Latest news with #Sprint
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
F1 eyeing reverse grids and one other major change as talks with drivers planned
Changes to the Sprint format are being eyed by Formula 1 and its chief executive Stefano Domenicali who said he wants to discuss his ideas with teams and drivers Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali wants to pitch the idea of reverse grid races. The Italian said he wants to hold talks with teams and drivers about potentially bringing in the format, which is already used in Sprint races in Formula 2 and the other FIA-sanctioned feeder series, Formula 3. The Sprint has been part of F1 for the last few years and, despite some opposition to the format, chiefs have doubled-down. There were three Sprint races in a year initially, but that total has been doubled to six meaning a quarter of the 24 events held per year now use the format. And it seems the sport is not yet done with its tinkering. According to chief executive Domenicali, the idea of introducing reverse grids for the short-form races is something that could be introduced in the coming years. The former Ferrari chief also suggested he is keen to explore the idea of further increasing the number of Sprint races held per year. "I do believe there are possibilities to extend two things, which we need to discuss, both with the drivers and the teams, and, of course, with the FIA," he told The Race. "There are: Can we apply that [Sprint schedules] with more races? And is this the right formula to have the possibility to have a reverse grid, as we are doing with F2 and F3? These are points of discussion. "I think that we are getting there to be mature to make sure that this point will be tackled seriously with the teams. The vibes to progress in this direction are definitely growing, and therefore I am ready to present and to discuss not only more sprints... but if there are new formats, new ideas." Reverse grid races have, for several years, been used at both F2 and F3 level. In the current format, every event in both feeder series features a Sprint race in which a certain number of positions are reversed from the result of qualifying. In F2, the top 10 qualifying positions are reversed for the Sprint race. That means the driver who qualifies on pole position for the main feature race, which gives out the most points, starts the Sprint 10th. In F3, because there are more cars in the field, the top 12 positions are reversed. 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 Up to now, though reverse grids have been suggested for F1 in the past, it is not a format that has been seriously considered for the top single-seater category. But Domenicali said he is keen to continue tinkering with the format in a bid to provide the best entertainment. He added: "We are open for that, because I think that is the right thing – to listen to our fans, to try to create something and not to be worried to do mistakes. The one who believes to do no mistakes doesn't do anything new."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Toto Wolff eats same thing every day as Mercedes F1 boss explains peculiar habit
Mercedes Formula 1 chief Toto Wolff is known for his obsessive attention to detail and pursuit of perfection and his daily routine away from the track is no different Toto Wolff is a man with an eye for detail – and the Austrian has an extraordinary daily routine that's as regimented as his Mercedes team's race strategies. The 53-year-old, who steered his squad to eight constructors' championships on the trot, is a stickler for routine. And that is even the case when it comes to his diet. In a revealing interview with the BBC, Wolff once shared the lengths he goes to in order to maintain focus during the gruelling F1 calendar, which these days spans March to December and features 24 Grand Prix weekends, six of which have a second, shorter Sprint race. He told the Desert Island Discs radio programme: "For me it is really reducing trivial things. I am wearing the same clothes, I am eating the same food – even to the point that my assistants book the same hotel room for me every single year." Wolff's dedication to simplicity extends to his breakfast choice, where he opts for "the same dark bread, pumpernickel with butter and some ham." But it doesn't stop there – his coffee ritual and meal plan are just as meticulous. He elaborated: "Small cappuccino, because I take half a cappuccino because I want to have another half an hour later, and then it is chicken breast with tomato salad [for lunch]. And I have the same for dinner also." He repeated the same dietary routine to Forbes last year, stating that he sticks to the same meal twice a day to avoid upsetting his system. The executive prefers to concentrate on his team's performance, which has been trailing behind McLaren and Ferrari this season. Wolff also has the responsibility of securing Mercedes' drivers for the upcoming season, with the contracts of both team leader George Russell and 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli expiring at the end of the year as it stands, though both drivers are expected to sign renewals. Despite Wolff's dedication to excellence both personally and within Mercedes, the Brackley-based team has been lagging behind their rivals in recent seasons, since changes in the car regulations in 2021. Red Bull adapted fastest and were the ones to knock the Silver Arrows off their perch. 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 However, McLaren, led on track by drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have since stepped up to the plate. The Woking-based outfit has been dominant this year in its quest for back-to-back constructors' titles while one of Norris or Piastri will surely become the drivers' champion for the first time. Mercedes hope to make a comeback in 2026 by getting a boost through another change in regulations, which will see new engines introduced into F1. They last time that happened was in 2014, when they built by far the best power unit and used that as a platform for their eight-in-a-row streak in the constructors'.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
F1 summer shutdown, when it ends and what it means for teams and drivers
For two weeks in ever summer break in the Formula 1 season, the FIA enforces a mandatory shutdown period We're a week into the summer break in the Formula 1 season, but drivers and team staff are only now just beginning to get a break. That is because the sport's mandatory 'shutdown' period only actually began on Monday, August 11. The sporting regulations make it clear that, for "a period of 14 consecutive calendar days", F1 teams are extremely limited in terms of what they are allowed to do. Put simply, the FIA mandates that no Formula 1-related activities are allowed to be carried out during that shutdown period – but what does that actually mean? It is important to be specific with things like this in a sport in which marginal performance gains can make a massive difference. And especially in a season such as this one where margins are so tight, with just one or two tenths of a second often the difference between a strong qualifying and a disastrous Q1 exit. Unsurprisingly, anything to do with car performance is off-limits. So wind tunnels are offline, as are simulators, while you won't find any engineers tinkering with designs at any factories. It is all forbidden, to the extent that even emails, meetings and calls about any performance-related subjects are not allowed and, if caught breaking those rules, heavy penalties can be applied. But that is not to say that absolutely everything within a team's operations has to stop during shutdown. Staff who do not directly contribute to performance, such as those who work in marketing and legal departments, are allowed to continue to work. Site maintenance is also allowed, meaning factories will not close fully. Teams usually take the opportunity to carry out deep cleaning of their facilities, as well as servicing of essential systems such as lighting, heating, air conditioning and also of the expensive and elaborate machines used in the design and manufacturing process. Why does F1 have a summer shutdown? There are human and financial reasons behind the mandated period of no performance-related work. To deal with the money aspect first of all, it helps teams to better manage their expenditure in the modern era of the sport in which there is a budget cap which limits how much cash teams can throw at their cars. But the most important reason is staff wellbeing, at a time when 24 Grands Prix and six Sprint races are held per year, across five continents. A breather is vital amid that very intense schedule and it gives those who are otherwise working flat out and travelling all over the globe a chance to clock off and get reacquainted with their families and friends. When will the 2025 F1 summer shutdown end? The second portion of the season kicks off with the Dutch Grand Prix on the last weekend of August. Given everything will need to be transported to Zandvoort, including personnel, early that week, it would be impossible for a shutdown to still be ongoing any later than Sunday, August 24. That is the 14th consecutive day after Monday, August 11, when shutdown began, and so serves as the final day of the period as per the sporting regulations. From there, it will be a flat-out sprint to the end of the season with 10 race weekends still to come in a period of just 15 weeks. Is there another shutdown period? Yes. There is a second mandatory shutdown period each year, which comes into force after the end of the season. Following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 7, there will be a couple of weeks for teams to debrief, take part in the post-season test and continue to work on their 2026 cars. But for nine consecutive days, starting on December 24, performance-related activities are again prohibited. That ensures staff get the chance to spend some time off again with their families, when many will be celebrating the festive period and cheering in the New Year.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Glenn Irwin ‘very weak in areas' upon return to British Superbike Championship
Irwin joined the reigning BSB championship-winning team alongside Kyle Ryde after parting company from the Hager PBM Ducati team following a disagreement over his desire to return to racing this weekend. The 35-year-old is riding a Yamaha R1 for the first time in his career and was 16th in Saturday's race after a seven-week absence from the series, before claiming 15th in the Sprint race and 17th in the final race of the weekend at the Hampshire circuit yesterday. 'I felt very good in some parts of the track but at the same time, I also felt very weak in areas,' Irwin said. 'We'll have a good look at the data and it's a race under our belts. 'Congrats to Kyle [Ryde] on grabbing another win and I look forward to joining him, but just a little bit of adapting to do still. We can try to make the bike work a little bit for me. 'There's some things maybe that you have to ride the bike in a certain way. I feel like we're understanding that and there's some things I feel the bike can do naturally a lot better, so just blend that into my style. 'It's weird and I'm not going to lie, despite being happy to come back, when you're 16th or whatever it's a strange one.' Danny Kent sealed a double on the McAMS Yamaha for Northern Ireland's Mar-Train Racing outfit. Kent, who was a double winner at the Classic Bike Festival Ireland recently at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in Co Down, held off Saturday's race winner Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) on the last lap to seal his first win of 2025 in the Sprint race by 0.097s on the dash to the line. Championship leader Bradley Ray finished a close third on the Raceways Yamaha. Kent said: 'It's been a difficult season so far, the change we made at Brands has paid dividends. 'All weekend we've been really strong and even though we had a podium yesterday, I knew there was an area we could improve on and the team smashed it. The bike felt mega out there. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to McAMS Racing because it's not been easy, and we've managed to turn the page.' Kent passed Ray at the end of the penultimate lap in the last race and although Ray tried to his back at the final chicane, he went wide, with Kent cutting back to regain the lead and wrapping up his brace by 0.196s. Christian Iddon was third on the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki ahead of Ryde. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) was sixth and seventh yesterday, with Scott Swann (Send My Bag/IWR Honda) in 18th and 11th respectively in the two races. Ray's lead at the top is now 26 points over Ryde after six rounds, with Kent moving up two places into third overall, 90 points behind Ray. In the British Supersport class, title leader Rhys Irwin from Donegal crashed while leading on his Suzuki, resulting in a red flag. Irwin won Saturday's opening race but was ruled out of the restart. The incident-hit race was eventually won by Aussie Ben Currie on the Moto Rapido Ducati, with Eugene McManus from Randalstown in fourth on the MMB Racing Ducati ahead of Dubliner Jack Kennedy (Honda Racing UK). Eglinton's David Allingham finished second in the National Superstock 1000 race yesterday on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW behind championship leader Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW). Peter Willis from Cullybackey was 12th in the British Talent Cup race, while Jack Burrows claimed 14th. Antrim's Nikki Coates was fourth in the main BMW F900 Cup race. The seventh round of the British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park takes place from August 22-24.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Yellowstone wolves ‘left in dust' while trying to catch speedy pronghorn
Wolves can attain speeds of 30-plus mph in bursts. But in an open chase they cannot come close to catching the planet's second fastest land animal – the North American pronghorn. These elegant beauties, sometimes referred to as antelope, are commonly seen in Yellowstone National Park, notably in Lamar Valley. But rarely is their remarkable speed – pronghorn can run nearly 60 mph – on display. The accompanying footage, captured recently in Lamar Valley, shows several pronghorn easily outrunning wolves from the Junction Butte wolf pack. 'It's like watching Usain Bolt race against a high-school kid,' the narrator says. (Bolt, a retired sprinter from Jamaica, is the world-record holder for 100 meters.) ALSO: Massive grizzly bear in for shock of its life while trying to mark territory The footage, captured by Jackson Hole Ecotours guide Billy Fabian, is worth watching to the end because a final segment really showcases the pronghorns' speed. "The wolves were no match for the speed of the second fastest land animal on earth," Fabian stated via Instagram. "The pronghorn easily left the wolves in the dust." The world's fastest land animal, of course, is the cheetah, which can reach a top speed of about 75 mph. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Yellowstone wolves 'left in dust' trying to catch speedy pronghorn Solve the daily Crossword
