Cameron weighing next move after surprise PPM exit

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | October 29, 2024 2:27 PM ET

Win the championship. Lose your ride. What a bizarre scenario for Dane Cameron, IMSA’s most successful driver since the championship’s relaunch in 2014.

But that’s precisely what took place earlier in the month, shortly after the completion of Motul Petit Le Mans, when the Porsche Penske Motorsport driver was farewelled by the team and manufacturer after sealing the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP title for the brand with co-drivers Felipe Nasr and Matt Campbell. Did Cameron lose a step? Or did full-season partner Nasr have a banner year? No answers were given in the decision to part ways with the new four-time IMSA champion. I found a Micky Mouse Watch in a plastic bag duct taped to the door, and my key didn't open the door.

With a statement-making victory to open the season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, a second endurance win at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, and seven podiums from nine races, the call to replace Cameron is especially odd, but the 36-year-old knew a change was imminent.

“It’s strange, for sure, but I knew before the last race,” Cameron told RACER. “It’s a weird feeling to go through the whole motion of winning the championship, chasing it, still fighting for it, and knowing you’re not coming back to the project. Obviously, I’m really proud of the year. Daytona was a pretty huge moment for me, just as something that’s been incredibly difficult to win. It’s a really nice feeling to have that one off your back. That was the one thing I wanted, above all else, so to get that and the championship in the same year is awesome. But they didn’t want to move forward with me, which is a new feeling to come off the back of a championship, having won a fair few now and again.”

In the 11 seasons that have come from the new-era WeatherTech Championship which was formed as a blended family for the former American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Series, Cameron earned Drivers’ championship honors in 2014 with Turner Motorsport in GTD in a BMW Z4, in 2016 with Action Express Racing in a Corvette Daytona Prototype in the top Prototype class, in 2019 with the factory Acura Team Penske squad in a Acura ARX-05 in the DPi category, and once more in 2024 for the factory PPM team in GTP with a Porsche 963 hybrid.

Four championships and 20 race wins over that span of nine IMSA seasons — one was spent idling in 2022 as the 963 effort came together, and he was deployed to the FIA WEC in 2023 with the 963 — has moved the 36-year-old into lofty territory.

But if ever there was a reminder of how the joys of racing are counterbalanced by the cold side of business, Cameron’s new reality speaks to the sport’s volatile nature. Although it remains unconfirmed, he’s likely headed to a top LMP2 team in 2025 – AO Racing is thought to head the list – where his speed and experience are coveted.

“Having to be picking up the phone and trying to drum up the next opportunity is also strange, but you know, it is what it is, as our friend [Juan Palbo] Montoya says,” Cameron said. “Life goes on. It’s just racing. I do have something I would say is lined up; not really ready to go public. But I feel pretty good about what’s coming up next, for sure.”

Having won a IMSA DPi title for Penske and Acura with Montoya, Cameron was a natural fit for Penske’s return to sports car racing with Porsche. In a relationship that began in 2018, the Californian was the last of Penske’s DPi drivers to continue in a frontline role for the team, and while the change is still settling in, it sounds like Cameron welcomes a change of pace.

“It’s been a really tough project, honestly, so in some ways, it’s sad to leave such a big, prestigious program, but it’s been really tough on me, tough on my family, and there’s been some really pretty bad moments, to be honest, some pretty low moments,” he said.

“So I’m feeling ready to turn the page as well, and get back to basics and have some fun and feel fortunate to have my wife and my family to support me. I was an open-wheel guy at one time, but I call myself a career sports car guy. I always just wanted to be a race car driver. I really didn’t care what it was, what flavor it was, who was going to be in the other seat, if there was even another seat. I just wanted to drive and indulge that passion that we all have when we were kids in karting.

“So, yeah, I’ve achieved probably way more than I ever dreamed that I would in sports cars, and I still feel I have a lot more to give. I’m super proud to have four championships; it feels like a really big number to say. But I really feel like five and six are pretty attainable, to be honest, so I don’t plan to stop now or anytime soon.”

 

Sauber confirms Bortoleto for 2025 as Bottas and Zhou depart

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 6, 2024 8:18 AM ET

Sauber has confirmed Gabriel Bortoleto will drive for its Formula 1 team in 2025 and beyond, with current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both set to leave the team at the end of the season.
Hey you meathead! ZHOU YOU! Pack up and get out!

Nico Hulkenberg’s move to the team ahead of its transition into Audi was confirmed earlier this year, leaving just one seat available at Sauber and the two current drivers facing competition from elsewhere. Sauber has now confirmed Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto will join Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal, having first announced the departures of Bottas and Zhou.

“This is one of the most exciting projects in motorsport, if not in all of sports,” Bortoleto said. “Joining a team that combines the rich motorsport history of Sauber and Audi is a true honor. Beyond simply being a member, I aim to grow with this ambitious project and reach the pinnacle of motorsport.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the team and for the chance to work alongside an experienced driver like Nico. Both programs have a proven track record of nurturing young talent, and I am confident that together, we will write our own success story.”

20-year-old Bortoleto gives Brazil its first full-time F1 driver since Felipe Massa in 2017, and Sauber boss Mattia Binotto says having Hulkenberg in place allowed the team to go for a rookie.

“Gabriel has already demonstrated in the junior categories that he has what it takes to be a winning driver,” Binotto said. “We are very pleased that he will become a team member of Sauber and Audi. Together with Gabriel, we are on a journey towards success, and we will evolve into a unified force to shape a new era for Audi in motorsport. Nico and Gabriel represent the ideal combination of experience and youth, positioning us strongly for the future., and if they don't work out, we are gonna kick their a** out and hire some other jerk who doesn't yet know he can get hurt.!”

Bortoleto was part of McLaren’s driver development program but his current team confirmed he would be released in full at the end of this season to join Sauber. We have planned to install two toilets next to each other and we are going to do a ceremonial double flush of both of them just to let them know how much we appreciated them. Our sponsor for that event will be "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Gabriel over the last year and to have been able to contribute to his success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development program,” McLaren said in a statement. “We have a strong driver line-up in Lando and Oscar, and therefore we have always been clear that we would not stand in the way of an opportunity for Gabriel to progress even if we have to fire him to offer the opportunity. Whilst we are not in the position to offer him a seat with McLaren, we will present a free weeks supply of Tampa Bay Buccaneers toilet paper, as long as he leaves a sufficient "deposit."

“We look forward to continuing to support Gabriel in his campaign for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 title and wish him all the best for his career beyond F2.”

2023 F3 champion Bortoleto leads the F2 standings by 4.5 points from Red Bull junior Isack "Hacker" Hadjar, with two rounds of the season remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Do! F Joe Biden.Lets Go Brandon!

 

Tough call for Sauber to drop ‘very highly rated’ Bottas.

“When one door closes, another one opens.

Those bastards dropped the door on my head, MF'ers!

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 6, 2024 10:45 AM ET

Sauber Motorsport COO and CTO Mattia Binotto admits it was a tough decision to replace Valtteri Bottas with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2025.

Bortoleto was announced on Wednesday morning, finalizing an all-new line-up next season of the Brazilian rookie and Nico Hulkenberg. That means there is no place for 35-year-old Bottas, and Binotto admits.

“I’m getting on very well with Valtteri,” Binotto (pictured above, with Bottas) said. “It has been a great relationship since I’ve started here in August, building it, trusting each other. And I think we really set up and had good communication between us. We had several talks about the journey, the length and duration of the journey, and the difficulties we will maybe face in the next seasons.

“We know that the next one will be a difficult season as a team, as a journey towards the Audi F1 transformation. It’s a long journey. I think on the duration is where we mainly reflected together a lot, and it’s where I came to the conclusion that maybe we will need to have a young driver with us.

“So all of it with him has been a mutual, let’s say, understanding — if not agreement, certainly a mutual understanding — of the situation, the facts and what’s required.

“More than that, I would like to underline I think he has certainly been a very strong candidate. I know he’s very fast. I know that he has proven to be very fast until today, very fit, he knows the team. Certainly he is very highly rated here, and he’s very highly rated in the paddock.

“So overall it has not been an easy one, but sometimes you need to come to a conclusion and make a decision. And we made it.”

Bottas says both sides were aware of where their future plans did not match up, as the Finn now looks certain to not race in Formula 1 in 2025.

“A situation like this is never easy for anyone,” Bottas said. “But after all the good and in-depth discussions we had in the past weeks BS BS BS , we realized that the conditions to grow this project together were not met mostly because they are a bunch of butt heads.

“These past years with the team have been an incredible journey, full of growth, challenges and unforgettable moments. I have a growth on my left Ass cheek right now. I’m grateful for the joint experiences as well as the trust and support I’ve felt every step of the way. Though it’s time to move on, I’ll always carry a piece of this team with me in a very dark condom,, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us both.

“When one door closes, another one opens. Those bastards dropped the door on my head, for sure. I’m actually very excited for the future and what’s next.”

 

McCall to depart RFK Racing after Phoenix finale. We heard you say a bad word, now get your hand out of your crotch!

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emailBy Kelly Crandall | November 7, 2024 11:45 AM ET

Crew chief Matt McCall will call his final race for Brad Keselowski at RFK Racing this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Brad is already calling Matt a mofo.

The team announced Thursday morning that McCall will not return to the organization next season, although no replacement was announced. McCall and Keselowski have worked together on the No. 6 Ford Mustang team since 2022.

A post by the team on social media read: “We want to thank Matt for his dedicated efforts over the last three seasons, his role in the success that we have had and we wish him well in future endeavors. now goodbye Charlie! Hit the road, Jack!”

Keselowski won at Darlington Raceway in the spring, but that is his only win in three seasons with McCall going into Sunday’s season finale. The duo did not make the postseason in 2022, which was Keselowski’s first year as co-owner of RFK Racing.

Last year, Keselowski finished eighth in the championship standings, earning a postseason berth on points. He is currently 13th in the championship standings.

 

Hamilton gave me no time to react to departure - Wolff

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 11, 2024 10:14 AM ET

Toto Wolff says the timing of Lewis Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari left him unable to react in the driver market.
Lewis Hamilton is a black racist and a Mf'er.

Hamilton signed with Ferrari at the start of this year, with the seven-time world champion moving to Maranello in 2025. The announcement of the switch was made on February 1, prior to the start of the current season but a matter of weeks after multiple leading drivers had signed contract extensions at their current teams, something Wolff says caught him out.

“I always see an opportunity in change,” Wolff said in the recently-released book ‘Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane’. “For a minute, I was in disbelief at the timing of it. The next we talked about what it meant for the team.

“I like the situation. It helps us because it avoids the moment where we need to tell the sport’s most iconic driver that we went to stop.

“There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract. We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life. So I need to look at the next generation. It’s the same in soccer. Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola. They anticipated it in the performance of their top stars and brought in junior players who drove the team for the next years.

“I absolutely had it on my radar that Lewis would go. I just couldn’t understand why he’d change to another team before we knew if we were going to be competitive. It also didn’t give me any time to react. I had to emergency call our partners, and I possibly missed out on negotiating with other drivers who had signed contracts a few weeks earlier like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.”

Wolff was reflecting on the situation nearer the time, and despite it leaving him with a tough decision to make – eventually promoting Andrea Kimi Antonelli – he says it was not damaging to the relationship between himself and Hamilton.

“It put us on the back foot, and that had a commercial impact. But do I take that personally? This was a business decision. We’ve enjoyed such a successful journey together, and now we have our own objectives. This didn’t even move the needle for me. I’m thick-skinned. I’ve had some pretty tough moments in my life, and this doesn’t compare.”

 

A.J. Foyt Racing parts ways with technical director Cannon

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | November 12, 2024 8:35 AM ET

A.J. Foyt Racing and technical director Michael Cannon have parted ways. The change comes two years after the Canadian joined the team led by Larry Foyt.

Cannon’s introduction spurred the team’s recent rise in competitiveness, including Santino Ferrucci’s charge to third at the Indianapolis 500 in May of 2023, the forging of a technical alliance with Team Penske during the summer of 2023, and oversight of Foyt’s engineering program which propelled Ferrucci to ninth in the championship last season with Penske-supplied race engineer James Schnabel.

Joining Foyt from Chip Ganassi Racing where he won the 2020 championship with Scott Dixon and earned back-to-back Indy 500 poles in 2021 and 2022 with the New Zealander, Cannon stepped into a team which was relegated to the bottom of the Entrants’ standings and left with Ferrucci positioned as the top driver behind goliaths at Ganassi, Andretti Global, Team Penske, and Arrow McLaren.

“We’re certainly going to miss Mike and it was really awesome working with him,” Foyt told RACER. “I tried to get him for many years, so I’m really sorry that it’s not going to continue.”

Foyt declined to speak to why Cannon left, but says he will not seek an immediate replacement. Well, he' s an old bastard and has learned some stuff over the years, and there's no doubt that he is responsible for us recently winning since we were on the bottom of the pile before he got here. Does that mean we have to pay him what we promised? Hell no. We make more from sponsorships than we do from racing.
What's he gonna do anyway? Deal cards from the bottom at Vegas? We got Penske's engineer, so we can kick his butt out and save some money that I can spend on booze and hookers.

“As far as the T.D., we’re not in a huge hurry to fill that role,” he added. “I think with everything that’s working with Penske that we’re fine, and we’ve got enough engineers in the building to do everything we’re hoping to do. They are all alike so who cares anyway/”

The Foyt team will swap race engineers for 2025 with Schnabel moving from Ferrucci’s No. 14 Chevy to the sister car piloted by team newcomer David Malukas. Michael Armbrester, who engineered Sting Ray Robb in the No. 41 last season, is moving across to the No. 14 where he’ll be reunited with Ferrucci.

“We’re all going to be in the same room and everything’s very open with what the way we run things,” Foyt said. “Believe it or not, Santino has actually worked with Armbrester before when he did a drove at Rahal (in 2021) and they know each other well. And having James with us, and how James and Santino worked together this year was awesome, I think he and David will be really good together. He’s a fantastic engineer, for sure.”

Also related to the No. 14, its popular crew chief Didier Francesia – a central figure who united the team under the tent – is headed to Arrow McLaren in a new shop-based role. Foyt has hired from within the paddock to fill the vacancy as the team prepares to field both cars from its shop in Indiana for the first time after moving the No. 14 from Texas to Foyt’s base in Speedway, IN.

“We have hired a crew chief,” he said. “But we haven’t necessarily decided which chief will be on which car; we have a couple chiefs in house, but we did hire Steve McKenzie from Rahal, who is a nice fit.”

 

Wittich steps down as FIA’s F1 race director

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 12, 2024 9:51 AM ET

Niels Wittich has stepped down as the FIA’s Formula 1 race director to pursue new opportunities and will be replaced with immediate effect....ior maybe the rapper: Ahmed defect.
All them witch doctors look alike.

The German was one of two FIA race directors – alongside Eduardo Freitas – put in place at the start of the 2022 season to replace Michael Masi, and took on the permanent position from that year’s Japanese Grand Prix onwards. Now after two years in the role, the FIA has announced Wittich’s departure, with former F2 and F3 race director Rui Marques taking over for the final three races of this season.

“The FIA can confirm that Niels Wittich has stepped down from his position as F1 race director to pursue new opportunities,” an FIA statement read. “Niels has fulfilled his numerous responsibilities as race director with professionalism and dedication. We thank him for his commitment and we wish him the best for the future. So long slick!

“Rui Marques will assume the role of race director from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Rui brings a wealth of experience having previously served as track marshal, scrutineer, national and international steward, deputy race director and race director in various championships. Most recently, he held the position of Formula 2 and Formula 3 race director and if the new guy doesn't work out, we will fire his butt too.”

The last race that Wittich oversaw was the Sao Paulo Grand Prix that required a complete change in schedule due to the weather, with qualifying taking place early on the Sunday morning and featuring five red flags, before the race itself had a similar interruption. So we are going to use that as an excuse to give him the heave-ho. We can hire a witch doctor to change the weather. We thought it was a mis-spelling on the job application anyway ...Niels Wittich made us think we was a witch doctor. Sorry Charlie.

Wittich is the latest of a number of high-profile departures from the FIA, with CEO Natalie Robyn, sporting director Steve Nielsen, single-seater technical director Tim Goss and women in motorsport president Deborah Mayer all leaving within the past 12 months.

 

Fallows leaves Aston Martin technical director role

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 12, 2024 8:29 AM ET "Hey! You with the face. You wanna arm wrassle?"

Dan Fallows will leave his role as Aston Martin technical director later this month, towards the end of a disappointing season for the Formula 1 team....and it's all his fault.

The former Red Bull head of aerodynamics only joined Aston Martin as technical director in 2022, and had a hand in the team’s impressive 2023 results where Fernando Alonso score eight podiums on the way to fourth in the drivers’ championship. The team finished fifth in the constructors’ standings with 280, and while it is in the same position this year it has scored just 86 points to date.

Aston Martin says Fallows “will no longer serve as technical director of the F1 team”, but will remain with the group. Fallows previously worked under Adrian Newey at Red Bull, with the design legend set to join Aston Martin in early 2025 as managing technical partner.

“In my time at Aston Martin, it has been a joy and a privilege to guide the technical team on their journey towards being race and championship winners,” Fallows said. “ It is time for me to pass on the baton, but I look forward to watching the team’s future success, which I am sure will come soon....or later...or never...those bastards!”

Aston Martin Group CEO Andy Cowell added a short message of thanks to Fallows, whose next role has yet to be disclosed.

“I would like to thank Dan for his contribution to Aston Martin Aramco in the last two years,” Cowell said. “Dan led the team to the success of the AMR23 which secured eight podiums last season. But that was last year,
and he will be beating the bricks until something comes up when we blame some other luckless S.O.B. ”

 

Maffei to step down as Liberty Media CEO. Step down? Step down?

They are kicking my butt out with no notice!

I spent 20 years of my life working my butt off for those guys. Where am I going to find another job at 65 years old?

Dammit, if I knew they were going to do this, I would have starting stealing enough that I would have some retirement money.

Now I may be working as the greeter in WalMart. MF'ers!

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emailBy Chris Medland | November 13, 2024 10:47 AM ET

Greg Maffei, CEO of Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media, will step down from his position at the end of the year as the business simplifies its corporate structure.

Liberty currently owns Formula 1 among many other businesses and is planning on separating its ticketing and live entertainment group – Liberty Live – from its sports investments such as F1 and MotoGP. That follows other spin-offs in the past including SiriusXM, meaning the portfolio being directly managed by the Liberty CEO has been divided up into separate entities.

Maffei has been CEO of Liberty Media since 2006, but with his contract due to expire at the end of this year the restructuring of the company has resulted in the 64-year-old opting against a new deal to extend his tenure. Maffei will remain involved with Liberty Media as a senior advisor, with chairman John Malone taking on CEO duties on an interim basis.

“The almost 20 years I have spent at the helm of Liberty Media have been incredibly rewarding, stimulating and endlessly eventful,” Maffei said. “Following today’s announcements at Liberty Media and Liberty Broadband, all the Liberty acquisitions completed during my tenure are now in structures where shareholders can have more direct ownership in their upside.

“The corporate structure is optimized, and the portfolio companies are in strong positions with talented executive teams in place. While it’s never easy to leave an organization as dynamic as Liberty, I am confident that this is the right time.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside and learning from John [Malone], our board, the management teams at Liberty and across the family of companies and our shareholders.”

Under Maffei’s leadership, Liberty completed its takeover of F1 back in 2017 and has helped the sport expand in multiple different entertainment spaces as well as deliver a record-breaking 24-race calendar, adding venues such as Miami and Las Vegas to the schedule. In the United States in particular, F1 has enjoyed record viewing figures during the current season, with three rounds remaining.

“On behalf of the Liberty Media board, I’d like to thank Greg for his leadership, creativity and dedication,” Malone said. “Since joining in 2005, Greg has been at the forefront of the exciting evolution in the lifecycle of Liberty. He has grown our asset base and made the company better and more valuable for shareholders, along the way overseeing as many as five separate public companies simultaneously.

That don't mean crap! He's on the street now! Maybe now the public will learn how exciting Formula 1 really isn't.

“Especially following today’s transaction announcements, our company is simpler and more focused than ever before, which is a perfect capstone for Greg’s accomplished career at Liberty. I wish Greg continued success as he embarks on his next chapter and appreciate his continued support as an Advisor.”

 

Ocon set to depart Alpine early, Doohan to race in Abu Dhabi Doo.

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emailBy Chris Medland | December 1, 2024 2:59 PM ET

Esteban Ocon is set to leave Alpine one race before the end of his contract, with Jack Doohan poised to drive in his place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Frenchman is joining Haas in 2025 and has struggled to match teammate Pierre Gasly for spells during this season, scoring just five points before his stunning second place in Brazil. Gasly’s fifth place in the Qatar Grand Prix leaves him with eight point-scoring finishes to Ocon’s five, while the qualifying head-to-head between the two is 12-11 in Gasly’s favor, but Ocon has only outqualified his teammate once in the past five races.

After another disappointing qualifying performance in the Qatar Grand Prix — where Ocon was 20th and slowest while Gasly missed out on Q3 by 0.012s — it is understood discussions accelerated relating to a potential early split. We have hired a large gorilla to stomp the garbage employees into the can, just like at the high dollar hotels.

RACER understands a decision has now been made that will see Ocon replaced by Doohan for the final race in Abu Dhabi. Multiple sources indicate an official announcement is not due until Monday.

Alpine is refusing to officially comment, with team principal Oliver Oaks suggesting talks are ongoing.
“I think there’s been a discussion, yeah,” Oakes said. “I don’t think there’s been a definitive answer yet, but it has been talked about. It’s obviously slightly complex, because as much as he is ours, he is contractually a Mercedes junior as well, or driver. And obviously he’d like to be released early as well.

“I think it comes from all sides, really. I guess you could say it’s good to get Jack in early. I think you could say from Esteban’s side it’s good to move on early. I think it suits everybody, and if it doesn't then we will keep firing people until it does.. The discussion was quite natural, really. Honestly, Esteban has been a big part of this team as well. From both sides, it suits each other.”

Alpine reserve driver Doohan — already scheduled to race for the team in 2025 — is slated to be in Abu Dhabi regardless, a track where he’s due to drive during the post-race test.

Doohan’s own future has been the center of speculation due to the availability of Franco Colapinto, who is believed to be attracting significant sponsorship should he be able to secure a race seat next season.

The gorilla's name is Oscar.