FORMULA 1 - 2010

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'Schu will prove critics wrong'

Willi Weber has slammed the Michael Schumacher bashers, saying the German still has the "passion" and will "prove his critics wrong".

Things haven't gone according to plan for the seven-time World Champion in the first few months of his second coming.

While his team-mate Nico Rosberg has already visited the podium twice this year, Schumacher's best result is a fourth place in Spain. He was also stripped of his sixth-place finish in Monaco for overtaking shortly after the Safety Car returned.

Weber, the Mercedes driver's manager, is confident the 41-year-old "will come back" and believes next season will be a "new era for him".

In an interview with News of the World, Weber said: "The media love to write rubbish about Michael; about how he has lost it and that he should have never returned but he was never going to jump in the car after all that time away and win races. It's the same all the time, the media like to build people up and knock them down. He will come back. You will see a change in a few races and without a doubt next season will be a new era for him.

"He still has the passion and when he gets a competitive car he will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and prove his critics wrong."

Weber was also quick to dismiss suggestions that he did not have the same machinery as team-mate Nico Rosberg.

"They have the same car the only difference is the set-up," he added. "This car does not have the same advantages over the rest of the pack as Brawn had last year - where they started developing the car early. It is going to take a little time. But he will be there and I don't believe for one minute he would have come back if he didn't think he could take another title. Time will tell."

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Rubens crash caused by manhole cover

Williams have confirmed that Rubens Barrichello's crash at the Monaco GP was a result of a loose manhole cover.

Barrichello crashed into a barrier at the top of Beau Rivage on lap 31 of the race, with something appearing to damage the rear wing of his FW32 moments before the crash.

Williams have now confirmed that the offending object was a loose manhole cover.

"Following an investigation, AT&T Williams confirmed today that the cause of Rubens Barrichello's crash at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday 16 May 2010 was a loose manhole cover at Turn 2," the team said in a statement.

" As Rubens' car drove over the manhole cover, the cover was spun up and hit the rear left wheel, causing failure. The car was badly damaged in the ensuing crash which ended Rubens' race. This incident has been reported to the FIA."

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Hamilton set to get 'small fine'

Lewis Hamilton is unlikely to travel to Australia to attend a court hearing over a driving offence.

The McLaren driver has been charged with "intentional loss of control of a motor vehicle" after he performed stunts in his loaned Mercedes on the eve of the Australian GP earlier this year.

His court date, which has been set for 24 August at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court, is just a few days before the Belgium Grand Prix.

However, according to Telegraph Sport Hamilton is unlikely to attend the hearing and 'his punishment will amount to a small fine which can be paid by a local lawyer on his behalf'.

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Williams forced to use old front wings

Both Williams drivers will be reverting to an older specification of their front wings due to damage the part suffered at the Monaco GP.

Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg both crashed during the Monaco race, with Hulkneberg's accident the result of a damaged front wing while Barrichello planted his car in a barrier after a loose manhole cover damaged the Brazilians left rear wheel.

The team has been able to replace the majority of the parts ahead of Sunday's race in Turkey but the complexity of the construction of the front wing means that it will notbe ready for the weekend's racing.

"We've spent the past week or so manufacturing new parts in readiness for Istanbul after the damage we sustained in Monaco," explained Williams' technical director Sam Michael.

"All of the items that needed replacing have been replaced now, apart from the front wings which require more time. As a result, we have to revert back to a previous specification for this race and wait until Montreal for the updated version."

Michael remains confident that the team will deliver an improved performance in Turkey as Cosworth have introduced a number of upgrades to their engines.

"Cosworth have been working hard on the issues we have been seeing during the first part of the season and have had some positive indications from their dyno work," he explained.

"Istanbul will be an opportunity for us to test how these solutions look on the track. In line with our development programme, both FW32s will have new brake ducts for Istanbul and some additional mechanical changes," Michael added.

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Alonso: It's hard to match Red Bull

Fernando Alonso admits the Ferrari team are a bit baffled by Red Bull's exceptional pace.

The Spaniard, who currently sits third in the Drivers' Championship behind Mark Webber and Seb Vettel, has, along with the rest of the field, struggled to match the Red Bulls, with the Milton Keynes-based team having claimed pole in every race this season coupled with three race wins.

The Ferrari man admits it's tough to work out what is making the Red Bulls so dominant.

"It would be nice if we knew that," Alonso told Die Welt.

"It is incredibly difficult to figure out why the competition is better here and there. And so it is hard to copy them."

As happened with the double-diffusers last year and the f-ducts this year, teams often attempt to copy each other's designs and set-ups in order to emulate their performances.

"But whether it always works is a different matter," Alonso said of the practice.

"Because every team also has its own design philosophy into which fits the next elements. It means that you have to develop better in your own direction," he added.

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Button: I'm not yet at 100%

Jenson Button concedes that there have been some teething problems following his move to McLaren but believes that he is now nearing his best.

The 2009 World Champion switched over to McLaren after sealing the World title with Brawn GP, and while Button has claimed victory in Australia and China this season, he has at times struggled to match the front runners.

The Briton admits that changing teams has caused a few problems for him.

"For me it is a different car, so that's the biggest change," Button told Eurosport.

"I was with the same team for seven years and they built the car around me, whereas now I'm finding my way slowly with a new one - as I'm sure Michael Schumacher is finding out. I'm working on it, but there are a couple of tweaks still needed.

"Every race the team learns more about me and that helps. Things are not going badly at all as we've won two races, but I'm not going at 100 per cent yet," he added.

Turning his attention towards this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, Button is hopeful that the aerodynamic upgrades and changes to the wings that the team are implementing at the race will help McLaren to at least partially close the gap on Red Bull.

"How much difference it will make I don't know; will it be enough to close the gap on Red Bull?

"They were so far ahead at Barcelona and also at Monaco that we can't bridge that gap with one update. We need to get closer to Red Bull in qualifying because our race pace is very good and if we start closer to them perhaps we can cause them problems," said the 30-year-old.

However, Button is buoyed by the fact that the Istanbul Park circuit should suit the MP4-25 more than other tracks have.

"It is faster and more flowing than Monaco obviously, which suits our car," he explained.

"Hopefully our F-duct will help us there. Red Bull are looking to adopt one but that is only the start of the job: it takes time to tune it. The more you run with it the more efficient it becomes, so we have a head start in that regard," the World Champion added.

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Lotus won't use KERS in 2011

Tony Fernandes has revealed that Lotus will not make use of KERS should it become available again next year.

The KERS system - in which energy produced under braking is stored to be released under acceleration - was banned for the 2010 season after the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) agreed not to use the technology due to the high costs associated with it.

However, it is expected that KERS will become available once more in 2011, and while the likes of Ferrari and Renault eager to make use of it, Lotus look set to go without it.

"We will not use KERS next year and we have good reasons for this decision," team boss Tony Fernandes told Turun Sanomat.

"This year we had to buy nearly all the [car] parts from other suppliers but now we are in a position to build the entire car in our factory.

"So we are trying to take advantage of the experience we have collected with the current car and to make the project more effective.

"If we were to have KERS, in accordance with the technical working group, we would have to start everything again from zero in terms of weight distribution. The big teams are in a different boat, already with solid experience of KERS from recent years.

"What we saw last season is that it is not easy to get KERS to operate effectively and reliably; it took a lot of time, money and resources. At Lotus we are fully confident that we are going to cope without it," he added.

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Di Montezemolo: No Alonso regrets

Despite Fernando Alonso coming under criticism for key errors during the opening rounds of the season, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has given the driver his full support.

Alonso was involved in a three-car collision on the opening corner of the Australian GP before incurring a penalty after jumping the start in China and then planting his car into the barriers in Monaco, ruling him out of qualifying and leading to criticism from some sectors.

With Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher turning out for Merc GP, there have been suggestions that Ferrari should have signed the German rather than the Spaniard.

Asked if he regretted the decision to sign Alonso, di Montezemolo was firm in his assertion that Alonso was the right man for the job.

"Not one bit," di Montezemolo told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It was good with Michael but it's over. No regrets. Today I'm very happy with Alonso, both on and off the track.

"Alonso has team spirit, conscientiousness, attachment to the team. And when he races he's a fantastic fighter."

Despite the three incidents, Alonso finds himself in third spot on the Driver's table, just three points behind Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, which is hardly a poor start to the season considering how dominant the Red Bulls have been.

For his part, di Montezemolo only considers the Monaco crash to be a black spot on Alonso's Ferrari stint, and appears unfazed by it.

"I consider a mistake only what happened at Monte Carlo, due to excessive confidence," he explained.

"He wanted to test the limit while thinking of pole, and he crashed. The jump start in China was down to the tension. But we are in a great position for the championship - the game is on," he added.

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Red Bull naming right's could be up for grabs

Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has revealed that he may sell the naming rights to the Red Bull Formula One team in the near future.

"As soon as Red Bull Racing is recognised as an established team, a title sponsor could be possible," Mateschitz told the Sunday Express.

He is believed to favour a luxury goods brand which could bring in £30 million (€35m, $44m). This would offset some of the teams estimated £110 million annual budget.

The brand name could appear ahead of Red Bull, as is the case with most teams: Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes, AT&T Williams etc, or Red Bull could opt to drop the name completely, as is the case with Virgin Racing.

Whilst many now see Red Bull as an established team, having taken second in 2009 as well as currently leading both championships in 2010, team principal Christian Horner believes Red Bull's resources are yet to match those of its competitors.

He told reporters in Monaco last week that the Milton Keynes based team doesn't "quite have the resource of the more established teams", whilst McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh isn't so sure.

"I think that whatever the level of funding, and I don't know the funding, in terms of resources, the larger teams are pretty similar," ESPN quote him as saying. "Red Bull is a well-funded, well-structured, well-led organisation."

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Cosworth: 'Criticising new teams is unjust'

Cosworth, engine supplier to the new teams and Williams, say they are happy with the current financial levels of Virgin, Hispania and Lotus - after Bernie Ecclestone cast doubts on whether or not they would all see out the current season.

Ecclestone is rumoured to be working with Hispania to ensure they see the 2011 season, although Hispania have denied this.

Mark Gallagher, head of Cosworth's F1 program, reckons the engine builder is in a better position to discuss the new teams finances, as they too are new to modern F1, having returned after a three-year break.

"From a Cosworth perspective, all three new teams work hard and are good commercial - as well as technical - partners," Mark Gallagher said.

"I think we are in a better position than most to comment on their conditions and what we see is nothing but positive.

"There has been something of a tendency to find fault or criticism with the new teams wherever possible and I think this criticism is quite unjust.

"If you talk to the new teams directly, witness the determination of their respective managements and, indeed, look at their cumulative success to date in fielding three teams in the midst of some of the most difficult economic circumstances imaginable, you would get a different and rather more balanced view," he ended.

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Massa's manager talking with other teams

Felipe Massa's manager, Nicolas Todt has reportedly began negotiations with other teams, notably Renault, to secure a seat for the Brazilian in 2011 if Ferrari fail to renew his contract.

Rumours have linked Polish driver Robert Kubica, currently on a one-year deal with Renault, to the Italian team, suggesting a straight swap could be a possibility.

Massa has failed to impress in the F10, whilst Fernando Alonso took victory in the opening race of the season and has managed to out-race Massa on most occasions.

Massa though is hoping to stay with Ferrari: I like it very much at Ferrari," he told Turun Sanomat. "I know everybody and everybody knows me.

"However, it is always encouraging to know that there are other fast cars that have an interest in me.

"The main objective is to continue with Ferrari, but if it doesn't succeed, then I'm deemed to be elsewhere," he said.

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Immigrants found hiding in FOM trucks

Five illegal immigrants made there way into the United Kingdom by stowing themselves in a Formula One Management (FOM) truck according to reports in the Telegraph.

The immigrants managed to gain access to the trucks in Calais, France before travelling into the UK before being discovered by the drivers at FOM's base in Biggin Hill.

The trucks were carrying TV equipment used at the Monaco GP.

The immigrants were handed over to the UK Border Agency n Tuesday last week.

"I can confirm five individuals were found at Biggin Hill Airport on May 20 who had recently arrived by road from France," said a spokesman for the UK Border Agency.

"The individuals involved were arrested and detained whilst their asylum claims are being processed."

MIKA: How could you miss that!?

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Hockenheim hoping to break even this year

The organisers of the Hockenheim grand prix in Germany are confident that the race will not make a loss, like it did in 2008.

With the departure of Germany's star driver, Michael Schumacher in 2006, the countries F1 interests began to diminish. McLaren-Mercedes were the only part German team, whilst Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil were the only German drivers left.

However, the return of Schumacher to an all German team has been good news for the ticket sales at Hockenheim, although organisers don't expect a return to the glory days of 2000-2002 when sales averaged 100,000 tickets.

An agreement with Bernie Ecclestone and a restructuring of their race contract has helped to relieve some of the tracks financial burden.

"We have the new agreement with Bernie Ecclestone, which relieves us of the burden we had before – where we made a €5.3 million loss from F1 in 2008," he told Autosport.

"Now, envisaging we will have the same number of spectators as 2008 – about 62,000 – we will break even. That is the number we are expecting as a minimum, but the pre-sale is running well and we are confident we will have more than that.

"Times have changed," he said. "We would be satisfied if we would have 70-75,000 spectators, and there is no reason we will get back to those numbers of 2000-2002."

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Ferrari want third car run by American team

Luca di Montezemolo has once again expressed his desire to see a third Ferrari on the grid in near future, however this time he hinted at it being run by an American team.

"I dream of a third Ferrari managed by an American team, with the stars and stripes flag," he said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Ferrari president has been backing the introduction of third cars run by customer teams for a while now.

This latest quote comes after Autosport reported that a new American team is looking to enter F1, backed once again by Chad Hurley of YouTube and his advisor Parris Mullins.

The internet video-sharing site co-founder worked with the USF1 team in 2009 and launched a last-gasp effort to save the team before it finally folded.

Mullins revealed that he had been in contact with Ferrari's Stefano Domenicali to discuss potential arrangements for the teams future and noted that talks went well, with a keen interest shown by Ferrari.

The USA is Ferrari's largest market, which could be the motivation behind providing an American team with a Ferrari built F1 car.

MIKA: I really dont understand how this would work and why would anyone want a third car. There are more than enough cars on track, any more and it would end up looking like an Indy car race or smash up derby...

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Alguersuari wows 200,000 fans in Dominican

Jaime Alguersuari swapped his Toro Rosso for a Red Bull when he got the chance to drive at an event in the Caribbean, more specifically the Dominican Republic's capital, Santo Domingo.

The Spaniard wowed 200,000 spectators on the streets before he got the chance to drive at over 180 km/h on the Juanillo-Cap Cana beach - the first F1 driver to race on sand at such speeds.

"It has been amazing to be in the Dominican Republic," the 22-year-old told the Red Bull website. "I am very happy that I shared this moment with the best audience ever. I enjoyed every minute on the track.

"I am very happy and excited," he added. "I want to thank all the Red Bull team for helping me become the first to achieve this challenge."

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F1 signs a 10-year deal to return to the US

Formula One will return to the United States in 2012, Bernie Ecclestone has revealed. A 10-year deal has been agreed between FOM and the promoters of the US grand prix.

The deal will see an F1 race at a purpose built facility in Austin, Texas from 2012 to 2021.

"We are extremely honoured and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 Commercial Rights Holder," said Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of Full Throttle Productions.

"We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event."

Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group added: "For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event.

"It was thirty years ago that the United States Grand Prix was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits.

"Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last United States Grand Prix in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US."

Mr. Hellmund continued: "This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the ‘it’ cities in the United States.

"Austin features that rare combination of ideal geographic location and beauty. Its fine dining, world-renowned hospitality and excellent transportation infrastructure make Austin ideally suited to host and manage an event of this magnitude.

"Few cities if any in America could rival the connectivity of all the key elements needed for hosting a Formula 1 event as well as Austin. Now, many people around the world will have the opportunity to experience a world-class event, facility and city."

The event seems to have the full-backing of the Texas state government with the Texas Governor Rick Perry adding: "Texas’ relatively strong economy continues to draw both national and international attention and I commend Comptroller Combs for her work in bringing this exciting event to the Lone Star State."

The city major, Lee Leffingwell expressed his delight in Austin securing such a high profile event: "The City of Austin will be proud to host this magnificent event and I look forward to welcoming the participants and fans of Formula One to our City."

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Damon Hill drives the new Silverstone

Watch Damon drive a lap of Silverstone's revised GP circuit, plus DC's thoughts on the new layout.

Silverstone's revised GP circuit

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Chandhok: Willis key to HRT's future

Karun Chandhok thinks that HRT's technical consultant Geoff Willis is key to seeing the team make the progress it needs to from now on.

Willis was drafted in at the start of the year as an advisor to help the team get in shape to make it on to the grid, and he has remained on board as HRT works on making improvements to its chassis.

Chandhok is adamant that both his own F1 future, and that of the team, will be decided by how much Willis is able to get on and lead progress with the car.

Speaking about how he sees the next few months panning out, Chandhok told AUTOSPORT: "As long as there is a car in the pitlane and my seat in it, I will go drag the arse out of it.

"I have to look at it with a slightly long-term view. If the team improves I would love to be here, and if they can give Geoff the opportunity and budget to build a good car for 2011, he could do a good job.

"He has done it in the past, he has a capable team of aero people that he is pulling together from other teams and, if he does have the right financial possibility and the right infrastructure, it won't be a bad place to be next year.

"I want to be in the best possible place for 2011, and I reckon this team has the potential if Geoff is given the right opportunity - he is key to where we go."

Chandhok says he is giving his all for HRT – and is pleased with the job he is doing considering the circumstances of the new team's birth.

"At the end of the day, you give me a car that is capable of doing a certain lap time and my job is to do that lap time," he said. "And as long as I am quicker than Bruno [senna], as I have been so far, and people see that I am doing well in the car, then it is good for me.

"They put Christian Klien in the car in Spain and within three laps I went quicker than him, with the same tyre and same fuel. So you can argue all you want, but I feel I am extracting the maximum I can out of this car.

"It is really down to the team to develop it. There is only so much I can do."

MIKA: Lucky F1 racers dont have horns otherwise Chandhock would be 'tooting his own horn!"

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Bridgestone preview the Turkish GP

Bridgestone heads to Turkey for the seventh race of the season where Bridgestone’s hard and soft compound Potenza tyres will tackle the most infamous corner on the current F1 calendar on May 28-30.

Istanbul Park Circuit’s Turn Eight is a gruelling multi-apex left-hander which seemingly never ends. It puts high energy forces through all of the tyres, but it’s the front right in particular which gets a battering. It’s a corner which can accurately be described as the toughest of the year, and one which is a big focus for Bridgestone’s tyre engineers and teams alike.

The rest of the 5.34 km circuit is far from easy too. It’s the first circuit of the season to run in an anti- clockwise direction, giving drivers a real work out, especially as only a small part of the track is on level ground, with regular gradient change a real factor around the course of a lap.

Hiroshi Yasukawa – Director of Bridgestone Motorsport:

"The Turkish market is an interesting one for Bridgestone as we have our BRISA joint venture here with the Sabanci Group. Bridgestone BRISA has always been very pro-active with their activation of our Formula One programme and we are pleased to visit the wonderful city of Istanbul.Felipe Massa will be helping to launch a road safety initiative with Bridgestone in this market."

Hirohide Hamashima -Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development:

"Istanbul Park has caused us problems in the past so it is a circuit where we pay particular attention to every aspect of our preparation. We have reviewed the tyre strength and durability of our tyres so far this season and we have seen no problems, even though the latest cars are both heavier and faster than previously. Turn Eight is the hardest corner we face during the course of the season, however this is not the only part of the track which is a challenge. The left-right-left of turns 12-14 are the lowest speed areas of the track and come straight after the highest-speed straight. This combination is a breeding ground for tyre graining, so competitors will have to pay particular attention here to minimise this, especially early in the race weekend when the circuit is dirtier and has less rubber on it."

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Williams preview the Turkish GP

Sam Michael, Technical Director:

We've spent the past week or so manufacturing new parts in readiness for Istanbul after the damage we sustained in Monaco. All of the items that needed replacing have been replaced now, apart from the front wings which require more time. As a result, we have to revert back to a previous specification for this race and wait until Montreal for the updated version.

Cosworth have been working hard on the issues we have been seeing during the first part of the season and have had some positive indications from their dyno work. Istanbul will be an opportunity for us to test how these solutions look on the track. In line with our development programme, both FW32s will have new brake ducts for Istanbul and some additional mechanical changes.

Rubens Barrichello:

Returning from Monaco with a DNF for both cars was very disappointing for the team, particularly as we now know the cause of my accident. I know everyone has been working hard in the factory, so we are all looking to have a much better race in Turkey.

Istanbul is a favourite track of mine. It has a good layout; the corners all flow nicely into each other and that makes it a smooth lap to drive. Because the circuit runs anti-clockwise, the lefthanders can be quite a challenge on your neck muscles but we all do extra training to compensate for that. Personally turn 8, a high speed, triple apexer, is the best part of the track as it's a real test.

Nico Hülkenberg:

Turkey is a real about turn after Monaco; everything is pretty much the complete opposite. The track goes in an anti-clockwise direction, it has lots of long straights and quick corners so you can get into a nice rhythm around the lap and there's loads of room! I think at its widest the track reaches about 20m so there should be plenty of opportunities to overtake. The long, ultra-fast turn 8 complex is probably the most challenging part of the lap, for the drivers and the cars, but I'm really looking forward to running it in a Formula One car.

I have experience of the circuit from my GP2 days and enjoyed racing it then. It's always helpful to have prior knowledge of a track so you aren't going into practice blind so you can just concentrate on set-up straight away. After another frustrating end to a race last weekend in Monaco, I'm keen to have a better weekend in Turkey.

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Force India preview the Turkish GP: Q&A

Q. Adrian Sutil: Monaco was ultimately a good event, with another points scoring finish. How would you view the weekend now, one week on?

A: We can be quite positive about the weekend. We looked strong all weekend, on a pace with the top teams for a lot of the time. It was a shame that we couldn't replicate this in qualifying, but the most positive is that I knew the car was capable of more and that the position we started in wasn't representative of the performance we had. In the race I was able to make up places at the start and then at the pit stop and we can be really happy with P8 in the end. What pleases me most is that we have a car that now performs on all types of tracks, both high and low downforce. Last year in places like Monaco and Hungary we struggled a bit, but this year we're up there in the top ten. Consistency is the key this year and I'm really happy with the position we're in - we don't go to tracks thinking we're going to be weak, or off the pace - we go to each track thinking 'Q3 and points for sure.' It really changes that mindset, not just for me but for the people in the garage and at the factory as well.

Q. What comes next for you, what are your next aims?

A:In Turkey we have some new developments we are aiming to test and then introduce for the race, including changes to the front wing and to the mirrors to optimise the position used for the first time in China. We've seen in previous races that the top teams aren't going for major upgrade packages, they are drip feeding improvements, and that's why it's so important to keep these steps coming through. I'm feeling very positive about this race.

Q. Is it one of your more favoured tracks?

A: I've gone well in Turkey before, getting into Q2 when we didn't expect it last year. It's a balance of high speed corners and technical sections, but it's a real rollercoaster and turn eight is awesome. This year it's going to be impressive, you could take it flat out. I think it should be a good track for us as we're still fast on the straights but the car feels balanced through the corners as well, and you need good traction at this circuit. I hope to pick up some more points at this race to close that gap to Renault.

Q. Tonio Liuzzi: Monaco was a good race for you, with Q3 for the second time this year and then points again. How would you review this race?

A: I think it was a very productive weekend. On Thursday I was not completely 100% but on Saturday we improved the balance of the car and it was pretty good for qualifying. We had a strong session overall and then got a few points in the race which is always satisfying. We were worried going into the weekend that there would be issues with traffic, but in fact we handled the traffic much better in Monaco and I didn't see a single car on the runs, whereas in some races I got caught and then lost a lot of positions. We're handling it a lot better now and when we got out at the right time in the right position we definitely saw the benefits.

Q. Turkey is the next round of the championship, a real drivers' track - what does it take to be quick round here?

A: I really like the circuit, it's really fast with the type of corners I like, and gives a lot of adrenaline each lap. The most important aspect is to find the right set up and balance from the start, particularly with the super hard tyres we have this year. It's always difficult to find the right set up and if it's colder we could have some issues, but we are positive overall. We should have some new updates on the car as well that should move us forward to our competitors.

Q. And what are your expectations for this next round?

A: The target is to get into Q3 and then score points. From the team's perspective we need to try to bring both cars into the points at the end of the race. We deserved to have a double points finish earlier than Monaco, but for some reasons it didn't happen, so we need to continue to put both cars the top 10 if we want to catch Renault.

Q. Paul di Resta, test and reserve driver: You sat out the free practice in Monaco, but what were your impressions of this unique event on the calendar, your first Monaco Grand Prix?

A: It was a good week, really something special, with the weather, the yachts, the atmosphere and then these super quick cars racing round some of the world's most recognisable buildings. It really was something else. From a racing perspective it was interesting to see how the team has to approach each session with regards to traffic and how the drivers have to focus every single second to keep it out of the wall to get as much track time as possible, which is crucial to going well round there. Adrian and Tonio did some good work on Thursday and we saw the results in Saturday and then in the race. It was a great result for the team.

Q. You won't be driving in Turkey as the team has some new development items coming through in FP1. What are your thoughts about this?

A: It was a late call from the team but I completely understand their decision as there are some new upgrades coming through this race that really need the drivers' and the team's attention. I'll still be there in the garage, trying to learn as much as I can as the developments are pretty exciting. I've still done all the groundwork, going in the simulator for some running as I've never driven Istanbul Park before. It's a pretty busy time of the year for me as well with the DTM race in Valencia between Monaco and Turkey. But it's keeping me sharp and focussed on racing, which is the best possible situation for me right now.

Q. Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal: Both Adrian and Tonio finished in the points in Monaco - how pleased were you with this result?

A: Six times in the top ten since the start of the season, and two cars in the points for the first time ever, it's a great result for the team. And to do so in Monaco, which is such a challenging race, is really a good marker of how far we've come in a season. We're a solid sixth place now in the championship, 30 points up, whereas last year we were points-free until Belgium. We've still got a long way to go until Abu Dhabi but at this point we can be really pleased about where we are. Every race we go to we set ourselves very high expectations and, so far, we've generally met them.

Q. What has made the difference this year?

A: We're a lot more consistent over all types of tracks this year and have no real concerns or fears about any type of configuration or corner. Secondly, our development programme is very targeted and structured and the gains we see in the tunnel are replicated out on track. Thirdly, we have a very tight-knit, well-organised team that seems very stable now so we can just concentrate on the job in hand. I would say that this year we've really established our credentials as a top five team, which has made a huge difference to how everyone approaches the job in hand.

Q. Looking forward to Turkey, what are your expectations for this round?

A: Off the back of the Monaco result both Adrian and Tonio are very positive about Turkey. Tonio in particular needed the result in Monaco, as after a couple of difficult weekends his confidence had taken a bit of a knock. But he came back really strongly and got some more points on board, which is exactly what he and the team needs right now. We also have some new upgrades coming for Turkey, so with the result of Monaco and these developments I would like to see a similar level of performance and ultimately results.

[Hacigar]

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My F1 ticket is ready for "MAY 30"

[MIKA27]

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My F1 ticket is ready for "MAY 30"

Great stuff Hacigar!!

Be sure to post a few pictures or maybe a review of the race mate. Most importantly, enjoy!

[MIKA27]

Hispania and Dallara part ways

Hispania Racing have ended their brief association with their chassis producer Dallara.

The move comes as no real surprise, with the tension between the two parties well documented.

Prior to the commencement of the season reports surfaced that the F1 rookies were behind in their payments to the Italian company, and Hispania were later scathing in their criticism of the chassis that had been produced.

Hispania have now officially confirmed that their partnership with Dallara will not continue into 2011.

"HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing, and Italian chassis manufacturer Dallara Automobili S.p.A have together agreed on amicable terms not to pursue their collaboration," Hispania said in a statement.

"The decision follows talks held over the last few months about the future of their collaboration."

Even while thanking Dallara for their contribution, the Murcia-based outfit took a few parting shots at the parts producer.

"The two partners experienced a challenging start to the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship season, where everyone at Dallara Automobili S.p.A worked extremely hard in a fight against time to be ready for the season opener at Bahrain International Circuit.

"Their persistent and determined efforts paid off as HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing, pulled up to the starting line of the 2010 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix ready to go.

"The whirlwind of pre-season activity at the Italian chassis constructor Dallara Automobili allowed the team, formerly known as Campos Meta 1 prior to its acquisition by Jose Ramon Carabante in February 2010, to meet its tight deadline. Since its inaugural race HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing, has completed six rounds of the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship despite the fact that in all this time no further chassis development was made by Dallara.

"The collaboration, deemed by many to be an impossible task, resulted in the creation of the team's Cosworth V8 powered 2010 Formula 1 World Championship chassis, the F110, which was the very first car to be produced in the colours of HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing.

"Following the completion of six rounds of the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship, HRT F1 Team, Hispania Racing, and Dallara Automobili S.p.A have agreed that what they have achieved in such a short period of time was more than could have been reasonably expected.

"The two parties wish each other the best of luck in all future endeavours," the statement concluded.

MIKA: I really dont understand how HRT can blame Dallara for their own mess. I mean, who would work for nothing, "Compos" were behind in their payments for the chassis, no company would continue works without payment, especially in financial times such as these.

I think the credentials of Dallara and their long and successful history of building race cars speaks for itself. Perhaps the biggest mistake they made was trying to respond to hopeless timescales arising out of the prevarication and indecision of the Hispania team. Hispania are reaping what they sowed.

[MIKA27]

New backers for Donington Park

Donington Park is poised for a new lease of life after falling into a state of disrepair following an ill-fated attempt to host Formula One.

Donington owner Kevin Wheatcroft has reached an agreement in principle for Worcestershire-based Adroit Group to run the circuit on a 25-year lease.

It is anticipated an initial sum up to £2million is to be spent on the track by the end of year in a bid to win back its FIA grade two licence that will again allow it to host motor sport.

The East Midlands venue has been unused since September last year after former leaseholder Simon Gillett, who ran Donington Ventures Leisure Limited, failed to acquire the £135million needed to turn the circuit into a venue fit to stage the British Grand Prix.

Wheatcroft said: "We are particularly pleased that after a long interview process we feel we have found the right people to move Donington forward into a new and exciting future.

"Adroit impressed us from the first time we met them and we have every confidence in their ability and vision for Donington."

David Broome, managing director of Adroit Group, who primarily deal in construction and property investment, has every intention of ensuring Donington Park is restored to "a world-class standard".

He added: "The entire site needs attention, whilst much of it will require a total overhaul.

"That is from the track itself to the medical centre, hospitality suites, phone, radio and PA systems, IT systems, CCTV and general ground work.

"There is no magic wand, but through a calm, cautious, credible and sensible approach we know we have the experience, expertise and absolute commitment to bring the glory years back to Donington.

"There is a 'Save Donington' Facebook site with 14,500 members. I'm looking forward to welcoming every one of those enthusiasts to a 'Donington is Saved' group.

"The racing world needs to see Donington put back on its feet, and that is exactly what we are going to do."