Issue 1267
October 2, 2024
 

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Sunday
May072023

MAY 10, 2023

(formula1.com)
Max Verstappen (No. 1 Oracle Red Bull Racing) struck back in the 2023 title race by beating teammate Sergio Perez (No. 11 Oracle Red Bull Racing) to win Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix. Verstappen recovered from ninth on the grid to pass the pole-sitter in the closing stages of an intriguing, strategic race. Perez had slashed Verstappen’s championship advantage to just six points with a Sprint and Grand Prix double last time out in Azerbaijan, and a turbulent qualifying session at the Miami International Autodrome gave him a golden opportunity to move to the top of the standings. But, while Perez led the majority of the race on a medium-hard tire strategy, Verstappen expertly stretched out his initial stint on hards to rise from P9 to P1 via a series of savvy moves, and he emerged just behind his teammate with a fresh set of mediums on late in the race. With 10 laps remaining, Verstappen passed Perez to move into a lead that he would not relinquish. The Mexican had to settle for the runner-up spot and lose some of the ground he had made up in the title race. In addition to a statement victory, Verstappen picked up the fastest lap bonus point to top up his tally and the ‘Driver of the Day’ award, with fans suitably impressed by his charge through the field. With the Red Bulls again in a league of their own, it was left to Fernando Alonso (No. 14 Aston Martin) to claim the ‘best of the rest’ spot in third, making it four podium finishes in five races for Alonso and Aston. George Russell (No. 63 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) was finished fourth, thanks in part to teammate Lewis Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) moving out of his way on a different strategy earlier in the race, getting the better of Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Scuderria Ferrari) in the process. Sainz was hit with a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pits during his swap of tires, but there was enough of a gap back to Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderria Ferrari) to keep fifth position at the checkered flag. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to formula1.com)
(IMS/Chevrolet)
A hardtop convertible Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - in 
Red Mist Metallic with two-tone Jet Black and Sky Cool Gray with Torch Red accents on the interior - will lead the field to the green flag for the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 28, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Spider-design forged aluminum wheels finished in Tech Bronze and a Carbon Aero package - providing 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph - complete the Corvette pace car's look. Corvette has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” more times than any other car. The 2023 race marks the 34th time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948 and the 20th time overall and since 1978 for the Corvette. The 2023 Corvette Z06 is powered by a 5.5L LT6 with 670HP, making it the highest-horsepower naturally aspirated V8 ever to ever hit the market in any production car. 
(Alpine Images)
Alpine is preparing its first-ever entry in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the legendary American Race to the Clouds. Alpine has revealed the first images of its A110 specially prepared for the event. The first test runs of this machine took place last week in Lurcy-Lévis. Two further test sessions will be held soon in the south of France before heading to Colorado Springs. After its debut runs at Lurcy-Lévis on April 25-26, designated Pikes Peak driver, Raphaël Astier, will test the car in its final configuration for the first time next week. Astier, the 2022 FIA R-GT Cup winner, will conduct a first session in the Drôme, then at Val Thorens. The Frenchman, who has already participated in the event four times, will then fly with the team to Colorado Springs, where they will work on their final preparations for June 25, 2023. More details to come apparently.

 

Our dearly departed billboard at Road America. As most of you know, Peter coined the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" and gifted it to the track. -WG

 

 


Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG


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