Motorsport News January 26, 2023

The sight of Sebastien Ogier stood on the roof of his car celebrating a victory in the principality is not an unusual one. It had happened eight times before last weekend’s victory in his Toyota Yaris, but the significance of his record-breaking triumph on the treacherous roads in the south of France is probably as ominous as any of his others. The French superstar is not slated for a full season in the World Rally Championship but defending champion Kalle Rovanpera, the man they all failed to rein in last term, is. And the 22-year-old claimed the Powerstage win on the Monte Carlo Rally to get his campaign off to a very strong start. Team-mate Elfyn Evans, another set for a full roster of 13 rallies with the Japanese marque, was…

New job for Neilsen The FIA has revamped the Formula 1 management structure. Key among the moves is the promotion of former Benetton and Tyrrell man Steve Neilsen to the role of sporting director. Nikolas Tombazis will be single-seater director. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “We have dedicated a lot of time and effort to making significant, informed changes to our Formula 1 team to create the right structure with the right people to oversee the future regulation of the sport.” Miami nice The Miami Formula 1 track will be resurfaced ahead of the 2023 race in an effort to improve overtaking on a layout that produced only 45 overtakes in 2022. There will also be significant alterations to the location of the hospitality in the paddock, including the F1 Paddock Club.…

Despite speculation that the Chinese Grand Prix might get a reprieve and appear on the 2023 Formula 1 calendar, series chiefs have declared that the Shanghai race will not take place this year. Its postponement means that roster for this season’s top-flight will run to 23 races. Covid restrictions in China had led to the race, which had been scheduled to take place on April 23, being postponed towards the end of 2022. An easing in the Covid protocol led to rumours that the event could be revived but F1 bosses confirmed last week that it has been officially axed. That means there will be a four-week gap in the calendar in 2023 between the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on April 2 and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku…

New McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says that the pairing of Lando Norris and newcomer Oscar Piastri in 2023 will give the rookie a good chance to improve his performance across the season. Australian Piastri spent last season as Alpine’s test and development driver before being signed by the British team after a contract dispute in the mid-summer last year. He will replace the outgoing Daniel Ricciardo, who struggled to finish 11th in the points last term. Stella says Piastri can learn from Norris, who is in his fifth season with the squad. “I think the important point is to have continuity with Lando, he keeps the kind of reference,” said Stella. “It will become a frame of reference for Oscar as well. And this is in terms of not only Oscar’s…

Mercedes might not be able to catch up to frontrunners Red Bull and Ferrari in 2023, according to team boss Toto Wolff. The Brackley-based team had won eight straight manufacturers’ titles before a drop off in performance last season with the troublesome W13 chassis, which only scored one victory across the campaign. George Russell finished fourth in the drivers’ points table while Lewis Hamilton was sixth. Merc is due to reveal its new car on February 15 and Wolff says it will be a long way back to its dominant form of previous seasons. “We have no doubt, when you’re starting behind by half a second, that it’s going to be difficult to catch up to such great organisations like Red Bull, or Ferrari,” he said. “Now, having said that, we are…

The Hypercar class at Le Mans in June could be swelled by four extra cars from Cadillac, Glickenhaus and Vanwall which would mean 17 machines battling it out for overall glory in the French classic. The World Endurance Championship entry list was published last week with 13 hypercars confirmed. The Le Mans selection committee will now decide on an extra two entries from Cadillac, which are expected to be rubber-stamped and a further car from Glickenhaus, which ran two machines at La Sarthe in 2022, is also due to be on the grid. An entry from the nascent Vanwall concern is also under consideration for the June 10-11 race. Glickenhaus boss Jim Glickenhaus told Autosport: “We have a good working relationship the [Le Mans organiser] Automobile Club de l’Ouest: they are being…