F1Weekly Podcast # 1159
ON TODAY’S PROGRAM…
THE MAX RUMOR MILL KEEPS ON TURNING AND MAX KEEPS ON BURNING!
MCLAREN COULD BE BACK ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP BAND WAGON
GEORGE NEEDS TO FIND HIS MILIEU! AND…
FERNANDO AND ASTON MARTIN COULD BE ONTO SOMETHING BIG!
THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE PATRICK TAMBAY AND TROY CASTANEDA!
Patrick Tambay and Gilles Villeneuve began their Formula 1 careers together at Silverstone in 1977. Five years later, Tambay claimed his first race victory, filling the seat at Ferrari left vacant by Villeneuve after his tragic accident at Zolder.
Tambay had initially tried to qualify a Surtees at Dijon but was unsuccessful, subsequently joining Ensign for the remainder of 1977. Teddy Mayer later recruited him to drive for McLaren, where he spent two challenging years in less competitive cars. Following a tough 1981 season with Theodore and Ligier, it seemed Tambay’s time in Formula 1 was nearing an end until Ferrari offered him a spot.
He brought some positivity back to the team by winning at the Hockenheimring following another severe accident involving his teammate Didier Pironi. Despite joining the championship late, Tambay had the potential to be a title contender in the fast Ferrari but had to step back due to a back injury caused by the intense ground effect cars of that era.
In the following season, with ground effects banned, Tambay showed competitive form again. He secured a poignant victory at Imola, the very place that had witnessed the intense feud between Villeneuve and Pironi a year prior.
Despite his successes, Tambay was unexpectedly replaced by Michele Alboreto at the end of the season.
He moved to Renault in 1984, but the team struggled with development and exited the sport in 1985. Tambay then raced for Team Haas before it, too, withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of 1986.
After retiring from full-time racing, Patrick Tambay transitioned to a role as a commentator for French television and served as the deputy mayor of Le Cannet, a suburb of Cannes. He was also the godfather to Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, and played a significant role in guiding Villeneuve’s early racing career, which included victories at the 1995 IndyCar title and Indianapolis 500, and subsequently the F1 World Championship with Williams in 1997.
Tambay was married twice and became a father in 1991 when his son Adrien was born. Following in his father’s footsteps, Adrien became a professional racing driver, competing for Audi in the DTM championship from 2012 to 2016 and later winning the 2021 ETCR Championship.
Patrick Tambay’s family announced his passing on December 4th, 2022, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Patrick Tambay Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1977–1979, 1981–1986 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Surtees, Theodore, McLaren, Ligier, Ferrari, Renault, Haas Lola |
| Entries | 123 (114 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Podiums | 11 |
| Career points | 103 |
| Pole positions | 5 |
| Fastest laps | 2 |
| First entry | 1977 French Grand Prix |
| First win | 1982 German Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1983 San Marino Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1986 Australian Grand Prix |
Rossi Completes First Validation Test
of New IR-28 Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026) – Alexander Rossi took another step into the future of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Saturday, completing the first on-track test of the new Dallara IR-28 chassis at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner put the all-new car through its initial paces during a productive development session on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course, helping begin the testing process for the chassis that will debut for the 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
Rossi praised the preparation that led to the successful debut.
“I’ve been a part of some new car launches before, and I can’t say that any have gone as smooth as this one has,” Rossi said. “That’s down to everyone involved. We’ve all been waiting for this for a long time. Drivers, fans, teams, sponsors and all of you have been looking forward to it, and now it’s finally here.
“It’s like Christmas morning.”
Rossi said the session accomplished everything the development team aimed to achieve, despite intermittent damp conditions that limited running.
“It’s hard to do a full comparison because of the conditions we were dealing with, but everything you could hope for from a day like today was accomplished,” he said. “The fact that the car is completely new and the only real issue we had was replacing one sensor is phenomenal. That’s a huge testament to Dallara, INDYCAR and everyone involved.
“The car has a lot of incredible qualities that we haven’t even scratched the surface of yet. It was an incredible start and just a joy to drive.”
Rossi also offered high praise for the IR-28’s appearance and initial handling characteristics.
“Aesthetically, it ticks every box you could hope for,” he said. “I was blown away the first time I saw it. The pictures don’t do it justice. The presence it has in person is pretty amazing. It looks aggressive, and even with a completely new chassis, new aerodynamics, new electronics and a spec damper package, the baseline was very comfortable from the get-go. There’s obviously a lot more to unlock, but it was a great starting point.”
Testing the next-generation INDYCAR SERIES machinery at Indianapolis Motor Speedway made the experience even more meaningful for Rossi.
“To be able to be a part of this next evolution of INDYCAR and do it at IMS, a place that means so much to me and all of us here, is super cool,” Rossi said. “I get to play a small part in the history and the future of this championship, and that’s a big privilege. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2025 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou is scheduled to test the car Sunday.
Historic Pairing Celebrates the Racing Legacy of Ken Miles at Pebble Beach.
Specials R1 and R2 “The Flying Shingle” Return for 75th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Photo: American Racing Museum Collection
PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA (July 31, 2026) — Few one-off road racing greats are more recognizable than R2, a MG-based special nicknamed “The Flying Shingle.” Created and raced by the legendary Ken Miles, the innovative car played a role in the earlier days of his career, helping to establish Miles as one of American motorsport’s most talented drivers, engineers and race car builders.
This year, the Flying Shingle and its predecessor MG R1 return to Pebble Beach when the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—founded in tandem with the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1950—pays tribute to its origins. Two special classes at the event will honor the production racers and the handcrafted specials that once competed on the winding, tree-lined course through Del Monte Forest.
During his years competing on the Pebble Beach circuit, Miles raced alongside many of the era’s greatest drivers, including Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther. He later became one of Ford’s most accomplished development drivers, helping transform the GT40 into a world-class endurance racer and delivering one of the most memorable performances at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, where a controversial 1-2-3 team finish denied him the overall win.
Born in England in 1918, Ken Miles apprenticed at Wolseley Motors, then served in World War II before moving to California to work for an MG distributor. He rapidly embraced the emerging American road racing scene. A fierce competitor, his determination to win occasionally cost him races; his 1952 U.S. debut at Pebble Beach ended in disqualification after brake failure couldn’t slow his MG TD. But he returned in 1953 with his first special, R1, dominating the field for cars under 1500 cc and winning by what was said to be the largest margin of victory. With a narrow, low-slung body on a steel-tubed frame weighing under 1,230 pounds, R1 went on to record a total of 12 victories before a blown engine ended its career where it began at Pebble Beach in 1954.
Undeterred, Miles set out to build an even faster car.
MG R2 had a lightweight space-frame chassis built from one-inch steel tubing, paired with a heavily modified 1466 cc MG TF engine and a streamlined envelope-style body designed by Robert Cumberford, finished in classic British green.
Because of its unusually low and flat appearance, the car earned the nickname “Flying Shingle,” and it was even more competitive than its predecessor.
At Pebble Beach in 1955 it raced to victory in the Pebble Beach Cup for modified cars under 1500 cc and then placed third overall in the main race.
A dozen years later, alongside Carroll Shelby, whose own racing career was closely tied to Pebble Beach, Miles helped spearhead Ford’s challenge to Ferrari in motorsport’s most celebrated rivalries. Starting from the same Pebble Beach Road Racing scene where both men built their reputations, they would eventually find themselves working side by side on the world stage, taking that early California racing grit into endurance racing’s most prestigious arena.
The Flying Shingle’s sculpted fenders curve over the front and rear wheels as Ken Miles speeds past.
Photo Credit: Julian P. Graham / Pebble Beach Company Lagorio Archives
The pairing of MG R1 and MG R2 at the 2026 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, alongside 20 other Pebble Beach Road Racing greats pay tribute to the men and machines who made their mark here and then took on the world. These race cars will be showcased on the 18th fairway in two special classes: near-original factory racers and heavily modified specials.
Championnat de France FFSA Tourisme : un week-end animé à Magny-Cours
Le Championnat de France FFSA Tourisme a vécu son quatrième et avant-dernier rendez-vous à Magny-Cours
Un week-end très réussi avec le Championnat de France FFSA Circuits et le GT World Challenge à l’affiche
La finale programmée du 9 au 11 octobre sur le Circuit Paul Ricard
Les rendez-vous de prestige s’enchaînent pour le Championnat de France FFSA Tourisme. Six semaines après son déplacement en Belgique lors de la Spa Speedweek, qui lançait les activités des CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, la compétition multimarque française a pu se produire sur le Circuit de Magny-Cours dans le cadre du GT World Challenge powered by AWS ce week-end.
L’association entre le Championnat de France FFSA des Circuits et le plus beau championnat de GT3 au monde a attiré 27.421 spectateurs dans la Nièvre pour un magnifique événement de sport automobile. Après le quatrième des cinq rendez-vous de cette saison, on y voit plus clair dans les différentes courses au titre.
En remportant trois victoires sur quatre courses en TCR, Raphaël Fournier (Hyundai Elantra N TCR / JSB Compétition) a pratiquement réalisé le week-end parfait à Magny-Cours. Seule la victoire au terme de la première course lui aura manqué, mais le duel avec Guillaume Savoldelli (Audi RS3 LMS TCR / Team Clairet Sport) restera assurément comme l’un des plus intenses de cette saison 2026.
Au championnat, Raphaël remonte ainsi à la deuxième place, à 12 points seulement de Pierre Bredeaux (Cupra León Competición TCR / Comte Racing Team), troisième et quatrième lors des deux courses auxquelles il a pris part.
Deux fois sur le podium, Sébastien Thome (Audi RS3 LMS TCR / Team Clairet Sport) abordera la finale de la saison à la troisième place et il n’a pas encore dit son dernier mot dans la course au titre. Alors que Maxence Passaquet (Cupra León Competición TCR / Optimum Racing by JP Concept Auto Sport) vivait un week-end à oublier, Guillaume Savoldelli (Audi RS3 LMS TCR / Team Clairet Sport) est monté trois fois sur le podium. Et sans un bris de suspension alors qu’il menait la course 4, il aurait même pu remporter deux victoires. Saluons aussi la belle deuxième place de Tom Pussier (Cupra León VZ TCR / SP Compétition) lors de la quatrième course.
Un deuxième succès pour Gudet et Leneutre en Championnat de France FFSA GT
Nouvelles victoires pour les duos Stéphane Lémeret-Stéphane Auriacombe (Am Cup), Rodolphe Wallgren-Romain Monti (Alpine ELF Cup Series) et Philipe Marie-Léo Poncel (Ginetta Cup)
La deuxième course du Championnat de France FFSA GT a réservé bien des surprises ce dimanche à Magny-Cours
Deuxième victoire en trois courses pour Cindy Gudet et Joran Leneutre
Le Championnat de France FFSA GT a vécu un superbe week-end à Magny-Cours lors du quatrième rendez-vous de la saison. Lors d’un meeting partagé avec le GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, 27.421 spectateurs ont rejoint la Nièvre durant ce festival estival pour le sport automobile tricolore.
Après avoir repris la tête du championnat en s’imposant samedi, Rudy Servol et Léo Jousset (Alpine A110 GT4+ / Race Cars Consulting) n’ont pas pu s’élancer depuis la pole position pour la course suite à une infraction lors de la mise en grille. En s’élançant depuis la voie des stands, les leaders du championnat étaient contraints à une folle remontée pour limiter les dégâts.
À l’avant du peloton, Cindy Gudet et Joran Leneutre (Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 / Akkodis ASP Team) n’ont pas laissé passer leur chance. L’ex-championne de France de la Montagne a rapidement pris les commandes avant de creuser un écart suffisant pour que son équipier puisse gérer la fin de la course. Déjà vainqueur de la course de deux heures à Spa-Francorchamps, le duo remportait ainsi sa deuxième victoire de la saison. Ce très bon week-end les fait remonter à la troisième place du championnat, à 36 points de la paire Jousset-Servol et à 7 points de Jérémy Corsin et Lukas Papin (Alpine A110 GT4+ / Chazel Technologie Course), les anciens leaders ayant été contraints deux fois à l’abandon dans la Nièvre.
Magny-Cours restera comme un très bon souvenir pour Kevin Jimenez et Enzo Richer (Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 / Mirage Racing). Troisièmes samedi, ils ont cette fois pris les points de la deuxième place en devançant Frédéric Morel et Viny Beltramelli (Alpine A110 GT4 EVO / Code Racing Development), auteurs d’une superbe remontée depuis leur 12e place sur la grille de départ.
Troisièmes sous le drapeau à damier, Rudy Servol et Léo Jousset ont été pénalisés de 10 secondes pour une manœuvre en piste. Mais avec les points de la quatrième position, les leaders du championnat ont plus que limité les dégâts après leur départ à l’arrière du peloton puisqu’ils creusent encore l’écart.
Enfin, Mathias Cazaux-Pascal Huteau (Alpine A110 GT4 EVO / Code Racing Development) rentraient de nouveau dans le top 5 au terme de cette seconde course après avoir pris le meilleur sur Lazare Lartigau et Laurent Hurgon (Alpine A110 GT4+ / Chazel Technologie Course).
Au-delà de la première place dans le Championnat de France FFSA GT, Léo Jousset a de nouveau marqué les esprits dans la SRO GT Academy en marquant le maximum de points. Le pilote d’Angers abordera donc la finale de la saison avec une avance plus que confortable et il faudrait une catastrophe pour qu’il ne soit pas le successeur de Gaspard Simon.
