Motorsport News 02/12/21

Two unknown teenage talents have a chance to get onto the real-life 2023 British Formula 4 grid via a fully funded new Racing Star programme. One male and one female 14 or 15-year-old will get a full British F4 season and 25 days of testing. The contest to win the prize starts early next year with five online races from which the best will proceed to a simracing final in Bolton. The two most promising candidates will then get six months’Motorsport UKAcademy training before a full season in a Hitech GP-assisted team. It is free for participants and funded by British F4’s new sponsor ROKiT. The programme is led by ex-Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley, now head of the FIAsingleseater commission.…

If you looked up the word determination in the dictionary, it would not be surprising to find a picture of Frank Williams alongside it. The achievements of Williams and his laser-focused drive to succeed at motorsport’s top table is virtually unmatched. Although he had not been in the greatest of health for several years, it was still a shock to the system when the news filtered through on Sunday that he had passed away. He was the last of a certain generation of team owners and his template for his rise to the top of grand prix racing had not been done before, and it certainly will not be done again. From wheeling and dealing racing car parts from a phone box, Williams progressed up the motor racing ranks to finally make…

Tributes have poured in for legendary team owner Sir Frank Williams whose death was announced on Sunday. The memories have been led by his long-time business partner and genius designer Sir Patrick Head, who said that Williams’ positive attitude had helped the squad to become one of the most formidable on the grid. A statement from the team, issued on Sunday, read: “It is with great sadness that on behalf of the Williams family, the team can confirm the death of Sir Frank Williams CBE, founder and former team principal of Williams Racing, at the age of 79. After being admitted into hospital on Friday, Sir Frank passed away peacefully this morning [Sunday] surrounded by his family.” Head joined the fledgling Williams outfit in 1975 and the pair went on to secure seven…

Lewis Hamilton Seven-time World champion “Sir Frank Williams was one of the kindest people I had the pleasure of meeting in this sport. What he achieved is something truly special. Until his last days I know he remained a racer and a fighter at heart. His legacy will live on forever.” George Russell Current Williams driver “It has been a genuine honour racing for him and being a small part of the incredible legacy he leaves behind, a legacy that will forever live on in the heart and soul of this team. Rest in peace, Sir Frank. Thank you for everything.” David Coulthard F1 driver for Williams “[Frank Williams was] an icon of the sport and a man who defied all odds in front of him. We will miss you Frank and the whole sport will remember all…

Teenager Will Aspin will graduate from Ginetta racing to compete in Porsche Carrera Cup GB for the next two seasons. Ginetta Junior graduateAspin, 17, finished third in this year’s Ginetta GT5 Challenge, taking three race wins with Elite Motorsport.Aspin is coached by Chris Hodgetts, this week’s Motorsport News readers’ Q&Aguest (see p20-25). Aspin, who has already sampled Carrera Cup GB’s new 992 car at Silverstone, told MN: “It came about with Chris and wanting to step up from GT5s, it was one of the options from seeing how Scott McKenna did and Josh Malin, they both did really well jumping from the GT5 into the Cup car. “We’ve chosen the biggest step [among their options], and my dad always says if we’re going to do it we might as well do it properly…

Ginetta Junior Scholarship winnerAlisha Palmowski has chosen to join the Preptech UK team for her prize fully funded season in the championship next year. Palmowski beat more than 60 young drivers to win the latest scholarship, becoming the contest’s second female victor. Following discussions with a number of teams, the 15-year-old from Manchester has selected Preptech UK for her debut car-racing campaign, having previously tested with the squad. Palmowski said: “I originally met Oliver [Barnard, team principal] from Preptech during the 2021 scholarship and we kept in touch. They were able to quickly help me build confidence [in the test], so that I was able to get the best out of both myself and the car with limited previous running. This gave a good insight into how the team works.”…