Browsing: Dakar Rally News

WEC

Toyota Gazoo Racing has announced an unchanged driver line-up for its 2025 World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign, as the Japanese manufacturer looks to build on its recent success in the Hypercar class. The #7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar will again be driven by the formidable trio of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Nyck de Vries, who will be looking to defend their title.

Ferrari faced a challenging weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with their drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggling to match the pace of their rivals in the wet conditions. Despite recent success, the Prancing Horse was unable to find the right setup to handle the treacherous Interlagos track, leaving the team perplexed and determined to regroup for the remaining races of the season.

Mercedes driver George Russell has lent his support to the proposal for a dedicated sprint race for rookie Formula 1 drivers, but reigning World Champion Max Verstappen is less convinced about the idea. The F1 Commission is set to discuss the concept at the end of September, with the suggestion being to host a televised race for drivers who have competed in two or fewer Grands Prix.

In the thrilling world of the Dakar Rally, Mercedes has revealed the reasons behind their decision to retire George Russell’s car during the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The team’s Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, disclosed that the retirement was a preventative measure to avoid further damage to Russell’s power unit, despite the young Briton running in a strong fourth position at the time.

In the recent British Grand Prix, Ferrari’s strategic gamble to pit Charles Leclerc for Intermediates backfired, costing the Monegasque driver a chance to rebound from a disappointing qualifying performance. The team’s decision was influenced by Leclerc’s track position, but it ultimately proved to be the wrong call, leaving the Formula 1 team unable to mount a comeback in the remaining laps.

In a recent Dakar Rally news update, McLaren has expressed no concerns over Lando Norris retracting his comments regarding his collision with Formula 1 rival Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix. McLaren CEO Zak Brown praised Norris’ handling of the situation and revealed the team’s discussions with the young driver were focused on moving on and ensuring his full attention is on the upcoming British Grand Prix at Silverstone.