(Aston Martin The Americas)
The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team revealed its 2021 FIA Formula One™ World Championship contender on Wednesday. The new AMR21 is powered by a turbo-charged Mercedes-AMG F1 M12 E Performance engine with hybrid energy recovery, and will run for the first time at Silverstone during a promotional day on March 4, 2021. It will then run a full test program at Bahrain on March 12-14, before the season opener there. The new contender will be the first works Formula 1 car to carry the famous Aston Martin wings since Maurice Trintignant’s DBR5 crossed the finish line at Silverstone in 1960. The AMR21 will be raced this season by four-time F1™ World Champion Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, and carries the Aston Martin Racing Green livery in recognition of Aston Martin’s traditional racing colors. Aston Martin was formed by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford in 1913 with motorsport at the heart of its endeavor. Next year will mark a century since Aston Martin made its grand prix debut in France, 1922, but the brand has enjoyed considerable success in sports car racing, including overall victory in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Most recently Aston Martin became a double class winner with the Vantage GTE in last year’s race at La Sarthe and is the reigning GT FIA World Endurance Manufacturers’ champion.
(PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team)
PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team had its official virtual unveiling for the 2021 MotoGP™ World Championship on Monday (March 1). Riders Valentino Rossi and Franco Morbidelli and their 2021 Yamaha YZR-M1s were introduced by Team Principal, Razlan Razali, with further insight imparted by Team Director, Johan Stigefelt and Team Manager, Wilco Zeelenberg. Team owner, Sepang International Circuit, and title Partner PETRONAS were also represented in the online launch. After a stellar second season in 2020, where the Malaysian team and rider Franco Morbidelli finished the year as runner-up in their respective championships, PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team is looking forward to 2021 with the addition of Rossi.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Twenty-three-year-old William Byron (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) won the 2021 Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday night. It was Byron’s second career win at NASCAR’s top level. Second-year driver Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) crossed the finish line 3.762 seconds behind Byron, matching his career-best finish at the Cup level. Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) finished third. Byron ultimately led a race-high 102 of the 267 laps around the 1.5-mile South Florida track. There were 19 lead changes overall among nine drivers. Watch the highlights here. (Thank you to NASCAR.com)