FORMULA 1 - 2010

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  strayvector said:

I haven't been too impressed with Vettel this season. He has had the fastest car this season and should be leading the championship, but instead, is in third. His mistakes at the start of the last two races have cost him both races. He has lost way too many races from the pole this season.

You're absolutely right and IMO I believe this is due to his maturity or more so, immaturity.

I think many and I am one of these people who keep forgetting many of these guys are so young and whilst they are great drivers, they still haven't all grown up.

Earlier this season, whenever Webber beat him, I noticed Vettel bottled up and drove rather erratically as if he was trying to prove something. He doesn't need to do this because he really is the next Schumacher.

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Pirelli 'very happy' with first F1 test

Pirelli ran their first test with their prototype F1 tyres at Paul Ricard last week with motorsport director Paul Hembery declaring he was "very happy" with the initial results.

Pirelli will take over from Bridgestone next season as Formula One's official tyre supplier and already a great deal of work has gone into designing next year's rubber.

The prototype tyres have even already undergone their first track test with Pirelli putting the rubber through its paces at Paul Ricard last week, using a GP2 car.

"We've started some initial testing on the GP2 car, we had the first runs at Paul Ricard," Hembery told Manipe F1. "It was very successful, we're very happy with the performance of the product for the first test."

As for reports that Pirelli could yet use an old Toyota F1 chassis for further testing, Hembery revealed: "The 2010 Toyota didn't do its pre-season (testing) but the 2009 car is a possibility.

"We will know next week which car we're going to use for the testing up until the Abu Dhabi official test with teams."

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FIA declare Ferrari, Red Bull wings legal

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer has ruled that both Ferrari and Red Bull's front wings are legal despite questions from their rivals.

Ahead of Sunday's German GP, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh questioned the legality of Ferrari and Red Bull's front wings, which, according to pictures, were flexing, forcing the endplates closer to the ground, which could improve downforce at high speeds.

However, Bauer examined both teams' cars in the wake of the race, which saw Ferrari and Red Bull dominate the podium, declaring their wings to be within the rules.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali reckons the minor controversy was nothing more than rivals wanting to stir things up.

"I've seen some pictures of the wing, but you could see that they were taken from very different angles," he told Autosport. "So, I don't have anything to say on that. I feel that is part of the pressure that is part of the game."

Meanwhile, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is adamant that his team's car is complies with all the F1 regulations.

"Obviously the car has to comply with all the tests that the FIA prescribe, which are fairly comprehensive," Horner said. "We are happy that our car complies in every area.

"Using photographs is always dangerous. If the teams feel that there is a problem with it, normally the gentlemanly thing to do is to raise it with the team or, if they feel that there is a dramatic problem, obviously they have a right to protest. But we are happy that our car complies with the regulations.

"Using photographic evidence is only ever subjective because, has the camera moved? What is the fuel weight in the car? Has the driver braked heavier? Are the tyres pressures lower? There are so many variables that can influence what a picture looks like."

McLaren have already confirmed they are "not going to protest."

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh said "I think our modus operandi is make our car as quick as we can, and concentrate on that.

"We've got good harmony in our team, possibly better harmony now than our neighbours on either side, and we are leading the championship. We have to accelerate the process of developing the car and I think we can do that.

"We've got some good developments coming and I want to win this year's world championship. The right thing is to concentrate on what we do and how we do it. We are doing what we think is the right way to win this Championship.

"We are delighted to leave Hockenheim still leading both Championships with our drivers first and second, and they are fighting. We can look silly and maybe there will be occasions where we lose a title or a race because we are pushing and racing."

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McLaren duo slam Ferrari's team orders

Jenson Button has joined the growing chorus of criticism regarding team orders that may yet result in severe sanctions being taken against Ferrari.

The famous Maranello marque were punished for fixing the German Grand Prix on Sunday by stewards who fined them $100,000 (£65,000).

The matter, however, has been referred to the World Motor Sport Council who, if they choose to pursue the case, have unlimited powers of punishment at their disposal.

The incident that saw coded messages being passed to Felipe Massa that eventually resulted in him slowing to allow team-mate Fernando Alonso to pass and claim victory left a bitter taste in the mouth and infuriated millions of Formula One fans worldwide.

"Personally I think team orders in Formula One are wrong, in any motor sport category, although sometimes they are inevitable," said Button.

"We all want to win, and I know that every team wants to win, both the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships.

"But they have to give both their drivers the same opportunity to do so.

"This was very early in the season. How early is it going to start in the future?"

For any driver given the message 'your team-mate is faster', as was the case on Sunday to Massa from his race engineer Rob Smedley, the natural reaction is speed up, not slow down.

"If I was told my team-mate is faster, I would think my team-mate is faster, so I would keep driving and hope he doesn't overtake me," added Button.

Echoing his team-mate's sentiments, Championship leader Lewis Hamilton said: "My reaction would be to go faster, that I need to find the time.

"For me if my engineer came across the radio, and just because I know how things are in our team, the message would be 'Jenson's faster, you've got to find time in the first and second sector'.

"As simple as that, which means pick up the pace if you can. It's encouraging rather than telling you. It's a lot different."

The fact is, no matter Ferrari's protestations to the contrary, it is clear for the remainder of this season Alonso is their favoured driver and Massa will have to play second fiddle.

That could count against McLaren who have consistently adopted a policy of treating both drivers equally, even if it proves to be detrimental to their Championship chances.

"All I can say is for us we're still in the best position overall," added Hamilton, who leads Button by 14 points and with McLaren 28 clear of Red Bull in the Constructors' standings.

"Although we're not the fastest, both myself and Jenson are going in the same direction, we're both fighting, so there's two horse power rather than one."

In 2007, however, it has long been claimed McLaren's insistence on equality cost Hamilton or Alonso the title as both finished a point behind eventual champion Kimi Raikkonen, then with Ferrari.

Hamilton disagrees, citing other factors that came into play that season, and instead is proud to drive for a team that in his eyes plays fair.

"There were races when I messed up and lost points. There were a lot of mistakes on either side," added Hamilton.

"If you're both going full pelt then one of you is going to do a better job and finish ahead.

"But I don't feel if one had been favoured more than the other one of us would have won the Championship.

"And it was definitely not the case of me being favoured over him. That was by far not the case.

"Instead it was a good experience for the team, and we've really come on in leaps and bounds since then.

"I think our team management, and the way it conducts itself, is probably the most professional I've ever seen in Formula One.

"I'm delighted and very proud to be a part of that."

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Promoters to unveil US GP track site

Formula One fans will finally get more information on the location for the US GP on Tuesday as race promoters are due to unveil the Austin area site.

Organisers have previously stated that an eight hundred-acre site to the east of the city has been purchased, but they've scheduled a press conference to divulge more details about the exact location.

The US GP, which was last held in 2007 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will return to the Formula One calendar in 2012 at a new venue in Texas.

Race promoters say the track will be the first built in the U.S. specifically designed for a Grand Prix event. The circuit layout and infrastructure will be designed by Herman Tilke - he who also built tracks in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Shanghai and Istanbul.

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Gascoyne: Fans feel cheated

Lotus Racing's chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne claims Formula One fans will feel cheated by Ferrari in Sunday's German Grand Prix.

Gascoyne was left astonished at how badly Ferrari botched making a team call that resulted in them being fined $100,000 (£65,000) and facing the prospect of further sanctions.

Gascoyne, one of the most experienced men in F1 having previously worked for a raft of teams, has revealed team orders have, and always will exist - you just do not make such a ham-fisted attempt at them.

"There are team orders, and we have to accept there will be. It was just handled very badly," said Gascoyne.

"Of course, there will come a point in the season when you have to prioritise one driver because he has the best chance of winning a Championship. You've got to do what's best for the team.

"In this case they were going to get a one-two anyway. But is this the right stage of the season to be doing what they did?

"The bottom line is if you are going to do it then do so far more cleverly than they did.

"Obviously it is a team sport and you have to get the best result for the team, in particular when you are at the front and racing for a Championship.

"But it is clear the fans feel cheated by it when you do it like they did, which was just ridiculous."

Gascoyne is at a loss to understand why Ferrari, with all their experience, called the shots in the way they did.

In particular as it was a blatant team order handed out by then boss Jean Todt, now FIA president, that saw Rubens Barrichello slow on the final lap of the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix to allow Michael Schumacher to claim the win.

That incident brought the current regulation into place that strictly prohibits team orders.

"There was an outcry in Austria because it was so blatant as it was on the last lap," added Gascoyne.

"So you would have thought Ferrari would have learned because it wasn't much less blatant.

"Make him pass you under braking at least. Don't lift off out of the corner because in doing that you are making a statement.

"Where the fans feel cheated is having done that, to then sit in the press conference and say 'No, that wasn't the case', and 'Of course there wasn't a team order'.

"Well, there clearly was.

"Ferrari and Formula One have to learn that the people watching do not like it.

"I'm on Twitter and the feedback was unanimous, that the fans feel cheated.

"So the team bosses have to take note that people don't want to see it, but if you are going to do it then you have to do so cleanly and fairly.

"As professionals you have to handle it differently."

Gascoyne, though, has admitted to feeling a degree of sympathy with Ferrari given the Championship situation and the pressure they were likely under.

"If they are going to win the Drivers' Championship, Fernando is the only one who is going to do it and you have to prioritise," said Gascoyne.

"But you just do it in a much better way. Don't announce things over the radio to the world's media, and if you do, expect to get slaughtered for it."

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Boullier: Petrov has raised his game

Renault team boss Eric Boullier admits he was impressed with Vitaly Petrov at the German GP, saying "he did more than we expected".

Petrov started 13th on the grid at Hockenheim and finished 10th to take his points tally for the season to seven.

It was only the second time this season that he finished in the points, much to the delight of Boullier who has previously stated that the rookie needed to score points regularly to secure his future at the team.

"I have to say that he did more than we expected," Boullier told Autosport. "His qualifying pace was a bit down compared with Robert's - he made a mistake in one corner and he was very angry with himself. But his pace was good for most of the lap compared with Robert's.

"The race was just brilliant - you can't say any more that that - he matched Robert Kubica's pace. He was consistent and pushed when we asked him to push for strategic reasons to make sure that we passed the Williams cars and Kobayashi. He did very well."

He added: "We have recently asked him to score points and raise his game, and he did that. Now he has to do it every weekend and if he does, he has a great future in Formula 1."

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Yamamoto to replace Chandhok for second time

Sakon Yamamoto will continue to race for Hispania at the Hungarian GP, replacing Karun Chandhok for a second time.

The Japanese driver replaced Bruno Senna at the last minute for the British GP at Silverstone a few weeks ago, in a move which angered some fans and stirred up some odd rumours.

He then replaced Chandhok at the German GP - a move almost certainly fuelled by money.

Yamamoto is looking forward to his third race of 2010 having drove the circuit in various formulae.

"I can't wait to go back to the Hungaroring as I know the circuit already very well from my Formula 1 races with Super Aguri, Spyker F1 and with ART in GP2 series," he said in a team preview.

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McLaren preview the Hungarian GP

Jenson Button:

"I won my first grand prix in Hungary - and I can still remember that race as if it was yesterday. Actually, what I remember best were the moments after the race, when you finally realise that it's all real, and you get to see the reactions of everyone around you. It was a great moment in my career, and one that I still savour.

"As for the circuit itself, it's a good track – it's a place where you need to drive with a lot of control if you're going to get a good laptime. Some of the kerbs are quite high, so you need a bit of precision through the high-speed stuff. Fortunately, it's a high-downforce track, so there's usually plenty of grip – or, at least, there is by Sunday, because it's always really dusty at the start of the weekend.

"After Hockenheim, I think we go to Budapest feeling more optimistic about our pace – the team has traditionally gone well at the track, and we feel we have a high-downforce configuration that should be well-suited to the circuit. We're learning more and more about the blown floor after every session, and I feel like we got some very useful data from Sunday's race in Germany.

"Now it's all about maximising our package and hopefully securing a strong result before the summer break – that would be a massive positive for everybody on the team."

Lewis Hamilton:

"I love racing in Hungary. Budapest is a fantastic, beautiful city that I'd love to get out and really explore one day, and the circuit is quite a unique place – it's got a reputation for being a slow track where it's impossible to pass, but I don't really agree with that.

"Firstly, the track has a couple of high-speed corners – in particular, the blind left-hander at Turn Four, and the right-hander at Turn 11 – and, since the revisions to the first corner, it's a place where passing is definitely possible, even if it's not easy.

"It's a circuit that really requires you to pull it all together – like Monaco, there's nowhere to relax, and, because one corner always leads straight into the next, you're really hustling the car the whole way. Which, when you've got a good car, is good fun.

"I've always gone well there – I won in 2007, and winning there last year was one of the best races of my career in terms of sheer satisfaction. The whole team was elated with that result because we'd just performed one of the greatest turnarounds in sport, coming from the back of the grid at the start of the season to take victory."

Martin Whitmarsh - Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes:

"Historically, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team has always gone well at the Hungaroring. Lewis won the race in 2007, and again in '09 – a memorable race because it marked the first-ever victory for a KERS-powered car in Formula 1. Of course, we also remember the good memories of Heikki's victory in 2008, and we go into this year's race hopeful of another strong performance.

"While we're under no illusions that our pace relative to our rivals was lacking at Hockenheim, the MP4-25 should perform better in a more dedicated high-downforce configuration. More encouragingly, we've now got one race with the blown diffuser under our belts, and this has already given us lots of data with which to take the concept forwards.

"Finally, this will be the 12th race of the season and the final round before everybody in the team earns a well-deserved summer break. We have all worked incredibly hard to cement our positions at the top of both world championships – not least in the past four weeks, when we've seen unbelievable dedication and commitment as we've strived to update MP4-25.

"For all of us in Woking, it would be fantastic to go into that summer break with a strong result to ensure we maintain our motivation and commitment as we enter the crucial final third of the season."

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Mercedes GP preview the Hungarian GP

Nico Rosberg:

"Budapest is a great city and the atmosphere there and at the track over the race weekend is very vibrant so I always enjoy visiting. The Hungaroring is one of those tracks that provides a real technical challenge and it is good fun to drive. Overtaking is difficult there so qualifying is really important and you need to start from as high up the grid as possible. Qualifying hasn't been our strong point recently so we will be working hard on our preparations over the weekend to give us the best chance in the race. I had a strong weekend in Hungary last year, finishing in fourth place, and it would be nice to be competing towards the front again this time around."

Michael Schumacher:

"The German Grand Prix last weekend was clearly disappointing for us but we have seen a variety of performances from our team over the past few races. With this in mind, I will still go to Hungary with a positive feeling. It is clear that we need to understand our car better, and the track in Budapest plus more time to evaluate our upgrades should help us in that respect. As I said after the last race, we have to remain calm, look into all the details and analyse our performance in order to learn as much as possible from such weekends. That is the way we have to go in order to improve our situation which may already be possible this coming weekend in Hungary."

Ross Brawn:

"The Hungarian Grand Prix will be the conclusion to an extremely busy period for the team following two of our home races taking place this month at Silverstone and Hockenheim. The last race weekend in Germany was challenging for us, particularly following the podium finish at Silverstone, and we were disappointed not to be competing further up the field. The team is doing a good job operationally but we need to find more pace from the car and we continue to work very hard to achieve this. Hungary is a technically demanding circuit and should be a good proving ground for our latest upgrades, providing further invaluable track testing time, as we work to find the optimum set-up. Our two-week factory shutdown just after the race will be a well-deserved rest for our employees and the chance to recharge their batteries before the busy final third of the season."

Norbert Haug:

"The Hungaroring circuit near Budapest is very different to that of the last race in Germany with a slow and twisty layout requiring maximum downforce. One weekend after the home race of Mercedes-Benz, our team wants to achieve a better result than we managed at the Hockenheimring."

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Williams preview the Hungarian GP

Rubens Barrichello:

I like the Hungaroring and I have won there in the past. Of course the most critical issue is that you have to qualify well to have a good race. The circuit requires a very different set-up and the track surface is pretty bumpy.

We'll be looking to carry our present momentum on to Hungary. It is not as if we had a bad race last weekend - it is just that the rhythm and pace of everyone is pretty similar, but we ended up in a bad position on the track after the start. I am confident the speed is still with us, we will just need to work hard in Budapest to make sure we are at the front of the pack we are in.

Nico Hulkenberg:

We have seen that we are pretty competitive in qualifying amongst the group of teams we are fighting against - Renault, Mercedes and Sauber. Hungary puts a major emphasis on qualifying well, so I hope we can do a good job on Saturday and get ahead of this group as it will set us up well for the race on Sunday.

I won at the Hungaroring last year in GP2, so it's somewhere I am comfortable to race even if the character of the race is defined by the amount of corners and the high temperatures, which makes it a pretty physical test. I feel very positive looking forward to the weekend ahead.

Sam Michael, Technical Director:

The slow, traction-limiting corners of Budapest should suit the FW32 so we're going there expecting a decent performance. We obviously have to make some improvements to our starts set-up, so we've been busy analysing and working on that since Germany. During Friday’s practice sessions, we will also be testing some new aero parts which we were unable to test in Germany because of the bad weather.

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Renault preview the Hungarian GP: Q&A

Q. Robert Kubica, you finished seventh in Germany, ahead of both Mercedes - were you happy with the outcome of the race?

I think we achieved the limit of our car and we were 'best of the rest' in Hockenheim, but we know that there is a big gap to the fastest teams at the moment - and also that the teams behind us are very close. This means that we have to get everything perfect across the race weekend to qualify in the top ten, and finish in the points.

Q. Is the Hungaroring likely to play more to the strengths of the R30?

I think it will be a more suitable track for our car and I hope we can be closer to the front than we were in Germany. But I honestly don't think we can hope to repeat the kind of pace we showed in Monaco earlier this season.

Q. What challenges does the Hungaroring present for a Formula 1 car?

It's a very difficult track to set the car up for because there are long corners where you need to have very good front grip, but on the other hand you need good rear stability. It's also difficult for set-up because of the bumps and because there are lots of different kinds of corner, so you have to somehow concentrate on all areas of the set-up and car balance. And it's very demanding physically and mentally because there are so many corners and there's only really one straight, and even that is not so long. You don't really have time to get back your energy and relax, so you are always concentrating.

Q. This is the closest grand prix to your home country of Poland. Does that make it a special event?

I'm really looking forward to the weekend and we usually see a lot of Polish fans coming to Budapest, so it's a sort of home grand prix for me and for the Polish fans. I am expecting a lot of people to come, and a good atmosphere from the crowd, so we are hoping that we can put in a good performance for them.

Q. Vitaly Petrov, you scored your first F1 points in dry conditions last weekend - were you happy with your performance?

Yes, of course, I was pleased to be back in the points and to have a good race. It was quite an interesting race for me; I had a good fight with the guys around me and the car felt easy to drive. I pushed at the right times in the race and managed to make up two places at the pit stops. After that, I was behind the Mercedes, but there was no place to overtake.

Q. The next race is at the Hungaroring - is it a track you enjoy?

It's a circuit that I know quite well and I have a lot of experience there racing in GP2. But this will be my first time there in Formula 1 so there is still a lot for me to learn. I like the circuit and it's quite a tricky track where you need to find a good rhythm and know the secret to going well there.

Q. What is a realistic target for the weekend?

I need to work on improving my qualifying performance to make sure I start the race in a good position. If I can do this, I think I can have a strong race because in Germany the pace of the car was good. In fact, Germany was nearly a mistake-free weekend, except for qualifying. Robert has shown what the car can do in qualifying, so I know this is where I can improve. I will work hard to put all the pieces together across the weekend and my target is to finish in the top ten and score some more points.

Robert's guide to Budapest:

Before I became an F1 driver, I always got the impression that the Hungaroring was not liked, but the first time I drove there in an F1 car, I enjoyed it a lot. There are always a lot of Polish fans in Budapest because it’s the closest race to Poland, so it’s a kind of like a home grand prix for me.

It’s a very difficult track to set the car up for because there are long corners where you need to have very good front grip, but on the other hand you need good rear stability. It’s also difficult for set-up because of the bumps and because there are lots of different kinds of corner, so you have to somehow concentrate on all areas of the set-up and car balance.

The long corners and high temperatures also make it a demanding track on the tyres. And if it’s really hot, you can have a really big drop-off from the tyres. Because there are so many corners, the tyres are really suffering and right on the limit. You can set the car up to have a bit of understeer to look after the rear end, but if you have too much understeer in the long corners like turns eight, nine, 13 and 14, you lose too much lap time.

For most of the lap you are simply going from one corner to another. You are touching the brakes from turn four to turn 11, but you are never putting really high pressures on the brakes. And it’s very demanding physically and mentally because there are so many corners and there’s only really one straight, and even that is not so long. You don’t have time to get back your energy and relax, so you are always concentrating. That’s why it’s such a difficult track to get right for both the driver and engineers.

It’s not really a track for great racing because it’s very difficult for overtaking. The corners are all complex from turn four to turn 11 and there is not even one straight that is more than 100 or 200 metres in this section, so it is quite tricky. The only small chance for overtaking is turn one, but it’s still very difficult. The problem is that turn 14 is very long: if you are behind someone you lose a lot of front grip, and you are slow at the apex, which makes it hard to follow another car closely and attack into turn one.

Turn 14 is definitely one of the most important corners of the lap because it’s where you can lose or win a lot of lap time. It’s a very long corner, which you can approach in many different ways with different apex speeds and different lines. You have to carry as much speed as you can into the corner, but you have to remember to get on the power as early as possible because there is quite a long straight into turn one. There are quite a lot of lines on entry point and your apex point can be different depending on car balance. It can also vary during the race depending on tyre degradation.

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Massa: Returning to Hungary will be 'special'

Felipe Massa's first stop in Hungary will be to meet with the marshals and medical staff who helped extract him from the car and care for him after his horrific accident at the track in 2009.

The Brazilian was left unconscious after a spring came loose from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car during qualifying - striking him in the head.

"Going back to Budapest will be a very special weekend for me," Massa wrote in his Ferrari blog, "for reasons which you can all appreciate as it was there, just over a year ago, that I was seriously injured.

"My first meeting when I arrive at the Hungaroring circuit will be with all the marshals and medical staff who did such a very good job of carefully getting me out of the cockpit.

"I want to thank these people, with whom I now feel a special bond," he continued.

The Ferrari driver, who looked set to win the German GP last weekend until team orders led to a switch with his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, is confident his F10 will improve once again as the Italian team are set to introduce yet more upgrades.

"There will be even more updates coming this weekend and the result last weekend is motivation for everyone in the team to keep pushing even harder to keep the momentum going, improving race by race.

"There are other reasons to be optimistic about this weekend, including the fact that Bridgestone is bringing its Super-Soft and Medium tyres that have always suited the F10 very well, so maybe we can have another very competitive race."

MIKA: Good luck for Felipe Massa at the Hungarian GP. Would be great to see him win this one.

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Renault open to further engine deals

Renault says it is hopeful of continuing its engine partnership with Red Bull into 2011, while is also open to the possibility of striking supply deals with further teams.

The French manufacturer has supplied its Milton Keynes-based rival with an identical batch of its V8 engines since 2007 but last supplied three different teams in 1986 when it had Lotus, Ligier and Tyrrell on its books.

An expansion of its customer engine programme has been mooted for next season, with the new-look Lotus squad and the as yet unconfirmed 13th team linked to Renault engines.

RBR looks likely to extend its relationship with the French manufacturer and Renault F1 engine technical director Rob White is keen for that existing deal to continue, although he is not ruling out an additional expansion of its customer supply programme.

“We have an excellent relationship with Red Bull and we hope to continue to build on it for the future,” he said.

“We have the capacity to supply additional teams in the future and would be willing to do so if it was good for Renault and for the sport as a whole.

“We would maintain our policy to supply strictly the same performance specification to all Renault powered cars.

“There has been speculation in the press, with different teams mentioned from time to time, but no announcement is imminent.”

Although the Red Bull-Renault combination has taken 10 poles and five victories from 11 races this season, the French carmaker’s V8 is widely acknowledged to be down on power compared to the class-leading Mercedes-Benz unit in particular.

White says the team is certain some rival power plants are more competitive, but while the engine ‘freeze’ regulations – which have been in place since the start of the 2007 season – restrict the number of changes that a manufacturer can make to their units, he believes it can provide strong engines within the rules.

“I believe the maximum power of the Renault engine within the useful RPM range is not as good as the best of its competitors,” he said.

“Analysis of observed car performance supports this conclusion but it is impossible to accurately quantify differences in engine power except by comparison of power measured on the dynamometer. The reasons for this deficit are historical, resulting from engine developments undertaken during successive cycles of engine homologation.

“Renault is committed to supply fully competitive engines and we are confident that this is possible within the current rules framework administered by the FIA, but we cannot be satisfied while the power of our engine remains significantly behind the best.”

F1 will remain with its current engine specification until 2013 when a new powertain is set to be introduced.

Discussions are currently underway between the teams and the FIA as to what these regulations should be and White reckons the sport’s stakeholders are edging towards agreement on a direct injection turbocharged engine.

“Renault supports a Formula 1 which is sustainable in terms of eco-responsibility, improved show, road relevance and controlled costs,” he added.

“We are pleased to participate in discussions led by the FIA to make recommendations concerning the new powertrain rules for Formula 1.

“Within Renault, we have taken guidance from our mainstream colleagues and feel a downsized gasoline direct injection (GDI) turbocharged engine with advanced energy recovery systems and additional electric traction would make sense to satisfy these objectives.”

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  MIKA27 said:

MIKA: Good luck for Felipe Massa at the Hungarian GP. Would be great to see him win this one.

I'm not a Ferrari fan, but I too am pulling for Massa to win. Hopefully, if he's in the lead, they won't tell him to back down in favor of Alonso (at least, I hope they're not that stupid).

[OZCUBAN]

McLaren’s engineering director Paddy Lowe admits the Woking squad remains mystified by how Red Bull and Ferrari are able to run their front wings so low to the ground – but is determined to find out so that it reaps the same performance gains.

Photographs circulated in the Hockenheim paddock showing the Red Bull and Ferrari front wings apparently flexing under load and tilting downwards provoked suspicion among rival teams, but both the RB6 and the F10 were given the all-clear by the FIA in post-race scrutineering.

Regulations require F1 cars’ bodywork to be rigid and tests are carried out to ensure that wings do not flex by more than a stated maximum, but these tests do not fully replicate the 5G loads cars generate in high-speed corners or under heavy braking.

The ground effect from running front wings lower is a potentially significant advantage, affording not only more downforce overall but a better aerodynamic balance – offsetting the increased rear downforce generated by exhaust-blown diffusers.

Red Bull and Ferrari have dismissed the photographic evidence as being unscientific and unreliable, suggesting numerous factors (such as fuel loads, the braking forces being generated, tyre pressures or simply different camera angles) could explain the visual discrepancies.

But speaking in Wednesday's Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in, Lowe insisted there was a fundamental difference in car behaviour.

“I’ve seen a lot of pictures on this subject,” he said.

“We believe, and we’re not alone, that two cars – Ferrari and Red Bull – have wings existing at a much lower position than we're able to deliver.

“There’s a difference of a reasonably large degree, so it’s difficult to explain by relatively subtle effects such as fuel weight, tyre pressure or differences in end-of-straight or high-speed set-up.

“These things affect the car to a relatively small degree, much smaller than the differences that we’ve seen in the pictures.

“So there is a phenomenon that we’re seeing. It may be entirely legitimate, it may not be.”

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh has made it clear that, rather than protesting its rivals’ front wing designs, McLaren will seek to emulate them.

Lowe admits it has made little progress in discovering the secrets so far, however.

“We just don’t understand it,” he said.

“So what we’re doing at the moment is working really hard to try to understand it and see, if it’s worth performance to us, whether we can also deliver that.”

[OZCUBAN]

Monaco signs 10-year GP deal

Monaco has secured its place on the Formula 1 calendar until 2020 after signing a new 10-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone.

The F1 impresario recently raised the stakes in the contract negotiations by declaring that the sport could do without its most prestigious event, but there was never any serious possibility of the harbourside street race being dropped.

Ecclestone agreed the deal with Michel Boeri, president of the Automobile Club de Monaco, at a meeting in London today (Wednesday).

After being moved forward slightly in the 2010 calendar from its usual late-May slot, the Monaco Grand Prix will take place on a more typical of date of 29 May next year.

Oz

I think this is a good deal whilst Monaco has its detractors it is IMO the jewel in the crown of the F-1 calendar ,the one every driver wants to win ,and no other race is as steeped in history as what Monaco is ,good news all round i think

Oz

[MIKA27]

  OzCuban said:

Monaco signs 10-year GP deal

Oz

I think this is a good deal whilst Monaco has its detractors it is IMO the jewel in the crown of the F-1 calendar ,the one every driver wants to win ,and no other race is as steeped in history as what Monaco is ,good news all round i think

Oz

It is indeed Steve.

Whilst this is not necessarily my favourite track by any means, it is as you say, 'The jewel in the crown" and it pretty much 'IS" Formula 1 in itself. Great news indeed!

[MIKA27]

DC, Jordan: Scrap ban on team orders

David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan have urged Formula One's rule makers to scrap the ban on team orders.

The issue is back in the spotlight after Ferrari were slapped with a $100,000 fine and ordered to appear before the World Motor Sport Council for asking Felipe Massa to move aside for team-mate Fernando Alonso at the German Grand Prix.

Coulthard insists despite the current ban, team orders have always been part and parcel of the sport.

In his The Telegraph, Coulthard wrote: "Now just hear me out. I know that what we saw at Hockenheim on Sunday, when Felipe Massa was ordered aside for Fernando Alonso, was unpalatable to many fans but for goodness sake, wake up and smell the coffee.

"Team orders happen in F1. They always have and they always will. Just because Ferrari were ham-fisted in breaking the rules, does it make their transgression any worse? I cannot believe some of the hypocrisy we've heard in the past couple of days.

"The only way to stop team orders would be to race with one car. As long as there are two (and some teams want three - how difficult would it be then to control team orders?) the rule is unenforceable.

"Team principals should be allowed to do the best they can for their team, for their employees, for their owners. That is what they always used to do. At some point during the past 60 years we seem to have lost sight of that fact.

"The public furore is based on a fundamental misunderstanding, which is that Formula One is about the individual."

Jordan was quite outspoken in his criticism of Ferrari after Sunday's race, saying the team "should be ashamed" as "they stole from us the chance of having a wheel-to-wheel contest between the drivers".

He has since calmed down and believes it's time to change the rules again.

"It's nonsense," Jordan said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It needs to be repealed."

"Every team has to have team orders and now they are just cloaked over as a guise. But fundamentally the regulators have to sort that out.

"It has to go the world council and it has to be signed off. Ferrari probably thought they were above that and they found out that they weren't."

"Ferrari believe the best way to win the Championship is for Alonso to be the main driver, but it was the way it happened," added Jordan. "It was nonsense and the way they handled this was appalling."

[MIKA27]

McCombs to bankroll US GP

Promoters of the United States Grand Prix have revealed that well known businessman Red McCombs will fund the race which will take place in the south east of the city of Austin.

McCombs, who was once rated one of the 400 richest men in America by Forbes Magazine, has a long history of involvement in sporting franchises, having owned NBA basketball teams the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs as well as the Minnesota Vikings American Football outfit.

"Bringing Formula One back to the United States represents the opportunity of a lifetime and one that any city in the world would want," McCombs said in a statement.

"The size and scope of an F1 event is comparable to hosting a Super Bowl and will bring substantial economic benefit to Austin, San Antonio and the entire state of Texas."

McCombs added that he had recently spoken the Formula One chief Bernie Eccelstone and eased his concerns reagrding the construction of the circuit.

"Bernie said: 'How do you think you are going to get a facility built in Austin in time for the 2012 race'. I told him remember you are talking about doing this in Texas, we are not talking about doing it anywhere else. We have that reputation," explained McCombs.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, promoter Tavo Hellmund announced that the site for the race would be an area formerly known as Wandering Creek which is located in the south east of the city near the airport.

"I wanted to make sure that we were the best location for the United States Grand Prix," said Hellmund.

"How you do that is by having the right location and the right connectivity - and the location is something we have been working on for at least a year and a half."

Hellmund added that he believed this track would succeed where others have failed because it is purpose built for F1.

"People have been commenting that F1 hasn't stuck in the United States, but that is actually completely inaccurate," he said.

"F1 was immensely successful from 1960 to 1980 when it was at a permanent road course facility.

"From 1980 up until 1999 it was always on temporary street circuits and, as wonderful as the IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) is, it was basically an adaptation. It was an IndyCar track that NASCAR was able to have success there," he concluded.

MIKA: New venues come and go but I think that once this is built, it will be here to stay IMO. I don't know why, but I really feel that a US GP is what is lacking considering the US have such a huge fan base for car racing.

Besides, they could do with a real sport and ditch INDY CARS and NASCAR.

[MIKA27]

Massa to meet with Hungarian staff

Felipe Massa's first port of call on returning to the Hungaroring on Thursday will be to meet and thank marshals and medical staff for saving his life a year ago.

The anniversary of Massa's horrific crash in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix may have been two days ago, but the most poignant reminder for the Brazilian will come this weekend.

It is when the memories he possesses will return, at least up to a point as he has no recall of what unfolded after being struck on the helmet by a spring weighing a kilogram that had broken off the Brawn GP of Rubens Barrichello.

After ploughing into a tyre barrier in his Ferrari, the 29-year-old spent nine days in recovery in Budapest's AEK military hospital after fracturing his skull, which later required the insertion of a metal plate.

Massa knows he is lucky to be alive, which is why this weekend will be a "very special" one for him.

"My first meeting when I arrive at the circuit will be with all the marshals and medical staff who did such a very good job of carefully getting me out of the cockpit," said Massa.

"I want to thank these people, with whom I now feel a special bond.

"I had to stay in hospital for a week after the accident and I got to know the staff, who all treated me so well.

"One unusual result of the whole unfortunate episode is that I know I now have a lot more fans in Hungary."

Massa admits the accident was a life-changing one, not on the track where he maintains he has lost none of his bravery and speed, but more pertinently away from it as a human being.

"It made me value life much more than before," said Massa, in his blog on Ferrari's website.

"I appreciate the ordinary things in life 10 times more. It has put life and my health in perspective, not taking anything for granted.

"Not just for me, but also for life in general and what it means to everyone. I know what it means now and I feel I am much more mature as a human being.

"However, on the professional front nothing has changed because once you shut the visor and go out on the race track, you just do everything as before, without thinking of the accident."

[OZCUBAN]

Lets hope that Massa can win the Hungarian GP ,that would be justice ,and he can stick it up the ferrari management

and would lay to rest a lot of ghosts for Felipe

Even though i think it will be a one two for RBR (and their flexible wings )

OZ

[MIKA27]

Bernie: Some teams might not finish the season

With a number of teams struggling both on and off the track, Bernie Ecclestone concedes that the F1 season may not finish with all the teams currently racing.

Hispania Racing are currently rotating three drivers as they continue to languish at the bottom of the grid while Williams and Renault are both facing serious financial trouble.

With the world economic climate not conducive to massive sponsorships and costs in F1 rising, Ecclestone suggests that some outfits may not even make it the grid in Abu Dhabi.

"I would be surprised if one or two of them make the end of the season," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph.

"I think there are a couple of teams who really shouldn't be there. They are a bit out of their depth at the moment."

However, the Briton appears unperturbed, suggesting that the struggling teams are in fact weighing the sport down.

"All we ever want is 10 teams," he said. "Lotus is a good name. I wouldn't want to lose them. But in general this year has been a bit of a nuisance because it has cost money to keep these [struggling] teams in. It has cost a lot of money to pay for them to compete.

"The bottom line is they haven't really and truly given us value for being there. If suddenly these teams don't turn up at races then I don't think the crowds will get any smaller, or the TV sets will turn off, or the newspapers will stop writing, will they?"

MIKA: Well who allowed the newer teams into the sport!?

I feel Lotus are doing well enough to get a spot on the grid as I feel they are always developing their cars which have shown promise. HRT racing is 'a' team that shouldn't be on the grid.

Williams and Renault should stay. I really hope they can stay in F1 as Williams alone has souch a rich racing pedigree and F1 culture. Renault have just got back on their feet, showing great results, I can't imagine they wouldn't attract investors.

[OZCUBAN]

MIKA: New venues come and go but I think that once this is built, it will be here to stay IMO. I don't know why, but I really feel that a US GP is what is lacking considering the US have such a huge fan base for car racing.

Besides, they could do with a real sport and ditch INDY CARS and NASCAR.

I agree Mika

And as a technological spin off they may start to be able to build decent road cars

OZ

[MIKA27]

  OzCuban said:

Lets hope that Massa can win the Hungarian GP ,that would be justice ,and he can stick it up the ferrari management

and would lay to rest a lot of ghosts for Felipe

Even though i think it will be a one two for RBR (and their flexible wings )

OZ

I agree.

I feel Massa deserves the win not just for the horrific crash but in general for his career. Massa is a solid and talented driver with 11 wins (All at Ferrari) and 31 podiums.

I personally did not feel he fit well when Barichello left the team however he certainly did prove he was a great talent. This is what annoys me with ferrari. A year ago, Ferrari were all shocked at what occurred to their driver, Massa but as soon as Alonso signed, Massa was on the back burner ever since.

You're a name at Ferrari only until the next bigger name comes along, then you become a number and at the moment, Massa is number 2. A real shame IMO.