Selection box - This era of teenaged whizz-kids - Which drivers are returning and which series' to keep an eye on
Published by Christine
Usually, when I curate these Selection box links, I like to group together topics that complement each other, and split up the post into various sections of conversation. However, this time is a little bit different for a variety of reasons. Some motorsport seasons have finished, some are just getting started. Some of these links are older, some are brand new, and above all that, we're delving into a few different series rather than just plain old Formula One.
So dive right in and see what you find!
If you’ve never seen a Formula E race then it’s easy to dismiss. There’s no noise, and it’s not as fast as other motorsport series, thus making it difficult for those of us who want to see the loudest, fastest machines on Earth being pushed to the very brink. Well, as to the latter point, it’s only going to get faster, at least according to Allan McNish.
Tatiana Calderon is a name that’s becoming increasingly familiar. From competing in GP3 with DAMs to being Sauber Formula 1’s development driver, the Colombian driver has been a real advocate for women in motorsport. One of her career highlights came this year when she scored a podium in the final V8 series race.
For the fourth year in a row, Lewis Hamilton came out on top, scoring 233 points out of a maximum of 250. Max Verstappen was second, just ahead of Sebastian Vettel in third, with Daniel Ricciardo fourth. That sounds about right, but below that, things get a little weird.
Max Chilton’s second season in IndyCar was a solid, serviceable leap in performance from year-to-year – under-the-radar but sufficient enough to prove his proper place on the grid after a mixed first season.
With a brand new season and five new drivers, we thought we'd also give you a brand new way to catch up on all the action - via a dedicated Formula E podcast. Available to download for free on both the iTunes store and Audioboom, you can also click on the links below to listen to uninterrupted commentary from rounds one and two of the HKT Hong Kong E-Prix.
The people behind Roborace, as the name suggests, plan for it to be the world’s first driverless, electric racing series. They brought on a Tron designer to create a futuristic dog bone of a car, they’ve tested autonomous prototypes countless times and they’re expecting to get racing underway in the next few years.
A commitment to environmental sustainability turned commercial enterprise with entertainment value -- Formula E commenced season four racing in the streets of Hong Kong this weekend. The city was chosen for its model in mobility, where 2.6% of all registered vehicles are fully electric, according to transport department estimates.
Robert Kubica has just turned 33. That’s hardly a sexy number in this era of teenaged whizz-kids. The Pole was 26 and approaching the height of his powers when in February 2011 a section of Armco pierced his rally car and sliced his right forearm. As it did back then, his Formula 1 career hangs in the balance today.
If the entirety of FIA Formula E’s season plays out like the events of the tour’s opening weekend, then fans of the all-electric series are in for a wild ride. From impressive parity to intense racing, the double-header start of Season Four at Hong Kong had it all. And the fun started before the field ever got to the starting grid.
The 2018-2019 season will soon be launched. It’s a completely new Super Season, which is already historic as it will include two Le Mans 24 Hours, whose 2019 staging will bring down the curtain on the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) in a blaze of glory! This Super Season is completely new, and it will also see the introduction of innovations in the ACO championships’ regulations.
Edoardo Mortara did manage to make an impact as he competed in a Formula E weekend for the first time while other rookies struggled to adapt. Techeetah’s Andre Lotterer, for example, received three penalties and was disqualified from Saturday’s race for leaving the car in ‘ready to move’ mode. He qualified 17th and finished 13th on Sunday.
It was embarrassing to have a blocked track, but that’s just a danger of racing on city streets. The acid test is to ensure the track is cleared and barriers repaired quickly. The cars did return to the pits quickly, we didn’t see barrier repair on TV, but those reporting trackside said the 30 minute delay was down to the FIA sorting out the order.
