The third practice session of a MotoGP weekend often features a battle to get into the top 10 on combined times to secure a place in the pole shootout session in qualifying. But the baking hot conditions of the Saturday afternoon session in Qatar meant improvements on the combined order were non-existent. This was good […]
Author: Ian Dobson
Tsunoda aims to work on swearing weakness
The AlphaTauri driver let rip with some choice swear words over his team radio during the opening practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix after being dumped out in to traffic. While his feistiness captured the interest of fans on social media, Tsunoda thinks that he needs to control his emotions better. “I always try to […]
Losing concessions not behind KTM Qatar MotoGP slump
KTM starts the 2021 season for the first time as a non-concession manufacturer, after it had its results-based benefits revoked for winning three races in 2020. This means KTM has not been able to carry out any private testing with its race riders since last August and will have to run the season with fewer […]
Why Hamilton has taken action on human rights
As a globally known personality, the world champion’s words carry weight, and he’s been granted the opportunity to use his fame for good. To his credit he has consistently done exactly that – and this week in Bahrain his focus has turned to human rights. The sport travels to several countries where the subject is […]
Pol Espargaro ‘needed’ Qatar MotoGP FP2 crash for Honda ‘knowledge’
The former KTM rider, who has joined Honda this season after four years on the Austrian company’s machines, admitted during Qatar pre-season testing that not being able to know the limit of the front end of the Honda was “stressful” and felt he could only do this by crashing. Although he did fall during the test, […]
Perez lacking single-lap pace with Red Bull F1 car
While Verstappen topped both sessions on Friday, Perez was sixth quickest in the afternoon and 10th overall in the evening. Both times he was just more than six tenths off his Dutch teammate. Reflecting on his first day of official Formula 1 weekend action for Red Bull, Perez said the timesheets had exposed the fact […]
Defending MotoGP champion Mir “very pissed off” after Qatar practice
The Suzuki rider admitted after pre-season testing that he started the season only “70%” ready having lost a vital day of work on the 2021 GSX-RR chassis to poor weather conditions (with Mir confirming on Friday he is using the 2020 frame). Mir began the day fifth fastest, but faded to outside of the Q2 […]
F1 Bahrain GP qualifying – Start time, how to watch & more
Following an encouraging pre-season test, Verstappen continued to set the pace for Red Bull by going quickest in both free practice sessions on the opening day of the Bahrain Grand Prix. At the end of FP2, McLaren’s Lando Norris was the Dutch driver’s closest competitor, with the pair split by just 0.095s, while defending F1 […]
Yamaha will “suffer” if it gets stuck in Qatar MotoGP pack
With an engine development freeze carrying over into the start of 2021 for all but Aprilia and KTM, Yamaha’s power deficit to its rivals – and Ducati in particular – remains substantial. This is accentuated in Qatar owing to Losail’s one kilometre long main straight, with the fastest Ducati clocking 354km/h during Friday practice, while […]
Leclerc “didn’t expect to be as competitive” in Bahrain F1 practice
Ferrari is aiming to rebound from a dreadful 2020 season in which the Scuderia finished sixth in the constructors’ championship and it has appeared to make good progress during the off-season. Boosted by an improved power unit newcomer Sainz was fourth fastest in Friday’s second practice, using Pirelli’s soft tyres to come within three… Continue […]