Latest news with #HANS
IOL News
01-08-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
F1's fear of the rain is costing the sport its soul
The Belgium GP start behind the safety car last week Sunday was perhaps too conservative. Photo: EPA Image: EPA It's strange to look back at the 1990s and realise that, even here on the tip of Africa, everyone knew who Wayne Gretzky was. The same was true — even more profoundly — of Ayrton Senna. These were names that transcended borders and sports, legends shaped not just by talent, but by the drama and danger that defined their eras. Back then, the World Wide Web was still an undiscovered country, and the world felt both larger and more connected in unexpected ways. Brazilian Senna wasn't just a F1 driver — he was a global icon, forged in a time when the sport still had real teeth. I was still a youngster, and although I couldn't fully comprehend Senna's death, even I understood, as a 10-year-old in 1994, that the world had lost a once-in-a-generation talent. In the aftermath, F1 was forced into a period of serious self-reflection — one that still echoes today. The sport has become far safer, thanks to rule changes that prioritise both driver and spectator welfare. Trackside technology has also come a long way. Chassis that absorb impact, cockpits that cocoon the driver, HANS devices, improved barriers, and safety-focused circuit designs have all contributed to a more secure racing environment. The introduction of the Halo alone has already saved lives. Still, tragedies happen. The deaths of Jules Bianchi in 2015, Anthoine Hubert in 2019, and Dilano van 't Hoff in 2023 are sobering reminders that Formula 1 — and its feeder series — remain inherently dangerous. Nonetheless, the recent aversion to racing in wet conditions suggests the sport's caution is tipping into conservatism. Today, F1 still sells the illusion of speed and danger, but all too often pulls back when weather — that most elemental of variables — threatens the spectacle. In doing so, the sport risks sanitising the very edge that once made it so captivating. The most vivid recent memory of wet-weather brilliance was Pierre Gasly's breakthrough at Monza in 2020. I still remember him staring almost in disbelief at his winner's trophy, post-race and post-podium — as if the magnitude of what he had just achieved hadn't quite sunk in. He had survived the chaos that only a slippery track can conjure to claim an unforgettable victory. The opposite is also true. At the 2023 Russian Grand Prix in Sochi, the chequered flag beckoned for Lando Norris. But a flash storm, combined with a string of poor decisions, saw the win slip from his grasp. His reward was the cruel nickname 'No Wins Norris' — a painful reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the wet. Rain has always been the great equaliser — a crucible for nerve and instinct. Senna's legendary charge at Donington Park in 1993 – the Lap of the Gods – remains one of the most sublime laps in F1 history. Lewis Hamilton's wet-weather heroics — particularly at Interlagos in 2011 — further prove that racing in the rain, while risky, is often the making of champions. So, it was with a snort of exasperation that one watched last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix delayed by more than an hour due to rain. Max Verstappen was among those unimpressed. He argued the conditions were manageable and the delay overly cautious. 'We barely did any wet laps in the end,' he said. 'Which in general, I think is a shame.' He added that starting behind the safety car would have allowed the track to improve naturally — as it has countless times before. Fans watch F1 to see the best drivers in the world battle not just their rivals and machines, but the track and the weather — to dance on the knife-edge between control and catastrophe at 300km/h. To completely sanitise the sport by eliminating the unpredictable drama of wet racing — and replace it with clinical, clockwork consistency — is to strip away something essential. F1 doesn't need more caution. It needs to remember what made it unforgettable in the first place. Will we ever see the like of Senna at Donington in '93 again? Right now — like Gretzky, like the fearless F1 of old — it feels consigned to the past.
Miami Herald
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Aston Martin's New Valkyrie LM Is As Close As You Can Get To a Le Mans Hypercar, With Just 10 Made
Aston Martin has revealed its new Valkyrie LM hypercar, which is derived from its Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) counterpart competing in the world-famous race this weekend. The Valkyrie LM's 10 owners will enjoy the same 7-speed transmission and 6.5-liter V-12 engine in the LMH version, but this modified engine produces 697 hp compared to the race version's 670. Aston Martin is making the Valkyrie LM accessible to amateur drivers by removing race series-specific elements like added weight and FIA-regulation electronics in favor of a cockpit interface tailored for track day usage. The automaker also changed the Valkyrie LM's torque control to a friendlier open-loop configuration instead of closed-loop with fewer internal adjustments, removed torque sensors managing power delivery for less technological oversight, and altered the V-12 engine to accept standard fuel. Operating in rear-wheel drive, the one-seater Valkyrie LM features Pirelli tires, semi-automatic paddle shifters like the LMH version, and a double-wishbone front and rear suspension with pushrod-actuated torsion bar springs with adjustable side and central dampers. This race-derived suspension set-up optimizes track performance and adjustability, and the cockpit contains a custom carbon-fiber race seat with shoulder support and headrest padding. This multi-million dollar Aston Martin also has an FIA safety harness, fire suppression system, and steering wheel with an integrated display and shift lights. Aston Martin is ensuring the Valkyrie LM's 10 buyers get the most out of their purchase with its optional track day program launching in Q2 2026. The track day program ensures each car is set up and prepared as it should be, with assistance from professional engineers, allowing drivers to push the model's limits, which include top speeds exceeding 200 mph. Before hitting the track, the program has owners train on a simulator with driver coaching sessions. Each Valkyrie LM comes with a helmet, Head and Neck Safety (HANS) device, driver's suit and boots, molded earpieces, driver's gloves, and fireproof underwear. Drivers opting into the track day program will have Aston Martin store their Valkyrie LM, allowing them to simply fly in, race, and fly out. Adam Carter, Aston Martin's Head of Endurance Motorsport, said in a release: "It is important to emphasize that the Valkyrie LM is close to identical to the race car that is currently competing in WEC and IMSA, with only a few minor deviations to ensure it is a non-homologated variant and is accessible for customers to experience and enjoy. Valkyrie LM represents the most authentic Hypercar track experience that is now available." The Valkyrie LM distinguishes itself beyond its ability to resemble race car dynamics and low production count. While the 10 Valkyrie LM owners will be part of a small club, Aston Martin facilitates a community aspect within this exclusive group through its track day program. Customers participating in the program will enjoy a Q2 2026 hand-off event marking first drives, two fully supported track days in Q3 2026, and additional track runs at F1 circuits in Q4 2026. Aston Martin's Valkyrie LM is an endurance racing fan's dream come true. Pricing has yet to be announced. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hot Lap Commentary Videos Lightning Lap 2025
If you happened to be inside one of the cars at this year's Lightning Lap while our editors were hard at work setting times, you wouldn't hear much of anything beyond tires squealing and engines roaring. Having a conversation at speed isn't ideal, so that's what these commentary videos are for. You get to hear about the cars, the laps, and all sorts of Lightning Lap fun facts from the editors who went out there and put down the times. This year, we've put all five videos—four from our editors, and one from special guest driver Romain Dumas—in one convenient location. Throw on your HANS device and strap in. Mazda MX-5 Miata Club This was technical editor Austin Irwin's first year setting timed laps, and his enthusiasm is hard to hide. You might not think of the Mazda Miata as a make-or-break kind of car, but for Irwin, the pressure to set a blazing time was pretty high. The ND3's low curb weight, approachable power, and easy limits made it a great dance partner around the Grand Course configuration. See if you can catch the little giggle the camera picks up just before the three-minute mark. Subaru BRZ tS • Subaru WRX tS • Hyundai Elantra N • Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Rich Ceppos isn't just the director of our hallowed Buyer's Guide—he's also a driver with decades of track-hustling experience. And you can hear that experience in his rundowns; we'll never get tired of listening to him dive deep into the minutiae of braking zones and how to squeeze every tenth out of a car, whether it's brimming with horsepower or not. Stick around for the end of the video, where he digs into the trickiness of the Ioniq 5 N's myriad vehicle settings. Bentley Continental GT Speed • Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing • Porsche Taycan Turbo GT • Lucid Air Sapphire Now we're getting to the real spicy stuff. Testing director Dave VanderWerp was supposed to avoid gas cars entirely this year, but due to some last-minute staff kerfuffles, he ended up splitting his time between gas drinkers and EVs. If you've ever wondered about the intricacies inherent in slapping a Bentley around a track as quickly as possible, or how the CT5-V Blackwing's new Precision pack feels in practice, or how to actually get all the power out of the Taycan Turbo GT, your answers lie in the video above. Mercedes-AMG GT63 • McLaren Artura Spider • Lamborghini Revuelto • Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Manthey Racing The trick to getting Dave Beard to set a blistering lap time is simple: Tell him there's a grilled cheese in it for him at the end. Even if there isn't, he'll still make the magic happen, despite staring down some of the most menacing metal at VIR this past year. Dive in and find out why the Lamborghini Revuelto's insane power delivery turned the front straightaway into a whole nother corner. Ford Performance F-150 Lightning SuperTruck Pickup trucks come to Lightning Lap to do anything other than set lap times. But not the Ford Performance F-150 Lightning SuperTruck. Riding atop four electric motors making 2200 horsepower is a feat for no mere mortal. Thankfully, Romain Dumas is no mere mortal. The French racing driver joins us to discuss the truck and the utterly bewildering lap time he set with it. We're still trying to wrap our brains around it. Read Lightning Lap 2025 You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
