Motorsport round-up
Le Mans, F1, W Series, Indycar
Sir Lewis Hamilton has signed a contract extension to stay with Mercedes-amg in Formula 1 until at least the end of 2023. Britain’s seven-time champion said that he and the Uk-based team “have a lot of work to do” after Red Bull’s recent run of five straight race wins, which has given Max Verstappen a 32-point championship lead.
Norris calls for end to ‘silly’ penalty points
Lando Norris has said that F1 drivers should be given penalty points only for actions that are dangerous. The Mclaren racer spoke out after being given a five-second penalty and two points on his superlicence for a clash with Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez in the Austrian Grand Prix. Norris battled back to finish third.
Peugeot unveils Le Mans hypercar
Peugeot has revealed the 9X8 racer that it will use for its Le Mans 24 Hours return next year. The 670bhp hybrid is built to the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) rules and unusually doesn’t feature a rear wing. Peugeot will run two 9X8s in the full FIA World Endurance Championship next year.
Chadwick back on form in the W Series
Reigning champion Jamie Chadwick dominated the W Series race that supported the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring. The Veloce driver started from pole and finished more than five seconds clear of Irina Sidorkova. She now leads Sarah Moore by three points and race winner Alice Powell by four points in the title race.
Another Schumacher Jr takes first F3 win
David Schumacher, son of F1 race victor Ralf, was one of three winners in the chaotic Formula 3 meeting in Austria. Red Bull-backed points leader Dennis Hauger and his title rival Frederik Vesti were the others.
Penske claims milestone victory
Two-time champion Josef Newgarden scored Penskechevrolet’s first Indycar Series victory of the season at Midohio recently on the weekend that Penske celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first race win. It was also a relief for the US driver, who had dominated the previous two races but lost out on victory in both due to late drama. He now lies fourth in the title race.