Ferrari to hold three-day Fiorano test with 2021 car

In brief

Ferrari to run three-day Fiorano test with 2021 car

Ferrari will begin their track preparations for the 2023 F1 season with three days of running for their drivers at Fiorano, Italian media report.

Race drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr will have a full day each in a 2021-specification SF-21. Test drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman will share a third day in the car.

Gasly first to congratulate De Vries after 2023 announcement

AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries says the driver whose seat he filled, Pierre Gasly, was the first person to congratulate him after he signed the contract confirming him as a race driver for 2023.

Formula 2 and Formula E world champion De Vries will make his full-season debut in 2023 with AlphaTauri after Gasly left the time to fill Fernando Alonso’s vacant seat at Alpine.

“Actually once the contract was signed, Pierre was the first person I spoke to,” De Vries said. “He FaceTimed me whilst I was in the gym to congratulate me, which was really nice. Of course, my family were there through the whole process and when things got more serious it was my father I spoke to about it all.”

Abiteboul named Hyundai WRC team principal

Former Caterham and Renault F1 team principal Cyril Abiteboul has been announced as the new team principal of the Hyundai World Rally Championship team.

Abiteboul was relieved of his duties as team principal of Renault when the team transitioned into Alpine in early 2021. He takes over control of the Hyundai factory team, who have won the WRC’s constructors’ championship twice in 2019 and 2020 but have so far been unable to secure the drivers’ title.

“I am excited at the prospect of being part of it, managing the WRC and Customer Racing programs, where the team has already proven to be strong competitors,” said Abiteboul. “I am looking forward to immersing myself into the rallying community and discovering more about this spectacular sport.”

Two F1 teams, Williams and the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo squad, are yet to confirm who their team principal will be this year.

Links

Motor racing links of interest:

Motorsport UK commits to a diverse and inclusive future (Motorsport UK)

"Motorsport UK has a responsibility to make sure that everyone in our sport can participate in an inclusive environment that is safe, fair and fun. We have developed the strategy to ensure motorsport is more representative of British society’s demographics and champions best behaviours. The work delivered over the next few year’s will be pivotal in encouraging more people into motorsport and ensuring we create a lasting legacy that has real impact."

Genesys joins the Scuderia Ferrari as Team Partner (Ferrari)

"The company logo will feature on the cars driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Genesys will also partner Ferrari in its 499P Hypercar endurance racing programme, including the Le Mans 24 Hours."

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s new livery inspired by Jordan F1 (Motorsport Ireland)

"Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy’s new livery was inspired by one of the greatest-ever Formula One colour schemes. Unveiled just in time for next week’s Rallye Monte Carlo, the two PCRS Rallysport prepared Hyundai i20 Rally 2 cars entered by the Rally Academy will spark memories of Eddie Jordan’s first Grand Prix car. "

Jimmie Johnson still mulling Indy 500 return with Ganassi (NBC Sports)

"The All-Star race is really high on my personal list, so I hope to do it, but there’s the Indy 500 piece that is out there on the IndyCar side, and that would be a conflict."

This is Why Modding Matters (Chris Haye via YouTube)

"In reality this is a video about a car, and an odd car at that. But, this particular blip of a car caused me to rethink (or perhaps overthink) just what modding brings to the sim racing community."

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Social media

Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:

The countdown is ON. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/PpwgLyiZnZ

— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) January 12, 2023

RETURNING – @TomDillmann ⚫️⚪️

Reserve & Test Driver line-up complete. pic.twitter.com/qbLkmWmqbZ

— Jaguar TCS Racing (@JaguarRacing) January 12, 2023

Look who’s arrived. 👀#MexicoCityEPrix pic.twitter.com/c95z6NItyh

— NEOM McLaren FE (@McLarenFE) January 12, 2023

https://twitter.com/SUPERFORMULA_En/status/1613398038424489991

Are you ready? @thegranturismo #SUPERFORMULA #SF23 #GT7 #GranTurismo7 https://t.co/SVlrWuMtjb

— SUPER FORMULA (@SUPERFORMULA_En) January 10, 2023

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• Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory

Comment of the day

Agustin Canapino was announced as IndyCar’s newest rookie for 2023 yesterday and @fer-no65 rates him as a driver

People might not know “Canapa” (as we call him), but he’s seriously good. He did great in his debut at Daytona a couple of years ago and surprised many in the paddock. I hope people don’t rate him like he’s a nobody that got there because Juncos is Argentinean. While that’s surely a factor, Agustin is very, very good. And Lopez, Guerrieri and Girolami demonstrated you can go back to racing successfully in Europe after playing with touring cars in Argentina.
Fer no.65

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Ace, Kei and Diego!

On this day in motorsport

• On this day in 1998 Stewart launched their second Formula 1 car, the SF2, at Ford Research and Engineering in Basildon, Essex