MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 De la Rosa 'available' for next year Pedro de la Rosa has given the clearest indication yet that he won't be at Sauber next season by saying he is "available". The former McLaren tester has made a forgetful start to the 2010 campaign with six out of the races finishing in DNFs. And while team boss Peter Sauber insists he won't change his drivers during the season, it looks like the Spaniard will be on his way come the end of the year. "I am enjoying it even though we have had a difficult start to the year," he told the BBC. "I believe we can recover it and no matter how bad it's been, it's better than testing. "I feel young and for the future, if anyone wants me, I am available. I am usable, even if I have to go back testing or as a reserve driver, because I have had another year in Formula One racing. It will extend my career, simple as that."
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 Hamilton eager to open a gap at top Now that he has reached the top of the Drivers' Championship for the first time this year, Lewis Hamilton is hoping to stay there for the rest of the season. The 25-year-old leads the standings by three points from team-mate Jenson Button after claiming his second victory of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix. With McLaren's MP4-25 expected to do well in the next few races on European soil, Hamilton hopes he can cement his place at the top. "We have got a couple of good races coming up," he said. "Valencia is a strong one for me. Silverstone is a good circuit. It has been in the past, but we will have to see how the new section of the circuit is. Hopefully our car will improve over those couple of races. Hungary is a good one for us too, so there are good races coming up. "If I am able to keep my head and stay focussed, as this is where you really have to knuckle and grind, to brush it down to the bone, then this is where you can make a difference. You can see how close it is, and I am sure if you are able to get a fair enough gap you might be able to maintain that for the rest of the year. That has got to be the target." Hamilton's recent form is a far cry from earlier in the season when misfortune seemed to follow him around. However, he feels he has been up to the challenge throughout the year. "This season is bringing the best out of me," Hamilton said. "It has been all year. I've always faced a tough challenge. I can improve all areas [in] reaction times and I am constantly learning more about the car. "There are races where you are just quick, pull out a lead and just control it from there. But this one was much different, where you had to manage the tyres, manage the gap just enough to allow yourself a little bit more just in case you were attacked, staying out of trouble, getting through the traffic as quick as possible, not making mistakes with people behind you. It was probably the biggest challenge of my career. "I feel I have had that consistency perhaps a little bit better this year, but it has not shown as easy as it did then. In 2007 it was just Ferrari [as challengers], so it was much easier to maintain that consistency. Now strategies make such a big difference. Tyres and all these things have so much more of an influence than they have in the past."
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 Button: There's more to come Jenson Button is revelling in his latest fight for the Formula One World title and has warned his rivals "there is more to come". Button has had to settle for second best in the last two races in Turkey last month and Canada on Sunday as McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton grabbed the glory with victory. But back-to-back one-two finishes means there are just three points separating the duo at the top of the Drivers' standings, and with McLaren 22 points clear of Red Bull in the Constructors' table. No-one could have envisaged that being the case prior to the race in Istanbul just over a fortnight ago, least of all Button who is happy enough with second in the championship and being on the tail of Hamilton. "If you had told me before Turkey we would be in our position now, it would have been quite hard to believe," said reigning Champion Button. "That is because at every race the Red Bulls have been quick, but then it's been a very mixed season so far, with different people at the front. "But with two one-two finishes, yes, I'd have been surprised. "Naturally, with those one-twos, I'd rather have been in front, but I haven't been, yet I've still picked up some really good points. "We're eight races in and there are just three points between us, so it's looking fantastic. "To have won the World Championship last year, to have moved teams, and now be racing alongside Lewis and fighting for the Championship again, is a great feeling for me. "I've had a good season so far, but there's more to come." Button was able to temper his disappointment at finishing second to Hamilton again by the fact the 25-year-old had one of those superb weekends when he was simply "on it" at one of his favourite tracks. "In qualifying he was quick. I couldn't get near him in Q3," added Button. "He is quick anyway, but on that circuit he is a specialist, yet for me the race was a bloody great one. "To finish just behind Lewis after starting from fourth, I was really happy with that." Hamilton admits he has had to be at his best all season to eke out the slender lead he now possesses, and knows if he is to claim his second world title there can be no let-up in his performance. "In past years there have been different demands, such as in 2007 when traction control made things a little easier," said Hamilton. "Back then there were also only three drivers to compete against, but now there are a good, strong six or seven. "It is phenomenal how competitive it is this year, and you have to be at your best at all times, and I love that. "Before you had to be good. You could be good and get away with it, but now you have to be at your best to be ahead of these guys."
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 Red Bull style exhausts for Ferrari in Valencia Ferrari look set to reveal a B-spec car for the European grand prix in Valencia in two weeks time. The re-designed F10 is rumoured to feature Red Bull style exhausts which channel engine fumes to the bottom of the car and out through the double diffuser. This warm air makes the diffuser much more efficient in creating downforce, with the Italian team expecting a doubling of performance. A second major upgrade will come in the form of a new suspension layout for the rear. However, Fernando Alonso doesn't expect major gains immediately, rather a new direction for development which over a handful of races will improve the teams pace by several tenths. "The most important improvements in Valencia for Ferrari is not what we earn for that race, but the way it opens up developments to be stronger in the remainder of the season," he explained to AS. Meanwhile, McLaren are also planning major upgrades for the British GP which follows on from the European race. Although rumours of a completely new car have been thrown around in the paddock, it's likely the new car will be an evolution of the current design with RBR style exhausts.
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 Mercedes not giving up on 2010 car Mercedes GP is not ready to abandon efforts to improve this year's car in a bid to get a head start with its 2011 model. Although the outfit has fallen away from pace-setters Red Bull Racing and McLaren in recent races, team principal Ross Brawn believes that it is still worth making the effort to try and close the gap in the next few races. His comments came after Michael Schumacher hinted that he believed his title challenge for this year was all but over after admitting that his focus had begin shifting to 2011. When asked whether the team was concentrating on this year or next, Brawn said: "Both at the moment. "I think everybody is looking at next year's car now, all the teams, but we still have some pretty important things we want to do with this car over the next few races. "Then we will have to reflect on the position for the second half of the season. We are not holding back on this car, for sure." MIKA: Its not over until its over...
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 American F1 project making progress A bid by a group of American investors to break into Formula 1 moved up a gear in Canada last weekend when representatives met with teams and Bernie Ecclestone to advance their talks. The plan, which is being led by Parris Mullins, the advisor to YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley during his involvement at US F1, last month. Mullins travelled to Montreal last weekend to continue discussions with teams about possible options for the future, which he has made clear will be with a current team rather than as a start-up operation. Paddock speculation has already linked him with both Sauber and Scuderia Toro Rosso, because of his good personal links with Ferrari, but Mullins insists he is totally open-minded about how he gets involved. Speaking to AUTOSPORT about how his visit to Montreal had gone, Mullins said: "Over the course of these three days progress has been huge. There was only so much I could do from the US anyway, and all the right people are here congregated in to one area. "I made a lot more progress this weekend than what I was expecting, I hope to be making just as much progress between now and Valencia so we will see. The project is moving ahead. "More options have come up. As I have mentioned before I had several different ideas for not just myself to enter the sport, but also for the group of people that I am representing. So more possibilities have popped up. It has been a very productive weekend." Mullins confirmed he met Ecclestone over the weekend to discuss his future F1 plans, and said he had got some positive feedback. "Like I have said before, if the project makes sense Bernie is willing to help," he said. "If it makes sense then he will get behind it. I am taking it one step at a time, going at his pace and following his advice." Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said a few weeks ago that the dream for his team was to link up with an American outfit to run a third car.
MIKA27 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Posted June 16, 2010 Canadian GP photo gallery Re-live one of the most entertaining races of 2010 so far. Race day brought the best weather of the meeting The race got off to a ragged start Petrov jumped the start and proceeded to plough into de la Rosa The tight bottleneck of turns one and two is always a recipe for mayhem Massa and Liuzzi had a major barging match that was costly for both Hamilton led from Vettel and Alonso in the early stages Kobayashi misjudged the final chicane and ended up in the Wall of Champions Schumacher used some muscular defensive tactics to keep Kubica at bay following his first pit stop Hulkenberg broke his Williams's nose cone against the back of Sutil's Force India Buemi enjoyed a brief spell in the lead ahead of Alonso and Hamilton Hamilton took advantage of the moment to outdrag Alonso down the back straight Webber had a spell in the lead but was powerless to resist Hamilton once his Red Bull's tyres went off The top three put on a fine race-long spectacle Vettel - nursing a gearbox problem - held off Webber for fourth Buemi passed Michael Schumacher en route to a season-best eighth place Schumi struggled for grip on his soft tyres and dropped out of the points Both Force Indias finished in the points Button was the first to congratulate his team-mate The McLaren team-mates celebrate their second straight 1-2 Lewis's 13th GP victory was one of his best The champagne flows freely on the Montreal podium
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Virgin target 10th-place bonus Virgin Racing have set their sights on a 10th-placed finish in this year's Formula One World Championship given the financial rewards on offer. Formula One's rules governing prize money are complicated, but only the top 10 in the Constructors' Championship are given a handout. Such a position for the newcomers, with fellow new boys Lotus and Hispania also vying for the coveted spot and all so far without a point, could ultimately result in a 25million dollar (£17million) windfall. When informed of the potential pot on offer, it perked up the ears of team owner Sir Richard Branson who was unaware of just how much money was at stake. "There's some money? You never told me that," Branson said to CEO Graeme Lowdon, who replied: "It does make a difference." Lowdon added: "We have a long-term plan for the team, so getting a 10th-placed finish in the championship would be a bonus. "If we get a point then it really would make a massive difference." When told the exact figure, a shocked Branson said: "Bloody hell, well yeah, I would like to get 10th place. "Whereas I said I wouldn't mind about 10th place, I've suddenly taken a big interest." Lowdon responded: "It's an innovative structure, and if you do well on the track then you get very well rewarded." Branson added: "The more times we can get two cars finishing then that would be great, and if we can get a point or two, then even better." Finishing above Lotus is certainly still one of Branson's main aims given the personal bet he has with its owner in AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes. Whoever finishes lower in the Championship has to wear a stewardess uniform on one of the other's flights. "I need to make the rules clear so we don't have too big a dispute," joked Branson. He added: "One year ago we only got our licence, so this racing company was a piece of paper back then. "But being a year old, most people assume the new teams have been around longer than 12 months, but we literally then only had the licence. "We then had to scramble to find the people and build the car, and I think the team has since done well." MIKA: Typical Branson. He's in F1 just to advertise the Virgin brand, couldn't care less of the sport itself. All of a sudden, the mention of prize money should you make it in the top 10 and his ears perk up. Its very easy to say "Lets ensure both cars score points" but its another to get those results as Virgin F1 aren't doing that well at all. I put my money on Lotus beating Virgin.
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Liuzzi: We're back in business Tonio Liuzzi has paid tribute to the Force India team following his points finish in Canada, saying they "pushed him to the maximum". The Italian started fifth on the grid following an outstanding qualifying session and, although his race was marred by skirmishes with several drivers, he still managed to finish in ninth place - one ahead of team-mate Adrian Sutil. It was a welcome return to form for Liuzzi who was recently rumoured to be on his way out of Force India. "It's positive that we could both finish in the points and I could always overtake," he said. "It showed that when the car is there, I'm there, and I'm ready to give 100%. We showed in Montreal that we're back in business. The two races in Barcelona and Turkey where I struggled, we believe we know the reason why it didn't work and we made some changes to make sure Montreal would be better. "The team did a great job, because they kept pushing and they believed in me, and this is what I love about this team, because we are a family and there's always big trust between us. They always push me to the maximum and support me in every situation. Plus they kept pushing with development. We brought an update on Friday night which helped the driveability of the car. We could have had a massive result if we didn't have the crash in the first lap." Liuzzi's afternoon ended on a high note when he passed Michael Schumacher on the final lap to finish ninth. "I had fights with Michael, with [Jamie] Alguersuari, with Adrian, with [Nico] Hulkenberg, with [Felipe Massa] Massa so it was quite an entertaining race! I saw that it was the last lap, and I saw that Michael was struggling a lot with the tyres so I used the chance, I saw the door open, and I went for it. "I was sure that he would understand that you cannot risk anything when you are struggling. Fighting with Michael is always great because he's really professional. We had some contact, but he was always correct, and at the end Adrian and I finished ninth and 10th, and I think it's a great result for Force India."
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Alonso rubbishes talk of last chance saloon Fernando Alonso has dismissed suggestions that the major updates Ferrari have planned for the European Grand Prix is a "last-ditched effort" by the team to save their season. The Italian outfit have had a mixed year so far with Alonso's victory in the season opener in Bahrain their sole victory. However, they took a major step forward in Canada where Alonso started on the second row of the grid and finished third behind the two McLarens. Many expect their good form to continue in Valencia in a fortnight as they are set to introduce further updates to the F10, including a "new Red Bull-like exhaust-blown rear end" which is reportedly worth about 0.7secs per lap. Alonso, who is just 15 points behind Championship pacesetter Lewis Hamilton, insists the upgrades are not an attempt to save their season. "We will have major updates on the F10 which I hope will allow us to up our performance level," he wrote in his blog on the Ferrari website. "Following on from that, we have further developments in the pipeline which should arrive for England and Germany: which is to say that the European Grand Prix is simply the ninth round of the Championship, not a last-ditch effort for Ferrari, which I heard some people saying. I don't see how they can say that given that we have not even reached the halfway point of the season and that after Valencia there will still be ten Grands Prix to go. "I've said it before and I'll say it again now, this is a stage event and the final one of those stages will not come until November in Abu Dhabi. There is still a long way to go and things can change very quickly, going either one way or the other. People seem to have forgotten that last year, in the middle part of the season and in a car that was getting ever less competitive, Kimi was the driver who had scored the most points." Looking back at his third-place finish in Montreal, Alonso admits he had mixed emotions. "A couple of days on from the race, the sense of disappointment that we missed out on a win that was within our grasp has been replaced with the awareness that we did actually get a great result," he said. "We have to look at it as a glass half full because, on the Thursday we would have been satisfied with the thought of a podium finish. We were competitive throughout the whole weekend, both in qualifying and the race, which is very positive. We were back to where we have been in practically all the other races, the one exception being Turkey, where for various reasons, everything about the Grand Prix went wrong, from every point of view. "The normal situation is the one we have seen in Montreal, Monaco, Melbourne and Sakhir and all the other tracks where we fought for a podium finish. Maybe the results did not always match our potential, but I think the same can be said for all the top teams. In these first eight races of the season, all sorts of things happened - mistakes, reliability problems, bad luck - but we are still in the thick of the fight for both Championships. The same can be said of McLaren and Red Bull, who have also missed out on points along the way."
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Merc 'comfortable' with Schumi's performance Mercedes GP CEO Nick Fry is adamant Michael Schumacher will come good following fierce criticism of his latest performance. After Schumacher qualified a season-low 13th ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, the seven-times world champion then endured a torrid race. The 41-year-old was initially involved in a tangle across the grass with Renault's Robert Kubica, suffering a puncture that forced him into another pit stop a lap after making his first. Later in the race Schumacher escaped punishment from the stewards for an incident with Ferrari's Felipe Massa, his friend and former team-mate. Somewhat humiliatingly, Schumacher was passed by Sebastien Buemi in his Toro Rosso, and on the final lap by both Force Indias of Tonio Liuzzi and Adrian Sutil, dropping him out of the points to 11th as he struggled on the softer tyres that had degraded badly. BBC pundits Martin Brundle, Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard then lined up to give Schumacher a hammering, the former in particular claiming he drove "appallingly badly," in what was his "worst weekend since he came back". Germany's Bild newspaper also cited the grand prix as Schumacher's "blackest lap" this season. Fry, naturally defending the star, saying: "I'm surprised people have reached those conclusions. "He was in a good position until the puncture, but when something like that happens, you get out of sequence. "We also put him on the option tyre slightly earlier than we maybe should have done, otherwise he would have been able to defend better than he did. "But certainly from inside the team we see things in a totally different perspective. "We don't really see any significant difference in performance between Nico (team-mate Rosberg) and Michael - one is getting the breaks and the other isn't at the moment. "In sport, what goes around comes around. For those who have a run of luck, that frequently comes to an end, and the opposite happens. "So we're very comfortable with Michael's performance, and I can't see any reason why he won't come good. "He continues to improve, and he is going make a good job of it." Schumacher conceded before the race the title was beyond him this year, and he was already starting to look ahead towards next season. Following his third grand prix of the year without a point, Schumacher now trails leader Lewis Hamilton by 75, the equivalent of three race victories. Asked whether the title was gone for Schumacher, an optimistic Fry said: "Absolutely not. "It's all part of the learning process. I think he, and we as a team, will continue to work hard this year and do the best we can. "We still want to be in the top three. Red Bull and McLaren are fairly dominant, but Ferrari have had a mixed season." Mercedes, last year's champions when they were Brawn GP, are languishing in fourth in the constructors' championship, 107 points behind McLaren. These are lean times for the German manufacturing giant, with Fry adding: "We've struggled to make the so-called f-duct rear wing work, and we don't have the special exhaust system Red Bull have. "If we can get both of those things on the car then we'll be in a lot better position, and in the second half of the season we will continue to work hard and improve." MIKA: I think People like Eddie Jordan need to stop talking crap and spreading rumors in the paddock. I like David Coulthardt and to hear critisism from a former driver that has been in the sport and only retired is more viable for me to hear than a former driver from the past who has no idea of the current cars. I think Michael Schumachers end result is quite bad at the Canadien GP however I equally believe he was in top contention had it not have been for his shunt with Kubica earlier on which caused him to pull into the pits, which in turn set him back. Schumi started P13 and drove to P4 by lap 7 which is amazing as far as I'm concerned. The tyres also did not aid Schumi toward the end but that also effected many other teams. Just My opinion.
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Coulthard critical of Schumacher's drive The pressure on Michael Schumacher to perform is building, with David Coulthard questioning his tactics in the Canadian GP, whilst Martin Brundle described his drive as 'appalling'. The seven-time World Champion found himself involved in numerous incidents with Robert Kubica, Felipe Massa and Vitantonio Liuzzi - all of which avoided penalties despite being investigated by the stewards. "He pitted three times and was still lapping over 4 seconds off the pace in his final stint," Coulthard wrote in his Telegraph column. "He just could not get his tyres working and in my view resorted to some pretty questionable racing in an effort to hold position. "He was particularly fortunate to escape sanction for the late collision with Massa, his old protégé at Ferrari. The rules are clear: you cannot make two moves under braking. I'm not sure why they let him off." Coulthard isn't particularly sure why the German is struggling so much, but he has a few theories. "What is wrong with him? I don’t know but something is clearly missing," explained the former Red Bull driver. "It seems a case of one step forward, two steps backwards at the moment. "I don’t think the reactions have gone, his fitness is fine and to be fair to him he has shown glimpses of his old race craft; the move on Alonso on the final lap in Monaco was like a visitation from the ghost of Schumi past. "If I had to guess I would say it is F1 that has changed. Michael's struggles with the new tyres are well documented but I have another theory which is that he is not a fan of the 18,000rpm limit. The power band of the engine is very small these days; there is no torque. You spend your whole race changing gears. I didn’t really enjoy F1 towards the end of my career for this very reason."
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Sebastian Vettel: Was His Talent Exaggerated? Since a phenomenal win at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in 2008 for the so-called "sister-squad" to Red Bull Racing, 2007-debutant Sebastian Vettel has frequently reiterated suggestions that he may one day be a World Drivers' Champion. Although he has regularly shown promise, the reputation of the German has since become tarnished with allegations of inconsistency, overtaking inadequacies and, most recently, an inability to remain calm under pressure. With the championship contenders all relegated to the midfield following a rain-effected qualifying, Vettel's maiden Pole Position, ahead of Finn Heikki Kovalainen, Red Bull's Mark Webber and Toro Rosso-teammate Sebastian Bourdais, resulted in a commanding victory at the Faenza-based team's home Grand Prix. Whilst an incredible feat - especially for a team, like Scuderia Toro Rosso, with its troubled history - Vettel's performance, which is regularly taken at face-value, relied largely on the element of luck. Poor tyre selection by the Mclaren pit crew left race win-hopeful Lewis Hamilton (who had climbed from 16th to 2nd before the pit-stop phase) unable to compete with the German's pace. Teammate Bourdais had stalled his vehicle on the grid and the race beginning under the Safety Car all aided the young German's progress towards his first victory. Make no mistake: Sebastian's drive at that particular Grand Prix was an incredible achievement. His performance set the standard expected of the German and similar drives have been emulated at various venues since that rain-effected day in mid-September of 2008. What became harmful to the German's reputation, however, was the demand that these, and similar, performances be regularly delivered at Formula One race weekends. Vettel's consistency has been criticised by the media and Formula One fans, with suggestions that the Red Bull driver is unable to consistently deliver results similar to those achieved by "Top-tier" drivers such as Schumacher, Alonso and Hamilton during their respective careers. The five wins that Vettel has achieved since the beginning of 2009 have been separated by retirements, infrequent podium placings and regular mid-field finishes. Such results are regularly criticised, and pale in comparison to the 19-consecutive podiums achieved by Michael Schumacher and the 9-consecutive podiums achieved by Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, respectively, during their careers. Of course, mechanical failures and team errors have cost Vettel numerous results during his career and it is important not to judge Sebastian so harshly. One of the main justified criticisms of his ability is, however, that when not in "clean air" - when he is not leading the pack - Sebastian's pace struggles. Many believe that in order for Sebastian to achieve "top-tier" recognition, his ability to maintain pace when in traffic needs to improve greatly. The infamous incident between teammates Webber and Vettel in the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix has become one of the largest debate arguments in the Formula One paddock of 2010. The incident, which involved the German "turning into his teammate" whilst going down the back-straight at the Istanbul Park circuit, became a strong indication of Vettel's actions when placed under large pressure. Having watched his lesser-rated teammate "fly away" to win the previous two Grand Prix in succession, and in dominating fashion, is regularly suggested to have mentally "rattled" the young German, resulting in an over-aggressive move on his teammate at the following venue and costing the Red Bull team a probable 1-2 victory. Whilst the German suggested he was the innocent party in the event, the view that it was Vettel at fault was shared by an overwhelming number of individuals, including almost every member of the BBC, most newspapers, almost all online blogs, every notable poll* and most online-discussion forums. Making a mistake under pressure was not only confined to this particular Grand Prix, either. Similarly "turning into" Robert Kubica in Melbourne of 2009 when being overtaken, losing control of his vehicle at Monaco, spinning off in the wet at Malaysia and suggesting the car was at fault, "swerving" at Jenson Button in Valencia, speeding in the pitlane and throwing his steering wheel to the floor following qualifying in Brazil - all in the same season - are all key examples in the argument that Sebastian's ability to cope under pressure is required to improve: and fast. One with any knowledge of Formula One cannot suggest that Sebastian Vettel is a mediocre driver. His qualifying prowess and sheer determination in almost every race show that this is not the case. However, the suggestions that the young German is the "New Schumacher" or "Young Schumacher" were used far too prematurely. A driver's whole career cannot be defined by one or two individual performances, needless of the results within those races. Vettel has shown out-and-out pace required to win World Championships, but to emulate the results of the 'statistically best' driver of all time, Sebastian's consistency, ability to overtake and actions under pressure all need to greatly improve.
MIKA27 Posted June 17, 2010 Author Posted June 17, 2010 Epsilon worried about late decision Epsilon Euskadi boss Joan Villadelprat is concerned that his team might not get enough time to prepare for a 2011 Formula 1 programme if it is chosen as a 13th entrant. The FIA is currently considering applications from teams keen to join the world championship next year, with Spanish squad Epsilon among the leading contenders. But Villadelprat fears that a late announcement could leave any successful applicant short on time - or lead to unsuccessful projects wasting money as they feel compelled to get a headstart on 2011 designs in case they are chosen. "I'm optimistic, but also a bit worried because the FIA announcement won't come before the end of August," said Villadelprat in an interview with Autosprint. "That means that, for the teams who get the nod, the time to start proper construction of the F1 car will be tiny. "On top of that, it's inevitable that we now find ourselves in the situation where we begin making investments without knowing whether we'll actually be in next year's championship." Despite not yet knowing if Epsilon will be on the 2011 grid, Villadelprat says the project is making good progress and would be sustainable long term. "We have long been in talks with big and important international companies who are interested in investing in us," he said. "Within two weeks we'll have a better understanding of what we can do. "One thing is for sure: our programme isn't on a yearly basis. The budget I require must cover at least the first two seasons, 2011 and 2012. I repeat, that's a minimum. An F1 team can't be reasoning year by year." He is also sceptical about Virgin Racing's ambition of keeping within the 40 million euro figure originally proposed under the now-abandoned budget cap. "I feel that, in order to begin thinking of improving a team, you need no less than 100 million as a starting point," Villadelprat said. "Of course, you can race with 40 million too, but without making any important development and at the risk of always being just an extra. And having to start over from zero every year." MIKA: Epsioln seem like a very serious contender for the 2012 grid. I hope the FIA play it fair and give the new team(s) due notice to start developing.
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 'Red Bull want Buemi for 2012' Red Bull Racing are reportedly lining up Sebastien Buemi as Mark Webber's replacement for the 2012 Formula One season. Although Red Bull recently handed Webber a new contract, the deal is just for one year, 2011, paving the way for the Australian to be replaced the following season. And, according to Blick newspaper, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has already chosen Webber's replacement: Toro Rosso driver Seb Buemi. The newspaper claims that Marko was so impressed with Buemi's drive in Canada, which he claimed was "aggressive, controlled and super-fast" that he reckons the 21-year-old would be the perfect man to take over Webber's race-seat in 2012. That would hand Red Bull a double Seb line-up as the team already has Sebastian Vettel on the books for the foreseeable future. MIKA: I wonder how true this rumour is seeing there are many links/talks that Kimi will return in 2012 for RBR.
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 Williams: Barrichello is important Williams are expected to retain Rubens Barrichello for next season after admitting his previous F1 experience is vital to the team. Barrichello joined Williams from Brawn GP at the start of this year's Championship, teaming up with former GP2 Champion and F1 rookie Nico Hulkenberg. And although the deal was just a one-year contract, Auto Moto und Sport claims that Williams are set to retain Barrichello for next year's Championship. Not only does team boss Sir Frank Williams see the Brazilian as the perfect mentor to long-term investment Hulkenberg but he also concedes that without Barrichello's input, Williams would be lost out on track. "Without Rubens, we would be nowhere," said Sir Williams. Barrichello has bagged seven points in the opening eight races of this year's Championship while Hulkenberg has just one to his name.
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 Sauber hits out at just about everyone Peter Sauber has blamed BMW and former tech boss Willy Rampf for the disappointment that is Sauber's 2010 F1 season, although they were not his only targets. Having decided to sell their Formula One team at the end of last season, BMW stopped focusing all their attention on the 2010 car, which meant that when Sauber brought his team back from the German manufacturers in an 11th hour deal, the car was not up to scratch. This has been sadly proven time and time again this season with Sauber the lowest ranked of the established outfits, having bagged just one point in eight races. The team also parted ways with former tech boss Rampf, opting instead to bring in new blood in the form of James Key. However, Key's appointment, which came at the beginning of May, means the car is still very much the machine that Sauber inherited from BMW and Rampf. "The C29 is a crutch since we can only tinker with the car," the team boss told Swiss newspaper Blick. "It was an unpleasant parting gift from BMW and Willy Rampf. All our hopes rest now with the C30 for next year." However, BMW and Rampf are not Sauber's only issue as the team boss has also had to watch one too many grands prix end with an engine failure for his drivers. "Five problems with the Ferrari engine in eight races is unacceptable," he said. "At this rate we will need more than eight engines per driver for the season. We need better reliability." And when engine failures haven't blighted the team's races, mistakes from the drivers have, as Kamui Kobayashi demonstrated when his crashed on lap 2 of last weekend's Canadian GP. "Kamui immediately came to my office and apologised. Okay. Okay, that is the price you paid if you start with a rookie."
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 'No Merc engines for Red Bull' Red Bull may have to look elsewhere for a new engine supplier after Mercedes declared it would be "very difficult" to provide for another team. Red Bull Racing are believed to be considering dropping Renault at the end of the season with team boss Christian Horner claiming that his decision will be based on whether the FIA allows Renault to increase their power to match that of Mercedes's units. This immediately sparked rumours that Red Bull could look to Mercedes, which would mean four teams were reliant on the German manufacturer for their engines. Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug, though, has all but ruled this out. "We have probably KERS next year, so we need to look at our capacities," Haug told Autosport. "It definitely would be very difficult for us to supply a fourth team - but no final decision is taken yet. "We have cut the workforce on our engines, and we also need to prepare in a while for 2013 when there will be no rules. So probably the best decision is to stick with three teams. "That is not the final decision taken, but probably we will stay as we are." Mercedes already supply engines to their own Mercedes GP F1 team as well as McLaren and Force India.
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 Webber expects two-horse title fight Mark Webber believes it's only a matter of time before this year's World Championship race becomes a two-driver tussle. The start of the 2010 Formula One season has seen an intriguing battle for supremacy both on the track and in the Drivers' standings. While five drivers have claimed victories in the first eight grands prix, five have led the Drivers' Championship - and not the same five. The most recent to lose his grasp at the top of the table was Red Bull's Webber, who fell to third place following McLaren's 1-2 in last Sunday's Canadian GP. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton's Canadian GP victory saw him climb from third to first, taking a three-point lead over his team-mate Jenson Button. His P1 prompted the 2008 World Champ to recently state: "You can see how tight this Championship is, and I don't know if it's dependent on the new points-scoring system, but this year is so close. "It's the ultimate challenge I think I've experienced in Formula One, perhaps in Formula One history maybe." However, Webber does not believe it will remain a "tight" battle for much longer. "Last year, Jenson won many races at the beginning. But that is not what usually happens," the Red Bull racer told Auto Moto und Sport. "It is more often the case that until mid-season there are three or five drivers all together. "With about 70 percent of the Championship gone there will only be three and with a few races it will becomes a duel. "Perhaps the Champion will even be known before the last race." Looking ahead to next weekend's grand prix in Valencia, Webber has denied that McLaren have the upper hand, saying that although Red Bull did not win in Canada, they were not trounced. "We were on the pace throughout it even if we did end up behind Ferrari and McLaren at the end," said the 33-year-old. "In Valencia we have a good chance but I do not think it will be an easy win."
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 Bridgestone to force aggressive tyre strategies Bridgestone have revealed that they will now pursue more aggressive tyre strategies for the remaining races in a bid to improve the spectacle. The Canadian GP has been touted as the best race of the season so far after teams were forced to make two or even three stop strategies as the tyres grained quickly on the slippery track surface. That led to the order changing frequently as the top teams pursued different tyre strategies with Red Bull and Robert Kubica for Renault starting on the harder compound, whilst the remaining seven in the top ten started on the softer. Bridgestone's Hirohide Hamashima told Autosport that the company will now allocate the super-soft's more often in the hope of repeating the mixed strategies seen in Montreal, however, not at the expense of safety. "Our first priority is to provide safe tyres that are fair for everyone," said Hamashima. "I don't want to provide a blistering tyre, because that is a risk. "But if we can confidently predict no blistering with the super-soft tyres, then we will allocate those tyres as much as possible in the remaining races." The super-soft tyres will make their next appearance at the European GP in Valencia in a weeks time. However as the compounds have already been decided up to the British GP, the following opportunity will come in Hockenheim.
MIKA27 Posted June 18, 2010 Author Posted June 18, 2010 Analysis: KERS a bigger boost in 2011 The return of KERS to Formula 1 next year is set to be more of a success than during its last aborted attempt, teams believe, even though the systems will not be any more powerful than they were in 2009. F1 technical chiefs agreed at the Canadian Grand Prix that a voluntary agreement not to run KERS this year would be dropped at the end of this season. It means that all teams are now free to run the energy recovery systems from the start of next year. And although a bid by Ferrari and Renault to increase the power output of KERS from 400KJ to 800KJ to make it more attractive had to be dropped after Mercedes-Benz said it would only support KERS returning under the old rules, a further increase in the minimum weight of cars to 640kg proposed for next season should still ensure KERS brings a good advantage. One of the reasons why the system failed last time was because using the heavy systems pushed teams above the-then weight limit of 605kg, which meant there was minimum benefit from the KERS. For 2010, with revised tyres, better for weight distribution, and the higher weight limit proposed by the Technical Working Group (TWG), the weight factor of KERS should not be a handicap at all. Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said: "One of the important things that was achieved by the teams was to have a higher weight for the car, which will for sure help KERS to be used. "We would have preferred to have had much more energy, but there was not the consensus to do that. So the kind of intermediate solution that has been taken is at least enough to go for it and see if that system will perform. We will go for it, that is for sure." Ferrari, Williams and Renault have already confirmed that they will run KERS next year, with other outfits now evaluating it. Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn reckoned all teams will have had to make their minds up in the next month about what their plans would be. "I think the commitment will be to go with or without - we won't try and support both directions," he said. "We are still looking very carefully at all the aspects of KERS to make a final decision, and we are in the process of evaluating. "In about a month to six weeks, certain decisions have to be made on the car that means you will be losing time if you reverse out of them." When asked if the increase in minimum weight would mean it effectively being a 'no choice option' because it could only bring advantage, Brawn said: "It is the same scenario as previous years, in certain areas it is an advantage and certain areas it is not an advantage. It is not a black and white decision." Brawn also believes that KERS would provide an extra benefit beyond the boost that is set to come from the introduction of moveable rear wings - which alone are set to increase straight-line speeds by 15km/h. "It can be an accumulative benefit," he said. "If you use the wing and KERS, then you will get the benefit of both. There is no reason why the wing will negate KERS - because you don't only use KERS to improve straight-line speed, you can also use it to improve downforce." The deal to introduce KERS includes a $5 million (USD) development cap budget and, in a bid to ensure smaller outfits are not put at a disadvantage, independent teams will be able to buy systems for just $1 million (USD). Brawn believes that getting such cost restrictions in place was important - because one of the reasons why resistance to KERS last time out was so high was because of the huge development investment needed. "It is important costs are controlled," said Brawn. "It was quite an investment in previous years and perhaps the climate is a bit different now. We have to be careful about the levels of investment necessary for KERS. It is a good initiative but we need to make sure it fits with F1." And although Renault says it is delighted that its fight to get KERS back has been a success, team principal Eric Boullier has expressed some frustrations at the fact money now has to be spent optimising the older restricted systems rather than embracing more powerful technology. "At Renault, we were a strong supporter with Ferrari," Boullier said. "We offered to raise the level of energy to 800KJ, to allow more work on KERS for the future, and to have a better show - because you can use twice more the KERS system during a lap. "It would have been good for performance and good for F1's image, but the biggest concern was that Mercedes-Benz had a different technology and they could not do it [double the power with their system in the timeframe], and they did not want to invest their money on an 800KJ system. "So now it will cost money to everybody - as we need to continue to develop the 2009 KERS. That is stupid, because we will spend more money to make something work better, rather than changing the regulations and making it easy."
MIKA27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Posted June 21, 2010 Carlin deny F1 application British F3 Champions Carlin have denied reports that they have submitted an entry for next year's F1 World Championship. Earlier this week, reports emerged in the Finnish media claiming that Carlin had applied to be the 13th team on next year's Formula One grid. Team boss Trevor Carlin, though, has denied this. "While F1 may be a long-term goal for the team, we have not submitted an application for the 2011 season, nor are we in any position to do so," he said. "At the moment we are 100 per cent focused on our current programmes and continue to put all our efforts into winning championships and races in the junior categories."
MIKA27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Posted June 21, 2010 Massa: Schumi closed the door on me Felipe Massa is still smarting over Michael Schumacher's move in Canada, which saw the German close the door on him, effectively ending any chance of Massa scoring points. Massa had a rather eventful day in Montreal last Sunday, involved in a touch of argy-bargy with Tonio Liuzzi, making contact no fewer than three times with the Force India driver through the first corner. As a result of the incident, or incidents, Massa had to pit for a new nose, dropping him down the order. And although the Brazilian fought back, closing in on a possible points-paying position, his hard work was undone by former team-mate and Ferrari legend, Schumacher. Making a move on the Mercedes GP driver, Schumacher firmly shut the door, resulting in Massa's front wing being broken. "It was a bad weekend, especially when you consider I had a very good car for the race and was expecting to pick up a significant number of points," Massa told Ferrari's website. "But then I was caught up in the accident at the first corner, sandwiched between Button and Liuzzi, which removed any chance of a clean race and a strong finish. "I had a good start and was making up places on the way to the first corner, but then I had to pit for a new nose and that was it. "Even after that setback, I was heading for the points in the closing stages: I was tenth, but Michael who was ahead of me was much slower, maybe three seconds and Buemi in front of him was also slow, so I was in with a chance of finishing eighth. "But then came the problem with Michael. He closed the door on me too much. He braked on the right and moved across to the left where I was. There was nothing I could do, as I was already on the limit of my braking and when he moved across even more, he broke my front wing." But it wasn't all doom and gloom for Ferrari as Massa's team-mate Fernando Alonso proved to competitive, claiming a podium finish as the Scuderia put their Istanbul woes behind them. Now looking ahead to the next race in Valencia, Massa is hoping Ferrari can once again fight at the front of the field. "On the positive side, the car was much more competitive in Canada than in Turkey, which is a good basis on which to go to Valencia for the next race," he said. "The street circuit there is not so different in terms of its characteristics to the Montreal track and on top of that, we expect to have some more updates for the F10 to make it even more competitive with those ahead of us in the championship. "Valencia has not produced very exciting races so far, but I enjoy the track, as the only time I have raced there, in 2008 - it was one of the races I missed last year after my accident - I won. "It would be nice to think we could be in with a chance of doing the same again this time."
MIKA27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Posted June 21, 2010 McLaren preview the European GP McLaren head to Valencia targeting their third successive 1-2 finish and yet another opportunity to increase their lead in the standings. Jenson Button: "As a team, we've taken maximum points in the last two races and it feels like we've really gathered considerable momentum. The team really is functioning as a single unit, so I think we head into Valencia next weekend hopeful of being able to once again capitalise on that determination and ambition. Even though it's a street circuit, it's got quite a different feel to other street tracks like Monte-Carlo or Singapore. For a start, it's quite a bit faster - there are some low-speed corners with some fairly unforgiving walls at the apex, but there are also some high-speed changes of direction and some long straights, so it's quite an interesting place set-up-wise. It's not as if you completely rely on downforce, there's a trade-off, and that should suit our package. Valencia is also the final race before two important stop-offs in the UK: our home race at Silverstone and, before that, the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Both are events where the British fans will be out in force. And, as world champion, I'm looking forward to both events. Silverstone will be an incredible experience, and I get to achieve a childhood dream of driving one of Alain Prost's classic McLarens, the MP4/2C, at Goodwood. Sometimes, I can't believe how lucky I am." Lewis Hamilton: "I'm really looking forward to racing in Valencia. I had a great, attacking race there last year - but I've finished second for the past two seasons, so I feel like I have some unfinished business! I also think it's good for the championship to have a variety of circuits - we've just come from a fast, flowing road course in Canada, to a tight street track in Valencia. And, next month, we'll be at Silverstone - one of the fastest tracks of the year, and a circuit with incredible history. As a driver, that sort of variety makes the racing exciting and unpredictable, which is all you can really ask for. The last few grands prix have had some fantastic racing - it would be great for all the Spanish fans if we can have a great race here too. It's not a circuit where we've seen too much passing in the past, but I think this year could be different - the grid is so tight, there were battles all through the field in Montreal last week, so I think we could have a close and exciting race this year." Martin Whitmarsh, team boss: "After two consecutive one-twos, it certainly felt like Bruce McLaren himself was looking down on us and smiling, particularly after we recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of his death. I'm sure Bruce would also have appreciated the relentless and dedicated approach we have taken to the engineering and development of MP4-25 - I think we've shown in the past two races that we lack nothing in terms of hunger and motivation. And with our car being constantly developed, I believe we can continue to be a threat at the majority of remaining races on the calendar. Of course, we're no strangers to relentless development - it's one of the team's greatest strengths - and we're absolutely committed to maximising every last component in the search for performance. Nothing is too small to be overlooked, and it's that holistic approach that really brings rewards, allowing us to eke out performance in every single area of the car. It's also an approach we're increasingly focusing on with the team, too: we're looking at pitstops, engineering, strategy - and we're seeing practical and material benefits in those areas, too."
MIKA27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Posted June 21, 2010 Mercedes preview the European GP After a tough race in Canada with only a few signs of improvement, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are hoping for better in Valencia. Nico Rosberg: "This will be Formula One's third visit to Valencia and I'm really looking forward to the weekend. The city is pretty cool and the Spanish fans are always enthusiastic so there should be a good atmosphere around the marina. Valencia is a really good track and not what you would usually expect from a typical street circuit. There are a lot of corners but it's quite fast and flowing which combined with the barriers that line the circuit means that you have to keep your concentration levels high. The last race weekend in Canada was quite a tough one for us but I was pleased to finish in sixth and score decent points after being in thirteenth place on the first lap. Our pace was quick in the race and I hope that the upgrades we have for Valencia will bring further improvements." Michael Schumacher: "Valencia is a track which I have never raced on before so it will be another new experience for me but one which I am very much looking forward to. I always have been quite good in adapting quickly to new situations and I strongly expect that to be the case in Valencia. I like going into new experiences like this and having detailed discussions with my engineers about the challenge. We will bring further updates for our car which should help to improve the performance. We have already seen that the car has improved steadily over the last few races and in Canada, the pace was better even if unfortunately that did not show in the results. That's why I look forward to travelling to Spain a great deal." Ross Brawn: "Our car was well suited to the circuit in Montreal and our pace during the race was encouraging. Unfortunately qualifying was a disappointment and we placed well below our potential which compromised our weekend. Nico was clearly one of the quickest cars during the race and his climb from the midfield to sixth place was a very impressive performance. Michael showed good promise but damage to his front wing on the first lap and then the puncture put him out of the running and we were too ambitious with the use of the option tyres which left him struggling for pace. Looking ahead to Valencia, the circuit is similar to Montreal in many ways with long straights connected by slow corners which should suit our car. We have an upgrade package which will be another good step in our development towards competing at the front of the field. With the new points system this year, we are still within striking distance of the Championship leaders and we will continue with our efforts to become more competitive. We have a number of the basics right and the difference between winning and losing is small. We need to close that difference." Norbert Haug: "The track at Valencia's harbour side, where the America's Cup took place in 2007, is not a typical one on the Grand Prix calendar. It consists mainly of slower corners with the last sector then being quite fast and presenting some quicker turns. The lap is close to 5.5km which is above the average length of most circuits. We are planning to introduce some important upgrades to our cars in Valencia and are looking forward to making a step towards the top of the field."
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