Malaysian Grand Prix means a lot for Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat

By Mar 25, 2015, 2:15 PM EDT
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The Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix can’t get here soon enough for Daniil Kyvat.

Barring anything unfortunate, the race will be Kyvat’s actual first start with Red Bull Racing. The Russian failed to start the opener in Melbourne on March 15 after his No. 26 machine experienced a lack of oil pressure, causing his gearbox to overheat and preventing it from selecting a gear.

“It’s good Malaysia is so soon. After Australia, I wanted to leave the weekend behind me as soon as possible and start focusing on Malaysia,” Kyvat said in a release. “We have good potential which we will be looking to use and hope to extract. It’s an interesting, challenging track. There are some high speed sections, and those high speed sections are the most interesting ones. For me, Malaysia means a lot.”

Kyvat finished 10th in the 2014 edition of the Maylaysia Grand Prix, while driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso. While that was his first F1 start at the track, the 20-year-old Kyvat has a history with the 15-turn course.

“I won my first single-seater race ever there about five years ago I think, and last year, another points scoring race for me, my second race and second points so it (has) very good, good memories, but it’s a tough race and challenging race for a driver because it’s known for being so hot,” Kyvat said of the 56-lap race. Sunday’s forecast is for a high of 93 F/23 C with an 80 percent chance of precipitation.

“This is why we train quite hard and get our arses kicked during the winter season by our trainers!” Kyvat said. “Sepang is one of those races where you see where you are in terms of your physical preparation.”

Kyvatt’s Red Bull teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, compares the racing conditions in Sepang to being in a sauna you can’t get out of.

“Hydration is really, really important and keeps you cooler,” said Ricciardo, who has only finished one of his three Malaysian Grand Prix starts, finishing 12th in 2012. “The more hydrated you are, the more your body dispatches the heat.”

Red Bull Racing has won in Sepang three times, all with Sebastian Vettel, in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

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
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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.”