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[motorsport] Kyle Larson on NASCAR Next Gen car: "I'm ready to race it"
Larson, who won the 2021 season finale at Phoenix – and his first NASCAR Cup Series championship – not quite three months ago, led the way in average lap speed (131.728 mph) on Tuesday, the first day of a scheduled two-day test of the Next Gen car at the track. And while the Next Gen car is a wholesale change from NASCAR cars of years past, Larson found his first day testing not totally out ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Results: Larson tops the speed charts in Phoenix test
Phoenix, which will once again host the title-decider for all three national divisions this year, is a critical track to get right for teams this season as they become acclimated with the Next Gen car. During the first day of on-track session, the only incident involved Kyle Busch when he went spinning at the exit of Turn 4. The car was undamaged in the slide. Teams are running the ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Next Gen testing gets underway at Phoenix, Busch spins
Phoenix is a critical track on the NASCAR calendar, playing host to the season finale where the final four drivers in the playoffs battle it out for the championship. NASCAR will utilize a 670-horsepower package at all tracks with the exception of superspeedways and the newly reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway. Read Also: NASCAR confirms high horsepower/low downforce aero ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] WRC Monte Carlo: The Good, the Bad and the battle of the GOATs
Top Performer - Sebastien Loeb and Isabelle Galmiche After coming out on top in the battle of the WRC’s greatest of all-time, Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Isabelle Galmiche fully warrant the top performer status. At 47-years-old, even the nine-time champion questioned if he can still be competitive in brand new hybrid WRC machinery in his backyard, just days after contesting a gruelling ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] M-Sport to field fourth WRC Puma for Bertelli in Sweden
Rally Sweden organisers have released the entry list for the snow rally, to be held from 24-27 February, featuring 11 Rally1 cars including four Pumas. M-Sport ran four cars at least weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally with its fourth entry piloted by nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb and Isabelle Galmiche winning the event. The British squad confirmed to Motorsport.com that it ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] NASCAR reveals stricter penalty system for 2022
NASCAR's updated penalty system includes much harsher consequences for violations, including the revoking of playoff eligibility. The updated L1 - L3 penalty structure comes just before the official introduction of the Next Gen car. Read Also: How some "old school NASCAR" got Next Gen back on track NASCAR: Next Gen ready "to put on a good show" at Daytona Steve ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] M-Sport keen to extend Loeb WRC deal after Monte success
Loeb and co-driver Isabelle Galmiche combined to pull off a sensational win over reigning champion Sebastien Ogier and new co-driver Benjamin Veillas, following a final stage decider on Sunday. The nine-time champion's WRC return came through a one-event deal with M-Sport Ford to pilot a fourth Puma at Monte Carlo, with Loeb admitting pre-event that it could potentially be his only outing for ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Petrucci opens up on pre-Dakar KTM "issues" as 2022 plans change
Having lost his Tech 3 KTM ride in MotoGP at the end of 2021, bringing to an end a 10-year stint in the premier class of grand prix racing that yielded two wins, Petrucci made a radical career shift to rallying and a maiden Dakar campaign with the Austrian manufacturer. Despite numerous injury woes and an early technical issue, Petrucci stunned when he took victory in the fifth stage of the ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Monte Carlo success a "dream start" to WRC's new era for M-Sport
The British squad scored its first WRC win since Rally GB in 2018 as Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Isabelle Galmiche managed to hold off Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier after an intense four-day battle. It also marked a successful debut for the new Ford Puma Rally1 the team has poured its limited resources into over the last 18 months amid several challenges for the operation and the effects of the ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Ogier: “Fate” decided Monte Carlo WRC battle for the ages with Loeb
The eight-time world champion appeared to be on course to claim a ninth Monte Carlo win before suffering a front left puncture on the penultimate stage, which turned a 24.6s lead over Sebastien Loeb into a 9.5s deficit. Ogier produced arguably the drive of the rally to take nine seconds out of Loeb on the final Power Stage, but incurred a 10s jump start penalty that dented hopes of denying Loeb ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] NASCAR Hall of Fame inducts Earnhardt, Stefanik and Farmer
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Sr. became the seventh father-son duo in the NASCAR Hall of Fame after Junior's induction on Friday night. Dale Sr. was part of the inaugural class in 2010. Earnhardt Jr., 47, was introduced by his wife Amy. “My eyes are already watering," he said as he accepted the honor. He then congratulated his fellow inductees and invited Farmer onto his podcast, the Dale ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Loeb: Monte Carlo WRC win over Ogier “one of my best memories”
The nine-time world champion came through an epic four-day head-to-head fight with eight-time champion Ogier to claim his 80th WRC win, arriving a decade after winning his last championship. Loeb, driving for M-Sport Ford in a one-event deal, was fast from the outset in the new Rally1 hybrid Puma, pushing Toyota’s Ogier hard. The 47-year-old took the lead on Friday after winning four of ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] WRC Monte Carlo: Loeb beats Ogier to win in epic battle
The two WRC legends waged a rally-long battle for victory with the lead changing hands across four brutal days of competition as the WRC ushered in its new Rally1 hybrid era. Ultimately the rally was decided in a final stage shootout, after Loeb was handed a 9.5s lead when Toyota’s Ogier suffered a front-left puncture on the penultimate test. Loeb and co-driver Isabelle Galmiche kept their ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] WRC Monte Carlo: Loeb reclaims lead as Ogier suffers puncture
The nine-time champion faced a 24.6s deficit heading into Stage 16 after Ogier extended his overnight 21.1s lead on Stage 15, but the M-Sport driver was handed a lifeline when drama struck his rival. Ogier picked up a front left puncture running through La Penne/Collongues 2, 19.37km stage that saw the eight-time world champion’s lead evaporate and hopes of a ninth Monte Carlo win severely ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Hyundai retires unwell Solberg at WRC Monte Carlo due to fume issue
The Swede, who started Sunday's action in 48th place overall, managed to complete the first stage of the final day before Hyundai confirmed it would retire the entry, with both driver and co-driver Elliott Edmondson unwell. Hyundai has been battling an exhaust fume issue on Solberg’s i20 N since Friday when he reported that the fumes were making him feel dizzy and suffer chest pains. The ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Tony Stewart to join FOX Sports booth for Daytona 500/Clash
During the San Francisco 49ers/Green Bay Packers NFL playoff game, FOX Sports announced the addition of Stewart to the broadcast booth next month. Stewart, 50, will join Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer in the booth for inaugural running of the Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, as well as the 64th running of the Daytona 500. Stewart replaces Jeff Gordon, who left his position in the ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Evans “pretty frustrated” to lose WRC Monte Carlo podium shot to mistake
The Toyota driver was well placed to pocket valuable points, sitting in third behind teammate Sebastien Ogier and M-Sport’s Sebastien Loeb, both of whom will not be contesting a full season in the WRC. After winning the day’s first stage, Evans set a blistering pace through the infamous Sisteron stage before misjudging a right-hand corner on the dry asphalt. It resulted in his new GR Yaris ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Tanak retires from Monte Carlo as Hyundai’s “tough” WRC Rally1 debut worsens
The Korean marque endured a day to forget as all three of its drivers struck trouble during Saturday’s five stages, leaving only two cars remaining to fight for the minor points paying positions. After starting the day in fifth, Tanak was forced to retire from the action following an eventful morning loop of stages where he suffered two punctures and a crash. The 2019 world champion ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Ogier "cannot relax" in intense WRC Monte Carlo battle with Loeb
Ogier will take a 21.1s lead into Sunday’s final four stages after overhauling Loeb’s 9.9s advantage as the two WRC greats went head-to-head for the third consecutive day. Two stage wins from the three morning stages helped Ogier place his Toyota GR Yaris ahead Loeb’s M-Sport Ford Puma as the latter struggled to make his super soft tyres last across the day. After Stage 10 the pair was ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] WRC Monte Carlo: Ogier pulls clear of Loeb heading into final day
Reigning world champion Ogier extended his lead to 21.1s over nine-time world champion Loeb having started the day 9.9s behind the M-Sport Ford driver. Ogier moved back into the lead after winning two of the three morning stages before a stunning drive on the day’s last test, in tricky snow, ice and dry conditions, catapulted the eight-time champion into a healthy lead. M-Sport’s Craig ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Solberg: Fumes, concentration lapse caused WRC Monte Carlo off
The WRC rookie, competing in his first outing as a full Hyundai factory driver, has been battling a fuel fume issue with his new Rally1 i20 N that first emerged on Friday. Solberg revealed that exhaust fumes entering the cockpit left him feeling dizzy and with pains in his chest, but has continued to fight on. Hyundai deputy team director Julien Moncet confirmed to Mmotorsport.com on Friday ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] WRC Monte Carlo: Ogier back ahead of Loeb as drama strikes Evans
Ogier showed his class to turn a 9.9s overnight deficit to Loeb into a 5.4s lead, after winning two of the three morning stages, including a masterful display on the snow and ice of stage 11. Loeb was unable to match his countryman in all three stages and after Stage 10 the multiple world champions held identical overall rally times, before Ogier blitzed the final morning test. M-Sport’s ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Hyundai working to fix 'scary' Rally1 WRC car after Monte Carlo issues
The Korean marque has faced a challenging start to the new hybrid Rally1 era as a series of issues have stymied the new i20 N on its competitive debut at this weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally. Hyundai made a slow start on Thursday with all three of its cars well adrift of their M-Sport Ford and Toyota rivals. While progress was made on extracting pace throughout Friday, all three of its drivers ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Greensmith now able to “prove” his speed with new WRC Puma package
The M-Sport driver clinched a first stage win of his WRC career in style by beating multiple world champions Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier in their backyard in Monte Carlo. Greensmith has emerged as one of the star performers from the opening two days of WRC’s Rally1 hybrid era having quickly gelled with the new M-Sport-built Puma. The 25-year-old threatened the leading stage times on ...Keep readingView the full article
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[motorsport] Loeb surprised to be leading Monte Carlo Rally on WRC return
The nine-time champion quickly acclimatised to the WRC’s new hybrid era aided by a strong debut performance from the much anticipated M-Sport-built Ford Puma. Loeb won four of Friday's six stages to transform an overnight 6.7s deficit to reigning world champion Sebastien Ogier into a 9.9s lead heading into Saturday. The duo that share 15 Monte Carlo wins between them have the luxury of being ...Keep readingView the full article