Winter Roundup - Part 2

Following on from yesterday, here are more stories from the last few weeks:

You can read part one HERE

F1

Huge shake-up at the Scuderia

New Team Principle Maurizio Arrivabene has wasted no time making his mark at Scuderia Ferrari with no fewer than five big names leaving the team.

Among those that have been shown the door are Chief Designer Nikolas Tombazis, engine boss Luca Marmorini, technical chief Pat Fry, tyre analyst Hirohide Hamashima and development driver Pedro de la Rosa.

James Allison will now direct track engineering activities in place of Fry, Simone Resta will take over as Chief Designer and Mattia Binotto will become the new Power Unit Director supported by the chief designer for the Power Unit, Lorenzo Sassi.

Pedro de la Rosa will be replaced by Jean-Eric Vergne, who after Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Gutierrez becomes the Scuderia's third driver signing this winter. The Frenchman's main focus will be on simulator activities.

Elsewhere, Renato Bisignani will leave his post as head of the team's press office to take up a position as Marketing Manager and Aquisition. The head of the press office will now be Alberto Antonini

Image: Ferrari Media

Marciello becomes Sauber reserve

Sticking with Ferrari, Ferrari Driver Academy member Rafaele Marciello will join the Sauber Formula One Team as their reserve driver fort he 2015 season.

The 20-year-old finished eight in the 2014 GP2 standings, winning one race and taking one pole position.

Image: Ferrari Media

 

 

WRC

 

Kubica sticks with WRC

Robert Kubica will also be back in the WRC this year, ending speculation of a return to circuit racing.

Kubica filed a last minute entry to the Monte Carlo Rally and later confirmed he will be doing the full season. The team he will be contesting with will be revealed at a later date.

Image: Dominik Wilde

 

 

World Endurance Championship

Jarvis replaces Kristensen at Audi

Oliver Jarvis has been chosen to replace 'Mr. Le Mans' Tom Kristensen in Audi's full-time sports car lineup.

Jarvis, who has previosly raced at Le mans in a third Audi - finishing third both times - will now compete in a full WEC season for the first time in his career, leaving behind a Lexus drive in Japan's Super GT series to make the move.

Image:Evo

 

BTCC

Tordoff moves over to WSR

Sam Tordoff has left MG and will race a WSR BMW in the 2015 BTCC season.

The 25-year-old becomes 2014 the championship winning team's first announced driver for the new season - with 2014 champion Colin Turkington's future hanging in the balance after title sponsor Ebay's withdrawal from the series.
Image: Dominik Wilde

 

 

V8 Supercars

Ford quits V8 Supercars

Ford have announced their shock decision to leave the V8 Supercars series at the end of the 2015 season.

The move follows Ford's desire to allocate their limited marketing budget elsewhere, with their decision said to be 'indefinite'.

Ford are not the only manufacture with an uncertain future in Australia with Volvo chiefs recently speaking of their desire to quit motorsport altogether.

However, both manufacturer's lead teams are run by third party companies (Ford - Prodrive, Volvo - Polestar/GRM) so provided funding can be found, the ending of this story might not be as soon as anticipated.

Image: V8 Supercars