Simona de Silvestro’s F1 hopes at risk due to financial problems

By Oct 1, 2014, 9:59 AM EDT
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Simona de Silvestro’s hopes of becoming the first female Formula 1 driver to start a grand prix in almost forty years have been dashed after it was confirmed today her current testing deal has been terminated.

De Silvestro, formerly of IndyCar, had been working with Sauber F1 Team as an ‘affiliate driver’ with the view to getting a full-time seat with the team in 2015.

As part of this role, the Swiss driver has been testing in a three-year old car, and had agreed a deal with the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas to use the circuit in the future to prepare for Formula 1 and gain an FIA super licence.

She had been in a very open fight for a seat at Sauber, who also has Adrian Sutil, Esteban Gutierrez, Giedo van der Garde and Sergey Sirotkin on the team’s books and vying for a full-time drive in 2015.

However, Sauber has confirmed today that her testing plans have been cancelled due to “financial reasons”.

“Simona’s driving programme is not being continued due to financial reasons on her side,” a spokesperson from the team confirmed. “Everybody in the team who worked with her during the last six months is very disappointed it came to this point, because they liked working with her.

“We are now looking at other possibilities for Simona to continue working with the team, but that will take time.”

Although de Silvestro’s testing plans have been cancelled, she is still a part of the team, retaining the role of ‘affiliate driver’. If her financial situation can be resolved quickly enough to give her the chance to resume her programme, she may be back in the running for the seat.

For the time being though, this news will act as a bitter blow to those hoping to see de Silvestro racing in Formula 1 next year.

IndyCar Power Rankings: Pato O’Ward moves to the top entering Texas Motor Speedway

By Mar 29, 2023, 6:00 AM EDT
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The NBC Sports IndyCar power rankings naturally were as jumbled as the action on the streets of St. Petersburg after a chaotic opener to the 2023 season.

Pato O’Ward, who finished second because of an engine blip that cost him the lead with a few laps remaining, moves into the top spot ahead of St. Pete winner Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi, who finished fourth in his Arrow McLaren debut. Scott Dixon and St. Pete pole-sitter Romain Grosjean (who led 31 laps) rounded out the top five.

St. Pete pole-sitter Romain Grosjean (who started first at St. Pete after capturing his second career pole position) Callum Ilott (a career-best fifth) and Graham Rahal entered the power rankings entering the season’s second race.

Three drivers fell out of the preseason top 10 after the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg – including previously top-ranked Josef Newgarden, who finished 17th after qualifying 14th.

Heading into Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, here’s NBC Sports’ assessment of the current top 10 drivers through the first of 17 races this year (with previous preseason rankings in parenthesis):

NBC Sports’ IndyCar Power Rankings

1. Pato O’Ward (5) – If not for the dreaded “plenum event” in the No. 5 Chevrolet, the Arrow McLaren driver is opening the season with a victory capping a strong race weekend.

2. Marcus Ericsson (7) – He might be the most opportunistic driver in IndyCar, but that’s because the 2022 Indy 500 winner has become one of the series’ fastest and most consistent stars.

3. Alexander Rossi (10) – He overcame a frustrating Friday and mediocre qualifying to open his Arrow McLaren career with the sort of hard-earned top five missing in his last years at Andretti.

4. Scott Dixon (3) – Put aside his opening-lap skirmish with former teammate Felix Rosenqvist, and it was a typically stealthily good result for the six-time champion.

5. Romain Grosjean (NR) – The St. Petersburg pole-sitter consistently was fastest on the streets of St. Petersburg over the course of the race weekend, which he couldn’t say once last year.

6. Scott McLaughlin (6) – Easily the best of the Team Penske drivers before his crash with Grosjean, McLaughlin drove like a legitimate 2023 championship contender.

7. Callum Ilott (NR) – A quietly impressive top five for the confident Brit in Juncos Hollinger Racing’s first race as a two-car team. Texas will be a big oval litmus test.

8. Graham Rahal (NR) – Sixth at St. Pete, Rahal still has the goods on street courses, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan remains headed in the right direction.

9. Alex Palou (4) – He seemed a step behind Ericsson and Dixon in the race after just missing the Fast Six in qualifying, but this was a solid start for Palou.

10. Will Power (2) – An uncharacteristic mistake that crashed Colton Herta put a blemish on the type of steady weekend that helped him win the 2022 title.

Falling out (last week): Josef Newgarden (1), Colton Herta (8), Christian Lundgaard (9)