Yahoo Autos Red Bull Tops the First Day of F1 Testing
Welcome to The Grid, R&T's quick roundup of the auto industry and motorsports news you should know this morning.
Ricciardo On Top
Yesterday was the first day of testing for the 2018 F1 season, and it ended with Red Bull and Daniel Ricciardo on top of the time sheets. It wasn't a straightforward day for all the drivers though, as it started raining in the afternoon, meaning fast times were set in the morning.
That was bad news for Fernando Alonso, who had an issue in the morning and spun into the gravel trap, completing just a handful of laps in the dry. Toro Rosso, which just went to Honda power, completed 93 laps, the most since the brand returned to F1 a few years ago. Of course, there's only so much you can tell from F1 testing, so we'll see how these times stand up over the course of the week.
Driverless in California
In April, you might start to see cars on Californian roads with no drivers. The state's DMV has passed regulations allowing the start of fully driverless testing later this spring.
While there might not be a driver in the car, there does need to be someone remotely monitoring the car as it operates and can intervene if needed.
Indy's Power Increase
Currently, Honda and Chevrolet supply IndyCar teams with 2.2 liter turbocharged V6 engines. The formula has been in place since 2012, but it's going to change around 2020. And the good news is that the series wants them to make more power.
Before the debut of a fully new car, IndyCar is going to go to the manufacturers to see about adding 100 to 150 horsepower to the already powerful engines. A boost like that would make the cars even harder to drive, which will make the racing even better. We're excited.
You Might Also Like
