Motorsport News April 28, 2022

It is unlikely that there are many so-called purists left enjoying motorsport. The term purist is often used in a disparaging way by those who chuckle at people who enjoy genuine motor racing that produces a genuine result, unaffected by any artificial outside factors. The reason that purists will have turned their attentions away from motor racing – circuit racing at least – is that every branch of the sport seems to have its performance-enhancing (or detracting) gizmos that can influence a result. But motor racing no longer harks back to the days of cork crash helmets and a cravat. Artificial devices – be they option tyres, the drag reduction systems or a boost of hybrid power – are here to stay. Much like the world is slowly moving towards a…

Perhaps the most significant moment of this season so far appeared on the FIA’s race control message screen at exactly 1603hrs local time last Sunday. It alerted car 44 [Lewis Hamilton] that he had just been shown a blue flag. He needed to let the leader past. At the beginning of the 41st lap of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver pulled over on the start-finish straight to be lapped by Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Four races ago the pair were fighting in a World championship title decider.At Imola, Hamilton was a lap off the lead in a disappointing 13th place. “Sorry for what you had to drive today,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to his star driver on the slow-down lap. “We will come out of this.” Hamilton’s lack of pace contrasted sharply…

Lewis Hamilton has written off his chances of capturing a record-breaking eighth World title with Mercedes this season after a troubled performance in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola last weekend where he could only manage 13th place. The 37-year-old’s outing in Italy was his first pointless race of the campaign and has left him seventh in the standings, 58 points behind table-topper Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari. “We are obviously not fighting for the championship,” admitted the Briton, whose car once again suffered from a porpoising problem. “But we are fighting to understand the car and improve and progress through the year. That’s all we can hope for right now.” Hamilton qualified in 13th spot and finished 14th in Saturday’s sprint race. In the main event on Sunday, he was lapped…

Lewis Hamilton and tennis star Serena Williams are involved in a consortium that is aiming to take over Chelsea Football Club. The duo is reported to be investing £10 million each into the initiative, which is headed up by former British Airways and Liverpool FC chairman Martin Broughton. The club was put up for sale by owner RomanAbramovich amid sanctions that were imposed on him by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hamilton has explained that his motives for getting involved with the consortium is to have the chance to improve education and inclusivity in the community. “This is all about the community,” he said. “That’s what really makes a football team – it’s the people in and around it. [Chelsea has] been leading in the work [in diversity and inclusion] and…

Spaniard Carlos Sainz has inked a new deal with Ferrari that will keep him at the Italian team until the end of 2024. Sainz joined Ferrari in 2021 and finished fifth in the points last term. He began this season with two podium finishes The 27-year-old said: “I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and, after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable. My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season.” Team principal Mattia Binotto added: “I believe we have the best driver pairing in Formula 1 and…

Frenchman Theo Pourchaire climbed to the top of the Formula 2 points standings with his second victory of the season in a disjointed feature race at Imola on Sunday. Pourchaire went with a more standard strategy of using the softer rubber first before switching to the medium tyres. His caused was helped by a race which was punctuated with three safety cars periods, the first caused when frontrunners Dennis Hauger and Jack Doohan collided away from the startline. ART racer Pourchaire led home podium newcomer Enzo Fittipaldi and Ralph Boschung in the feature. The sprint race had been claimed by Hitceh’s Marcus Armstrong, who had struggled throughout with a lack of radio communication. He led home Jehan Daruvala’s Prema machine, while Hauger rounded out the top three. Briton Jake Hughes was 18th and…