Sports Shirts

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/08/tom-cruise-drives-the-red-bull-f1-car.html

Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral

© Getty Images

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian as his 80th birthday approaches, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone speak out about a variety of subjects, from the future of the sport to Margaret Thatcher, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, democracy, football and what continues to drive him.

The way I feel at the moment, why stop? I do it because I enjoy it. And yesterday is gone. I don’t care what happened yesterday. What else would I do? People retire to die. I don’t get any individual pleasure because we don’t win races or titles in this job. I’m like most business people. You look back at the end of the year and you see what you’ve achieved by working out how much money the company has made. That’s it.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/bernie_ecclestone_no_plans_to.php

Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

Vettel says 20 races per year is near teams’ limit is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Sebastian Vettel doubts the F1 calendar could expand much further beyond the current 20 races per season.

Vettel says 20 races per year is near teams’ limit is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/I3Q9MmNFZQA/

Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/16/2069204/newgarden-tops-speed-chart-again.html

Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

Jeff Gordon Ends Drought Jeff Gordon snaps 66-race winless streak by taking the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at PhoenixJeff Gordon Ends Drought AVONDALE, Ariz. Related posts:

1. Jeff Gordon wins at Phoenix to snap 66-race drought Jeff Gordon Ends Drought Jeff Gordon snaps 66-race winless…
2. NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon gets new spotter starting at Pocono CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeff Gordon will have a new spotter…
3. Jeff Gordon confronts and shoves Jeff Burton after crash in Texas Gordon-Burton Post Sound Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton talk…

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Source: http://doxcar.com/jeff-gordon-wins-the-nascar-sprint-cup-race-at-phoenix-international-raceway/

Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson

Nico Rosberg looks every inch the archetypal image of a grand prix driver – blonde, good looking, perfect smile, the lot. And in Shanghai on Sunday, at the 111th attempt, he finally delivered the most important part of the package – the perfect win.

It has been a long time coming.

This is the 26-year-old German’s seventh season of F1 and while Lewis Hamilton, who was his team-mate when they were teenage karters 12 years ago, was a winner almost from the start of his Formula 1 career, Rosberg’s route to the top step of the podium has been somewhat more torturous.

So torturous, in fact, that there have been times when some wondered whether he would ever follow his father Keke in becoming a race winner.

Nico Rosberg’s dominant victory in China ensured he has become the first son of a living grand prix winner to follow in his father’s footsteps – and only the third ever. The fathers of Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve were killed when their son were children.

Keke Rosberg also had to wait a long time to stand on the top step of the podium – his first victory came in his fifth season.

Like Nico, that was Keke’s first year in a competitive car, and he ended it as world champion. It seems unlikely at this stage that Nico will follow his father in that sense, too, but after such a dominant win it certainly cannot be completely ruled out.

Nico Rosberg led from pole position to score Mercedes’ first victory since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix. Photo: Getty

Watching Rosberg’s assured driving as he drove away from team-mate Michael Schumacher in the early laps, and then proceeded to control the race, it seems strange to think that there have long been questions about his ultimate standing as a true world-class grand prix driver. But there have, and to some extent they remain still.

There is no doubt about the calibre of Rosberg’s win on Sunday, but it remains difficult to be absolutely sure of his ultimate potential.

He is clearly very fast – but just how fast is not completely clear. Likewise, it remains to be seen whether he possesses all the other qualities that make up a great grand prix driver.

So far, for example, he has appeared to be the sort of driver who will deliver to the potential of his car – but not one who is able to transcend it occasionally, in the manner of Hamilton or Fernando Alonso.

In his debut year, he was generally marginally out-paced by Mark Webber, his team-mate at Williams at the time. And for the rest of Rosberg’s career there before joining Mercedes in 2010 he was partnered with journeymen drivers and in uncompetitive cars.

Rosberg has dominated his Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher in qualifying since then, but it is clear to most that the seven-time champion is not the same driver he was before he retired in 2006 and spent three years on the sidelines. And until Sunday, Schumacher had generally matched Rosberg for race pace since last season.

The improved performance of Mercedes this year will finally give Rosberg the chance to go wheel-to-wheel with the top drivers on a consistent basis for the first time, so a clearer picture may well emerge.

A first win, especially one so impressive, will do wonders for his confidence, although he has never lacked for that.

Rosberg is a highly intelligent man, who was planning on a degree in engineering had he not become a Formula 1 driver. He is an individual character, and can be a prickly interviewee.

It may be that will change now he will no longer be faced with endless questions about whether he believes he can be a winner.

He could not have answered them in more emphatic style.

If Schumacher had thought Rosberg’s 0.5 seconds a lap advantage in qualifying was a one-off based on a unique set of circumstances, he was soon disabused of that belief in the race as the younger German sprinted off into the distance, building a five-second lead in the first 10 laps.

That margin was the foundation for his win, but it was not as if Rosberg then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging on in front of faster cars.

After the first pit stops, Jenson Button was up into a de facto second place and in clear air, but Rosberg continued to pull away, although he was on the faster tyre. Button came back at him before the McLaren driver made his second stop, but only marginally.

Had the mechanic fitting Button’s left rear tyre not suffered a problem with a cross-threaded wheel nut at his final stop, the Englishman would have rejoined about 14 seconds behind Rosberg with 19 laps to go.

Button’s pace on the slower tyre suggests that he would have closed on Rosberg at that stage, but whether it would have been quickly enough is a moot point.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admitted: “I think it would have been very difficult to beat him.”

Where have a team who have gone backwards in the first two races found that pace from? Both Rosberg and Mercedes sports boss Norbert Haug had a simple explanation – set-up changes allowing better use of the tyres.

They had used them too much in the first race in Australia and not worked them enough in the second in Malaysia. Here in Shanghai they found a middle way.

Behind Rosberg was a fantastic scrap for second place, what Haug described as “one of the best races I have ever seen”.

Recounting the story of Red Bull’s race from ninth and 14th places on the first lap to fourth and fifth at the flag, team boss Christian Horner said he sounded “like a horse racing commentator”.

The championship is clearly going to be very close and it is setting up what look set to be a superb season.

“We’ve had three very different races,” Whitmarsh said, “and I think this is going to be a season where potentially we have 20 very different races.

“It’s fascinating, really. I enjoy it and I’m sure people watching it enjoy it. Who’s going to predict who’s going to win in Bahrain?”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/04/rosberg_answers_critics_in_emp.html

Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes

There are, it turns out, two Kimi Raikkonens.

The public face of the 2007 world champion, who has returned to Formula 1 this season after two years in rallying, is of a monosyllabic, monotone, unsmiling figure, energised only the moment he steps into a racing car.

The one who emerges in private is very different – a talkative, jocular man, who can happily sit and shoot the breeze like anyone else.

As Lotus trackside operations director, Alan Permane has worked closely with Raikkonen since he joined the team last November.

Kimi Raikkonen has been perceived as cold and uncommunicative. Photo: Getty

The 32-year-old Finn, Permane says, “is happy to sit and talk, not only about technical stuff, but laughing and joking and talking rubbish with his engineers about all sorts of stuff”.

He is just not interested in any of his dealings with the media and, unlike his rivals, doesn’t bother to hide it.

Permane worked with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso through the title-winning years with the team formerly known as both Benetton and Renault. He has been impressed with Raikkonen from the start.

Raikkonen first drove one of the team’s cars at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia in late January. Straightaway the team knew they had something special.

He had not driven an F1 car since the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and had no experience of the Pirelli tyres he was using. Yet, after a single installation lap to check the car’s systems were working, his first flying lap was within a few 10ths of a second of the fastest lap he would do over the next two days.

The good impressions did not go away.

Permane said, “He has never driven a car with a full load of fuel in it.

“We went from 30-160kg [of fuel load in Valencia] to show him that’s the sort of difference you can expect – certainly from qualifying to race it’s even bigger than that.

“We calculate the lap time difference the fuel load will make and his first lap was absolutely spot on that difference. That is impressive.”

After that, Raikkonen did another 20 laps, each one exactly 0.1secs slower than the last – the lap time lost by tyre degradation.

There is a widespread belief that Raikkonen is as unforthcoming in his technical debriefs as he is in public, but that, too, appears to be a fallacy.

Lotus have found his comments in debriefs to be not only lengthy but very perceptive, too.

He was slightly quicker than new team-mate Romain Grosjean throughout pre-season testing, so it was a surprise that he was about 0.2secs slower than the Franco-Swiss semi-novice in the practice sessions in Melbourne.

Equally, the errors Raikkonen made on his qualifying laps that left him down in 18th on the grid betrayed a certain ring-rustiness, as well as perhaps the pressure he was feeling from Grosjean’s pace.

In the race, though, something of the old Raikkonen returned as he fought back up from his low starting position to take seventh place by the end.

Clearly, though, there is more to come.

Raikkonen is not entirely happy with the feel he is getting from the Lotus’s steering, but Permane plays down the significance of the problem.

“He’s very particular,” Permane says. “He knows what he wants and it’s not quite to his liking. It’s not a million miles away, but we’ll get it there.”

Raikkonen can drive perfectly well with the steering as it is, but the problem probably does mean that he is driving a little below his maximum.

The question now is, at what level is his maximum?

The reason Raikkonen left F1 in the first place was because he performed for Ferrari for much of 2008 and 2009 way below the level expected of him.

Ferrari, in fact, terminated Raikkonen’s contract a year early and paid him not to drive in 2010 so they could bring in Alonso.

The Spaniard has since out-performed Felipe Massa, the man who generally had the better of Raikkonen from the start of 2008 until fracturing his skull in an accident in Hungary in July 2009.

Does this mean Alonso is that much better than Raikkonen? Or that Raikkonen in 2008-9 was a long way below his best? Or that Massa is not the driver he was?

No one knows for sure, but for Raikkonen’s comeback to be considered an unqualified success he will have to be able to match his new team-mate’s pace.

The fact Lotus have regrouped over the winter and produced one of the year’s fastest cars only increases the pressure – it’s not so bad to be beaten by a team-mate when you’re battling to get into the top 10; but a very different matter when you’re fighting for the podium.

That, it appears, is what Lotus are in a position to do.

“We screwed up with the car last year,” Permane says, “and we know we’ve done a lovely car this year, not only aerodynamically, but we’ve done a nice package mechanically.”

So pleased are Lotus with the new E20 that Permane says he “dared to compare it with 2005″, when Alonso won the first of his two titles.

That is not so much a measure of Lotus’s realistic hopes as a reflection of how much the drivers like the car, and how well it responds to changes.

Nevertheless, the team are confident they can keep up with the break-neck development pace of the likes of McLaren and Red Bull and hold on to their position.

For Raikkonen, the requirement now is prove that he can go with them. So far, the signs are positive.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/the_two_kimi_raikkonens.html

Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/06/to-america-hamilton-is-the-new-beckham.html

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

GrandPrix+, the original and fastest F1 e-magazine, is now out. It would have been published an hour ago if the Circuit de Catalunya had a sensible Internet system. Sadly, despite ripping off visiting journalists for Web access for the weekend, the service was so poor that it was impossible to upload the magazine and we [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/out-now-an-89-page-e-magazine-just-six-hours-after-the-race/

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

There are, it turns out, two Kimi Raikkonens.

The public face of the 2007 world champion, who has returned to Formula 1 this season after two years in rallying, is of a monosyllabic, monotone, unsmiling figure, energised only the moment he steps into a racing car.

The one who emerges in private is very different – a talkative, jocular man, who can happily sit and shoot the breeze like anyone else.

As Lotus trackside operations director, Alan Permane has worked closely with Raikkonen since he joined the team last November.

Kimi Raikkonen has been perceived as cold and uncommunicative. Photo: Getty

The 32-year-old Finn, Permane says, “is happy to sit and talk, not only about technical stuff, but laughing and joking and talking rubbish with his engineers about all sorts of stuff”.

He is just not interested in any of his dealings with the media and, unlike his rivals, doesn’t bother to hide it.

Permane worked with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso through the title-winning years with the team formerly known as both Benetton and Renault. He has been impressed with Raikkonen from the start.

Raikkonen first drove one of the team’s cars at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia in late January. Straightaway the team knew they had something special.

He had not driven an F1 car since the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and had no experience of the Pirelli tyres he was using. Yet, after a single installation lap to check the car’s systems were working, his first flying lap was within a few 10ths of a second of the fastest lap he would do over the next two days.

The good impressions did not go away.

Permane said, “He has never driven a car with a full load of fuel in it.

“We went from 30-160kg [of fuel load in Valencia] to show him that’s the sort of difference you can expect – certainly from qualifying to race it’s even bigger than that.

“We calculate the lap time difference the fuel load will make and his first lap was absolutely spot on that difference. That is impressive.”

After that, Raikkonen did another 20 laps, each one exactly 0.1secs slower than the last – the lap time lost by tyre degradation.

There is a widespread belief that Raikkonen is as unforthcoming in his technical debriefs as he is in public, but that, too, appears to be a fallacy.

Lotus have found his comments in debriefs to be not only lengthy but very perceptive, too.

He was slightly quicker than new team-mate Romain Grosjean throughout pre-season testing, so it was a surprise that he was about 0.2secs slower than the Franco-Swiss semi-novice in the practice sessions in Melbourne.

Equally, the errors Raikkonen made on his qualifying laps that left him down in 18th on the grid betrayed a certain ring-rustiness, as well as perhaps the pressure he was feeling from Grosjean’s pace.

In the race, though, something of the old Raikkonen returned as he fought back up from his low starting position to take seventh place by the end.

Clearly, though, there is more to come.

Raikkonen is not entirely happy with the feel he is getting from the Lotus’s steering, but Permane plays down the significance of the problem.

“He’s very particular,” Permane says. “He knows what he wants and it’s not quite to his liking. It’s not a million miles away, but we’ll get it there.”

Raikkonen can drive perfectly well with the steering as it is, but the problem probably does mean that he is driving a little below his maximum.

The question now is, at what level is his maximum?

The reason Raikkonen left F1 in the first place was because he performed for Ferrari for much of 2008 and 2009 way below the level expected of him.

Ferrari, in fact, terminated Raikkonen’s contract a year early and paid him not to drive in 2010 so they could bring in Alonso.

The Spaniard has since out-performed Felipe Massa, the man who generally had the better of Raikkonen from the start of 2008 until fracturing his skull in an accident in Hungary in July 2009.

Does this mean Alonso is that much better than Raikkonen? Or that Raikkonen in 2008-9 was a long way below his best? Or that Massa is not the driver he was?

No one knows for sure, but for Raikkonen’s comeback to be considered an unqualified success he will have to be able to match his new team-mate’s pace.

The fact Lotus have regrouped over the winter and produced one of the year’s fastest cars only increases the pressure – it’s not so bad to be beaten by a team-mate when you’re battling to get into the top 10; but a very different matter when you’re fighting for the podium.

That, it appears, is what Lotus are in a position to do.

“We screwed up with the car last year,” Permane says, “and we know we’ve done a lovely car this year, not only aerodynamically, but we’ve done a nice package mechanically.”

So pleased are Lotus with the new E20 that Permane says he “dared to compare it with 2005″, when Alonso won the first of his two titles.

That is not so much a measure of Lotus’s realistic hopes as a reflection of how much the drivers like the car, and how well it responds to changes.

Nevertheless, the team are confident they can keep up with the break-neck development pace of the likes of McLaren and Red Bull and hold on to their position.

For Raikkonen, the requirement now is prove that he can go with them. So far, the signs are positive.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/the_two_kimi_raikkonens.html

Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/bxCBA-u6OKQ/off-to-left-turn-adventure-in-desert.html

Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon Bob Anderson

Is it now a three-way battle for the title? © Getty Images

Fernando Alonso is still the driver in the best position to win the drivers? title according to the Daily Telegraph?s Tom Cary.

?Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari?s Fernando Alonso.?

The Guardian?s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber?s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian?s last realistic chance of winning the title.

?He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season ? his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.?

According to The Mirror?s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.

?McLaren’s title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive.”

The Sun?s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying ?Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button’s title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php

Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

Ferrari Technical director Pat Fry has said that he doesn’t expect the team to start the 2012 season well. Who remembers the 1988 Austalian Grand Prix? Many have suggested that Ferrari need to hit the ground running to improve on last year, but Fry is in a rather pessimistic mood. Speaking at the end of a tough pre-season, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/VcaBfnzCfTQ/ferrari-director-disappointed-with-performance-level

Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/07/webber-on-the-verge-of-walking.html

Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold

GrandPrix+, the original and fastest F1 e-magazine, is now out. It would have been published an hour ago if the Circuit de Catalunya had a sensible Internet system. Sadly, despite ripping off visiting journalists for Web access for the weekend, the service was so poor that it was impossible to upload the magazine and we [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/out-now-an-89-page-e-magazine-just-six-hours-after-the-race/

George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams Walt Ader

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/15/2066405/maldonados-f1-win-stirs-controversy.html

Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman

Journalists in Formula 1 (both the real ones and those who like to imagine such status) love to think that racing drivers are “under pressure” when things do not go right. When you actually talk to drivers you find, more often than not, that they are pretty unfazed by pressure. They either do not read [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/brazilians-under-the-spotlight/

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/sutil-not-giving-anything-away.html

Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/S4nGEym1AbA/bahraini-kingdom-sweeps-nations-divide.html

Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot

Frank Williams praises teams’ rescue efforts after fire is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Williams team owner Frank Williams has praised the efforts of the F1 community in responding to the fire which broke out in the team’s garage yesterday.

Frank Williams praises teams’ rescue efforts after fire is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/rDFR1t2iEjs/

Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli

UPDATE ON KUBICA’s CONDITION:  http://wp.me/p3uiu-11K Renault Lotus F1 driver Robert Kubica has been airlifted to hospital following a car accident while competing on a rally. The incident, described as a high speed accident, left the Pole injured and he had to be airlifted to hospital.  His co-driver Jakub Gerber was uninjured in the incident. While [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-hospitalised-following-rally-accident/

Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers

Nicolas Sarkozy’s defeat in the French Presidential election last weekend has thrown the future of the French Grand Prix into uncertainty once again, as the plan to have a race every two years was not completed in time. The socialist government which is currently being formed would prefer to see a race at Magny Cours, [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/le-grand-prix-de-france-post-sarkozy/

Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/6S5lwRuw2wY/carroll-shelby-sells-his-last-bottle-of.html

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore © Getty Images

Away from the world of multi-million-pound car development laboratories and drivers whose small change takes care of the Monte Carlo harbour fees, another drama will play out in Singapore this week. The Independent’s David Tremayne joins F1′s unsung heroes.

These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection ? and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php

Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/umu0bScAuGQ/art-pollared-forgotten-driver.html

Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

My flight back to London from the Spanish Grand Prix was full of tired mechanics, exhausted race engineers and sleepy drivers – all of them recovering from an extraordinary weekend of mixed emotions in Barcelona.

It was a very strange feeling on the plane, alongside plenty of Williams personnel who were torn between celebrating a monumental win for the team, yet understandably concerned about their colleagues who remain in hospital after the pit lane fire on Sunday evening.

People know motorsport in inherently dangerous, and that F1 can never rest on its laurels as far as safety is concerned, however, that doesn’t mean it’s not easy to become blasé about our working environment.

Let’s take the pre-race show we do for example. Along with plenty of other media personnel, photographers and guests, we’re in a pit lane surrounded by fuel, electronically charged KERS units, all manner of other mechanical equipment, not to mention F1 cars leaving garages or scorching past at 60mph. The same applies to the grid.

31 people were injured following a fire at the Williams team garage after the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Getty

However, with no driver death since 1994 and serious injuries or nasty accidents mercifully rare, it is easy to forget an F1 track still remains a dangerous place.

As the fire blazed in the Williams garage and a horrible acrid smoke filled the air, there was genuine shock this was happening. Most people currently involved in the sport were not around in the dark days when dramatic incidents were common.

It was so unexpected I initially thought it was an old diesel engine starting up, David Coulthard assumed it was a catering fire, and some thought Williams were letting off a flare as a celebration.

The people I’ve spoken to on the flight, and in the departure lounge, actually paint a much more serious picture with Frank Williams and the whole team celebrating their win in the garage as the fuel explosion happened.

At this point is worth mentioning not only the Williams crew who were clearly well trained and dealt with the situation quickly, but also the members of the nearby teams such as Toro Rosso, Force India and HRT who reportedly didn’t think twice before diving in to help the situation.

F1 can seem like such a safe and sterile environment with its perfectly clean garages, and the garage interiors transformed each race by the plastic walls they construct, all in team colours of course. It looks modern, safe and made-for-tv. The reality is that it is still a garage like any other and, for all the commercially driven, PR-controlled world that the viewers see, it remains dangerous.

Thankfully the injuries were limited to just a handful of people. Williams suffered extensive damage to their garage and equipment, including plenty of laptops and other bits of kit which will be frantically replaced before Monaco.

However, as ever, the real cost is human and we’re all thankful it wasn’t more serious.

In fact, it’s not just the garages that can be dangerous places. With just moments left of the race, Eddie Jordan decided he’d love to go and congratulate Frank Williams and went haring off to find him – as only Eddie does. I was sitting in the McLaren hospitality area and Eddie re-appeared just moments latter grimacing in pain.

“I think I’ve broken my ankle,” he wailed. I looked down and his foot was starting to swell outside of his shoe. It transpired he’d tripped on his way to see Frank, and his ankle had taken the brunt of the impact.

Eddie was quite a driver in his day, and like many racing drivers of his era, he lives with damaged ankles from crashing cars.

So, picture the scene. Pastor crosses the line to win and, instead of celebrating, we’re getting Eddie’s foot raised up and tracking down some ice to take down the swelling whilst poor old EJ looks like he might pass out.

I was wondering if I’d have to head outside to host the post-podium celebrations alone, however, ever the soldier, EJ was able to cope with the pain and he hobbled out to cover the end of the race with me.

And what a win.

Pastor has come in for a fair amount of criticism. It’s no secret that he comes with a large chunk of change from Venezuela, which was reportedly one of the big reasons for him replacing Nico Hulkenberg in 2011.

Well, what do we make of his talents now? He’s spent most of the season fighting the Ferraris, and now he’s beaten them. It wasn’t a fluke but genuine pace.

As for Eddie’s foot, well by the time we went on to the F1 Forum the pain was too much and, after the wonderful McLaren doctor Aki strapped it up, we eventually resorted to pushing Eddie around on a tyre trolley to get him around.

Thankfully, as Eddie lives in Monaco, he can now have a rest for a week or so, as we’re heading his way for the next race. And what on earth can Monaco have in store for us?

It’s remarkable to think we’ve had five different race winners in the past five races, and it seems nobody is able to explain why it’s happened or how the following races might play themselves out.

In Spain, we saw Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel lose pace throughout the weekend. Williams and Ferrari weren’t expected to have the pace to out-race Lotus, whilst Sauber had another strong race.

There wasn’t a Mercedes, McLaren or Red Bull in the top five on the grid.

Who was your driver of the day? I loved watching Lewis’ drive. He has really impressed me this season.

Mind you, one thing that has almost gone unnoticed amongst all the excitement is that we’re already a quarter of the way through the 2012 Formula One season. And if the next 15 races are anything like the first five, then we’re in for some season.

Thanks for sticking with the BBC for the action. We’ve been delighted with the viewing figures and I love seeing your thoughts on Twitter – keep them coming and let’s hope Eddie’s ankle lasts the distance!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2012/05/jake.html

Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/sutil-not-giving-anything-away.html

Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/12/2061183/johnson-gives-hendrick-motorsports.html

Tom Bridger Tony Brise Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks

The 2012 Formula 1 season gets underway this month and here are some videos to get you in the mood. While you are here, why not check out which drivers are under pressure in 2012? Enjoy these videos! More to come! [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/xSwIN6xZSvM/2012-formula-1-season-time-to-get-in-the-mood

Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/13/2061791/maldonado-holds-off-alonso-for.html

Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/S4nGEym1AbA/bahraini-kingdom-sweeps-nations-divide.html

Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon

Raikkonen rues lost chance of victory is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Kimi Raikkonen says Lotus could have won the Spanish Grand Prix.

Raikkonen rues lost chance of victory is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/a-oETl1CoJM/

Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi

Alonso: 2011 tyres will hurt top teams By Matt Beer Monday, February 28th 2011, 19:07 GMT Fernando Alonso says he is not in favour of the move towards less durable tyres for 2011, as he fears this will end up penalising faster cars. Related posts:

1. F1: Teams expect 2011 tyres test in summer Teams expect 2011 tyres test in summer By Jonathan Noble…
2. F1: Cooper Avon enters race for 2011 tyres Cooper Avon enters race for 2011 tyres By Jonathan Noble…
3. F1: Alonso: Passing just as hard in 2011 Alonso: Passing just as hard in 2011 By Jonathan Noble…

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Source: http://doxcar.com/f1-alonso-2011-tyres-will-hurt-top-teams/

Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

Marussia Virgin Racing have launched their car to take on the 2011 world championship in a lavish London ceremony. The Marussia name now preceeds Virgin following a major tie up with the Russian sportscar manufacturer and the team at the end of 2010.  It has led to the new car being designated as the MVR-02. [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/marussia-virgin-racing-launch-their-2011-car/

Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown

Hello there? How’s your winter been? I hope this blog finds you well, my friends, and that 2012 is being kind to you. It’s certainly about to get kinder for us F1 fans as the season gets under way this weekend.

My winter flew by faster than Seb in qualifying as I juggled various TV commitments, along with the usual jobs such as visiting the dentist, watching Norwich City (amazing!) and doing a spot of gardening (thankfully my garden is tiny) – all things that between March and November there just isn’t time for!

Thankfully, just a couple of weeks ago I managed to grab a week in the Maldives with my wife, and that break will be valuable as I jump onto a treadmill that will carry us to the end of 2012.

For me it’s the start of the F1 season, off to the European Football Championship, the British GP, two weeks at the Olympics and then the end of the F1 season followed by Sports Personality of the Year. So time to take a deep breath and dive on in as the stories develop, the drama unfolds and air miles continue to clock up.

As you know this weekend is the start of a new era of F1 coverage on the BBC, and the job for the team over the winter has been to best deal with the cards we’ve been dealt in terms of the broadcast rights.

Having sat through various production meetings, having exchanged emails, swapped ideas and planned how best to bring the season to life, I’m confident we will deliver a new-look season that you will enjoy.

It’s been like the first day at school for some of the new faces to our team this weekend. Gary Anderson and I got the tram together to collect our accreditation when we arrived in Melbourne on Thursday morning and it was great fun being regaled by stories of F1 from the days when Gary was designing race winning cars.

He also had a few decent stories about being employed by Eddie Jordan but I think they’re best left out off the blog – as entertaining as they were!

I’d also really like to welcome Ben Edwards to the fray. Ben is a great commentator who has raced cars himself and spent the last few years commentating on all forms of motor racing.

He’s passionate, informative, hopefully likes a night out and a beer, and best of all he’s as much a journalist as he is a fan. Good luck keeping David Coulthard in check Ben!

Talking of DC, we had our first dinner of the new season together last night as we both headed out for some Japanese food and a drop of sake here in buzzy, beautiful Melbourne.

Pastor Maldonado, Bruno Senna and Lewis Hamilton were all in there tucking into sushi and sashimi while working out whether to chat to each other or act cool and bag an early psychological advantage ahead of a year when the competition will be intense.

They mainly opted for the latter by the way. I’ll post a blog later in the season about how the drivers live and work together while still being rivals – it’s fascinating.

Meanwhile on radio we’ve got a whole new team – and it’s a great line-up of commentator James Allen, pit-lane reporter Jennie Gow and co-commentator Jaime Alguersuari, who brings real insight having just stepped out of an F1 car himself.

So, what have I learned so far this week? Well I’ve been told that the two new drivers at Toro Rosso have made Mark Webber feel more motivated than ever.

I chatted to Jenson Button who (if it’s possible) seems even more chilled out than he did in 2011.

I’ve also been to the other end of the paddock where Caterham say the decision to put Vitaly Petrov in the car instead of Jarno Trulli is the right move regarding both finances and the future – and I’ve heard plenty of speculation and gossip surrounding HRT and Marussia, who have not run at all in pre-season.

Anyway, it’s amazing how quickly we all get back into the swing of F1. My ‘no crisps’ rule lasted all of 30 minutes, the first running order for Saturday’s qualifying show has been written, and I’ve got a date with Chris Moyles on Radio 1.

We’re delighted to be back, I’m really happy DC and EJ remain part of the team, and this weekend don’t worry about setting your alarm.

We’ve got highlights of qualifying at 1pm on Saturday, and a full two-hour highlights show from 2pm on Sunday. We’ll have all the important action, and plenty of driver interviews and race reaction.

Three years ago I started these blogs – there will be plenty more coming your way in our fourth season of coverage. But what you get is up to you – what do you want to see here during the season..?

Have a great weekend. We’re back!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2012/03/gearing_up_for_the_new_f1_seas_1.html

Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey

Nicolas Sarkozy’s defeat in the French Presidential election last weekend has thrown the future of the French Grand Prix into uncertainty once again, as the plan to have a race every two years was not completed in time. The socialist government which is currently being formed would prefer to see a race at Magny Cours, [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/le-grand-prix-de-france-post-sarkozy/

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux

Vettel edges Maldonado for fastest time in final practice is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Sebastian Vettel pipped Pastor Maldonado to the fastest time in the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Vettel edges Maldonado for fastest time in final practice is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/d_a4ZgWjRp8/

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/Ko4aywYfd90/f1-sergio-perez-mexicos-newest-star.html

Georges Berger Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia

Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/button-steps-up-pre-season-training-with-lance-armstrong/

JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger

The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore © Getty Images

Away from the world of multi-million-pound car development laboratories and drivers whose small change takes care of the Monte Carlo harbour fees, another drama will play out in Singapore this week. The Independent’s David Tremayne joins F1′s unsung heroes.

These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection ? and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php

Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello

American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.

“In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don’t really have any of those things in health care.”

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php

Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/mG3RAOusEBY/damon-does-re-think-upon-bahrain.html

Chris Amon Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti

Narain Karthikeyan has made a surprise return to Formula One after being announced as one of Hispania HRT’s drivers for the 2011 season. The Indian driver was unveiled as the first racer to be working with the Spanish based squad, who look likely to enter into a second season of racing despite on-going financial concerns. [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/karthikeyan-makes-surprise-f1-return-with-hrt/

Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr

Button leads Vettel in second practice in Spain is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Jenson Button was the quickest driver on Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Button leads Vettel in second practice in Spain is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/7AKZuy_qnY4/

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux

Ferrari Technical director Pat Fry has said that he doesn’t expect the team to start the 2012 season well. Who remembers the 1988 Austalian Grand Prix? Many have suggested that Ferrari need to hit the ground running to improve on last year, but Fry is in a rather pessimistic mood. Speaking at the end of a tough pre-season, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/VcaBfnzCfTQ/ferrari-director-disappointed-with-performance-level

Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati

If Ferrari fans thought that their team had perhaps not lived up its name last season then they should talk to fans of Williams. The team that dominated in the early 90?s winning multiple World Championships managed to score only five points last season. Five. It?s a sad fall from grace and one, that at [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/E6B6tv0XDjM/williams-begin-beginning-of-a-rebuilding-process

Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/3sQKqkiATmU/great-nico.html

Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/11/2058940/biffle-ruins-hendrick-front-row.html

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/vgeartZ0czs/engines-smengynns-what-about-drivers.html

Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella

Fernando Alonso believes that Ferrari has made progress with the revisions to its F2012, although he says it will impossible to judge where the car stands relative to the opposition until qualifying. Alonso was fastest in FP1 but didn?t get … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/05/11/fernando-alonso-the-first-numbers-are-positive/

JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger

The wind is gently rustling the palms here in Narbonne. I’m sitting in the sunshine having a coffee, not far from a bloke who looks unpleasantly like Flavio Briatore, although there are no super models about so it is definitely not him, just some passing Italian who thinks that looking sleazy is cool. It’s a [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/a-trip-across-france/

Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso

Whitmarsh says criticism of Pirelli’s tyres is “wrong” is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Pirelli’s tyres have been defended by McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh following Michael Schumacher’s criticism of them at the last race.

Whitmarsh says criticism of Pirelli’s tyres is “wrong” is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/WK6QvamwZeY/

Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/10/2056157/lawsuit-could-halt-1st-practice.html

Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers

Up before the larks this morning for a Kerouacian sort of day, driving to Barcelona. It is always a pleasure leaving Paris at five in the morning, without the plague of traffic. On the run down to Orleans, in the dark, I passed a car towing an old racing Bugatti, which was a joy to [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/on-the-road-3/

Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/rYRSeZr1iwY/chrysler-snakes-back-into-gt-racing.html

Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso

Bernie Ecclestone has stated his belief that Mark Webber could be Sebastian Vettel’s biggest rival for the title this year. Check out our review of Red Bull in 2011! Webber failed to win a race last year of course, but Ecclestone is convinced that the Australian will improve, threatening his Red Bull team-mate along the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/WvCtgq-iUMQ/webber-will-threaten-vettel-in-2012

Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/FvS_qmsU908/penske-racing-museum-inaugural-visit.html

Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/08/2052243/kurt-busch-to-double-dip-at-iowa.html

Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/FvS_qmsU908/penske-racing-museum-inaugural-visit.html

Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/qbyTsMcvDrw/street-party-in-bahrain-continues.html

Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger

Lewis Hamilton has come in for criticism © Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton?s decision-making ability has come into question after he crashed into the side of Felipe Massa on lap one, causing his early retirement from the Italian Grand Prix. This incident has raised questions about his temperament and ability to bounce back. Kevin Garside of the Daily Telegraph questions how much we should really be expecting from Hamilton. ?Perhaps this is how it must be with Hamilton, an instinctive racer compelled to chase the impossible through gaps that don?t exist. He took the best part of an hour to compose himself before walking out into the sun to face the cameras. This was Hamilton?s third DNF of the season but the first of his own making. Occasions like this are perhaps reminders to us not to expect too much. ?On the days when Hamilton?s insane alliance of guts, skill and derring-do appear capable of delivering the world it is easy to forget he is only 25, an age when it is all too common for boys to believe themselves men.? Byron Young of the Mirror also pulls no punches about Hamilton?s performance and was heavily critical of the manoeuvre which meant he left the weekend pointless. ?To say that his dive down the outside at Della Roggia chicane was optimistic would be generous. Mystifying, definitely, with so much at stake. So often Hamilton has made them stick but yesterday the outcome was all too predictable.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/hamilton_decisionmaking_under_1.php

Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle

The wind is gently rustling the palms here in Narbonne. I’m sitting in the sunshine having a coffee, not far from a bloke who looks unpleasantly like Flavio Briatore, although there are no super models about so it is definitely not him, just some passing Italian who thinks that looking sleazy is cool. It’s a [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/a-trip-across-france/

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

Albert Park, Melbourne
Statements of intent do not come much more emphatic than the one Jenson Button made with a dominant victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Crushingly superior in a straight fight with McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Button got off to the perfect start in a season that promises to be very different from Sebastian Vettel’s one-sided championship win last year.

There were fears after McLaren’s one-two in qualifying that they would run away in the race – and they proved to be half right.

Button left Hamilton behind and never looked like losing the race. It was a win as comfortable as any of the six in seven races he took at the start of 2009 to lay the foundations for his championship year with the Brawn team.

Jenson Button has won three of the last four Australian grands prix. Photo: Getty

Button admitted to BBC Sport after the race not only that he always gets “nervous-excited” before grands prix, but that he was more nervous before this one than perhaps any other.

One assumes it was founded in the knowledge that after starting his first two seasons at McLaren with cars that were off the pace of the Red Bull, he now had a real chance of getting his year off to the best possible start.

Contrary to appearances, that nervousness led to a slight error at the start. After a superb initial getaway, Button went for second gear too early, which delayed his charge to the first corner.

Luckily for Button, Hamilton had also had a bad start, and with the inside line, the corner – and, as it turned out, the victory – were his.

Ironically, the win bore more than a slight resemblance to many of Vettel’s in 2011.

Button went off like a frightened rabbit in the first two laps, the aim being to be far enough ahead at the start of lap three – when the drivers are first allowed to use the DRS overtaking aid – to ensure he was out of reach of his pursuers.

Rather than ease off, though, Button just kept going, a succession of fastest laps moving him more than three seconds clear within six laps, after which it stabilised.

So dominant was Button that even had Hamilton converted his lead at the start into one at the end of the first lap, it is difficult to imagine that the result would have been any different.

Hamilton cut a subdued figure after the race, giving short, quietly-spoken answers to questions. He admitted he “didn’t generally have great pace” and, after producing a stunning lap in qualifying to take pole, was clearly not expecting Button’s demoralising
performance.

Hamilton’s mood will not have been helped by losing out on second place to Vettel, largely through bad luck.

After leaving the two cars out slightly too long before their first pit stops, McLaren did exactly the right thing in stopping them one after the other for their second.

It was Hamilton’s bad luck that he was delayed by the introduction of the safety car on the very next lap, allowing Vettel to sneak ahead.

Vettel said after the race that he would have “had a crack” at Hamilton even without that stroke of good fortune.

But the two cars were evenly matched and if Hamilton, whose car was faster on the straight, was not able to pass Vettel it seems unlikely that Vettel would have been able to overtake the McLaren.

The manner of Button’s victory – Vettel described him as “unbeatable” – led to inevitable questions about whether McLaren will now dominate this season in the way Red Bull did last.

But as Hamilton said, it is “too early to tell” if McLaren are comfortably ahead of Red Bull.

“In qualifying we’re quite quick and competitive,” he said, “but they were massively quick in the race. I think they’re still a force to be reckoned with.”

Vettel, meanwhile, proved once again how ridiculous it ever was to suggest he could not race – his move around the outside of Nico Rosberg at Turn Nine on lap two was hugely impressive.

Behind the top two teams, an intriguing race has set the season up nicely.

Romain Grosjean made some errors befitting his semi-novice status as he squandered his excellent third place on the grid, but his Lotus team look like they could have the pace to challenge close to the front if they have a clean weekend.

Mercedes’ race pace was a disappointment after their impressive form in qualifying – which extreme was the true representation of their competitive position remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso dragged his Ferrari up to fifth place with a typically resilient and impressive performance, although the car’s lap times once the race settled down suggested the team still have a lot of work to do.

The mixed-up grid, caused by typical early seasons problems for Red Bull, Alonso and Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying, led to some superb battles throughout a race that seemed to confirm the impression of pre-season testing that the grid has closed up this year.

“We all think this is a special year in F1 with six world champions and so many competitive teams,” Button said. “F1 is in a special place and it’s a great sport to be a part of.”

Malaysia next weekend will provide further evidence of what lies ahead. Button and Hamilton, for very different reasons, will be anxious to get on with it.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/albert_park_melbourne_statemen.html

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/08/2052310/mark-martin-would-rather-make.html

Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/vettel-wins-but-has-to-work-for-it.html

Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/07/2050154/mcclure-leaves-hospital.html

JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger

There are a bunch of stories knocking around this morning which are designed to be noticed. One is the suggestion that there could be a Bahraini on the board of the Formula One group, another that Mercedes-Benz could pull out of F1. Neither are to be taken too seriously. If one looks at the ownership [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/silly-stories/

Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/09/2053856/martina-mcbride-to-sing-national.html

Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais

Schumacher continues Pirelli criticism is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Michael Schumacher continues to criticise Pirelli’s tyres, saying: “we drive like on raw eggs”.

Schumacher continues Pirelli criticism is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/djM0CYV0GXE/

Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson

It was another frustrating season at the back of the grid for F1?s relative new boys. Lotus, HRT and Virgin all in their sophomore seasons in Formula One all failed, again, to score points in 2011. So what went wrong last season and what does 2012 have in store. Lotus They?ve arguably been the best [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/v07lfgzGM6w/what-went-wrong-for-the-back-of-the-grid

Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

There are, it turns out, two Kimi Raikkonens.

The public face of the 2007 world champion, who has returned to Formula 1 this season after two years in rallying, is of a monosyllabic, monotone, unsmiling figure, energised only the moment he steps into a racing car.

The one who emerges in private is very different – a talkative, jocular man, who can happily sit and shoot the breeze like anyone else.

As Lotus trackside operations director, Alan Permane has worked closely with Raikkonen since he joined the team last November.

Kimi Raikkonen has been perceived as cold and uncommunicative. Photo: Getty

The 32-year-old Finn, Permane says, “is happy to sit and talk, not only about technical stuff, but laughing and joking and talking rubbish with his engineers about all sorts of stuff”.

He is just not interested in any of his dealings with the media and, unlike his rivals, doesn’t bother to hide it.

Permane worked with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso through the title-winning years with the team formerly known as both Benetton and Renault. He has been impressed with Raikkonen from the start.

Raikkonen first drove one of the team’s cars at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia in late January. Straightaway the team knew they had something special.

He had not driven an F1 car since the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and had no experience of the Pirelli tyres he was using. Yet, after a single installation lap to check the car’s systems were working, his first flying lap was within a few 10ths of a second of the fastest lap he would do over the next two days.

The good impressions did not go away.

Permane said, “He has never driven a car with a full load of fuel in it.

“We went from 30-160kg [of fuel load in Valencia] to show him that’s the sort of difference you can expect – certainly from qualifying to race it’s even bigger than that.

“We calculate the lap time difference the fuel load will make and his first lap was absolutely spot on that difference. That is impressive.”

After that, Raikkonen did another 20 laps, each one exactly 0.1secs slower than the last – the lap time lost by tyre degradation.

There is a widespread belief that Raikkonen is as unforthcoming in his technical debriefs as he is in public, but that, too, appears to be a fallacy.

Lotus have found his comments in debriefs to be not only lengthy but very perceptive, too.

He was slightly quicker than new team-mate Romain Grosjean throughout pre-season testing, so it was a surprise that he was about 0.2secs slower than the Franco-Swiss semi-novice in the practice sessions in Melbourne.

Equally, the errors Raikkonen made on his qualifying laps that left him down in 18th on the grid betrayed a certain ring-rustiness, as well as perhaps the pressure he was feeling from Grosjean’s pace.

In the race, though, something of the old Raikkonen returned as he fought back up from his low starting position to take seventh place by the end.

Clearly, though, there is more to come.

Raikkonen is not entirely happy with the feel he is getting from the Lotus’s steering, but Permane plays down the significance of the problem.

“He’s very particular,” Permane says. “He knows what he wants and it’s not quite to his liking. It’s not a million miles away, but we’ll get it there.”

Raikkonen can drive perfectly well with the steering as it is, but the problem probably does mean that he is driving a little below his maximum.

The question now is, at what level is his maximum?

The reason Raikkonen left F1 in the first place was because he performed for Ferrari for much of 2008 and 2009 way below the level expected of him.

Ferrari, in fact, terminated Raikkonen’s contract a year early and paid him not to drive in 2010 so they could bring in Alonso.

The Spaniard has since out-performed Felipe Massa, the man who generally had the better of Raikkonen from the start of 2008 until fracturing his skull in an accident in Hungary in July 2009.

Does this mean Alonso is that much better than Raikkonen? Or that Raikkonen in 2008-9 was a long way below his best? Or that Massa is not the driver he was?

No one knows for sure, but for Raikkonen’s comeback to be considered an unqualified success he will have to be able to match his new team-mate’s pace.

The fact Lotus have regrouped over the winter and produced one of the year’s fastest cars only increases the pressure – it’s not so bad to be beaten by a team-mate when you’re battling to get into the top 10; but a very different matter when you’re fighting for the podium.

That, it appears, is what Lotus are in a position to do.

“We screwed up with the car last year,” Permane says, “and we know we’ve done a lovely car this year, not only aerodynamically, but we’ve done a nice package mechanically.”

So pleased are Lotus with the new E20 that Permane says he “dared to compare it with 2005″, when Alonso won the first of his two titles.

That is not so much a measure of Lotus’s realistic hopes as a reflection of how much the drivers like the car, and how well it responds to changes.

Nevertheless, the team are confident they can keep up with the break-neck development pace of the likes of McLaren and Red Bull and hold on to their position.

For Raikkonen, the requirement now is prove that he can go with them. So far, the signs are positive.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/the_two_kimi_raikkonens.html

Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen

Lewis Hamilton has come in for criticism © Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton?s decision-making ability has come into question after he crashed into the side of Felipe Massa on lap one, causing his early retirement from the Italian Grand Prix. This incident has raised questions about his temperament and ability to bounce back. Kevin Garside of the Daily Telegraph questions how much we should really be expecting from Hamilton. ?Perhaps this is how it must be with Hamilton, an instinctive racer compelled to chase the impossible through gaps that don?t exist. He took the best part of an hour to compose himself before walking out into the sun to face the cameras. This was Hamilton?s third DNF of the season but the first of his own making. Occasions like this are perhaps reminders to us not to expect too much. ?On the days when Hamilton?s insane alliance of guts, skill and derring-do appear capable of delivering the world it is easy to forget he is only 25, an age when it is all too common for boys to believe themselves men.? Byron Young of the Mirror also pulls no punches about Hamilton?s performance and was heavily critical of the manoeuvre which meant he left the weekend pointless. ?To say that his dive down the outside at Della Roggia chicane was optimistic would be generous. Mystifying, definitely, with so much at stake. So often Hamilton has made them stick but yesterday the outcome was all too predictable.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/hamilton_decisionmaking_under_1.php

Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber Skip Barber Paolo Barilla

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Busch became the first driver in a national NASCAR race to win wire-to-wire in nearly eight years. [+] Enlarge Tom Pennington/Getty Images Kyle Busch performs a burnout after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday Related posts:

1. NASCAR: Kyle Busch closes on Phoenix sweep Kyle Busch closes on Phoenix sweep By Diego Mejia Sunday,…
2. Kyle Busch rolls to 8th Nationwide win of season CLERMONT, Ind. — Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski kept it…
3. Kyle Busch leads final 107 laps for trucks victory AVONDALE, Ariz. — A quick pit stop and some key…

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Source: http://doxcar.com/kyle-busch-goes-wire-to-wire-in-nwide-phoenix-win/

Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium © Getty Images

Sections of the international media have questioned Red Bull’s strategic approach to the world championship. After Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix from the team’s points leader Mark Webber at Interlagos, Der Spiegel noted: “Red Bull gives (Fernando) Alonso wings”. Not switching the places means that Spaniard Alonso can take his Ferrari to just second place this weekend in Abu Dhabi and be champion, whereas the alternative strategy would have set up Webber for a straight fight. “It is not easy for Webber to drive in a team that considers him a burden to be up against Vettel,” said La Gazzetta dello Sport. Tuttosport noted that it seems “the Austrian team would be happier to lose than to see Webber beat Vettel”. “No team orders at Red Bull. Another own goal,” headlined La Repubblica. Joan Villadelprat wrote in his El Pais column: “Had Red Bull opted for Webber a few races ago, the Australian would probably now be champion.” Red Bull, however, is unrepentant. Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that “second under proper conditions can often be more valuable than a first”. But there is a feeling that the team is not simply giving up the fight for the drivers’ title. One columnist in Brazil’s Globo wondered if Vettel’s radio message in Abu Dhabi might sound something like ‘So … Mark is faster than you’. “I’m always in favour of leaving the fight on the track with equal chances for both sides,” said Rubens Barrichello. “But I wonder if they would do that if the situation was in reverse. ?Mark has done a great job this year and he has been told by his team what position he is in,” said Lewis Hamilton. “Against adversity he has kept at it. I want to see Mark win.” Webber believes that, if a strategy is deployed, it will only be on the “last lap” of the season this weekend. “Sebastian is part of a team,” said Niki Lauda, who believes Webber should be backed fully by Red Bull. “If he does anything it should be helping Webber and not just on the last lap.” Webber is quoted by Bild newspaper: “It makes sense. Otherwise it would mean that Ferrari’s team orders would have paid off for Fernando.” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hints that sense will ultimately prevail. “We have already given too many presents to Fernando this year,” he is quoted by Autosprint.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/red_bull_under_the_spotlight.php

Marco Apicella Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium © Getty Images

Sections of the international media have questioned Red Bull’s strategic approach to the world championship. After Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix from the team’s points leader Mark Webber at Interlagos, Der Spiegel noted: “Red Bull gives (Fernando) Alonso wings”. Not switching the places means that Spaniard Alonso can take his Ferrari to just second place this weekend in Abu Dhabi and be champion, whereas the alternative strategy would have set up Webber for a straight fight. “It is not easy for Webber to drive in a team that considers him a burden to be up against Vettel,” said La Gazzetta dello Sport. Tuttosport noted that it seems “the Austrian team would be happier to lose than to see Webber beat Vettel”. “No team orders at Red Bull. Another own goal,” headlined La Repubblica. Joan Villadelprat wrote in his El Pais column: “Had Red Bull opted for Webber a few races ago, the Australian would probably now be champion.” Red Bull, however, is unrepentant. Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that “second under proper conditions can often be more valuable than a first”. But there is a feeling that the team is not simply giving up the fight for the drivers’ title. One columnist in Brazil’s Globo wondered if Vettel’s radio message in Abu Dhabi might sound something like ‘So … Mark is faster than you’. “I’m always in favour of leaving the fight on the track with equal chances for both sides,” said Rubens Barrichello. “But I wonder if they would do that if the situation was in reverse. ?Mark has done a great job this year and he has been told by his team what position he is in,” said Lewis Hamilton. “Against adversity he has kept at it. I want to see Mark win.” Webber believes that, if a strategy is deployed, it will only be on the “last lap” of the season this weekend. “Sebastian is part of a team,” said Niki Lauda, who believes Webber should be backed fully by Red Bull. “If he does anything it should be helping Webber and not just on the last lap.” Webber is quoted by Bild newspaper: “It makes sense. Otherwise it would mean that Ferrari’s team orders would have paid off for Fernando.” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hints that sense will ultimately prevail. “We have already given too many presents to Fernando this year,” he is quoted by Autosprint.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/red_bull_under_the_spotlight.php

Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon Bob Anderson

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/09/145-euros-india-had-better-be-worth-it.html

Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

© Getty Images

Brazil?s F1 fever may have overstepped the mark after a local prosecutor threatened Felipe Massa with a six-year jail term if he ?defrauds? the sporting public by letting Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso past at Sunday?s grand prix. The story, reported by a local paper and picked up by the Daily Telegraph, is the latest of several anti-Massa reports to emerge from his home country since the team orders controversy at the German Grand Prix earlier this year. The Daily Telegraph’s Tom Cary reckons that Massa simply isn’t living up to his home crowd’s high expectations.

?A public raised on a diet of Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna were simply appalled and saddened in equal measure by Massa?s apparent lack of ambition.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/massa_threatened_with_jail_ove.php

Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams

There has been speculation about Mark Webber moving to Ferrari since at least June last year, when Ferrari was considering what to do about the problem of Felipe Massa. At the time the Brazilian still had a valid contract and Ferrari was keen to honour that commitment and give Felipe another chance. However, at the [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/webber-and-ferrari/

Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini

Fernando Alonso raced home to clinch first place in the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday, but you might argue that for all his joy at winning, there might have been someone just slightly happier at Sepang that day. Step forward Sergio Perez. The Mexican might not be a household name just yet but, aged 22, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/-_7itVK0ToQ/perez-revels-in-success

Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/8aUQmZJ0n7w/woodys-returning-to-le-mans.html

Eric Bernard Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler

Alexander Rossi to make F1 debut in practice in Spain is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Alexander Rossi will drive in an F1 race weekend for the first time in the Spanish Grand Prix next week.

Alexander Rossi to make F1 debut in practice in Spain is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/zrjXLLK1GFI/

Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner

Nine months ago Caterham F1 boss Tony Fernandes agreed to give up his fight for the Team Lotus name in exchange for a deal to take over management control and 20 percent of the troubled national carrier, Malaysian Airline System (MAS). This came after the company suffered a shocking $836 million loss in 2011, due [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/a-step-back-for-fernandes/

Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa

Albert Park, Melbourne
Statements of intent do not come much more emphatic than the one Jenson Button made with a dominant victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Crushingly superior in a straight fight with McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Button got off to the perfect start in a season that promises to be very different from Sebastian Vettel’s one-sided championship win last year.

There were fears after McLaren’s one-two in qualifying that they would run away in the race – and they proved to be half right.

Button left Hamilton behind and never looked like losing the race. It was a win as comfortable as any of the six in seven races he took at the start of 2009 to lay the foundations for his championship year with the Brawn team.

Jenson Button has won three of the last four Australian grands prix. Photo: Getty

Button admitted to BBC Sport after the race not only that he always gets “nervous-excited” before grands prix, but that he was more nervous before this one than perhaps any other.

One assumes it was founded in the knowledge that after starting his first two seasons at McLaren with cars that were off the pace of the Red Bull, he now had a real chance of getting his year off to the best possible start.

Contrary to appearances, that nervousness led to a slight error at the start. After a superb initial getaway, Button went for second gear too early, which delayed his charge to the first corner.

Luckily for Button, Hamilton had also had a bad start, and with the inside line, the corner – and, as it turned out, the victory – were his.

Ironically, the win bore more than a slight resemblance to many of Vettel’s in 2011.

Button went off like a frightened rabbit in the first two laps, the aim being to be far enough ahead at the start of lap three – when the drivers are first allowed to use the DRS overtaking aid – to ensure he was out of reach of his pursuers.

Rather than ease off, though, Button just kept going, a succession of fastest laps moving him more than three seconds clear within six laps, after which it stabilised.

So dominant was Button that even had Hamilton converted his lead at the start into one at the end of the first lap, it is difficult to imagine that the result would have been any different.

Hamilton cut a subdued figure after the race, giving short, quietly-spoken answers to questions. He admitted he “didn’t generally have great pace” and, after producing a stunning lap in qualifying to take pole, was clearly not expecting Button’s demoralising
performance.

Hamilton’s mood will not have been helped by losing out on second place to Vettel, largely through bad luck.

After leaving the two cars out slightly too long before their first pit stops, McLaren did exactly the right thing in stopping them one after the other for their second.

It was Hamilton’s bad luck that he was delayed by the introduction of the safety car on the very next lap, allowing Vettel to sneak ahead.

Vettel said after the race that he would have “had a crack” at Hamilton even without that stroke of good fortune.

But the two cars were evenly matched and if Hamilton, whose car was faster on the straight, was not able to pass Vettel it seems unlikely that Vettel would have been able to overtake the McLaren.

The manner of Button’s victory – Vettel described him as “unbeatable” – led to inevitable questions about whether McLaren will now dominate this season in the way Red Bull did last.

But as Hamilton said, it is “too early to tell” if McLaren are comfortably ahead of Red Bull.

“In qualifying we’re quite quick and competitive,” he said, “but they were massively quick in the race. I think they’re still a force to be reckoned with.”

Vettel, meanwhile, proved once again how ridiculous it ever was to suggest he could not race – his move around the outside of Nico Rosberg at Turn Nine on lap two was hugely impressive.

Behind the top two teams, an intriguing race has set the season up nicely.

Romain Grosjean made some errors befitting his semi-novice status as he squandered his excellent third place on the grid, but his Lotus team look like they could have the pace to challenge close to the front if they have a clean weekend.

Mercedes’ race pace was a disappointment after their impressive form in qualifying – which extreme was the true representation of their competitive position remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso dragged his Ferrari up to fifth place with a typically resilient and impressive performance, although the car’s lap times once the race settled down suggested the team still have a lot of work to do.

The mixed-up grid, caused by typical early seasons problems for Red Bull, Alonso and Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying, led to some superb battles throughout a race that seemed to confirm the impression of pre-season testing that the grid has closed up this year.

“We all think this is a special year in F1 with six world champions and so many competitive teams,” Button said. “F1 is in a special place and it’s a great sport to be a part of.”

Malaysia next weekend will provide further evidence of what lies ahead. Button and Hamilton, for very different reasons, will be anxious to get on with it.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/03/albert_park_melbourne_statemen.html

Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh

Fernando Alonso was in positive mood at the end of the Mugello test, despite his day being interrupted by a crash. Alonso damaged the front of the car in a low speed impact with the barrier, and lost some two … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/05/03/alonso-confident-in-ferrari-progress/

Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu

Nine months ago Caterham F1 boss Tony Fernandes agreed to give up his fight for the Team Lotus name in exchange for a deal to take over management control and 20 percent of the troubled national carrier, Malaysian Airline System (MAS). This came after the company suffered a shocking $836 million loss in 2011, due [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/a-step-back-for-fernandes/

Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/06/2048655/race-rewind-looking-back-at-the.html

Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell

Alonso hails Massa as “one of the best” is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Fernando Alonso gives a vote of confidence for his under-fire team mate.

Alonso hails Massa as “one of the best” is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

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Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/06/stateside-swap-a-rama.html

Mário de Araújo Cabral Frank Armi Chuck Arnold Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell

Jean Todt arives for Wednesday’s hearing © Getty Images

Formula One should look at abolishing the controversial ban on team orders after Ferrari escaped further punishment for their manipulation of the German Grand Prix result. That is the view of the Daily Telegraph?s Tom Cary, who is of the opinion that the team orders rule now needs to be seriously looked at because of its obvious shortcomings.

?Whether you are for or against team orders, if the FIA could not back up its own rules and nail a competitor in a blatant case such as this the rule really does need reviewing. Perhaps Ferrari?s thinly-veiled threat to take the matter to the civil courts if they were punished too harshly scared the governing body, who as much as admitted the flimsiness of its rule.”

Paul Weaver, reporting for the Guardian in Monza, was in favour of the ruling which keeps alive Ferrari?s slim chances in an enthralling championship.

?The World Motor Sport Council was right not to ruin a compelling Formula One season by taking away the 25 points Alonso collected in Germany. That would have put him out of the five-man title race. But the council was widely expected to increase the fine and possibly deduct points from the team, as opposed to the individual. In the end, it could be argued that common sense prevailed. But the decision will dismay those who were upset by the way Ferrari handled the situation as much as anything else.?

The Daily Mail’s Jonathan McEvoy expressed outrage at the FIA tearing up its own rule book by allowing Ferrari to escape unpunished.

“Although the race stewards fined them £65,000 for giving team orders in July, the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to whom the matter was referred, decided not to impose any further punishment. It leaves the sport’s rulers open to derision. It was, after all, their rule they undermined. In a statement, the WMSC said the regulation banning team orders ‘should be reviewed’.”

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/team_order_rule_needs_a_rethin_1.php

Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/BqwDL1dCXEQ/tensions-in-bahrain-continue-ratcheting.html

Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon

There has been speculation about Mark Webber moving to Ferrari since at least June last year, when Ferrari was considering what to do about the problem of Felipe Massa. At the time the Brazilian still had a valid contract and Ferrari was keen to honour that commitment and give Felipe another chance. However, at the [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/webber-and-ferrari/

Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore

Alonso: 2011 tyres will hurt top teams By Matt Beer Monday, February 28th 2011, 19:07 GMT Fernando Alonso says he is not in favour of the move towards less durable tyres for 2011, as he fears this will end up penalising faster cars. Related posts:

1. F1: Teams expect 2011 tyres test in summer Teams expect 2011 tyres test in summer By Jonathan Noble…
2. F1: Cooper Avon enters race for 2011 tyres Cooper Avon enters race for 2011 tyres By Jonathan Noble…
3. F1: Alonso: Passing just as hard in 2011 Alonso: Passing just as hard in 2011 By Jonathan Noble…

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Source: http://doxcar.com/f1-alonso-2011-tyres-will-hurt-top-teams/

Chris Bristow Peter Broeker Tony Brooks Alan Brown Walt Brown

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/05/2046627/logano-nips-busch-for-talladega.html

Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/03/2041887/townsend-bell-confirms-indianapolis.html

Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/vettel-wins-but-has-to-work-for-it.html

Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston

American Alexander Rossi will become his nation’s first representative in Formula 1 for some years when he takes to the track in Barcelona on Friday morning, at the wheel of a Caterham. The 20-year-old Californian will be the first US driver to take part in a Grand Prix weekend since Scott Speed departed from Scuderia [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/an-american-in-barcelona/

Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol

Should F1 change its tyre strategy? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Do F1 tyres need to last longer? Have they made the racing better? Plus the results of our last poll on DRS.

Should F1 change its tyre strategy? is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/myjwB6lVoaY/

Alan Brown Walt Brown Warwick Brown Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/ewMLtI0sOlg/no-fenders-on-formula-1-tv-strike.html

Chris Amon Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti

After Sunday’s Bahrain GP Martin Whitmarsh defended the McLaren mechanic who was most closely involved in the two botched pit stops on Lewis Hamilton?s car, and another with Jenson Button in the previous race in China. Whitmarsh stressed that it … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/04/23/martin-whitmarsh-theres-a-lot-of-pressure-nowadays/

Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams

Is it now a three-way battle for the title? © Getty Images

Fernando Alonso is still the driver in the best position to win the drivers? title according to the Daily Telegraph?s Tom Cary.

?Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari?s Fernando Alonso.?

The Guardian?s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber?s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian?s last realistic chance of winning the title.

?He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season ? his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.?

According to The Mirror?s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.

?McLaren’s title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive.”

The Sun?s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying ?Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button’s title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php

Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger