoured bids, understood to be as few as two. From there Supercars team owners then get the right to select a favourite.

The teams have significant power in this process via what are called tagalong rights..

It is understood the team owners are currently in a watching brief with T8 boss Roland Dane acting as their pointman. They will become more heavily involved as the process progresses into final bids.

GEN3 NEXT STEP FOR TEAM 18 New renders revealed, along with big ambitions

By BRUCE NEWTON GEN3 is shaping up as a significant opportunity for ambitious Supercar squad Team 18 to push to the front of the field.

That’s the view of team owner Charlie Schwerkolt, who has steadily increased the teams resources in recent seasons and is looking to Gen3 to help it move out of the Supercars midfield.

“I think there are going to be some real opportunities for our team in Gen3 for sure,” he told AUTO ACTION. Schwerkolt was speaking this week as the team revealed new Nick Moss renders of the Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro in the colours of current primary sponsors Irwin and DeWalt.

They are part of an ongoing series of sponsorship activations by Team 18 triggered by the COVID-enforced pause in the championship season until October.

Schwerkolt has already confirmed Team 18 will continue its relationship

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with Triple Eight Race Engineering and campaign paign T8-built Camaros when en Gen3 commences.

Currently, that’s scheduled eduled for August 2022, although ough with prototypes still yet et to start testing it could end nd up being the start of the 2023 season.

Whenever Gen3 does es launch, Schwerkolt says ays Team 18’s strong driving ing and engineering line-up up will wiill be critical to success.

The team expanded to two cars last year, with Mark ark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom joined

by Scott Pye. it added respected veteran Richard ‘Crusty’ Hollway to its engineering brains trust in 2021, joining highly respected Phil Keed and Manuel Sanchez.

Winterbottom is contracted until the end of the 2022, meaning his current deal will cover important testing and

development deve de velo lopm p en nt time time for for Gen3 Gen en3 3 and – hopefully – its its racing raci ra cing ng debut. debut.

“I think there will be some openings, so our plan will be to hit it hard and get some results and get up the front nice and early,” said Schwerkolt.

“Our drivers are very experienced.

Someone like Frosty, who is an amazing driver, will be really good in this car.

“You “Y u can can a putt Frosty Fro Fr ost in osty n any an ny car car and ca d he knows knows how how to to drive dri rive ve and and what to do.

With With his his engineering eng n in i eering know-how and feedback he will be good.

“Some of the clever people we have here like Phil Keed, Crusty and Manuel in the team will be beneficial as well.

“I am also excited to get brand new cars. Our current cars are a few years old now. It’s also a striking new car

GROVE HAS BIG BIG V8 PLANS

DJR CHIEF SHRUGS OFF ILLNESS

By MARK FOGARTY AS HE prepares for a marathon charity walk next month, illnessplagued DJR co-owner Ryan Story has declared he is fit to continue running the team.

Story has been recovering from the latest bout of a long-running blood disorder.

He returned last week to promote ‘The Long Run’ in aid of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

Absent from Supercars while he battled his own illness, Story has pledged to walk 72 km in aid of prostate cancer research.

Prostate cancer is major killer among men, but easily treated if detected early.

Story is an ambassador for the early detection of the disease, which has afflicted Dick Johnson, John Bowe, Neil Crompton and DJR associate Rob Herrod. The long walk will be a big test of his recovery.

for for spon sp sponsors o sors on rs ass w a well. elll. ell S Schwerkolt chw ch werkol oltt re revealed he has some h e sstill titillll h as som ome e work to before do ob efo ef ore knowing know owin ing g his exact plans.

20 p 2022 lans la ns. He H has a bunch of sponsorship spo sp onsorship deals to renew, while Pye is also out of contract.

Schwerkolt is confident of retaining his current commercial base.

“We have started discussions, they are pretty happy with the team and the way we have activated,” he said.

And he reiterated Pye’s signature was only a matter of time. “He is a very good driver and I think he has found his home and we have enjoyed having him onboard for sure.

“It’s now just a case of getting together. When we can do that it’s

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“I’m getting there,” he told Auto Action in a frank confident discussion of his plight. “I can do it. I wouldn’t have signed up otherwise.

“You can’t ask people to chip in if you can’t do it yourself. You have to back up the words with action.”

Story is adamant that his recovery is on course for him returning to hands-on running of DJR, which he took over in partnership with Johnson following Roger Penske’s withdrawal.

He continues to plot and plan from home while long-time supporter and friend Herrod and team principal Ben Croke run the team. Johnson is also more actively involved.

“It’s almost unchanged day to day,” Story said. “I’ve always tried to let the race team have autonomy with oversight. Our results so far this year exceeded my expectations, have exceede having had a complete driver transplant. We still have speed and able to bring home trophies. have been ab one of the high priority things to get done.” ahead of Gen3, Team Of course, ah 18 still has five scheduled 2021 events and at lleast half the 2022 campaign in its current T8 season to cam Commodore ZBs. Holden Comm scored a series of After Pye sco podiums in his first year with the po Darwin team iin n Da D rwin and both drivers finished fifini n shed iin n th tthe e top 10 overall, a forward ssurge u urge forw fo rward was expected in 2021.

20 021 21. there has been promise But while ther there has also been disaster, qualified on the front Winterbottom q only to be hit by an row in Darwin o electrical fault. triggered a first turn crash Pye then trigg race that took both in the same rac Winterbottom out of himself and W contention.

Winterbottom is seventh in the championship and Pye 13th.

“You want to win, that’s what there for, and chasing we are up ther podiums and all a that,” said Schwerkolt. “We haven’t quite got there.

“We just have to keep working at it and having this break now we can evaluate some things that we have not been 100 per cent on top of.

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“We need to be winning races more consistently and that will happen.”

Despite his on-going health issues, Story has no active succession plan.

“My drive and passion and love of the sport is completely undiminished,” he said. “I’m moving heaven and earth to get myself back into a position where I can be there day in, day out – and that will happen.

“No one is indispensable, though. We have people who have tremendous abilities, talent and a strong track record of success.

“There are a number of leaders in our organisation who have the capacity to continue to drive the team forward with or without me.

I have no concerns about that whatsoever.”

For more information on The Long Run, go to: www.thelongrun.org.au.

“We need to find more speed. As everyone knows qualifying is the biggest thing and we have got to get up there. It’s been hit and miss sometimes so we have to get that consistency of qualifying. We are working on our pit stops, our starts, our braking. We are working on every little thing at the moment.“ Schwerkolt said these sponsorship activations replaced on-site promotions that were planned for cancelled rounds of the Supercars championship.

These included Perth in September that was also going to be sponsored

by Bunnings Trade, which is a team sponsor and exclusive sales home for Irwin tools in Australia.

The new Phillip Island event in late October will now be backed by Bunnings Trade.

“It is hard [to activate sponsorships this year],” said Schwerkolt. “They [sponsors] are happy with the team Motorsport Images and the sport but our hands are tied.

“We’ve got to find other ways to do activations and things and we’ve got a couple of exciting things … we are doing right at the moment.

“We have just got to keep pushing and keep communicating really well.

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By MARK FOGARTY NEW SUPERCARS team owner Stephen Grove is aiming for the top – and wants to take Andre Heimgartner with him.

Businessman/racer Grove has agreed to buy control of Kelly Grove Racing, which will become Grove Racing next year.

His grand plan is to transform the squad into a genuine title contender.

He wants to keep Heimgartner and believes in David Reynolds.

In an extended interview (see pages 22-25), Grove outlined his plan to make the former Kelly Racing operation consistently competitive.

Among his priorities is re-signing Heimgartner, who won the squad’s race under the KGR banner at Tailem Bend.

“We’re in the midst of working towards re-signing Andre,” Grove said. “He’s a huge talent, so it’s our job as an organisation now to take that talent and turn it into winning a championship.

“That’s what we hope to do, but commercially we just have to work through it and tick all the boxes.

We’re right in the midst of the negotiation period. We have an option on his contract and we’re trying to get a multi-year deal put in place.”

The team has Reynolds signed for another two years, a commitment validated by his return to form at the second Townsville event last month “David is back,” Grove declared.

“He’s in a good place mentally and his recent results have been strong.

We just need to keep improving the car so he can do a better job.

“I’m quite confident that he will be at the pointy end in 2022 – if not sooner.”

His aim is for the team to become a championship contender.

“Our goal is certainly to win a teams’ championship and a driver’s championship,” he said. “It’s that simple. “And until we do that, we probably wouldn’t be thinking that we’d been very successful at all.”

As well as the Kelly race team, Grove has bought the main headquarters at Braeside in southeast Melbourne.

Todd Kelly will retain the back half of the L-shaped site to continue his engineering interest, supplying Grove Racing within the Gen3 limits.

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LATEST NEWS

SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP outfit Team Sydney has locked in its co-drivers for the 2021 edition of the Bathurst 1000. Once again team owner and 2016 Bathurst 1000 winner Jonathon Webb will return for the ‘Great Race’ and will share car #19 with Fabian Coulthard.

The second seat alongside Garry Jacobson will be filled by TCR Australia frontrunner Dylan O’Keeffe. The Bathurst 1000 is scheduled to take place from November 4-7. DM

THE NEW Bathurst 1000 logo has been unveiled, with the Peter Brock Trophy front and centre.

The fresh logo features the silver Peter Brock Trophy in the middle linked to silver Bathurst 1000 lettering. In addition to the logo reveal, the charity partner for the 2021 race has also been announced as LifeChanger, a not-for-profit that helps to address mental health and wellbeing challenges for young people. JN

AUCKLAND WILL host a festival-style off-site event for the Bathurst 1000 at Mt Smart Stadium. Repco announced that it will partner the event on November 7, which gives fans the opportunity to watch The Great Race on the big screen with a stadium atmosphere. In addition to race viewing, live entertainment such as motorsport activations and demos, special guests, competitions and classic car displays will feature at the festival. JN THE SCHEDULED PIARC ‘August Access’ event for August 8 has yet to receive a new date after it’s COVID-19 lockdown forced cancellation.

August Access was set to be a packed day of local competition, featuring BMW E30s, Superkarts and 2-litre Sports Sedans, as well as a new Combined Sedan category. PIARC President Warren Reid said that PIARC would be “talking to the categories on the Access program together with the circuit to review alternative dates.” JN

THE 25TH Historic Leyburn Sprints have been postponed by three weeks due to COVID-19 restrictions. The event, which attracts up to 15,000 visitors every year, is now scheduled for September 11-12. While Brisbane’s lockdown has been lifted, the Premier’s request for people from the 11 affected Local Government Areas to refrain from visiting regional areas remains a roadblock. Many competitors and spectators from greater Brisbane could not attend on the original dates under these conditions, forcing the date reshuffle. JN

8 AutoAction

REVISED SUPERCARS CALENDAR REVEALED A REVISED Supercars Championship calendar has been announced and sees the notable postponement of the Bathurst 1000 and Sydney SuperNight events.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer has reinforced that Supercars must complete a minimum of 12 rounds, and with seven in the bag, a total of five remain.

The first thing to note is the absence of the round at Queensland Raceway which was added to the calendar during the Townsville weekend and was scheduled for August 21-22.

The event will no longer occur with the track south-west of Brisbane now serving as a substitute round should one of the five scheduled events not go ahead as planned.

Two notable absentees from the calendar are the originally scheduled events in New Zealand and Perth which have both had to be axed for the second straight year.

Of the five upcoming rounds, only the season-ending Gold Coast 500 remains in its original position, while the Bathurst 1000 is pushed back to November along with the Sydney SuperNight event.

With the cancellation of the Queensland Raceway round there is now a lengthy gap until the next Supercars Championship race weekend.

Seamer announced in a media conference attended by Auto Action that the next round will be the postponed event at Winton Motor Raceway in country Victoria, which will now occur from October 2-3.

A further three-week gap follows before the next round on October 23-24 at the legendary Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

The first week of November is when the 2021 edition of the Bathurst 1000 will be held, from November 4-7.

This has been pushed back so that Supercars stand the best chance of being able to get a large amount of spectators and fans at the event.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak

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in Sydney, the Sydney SuperNight will now not occur until November 19-21.

As originally planned, the seasonending Gold Coast 500 will take place from December 3-5.

Seamer explained in the media conference that minimising the COVID risk was a key factor to deciding the order and dates of the revised schedule.

[The two key factors were] “Minimising the risk profile of the remaining events and the calendar so that we can minimise any further changes,” Seamer said.

“Also make sure that the events that we are conducting in the back half of this year are being conducted in the best possible windows for fans, from a weather point of view and from experience point of view.”

This is why it was necessary to push back both events in New South Wales, in the hope that the state will be in a better position to hold a bigger event come November.

“We were really looking to buy as much time as possible given the situation in Sydney from a current COVID point of view, but also look to minimise any requirement to travel into metropolitan areas, whether that be Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, over the course of the next few months,” he said.

“Should things not improve [in Sydney] we have a playbook for fly-in fly-out of that event, as we did last year.

“Gold Coast remains as late as possible given [that with] street races you really require a crowd and an atmosphere there. Those changes from a risk point of view also benefit the fans.

“We don’t want to have to do doubleheaders and make too many changes [to the calendar] unless we really have to, but we do have contingency plans.

“We have spoken to all of the stakeholders involved in all of these states including state and local government. So, as we sit here today, this is locked in.”

Of the remaining rounds, only the Winton SuperSprint will take place on the new SuperSoft tyre which debuted in Darwin.

The second half of the Super2 Series is made up of visits to Winton, Bathurst and Gold Coast to round out its sixround season.

Josh Nevett

“We’re keeping the lights on,” he said.

The AGPC is promoting the Bass Festival Of Motor Sport at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in place of the MotoGP round.

It may mean Supercars’ return to the Island will become an annual event under the auspices of the AGPC. The planned October event will be the first time the AGPC has promoted an event other than the F1 and motorcycle AGPs.

Along with the early October Winton round, another regional meeting will help justify the Victoria government’s support of major motor sport events.

The AGPC is planning on F1’s return to Albert Park next year – probably as the third race in early April – and also MotoGP back at Phillip Island late in the season.

Supercars would fit in at the Island in March or November.

Mark Fogarty

Revised Supercars Schedule Winton SuperSprint: 2-3 October Phillip Island: 23-24 October Bathurst 1000: 4-7 November Sydney SuperNight 19-21 November Gold Coast 500: 3-5 December

AGPC STAFF CUTS ORGANISERS OF the F1 and MotoGP Australian Grands Prix have shed staff in the wake of the double cancellations.

Both events were cancelled last year and again this year.

To fill the gap, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is promoting the scheduled October 22-24 Supercars and ASBK round.

The loss of both AGPs two years in a row has forced the Victoria government instrumentality to trim its workforce.

Among the casualties is Craig Fletcher, general manager of motor sport and entertainment.

According to insiders, Fletcher’s departure is unrelated to the organisation’s restructure.

The AGPC is now operating on a “skeleton staff”.

Most of the cuts were to contractors rather than employees.

Characterised as “a restructure of the department”, a spokesman said key staff had been retained to continue planning events.

RED BULL AND TRIPLE EIGHT CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP TRIPLE EIGHT Race Engineering has announced that Red Bull has re-signed as the co-naming rights sponsor until the end of the 2023 Supercars Championship season.

Red Bull signed as the naming rights sponsor in 2013, taking over from Vodafone when the championship entered the Car of The Future era.

Since then, the team has achieved four drivers’ championships, five teams’ championships, and over 100 race wins.

At the end of this latest contract, Red Bull will have been the title sponsor of the team for 11 years.

Triple Eight managing director Roland Dane is delighted to have re-signed the energy drinks company for a further two years.

“Triple Eight are thrilled to have Red Bull renew their co-naming rights partnership with the team for the next two years, which will see our relationship extend past a decade in the sport,” Dane said.

“The entire team at Red Bull have been phenomenal partners of ours, and I’m grateful that they’ve continued to place their faith in us to represent their brand at a high level, continuing the successful joint-naming rights partnership with Ampol.

“I’ve always been proud to say that we’re one of the leading Red Bull teams in the world, and hopefully our success both on and off the track will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Miles Wilson the managing director of Red Bull Australia explained that it is an

important partnership for the company nationally.

“At Red Bull we are immensely proud of the past decade of partnership with Triple Eight,” Wilson expressed.

“We look forward to supporting the community of Australian motor sport by giving wings to this partnership and its success in the years ahead.”

Seven-time Supercars champion and future team director Jamie Whincup is pleased to see the partnership continue

KELLY RACING CONTINUES ON

PHILLIP ISLAND FINAL WILDCARD ROUND

Gen3 deals guarantees Supercars presence

By BRUCE NEWTON THE KELLY name will disappear from the Supercars championship entry list in 2022, but it will be present on the grid for years to come.

The Kelly family is selling its remaining 50 per cent share in its Supercars team to the Grove Group at the end of the season, ending a 13-year run as team owners for Bathurst-winning brothers Todd and Rick Kelly.

However, while the Groves – led by patriarch Stephen Grove – will purchase what’s now known as Kelly Grove Racing, the back-end of the operation, still known as Kelly Racing, remains the sole property of the Kelly family.

Amongst a long list of racing-related task it already performs, Kelly Racing supplies control components to Supercars teams for the current Gen2 category. It’s future involvement appears assured too, having already won contracts to supply the Gen3 category due to kick off in August 2022.

“We do a lot of work for other teams for all the control Gen2 parts, whether it be rear upright, suspension arms, wheel nuts, spindles whatever,” Kelly confirmed.

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into his tenure when he takes over the running in 2022.

“It’s great to have Red Bull and Triple Eight deepen their decade long commitment to the racing community for season 2022 and beyond,” he said.

“We are proud to partner with an innovative and supportive brand like Red Bull, who are fully committed to the Supercars category, the drivers and our fans” Dan McCarthy 1

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“We’re already making a lot of chassis parts so far [for Gen3]. We are just waiting for the suspension and upright tenders to come out and hopefully we can win a few of those as well.”

Kelly Racing, which is situated adjacent to Kelly Grove Racing in the same complex in Braeside includes a CNC machine shop, an engine department and various production departments including composites and a paint shop.

Kelly Racing will retain ownership of the current KGR Gen2 Ford Mustangs, including the car currently being built for Andre Heimgartner, and will continue to maintain and develop them and their Ford pushrod engines for as long as they race into 2022.

While he has slaved to get the team’s Ford V8s up to speed since 2019, Todd Kelly will not travel to the tracks in 2022 to look after the engines.

“Watching Supercars on TV will be quite strange after the long stint at tracks,” he said.

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A NEW allocated Wildcard round has been named after the cancelation of the Perth SuperNight round originally scheduled to take place next month.

The third and final allocated Wildcard round was scheduled for Wanneroo Raceway in Western Australia and would have seen Tickford Racing field Thomas Randle and Walkinshaw Andretti United Kurt Kostecki respectively.

However, with the cancellation of the Perth event it was unknown when and where the final round for the Wildcards would take place.

Auto Action contacted Supercars to find out when the final Supercars round would take place and where that would be.

A Supercars Championship spokesperson confirmed to AA that Wildcards will

be permitted to race at Phillip Island with both Walkinshaw Andretti United and Tickford Racing expected to announce both Kurt Kostecki and Thomas Randle’s appearance at the event in coming weeks.

The Wildcard round remains ahead of Bathurst, giving both Randle and Kostecki useful miles ahead of the endurance race.Randle will be a codriver with Tickford Racing alongside one of the three full-time drivers before he steps into the team fulltime next year.Although not official Kostecki is expected to compete alongside his brother Jake Kostecki at Matt Stone Racing in the 1000.

Dan McCarthy

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TEAM BRM has confirmed plans to run a multiple-car team in the S5000 Tasman Series at the end of the year. The reigning Australian Drivers’ Championship winning outfit admitted that it has already drawn interest internationally.

Team BRM entered two cars into the inaugural season, driven by Joey Mawson and Thomas Randle. The team is expected to field both new and returning drivers in this seven-race campaign. DM

THREE 21-LAP races of Bathurst will complete the TCR Australia Series in 2021. Dubbed the ‘TCR 400’, the three-race points scoring round will be held as part of the Bathurst International this November. The races will be the longest in the history of TCR Australia, which was born in 2019. For the first time, TCR Australia will adopt a reverse-grid format for Race 2 of the event, taking the top 10 qualifying positions for Race 1 and flipping them. JN

MOTORSPORT MEDIA man Lachlan Mansell has taken out this season’s reality TV show Beauty and the Geek Australia with his partner Kiera Johnstone. The pair were put together after the first few episodes by the Channel Nine Beauty and the Geek host Sophie Monk and the duo quickly became fan favourites with the viewers. Mansell and Johnstone were crowned the winners of the competition and were awarded $100,000 between them. DM

ROUND 4 of the Victorian Circuit Racing Championship scheduled to take place at Sandown International Raceway has been cancelled. The event was confirmed for July 24-25 but then postponed because of mass gathering limits in Victoria. Organisers of the fourth round, the Australian Sports Sedan Association attempted to reschedule the event for August 21-22 but were unable to do so. Without a practical alternative date, the fourth round has now been officially cancelled. DM

THE WINTON Festival of Speed, scheduled to take place last weekend has been postponed until September due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria. Initially, the event was set to go ahead without fans, but the decision was quickly reversed, and a postponement confirmed. The Victorian Historic Racing Register (VHRR) made the announcement on its social media channels. DM

10 AutoAction

ROSSI ANNOUNCES MOTOGP RETIREMENT IN THE lead up to the Styrian Grand Prix, motorcycle racing legend Valentino Rossi announced that he will retire from MotoGP at the end of the season, ending a remarkable 26-year career in grand prix racing.

Since he made his debut in the 125cc World Championship in 1996 ‘The Doctor’ has recorded a total of nine world championships, 115 victories and stood on the podium no less than 235 times.

In the premier class (MotoGP) alone the Italian has scored a record 89 wins and 199 podiums.

On the Thursday evening at the Red Bull Ring Rossi called the media for a special press conference where he made the announcement in front of the MotoGP press.

“I said I would take a decision for next year after the summer break, and I decided to stop at the end of the season,” Rossi said in front of the media.

“Unfortunately, this will be my last half season as a MotoGP rider. It’s difficult, it’s a very sad moment because it’s difficult to say and know that next year I will not race with a motorcycle.”

It had not been clear whether the Petronas Yamaha rider would retire or continue to race in MotoGP, moving to his own outfit VR46, which will make its debut in the premier class next season.

“It was a difficult decision,” Rossi said.

“But I think that in the end in all sports the results make the difference.

“I wanted to continue when I started the (2021) championship, but like I said I need to understand if I’m fast enough.

“Unfortunately during the season, the results are less than what we expect. So race by race, I start to think.

“So at the end, it’s the is the right way. It

was difficult because I have the chance to race for my own team in MotoGP together with my brother (Luca Marini).

“I was very fascinated to race with my team, but at the end I decided not for some different reasons.

“I have to change bike, I think that is a good project if you have two or three years. But if you think that you have just one season, maybe are more risk than that the good things.”

It has been a challenging final season for Rossi who sits 19th in the championship, recording just one top 10 finish.

After eight consecutive seasons in the factory Yamaha team (15 in total) Rossi swapped teams with flying Frenchman Fabio Quartararo for the 2021 season moving into the Petronas outfit.

Rossi explained that it is not the end of his motorsport career as he intends to

continue not only as a leader of his team, but also as a racing car driver.

“I’d love to race with the cars, just a little bit less than race with the motorcycle,” he explained. “So I think I will race with the cars from next year.

“But now, it is all in the process we try to understand, is not decided yet, but I feel that I am a rider or a driver for all lifelong.

I’ll just changed from motorcycle to cars.

“For sure not at the same level but I think that I will race anyway.

“At the moment I don’t know which cars, I don’t know which races, (but) I said that I want to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

Rossi will compete in his final MotoGP race at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in midNovember.

VR46 Moto2 rider Marco Bezzecchi is expected to fill Rossi’s seat at Petronas Yamaha next year. Dan McCarthy

NEW ZEALAND DOUBLEHEADER BEING CONSIDERED WITH THE revised Supercars Championship calendar came the anticipated news that both the New Zealand and Perth rounds have been cut – however CEO Sean Seamer expressed that both are likely to feature on the calendar early in 2022.

It is the second year in succession that both long-haul events have been axed and is a real disappointment for the passionate Kiwis and West Australian fans.

Seamer explained that due to the pause of the travel between New Zealand and Australia, Supercars had no option but to cancel the overseas event this season.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be going to New Zealand or Perth this year, I can confirm,” he said in a media conference attended by Auto Action.

“With New Zealand, the challenge for us was that we had a hard no-go date where we had to commit to air freight and incur significant costs on September 1.

“With the announcement from New Zealand, the trans-Tasman border bubble was going to be evaporated for at least another two months, which pushed us past our commitment date on significant costs.

“So, whilst we’re extremely disappointed that we can’t get to New Zealand, we have been speaking to stakeholders there and we intend to get there as early as possible in 2022.”

When prodded further Seamer revealed that Supercars is investigating a doubleheader in New Zealand around the Anzac Day weekend.

“Yes, that is under consideration,” he said. There’s certainly ongoing discussions and interest around a doubleheader in New Zealand, and we will pursue those conversations as we develop the 2022 calendar.”

Like New Zealand, Perth has been cut from the calendar but more for broadcast reasons and timing schedules than COVID-related issues.

“Perth is slightly different, but also carrying quite a bit of risk given that it was forecast to be in September,” Seamer alluded.

“The issue for Perth is that [although] it was highly likely that the teams from Victoria and Queensland would be able to travel to Western Australia, September as you will all know is an extremely active month for sport in Australia.

“Broadcast assets as a significant

amount of our broadcast capability, both technical and from a talent point of view, are based in New South Wales and have a lot of commitments on the eastern seaboard in September.

“For those reasons, we’ve decided to postpone Perth as well – again, in the conversations that we’ve had with stakeholders in Western Australia, they’re very keen for us to get over there as soon as possible. So I think you can expect Perth to return to its more traditional day earlier in the year in 2022.”

A full 2022 calendar is being worked on and Seamer is optimistic about getting that completed by October when the 1000 would normally take place.

“That’s what we’re working through,” Seamer said. “We will be using that time [with no events on] to work on the 2022 schedule.

“Despite Bathurst moving for all the obvious reasons, lead time planning etc.

We do need to get that done irrespective of the Bathurst date.” Dan McCarthy

SOUTH AUSTRALIANS PAYING FOR ADELAIDE 500 AXING SOUTH AUSTRALIANS are paying for the cancelation of the Adelaide 500 it has been revealed by the enraged Labor opposition leader Peter Malinauskas after the SA budget estimates were revealed.

Late last year, the South Australian Liberal leader, Premier Steven Marshall made the shock announcement that they had decided to axe the Adelaide 500 effective immediately.

However, in recent days it has come to light that Adelaide taxpayers are essentially paying out the Supercars contract, which came to an early end.

“One of the things that’s most concerning that’s coming out of estimates today of course is that we’ve been able to confirm that Steven Marshall has used taxpayer’s dollars to pay Supercars a fee for not having the event here in our state,” Malinauskas revealed.

“The cost of cancelling the Adelaide 500 is now being borne by the South Australian taxpayer.

“To put it simply, Steven Marshall decided to break a contract with

Supercars, to cancel the Adelaide 500 – the cost of cancelling that contract has now been borne by taxpayers.

“Taxpayer’s dollars being used to pay Supercars for an Adelaide 500 event we’re not even holding. That seems like a real waste of money.

“It was a crazy decision by Steven Marshall to cancel the Adelaide 500 – it’s even more crazy that he’s now paying for that event, even though we’re not even hosting it ...”

What Marshall didn’t reveal in his budget estimates was how much is being paid, however again Malinauskas elaborated saying he understands that Marshall is also making taxpayers pay off other parties that relied on the event.

“There’s also the prospect he’s had to compensate other service providers that were locked into contracts for the delivery of the Adelaide 500 services, this is just a total waste of taxpayers’

money,” Malinauskas continued.

“Stephen Marshall admitted today that he has compensated Supercars for cancelling the Adelaide 500, but he’s refusing to tell South Australians just how much.

“So, not only had he decided to cancel the Adelaide 500, which is a cost to tourism, which costs jobs in our state, which has cost us a place on the national sporting map ...”

There are also some reports that thousands of dollars’ worth of Adelaide 500 merchandise has also gone missing.

“The question is what’s happened to that merchandise? Malinauskas said. “I sincerely hope that it hasn’t just been destroyed or thrown in the bin.

“That merchandise has a value, there are a lot of Adelaide 500 fans out there that would like to get their hands on such material.

“I really hope that Steven Marshall hasn’t dumped it for his own political purposes, just as he sold off the infrastructure.

Dan McCarthy

He also revealed Le Brocq could attend some sessions with a sports psychiatrist, something many topline drivers already include in their preparation.

While Le Brocq politely declined to be interviewed about his form and future at the recent Townsville SuperSprint, Edwards said he was fully engaged internally in sorting the issues he was experiencing.

“Jack’s not shying away from it I can tell you. He might not want to be talking about it publicly because it is difficult subject to talk about, but he is receptive

to doing anything to improve his performance.He’s not happy where he is. Sometimes it’s qualifying, sometimes it’s braking, sometimes it’s starts, it’s not one thing.”

What may help Le Brocq stay onboard at Tickford is its expansion out to four cars for 2022.

Waters is staying, Courtney would like to stay and the team is waiting to hear from his backer Boost on that. Highlyrated rookie Thomas Randle will be added to the line-up.

That leaves Le Brocq five events to impress and keep his seat. BN

LE BROCQ UK DASH FOILED

Struggling Tickford driver planned session with driver coach A PLAN to exploit the long gap in the calendar created by COVID and fly Jack Le Brocq to the UK for a refresher with guru driving coach Rob Wilson has been foiled by COVID. Tickford Racing was able to get the Truck Assist Ford Mustang pilot onto a flight to the UK, but getting him home before the resumption of the championship at Winton on October 02-03 could not be guaranteed.

The Tickford brains trust and Le Brocq agreed on the trip as they seek to boost his results in the Supercars championship.

For Le Brocq it’s also a fight for his driving future, as he is out of contract with Tickford at the end of this season.

In his second year full-time with the squad and fourth full-time year in Supercars overall, the 29-year old from Melbourne is not delivering the results Tickford expected.

Rather than being team leader Cam

Waters’ wingmen, Le Brocq runs 18th in the championship with a 15.3 qualifying average and 14.4 finishing average.

Le Brocq first visited New Zealander Wilson for tuition in 2018 ahead of his first full-time season with Tekno Autosport. He went back in the 201920 off-season ahead of his debut with Tickford.

Tickford Racing boss Tim Edwards confirmed the Le Brocq-Wilson plan: “We actually toyed with it but we have been unable to get him back.

“We can get him to the UK, we just can’t get him home. The earliest flight we can get him back is end of September and that is probably running the gauntlet for Winton.”

Edwards said a whole range of other measures were now being considered domestically during the break before Winton, including local driver training coaches.

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For NSW and QLD supply and delivery enquires please contact ntact DMS

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AMERICA’S IMSA SportsCar Championship season will comprise of 12 rounds again in 2022. The provisional schedule for next year was revealed as part of the IMSA’s traditional annual ‘State of the Sport’ presentation. The season will commence with the Rolex 24 at Daytona from January 27-30. The rule set was also tweaked, GTD PRO is scheduled replace the current GT Le Mans class in 2022, with both GTD classes set to utilise the same GT3based technical specifications. RV

BRABHAM AUTOMOTIVE has unveiled the new Brabham BT63 GT2 Concept, which they intend to enter into the invitational class of the 2022 European GT2 Series. After the BT63 GT2’s debut in the invitational class at the final round of the inaugural Fanatec GT2 European Series, SRO and Brabham will collaborate to ensure the car meets homologation requirements for the 2022 season. The BT63 GT2 Concept is predicted to have close to 450kW, weighing in between 1250kg and 1300kg. JN

KEEP US TOGETHER: GODDARD PLEA RISING SUPERCARS rookie Zane Goddard is hoping he and team-mate Jake Kostecki will continue together in 2022 at Matt Stone Racing.

They shared the MSR Superlite entry in 2020, are now both full-time, both showing promising form and both out of contract at the end of the season.

Goddard, driving the YellowCover Holden Commodore ZB, is 20th in the championship with three top 10 qualifying efforts including two shootouts and one top 10 finish, a seventh at Symmons Plains.

Kostecki, driving the Unit Commodore, is 19th in the championship with two 11th place qualifying positions and one top 10 finish, a fifth in Darwin.

Both are on 720 driver’s championship points.

“We’ve been getting some strong results and if you compare where we were from this time last year to now, I feel like it’s been a big step forward on both sides of the garage,” 21-year old Goddard said.

“I feel like it’s a good roster me and Jake working together … we really push each other, it’s a healthy rivalry and I feel like we help get the most out of the car and the team.

“It’s a good atmosphere and everything’s gelling quite well so I don’t really see a need to change it.”

Goddard admitted he had no idea

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if his desire for continuity would be the way MSR opted to go, given there are so many unknowns in the championship at the moment.

“It’s sort of a weird one because usually you’d like to get contract discussions done and dusted by now,” he admitted.

“But there’s so much stuff up in the air with Gen3 and all this COVID stuff and who’s going to buy the championship and all that.

“So it’s hard to put a contract together, but my intentions are to do the best job for the team now and hopefully, they see that, and want to have me again.”

The MSR situation is complicated by the team’s potential plan to expand from two cars in 2022. It has confirmed its continued pursuit of a third Racing Entitlements Contract (REC) despite missing out through the tender process earlier this year.

Goddard put his improving form down to upgrades to his T8 Commodore

during the off-season, an everimproving working relationship with his rookie engineer Jack Bellotti and he and Kostecki pushing each other on pace.

Goddard identified the tyre preparation for qualifying as a key improvement he wanted to make when the season resumes in October.

“It’s just getting the right tyre pressure and temps in qualifying,” he explained.

“There’s so much in it and it’s such an exact art.

“A couple times we have definitely got it right … I feel like that’s something that the top couple teams really nail every time. So I feel like there’s a little bit time in that. Apart from that, I feel like we’re not missing too much now.”

Get that right, says Goddard, and more solid results will flow.

Daniel Kalisz “If some luck falls our way I think a couple more top tens hopefully and maybe a top five or two, that would be really cool. But we’ll see what happens.”

DM and BN

JONES HAS FOUND QUALIFYING SET-UP THE SECOND edition of the FIA Motorsport Games has been postponed again, with the Olympic-styled motorsport event now delayed until 2022. A little over 80 days out from the original revised date, the event has been pushed back in light of the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The second edition of the FIA Motorsport Games is still set to be hosted at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France, with the new dates of October 29-30, 2022. RV

ROBERT FRIJNS has extended his contract with Envision Virgin Racing into the 2021/2022 Formula E season. The 29-year-old Dutchman sits second in Season 7 of the Formula E World Championship currently, 6 points behind countryman Nyck de Vries. Frijns has been at Envision since 2018, tallying one pole position, eight podium finishes and two wins over three seasons. He claimed his maiden victory at the 2019 Paris E-Prix. JN HONDA PERFORMANCE Development (HPD) have announced that a modified Acura NSX GT3, the NSX GT3 Evo22, will enter world motor sport in 2022. The new Evo22 will feature upgraded engine intercoolers, revised spring rates and increased fluid tank sizes for endurance racing. JN

12 AutoAction

BRAD JONES Racing driver Macauley Jones believes that a blossoming relationship with his new engineer will see him qualify and race in the top 10 more often in the second half of the season.

It has been an incredibly challenging first half to Jones’ season, however six retirements including three straight at the most recent round in Townsville have hidden some improvements.

Without the retirements Jones would likely be higher than 24th in the championship and sees great potential with his new engineer Tom Wettenhall who stepped up as the lead engineer on car #96 this year.

“I’ve probably had one of the worst seasons,” Jones expressed to Auto Action.

“We’ve had a few issues, and then a couple of mistakes on my part.

“We’ve had way too many DNFs from what I would I have liked, so as a championship point, it’s not great. But I think from even the start of the year to where

we are at the moment, we’re making a lot of progress and momentum.

“I’ve had a new engineer from the start of this year, Tom Wettenhall, who has been at BJR for a little while.

“That’s just taking a little while to get to get our feet and our communication right, but I feel like we’re starting to get there with that and it’s been really good, we’ve had some good highlights, but just need to just keep chipping away.”

Jones admitted he likes Wettenhall’s honest approach and is pleased

with how the transition has occurred.

“We tend to complement each other pretty well,” he continued. “We’ve worked together in the same team for six or so years.

“It was it was a pretty good transition, but he’s very honest and upfront about the approach that we have.

“He tells me the things I need to work on, and we work on the communication, and that’s probably the biggest thing for us.

“It’s his first role as a number one engineer for a car instead of being a data engineer, so he’s, learning

the processes as I am with him.”

The Albury native believes that he and Wettenhall have found a qualifying setup similar to that of teammate Nick Percat’s which he likes, and is very optimistic they can continue to build on his career best qualifying of eighth in Townsville.

“I know a bit more of what I want out of the car to be able to get a good qualifying lap, and I think that’s what’s helping that.

“We’ve got a direction from Nick and his setup side of things, it’s been quite helpful as well.”

MCLAUGHLIN: I MUST BE BETTER

By BRUCE NEWTON SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN says being taken out twice in Nashville IndyCar series round proves he needs to continue to strive to put himself in “better situations”.

The Team Penske rookie qualified only 23rd after tagging the wall on Saturday, but was making his way forward in the race on the tough street track before both his incidents, the second time clashing with team-mate Will Power.

The troubled started with Ed Jones of Dale Coyne Racing who turned Mclaughlin around with an overambitious pass on lap 17. Power then did the same thing on lap 40. McLaughlin rose as high as 15th in the race before the second incident, but ended up 22nd and 13 laps down on winner Marcus Ericsson after car repairs and being cleared to race by the IndyCar medical team.

The first ever IndyCar race on the Nashville street circuit turned out to be a demolition derby, with nine full course yellows and more than 30 of the 80 laps ran under caution. McLaughlin had shown top-10 pace in practice but was unable unleash the potential of his Dex Imaging Dallara-Chev fully because of his poor qualifying.

“A promising day turned into a negative,” McLaughlin told IndyCar Media post-race. “Our car was strong, I was coming through the field fast

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and I was having a lot of fun passing a few cars and passing a few people on pit strategy as well. I learned a lot this weekend and it’s promising signs for my IndyCar career and I’ll continue to focus on just trying to be better and trying to put myself in better situations so we don’t get caught up in the mess.”

Power was involved in incident with team-mate Simon Pagenaud as well as McLaughlin. The Aussie was apologetic post-race.

“I feel bad for Scott, I thought he’d seen me. I was on new tyres and he had like 15-laps on his. Totally on me, a bad, bad, bad move.”

Meanwhile, McLaughlin’s chances of making the rescheduled November date for the Bathurst 1000 with Dick Johnson Racing may be complicated by offseason IndyCar testing.

“Where it has been put now is potentially where we’re going to be testing in the off-season as well,” he told the Parked Up podcast. “So I’ve just got to work out... obviously, to get down under you’ve got to do two weeks [of] quarantine, so there’s two weeks gone.

And that’s a long time, to be honest.”

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OVERSEAS PLANS FOR NEW GT TEAM THE NEW team that has just announced a GT program with Supercars star Cameron Waters harbours top-level Australian and international sportscar ambitions.

Dutton EMA Motorsport is a joint-venture between Melbourne prestige cars showroom Dutton Garage and EMA Motorsport, a subsidiary of the EMA Group. The team is based at Dutton’s headquarters in the Melbourne inner-city suburb of Richmond.

Previously, EMA Motorsport raced McLarens as 59 Racing, most recently finishing second outright and in the Pro class and first in the Pro-Am class at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2020.

But for 2021 the switch has been made to Porsche and former Supercars team engineer and principal Mathew Nilsson joined as team manager.

“I know international is of interest,” said Nilsson. “There are ambitions to contest marquee events.

“Locally it’s the Bathurst 12-hour but internationally it’s the Spa 24 Hour and those marquee events that really would be great to be part of.”

Apart from the deal with Waters to race a newly acquired Porsche 911 GT3 R Gen II in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia starting with the Sandown event in September, the team has also announced a personal

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sponsorship deal with elite global Porsche racer Jaxon Evans and runs amateur Ben Stack in the Carrera Cup. Stack, who works as a consultant at Dutton Garage, has been important in pulling the team together. He will be Waters’ co-driver at Sandown.

Nilsson told AUTO ACTION the driving force for the team’s revival was the announcement of SRO and ARG’s takeover of Australian GT racing in Australia. It’s entry has been delayed because of the time it took to get its rare racer onshore.

“The recent changes with the GT3 category in Australia are a good sign for the competition,” said Nilsson.

“I guess the pinnacle is success at Bathurst 12-Hour and those sorts of marquee events with those kinds of vehicles. Certainly, the 12-Hour is a strong focus for us, as is competing in the Australian championship.

“Carrera Cup came about to give Ben some good mileage. We are enjoying being involved.” BN

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LATEST NEWS

VALE GRAHAM MCRAE

NZ MOTOR sport has lost a talented and controversial figure with the passing of legendary constructor/drive Graham McRae, in Auckland, last week.

The 81-year-old’s legacy is the McRae range of Formula 5000 cars that remain in historic motorsport around the world – most well-known being the 14 McRae GM1 F5000s produced in 1972-3.

They were followed by a single GM2 (although the design was on-sold to create a handful of Talon F5000s), and the unique transparent-cockpit GM3, with which Graham won the Australian Grand Prix and Gold Star championship in 1978. It was later converted into a Can-Am car (McRae GM9).

McRae’s car construction talents were initially honed on a self-modified sports car, followed by a beautiful, lightweight NZ National Formula car (1.5 litre twincam Ford powered), with which he won

the NZ 1968/9 national series – as well embarrassing a number of full 2-5 litre Tasman cars during the NZ leg of the 1969 series (McRae reportedly went around the outside of former world F1 champion Graham Hill’s Lotus on the sweeper at his home (Levin) circuit in practice …).

With the funds from winning the NZ series (Driver to Europe) and selling the race car, McRae headed to the UK, where he was able to contest the 1970 European F5000 series (he finished sixth, winning the final race) and driving some European F2 rounds in a Frank Williams-owned Brabham BT23. Over subsequent seasons, he would continue to contest the European championships, fighting it out with the likes of Frank Gardner, Mike Hailwood and Brian Redman, entering the US fray in ’72, where he beat Sam Posey and

Redman to the L&M Continental 5000 Championship title.

There are those who believe McRae had the ability to make it in F1 but in the end his only start, at the 1973 British GP (again in a Frank Williams-run car, an uncompetitive Iso Marlboro-Cosworth), ended after a lap with a jammed throttle. He did however contest the Indy 500 that year, earning Rookie of the Year after being classified 16th (only 9 cars finished one of the most destructive Indy 500s ever).

McRae’s greatest successes were in this part of the world. He won the F5000 Tasman Series three years in a row – 1971 in a McLaren M10B, then ’72 and ’73 in his own McRae GM1 cars, including three AGP wins (1972, ’73, 78) and the Gold Star title in 1978.

After his retirement from racing, McRae returned to NZ where, in the

mid-90s, he built a number (38) of Porsche 356 Spyder replicas.

McRae will be remembered as an engineering perfectionist, successful car constructor, and talented driver, but with an aggressive self-belief and personality (the nick-name ‘Cassius’ was no fluke) that probably closed some doors during his racing career and, later in life, cost some friends. In the 2020s, it would probably come under the heading of ‘mental health issues’.

Graham spent his latter years in a retirement home, with occasional visits to an F5000 historic event. Without family, other than an estranged brother, McRae’s day-to-day care had been overseen over time by various NZ motorsport identities, most recently Brian Lawrence and Garry Pedersen.

Vale Graham McRae, NZ motorsport legend.

INSIDE LINE SET TO RETURN IN COMING WEEKS

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14 AutoAction

WITH NO Supercars action for over two months, Supercars Championship CEO Sean Seamer has explained that there will be content to keep fans entertained, including the new season of Inside Line.

The rejigged calendar shows that with Queensland Raceway now cut from the schedule, the next Supercars Championship event scheduled is not until October 2-3 at Winton Motor Raceway.

Seamer himself admits that it is a long time to wait, but explained that it will make for a better spectacle come season’s end with more fans likely to be allowed to attend.

In the meantime, Seamer explained there will be plenty of Supercars content to keep fans entertained.

“We’re acutely aware that this does lead to quite a big break between races,” Seamer said in a media conference attended by Auto Action.

“But we’ve done that, as I say, to mitigate risk, but also deliver the best possible experience for fans at each of those events.

“We have in the meantime the second season of the Inside Line launching, following Walkinshaw Andretti United in 2020.

“We’ll share the on-air dates of that reality program with you shortly.”

The first season followed Erebus Motorsport throughout 2019 proved to be incredibly popular when it aired during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic nationally last year.

Seamer also reminded people that both the Supercars All Stars ESeries for professional drivers and the usual Supercars ESeries for pro gamers both commence shortly.

“Supercars will be working with all the teams to make sure that we’re providing great content over that time from a range of different things, of course the ESeries,” Seamer continued.

Elsewhere it is expected that some notable work will be done on the Gen3 prototype engine as revealed

by AA. “There’ll be plenty going on with Gen3 and prototype development over that break, as I’m sure you would expect and hope,” he concluded.

Dan McCarthy

th Luke West iith wit

AA’s columnist reckons pit-to-car radio communication should be banned.

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ANDREWS LOOKING AT ALL SPORTSCAR OPTIONS SCOTT ANDREWS is an Australian who will compete in his first Le Mans 24 Hours race in less than a fortnight, racing in the GTE Am class, but is looking at all sportscar opportunities in 2022.

Andrews will line-up in the legendary French endurance race alongside Mikkel Jensen and Takeshi Kimura driving a Kessel Racing prepared Ferrari 488 GTE Evo. This is a bit of a different venture for Andrews who has spent much of the last hand full of years driving prototype LMP2, LMP3 and DPi machine around the world.

However, Andrews admitted that while he is loving the prototype competition, GT racing is really where is heart is.

“I really like GT cars,” Andrews confessed to Auto Action. “The old saying is beggars can’t be choosers and I love driving prototypes – they’re really a lot of fun, but my goal was always to the GT cars.

“I just sort of wound up in prototypes and I

love them, the LMP3, LMP2 and also DPi. “DPi’s (top-tier in the IMSA Sportscar Series) are something else and if I can race one of those full time I would for sure over a GT car, but I really enjoy driving GT cars.

“It’s a slightly different driving style – GTs are probably a little bit more raceable than a prototype as well.

“It’s a little bit less aero wash. I really like the whole GT thing, and obviously this year I’m super busy – I’ve done five series this year, already and four of the are full time programmes, and the fifth one was that round in the (Lamborghini) Trofeo series.

“It’s been crazy, but obviously, next year, for sure, I’d be looking options to continue being driving in WEC and I’d be more than happy to do it in a GTE car!”

For the full Le Mans preview and Andrews’ thoughts on 2021 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours flick to pages 26-29.

Dan McCarthy

VANNA HUNTING FOR HIGHER HORSEPOWER LUKE VAN Herwaade (Vanna) has had a much-improved season in the 2021 Gazoo Racing Toyota 86 Series, and now he is looking to progress up the racing ladder.

Vanna wanted to make the move sooner, but the uncertainty of COVID-19 has kept him in the 86 Series in 2021.

“Definitely. I’ve had chats with a lot of people, I really would have hoped to have hopped into higher horsepower this year,” Vanna said.

“But I stayed with the 86 because I own the car and it was just uncertain about the year, we didn’t want to be locking sponsors in for races that we weren’t 100% sure were happening.”

The extra season in Toyota 86 has produced the best results yet for the Gold Coast local.

The 21-year-old finished ninth, fifth and sixth in races at Townsville, building on a fourth-place result in the final race at Mount Panorama in February.

With this form under his belt, the racer

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intends to change categories next year.

“We stayed with the 86’s this year, but next year we are definitely looking for higher horsepower, more grip,” Vanna announced.

“A couple of series that jump to mind are the Super2’s, or even the Trans Am. “They are looking really, really interesting at the moment, I see the competition building in there and I only see that going forward as well.

“So, hopefully something in a car similar to that next year.”

Until then, Vanna’s focus remains on producing consistent results in Toyota 86 racing.

“For the whole season, it’s just going to be maximising what we can do getting as many podium positions as we can get and really just keeping the car clean, straight and making sure that we’re getting those championship points,” said a confident Vanna.

Josh Nevett

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I’m starting to think that modern motor racing exists for the benefit of race engineers. Everything a racing driver does now seems to revolve around keeping these seemingly all-powerful beings happy. This is chipping away from my enjoyment of my favourite sport.

There’s something about hearing dispassionately calm instructions over the radio from pitlane to drivers while I watch elite categories that’s now really annoying me. Maybe it’s the indecipherable code those voices use at times; secret code I’m not privy to. Or maybe it’s because I feel ‘big brother’ is now always watching making sure everything goes to plan.

In Formula 1 grands prix it can be as innocuous as, “Lewis, pit this lap. Box. Box. Box.” You know what? How ’bout Lewis decides himself when to pit? Or rely on pitboards?

These days your average Supercars telecast is almost as focused on the race engineers as it is on the drivers. I reckon the amount of pit-to-car audio transmitted to fans sitting in their loungerooms is now way over the top. It starts with the obligatory assistance with positioning the car on the grid and continues until after the chequered flag falls.

What’s more, telecast directors have become obsessed with showing us images of race engineers staring at data on computer screens. How thrilling! Yeah sure, that’s what I want to see when I watch racing – I don’t think.

I especially hate when commentators back announced the radio transmission with lines like “that’s good communication from the race engineer.” Oh, please.

It’s my strong belief that only a very small percentage of viewers are interested in the race engineer’s craft. Spare us the constant engineering and driving lessons from the commentary box. Just tell us the story of the race.

It’s got to the point where I reckon the motorsport viewing experience – trackside or on television – would be greatly enhanced if authorities banned pit-to-car communication.

Banning race engineers – that’s possible to police – would be even better. Race engineering is another example of motorsport’s drive for perfection at the expense of entertainment. Catering to the perfectionists leads to boring motorsport.

In no other sport does an athlete receive direct, continuous information and instructions from his or her support staff while performing. Footballers, for instance, don’t wear earpieces and act on instructions from the coaching staff as they take possession of the ball. They act on instinct and what they see in front of them.

Constant instructions into the drivers’ helmets are simply not necessary in motorsport. The only exception is the communication of occasional safety information, be it warning of an incident on the track ahead, imminent tyre failure or similar.

Driver coaching from race engineers from pitlane is really only a phenomenon of the 21st century. It didn’t exist when I fell in love with motorsport some 40 years ago. Back in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s the drivers had to think for themselves. Often they got their mental calculations wrong and made small mistakes because of it. But this just added to motorsport’s entertainment value. Heaven forbid drivers should have to think for themselves today.

Since race engineers became all powerful during the actual races, less overtaking takes place. Instead, crews prefer passing via overcuts and undercuts. These are far less risky for the controlling overloads in pitlane than on-track passing manoeuvres which might result in a collision.

Motorsporting telecasts should be about action, entertainment and storylines. It should be focused on the cars and drivers – not head-setted race engineers.

Luke West wrote his first Auto Action column in 2000. Today Revved Up surveys motorsport’s changing landscape. Contact via @Luke_West (Twitter) & aarevvedup@hotmail.com

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15

LATEST NEWS AS REVEALED in the last edition of Auto Action FIA Formula 2 Championship leader Oscar Piastri has taken part in his third Formula 1 test, this time at Monza in Italy.

The high speed F1 circuit posed a different challenge when compared to the wide-open Bahrain International Circuit, and the fast and flowing Silverstone venue where he had tested previously.

Over the course of the day Piastri completed just shy of 500km, or 140 trouble free laps. The Alpine Academy driver loved the thrill of driving an F1 car around the iconic high-speed circuit.

“It was awesome,” Piastri said. “It was another different experience compared to Silverstone, (I) definitely felt the sensation of speed, which was really, really cool.

“I think this is probably the first day in a race car where I’ve really felt that sensation of speed.

“When it’s just you by yourself ... the walls are quite close here, you don’t have to worry about anything else, it really did come quite fast.”

Piastri explained that driving the F1 car around the ‘Temple of Speed’ really was a lot more daunting than in cars he had previously driven at the venue, but felt it was a very productive day.

“Given (that) the track is so historic,

PIASTRI REFLECTS ON LATEST F1 TEST very old school, the fact that the walls are still quite close, and there’s not really much runoff, it was a little bit more daunting in an F1 car compared to previous cars I’ve raced here,” Piastri said.

“You get to top speed so quickly, you’re always going at a really high speed, you’re not building up slowly.

“Through the Ascari Chicane, you’ve really got to trust the grip and the downforce and it’s an awesome feeling, especially when you’re on a quali run on low fuel with soft tyres.

It’s just awesome!

“It’s probably the first time I’ve actually noticed how really quick the car is in a straight line.

“I loved every second of it and really learnt a lot, so very happy.”

Dan McCarthy

16 AutoAction

OSCAR PIASTRI has revealed that he played a very small part in Esteban Ocon and Alpine’s victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The AA columnist explained that on the Friday night he was at the Alpine factory in Enstone working hard on the F1 simulator hoping to develop setup improvements for the team in Hungary.

On Sunday, Ocon took his maiden F1 victory, and Alpine’s first F1 victory since the Australian Grand Prix in 2013 (the team known then as the Lotus F1 Team).

“I was doing race support (simulator work) for the team on Friday night,” Piastri said.

“It was a very late night actually, but then Alpine went and won on Sunday!

“Not so much me, but some of the other parts of my group are crediting me with some of the victory, I’ll take it of course! ... A tiny part was me, if anything.

“It was pretty awesome to watch it with the Alpine guys here, and I’ll take a little bit of credit for it, but it was certainly mostly down to Esteban!”

Dan McCarthy

PIASTRI EXCEEDING ALPINE EXPECTATIONS

WEBBER: PIASTRI GREAT FOR ALPINE FOR THE first time, Oscar Piastri’s manager Mark Webber has witnessed firsthand his protégée test a Formula 1 car.

Webber a nine-time Formula 1 Grand Prix racewinner took on Piastri’s management early last year, however due to COVID was unable to attend his first two F1 tests, at Bahrain and Silverstone.

Attending the Monza F1 test, Webber opined that the Renault Academy has benefited greatly by having Piastri perform so strongly over the last two years.

“It’s my first-time watching Oscar drive the F1 car, here in Monza,” Webber explained during the day.

“I couldn’t get to the Silverstone test unfortunately with COVID. “It’s always a nice feeling to see a driver go through the new experience of the brutality of the Formula 1 car, which is unique.

“He thoroughly deserves it of course. He’s been performing extraordinary well – he’s one of the hottest properties in junior racing in the world right now.

“The Alpine Academy has been great for him, but he’s also been great for the academy, I’m happy to see him driving.”

The former FIA World Endurance

SIM WORK ASSISTED ALPINE VICTORY

champion explained that while he competed in F1 for 12 years, he does not need to offer Piastri any advice.

“He’s incredibly intelligent, he’s switched on, he’s very mature for his age. It’s always good to see him soak the information up – he doesn’t need much advice,” Webber said.

“I’ve done many laps here in Monza, so there’s a couple of little tricks that I maybe might be able to help with, but of course, the category moves on so much.

“So, it’s really just into integrating with the team, that type of experience in helping him on the journey.

“He’s on such a strong progression in his career going from Formula 3 last year, leading the Formula 2 Championship, now in the Formula 1 car.

“He’s doing incredibly well. We’re very proud of him, of course, but he’s very focused and very much his own his own man. We talk a lot and where I can give advice, naturally, I will.”

Dan McCarthy

SPEAKING DURING Oscar Piastri’s F1 test at Monza, Renault Sport Academy Director Mia Sharizman expressed the view that the Alpine junior has exceeded expectations by leading the FIA Formula 2 Championship at the halfway stage of the season.

After taking a win in his first round, Piastri has scored a further four podiums to lead fellow Renault Sport Academy driver Guanyu Zhou by five points.

Piastri stepped up into the second tier FIA series this year after winning the FIA Formula 3 Championship and has been on the pace since, driving for reigning champions Prema Racing.

“He’s leading the championship as a rookie – we can always say that it is unexpected, but we knew after winning Formula 3 last year, he had the tools and he had the capabilities,” Sharizman said.

“But we didn’t expect him to be P1 (after the first half of the season), we expected him to be stronger in the second half of the year.

“We knew he would be fighting at the top, but more towards the second half of the year.

“Now that he has exceeded our expectation in the first half of the year, the work just gets harder in order to maintain that, but it’s a good problem to have.”

Sharizman knew that Piastri was going to be competitive when he saw how fast the 20-year-old Aussie was.

“From the preseason testing in Bahrain, we saw that his level was the same level

(on par) as his teammate and to the other academy drivers that were in Formula 2,” he said.

“However, we were not sure about his race craft, pitstops, which is what a rookie needs to face. He’s been amazing – but still a long way to go.”

The Renault academy leader believes that the ‘Aussie’ character traits contribute to his relentless consistency and composure, something that has greatly impressed Sharizman.

“Australian drivers, whether it’s Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo or now Oscar Piastri, have that character which helps a rookie, I feel, where they are more easygoing – not that they have less pressure, but they can manage pressure better, and they’re quite chilled about it,” Sharizman feels.

“But, at the same time, having the composure and the stability to face new things. That is what we see in Oscar.

“When he was in Formula 3, you’re not overly wowed, but he had the composure, the stability and the consistency that nothing fazes him, to just continue to step up and that’s what we see.

“He has the (equal) most number of points finishes this year, he has podiums in every round and that shows the composure in his mind.

“I wouldn’t say nothing fazes him, but if something bad were to happen, he quickly resolves it and he learns from it.

“I’m not saying it’s a secret for how he does it, but that is something that we have seen from him in the last two consecutive years.” Dan McCarthy

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MCLAREN WILL increase its involvement in IndyCar after acquiring a majority stake in Arrow McLaren SP. The British Formula 1 squad formed a strategic partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) and Arrow Electronics to return to the series with Arrow McLaren SP ahead of the 2020 season. McLaren Racing has now taken the next step, having agreed to take a 75% ownership share of the team.

“Today’s announcement is a strong signal of our long-term commitment to IndyCar as both a racing series and a marketing platform for McLaren Racing and our sponsor partners.” said Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.

“I want to pay tribute to Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson who, together with the commitment and support of Arrow Electronics, have built a formidable team for us to keep growing and fulfil our common ambition of consistently challenging for wins, Indy 500s and series titles.”

“Key to this is the continued leadership of Taylor Kiel as president of the team, who has been instrumental to the progress of the partnership so far.”

“McLaren Racing believes IndyCar will continue to build our brand in North America, serve our expanding US fan and partner base across our racing portfolio and drive long-term value. The racing is second-tonone, with world-class competitors in both drivers and teams and a passionate, highly engaged fanbase.”

“We see real potential for the series’s continued growth under the stewardship of Penske Entertainment and will continue to play an active role supporting the sport’s success, growing the global fan base and implementing our sustainability agenda to deliver on environmental and social commitments, including progressing diversity and inclusion in the industry.”

The team was originally founded by Sam Schmidt in 2001, with Ric Peterson joining to form Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (SPM) in 2013.

“I’ve known Zak for 25 years. He’s a racer and this is a group of hardcore racers. We started our partnership two years ago and it’s gone extremely well, both technically and commercially.” said Schmidt.

“Ric came in 2013 and moved the bar of the team up.

Arrow came in a couple of years later and again we moved the bar up.”

“With McLaren we’re moving forward again. As we’ve seen, we’re now a regular contender and, ultimately, for Ric and I, we are here to win races, win 500s and win championships. This next step ensures the resources Daniel Kalisz to do that for a long time ahead.”

The team ran one of the most successful Indy Lights programs in recent times, securing seven drivers’ championships, while its recent top-tier IndyCar program has claimed 13 pole positions and 27 podiums including nine race victories, two of those under the Arrow McLaren SP banner.

“We always believed that to accelerate our progress in IndyCar, partnering with a team of McLaren’s capability and F1 experience was a key strategy to propel us forward, and so it has proved.” said Peterson.

“McLaren Racing now takes the baton and will combine the best of what they do with the best of what this team does to create something truly special.”

A new five-person board will incharge the IndyCar squad, comprising three McLaren Racing appointees together with Schmidt and Peterson, chaired by Zak Brown.

Taylor Kiel will continue in his role of President of Arrow McLaren SP to lead and oversee the operations of the team, reporting directly to the Board.

The announcement is the latest in the continued growth of the McLaren Racing organisation. Led by its Formula 1 operation the brand now has a presence in IndyCar, Extreme E and ESports while it also has an option in place to join Formula E next season.

Rhys Vandersyde

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17

with Dan Knutson

ASTON MARTIN has decided to appeal against Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification from the Hungarian Grand Prix. As well as the traditional appeal process, the British team have requested a ‘right of review’. Vettel crossed the line in second at the Hungaroring, but FIA officials could not extract the required one litre fuel sample, invalidating his result. JN

A POST-RACE Pirelli Formula 1 tyre test took place after the Hungarian Grand Prix which included Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. All tested the 2022 spec 18-inch tyres. Notably at the Hungaroring, Williams driver George Russell completed a day of running at the wheel of a Mercedes. McLaren fielded Lando Norris, while Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz completed half a day each for Ferrari. DM

CHARLES LECLERC will need a new engine for his Ferrari after the current power plant was irreparably damaged in Hungary. Leclerc was collected by Lance Stroll and now only has one engine remaining before grid penalties are incurred. F1 teams are only permitted three internal combustion engines for the season.

Fitting his third for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix therefore will not result in a penalty. JN

SILLY SUMMER SEA THE FORMULA 1 teams are taking their much needed, deserved and mandatory summer break. Some of the drivers, however, would be able to relax much better if they knew if their rides for 2022 were confirmed.

The likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris have long-term deals. Other drivers are having to wait to find out what will happen in their futures.

It seems likely that Mercedes protégée George Russell, having spent his first three years in F1 with Williams, will replace Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate next year.

“There will be a decision made over the summer break – whether anything will be announced with regards to my future that’s another topic,” a coy Russell said. “These things are never an easy process for any driver and any team regardless if they’re moving or staying with the same team.

There’s always a lengthy process. I am confident there will be a decision made in the summer but when will that be announced? Who knows?”

Bottas knows what he wants.

“I want to stay with the team,” Bottas said. “I think that’s the best chance for me to win races next year and fight for the title. If for some reason I’m not there, I would look

into other options in F1, because I love F1. I enjoy it and I think I still have quite a few good years ahead of me here.”

Bottas is only 31. He could return to Williams, where he began his F1 career in 2013, but he is more likely to replace fellow Finn Kimi Räikkönen at Alfa Romeo. Räikkönen, who turns 42, on 17 October, would just shrug his shoulders and go home to spend more time with his family.

Fernando Alonso’s return to F1 with Alpine was a one-year contract, with the team having the option on a second year. There is no doubt that Alpine will keep him on for 2022.

Sergio Pérez is also on a one-

BAHRAIN MIGHT REPLACE AUSTRALIA A DOCUMENTARY on the life of seven-time Formula 1 Champion Michael Schumacher will be released on Netflix in September. Out September 15, the film, titled ‘SCHUMACHER’ will detail the entirety of Schumacher’s career, from karting through to his final title in 2004.

It will also provide insights into the German driver’s private life, with interviews from his wife Corinna, their two children Gina and Mick, and former F1 rivals and peers. JN

DESPITE RENEWING his arrangement as a simulator driver with the team in March, the career of English driver Dan Ticktum has taken another turn, released by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, effective immediately, after some ill-advised Twitter comments ... During his time at Williams, the 22-year-old took part in the F1 team’s simulator-based car development program. JN

18 AutoAction

AUSTRALIA WILL likely lose its traditional F1 season opening spot to Bahrain next year.

Due to the pandemic, there certainly is plenty of uncertainty about the F1 schedule for the rest of this year, never mind next year. The fate of the return of the Dutch Grand Prix will be decided by the government later this month. The race will go Motorsport Images ahead only if fans are jeopardy. There is a good chance that permitted to attend, as the race organisers need the income from governments where the F1 teams are ticket sales. based in Europe will ban travel to those While the Olympics took place in countries. Qatar is poised to hold its first Tokyo with no spectators, that is no ever world championship F1 race. guarantee that the Japanese Grand Prix Amidst all this uncertainty, the 2022 F1 will be held. It’s likely that the Circuit of season opener should be on 27 March.

The Americas will host the Texas Grand Having hosted two F1 races last year, Prix on the weekend before or after the one and possibly two this year, Bahrain United States Grand Prix on 24 October. is a guaranteed safe place for F1. It Despite the optimism of the organisers would not be like the race in Turkey, for in Mexico and Brazil, and that of example, which got cancelled at the last Formula 1, those two events remain in minute.

There were only three days of pre-season testing this year. Next year, because the 2022 cars will be so different from the 2021 models, there will be six days of testing.

Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya will host the first three days from 23-25 February. The teams will then go back to their factories to make modifications to their new cars before heading to Bahrain for testing on 9-11 March. The cars and equipment and some of the crews will then remain in Bahrain for the 12 days before the first day of practice for the first race of the season – in Bahrain, not Australia.

China will likely host the second race in 2022. Other events will slot into their traditional dates, such as Monaco at the end of May. Normally, the race calendar for the following year is pretty much set by August, but times are far from normal.”

ASON

RED BULL REJECTED Motorsport Images

year deal at Red Bull. He has not performed at his peak in recent races, but he is confident he will stay on as teammate to Verstappen, “Obviously the sooner you know your future the better,” Pérez said, “but I’m in a very comfortable position with my future, so nothing to worry about. And I think by the end of August I will know my future, so I’m comfortable with how things are, and no reason to look elsewhere.”

AlphaTauri and Haas have yet to confirm their driver lineups, but expect them to remain unchanged.

RED BULL’S hopes of Lewis Hamilton getting a more serious punishment – perhaps even a one race ban – instead of just a 10 second penalty for his part in the incident at the British Grand Prix were rejected by the FIA stewards.

Representatives of both Red Bull and Mercedes met with the stewards via video conference prior to Hungarian Grand Prix.

The regulations state that an appeal will only be considered if the competitor can present a “significant and relevant new element discovered which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned.”

Most of the evidence Red Bull presented was derived from GPS data and video, including a ‘reenactment’ by Alex Albon (in a Red Bull, recreating Hamilton’s lines!).

The stewards ruled that it was not a significant and relative new element.

Red Bull also presented a letter to the stewards, the contents of which was

not revealed to the public.

But Mercedes believes that the Red Bull team overstepped the line with their statements about Mercedes and Hamilton.

“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team welcomes the decision of the stewards to reject Red Bull Racing’s right of review,” a team statement said.

“In addition to bringing this incident to a close, we hope that this decision will mark the end of a concerted attempt by the senior management of Red Bull Racing to tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton, including in the documents submitted for their unsuccessful right of review.”

Why did Mercedes issue the statement?

“I think we wanted to bring a little bit of respect back to the discussion,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. “We understand that emotions can run

high, and it is always a matter of perspective and perception, but we felt that that line was overstepped.”

Wolff declined to comment on the controversial letter Red Bull gave to the stewards.

“I don’t want to ignite even more fuel on the fire and the controversy,” he said. “I think what we need to do as a sports team is to de-escalate and not create more polarisation in the social media.”

Does Wolff think that Red Bull has been disrespectful regarding the comments that they made against Hamilton? Does he think Red Bull needs to apologise?

“I think everybody needs to decide whether they want to apologise or not,” Wolff said. “We felt that the comments that were made during and after the race and then in a written statement and in the meeting itself were below the belt, but it’s not up to me nor would Lewis want to demand any apologies.”

“Yeah he did call me,” Verstappen said. “I don’t need to go into details about that but we did have a chat. To me it is disrespectful when one guy is in hospital and the other one is waving the flag around like nothing has happened when you pushed a guy into the wall with 51G. “And not only that, just the whole reaction of the team besides that. I

think that’s not how you celebrate a win, especially a win how they got it.

That’s what I found really disrespectful.

Anyway it shows how they really are. It comes out after a pressured situation, but I wouldn’t want to be seen like that.”

Hamilton did not know at the time that Verstappen had been airlifted to the hospital, having been told on racio that the Dutchman was out of the car andf OK. “I saw on the screen that he had got out of the car and he looked OK and I was told he was fine,” Hamilton said.

“I wasn’t aware until the media press pens afterwards that he had visited the hospital. None of us ever want to see another driver injured, or in harm’s way, or put another driver in harm’s way.

“I did give Max a call after the race to just check he was OK and let him know the respect is still there, but obviously it’s still not reciprocated. But that’s OK.” “I don’t believe our behavior was disrespectful,” Hamilton added.

“But it’s one thing knowing and then celebrating what happened and there’s one thing not knowing and celebrating.”

COOLDOWN FORMULA ONE’S summer break comes just at the right time … maybe.

It will either give time for rival teams Red Bull and Mercedes to cool down or perhaps it will just give them more time for their tempers to simmer.

It’s easy to understand the frustration at Red Bull. After winning the Austrian Grand Prix – much to the delight of the many orange-clad Dutch fans in attendance – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had a 32 point lead over Mercedes pilot Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ world championship. And Red Bull led Mercedes by 44 points in the constructors’ world championship.

Then Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the British Grand Prix, with the Brit “only” getting a measly 10 second penalty on his way to victory.

Next, Verstappen got caught up in a first turn accident in Hungary – triggered by Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas – and limped home to ninth while Hamilton took second place.

So, after just two races, Hamilton is now eight points ahead of Verstappen, and RB trails Mercedes by 12 points.

Motorsport Images

That is adding insult to injury.

While Verstappen was not injured after his 51G slam into the Silverstone barriers, on lap two of the British Grand Prix, he was in hospital for checks while Hamilton was celebrating his victory at Silverstone.

Hamilton confirmed that he did telephone Verstappen later in the week.

Motorsport Images

AutoAction

19

LATEST NEWS

COVID CANS MSR CO-DRIVER TEST COVID HAS foiled a plan

by Matt Stone Racing to run a Bathurst 1000 co-driver shootout.

With Team Sydney finalising its line-up, the Queensland Holden squad is the last to announce its pairings for the great race.

While Kurt Kostecki is expected to join brother Jake in the Unit-backed Commodore, the choice of co-driver for Zane Goddard is said to be less settled.

Regular MSR Super2 driver Aaron Seton is understood to be a candidate.

Several local government areas in south-eastern Queensland including Ipswich and the Gold Coast went into lockdown on August 1 and came out again on August 8.

The team planned to use one of its rookie days last week for an Ipswich test but that got stymied by the lockdown.

The next opportunity for the team to assess potential co-drivers could be a ride day at Queensland Raceway scheduled for later this month.

BN

INGALL AND FEENEY REFLECT ON CRUCIAL FIRST TEST AFTER A shakedown last week, Supercheap Auto Wildcard pairing Russell Ingall and Broc Feeney returned to the track to complete their first of three official test days.

The pair tested at the six-turn Queensland Raceway outside of Brisbane and completed many laps in the eye-catching ZB Commodore.

Ingall, a two-time Bathurst 1000 winner, will return aged 57 to compete in the ‘Great Race’ for the first time since 2016.

His co-driver, Broc Feeney, current Super2 Series leader and Triple Eight Race Engineering protégé is just 18 years old, and made his Bathurst 1000 debut last year.

The pairs first test had been postponed several times, but after Brisbane’s recent lockdown had been lifted it enabled the Triple Eight Wildcard to take to Queensland Raceway today.

“It’s good just to shake the cobwebs out, find out where everything is but also learning the team as well,” Ingall said during today’s test.

“I know most of the guys here, but still you’ve got new engineers and mechanics and all the rest of it, so there is a learning process of getting the marriage together.

“So far everything has just run so smooth and I’m a lot more settled now.

“We have done a few laps, and I think we are in pretty good shape.

“I reckon it is a great combination.”

Ingall admitted he was concerned about getting all the required testing in due to COVID and was therefore delighted to get one of the ‘crucial’ days in the bag.

“When we get to a test situation, this is very important,” he said.

“We were panicking throughout this whole COVID situation, that we wouldn’t get tests in before Bathurst.

“That would really put us on the backfoot, but luckily enough the Queensland Government have gone out of lockdown so we were here today, and it’s so important because to go in green at Bathurst, man that

would have been pretty really nerveracking, for both of us.

“You’ve got to remember with Broc’s situation too, he’s been running the VF Commodore and had very little running in this, there is quite a bit different between the two, so this is absolutely crucial, at the moment everything’s falling into place so we’re sweating a little bit less.”

Feeney was thankful that the test could occur after several postponements due to covid, he expressed that both he and Ingall are taking the race very seriously. “(We’re) just very fortunate, this time last week we didn’t think this was going to happen so it’s awesome just to be out here today,” Feeney said.

“It’s been awesome working with Russell the last couple of months after this was announced.

“We’ve been going up to the workshop as much as we can, nearly every week we’ve been up there. But just communicating with each other made the biggest thing.

“We’re talking to each other all the time and always bouncing ideas off each other, we’re taking this really seriously this isn’t a Wildcard for us!

“We’re putting 100% effort into this and to his credit, he’s (Ingall) come back in and he is putting 100% effort in which is exactly what we want.”

Feeney believes the Bathurst 1000 being pushed back a month is beneficial for the #39 crew.

“To be honest the date pushing it back probably gives myself and Russell a little bit more time to prepare for Bathurst,” he said.

“Just that little bit of extra time to make sure we get those three test days in which are going to be very crucial for myself and him, but an extra month of fitness and training.”

The team plans to run the last two test days next month before the Bathurst 1000 takes place on the first weekend of November.

Dan McCarthy

TICKFORD AND WAU CONFIRM WILDCARD ENTRY AT PI AS REVEALED in the news pages the allocated Wildcard round has been moved from Barbagallo to Phillip Island due to the cancelation of the West Australian round.

Since Auto Action went to print it was officially announced that Tickford Racing Wildcard Thomas Randle and Walkinshaw Andretti United Wildcard Kurt Kostecki will both compete at the Island.

In his first two rounds, Tickford Mustang driver Randle has already earnt two top 10 finishes and is looking forward to racing at Phillip Island, a track that holds a lot of memories for the reigning Super2 Series winner.

Randle turned his first laps in a main game Supercar at Phillip Island in 2019, completing laps at the preseason test in the Ford Mustang which he and Lee Holdsworth later shared in that year’s Enduro Cup. “I have some really nice memories from Phillip Island, from growing up

watching my dad race sports sedans to when I clinched the Australian Formula Ford title there in 2014,” Randle said.

“It’s terrific that Supercars will be returning there in late October and I am thrilled that it will play host to our third wildcard round in the Castrol Racing Ford Mustang before heading to Bathurst two weeks later for the 1000.

“We’ve had some strong results in the two Wildcard rounds thus far and we are definitely aiming to continue that trend when we get back on track.

“It’s a shame we won’t be racing at Perth this year as it was going to be a magical event under lights in WA, but I’m definitely looking forward to re-familiarising myself with the Phillip Island circuit and giving it a red-hot crack.

“It’s going to be a superb weekend alongside the Australian Superbikes too so I really can’t wait for it!”

Kostecki will jump back behind the wheel of Walkinshaw Andretti United car #27, although he is disappointed not to race in his home state as originally planned he is looking forward to racing at one of Australia’s

NZ FAN EXPERIENCE FOR BATHURST 1000 FOR THE very first time, the Bathurst 1000 will be live-streamed into Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium allowing New Zealanders the opportunity to watch the ‘Great Race’ with a festival atmosphere.

The one-day festival-style event will see Supercars fans flock to the stadium to cheer on their local heroes including reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Shane van Gisbergen.

Race naming rights sponsor of the Bathurst 1000, Repco has also announced that it will support the New Zealand event on November 7 also.

Fans will be able to watch all of Sunday’s 161 laps on the 212m2 crystal clear LED screen at Mt Smart Stadium.

With the cancelation of the New Zealand SuperSprint for the second consecutive year due to the pausing of the Trans-Tasman bubble between the two nations, Supercars felt it would be good

to give something back to the motorsport loving nation across the ditch.

Although not the same as being at an event, New Zealand fans will be able to be part of the Bathurst 1000 round.

Supercars CEO Sean Seamer thanked Auckland Stadiums, a division of Auckland Unlimited, for the initiative.

“This is a brilliant way for fans to take in the atmosphere of our Great Race, from within one of Auckland’s premier venues,” Seamer said.

“The concept is a great way for fans of all kinds to come out and enjoy everything the Repco Bathurst 1000 has to offer.

“We thank our partners in Auckland for putting together this event and hope to see thousands of fans at Mt Smart Stadium on 7 November.”

The Director of Auckland Stadiums James Parkinson explained that the concept is a welcome opportunity to open the gates of Mt Smart Stadium.

“We are excited to partner with

great tracks.

“It’s awesome to have Phillip Island confirmed as my third wildcard for 2021 with WAU,” Kurt Kostecki said.

“It’s a real shame we can’t get to Perth this year, I was really looking forward to racing at my home event, but I’m still really excited to head to Phillip Island.

“It’s one of the most iconic circuits in the world, so I can’t wait to get there and get behind the wheel of the Mobil 1 No. 27, and build on what we’ve achieved and learnt across the previous two rounds.”

Supercars and Repco to host the passionate motorsport community and their families and give them a taste of what we can offer at our versatile stadium,” Parkinson said.

“Whether you’re a die-hard Supercars fan or are just looking for a great day out, Mt Smart Stadium will be the place to be.”

A large range of tickets are on offer for fans of Supercars – viewers can watch the race from the comfort of a beanbag or picnic blanket on the main field from $25 (early bird) or pay up to $200 for VIP access in a corporate suite.

Entry to the grandstand and the main field is free for children under the age of 14 who are accompanied by a paying adult.

Tickets go on sale today (August 10) at 2pm New Zealand time and are available to be purchased from Ticketek.

The on-screen viewing will be complemented by a festival-style setup, with live entertainment, motorsport activations and demos, special guests, competitions and classic car displays, including memorable Supercars before an end-of-day-after-party.

The event isn’t just for adults, the event will include entertainment for kids and as well as chill out zones at the newly opened Lilyworld Garden Bar. The race will also be available to view on multiple other screens throughout the venue including Lilyworld. Dan McCarthy

LATEST NEWS

COMMENTARY ON COMMENTATORS I HAVE to say that I enjoyed the Olympics immensely, particularly the track and field events where there were a thousand storylines and dramatic events. Brilliantly keeping track of them all for viewers – while communicating significance and building the theatre of the occasion – was Seven’s small team of commentators led by the ever-impressive Bruce McAveney.

McAveney’s great skill is that he personalises the sport for non-enthusiasts, while drawing just the right amount of technical and specialist information from his ex-athlete sidekick Tamsyn Manou (nee Lewis). Whenever Manou went a bit too far with her technical analysis of running styles, Bruce gently reeled her in.

Overall, seven’s coverage was superb. It stayed fresh throughout competition.

I think it’s time now for Seven to use its influence as Supercars’ part-time free-to-air telecaster to reset the commentary box. In the very least, we should never have two ex-drivers in the booth together without a professional playby-play caller keeping them in track.

In Townsville, in the absence of Neil Crompton, Supercars trialled pairing Mark Skaife and Garth Tander together for some races, but it was never a smooth and happy listening experience for viewers. In stark contrast, when Chad Neylon was installed as lead caller things just worked.

Neylon set the scene without overhyping the action and viewers could relax and taking in the action.

It was obvious to me that we were hearing Supercars’ future lead caller.

Luke West IMAGE: InsydeMedia

COOLDRIVE ESERIES TEAM REVEALED COOLDRIVE RACING has named Kiwi Matthew Payne and Josh Anderson as their Supercars Eseries drivers for 2021.

Payne, who has been racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Series, replaces Tim Slade in the AllStar slot, who is unable to compete in this year’s competition.

The Pro Gamer position is filled

by Anderson who has a mix of experience in both simulation and real-life racing.

Payne will step across from Earl Bamber Motorsport to fill the Cooldrive position, a role that he is excited for.

“I’m really excited to join CoolDrive Racing for the Eseries,” Payne said.

“Sim racing is an important part to our development these days, I am looking forward to the chance of representing CoolDrive Racing and SP Tools in a competitive environment like the Supercars

Eseries.”

This year has provided successful returns for the New Zealander.

After catching eyes in the karting scene, Payne has achieved two pole positions and three podiums in the opening three rounds of the 2021 Carrera Cup, including a maiden win in Townsville.

Payne also won the New Zealand based Toyota Racing Series with five wins from nine races to begin the year, adding to a strong 2021.

Anderson comes from a slightly different background.

The 21-year-old has competed in

the Aussie Racing Car Series since 2018, clocking up 16 podiums with three wins between Symmons Plains and Sydney Motorsport Park events.

Additionally, Anderson has raced in the SuperUtes category to complement his simulation racing exploits.

Off the track Anderson represents Trans Tasman Racing in sim competitions, one of Australia’s most successful sim racing teams on the iRacing platform.

The Pro Gamer representative was looking forward to joining Cooldrive.

“I’m pumped to be joining the

Supercar Eseries again,” Anderson said.

“I want to build on what I learnt last year and focus on getting some great results with CoolDrive Racing.”

Supercars All Stars Eseries will comprise of six rounds this year, commencing on August 25.

Events will be held fortnightly on the iRacing platform.

There is a $26,500 prize pool up for grabs in the Pro Gamer division of the Championship, including a $10,000 prize for the winner.

The second round will be filmed inside the CoolDrive Racing workshop on September 1. Josh Nevett

REVISED CARRERA CUP SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED PORSCHE CARS Australia has announced its revised 2021 Carrera Cup Australia Series calendar with five rounds still scheduled to take place.

All five rounds now meet up with the remaining Supercars Championship events in 2021 starting in October and ending in December on the streets of the Gold Coast.

The new calendar sees a delay of seven weeks due to the current outbreaks around the nation.

The series is scheduled to restart again from October 01-03 and although a venue has not been listed it is understood to be Winton Motor Raceway in country Victoria.

This of course will be followed by the fifth round of the series as the top-tier national Porsche series returns to the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as part of the Bass Coast Festival of Motorsport.

The event was drafted in due to the situation in New South Wales and will take place from October 22-24 as the precursor to the Bathurst 1000 two weeks later.

For the first time in over two decades, the ‘Great Race’ has been moved to a slot from November 04-07 November time slot.

It is hoped that by mid-November the outbreak in New South Wales will be under control and allow the Porsche field to return to action with the round at Sydney Motorsport Park filling the cancelled Australian Grand Prix slot from November 19-21.

This is of course restrictions permitting as the series will traditionally conclude on the streets of the Gold Coast from December 3-5,

the only round which remains in its original slot.

PCA has also been forced to postpone the 2021 Porsche Michelin Junior Training Workshop until February next year.

PCA also confirmed it announce a revised 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge calendar in the coming weeks.

Dan McCarthy

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Revised Dates: Round 4 – TBC, VIC 01-03 Oct Round 5 – Phillip Island, VIC 2224 Oct Round 6 – Bathurst, NSW 04-07 Nov Round 7 – Sydney, NSW 19-21 Nov Round 8 – Gold Coast, QLD 0305 Dec

CARRERA CUP ADOPTS DROP A ROUND RULE PORSCHE CARS Australia (PCA) have elected to implement the ‘drop a round’ rule for the Pro Class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship in 2021.

COVID-19 dictated travel restrictions have informed the decision, after a compromised Round 3 of the competition in which teams were prevented from participating.

Competitors in the Pro-Am Class of the series already have access to the drop-around rule and will continue to do so for the 2021 season.

From now on all results posted on the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia website will reflect the Championship Points Standings based on each competitor’s worst round being dropped.

Squadra Bespoke driver Cameron Hill currently leads the Pro Class standings on 354 points, having collected six wins from the nine races so far.

Behind him sits 19-year-old Cooper Murray on 274 points, who leads the junior driver standings and secured a first season win at the Townsville street circuit.

Rounding out the top three is 22-year-old Harri Jones on 263 points,

who is also classed as a junior and has been driving for Helimods.

Stephen Grove leads the Pro-Am category on 343 points after an impressive triple podium performance in far north Queensland.

PCA have also announced a revised schedule for the remaining

five rounds of the 2021 Carrera Cup Australia Series.

Due to COVID-19 related lockdowns and subsequent postponements, the season will resume in October at an unconfirmed venue, believed to be Winton Raceway in Victoria.

The rest of the rounds will coincide

with Supercars Championship events, concluding on the Gold Coast in December.

This new calendar represents a seven-week delay of the original schedule due to the spread of virus outbreaks across Australia.

Josh Nevett

LATEST NEWS

FIA REJECTS ASTON MARTIN APPEAL THE FIA stewards have rejected Aston Martin’s request for them to review disqualifying Sebastian Vettel from second place in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Vettel was disqualified because his Aston Martin did have at least one litre of fuel remaining in the tank at the end of the race. The scrutineers were only able to extract 0.3 of a litre from the fuel tank.

Aston Martin said that there were 1.74 litres in the car, with some of it trapped in the fuel system due to a systems failure.

The team argued that as a result of the loss of fuel cell pressure, the air pump in the fuel cell activated a maximum output. By pumping air through the fuel cell, a significant amount of fuel was inadvertently discharged from the fuel cell of the car.

But the stewards countered that the regulations state that there must be at least one litre in the tank. It is up to the teams to make sure that their cars are legal at all times.

The stewards ruled that Aston Martin was unable to produce a significant and relevant new element of evidence

which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review.

This was the same reason the stewards used when they refused to review their decision to give Lewis Hamilton a 10 second penalty for knocking Max Verstappen out of the British Grand Prix. Red Bull wanted the stewards to give Mercedes driver Hamilton a harsher penalty.

Hamilton was promoted from third to second in Hungary as a result of Vettel’s disqualification. And as a result of that disqualification being

upheld, Hamilton gets to keep the 18 points compared to the 15 points for third. Thus Hamilton’s lead in the drivers’ world championship over Verstappen remains at eight points rather than five.

“Sebastian drove brilliantly in Hungary and we are pleased to have been given the opportunity to show significant new evidence that we discovered since the race,” Aston Martin’s CEO and team principal said.

“We felt that the evidence we presented was relevant and

ALPINE DRIVER TO RACE INDYCAR ALPINE ACADEMY and FIA Formula 2 Championship driver Christian Lundgaard has signed to race an IndyCar in the next round of the series Indianapolis this weekend.

The Danish driver will race for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) when the American open-wheel series takes to the 14-turn road course.

Lundgaard, like Australian Oscar Piastri, is an Alpine junior driver and one of his opponents in the second-tier Formula 2 Championship.

The decision by Lundgaard to make his IndyCar Series debut is not as far left field as you may think, as he tested with RLL on July 26 at Barber Motorsports Park.

While he was in the United States he visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and did a seat fitting.

Lundgaard will jump behind the wheel of the #45 machine which has been driven by American Santino Ferrucci in five events this year.

Lundgaard is excited to race in the IndyCar Series this weekend and is excited to see how he compares against the regulars.

“I’m super excited to try IndyCar this week,” Lundgaard said. “I’ve been very fortunate so far in my career to drive some incredible race cars, and I’m looking forward to officially adding IndyCar to that list.

“In preparation for this race, I tested the car, and it felt pretty awesome, and I’m sure it will feel even better at a race weekend in race conditions alongside all the hugely talented drivers in the field.

Lundgaard is very thankful for the opportunity that RLL and his sponsors for supporting him and will give it everything this weekend.

“There’s been a lot of work to make this happen and prepare as best as possible, and I’m feeling ready for the challenge,” he said.

“I’ve actually watched all IndyCar races this year, so to be given the chance to line up on the grid is amazing.

“There will be a lot to learn in a short space of time, but trying something new excites me. I can’t thank enough Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Alpine, my sponsors

and investors for supporting me with this opportunity. It’s a unique chance and I can’t wait to give it my all.”

In Formula 2 last year Lundgaard scored two race victories and finished seventh in the championship with ART Grand Prix.

However, this season has him suffer a challenging first half, he sits in 12th in the championship after scoring two podiums.

Team co-owner of RLL, Bobby Rahal explained that he was impressed

by Lundgaard at the test and is excited to see what he can do this weekend.

“We were very pleased with the job that Christian did at our recent test at Barber Motorsports Park and are looking forward to seeing him perform at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Rahal.

“It’s going to be a new experience and a big challenge due to the lack of practice time compared to other races.

“The road course is very much like European circuits given that it was designed for Formula One and Grand Prix races, so I think it will be less of an issue than going to one of our more traditional IndyCar race tracks.

“Given the lack of test time and practice time, we don’t have any grand expectations of him other than to go out and do a steady job and go from there.”

Dan McCarthy

demonstrated to the FIA that he should have been reinstated following his disqualification.”

“Unfortunately, the FIA took a different view and, despite the fact that the accuracy of our new evidence was not contested, Sebastian’s disqualification has been upheld on the basis that the new evidence was not deemed ‘relevant’.”

“That is disappointing, and we will now consider our position in respect of the full appeal process.”

Dan Knutson

ARC SUPERCARS FACES COVID CALENDAR RESUFFLE CALENDAR Sydney in grave doubt, Perth and UPDATED Pukekohe questioned

next year.

“A huge thank you must go to the event sponsors and the Tasmanian Government who have been extremely supportive over recent months.

“We’ve also remained in constant dialogue with the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship competitors as well, MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA has

By BRUCE aNEWTON He said it was a similar watching so this Coffs Coast double header is released further revised Australian brief for the Western Australian event certainly supported by many of our Rally Championship calendar THE SUPERCARS championship calendar faces and New Zealand, the latter requiring a competitors who are eager to get following the latest outbreaks in New revisionWales unless the crisis in Sydney mid-September sign-off to proceed. as much rallying under their belt as South andCOVID Victoria. quickly and remarkably improves. Rally Supercars is working to fit the twicepossible.

Unfortunately, September’s As AUTO ACTION closed for cancelled, press on Monday, postponed event at Winton in Victoria “A double header in Coffs Harbour Tasmania has had to be the New South capitalround was experiencing is also an amazing opportunity for the scheduled asWales the third the event back into the calendar, either replacing its worst of the Delta however variant and the Victoria Pukekohe if it is cancelled, or before northern NSW region. We know these was firstday postponed, had closed its borders to the state. the Gold Coast 500 season finale events will bring an economic boost to event has now been axed.

That thatwill hasbe serious implications currently scheduled for December the area through an extended stay in In itsmove place a second eventforin the August 20-22 Sydney SuperNightevent at Sydney 3-5. the region for so many crews, officials Coffs Harbour, the additional in Motorsport because manyscheduled Supercars “We are still six weeks out from and support personnel.

New SouthPark Wales hassobeen teams are based in Victoria.

Sydney,” Seamer said. “That [Sydney “We can’t wait to get there and for November 20-21 a week before the While the official Supercars the Motorsport Park] is a dedicated deliver two amazing events based out final round of the seasonposition at thewas same race still could happen because there was time racetrack, so we can be much more date because of logistical challenges such as WintonHarbour.” in a weatherDan climate more suitable offorCoffs McCarthy location. for the Sydney COVID outbreak to die down, the agile in the planning and the lead-up to that the sea-freighting of the 24-car grid across the to camping, which is integral to the financial The new Coffs based event will be belief it would not happen was widespread in event than something like a street race.”

Tasman and getting Dunlop race tyres there too. success of the event run by the Auto a shorter event, known as the Coffs RSEA Safety Motorsport Benalla Australia the Supercars paddock at the Townsville 500 “I think we demonstrated last year, it gives us “With regard to Perth and New Zealand, sure Club.

Sprint Rally, with roads from previous Rally Championship 2021 last Sunday night.events expected to be the opportunity to manage restrictions announcing those are onesthe we are monitoring closely,” Seamer revealed investigations had already cancellation of the Les Calendar: the Adelaide Hills Rallydifferent in October Rally Australia Instead, the expectation was The Bend in or different challenges in the lead-up to the Seamer said.

“New Zealand being November, begin about how to freight carsCapital back fromRally NZ Walkden Enterprises Rally Tasmania,” before the season ends with the Coffs used.

Round 1: Netier National South Australia would be pencilled in as its event.” is less of a concern right now but Perth in for a Winton race.

Smith explained.

Harbour doubleheader.

While the second round of the Coffs (completed) replacementthe andoriginal could even hostwill a doubleLast year SMPAustralia hosted twoDirector Supercars September something we are “We are2:working with our freight partner “We wereis eager to get to monitoring Tasmaniaand Round Motorsport Harbour, event take Accent Benchtops Rally to header. championship rounds as Victoria went into monitoring the Western Australian response to look at options about getting back [to race at and put on a fantastic event, however of Motorsport & Commercial place as originally planned, albeit Queensland (completed) There is also widespread doubt the September lockdown. the situation in New South Wales,” said Seamer.

Winton] and we had already started that we know a call needed to be Operations Michael Smith said while also playing host to the final Round 3: AGI Sport Adelaide Hillswork 11-12 Perth SuperNight and November 6-7 New The WA race is a focus because the state “But keep in mind but none of our teams are in earnest. made early on this event, given the while the cancelation of Tasmania round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Rally (22-24 October) Zealand SuperSprint will go ahead. government is very aggressive in its border based in Sydney; I think the guys at Tekno Team “A lot of4:theCoffs freightSprint infrastructure we use to get logistics in getting cars, officials and was disappointing, the end of the Championship from November 26-28.

Round Rally (20-21 Of course, by the time you read this the restrictions and closures when there are COVID Sydney have relocated and Brad Jones Racing to New Zealand is handled by the same people competitors to the Apple Isle. campaign promises to be an exciting This additional round in place of November) calendar may have already been revised. flare-ups in other states. is based in regional NSW. who were doing the MotoGP and the AGP “As such we will now focus on conclusion.

Tasmania means the championship Round 5: Coffs Coast Rally (26-28, so In a media roundtable on the Friday of the NZ and Australia have a travel bubble in-place, “We have a little bit of flexibility with Perth – we are just working through the implications, if delivering an amazing event in 2022 “The ongoing uncertainty around will still feature five rounds this November)* Townsville 500, Supercars CEO Sean Seamer but it has already been impacted several time by it’s more important how they view the borders any, of the AGP cancellation freight plans in Launceston and are really excited borders and the changing travel year, with the two rounds already *Event doubles as the on FIAourAsia was publicly confident about the chances of the COVID flare-ups.

The NZ outing also needs to be with Victoria and Queensland than NSW.” in the back half of the year.

But we are certainly about returning to Tasmania in June restrictions have forced our hand in completed in Canberra and Gympie, Pacific Rally Championship finale Sydney SuperNight going ahead. addressed months ahead of its November 6-7 Current discussions point to a late season date looking at that.”

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Publisher Bruce Williams bruce@autoaction.com.au 0418 349 555 Editorial Director

with Dan Knutson

Bruce Williams

Editor-At-Large

Mark Fogarty

Deputy Editor

Dan McCarthy

Staff Journalist

Josh Nevett

Production

Jason Crowe

Special Contributor

Bruce Newton

National Editor

Garry O’Brien

Historic Contributor Online Editor

F1 INSIDER

Mark Bisset Rhys Vandersyde

Contributing Writers Australia Garry O’Brien, Mark Fogarty, Bruce Newton, Mark Bisset, Geoffrey Harris, David Hassall, Bob Watson, Bruce Moxon, Gary Hill, Craig O’Brien, Mick Oliver, Martin Agatyn. Paris Charles Formula 1 US Correspondent

Dan Knutson Mike Brudenell

Photographers Australia Ross Gibb, Rebecca Hind, Mick Oliver, David Batchelor, Randall Kilner, Rhys Vandersyde, Richard Hathaway, MTR Images, Bruce Moxon, Ray Ritter International Motorsport Images Advertising Manager Bruce Williams All Advertising inquiries Bruce@autoaction.com.au (0418) 349 555 Editorial contributions may be sent to Auto Action. No responsibility will be accepted for their safety. If you require the return of any sent item or items, please attach a separate, stamped and fully addressed envelope

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Cover over images: Motorsport Images/Nick Moss Design

20 AutoAction

RICCIARDO’S RATINGS IT’S NOW halfway through Daniel Ricciardo’s first season at McLaren. After 11 of maybe 23 races this year how does the Aussie rate his season on a scale of one to 10?

“I will leave it up to you guys,” he said, referring to the F1 media including yours truly. “Obviously it has not been my finest six months!”

This is true. If a Formula 1 team looked at just those 11 races it would not be very inclined to offer Ricciardo a job. Of course, looking at Ricciardo’s reputation since he made his F1 racing debut with HRT at the 2011 British Grand Prix, it is a different story. But this season has been a slog.

“On track it is a five or something,” Ricciardo rates his performances at. “It is certainly not been outstanding.

“The off track stuff, with the work we as a team put in … I feel with my own personal tasks that I have put in more work than I have before. That is not to say I’ve been lazy in the past.

But it has not always been my style to spend hours and hours looking at data.

I definitely have given it the right approach this year, so is not through a lack of trying commitment. But the ontrack, for sure, I rate myself somewhere in the middle.”

I agree. While I have not been at the McLaren factory or the pit garages to see Ricciardo at work, I have watched his races. And it’s not the Ricciardo we are used to seeing on track.

The car itself is not to blame. The team has rotated chassis between Ricciardo and teammate Lando Norris, and the latter has scored points in 10 of the 11 races and twice celebrated on the podium.

“We can see what the issues are that Daniel is describing,” team boss Andreas Seidl says, “but it has nothing to do with parts and so on. It has to do with the characteristics of our car, and it is a combination of Daniel still getting used to our car. At the same time he also has a teammate that is

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 26 AUGUST

on unbelievable form. That is why we see this gap from time to time. That’s it.”

The midfield battle is so tight this year that a few tenths of a second can push a driver down the grid.

After placing fifth in the British Grand Prix – his best finish of the season – Ricciardo hoped he had made a significant step in melding with the McLaren.

But he only managed to qualify 11th in Hungary and he finished 11th with a damaged car after getting snagged in the first turn accident.

“I knew after Silverstone that there would be no guarantees that I would be automatically quick here,” he said after qualifying in Hungary. “It is a very different track but a track that I enjoy so that normally counts for something.

“When you try to get those last few tenths of a second out of it and lean on the car, it is hard to easily feel it and get what I am after.

I would’ve loved it to be a lot better by now. But it has

proven tricky so we will just keep going.”

One thing that Ricciardo has now mastered in the McLaren is braking.

“The braking now is actually in a pretty good place,” he said. “We made a good step a few races ago. It is a bit of everything. It is definitely a bit of style. If I try to get the car to do what I want, it does not quite work with what I would usually do. So it is trying to adapt that style. On top of that it gives you a different feel and sensation.”

“It all starts with turn-in and that dictates the feel throughout the whole corner,” he added. “I will get some corners I feel comfortable with and others ... it is still a bit of, I don’t want to say mystery, but very challenging.”

Given that the 2022 F1 cars will be radically different from the 2021 models, McLaren won’t invest vast amounts in making major changes to the current car to suit Ricciardo’s driving style. So it is going to be a case of driver and team chipping away at the issue.

Full Le Mans 2r Hours coverage; Supercars Mid Season Review; Graham McRae - A look back at Kiwi F5000 ace; MotoGP action from Austria; All the latest news and goings on in Supercars.

with Mark Fogarty

THE FOGES FILE AA’s proud pundit rejoices in the return of the Tasman Cup and defends F1 ENTHUSIASTS OF a certain age have longed for the return of the Tasman Cup championship.

In our youth, it was the pinnacle. A summer series in New Zealand and Australia that was virtually a southern Formula 1 title.

From 1964-69, the Tasman Cup saw F1 stars race here for a crown second only to the world championship, which back then was decided over as few as eight Grands Prix.

Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Denny Hulme, Graham Hill, Chris Amon, Piers Courage and Jochen Rindt were just some of the big names who spent January and February Down Under.

In the later years, their 2.5-litre variants were test cars for the coming three-litre F1 season.

The Tasman series showcased the top locals – Frank Matich, Spencer Martin, Kevin Bartlett and Leo Geoghegan, among others – against the best in the world.

Even when F5000 took over from 1970-75, the Tasman Cup had immense international prestige.

This year’s end-of-season Oz-only revived Tasman series for S5000, endorsed by Motorsports Australia and NZ, won’t be the same, but it will thrill diehards.

The future prospect of four rounds in NZ and another four in Australia in January/February, mimicking the original, is intoxicating for enthusiasts old and new. Big-bore V8 open wheelers driven by local and international aces racing for an historic title – what’s not to like?

If you’re under 40, you may have no concept of how important the Tasman Cup was.

When I was a kid, it was pre-eminent.

F1 heroes on holiday here, racing – almost seriously – for a prestigious

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Look at the line-up for the Warwick Farm Tasman Series round in 1968 – front row Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Chris Amon; second row Piers Courage, Denny Hulme; third row Frank Gardner ... crown. But fun in the sun was the main appeal.

I missed the semi-F1 glory years, but I’d read about them. I became involved in the F5000 era, when Matich, Graham McRae and Peter Gethin were the big stars.

The first story I ever wrote – published in Auto Action nearly 50 years ago – was about McRae and his ’72 Tasman Cup-winning Leda GM1.

I paid tribute to McRae on our web site following his recent death. In the early F5000 Tasman days, he was the man to beat, winning successive titles from ’71-73.

In 1975, my first year as a professional journalist, I reported the Tasman title shoot-out at Sandown between Warwick Brown, Johnnie Walker and Kiwi Graeme Lawrence (who won the crossover 1970 series in a 2.5-litre Ferrari Dino).

John Goss won the race after Walker’s fence-ripping crash, with Brown’s sixth place clinching what would be the final Tasman title.

I also reported – and perhaps helped hasten – the demise of the Tasman Cup championship in 1976, when the F5000 summer series was split into the Peter Stuyvesant (NZ) and Rothmans (Aus) Internationals. Still seven races

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in Jan/Feb, just not cojoined under the Tasman Cup banner – although, sponsored by the same tobacco company.

I wrote a comment piece in The Australian after the ’75 series denouncing the uncomfortable transTasman alliance, earning approbation in NZ. But I called the split – and was not popular when I covered the ’76 standalone series across The Ditch.

The new Tasman Cup will evoke a storied history while ushering a new generation of open-wheel stars.

Once it extends to seven or more events in NZ and Australia, it will be truly worthy of the Tasman Cup championship title.

WHY F1 IS INTOXICATING

AT HIS peak as president of the FIA, the late Max Mosley observed that Formula 1’s fascination was underpinned by suspense.

Mosley’s view was that, like the rarity of goals in soccer, the anticipation of upset results or great battles in F1 kept fans interested.

He was right. F1 followers have for decades endured dominations and boring races for the prospect of a once-every-so-often thriller.

One of those redeeming races was

the recent Hungarian Grand Prix. It had everything: drama, suspense, fierce racing and an unexpected winner.

There was Lewis Hamilton, alone on the grid on intermediate tyres as the rest flooded into the pit lane to change to slicks ... never seen that before!

With the rest starting from the pit lane in an unholy scramble, it set the stage for a thriller – and it was.

Hamilton’s fightback was confirmation of his brilliance.

Out front, Ocon in his underdone Alpine held off Sebastien Vettel, maximising his Aston Martin.

Behind them, battles galore – Fernando Alonso fending off Hamilton proved the ex-world champion Spaniard still has what it takes.

There is a lesson here. Mix up the order and outsiders have a chance.

Same could be said for Supercars.

When the field gets out of order, anything can happen. We watch F1 races out of duty, occasionally rewarded by epics.

For all its predictability, the prospect of an upset keeps F1 fans enthralled.

Every so often, a race is riveting.

Hungary was one of those rare thrillers from bizarre start to uplifting finish.

It is why F1 is worth watching. You just never know.

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BUSINESS BEFO Top amateur racer Stephen Grove has the money, the smarts and the passion to shake up the team owner ranks in Supercars

HEART VERSUS head. It’s a common clash for successful business people who become team owners.

Too often, their love of racing costs them a large part of their fortune. They allow emotion to overrule the commercial logic that made them wealthy.

The newest to take on the burden of team ownership in Supercars is Stephen Grove, leading amateur racer and proprietor of the diversified Grove Group.

After buying 50 per cent of Kelly Racing at the start of the year to create Kelly Grove Racing, he has recently bought control of the team, which will become Grove Racing next year.

Grove, 54, is a keen but cautious investor. In love with racing, but aware of the hazards of an emotional involvement. He is prepared to spend to make the team successful, but not with an openended budget.

He is imposing constraints similar to the controlled growth of his Melbourne-based property, finance and equipment leasing enterprise.

Grove is an accomplished Porsche Carrera Cup and GT3 driver.

He has been successful, along with his son Brenton, who has an active management role at Kelly Grove Racing, in GT endurance races.

Among the highlights: class wins in the Bathurst 12 Hour, and the duo combining to win the bronze medal in the Olympics-style 2019 FIA Motorsport Games.

Grove Snr spends one to two days a week on average at KGR, overseeing the current campaign with David Reynolds and Andre Heimgartner – race winner in the Ned Whisky Mustang at Tailem Bend – and plotting the team’s post-Kelly family future.

Todd Kelly will continue running the operation until the end of the season, before withdrawing to concentrate on the engineering side of the business in the back half of the sprawling KGR premises at Braeside in southeast Melbourne.

Grove is enthusiastic, committed and levelheaded, opening up about his master plan to create a consistently competitive Supercars team.

Motorsport Images

Was it always the plan to ultimately take over the team?

Originally, we wanted to set something up ourselves. Mid-way through 2020 I’d spoken to my son Brenton about having a look at what some of our options were to move into it. We knew some licences were coming up, but it just evolved into discussions with Todd Kelly.

Todd was probably seeing Gen3 as a time for change because it wouldn’t require so much in-house engineering.

So we had a discussion with him and decided to buy 50 per cent of the business as, at that stage, he still wanted to have an involvement. But as things have progressed, it’s evolved into full ownership of the race team.

Our long-term goal was always 100 per cent, anyway.

Why did you want to own a Supercars team?

For me, it’s a two-fold thing. The first thing is that I really enjoy my racing, but Carrera Cup is getting harder and harder because of work commitments.

So, to have some sort of involvement in motorsport was one reason, and the other was that a lot of things you do in business are based on a challenge. I wanted to see whether I could make an impact and grow a business in a

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The Grove relationship with Kelly Racing reaped its first reward with pole and the race win on the opening day of the OTR Supersprint, in May. separate segment. It’s something I’m really interested in. I love motor sport and I love watching it. We follow a couple of the young kids and I like to see if we can help them develop and come through.

So, for me, it was a natural progression. We’re treating it as a business, no question, but I’m under no illusion that it’s a business that’s going to generate me a lot of income. It’s a business that we’ll need to contribute

significantly to. But that will help the business grow and that’s what’s more important to me.

Is it essentially a sound business?

We did think about Supercars as a business as a whole. There are some challenges. The first year we’re in we have on-going discussions about Gen3 – what is it going to look like? Is it coming? Isn’t it? – and we have the

issue of ownership of the sport.

So there are some pretty big things happening in our industry in a very short period of time, but the fundamentals are very strong in my belief and I really back the sport. Not from a passion, but from a business perspective – I think we can really make this into a good industry.

How are you going to make sure your heart doesn’t over-rule your head?

OORE PLEASURE It has been an up-and-down season sso far for the NED car, but highlighted bby the win at The Bend.

Motorsport Images

Having raced with him in GTs, Grove is well aware of Heimgartner’s ability and is working on a multi-year deal with the kiwi.

One of the things that I’ve put in place for myself is that on a race weekend, I don’t have a lot of involvement dayto-day. If things go wrong or things go right, we just follow that up with a team debrief on the Tuesday afterwards.

So we take that emotion out because there is so much emotion during a race weekend. I’m pretty disciplined about stepping away from the emotional side.

And the fundamentals of operating a good team are really not different to

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running a traditional business.

I think Supercars needs to become more driven as a business. We use the same business model as we do with our other operations. We have a lot of different businesses in a lot of different industries, so we’ve learned to adapt in each of those industries and understand where the strengths and weaknesses are. So I don’t have any worries about getting too emotionally involved or letting things

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get out of control. We’ll build a really strong structure and we’ll empower people –because it’s an industry that needs empowerment – and then get on with the business.

Who will become the boss of the team, the face of the team, to replace Todd Kelly?

We’ll split the team into two parts. So we’ll have a technical director and we’ll have a commercial director. They’ll report directly to me.

I would imagine that in 2022 I’ll be team principal, but probably not for too long. I’ll probably move into more

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of a chairman role, with Brenton tak taking over the day-to-day running.

He He’s very involved in our other bus businesses already and I see him tak taking over as team principal. The plan is to hand over the day-to-day rein reins to him, but I will remain at the top as chairman, as I do in my other busi businesses. I sit across the high-level strat strategic direction of where we’re goin going. The high corporate standards we maintain, like the way we present ourselves, will flow through to the team and I’ll hover above that.

Will you keep the team here in these premises?

Yes. We’ve bought this property, so we own the race team facilities. Todd will retain all the engineering side.

It will be a clear distinction. One’s a racing operation and the other is an engineering business.

We’ll operate out of here with some minor renovations, which we’re in the process of designing now. It’s just a philosophy we have within our trading

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Motorsport Images

Dave Reynolds (above) is “back” according to Grove. The Groves, father and son (left), get a real kick, and success, out of racing together.

companies to own all the properties we operate out of. Everything from the back wall forward will be the race team workshop and administrative offices.

The office space here is enormous, so we might run one of our other businesses downstairs – maybe part of our marketing for our normal operating businesses. We’ll have access to Todd’s engineering department in the buildings at the back as a client and we’ll use his resources very heavily.

So what’s the grand plan? Where do you want to take the team and how are you going to get it there?

You obviously need to have goals and strategies. Our goal is certainly to win a teams’ championship and a drivers’ championship.

The drivers’ championship is more about developing the drivers we have and then down the track bringing new drivers in over the journey – developing driver from karts all the way through.

That’ll be a fair plan for us and we can only judge ourselves on that. It’s that simple. It’s not about how much money we make. The bottom line will be: did we win a championship? And until we do that, we probably wouldn’t be thinking that we’d been very successful at all.

Looking ahead to next season, when you take full control, where are you at with drivers?

David Reynolds is on a multi-year contract and we’re in the midst of working towards re-signing Andre Heimgartner. It was a high priority when we got involved to make sure our drivers were in place, but then the takeover process delayed that. Andre and I were teammates in Porsche

24 AutoAction

Daniel Kalisz

Carrera Cup in 2013, so I’ve raced with him and back then I had the opportunity to look at his data. He’s a huge talent, so it’s our job as an organisation now to take that talent and turn it into winning a championship. That’s what we hope to do, but commercially we just have to work through it and tick all the boxes. We’re right in the midst of the negotiation period. We have an option on his contract and we’re trying to get a multi-year deal put in place.

Is Reynolds secure?

Most definitely. He’s contracted to us for the next two years. At Townsville 2, you could see that David is back. We saw it in his data, particularly his braking. He’s in a good place mentally and his recent results have been strong. We just need to keep improving the car so he can do a better job. I’m quite confident that he will be at the pointy end in 2022 – if not sooner.

So you’re now happy that he’s returned to top form?

Oh, no doubt. It’s a cliché, but as far as I’m concerned, Dave’s back. I’m very

confident in his ability. He’s a huge talent and we have to give him the car to enable him to exploit that talent, and also build the environment around him to make him successful.

Are you planning to make any changes on the engineering side of the team? Does it need bolstering?

Gen3 is still a bit of an open book in terms of what we’re going to get and how much design work we can do.

We could probably use one more data engineer, someone to assess the decisions of the engineering group and how those decisions impact the changes to the cars. We probably need someone to do a bit more analytical work behind the scenes. Otherwise, we’re pretty well staffed.

From what you’ve seen, are you surprised this operation hasn’t done better through its various iterations?

Reflecting back, how a team can run four cars is beyond me. I just don’t know how you do that with any hope of being successful. There are just too many moving parts.

And then to build a car that’s different to everybody else’s (Nissan Altima from 2013-19) and try to bring it all together is really difficult – impossible, I’d say.

So I actually take my hat to them for what they’ve been able to achieve – and on a pretty fixed budget. I mean, they don’t have – and haven’t had – a whole process of major funding. They’ve had to run a pretty lean operation, certainly since Nissan pulled out (at the end of 2017). I think they’ve done a really good job. Consistency is what we need to find.

Let’s talk about you and your race driving. You’re a very accomplished amateur racer, so are you going to continue in Carrera Cup and GT? I’ve done so much of my racing in a Cup car and have loved it. We did the full season in Supercup in 2019 and the plan was to do it again last year until COVID intervened. I really enjoyed my time in Supercup and would like to go back. The tracks in Europe tend to suit me. I really like them. Maybe 2023 we’ll go back there. In the meantime, I’ll continue to do Carrera Cup here as also GT. The GT thing is more that Brenton gets to have some fun and as a I father, I get to race with my son at a reasonably high level. So we’ll continue to do GT – we have the new GT3 R and we’ll keep developing that. There’s a new one out at the end of ’22, so we’ll stayed involved at least until then.

Does Brenton have any Supercars aspirations?

Definitely not. We went through a process with him. When he was 15/16,

he didn’t want to be a race car driver.

He liked the engineering side more.

Then he got interested in driving and he did it. His plan was to do Super2 again after ’19 and maybe make a career out of it, but he had to make a decision – his own decision. He’s actively involved in the Grove Group, which is a large business, so he had to decide between that or trying to become a professional car racer. He came to me and said “I don’t want to race professionally, just a bit of fun racing” and he got heavily involved in the business. Now he’s really involved in the engineering side here at KGR. He is at all the pre-briefs and debriefs, and he spends a lot of time with Andre going through all the data. He also helps the engineers with set-ups. He won’t race again in Supercars.

You took up racing quite late in n your life. Was that because you u were busy establishing your businesses?

Correct. Up until I was about 35, it was a 24/7 job. I started the business from scratch, so it was all about building it. And then at 35, I needed a release and I’d always loved motor sport. I drove e a Cup car and I was hooked.

I enjoyed the racing and I was reasonably competitive – and I’ve e never looked back. I’ve done an enormous amount of racing all over the world. We were lucky enough to get a bronze medal in the FIA Motorsport Games in 2019 as part of Team Australia.

Doing that with my son and representing Australia was the highlight of my racing. We’ve also done a lot of Bathurst 12 Hours together. It’s just been a natural progression to where we are now as a team owner ner in Supercars.

GT racing remains the other key interest (above, Phillip Island) and, as Stephen Gove explained to Fogarty, it’s a category via which he would like to develop youngsters for an overseas career.

Motorsport) and then Supercars – and then, potentially, like S Scotty th t ti ll overseas lik tt did.

A lifelong motor racing fan?

Yes. I’ve always been a big fan of Formula 1 and V8 touring cars. I like most forms of motor sport.

You got involved with Scott McLaughlin very early in his Supercars career, didn’t you?

We’ve always tried to support young drivers and he was an obvious emerging talent. We’ve been supporting him for nearly 10 years.

We’re still supporting him in IndyCar – we’re a major personal sponsor – and we talk a lot. He and Brenton have a very strong relationship and they probably talk once a week.

(Twice Le Mans 24 Hours winner) Earl Bamber was the same. He’s a part of the family now and we speak with him regularly. We also saw a talent in Anton De Pasquale and followed him through.

It’s a bit different now because now we’re looking to find somebody else we can help and nurture for our Supercars team. So we can bring them in through Carrera Cup and then Super2. Whether or not we run Super2 next year is a question still to be answered. But we now have the capability and the path to run them in our own team (Grove

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Given your relationship with Scott, would you like to have him as a codriver at Bathurst one day?

Yeah, 100 per cent, no question. But he has a relationship with DJR, obviously, and I’m sure that would be the place he’d always want to go. But to have him in our team if he were available would be fantastic. The interesting thing is that Scott, Earl Bamber and I did the Bathurst 12 Hour together (in 2016) and we won our class. So to have actually driven with Scotty and Earl is a big thing for me. We could do some other stuff with Scott outside Supercars.

Once travel opens up again, there might be the opportunity to the Spa 24 Hours with him and some of the other guys I’ve helped over the years. The good thing is that I still have the ability to compete in those sorts of events.

So that’s more likely with Scotty than having him as a Supercars co-driver.

Daniel Kalisz

sale goes through, why do you think s it will prosper?

where there aren’t h th ’t enough h good d drivers. It’s unbelievably competitive.

Here, though, I don’t see that. What I really don’t like is that GT racing in Australia doesn’t develop kids to go from here to GT on the world stage.

And that’s something I’d to see.

They’re great cars to drive on some of the greatest racetracks in the world. So I think it does struggle here and I think that’s because we don’t have a proper program of progression. It’s very costly, but I think we need to get in a place a better program to get people into GT and then have opportunities to race overseas.

Is it a category management failing?

What do you make of the Australian GT championship? It seems to be struggling.

It probably is. I’m a huge fan of (international GT promoter) SRO – always have been. I’ve done a lot of races under their auspices overseas and they’re very, very good at what they do. I know SRO has some involvement here – I don’t know how much – but in my view it would be good for them to be more involved. It’s a good category to watch with so many exotic marques, but it just lacks a bit in this country. I think we could do much better.

That’s a very fair comment. It certainly does struggle. GT3 is prospering all around the world, especially in Europe,

You talked earlier about the whole Supercars business, which you think is fundamentally sound. Once the

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Obviously, in this country, there are O three big sports – AFL, NRL and cricket, th followed

by Supercars. So Supercars fo doesn’t really have a lot of competition d and a it has one of our greatest sporting events in the Bathurst 1000. So I e think th if we get an organisation that understands the marketing side of it, u there’s plenty of potential for growth. th My personal view is that the teams should retain their ownership share, but s I don’t think the team owners should be b involved in the operations part of the th business. I think the new owner has h to establish the technical and commercial parameters, and then we c get g on with it. In that scenario, the team owners do what they do best – build o the th cars as prescribed by cost-effective rules and race them. We don’t need to be involved in the running of the sport. As a case in point, I think Liberty Media has done a magnificent job with Formula 1. Liberty is mixing things up in F1 and if we can get something like that with the new owner of Supercars, I think it’ll be great for us.

What about Gen3? Are you convinced that it’s going to achieved its targets of reduced costs and better racing?

One’s more important than the other.

Cost is not the big issue. The big issue is better racing. If you get better racing, you’ll get better crowds. If I’m completely honest, even prior to this year, watching Scotty McLaughlin, if he puts it on pole, he stays there. Now it’s Shane van Gisbergen, although he’s such a racer he can fight his way through. So could Scotty if he had to, but he was mainly in a class of his own from 2018-20. And this year, if SVG’s on pole, done deal. So we need to improve the racing at the front. If Gen3 results in really competitive racing, the cost issue will be fixed because you’ll have more revenue coming back to the teams because there’ll be people watching and the TV rights will higher. So I’d be concentrating on improving the racing, then work on the cost structure.

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The Alpine A480 is the nearest challenger to the all-conquering Toyotas.

THE

NEW ERA It’s the big one, the one they all want to win – the Le Mans 24 Hours. The 89th edition of the legendary French classic will be one for the ages as the new Hypercars compete for outright glory.

As DAN MCCARTHY reports, even LMP2 cars are contenders.

Images: Motorsport Images THE 2021 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours will certainly be a venture into the unknown, with the new Le Mans Daytona Hypercars running nonstop for an entire day.

To this point the new Hypercars have run for no more than eight hours in a competitive FIA World Endurance Championship race. However, at Le Mans the fourth round of WEC, machines will run three times longer and could prove a real challenge for the still relatively new concepts.

Toyota Gazoo Racing comes into the 2021 edition of the French classic as the favourite, hunting for a fourth straight Le Mans 24 win, although the #7 and #8 machines will likely not have it all their own way.

The trio in the #8 machine, Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley, are the defending race winners.

Buemi and Nakajima are seeking their fourth straight while Hartley, who replaced the departed Fernando Alonso last year, is looking for his second on the spin.

The reigning FIA World Endurance champions in the #7 Toyota will have something to say about that. The trio have led the last two Le Mans 24 Hour races but failed to take victory on both occasions.

In 2019, with just an hour left, sensors on the #7 car showed it had a front left

puncture and forced the crew to make not one but two unscheduled stops.

Last year, the trio again led comfortably at the halfway stage but a turbo failure forced the #7 machine into the garage for 30 minutes.

In the new Hypercar era Toyota has not had things its own way – despite winning the first three races of the era, the team has recorded just one 1-2 finish.

This is due to the very competitive Alpine A480 – the Alpine is a nonhybrid LMP1 car slowed down to compete against the Hypercars.

The experienced Alpine trio of Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negrao and Matthieu Vaxiviere are veterans of the French classic. Lapierre is a former Toyota Gazoo Racing driver and has won the LMP2 class at Le Mans on no less than four occasions.

Lapierre and Negrao won the LMP2 class at Le Mans as well as the LMP2 championship together in the 2018/19 season. Their new teammate, Vaxiviere, also has experience and finished on the podium in LMP2 last year.

Aussie, and former IndyCar/sportscar racer Ryan Briscoe will pilot one of the two Glickenhaus Racing Hypercars.

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There are a further two Hypercar machines, the pair of American-built Glickenhaus Racing cars. The nonhybrid V8 powered machines are possible podium contenders if they avoid any mechanical issues.

A familiar Australian will pilot the #709 Glickenhaus, in the shape of former IndyCar star Ryan Briscoe.

The Aussie will be joined by Richard Westbrook, with whom he contested the GTE Pro class at Le Mans four times previously in a Ford GT. The third driver needs no introduction – twotime Le Mans winner and 2016 World Endurance champion Romain Dumas.

The Glickenhaus machines certainly do not have the outright pace to win the race, but if any of the top three suffer any crashes or mechanical issues the American Hypercars will hope to be there to pick up the pieces.

The second class, LMP2, consists of a staggering 25 entries, five times more than the Hypercar class.

This year the LMP2 class is split into two competitions, LMP2 and LMP2 Pro Am, the latter specifically for ‘Am’ (nonprofessional drivers), while outright LMP2 cars can contain two professionals.

Two Aussies are competing in LMP2 machines – one is John Corbett, the other is youngster James Allen.

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The #8 Toyota (above) has in the past benefitted from the technical issues affecting its sister car. WEC presents an intriguing mix of cars – here (left) completing the opening lap at this year’s Portimao race.

Corbett will compete in LMP2 Pro Am for the Asian Le Mans Series outfit Racing Team India Eurasia, alongside Tom Cloet and adopted Aussie James Winslow.

Allen is not competing full time in WEC this year but makes a wildcard entry with European Le Mans Series team Panis Racing, owned by former F1 driver Olivier Panis.

Allen will sit alongside former Formula 1 driver Will Stevens and multiple-time LMP2 class winner Julien Canal, and is therefore competing in the outright class.

For Allen it is certainly not his first Le

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Mans 24 Hours. He sees this as the most competitive field on record: “There are a lot of line-ups with several professional drivers, it’ll be very tough to be competitive,” Allen told Auto Action.

Endurance racing has changed over the last couple of years with the race now treated as a dozen sprint stints rather than a lengthy 24-hour race.

“I think, especially in LMP2, it is treated as a sprint race, because we have a spec engine that really hasn’t seemed to be any problems as far as reliability has been concerned,” Allen recalled.

“There has been suspension failures

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in occasional races, but other than that the cars have been quite reliable.

It (Le Mans) really has turned into just a really long sprint race.”

This is what makes LMP2 appealing for so many teams and drivers, with at least a dozen trios capable of winning this year.

“Fom a driver’s perspective, it is definitely a lot more fun to just be able to push the entire time instead of taking care of the car,” he said.

“It is fun to be able to give everything you can during the stints.”

With very professional outfits including United Autosports, G-Drive Racing and Jota fielding two cars, along with the sole Racing Team Nederland machine, it’s going to be hard for the guest teams and many of the other regulars to finish on the podium.

Scattered throughout are former Formula 1 drivers including Stoffel Vandoorne, Felipe Nasr and Kevin Magnussen who will team up with his father Jan in car #49.

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Aussie James Allen is one of two Australians in the race, sharing a Panis Racing entry (above) with Will Stevens and Julien Canal in the Outright class. Ferrari and Porsche (below) provide the serious GT Pro contenders.

Several World Endurance champions are entered, including Anthony Davidson and Loic Duval and Le Mans 24 Hour winner Oliver Jarvis.

There is also an all-female team with well-known names Tatiana Calderon, Sophia Florsch and Beitske Visser.

Former Monaco Grand Prix and Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya will compete for a third time, as he looks to become the second driver after Graham Hill to complete this particular motorsport Triple Crown.

With likely unreliability in the Hypercar class, it is impossible to rule out an LMP2 overall victory.

Allen believes that while it is unlikely that an LMP2 team like his could win the race outright, he feels it is very plausible that an LMP2 team could stand on the podium come the end of the race on Sunday.

“I think an outright win (for an LMP2 team) is very unlikely,” Allen explained.

“But I think a podium could definitely happen.

“The Toyota and the Alpine seem to be quite close in terms of pace outright.

“It won’t be like the LMP1 class last year where the Toyotas could just cruise away and run at 80% and just finish reliably.

“The Toyotas will be pushed by the Alpine and so could definitely very easily run into technical issues.”

Allen has not set any targets other than to make it to the finish without incident – however he pointed out that the team scored a class podium in 2020 and would expect to finish strongly as well this time.

“To finish first, that would be amazing,” he said. “But obviously, it’s

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and a Kiwi mixed in amongst the 49 drivers.

An Am category trio of drivers must include at least one Bronze certified steerer and 1 Bronze or Silver driver.

Aussie Matt Campbell, a former GTE Am class winner, will team up with his good mate and fellow Australian Carrera Cup Series winner Jaxon Evans in the #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche.

The Aussie and the Kiwi will be joined by team principal Christian Ried. In 2018 Campbell and Ried won the class at Le Mans with Julian Andlauer and finished second last year with Riccardo Pera.

incredibly hard just to finish the race.

“Panis got a podium last year and I think we have a stronger line-up in terms of drivers than they did last year, so I feel like as long as we keep our nose clean, we should definitely be able to get a good result in LMP2.”

As always there are two GT classes – GTE Pro for manufacturers and GTE Am for regular race teams.

Unfortunately, in GTE Pro, the reigning class winner Aston Martin has not returned, instead spending its money on Formula 1.

Despite this, three brands will still be represented, with Porsche and Ferrari joined by the returning Chevrolet. The American brand was forced to miss the race last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In total there are eight entries in the class, with four Porsche 911 RSR machines, two Ferrari 488s and two Chevrolet Corvettes.

The wins have been shared between three manufacturers in themost recent

three races, with Porsche winning in 2018, Ferrari in 2019 and Aston Martin in 2020.

One thing is for sure – the Corvette machines are outsiders, with the win a lot more likely to come from the WEC regulars, the two AF Corse Ferraris or the two Porsche GT Team cars.

The WeatherTech Racing Porsche contains Le Mans winning kiwi Earl Bamber, while one of his teammates that year, Nick Tandy, fills one of the Corvette seats, highlighting the quality in all eight cars.

GT Am contains a great mixture of brands, teams and drivers over a large 23-car field.

Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin are all represented with two Australians Le Mans Cup series leader Scott Andrews makes his debut in the 24 Hours, and will partner Peugeot factory driver Mikkel Jensen and Takeshi Kimura in the Asian Le Mans team Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 (right).

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Aussie Matt Campbell and kiwi Jaxon Evans will share the #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche with Christian Ried.

Although it has been a challenging start to the season for the #77 trio, the Proton Porsches always go well at Le Mans and, despite the depth of competition, will be looking to at least finish on the podium this time around.

Scott Andrews, current Le Mans Cup series (second tier of European Le Mans Series) leader will make his debut in the classic.

He will partner Peugeot factory driver Mikkel Jensen and Takeshi Kimura in the Asian Le Mans team Kessel Racing Ferrari 488.

The Aussie will be competing in both Le Mans Cup and the 24 Hour over the weekend, which will make for an insanely busy schedule. However Andrews believes the double duty will be beneficial over the weekend.

“I think it could be handy for both programmes to see how the track develops,” Andrews told Auto Action. “I can definitely bridge the gap as the track transforms throughout the weekend.”

“The pace is actually kind of similar in terms of overall lap time between the LMP3 (in Le Mans Cup) and GTE, but they make it up in slightly different areas.

“GTE is a little bit stronger under the braking and has more downforce.”

As in LMP2, the regular WEC teams are undoubtedly the favourites.

The TF Aston Martins always lift their game at Le Mans. Along with the TF cars, the wellprepared AF Corse Ferraris and Team Project 1 Porsches are the favourites heading into the weekend.

“Le Mans is just really tough,” Andrews highlighted. “It just takes no prisoners and if anything happens, it really compromises your race.

“As far as Kessel beating AF Corse or TF, I’m not that worried, I really think that our guys, are every bit as good as those line-ups. Our squad know the car so well.”

Andrews believes that at least 10 trios can take the class victory this year.

“It’s hard to have any expectations ... obviously our target is for everyone to do the best possible job. Everyone’s got a job on the team – no one’s going in not sure what they have to do,” he said.

“There’s another 10 to 15 driver line-ups just like ours on the grid – everybody’s got really good driver line-ups.

“I think that GTE Am is one of the hardest classes to win thanks to the variables – differences of experience, the strategy of when to put in your bronze driver in, your silver and your gold, and so on.”

The Le Mans 24 Hours takes place from August 21-22 and will be extensively covered in the next edition of AA.

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Porsche exploited a regulation loophole to build the 5-litre V12 917. The Ferrari 512S joined the fun but the 917 ruled supreme until the rule-makers banned the brutal coupes, immortalised in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans, after two fantastic years in 1971-72. Mark Bisset tells the tale.

Images: Motorsport Images/Porsche AG

IT AN incredible 50 years since one of the racing’s most iconic sportscars, the Porsche IT’S 917 took its final Le Mans win before the legislator’s pen which created it, hastened its 9 demise. (Porsche went McLaren hunting instead, their lightened and modified turbo-charged d Spyder 917/10-30 won Can-Am titles on the trot for George Follmer and Mark Donohue in S 1972-73).

Maybe the reason we get misty eyed about these 5-litre, 12-cylinder, 600bhp swoopy-coupes is Steve McQueen’s timeless Le Mans movie which brought the 917 and Ferrari 512S to intimate life via a storyline thankfully devoid of dialogue and sensationally heavy on 1970 Le Mans action!

CSI rule foibles

As iconic as it gets – despite a Gulf 917 not winning Le Mans. The Richard Attwood/Herbert Muller 917K en route to second in 1971.

BY 1967 the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI) were concerned about the growing speeds of 7-litre V8 Ford GT Mk4 and Chaparral 2F Chevs and the 4-litre Ferrari P4. They were banned from January 1968 ...

The new rules admitted 3-litre Group 6 prototypes. On their own, grids would be decimated, so 5-litre Group 4 cars were allowed if 25 were built. The rule-makers intention was to retain Ford GT40s and Lola T70 Mk3B’s, but the new car door was left ajar ...

Porsche’s 3-litre 908 nearly won at Le Mans in ’68, but Technical Director, Ferdinand Piech wanted to go one better. He led the construction of 25 4.5-litre air-cooled, 180-degree V12engined 380kmh 917s.

The late 60s was a time of optimism. In July ’68 the 911S was a 2-litre spring-chicken, the Stones’ Jumpin’ Jack Flash was Top of The Pops and Neil Armstrong’s moon walk was 12 months away. Piech’s 917 program didn’t bet the Porsche Family Farm, but it was a period typical leap of faith, a huge financial commitment.

Ferrari’s coffers were full of Agnelli money – he had just sold 50% of his business to Fiat. With the Porsche gauntlet thrown down, Enzo Ferrari committed to 25 5-litre V12 512S to go head-to-head with Porsche, setting up two of sportscar racing’s greatest years in 1970-71.

Concept, design and specifications of Porsche’s 917 surprised everyone – after all, they constructed class contenders, and it was thought impossible to build an air-cooled engine, a Porsche specialty, as big as five litres.

Piech was the son of Louise Piech, nee Porsche, co-founder of the marque with her brother, Ferdinand.

His Experimental Division employed 800. He appointed chief engineer Hans Mezger as project leader and work commenced in July 1968.

The target was an 800kg class minimum weight car, given their 3-litre flat-eight 908 was 150kg lighter than the Alfa Romeo, Matra and Ferrari opposition.

The 908’s aluminium spaceframe chassis – no fancy-schmancy aluminium monocoques here (not until the 1982 956 program anyway) – was suitably reinforced. Despite the cockpit and driver’s seat being shifted forward, chassis engineer Helmuth Flegl retained its 2300mm wheelbase, despite additional engine length.

“The main reason for the short wheelbase was weight. Make it longer and you lose rigidity. To retain that rigidity means more weight – with 800kg as the target we didn’t want any excess,’ Flegl explained.

The wheelbase was 90 inches and track 58.8/60.4 inches front/ rear.

“The frame was strong but low on torsional rigidity – perhaps half that of a contemporary monocoque car with a stressed engine,” When completed, the car endured Porsche’s usual 1000km Weissach Destruction Course test, and changes were made when cracks were detected. Famously, a tyre valve was incorporated into the 103lb (47kg) frame to allow its inflation to 2-bar – a sudden pressure loss would indicate cracks, sub-optimal in a car of this performance envelope …

The spherical joints, hubs, springs, gear lever and steering column were titanium, magnesium was used for the uprights and wheels, while the steering rack was aluminium. This weight obsession is what ensured a sub-800kg car.

The 908 suspension geometry had some anti-dive added. Wishbones were used up front with coil springs/Bilstein dampers and an adjustable sway bar. The rear mix comprised a single top link, lower inverted wishbone, twin radius rods and coil spring/Bilstein dampers. Sway bars were adjustable front and rear.

Porsche magnesium wheels were 9x15 inch fronts, and 12x15 inch rears. Inside them were big alloy ATE four-pot calipers clamping cast iron rotors with radial ventilation channels.

Mezger’s 908 engine was raided for his Project 12 V12.

Its bore, stroke, valve and port sizes were used to expedite development, so too its fuel injection and valve timing, albeit the valve angle differed to allow cooling air-passages between the valves. Using the 908’s 85mm bore and 66mm stroke gave a capacity of 4494cc, more than enough to dominate, initially at least.

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Gijs van Lennep up close – he shared this Martini Racing 917K, chassis 053 with Helmut Marko to win in 1971

incorporating a ZF slippery-diff with 75% locking factor.

Porsche wanted cars of low drag – two bodies were developed by Porsche Design; for slow and fast tracks.

A plasticine model was created at 1:5 scale, then a 1:1 model was windtunnel tested at the Research Institute of Automotive Engineering at Stuttgart University.

Both short (K-Kurz) and long tail (LHLangheck) fibreglass coupe bodies were interchangeable. Fitted with the latter, 236mph (380kmh), although some say 215mph (346kmh), was achieved on the Mulsanne in 1969, so high speed stability was critical.

Front spoilers were used along with

an ingenious setup of mobile rear flaps connected to the rear suspension which either raised or feathered the flaps, giving more, or less aerodynamic force.

In 1968-69 many F1 high-wing failure induced F1 accidents, led to the CSI banning moveable aerodynamic devices on racing cars a fortnight before Le Mans. But, as the 917 was undriveable without the flaps – it had been designed with them – they were allowed to race at Le Mans so equipped, but they had to be removed thereafter.

Construction PIECH WANTED to exhibit the 917 at the March 1969 Geneva Motor Show, so the tight construction phase, even

917K rear-deck; the Attwood/Muller JW Automotive car before the ‘71 start (below). Rear aerodynamics was the key late ‘69 breakthrough. In sprint races the 917K usually ran with a small winglet in the spot where the orange stripe ends – none ran as such at Le Mans.

The Porsche 917LH’s first competition appearance, prior to formal CSI recognition, during the March 1969 Le Mans test weekend. Two cars were used by Hans Hermann and Rolf Stommelen, chassis 002 and this car, 003. With a good deal of courage, Stommelen did the quickest time in the brand new, untested car.

In a break with tradition the crankshaft had two rods sharing each of its six-journals, making it technically a 180-degree V12 (in a Boxer, each cylinder has its own crank journal). The change was made primarily to keep Project 12 as compact as possible.

A long crankshaft promised catastrophic torsional vibrations, so a central power take-off was used – eight main bearings supported the chromenickel-molybdenum-alloy steel casehardened crank.

The crankcase, cam-covers and timing gear-case were in RZ5 magnesium, the heads and cylinders in aluminium.

Titanium, having the strength of first grade steel but only 57% of its weight, was used for conrods, auxiliary driveshafts, the main output-shaft and, later in

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the engine’s development cycle, valves and valve springs. The cooling blower and air ducts were plastic.

The 4.5-litre, DOHC, gear-driven two valve, twin plug, Bosch injected engine tipped the scales at 528lb (240kg). With a little work it was coaxed to 542bhp; 120bhp per litre, the same as the 908.

This rose to 580bhp @ 8400rpm by Le Mans ’69 – the engine also had a 1,000rpm safety/muffed-gear-change margin!

The later 1970 4907cc engine gave 600bhp @ 6400rpm and the ducks-guts 1971 4998cc unit 630bhp @ 8300rpm.

Torque numbers were 376/415 and 425 ft/lbs respectively.

The new five-speed gearbox case was magnesium, used Porsche synchromesh, and had a wet sump

for a car manufacturer of Porsche’s scale, commenced in December ‘68.

Thirteen work groups were formed, into which 45 race mechanics were inserted to assemble the cars in Zuffenhausen’s test/race department; 10 other mechanics handled component pre-assembly.

Chassis build was contracted to Baur in Stuttgart, the fibreglass bodies to Waggonfabrik Rastatt. By then the first of Mezger’s engines had been tested.

Baur delivered the first chassis to Waggonfabrik Rastatt in late 1968. On March 1, 1969, 917-001 arrived at Zuffenhausen for assembly. Completed on March 10, the evening before Geneva despatch, it was unveiling to stunned press on March 12.

On March 20, the CSI technical inspection occurred but not all cars were complete.

English FIA delegate, Dean Delamont and German ONS representative, Herbert Schmitz eventually counted, examined and approved 25 917s at Werk 1 on April 21 … Porsche announced a probable Spa 1000km race debut on May 11.

Racing in the summer of ‘69

All hands on deck at Werk 1, Zuffenhausen; 13 917s being quickly assembled. Cars were then race-prepared before use. The scale of the task is clear!

First was the March 29/30 Le Mans test weekend, a very public 917 debut given both cars had only systems-check miles within Zuffenhausen’s gates!

Rolf Stommelen, Hans Hermann and Kurt Ahrens drove. Rolf, using 7800rpm, did a 3min 30.7s lap, three seconds clear of Johnny Servoz-Gavin’s Matra MS630/650, but the beast’s handling/stability levels were “frightening”.

Meanwhile Porsche assembled useful Manufacturers Championship points, despite developing the 917, ultimately winning the title from Ford with five wins using its formidable 908 LH Coupe and Spyders.

After limited further testing, two 917s were entered for Spa – the blinding high speed swoops and dives of the Ardennes Forest would be a baptism of fire.

Siffert bagged pole but got out of the 917 “white faced” so raced and won in a 908 shared with Brian Redman. Gerhard Mitter started his 917 from P8, but retired with engine failure after one lap, probably due to an over-rev at the start.

For Porsche’s June home Nurburgring 1000km event, they hired hardened sports car professionals Frank Gardner and David Piper.

Their brief was to bring the 917 home while the factory drivers raced 908/2s.

Final CSI homologation inspection at Zuffenhausen on April 21, 1969 (above and below). Ferdinand Piech, in suit and tie, answers the questions while Dean Delamont (in light overcoat) and Herbert Schmitz count the cars. No way were Porsche going to allow Enzo Ferrari to pull one of his “I’ll promise to build the rest of them” swifties in recognition of the 512S!

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Dick (Richard) Attwood, above, at speed during the 1970 Le Mans classic; first outright Porsche win, co-driven by Hans Hermann, with the Porsche Salzburg 917K-023 – 4.5-litre engine and four-speed box fitted. Hermann’s GP career dates back to the 1954 Mercedes Benz W196; Attwood’s best GP result second at Monaco for Lotus in 1968. We saw him in Oz – he contested the Tasman Series in BRMs in 1966 and 1968.

Above: Le Mans 1971 warm-up lap. #21 Vic Elford 917LH, #18 Pedro Rodriguez 917LH, #17 Jo Siffert. The blue Ferrari 512M with Mark Donohue at the wheel is the sole interloper at the very pointy end. White #22 917K is the winning car with Helmut Marko at the wheel. Below: Vic Elford aboard a Porsche Salzburg 917LH during the grim, testing 1970 race. Note the aero – despite all the development, an LH bodied car didn’t win Le Mans.

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They finished eighth – Gardner spoke in amusing terms for decades about his experiences that weekend!

With 580bhp and anti-dive geometry reduced from 50% to 5%, a rubber mount in the steering linkage to make it lessnervous, new brake ducts and master cylinders, the 917 was Le Mans battle ready – and narrowly lost the race by just 100 metres!

The Herrmann/Gerard Larrouse 908LH fell short of the Jacky Ickx/Jackie Oliver Ford GT40. Chassis 1075 was the same victorious JW Automotive machine which had won in ’68, raced by Pedro Rodriguez/Lucien Bianchi.

Stommelen bagged pole but the engine failed on lap 148 with an oil leak.

Vic Elford qualified second, co-driven

by Richard Attwood, and they led for 20 hours, but suffered a cracked bellhousing. Elford recalled that “the engine was running like clockwork until that point. No problems whatsoever.”

The 917 was a demanding mistress.

John Woolfe’s car was destroyed after a braking mistake at White House on lap one. Qualified ninth by factory driver Herbert Linge, Woolfe started the race rather than the better credentialled Linge.

The Zeltweg 1000km, held on the Osterreichring was the Manufacturers Championship final round on a track suited to the 917, and Siffert and Ahrens beat the Jo Bonnier/Herbie Muller Lola T70Mk3B Chev.

Wonderful though the win was, a critical post-race October 14-17 test program changed the 917’s path for the next two years. Porsche’s Flegl and Peter Falk attended, the JW Automotive crew included team manager David Yorke and chief engineer John Horsman.

For 1970, Porsche contracted the preparation and racing of the 917 to JW and Porsche-Salzburg, the competition arm of Louise Piech’ Austrian Porsche business.

Two 917s were used, and the target time for drivers Redman and Ahrens was the Mirage M3 Ford’s 1:46.3. By the end of day two their best was 1:48.2.

During a pitstop, Horsman noticed a lack of dirt and bugs on the rear bodywork, this indicated to him the air was not following the contours of the bodywork. Therefore, he concluded, the 917’s problems were aerodynamic rather than suspension geometry or tyres.

“I knew we had to raise the rear deck and attach small adjustable spoilers to the trailing edge. It was obvious that if the whole body was in the air-stream it would be able to exert some downforce,” recalled Horsman.

Together with JW mechanics Ermanno Cuoghi and Peter Davies, the engineers quickly fashioned changes to the rear bodywork of 917-008 with aluminium sheet, rivets and tape. The work was finished after the circuit had closed.

Redman, sceptical, tested the following morning and stayed out for 7 laps ... he was enjoying himself so much!

Working between the two cars (the other was 917-006) on further alterations to the body and suspension springs and bars – no changes were made to the suspension geometry – and using wider wheels and Firestone tyres, to whom JW were contracted (Porsche used Dunlops), Ahrens did a 1:43.2 second lap. Quick.

Porsche then productionised the changes. This involved the tail shape including redesign of the rear window,

creating a tunnel in the upward sweeping tail to provide rear vision for the drivers, and re-routing the exhausts from the sides to the rear.

The nose profile was finalised with larger ducts for the brakes, and vents for brake cooling.

While the engine was left alone apart from exhaust changes, the Fichtel and Sachs clutch was replaced by a triple-plate Borg and Beck unit, and the gearbox and clutch housing reinforced to avoid the Le Mans failures.

Another secret test of the ‘917K’ at Daytona on November 19 and 20 1969 was attended by a squadron of technicians and drivers; Siffert, Ahrens, Rodriguez and David Hobbs.

Porsche also brought along a new longtail, about which the drivers were not enthusiastic. So the focus was on the K, and comprised Goodyear/ Firestone tyre comparisons with simulated race and endurance runs.

Hobbs buzzed an engine on day two when he muffed an up-shift, and with it went his chance of partnering Rodriguez.

The Porsche factory duo for 1970 would be Siffert and Redman, while JW employed Rodriguez and Leo Kinnunen.

Further detail changes included rerouting oil lines to reduce cockpit heat, creation of the D-shaped windscreen to improve driver vision on the banking, bringing the steering wheel closer to the driver (when required), changes to the steering rack, transmission and stronger front uprights.

1970 domination PORSCHE’S PREPARATION was as thorough as Ferrari’s was late – the season’s results reflected that. Porsche won seven of the Manufacturers Championship’s 10 rounds, taking 63 points to Ferrari’s 37.

The Rodriguez/Kinnunen pairing won at Daytona (where Redman also had a stint), Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen, while Siffert/Redman took the Targa Florio, Spa and the Osterreichring.

The Porsche-Salzburg’s Elford/Ahrens duo won at the Nurburgring, while at Le Mans Hermann and Attwood took an historic win for Porsche.

While the 917K was the star-car, Porsche revised the 908 over the winter, creating the 908/3 which won Targa and at the Nurburgring.

Apart from the sphincter-puckering speed and danger of these grandest of sportscars, the period was wonderfully filled with sportscar aces facing off; Rodriguez, Siffert, Redman, Ickx, Elford were at the peak of their powers. And to see these drivers racing ground-based missiles to the limit was something special to behold.

Rodriguez’ ‘single-handed’ Brands win in teeming rain is spoken about in reverential terms, despite the presence of Der Regenmeister, Jacky Ickx.

Pedro passed under yellows and was pinged by officialdom for that and ignoring the black flag. After severe admonishment, he drove back into the race and then out of sight with the smoke of barely controlled rage emanating from the fiery Mexican’s ears!

The door handle to door handle stuff between teammates Pedro and Jo through Eau Rouge on the first lap at Spa was just the start of a dice which only ended mid-race after Rodriguez punctured! Siffert won the war that day.

What about Ferrari?

THEY WON only at Sebring when Mario Andretti was subbed into the Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vaccarella 512S late in the race and put in one of the drives of his career on familiar turf. Otherwise, the car was generally outclassed despite plenty of close racing.

The erotic, spaceframe, 5-litre fourvalve V12 coupe/targa – developed with Ferrari’s big-car Can-Am experience from 1967-69 – was more than a match for its German rival, but it was too heavy, lacked development (first tests November ’69) and had inferior aerodynamics.

Ferrari’s drivers included Ickx, Andretti, Bell, Arturo Merzario, Chris Amon, Nino XxxVaccarella, x x xx Xxx xJohn x xx Surtees, Xxx x x Ronnie Peterson and Clay Regazzoni; xx Xxx x x xx Xxx x x xx Xxx x no shortage amongst that lot. x xx Xxxofxtalent x xx Xxx x x xx Xxx The Scuderia, after x x xx Xxx x x xx Xxxtwo x xpoor xx years in F1, had a potential world champion in the 312B raced by Ickx and Regazzoni; and that distraction didn’t help their sportscar program.

1971: The CSI Giveth and Taketh PORSCHE WAS as dominant in 1971 as the year before, but the season’s destiny was again determined by CSI rule changes and the consequent reactions of Porsche and Ferrari.

The CSI was determined to slow the cars, having been foiled by Porsche in 1968. This time they announced only 3-litre cars could contest the ’72 Manufacturers World Championship.

Porsche fully committed to defending their title in 1971.

Ferrari used the year to blood the 312PB, a new car powered by a mildly detuned variant of their mega-powerful 3-litre F1 boxer 12; it dominated the ’72 championship. They looked after their 512S/M customers but didn’t run works 512Ms – a bummer given the pace of Roger Penske’s Donohue/Hobbs-driven machine.

1971 was therefore another Porsche slaughter. The Rodriguez/Oliver combination was the winningest Porsche crew, taking Daytona, Monza and Spa; Pedro shared a car with Dick Attwood to win in Austria.

Elford/Gerard Larrouse won at Sebring and the Nurburgring (908/3), while the Siffert/Bell combination won at Buenos Aires. Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep took Le Mans – the 917K was again victorious rather than a purposebodied 917LH brother.

Despite Porsche dominance, there was plenty of 3-litre competition. Carlo Chiti’s Autodelta had a great season. Their Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 V8 won at Brands Hatch, Targa, and in a portent of things to come, at Watkins Glen, the very last 5-litre era race.

The long history of sportscar racing is filled with periods when one marque or model dominated. The short 917 era is but one.

These incredibly fast, brutal, dangerous, sonorously-noisy, sleek, multi-cylinder 600bhp spaceframe roller skates are close to the hearts of many of us, in part because they were raced by current F1 drivers to their absolute limits.

They were on the high wire without a net.

In part the fascination is because their attributes are immortalised in Le Mans, the movie watched by generation after generation of racing enthusiasts and which perpetuated the magic of this sportscar golden age..

The winning 1970 and 1971 917Ks were reunited during the March 2019 50th celebrations at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen base. Above are factory rebuild shots of chassis 023. Note the rudimentary aluminium spaceframe chassis, not exactly state-of-the-art in 1969 – but effective. Note far-forward seating position and sheer bulk of the big-12, it was light, but big!

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MCQUEEN’S LE MANS LOVECHILD

Steve McQueen’s obsessive Le Mans movie was a commercial failure but the ultimate racing movie. Mark Bisset remembers the spring of ’71.

BY 1970 Steve McQueen walked on water.

With The Thomas Crown Affair and Bullitt among his acting credits, these great-grossing movies gave him the clout to make Le Mans – born of his failure to get Formula 1 onto the silverscreen before John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix several years before.

The King of Cool’s fanatical passion for racing ensured a stunning racedocumentary which has stood the test of time – despite all the fancyschmancy digital tricks of more recent race-films – but was a movie of limited appeal to the average schmo. Who cares about them?

McQueen raced a Lotus 11 Climax, later finishing second in his Porsche 908 at Sebring in 1970 with a broken foot. Peter Revson did most of the miles, but McQueen had gritty racecred.

His Solar Productions crew staked out Le Mans in 1969 to plan their 1970 attack – this involved 20 crews spread over La Sarthe.

After racegoers decamped, the Cinema Centre / Solar Productions

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Initial Le Mans Director, John Sturges and McQueen ponder the next scene (above). Ferrari declined to lend their 512S’ for a film a Porsche was to win!

512s used were customer cars leased for the purpose (left).

crews took over, from June to November together with 41 racing drivers, at least 25 racing cars and their mechanics and hundreds of locals as extras.

It’s not unusual for a film of this sort to start without a script – the first 37 minutes of it, wonderfully, has no dialogue – but despite hiring six writers, including Hollywood’s finest,

Alan Trustman, the script stalled.

The chasm which couldn’t be bridged was that the Director, John Sturges envisaged a love story with a Le Mans backdrop while McQueen’s vision was a Le Mans race film.

McQueen insisted the race scenes be shot at race-speed – this required plenty of practice at half-speed and takes. And danger. Sports car ace Derek Bell suffered burns in his Ferrari 512S, while David Piper lost his lower right leg after a huge Porsche 917 crash.

Captain Cool’s passion for cars was matched by his appetite for the ladies.

His onscreen dialogue with co-star Louise Edlind was limited but bedside was a different matter. Delivering her back to the hotel late one night at 2am he crashed his 911, badly injuring her – with wife Neile and two-kids in Le Mans, this was all a bit tricky.

P Pitside derriere belongs tto Catherine Ickx, rrelaxing behind husband JJacky’s, #6 Ferrari 512S with green Lola T70 w M Mk3B behind (far left).

M McQueen called way ttoo many of the shots ((left) from the investor’s p perspective – not so an eenthusiast’s!

1970 Le Mans winner Dick Attwood was with the project throughout, unlike most of the drivers. He did most of the McQueen/Delaney #20 917 race-pace laps (above).

The Solar Productions owned 908/02 camera car during the 1970 race (below left), showing front and rear camera mounts. The same car was raced by Revson/McQueen to second at Sebring.

Porsche weren’t impressed either.

They lent 917s for the production and 911s for McQueen and Sturges’ local use. The pair of them were crashed on at least three occasions and Steve muffed a shift in a 917, blowing the engine.

Costs mounted at a staggering rate, while daily run-sheets were ignored or changed. Without leadership the crew were headless-chooks. McQueen and Sturges were continually at oneanother’s throats.

Eventually Sturges threw in the towel, such was his frustration at his star’s failure to do his bidding. When Cinema Center’s Bob Relyea saw this he shouted “This damm picture is out

of control!” and had the company’s senior executive in Paris on the next flight to sort the shambles.

The Riot Act was read to McQueen

by CEO Gordon T Stuhlberg. Play ball or we cut our losses and pull the pin, or replace you with Robert Redford, were McQueen’s take-it-or-leave-it choices. Sturges returned to LA saying “I’m too old and too rich for this shit”.

Production ceased for a fortnight to sort the chaos.

Cinema Center appointed Lee Katzin to replace Sturges; despite McQueen’s initial frostiness, Katzin in later interviews said they collaborated well.

Over one-million feet of film was shot with matching sound; when we see

and hear a Ferrari 512S it is the 512S, in the right gear. Race footage was captured by three cameras mounted on the Solar Productions 908/02 raced

by Jonathan Williams and Herbert Linge.

I say raced, as the camera car, despite impaired aerodynamics, finished ninth. Without constant stops to remove and replace cameras, fourth was possible given the top-guns eliminated by the wet conditions.

Commercially Le Mans was a flop.

It grossed less than its cost, but It’s without parallel as a race film. It still cuts it. We have McQueen’s fanatical, obsessive attention to race detail, to thank for that.

Dialogue. Plot. Narrative. Who gives a shit?

Before his untimely 1980 death at an oh-so-young age of 50 with cancer, McQueen made two more great films, Towering Inferno and Papillon. But Le Mans destroyed Solar Productions and with-it McQueen’s plans to build a movie empire. It cost him his marriage not to forget Piper’s lower leg.

I remember sitting beside my little brother at a Melbourne Bourke Street cinema during the 1971 September school-hols, in tears. Le Mans’ 106 minutes was over. I wanted it to keep going – I still feel that way about the film 50 years later.

I suspect I am not alone!

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RACING TOGETH Earlier this year, Australia’s most senior motor sport official, Garry Connelly, launched the first all-Indigenous motorsport team in Australia’s history.

JOSH NEVETT details how it came to be and what the future holds for this important initiative.

IT IS often difficult to distinguish a single machine from the chaos that Hyundai Excel racing can produce.

But, this year one car in particular stands out, the #116.

This is the Racing Together car, run by an all-Indigenous team who represent a force of positive change in Australian motor sport.

Just months beforehand, a problem in national motor sport was clear: The participation of Indigenous people was almost non-existent.

The motor sport community had watched on as sports including Australian Rules Football and Rugby League flourished with Indigenous Australians’ involvement.

In the middle of 2020, Garry Connelly

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finally decided it was time for change.

“Going back several years, my wife Monique and I often discussed and rued the fact that there was very little Indigenous participation in our sport,” Connelly, the Chair of Racing Together, told Auto Action.

“We thought about it but we never did anything, like a lot of things in life.

“When we drill into the background of some of these kids, they’re never going to have the ability or the opportunity to raise the money.

“Some of them come from very, very difficult backgrounds. A lot of them don’t have the educational opportunities that other Australians have.”

A moment of cultural shift in world motor sport, led by the reigning FIA Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, sparked Connelly to act.

“Lewis Hamilton started pushing for more diversity after the George Floyd incident in America, which really triggered us to make a decision to do something in Australia,” Connelly said.

“We realised we could only start off with small steps but at least we would be doing something.”

Connelly has spent more than 40 years in motor racing and represents

Australia on the world governing body for motor sport – the FIA. Despite this experience, he knew he would need a lot of help to get the program off the ground.

“We spoke at length to Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony, who we know quite well, and he gave us a lot of advice,” Connelly recalls.

“Our initial thoughts were simply to sponsor one Indigenous kid in karting and Anthony said, ‘no, you really need to form a team and that way you give more kids a chance to develop other skills such as mechanical skills’.

HER There has been a mountain of work behind the scenes to get the Racing Together Hyundai Excel on the track (left and top right). Supercars Championship figures Roland Dane, Ryan Story and Paul Morris have supported Garry and Monique Connelly (left) to power the 10-strong team consisting of (front row, back row – left to right): Amber, Ayesha, Tayla, Karlai, Ryan, Tristian, Braedyn, Locky, Charlie, and Jeremiah (main image, above left).

“Then we set about looking for a place to do it and the obvious choice was Norwell Motorplex with Paul Morris.

“We were pleasantly surprised at how enthusiastic Paul was about it, and how wonderful he’s been with the support he’s given.”

The result of Connelly’s efforts was Racing Together, a program backed by Motorsport Australia which is intent on creating a pathway into motor sport for the Indigenous youths of Australia.

Within three months of Connelly’s decision to establish the program, dozens of Indigenous young people packed out Norwell for the inaugural Racing Together Open Day. “We had almost 100 Indigenous youths from the Logan area, south of Brisbane, come to a couple of open days in October and we went through

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a series of tests and assessments with them,” Connelly said.

“We also spent a lot of the weekend doing talks on road safety, social responsibility, nutrition and exercise, first aid and a whole range of topics that we think will help make them better human beings.

“We had someone from Motorsport Australia come and talk about being an official in motorsport, so hopefully some of them will take up that opportunity.”

When Connelly says ‘we’, he refers to the Australian motor sport community, who have united by volunteering in force to build the best experience possible.

Supercars Championship figures were aplenty at the Open Day, creating a special occasion for all involved.

“It’s been fantastic,” Connelly enthused. “At the Open Day we had

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Anton de Pasquale, Brodie Kostecki, Broc Feeney, Nash Morris, Luke Youlden, Paul Morris and Russell Ingall, all there driving around with the kids, assessing them, interviewing them, taking them for hot laps.”

Throughout the process the local Indigenous community have been enthusiastic, supportive and welcoming towards the program, embracing the opportunity to be involved in a sport that previously seemed out of reach.

This is epitomised by Gunya Meta, the Logan-based Indigenous community group that was pivotal in connecting Connelly with the local youth.

Gunya Meta representative Michael Orcher still remembers the sense of possibility when Racing Together had yet to gain traction.

“We always had the skills, but one of

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the biggest barriers has always been financial – not all mobs can afford footy boots let alone all the costs to put a racing team together. Another challenge is representation,” Orcher lamented.

“From that first meeting we knew this was a huge opportunity for our young people, and we were so excited to use our knowledge and connections to contribute to its success.

“Our initial reaction at Gunya Meta was overwhelming disbelief and joy that an opportunity like this, and the first of its kind in Australia was coming through our door right here in Logan.

“When we realised we had just put together the first Indigenous Australian motor sport team in history, we were over the moon for our kids in Logan.”

Connelly could not be more grateful for the response he received.

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The program has progerssed through many phases to reach the point of competing in Darwin (below left). There is now a new second car build underway (above) and Gunya Meta (represented by Michael Orcher below right) have been central in engaging the Logan Indigenous community, including Racing Together applicants Malachi Green and Breanna Oui.

“The elders there were just thrilled with the concept, put their support behind us, and helped us recruit the candidates,” Connelly said.

Ultimately, the Open Day was just the beginning. The initial vision to form a competitive racing team was fulfilled shortly after.

“We picked a team of eight from that, six boys and two girls,” said Connelly.

“Within another month they were stripping down an old Hyundai Excel and building it into a race car.

“It didn’t take long to get off the ground once we decided to push the button on it.”

With one car ready for racing and another under construction, the team entered into the 2021 Series X3 Queensland Championship for Hyundai Excels.

There were four months of intense preparation leading up to the first race at Morgan Park Raceway, during which

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team members developed the essential skills required to compete.

In this short period, they became mechanics, drivers, and students of racing.

“They are down there every Saturday working – it really gives them a focus in life,” Connelly said.

The first race meeting in Warwick, at the end of March, was a milestone moment for the Racing Together project.

After a multi-faceted selection process at Norwell, 17-year-old Braedyn Cidoni was chosen as the driver.

He steered the team to 32nd and 34th in respective races, before an unfortunate retirement just three laps into the final race.

From the Open Day onwards, the experience has been a dream come true for Cidoni.

“Awesome is the quickest way to sum it up. You don’t get these opportunities ever,” a reflective Cidoni told AA.

“It was a form that came up in my Indigenous department at school. My family and myself have always dreamt of being a part of motor sport and being a professional driver.

“I did karting for a year when I was six years old. That was pretty much it. No driving experience other than that.

“To be chosen not only to be in the team but to be the driver as well, it’s just been insane.”

Regardless of the race results, it was a successful first outing for the team which Connelly still views as a highlight.

“It was fantastic watching the satisfaction on the kids’ faces when they finished the first race meeting,” he said with pride.

Project director and Triple Eight Race Engineering Team Principal Roland Dane remembers the day slightly differently.

“The highlight and the lowlight for me is probably the same thing – young Braedyn Cidoni taking me off at Morgan

Park racing my Excel ... that was funny,” Dane chuckles.

“A bloody nuisance at the time but funny in hindsight. I’ve never seen a kid so sheepish afterwards.”

The motor sport heavyweight has been involved since the beginning, sitting on a board that currently includes the Connellys, Chairman and CEO of Shell V Power Racing Team Ryan Story, Bathurst 1000 winner Morris, Ian Gillespie and Indigenous beach volleyball star (and now Olympic silver medallist)Taliqua Clancy.

Dane has utilised his position at Triple Eight to create further opportunities for Racing Together participants.

“The initiative itself is something that needed to be done,” Dane said.

“From a Triple Eight point of view we’ve been able to assist with not only some of the activities on track and racing, but also trying to assist where we can with potential employment opportunities.”

The 2021 Darwin Triple Crown weekend was a highlight as Supercars drivers and teams embraced diversity (above).

Racing Together driver Braedyn Cidoni designed liveries for Dick Johnson Racing (right) and drove the team to sixth in class (below right).

With debut nerves out of the way and cohesion building by the day, the Racing Together team has only improved since its ground-breaking first appearance.

At the squad’s second meeting, held at the same venue from June 5-6, Cidoni finished every race, with a best finish of 21st outright in the chaotic final race.

The strong momentum culminated in a celebratory weekend at the Darwin Triple Crown.

Racing in the Combined Sedans category as part of the support card, Racing Together thrived on the national stage by finishing sixth in the Excel class in front of Supercars teams and fans.

Cidoni also added to his achievements off the track, designing Indigenous liveries for the Dick Johnson Racing team cars of De Pasquale and Will Davison.

“Every time you go out there you learn more and more,” Cidoni shares.

“It’s just seat time and practice, meeting all the people who have been involved in motorsport. I’ve been feeling very welcomed.

“It’s a team effort, there are a lot of people involved and you learn different things from different people.

“I’ve spent plenty of time with Garry as he is the founder and he’s the one who organises everything. Paul has played a big part as well.

“He’s (Connelly) always trying to be as involved as possible. Every single Saturday we go out to Norwell, he’s there with us. Every single race meeting so far he has been there with us.”

Such has been the success of the initiative to this point, that Connelly and the Racing Together board are aiming towards expansion as soon as next year.

“We’ve been talking to people in Townsville about rolling out the program there – that’s probably the next stop. After that, we’ve identified

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Darwin as the next venue,” said an Connelly. excited Connelly “We’re probably going to do another open day in late October or early November. We’re in discussion with Gunya Meta now about that.

“We probably won’t recruit another 10, because we don’t really want to lose any of the young people we’ve got now.

“Some of them that have had no mechanical experience at all, including the two girls, have come on and shown incredible mechanical skills and I think will develop into really good mechanics in due course.”

“When we get two cars by the end of the year, we’ll be able to split them up and give them responsibilities to work on each car. So that’s what we hope to achieve by the end of the year, and we can probably add one, two, or even three members.”

The addition of a second car undoubtedly requires another driver, who may just be Karlai Warner.

New to the world of motor sport, the 14-year-old has quickly shown potential to take the wheel after just months of kart training.

“My friends are not into cars, and I never learned much about cars before joining the team,” Warner said.

“Karting has been good. I’ve been improving lap times every week – I go every Thursday.

“If we get both the cars done, I’ll be racing in November, if not I will be racing next year.”

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The project is evidently going from strength to strength, but Connelly is insistent that its focus remains on increasing participation and grassroots involvement rather than producing a superstar driver.

No growth in scale will change this.

“The objective is to get them to participate and enjoy it, give them a focus in life rather than necessarily go on to be a champion,” Connelly concludes.

“That’s not really the priority but it would be at bonus if they can go forward.

“I think there’ll be a time when we have to choose between having a broader base and not going up the ladder so far, or having a narrower base and going further up the ladder.

“My personal view, and I know

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Monique shares this, is that we’d rather spread the base and let people in, then, if they’re good enough, progress using their own skills to get up the ladder and give more opportunities to young people.”

However, Racing Together will still endeavour to clear the path for outstanding talents, targeting the new Ferrari Academy in Sydney as a development opportunity.

“That would be our goal as one of the steppingstones, to get one of the young drivers to be part of that academy,” Connelly revealed.

“I’m not sure if Brayden will be ready by next year. We’ll have to see how he develops.”

Trying convincing Cidoni of that g After significant improvement though! in Excel results and mixing it with Australian motorsport stars throughout the program, he now d dares to dream.

“If I can [make it a career] with tthe people that are surrounding me a and supporting me, that’s definitely m my goal,” said the aspirational te teenager.

Racing Together has already m made palpable strides in its sh short existence. From a lingering id idea, a flourishing race team and de development pathway has grown.

T The committed collaboration be between Connelly, the Racing Tog Together board, Gunya Meta, Aus Australian motorsport, sponsors and the local Indigenous community has pav paved a way for the future, creating opp opportunities that were so lacking to this point.

No Not only has the initiative been succ successful, but it is also sustainable.

Sinc Since the first Open Day, the ceiling has well and truly risen.

“Hopefully it opens some doors and “Ho shows the kids not only on the program but around them, their peers, that there are possibilities out there,” concluded Dane.

“They just need to demonstrate the aptitude and enthusiasm to want to get involved.

“Where we can open doors as an industry, not just as teams, for these youngsters then we should do our best.”

There is plenty on the horizon including new locations, a second competitive car, a potential Ferrari Academy spot and educational scholarships.

With this level of progress so early in the piece, there is little chance of Racing Together losing momentum any time soon.

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At just 21, Luke Vanna has developed his craft over a career spanning a vast variety of categories. He spoke to t JOSH NEVETT about his humble racing beginnings and hunger for horsepower.

L LUKE VAN Herwaade (Vanna on the rracetrack) speaks with the enthusiasm of ssomeone who relishes every moment, and w why shouldn’t he?

Despite coming from a background devoid of racing, the Queenslander has turned his o iinfectious passion into progress through the ssport in which he hopes to spend his life.

After a four-month break, Townsville saw Vanna demonstrate his audacious driving V sstyle in the Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series.

H He managed ninth, fifth and sixth finishes, w which is impressive considering his racing education began with television screens and e Need for Speed.

N “I never really had anyone in my family that w was massively into racing or whatnot,” Vanna ttold Auto Action.

“But I remember as a kid growing up playing games and seeing it on TV – just watching g people drive really got me into it.” p The V8 Supercars Championship and F Formula 1 consumed the mind of the a aspirational youngster.

But, like many before him, karts were the sstarting point for the Gold Coast local. After

years of nagging, Luke’s father David finally relented, purchasing a kart to set off a chain of events that could not be anticipated.

“I did three years in karting. My first year I pretty much just did local races,” Vanna remembers.

“Ipswich Kart Club was my local home track.

But I remember the first track that I went to was Lismore Kart Club. I did every second weekend bouncing between those two clubs.”

Vanna’s ability was quickly evident, as he was put on a plane to the Super Nationals in Las Vegas at the end of 2015. From that point racing has been front and centre.

The youngster stayed oversees for the next six months, racing in America, England and France for a German team called Mach 1 Karting, completing the adventure with the International IAME Finals at Le Mans.

“I was a bit green but definitely an experience that helped me along the way,” Vanna said.

With the racing bug firmly entrenched, there was no place like home when it came to advancing a career in the sport.

With a plethora of options available, Vanna dived into a burgeoning category, the Toyota 86 Series, which has been a constant in his career ever since.

Just like Vanna, the Toyota 86 Series has gone from strength to strength, providing an attractive package for upand-coming drivers wanting maximum exposure and bang for buck.

“The Toyota 86 racing series is really solid value,” Vanna explains.

“You’re racing at some of the best tracks in Australia, and you could argue, the world.

“You’re going to Bathurst and you’re racing with Supercars. You’ve got the biggest eyes in Australia on you.

“You’ve got 40-odd cars on a Supercars track. It’s carnage and I love that. I love being on the edge, I love being three-wide coming into a corner, that’s the best thing about racing.”

Luke Sieders was the man who walked him through the first couple of years, an opportunity that Vanna is noticeably thankful for.

“Luke Sieders is an amazing bloke,” said Vanna.

“I used to fly to Sydney, they would allow me to sleep at their house and then drive me to the racetrack to do a test day and have a race meeting. They let me in as one of their own, I’m really appreciative of it.”

Under Sieders’ guidance, Vanna finished 12th and 17th in his first two seasons of Toyota 86 competition, achieving a best race result of second at Sandown in 2018 up against stiff competition including current Super2 leader Broc Feeney and TCR front runner Luke King.

Despite the moments of triumph, midfield was not enough for Vanna, who then enlisted the help of national racing identity Paul Morris.

“I raced as a Paul Morris Motorsport driver in 2019 with Declan Fraser,” recalls Vanna.

“My main mentor is hands down Paul Morris – he’s always got something to say, constructive or positive.

“He knows everything, and he knows everybody. The contacts that I’ve made, the experiences that he’s given me, he’s allowed me to work as a driving instructor at his track, which is really an amazing opportunity.”

Vanna finished 11th in his season with Morris, claiming back-to-back podium finishes in a successful weekend at Bathurst.

In between Toyota 86 rounds Vanna has dabbled in more categories than you could count on one hand, including SuperUtes, Stadium Super Trucks, Aussie Racing Cars and GT-1 in a MARC Mazda 3.

This has given the 21-year-old a wealth of experience, propelling his development.

“I’ve learned that the foundations are the same,” Vanna shares after consideration.

“I’ve taken a little bit from everything.

“Driving the Super Truck, massive tyre, I understand a little bit more out of the tyre flexes, how it works.

“Driving the GT car, aerodynamics, I understand how the aero works through a corner at high speed.

“Toyota 86s there’s minimal grip, no aero. I understand how to throw the car around and get the maximum out of a

The Toyota 86 Series has been Luka Vanna’s mainstay thus far (left and below) but this has not stopped him for branching out to all different corners of motor sport, proven by appearances in SuperUtes (above) and Super Trucks (bottom). The thrill of racing is enough for Vanna, the category is secondary as long as he is behind the wheel.

low horsepower car.”

When it came to picking a favourite category, Vanna struggled to separate the exclusivity of GT racing and absurd excess of Super Trucks. After much deliberation, he chose the latter.

“I think the most fun I’ve ever had was racing a Super Truck at Adelaide.

I cannot stress enough that I don’t get too scared when I drive a car but driving around there three-wide going up jumps… that was something else.”

Neither category provided Vanna with his first win, however. That memory will always be tied to the SuperUtes Series season opener at the Adelaide Street Circuit in 2019.

“It was really, really surreal. I felt ecstatic coming out of the car. To start the season off like that was fantastic,” Vanna fondly remembers.

Harnessing all the learnings of a hectic start to racing, Vanna has taken control of his motor sport destiny in 2021.

With the help of his father David, Luke Vanna Racing is now a mostly independent operation.

“We will cut the cost a little bit this year running as a family,” Vanna said.

“Working with my dad, he doesn’t have a ridiculous amount of mechanical knowledge. But he gets in and has a crack at absolutely everything that he does.”

This, like many of the moves in a short career to date, has turned out well.

Alongside the solid finishes in Townsville, Vanna managed a Toyota 86 season best of fourth in the final race at Mount Panorama in February.

The upturn in results already has Vanna looking to the future, and not just the short-term.

“I really would have hoped to have hopped into higher horsepower this year. But I stayed with the 86 because I own the car and it was just uncertain (with COVID) about the year,” Vanna reveals.

“Next year, definitely looking for higher horsepower, more grip. A couple of series’ that jump to mind are the Super2’s, or even Trans Am. “I do believe I will be in motorsport my whole life, whether it’s driving a car or working in a team. I just finished my degree at university, a business degree, I think I’ve got enough business sense.”

Evidently, Vanna has grand plans.

Every choice he makes, both on and off the track, he does so with purpose and conviction.

The Gold Coast racer already has a broad range of racing experience behind him, and the personal connections to match.

As he weighs up his next move, it is clear. Luke Vanna is undoubtedly one to watch.

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ACDELCO POWER TOOLS HIT THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET

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With nine new tools plus accessories being introduced into the catalogue, consumers of ACDelco products have an everexpanding portfolio to choose from.

“Designed and built for the automotive technician, the new ACDelco power tool range offers power, agility and enhanced reliability to complete vehicle repairs properly, first time, every time,” said Paul Rietveld, Director Aftersales.

The ACDelco Power Tools selection consists of industry leading, professional power tools, making them a great choice for all consumers.

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Formula 1

Round 11 Hungarian Grand Prix

VIVE LA FRANCE! A Turn 1 accident and a mistake by Mercedes created the stage for Esteban Ocon’s first f1 win Report: Dan Knutson Images: Motorsport Images THIS SHOULD have been an easy win for Lewis Hamilton. He qualified on pole for the 101st time in his F1 career, and he pounced into the lead at the start of the 70-lap race in what was the 36th edition of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Then everything changed.

After two blazing hot days, light rain was falling as the cars formed on the grid, and that created chaos at Turn 1.

It was amateur hour at Turn 1, with Bottas starting a chain reaction shunt that ultimately took five cars out of the race ...

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas lost control and hit Lando Norris’ McLaren. Norris slid into Max Verstappen’s

Red Bull and then hit Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez.

For the second straight race, Mercedes had (albeit accidentally) eliminated its chief championship rival Verstappen!

Meanwhile, trying to avoid the carnage, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) rammed into the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc who then hit Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren. The Ferrari was also out.

The race was red flagged after two laps so that the mess could be cleaned up.

Stroll, Norris, Leclerc, Pérez and Bottas would not take part in the re-start. Others, like Ricciardo

and Verstappen had their races compromised by driving damaged cars.

“I had a poor start with lots of wheelspin off the line, lost a couple of places,” said Bottas who gets a fiveplace grid penalty at the next race. “I was right on the gearbox of Lando and locked the front wheels. I misjudged the braking point. It’s always difficult starting a race in those conditions – you’re always ‘guesstimating’ grip levels and today I got it wrong.”

The sun came out during the 25 minute delay. In hindsight the teams should have changed from intermediate rain tyres to slicks, but all 15 cars were still on “inters” as the drivers headed out to form up on the grid for a standing

Alonso had a busy day, fending off Vettel (left) intially, then delaying Hamilton long enough (right) to allow teammate Ocon a clear run to the line.

re-start. At the end of that lap, however, 14 drivers pitted to change to slicks, creating the bizarre sight of Hamilton being the only driver on the grid!

That mistake by Mercedes cost Hamilton the victory. He pitted at the end of the restart’s opening lap and dropped from first to last.

“It would have been a gamble to pit from the lead,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. “The track dried unbelievably quickly in the sun, and it could have easily gone the other way, and then we would have looked foolish for bringing him in.”

So now, having avoided all the start carnage, Esteban Ocon led in his Alpine with Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel close behind. The pair pulled away from Nicolas Latifi whose Williams was holding up the rest of the field.

It is extremely difficult to overtake around the twisty Hungaroring, so all Vettel could hope for was to force Ocon into making a mistake. But Ocon didn’t wilt.

“I think we were quicker for most of the race,” Vettel said, “but there was not enough of a difference to make an overtake because it was very hard to follow in the dirty air. I tried to pressure Esteban into a mistake, but he did not make a single one.”

Vettel would later be disqualified

because his car did not have at least one litre of fuel left in the tank. (This rule prevents teams from using illegal fuel and then running the tank dry so officials can’t get a fuel sample after the race). Aston Martin has filed an appeal.

Mercedes put Hamilton onto a twostop strategy, and having stopped for fresh rubber, he fought his way up to fifth behind Ocon, Vettel, Sainz and Fernando Alonso (Alpine). However, Alonso deftly held off Hamilton for lap after lap, preventing him from closing in on the front two drivers. Hamilton eventually passed both Alonso and Sainz to claim third, which became second after Vettel was disqualified.

All in all, it was a miserable weekend for Ricciardo. The Aussie qualified 11th.

For a brief moment he was second in the race as he avoided the accident in Turn 1, but then he got hit by Sainz.

Ricciardo spent much of the race in 10th place fending off former teammate Verstappen in their wounded cars.

They eventually finished 11th and ninth respectively.

“We saw each other after the race,” Ricciardo said. “We were fighting for the last point, not a position either of us want to be in. So obviously we are both so frustrated that we just started to laugh. It is one of those days where what do you do? He was taken out in

Turn 1 not through his fault, and I was in the same position – not my fault.

We can complain and get angry at the drivers whose fault it was, but this is it – it’s racing. We have been here long enough so we know we were just some of the unlucky ones today.”

Ricciardo had to stay in Hungary until the Wednesday after the race to take part in the Pirelli 18-inch tyre test, but after that he was looking forward to F1’s annual three-week summer break.

“Right now I do not want another race after that!” he said. “The break has come at a good time and everyone can switch off and have a few beers. And enjoy a few days away from F1.”

While Ricciardo will spend the break trying to forget his last race, Ocon will spend it never forgetting his first F1win.

“It is an awesome moment in my career,” Ocon said.

“I don’t have words to describe it.

It’s the first win for the Renault Group since they came back in Formula 1.

After what we’ve been through, after the difficult times, just the trust that they’ve put in me, I’m glad that they get this reward.

I also want to say a special thanks to Fernando who has been fighting like a lion in that race, because that probably contributed also to giving us a gap, giving us a bit of a breather.”

Latifi, Gasly and Sainz lead the queue out of pit lane at the end of the opening lap of the restart (below). Sainz (right) took control of his own strategy but in the end, despite squeezing past Alonsa, didn’t quite have the pace to get on the podium.

2021 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX 70 LAPS Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF DNF DSQ

Driver Esteban Ocon Lewis Hamilton Carlos Sainz Jr. Fernando Alonso Pierre Gasly Yuki Tsunoda Nicholas Latifi George Russell Max Verstappen Kimi Raikkonen Daniel Ricciardo Mick Schumacher Antonio Giovinazzi Nikita Mazepin Lando Norris Valtteri Bottas Sergio Perez Charles Leclerc Lance Stroll Sebastian Vettel

Team Alpine Mercedes Ferrari Alpine AlphaTauri AlphaTauri Williams Williams Red Bull Racing Alfa Romeo McLaren Haas Alfa Romeo Haas McLaren Mercedes Red Bull Racing Ferrari Aston Martin Aston Martin

Laps 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 69 69 69 69 3 2 0 0 0 0 70

Margin

+2.736s +15.018s +15.651s +63.614s +75.803s +77.910s +79.094s +80.244s +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap +1 lap Incident Incident Incident Incident Incident Incident +1.859s

Points: Hamilton 195, Max Verstappen 187, Norris 113, Bottas 108, Perez 104, Sainz 83, Leclerc 80, Gasly 50, Ricciardo 50, Ocon 39, Alonso 38, Vettel 30, Tsunoda 18, Stroll 18, Latifi 6, Russell 4, Raikkonen, Giovinazzi 1 Constructors’: Mercedes 303, Red Bull Racing 291, Ferrari 163, McLaren 163, Alpine 77, AlphaTauri 68, Aston Martin 48, Williams 10, Alfa Romeo 3

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ERICSSON WINS, MCLAUGHLIN SPINS …

TWICE Report: BRUCE NEWTON Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES MARCUS ERICSSON won a chaotic Nashville IndyCar race while Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin was spun twice, the second time by Penske teammate Will Power.

The first IndyCar race on the Nashville street circuit somehow completed its scheduled distance despite no less than nine full-course yellows and two red flags as the field proved incapable of keeping it clean on the new bumpy, concrete-lined track.

There were two yellows even before racing really got underway and that set a trend that continued throughout the race.

Ericsson, who qualified only 18th, was responsible for one of them, launching over the back of Sebastien Bourdais, incurring both damage and a drivethrough penalty.

But the constant full-course yellows allowed him to work his way from the back to the front, leading home Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon, Andretti Autosports’ James Hinchcliffe, and Ryan Hunter-Reay, RLLR’s Graham Rahal and DCR’s Ed Jones.

Hondas filled the first seven finishing places in the results.

Pole qualifier Colton Herta was consistently the fastest driver in the race, but the way the constant cautions worked out, the Andretti Autosport driver could not consistently exploit that advantage.

The Swede was the driver who offered Herta the most resistance, His set-up

Zer to hero: after an early collision put him to the back of the field, constant Safety Cars allowed Ericsson (above and below left) to recover, and win!

Colton Herta (below right) had the speed to challenge late in the race, but binned his car into the wll with five laps to go.

was lower drag to suit the spectacular run both ways on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Cumberland River.

It came down to a battle between the two of them; Herta dominant through the twisties and Ericsson out-dragging him on the straights. Ericsson had grippier but ageing red tyres, but was also lifting and coasting into corners to fuel-save.

The duel ended when Herta piled into the Turn 9 wall with just six laps to go, appearing to hurt his thumb in the process. The crash prompted the second red and a final two-lap dash to the flag.

“Unbelievable,” declared Ericsson in victory lane. “It shows that in IndyCar anything can happen – you can never give up. And if you have a good team

and a good car, you can still get to victory lane, so this one is for the guys – they repaired the car, they did great.

“I had a very big fuel number I had to hit. Colton was so fast, as we’ve seen all weekend. So to keep him behind with a lot of fuel saved I think was one the best performances of my career, actually. And I’m sorry he ended up in the fence there – he should be on this podium with us.”

Ericsson also apologised to Bourdais for their incident, which put the Frenchman out of the race: “I thought it was green and then I went and I couldn’t see that he stopped so I’m really sorry.”

McLaughlin was the innocent party in both his incidents. He qualified only 23rd after tagging the wall in qualifying, but was pushing forward from that position

in his Dex Dallara-Chev on lap 17 when he was turned around by Jones.

Power then nailed him on lap 40 when he was 15th, before backmarker Dalton Kellett clipped the nose of his stationary car. McLaughlin went on to finish 22nd, 13 laps down on the winner after repairs and an all-clear from the IndyCar medical team.

The results mean Dixon has closed to within just 42 points of team-mate Alex Palou in the battle for the IndyCar championship, with Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward 48 points off the pace.

Palou finished seventh and O’Ward just 13th.

The 12th of 16 races comprising the 2021 IndyCar scheduled takes place on the Indy road course next weekend.

CAMPBELL LEADS IMSA GT FIELD Report: Josh Nevett AUSSIE MATT Campbell celebrated GTLM success with teammate Cooper MacNeil in the IMSA Sportscar Championship round at Road America.

Driving their Porsche 911, the pair took down a pair of Corvettes to seal the bestin-class result for Weathertech Racing.

Campbell and McNeil (pictured) were able to close the gap on the pair of Corvette championship leaders, Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor as well as Nick Tandy and Tommy Milner, who were the only other entrants.

Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani successfully navigated a full IMSA Sportscar Championship field to win the round overall.

The Whelen Engineering pair became the first back-to-back race winners in the DPi class this season in their #31 Cadillac DPi, closing to within 41 points Images: Motorsport Images of the DPi lead with the result.

48 AutoAction

Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell were the beneficiaries of Dane Cameron’s fuel shortage, taking the second spot that he vacated with three minutes left in the race.

The Mazda Motorsports pair finished ahead of Kevin Magnussen and Renger van der Zande, who were third in their Cadillac.

Derani exhibited supreme patience to sit behind Cameron whose fuel gradually drained to the point where he had no choice but to enter the pits just minutes before the finish. The mistake in fuel management relegated Cameron and teammate Olivier Pla to fifth, behind Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque.

In LMP2, the Era Motorsport team of Ryan Dalziel and Dwight Merriman tasted their first success since the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Taking an alternate strategy to that of the DPi victors, Dalziel and Merriman bolted from fourth to the lead and subsequent win.

Motorsport Images

Gabriel Aubry and John Farano finished second for Tower Motorsport.

Championship leaders Mikkel Jensen and Ben Keating were third for Mathiasen Motorsports, maintaining their overall ascendency.

Gar Robinson’s dominance of LMP3 was halted by Core Autosport duo Colin Braun and Jonathan Bennett, who denied Robinson his fourth class win on the trot.

The championship leader had to settle for third, behind Rasmus Lindh and

Dan Goldburg of Performance Tech Motorsports.

In GTD, Zach Robichon and Laurens Vanthoor claimed class honours in their Porsche.

Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley finished second in the #16 BMW M6 GT3, in front of Wright Motorsports drivers Patrick Long and Trent Hindman.

The next IMSA event is the Monterey Sports Car Championship from September 10-12 at Laguna Seca.

LARSON WINS AT THE GLEN Report: Josh Nevett Images: Motorsport Images KYLE LARSON is top of the NASCAR playoff rankings after a triumphant performance at Watkins Glen.

The #5 Chevrolet driver won his fifth race for the season, continuing an impressively consistent run which included 10 top-two finishes in 23 season races.

It did not come easy for the 29-yearold, who had to manage both lapped traffic ahead and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliot close behind in the latter stages to secure victory.

The final margin between Larson and Road America winner Elliot was 2.430s.

Larson’s 11th career win has moved him to a tie with Denny Hamlin for the regular-season championship with three races remaining before the playoffs.

The finishing order of the race is familiar – it is the fourth time this pair have finished 1-2.

Larson was appreciative of the efforts of his team, Hendrick, after the race.

“Incredible race today, hats off to Hendrick Motorsports,” Larson said.

“All four of us (Hendrick drivers) could not be getting these wins like we have been without them. Thanks to them and thanks to everybody else I get to race for.”

Martin Truex Jr. finished third for Joe

Former Speeday midget star Kyle Larson is braining them in NASCAR this season – and now leads the playoff rankings.

Gibbs Racing, despite leading the race for a field-high 34 laps.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Bush and Hamlin were fourth and

fifth, capping a strong weekend for the team.

The top 10 was completed by Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, Christopher Bell, Stewart-Haas Racing pair Kevin Harvick and Chase Briscoe, and Tyler Reddick.

Larson took front spot with 27 laps remaining and could not be reeled in from there.

Elliot was made to work extremely hard for his runner-up spot, driving from the back row of the grid.

The 25-year-old gradually made his way through the field without the assistance of crew chief Alan Gustafson, who was suspended after the #9 Chevrolet failed a pre-race technical inspection.

By all accounts, it was a skilful drive from the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Watkins Glen winner.

In the race for the final playoff position, Richard Childress Racing driver Reddick improved his chances significantly with just three rounds to go.

Reddick had a six-point hold on the 16th and final position before the round and improved this to 15 points over teammate Austin Dillon with his tenth-place finish.

Polesitter Brad Keselowski struggled despite starting at the front, spinning out after just nine laps.

Things went from bad to worse when Keselowski’s brakes locked-up late in the race, causing a collision with teammate Joey Logano, resigning the #2 Mustang to 35th position overall and Logano to 22nd.

Logano started positively, heading the pack after Stage 1, souring the incident.

Truex Jnr. won Stage 2, securing stage points.

NASCAR now heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, using the 3.925km road course for the first time since the competition first raced at the location in 1994.

MIXED BAG FOR LAWSON AT ZOLDER Report: Josh Nevett Images: Motorsport Images KELVIN VAN der Linde capitalised on Kiwi Liam Lawson’s Race 1 retirement to extend his DTM championship lead in Belgium.

Lawson (pictured) returned to clinch a podium in Race 2, but Marco Wittman proved to be the fifth race winner in six races so far this season to solidify his fourth spot in the standings.

The first qualifying session of the round was decided by the finest margins, van der Linde claiming pole from a top eight separated by 0.3s.

German rival Maximilian Gotz took the other spot on the front row, qualifying 0.021s slower than the ABT Audi driver.

Lawson qualified 10th fastest.

Such was the evenness of qualifying that four brands were represented in the first four places.

South African van der Linde maximised his advantage in Race 1, sealing his second victory for the season.

Teammate Mike Rockenfeller drove from sixth on the grid to second in a 1-2 ABT Sportsline finish.

AlphaTauri AF Corse driver Alex Albon completed the podium in third, finalising a top three just 1.786s apart.

www.autoaction.com.au

Lawson suffered the ultimate disappointment in the round’s opening race, forced to retire after being shunted into the gravel trap by Arjun Maini in his Mercedes-AMG. Vincent Abril and Marco Wittman were the best performing Mercedes-AMG and BMW drivers, finishing fourth and fifth.

Five different brands were represented in the first six positions as the remaining

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top 10 places went to Esteban Muth, Gotz, who dropped from his front row starting spot, Philip Ellis, Lucas Auer and Nico Muller.

In the second round of qualifying, Wittmann emerged to take a first pole of the season for Walkenhorst.

With a time of 1m 26.687s, the German outdid Auer in his Mercedes and Rockenfeller, who qualified second and third.

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Lawson bounced back from his premature first race exit to set the seventh fastest time for Red Bull Ferrari.

History repeated itself in Race 2 when Wittman extracted maximum points from his pole position.

Experienced in winning positions as the DTM champion of 2014 and 2016, Wittman drove to victory by 1.711s over Gotz and Lawson.

The frontrunners benefited from a 5s pit stop infringement time penalty to Auer who was second after a Safety Car restart.

Lawson was satisfied with the points taken from Race 2, despite a turbulent start to the round.

“I am very happy with the points.

Unfortunately, my overcut didn’t work out, so I was unable to overtake Marco and Maxi,” Lawson said.

The 19-year-old junior now sits second in the championship standings.

Muller was fourth and Auer was fifth after his penalty.

Albon was sixth, in front of the van der Linde brothers who were seventh and eighth.

Muth and Rockenfeller completed the top 10.

The next round of competition is at the Nurburgring from August 20-22.

Points: Kelvin van der Linde 101, Lawson 80, Gotz 72, Wittman 67, Albon 54

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SPOILS SHARED AT OULTON PARK Report: JOSH NEVETT Images: Motorsport Images THERE WERE smiles aplenty in Cheshire as three separate drivers, Dan Rowbottom, Rory Butcher and Senna Proctor, took their first wins of the season in the British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park.

Rounds 10, 11 and 12 produced three markedly different races with mixed results for the championship hopefuls.

Rowbottom broke through for his maiden BTCC victory in Race 1, setting the tone for Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Butcher and BTC Racing’s Proctor to complete a weekend of firsts.

The opening race of the weekend was reduced to six laps p after Tom Olliphant, p

Chris Smiley and Nick Parfitt all fell victim to a multi-car incident on lap seven.

Jason Plato’s Vauxhall and Olliphant’s BMW came together at Lodge corner, leaving Olliphant helplessly exposed to oncoming traffic.

Both Smiley and Parfitt subsequently struck him in their Hyundai’s, bringing the race to a red flag halt.

After the restart, Rowbottom took the initiative to claim the lead from Gordon Shedden in his #32 Honda Civic Type R and powered to victory.

Shedden held on to second ahead of BMW driver Adam Morgan in third.

It was Butcher who stole the headlines in Race 2, defying his fourth spot on the grid to finish at the front for the seventh time in his career.

The Scottish driver had jumped the leading pack by the end of the first lap and never looked back, extending his margin until chequered flag in a dominant display.

Rowbottom, fresh off the ecstasy of his first win, maintained concentration to secure another valuable points bag in second.

Morgan pushed hard to improve his first up effort but couldn’t climb above third.

The surprises didn’t cease in Race 3, as BTC’s Proctor continued the round of upsets to triumph.

The final race of the weekend was interrupted twice, bookended by red flags.

The first was waved when Sam Osborne exited the track at Turn 2 after contact, setting off a chain of carnage in which Jack Mitchell, Jade Edwards,

Points: Sutton 126, Ingram 121, Rowbottom 114, Hill 103, Morgan 100

though It looked as tho gh the ttyre e masterstroke from Audi had handed them the victory, however a late race Safety Car saw the race turn on its head once more.

After the restart it was clear in the wet that Pier Guidi and the Ferrari was a faster package and with 10 minutes to go Vanthoor was forced to defend.

Despite his best efforts, Pier Guidi

made an inspired more around the outside at Blanchimont to take the lead.

Pier Guidi went on to win with Ledogar and Nielsen by 3.978s from Vanthoor, van der Linde and Weerts.

“I have tried many times to win this race and, after two second places overall and two wins in the Pro-Am Cup, I am very happy to take this overall victory,” said Pier Guidi post-race.

“We led the race for most of the time, but in the last half hour everything looked lost. After the restart I decided to give everything – I had no choice.

“Maybe it was not the easiest overtake o on dries, but he made a small m mistake exiting Stavelot and I m managed to get alongside. “ T The #95 Garage 59 Aston Martin tr trio of Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorensen an and Ross Gunn stayed out of tro trouble and completed the overall po podium. The error-free performance earnt Aston Martin its first overall ea podium since 2008. po Ezequiel Perez Companc, Ricardo E Sanchez, Patrick Kujala and Rik Sa Breukers won the Silver Cup in a B e Mercedes AMG, while Louis Machiels, John Wartique, Andrea Bertolini and Alessio Rovera won the Pro-Am Cup. There was a frightening crash early in the race involving Kevin Estre, Franck Perera, Davide Rigon and Jack Aitken, the latter taken to hospital and found to have a fractured vertebrae and collar bone. Dan McCarthy

FERRARI WIN SPA 24 FOR THE first time since 2004, Ferrari took victory in the 24 Hours of Spa, with the Iron Lynx team ending a decade of German brand dominance.

The #51 trio of Alessandro Pier Guidi, Come Ledogar or Nicklas Nielsen led for much of the race – however it went down to the wire after a thrilling last hour battle with the #32 Audi Sport Team WRT team.

The third round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Series and first round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge boasted a field of 58 cars including three Aussies.

Josh Burdon finished best of the Aussie contingent in 12th – the trio finished six laps down with the KCMG Porsche.

Former Carrera Cup Australia winner Jordan Love finished 21st overall and fifth in the Silver Cup standings.

Porsche ace Matt Campbell was out after 246 laps and not classified as a finisher.

The race winning #51 Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 trio started from 13th on the grid – however when championship points were handed out at the six hour and 12 hour mark the trio were at the head of theImages: field. Motorsport Images Starting from 54th, the crew of Dries

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Vanthoor, Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Line produced a memorable comeback and, as the sun rose, sat in second position, 40s behind the race leaders By the time the last pitstops came around the gap was just 20 seconds. Pier Guidi pitted first and was followed a lap later by Vanthoor.

Despite a bone-dry racetrack Vanthoor’s Audi was fitted with wet tyres. The Audi Sport Team WRT clearly knew what was coming, and as Vanthoor left the lane the heavens opened.

Pier Guidi attempted to stay on slicks but the rain got heavier, and he had to pit for wets.

Jack Butel and several others all suffered contact at Turn 3, with many getting bogged in the gravel.

When racing returned, Proctor’s job was made far easier as the reigning champion and standings leader Ash Sutton spun after contact between the pair.

Sutton’s #1 Laser Tools Racing car was retired later after contact with teammate Carl Boardley.

Boardley’s #41 Infiniti Q50 and Butcher’s #6 Toyota Corolla then slammed into the barrier on lap 8, forcing a premature race completion.

Avoiding the carnage, Proctor won from Stephen Jelley. Shedden came home third in front of Aiden Moffat.

Sutton retained the Drivers’ standings lead despite his final race disaster, Tom Ingram could not capitalise on the opportunity to climb above, suffering a tough round himself.

HAUGER HOLDS OFF DOOHAN IN HUNGARY THERE WERE three different race winners in Hungary as Aussie Jack Doohan shook off a slow start to rise to second in the FIA Formula 3 Championship standings.

Doohan returned to the podium for the first time in four races to close out the round at the Hungaroring.

Norwegian ace Dennis Hauger was able to further extend his overall points lead throughout the round, finishing in the top five in every race.

Qualifying saw the rise of a familiar name, as Arthur Leclerc set the best time of 1m 33.164s to claim his maiden pole position. The younger brother of Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc held on for the last 10 minutes of qualifying to earn a spot at the front of the Feature Race grid.

Beside the Prema Racing driver would be teammate and championship leader Hauger, who was 0.007s slower.

Doohan sat on top of the timesheets for much of the session but would have to settle for third despite qualifying only 0.096s from pole. His fellow countryman Calan Williams qualified 16th.

Thanks to the partial grid reversal, Ayumu Iwasa took his maiden F3 Championship victory in Race 1.

Despite trailing Jonny Edgar during the opening stages, Lorenzo Columbo took the lead on lap 8 and then never looked back to cross the line first.

However, during a mid-race Safety Car period, Columbo was found not to have stayed within 10 lengths of the Aston Martin and was handed a 10s penalty for the infringement, demoting him to seventh.

The final margin was less than 0.2s between Iwasa and Caldwell, former F3 race winner Logan Sargeant rounded out the podium.

Driving for Trident, Doohan collected two important championship points from a ninth-place finish.

Motorsport Images Jack Doohan (above) is now second in the FIA F3 points. The feature race podium (left to right): Leclerc, Hauger, and Doohan.

Williams lost places early on, dropping from 16th to 19th, but recovered slightly by the end of the race to finish 17th.

Matteo Nannini became the ninth different F3 Championship race winner, taking Race 2 while the Aussies struggled.

There was hot competition early as the Italian-Argentine driver tussled with Enzo Fittipaldi for front spot.

Once Nannini took the lead after four laps, no other drivers came close.

Doohan was sitting pretty in fifth for much of the race but fell rapidly from the points places to come home 13th.

The Gold Coast born driver could not prevent the onset of tyre degradation after a battle with teammate David Schumacher and title rival Hauger.

Further forwards Fittipaldi was able to hold off Roman Stanek to claim second, with the Hitech driver rounding out the podium.

Alex Smolyar followed in fourth ahead of Hauger who took a strong

step towards the title with a fifth-place finish, the only top five contender in the standings to score points.

West Australian Williams managed 24th after avoiding a stalled car on lap 1.

Race 3 saw a continuation of Hauger’s championship charge, winning the feature race to round out a successful weekend. Starting second on the grid, Hauger passed pole-sitting teammate Leclerc around the outside at Turn 2 on lap 9. Leclerc crossed the line in second ahead of Doohan.

The Queenslander made a return to form, securing his fourth podium for the season to move up to second in the standings. Doohan’s two Trident teammates rounded out the top five with Schumacher in fourth and Clement Novalak in fifth.

Williams started from 16th and his position fluctuated throughout the eventful race but ultimately no inroads were made, as he finished 17th.

Josh Nevett Points: Hauger 152, Doohan 89, Caldwell 86, Vesti 80, Smolyar 73

EVANS ON SUPERCUP PODIUM AGAIN

KIWI JAXON Evans claimed a Porsche Supercup podium in Hungary, falling short of series leader Larry ten Voorde. The Dutch driver crossed the line second at the Hungaroring, but the leading guest driver Marvin Klein broke fuel regulations, handing the victory to ten Voorde.

Evans inherited second spot on the podium in front of the relentless Florian Latorre.

In qualifying, Evans started strongly by setting the second quickest time, a 1m 47.119s. The 24-year-old was only beaten by Klein, who brushed off the late notice nature of his drive to set the best time of 1m 46.976s.

Klein replaced Steven Palette for team CLRT but did not look out of place, beating Evans by 0.143s and Latorre by 0.145s.

The 22-year-old, who currently sits second in Carrera Cup France, ultimately took this form into

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race time, leading the event from lights to flag.

Klein’s win was taken away, however, when post-race technical scrutineering found that his car had less than the required two kilograms of fuel in the tank.

GP Elite driver ten Voorde was the beneficiary but was muted in his reaction.

“Marvin was clearly the best today, a few kilograms of fuel in the tank would not have made any difference,” ten Voorde said.

Some competitors struggled to get to grips with

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the slippery track. German Christopher Zochling was clipped and spun into the wall early, bringing out a Safety Car which would remain until lap 6. Zochling would not return to the race.

From the resumption, Klein surged to the line ahead of the tussling pair of ten Voorde and Evans. After the attack failed, the Kiwi was forced to defend a hardcharging Latorre, with Evans crossing the line just ahead.

Despite the podium finish, the New Zealander was disappointed with the

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championship implications of race results.

“I wanted to reduce my gap to Larry in the overall standings. Unfortunately, that didn’t work,” Evans said.

Latorre finished ahead of junior BWT Lechner Racing driver Ayhancan Guven, who was fourth in the revised standings. Behind Guven, German teammates Laurin Heinrich and Leon Kohler were sixth and seventh for Nebulus Racing by Huber.

Consequently, Heinrich was the best of the rookies for the second race in a row.

In the ProAm category, Nicolas Misslin was victorious for Lechner Racing Middle East ahead of Roar Lindland.

Porsche Supercup returns at the end of the month at Belgium’s SpaFrancorchamps Grand Prix course from August 27-29.

Josh Nevett Points: Ten Voorde 95, Evans 75, Kohler 46, Latorre 41, Boccolacci 38

AFTER A year out of the sport, Melbourne driver Dylan Young has achieved a trio of podiums in the Formula 3 Regional category of the Ultimate Cup Series in France. Young finished third out of a field of 19 drivers in Race 1 and Race 2 before improving to second place in the final race of the weekend at the Paul Ricard F1 Circuit. Young also claimed the fastest lap in Race 3 over Nico Prost, (son of four-time Formula 1 Champion Alain Prost, and former Lotus Renault Formula 1 Reserve Driver). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Young has been absent from motor sport without testing since February 2020, after winning the 2019/20 MRF Challenge Vice Championship. The next round is at Le Mans in September. JN

NEWCOMER TOMMY Smith was the shining light in an otherwise disappointing round overall for the Aussies in the latest 2021 GB3 Championship round. Christian Mansell lost ground on title leader Zak O’Sullivan as he produced finishes of seventh, 11th and 10th.

Bart Horsten also struggled, registering a best finish of 10th in Race 1. In his first GB3 round, Tommy Smith produced solid returns of 12th, 15th and 15th. JN

HARRY HAYEK had a solid weekend on a wet circuit at Snetterton in the British GT Championship, finishing in the GT4 class top five in both races. Partnered by Katie Milner, the Aussie drove Team Rocket’s RJN to fourth in class and 13th overall in Race 1. In Race 2, the team finished 15th overall and 5th in class in their McLaren 570S GT4. JN

AUSSIE TEENAGER Marcos Flack had a mixed weekend of results in British Formula 4 at Oulton Park. Flack built on his qualifying pace in Race 1, climbing a few positions to finish eighth. Things soured in Race 2, however, as Flack was disqualified and sent to 13th on the grid for Race 3. This hampered the Argenti driver significantly – he finished 17th in the final race. Flack now sits 14th in the overall standings. JN EUROPEAN FORMULA Regional driver Tommy Smith had a disappointing round at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, failing to finish the second race. Looking for his first points of the season, Smith finished 22nd in Race 1 before he was one of six cars to retire from Race 2.

Swiss driver Grégoire Saucy leads the 2021 championship on 189 points. There are three rounds left, one in Austria and two in Italy. JN

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MARTIN OUTCLASSES OPPOSITION Report: DAN MCCARTHY Images: Motorsport Images ON THE weekend that one of the alltime greats Valentino Rossi announced his retirement, future star Jorge Martin took an emphatic victory in just his sixth MotoGP race .

Martin held back reigning world champion Mir for the entirety of the race as the two sailed clear of the rest of the pack.

It was not only Martin’s maiden victory, but he delivered the first ever win for Pramac Ducati and first for a non-factory Ducati team full stop.

Aussie Jack Miller was in the hunt for a podium but fell when fighting for the podium with championship leader Fabio Quartararo.

Leading into the weekend, nine-time world champion Rossi announced that, after 26 years, he will retire from the sport at the end of the season.

Q1 was closely fought. It appeared as though reigning Moto2 champion Enea Bastianini and Alex Marquez had progressed – however the former was found to have exceeded track limits and had his crucial best lap invalidated.

His second time was only good enough to give him 20th on the grid and allowed Oliveira to progress into Q2 with Marquez, notably eliminating Jorge Martin – joins the list of MotoGP winners.

Martin held of Mir (above) to take his first MotoGP win (and the first for Pramac Ducati). The race was restarted after a fiery opening lap incident involving Pedrosa and Savadori. (left).

factory Suzuki rider Alex Rins.

In the second segment it appeared that Frenchman Quartararo had taken pole position, however, like Bastianini he was found to have exceeded track limits on his lap record setting lap and had it cancelled.

Martin inherited pole position, the only man to ever set a legal MotoGP time under the 83 second bracket, with a 1m 22.994s time. He took pole by just 0.044s from factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia, while Quartararo’s second-best time was good enough for third.

Miller qualified at the head of the second row ahead of Mir, championship contender Johann Zarco.

At the start of the race Martin was beaten to Turn 1 by Bagnaia. However, this would count for nothing as, on lap 2, the race came to an abrupt halt due to a massive fuel fire on the exit of Turn 3.

Wildcard Dani Pedrosa had crashed at slow speed and his KTM was hit by Lorenzo Savadori’s Aprilia, with both bikes bursting into flames.

The red flag was thrown and a lengthy clean-up operation took place. Pedrosa escaped uninjured and was able to take the restart on his spare bike, while

Savadori suffered a broken ankle.

As only one lap had been completed, the decision was taken to completely restart the race good news for Miller who had made a shocking start and fallen to ninth on the original start.

Miller took full advantage of the restart and claimed the lead from Martin at Turn 3, with Mir followed him through at the end of the opening lap.

The top five pulled a margin early with Miller leading Mir, Martin Quartararo and Zarco.

At Turn 3 on lap 3, Martin overtook Mir and a lap later repeated the move to take the lead from Miller.

Mir followed through on the same lap and the pair then pulled away leaving Miller pushing hard to stay in touch.

On lap 7 Miller made a mistake at Turn 3 and allowed the Yamaha of Quartararo by.

By the halfway stage of the race Martin and Mir had pulled a substantial margin on the trio fighting for third, with Miller now all over the tail of Quartararo.

Miller was getting closer and closer, but the Frenchman did not crack under pressure – in the end, it was the Aussie who made the error.

He carried too much speed into Turn 7, losing the front, and sliding into the gravel trap and out of the race.

Out front Martin and Mir could not be separated, but similarly to what had happened with Miller, it was the hunter who made the first error, running wide at Turn 3 on lap 22.

This allowed Martin off the hook and allowed him to take his maiden MotoGP race victory by 1.5s from fellow his fellow Spaniard Mir. Quartararo scored his seventh podium of the season with a third-place finish.

From 16th on the grid, KTM's Brad Binder charged through to finish fourth, brilliantly overtaking both Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami on the final lap.

Nakagami came home in fifth, leaving a disappointed Zarco in sixth ahead of Rins and the Marquez brothers, Marc and Alex.

Racing for the first time in two and a half years, veteran Pedrosa impressed by rounding out the top 10.

Bagnaia had led when the red flag was flown on the original start, but had no pace when the race restarted.

The Italian finished in 11th, ahead of Bastianini, Rossi, Luca Marini and Iker Lecuona.

Notably, Vinales finished 19th and outside of the points, as he had to start the restarted race from the pitlane after stalling on the grid.

BEZZECCHI WINS FIRST OF THE SEASON AS THE two KTM Ajo riders of Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez stumbled, Marco Bezzecchi stood his ground and took his first Moto2 victory of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Emotionally, he also claimed the win for the VR46 squad on the weekend that team owner Valentino Rossi announced his retirement from the sport.

The front running Ajo machines both had days to forget. Remy Gardner

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fought for the lead, but a late race mistake meant that he finished off the podium for just the second time this season.

Gardner came home in fourth but crucially ahead of his closest rival, teammate Raul Fernandez.

Bezzecchi who won the Styrian Grand Prix last year did it once again, taking a surprising victory from third on the grid.

With a blinding start the 22-year-old Italian led into

Turn 1, however after the first handful of laps he fell to third, Bezzecchi was not fazed and stayed in the leading group.

At the halfway stage of the race Gardner had pulled out a small margin of 0.7s from Aron Canet, Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura who sat line astern.

It was at this moment that Bezzecchi elected to turn his pace up a notch applying the pressure to Canet.

The Italian made the move stick on lap 15 into Turn 1, the very same lap that Ogura

FERNANDEZ SIGNS ALONGSIDE GARDNER

TURKISH DELIGHT Report: JOSH NEVETT Images: Motorsport Images TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU has closed to within three points of Superbike World Championship leader Jonathan Rea after a successful Round 6 in the Czech Republic.

The Turkish rider won Race 1 and the Superpole Race before finishing second in Race 2 to bag a strong haul of points, while Rea crashed out of Race 1 in a rare slip-up.

Englishman Scott Redding was the other big winner at Autodrom Most, securing a race victory in Race 2.

Rea started the weekend ominously by setting the fastest time in the opening Superpole session, a 1m 31.684s.

It was the sixth straight pole for the six-time champion, a feat that only four WorldSBK riders had achieved before him.

In the inaugural Superbike round at the Most circuit, Razgatlioglu and Redding were also on the pace just 0.067s and 0.474s slower, respectively.

Race 1 saw Razgatlioglu take a thrilling late triumph over Redding, making the crucial pass on the final lap.

Completing 22 laps of the new

circuit, the pair were left to fight for the race win after Rea crashed twice and consequentially retired.

The Yamaha and Ducati riders traded places several times across the course of the race but heading into the final lap Redding was on top.

It took a flawless display through Turn 16, 17, 18 and 19 for Razgatlioglu to stay in the hunt, and he took full advantage at Turn 20, running Redding wide.

Out of the last corner Redding threatened to steal back the lead yet again but ran out of track as Razgatlioglu won a thrilling encounter by just 0.04s The Turk's teammate, Andrea Locatelli, completed the podium, 13.838s behind the leaders.

Michael Rinaldi and Axel Bassani were fourth and fifth respectively on their Ducatis.

Rounding out the top 10 were Garrett Gerloff, Alvaro Bautista, Leon Haslam, Tom Sykes and Marvin Fritz.

The Superpole Race was more of the same for Pata Yamaha rider Razgatlioglu, who made it two from two for the round.

Setting the top nine on the grid for Race 2, the 10-lap Superpole Race was dominated by the championship leaders as Redding

received a warning for abusing track limits.

While Bezzecchi was catching the race leader, Ogura set about overtaking Canet and the two became locked in a fierce battle and as a result fell to a second behind the leading duo.

It did not take long for Bezzecchi to catch up to the race leading Australian and made light work of him, the VR46 rider breezed by Gardner into Turn 1 on lap 19.

Bezzecchi then ran wide at Turn 3, allowing Gardner back into the lead – however he retook the Aussie at Turn 4.

The following lap, trying to

keep on the tail of Bezzecchi, Gardner made an unforced error at Turn 4 Too late on the brakes, he was forced to take a tour of the gravel and re-joined in fifth.

Ogura had overtaken Canet and now, after Gardner’s mistake, sat in second on course for his first career podium.

Surprisingly Agura began to chip into Bezzecchi’s lead, however before he could catch the Italian, he was dealt a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits five times.

This let Bezzecchi off the hook and allowed him to take his first

and Rea rounded out the podium.

Razgatlioglu led from lights to flag in the sprint, while Rea made further uncharacteristic mistakes in his pursuit of top spot relinquishing second to Redding.

Redding managed to turn the tables for Kawasaki in Race 2, maintaining his title challenge with a win.

Despite a slow start, the Ducati rider was gradually able to reel in Race 1 winner Razgatlioglu, taking the lead at Turn 1 on lap 5.

Once Redding hit the front he never looked back, cruising to a final margin of 3.587s ahead of Razgatlioglu.

Rea maintained the three-rider monopoly on podium places, finishing third 12.460s behind the victor.

Locatelli was relatively lonely in fourth place, ahead of a mad scramble from fifth to eighth which was won by Rinaldi over Lowes, Michael van der Mark and Gerloff.

Sykes and Bautista rounded out the top 10.

The next round will take place at the Circuito de Navarra from August 20-22.

Points: Rea 266, Razgatlioglu 263, Redding 216, Lowes 143, Rinaldi 135 win of the season, Canet came home in second ahead of the lonely Augusto Fernandez.

Gardner came home a disappointing fourth ahead of the penalised Ogura.

Gardner’s teammate Raul Fernandez struggled to keep up with the leading pack early on and a mistake at Turn 9 buried him down the order.

He sat sixth on the final lap but was pipped by Celestino Vietti who started from 19th on the grid, Fernandez came home seventh.

Points: Gardner 197, R Fernandez 162, Bezzecchi 153, Lowes 101, Di Giannantonio

KTM HAS confirmed that speedy Spaniard Raul Fernandez will step up to MotoGP and race for the Tech3 KTM outfit alongside Australian Remy Gardner.

Gardner and Fernandez have been teammates at the front running Ajo KTM squad in Moto2 this season.

The duo have dominated the season to date with Gardner and Fernandez taking three wins apiece.

It was announced several months ago that current championship leader Gardner would step up to ride for the satellite KTM outfit Tech 3.

Fernandez was expected to be confirmed as the second rider in the team for next season – but not in the middle of Saturday’s fourth MotoGP practice session.

The Spaniard’s promotion locks in KTM’s quartet of riders for 2022, with Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder remaining with the factory team and Gardner and Fernandez moving up to MotoGP into Tech3.

Fernandez is a Moto2 rookie after stepping up from Moto3 last year, his fast development in the intermediate class the key to the Austrian manufacturer giving him a MotoGP contract.

“I’m happy to announce that Raul will move into the MotoGP class with us, and this further proves that our KTM GP Academy project is working from the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup all the way to MotoGP,” said KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer.

“We all know that Raul is an outstanding talent. His jump from Moto3 to Moto2 had some question marks but he showed repeatedly that he is an excellent rider on the bigger bike, which was our original thought and hope because he was quite tall for Moto3.

“Going to MotoGP so quickly wasn’t part of the initial plan but he has demonstrated that he has the potential.

“The Moto2 line-up at the moment with Remy is like a dream team, so to move both of them to the premier class makes it very strong.”

“Honestly, I’m really pleased with this opportunity from KTM,” said Fernandez.

“I’ve been learning a lot and enjoying Moto2 and was able to get into a position where I have this chance to enter MotoGP and for which I’m very grateful, it’s the dream of any rider to arrive to this class.

“Right now, the most important thing is to keep focusing on this season and giving all I have up until the last race to try and fight for the championship.

“If it doesn’t work out then fine, everything happens for a reason, and you have to look towards the positives.

“I’ve been a rookie this year and I want to close the chapter and then start again for 2022 where I’ll be looking to find a good feeling on the bike and, above all, aiming to enjoy myself.”

Both current Tech 3 riders Petrucci and Lecuona are without a ride for next season.

Dan McCarthy

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p ra w S L A N NATIO

Image: Elgee

RONDO ROUND BREAKTHOUGH

CMR Photographic

IT WAS the first victory for Craig Rondo, with Stephen Wade, at the third round of the Dunlop Tyres Western Australia Rally Championship, the Grimwade Stages on July 24.

The event, which was held around the Grimwade plantation, was the organised by the South West Touring Car Club, their first in over 30 years and attracted 27 entries.

Crewed in a Subaru Impreza WRX, Rondo and Wade won the eightstage event by 8.7s over Ben Searcy and Daymon Nicoli (Mitsubishi EVO

9). Searcy won the final two stages, but it was not enough to overall the winners after losing around 21s to them on Stages 2 and 4.

Jack Flanagan and Camden Puzey (WRX) were a distant third in what looked likely to go to David Thomas and Paul Helm (WRX). They were comfortably fourth behind the three front runners until a puncture 10kms from the end of Stage 6.

The dramas for Thomas and O’Dowd also benefitted Ali Aslam and Scott Beckwith (WRX) and Glenn Alcorn and Jonathan

Charlesson (Ford Fiesta) with the two crews able to net fourth and fifth respectively.

The latter were first in 2WD and, for the most part, battled with class rival Mark Travers and Jeremy Edwards in their Toyota AE86. Traves was ahead after the first two stages, before each crew took stage wins. In the end Alcorn was 13.5s ahead.

Behind them came Gary Mills/ Mitchell Gray (Fiesta), Thomas, Michael Steele/Kat0e Oxley (Nissan S13), and Keith Hamilton and Nathan Quartermaine in their WRX.

Other notables to have dramas included Kody Reynolds and Anthony Staltari when their WRX caught fire, and mechanical problems spelled the end for Garry Whittle/Stephen Vass (WRX), and Razvan and Ioana Vlad in their Peugeot 208.

Clubman Cup honours went to Glenn Cawood and Murish O’Connell (Mitsubishi Lancer) over Bruce Lake and Peter Hall (Datsun 240Z) by 30s, with third going to Michael Conner and Eden Hughes (Hyundai Excel). Garry O’Brien

LET’S GO WENT THE TEAM of “Lets Go Racing” were a dominant force in this year’s Sporties 12 Hour off road endurance event at Mt Ooraminna on the weekend of July 31-August 1.

One of the more difficult events on the Alice Springs Off Road Racing Club’s calendar, the two-car teams had to cover as many laps of the 68-kilometre course as possible in 12 hours.

The winning team was made up of two ProLites in the hands of Greg ‘Hooker’ and Julie Hicks (Sollitt/ Subaru), and Jack and Tim Weir (Jimco/Toyota – pictured).

They opted to do two laps each at a time and ultimately completed 16 laps with Hicks also posting the fastest lap, worth a cool $5,000.

“Chucky Boys” surrendered second place to “Crazy Muda Truckers” early, but Andrew Mowles (ProLite Razorback/

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BMW) and Jacob Booth (Pro Buggy Porter/Chev) came back for second, on the same lap and 25mins behind the winners.

“Crazy Muda Truckers” consisted of Shannon Lander and Leighton Surr in two Extreme 2WDs but lost valuable time when Lander had to change a diff centre out on track.

Fifth at the start, “Them And Us” in a pair of Super 1650s, driven by Darren Wright and Ken Callanan, progressed through to finish in third place and finished one lap behind, with 15 covered after Wright hit a tree and drove two laps with damage and no air cleaner.

One lap further away were Runafuq, a team made up of one Extreme 2WD (David Bird) and a SXS Turbo (Ben Oliver), ahead of the “Water Rats”, two SXS Sports piloted by Brad

Paddy Weir

Geraghty and Rick Chambers. The pair completed 13 laps, as did “3 and a 1/2 Amigos” with their Performance 2WD and Sportslite machines.

With 12 laps completed “Us Mob” in their Perf 2WD and Super 1650 were eighth ahead of the Super 1650 duo

of “Young & Restless” and “My Little Pony” in an Ext 2WD and a Super 1650.

Only the similarly equipped “Foley Racing Team” were classified as nonfinishers after their Ext 2WD suffered transmission issues and the Super 1650 blew a head gasket. Garry O’Brien

Ontic

DOUBLE UP FOR DOUBLE DECKER

SCCA

ROUND THREE IN A BREEZE UTILISING LESS than half the available runs, David Mahon posted the FTD on the Collingrove hillclimb course on July 18. It was overwhelmingly the best at the third round of the Sporting Car Club of SA’s Winter Challenge Trophy Series.

In his Formula Libre Up to 1300cc Hayabusa-powered Dallara F394, Mahon quickest run came on his third try with a 29.82s. That was 2.64s better than David Whiteside (F/L 3001-5000cc Cheap BOSS) while third placed Gavin Farley (Mitsubishi EVO 7

4WD Rally Car) was the quickest of the tin tops.

The latter had it tough with many not far off his time. Nathan Green (Road Registered 4WD Nissan Skyline GTR) was just 0.04s away in fourth, Then came Damien Brand (Subaru Impreza WRX STi), Alex Wilson (Improved Production Audi A4), and Roy Michie (Cheap BOSS).

Second in Rally Cars, Brenton Byfield (WRX) was next ahead of class rival Paul Keen (EVO 7 Rally Car) and David Coombe (EVO 7 Road Registered.

The latter was just over six-tenths of a second off third with all netting at least one run under 35s.

There were only two of the 64 that posted times in the 35s, David Harris and Jay Frost, both steering WRXs in Sports Sedans and Rally Cars, respectively. Also only two made it into the 36s bracket, namely Geoff Vardon (Datsun 1200 Coupe Sports Sedan) and Sim Barker (Improved Production WRX) while there were many that followed with times in the 37s and 38s.

Garry O’Brien

DEANS ONE AND TWO AT MT COTTON

Ian Colley

ROUND FOUR of the MG Car Club of Queensland’s Hillclimb Series at Mt Cotton on July 31-August 1 was on between the two Deans, Amos and Tighe for outright honours.

With up to 15 runs available and over 50 entries, Amos (pictured) was able to topple his rival for his third series FTD in a row. At the helm of his Gould GR55B/Nicholson McLaren V8, Amos posted an unmatchable 36.17s flyer on the 12th run. It was just 0.01s outside his own course record while four of his other passes would have also taken the day.

Over 1.3-litre Formula Libre class cars occupied the top four outright

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places with Tight (Empire Wraith/ supercharged Hayabusa) second on 36.78s and second again.

Warwick Hutchinson (Warwick Hutchinson (OMS 28 RPV03/Rotary turbo) was third with a personal best, ahead of Brett Bull (Van Diemen RF03 turbo) after times of 37.57s and 38.13s respectively.

Fifth place went to David Quelch who missed going sub 40s by 0.71s in his Formula Libre up to 1.3-lt Honda DPQ03 on his second run, and placed ahead of Greg Tebble (Group R Racing Van Diemen FF2000). Seventh outright Ross McKay was not only the fastest tin-

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top in his 2.0-lt Sports Sedan Ford Escort, but is also the overall points leader as the title is based on class performances.

McKay’s class rival Gavin Taylor (VW Golf) scored ninth outright as the pair was split by Michael Larymore (Production Sports Toyota MR2) while Rick Miles (Kookaburra Formula Ford) was 10th.

At the end of the meeting the top six had their customary additional run in what is a separate points score. Amos was fastest ahead of Tighe and Hutchinson and extends his lead with his third straight win.

Garry O’Brien

DOUBLE DECKER RACING backed up their big win last time out, to take out the third round of the MotorsportSales OzEnduoCup at Queensland Raceway on July 23-24.

Team up in a BMW 325, Peter Jolly.

Brian McDonald, Gerard Forde and Mark Vilgan covered 592 laps in 29 and a quarter hours over two days and won by four laps. They were up by five, but had to conserve fuel over the last couple of hours.

After a few bad luck issues at previous OzE events, team beAUtiful in the Ford Falcon AU finished second with Tim McDonald, Chris McDonald, Kye McLady and M Davis sharing the driving duties. They finished 30 laps ahead of the next competitors.

The first outing was run last November at QR before round two at Lakeside Park in May. This time it back to the Ipswich circuit and, interestingly ran on the Clubman circuit on day one, and on the Sprint circuit on day two and to spice things further, rain fell, quite heavy at times. through day one to give the novices another element to digest.

Poor Again Racing in a Ford Laser was the early leader, for the first three laps before Synforce (Audi A4) led for 17 laps. Team BeAUtiful (two laps) and Young Veterans (24 laps) also sampled the front running before DDR led from there to the finish.

The Young Veterans team’s Laser didn’t get to the finish, but their motorsport programme was an interesting one which involved integrating veterans back into the community post service. They cycled through more than dozen drivers, and a team of 20 to get and keep the car on track.

The Motorsport Sales OzEnduo Cup, put together by Ontic Sports, is for budget-minded competitors with an interest in endurance events.

These events are for low-cost vehicles with a Redbook trade-in value of $2,000 or less. Trophies are awarded for most laps and fastest lap, both overall and for cars that are valued at $1000 or less (1k Cup).

Garry O’Brien

AutoAction 55

NATIONALS wrap n compiled by garry o’brie

WA’S WEATHER STEPS IN AGAIN COVID DIDN’T kill the July Race Meeting and it didn’t this time either, but the WA Sporting Car Club’s August Race Meeting on the first of the month was again cut short because of adverse weather.

Strong wind warnings were out as the meeting began. It rained during the day and in the early afternoon a power blackout struck Perth and the surrounding areas. This suspended the racing and when the situation had not changed after a couple of hours, the meeting was abandoned.

There were several feature races scheduled with the Make Smoking History Improved Production’s Tander Cup the headline act along with the Kostera Cup and Perth Motorsport Tyres Cup for FSR State Championship Radicals and F1000s.

Overall there were 100 competitors across seven race categories entered, despite the Free Formula and Historic Sports and Racing classes withdrawing due to the forecasted conditions.

Mick Oliver

THE FSR contest was quite close, but Max McRae (above) won the opening race before rain intervened.

IMPROVED PRODUCTION

AHEAD OF the Tander Trophy Nik Mitic (BMW E36 M3) out-qualified the Holden Monaros driven by Reuben Romkes and Matt Cherry in slippery conditions.

It was dry for the first race where Cherry went straight to the front and stayed there. Mitic was second with Romkes third, well clear of Ben Riley (Honda Integra Type R) and John Callegari (Holden Commodore). Unfortunately there was no second race.

FSR

REGULAR RALLY driver Max McRae showed a deft hand in a Radical when he qualified fourth, just 0.2 off pole, and won the first race. Andrew Malkin (Radical) was the early leader before he eventually finished third behind Adam Lisle (Radical) who started fifth and finished right on McRae’s exhausts.

Pole man Gianni Lutzu (Stohr) was fifth well in arrears of Elliott Schutte (Radical).

The rain bucketed down as the cars formed up on the grid for race two. The red flags were out almost immediately when one car slid off at Turn 1. The decision was taken that it would be a wet restart and slick-shod cars would have to change to wets or not start.

The bizarre scenario left Malkin on his own and he duly went on to win the six-lapper.

FORMULA FORDS

QUALIFYING AND both races were headed by Ben Leslie (Stealth) while the weekend unveiled a potential new talent in 14-year-old Noah Lisle (Stealth) who was second overall in just his second race meeting.

Race one was between Leslie and Mark Pickett (Van Diemen) as they broke away from the rest. Their fight for the lead lasted until lap six when Pickett went off in turn 1. Lisle started fifth on the grid and forged through to head

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Mick Oliver

Richard Bloomfiled (above) took out the Sports Car race; John Young did the same in Historic Touring Cars (below).

Commodore VT) and Marc Watkins (Pro Am Commodore VN).

Race one was red flagged on the first lap after a car was off at Turn 1. Rick Gill (Ford Falcon AU) retired with his bonnet bent over the windscreen before the restart saw Johnson the early leader before Brock Boley (VT) passed him on lap three. The latter then slowly opened up a gap on Johnson and Brad Boley (VT) who was passed by Rob Perrozzi (VT) on lap six.

Brock Boley had the race won until the crank angle sensor broke on the last lap and Johnson was able to sneak past at Turn 7 for a narrow win. In Pro Am, Watkins made a great start which meant little because of the red flag.

Michael Holdcroft (Falcon EA) beat him away at the restart and held off Watkins until the last lap. Damien Stephens (VP) was a distant third and equally clear of Michael Koberstein (VN).

SPORTS SEDANS & SPORTS CARS Mick Oliver

home Tomas Chapman (Van Diemen).

It was tight for fourth between Craig Jorgensen and Marc Redman with the Van Diemen pilots split by less than two tenths.

Leslie won the second race from Lisle.

Pickett was a DNF in race one and started rear of grid. He finished third ahead of Chapman, Jorgensen and Redman.

EXCEL CUP

WITH TWO races run, fastest in qualifying and a first up victory, Tayla Dicker was the overall round winner ahead of Brett Sherriff.

Dicker took the lead from the start in race one and won by just under 2s.

Carlos Ambrosio and Jake Passaris fought over the minors throughout with

Sherriff unable to pass. On the last lap Passaris had a moment and dropped to seventh. Harrison Douglas was third ahead of Jackson Callo, Cameron Atkins and Sherriff who along with Callo, started rear of grid after they were disqualified from the qualifying session.

At the outset of race two Callo led narrowly from Dicker and Ambrosio.

Sherriff took second on lap three when he passed Dicker and Ambrosio. Two laps later Sherriff overtook Callo and secured the race win while Dicker was third. The feature two-driver enduro race three did not proceed.

SALOON CARS

THE TWO-TEIR class winners, albeit with only one race completed were Grant Johnson (Pro Holden

THE SINGLE race was won by Richard Bloomfield in his Porsche 997 GT3-R. Grant Hill (ex-Supercar Ford Falcon BF) was the best away, but Bloomfield had his measure before the end of the first lap. Walter Epple (Porsche 997) held third before he was chased down and passed by Arthur Abrahams (Huracan Super Trofeo) once he eventually passed Ryan Humfrey (Falcon/Chev Sports Sedan).

HISTORIC TOURING CARS

JOHN BONDI in his Holden Monaro took off from pole in what turned out to be the only race to lead John Young (Holden Torana XU-1) and Simon Northey (Ford Mustang). Bondi’s lead didn’t last as he fell to seventh on lap two. Northey soon lost his second spot to Cono Onofaro (Morris Cooper S), and later third to the recovering Bondi.

Mick Oliver

s w e n Y A W D SPEE

KARPENKO TAKES DARWIN TITLE! Words: Paris Charles Image: Richard Hathaway

THE 7MATE Northline Speedway warmed up with a delightful 27 degree night, attracting a field of 14 competitors for the running of the 2021 Darwin Sprintcar Title. Local gun Chace Karpenko continued his solid form to claim back to back feature race wins at the venue while others fell behind him in an incident plagued feature, gifting the West Australian based Matt Muir Motorsports team a Darwin Title to their mantle.

With 25-laps on the board Karpenko would start from Pole Position and sharing the front row was West Australian Kaiden Manders. At the drop of the green the pair drag raced to the first corner only for the yellow lights to blaze when Queensland young gun Jy Corbet spun in the opening corner to bring the field back together for a complete restart.

Take two, and Karpenko got the jump as Manders wheelied the J&S Drilling W60 entry off the line, quickly dropping to fourth as Hayden Brown and Callum Williamson driving for the West Australian Monte Motorsports team sailed past. Cori Jackson would soon retire the NT22 NT Energy Airconditioning Maxim on just the second circulation and just five laps later the reds were ablaze when

Williamson rolled the Avalon Group W17 Maxim after tagging the wall while holding down third place. Sadly, for Andrew Corbet the Queenslander tagged the destroyed car of Williamson as he went past, also forcing him out, with damage to the right rear of the car.

Manders would be the next retiree just one circulation after the restart, elevating Kale Quinlan into the top three. Third proved to be the bogey position – just two laps later the red lights again were on as Quinlan found himself inverted in Turn 4 and became the third entry to retire from the event while locking down third position.

It went green again with 15 laps remaining. Karpenko led Brown with Danny Porter now elevated into the top three only for the red lights to blaze again just three circulations when Victorian David Donegan rolled ‘the Sprint Pig’ over and out of the event while defending fourth position from Ben Atkinson.

With clear track a head Karpenko again checked out with young gun Brown close in tow. Further back

an enthralling battle had developed between veterans Porter and Atkinson who would successfully challenge for third aboard the immaculately presented Aeroflow Performance D2, while Porter’s promising run began to fade as he dropped back to sixth in the latter stages.

Karpenko, the only competitor to break into the 11 second bracket with an 11.770, took the National Karate W53 KRE powered Cool to an untroubled victory over Brown who showed fantastic form debuting a brand new Mawpump supported car, with Atkinson claiming the final step on the podium. Fourth was Jason Gebert followed by second generation Victorian Todd Moule who continues to learn his craft. Porter and Alice Springs’ Lenny Cole rounded out the finishers.

Heat race wins were shared with Kaiden Manders, Chace Karpenko, Hayden Brown and Danny Porter claiming a single each.

The support divisions also provided great racing across all six classes which included both two and

four wheeled action and, just like Karpenko going back to back over consecutive meetings, many of the same competitors would also claim successive feature races. These include Tim Feehan in Dirt Karts followed by Johnny Spitzbarth and Michael Brown.

Queensland’s Cameron Jaenke proving too strong in the Formula 500s with Boysie Bartholdt and Mitchell Northey in the top three. Justin Brumfield was unbeatable winning both Street Stock heat races and feature aboard his Frontier Cement Supplies Commodore claiming victory over Scott Bradbury and Kane Lloyd. At just 10 years of age, River Spitzbath is a rising force amongst the Junior Sedans claiming victory over Xavier Gotts and William Prest. The Bikes were again won by fearless throttle twister Ryan Pope over Jarrod Mackenzie and Daniel Field. The only new addition to the winners club this meeting was Jamie McInnes who piloted his Total Tools entry to victory in the 15-lap Darwin Wingless Sprint Title.

Troy Carey and Daniel Goldoni would round out the podium placings.

WALSH’S WHITEWASH FOR CAIRNS VISIT Words: Paris Charles Image: Gordon Greaves THE NEWLY formed LS powered Sprintcar division in far north Queensland continues to build momentum. With 15 cars having taken to the track thus far and another two cars still to debut in the Northern Queensland Series, things are on the up for the budget minded class. The series is scheduled to run over eight rounds shared between the Cairns International Speedway and Mareeba Speedway.

Recently, the LS series visited the Cairns International Speedway for round three.

Going into the 20-lap feature race the Walsh Motorsport father and son team of Mike and Brian Walsh shared the front row aboard their matching Wholesale Paint Group Triple

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X’s and would battle it out for the family bragging rights.

At the drop of the green, Brian, in the Koppens Construction NQ3, entry led his dad – however the race would quickly be recalled as Gweson Dalliston, Mace Papworth and Cameron King tangled, sending cars scurrying to find a way through the back straight congestion. Dalliston would re-join for the complete restart however Papworth and King would retire to the infield with damage.

Take two: Brian led Mike as the field got away without incident, Wes Jenkins, Dalliston and Richie Rob all in tow. As the laps began to peel away the field would widen with each car running in open real-estate and it would remain that way until Dalliston, who was the fastest car on the

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track, brought the Centerpoint Windscreens & Tinting NQ65 to a halt after spinning on the front straight with just two circulations remaining.

From the Indian file restart Brian would again make the most of the wide open space in front and go on to claim a flag to flag victory over Mike.

Jenkins joined the Walsh’s on the final step of the podium for third. Dalliston advanced one, relegating Rob to fifth.

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Heat race wins were shared between Brian Walsh and Gweson Dalliston.

After three rounds of competition Brian leads Mike in the point score followed by Wes Jenkins, Cameron King, Richie Rob, Leigh Holman, Gewson Dalliston, Mace Papworth, Josh Sinnot and Brett Sciban, Andrew Sues, Nathan Knight, Steve Horton, Gary Finglas and Rob Wilkins rounding out the points.

In the open wheeled supporting classes Bitumen Karting racer Brodie Davis found the fastest way to the finish line in the 20-lap Formula 500’s final over Matthew Fleming and former Queensland champion Kaydon Iverson. In the F500 Juniors Brody Duncan, Summer Allen and Nate Campbell shared the podium.

Terry O’Brien showed why he is the reigning state champion to claim victory in the wingless Formula 400 class over Dale Butterworth and Les Pollock.

The 125 Karts were claimed

by Darren Holmes and Alex Drew proved too strong in the Junior Karts.

For tin-top fans it was a Manly 1-2 with Steve and his Dad David topping the lap charts in their matching Affordable Towing Modified Sedans; third was Graham Klienhans. The Super Street Sedans feature race was claimed by Peter Butler over Owen Rankine and Brad Brook.

AutoAction 57

We take a look back at what was making news in Auto Action 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago

Across

1. Who is the youngest driver to win the French classic? (surname) 5. Only driver to win Le Mans and F1 championship in the same year? (full name) 6. Who is the most recent driver to win outright on debut? (surname) 9. What manufacturer has the most wins Le Mans 24 Hour race wins?

13. What position did the Le Mans winning #8 Toyota start from in the race last year?

14. Matt Campbell will race with Jaxon Evans this year – what nationality is Evans?

16. Who has won both the Bathurst 1000 and Le Mans 24 Hours in the same year? (surname) 20. How many times has Toyota won Le Mans consecutively leading into the 2021 edition?

1971: ALLAN MOFFAT and Bob Jane were both fined $50 for an incident at Calder. During a hard fought battle in the Improved Touring Car final, the two cars made significant contact under brakes on the back straight which resulted in both leaving the circuit. Moffat would take the flag but was soon disqualified. Later that day the victory was reinstated but the Canadian along with Jane was fined $50. On the same weekend a gentleman had his Valiant Pacer stolen and driven onto the circuit during a race – a 22-yearold man was arrested soon after.

1981: A BIG Fortnight of national motor racing saw AA’s Mark Fogarty reveal Allan Moffat’s brand-new Mazda RX-7. It was also confirmed that Moffat would be backed by Rothmans for his highly anticipated Australian Touring Car Championship comeback. Elsewhere, the first pictures of the Nissan’s first ever Bathurst 1000 challenger were revealed, the popular Nissan Bluebird. Peter Brock and John Harvey won the CRC 300 at Amaroo Park.

1991: AFTER MARK Skaife dominated the final round of the 1991 ATCC season at Oran Park, Shell announced it would sponsor the following season. However Shell manager Peter Blundell expressed his concern about the future of the category, stating that the series must address the cost of racing and put more focus on developing young drivers.

2001: PETER BROCK announced intentions to create a V8 Supercar team called Team Brock in conjunction with his son James. The plan was that this would allow Brock to follow in the footsteps of his nine-time Bathurst 1000-winning father as an ATCC/V8 Supercars Championship driver. In Formula 1, with the teams on their mid-season break, Heinz-Harold Frentzen was sacked by Jordan after fighting for the title with the team in 1999.

2011: THIS TIME a decade ago the film Senna was released in cinemas around the world which Auto Action gave a thorough review. Nationally Ford Performance Racing was looking to lock in its driver line-up for the 2012 season with Lee Holdsworth, Dean Canto, Luke Youlden, Fabian Coulthard, Alex Davison and Steve Owen all potential candidates.

first to what?

30. What was the last French manufacturer to win the 24 hour?

Down

22. Which manufacturer won its sole Le Mans 24 Hours in 1995?

23. Which German marque won the race in 1999?

24. What manufacturer won the GTE Pro Championship last year but will not defend its crown?

27. How many times did Allan McNish win Le Mans with Porsche?

28. Aussie Scott Andrews will make his debut in the race this year, what brand will he race for in GTE Am? 29. In 1983 Porsche dominated the race and locked out positions from

2. How many times did Brendon Hartley win Le Mans with Mark Webber?

3. Which Australian former IndyCar driver will race for Glickenhaus? (surname) 4. In 1970 several chicanes were added to the circuit’s legendary long straight named what?

7. What number car will Jaxon Evans and Matt Campbell drive at Le Mans this year?

8. Which American team will make its debut in the Hypercar Class this year?

10. How many times has Ferrari won the legendary race?

11. Which Australian holds the record for the most amount of starts

before winning the race with 16? (full name) 12. Who holds the record for the most wins? (surname) 15. What tyre brand do the Hypercars run on in the World Endurance Championship?

17. Which LMP2 team will Aussie James Allen race for this year?

18. Who was the third driver to win the Le Mans 24 Hour last year alongside Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley? (surname) 19. Which tyre brand holds a record 34 outright Le Mans 24 Hour victories?

21. Only driver to win Indy 500 and Le mans in the same year? (surname) 25. How many times has Fernando Alonso won the 24-hour race?

26. Which five time Le mans winner holds the record of 19 finishes? (surname)

#1816 Crossword Answers 1 down – Peugeot, 2 down – Brazil, 3 across – Argentina, 4 down – Alan Jones, 5 across – Argentina, 6 down – Graham Hill, 7 across – twelve, 8 across – Niki Lauda, 9 down – third,10 across – seventy-nine,11 down – Nelson Piquet,12 across – seventh,13 across – Lotus,14 across – Keke Rosberg,15 across – European Formula Two,16 down – one, 17 down – Williams, 18 across – Buenos Aires, 19 down – first 20 down – zero, 21 down – three, 22 across – six, 23 across – Schenken, 24 down – Canada, 25 across – Brabham,26 down – fifth, 27 across – second, 28 across – Politics, 29 across – two

58 AutoAction

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