Differential cost Verstappen win
A differential issue cost Max Verstappen 0.3sec per lap in the Formula 1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, according to his Red Bull-honda team’s advisor, Helmut Marko. The Dutchman outpaced Mercedesamg’s Sir Lewis Hamilton throughout the weekend but lost out on the win after overshooting while trying to pass him. The pair will resume battle in this weekend’s Emilia Romagna GP at Imola in Italy.
Haas focused fully on all-new car for 2022
Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner has said that it would be “complete madness” for the team to invest heavily in trying to improve its 2021 pace, given the need to focus its resources on the all-new car regulations for 2022. The team is running two rookies – Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin – and had the slowest car in Bahrain.
British F3 champion steps up to global F3
British Formula 3 champion Kaylen Frederick will contest the international FIA Formula 3 Championship, which is due to begin in support of the Spanish GP on 7-9 May. The 18-year-old American will drive for Carlin Motorsport. In the recent preseason test at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, the pace was set by one of Alpine F1’s juniors, 19year-old Brazilian Caio Collet.
Trio of teams provide hybrid boost for WRC
Hyundai, Toyota and privateer Ford outfit M-sport have all committed to the World Rally Championship’s new hybrid rules package that will be introduced for next season. The WRC will introduce a spec plug-in hybrid system offering a 134bhp electrical boost to the existing turbocharged engines.
Audi details power plan for 2022 Dakar Rally car
Audi is set to pair the electric motor from its Formula E car with the engine it developed for its DTM touring car in its all-new Dakar Rally contender. As Dakar stages are too long to be run on battery power, the engine will be used to charge the high-voltage battery while the motor powers the wheels.