FORMULA 1 2011

[MIKA27]

Bell Racing create impact resistant aramid visor

Bell Racing, one of a few suppliers of FIA standard helmets to Formula One drivers, has created a new visor in a bid to avoid injuries like that of Felipe Massa in 2009.

The Ferrari driver was struck by a spring which worked its way loose from the Brawn GP car of Rubens Barrichello, of which Massa was following during qualifying two in Hungary.

The spring broke the top of the visor, striking the Brazilian above the eye, knocking him unconscious which led to him hitting a tyre barrier head-on.

The FIA setup an institute in order to find various ways of avoiding such an accident in the future. Bell Racing presented their idea to the FIA. After a series of tests, the visor was approved and tested by several drivers, including; Vitaly Petrov, Sebastian Buemi and Sergio Perez.

The visor is now a recommended safety item by the FIA, with it likely to become standard in the near future.

It is constructed using the same material, aramid fibre, used to create ballistic grade body armour, bonded through extreme heat using an autoclave, then it is covered with a skin of carbon fibre and weighs just 66 grams.

[MIKA27]

2013 engines will sound great - Renault

Renault Sport's deputy managing director Rob White, has moved to allay fears about the noise aspect of Formula One's new engine format for the 2013 season onwards.

The sport will switch to 'greener' four-cylinder engines, boosted by a more powerful in-built KERS system.

The biggest fear, as highlighted by not only the fans, but Bernie Ecclestone himself, is that the sport will lose its unique sound which to many, is one of the biggest draws.

"People love and get excited about the noise," said Ecclestone. "I'm anti, anti, anti moving into this small turbo four formula," he added. "We don't need it and if it's so important it's the sort of thing that should be in saloon car racing."

White however disagrees, and is confident the new soundtrack will be just as exciting.

"The new engine will make a great noise," he told Auto und Motor Sport. "Motorcycle engines also rotate at around 12,000rpm and sound good."

Despite Ecclestone's concern, White says there is no going back, with development on the new engines having already begun.

"We are already working on this engine," he added. "There will be only new manufacturers coming into Formula One with a new engine format."

Meanwhile, the news will be welcomed to teams such as Red Bull, Lotus-Renault and Team Lotus, all of whom use the Renault Sport engine, which is often criticised for being less powerful than its rivals, due to the freeze on engine development.

"We do not have the strongest engine," admitted White, "but there are also other disciplines. For example, the driveability. We have worked hard to tailor the engines characteristics to our drivers."

[MIKA27]

Sauber F1 preview the Malaysian GP

Kamui Kobayashi: “I have good memories of the Sepang circuit since it was there I managed to get into the final qualifying session last year for the first time. After our good performance in Melbourne we are, of course, very motivated for the next race. The guaranteed higher temperatures in Malaysia, though, will make a big difference. I especially expect the tyre degradation to be significantly higher there, so this might result in different race strategies. Another challenge could be if we get a wet race, as this happens quite often in Malaysia. But we are now very confident about our performance after what we did in Melbourne.. I hope we can continue like that with our pace. The circuit is nice with a couple of high speed corners, and the layout offers more overtaking opportunities than we had in Albert Park.”

Sergio Pérez: “Of course I’m very motivated and looking forward to what will be my second Formula One race. I think we have a good car. It is quick enough to aim for points and it was reliable. I hope we can keep this consistency and do more good races. Now after I have my debut Grand Prix weekend behind me I know a lot better what to expect in qualifying and the race, and this gives me even more confidence. I know the Sepang circuit from a GP2 Asia race in 2009. It is physically very demanding and also quite technical. Because the circuit is long it is difficult to get a lap right there.”

Technical Director James Key: “It’s going to be an interesting event in Malaysia after the excitement of the first race. The weather conditions could well play a significant role during the weekend. It may be very hot with another step up in track temperature, and this will be new to everyone and the tyres. Or it could be wet, which would be a completely unfamiliar situation. So we have to see what happens and try to get the best out of whatever we face. Sepang is more of a typical F1 circuit compared to Melbourne with sweeping high speed corners and some long straights that will make it interesting for overtaking. There are also some tight corners like one and two, as well as the hairpin at the end of the lap. They are all quite tricky corners.. The car will have some updates with some new bodywork at the rear and some new brake duct developments. We are looking forward to a strong result.”

[MIKA27]

McLaren preview the Malaysian GP

Lewis Hamilton: “Sepang is a circuit I really love. It’s big, fast and wide with some really demanding high-speed corners where you can find a lot of time if you’re really able to get the car working to its full extent.

“After the pace we showed in Melbourne, I think we can have another good race in Malaysia. Albert Park is a great track, but a circuit like Sepang is where the differences between the cars will start to become clearer.

“I’m really looking forward to using KERS Hybrid and the DRS too – the rapid change of direction you experience when the car is really in the groove is phenomenal around here, and I think both systems will make the cars look sensational, especially in qualifying.

“The team have looked into the floor failure we experienced in Melbourne: it seems like the bond between the bib and the chassis was damaged so the damage looked quite bad by the end of the race. It was good to see that the car could withstand that sort of punishment, but, even so, I’m looking to give it an easier ride in Malaysia next week!”

Jenson Button: “When I started in Formula 1, the Malaysian Grand Prix was one of the newest events on the grand prix calendar, but it now feels like an old favourite. I think Sepang’s a circuit that’s definitely improved with age: it’s always been a great track, but it feels like it’s grown into its own skin now, and is all the better for it.

“This is a track where you need a very efficient car – the corners here are big and will punish any car that lacks downforce. After Melbourne, when I really felt like I had a very solid car beneath me, I’m looking forward to getting out in practice to see how our package can adapt to this circuit.

“Obviously, one of the main considerations for the drivers is to ensure we’re properly hydrated throughout the race weekend. Until you’ve been to Malaysia, you really can’t appreciate what an oven it is – it’s the toughest race of the year physically, and a place where good base fitness carried over from the winter will stand you in good stead for the race.

“I won here in 2009 in some of the worst conditions I’ve ever experienced in a racing car – it was like driving through a river at some spots. Whatever the weather throws at us this year, I think we can have another strong weekend.”

Martin Whitmarsh, Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: “Sepang is a demanding, high-speed circuit that is likely to showcase the performance of those cars with the best levels of grip and downforce, and which can best manage the tyres at what will be their hottest and toughest test so far.

“It goes without saying that Malaysia will be hot. It’s not only a severe test of each car’s cooling solutions, and with track temperatures expected to be between 20 and 30degC higher than anything else we’ve seen this year, tyre management will also be crucial.

“As with every season, we’re pushing hard to bring developments to the car for every race. We don’t think Melbourne showed us the best of our competitors’ pace, so that only makes us more motivated to bring as much performance to the table as possible.

“On paper, it looks positive: we were pleased that our Melbourne upgrade worked as expected, and the car’s performance around the high-speed elements of Albert Park suggests it will be able to cope around Sepang.

“Despite this, the reality is that there was a gap to pole position, and we finished second and not first. Our target is to close that gap and get Lewis and Jenson into a position where they can win.”

[MIKA27]

Mercedes preview the Malaysian GP

Michael Schumacher: What do you enjoy, and what are the unique challenges, of the Sepang International Circuit?

"Let's put it like this: we consider Malaysia as one of our home Grands Prix, so it obviously gives us a big boost to go there and have the support of PETRONAS and the Malaysian people. The track itself is great as it gives you a wide variety of possibilities during every lap. You can take multiple lines through some of the corners, which is something you can do hardly anywhere else. I have always liked driving there, and I look forward to doing it again."

The team had a difficult time in Australia. What do you expect from the second race?

"There is absolutely no doubt we want to do better than in the opening race, which was a disappointment for all of us. We clearly see that as a challenge and it is much too early to write us off. Everybody in the team remains positive and is in a fighting mood. So I expect a better weekend for us to come; a weekend we can build on."

Nico Rosberg: How do you rate the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia?

"To be honest, Sepang is my favorite circuit on the Formula One calendar. It's fast and challenging with a nice layout and a real variation of corners which make it an exciting track to drive. Last year I qualified second and achieved the team's first podium of the season. I have a good feeling coming back here this year and hope to achieve a good result at the home race of our title partner PETRONAS."

Are you expecting a better weekend in Malaysia?

"We had a tough weekend in Australia but the team has worked hard and we are confident that the car will be running reliably in Malaysia. Melbourne is a unique circuit and we know that we will have a much better understanding of our level of performance after the next races. I think we can surprise people next Sunday. We know that the car is fast from the last test in Barcelona, so now we have to work on proving that potential."

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: "As the home race of our title partner, PETRONAS, the Malaysian Grand Prix is a very important and prestigious race for our team. The whole team enjoys our annual visit to both Kuala Lumpur and the Sepang International Circuit, and the unparalleled hospitality of our friends from PETRONAS and the Malaysian fans.

"We endured a difficult weekend at the first race of the season, despite having reasonable expectations after completing a successful testing programme in Barcelona. We suffered a number of problems which resulted in a far from optimum car for qualifying and the race, and then were unlucky to suffer a disappointing double retirement for Michael and Nico.

"Our priority since Melbourne has been to regroup back at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth, to review the weekend in detail, and to establish the best way to achieve the full potential of the car from Malaysia onwards. How we respond to the disappointment of Melbourne, and the challenges we faced, will be a true measure of our team."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "The Sepang circuit presents many challenges. It has a wide variety of corners with varying radii which demand good aerodynamic stability and efficiency from a Formula 1 car. There are four major braking events during the lap, and extreme climatic conditions are the norm in Sepang, with high temperatures and humidity - which create a high likelihood of rain in the late afternoon during both qualifying and the race.

"The Malaysian Grand Prix is one of our home races, with our title partner PETRONAS headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, and Nico scored the first podium for our team last year at this circuit with a third-place finish.

"Since the first race in Australia, we have worked hard in Brackley and Brixworth to analyse the reasons behind, and to solve, the reliability and performance problems which hampered our first race weekend of the season. Our target is to be in better shape in Malaysia."

[MIKA27]

Virgin Racing preview the Malaysian GP

Timo Glock: "Malaysia is one of the hardest races on the Formula 1 calendar and one for which fitness is very important. The heat and humidity are really punishing and so this is where the physical training really pays off. I feel like I have got back on track very quickly with the fitness side of things and I am spending the time between Australia and Malaysia making sure I am fully acclimatised and ready for the challenge.

"I have lots of good memories from Malaysia - I finished on the podium in 2009 after chasing the leader, Jenson Button, before the race got red-flagged due to the big rainstorm. The Sepang track has a lot of character and it's very physical, with Turn 14 being one of the toughest corners of all. It's a race I will enjoy so we will try to make the best of our current package and aim to get both cars to the finish."

"I really learned a lot in Melbourne and I was very happy with the weekend as a starting point."

Jerome D'Ambrosio: "I really enjoyed the whole experience of my debut Grand Prix. I learned a lot in Melbourne and I was very happy with the weekend as a starting point, so I'm looking forward to more of the same in Kuala Lumpur. I do know this track - the Sepang International Circuit - as I competed here in GP2 Asia. It's a really interesting circuit layout and the challenge of racing in these tough conditions gives you a lot of satisfaction because it's the best way of finding out just how fit you are. I think our focus will be on trying to do a better job in qualifying and getting both cars home again. Small but important steps for us until we get to Europe."

John Booth: "This round of long-haul races means there are few developments we can bring to the car until the next significant upgrade for Turkey. Our focus for now is on gathering as much data as possible to plough back into the development cycle to ensure we can go on to make those bigger steps through the season. This time last year we were struggling with reliability issues that were preventing us from finishing races. This year we've demonstrated that we are on top of that and that is a much better starting point to build upon. We know what we have to do, so whilst that work is taking place behind the scenes, the best job we can do is to keep bringing cars home and focusing on smaller incremental steps.

"After the cool temperatures in Australia, we now move on to Kuala Lumpur where the fierce heat and humidity are a major challenge for cars and drivers up and down the grid. The Monsoon-type downpours that we see - and which we have stopped races in the past - also represent a good opportunity as they displace the usual order and turn things into a bit more of a lottery - good for us and good for the fans.

"The Sepang International Circuit has two very long straights, an elevation change and fast corners which make the racing good fun for the drivers. Of course nobody has run the Pirelli tyres in the kind of temperatures we are likely to experience in Sepang. In Melbourne we did not have the degradation levels we had been expecting after the tests in Spain, and it may well be that there will be another surprise in store in Malaysia.

"Timo is an old hand here but it will be Jerome's first time at Sepang, and not only will he have the circuit to learn - which he has been doing on the simulator - he will also have his first experience of driving a full Grand Prix distance in the Malaysian heat and humidity."

[MIKA27]

Red Bull preview the Malaysian GP

Sebastian Vettel: "Malaysia is the first real track we go to, as Australia is a semi-street circuit. It’s hot and rains everyday, but the question is when and how much? It will be a tricky one. Circuitwise you’ve got everything in there: Turn 14 requires you to brake the car while you’re still turning into the corner, which makes it quite challenging."

Mark Webber: "Malaysia is a sensational circuit. It always provides an interesting race, especially with the weather. It’s a great challenge for the driver too in terms of temperature and we’ll need to see how the tyres go there. We got a lot of information from the first race and we expect our car to be good in Malaysia – I want to get some champagne and up on to the steps."

[MIKA27]

Team Lotus preview the Malaysian GP

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: "Team Lotus returns home and we are all excited about the race ahead. There will be three teams here with links to Malaysia but only one team that has Malaysian blood running deep in its veins, with Malaysian staff contributing to our growth at every level and which has been built from the ground up in the same style as Formula One’s grandee teams. We are enormously proud of what we have already achieved in just 18 months and we have done it through hard work and dedication, not by buying seemingly instant success through stickers on a car. We will continue to work extremely hard as we develop the car and the team, this season and for many years to come, but we will not rush into anything. Our team is growing in the right way, just like AirAsia has done, and when we look back in years to come history will show that by laying solid foundations now we will achieve long-term success."

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "We left Australia with mixed feelings about the race. Heikki's pace in the early laps was a good step forward for us, and Jarno's race pace took us close to what we showed in the pre-season tests we can do, but we did struggle all weekend with the tyres and a couple of small issues that we have now had time to resolve back at the factory. The conditions at Sepang should suit us more favourably. I think the track temperatures will help us show more of the car's true pace and as the layout it is quite similar to Barcelona - relatively high aero and a good mix of low and high speed turns - I think we will be able to extract more performance from the car than we were able to in Melbourne. The whole team is excited about the challenge ahead - they are energised by the huge local support we have and that will help us all put in a performance that will do our fans proud."

Heikki Kovalainen: "Malaysia has a combination of all kinds of cor­ners. The first few corners are very slow chicanes, then turns four, through five, six, seven and eight are very fast and you need to have a really good balance there. Then towards the end of the lap there’s two very difficult braking points, corners where you’re turning and braking into the corner. I think it’s turns 11 and 13, both right-handers. You can take a couple of deeper lines there. Those are the main points. Getting your braking stability right in those kind of corners is one of the key elements to making a good lap time in Sepang.

“Physically it’s one of the toughest races, maybe together with Singapore which is also very dif­ficult. It’s something we start preparing for im­mediately after Australia. I arrived in Malaysia immediately after Melbourne and I started preparing the hydration and working with my nutritionist to prepare for the race itself. If you prepare properly it’s no issue. I’m looking forward to it - I enjoy be­ing in the heat and I’m not distracted by it at all ."

Jarno Trulli: "I'm really fired up for this weekend's race. This is our home race and we want to do our best to make the fans proud of us. There will be a lot of support for us in the stands and having been here for a week I've already seen that the level of support has gone up a lot since last year, so whatever happens it will be a great weekend for us.

"I've been keeping busy since arriving and spent a couple of days up in the Malaysian hills training on my bike with a local pro team and that's given me an outstanding preparation for what is always a tough weekend in the car. Sepang is a very challenging track. It's technical and it pushes the drivers and the cars very hard but we believe that the package we have can help us have a good weekend here in Malaysia and I am really looking forward to seeing how the car responds in the heat. In a perfect world we would be able to do something amazing in front of our home fans, but let's see. It's still early days for us, and while we are clearly closer to the midfield teams than we were a year ago we still have some time to make up, so I think we are all being realistic and working very hard to continue moving forward this year."

[MIKA27]

Horner doesn't expect a Red Bull walkover

Christian Horner has played down his Red Bull teams dominance over their competitors, denying the 2011 season will be a walkover for the outfit.

That comes despite Sebastian Vettel qualifying almost eight tenths ahead of second place man Lewis Hamilton, an ominous result for the McLaren team and more so Ferrari with Fernando Alonso a further six tenths behind the McLaren.

When asked if the season would be a walkover for Red Bull, Horner replied: "I totally doubt that will be the case.

"We know Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso will be hugely competitive at forthcoming races," he told the BBC.

The Red Bull team principal is under no illusion that McLaren and Ferrari will make huge performance gains over the next few races, allowing them to challenge the Milton Keynes team.

"We can't underestimate our rivals," he added. "Ferrari with the heritage, quality of personnel and resources they have, they will come back strongly with Fernando maybe at the next race.

"And we saw the steps McLaren made from being woefully uncompetitive [during pre-season testing] to being right there with some modifications."

Red Bull won't make it easy though, Horner is confident his team can out-develop their rivals to stay ahead.

"It will effectively be an arms race this year in terms of development and getting performance from the car.

"We take nothing for granted, there's no sense of throttling back because we think we're competitive - we're very keen to build on the performance we saw in Melbourne at the weekend."

[MIKA27]

Rosberg: We can surprise people in Malaysia

Mercedes endured a difficult start to their 2011 season after a double-DNF at the season opener in Melbourne last weekend.

Nico Rosberg is confident the team can fight back in Malaysia in just over a weeks time having improved the reliability of their cars following an investigation back at their Brackley factory.

"We had a tough weekend in Australia but the team has worked hard and we are confident that the car will be running reliably in Malaysia," he said.

"Melbourne is a unique circuit and we know that we will have a much better understanding of our level of performance after the next races."

The German finished on the podium at last years race and expects to surprise once again.

"I think we can surprise people next Sunday," he added. "We know that the car is fast from the last test in Barcelona, so now we have to work on proving that potential."

[MIKA27]

Massa warns against too much DRS usage

Felipe Massa has cautioned the FIA against running the drag-reduction system (DRS) on both straights in Malaysia.

The governing body have the power to change where, when and how the system is used throughout the season. They are yet to confirm where the system will be used in Malaysia, but it is expected to be on the start/finish straight.

Massa is against such an idea, saying it would make overtaking too easy, despite the system not proving too beneficial in Australia.

"With the moveable rear wing, the situation will be interesting here, because for the moment, the plan is to be allowed to use DRS during the race on the straight in front of the pits, but at Sepang, the straight that runs back the other way is actually longer," he told the official Ferrari site.

"It is also true that it would offer a higher chance of overtaking. So, we are waiting for the final decision from the FIA to see if we use DRS on the front straight, the back one or both.

"The right decision could make the race more interesting for drivers and the spectators too. Personally, I am not sure that allowing DRS on both straights is the best option, because I think it might actually make overtaking too easy. You have to get the right balance between helping the chances of overtaking and having almost too much passing."

The Brazilian is of the opinion that drivers will use the system to get closer to the lead car on the longer back straight, before making an overtaking move on the start/finish straight.

"At Sepang, the two straights follow one another, so if you are quicker than the car ahead, you might not even try and pass on the first straight, preferring to get well prepared and as close as possible, before then having a simple overtaking move on the second straight," he added.

[MIKA27]

Russian GP 'on track' for 2014 debut

The Russian Grand Prix circuit in Sochi is on target to make its 2014 debut, according to Dmitry Chernyshenko, president of the Sochi organising committee.

"It's well on track," he told the Reuters news agency.

The event could be put on hold though if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decide that the event will conflict with the cities 2014 Winter Olympics.

Chernyshenko is confident that the two events will however complement one another.

"It was decided that the IOC will review the final feasibility study at the forthcoming executive project review in May and they will see the real construction design document to realise the overlapping with the Olympic infrastructure.

"It's a great project in terms of creating the additional legacy and to fulfil the Olympic Park with the post-Games activities," he added.

"There are pure endorsement and mutual benefits for both Olympic Games and Formula One project.

"It [the race] will not impact on the timeframe of the preparation for the Games."

[MIKA27]

Toro Rosso drivers not talking after crash

Toro Rosso drivers Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari had a falling out last week after the two collided on the opening lap of the Australian Grand Prix.

The situation doesn't look to have improved, with Swiss newspaper Blick reporting that the two sat in front of one another on the flight to Malaysia, without speaking during the 12 hour flight.

Buemi told the newspaper that neither could agree on who's fault it was, refusing to discuss the matter further.

"We spoke after his foul in Melbourne," said the Swiss driver.

"We both had a different opinion. I hope he does the right thing now and respects me. I don’t want to say anything more about it."

Buemi managed to finish 8th in Melbourne after the disqualification of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi.

He admitted he felt sorry for the team, but knows they'll fight back and make for a challenging battle at the coming races.

"I felt sorry for the Sauber team, but they are fast enough that they will succeed again soon.

"We will have a good fight with Sauber and also Williams."

[MIKA27]

Steering wheel & Fitness with Rosberg

Nico Rosberg takes a look at a modern steering wheel for the 2011 season, featuring KERS and the new drag-reduction system (DRS).

With so much talk before the season opening race in Australia about the pressure on the driver having to remember and operate several buttons, dials and switches - Rosberg takes a moment to explain what everything does.

The Mercedes driver also discusses the level of fitness a driver requires to compete in a race in the second video.

[MIKA27]

Force India preview the Malaysian GP

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal:

Q. How would you review the Australian Grand Prix?

We were confident about our reliability ahead of the first race in Australia, but we were eager to continue work on improving our race pace during the free practice sessions. We can now expect our cars to finish among the top 10 and in the points. Both drivers drove exceptionally well and to score points from the start of the season is very encouraging. We shall be able to make some further developments to our race pace over the coming weekends, although I'm pleased with the progress of the VJM04 and all the hard work by the team at the factory. I am very much looking forward to the next race where I'd dearly like to see both cars coming home in the points once again.

Q. On this current form, what are you now expecting in Malaysia?

I think we have every reason to be confident, but the weather often plays a big role over the Malaysian weekend. Adrian drove a great race there last year and brought home 10 championship points, so we have something good to build on. The VJM04 has shown us that we are capable of being in the points already, so let's hope we have a clean race this week with no incidents.

Adrian Sutil:

Q. Adrian, what was your verdict on the Australian Grand Prix weekend?

It was quite an interesting weekend I think! Everybody thought that it would be challenging with the tyres, wing, all the buttons and everything you had to do. The car was not so bad as we had expected as the pace was not there during testing in Barcelona. But here it was much better; in qualifying and in the race both cars finished in the points, so overall it was a good team result.

Q. How do you think the VJM004 and Pirelli tyres performed?

Our car performed quite well. We didn't have too high expectations after the last test, so our main target was to finish the race. We achieved that with both cars and even scored some points. I'm very happy about this result and hope it continues like that for the next races. The Pirelli tyres performed very well and they did a very good job in general.

Q. You had a great race at Sepang last year with a P5 finish, collecting championship 10 points. Is it a track you enjoy?

Malaysia was a great race last year, one of my best results, so I am really looking forward to racing there again. It's a challenging circuit and with a good balance on the car you can definitely enjoy driving it. It is also usually an interesting weekend from a strategy point of view because you don't know how the rain is going to affect the teams, so it is challenging, but exciting too.

Paul Di Resta:

Q. Paul, how was your first Force India F1 racing weekend?

It was a fantastic experience, one I have waited many years for, and it was better than I could have imagined. I think it all worked out beyond our expectations in terms of performance and we have some exciting times ahead, hopefully, when we start to see the new aero packages coming through. We have got off to a good start with a double-points finish in the Constructors Championship; we could not have asked for more than that.

Q. What are you doing this week to prepare for your next back-to-back races?

I was back in Europe for some simulation work, an engineering session with some new upgrades scheduled, followed by race prep for Malaysia and China to get into the finer details of set-up. I'm going to Malaysia early this week to do some training in the heat and to acclimatise to the time difference.

Q. You have driven at Sepang before, what are your thoughts of the track?

I participated in FP1 last year, but did not complete a great deal of laps. I really enjoyed the track, although the heat and humidity is much tougher than anywhere else we drive on the calendar. It will be interesting to see how we perform there and I am very much looking forward to my second race with the team.

Nico Hülkenberg, test and reserve driver:

Q. Nico, how was your first Friday session and Grand Prix weekend with Force India?

My session was a bit tricky with only one set of tyres, but I enjoyed it and we could gain some useful data, so it was a positive session after all. During the other sessions it was sometimes hard for me, because seeing the others drive I'd rather have sat in the car as well! Anyway, I am happy with the result and three points achieved at the opener is a good result for the team.

Q. What were you doing between races?

I was in Emmerich with my family for some days, but there isn't too much time as we will depart for Malaysia at the beginning of this week.

[kgoings]

Cant wait for this race! I am so happy the season is here and racing is ON! Gonna grab a cigar and watch the Practices/Qual/Race this weekend!

[MIKA27]

Cant wait for this race! I am so happy the season is here and racing is ON! Gonna grab a cigar and watch the Practices/Qual/Race this weekend!

Likewise KG!

[Hacigar]

Hello,

I got today my F1 Tickets

wow

[kgoings]

Hello,

I got today my F1 Tickets

wow

Awesome! Take some pics and post them!

[MIKA27]

Hello,

I got today my F1 Tickets

wow

NICE!!!

I keep all my ticket stubs from previous seasons as well as passes each time I now get tickets for the grandstands. At the Melbourne GP I tend to get each season the same seats at the MOSS STAND row A8. I love looking at the tickets, they are quite unique.

Enjoy the race Hacigar and please post some pics if you do not mind.

[MIKA27]

Track changes for Brazil after fatal crash

The Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit in Interlagos is set for safety changes following an unfortunate accident which killed stock car driver Gustavo Sondermann last Sunday.

The country's motor racing federation Confederacao Brasileira de Automobilismo (CBA) has asked the FIA to advise them on changes needed to improve safety following the accident.

"Today I have asked the FIA to send a safety inspector," CBA president Clayton Pinteiro told Agencia Estado.

A similar accident happened in 2007 at the same corner, Curva do Cafe. The installation of 'softwall' barriers hasn't solved the issue, hinting that major track layout improvements are needed.

"We have not found a solution to improve so now races will start with a yellow flag in that stretch.

"I think there is no other recourse than the expansion of the run-off area for this corner."

That would involve the demolition of permanent grandstands to expand the run-off area which is almost non-existent on that particular corner. Any changes would require authorisation from the local authority as well as homologation from the FIA - without which would deem their F1 race license void.

[MIKA27]

Hispania's new front-wing could bring 7-tenths

The Hispania team will receive a major boost to its pace on Friday after their new 2011-spec front-wing passed the FIA's mandatory crash tests.

The Spanish outfit were forced to use their 2010-spec wing at the opening race in Australia after the new version initially failed the tests.

It will be flown out to Malaysia just in time for the first practice session of the weekend where Hispania hope to complete as many laps as possible as they look to make the 107% qualifying cut.

Vitantonio Liuzzi is more confident of making the race, with the wing expected to bring between five and seven tenths of a second.

"We are motivated and positive because we should have the front wing," Liuzzi told reporters in Malaysian.

"Everything has been okayed from today, so we should receive it before the beginning of the session tomorrow."

"We have a lot of new parts arriving and we are positive we will be in a much better shape than in Australia."

MIKA: Wow, so now the other teams will only lap them 1.5 times....

[MIKA27]

Horner offers brief 'flexible-wing' explanation

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has called for an end to the constant complaining from his outfits rivals about their so called 'flexible front-wing'.

Rivals, fans, commentators and the media have all been discussing Red Bull's front-wing since the start of the 2010 season when it was first noticed to be bending under load during the Chinese GP.

The comments were again sparked at the Australian GP a fortnight ago, with McLaren's Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton questioning the legality of the car.

Horner offered a rather simple explanation as to why the wing appears lower than McLaren's.

"McLaren have developed a car that has a very low rear-ride height, and therefore a low front wing for them doesn't work.

"We run quite a high rake angle in our car. So inevitably when the rear of the car is higher, the front of the car is going to be lower to the ground.

"It is obvious science, and therefore our wing complies fully with the regulations. It will look lower to the ground because the rake in the car is higher, but it is simple mathematics."

Whether or not people will believe the explanation looks unlikely as several videos and photos show the wing bending under increasing pressure, rather than it being much lower when stationary as Horner suggests.

The 37-year-old says the complaints are rather flattering, but made it clear they must stop as the FIA is yet to find anything untoward on the car.

"We take it is a compliment to be honest with you," he said.

"I think our front wing has been tested more than any other in the pit lane, and it complies with the regulations, which is what we have to do.

"We don't have to pass a McLaren test, we have to pass an FIA one, and it complies fully with that.

"McLaren have developed a car that is effectively a different philosophy to ours.

"So the benefit we see from the front wing is different to the one they would see, and that is the basis behind it fundamentally."

[MIKA27]

FP1: Webber dominates opponents in practice

Red Bull's Mark Webber topped an action packed free practice one by over 1.6 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.

The Australian set the early pace going into the Malaysian GP weekend, completing 22 laps, the fastest of which was a 1:37.561, the only man to go into the 1:37's.

The drama started with Narain Karthikeyan's HRT coughing and spluttering smoke as it left the pitlane, the Indian opting to stop on-track at turn three.

Then came Nick Heidfeld's right-front brake failure which caused the brake pad to stick in place, gripping the tyre, stopping it from turning and resulting in a puncture.

The German nursed the car back to the pits with sparks flying from the rear as the plank rubbed along the track surface.

Renault's worrying day only got worse with Vitaly Petrov suffering a similar fate, although in much more spectacular fashion. The Russian's front-left exploded sending him into a spin and into the gravel with debris littering the track at turn nine.

Tyre/brake failures were the subject of the session with Jerome d'Ambrosio ending up in the gravel after his suspension seemed to fail under braking, ripping the wheel from his car.

Malaysian GP Free Practice 1 Results:

01. M. Webber Red Bull 1:37.561

02. L. Hamilton McLaren 1:39.316

03. M. Schumacher Mercedes 1:39.791

04. N. Hulkenberg Force India 1:40.377

05. P. Maldonado Williams 1:40.443

06. F. Massa Ferrari 1:40.453

07. N. Heidfeld Renault 1:40.525

08. R. Barrichello Williams 1:40.581

09. F. Alonso Ferrari 1:40.601

10. N. Rosberg Mercedes 1:40.646

11. A. Sutil Force India 1:40.734

12. D. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:40.734

13. J. Alguersuari Toro Rosso 1.40.770

14. K. Kobayashi Sauber 1:40.872

15. J. Button McLaren 1:40.927

16. J. Trulli Team Lotus 1:41.620

17. S. Vettel Red Bull 1:41.627

18. S. Perez Sauber 1:41.642

19. T. Glock Virgin 1:42.154

20. J. d'Ambrosio Virgin 1.42.540

21. D. Valsecchi Team Lotus 1:44.054

22. V. Liuzzi Hispania 1:45.228

23. N. Karthikeyan Hispania 1:46.267

24. V. Petrov Renault 1:47.932

[MIKA27]

FP2: Webber leads again, McLaren duo close

Mark Webber made two in a row by topping both FP1 and FP2. The Australian managed a lap almost eight tenths quicker than his first practice time.

Jenson Button got close, within five thousandths, followed by team-mate Lewis Hamilton a further tenth behind, showing McLaren almost have the pace to challenge.

Sebastian Vettel topped off the top four with a time of 1:37.090.

Michael Schumacher topped the 'best of the rest' over a second behind Vettel. The German was followed by a strong showing from Felipe Massa.

The session wasn't as eventful as FP1, though a few drivers went off-track for brief periods of time. Most notably Pastor Maldonado whom made contact with the barrier as he entered the pitlane.

Jerome D'Ambrosio failed to set a single lap following his FP1 accident.

Malaysian GP Free Practice 2 Results:

01. M. Webber Red Bull 1:36.876

02. J. Button McLaren 1:36.881

03. L. Hamilton McLaren 1:37.010

04. S. Vettel Red Bull 1:37.090

05. M. Schumacher Mercedes 1:38.088

06. F. Massa Ferrari 1:38.089

07. N. Rosberg Mercedes 1:38.565

08. N. Heidfeld Renault 1:38.570

09. F. Alonso Ferrari 1:38.583

10. J. Alguersuari Toro Rosso 1:38.846

11. P. Maldonado Williams 1:38.968

12. R. Barrichello Williams 1:39.187

13. V. Petrov Renault 1.39.267

14. K. Kobayashi Sauber 1:39.398

15. S. Perez Sauber 1:39.603

16. P. di Resta Force India 1:39.625

17. A. Sutil Force India 1:39.809

18. S. Buemi Toro Rosso 1:40.115

19. T. Glock Virgin 1:40.866

20. J. Trulli Team Lotus 1.41.890

21. N. Karthikeyan Hispania 1:43.197

22. T. Luizzi Hispania 1:43.991

23. H. Kovalainen Team Lotus 1:44.886

24. J. d'Ambrosio Virgin