Seven factors to expect when F1 returns (Part 1)

A lot of changes are created when F1 comes back, but the attractive and fierce competition will not go away.

F1 was still taking place when Covid-19 was still raging in many countries. Fans will witness F1 completely different in many respects, starting with the Red Bull Ring race. Teams are limited in personnel, causing team members to be self-sufficient in many aspects. The paddock area will be much more deserted before and after the race. Members must protect themselves, minimize the risk of infection.

The audience watching the television will see the difference when the riders prepare to start, when they go to the podium to celebrate the victory and the interview. But when the five red lights turned off, the riders started and made fans goosebumps with dramatic chases.

Technically, the competition between teams is even more unpredictable in the current context. Pre-season test weeks took place four months ago and fans may have forgotten the results at that time. Teams also took advantage of the break to improve the cars. The first two test races (P1, P2) in Austria tomorrow 3/7 will reveal the strength of the teams.

The Red Bull Ring will see how Mercedes’ “three-dimensional steering system” works. During the pre-season test week, Mercedes’ discovery was the most significant. The Melbourne track in Australia may not be the right place for a “three-dimensional steering wheel”. But with the long straight lines in the Red Bull Ring, Mercedes can unleash the power of this system. And if they succeed, will the other teams protest?

Four months off is not enough for the teams to imitate Mercedes’ three-dimensional steering system, but it is enough for them to make significant improvements to the cars. Mercedes has announced they have greatly upgraded the W11.

Renault revealed that fans would find the R.S.20 completely different. Red Bull also improved the aerodynamics and upgraded Honda engines. Ferrari did not significantly change parts until the Hungarian leg. The Red Bull Ring results will show which team has improved the car better over the past four months.

Racing in the world struggling because of COVID-19 pandemic (Part 2)

Another race at the Nevers Magny-Cours racetrack, France, is scheduled to take place by the end of September but has been pushed back a week to avoid conflicts with the new racing schedule from MotoGP.

Thus, according to the newly scheduled racing schedule, the second official stage of the year will take place after the opening stage to 1 and a half months, in Assen, Netherlands on April 17-19. However, with the complicated disease situation in Europe at present, the upcoming races will almost certainly be announced to be postponed or canceled.

Formula E 2019-20 pauses for the next 3 months

Next is Formula E, the tournament is “at the top” in the number of races that must be canceled in the current 2019-20 season. Initially, two races in Sanya, mainland China (held March 21) and Rome, Italy (April 4) were now two major outbreaks of the current COVID-19, so the organizers quickly announced the cancellation of the above two events. But recently, things have gotten worse and Formula E has announced the cancellation of events in the following months.

The tournament presented a system of green, yellow and red flag signals to determine each stage and time period to restart the season as well as evaluate the reorganization of postponed or canceled races.

That means the first race in Seoul, South Korea and the event in Paris, France will be excluded from this year’s schedule.

In addition, Jakarta ePrix (June 6) was supposed to be moved to a new venue after the Federal Secretary of Jakarta rejected an offer to organize around the National Monument historic site, but later. This decision is reversed and allows further organization. But, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging, this race will also suffer the same fate with the above 4 races.

IndyCar delayed/canceled the first 4 stages of the season 2020

Thus, the 14-race season of Formula E now has only 9 races and a 4-month break between the race just took place in Marrakesh, Morocco (February 29) and the upcoming Berlin ePrix (June 21). The tournament will then arrive in New York City on July 11 before the season is expected to end with two consecutive legs in London on 25-26 / 07 to.

In addition, the WEC endurance race season 8-20-20 season canceled the 1000-mile Sebring (USA) route on March 20 due to US entry restriction orders imposed on Europe due to COVID-19. The remaining two sections of the season, ‘6 am at Spa-Francorchamps’ on April 25 and 24h Le Mans (June 13-14) have also been officially delayed.

Car racing is now available for Saudi women after the ban was lifted

Riding the steering wheel on a sleek electric SUV, Reema Juffali was the first woman to compete in a men’s-only race in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia lifted its only ban on women driving in the world last June, as part of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s policy to liberalize driving.

After the decades-long ban was lifted, Juffali, 27, became the first Saudi woman to race in the country and was considered by the organizers to be a “VIP” guest driver. She competed in the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy electric car race in Diriyah, near the capital Riyadh, on November 22 and 23.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi Sports Minister, called this a “turning point” of the Islamic kingdom. “As a professional rider, Juffali will have thousands of people cheering for the competition,” he said.

Juffali first attended racing at the F4 Championship in England in April, just after a year of professional training. But Juffali has had a passion for speed racing since she was a teenager and enjoyed watching Formula One races.

She obtained a car driver’s license while studying abroad in the US and is now one of the few Saudi women who have a driving license in her home country, required to participate in professional races. Even in other countries, only a few Saudi women are racing professionally.

Juffali said she dreams of participating in a one-day race at Le Mans, France, one of the most prestigious and challenging tournaments in the world. In Riyadh, Juffali will compete on par with the professional riders last season.

However, Mr Mohammed also faces criticism surrounding the crackdown on dissidents. Many activists who campaigned for women’s driving rights were brought to trial last year. Some sources claim that they were tortured or sexually interrogated by interrogators, but Saudi officials denied this.

The driving reform has changed many Saudi women, helping them reduce their dependence on private drivers or relatives and seize the opportunity to participate in racing, a tournament that was previously only available to men.

Many people think that only cars with eye-catching colors will attract female drivers. However, the business revealed many “pit” like Chevrolet Camaro or Mustang convertibles are favored by women, despite the launch of the Cherry Red Mini Coopers to target female customers.

Some women are also practicing driving motorbikes at a vocational school in Riyadh, a scene that is still unusual in the oil nation.