Motorsport

Subterms

    More stories

    • 50 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Who was Craig Breen?

      by

      RALLY driver Craig Breen has tragically passed away during a test event in Poland. Breen was preparing for the 2023 Croatia Rally, which was due to take place next week, when his Hyundai went off road and crashed.
      Craig Breen was killed in a crash in Poland while preparing for a race in Croatia next weekCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The 33-year-old succumbed to his injuries, but his co-driver James Fulton survived the crash unharmed.
      The world of motorsport is now in mourning for Breen, who began rallying in 2007.
      Who was Craig Breen?
      Breen began karting for the first time in 1999 as a 9-year-old and was the son of Ray Breen, an Irish rally champion.
      It was 10 year later that Breen made the full-time move to rallying, where he competed in the Irish and British Fiesta Sporting Trophies, winning both.

      Breen earns himself a contract with M-Sport and he was crowned Young Irish Rally Driver of the Year.
      In 2012, tragedy struck as Breen’s co-driver Gareth Roberts was killed during the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
      Craig Breen began his rally career in 2009 and went on to grab numerous podiumsCredit: Getty
      Breen went on to enjoy success later in his career with multiple podiums, having signed deals with Peugeot and M-Sport Rally Team.
      However, Breen failed to win a championship before his tragic death.
      Most read in Motorsport
      A statement from the WRC said: “The WRC family is shocked and saddened to learn of Craig Breen’s passing.
      “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Craig at this incredibly sad time.”
      FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem also paid his condolences, writing: “On behalf of the FIA, I extend sincere condolences to the family & friends of Craig Breen following his passing during a private testing accident in Croatia.
      “Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones & the Rally community at this difficult time.” More

    • 200 Shares199 Views

      in Motorsport

      Craig Breen dead at 33: Rally driver killed in horror testing crash as tributes pour in

      by

      RALLY DRIVER Craig Breen has tragically passed away at the age of 33 following a fatal crash.The Irish racer collided with a pole between Stari Golubovac and Lobora while testing the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 ahead of the Croatia Rally next week.
      Craig Breen has passed away after a horror crashCredit: Getty
      Breen was doing a test drive ahead of next week’s Croatia RallyCredit: Getty
      Co-driver James Fulton came away unscathed, but it has now been confirmed that Breen sadly died.
      The police and Breen’s team, Hyundai Motorsport, are both investigating the incident.
      The authorities have confirmed the accident occurred at 12.40pm local time.
      A Hyundai statement read: “Hyundai Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that driver Craig Breen today lost his life following an accident during the pre-event test for Croatia Rally.
      READ MORE IN RACING
      “Co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the incident that occurred just after midday local time.
      “Hyundai Motorsport sends its sincerest condolences to Craig’s family, friends and his many fans.
      “Hyundai Motorsport will make no further comment at this time.”
      Tributes for Breen have poured in on social media from the likes of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He said: “On behalf of the FIA, I extend sincere condolences to the family & friends of Craig Breen following his passing during a private testing accident.
      “Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones & the Rally community at this difficult time.”
      And the World Rally Championship added: “The WRC family is shocked and saddened to learn of Craig Breen’s passing.
      “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Craig at this incredibly sad time.”
      One fan responded: “I’m absolutely devastated that we’ve lost Craig Breen so soon. One of the nicest guys you could meet. This sport is so cruel.
      “I thought I’d share one of the funniest interviews Craig gave at stage end, showing his great sense of humour. Rest in peace, legend.”
      And another replied: “I’m lost for words… such a sad day. RIP Craig Breen.” More

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 chaos as Miami Grand Prix FLOODED less than a month before race as shocking pictures emerge

      by

      TORRENTIAL rain in Miami caused mass flooding at the city’s newly-minted F1 race track.Downpours for the last three days have left some South Florida roads completely impassable.
      The Miami Grand Prix returns next monthCredit: GETTY
      But there was chaos at the race track this week when severe flooding hitCredit: REDDIT
      The water, however, was eventually drained away from the trackCredit: TWITTER@F1MIAMI
      And the race track for next month’s Miami GP was also badly affected by the biblical rain.
      Images shared on social media showed parts of the track – which is built in the streets around the city’s Hard Rock Stadium – completely underwater.
      The water almost came up to the knees of one of the individuals working at the track – who had to don a full-length yellow jumpsuit to wade through it.
      Staff at the track worked tirelessly to get rid of the water, which, initially, failed to drain away.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      But the track was once again clear and looking picture-perfect after several gruelling hours for staff members.
      The race’s official Twitter account shared some mesmerising pictures of the track to on Wednesday night.
      The accompanying caption read: “3 weeks until race weekend in Miami.”
      F1 returns to Miami for the second time on May 7.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      The season resumes a fortnight on Saturday with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which takes place at the Baku City Circuit.
      Defending champion Max Verstappen enters the race top of the pile with 69 points to his name following two wins and three podium finishes.
      His Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez is second in the driver standings following one win and two podium finishes.
      Veteran Fernando Alonso rounds out the top three with three podium finishes.
      Sir Lewis Hamilton is currently in fourth spot following one solitary podium finish. More

    • 225 Shares139 Views

      in Motorsport

      Formula 1 motor racing apprentice killed on ‘one last ride’ with girlfriend before putting motorbike away for winter

      by

      A PROMISING Formula 1 racing apprentice was killed during “one last ride” with his girlfriend before putting it away for winter, an inquest heard.Daniel Cracknell, 20, who worked as an engineer for the prestigious racing team Williams, lost control of his bike on a sharp bend in Grove, Oxfordshire, and fell into the path of an oncoming van.
      Daniel Cracknell died after losing control of his motorcycle in November last yearCredit: Hyde News & Pictures
      He worked as an apprentice engineer for F1 team WilliamsCredit: Hyde News & Pictures
      He suffered severe brain injuries and died in hospital on November 13 last year, just over a week after the smash.
      The inquest into his death, held in Oxford, heard that he was a well-respected member of the Williams team, which he joined as an apprentice straight from school.
      Colleagues at Williams paid tributes to him and the team sent a message of condolence at the time of his death.
      The flag at the team’s HQ in Grove flew at half-mast and team members wore black armbands at that year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
      READ MORE ON FORMULA 1
      Daniel’s girlfriend, Lois, who was riding pillion on his Suzuki SCV650 at the time of the fatal crash, said that they had bonded over a shared love of bikes.
      She added that the young engineer told friends he was taking the bike out for “one last ride” before putting it in storage for the winter.
      Senior coroner for Oxfordshire, Darren Salter, heard that the couple took a route that was “normal” for them and were heading for home when the tragedy occurred.
      The driver of the van reportedly swerved to avoid Daniel, but was unable to do so, leading to both Daniel and Lois being “flung off into the verge”.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Lois said that she was “fully conscious” but cannot remember coming off the bike, only hitting the ground and trying to find her partner before they were both rushed to hospital.
      Police investigators told the hearing that Daniel’s licence meant he was only qualified to ride motorcycles with up to 30KW of power.
      However, he had removed the restrictor on his machine, which had a power capacity of 50KW, while an app on Lois’ phone suggested that their top speed on the day of the crash was up to 94mph.
      Thames Valley Police concluded in their investigation that the loss of control should be attributed to rider error.
      The coroner returned a verdict of a road traffic collision and said that the medical cause of death was a traumatic brain injury.
      He said: “On the balance of probability a combination of the wet road and the speed, leading to a loss of control attributed to rider error and leading to an accident, a tragic accident, resulting in the loss of Dan and injuries to Lois as well.
      “I have heard that he was generally careful and a very good driver and I don’t doubt that for a moment.” More

    • 238 Shares159 Views

      in Motorsport

      Lewis Hamilton era is OVER and he won’t break F1 record after something ‘snapped’ in Abu Dhabi, pundit fears

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON’S era in Formula 1 is OVER, a top F1 pundit has suggested.The Brit won a record equalling seventh world championship in 2020, going level with Michael Schumacher.
      Lewis Hamilton is currently fourth in the F1 driver championshipCredit: Rex
      He appeared destined to win a historic eighth the following year, only for a botching of the rules in the final race in Abu Dhabi to see the title go to Max Verstappen instead.
      With Sir Lewis, 38, having not won a race since, Dutch F1 pundit Rob Kamphues thinks that his time at the top is coming to an end.
      He wrote in his Formule 1 Magazine column: “Could something have snapped in the great champion?
      “Lewis hasn’t won a race since that day, he hasn’t achieved pole, he’s never even started from the front row.
      READ MORE ON F1
      “In 2022 he also finished behind his younger team-mate in the championship and that younger team-mate also won the only race Mercedes won. Not to mention this season.
      “It also seems that the era of Mercedes is over. The idea that the empire is collapsing is also confirmed by the transfer of team boss-designate James Vowles to Williams and the departure of Lewis’ beloved physio Angela Cullen.
      “So in a row it’s clear as a lump, right?”
      Having easily won last year’s championship, Verstappen has already raced out to a 31-point lead over Hamilton this time around.
      Most read in Motorsport
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Rob Kamphues has offered up his take on Lewis Hamilton’s future in F1Credit: Alamy
      Kamphues reckons Hamilton will still believe in himself, however, and can point to the examples of Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso.
      He went on: “Lewis himself will probably think otherwise. He will say that although he scored fewer points than George Russell last season, he still beat him when it came to speed.
      “He will remind us of Alain Prost; who left Formula 1 with his tail between his legs in the year that Ayrton Senna became World Champion for the third time.
      “He did not race in 1992, rejoined Williams in 1993 and promptly became champion himself for a fourth time.
      “Lewis will point to Alonso and say ‘How many times have you written him off?’ After his failure at Ferrari, his failed adventure at McLaren and again last winter when he moved from Renault to Aston Martin.
      “And look how he now drives like the stars from heaven again.”
      Fernando Alonso’s renaissance can offer encouragement to HamiltonCredit: Rex More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Petition demanding Max Verstappen be STRIPPED of first F1 title reaches 100k signatures in huge Lewis Hamilton boost

      by

      A PETITION to have Max Verstappen’s first F1 title stripped from him has gained more than 100,000 signatures.Since the Abu Dhabi GP in 2021, Lewis Hamilton fans have been lobbying for a change of decision that would see the British driver given the title.
      Lewis Hamilton missed out on his 8th F1 world title in 2021Credit: AP
      He was controversially beaten to it by Max VerstappenCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton seemed destined to win his eighth career title as he led in the race’s late stages.
      However, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed, causing a safety car to be called onto the track.
      Verstappen drove into the pits and got fresh tires put onto his Red Bull.
      The move seemed to be futile as race director Michael Masi had instructed that cars that had been lapped could not overtake the FIA vehicle, as per F1 regulations.
      READ MORE IN F1
      That should have meant there would not be enough time for competitive racing to start again, and Hamilton would – somewhat anticlimactically – win the title behind the safety car.
      But after pressure from Red Bull boss Christian Horner, Masi changed his mind and allowed one lap of racing.
      And Verstappen was able to get past Hamilton on his quicker tires and win his first title.
      Mercedes instantly appealed the decision, but team principal Toto Wolff eventually dropped the objection.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      However, Hamilton fans have not been so quick to drop the case as a petition has gained traction.
      Patel Gordon-Bennett started the petition on social media with the aim of getting the result overturned.

      On Tuesday morning, ‘Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’ was trending on Twitter following a link to the petition being tweeted.
      The document now has over 82,000 signatures on it.
      However, there is very little chance of the FIA reacting, and Mercedes will have to stay focused on the current F1 campaign. More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Motorsport

      Petition calling for Max Verstappen to have first F1 title WIPED OUT reaches 80k signatures in huge Lewis Hamilton boost

      by

      A PETITION to have Max Verstappen’s first F1 title stripped from him has gained more than 80,000 signatures.Since the Abu Dhabi GP in 2021, Lewis Hamilton fans have been lobbying for a change of decision that would see the British driver given the title.
      Lewis Hamilton missed out on his 8th F1 world title in 2021Credit: AP
      He was controversially beaten to it by Max VerstappenCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton seemed destined to win his 8th career title as he led in the race’s late stages.
      However, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi crashed, causing a safety car to be called onto the track.
      Verstappen drove into the pits and got fresh tires put onto his Red Bull.
      The move seemed to be futile as race director Michael Masi had instructed that cars that had been lapped could not overtake the FIA vehicle, as per F1 regulations.
      READ MORE IN F1
      That should have meant there would not be enough time for competitive racing to start again, and Hamilton would – somewhat anticlimactically – win the title behind the safety car.
      But after pressure from Red Bull boss Christian Horner, Masi changed his mind and allowed one lap of racing.
      And Verstappen was able to get past Hamilton on his quicker tires and win his first title.
      Mercedes instantly appealed the decision, but Mercedes principal Toto Wolff eventually dropped the objection.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      However, Hamilton fans have not been so quick to drop the case as a petition has gained traction.
      Patel Gordon-Bennett started the petition on social media with the aim of getting the result overturned.
      On Tuesday morning, ‘Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’ was trending on Twitter following a link to the petition being tweeted.
      The document now has over 82,000 signatures on it.
      However, there is very little chance of the FIA reacting, and Mercedes will have to stay focused on the current F1 campaign. More

    • 188 Shares189 Views

      in Motorsport

      Max Verstappen hits back at ‘incorrect’ rival Lewis Hamilton after his claims about Red Bull

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN has responded to Lewis Hamilton’s claim that Red Bull’s 2023 car is quicker than any version of his dominant Mercedes.Verstappen, 25, has won two of the opening three races of the season in Bahrain and Australia.
      Lewis Hamilton has claimed Max Verstappen’s Red Bull is faster than any Mercedes he has drivenCredit: Getty
      Red Bull have won all three races at the start of the 2023 seasonCredit: Getty
      And his team-mate Sergio Perez claimed the other Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia.
      Verstappen is seeking a third successive world title after years of Mercedes glory.
      The Silver Arrows claimed seven championships in a row between 2014 and 2020 – with Hamilton winning six of them.
      But after Red Bull’s one-two in Saudi Arabia last month, the Brit, 38, insisted he had never seen a car as quick as this year’s runaway leaders.
      READ MORE IN F1
      When asked if Red Bull’s dominance could be bad for the sport, the seven-time champion said: “I don’t know, it’s not for me to say, but I’ve never seen a car so fast.
      “When we were fast, we weren’t that fast. That’s the fastest car I’ve seen compared to the rest. I don’t know why or how but he came past me with serious speed.
      “I didn’t even bother to block because there was a massive speed difference.”
      Now Verstappen has had his say on those comments.
      Most read in Motorsport
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      And the Dutchman believes the numbers show that Hamilton’s theory is not true.
      He told RacingNews365 NL: “I think if you look at the statistics, then those statements are not correct.
      “But we also do have a very good car. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Still, we are not as dominant as Mercedes has shown some years.
      “I don’t pay much attention to that, that doesn’t get you anywhere.
      “Whatever we have done in the eight years that Mercedes is so dominant, we also tried to close the gap. That’s the only thing you can do.”
      Next up for both drivers is a trip to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30.
      But Mercedes are not expected to add any significant upgrades to their car until Imola, Italy, in May.
      Hamilton has managed two fifth places and a second place so far this season.
      But Mercedes and the rest of the grid are still a long way adrift of Red Bull’s blistering pace. More