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Tag: F1

  • Staheholders optimistic of F1 return to Africa since 1993

    Staheholders optimistic of F1 return to Africa since 1993

    Motorsport stakeholders in Kenya have expressed optimism about a Formula 1 Grand Prix returning to Africa for the 1st time since 1993.

    This comes even as South Africa and  Rwanda have emerged as the front-runners in bidding to stage an F1 Grand Prix round, with both governments already having financial commitments towards the project.

    Speaking in Nairobi last Friday, SBC Kenya Country Manager John K’Otieno,said the return of the grand prix to Africa will open many opportunities to the region, as well as harness talent development.

    “I think the idea of Formula One coming to Africa is One that’s only a matter of time and as partners who are here with our brands We are going to be able to give the right insights to the franchise Formula One franchise on what can be done in Africa and who knows Rwanda was Positioning and maybe even Kenya because we have the kind of attributes that would support a Lego Formula One in Africa . “said  K’Otieno

    Pepsi, which is partnering with the world’s most famous motorsport, F1, has revealed an advanced discussion to ensure the championship returns to Africa, with South Africa and Rwanda at the forefront of winning the hosting rights, adding that it will open more opportunities for the region as well as nurture talents.

    “Pepsi is a brand that is big in all the East African countries, Uganda, Tanzania, and right now we are coming into Kenya in a big way. It’s important that Big brands support the teams and support the tournament, and we will be participating. I will not reveal how we will be participating. But for sure, we will be participating. Yes, we are working towards partnering and seeing our best to elevate our local teams,” added K’Otieno

    At the same time, the company will soon unveil a mega sports partnership in the country, among them supporting the Harambee Stars ahead of the 2027 AFCON, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in support of local sports talent.

    “Sports is big in Kenya, and at the moment, we are engaging the Football Federation of Kenya on how we can support the national team Harambee Stars  ahead of the 2027 AFCON.”K’Otieno added

    K’otieno was speaking during the launch of the official Formula 1 Energy drink Sting  in Kenya .

    In May this year, Pepsi signed a multi-year partnership with Formula 1 until 2030.

    The current F1 Grand Prix consists of twenty-four Grands Prix that have a contract to be hosted at the listed circuits for the 2026 season.

     

     

  • Norris heads to the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday with momentum

    Norris heads to the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday with momentum

    Lando Norris will look to build on his Monaco victory when the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship continues with the ninth round of the season, the Spanish Grand Prix, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the afternoon of Sunday 1 June.

    Under major pressure to strike back in the Drivers’ World Championship, McLaren-Mercedes Norris, delivered pole position and a clutch victory at the Monaco GP this past weekend – his first triumph on the famous street circuit of the principality.

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed second place in his home race as a Monegasque, while Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, completed the podium in third place, and Red Bull Racing-Honda’s Max Verstappen finished fourth.

    “It feels amazing, it is a long race, and we could push for quite a lot of the race, the last quarter was a little bit nervous with Charles close behind and Max ahead, but we wanted Monaco,” Norris explained.

    “It doesn’t matter how you win, but it is an amazing weekend, and this is what I dreamt of when I was a kid, so I’ve achieved one of my dreams.

    “I felt under control for the whole race, but Max kind of backed it up, and that’s when Charles had the opportunity, and I had to manage quite a bit.

    “I tried to back off Max so I could push when I needed to, so I still had to manage, but I am very happy.”

    Mandatory Credit: Photo by Luca Barsali/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (15319388u) 4 Lando Norris Of The Team Mclaren Formula 1 Team, Mclaren Mercedes MCL39,,Celebrating The Final Podium,During Fia Formula One World Championship F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2025, 25 May In Monte Carlo , Monaco F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2025 Race, Piombino, Italy – 25 May 2025

    As a result, Piastri now leads the Drivers’ Championship by just three points from nearest chaser Norris, while Verstappen is a further 22 points back in third place.

    The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a track well known to all teams and drivers, as it is the primary venue for F1 testing.

    Verstappen has claimed four wins at the venue, putting him just two behind the all-time leaders Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, who have six victories apiece.

    Verstappen has won the last three Spanish Grands Prix in succession and will be a strong contender again this year, though it is widely expected that McLaren-Mercedes will enjoy a strong pace advantage, making for another showdown between Norris and Piastri.

    Further down the grid, Ferrari will hope to build on the promise shown by Leclerc this past weekend; Mercedes will be hungry to bounce back after a Monaco GP where neither George Russell nor Kimi Antonelli scored any points; and the Racing Bulls duo of Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar will aim to keep up the momentum of their strong showing in the principality.

  • Verstappen chase 2nd win in Monaco Grandprix

    Verstappen chase 2nd win in Monaco Grandprix

    Max Verstappen will chase a second successive win when the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship continues with the Monaco Grand Prix, held at the Circuit de Monaco on the afternoon of Sunday 25 May.

    Verstappen secured his second victory in 2025 when he claimed the chequered flag at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix this past weekend.

    The Red Bull-Racing-Honda driver made an audacious overtake on pole-sitter Oscar Piastri of McLaren-Mercedes on the first lap, and was able to control the race from then on.

    “The start itself wasn’t particularly great – but I was still on the outside line. The normal line,” explained Verstappen. “So I was like ‘I’m going to try and send it around the outside’ and it worked really well!

    “Of course, that unleashed our pace because when we were in the lead. The car was good. I could look after my tires.”

    The result saw Verstappen move to 124 points in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

    He is placed third, trailing leader Piastri by 22 points and the other McLaren driver, Lando Norris, by nine points.

    “I just braked too early,” Piastri admitted in regards to the overtake by Verstappen. “It was a good move by Max, as well. Disappointing, obviously. But we made a few wrong calls after that anyway.”

    Piastri added, “I tried my best to hang on but just didn’t have the grip [to also hold off Norris late in the race]. I tried my best but it was inevitable he would get past but I wasn’t going to give up without a fight.”

    Much of the focus for this Grand Prix will also fall on Monegasque native and Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, who won last year’s race in the principality to become the first home victor in 93 years.

    However, Leclerc has admitted to major frustration at having to continually fight to make up for Ferrari’s lack of pace this year, especially relative to the McLaren-Mercedes cars.

    “I was saying before, it’s one of the races where you’ve got to race with the heart and put the elbows out a little bit,” Leclerc explained. “When it’s like this you go very much on the limit, sometimes a little bit over. But when you are starting P11, as a driver I cannot accept the situation we are in.”

  • Oscar Piastri and McLaren target to extend dominance in Romagna Grand Prix in Bologna

    Oscar Piastri and McLaren target to extend dominance in Romagna Grand Prix in Bologna

    Oscar Piastri and McLaren will look to continue their great form when the seventh round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, is held at the Imola Circuit in Bologna, Italy, on the afternoon of Sunday 18 May.

    Piastri claimed a dominant victory at the previous round in Miami, outpacing and outsmarting Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, before racing off into the distance to lead home a McLaren 1-2.

    In the process, the Australian became the first McLaren driver to win three straight races since Mika Hakkinen in 1997-1998 and also opened a 16-point lead at the top of the Drivers’ World Championship over teammate Lando Norris. Verstappen is a further 16 points back in third place.

    “I won the race that I really wanted to after a tricky day on Saturday [for the sprint race],” Piastri said. “To come away with a win is an impressive result. I was aware enough to avoid Max in Turn 1, and I knew I had a pace advantage. I was struggling on the hard tyres, but I had built a gap; there is still stuff to work on. We are constantly learning.

    “Two years ago at Miami we were the slowest team. I think we were lapped twice. Now to have won the Grand Prix by over 35 seconds to third is an unbelievable result.”

    Norris, coming home in second place, had a tough battle with Verstappen. The British driver took a jab at the four-time world champion, making their rivalry one to watch heading into Imola.

    “Max put up a good fight as always, and I paid the price, but it’s the way it is,” Norris said. “What can I say? If I don’t go for it, people complain. If I go for it, people complain, so you can’t win.

    “But it is the way it is with Max; it crashes or doesn’t pass. Unless you get it really right and you put him in the perfect position, then you can just about get there. I paid the price for not doing a good enough job today, but I’m still happy with the second.”

    Photo by DPPI/Shutterstock (15286847l) NORRIS Lando (gbr), McLaren F1 Team MCL39, portrait during the Formula 1 Crypto.com 

    One team desperate for improvement at Imola will be Ferrari, who were way off the pace of even Red Bull and Mercedes at Miami. They weren’t helped by having a ‘team orders’ issue in regard to swapping positions between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

    “Most of the time I say something; today I don’t think I’ll say anything,” Leclerc said. “I think the story is going to be big enough already. We need to do better, that’s for sure. [Miami] was not ideal and was far from maximising our potential, but we’ve got to regroup as a team and be better.”

    The Monegasque added, “I think we should have discussed a little bit more before doing the swap because you’re trying to go to the end with those tyres.

    I’m trying to do a good job with my tyres, and then everything is tricky. I did not expect Carlos [Sainz Jnr] to be so close. All of this made the situation a bit trickier, but I think there’s plenty for us to look at.

    As I said, we need to take a step, and we need to be robust enough that whenever we find ourselves in those situations, we do better.”

  • F1: McLaren duo lead the charge in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

    F1: McLaren duo lead the charge in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

    Oscar Piastri and McLaren, will look to build momentum at the fifth round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will be held at the Jeddah Corniche
    Circuit on the evening of Sunday 20 April.

    Piastri became this season’s first two-race winner, as he took the chequered flag at the Bahrain Grand Prix this past weekend after starting from pole position – adding to his triumph at the
    Chinese Grand Prix.

    As a result, the Australian is now just three points adrift of teammate and Drivers’ Championship standings leader Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two at the top of the log. Max Verstappen, who
    could only manage sixth place in Bahrain, is a further five points back in third place.

    “It’s been an incredible weekend, the car is pretty handy out there – very proud of what I’ve done,” said Piastri after the race. “Bahrain is an important race for us given our owners and it’s never
    been kind for us…
    “You try and get a good restart, I was never going to let that one go. There’ll be a hell of a party, I won’t get involved as I have to race again next week!”

    File photo dated 27-02-2025 of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Issue date: Wednesday March 12, 2025.

    Norris, meanwhile, managed third place in Bahrain despite a penalty for a false start: “I didn’t think I was that far forward [on the starting grid] I guess, tough race made too many mistakes, a messy
    race for me.

    “Disappointed not to bring home a one-two for McLaren. A tough one but a few positives. It was close, good racing throughout, good fun! On the limit, as it should be […]. Congrats to Oscar and
    the whole McLaren team – and I’ll try and step it up for next weekend.”

    The Saudi Arabian GP was first held in 2021, becoming the fifth full-night race title on the F1 calendar after the Singapore, Bahrain, Sakhir and Qatar Grands Prix. The race has been won by
    Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes (2021), as well as Red Bull Racing drivers Max Verstappen (2022 & 2024) and Sergio Perez (2023).

    DStv is your ultimate destination for motorsport fans, while DStv Stream allows viewers to watch their favourite sport live anywhere, any time. Upgrade to DStv Premium to enjoy the fastest sport in
    the world.

    The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is the third-longest track on the F1 calendar behind Spa Francorchamps and the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, and is renowned as the fastest street-style track in
    the sport. The lap record is 1:30.734, set by Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes in 2021.

  • ‘Not at 50’ – Alonso sets retirement limit

    ‘Not at 50’ – Alonso sets retirement limit

    Spain’s Formula One ‘golden oldie’ Fernando Alonso set a date on his retirement on Thursday, saying he won’t be behind the wheel “at 50”.

    The 43-year-old leads Aston Martin into their 100th F1 race on Sunday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with the verve and enthusiasm of a driver half his years.

    The veteran, older than the age of rookies Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman combined, has an open-ended contract at the ambitious team bankrolled by Lawrence Stroll, father of Alonso’s teammate Lance.

    And while recent results may not have been much to right home about, Aston’s project proved appealing enough to lure design guru Adrian Newey over from Red Bull.

    Given their recent lack of form – Alonso’s last podium dates back to 2023 – Aston could do with Newey imbuing some of his magic onto this season’s car.

    But the man whose car design helped Red Bull to 13 titles – six drivers and seven constructors – is purely focusing on 2026 and the next big change in F1’s technical landscape.

    “He’s working only on ’26, and I totally support that,” said Alonso.

    “I want to drive an Adrian-designed car,” he added, when asked how long his familiar grizzled features would be part of the grid.

    “Not at fifty for sure.

    “After 2026, I don’t know – I will go season by season, see how motivated I am.

    “Right now, I am very motivated. Let’s do it until the 2026 and then we’ll sit and talk, and check what is the best for the team.”

    Alonso, preparing for his 51st race with the team he joined in 2023 from Alpine, reflected on “an incredible journey so far”.

    Despite yet to score a point this term he said: “We are a much better team, a much more prepared team to fight for world championships than we were two years ago.

    “Then we had a very small factory, we were using Mercedes’ wind tunnel, and maybe we didn’t have the right people and partners together in the project.

    “So, yeah, the results on track on Sunday are not the same as they were before.

    “But I feel very relaxed, very motivated.

    “And this is just a transition time.”

  • Stakes high at the 22nd round of Formula one in Las Vegas on Sunday

    Stakes high at the 22nd round of Formula one in Las Vegas on Sunday

    Motorsport fans, gear up for the 22nd round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, held at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit on the morning of Sunday 24 November 2024.

    This GP is the first of three race weekends in a row which will bring the 2024 season to a
    conclusion  and offers Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen the first chance to mathematically seal the Drivers’ World Championship ahead of nearest chaser Lando Norris of McLaren.

    All the action will be live on SuperSport on DStv

    Verstappen produced a magnificent drive to win in wet conditions in Brazil early in November – his first victory since the Spanish GP back in June – and knows that there are several scenarios for the ‘Sin City’ race which will see him win a fourth F1 title (the most simple to grasp is if the Dutchman finishes ahead of his rival, or if Norris fails to score.

    “From now, I just want clean races to the end. I’m not thinking about clinching the championship in Vegas or whatever. I just want clean races,” said Verstappen, who will join F1 legends Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel on four titles if and when he seals the Championship triumph.

    McLaren, meanwhile, have insisted that guiding Norris to the Drivers’ title was never ultimately its main target – as it has always been more focused on the Constructors’ crown (the British team holds a 36 and 49 point lead over Ferrari and Red Bull respectively).

    “In terms of the constructors’ championship, I don’t think it changes anything,” said team boss Andrea Stella. “It was always our priority. Even when there was a call to be made to support one driver or the other, it was always secondary to maximising the constructors’ championship.”

    He added, “When it comes to the drivers’ championship, I don’t think for Lando there was any particular pressure. We were enjoying this quest, even though sometimes from the outside it may come across like there is an error here or there maybe.

    “Mathematically we are still in the [drivers’] championship, but I think for Lando and for Oscar, we will go to the next races trying to win the races. The last two venues should be quite good. Vegas will be potentially more of a Ferrari track, and then we will see. It is all to play for, and the constructors’ championship remains and has always been our priority.”

    Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, believes the progress his team has made in their tyre management might actually hinder their chances at the Las Vegas GP.

    “We were very strong [in Vegas] last year, so I hope we can be as strong,” said Leclerc. “It is true also, and I was thinking about that earlier, that this year we’ve done a big step in tyre management, which means that we also left something behind in cold conditions and tyre temperatures just like Sao Paulo was. Las Vegas is a bit of that scenario as well.”So, let’s hope we can work to prepare it properly and be at a good level in Las Vegas. We were very strong last year; the characteristics of the track are better for our car. However, I think it might be a bit trickier for us to put those in the right temperatures.”

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    Las Vegas Grand Prix broadcast details, 22-24 November 2024
    All times EAT

    Sunday 24 November
    09:00: Race – LIVE on SuperSport Grandstand, SuperSport Motorsport and SuperSport
    Maximo 1