Daniel Ricciardo completes a single installation lap with Red Bull’s new ‘aeroscreen’ canopy.
Month: April 2016
In 2011, 19-year-old Nic Hamilton dreamed of following his brother Lewis into motor racing, we meet Nic’s team.
It’s the Russian Grand Prix and, of course, Dany Kvyat is the star attraction at his home race. As such Dany spent Wednesday meeting the press and, given the location, continued his tradition of sampling the venues created for the XXII Winter Games by learning all things Bobsleigh.
With China’s growth slowing, ruthless competition and virtually no brand recognition, French carmaker Renault is banking on SUVs and X-Men and Transformers actress Fan Bingbing as it confronts an uphill struggle to break into the world’s biggest car market.
Europe’s third largest carmaker acknowledged it was coming late to the party when it opened its first factory in China this week — years after Japanese behemoth Toyota and US giant General Motors.
“It’s a tricky situation for Renault,” Jia Xinguang, chief analyst at China Automotive Industry Consulting, told AFP. “About five or six years ago the Chinese market was very lively but conditions are worse and the competition is cut-throat.
“Another thing is that the Renault brand isn’t well-known.”
Having shifted only 15 000 vehicles in China last year — a tiny fraction of the 24 million that hit the roads — the company knows it has its work cut to become a household name.
“There might be a lack of awareness. The Chinese may have heard people talking about it [Renault], but they don’t know anything about it, there aren’t that many of them on the road and they don’t know anyone in their circle who drives one,” said Jacques Daniel, CEO of its $1.2-billion joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng.
Renault’s involvement with Formula 1 races in Shanghai has helped increase brand recognition in China, although pronunciation of the company name in Mandarin is “Lei nuo”.
VET: “If I keep going in the same line, we crash”
KVY: “Well don’t keep going…”
Romain Grosjean is sponsored by the Danish bank Saxo Bank.
Chinese Saxo Bank CEO Echo Zhao writes on Facebook:
An exclusive event for Saxo clients with Romain Grosjean in Shanghai. And yes, I did sing for him in both French & Chinese. Happy Birthday, Romain! And good luck with your racing on your birthday tomorrow.
Nico Rosberg continues his winning streak in China. But Red Bull and Ferrari have caught up with Mercedes. An exciting race ahead. The Hondas are looking to challenge Williams, Toro Rosso and Force India. And how far will the young lions Verstappen and Wehrlein go?
Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Iannone were joined by Kevin Schwantz for a once in a life time oppurtunity with NASA.
Ferrari will receive more money than any other team in Formula 1 for its 2015 performance despite finishing second in the championship, Autosport can reveal.
Formula One Management collates revenues from hosting fees, media rights and other streams such as trackside sponsorship and hospitality.
The 2015 total was $965m and this will be distributed across 10 teams through nine monthly payments from April with a final “check” payment – when definitive revenues have been calculated – early in 2017.
The table above details the split, divulged to Autosport in Bahrain, and shows how F1 disproportionately awards its revenues.
All the very best clips from a fantastic weekend of racing at the #ArgentinaGP.