In the round-up: Two-times Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi believes Fernando Alonso has many years left in the world championship
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In brief
Alonso has another six years in him, says Fittipaldi
Fernando Alonso can continue to race competitively for at least another six years, his fellow two-times world champion Emerson Fittipaldi believes.
The Aston Martin driver, who has finished third in every race so far this year, will turn 42 in July. Fittipaldi, who raced well into his forties in America’s CART IndyCar series after retiring from F1, believes Alonso can replicate what he did.
“I won my last race in the United States at the age of 47 and Alonso can reach that age at a high level,” Fittipaldi told AS. “He is physically very well and is hungry for victory.”
Despite Red Bull’s dominant start to the season, Fittipaldi said Alonso will be “one of the favorites” to win in Monaco next month, due to the unusually tight nature of the circuit. “The [Red Bull drivers] will also go very strong in Monaco but it is obvious that Fernando will have his options,” said Fittipaldi. “He can win if he is lucky.”
Cassidy’s Buemi rant just “driver frustration” says Filippi
Envision Formula E team principal Sylvain Filippi has dismissed complaints by driver Nick Cassidy about team mate Sebastian Buemi as just “a bit of driver frustration”.
Cassidy complained about his team mate over the radio in Sunday’s practice session after he felt Buemi compromised his final timed lap. “That was really kind of Seb,” Cassidy said sarcastically. “What a great team mate.”
Asked during qualifying about Cassidy’s radio message, Filippi said it reflected the pressures on his drivers as they are in position to fight for poles and race wins.
“I think [it’s] a bit of driver frustration,” he said. “I think, in a way, when you have the car to win races and win championships, obviously the stakes are higher and there’s a bit of frustration sometimes.
“We’ve been there before. It’s our job to calm things down and then make sure they’re focussed on the job. But I would much rather that in a quick car than the other way around . So we’ll manage it.”
Cassidy won yesterday’s second Eprix in Berlin after Buemi suffered damage and fell near the back of the field.
FREC racer Fitzgerald suffers fractured vertebrae due to sausage kerb
Formula Regional European Championship racer Adam Fitzgerald suffered three fractured vertebrae after hitting a sausage kerb in the opening race of the weekend in Imola on Saturday.
The R-P-M driver finished the race in 22nd place despite bouncing over the sausage kerb, which team principal Keith Donegan claimed launched his driver “maybe 1.3-1.4 metres in the air”.
“Adam has three fractured vertebrae in his back,” Donegan told Formula Scout. “He hit the first sausage and went maybe half a metre, and then even more I’d say, maybe 1.3, 1.4 metres in the air because he hit the first sausage and then the second one launched him.”
It is the latest in a series of injuries in single-seater racing connected to the controversial kerbs. W Series racer Abbie Eaton suffered similar injuries after being launched over a kerb at Circuit of the Americas in 2021 and F2 driver Sean Galael also injured on a kerb during a race at Circuit de Catalunya.
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
“The actor, 59, has got special permission to complete the first parade lap at Silverstone against the likes of F1 ace Lewis Hamilton as he films his latest blockbuster.”
Ricciardo: ‘having time off helped me forget a bit of the last two years’ (Top Gear)
“I knew this was going to be a risk obviously removing myself from a seat. But I think it’s clear what I don’t want. I don’t want (just) any seat next year, as much as I think I want to be racing again. I don’t want to just start from zero, and kind of build my career from scratch. It’s not coming from an arrogant place. But I’m just past that.”
Ritomo Miyata’s long-awaited first victory! (Super Formula)
TOM’s driver Ritomo Miyata took his first Super Formula race victory in round three in Suzuka.
Detroit Grand Prix to bring new revolutionary green pledges to Motor City (Detroit Free Press)
“Our goal is to become one of the most sustainable and environmentally conscious events in Michigan, not just this year but every year moving forward.”
“I don’t know of other plans outside of that yet, but at least having the (seat) insert ready to go and all that for if something does come up for a test. So I’m excited about that. It’s exciting, and I look forward to hopefully learning as much as I can over the next couple of months but then even past that.”
Pier Guidi: ”I dream of winning with the Hypercar” (Ferrari)
“The essence of racing is in achieving the win. Whoever says it is enough to participate is lying. My dream is to keep on winning with our Hypercar.”
Poignant win and mixed emotions for Elfyn Evans & Scott Martin in Croatia (FIA)
“Obviously we’ve been working towards this for a long time, but it all feels so insignificant at the moment – that’s the bottom line. After the focus of the weekend, we’re all back to missing our friend now. Straight away after coming across the finish line, that’s all we can think about. We promised Craig’s family we would enjoy the weekend, and we’ve done that. We’re all thinking of them right now.”
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