Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson takes up NASCAR challenge, as Williams names Zoox and Ferrari signs Chivas Regal as new F1 partner.
Visa Cash App RB, NASCAR –
Experts at finessing top speeds in Formula One, Visa Cash App RB F1 drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson take on an unfamiliar style of driving – which couldn’t be further from handling an aerodynamically precise F1 car – in a series of challenges in NASCAR-style stock cars.
Taking to a dirt oval track in Texas, Yuki and Liam were joined by NASCAR professionals, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, to coach them. With the help from the stock car ringers, Yuki and Liam were able find a seamless execution of steering, counter-steering, braking, throttle, and finding grip on the unfamiliar dirt oval.
Stock car racing has a rich history in American motorsport and maintains a continued surge of popularity. This racing crossover comes as the Team gears up for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with first track action taking place on 21st November.
In a classroom-style session, Yuki and Liam were introduced to three challenges, before a final winner-takes-all head-to-head race. It’s in this briefing that they learn dirt stock cars have only three brakes, finding themselves without a front right brake, due to the nature of oval circuits.
Shane van Gisbergen gave the drivers his advice before the challenge, “Rely on the brake and the throttle more than the steering to guide the car’s direction.”
Challenge One: Find the Line
- Six sets of cones are placed on the track forcing Yuki and Liam to approach each turn with just the right blend of speed and steering, matched with braking and throttle. It’s through this first challenge they quickly learn the technique in manoeuvring the high line vs. the low line. The high line offers more speed, whereas the tight, lower line forces you to hit the brake and get down earlier to avoid cone-collision or a spin.
Challenge Two: Cornering Speed
- Yuki and Liam are tasked to find the tricky happy medium cornering speed, of going just fast enough into the corner, but not too fast that it would force a spin out.
Challenge Three: Qualifying Lap
- In more familiar territory, Yuki and Liam complete a lap flat out, to set the fastest time and starting grid for the race.
Williams –
Williams Racing is proud to announce a groundbreaking new partnership with Zoox, an autonomous ride-hailing company and independent subsidiary of Amazon. The partnership marks the first time an autonomous vehicle company has partnered with a Formula 1 team, bringing together two worlds of pioneering technology.
Zoox, which is re-inventing personal transportation through a purpose-built robotaxi combining cutting-edge technology and a focus on giving riders an unrivalled experience, will become an Official Regional Partner of Williams Racing in a multi-year agreement.
Zoox’s logo will appear on the Williams car for races in the United States, starting with this month’s Las Vegas Grand Prix where the FW46 will be piloted by Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto. The robotaxi will be present at Williams’ Fan Zone at the New York-New York hotel throughout race week, offering fans a glimpse into the future of autonomous travel.
For 2025 and beyond, Zoox will activate in Las Vegas, Austin and Miami – three cities where Zoox’s autonomous technology is currently in testing. Zoox will be welcoming its first public riders in its purpose-built robotaxi in Las Vegas starting in 2025. This unique partnership unites two organisations determined to deliver industry-defining innovation using the most advanced technology.
Williams Racing’s focus on significant leaps forward in F1 technology is at the heart of its comeback plan to return to winning ways, while Zoox has developed a one-of-a-kind premium robotaxi featuring trailblazing AI technology. As one of the longest-standing and most-trusted teams in Formula 1, Zoox was also attracted to Williams’ history as a family-founded team with a culture of being courageous and humble – which reflects how Zoox has approached building its company and ride-hailing service.
This announcement reinforces Williams’ commercial momentum and growth strategy, building on recent partnership extensions with Gulf Oil International and Kraken as the team rebuilds in pursuit of long-term success.
James Vowles, Team Principal, said: “Williams Racing is excited to be bringing the future of mobility into Formula 1 and delighted to welcome Zoox as the first autonomous vehicle company to become a partner in the sport. At first glance this might seem an unlikely partnership – F1 is about pitting the best drivers in the world against each other, while Zoox is pioneering driverless travel – but both Williams and Zoox are operating at the leading edge of automotive technology and share core values in how we do business. We look forward to helping Zoox reach new audiences, starting in Las Vegas later this month.”
Carly Wyatt, Head of Communications & Marketing, Zoox: “Partnering with Williams Racing reflects our shared values in the pursuit of performance and precision, and will allow Zoox to reach a new audience of Williams and F1 fans who embrace innovation and engineering excellence. This unique collaboration between a Formula 1 racing team and a robotaxi company presents an opportunity to provide deeper, behind-the-scenes insights into how these two industries are using similar cutting-edge technologies, including the latest advancements in AI, to reshape the future of both motorsports and mobility.”
Ferrari –
Scuderia Ferrari HP is pleased to announce a new multi-year partnership with Chivas Regal, the luxury Scotch whisky, who becomes an Official Team Partner, ahead of next weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Through this partnership, Scuderia Ferrari HP and Chivas Regal will run activations that aim to give a whole new category of fans a look behind the scenes at Formula 1, shining a light on life off the track, with immersive experiences and exclusive content.
The partnership will also be used as a powerful platform for Chivas Regal to raise awareness about the dangers of drink-driving, to drive positive impact amongst a global audience of passionate racing enthusiasts.
Frédéric Vasseur – Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with Chivas Regal, with whom we share the values of striving for excellence, attention to detail and craftsmanship, founded on years of tradition, while constantly evolving. Together, we share the desire to progress and set the benchmark in our respective fields of endeavour. I look forward to working with Chivas Regal in a partnership that will be beneficial for both brands.”
Lorenzo Giorgetti – Ferrari Chief Racing Revenue Officer: “We are delighted to announce the partnership with Chivas Regal, a dynamic brand entering the world of top-level motorsport for the first time, in collaboration with Scuderia Ferrari HP. We will work together on exciting and innovative activations to bring Formula 1 even closer to its fans, expanding the Scuderia Ferrari HP fan base and that of our sport in general.”
Jean-Etienne Gourgues – Chairman & CEO of Chivas Brothers: “This partnership marks a significant gear shift as we accelerate into a new era in sports culture for Chivas Regal. Since its foundation, Scuderia Ferrari HP has been a true pioneer at the forefront of culture, making it the perfect partner for us to usher in this new chapter. In the fast-moving world of Formula 1, success is a team effort – something that sits at the heart of Chivas Regal’s mission of ‘I Rise, We Rise’.
“We are passionate about using this new platform to engage today’s growing and increasingly diverse community of racing fans in the 2025 season and beyond, and leveraging the collective reach of our brands to ensure motorsport fans around the world know to never, ever, drink and drive.”
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[Note: The story is as per press release]
