Motorsport News 21/10/21

The British Isles will return to the World Rally Championship calendar for 2022, Motorsport News understands. Although there has been no official sign-off, the FIAWorld Motor Sport Council has approved a 13-round schedule with a yet-to-be confirmed Tarmac event inAugust, which is believed to be Rally Northern Ireland. Providing that government funding is approved, Belfast will host the action fromAugust 18-21 with the event counting as round nine of the new-for-2022 hybrid era. It will fall between Rally Finland and the Acropolis Rally in Greece, two gravel-based WRC heavyweights. There’s been no home WRC round since Wales Rally GB, the UK’s traditional event, last ran in October 2019, when Ott Tanak won the event for Toyota.…

Those hoping for a positive answer last week were disappointed, but the unfilled August date on the World Rally Championship schedule for 2022 presents plenty of cause for optimism for rally fans from these shores. While there has been no official confirmation, it seems likely that the date that has been ring-fenced will be filled by Rally Northern Ireland. Thank goodness. As we have previously said within these pages, the loss of a round of the World Rally Championship on the British Isles has been the most disappointing story over the last two years. But it appears the work in the background has borne fruit. And it is the perfect time, too. While Elfyn Evans might not have won last weekend’s WRC round in Spain, his second place – two steps ahead of…

Formula 1 will be fought out over 23 grands prix next season, which is a record number. The provisional calendar was signed off last week with the Chinese Grand Prix dropped from the schedule but replaced by another visit to Imola in Italy. With a new grand prix included at Miami inAmerica, it takes the total number of races to a record level. Astatement from F1 said: “The 2022 season follows an unprecedented two years for Formula 1 in which the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in revised calendar of 17 races in 2020 and 22 races in 2021– a huge achievement given the international nature of the sport. “The pandemic has continued to present challenges to the 2021 season, but the entire sport has shown its ability to react and adapt to the challenges…

Leo Machitski and Dennis Lind in a Barwell Lamborghini sealed British GT’s overall GT3 championship in a tense Donington Park finale wherein RAM Mercedes’Ian Loggie/ Yelmer Buurman almost pipped them. While five entries entered last weekend’s round with a title chance, the Barwell pair looked in a strong position with a 18.5-point advantage over second-placed Loggie/ Buurman and without a success penalty to serve. However qualifying and opening-stint difficulties left the Lamborghini far off the third position that would ensure the title regardless of other results, and the RAM Mercedes in the race’s late stages hounded the leading Enduro McLaren of Morgan Tillbrook and Marcus Clutton for a race win that would mean Loggie/Buurman would take the crown too. However Clutton held Buurman off for his and his team’s freshman British GT…

Who doesn’t love sitting down on a free Sunday afternoon to watch a Formula 1 race? It’s a great way to let the roast go down, so long as you aren’t stage-side or trackside… But 23 races to determine the Formula 1 World championship? Things have got out of hand here, surely? When I was a kid, there were 16 races to determine the World champion and that seemed almost too much to me at the time. Sometimes the calendar would start in February and wasn’t finished until October. It didn’t matter that you might have to wait three weeks for the next one. In fact, it added to the excitement – and gave me more chance to go and watch national racing. Each F1 race back then meant something. Each…

Formula 1 bosses will decide on the future of sprint races at grand prix events following the final one planned at Interlagos on November 13. The new system has been trialled at Silverstone and Monza so far this season. The top-three finishers earn World championship points for the 100km race, which takes place on Saturday before the main race and sets the grid for the encounter on Sunday. Arecent report from F1 bosses says that it has received a positive reaction from most of the people questioned about the new format. Astatement from the FIAsaid: “The report gathered feedback from a large number of stakeholders who were positive about the concept of these races.Afurther evaluation will take place after the third and final [sprint] event in 2021 in Brazil. “Elements relating to potential future…