In the round-up: Lance Stroll says he has taken extra care to avoid repeating the injury which kept him out of pre-season testing last year.
In brief
Stroll avoided any “funny business” over winter
The Aston Martin driver missed the sole pre-season test in Bahrain last year after suffering broken hands in a cycling accident. But Stroll says he’s been playing it safer this winter.
“I’m allowed to go running,” he told media including RaceFans. “Actually, no one’s told me this, but I think we live and we learn every day. So I’m running, I’m watching my step while I run. No ankle twisting, none of that funny business, just running in a straight stride and looking after my limbs. I want to get to Bahrain testing this year so that’s the game plan.”
However he admitted he hasn’t cut out risky activities entirely. “I spent a bit of time in western Canada, did a bit of skiing, which is always fun and a lot of training as well,” he said. “A lot of time reflecting on last season and thinking about how I can come back as a stronger, better athlete and driver this season.”
Maloney quickest in first dry day of F2 test
Sauber junior driver Zane Maloney set the fastest lap of the second day of running at the Formula 2 pre-season test in Bahrain, a tenth faster than DAMS and newly-announced Aston Martin junior Jak Crawford.
Maloney’s best time of 1’41.501 for Rodin put him on top as drivers got to grips with the new F2 car in dry conditions for the first time. Enzo Fittipaldi was third fastest for Van Amersfoort, with Isack Hadjar fourth for Campos.
The third and final day of running takes place today before the season begins at the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
Drive to Survive season six teaser
Netflix have unveiled the teaser trailer for the sixth season of their popular F1 documentary series Drive to Survive.
Focusing on the events of the 2023 season, the teaser features some of the storylines which will appear in the show, which will be released to the public on Friday 23rd February.
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Horner-Affäre: Warum es am Freitag noch kein Statement gegeben hat (Motorsport Total – German)
‘Bernie Ecclestone, as a close confidant of Horner, is said to have intervened in the matter in an advisory capacity with several telephone conversations, and Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is also reportedly very interested in the topic.’
‘Building on the team’s accomplishments in the 2023 season – including breaking the Guinness World Record for the fastest ever pit stop, with a 1.80-second stop at the Qatar Grand Prix, Optimum Nutrition will support the McLaren team to help everyone stay at the top of their game. Optimum Nutrition branding will feature on the pit crew overalls and set-up kit, and the driver overalls of McLaren Formula 1 Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.’
Aston Martin is in talks to tackle $1.4 billion debt pile (BNN Bloomberg)
Lawrence Stroll: ‘We are currently studying with our bankers the most appropriate actions of how to deal with it. Obviously it will be addressed in the most appropriate manner possible and in the best interests of the company and its shareholders.’
Hauger: ‘Rain limited us but early feeling is positive’ (Formula 2)
‘There are a few differences, the car itself – the aerodynamics are a bit different, so it changes the car’s behaviour and the way we have to set the car up. There’s still stuff for us to work on there but so far, it’s been positive to drive around in and enjoyable. We need some setup tweaks and to get a feel of the car some more but again, here especially versus European tracks in the wet, it was quite high grip, so the plan is to now figure out what we need to do, but that’s the same for everyone, so we just have to deal with it.’
Six Nations player ordered to leave pitch after being hit harder than car crash (Wales Online)
‘Under the current regulations, an impact above 70g and 4,000 radians per second squared will recommend a HIA for men’s players, while women’s players have lower thresholds of 55g and 4,000 rad/s². To put that into context, as the Telegraph reports, former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean experienced an impact of 67g when he crashed his car and it exploded into flames at the Bahrain GP in 2020.’
2024 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 revealed ahead of WEC debut (Daily Sportscar)
‘This reveal comes after the new Vantage GT3 made its global race debut back in January at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, but before its maiden FIA WEC race at Qatar next month. The 2024 Vantage GT3 is a comprehensive evolution of the recently retired Vantage AMR GTE and GT3 cars, which made their debut in 2018. Sharing their mechanical architecture – and that of the new Vantage road car – it is built around Aston Martin’s bonded aluminium chassis structure and powered by the same twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine.’
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Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Geo132, Jason, Sebastien Carter, Shyguy2008 and Sparky!
On this day in motorsport
- On this day in 2005 Maurice Trintignant died at the age of 87. He is the only driver other than Lewis Hamilton to win a world championship grand prix in car number 44, which he scored in the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix for Hamilton’s next team – Ferrari