All posts by Aaron Bearden

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor Boosts are no longer limited to fan votes and arcade racing games. Beginning with Season Five, they’ll be making their way to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. FIA and Formula E officials brought to light on Thursday an innovative new race format that will be utilized by the all-electric single-seater series beginning with the Season Five opener in Saudi Arabia on December 15. Taking advantage of the new Gen2 cars, which are anticipated to have vastly improved battery life and forego the currentRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor The ABB FIA Formula E Championship’s Season Five calendar has been revealed. Formula E and FIA officials unveiled the schedule for the all-electric tour’s fifth season on Thursday, following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Manila. The calendar runs from December through July, with 13 races in 12 cities making up the tour. Season Five will begin with Formula E’s debut in the middle east, staying in Ad Diriyah on December 15. The tour will then head back to Marrakesh on JanuaryRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor Carlin were one of many organizations that struggled through the first race of the doubleheader weekend weekend at Belle Isle Park. But on Sunday the group rebounded with the best performance of their young Verizon IndyCar Series existence. Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton each tallied their best finishes of the year in Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, lifting Carlin to new heights and giving the 2018 newcomers momentum as they head into the final race of a five-week grind at Texas Motor Speedway. Kimball ledRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor The bumpy, narrow Raceway at Belle Isle Park is challenging for even the best in the Verizon IndyCar Series. It’s no surprise, then, that series newcomer Santino Ferrucci was challenged in his IndyCar debut. Ferrucci took advantage of an off-weekend for Formula 2 and Formula One – where he is a reserve driver for Haas F1 Team – to make the voyage to Detroit and compete at the 2.35-mile Belle Isle Park for Dale Coyne Racing. The 20-year-old hopped in the team’s No. 19 HondaRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor One week removed from a disappointing Indianapolis 500 effort, Helio Castroneves found himself with the Verizon IndyCar Series once more at Belle Isle Park. But this time Castroneves was a spectator – supporting his teammates after competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Chevrolet Sports Car Classic. The weekend could have been a challenge if the 2018 Month of May had been the Brazilian’s last. A strong No. 3 Chevrolet and spirited drive ended in defeat for the three-time Indy 500 champion when he crashedRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT – The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix was a Honda-dominated affair. Hondas took both Verizon IndyCar Series poles, won both races and led the majority of the laps in-between, leaving the Bowtie’s biggest “highlight” to be a crashed Corvette pace car in the parade laps before Sunday’s race. It was a difficult weekend for Chevrolet, just down the road from their Detroit corporate offices in Belle Isle. But Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power helped the manufacturer salvage something good out of the doubleheader. Power deliveredRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT — It all happened so fast. One moment Alexander Rossi found himself in the lead, poised to go three-for-three in wins following poles in his young Verizon IndyCar Series career, fending off Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay and holding onto the series points lead in the process. The next moment he was in the Turn 3 runoff area, his race ruined. “Honestly I have no idea,” Rossi said when asked what happened. Rossi led a race-high 46 laps in the 70-lap Race 2 of the Chevrolet DetroitRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT – In Saturday’s first Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Ryan Hunter-Reay fell just shy of claiming his first victory in three seasons. On Sunday he wouldn’t be denied. Hunter-Reay overcame a 10th-place starting position with a three-stop strategy and pressured Andretti Autosport teammate Alexander Rossi into a late mistake to secure Sunday’s Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The victory was the Floridian’s 15th-career triumph, and his first since Pocono Raceway in August 2015. While Hunter-Reay ended up in victory lane at day’s end, early onRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT — The traditional Belle Isle attrition started before the green flag on the final day of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain, was piloting the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car through the 2.35-mile Belle Isle Park circuit when he lost control of the machine, careening into the left-side wall and forcing heavy damage to the car. WOW THE PACE CAR WRECKED! A big hit too! #detroitgp #indycar A GM employeeRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT – Alexander Rossi will lead the Verizon IndyCar Series field to the green in Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix after laying down the fastest lap in a wet morning qualifying session. Rossi’s quick time of 1:33.3143 served as the top circuit in Group 2, elevating the Californian to his third-career IndyCar pole. Andretti Autosport swept the weekend’s two qualifying sessions, with Marco Andretti securing the pole for Saturday’s first IndyCar race. Following Rossi in Group 2 were Indianapolis 500 champion Will Power, Saturday winner ScottRead More