Autosport Business’ Post

CONGRATULATIONS Todd Hazelwood! The Complete Race Driver Coach has won the Bathurst 1000! From a student of The Complete Race Driver to now a coach, Todd has worked relentlessly hard in pursuit of his dreams. On Sunday, his efforts paid off, when in conjunction with Brodie Kostecki, he stood on the highest step of Australian Motorsport - as winner of the 2024 Bathurst 1000. I first met Todd in 2015, and we have worked alongside one another on many occasions - the highlight being in 2017 when we won the Super 2 championship. As I engineered and coached Todd in his formative years, I knew that despite his young age, here was an old head on young shoulders. He worked relentlessly hard on finding sponsors for his racing - that is certainly well documented. But perhaps what is not as well known is the work he was also putting into himself trying to improve and get better as a racing driver. Todd would constantly be looking for constructive criticism about his driving, and ask me how he could go faster, or where he could improve. I was instantly impressed by his lack of ego, the willingness to learn and his openness to being 'coached'. Countless days and nights were spent at the workshop and racetracks around the country pouring over data and video in the pursuit of this improvement. Thus, he and I formed a tight working relationship over the years, that turned into friendship, culminating in Todd joining The Complete Race Driver as a Driver Coach earlier this year. It might seem like an 'easy option' that I chose Todd as a driver coach. Yes, he is a friend, but to me, I hoped he would act as an inspiration for many and a wide array of race drivers. His approach of using the engineering and coaching tools at his disposal to make himself a better driver, for me, is something that all aspiring professional and amateur drivers should look up to. Here is a driver that took a motto of "Dream Big" and then worked tirelessly at the steps needed to achieve that dream. As I have often stated, having the dream or goal of 'winning' is the easy part. Setting yourself up for success by having a system is the hard, but crucial process that is needed. Well Done once again Todd, may many victories follow in the future, and thank you for representing The Complete Race Driver! #dreambig #thecompleteracedriver

I bet you all though I forgot to introduce our next victim...ahem....team member 😇 I want to introduce you all to our resident racer, country bumpkin and the only person I know able to fall asleep anywhere (maybe even at his desk)🤐 🔵 How long have you been with LIQUI MOLY? A little over 3 years 🔴What is your role? Product & Training Specialist 🔵 Tell us who Dylan is: I am a fun loving sort of guy with a crooked sense of humour, who doesn't mind the odd Dad joke or ten (thankfully actually becoming a Dad has helped make this ever so slightly more acceptable, depending on who you ask). Also known in the team for having the keys to Bathurst or the guy who can drive fast due to my previous racing exploits and ability to remain unbeaten in work go-karting or racing simulator competitions. Basically if I can drive it on a race track I'm usually interested in it. 🔴 What do you enjoy most about working at LIQUI MOLY? I enjoy working with our team. I think we have a great group of people in LIQUI MOLY and I always enjoy interactions with my colleagues. I must also say that genuinely loving the product goes a long way as well! 🔵What do you do away from work to relax? Away from work you can find me on the simulator competing on iRacing, going for a walk or run, taking in many forms of motorsport and spending time with my family There you have it folks, that's one of our brains trust when it comes to all things technical. And if you're wondering, he is sitting in the 2017 Bathurst 12 Hour winning Ferrari 488 GT3 at our great friends @maranellomotorsport......just to see if he fits ❤️ #liquimoly #oils #additives #everythingmovesbetter #team #family #australia #product #training #teamwork #ferrari #488 #gt3 #maranello

Movie star and award winning director #Clint Eastwood has a slogan that fits and works for anyone getting older(er) but not old. It's simple: Don't let the old man in. One person who lives it is two-time Formula 1 world champion, #Fernando Alonso, who will hit a major milestone in Mexico this weekend. It will be his 400th F1 race. Ahead of the milestone start, he provided some insights on what keeps him going - and, at 43, how he competes with kids around half his age. "I love F1 and racing as much as ever. I love competing and pushing to get the best from myself every single day. I'm looking for that extra one per cent all the time to keep improving," Alonso said. "You learn to not get too high or too low with different results over the years and to move on quickly from the previous race regardless of result; there's always another challenge. This sport is so fast-paced you don't have time to look back." But he also concedes that F1 has become easier in recent times. "The pace of the cars on Sunday is kinder to us than in the past. These days the cars start the race with full fuel, and we have to save tyres and energy throughout a race, so we're not at the full performance of the cars for long durations. "The only really physically demanding time in the weekend is normally Qualifying and that's very short, so I don't have a problem keeping up with the youngsters in terms of physical condition." He might have hit 400 but, like Eastwood - now 94 - he has no plans to stop. "I don't think I'll be adding another 400 to my total, but hopefully I've got at least another 40 or 50 more races to come in the next couple of years," Alonso said.

Racing Force Group is the leading group in the Motorsport Safety Product Industry with the most advanced and complete range of protection and performance products used worldwide by top professionals, amateur athletes, racing teams and car manufacturers. The group is present on three continents, with its main headquarters in Ronco Scrivia (Italy), Sakhir (Kingdom of Bahrain), Miami and Mooresville (United States). The group was formed in 2020 through the merger of four brands, OMP, Bell Racing, Zeronoise, and Racing Spirit, and has since then contributed to several victories and world titles in car racing and karting each year. We spoke to Alexandros Miotto Haristos, COO of Racing Force Group, about what lies behind the group’s rising success and what the next steps might be. https://lnkd.in/ejCZC4Rv #businessworld #digitalnews #globalnews #news #onlinenews #internationalnews #businessleaders #newsupdates #newsoftheday #businessbuilding #latestnews #subscribe #follow #businessfocus

The Legend of Mario From Mario Kart to the Great Andretti Better Times & More Innocent Times The Old Ethnic Italian Neighborhood in East Detroit By Antonio J. Soave September 25, 2024 Today is the birthday of a dear friend of mine, Mario, whom I call “brother.”  In that old ethnic Detroit vernacular, “brother” is certainly a term of endearment.  So, while my siblings and I celebrate our friend-brother Mario, I recalled yet another Mario today—Mario Andretti. As I started my career in international business transactions and global sports years ago, I had the opportunity of representing the world Formula One Association (FIA/FISA).  That was a time when some of the “greats” were still racing, including Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and so many others.  Neither Bernie Ecclestone nor Max Mosley had fully dominated the scene yet, and there was an international squabble between the Paris-based FIA and the U.S.-based CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams).  CART later integrated into the Indy Racing League (IRL), and FIA/FISA moved forward in various ways as well—some good and some not so good.  That, however, is a different story. Nonetheless, that was also a period in my business growth where I met the great Mario Andretti through a friend and business colleague.  Simply known as “Mario,” he was larger than life.  When I met him on the IRL circuit, he was humble and kind (even if he had a strong and exuberant confidence, of course).  He was no longer racing, and his son, Michael, was still the “talk of the racing town.”  Michael would turn out to receive even more accolades than his father in some respects, but Mario Andretti—Michael’s father—represented more than just racing.  Andretti represented an era, a people, an immigrant class, and much more.  Mario Andretti had achieved iconic status, and the sports of auto racing could be defined by that one name: “Mario.” Now, today my children know a different Mario from online games involving fictitious cartoon-like characters such as “Mario Kart” and his brother, “Luigi.”  That has become quite the lasting sensation, to say the least.  But, again, the real Mario would eclipse even those fictitious figures who have become somewhat ubiquitous. That which Mario Andretti characterized in my era was more than just auto racing.  Andretti was the epitome of resolve and grit, and so many immigrants—especially Italian immigrants—could identify with that original Mario even if they never knew him or had never met him.  For Italian immigrants in the Americas, Mario was an example of how an immigrant could not just survive but could thrive and arrive at monumental levels of success. Mario Andretti was in a category with other Italian-American sports legends from Yogi Berra to Joe Garagiola, and from Phil Esposito to Tony Esposito (true blood brothers, by the way).  MORE ... PLEASE CONTACT ME. God bless your day. #andretti #autoracing #italianamericans #love

The 2025 Formula 1 season is only a few weeks away. At the end of February, all ten teams will return to the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled to take place on March 16. Over the next few weeks SP Nation It will prepare you for what could be a fantastic 2025 Formula 1 season, the last season before the sport undergoes a series of changes for 2026. Next year will see Audi join the grid as a works operation – replacing Sauber – Cadillac joining the sport as the 11th team, A whole new set of technical regulations were enacted. Today’s topic? Where each driver stands in relation to the penalty points on their FIA Super Licence. What are FIA penalty points? As with your road driving licence, Formula 1 drivers work under an FIA Super licence, which they can obtain based on results in lower categories. In an effort to enhance safety on the track, and keep drivers in line, penalty points on the aforementioned super license are among the potential penalties that race stewards can hand out for violations. Penalty points are reserved for more serious incidents, such as causing an accident or violating the rules regarding yellow and/or red flags. If a driver reaches 12 penalty points on his or her FIA licence within a period of one calendar year, a one-race ban will be imposed. Last season, Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after accumulating enough penalty points to trigger a one-race ban at the previous race, the Italian Grand Prix. Penalty points remain on a premium driving license for one calendar year, after which they expire. Which F1 drivers have penalty points until 2025? Heading into the 2025 Formula 1 season, there are 12 drivers who have at least one penalty point on their FIA Super Licence. One of these drivers is the current Drivers’ Champion, and the driver most at risk of a single-race ban. Max VerstappenEight penalty points Max Verstappen may have won his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship last year, but he enters 2025 as the driver most at risk of a single-race penalty. Verstappen has eight penalty points on his SuperLicence, and with the first two not expiring until the end of June, Verstappen will need to get through the first 11 race weekends without picking up an additional four penalty points. 2 points: The oldest of Verstappen’s two penalty points expires on June 30, 2025. They were awarded when race officials determined that Verstappen caused a collision with Lando Norris at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. TWO POINTS: Verstappen earned another two points at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he forced Lando Norris off the track. Expires October 27, 2025. 1 POINT: Verstappen received a 1-point penalty at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, when he underperformed the minimum during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) during the Formula 1 Sprint Race. This point expires on November 1, 2025. 1 point:

The 2025 Formula 1 season is only a few weeks away. At the end of February, all ten teams will return to the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing, with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled to take place on March 16. Over the next few weeks SP Nation It will prepare you for what could be a fantastic 2025 Formula 1 season, the last season before the sport undergoes a series of changes for 2026. Next year will see Audi join the grid as a works operation – replacing Sauber – Cadillac joining the sport as the 11th team, A whole new set of technical regulations were enacted. Today’s topic? Where each driver stands in relation to the penalty points on their FIA Super Licence. What are FIA penalty points? As with your road driving licence, Formula 1 drivers work under an FIA Super licence, which they can obtain based on results in lower categories. In an effort to enhance safety on the track, and keep drivers in line, penalty points on the aforementioned super license are among the potential penalties that race stewards can hand out for violations. Penalty points are reserved for more serious incidents, such as causing an accident or violating the rules regarding yellow and/or red flags. If a driver reaches 12 penalty points on his or her FIA licence within a period of one calendar year, a one-race ban will be imposed. Last season, Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after accumulating enough penalty points to trigger a one-race ban at the previous race, the Italian Grand Prix. Penalty points remain on a premium driving license for one calendar year, after which they expire. Which F1 drivers have penalty points until 2025? Heading into the 2025 Formula 1 season, there are 12 drivers who have at least one penalty point on their FIA Super Licence. One of these drivers is the current Drivers’ Champion, and the driver most at risk of a single-race ban. Max VerstappenEight penalty points Max Verstappen may have won his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship last year, but he enters 2025 as the driver most at risk of a single-race penalty. Verstappen has eight penalty points on his SuperLicence, and with the first two not expiring until the end of June, Verstappen will need to get through the first 11 race weekends without picking up an additional four penalty points. 2 points: The oldest of Verstappen’s two penalty points expires on June 30, 2025. They were awarded when race officials determined that Verstappen caused a collision with Lando Norris at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. TWO POINTS: Verstappen earned another two points at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, when race officials ruled he forced Lando Norris off the track. Expires October 27, 2025. 1 POINT: Verstappen received a 1-point penalty at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, when he underperformed the minimum during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) during the Formula 1 Sprint Race. This point expires on November 1, 2025. 1 point:

Team F1 VS Company How can we compare F1 teams with companies? If you like/watch F1 racing, everyone agrees that there are not just racers who are truly superstars, not just 2 racers with 2 Formula 1 racing cars. However, F1 is a team race that carries a crew of -/+ 900 people/team or the equivalent of the crew of a large company. The F1 team manages a budget of 140 million US dollars each racing season which must be accounted for by each of its sponsors. In the race, there are top F1 race teams, mid-table F1 race teams and lower F1 teams. We can see in each F1 team that the company manages its resources truly optimally using the most sophisticated equipment. with an average circuit length of 5 km and a total of 55 laps, everything can be seen, starting from preparing the entire Supply chain team because there is distribution of all logistics from one circuit to another for 24 race series every year throughout the world. In just 36 hours F1 cars were moved from one country to another? F1 Logistics is crazy. They organize the races as efficiently as possible on every continent combined in the race series. that is a very good plan. All racers in each F1 team are professional racers and the best on this earth. but can only good racers win? Of course not because it has to be supported by a racing car that has good performance. Good performance is followed by good technology with detailed attention to the components used, from aerodynamics to speed per second. imagine that in every pit stop changing 4 tires only takes 2.8 seconds and all the KPIs have been clearly determined and people have high dedication and responsibility with their respective responsibilities, all headed by an engineer the top one and must be responsible for 1 turn, it can be done in just 1 minute 23 seconds or even below, which is the standard for a realistic car in F1 racing. All teams have a General Manager as a leader who has the mindset that all races must be won and won and the responsibilities have been specifically divided through precise strategies. The question is, is the F1 team the same as the company? I think they all have goals and mobilize all their resources for the sole purpose of winning every championship or in the company achieving the targets set each year by each company. Hopefully those who don't like F1 can see another perspective on how to manage a company by watching the F1 Circus racing spectacle.

Some valuable insight into how F1 drivers handle fear.

There is a lot of talk about mentors and mentees in the corporate world, more now than ever perhaps? Like me you may have sometimes wondered how people find a mentor in the first place, ensure they are the 'right' one and then how they agree to work together and on what? There are some great structured programmes out there like MENTOR LIST which I can highly recommend, but if you are interested in one example of how a then just 18 year old aspiring racing driver Pat Heuzenroeder, on his own in the UK, managed to find a mentor in ex-F1 driver and 3x Le Mans 24 hours winner David Brabham have a read of this great article by Simon Chapman @ Speedcafe.com... That mentor relationship is now a year old and the benefits of David's guidance is there for all to see as Pat is powering up the Championship table at this year's Formula Regional Oceania Championship. Its been interesting to watch the relationship build and if there is one take away for me from some distance it is just how important the focus on the mental aspects, rather than the physical and driving skills, has really come to the fore and has delivered the performance and then of course results. Is gaining this support on the mental aspects rather than just knowledge or skills the key to a good mentor relationship?