RACE RAP: MONDAY, August 16
SILVER ARROWS SWEEP FORMULA E
As if dominating the hybrid era in Formula One is not enough, Mercedes-Benz has now swept both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships in Formula E.
The battery-electric battle came down to a shoot-out in Berlin, where eighth place was good enough for Nyck de Vries to claim his championship and put Mercedes-EQ on top among the carmakers.
Kiwi Mitch Evans was looking like a solid contender until a mechanical problem on the grid, but Mark Webber’s original protege – before Oscar Piastri – has the consolation of an extended Jaguar contract for the next two seasons of Formula E.
NEUVILLE WINS AT HOME
Thierry Neuville finally got back on top of the World Rally Championship with a predictable home win at Ypres Rally Belgium, leading home his Irish team mate Craig Breen in their Hyundai i20 WRCs, with youngster Kalle Rovanpera the best of the Toyota contenders in third.
The course for the rally included a SuperSpecial stage on the classic Spa F1 circuit, but the rest of the rally was run on narrow, tricky, dirty tarmac stages which were tough to tame and resulted in a string of crashes and near-misses.
Defending world champion Sebastian Ogier continues to lead the title standings, in his final full-time WRC season, after finishing fifth in his Toyota Yaris.
HAMILTON TOPS THE PAY GRADE
It’s no surprise to see that Lewis Hamilton is the best-paid driver in Formula One, according to research by Forbes in the USA, and will earn $84.5 million in 2021.
Max Verstappen is second on the Forbes’ list, at $57 million, ahead of Fernando Alonso who earns $34 million from Alpine. Sergio Perez from Red Bull is a surprising fourth, although his $24.5 million is probably boosted by Mexican sponsors, ahead of Sebastian Vettel with $20 million and Charles Leclerc from Ferrari with $16.3 million.
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo is pegged alongside Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes at $13.5 million, with a salary that is comfortably ahead of his McLaren team mate Lando Norris even though he has been easily outpaced by his young rival through the first half of the 2021 grand prix season.
LE MANS IS HERE
Toyota is the odds-on favourite for its fourth straight win, and its first in the incoming Hypercar era, at the classic French 24-hour sports car classic next weekend.
A pair of GR 010 hybrids will race at Le Mans, with the only real threat to Toyota coming from Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, which enters two cars, as well as Alpine, which is racing a grandfathered LMP1 car.
Ryan Briscoe is the highest-rated Aussie in the field, driving for Glickenhaus, with former winner Brendon Hartley representing New Zealand in the Toyota driver roster.
TOP FUEL REVIVAL
A revitalised six-round series will put Top Fuel competition back at the top of Australian drag racing through the 2022 season.
Organisers promise at least six cars from the country’s four top teams – Jim Read Racing, Lamattina Top Fuel Racing, PremiAir Racing, and Rapisarda Autosport International – for a series that will return to Victoria and Western Australia.
The championship opens in Sydney on January 21-22, followed by events at Calder Park, the Perth Motorplex and Heathcote Dragway, before a return to Sydney Dragway on May 6-7 before a yet-to-be-announced grand final, perhaps at Willowbank in Queensland.
JUNIOR CALL-UP FROM FERRARI
Young single-seater hopefuls are being urged by Motorsport Australia to apply for a potential place in the Ferrari Driver Academy for 2022.
James Wharton has already won his way onto the roster and is living in Europe to chase his dream.
The selection for the Asia-Pacific/Oceania representative, to join the global competition, about to begin and online applications are open through Motorsport Australia.
ADVICE FOR YOUNGSTERS
Anyone dreaming of a place in motorsport can get an early start from the new NAPA Know How Motorsport Academy.
It’s an online portal providing tuition, tools and resources to grassroots competitors – both drivers and crew members – who want to improve their on and off-track skills with advice on everything from racecraft and fitness to sponsorship.
The online portal – https://www.napaparts.com.au/academy/ – is free for any driver aged at least 13 and competing on four wheels, from circuit racing to rallying, off-road to speedway and drag racing.
ANOTHER CHANGE TO AUSTRALIAN RALLY
Tasmania has been lost from this year’s Australian Rally Championship schedule, for the second straight year, because of Covid-19.
But organisers of the series are promising an extra event, with a new sprint format, as part of a double-header at Coffs Harbour at the end of this year.
The Coffs Sprint Rally is scheduled for November 20-21, with the Coffs Coast Rally – the Australian leg of this year’s Asia-Pacific championship – on November 27-28.
