Latest news with #AyrtonSenna
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Detroit Grand Prix wrapping up construction, with Jefferson Avenue under complete closure
If you take Jefferson Avenue downtown to work every morning, you might have to find a new route for the next week. The Detroit Grand Prix is finishing up construction for the annual race weekend — from Friday, May 30-Sunday, June 1 — in downtown Detroit. The Grand Prix will use the same course as last year's race, highlighted by a 0.7 mile straightaway on Jefferson between Rivard and Griswold streets. Advertisement Construction crews for the Grand Prix have been working night shifts this week to prepare the race course, with Jefferson undergoing a full closure starting on Monday, May 26 and lasting through the race the following Sunday. As for the race weekend itself, Woodward Avenue will be closed from Gratiot (a block north of Campus Martius) to Jefferson, with additional closures at Cadillac Square between Woodward and Bates. Here is a map detailing the downtown closures: According to the Detroit Department of Transportation, bus services on Jefferson will remain closed through Monday, June 9, as construction crews tear down the fences and walls lining the avenue. Advertisement More: One fan's idea for a memorial to a shifty visitor — Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna At a pre-race event on May 6, Detroit Grand Prix chair Bud Denker said that construction around the event has gotten more efficient in the three years since the race has moved from Belle Isle to the streets of downtown. "Now that we're in the third year, it's pretty honed in terms of what we do," said Denker. "You learn every year something else you want to add differently. And the key piece this year, we bought over $2 million of new fence and new walls. And that investment will allow us to be more efficient in construction." More: How to buy tickets for the Detroit Grand Prix Advertisement After being held on Belle Isle from 2012-22 (with a cancellation of the 2020 edition due to the coronavirus pandemic), the Grand Prix returned downtown for 2023. You can reach Christian at cromo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Grand Prix road closures: Jefferson Avenue shut down
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Monaco reveals the ugly side of F1
NEW DELHI: If the Monaco Grand Prix been conceived today, it would never have fit the international automobile federation's (FIA) mandatory requirements to host a Formula 1 race. Neither does it adhere to the mandated 305km minimum race distance, nor does it touch speeds in excess of 300kph. Overtaking is next to impossible due to the narrow streets which also makes it one of the most dangerous races because of almost negligible run-off areas. But Monaco is not just any other race. It is the crown jewel of Formula 1, lapped in history, tradition and prestige, drawing the who's who from all spheres of life, making it the centre of glamour on that given Sunday. It is also a real test of driver skill with only the finest excelling on the twisty, demanding and ruthless streets of Monte Carlo where even a small error ends the race. It is the ultimate test too for a racer as it is perhaps the only circuit where the driver's skill outweighs the horsepower of the car compared to any other circuits. Only the true greats have succeeded in the principality multiple times with late Ayrton Senna being the most successful with six wins. Though overtaking has always been tough, it has become next to impossible in recent years, given the size of the modern F1 cars which are 5.7m long in length and almost 2m wide. To spice things up this season, FIA mandated two pit stops for Monaco, especially to avoid a repeat of last year when a reg flag eliminated the need for pit stops, helping many drivers gain positions without overtaking on track which led to a lot of criticism. But history has proven one thing that no matter what the FIA does, teams, with brilliant engineers and tacticians in the garages, always manage to find grey areas to exploit. The same happened on Sunday. The two-stop regulation backfired as let alone experts but even the drivers and teams, who themselves manipulated the rule, were critical of what happened in the Grand Prix. For example, knowing that overtaking was next to impossible, Williams driver Carlos Sainz drastically slowed down his pace, backed the pack up to allow teammate Alex Albon to make two pit stops and still come out ahead of him. In return, Albon allowed Sainz to overtake him, make his two mandatory stops and come out ahead of the trail of cars. As a result, both Williams cars were able to finish in the points. 'This isn't how I like to go racing but that's what the rules have created,' Williams boss James Vowles told Sky Sports F1 during the race. Mercedes' George Russell was so frustrated behind Albon that he decided to cut a chicane and overtake the Williams, ready to accept a penalty (eventually a drive through the pits) rather than sit behind, unable to overtake. Albon told Sky Sports that 'we put a bad show for everyone'. 'It's just taking advantage of the track, and the size of the cars. Apologies to everyone who watched that because that wasn't very good. We didn't want to do it and we didn't plan to do it,' said the Thai. To bury the hatchet, Albon took Russell for dinner after blocking him for the entire race. Red Bull too exploited the rule. Having made his first stop early, reigning world champion Max Verstappen led the race till the penultimate lap despite starting fourth, in the hope of a safety car or a red flag – very common on street races – before finally yielding the lead to pole-sitter Lando Norris, who won McLaren's first race in Monaco since 2008. 'You can't race here. It doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end, I was in the lead, my tyres were completely gone and you still can't pass. Nowadays with an F1 car, you can just pass an F2 car around here,' joked the four-time champion. Given the feedback, the FIA is unlikely to keep the two-stop rule for Monaco, but it also needs to come up with a different idea to make the spectacle more exciting. Because as of today, qualifying more or less settles the race on Saturday rather than on Sunday.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Picture This: The raw speed of a high-octane world
Formula 1: The Impossible Collection (2nd Edition) by Brad Spurgeon (Assouline £1150, 228pp) The ultimate form of motor sport deserves the ultimate book to justly pay it tribute. Assouline, as part of their aptly named 'Ultimate Collection', have crafted such an homage. Brad Spurgeon has found a perfect balance in offsetting the notorious glitz and glamour of the multi-billion dollar sport, with the raw talent and physicality exhibited by the drivers. Throughout every race they undergo extreme heat and G-force. You would be hard pressed to find a post-race interview that doesn't involve a driver dripping in sweat. When cockpit temperatures can reach 60 degrees it is no surprise that some racers lose 3-4 percent of their body weight over the course of a race, just through sweat. Yet, the craftsmanship of engineering is paramount to the success of any car that makes its way to the F1 grid. It is just the same for this newly released second edition. Handcrafted with a luxury yellow PVC clamshell case and paper infused with the scent of rubber, this book is more than pages bound between covers. It is a sensory experience that evokes the experience of being on track, although thankfully without the screeching tyres. Racing from the first ever F1 race, held at Silverstone and won by Giuseppe Farina, a former cavalry officer, to the famed rivalries of Nikki Lauda and James Hunt, and Ayrton Senna and Alan Prost, all the way up to the modern age, this beautiful book is a testament to the sport's impressive history. Racers like Bruce McLaren, Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton fill the pages. While the rise and fall of iconic teams play out in almost operatic fashion. Over 100 moments, Spurgeon explores the evolution of the finely tuned machine Formula 1 has become. How, under the care of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport became the sensation it is now. Throughout, the hedonism of victory, the tragedy of death and the unfailing effort put into every second of a lap is palpable. Senna once said, 'you'll never know how a driver feels when he wins a race. The helmet hides unfathomable emotions.' I would argue that this book is as close as you will get.
CNA
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Brazilian Bortoleto feels the weight of history in Monaco
MONACO :Gabriel Bortoleto can feel the weight of history as the Brazilian rookie prepares to race around the same metal-fenced Monaco streets once dominated by his Formula One idol Ayrton Senna. Triple world champion Senna, whose death at Imola in 1994 shocked the sport, won a record six times in the Mediterranean principality including five in a row with McLaren between 1989 and 1993. Bortoleto, also from Sao Paulo and last year's Formula Two champion who also won the Formula Three title the season before, will be the first Brazilian since Felipe Massa in 2017 to start the showcase race. The 20-year-old Sauber driver, whose team will become the Audi factory outfit next year, said his father had told him stories about Senna for as long as he could remember. "He was, he is, my idol," he told Reuters in an interview. "I believe he was the greatest. I think not only as a driver, but as a person, the Brazilian driver that did the most for the country, did the most for everyone." The legacy, he added, remained very much alive as well as the country's thirst to produce another winner and eventual champion. "Definitely I feel it, you know, and it's obvious because everyone that represents a country, and you are the only one doing that in this series, you end up feeling that from the fans and everyone," he said. "It doesn't matter what position we are in right now, because I'm sure we are going to get better in the future as a team and everything, but having someone on the grid is super important to keep our country alive in this sport." NO POINTS Bortoleto has yet to score a point in seven races with Sauber, currently last of the 10 teams, but he made light of his situation. He has the example of manager and mentor Fernando Alonso, a double world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006 who went through his 2001 debut season with tail-enders Minardi without scoring. Alonso, still racing at 43 with Aston Martin, has also yet to open his account in 2025. "It's not nice to not have points, but I really don't care because my target in Formula One is not to score one point and 'now I have a point in the season'," said Bortoleto. "My target here is to develop and grow as a driver like I see I'm doing and one day be fighting for a championship and win. "I'm not here to be a guy that scores a couple of points. Who remembers about these people that score a little bit of points and they finish P13 in the championship?" Bortoleto has a contract for 2026 and said this year would be a learning one. That includes having to move aside as a backmarker for faster cars - such as his friend, simulator racing rival and four times world champion Max Verstappen - when blue flags are waved. "I'm not used to that, you know, I've never got a blue flag in my life before Formula One," said Bortoleto. "I'm sure that one day, hopefully I will be blue flagging people... you know patience is everything and hopefully my career in Formula One is not a short one. "I'm here to stay for very long, and at some point I'm sure I'm going to have a good car to deliver strong results and to celebrate good things with this great team I have behind me."
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Brazilian Bortoleto feels the weight of history in Monaco
MONACO, May 23 (Reuters) - Gabriel Bortoleto can feel the weight of history as the Brazilian rookie prepares to race around the same metal-fenced Monaco streets once dominated by his Formula One idol Ayrton Senna. Triple world champion Senna, whose death at Imola in 1994 shocked the sport, won a record six times in the Mediterranean principality including five in a row with McLaren between 1989 and 1993. Bortoleto, also from Sao Paulo and last year's Formula Two champion who also won the Formula Three title the season before, will be the first Brazilian since Felipe Massa in 2017 to start the showcase race. The 20-year-old Sauber driver, whose team will become the Audi factory outfit next year, said his father had told him stories about Senna for as long as he could remember. "He was, he is, my idol," he told Reuters in an interview. "I believe he was the greatest. I think not only as a driver, but as a person, the Brazilian driver that did the most for the country, did the most for everyone." The legacy, he added, remained very much alive as well as the country's thirst to produce another winner and eventual champion. "Definitely I feel it, you know, and it's obvious because everyone that represents a country, and you are the only one doing that in this series, you end up feeling that from the fans and everyone," he said. "It doesn't matter what position we are in right now, because I'm sure we are going to get better in the future as a team and everything, but having someone on the grid is super important to keep our country alive in this sport." Bortoleto has yet to score a point in seven races with Sauber, currently last of the 10 teams, but he made light of his situation. He has the example of manager and mentor Fernando Alonso, a double world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006 who went through his 2001 debut season with tail-enders Minardi without scoring. Alonso, still racing at 43 with Aston Martin, has also yet to open his account in 2025. "It's not nice to not have points, but I really don't care because my target in Formula One is not to score one point and 'now I have a point in the season'," said Bortoleto. "My target here is to develop and grow as a driver like I see I'm doing and one day be fighting for a championship and win. "I'm not here to be a guy that scores a couple of points. Who remembers about these people that score a little bit of points and they finish P13 in the championship?" Bortoleto has a contract for 2026 and said this year would be a learning one. That includes having to move aside as a backmarker for faster cars -- such as his friend, simulator racing rival and four times world champion Max Verstappen -- when blue flags are waved. "I'm not used to that, you know, I've never got a blue flag in my life before Formula One," said Bortoleto. "I'm sure that one day, hopefully I will be blue flagging people... you know patience is everything and hopefully my career in Formula One is not a short one. "I'm here to stay for very long, and at some point I'm sure I'm going to have a good car to deliver strong results and to celebrate good things with this great team I have behind me."
