MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Hamilton warns team: I exist to win Lewis Hamilton has warned McLaren they need to provide him with a winning car if they want to secure his signature on a new contract. The McLaren driver, who started his F1 career with the Woking-based team back in 2007 winning the Drivers' Championship a year later, has yet to sit down with his team bosses to discuss a new deal. McLaren, though, have reportedly put a £100 million contract on the table, which would run for five years. However, Hamilton says he will wait until the summer break after the Hungarian GP to discuss his future. "We haven't sat down and discussed anything yet but I'm sure over the summer break, when we have the summer break it would be nice to get something in place," he told R-Sport during a visit to Moscow. "That would be a time when we can be more relaxed and make the most sensible decision for the future." But that decision, Hamilton is quick to point out, will not be tainted by this year's trials and tribulations which has seen several mistakes from McLaren cost him dearly. "To be honest, you have to base your decisions on much, much longer than such a short period of time," he said. "Only half a year cannot decide six years of partnership, or actually 13 years of partnership. I've been with them since I was 13, so it's 14 years, so it's much more than these small details, it's a much, much bigger picture. Having said that, though, he was also quick to point out that if McLaren want him to re-sign, they will have to produce a winning car. "There are lots of things to take into account. These people have supported me; these are the people that got me into Formula One. "But, you know, I want to win. I'm not that young any more so I want to make sure that whatever I do I make the right decision so I can maximise my career, you know. I just need to make sure that I'm winning. "That's what I exist for, that's what I train and work for every day."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Sauber in no hurry to set 2013 driver lineup Peter Sauber has revealed he does not feel rushed to commit to a driving duo for 2013. With top five teams Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Lotus all now expected to keep their current lineups beyond this season, the impressive midfielder Sauber could in theory boast one of the paddock's hottest vacancies. Sergio Perez and his sponsor Telmex look likely to keep their Ferrari ambitions in check for at least another season, but there is real pressure on Kamui Kobayashi, who has failed to match up at the wheel of the sister C31 so far. The Japanese's latest faux pas was at Silverstone, when he bowled over his pit crew. Blick newspaper reports that one of the mechanics will skip Hockenheim in order to have surgery on his injured thumb. According to Bild newspaper, chief mechanic Urs Kuratle backed Kobayashi: "He's a really great guy. It just happens -- it was a mistake." However, behind the scenes, it is rumoured that Sauber team management have been less than impressed with not only Kobayashi but also Perez at times in 2012. Writing in Blick, Swiss correspondent Roger Benoit said the pair are "both hoping for a new contract, because they are not on the wish lists of other teams. "And many drivers would run barefoot to Hinwil to drive the C31." Regarding the 2013 lineup, Peter Sauber is quoted as saying: "We are not under time pressure." Chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn added: "We have failed to score points this season several times and for a variety of reasons. "In hindsight it doesn't help to pine for those points, as now we have to move forward. Plus we've got two strong drivers. "Sergio has been on the podium twice this year, and Kamui has been able to shine with a fourth in qualifying and a fifth in a race. "Both have a fastest race lap to their names," she continued. "We have everything it takes to wind up the first half of the season in a positive way."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Williams co-owner denies rumor of Damon Hill leading F1 squad Williams co-owner Toto Wolff has slammed rumors Damon Hill is being lined up to be the famous British team's new boss. Chairman Adam Parr shocked the F1 world earlier this year by suddenly leaving the Oxfordshire based squad. Founder and boss Sir Frank Williams, despite no longer sitting on his own team's board, has revealed he has assumed some of Parr's former duties. And the next step in the saga was recent rumors that Hill, Williams' world champion of 1996, could now move into a management role. Since stepping down as president of the Silverstone-owning British Racing Drivers' Club, the 51-year-old returned almost full-time to the paddock in 2012 as a television pundit for the broadcaster Sky. But according to German-language Speed Week, Williams' Austrian shareholder Wolff slammed the Hill rumor. "Who said that?" he told the journalist Gerhard Kuntschik. Asked what truth there is to the gossip, Wolff added bluntly: "Nothing."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 'Step nose' fix not mandatory for 2013 F1 fans might need to get used to the unseemly sight of this year's 'stepped noses'. Earlier this week, we reported FIA race director Charlie Whiting's quote that he is "aware of the dissatisfaction of the fans" about the questionable physical appearance of the field of 2012. With the exception of McLaren and Marussia, every car on the grid this year features an odd 'step' in the nose profile; the result of a safety regulation compromise. But although Whiting has discussed the situation with team technical directors, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the proposed solution for 2013 will not be mandatory. Rather, teams will be allowed to smooth the 'step' with what the German publication refers to as a "structurally irrelevant" covering or layer. But the report by journalist Tobias Gruner insisted there is no guarantee the teams will actually take the bait. "Most probably we have to get used to the step," Sauber designer Matt Morris agreed. "I assume they will stay just the same for next season."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 HOW THE F1 TEAMS WILL APPROACH THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX AT HOCKENHEIM: Hockenheim alternates as host of the German GP with Nurburgring and the last event in 2010 was famous for Ferrari's notorious team order, "Fernando is faster than you" to Felipe Massa. This should be an interesting race from a strategic point of view as Pirelli has never raced in F1 at the new Hockenheim and so the teams will be working hard during the practice sessions to figure out the best strategy for the weekend. The temperature will be critical to the outcome. The shorter Hockenheim track was inaugurated in 2002 and is well known to the F1 teams, but the last time the race was held there, it proved quite tough on the Bridgestone tyres and it is expected to be the same this year. It is a short lap at Hockenheim, the cars come around every 73 seconds or so. The first part of the lap has two long straights and only two corners and it is notoriously difficult to warm the tyres up on a cool day. Pirelli is bringing its soft and medium tyre compounds to the race this year, the sixth time this combination has been seen in ten races so far this season. The last occasion was Valencia. Track characteristics Hockenheim 4.574 kilometres. Race distance 67 laps = 306.458 kilometres. 17 corners in total. A shortened version of the classic Hockenheim track, the circuit has a mixture of all types of corners. Aerodynamic setup Med/High downforce. Top speed 326km/h (with Drag Reduction System active on rear wing) 312km/h without. Full throttle 65% of the lap (medium). Total fuel needed for race distance 150 kilos (average/high). Fuel consumption 2.33kg per lap (ave) Time spent braking: 15% of lap. 7 braking zones. Brake wear- Heavy. Loss time for a Pit stop = 12.8 seconds Total time needed for pit stop: 16.8 seconds. Fuel effect (cost in lap time per 10kg of fuel carried): 0.31 seconds (ave) Form Guide The German Grand Prix is the tenth round of the 2012 FIA F1 World Championship. It has been a very open championship so far with seven different race winners in nine races. Only Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber have won twice and they are the leading championship contenders. Red Bull and Ferrari are the two form teams at the moment. McLaren dropped back in the last two races and are in need of an upgrade, while Lotus has been threatening to win a race, but lacks the qualifying pace to get control of a race from the start. As far as drivers' form is concerned; Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have won the German Grand Prix twice, Mark Webber has won it once and Michael Schumacher has won it four times. Weather Forecast The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim is often held in warm conditions, although there have been some wet races too. This year's forecast is for warm weather, in the mid to high 20s, but some thunderstorms are possible. Likely tyre performance and other considerations Pirelli tyre choice for Hockenheim: Soft (yellow markings) and Medium (white markings). This is a similar combination to what we saw in the first four races of the season and again at Valencia. If it is hot the tyres will suffer at Hockenheim with thermal degradation, which means that they have a sudden drop off in performance beyond a certain point, usually when they are around 70% worn. It has several slow corners and the acceleration out of these causes longitudinal sliding, while some of the medium and higher speed corners put a lot of energy into the tyres and increase the degradation. It's important to prepare and warm up the tyres properly for a qualifying lap and it's tricky to do that on the first part of the lap, which has few corners and it's easy to get understeer. Our tyre model based on the previous races where soft and medium were used, indicates that the medium tyre could be the preferred race tyre with two stints on new medium tyres following an opening stint on used softs for the leading cars. Number and likely timing of pit stops It is likely to be a two or three stop race, depending on the temperature. If the temperatures are high (35 degrees or more of track temperature) then the tyre degradation could be severe, as it was in Bahrain on these tyre compounds. That race was a three stopper, but some teams like Lotus and Sauber, which are more gentle on tyres, might manage to do one less stop in that scenario. It's likely that we will see soft/medium/medium as the preferred strategy with the first stops around lap 15 to 17, opening up a window for a two stop race. Chance of a safety car Since the new Hockenheim track was opened in 2002 there have been two safety cars in seven Grands Prix. There was a safety car in 2004 for a crash at the start, another in 2008 due to an accident. Recent start performance The start of the Grand Prix is absolutely vital in terms of executing the ideal race strategy. A few places gained means a team has more options, while a few places lost usually means switching to Plan B and being more aggressive to make up ground. As far as 2012 start performance is concerned drivers have gained (+) or lost (-) places off the start line this season, on aggregate, as follows Gained: +27 Massa +19 Glock, +17 Alonso +16 Kovalainen +15 Perez*** +14 Senna +13 Vergne +11 Raikkonen, Kobayashi**** +10 Maldonado****, Pic +6 Di Resta *****, Karthikeyan +5 Schumacher*, Hamilton, + 1 Vettel Held position: Button Lost: -1 Hulkenberg , De la Rosa ****, -2 Petrov***** -3 Grosjean** **** -5 Webber -8 Rosberg -18 Ricciardo* * Senna, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg were all involved in accidents on 1st lap in Australia ** Schumacher and Grosjean collided on Lap 1 in Malaysia, Senna and Perez pitted for wet tyres on opening lap ***Perez punctured on lap 1 in Spain and went to back of field **** Eliminated by or involved in first lap accident in Monaco ***** Di Resta eliminated lap 1 at Silverstone, Petrov did not start (This is an aggregate figure intended for guide purposes only for places gained off the line, less places lost. Anomalies like first corner eliminations are not included) Pit Stop League Table Of course good strategy planning also requires good pit stop execution by the mechanics and we have seen tyre stops carried out in less than two and a half seconds by F1 teams. It is clear that the field has significantly closed up in pit stops. The league table below shows the order of the pit crews based on their fastest time in the British Grand Prix, from the car entering the pit lane to leaving it. The positions from previous race are in brackets. Worth noting is that McLaren has been working on its pit stops and they now have the fastest stops of all the teams, by some margin. Also Marussia's sixth place in the table is significantly higher than their position in the championship. 1. McLaren 2.6 secs (1) 2. Ferrari 3.2s (2) 3. Red Bull 3.2s (3) 4. Mercedes 3.2s (4) 5. Sauber 3.2s (8) 6. Marussia 3.3s (11) 7. Lotus 3.4s (6) 8. Force India 3.5s (5) 9. Toro Rosso 3.7s (9) 10. Williams 3.7s (10) 11. Caterham 4.2s (7) 12. HRT 6.8s (12)
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 ECCLESTONE "WOULD BE INTERESTED' IN F1 RACE AT OLYMPIC STADIUM: Bernie Ecclestone says he "would be interested" in staging a Formula 1 race in and around the Olympic Stadium site should a proposal to turn the venue into the centrepiece of a new Grand Prix track, which was confirmed as being among four bids for the future tenancy today, succeed. The London Legacy Development Corporation, which is charged with promoting and delivering physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration of the Olympic Park in East London following the end of the 2012 Games, which begin on July 27, confirmed in a statement that a bid from "Intelligent Transport Services in Association with Formula One" was up against two local football clubs, West Ham and Leyton Orient, and the UCFB College of Football Business in taking on the lease of the stadium from 2014. "Following an extension to the bidding period, the Legacy Corporation can today reveal that it has received four bids for the venue. Bids from West Ham United, Intelligent Transport Services in association with Formula One, UCFB College of Football Business and Leyton Orient will now be assessed to ensure they are compliant, before being evaluated ahead of negotiations," the statement read. "These bids could add to the legacy uses already secured for the Stadium. It is already set to become the new national home for athletics and host to the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships." The Daily Telegraph first revealed details of the F1 proposal by the mystery Wanstead-based ITS firm last month and while Ecclestone confirmed at the time he had been approached, said he hadn't put his name to the bid document. With the proposal now officially announced, Ecclestone has tonight told the Bloomberg news agency: "A race in London would be great for the city. We've told them it's a good idea and we would be interested." The F1's supremo's desire to stage a race in the British capital is well known and was underlined further earlier this month by his enthusiastically public endorsement of the unveiling of what had only been intended to be a fantasy central London circuit by British GP and McLaren sponsor Santander, Ecclestone even suggesting he would put up the money himself to turn the idea into reality. Although his comments at the time were greeted with much media spectism, Ecclestone insisted in an interview with the Guardian last week that he hadn't been joking and plans for a London GP were indeed afoot. "We are getting on with it. It is no joke, 100% completely no joke," he said.
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Vettel flattered by Ferrari reports Sebastian Vettel admits he is flattered by reports that Luca di Montezemolo sees him as a possible Ferrari driver, but insists he has no agreement with the Italian squad. The double World Champion has been strongly linked with a move to Ferrari in recent months with some reports even suggestion he already has a verbal agreement with the team. Ferrari president Di Montezemolo and team principal Stefano Domenicali have also expressed their admiration for him with the latter saying the German and Fernando Alonso could "easily co-exist" as team-mates. However, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has on several occasions dismissed the rumours. The reports, tough, refuse to go away and Vettel was once again asked about a potential move to Ferrari by German tabloid Bild. He replied: "I am honoured that Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo see me as a possible Ferrari driver. "It is clearly flattering, but there is no signal from me. I have not signed, nor agreed with a handshake. "But if you would ask the 24 drivers in Formula 1 if (they) would like a career with Ferrari, then all would say: Yes! And it is the same with me. It is just an awesome race team, but it has to fit on all sides. Who knows, maybe everything is different and then suddenly I go somewhere else. "It may even be that I never go anywhere else in my career, because there simply is no better package than Red Bull." The 25-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the 2014, also insisted that he is happy to stay with the Milton Keynes squad. "I've almost grown up with Red Bull, we are a family, I like the atmosphere here in the troops," he said. Vettel says he is determined "take care of this season" rather than focus on speculation about his future. "It is very tight at the top. This is crucial because I want to defend my title and that is hard enough this year," he said. "I can not and will not concern myself with what can happen in the future. Alonso recently said that he was first rumoured to have signed a Ferrari contract in 2005. It then took until 2010 before he became a Red. In between were five years. "
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 F1's London GP plans move forward London's ambitious plans to host a street race have moved another step forward after it was confirmed that the project is now officially under consideration. London Legacy Development Corporation has revealed that the Formula One circuit as well as three other schemes have submitted bids to use the Olympic Stadium. Football clubs West Ham and Leyton Orient and the University College of Football Business, who are an affiliate of Bucks New University, are the other three. An LLDC statement read: "Following an extension to the bidding period, the Legacy Corporation can today reveal it has received four bids for the venue. "Bids from West Ham United, Intelligent Transport Services in association with Formula One, UCFB College of Football Business and Leyton Orient will now be assessed to ensure they are compliant before being evaluated ahead of negotiations." Preliminary talks about using the stadium as a circuit took place between F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Intelligent Transport Solutions Ltd last month. Ecclestone, though, is yet to throw his full weight behind the project, claiming ITS Ltd are a firm "bidding for use of the stadium, not to own it" adding that "they came up with a scheme whereby Formula One would race around the stadium, inside it, outside it. They wanted to make sure I would be interested."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Karthikeyan: HRT belong in F1 Narain Karthikeyan insists he has no regrets over his decision to stay with HRT this season, saying the team's new management has helped to turn their fortunes around. The Spanish-based squad continue to languish at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship and they have generally struggled to match fellow strugglers Marussia. Karthikeyan says they have come a long way since the first race of the year. HRT failed to take part in the Australian Grand Prix after qualifying outside the 107 per cent margin, but they have reached their mark in the last eight races. "We have come a long way since the disappointing season-opener," the Indian told the Deccan Chronicle. "It was a low point as I never thought I would be a spectator in Melbourne. But I never regretted the decision to continue with HRT. The team used to work like a GP2 outfit, but a change in the management has showed that they belong to Formula 1." He added: "The car has improved a lot compared to last year's, to be precise two seconds faster. It's much more reliable. In the last few races we have proved that our car is quick in qualifying but we haven't yet shown it in a race situation." Karthikeyan is also confident they will continue to improve and move closer to Marussia. "Exciting time ahead as the team is working on several upgrades," he said. "Mechanically the car looks fine now; so the team's focus is on bringing more changes in the aerodynamics when the season resumes after a month-long break at Belgian GP in the first week of September. We are expected to run a lot more closer to Marussia. I am excited about the upgrades especially with the Indian GP scheduled for the second half of the season." As for his future in the sport, the 35-year-old said: "Formula One is a complicated business, but I would love remain with HRT as I am very comfortable dealing with this management. I know the team's plans for the 2013 car and it's expected to be much more advanced. So I am excited about it."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Massa hopes to stay at Ferrari Felipe Massa is optimistic that he will remain at Ferrari beyond the current season providing he continues to improve. The Brazilian's current deal runs out at the end of the year and for most of the season it looked like Ferrari would not renew his contract as he wasn't delivering results wise. The likes of Mark Webber, Sergio Perez and Paul di Resta were named as possible replacements by the media, but both Ferrari and Massa have preferred to remain coy about their future plans. Webber has since dropped out of the equation after signing a new Red Bull contract while Ferrari are adamant they are yet to make a decision on their 2013 line-up. Massa, meanwhile, has stepped it up when it comes to on track performances as he backed up Fernando Alonso's P2 with a fourth place at the British GP - his best result in two years. The 31-year-old believes he will stay put at Ferrari if he continues to deliver results. "I think if we keep working like that and keep improving the car and working, I don't see a reason why I cannot be here," he is quoted as saying by Autosport. Massa struggled during the first few races of the season, picking up just 11 points in eight races, but he believes he is finally coming to grip with the F2012. "I feel much more comfortable, and driving in the direction that I like," he said. "I feel there is a lot more to come. "This is the direction we need to keep working; to improve the situation every race and to make a different Championship for myself from now until the end of the season."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Pirelli says it will let F1 teams decide if experimental hard tyres makes race debut Pirelli will leave it up to the Formula 1 teams to decide if a new experimental hard tyre is brought into use at races this year, ahead of plans to test it at the German Grand Prix this weekend. After plans to trial the new compound at the British GP were dashed by the weather, Pirelli has rearranged its schedule to give each driver two sets of the rubber for use in Friday practice at Hockenheim. The new tyre has a wider operating window than the hard version that has been used up until now - and this characteristic should make it easier for the teams to work with. Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said earlier this year that he is reluctant for the new tyre to automatically replace the current hard, because he does not want it to have an impact on what is a tightly fought world championship battle. However, speaking ahead of the Hockenheim weekend, he has made it clear that if the majority of the teams would prefer the new rubber to be introduced for racing then his company would oblige. "The new hard tyre is not a big evolution, but it has a slightly wider working range, which should make it easier for the teams to get the tyres up to temperature and maintain them in the correct operating window," explained Hembery. "We're running them in Friday free practice only as with the championship so finely balanced, we feel that it would be unfair to suddenly alter one of the fundamental parameters that the teams have made a lot of effort to understand and get the most out of. "But we enjoy a very productive dialogue with them, and we will always take into account the wishes of the majority. It's certainly going to be interesting hearing what they have to say about the new tyre, and seeing if their impressions match up to the conclusions that we have drawn from our private testing." Pirelli has already nominated the soft and medium tyre compounds for use at its first visit with F1 to Hockenheim.
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Mansell thinks Schumacher could stay in 2013 Nigel Mansell, who was still a grand prix winner at 41, thinks Michael Schumacher could keep racing beyond his 44th birthday. Whether the seven time world champion signs a new contract with Mercedes is regarded as probably the key to the 2013 driver market. 1992 world champion Mansell said of the great German: "He seems to still be having fun driving, he's been on pole, he was third in Valencia -- he still has the speed. "If he continues to want it then he could still be around for some time," the Briton said on Austrian Servus TV. So what would Mansell's advice be? "That's a question for Michael and Mercedes," he answered. Last week, Schumacher gave an interview that was interpreted as a strong hint that he wants to stay beyond 2012. Now, he is quoted by the SID news agency: "I'm used to my statements being interpreted. But it's just interpretations and speculation. "There will be a time when, together with the team, we make a decision and then announce it," said Schumacher. And then he dropped another hint. "We are in a building phase that is extremely exciting and I enjoy being a part of it," he said. "It's nice being able to focus 100 per cent on my passion."
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Ferrari only 15th most valuable sports team Ferrari has only just scraped into the top-15 in a list of the world's most valuable sports teams. Forbes magazine said English football club Manchester United tops the list with an estimated worth of $2.23 billion, ahead of Real Madrid and then a roll-call of American football teams. The Dallas Cowboys is worth $1.85 billion, tied for third with the New York Yankees baseball team. F1 has only two teams in the top-50, the fabled Italian squad Ferrari ranked fifteenth with an estimated value just over $1 billion. That is 3 per cent higher than last year, while McLaren's estimated value dropped 2 per cent to $800 million, with Forbes saying main backer Vodafone is reviewing the sponsorship deal. "McLaren would be hard pressed to replace Vodafone at comparable levels," said Forbes. "McLaren also faces the free agency of Lewis Hamilton, who is one of the most marketable drivers in the sport," the report added.
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Grosjean, Maldonado the crash-kings of 2012 - report Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado are the crash-kings of 2012, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. The publication has calculated that Lotus' Grosjean would be ahead of Nico Rosberg in the drivers' championship had he kept his nose clean so far. In Melbourne, he crashed with Williams' Maldonado; in Malaysia, he had contact with Michael Schumacher, and in Barcelona his rival was Sergio Perez, and at Monaco and Silverstone he came to blows on the first laps. "In total Grosjean could have 18 more points in his account," the journalist Michael Schmidt concluded. Venezuelan Maldonado's botched points deficit is even higher. In Melbourne he crashed alone, in Malaysia with his Williams teammate Bruno Senna, at Monaco with Pedro de la Rosa, at Valencia with Lewis Hamilton and at Silverstone with Sergio Perez. Mexican Perez said two weeks ago: "He has no respect for other drivers. I don't know why the stewards don't take more action against him. "We are risking our lives out there and if they don't do something he will hurt someone." Auto Motor und Sport said Maldonado's crashing has cost him no fewer than 45 points -- many more points than he has actually collected so far in 2012.
MIKA27 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Caterham moves into former Super Aguri factory Caterham has announced it will move into its new factory after this weekend's Hungarian grand prix. It emerged in January that the Tony Fernandes-led team would relocate to the former Arrows and Super Aguri facility in Leafield, Oxfordshire. From its 2010 inception, the former Team Lotus has been based in Hingham, Norfolk. "With Leafield open for business, we have put in place the next vital stage for the continuing development of all the Caterham Group businesses," said Malaysian entrepreneur Fernandes, referring not only to his F1 team, but also Caterham's GP2 and road car arms. "The first task is to refurbish the whole site and prepare it for a long and successful future," he added. Fernandes said the refurbishment will be finished in late October.
MIKA27 Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Vettel insists Webber not Red Bull favourite Sebastian Vettel insists his bid for a third consecutive drivers' title remains on track. But with his teammate 16 points ahead and now fully signed up for 2013, while rumours of a Ferrari switch continue to swirl around Vettel, one theory is that Red Bull could be set to throw its full weight behind Mark Webber's campaign. Vettel doesn't think so. "Both Mark and myself can go for the title; the team supports us equally," the 25-year-old told Bild newspaper. "He (Webber) is doing very well, but I firmly believe that the championship is absolutely possible for myself. "With victory at Hockenheim, the situation would immediately look very different," insisted Vettel.
MIKA27 Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Haug plays down Vettel-to-Mercedes likelihood Norbert Haug has indicated that Mercedes is not currently in the running to secure Sebastian Vettel's services. Although the extension of Michael Schumacher's contract appears likely, the cockpit alongside Nico Rosberg is theoretically open for 2013. "We will sit down with Michael and make a decision together," Mercedes' motor racing director Haug told DPA news agency. "There is no rush." Scottish racer Paul di Resta has been named as a possible successor to Schumacher, with Haug confirming that Mercedes will "not necessarily" look to pair Rosberg with another German. "We are always looking for the best drivers available. That was the case even with Nico and Michael," he insisted. But what about Vettel, who is under contract to Red Bull for 2013 but possibly not 2014? Again and again, Ferrari is mentioned as a possible next employer for the reigning double world champion, but what about Germany's unofficial national team? When asked how big Mercedes' interest is in the 25-year-old German, Haug answered: "Not so big that we need to talk about it in the media."
MIKA27 Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Todt wants Michelin back in F1 - report A German magazine is reporting that FIA president Jean Todt wants Michelin to consider returning to formula one. Pirelli's three-year contract as the sport's official sole supplier ends next season, with boss Paul Hembery indicating that an extension is not guaranteed. Replying to a direct question on Twitter about Pirelli's plans for F1 beyond 2013, Hembery said recently: "If they (F1) want us and if the economy stays sane, yes (we will stay)." Michelin, however, has said previously that it would only consider coming back to F1 - where it competed with Bridgestone between 2001 and 2006 - if the sport ends its current single-supplier rule.
MIKA27 Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Kovalainen, Alguersuari eye 2013 Sauber seat Heikki Kovalainen and Jaime Alguersuari have emerged as possible candidates to move to Sauber next year. Rumours indicate that one of the duo could replace Japanese Kamui Kobayashi in 2013. Finland's Turun Sanomat claims that Peter Sauber regards Kovalainen, who is on the market after three seasons with the 2010 startup Caterham, as a potential Sauber driver. The 30-year-old driver is quoted as saying: "Personally, my goal is to return to the top positions, but I don't know where. I haven't talked to anyone. "It is clear that I want at least to be in the points battle again. "I feel comfortable with this team (Caterham), I have established my position, and I think what we have built is in the right direction. "If the momentum is enough, it makes no sense to throw away all the work. But I am no longer a boy," he insisted. Another candidate is Spaniard Alguersuari, the former Toro Rosso driver who this year is testing tyres for Pirelli. "Next year I will be again racing, 100 per cent," he is quoted by EFE news agency. And Marca newspaper also quotes Alguersuari as saying: "There are a lot of possibilities and offers. "I am sure that next year, whether or not there are many (driver) movements, I will be in formula one again. "Obviously I'm not asking for a car to win, only a team that gives me the ability to be among the top ten consistently. "This year, (it would be) teams like Williams, Sauber and Force India. A team with these characteristics," he said.
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 SEBASTIAN VETTEL COOLS FERRARI TALKS AS GERMANY FEELS THE PINCH ON F1: Sebastian Vettel has denied that he has any kind of understanding with Ferrari, despite persistent rumours that a mechanism is in place which could take him to the Scuderia in 2014. At the same time the news coming from Vettel’s home country Germany around F1 is not positive, with only 54,000 tickets sold for this weekend’s German GP at Hockenheim – at least 20% down on expectations – and news that the Nurburgring has been denied any governmental bail out to settle its debts. Vettel took the opportunity of an interview in Bild newspaper, the leading tabloid in Germany, to make it clear that he has no arrangement not even under the table, with Ferrari, “There is no sign on my part, I’ve not signed anything nor have I agreed anything with a handshake.” Vettel goes on to heap praise on Ferrari as an “awesome” team, which “all 24 drivers on the grid would say yes to, given the chance, and that includes me.” Vettel says he’s honoured that “a man like Stefano Domenicali or Luca di Montezemolo see me as a Ferrari driver.” So although he kills off the rumour that he’s on his way there in 2014, he leaves the door well and truly open for the future. But if you look closely at what he says, he makes it very clear that any move away from Red Bull would be all about a wide range of circumstances, primarily ensuring that he would be moving into a competitive package. Vettel in a Ferrari. It was the same with Alonso back in the early 2003/4, when he broke through with Renault and started looking like the real deal. He was constantly linked to Ferrari and had even agreed a testing contract before his F1 debut, but switched to Renault which was offering a race debut after a year of testing (replacing Button) and where he would not have to drive alongside Michael Schumacher. After Alonso pulled out of that agreement with Ferrari, Jean Todt its then boss was very angry and that is why, when it came time to replace Schumacher, he passed over Alonso and went for Raikkonen. Eventually the Scuderia came for Alonso and he is now their captain. But Vettel is clearly the next target. With his interview in Bild he has set himself up for a possible future at the team, but also made it clear to those who care to look, that a competitive car is the priority. He is fighting against one of the most competitive fields in F1 history and he’s not going to let his heart rule his head. Vettel will be seeking his first win on home soil this weekend. But it’s a tough moment for F1 in Germany, with ticket sales sluggish, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport and news that the Nurburgring could soon slide into insolvency as the circuit has been denied a lifeline from the European Union to help with its debt problems, after its dramatic expansion and development programme of recent times. Nurburgring alternates with Hockenheim as host of the German Grand Prix and is an iconic circuit, one of the most important symbols of German motorsport history.
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 MCLAREN: CAR UPGRADES AND UNDERSTANDING TYRES 'TOP OF TO-DO LIST' McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is promising the team’s underperforming MP4-27 will feature a number of “quite noticeable” upgrades at Hockenheim this weekend, as the Woking team bids to close back up in the championship battle before the summer break. The team’s general slip in competitiveness relative to traditional main challengers Red Bull and Ferrari, along with the consistently threatening Lotus team, in particular since the opening rounds of the season has been underlined by its failure to record a race finish higher than eighth in the last two races, with its wretched Silverstone result representing the team’s worst two-car finish since 2009. Even before the British GP, which the team had initially entered with confidence, McLaren had flagged up that it would introduce a bigger upgrade package in Germany and today Whitmarsh revealed a snapshot of what that the developments entailed – with revised sidepods a key element of change. “The sidepods from the front to the rear are quite different so you’ll notice those and there are other bits and pieces that the sharper-eyed will see,” he said in the latest pre-race Vodafone phone-in with journalists. “And clearly there are some parts which are hidden to the naked eye. They are the main area of modifications. They will be reasonably noticeable.” Whitmarsh believes the now perennial 2012 problems of getting Pirelli’s tyres in the correct operating range was the main contributing factor behind McLaren’s Silverstone struggles, with the team experiencing graining on the soft tyre in the race. “I think for everyone, not just McLaren, trying to understand how to work the tyres correctly is quite a substantial challenge. So eliminating mistakes, improving the performance of our car and understanding the tyres and seeing if we can exploit them better are all on the top of our to-do list,” he added. In wake of Lewis Hamilton’s comments earlier this week that he would look to resolve his McLaren future one way or the other during the summer break, Whitmarsh also reitrated his confidence that the 2008 world champion would sign a new, multi-year deal to take him into 2013.
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 Do a Lap of Spa from an F1 Drivers Perspective - video For the first time ever, the technology is available to give viewers an eye-level look at what a driver sees at speed while driving a Formula 1 car. It would be one thing to ride along with Lucas di Grassi around the challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit, seeing what he sees, looking through the corners, checking the shift lights, hitting your entry points and experiencing Eau Rouge at full chat. But this video takes it a step further, as you power around Spa in the wet, trying to find the fastest way around without losing precious traction that would send a car off to the point of no return. You start in the garage and make an entire lap, and don't lose it coming back to pit lane!
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 F1 Did-You-Know? There are millions of stories in the F1 paddock and many interesting bits about the series, cars and drivers that are not very well known. Below are a few of these. Feel free to share any that you know! 1) There are 80,000 parts on an F1 car. If the car is 99.99% reliable, there are still 8 parts on the car that will fail. 2) A conventional valve spring can't recover from compression fast enough to keep up with an engine turning at 18,000 rpm, so F1 valves are moved pneumatically. 3) For street races like Monaco and Singapore they have to weld shut all the manhole covers otherwise they'd be sucked out from the downforce the cars produce. There is an underground parking garage that they fill the entrance with gravel, then pave over it. The pavement is taken back up and the garage reopened every year. 4) Only Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill have won consecutive F1 races in the same country. 5) The tolerances of the cylinders and pistons are so tight, that when cold, F1 engines are effectively seized. And that an F1 engine cannot be started until the block is heated to a sufficient temperature that the cylinders walls expand and allow the piston to move freely. 6) Graham Hill is the only driver ever to win the Monaco GP, Indianapolis 500 and take the overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 Warwick is Germany's driver steward Derek Warwick will make his fifth appearance as the driver's representative on the stewards panel at Hockenheim. The 57-year-old has previously performed the duties at last year's races in Turkey and Abu Dhabi and again this season in Spain and Hungary. The Briton turned out in 146 grand prixs, racing for the Toleman, Renault, Brabham, Arrows, Lotus and Footwork teams. It was during the tail-end of his F1 career that Warwick was most successful, becoming World Sportscar Champion in 1992 and winning the Le Mans 24 hour the following year. Warwick will be joined on the panel by Paul Gutjahr ,a Formula One steward since 1995, and Tim Mayer, FIA delegate to the USA.
MIKA27 Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 Whitmarsh expects Hamilton to stay McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh is confident that Lewis Hamilton will sign a new long-term contract with the team. Hamilton's current deal comes to an end this year and there has been great speculation that the former World Champion will look to leave the team he has been associated with since his was a teenager. McLaren have been a step behind Red Bull and Ferrari of late and Hamilton indicated earlier in the week that while loyalty counted for a lot, winning was what he raced for and as such, he wants a car capable of winning. "There are lots of things to take into account. These people have supported me; these are the people that got me into Formula One," he told R-Sport. "But, you know, I want to win. I'm not that young any more so I want to make sure that whatever I do I make the right decision so I can maximise my career, you know. I just need to make sure that I'm winning. "That's what I exist for, that's what I train and work for every day." Whitmarsh says he expects the 27-year-old to extend his stay with the team and that a few bad races will not change how he views McLaren. "I'm expecting that we will," Whitmarsh said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in. "Lewis has been a member of this team for a long time. We have been concentrating on a season - I think there's been more speculation, more concern, more interest in this situation in the media than perhaps within the team or in Lewis' mind. We appear nowadays to be asked questions about it but I don't think it occupies as much time in our minds as it does in column inches. "I don't [think poor form could harm McLaren's chances of retaining Hamilton], because we're going to the next two races trying to win as we go to every race, and I think Lewis is more intelligent than that and I would hope so is most of the media."
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now