Auto Racing 2024

[Yespage]

My daughter is happy to learn Sparklefarts is back for the Lamborghini series this year.

 

[Yespage]

1812 km in Qatar saw Porsche take the top three spots. Penske's Porsche's finished 1st and 3rd, while the Hertz Porsche team saw Callum Illot on very very very old tires hold Penske off to take second. Penske managed to get a second spot on the podium when the Peugeot team's car had electrical problem in the last couple of laps of a 300+ lap race, that fell them to 7th. Penske's Porsches have taken the Rolex 24 at Daytona and now the first event for the WEC. Not too shabby.

 

[meStevo]

View: https://www.threads.net/@racingupdate/post/C4IazPmtzUV

 

[Yespage]

Middle east can't hold all the events. They are going to start nudging each other out.

 

[Yespage]

Indycar opens up this weekend with St. Petersburg. Last year was an absolute mess that looked more like NASCAR. Grosjean came close to winning, but was taken out. Pato O'Ward then was close to winning, but a backfire near the very end stole some HP for a few seconds allowing Ericsson (kind of 2 time Indy 500 winner) took the win.

12 Hours are Sebring is the following weekend.

On the lighter side of the news, NASCAR driver who had too much love for his glove was fined $10k and docked 35 points, which I guess is close to a race's worth (?). Glove was safety equipment and not properly vetted. Using it as he was, wasn't the problem. Though, driving at those speeds, one hand on the wheel?

 

[Yespage]

Indycar opens the season with St. Petersburg. The race ended up being a lot cleaner than the season opener last year, but while clean, there was some pretty impressive racing. The race would end up being the Penske Show, with Newgarden leading nearly every lap on his way to victory and Penske's cars finishing 3rd and 4th. Pato O'Ward finished 2nd again this season, but with a lot less drama as no one could challenge Newgarden this season.

Qualifying showed two smaller race teams have good representation in Veekay for Ed Carpenter racing and Grosjean with Juncos Hollinger. Both were doing very well early, well within the top ten. Pitstops shifted them a bit further back, and then a brainfart by Grosjean led to him knocking Lundquist and crashed him, he was assessed a penalty, and ultimately couldn't finish the race. Lundquist would manage to finish however... and in front of Grosjean. Grosjean seems to have an issue getting the deal done. Veekay, however, managed a tenth place finish, generally behind the Penskes and Ganassi teams.

Penske won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 1812 in WEC, I think Daytona for NASCAR, and this opening race (probably the least of the list). What an incredible start!

 

[Yespage]

The 12 Hours at Sebring produced some incredible moments of racing, and some lesser incredible moments. Pipo Derani was well in the lead and accidentally sideswiped a GTD car he was passing, this sent him off the course into the tire barrier in a relatively bad looking crash that sent tires flying and left the car upside down on the barrier. No one was seriously hurt and the tires didn't appear to cross the fence into the spectator area. Jaminet, I believe, was driving the Penske Porsche and clipped Katherine Legge's car which sent her into a hard crash into the wall. Again, she is likely sore today, but no serious injuries. The Porsche would not end up getting away with the clip as the rear left tire was nicked and was eventually blow out, ending the day's chances of the win.

Sebastian Bourdais was leading late, but thanks to a yellow that freed up fuel and hybrid power, the Wayne Taylor - Andretti car driven by Delatraz was able to pull off a 11 hour 50 of so minute pass that would be good enough for the win.

A couple great racing moments (extended moments).

View: https://youtu.be/3eqY97mnyRk?si=a2-5GEr8869M3HkJ&t=890


View: https://youtu.be/3eqY97mnyRk?si=kt2l-08KwnM8q5SN&t=1015

 

[Juan]

Indycar opens the season with St. Petersburg. The race ended up being a lot cleaner than the season opener last year, but while clean, there was some pretty impressive racing. The race would end up being the Penske Show, with Newgarden leading nearly every lap on his way to victory and Penske's cars finishing 3rd and 4th. Pato O'Ward finished 2nd again this season, but with a lot less drama as no one could challenge Newgarden this season.

Qualifying showed two smaller race teams have good representation in Veekay for Ed Carpenter racing and Grosjean with Juncos Hollinger. Both were doing very well early, well within the top ten. Pitstops shifted them a bit further back, and then a brainfart by Grosjean led to him knocking Lundquist and crashed him, he was assessed a penalty, and ultimately couldn't finish the race. Lundquist would manage to finish however... and in front of Grosjean. Grosjean seems to have an issue getting the deal done. Veekay, however, managed a tenth place finish, generally behind the Penskes and Ganassi teams.

Penske won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 1812 in WEC, I think Daytona for NASCAR, and this opening race (probably the least of the list). What an incredible start!

Sounds very very dull

 

[meStevo]

Scary moments at the end of the Australia GP.


View: https://www.threads.net/@mercedesamgf1motorsport/post/C45HU0ZNEfk


View: https://www.threads.net/@aoife_duggan/post/C45RGVCNyxo

 

[Yespage]

Wow, definitely precarious!

Indy did their prize money event, The Thermal. It was interesting. Scott Dixon goofed and took out Grosjean who took out Veekay before completing turn one in thr first heat. Rosenquist easily held onto the first heat.

Palou and McLaughlin ruled the second heat.

Then the prize race, two 10 laps segments with a red in between. I don't think they'll do that again as yes some were driving fast but in general, once they figured their positions, everyone stood pat and it was boring as heck. The strategy worked for Herta who managed to get from 10th to 4th in the second half. Palou just cruised using some sort of cheat code. Fitapaldi was DQ'd, they forgot to give him enough fuel, he was driving slow to just finish ten laps.

 

[Howard Simmons]

Scary moments at the end of the Australia GP.


View: https://www.threads.net/@mercedesamgf1motorsport/post/C45HU0ZNEfk


View: https://www.threads.net/@aoife_duggan/post/C45RGVCNyxo

I need to watch the replay of that race on ESPN+. I missed it Sunday.

 

[Foxbat]

I need to watch the replay of that race on ESPN+

I gave up on ESPN/ABC and went with F1 TV. They also do a “Race in 30” that does a good job of condensing the action into a half-hour since even with the cars getting closer in performance, there is still a lack of passing once the race settles down after the start and the DRS trains form.

 

[Yespage]

LONG BEACH!

IMSA on Saturday, IndyCar on Sunday.

For IMSA, Bourdais et al made a pass and that was about it. A fun race overall, but not too much happening up front.

Indycar, Rasmussen crashed on lap 17, half the field pitted, half didn't. And the yellows were happening, so the pit stop plan was set in stone. The likes of Scott Dixon needed to hold on, with little left in the tank against the Newgardens, Herta, and Palous. Newgarden made up a ton of time, with all the fuel he could burn. And was knocking on the door, then Colton Herta clipped Newgarden's rear, car went into anti-stall and that lost time was effectively what allowed Scott Dixon to pull a Sea of Galilee (car fuel version) and win a race for the 20th consecutive season of his career. He is insane! None of the drivers could figure out how he was able to be up front for that long and still have fuel left. He really is the master of fuel conservation while trying to win. Herta came in second and Palou third. Newgarden finished fourth not knowing what could have been.

Grosjean is settling into his new ride at Junco Hollinger pretty well, finished 8th. The finish of the day was Theo Pouchaire (11th) who drove in a baptism by fire for 3rd as Callum Ilott was out racing in Imola, I believe and they are waiting for Malukas to come back from an injury. Sting Ray Robb finished 18th, which is actually good for him. He had a very bad last season.

 

[Yespage]

Usually the scandals stick with NASCAR for this and that in cheating with the tech. But Indycar just got slammed, as Penske's cars were punished for manipulating the Push to Pass system on their cars. Push to Pass is a gimmick that provides bonus horsepower for about a total of 180 seconds for the duration of the race, and it isn't allowed on restarts. It helps in passing opponents. It does help make things more competitive.

Newgarden's win was erased and Pato O'Ward was given the victory is the most unfortunate fashion. Scott McLaughlin was also punished. Will Power was fined but not punished as it appears he did not take any advantage.

A review of the data from the St. Petersburg race showed that Team Penske manipulated the overtake system so the three Penske drivers could use push-to-pass on starts and restarts. According to IndyCar rules, the use of the overtake isn’t available until the car reaches the alternate start-finish line.

Team Penske President Tim Cindric said in a statement that the “push-to-pass software was not removed as it should have been, following recently completed hybrid testing in the Team Penske Indy cars.”

“This software allowed for push-to-pass to be deployed during restarts at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix race, when it should not have been permitted," Cindric continued. "The No. 2 car driven by Josef Newgarden and the No. 3 car driven by Scott McLaughlin, both deployed push-to-pass on a restart, which violated IndyCar rules. Team Penske accepts the penalties applied by IndyCar.”