Missing F1 already, tune into the F1 Esports finals – here
Round 10, Japan 14 Dec 2022
Round 11, Brazil 15 Dec 2022
Round 12, Abu Dhabi 16 Dec 2022
The Japanese Super Formula Championship is considered the top level of single-seater racing in Japan and regional motorsports in Asia. The series is sanctioned by the Japan Automobile Federation and managed by Japan Race Promotion.
Super Formula is a Japanese open-wheeled racing championship that initially started life as the Japanese Formula 2000 series in 1973. Since then, the championship has evolved into Formula Two, Formula 3000 and its previous guise, Formula Nippon, before becoming Super Formula in 2013.
Racing is closer than most, as all teams currently use the same chassis, supplied by Italian-based company Dallara. Engines for the teams are supplied by either Honda or Toyota, in the form of 2-litre turbocharged units, while tyres are supplied by Yokohama. This closely-matched formula really puts driver talent to the test.
The FIA Formula One Esports Series is a professional esports programme promoted by Formula 1. The programme was created in 2017 to involve the official Formula 1 video game and its community of players, providing a new avenue for greater engagement with the sport of Formula 1.
The championship takes place every year and currently features 10 professional teams. The racing takes place on the official F1 game, and PlayStation, Xbox and PC users can all take part.
Logan Sargeant is an American racing driver, currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Carlin and contracted to Williams F1 Team for 2023 (pending the issuing of a Super License)
F2 Driver for Carlin
Williams Racing Driver Academy Member
F1 Experience – FP1 USGP 2022
DOB – 31 12 2000
Height – 181 cm
Weight – 71 kg
Nationality – American
Follow Logan through his Instagram – here
Álex Palou Montalbo is a Spanish Indycar driver contracted to Chip Ganassi Racing and the winner of the 2021 series championship. He is the first Spanish racing driver to win a National Championship in American open-wheel racing.
Indycar Driver with Chip Ganassi Racing
Indycar Series Champion 2021
F1 experience – FP1 at USGP for McLaren
DOB – 01 04 19917
Height – 180 cm
Weight – 70 kg
Nationality – Spanish
Follow Alex’s through his website – here
Théo Pourchaire is a French racing driver, currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for the ART Grand Prix team. He is currently a member of the Sauber Academy.
Pourchaire started racing in single-seaters in 2018 and won the Junior French F4 Championship.
Théo became an F1Newbie when he took to the track in Valtteri Bottas’s Alfa Romeo C42 for FP1 at Austin Texas and the USA GO 2022.
Follow Théo through his website – here
Robert Shwartzman is a Russo-Israeli racing driver who currently serves as a development driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team.
Robert last competed in the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2020 and 2021 where he finished 4th and 2nd respectively.
Robert became an F1Newbie when he took to the track for FP1 at the USA GP 2022, driving the Ferrari F1-75 of Charles Leclerc.
Follow Robert through his Instagram – here
Marcus Armstrong is a New Zealand motor racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix. He was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy between 2017 and 2021.
F2 Driver for Hitech GP
Not currently a Junior Team Driver
2019 F3 vice champion
DOB – 29-07-2000
Height – 175 cm
Weight – 63 kg
Nationality – New Zealand
Follow Marcus through his website – here
Check out Marcus’s podcast, Sreaming Meals, – here
Cars and drivers must be in the same league to race both effectively and safely on the same track. In 1996, the FIA introduced the 107% rule, and while it has been in and out of the regulations, it is still in play today.
During the first qualifying session (Q1), any driver who does not post a time within 107% of the fastest time will not be able to start the race. Under certain circumstances or track conditions, the race Stewards may allow the car to start the race.
We do not often mention this rule in the current series as the cars and drivers are so closely matched that the field is often separated by only a second or two.
The 107% rule is worked out as follows: Lap time (in seconds) x 107, divided by 100. So it might look something like this: lap time: 1m30s or 90 seconds. 90 x 107 ÷ 100 = 96.3 or 1m36.6 seconds is then the cut off.
It comes after new power unit regulations, designed specifically to make it possible and attractive for newcomers to join the sport at a competitive level, were published earlier this month.
The 2026 power units will maintain the current V6 internal combustion engine architecture but feature increased electrical power and 100% sustainable fuels, two factors Audi say were key to it joining.
Audi – who is part of the Volkswagen Group – added that it also supports F1’s plans to be more sustainable and cost-efficient, with a cost cap for power unit manufacturers introduced in 2023 and F1 setting a target of being Net Zero Carbon by 2030.
Extract from formula1.com – read the full article here
Images from Audi Media Centre – see the full release here
