MotorSportsTalk’s predictions: Belgian GP

By Aug 22, 2013, 4:00 PM EDT
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The return of Formula One sees the return of MotorSportsTalk’s predictions which this week are particularly difficult given that we have lacked racing for almost one month now. Spa-Francorchamps is a track that often shakes up the pecking order, potentially firing a warning shot at Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull ahead of the rest of the season as both parties look for a fourth consecutive title. Alternatively, it could mark yet another spell of Red Bull dominance as per 2012.

Tony DiZinno (@tonydizinno)

Race winner: Kimi Raikkonen. Traditionally strong at Spa and motivated to get back to winning and close down further in the title chase.

Surprising finish: Adrian Sutil. More often than not he’s had poor luck on his return season but this is a track where Force India has done well. Could see a potential fifth or sixth place result in the offing for him, likely ahead of the McLarens and probably at least one Ferrari.

Most to prove: Romain Grosjean. After his La Source aerial attack a year ago, Grosjean needs a controlled, calm and full race at the legendary circuit.

Christopher Estrada (@estradawriting)

Race winner: Sebastian Vettel. At Spa, drivers spend 70 percent of a lap at full throttle, which puts emphasis on reliability. With that in mind, I’ll give the edge to Vettel in the consistent RB9; Mercedes certainly has a winning pace, but Nico Rosberg’s engine failure at Hungary makes me wonder if reliability could still be a question mark for them.

Surprising finish: Felipe Massa. Not sure if anybody else needed F1’s “summer vacation” more than the Brazilian. With his drive at Ferrari basically on the line in these next few events, though, I think he can rise to the challenge.

Most to prove: Paul di Resta. After Force India failed to score at either Germany or Hungary, di Resta needs to take advantage this weekend of what has been a traditionally strong track for the team.

Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1)

Race winner: Kimi Raikkonen. The “King of Spa” will be looking to take a fifth victory this weekend, and with Lotus expected to run their passive DRS device, it is hard to look past the Finn.

Surprising finish: Paul di Resta. Force India traditionally run well at Spa, so there’s no reason why di Resta could not battle for the big points and potentially even a podium this weekend.

Most to prove: Esteban Gutierrez. He may claim a point is close, but actions speak louder than words. Gutierrez is in need of a good result with the Sirotkin story doing the rounds, also.

Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)

Race winner: Fernando Alonso. It beggars belief that a driver of Alonso’s talent has never won at Spa in F1. I think Ferrari will come back strongly from their disappointing end to the first half of the season and get Alonso back into the title battle.

Surprising finish: Mark Webber. He always goes well on the proper circuits. Expect him to do something special on his last visit to one of the world’s great tracks in an F1 car.

Most to prove: Daniel Ricciardo. Rumours increasingly suggest he is going to get the call-up from Red Bull. But though he has often qualified well this year he’s not had the race results to go along with them, and there are questions over whether he’s ready to drive for the world champions.

Ford unveils a new Mustang for 2024 Le Mans in motorsports ‘lifestyle brand’ retooling

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT
Ford Mustang Le Mans
Ford Performance
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LE MANS, France — Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer “into the racing business.”

The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford’s announcement in February (and a ballyhooed test at Sebring in March) that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.

The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, also an amateur sports car racer, told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance – done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee – that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.

“It’s kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them,” Farley told the AP. “And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It’s a big switch for the company – this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing.”

Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.

Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.

The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.

Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford’s new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.

“We’re going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road,” Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is “unapologetically American.”

He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.

“We’re in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important,” Farley said. “But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important.”

He said he’s kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.

“We’re going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that’s all,” Farley said. “Second is the first loser.”

Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR, and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.

The NASCAR “Garage 56” entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France – a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn’t seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.

“They’re going right and I’m going left – that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It’s Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that’s a one-year party,” Farley said. “We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we’re coming back with Mustang and it’s not a one-year deal.

“So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that’s a science project,” Farley continued. “I don’t live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we’re not going to do a Garage 56 – I’ve got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year.”

Ford’s announcement comes on the heels of General Motors changing its GT3 strategy next season and ending its factory Corvette program. GM, which unlike Ford competes in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype division (with its Cadillac brand), will shift fully to a customer model for Corvettes in 2024 (with some factory support in the IMSA GTD Pro category).