Haas has announced Courtney Crone will drive for the team in F1 Academy in 2025 as it continues to back American talent. 23-year-old Crone will follow in the footsteps of race winner Chloe Chambers, who is currently fourth in the championship and …
Haas has announced Courtney Crone will drive for the team in F1 Academy in 2025 as it continues to back American talent.
23-year-old Crone will follow in the footsteps of race winner Chloe Chambers, who is currently fourth in the championship and joining Red Bull next season. Crone, from California, took part in the second round of the season as a wild card entry in Miami, but will compete full-time for Haas next year after impressing the team with her multi-discipline background that includes USAC Midget and Sprint Cars, LMP3 cars, single-seaters and dirt bikes.
“I’m delighted to welcome Courtney to the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team family,” team principal Ayao Komatsu said. “As F1 Academy approaches the crescendo of its first season racing on the Formula 1 calendar, it’s been astonishing to see the increased interest and popularity of the category — that’s testament to the hard work put in by Susie Wolff and the F1 Academy team to provide greater opportunities for female racers.
“Courtney is an ambitious and dedicated racer, something that when looking for an ambassador for our team was crucial. We’ll provide access, support, and opportunities to learn within a Formula 1 organization, and in turn, we look forward to seeing another F1 Academy recruit thrive on the world’s stage.”
Crone is racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North American Championship this year, and says it had been an ambition to add F1 Academy to her schedule.
“I’m incredibly honored to be joining the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for the 2025 F1 Academy season,” Crone said. “Representing America’s F1 team is a dream come true, and I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity. Ever since I competed with the F1 Academy at the Miami Grand Prix as a wild card entrant, it’s been a goal of mine to race full-time in the series.
“That experience gave me a taste of the challenge and devotion it will take to become a championship contender. Making the most of this incredible opportunity is my number one priority and together with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, I feel I have the best chance for success.”
Crone will race in Haas colors for ART Grand Prix next season, with Chambers having been driving with Campos Racing.
Lamborghini Squadra Corse has unveiled the finalized regional Super Trofeo calendars for the 2025 season, with 36 races set to take place across three championships and 11 different countries. The longest running Lamborghini one-make championship, …
Lamborghini Squadra Corse has unveiled the finalized regional Super Trofeo calendars for the 2025 season, with 36 races set to take place across three championships and 11 different countries.
The longest running Lamborghini one-make championship, Super Trofeo Europe makes its return to the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe support bill, organized by SRO Motorsports Group after four rounds with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) in 2024. The season kicks off with the opening round at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet at the start of April before heading to Monza for the first time since 2021 on the final weekend of May. The championship then resumes its place on the support bill of the Spa 24 Hours at the end of June, the Belgian venue continuing the tradition of featuring on every Super Trofeo Europe calendar since the series’ inception in 2009. The Nürburgring in Germany is scheduled to host round four of the year at the end of August, with Barcelona remaining on the schedule for the solitary trip to Spain in October. The season then concludes with the sixth and final round at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue, which will also host the traditional end-of-season Lamborghini World Finals.
Across the Pond, the North American championship returns for its 13th season of competition with a largely unchanged schedule, with Sebring International Raceway again the venue for the first round of the year. Once again featuring on the support bill of the 12 Hours of Sebring, a round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America remains a staple of the US motorsport scene. After Sebring, round two will be held at Laguna Seca in California before making its way to upstate New York in the summer where Watkins Glen will host round three. Round four will take place at a yet-to-be-announced venue. Like in 2024, the penultimate round will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, using the road course before the final round and World Finals.
Following another successful season in 2024, where it achieved a record grid at the opening round, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia aims to continue its momentum in 2025, with another packed calendar comprising of six rounds in six different countries. The season will kick off in Australia for the first time, with the historic Sydney Motorsport Park the venue for round one. The popular FIA Grade 2 circuit regularly hosts the Supercars Australia championship and will surely provide an exciting spectacle. Then it’s onto Shanghai in China for round two on the weekend of 16-18 June, returning to the calendar in 2024 following a four-year absence. Japan then plays host to round three a fortnight later at the Fuji International Speedway, while the Inje Speedium in South Korea takes its place on the calendar at the end of July. Having previously held the season opener place in the calendar, Sepang in Malaysia moves to a September slot for 2025 for round five.
All three Lamborghini Super Trofeo seasons will conclude at a neutral venue which will also host the traditional end-of-year Lamborghini World Finals. The date and location of the 2025 Finals will be unveiled during the weekend of this year’s event at Jerez de la Frontera in Spain on the weekend of 16-17 November.
2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe calendar
11-13 April – Paul Ricard
30 May-1 June – Monza
27-29 June – Spa-Francorchamps
29-31 August – Nürburgring
10-12 October – Barcelona
TBA Round 6 – TBA* Lamborghini World Finals
2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia calendar
4-6 April – Sydney (Australia)
16-18 May – Shanghai (China)
27-29 June – Fuji (Japan)
18-20 July – Inje (South Korea)
5-7 September – Sepang (Malaysia)
TBA Round 6 – TBA* Lamborghini World Finals
2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America calendar
12-14 March – Sebring (Florida)
9-11 May – Laguna Seca (California)
19-21 June – Watkins Glen (New York)
TBA Round 4 – TBA
18-20 September – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indiana)
TBA Round 6 – TBA* Lamborghini World Finals
Race of Champions will head to Australia for the first time next year, with the annual all-star event heading to the Accor Stadium in Sydney. It will be the first time the knock-out competition, which has been running since 1988, has taken place in …
Race of Champions will head to Australia for the first time next year, with the annual all-star event heading to the Accor Stadium in Sydney.
It will be the first time the knock-out competition, which has been running since 1988, has taken place in its typical stadium setting since 2019, when Mexico City’s Foro Sol – which also forms part of the city’s Formula 1 and Formula E circuits – hosted the event which was won by local Benito Guerra. It will also be the first running of the event since 2023 after it took a year out this year.
“We are incredibly excited to bring the Race Of Champions to Australia for the first time ever,” said ROC president and co-founder Fredrik Johnsson. “ROC has always been about pushing drivers to their limits in unique conditions.
“Australia has a rich motorsport heritage, and we’re looking forward to celebrating that by pitting some of the best Australian drivers against some of the world’s most legendary racing stars in a spectacular showdown in the middle of Accor Stadium.”
Race of Champions attracts a wide range of drivers across a multitude of motorsport disciplines, with them competing in identical cars along a mirrored track. Jamie Whincup is the first driver to be confirmed for the event, which will take place on March 7-8.
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“I had a great time competing at the Race Of Champions World Finals in Bangkok and Barbados,” said the seven-time Supercars champion. “I’m thrilled to be part of the ROC driver line-up again in 2025, especially with the event being hosted in Sydney.
“Competing alongside some of the best drivers in the world from so many different racing series is always an incredible challenge and representing Australian motorsport on home soil now that ROC comes to Australia for the first time makes it even more special. I can’t wait to get out there and give it everything for the Aussie fans.”
Previous Race of Champions locations include King Faha Sports City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, LoanDepot Park in Miami, London’s Olympic and Wembley Stadiums, Bushy Park in Barbados, Rajamanala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium, and Stade de France in Paris. The 2020 edition of the event – won by Timmy Hansen – was completed virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The previous two editions have been contested on an ice track in Pitea, Sweden. Mattias Ektrom is the defending champion, having defeated Mick Schumacher in 2023’s final to claim a record-equaling fourth title. Norway’s Petter and Oliver Solberg are defending Nations’ Cup winners, having won the last two contests.
Lamborghini Squadra Corse and ABT Sportsline will expand its existing strategic partnership from 2025 onwards, fielding a pair of Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 cars in Germany’s premier motorsport series, the DTM, as part of a long-term deal between …
Lamborghini Squadra Corse and ABT Sportsline will expand its existing strategic partnership from 2025 onwards, fielding a pair of Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 cars in Germany’s premier motorsport series, the DTM, as part of a long-term deal between the two parties.
Unveiled during a special presentation at the Red Bull Ring, venue for the penultimate round of this year’s DTM campaign, the collaboration also brings ABT Sportsline into the family of official Lamborghini factory supported teams from next season.
The Nürburgring 24 Hours will also remain a key fixture in the relationship between Lamborghini and ABT Sportsline next year, having first joined forces in 2023. Earlier this year, the ABT Sportsline trio of Kelvin van der Linde, Jordan Pepper and Marco Mapelli reached top 5 in the 24 Hours, confirming the performance achieved in the second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie in which van der Linde and Pepper came a close runner-up back in April.
Having first entered the DTM in 2021, Lamborghini Squadra Corse now heads into the next chapter of its history by joining forces with the series’ most successful team. More information about the 2025 entry, including drivers, will be announced at a later date.
ABT Sportsline CEO Thomas Biermaier said: “We got to know and love each other during the 24-hour project. ABT Sportsline and Lamborghini are two brands that fit together perfectly; we are passionate about motorsport. This passion can also be felt in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Our motto ‘from the racetrack to the road’ fits Lamborghini just as well. The fact that we were able to agree on a long-term cooperation and that Lamborghini will support us at the factory level in the DTM in the future is an important moment for ABT Sportsline.”
ABT Motorsport Director Martin Tomcyzk added: “The participation in the 24-hour race was the first step in this direction. We enjoy working with Lamborghini, so it was a logical step for us to work together not only in the 24-hour race but also in the DTM in the future. We are very familiar with the strengths of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 from our 24-hour project and know that we will have a car with which we can fight for titles. And, of course, we are already looking at its successor, the new Lamborghini Temerario.”
Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr said: “Motorsport is part of Lamborghini’s DNA. Success on the racetrack is extremely valuable for us as a sports car manufacturer. The DTM has a special meaning because it has many fans, not only in Germany. To be able to work with the most successful team in this racing series in the future makes us very proud. We will support ABT Sportsline to the maximum and we are convinced that it will be a very strong combination.”
Although RACER broke the news in July of last year that a couple of Formula 1 teams had her on their radar, when Lia Block made the switch to open-wheel racing this year, moving into F1 Academy with backing from Williams, there was widespread …
Although RACER broke the news in July of last year that a couple of Formula 1 teams had her on their radar, when Lia Block made the switch to open-wheel racing this year, moving into F1 Academy with backing from Williams, there was widespread surprise around the racing world.
Usually, the road to the top of single-seater racing begins in karting, then moves onto things like F4. Block checked the karting box, but then won the top rear-wheel drive class of America’s national rallying championship, while also competing in the entry-level classes of Nitrocross and Extreme E. But the daughter of a rallying icon Ken Block always had here eye on a move into circuit racing.
“Not many people expected the big plot twist at the beginning of the year,” the 17-year-old tells RACER. “That was a big change for me, and a big decision. It was a big switch-up but so far, it’s been a good decision on my part.
“I’ve always wanted to race in open-wheel. I grew up watching F1 with my dad, and it’s just never really been an opportunity for me. I grew up doing a bit of karting, so this was my one big break. And working with Williams and a top F1 team, it’s been a great experience getting to know everybody in the team, how it works– the people I’ve met, the learning I’ve had within the sport, I would never regret just this year.”
Block, driving for European single-seater powerhouse ART Grand Prix, has already notched up four top-10 finishes in her first campaign in F1 Academy — the inaugural season of the all-female development category — with the first of those coming on home soil at the Miami Grand Prix. Learning has naturally been the name of the game in 2024, but with racing among more seasoned circuit racers, Block admits the year has been “challenging.”
Jordan McKean/Motorsport Images
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done,” she says. “There’s a strong field in F1 Academy. These girls have been racing for multiple years in the F4 championships as well as FRECA, so there’s lots of competition.
“But every race I’m learning more and more, and I’m getting closer and closer. My goal is always to win but, with my experience level there, I’ve just got to take it step by step. But I’ve been having a lot of fun.”
As well as driving a lower-powered car on a sealed surface, one of the biggest things she’s had to adjust to has been the finer margins in circuit racing, something she says comes down to becoming more patient.
“On the track, it’s such a knife’s edge that you have to walk … one tenth there, you’re like, ‘Oh, what the hell am I doing?’” she says. “I’ve had to learn so much, how this works, how a race weekend works, but mostly just the car, because it’s so underpowered compared to a F2 or F3 car, and obviously F1, so the momentum you have to carry, and all of the little things make such a big difference. I feel like I’m learning something every time I go out on the track.”
The tracks are another thing. Along with her lack of prior experience in a lower category, Block doesn’t have the luxury of being able to enter other races at a moment’s notice, since still lives in Utah with her family despite most of her racing being in Europe. While Block describes the extensive traveling as her “favorite part of the job,” she’s had to adjust quickly.
“It’s been especially hard for me, having to learn each track every time, because every time it’s new to me,” she admits. “Some of the girls may have been there and raced there before.
“It was a big struggle for me in Zandvoort because half of the grid did the British F4 Championship [there] a week or two before, so had lot more experience. I was going out there on a green track, just trying to figure my way around, and make sure I know where I was going.
“To be competitive is quite hard, but I like a challenge. So I keep pushing myself, even though I want to win, but it’s not going to work out that way.”
While her plans for next year aren’t yet settled, if Block runs another season in F1 Academy, she feels the knowledge she’s gained this year will be vital.
“I can’t really talk about next year just yet, but if it is going to be F1 Academy again, it will be definitely helpful that I’ve been to the tracks before,” she says. “I assume that the calendar won’t be exactly this, but I’ll still have a little bit more familiarity with some parts of it.”
A great sidebar to her F1 Academy program was a chance for Lia Block to drive Williams-Cosworth FW08 at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Motorsport Images
Although racing in F1 Academy has been Block’s main focus since joining Williams’ driver development program, being aligned with one of F1’s most storied teams has afforded her other opportunities — such as driving Keke Rosberg’s 1982 championship-winning FW08 at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Not only was it her first taste of F1, it came at a place where her late father had become a popular fixture. It also came 13 years after he was denied the chance to test a Toyota F1 car with Pirelli because his legs were too long.
“It’s so cool that they let me drive that car,” Block says, her face lighting up at the mere mention of the opportunity. “It’s a very expensive, very old car, but they let me have a go in it.
“To do it at Goodwood was a really cool experience. And to even share the car with our two F1 drivers as well as my team principal, it was just a really cool experience for me all round. I don’t know who else gets to do that. That was a highlight of my career, right there.
“I think the last time I was there, I was six years old, so I didn’t remember much of it. So it was quite cool to go there, knowing my dad has raced up that hill numerous times with a lot of different cars than I was in, it’s quite a cool place.”
Williams doesn’t just restrict Block to single-seaters though, as you might expect of an F1 team. In the first weekend of September she paused her preparations for the next F1 Academy races in Singapore to return to more familiar surroundings, racing once again in Nitrocross at Richmond Raceway.
“I’m thankful enough that Williams allows me to go out of the series and do rallycross and other things like that,” she says. “It’s definitely a switch-up.”
Block made her debut in Group E, the series’ top class, towards the end of last season, taking series pioneer Travis Pastrana’s seat at Vermont SportsCar on the second day of racing at Glen Helen Raceway.
This time, it wasn’t a brief cameo. She was racing for the reigning champion team Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, with backing from Dodge (pictured below), for both days of the event as well as the two days of pre-event testing.
Qnigan/Nitrocross photo
“I definitely had a little bit more time to adjust to the car this time instead of just one session,” she says. “But, yeah, coming back from an F1 Academy car to these cars, they definitely feel like a big, heavy boat. They just rock side-to-side.
“It’s definitely different, and I have to change my mindset to what I’ve been doing this entire year. But it’s nice to know that I’ve already driven the car before, and coming in already did the gap jump — this one’s just a little bit bigger. And this track was pretty technical, honestly, but it was a nice mix of tarmac and dirt, so I didn’t feel too uncomfortable.”
It’s a world she knows, but it might as well be a different planet compared to what she’s been doing all year. That being said, Block says there are benefits to jumping back into a rallycross car after months of slicks and wings.
“Obviously seat time is seat time in any car. You have a wheel in your hands and a throttle and brake, so obviously you can take some things over but I kind of switch off one side of my brain,” she explains. “It’s just a different mindset, and the way you go into the way the car works, it’s all different.
“But I’m thankful, growing up, being able to do all these different series, racing different cars, I can kind of do that pretty automatically. I don’t feel the jump, so I guess that’s good, F1 Academy didn’t take that out of me.”
The Maniwa Speed Festival Executive Committee will host the MH Hillclimb/Maniva Speed Festival on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at a special venue in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, with the support of Maniwa City and sponsorship from TONE Co., …
The Maniwa Speed Festival Executive Committee will host the MH Hillclimb/Maniva Speed Festival on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at a special venue in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, with the support of Maniwa City and sponsorship from TONE Co., Ltd. Entry tickets (including parking and shuttle bus passes) will be available from Tuesday, October 8.
Around 30 speed machines, including active race cars, top-tier tuned machines, and legendary race cars from both Japan and abroad, will gather at the venue to race up the mountain pass in a full-fledged hillclimb event. The start point at the special venue will feature a paddock and event space, allowing attendees to get up close to the powerful machines and their sounds, as well as interact with professional drivers.
A spectator area will be set up at the start point, offering a close-up experience of the cars as they prepare for the hillclimb. Attendees will also be able to watch the event live on special monitors. (A limited number of special passes for roadside viewing will be available for sale).
The event space will include a special museum showcasing legendary race cars of global significance, booths from famous parts manufacturers and shops, as well as a local market featuring food courts and specialty goods from Maniwa. A kids’ corner will also be available, making the event enjoyable for all ages.
Please note that personal vehicle or pedestrian access to the main venue is not permitted. Attendees must use the shuttle bus from the designated parking lot as specified when purchasing tickets. Due to venue capacity limits, ticket sales will stop once the attendance limit is reached. No tickets will be sold on the day of the event
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In coordination with local police, noise and nuisance prevention measures will be in place to avoid disturbance to local residents. Modified cars and nuisance behavior (such as engine revving) will be subject to penalties.
Erik Evans, the 2023 British GT4 Championship winner, is now fighting on two fronts in the 2024 British GT4 Series and the 2024 GT4 European Series. Hailing from the outskirts of Atlanta, the 21 year-old is the first American-born race driver to …
Erik Evans, the 2023 British GT4 Championship winner, is now fighting on two fronts in the 2024 British GT4 Series and the 2024 GT4 European Series.
Hailing from the outskirts of Atlanta, the 21 year-old is the first American-born race driver to attempt to defend the British GT title. The No. 61 Mustang S650 GT4 driver stands third in the standings with only the Brands Hatch finale remaining. Concurrently, four rounds into the GT4 European Series, Evans is sixth in the driver standings with only the Monza and Jeddah rounds to go.
“Things this year are going pretty well,” Evans told RACER. “The new Mustang S650 GT4 has been awesome. The car has been a little bit bigger of a learning curve than we were expecting. The car is completely different from the S550 Mustang that we ran last year and won the championship with. Progress has been very good, and we’ve just been going forward since the beginning of the season. Ford and Multimatic Motorsports built the car together. All of their support and everything that they are doing is excellent. It’s a battle with stiff competition, but we keep moving up. At our last race in Germany we finished on the podium in each race, so it was a really fun time.”
Supported collectively through Academy Motorsport, Multimatic Motorsports and Ford Performance, the ensemble have optimized the performance of the new generation Ford S650 Mustang GT4, allowing Evans to run competitively the world over.
“I’m technically just a driver for one of their customer teams, Academy Motorsport, at the moment,” explained Evans of Ford. “My personal engineer on the car is an engineer from Multimatic’s English office. We have engineers and technical people engaged with us from Ford Performance and they are there at all the European weekends, making sure that everything is running smoothly and that the cars are continuing to progress towards the front of the field.”
As referenced, at the recent GT4 European Series round at Hockenheim, Evans and the Ford Mustang GT4 placed second overall, taking the measure of 50 other GT4 competitors.
“It went really well in Germany,” said Evans. “Hockenheim is a super-cool track. We walked away with two second place finishes and we found out a lot about the car. Plus, having the team from Ford and Multimatic Motorsports there was a real confidence boost that this car is definitely able to win races.
“As we said earlier, this car has been a learning curve. At the beginning of the year we had a lot of stuff to figure out, because not only was this the first time these cars have been thrown on European tracks, it was also the first time these cars were being ran on Pirelli tires, So no-one really knew how to set this car up on that specific tire. Everything was just guesswork, but with lap after lap, as you can see through this season, we keep moving up and up and up and up in the standings as we learn more about this car and how it likes to handle things. And also as drivers, we’ve been earning how to drive it to maximize its capabilities.”
Everywhere Evans and the Mustang line up, the fans immediately take notice.
“Dude, people, everywhere we go are just attracted to the Mustang like a magnet,” he said. “It’s so different from everything else out there. We’re racing McLarens, Audi R8s, Alpines, BMWs and Aston Martins, and then you have this big old hunk of an American made muscle car that just sounds awesome and completely different from everything else out there. The Mustang stands out and people love it, and the car is quick, as well.”
Racing in two different competitive series, as well as lining up against two different competitive groups of race teams and race drivers, Evans admits that keeping track of both GT4 classifications takes commitment and concentration.
“You know, it’s hard because they are two completely different styles,” Evans explained. “In British GT, the races are more endurance races and you have GT3 cars out there at the same time as GT4. It’s multi-class racing and longer races and you have refueling stops and all this other stuff that adds strategy. You’ve also have to be really on it, because you’ve got GT3 cars coming through all the time because they’re a lot faster. You’re dealing with them racing each other while going around you into a corner… It’s just a whole different level with that stuff right there.
“Then you go over to Europe for the GT4 European Series and it’s a sprint race, but you’ve got 50-plus other GT4 cars out there and you have to be absolutely perfect because from first to 30th place is separated by one second or so. Even 0.1s can out you three or positions in a different way and that changes the whole complexion of your race. You have to be on it every single lap, because most of those guys have been running those tracks since they first started racing. And some of the guys are older guys who are paid factory drivers. I compete against them and it’s real tough and real competitive and I just love it. I just love driving no matter what the circumstance is.
With both the GT4 European and GT4 British competition seasons heading towards their conclusions, Evans is keeping his targets in sight.
“I think the goals are, top three in the British Championship,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking for and it proves that the car is definitely competitive and me as a driver and my teammate Marco Signoretti did a really good job of taking the car and building it up into a championship contender by the end of the year.
“The GT4 European Series is killing me. I would love to get a win. We got so close at Hockenheim. I think we led probably 80 percent of laps for the whole weekend. Just couldn’t get it done in either race. But I think we are due for a win. Especially at Monza, which is a big power track. The BMWs are going to be stiff competition, but I think we are going to be well in it for a chance to win.
“Coming into this season, all my team told me was, ‘Erik, if you can finish top 10 in the European Championship, that’s really, really good. These are some of the best drivers in the world. If you can go out there and finish top 10 in this championship, that states that you are a good driver and you deserve a spot to be a professional.’ I definitely think a top five in the championship this year is really doable, especially if we keep on the form that we are in. I think we’re out of a shot to win, but I definitely think that second place in the championship is still very much possible. We can still mathematically win it, but the other teams would basically have to have a couple of really bad races, while we would have to have some really good races at the same time.”
Looking further ahead, Evans is committed to a future in GT racing.
“Next year I want to be in GT3,” he said. “The eventual goal is to be a paid factory driver, and hopefully it will be for Ford.”
Stream all the action from the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. This year’s major celebrations include 100 years of MG; Red Bull Racing, featuring Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Mark Webber and more; Mercedes motorsport …
Stream all the action from the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. This year’s major celebrations include 100 years of MG; Red Bull Racing, featuring Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Mark Webber and more; Mercedes motorsport history and much more. You’ll also see car launches from Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW, Land Rover, Genesis, Ineos among others. Watch the whole feed, Friday through Sunday live.
FG Series, the forthcoming all-electric championship aimed at developing the next generation of on- and off-track talent, has unveiled the car which it will utilize from its inaugural season in 2025. Penned by renowned designer Daniel Simon – who …
FG Series, the forthcoming all-electric championship aimed at developing the next generation of on- and off-track talent, has unveiled the car which it will utilize from its inaugural season in 2025.
Penned by renowned designer Daniel Simon — who previously worked for SEAT, Lamborghini, designed the 2011 HRT Formula 1 team’s livery, and whose film credits credits include Tron Legacy and Top Gun Maverick — the FG-Twin is a modular car, which will have rear- and four-wheel drive configurations, with both axles capable of handling a peak power output of 350kW. Used power levels will depend on which category the car is racing in, with FG Series running two tiers of competition, FG1 and FG2.
“FG Series presented me with an intriguing proposition: to design an advanced open-wheel monoposto that meets performance and regulation goals and adds modern automotive styling,” said Simon. “As a car designer passionate about motorsports, my task was to make it poster-worthy from every angle.
“The result is a machine with an iconic, rocket-inspired shape, automotive crease lines, balanced proportions, a dynamic stance, and sci-fi lighting details. Such attention to aesthetics is rare for racing cars, and I hope this excites racers and spectators of all generations alike.”
FG2 is the entry-level tier, focused on the beginning of a driver’s development, with the car running on a lower power setting in that category. FG1, meanwhile, will be for more experienced drivers and as well as having more power on tap, will also offer increased downforce and more freedom for setup options.
One of the key aims for FG Series is to reduce the costs to compete. As such, cars will be used by multiple drivers across both championships on race weekends.
But the car is not all about the participants. For spectators, the car also incorporated digital screens which the series says “will deliver dynamic vital stats to the audience such as battery levels, race position, and other performance information”.
“Today is a big day for FG Series as we unveil the outstanding design of the FG-Twin. It’s our centerpiece to introduce FG Series and its disruptive solutions,” said Nick Heidfeld, FG Series co-founder and chief sporting officer. “Defining the styling targets was a collaborative team effort but surpassing them while meeting the latest safety requirements and technical specifications was only possible due to Daniel Simon’s exceptional skills.
“Collaborating with Daniel Simon has been a dream come true for me. Our goal with FG Series is to enable talents from all over the world to pursue their motorsport ambitions and we hope this is just the first of many dreams to be fulfilled.”
After years of talk, the FIA World Rallycross championship finally adopted an electric formula at the beginning of 2022, but so far it’s not proved to be the new dawn the series expected. In a bid to boost grid numbers, this year the series will …
After years of talk, the FIA World Rallycross championship finally adopted an electric formula at the beginning of 2022, but so far it’s not proved to be the new dawn the series expected.
In a bid to boost grid numbers, this year the series will once again allow combustion-engined cars, this time competing alongside the newer breed of electric vehicles. Naturally that would open the door for some of Europe’s smaller teams to make the jump up to the World championship from European RX or a number of national championships as they did in years past, but it’s also led to one of World RX’s biggest stars to ditch electric and go back to an engine.
Johan Kristoffersson and his Kristoffersson Motorsport team has been the team to beat so far in World RX’s ‘RX1e’ era, with the six-time champion winning all but two races in his Volkswagen Polo R5-based machine. Nevertheless, despite the sustained success, the Swedish team has developed an all-new car for the upcoming season – one that will be powered by a 600 horsepower, two liter combustion engine running on sustainable fuel.
Development of the team’s new Volkswagen Polo has been done in conjunction with Swedish powertrain engineering firm HORSE Powertrain and its subsidiary Aurobay, and while Kristoffersson is positive about the vehicle’s development, he admits it will be tough to go up against the already-developed electric cars.
“It will be tough to compete against the electric cars with our newly-built machines, but Aurobay is a dream partner for us, not only as a sponsor but also in technical terms,” said Kristoffersson. “It will be really fun to work with a long-term structure and be able to plan accordingly. This is an exciting project that has a lot of typical KMS spirit about it.”
Kristoffersson will once again be partnered by former World Rally driver Ole Christian Veiby, who says the switch back to combustion in direct contrast to their rivals will make the upcoming season “difficult to predict.”
“We are doing a turnaround and going in a different direction, which makes it difficult to predict how we will compare with the competition,” he said. “There are many complicated elements that have to be tested on a new car, but it will be very exciting to work with such a large and supportive partner.”
While electric car sales have grown globally over the last decade, and continue to do so, there is still large-scale resistance to them among consumers amid doubts, primarily over infrastructure and range. That is likely to prolong the life of the combustion engine, and Kristoffersson Motorsport team principal Tommy Kristoffersson says that by racing a combustion car against electric cars, they can continue to refine and develop the technology for wider use.
“In the Volkswagen Group where I was trained, the motto has always been that all motorsport should ultimately benefit the consumer,” he said. “There is nothing that drives development forward as effectively as competition, and with this project, we can take part in developing tomorrow’s engines.
“On the sporting side, ‘Battle of Technologies’ is a fantastic concept that is unique to rallycross. It is an extremely big challenge, but also an interesting one. We have a brand new car, a brand new partner and a very short timespan to match the electric cars.
“Although we have won in World RX for the last few years, we have to be humble and realize that it will take a lot for us to fight for the title again, but having always aspired to be an attractive team for someone who is looking for a development partner, now we are there, it feels incredibly satisfying.”
Kristoffersson Motorsport hasn’t turned its back on electric completely though, with the team still expected to field the battery powered RX1e Volkswagen Polos in ran over the last two seasons, while outside the family business, Johan Kristoffersson is chasing a third title in four years in the Extreme E electric off-road series.
World RX’s two other major teams, Hansen Motorsport and CE Dealer Team are expected to continue exclusively fielding electric cars in this year’s World RX championship, which will kick off at Holjes in Sweden on July 6-7.
