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Ferrari: Vettel’s Malaysia F1 gearbox usable despite Stroll crash

By Luke SmithOct 5, 2017, 7:30 AM EDT
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Ferrari has confirmed the gearbox from Sebastian Vettel’s Formula 1 car that was caught up in the post-checkered flag crash with Lance Stroll in Malaysia last weekend can still be used despite fears of damage.

After completing a fightback from P20 to P4 through the race at Sepang, F1 championship contender Vettel tangled with Stroll coming through the second sector on the cool-down lap, damaging the left-rear of the Ferrari.

Vettel admitted after the race that he was concerned about possible damage to his gearbox, which if replaced would trigger a five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix and dent his title hopes further after a difficult run.

However, Ferrari sent out a tweet on Wednesday confirming Vettel’s gearbox was fit for use at Suzuka, allaying the fears.

The Japanese Grand Prix is live on NBCSN and the NBC Sports app this weekend.

IndyCar teams with NASCAR on IMS road course doubleheader in 2021

IndyCar NASCAR doubleheader 2021
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By Nate RyanSep 30, 2020, 11:05 AM EDT
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The NTT IndyCar Series will be sharing Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the NASCAR Cup Series in a race weekend doubleheader for the second consecutive season, but both series will be on the road course in August 2021.

IMS announced Wednesday that IndyCar will hold an Aug. 14, 2021 race on its 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. It’ll be a day before NASCAR’s premier series runs the same layout for the first time after the Brickyard 400 was contested on the 2.5-mile oval for the first time in 27 years.

This season’s rescheduling of the IndyCar GMR Grand Prix to July 4, 2019 (a day before the Brickyard 400) led to the first NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader weekend. The Xfinity Series also raced on the IMS road course for the first time July 4 after the IndyCar race ended.

INDYCAR AT IMS THIS WEEKEND: Harvest GP schedule, entry lists

IndyCar will be holding its second race weekend this year at the IMS road course Friday and Saturday with the Harvest GP.

“Our first NASCAR-INDYCAR weekend was a big success last July, with positive feedback from
our loyal fans who watched the races on NBC and from the drivers, teams and participants
involved,” IMS president Douglas Boles said in a statement. “The Xfinity Series’ debut on the IMS road course provided exactly the kind of thrilling action from the green to checkered flags that we anticipated, so we know the teams and drivers of the Cup Series will put on a great show as they turn left and right for the first time at IMS.

“We can’t wait to welcome back fans to see NASCAR and INDYCAR together during this
exciting weekend as we add another memorable chapter in the long, storied history of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

It also will mark the first NASCAR Cup-IndyCar doubleheader with a crowd as fans weren’t permitted at IMS in July because of the novel coronvavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Over the course of Wednesday, NASCAR is releasing its 36-race slate for next season. IndyCar has yet to release its full 2021 schedule.