Season 2 Race 11: United States Grand Prix Press Clippings

Nergal Looking to Next Season with New Chassis
Though the second season of the Formula D World Championship still has five races, many rumors about Nergal’s next chassis have cropped up. After the mixed success of the ND-002, many fans and critics alike wonder how their third car might stack up to previous entries. “It’s never too early to start planning,” Nergal’s chief technical officer Alexandria Fressange stated recently in an informal interview. “We’ve taken our failures to heart this season and are planning accordingly. With some of the new rule changes in flux, we’re not entirely sure what choices we’ll be making yet. There will definitely be differences, but our plans will solidify nearer the end of the season. Right now we have a respec to complete and almost a third of a season left to go, so the ND-003 is still on the backburner at the moment.”

McJergens “Would Support” McGee in Championship Bid
In a recent interview, defending world champion Mic McJergens discussed his plans for the end of the season and stated that he would assist his teammate Leonard McGee if he had a chance at the world championship. “I absolutely would support Lenny,” McJergens was quoted as saying. “He and I have become fast friends in spite of our mismatched personalities. I’d like to be up there, but I’d rather see my teammate and buddy win the championship if I can help it.” Whether or not Nergal GP Racing will go along with McJergens’ wishes remains to be seen, but it is unlikely that they will sacrifice McGee’s standing if he has a chance to win the title.

Season 2 Race 11: United States Grand Prix Race Summary

May people have said that the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca is one of the best tracks in the world. It is a highly technical track that challenges the drivers’ skills as well as their stamina. It also is a test of car durability, with its quick bursts of speed followed by sharp and slow turns, particularly the infamous Corkscrew. Certainly teams and drivers must find a fine balance between raw speed and cornering ability.

Season 2 Race 11: United States Grand Prix Storylines

Wright Needs Home Team Advantage
After the first race of the American leg of the season, Wright slipped back down the standings. Their entire team, right up to the team principal Chuck Huston, is standing behind their drivers. But will they be able to rally enough morale to charge back up the standings? And with the team being based at Indianapolis, will the impending race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway inspire them or psyche them out?

The Great American Gearbox Failure
Many of the teams complained that their cars’ gearboxes were pushed to the limit at Road America. Now at Laguna Seca the cars are faced with a similar challenge. However, there is little breathing room if they should make a mistake. The turns are spaced just perfectly enough that a bad run in fifth gear could leave a car stranded just outside the corner. This is what teams are worried about, but what solutions will they develop for dealing with this problem should it arise?

Season 2 Race 11: United States Grand Prix Introduction

America was something of a surprise to the racers this year. They stumbled out into a rainstorm, and by the end of the race the Drivers Champion had a new leader, and Nergal was picking themselves up by the bootstraps. Likewise America has not treated Wright well in spite of it being their home turf. However, Road America was the first of many races on the continent, and now the drivers head to the legendary Laguna Seca. With the season winding down, there will be fewer and fewer opportunities to score well, and the Monterey track is unlikely to treat any of the teams kindly regardless of where they’re from. Will Wright redeem themselves, and what will become of the lead in the Drivers Championship? Find out as the United States Grand Prix begins.

Season 1 Race 2: United States Grand Prix Race Summary

After racing in Australia, the teams had a much better grasp of the types of wear and tear their cars would have to endure. However, Long Beach, California is a much different track than the one in Melbourne. The track has two incredibly long straights that can be taken flat out, but these straights are punctuated by incredibly tight turns. The cars have to be set up to handle engine strain as well as rapid gear shifts.

Season 1 Race 2: United States Grand Prix Storylines

Kings or Jesters? – Half the field stalled on the grid in Melbourne – the same half of the grid whose engines originate from German sports car company Koenig. Both L’equipe Duchamp-Koenig and Centurion-Koenig GP Racing claim the power plants were properly installed. Koenig alleges that both failures were due to software mapping errors but questions of mechanical resilience still linger, especially considering the engine’s documented fragility in pre-season dynamometer runs (both L’D-K and C-KGP rate their engine durability at 1). It remains to be seen whether Koenig’s confidence in their customer engines will prove to be folly when they are subjected to the brutal front straight at Long Beach.

McJergens Justice – Both Wright FD and Centurion have legitimate gripes with Nergal GP after the last race. After the racing incident in the first lap between Mic McJergens and Darren Richardson retired the Centurion car prematurely, the team honchos were calling for a penalty that never came. Likewise Nergal’s entry into this year’s season zipped past Wright’s car at the finish line, denying Wright what would have been the first win in their first season. Will these two teams make life difficult for Nergal and McJergens in the California heat?

Centurion Given Thumbs Down – After their race ended on lap 1, Centurion GP had to resign themselves to fourth place. However, in a late-arriving decision from the stewards, the total points they received from that position were halved. A spokesman claims that this is to encourage drivers to keep their cars intact and in the race, and that historically a points value of 0 would be issued to a car struck with a DNF. Centurion’s response to this is unknown at this time, but word on the paddock is that they’re struggling to come up with fixes to keep their car intact during the USGP.

Season 1 Race 2: United States Grand Prix Introduction

The season has only begun and already the stakes are high. The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit has long been a place where racers cut their teeth at the season’s start. Drivers eager to prove the merits of their cars and their skill jockey for position through the tight turns and fast straights. This season was no exception, with one retirement and a split second finish. With Nergal GP Racing taking the lead, how will the other teams respond? Will early rivalries form, and will the shortcomings of the cars keep the drivers from pushing each other to their limits? The answers to these questions may soon be answered as the drivers travel to Long Beach for the United States Grand Prix.