Current Affairs - Racing

Marco Bezzecchi, riding for the Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) team, claimed victory at the IndianOil Grand Prix of India - MotoGP Bharat 2023 on 24^th Sept, completing the race in 36 minutes and 59.157 seconds at the Buddh International Circuit.

Key Points

• New Sprint Race Format: This year's event introduced a new Sprint race format, consisting of Moto3 with 16 laps, Moto2 with 18 laps, and the MotoGP category featuring 21 laps of racing action.
• Global Reach of MotoGP: MotoGP enjoys a global viewership, broadcasting to 200 countries and reaching up to 450 million households worldwide.
• In India, the event attracted over 100,000 daily spectators at the Circuit, with millions more accessing content through TV and streaming platforms.
• Government Recognition: The recognition of these races by the Government of India aims to boost tourism and economic opportunities in the region while elevating the profile of the Buddh International Circuit.

On 30^th July, 2023, defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen secured a resounding victory in the Belgian Grand Prix and achieved his 8th consecutive win and 10th overall in a highly dominant season.

Key Points:

• Verstappen's Emphatic Victory: Max Verstappen convincingly won the Belgian Grand Prix, marking his 8th consecutive victory and 10th overall in this dominant season.
• Despite starting from sixth place on the grid, Verstappen finished a staggering 22.3 seconds ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, securing an easy 1-2 for Red Bull.
• Verstappen's Record-Breaking Season: Verstappen's current form brings him ominously closer to securing a third consecutive world title.
• He is also eyeing to match Sebastian Vettel's Formula One record of nine straight wins, aiming for victory at the Dutch GP when the season resumes on August 27.

JehanDaruvala created history as he became the first Indian to win an F2 race when he finished ahead of the likes of Mick Schumacher and Dan Ticktum in a sprint race in Sakhir, Bahrain.

Formula 1 Vs Formula 2

• Models: In Formula 1 race, a variety of different models take to the track. But in F2, cars are completely identical.
• Skill & Machine:In F1, while driver’s skill is instrumental in finishing the race on top, the build of the car also plays a role. In F2, talent shines over the cars specifications.
• Engine: Both the Williams F1 car of Formula 2 racing and the variety of F1 cars are fitted with a V8 engine, but Formula 2 vehicles sport an rpm of 10,000 while F1 cars hit up to 18,000 rpm. F2 cars are backed by a 500 horsepower engine, which is about half that of a Formula 1 vehicle.
• Speed:Max speeds are relatively similar, with F2 topping out about 30 kmh less than F1.

• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, held at Algarve International Circuit, Portugal.
• This is Hamilton’s 8th win of the season and 92nd career race victory.
• With this win, he has surpassed the record of 91 wins set by German great Michael Schumacher.