(Formula1.com)
Max Verstappen (No. 1 Oracle Red Bull Racing) took a masterful victory in a hugely eventful Qatar Grand Prix, a race that featured three Safety Car appearances, numerous incidents and a penalty for Lando Norris (No. 4 McLaren Formula 1 Team) that dropped the Briton down the order after earlier battling for the lead. Having lost pole position following a one-place penalty for an incident in qualifying, Verstappen looked to be in fighting mode from the off, the Dutchman winning a battle for the lead against George Russell (No. 63 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team) and Norris into Turn 1. It was not necessarily a straightforward drive from there, however, with the Safety Car appearing on the first lap after Franco Colapinto (No. 43 Williams Racing) and Esteban Ocon (No. 31 BWT Alpine F1 Team) were both casualties in an incident with Nico Hulkenberg (No. 27 MoneyGram HAAS F1 Team). This proved to be the first of three Safety Car outings during the 57-lap race – and while the second restart saw Norris run close to Verstappen in a fight for the lead, the world champion ultimately held on and remained in the position through to the checkered flag. Norris, meanwhile, saw what looked to be a certain podium result slip away after being handed a 10-second stop/go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags, dropping him down the field and leaving him with a battle on his hands to claim points. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com)
(Genesis images)
Genesis is embarking on an endurance racing program with newly launched Genesis Magma Racing for competition in WEC and IMSA. Genesis Magma Racing will field a two-car entry of Genesis GMR-001 Hypercars in WEC (2026) and IMSA (2027) with support from endurance specialists ORECA Motorsport and IDEC Sport. As part of its preparations, an LMP2 team will compete in the 2025 European Le Mans Series team drivers André Lotterer and Luis ‘Pipo’ Derani. Reflecting Genesis’ forward-thinking design, the GMR-001 Hypercar was developed at Genesis Design Europe under the guidance of Luc Donckerwolke, who commented, “The GMR-001 Hypercar and our Magma models represent a fusion of Genesis’ performance ambitions with our design-driven DNA. From the intense orange of Magma, symbolizing Korean passion and energy, to the precision engineering behind each component, we are entering a new chapter, where speed meets elegance.” Hyundai Motorsport will play an integral role in driving Genesis Magma Racing’s plans in endurance racing. “The official launch of Genesis Magma Racing is a momentous occasion,” said Cyril Abiteboul, President of Hyundai Motorsport GmbH and Team Principal of Genesis Magma Racing. “As the backbone of Hyundai Motor Group’s global motorsport activities, Hyundai Motorsport will play a vital role in this latest ambitious program. We are elevating our circuit racing expertise to a whole new level as we prepare to compete in some of the world’s most challenging series.”
(Photo and copy by AE Special Contributor Whit Bazemore)
Factory Ducati star Pecco Bagnaia, seen here on his way to winning his second World Title in 2023. Hotly tipped as the favorite to win his third title in a row in 2024, he won an incredible 11 GPs, but when he wasn’t winning, he was crashing, handing the title to a more consistent Jorge Martin.
(Photo and copy by AE Special Contributor Whit Bazemore)
Rookie Pedro Acosta was a shining star throughout the 2024 season. No stranger to winning Championships, winning in both Moto3 (2021) and Moto2 (2023), Acosta debuted in MotoGP on the satellite KTM team, Tech3 Racing. His stunning race craft, combined with a Marc Marquez level of fearlessness, quickly made him an almost instant superstar. Moving to the factory KTM team in 2025, Pedro will no doubt become a Championship contender if the KTM is even half as good as the Ducatis. This is Pedro winning in Moto2 during the 2023 season.
Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG
Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG
Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 07:35AM 