Sam Smith, founder of Sniffer Media Ltd. Reporter/author. Formula E news & features for
@wearetherace
Press Officer/Press Conference host
@fiawec
#YCFC
No further action! โThe stewards reviewed the video evidence and concluded that no driver was wholly or predominantly to blame.โ ๐ซก ๐ตโ๐ซ
#LondonEPrix
#FormulaE
In a similar vein to George Russell a few weeks ago,
@afelixdacosta
deserves some recognition for rushing to the scene of today's accident to check on his colleagues and rivals. Genuine concern from him for their welfare. Photo by
@GonzoMau
#NYCEPrix
Photo shows how much Giovinazzi cruised down to 1st corner Sunday. He's already 6 cars lengths behind pack as his extreme energy save (in hope of an SC) strat begins. By L7 he was 33 secs off leader! Is this any way to go racing? Doesn't have much of an option at present sadly!
Wonder if the greatest F1 driver of all time is losing sleep tonight mulling over the comments of Red Bullโs team principal who could barely qualify for an F3000 race? ๐
#pipedown
It shouldnโt be underestimated just how phenomenal Antonio Fuoco was in the last hour at Imola yesterday. His relentless pursuit of Brendon Hartley saw him smash in lap times that often beggared belief. An incredible performance but poorly rewarded with 4th place.
#WEC
#6HImola
Sims has a 60-place grid drop for this afternoons race for MGU, inverter and gearbox change after yesterday's shunt. He's so far back he's actually starting from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic stadium!
#SeoulEPrix
It is funny when you read peoples memories of Michael Schumacher in 1991 as being 'an unknown'. I recall him then as a German F3 champion, Macau GP winner and multiple world sportscar race winner. Odd how shut-off some were then to anything other than F1. Then as now etc.
The paddock in Valencia has been evacuated after a fire broke out in the Williams Advanced Engineering pit box. Emergency services currently on the scene.
#FormulaE
Hereโs what was left of Massimo Montiโs Ralt after a gigantic shunt at Monza in 1988. 12 years later he told me that when he opened his eyes..... โI thought heaven looked a lot like the Lesmos, then I stood up and walked out of the wreckage!โ๐คช๐ ๐ฑ
An idea. Instead of everyone getting their pants in a twist over opinions on grid girls, models. Why donโt organisers/promoters instead invite kids from deprived areas of race location & embed them with teams for a dayโs work experience and get them interested in our great sport.
"Energy management is key in Formula E. The race today shows the skill and strategy needed to combine speed and energy management." This statement from Formula E is an absolute embarrassment and deserves to be called out.
#ValenciaEPrix
The amazing Recover E Formula E car from
@Envision_Racing
Made out of discarded laptops, phones and to highlight growing problems of e-waste and the need to recycle it!
#LondonEPrix
#FormulaE
30 years ago! What a tumultuous time....some things just donโt change. At Imola, three men saved the life of Gerhard Berger. Here is their account as well as GBโs and several other key figures. What a time to be alive!
#F1
Charles Leclerc holding on to his mirror in to 130R is all very impressive but until heโs driven the A14 with a recalcitrant 5 year old in the back of his motor throwing jaffa cakes at him then everyone just simmer down please.
#F1
Nine points finishers only. Most of the cars that didn't make a 'competitive finish' were at 40% state of charge at end. Explain that to a casual viewer. In fact try explaining to any 'new eyes' on the championship. Does FE have to be simplified to some extent? Yes.
#FormulaE
Antonio Felix da Costa has left BMW and will join Vergne in what will be a mighty partnership at DS Techeetah for the 2019/20 season. Full story coming up.
#ABBFormulaE
(1/2) Some detail on the fire here in Valencia. It was caused by a car battery (not charger) that had been taken out of DS Penske driven by Robert Shwartzman this morning which stopped on track.
#FormulaE
He wonโt appreciate it right now but three other drivers told me today that Sam Bird was the consummate gentleman in his genuine & heartfelt apologies to those whose races he affected. If you know him you wonโt be surprised by that. Short in stature, tall in class. ๐
#FormulaE
Sad to learn that legendary Le Mans entrant & all round great person Hugh Chamberlain has died. His stories & anecdotes on racing people were some of the funniest I've ever heard. Condolences to his family. A truly great life. Here is the Lola LMP2 car he entered at LM in 2006
There will be more on the extraordinary Da Costa/Porsche/Muller situation today. Absolutely one of the more dramatic storylines in
@FIAFormulaE
history.
#FormulaE
The Formula E paddock will be a much poorer place without Audi and BMW next season. Such a shame they are off but some great memories they provided. I bet you one of them will be back for Gen 4!
#FormulaE
Now hereโs a thing: Maldonado wins in everything he races in pretty much, including F1. He has a few shunts along the way yes, who doesnโt? Heโs well backed along the way, who isnโt? Why is he demonised in such a lazy/bullying way? Itโs just boring & lacks respect.
Taylor Barnard thought he'd be having a chilled lunch today. Instead he went headlong in to the furnace of an FE race.Not only did he finish it but he completed it with not one scratch on the car. Has earned what will now be a day off @ Berlin rookie test! Impressive
#MonacoEPrix
Transcribing a gem of an interview and got to this line: 'He was the sort of c*** that you wouldn't p*** on if he was on fire....... unless you p***** petrol that is!'๐ฑ๐ Might leave that out of the article!
Interesting to finally see the Gen 3s in action. Lots of power but marginal grip. Fun to watch and will make for great racing but races will be compromised through poor reliability for some in early races.
#FormulaE
FE at its very best today. An epic of a race with a grandstand finish. If you are one of those who automatically dismisses it because itโs not ICE or noisy then you need to watch the last few laps. Superb driving in tough conditions. Andโฆthereโll be more like this soon! ๐ช๐ฝ๐
An additional test session has been added for today at Valencia (4-5 local time) which was originally supposed to be a full media day. Gives some indication of just how under prepared the cars are heading in to the season.
#FormulaE
The kids at my daughters school are talking about Hamilton v Verstappen title fight. That is fantastic news for motorsport & rarely happens. remember being slightly alarmed in 1986 when other kids were โmeddlingโ in โmy sportโ at school! ๐ Itโs happening again & itโs great
#F1
On ๐ to wife: โHi love, weโve got some new furniture. Youโll love it. Really practical and comfortableโฆ.. Itโs
@AlexanderSims
nose box from Rome EPrix. Hello? Hello? Love, you still there?โ Beeeeeeeppppโฆ..
#divorce
Imagining that a Grand Prix will be called off because of a nearby bombing is not realistic. Formula E went to Riyadh in 2021 mid-pandemic & amid missile strikes. F1 welcomed Putin as a VIP and he presented trophies. Racing deals with despots and dictators. Sad but true.
Formula E London takeover is so great to see. Nissan all over Covent Garden, Dennis and Ticktum in Carnaby Street and so many posters adorning Central and East London. The buzz is real ๐
#LondonEPrix
You can debate all you like about why, what, for what reason Porsche did that lap today. Fact is, it was a wonder to behold. And remember that man & machine have always sought to go to the max. So,in the spirit of Rosemeyer, Bellof.....bravo
@Porsche_Team
@Timo_Bernhard
๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ป
Sergio Sette Camara will get a second season of
@FIAFormulaE
in 2022 with the Dragon Penske Autosport squad. The Brazilian was one of the unsung stars of 2021 with several eye-catching performances
#FormulaE
Very upset to learn that Martin Birrane died at the weekend. Did absolutely everything in the sport. Accomplished racer, team owner, Circuit owner and of course led Lola for 15 years. Respect! Farewell boss.
#Lola
Formula E has been the ultimate sporting start up biz. In five years it went from within 48hrs of dying after four races to becoming something of a phenomenon. Someone should write a book about it! ๐ค๐
#ABBFormulaE
Another depressing realisation that the last
@FIAFormulaE
race at Monaco doesn't actually exist. No trace on Youtube nor the BBC I-Player. But you can watch every minute of a free practice session, which of course, no one ever will. It's not just me is it?
#FormulaE
๐๐ซ
There'll be loads of well meaning clips of 'Murray-isms' over next few days. But if you were ever lucky enough to see the man himself in action you know he was a thorough pro. Recall seeing him at an F2 race in the 80s & he had a notebook filled with minutiae. RIP legend & hero.
Delighted to have joined
@wearetherace
to head up
@FIAFormulaE
coverage. Exciting times with a great bunch of people dedicated to quality content. โก๏ธ
#THERACE
It's time to introduce you to our
@FIAFormulaE
journalists!
Sam Smith and Peter McCool will be our Formula E correspondents - and they'll be bringing you all the news and technical insight from the championship throughout the season! ๐
โThe new Gen 3 Formula E car has been undergoing development tests at the Monteblanco circuit, Spain this week. The car will be revealed privately to teams later this month.
#FormulaE
Want to know a cool Monaco story you havenโt heard before? Olivier Beretta, who before Leclerc was last Monegasque to start a GP on home soil, told me (in 2015) that his grandmother was at the first ever GP there in 1929! 65 years later she watched her grandson race. ๐๐ป ๐ฒ๐จ
#F1
Mark Blundell retires. What a great career. Got to see him race in FF2000, F3000, Group C & F1. Hard as nails racer who did it all without any glimmer of a silver spoon at all. For that he deserves everlasting respect. Tonne of memories but boy that lap at Le Mans in โ90! ๐ฑ๐ช๐ป
Marcel Fassler has called it a day! What a great career, matched only by being such a great guy. His win with Lotterer and Treluyer in 2011 at Le Mans was truly heroic. Always a pleasure to deal with. ๐จ๐ญ
Not a single word about Misano Eprixs in Gazzetta on Monday. But a big fat advert for DS on back cover. This encapsulates Formula E unfortunatelyโฆ.still ๐
#FormulaE
Quick stock check on new tubs; Maserati take โStellantis spareโ which was one Vandoorne used at Berlin2 to Portland;Jags take โJags/Envisionโ spare; Envision take Spark โspare, spareโ & Porsche also take a Spark โspare, spareโ. McLaren took original Porsche spare. All clear? ๐ค๐คช
Mike Conway becomes first British driver since Nick Tandy in 2015 to win Le Mans overall. He and his teammates massively deserve that win after the heartache of previous races. Biggest win of a career that has so many highlights already.
#LeMans24
Completely unprecedented for a driver from a rival team to test for it mid-season. Looks inevitable at this point a change will be made. A remarkable story with much more to come.
#FormulaE
What an incredible week for Kiwis in motorsport. Scott Dixon wins at Long Beach. Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy 1-2 at Monaco and then Scott McLaughlin takes Barber! ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฝ
#Motorsport
Lap of season here by
@afelixdacosta
in Seoul quali final? Race Engineer: "Antonio the engineer. You don't need me anymore!"
DAC: "Yeah, just talk to me at the start of the race then you can go."
RE: "I just stay to talk you through Turn 18!"
#SeoulEPrix
๐ธ
@SpacesuitCollections
Extraordinarily it is 30 years today that I first worked in motorsport! Brands Hatch F3000 race and we won! Marco Greco victorious in a CoBRa Reynard with the stickers I put on it! Made all the difference! ๐ช
Time to say thanks to all the great people in the
@FIAFormulaE
paddock as we say goodbye to season eight. Gratitude especially to the team
@wearetherace
@Alice_Holloway_
all the team PR folks, TPโs, TMโs and FIA/FE media teams. Hope youโve enjoyed the coverage
#FormulaE
Jessica Borrell has been one of the stars of
@FIAFormulaE
since the beginning. Sheโs saved my skin on many occasions & is an absolute delight. Sheโs off to pastures new & Iโm sad. But Jess you are ace & youโve got an amazing career ahead of you! ๐ท
@LouJohnsonPhoto
#FormulaE
๐ช
How about this for some living history? The Magna Carta of
@FIAFormulaE
The original napkin which Agag and Todt brainstormed on and signed back in 2011. Finally tracked it down to the restaurant in Paris.....with a bit of detective work๐๐ป
#ABBFormulaE
A day of drama takes a vicious turn. Da Costa thrown out for a complex technical infraction. Always poor when a winner then doesnโt become a winner. Try explaining throttle damper springs from old catalogues to viewers & fans who watched that race. Messy. Good luck!
#FormulaE
๐จ Antonio Felix da Costa has been DISQUALIFIED from the
#MisanoEPrix
, losing a feel-good win due to throttle damper spring non-conformity.
Nissan's Oliver Rowland inherits first place instead, and thus extends his lead in the championship.
#FormulaE
I told
@alexlynnracing
that the โChelsea blueโ of his overalls rather than the usual โArsenal redโ made the real difference today. His reaction? It began with an โFโ had three other letters and ended with an โoff.โ ๐
#LondonEPrix
Century up! London Eprix on Saturday will be my 100th
@FIAFormulaE
race. What a ride itโs been. This week is going to be very special in lots of ways! ๐
#news
#formulae
#LondonEPrix
Stopped off at Chirnside Parish church to see the resting place of a racing legend. Lovely to see that the family of his friend and teammate had recently stopped by to pay their respects. ๐
#JimClark
Praise for ultra quick deployment of medical car, rescue teams for Fittipaldi shunt today. They were on scene very rapidly indeed. You hope they are never needed, but when they are they do incredible work in sometimes very difficult circumstances.
#WEC
๐๐ป
Lotterer checking out Foro Sol too. Heโs come via his own Carrera Panamericana road trip over last few days. Heโs super chilledโฆas always! ๐ช๐ฝ ๐ฒ๐ฝ
#MexicoCityEPrix
#FormulaE
My favourite Le Mans memory is while working with Team Ascari in 2001 & being sent on a motorbike to โfindโ the driver (think it was Ben Collins) who had stopped between Mulsanne & Indianapolis. I crashed the bike in to a drunk Danish fan & got interviewed by the cops! ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐จ
An all-nighter for the Maserati boys and girls will see Max Guenther out in FP2. Heroic. James Rossiter got the burgers in at 1am this morning! ๐ ๐
#DiriyahEPrix
What a week in Hyderabad. Wonโt forget this one in a hurry. Great people here and some rare old sights. I hope itโs maintained on the calendar but there are doubts. If it was a one off then it was a cracking race in challenging conditions.
#HyderabadEPrix
There cannot be a person in this world not behind Zanardi at the moment. Iโve been a fan ever since he oversteered his purple and yellow Reynard 91D through Paddock Hill Bend in 1991. Keep pushing hero๐ช๐ป
Alex Zanardi is now in intensive care after 3 hours of neurosurgery following his handbike crash in Italy earlier today.
Latest on the CART, F1 and Paralympic hero's condition:
Ghost-Abt-gate. Possibly the most bizarre story I've reported on. Let's re-cap: Clear plot to deceive, prop used to hide face, using Pro gamer to cheat, bringing event in to disrepute. Remarkably some are excusing/downplaying it. Mind blown! Time for a stiff drink!
#ABBFormulaE
A bit gutted to say the least over Johnny Dumfries. Here is a shot of him as a gofer lad at BS Fabrications Monza 1978 with a typically irreverent Nelson P. Amazingly itโs just eight years before he was on the grid himself. A bloody good driver & by all accounts a lovely guy.
A busy day of news ahead for Formula E today. Multiple stories that will shine lights on driver deals and future team structures. Watch the skies! Or if you canโt do that watch
@wearetherace
#FormulaE