CARS, STARS AND LIVE ACTION ENTERTAINMENT ROUNDS OFF SUCCESSFUL FINAL DAY AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL
It’s been an action-packed final day at Autosport International with visitors treated to stars, cars and thrilling stunts within the Live Action Arena performances.
Ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert opened the show with Karun Chandhok and Billy Monger and took to the Autosport stage to discuss his British Grand Prix victory in 1995, driving after his F3000 accident and the different mindset towards understanding and appreciating risks in modern day F1, he commented:
“I know Lewis, Fernando and Jenson have said it before and Max is very much that way as well - they all, in some ways, wish they could go back to the 80s and 90s. It’s the challenge. For me Lewis on track is amongst the very very best at not using the extra run off with four wheels off, it’s very rare he does that. Others do it to gain an advantage if they possibly can.
“Lewis and Fernando would want to conquer the track by driving between the white lines. That’s what I think it was always about when we used to go to Monaco. There’s the white line and then there’s the barrier...that’s the challenge, that’s the thrill that I think we all want to have.
"That (using the run off areas) is not the skill, the skill is to keep within the track. That’s what the Ayrtons of the world, the Michaels of the world, the greats, do."
Touring car legend Andy Rouse was presented with a trophy on the main stage after being voted Motorsport News’ and Autosport’s greatest-ever British Touring Car Championship driver. The four-time champion and winner of 60 races within the category was voted the greatest by a panel of experts and drivers in celebration of the the championship’s 60 years.
Billy Monger was on hand to entertain the Live Action Arena crowds in his F3 car. The show saw a mixture of high-speed demonstrations and breathtaking stunt driving from Billy, Terry Grant and a host of competition drivers. Powerful racing and performance cars offered fans an unrivalled variety of racing action, all hosted by Sky F1 Lead Commentator David Croft alongside popular social media vloggers Shmee150 and Miss Emma Walsh.
Round 4 of the Le Mans Esports Series took place at the show. The two-hour endurance event comprised of both racers qualifying from online and the fastest times created across the four days at the show. Shaun Arnold triumphed and scooped the biggest share of the $10,000 prize pot, with a storming drive from pole position. The Super Final boasts a chance for the winner to take their place on the real-life Le Mans 24 Hours podium and win a share of the $160,000 prize fund. Tobin Leigh finished second and booked his place at the Super Final.
Leigh battled through from 11th place on the grid, having only booked his place in the final the day before, when he was one of two drivers to qualify on the Saturday of the show.
They joined 10 pre-qualified drivers led by Arnold.
"It's a crazy feeling. Coming here yesterday on the Saturday and qualifying was pretty insane. I just came to have fun, I didn't expect to qualify, but I did and it felt great to beat some established racing drivers such as Aston Martin factory driver, Ross Gunn.
"I started the main race from the back row of the grid, again didn't have any expectations, but I found myself climbing all the way to second and securing a spot at Le Mans."
Over in the Performance and Tuning Car Show, social media and TV star Yiannimize met expectant fans on his Urban Automotive stand. The show, which housed a feast of some of the most prestigious names and car clubs, was packed with car fans of all ages looking for road cars that are tuned to be perfect performance machines. The all-new Motorious.com brand, an automotive hub for car collectors, was launched at the show with a feature comprising of a McLaren P1 hypercar.
Autosport International is part of Motorsport Network’s flagship title, Autosport – one of the world’s leading print and online motorsport publishers. Motorsport Network is the world’s largest independent automotive and motorsport-related digital platform, connecting millions of people who love motorsport and cars.
The network also creates key industry events including the annual Autosport Awards and the Motorsport Business Leaders’ Forum.
McLaren F1 drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris opened the first public day of Autosport International in what has been a spectacular day of star-studded interviews, including the global launch of the 2019 World Rally Championship (WRC) season.
The public were treated to the unveils of all four new 2019 season World Rally Cars: the M-Sport Ford, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT, Citroën Total WRT. Immediately after unveiling their cars, each driver at the show revealed their chosen race numbers for the upcoming year. All of the 2019 WRC cars will remain at the show on Sunday before heading of to Monte-Carlo for the first rally in two weeks time.
Away from the rally fanfare, McLaren’s 2019 F1 drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz were on hand to entertain the crowds on the main Autosport stage. Lando Norris talked about getting ahead of his new teammate, the technical changes for 2019 and adjusting mentally to the challenge of his debut season in the top tier of motorsport. He said:
“Last year I didn’t win the championship so it was a good enough year for me to learn that I can’t always win. Every year something changes and you can’t always be where you want to and I think that’s something I’ve got to learn and something I’ve already started to learn last year in how you have to develop , how you have to progress and you have to become better as a team.
“In F1 everything is different, so there’s a lot of things that you have to put together to become better overall...but over time I’ll become a better driver in terms of helping myself help the team and therefore one day hopefully be able to win the world championship!”
Teammate Carlos Sainz discussed taking back control of his career after leaving the Red Bull family, the plan to go back to the top with McLaren and the changes in progress to improve overtaking in F1. On the upcoming change in regulations for 2019, he said:
“Hopefully yes it will make a difference, but until I test it (the car) on track it’s going to be impossible to tell, but I welcome the change. If it’s trying to make racing better and it’s been well planned by Liberty and the FIA and has proved in simulations to be better, then I think as a Formula 1 fan and a Formula 1 driver, I welcome that.
“Fuel saving is something that I hate and hopefully it is out of Formula 1 next year with this extra 5kgs which is a good move.”
Norris later went to be reunited with the very Ginetta G40 used for his first racing season in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2014 and the United Autosports Ligier JSP217 raced at the Daytona 24 Hours in 2018.
The main Autosport stage was abuzz with a raft of motorsport names present at the show. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok, WEC racer Darren Turner, Billy Monger and a plethora of British Touring Car Championship drivers.
Tributes to the late Henry Hope-Frost were also paid on on the Autosport Stage. Crowds gathered to watch as drivers and close friends regaled stories of one of motorsports most loved presenters. A montage of Henry’s notable moments was played before the introduction of an all-new ‘#Fever Award’ was announced. An award which offers the winner a one year paid internship at Motorsport Network to cover a racing series for one season. The inaugural recipient was Lucy Morson.
A number of high profile cars went under the hammer from Silverstone Auctions. A 1966 ex-works Lotus Cortina, one of three built and raced by Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jacky Ickx sold for £150,000. A 1985 MG Metro 6R4, which was on display at Williams F1 factory for more than 20 years, came with only 175 miles on the clock and sold for the same amount. A 1935 Mercedes Benz Type 290 Cabriolet ‘B’ sold for well above the asking price at £108,000, thanks to a bidding war between phone buyer and the eventual winner in the room.
The Live Action Arena is open to those of all ages willing to see a range of loud, powerful machines driven by some of the world’s most skilled drivers putting together a spectacular show of drifting, precision car control and nail-biting stunts.
Those arriving early to Autosport International for the final day on Sunday will see F1 legend Johnny Herbert, Billy Monger and Karun Chandhok open the show and talk on the main Autosport stage throughout the day.
Autosport International is part of Motorsport Network’s flagship title, Autosport – one of the world’s leading print and online motorsport publishers. Motorsport Network is the world’s largest independent automotive and motorsport-related digital platform, connecting millions of people who love motorsport and cars.
The network also creates key industry events including the annual Autosport Awards and the Motorsport Business Leaders’ Forum.
No comments:
Post a Comment