SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit

SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
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Updated 30 November 2024
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SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit

SAL Jeddah GT 2024 race continues at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
  • Second qualifying session for Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe continues on Saturday
  • Benjamin Lariche and Robert Consani from Team Speedcar crowned as winners of the first race

RIYADH: The SAL Jeddah GT 2024 is set for another entertaining day at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Saturday, with the second qualifying session for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, supported by AWS, starting at 11:45 a.m.

The session lasts one hour in preparation for the official six-hour, 1,000-km race starting at 5 p.m. Additionally, the second race of the European GT4 Series, supported by Club Raffa Racing, will begin at 2:15 p.m., lasting one hour.

Organized by the Saudi Auto and Motorcycle Federation, or SAMF, and the Saudi Motorsports Company under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sports, the race began on Friday in the presence of Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, who is also chairman of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, chairman of the board of directors of SAMF and the Saudi Motorsports Company, crowned Benjamin Lariche and Robert Consani from Team Speedcar as winners of the first race.

They were followed by Alex Denning and Thomas Emson from Elite Motorsport in second place, just 3.472 seconds behind. Their teammates, Joshua Rattican and Thomas Lepinon, finished third, 2.117 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Team Spirit of Le Mans came fourth, and Les Places Biavenoy was ranked fifth.

In the Pro-Am category, AFR-Avatar clinched first place, ranking seventh overall, while Raison Moon secured second place, followed by Mirage in third. In the amateur category, Schumacher CLRT claimed first place, ranking 16th overall, followed by NM Racing in second (20th overall) and EV in third.

The gates for fans opened at 10 a.m., offering various entertainment zones, children’s play areas, interactive games and virtual reality experiences.


Rashid Al-Dhaheri does the double at Yas Marina Circuit

Rashid Al-Dhaheri does the double at Yas Marina Circuit
Updated 08 December 2024
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Rashid Al-Dhaheri does the double at Yas Marina Circuit

Rashid Al-Dhaheri does the double at Yas Marina Circuit

ABU DHABI: Yas Heat Racing Ambassador and Mumbai Falcons Racing’s Rashid Al-Dhaheri again dominated the field at Yas Marina Circuit and claimed his second win of the Formula 4 Middle East Trophy Round.

With an assured drive from lights out to checkered flag, the masterclass by the Emirati racer put him easily ahead of the chasing Evans GP duo of Kai Daryanani and Reno Francot in P2 and P3, respectively.

Yas Heat Racing’s August Raber bagged P4, with teammate Adam Al-Azhari finishing in P6 in a strong weekend performance for the team.

Emily Cotty’s run of misfortune continued into Race 2, with an early retirement on Lap 4.


F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling dominates again in race two at Yas Marina Circuit

F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling dominates again in race two at Yas Marina Circuit
Updated 08 December 2024
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F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling dominates again in race two at Yas Marina Circuit

F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling dominates again in race two at Yas Marina Circuit

ABU DHABI: F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling added to her points tally with another assured victory — her ninth of the series — after taking the top spot for the second time today at Yas Marina Circuit.

Crossing the finish line under safety car conditions, Chloe Chambers bagged the second step on the podium, finishing five-tenths of a second ahead of Hamda Al-Qubaisi’s Red Bull.

Dorian Pin finished in P4, followed by Maya Wueg, Nerea Marti and Bianca Bustamente.

The F1 Academy drivers will return to the track tomorrow morning for the final race of the 2024 season at 11:15 a.m.


Gabriel Bortoleto targets F2 championship crown in Abu Dhabi ahead of F1 graduation

Gabriel Bortoleto targets F2 championship crown in Abu Dhabi ahead of F1 graduation
Updated 07 December 2024
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Gabriel Bortoleto targets F2 championship crown in Abu Dhabi ahead of F1 graduation

Gabriel Bortoleto targets F2 championship crown in Abu Dhabi ahead of F1 graduation
  • The Brazilian driver will race for Kick Sauber in Formula 1 next year

ABU DHABI: The 2024 FIA Formula 2 season has been one of numerous twists and turns, with championship contenders coming and going. Heading into this final weekend at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, there is a clear two-horse race between one driver confirmed to graduate to Formula 1 in 2025, and another with sights on his own promotion.
Similar to his 2023 rookie title success in Formula 3, Gabriel Bortoleto’s consistency was key to his elevation up the drivers’ standings, despite a challenging start to the year. The Invicta Racing driver, who will race for Kick Sauber in F1 next year, suffered three consecutive retirements in the Jeddah feature race, and both Australia outings due to collision damage and mechanical failure, stunting his early momentum.
Bortoleto’s response was impressive, however. Feature race wins in Austria and Monza in Italy, the latter a stunning last-to-first comeback victory, propelled the Brazilian driver into title contention. He is the in-form driver on the grid, and will look to follow in the footsteps of Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri in immediately following his FIA F3 crown with the F2 title before focusing on his F1 debut.
Bortoleto’s closest challenger for the F2 title is Frenchman Isack Hadjar. The Red Bull junior driver has experienced contrasting fortunes to his rival, with four feature race wins — more than any driver — and looked to be racing towards the title earlier in the year. But the Campos driver only accumulated points in three of the last 10 races before the long break, ahead of the final two weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Should he return to form this weekend and claim the crown, he will certainly have staked his claim for his own F1 graduation with Red Bull sister team RB.
The Italian PREMA Racing squad, typically contending at the top of the Teams’ Championship and producing numerous F1 drivers, has struggled to get the best of the new FIA F2 car introduced in 2024. Its two drivers, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, both headed for F1 next year, have been unable to fully demonstrate their abilities.
Antonelli’s two feature race wins, and Bearman’s two sprint race wins, are the grand total of the team’s success in 2024. The team will hope to sign off its season on a positive note this weekend, however, much like last year when Frederik Vesti took Sprint Race victory at Yas Marina Circuit.


Brad Pitt turns heads at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while filming F1 blockbuster

Brad Pitt turns heads at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while filming F1 blockbuster
Updated 07 December 2024
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Brad Pitt turns heads at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while filming F1 blockbuster

Brad Pitt turns heads at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while filming F1 blockbuster
  • Pitt was spotted at the Yas Marina Circuit during Friday’s practice sessions

ABU DHABI: Hollywood megastar Brad Pitt brought a touch of cinematic glamor to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend as he continued filming scenes for the highly anticipated movie “F1,” set to hit cinemas in June next year.

Pitt was spotted at the Yas Marina Circuit during Friday’s practice sessions, wearing a white racing jumpsuit as he posed with teams and filmed scenes alongside co-star Damson Idris.

The pair were photographed with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc, with the Spanish driver sharing selfies featuring Pitt, Idris, Leclerc and Ferrari team members, captioned: “Look who photobombed our team pic.”

In the film, Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a fictional 1990s F1 driver who makes a dramatic return to the track after a career-ending crash to mentor rookie Joshua Pearce, played by Idris.

The movie contains a stellar ensemble cast, including Javier Bardem, Sarah Niles, Kerry Condon and Tobias Menzies, with Joseph Kosinski directing. Adding authenticity, seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer are among the project’s key drivers.

The film blends the real-world of Formula 1 through fictional storytelling and the help of all 10 F1 teams. Real-life drivers such as Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez and Sainz appear as themselves, adding an extra layer of authenticity.

Pitt underwent rigorous training to master the high-speed vehicles used in the film. “He’s an amazing driver,” Bruckheimer said. “Some of the F1 drivers said he’s a natural athlete. He really is.”

Following a teaser trailer in July, fans have eagerly awaited more glimpses of F1, with  continued filming at real races, including a high-profile shoot during the Las Vegas Grand Prix.


Norris takes pole for season-ending Abu Dhabi GP and Hamilton 18th in Mercedes farewell

Norris takes pole for season-ending Abu Dhabi GP and Hamilton 18th in Mercedes farewell
Updated 07 December 2024
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Norris takes pole for season-ending Abu Dhabi GP and Hamilton 18th in Mercedes farewell

Norris takes pole for season-ending Abu Dhabi GP and Hamilton 18th in Mercedes farewell
  • While Norris couldn’t stop Max Verstappen retaining the drivers’ title, he said winning the constructors’ championship with McLaren means a lot
  • Norris has been with McLaren since his F1 debut in 2019 and didn’t win a race until this year

ABU DHABI: McLaren’s 26-year wait for a Formula 1 constructors’ title could soon be over. Lewis Hamilton’s time with Mercedes is set to end on a low.
Lando Norris took pole position for the last Formula 1 race of the season Saturday alongside teammate Oscar Piastri to put McLaren on the verge of winning the lucrative prize for teams for the first time since 1998.
While Norris couldn’t stop Max Verstappen retaining the drivers’ title, he said winning the constructors’ championship with McLaren means a lot.
“It was hard just to break that barrier of getting close to Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, because for such a long period of time they’ve been the guys who have dominated Formula 1,” he said.
Norris has been with McLaren since his F1 debut in 2019 and didn’t win a race until this year. He said Saturday that he’d had offers over that time from teams that could have given him a shot at winning races earlier, but he wanted to stay and turn around McLaren, one of F1’s most storied teams.
“I had those opportunities, but I believed and I wanted to simply do it with McLaren. I wanted to do it with the guys who gave me my opportunity in Formula 1,” he said.
Norris’ last lap made him .209 of a second faster than Piastri, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. .020 further back. Nico Hulkenberg was a surprise fourth for Haas — but later got a three-place grid penalty for overtaking in the pit exit tunnel — and champion Max Verstappen fifth.
Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc was 14th in the second part of qualifying and already has a 10-place grid penalty, likely ending Ferrari’s hopes of overhauling McLaren’s 21-point lead in the constructors’ standings.
It was always a “mission impossible” for Ferrari to win the title even before Leclerc hit problems, Sainz said, “but until the checkered flag comes down tomorrow, anything can happen and I’m going to keep fighting for whatever comes.”
The constructors’ title comes with a big financial reward for teams. The prize money varies but is typically worth around $140 million.
Hamilton’s misfortune
Seven-time F1 champion Hamilton is set to start his last race with Mercedes from 18th on the grid after a bizarre incident wrecked his final qualifying lap.
A plastic pole marking the inside of a corner was knocked loose by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and Hamilton drove over it, leaving the object jammed under his Mercedes.
Hamilton was already among the slowest in the first part of qualifying and he was eliminated shortly after.
“I messed that up big time, guys,” Hamilton told the team over the radio.
Hamilton is moving to Ferrari for 2025 after 12 years with Mercedes, where he won six drivers’ titles.
His 246th and last race with Mercedes comes in a season in which Hamilton has won twice — including an emotional victory at his home British Grand Prix — but also been frustrated by a run of poor results. Hamilton has been largely outclassed by his teammate George Russell in recent races and struggled with penalties and a puncture last week in Qatar.
The newest driver on the grid in Abu Dhabi, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, qualified last on debut after replacing Esteban Ocon ahead of a full season with Alpine next year.