Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Allan McNish has returned to the cockpit of the unraced Porsche LMP2000 25 years after he took part in the car’s solitary test.
McNish, who retired from racing after taking the World Endurance Championship title with Audi in 2013, drove the LMP2000 at Porsche’s proving ground at its Weissach research and development facility last week.
Porsche was marking the 25th anniversary of the LMP2000’s only run after recommissioning the open-top prototype powered by a 5.5-litre normally-aspirated V10 over the course of this year.
McNish, whose only previous outing in a racing car since his retirement came aboard an Audi R8 LMS GT3 in 2014, revealed that the car behaved exactly how he remembered.
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“I looked at the test report this morning and the way the car reacted was just as I had described it at the time,” he told Motorsport.com.
“The other thing that came back to me was that everything in the cockpit was exactly where it should be.
“It all came back to me like it was yesterday.
“But one thing I’d forgotten was the engine note: when you open up the throttle, it sounds really nice, really throaty.”
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Allan McNish, Porsche LMP2000
Photo by: Deniz Calagan
McNish revealed after the test that his thoughts had turned to the late Bob Wollek, the Porsche veteran with whom he shared driving duties over the course of two days of testing in the LMP2000 at Weissach in early November 1999.
Wollek, who was killed in a cycling accident on the eve of the 2001 Sebring 12 Hours, did the initial laps in the car at the Weissach test.
“Seeing Bob’s name on the side of the car brought back memories,” said McNish.
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“He was a very special character and taught young whippersnappers like me a lot.
“The funny thing is that when he drove this car he was more or less the same age as I am now.”
The LMP2000 was developed after Porsche opted not to defend its 1998 Le Mans crown, claimed up by McNish, Laurent Aiello and Stephane Ortelli sharing a 911 GT1-98, with a view to returning in 2000.
It decided to abandon the route it had pursued with the GT1-98 powered by a flat-six turbo, opting instead for an open-top LMP powered by a big-capacity V10 that had its roots in a Formula 1 development project from the mid-1990s.
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But a return to Le Mans with the LMP2000 was never signed off by the Porsche board, which opted to stop the programme in the weeks leading up to the November test.
The team at Porsche Motorsport that had developed the LMP2000, codenamed the 9R3, under famed engineer Norbert Singer was allowed to finish one car and give it a short test that stretched over two days at Weissach.
Last week’s run was only the second official appearance of the LMP2000, the first coming with a static display at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Allan McNish, Porsche LMP2000
Photo by: Deniz Calagan
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What happened next
No one could have predicted it at the time, but the ‘winningest’ marque in Le Mans history wouldn’t be back at the Circuit de la Sarthe chasing overall victory until 2014.
Porsche returned to the prototype ranks with the US-focused RS Spyder LMP2 programme in 2005, but it wasn’t until the arrival of the 919 Hybrid LMP1 that it would bid to add to its 16 wins.
The 919 would go on to claim a hat-trick of hat-tricks, winning Le Mans and the WEC drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in 2015-17.
McNish had been loaned out to Toyota to race its GT-One at Le Mans in 1999 and had a three-year contract in place with Porsche but, with no chance of winning Le Mans, he negotiated a release and signed for Audi.
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The Scot won the American Le Mans Series title in 2000 before returning to Toyota for its F1 entry, undertaking a year of testing in 2001 and then one season of racing in 2002.
He was back at Audi in 2004 and went on to take a further two ALMS titles as well as his second and third Le Mans victories in 2008 and 2013.
Resources at Porsche Motorsport were diverted to development of the Carrera GT: the supercar was powered by a V10 developed from the prototype’s powerplant.
In the fan zone at the Circuit of the Americas, next to a jar of earplugs and a few feet from an industrial sized jug of free sunscreen, sat a 3-inch thick book with heavy blank white pages. Fans were shuffling from the midday heat into the tent where the book sat, writing notes in Sharpie to Daniel Ricciardo, the man whose absence hung over the race weekend like a loved one lost.
“You were my first F1 favorite driver,” read one note in the book. “R.I.R. (Rest in Retirement),” another. “Come to COTA to see you & you weren’t here…so sad.”
It wasn’t hard to see all the signs that Ricciardo was meant to be at the U.S. Grand Prix. Literally, Ricciardo’s illustrated, Stetson-wearing face stood out front-and-center on a printed fabric mural of F1 drivers (all wearing cowboy gear) covering a fence at Turn 15. Saturday, in downtown Austin, Ricciardo’s clothing brand Enchanté launched a pop up store with a new capsule collection, conspicuously minus the man himself. Ricciardo facetimed a few lucky fans who’d lined up early for the opening, but otherwise the shop stayed a shop for the weekend. And that was him on the COTA website’s schedule of weekend events, wearing a University of Texas jersey and smiling next to a note about the driver’s parade happening from 12 to 12:30 on Sunday (just before the Globe of Death).
There had even been a rumor that Ricciardo was meant to receive the keys to the city — though when reached for comment, the mayor’s office responded that this was “news” to them.
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And then there were the books. Twelve in total — thick black hardcovers sandwiching 600 pages of pristine paper, strewn throughout the fan areas surrounding the track. Signs touting “Letters to Cowboy Ric from Austin”, also featuring another illustrated Ricciardo-as-cowpoke, stood outside the tents. By Sunday morning three had been completely filled, with notes from fans claiming to be from Argentina, Israel, the UK, and beyond.
One of 12 books fans used to write messages to Daniel Ricciardo
The books themselves had been the slightly off-handed idea of Bobby Epstein, chairman of COTA.
“We did it for the fans, but we did it for him, is really why we did it,” Epstein explained. “I feel like he’s made so many contributions to our event and to the spirit of sport that we didn’t want to see him walk away and not know that he was appreciated and loved and beloved. And if he’s not gonna have a farewell tour, then we’re gonna give him at least some fond memories that he can look at any time he wants.”
Epstein was seeing one of the signed books for the first time Sunday morning, wondering what exactly he’d find inside. Flipping through, he excitedly asked, to whoever was in the room, for some bookmarks. A stack of Barbie-pink Post-Its was put in his hand, and he immediately started sticking them to pages. For what purpose, he wasn’t yet sure.
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There were sketches of shoeys and full-page love letters, a few messages from haters and cute scrawl from children still confusing their lowercase Bs and Ds.
Ingrid, from Austin but attending her first F1 race ever, had Ricciardo on her mind. “Honestly, the way he left Singapore — the way he was kind of shoved out of Singapore, I should say — was really depressing,” she told Motorsport. “I was kind of hoping he’d be here in Austin.”
Writing in the book, she said, was a way connecting with him, even if it was a one-way street.
“I just wanted to be able to prove that I got the chance to write in the book that maybe he chose to flip through on a random day. Because this sport just brings me so much joy, and I wanted him to know that. Granted, he’s never gonna know me — but he’ll get to know my name in the book that I signed.”
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Signs outside tents at the U.S. GP inviting fans to write messages to Ricciardo
Anamarie had driven from Dallas. She was wearing a Ferrari jacket, but talked about how Ricciardo sparked her Formula 1 fandom.
“I wrote him ‘thank you’ for getting me into the sport,” said said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here today with my sisters at our first grand prix.”
Maureen and Valerie, two fans who’d just finished signing one of the books, had flown from the British Virgin Islands to attend the U.S. GP.
“I came from the Virgin Islands, so it wasn’t easy to come here. And he is not even here!” said Maureen, Valerie’s travel partner.
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“Danny Ric, I saw a video of him on Instagram and that’s how I started following Formula 1,” said Valerie. “He is so charismatic and so good.“
Of course, you can only mourn for so long.
“However, I’m a little bit salty, because I’m a Lando fan, too. And he stole that point from Lando, fastest lap, in Singapore,” said Valerie.
Afterward, she asked if this reporter could share her Instagram handle with Norris.
The Flatrock Motorsports Park, which features a 30-degree banked bend and could host IndyCar or MotoGP races in the future, officially opened on Thursday.
The Tennessee venue has been constructed to the FIA’s Grade 2 standard, which means it is homologated to run any racing series outside of F1.
It has grabbed attention ever since construction work first began in 2022 with its layout making the most of the undulations of the land it is built on.
This includes dramatic rises and falls on the straights, corners with blind brows, as well as an iconic 30-degree banked turn that will push cars and drivers to the limit.
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The official opening for the 3.5-mile, 23-turn Club circuit for members took place on Thursday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the starting grid, and the first laps was completed by its development and founding partner Rusty Bittle.
Construction is continuing at the venue for a kart track, and future phases will include a 2.7-mile FIM and Grade 2 Grand Prix track – as well as hotel, restaurant, campgrounds and an amphitheatre for concerts and events.
Speaking after the opening, Bittle said: “We are beyond thrilled to open the ‘Club’ track to our members today.
“After months of hard work and dedication, it’s amazing to see them on track, enjoying what we’ve built.
“Flatrock is destined to become one of the top motorsport destinations, and this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see where we go from here as we continue to develop and expand the facility.”
NASCAR Cup Series drivers have dabbled in the podcast space.
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Denny Hamlin has his “Actions Detrimental” podcast. Corey LaJoie has his “Stacking Pennies” podcast. Ryan Blaney used to do a podcast called “Glass Case of Emotion.”
We asked the Cup playoff drivers (except for Hamlin and Blaney since they have/had podcasts), If you had a podcast, what would you name it?
Some had ideas:
Christopher Bell: “The Bell’s Tolls.”
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Alex Bowman: Somebody had a podcast a couple of years ago that I loved the name of, I think it was called “The Unprofessionals” — that’s very fitting.
Chase Briscoe: “Risky Brisckie’s Business.”
Harrison Burton: I’d call it “Burning Rubber With Burton” or something like that. I don’t know.
Brad Keselowski: If I had a podcast, it would be called “Let’s Talk About Six.”
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Tyler Reddick: I don’t know. “Don’t Know What To Expect Next.” I’m not really sure.
Daniel Suarez: “Daniel’s Amigos.”
Martin Truex Jr.: It’d be something around “Hunting and Fishing With Me.” I don’t know.
Others did not have an answer beyond they don’t expect to have a podcast or couldn’t think of one on the spot:
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William Byron: I don’t think I would have a racing-related podcast. I don’t know. I would maybe defer.
Austin Cindric: I probably will never have a podcast, so I’ve got nothing for you.
Chase Elliott: I don’t have a podcast, so I don’t have to worry about it.
Ty Gibbs: I don’t know if I would. What’s Denny’s called again? (Actions Detrimental). Yeah, I don’t even know. I don’t know that I’m good with that podcast stuff.
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Kyle Larson: I don’t know. I came up with the name “Actions Detrimental” [for Hamlin], but I don’t think I would have my own NASCAR-style podcast.
Joey Logano: I’ve never thought about it. I don’t know. I want to come up with something witty real quick here but I don’t have nothing that comes to the top of my head. I don’t have anything at the top of my mind.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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Aston Martin’s new Formula 1 CEO Andy Cowell says he is following a “work experience” package in aerodynamics as he steps out of his usual domain of F1 power units.
Cowell was appointed by Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll as the successor to Martin Whitmarsh as Group CEO, overseeing the British brand’s F1 and automotive activities.
The British engineer previously spearheaded Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, becoming the driving force behind the Brixworth plant’s successful hybrid power units that dominated F1 at their introduction in 2014.
Cowell left Mercedes and F1 in 2020, but was lured back into the series by Stroll, relishing the prospect of being able to step outside of his comfort zone by overseeing the entire F1 team rather than returning to an engine-related role.
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As part of getting up to speed at Aston Martin, Cowell says the Silverstone-based team’s engineers put together an aerodynamics crash course to better understand what the aero department needs from the rest of the organisation.
“To be on the team side rather than on the power unit side brings me back to something that I loved, and I enjoyed for decades with a different challenge,” Cowell explained. “It’s a different set of technical challenges.
“One of the first people I spoke to in my early days at the factory was [technical director] Dan Fallows and I said to Dan: ‘I know that aerodynamicists want lots of power from the engine, no heat rejection, no aero blockage, I know all that, but what else does an aerodynamicist want?’ And so he put together a work experience package for me.
“I spent time with all the principal aerodynamicists, I watched some runs at the wind tunnel, spent time with the aero performance group that were measuring the pressure tappings at Singapore and then working out how that ties in with aero data and CFD.
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“So, I guess I’m now wearing a bobble hat called an aerodynamicist but it’s a work experience compared with a bobble hat of a power unit person. I think it’s good to do something different.”
Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO, Aston Martin Performance Technologies, Dan Fallows, Technical Director, Aston Martin F1 Team, Andy Cowell, Group CEO, Aston Martin F1 Team, Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin F1 Team, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, Adrian Newey, Lawrence Stroll, Owner, Aston Martin F1 Team, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team, Tom McCullough, Performance Director, Aston Martin F1 Team, and Andy Stevenson, Sporting Director, Aston Martin F1 Team
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Cowell will manage a star-studded line-up of engineers at the group’s F1 team, with former Red Bull man Fallows soon joined by Ferrari’s technical director Enrico Cardile and legendary designer Adrian Newey, who joins from Red Bull in March 2025. When asked how he will manage that high-profile array of engineering talent, Cowell said the team’s situation is not too different from Mercedes’ dominant run that started in 2014.
“I remember Mercedes Grand Prix pulling together a gaggle of impressive technical directors and it working out okay on that run into 2014,” Cowell said. “We’re quite a young organisation, operating with that level of facility and resources. There are lots of things to do, whether it’s setting up our own wind tunnel and all the facilities that are required to do that, whether it’s making a gearbox to go on the back of the Honda power unit for 2026, simulation tools, getting those to be class leading.
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“And if you’ve got senior leaders that can each take one of those big challenges and focus on it, then we’ll get to the front quicker.
“What I want to do is make the organisational changes that I think will help all of us going forward, so that there’s not only office space and a desk and a chair and a drawing board ready, but there’s also a structure that’s got their name in it. So my ambition is that [Cardile’s and Newey’s] very first day in the factory is a working day, not a reflecting and making change day. I see that as my role as the CEO.”
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Fernando Alonso will miss his media day obligations at the Mexico City Grand Prix through illness, but is aiming to drive in Friday practice as he celebrates his 400th Formula 1 grand prix.
The Spaniard was due to miss the opening free practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in any case, as reserve driver Felipe Drugovich is pencilled in to drive in his stead to satisfy the rule over young drivers being given running in FP1.
However, Alonso will not take part in Thursday’s media activities, where he was due to appear in the second press conference session with Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu.
A team statement from Aston Martin read: “Fernando Alonso is feeling unwell and will therefore not attend media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
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“Fernando is focused on feeling 100% for Friday and his planned return to the AMR24 for Free Practice 2.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Although the Mexico race is Alonso’s 400th race weekend as a Formula 1 driver, it is not until Qatar where he will celebrate his 400th start.
The Spaniard failed to start in the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix, the 2005 US Grand Prix (in which all Michelin runners pitted after the formation lap) and the 2017 Russian Grand Prix.
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Currently on 399 race entries, Alonso is some way ahead of the next most experienced drivers in Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, while former holder Rubens Barrichello is fourth on the all-time list with 326 entries.
“It’s nice to achieve. Obviously, championships and race wins are what matter most to us as drivers but, at the same time, it shows my love for the sport and the discipline I’ve had to perform at a very high level for more than 20 years,” Alonso said of his milestone.
“In that time, I’ve achieved what every racing driver dreams of doing: becoming world champion, and I’ve had some incredible experiences racing against some of the best drivers in the world on the greatest racetracks.
“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.”
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