Autosport 25/11/21

A seven-time world champion being challenged by a younger driver who has shown his title credentials before but ultimately misses out. No, we’re not predicting the outcome of the enthralling Lewis Hamilton versus Max Verstappen Formula 1 contest, but talking about the World Rally Championship fight between Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans that was decided in thrilling fashion last weekend. The Monza battle between the Toyota pair was surprisingly intense given Ogier didn’t have to win the event to secure the title. But perhaps he needed to in his final rally as a full-time WRC driver. Tom Howard was there (see page 32) to see how Ogier signed off with his eighth world title (scored for three different teams) to underline his place alongside Sebastien Loeb, Colin McRae and Walter Rohrl…

FORMULA 1 Formula 1 drivers have stated their confusion over a lack of clarity on racing rules after the FIA opted against reviewing the recent incident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen as they battled for the lead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. In the aftermath of the Interlagos race, Mercedes announced in the lead-up to last weekend’s Qatar GP that it had submitted a request for right of review with the FIA after onboard footage from Verstappen’s car became available. The front-facing onboard camera was not available to the stewards immediately after the incident, in which Verstappen forced Hamilton wide at Turn 4. Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff called the decision not to investigate at the time“laughable”. Officials from Mercedes and Red Bull met with the Brazil race stewards last Thursday…

FORMULA 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix chiefs have revealed the latest images of progress at their new Jeddah track as final preparations are made for its inaugural race next week. The all-new street circuit is being built on the Jeddah Corniche, and construction work looks set to roll on all the way up until the F1 circus arrives. While some of the infrastructure around the Jeddah circuit is unlikely to be completed in time for this year’s race, the latest images suggest that the track itself is done, which should at least ensure that the event can go ahead. Officials organising the race say they have used 3000 on-site contractors to get the building of the venue completed in time for the GP, which will become the second full night race on the…

FORMULA E Antonio Giovinazzi has become the latest driver to fall out of Formula 1 only to be snapped up by Jay Penske to race for the American’s Formula E team. The recently axed Alfa Romeo pilot will make his electric racing bow in 2022 for Dragon Penske Autosport, following the path of Felipe Nasr and Brendon Hartley, who lasted three and five races respectively with the volatile backmarker squad. Giovinazzi took to social media to bemoan the “ruthless” nature of F1 after he was ousted in favour of Guanyu Zhou following a three-year stint in the top flight. But the Italian reckoned: “As soon as it was made public that I would not be in Formula 1 next year, I have decided to participate in the Formula E world championship.” The 2015 FIA…

INDYCAR Mercedes Formula E drivers Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne will both get the chance to try out IndyCar Series machinery in a test next month at Sebring. Ex-McLaren F1 racer Vandoorne will take part in the 6 December test with Arrow McLaren SP. The team is planning to run three IndyCars full-time in 2023 and has suggested it could start preparing for that with a mid-season expansion in 2022. Meanwhile, FE champ de Vries’s test will come with Meyer Shank Racing, although the 2021 Indy 500-winning squad has no plans to expand for next season beyond its veteran line-up of Helio Castroneves and new-for-2022 signing Simon Pagenaud. Team co-owner Michael Shank told Autosport: “We’re always looking to the future… We keep an eye on who’s out there, who’s performing well and thinking…

DTM Lamborghini is diving fully into the DTM next season. Renowned squad GRT Grasser Racing Team will field four Huracan GT3 Evos with factory support from the Italian supercar manufacturer. Austrian team GRT will put its entire focus on the DTM in 2022, scrapping its existing GT3 programmes in GT World Challenge Europe, ADAC GT Masters and the GT Daytona class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The exact driver line-up will be unveiled in due course, but the team said its famed #63 entry will be piloted by a works Lamborghini pilot. Mirko Bortolotti is understood to be the favourite for the factory seat at GRT. The overall 2017 Blancpain GT champion starred in a guest DTM appearance with another Lamborghini squad, T3 Motorsport, this season when he finished second at Assen. “I’m really…