Latest news with #Formula4
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Red Bull Junior Fionn McLaughlin tops British F4 standings following Snetterton victory
Red Bull Junior driver Fionn McLaughlin clinched his maiden victory of the season to ascend to the top of the British Formula 4 leaderboard. Magherafelt's own McLaughlin triumphed in the third race at Snetterton after an assertive drive from pole position. Advertisement The 17-year-old finds himself leading the overall championship by a margin of nine points ahead of Hungary's Martin Molnar, as well as dominating the rookie rankings after three events. READ MORE: What channel is Isle of Man TT on? TV and live stream info for 2025 event READ MORE: From rural Fermanagh to Formula One fast lane - how Bernie Collins blazed a trail for women everywhere Despite seizing pole for the opening race, McLaughlin slipped back following a lead-costing error. Nevertheless, he redeemed himself with an eighth-place finish in the second race and then proceeded to claim the chequered flag in the weekend's concluding event. Advertisement "I was really rooting for the victory. In that last one I was really fast and I came away with the win," revealed Hitech's McLaughlin. "Every racing driver loves it when you're on your own and you have a big gap behind, so the stress was low and I just tried to manage the gap and stay calm." The key was getting a strong start off the grid - and McLaughlin got a perfect getaway. 'The main thing in F4 is getting a good launch, so I did a good start and from there on just drove off," he said. "I think every racing driver loves it when you're on your own and you have a big gap behind, so the stress was low and I just tried to manage the gap and stay calm.' The next round of the Wera Tools F4 British Championship takes place at Oulton Park in a fortnight.
What's On
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- What's On
Motorsport and Legacy-Building: Meet AKCEL Group founder Amit Kaushel
Sponsored: A powerhouse… Amit Kaushal began his career in Dubai in the late 1990s before expanding into the UK and beyond. Today, as chairman, he heads up the global AKCEL Group, a diversified business spanning IT, real estate, investments, and now motorsport. In a recent podcast, Kaushal speaks about his company's push into the world of formula racing with AKCEL GP, the group's branded real estate venture with BNW Developments, and his ambition to build a legacy that leads all the way to Formula One. Before we get into the motorsport side of things, tell us more about AKCEL Group. It's quite a diversified business: can you paint a picture for our audience? Of course. Firstly, thank you for having me. AKCEL Group is built around the concept of transforming aspiration into legacy. That idea is embedded in the name itself: 'A' stands for Aspiration , 'K' for Knowledge , 'C' for Clarity and Consistency , 'E' for Excellence , and 'L' for Legacy . So it's not just a name — it's a journey. In terms of the business, we're a global conglomerate. Our roots are in IT — specifically consulting and training — and we operate in India, the UK, the US, Ireland, and Dubai. We also own Jetking, which has over 100 IT training centres in India. We've recently entered real estate in the UAE through a branded residence partnership with BNW. Our first flagship project will launch on Dubai Islands, followed by an expansion into Ras Al Khaimah. That's a huge step for us. Then, there's motorsport — which is giving global visibility to our brand. We're proud to be the first Indian-origin group to own a racing team in this space. It's a major milestone, especially for the wider South Asian community. And finally, we have an investment arm that focuses on alternative assets — everything from angel investing to venture capital. So AKCEL Group is built on four key pillars: IT, real estate, motorsport, and investments. I personally left India around 25 years ago. I started my journey in Dubai back in 1998, then moved to the UK in 2000. And now, life is bringing me full circle — back to Dubai, which has always had a special place in my heart. Can you tell us more about AKCEL GP and why did you decide to launch it now? AKCEL GP is our motorsport arm, and we've just completed our first season here in the Middle East, competing in Formula 4 and the Formula Regional Middle East Championship. We even made it to a few podiums. The idea started in Dubai when I met our team principal, Rohit Kaul, a former Formula driver. We shared a common vision, and we realised there's very little South Asian representation in global motorsport. That inspired us. We wanted to create a platform to nurture young talent and eventually compete in Formula One. We pulled everything together in just nine months and launched at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa in January 2025. Our drivers come from diverse backgrounds — India, the UK, Romania — and we're proud to support the Al Qubaisi family too. Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi are now our brand ambassadors and sit on our advisory board. They're pioneers in UAE motorsport and have been a huge support. You've decided to make the UAE your global base — tell us why. Dubai is where I began my journey, and strategically it makes perfect sense. It's now at the centre of global conversations, whether it's sports, tech, AI, crypto, real estate or investment. Everything is converging here. Logistically, it's also ideal for managing operations across both the Indian subcontinent and Europe. For us, it's not just home: it's a launchpad. The business of motorsports is quite complex — it's not just what we see on track. What have you learned so far? A lot! We started with a technical partner, but now we're building our own in-house technical team for our European F4 and FRACA campaigns. That gives us better control, allows us to build in-house performance models, and elevate our drivers. We're also setting up a second base in Milan, Italy to manage the April to October European racing season. After that, we'll compete in Macau and return to the UAE for the 2026 season. Every person on the team — from our technical director Matthew Norman, to logistics and operations — plays a critical role. It's a true team sport behind the scenes. Do you attend every race yourself? I try to attend as many as possible, but our team principal Rohit Kaul leads the operations on the ground. My role is more strategic: managing partnerships, sponsor relations, and ensuring smooth execution throughout the season. Sponsors are crucial. Who are some of your key partners? We're fortunate to have a great mix. BNW Developments is one of our lead partners. Gulf Business is on our car too — which we're very proud of. We also have Century Financial, and LifeCoin as sponsors. Each one plays an important role in the ecosystem we're building. You're competing in Formula 4 and Formula Regional — can you explain the difference? F4 is the first major step after go-karting — the entry point into the Formula ladder. From F4, drivers move to FR (Formula Regional), which is more powerful and covers specific regions — we just raced across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Jeddah. After FR, drivers can progress to F3, F2 and ultimately F1 — the dream. The difference lies in engine power, car weight and complexity. But every step is crucial. You mentioned AKCEL Academy: what is its role in terms of your overarching approach to motorsport? The Academy supports the entire talent pipeline. We identify young drivers early. One of our drivers started go-karting at four and is now eight, and is already a champion from Singapore. We also have a focus on inclusivity. For example, we've reserved one seat for a female driver, and we're proud to support Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi. We're also planning an announcement in Barcelona to enter the endurance-based Le Mans series with them. And we're supporting Atika, the first Indian female driver to enter an F1 Academy. She's an inspiration. So what's next for AKCEL GP in the next five to ten years? The short-term focus is to strengthen our presence in F4, F3, and F2. Simultaneously, we're scaling our Academy and merging racing with IT and engineering. The long-term aspiration is to reach Formula One and to see our driver on the F1 podium one day. That's the vision, and we're fully committed to it.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
#MothersDay: My mom taught me to be fearless: Mira Erda
Mira Erda with her mom Nima Erda Motorsports has always been a male-dominated field, but my mother's unwavering belief in me gave me the confidence to pursue it,' says Mira Erda . On Mother's Day, the racer, who has numerous podium finishes to her credit at national and international Formula 4 events , tells us how her mother, Nima Erda, continues to inspire her. Excerpts: 'She has always encouraged me to do what I believe in' My mom taught me to be fearless. She was never scared when I started racing at a very young age and always encouraged me to do what I believe in. She always told me to have fun and pushed me to improve. It's an expensive sport and my mom would cut down on other expenses to ensure that my training wasn't impacted, and I could participate in more races. She knows how to invest money smartly and I am grateful to her for that. 'My mom never holds me back' Our bond has evolved over the years. Today, I travel alone for most of my races and my mom has to follow them online. Operation Sindoor 'Decided to strike where it would hurt': Air Marshal on Op Sindoor Op Sindoor: IC-814 hijackers, Pulwama plotters among over 100 terrorists killed 'Pak Army lost 35 to 40 personnel': Takeaways from armed forces' briefing on Op Sindoor But even if she is a little apprehensive regarding my safety, she doesn't show it and she never holds me back. She trusts me completely and believes that I can take care of any situation. She keeps saying that I can do better and that motivates me to try harder. She also tells me that I must go out and enjoy my life. 'We love styling our own outfits' When I was a kid, my mom loved dressing me up and she created my outfits. So, I would have nine different outfits during Navratri, which would be made out of her lehengas or other dresses. So, those outfits have a lot of sentimental value for me. Now, I love wearing her clothes. Also, instead of buying readymade clothes, we love styling our own outfits, especially if we have to attend a wedding or any other function. So, we shop together and buy materials. After that, we love styling the entire outfit from scratch. It's great fun. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
CNN
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
After a double-leg amputation in 2017, Billy Monger has broken an IRONMAN world record
Billy Monger was just 17 when his world was turned upside down by an accident that left him fighting for his life. The British driver was competing in a Formula 4 race in England when he collided into the back of a fellow competitor at incredible speed – the collision was so severe that footage of the crash is still hard for his family to watch. The result was initially terrifying, with Monger undergoing a double-leg amputation as a result of the extreme injuries he sustained. In a split second, the teenager was facing a very different future. But spend time with Monger, who is now 25, and you'll meet a young man with an incredible attitude to life; someone who refuses to follow the script. And, if you ever needed proof of that, his latest achievement provides all the evidence you'd need. In October last year, Monger broke the world record for the fastest double amputee to complete an IRONMAN. He set the record at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, considered by many as one of the hardest endurance events in the world. He completed the 140.6 mile course – involving a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle and a full marathon – in 14 hours, 23 minutes and 56 seconds, over two hours quicker than the previous record. The athlete, who also works as a racing pundit and commentator, took on the challenge in order to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity which aims to end world poverty. 'The only time I ever actually think about (my accident) now, is in moments like when I crossed the finish line in Hawaii and I could call myself a world record holder,' Monger told CNN Sports, reflecting on his latest achievement. 'You think back to that moment and those dark times and I think it's just pride more than anything. 'I don't look at it as this negative thing that happened to me and that holds some form of control over my life. That moment, that felt like the end of your world and your world was falling down around you, has actually brought you to this destination where you're doing this incredible thing.' Monger battled jellyfish stings, exhausting winds and energy-sapping heat to finish the course which winds itself around Hawaii's Big Island. It's perhaps obvious, when you consider the distances, that this event is not something you can simply walk into unprepared. For Monger, it was the culmination of a year of training, work which made him more comfortable with being uncomfortable. With the help of expert trainers that become somewhat part of his close-knit family, Monger trained almost every day to get his body and mind in the best possible condition. 'The process of hardening your mind and your body to be able to prepare for that happened over that year period,' he said to CNN. 'Just bit by bit, it was just as simple as getting up each day and tackling the sessions that I had ahead as well as I possibly could and compounding all those little wins.' Being a double amputee, Monger faced a far more challenging preparation than most. Running, for example, put huge pressure on his stumps, so it was important that his prosthetics fit perfectly. If they weren't just right, he knew that blisters and soreness could potentially derail his attempt. Then came the cycle, where Monger decided to ride a pushbike rather than a handbike. It meant the former racing driver had to learn the basics over again, notably unclipping his cleats when getting on and off the saddle. It was, unsurprisingly, another challenge he overcame. 'You're aware (of being a double-amputee) throughout the whole process, like there's no getting away from it,' Monger said. 'I'd say swimming was probably the most freeing of the three disciplines because swimming is actually about 80% upper body generated in terms of your speed and your efficiency.' After navigating the swim and then the cycle, the dreaded marathon loomed for the 25-year-old. It was, in many ways, a complete unknown for Monger, who never ran that far in training. To make matters worse, competitors in the race are forbidden to use headphones, meaning Monger was left alone with his thoughts. In those dark moments, when the light was fading over the island and he trudged his way to the finish line, Monger was able to fall back on his life experiences. 'I think going through something that's so significant probably opened my mind up to the fact that most challenges that we face in our day to day lives, sometimes we big them up more than they actually are,' he said, reflecting on how the accident in 2017 might have changed him more than he had initially thought. 'Like things are doable and you can get through them.' When he crossed the finish line, Monger fell to the road out of both emotion and exhaustion. His family and girlfriend were quickly by his side, overwhelmed by pride. While this was a race run in aid of charity for Monger, it was also a chance to give something back to his family, doctors and friends, who were there to support him as he rebuilt his life as a teenager. But it was also a chance for him to prove to himself that there were no limitations on what he can achieve in life. 'I was basically my own car, I was my own engine, I was my own fuel, like it was slightly different to motor racing because I wasn't having to rely on other people for this challenge,' he said. 'The effort I put in was the result I got out and that was something that in this challenge was quite unique, but that I enjoyed.' Monger could be forgiven for leaving the world of IRONMAN behind, but that's certainly not the plan. After his record-breaking achievement, Monger said he has eyes firmly set on the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028, where he hopes to represent Great Britain in the para-triathlon. He has already had positive conversations with the Great British paralympic team and is confident in his ability to qualify for the biggest sporting event in the world. Whatever he does next, though, being a role model and helping to support others will remain Monger's primary focus. 'There's so many negative things going on in the world around us and it's hard sometimes to find a bit of positivity,' he said. 'So whatever I try to do, that's at the heart of it. This world record was positive for me and gave me a lot, but also knowing it was for others, that was a big fuel for the fire.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
All 6 of Formula 1's 2025 Rookies Have Been Set Up to Fail. Here's Why
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Back in 2024, none of Formula 1's 10 teams opted to change their lineups in the off-season. The 2025 off-season, as expected, went sharply in the opposite direction: Eight of the teams made changes in their lineups, including the introduction of six new rookies to the grid. The shake-up made for an exciting opening race weekend in Australia, but it was a rocky start for that huge rookie class. All six either spun or crashed during the race weekend. The one rookie of six who did not spin or crash during the race itself finished last on the road. It's a reminder that getting adjusted to Formula 1 is hard, a problem made all the harder by the brutal realities of the sport. Crashes bring intense pressure on young drivers, especially now that crash damage cuts into a team's cap-restricted budget for the year. In a world where pundits, fans, and team executives alike are quick to judge and slow to change their minds, early missteps are bad news. They are not, however, unexpected. All six drivers came into this year under scrutiny, either as the possible future of one of the sport's four 2024 race-winning programs or as a much-needed future lead driver of one of the six smaller teams in need of hope. Between the weight of expectations and the dangling threat of possible replacements waiting in the wings, all six are already set up for failure in one way or another. Kimi Antonelli is not the most decorated rookie on the list, but he is widely perceived as the best. Toto Wolff's latest protege is an 18-year-old super-prospect, one that seemed earmarked to be Lewis Hamilton's replacement since his dominance in karts carried over into cars at the regional level. Since then, however, his story has been defined by skipping steps on his rapid rise. Antonelli, already super-license eligible at 17 because of ridiculous point sums available to Formula Regional and Formula 4 champions, skipped Formula 3 to run Formula 2 last season. He finished sixth, with just two wins and one other podium, an impressive showing for a 17-year-old but a disappointment in a world where great prospects often win the F2 title as a rookie. It was the sort of season that suggested a title at that level would follow in 2025, but Mercedes boss Wolff had other ideas. The jump to Mercedes was announced on August 31st, a day after Antonelli crashed a Mercedes in his first-ever F1 practice session. This was skipping two steps: Not only was Wolff not waiting around for Antonelli to put up a great season in a global feeder series, he had no interest in waiting around while Antonelli spent time learning F1 at a lesser team either. George Russell, who won both F3 and F2 as a rookie, spent three years at Williams before getting called up to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. Antonelli got the call at 18. A choice that extraordinary puts Antonelli under a microscope. Wolff has effectively bet his reputation as a judge of talent on the least-experienced driver in F1, who is now tasked with replacing Lewis Hamilton at a team that seems capable of winning races this year. It is a ton of pressure for anyone, but it's an unfair amount to put on the shoulders of a teenager coming off his first-ever unsuccessful racing season at any level. All of that culminated in the middle of what would go on to be the best rookie race of the weekend by far. After floor damage led Antonelli to a first-round elimination in qualifying, the Mercedes driver had to fight through the field in the early stages of last Sunday's wet-into-dry-into-wet Australian Grand Prix. He cut through the Haas and Sauber traffic in front of him with ease at first, but shortly after passing Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber, he spun on his own. It could have been a disaster, the moment the pressure got to him as so many had expected. Instead, he avoided the wall. A bit of luck, but luck was enough. Antonelli got back on track, chased down Hulkenberg again, and got the spot back. After Mercedes got its drivers onto the intermediates at the right time, Antonelli leapt from 11th to 5th, then passed Alex Albon for fourth. A great result and an impressive race, but the mistake reinforces some of the concerns about Antonelli's hire that still linger. To put the performance of the rookies in Australia into context, the next-most successful rookie in the race crashed out. But Gabriel Bortoleto, the rookie champion of both Formula 3 and Formula 2 the past two seasons, still impressed despite that little problem. Bortoleto's pressure comes not from Sauber, a struggling team currently sponsored by a cryptocurrency casino, but from what Sauber is about to become. He is signed onto the team through next season, when Audi's acquisition of the team turns the program into a factory outfit for a major manufacturer. His teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, is a 37-year-old driver without a podium finish. Paired with a steady hand that has no real chance of being the future of the team, the pressure is on Bortoleto to prove that he can be the face of what is about to be a very expensive program. He delivered in qualifying. Bortoleto beat out his teammate and three of the five other rookies to make Q2, despite driving a Sauber that is not expected to score points often this year. Bortoleto survived the first fall of rain, but he crashed when the rain came again late in the race. It was not a great day at the track, but DNFs for three of the five other rookies meant that he was in line with the group. After dropping Sergio Perez and giving up on plans to revive Daniel Ricciardo's career, Red Bull had two realistic choices for its second seat. The program could pair either AlphaTauri standout Yuki Tsunoda or reserve driver Liam Lawson with Max Verstappen, a choice between a driver they have seen beat out teammates consistently over four seasons or a driver they have seen impress in limited running. Red Bull chose Lawson, finally an F1 rookie after running a chunk of races with the brand's junior team in each of the last two seasons. It was an odd choice. Tsunoda, who came up the ranks through Honda's ladder rather than Red Bull's, has steadily improved in each of his four seasons. Lawson has barely had a chance to get a handle on F1 racing. The decision looked all the more odd after qualifying, where Lawson went off track twice and got eliminated in the first round; Tsunoda qualified fifth. While Antonelli made up for his qualifying problems and surged through the field, Lawson struggled in the back throughout the race. He eventually crashed in the rain at the same time as Bortoleto, bringing out a safety car. Just one week into the season, he is already falling under the sort of scrutiny that dogged Sergio Perez for the past two seasons. Red Bull has twice tried to pair Verstappen with a younger driver. The first person to get that shot, Pierre Gasly, was demoted back to Toro Rosso halfway through the 2019 season. The other, Alex Albon, got a season and a half with the top team before he was dropped from the Red Bull family entirely. Unlike Lawson, Red Bull's other new face is at the team where you might expect to find a Red Bull-affiliated rookie. Hadjar has a middle-of-the-road resume for an F1 prospect, headlined by a strong second season in F2 last year. It makes him a solid fit at Red Bull's second team, but it does not make him a driver carrying the weight of major expectations. Hadjar missed out on the 2024 F2 title by 22.5 points. He had a shot to beat out Bortoleto for the honors as late as the final race weekend of the year, but a stall on the grid in the season finale handed the honors over to the future Sauber rival. It was a brutal moment, but Hadjar got his shot to replace Lawson (who himself replaced Daniel Ricciardo mid-season) at the brand's junior team, RB. He impressed in qualifying. A Q3 appearance in his first outing would be good in any context, but it was particularly nice to have after Lawson's disastrous Q1 elimination. Hadjar's teammate Yuki Tsunoda outshined him with a run to fifth, but his 10th-place starting position was still something to be proud of. Unfortunately, the lasting image of the weekend will be what happened before he got to that grid spot. Hadjar spun on a wet track while making his way to the grid, crashing backward into the wall before the race began. That led to a red flag and a very short day for the RB driver, who was comforted by Lewis Hamilton's father on his way back to the paddock. Since this happened in Hadjar's first-ever start, the unfortunate reality is that he will carry the moment with him until he impresses with something else. Hadjar should be happy that the Chinese Grand Prix is just a week later: he now has the opportunity to change his headline, a much-needed chance after a uniquely disappointing start to his career. While Antonelli, Lawson, and Hadjar compete to take or hold onto open seats at top teams, Ollie Bearman will have to wait. The Haas driver is part of the Ferrari academy, making him a possible candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton when he retires. That won't happen for a while, so for now, he is just another driver at a struggling team. He may have avoided any trouble in the race, but Bearman's race weekend struggles were the worst of anyone on the grid. The British rookie crashed in FP1, missed FP2, spun in FP3, and failed to set a lap in qualifying after his car suffered a mechanical problem. He finished last of the running cars in the race, mired in the back in a Haas that looks uncompetitive through one weekend. The disappointing weekend follows a disappointing season in Formula 2 last year. Bearman, who missed two race weekends while filling in as an F1 driver for Ferrari and Haas, finished a brutal 12th in his second season in the championship. He was also beaten in the standings by his Prema Racing teammate, new Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. After winning three features on his way to sixth in the 2023 F2 championship, it was a major letdown. Bearman did not get this opportunity because of his F2 resume, though. He earned it as a fill-in driver at the F1 level, a role he had to fulfill three times across Ferrari and Haas last year. He finished seventh, 10th, and 12th in those races. Those weekends prove that he can do this at this level, but he needs to consistently tap into that potential if he wants to be more than just a driver that Haas tried out for a couple of years. All five of the other rookies who struggled in Australia at least have their teams in their corners. The jury is out on whether or not Alpine team leadership actually supports rookie Jack Doohan. Alpine has four reserve drivers, at least two more than any team could realistically need. One in particular, former Williams driver Franco Colapinto, is a high-profile signing that seems primed to replace one of the team's drivers during the 2025 season. That signing led to speculation that Doohan's time at Alpine is already at risk of being cut short; that speculation got so loud, he actually had to respond to it in February. His place is protected for now, but anyone who followed Logan Sargeant, Daniel Ricciardo, or Sergio Perez last year knows that these kinds of assurances don't necessarily mean much. Doohan's case is not helped by his resume. The Alpine rookie has been in global-level support series since 2020, highlighted by championship finishes of second in the 2021 F3 season and third in the 2023 F2 season. Other than a one-off with Alpine to end the F1 season, he did not race at all in 2024. Between the somewhat public pressure from Colapinto and the unusually weak resume, Doohan already had a target on his back. That only grew when he crashed out in the rain on his first lap as a full-time F1 driver. Unless his contract is iron-clad, Doohan may already be in serious danger of losing his shot to stay in Formula 1. After Australia, none of Formula 1's six rookies are in a particularly good place. All are under pressure to perform now, for one reason or another. All struggled in one way or another during the race itself — and half of the group struggled in qualifying, too. For a group with little collective margin for error, this could be the start of a very bad year. The quest to turn that around starts in China this weekend. As Antonelli showed in the race on Sunday, a strong performance on track can turn this kind of pressure into triumph. He, Lawson, and the other 2025 rookies will have to bring those kinds of performances often if they want to advance up the grid and become stars of the sport. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
