WATCH LIVE: Belgian GP qualifying – can anyone stop Mercedes?

By Aug 23, 2014, 7:45 AM EDT
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Formula 1 returns from its summer break this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. After dominating the first half of the season, Mercedes is keen to pick up where it left off this weekend by securing win number ten of the season.

The Silver Arrows of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will be gunning to grab pole position in today’s qualifying session, but with rain falling and the likes of Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo drawing close, it should be an interesting fight at the front.

You can watch qualifying live on CNBC and Live Extra from 8am ET. CLICK HERE to watch via live stream.

Hamilton and Rosberg shared the Friday sessions, and both look to be in good stead for qualifying later today. However, in a rain-affected final session, it was the Williams of Valtteri Bottas that rose to the top of the timesheets, giving the team some hope of securing its second pole position of the season.

With Spa being typically indecisive about its weather, it could be a topsy-turvy qualifying session. The cool conditions have suited Ferrari so far this weekend, but the team has struggled on Saturdays so far this season.

The stage is set for an intriguing battle for pole position. Be sure to join us at 8am ET on CNBC and Live Extra for full coverage. CLICK HERE to watch via live stream.

IndyCar disappointed by delay of video game but aiming to launch at start of 2024

By Mar 27, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
IndyCar video game 2024
IndyCar
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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”