In the round-up: Daniel Ricciardo is confident the Australian Grand Prix will go ahead in April as planned following its cancellations in 2020 and 2021.
In brief
Ricciardo confident Australian Grand Prix will run in April
The Australian Grand Prix did not take place in the last two seasons due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The 2020 race was cancelled on the morning of first practice, while the 2021 race was initially postponed and then later dropped entirely.After tennis star Novak Djokovic was refused entry into the country for the Australian Open in January over his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid, as per the Australian government’s policy, Ricciardo says he does not expect that Formula 1 will have similar problems.
“I think that was, hopefully, a bit of a unicorn of a situation,” Ricciardo said. “I’m confident that we’ll be back in April. I’m excited.
The Albert Park has been revamped for F1’s first race since 2019. “There’s a new layout, so I think that’s exciting in itself,” he said. “I’m definitely excited to get home.
“The new layout should be cool and if it is promoting more overtaking and these cars make it easier, then we’ll have a very different Melbourne Grand Prix to what we’ve had in previous years. And as long as you’re vaccinated, I guess we’re all good to go.”
Alfa Romeo shake down C42 in Fiorano
Alfa Romeo have run their 2022 car, the C42, for the first time at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in Italy.
The team confirmed that they had completed a shakedown of their new car for the upcoming season at the circuit owned by Ferrari, the team’s power unit providers. Valtteri Bottas drove the car, decked out in a special camouflage livery, on a wet track in the morning as new team mate Guanyu Zhou watched on.
Alfa Romeo will not be revealing their race livery for the 2022 season until after the first three day test in Barcelona that begins next Wednesday. The team will instead run in a test livery before revealing their new racing livery on Sunday 27 February.
Marco Andretti to race one-off Indy 500 entry
Marco Andretti will compete in this year’s Indy 500 with Andretti Autosport, it has been announced, after securing a sponsorship deal with KULR Technology Group.
Andretti, son of Andretti Autosport team owner Michael, has not competed full-time in the IndyCar Series since the 2020 season. As with last year, in which he finished 19th after starting 21st, he will compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 2022 with the number 98 entry supported by the Andretti team.
Should he qualify for the race on 29th May, the Indy 500 will also be Marco Andretti’s 250th race of his IndyCar career.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
🖤❤️ @GeorgeRussell63's 2022 @F1 helmet revealed! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XwrVt1lPll
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 15, 2022
“The competition level is insane.”@Ericsson_Marcus is promising the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will be intense and great to watch.
Do you agree?#INDYCAR // @CGRTeams pic.twitter.com/DKP5URkveP
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) February 15, 2022
#IMSA: @RyanHunterReay will replace @scottdixon9 in @CGRTeams lineup for 12 Hours of Sebring.
It is my understanding *ALL* #IndyCar drivers have pulled out of Sebring because of conflict with Texas Motor Speedway race.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) February 15, 2022
Watching the Women’s snowboard big air final, the camaraderie between the girls reminds me of @WSeriesRacing.
It’s nice to see 😊💪🏻
— Abbie Eaton (@AbbieEaton44) February 15, 2022
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
McLaren Racing Ends Sponsorship Deal With Bitci.com Fan Token Platform (Bloomberg)
"In an emailed response to a query by Bloomberg News Tuesday, McLaren Racing confirmed the termination of its relationship with Bitci.com. It did not give reasons for the termination and neither did it make mention of a fan token."
Formula One aces deliver groceries to fans (Wales Online)
"Two Formula 1 fans got the surprise of their lives when British racing aces, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo made quick pit stops at their home to deliver groceries. 26-year-old Giacomo Grechi from Balham and 30-year-old Harriet Pinnington, from Earlsfield, South London couldn’t believe their eyes when they opened the door to the famous McLaren drivers."
The Lotus 79, F1's ground effect marvel (Formula 1)
"Getting the ground effect principle to work on a skinny-bodied, open-wheel single seater initially seemed unfeasible. The car which made that breakthrough was the Lotus 78 of 1977, which ushered F1 into the era of ground effect. Forty years ago, the 78’s successor, the Lotus 79, became the first ground effect car to win the world championship, with Mario Andretti at the wheel."
W Series go testing in Barcelona (W Series)
"W Series will hold its 2022 pre-season test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain from 28th February to 4th March 2022."
Simmons to remain with Charouz for first full F3 campaign (Formula 3)
"Charouz Racing System have completed their 2022 Formula 3 line-up, announcing that British racer Ayrton Simmons will join László Tóth and Francesco Pizzi at the Czech squad."
FAQ: Assetto Corsa Competizione PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S Release (505 Games)
"Will the console version be the same as PC version on release? Not immediately, whilst we are working hard to bring the most recent update to console, we want to make sure we get it right. The 1.8 update is coming, and it is something we are working on as a priority."
Jesse Alexander obituary (The Guardian)
"The work of the American photographer Jesse Alexander, who has died aged 92, captured an era of international motor racing in which the personalities of the drivers and the sleek lines of the cars they drove were not yet obscured by the visual noise of sponsors’ insignia."
Behind The Charge | Car Launch Season (Red Bull via YouTube)
"It's that time of year again as the excitement builds around the factory and the drivers return itching to get back racing - it's launch season."
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
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Comment of the day
After Williams became the latest team to reveal their 2022 car yesterday, reader ‘I luv chicken’ has noticed a trend with team launches this season…
We need to get up a collection for all F1 teams, to install lighting at their launches. Did I miss some FIA directive that limits the amount of light? Was there a budget cap on light bulbs?
I luv chicken
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Plutoniumhunter, Haggle and Colin Forsyth!
Trido (@)
16th February 2022, 0:58
With international borders open and lockdowns over, I really cannot see how the Australian GP won’t take place this year.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
16th February 2022, 1:50
It depends. If Albert Park says anything remotely anti-vax then the race will be deported back to korea.
Jere (@jerejj)
16th February 2022, 8:00
@peartree The only way for another cancellation is quarantine requirement for all arrivals returning & since Victoria doesn’t require isolation for fully vaccinated ones, so no stumbling blocks for AusGP going ahead as scheduled.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
16th February 2022, 23:55
@jerejj do you ever get humour? Half the time I’m being facetious.
Jere (@jerejj)
17th February 2022, 8:23
@peartree Usually, yes, but telling sarcasm & seriousness apart is difficult occasionally.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
16th February 2022, 4:41
I’m sure it will take place.
I’m also sure that any driver or team member that is not fully vaccinated (or chooses to not provide information) will be refused entry to the country.
Glennb
16th February 2022, 3:03
After tennis star Novak Djokovic was refused entry into the country for the Australian Open in January
Djokovic wasn’t refused entry into Australia. He was allowed entry but was thrown out some time later prior to the start of the Open. It was all we heard about for days.
SteveR
16th February 2022, 3:33
And why was he denied entry? Because he wouldn’t do what every other visitor, citizens included, were required to do; get a vaccination. Won’t do it? Can’t come in. Seems pretty straightforward to me; our country, our rules; don’t like it don’t come.
Glennb
17th February 2022, 0:24
@SteveR
You speak like I disapprove of the government’s decision to boot him. Au contraire, I applaud it. Rules are rules.
Mick
17th February 2022, 6:35
I’m an un-vaxxed working citizen of Australia for 35 years.
Should they throw me out as well because of my personal medical decisions?
I mean being such a severe danger to society it only makes sense.
Ancient1 (@ancient1)
16th February 2022, 4:44
Well, in fact, RIC is correct & NOVAX was refused entry.
A Victorian court judge [IMO correctly] approved his entry on the basis of a CoVid exemption.
A Federal court bench then quashed an appeal against the Federal Immigration Minister’s decree that he be deported on the basis of a lie on his immigration application. Yes, he did not personally complete said application, but clearly the accountability stops with him.
IMO, deportation = refusal to enter/remain.
Luca Goodoer
16th February 2022, 11:15
That would be Novax Djocovid, thank you very much.
And yeah, aside from semantics being stuck in an immigration asylum isn’t exactly the same as entering the country anyway
SteveR
16th February 2022, 3:25
Maybe, just maybe, not sign up for Rich Energy type deals…… That’s not too tough to understand.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
16th February 2022, 8:33
Stay away from crypto Ponzi schemes altogether, I would say.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
16th February 2022, 12:21
At least Rich Energy had a couple of pallets of actual product, lol.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
16th February 2022, 5:06
Couldn’t agree more with COTD. It can’t have been to hide technical detail, so i’m guessing they were going for some kind of ‘moody theatrical mise en scène’. Especially Williams, just makes you want to yank up the dimmer switch a bit.
theRealMax (@millionus)
16th February 2022, 7:41
George Russell seems to be the complete opposite of Hamilton, the complete poster boy doing all the PR shots and more. Their marketing department must be over the moon and I bet Hamilton loves it and says, “you carry on chap, I’ll just hang around at the back wearing my dodgy clothing”.
Hairs_
16th February 2022, 10:19
Their marketing department loves Hamilton all day long, don’t worry.
Showing up to sponsor pr shoots is nice goodwill, but Hamilton sells to an enormous audience worldwide even if he never does another sponsor day in his life. Him tweeting “blessed” with a picture of his feet up on a yacht somewhere is more marketing reach than Russell will ever get, no matter how successful he might be in the future.
Luca Goodoer
16th February 2022, 11:16
Hamilton actually has charisma though, Russell is bland as paper
Jason (@jasonj)
16th February 2022, 13:55
I doubt this comment will age well. Hamilton will stay popular for a few years, but once the retirement is active, his star will fade (just like all the others in many different sports,) because his entire popularity is based off of winning. Before he was winning constantly, he was a complete nobody that no one outside of for hard core F1 fans cared about. If, and it’s a big if, Russell starts clocking up wins, he will quickly gain the same type of popularity. If he hussles social media well, it will snowball, until he retires or stops winning. Hamilton has been winning for years, the new fans haven’t seen him drop off the podium and be lapped yet. The shine goes off the ball once you stop winning. As all drivers come to realise.
As far as popularity, Hamilton has a decent reach for a sportster, but there are teenagers with more reach and influence than he will ever have. That isn’t a slight on Ham, it’s a reality. F1 is only kicking off it presence, once they start really pushing stars, it will change fast.
The next generation will make Hamilton’s popularity look miniscule, F1 is the ticket to fandom, once a charismatic new kid with talent turns up, clocks in a few wins and has that X factor, they will have grown up with social media, already gained an audience before entering F1 and smash it, then get the company PR teams to extend it.
Qeki (@qeki)
16th February 2022, 12:09
The scale goes from Kimi to Instagram model.
Jere (@jerejj)
16th February 2022, 7:58
AusGP most certainly won’t get cancelled anymore, especially now that the build-up process has been ongoing for half a month.
I wouldn’t mind if Alfa Romeo’s camouflage livery became their regular one.
Nice helmet design.
COTD’s joke is decent.
cduk_mugello (@cduk_mugello)
16th February 2022, 10:11
Is the Alfa Romeo shakedown really only worth a few lines in the round up? No stand alone article with pictures?
Plenty of other websites featuring this. Their gain I guess.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
16th February 2022, 15:40
I am not confident that the AusGP will be held. Australia is in the southern hemisphere. It is currently summer and will be fall when the race takes place. They will be entering their cold and flu season not exiting the season as the northern hemisphere will be.