In the round-up: The promoter of the US Grand Prix says ticket sales have increased since Max Verstappen’s dominance ended.
In brief
US GP ticket sales up
Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein says that fan interest in the upcoming United States Grand Prix has significantly increased since Verstappen’s dominance of F1 has ended.
“I think we’re in good shape coming up to this grand prix, although the route to get here was a little bit different this year from a fan standpoint, in that our ticket sales really took off when Max stopped winning, and it got more competitive,” Epstein told Racer.
“So I give a lot of credit to our fan base and the audience, and that they really are tuned in, they are educated and and they’re paying attention. And I think it’s exciting to see the season shape up the way it is.”
Lapierre announces retirement
Four-times Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 class winner and two-times World Endurance Championship LMP2 champion Nico Lapierre has announced his immediate retirement as a competition driver and will not see out the remainder of the 2024 WEC season.
Lapierre had been racing with Alpine in the championship, but announced that he has now ceased racing. Lapierre won the Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 class with KCMG and Signatech Alpine and raced in Alpine’s number 36 car this WEC season with Mick Schumacher and Matthieu Vaxiviere. The team finished third in the latest round at Fuji, which would be Lapierre’s final race.
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Links
How shy Aussie kid Ricciardo became F1 golden boy (BBC)
”What you see on the TV of Daniel today, he was exactly the same as a kid. He was always laughing and having a good time, and if things didn’t go right for him, he still had a smile on his face. That in itself is a special talent.”
The NHL is getting its own Drive to Survive. But could it backfire? (The Guardian)
‘As much as the soul of Faceoff, like Drive to Survive, rests in reality TV, it will inevitably be shaped by the logic of social media. This is surely part of its appeal to the NHL, seeking, as F1 did, an ever-increasing fanbase. But social media, a hyper-individualised space where truth is measured in engagement rather than honesty, bends reality in a way that will inevitably force the NHL to ponder the value of its bargain.’
Why Formula 1 is the ultimate test bed for Pirelli’s passenger tyres (Tyre Review)
Mario Isola: ”We’re talking about road cars that exceed 300kph, which creates an additional challenge for Pirelli. In Formula 1 and various GT championships, we reach and exceed these speeds. At these speeds, we analyse the behaviour of the tires under aerodynamic load and centrifugal force. We also evaluate standing waves and their impact on the tyre’s integrity. For the new Formula 1 cars expected in 2026, straight-line speeds will increase with more refined aerodynamics and reduced drag. The testing of tyre resistance at these speeds is primarily done on indoor machines, where we can reach speeds up to 450kph, much higher than what we achieve on the track.”
F1 domination: Why 1992 was Nigel Mansell’s greatest year in racing (Motor Sport)
”Nigel was gagging for it at the beginning of the season. He’d obviously primed himself over the winter, and never let up. The active car was quick immediately. There was obviously an advantage in it and, as ever with Nigel, if there was an advantage, he’d adopt it and get on with it.”
This Renault Espace has an 800bhp F1 V10 engine! (DriveTribe via YouTube)
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