Red Bull F1 Future In Doubt

14 May 2015 - 28 May 2015 • R15.00 (incl.)

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No Holding Back For Hamilton

Rea Dream Run

LEADER: Rosberg who took the win in front of Hamilton, but will that change next round?

Jonathan Rea (KRT) scored two convincing WorldSBK wins at Imola and in a strong performance from the Kawasaki Racing Team in general his team-mate Tom Sykes was second in each contest.

Rea has now won eight of the ten races run so far in 2015. Rea’s phenomenal Imola performance means he has scored eight wins from ten starts in the FIM Superbike Championship this year, and he now enjoys a huge championship points advantage of 87 points over his nearest challenger.

For Sykes, two second places

Lewis Hamilton says he will definitely be making sure he is never again told to hold potion after being told to consolidate his second position in the Spanish Grand Prix.

The British racer spent most of his Sunday afternoon trailing the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

However, once his three-stop strategy saw him leapfrog the German, Hamilton began to hunt down his team-mate Nico Rosberg for the race victory.

were his best results of the season putting him up to third in the championship. He is now only 25 points from second place rider Leon Haslam.

Speaking afterwards Rea said “It has been incredible this weekend and I do not know what to say because this kind of run has never happened to me before. I am just enjoying the moment. The key to the weekend was working hard with Pere and Paolo Friday and Saturday to make sure we had a package we could fight with. I was honestly a little bit worried about the six lap first race because we were not really set up to be so strong in the beginning of the race but we were able to win. In race

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FORMULA 1

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Red Bull May Quit F1Red Bull Helmut Marko has asserted that the team will leave F1 unless they are able to forge a partnership with Audi, one which see them end they spell with Renault

Renault have powered Red Bull since 2007, and the partnership has heralded much success, with Red Bull winning the Constructors’ Championship on four occasions and finishing as runners-up twice.

However, the French

FORMULA 1manufacturer has struggled to adapt to the hybrid engines that were introduced in 2014, and as a result Red Bull have found themselves confined to the midfield, with race wins a thing of the past.

Marko and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner have both suggested that the Milton Keynes outfit will not remain in F1 if they cannot be competitive, and Marko believes that a partnership with Audi may be their only salvation.

“If we don’t have a competitive engine in the near future, then

Asking the etam if it was “impossible to catch” Rosberg, the World Champion was told “we should just consolidate the position.”

Hamilton was not happy about hearing that.

“It’s not nice for a driver ever to hear that,” he said on Sunday night. “I’m here to race; I’m not here to finish second, so naturally I ignored that.”

The Brit continued to push hard, forcing Rosberg to do the same.

Pic : Pirelli.com

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ANOTHER VICTORY: Rea on his way to another overall victory this last weekend.

NEW ENGINE: Will Red Bull partner with Audi to develope a new engine for their cars?

The Red Devils Aprilia man was chasing team-mate Jordi Torres in fifth position when he crashed at the fast turn three, claiming on Twitter that it was “one of the biggest highsides of my career”.

It was suspected Haslam had suffered a cracked rib in the incident but subsequent medical tests ruled

Haslam Back For DoningtonLeon Haslam believes he should be 100 percent fit for his home World Superbike race at Donington Park after suffering a massive highside in the second race at Imola.

WSBKthis out. The Englishman will undergo further tests to rule out any possible complications.

Until then it had proved to be a trying weekend for Haslam around a track that isn’t totally suited to the Aprilia RSV4 RF. After qualifying fifth, the 31-year old was struggling with the rapid changes of direction

required through Imola’s Variante Alta/Bassa chicanes.

A single fourth place in race one was his reward for the day as he lost vital ground to championship leader Jonathan Rea, who scored another resounding double victory.

either Audi is coming or we are out,” he told the BBC.

However, the Austrian denied that formal talks between the two parties had begun.

“There are so many rumours. Officially there was no request or

talks,” he explained.Audi meanwhile have stated

that while they are “looking” into F1, they have yet to decide yes or no.

Pic: Pirelli.com

two I watched the gap behind and Arturo was giving me great signals from pitlane. When the gap got to

one second I thought ‘keep going and no mistakes’.”

Pic: WorldSBK.com

Problems For MarquezHonda’s main problem with its 2015 MotoGP machine is how it works with the rear tyres, according to reigning champion Marc Marquez. Yamaha has won three of the four grands prix held so far this season,

with Marquez’s Austin victory Honda’s sole success so far. Last year the team took 14 wins from 18 GPs - 13 of them, including the first 10 straight races, with Marquez.

The Spaniard said long-run pace was the key struggle “At the moment our problem is the rear,” he said.

MOTOGP “For some reason we are really strong on one lap but over the race distance, that is where we are struggling.”

“But we are trying to work on it and we have some ideas. We didn’t try them [at Jerez] because I was not sure with the finger and everything.”

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LEADER: Can Rossi hold the points lead to the end of the season for another championship?

Aprilia Gearbox Winner

How good is the new Aprilia seamless shift MotoGP gearbox?

According to Alvaro Bautista it is ‘not far’ from the standard-setting Honda version he raced for the previous two seasons.

The Aprilia version - featuring both seamless upshifts and downshifts - was handed to Bautista for the first time during the recent test at Jerez, when the Spaniard set an impressive eleventh fastest lap time.

“I’m so happy with the first

MOTOGPfeeling because I rode with the Honda seamless and this is not too far from it,” he declared. “On downshift we have to improve a little bit, but to [upshift] on the straight is quite similar to Honda.

“We have to improve in the braking because with the Honda it was easier to stop the bike. It was like it helped me more with the engine braking.

“But I can say I am happy because the gearbox is already 7 or 8 out of 10. It is at a quite good level. I was really surprised with the feeling because I didn’t expect it would be this good.

NEW TEAM: Will Jorge make the move to Ducati for 2016?

Rossi Talks ChampionshipValentino Rossi insists he is not yet thinking about the championship standings despite extending his advantage over Andrea Dovizioso to 15 points at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Rossi maintained his 100% podium record in 2015 - the 200th

but also in the race I wasn’t strong enough to fight with Jorge and also with Marc.

“Especially entering the corners I wasn’t at 100%. I had one moment in the race where I was not doing so bad and I was close to Marc.

Rossi believes that Lorenzo’s victory at Jerez means that both Yamaha riders will be in contention for this year’s crown.

Pic: Yamahamotogp.com

MOTOGPof his career - after finishing behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo and reigning champion Marc Márquez, while nearest rival Dovizioso managed only ninth after an off-track excursion.

But despite his advantage, Rossi says his focus is on improving his Yamaha after struggling at Jerez.

“It was a difficult weekend,” conceded Rossi. “”[But] in the end it’s a podium, so it’s not so bad,

MotoGP Calendar ExpandedDorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has discussed the potential for new rounds to be added to the MotoGP calendar. Austria is contracted to return to the GP fold for the first time since 1997 with the Red Bull Ring playing host and for the first time Ezpeleta broached the subject of a maximum number of races.

The Spaniard confirmed that the manufacturers and Dorna have agreed that there will be a maximum number of 20 races on the MotoGP calendar in future. With 18 races on this year’s schedule the Austrian race will raise that number to 19 leaving the potential for one new venue to be added in future. With Thailand having hosted a highly successful WSBK round this year it is very likely that this will be added in the near future.

MOTOGP“We agree the maximum

number of races from 2017 will be no more than 20,” said Ezpeleta. “We have many existing agreements until 2016 then after that we will know. For sure next year Austria will enter the championship and if nobody changes this will give us 19 races and in 2017 we may have the option to add a new Grand Prix.

Pic: Bridgestone

Yamaha Deny Lorenzo LeavingYamaha have denied that Jorge Lorenzo is going to leave the MotoGP team join Ducati.

Yamaha says Jorge Lorenzo has already agreed to see out his two-year contract with the team and dismissed rumours he could leave for Ducati in 2016.

Reports in the French media after the grand prix in Argentina had suggested Lorenzo was opening talks with the rapidly-improving Ducati team.

Yamaha team boss Lin Jarvis said there would definitely be no changes to Yamaha’s line-up next year.

“I can assure you and the MotoGP paddock that Jorge will be with Yamaha for 2016,” he told the official MotoGP website.

“We’ve talked already and it’s already clear. He wants to stay with us, we want to stay with him, and it’s done.

“Jorge will be with us this year and next year.”

Pic: Bridgestone

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Full House For PortugalVodafone Rally de Portugal (21-24 May), round five of the World Rally Championship has announced a full entry of 90 cars.

Such is the demand for places in the season’s opening European gravel encounter, which moves to its traditional home in the north after several years in the south coast Algarve region, that a reserve list has been issued.

There are 15 World Rally Cars entered, including a second appearance of the year for Khalid Al Qassimi (above) in Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team’s third DS 3 to supplement the regular entries of Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg.

Henning Solberg will return in a Ford Fiesta RS after missing Mexico and Argentina, while Robert Kubica should be back after withdrawing from XION Rally Argentina to restructure his team.

One name missing is Benito

WRCGuerra. After his annual outing at March’s Rally Guanajuato Mexico, Guerra was hoping to raise funds to tackle Portugal as the first of a two-rally European programme.

The entry includes a whopping 27 cars in WRC 2. The top four in the standings, headed by Jari Ketomaa, are listed and Skoda Motorsport has entered two of its new Fabia R5s for Esapekka Lappi and Pontus Tidemand.

Pic: Quickpic.co.za

VW Rally Team InvestigationVolkswagen Motorsport director Jost Capito says his team will undergo a thorough investigation to discover what is to blame for the team’s frustrating Rally Argentina.

The three VW factory-supported World Rally Championship cars all suffered retirements during in the South American event and as a result the VW machines failed to finish in the top 15. The German manufacturer had enjoyed a run of 20 consecutive podiums in WRC until last weekend and Capito it determined to get to the bottom of the problem.

Initial suspicions point to a fault with the fuel supply parts, which stopped Sebastien Ogier on Friday morning and Jari-Matti

Latvala on Sunday’s penultimate El Condor test, when the Finnish driver was on course for a rostrum finish in his Polo R.

“It happens and luckily all our problems came together in one rally, so maybe it’s done for this year,” Capito told wrc.com. “It’s not related to the roughness of the rally, definitely not.

“We have to go back home and analyse the parts and see. The fact it happened twice helps us because we know it’s not a one-off.”

VW’s motorsport director also confirmed it was a new problem which had never been seen before in testing or in competition. Early indications suggest the retirements were down to failures with a batch of fuel injection systems.

Rally Argentina marked the German manufacturer’s worst performance since it entered the WRC two years ago.

Pic: Red Bull Content Pool

WRC

Italy Talking ToughJune’s Rally of Italy is promising to provide the toughest single-day challenge in the 2015 World Rally Championship, after announcing a revised route.

Stung by criticism that there was not enough action to keep the drivers occupied last year, the organisers of the Sardinian event have put together the longest and most arduous Saturday of

WRCthe season.

The event’s second full day will include 126 competitive miles, with a tyre change mid-way through the morning and afternoon loop.

The crews will return to the service park in Alghero on Saturday lunchtime to split the 10-stage, 14-hour day.

The route was designed by two-time world champion co-driver Tiziano Siviero, who partnered Miki Biasion to the 1988 and ‘89 WRC titles.

Toyota Technical Problem

Toyota’s GT86 CS-R3 rally car will be delayed until October due to an unforeseen technical issue, the company’s motorsport arm has confirmed.

The rear-wheel-drive car was first announced back in November 2013, with initial delivery to customers planned for this month, but Toyota Motorsport GmbH has now revealed that, despite an intensive test and development programme, the delay has become unavoidable.

Although the CS-R3 has performed well during testing, the selection of appropriate power steering has been a recurring

WRCdifficulty. Due to the specific lay-out of the GT86, it has proved harder than expected to find a suitable power steering unit, which must be an off-the-shelf product according to FIA R3 regulations.

“It is extremely frustrating that we must wait until next season to see customers competing with the CS-R3,” Nico Ehlert, the principal engineer for customer motorsport, admitted, “The car is running very well in testing and we have received positive feedback from everyone who has driven it, from our professional test drivers to the potential customers attending our events. It’s particularly disappointing that one component has had such a significant effect.”

Andreas Fully FocusedAndreas Mikkelsen says he is already fully focused on Rally Portugal after suffering a dismal weekend in Argentina.

The Volkswagen Motorsport II driver suffered a mechanical fault at the end of Friday’s SS3 and

after re-joining the race under Rally 2 regulations the Norwegian driver risked it all on the Power Stage on Sunday and crashed heavily.

The retirement ended his run of finishing on the podium at every World Rally Championship event in 2015 and Mikkelsen has now slipped behind Citroen driver and fellow countryman Mads Ostberg

WRCin the WRC drivers’ standings into third place.

“This definitely wasn’t our rally,” Mikkelsen said. “Tyre damage on Friday turned out to be a major problem, resulting in a damper breaking and then the servo pump. Hindsight is a wonderful thing - we should have changed the flat tyre on the stage.”

“As a result, we had to really go for it on the Power Stage. I risked everything there today and had a good feeling after winning the previous stage on the same stretch of route. But I wanted it too badly, hit a rock and ripped off the rear tyre.”

Despite his frustrations of missing out on the points in South

America the Volkswagen Polo R driver is hoping to shake off the disillusionment and come back fighting in Portugal for round four.

“Obviously I am disappointed, as I had big plans and wanted to be fighting for the win here,” he added. “But I will soon put it behind me and turn all of my attention to the Rally Portugal in four weeks time.”

FLATOUT: The Hyundai team seen here in Argentina will be hoping for a good finish in Portugal.

TRYING TO FINISH: Will the VW cars have a trouble free run in Portugal?

The Iranian government has announced plans to build a Formula 1 circuit on Qesm Island, off the southern coast of Iran.

The island, which is in the Strait of Hormuz and is only a few kilometers from Dubai, is the second venue that Iran has mooted as a possible destination for F1, with plans to construct a circuit on the outskirts of Tehrain discussed in 2011.

The Middle East is a growing hub for motorsport, with Abu Dhabi and Bahrain hosting Formula One already, while MotoGP makes a

stop in Qatar as does the World Superbikes series. This expansion is part of a greater move towards the East, with Malaysia, Bahrain, Turkey, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Korea, India, and Russia all having hosted F1 in recent years.

Iran are now looking to add their name to that list, with vice president and head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organisation, Masoud Soltanifar, asserting that the sport has “a great future” in Iran.

“It has the potential to become one of the world’s most beautiful F1 destination.”

However, Iran faces an uphill battle to get onto the Formula 1 calendar, with 21 races already

times I’ve had to read about 80 pages — it is so much reading and it is all in lawyer jargon. So it has been a quite a pain in the backside to be honest,” he told Sky Sports.

This delay has only further fuelled suggestions that Hamilton is considering a switch to the Scuderia, who have enjoyed a resurgence this season after a number of campaigns on the periphery.

However, Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene said he would rather look around for a young, talented driver to unite with Sebastian.

Those comments have led to some suggestions that Valtteri Bottas has signed a pre-agreement with the Italian outfit but Arrivabene refused to confirm or deny that rumour.

CHANGING SIDES: Is Hamilton waiting for Ferrari?

PROFIT: Lotus have turned their financial problem around.

Hamilton Ferrari Link

Iran Wants F1 Track

Lewis Hamilton’s failure to re-sign with Mercedes has led to speculation that he is vying with Valtteri Bottas for a Ferrari seat which has been denied by Maurizio Arrivabene.

Hamilton revealed in March that a new deal with the Brackley outfit was all but done, stating that the negotiations were “99.6 percent” complete.

After splitting with his advisors last year, the 30-year-old now represents himself, and prior to the Chinese Grand Prix he indicated that a new contract had been delayed due to this fact.

“Obviously at the last race I said it would be done within a week, this is my first time negotiating myself and you don’t know how many

FORMULA 1

FORMULA 1

Haas Delays Driver DecisionHaas team hopefuls such as Alexander Rossi will have to wait until after the F1 summer break to learn whether they have a seat for 2016.

Next year the Haas team will enter Formula 1, confident they won’t be lapping at the very back of the field but rather challenging for points-finishers.

Who will race the team’s cars has been one of the main questions ever since Gene Haas announced his plans.

However, the drivers - and fans

- will have to wait until September to learn the team’s line-up.

“Our plan is to be clear of talks by August/September and then announce them,” team principal Gunther Steiner told Autosport.

“The market is getting clearer and a lot of people are getting into contact with us now, because it’s both ways.

“We are in no hurry, because we have to see who is on the market, who is doing well and who wants to move.

“And drivers want to see who we are actually. Now they see more and more that we’re doing the right things.”

FORMULA 1 Lotus Back In BusinessAfter years of speculation about their finances Lotus CEO Matthew Catre insists the F1 team have turned a corner.

Over the past few years Lotus have been dogged by rumours, many of which have been based in truth about their financial situation.

In 2013 it was so dire that it led to the team losing Kimi Raikkonen as the driver gave into

his frustrations over late payments. He even sat out the final two races of that season.

Lotus, though pulled over and, according to Autosport, are ‘expected to show a gross profit for the first time in many years.’

Speaking to Autosport, Carter said: “I came in and there was a huge deficit in terms of income and expenditure.

“We did some pretty hardcore cost cutting, laying off a number of people, making a lot of

FORMULA 1redundancies, and then it was about cutting costs everywhere we could, and it worked.”

“We were hoping to break even, but there are still some arguments about stock and bits and pieces with the auditors (KPMG), but it is probably where we will end up, that sort of figure.”

The CEO is now confident that Lotus are getting back on track as they recover from past mistakes.

FORMULA WORLD

STILL GOT IT: Can Alonso win again?

Sauber Backs MosleySauber has thrown its weight behind Max Mosley’s suggestion of Formula 1 teams being allowed greater rules freedom if they sign up to a budget cap.

Former FIA president Mosley suggested that teams could be given total free rein on car design if they operated under a limited budget.

He believes it would be a way of both controlling costs and allowing technical innovation to thrive in F1.

Now Sauber team principal

FORMULA 1Monisha Kaltenborn has backed Mosley’s idea - claiming the ‘free rules’ tweak to a cost cap is exactly what F1 needs.

With last year’s cost control efforts having been frustrated by the bigger teams, Kaltenborn said that radical thinking is now required.

“Max has expressed an interesting and good idea here - and you need visions today in F1,” she added.

“This kind of vision for me shows that maybe you need some kind of French Revolution in the sport, because that was at the time also about freedom and equality.

Alonso May Never Win AgainDouble World champions Fernando Alonso may never win another race in his

career says his ex-team mate Jarno Trulli

The 33-year-old’s return to McLaren this season has been blighted by issues including the car’s poor performance. t.

FORMULA 1“I wonder if he might win

another race or championship,” said Trulli.

“McLaren won’t get on top of the problems quickly and won’t easily catch up with the teams in

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 Motorsport World • 14 May 2015 • 9Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 8 • 14 May 2015 • Motorsport World

But while both Ferrari and the German driver have started 2015 well - winning in Malaysia - Alonso has struggled in a far less competitive car.

The Spaniard missed the first race in Australia because he was recovering from injuries suffered during a pre-season testing crash, before retiring in his first outing in Malaysia. He then finished 12th and 11th in the next two races - and his McLaren team-mate, Jenson Button, has not fared any better.

front next year.” Alonso, who was in the same

Renault team as Trulli in 2003 and 2004, left Ferrari after five years at the end of last season, having achieved excellent results with a car that many believed was not good enough to deliver him the title.

He re-joined McLaren on a three-year deal having first driven for them for one season in 2007, with four-time champion Sebastian Vettel taking his seat at the Scuderia.

Bring Back The NoiseFormula 1 is not providing enough entertainment value for its fans says the boss of British Grand Prix venue Silverstone

Managing director Patrick Allen made the criticisms despite ticket sales for this year’s race

FORMULA 1being up 26%.

“F1 could do more for the fans. It could make drivers more accessible,” Allen said.

He added that the racing was “too processional” and that the new turbo hybrid engines were too quiet.

“We need the noise back,” Allen said. “Sometimes I wonder whether the technical directors should be on

the podium rather than the drivers because it seems you could put anyone in the cars.

“I wonder if the product is right for the fans.

“If we see dwindling fans and viewing figures falling away, people will start to question the value of the television rights.”

Allen’s criticisms closely echo some of those made recently by F1

boss Bernie Ecclestone, who has been a long-time opponent of the new engines and wants to instigate major change in the sport, believing it to be too expensive.

Despite viewing figures dipping in some major markets last year, including Italy and Germany, they have rebounded again in the first four races this season.

Allen, who took over at

Silverstone in January after previous executives were suspended in October, has launched a series of initiatives aimed at increasing ticket sales for this year’s F1 grand prix on 5 July.

These centre on reducing prices and increasing crowd numbers, after a number of years in which the previous management had raised admission costs and capped the number of people allowed in over the race weekend.

McLaren Will SucceedRon Dennis says it would be ‘foolhardy’ for him to set out a timetable for McLaren and Honda to return to the top of F1 – even though he remains adamant that the partnership will succeed.

The Woking team has gone

seven long years since its last world titles – although Dennis is keen to point out that Ferrari’s drought is longer – and the start of 2015 suggests that an eighth season in the wilderness is likely before any turnaround in form propels the silver machines back to the front. The rekindled relationship with Honda, however, is giving the entire McLaren operation hope for

FORMULA 1the future, even if the initial steps are faltering ones.

“We enjoyed huge success when Mercedes-Benz was our power unit partner, but the fact is that a team doesn’t tend to enjoy the same level of success when its status is downgraded from power unit partner to power unit customer,” Dennis explained in an interview with the official F1

website, “With Honda, we don’t have that problem, because Honda is our power unit partner - and a massively committed one to boot.

“We knew this season would be tough, but we’re making progress with every grand prix. I’m not saying that development will always be linear - on the contrary, we’ll sometimes see positive performance spikes and we’ll

sometimes see less positive performance dips as our season ebbs and flows - but the overall shape of our performance curve will be upward.

“And that’s no accident. It’s the result of a huge amount of diligent work by a large number of experienced and expert operatives in both the UK and Japan.

rumoured to be on the F1 calendar for 2016. In addition, F1 supremo

Bernie Ecclestone has previously stated that he doesn’t “think Iran

is top of [the] list” of possible new races.

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 10 • 14 May 2015 • Motorsport World

Australia Make Big ChangesRALLYThe organizers of Rally Australia (10-13 September) have revealed big changes to their year’s event, including a nigh stage, a reshuffled itinerary and

Liqui Moly’s Huge Commitment To SponsorshipLiqui Moly SA has over their short period of trading in South Africa has made a huge commitment to various motor and social responsibility sponsorships which has played a key part of their marketing plans for the brand. This year is no different, at an official launch and special function for the visit of their Managing Partner and owner of Liqui Moly Worldwide Mr Ernst Prost last month on his first visit to this country.

Liqui Moly announced their commitment to their currentlocal sponsors with a number of deals still to be announced, they will

LIQUI MOLYagain be the title sponsors of the Legends Series for 2015, they will also continue to support, Clare Vale in the drifting, current rally champion Guy Botterill, XS Promotions with the Supa Drift, Evan Hudsunson in the Offroad Rally series, the Historic 1 hour endurance series as a title sponsor with Peter Lindenberg, Sunoco Super Motocross Super Series, Beta SA, KTM Centurion racing team, Denzil Lawrie KTM Enduro, Franco Scribante and George Avocomides in the historic series, Pablo Clark Racing with Jaki Scheckter the son of South Africa only Formula 1 world champion, Jodi Scheckter, the Big Boss Devin racing association, Shaun Kirk Beta, Wag Offroad Weekend fund raising for dogs, the SA Guild

Solberg Dominates RallycrossChampion Petter Solberg dominated the final at the second round of the World Rallycross season at Hockenheim, extending his lead at the top of the

points table.Having topped the

intermediate classification, Solberg won the first semi-final to claim pole position for the final race.

From there, he made a better start than fellow front row starter Reinis Nitiss to lead into Turn 1 and

RALLYCROSSdidn’t look back, taking his joker on the fifth lap and returning to the lead to take his first win of the season.

“The first heat was terrible for me, but after that we really had to stay out of trouble,” said Solberg.

“There was two things to do; either go faster, or go very fast so

SMALL BUT TOUGH: The Suzuki Jimny on its way to victory.

BIG BOSS: Mr Ernst Prost the owner of Liqui Moly

wordwide.

JIMNY TOPSEverything from a Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen to pint-sized Suzuki Jimnys lined up at the start of the Leeuwenkloof 4x4 facility near Hartbeespoort Dam for the third round of the 2015 Bridgestone 4x4 Club Challenge late in April.

With a track consisting of nine obstacles - and an optional tenth obstacle reserved for shoot-outs should competitors end up with the same points - it soon became

clear that this round would be a stiff test of both driver and vehicle.

The closest escape of the day came when Danie and Daniel Tait, in a Suzuki SJ413, bounced totally off the track during the long, steep and rocky climb at obstacle three. The Suzuki came to rest at a steep angle, perched precariously sideways on a rock outcropping. Fortunately the Marshalls were close at hand, and they sprung into action to keep the vehicle from turning turtle. Danie wasn’t deterred, and with the vehicle restored to the trail, he scooped third place in the day’s standings.

Another crew with big

4X4ambitions was the father-and-son team of Marco and Joe Marincowitz, in a Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen. The former Bridgestone 4x4 champions put in a great driving display on the tough obstacles to eventually finish in second place overall, with 875 points.

But it was a Suzuki Jimny that took the top spot on the day. Ivan Lerm and Steven Grieve put in a near-perfect drive to record an amazing 895 points from a possible maximum of 900!

Pic: Motorpress.co.za

three new tests they believe are the best yet.

The proposed route for the championship’s 10th round offers similar competitive and liaison distances to 2014 (totalling 922 kilometres), but a longer day on Saturday and a shorter

Sunday allow a midday start for the rally-ending Power Stage, Wedding Bells.

Clerk of the course Adrian Stafford is confident the three new stages are the best the east coast event has ever had. The trio, to be run twice to make up the first

leg on Friday, are located in the same region as last year’s 49km Nambucca test.

“Nambucca remains in the itinerary on Saturday, but the new stages of Utungun, Bakers Creek and Northbank although shorter will be an even bigger test for

drivers - they’re going to love them!” Stafford said. “They are fast, technical, set in magnificent countryside and truly some of the best roads in the rally world.”

Bakers Creek is one of three new stages to be run on day one.

nobody could touch me, so I went for the fastest option and it went very well.

“We’ve worked really hard with the set-up for each condition, the car is getting better and better. It’s like a brand new car again, I haven’t done any testing in the wet and slippery conditions but it’s

getting there now.”Behind Solberg, Nitiss ran

second throughout, taking his joker on the final tour to score his first podium spot of the season, while third place was claimed by Swede Timmy Hansen, putting in the performance of the day in the process.

of Motoring Writers Motorcycle Awards with their partners Cayenne and a bicycle road and mountain bike team to launch their new bicycle products

On the international front the German motor oil specialist has become the official oil supplier for the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships. All of the teams will be using the new motor oil during the preparations for the 2015 season. “This is a great distinction for us, that the racing series has selected us as their exclusive oil supplier”, stated Peter Baumann, Marketing Manager at LIQUI MOLY Germany.

Pic: diggermarketing.co.za

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 Motorsport World • 14 May 2015 • 11

Belgium. This victory marked the seventy-third overall win of his career and is one that he dedicates to his father, the late Benedetto Cairoli. “My father was here last year and after that I didn’t see him anymore so I dedicate this win to him,” Cairoli said.

Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl added one more ‘holeshot and race win’ statistic to the books with his performance in race one where he blitzed everyone after taking his sixth FOX Holeshot of the season. Nagl said after coming home third in race two for second overall, “I messed up my start when I did a little wheelie, so that wasn’t so good and then after that I was struggling to find the good lines so I just rode smart, but I happy with the day.”

A gnarly crash in race two put a damper on Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Clement Desalle and an end to his podium streak. Despite the craziness of his crash, the Belgian managed to salvage fifth in that race and combined with his second place in race two finished fourth overall. SCRUB: Cairoli on his way to his first overall victory this season.

SECOND IN A ROW: Poulter and Howie on their way to victory at the Sugarbelt 450.

Cairoli First Of SeasonIn sharp contrast to the vicious sand of Valkenswaard where the last round of MXGP took place, MXGP of Spain in Talavera de la Reina presented a much harder surface, more elevation and warmer temperatures for round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

In what was yet another dramatic and action packed round of racing, egged on by a rambunctious crowd, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli took his first MXGP overall victory of the season. Meanwhile in MX2,Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Valentin Guillod put in a superb and gripping performance to land on the top of the box for the first time in his MX2 racing career.

It was a well overdue MXGP round victory for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and an emotional one at that. The last time the Italian eight-times FIM Motocross World Champion won a grand prix was back in August last year at the MXGP of

MOTOCROSS

Touring Car DramaThere was high drama when the 2015 FIA European Touring Car Cup got underway at the Hungaroring on May 3 with Ferenc Ficza and Dusan Borkovic taking an overall win and Single Make Trophy

success apiece in their SEAT Leon Cup Racers to jointly lead the championship standings.

Davit Kajaia bagged a brace of TC2T class wins, while fellow BMW driver Michal Matejovský’s efforts to make it two TC2 triumphs were foiled following contact at the start of race two. That let in Honda driver Peter Rikli for class victory

TOURING CARin the second event. Nicklas Mackschin dominated the Super 1600 contest with two wins in his Ford Fiesta.

In Race One Georgia’s Davit Kajaia had seemed set for victory after rocketing up from sixth on the grid to take the overall lead just before halfway. But the Engstler BMW driver ran wide under

pressure from Ficza and dropped to second. “My tyres were wearing out, so I just made a mistake,” he explained. “But still, I am very happy with my first weekend in serious international racing.” Ficza, driving a SEAT León Cup Racer, took an emotional win in front of his home crowd to get his season off to the best possible start.

In Race Twio Michal Matejovský started the reverse grid second race from pole. Although the BMW driver made a good start, Alexandr Artemyev was unable

to avoid nudging the Czech into a spin at the first corner. The contact resulted in a drive-through penalty for Alexandr Artemyev and paved the way clear for Serbian Borković to triumph. “In the first few seconds I thought that maybe it would be all over, but then I realised that the hit was not on the wheel so it would be okay,” said Matejovský.

Poulter - Howie Sweet WinLeeroy Poulter and Rob Howie won the Sugarbelt 450, round two of the Donaldson Cross Country Championship, to extend their early lead in the Production Vehicle title chase. It was a second win in a row for Poulter/Howie, in the Castrol Team Toyota Hilux.

The paid came home ahead of team-mates and reigning South African champions Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy. The final podium place went to local Pietermaritzburg pair Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable in a factory Ford Performance Ford Ranger – and left the two crews locked together in second place in the championship with a second and a third each so far this season.

The two Castrol Team Toyota crews dominated the qualifying

race to determine grid positions, and were never in any real trouble during a race run in tricky and dusty conditions

Mpumalanga brothers Johan and Werner Horn started the day in fifth position and crossed the line still in fifth place. It was an uneventful day for the Horns, but one which Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer will remember after a solid sixth in only their second national championship event. Out in a Ford Ranger privately entered under the Neil Woolridge Motorsport banner, the two youngsters showed plenty of maturity. Gareth is the younger brother of Lance with father Neil a former South African champion and the Ford Performance team principal – with three NWM prepared cars in the top six representing a good day for the Pietermaritzburg-based family.

Local driver Lance Trethewey and Geoff Minnitt romped to vicory in the Special Vehicle classw..

DONALDSON OFFROAD

Trethewey and Minnitt came home ahead of former South African champions Evan Hutchison and Danie Stassen with the two crews tied at the top of the championship after a win and a second apiece. Hutchison and Stassen won the season opening RFS Endurance ahead of Trethewey/Minnitt, with the two crews once again in dominant form.

A popular result saw Brett Parker and VZ van Zyl finish third. It was Parker’s maiden podium finish and van Zyl’s first in 13 years, with the pair recovering from a coming together with a tree on the first of the two 160 kilometre loops that made up the race.

The next outing on the Donaldson calendar is the Toyota 1000 Desert Race in Botswana from June 26 to 28, with the race the only marathon event in the national series.

Pic: Quickpic.co.za

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 12 • 14 May 2015 • Motorsport World

HOT SHOT: Aidan Strydom took five out of six wins in the Primary school class.

Cape Drivers The KingsGrey and misty Cape autumn weather greeted the cream of South Africa’s karting community for the second round of the SA National Karting Championships at Killarney, but as the conditions improved through the day, so did the temperature rise on track with brilliant racing across the board.

It was also a historic day for karting with the event being the first kart race ever to be live streamed on the Internet, while the day once again proved that Cape karters are enjoying a purple patch with local drivers taking sixteen wins from 24 races and overall honours in four of the eight classes.

Cape drivers all but dominated the Rotax Max Challenge classes, with local lad Dino Stermin (Designer Trims RKT Kosmic) overcoming hometown rival Delano Fowler (Suprocom Tony Kart) two races to one in 125cc high school age Junior Max. Stermin both times passed Fowler in dramatic on-track moves to take his maiden national victory. Joshua Dias (Top Glass/Selepe Birel), Jason Coetzee (RKT Kosmic and Giordano Lupini (AutoWeek CRG) shared out the third places, with Dias, Coetzee. Delon Thompson (A&I Birel) and Sebastian Boyd (Boyd Freight Kosmic) round off the overall top six.

Another Cape driver Jonathan

KARTING

Aberdein (TonyKart) took two open Max Challenge 125cc wins to one over Durban lad Richard Upton (CRG) with Dale Fourie CRG third from Miss Ivana Cetinich (REB Alpha Birel). Robert Whiting (Rho Tech Tony) and Chadley Swartz (SAKRA Kosmic). Aberdein, Upton and Whiting shared the second and third places in the races with Tylan Swartbooi (CRG) sneaking a second head third place.

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 Motorsport World • 14 May 2015 • 13

BATTLE: Ryan Dungey fighting with Eli Tomac at the last round in Vegas.

VEE POWER: Round 2 of the SA Formula Vee Championship

held at Phakisa provided plenty of close racing.

Dungey Again And AgainRed Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey scored his eighth win of the 2015 Supercross season in Las Vegas. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac finished in second-place followed by JGRMX’s Weston Peick in third.

Dungey battled with BTO Sports’ Justin Brayton through the opening turns and gained the front before the end of the first lap. Brayton dropped back in the ranks, while Tomac, who got a strong start, throttled up to second-place.

The Honda rider gave Dungey a serious challenge during the initial laps, swapping position at the head

latter portion of the race Peick was able to stretch out a gap and then Reed came into a mechanical issue which caused him to drop back to seventh before the finish. Seely maintained himself to finish fourth while Reed’s teammate, Josh Grant, slipped up to fifth followed by Yoshimura Suzuki’s Blake Baggett in sixth.

Dungey ends the season with 390 total points, 85 ahead of his closest competition, Tomac. Seely finishes third in his rookie outing in the 450 class, followed by Reed in fourth and Baggett in fifth.

Pic: KTMimages.com

SUPERCROSSof the pack briefly before Dungey settled himself at the front. Tomac continued to pressure Dungey until Lap 5, and there Tomac lost the front and went down. He was immediately back up, but not before Dungey could stretch a few seconds on him. The remaining laps saw the KTM ace build his lead to more than eight seconds mid-race, keeping him free from any challenge to the checkers.

Peick also faced serious pressure from TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed and Team Honda’s Cole Seely early on. Peick was holding steady in third but Reed and Seely had closed up and were keeping really close. This continued for a number of laps, but during the

Tanak Feeling Positive

Ott Tanak says he is feeling positive about the return to Europe in the World Rally Championship after suffering a frustrating Rally Argentina.

In a high-attrition event, Tanak didn’t have luck on his side in South America as he hit a rock in the water splash just two kilometres into SS4 which damaged the front-left wheel of his M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC. The broken wheel forced him to retire and re-join the race under Rally 2 regulations and he finished 11th in the overall classification.

“We had a strategy at the start of the rally to be safe and not to go too high with the speed. We managed the first stages really well, but then we got caught out with a rock in the water splash which was really

WRCunfortunate,” Tanak said.

“We were really disappointed and desperately wanted to make it to the finish so we had to take it steady and regain the confidence step by step.”

The Estonian driver is remaining upbeat despite the unsatisfactory result and is expecting to take delivery of a new-evolution Fiesta RS WRC machine ahead of Rally Portugal.

“It looks positive for Portugal,” he added. “We will have the new car and a good test beforehand so I just need to pull everything together and work on myself to ensure that we can have a good result.”

Rally Portugal is set to act as round five of the 2015 World Rally Championship and is scheduled for the 21-24 May.

Ekstrom DTM Old HandAudi’s Mattias Ekstrom says the challenging conditions during race two of the opening round of the World DTM Championships at the Hockenheimring meant it was day where the experience of the ‘old hands’ made all the difference.

The former double champion already arrived into the new season on the crest of a wave after ending 2014 with back-to-back victories at Zandvoort and Hockenheim before finishing second in the championship order.

Although Ekstrom failed to score a point in the first race, the Swedish veteran excelled amid the torrent of persistent drizzle in the second encounter to maintain Audi’s impressive start to the new year.

Ekstrom’s win also marked a milestone for the long time Audi champion as it was his 20th victory in the DTM during a career which

has spanned over an incredible 14-year stint.

“Today was fun from the first to the last lap. My Audi RS 5 DTM was perfect. We pitted one lap too late for the tire change but that wasn’t so important because my car was so good,” said Ekström.

“The conditions were very difficult today – and that’s when the experience of the old hands pays off.”

Following the opening two races of the new season, Audi emerge as dominant leaders in all three of the championship standings. Edoardo Mortara fronts the early drivers’ battle ahead of Ekstrom and race one winner Jamie Green, who are both level on points in a joint second position.

“We had the fastest car both on a dry and a wet track and we clinched two poles and two victories – on Sunday even a one-two,” said Audi’s head of DTM, Dieter Gass.

DTM

Formula Vee ThrillerRound 2 of the 2015 SA National Formula Vee Championship once again produced two close, competitive, action-packed races at the Phakisa circuit near Welkom.

Qualifying saw the 2013 SA National Formula Vee Champion, Scott Temple, claim pole, deputising for Ben Pienaar in the Rhema 2. Lining up beside him was reigning SA National Champion Jaco Schriks (Rhema 2) and they were followed by four-times SA National Formula Vee Champion Alan Holm (Rhema 2) and Michael Mastnak.

Heat 1 produced close competitive racing with a good close battle for the lead, resolved in favour of Mastnak who beat Temple to the line by just over half a second. They were followed home by Holm, Schriks and Van den Berg, with all five across the finish line in less than a second!

Heat 2 was even closer than the first, particularly amongst the bunch competing for the lead. Into the final lap they were still locked in battle as they entered the back straight, with its two high speed sweeps. Knowing that those on the inside where going to be slower out of the bend, Holm was planning to take a wider line through the corner and get a better drive out of the bend in the dash to the final left hander and the chequered flag.

For a moment it looked like everyone was going to make it through unscathed but exiting the corner Holm’s front wheel made contact with Temple’s back wheel and he was launched into the air going over the top of Temple’s car but landed safely and was able to complete the race!

FORMULA VEE At the finish line it was Schriks who took the flag, 0:00.102 of a second ahead of Mastnak, Van den Berg and Temple.

Pic: Neels van den Heever

Jozi’s Bradley Liebenberg (Smart Call Birel) broke the Cape Max domination by beating local lad Jonathan Aberdein (Tony Kart) two races to one in the quickest Rotax Max DD2 gearbox class with Mitchell Licen (Cupboard Value Intrepid), Luca Canderle (Intrepid), Mitchell Licen (Cupboard Value Intrepid) and Kashen Naicker (RKT Kosmic) splitting third places between

them as Licen, Brittz and Canderle filled out the top six. Durban’s four-time world karting champion Cristiano Morgado (Tony Kart) took over-30s DD2 Masters from CRG men Nicholas Verheul and Ronaldo Baptista.

The winningest driver of the day was another Capetonian lad – Aidan Strydom took five primary school wins out of six aboard his two TurboTech TopKarts including

a clean sweep in the Maxterino 60 war. Jo’burg lightie Cameron O’Conner (TopKart) Charl Visser (Battery Energy RKT Zanardi), JP Hamman (Gatskop RKT Kosmic) and Kwanda Mokoena (Spin Drift TopKart) shared third places to come home third, fourth and fifth overall ahead of Troy Dolinschek (Makita TopKart)

Pic: Quickpic.co.za

Hedgecock Home Town Hero

VYING FOR POSITION: The VW Challenge races at Phakisa’s Extreme Festival were colourful and competitive.

LOSE RACING: The DTM field pushing through the fIrst

corner at the last race.

The Ashton National Enduro, the fourth round of the Liquorland National Enduro Motorcycle Championship that took place in the scenic Ashton / Bonnievale area in the Western Cape, was described as ‘one of the toughest events on the calendar’.

Only one new class winner emerged with local Capetonian rider, Graham Hedgcock (KTM Cape Town) claiming the Senior Class victory in front of his

home crowd. It is his first victory of the season, but it was almost too close for comfort as he beat the defending champion, William Gillitt (Agrisales Peak Yamaha Racing) by a mere seven points (seconds) after eight special stages. Hedgcock posted the fastest times after two stages with Gillitt claiming three stages and fourth-placed Jody Engelbrecth (Yamaha) also winning three stages.

There was a fourth consecutive victory for E2 (Open) Class leader, Wade Young (Brother Leader Tread KTM) who won all 11 stages in E2. This was his last race

VW Phakisa ActionThe VW Challenge drivers headed for Phakisa Freeway outside Welkom for the third round of the 2015 championship. The biggest field of the season provided the customary door handle to door handle racing that the series is known for. When all was said and done it was Waldie Meintjies (Marty’s Body & Spray Polo) on the top step of the class A podium, Darren Nathan (Sex Trader Polo) took class B and Zander Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport Polo) was back to his winning ways in class C.

In the first race Meintjies was in front until the final lap when Atkinson forced his way past and took the flag. Piazza-Musso claimed the final podium spot in only the second outing in his

the early lead. Despite Nathan trying everything he could to get past Clarke held on to take the win.The class C result was the same as the first race with Roos leading Mack and van Zyl home.

Meintjies’ win and second place

in the two heat were good enough to give him the overall class A victory from Atkinson and Piazzo-Musso. Nathan took home the class B winner’s trophy with Clarke in second and Henning third. Zander Roos was the comfortable class C

winner from Mack and van Zyl.The next outing for the VW

Challenge is on 13 June at the Aldo Scribante Circuit in Port Elizabeth.

Pic: Neels van den Heever

DIRTBIKES

CIRCUIT RACING

new car.In class B Nathan had an easy run, winning by almost three seconds from Henning who had Hall less than a second behind. Daine Stewart (Grandmark International Polo) and Andy Gossman (Chamdor Veridot & Police Clearance Golf) rounded out the top six.

Mack led the class C field until the halfway mark but could not keep the more aerodynamic Polo of Zander Roos behind his Golf and had to settle for second.

In the second race the anticipated three way fight at the head of the field materialized as Atkinson led Meintjies and Hurley, the trio opening up a substantial gap over the chasing pack. A missed gear change with two-and-a-half laps to go cost Atkinson dearly, dropping him from first to third as both Meintjies and Hurley got through. Meintjies took the flag ahead of Hurley and Atkinson..

Clarke wasn’t going to make another mistake in the second class B heat and made sure that he had

before he heads back to Germany to continue his international season. Young’s team-mate, Scott Bouverie, continued his consistent running so far with a fourth runner-up result with Kenny Gilbert (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha), who was suffering from bronchitis, rounding off the podium..

Getting stuck in mud and finishing sixth in E1 two weeks ago at East London was far from Travis Teasdale’s mind as this Brother Leader Tread KTM factory rider steamed ahead to claim his third E1 (200cc) victory of the season. Like Young, Teasdale, also won all 11

Paffett Fight BackMercedes’ Gary Paffett has labelled his finish in the first round of the DTM World Championships at the Hockenheimring as his ‘best ever’ third place result following an inspired fight back up the order.

Prior to the race, the odds seemingly stacked against his favour as the ART Grand Prix driver – who was supposed to start eighth - was excluded from the qualifying result for the second time in succession.

The 2005 DTM champion was forced to start the race from the back after the stewards found his Mercedes team had failed to fit a mandatory block [spacer] within his C63’s DRS

mechanism, which is designed to stop the overtaking aid from operating during qualifying.

“What a race that was! The weekend was a roller-coaster. Obviously I was feeling disappointed after the first race yesterday and the second qualifying session today,” said Paffett.

“We had a really good car this weekend that was unbelievably fast in the rain. In these conditions, it’s very easy to make mistakes. But the team did a fantastic job, and the race went perfectly for me. After this difficult opening weekend, it’s great to be back on the podium.”

Paffett’s route to the podium was helped by a clever strategic decision in pitting for the wet Hankook tyre a lap in advance, while the rest of the field scrambled around for the disappearing grip on slick rubber.

DTMIt was also the first time Paffett

collected a trophy for the new ART Grand Prix squad, who steered the former HWA pilot to the rostrum on their debut weekend in the DTM.

“The switch to rain tyres worked beautifully, and our strategy paid off in the end. I’ve never before been so happy about a third place as I am today.

“A big thank you to my team. The crew did a great job and have thoroughly deserved this result. Thanks, guys!”

Pic: DTM.com

stages in E1.The battle between Teasdale

and the E1 winner at East London, Brett Swanepoel (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) continued at Ashton with Swanepoel finishing second and keeping his lead in the E1 Championship albeit only by a single point.

Competitors in the Master Class had to work hard to earn their points. In the end it was a fourth victory for the newcomer, Hilton Hayward (Proudly Bidvest Yamaha) who moved from the Senior Class to the ‘Masters’ at the beginning of the season.

In the High School Class c Eduan Bester (NUTS Racing / KTM Centurion continued his winning streak and claimed his fourth victory with ‘local’ Mossel Bay rider, William Oosthuizen (KTM) claiming his best result by finishing second.

After a hectic schedule this past three months, competitors can enjoy a two-month break before the penultimate round of the Liquorland National Enduro Championship will take place in the Estcourt are on July 4th.

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 Motorsport World • 14 May 2015 • 15

WELL KNOWN NAME: Simon Moss, who competes under the banner of the Engen Xtreme team, is following in the footsteps of his well known father Terry in the SA National Production Car Championship.

SOLAR POWER: Solar powered water pumping installations are a big part of what Simon Moss does for a living when he is not out on the circuit competing for the Engen Xtreme Racing Team.

Powering Forth On And Off Track

Few, if any, South African motorsport enthusiasts can claim not to know the Moss name. It has been synonymous with high-speed racing for decades. First it was Terry Moss who thrilled fans at local circuits, most notably in Touring Cars. Now it is the turn of his son Simon, who is following in the footsteps of his father in the SA National Production Car Championship.

Simon started early, behind the wheel of a kart. In 2006, at the tender age of 14, he finished second in the GP Junior championship and the 100cc Stock. By 2009 he was competing in the Vortex Super Rok, winning it in 2012. In his fledgling career, he has also been named the Formula BMW Pacific Rookie of the Year and finished third in the category in 2008. In the Formula Volkswagen championship has finishes of first, third and second in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.

While the Moss name is well-known in motorsport, it is also very well known in South Africa’s farming community. When not competing on the racing circuit, Terry Moss was involved with submersible water pumps, helping farmers get water to where they needed it. The AllPower company have designed and installed solar windmill pumps since 1989 and have 27 000 installations running in South Africa. Simon has picked up the baton from his old man and is now involved in helping the farming community not only pump water, but also to power the pumps right where they are located.

“It is incredibly rewarding,” says Simon. “From the start of the installation where nothing exists to a completed and working installation that provides power for pumping water or any number of farming activities, not only making things easier for the farmer – but also helping to provide food for South Africa.”

“Food security is critical to our country and to make that happen means looking after the farming community,” adds Simon. “Being a part of that, ensuring that farm

ENGEN XTREME RACING

Solar powered water pumping installations are a big part of what Simon does when he is not on the circuit competing for the Engen Xtreme Racing Team. Through this he is providing farmers with reliable power in places where it is either extremely difficult – or impossible – to get the national electricity grid. The latest of these runs a 380 volt three-phase motor directly from the sun powering sprinkler irrigation systems, travelling irrigators, drip irrigation and centre pivot irrigation systems.

life can run as needed so the agricultural process can take place, knowing I’m part of getting food onto tables is very rewarding.”

The solar installations are not a “one size” solution, but customised according to the function they need to serve. Some are small, while others are dramatically ramped up in size.

“Not all of the installations I do are agricultural, but most of them are – all over the country,” says Simon. “While my team and I do residential installations of a variety

of sizes, ranging from a simple solar geyser installation to taking a complete home off the grid, it is the farming systems, from the solar pumps to the big centre pivot irrigation systems that are the most important.”

“I’ve found that our original solar-powered home and hot water systems, which are intended as back-ups for Eskom to deal with load-shedding change, with homeowners switching off the grid entirely,” says Simon. “Our installations are now actually replacing the electricity grid entirely.”

Of the 830 kW installed by AllPower since 2013, Simon and his team have installed around 66 percent of these and the rate of solar adoption in South Africa is growing. The growth between 2013 and 2014 saw an increase of solar installations by 20 percent. For this year 50 percent of the installations done in 2014 have already been completed in just the first four months.

“Racing is extremely important to me,” says Simon. “Competition on track in production cars is fierce and I’m facing some of the best competition in the country. What I do off track is even more important. While we are helping to power the farms in South Africa we are helping to make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Simon Moss and his teammate, Michael Stephen, will compete at Aldo Scribante Raceway in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, 13 June, the home event for the Engen Xtreme Team.

Issued by Openfield on behalf of Engen Petroleum Limited

Photos: Supplied

Advertising Tel: 082 570 2995 14 • 14 May 2015 • Motorsport World

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