F1 - GP (General Purpose)

"I hope they won't be a danger," [Massa] is quoted as saying on Ferrari's website.

Wah wah wah wah wahaaaa! We might have to pass somebody in the race!

oh yeah...

pretty much...

Jenson Button thinks he and Lewis Hamilton will need to share information at McLaren in order to succeed this season, saying they "have not got a chance" if they fail to work together.
Full story: Daily Telegraph

Defending world champion Button is expecting "a belter" of a Formula 1 season and thinks Michael Schumacher will prove he can still compete at the age of 41.
Full story: The Guardian

Former world champion Hamilton insists he is not about to unleash any "wild side" of his personality as he enters the season without the two biggest influences on his career so far - former McLaren boss Ron Dennis, and father Anthony.
Full story: The Guardian

Red Bull's crew can change the four wheels on a static car in 1.8 seconds after intensive physical training at Bisham Abbey. They hope to do it in under three seconds in the pit lane.
Full story: The Times

Hispania's Bruno Senna, the nephew of F1 legend Ayrton Senna, thought about using a false name when he started racing at 18 to avoid attention and pressure, but quickly realised there would be no point.
Full story: The Guardian

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel eschewed the glamour for which F1 stars are widely known when booking his holiday last year, opting to go to Finland in a caravan.
Full story: The Sun

Mercedes' reserve driver Nick Heidfeld says Red Bull will be the early-season pace setters, rather than Ferrari, as most people are saying.
Full story: auto-motor-und-sport.de (in German)

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa says the lessons learnt from the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 helped save his life when he had his near-fatal crash in Hungary last year.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Red Bull driver Mark Webber does not like the 900m extension to the Bahrain Grand Prix circuit, saying it adds too many tight corners.
Full story: espnf1.com

Mercedes boss Norbert Haug says the new F1 teams must be given time and shown some respect, but admits they need to get up to standard quickly.
Full story: autosport.com

Michael Schumacher's wife Corrina has made a rare public appearance at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with the seven-time world champion saying she is fully behind his comeback at the age of 41. "She's happy if I'm happy, and I'm very happy right now. That's what it is all about," he said (Press Association).

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg says his goal for the season is "to be on a level playing field" with team-mate Michael Schumacher.
Full story: autosport.com

US F1 team could face action over failure to be ready

The US F1 team could be punished by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) for failing to be ready in time to race in the 2010 world championship.

The American team were due to be one of four new entrants this year but asked for a one-year delay to their entry.

"The world council mandated the FIA president to take forward the most appropriate action," said a statement.

President Jean Todt will conduct an inquiry before the world motorsport council judging body returns a verdict.

The Serbian-based Stefan team tried to fill the gap left on the grid by US F1's failure to be ready, but had their bid rejected.

606: DEBATE

Your thoughts on the new teams

The FIA also revealed that its world council had approved a new selection process for a potential 13th entry, and reserve 14th team, for the 2011 championship, and that India will host a race next year.

That may lead to an expansion of the calendar to a record 20 races.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8561620.stm

McLaren F1 team's car wing design is approved by FIA

McLaren is expected to upgrade the MP4-25 ahead of the season-opener

McLaren's controversial rear wing design has been approved by Formula 1's governing body, the FIA.

Red Bull had sought clarification on a slot on the rear wing which reduces drag and increases straight-line speed.

FIA technical chief Charlie Whiting is understood to have seen the design and to be happy with it.

All 12 teams on the grid have had all their cars passed by scrutineering ahead of Friday's first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

A McLaren spokesman said on Friday that the rear wing design had "never been an issue" although Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed earlier it had caused "a bit of a fuss".

606: DEBATE

It is so great to see this level of excitement from the best drivers which can only point towards what should be a great year!

McFerrari

Any unusual aerodynamic design is more likely to come under the microscope after last season's diffuser row which split the teams.

The legality of the radical 'double-decker diffuser' , pioneered by 2009 constructors' champions Brawn, Toyota and Williams, ended up being settled in F1's Court of Appeal.

But there has been no similar controversy for the opening race of this year's championship.

The results of preliminary scrutineering also removed doubts over the new Hispania team's participation this weekend.

The future of the Spanish team was secured last month after a buyout but the car, which will be driven by F1 rookies Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok, has yet to hit the track after Hispania skipped testing.

They will get their first opportunity to do so when first practice begins at 0700 GMT on Friday.

McLAREN DESIGN CAUSING DESERT STORM

***

The design employs Lewis Hamilton and Button to close off a vent in the cockpit of their car using their legs, which in turn helps to stall the rear wing for extra straight-line speed.

As it is the drivers doing the moving, rather than any part of the car which would be illegal, FIA race steward Charlie Whiting has given the McLaren the all-clear.

***

Fernandes: Lotus will be F1 World Champions

***

With a green-and-yellow livery reminiscent of Lotus' 1960s heyday, the squad is clearly not hiding from its celebrated heritage. Whilst the 'conservative' approach to the T127 – heavier than the majority of its rivals, though a new aerodynamic package in the pipeline should help to remedy the situation somewhat – as a consequence of the lack of preparation time and the team's £40 million budget mean miracles will not be achieved overnight, Fernandes is confident of disproving the sceptics and naysayers like Ferrari, who have poured scorn upon the efforts of the new arrivals in the field this year.

***

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/157641/1/fernandes_lotus_will_be_f1_world_champions.html

And finally, of course, there is the celebrated bet with Virgin Racing figurehead Richard Branson, with both the Englishman and fellow aviation tycoon Fernandes having made a pre-season cross-dressing wager, according to which whichever's team comes off worse this year will have to face a humiliating forfeit.

“If I lose I have to be a stewardess on his aircraft, and if he loses he has to be a stewardess on mine,” the Malaysian explained. “Routes have been picked – he does London-Kuala Lumpur and I do London-Lagos. My cabin crew have already collected money for stockings for Richard, but not fishnets – we're conservative...”

thx...

The issue that is causing concern is not just about the slot in the rear wing of the car.
In fact air is believed to be taken into the car through a vent in front of the cockpit, it then goes through the car and out of the back of the engine cover.
The system - which speculation says can also be influenced by the drivers - affects the airflow to the rear wing, giving the car less drag, and therefore a higher maximum speed, on the straights.
All 12 teams on the grid have had all their cars passed by scrutineering ahead of Friday's first practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

A McLaren spokesman said on Friday that the rear wing design had "never been an issue" although Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed earlier it had caused "a bit of a fuss".

Qualifying

Pos.	Driver	Team	Time
1	S. Vettel	Red Bull	1:54.101
2	F. Massa	Ferrari	1:54.242
3	F. Alonso	Ferrari	1:54.608
4	L. Hamilton	McLaren	1:55.217
5	N. Rosberg	Mercedes Grand Prix	1:55.241
6	M. Webber	Red Bull	1:55.284
7	M. Schumacher	Mercedes Grand Prix	1:55.524
8	J. Button	McLaren	1:55.672
9	R. Kubica	Renault	1:55.885
10	A. Sutil	Force India F1	1:56.309

11	R. Barrichello	Williams	1:55.330
12	V. Liuzzi	Force India F1	1:55.653
13	N. Hulkenberg	Williams	1:55.857
14	P. de la Rosa	Sauber	1:56.237
15	S. Buemi	Scuderia Toro Rosso	1:56.265

16	K. Kobayashi	Sauber	1:56.270
17	V. Petrov	Renault	1:56.619
18	J. Alguersuari	Scuderia Toro Rosso	1:57.071
19	T. Glock	Virgin Racing	1:59.728
20	J. Trulli	Lotus F1	1:59.852
21	H. Kovalainen	Lotus F1	2:00.313
22	L. Di Grassi	Virgin Racing	2:00.587
23	B. Senna	HRT F1 Team	2:03.240

Damn!!! hold on tight...

Monza to keep Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix

The Italian Grand Prix will remain at Monza until 2016 after a deal between Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the historic track's managers.

There had been uncertainty over the circuit's future amid rumours of a new Grand Prix through the streets of Rome.

But Ecclestone has signed off a four-year extension to a contract which was due to expire in 2012.

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is one of F1's most famous venues, having first hosted the Italian Grand Prix in 1922.

Last year's race was won by Rubens Barrichello, with the Brazilian heading team-mate Jenson Button in a Brawn GP one-two.

The 2010 edition - the 14th in F1's 19-race schedule for this year - takes place on Sunday, 12 September.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8575307.stm

it has to stay at Monza for the food and wine alone LOL

>

i wish...

About the only track left in F1 where you can actually use a slight slipstream to help pass. And when I say slight, I mean it, because the amount of air distortion created by the curent F1 racecar aero and rear wings causes such a wake, its about impossible to pass unless the car in front of you has a mechanical failure. Plus now add the 2010 moronic rules of no refueling, and you’ve got a shiners style procession of cute looking mini-cars driving around like its a sunday parade down main street.
Bahrain had to be one of the most predictable, boring F1 races I’ve ever witnessed.
Replace Monza with a Rome street race? Have these pimps learned nothing by the snorevest that is Velencia?

most expensive parade in the world...

Formula 1 sets deadline for new teams aiming for 2011

Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, has set an April deadline for new teams wanting to join Formula 1 in 2011 and laid out criteria for them to fulfil.

Teams must register their interest in filling vacant grid slots by 15 April.

The candidates will have to prove they have the technical capability, resources and enough funding to participate in the championship.

US F1 were awarded an entry this season but will now have to submit a new entry after failing to be ready in time.

Just 10 days before the season-opener in Bahrain, the American-based team asked to defer their entry until 2011 as they failed to have the technical resources or finances in place to make their F1 debut alongside fellow newcomers Virgin Racing, Hispania and Lotus F1.

Serbian team Stefan GP, who had hoped to take US F1's place in 2009, are also likely to join other potential F1 teams in submitting a formal application.

The FIA has set out the following selection criteria for new teams wishing to join the championship:

i) the technical ability and resources of the team

ii) the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to allow participation

iii) the team's experience and human resources

iv) the FIA's assessment of the value that the candidate may bring to the championship as a whole.

A decision will be made by the FIA on which teams will join the 2011 and 2012 championships by July.

606: DEBATE

Lotus were definitely the cream on the newcomers but I expect an improvement from Virgin in Oz.

Wiggie

Campos, which are now running as Hispania following a takeover, US F1 and Manor, which have been renamed Virgin Racing, were accepted as new entrants last June.

Lotus were chosen to fill the gap left by BMW's decision to quit the sport but the former BMW team retained its place under the ownership of founder Peter Sauber after Toyota pulled out at the end of the season.

Lotus: First box ticked - now for Sauber and Toro Rosso!
* * *
“This is a great start,” the Englishman [Gascoyne] enthused, speaking to Reuters. “We’ve done the first massive step; we’ve now got to take some more. For us, it’s not about the new teams – it’s now about looking at Toro Rosso or Sauber in front of us. They are the ones we’ve got to look at, close the gap and go racing – and we’ll get on with doing it.

“We are pushing forward now. We had to do so much just to be here and compromise so much. Now it’s about moving forward from the base we’ve got, so we’ll attack it.”

“I’m very pleased, elated really,” he added, “We weren’t exactly conservative [in the design and development of the T127], but we took the decision that we’ve got to be reliable and finish the first few races. We made some conscious engineering decisions that I think have paid off.

“We’ve got to work on the one-lap pace, but I’ve always said that it’s not about where we are in Bahrain, it’s about where we are in Barcelona, Silverstone and in Abu Dhabi. We’ve ticked the first box and climbed the first massive hurdle, and the next one is performance. We’ll be pushing everywhere. For those who said that new teams shouldn’t be here, you saw Heikki fighting with [Nico] Hülkenberg [Williams] and all of that, so we’re here, we’re racing – and **** you!”

http://www.thelotusforums.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227:lotus-first-box-ticked-now-for-sauber-and-toro-rosso&catid=43:f1-news&Itemid=96

good on Lotus...

just damn...

March 21, 2010, 1:49 pm

Senna’s 50th Birthday

By BRAD SPURGEON

Brazilian F1 driver Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Jean-Loup Gautreau/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Ayrton Senna would have been 50 today. I think not a race goes by without someone in the paddock talking about Senna, the triple world champion who died in a crash at Imola in 1994, and his spirit is certainly still present throughout the series.

Now, of course, his nephew Bruno Senna has arrived in Formula One. I was thinking while interviewing Bruno in Bahrain during the press scrum after his first day in the F1 car, about the huge contrast to his uncle’s career in the series. That is to say, Bruno was some 12 or so seconds off the fastest time in his first practice session in his new Hispania car in what felt hardly just for such a name. But then, as I saw the way Senna spoke about his day, and the guts and simplicity with which he has accepted to start off in such difficult circumstances, I felt complete respect for him.

And I can only imagine how his uncle would be coaching him and helping and encouraging him. And instead of the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher now racing, perhaps history would have been completely different. Schumacher is the first to say that he would not necessarily have won that first title, at least, had Senna not died on May 1, 1994, at Imola in a Williams that would by the end of the season have regained much of its former strength.

I have not written much about Senna, but I still remember the strong feelings I had researching and writing the story on the 10th anniversary of Senna’s death at Imola.

http://formulaone.blogs.nytimes.com/