TOKYO, Nov 22, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has won his 15th consecutive FIM(1) X-Trial World Championship at the final round in Barcelona on November 21. With his 15 consecutive victories in the FIM Trial World Championship, Toni Bou has won an unprecedented 30 consecutive world championship titles.Toni Bou is a HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) contract rider racing for Honda's factory team(2) Repsol Honda Team. This season's X-Trial was contested over two rounds, the schedule being shortened due to the coronavirus pandemic. After winning the opening round in Andorra on November 7, Bou secured his 15th X-Trial World Championship title by winning the Barcelona round as well.The non-speed Trial competition is contested by riders overcoming obstacles to reach the goal on their bike, without touching the ground with their feet as much as possible. The two Trial world championships are X-Trial (or indoor trials), contested over a man-made course set up in a stadium with a glamorous atmosphere, and Trials, a dynamic category held between May and September at outdoor venues taking advantage of natural terrain.Toni Bou | Repsol Honda Team"Luckily, the mistake in section one just after the start made me get into the trial. From then on, I knew that I had a tough heat with Adam in the same group and I had to do really well. It was another great night at the Palau Sant Jordi. I am very happy and grateful to everyone who has helped me. We've worked very hard, we've done things very well and that's the only way to do it. We have long since surpassed our limits, we are living a dream and to have reached 30 consecutive titles is a great achievement. I also want to congratulate Gabriel Marcelli, because he deserved his second place. He works very hard and is a strong rider. He has been doing really well for quite a while now." (1) FIM: Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme(2) Factory team: Racing team managed by the bike manufacturer. For Honda, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) manages its factory teams. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
Singapore, Nov 18, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - One of the most anticipated events of the year on the Asian motorsport calendar is all set to kick-off this weekend in Macau. The 68th Macau Grand Prix will be held from 19 to 21 November 2021 at the world renowned Guia Circuit. Motul will be the official Lubricant Partner of Craft-Bamboo Racing for the Macau GT Cup. The Hong Kong team will have multiple-time winner Darryl O'Young at the helms of their #95 Mercedes-AMG GT3 as he prepares to take part in his 17th Macau Grand Prix.Craft-Bamboo Racing is an official Performance Team of Mercedes-AMG. Team Director and Race Driver Darryl O'Young is a seasoned and experienced racer at the Guia Circuit, having taken the top step of the podium here no less than 5 times. O'Young is expecting a challenging race, having last raced at the 2020 Macau Grand Prix, and coming straight out of quarantine for this year's event. Although it will be difficult, he will be relying on his extensive knowledge of the track to have a good race weekend despite the limited time on track.Fortunately, he will have an extra boost of power all thanks to his Mercedes-AMG GT3 being filled with the Motul 300V. The car will use the Motul 300V Competition 0W-40 for its AMG 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine and Motul Gear Competition 75W-140 for the 6-speed racing transmission. These products will play an important role to keep O'Young's car performing at the optimum level over this tightly packed race weekend. Being the Lubricant Sponsor, O'Young's car will also feature the iconic Motul red as it zips through the super narrow and challenging Guia Circuit.Motul has always been committed to bringing its customers the highest quality of products. One of the ways they achieve this is by working closely with racing teams and drivers to understand how their products perform under extreme stress and duress experienced over the course of such races. The products are analyzed and tested in Motul laboratories after the race to understand accurately the aftermath of the performance. These learnings are then translated into improvements for everyday customers using Motul products for their cars. Motul lubricants have proven excellent compatibility with the AMG engines to not only provide superior performance but also improved reliability.When it comes to racing in Asia, there are few events that boast the level of excitement and passion that the Macau Grand Prix brings every year. The 2021 Macau GT Cup will feature 19 of the best racing talents from Hong Kong, China and Macau racing in GT3 cars from 6 different manufacturers and O'Young will be hoping to put his Motul-powered Mercedes-AMG at the front of the grid. It is gearing up to be an exciting race weekend for drivers and racing fans alike. Catch the exciting race action this weekend (schedule below) and make sure to follow Motul social channels for regular live updates.Macau GT Cup SCHEDULE (all time in GMT+8)19 November 2021 | Friday1120 - 1145: Free Practice1555 - 1620: Qualifying20 November 2021 | Saturday1320 - 1335: Warm Up1550 - 1620: Race 1 (8 laps)21 November 2021 | Sunday1310 - 1350: Race 2 (12 laps)QUOTESDarryl O'Young | Driver, #95 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3"I'm really excited to have Motul as our lubricant partner for the Macau Grand Prix. Firstly, it's great to have such an iconic brand on our car design, but most importantly is to have the extra performance and reliability that Motul is known to deliver with their 300V oil product in our Mercedes-AMG GT3 V8 engine. In racing we look for every advantage we can get, and lubricant is a great place to find those valuable tenths of a second to help improve our lap time. I'm really looking forward to the race this year, it's going to be exciting."Carlo Savoca | Chief Marketing Officer, Motul Asia Pacific"The Macau GP is one of the biggest racing events in Asia, if not the world. This year, I am super excited to have Motul as the Lubricant Partner with an official Mercedes-AMG Performance Team Craft-Bamboo Racing. I am also very proud to have such a reputable and successful team use only Motul lubricants in their AMG GT3 for the Macau GT Cup. I am confident that this will be a winning combination and our 300V will bring home a win for AMG and Motul fans. It is an incredible opportunity to be a part of this event and I thank Craft-Bamboo Racing for working with us. I am looking forward to seeing Darryl O'Young race through the streets of Macau in the red Motul liveried AMG and I wish him and his team all the best for the race!"About MotulMotul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity. Motul offers a whole range of products for everyday car use, including the 8100, H-tech, RBF series, ATF, CVTF and DCTF among others. Motul products ensure all parts of the car are kept in pristine condition to extract maximum performance and reliability.Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. In 2021, Motul launched the newest iteration of the 300V with revolutionary technology, setting a new benchmark for high-performance lubricants.Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for several championship winning racing teams.Motul is committed to its growing business presence in Asia Pacific. Over the years, the company has expanded operations significantly. Currently it has 3 major manufacturing facilities and 2 R&D centres across the region to cater to the ever-growing demand. These centres focus on refining the lubricant technology for Asian climate and driving conditions, which are vastly different from Europe.MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd1A International Business Park, #06-03Singapore 609933www.motul.comFor more information, please contact Motul at pr@motul.com.sg Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
FRANKFURT (AFP) - German carmaker Audi is looking at ways into Formula One, with partnerships with established racers teams like McLaren, Red Bull and Williams mooted in the press on Wednesday (Nov 17). Audi's supervisory board discussed the options at a meeting in Stuttgart, including "potential transactions" with McLaren, according to Bloomberg News. "We constantly look at different cooperation ideas in the scope of our strategic considerations," a spokesman for Audi told AFP. On Monday, McLaren denied reports that it had been purchased by Audi, saying the group's "technology strategy has always involved ongoing discussions and collaboration with relevant partners and suppliers." But Volkswagen subsidiary Audi is said to have made an offer for McLaren, which was deemed too low by the British company, according to Bloomberg. Audi was also considering "alternative partnerships with the likes of Red Bull Racing or Williams Racing", Bloomberg said. Like the rest of the Volkswagen automobile stable, Audi is pivoting towards electric vehicles and hopes to use the entry to showcase green technology, according to the German press. A condition for Audi's interest is that the elite racing competition "uses hybrid power and e-fuels from 2026", explained German financial daily Handelsblatt, recalling that Audi CEO Markus Duesmann is a "racing fan". Before joining the Volkswagen group, Duesmann was also for many years an engine developer for BMW's Formula 1 teams. A final decision on any partnership or purchase would not be made before 2022, an Audi source told AFP. McLaren's principal shareholder is the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat. More on this topic Related Story Formula One: 'Angry' Wolff demands review of Verstappen incident in Brazil Related Story Motor racing: First Chinese driver is huge for Alfa and F1, says Vasseur
TOKYO, Nov 8, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing completed its history-making Hypercar season in style with a one-two victory in the 8 Hours of Bahrain on a day of destiny for the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) drivers' crown.An emotional finale to the WEC season saw Kazuki Nakajima bring the curtain down on his glittering endurance career in fitting style with victory in the #8 GR010 HYBRID he shares with Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley.Le Mans winners Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez, in the #7 GR010 HYBRID, retained the drivers' title by finishing Saturday's race, the sixth and final round of the season, in second place.Kamui is now Japan's first two-time World Champion on four wheels while Jose becomes only the second Argentinian to win five FIA World Championships, following in the footsteps of the great Juan Manuel Fangio.Both GR010 HYBRIDs displayed a tribute to Kazuki, who has earned his status as an endurance racing legend by winning Le Mans three times. He took 17 victories from his 59 WEC races and won the 2018-2019 World Championship title alongside Sebastien and Fernando Alonso.On a day of new milestones, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing became the first team to win every race in a WEC season. It extended its unprecedented winning run to nine, in its 70th event since entering the series in 2012. Last week's victory in Bahrain meant it had already secured its fourth teams' World Championship.Despite clean sweeps in all sessions of the Bahrain double-header, the GR010 HYBRIDs played catch-up on the opening laps when the #36 Alpine stole an early lead. But some exciting wheel-to-wheel racing put the GR010 HYBRIDs back in front and they never looked back.As the race moved into the night, the #8 car established an ever-stronger grip at the front, edging clear of the #7. In the sixth hour, the lead was reduced slightly when a replacement steering wheel was required for the #8, following occasional gearshift issues. That cost only a few seconds at a scheduled pit stop, which rectified the problem.Kazuki took the wheel of the #8 car for the final stint, and his last laps in WEC. A journey which started with the roll-out of the TS030 HYBRID in January 2012, ended when Kazuki took the chequered flag to win by 7.351secs from Jose, whose second place delivered another world title to the #7 crew.The racing season may have ended but the action in Bahrain continues on Sunday, when seven-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier will drive a GR010 HYBRID for the first time in the WEC rookie test. Rising LMP2 star Charles Milesi will also test for the team.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/release/2021/rd06-race/. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Demand for Miami Grand Prix tickets ahead of the second US race's debut next year already exceeds capacity several times over, Formula One's owners reported on Thursday (Nov 4). Miami in May will be the second US round, joining Austin, Texas, whose race last month reported a record three-day crowd of 400,000 with a Sunday attendance of 140,000. The popularity of the Netflix F1 documentary series Drive To Survive is credited with a big rise in the sport's popularity in the United States. Greg Maffei, president and chief executive officer of commercial rights holder Liberty Media, told analysts on a third quarter earnings call that some 70 per cent of the crowd in Austin had been attending their first grand prix. "We are excited to have our second race in the US and welcome the Miami GP in May. Demand is high: 275,000 people pre-registered to purchase tickets as compared to a planned capacity of around 80,000," he said. Grandstand tickets sold out on the first day, with 1,800 people paying a US$5,000 (S$6,700) deposit for luxury hospitality. The Formula One Group as a whole reported a US$68 million profit in the third quarter, compared to a US$115 million loss in the same period in 2020 when races were being held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Seven races took place in Q3 2021 compared to 10 in the same three-month period of 2020. Total Formula One Group revenues rose to US$668 million from a previous US$597 million. More on this topic Related Story Formula One: Title race stacking up in favour of Red Bull's Max Verstappen Related Story Motor racing: Verstappen holds off Hamilton to win US Grand Prix thriller "Formula One is firing on all cylinders and producing results on the track, for our fans and partners and our investors," said chief executive Stefano Domenicali. "We already know that the 2021 season will be one for the ages, with a fierce battle up and down the grid and among the constructors. We have seen the results with fans at the track and with engagement across all platforms." Red Bull's Max Verstappen leads Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton by 12 points ahead of Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix, the 18th of 22 races this season. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Miami given May 8 date for debut F1 race Related Story Formula One: Six sprint races likely for next season, says Brawn
Toyota City, Japan, Nov 1, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing made endurance racing history as the first World Champions of the Hypercar era with a one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Bahrain.Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez won the penultimate round of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in their #7 GR010 HYBRID. Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley completed a perfect result for the team, bringing the #8 car home in second place.In very hot and challenging conditions, mechanics, engineers and drivers worked intensively to earn TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's fourth World Championship in WEC, and its third in succession. The victory also maintained the GR010 HYBRID Hypercar's 100% winning record in 2021, with one race remaining.Focus now switched to the drivers' title fight in next weekend's final race. The Le Mans-winning #7 crew moved a significant step closer to retaining the World Championship they won in Bahrain 12 months ago. Their third win of the season extends their advantage over the #8 drivers to 15 points.The contest between the two GR010 HYBRID crews was intense throughout the event and, when the race got under way, Sebastien in the #8 held the advantage from pole position. But Mike pursued him throughout the first stint and the pair were separated by less than a second for the opening 45 minutes.The cars were closely matched and the lead changed hands several times in the early stages as the momentum swung. Eventually the #7 established itself at the front, suffering slightly less from tyre degradation on a day when all Hypercars faced the same issue.At half distance, Jose led by just 10 seconds from Sebastien but the battle took a decisive turn after four hours when the #8 was delayed during a tyre change and dropped to third. Although Brendon swiftly overtook the Alpine to reclaim second, he trailed Kamui by around 40 seconds.The GR010 HYBRIDs maintained their pace at the front and Kamui was at the wheel of the victorious #7 car when it crossed the line after 185 laps. Kazuki following 51.401secs later to complete the one-two.The end of this six-hour contest marks the halfway point in WEC's Bahrain double-header. The teams will immediately begin preparations for an eight-hour race on Saturday 6 November which brings the curtain down on the 2021 WEC season and decide the outcome of the drivers' World Championship.Koji Sato, GAZOO Racing Company President"Congratulations to car #7 for three consecutive victories, and car #8 for taking second place with their outstanding work to earn this fantastic one-two finish. Thank you so much for bringing the first Hypercar World Championship to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. At the beginning of the race, I was thrilled to watch the battle between our two Hypercars, but despite the difficulties of working in 35degC, the efforts of all the team brought a great result. I am deeply grateful to the drivers for their huge effort. Now the final race of the season is only a week away and the drivers' World Championship will soon be decided. I hope for an exciting end to the season, and I look forward to seeing who will come out on top. The team will work hard to prepare in the best possible way."Mike Conway (GR010 HYBRID #7)"I'm very happy with the win; it's good to get maximum points and secure the World Championship for the team. It was a great job by all the crew, and my team-mates performed really well all day. In my stint it was a case of managing the tyres from the start. There were a lot of unknowns because we have never taken tyres so far into a race before, but it all worked out well. It's a positive day for us in the drivers' championship but it's still all to play for next week, so we need to work hard to clinch it."Kamui Kobayashi (GR010 HYBRID #7)"The team did a great job. Congratulations to everyone on becoming Hypercar World Champions. We had struggled a bit on Friday but we found the reason and therefore were confident for the race. The whole crew did a really good job in the race, and Mike and Jose had strong pace as well. They gave me the car in a good position and my stint was really smooth. By the time I was in the car for my stint to finish the race, the temperature was a little less so it wasn't as demanding on me or the tyres. I just maintained the gap and brought it home."Jose Maria Lopez (GR010 HYBRID #7)"Congratulations to all the team, who did a fantastic job today, and through the whole season, to become World Champions. Mike and Kamui were amazing today in the race, very solid as always. Tyre management was tricky and we were not sure how it would go, but as a team we didn't make any mistakes and this put us in the position to win. It's a very important result for the team and really good for us in the drivers' championship."Sebastien Buemi (GR010 HYBRID #8)"I am a competitor and we never like to finish second, but this was an amazing result for the team. We had some challenges with the tyres today; perhaps more than car #7, who did a great job. For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to finish first and second is a great way to wrap up the Hypercar title in its first season. It comes from an enormous amount of hard work from the mechanics, the engineers and the entire team. We have to congratulate them on this incredible achievement."Kazuki Nakajima (GR010 HYBRID #8)"It was tough race with the heat, but the temperature was a bit better for me at the end of the race. We ran an aggressive set-up to try to maybe get an edge, but it didn't work out that way. Nevertheless, we finished second and we are still in contention for the title. Congratulations to car #7, they drove a great race. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is a World Champion again and the team really deserve this. It is good to have this wrapped it up already; now it means we can go out and have some fun in the final race."Brendon Hartley (GR010 HYBRID #8)"Car #7 was a little bit quicker than us and they deserved to win. We had some tyre degradation issues and I had one or two things happening with the car, but we will learn from this. Well done to car #7. We are still in the fight for the drivers' World Championship but car #7 has made it hard for us in the last race. It's an awesome achievement from the team to win the Hypercar World Championship in the first year so big congratulations to everyone. I know how much hard work has gone into this and everyone in the team deserves this title."6 Hours of Bahrain results:1st #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 185 laps2nd #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing +51.401secs3rd #36 Alpine (Negrao/Lapierre/Vaxivierre) +1 lap4th #31 Team WRT (Frijns/Habsburg/Milesi) +5 laps5th #28 JOTA (Galael/Vandoorne/Blomqvist) +5 laps6th #38 JOTA (Gonzalez/Da Costa/Davidson) +5 laps Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
TOKYO, Oct 8, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Honda and Red Bull Group have agreed on a programme of cooperation focused on a variety of motorsport activities, including Formula 1, young driver development and other forms of motorsport, as well as encompassing marketing and branding initiatives.As announced on 2 October 2020, Honda will conclude its Formula 1 project as a Power Unit supplier at the end of the 2021 season. It will make use of all the experience, human resources and technical know-how it has gained in the past seven years of the hybrid era to help reach Honda's goal of achieving carbon neutrality throughout the company.Motorsport has always been part of Honda's DNA and the company will continue to strive to be the best in every category it enters, while at the same time promoting the values and excitement of the sport.On the specific matter of the Honda Formula 1 PU, Red Bull Powertrains will have the right to use Honda IP from 2022, as a support for their F1 programmes with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams. This is as a result of the request made to Honda by Red Bull following our announcement that we are leaving the sport.The three key points of the agreement between the two companies are:1) Red Bull Powertrains has the right to use Honda's IP relating to the Power Unit.2) Honda will support Red Bull Powertrains in building the 2022 PU and also provide trackside and race operation support from Japan throughout the 2022 season, and from 2023, Red Bull Powertrains will take responsibility for all manufacturing and servicing of Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri's engines.3) Employees of Honda Racing Development UK (Milton Keynes) will become employees of Red Bull Powertrains.In addition, Red Bull and Honda will continue to work together on their respective young driver programmes, the Red Bull Junior Team and Honda Formula Dream Project, to further promote the growth of motorsport in Japan, with the ultimate goal of getting more Japanese drivers into top-line global motorsport, as has happened with Yuki Tsunoda in Formula 1.There will also be additional cooperation between the two companies dealing with various forms of motorsport and indeed other sports and marketing activities. As usual, the aim of this particular aspect of the project is to promote Honda's wide range of mobility products to a wider audience. In an operational change, all these four-wheeled motorsport activities will now come under the umbrella of HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), the company that has so successfully run Honda-s motorcycle racing activities for many years. This is to strengthen Honda's motorsport operation and branding, making it more efficient integrating the technologies and experiences we have gained from both four-wheel and motorcycle motorsport activities. Specifically, HRC will support the Red Bull Group's Formula 1 activity in 2022, taking charge of all the above-mentioned points.It is Honda's stated aim to continue to allow its customers to fulfil their motorsport dreams thanks to the efforts of everyone at Team Honda, meaning the drivers, riders, engineers and mechanics involved in so many different championships around the world.Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Honda CEO and Team Principal, "Red Bull's collaboration with Honda has been enormously successful and while our relationship in Formula 1 is changing, neither of us wish for that to be the end of the story. We are very pleased that our ambitious and exciting Red Bull Powertrains project will be strongly supported by Honda, technically and operationally, in 2022 and this will help ensure that Red Bull's transition to the status of chassis and power unit manufacturer is seamless. Equally as exciting is the news that our collaboration with Honda will extend to a variety of motorsport activities, from driver development to other racing disciplines and even across the wider sporting world. This stretch of Honda's Formula 1 voyage is coming to an end but together we are embarking on a new and fascinating journey."Koji Watanabe, Chief Officer for Brand and Communication Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd."I'm glad that we have reached an agreement with Red Bull Group covering all the details of the IP rights for the F1 Power Unit and in this way, Honda can still contribute to the motor racing world. We are now working hard to strengthen HRC's structure, so that it can ensure our fans will be able to continue to enjoy Honda's role in all types of motorsport." Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
Toyota City, Japan, Aug 23, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing earned a historic and dramatic fourth consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours victory, overcoming adversity to become the first Hypercar winners at the Circuit de la Sarthe.Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez, who won the long-awaited first victoryThe whole team showed a never-give-up spirit to conquer a fuel system issue which threatened to derail the challenge of both cars when it struck in the second half of the race.Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez, in the #7 GR010 HYBRID, finally won Le Mans for the first time after several heart-breaking near misses. The World Champions started from pole position and led for the majority of the race, completing 371 laps.On the new GR010 HYBRID's Le Mans debut, last year's winners Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley completed a perfect result for the team, which has now won all four races of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) so far.An incident-packed 24 hours began on a wet track and saw Sebastien drop to the back of the field on the first racing lap, when the #8 was hit by the #708 Glickenhaus.Mike led the field from pole in the #7 and, despite two punctures, set the pace at the front as Sebastien brought the #8 car into contention despite further misfortunes. It suffered a damaged wheel rim following contact with a lapped car and a puncture of its own.Rain in the sixth hour caused several incidents, including a 20-minute safety car, but Jose kept the #7 in front and Brendon maintained the pressure from second.The race ebbed and flowed between the two cars, with slow zones and safety cars contributing to a fluctuating gap, with the GR010 HYBRIDs holding a clear lead over the chasing pack, led by the #36 Alpine, which was off the lead lap.As the race entered its final 12 hours, Kamui had stretched the #7 car's lead to just over half a minute, with Brendon chasing in the sister car. When Kazuki took the wheel of the #8 after 14 hours, the team swapped the front end to rectify a drop in aerodynamic performance caused by minor damage.Nerves were stretched in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing garage as the final quarter of the race approached. An issue on the fuel system of the #8 car prevented it completing full stints. Over consecutive fuel stops, it returned to the pits earlier each time as the team worked intensively to find a solution.With four laps in hand over the third-placed Alpine, and no prospect of a quick repair, a remarkable team effort tested several options until an effective counter-measure was developed. The drivers had to activate a specific setting at defined points around the track to return the #8 car to normal stint lengths.That proved even more crucial when the #7 developed a similar issue. Kamui and then Jose could quickly manage the situation and maintain a comfortable lead. Close communication between drivers and race engineers on both cars ensured the issue was kept under control.Kamui and Kazuki took over their respective cars for the final stint and crossed the line together to make Hypercar history at Le Mans.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wec/release/2021/rd04-race2/. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
After a long summer break, the MotoGP paddock roared to life once again in the Styrian Alps, as the Red Bull Ring came alive for Round 10 of the 18-race calendar. The Styrian GP lived up to the hype, delivering loads of nail-biting excitement, unexpected shocks and heart-stopping crashes. The highlight, however, was Pramac Racing claiming their maiden MotoGP win after 20 years competing in the series, coming after a stellar ride by rookie Jorge Martin. Martin edged out defending champion Joan Mir of Team Suzuki and maintained his composure after an early red flag to seal a notably well-deserved win. Motul played a key role as lubricant partner for both the top 2 finishing teams in the race. Jorge Martin claimed his first MotoGP victory It was a vital race for the Pramac Racing rookie, having missed 4 races of his first MotoGP season due to injury. Martin was able to bounce back and deliver a powerful performance in Styria. He claimed pole position on Saturday and followed that up with an outstanding victory on Sunday. Pramac Racing has been making steady strides towards competing amongst the top MotoGP teams. At the start of the 2021 season, Motul was announced as Pramac Racing's Official Lubricant Partner. The new collaboration was a direct result of Motul's understanding and development of lubricants for racing machines. Since the Ducati team began using Motul, they have achieved 6 podium finishes this season. The MotoGP competition and results from the Ducati Desmosedici allows Motul to constantly experiment and innovate the product, to ensure Motul delivers the best oil to their customers around the world. Team Suzuki Joan Mir put up a challenging fight for the race lead Although Martin set an amazing pace, the thing that was more commendable was his ability to defend from the 2020 World Champion, Joan Mir. Mir put up an excellent fight in his Motul powered Suzuki GSX-RR, however, fell short by 1.5 seconds when the chequered flag fell. Team Suzuki has been a dominant force in the MotoGP for many years, and the Japanese factory team has maintained a technical partnership with Motul for more than three decades. Motul has held a reputation for developing the highest grade of racing lubricants for several decades. With Team Suzuki and Pramac Racing backed by Motul's extensive R&D department, they are able to implement the latest lubricant technology in their motorbikes. The commercial 300V range is engineered by incorporating findings of performance in the MotoGP. Pushing the limits of the Motul lubricant is the only way to make gains, hence Motul continues their dedication to support motorcycle racing at the highest levels. The Styrian GP was the first of two back-to-back race weekends at the Red Bull Ring. Jorge Martin's brilliant win propelled him to P12 in the rider standings, while his team mate Johann Zarco managed to do enough to maintain his spot in P2. Team Suzuki's Joan Mir jumped one spot to P3 and his team mate Alex Rins slotted in behind Martin in P13. Historically, this circuit layout has suited the Ducati and Suzuki bikes extremely well, as further reiterated from their solid points scoring weekend. Pramac Racing and Team Suzuki will hope to continue this run into the MotoGP Grand Prix von Osterreich at the same track next weekend. Both Motul teams will be ones to watch out for as they look primed to repeat their success in consecutive races. Jorge Martin and Joan Mir took P1 and P2 at the Styrian GP QUALIFYING RESULTS#89 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici - P1 (1:22.994)Jorge Martin#5 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici - P6 (1:23.376)Johann Zarco#36 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR - P5 (1:23.322)Joan Mir#42 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR - P13 (1:23.585)Alex RinsRACE RESULTS#89 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici - P1Jorge Martin#5 Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici - P6Johann Zarco #36 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR - P2Joan Mir #42 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR - P7Alex Rins ABOUT MOTULMotul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity.Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Motul 300V.Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for teams in: Road racing, Trials, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World GT1, 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans Series, Andros Trophy, Paris-Dakar, 8 Hours of Suzuka, Bol d'Or, Daytona 200-mile motorcycle race. MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd1A International Business Park, #06-03Singapore 609933www.motul.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
The MotoGP is considered the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, featuring the best riders and manufacturers of 2-wheel motorsports. Having completed 9 rounds, the competition moves into the second half of the season where the championship fight is guaranteed to get more exciting. MotoGP finally returns after a 5-week summer break, with back-to-back race weekends at the famous Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The Michelin® Grand Prix of Styria will be the first race of the Austrian double-header, kicking off with free practice on Friday. Team Suzuki have scored solid points in the first half of the season Motul, the Official Lubricant Partner of 2 top teams on the MotoGP roster, Team Suzuki and Pramac Racing, has enjoyed a successful first half of the season. Having secured a podium finish in all but 2 races so far, Motul has really showcased their technical prowess with racing grade lubricants. Being an integral part of the competition's illustrious history, the French oil manufacturer continues to develop specialized lubricants designed to work in harmony with the high performance engines used in the MotoGP. The grueling nature associated with this discipline provides a vital test bench for Motul's motorcycle lubricants.Pramac Racing Johann Zarco currently sits in P2 in the rider standings Reigning champions, Team Suzuki has been working alongside Motul since the 1988 season to keep their MotoGP bikes reliable with top racing lubricants. Being the designated lubricant partner of the team, Motul products keep the Suzuki GSX-RR in prime condition for the duration of the competition. This collaboration of more than three decades is the perfect example of Motul's commitment to innovation and development of their products in conjunction with the best factory teams around the world. Motul's technical experts have been able to forge an excellent partnership with the Suzuki factory team, achieving championship success in multiple seasons. The knowledge from this engagement has played a monumental role in the development of Motul's Factory Line lubricants which are used by racing teams in numerous competitions globally. Title fight is set to get more competitive in the second half of the season Team Suzuki Joan Mir celebrates his podium finish at TT Circuit Assen Pramac Racing has seen a significant improvement in performance as compared to the 2020 season. The Ducati Desmosedici has proved to be more competitive and achieved spectacular results. At the start of the season Pramac Racing announced that they would be extending their partnership with Motul for three more years, reiterating their faith in Motul lubricants. Motul has developed engine oils specifically engineered for the Ducati engine which responds to the extreme conditions and mechanical restraints presented in the MotoGP competition. The technical research and development from track applications has been incorporated into Motul's commercial products that bring top tier racing technology to everyday consumers.The 2021 Styrian GP will get underway with the main race being held on the 8th of August (Sunday) at the Red Bull Ring. The famous circuit, nestled in the Styrian hills, has a reputation for providing some enthralling racing action due to the flat out nature of the circuit. Its 4.3km track features 10 medium to high speed corners allowing the MotoGP riders to push the limit of their bikes' top speed. Teams are gearing up for a significantly tougher race with predictions of thunderstorms all week. Racing fans however, can be certain to expect edge-of-the-seat track battles and top-notch driver ability. Pramac Racing's Johann Zarco currently sits in P2 and Team Suzuki's Joan Mir occupies P4 in the championship standings. With more than half the season still left to go, the competition is far from decided and will further heat up towards the pointy end of year. MotoGP fans can follow the live racing action on the MotoGP website (https://www.motogp.com/en) and on the teams' social media channels.Motul bids farewell to The Doctor, MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi at the end of this season. GRAZIE VALE! Valentino Rossi announced that this will be his last MotoGP season; Photo: 2004 South African Motorcycle Grand Prix 2021 MotoGP Michelin® Grand Prix of Styria Schedule (all times in GMT+2)6 August 2021 (Friday)0955 - 1040: Free Practice 11410 - 1455: Free Practice 27 August 2021 (Saturday)0955 - 1040: Free Practice 31330 - 1400: Free Practice 41410 - 1425: Qualifying 11435 - 1450: Qualifying 28 August (Sunday)0940 - 1000: Warm Up1400: MotoGP Race Start About MotulMotul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity.Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Motul 300V.Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for teams in: Road racing, Trials, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World GT1, 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans Series, Andros Trophy, Paris-Dakar, 8 Hours of Suzuka, Bol d'Or, Daytona 200-mile motorcycle race.MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd1A International Business Park, #06-03Singapore 609933www.motul.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
SILVERSTONE (REUTERS) - Lewis Hamilton won his home British Grand Prix for a record eighth time on Sunday (July 18) after battling back from a 10-second penalty imposed for a first-lap collision that halted the race and left Red Bull rival Max Verstappen in hospital. The Mercedes driver, now only eight points behind Verstappen after 10 races, passed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with two laps to go as a capacity 140,000 crowd rose to cheer him on. Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas finished third after being told to let Hamilton through to chase Leclerc, who had led from the re-start and was voted driver of the day. The win was the 99th of seven-times world champion Hamilton’s Formula One career, fourth of the current campaign and one of the more controversial in his long list of achievements. It was also the worst possible result for Verstappen, who had started on pole position with a 33-point lead but failed to complete a lap after suffering the biggest accident of his career when he crashed out at Copse corner. Hamilton went down the inside, Verstappen moved across and they tangled wheels – the Red Bull’s rear right touching the front left of the Mercedes. The stewards deemed Hamilton was to blame. Red Bull said Verstappen was battered and bruised and in hospital for further checks. Team boss Christian Horner criticised Hamilton for a mistake he deemed amateur, dangerous and desperate. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said, however, that the situation was more nuanced and “it takes two to tango”. A day that was almost a return to pre-pandemic normality, with crowds cheering in the sunshine from packed grandstands, ended with a British winner, a thrilling late chase for victory – and plenty to argue about. It also lit a fire under the title battle, after previous pleasantries between the two rivals, with the gloves now decidedly off and Red Bull’s momentum abruptly halted after five wins in a row. From being 44 points clear in the constructors’ championship, Red Bull are now only four ahead of Mercedes. The front-running pair are now at daggers drawn with Red Bull accusing Hamilton of dangerous driving and the Briton highlighting Verstappen’s aggressive approach. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton penalised for Verstappen’s race-ending crash at British GP Home hero None of that was stopping the home hero from celebrating with his army of fans, however. “This is a dream for me today, to do it in front of you all,” Hamilton told the biggest crowd to attend a sporting event in Britain since Covid-19 made its presence felt. Last year’s race was held without spectators. “I always try to be measured in how I approach, particularly with battling with Max, he’s very aggressive. And then today I was fully alongside him and he didn’t leave space. “Regardless of whether I agree with the penalty, I take it on the chin and I just kept working. “I was like ‘I’m not going to let anything get in the way of the crowd’s enjoyment of the weekend and the national anthem and the British flag’.” Leclerc also kept his head up after missing out on what would have been Ferrari’s first win since 2019. “I gave not 100% but I gave 200%. I gave all of me but it was just not enough in the last two laps,” said the Monegasque. “Congratulations to Lewis, he did an incredible job.” There was no point awarded for fastest lap, with Red Bull’s Mexican Sergio Perez setting it and then retiring with no prospect of the top 10 finish that would have triggered the bonus. The main aim at that point, however, was to keep it out of Hamilton’s hands. More on this topic Related Story Formula One: Upgrades will help but Red Bull still ahead, says Hamilton Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton wants more diversity in F1 as report makes recommendations McLaren’s Lando Norris gave the fans more to cheer about with fourth place, a result that lifted him to third in the standings, ahead of Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was sixth, his hopes hit by a stuck wheel in a slow pitstop but the points helping Ferrari narrow the gap to McLaren. Behind them, double world champion Fernando Alonso was seventh for Renault-owned Alpine with Canadian Lance Stroll eighth for Aston Martin. French driver Esteban Ocon made a return to the points with ninth for Alpine and AlphaTauri’s Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda took the final point.
SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND (REUTERS) - Lewis Hamilton promised fans he would bring his "A-game" to Sunday's British Grand Prix after being beaten by Max Verstappen in Formula One's first ever Saturday (July 17) sprint race and falling further behind in the title battle. Mercedes' seven-times world champion, who has won his home race a record seven times already, warned, however, that it would be tough. "I need everyone to bring their energy again tomorrow and I'll come with my A-game," the Briton told the 105,000-strong crowd at Silverstone. A capacity attendance of more than 140,000 is expected on Sunday in the biggest sporting event in Britain since the Covid-19 pandemic led to closed doors last year. Most will still be hoping to see Hamilton, the most successful Formula One driver of all time, celebrate a 99th career victory. Hamilton had qualified at the front of the grid for the experimental sprint race but lost out at the start as Red Bull's Verstappen, alongside on the front row, made the quicker getaway. "I think he had a lot of pace in him today and I don't think he was particularly having to push too hard, and we were flat-out," said Hamilton of the difference between his car and Verstappen's. "Tomorrow's going to be tough. If I can try somehow to keep up with them through the stints, maybe we can apply pressure through strategy - but we're not going to be overtaking them on the track: they're just too fast." Verstappen will start with a 33-point advantage over his closest rival and every chance of chalking up a sixth win in 10 races. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: F1 boss hails 'sensational' sprint debut Related Story Motor racing: Verstappen wins Silverstone Sprint for British GP pole Saturday's sprint was a 17-lap affair without pitstops while the grand prix will allow more opportunities through strategy. Hamilton recognised he needed to make a better start, however. He said he had done everything correctly but for whatever reason the clutch did not deliver and he suffered a lot of wheelspin. "Their starts are really great this year and we have lost a bit of performance on our starts, so we've got to try to work a bit harder to try to improve that because losing positions is never a great thing," he said. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton qualifies fastest for F1's new Saturday sprint Related Story In The Driver's Seat: Mercedes not waving the white flag
SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM (REUTERS) - Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton put Mercedes on the front of the grid for Formula One’s first Saturday sprint after a fizzing Friday (July 16) qualifying session at his home British Grand Prix. The winner of Saturday’s 17-lap dash around the Silverstone circuit will take the official pole position for Sunday’s main event in front of a sell-out crowd expected to number more than 140,000. Hamilton, who can count on the support of the massed ranks who rose to salute the Mercedes driver as he went top, will be joined on the front row by Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen. Verstappen leads Hamilton by 32 points after nine rounds but the Briton has won his home race a record seven times and will do all he can to give his army of fans another day of celebration. “I need to bring out the lion tomorrow and give it everything,” said the 36-year-old Briton, whose once-dominant team have been beaten in the last five races. “I think I’ve got the car where I need it so we’ll see." “We’ve been missing this for a whole year,” Hamilton said of the atmosphere. “To have a full crowd like this, to see the energy... this is down to the fans, I think. “I could see the crowd and it was really reminiscent of my first pole here in 2007.” Points, awarded 3-2-1, are available to the top three finishers on Saturday. Verstappen had been quickest by a massive seven tenths of a second in the day’s only practice session, causing some consternation at Mercedes. The Dutch 23-year-old said the car was “under-steering to the moon” in the qualifying session, however. “I couldn’t really attack any corners, I was just waiting for the front to grip up,” he said. “Bit of a weird feeling, to be honest, to drive. “We were still quite close so it’s alright.” More on this topic Related Story Formula One: Verstappen fastest in British Grand Prix practice Related Story In The Driver's Seat: Mercedes not waving the white flag Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas, who helped punch a hole in the air to give the Briton a slipstream, qualified third with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth. “There’s all to play for,” said the Finn. “Hopefully we have a good race pace.” The new format is being trialled at Silverstone and two other circuits that have yet to be decided to provide more excitement over the three days. If deemed a success, it will be expanded to more rounds next season. “It’s a bit of a weird feeling,” said Verstappen. “You do qualifying, you go flat out and actually it doesn’t really mean anything in terms of pole position feeling.” The feel good story of the session was Britain’s George Russell, who drew a huge cheer when he qualified his struggling Williams a hugely impressive eighth. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: F1 offers glimpse of the future with new-look 2022 car Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton wants more diversity in F1 as report makes recommendations “It’s such a special feeling,” he said. “Every lap I could see them jumping up and cheering. I’m sure it was the same for Lando as well.” McLaren’s Lando Norris qualified sixth, behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo will line up seventh. The top 10 was completed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, ninth, and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel. Friday’s qualifying replaced the usual second practice session but there will be another chance on Saturday for teams to get laps in before the sprint.
SILVERSTONE, BRITAIN (REUTERS) - Formula One offered fans a glimpse of the future on Thursday (July 15) with a presentation of what cars will look like next season when the sport undergoes a rules revamp to make racing closer and more exciting. The concept car, revealed ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, features larger 18 inch wheels with covers and simpler and "more neutral" front and rear wings designed to make it easier for drivers to follow and overtake. The floor shape is also different and using ground effect for more downforce but the cars will be heavier than this year's models. "The new cars will be elegant, streamlined and designed for racing to the limit," said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali. The cars raced by teams are sure still to differ individually. The rule changes were meant to take effect this year but were delayed as part of cost-saving measures in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. "There is huge excitement ahead of this new era, and while 2021 has been a great battle we still have cars struggling to follow each other during the race," said Formula One's motorsport managing director Ross Brawn. "The regulations for 2022 will address this problem. "We want the best drivers to win, we want much closer competition, we want them battling wheel to wheel." Nikolas Tombazis, the governing FIA's head of single seaters, cautioned that it would still take time for closer racing to emerge if some teams get their initial designs wrong. "It won't happen overnight. We will obviously study what solutions the teams produce and we will keep working at it to improve. "But we believe over time the racing will improve very sizeably." More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Top three in F1 Sprint qualifying to be awarded wreaths Related Story Motor racing: Hamilton wants more diversity in F1 as report makes recommendations Drivers reacted positively to the idea of a more level playing field. "If it enables us to follow and race like it's planned to, then I think it will be amazing for the fans and the sport," said Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. "It is very different to what we are used to," said Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen. "The most important is that we improve the racing, that we can race closer and if this is the way forward, of course I am for that." McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo said the rear actually looked "pretty old school". "The front is very different but the more you stare at it, the more normal it will start to look." More on this topic Related Story In The Driver's Seat: Mercedes not waving the white flag Related Story Motor racing: Verstappen takes huge stride with Austrian GP win, Hamilton fourth
Thailand, June 10, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand battled severely adverse weather conditions to take an emphatic win at the ADAC Total 24 Hours of Nurburgring 2021. Motul's top-line product 300V was the motor oil of choice for the team, powering the #119 and #120 Toyota Corolla Altis GR Sport's to a well-deserved double podium in the SP 3 class on the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Representing the iconic brand of Toyota Gazoo Racing in Thailand, the team is synonymous with high performance and major success in racing events across the globe. They also reiterated Toyota's commitment "Push the Limit", by defending their title and contributing to the rich motorsport legacy of the Japanese brand. #120 Toyota Corolla Altis GT Sport takes the win in the SP3 classThe Thai team first took part in the 24-hour endurance event in 2014 and they quickly rose to the top of their class in a mere span of 6 years. Recognizing the performance enhancement and dependability that Motul products promise, they chose Motul as the lubricant partner since the very beginning of their Nurburgring journey. "For our engine, we use the lubrication by Motul," said team director Suttipong Smittachartch. "We use the 300V oil in the 0W40 spec for both of our cars, and we have been using this for the many years that we have been racing here." Rain and fog presented extremely challenging conditions for racing2020 was a strong testament to Motul's prowess, which saw both cars finish 1-2 in their class and claim the team's first win at the 48th edition of the Nurburgring classic. Going into 2021, Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand was full of confidence to repeat their success. The stage was set at the Green Hell with heavy downpour and fog, demanding intense concentration from the drivers and maximum preparation of the race cars to battle the extreme conditions. The all-Asian driver line-up rose to the challenge in dramatic fashion, tackling the elements head on to push the Motul-powered cars around the danger-filled 25.4km circuit.Low visibility and torrential showers caused multiple crashes, forcing race officials to suspend the race after 6 hours. Following a 14-hour intermission, the longest in Nurburgring history, the #120 car restarted the race from P1 and maintained this advantage right to the chequered flag. With the #119 car rounding off the podium in P3, the Thai team achieved their goal in Germany, and solidified the win in the SP 3 class. It was also a triumph for Motul, displaying consistently superior performance by providing the oil needed for back to back victories. This feat demonstrates that Motul lubricants work in perfect harmony with Toyota engines to extract maximum power whilst keeping the motor performing in pristine condition in tough race conditions. Being used in races around the world, Motul is committed to constantly improving the performance of its products. 2021 is a special year for Motul, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the 300V. Even after half a century, the product maintains its status as the leading synthetic lubricant as a result of the unique ESTER Core® technology.In addition, team director Smittachartch was also awarded the "Ambassador of the Year" award. This award is presented to honour those individuals who enhance the prominence of the ADAC Total 24 Hours of Nurburgring event all over the world. The honour serves as a strong capstone to strengthen the reputation of the Motul-backed team from Asia.Team Director presented with ‘Ambassador of the Year' awardFeatured Motul products:1. Motul 300V Trophy 0W-402. Motul Gear Competition 75W-1403. Motul Racing Brake Fluid 660 Factory Line4. Motul Brake Clean5. Motul MoCoolQualifying Results#119 Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand Corolla Altis GR Sport – P2 in SP 3 class (10:14.642)Suttipong Smittachartch | Nattavude Charoensukhawatana | Manat Kulapalanont | Nattapong Harthongkum#120 Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand Corolla Altis GR Sport – P4 in SP 3 class (10:33.895)Grant Supaphongs | Chen Jian Hong | Naoki KawamuraRace Results#120 Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand Corolla Altis GR Sport – P1 in SP 3 class, P73 Overall (47 laps completed, Fastest Lap – 10:18.039)Grant Supaphongs | Chen Jian Hong | Naoki Kawamura#119 Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand Corolla Altis GR Sport – P3 in SP 3 class, P87 Overall (45 laps completed, Fastest Lap – 10:00.596)Suttipong Smittachartch | Nattavude Charoensukhawatana | Manat Kulapalanont | Nattapong HarthongkumQuotesLionel Dantiacq | Motul Asia Pacific CEO"Motul Asia Pacific is proud of the achievements by Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand, as the team from Asia continues to successfully challenge the top international drivers and teams. To take class victory at arguably the most challenging endurance race in the world, and to repeat this success, two years in a row, is no easy feat. In addition, the fact the team put their trust in the 300V motor oil as well as other Motul lubricants from our range of products to achieve this success is all the more satisfying. We stand alongside Toyota in Thailand as they continue to develop motorsport in their country and across the region." About MotulMotul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity.Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the 300V.Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for teams in: Road racing, Trials, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World GT1, 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans Series, Andros Trophy, Paris-Dakar, 8 Hours of Suzuka, Bol d'Or, Daytona 200-mile motorcycle race.MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd1A International Business Park, #06-03Singapore 609933www.motul.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
Thailand, June 4, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Racing returns to one of the most notorious tracks in motorsport this weekend, as 125 touring cars from various classes look to battle it out around the arduous 25km track for the 49th edition of the ADAC 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Aptly nicknamed The Green Hell, the perilous Nurburgring track situated among the Eifel mountains in western Germany has hosted the 24-hour endurance classic since 1970. Asian racing fans will have a home-grown team from Thailand to cheer for, as the Motul-supported Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand gears up to enter their two Toyota Corolla Altis GT N24 cars in the historic race. The team is looking to build upon their success from 2020, where they managed to place 1st and 2nd in the SP3 class. Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand will once again be entering the #119 and #120 Toyota cars in the SP3 class. SP3 cars are classified by those with engine displacement up to 2000cc. #119 and #120 Toyota Corolla Altis GT N24 competing in SP3 class The #119 car line-up includes team director Suttipong Smittachartch with team mates Nattavude Charoensukhawatana, Nattapong Harthongkum and Manat Kulapalanont. At the same time Grant Supaphongs, Chen Jian Hong and Naoki Kawamura will take control of the #120 car. The all-Asian seven driver line-up will compete for the coveted Nurburgring trophy around the snaking and undulating circuit, which has proven to be a true test for man and machine. The track sets the stage for display of supreme driver ability as they get their heads down to battle the adverse conditions and bring the car home. Team looking to repeat 2020 championship success The team is going into the weekend with high expectations from fans to defend their champion status. After entering the competition for their first race in 2014, they are the first and only Thai team to compete in the world renowned 24-hour race. Having quickly risen to the top of the class, Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand has greatly contributed to put Thailand on the international motorsports map. The resilience, grit and determination shown by the team has helped them to overcome numerous challenges and prove themselves to be the best in their category. The ADAC TOTAL 24-hour Nurburgring race is infamous for its dramatic elevation changes, bumpy tarmac and unpredictable weather, making it extremely challenging for the cars to perform on the limit for an extended period of time. With the engine working overtime to cover nearly 4,000km over 150+ laps without breaks, the team uses the flagship Motul 300V motor oil to ensure high performance. Furthermore, to lubricate over 100 gear changes each lap, the Gear Competition lubricant is used to keep the gearbox functioning throughout the 15,000 transmission changes over the length of the race. The triumph in the 48th instalment of the race was a strong testament to the reliability and utility of Motul products both on and off the track, as they look to reiterate that once again in this year's 24-hour endurance. Additionally, Motul products will be used by the Frikadelli Racing Team for their #30 and #31 Porsche 911 GT3 R cars in the SP 9 class, with a full eight-driver Porsche factory roster. Motul is also the motor oil of choice for Glickenhaus Racing LLC, who will be competing in the SP-X class with their #704 SCG 004C, which looks primed to outperform its top-15 debut in 2020. Several other teams on the grid have already adopted Motul products to keep their cars functioning at the optimum level.Asia-Pacific fans can follow the race live on ADAC TOTAL 24H of Nurburgring race website (https://www.24h-rennen.de/) and get updates on Motul and Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Thailand social media channels. The cars will battle it out for the trophy on Saturday and Sunday24H of Nurburgring Schedule (All times in GMT+2)Thursday1230-1400 - Qualifying 12030-2330 - Qualifying 2Friday1530-1630 - Qualifying 31830-2050 - Top Qualifying 1+2Saturday1130-1230 - Warm-up1530 - 24H of Nurburgring Race Start Sunday1530 - 24H of Nurburgring Race End All-Asian line-up to compete at Nurburgring About Motul Motul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motul Tech activity. Unanimously recognised for more than 150 years for the quality of its products, innovation capacity and involvement in the field of competition, Motul is also recognised as a specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant, issued from the aeronautical industry, making use of esters technology: 300V lubricant. Motul is a partner to many manufacturers and racing teams in order to further their technological development in motorsports. It has invested in many international competitions as an official supplier for teams in: Road racing, Trials, Enduro, Endurance, Superbike, Supercross, Rallycross, World GT1, 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), 24 Hours of Spa, Le Mans Series, Andros Trophy, Paris-Dakar, 8 Hours of Suzuka, Bol d'Or, Daytona 200-mile motorcycle race. MOTUL Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd1A International Business Park, #06-03Singapore 609933www.motul.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
LONDON (REUTERS) - Max Mosley, the former head of Formula One's governing body who went on to become a high-profile privacy campaigner, has died aged 81 after suffering from cancer, his family said on Monday (May 24). "The family of Max Mosley can confirm that he died last night after a long battle with cancer. They ask to be allowed to grieve in private," a statement said. His old friend and ally in the world of motor sport Bernie Ecclestone paid tribute, along with Mosley's successor at the FIA helm Jean Todt. "We were like brothers for 50 odd years," Ecclestone, 90, told Reuters by telephone from Ibiza. "Better he's gone than suffer the way he was suffering." The youngest son of Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British fascist movement in the 1930s, Mosley was a racing driver, a team owner and lawyer before becoming president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in 1993. He stayed in office for 16 years, serving three terms, before handing over to former Ferrari boss Todt. In 2008 he won a high-profile privacy case against the now-defunct News of the World newspaper after it published video footage of him taking part in what it called a "sick Nazi orgy". The tabloid said it involved Nazi-style role-play, which Mosley denied and the newspaper failed to back up in court. Refusing to be shamed, Mosley acknowledged an interest in sado-masochistic sex but said he had nothing to hide. He later gave financial backing to the court costs of claimants in newspaper phone hacking cases. The Oxford-educated and aristocratic Mosley, whose mother was the socialite and Nazi sympathiser Diana Mitford, forged a close alliance in Formula One with Ecclestone, the son of a trawlerman. Both were team bosses in the 1970s, Mosley a co-founder of March and Ecclestone owner of Brabham. They had already tried their hand at racing, Mosley in Formula Two and Ecclestone failing to qualify for the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, before realising their talents lay elsewhere. Double act Together they formed a double act, controlling and growing the sport from amateurish beginnings into a US$1 billion business, while also pushing through much-needed safety measures. "We had differences of opinions but we could talk to each other about them and sort them out, whatever they were," said Ecclestone, who acquired the sport's commercial rights from the FIA on a 100-year lease. Formula One's rights are now controlled by US-based Liberty Media. The sport hailed Mosley on Monday as "a huge figure in the transition of Formula One." "He was a very straightforward guy, Max. Did a lot for the sport, did a lot for the general industry to make sure that people were complying with the right regulations when they built road cars," said Ecclestone. "If he thought something needed to be done, and someone needed to be punished, Max was the guy to do it... he didn't make too many mistakes." Such punishment famously included a US$100 million fine for McLaren, who were also stripped of all their constructors' championship points, in a 2007 spying controversy involving Ferrari data. Damon Hill, Britain's 1996 world champion, said Mosley's sporting legacy would be the safety measures introduced after the death of Brazil's triple world champion Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994. "He came in and imposed safety measures with authority and very swiftly," said the Briton, who was Senna's team mate at Williams. "It became a shop window really for engineering safety, the drive towards what can be achieved if you put your mind towards it and what F1 could do."
BARCELONA (REUTERS) - Mexican Sergio Perez says he is following the lead of Formula One team mate Max Verstappen as the quickest way to get up to speed in his new role at Red Bull. The race winner moved from Racing Point (now Aston Martin) to the title contenders at the end of 2020 but is still adapting. "We've had such limited track time with these cars this year, with the new rules of testing and in practice. Everything comes very quick," Perez told reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix on Thursday (May 6). "I have a very strong reference in Max, he's obviously taking 110% out of the car from practice one all the way until Sunday, so I think first I need to get to that level and then move around. "It makes no sense to follow another direction because I'm just going to get lost so I'm working on a very similar basis as my team mate." Verstappen has won one race and finished second in the other two this season, leaving the 23-year-old Dutch driver eight points adrift of Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. Perez was fifth in Bahrain and fourth in Portugal, but failed to score in round two at Imola, and is 39 points behind his team mate. He said the weekend in Portugal had helped him learn much more about the car. "What I used to do in the races just simply doesn't work with this car, so it's like resetting myself into the race, knowing how to approach it," said the Mexican. "How to take the maximum out of the tyres, how to take the maximum out of the car - that's something very different to what I've been used to. So it helped me a lot in that understanding." More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Red Bull hire more engine experts from F1 rivals Mercedes Related Story Motor racing: Mercedes' Bottas shoots down speculation about a mid-season move
LONDON (REUTERS) - Red Bull have hired another group of engine experts from Formula One rivals Mercedes as they prepare to build their own power unit after Honda's departure at the end of the season. The team last month announced Ben Hodgkinson, head of mechanical engineering at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), had been hired as technical director of Red Bull Powertrains. On Thursday (May 6), they announced five further appointments to key roles, all from Mercedes. No starting dates were given and all are likely to have a long period of "gardening leave" before joining. Red Bull also said a new head of mechanical development would be revealed soon. "We know that success will only be achieved by bringing in the best and brightest talent, by providing them with the right tools and by creating the right environment in which they can thrive," said team boss Christian Horner. "Each of the senior personnel announced today bring a wealth of experience, expertise and innovativity to the Red Bull Powertrains programme and provide us with the strongest possible technical platform for the future." Mercedes principal Toto Wolff, whose team have dominated the V6 turbo hybrid era since 2014, recognised last week that a number of staff would be leaving the Brixworth factory and moving to Milton Keynes. "It's clear that they (Red Bull) are going to hire English engineers because it's in the United Kingdom and there are not a lot of companies that can probably provide those engineers," said the Austrian. "So absolutely understood what the strategy is." More on this topic Related Story Formula One: Red Bull's Horner tells Wolff to mind his own business with engine talk Related Story Motor racing: Mercedes admit Red Bull 'edge' ahead of Imola showdown Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose closest title rival is Red Bull's Max Verstappen, played down the departures when asked whether the team could be unsettled by them. "There is obviously all of this stuff going on in the background," said the Briton. "Toto will be working to manage it in the best way possible. "Every individual that's in our team is amazing and it's not a surprise that everybody will want them... I wish them all the best. We all have to go through our own journeys and make our own decisions. "But this is a huge team and it's not about one individual, or even five." Mercedes are leading both championships after three races, with seven times world champion Hamilton eight points clear of Verstappen. The next race is in Spain this weekend. More on this topic Related Story Motor racing: Mercedes' Bottas shoots down speculation about a mid-season move Related Story Motor racing: Give 'amazing' Bottas a break, says Hamilton