Meteor Motorsport have announced that drivers Johan Halovsen and Jamie Gerrard will make their Formula V debuts this season, testing the current Meteor car at various practice sessions this season.
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The Swiss Government today passed a bill which will enable Warrior to fully relocate themselves to what is most likely to be Zurich, and continue their works under a new name in a new home.
The law however did not lift the motorsport ban in the country following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which Warrior say will not hamper them when they move in. Lopez continued to keep his cards close to his chest as to what the new team name will be. It is rumored however they may sign a major deal with an unidentified Swiss company.,He said official news won't be coming anytime soon so everybody can wait a few monthd before I get back to you. When asked about the advantage AMR have pulled out over Warrior, Lopez just answered 'That's how sport is sometimes. You'll have your highs and lows throughout your time, and both of us are certainly on highs compared to last season as we both have points, but they've just have had a slightly better preseason than us and that has shone through in the opening 2 rounds so far.' Following the Malaysian V-Prix, in which Adrien Simon suffered braking issues including numerous lock-ups and culminating in the incident involving the Warrior of Abel Osterhagen, Liverpool V-Prix Racing have confirmed the Frenchman will be changing from Brembo to Carbon Industries brake discs.
After the race Simon was firm in his belief that changes needed to be made: 'During the race I had an incident with one of the Warriors while trying to lap him, which was annoying but not his fault. I had no feel in the brake pedal and the action was very sudden, so I kept outbraking in the corners. I'm going to need to work with the mecs to sort this out.' Technical director Robert Mathershaw back up his driver's claims: 'We could see on the data that Adrien was having some troubles with the brakes throughout the race. It's a very driver-specific thing, so it's not unusual to see changes in supplier for them during the year, though it is a risk to do it so early in the year. Brembo have developed a new disc for FV this season, so we're not sure if it's just that little bit more difficult to manage. As a result, he'll be switching to Carbon Industries material in Brazil, which has slightly different properties that will hopefully suit him better. Karl will be remaining with Brembo as he has enjoyed the more nuanced feel of the 2015-spec materials.' It remains to be seen how well the changes will go for the Frenchman, who currently sits in joint 2nd in the championship with his team-mate after recovering from numerous incidents to take 4th position in last weekend's Malaysian V-Prix. After only two rounds of the 2015 Formula Virtual Season, Meteor have confirmed intentions to split with their French engine manufacturer of two years at the end of the current season.
The Westwood youth driver Jochem Van Snelheid has secured a drive in the Formula Virtual series for the 2016 season, Westwood have announced. After confirming the signing of a contract, it was presumed he (Jochem) would take on the test driver role, with British drivers Will Hoskins and Lewis Ellington both having been re-signed for next season.
However, in a turn of events, Jochem will drive, but not for Westwood. Instead, he will be sitting in the cockpit of a DS Mathershaw Technology car, with Westwood and Mathershaw having agreed a loan deal for the young driver. When asked about the next season, Jochem had this to say: "Well when we finalised the contract with Westwood, I was convinced I'd just be testing for them. But about a week later the boss gave me a ring, and said there's a good chance I'd be driving next year. One thing lead to another and the deal was signed, and I'm super excited for next year. This is a great opportunity and I plan to make the most of it, and I look forward to working with Mathershaw and DS Automobiles for the next year." Harry Westwood, Team Principal of Westwood Racing, added: "When Robert contacted me saying he was interested in one of my drivers for 2016, I presumed he meant Will or Lewis. I was stunned when he asked for Jochem, but I hold the belief that he can flourish at Mathershaw. I'm happy for the lad, and the team will, of course, still be supporting him all the way through the season." And head of Mathershaw Tech, Robert Mathershaw, was also happy to give his piece on the deal: "As we have been discussing the future with DS Automobiles, we have seen the need to make changes to ensure we can develop to the next level as a team and get to the summit of Formula Virtual. It may therefore seem counterintuitive to take a rookie from another team on a one year loan deal, but we firmly believe Jochem is one of the greatest talents of his generation. Harry is a great mentor and manager to his drivers, and we are sure that will help Jochem in his first foray into the world of FV. Welcome on board." Present at the conference were team Principals Harry Westwood and Robert Mathershaw, as well as Jochem Van Snelheid and the head of DS motorsport. This is certainly a drastic turn of events, which leaves the Liverpool drivers Simon and Beckenbauer fighting for their places in the team next year. It's a huge gamble from the English team, but only time will tell if it pays off. Warrior have announced they will be leaving their factory in Greece in order to relocate in a much easier country to work in, Switzerland.
Below is the questions that followed the announcement made by an unpredictable Team Principal, Dylan Lopez. Journalists: Why did you decide to move to Switzerland? How beneficial do you believe it will be moving there? Lopez: Why not? They aren't in any debt whatsoever, it's smack bang in the middle of Europe which makes it easier for us to travel to each European event. It was a pretty comfortable decision with all of the team given the issues Greece is currently facing. J: When do you move countries? L: We've already started setting up at our new factory, all the big machinery is being installed currently and we will be able to complete next years car there. We will offically move in after the final round, and we will officially open the new facilities in private due to the fact all the hype that could follow may cause disruptions to commuters as alot of traffic flows through the country on a daily basis. A new freeway is also being built along with this project, which will begin after the facilities are complete and will help reduce the traffic by up to 35%. J: Can we expect a new name and livery next season? L: Absolutely, we won't be Warrior Racing anymore, instesd we will be racing under a new name which will be announced when we unleash the beast for next season. With that will come a new livery, for which I can tell you to expect the unexpected... J: Any hints as to what it may look like Lopez? L: Hopefully an F1 car, not your mother's '63 Opel Kadet. (Everyone bursts in laughter) L: I did say expect the unexpected fellas, (damn I wish Hammond was here). J: Hammond will be on to you at Silverstone. L: Hahaha, it's all good, he'll probably tweet me when he sees this press conference, it's just a bit of fun. J: Did you even tell us where in Switzerland the factory is located? L: Zurich, why? J: Zu-richs a good choice? L: We didn't select it for no reason dude. Go back to Primary School if that's what you want to ask me. Anyways, enjoy a hot and stinky Malaysian Grand Prix chaps. Saint-Ouen, France 12/09/2015 Today it was announced that the DS Automobiles arm of French manufacturer Citroën will sponsor Mathershaw Technology in the Formula Virtual World Championship. Both Team Principal Arthur Lapierre and Technical Director Robert Mathershaw were in attendance for the announcement, along with engine supplier Bradley Downton. The arrival of the French marque to the championship will coincide with the return of the Mathershaw name after the withdrawal of Liverpool V-Prix after 2016. The team were at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit to announce the deal, with Lapierre Junior Olen Inman also in attendance to demonstrate the current RJM-003 car to the crowd in an interim DS Automobiles livery. 'We've known about this deal for a while now, and I was the one to introduce Monsieur Downton to the DS Automobiles executives, many of whom I have worked with when I ran the Peugeot Le Mans team.' said a delighted Lapierre.
'I got a call late last year from Bradley telling me about DS wishing to increase their commitment to FV beyond engine technology, and I immediately gave Robert a ring. We knew that we had a year locked in to our agreements in 2015, but after that we knew what we wanted. DS are a brand with high ambitions matching ours, and we are delighted to represent them in the most prestigious motor racing championship in the world. I also believe this deal highlights the cooperation between us and Downton as much as it does with us and DS. We are running an engine that they design with a lot of input from both DS and ourselves, and we are committed to working with them to improve the engine to keep us at the front. Mathershaw seemed similarly excited by the deal: 'Citroën are one of the most innovative companies in the automotive industry. From the very start they've been at the forefront of the technology involved, from the Traction Avant which revolutionised drive train technology and also was the first car to use a semi monocoque design, right the way through to the original DS which was the first to use the disc brakes that are the norm now. Then you have the Citroën technical partners such as Total and Michelin who provide industry leading products which are world renowned. That is the sort of expertise we are working with now, and I couldn't be happier.' Bradley Downton: 'As a team and an engine manufacturer, we're very pleased and excited by this announcement. I've been asked if we're worried about our engine partner effectively having their own team - in what is a somewhat unusual situation - but no, we're not. The announcement means more resources are going into all areas and Mathershaw Technology, ourselves and DS will strive to push all parties forward as technical partners.' Other than the main technical partners Downton, Total and Michelin, it doesn't appear that any sponsorship deals have been agreed, though rumours indicate that the signing of deals with multiple French companies is imminent. It is also believed that the driver line-up is in the process of being finalised, with current drivers Karl Beckenbauer and Adrien Simon on the verge of signing for a fourth season in the team. The two Lucas GP cars of Lewis Ellington and Emma Wilson - who qualified 18th and 22nd respectively - have been excluded from Qualifying after the team failed to enter a strategy for the race.
Downton FV team principal Bradley Downton has this evening announced that junior driver - and younger sister of current race driver Marcus - Kiara Thunder will be promoted to a race seat in the FV Championship in 2016.
Paul Ricard, 08/09/2015
Today it was announced that Liverpool would be withdrawing from the Formula Virtual World Championship effective at the end of the season. The entry to the championship will be handed back to the Mathershaw Technology/Lapierre Competition team who ran the franchise since last year, and will continue to compete in FV next year, albeit under a different banner. The Downton FV team have announced a somewhat surprise tie-in with French car manufacturer Citroen's DS brand. The announcement comes as the team begin their second season using their own engines, while also supplying fellow teams Liverpool and Ocelot.
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