Latest news with #Formula3
Daily Tribune
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Retains Its Place on Motorsport's Global Grid
TDT | Manama The kingdom secures key dates across multiple FIA championships in 2026 Bahrain's role as a key hub in global motorsport has been reaffirmed following confirmation of the 2026 calendars across several top-tier FIA series, including Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula E, and the World Rally-Raid Championship. The announcement, made at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Macau and chaired by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, solidifies the kingdom's ongoing commitment to motorsport at the highest level. F1 and F3 Share the Stage The Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will be held from April 10 to 12, 2026, featuring the debut of F1 cars powered by 100% sustainable fuels—a major milestone in the sport's green transition. Over the same weekend, Bahrain will also host a round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, making it the Middle East's sole representative in the ten-round junior series. This joint showcase of senior and feeder series underlines Bahrain's status as a cradle of racing development. Full Middle East Slate in Formula Championships Bahrain is one of four Middle Eastern venues confirmed for the 2026 Formula 1 and Formula 2 calendars, alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. The region will also feature in the Formula E calendar, with Saudi Arabia staging back-to-back races in Jeddah on February 13 and 14, 2026. The F2 series will run in tandem with F1, placing Bahrain in a pivotal position as both a sporting and logistical anchor for the season's early stages. Rally-Raid Continues Across the Region Bahrain may not be a host for the World Rally-Raid Championship, but the wider Gulf remains heavily involved. Saudi Arabia will again open the 2026 W2RC season with the Dakar Rally from January 3 to 17, followed by Morocco in late September and Abu Dhabi in November. These events bolster the Middle East's footprint in off-road rallying, complementing its high-profile circuit racing presence. FIA Pushes Ahead with 2027 WRC Vision In addition to confirming 2026 dates, the FIA has advanced its long-term rally strategy. The WRC27 rulebook, set to define the World Rally Championship's future from 2027 to 2037, has been finalised. A new bodywork volume framework offers manufacturers broad freedom in design, allowing anything from hatchbacks and saloons to crossovers and custom-built entries—without compromising on performance. The flexibility aims to attract innovation and investment while maintaining regulatory clarity. A Clear Message from the FIA FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem underlined the importance of this transitional period: '2025 is proving to be an exciting year across all our championships, new agreements across our championships are unlocking fresh potential.' That potential includes sustainability targets, fresh talent development, and a broadening global reach—goals Bahrain continues to align with through its sustained presence on the calendar. A Measured but Meaningful Step Bahrain's confirmed inclusion in the 2026 motorsport calendar—spanning from Formula 1 to F3—reaffirms its status not just as a venue, but as a foundational part of motorsport's evolving ecosystem. As the FIA balances innovation with heritage, Bahrain is proving itself ready for both.
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Superyachts, Superstars, And Supercars Shine At The Monaco Grand Prix
Watching Lando Norris win the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix from the top deck of a superyacht is the ... More ultimate flex Watching the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix from the top deck of a superyacht just hits different. Like way different. First off, being on the top deck of a superyacht is always, um, pretty great. A chef usually prepares trays hors d'oeuvres, and there's always a nice crew member to make sure you have enough ice in your drink. But, when your superyacht is mere feet from the Monaco streets that legends of Formula 1 have raced on since 1929, even the most jaded luxury traveler can get a bit giddy. Monaco's balconies become prized places to watch the Monaco Grand Prix in May And since the cars literally race around the harbor, and the city rises up from the harbor to form an amphitheater that's dotted with countless balconies filled with race fans, watching the race from a yacht puts you right in the center of the action. The parties never stop at the Monaco Grand Prix Now, for those of you that don't know, each Formula 1 Grand Prix is comprised of way more than just one race. There are practice days. And a day to qualify—that determines where the cars start on race day. There are days where sponsors get to take their VIP's out on the track for 'hot laps' in various high-performance sports cars. And all sorts of other race cars (Formula 2, Formula 3, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup) that practice and race in the days leading up to race day Sunday too. MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 24: Albert II, Prince of Monaco with Christian Horner, Team Principal of ... More Oracle Red Bull Racing, Frederic Arnault, CEO of LVMH Watches and Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH in the Pitlane during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco (Photo by) So, what do you think happens onboard all of the yachts in the harbor once the all the cars stop racing around the track each day leading up to the main event? Parties. Lots and lots of parties. In fact, few events bring more of the world's largest and most recognizable superyachts together in one place than the Monaco Grand Prix. The large parties on many of the trackside yachts often go all day (and night) long. While the larger yachts that are anchored offshore shuttle their VIP's in and out to various events. Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy) outside the Oracle Red Bull Racing garage prior to the F1 Grand Prix ... More of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by) But that's just the yacht scene. Some lucky yacht guests and other VIPs get invited into pit lane. And that's on a whole other level of exclusivity. First off, not only are the mind-boggling, multi-million-dollar race cars are all right there—close enough to touch behind flimsy fabric barriers like you see in the customs line at the airport. The good-looking, multi-million-dollar race car drivers are all right there—close enough to touch—too. Of course, touching the cars or the drivers is strictly forbidden. But, you get the point. Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari greets his fans before the third practice session ... More ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Nicola Ciancaglini Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Then there are the celebrities. Like lots of celebrities. And the cool thing is they all seem to be as impressed by the cars and the drivers as mere mortal fans would be so close to Charles Leclerc's Ferrari Formula 1 race car, four-time world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull car, and the 18 others on the grid. MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: (L-R) Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos attend the F1 Grand Prix Of Monaco ... More on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/WireImage) This is probably partly due to the raw nature of pit lane. It's not the red carpet or like any other 'normal' VIP area. It's loud. It's hot. It can be crowded and even a bit chaotic. And the truth is, on race day, the celebrities are just like everybody else—fans. MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: Kylian Mbappé attends the F1 Grand Prix Of Monaco on May 25, 2025 in ... More Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/FilmMagic) Of course, each team also has numerous hospitality areas for VIPs as well. Like the Red Bull Energy Station where the RB17 hypercar was on display. I'm told it was designed F1 legendary engineer Adrian Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies to be unlike any other hypercar on the track. The RB17 hypercar on display at the Red Bull Energy lounge at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix It features a two-seater carbon fiber monocoque chassis with a semi-stressed mid mounted naturally aspirated V10 engine that red lines at 15,000 rpm. And power is transferred to the rear wheels via a carbon fiber gearbox. And since it weighs under 2,000 pounds, and has more than 1,200 HP, the RB17 is touted to be able to deliver F1-equivalent lap times and top speeds over 217 MPH, while remaining easy to own and operate. The RB17 is a hypercar unlike any other Oh yeah, it looks very, very fast. And don't you think the RB17 would look extremely cool on the foredeck of a superyacht at next year's Monaco Grand Prix? Yes, I do too. Stay tuned.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Has a rookie ever won the Indy 500? Robert Shwartzman could join an elite group
Has a rookie ever won the Indy 500? Robert Shwartzman could join an elite group Robert Shwartzman made Indy 500 history last weekend, becoming the first rookie driver since 1983 to capture pole position for the Indianapolis 500 with a stunning run in Fast 6 qualifying. It's not only Shwartzman's first attempt at the Indy 500 - it's his first race on an oval in his entire racing career. Shwartzman moved up through the European karting and Formula levels, eventually becoming the Formula 3 champion in 2019 and a test driver for Ferrari's Formula 1 team. He made the move to IndyCar in 2025 with the brand new Prema Racing team, and hasn't finished above 18th in the five races so far in 2025 - but he showed plenty of speed when it mattered on the sport's greatest stage. A total of 10 Indy 500 rookies have won in their first attempt over the years - but it's become extremely rare in the modern era. Indianapolis 500 races won by a rookie driver: 2016: Alexander Rossi 2001: Helio Castroneves 2000: Juan Pablo Montoya 1966: Graham Hill 1928: Louis Meyer 1927: George Souders 1926: Frank Lockhart 1914: Rene Thomas 1913: Jules Goux 1911: Ray Harroun (inaugural Indy 500)
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Formula 1 dreams on hold, Robert Shwartzman journey now includes Indy 500 pole
INDIANAPOLIS — Robert Shwartzman can look at the first five weeks of his INDYCAR career and shake his head. At one point, he missed practice time because his radio didn't work. At another race, his car caught fire and had to be rebuilt. He missed other practice sessions with mechanical gremlins. He couldn't catch a break. Unbelievable. Even if the team did everything right, to think he could do the unimaginable and win the Indianapolis 500 pole? The more likely scenario was that he'd be on the bubble to even make the race as a rookie with no oval experience driving for a Prema Racing team that joined INDYCAR this year. "We had a difficult first five weekends with a lot of problems. The car went on fire. There were three times that I missed practice for different reasons," Shwartzman said. "Coming here, I was like, 'Just take it easy, guys. We have enough time to get in the car, just not rush things.'" The journey of the 25-year-old Shwartzman has been one where he is used to things not necessarily going as planned, both good and bad. His story will get more eventful on Sunday when he leads the field to green for the Indianapolis 500. It's not just his first Indy 500, it's his first race on an oval in any form. From the time Shwartzman made his first U.S. appearance when Prema Racing did a livery launch in January in Charlotte, questions have followed about how he would adapt. A former Formula 3 champion who owns several Formula 2 wins driving for Prema, he has had a frustrating last few years as a Formula 1 reserve driver for Ferrari and Sauber. He was born in Israel but spent several years in Russia. And his Russian roots potentially hindered his ability to get an F1 ride, despite many lauding his talent. "In Formula 1, there are quite a lot of things going around that I have no control of, so I come here with the thought that this is a place I'm going to be racing for quite a while," Shwartzman said. "My target is to bring myself up and the team to the top level. "As soon as we do that and I start to deliver the result, if there is any interest from Formula 1, we're going to discuss, we're going to talk. But I'm not going to put my focus on it. My focus here is to put the car in the first position — that's my target." With his first five races that put him 24th in the INDYCAR standings (out of 27 full-time drivers), Shwartzman said he wasn't concerned he was already hurting his reputation. "You can't judge by the fact that we're just struggling to put the car together," Shwartzman said. "We had a lot of things that were going on, and the car was by far not perfect. But I still try to do my best. I still try to get everything possible of what we had. "With the right approach, with the right work, we had a really flawless car, and here is the result." One of the keys to the Shwartzman success this week was the addition of former Team Penske engineer Eric Leichtle to the organization. Leichtle used to work with Josef Newgarden and now works at SpaceX. Leichtle, at the moment, is only contracted for Indianapolis, but he has made an immediate impact. "He was also leading the team and the approach he had was the right one, just taking things step by step," Shwartzman said. "And we just managed to improve the car better and better." As for Shwrartzman? He's improving, too. "It's not that I am unbelievably amazing," Shwartzman said. "I know I'm just giving my best, and they're giving their best. It happened that we did everything right. We put the car in the perfect condition, and we took the pole." The hard part is still to come in leading the field to green Sunday. "For sure, I'm going to be nervous," Shwartzman said. "But I don't want to put pressure [on us]. ... I just want to have a smooth, nice approach." If he does that, he will be fine. Although most of the field doesn't know him well, they have seen the Prema team in the garage scramble every week trying to keep up with teams who have competed in INDYCAR for decades. "That's a pretty phenomenal story," said Pato O'Ward, who starts on the outside of the front row. "I think it's fantastic for the series." O'Ward has no worries about Shwartzman leading the field to green. "The guy's a professional," O'Ward said. "He knows what he's doing. "I think all he has to do is just watch some replays, talk to [officials] and he'll know what speed to get out. And then get on the throttle, dude." Shwartzman will have no problem getting on the throttle. That is what he came to Indianapolis to do. "I came here to Indy just to show that I'm willing to fight until the end, I'm willing to improve," Shwartzman said. "And even though the circumstances — we're underdogs and the team is not there yet, I want to show everybody that I'm a fighter, I'm fighting for being the best, and that's always going to be the case. "We all knew that there are teams that have raced here forever. It's their turf and they know everything about it, and we're just newbies here." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE:
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
FIA rule stops Flavio Briatore from being Alpine F1 team principal at Imola
It turns out Flavio Briatore cannot be Alpine team principal as far as the FIA are concerned, after the surprised news that previous boss Oliver Oakes had stepped away for personal reasons Alpine have issued a statement clarifying their leadership structure with Flavio Briatore unable to assume the official title of team principal. It was announced that the veteran Italian would lead the team after the surprise resignation of Oliver Oakes. That news came in the wake of the Miami Grand Prix and only 12 hours before the team confirmed Jack Doohan had lost his race seat to Franco Colapinto. Oakes' departure wasn't over that driver swap, but for personal reasons. It soon emerged that his brother William had been arrested carrying a "large amount of cash". At Alpine, Briatore took full control of the team, though he cannot be registered as the person officially responsible for the outfit trackside. That is because FIA rules require a team principal to hold an F1 licence, and for them to be a full time member of staff employed by the team. Neither apply to Briatore, who is technically a consultant to parent company Renault. But there is no mistaking that he is completely in charge, starting at this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. But, for administrative purposes, Dave Greenwood is the boss on paper, having previously served as race engineer to Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari. In a statement, Alpine confirmed: "Dave Greenwood, who is racing director, now for administrative purposes will also be the 'dedicated responsible person' according to the rules. Flavio is otherwise covering the duties previously performed by Oli." It is an arrangement with which the FIA is completely happy. A spokesperson for F1's governing body said: "Alpine have complied with all regulatory requirements relating to the departure of Mr Oakes, and have submitted their updated staff registration. "We believe it is down to Alpine to provide an update on their management structure so we will not comment on any specific person holding a certificate of registration." Despite the confusing administrative process, there is not seen to be any need for Briatore to become a fully employed member of staff just so that he can assume the official team principal role. Even when Oakes was around, the 75-year-old wielded significant power even from his advisory position. Greenwood is expected to continue as the team's official representative for at least the duration of the current triple header of races, which becomes at Imola this weekend before trips to Monaco and then Barcelona. Meanwhile, Oakes is in Italy for the race weekend in his capacity as a director of the Hitech GP team which competes in Formula 2 and Formula 3. He has been spotted roaming in the support paddock, which is separate from the F1 paddock in which the Alpine motorhome is situated.
