Latest news with #TestingofPreviousCars
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Driver given surprise audition for F1 seat as boss explains 'what happens next'
Haas and Toyota used their collaboration to stage another Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) event, this time at the Fuji Speedway in Japan where two drivers got behind the wheel The reigning champion in the Japanese Super Formula series has taken part in an "audition" test in a Formula 1 car. The test, held at Fuji Speedway in Japan this week, saw two drivers from the Asian country drive the Haas VF-23 which raced in the 2023 F1 World Championship. Such Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions have been made possible by the team's partnership with Toyota, formalised last year. The Japanese carmaker, through its Gazoo Racing arm, helps Haas with technical resources and, in return, its staff get experience of the pinnacle of motorsport. And that includes opportunities for the drivers it employs in other disciplines. Ryo Hirakawa is one such driver who has benefitted from that partnership and is reserve driver for the team, having also driven free practice sessions for several outfits on the F1 grid. Hirakawa, 31, a double World Endurance Championship title-winner, was one of those two drivers who got behind the wheel in Fuji. He drove on Tuesday, in front of a crowd invited to the circuit to watch the track action. For the second of the two days of running, there was a debutant in the cockpit. Sho Tsuboi, 30, who won the Super Formula title last year and also races GT cars, got his first experience of F1 machinery. According to Masaya Kaji, Toyota Gazoo Racing's director of global motorsport, the test was not just a prize for Tsuboi's Super Formula success. "What happens next depends entirely on Tsuboi's performance and his communication with the team," he said. "This is an audition or a selection test, not just because of his experience. We want to assess his real performance. He has to work hard and communicate in English. The goal is to assess his potential. Tsuboi has great potential, but it's not just his results. The test is not a reward for becoming Super Formula champion. "These TPC tests are part of our people efforts, as we will focus on human resource development. I believe that Sho, a former Super Formula champion, will not only contribute to the development of his skills, but will also provide great motivation for the other TGR drivers. Sky Sports launches discounted Formula 1 package This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £43 £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Product Description "In addition, mechanics and engineers from Toyota Motor Corporation will be present, making this an invaluable opportunity for them as well . Experiencing first-hand the technologies and skills required on the world's highest stage, F1, will certainly be an important experience for their growth." Hirakawa and Tsuboi are not the first Toyota drivers to be given the chance to test modern F1 machinery in recent months. Haas also ran former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi, who now races in the World Endurance Championship, and Formula 2 star Ritomo Miyata in the same car at other TPC outings, giving Toyota valuable data to compare Tsuboi's performance. Regardless of how well he did, it is not going to be a route onto the 2026 F1 grid. Haas already have Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman tied down to contracts for next season, though the latter remains a Ferrari junior driver and the American team might have to hastily find a replacement should the Brit be called up by the Scuderia at some point.
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
F1 cult hero returns to drive more than 10 years since last appearance
For the first time in their Formula 1 history, Haas are running a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme this year and invited an F1 driver of yesteryear to get back behind the wheel More than a decade after he last sat in a Formula 1 cockpit, Kamui Kobayashi has relived the experience by taking part in an official team test. Haas have given the Japanese former F1 star a chance to drive one of their racing machines. It marks the first time Kobayashi has driven an F1 car since he last raced in the World Championship in 2014. That was with minnows Caterham, though he previously also represented Toyota and Sauber having begun his career with the former in 2009. But, on Thursday, the 38-year-old got to relive the experience. He took part in a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) event with Haas, driving the VF-23 car that the American team fielded in the 2023 F1 season. Haas posted photos of Kobayashi behind the wheel in the garage before heading out on track at the Circuit Paul Ricard, near Marseille in the south of France. The test was arranged in partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, Haas' technical partner since the Japanese carmaker's return to F1 last October. Sign up to our free weekly F1 newsletter, Pit Lane Chronicle, by entering your email address below so that every new edition lands straight in your inbox! Though Toyota has not competed in F1 since quitting the sport in 2009, its Gazoo Racing division has been highly successful in other motorsport categories including rallying and endurance competitions. Kobayashi has played a key role in the latter success in recent years, as a two-time winner of the World Endurance Championship and a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021. His achievements in endurance racing far outstrip what he was ever able to do during his time on the F1 grid. Having represented largely uncompetitive teams, he managed just one podium finish for Sauber at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix, his home race, where he finished third by impressively holding off Jenson Button in the faster McLaren. Despite that achievement, Kobayashi lost his place on the grid at the end of that 2012 season. He returned with cash-strapped Caterham in 2014, after a year in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), but they were entirely uncompetitive and folded ahead of the 2015 campaign. Kobayashi returned to WEC in 2016 with Toyota and was immediately competitive. Alongside a range of different team-mates over eight seasons, he has finished outside the top three in the championship only once, when he was fifth in 2017, winning the title twice in 2020 and 2021. Since 2021, he has also been team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing's WEC programme, alongside his duties as a driver. His F1 test on Thursday was the second run by Haas this year, the first having taken place in Jerez, Spain, in January. Behind the wheel were 2025 F1 drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, as well as Toyota Gazoo Racing development driver and Formula 2 racer Ritomo Miyata. Another TGR figure involved at Haas these days is Ryo Hirakawa, who joined from Alpine as a reserve and has driven for the team in first practice at the Bahrain and Spanish Grands Prix.
Fox Sports
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Alex Palou shuts down F1 rumors after Indy 500 win: 'I don't want to leave now'
Alex Palou is in the midst of a historic INDYCAR season, and he isn't planning to go anywhere. The 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner isn't planning to join Formula 1 following the INDYCAR season, he told the Indy Star. "(F1) is not calling me anymore. I still follow it. It's a huge series. It's amazing. I'm a big fan, but I don't think they're having as much fun as I'm having here," Palou told the Indy Star. "I don't see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do. I don't see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite." The Spaniard had been rumored to be a target to join an F1 team before his dominant start to the 2025 season, with Cadillac being the most recent team linked to Palou. He also attempted to race in F1 in 2023, joining McLaren as part of its Testing of Previous Cars program. However, at 28, Palou believes that the time has now passed for him to join an F1 team as racers in the sport have been getting younger at the time of their debuts. "I don't want to leave now. Even if they say, 'No, don't worry, you can come back in one or two years, what if suddenly everyone is here and I'm never able to catch back up to them?" Palou added. "And it wasn't in my mind last year, and it's not in my mind this year. It's getting less and less and less every day, and with this, it's like, 'No, I want to get another (Indy 500 victory).'" Palou has won the INDYCAR Series in three of the last four years, taking home the Drivers' champion title in 2021, 2023 and 2024. His 2025 season might be his best yet, though. He's won five of the first six races, with his win at the Indy 500 on Sunday being the first ever at the event by a Spaniard. It also marks the best start an individual driver has had in an INDYCAR season since 1964, when A.J. Foyt won the first seven races of that season. The one race Palou didn't win, the Acura Grand Prix, he finished second. Palou will seek to win his sixth race of the season on Sunday, when the 2025 INDYCAR season continues with the Detroit Grand Prix (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou Formula 1 recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Inside Lewis Hamilton's first month at Ferrari F1 – including ‘perfect' meal at Schumacher's go-to restaurant
From the moment Lewis Hamilton stepped foot in the industrial town of Maranello on a bleak overcast day in mid-January, the fanfare has exceeded all expectations. In fact, Formula 1 has never seen anything quite like this. The merging of the sport's biggest star and the sport's most fabled team has resulted in wonderful scenes of devotion, splendour and brouhaha. Most of these have taken place in Italy, Hamilton's new home away from Monaco, with one memorable night in London on Tuesday. Hamilton himself, on Wednesday, described his first month as a Ferrari F1 driver as, quite simply, 'magic.' Yet beyond the commotion and vigour off-track, next week is when it is down to real business with testing in Bahrain. How quick is Ferrari's new car? The Briton will be all too aware that the past 32 days must not be his 2025 peak. Day 1 at Ferrari HQ saw Hamilton meeting the 1,500-strong workforce in various departments at Ferrari. He shook everyone's hand before posing for that most striking of photos in front of Enzo Ferrari's house, dressed immaculately in a double-breasted black suit. The picture dropped. And the reaction surged. It became the most-liked F1 post ever on Instagram. Quickly, fans pointed to the potential symbolism behind seven open windows in the background – was the closed front door a foresight for title number eight? He also met supporters crowded outside the factory, flanked by Ferrari chairman John Elkann – the man praised for luring Hamilton to the Scuderia for £50m-a-year – who had the face of a proud uncle. A 'perfect' meal at Ristorante Monatana Day two saw a seat fitting and a first glimpse of Hamilton in a scarlet red race suit, adorned with the prancing horse. By nightfall, though, he was dining at Ristorante Monatana – a favourite venue of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher. Joined by his father Anthony, mother Carmen, stepmother Linda and Piero Ferrari (son of Enzo), the 40-year-old opted for a vegetarian ragu in a venue surrounded by Scuderia memorabilia. Joint-owner Maurizio Giannini described Hamilton and the evening as 'perfecto.' He added: 'No arrogance. He is just right for Ferrari.' Guess who's back? Contrary to popular belief, the biggest revelation on Hamilton's third and final day of publicity in week one was not his first drive for Ferrari, in a 2023 car as part of a TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme. Hamilton did, however, state later that his experience was completely different to his previous cars for Mercedes and McLaren. Nor was it taking the acclaim of the adoring tifosi, with thousands lining the bridge on Via Giardini, as they came close to their hero. One poster read: 'Welcome Lewis. Until yesterday a rival and now, one of us.' Instead, it was the news that Angela Cullen, Hamilton's former personal trainer and confidante of seven years, had returned in partnership with Mission 44, the Brit's charity. Two years after her departure from Mercedes, the New Zealander was one of many captivated onlookers sporting scarlet red as Hamilton enjoyed his first Ferrari miles. She wasn't the only familiar face. A key duo from his time at Mercedes - new deputy team principal Jerome D'Ambrosio and chassis technical director Loic Serra - will also be figures of familiarity this year for the Brit. And of course, there's the team principal himself, Fred Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton all the way back in 2006, when a fresh-faced Brit won the GP2 title - his final step before F1. Lezioni di Italiano The first public glimpse of Hamilton's Italian came last week, as he spoke to fans at a sponsor event. Reading from a phone, his pronunciation and accent were not half bad. He revealed this week he has been receiving regular lessons. As for Duolingo? Not for him. An amusing segment at the start of an interview with Sky Sports Italia on Wednesday saw a rare sight: Hamilton squirming in front of the camera. Mercifully, the rest of the interview was conducted in English. Nevertheless, Hamilton's debut year with the team will be vastly ameliorated if he gets a grip on the native tongue quickly. fred looking at lewis speaking italian very proudly 😭❤️ — sin ⁴⁴ (@44britcedes) February 12, 2025 Barcelona testing… and crashing Hamilton's next experience in a Ferrari car was with a week of TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) testing and a week of Pirelli tyre testing, with a look ahead to next year's slimmer tyres. Much was made of Hamilton crashing the 2023 car in week one but, as Hamilton hinted on Wednesday, he was simply looking to find the limit of the car early on. 'I definitely did that,' he smiled, when asked about his test. 'I've enjoyed the testing that we've had. I've had to find the limits as quickly as possible because I've only had a handful of days. It's just been fun.' History shows us, too, that a crash in testing with a new team is no bad thing for Hamilton. Lap times emerged from his Pirelli test, too, where he trailed teammate Charles Leclerc on the final day – but times are at this stage irrelevant, with each driver following different programmes on behalf of the tyre manufacturer. However, slowly but surely, each lap helps the acclimatisation period. Adoration in the capital Tuesday's season launch event in London, F1 75 Live in a nod to the sport's 75th anniversary, was the perfect opportunity for Hamilton to bask in the passion and excitement of the British fans. The day actually, for some of us, started out frustratingly. Ferrari were the only team not to hold a media session for the 150-plus journalists on-site, with one eye on their own team launch a day later in Maranello. Yet the second Hamilton arrived on the red carpet all the way to host Jack Whitehall's closing segment with all 20 drivers on stage, Ferrari's new signing was the star of the show. He even found some time to play virtual chess with teammate Leclerc. While amicability may not last long this year, with both vying to be No 1, the early warmth and respect between the pair is clear-cut. First 2025 run and tree-cutting Hamilton took to the cockpit of the 2025 car, the SF-25, for the first time on Wednesday at Fiorano. And much like a month previous, hundreds of fans gathered on the bridge and banks overlooking the circuit for one final glimpse of their new hero before pre-season testing in Bahrain next week. Sure, cutting down trees and branches may have been a slightly overzealous step. But it simply emphasises the raw passion and emotion of the tifosi: any sight of Hamilton is valued. His first race in Italy, at Imola in May, should be a glorious occasion. Hamilton has looked to embed himself within Ferrari as appropriately as possible. His motorhome has been parked right next to Enzo Ferrari's house. He has jogged the Fiorano track regularly, early in the morning. He can attend meetings with engineers quickly, as he becomes attuned to a new car and engine. But for now? From Maranello, all roads lead to Bahrain. Have Ferrari built a car capable of challenging for the championship? Next week, we'll find out. And from there it's Albert Park in Melbourne – a track Hamilton has actually only won twice at in 16 attempts – and the season-opener on 16 March. If the first month should be anything to go by, we're in for a hell of a ride in 2025.
The Independent
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Inside Lewis Hamilton's first month at Ferrari F1 – including ‘perfect' meal at Schumacher's go-to restaurant
From the moment Lewis Hamilton stepped foot in the industrial town of Maranello on a bleak overcast day in mid-January, the fanfare has exceeded all expectations. In fact, Formula 1 has never seen anything quite like this. The merging of the sport's biggest star and the sport's most fabled team has resulted in wonderful scenes of devotion, splendour and brouhaha. Most of these have taken place in Italy, Hamilton's new home away from Monaco, with one memorable night in London on Tuesday. Hamilton himself, on Wednesday, described his first month as a Ferrari F1 driver as, quite simply, 'magic.' Yet beyond the commotion and vigour off-track, next week is when it is down to real business with testing in Bahrain. How quick is Ferrari's new car? The Briton will be all too aware that the past 32 days must not be his 2025 peak. Day 1 at Ferrari HQ saw Hamilton meeting the 1,500-strong workforce in various departments at Ferrari. He shook everyone's hand before posing for that most striking of photos in front of Enzo Ferrari's house, dressed immaculately in a double-breasted black suit. The picture dropped. And the reaction surged. It became the most-liked F1 post ever on Instagram. Quickly, fans pointed to the potential symbolism behind seven open windows in the background – was the closed front door a foresight for title number eight? He also met supporters crowded outside the factory, flanked by Ferrari chairman John Elkann – the man praised for luring Hamilton to the Scuderia for £50m-a-year – who had the face of a proud uncle. A 'perfect' meal at Ristorante Monatana Day two saw a seat fitting and a first glimpse of Hamilton in a scarlet red race suit, adorned with the prancing horse. By nightfall, though, he was dining at Ristorante Monatana – a favourite venue of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher. Joined by his father Anthony, mother Carmen, stepmother Linda and Piero Ferrari (son of Enzo), the 40-year-old opted for a vegetarian ragu in a venue surrounded by Scuderia memorabilia. Joint-owner Maurizio Giannini described Hamilton and the evening as 'perfecto.' He added: 'No arrogance. He is just right for Ferrari.' Guess who's back? Contrary to popular belief, the biggest revelation on Hamilton's third and final day of publicity in week one was not his first drive for Ferrari, in a 2023 car as part of a TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme. Hamilton did, however, state later that his experience was completely different to his previous cars for Mercedes and McLaren. Nor was it taking the acclaim of the adoring tifosi, with thousands lining the bridge on Via Giardini, as they came close to their hero. One poster read: 'Welcome Lewis. Until yesterday a rival and now, one of us.' Instead, it was the news that Angela Cullen, Hamilton's former personal trainer and confidante of seven years, had returned in partnership with Mission 44, the Brit's charity. Two years after her departure from Mercedes, the New Zealander was one of many captivated onlookers sporting scarlet red as Hamilton enjoyed his first Ferrari miles. She wasn't the only familiar face. A key duo from his time at Mercedes - new deputy team principal Jerome D'Ambrosio and chassis technical director Loic Serra - will also be figures of familiarity this year for the Brit. And of course, there's the team principal himself, Fred Vasseur, who worked with Hamilton all the way back in 2006, when a fresh-faced Brit won the GP2 title - his final step before F1. Lezioni di Italiano The first public glimpse of Hamilton's Italian came last week, as he spoke to fans at a sponsor event. Reading from a phone, his pronunciation and accent were not half bad. He revealed this week he has been receiving regular lessons. As for Duolingo? Not for him. An amusing segment at the start of an interview with Sky Sports Italia on Wednesday saw a rare sight: Hamilton squirming in front of the camera. Mercifully, the rest of the interview was conducted in English. Nevertheless, Hamilton's debut year with the team will be vastly ameliorated if he gets a grip on the native tongue quickly. Barcelona testing… and crashing Hamilton's next experience in a Ferrari car was with a week of TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) testing and a week of Pirelli tyre testing, with a look ahead to next year's slimmer tyres. Much was made of Hamilton crashing the 2023 car in week one but, as Hamilton hinted on Wednesday, he was simply looking to find the limit of the car early on. 'I definitely did that,' he smiled, when asked about his test. 'I've enjoyed the testing that we've had. I've had to find the limits as quickly as possible because I've only had a handful of days. It's just been fun.' History shows us, too, that a crash in testing with a new team is no bad thing for Hamilton. Lap times emerged from his Pirelli test, too, where he trailed teammate Charles Leclerc on the final day – but times are at this stage irrelevant, with each driver following different programmes on behalf of the tyre manufacturer. However, slowly but surely, each lap helps the acclimatisation period. Adoration in the capital Tuesday's season launch event in London, F1 75 Live in a nod to the sport's 75th anniversary, was the perfect opportunity for Hamilton to bask in the passion and excitement of the British fans. The day actually, for some of us, started out frustratingly. Ferrari were the only team not to hold a media session for the 150-plus journalists on-site, with one eye on their own team launch a day later in Maranello. Yet the second Hamilton arrived on the red carpet all the way to host Jack Whitehall's closing segment with all 20 drivers on stage, Ferrari's new signing was the star of the show. He even found some time to play virtual chess with teammate Leclerc. While amicability may not last long this year, with both vying to be No 1, the early warmth and respect between the pair is clear-cut. First 2025 run and tree-cutting Hamilton took to the cockpit of the 2025 car, the SF-25, for the first time on Wednesday at Fiorano. And much like a month previous, hundreds of fans gathered on the bridge and banks overlooking the circuit for one final glimpse of their new hero before pre-season testing in Bahrain next week. Sure, cutting down trees and branches may have been a slightly overzealous step. But it simply emphasises the raw passion and emotion of the tifosi: any sight of Hamilton is valued. His first race in Italy, at Imola in May, should be a glorious occasion. Hamilton has looked to embed himself within Ferrari as appropriately as possible. His motorhome has been parked right next to Enzo Ferrari's house. He has jogged the Fiorano track regularly, early in the morning. He can attend meetings with engineers quickly, as he becomes attuned to a new car and engine. But for now? From Maranello, all roads lead to Bahrain. Have Ferrari built a car capable of challenging for the championship? Next week, we'll find out. And from there it's Albert Park in Melbourne – a track Hamilton has actually only won twice at in 16 attempts – and the season-opener on 16 March. If the first month should be anything to go by, we're in for a hell of a ride in 2025.
