Formula 1 to Launch Female “Formula Academy” Series in April
Officials with Formula Academy—the Formula 1-backed all-female driver series—have confirmed five teams will compete during its inaugural season, which opens in Spielberg, Styria, Austria, April 28–29. Current F2 and F3 teams (ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Carlin, MP Motorsport, and PREMA Racing) will enter three cars each to make up a 15-car grid. The first season will comprise of seven events with three races each—a total of 21 races—plus 15 days of testing. Drivers will compete in a Tatuus T421 chassis with Autotecnica-supplied turbocharged engines delivering 165 hp to F1 partner Pirelli tires.
Susie Wolff will serve as the managing director of the series, which aims to develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition. F1 Academy offers access to more track time, racing and testing—plus the opportunity to work with professional teams that will help them develop the technical, physical and mental preparation skills needed for elite competition.
For more information, including the 2023 schedule and team driver lineups, visit f1academy.com.
Formula DRIFT Outlines New Format, Technology Set for 2023
Officials with Formula DRIFT have announced updates ahead of the opening of its 20th anniversary season in 2023. A brand-new qualifying format will feature a deductive system with judges quantifying mistakes, in a nod to the old school with a new twist. Officials will also introduce a rotating panel of judges. Former driver and FD Japan judge Robbie Nishida will join regulars Ryan Lanteigne, Brian Eggert, and Chris Uhl. Three will judge each round, while the fourth becomes a driver’s steward before they trade places to keep things fresh.
In addition, competitors will also utilize brand-new, brighter “Decel Lights” that measure g-force during both acceleration and deceleration, helping the judges see what is going on inside the car. Live telemetry will debut this year and will be featured on the free-to-view livestream broadcasts and on the new phone app called FD Unlocked. Fans can view live data from each driver with in-car camera views.
GT Radial, Kenda Tire, Nexen Tire, Nitto Tire, and Vitour Tires were also announced as official tire partners for the series, replacing the departed Falken Tire. Officials have also confirmed the inaugural Formula DRIFT Hall of Fame will be honored during the opening rounds of the 2023 season in Long Beach, California. For more details, visit the Formula DRIFT website.
IndyCar Extends NTT, NTT DATA Entitlement Partnership With Multi-Year Agreement
Officials with Penske Entertainment’s IndyCar have announced NTT and NTT data have extended the entitlement partnership of North America’s premier open-wheel motorsports series, the NTT IndyCar Series. NTT has served as the title sponsor since 2019. The new multiyear agreement will have NTT and NTT DATA continue as the official technology partner for IndyCar, the NTT IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend at IMS.
Additional partnership highlights include outfitting IMS as a “Smart Venue” with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled security technologies; IndyCar app enhancements; and an expanded IndyCar data experience with more race and driver data than before. For more information, visit the IndyCar announcement here.
IMCA Announces Composite Body Panel Mandate
Officials with IMCA Racing have announced mandates for the composite body panels allowed beginning this season in the Modified and Late Model divisions.
“We will use the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) FMVSS302 burn rate testing definition. We will continue to approve additional composite body panels as samples are submitted to us along with proof of burn rate testing,” said Brett Root, president of IMCA. “We want to make sure that all composite body panels are made with strong, fire-resistant material [and] will continue to add more composite body panels that can be used as they are submitted and approved.”
Composite body panels submitted by Five Star Bodies/MD3 have already been determined to meet those parameters and are approved for use in both divisions. Composite body panels are not allowed in any other IMCA division, but Root announced plans to consider them.
For more information, visit imca.com.
For more racing news, visit Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) website.