The post Formula 1 2018 Calendar appeared first on greek grand prix.

The post Best photo of Rally Australia November 2017 appeared first on greek grand prix.

Earlier this year the Renault-Nissan alliance was discussing how to best operate works motorsport programmes for the two manufacturers.

Multiple sources have confirmed that the union, which is one of the world’s biggest automotive partnerships, has green-lighted Nissan’s move into the electric single-seater series.

Mike Carcamo, the boss of Nissan’s global motorsport arm NISMO, visited the Renault e.dams team and the FIA during the Valencia pre-season test last week.

He was already in Spain for the previous weekend’s Blancpain season finale at Barcelona.

Nissan is one of the biggest sellers of electric vehicles in the world and is the ideal option for the alliance to maintain a presence in FE, while representing a huge coup for the series.

FE is without representation from a Japanese manufacturer at present, but series CEO Alejandro Agag told Motorsport.com at Valencia that he expected that to change.

Asked about Nissan, Toyota and Honda, Agag said “one of those three, maybe two, will end up” in FE, but declined to comment on which manufacturer and when it would be.

Honda has expressed an interest in FE but played down prospects of an entry in the short-term as it focuses on its beleaguered Formula 1 engine programme.

Toyota, which is currently reviewing its World Endurance Championship participation in the wake of its rival manufacturers exiting the LMP1 category, is understood to have had contact with FE in the past but has never formally registered a desire to compete.

Official confirmation from Nissan is not thought to be imminent, with an announcement at next year’s Geneva Motor Show believed to be a strong possibility.

Renault e.dams launched its 2017/18 challenger, the Z.E.17, last month at an event in Paris, likely precluding any major rebranding for this season, with something official for the 2018/19 season – when FE abandons mid-race car swaps – expected.

The move will bring Nissan back to the forefront of a major international racing championship for the first time since axing its failed LMP1 project at the end of 2015, and allow Renault to focus on its rapidly-growing Formula 1 programme.

It also means FE’s most successful manufacturer will exit the series.

Renault first partnered with e.dams for the 2015/16 season, and won the drivers’ and teams’ titles before helping e.dams to a hat-trick of teams’ honours last season.

As e.dams holds the FE entry, it is expected to remain in place as the operating team.

The position of lead driver Sebastien Buemi is understood to not be under threat, despite racing for Nissan’s rival Japanese manufacturer Toyota in the World Endurance Championship.

Toyota blessed Buemi’s commitment to FE and the 2015/16 champion and team-mate Nico Prost signed fresh deals with Renault e.dams earlier this year, keeping them at the team until the end of the 2018/19 season.

The post Nissan to replace Renault in Formula E appeared first on greek grand prix.

The post Italia Sardegna 2017 appeared first on greek grand prix.

Having tested the 2012 Lotus E20 at Valencia and Paul Ricard earlier this year, Kubica drove Renault’s 2017-spec F1 car on the second and final day of the in-season test in Hungary.

The 32-year-old Pole clocked up 142 laps with a best time of 1m18.572s, which left him fourth-fastest that day.

“To be honest, I don’t have much information. I wasn’t on-site. I had some information and I obviously saw the laptimes. I think, for him personally, obviously a great comeback”, Renault driver Hulkenberg told Motorsport.com at the Gamma Racing Day event in the Netherlands.

“After the severe accident and injuries he had to come back and drive a modern Formula 1 car and to do 140 laps, just like that, is quite impressive.

“Especially at a track like Budapest, which is very physical. So respect for that. And I think the performance also, it seemed alright.

“So I’m not sure what’s going to happen, what Renault wants to do, but the test was OK

, I think.”

By: Erwin Jaeggi, Journalist

The post Kubica “quite impressive” in Hungary test appeared first on greek grand prix.

The post Sachsenring 2017 – Full Race Highlights appeared first on greek grand prix.

Murat Bostanci got third place after Al-Attiyah’s retirement due steering failure, but he had accident on last stage and he lost important points for championship. Also home runner, Yorgo Philippedes with Škoda Fabia R5, lost his fourth place overall with accident on last stage.

Albert von Thurn und Taxis also rolled on last stage after he was on P7.

Kajetanowicz won all three last stages when Magalhaes lost more time on SS11, where he must to stopped due no working wipers.

1. Kajetanowicz K. – Baran J. ( Ford Fiesta R5 ) 2:49:40.6
2. Magalhães B. – Magalhães H. ( Škoda Fabia R5 ) +2:58.7
3. Grzyb Grzegorz – Wróbel Jakub ( Škoda Fabia R5 ) +6:05.3
4. Tsouloftas A. – Giraudet D. ( Citroën DS3 R5 ) +8:48.3
5. Tsolakidis Socratis – Dimos H. ( Škoda Fabia R5 ) +16:49.2
6. Melegari Zelindo – Barone M. ( Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX ) +21:05.6
7. Drimousis V. – Drimousis P. ( Subaru Impreza STi N11 Spec C ) +25:43.5
8. Banaz Bugra – Erdener Burak ( Ford Fiesta R2T ) +26:06.0
9. Özdemir Ü. – Memisyazici B. ( Ford Fiesta R2T ) +27:45.4
10. Érdi jun. Tibor – Papp G. ( Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X ) +30:11.2

Zelindo Melegari won in ERC2 and Bugra Banaz in ERC3 section.

The post Last stage of Acropolis Rally appeared first on greek grand prix.

The post Back to the race! appeared first on greek grand prix.

Valentino Rossi’s new Movistar Yamaha team-mate Maverick Viñales has been hugely impressive during pre-season testing so far, but The Doctor believes Marc Marquez is still the man to beat.

Vinales bumped Repsol Honda rider Marquez back to second place as the young Spaniard shot to the head of the times on day two of the Phillip Island MotoGP test by more than four tenths from Marquez, setting his best lap in 1m 28.847s.

The 22-year-old also impressed after leading the way at Sepang, but nine-time world champion Rossi, who was eighth fastest on Thursday – eight tenths behind Viñales – believes reigning champion Marquez has the overall edge.

“In all these tests Marquez and Viñales are the faster, but Marquez more, especially in the pace. It looks like Viñales is very good with the new tyre. It looks like Marquez, with the race rhythm, is the man to beat,” Rossi said.

“About the atmosphere [in garage with Viñales] sincerely it’s not a big difference. It’s the same – different character. The important thing is on the track and Viñales is very fast and has a very good feeling with the bike. Sincerely it was not a surprise because everyone knows that he is fast. But he’s been very fast from the beginning. It’s difficult. I think that we can work well. We share the information to improve the bike. I think that he’s very, very strong.”

Rossi admits he will have his hands full this season if he’s to beat his young team-mate, but the Italian – who turned 38 on Thursday – pointed out that faced a similar situation last year with Jorge Lorenzo.

“He’s very fast but he’s very fast everywhere. He feels very good with the bike. For sure it will be hard to beat him but you know also last year with Lorenzo it was also difficult,” Rossi said. “We have to work and try to arrive ready for Qatar.”

Viñales followed Rossi for some laps on the opening day of the test on Wednesday but it wasn’t an issue for The Doctor, who says he may return the favour this season.

“Yeah, possibly, why not? About following, everyone is very jealous, no? Because when you have a fast rider behind you always try not to push in front. But for sure there is some moment when one is faster than the other one. I’m sure we can help.”

After running second fastest on Wednesday, Rossi dropped down the time sheets on day two and revealed some modifications to his 2017 YZR-M1 had been a step in the wrong direction in the afternoon.

“We work on the new bike, the 2017 edition. From the outside it doesn’t change a lot but the reality is that it’s quite different. We still have some problems to understand the way to follow. It was a difficult day for us, especially in the afternoon. This morning was not so bad. We tried some different tyres and especially we try the pace. It was quite good,” he said.

“But this afternoon we had some important tests to try also long runs and we try to modify something in the bike but unfortunately it doesn’t work so well and I wasn’t fast enough. It looks like we follow the wrong direction so after the interview we’ll go back to the box and try to understand tomorrow. We hope that we can improve.

“Tomorrow we go back and we’ll try to follow another direction. The target is to try and improve the lap time and to try and make the long run to understand the pace.”

Rossi had little time to celebrate his 38th birthday with a party on Thursday but said having the chance to ride his M1 at Phillip Island was the perfect present.

“Already to be here in Phillip Island with the beautiful weather and to ride the M1 all the day. It’s difficult always because it’s a hard work but it’s a great pleasure so it’s a good gift.

“Usually when I have the test in Phillip Island it’s always the date of my birthday. It looks like the track is free in this period. When we did Malaysia I passed the birthday at home but in Phillip Island it’s like this. But it’s OK. It’s a good way to make the birthday,” Rossi said.

“If I am in Italy or in the past when I was in Italy, I did some very good party from my birthday, yes. It was good, a lot of people – we enjoy. But we are here, so no party. But it’s OK, it’s OK. It’s a pleasure [to be here].”

by crash.net

The post Phillip Island Testing appeared first on greek grand prix.

The post Monte Carlo 2017 appeared first on greek grand prix.