News

Kym Illman launches his new Podcast

March 14, 2019

“This really is as good a motor racing podcast as I’ve heard.” AC ON THE EVE of the Australian F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, ace Perth photographer Kym Illman has launched his new podcast series, F1 – On and Off the Track. “I believe you (and your followers) will find my unique perspective as an F1 photographer to be both entertaining and informative. Episodes will be released before and after each race of the F1 season. A link to subscribe to the podcast will be included in my Instagram bio although your followers could simply search the title F1 –

Pirellis for Oz F1 Grand Prix

March 6, 2019

PIRELLI has released each team’s tyre choices for the FIA Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park, March 15-17. All five slick P Zero compounds will feature during F1 testing in 2019, but only three colours. To help distinguish them throughout the year, the hardest and softest tyres available won’t carry stripes on the sidewalls. “Normally we will only see three colours at every race, so we’re only using three colours at the tests as well. But we want to make sure that people can tell the compounds apart. As a result, the very hardest and

Wanneroo Raceway’s 50th a great success

March 4, 2019

It was back to the future at Barbagallo Raceway March 2/3 as fans braved the heat to celebrate the Jubilee of Western Australia’s premier motor racing circuit.

Aidan Read shows leading pace in ALMS

February 28, 2019

Aidan and teammate, Nobu. Image: BAM Media Celebrating his 20th birthday last weekend, Aussie racer Aidan Read showed true pace in Malaysia as the Asian Le Mans Series drew to a close. He and teammate Nobuya Yamanaka brought home the #39 Ligier LMP3 a creditable sixth on a day where the Perth driver proved the fastest driver in the class. Aidan, again acting as coach and mentor to his Gentleman driver teammate, had tested extensively at the 5.543km Sepang circuit ahead of the ALMS season and arrived confident they and the Eurasia Motorsport team had a strong base set-up. The

Young Drivers Aim for the Top

February 23, 2019

The 360 studs on the Pirelli Sottozero Ice tyres (above) bite deep and make the driver feel like they’re on asphalt. Images: Pirelli.com The snow and ice of Sweden host the Junior World Rally Championship this weekend – a huge stepping stone to the big time WRC grand stage! Backed by Pirelli, It’s a tough haul with only two drivers having seriously cracked it in the past 15 years. Mind you, they’re a couple of absolute rippers: Frenchmen nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb and my young mate, six-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, pictured here with the Old Boy. While

Happy 40th Birthday Valentino Rossi!

February 16, 2019

Images: motogp.com Can The Doctor Still Match The Best? Valento Rossi v. Casey Stoner, Laguna Seca 2008. Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi celebrates his 40th birthday today and we wish The Doctor a safe and successful journey during the coming season. Valentino’s Dad Graziano, pictured above, reckons his pride and joy has the capabilities to continue racing at the highest level until he’s at least 46 – the iconic number that has been on the front of his bikes since Day One. “He did not win last year, but he has the credentials to win again – if he hasn’t

Northam’s Festival of Motorsport is Back in ’19!

February 16, 2019

NORTHERN FLYING 50 SCHEDULED APRIL 6- 7 Don’t miss the Vintage Sports Car Club of WA’s tribute to our motor racing history. Entry forms and sup regs are available on the VSCC website (below) this weekend, so make sure you get your entry in ASAP. And remember, this is great practice for the Albany Classic June 1-2!

Daniel Ric’s well suited for Renault RS 19

February 13, 2019

Renault’s RS19 livery looks pretty good, Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg are classy drivers, so let’s see what Formula 1 has to offer in 2019! EDITED by AC

Shell V-Power Racing sticks with Winning Formula

February 11, 2019

Images: DJR Penske. The familiar livery of the Shell V-Power Racing Team has its Ford Mustangs ready to rock for the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship season. Reigning Supercars champ Scott McLaughlin‘s #17 ride is brand spanking new, while team-mate Fabian Coulthard‘s has a remodelled chassis. McLaughlin has opted to feature ’s Dick Johnson’s famous #17, despite last year winning his first Supercars championship. “We’ve spent a lot of time developing this new car, and to now see it in Shell V-Power colours is awesome. It looks fast standing still, so I can’t wait to see how it performs

Tickford Unwraps its 2019 Mustang Supercar

February 10, 2019

Images: Tickford Racing Ford Mustang in full Monster Energy Race Livery No question the Tickford Racing Mustang looks a heck of lot more presentable in its newly- inked Monster Energy party dress, released today. After the veritable bollocking the rocket copped last week on social media on its debut showing, it’ll be interesting to hear the punters’ views on Cameron Waters’ #6 Ford Mustang Supercar. This is 24-year-old Victorian Cam’s fourth full-time season aboard the Monster Energy Racing banner for Tickford Racing, following his 100 race milestone at Newcastle in November. “We’re entering a new era of the sport,

A serious Supercars weapon!

February 8, 2019

Images: Irwin Racing If looks are paramount, this has the hallmark of a serious Supercars weapon! MARK WINTERBOTTOM‘s #18 Irwin Racing ZB Commodore looks primed for this year’s Virgin Australia Supercars Championship. “I love the livery! It’s great to see a good-looking car full of great sponsors that has a lot of credibility on it with national and global companies,” Mark Winterbottom, 2015 Series Champion. EDITED by AC

Mustang dressed to impart major damage in Supercars 2019

February 5, 2019

Images: Ford Performance. Coming days will see all six Ford Mustangs come out in full team livery, ahead of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars season opening Superloop Adelaide 500 February 28–March 3. Ford Australia today released images and video of the racing ‘Stang, in Ford Performance livery, the first since the earlier pix with its much maligned camouflage party dress. The car was developed for this year’s Supercars season by DJR Team Penske, Tickford Racing, and Ford Performance in the US. The ’19 grid features six Mustangs – two from DJR Team Penske for Fabian Coulthard and reigning champion Scott

Melbourne hosts inaugural F1 season launch event

January 30, 2019

To mark the start of the 2019 FIA Formula 1® World Championship, Melbourne plays host to the first ever season launch event, ahead of the F1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix. The city’s iconic Federation Square will come alive Wednesday March 13 with a free public extravaganza featuring all 20 drivers, Team Principals, and legends of the sport in an event showcasing the F1 heroes for the first time in the sport’s history. Fans have the chance to get get up close and personal with F1 greats during the show which also features an local music acts adding to the vibrant atmosphere,

Fernando Alonso displays his inimitable style

January 29, 2019

Image: motorsport.com Standing Water calls time on Rolex 24H at Daytona Fernando Alonso shows he’s as good as anyone in atrocious conditions, driving his team to victory during the weekend’s shortened Rolex 24H at Daytona, Florida. He and Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac teammates – Dutchman Renger van der Zande, Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi and American Jordan Taylor – took out the drenched USA classic at the Spaniard’s second attempt. The dual F1 world champ had taken the lead in the #10 Cadillac DPi-V.R from Brazilian Felipe Nasr’s #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac just before the race was canned. Nasr, countryman Pipo

Fiore, Major, Tander set for Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12H

January 24, 2019

This stunning 700hp Brabham BT62 will debut at Mount Panorama with demo laps by Bathurst 1000 champ David Brabham, son of Sir Jack. Images: SRO Motorsports, Brabham Motorsports. The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, the opening round of this season’s Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli campaign, features a ‘Town to Track’ GT3 parade for the first time. Cars representing each of the 10 GT3 marques contesting this year’s race – including 2019’s six Intercontinental GT Challenge-registered manufacturers – will hit public roads under police escort from Mount Panorama Circuit to the city centre’s Bathurst Court House building on

Brabham is Stadium Super Trucks Champion

January 21, 2019

Above, Stadium SUPER Trucks in action at Barbagallo Raceway. Image: GRANT LAUTERBACH US-based Australian Matt Brabham added to his diverse list of championship victories when he clinched his maiden Stadium SUPER Trucks title at the weekend’s Race of Champions in Mexico City. After dominating the season, where he finished every event on the podium, Brabham closed out the extended 2018 season by taking overall honors in the Mexican capital. It was a great reward for Brabham, who went down by a single point in last year’s championship to fellow Australian Paul Morris. “Finally, we got it done and I

Barbagallo Raceway set for stellar year

January 18, 2019

A tough job very well done The WA Sporting Car Club management – led by President Russell Sewell and GM Andrew Stachewicz – is to be congratulated on its stirling efforts to make the changes necessary to the Barbagallo Raceway circuit that allow the motorbike community to continue to enjoy this great facility. WASCC President Russell Sewell With the club this year celebrating its 50th at Wanneroo, WA’s premier motor racing venue, 2019 promises to be a stellar year. “And that’s a wrap! The new surface is complete and it now sits undisturbed until 1st March when we open for

GARTH LANDS FIRMLY ON BOTH FEET

January 11, 2019

There are very few smarter minds in Australian motorsport than Triple Eight Race Engineering’s ROLAND DANE. So it should surprise no one the team pounced on GARTH TANDER for the 2019 Pirtek Enduro Cup. The three-time Bathurst 1000 winner will partner Shane van Gisbergen in the #97 Red Bull Holden Racing Team Commodore for the Bathurst 1000, Gold Coast 600 and Sandown 500. “Triple Eight have clearly been the class team in Supercars for the best part of the last decade, their results speak for themselves,” Garth said. “When the opportunity arose to join the team alongside Shane for the enduros

GARTH TANDER ENDS SUPERB SUPERCARS CAREER

January 9, 2019

The inclusion of Richie Stanaway and James Golding in the Garry Rogers Motorsport driver line-up for 2019’s Virgin Australia Supercar season has effectively drawn a line under the remarkable racing career of the 41-year-old Perth three-time Bathurst champion, GARTH TANDER. Garth’s response: “I’m grateful for the start that Garry gave me in Supercars and understand his decision to end my full time driving career. I’m now going to take a deep breath and consider my future that won’t be at GRM. I wish the team well for the future.“ And team owner Garry Rogers: “It obviously comes as

London Mayor reckons London F1 Street Race a chance

December 25, 2018

AUSTRALIA’s F1 Grand Prix was one of seven races which attracted more than 200,000 fans in 2018, official attendance figures released this week by Formula 1 show. They included Great Britain, Mexico, USA, Singapore, Belgium and Hungary. The British Grand Prix, which currently is under threat after 2019, had the highest attendance of any race during the 2018 season drawing a weekend crowd of 340,000 to Silverstone. Its race day high of 140,500 was also the season’s best. The Mexican Grand Prix sits an impressive second with 334,946 and 135,407. Silverstone’s owners seem to have invoked a “not financially viable” clause in

$3.8M Bugatti Chiron testing 3D printed brake calipers

December 23, 2018

An Engineering Masterpiece https://youtu.be/hPkY8nBWxoU Some 12 months back Bugatti unveiled the largest 3D-printed component composed out of titanium: a brake caliper designed for the Chiron hypercar. According to Motor Authority: “Throughout 2018, the firm has continued to test the brake caliper before it enters production, and we received our first look at just how extreme the test procedures are. “Video shows the titanium caliper installed on a machine to mimic a car traveling at high speeds, up to 233 mph. Engineers then apply the brakes to see how the 3D-printed component stacks up against the casted aluminum caliper. The