Motorsport News 25/02/21

It is difficult to know just what else Craig Breen has got to do to return to a full-time top-flight drive in the World Rally Championship. The Irishman, who is set to form part of Hyundai’s three-car attack on the Arctic Rally this weekend, has been knocking on the door louder than most over the last two seasons. The Irishman proved during two years as a mainstay of the Citroen squad in 2017 and 2018 that the pace was there. And, perhaps most importantly of all, he learned. In the 22 rallies he contested in the top-flight during those two seasons, he finished 18 of them. That is a pretty impressive return for someone who was still in his development stages as a driver: mileage is key at the outset of…

McLaren became the first Formula 1 team to unveil its new car for the 2021 season when it presented the MCL35M last week at its Woking headquarters in a livestreamed event. The team then held a shakedown test for the machine at Silverstone as part of the team’s filming days allocation, with new driver signing Daniel Ricciardo and incumbent Brit Lando Norris both getting time behind the wheel. McLaren’s technical boss James Key also confirmed that, despite F1’s current development restrictions, there have been significant revisions from the 2020 car over and above accommodating the Mercedes engine, having switched from Renault power. “There will be some fresh ideas on there,” Key said. “The front of the car from a regulation point of view hasn’t changed at all, but there are developments that we’re…

F1 set for launch AlphaTauri became the second Formula 1 team to officially launch its 2021 car when it unveiled its AT02 last week. Red Bull was due to reveal its new car on Tuesday this week, while Aston Martin, the newly rebranded Racing Point operation, is to take the covers off its machine on March 3. Vettel sells Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is selling eight supercars from his personal collection, including three Ferraris ordered while racing for the team. It is not confirmed why avid collector Vettel has chosen to sell the cars but it is understood it does not relate to him departing Ferrari for Aston Martin. Rast not returning Reigning DTM champion Rene Rast will not defend his German tin-top crown this season. Rast with Audi claimed his third…

The Australian Grand Prix’sAlbert Park circuit in Melbourne is getting some revisions to boost overtaking opportunities in time for this year’s race. The parkland track, the layout of which has been unchanged since being introduced as an F1 venue in 1996, has traditionally held F1’s season-opener, though this year has been moved to November amid Covid’s uncertainty. The biggest circuit change is to be at the previously tight Turn 9-10 that is being replaced by a fast sequence, creating a high-speed back section for the track. The slower right-hander at the end of this sequence will also be reprofiled to make it less single-file. The work is due to be completed by July. As Motorsport News went to press circuit construction in Monaco was set to begin on Monday this week, ahead of…

Williams’new FW43B for 2021’s Formula 1 season got its first on-track running last week in a Silverstone shakedown. Williams’car launch is to take place on March 5 and the British team last week posted a teaser video on social media showing driver Nicholas Latifi watching team-mate George Russell test the car at Silverstone in damp conditions. It meant Williams became the second F1 team known to have shaken down its 2021 car, after McLaren (see lead story). This campaign will be Williams’first full season under its new Dorilton Capital ownership, which led to the departure of the Williams family from the fold.…

British GT champion Rick Parfitt will make the switch to the British Touring Car Championship this season after signing a deal to complete the four-car Excelr8 Trade Price Cars team in a Hyundai i30 N. Parfitt, 46, won the British GT title in 2017 driving a Team Parker Bentley GT3 alongside Seb Morris but sat out last season to undergo surgery for Crohn’s disease. For his BTCC racing return he joins Tom Ingram, Chris Smiley and Jack Butel. The singer, son of Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt, will be eligible for the Jack Sears Trophy, held for drivers yet to score a podium in the category. Parfitt said: “When I was younger, I used to sell advertising in Motorsport News andAutosport and was a huge fan of the series, and it’s amazing to…