Adrenaline

35 | winners & losers

BREAKING NEWS

In a shocking turn of events and rocking the world of motorsports in the process, Idris Johnson has announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2022 season.

After helping build Windsor Formula One Racing from the ground up, he's helped lead the team to a record-breaking eight consecutive constructors' championships, which includes six of his (also record-breaking) seven drivers' championships. That's not to mention the hard work he's don't off-track to help improve the sport, including being an outspoken advocate for inclusivity within the grid, paddocks, and upper-management. As the first Black driver the sport has ever seen, he's largely credited for the push to see a more diverse grid, as well as work on opportunities throughout all of motorsport that will allow those from marginalized backgrounds to receive more support while coming up in the ranks. Johnson is also a vocal LGBTQIA+ ally who uses his platform to call attention to the many issues the community faces.

Before he takes his final bow, Johnson hopes to secure another win for himself as well as the team to extend their records, and by the way the season has been going, it's looking pretty good.

Although, teammate Brendon Ellis has only been a handful of points behind and has been showing an overall better pace as the season progresses. Even if Johnson isn't able to obtain that coveted drivers' championship, he'll still leave behind a legacy with a lasting impact on the entire sport.

That begs the question: who will take his place? It seems Windsor already has an answer for that, and it's one we've all been waiting for.

Hours after Idris Johnson's retirement was announced, Windsor also broke the news that Rix Tsui has signed with Windsor for a two-year contract, something that fans have been wanting for a long time. The fan-favorite, self-proclaimed comedian of the grid has been long-time friends of the team, and though he insists he won't be in F1 by the time he's forty, he's still got a fair few years left in him, and Windsor is looking to capitalize on his championship-winning knowledge while they can.

While this does pair Ellis up with yet another championship-winning driver while he has yet to secure a title himself, 2022 has been marked as the year that boy wonder is showing just what a powerhouse he is on the track. Title or not, he's giving guys with far more years of experience on him a run for their money, and we're interested to see where this pairing will go. The two drivers have been known to be friendly off-track, but we all know how easily those things can change when there's a championship dangling in the air.

We still have a long way to go in 2022, but things are poised to be just as exciting for 2023. Who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments!

...

"Sucks to suck, Idris."

I toss the controller onto the carpet and grab the bag of chips on my side while the seven-time F1 world championship driver sulks at the loss. Honestly a little embarrassing on his part. Baby Mario dances on the screen while adult Mario bows his head in shame.

"I didn't even know dodging a blue shell was possible," he says of his attempt at beating me at the last minute. It was luck on my part since super horns are rare, especially since I raced my way at the front of the pack the entire race. Also, a bit of a Hail Mary on his part since, if you're far enough behind to have a blue shell in your arsenal that late in the game, you've got just about no chance of making up any time.