F1Weekly Podcast # 972
Play Podcast: 01-03-23f1weekly972.mp3
NASIR AND THE HOST ARE BLOWN AWAY WITH THE 2023 DAKAR RALLY’S CINEMATOGRAPHY! MOTORSPORTS MONDIAL IS STUFFED WITH RACING HISTORY GOODIES. WE REMEMBER PHIL RILEY WITH AN INTERVIEW OF THE MAN WITH HIS BRABHAM BT-44 FROM PODCAST # 128
BT44 was a simple design with a standard Ford DFV/Hewland gearbox combination, but was very clean aerodynamically. Murray had an eye for clean lines, and the BT44 was particularly graceful. He was also a forward thinker, and tinkered with side skirts and airdams on the car, a precursor to ground effects aerodynamics.
HERE IS SOME DAKAR NEWS FROM STAGE TWO…
Nasser Al-Attiyah, Daniel Sanders and Mitch Guthrie excelled over Stage Two’s dangerous boulders at the 45th edition of motorsport’s toughest test of endurance, the Dakar Rally. Here is all you need to know:
Nasser Al-Attiyah of the Toyota Gazoo Racing during the Stage 2 of the Dakar 2023 between Sea Camp and Al-‘Ula, on January 2nd, 2023 in Al-‘Ula, Saudi Arabia // DPPI / Red Bull Content Pool.
– Over 400km on Monday’s Stage Two brought competitors through a rock garden of dangerous boulders as defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel cut into Carlos Sainz’s overall car lead with a victory in their Toyota Hilux T1+. The 52-year-old said: “Mathieu did a really good job with the navigation, it wasn’t easy today.”
– Sadly for those behind it was harder as BRX Hunter driver Sébastien Loeb forfeited over an hour to race leader Sainz, while Sainz’s fellow Team Audi Sport drivers Stéphane Peterhansel of France and Swede Mattias Ekström were both more than 30 minutes behind Qatari Al-Attiyah.
– Australian Daniel Sanders eased off his bike throttle late on to ensure an easier start to Stage Three with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Toby Price and Kevin Benavides also in the top five overall. The 28-year-old said: “I slowed down a bit because we already know that tomorrow is going to be another really tough day. I wasn’t after the stage win today.”
– American Mitch Guthrie of the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team USA delivered a first stage win for his T3-M by MCE5 vehicle and a perfect birthday present for co-driver Kellon Walch. The 26-year-old declared: “Kellon did great today with navigation and the car was awesome.”
– Tuesday’s Stage Three points the convoy towards Ha’il via a timed special stage measuring 447km with plenty more big boulders and steep canyons to navigate before the stage ends on the dunes.