Grand Prix Rejects

J.O.U.R.N.A.L. wrote:
Team Mecha launches new car, new sponsors

Team Mecha's new TM-19

At the team's headquarters, Team Mecha Racing has launched it's new 2019 ARWS challenger, the TM-19. Gone were the traditional "tricolore" livery the team has been wearing since the inception of the team in ARWS, instead replaced with a brand-new orange and white/red scheme, the colors of the team's new title sponsors, Chinese mobile phone giant Xiaomi and the Indonesian branch of fast-food restaurant KFC. John Bean, the team's first point scorer, will be joined by Italian rookie Nino Barlini. In addition, Mahmud Effendi, the team's principal, has confirmed that the team's PURE-Hart engine deal has been increased to works status, after the previous team that held that status, Gauthier, folded mid-season.

PURE-Hart chooses Pertamina as official lubricant partner

The launch of Team Mecha's car is also a stage for an announcement related to PURE-Hart engines used by the team: Indonesian oil company and one of Team Mecha's sponsor, Pertamina, has announced that it was chosen as PURE-Hart's "official lubricant partner". This partnership announcement will saw the development of Pertamina's racing fuels and oils specifically designed for ARWS racing engines, as well as use of ARWS as testbed for development of performance products. The partnership is expected to increase Pertamina's publicity as one of Indonesia's major companies.

AutoFiction wrote:RUMOUR: Simpson to rebrand as "classic" ARWS team
AutoFiction have heard rumours in the paddock at Jerez leading up to this weekend's test that Simpson Motorsports could be setting up shop in Europe and bring back one of the famous team names from the early days of the ARWS - namely Australian Minardi or Prospec.

Team owner Dave Simpson was allegedly spotted scouting new factory locations throughout Europe during the off-season - once at the former Minardi factory in Faenza, Italy and another at the former Prospec factory in England. Simpson has close links to both former teams as a driver, and made way for current Simpson driver Jean-Luc Schiller at Prospec in 2014 when they were low on funding.

The new Simpson 005 chassis was unloaded from the trailer this morning in a generic blue test livery, however team officials are adamant that a major sponsor deal will be announced before Adelaide.

Pre-Season Test #1 -- 9th & 10th February - Jerez

Lap times and Ammount of running

1. Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen (Kjellerup) -- 1.20.789 // High
2. Mark Dagnall (Kjellerup) -- 1.21.553 // High
3. Alberto Cara (MRT) -- 1.21.715 // High
4. Phillippe Nicolas (Voeckler) -- 1.21.792 // High
5. Dan Greenlaw (Voeckler) -- 1.21.829 // Low (car problems)
6. Naoki Shinjo (USD) -- 1.22.215 // High
7. Alexey Buyvolov (Simpson) -- 1.22.334 // High
8. John Bean (Mecha) -- 1.22.372 // Low (accident)
9. Alessandro Lucarelli (NRE) -- 1.22.402 // High
10. Salvatore Miccoli (MRT) -- 1.22.557 // Medium (accident)
11. Hansuke Shioya (EVR Vixen) -- 1.22.713 // Medium (car problems)
12. Nino Barlini (Mecha) -- 1.22.718 // High
13. Nathanael Cameron (Jones) -- 1.22.752 // High
14. Terry Hawkin (Fusion) -- 1.22.823 // Low (car problems)
15. Danny van Rijkens (EVR Vixen) -- 1.22.825 // High
16. Marko Jantscher (NRE) -- 1.23.096 // High
17. Shinobu Katayama (USD) -- 1.23.138 // Medium (car problems)
18. Shane Walsh (Gillet) -- 1.23.487 // Low (car problems)
19. Wouter Lamberigts (Blokkmonsta) -- 1.23.595 // Medium (engine problems)
20. Martin McFry (Blokkmonsta) -- 1.23.636 // Low (car problems)
21. Jean-Luc Schiller (Simpson) -- 1.23.680 // High
22. Fredo Mestolio (Venturi) -- 1.23.717 // Medium (engine problems)
23. Kenan Ardaoglu (Venturi) -- 1.23.901 // Medium (engine problems)
24. Gary Pacer (Jones) -- 1.23.993 // High
25. Alexandre Dorval (Gillet) -- 1.24.414 // High
26. Akira Yamamura (Kamaha) -- 1.24.607 // Medium (engine problems)
27. Gregor Pascal (Aeroracing) -- 1.24.766 // Medium (car problems)
28. Nick Nurmester (Kamaha) -- 1.25.295 // High
29. Daniel Martins (Aeroracing) -- 1.25.415 // Very low (unknown)
30. Du Lon (Euromotor) -- 1.25.688 // Low (car problems)
31. Jesus Plaza (RLR) -- 1.26.345 // Medium (car problems)
32. Gianluigi Pazzini (RLR) -- 1.26.425 //Low (car problems)
33. Takuma Taki (Euromotor) -- 1.27.003 // High
34. Matthias Valsattis (Fusion) -- 1.27.933 // Very low (unknown)

Autosport wrote:Jones happy with first test performance

Sammy Jones has declared himself satisfied with his team's performance in the first pre-season ARWS test at Jerez. While Gary Pacer was only 24th fastest, teammate Nathanael Cameron was 13th.

"Look, we're running last year's engines in the new chassis - the package is a huge compromise at present" Jones told reporters.

"Once we have the new engines, which are what the car has been designed to take, then we'll see an upturn and things will build from there. The main thing is both drivers got plenty of seat time. I'm not concerned that we're not at the front, we never have been in pre-season testing, even in our championship-winning years. There's plenty more to come yet."

Autosport wrote:Pacer off the pace at Jerez

Canadian Gary Pacer was mired in 24th position following ARWS pre-season testing at Jerez recently. The rookie, driving for the British Jones Unipart TAG team, was over a second off teammate Nathanael Cameron's time which was good enough for 13th overall. Pacer was disappointed, but optimistic for the following test and the season ahead.

"Sure, I'm unhappy to be down near the bottom of the times.But we have a long year ahead of us and there's plenty of time to resolve any issues. The car is down on power at the moment compared to others but we have a lot in the pipeline to resolve that. I didn't really gel with the car at first, there's some more setup work needed so that I'm fully comfortable but we're moving in the right direction."

Autosport wrote
EVR surprised by pace

With the first ARWS done and dusted, EVR have declared their surprise at the pace shown from Vixen FA.2 chassis with Shioya 11th and Van Rijkens ending the day 15th. "We didnt expect to be quite this high up this soon" While the team were pleased by the pace of the car the day was not without issues. Shioya's running was curtailed by an electrical issue with the car. "Its the first time the car has run you expect some issues with the car"

motorsport.com wrote:Shad Griffith trashes junior ARWS drivers

Following a guest appearance in Fox Sports 3, CWS champion and former F1 driver Shad Griffith has critized heavily the new crop of AR3.5 graduates, as well as Badu, following recent comments made by his manager.

"You look at these driverrs, and you say to yourself, how did they get in here?!" Griffith said last night while talking to the ARWS commentators. "They have no experience, no sucess that would guarantee them being good in the higher categories.", he continued, "Especially that spoiled brat Badu, being defended by that ****head Antonio della Valle. He has no talent, as shown by his F1 stint, and will pale in comparison to Hawkin even if he was given special treatment." "With an exception of maybe Ardaoglu, every one of these AR3.5 graduates will be relegated to the bin." Griffith concluded the rant.

arwsfanatic.co.uk wrote:Venturi happy with test results

Sauveterre has come out and said that Venturi is quite happy with their test results. "We are mostly looking to iron out the kinks. A new update of the car, the V-505, will be ready on time for Morocco, and we hope that will get us to the top." "This isn't going to be our year, of course, but we are looking to make some gains." "In the end though, this and 2020 will probably be midfield years." Sauveterre concluded before leaving the reporters.

Innacurate tabloid wrote:2-wheeler to debut in ARWS?

Following heavy negotiations, Ducati is supposed to get their own team in 2020. Ducati are impressed with the ARWS regulations, and want to create a 2-wheeler motorcycle/car hybrid for their 2020 debut. Their concept has defied many, with many calling the concept absurd and that it won't past the crash tests. Furthermore, the car will feature a very unique CVT gearbox, alongside a laser-guided engine that can supposedly reach 4200 bhp in 69 seconds.

arwsfanatic.co.uk wrote:ARWS to visit Vancouver and Belle Isle Park in 2020?

Following a increase in North American sale numbers and ratings, ARWS are investigating having two more races, this time at the circuits of Vancouver and Belle Isle Park. The circuits have been well organized and meet all standards according to an insider of the ARWS Commision. The rumours then increased following the release of an "official" document (as it was later proven false) of a letter telling that organizations of the Grands Prix had gone through. While these rumours seem more than likely not true, everyone is having a piece of it's cake at covering it, and at the moment it's all a bit uncertain.

Automobil-Revue wrote:Michelin pulls out, who enters?

Michelin has recently withdrawn from F1. It's still unknown who will replace them though. Some of the main candidates were, according to many sources, Firestone and Avon. Firesstone immediately refuted the allegations, claiming wanting to focus on IndyCar. The other ones are Avon, which are the more likely candidate. Avon hasn't refuted the claims, and their F1 experience might give them the edge in terms of customers. There's also a third side that thinks there will be no replacement, but they are a minority.

J.O.U.R.N.A.L. wrote:Promising test results for Team Mecha

The first season test for Team Mecha in Jerez ended with both of the team's drivers ranking in surprising positions in the timesheet - eighth for John Bean, despite running only few laps before he crashed out, and 12th for the team's rookie Nino Barlini, which ran more laps. Speaking to J.O.U.R.N.A.L., Chandra Adriansyah commented, "Both of our drivers have posted very excellent times, and this is a huge leap forward compared to our previous seasons. However, we are aware that test performance does not necessarily equate actual race performance and are hoping to use the data and feedback we obtained we can do better on actual race situation."

Rejectsport wrote:ARWS Commission to investigate Mecha for alleged fuel additives
The ARWS Commission, lead by Daniel Prieto, is to investigate Team Mecha's cars after the team showed improved pace in the first day of pre-season testing at Jerez.

Rumours began circulating around the paddock barely 15 minutes into the session as the Mecha cars were seen with huge flames coming out of the exhaust pipes, possibly suggesting a high-octane fuel or other illegal additives. If the team have been found to have been using illegal fuel, they could risk severe financial sanctions and a possible disqualification from the championship, a source has said.

This news comes as a blow to the Mecha operation, who head into the new season off the back of scoring their first ever point in ARWS. The Commission or Team Mecha declined to comment.

ARWS Reporter wrote:John, what's your take on the recent reports that the ARWS Commission are going to investigate your team for use of illegal fuel additives?

John Bean wrote:Investigate this.

AutoFiction wrote:Simpson worried about lack of testing pace
After a mixed first test at Jerez, Simpson Motorsport are casting doubts over the season ahead with a worrying lack of pace in their new 005 chassis. Whilst Alexey Buyvolov finished a reasonable 7th, his highly experienced team-mate Jean-Luc Schiller languished in 21st and showed serious concern over the design of the new chassis.

In a TV interview, the Swiss driver was quoted as saying that "the downforce deficiencies on this car are frankly terrifying through the high-speed corners, the only thing that's keeping this chassis on the circuit is mechanical grip... which this chassis does has a lot of".

Reportedly the team have been working back at base on the aerodynamics of the car, but have been left scratching their heads to figure out how to improve the aero package. Coincidentally, as reported before the test, Simpson have been rumoured to be looking to move their operation to Europe - perhaps the reason could be to gain access to more advanced wind tunnel and testing facilities and the ability to hire more engineering staff.

Japanese Autosport wrote:Pitlane Cup Day 1 and 2

Pitlane Cup sponsored and preferred media partner - Japanese Autosport

Group A

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Fusion  0-4 MRT
Simpson 3-3 Nurminen
Fusion  1-1 Simpson
MRT     1-1 Nurminen

Group A      P W D L F A GD Pts 
MRT          2 1 1 0 5 1  4 4
Nurminen     2 0 2 0 4 4  0 2
Simpson      2 0 2 0 4 4  0 2
Fusion       2 0 1 1 1 5 -4 1

Group A threw up surprises as MRT, a team who never take the pitlane cup seriously managed to beat a hapless fusion easily, poor defending and passing allowed MRT to score 4 goals in a pretty one way game. Simpson were hoping for better as they managed to squander a 2 goal lead with some misjudged passes to allow Nurminen to level the game and grab a point. Fusion regrouped but despite more chances at goal they just couldn't get the ball to go between the posts, Simpson grabbed a fluke goal late in the game when the ball bobbled between the Fusion goalies legs during a routine backpass, in the dying minutes Fusion saved face as a last minute corner saw the Fusion goalie run the end of the pitch and managed to head the ball into the net to grab a point. Nurminen played a tight game and managed to hold MRT to a draw with some clinical goals at both ends.

The results mean that everyone is still in it. MRT need a point to go through, everyone else needs to win to have some chance of going through. Fusion need to beat Nurminen and hope Simpson lose against MRT.

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Kjellerup 2-1 USD
Venturi   5-4 Gillet
Kjellerup 1-0 Venturi
USD       1-0 Kamaha
Kjellerup 2-2 Gillet
Venturi   0-1 Kamaha

Group B         P W D L F A GD Pts 
Kjellerup       3 2 1 0 5 3  2 7
USD             2 1 0 1 2 2  0 3
Kamaha          2 1 0 1 1 1  0 3
Venturi         3 1 0 2 5 6 -1 3
Gillet          2 0 1 1 6 7 -1 1

Gillet looked like they were the strong favourites, they had trained hard, had professional coaching and even a professional player in the team, but although they had a strong strike force the defence was quite weak. They started off well by getting 2 goals in the first ten minutes of the match against Venturi but sloppy defending let the side down. Venturi get one back with a half hearted shot at goal, but confusion between the goalie and a defender on who should clear it let the ball just dribble over the line. Gillet managed to score a belter well outside the penalty box to go 3-1 ahead but a few minutes before half time another shot on the Gillet goal saw the ball play pinball on a few defenders heads before bouncing in the goal off a post. The second half saw Gillet switch to a 4-4-2 formation from the 3-4-3 they started with Venturi changed from a 4-4-2 to a 3-1-6. It seemed to pay off for them as they were kicked long balls into the Gillet half and making a number of shots on goal. They just tore into the defence and were leading 4-3. Gillet showed great skill as their professional player took the ball from the goalie and dribbled the ball into the Venturi box then played a great 1-2 to score what could be the goal of the competition. However it was Venturi who would come out victorious as some scrambling in the Gillet box saw the ball be shot at goal 8 times before it leaked in.

Kjellerup after losing every game last year decided to match there on track performance with some better football playing and they played some good football as they beat what seemed to be a skillful USD 2-1 and they continued this by beating Venturi who played a 7-1-2 formation and managed to stop Kjellerup from even getting a shot on goal until the second half but a screamer from just outside the box sank Venturi. USD and Kamaha played a tight game but a headed goal from a corner gave USD the win.

Gillet tried to regroup and changed their defence and against Kjellerup they did look like they were going to win as at the 75th minute marked they were up 2-0 after some clinical goals from set pieces. However their defence looked like they went on holiday as again they let some simple goals in to let Kjellerup draw the game. Kamaha took a leaf out of Venturis book by playing a 5-1-4 formation and with a long ball game, the ball seemed to spend most of the game floatng in the air between the boxes before Kamaha manged to get a head to one of the long balls and turn it into the net to beat Venturi by a single goal.

Kjellerup need a point against Kamaha to be gauranteed a place in the last 8, Venturi need to win and hope USD and Kamaha suffer loses. Gillet need to beat both USD and Kamaha to have a chance of going through.

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RLR      4-4 Voeckler
Jones    3-1 Euromotor
RLR      2-0 Jones
Voeckler 5-2 Euromotor

Group C         P W D L F A GD Pts 
Voeckler        2 1 1 0 9 6  3 4
Lomas           2 1 1 0 6 4  2 4
Jones           2 1 0 1 3 3  0 3
Euromotor       2 0 0 2 3 8 -5 0

The group of death with the top two teams over the last two seasons, Rob Lomas Racing and Voeckler. Theirs was the first match played and it was a humdinger, RLR scored first blood with a great goal set up with some good passing, pressing and a cheeky chip over the keeper. However it was not long before Voeckler equalised from a corner and then a great goal with three headers to the box and a hard strike so near the goal line that it tore the net off and the game was halted for 4 minutes as a new net was attached. RLR equalised before half time as the Voeckler defence mistook the referee sneezing as half time but RLR pushed forward and scored a good 1-2 goal. Voeckler protested and the captain managed to get booked in the process. The second half saw RLR score a clinical goal from a corner before taking a 4-2 lead from a free kick outside the box. Voeckler took matters in their hands and pushed forward and managed to break down the RLR defence and score a close range goal. It was marred by a two footed challenge by a defender on one of the RLR strikers that saw the player sent off. RLR took the free kick but fluffed it and Voeckler took the chance on a counter attack and again overwealmed the RLR defence to draw level. The last 10 minutes saw numerous chances on both ends but neither could score and the game ended 4-4. Euromotor looked like a sunday pub team and played like it as Jones who also looked passed it managed to get the numbers and win the match 3-1.

RLR rested some players against Jones but still defended better then they did against Voeckler and had the chances and beat Jones 2-0. Voeckler threw everything they had to make sure they were at the top of the table and at half time were 3-0 up. The Gillet defending seemed to hit them as Euromotor got into the box and scored a soft goal with the Voeckler goalie standing still looking like he was planning his holidays as the ball was struck in the box and at a slow pace went into the net. Euromotor just kept kicking the ball down the field and a defender tried to kick it to a midfield player and made a mess of it to give Euromotor a corner, it was struck well but a Voeckler defender deflected the ball into the net to give Euromotor hope. Sadly it was short lived as Voeckler scored two more fine goals in the 10 minutes that followed to lead 5-2 and forced Euromotor to defend for their lives as they seemed to play a 10-0-0 formation in the last 15 minutes.

RLR need just a point against Euromotor to go through. If Jones beat Voeckler then they will go through else a draw will be enough for Voeckler. Euromotor are playing for fun now as they have no chance of getting into the last 8.

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Mecha       3-0 Vixen
Blokkmonsta 1-4 Aeroracing
Mecha       1-1 Blokkmonsta
Vixen       1-0 Aeroracing

Group D      P W D L F A GD Pts 
Mecha        2 1 1 0 4 1  3 4
Aeroracing   2 1 0 1 4 2  2 3
Vixen        2 1 0 1 1 3 -2 3
Blokkmonsta  2 0 1 1 2 5 -3 1

Mecha started off by showing that their improvements were not just on the track as the team that lost every game last year have started off well with a well earned 3-0 win over Vixen with some good passing play. Blokkmonsta said they were going to give youngsters a try and against Aeroracing they were in a comfortable 1-0 lead at half time. However the second half saw a bad challenge on an Aeroracing player and a player was sent off, several players surrounded the referee and tried to argue their case, however one shoved the referee and was sent off before the captain called the Referee a tosser and was also sent off. With 8 men on the pitch they leaked goals left and right and fell to a 4-1 defeat.

Blokkmonsta after being read the riot act by the team principal played a lot better against Mecha and frustrated Mecha and held them to a 0-0 draw at half time. They went ahead very soon after half time with a fantastic run by ironically one of the older players who floated the ball in the box where it was met by a head of the younger player and was deflected in. They spoilt it by giving Mecha a free kick at the edge of the box and a fake back pass, floated cross and a strike from the edge of the box saw Mecha draw the game. Vixen on the other hand played defensively all match until the end when a long shot from halfway in the Aeroracing area managed to sneak past the goalie who looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

Mecha need a point to go into the last 8, Blokkmonsta need a win and hope Mecha win.

motorsport.com wrote:Couteau to part company with Fusion Lotto Racing

Astro Racing Group president and Fusion co-founder Jacques Couteau is to officially leave the Fusion Lotto ARWS team, walking out on the outfit prior to the season opener at Adelaide.

Although the Frenchman sold the majority stake of the Fusion Motorsports team to Miguel Rocha's Lotto Racing concern at the end of 2018, Couteau remained on board with the Bath-based team to head up their racing operations alongside Rocha.

"Running this team has been an amazing experience" said Couteau to motorsport.com. "Building up the team from nothing to winning a driver's championship in just under four years is a great feat.

"However, I wanted to focus on my other business interests. We sold Fusion to Miguel Rocha, and I feel it best to pass on the mantle to his organisation at this stage."

It is also believed that Couteau's decision to leave the team is also influenced by Lotto's desire to move the Fusion operation to their own facilities in Belgium, as they currently occupy the Couteau-owned headquarters in Bath. Rumours also link Couteau to a new ARWS entry with his Nebula Grand Prix outfit, although the team were not available for comment.

Couteau's Black Label collection will also be represented at this month's Paris Fashion Week.

Ataxia wrote:

motorsport.com wrote:Couteau to part company with Fusion Lotto Racing

Astro Racing Group president and Fusion co-founder Jacques Couteau is to officially leave the Fusion Lotto ARWS team, walking out on the outfit prior to the season opener at Adelaide.

Although the Frenchman sold the majority stake of the Fusion Motorsports team to Miguel Rocha's Lotto Racing concern at the end of 2018, Couteau remained on board with the Bath-based team to head up their racing operations alongside Rocha.

"Running this team has been an amazing experience" said Couteau to motorsport.com. "Building up the team from nothing to winning a driver's championship in just under four years is a great feat.

"However, I wanted to focus on my other business interests. We sold Fusion to Miguel Rocha, and I feel it best to pass on the mantle to his organisation at this stage."

It is also believed that Couteau's decision to leave the team is also influenced by Lotto's desire to move the Fusion operation to their own facilities in Belgium, as they currently occupy the Couteau-owned headquarters in Bath. Rumours also link Couteau to a new ARWS entry with his Nebula Grand Prix outfit, although the team were not available for comment.

Couteau's Black Label collection will also be represented at this month's Paris Fashion Week.

Ataxia wrote:Also Aerond, here's all of the liveries (except the Voeckler, I don't know what the plan is for that)

DemocalypseNow wrote:

Ataxia wrote:Also Aerond, here's all of the liveries (except the Voeckler, I don't know what the plan is for that)

I was hoping someone would do me a solid and convert my 2D plan into a 3D GP2 livery. I can do rFactor liveries, I can do GTR2 liveries, I can do GP4 liveries even, but tries at GP2 liveries have never worked out well!

Autosport wrote:Hawkin concerned about Fusion's 2019 pace

Terry Hawkin has told reporters he remains concerned with Fusion's pace for the upcoming 2019 ARWS season as rivals Kjellerup look to set the early pace in pre season testing. The reigning champion was goof for only 14th fastest, struggling with car problems during the day.

"Yeah, Kjellerup's initial pace is worrying that's for sure." Hawkin said following the test. "We know we have a competitive package, but I think a number of other teams have moved the game on in the off-season, and we need to make sure we're not left behind. There's any number of teams towards the upper end that could challenge for the title this year and we need to make sure we're one of them."

AndreaModa wrote:Spotters guide in the offing Ataxia?

motorsport.com wrote:Lack of pace isn't a concern, says Rocha

After a lackluster first pre-season test for the Fusion-Lotto squad - Terry Hawkin only 14th fastest overall - Rocha showed no concerned over the pace that the team showed in their first outing of the year.

"Hawkin told us what was wrong with the car, and we are working 24/7 to fix it. We suffered some car related problems with our newest downforce upgrade we brought to the pre-season test, and it seems it made the car overheat its engine very easilly over a lap, so we have to be running some low powered engine modes troughout the day in order to gather as much data as possible. Hopefully this problems will be fixed for the second pre-season test, and Hawkin can be assured he'll have the best equipment available." said Rocha in an interview to Het Nieuwsblad, in Belgium.

Regarding the latest comments regarding Badu's signing, he commented that "Badu is a very good driver - I don't get why people are saying about him. In a time where Ferrari were suffering, he won a bloody race for them! He overperformed a dead weight Red Bull then! He's a very safe pair of hands, and I expect that he'll do exactly what I expect from him: bring those points when it's needed."

Rejectsport wrote
Shultz: Pleased with the plan

Huge grins were found at the Union Saver Defelopments garage after the first pre-season test at Jerez de la Frontera. Lead driver Naoki Shinjo reaching a well deserved 6th, while newcomer Shinobu Katayama was plagued with issues and only managed a 16th. At the end of the day, USD head boss Karl Lichter Shultz was all smiles.

"Last year we focus in reliability, which allowed us to make the full of the times when Naoki (Shinjo) managed to qualify and started from there. This time, though, we'll go for raw power, and for the first look, I'm pleased with the plan."

Asked about Katayama's comments about the car not be up on power, Shultz only said "Well, maybe Katayama needs to focus first in getting used to the car before talking about performance. And while she only got 16th place, the probable issues with her car appeared earlier, so we can now fix them so there's no excuses on the mechanical front. She'll have all attention from USD, but she also need to prove that the second cars isn't cursed like someone has said on the paddock."

Rejectsports wrote
Shinjo wants more power

Although his stunning 6th place on the first practice at Jerez was superb, USD lead driver Naoki Shinjo is sure that the car can be even faster. "Like the boss said, we're focusing on getting more power. Daihatsu has provided us with a new beefy powerplant to start the season, but we all know that the whole package can, and would, be even better. Honestly, I want more power to start fighting for wins, but only time will say..."

SRMP wrote:Nurminen pleased with testing results

Nurminen GP team boss Niko Nurminen was pleased after the first pre-season tests. "These results have confirmed that we did the right choice by choosing BMW as our engine partner. Jantscher had some setup issues which prevented him from getting out the best performance, but given that we're still essentially running last year's chassis while still achieving results such as this shows that we have great potential once the season progresses and the chassis is developed."

Rejectsport wrote:'It was bad, but it was good', says Euromotor boss

The first testing session results were not what Euromotor International's crew desired. But resigned to be a team who will fight for qualification to races, it's not something that picks them in the bad side. At least to Joaquim Alcântara, the German team's boss.

"We are rookies. Rookies are expected to do mistakes. And if we can have mistakes for at least one or two seasons before we build momentum, I won't feel angry', said the Portuguese.

With experience in smaller formulae, touring cars and other racing disciplines, the team arrive to ARWS to try to build a new page to the team's long legacy to live the ups and downs (and the middles) of racing life.

"We admit that touring cars were our main business and we won't deny that. But open-wheel racing is something that I desired to see the team tackle. Even if we are the slowest team on the pack. I don't care,
let's go!'

Rejectsport wrote:Schnass: "A Cautious First Step"

Andrea Schnass remains cautiously optimistic in regards to the upcoming ARWS season. Having just returned from Jerez for the first pre-season test he appeared less tense as the weekend progressed. "Two top 20 finishes despite the lack of laps we did is encouraging. The car needs better reliability, and as we get used to our new chassis we should see more reliable pace."

When asked about pre-qualifying aspects Schnass was more diverting. "pre-qualifying is always a tossup in this series. Even the likes of Fusion and Jones were stuck at the bottom, so anything can happen. Despite this, we will continue to develop our car and drivers over the long season, and cracking the midfield remains a priority for us."

Nicolas Steele wrote:Real talk: I'm not too surprised by the pace of our machine. It's a foreign chassis that could pull results last season. It will be important for us to develop the car to keep up, though there is always the problem with working in the now and preparing the chassis for next season.

I'll be back in the saddle for the next pre-season test, so ask me then about any specific issues that need to be addressed. Schnass still sees me as a valuable driver, and I'm more than capable of filling in should McFry or Wouter run into issues.

Der Wunderball wrote:Blokkmonsta Football Staff Spotted Outside Mecha Offices

Yesterday, following the first two days of the ARWS Pitlane Cup, suspicious men were spotted outside Team Mecha's Europe offices. The group of 5 men declined to give their names but asked to speak with Mecha's football managers. "We're both small teams right? How 'bout we collaborate to make sure we both get into the top 8?" The leader of the group spoke when interviewed. None of the 5 men seemed to be from Blokkmonsta's players, though a reporter later confirmed that some of them served as player trainers and supply workers.

Blokkmonsta's offices have yet to comment.

Barii Mori wrote:The test was disappointing. Although we are using last years car and we were working on race pace and reliability rather then outright speed. We do have some upgrades on the way so we are hoping they will make a lot of difference for test 2 when we will do qualifying tests. Akira had problems with the upgraded engine and struggled to really get a fast lap in, although the Yamaha did seem to give all their teams problems of one sort or another. Nick has been told to do a fast lap in test 2.

Shinobu Katayama wrote:Although I had issues with the gearbox so I could not get a good lap in, I must say I am impressed with the USD chassis, I will say it is more drivable then the Venturi I had last year. The engine is nowhere as powerful but it seems to have good torque which is useful through the corners. I am looking forward to the next test and I hope to give Shinjo something to look at.

Kenan Ardaoglu wrote:I don't want to talk to you guys until after test 2.

Eric Vincent Perplexed by Euromotor

EVR team boss Eric Vincent has hit out at recent comments by fellow AWRS rookie team Euromotor team boss Joaquim Alcântara in which he stated he did not care if they were the slowest team on the grid. " Thats their aim is it" says Vincent "To Finish last, who joins a series with the aim of finishing last. Does he have no confidence in his own team. Or maybe with a car that even BOSS GP would reject for being too old, that's all he can aim for"

RacingCoffee wrote:NC race for ARWS in the sights at the end of 2019?

One of the breaking news for today was that ARWS is planning on hosting a one-off NC GP at a yet to be unspecified location. Now, this is merely a rumor. It is said that the race could take place either the Iberian Peninsula or in Eastern Europe. Nothing is set and stone, and there are many questions left unanswered as of yet. Some have argued that in the case of the Iberian Peninsula, Daniel Prieto is trying to expand the Spanish ARWS fanbase, while on Eastern Europe there is a big market with Alexey Buyvolov untapped.

arwsfanatic.co.uk wrote:Lottogate?

There have been reports from the Kjellerup offices of a suspicious amount of activity nearby, incluiding a spotting of a alleged Fusion mechanic. There are rumours that this is industrial espionage, on an attempt of Fusion to gain perfomance via stolen blueprints. There are no official confirmations, and the reports coming out seem rather dubious, but it is indeed rumoured that Fusion has been doing eye-birding at Dijon.

Automobil-Revue wrote:

Venturi unveil new livery and car; the Venturi V-500

The Venturi team has seen a bit of a tough pre-season testing, running a bare, updated V2-001, the V2B-001, with limited sucess and reliability issues. However, now the V-500 has finally appeared, and alongside it, many have noted very innovative features of the car.

"Indeed, we are very confident that this design will give us the result we want." "The airbox has been designed with cooling in mind, and it's perfomance on telemetry has been staggering.", said designer Jean-Marie Deschamps.

The car shows off a new sponsorship deal with Winfield, thus calling the team Winfield Venturi Formula. Alongside that, Statoil appears as the official fuel supplier, of which it's appeareances have caused speculation to go wild, as it seems that the rumours were true. The front wing design has also been heavily modified, with a more radical and effective design.

There is speculation of a new version, the V-512, being introduced in the 5th race at Morocco.

AUTOSPORT+ wrote:Sauveterre gets injured in soccer match

Following a rather hectic group stage in the ARWS Soccer Tournament, Sauveterre ended up injured after a foul committed by an unspecified Gillet member. Sauveterre has had some minor leg injuries, and will remain in hospital for a few hours. Sauveterre commented: "I have never seen such a lack of sportsmanship in my life. Absolutely disgusting in every sense of the word, especially from these idiots from that pretend country."

Italian tabloid wrote:Pacchia to make comeback?

Following a long conversation between Luca Pacchiarini and some execs, there are rumours that a new version of the Pacchia engine will be made available at some point in the future. The engine at the moment would be on par with the Pure-Hart in terms of power, and there are some further evidence that this is set and stone, but at the moment, it's all just to be taken with a grain of salt. Luca Pacchiarini retired after a semi-dismal stint in the suddenly-cancelled IPC with Alfa Corse.

Pre-Season Test #1 -- 25th & 26th February - Jerez

Lap times and Ammount of running

1. Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen (Kjellerup) -- 1.20.850 // High
2. Mark Dagnall (Kjellerup) -- 1.21.244 // High
3. Terry Hawkin (Fusion) -- 1.21.402 // Medium (Brakes)
4. Salvatore Miccoli (MRT) -- 1.21.820 // High
5. Phillippe Nicolas (Voeckler) -- 1.22.122 // High
6. Danny van Rijkens (EVR) -- 1.22.170 // Medium (Suspension)
7. Alexey Buyvolov (Simpson) -- 1.22.211 // Medium (Brakes)
8. Dan Greenlaw (Voeckler) -- 1.22.330 // High
9. Alessandro Lucarelli (NRE) -- 1.22.438 // Low (Accident)
10. Alberto Cara (MRT) -- 1.22.564 // Medium (Brakes)
11. Nino Barlini (Mecha) -- 1.22.675 // Low (Accident)
12. Nathanael Cameron (Jones) -- 1.22.831 // High
13. Kenan Ardaoglu (Venturi) -- 1.22.866 // Medium (Accident)
14. Naoki Shinjo (USD) -- 1.22.934 // High
15. John Bean (Mecha) -- 1.23.100 // High
16. Marko Jantscher (NRE) -- 1.23.185 // Medium (Engine)
17. Jean-Luc Schiller (Simpson) -- 1.23.141 // High
18. Shane Walsh (Gillet) -- 1.23.258 // Low (Accident)
19. Gary Pacer (Jones) -- 1.23.328 // High
20. Martin McFry (Blokkmonsta) -- 1.23.456 // Medium (Loose Wheel)
21. Shinobu Katayama (USD) -- 1.23.481 // Medium (Transmission)
22. Marcel Agyemang-Badu (Fusion) -- 1.23.561 // Medium (Gearbox)
23. Fredo Mestolio (Venturi) -- 1.23.706 // High
24. Alexandre Dorval (Gillet) -- 1.23.957 // High
25. Akira Yamamura (Kamaha) -- 1.24.562 // High
26. Jesus Plaza (RLR) -- 1.24.605 // Medium (Electrical)
27. Daniel Martins (Aeroracing) -- 1.24.830 // Low (Puncture)
28. Gregor Pascal (Aeroracing) -- 1.24.991 // High
29. Nick Nurmester (Kamaha) -- 1.25.038 // High
30. Nicolas Steele (Blokkmonsta) -- 1.25.957 // High
31. Du Lon (Euromotor) -- 1.26.421 // Medium (Puncture)
32. Gianluigi Pazzini (RLR) -- 1.26.499 // High
33. Alexis Tantovich (EVR) -- 1.26.622 // Medium (Transmission)
34. Takuma Taki (Euromotor) -- 1.27.507 // Medium (Accident)

Rejectwire wrote:Lucarelli apologises to team for mistake

NRE driver Alessandro Luarelli made a very public apology to his team in the post-test driver interviews, having crashed his BMW-powered car into the barriers early in the 2nd day's session.

"I must apologise to the team for this mistake," he said. "We were doing qualifying runs so I was pushing the car, but I really overdid it here. To succeed in testing you need the maximum running, and it's my fault this hasn't happened here, so I will take responsibility and move on."

"There are positives certainly though. Despite next to no running during the day, I managed a time in the Top 10, and Marko was also running well on his long runs in the session. Of course, the engine failing during one of the runs is a small worry, but this is to be expected when you are shoehorning an engine into a car designed for something else. The individual components work well, the testing is needed only to harmonise the two parts - car and engine - together."


Miccoli: Obiettivo secondo posto

Salvatore Miccoli, the native of Pescara, is clear in his goals for the 2019 season. He is already willing to concede the championship before the race has already begun, but he feels 2nd is still within his grasp.

"For sure, Bastiaan [van Nieuwenhuijzen] in the Kjellerup is unreachable," he explained. "The car is the best, and he is the best driver in the team. However, I think second is still on the table. Mark Dagnall has broken mentally. Bastiaan has the upper hand from the start, he was the best driver at the end of 2018 in ARWS and is already embedded fully in the team. Dagnall comes in as the outsider, already on the back foot and scrambling for results. The rest of us can take advantage of this."

"I think it's possible therefore that MRT can win the constructors. Between myself and Cara, and with the second Kjellerup a question mark, I think we can get close, maybe just beat them in the WCC. Therefore the aim for me has to be 2nd in the WDC, for this to be a possibility. You look at the history of MRT in recent seasons, they often come on strong later in the season, so for sure given where we are now, this can be done."


van Nieuwenhuijzen camp eerily quiet after testing

One man has dominated ARWS pre-season testing. Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen topped the times in both days of running at Jerez, in the region of a second faster than the first non-Kjellerup car. Despite his ominous form, the Dutchman and his entourage have been keeping a very low profile, with little news coming from his side of the garage.

In the mandatory post-testing interviews, he kept his answers unusually short, leaving reporters questioning the sudden radio silence from Maaskantje native.

"The car works well, I am happy with it, things are okay on the technical side," he said pointedly. "Testing is over now, let's see what Adelaide brings."

Rumours suggest a rift has already surfaced within the Kjellerup team, with former three time champion Mark Dagnall reputedly trying to throw his weight around in a team that was built around van Nieuwenhuijzen towards the end of last season.

The 5 time race winner is said to be furious at the Brit's internal power plays, and is lobbying for preferential treatment of his own based on the dominant times set in pre-season testing.

With Kjellerup seemingly out on its own in terms of pace, it would appear the Dagnall-van Nieuwenhuijzen battle could become one of the fiercest inter-team rivalries in ARWS history.


Bean says Mecha points are possible

After scoring their debut point last season, John Bean has suggested there could be more points scoring finishes to come for Team Mecha, having followed up his 8th fastest time in the first pre-season test with 15th in the secon test earlier this week.

"I think that while our car is probably better on one lap pace than long runs, we can still pick up some more points during the course of the year," Bean enthused. "We have the factory support of Pure-Hart for engines now, the new car looks decent, and everything seems to interconnect well with the various aspects of the technical package."

Having made waves last year in Buenos Aires by scoring his team's first ever ARWS point in 5 years of competition, the Brit has specific races in mind to break into the Top 6 this time around.

"The street tracks are the ones I think we'll be shaking the apple cart at. More specifically, I think Monaco and São Paulo will be our two strongest races, so we need to aim to reach the finish there. My hope is to go one better this year, perhaps get a Top 5 at one of these events. It's a big task, but it's not impossible for us."


Pacer running out of steam?

Rumours from Japan indicate knives are already being sharpened in the Jones offices, with new recruit Gary Pacer already on the chopping block. The Canadian rookie has been outclassed by fellow newcomer Nathanael Cameron in pre-season testing, and it appears the entourage of Akira Yamamura are already making overtures towards Jones management over their second seat.

While the Jones team has struggled of late thanks to issues with the factory Ford engine supply, they are still a cut above Yamamura's current team Kamaha, who have stuck with an outdated chassis design for 2019 and were well down the timesheets.

"I have seven missed calls from Yamamura's entourage," effused one paddock insider, who asked for anonymity despite not really needing it, being completely anonymous to begin with. "They are desperate to get Akira out of the shitbox Kamaha as quickly as possible. They called me for help, naturally, so put them in touch with Sammy Jones, a close friend of mine. Did I mention I have a book release coming up soon?"

Neither of the teams nor drivers were available for comment.

Andrea Schnass wrote:Going by the pre-season tests, we look to be on track for making qualifying on a regular basis. McFry and Lamberigts definitely doing their job well with what we have, and we prepare for Australia in earnest.

I only just figured out this new chassis upgrade system. The thing took weeks to understand even when I had ARWS staff explain it to me...

Nicolas Steele wrote:Wow, this car is much better than that old piece of garbage from last year. I know it's a hand-me-down, but the car is a step up for sure from the ex-Tropico machine. With our ability to build our own parts for the car I'm sure we can get the rough edges hammered out. Getting the car to finish a full distance will be priority one if I was in charge of R&D, but for now I can just give my advice.

Now if only I can get my qualifying pace down, or I can kiss a race seat goodbye...

Rejectsport wrote:Blokkmonsta to test at Nurburgring after Pre-Season Test

Blokkmonsta's ARWS team will be testing at the Nurburgring on March 1 and 2 in preparation for the start of the ARWS season. The team rented out the facility in order to test and develop new parts for their machine, though the team declined to comment on the exact parts being tested.

"If I told you, teams would know what we're up to." spoke Henri van Dousen, Director of R&D at Blokkmonsta's ARWS garage in Pfaffenhausen, Germany. "All you need to know is that we're getting the car's rougher parts smoothed out so we have a reliable and capable package ready for Adelaide.

The team claimed that will likely have further testing after the first few rounds of the season, suggesting that the team may be taking their time to make sure their upgrades check out and pass scrutiny.

Schnass: "I'll eat my shoes if we don't make the grid"

At Frankfurt International Airport Blokkmonsta team owner Andrea Schnass gave an ultimatum before embarking to fly to Australia for the first round of the Auto Reject World Series. He would put more than his pride on the line when asked about the qualifying pace of his team.

"I'm 100% confident that the team will stay out of DNPQ for the season. If we fail to make the grid, I will eat my shoes in front of a live audience. They're fancy shoes too, to show how confident I am!"

The Daily Fighter wrote:ARWS Team Cover for Russian Front?

The controversial Blokkmonsta Racing Team again shows their turncoat colors in a recent legal violation at their team's ARWS effort. The Daily Fighter reports a leaked commission report from the Reject World Federation reveals Blokkmonsta's connections to the Russian government. The report covers investigation of "unconfirmed trasncations between Blokkmonsta's financial division, it's ARWS team garage, and unknown clients traced back to the IP Addresses of the State Duma." This connection, coupled with Andrea Schnass's recent talks with several Russia-owned firms suggests that the former Communist maintains compromising and possibly illegal ties to the Russian government.

Schnass's connections to Russia are extensive and cover several decades. The German government questioned the team owner in the 1990s for potential activities within the East German Stasi. The erratic German also faced charges in 1989 for previous possession of Red Army military hardware, including AK-74s, Soviet-designed hand grenades, and parts of a T-72 Main Battle Tank.

Both Blokkmonsta and the Reject World Federation have declined our requests for interview.

Motorsport.com wrote:Venturi to launch B-Spec at Marrakech?

Following some rather dissapointing test results, Venturi will release a B-Spec version of the V-500. The so-called V-512 will feature a new rear wing, slightly modified skirts, and a new suspension system. Venturi have claimed that this chassis will hopefully propel the team to the top 10 in the WCC, though this is likely the only major upgrade for the chassis, as Venturi are looking forward to 2020 and 2021.

Automobil-Revue wrote:Venturi in trouble?

...

Following the announcement that Venturi would release a B-Spec upgrade, people were with question marks over whatever or not if Venturi would have enough money. Indeed, Venturi Automobiles, the company paying for the branding, has pressured this movement as a way to get better results and see a return in their investement. It is said that if the team doesn't get a podium by the 9th race, Venturi would withdraw their sponsorship deal earlier, and the Norwegian investors would step in earlier than expected. Samuel de Sauveterre refuted these claims, but some other sources, incluiding a engineer in Venturi, have claimed that these rumours are truth and Sauveterre is doing damage control, as if Venturi loses their sponsors, Sauveterre would most likely pull out as well.

...

Somone.com wrote:Terry Hawkin to try the Triple Crown?

It has been rumoured that Hawkin has made his differences with Jones, in order to attempt the Triple Crown with a one-off operation at Indianapolis 500. The team will be run by a number of Jones newbie mechanics,
with a Mazda engine. Jones has refuted the rumours, but they seem to persist, and since Mazda have a batch of engines left, will this be true?

The Chinese Race wrote:Great Wall to update engine mid-season?

Great Wall has been rumoured to be on the works to upgrade their ARWS unit. It has been rumoured that the new unit can reach up to 867. The discovery of the upgrade was made after gum was found blocking the engine unit and restricting it's overall horsepower output. The Chinese people have called this "cheating"
and a "clear attempt from the West to tamper with the best of engineering".

O Volante wrote:Rob Lomas in huge debt?

...

Following some info from testdriver Andrej Kremnicky, it is rumoured that Rob Lomas won't last the whole season, even with Chinese investment.

"I went there looking for employement around December. Factories were pretty deserted, and the team didn't even have a chassis-engine package ready. The facilities for the cars were pretty outdated and unconventional, and some places just looked plain gross. As you can imagine, I immediately rejected the offer, since I would rather gain more experience than kill off my career driving for a backmarker."

...

motosport.com wrote:Hawkin much happier after second test

Despite finishing 3rd fastest - 2 and 6 tenths slower than the two Kjerellup, who appear to be the team to beat - Terry Hawkin was a very happy man as he stepped outside his CL1/19. While the same can't be said about his team-mate Marcel Agyemang-Badu, who was outside the top 20 fastest and 2.1 seconds slower than Hawkin, the defending ARWS champion claimed that "The car feels much better now than it did in the first pre-season test - we brought a brand new suspension package and a upgraded chassis in terms of rigidity, and it seems to have improved handling considerably."

Despite the gap to Kjerellup still beeing big, Hawkin is positive about the season "Towards the end of last year, Kjerellup already had a very good car, and I still could fight them. The same will happen this year, but our goal for now is to win races and amass those points." His team-mate, on the other hand, is still trying to learn the ropes around the ARWS cars, and is still highly motivated about the season and working with Fusion and Hawkin.

Break-in at Kjellerup - technical data stolen

Technical director Jean-Marc Hadamard confirmed earlier rumors that a break-in had occurred at the Ecurie Prenois factory at Dijon, where the Kjellerup team is based.

"Two days ago thieves broke into our factory and stole data storage devices containing technical details of our car. They were very specific in what they were looking for. This is not a case of a simple burglary, we're dealing with espionage here."

The team have reported the case to the police for burglary and industrial espionage. So far, the perpetrators have not been identified.

"Either they stole the data in the hope of selling it to one of our competitors, or they were acting by order of another team. We'd be really disappointed if it turns out to be the latter," Hadamard stated.

The team has started to invest in better security measures following the incident.

"We expected that espionage would mostly take place in a digital way so we put a lot of effort into that area, but that some people would go as far as physically breaking into our factory to get access to our blueprints was shocking."

Automobil-Revue wrote:Nathanael Spencer hired for Venturi TD

Nathanael Spencer, former ARWS champion, has been hired as a test driver for Venturi in their 2019 campaign.
He was hired due to his high experience, and will develop the car alongside Slovakian Andrej Kremnicky. He will also be the reserve driver should anyone get injured. The team has expressed it's satisfaction for the hiring.

RacingCoffee wrote:MRT linked to Kjellerup break-in?

Following the break-in at Kjellerup, blueprints were seeing received in MRT's HQ, with rumours growing that the blueprints where those stolen in Dijon. MRT immediately refuted the claim, with the blueprints being "plans for the 2020 car". However, the rumours seem to be getting stronger instead of getting weaker.

Rejectsport wrote:ARWS | VIDEO: Australian GP race aborted after hairpin chaos, awaiting restart

The opening round of the ARWS season was thrown into chaos by several accidents, and a fuel spillage from the leaking MRT of Alberto Cara, which caused numerous drivers to spin off. Notably, both Kjellerup cars spun off at the same corner on the same lap, one of a number of increasingly farcical incidents which led the race to be red flagged.

Watch the chaos unfold with a full replay of the aborted start here.

RejectSport wrote
All Things Considered, It Was a Tough Start

For Union Saver Developments, the inagural round of the 2019 ARWS in Adelaide was full of action, even before the race itself started. Team boss Karl Lichter Shultz commented what happened during the weekend.
"Adelaide is a weird track for us. Last year we couldn't even pass pre-qualify, and this year we were close to repeat that with an unexpected oil leak in Shinjo's car. It was plain luck that the car hold up until he completed the lap. Then there was Katayama's suspension failure, but with a street circuit like this, it was a failure that not only us suffered all along the weekend. I'm pleased with her job at the wheel. The engine update from Daihatsu has made the car faster, but it's still lacking some extra boost for the race itself. That will be the priority once we return to Europe."

Naoki Shinjo wrote

That was unique. Just starting pre-qualy, doing a standard lap, nothing fancy, and an oil leak made a mess of the engine just when I finished my first timed lap. I was afraid that a 5$ failure could keep the team out of the race, but the time was enough to get into main qualy. On saturday, the car feel was so good. I'm to blame for not improving the time, as I got stuck with some traffic. That was the story of the race itself. I keep my starting position, and started to pressure Barlini, but every time I tried to pass him, he defended so well that left me out of position and ready to be overtaken. Couldn't find more pace, specially since letting the leaders pass, so I prefered to keep the car on track and get to the line. This 9th position was the price of being cautious on a track well known for it's atrittion, but I really expected to be higher. Still need to improve the race pace in general.

Dagnall "not mad" to be taken out by van Nieuwenhuijzen

Mark Dagnall was obviously upset after the accident that put him out of the Australian GP in Adelaide when he was leading the race with massive advantage, but declined to blame teammate Bastiaan van Nieuwenhuijzen despite being pushed out by the Dutch rising star.
"Of course I'm disappointed, but the accident could have happened with anyone else. I'm myself to blame for the driving mistake that lead to the accident, rather than being pushed out of the race"
Despite having lost a certain win, Dagnall seemed uplift. "I'm not mad at all; We have the best package, and there's still 17 races to go, so the chance to win races will be there. We will now focus on Bathurst and, we will focus race by race from there on".

Autosport wrote:Jones and Pacer delighted with first points in first race of the season

After a fourth place on his ARWS debut and "Driver of the Race" award too, Jones driver Gary Pacer declared he was very happy to have started the year on a positive note.

"It's fantastic, I'm really pleased to be right up there and getting points on the board at this early stage. We all know the season is a long one so there'll be plenty of chances to get good results, but points mean prizes and I want to be scoring as many as I can at this early stage of the season."

Team boss Sammy Jones was equally satisfied with his young charger:

"It's a solid result to start the year off. I'm a bit hacked off about Cameron's retirement but for Gary to score points is really nice, and sets us up well for the campaign ahead. It's done us all a favour as well by shutting up those w*nkers slating Gary after testing. Now we know we can score decent points, we need to be pushing for podiums."

Autosport wrote:Late-race retirement doesn't dampen the spirits of Van Rijkens

South African ARWS driver Danny van Rijkens wouldn't let a late race retirement rain on the parade of Eric Vincent Racing, as the team got both cars onto the grid, and to the end of the race - Danny's retirement coming late enough to ensure he was still classified.

"For a small team with not a huge amount of money, we've really knocked the ball out of the park today," grinned van Rijkens post-race. "It's a bit annoying that Mecha were the ones to miss pre-qualifying at Bathurst and not us, but we know we have the ability now to clear pre-qualifying. In fact, with Mecha out and Aeroracing in, I think it should be even easier next time. Our next aim is to try and get a top 10 race finish, and from there, why not points in a tough race? Let's dream big!"

Autosport wrote:Hawkin rues Fusion unreliability

An engine failure left reigning ARWS champion Terry Hawkin ruing a missed opportunity at Adelaide, with the Briton downcast in post-race interviews,

"It's hard to see how we can beat Kjellerup right now. They are so far ahead, knowing what we have in the pipeline, I'm not sure where we are going to be able to challenge them. Maybe I'll be proven wrong but right now, it looks like my title defence is going to be painful."