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Daniel’s squillion dollar smile

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Posted on October 17, 2024 Tags:



And Brodie’s Brilliant Bathurst


Honey Badger signs off in understated post

“Daniel has his career in front of him.”

There are even rumours the Aussie’s up for Keys to the City of Austin honours.

But don’t hold your breath. And I so hope I’m wrong!

May I wish talented Kiwi Liam Lawson all the very best for a successful career.

Have Red Bull’s wheels fallen off?

It’s hard to fathom that this time last year Max Verstappen was heading for a history-making season when Red Bull won twenty-one of the 22 grands prix held in 2023.

And he began this season brilliantly claiming four of the opening five races, odds-on it seemed, on his way to winning four world titles in a row.

Since his triumph in Barcelona on June 23, neither Max nor Red Bull has claimed a race win.

How the mighty have fallen!

McLaren now leads the all-important Constructors’ Championship and will be unfortunate indeed not to claim that title – for the first time since 1998.

Lando, meanwhile. has continued to produce masterful drives worthy of a champion – as has, incidentally, his Aussie teammate Oscar Piastri.

As the reigning triple-world champion heads into the final quarter of the season with a genuine challenger, the United States Grand Prix is a race that the young Brit – who turns 25 on November 13 – is highlighting as a massive opportunity for points.

COTA resurfaced since last year

This includes the sections between turns 9 and 12 and 16 and 3 – the two longest straights where DRS is always an option.

No doubt the abrasiveness of the track has changed since last year, given that a new layer of bitumen is usually smoother than an old surface.

So, teams will be busting to acquire essential data as early as possible during the one and only hour of free practice – early on Friday afternoon – as the Sprint format returns for the Austin weekend.

But Austin’s stand-out feature is the steep climb off the line to the very wide first corner, which sees drivers taking a variety of lines through it, making for spectacular viewing.

Other changes include the use of fake gravel for the run-off areas at some corners, as already encountered at other tracks, Zandvoort for example.

This alleviates the controversy that can arise over exceeding track limits, without the problem of real gravel being spewed onto the track.

The new surface should also have dealt with the small bumps that have developed on the racing line over the years, upsetting the car’s handling and making life more difficult for drivers.

Usually, degradation is thermal and linked to the ambient temperature, which in Texas in October can fluctuate considerably – from one day to the next. But this weekend it’s looking quite tasty.

Strategy depends on how quickly the teams adapt to the new surface, remembering Saturday’s Sprint should provide useful data.

Austin, Texas, USA

All looking fine and dandy

Like Silverstone and Suzuka at turns 3 to 6, Hockenheim (from 12 to 15) and the section from 16 to 18, which owes something to the never-ending turn 8 at Istanbul’s Otopark.

Hermann Tilke’s impressive resume of current F1 venues also includes Baku, Yas Marina, Shanghai, and Jeddah.

This year is the first US F1 triple-header since 1983, when the series raced at Long Beach, Detroit, and Las Vegas.

11 Venues host USA Grand Prix

Great Britain and Germany top that list, each with 79 events.

There have been eleven venues for the USA Grand Prix:  Watkins Glen (20), Indianapolis (19), Austin (11), Long Beach (8), Detroit (7), Las Vegas (3), Miami (3), Phoenix (3), Dallas (1), Riverside (1), and Sebring (1).

It’s interesting to note the two drivers with the most USA GP wins are on track this weekend at COTA – Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen each have six to their credit.

As for the teams, Ferrari and McLaren are also joint leaders – both on 13.

It will indeed be fascinating to see a clear leader emerge.


Brodie’s Brilliant Bathurst

Fastest 1000 ever!

It was the fastest ever Bathurst race – five hours, 58 minutes, and 35 seconds around the magnificent Mount Panorama track – and the first time the race had finished under six hours.

It was an extraordinary win for Erebus Motorsport which began the season in all assorts of strife and now holds the trophy for Australia’s Greatest Race.

Brodie was simply brilliant – from Pole to Post – holding firm in a final-stint duel with Broc Feeney to claim victory. Broc and Jamie Whincup finishing second with Will Brown and Scott Pye rounding out the podium.

It is the first Bathurst 1000 win for both Brodie and Todd, making them the 65th and 66th different winners around one of world’s finest circuits.


Top level Racing at Wanneroo this weekend!

The 2024 final round is on Saturday and Sunday, and proudly supported by Gallagher.

The WA Sporting Car Club looks forward to welcoming everyone for one final race round in 2024.

The Gallagher Season Finale round features a bumper round with Excel Cup, Formula Vee, FSR, Free Formula, Historic Touring Cars, HQ Holdens, Formula Ford, Production Cars, Improved Production Cars, Street Cars, Saloon Cars, Sports Cars, Sports Sedans, and Time Challenge.

Spectator entry is only $10 each day per car – pay at the gate. And it’s free for WA Sporting Car Club members.

If you want to know more about the WA Sporting Club, check out carco.com.au Raceway and wascc.com.au.


Race Schedule

PERTH TIME

Circuit of The Americas | 19 – 21 Oct

P1 Saturday 19th October 01:30

Sprint Shootout Saturday 19th October 05:30

Sprint Race Sunday 20th October 02:00

Qualifying Sunday 20th October 06:00

Monday 21st October 03:00


Next event:

Mexican Grand Prix

Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | 26 – 28 Oct

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