Автор: ASPPA IMAGES ANO

Вольф: Есть причина, чтобы подписать контракт с Хэмилтоном на год


Глава заводской команды Mercedes-AMG Тото Вольф объяснил свои слова о том, что он был рад решению британского пилота Льюиса Хэмилтона покинуть коллектив и с 2025 года начать выступать за Ferrari.

«Есть причина, по которой мы подписали контракт с Льюисом только на один год плюс один. Мы занимаемся спортом, где острота мышления чрезвычайно важна, и я считаю, что у каждого есть свой срок годности. Решение Хэмилтона позволяет избежать момента, когда нам придётся сказать самому легендарному гонщику в этом виде спорта, что мы хотим остановиться в работе с ним», — написал Тото Вольф в книге Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane.

«Знаете, эти слова были немного вырваны из контекста. Я имел в виду, что все мы стареем, будь то пилот в машине, работники на трассе, в качестве менеджера или бизнесмена. Теперь, вопреки моей собственной оценке, я думаю, мы видим, что Льюис очень даже в форме, когда машина подходящая. И мы не смогли дать ему такой болид, чтобы он показал себя наилучшим образом, и это разочарование, которое мы разделяем в равной степени и в команде, и для него самого. Но он очень силён. Он отличается от того, каким он был в 20 лет, это определённо. Но его опыт и его гоночное мастерство колоссальны», — отметил Тото Вольф в интервью BBC Radio 4.



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New Ducati GP25 a “huge” step forward from 2024 MotoGP bike


Francesco Bagnaia has said he can already notice a “huge” difference between Ducati’s new MotoGP prototype and the outgoing GP24 bike with which he took 11 grand prix wins this year.

The two-time MotoGP champion got his first opportunity to sample an early version of the GP25 that he will be racing in 2025 when he took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Tuesday for the official post-season running.

Completing a total of 56 laps over the course of the one-day test, split between the GP25, the GP24 and a hybrid version of the two bikes, Bagnaia ended up a strong third on the timesheets with a lap that was 0.595s down on pacesetter Alex Marquez of the Gresini team.

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While the GP25 bike he tested in Barcelona is still in development, Bagnaia was already impressed with the potential of the bike and the work Ducati has put in to maintain its hegemony in MotoGP.

“We have to say that we tested many things today and the GP25 [we have] is a good base to start developing and improving [upon],” he said.

“Our engineers and the team will work a lot this winter because we need to improve the base we tested. Luckily me and Marc [Marquez] had the same feeling about the bike and this is very important to go in the same direction on the development. This is great.

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“Already the difference between ’24 and ’25 is quite huge and I think we will not have a big step for Malaysia [test in February] because the step [forward] was already here, but we need to arrange it a bit [in terms of getting everything right]. 

“Also, we need to adapt the set-up of the new bike a bit.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia admitted that there were still some areas where the GP25 is in fact weaker than Ducati’s 2024 contender, but he puts it down to the fact that the GP24 was quite refined by the end of the season after a full year of running.

“In terms of handling, the GP24 is still better on the braking,” he explained. “I improved a lot this year with the ’24 [bike] in terms of braking. We will have to search to go in the same direction [with the GP25]. 

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“But the ’25 has a very good stability in terms of fast corners and I like it, and also with used tyres. This is good. And the engine is very strong and fast. 

“Normally we start at this [early] point with the new bike, we also need some work to do. But the starting base is quite good and I’m happy about it.”

It is important for Ducati to start the 2025 season with a strong bike due to a combination of the new engine freeze rules and the concession system.

The engine Ducati will homologate at the start of next year must remain in the same specification until the current rules cycle ends after 2026.

Photos from Barcelona test



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Tanak can fight “without hands tied” in WRC title decider


Ott Tanak will be able to fight “without his hands tied” at the World Rally Championship title-deciding Rally Japan, according to Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

Both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles will go down to the wire on Japan’s asphalt stages this weekend, with the former to be fought between Hyundai team-mates Thierry Neuville and Tanak.

Neuville leads 2019 champion Tanak by 25 points and is the favourite to claim his maiden world title, with the Belgian only needing to score six points to secure the coveted crown. It will be the first time Hyundai has piloted a driver to the world championship.

While Tanak’s chances of claiming a second title are slim, Abiteboul says his drivers are free to fight each other.

But the Frenchman has emphasised a need for Hyundai to maintain its advantage over Toyota, which currently stands at 15 points, to seal a first manufacturers’ crown since 2020.

“I think Thierry, and we can all understand him, he will naturally take a fairly reasonable approach because he has everything to lose from his perspective,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

“But on Ott’s side it is quite the opposite; he has nothing to lose and therefore I expect and look forward to seeing him in action without his hands tied to anything, so that will be interesting to see.

“He knows that we need him for the manufacturers’ championship, so that is going to be interesting dynamic.

Podium: Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Podium: Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

“Of course [Ott can fight], but let’s look at the buffer. It is quite big, so Thierry will need to have big issues for Ott to become a threat to him.

“This is why Thierry will make sure he goes through without a big issue.”

Heading into the event, Neuville described his championship lead as “comfortable”, but admitted he would need to find the right balance with his drive to ensure he secures the title and helps Hyundai achieve the constructors’ crown.

“It is a comfortable lead; the worst-case scenario is we need to take six points,” Neuville told Motorsport.com. “In any other scenario, we are pretty fine.

“We need to find the right balance [in Japan] because there is still the manufacturers’ championship to fight for and nevertheless we have that third car with Andreas [Mikkelsen] who will go for a push. We need to find a good balance in between a safe but good drive.”

For his part, Tanak believes there is little he can do to wrestle the title away from his team-mate.

“I don’t know what difference we can make, but we will try our best,” Tanak told Motorsport.com. “But with this scoring system it doesn’t make much difference.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

“It is true [a retirement can change things], I guess it depends how much Thierry wants it. If he is smart in Japan and does a good job, then nobody has a chance.

“But we also have a responsibility for the manufacturers’ championship. It is still a big job ahead of us so we can’t really focus only on the drivers’ title, we are responsible for the team too.”

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Mercedes makes Le Mans return, enters WEC with Iron Lynx


Mercedes will return to the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time since 1999 as part of a World Endurance Championship campaign with the Iron Lynx team.

The German manufacturer will enter the WEC for the first time in the LMGT3 class with the successful Mercedes-AMG GT3, a winner of the 24-hour classics at Spa and Nurburgring.

That will give Mercedes a spot on the Le Mans grid, 26 years after its last entry with the CLR LM-GTP racer.

That was only Mercedes’s third assault on the French enduro since its 1989 victory with the factory Sauber team and ended on Saturday evening when Peter Dumbreck crashed out in the third aerial accident for the team over the Le Mans meeting.

#6 AMG Mercedes CLR LMGTP: Bernd Schneider, Pedro Lamy, Franck Lagorce

#6 AMG Mercedes CLR LMGTP: Bernd Schneider, Pedro Lamy, Franck Lagorce

Photo by: John Brooks

Iron Lynx is forging a partnership with Mercedes after representing Lamborghini in LMGT3 in 2024, the first season of the new class, as well as in Hypercar with the Italian manufacturer’s SC63 LMDh prototype.

Mercedes is set to become the 10th manufacturer in class and will have two Iron Lynx-run cars in the field, in line with series rules.

Iron Lynx has announced Matteo Cressoni, who switches over from Lamborghini’s factory roster, and Claudio Schiavoni, a partner in the team, as the first drivers of the two Mercs.

Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Christoph Sagemuller said on Wednesady’s announcement: “It’s no secret that we’ve been very keen for some time to bring the Three-pointed Star back to Le Mans.

“The 2025 season with the FIA WEC entry is the right moment – we are returning to La Sarthe after 26 years!

“The first FIA WEC season with LMGT3 cars has already been extremely interesting and we want to bring even more excitement to the field in future.”

He added the “experienced Iron Lynx team is the right pairing” for its WEC entry.

Iron Lynx team principal and CEO Andrea Piccini said: «We are extremely proud to welcome Mercedes-AMG as a partner. In addition to being an amazing brand, they are highly motivated, determined, and hungry for success.”

Stephen Wendl, head of customer racing at Mercedes-AMG, thanked the FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for their cooperation in allowing Mercedes into LMGT3 at the second time of asking.

The brand tried to gain an entry for the inaugural year of LMGT3. but lost out when the FIA and the ACO allowed in only nine manufacturers.

An expansion of the WEC grid from this year’s 37 to cars to potentially as many as 40 and fewer than expected entries in Hypercar has made space for Mercedes.

The significance of the announcement, which has come ahead of the full reveal of the 2025 WEC grid after entries closed on 18 November, on Iron Lynx’s relationship with Lamborghini is not entirely clear.

Lamborghini’s LMDh programme is under review, with marque chief technical officer Rouven Mohr revealing that all options are possible.

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He explained that the new rule demanding that Lamborghini run two SC63s in WEC was proving problematical for reasons of resource, both financial and technical.

It appears that the most likely option is that the Italian manufacturer will concentrate on GTP in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in North America, its biggest market, and leave the WEC’s Hypercar class.

Iron Lynx made no reference to Lamborghini in its announcement made at the same time as the statement from Mercedes.

Mercedes is planning a new GT3 car to replace the long-serving current car after bringing development for the class in-house rather than using long-term partner HWA.



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Yamaha exceeded own expectations with updated M1 in Barcelona MotoGP test


Yamaha says it outperformed its own expectations in Tuesday’s official MotoGP test in Barcelona, with Fabio Quartararo clocking the second-fastest time of the day.

The Japanese manufacturer brought a revised version of the M1 to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having managed to upgrade the chassis, aerodynamics and engine.

Factory rider Quartararo ended up just 0.4s behind Gresini’s Alex Marquez on the all-conquering GP24, having managed to improve on the time with which he qualified 10th on the grid in last weekend’s season finale at the same track.

Team-mate Alex Rins also enjoyed a strong day to finish eighth, while Yamaha collected additional data from the bikes of Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller, as Pramac joined its stable as a satellite team.

Team director Massimo Meregalli hailed the performance of Yamaha in the Barcelona test, particularly because the feedback from the riders was backed up by the improved speed of the bike on track.

“The three items that we mainly evaluated were chassis, aerodynamics and a slightly updated engine, all these three items gave us positive feedback,” Massimo Meregalli told MotoGP’s official website.

“But before really judging anything we prefer to wait until [the next test in] Sepang [in February] because you can’t really judge single items in one circuit, it’s better to at least double check.

Yamaha MotoGP Team bike detail

Yamaha MotoGP Team bike detail

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“All the steps we did in this direction brought us a good feeling but also results. This is very important because many times in the past we always listened to the feelings of the riders but now we want to match the feeling with the results.

“I can say that the test finished better than our expectations. For me it’s a good way to finish such a long and tough season.”

Quartararo was also in an upbeat mood after testing the updated M1 on Tuesday, as he could attest the steps the Iwata brand had made with a bike that could finish no higher than sixth in a grand prix all year.

“I think it was a good day. We tried out quite a few things, and without really doing a time attack we set a better time than in qualifying,” he told reporters in Barcelona.

“We set the fastest time with the new chassis and the new engine, so that was positive, and without really starting with 3kg of fuel — I think we started with 8-9kg.

“Of course I was at the limit, but we could have made up a few more hundredths or tenths to go a bit quicker.”

While the Barcelona test was already encouraging for Yamaha, Quartararo revealed that bigger upgrades will follow when the paddock reconvenes in Malaysia for the start of pre-season testing on 5-7 February.

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha MotoGP Team

Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha MotoGP Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“The new engine already gave us a bit more speed, with the same agility, the steering with the new chassis was also good,” he said. “We also tried a new fairing to maybe have a bit more top speed but it wasn’t any better, it was the same. We tried some pretty interesting things.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction and the biggest things that were supposed to happen will happen in Malaysia, that’s what was planned. So the direction is good and I hope it can help for the future.”

However, Quartararo explained that Yamaha still has not been able to overcome some of the long-standing weaknesses of the M1, even if the overall packer was stronger than what he raced with in 2024.

“I don’t think there were any real improvements on the corner exit, which is where I think we need to improve,” he said. “With the new chassis, we’ve improved the corner entry a little bit, but what we’re lacking is a bit on the exit.”

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He added: “Power and grip is the only thing I can ask for. In terms of grip we are really, really far.

“And [as for the] the power, Santa Claus already came earlier to give us a bit of extra [power] but I will ask even more because we know we miss it.”

Yamaha’s approach to the Barcelona test was in stark contrast to that of Honda, which did not have any new parts to run — leaving factory rider Joan Mir a frustrated 15th in the standings.



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Ник де Врис провёл тесты болида McLaren


Бывший пилот Формулы 1, гонщик заводской команды Toyota в классе «гиперкаров» чемпионата мира FIA WEC и пилот Mahindra в чемпионате мира по гонкам электромобилей Формула Е Ник де Врис вернулся за руль болида чемпионата мира.

Как сообщает RacingNews365, заезды прошли во Франции на трассе Поль-Рикар. Голландец сел за руль болида McLaren MCL36, который использовался в Формуле 1 в 2022 году. Суть тестов и их программа не раскрываются, но это была не работа совместно с Pirelli над новыми шинами. Наиболее вероятным вариантом является оценка де Вриса в качестве потенциального резервиста McLaren на замену бразильцу Габриэлю Бортолето, который уходит в Sauber.

Напомним, последний раз Ник управлял машиной Формулы 1 летом 2023 года в рамках Гран При Великобритании, после которого голландец был уволен и лишился места в чемпионате мира.



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Martin ‘feared’ he would never win a MotoGP title as he opens up on mental health


Pramac rider Jorge Martin has revealed he ‘feared’ he would never be able to win a championship in MotoGP at the start of the year as he struggled with his mental health.

The Spaniard said he became scared of losing while heading into his fourth season in the premier class, despite having accepted his championship defeat to factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia in 2023.

But working with his psychologist Xero Gasol helped him overcome his problems and improve on-track performances, which ultimately played an important role in Martin beating Bagnaia to the title in last weekend’s Barcelona finale.

With three grand prix wins, seven sprint successes and 16 podiums in 20 Sunday races, he became the first rider in the MotoGP era to win a title with a satellite team, finishing 10 points clear of the two-time champion.

But while Martin ended the campaign by adding his name to the ‘tower of champions’, things were much tougher for him at the start of the year, as he explained: “I was struggling with my mental health.

“Last season was great, even after being second, I was quite happy. But in general I started to have a lot of fears, I was really scared, like I will never be champion in MotoGP. 

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“So thanks to my coach I improved a lot. I was more focussed on the hope of winning than on the fear of losing. 

“If I lose, ‘okay, I’m not dying. This is life, it’s not ending here’. But I was without hope for winning — not only for me, but for my team, for my family, all the closest [members].”

Martin made several ill-timed errors during his first title assault in 2023, with his crash while leading the Indonesian Grand Prix often being cited as the moment where he lost the championship to Bagnaia.

He also gave away likely victories in Jerez and the Sachsenring in the first part of this year, but came back much stronger after the summer break, even as Bagnaia continued to drop the ball at important stages of the campaign.

Martin says a change in his approach made him much stronger in 2024, as he was living in the present and no longer dwelling on past mistakes.

“The important thing this year was to learn from the past and not repeat the same mistakes,” he said.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“It’s like life, you can make mistakes, it’s completely normal, we are human and we make mistakes. 

“The important thing is to take the positives from the mistakes and say okay, ‘I will learn from this and won’t repeat it’. 

“For me the key is living in the present. We never know about the future, the future — who knows [what it holds]? So live in the present, improve from the past and just do your 100%, that’s it.”

Photos from Barcelona test

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Шварцман: Время с Ferrari сделало меня лучшим гонщиком


Российско-израильский гонщик Роберт Шварцман прокомментировал прекращение сотрудничества с Ferrari, которое подошло к концу вместе с сезоном чемпионата мира по гонкам на выносливость FIA WEC.

«Это была такая привилегия работать с некоторыми из самых талантливых и ярких людей в гонках. Я знаю, что время, проведённое с командой, сделало меня лучшим гонщиком. Grazie mille всем tifosi, которые всегда невероятно поддерживали меня на протяжении многих лет, и, наконец, но не в последнюю очередь, всем в команде, которые верили в меня, подбадривали меня и помогали мне на этом пути — я действительно благодарен за это!», — отметил Роберт Шварцман.

Напомним, Роберт Шварцман в 2025 году дебютирует в американской формульной серии IndyCar — 25-летний уроженец Санкт-Петербурга подписал контракт с командой Prema.



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Marquez felt «comfortable from the beginning» on first day with factory Ducati


Marc Marquez says he felt «very comfortable and very calm» on his first day with the works Ducati team, describing it as the best outfit in present-day MotoGP.

Having signed a two-year contract with the Italian factory, Marquez got his first taste of the Ducati GP25 in the official test at Barcelona on Tuesday.

Completing a total of 49 laps, including some on the championship-winning GP24, Marquez ended up fourth on the timesheets after posting a time of 1m39.454s late in the seven-hour session.

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The test was crucial for his preparation as it not only allowed him to acclimate with a development version of the bike that he would be racing in 2025, but also learn to work with new engineers at the factory Ducati team after a year with Gresini’s year-old GP23.

Summing up his thoughts, the six-time champion said: «I made a risky bet a year ago [leaving Honda] and now it was time to finish it off in the factory team. It [getting the Ducati deal] was the best news, and that has been a bit of the idea of the plan.

«The feelings with the team have been good, I felt comfortable from the beginning, very calm.

«The fact that I didn’t change factories or bikes and met a lot of engineers has made me feel comfortable. I’ve had that peace of mind all day.»

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Marquez said he could immediately notice a difference between Ducati and its satellite squad Gresini, as he was now having to follow a more detailed run plan.

«Today was to go back to work a bit like a factory does, with a very strict plan, with everything established and knowing what you have to test and that’s where the rider is 100% available to work for the factory to give the best feedback,» he explained.

Marquez is reserving his judgement on whether there is a big difference between the performance of the title-winning 2023 bike and the new GP25 prototype that is being developed for the 2025 season.

«I have had a jump from ‘23 to ‘25, it is a new bike and the first outing on the track always requires more time to get everything ready,” he said.

“I’ve jumped to ‘24 twice, there are some differences. I think the ‘25 is more competitive, but we have to see it.»

Tuesday also marked the first day Marquez worked directly under Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi, who has always had a soft spot for the Spaniard.

Marquez and Tardozzi represented rival manufacturers in MotoGP during the former’s time at Honda, when he defeated then-Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso to the 2019 title.

«Davide is more in the sporting part and today we focused on technical issues, but without a doubt there are people I have known for more than 10 years and with whom I have always had a good relationship, before as rivals and now in the same team,» he said.

«It doesn’t change, we have a personal relationship. With the people inside the box very comfortable, very precise and 90% of the starts already testing the 2025 bike.»



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