SINGAPORE: Max Verstappen’s historic run of 10 Formula One wins in a row looks set to end after he qualified down in 11th place on Saturday for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jr. took pole for the race for Ferrari on Sunday ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc as Verstappen’s Red Bull team had its worst qualifying results of the season.
“It’s the best opportunity since the beginning of the season, for sure” for other teams to stop a Red Bull sweep of winning every race in 2023, Leclerc said.
Verstappen, the runaway championship leader after his record-breaking 10th straight win at the Italian Grand Prix, was eliminated by .007 seconds in the second session by rookie Liam Lawson of sister team AlphaTauri.
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was 13th after a spin. The two drivers have won every race this season between them.
Verstappen told his team over the radio that it was an “absolutely shocking experience.”
He later added: “It is of course very hard to pass in Singapore on the street circuit so I’m not expecting a lot tomorrow. We’ve had so many successful weekends this year, we can be proud of what we have achieved so far. It’s more important that we understand where we are going wrong this weekend.”
Verstappen has won races this season from sixth on the grid in Belgium and ninth in Miami, but the Red Bull car performed better on those tracks than it has so far in Singapore. He and Perez — who called qualifying a “complete disaster” — have repeatedly said the car feels unbalanced in the many slow corners in Singapore.
Verstappen avoided a grid penalty despite being under investigation in three cases of allegedly impeding other drivers. He received a reprimand — the first he has had this season — for stopping near the pit exit and another reprimand and 5,000-euro ($5,340) fine for slowing down Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri. Verstappen was found not at fault in a case of impeding Williams driver Logan Sargeant. He said he had been trying to avoid a crash in heavy traffic.
Sainz took pole — for the second straight race — by .072 seconds from Russell. Sainz, who finished third in Italy behind Verstappen and Perez, said it might be easier to win in Singapore than in Italy despite concerns over Ferrari’s race pace.
“I’m more confident mainly because of the track layout. I think it’s a bit easier to hold onto a track position,” Sainz said. He added that Ferrari might have less pace in the race than other teams including Mercedes. “It could be that tomorrow we have to run, yet again, a bit of a defensive race but I don’t discount that even around this track we could hold on to our P1.”
Russell said the hot, humid conditions in Singapore were “like you’re sat in a sauna,” and praised Mercedes for finding the right setup for the city streets.
“This is a great opportunity this weekend to get a victory,” said Russell, who added Mercedes had conserved tires over the weekend to give it more strategy options in the race than rival teams.
Lando Norris starts fourth for McLaren, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fifth for Mercedes. Kevin Magnussen is sixth for Haas, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon eighth, the second Haas of Nico Hulkenberg ninth and Lawson 10th.
The first qualifying session was red-flagged when Lance Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin and speared into the wall on the final corner. The Canadian was able to walk away and said he was unhurt.
The crash caused a lengthy delay as crews worked to clear away the debris and repair the barrier.
One of those to lose out was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who only narrowly missed the wreckage of Stroll’s car and couldn’t complete his lap before the red flag came out leaving him 18th. Stroll was 20th and last.
With Alonso qualifying seventh, the incident was a reminder of Stroll’s underwhelming record this season at the team headed by his father, Lawrence Stroll. Alonso has racked up 170 points to Stroll’s 47 and the Canadian has not reached the podium this season.
Verstappen’s winning run in F1 is in doubt after qualifying 11th in Singapore with Sainz on pole
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Verstappen’s winning run in F1 is in doubt after qualifying 11th in Singapore with Sainz on pole
- Carlos Sainz Jr. took pole for the race for Ferrari on Sunday ahead of George Russell of Mercedes
- “It’s the best opportunity since the beginning of the season, for sure” for other teams to stop a Red Bull sweep of winning every race in 2023, Leclerc said
Gulf 12 Hours unveils strong GT3 roster for 2023 showdown in Abu Dhabi
- 13th edition of the regional endurance classic heads to Yas Marina Circuit with 28 GT3 cars set to race
- MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi to race in Abu Dhabi with championship-deciding finales on the cards this weekend
ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi is gearing up for the return of the Middle East’s premier endurance race, the prestigious Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours championship, at Yas Marina Circuit this weekend.
The 13th edition of the regional classic will feature the strongest lineup yet, with 28 GT3 cars confirmed for multiple championship deciders.
Starting on Saturday, Dec. 9, the event will see racing legend Valentino Rossi in action as the Italian star aims to wrap up his season with his first Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours title.
Rossi, alongside his teammates Nick Yelloy and Dries Vanthoor, is taking the battle for the championship to 2022 champions AF Corse and their powerful trio of Ferrari 296 GTS’, piloted by an impressive crew featuring American duo Jean Claude Saada and Conrad Grunewald.
The GT cars hunting for silverware in Abu Dhabi represent a world-class selection of constructors as Audi, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, BMW and Porsche feature in the AM, ProAM, and Pro categories. Entrants will be competing for the three coveted titles in the ultimate round of the Intercontinental GT powered by Pirelli, including the Independent Cup honors.
Fans can expect to see familiar favorites and new faces, with 10 of the 12 previous Gulf 12 Hours champions confirmed to race again in Abu Dhabi, including back-to-back title winners, 2 Seas Motorsport, AF Corse and Kessel Racing. The 2023 grid will also welcome Haas RT, as the team makes its ProAM debut with Audi.
Formula E confirms suppliers for Gen4 car to debut in season 13
- Season 9 saw the introduction of the Gen3 car, and now the new Gen4 will launch in the 2026-2027 championship
DUBAI: The FIA has confirmed its choice of suppliers for the Gen4 race car set to debut in season 13 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in 2026-2027.
Formula E is just nine seasons old, having debuted in 2014, but the on-track technology has undergone revolutionary changes.
The tender process saw Formula E and the FIA evaluate bidders on various technical specifications. As with the Gen3, the Gen4’s process saw sustainability take centerstage, covering emissions and resource consumption. Gen4 will be a net-zero race car by design, like its predecessor.
Spark Racing Technology will continue to supply the chassis to Formula E, as it has done since inception.
Podium AT, an Italian company, will become an FIA World Championship single supplier of batteries for the first time.
Marelli will provide front powertrain, extending the Italian brand’s longstanding relationship with the FIA. Bridgestone will provide the tires, marking the manufacturer’s return to an FIA World Championship for the first time in 15 years.
Season nine saw Formula E’s third great leap and the introduction to the Gen3 era, with the new car previewed and launched at the 2022 Monaco E-Prix and hitting the track for the first time in Valencia, at testing, later that year.
The Gen3 is lighter, smaller, faster and more sustainable than previous cars, and incorporates a number of cutting-edge features. It is also the most efficient race car on the planet, with almost 50 percent of the energy it expends recaptured for use through the rear and a new front powertrain, for up to 600 kilowatts total regeneration.
Before the Gen4 debut, the Gen3.5 will hit the track in seasons 11 and 12.
Activation of the front powertrain in drive and use of four-wheel drive in certain scenarios, softer compound, and bodywork tweaks are all on the table as possibilities — with lap times projected to be several seconds faster than is currently possible with Gen3.
FIA and top US university launch research study to reduce carbon footprint of UAE motorsport events
- World governing body and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to analyze urban mobility patterns in the UAE, focusing on events such as the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
DUBAI: World motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Senseable Dubai Lab to help reduce the carbon footprint of major UAE events including the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
While contributing to tourism and the local economy, major events have a significant impact on their host cities, challenging public transportation and increasing congestion. Improving access to these major events has become an important challenge, according to a press release issued by the FIA on Thursday.
As part of the MIT Senseable Dubai Lab — an initiative with the Dubai Future Foundation — researchers will gather data to build a picture of city-wide mobility patterns around major UAE motorsport events.
This data could then be used to suggest improvements to local mobility planning, including traffic management and public transport, ultimately reducing congestion and carbon emissions during these events.
The FIA and MIT will work with stakeholders including Formula One Management, the Yas Marina Circuit, and local governments, which will play a pivotal role in data collection efforts and future implementation.
“We are delighted to support this exciting new research project, in collaboration with MIT Senseable City Lab,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said. “This comes at a moment of enormous growth for the UAE, and we look forward to joining forces with our stakeholders to make major events more eco-friendly, efficient, and enjoyable for attendees through enhanced mobility solutions.”
In the future, the FIA and MIT will share their findings and lessons learned with other cities, event organizers, and FIA members.
Umberto Fugiglando, research manager and partnerships lead at MIT Senseable City Lab, said: “We are proud to welcome the FIA to join our MIT Senseable Dubai Lab, where together with their stakeholders they will support our research on urban sustainable mobility in the UAE.
“In a region where cities are evolving very fast, we have the possibility to study urban mobility at large, and scientifically explore and anticipate future paradigms that need to be more socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable.”
Dakar Rally hits sands of Saudi Arabia for fifth time
- 2024 rally is shaping up to outdo its predecessors with a new course that commences in Al-Ula and finishes in Yanbu
- Event will host 590 participants from 187 teams in the main Dakar Rally and an additional 174 in the Dakar Classic category
JEDDAH: It is all systems go as the Dakar Rally hits the sands of Saudi Arabia for the fifth time. The 2024 rally, from January 5 to 19, is shaping up to outdo its predecessors with a new course that commences in Al-Ula, passes through the Empty Quarter, and finishes in Yanbu.
Come the New Year, the global motorsport community will turn its gaze to Saudi Arabia for an exhilarating event featuring 778 drivers and navigators from 72 nations, including a significant presence from France, Spain, and Italy. The event will host 590 participants from 187 teams in the main Dakar Rally and an additional 174 in the Dakar Classic category. Competitors are categorized into 135 Rookies, 129 Legends, and 31 contenders in the Original by Motul Challenge. Female participation is notable, with 46 women competing, 34 of whom will be in the classic category.
In Dakar Rally 2024, 434 vehicles will take part, spanning a variety of classes such as cars, motorcycles, quad bikes, trucks, and lightweight vehicles in the T3 and T4 categories, along with a special segment for classic vehicles in the Dakar Classic category. Specifically, there will be 75 cars and 46 trucks vying for victory in the 2024 rally hosted by Saudi Arabia. The motorcycle segment is robust with 137 two-wheelers and 10 quads set to race. Additionally, the rally will feature 42 T3 and 36 T4 class vehicles. The Classic category will also be well-represented with 66 classic cars and 14 trucks joining the competition.
These figures are provisional until the technical inspection of all vehicles is completed. This is a precursor to the eagerly awaited annual event, part of the W2RC World Desert Rally Championship. The event is drawing near and is organized under the governance of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM).
Al-Qubaisi sisters: ‘F1 Academy saved our careers’
- Emirati history-makers Hamda and Amna reflect on their motorsport success
ABU DHABI: They have pulled off some impressive feats individually in the world of motorsport, but if you ask Amna and Hamda Al-Qubaisi what they consider to be the highlight of their careers, the Emirati sisters choose a moment in which they both got to shine.
“I would say Red Bull Ring, the first round in Austria, where we got to share a podium,” Amna, 23, told Arab News in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
“I shared the podium with my sister. It was an amazing feeling and I hope we can do the same again,” added Hamda, 21.
The older Al-Qubaisi sister is referring to the opening round of the inaugural F1 Academy all-female series, which saw Hamda finish second in race three and Amna take third place.
Earlier that day at Red Bull Ring, Amna claimed victory in race two, but stepping on the podium together with her sister in the next race ultimately proved more special to both of them.
From a young age, the Al-Qubaisi sisters have made a habit of making history.
At 18, Amna became the first Emirati female driver to race in single-seater competitions internationally when she joined the grid in Italian Formula 4.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a Formula 4 race when she topped the podium in the F4 UAE Trophy Round at Yas Marina Circuit during the F1 Grand Prix weekend, and in 2021, Amna took things further by becoming the UAE’s first female F3 driver.
Hamda made waves when she scooped six race wins across her first two full seasons in F4 UAE — 2020-2021 — but her big moment on the international stage came in June 2021 when she became the first woman in history to make the podium in the Italian F4 Championship, placing third in the first race at Misano World Circuit. She was just 18 years old at the time.
By the end of 2022, the careers of Amna and Hamda were in jeopardy as they struggled to find the necessary funding to keep racing. But then came the announcement of the launch of F1 Academy, an all-female racing series aimed at developing and preparing young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.
Both sisters were signed by Dutch team MP Motorsport for the inaugural season, which saw Hamda finish third in the F1 Academy championship and Amna secure P6.
“Honestly, it saved my career,” said Amna of the F1-supported initiative.
“I was about to stop racing and they saved my career by having the budget really low and the opportunity to race on extraordinary tracks. So a big thank you to Susie Wolff for creating the F1 Academy and giving me the opportunity to be back racing again.”
Hamda, who took four race victories in the inaugural championship, was also concerned either she or Amna would have to drop out of competing.
“For me, I think F1 Academy also saved my career. We were really low on budget and it was at a point we were choosing between us, who would race and who would stop,” said Hamda.
“So it wasn’t really a nice feeling and I’m happy we’re able to share the track together, as teammates as well, representing our country. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Since the start of their careers, Amna and Hamda had been competing in mixed competitions, side by side with male drivers, so switching their focus to an all-female series could have been considered a risky move. But Hamda feels her level has only gone higher, and her top-five finish in the F4 UAE Trophy Round with Yas Heat Racing in Abu Dhabi last weekend, which featured a competitive mixed grid, has helped her prove her point.
“F1 Academy has done great, I performed really well there, and it hasn’t done anything (negative) to the level I’m at,” said Hamda.
“Being an all-female series, people thought it would bring my level down but I’m here (at Yas Marina Circuit) competing in a mixed grid and I’m still at the top. So it goes to show how strong the grid was and how females can really perform in this category.”
But can an all-female series really be the right stepping stone for women looking to make it to Formula 1?
“Yes, I think for sure,” replied Hamda. “Because I’ve been through a lot of championships and to be honest F1 Academy has been one of the most competitive championships I’ve raced at. Considering I’ve raced on a 40-plus-car grid in F4 Italia, in F4 UAE, so to be in F1 Academy 15-car grid but still so competitive, it’s a really high level and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Hamda’s F1 Academy campaign was all the more impressive considering she had surgery for a broken wrist just six weeks before the season started. The doctors told her she would need four months to recover but Hamda somehow managed to make it in time for pre-season testing in Barcelona and she stood on top of the podium, winning a race in Valencia, just 75 days after going under the knife.
“At one point I was already in the fight for the lead of the championship,” said Hamda, reflecting on her season. “So for me it was amazing. I was able to perform really well at such a high level; especially as an Emirati woman in the sport, I showed what we’re capable of and I’m sure a lot of women here in the region can do the same.”
Arguably the fastest sister act in all of motorsport, the Al-Qubaisis have successfully navigated what could have been a very tricky dynamic as siblings, teammates and competitors.
“In the beginning it was quite tough,” admitted Amna. “I mean, in karting we used to take each other out. But I think we’ve matured and in single-seaters we really have an advantage to everyone else, being sisters. We really help each other on track and off track. So it’s really good to have a teammate that’s your sister.”
Hamda explained their nuanced approach to how they manage races that bring them mixed fortunes.
“It happened a few times, when I’m mad and she’s happy, she tries not to be as happy, to not make me feel worse, and vice versa,” said Hamda. “But at the same time we celebrate each other’s wins despite what happens to each other. So if she won I’ll be there for her, I’ll celebrate no matter what happens to me.”
Still only 21, Hamda walked away from her first season in F1 Academy with many lessons learned.
“For sure it’s more about dealing with the pressure, trying to stay focused no matter what and forget about people or outsiders, whatever they have to say. I made a few mistakes on my side, driving-wise, but then again, I can’t look at the people who criticize me and I have to forget it and think tomorrow’s a new day, start fresh and learn from my mistakes,” she said.
“That’s one thing I struggled with; I would always let the past haunt me but I’ve learned a lot this season. I’ve learned to trust the process and see how things go.”
