ARWS '18 - Vote for ROTY!!

[Nuppiz]

Nurminen Grand Prix will take a slight detour after the German Grand Prix and hold a three-day testing session at Hockenheimring. More details here.

[FMecha]

Tojo eyes Tassie drive

After Tassie Racing's widely criticized decision to drop Tomo Kazama and ARWS Comission's refusal to grant super license to Hans Einhrin, Hiroto Tojo, which has a part-time IPC schedule for two races with the Rosso Strada team, have announced that he "is available to fill Tassie Racing's empty seat".

Tojo, currently eyeing a drive in the Japanese Super GT, drove with Dofasco team in 2014 before bailing out due to the team's inability to prequalify. He drove for Team Mecha the following year, without a single finish to his name due to the car's poor reliability.

Tassie Racing, which will need a second driver before the next race in Norisring or face exclusion, and only made one start in Italy, declined to comment.

STAFF NOTICE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF TESTING

Due to increasing woes regarding the car's race reliability that prevented the team from finishing a race, despite passing of pre-qualification and qualification sessions, Team Mecha Racing will perform a testing on Sentul at the following dates:

20 July: John Bean, Jesus Plaza - reliability
21 July: John Bean, Jesus Plaza - reliabllity
22 July: John Bean, Dave Anderson - reliability
23 July: Dave Anderson, Jesus Plaza - reliability

All staff are expected to attend the test.

(OOC: Can anyone do the test wiki page for me? I forgot my wiki password and the forgot password function on the wiki does not work. )

[Klon]

Kazama Responds to Firing; Claims Sexual Assault

In her first public appearance since being released, Tomo Kazama commented on her being released by Tassie Racing. She claimed that she was "unfairly blamed and turned into a scapegoat" by senior management for the performance of a car that "would not even score points in AR 2.0".

In addition to her criticism of the development of the car, she also claimed she was sexually assaulted multiple times by various staff members, citing one example where allegedly a mechanic responded to her request for a wing adjustment during pre-qualifying for the season opener by saying "How about I adjust your wings instead," whilst grabbing her buttocks. When Kazama demanded an apology, the mechanic defended himself by stating that it would "[...] help her engines if all the shafts were lubricated."

"I didn't say anything about those perverts because I thought doing well with Tassie would get me closer to my beloved Nathan [McKane]," Kazama stated, "but now, given as they fired me so shamelessly, there is no reason for me to hold back on the indignities I suffered at Tassie Racing."

Regarding her future, Kazama stated that she will for now pursue a legal case against her former teams on "nearly two dozen cases of sexual molestation". Her legal advisor has however, requested that, outside of the example given above, she would not go further into detail about any other incidents until the first trial day. Regarding her sportive future, Kazama said that she would like to work for Fusion and that a multi-year contract beginning next season is "all but publicised".

[Aerond]

ARWS Official Magazine presents:
Half Season Team Analysis - Part 2

Venturi Formula
11th - 0 points

The team

Venturi has everything in place to make it happen in ARWS, at least in the mid term; solid engine, solid drivers and solid chassis in place. Things, however, haven't gone their way yet, specially on Sundays, where things seem to always turn wrong. Their bad luck shouldn't go on for very long though, they seem better positioned than most of the lower placed teams to bring home some points and the season is long enough for that to happen at some point.

The drivers

Shinobu Katayama has so far proven a very good choice. The Japanese seems to be specially keen on Saturdays. On Sundays, she's only been able to finish those races where the car didn't seem capable of taking her to upper heights, and when she was at a shot for points, the Venturi has simply let her down. Albertini did a solid job for the most part, but that clearly wasn't enough for the team bosses, who decided to replace the monegasque race winner with Alessandro Lucarelli when Kjellerup got the chance to hire van Nieuwenhuijzen. This probably means Lucarelli's shot at Top 10 this season is over, but the Italian should still be able to keep progressing.

RUF Blokkmonsta Grand Prix Team
12th - 0 points

The team

Another new actor in the series, the German based team is getting more or less the expected results. An underdeveloped car means points are going to be very hard to come by, it also doesn't help the Holden engine isn't up with the best out there, but it's somehow still remarkable that they've managed to qualify at least one car for every race but one. If they keep the same development rate they've put up to now they should be able to offer a much better challenge next season.

The drivers

Wouter Lamberigts has offered more or less what was expected of him; he's put the car on the grid in every race except Monza and on Sundays he's taken it easier, except in Austria, where he started to seem way more confident with the car than ever before and put it in the Top 10. Nicolas Steele has been a bit disappointing though, the American driver was hired exactly to deliver what Lamberigts seems to be lacking: Great race skills. So far, a 10th place in Adelaide is the only result worth mentioning. We're sure Steele isn't happy with his record so far either and has another 9 races to redeem himself.

Union Saver Developments
13th - 0 points

The team

Yet another new team, USD were able to grab the promising Daihatsu engines at the last minute after Sunshine withdrew their entry. While the car and engine are still yet to be fully developed, there seems to be a good base. If the team ends up scoring some points in the second half of the season it's a different question. The high levels of reliability between the bigger teams are leaving little extra spaces for points every race, and USD will need to keep improving if they want to end the season with anything but a zero.

The drivers

Jari Kekkonen was supposed to be the driving force of the Austrian project, but he seemed to be well past his prime and out of depth with embarrassing performances specially in Canada and Brands Hatch, where he tangled with none other than Thomas de Bock and finished last, well behind the next classified driver. Bizzarri was brought in time for Austria, and while he didn't seem to improve much, he still needs time in his new car. Naoki Shinjo has been a surprise. Nothing was expected from the Japanese driver, but his qualifying performances have been usually stellar, and great race craft at Monza and the team's home race at Red Bull Ring make us think that there might be more than meets the eye in Shinjo. Right now he seems the only one to be able to score points, although he will need external factors for that to happen.

Peak Aeroracing Engineering
14th - 0 points

The team

The biggest disappointment of the season by far. It's hard to believe this is the same team that was fighting for the championship with Buyvolov at the final race of 2017, albeit under different ownership. Gossiping tongues say the previous team owners could see the team decline before it happened and they sold their shares while the title race was still on, but it's to argue that not even the most pessimistic could foresee the team would plummet this fast. It's not entirely the fault of Peak Motorsport skills though, the Audi engine has underperformed so far, and Bridgestone Premium tyres are too hard to be workable in qualifying. A luck of funds is also strangling the team, as sponsors have refused to transfer more money until they perceive some return in value.

The drivers

Ashley Watkinson's season start was Ok given the circumstances surrounding the engine and the tyres but,after being drawn into Pre-Qualifying thanks to Jimenez's ineptitude he never really recovered from the shock and has been rightfully replaced by a hungrier driver by Austria. Hansuke Shioya couldn't qualify the car in Austria either, but he was brought for his previous experience with the Audi engine and was able to give some useful feedback that Aeroracing is believed to be have taken seriously. If Renaldo Jimenez had succeed, it would have been a big surprise, but while Watkinson managed to put the car on the grid in both Australian races, Jimenez never got past Saturday and was quickly replaced by veteran Daniel Martins. Martins has so far proven fast in pre-qualifying, or at least as fast as this car can go. He should be able to show his excellent race pace if the team can fix all the wrong things with the car.

Kamaha Motorsports
15th - 0 points

The team

Kamaha can only be described as a massive emotional rollercoaster. They had to work hard to convince Yamaha to produce an engine under the new rules, and when Yamaha delivered Barii Mori was embarrassed to discover his theam is the worst performing out of the Yamaha customers, despite having had a say in the engine design. Their continuous flirt with a recalcitrant chassis hasn't helped either, and the team seems to go up & down all the time, while the car refuses to produce any meaningful results. Things looked grim and the team was certainly on the down when Vantini and Melville failed to Pre-Qualify at the first three races, from then on, however, they seem to be slowly going up again, specially after getting a technical partnership agreement with the defunct Revolution team. It's funny to think Kamaha's sister team was performing much better than the historical outfit. Japan motorsports scene needs a team like Kamaha to be at the top of the sport and they better get themselves on the up or it'll seem that they'll have wasted many million yen once again.

The drivers

Rosco Vantini should be taken as a study case in Sports psychology schools. The Italian seemed to be as unhinged as his team and was usually, to the surprise of everyone, beaten by Daniel Melville. His episode after Brands Hatch put the icing on the cake, and Barii Mori has taken the duties over the first Kamaha car. Mori didn't do bad in his umpteenth return to the sport, but at this point we don't believe many people take the SANDWICH '18 winner very seriously anymore. Daniel Melville's performances, on the other hand, can only be described as impressive. Despite not having scored any points yet, the Australian is one of the most focused drivers so far, and only mechanical gremlins have prevented him to score points in Marrakech and Red Bull Ring. With the new package at his disposal and more progress in the chassis, he could finally get those elusive points.

Team Mecha Racing
16th - 0 points

The team

Mecha seem to be on the same path they left 2017: Getting to races thanks to an engine that's good on qualifying only to be left with nothing on race day. The car is as uncapable as usual and the constant testing doesn't seem to lead the team anywhere. They work hard, but one should question if they put the focus on the right stuff. Hiring Fushida was a perfect example of how lost the management is at times, and once they replaced him with a journeyman like Jesús Plaza things started to look better. It wouldn't be a risky prediction if we say they won't score any points in the second half of the season either.

The drivers

John Bean is still somewhat of a question mark. When Fushida was his team mate, he proved to be way faster, but his current team-mate is usually ahead of him, and so far his best race result is an 18th place... not very encouraging. No comments about Kazuki Fushida performance; the veteran proved very quickly to be way off what's required to be minimally competitive in the series, and, while he hasn't retired many think he'd better be off enjoying a more peaceful life in Okinawa. Jesús Plaza proved inmediately that the Mecha is a car capable of being present regularly in main qualifying. Plaza was going to be the leading driver for Mecha from the beggining, however, his management decided to look for a drive elsewhere when Fushida was announced as his team-mate. However, Plaza was happy to return to the team, even if for little else than making up the numbers on the starting grid.

Plus One Kingfisher Racing
17th – 0 points

The team

This is another team that will likely not survive the season, and, even if they do it'll be a small miracle. Trying to copy Fusion's strategy to leapfrog the midfield in 2019, 2018 was always going to be a tough season for the team, given their engine choice and the total lack of upgrades. The chassis is miles off the best and there's an alarming lack of management. So bad the situation is they were unable to find a replacement when Quentin Reatherson was given a shot with Jones at Long Beach.

The drivers

David Neuberg's loyalty to the team is remarkable. If the world would be crumbling around him, he's the man that would stand next to the car until the final minute. Unfortunately, loyalty alone doesn't make a career and it seems he's just wasting time as there are other teams interested in his services. Quentin Reatherson hasn't fared that much better. The team qualified at the very beggining of the season just as they didn't need to pass Pre-Qualifying, and so far a 19th place at Bathurst is the only finish. After the visit to Oceania, he's just been passing time on Friday mornings, except his aforementioned day out at Long Beach.

Tassie Racing
18th – 0 points

The team

This is a team that managed to raise some eyebrows in the pre-season when they announced a very powerful line-up in Tomo Kazama and Akira Yamamura. Could Tassie be the real deal? Unfortunately for them, time has shown they're suffering from big ineptitude in the management side. They got their chassis of Gillet, a chassis with just two race starts in 2017 and they paired them with the powerless Audi engine, even if they got to check all manufacturer dyno figures before being able to make a choice. To the surprise of nobody, the team has struggled in pre-qualifying so far despite their stellar driver line-up, and it was a sort of a miracle that the car qualified in Italy, of all places. It's even more surprising they decided the problem was with the drivers and, after firing Kazama, they made the questionable choice of F5000 driver Hans Einhrin. To put the icing on the cake, ARWS commission decided Einhrin was not worth of a license, leaving the team with just one more authorised driver change. The team's future is turning dark grey and they better react fast if they don't want it to be black.

The drivers

It's hard to blame either Tomo Kazama or Akira Yamamura. The car is simply not up to the task, as evidenced by Einhrin's performance in Austria. So far it's a miracle Yamamura got to qualify in Monza, and maybe the demise of some teams will allow the young Akira to repeat the feat at some other point this season... if his new team mate delivers.

Rob Lomas Racing
19th – 0 points

The team

Another team with a lack of an strategy. Rob Lomas seems happy having his cars trolling around the final positions in Pre-Qualifying and taking the ocassional race start as a victory in itself. Seeing the evident lack of progress for this second season despite having a much stronger lineup speaks volumes about the skills of the technical staff. The Audi engine isn't helping here either, but Audi's blame should be limited as the team hasn't taken any of the upgrades offered to them. In the chassis department, the old Kamaha chassis proved disastrous and increasingly harder to setup. The drivers complained that it was good one lap and all over the place the following, and the lack of upgrades pissed them so much that Shioya decided to abandon the team after failing in the main qualifying at Brands Hatch. However, there's a glimpse of optimism for the team as they've had access to an improved Kamaha chassis and that should allow them to make a few more race starts in the second half of the season.

The drivers

Hansuke Shioya ended up so upset with the technical side of the team he left for Aeroracing, although that move hasn't helped him make the grid so far. Kekkonen didn't do much better in Austria, proving the problem is not in the lineup. Fakkinen did a bit better job and qualified the car at the team's home race in Brands Hatch, althiugh his adventure didn't last long and had to park the car quite early.

Gillet Ecurie Nationale Belge
20th - 0 points

The team

The fact that Gillet have spent now more than a complete season stuck in Pre-Qualifying speaks for itself. Despite having a competitive line-up the team stubbornly decided to keep their own engines, and the new chassis isn't much better either. They've started to realise their classic conservatism isn't leading them anywhere, and an agressive upgrading policy may bring the team out of the hole they dug themselves into.

The drivers

No blame on either Aurelien Moll or Shane Walsh; both are capable of doing something if they're given a proper chance, but as long as the car is a joke, so will be their results.

[CaptainGetz12]

Blokkmonsta to petition for Holden to stay in the sport

Blokkmonsta Motorsport has announced a proposal to enter talks with Holden in order to convince them to stay in the sport. "Holden has been a very reliable and profitable venture in ARWS and it would be a real tax on the smaller teams if they decided to withdraw." spoke Blokkmonsta team owner Andrea Schnass. "We are hoping they can enter negotiations to keep their operation within the sport, and I invite Rosenforth and Nurminen to join us in the talks."

Holden currently supplies three teams in ARWS, but this year they branched out into Formula One. Holden sold their ARWS team off to Jimmy Rosenforth, who renamed the team Rosenforth Engineering. Schnass explained that he hoped any negotiations can be made to keep Holden and their engines in the sport, but he also explained that a potential buyout could be considered as well, though he declined to name any potential buyers.

[Aerond]

Tassie in "serious trouble" if sexual assault accusations proven true

The ARWS Commission seems to be given extra work by Australian team Tassie. A few days ago Hans Einhrin was stripped off his license and now Tomo Kazama has claimed she was fired after being sexually assaulted by staff of the rookie Australian outfit. Today, chief commissioner Daniel Prieto has declared that "they will be in serious trouble if Tomo's right, we have decided to start an investigation". It's believed that Tassie's future could be jeopardised by this claims as it's likely they'll lose sponsorship money. A penalty by the commission in case the investigation goes through could go from a credits fine to even the exclusion of the championship if the commission considers Tassie are bringing the sport into disrepute

[Ataxia]

Jantscher refuses to back Holden ARWS plea

Nurminen Grand Prix's Marko Jantscher has openly refused to back Blokkmonsta Racing's plea for Holden to remain in the sport, citing "flaws" in the Australian company's decision to support works ARWS and F1 teams.

The Nurminen team currently use Holden engines, and are set to let their contract elapse as the team has struggled with the race-day power of the LSWS-18 engine.

"This situation where Holden are working in both top categories is completely sub-optimal." said Jantscher, typically.

"You cannot expect to challenge to win in either if you are spreading your resources thinly like this, and these flaws mean that they are not making strong developments with the engine we use."

"If you have one scoop of ice cream, you cannot fill two cones with it. Holden need to pick one cone, which is the optimal solution."

[HawkAussie]

OOC: This is why I don't playing games that have money involved.

If we can, could we bring back Kazama back in. If not than Hiroto Tojo will be joining the team.

[Aerond]

2018 Germany Grand Prix -- Nürnberg -- 15th July 2018

VENUE: Norisring
Length: 2,300 m
Laps: 124

Weather:
Pre-Qualifying: Wet - 95%
Qualifying: Dry
Race: Wet - 35%

PRE-QUALIFYING

1.Jesus Plaza (Mecha) -- 44.604
2.Shane Walsh (Gillet) -- 44.805 (+0.201)
3.Miko Fäkkinen (RLR) -- 44.936 (+0.332)
4.Gregor Pascal (Rosenforth) -- 45.136 (+0.532)
5.Jari Kekkonen (RLR) -- 45.260 (+0.656)
6.Aurelien Moll (Gillet) -- 45.660 (+1.056)
7.Wouter Lamberigts (Blokkmonsta) -- 45.818 (+1.214)
8.Daniel Martins (Aeroracing) -- 45.938 (+1.334)
9.David Neuberg (PORE) -- 45.980 (+1.376)
10.Carter Simpson (Rosenforth) -- 45.982 (+1.378)
11.Nicolas Steele (Blokkmonsta) -- 46.146 (+1.542)
12.Akira Yamamura (Tassie) -- 46.183 (+1.579)
13.Hansuke Shioya (Aeroracing) -- 46.274 (+1.670)
14.John Bean (Mecha) -- 46.460 (+1.856)
15.Hiroto Tojo (Tassie) -- 46.877 (+2.273)
16.Quentin Reatherson (PORE) -- 46.912 (+2.308)

** RLR will skip Pre-Q from Round 11

QUALIFYING

1.Terry Hawkin (Fusion) -- 40.321
2.Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen (Kjellerup) -- 40.449 (+0.128)
3.Alessandro Lucarelli (Venturi) -- 40.842 (+0.521)
4.Daniel Melville (Kamaha) -- 40.853 (+0.532)
5.Alberto Cara (MRT) -- 40.976 (+0.655)
6.Jean-Luc Schiller (Simpson) -- 41.009 (+0.688)
7.Fredo Mestolio (Fusion) -- 41.010 (+0.689)
8.Dan Greenlaw (Voeckler) -- 41.012 (+0.692)
9.Mark Dagnall (Jones) -- 41.019 (+0.698)
10.Alexey Buyvolov (Simpson) -- 41.022 (+0.701)
11.Thomas de Bock (Voeckler) -- 41.090 (+0.769)
12.Nick Nurmester (Kjellerup) -- 41.130 (+0.809)
13.Jesus Plaza (Mecha) -- 41.167 (+0.846)
14.Naoki Shinjo (USD) -- 41.217 (+0.896)
15.Barii Mori (Kamaha) -- 41.260 (+0.939)
16.Phillippe Nicolas (MRT) -- 41.290 (+0.969)
17.Carter Simpson (Rosenforth) -- 41.295 (+0.974)
18.Shinobu Katayama (Venturi) -- 41.304 (+0.983)
19.Diego Alvarez Torrente (Jones) -- 41.410 (+1.089)
20.Marco Bizzarri (USD) -- 41.452 (+1.131)
21.Shane Walsh (Gillet) -- 41.455 (+1.134)
22.Gregor Pascal (Rosenforth) -- 41.459 (+1.138)
23.Danny van Rijkens (NRE) -- 41.492 (+1.171)
24.Marko Jantscher (NRE) -- 41.656 (+1.335)
25.Jari Kekkonen (RLR) -- 41.702 (+1.381)
26.Aurelien Moll (Gillet) -- 41.822 (+1.501)
DNQ.John Bean (Mecha) -- 41.869 (+1.548)
DNQ.Miko Fäkkinen (RLR) -- 41.936 (+1.615)

** NRE drops to Pre-Q from round 11

RACE

1.Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen (Kjellerup) -- 1h 30m 51.442
2.Phillippe Nicolas (MRT) -- +39.236
3.Alessandro Lucarelli (Venturi) -- +1 Lap
4.Fredo Mestolio (Fusion) -- +1 Lap
5.Jean-Luc Schiller (Simpson) -- +1 Lap
6.Alexey Buyvolov (Simpson) -- +1 Lap
7.Shinobu Katayama (Venturi) -- +2 Laps
8.Gregor Pascal (Rosenforth) -- +2 Laps
9.Barii Mori (Kamaha) -- +2 Laps
10.Marco Bizzarri (USD) -- +2 Laps
11.Aurelien Moll (Gillet) -- +3 Laps
DNF.Terry Hawkin (Fusion) -- Loose Wheel
DNF.Daniel Melville (Kamaha) -- Accident
DNF.Carter Simpson (Rosenforth) -- Accident
DNF.Mark Dagnall (Jones) -- Accident
DNF.Jari Kekkonen (USD) -- Accident
DNF.Jesus Plaza (Mecha) -- Accident
DNF.Marko Jantscher (NRE) -- Accident
DNF.Diego Alvarez Torrente (Jones) -- Accident
DNF.Alberto Cara (MRT) -- Suspension
DNF.Shane Walsh (Gillet) -- Accident
DNF.Danny van Rijkens (NRE) -- Accident
DNF.Nick Nurmester (Kjellerup) -- Accident
DNF.Naoki Shinjo (USD) -- Accident
DNF.Thomas de Bock (Voeckler) -- Accident
DNF.Dan Greenlaw (Voeckler) -- Accident

DOTR: Alessandro Lucarelli: Got a very valuable podium for Venturi with an errorless drive
ROTR: Voeckler: It says it all when your drivers both crash within three corners off the start of the race.
Fastest Lap: Terry Hawkin (Fusion) -- 42.357

Achievements

Prison Break: RLR
The hero we deserve: Tassie, PORE
Hard Charger: Gillet
Cameo: Voeckler
Run for the border: Fusion

[DemocalypseNow]

For anyone that missed the race live, full video highlights including commentary are available to watch here.

[FMecha]

Another weather-induced PQ pass (PQ ESCAPE WHEN??!!), another DNF for one car (and DNQ for another - Bean's performance during PQ meant that despite Plaza's PQ pole, we're barely PQ'ed)... although this time, the entire race was chaotic anyway.

[AndreaModa]

"I can't allow more failures to score" - Jones

Sammy Jones was left to rue another double retirement from his two drivers at the German Grand Prix as Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen took the win.

Describing his team's result as a "disaster" Jones told reporters that if his team produces another result like this before the end of the year, then both championships will be gone.

"It's quite simple, I can't allow any more failures to score points for this team" said Jones. "it's true that Voeckler had a shocker too, and Hawkin didn't score either, but we really needed to be getting points in a race like this. Things must change in the remaining races. The team's future depends on it."

[Ataxia]

Fusion rue pitstop error

Fusion principal Jacques Couteau has bemoaned Terry Hawkin's final pitstop at the Norisring, which led to a loose wheel and the eventual retirement of Hawkin from the lead.

Hawkin had capitalised on an error from eventual winner Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen, and looked to be on course for a fifth victory before his left-rear tyre threatened to make an escape halfway through his 87th lap.

"We are...disappointed." said Couteau after the Grand Prix. "We don't know if it's a pit stop error or an issue with the wheel gun, but it's not good that this happens. When we go testing next week, we'll have a look and make sure we don't get complacent."

"Congrats to Bastiaan, he did a good job and it's nice to see another team winning in ARWS".

Astro Racing Group sell stake to Swiss investors, rumours of complete rebrand
Astro Racing Group have sold a minority stake in their racing activities to Swiss investments firm Bischoff & Adler Capital, it has emerged.

"This new deal with Bischoff & Adler helps us to secure our long-term future." said a team spokesperson. "Although we have a range of brilliant partnerships with companies across many different industries, we are still a young team and must ensure we have a stable ground to build our successes upon".

Rumours have suggested that Astro will rebrand their racing operations in the AutoReject racing series to link the Fusion and Nebula operations, although this is to be confirmed by the team.

[DemocalypseNow]

van Nieuwenhuijzen becomes first ever Dutch race winner in ARWS at Norisring

After Gauthier's well documented struggles in the last couple of months, there were concerns about Maaskantje born driver Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen's future in the AutoReject World Series. However, a switch to Kjellerup has paid dividends, claiming a sensational debut win at the Norisring.

Van Nieuwenhuijzen capitalised on a pit-stop error by championship leader Terry Hawkin's Fusion pitcrew, a loose wheel ending the Brit's day and leaving the path clear for the Dutchman take the spoils. It was not only his first win, but also a first win for his new Kjellerup team.

"Amazing, I can't believe it," he said in the post-race press conference. "We knew the car had potential. But to win after only my second race with the team, amazing. We found a really good set-up on Friday, the one lap pace was good all weekend, and we were able to put together a sensible strategy."

"Of course, you look at how events transpired, and there was a little luck. I made a big mistake half way through, a silly mistake, and again near the end. Also our first stop was quite slow. So luck was on our side today, for sure. Overall though the car looks very, very good, and so I'm really happy we were able to show what the team is capable of."

With a first podium, and now a first win now both out of the way, van Nieuwenhuijzen made clear his targets for the rest of the season.

"The priority now is to fight Jones and Voeckler for third in the constructors' championship," he explained. "We showed we have a good package, that we are capable of fighting these teams. We were equal with Hawkin in the Fusion on raw pace, which is amazing when you look at where they are in the championship. So certainly the aim now is to go as high in the WCC as possible. And if that means I can climb up the Drivers' Championship at the same time, that's a nice bonus for me too."

[TomWazzleshaw]

Depault scathing of "Dangerous" Norisring

MRT Team Principal Pierre Depault launched a scathing attack of the final corner at the Norisring after this afternoon's ARWS race at the southern German circuit. Despite Phillippe Nicolas restarting his faltering title challenge with a fighting drive to 2nd on the alternate strategy, Depault was still fuming at the state of the circuit.

"The state of that final corner today was absolutely farcical." noted Depault. "The bumps in that corner were the most dangerous I've ever seen, and to have so many cars affected by it makes a total mockery of the sport. We're supposed to be the premier motorsport category going around, and it doesn't need things like this. It's a minor miracle nobody was seriously hurt, and this needs to be addressed as soon as possible."

Depault was more complimentary of the performance of his two drivers, Alberto Cara and Phillippe Nicolas in the trying conditions as the team extended their lead in the constructors' championship over title rivals Fusion.

"Alberto had some issues with understeer all weekend, so we wouldn't have had the ultimate pace to take it to Terry or Bastiaan today. With the way the race panned out and the way he simply got on with the job however, we still could have salvaged a podium from the race for him. Phillippe also had balance issues in qualifying, but he drove the best race he could on the one-stopper. He's gone from being 12 points out of the title fight to 5, and with eight races to go, anything can still happen."

[Normal32]

Venturi Scores First Podium

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As Fartway to be boycotted?

After the As Fartway round in the FIA Prototype Challenge, many teams have been rumored to boycott the next race at Scandinavian Grand Prix, specially if it rains. The main reason for the outcry is for the huge crashes seen in the prototype race, one of which has done severe injuries to the driver.

Tassie in trouble?

After sexual allegations by Tomo Kazama and a poor management, the Tassie team is increasingly in financial trouble, not helped with RLR making out for the second time, meaning that they are out in the last position in the World's Constructor Championship.

Despite hiring Hiroto Tojo, this will not help the team a lot, and, with the arrest of some staff due to the aforementioned allegations, this is slowly but surely becoming one of the biggest management failures in the history of ARWS; its just goes to show what happens with good drivers, but with awful management, you can't get them nowhere.

[MinardiFan95]

Simpson Motorsports pleased with double points finish in Germany

Simpson Motorsports drivers Jean Luc Schiller and Alexey Buyvolov survived one of the most chaotic ARWS races in recent history to score a strong double points finish at a wet and wild Norisring.

Jean-Luc Schiller (5th place): "We were in contention for a podium all day, but the strategy just didn't fall our way. I got caught behind slower cars after both stops and lost about 5 seconds each time."

Alexey Buyvolov (6th place): "I struggled to get to grips with the car in the wet conditions today, the tyres had no grip in these conditions. I'm happy just to have kept the car on the road and scored a point."

RUMOUR: Simpson to enter legal battle with the ARWS commission?

Over the Norisring race weekend, the rumours that Simpson Motorsport will take the ARWS commission to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the refusal to allow Renault to supply engines to the team have intensified. Simpson are reportedly seeking damages both for the loss of their former title sponsor Dacia, as well as potential losses caused by the lesser performance of their replacement engines. Auto Fiction will keep an eye out on this story and bring you further news on any possible developments.

[TomWazzleshaw]

ARWS WRAP: Katayama a marked woman

After Alessandro Lucarelli scored a sensational podium for Venturi at the German Grand Prix, many people saw this as the beginning of Venturi's emergance as a potent midfield force for the future. However, many of these people also see incumbent driver Shinobu Katayama as someone who won't be part of the plans for much longer. After bursting on the scene in 2012 and her incredible run to 3rd in the 2014 season, the Japanese veteran has fallen into obscurity and is fighting to save her career. Ironically, a late incident in the race which nearly took herself, teammate Lucarelli and race leader Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen out of the race might have driven the final nail in the coffin of her ARWS tenure.

With Lucarelli comprehensively outclassing her since his switch from fellow rookies Kjellerup, the rumour mill is in full swing with two names being suggested as potential replacements. The team reportedly is still on good terms with former driver Jean-Vincent Albertini, who would be more than happy to make his return to the team, while Tomo Kazama is also an option as a pinch-hitter for the balance of the season. Either way, the knives are out for Shinobu, and she will need to respond to save her career.

ARWS WRAP: Not worth a Bean - A Mecha seat rises?

After being held back by Japanese cult icon Kazuki Fushida in the early part of the 2018 season, Mecha's John Bean has been repeatedly put in his place by veteran journeyman Jesus Plaza, and is now in danger of losing his drive. The former F1 pilot has spent the past several seasons resurrecting his top-level single seater career, and got his second chance after an incredible late-season run last year secured him the Formula 5000 title.

However, growing discontent in the team between Bean and Mecha's management has lead to public calls to improve his performance. With another impending reshuffle of the driver market as the highly-publicised issues of Tassie Racing and Plus One threatens to release more drivers onto the market, the pressure is on Bean to deliver. Mecha management is yet to formally look at options for a replacement, but it's believed that Rosenforth driver Gregor Pascal and his Adecco backing is high on their target list as a substitute for the rest of the year.

ARWS WRAP: Sweet Deal for MRT?

As MRT continued to bank the points in Germany, their sponsorship team was reportedly also cashing in cheques in the wake of a new deal to be announced soon. After a one year title sponsorship deal with Dunlop, the team has allegedly signed a long-term deal with confectionery company Abbott's Real Snacks Enterprises for 2019 and beyond. The company, manufacturers and distributors of many famous brands is reported to be paying a seven figure sum to the team, in exchange for prominent exposure for biscuit line Larsen Biscuits and the Jooky soft drink brand. While MRT representatives were unavailable for comment, Abbott's brand manager Michael Abbott told Auto Fiction than an announcement will be made as soon as next weekend in Norway.

ARWS WRAP: Holden Holding on - Sale close?

As the ARWS paddock steamrolls towards the summer break, sources within the paddock are starting to speculate on the future of Holden's ARWS engine program. With Holden's new F1 program taking up an ever-increasing proportion of the manufacturer's resources, the Australian marque has failed to keep up in the ARWS development race, much to the ire of customers Blokkmonsta and NRE. The lack of apparent progress has raised questions of the future of the engine program and as the summer break approaches, rumours that the program is up for sale is gathering momentum.

The most credible rumours so far is that Groupe PSA is looking to enter the ARWS after their disastrous tenure in Formula One. The French manufacturer is rumoured to be in advanced talks with Holden and the ARWS commission to purchase the entire ARWS engine program, with NRE reportedly to run as a factory Peugeot operation. While nothing has been made official as yet, the situation is expected to be resolved by the end of the European season.

[Ataxia]

ARWS WRAP: Sweet Deal for MRT?

As MRT continued to bank the points in Germany, their sponsorship team was reportedly also cashing in cheques in the wake of a new deal to be announced soon. After a one year title sponsorship deal with Dunlop, the team has allegedly signed a long-term deal with confectionery company Abbott's Real Snacks Enterprises for 2019 and beyond. The company, manufacturers and distributors of many famous brands is reported to be paying a seven figure sum to the team, in exchange for prominent exposure for biscuit line Larsen Biscuits and the Jooky soft drink brand. While MRT representatives were unavailable for comment, Abbott's brand manager Michael Abbott told Auto Fiction than an announcement will be made as soon as next weekend in Norway.

OH GOD NO

*PTSD intensifies*

[SuperAguri]

Heartbreak for Melville
Daniel Melville was filmed crying as he went to his motor-home after he crashed out of the German GP after running in a podium position. The young Australian hit the bump and puddle that had seen many drivers crash into the pit wall and he aquaplaned into the wall. He did not come out for an interview, but Barii Mori said "The young lad was heartbroken after qualifying in 4th and ending up in 3rd place with a great start and staying there on merit. He knows he will get another chance and Kamaha have faith in Daniel. As for me, well we spent a lot of time getting the car right for Melville that I didn't work on my setup properly and I trundled around the back, but I will improve."

Katayama accuses team of hindering her
After the race, Shinobu Katayama was quick to talk to the press and she accused the Venturi team of treating her like a second class citizen after Alessandro Lucarellis podium, she said "After Alessandro was signed with 'Lead Driver' status, the team treat my car as an afterthought. During qualifying the team worked hard on Alessandros car and I did not get the adjustments I needed. After I slammed into the wall during qualifying, I asked my race engineer about the steering as it felt different and he told me 'Yeah, Alessandro thought the steering arm was bent, so we thought we would put it on your car to make sure', after I looked at him and said 'Are you trying to kill me?' he walked off. I hope the team do run a two car team in the future as I have taken the car to good places when the top drivers were still in the race only for the car to expire and I won't be Alessandros bitch.". The team were not answering our questions but we hope to bring you a team response soon.

Martin McFry and Rosco Vantini seen in the pitlane
With some of the backmarker teams struggling to get out of pre qualifying, Martin McFry was seen in the garages of Tassie, Mecha, Aeroracing and Blokkmonsta talking to the teams. It is rumoured McFry who has a excellent qualifying record is looking for a drive back in the sport and would help these struggling teams get out of pre qualifying more often. Rosco Vantini was also seen down the pitlane, although miles away from the Kamaha garage, however he is still seen as worth a punt compared to some of the drivers in the lower edges of the championship, although with a court date looming, he might be swapping his racing suit for a prison one. With John Bean, Nicolas Steele, Hiroto Tojo and even Daniel Martins looking ready for the chop, it can be only be a matter of time before other drivers replace them.

Gauthier soon to be no more?
The Gauthier team failed to appear at the German GP, leading to rumours that they will be out of the sport soon. The French police and OLAF are still questioning Guillaume Gauthier about earlier dealings and although he has not formally been charged, he is still helping them with their enquiries.

Kenan Ardaoglu seen at MRT garage
After dominating the AR3.5 race at Austria, Kenan Ardaoglu was seen hanging around the MRT garage, we could not get a comment from either the driver or team, but the German driver is known to be a target for MRT team for 2019.

[DemocalypseNow]

Automercato 19: Jones scrambling for new drivers

Jones are reaching a crisis point. Both drivers are struggling to bring in results befitting of a theoretical frontrunner, with team leader Mark Dagnall only showing occasional flashes of pace rather than consistent performances. His young team-mate Diego Alvarez Torrente also appears to have given up on his ARWS career before the year is even out, his sights firmly set on a switch to Formula 1 next year.

Rubbing salt into the wounds is the leaked news that Dagnall has tasked his management to get him a drive at the emerging Kjellerup team, who are seen as a good bet to become the next surprise frontrunner after the emergence of Fusion this season.

This leaves the Jones-Ford squad in a position unthinkable only a year and change ago, when they were a force to be reckoned with in the title race. As it stands, valid contracts or otherwise, Jones are set to be abandoned by their current driver pairing, and with their junior formulae duo of Luke Gilson-Clarke and James Jones currently looking a little too fresh in the AR 3.5 category to be making a step up to the top tier of AutoReject, the British team find themselves worryingly short of highly rated drivers to court.

The team's real worry is their ability to lure a proven team leader, with a track record of winning races at the highest level. The only choices who fit said description and look to be potentially available are perhaps not traditional choices for the rather Anglo-Saxon team; Phillipe Nicolas and Thomas De Bock.

The former is in the midst of a title battle at MRT, but the works BMW team are turning their attention to the future, and are looking to bring in fresh talent alongside Alberto Cara, who has been a match for his more experienced team-mate this season. There is a chance still he may retain his drive, should he take the drivers' championship, but anything less than the ultimate prize would see him available to potential suitors. The problem for Jones lies in his primary suitor; arch-rivals Voeckler. One would imagine Nicolas would be more partial to representing his home nation - in a sense - as a works Renault driver, with an engine that has proven to be the best of the current generation.

The latter choice, Thomas De Bock, may be the reigning champion, but his title defence has been one of the least effective in ARWS history. While reliability woes explain some of the troubles, he must also shoulder the blame for some silly mistakes at multiple races this year, combined with woeful showings in qualifying which leave him vulnerable to the trademark midfield chaos. Dan Greenlaw, despite being a series rookie, has looked the better driver all year long, and so one might question whether De Bock is even good enough for Jones' expectations.

As for the other seat, they are set to choose between three options. Despite being outclassed by Terry Hawkin this year, it appears Fredo Mestolio - and his sponsorship money - could be headed back to Jones for a second stint, after his efforts to save Jones' WCC hopes back in 2016 almost undid the damage from the ineffective Rosco Vantini, whom he replaced mid-season. The other angle being rumoured is bringing in a rookie, but with neither of their current 3.5 drivers linked. Instead, two clear candidates have emerged; taking on either current 3.5 championship leader Kenan Ardaoglu (along with the bonus money his title will earn him), or alternatively promote from within, and bring current Formula 3 championship leader Stan Frankham straight up from the third to the first tier of racing.

Either way, it seems Jones will be in for a massive overhaul for next season, with their best efforts of keeping their line-up stable all in vain.

Plaza offered bumper renewal by Team Mecha

After showing an impressive turn of pace since his return to Team Mecha, Mexican driver Jesús Plaza looks set for a multi-year contract extension, and an increase in salary to go with it.

Plaza has turned around the fortunes of the Indonesian backmarkers of late, and while the unreliable chassis & engine combination has prevented him from recording any meaningful results yet, his pace has been far superior to that of Mecha's other pair of drivers this year; his current team-mate John Bean, and the man he replaced, Kazuki Fushida.

Plaza is set to become the highest paid driver in the team's history, with a raise to $2.5 million a season and a two-year extension reputedly offered to make sure the driver doesn't become tempted by another other potential suitors that come his way.

Mori to surrender Kamaha race seat to compatriot Katayama?

After two dismal showings in his return to ARWS from a short-lived retirement announced late last year, rumours are swirling that Kamaha team-principal and driver Barii Mori will relieve himself of driving duties, to bring in a younger driver who has more seat time during the current season than himself.

Shinobu Katayama, who is close friends with the Kamaha team principal, is apparently growing weary of her perceived secondary status at Venturi, and her frustrations at being unable to turn one lap pace into results on raceday. With her frustrations already being vented publicly in the last several races, it appears the relationship between team and driver is breaking down to an irreparable level. A move to race under Mori, who was her team principal for over two years at the former Sunshine Infiniti team, is looking ever more likely, as the former race winner looks to find her mojo again after several seasons mired in anonymity.

If Katayama finds herself unable to extricate herself from her Venturi contract, it is rumoured Mori will then turn to Tassie Racing, and attempt to poach Akira Yamamura from the struggling Aussie team.

Kamaha are understood to have also approached Tomo Kazama, a former driver of theirs currently without a drive, having left the aforementioned Tassie Racing team around a month ago. Their approach was quickly rebuffed however, Kazama apparently still seething over the less than amicable circumstances her original stint with the team ended in.

Voeckler Talent Management // 2018 ARWS German GP // Post-Race Quotes

Alessandro Lucarelli // Venturi Formula // 3rd
This has been an amazing weekend for everyone in the team. Qualifying on the front row, and managing to recover from the bad start I had to finish on the podium, it was finally the show of strength the team was always capable of, but never quite able to put together over the course of a whole weekend.

This will give everyone confidence now, showing them they can deliver great results - myself included. I try to be as supportive of the team as possible, the guys are giving everything they have. I hope Shinobu [Katayama] begins to see this too - we are a team unit, they are trying their best, and this is what is possible when everyone - especially the driver - has the right, positive mentality.


Marco Bizzarri // Union Saver Developments // 9th
I am starting to get a little better feel for the car now, improving a bit this weekend for sure. But, I got stuck in an unfortunate situation. A long, long battle with the Kamaha of Mori. I think maybe I'm slightly faster overall, but the problem is his Yamaha engine has more power than us, so I can't quite pull far enough alongside towards the end of straights to make a clean move. I didn't want to risk the car by maybe lunging and crashing into him, or bashing him out of the way.


John Bean // Team Mecha Racing // DNQ
A difficult weekend. We are testing a lot now, but all of the changes are made to suit Plaza, the car as it evolves becomes less and less suited to my style. I'm struggling more now than in the first races of the year.

[SuperAguri]

Voeckler Talent Management // 2018 ARWS German GP // Post-Race Quotes
Marco Bizzarri // Union Saver Developments // 9th

9th hey? I think you will find you were 10th.

[Ataxia]

Couteau confirms Fusion switch to "terrifying" identity; driver announcement "soon"

Fusion team principal Jacques Couteau has confirmed that the Fusion and Nebula AutoReject teams will be rebranded over the winter, although the new team name has yet to be revealed.

Having sold a portion of the Astro Racing Group operations to Swiss firm Bischoff & Adler Capital, Couteau and new co-owner Marco Adler have discussed the way forward for the new partnership. With Nebula's F2 and F3 operations rebranding to Hypernova Racing, the duo decided that rebranding the AutoReject World Series and 3.5 Series teams was best for business.

"Marco and I discussed a new name and brand" said Couteau. "We decided that Fusion and Nebula weren't imposing enough. We need to show how we are an ambitious team who want to win everything we participate in."

"We will launch the new name at the end of the season, if not a little bit earlier. The new image we have is bold, and hopefully for the other teams, a little bit terrifying!"

"Before then though, we need to focus on getting everything else ready for 2019. We have Renault and Infiniti back on board again, as well as the majority of our sponsors. We just need to secure our drivers, and hopefully we can announce them quite soon."

[SeedStriker]

Union Saver Developments ARWS Germany Review

Naoki Shinjo wrote
I'm the only one to blame for what happened on the Norisring. I pushed too far on a wet track, the tail slided a little bit, but that was enough to make me hit the armco and tear apart the right rear. Still, running on this street circuit with this cars is insane, as the multiple crashes on the kink before the main straight showed. Hoping that the testing can improve things.

[SuperAguri]

ARWS3.5 Leader Kenan Ardaoglu in demand.

Before the season is out, AR3.5 leader Kenan Ardaoglu may get signed for a ARWS drive. So far we know that MRT and Jones have approached his manager Prince Falik about a drive and that Kamaha have offered a two year contract but we believe that Ardaoglu is holding out for a drive for a top team. After his domination in Austria he is certainly on the lists of most teams.

[HawkAussie]

Tassie Racing withdraws from all motorsport

In what would be a not a shock to everyone, Tassie Racing has withdrawn from all motorsport with Matthew Saoea declared bankrupt. This though was no surprise with all of the recent events that has been happening over the past two rounds in the championship with the sexual talks coming from many sources. This is after two other teams in Gauthier and Revolution also folding during the rounds.

With Tassie Racing folding from all motorsport, this will mean now every driver that it was linked with the team will now be free to go their ways.

This is the full list of the drivers that I do own. Because starting from today, I officially am retired from this forum as school work will now be the main focus instead of me being here. This will also include the wiki.

Elinor Yurko
Simon Bourne
Akira Yamamura
Hans Einhrin
Carl Jordan
Samson Medina-Márquez
Barry Edwards
Christian Poulsen
Simon Bourne
Ben Hughes
Sam Baromono
Fidel Edwards

So from my mouth. See you later

[DemocalypseNow]

Yamamura in high demand after Tassie departure

Akira Yamamura's sudden departure from the Tassie Racing team, which entered administration and terminated the contracts of its entire workforce - including its trio of drivers - has suddenly put a number of teams on high alert.

One team that has gone all-in and made their intentions public is the Lotto Racing organisation, who are currently preparing for their debut ARWS season next year. They were previously chasing Yamamura's former team-mate Tomo Kazama to spearhead their effort, but with the former F2RWRS champion understood to be on the brink of switching to current championship leaders Fusion, they have instead turned their attentions to her compatriot.

Kamaha are also understood to be preparing an offer for the former Aeroracing protege, after team principal turned substitute driver Barii Mori found himself struggling to reacquaint himself with ARWS machinery in his two appearances since replacing Rosco Vantini. While Shinobu Katayama is understood to be his preferred option, she is still tied under contract at Venturi, and so will turn to Yamamura as their next best option currently available.

Two other teams also said to be lining up an offer are Jones-Ford and RUF Blokkmonsta. The former is reportedly alarmed by Diego Álvarez Torrente's lack of focus, with his mind seemingly already firmly fixed on next year, and a defection to Formula 1. Since finishing on the podium in Canada, his form has nosedived and Jones are already looking at options to help challenge Voeckler and Kjellerup for third in the constructors' championship.

Blokkmonsta meanwhile have been biding their time to find an adequate replacement for Nicolas Steele. The veteran American racer has been completely outclassed by his team-mate Wouter Lamberigts, and tensions are starting to fray between team and driver. The team's chief financiers RUF are said to be pressuring management to offload Steele and find fresh blood to get them back into the races, having recently dropped into the Pre-Qualifying lottery, thanks mostly to Steele's abysmal efforts on Saturdays this season.

As for the other drivers in the unemployment line thanks to Tassie's demise, newly recruited second driver Hiroto Tojo finds himself with few prospects, while Hans Einhrin looks set for a return to Oceania and the F5000 series in which he raced last year.

TL;DR - If you want to sign Yamamura, head to the 2018 Free Agency thread and make your pitch.

[CaptainGetz12]

Schnass: "Steele is done"

Andrea Schnass has choice words to say over Nicolas Steele. The Team Owner of RUF Blokkmonsta GP already fell out of good terms with the American veteran since Steele showed lackluster performance in the last few races.

Steele's poor performance made Blokkmonsta not qualify for their home race at the Norising, Schnass looked visibly fuming and nearly punched out Steele at the team garage. After being restrained by team staff the team owner said, "He's done, Steele is done. He can't keep doing this. He had his chance, but he's off.

It is currently unclear which driver would replace Steele should he not be in the driver seat next race. With the dissolution of several teams from ARWS and the frequent shift of drivers from teams Blokkmonsta certainly have plenty of drivers to choose from.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Blokkmonsta in support of Depault, say Norisring is not a safe course

Blokkmonsta expressed support for Pierre Depault's complaints regarding the condition of the Norisring after the ARWS Round of Germany. Although Blokkmonsta failed to qualify for their home race Team Owner and Manager Andrea Schnass explained that the track does not reach ARWS standards. "The barriers are placed abysmally and everyone kept sliding into the wall in the last corner. This track is more fit for touring cars, not F1-spec open-wheelers. I agree with Mr. Depault: The course needs to be built to higher standards or ARWS should look elsewhere for a race in Germany.

When asked about the following race at As Fartway Schnass was less open. "We hope that ARWS will bring adequate standards to the next race in Norway but we'll keep our opinion out of the discussion for now."

[AndreaModa]

So I've just spent a couple of hours trawling through 40+ pages of the 2014 season thread for the non-championship race entry lists and results. Aside from page after page of hilarious mud-slinging (SuperAguri and Biscione's contributions clear highlights) I found this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dg8vbU4HG8

There's also some absolute classic form predictions for new (at that time) drivers too. Wizzie right at the front of the bullsh*t brigade as usual!

[AdrianSutil]

@We are still alive!@, claims Mr.Alexander

It appears that PORE are still interested in competing next season, despite making only a token effort so far this year. With the rumour mill in full swing surrounding the team's future, Mr.Alexander is still very much in control and very much looking to keep the team alive. However, with funds almost gone, it's been a difficult few months trying to find outside investors. "It doesn't help that we are near the very back of the grid of course. But there is potential here", said an optimistic Mr.Alexander.
The rumours surrounding both drivers for next season was also a major talking point, as both Reatherson and long-serving Neuberg's contracts are both up come season's end. " I've said it before and I'll say it again, we want to keep David (Neuberg) with us for as long as possible. However, if the right team came knocking, we would be maybe willing to allow him to leave. I'd hate to drag him down with the rest of us, especially after his long service with us. It wouldn't be the right thing to do."

[Aerond]

So I've just spent a couple of hours trawling through 40+ pages of the 2014 season thread for the non-championship race entry lists and results. Aside from page after page of hilarious mud-slinging (SuperAguri and Biscione's contributions clear highlights) I found this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dg8vbU4HG8

There's also some absolute classic form predictions for new (at that time) drivers too. Wizzie right at the front of the bullsh*t brigade as usual!

Hahahahaha, I never saw that video!

In completely unrelated video stuff; I gotta get more serious in uploading the races, too.

[TomWazzleshaw]

Pascal to race for Blokkmonsta

Swiss driver Gregor Pascal has become the latest piece to fall in the ARWS driver market, confirming his widely-rumoured defection from Rosenforth to Blokkmonsta for the rest of the season. Less than 24 hours after Blokkmonsta team owner Andrea Schnass announced that Nicolas Steele's contract had been terminated, Gregor Pascal's management were quick to confirm the move, stating that the contract had been signed.

Pascal is currently into his second full-time ARWS season after several years in the feeder F2RWRS category, winning several races before graduating with Gauthier in late 2016. The Swiss driver brings significant backing from Swiss HR firm Adecco to the team, a much-welcome boost to the coffers of Blokkmonsta as they work towards securing an engine deal for 2019 and beyond.

With Pascal's switch, the second Rosenforth seat has been opened up alongside rookie Carter Simpson. While no obvious candidates have been mentioned as of yet, there are plenty of drivers in the market that the team could choose from as a potential replacement for the departing Pascal.

[DemocalypseNow]

Ashley Watkinson expresses his interest in the Rosenforth position, on the condition he is permitted to fulfil his existing testing obligations with USD.

[AndreaModa]

There needs to be more of this!

PASCAL GIVES JIMMY THE FINGER AND SHACKS UP WITH BLOKKMONSTA
Gregor Pascal has SHAFTED his former team boss Jimmy Rosenforth by DESERTING the British team on the eve of the Scandinavian Grand Prix! The hapless Swiss driver's biggest claim to fame is his ABYSMAL retirement record - he's parked his motor in FIFTEEN of his 21 race starts - one of the worst rates in the history of the sport. Pascal will see out the season at Blokkmonsta, replacing the SACKED Nicolas Steele, leaving Jimmy in the lurch as he begins a DESPERATE search for a new driver.

THE "SLAUGHTER OF THE SMALL TEAMS": TASSIE ON THE SCRAPHEAP WITH ARWS CULL IN FULL SWING - MECHA NEXT?
'Thinning the herd' is how one paddock insider labelled what's been branded as an EXTERMINATION of under-performing ARWS teams, and after the Tassie team bit the dust, S.H.I.T asks, "Who's next?". Reports have emerged that the ATROCIOUS Mecha team, now in their fifth year and still yet to score a single point in 74 races, are on the brink of COLLAPSE. Mecha top brass are in a FRENZY as they try and secure the future of their team into 2019, but many within the paddock are doubtful the Indonesians will even SURVIVE the season.

MARTINS LIVID WITH AERORACING BOSSES AS TEAM CONTINUES TO NOSEDIVE
Peak Aeroracing driver Daniel Martins, a respected veteran of the sport, has BLASTED his employers after what has to be one of the most WOEFUL falls from grace in sporting history. Martins was drafted into the team after the new management reversed their BIZZARE decision to hand relative nobody Renaldo Jiménez a race seat. Having been handed the THANKLESS task of clearing up the mess, Martins' patience has worn thin with the team FLOUNDERING in pre-qualifying. Rumours suggest the old hand may well pack it all in at the end of the year, but with Aeroracing in such poor form, it may well be sooner than that.

TORRENTE SPOTTED AT STEVENAGE HOUSE PARTY
Troubled Jones driver Diego Álvarez Torrente has reportedly been spotted blowing off steam at a house party in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. STUNNED onlookers are said to have seen the Spaniard clutching a six pack of San Miguel as he entered the house a short while after 8pm. One local resident described the gathering as "another one of these f***ing COKE-FUELLED orgies ruining my house valuation" and whilst hard substance abuse has not been confirmed, it is known that Torrente left the premises just before 4am TOPLESS and with two women in tow. Representatives from Jones Racing couldn't be reached for comment.

VOECKLER TAKE AIM AT UNDER-FIRE DE BOCK
Thomas De Bock is a dead man walking - if reports are to be believed, Voeckler will DUMP the Belgian less than a full year since his hard work delivered the team their first title. The loyal De Bock, who has stood by Voeckler despite the team enduring a HORRENDOUS reliability record in 2018, looks set to be BETRAYED for a younger driver. The 30 year old has begun the search for a new team in time for next year, with early bidders believed to include Jones, Kjellerup and Nurminen.

[Nuppiz]

Nurminen joins row over Norisring's safety; supports Jantscher's comments about Holden

After the ARWS German Grand Prix at Norisring resulted in half of the field retiring due to various accidents, a number of people involved in the sport have criticized the track and demanded its removal from the calendar. In an interview with SRMP's Ben Andrew, Nurminen stated: "Norisring is too short, too narrow and too bumpy for a top-flight single-seater category. Once someone makes a mistake, it's very hard to avoid hitting the debris or slipping on the oil left from the previous accident because there's very little room for evasive maneuvers. Every race here has had similar carnage, and we've been very lucky that no-one has been seriously hurt. Just like their lax penatlies given to drivers causing accidents, the continued existence of Norisring on the ARWS calendar is just another example how little the ARWS Commission thinks about safety."

Nurminen also supported his driver Marko Jantscher, who criticized Blokkmonsta Motorsport's attempts to drum up more support for Holden, and confirmed that Jantscher will be staying on the team for another year: "Holden have quite simply stretched their resources too much, and I've got a feeling ARWS is not their top priority as I very rarely see their people on the paddock. We're definitely not going to renew our contract with them, and have already entered negotiations with other manufacturers. While nothing is set in stone yet, BMW has shown marked interest in our team due to our base of operations being located in Germany and the continued presence of a German-speaking driver. Yes, I'm confirming right here and right now that Jantscher is going to be with us in 2019."

When asked about their second driver, Nurminen commented: "We haven't locked in anyone yet. We'll see how van Rijkens does in remaining races of the season, and we're also keeping a close eye on what's going on with other teams."

[CaptainGetz12]

Welcome Aboard Pascal!

Author: Andrea Schnass

Blokkmonsta is proud to announce that Gregor Pascal will drive car #38 in ARWS. Pascal has worked with us before in the FRENCH series in Japan where we synergized very well. Coming from Rosenforth he hope that he has the potential to keep us on track to rise up the field this season and to prepare for next season.

We will have Pascal work at the simulator to get used to our machine and we will have everyone be briefed in a "getting to know you" session to get everyone ready for Norway. I have confidence in his skills and hopefully we will be able to get back on the grid next race!

Not even a goodbye letter, this is stupid.

Well, time to look for closed-wheels. I wanted to see Macau one more time, but I guess the odds weren't in my favor.

After Norway Blokkmonsta wishes to do a 4-day test at the Nurburgring to prepare Pascal and also to give O'Heagan some testing time.

Track: Nurburgring GP Circuit
Days: August 1-4
Day 1-2: Downforce
Drivers: Wouter Lamberigts

Day 3-4: Driver development
Driver: Gregor Pascal, Connor O'Heagan

[Aerond]

After Norway Blokkmonsta wishes to do a 4-day test at the Nurburgring to prepare Pascal and also to give O'Heagan some testing time.

Track: Nurburgring GP Circuit
Days: August 1-4
Day 1-2: Downforce
Drivers: Wouter Lamberigts

Day 3-4: Driver development
Driver: Gregor Pascal, Connor O'Heagan

No testing allowed between the rounds of Scandinavia and Belgium.

[DemocalypseNow]

Rosenforth turn to a CONVICTED CRIMINAL to rescue their slide into OBLIVION?

The Daily Fail can exclusively reveal Rosenforth are in talks with convicted criminal - and former ARWS team principal - Alessandro Linari, for the position of Racing Director, as the British team finds itself quickly sliding down the order and in the midst of a CRISIS.

Rosenforth, having slipped into Pre-Qualifying and now ABANDONED by their Swiss pay-driver Gregor Pascal, are on the verge of disaster, and Rosenforth big brass are apparently turning to Linari for a radical solution to their woes.

Despite spending the last two years in JAIL for committing the HEINOUS crime of ASSAULTING HIS OWN EMPLOYEE, after a very public bust up with current Formula 1 driver Salvatore Miccoli, it appears Rosenforth are courting the Scotalian for his success in turning Scuderia Alitalia around from an ARWS backmarker to Constructors Champions in two and a half years.

Linari is still serving the last few days of his sentence, and Rosenforth negotiators are therefore conducting contract negotiations IN PRISON. Despite this, he is already said to be plotting his first acts as a consultant for the team, relieving the urgent situation the team finds itself in regarding a replacement for Pascal by bringing 2011 series champion Nathanael Spencer, who drove for Linari's Alitalia outfit in their final year in 2016.

[CaptainGetz12]

After Norway Blokkmonsta wishes to do a 4-day test at the Nurburgring to prepare Pascal and also to give O'Heagan some testing time.

Track: Nurburgring GP Circuit
Days: August 1-4
Day 1-2: Downforce
Drivers: Wouter Lamberigts

Day 3-4: Driver development
Driver: Gregor Pascal, Connor O'Heagan

No testing allowed between the rounds of Scandinavia and Belgium.

Woops, disregard that then.

[Aerond]

The 2019 rules thread has been updated. It'd be cool if team owners could take a look at it and share their thoughts. Thanks!