Author: Desi Racing Co

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MotoGP

Baguettes & Bikes at the Bugatti Circuit: MotoGP French GP Review

Baguettes & Bikes at the Bugatti Circuit: MotoGP French GP Review

After a majestic run at Jerez last month, all eleven teams arrived at the famous Circuit de la Sarthe for the French Grand Prix. More specifically, they raced at the Bugatti circuit. So let’s look at all that happened over the weekend as the 1000cc monsters arrived on the French tarmac.

As the MotoGP paddock arrived at the French Grand Prix to race for the 23rd time in this century, there was hope in the air. Jorge Martin wanted to claw back some points after his DNF at the last race. Francesco Bagnaia eyed on keeping his winning streak on as Marc Marquez hoped to set his #93 Ducati on the top steps of the podium. All the heavy hitters looked forward to their weekend in France.

The weekend lasted from the 9th of May to the 12th of May and presented itself as a sprint weekend. It comprised 2 Free Practice sessions on Friday, 2 Qualifying sessions & a sprint race on Saturday with the main race on Sunday.

Qualifying

It was a competitive Q1 session with Enea Bastianini storming to the top spot to secure a spot in Q2. ‘The Beast’ set a brilliant 1:30.233 with his Ducati. However, all eyes quickly turned to the start of Q2 with Jorge Martin putting the hammer down instantly, setting an all-time lap record on the opening flying lap. Martin quickly improved setting the first ever 1:29.919 lap around Le Mans – 0.192s quicker than Bagnaia.

However, some key contenders are missing from the front three rows,  most notably Marc Marquez, who will start from 13th on the grid on Saturday and Sunday with a huge task ahead. Marc Marquez had a huge save in Q1 after losing the front and running off the track.

The final qualifying grid stood with Jorge Martin on pole with his championship rival Francesco Bagnaia in a close second and Aprilia Racing’s Maverick Viñales occupying P3.

Sprint

It was redemption day for Jorge Martin as the Spaniard took victory on French soil. It was his 12th Sprint win after starting from Pole Position. The #93 of Marc Marquez followed by in P2 after a stunning recovery after starting in P13 and the podium was completed by Maverick Viñales in P3.

Reigning world champion and Jorge Martin’s championship rival Bagnaia fell down the order and then fell out of contention as he seemed to be suffering some issue with his Ducati.

Espargaro recovered from his double Long Lap to finish fifth, with Acosta taking a solid sixth and putting in a final corner save. Di Giannantonio held off Miller for seventh, with Raul Fernandez taking the final point on Saturday… just marginally ahead of home hero Fabio Quartararo.

Race

The lights went out at the Bugatti Circuit and Pecco Bagnaia shot off into the lead with Martin close behind and Aleix Espargaro in third place. Francesco Morbidelli seemed to be the biggest loser at the start as he dropped 8 places while Marc Marquez gained 5 places and showed why he was still a force to be reckoned with.

Two laps into the race, the yellow flag was brought out as Pedro Acosta found himself in the gravel. The yellow flag was brought out again a lap later as Marco Bezzecchi crashed out. The winner of last year’s Grand Prix was left dejected in the gravel as his race came to an unnerving end.

Lap 6 saw some action in between the #12 Aprilia of Maverick Viñales and the #93 Ducati of Marc Marquez, who scrapped for 5th position. Marquez seemed to be gaining positions as the turns went by, starting from P13 and moving all the way to P6 in the span of 6 laps.

Fabio Quartararo fell out of contention as well by DNFing on Lap 17. Fabio Di Giannantonio was hit with a penalty as he cut the corner during his skirmish with his fellow riders.

Lap 19 saw action between the titans up ahead of the field. Jorge Martin efficiently placed his bike right up on Francesco Bagnaia’s rear and sought to attack the Italian. As the Spaniard moved closer, Pecco used his genius to sway away Martin and maintain his lead in the race.

On Lap 21, Pecco went to wide into a corner which gave Jorge a chance to take the lead. This mistake costed the Italian twice as much as there was a fiery Marquez closing in. Marquez had cleared off Viñales, Espargaro and Di Giannantonio to move up to P3.

By Lap 25, the top three riders were too close to comfort. One small error could cost one’s race, maybe even the entire trio’s race.

Lap 27 had Marc Marquez in a trance as the Gresini rider overtook the Ducati rider in spectacular fashion to take P2 leaving Bagnaia in the dust.

The French Grand Prix came to a close with Jorge Martin taking the chequered flag with an ecstatic Marc Marquez taking P2 and a somewhat dejected Francesco Bagnaia settling for P3.

It was a Spanish 1-2 and Jorge Martin was proud to wave his country’s flag on his cooldown lap by wearing it as a cape. Home hero Fabio Quartararo went up to the grandstands and gave away his racing boots to his home folk as a gesture of gratitude.

The Podium celebrations took a funny turn as the Michelin Man mascot took part in the spraying of the champagne as well. Gresini Racing were proud to see their boy Marc on the podium as it was their 1000th Grand Prix start in MotoGP.

All in all, the French Grand Prix provided some brilliant action for us fans. It provided hopeful highs and destressing lows for the riders.

Race Classification

Championship Standings

Here’s how the Championship stands after the French Grand Prix:

Next up is the Catalan Grand Prix held at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from the 23rd of May to the 26th of May.

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MotoGP

There’s a new cowboy in town. DRC’s MotoGP Americas GP review

The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas was a thrilling spectacle, with new names emerging, old names making a comeback, and records being shattered. The Circuit of the Americas was the stage for all the action, and here’s a recap of the heart-pounding events that unfolded.

BatMav’s Comeback

Maverick Vinales was a man on the mission. After his DNF in the previous round, it was a picture-perfect weekend for Vinales. On Saturday, he secured the pole at 2:00.864, smashing the all-time lap record around COTA. He conquered COTA on Saturday by winning the sprint race and was all set to do the treble on Sunday. The lights went out in Texas, and instead of a rocket launch from the pole, Viñales suffered a dismal holeshot. Dropping to a lowly 11th on the first lap, the unthinkable seemed a possibility, but the Spaniard didn’t give up and started his comeback. He started picking up off riders with precision, and Viñales clawed his way back into contention. By mid-race, he was breathing down the leaders’ necks, and on Lap 13, the unthinkable became reality. Viñales snatched the lead and never looked back, crossing the line as a dominant victor.
This win etched Viñales’ name in MotoGP™ history as the first rider to win races with three manufacturers – Suzuki, Yamaha, and now Aprilia.

Ducati’s Dynasty in Doubt?

The Ducati, the bike to beat on every circuit, faced an unexpected challenge in the Texas heat. While Enea Bastianini secured a valiant podium finish after a late charge, the factory machines of Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia were left wanting. Martin, the championship leader, struggled for grip. In a surprising twist, Martin fell off the podium place and finished in p4 while Bagnaia finished p5. This unexpected turn of events raises the question Is this a one-off blip or are there some serious concerns in the box of the reigning champions?

The Shark Attack:

It is safe to say that Pedro Acosta is delivering on the hype that was created around him. He secured a place on the front row in P2. Pedro got a good start on the line and even led the race. Acosta had proper battles with Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez, eventually ending up on the podium in P2 behind Vianles. Acosta’s performance solidified his status as a future star in MotoGP™. His race craft is beyond his years, and his ability to adapt to different tracks is truly impressive.  It’s safe to say we can expect to see much more from “The Shark” in the upcoming races.

Marquez’s Mishap

The ever-dramatic Marc Marquez had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Leading the race at times.  The “Comeback King” looked poised to battle for the podium, showcasing his trademark aggression and never-say-die attitude. However, disaster struck Lap 18 as Marquez lost the front end and tumbled out of contention, shattering his hopes for a win or even a podium.

Marquez post race –
“I’m more disappointed because today the speed was there, the feeling was there, but I had unexpected problems with the front brake during all the race that gave me a lot of difficulties to ride”

Are Aprilia and KTM Back in the Mix?

This year, we saw a significant improvement in KTMs. They have a new carbon fiber chassis that is performing brilliantly, as seen in the Qatar GP and the Portuguese GP. COTA offered a different image, with only Pedro Acosta and his GASGAS KTM machine in the top five; the next KTM rider, Brad Binder, finished ninth. Jack Miller finished slightly behind Binder in the Portuguese GP and 13th in the COTA.

Aprilla is another team that has improved with time. Maverick Vinales leads the charge for Noale Factory. Despite Vinales’ crash at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Aprilla had a decent weekend. Vinales piloting his Aprilia was unstoppable at COTA. Aleix has struggled to equal Vinales, but he is not far.


Yamaha and Honda: Lost at Sea?

Yamaha fans were happy to see Fabio Quartararo in Yamaha overalls for two more years but would not be happy with Yamaha’s performance despite his hefty new contract. He could only manage a 12th in COTA, while on the other side of the box, Alex Rins suffered a DNF in the race. The horror for Honda continues as they scored ZERO points this weekend; only Luca Marini finished the race for Honda. Taka Nakagami, Johann Zarca and Joan Mir all DNF.

Nakagami post race said :
“It’s such a tough moment,” he admitted. “I didn’t expect this pretty bad moment.
“And nobody can solve the problem, nobody can improve it. I don’t know.
“Nothing to say at the moment. I’m disappointed about the performance of… everything… The bike… We are slower than last year.
“This is absolutely impossible to understand.”


With both factories lagging, the question remains: can Yamaha and Honda find the answers to bridge the gap to the frontrunners?

One thing’s for sure the 2024 MotoGP™ season has taken a dramatic turn. Buckle up, because the upcoming races promise to be a nail-biting rollercoaster ride.

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Formula 1

What to expect from China after 5 years? DRC’s Chinese GP preview.

The return of the sport to the Shanghai International Circuit for the 5th round of 2024 brings along a new sprint weekend format, the first of which we get to see this season. With these new generation cars not having raced at this venue and the track also getting resurfaced, there’s plenty up for grabs this weekend.

About the Race Track

The Shanghai International Circuit debuted on the F1 calendar in 2004 and is known for its challenging design and diverse features. The 5.451 km track has a pleasant mix of corner variations, such as the unique Turns 1 and 2 complex, the high-g sectors around turns 7 and 8, and the tight hairpin of Turn 14. Two of the DRS zones include the long straight between T-13 and 14, one of the longest on the calendar, and the main start-finish straight. The high g-force turns are enjoyed by drivers for the technical skill they demand. The circuit’s layout, with its unique ‘Shang’ symbol shape, provides a variety of racing lines and strategies, contributing to its raceability.
Michael Schumacher holds the lap record for the Chinese Grand Prix, set at 1:32:238 in 2004.

What to Expect

With this being a new track for the newer car generation, not much comparative data will be available to the teams. A slew of changes were brought to Japan by Red Bull, Aston Martin, and many others. Not many more are slated to get new parts owing to the relatively unknown nature of the circuit, but expectations from the grid can still be gauged. There is of course less time for the teams to set up their cars in a sprint weekend, which means there will be unknowns aplenty.


The New Sprint format

Formula 1 starts the 2024 season with yet another change to its controversial sprint format, the third in three years. Here are the new rules:

·        Friday: FP1 – 60 minutes, followed by Sprint Qualifying, which sets the grid for Saturday’s Sprint.

·        Saturday: Sprint – 100kms dash, no mandatory pits. Points for the top 8 finishers. Followed by Grand Prix Qualifying.

·        Sunday: The Main Grand Prix.

Do note, that the parc fermé rules have now been slightly altered, with the addition of a second parc fermé period. Cars are now initially placed under parc fermé conditions at the start of Sprint Qualifying until the end of the Sprint. Further changes can be made to the cars between the Sprint and the start of Grand Prix Qualifying, following which the second parc fermé rules are enforced.

Key talking points

Red Bull is still the team to beat

Red Bull still has the upper hand, with their car now inching towards perfection. The RB20 came adorned with a healthy upgrade package back in Japan, so expect them to simmer it down with changes. While Verstappen is still at the top of his game, Perez’s recent improvement has been impressive.
Whether it’s his usual early-season spark in performance or him coming to terms with his car, expect the Mexican to be on the top of his game this weekend. At least he has to, if he is to keep his seat.

Ferrari is on the uptick

One can very well expect Ferrari to take the fight up to Red Bull, considering the strong performances displayed by Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in Japan. If the improved tire degradation is to be of any indication, Ferrari’s new suspension upgrades will have come up as a ray of hope for the Tifosi. With the Scuderia now focused a lot more on mid-season upgrades, we can surely expect them to fight for podiums, if not for a win.

Mercedes still figuring out

The Brackley outfit has once again fallen prey to its change of philosophy, with neither car able to match the race pace of its competitors up the grid. The Silver Arrows are well behind on 3rd place McLaren. But it can only keep from conceding its position to Aston Martin if its two British drivers can manage to outperform their cars this weekend, especially with a lot more points up for grabs out here. Not only is this team marred with performance issues, but their reliability also seems to warrant some care. Perhaps Russell and Hamilton need to hold on to their steering a bit longer, given that no major upgrade package is slated on the horizon.

McLaren on the hunt

McLaren has consistently proven that their new outlook has paid dividends towards performance. Despite a strategy mishap, a podium in Australia and a P5 in Japan show that they could be one of the teams to be noted during the Sprint weekend at Shanghai. However, the problem they have in the straight-line speed deficit seen in Jeddah, could show up and impact the pecking order. Still, given the surprising working window of the papaya-liveried cars, making a solid estimation becomes hard in a close midfield.

Rest of the field

Home hero Zhou Guanyu must be overjoyed being able to race in his country, the first Chinese driver to do so in F1. But his team’s pangs may keep his hands tied behind his back, with Sauber still reeling under the issues of difficult pit stops. That’s something that has significantly affected their race results since if their stops were to be disregarded, the pace appears to be set on points finishes.

Fernando Alonso, off the bat of his ‘longest ever contract’ re-sign with Aston Martin, will be looking to grab as many points as possible for the team. Japan brought about plenty of updates for the Silverstone-based team, so now we can expect the team to perform well on a track with similar characteristics.

Among others, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon is also set to don a new floor upgrade, aiming to improve the troubled A524.
Daniel Ricciardo will also be receiving his new chassis as the RB team is trying to understand the Australian’s lack of confidence, after his slew of terrible finishes compared to his teammate. The latter even managed to score a point at his home race of Japan, while Ricciardo DNF’d on the opening lap.


Weather

It’s expected to be dry but cloudy for the race weekend – slight chance of a wet session on Friday, with lower temperatures meaning ease on the machines.

Weekend Schedule

Categories
MotoGP

MotoGP Americas GP: What to look forward to this weekend.

It’s time for another high-octane weekend of MotoGP action as we head to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Texas for round 3, the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas! Here’s the lowdown of what to expect from the weekend ahead.

 

The “Horsepower Rodeo” Awaits

COTA is a wild ride for both the riders and the spectators. With its elevation changes, fast left-right-left sequence, and long, straight, bumpy sections that can surprise even the best, it’s no wonder they call it the “Horsepower Rodeo.” This year, some key sections – turns 2, 9-11, 12, and 16-1 – have been resurfaced to smoothen things a bit.

Michelin’s New Rubber

To handle the unique COTA challenge, Michelin is bringing a brand new tire compound.

Piero Taramasso, manager of the Michelin Two-Wheel competition, explains:
“We know COTA well, but the new compounds add some unknowns. We’ve chosen symmetrical front tyres in three options (soft, medium, and hard) and two asymmetrical rear options (soft and medium).”

Can Marquez Reclaim His Crown?

Marc Marquez, the former “King of COTA” with the most wins ( 7 wins in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021) on this track, has been let down by his machinery lately. His uncompetitive Honda in recent years has opened the door for others.
Alex Rins (Suzuki in 2019, LCR Honda in 2023), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati in 2022), and others have taken the “Sheriff’s Crown” from Marquez.
This season, however, the initial 2 weekends have been solid for Marquez in terms of how good his pace has been on the Gresini Ducati. Despite his crash in the last race with Bagnaia, Marquez was the fastest GP23 on the track and was fighting in the Top competitive Spots.
Marquez scored a Sprint podium in Portimao, when asked about Qatar – which has been a strong track, he mentioned that he would at Max – Sign a podium rather than estimating a race win.

“Obviously, we arrive at a good race track for my riding style,
In the past, we achieved many good results. But right now still, as I saw in Portimao, there are three, four riders faster than me.”
“So, let’s see if here I can be a bit closer.”
“If today you say you will achieve your first podium, I would sign [for it]. Before a victory, the podium must arrive [first]. So, let’s see step by step.”
– Marquez in the Pre Race press conference

Marquez’s COTA special helmet


Championship Picture Heats Up

The championship standings have shuffled after the race-ending crash in Portugal involving Marquez and Bagnaia. Jorge Martin leads by a comfortable 18 points over Brad Binder (2nd) and Enea Bastianini (3rd). While these are early days, every point counts.
Martin is a qualifying beast, but can he deliver on Sundays? Binder and Bagnaia, on the other hand, have proven to be strong on race day.
Will Martin extend his lead, or will there be another surprising twist in the championship battle?

Trackhouse Racing’s Home Turf

The American team, Trackhouse Racing, will be racing in front of their home crowd for the first time.
Trackhouse Racing joined the MotoGP grid in 2024, it proved some intent when it made a star signing of Davide Brivio as their Team Principal.
Davide’s reputation and achievements at the very pinnacle of two-wheel World Championship racing are recognized across the racing world. Brivio led Suzuki to the title with Joan Mir in 2020 and was team manager for the factory Yamaha outfit when MotoGP great Valentino Rossi was the star rider.
The team should expect passionate home fan support this weekend.

Rins or the Beast?

After his surprise victory at COTA last year on the LCR Honda, Alex Rins is back with a new challenge—riding for Yamaha. Despite Yamaha struggling for pace, Alex Rins also struggles to keep up with Fabio Quartararo. However, COTA can be full of surprises, and if Alex wins or challenges to win, that might be the start of a challenge for Quartararo.
Will he adapt quickly enough to claim another victory on his favorite track?

Enea Bastianini is another strong contender for the COTA challenge, Having won in 2022 with a great pace, he has been fast as the season started – having achieved a P2 in the Portimao Grand Prix, he is someone who shouldn’t be discounted.


More Shark Attack?

Pedro Acosta has the spotlight on him, after scoring a podium in his 2nd ever MotoGP Race and some impressive fights in the Sprints of the first 2 Races and the Qatar Grand Prix.
Acosta’s bold overtake on Pecco Bagnaia at Portimao earned him a lot of praise as the paddock already raved about how the rookie has shaken up the MotoGP world with extremely quick and ferocious battles in the limited outings he has had till now.
Pedro can be a contender for the weekend and spring up some surprises challenging the seasoned riders with his pace.

Honda & Yamaha: Struggles & Hope

Yamaha fans can breathe a sigh of relief with Fabio Quartararo re-signing and shutting down Aprilia rumors. He signed a 2-year extension with the Yamaha Team.

“Of course we talked to different manufacturers,” he started. “The decision was not easy. But in Portugal we had a great meeting with top management of Yamaha, engineers, about the project from now until the end of the year and 2025 and 2026.

“There are some really interesting things, which are still confidential in Yamaha, new people, and the project is going to be huge. So, the decision was made in Portugal.”
– Quartararo at the Pre race Press conference

It was reported that Aprilla offered Fabio a 4 Million Dollar a year deal. Yamaha, on the other hand, Counter offered 3x salary, a whopping 12 million Dollar deal, making him the highest-paid rider in the paddock. Quartararo admits it will take time to transform the M1 into a competitive machine again but thinks 2025 is a realistic aim.

Honda, however, is still searching for answers. Joan Mir was their highest finisher last time out.


Silly season and the word around

Some Reports suggest that Prima Pramac Racing may be Interested in changing its machinery from Ducati, the best bike right now, to Yamaha machinery.
There are rumors that Ducati has set June 2 as the deadline for a decision on activating the team’s option to renew, there has been a June 2 deadline from Yamaha too for the Prima Pramac team

Regarding the possible move to Yamaha for Pramac, Martin tells a tale of caution:

“I think I won’t stay here. Well, at the moment I am more attached to Ducati than with Pramac”
“It has been like this for all my MotoGP career. Everybody knows what my priority is”

Martin has been aiming for the Factory seat at the Ducati team for a while now, this possible change of manufacturers increases the urgency and hunger for Martin to perform at levels that get Ducati factory Bosses to turn around and pay attention to their last year’s Title rival.

Who will reign supreme at COTA? Will Marquez reclaim his crown, or will a new rider rise to the challenge? Or are we in for a shock win again? Stay tuned to find out!

Schedule for the Weekend
You can watch all the sessions live on Jio Cinema.

Categories
Formula E

Formula E: Misano E-Prix Preview

After delivering five thrilling races, Formula E now heads to Italy’s Adriatic Coast and the Misano World Circuit for the first time. Previously, all Italian races were held in Rome, but this year, Formula E has opted for a change. This marks the second doubleheader weekend of Formula E’s 2024 calendar, i.e. rounds 6 and 7.

Track Layout

The Misano World Circuit initially was constructed for motorcycle racing – a regular on the MotoGP and World SBK calendar. There have been various other categories that have raced here as well including Sportscar, Endurance, FIA F3 and F4, etc.
Formula E will be using a slightly modified version of it. It will feature a clockwise layout spanning 3.381km, consisting of 14 turns, several high-speed straights, and a hairpin at turn 7. These elements are poised to deliver exhilarating race action.

5 Races, 5 different winners, 5 different teams

Formula E has till now hosted five action-packed races this season, each featuring a different winner and from a different team. This streak displays the unpredictability and intense competitiveness among the teams. One would hope that this streak will continue at Misano.

Championship Story till Now

After the Tokyo E-Prix, German driver Pascal Wehrlein leads the championship standings with 63 points, closely pursued by Nick Cassidy with 61 points, courtesy of his three-podium streak, sadly interrupted by a retirement in Brazil. Oliver Rowland secures third place with 54 points, because of his continuing three-podium streak. Hanging on Rowland’s heels is Jake Dennis with 53 points, with Maximilian Günther, 48 points, completing the top five.

In the teams’ championship standings, Jaguar leads with a total of 100 points, closely followed by the factory team of Porsche with a 17-point gap. Andretti occupies the third position with 70 points.

Maserati’s Home Race and Jehan Daruvala need to pick up Pace

©Simon Galloway

After an impressive win at Tokyo, Italian manufacturer Maserati will look forward to continuing this momentum and bringing glory to their home turf. Maximilian Günther has been consistently bringing in points and got their first victory of this season at Tokyo.
However, things haven’t been smooth for the Indian rookie Jehan Daruvala at Maserati. He’s yet to score a point. He must elevate his performance for the team to put up a fight in the championship. Despite the setbacks, the team has shown strong support for him, considering it’s his debut season and he is only 5 races in.

“Jehan is on a steep learning curve but he’s making good progress every single weekend. His pace over one lap was strong, and without making an error in his second qualifying run, he could have been in the duels. In race conditions, I think there are still some areas where we can improve”  
– Cyril Blais, Chief Engineer, Maserati MSG Racing

Rookies Gear Up for Formula E Test in Misano

Misano will serve as the venue for the official rookie test of Season 10. Each team has to field a rookie who has never participated in a Formula E race weekend. To qualify for the session, drivers must possess either a full E-License or at least a Free Practice-only E-License. Additionally, they must undergo specific training on electrical safety, familiarize themselves with the features of the fully-electric Formula E car, and demonstrate knowledge of the technical and sporting regulations of the championship. Here is the list of rookies participating in the rookie test.


Mahindra’s woes persist

Until Round 4, Mahindra struggled to find the pace, and as a result, they couldn’t score any points. However, in Tokyo, driver Edoardo Mortara delivered a mega lap, securing P3 in qualifying duels. Despite starting on the second row, Mortara lost three positions during the race, finishing P6 and earning Mahindra their first points of the 2024 season. Unfortunately, the joy was short-lived as Mortara was disqualified for energy usage exceeding regulations, while his teammate de Vries had to retire due to an accident in the early stages of the race. The team’s lack of performance is attributed to powertrain issues, particularly energy recovery challenges during races. Despite these woes, hopes are high for a turnaround at Misano.

Schedule of Misano E-Prix Weekend  

Categories
Formula 1

A third Red Bull 1-2 this season in just 4 rounds! DRC’s Formula 1 Japanese GP review.

Formula 1 arrived at Suzuka for the 49th Japanese Grand Prix at an unconventional time, compared to recent years when Suzuka typically featured later in the calendar. Despite the unusual timing, the cherry blossoms everywhere were a treat for all.
 A close battle was anticipated, given Sainz’s recent victory in Australia and Red Bull’s dismal performance in the same race. Unfortunately, the outcome didn’t align with the expectations as Red Bull regained their momentum and returned to their winning form, securing their third 1-2 finish of the season. 


Qualifying Report

Max Verstappen continued his streak of pole positions after setting a pole lap time of 1:28.197s. His teammate, Perez, came very close after an insane lap but fell short by 0.066s. Norris was the closest to the Red Bulls as he qualified third, and the last race winner, Carlos Sainz, managed to place his car at P4.

The other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc only managed a meager P8 despite showing brilliant pace in the practice sessions.

“I’m not happy with our qualifying today. The feeling in the car was quite good, but the pace was just not there, so we will look at the data and assess what exactly this was down to.”
 – Charles Leclerc ( post Quali )

Veteran Fernando Alonso continued his great run at Suzuka after grabbing the fifth spot on the grid. In contrast, his teammate Stroll was eliminated in Q1 itself leaving the Aston Martin team with many questions regarding their car’s performance.

The challenging times for the Alpines persisted despite the updates, with Ocon and Gasly commencing the race from the 15th and 17th positions, respectively. Surprisingly, Gasly has yet to qualify for Q2 this year.

The Silver Arrows had a decent pace, resulting in them qualifying P7 and P9 on the grid. Piastri continued his run of consistent performances as he qualified P6. On the other hand, his fellow countryman, Ricciardo, missed out on Q3 and qualified for P11 after being pushed to the elimination zone by his teammate and local boy, Tsunoda.

Race Report 

Verstappen and Perez got off to a great start after keeping Norris at bay, who in turn was under pressure from the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz. But the action didn’t continue for long as Ricciardo and Albon crashed during the opening lap, causing a red flag and bringing the action to a standstill. 

Ricciardo commented on the incident post-race,

“After yesterday, where we made some steps in the right direction, I was really excited to come racing today to have a good day. In Turn 2, the tyres settled a little bit, but I still felt like I was sliding and then saw an Aston on the outside of me. I was watching him but when I was preparing to enter Turn 3, without using all the track as it was the first lap, Albon got alongside me and had a better exit from Turn 2. I didn’t see him and we touched.”

The incident provided all the other drivers with an opportunity to grab a free pit stop.


Everybody in the Top 5 followed a similar tyre strategy by starting on the Medium compound. Alonso took a brave call by switching to Softs whereas the Mercedes drivers started on Hards.

Zhou retired a few laps later, citing a gearbox issue.

Norris was one of the earlier cars to pit in the race to undercut the Ferraris, but huge tyre degradation saw him falling behind. In the end, he managed to bring home P5 for the team. Meanwhile, his teammate wasn’t able to do anything significant as he spent the majority of the race behind the car of Alonso and ultimately got overtaken by Russell during the final laps of the race, resulting in an 8th-place finish for him.  

Piastri reflected on the race and said,
“It was a difficult afternoon. Things didn’t quite click into place and we weren’t fighting for the positions we wanted to. However, it’s four points finishes on the bounce this year and there’s plenty to take away.” 

The Ferraris were the second-best team on the race day. Although Leclerc started 8th on the grid, he managed his tires beautifully, having stopped only once after the red flag, and led an amazing drive to P4. Sainz also demonstrated an impressive pace, securing himself a spot on the final podium step. 

The Silver Arrows scored a handful of points as George and Lewis finished P7 and P9, respectively. They seemed to be looking for a one-stopper in the race, but neither car had the race pace to match the rest of the grid which eventually caused them to switch to a two-stop strategy. Interestingly, Lewis conceded his track position to Russell in the race claiming that George was much faster and had a better shot at chasing the guys ahead.

Fernando Alonso continued to impress the fans with his consistent performances for the British team. Starting at P5, he managed to keep the pursuing Mclaren of Oscar Piastri at bay for most of the race. During the final moments, George Russell was closing in on Alonso and Piastri,  but Alonso strategically kept Piastri in the DRS zone to defend against the oncoming Mercedes. In the end, he managed to finish P6. 

Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin battled with the mid-field pack; he nearly cracked the top 10 but fell short, settling for P12 after being overtaken by Haas of Nico Hulkenberg. 

The local Japanese, Yuki Tsunoda, kept his starting position in the race result and also won a solitary point after finishing 10th at his home Grand Prix.

Ecstatic after the race, he commented,
 “A big thank you to everyone at Honda, Red Bull, and Visa Cash App RB who have been involved and supported me throughout my journey. I don’t feel like I scored P10 today but P1 – it’s a great feeling.”


Verstappen and Red Bull returned to their original winning ways. He established a solid lead on both occasions with a strong start, distancing himself from the rest of the field. Although Perez had to grind a bit after being undercut by Norris for P2, once he did reclaim his position he continued to drift away from the rest and gained a comfortable lead.

Team Standings – After the Japanese GP


Teams will go racing again in Shanghai in two weeks as the Chinese Grand Prix returns to the Formula 1 calendar after a break of five years and 104 races.

Categories
Formula 1

2024 Japanese Grand Prix Preview

It’s been 2 weeks since the last race, and the F1 circus has now arrived in Japan’s Suzuka int’l Racing course. With Redbull suffering technical difficulties in the last race, and Ferrari being quick on the draw by seizing the opportunity to cross the finish line with a 1-2, is there a possibility that the championship has been opened wide now? Or will Red Bull continue dominating the ground effect era?

Around the Circuit

The Suzuka International Racing course in the Mie Prefecture of Japan is regarded as one of the most technical circuits on the Grand Prix Calendar. The 5.807 km (3.608 mi) long racetrack sports everything from long highspeed corners to slow chicanes and everything in between.

Suzuka International Racing Course Track Layout

The 130R, notably one of the most famous corners in the world of motorsports, is one of many that make the race track challenging, unassumingly named so due to its 130m radius, and has had some of the most thrilling high-speed overtakes on the circuit.

An even more unmistakable feature of the track is its figure-of-8 configuration, where a part of the racetrack crosses over itself on a bridge, possibly due to the track following variations in the height of Japan’s hilly terrain. Suzuka is also the only track on the calendar that has the figure-of-8 configuration.

Key Storylines

Can Ferrari retain their podium?

With Max Verstappen out of the Australian Grand Prix, following a mechanical failure, Ferrari was in a prime position to win the race. The prancing horses looked mighty following the practice sessions and with Sainz qualifying P2 on Saturday, the Spaniard was quick to pick up the scraps, leading the Italian outfit to a 1-2, their first since Bahrain 2022, another occasion where the Redbulls were out of contention. Thus it is crucial to ask, whether Ferrari can keep their place on the top step of the podium, or will Verstappen be the one to challenge and win the race?

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc on the podium after the 2024 Australian GP


Max Verstappen’s Reliability vows; a one-off issue or trouble in paradise?

Redbull has been bulletproof in terms of reliability, their last reliability caused DNF to occur ages ago. But have reliability concerns resurfaced? According to Max Verstappen, it was only a matter of time before he faced a mechanical DNF, following a perfect run of 43-point finishes since Australia 2022. “We had a lot of good races in a row, a lot of good reliability, and I knew that the day would come that you end up having a retirement.” – said the 3x world champion in an interview with Redbull.

Max Verstappen’s Redbull slowing down as the brake catches on fire


Mercedes’ Reliability dilemma

Speaking of reliability concerns, Mercedes had one of their worst weekends in F1, with their first double DNF since Austria 2018, Lewis Hamilton being out due to an engine failure and George Russell driving himself off the track in a last lap attempt to overtake Fernando Alonso, who was given a post-race penalty as determined by the stewards. But the question is, have Mercedes now run into engine troubles? The team that dominated the V6 Hybrid era due to their engine superiority and reliability, has found itself at a crossroads. Are Mercedes outdriving their engines, in an attempt to catch up to the frontrunners in Redbull and Ferrari? The team has been conducting internal investigations at the factory in Brackley, and we hope they come up with an answer soon.

Lewis Hamilton pulls off the track after an engine failure


McLaren brings new colors to the grid

McLaren becomes the first team in 2024 to bring a special livery, the Woking outfit working with Japanese artist MILTZ, designing a livery to highlight their “Driven by change” initiative. The livery, inspired by the Edomoji art style, features “a dragon racing through the clouds, with elements inspired by Japanese calligraphy from the Edo period.”

McLaren’s Special Livery for the Japanese GP


Yuki Tsunoda; Home Hero

With a great start to the F1 season so far, Yuki Tsunoda heads to his home GP with a promising future, as the Japanese driver did his best to finish the previous race in the points, getting a P7, Racing Bulls’ highest finish yet. On the other side of the garage, Daniel Ricciardo seems to be facing issues with the car, as he’s been unable to finish the races within the points so far.

Upgrades for the Japanese GP

Multiple teams intend to bring upgrades to Japan, with teams like Redbull, Racing Bulls and Mercedes bringing in parts upgrades, while Aston Martin brings a brand new floor for their AMR24. It will be interesting to see whether these parts bring much-needed pace and reliability for each of these teams, as Suzuka’s very technical and variable layout provides ideal testing grounds for upgrades. With the track moved up on the Calendar to the 4th race as opposed to traditionally being in the final few races of the calendar, it’s crucial to find out the actual pecking order of the teams, for the season to come.

Weather for the Weekend

Weekend Schedule

Categories
MotoGP

MotoGP 2024 Season begins: Qatar GP Review

We saw the 5 lights go off and riders go full throttle to start the 2024 season of Motogp under the night sky in Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit.
Qualifying, Sprint, or the Race – It was all packed with action and the MotoGP circus delivered.

Jorge Martin Sprints

Motogp’s very own Mr. Saturday, Jorge Martin seems to love Saturdays the most.
Martin started the year where he left it, securing Pole position on a Saturday and then converting that Pole into a Sprint Race win. Martin got a good launch in the Sprint race and never looked back. Aliex and Aprilla also got their first podium in Qatar for the sprint race.
The Sprint race of the Qatar GP ended poorly for Fabio Di Giannantonio. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 rider suffered a dramatic crash that forced him to retire early in the Sprint.

The Sprint Results


A Champion’s Ride for the Race

Continuing the ongoing trend in Motogp, Saturday is where Martin shines the brightest but when it comes to the main race or the race that gives the maximum points the 2 time MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia is always there to take those points.
We saw Pecco get a lightning start and was Super aggressive in early laps to take the lead. Once Pecco got in the lead he never looked back winning the race after starting P5 position and building up his title defense in Pecco style.


Top 7 – A Tale of 6 Ducatis and 1 KTM – Brad Binder

Brad Binder was right in the mix. Throughout the weekend we saw him challenging the Ducatis for podium places. That KTM in the hands of Brad Binder was no joke in Qatar and he made sure to extract everything out of that bike to be the only challenger in the Top 7 where 6 Bikes were Ducati.
We even saw KTM matching Ducatis on the straight with the help of a slipstream, it was in the right place to attack, however, Braking was where the KTM struggled against the Ducati but Brad made sure to try his might to take that 2nd position from Jorge Martin in a fight that went on for 11 Laps.

“I think the same as last year. We’re super close, but we haven’t shown that we can do it yet. For me, I feel like I’m a little bit pushing at 100% all the time. I feel like they have a couple of percent in their pocket when they want to use it. I’m waiting for this last little bit of help, and then we try again.” 

With that, Brad is now the only non-Ducati rider in the top 5 of the Championship standings.


Ducati Chapter begins for Marc Marquez

Yes, Marc Marquez started a GP not for Repsol Honda but for Gresini Ducati. On his debut for Ducati, Marc got a P5 in the sprint race and a P4 in the main race.
Qatar which has not been a strong front of Marc in the past was a successful race this time, Even though Marquez did not achieve podium places he performed within his expectation of being in the Top 5 and built confidence for his new challenge with the Gresini Ducati. Marquez is still getting to grips with the Ducati GP23 while trying to get rid of that Honda habit and the associated riding style.
After the sprint race, Marc said

“Of course, I could be happier if I finished more in front. But I’m happy”


Nobody is safe from the shark attack! Not Even Marc Marquez

P8 in the sprint race and p9 in the main race is a very good way to start your Motogp career. Pedro Acosta had everyone talking about him. He has the speed to go toe to toe with the veterans of the Motogp. The only concern was the tire management which cost him the the top six places in the main race which he will learn as he gets more and more time on the GP bike.
After the race, Pedro commented :

“It’s like when you lose your virginity everything starts to be good and it’s a disaster”

Pedro attacks Marc for the Position in his first Race

A Case of Aborted Race Start

After a promising Saturday for Raul Fernandez and the Trackhouse Racing squad, Sunday was a day to forget for Raul after he had an electrical issue on the grid just before the first race of the year was set to burst into life. 
This resulted in an aborted Race start, after which the race was shortened to 21 race from 22, as the Riders had to take another formation lap after the hindered race start.
Raul had to start from Pitlane after the issues, where he changed his bike to begin the race.

“We had to jump on the other bike, but it had a super used tire and that was the race done then. I tried to finish the race but it was really difficult in the last five laps to manage the tyre, I couldn’t ride so I said we’re here doing nothing, so I had to stop.”
– Raul Fernandez

The Japanese Struggle

The pre-season test showed that both Honda and Yamaha were moving in the right direction, whether with the engines or the chassis. But come race day the story remains the same. Both Yamaha and Honda were in the lower part of the group. The highest-placed Japanese bike was of 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo followed by his countryman Johann Zarco and 2020 world champion Joan Mir. Takaaki Nakagami and New boy Luca Marini were placed 19th and 20th respectively.

“We are further last year. We have improved a little bit, but they are even faster. They are even better and faster than last year. So the gap between all the European manufacturers and us is bigger. Even to Honda, I felt that today we were missing something. They are also struggling a lot, but I felt like we were even worse today.” 
– Fabio Quartararo

Both Honda and Yamaha have a lot of work to do if they want to catch their European rivals The first round of Motogp is done and dusted and we can see Pecco vs Martin part 2 for this year as well. Will other riders be fighting and will be in the title campaign like Brad Binder and Marc Marquez? Still, a long way to go in this season.

MotoGP next heads to Portimao, on 22-24th March 2024 for “Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal”.

Categories
Formula 2

Formula 2 heads to Jeddah: Can Bahrain’s toppers adapt or fall behind?

Formula 2 heads to the fastest street circuit on the calendar for round 2 of the championship. Zane Maloney and Rodin secured victories in both races in Round 1, can they continue their form? Or will someone else join the winners’ circle?
Here’s Desi Racing Co’s guide ahead of the Round 2 of the 2024 Formula 2 season.

Round 1 Preview – Back to Bahrain

Before we begin to walk through the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, here’s a quick recap of how Round 1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix went:

  • The 20-year-old young man from Barbados, Zane Maloney of Rodin Motorsports drove away as a winner of both the Sprint and the Feature race
  • The highly anticipated duo of Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli only took away 1 point from the entire weekend for PREMA Racing
  • Kush Maini, the Indian driver from Invicta Racing, jumped from a P22 to P7 in the feature race after being disqualified from the Qualifying session due to a technical infringement
  • The rookie from Campos Racing Josep María Martí, scored a double podium and started his debut season the right way

Jeddah Corniche Circuit: A Daunting Challenge

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is a temporary street circuit and also the second longest Formula 1 circuit on the calendar, being 6.174 kilometres in length. It has 27 corners and is also one of the fastest street circuits in the world with speeds going up to 334.6km/h.

The circuit is long, has multiple corners, and is an exciting street circuit. But there are many things the teams and drivers will need to look out for:

Teams will need to balance – high downforce for slow corners vs. speed for straights

  • Warmer temperatures & high grip will demand careful tyre management by the drivers
  • Heavy fuel usage will occur due to the track layout
  • Hard braking zones – Turns 1, 2 & final corner will test the drivers

Tyre Strategy: Balancing Speed and Endurance

Pirelli has allocated Mediums (yellow) & Supersofts (purple) – the same as in 2023

  • Potential Risk/Reward: Starting on Supersofts

– Pros: Quicker warmup, better initial grip for early gains

– Example: 2023 winner Frederic Vesti (started P6, finished P4)

  • Alternative Strategy: Starting on Mediums

– Slower warmup but better tyre life for late-race battles. It will also be suited for hot Jeddah temperatures.

Drivers to Watch: Championship Contenders and Rising Stars

  • Zane Maloney, the championship leader after Round 1 is heading to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as a favourite. Rodin Motorsports and Maloney dominated in Bahrain, but it wasn’t a surprise since pre-season testing was held there too. The real test: replicating that win on a new track with a different car setup. Can they translate their Bahrain form and prove their car works across circuits? That’s crucial for title hopes.
  • The Invicta Racing drivers Kush Maini and Gabriel Bortoletto showed might pace during the Bahrain Grand Prix. They qualified P1 and P2 and secured a P7 and P5 in the feature race respectively. 
  • Rookies ruled Bahrain! 4 of the top 5 point-scorers were newcomers, with Martí and Aron leading the pack on the podium. But can they adapt? Unlike Bahrain (where many raced F3 previously and tested in F2 machinery), Jeddah is a whole new challenge. The tight, fast street circuit will be their first big test, showing if they can adjust and push their limits in qualifying.
  • Rough weekend for PREMA racing. Both drivers missed the top 10 in qualifying, though Andrea Kimi Antonelli salvaged a P10 in the Feature Race. They’ve struggled in Bahrain before, so Jeddah will be a big test: are they adapting poorly to the new car, or are these Bahrain-specific issues?
  • Isack Hadjar impressed with a P4 in the Sprint Race and front-row in qualifying, but a first-lap crash in the Feature Race halted his momentum. The team hopes his pace translates to future races for a shot at the title.

Fun Fact: Anybody’s Game

None of the drivers on the current grid in Formula 2 has won in Jeddah before. Victor Martins, however, has secured a pole in qualifying in 2023.

Prediction Time: Who Will Conquer the Corniche?

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit being a fast-paced street circuit also means there might be higher chances of Turn 1 chaos, DNFs, and Safety Cars. Who do you think will come out on top?

Schedule and where to watch:

The F2 weekend starts on Thursday 7th March with free practice at 3:25 PM IST. A detailed schedule is given below.
You can watch all the sessions live on F1TV or Fancode in India.

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