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Tag: Formula One racing

  • IndyCar roars into season opener at St. Petersburg as Palou chases 4th straight title

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — IndyCar opens its season with a roaring four races in March, a return to Phoenix Raceway, three new venues and the son of a motorsports icon making his debut in a North American-based series.

    Oh, and Alex Palou will be racing for his fifth championship in six years.

    The season begins Sunday on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg with a field of 25 drivers led by defending race winner Palou. The Spaniard kicked off his title campaign on the street course a year ago with the win, the first of eight victories that included the Indianapolis 500 and a third consecutive IndyCar title.

    He’s back with his Chip Ganassi Racing team intact, the breach of contract lawsuit with McLaren decided, and his eyes on another title. If he wins a fourth-straight, Palou would join Sebastien Bourdais as the only driver in series history to accomplish the feat.

    “I think 2025 was so strange, so good, so magical … it’s very hard to get there. That doesn’t mean that nobody can or that I cannot do it again, but you need so many things to go right to get eight wins, to win the 500, to win the championship,” Palou said. “Although I would love to have another season like 2025, I am pretty certain that it’s probably not going to happen again for me. But I’ll try. I’ll try.”

    His competition will come from within — teammate Scott Dixon, a six-time IndyCar champion, is looking to rebound from last year’s one-win season — as well as traditional heavyweight Team Penske. McLaren hopes to be a contender after Pato O’Ward finished second in the standings last year, and Andretti Global has been bolstered by the addition of former Penske stalwart Will Power and other key hires.

    Many eyes will be on Power, who turns 45 on Sunday, same day as his first IndyCar race driving for someone other than Roger Penske since 2009. He was replaced in the Penske lineup by David Malukas, who at 24 has a longer runway than Power.

    But Power was quickly snapped up by aggressive new Andretti owner Dan Towriss, who also hired Ron Ruzewski, one of three Team Penske executives fired after an Indianapolis 500 inspection infraction, as team principal of its IndyCar team. Ruzewski and Power know Team Penske inside and out and bring priceless knowledge to an Andretti organization that last won the IndyCar title in 2012.

    “It’s really difficult to understand, like, are we missing anything? Are we good or bad? We won’t know that until we actually have our first race,” Power said. “But the end of the first race weekend you’ll start to see, as you always do, ‘OK, we need to work on this, this, this and this.’”

    Power won Penske its last IndyCar championship in 2022 and the organization is trying to rebound from a rough season last year. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden didn’t win until the season finale and finished 12th in the standings, while teammate Scott McLaughlin went winless but was ninth in the standings.

    “We’ve just got to focus on being more consistent. It’s kind of simple to say that, but that’s just what it will come down to,” Newgarden said. “If we don’t want to finish 12th in the standings, we’ve got to finish more races.”

    IndyCar has a healthy 18-race schedule this year, the most events since the 2014 season, and for the first time in years the series won’t go weeks between the opener and the next race.

    Penske, who owns IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was able to get a record four races in March by joining NASCAR next weekend for a return to Phoenix. IndyCar last raced at Phoenix in 2018, a race won by Newgarden.

    From Phoenix the series goes to the inaugural event on the Streets of Arlington in a collaboration with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. IndyCar closes out the month at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

    Arlington is one of three new venues on the schedule as IndyCar will move away from downtown Toronto to race on the streets of Markham, Ontario, and a President Donald Trump-backed event in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th birthday of the United States.

    The season will end Sept. 6 with the finale back at Laguna Seca for the first time since 2023.

    IndyCar typically features a few new faces every year but none come with the name recognition that Mick Schumacher brings.

    Schumacher is the son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher and has made the move away from F1 after three seasons without a ride. He drove for Haas in F1 and became a Mercedes reserve driver after losing that seat at the end of 2022.

    He hasn’t made an F1 start since and instead competed in the World Endurance Championship. Now the 26-year-old German will give North American open wheel racing a try with a seat at Rahal Letterman Lanigan.

    He’ll need to quickly adapt to oval racing, which will be new to Schumacher, who said he’s leaning on teammate Graham Rahal for advice.

    “I’m very curious and interested in learning about that,” Schumacher said. “The good thing is we have Graham on board, who has done a couple of these races in his lifetime, and therefore I can learn very much from him.”

    Coincidentally, Schumacher will be on the grid this year with Romain Grosjean, the driver he replaced at Haas in 2021. Grosjean returns to IndyCar after a year away with Dale Coyne Racing, the team that first brought him to the series in 2021.

    Coyne has an entirely new lineup this year as Grosjean will pair with rookie teammate Dennis Hauger, the reigning INDY NXT champion.

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  • F1’s new era demands a new driving style as ‘big four’ seek opening victory in Australia

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    Chaotic starts, tricky overtaking, lifting off the gas on straights. Formula 1’s new era of regulations could upend the series in unexpected ways when the season begins with the Australian Grand Prix next week.

    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the two most successful drivers on the grid, were critical in testing of cars whose electrical hybrid systems promote unusual driving styles and make racing more strategic.

    Four-time champion Verstappen branded the cars “no fun” and suggested they might be a factor in considering retirement, while seven-time champ Hamilton suggested the rules are too complex for fans to grasp.

    It’s a crucial season for F1, which expanded rapidly over the last decade by putting drivers’ personalities center stage and not focusing on technological detail.

    “We need to stay calm because, as always when there is something happening as a new regulation, there’s always the doubt that everything is wrong,” F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said last week at testing.

    Despite big changes, the top four teams are the same after Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all showed promise in testing.

    The “big four,” as McLaren boss Zak Brown calls them, seem broadly similar on pace, with Mercedes and Ferrari perhaps having a slight edge in race simulations in testing.

    At the final test, Ferrari revealed a rear wing that turns upside down for straight-line speed and an innovative mini-wing behind the exhaust. It also stood out as the fastest in practice starts after other teams, especially Mercedes, were sluggish off the line.

    Rivals have praised Red Bull for mastering the electrical power technology, while champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seem consistently strong again for McLaren, which uses a Mercedes engine.

    Mercedes’ mix of power and reliability could make George Russell a true championship contender. There’s extra attention on Mercedes’ engine, which was fast in testing following weeks of speculation from rivals about its legality. Mercedes says the design is perfectly legal.

    Some teams sacrificed the 2025 season to seek big gains in 2026. It hasn’t worked.

    Even with star designer Adrian Newey in charge, Aston Martin was late to testing, unreliable, and often slower than new team Cadillac. Williams and Alpine have also struggled but Haas may be able to challenge the top teams.

    The push by the FIA for a 50-50 split between power from the engine and from electrical hybrid technology means driving in 2026 is all about compromise.

    Drivers in preseason testing were revving the engines hard on the grid for a fast getaway, lifting off the gas on straights to charge the on-board battery and shifting down aggressively to first gear in corners. The FIA could intervene to tweak the regulations if the first few races throw up bizarre scenarios.

    Standing starts off the grid required a tricky procedure in testing because the hybrid system doesn’t kick in until 50 kph (31 mph). After some sluggish practice starts, tweaks have been made to the procedure, but that might not stop Ferrari, which identified the issue early and designed its engine to be quick off the line. Hamilton delivered one of the most eye-catching moments of preseason by blasting past four cars in a practice start in Bahrain last week.

    Fast starts might be extra important if overtaking is as hard as some drivers suspect. Get ready to hear about 2026 cars being “energy-starved” on certain tracks, including Australia, which doesn’t have as many heavy braking zones where the battery can charge.

    If cars can’t make full use of the hybrid system, the new “overtake mode” with extra power might be a waste of limited energy if it needs several laps to hit full charge and still leaves the overtaking car a sitting duck afterward.

    There’s a new team, a renamed team, a new track and a new broadcaster in the United States.

    Cadillac joins as the 11th team with veteran race winners Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas, but faces a year of learning after being consistently slow in preseason. Even the Super Bowl ad revealing its eye-catching asymmetric black-and-white livery hit trouble in the form of a lawsuit from Hollywood director Michael Bay.

    Sauber is now Audi after a takeover by the German automaker, which is producing its own engines.

    The Spanish Grand Prix leaves Barcelona after 35 years for Madrid’s new Madring street circuit. Italy’s second race at Imola makes way and Barcelona stays on as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

    Apple, whose studio helped to make last year’s “F1” movie, takes over the U.S. broadcast rights after the end of ESPN’s contract.

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  • Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff sells 15% stake to CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz

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    LAS VEGAS — Mercedes team principal and part-owner Toto Wolff has sold 15% of his shareholding of the Formula 1 team to George Kurtz, the CEO and founder of cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

    Mercedes said the deal makes Kurtz a co-owner of the team that is valued at $6 billion. Wolff was one of three equal owners alongside Mercedes-Benz and INEOS.

    The deal was announced ahead of Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, where Mercedes driver George Russell is the defending race winner.

    Kurtz will become technology advisor to Mercedes, as well as join the team’s strategic steering committee alongside Wolff, Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Kallenius, and INEOS founder and chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

    Wolff will continue as team principal and CEO.

    “George’s background is unusual in its breadth — he’s a racer, a loyal sporting ambassador for Mercedes-AMG, and an exceptional entrepreneur,” Wolff said. “He understands both the demands of racing and the realities of building and scaling technology businesses. That combination brings specific insight that is increasingly relevant to the future of Formula 1.”

    CrowdStrike became a global partner of Mercedes’ F1 team in 2019, but Kurtz’s purchase into the ownership group was his personally.

    “Winning in racing and cybersecurity requires speed, precision, and innovation. Milliseconds matter. Execution counts. Data wins,” said Kurtz. “Technology is reshaping competitive advantage and human capability everywhere, including motorsport. I’m excited to help the team securely accelerate forward.”

    Kurtz is considered a racer and has dabbled in sports car racing since 2016. He has class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 Pro-Am, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Six Hours of the Glen, and he is the two-time winner of both the Indianapolis 8 Hour and 24 Hours of Spa in a Mercedes-AMG GT3.

    Kurtz won the 2023 SRO GT World Challenge America Team & Drivers’ Championship, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Championship Driver Category, and the 2023-24 Asia Le Mans LMP2 Championship.

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  • Apple’s new five-year deal with Formula 1: What it means for US fans

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    Formula 1 announced a five-year deal Friday with Apple, which will be the global motorsports series’ U.S. broadcast partner beginning next season.

    ESPN had been the broadcast partner since 2018 and through the explosion of popularity of F1 in the United States, but notified the series at the start of this year it would not be extending its deal.

    At the same time, Apple was working with the series on “F1 The Movie,” an original film released internationally in cinemas and IMAX in June. It will make its global streaming debut on Apple TV in December, has already grossed nearly $630 million globally as both the most successful sports movie in history and most lucrative of Brad Pitt’s career.

    The relationship made Apple the frontrunner to land the U.S. broadcast rights. Financial terms were not released.

    “I feel like I am on the podium, this is amazing,” said Eddy Cue, Apple‘s senior vice president of services. “Our vision for Apple TV, we wanted to deliver customers the best story from the most creative storytellers. We launched in 2019, we started with nine original series, and now we’ve got a deep library of over 300 shows and movies and 1000s of hours.

    “And everyone on Apple TV in the US will now get Formula 1,” he added. “They’re going to get everything that Formula 1 has to offer.”

    Apple plans to air F1 on Apple TV as well as amplify the series across Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports and Apple Fitness+. Apple TV will also host all practice, qualifying, sprint sessions and races.

    Select races and all practice sessions throughout the season will also be available to watch for free in the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium, F1’s own premier content offering, will continue to be available in the U.S. via an Apple TV subscription and will be free to Apple subscribers.

    Apple TV is available in over 100 countries and regions on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone and other products, including PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles.

    Cue said Apple’s reach will only help grow F1 in the United States, which currently hosts races in Miami, Las Vegas and this weekend in Austin, Texas.

    “The many millions of Apple TV viewers that we have in the U.S., we know many of them are Formula 1 fans, hopefully, and we know that many of them are not yet,” he said. “We’re going to be able to bring (new fans) to the table right away, that’s very much low-hanging fruit.”

    Stefano Domenicali, F1 president and CEO, noted the potential for growth.

    “This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple that will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the U.S. with the right content and innovative distribution channels,” Domenicali said. “We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked.”

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  • McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix

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    McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix

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  • F1 tension builds as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris resume title fight at the Dutch GP

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    ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — The Formula 1 title race is back and the tension is building.

    Ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the first race in four weeks, Oscar Piastri is just nine points ahead of his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris, who won three of the last four races before the mid-season break.

    Norris had the edge over Piastri in Friday’s first practice session, while Max Verstappen ended up in a gravel trap.

    “The intensity will naturally increase as we get closer to the end of the year, and I’m ready for that,” Piastri said Thursday.

    The Australian has won praise for his ability to stay cool in his first season as a true title contender, but he acknowledged that the nerves are there, even if they’re not always obvious.

    “I don’t believe anyone that says they don’t get nervous because I don’t think that’s possible, and I think it would be a bit weird if you weren’t nervous,” he said. “Ultimately the nerves can be good or bad and it’s how you manage it that decides that. I think for me, being calm is part of who I am, but definitely I’ve learned through the years that is how I get the most out of myself as well.”

    Despite the break, Norris remained F1’s in-form driver as he went fastest in the first practice session by the surprisingly large margin of 0.292 seconds from Piastri. Lance Stroll was an unexpected third for Aston Martin, half a second off the pace.

    Verstappen’s home race got off to a bad start as the four-time champion ended the first practice stuck in the gravel in bizarre circumstances, sliding off the track at the first corner after attempting a practice start. He was sixth fastest in the session but almost a second off the pace.

    Ferrari struggled, with Charles Leclerc 14th and Lewis Hamilton 15th, while Kimi Antonelli caused a red flag when he was beached in the gravel after skidding off in his Mercedes.

    A slow start actually ended up helping Norris win the last race in Hungary. He had to take a gamble on his strategy and hit the jackpot by stopping once, instead of twice, to get ahead on track and then hold off his teammate on old tires.

    That prompted questions of how the situation fit McLaren’s stated aim of letting its drivers race each other for the title. Typically, the driver in the lead would get the preference on strategy.

    “Maybe it wasn’t a perfect harmonic race between us as a team because it didn’t fall exactly into the place with what we normally go by,” Norris said. “It’s an example of what can happen in racing sometimes. I think we both want, as drivers, things not to be overly strict. We don’t want to be told not to race.”

    Piastri also favored keeping things simple and not letting McLaren’s “papaya rules” get too complicated.

    “Ultimately there are race situations where being the second car from the team on track … you’ve got a lot less to lose,” Piastri said. “I think it would be unfair to neutralize that just because of wanting to be on the same strategy.”

    Verstappen says the Dutch crowd “definitely brings a smile on my face when I’m driving,” but his title defense hasn’t given him much else to smile about.

    Verstappen is the best of the non-McLaren drivers but there’s still a gulf of 97 points separating him from Piastri. The Dutch driver said Thursday his aim is “just to try to make the best of it” for the rest of 2025 and that he doesn’t have any real target in the standings.

    Verstappen won the last wet race at Zandvoort in 2023 and his best hope of a fourth career win at his home GP might be the chance of rain affecting Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.

    “That always creates a bit of chaos, so we just need to see what happens,” he said.

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  • After ‘venting’ his frustration, Hamilton could come back stronger from F1’s break

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    Lewis Hamilton’s dream of an eighth Formula 1 title with Ferrari is spinning off track.

    His comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix in early August sparked concern among fans of Hamilton and Ferrari as the seven-time champion called himself “absolutely useless”, suggested Ferrari should consider replacing him, and hinted at deeper issues. “There’s a lot going on in the background that is not great,” Hamilton said.

    Having a four-week break before next week’s Dutch Grand Prix offers a much-needed reset, argues Michael E. Sawyer, author of a biography of Hamilton, “Sir Lewis,” published this year.

    “I think he’s venting, I think he’s down. I think the summer break couldn’t have come at a better time for him,” Sawyer told The Associated Press. “It gives him a chance to reflect and think through exactly what the approach is going to be.”

    Hamilton certainly seems to be getting away from it all. He posted pictures on social media last week in the countryside with his beloved bulldog Roscoe and the caption “DND” — seemingly short for “do not disturb”.

    Ferrari has said it still has faith in Hamilton, though F1’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone has urged him to call time on his record-breaking career. Hamilton “would be cheating himself if he goes on,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail newspaper this month.

    So how might Hamilton find his way back to the front of the F1 field?

    All too often, he’s been off the pace in qualifying on Saturday and down the grid, meaning his typically better race pace is wasted on working his way through the midfield.

    “Every time, every time,” was Hamilton’s groan of frustration when he qualified 12th for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Teammate Charles Leclerc was on pole.

    Qualifying is the area where the break might help Hamilton most, argues Sawyer. He has competitive pace — as he showed while carving through the field on a wet track in Belgium last month — but hasn’t brought it on Saturdays.

    Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was never all about 2025.

    The team made clear that signing Hamilton was a long-term project despite his age — he turned 40 in January — and backed him when he said he needed time to adapt to a different car.

    When he hasn’t been venting about his results on track, Hamilton has emphasized his role in creating Ferrari’s car for 2026, when new F1 regulations will shake up the running order.

    Making Hamilton a core part of the 2026 car’s design philosophy means “there’s reason for him to be really optimistic about the possibilities because there’s going to be so much shifting around on the grid,” Sawyer said. “There’s going to be opportunity for someone as savvy and experienced as him to take advantage of that.”

    The worst-case scenario for Ferrari would likely be an unexpected Hamilton retirement, denting the brand’s image and leaving the team without a high-level driver to partner Leclerc next season.

    Of its two reserve drivers, Zhou Guanyu has a career-best race finish of eighth at Sauber and Antonio Giovinazzi’s last F1 race was in 2021. Ferrari could also call on Oliver Bearman, the Haas rookie.

    Still, if Ferrari’s big bet pays off, Hamilton has the potential to redefine what F1 success means once again.

    He turns 41 in January and will be racing for an eighth world title to break a tie with Michael Schumacher and stand alone in the record books. Hamilton could become the oldest race winner since 1994 and oldest champion since 1966. Sawyer believes it would best all of his other titles.

    “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” said Sawyer. “I think it would be the greatest of them all. The comeback story would be amazing.”

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  • Normally nervous Norris not feeling extra pressure heading into Italian GP amid F1 title chase

    Normally nervous Norris not feeling extra pressure heading into Italian GP amid F1 title chase

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    MONZA, Italy (AP) — Lando Norris claimed he’s not feeling the pressure — no more than normal at least.

    Norris secured a dominant victory at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out to continue to chip away at Max Verstappen’s lead at the top of the Formula One standings.

    The McLaren driver moved to within 70 points of Verstappen with nine races remaining and much of the focus will be on how the title fight could develop at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

    “I don’t think of (the expectation) at all,” Norris said on Thursday. “There’s always pressure. I still get so nervous before qualifying, before the races I still get just as excited and just as nervous.

    “I barely eat anything on Sundays, I struggle to drink anything on Sundays, just because I’m nervous and because of the pressure,” the 24-year-old Briton added. “But I think it’s how how you turn that into a positive thing, how do you not let it affect you in a bad way, how can you actually use it in a good way to help you focus on the correct things and so on.”

    It was clear last weekend at Zandvoort that Norris’ team had the fastest car following McLaren’s latest upgrades. That points to what could be an increasingly competitive title fight with Verstappen in the last nine races of the season after the Dutch driver was far ahead of the rest in 2022 and 2023.

    McLaren also cut the gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship to 30 points as the team chases its first title since 1998.

    It was only a second ever win for Norris. The other victory was in Miami in May, and he has finished second four times since then.

    Verstappen had never been beaten on his home track but Norris has been quick to temper enthusiasm about a reignited title race.

    “Monza’s a very different track. It gives the team a good amount of confidence and always a little bit of a boost, but it doesn’t change your feeling,” Norris said. “We know we’ve been performing well the whole year since Miami, we’ve been doing a very good job and this was a weekend where everything just went perfectly.

    “We’re pushing hard every weekend, of course our goal is to catch in both, especially from a constructors’ side it looks a lot more doable than the drivers’ side. But I’m doing my best, the team’s doing their best and that’s all we can hope for.”

    Verstappen said last weekend that “something has been going on lately with the car” and that Red Bull needs to figure out how to combat twin problems of a lack of pace and higher-than-expected tire wear.

    The three-time defending champion is now without a victory in five races, his longest winless run since 2020. But Verstappen appeared unfazed by his narrowing lead.

    “Listen, I just do the best I can,” he said at Monza. “If I win it or not, it’s not going to change my life. Would I like to win it? Yes, of course.

    “But it’s not in my hands with the performance of the car because I just try to do the best I can, try to give feedback, try to make it faster. If that’s going to be enough to the end of the year, I don’t know.”

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  • Logan Sargeant crashes heavily in practice for F1’s Dutch Grand Prix and misses qualifying

    Logan Sargeant crashes heavily in practice for F1’s Dutch Grand Prix and misses qualifying

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    ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Logan Sargeant crashed heavily in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on Saturday, leaving his car on fire with severe damage and causing him to miss qualifying.

    Sargeant seemed to lose control of his Williams after putting one wheel onto the wet grass on the entry to a right-hand corner, before veering off to the left and spinning into a metal barrier.

    Sargeant was unhurt and walked away from the car as flames spread across the rear and smoke poured from the air intake.

    The session, taking place in wet conditions, was red-flagged almost immediately before marshals extinguished the fire and loaded the car onto a truck.

    Williams worked on the car and said the chassis “currently looks okay”. The team didn’t have it ready for Sargeant to take part in qualifying, however.

    It’s the latest in a series of crashes for F1’s only American driver. Sargeant crashed at the Canadian Grand Prix in June and collided with Kevin Magnussen at the Miami Grand Prix in May. He also crashed in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix in April.

    Sargeant is being replaced at Williams by Carlos Sainz Jr. for 2025.

    The Dutch Grand Prix is Sunday.

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  • China-born Zhou Guanyu will be a star regardless of who wins the Chinese Formula 1 race in Shanghai

    China-born Zhou Guanyu will be a star regardless of who wins the Chinese Formula 1 race in Shanghai

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    Formula 1 returns to China this weekend after a five-year absence. And no matter who wins on Sunday, the star locally will be China-born driver Zhou Guanyu.

    Despite his so-so results, Zhou is a being promoted as a celebrity in China. He’s the subject of a new film as the first Chinese driver to compete in F1. And he’s, of course, a favorite of sponsors who want a Chinese connection.

    Ahead of the first Grand Prix weekend in Shanghai since 2019, Zhou described as more than a race for him, saying “with a Chinese driver on the grid, we will write history.”

    By the time he got to the driver’s news conference on Thursday, where the questions to him ranged from China’s economy and politics to its burgeoning auto industry’s future potential in F1, Zhou had spent more than a week doing promotional work and meetings with sponsors, backers and fans.

    “I’ve been extremely busy, you know — the busiest man, probably, in Shanghai over the last week and a half,” he said. “A lot of activities done. It’s great to see the support from from the country already.”

    Zhou has never won a Formula 1 race. In 48 races since 2022, he’s yet to even reach the podium — meaning a finish in the first three places. In the last F1 race almost two weeks ago in Japan, his Sauber retired with a gearbox failure and he placed 18th out of 20.

    In the season standings in 2023, he was also 18th with only six points from 22 races.

    But the numbers don’t matter much in the search for a hometown hero in F1.

    “The pressure, of course this race is a little bit higher, but I don’t think it gets much more than for me than my debut in Formula 1,” he said. “Because by now everything feels a lot more familiar than back in the day. First day here is completely different … now’s third season. So I’m just going to use that.”

    Zhou was born in Shanghai and, though he’s spent many of his formative years in England, Sunday’s Chinese GP is a homecoming for him — and for the race. The last F1 in China was run contested in 2019, and the next four were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He noted that tickets sold out quicker than ever for the Chinese GP, with interest in the sport growing exponentially since he watched his first F1 race.

    “For me, of course, it’s been 20 years waiting until this Grand Prix,” Zhou said. “Coming back here being an F1 driver … yeah, I can’t wait.

    “A lot of mixed emotion, of course, but I want to treat it as much as the normal race weekend.”

    A film about Zhou’s life will be released Friday by the Shanghai Media Group, a state-owned company and one of China’s largest media conglomerates.

    Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes — he’s moving next season to Ferrari — won the 2019 race in China in the midst of his era of dominance when he won four straight season titles between 2017 and 2020.

    However, the race two weeks ago in Japan was the 49th straight that Hamilton has failed to win. His last victory was in 2021.

    The Chinese GP weekend will include a sprint race on Saturday and the main event on Sunday. Several drivers have raised concerns about the sprint being run on a track that has not been seen since 2019.

    The only practice is scheduled for Friday, followed by sprint qualifying. Saturday has the sprint race, and qualifying for Sunday — all on a newly paved track. Sunday, of course, is race day.

    The 90-minute Chinese-language documentary about Zhou is entitled “The First One.” The race is part of a campaign by the national and provincial governments to lure tourists back to China following the pandemic. It’s also part of an effort to keep businesses from moving investment out of the country.

    China is relatively new to auto racing, and Shanghai held its first GP in 2004. In a statement last month, China’s General Administration of Sport — combined with the commerce and culture ministry — indicated sports events were a priority.

    The statement urged the recognition of “the comprehensive benefits of sports events” and cultural tourism to “fully release consumption potential.”

    The national statistical bureau said that 82.03 million inbound tourists entered mainland China in 2023, down from 145.31 million in 2019. Visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao are counted as inbound tourists and their numbers have reached 81% of 2019 levels.

    However the report, compiled by a branch of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said “inbound and outbound visits by foreigners only returned to 36% of the 2019 level.”

    According to statistics, in 2023, the number of inbound tourists received by travel agencies was less than 10% of 2019, reflecting the low recovery level in the tourism market.

    Zhou is part of the effort to show the global community that China is open for business and tourism, his helmet for the race will show details of Shanghai’s subway system and famous landmarks around the city.

    “It’s an opportunity to inspire and pave the path for future generations being interested in the sport,” Zhou said.

    ___

    AP researcher Caroline Chen in Beijing contributed.

    ___

    AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one

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  • Red Bull’s Horner dismisses ‘anonymous speculation,’ denies misconduct after alleged evidence out

    Red Bull’s Horner dismisses ‘anonymous speculation,’ denies misconduct after alleged evidence out

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    SAKHIR, Bahrain — Red Bull team principal Christian Horner dismissed “anonymous speculation” after alleged evidence in his misconduct investigation was widely distributed Thursday.

    Horner led the Red Bull team in practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, a day after the team’s parent company dismissed a complaint that alleged misconduct toward a team employee.

    As second practice was going on, a Google Drive file alleged to contain the evidence presented against Horner was emailed to nearly 200 people in the F1 paddock, including the Liberty Media, F1, the FIA, the other nine team principals and multiple media outlets. The authenticity of the files has not been verified by The Associated Press, and the file came from a generic gmail account.

    “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” Horner said in a statement read out to journalists by a team spokesman on behalf of Horner.

    It was noted that it was a statement only from Horner and not on behalf of Red Bell.

    “I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way,” Horner’s statement continued. “It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made. I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”

    ___

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  • Formula One’s return to Las Vegas is a winner for late-night TV viewers, too

    Formula One’s return to Las Vegas is a winner for late-night TV viewers, too

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    Formula One’s return to Las Vegas drew the largest audience for the series since June, despite starting in the middle of the night for viewers on the East Coast, ESPN says

    ByThe Associated Press

    November 21, 2023, 7:17 PM

    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, drives during the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

    The Associated Press

    Formula One’s return to Las Vegas drew the largest audience for the series since June, despite starting in the middle of the night for viewers on the East Coast, according to ESPN.

    The race, which began at 1 a.m. Eastern, attracted 1.3 million viewers, one of its largest audiences for the series this season, ESPN said.

    The telecast, which ran until just after 3 a.m. Eastern, averaged 1.3 million viewers. That’s the third-largest F1 audience of the season on cable and sixth-largest overall on ESPN platforms this season.

    The Las Vegas Grand Prix, run for the first time since 1982 in Sin City, was the most-viewed F1 race since June’s Canadian Grand Prix on ABC (1.76 million) and the most-watched telecast of any kind on cable after 11 p.m. Eastern on Saturday night and in the overnight hours. Viewership for the race peaked at 1.5 million between 1:15-1:30 a.m. EST.

    The 2023 season has had three of the four largest live F1 audiences in history on U.S. television: 1.96 million in Miami, 1.79 million in Monaco and 1.76 million in Canada.

    Max Verstappen won in Las Vegas, his 18th victory in 21 races this season.

    The F1 season concludes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 26.

    ___

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  • F1 exceeds Las Vegas expectations as Verstappen wins one of the most competitive races of the season

    F1 exceeds Las Vegas expectations as Verstappen wins one of the most competitive races of the season

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    LAS VEGAS — Max Verstappen hated everything about the Las Vegas Grand Prix from the moment he arrived in Sin City. Formula One’s three-time reigning world champion found the excess and opulence over-the-top and prioritized over the actual racing.

    He changed his tune — literally — following his 18th win of the season.

    “Viva Las Vegas! Viva Las Vegas!” sang Verstappen as he crossed under the checkered flag waved by Justin Bieber. Verstappen had slammed Saturday night’s spectacle at every chance, yet raced in an Elvis-inspired firesuit and took the victory on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

    “I hope everyone enjoyed it, we definitely did. Excited to come back here next year and try to do something similar,” said Verstappen, who had markedly reversed his weeklong position on the Las Vegas spectacle.

    “It was a fun race. I enjoyed it,” he conceded.

    Verstappen passed Charles Leclerc at the start then overcame a penalty to pass Leclerc once more with 13 laps remaining to continue his season-long dominance. Verstappen, Leclerc and Sergio Perez were driven in a limousine to a stage located near the Bellagio — “we go straight to the nightclub,” Verstappen told his fellow podium finishers — but they were instead treated to the casino’s famed fountain show.

    The Bellagio fountains had been turned off all week and restarted as part of the victory celebration. None of the participants seemed remotely interested as they stood chatting. After receiving their trophies, they were treated to a New Year’s Eve-style fireworks show over the Strip.

    Martin Garrix then launched into a throbbing DJ set to entertain those who opened their wallets for the most expensive spectator race of the season. Celebrities danced along on the grid and everyone seemed thrilled with the show. The stars in attendance included Brad Pitt, Rihanna, Usain Bolt and Shaquille O’Neal as F1 said it drew more than 315,000 spectators over the weekend and estimated an economic impact of $1.2 billion to Las Vegas.

    “I really enjoyed it and I am especially happy that we finished the weekend on a high note because it was hurting me to see the sport that I love so much starting so wrong on Thursday,” said Leclerc. “The fact that we had an amazing race makes it all better.”

    The race was the third stop this season in the United States, more than any other country, and was promoted by F1 and owner Liberty Media. But the event has been lambasted — especially by Verstappen — for its emphasis on becoming a neon extravaganza.

    Tickets were expensive, hotels along the famed Strip hiked their prices, and the sporting element of the 21st race of the season was overshadowed by everything from celebrities, musical acts and a myriad of Elvis impersonators roaming the paddock that included a wedding chapel where former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve was married earlier in the week.

    Liberty expected to spend $500 million on the first grand prix it self-promoted, but paddock speculation before Saturday night’s race was that Liberty had gone well over budget. The entire event nearly imploded nine minutes into the first practice session on Thursday night when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water drain valve cover on the track that badly damaged his Ferrari and F1 had to close the 3.85-mile (6.2-kilometer) circuit for inspection.

    Fans were forced to leave at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning after witnessing just nine minutes of track activity. The second practice started at 2:30 a.m. and ran until 4 a.m., and instead of an apology, F1 simply offered $200 credits to the LVGP merchandise store to any ticket holders who had only purchased Thursday access. A class-action lawsuit was filed Friday against the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

    It made it critical for F1 to deliver a good race Saturday night and, even though it was Verstappen’s sixth consecutive victory, it was one of the most spirited events of the season. Additionally, a track that had been likened to a “flying pig” because of its layout was praised for its raciness.

    Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished seventh for Mercedes, said the circuit “provided a better race than most of the tracks we go to.”

    “I don’t think the music stopped this entire weekend in the paddock,” said Logan Sargeant of Williams, the only American driver in F1.

    Leclerc and teammate Sainz had qualified 1-2 on Friday but Sainz was handed a 10-place penalty on the starting grid because Ferrari was forced to change his car due to the damage from hitting the drain cover. That pushed Verstappen up to second for the start and he immediately pounced.

    The Dutchman forced Leclerc off track to take the lead, and although Leclerc demanded that Verstappen be forced to give the position back, Verstappen was only handed a five-second penalty. He served it during a later pit stop, but his Red Bull is so strong, he remained in contention the entire race.

    Leclerc passed Perez for the lead with 17 laps remaining, and then three laps later Verstappen passed his teammate to take second. He and Perez then worked to create a tow that allowed Verstappen to catch Leclerc for the win with 13 laps remaining.

    Perez had worked his way past Leclerc for second but Leclerc grabbed it back at the finish to deny Red Bull its seventh 1-2 finish of the season.

    “I wanted that win so bad,” Leclerc said. “I enjoyed it so much. Second place with a lot of fights. There is no better race for the first race in Vegas.”

    With Hamilton finishing seventh, Perez locked up second to Verstappen in the season driver standings.

    The Leclerc finish helped Ferrari cut its deficit to Mercedes to four points for second in the constructor championship heading into next week’s finale at Abu Dhabi.

    Lando Norris of McLaren was involved in an early accident and taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons. He was released shortly after the fireworks show.

    ___

    AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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  • F1 tries to recover from embarrassing first day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

    F1 tries to recover from embarrassing first day of Las Vegas Grand Prix

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    LAS VEGAS — Formula One is hoping to turn its luck around on the Strip, like so many other Las Vegas visitors who blow a big bankroll on arrival.

    The elite global motorsports series placed a $500 million gamble on a new event in Sin City promoted for the first time by F1 and owner Liberty Media. But it now must recover after an opening-night debacle in which the first practice was ruined just nine minutes in when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water valve cover on the temporary street course.

    “Judge us by what happens when the checkered flag falls on Saturday,” asked Williams team principal James Vowles.

    When Sainz bottomed out on the drainage valve minutes into Thursday night’s first practice, it caused extensive damage to the underbody of his Ferrari and Sainz said the piece broke through far enough to damage his seat. F1 then closed the course to inspect the entire 3.85-mile (6.2 kilometer) circuit that utilizes a long portion of the Strip.

    Nine minutes.

    Those who spent who-knows-how-much got exactly nine minutes of practice Thursday night.

    By the time the next practice started, 2 1/2 hours late at 2:30 a.m., those in attendance had been ordered to leave fan viewing areas. F1 ran a 90-minute session until 4 a.m.. when preparations had to begin to re-open the streets to morning commuter traffic.

    F1 President Stefano Domenicali and Renee Wilm, CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, issued a a joint statement Friday night to explain the debacle because “this is important for those who are new to racing to understand.”

    The statement did not offer an apology for Thursday night. A second statement from the LVGP offered a $200 credit to Thursday-only ticket holders — most sales have been three-day packages — to be spent at the official merchandise store. The gestures only further angered fans already feeling ripped off.

    The statement from Domenicali and Wilm said organizers had to close to spectators out of concern for safety workers and security officials who still had to work the rest of the event. They also said F1 was up against federal law regarding the amount of time transport workers taking spectators back to hotels “can legally and safely drive buses.” They added that hospitality staff needed to begin preparing for the next two days of activities.

    “We know this was disappointing. We hope our fans will understand based on this explanation that we had to balance many interests, including the safety and security of all participants and the fan experience over the whole race weekend,” the statement said. “We have all been to events, like concerts, games and even other Formula 1 races, that have been canceled because of factors like weather or technical issues. It happens, and we hope people will understand.”

    “We know this is going to be a great event,” they said. “With that let’s get back to racing.”

    And without an apology or offer of a refund, F1 went racing as if nothing had happened. George Russell of Mercedes was fastest in Saturday night’s final practice before qualifying and was followed by Oscar Piastri of McLaren.

    Fellow rookie and American driver Logan Sargeant was third and followed by Max Verstappen, who is seeking his 18th win of the season Saturday.

    Way back in 17th was Sainz, who is trying to salvage his weekend after the opening night disaster.

    His team initially said his car was so damaged Sainz could not participate in second practice. But Ferrari used the lengthy delay to prepare him a new car, and he made it onto track to go second-fastest behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

    That heroic effort by Ferrari will be punished with a 10-place penalty for Sainz on Saturday night’s starting grid. That’s right: Sainz was punished for running over something on the FIA-approved course.

    Why? Because governing body FIA has no provision to the rules to not penalize a team that makes extensive car changes during a race weekend.

    Such a laughable start to an extremely hyped race that had started to sour even before F1 arrived.

    Locals have been furious over disruptions during the months-long building of the course, tickets have been outrageously expensive and also available at reduced prices on a secondary market, hotels have outpriced average American fans, and the scheduled on-track times have been specifically targeted to the European audience.

    Three-time reigning world champion Verstappen has blasted the event as “99% show, 1% sporting event” and thinks the entire spectacle is totally over the top. The race is the third stop this year in the United States, more than any other country, as F1 and Liberty tried to capitalize on the series’ new popularity driven by the Netflix “Drive to Survive” documentary series.

    Las Vegas is the most expensive race to attend on the 22-event schedule.

    For those efforts, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was among the team principals who applauded F1 and Liberty despite the valve cover debacle Thursday night. And so was Fred Vasseur, the head of Ferrari who was irate over the incident, defended F1.

    “We know that it’s a sporting event, we know that this can happen,” he said. “Now we have to recover on the weekend. I’m still convinced that the event is mega for the F1.”

    Wolff was most passionate in his defense of the event and effort by F1 and Liberty. He was incensed with a reporter who challenged him on his insistence that people would be so enamored by the event that they’d quickly move past the Sainz incident.

    “It’s completely ridiculous, completely ridiculous! FP1, how can you even dare trying to talk bad about an event that sets the new standards, new standards to everything,” Wolff said. “And then you’re speaking about a (expletive) drain cover that’s been undone, that has happened before. That’s nothing.

    “Give credit to the people that have set up this grand prix, that have made the sport much bigger than it ever was. Liberty has done an awesome job. And just because in FP1 a drain cover has become undone, we shouldn’t be moaning … talking here about a black eye for the sport on a Thursday evening. Nobody watches that in European time anyway.”

    If they aren’t watching in Europe, than why was the event held late Thursday night? Certainly not for the American audience — at least not those in attendance who were forced out of the viewing areas. Those who shelled out a fortune to come to Las Vegas this weekend had to crowd into the few uncovered sections of fencing along the Strip to catch glimpses of the cars whizzing by before sunrise.

    By Friday nights, banners had been erected to block some of the previously unexposed openings.

    F1 is trying for a better on-track show and one should hope it can only get better. It’s unclear if at this point it would even matter.

    ___

    AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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  • WhatsApp enters sports in deal with F1 team Mercedes. Channels feature to offer exclusive content

    WhatsApp enters sports in deal with F1 team Mercedes. Channels feature to offer exclusive content

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    LAS VEGAS — WhatsApp has chosen the Mercedes Formula One team for its first sports sponsorship, a multi-year agreement that will give followers of the eight-time world champion exclusive team content and in-race updates through the Meta-owned private messaging service.

    The deal announced Friday is the first of its kind for WhatsApp, which connects over two billion people globally and is heavily used outside of the United States. While Americans tend to use iMessage through their Apple phones, WhatsApp is utilized most everywhere else and had become the main tool of communication for the Mercedes team.

    Team principal Toto Wolff told The Associated Press it is not unheard of for him to receive messages in WhatsApp group chats from Mercedes board members questioning strategy during races.

    “I’m trying to turn the phone upside down so I’m not seeing the board members texting me, ‘What the hell is the strategy department thinking?’” Wolff told AP. “It’s quite fun. Sometimes.”

    The partnership will highlight the new WhatsApp Channels broadcast feature, which Mercedes began using in September. The team has amassed 656,000 followers ahead of Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

    “We’ve been amazed at how the Mercedes team relies on WhatsApp to keep the organization running,” said Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp. “I’m proud we’ll work together to reveal how WhatsApp brings their team together and fans closer to the action.”

    The broadcast feature enables Mercedes to share behind-the-scenes experiences and insights, in-race updates and content that highlights drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell that cannot be found elsewhere.

    The broadcast channel allows for reactions to posts, but there is no commenting, which makes for a feed without toxicity or random arguments.

    Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014 and it has become an integral property for Meta, which includes Facebook and Instagram among its other apps. It is Meta’s fastest-growing service in the 18-to-35 demographic, spokesman Vispi Bhopti said.

    “Our internal studies tell us that we are seeing the fastest growth in the United States with young people, particularly in cities like Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle,” Bhopti told AP.

    WhatsApp allows both longform and bite-sized content, a storytelling area it has explored already with a film about NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and another featuring the Afghan Youth Women’s national soccer team.

    For Mercedes, Wolff finds WhatsApp invaluable.

    He said he can go an entire day without ever speaking to a single team member because he’s able to communicate with the entire company through WhatsApp channels. It’s also his main line of communication to two of his children, who are students at the University of Southern California.

    Wolff told AP the entire Mercedes organizations relies on WhatsApp for coordination, collaboration, communication in-race and is an outlet for organizational support throughout the 24-race season.

    “It brings the team closer together. It also helps accelerate the speed of communication and decision-making across the organization,” Wolff said. “Our sport is all data driven and I am getting screenshots in real time on what is happening in the car, temperatures, or over-limits. This is literally much bigger, faster and efficient than email or any other messaging service.”

    ___

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  • ‘A noisy rock ‘n’ roll’: How growing interest in Formula One is felt across the music world

    ‘A noisy rock ‘n’ roll’: How growing interest in Formula One is felt across the music world

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    LOS ANGELES — Beyond the engineering, the athleticism, the speed, the luxury — fans love the sound of Formula One.

    The fierce rhythms of a V6 turbocharged hybrid engine; the sticky staccato of a rushed downshift; sexy, loud zooms. There’s a real musical appreciation for the elite motorsport. Engines are described using RPMs, the same way vinyl records are.

    It is no wonder that F1 has long been an enthusiasm of musicians and music fans for decades — the Beatles ’ George Harrison wrote “Faster” about the series, what he called “a noisy rock ‘n’ roll”; the same spirit that inspired a Mario Andretti namecheck in A Tribe Called Quest’s “Award Tour.” But in the last few years, an accelerating interest in F1, particularly among young Americans, has made its influence on the music world — and vice versa — impossible to ignore.

    There’s Bad Bunny ’s “Monaco” and Carín León’s “Por La Familia,” both of which feature Red Bull driver Sergio “Checo” Perez in their videos. The up-and-coming indie twang band Wednesday released a track called “Formula One” on their 2023 album. Musicians loving F1 is limited to no genre and no country — its appeal is as global as the sport itself.

    A prime example is this week’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, which will see F1 drivers zipping down the strip, bathed in the electric glow of its opulent casinos. Music will mix with the motorsport at countless events beginning Wednesday, including an opening ceremony with will.i.am, J Balvin, Tiësto, John Legend, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Thirty Seconds to Mars and more.

    Concerts have become an expected addition to the F1 experience, and the trend has made its way stateside over the last decade.

    Since 2012, Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, had been home to the sole U.S. F1 race — until the inclusion of Miami last year and Vegas in 2023. Glynn Wedgewood, COTA’s senior vice president of music and entertainment, says the track first introduced live music performances with Elton John in 2015. Since then, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons and Pink have performed. By 2019, COTA was boasting three days of performances. 2023’s lineup alone included The Killers, Queen with Adam Lambert and Tiësto.

    That lineup — which leans more rock-oriented for the COTA audience, compared to the Latin lineups of Miami, is “a testament to what we’ve seen over the past several years,” Wedgewood says. “It’s a young rock audience.”

    Wedgewood references the effects of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”, the popular docuseries that successfully altered the demographics traditionally associated with the world’s most luxurious motorsport (older, wealthy, male) and opened it up to a younger generation — particularly Americans. In 2018, 265,000 people attended the COTA race. In 2023, that number jumped to 432,000. That translates to television viewership as well. According to ESPN, F1 viewership in 2022 jumped significantly among teenagers, women and the key 18-34-year-old demographic.

    The connection between music and Formula One, for Wedgewood, is innate.

    “The majority of people listen to music in their car,” he says. “It’s almost subconsciously ingrained in our DNA — that racing goes hand-in-hand with music.”

    This year, will.i.am became Formula One’s first Global Artist in Residence, which he pitched to Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali as a series of musical collaborations celebrating the sport as well as an opportunity to bring the concert aspect of F1 to a global audience — not just the ticket holders lucky enough to see it live. The role led the Black Eyed Peas’ member to release his first solo single in over a decade: “The Formula,” featuring Lil Wayne. That was followed by “Let’s Go,” another F1-inspired track, which features J Balvin.

    will.i.am has been a huge F1 fan since the Peas performed at the first Singapore Grand Prix held at the Marina Bay Circuit in 2008. Since then, he’s noticed a disconnect between the live music and entertainment experiences at F1 races and what’s broadcast on TV — as well as missed opportunity for artists.

    “Why aren’t people releasing music around the time they’re playing their F1 event?” he asks, comparing it to the Super Bowl — for which artists frequently release new music in advance of their (televised) halftime performances. “Artists in Residency can really help bridge that gap.”

    Tiësto, a lifelong F1 fan, released the album “Drive” in April, featuring an F1 racing helmet on the cover.

    “It’s not just the car and racing, it’s about the environment around it, the excitement around it,” he says of a race weekend. “There’s an organic connection there.”

    He believes the evolving experience of going to a Grand Prix mirrors growing interest in the sport, particularly in the U.S. and with young people.

    “They want to see the race, you know, but they want to party. They want to have a drink. It is the perfect moment to create a festival,” he says.

    Formula One drivers, too, have been getting into music. Ferrari F1 driver Charles LeClerc signed with music management company Verdigris earlier this year and has been releasing instrumental compositions; Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, is no stranger to music making, having been featured on Christina Aguilera’s 2018 track “Pipe” under the pseudonym XNDA. Chloe Stroll, the sister of Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, has built a nascent singer-songwriter career celebrated by the sport’s fans.

    “What made me like the sport was music. I went to the sport playing music,” says will.i.am. “I’ve always loved cars, but why do I like F1 and not (IndyCar)? What is it about F1 that makes me like the sport? That is their tiptoe into this cultural hug,” he says, referencing F1’s embrace of fashion, music, and art.

    “They see the value of different disciplines coming in, celebrating their sport,” he added.

    The modern marriage of F1 and music hasn’t been without bumps. Despite the influx of new fans, watching races live remains an elite experience. The Vegas race is the most expensive event on this year’s calendar — and it hasn’t yet sold out. Last year’s performance-laden pre-race show in Miami was met with distaste from the F1 drivers themselves who criticized the pomp and circumstance of the driver introductions — namely that they stood too long in the Florida sun in their uniforms during prep time.

    In Vegas, the opening ceremony is being held on Wednesday. Driver introductions will take place on Saturday in advance of the race.

    On Thursday night, producer Mark Ronson will perform at the T-Mobile Zone at the Sphere between two racing practice sessions. The mastermind behind the “Barbie” soundtrack already knows there’s a big crossover between music fans and F1 fans.

    Now “we’ll find out the cross-section of F1 and ‘Barbie’ fans,” he jokes.

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  • ‘A noisy rock ‘n’ roll’: How growing interest in Formula One is felt across the music world

    ‘A noisy rock ‘n’ roll’: How growing interest in Formula One is felt across the music world

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — Beyond the engineering, the athleticism, the speed, the luxury — fans love the sound of Formula One.

    The fierce rhythms of a V6 turbocharged hybrid engine; the sticky staccato of a rushed downshift; sexy, loud zooms. There’s a real musical appreciation for the elite motorsport. Engines are described using RPMs, the same way vinyl records are.

    It is no wonder that F1 has long been an enthusiasm of musicians and music fans for decades — the Beatles ’ George Harrison wrote “Faster” about the series, what he called “a noisy rock ‘n’ roll”; the same spirit that inspired a Mario Andretti namecheck in A Tribe Called Quest’s “Award Tour.” But in the last few years, an accelerating interest in F1, particularly among young Americans, has made its influence on the music world — and vice versa — impossible to ignore.

    There’s Bad Bunny ’s “Monaco” and Carín León’s “Por La Familia,” both of which feature Red Bull driver Sergio “Checo” Perez in their videos. The up-and-coming indie twang band Wednesday released a track called “Formula One” on their 2023 album. Musicians loving F1 is limited to no genre and no country — its appeal is as global as the sport itself.

    A prime example is this week’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, which will see F1 drivers zipping down the strip, bathed in the electric glow of its opulent casinos. Music will mix with the motorsport at countless events beginning Wednesday, including an opening ceremony with will.i.am, J Balvin, Tiësto, John Legend, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Thirty Seconds to Mars and more.

    Concerts have become an expected addition to the F1 experience, and the trend has made its way stateside over the last decade.

    Since 2012, Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, had been home to the sole U.S. F1 race — until the inclusion of Miami last year and Vegas in 2023. Glynn Wedgewood, COTA’s senior vice president of music and entertainment, says the track first introduced live music performances with Elton John in 2015. Since then, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons and Pink have performed. By 2019, COTA was boasting three days of performances. 2023’s lineup alone included The Killers, Queen with Adam Lambert and Tiësto.

    That lineup — which leans more rock-oriented for the COTA audience, compared to the Latin lineups of Miami, is “a testament to what we’ve seen over the past several years,” Wedgewood says. “It’s a young rock audience.”

    Wedgewood references the effects of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive”, the popular docuseries that successfully altered the demographics traditionally associated with the world’s most luxurious motorsport (older, wealthy, male) and opened it up to a younger generation — particularly Americans. In 2018, 265,000 people attended the COTA race. In 2023, that number jumped to 432,000. That translates to television viewership as well. According to ESPN, F1 viewership in 2022 jumped significantly among teenagers, women and the key 18-34-year-old demographic.

    The connection between music and Formula One, for Wedgewood, is innate.

    “The majority of people listen to music in their car,” he says. “It’s almost subconsciously ingrained in our DNA — that racing goes hand-in-hand with music.”

    This year, will.i.am became Formula One’s first Global Artist in Residence, which he pitched to Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali as a series of musical collaborations celebrating the sport as well as an opportunity to bring the concert aspect of F1 to a global audience — not just the ticket holders lucky enough to see it live. The role led the Black Eyed Peas’ member to release his first solo single in over a decade: “The Formula,” featuring Lil Wayne. That was followed by “Let’s Go,” another F1-inspired track, which features J Balvin.

    will.i.am has been a huge F1 fan since the Peas performed at the first Singapore Grand Prix held at the Marina Bay Circuit in 2008. Since then, he’s noticed a disconnect between the live music and entertainment experiences at F1 races and what’s broadcast on TV — as well as missed opportunity for artists.

    “Why aren’t people releasing music around the time they’re playing their F1 event?” he asks, comparing it to the Super Bowl — for which artists frequently release new music in advance of their (televised) halftime performances. “Artists in Residency can really help bridge that gap.”

    Tiësto, a lifelong F1 fan, released the album “Drive” in April, featuring an F1 racing helmet on the cover.

    “It’s not just the car and racing, it’s about the environment around it, the excitement around it,” he says of a race weekend. “There’s an organic connection there.”

    He believes the evolving experience of going to a Grand Prix mirrors growing interest in the sport, particularly in the U.S. and with young people.

    “They want to see the race, you know, but they want to party. They want to have a drink. It is the perfect moment to create a festival,” he says.

    Formula One drivers, too, have been getting into music. Ferrari F1 driver Charles LeClerc signed with music management company Verdigris earlier this year and has been releasing instrumental compositions; Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, is no stranger to music making, having been featured on Christina Aguilera’s 2018 track “Pipe” under the pseudonym XNDA. Chloe Stroll, the sister of Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, has built a nascent singer-songwriter career celebrated by the sport’s fans.

    “What made me like the sport was music. I went to the sport playing music,” says will.i.am. “I’ve always loved cars, but why do I like F1 and not (IndyCar)? What is it about F1 that makes me like the sport? That is their tiptoe into this cultural hug,” he says, referencing F1’s embrace of fashion, music, and art.

    “They see the value of different disciplines coming in, celebrating their sport,” he added.

    The modern marriage of F1 and music hasn’t been without bumps. Despite the influx of new fans, watching races live remains an elite experience. The Vegas race is the most expensive event on this year’s calendar — and it hasn’t yet sold out. Last year’s performance-laden pre-race show in Miami was met with distaste from the F1 drivers themselves who criticized the pomp and circumstance of the driver introductions — namely that they stood too long in the Florida sun in their uniforms during prep time.

    In Vegas, the opening ceremony is being held on Wednesday. Driver introductions will take place on Saturday in advance of the race.

    On Thursday night, producer Mark Ronson will perform at the T-Mobile Zone at the Sphere between two racing practice sessions. The mastermind behind the “Barbie” soundtrack already knows there’s a big crossover between music fans and F1 fans.

    Now “we’ll find out the cross-section of F1 and ‘Barbie’ fans,” he jokes.

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  • Carín León and Formula One’s Sergio Pérez discuss their musical collaboration, ‘Por La Familia’

    Carín León and Formula One’s Sergio Pérez discuss their musical collaboration, ‘Por La Familia’

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    LOS ANGELES — In the music video for “Por La Familia,” a new track from Carín León and BorderKid, León is whisked away into a surrealist landscape inspired by Mexico. His taxi driver? Formula One’s Sergio “Checo” Pérez.

    It might seem like an unusual pairing on paper, but bringing León and Pérez actually makes a lot of sense: they’re both global icons in their respective fields, bringing Mexican culture to the masses.

    León is a celebrated voice in Mexican music, proving genres like banda, mariachi, norteño and sierreño are international, not “regional Mexican music,” as his work — and the work of his contemporaries like Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado — is often described.

    Red Bull Racing’s “Checo” Pérez is the sole Mexican Formula One driver on the 2023 grid and the most successful Mexican driver in the motorsport’s history.

    “I’m a very big fan of Checo. I feel like (to) every Mexican right now, he’s our biggest star in sports. We are proud of him for what he is doing for Mexican culture,” León says. “We’re happy to bring the world of music and Formula One together.”

    Bringing BorderKid — the musical moniker of A-list producer Édgar Barrera — into the video was a “merge of our ideas,” says León, brought together by the project’s sponsor, Cash App, to “make something different, make something fresh, and make something very, very Mexican.”

    Appreciation is mutual. “Carín León is very famous and important in our country,” says Pérez. As a fan of his music, he jumped at the opportunity, connecting with the song’s message. “It talks about my story, how everything is done for la familia.”

    He says he’s noticed a deeper intersection between the sport and music — particularly Latin Music, with Maluma performing at the Grand Prix in Miami this year, and J Balvin taking the stage at the first ever Las Vegas race next month. “Latin music is having a great time,” says Pérez. “People are enjoying it and it’s great to have our Latin music all around the world.”

    “It’s great to have that in the F1 community and within the sport,” he adds.

    “For the artist, to have this connection with the sport, it’s like another dream come true,” says León. “I’m very happy with what’s happening with Mexican music.”

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  • Former F1 driver Felipe Massa ready to go to court as he claims he was ‘robbed’ of 2008 title

    Former F1 driver Felipe Massa ready to go to court as he claims he was ‘robbed’ of 2008 title

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    SAO PAULO — Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa says he is ready to take Formula One’s governing body to court to press his claims that he was “robbed” of the 2008 title, which he lost by one point to Lewis Hamilton.

    Massa said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday that he has given governing body FIA and Formula One Management until the end of next week to respond to a letter the Brazilian sent them this month, in which he claims both had “deliberately ignored the misconduct (at the Singapore Grand Prix) that stripped him of that title.”

    The Brazilian added he is ”100% ready” to take the case to court if he hears nothing back before then.

    “I trust and I really believe that for justice that we will show what happened was not correct,” the 42-year-old Massa told the AP at his apartment in Sao Paulo. “I am the champion, and I feel that. I feel that I have the title. The 16th champion of Formula One for Ferrari. We proved that season that we deserved it.”

    Massa’s claim centers around an infamous crash by Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. in Singapore in 2008, which led to a drawn-out scandal the following year after claims that he had crashed deliberately in order to help teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.

    Massa decided to take action following an interview by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone in March in which he said he learned in 2008 that the crash had been deliberate — long before Piquet Jr. made those claims himself the following year.

    Ecclestone said he deliberately chose not to investigate the Singapore crash until after the end of the season, when it was too late to change the standings. Massa argues that such a decision was a breach of contract, accusing the two bodies of failing to preserve the integrity of the sport.

    Piquet Jr.’s crash came at a point in the race when Massa was in the lead, and it brought out a safety car that squandered the Brazilian’s advantage — while giving Alonso a massive edge as he was the only driver who had already made a pit stop to refuel.

    Massa went on to finish out of the points in 13th place after a calamitous pit stop, while Hamilton finished third in that race.

    The British driver won the first of his seven titles that year after a dramatic fifth-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix, which Massa won.

    Renault was given a suspended two-year ban from F1 in 2009 over the crash, and its then team boss Flavio Briatore was banned indefinitely from the sport, although that punishment was later reduced.

    The race results were allowed to stand, however.

    “I lost my my peace because I knew that I was robbed,” Massa said. “Since then I was never relaxed.”

    Surrounded by Ferrari items and trophies at his home, Massa said his potential lawsuit “is nothing against” Hamilton.

    “This is against a race that was manipulated,” Massa said. “(The 2008 season) was an incredible championship. It was a big fight from the beginning to the end. It was a great championship from my side. I was the driver who won more races that year, who started in pole position more times as well.”

    Massa said so far the only response he has received from Formula One was a request for him not to show up at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where some Ferrari fans have started placing banners calling him the real 2008 champion.

    “We decided not to go,” Massa said. “It doesn’t change anything for our fight.”

    Massa said his friends and family tried for many years to convince him to sue for the 2008 title, but he only decided to take action after he read Ecclestone’s interview and saw unpublished footage this year of an interview by former F1 race director Charlie Whiting, who died in 2019.

    Massa retired from the sport in 2017 after spending the last four years of his career at Williams.

    “Formula One now is a different from Formula One from then, the FIA now is different from the FIA of the past,” the Brazilian said. “I really hope they understand that what happened in the past was not fair for the sport and I really hope that they fix the case.”

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    AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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  • Verstappen wins rainy Dutch GP to equal Vettel’s F1 record with 9th straight victory

    Verstappen wins rainy Dutch GP to equal Vettel’s F1 record with 9th straight victory

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    ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen won a rain-marred Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to equal Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight victories, and increased his huge championship lead to 138 points as he races toward a third straight world title.

    The Red Bull star clinched his third straight win from pole position at the Zandvoort track, with veteran Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain finishing second and picking up a bonus point for the fastest lap.

    “Nine in a row is something I never even thought about. Very happy with that,” Verstappen said. “I know I have a car which is capable of a lot.”

    The orange-clad home crowd pumped him up.

    “I already had goose bumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather and the rain the fans were still going at it, an incredible atmosphere,” the Dutch driver said. “I’m going to enjoy this. It’s always tough, the pressure is always on to perform.”

    Alpine driver Pierre Gasly crossed the line in fourth place behind Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, but the Frenchman moved up to third because Perez was given a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

    For Gasly, who was given the same penalty earlier, it was a fourth career podium.

    “I’m feeling so stoked, what a race,” he said.

    Perez ended up fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in sixth.

    The chaotic race was held up for 40 minutes by a late red flag after Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu crashed. It restarted with a rolling start on Lap 65 of 72, in a race that featured multiple tire swaps as changing weather conditions played havoc.

    “There were so many rivers on the track it just becomes so dangerous,” Verstappen said.

    The race restarted with Verstappen ahead of Alonso, Perez and Gasly. After two laps behind the safety car, Verstappen comfortably pulled away for his 11th win of a dominant campaign to stretch his lead over Perez.

    Vettel set the consecutive wins record in 2013 with Red Bull during its first dominant era — when he won four straight titles — and Verstappen’s victory was a record-extending 14th straight for Red Bull dating back to last year’s final race.

    “To match Sebastian, nine straight victories, to do it twice as a team is really incredible,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who was also in charge during Vettel’s golden era.

    Verstappen also moved closer to his own F1 record of 15 wins set last year and onto 46 overall. Verstappen, who turns 26 next month, is already fifth all-time in wins. Alain Prost (51) and Vettel (53) are within his sights with nine races left.

    It was another bad day for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc retiring on Lap 44 due to floor damage. It was Leclerc’s third DNF of the season, as many as all of last season, while Sainz still does not have a podium.

    The 42-year-old Alonso is enjoying a resurgence and is confident of getting his 33rd career win at some point.

    “We’re getting closer,” he said. “The car was flying, it was very competitive, very easy to drive. In these conditions you need a car that you can trust and I did trust the car today.”

    McLaren’s Lando Norris finished seventh, while Alex Albon (Williams), Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) completed the top 10. It was a race to forget for Mercedes driver George Russell, who started third and finished 17th.

    The start saw Verstappen get away cleanly from Norris and Alonso overtake Russell to jump into third. The rain fell heavily moments after, forcing several drivers to pit for the first of many tire changes.

    Astonishingly, Ferrari did not have the new ones ready for Leclerc and the team didn’t seem to notice he had a damaged front wing — yet another blunder in a series of mistakes from Ferrari this season and last.

    Perez came in for his change a lap before Verstappen, who came out 10 seconds behind Perez but soon started shredding the gap. With the track drying, Verstappen came in for another change while Ferrari changed Leclerc’s front wing. Perez came in on the following lap, this time, and emerged three seconds behind the new leader Verstappen.

    Logan Sargeant started from 10th place — the highest spot on the grid for an American driver since 1993 — but crashed for the second time in as many days, bringing out the safety car on Lap 17 of 72 of the high-banking circuit.

    “I don’t know what happened, man” an exasperated Sargeant told his team.

    Sargeant, who has not scored a point in his debut season and is fighting to save his seat, sat on a grass bank with his head down.

    On the track, Verstappen held off Perez comfortably following the safety car restart, with Alonso in third. Perez was drifting further behind Verstappen while Leclerc rolled back to the garage.

    He will hope his fortunes improve next weekend at Monza, Ferrari’s home track where Verstappen can set a new F1 record if he wins.

    It would be an appropriate place to do so, considering Vettel won his first race there in 2008.

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    AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racin and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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