Kart – American away game for Riccardo Negro

/in /by

Riccardo Negro flied overseas at the court of Enzo Mandarino’s VemmeKart team, and attended the SKUSA Spring Nationals event. A completely new challenge for Riccardo who signed his debut in the S1 category with a group and a material to be uncovered.

After finding the right feeling, he had important time results, keeping the pace of the best drivers and ending qualifying in ninth position, 4 tenths of seconds away from pole position. In final, stated from the seventh place, he get slower due to an accident at the first bend that involves six drivers, loses some time and ended just out of top ten.

“I must thank all the team VemmeKart and Vincenzo Mandarion for having thought to me. It has been an amazing experience. Although everything was new to me, circuit, kart, category 1, I managed to race with the best drivers’ times. In final, unfortunately, I dirtied the tires and lost a lot of time to avoid the accident. It took three laps to reach again the right pace and I closed the weekend with the eleventh place”, Riccardo Negro explains back in Italy.

“First of all, I want to thank VemmeKart and his team principal Enzo Mandarino for this occasion of cooperation with our Riccardo. Apart from the race, that was useful to Riccardo, he removed some rust, the feeling with the material and the staff is excellent and auspicious for the future. Along with the team we are considering new opportunities in Europe…we will see”, manager Alberto Tonti explains.

F4 | Joao Vieria at Adria “Important qualifying"

/in /by

From the Adria circuit, Joao Vieira starts his way into the Italian Formula 3 championship powered by Abarth. The Brazilian standard-bearer at Antonelli Motorsport is starting the second round after gaining the first points in the inaugural event of Misano, despite of some engine problems.

Along the curvy track, Joao will try to threaten the standings lead, on a grid that once again will be rich. The opening race saw more than 40 drivers challenging on the track and forced the promoters to modify the weekend format with three qualifying rounds, before the access into the Final.

“The testing day at the Adria circuit has been very positive. This make us hope for the weekend. I managed to cut some tenths of seconds compared with the last year, and I am now just one tenth from pole. Qualifyings will surely have an important role because the trail is like a karting circuit where an overtaking isn’t very easy especially with so many cars on the track. We can’t rule out the possibility of a safety car”, Joao Vieira explains.

“It will be a very difficult weekend, and qualifying will play a great role because of the track features and of the numerous cars on the grid. Last year, anyway, Joao was maker of an incredible recover, showing all his technical qualities. Unfortunately, in Misano we still had some engine problems. I hope that everything will be ok in Andria, for both Joao and the team”, manager Giovanni Minardi says.

F1 | Russian GP – SCORECARDS

/in /by

Nico Rosberg – 10 pole position and win. He concedes nothing to his competitors. His fastest lap in race signed at the penultimate lap proves the supremacy of Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton – 9 despite a reliability problem in Q3 that forced him to start from the tenth row, he recovered to the second place demonstrating to be a driver who never gives up.

Fernado Alonso – 9 his sixth place is worth as victory, given the current level of his McLaren-Honda. I put him among the first ones in series B. The sequence of times in race is remarkable.

Jenson Button 7.5 – taking the second car in the points, he completed the good Sunday of McLaren-Honda.

Sergio Perez 7.5 – excellent race for the Mexican driver at Force India. What a pity the puncture at the start of the race that forced him to make an unexpected pit stop.

Valtteri Bottas -7.5 he did not exploit the front row in the best way, and turned to be little aggressive. He got some substantial points to Williams.

Felipe Massa -7.5 he fought to stay next to his team mate. His fifth place is precious.

Kimi Raikkonen – 7 an important third place to Ferrari, but he made too many mistakes both in qualifying and in race.

Kevin Magnussen  -7 he gives to the returner Renault the first world points with his seventh place.

Romain Grosjean – 7 the trans-alpine at Haas is back in the top 10, after China, with an eight place.

Kart | Karol Basz wins in Germany

/in /by

The new season of the German DKM Championship started from the circuit of Wackersdorf, and Karol Basz was ready. The standard bearer of the Kosmic Racing team won the first round in the OK category with with great determination in a Final fought on the edge of tenths.

In this weekend, he raced only at the top of the standings, signing the second place in race-1, before conquering the top step of the podium in race-2.
A result that proves the qualities as a sprinter of the World Champion, also in view of the CIK FIA events.

“I am very satisfied and glad of Karol’s victory that strenghtens the qualities of one of the best and most reliable professional drivers at OTK. Also, in Germany where we have one of our main sponsor, Europart GmbH” manager Alberto Tonti observes.

“I am really glad to be back at the top and to have gained this important win, also in view of next events of the European Championship where I’ll try to double this win” Karol Basz says.

F1 | Russian GP – THE POINT “Rosberg tsar of Russia”

/in /by

It is the fourth success for Nico Rosberg and Mercedes that once again has proved all its overwhelming power making Hamilton recover after the suffered problems in Q3. Nico Rosberg is surely in great shape and optimized the astonishing lap he did in qualifying. He concedes nothing to his competitors, the fastest lap signed in the penultimate lap demonstrate that up to that moment he had been the leader of the race.

In this early season, the Luck turned its back to Lewis Hamilton who, anyway, proves to be a strong driver who never gives up, supported by a superior Mercedes. This new demonstration of excessive power is disheartening to its chasers, firstly to Ferrari that is facing a difficult time.

In Russia, it had the chance to defend itself just with Kimi Raikkonen. With qualifying mistakes and those made at the start after the safety car, the Finnish driver did not prove to be a world champion. In qualifying, Sebastian Vettel had grabbed the front row revoked by a penalty for a gearbox change, he was also protagonist of a good start, unfortunately thwarted by a Kvyat under pressure. The Russian driver is affected by the results of Ricciardo and by the rumors about Verstappen to be promoted in Red Bull next year.

This weekend, Red Bull has certainly disappointed also in strategy, deciding to mount medium tires.

In fortnight, we will get to Spain and, as usual, all the teams will make important changes decided after first GP races. Even the forces in the field are emerging with a Ferrari in front of a growing Williams who finished the trip with two cars in the points, as well as McLaren-Honda with Fernando Alonso in sixth and Button in tenth.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

F1 | Russian GP – Rosberg on pole, Ferrari second but downgraded

/in /by

Nico Rosberg is the poleman in this Russian GP, fourth event of the F1 World Championship. He doubles last year’s result, signing the 24th pole position in his carrer and the second one in the season. With an astonishing time of 1’35”417, after three consecutive successes, the leader of the World Championship managed to reduce last season’s pole position time by almost two seconds, leaving a gap of seven tenth of a second to Sebastian Vettel who ends his Q3 in the second position.

The Ferrari driver will be relegated to the seventh place for replacing the gear, and the first row will be consigned to Valtteri Bottas (Williams). Ferrari number 7,Kimi Raikkonen’s car (1’36”663) will start from the third place ahead the former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa (1’37”016) and Danilel Ricciardo’s Red Bull (1’37”025).

Everyone were waiting for a prompt response from Lewis Hamilton forced instead to raise the white flag at the beginning of Q3 for a new power-unit problem. The current World Championship will have to recover again from the tenth position at the shoulders of Sergio Perez, daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen.

Carlos Sainz, with the second one of Toro Rosso, failed to go beyond Q2 stopping in eleventh, ahead of Jenson Button’s McLaren and Nico Hilkenberg’s Force India. Alonso gained the fourteenth place.

The GP starts at 14,00 on Sunday.

F1 | Russian Gp Preview – “Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton on watch list”

/in /by

After Shanghai, Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton will be kept under watch during the Russian GP, the fourth F1 World Championship event. The Circus will have been in Sochi for the third time in a circuit that up to now has gave us few emotions, and Mercedes has always dominated.

With his three seals in as many events, Nico Rosberg leads the general standings, and Hamilton must prove that his many successes gained over the years do not satisfy him. The family fight could make us entertained with Lewis in a chase for the third seal at Putin’s home and Nico looking for a poker in the championship.

Ferrari has to react and try to put some pressure into the world champions, even if they have a significant margin. In China, the Pracing Horse drivers have made some mistakes that affected the result, even if a gap of 37 seconds from Rosberg is an important sign. Kimi Raikkonen managed to react very well to some problems and started the season in a way definitely more aggressive and fast, even if he suffers in the comparison with Vettel who has to recover his place in overall standings against Daniel Ricciardo.

The SF16-H will have to guard himself from an improving Red Bull. Without the puncture in the tire that happened to Ricciardo fifteen days ago, the second place would have been more difficult for Sebastian. They have an excellent frame, even if their Power-Unit lacks something. Under this aspect, I am sure that their maneuvers for 2017 have already started, and hope to be clearer next days.

Outside temperatures will affect again strategy and tire choice. Pirelli has brought Medium, Soft and SuperSoft compounds.  This time there are different views within the teams, especially in terms of “yellows” and “red”. Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat rely firmly on the Softer compounds with 10 sets of SuperSoft (2 Soft and 1 Medium) each ones, against eight for Mercedes and 6 for Vettel and Raikkonen. Williams changes the road “abandoning” the Medium tires and focusing on the SuperSofts, with 9 sets per driver, and three sets of Soft, against four for Hamilton / Rosberg and six for Maranello.

With its 309 km, this will be a challenging grand prix especially for gearboxes and tractions. In addition, some engines enter their fourth race and their reliability could play an important role. From what we can read, they recovered the engine that Hamilton replaced in China.

100 years of "Targa Florio"

/in /by

The 100th edition of the Targa Florio was displayed Thuesday April 19, 2016 in Rome at the Automobile Club Italia. Aci President Angelo Sticchi Damiani, Gian Carlo Minardi (who is actively engaged in its organization), mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando, mayor of Cefalù Rosario La Punzina, president of the Autoclub of Palermo, Angelo Pizzuto, and the CEO of ACI Sport Marco Rogano attended the event.

From 5 to 8 May 2016, Targa Florio Rally, Targa Florio Historic Rally, Targa Florio Classic and Historic Speed, in the prestigious setting of the Ferrari Tribute, will attract the attention of thousands of Sicilian fans along the streets that saw the greatest masters of the wheel compete in the historic speed race.

“We can’t talk about the Targa without thinking to the land where it takes place and to the culture of an island that gave so much to Italy and to the World. The success of an event that has been able to continue and reach 100 editions is in this symbiosis, between the sport event and the culture of the land where it was born“, Aci president, Angelo Sticchi Damiani, done the honors. “The Automobile Club Italia has always supported this event, following it along its growth, and carrying on a well-structured work that in the last years was also developed through a close cooperation with the Automobile Club of Palermo.

A great race that has in it four exclusive events , the International Targa Florio rally of Sicily, Targa Florio Historic rally, Targa Florio Classic, and Targa Florio historic speed. From 5 to 8 May, we will all be able to become protagonists of a unique event that will retrace all the splendid steps of the race born in 1906.

“A huge task that sees the Automobile Club d’Italia, its women and its men, engaged at their best to make everything work in the best way, paying tribute to that crazy idea, to that forward-looking, but extremely modern and revolutionary project of Vincenzo Florio “, president Sticchi Damiani concluded.

“The 100th anniversary of Targa Florio is a worldwide event. It isn’t just the oldest race of the world, it marks the evolution of a century of motoring and  celebrates the “Targa Florio” phenomenon that beyond sport has characterized an era from a cultural, historic, and social point of view”, president of the Automobile Club of Palermo, Angelo Pizzuto, said. “From a brainwave of Vincenzo Florio, the tycoon who in 1906 decided to follow his passion with the organization of the first edition. A cultural movement was born which attracted kings and nobility from all the Europe to the finish line of the Targa Florio, mixing the competitive side of a hard and difficult race with socialite life that used to promote exhibitions and great dancing parties. An unmistakable style that has influenced the ‘work of architects and artists around the world “,Pizzuto concluded.

Present at the press conference, mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando and mayor of Cefalu Rosario La Punzina brought the greetings from two places that have always represented the Targa Florio and Sicily in the world. The both of the two places are UNESCO sites. Palermo and its history, Cefalù and its wonderful views, are ready to welcome and properly celebrate the 100th edition of the Targa Florio.

Targa Florio Rally, the 100th edition of theTarga Florio, is the third event of the Italian Rally Championship, valid for the Regional Championship. It also is the third seasonal round of the Italian Car Rally Autostoriche Championship, which will bring on the Sicilian roads those cars that have made the Targa Florio great in the 70’s and 80’s, the years of epic rally.

Targa Florio Historic Rally, the special stage “100 Targa” to both Rallies, from Florianopolis to Cerda, will bring the racing cars in front of the automobile temple, the Floriopoli Tribune, the hub of the four events of the 100th Targa Florio. Palermo, Campofelice di Roccella, Cefalu, Cerda Collesano, Gratteri, are centers where the Targa was born and raised, and where it continues looking to the future.

Targa Florio Classic, the unique competition reserved to cars of particular historical and sporting prestige, is the reference event for lovers of vintage cars. The “Classic” will be an opportunity to admire the most beautiful ones among the most prestigious brands of Vintage Cars, built from 1906 to 1970, which will perform on the streets of Madonie and Sicily.

Historic speed is an event wisely directed by Giancarlo Minardi. It will give the opportunity to admire the champions who shaped the history of the race on the historic route from Floriopoli to Cerda: from Jacky Ickx to Nino Vaccarella, from Arturio Merzario to Gijs Van Lennep, to Sandro Munari, Carlo Facetti, Nanni Galli, the Austrian driver Helmut Marko, and many other top names. The cars will be at the same level. From the Alfa Romeo T33 to the Porsche Carrera SLR cars of the Historical Museum to the Ferrari ones”. To enrich the ranks of distinguished guests, also Jean Todt, FIA president, and Muthar Kent, Coca Cola CEO, will be present.

To celebrate the 100 editions of the Targa Florio, an extraordinary meeting in Palermo will take place with drivers and characters who wrote indelible pages in the history of the oldest race in the world.

From 16:00 of Saturday May 7 2016, at the Teatro Massimo of Palermo, it will take place the Passion Day with the audience of enthusiasts.

Mauro Coppini, director of FormulaPassion.it along with Ezio Zermiani will interview great motoring names who have participated over the years in the Targa Florio editions.

Ninni Vaccarella, the legendary “flying dean” linked to the race in the Madonie, Mauro Forghieri, Jacky Ickx, Helmut Marko, Hans Hermann, Vic Elford, Andrea de Adamich, Arturo Merzario, Sandro Munari, Nanni Galli, and Carlo Facetti  are just a few of the  guests that will intervene in Palermo. This event is part of the official program for the celebrations of the 100 editions of the Targa Florio organized by ACI Sport. The admission is free.

Prestigious brands will enhance the 100th edition of the Targa Florio, associating their name to “a cursa”. Alfa Romeo and Abarth, linked with this race due to some important sporting victories, will be the Main Sponsors of the event. Eberhard & Co. will sponsor it for the first time as Official Time Keeper and will present a special model dedicated to the 100th Targa Florio and to the competitors who will have the opportunity to live this extraordinary experience.

Another Official Sponsor of the Targa Florio will be MA.FRA, a leader in the cosmetics industry for cars that in the frame of the Sicilian streets of the Madonie, between one stage and the next, will offer some special treatments to the precious bodywork and delicate interiors of the historic cars.

Poste Italiane will also be an Official Sponsor of the event, enriching the presence of prestigious brands alongside the Targa Florio. On this occasion, Targa Florio will offer its support to ANT that has offered home care for tumor ill since many years.

For any information about the race consult www.targa-florio.it site.

 

F1 | Chinese GP – SCORECARDS

/in /by

The Chinese GP offered us the third winning in as many races of Nico Rosberg ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Daniil Kvyat. Let’s evaluate the protagonists, along with Gian Carlo Minardi.
Nico Rosberg – 10  all perfect. Pole position and victory with an excellent pace. He is in great shape and goes all out to try winning the World Championship. This one is his third victory in as many races.
Daniel Ricciardo – 8.5  he did an excellent qualifying, but was very unlucky during the race due to a puncture. He could have attempted to steal the second place of Vettel.
Daniil Kvyat – 8 great race at the end of which he took his Red Bull on the podium, the car has an excellent frame but the power-unit is still inadequate. I don’t agree with Vettel about the contact at the start.

Sebastian Vettel -7.5 a substantial second place, even if he made some little mistakes both in qualifying and in race with the contact to the detriment of Kimi Raikkonen. He has no reasons to get angry with the Russian driver.

Felipe Massa -7.5 he succeeds in remaining continuously ahead of Bottas. He took the Williams back to the top.

Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen -7.5 they confirmed their qualifying positions, and although in inverted positions, they have been in point zone for the all race.

Lewis Hamilton – 7.5 in spite of his poor conditions, he was maker of an amazing recover. What a pity the mistake early in the race that influenced the result.

Kimi Raikkonen – 7 like Sebastian, he made some little mistakes in qualifying, but he was good in recovering positions reaching the fifth place.
Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso – 7 they fought in the first part of the race. We can see a small opening for a duo McLaren-Honda growing.
Valtteri Bottas – 6 once again, he does not live up to expectations. His season started in a limp way.

F1 | Chinese GP – THE POINT by Gian Carlo Minardi

/in /by

The critical point was the start. The mistakes done by Ferrari affected the results, and the numerous accidents and the safety-car enlivened the race. We watched amazing overtakings made by Ricciardo, Vettel, Kvyat, Massa who defended the sixth place, and Hamilton forced to start from the last row.

As we anticipated, the tire choice influences the strategies letting us to experience a race more vivid than those of last season, even if the supremacy of Mercedes remains. Nico Rosberg scored his third seasonal success in a row, leaving Sebastian Vettel with a gap of 37″. I don’t endorse the attack toward the Russian Red Bull driver made by the Ferrari man, because he is not guilty of the contact at the start. Rosberg managed the race very well, increasing his advantage in the overall standings, even if the season is very long with more eighteen scheduled events. This one may be his year. In spite of complications in qualifying and some damages in the bottom of his car, Lewis Hamilton recovered to the seventh place with a jerk, ending his race ahead of the two Toro Rosso cars. A sign of great strength from the team, because he could have fought for the podium, even if they have some reliability problems.

Red Bull is growing. They have an excellent frame and an extremely competitive car, but they aren’t supported at the best by the power-unit yet. Ricciardo was decidedly unfortunate: the punctured wheel early in the race deprived him of the podium in favor of his team-mate.

Williams fell again into his negative trend of early season, backed up by a car that can fight with Red Bull for the third and fourth place in the World Constructors’ Championship. At the end, Bottas was victim of the two young bulls, Verstappen and Sainz.

In fifteen days we’ll arrive in Russia, a circuit that is featureless compared to Shanghai. The choice of the tires could make it lively.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

F4 | Schumacher star performer at Misano. Minardi "A really appreciated Format”

/in /by

The Italian Formula 4 Championship has started its third season at the Misano World Circuit. In the weekend, we watched 20 team at the start, and 41 drivers coming from 21 different nations. At the starting lines, seven Italian drivers defended themselves against Mick Schumacher who dominated the stage with two successes and with the fourth place in the Final won by Siebert ahead Vips and Guzman.

The high number of subscriptions forced organizers to modify the Championship format, dividing competitors (by drawing lots) in two different qualifying tournaments. Then the drivers are divided in three groups (A, B, and C) based on the overall standings. Each of these Groups competes for two qualifying races (A vs B; B vs C; A vs C that gives points for Championship standings). Then, an overall standings with the sum of every driver’s points is filled out. The first 36 drivers classified enter into the Final.

“This karting format is very appreciated, especially by stranger teams and by drivers themselves. Everyone has at least the chance to run two races, given that 36 out of 41 drivers enter into the Final. In spite of a very changeable weather, all the drivers proved to live up to the race, with Schumacher as a star performer of the opening weekend, despite the heavy media pressure. He will have to confirm his talent as a sprinter in next events” Gian Carlo Minardi says. “We had three intense and fighting races, especially in Final with 36 single-seaters on the track. As Aci, we are very satisfied with this Championship debut”, the manager from Faenza concludes.

The schedule of the Circus will go on in Adria (May,8), Imola (May 29 and September 25) Mugello (July, 17) Vallelunga (September, 11), and Monza October, 30 with the great finale.
In overall standings Mick Schumacher (Prema) leads the group with 60 points, ahead of Guzman Marchina Raul (58) and Siebert Marcos (56).

F1 | Chinese GP – Preview

/in /by

The insertion of another compound has produced more suspense in strategies, and it could happen in Shanghai too. Pirelli will bring the Medium, Soft, and Super Soft tires, as we have seen up this moment. At Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel have made the same choice (3 sets of Medium tire, 4 of Soft, and 6 of Super Soft), whereas at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have diversified the number of their sets of Medium and Soft. Four sets of “whites” and four of  “yellows” for Lewis and three sets of “whites” and five sets of “yellows” for Nico. Five sets of red Super Soft each one.

The strategy is different at William that has definitely preferred the Super Softs, with seven sets per driver. Only one set of “whites” for Massa, and two for Bottas.

At last, the teams reached an agreement: from the Chinese Grand Prix, the new qualifying format will be abbandoned. In Q3, we’ll fight again for pole position till the end. Meanwhile, Ferrari is facing its reliability problems. Let’s hope that this agreement does not lead to reduce the power or to give up the famous “little knob” because Vettel’s breakage had happened during the first lap after Saturday’s Q3.No news about the regulations 2017. Within the Working Group, there is no uniformity of views, and time is running out. Without a clear regulation, we will not have new entrances. Rather, there is a risk of some escape.

We await lower temperatures than those in Bahrain and the powers in action could change in the middle of the group. We have just to turn the TV on and watch the race, to understand if Fernando Alonso will be a piece of the action, as I think. In Bahrain, he was object of two different opinions: that of who was taking care of him and that of who decided to leave him at the pit.

Chinese GP timetable

Friday, April 15

Practice 1  4:00 – 5:30

Practice 2  8:00 – 9:30

Saturday, April 16

Practice 3  6:00 – 7:00

Qualifying  9:00

Sunday, April 17

Race  8:00

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

F4 | First points for Joao Vieira at Misano

/in /by

Joao Vieira’s new sport season in the Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth started from the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli along with the Antonelli Motorsport team.A path seven events long that will take the Circus at the national circuit of Adria, Imola (double event in May and September), Mugello, Vallelunga, and Monza.

At the start, along with the Brazilian driver handled by the Minardi Management, there are twenty teams and forty-one single-seaters with drivers coming from 21 different nationalities. The high number of subscriptions forced organizers to modify the Championship format, dividing competitors (by drawing lots) in two different qualifying tournaments. Then the drivers are splitted in three groups (A, B, and C) based on the overall standings. Each of these Groups competes for two qualifying races (A vs B; B vs C; A vs C that gives points for Championship standings). Then, an overall standings with the sum of every driver’s points is filled out. The first 36 drivers classified enter into the Final.

During free practice, Joao becomes the protagonist bringing his Tatuus # 97 in the top positions and signs the fastest time in free practice 2. By merging the two qualifying groups, which raced in pouring rain, Vieira is ninth, a placing that he will keep on the grid for the first two qualifying heats for the Final.In Race 1 Joao recovers up to sixth place, while in the second race had to settle the twelfth position, for a mistake at the start. Thanks to the sum of the scores, he enters the Final, and finishes the first event in sixth with eighteen points.

“A start grid with 41 cars is really a nice show. The weekend had started in the right way, unfortunately in race 2 I made a mistake at the start, keeping the car in second gear…Anyway, I managed to enter the Final, and I closed the weekend in points zone. Unfortunately, we still have some engine complications. During Adria’s checks, we’ll do more tests”, Joao Vieira comments.

“On one hand I am very pleased with Joao and his driving, especially in the mixed section where he was one of the fastest. Unfortunately, in qualifying he was not perfect, and the final result was affected by his mistake in race-2. Since he had started the weekend with the fastest time in free practice two, we expected to pick up something more. Now, we just have to prepare us at best in view of Adria. We expect a season really fought and at the highest level. 41 cars on the track are a sight“, manager Giovanni Minardi says.

Next Wednesday, Joao will be back on the track in Adria to prepare himself for the second round scheduled next May 8.