Motor Sports

Motorsport or motorsports is the group of competitive events which primarily involve the use of motorised vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition. MotoSport refers to motorcycle racing specifically and includes off-road racing such as motocross. Motorsport is governed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.

Motor Sports

McRae name back in the ERC as Max confirms Junior entry

written by Hugh

Max McRae – son of Alister, nephew of the late Colin and grandson of Jimmy – commits to Junior ERC for 2023.

The legendary McRae name will return to the FIA European Rally Championship in 2023 after Max McRae confirmed his participation in the Junior ERC category, the established starting point for drivers stepping up from national to international level.

Max McRae is the 18-year-old son of Alister, nephew of the late Colin and grandson of Jimmy. They all took part on ERC events during their careers with Jimmy claiming 17 wins and the runner-up spot in the 1982 standings to Tony Fassina.The 10th Junior ERC season will be contested over six events starting with 79th Orlen Rally Poland from 19 – 21 May by when Max McRae will have relocated from his home in Western Australia to a base in Europe.“Junior ERC is the perfect step for me,” said Max McRae.

“Competing in Australia has been amazing for the last couple of years, but I know I have to make the move and head across to Europe and that’s what this season’s all about.“Talking to people like Iain [Campbell, European Rally Championship Manager] the potential career progression from Junior ERC is really clear and that’s what I’m looking at now.

There are some amazing events on the calendar – events that offer massive diversity in the nature of roads, from the super-quick stages of Poland and Latvia to the asphalt rounds in Rome and Zlín. And, of course, there’s the completely new Royal Rally of Scandinavia in Sweden.”As well as building his experience on six events he’s never contested previously, McRae will be in contention for the 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship prize drive, which goes to the 2023 Junior ERC champion and further cements Junior ERC’s role in developing young talented drivers for the sport’s top level.“I’ve got to thank all of my partners and sponsors who are making Junior ERC possible this year,” said McRae. “And the chance to learn new events across Europe is really important for me and my development – but the real carrot is the Junior WRC prize drive for next season. That’s definitely what we’re shooting for this year.”ERC Manager Iain Campbell said: “The prospects are strong for another great Junior ERC season with lots of interest from existing drivers and those aiming to try out international competition for the first time.

It’s the perfect platform for drivers like Max coming from national level and aiming for the Junior WRC.“The McRae name is one of the most iconic in rallying so we’re incredibly honoured to have a third generation of the McRae family competing in the ERC. I’m sure Max will follow in the footsteps of his father, uncle and grandfather and be standing on ERC podiums in the very near future.”Junior ERC is open to drivers in Rally4 and Rally5 cars aged 27 and under on 1 January 2023.

FIA Junior ERC Championship 2023 calendar :
1: 79th Orlen Rally Poland (gravel, 19 – 21 May)
2: Tet Rally Liepāja, Latvia (gravel, 16 – 18 June)
3: Royal Rally of Scandinavia, Sweden (gravel, 6 – 8 July)
4: Rally di Roma Capitale, Italy (asphalt, 28 – 30 July)
5: Barum Czech Rally Zlín (asphalt, 18 – 20 August)
6: Rally Hungary (asphalt, 6 – 8 October)

2nd February 2023 0 comment

Motor Sports

The pinnacle off-road race kick-starts the new year in Saudi Arabian dunes.

written by Hugh

The 2023 Dakar Rally heads back to Saudi Arabia for its fourth edition on December 31 with the world’s best off-road racers facing 5,000 racing kilometres spread over 14 timed special stages before the chequered flag finally falls at Dammam on January 15. Here is all you need to know:

About the Dakar Rally

– The Dakar Rally is the pinnacle of the Rally Raid calendar. Rally raid, also known as cross-country rallying, is a form of long-distance off-road racing that takes place over several days.

– The Dakar Rally adventure has its origins in 1977 when French motorcycle racer Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. After navigating his way out of the desert, the Frenchman was determined to design a race that drew on his experience with a route starting in Europe, continuing to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar. Since that time, the Dakar Rally has evolved from racing in Africa to South America and now to Saudi Arabia.

– The race consists of one stage per day comprising at least one “special” stage each (several hundred kilometres long), which may be on or off-road. The total distance covered is several thousand kilometres. The event takes place over a period of ten to fifteen days.

– The classification of the stage is made up of the times set in the special stage plus any sporting penalties. The race requires precise navigation, which is done via a roadbook provided by the organisers and handed out at the start of each stage.

– The starting order of each special will be based on the times set in the timed sector of the previous stage, including any sporting penalties (e.g. for speeding in link sectors or missing waypoints) incurred during the stage.

– The 2023 Dakar Rally will be the longest route since 2014 participants will tackle 5,000 kilometres of specials into a prologue and 14 stages. The Prologue Stage launches on December 31, 2022, in Yanbu by the Red Sea with the field looking to make it all the way across – loaded with more dunes and potential pitfalls than ever before – to Dammam on the Arabian Gulf for a January 15 finish.

The 2023 Dakar Rally Red Bull Athletes

– Motorsport’s toughest test of endurance racing sees the Red Bull Desert Wings squad of champions and fresh-faced talents preparing to push themselves to the limit over the gruelling sands of Saudi Arabia.

– In the T1 Car Class, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel (FRA) return to Saudi Arabia behind the wheel of a Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ with the Qatari driver aiming for a fourth Dakar title. The 51-year-old said: “We’re ready to defend our title. It would be incredible to win again.”

– Also using the Toyota Hilux T1+ will be Giniel De Villiers (ZAF)/Dennis Murphy (ZAF) and Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU), while Sébastien Loeb (FRA) returns in his BRX Prodrive Hunter alongside co-driver Fabian Lurquin (BEL) after being runner-up to Al-Attiyah in 2022.

– Three-time Dakar winner Carlos Sainz (ESP) and co-driver Lucas Cruz (ESP) will compete in their Audi RS Q e-tron E2 with Monsieur Dakar himself Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and co-driver Edouard Boulanger (FRA) also joining Mattias Ekström (SWE)/ Emil Bergkvist (SWE) in Audi’s three-pronged assault while Dakar stalwart Kuba Przygoński (POL) competes for MINI with co-driver Armand Monleon (ESP).

– Defending Dakar and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship bike champion Sam Sunderland (GBR) will represent Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing as he targets a third Dakar victory. He declared: “The 2023 race is looking to be one of the toughest ever. I’m under no illusion as to what that means.”

– Also riding with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing is Daniel Sanders (AUS) who scored fourth in 2021 with two-time Dakar winner Toby Price back on his KTM 450 Rally bike. The Australian said: “The terrain in Saudi Arabia makes the rally very fast. Some stages are a sprint to the finish.”

– Red Bull KTM Factory Racing also boast former champions Matthias Walkner (AUT) and Kevin Benavides (ARG), while Štefan Svitko (SVK), Mohammed Balooshi (ARE) and Camille Chapelière (FRA) line up too.

– In the side-by-side category, a new collaboration between the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team and Can-Am sees 20-year-old Seth Quintero (USA) racing a Can-Am Maverick T3 alongside co-driver Dennis Zenz (GER). He said: “I think we’ve got a really good base and shot at winning Dakar.” Seth Quintero holds the record for the most stages won in the Dakar Rally, with 12 stage wins 2022.

– Austin ‘AJ’ Jones (USA)/Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) and Mitch Guthrie (USA)/Kellon Walch (USA) also line up with Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) and co-driver Pablo Moreno (ESP) taking charge of a Can-Am Maverick for the first Dakar time. She enthused: “We’re going to have some fun for sure.”

– Reigning Dakar T3 champions Chaleco López (CHL) and Juan Pablo Latrach (CHL) are now team-mates of Gutiérrez with Rokas Baciuška (LTU)/Oriol Vidal (ESP), Guillaume De Mevius (BEL)/François Cazalet (FRA) and three-time quad race winner Ignacio Casale (CHL) and navigator Alvaro León (CHL) also on the start line as the motorsport world gets set for another titanic tussle over the sand dunes to start the New Year.

Full Red Bull Athlete Participants List:

Bikes

#1 – Sam Sunderland (GBR) – Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing
#18 – Daniel Sanders (AUS) – Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing
#8 – Toby Price (AUS) – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
#52 – Matthias Walkner (AUT) – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
#47 – Kevin Benavides (ARG) – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
#25 – Mohammed Balooshi (ARE) – MX Ride Dubai
#26 – Camille Chapelière (FRA) – Team Casteu
#142 – Štefan Svitko (SVK) – Cross Team

Cars

#200 – Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Mathieu Baumel (FRA) – Toyota Gazoo Racing
#205 – Giniel de Villiers (ZAF) / Dennis Murphy (ZAF) – Toyota Gazoo Racing
#230 – Lucas Moraes (BRA) / Timo Gottschalk (DEU) – Toyota Gazoo Racing
#201 – Sébastien Loeb (FRA) / Fabian Lurquin (BEL) – Bahrain Raid Xtreme
#207 – Carlos Sainz (ESP) / Lucas Cruz (ESP) – Team Audi Sport
#204 – Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) / Edouard Boulanger (FRA) – Team Audi Sport
#211 – Mattias Ekström (SWE) / Emil Bergkvist (SWE) – Team Audi Sport
#222 – Laia Sanz (ESP) / Maurizio Gerini (ITA) – Astara Team
#203 – Kuba Przygoński (POL) / Armand Monleon (ESP) – X-Raid MINI JCW Team

Lightweight Prototype

#300 – Francisco ‘Chaleco’ López (CHL) / Juan Pablo Latrach (CHL) – Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing
#302 – Cristina Gutiérrez (ESP) / Pablo Moreno (ESP) – Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing
#400 – Rokas Baciuška (LTU) / Oriol Vidal (ESP) – Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing
#301 – Seth Quintero (USA) / Dennis Zenz (GER) – Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich
#303 – Austin ‘AJ’ Jones (USA) / Gustavo Gugelmin (BRA) – Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich
#314 – Mitch Guthrie (USA) / Kellon Walch (USA) – Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team presented by BF Goodrich
#304 – Guillaume De Mevius (BEL) / François Cazalet (FRA) – GRally Team
#322 – Ignacio Casale (CHL) / Alvaro León (CHL) – X-raid Yamaha Racing Supported Team

Explore more Dakar Rally content HERE.

26th December 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Alex Rins: “The end of the season that we have done has been spectacular”

written by Hugh

After a superlative end to the 2022 season with two epic victories in Suzuki’s farewell to the MotoGP grid, Alex Rins now faces a new challenge with another manufacturer ahead of an upcoming campaign in which he will ride for the LCR Castrol independent team. We spoke to the rider just after the end of the first official IRTA preseason test at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, a few hours in which the Spanish rider was able to get on his new bike, although he could not comment specifically on it due to an existing contract that expires at the end of year.

Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzkb2ARhM8Q

Q. During the 2022 season it came as a surprise that Team Suzuki would not continue with the MotoGP project. How did you experience that moment? Has this situation conditioned the way you have faced the rest of the season?

A. “Of course it was hard when we got the news. After this news we had several races with bad results, with a mixture of bad luck that involved several times in crashes with other riders, who hit me. In one I broke my hand and then it was like a mountain of bad things. But in the end, without giving up, we managed to come back and make the end of the season that we did.”

Q. After your thrilling victory in Australia, the excitement was palpable in the air. Then came the win in Valencia, the last race of the season and also for the Suzuki team. Was it a dream ending?

A. “The answer is yes. The end of the season that we have done, getting two wins in the last three races, has been spectacular after looking for those good positions all year long. I deserved it and the team deserved it, so I think we’ve had a great end to the season.

Q. The aforementioned victory you achieved for Suzuki at the brand’s farewell has caused a big media impact. How would you like to continue writing your story? How would you like to be remembered as a rider?

A. “Well, I would say that I would like to be remembered by Suzuki as a good rider, a rider who developed and made a winning machine. About next season, I want to continue to grow as a rider and as a person. We have a very nice project ahead and I would like to make it grow and develop a winning bike again, so these are the goals for next season.”

Q. This end of the season you have made the philosophy of “never give up” your own better than anyone else. What would you say to those who, due to difficulties in life or work, may be on the verge of giving up?

A. “Don’t give up! I would tell them to keep fighting for their dreams and keep trying because, no matter how bad the times are, there will be better times to come.”

Q. What kind of Alex Rins will we find on track for the 2023 season?

A. “Of course, a better version of Alex than there has been up to last year.”

Q. Next year will bring a new project for you. What are the goals you set for yourself and what do you think a different manufacturer will expect from you as a rider in this first season?

A. “Well, goals and dreams go a bit together. Honestly, right now it’s difficult to set a goal or an objective, so we’ll see what the future is bringing to us.”

Courtesy of Team Estrella Galicia

17th November 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

MotoGP. Rins ends the season with a stunning win in Valencia

written by Hugh

7th November 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Alex Rins gets a sensational win in Australia

written by Hugh

Image courtesy of Estrella Galicia 0,0 Motorsport Media Services

16th October 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Clinical drive leaves Czech legend unchallenged on final day.

written by Hugh

Jan Kopecký notched up a record-breaking 10th Barum Czech Rally Zlín victory with a measured drive through Sunday’s final leg.

It was yet another frenetic day of action at the FIA European Rally Championship’s seventh and penultimate round as ever-changing weather conditions kept the drivers on their toes.

Heavy rain showers and waterlogged asphalt roads in one test would be followed by dry conditions and blue skies in the next, while Zlín’s famous forested sections became muddier and slippier with every car which passed.

But, on a day of inconsistencies, Kopecký was Mr. Consistent.

Having duly earned himself a hefty 34.6sec advantage on Saturday, Kopecký’s approach switched to lead preservation. He took fewer risks, made no mistakes and, despite failing to win any of Sunday’s stages, still pulled further away from his rivals.

The Škoda Fabia Rally2 driver’s clinical performance was rewarded as he ended 37.5sec clear at the top – winning his home rally for the 10th time in his career.

“This one was one of the most difficult wins of them all because the conditions were really crazy,” said Kopecký. “Even today, the rain was following us on every single stage. Thanks a lot to everyone who was helping us – it was a very good weekend for us.”

Filip Mareš emerged on top of a three-way scrap with Simon Wagner and Erik Cais for the runner-up spot. It was a clean final day for the local star and he headed Wagner by a mere 1.8sec at close of play.

For Wagner, there were mixed emotions. He ran wide on an innocuous left-hander in the Power Stage, dropping at least five seconds as he floored the throttle to pull his Fabia out of a ditch. Without that moment, second overall could have been his.

Cais – the only non Škoda driver in the top 10 – was also disappointed. For the second year in a row, final stage demons struck – this time in the form of a rear left puncture which denied the youngster any chance of a podium. He ended 7.0sec behind Wagner in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Almost four minutes behind was Norbert Herczig, who secured his best result of the season in fifth overall. He headed Team MRF Tyres team-mate Simone Campedelli by just 24.3sec, with home hero Martin László over two minutes in arrears.

Laurent Pellier and Marine Pelamourgues sealed the FIA Junior ERC title in their Opel Corsa Rally4. Paulo Soria and Marcelo Der Ohannesian were also crowned champions in the Clio Trophy by Toksport WRT.

The ERC season concludes at RallyRACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada on 20 – 22 October. The fixture is based in Salou.

Overall classification:
1. J Kopecký / J Hloušek (CZE) Škoda Fabia 1hr 59min 27.6sec
2. F Mareš / R Bucha (CZE) Škoda Fabia +37.5sec
3. S Wagner / G Winter (AUT) Škoda Fabia +39.3sec
4. E Cais / P Těšínský (CZE) Ford Fiesta +46.3sec
5. N Herczig / R Ferencz (HUN) Škoda Fabia +3min 43.0sec
6. S Campedelli / T Canton (ITA) Škoda Fabia +4min 7.3sec

30th August 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Sesks on Fire on Saturday in Liepāja

written by Hugh

Local hero Mārtiņš Sesks claimed a clean sweep of stage wins to earn himself an enviable advantage on Saturday at Tet Rally Liepāja.

Sesks – who hails from the host city – is stepping up from ERC Open to the top-flight category for the fifth round and was simply untouchable aboard his Škoda Fabia Rally2.

The 22-year-old is, along with his Team MRF Tyres colleagues, debuting a brand-new tyre from the Indian manufacturer and wasted no time in showcasing its performance.

He delivered a faultless drive on the high-speed gravel speed tests, winning all six of the stages in the Talsi region to lead team-mate and championship leader Efrén Llarena by 22.9sec after the first day.

“I am actually a little surprised,” said Sesks. “There are lots of places I can improve – not just on being faster, but being precise and so on.

“For sure, there were some places in the second loop where you can go flat-out, but there are also places where there are some tricky ruts and some stones.

“Twenty-two seconds looks pretty good for a first day, but if you make one mistake then there is no gap at all, so now we are in the mix between being fast and pushing and also being a little bit conservative,” he added.

Llarena enjoyed an untroubled drive throughout the opening leg despite having difficulty with judging the braking points in some sections.

He remains on course to extend his championship lead over title rival Nil Solans, who tumbled from the third to 13th when his Hyundai i20 N Rally2 suffered a front puncture in the final stage.

Solans’ KOWAX Racing team-mate Tom Kristensson was 9.4sec down on Llarena and moved up to third overall off the back of his colleague’s heartache. He held a 6.1sec buffer over Fabia debutant Mikko Heikkilä, who punched in some solid times during the afternoon.

In fifth overall was Ken Torn. The Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver traded times with Heikkilä throughout the day, but lost some ground to his rival in the last stage. He ended with just 1.4sec in hand over fellow Estonian Gregor Jeets, who was driving a Škoda.

Vaidotas Žala grabbed a brace of top-three stage times but was forced to settle for seventh overall when his Fabia stalled following a spin on SS6, while Hayden Paddon languishes in eighth after his Hyundai got out of shape on a fast left-hander and temporarily slid off the road.

Sunday’s route journeys east of the rally base and features six more challenging stages.

Leading positions after Saturday:
1. M Sesks / R Francis (LVA) Škoda Fabia 43min 50.8sec
2. E Llarena / S Fernández (ESP) Škoda Fabia +22.9sec
3. T Kristensson / A Johansson (SWE) Hyundai i20 +32.3sec
4. M Heikkilä / S Vaaleri (FIN) Škoda Fabia +38.4sec
5. K Torn / A Toom (EST) Ford Fiesta +45.6sec
6. G Jeets / T Taniel (EST) Škoda Fabia +47.0sec

Image courtesy of https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/

3rd July 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Ice and snow lie in wait as WRC hybrid era continues in Umeå

written by Hugh

Remote and frozen forests in northern Sweden will provide an intimidating challenge as the FIA World Rally Championship enters uncharted territory this week for the second chapter of its exciting new hybrid era.

Never before has Rally Sweden (February 24 – 27) journeyed so close to the Arctic Circle. With temperatures plunging to a bone-chilling -20°C in the host city of Umeå this week, the speed tests in the Västerbotten region will test competitors to the full.

After a year’s absence due to the pandemic, the new-look Rally Sweden offers perfect conditions for the WRC’s only pure winter fixture as ice and snow-covered roads weave through picture-postcard countryside.

Winter rallying demands a unique approach. Drivers ‘lean’ their cars against snowbanks to guide them around corners, while studded tyres bite into the ice to provide remarkable grip and ensure that, paradoxically, this will be one of the year’s fastest encounters.

Nordic drivers have traditionally dominated in Sweden, but their grip is loosening and Flying Finn Kalle Rovanperä, who heads the entry in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, is taking nothing for granted.

“We start first on the road and will have some road cleaning to do there on the first day,” he acknowledged.

“In testing we were starting from zero with the snow set-up for the new car and it felt a bit tricky to drive in the beginning. But, together with our team-mates, I think we have made some good steps in the right direction during the two tests.”

Among those team-mates are Britain’s Elfyn Evans, who won Sweden’s last WRC event two years ago, and who is desperate to bounce back from a disappointing season-opener at Rallye Monte-Carlo. The silver lining is a favourable start position for the first day.

Esapekka Lappi returns to Toyota’s line-up for the first time since leaving the Japanese manufacturer at the end of 2018, while Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta drives another GR Yaris for Toyota’s second-string Next Generation squad.

M-Sport Ford was fastest out of the blocks with the new-generation cars to win in Monte-Carlo and Craig Breen heads the British squad in a Puma Rally1. The Irishman is on a strong run of four consecutive podium finishes.

Breen is joined by Gus Greensmith, fresh from his maiden stage victory in Monte-Carlo, and Adrien Fourmaux, who will be focused on a solid drive after a massive crash in the French Alps.

Thierry Neuville leads Hyundai Motorsport’s squad in an i20 N Rally1. The Belgian was Hyundai’s best performer at a difficult opening round for the Korean manufacturer and is again joined by Ott Tänak and Oliver Solberg, competing on his home event.

Umeå hosts the ceremonial start on Thursday evening. Crews then tackle 17 stages covering 264.81km before Sunday afternoon’s finish.

Image courtesy of https://www.wrc.com/en/news/2022/wrc/wrcs-new-hybrid-era-hits-top-gear/

23rd February 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Channel 4 to broadcast Formula E

written by Hugh

CHANNEL 4 AND FORMULA E ANNOUNCE NEW MULTI-YEAR BROADCAST AGREEMENT

Channel 4 to be the exclusive free-to-air UK TV home of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in a new multi-year broadcast agreement
More races live on free-to-air in the UK than any previous season
Channel 4 coverage will be hosted by Vernon Kay, Nicki Shields, Dario Franchitti and Jack Nicholls

Formula E and Channel 4 today announced the broadcaster will become the UK’s exclusive free-to-air TV home of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in a multi-year broadcast agreement beginning this season.

UK-based fans of the only all-electric motorsport World Championship will have the opportunity to see more live races in Season 8 than in any previous season.

Every race in the Championship’s biggest-ever 16-race calendar will be aired live on Channel 4 and All4, or on Channel 4 Sport’s well established channel on YouTube.*

Race highlights will be broadcast on Channel 4 and All4 which will serve as the catch-up destination for all the action from the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

In addition, the new qualifying format featuring all 22 drivers in head-to-head knockout Duels competing for pole position will be available live before every E-Prix on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel.

Sponsored by Bristol Street Motors, Channel 4’s live and uninterrupted race coverage will be presented by the established Formula E team of hosts Vernon Kay and Nicki Shields, expert analyst Dario Franchitti and commentator Jack Nicholls with local pundits joining around the world. It will be produced by FETV, a co-venture between motorsport production specialists Aurora and North One.

Season 8 begins with a double-header around the walls of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, on 28 and 29 January. Racing continues through Season 8 in the centre of iconic world cities including Rome, Monaco, Berlin, London and New York and for the first time, Jakarta, Vancouver and Seoul. Most races in Asia and Europe will air live on Channel 4 and All4.

Round 1 will air live from Diriyah on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel from 16:30pm GMT on Friday, 28 January. Channel 4 and All4 will broadcast live coverage of Round 2 on Saturday, 29 January from 16:30pm GMT.

Channel 4’s Head of Sport Pete Andrews said: “Formula E is a fantastically exciting sport and this deal is wonderful news for sports fans. We’re proud to be showcasing a sport with sustainability at its heart and one that plays such an important role in seeking to combat the climate crisis.”

Aarti Dabas, Chief Media Officer, Formula E, said: “We are delighted to build on our relationship with Channel 4 as the exclusive free-to-air home of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship here in the UK. The multi-year partnership with Channel 4 is great news for fans across the UK and for the continued growth of our sport. Last season saw more fans around the world tune into our live race programming than ever before. With Channel 4 established as the regular free-to-air home for Formula E in the UK, we look forward to better serving our passionate fanbase while attracting new fans to the excitement of all-electric street-racing.”

By the conclusion Season 7 (2020/21), the live television audience made up the majority of Formula E’s global TV viewership (62%) for the first time in the Championship’s history. The cumulative audience increased to 316m – a 32% year-on-year growth – driven by new distribution agreements with free-to-air (FTA) channels in key markets, which also lifted Season 7’s live audience above pre-pandemic levels.

This latest deal follows on from Channel 4’s announcement that it will ten live Super League matches each season for the next two years thanks to a partnership with Sky. It is the first time in the competition’s 26-year history that it will be shown on free to air terrestrial television.

Channel 4 has made a wide a range of high profile sports and events available free to air to UK audiences over the past 12 months. These have included: live coverage of Emma Raducanu’s stunning US Open victory; live British Lions rugby; live Test match cricket coverage of England’s tour in India; live coverage of the Ireland rugby union autumn internationals; and live in-depth coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games which attracted 20 million viewers.

About Channel 4 Sport’s social media channels

Channel 4 Sport on YouTube is the well-established home to the broadcaster’s wide range of sport including the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, Rugby Super League, W Series, British & Irish Lions, international cricket and rugby union, Heineken Champions Cup, Formula One as well as documentaries and digital originals. In addition Channel 4 Sport is also available on Facebook and Twitter. Set up originally for horse racing in 2012, the channel became Channel 4 Sport YouTube four years ago.

About Channel 4’s sponsor of its Formula E coverage

The Vertu Motors Group operates a nationwide chain of over 150 franchised motor dealerships which offer sales, servicing, parts and bodyshop facilities for new and used cars and commercial vehicles. These dealerships fall under the trading names Bristol Street Motors, Macklin Motors and Vertu Motors.

22nd January 2022 0 comment

Motor Sports

Is Formula E on Its Way to Overtake Formula One?

written by Hugh

his year, we celebrate 10 years since the launch of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship – the electric cars motorsport racing series that promotes clean mobility. Since its inauguration in 2014, the series has hosted seven seasons and has gained millions of viewers from all over the world.

The amalgamation of the climate crisis, eco-awareness, and the boom of electric cars are all vital in the positioning of Formula E as a pioneer in green mobility. But where does the sustainable motorsport stand compared to the original racing series that defined years of single-seat motorsports – Formula One?

Formula E’s sustainability manifesto

In September 2020, Formula E was certified as the first and only net zero carbon sport since its launch. But the journey to offsetting its carbon emissions is imbued with consistent efforts to implement and promote sustainability in every aspect of the race in line with the UN Climate Neutral Now initiative. The initiative has the Paris Agreement as a framework of stimulating organisations to adopt transformative changes that will help them reach carbon neutrality in the second half of the twenty-first century.

It all started with a clear vision for putting clean mobility at the forefront of the streets of some of the most iconic cities in the world. Formula E’s aim is to achieve “a clear trajectory for the global sports community to combat climate change,” while raising awareness for climate action. In the words of Formula E CEO Jamie Riegle, “We have a responsibility to minimise the environmental impact of our global sport and are pleased to support vital environmental projects in each of our race markets.”

But what is fuelling the electric cars race and the retrospective viewers’ interest? One thing is for sure: it’s definitely not fossil fuel. It’s no secret that the transport sector is one of the biggest sources of air pollution. In the UK alone, 122 million tonnes of CO² were emitted in 2019 from domestic transport. According to a report commissioned by the European Environment Agency, about 412,000 premature deaths in Europe were caused by air pollution in 2016.

Driving electric cars technology forwards

Electric cars and renewable energy sources might well be the solution to offsetting our carbon emissions, and Formula E is already taking precedence in the Race for Clean Air. Formula E’s implementation of advanced technology and innovative designs is feeding into a strategy of continuous improvement, and it’s more than contagious. The green motorsport started with its Gen1 electric cars at the time of the first season, went through its Gen2 models and is introducing its Gen3 cars in 2022.

Meanwhile, the engineering firm GKN Automotive is working in partnership with the Jaguar Racing Formula E team to implement 800V technology in its eDrive systems. These cutting-edge developments are predicted to enter the roads in less than three years.

While commercial electric cars aren’t as advanced as those featured in Formula E yet, they’re key to offsetting our global carbon emissions and are soon to become a must. The UK government has announced a two-step phase-out of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 which are to be replaced by electric ones as part of UK’s Road to Zero strategy. Despite their current costly prices, more affordable models are to appear in dealerships. Alternatively, an array of used and new electric cars inspired by the latest technology.

Charting the growth of interest in Formula E

It seems that Formula E is driving not only sustainability forwards but also growth in terms of viewers. Season seven received a record total of 316 million views worldwide, which amounts to 32% year-on-year growth. In the UK alone, there was a 156% increase in domestic audience following the return of the London E-Prix after four years. Other countries that saw an audience boost include Germany (338%) and Brazil (286%).

But what is driving the growing interest in the electric cars race series?

Free-to-air TV rights

Ahead of the start of season seven, Formula E has secured media partnerships with over 40 broadcasters. In the UK, an extended partnership with the BBC offered free-to-air coverage for Britons. As a result, there has been a 26% increase during the time viewers are tuning in live globally, which is a 62% share of the total views.

Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle commented: “This was a record-breaking year for Formula E as we worked with our teams, media partners and sponsors to deliver a fan-first strategy emphasizing live race audience development and direct engagement on our digital platforms.”

The pandemic: a sword with two edges

Season six was short-lived for Formula E due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the show to cancel races and ban fans from attending. As a result, the all-electric racing series lost revenue from 161.5 million euros in January 2019 to 143 million euros in January 2020.

The Google search volumes for Formula E also reflected that. They declined from 60,500 in February 2020 to 18,100 in January 2021.

Nevertheless, the pandemic played a crucial role in highlighting climate change issues and sustainability initiatives. And with electric cars predicted to penetrate the market heavily in 2021 and onwards, Formula E reaped the benefits of the uplifted eco-awareness. Skyrocketing views of season 7 and a record high of 110,000 monthly searches in April 2021 defined the comeback of the clean mobility connoisseur racing series – or, shall we say, the beginning of a new era of climate action in the sports industry?

Is Formula E overtaking Formula One?

Given the ever-growing interest in electric cars, sustainability, and climate change, it’s inevitable that people would have their eyes set on green motorsports rather than fossil-fuelled ones such as Formula One.

Entertaining viewers since 1950, Formula One is one of the most renowned motorsports which enjoys over 300 million worldwide viewers every year. However, there’s been a slight decrease from 490.2 million viewers in 2018 to 471 viewers in 2019 and 433 million viewers in 2020. In 2015 Richard Branson, owner of the Virgin racing team, commented that Formula E will overtake Formula One in five years’ time. “I think four or five years from now you’ll find Formula E overtaking Formula One in terms of number of people [watching] and more and more, as time goes on, clean energy businesses are going to power ahead of other businesses,” said Branson.

Nevertheless, it’s important to note the key differences between the two championships. Formula E focuses on sustainability and energy management with the aim of promoting sustainable mobility, while Formula One is on a mission to showcase innovative car tech.

Although there is a slight decline in viewers of Formula One, so far, we haven’t seen any major trends in terms of Formula E overtaking F1, but that might change in the future.

Yes, the future holds a boom in electric vehicles, sustainability initiatives, and more renewable energy sources that will penetrate every sector. The sports industry is already making a leap in promoting a greener future and Formula E is the perfect example of that. Reaching the global net zero goal is all about rethinking how we can be more sustainable, and Formula E is leading the way!

Sources

https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/discover/sustainability/net-zero

https://f.fiaformulae.com/r/sustainability/un-climate-neutral-pledge.pdf

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/formula-e-carbon-neutral-footprint-net-zero-news-race-calendar-b508201.html

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021/transport-and-environment-statistics-autumn-2021

https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2019

https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2020/october/clean-air-day-uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-road-to-zero-strategy-to-lead-the-world-in-zero-emission-vehicle-technology

https://www.autosport.com/formula-e/news/formula-e-enjoys-record-breaking-tv-viewing-figures-for-2020-21-season/6680790/

https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2021/february/ways-to-watch-2020-21

Formula E achieves record TV growth in 2020/21

https://www.planetf1.com/uncategorized/formula-e-will-overtake-formula-1/

10th December 2021 0 comment

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