FORMULA 1 - 2013

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Was Hamilton’s move to Mercedes only about money?

One of Formula 1′s most respected and experienced insiders believes Lewis Hamilton’s switch from McLaren to Mercedes was motivated by money and inspired by his ambitious management team, who are more interested in generating lucrative deals than racing.

“If you compare the two (teams), you must come to the conclusion that there were no sporting reasons for him to leave McLaren,” Tony Dodgins, a veteran British journalist, is quoted by the Swiss magazine Speed Week.

“No, I think it’s because Lewis is strongly driven by his management,” he added.

Dodgins is referring to Simon Fuller, the American Idol creator who has handled the 2008 world champion’s career since his split with father Anthony Hamilton.

“Fuller is obviously a highly successful manager,” said Dodgins, “but I would not call him a racer. I’m not even sure if he is interested in the sport.

“No, this management is extremely money-oriented,” he added, referring to Fuller’s abilities to exploit the fortunes of his clients beyond their mere retainers.

“Fuller strongly advised Hamilton to go to Mercedes, for the simple reason that he could make more money than if he was at McLaren,” said Dodgins.

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Toto Wolff: My neck is on the line

Toto Wolff concedes his "neck is on the line" if Mercedes fail to improve under his watch.

Earlier this year, Wolff joined Mercedes as the German manufacturer's new motorsport boss, a move that included the Austrian buying shares in the Formula One team.

"As they (Mercedes) know I have put my neck on the line they know that I have no room for failure," Wolff told the official Formula 1 website.

"Not only have I taken a personal risk by leaving Williams - where I have enjoyed working - but there is also a financial and economic side to it. There is a huge amount of trust on both sides and I am very happy having joined."

Last season Mercedes secured just one race victory before plummeting to fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

Pressed as to what is on his 'to-do list' for this season, the 41-year-old insists he first wants to get a feel for the team before making any changes.

"I could say as much as I like that I had no involvement in the 2013 car - which is actually the truth in terms of car performance - but that doesn't count.

"I have been here for two weeks but nobody cares whether I've been here one year or one week.

"I have taken up the responsibility so it is important to get a feeling for the people, and I have a good feeling for most of them. If it is not going in the direction I want, I will implement the structure that I think will work."

He added: "Power is not the issue - understanding the structure and making the right decisions is the core.

"I don't right now, but I am there to represent Mercedes, I am there as a shareholder and I will do everything it needs to make this team successful. First it is watch and listen, and then I will give my opinion and execute my opinion."

As for his goals for this season, Wolff wants the team "in the top four and is a regular frontrunner."

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'Hulkenberg is a great reference'

Esteban Gutierrez is "very grateful" to have Nico Hulkenberg as his team-mate, saying the German is a good benchmark.

Last season, his second as a F1 race driver, saw Hulkenberg finish 11th in the Drivers' Championship, outscoring team-mate Paul di Resta by 63 points to 43.

Nico Hulkenberg's performances saw the German linked to a move to Ferrari although that failed to materialise when the Italian stable re-signed Felipe Massa.

Instead Hulkenberg opted to join Sauber where he will partner rookie racer Gutierrez this season.

And it's the Mexican driver who is hoping to benefit the most from having Hulkenberg in his team.

"Nico is for me a great reference," Gutierrez told Autosport.

"He has three years of experience, and also his level of communication with the team is very high.

"For me at the beginning it is important to have a good reference and I am very grateful to have this base to then progress to my potential.

"He is very open to work with, we have a good communication so far and generally the mentality is similar, so that's positive."

Gutierrez had his first taste of Sauber's C32 at Jerez where he spent two days in the car, completing 252 laps with a best time of 1:18.669.

"For me it's a new team because I have never been directly involved. It's a great time to adapt to all the procedures and the operations.

"We tried different seats, pedals and tyres and in general the car was very positive. The main point was trying to look for consistency and we achieved that.

"Thankfully I feel very comfortable and I did a lot of laps.

"The neck is quite stiff which is something I have to keep working on but it's not a big issue. On the other things I feel good."

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Ricciardo: Not impossible to win

Daniel Ricciardo is refusing to rule out claiming a win this season, saying Sebastian Vettel proved back in 2008 that anything is possible.

Ricciardo, who is entering his second season as a Toro Rosso driver, has big goals for this campaign as he is chasing regular top-ten results, a feat he managed just six times in 20 last year.

Added to that the Aussie wouldn't mind a podium or two, something Vettel achieved in 2008 when he won the Italian GP in the rain for Toro Rosso.

"I think our goal should be to become the best team after the 'big fight', so we'd be racing with - and beating - Williams, Force India and Sauber," he told crash.net.

"For me, [the aim] is to be in the points regularly and, if possible, get some podiums.

"It's not easy of course but, maybe with rain - thinking about what Vettel managed - then it's not impossible to win with Toro Rosso. Vettel's victory is a motivation for us, to show us what is possible."

Should the 23-year-old emulate Vettel's success, that would likely put him in the driving seat to replace Mark Webber at Red Bull in 2014.

"What I have to do is have a good year and then let's see," Ricciardo added. "I know what I have to focus on right now.

"Last year, our car was not competitive enough, but we'll see what we can do this time."

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Horner: 2014 is a risk for everyone

Christian Horner says F1 could undergo a dramatic change to the pecking order next season when the new engine regulations come into effect.

Next season Formula One bids farewell to the current 2.4 litre V8 engines and welcomes in a new era of 1.6 litre turbocharged V6s.

With the new engines comes a new set of challenges as the same races on this year's calendar will need to be covered using 50kgs less fuel than at present while still getting a power output of 750hp.

Red Bull will be sticking with Renault power through the change with Horner admitting F1's pecking order could be altered if an engine supplier or team misses the mark.

"I think that for sure 2014 is going to be a risk for everyone," the Red Bull team boss toldAutosport.

"Nobody knows where anybody is with their respective engines at the moment, and you can see within Viry [Renault's engine headquarters] there is a lot of determination and a lot of good work going on.

"Renault has a tremendous track record and we have a lot of faith in the engineers at Viry. You can see where they are with their programme, while Mercedes and Ferrari are also pushing extremely hard as well.

"The racing in F1 next year could be quite different, and there could be more focus on economy than absolute performance. It will be an interesting challenge.

"We have confidence in our engine partner, but we will only know in 2014."

The Brit also rubbished suggestions that Ferrari and Mercedes could have the upper hand next season as they produce both the engine and the chassis.

"I think we have an extremely good relationship with the guys in Viry. And we have a clear [works] status with Renault," Horner added.

"There has been an awful lot of exchange of design ideas, and the way you integrate your chassis and your power plant into your chassis is a clear element.

"Whether it is Mercedes in Brackley dealing with Brixworth or Milton Keynes dealing with Viry, that relationship I would assume is reasonably similar."

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Berger: Path to F1 very loose

Gerhard Berger believes the road to Formula One needs to be streamlined as there are "too many" series out there.

As the FIA's new Single Seat Commission President, Berger is keen to ensure that the most talented drivers make their way into Formula One.

However, the Austrian, who raced for Ferrari, McLaren and Benetton during his 14-year F1 career, says that doesn't always happen.

"The Commission looks at everything between karting and Formula One and I find the pyramid at the moment is very loose," Berger told the FIA's InMotion magazine.

"There are too many championships out there and attention between them is split too much.

"People are complaining that the best drivers are now all spread out and so you cannot look at the British Formula Three Championship, for example, and say that he is certain to get to Formula One.

"These days the best drivers are all over the place: one in Formula 3, one in GP3, one in Formula Renault and one in Formula Abarth.

"The system no longer does what it is supposed to do, which is to give a highly-talented driver a CV he can use to progress to Formula One."

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Valsecchi: The next aim is to get into F1 and I’m moving closer

Italy do not have an F1 driver on the grid this year, but in Davide Valsecchi they have one on the sidelines as Lotus reserve driver. The reigning GP2 Series champion spoke about the new development in his career.

You were announced as the Lotus team’s third driver just a couple of weeks ago – how is it going?

Davide Valsecchi: Well, I’m really happy of course that the team want me to be here and I’m excited about the future. I hope that this is a really good start to a career in Formula One. I’ve been with the team at the first test in Jerez already and it’s been great to get involved and into the way that they work on track.

We couldn’t not mention your GP2 Championship win with DAMS last year; do you see your role as third driver as the next step in your Formula One career?

DV: I very much hope so, and that step by step I will eventually become a full time competitive Formula One driver. I now have a great opportunity at Lotus F1 Team – I will continue to do my best whenever the team needs me for something, and whenever I have the chance I will try to show all my best qualities. I definitely do see this role as the next step; last year I won the GP2 Championship, so the clear next aim is to get into Formula One, and I’m moving closer. If I do the best job I can this year then it will open up my chances for the future, and we’ll see then if I’m good enough.

You also had a very successful day with the team at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi last year, how important do you think that opportunity was to show the team your talents and skills?

DV: The Young Driver Test was great and the day I had with the team was fantastic. Before the test I had not really spent much time in a Formula One car, and to get the opportunity to have a full day’s testing was an incredible experience. I was thankful to Lotus F1 Team to give me the chance, and I knew that I was in a position to do well as I was about to drive a car that, just two or three days earlier, Kimi had won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in! The day itself went very well, and I managed to top the timing board which made me very happy.

Tell us a little bit about you and your path to where you are today, where has all this passion and desire for Formula One come from?

DV: Well, I grew up in a little town in Italy north of Milan, called Eupilio. My father and some of his friends had a great passion for go-karting so I started when I was very young. I used to go with him, until one day they let me try it. I turned out to be ok, and as they started to see my quality I began to take it more seriously and it became a job for me. I’ve always loved watching the Formula One races, and really I’ve been interested in all types of racing. To be honest, anything with an engine gives me great passion, so it was something natural and single-seater racing is something I was strong at. I love motorbike racing too!

What’s the aim for this year and the plan for the season ahead?

DV: My last year in GP2 was something I really focussed on, and in the end I succeeded. Now in Formula One my target will be a little different, but what I’m sure is that every day I will do the very best job that I can and give Lotus F1 Team the same passion and commitment that I showed last year.

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Lotus owners Genii announce RUF partnership

Lotus F1 Team owners Genii Capital have expanded their involvement in top level automotive excellence by becoming a strategic partner to specialist vehicle manufacturer RUF Automobile

Genii Capital is delighted to announce that it has become a shareholder and strategic partner to German automobile manufacturer RUF, which will see Genii Capital founding partner Gerard Lopez become the non-executive chairman of the board.

RUF – established in 1939 – is synonymous with high performance vehicles based on the Porsche platform. It is classified as a manufacturer in its own right by the German government and produces a range of high performance cars including the 750 horsepower CTR3; the latest in a lineage from the iconic 1987 CTR ‘Yellowbird’ which was the fastest production car in the world when it was launched, with a top speed of 342kmh (214mph).

Genii will further enhance the RUF branding in emerging markets, while using its Business Exchange platform to identify new strategic opportunities. A centrepiece will be the in-house developed, high performance, light weight V8 engine.

Gerard Lopez: “RUF is a fantastic brand with a loyal customer base and a global brand name. It is cars like the CTR (Yellowbird) and its successors that have build RUF’s legend. Today the brand is also connected to younger generations through its appearance in number one selling driver computer games, opening the potential to new buyers across the world. To be involved with RUF, you have to be passionate about high performance vehicles and Porsche in particular, as no other company in the world shows more respect to this brand. I count myself amongst those passionate for both, so for Genii to be able to make this commitment to RUF’s future at such an exciting period in their development is particularly rewarding. The high performance vehicle market is going through a fundamental transition with emerging markets and alternative propulsion solutions paving the way for RUF’s future. In light of these developments, the Geneva Motor Show will be especially exciting this year.”

Alois Ruf: “It will soon be 50 years since I started to share my vision on a truly unique platform in automotive history; the Porsche 911. Looking forward I see a very exciting future in which we will be assisted by Gerard Lopez. I have been proud to see Gerard grow from an RUF-fascinated kid into a client – and first of all a friend – over more than 20 years and am very much looking forward to having him as a partner in RUF Automobile GmbH.”

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Caterham: No more false promises ahead of 2013 Formula 1 season

Caterham boss Cyril Abiteboul has vowed to instil a new culture of realism at the team.

After three seasons in Formula 1 that have not lived up to expectations, Abiteboul concedes Caterham has over-promised in the past.

Abiteboul was promoted to the role of Caterham team principal last September.

He believes 2012 drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov were among many people that Caterham "let down" with previous bold statements.

"The relationship with our [previous] drivers was good, but I think to some extent we let them down," Abiteboul told AUTOSPORT.

"We disappointed them just like we may have disappointed the public, the fans, the followers on Twitter, because maybe we made some promises, representations of where we wanted to be, but maybe not exactly where we were expecting to be or being realistic about where we would end up being.

"We have not made any representation that we will be fighting in the middle of the midfield at the first race to anyone [this year]. That is something we have been very clear about."

For 2013, he believes that the team should look to capitalise on every opportunity that comes its way but thinks that points will only come if it is lucky.

"I want us to make sure that we perfectly understand all that is happening on track, which is a big change from last year," Abiteboul said.

"I want us to be fully in control of why something is working or not working.

"I also want us to make sure that we seize any possible opportunities, including opportunities to score, because that is something that at some point of the season - not for the first races, but at some point - might happen.

"We might be able to catch the midfield on merit and, when there is enough activity going on on track, score a point.

"Scoring a point on merit is not something that is going to happen this year, but scoring a point when something strange is happening is not something that can be ruled out."

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THE NEW TECHNOLOGY WHICH HELPS STEWARDS MAKE KEY DECISIONS

Of all the areas within F1 which arouse controversy and debate, perhaps none is as central as the penalties handed out – or not – by the FIA race stewards.

The stewards are charged with assessing on track misdemeanours and punishing drivers accordingly; Grosjean, Maldonado, Hamilton, Petrov and others have all been on the receiving end of penalties in recent years.

But today the FIA has released some details of how those decisions are reached. An extract from a fascinating article in the FIA’s new AUTO magazine, sheds light on what the Federation calls “cyber stewarding”.

Fans expect the stewards to be able to view video footage of incidents, when making their decisions on which driver is at fault. But the technology at their disposal today goes far further than that, as the FIA’s chair of stewards Gary Connelly explains,

“First of all, we have all the video feeds — the pictures that have gone to air; the vision captured by FOM Communication TV system but which hasn’t been put to air; the closed circuit cameras around the track, and all the onboard material as well,” he says. “We have GPS tracking, which shows where cars are at any given time.

“We also have access to all the team radio transmissions, which are very important as they allow us to know if a team has warned a driver that he’s about to impede another car and whether a driver has ignored that information,” Connelly continued. “Finally, as of this summer, we can now obtain real-time telemetry from the cars. That’s really useful as we can overlay telemetry information from an incident with data from previous laps, so for example, we can tell if a driver has done something like failing to back of under yellow flags.

“Linking all this together you can come up with a complete picture of what’s going on. You have a mass of information that isn’t available to the public or the teams. That’s why decisions are sometimes taken that people have trouble understanding, but they simply don’t have all the information the Stewards do.”

FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting adds that in an effort to ensure consistency of decisions, all the incidents from recent seasons are kept on hard drives so that stewards can refer to them with repeat offenders or refer to precedents when deciding on penalties.

You can read the whole article here – http://www.fia.com/news/cyber-stewarding

*The FIA announced today that McLaren has become the first F1 team to be awarded the FIA Institute’s Environmental Award for the Achievement of Excellence. The award is part of a broader initiative between the FIA and the FIA Institute aimed at evaluating and reducing the environmental impact of motor sport. It is also the highest level attainable within the FIA Institute Sustainability Programme, which helps motor sport stakeholders to measure, improve and be recognised for their environmental performance.

FIA’s work on sustainability in motor sport focuses on these key areas: carbon footprint, human footprint, water footprint, ecosystems quality, natural resources and human health. This assessment will form the basis of the FIA’s environmental strategy across all areas of motor sport.

[Squarehead]

Interesting,we'll see how it goes in reality.

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WHY RED BULL HAS BEEN THE CAR TO BEAT IN RECENT SEASONS:

Already it is clear from winter testing that the battle at the front in F1 this year is going to be very close. It’s an important season for all the top teams – Ferrari and McLaren in particular, but also Lotus and Mercedes, are keen to put a stop to Red Bull winning the title for a fourth consecutive season, while Red Bull themselves want to keep that momentum going.

How have they managed it?

Clearly having technical chief Adrian Newey onboard is a major asset and his group’s designs and innovations through this period have kept Red Bull’s noses in front. Apart from the blown diffuser year where they dominated in 2011, the two other titles have been closely fought and have come by finding that vital edge when it comes to development.

“So why has the Red Bull been consistently the leading car over the last few years?”

This question was put to Chief Operations engineer at Williams until the end of last season. What follows is not an exhaustive analysis but gives some indications of areas where Red Bull has the edge.

“On paper they do not have the best tunnel, or necessarily the best facility,” says Gillan, “But what they do have has been stability in their very impressive technical leadership, spearheaded by Adrian Newey and his excellent lieutenant Peter Prodromou, who heads the Aero Department.

“They also have an excellent trackside support group, headed by Stefano Sordo, which is instrumental in ensuring correlation between the full scale car and the wind tunnel model and also driving the development process in the right direction.

“This group ensures that the car is wind tunnel mapped and therefore developed in the appropriate operating envelope, with the correct weightings (i.e. importance) placed on the various areas; from low-speed, high steer and yaw conditions through, to say, straight-line braking stability criteria.”

Getting the weightings right across all the various areas is key to having a car which performs aerodynamically in all situations.

“If one does not add enough weighting to an important part of the map, the car’s handling is likely to be deficient in this particular area,” says Gillan. “Red Bull Racing usually get this right.

“They are also class leaders in flow control and aeroelasticity (getting the carbon fibre wings to flex, as above), with the FIA’s latest regulations limiting front wing deflection being another attempt to diminish the impact of aeroelasticity.”

So potentially with the tough new FIA rules on flexing, this is an area where the team might have lost a little more than their rivals and this is one of the key data areas the team will have been analysing from the Jerez test.

As for their class leading flow control, Gillan says, “If one analyses the flow viz pictures (photos where the fluorescent paint is visible on the car during practice) taken of the RBR rear wing at the end of last season, one sees probably the most stable flow features on any rear wing throughout the grid.”

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Pirelli purchases 2011 HRT F1 car

Formula 1′s official tyre supplier, Pirelli, has reportedly bought an old HRT F1 car for promotional purposes.

This week, we reported that assets of the newly-defunct Spanish formula one team had been snapped up by Teo Martin, a well-known automotive component recycler.

According to AS newspaper, Martin apparently bought 2011 and 2012 single seaters as well as other assets.

But Reuters reports that another HRT buyer was Pirelli.

“The other 2011 (HRT) car has gone to Pirelli,” Martin is quoted as saying.

Pirelli has not confirmed the report.

Currently, Pirelli’s F1 test car is a 2010 Renault. Previously, the Italian marque used a 2009 Toyota.

Meanwhile, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh fears other teams are in danger of following HRT out of formula one, claiming that “of the 11 teams, seven of them are in survival strategy”.

“It’s tough,” Whitmarsh, referring to the economic situation, is quoted by the BBC.

“We have taken some measures but I think it’s going to be tough for some of the teams to have a viable business model for a few years; there’s no doubt about that.”

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Alguersuari: Formula 1 has become an auction

Former Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari vented his frustration at failing to secure a Formula 1 race seat for yet another years by claiming that the sport had become an auction for race seats, favouring money over talent.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who is now Pirelli F1 test driver, has been trying to find a way back onto the starting grid since he and Swiss team mate Sebastien Buemi were dropped by Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso at the end of the 2011 season.

He had sounded confident about his chances but those hopes have been dashed with lower-ranking teams favouring drivers who can bring sponsorship with them to help shore up strained budgets.

The only remaining vacancy is at Force India, with whom Alguersuari had been linked, whose decision now looks like a choice between their former driver Adrian Sutil and young Frenchman Jules Bianchi.

“I never imagined that after Red Bull’s incomprehensible decision not to count on me in 2012… I would have to fight so much outside the track,” Alguersuari said in a statement issued by his management.

“I have been convinced most of the 2012 season that my seat was secured in a team that usually scores,” he added. “They did tell me and I believed it to be true.

Alguersuari said he had hoped that “the value of my sporting career, and the verbal commitments received, would materialize with my return to F1 in 2013. This has not happened.

“Those who committed themselves with me have given me reasons that I must accept but that I do not share. F1 has become an auction.”

The Spaniard said he would continue working with Pirelli and had not given up hope of returning to grand prix racing despite the difficulty of securing backing in debt-stricken Spain.

“Although Spain’s economy is in the worst shape in our modern history, and except for Banco Santander no other company considers Formula One as a profitable and sustainable business, I know how old I am, I know my track record and I’m convinced that I deserve a winning car in F1,” he said.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso will be the sole Spaniard on the starting grid this season at Santander-backed Ferrari. The country’s sole F1 team, HRT, folded after the end of last season.

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2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team announced

Lotus F1 Team is proud to announce its roster of drivers for the newly launched Lotus F1 Junior Team. The seven drivers announced last Friday will be supported by the team in all areas of driving skills, physical fitness, health and nutrition, social and mental development, business ethics and principals, as well as PR training.

The seven drivers will contest within a variety of motorsport championships from the World Series by Renault Formula Renault 3.5 Series through the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 to KF category karting.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal, Lotus F1 Team;

“Lotus F1 Junior Team takes our previous i-Race Professional young driver academy and builds on it to be more closely aligned with the Formula 1 team and all the benefits brought by this association. We have announced seven highly talented drivers, many of whom will be competing against their fellow team-mates from the programme. We’re offering an in-depth and highly beneficial training regime which should encourage these drivers to develop and perform at their very best. Motorsport can be very daunting for young drivers, particularly everything that occurs away from the track, so we hope to give our drivers the very best preparation possible for their future careers.”

The 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team

• Marco Sørensen, 22, Denmark, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team
  
• Marlon Stockinger, 21, Philippines, FR 3.5 with Lotus World Series Team
  
• Alex Fontana, 20, Switzerland, GP3 with Jenzer Motorsport
  
• Oscar Tunjo,17, Colombia, Eurocup FR 2.0 with Kaufmann Racing
  
• Esteban Ocon, 16, France, Eurocup FR 2.0 with ART Junior Team
  
• Alexander Albon, 16, Thailand, Eurocup FR 2.0 team TBA
  
• Dorian Boccolacci, 14, France, Go Kart International KF category with Energy Corse
  

Q&As with the 2013 Lotus F1 Junior Team Drivers

Marco Sørensen – Denmark – World Series by Renault

How did you come to be involved with the Lotus F1 Team Junior programme?

At the end of 2011 I was contacted by Gravity Sports Management and the Charouz team to take part in a World Series by Renault test. The deal was that I had to be quickest for them to take a closer look at me which was tricky as it was a big step up from Formula 3, so it’s great to be here and I think this association with the team can only be good for my career in terms of exposure to the top levels of motorsport.

What are your targets for this season in World Series by Renault?

I had some bad luck last year where mechanical issues ended my race whilst in the lead which meant P5 in the championship when it could have been more. At the end, it all comes down to results; if you don’t perform then you won’t progress, so I’m hoping for a bit more good fortune this year and am looking forward to taking on a new challenge with the Lotus F1 Junior Team.

Marlon Stockinger – Philippines – World Series by Renault

How significant is joining the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme to your career?

It’s a great feeling to be associated with such a prestigious team. If you look back through the years as Benetton and Renault you can see that this team knows how to win championships, so to be surrounded by that heritage is a big honour for me. I really want to make the most of it and am looking forward to wearing the team colours with pride.

It’s a big year for you making the step up to World Series by Renault; what are your thoughts heading into the season?

Of course, every driver wants to win, but I understand it’s a big step moving into a new category so learning is the most important thing. Starting with testing, I need to take in as much as I can and from there it’s all about consistency and building a strong platform to progress through the ranks. I’m aiming to make a good start and develop as much as I can as the championship progresses.

Alex Fontana – Switzerland – GP3 Series

Being part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team must be a big boost to your ambitions?

Definitely! I haven’t been part of a management programme before and it’s always tough for a young driver to find the backing and experience to help you progress. Being part of Lotus F1 Junior Team will definitely help to give me those things and it’s great to have people really behind you, pushing you to do the best you can. I’m really looking forward to the season ahead.

This will be your first full year in the GP3 Series; what are you looking for from your debut season?

I competed in a couple of races last year alongside the FIA Formula 2 championship and managed to take P4 in Spa, so I have had a good introduction to the championship already. This year the cars have changed slightly and will have a bit more power so it’s not going to be an easy transition, but my aim is to prove my ability over the course of the season and hopefully move on to the GP2 Series or World Series by Renault next year. If you want to get into Formula 1 – which is the ultimate target for any young driver in single-seater categories – then these are the ideal stepping stones to the top level.

Oscar Tunjo – Colombia – Formula Renault 2.0

What does being a member of Lotus F1 Junior Team mean to you?

It’s a big motivation. Just being at Enstone, walking around the factory and learning from all the team members who have such huge knowledge of their respective areas is fantastic. On top of that, I’ve been working with people who have coached so many world class drivers over the years and their experience is something that has made a big difference to me already. It’s a privilege to be part of the team.

You’re competing in Formula Renault 2.0 for the third year in 2013; what’s the aim for the season ahead?

I had a solid start in 2011 but 2012 was a tough year for me, so now I’m even more determined to come back and push for the championship. I feel like I have all the elements in place to make a strong challenge, so my goal is to be consistently at the front of the pack in every session; taking podiums and hopefully as many wins as possible along the way. My motivation is higher than ever to perform as part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme.

Esteban Ocon – France – Formula Renault 2.0

How does it feel to be part of the Lotus F1 Junior Team?

I’m familiar with Enstone having been with the Gravity Sports Management programme for the last four years, but it’s great to be associated with a team at the top level of motorsport. I’m trying not to think too much about the link to Formula 1 as it’s important to focus on what you are doing now and not look too far into the future, but I think for any young driver that must be the ultimate goal.

You’ll be taking on the Formula Renault 2.0 series for the second season in 2013; with your debut done and dusted, what would you be happy with this year?

Winning the championship has to be the goal; even if I can’t win every race, I want to be one of the drivers at the front all the way through the season. Last year I learned that consistency is the key, so my aim is to be up there fighting from start to finish.

Dorian Boccolacci – France – KF2 Karting

You’ve been coming to Enstone since the beginning of 2012; how have you enjoyed it so far?

It’s great to be part of the team; being at the factory is a real experience and to be surrounded by people who have worked with the best drivers in the world means I have the best people to learn from. Seeing what another French driver, Romain Grosjean, has achieved with the team has also been a big inspiration to me and so to be part of the setup at Enstone is a big thing for me.

You’re competing in the KF2 World Karting Championships this year; what are your aims for the year ahead?

The goal is always to win, and if you can’t win every time then to pick up the maximum points possible through the year is the most important thing. I managed to break into the top five in the World Championships last year, so the target is to be right at the front this season.

Alexander Albon – Thailand – Formula Renault 2.0

What does the Lotus F1 Junior Team programme mean to you?

It’s great to be a part of this programme. Being at the factory in Enstone is an amazing experience and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can from my time there. Hopefully this will give me an even better chance to progress over the course of the season and put me in good shape for the future.

You’ll be tackling Formula Renault 2.0 for the second year in succession in 2013; what’s the plan for the season ahead?

Last year was a very tough one for me, so I’m almost thinking of this as my first real season. The first step will be to improve my consistency and take regular points finishes. With that baseline I’ll then be looking to push towards the top five, the podium and eventually race wins, but the priority is to take things step-by-step and develop a good solid platform to progress. Last year didn’t give me much of an opportunity to see where I stand, so I’m really looking forward to being able to show what I can do.

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'Axed drivers had their chance'

Martin Brundle says those who failed to secure seats for this season have no one else to blame as they "had their chances to shine."

At the end of last season, Formula One bid farewell to Kamui Kobayashi who failed to secure a new Sauber contract or a deal with another team.

The same fate awaited Caterham drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov while Williams said goodbye to Bruno Senna.

And although the axing of Kobayashi and Kovalainen raised a few eyebrows, Brundle reckons they had their chances.

"It's sad isn't it, but it's the business," the former driver turned pundit said during the first edition of The F1 Show for 2013. "I've always said, it's really hard to get to Formula 1 and it's even harder to stay there.

"I looked at [Esteban] Gutierrez in his overalls [at Jerez] and I thought, 'well that's going to be interesting, how's he going to go?'

"If it had been Kobayashi, you'd pretty much know how he was going to go: he'd be amazing from time to time, pull of a few great overtakes, and be on the missing list for the rest of the season.

"They all had their chances to shine. Maybe that sounds a bit brutal, but they had their chances to shine.

"Just like when I got kicked out of F1, you had your chances, nothing else was there and it's about the fresh blood."

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Webber supports 2013 DRS restrictions

Mark Webber supports the revised DRS regulations for the 2013 Formula One season, which limits its use during practice and qualifying.

The FIA changed the rules in order to improve safety. Instead of allowing unlimited use on Friday and Saturday, the drag-reducing device can now only be used at pre-determined zones.

These are the same zones used during the race.

"I think it's good," said Webber of the move. "The drivers have been pushing for it for quite a while, just to have the DRS in the sections where we have it in the race in qualifying.

"It didn't really make any sense for the teams, the drivers and the fans to run on Friday and Saturday with the DRS open. It just adds a bit more risk, and when we can manage that a bit better then why not?"

The change will also benefit the teams which previously had to account for its use throughout qualifying, therefore their chosen gearing and wing-angle were compromised for either Saturday or Sunday, depending on which session they chose to optimise their set-up for.

"I think all the teams are happy now, they can get their gearing right to make it still worthwhile to have the DRS," added Webber.

The Red Bull driver admitted it might take him a while to get used to the new regulations though.

"I'm still trying to use the DRS in a few places so I'm going to have to get used to that."

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Alonso to drive opening three days of test

Fernando Alonso will make his debut in the Ferrari F138 next week at the second pre-season test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain.

The Spaniard, who wasn't present at the first test in Jerez, will get three consecutive days behind the wheel to make up for the missed time.

Felipe Massa will drive on the final day of the test on February 22nd.

Ferrari said the decision to allow Alonso to skip Jerez was "to allow [him] to complete his training programme."

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Williams FW35 breaks cover in Barcelona

Williams F1 Team launched its 2013 race car the FW35, at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain today. The latest Williams is a culmination of more than 12 months’ research and development by the team’s technical departments in Grove and features improvements in several key areas over last year’s race-winning FW34.

“Given the rule stability over the winter,” says Williams Technical Director Mike Coughlan, “I’m pleased with the gains that we’ve been able to make with this car. It’s a better, more refined Formula One car than the FW34 and I think everyone involved in the project can feel proud of the work they’ve done.”

Despite being an evolution of 2012’s car, more than 80 per cent of the FW35 is new. It has a new gearbox, new rear suspension, new radiators, a new floor, new exhausts, new bodywork, a new nose and a significant amount of weight has been saved as well.

With many new parts on the car, the team has carried out a lot of reliability work over the winter. The gearbox alone has already completed 3200kms on the dyno, a lot of which was conducted in the form of five straight Grand Prix weekends.

Today’s unveiling of the FW35, however, with its drivers Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas is only the beginning. From here the car will continue to be developed throughout the year, beginning with an aerodynamic upgrade in time for the first race. By season’s end it is expected that the FW35 will have made strong performance improvements and Coughlan is in no doubt over the main area of gain.

“The Coanda effect is going to be a big thing for us,” Coughlan says. “There’s been no rule clarification concerning this area of the car, so we’ll work closely with Renault to maximise the available gains. Use of the DRS is more restricted this year, so we’ll take some resource away from that and focus on other areas.”

Frank Williams, Team Principal added: “A group of talented people with good imagination and plenty of courage have been working together to build the Williams Renault FW35. We will have to wait until Australia to truly see what we have, but we believe it is step forward from last year’s car which was also a very competitive vehicle. Pastor is a delightful character who is a massively determined racer, whilst Valtteri is quieter but still waters run deep and he is a highly gifted driver.

“Williams has been at the top many times over the last 30 years. It’s the nature of the sport to have ups and downs, but when we are down we always fight our way back. I’m hoping that with the current team we have in place, our new FW35, the combined talent of Pastor, Valtteri and Susie, and the continued support from our partners; we will be in a position to challenge the very best.”

Pastor Maldonado: “Starting my third season with Williams is important for both myself and the team. We’ve been working hard to develop the car and improve our performance. Last year we won a race and were competitive, but this season we must be even more competitive which I believe is possible. Consistency will be our aim to close the gap to the teams in front. There are a number of changes this season; I have a new Race Engineer and a new teammate in Valtteri, but there is a nice atmosphere right now as we are all competitive and know each other well. Being part of the Williams family is very special as a driver and I want to thank Frank for not only giving me the opportunity to drive for him, but also to deliver a win. My goal is to help take the team back to the top.”

Valtteri Bottas: “It feels great to now be promoted to race driver with Williams this season. It’s a big step and I’m really looking forward to it. I have been doing a lot of training, meeting with my engineers and working in the simulator in preparation; so I feel ready. We know we have improved our car from last season but I am looking forward to seeing how it compares on track. We have a busy test programme ahead but I’m really excited. The moment the start lights go out in Melbourne is a moment I have been building towards my whole career.”

Susie Wolff: “I’m incredibly proud and excited to have increased my role with Williams this year. It’s been a busy start for me as we awaited the arrival of the FW35 but I highly rate Mike Coughlan and his team and they have done a great job. Being the first to get behind the wheel of the FW35 at Idiada was a real honour. It was a special feeling to drive the FW35 out of the garage for the first time and successfully complete its first kilometres in front of many of the team who have put so much effort into the design and build.”

The team has eight days of on-track testing in Barcelona scheduled with the new car, prior to leaving for the Australian Grand Prix at the beginning of March.

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Pat Fry plays down reports of problems with new Ferrari F138

Pat Fry has contradicted reports Ferrari is heading into the 2013 season with another fundamentally-flawed Formula 1 car, although the F138 did end the four days at Jerez, earlier this month, with the fastest lap there were murmurings that all was not well with Maranello’s latest creation.

Last year, the famous Italian team had a memorably bad start to the championship with the F2012′s initial configuration.

Felipe Massa, however, sounded much happier with the new F138 at Jerez recently, and he set the fastest lap of the entire test week, although some reports say his body-language gave away the real story of the car’s early potential.

Indeed, Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport quotes a Ferrari source as suggesting “We have a problem” in the area of the car’s exhaust, adding: “It’s not something we cannot solve.”

Technical director Fry, however, is quoted by Spain’s Marca sports newspaper as insisting: “In most areas, we are where we expected to be.”

In terms of performance, he says Jerez was actually about “understanding” the F138, with Ferrari to begin to explore the car’s actual speed this week at Barcelona, before unveiling a big package of updates “in the third (test) week”.

Fernando Alonso has now ended his intense winter fitness training schedule and will drive the F138 on the first three days in Barcelona this week, handing over to Massa on Friday.

Fry says it’s too early to imagine the 2013 pecking-order.

“So far, nothing has drawn special attention,” he is quoted as saying. “The other cars, like ours, are a continuation of the end of last year. There will be more data for a better comparison later on,” added Fry.

And hinting that Massa’s week-best Jerez time should not be read into, he explained: “With different tyre compounds and fuel loads, it is very easy to do a good time in pre-season testing.”

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Lopez says Lotus popular because they are natural

Lotus is happy to let their star driver Kimi Raikkonen be himself, owner Gerard Lopez has revealed.

En route to his first victory since returning to F1 last year, the laconic Finn told his race engineer Simon Rennie in Abu Dhabi to “Just leave me alone, I know what I’m doing.”

Lopez told Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper: “Kimi is Kimi. It was just what he felt at that moment.

“Kimi is certainly the most honest guy in F1. That’s why so many people find him so refreshing.

“We don’t want our drivers to come out of a mould — they are what they are and they say what they say. I believe that is why Lotus is appreciated as we are. We are a natural team,” said Lopez.

Lotus immortalised Raikkonen’s radio outbursts with t-shirts and memorabilia, but the 33-year-old world champion of 2007 does not look back with any particular fondness on Abu Dhabi.

“I’d rather fight for the championship, but it didn’t happen,” he is quoted as saying.

Told how popular his Abu Dhabi radio messages were, Raikkonen added: “I just try to do my thing. It was just something that happened during the race — it wasn’t planned in advance.

“I’m not the biggest fan of the instructions,” he confided.

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Ferrari announces UPS sponsorship deal

Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached a sponsorship agreement with UPS, a leading company in the field of logistics, with a presence in over 220 countries and territories around the world.

The multi-year agreement will not simply be limited to the role of Sponsor to the Scuderia, but will also extend to the racing activities run by Corse Clienti, including participation in the World Endurance Championship and an involvement in the European series of the Ferrari Challenge Championship.

Furthermore, UPS becomes Ferrari’s Official Logistics Partner through the gradual integration of its own transport services providing freight movement on a global level.

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Mercedes rejects push for F1 withdrawal

Mercedes has slammed increasing reports that some of its shareholders want the German marque to pull out of Formula 1.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper has quoted two such shareholders – Michael Muders of the fund manager Union, and Henning Gebhardt, of DWS – as criticising Mercedes’ expanding push for F1 success.

“Mercedes has been behind for years, without consequence,” said Muders. ”But formula one is expensive and brings nothing to the (Daimler) group.”

Gebhardt added: “Formula one no longer enhances the image (of Mercedes), especially if we are in countries criticised of human rights violations.”

But Mercedes’ new F1 chairman Niki Lauda has rubbished the claims, telling Bild newspaper there is “no doubt formula one is developing positively”.

“There are more and more TV viewers, and we are going to more and more countries. This is an incredible growth and Mercedes benefits,” said the famous Austrian.

Meanwhile, Daimler spokesman Jorg Howe insisted: “Our involvement in F1 is not up for debate. We have created new structures to ensure long term success and will soon be on top.”

He is quoted by DPA news agency: “We do not want to pull out of formula one. On the contrary.”

Lauda continued: “The marketing value (of F1) is always there, but clearly the value grows with success. We are building up a strong team and our shareholders will have to wait. Ferrari is in the same situation as us — we must catch up.”

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Hamilton beats Vettel’s lap record on Top Gear

Lewis Hamilton could not contain his smile as he smashed Sebastian Vettel’s lap record on the British motoring television show Top Gear.

The 2008 world champion’s existing lap of the show’s test track in a Suzuki Liana, set on a wet and slippery track some years ago, was bettered by seven tenths by current world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Asked if that has irritated him, Hamilton admitted to presenter Jeremy Clarkson: “Uh huh.

“He’s had the best car (in F1) for god knows how many years, and he’s also (been) the quickest on top gear,” said the Briton.

Hamilton’s new time around the Top Gear test track – actually the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey – was 1.42.9, more than a full second quicker than German Vettel.

Clarkson called the feat “unbelievable”.

Clarkson was, however, less impressed with Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes, comparing it with leaving Manchester United in order to play for West Ham.

Hamilton answered: “Everyone is criticising it, but for me, I’ve been at McLaren since I was 13 and I want a change — I’m a risk taker.”

But the 28-year-old warned that Mercedes has “really struggled” in the past few years, and so his fans should “definitely not expect” early poles and wins in 2013.

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda, however, told Italy’s Griglia di Partenza programme that the performance of the new W04 was “not bad” at the recent Jerez test.

“We wanted Lewis Hamilton because he is a phenomenon, but we are also very pleased with Nico Rosberg.

Now it’s up to us to give them a car capable of winning.”

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Rosberg tops the charts

Nico Rosberg gave his Mercedes team reason to smile after recording the fastest time during day one of testing in Barcelona, despite having another disrupted day.

Mercedes' were plagued by problems during the first testing session of the year in Jerez and matters were not straightforward for the German outfit once more on Tuesday. Rosberg was only able to complete 14 laps in the morning due to a gearbox issue but was able to bounce back in a frantic final hour to top the charts with a time of 1:22.616.

The four fastest times of the day were all recorded late on as drivers found the Pirelli medium tyres to their liking.

Kimi Raikkonen was hot on Rosberg's heels, following up with a lap of 1:22.623 shortly after the German had put the W04 at the head of the field.

Third fastest for the day was Fernando Alonso, with the Spaniard making his first appearance in the Ferrari F138. Alonso (101) was the only driver to put in more than 100 laps and he, like many others, saved his best for last as he posted a time of 1:22.952 on the medium-compound tyres.

Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull had been fastest for much of the day, leading the way on harder tyres, but the defending World Champion was 0.349 seconds slower than the Silver Arrows on the medium tyres.

Having launched the FW35 in the morning, Williams wasted little time in getting a handy number of laps under their belt, with Pastor Maldonado (85 laps) putting the new model through its paces in impressive fashion.

Daniel Ricciardo was sixth for Toro Rosso, ahead of Sergio Perez's McLaren. The Woking outfit had a quiet day, with Perez focusing on long runs in the afternoon.

Paul di Resta and Force India also spent much of the day working on long runs as the Scot notched up the eighth quickest time.

Esteban Gutierrez's Sauber - which had brought out first red flag of the day in the morning due to a fuel systems problem - notched up a best of 1:25.124, just ahead of Max Chilton's Marussia.

Charles Pic in the Caterham was hindered by a technical issue in the afternoon and finished at the bottom of the charts.

Barcelona day one times:

1. Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:22.616, 51 laps.

2. Raikkonen, Lotus, 1:22.623, 40 laps.

3. Alonso, Ferrari, 1:22.952 102 laps.

4. Vettel, Red Bull, 1:22.965, 52 laps

5. Maldonado, Williams, 1:23.733, 77 laps.

6. Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, 1:23.884, 65 laps.

7. Perez, McLaren, 1:24.124, 68 laps.

8. Di Resta, Force India, 1:24.144, 75 laps.

9. Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:25.124, 60 laps.

10. Chilton, Marussia, 1:26.747, 65 laps.

11. Pic, Caterham, 1:27.534, 49 laps.