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FR3.5 - Spa: It was an all-Red Bull front row at Spa, but one of the two cars disappeared by itself in the race.
That used to be a familiar story in F1, but today that tale comes from Formula Renault 3.5, where Carlos Sainz Jr was dominant again.
Here's GLENN FREEMAN's full report from a race that bodes well for Sainz's title prospects:
Spa FR3.5 race one report
That used to be a familiar story in F1, but today that tale comes from Formula Renault 3.5, where Carlos Sainz Jr was dominant again.
Here's GLENN FREEMAN's full report from a race that bodes well for Sainz's title prospects:
Spa FR3.5 race one report
MotoGP - Mugello: Valentino Rossi describes himself as "quite desperate" about ending qualifying for his home race - where many expect him to topple Marc Marquez - only 10th on the grid.
The times were extremely close in qualifying and he was only three tenths from a front row spot, but he said switching to the softer front tyre halfway through Q2 was "a big mistake" as he couldn't get the same feeling with the bike afterwards.
The times were extremely close in qualifying and he was only three tenths from a front row spot, but he said switching to the softer front tyre halfway through Q2 was "a big mistake" as he couldn't get the same feeling with the bike afterwards.
European F3 – Hungary: Finally, qualifying for races two and three is underway. Will it be all Blomqvist and Ocon as it was yesterday, or will someone else spring a surprise? We'll know more in a little under 20 minutes.
MotoGP - Mugello: Alvaro Bautista had to scrabble through Q1 to reach the business end of qualifying again today and having got there, was only 11th. He admitted that crashing and putting his primary bike beyond quick repair in practice four left him spooked and over-cautious.
Bautista is only three places ahead of his Open class Gresini team-mate Scott Redding.
The Brit said following Mugello legend Valentino Rossi around for a few laps this morning gave him some good tips for getting a MotoGP bike around the gorgeous Italian venue on a weekend when Friday's poor weather had left him short on practice mileage.
Bautista is only three places ahead of his Open class Gresini team-mate Scott Redding.
The Brit said following Mugello legend Valentino Rossi around for a few laps this morning gave him some good tips for getting a MotoGP bike around the gorgeous Italian venue on a weekend when Friday's poor weather had left him short on practice mileage.
Breaking news
Auto GP - Monza: Elsewhere in Italy, the Auto GP field has an open goal this weekend as points leader Kimiya Sato - who was only ever popping back to help Euronova out alongside his main programme in GP2 - isn't racing.
Markus Pommer struck first by dominating race one. Here's SAM SMITH's full report of how he did it:
Monza Auto GP race one report
Markus Pommer struck first by dominating race one. Here's SAM SMITH's full report of how he did it:
Monza Auto GP race one report
Detroit and Budapest are the focal points of the rest of the AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live day.
DTM qualifying in Hungary should begin at 5.10pm UK time, but delays in the support programme are likely to knock that back.
Meanwhile in America, the United SportsCar race in Detroit is due off at 5.10pm UK, with IndyCar race one beginning around 8.30pm UK.
DTM qualifying in Hungary should begin at 5.10pm UK time, but delays in the support programme are likely to knock that back.
Meanwhile in America, the United SportsCar race in Detroit is due off at 5.10pm UK, with IndyCar race one beginning around 8.30pm UK.
European F3 – Hungary: Esteban Ocon grabs pole for both of tomorrow's races. Fuoco will be second for both, Auer third for both, and Rosenqvist fourth for both.
Quote
MotoGP - Mugello: Marquez is telling journalists about a chat he's just been having with Fernando Alonso.
According to Marquez, Alonso says MotoGP looked pretty smooth and easy on TV but seems harder in real life!
He's paraphrasing...
Marquez also suggests that Alonso agreed that the car makes a bigger difference than the driver in F1, but it's the opposite in MotoGP. Again, paraphrasing... and maybe a little skewed in translation.
According to Marquez, Alonso says MotoGP looked pretty smooth and easy on TV but seems harder in real life!
He's paraphrasing...
Marquez also suggests that Alonso agreed that the car makes a bigger difference than the driver in F1, but it's the opposite in MotoGP. Again, paraphrasing... and maybe a little skewed in translation.
MotoGP - Mugello: Marquez adds that he's keen to test an F1 car one day.
Asked if he's got a preference for which team, Marquez quickly goes for his personal sponsor Red Bull... then switches allegiance when reminded that his MotoGP employer Honda will be back in F1 with McLaren next year.
Asked if he's got a preference for which team, Marquez quickly goes for his personal sponsor Red Bull... then switches allegiance when reminded that his MotoGP employer Honda will be back in F1 with McLaren next year.
MotoGP - Mugello: Aleix Espargaro came close to ending his Q2 streak today before scraping in through Q1.
He admits that trashing his main bike in practice four didn't help, but says the main issue is that the Open class Forward Yamaha can't match the Factory bikes on Mugello's long straight so he has to rely on tows.
He admits that trashing his main bike in practice four didn't help, but says the main issue is that the Open class Forward Yamaha can't match the Factory bikes on Mugello's long straight so he has to rely on tows.
MotoGP - Mugello: Both Espargaro brothers shunted this afternoon, with Pol's crash coming at the end of Q2.
That still didn't prevent him qualifying an excellent fifth, but he thinks something better was possible.
The crash came on the out-lap as he tried to put maximum heat into his hard compound tyres for his final Q2 run. It was, he says "a rookie crash, and a stupid crash".
That still didn't prevent him qualifying an excellent fifth, but he thinks something better was possible.
The crash came on the out-lap as he tried to put maximum heat into his hard compound tyres for his final Q2 run. It was, he says "a rookie crash, and a stupid crash".
NASCAR - Dover: Penske is celebrating right now, three qualifying sessions this weekend and three poles so far.
After Brad Keselowski's Sprint Cup top spot yesterday and Helio Castroneves' IndyCar pole in Detroit this morning, Joey Logano has just put Penske's #22 on pole for the Dover Nationwide Series race, which takes place later today.
After Brad Keselowski's Sprint Cup top spot yesterday and Helio Castroneves' IndyCar pole in Detroit this morning, Joey Logano has just put Penske's #22 on pole for the Dover Nationwide Series race, which takes place later today.
Miguel Molina
DTM - Hungaroring: With the delayed European F3 qualifying session finally done, the usually-late-scheduled DTM qualifying session isn't far away in Hungary.
Miguel Molina topped practice this morning, and Mercedes struggled again, despite Christian Vietoris' shock win in the wet at Oschersleben last time.
This is how the title battle is shaping up so far.
Championship standings after two of 10 rounds:
1 Mike Rockenfeller 30
2 Christian Vietoris 25
3 Marco Wittmann 25
4 Mattias Ekstrom 18
5 Adrien Tambay 16
6 Edoardo Mortara 15
(25 points for a win)
Full 2014 DTM data on FORIX
USC - Detroit: The United SportsCar pre-race festivities have just about wrapped up here in Detroit, and we're pretty close to getting the race underway. If the Pirelli World Challenge outing from earlier is any guide, we can expect a few cautions.
USC - Detroit: Parade lap ahoy. Michael Valiante is in the polesitting SDR Corvette for the start, with Scott Sharp right alongside him in the Extreme Speed HPD.
DTM – Hungaroring: Q1 is underway here in Budapest. In 13 minutes we'll know who will start in positions 19-23.
Green flag
USC - Detroit: Green flag. The entire field of 11 prototypes and about two million GTD class cars make it safely through the first couple of corners.
USC - Detroit: Just to be clear, that 'two million' car count is only an estimate.
Twitter
MotoGP - Mugello: Ferrari F1 star Fernando Alonso has been getting about a bit in the MotoGP paddock. He's currently tweeting pictures of himself with all the top riders.
USC - Detroit: However many there are, those GTD cars are providing the early interest - the Prototypes are running around in formation. On the pitwall, Chip Ganassi already looks a little bored.
MotoGP - Mugello: Unusual reason for Dani Pedrosa ending up only fourth on the grid after topping both practice three and practice four: he touched an engine mapping button by mistake during the Q2 tyre change and left his Honda running on reduced power.
USC - Detroit: Something's gone awry for Sharp, who has fallen from second to fifth. No respite for Valiante though, who now has Christian Fittipaldi all over his rear.
USC - Detroit: The gap between Valiante and Fittipaldi has opened a little, and the supremely-mulleted Jordan Taylor is about 1.0s further back in third.
USC - Detroit: This will get Ganassi's attention: Memo Rojas has just pulled into the pits, and the crew has yanked off the rear bodywork so that they can poke around inside the car.
DTM – Hungaroring: Q1 is done and dusted, and – surprise, surprise – it's all Mercedes at the bottom.
The five drivers eliminated are all driving Mercs, with the back of the grid to look like this tomorrow:
19 di Resta
20 Juncadella
21 Paffett
22 Petrov
23 Vietoris
It's worth mentioning, once again, that Vietoris actually won at Oschersleben just two weeks ago.
The five drivers eliminated are all driving Mercs, with the back of the grid to look like this tomorrow:
19 di Resta
20 Juncadella
21 Paffett
22 Petrov
23 Vietoris
It's worth mentioning, once again, that Vietoris actually won at Oschersleben just two weeks ago.
DTM - Hungaroring: The only drivers to make it through were Robert Wickens (15th) and Pascal Wehrlein (18th).
Meanwhile, at the front, Marco Wittmann and Maxime Martin led the way in that session.
The 11-minute Q2 will be up shortly.
Meanwhile, at the front, Marco Wittmann and Maxime Martin led the way in that session.
The 11-minute Q2 will be up shortly.
USC - Detroit: Jordan and his mullet have passed Fittipaldi for P2. Naturally, the TV didn't pick it up.
USC - Detroit: The good news for Ganassi is that Rojas got back out; the bad news is that he is really, really, really slow. Something is very wrong with that car.
DTM – Hungaroring: Q2 is go, go, go on a Hungaroring circuit that is seeing some sun for the very first time this weekend. The next 11 minutes will determine grid positions 9-18. Top eight will go through to Q3.
DTM - Hungaroring: Some great footage of Gary Paffett sliding through the chicane on the TV monitors here in the media centre. He was trying his hardest at the end of Q1 – and even did a personal best in S1 of his last lap – but that Mercedes just looks like it's no fun to drive.
USC - Detroit: Lapped cars are turning this into a proper race now - Valiante, Taylor's mullet and Fittipaldi are covered by less than a second.
Breaking news
European F3 - Hungaroring: Full times and results from the second European Formula 3 qualifying session of the weekend are now in, so you can see how they line up behind pole-sweeping Lotus F1 team protege Esteban Ocon:
Hungaroring European F3 qualifying two report
Hungaroring European F3 qualifying two report
USC - Detroit: It was good while it lasted. The leaders are back into clear air and the gaps have blown out again.
It looks like the Prototype ranks have just been thinned a little further - Boris Said has pulled into an escape road trailing blue smoke from the Marsh Racing Corvette.
It looks like the Prototype ranks have just been thinned a little further - Boris Said has pulled into an escape road trailing blue smoke from the Marsh Racing Corvette.
USC - Detroit: One of the GTD cars spun, and while we were trying to figure out who it was, Taylor got ahead of Valiante for the lead.
Bryan Bouffier
WRC: The World Rally Championship doesn't resume until Sardinia next week, but Hyundai's new i20 WRC took its first win today, with test driver Bryan Bouffier securing victory on French series round Rally Antibes.
Only beating occasional WRC and ERC midfielder Julien Maurin's Ford Fiesta WRC by 22 seconds doesn't sound stunning, but bear in mind this was a glorified test for Bouffier and Hyundai, trying WRC set-ups, engine maps and tyre choices ahead of the asphalt rounds later in the year.
Yellow flag
USC - Detroit: Another GTD spin, and this time it's Henrique Cisneros in his NGT Porsche.
... and now they're all doing it. Chris Cumming is facing the wrong way in his Ferrari, and Brett Sandberg has spun his Porsche. Meanwhile, Cisneros is back in the pits and the team is surveying the damage.
... and now they're all doing it. Chris Cumming is facing the wrong way in his Ferrari, and Brett Sandberg has spun his Porsche. Meanwhile, Cisneros is back in the pits and the team is surveying the damage.
USC - Detroit: I suspect that the yellow is for debris rather than anything else - the stricken cars appeared to all get going again, but several large bits of Cisneros' car are still scattered around.
However the caution is bad news for Jordan, whose lead had ballooned out to 3.8s.
However the caution is bad news for Jordan, whose lead had ballooned out to 3.8s.
DTM - Hungaroring: That's Q2 done, and Marco Wittmann is quickest again. Here are positions 9-18:
9 Spengler
10 Green
11 Ekstrom
12 Mortara
13 Rockenfeller
14 Hand
15 Scheider
16 Wehrlein
17 Wickens
18 Tomczyk
So, that means that Wittmann, da Costa, Glock, Martin, Molina, Farfus, Muller and Tambay will fight it out for pole in Q3.
9 Spengler
10 Green
11 Ekstrom
12 Mortara
13 Rockenfeller
14 Hand
15 Scheider
16 Wehrlein
17 Wickens
18 Tomczyk
So, that means that Wittmann, da Costa, Glock, Martin, Molina, Farfus, Muller and Tambay will fight it out for pole in Q3.
MotoGP - Mugello: Cal Crutchlow achieved his best qualifying result for Ducati so far at Mugello today, grabbing sixth on the grid.
That surprised the Brit, who thought a set-up change in practice four had made the bike worse. He's optimistic for tomorrow, though reckons he needs to "calm down" in a few corners.
Andrea Dovizioso has been the works Ducati team's star turn so far in 2014, but he's two places behind Cruthclow on the grid for his home race, and admitted he hadn't got the most out of the bike.
That surprised the Brit, who thought a set-up change in practice four had made the bike worse. He's optimistic for tomorrow, though reckons he needs to "calm down" in a few corners.
Andrea Dovizioso has been the works Ducati team's star turn so far in 2014, but he's two places behind Cruthclow on the grid for his home race, and admitted he hadn't got the most out of the bike.
USC - Detroit: The leaders have all pitted for new tyres and driver changes while we're under caution. Ricky Taylor takes over the lead car from his brother; Joao Barbosa takes the wheel from Fittipaldi in second. Valiante remains in his car, and is third. A bunch of the GTD teams are also doing driver changes but we're not even going to try to track those.
By: Matt Beer, Andrew van Leeuwen, Mark Glendenning, Glenn Freeman, Sam Smith, Dan Cross, Gary Watkins, AUTOSPORT staff, Charles Bradley
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