Sports Shirts

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/09/03/1458870/edwards-edges-keselowski-for-saturday.html

Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa Bob Bondurant Felice Bonetto

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/ZPrlF5gfsgU/will-somebody-please-give-simon.html

Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati

A thrilling German Grand Prix, capped by a superb drive to victory by Lewis Hamilton, confirmed the growing impression that this Formula 1 season has a lot of life left in it.

Sebastian Vettel retains a massive 77-point lead in the championship after salvaging a difficult afternoon with a fourth place snatched from Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in a late pit stop duel between the two teams.

But Red Bull have lost the performance advantage they enjoyed at the start of the season. They have won only once in four grands prix and, far more tellingly than that, they have been outpaced in the last two races.

At Silverstone, Fernando Alonso‘s Ferrari was faster than the Red Bull. At the Nurburgring on Sunday the Spaniard retained that position, and McLaren leapfrogged both of them.

McLaren in general and Hamilton in particular, have taken a bit of flak from certain quarters in the last month or so, but they bounced back with a bang in Germany.

Hamilton drove a stunning lap in qualifying to split the Red Bulls on the grid, and he capped it with what he described as “one of the best races I’ve ever done”.

The 26-year-old has produced so many inspirational drives in his career that it is difficult to say whether this was the best, but it was certainly right up there.

As has so often been the case, Hamilton owed his win partly to his unsurpassed abilities as a racer – Alonso’s Ferrari emerged from his second pit stop in front, just ahead of the McLaren, but a trademark brilliant passing move around the outside of the red car at the second corner gave Hamilton the lead.

As Alonso struggled on tyres not quite up to temperature, Hamilton pulled out a 1.7-second lead on that lap and followed it with a succession of three fastest laps in a row to extend his advantage to more than three seconds. From there, it was simply a case of not making a mistake with the timing of the final pit stop.

It has been a turbulent few weeks for Hamilton. After pushing Vettel so close for victory in Spain back in May, the wheels seemed to come off a bit.

A difficult weekend in Monaco culminated in frustration and his ill-advised “Ali G” remarks. A disappointing qualifying session in Canada led to Hamilton seeking out Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for a chat about the future. High tyre wear left him fourth in Valencia, way off the pace of the Red Bulls and Alonso. And McLaren struggled again in Silverstone, hit harder than their rivals by the one-race restriction on the use of exhaust gases to boost downforce.

The effect that had had on Hamilton’s optimism was clear on Friday when he said there was “no way” he could compete for pole, but his mood turned full circle on Saturday and he entered the race knowing he could compete for victory.

He grabbed the lead at the start, and although he was passed by Red Bull’s Mark Webber following a mistake on lap 12, the Red Bull was not able to get away.

As Webber said, “the alarm bells started to ring then”, and that analysis was spot on. Just as he had at the first stops, Webber came into the pits first, aiming to take advantage of the extra grip from fresh tyres. But the second time it did not work out, and the Red Bull was jumped by both Hamilton and Alonso, who then left him behind.

Just how much this win meant to Hamilton was clear in the post-race television interviews, as he tried and failed to fight back tears after he had finished speaking.

With those tears – and that drive – perhaps Hamilton has begun to shed the frustration of the past few weeks, and can now relax into a second half of the season that, on the evidence of the last two or three races, should make fascinating viewing.

In the last two races now, the three top teams have fought out victory – and slowly this season is turning into exactly what it had promised to be before Vettel’s amazing start.

It remains to be seen whether McLaren are back for good, or whether they benefited from the unique chilly conditions in Germany.

As far as Ferrari are concerned, though, there is now little doubt that they are a genuine challenge for Red Bull everywhere.

As Alonso pointed out, they have been contesting the lead at the last four races, all of which have been on very different tracks, and he now has a win and two second places from the last three grands prix.

The Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend will be a very telling event. Red Bull totally dominated it last year, but the evidence of the last few weeks suggests it may not be so easy for them this time around.

Ferrari, one suspects, will at least give them a run for their money, having proved in the last couple of races that they have largely solved the aerodynamic weaknesses in their car that blighted the start to their season. McLaren, though, appear still to lack efficiency in the sort of long-duration corners that abound at the Hungaroring, which may make life a bit more difficult for them.

Vettel will go there on the back of a rare off-weekend at the Nurburgring, when he was never comfortable in the car and never looking like getting on terms with Webber.

In the race – as has often been the case when he is not leading from the front – he looked ordinary, unable to find a way past Massa for the last 20 laps of the race and needing his pit crew to do the job for him heading into the last lap.

And so the questions over Vettel’s ability when he is back in the pack remain.

The last two races have been an eye-opener for Red Bull – and on Sunday both Webber and Vettel talked about needing more from the car.

In the circumstances, Vettel will be pleased to have salvaged a fourth place, and kept his lead over Webber to more than three clear wins.

With such a huge advantage – Vettel is 82 points ahead of Hamilton and 86 in front of Alonso – it is still unlikely that he will be caught. But at least now he knows he has a real fight on his hands.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/resurgent_hamilton_puts_fright.html

Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball

Jenson Button says that deciding on a set-up for Monza will be more complicated than ever this year, with DRS now added to the mix. Last year Button went for high downforce in qualifying while Lewis Hamilton went for a … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/09/02/jenson-button-we-might-see-some-pretty-spectacular-moves/

Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco

CVC Capital Partners will be discussing its involvement in the Formula One group with its investors at a meeting of the firm’s advisory board on September 13. There will then be an annual meeting of investors the following day. It is reckoned that US pension funds and other institutional investors will be asking questions about [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/a-date-to-watch-out-for/

Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews

Fernando Alonso is the new favourite for the title © Getty Images

Fernando Alonso is the new favourite to win the Formula One drivers? title, said David Coulthard in his column for The Telegraph.

?He is the man with the momentum and, on the same basis that I backed Mark Webber to win the title before Korea, is now my favourite to claim the world title in Abu Dhabi on Nov 14. ?When the cars are so evenly-matched you have to back the man in possession. Especially when that man is a two-time world champion and arguably the finest driver of his generation.?

The Mirror?s Byron Young drew comparisons between Alonso and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher as the Spaniard bids to become the sport?s youngest ever triple world champion.

?Like Schumacher, Alonso accepts no opposition within his team. Ultimately he fell out with McLaren over their refusal in 2007 to bring Lewis Hamilton to heel. ?He returned to Renault on condition he was No.1, only to be at the centre of the Singapore cheat scandal – engineered to hand him victory. ?The Spaniard has always denied involvement but at the German GP in July he was brazen enough to radio Ferrari to rein in team-mate Felipe Massa so he could start the winning streak that has taken him to the brink of history.?

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/alonso_the_new_favourite_1.php

Olivier Beretta Allen Berg Georges Berger Gerhard Berger Eric Bernard

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:

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Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr

Renault have confirmed Bruno Senna will continue to drive for them for the rest of 2011.

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Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

Jarno Trulli will use Lotus’s new power steering in Monza having run without it in Spa.

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Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/AHIs_CY_7vI/brawnier-handshake.html

Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/06/bahrain-is-still-not-a-certainty.html

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/07/what-ralph-lauren-can-teach-mr-e.html

Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/F9r3krLNybI/indycar-turn-out-lights-thee-partys.html

Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/U06mSMpOhng/triple-s-power-play-spa-scooters-and.html

Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

The motor racing world is a gloriously inward-looking one. People worry more about the number of sets of tyres that should be allowed for a weekend rather than whether the world is teetering on the brink of a new economic crisis. It has always been like this, but the relative ease with which F1 sailed [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/big-picture-stuff/

Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/yFXxHIX_qcQ/willy-t-returns-to-cockpit.html

Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers

The push towards a future for electric racing cars continues to gather momentum with the announcement by FondTech of its E-11, described by the Italian company as the world?s first purpose-built electric single seater. The car has been designed by … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/09/01/fondtech-unveils-electric-single-seater/

Felice Bonetto Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd

Hello all,

I am filming the next entries for this video blog on Monday and that means I need your help.

As you know, we answer a selection of your questions as well as reviewing the last few races and looking forward to the next stage of the year.

So if you have any questions about F1 2011, please do post them below. We will pick a selection of the best and I will answer them here next week.

Thanks,

Murray

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/07/send_me_your_questions_about_f_1.html

Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso

Mark Webber believes that he can still claim his first World Championship, either this season or next after agreeing a new deal with Red Bull. The Australian had been linked with a move away from the Milton Keynes-based outfit while there was also  speculation he would step away from the sport at the end of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/4bb0ukMBMME/webber-why-would-i-retire-when-i-can-still-win-the-title

Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol

Toro Rosso‘s Jaime Alguersuari is the latest grand prix driver to pick his five all-time favourite races for BBC Sport’s classic Formula 1 series.

The 21-year-old Spaniard has been impressing on the track in recent races, putting to one side speculation about his future with strong drives into the points in the last three races – Canada, Valencia and Silverstone.

Alguersuari is a singular character – outspoken and interesting, with a particularly idiosyncratic approach to his Twitter account.

He has applied that uniqueness to his choice of races for this feature, which we use to whet your appetites for the action to come at this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

In chronological order, his choices are as follows:

The 2006 Japanese Grand Prix

A no-holds-barred, flat-out battle between F1′s then top two drivers – Fernando Alonso and Michael Scumacher. It was reminiscent of a similar fight between Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen six years previously. Alonso, driving for Renault, put huge pressure on Schumacher throughout the race, so much so that the Ferrari’s engine eventually broke.

The result did not quite secure Alonso a second consecutive championship but it did put him in a virtually unassailable position – and he made no mistake at the final race of the season in Brazil. This is the first time we have shown highlights of that Japanese race.

The 2007 European Grand Prix.

Alguersuari remembers that “there was a big casino with the rain and you had whatever Force India was then – Spyker maybe – actually leading the race and a lot of people crashing”. He’s right. This was a spill-a-minute race, won by Alonso, who was driving for McLaren. More on that in a moment.

The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

“Because it was my first grand prix,” says Alguersuari.

It was also the scene of a brilliant victory by Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren car that had started the season more than two seconds off the pace.

The 2010 Australian Grand Prix

This race will long be remembered for Jenson Button‘s inspired victory for McLaren. It was also enlivened by Alguersuari’s brief but exciting tussle with Michael Schumacher, when the Spaniard re-passed the German legend after being overtaken.

“It was the first time I had really had a battle with someone in Formula 1,” Alguersuari says. “It was the start of something good, of what was a big season for me in 2010. It was the basis of my championship.”

The 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel led Mark Webber to a comfortable Red Bull one-two but Alguersuari remembers the race because it was the one in which he scored his first F1 points. “That was very nice and something I will not forget,” he says.

—————————-

As always, we choose one of these races to highlight. This time, we have gone for the 2007 European Grand Prix, which was held at the Nurburging, the track that hosts this weekend’s German GP.

It was an incident-packed weekend, starting from the moment Hamilton crashed his McLaren at high-speed in qualifying after a wheel came off, leaving the Englishman in 10th place on the grid, with Ferrari‘s Kimi Raikkonen on pole and Hamilton’s team-mate Alonso beside him on the front row.

The Nurburgring, high in the Eifel mountains, is famous for its capricious weather – and this race was no different. After rain hit on the first lap, Spyker’s Markus Winkelhock, making his one and only grand prix start, held the lead. The race was then stopped after four laps before Alonso and Raikkonen’s team-mate, Felipe Massa, battled it out for the win.

In the dry, Massa pulled out a lead of about five seconds only for Alonso to cut it back in the closing stages. The late rain then gave Alonso the chance he needed.

After both men had fitted intermediate tyres, Alonso was much faster than Massa, the Spaniard passing the Brazilian with a superb move around the outside of Turn Five, the two men banging wheels as the McLaren went through.

The result moved Alonso to within two points of Hamilton in the championship – and set the stage for a cataclysmic sequence of events at the next race at Hungary.

The highlights of that thrilling Nurburgring race are embedded below – Murray Walker is the commentator as he did a one-off stand-in race for BBC Radio 5 live that weekend.

There are also links to short and extended highlights of last year’s German Grand Prix, which was held at Hockenheim. During the controversial race, Ferrari asked Massa to hand the lead to Alonso, now his team-mate, to boost the latter’s title chances.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH SHORT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
CLICK HERE TO WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX

A selection of the classic races will be shown on the BBC red button on interactive television in the United Kingdom. These will be Japan 2006, Europe 2007, Malaysia 2010 and extended highlights of Germany 2010.

Satellite and cable viewers will be able to watch them from 1500 BST on Wednesday 20 July until 0855 on Friday 22 July, when our broadcast of free practice starts.

Those watching via Freeview will be able to see the classic races between first and second practice on 22 July, from 1035 until 1255.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/jaime_alguersuari_-_classic_f1.html

Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa

Find all the F1 Fanatic Belgian Grand Prix coverage in one place below.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/rA_bZjSx7Z0/

Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/0VNEgOy8oGg/indy-cars-judgement-day.html

Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/31/1451420/nascar-goes-to-college.html

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/31/1451444/how-fast-fast-enough-to-make-some.html

Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch Harry Blanchard

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/yPqrm0UJGOs/quote-of-week.html

Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella

The Mercedes GP Petronas team ended up with a good result in Belgium with Michael Schumacher finishing fifth and Nico Rosberg sixth. When the busy executives in Stuttgart have this piece of information shoved beneath their noses, between reports about truck sales in China and production figures in Estonia, they will feel good about it [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/politics-at-mercedes/

Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/sh-xRwXCVJA/back-from-oregon.html

Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger Tony Brise

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/RbhFJXoHTlo/off-to-see-senna-movie.html

Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha

The reaction to the Belgian Grand Prix is coming thick and fast. A couple of days on from Sebastian Vettel’s win at Spa, it is worth looking back on what the BBC Formula 1 team thought of everything. In two videos, here is plenty of thoughts / analysis and interviews from Jake Humphrey and co. [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/gLa2yyatu3Y/jake-humphrey-david-coulthard-eddie-jordan-and-martin-brundle-discuss-2011-belgian-grand-prix-video

Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/30/1449137/keselowski-will-return-to-nationwide.html

Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza

The reaction to the Belgian Grand Prix is coming thick and fast. A couple of days on from Sebastian Vettel’s win at Spa, it is worth looking back on what the BBC Formula 1 team thought of everything. In two videos, here is plenty of thoughts / analysis and interviews from Jake Humphrey and co. [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/gLa2yyatu3Y/jake-humphrey-david-coulthard-eddie-jordan-and-martin-brundle-discuss-2011-belgian-grand-prix-video

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

Polish racing driver Robert Kubica will spend at least one whole year recovering from a rally crash he suffered this morning, according to his surgeon. Kubica, who races for Renault Lotus crashed the Skoda Fabia rally car this morning and was airlifted to hospital suffering serious injuries. He has spent many hours in surgery, with [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/robert-kubica-cold-be-ruled-out-for-at-least-a-year-following-accident/

Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Carlo Abate

Catching up on the launches in one mega post.  Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/f1-2011-launch-catch-up-mclaren-mercedes-red-bull-sauber-toro-rosso-renault/

Jo Bonnier Roberto Bonomi Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/29/1446121/patricks-nascar-plans-prompt-more.html

Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/29/1446245/video-rider-killed-in-british.html

Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley

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

Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/30/1447817/indycar-series-baltimore-grand.html

Chris Amon Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti

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:

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

Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo

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

Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/vettel—and-others—get-lucky-in-monaco.html

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

Ian Ashley Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo

At Spa-Francorchamps

For the first time since he started his comeback at the beginning of last season, Michael Schumacher was the centre of attention as the Formula 1 circus rolled into the spectacular Spa-Francorchamps circuit ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Twenty years ago this weekend, the man who would go on to become the most successful racing driver of all time made his debut here for the Jordan team, which was also in its first season in the sport.

It did not take long for him to catch the eye – a stunning qualifying performance put him seventh on the grid, several places ahead of his vastly experienced team-mate Andrea de Cesaris. And although he retired after a few hundred yards with a broken driveshaft, Schumacher had made his mark.

By the time of the next race, Benetton had stolen him from under Eddie Jordan’s nose – and the legend that culminated in seven world titles and 91 race victories began.

Although it is – as Red Bull’s Mark Webber pointed out – only Schumacher’s 17th season in F1, on account of the three he missed during his ‘retirement’, this weekend has partly been set aside to honour his achievements.

His Mercedes team are planning an event on Saturday, while Ferrari, with whom he won five of his seven titles, have promised “a little something to mark the occasion”.

However you count the years, Schumacher’s achievement came into sharp perspective when his rivals were asked whether they remembered his debut.

Most of them were too young to have any recollection of it at all, picking a later point in his career as the time they first became aware of him.

Most, though, were more than happy to pay tribute to his remarkable achievements, with the most glowing reference coming from Fernando Alonso, the man who ended Schumacher’s run of five consecutive titles in 2005 and then won a memorable mano-a-mano duel between them the following season.

“Michael, I have great respect for him,” Alonso said. “He is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, in the history of our sport. There are numbers there it will be impossible to repeat for any one of us.

“It has been a great pleasure to drive with him all these years. I will always remember all the battles with him and for me it was a privilege to drive against Michael Schumacher. It will be something I always remember. Then he decided to stop and come back.

“I’m sure he missed the adrenaline and the F1 show. Now he is in the second part of his career, the car is not competitive, but he is still enjoying [it].

“There are some criticisms about his return and results now, but I don’t agree with those.Michael three years ago was watching F1 at home. Now he is doing seventh or ninth but I’m sure he is happy every morning because he is doing what he wants to do.”

When Alonso was racing Schumacher before his comeback, the German was the benchmark, so beating him gave the Spaniard’s titles the ultimate stamp of credibility.

There are no questions about Alonso’s greatness now, standing as he does alongside Lewis Hamilton as the new benchmark against which all drivers are measured.

For Schumacher, though, these are very different times, and the last 18 months or so have been punctuated by ongoing questions about the merit and wisdom of his return.

Last year, he was by and large pasted by team-mate Nico Rosberg – a man who for all his undoubted potential has yet to win a race. This season there have been signs of progress – while the younger German still comfortably has Schumacher’s measure in qualifying, the veteran has looked more competitive in the races

It is clear, though, that Schumacher is not the driver he was.

Where once he appeared to dance at will on a limit beyond almost all his rivals, he now appears too often to be searching for that rarefied high wire, usually without success.

But the man who was famous for his willingness to do almost anything to win says he is satisfied with his current lot, scraping around for lower-ranking points as Mercedes battle to catch the top teams, while still insisting he wants to repay the German manufacturer for funding his debut and “return race wins and championships back to them”.

His anniversary has given him a chance to reflect on a career that is still remembered for its many controversies as much as it is for his great success.

And in an interview with BBC F1 pit-lane reporter Lee McKenzie, which will be broadcast as part of the race build-up on BBC One on Sunday, he went as far as to admit he had regrets about some of the incidents that in so many minds went beyond the boundaries of respectability.

“Certainly I would do things differently,” he said. “After 20 years in F1, you have a few regrets but, quite honestly, if I think it was 20 years, the few spots I have, you have to make mistakes to learn from them – and I think I do learn.”

Asked if any of his mistakes stood out, he picked this race in 1998, when he lost a certain victory in the wet after crashing into the back of David Coulthard’s McLaren. Once he had made it back to the pits, convinced the Scot had slowed deliberately to take him out, Schumacher charged off to the McLaren garage and had to be restrained from physically assaulting him.

“Maybe I should regret to go for an attack to David after he spoiled my race in 1998,” he says. “We had this mysterious misunderstanding, I had a certain reaction, I think it was the first and only time I have been like this, I am normally a very balanced person.”

It is perhaps revealing that of all the many incidents in his career, he should choose one for which he was not at fault, rather than his two title-deciding collisions with Williams drivers Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve in 1994 and 1997, or his decision to ‘park’ his car in Monaco qualifying to prevent Alonso beating him to pole position.

He still refuses to answer questions about the last incident and is resigned to the fact he will always – at least outside Germany – be a man who is more admired than loved.

“Everybody forms his own opinion about any person,” he says. “I think I just want to be treated fair, that’s the only think I look for. Who likes me or loves me, I’m happy about. Who doesn’t, I understand, because you can’t be loved by everyone.”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/08/schumacher_learns_from_his_mis.html

Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini

Bruno Senna has silenced the critics of his promotion to a Lotus Renault race seat by doing a brilliant job to qualify seventh at Spa. The Brazilian, who is three places ahead of team mate Vitaly Petrov, admits he hadn?t … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/08/27/bruno-senna-i-wasnt-expecting-to-get-in-the-top-10/

Bill Brack Ernesto Brambilla Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli

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

Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger Tony Brise Chris Bristow

Petrov says Renault have made “a big step forward” with the R31.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/IYV-GtPMGp8/

JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham

The FIA is planning to operate two completely independent DRS zones at the Italian GP, this blog can reveal. In Montreal there were two consecutive zones for the first time – using the same detection point – but in Italy … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/08/28/fia-plans-two-independent-drs-zones-for-monza/

Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger Tony Brise

Mark Webber has extended his contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2012 Formula 1 season. On the weekend of the Belgian Grand Prix, the Australian has been speaking about his future having decided to remain where he is for at least another year. He said: “I want to continue racing at the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/iEBO0mIzBxE/webber-on-no-brainer-red-bull-deal

Juan Manuel Bordeu Slim Borgudd Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/Y4lAffV51aQ/dont-forget-moto-gp-at-indy-this.html

Enrique Bernoldi Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/27/1441918/breaks-sometimes-just-go-your.html

Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger Tony Brise

The wreckage of Jochen Rindt’s car at Barcelona © Getty Images

An excellent insight into the world of F1 as it used to be can be found on the regularly-interesting Letters of Note website. It publishes a hitherto unseen letter from Jochen Rindt to Lotus boss Colin Chapman written shortly after Rindt?s crash at Barcelona which was a result of the wing system on Lotus 49 collapsing at speed.

?Colin. I have been racing F1 for 5 years and I have made one mistake (I rammed Chris Amon in Clermont Ferrand) and I had one accident in Zandvoort due to gear selection failure otherwise I managed to stay out of trouble. This situation changed rapidly since I joined your team. ?Honestly your cars are so quick that we would still be competitive with a few extra pounds used to make the weakest parts stronger, on top of that I think you ought to spend some time checking what your different employes are doing, I sure the wishbones on the F2 car would have looked different. Please give my suggestions some thought, I can only drive a car in which I have some confidence, and I feel the point of no confidence is quite near.?

A little more than a year later Rindt’s Lotus suffered mechanical breakdown just before braking into one of the corners. He swerved violently to the left and crashed into a poorly-installed barrier, killing him instantly.

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

Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi

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

Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/Kf4VCHFAWIM/more-details-on-senna-lauda-hunt-movies.html

Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi

Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history.  The cars [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/

Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/cbvab3e2-gQ/dannacarland-world-tour-commences-take.html

Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis Marco Apicella

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/07/what-ralph-lauren-can-teach-mr-e.html

Derek Bell Stefan Bellof Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/YLXaCCYHebQ/for-those-who-watch-indycar-we-salute.html

Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews

Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history.  The cars [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/

Chris Amon Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/27/1441065/vettel-takes-spa-pole.html

Lucien Bianchi Gino Bianco Hans Binder Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/27/1441666/power-wins-indycar-pole.html

Gerry Ashmore Bill Aston Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/26/1438873/patrick-or-not-stewart-wants-to.html

Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews Elio de Angelis

Jenson Button said he was “massively disappointed” to miss the top ten in qualifying in Spa.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/hoyLA2gz08Q/

Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/26/1438700/edwards-fastest-in-final-cup-practice.html

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

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/

Paul Belmondo Tom Belso JeanPierre Beltoise Olivier Beretta Allen Berg

Multiple F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher is going to test the new 2012 Mercedes DTM car. Mercedes Benz boss Norbert Haug said that a DTM drive could be on the cards, if “Michael no longer wants to drive in Formula 1.” Haug said: “Michael is full of respect for the DTM drivers. At some point [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/michael-schumacher-to-test-dtm/

Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso

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

Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber

Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/

Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

Mercedes buyout ‘won’t change team’ By Edd Straw Monday, February 28th 2011, 12:50 GMT No changes will be made to the way that Mercedes GP is run after Daimler AG and Aabar Investments took full control of the team, according to the German firm’s motorsport boss Norbert Haug. It was announced this morning that Mercedes and Aabar had acquired the remaining 24.9 per cent of the team, which was owned by the five shareholders involved in the original management buyout of Honda in 2009 – Ross Brawn, Nick Fry, Caroline McGrory, John Marsden and Nigel Kerr. Related posts:

1. F1: Mercedes working flat out to catch up Mercedes working flat out to catch up By Pablo Elizalde…
2. F1: Haug: No doubt Mercedes will win again Haug: No doubt Mercedes will win again By Jonathan Noble…
3. F1: Mercedes denies management friction Mercedes denies management friction By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, September 28th…

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Source: http://doxcar.com/f1-mercedes-buyout-wont-change-team/

Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Carlo Abate

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/25/1435981/indycar-ceo-on-patricks-announcement.html

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

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/sutil-scandal-i-suppose-im-witness-x.html

Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison

We’re having one of the best Formula 1 seasons ever and the final eight races promise to be really exciting, with Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari closely matched. Watch my preview to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix and the rest of the season.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE UK, CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/08/my_belgian_grand_prix_preview_1.html

JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham

Championship leader Sebastian Vettel has played down concerns about his 2011 Formula 1 season being on a downward spiral. The German hasn?t won in three races and was outside of the top two for the first time during his home Grand Prix in Nurburgring last time out. However, this is only a poor run of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/ZDLVE4QXFRc/vettel-i-can%e2%80%99t-win-every-time

Clemente Biondetti Pablo Birger Art Bisch Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen

Red Bull does a lot of things right in F1 – although its management of drivers remains a bit of mystery on occasion – but the Austrian drinks firm does understand how to draw attention to itself, and to the sport. Rather than twiddling about with C-List celebrities who know Flavio Briatore the Austrians have [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/tom-cruise-in-f1-now-youre-talking/

Adolf Brudes Martin Brundle Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Carlo Abate

© 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

Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball

This blog closed down on the Monday after the Hungarian Grand Prix and (oddly) I went off on holiday to a place called Plogoff, which can be found way, way, way out there at the end of Brittany. The only link I could figure to motor racing was that it is where Edouard Michelin, the [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/blog-on-a-summary-of-august/

Vittorio Brambilla Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/24/1434228/harvick-gets-3rd-straight.html

Enrico Bertaggia Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi

Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been testing out Formula 1 cars with Red Bull in California. The event was part of a promotional tour from Red Bull and BBC Pundit David Coulthard was on hand to rate Cruise’s driving skills. He said: “Tom’s the real deal. I was surprised that he picked it up so [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/yy8LTHCFPX4/tom-cruise-tests-out-formula-1-car-coulthard-has-his-say

Fabrizio Barbazza John Barber Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello

Ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Adrian Sutil has spoken of how much he enjoys racing at Spa-Francorchamps. Speaking about the famous venue of this weekend’s race, the Force India driver said: “I always say that Spa is my favourite circuit of the year.” “I just love the place. There’s nowhere else like it [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/XOICWp3dD_Y/sutil-relishes-favourite-circuit

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

Toro Rosso‘s Jaime Alguersuari is the latest grand prix driver to pick his five all-time favourite races for BBC Sport’s classic Formula 1 series.

The 21-year-old Spaniard has been impressing on the track in recent races, putting to one side speculation about his future with strong drives into the points in the last three races – Canada, Valencia and Silverstone.

Alguersuari is a singular character – outspoken and interesting, with a particularly idiosyncratic approach to his Twitter account.

He has applied that uniqueness to his choice of races for this feature, which we use to whet your appetites for the action to come at this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

In chronological order, his choices are as follows:

The 2006 Japanese Grand Prix

A no-holds-barred, flat-out battle between F1′s then top two drivers – Fernando Alonso and Michael Scumacher. It was reminiscent of a similar fight between Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen six years previously. Alonso, driving for Renault, put huge pressure on Schumacher throughout the race, so much so that the Ferrari’s engine eventually broke.

The result did not quite secure Alonso a second consecutive championship but it did put him in a virtually unassailable position – and he made no mistake at the final race of the season in Brazil. This is the first time we have shown highlights of that Japanese race.

The 2007 European Grand Prix.

Alguersuari remembers that “there was a big casino with the rain and you had whatever Force India was then – Spyker maybe – actually leading the race and a lot of people crashing”. He’s right. This was a spill-a-minute race, won by Alonso, who was driving for McLaren. More on that in a moment.

The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix

“Because it was my first grand prix,” says Alguersuari.

It was also the scene of a brilliant victory by Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren car that had started the season more than two seconds off the pace.

The 2010 Australian Grand Prix

This race will long be remembered for Jenson Button‘s inspired victory for McLaren. It was also enlivened by Alguersuari’s brief but exciting tussle with Michael Schumacher, when the Spaniard re-passed the German legend after being overtaken.

“It was the first time I had really had a battle with someone in Formula 1,” Alguersuari says. “It was the start of something good, of what was a big season for me in 2010. It was the basis of my championship.”

The 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel led Mark Webber to a comfortable Red Bull one-two but Alguersuari remembers the race because it was the one in which he scored his first F1 points. “That was very nice and something I will not forget,” he says.

—————————-

As always, we choose one of these races to highlight. This time, we have gone for the 2007 European Grand Prix, which was held at the Nurburging, the track that hosts this weekend’s German GP.

It was an incident-packed weekend, starting from the moment Hamilton crashed his McLaren at high-speed in qualifying after a wheel came off, leaving the Englishman in 10th place on the grid, with Ferrari‘s Kimi Raikkonen on pole and Hamilton’s team-mate Alonso beside him on the front row.

The Nurburgring, high in the Eifel mountains, is famous for its capricious weather – and this race was no different. After rain hit on the first lap, Spyker’s Markus Winkelhock, making his one and only grand prix start, held the lead. The race was then stopped after four laps before Alonso and Raikkonen’s team-mate, Felipe Massa, battled it out for the win.

In the dry, Massa pulled out a lead of about five seconds only for Alonso to cut it back in the closing stages. The late rain then gave Alonso the chance he needed.

After both men had fitted intermediate tyres, Alonso was much faster than Massa, the Spaniard passing the Brazilian with a superb move around the outside of Turn Five, the two men banging wheels as the McLaren went through.

The result moved Alonso to within two points of Hamilton in the championship – and set the stage for a cataclysmic sequence of events at the next race at Hungary.

The highlights of that thrilling Nurburgring race are embedded below – Murray Walker is the commentator as he did a one-off stand-in race for BBC Radio 5 live that weekend.

There are also links to short and extended highlights of last year’s German Grand Prix, which was held at Hockenheim. During the controversial race, Ferrari asked Massa to hand the lead to Alonso, now his team-mate, to boost the latter’s title chances.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH SHORT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
CLICK HERE TO WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX

A selection of the classic races will be shown on the BBC red button on interactive television in the United Kingdom. These will be Japan 2006, Europe 2007, Malaysia 2010 and extended highlights of Germany 2010.

Satellite and cable viewers will be able to watch them from 1500 BST on Wednesday 20 July until 0855 on Friday 22 July, when our broadcast of free practice starts.

Those watching via Freeview will be able to see the classic races between first and second practice on 22 July, from 1035 until 1255.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/jaime_alguersuari_-_classic_f1.html

Harry Blanchard Michael Bleekemolen Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/24/1433978/sadler-claims-pole-for-bristol.html

Jimmy Bryan Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich

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. — Just before peeling off what he called a lame burnout near the finish line, Jeff Gordon screamed into his radio, the emotion pouring out with his voice. [+] Enlarge Jared C. Related posts:

1. Jeff Gordon wins the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway 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 wins pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway; Jimmie Johnson to start 10th CONCORD, N.C. — Jeff Gordon’s long winless streak is well…

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Source: http://doxcar.com/jeff-gordon-wins-at-phoenix-to-snap-66-race-drought/

John Barber Skip Barber Paolo Barilla Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels

Ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Adrian Sutil has spoken of how much he enjoys racing at Spa-Francorchamps. Speaking about the famous venue of this weekend’s race, the Force India driver said: “I always say that Spa is my favourite circuit of the year.” “I just love the place. There’s nowhere else like it [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/XOICWp3dD_Y/sutil-relishes-favourite-circuit

Richard Attwood Manny Ayulo Luca Badoer Giancarlo Baghetti Julian Bailey

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/crJBP3c4LLA/bahrains-political-woes-continue.html

Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick

Formula 1 bursts back into life this weekend as the Belgian Grand Prix marks the return of the sport for the first time in three weeks. Of course the world of formula 1 descends upon the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps with Sebastian Vettel threatening to run off into the distance with the World Championship safely tucked under [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/oAXVgq7_9yk/2011-belgian-grand-prix-preview

Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Keith Andrews

This blog closed down on the Monday after the Hungarian Grand Prix and (oddly) I went off on holiday to a place called Plogoff, which can be found way, way, way out there at the end of Brittany. The only link I could figure to motor racing was that it is where Edouard Michelin, the [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/blog-on-a-summary-of-august/

Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/23/1430977/izod-indycar-series-indy-grand.html

Alex Blignaut Trevor Blokdyk Mark Blundell Raul Boesel Menato Boffa

Dozens of F1 Fanatics are heading to Spa this weekend. Read their tips on attending the race.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/o9-YuF0xaO8/

Gianmaria Bruni Jimmy Bryan Carlo Abate George Abecassis Kenny Acheson

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says that he and the rest of the team are fully motivated after the summer break, but concedes that the chances of fighting for the title are slim, and thus race wins are the target. ?Everyone … Continue reading →

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2011/08/23/stefano-domenicali-we-have-to-believe-in-ourselves/

Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol

Jerome D’Ambrosio will be the first Belgian driver to race at home since 1994.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/gfPCwul6hE4/

Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/hZ_1qIMoGmw/f1-pump-vs-race-fuel.html

Fred Agabashian Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi

Ferrari‘s Felipe Massa is the latest driver to choose his five all-time favourite grands prix for BBC Sport’s classic Formula 1 series. The idea of this series is to whet your appetites for the race coming up. And, for better or worse, the Brazilian will always be linked with the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Massa produced one of his best performances at the Hungaroring in 2008. An intense battle with Lewis Hamilton ended when the Englishman’s McLaren suffered a puncture, seemingly handing victory to Massa. But, with only three laps to go, the engine in his Ferrari failed. The points from that win would have made the Brazilian world champion that year, rather than Hamilton.

The following year, Massa suffered a terrible freak accident in qualifying for the same race. He was hit on the head by an errant spring from the car of his friend, Brawn driver Rubens Barrichello, and taken to hospital in, what doctors called, a “life-threatening but stable condition”. Amazingly, he made a full recovery, returning to Ferrari for the start of the 2010 season.

Massa, like many Brazilians of his generation, grew up idolising the late Ayrton Senna, so it comes as no surprise that three of his five choices feature the former world champion. The other two reflect key moments in Massa’s own career.

Massa’s choices are as follows, in chronological order:

The 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix.

It was a quite brilliant drive from Senna, who was recording his first victory in his home race. He held off the faster Williams of Riccardo Patrese despite spending a significant portion of the grand prix struggling with no fourth gear. He also lost the third and fifth gears in the final two laps.

After taking the chequered flag, Senna had to be lifted from his car, exhausted and in agony. When he finally did make it on to the rostrum, his face contorted by a mixture of pain and unadulterated joy, he sent fans – and the country that loved him – wild.

The 1992 Monaco Grand Prix

This was the race in which Senna brought to an end Nigel Mansell‘s dominant start to the season, although the Briton would go on to claim the championship.

At Monaco, like the five races before it, Mansell and the ground-breaking Williams-Renault FW14B were controlling the race before a late pit stop caused by a loose wheel nut put him behind Senna. Mansell tried everything to pass in the closing laps but was beaten by Senna’s guile and experience in the tight confines of the track.

The 1993 European Grand Prix

The one race that has come to epitomise Senna – and therefore the inevitable choice by any driver who is a Senna fan.

The race at a wet Donington Park has passed into F1 folklore. A quite brilliant first lap lifted Senna from fifth at the first corner to first by the last – and he proceeded to drive at a higher level to the rest of the field on his way to one of the greatest of his 41 wins.

The 2006 Turkish Grand Prix

This was Massa’s first F1 victory, an impressive and dominant performance from the front after taking pole position ahead of Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher.

Dig below the surface, though, and it was not quite as impressive or dominant as it looked. This race is often held up as evidence that Massa was occasionally fast enough to get on terms with Schumacher, who was in the final year of his first F1 career.

That’s what it looked like from the outside. But Schumacher would have beaten Massa to pole, despite a higher fuel load, had he not made a mistake on his qualifying lap.

In the race, too, Schumacher was on target to win until the advent of the safety car meant Ferrari had to ‘stack’ their drivers in the pits. The German rejoined behind Renault’s Fernando Alonso and failed to get past the Spaniard for the rest of the race.

The 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix

Massa has chosen this because it was his first win at home – and it was a victory that was as dominant as it looked. He took a comfortable pole and never looked like losing the race, winning by 18 seconds from Alonso, who claimed his second consecutive title.

The action was all behind them – and it centred on Schumacher, for whom this was the last race before retirement. The German, whose faint hopes of winning the title ended when he suffered an early puncture, fought back from 18th to fourth to end what turned out to be his first F1 career in style.

Highlights of the race, not broadcast since the day itself, are embedded below. Beneath them are links to short highlights of last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

CLICK HERE FOR SHORT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

CLICK HERE FOR LONG HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

The classic grands prix will be available on the BBC red button in the UK as follows:

Satellite and cable viewers will be able to watch them from 1500 on Wednesday 27 July until 0850 on Friday 29 July.

On Freeview, they will be shown from 2200 on Wednesday 27 July until 0600 on Thursday 28 July, from 2110 on Thursday until 0245 on Friday 29 July and again from 0435 until 0600 on Friday.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/felipe_massa_-_classic_f1.html

Erwin Bauer Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Two days before the green flag drops on the Cactus League schedule, NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip brought his racing team into the Chicago White Sox clubhouse.The former Daytona 500 winner, in town this weekend for Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup races, found there was plenty of NASCAR love emanating from the room. ESPNChicago.com White Sox blog The latest news and notes on the White Sox. Related posts:

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Source: http://doxcar.com/spring-training-2011-michael-waltrip-nascar-team-visit-chicago-white-sox/

Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian

At the Hungaroring

Fresh from the thrills of Germany’s rollercoaster race, Formula 1′s main protagonists are all steeling themselves for another intense fight for victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Just over half a second split the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari and the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel during Friday practice at the Hungaroring.

Taking into account the fact that the rival teams all run different programmes during Friday’s bedding-in sessions – and champions Red Bull rarely reveal their true pace – it was incredibly close.

Button, who was 0.3 seconds shy of team-mate Hamilton’s leading time, predicted the race weekend ahead would definitely follow the same pattern.

“Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren are all looking very strong,” said Button. “I wish we had a bit more of an advantage.”

Alonso, a serious driver not necessarily famed for his positive outlook, gleefully branded it “good news” that “more than one or two cars can fight for victory”.

In contrast, Red Bull’s championship leader Vettel, who has a healthy 77-point lead to protect, displayed rare signs of anxiety saying: “We need to raise our game if we want to be at the front.”

Red Bull blitzed last year’s Hungarian race, with Webber taking the victory as Vettel finished third after he was penalised for breaking the rules when driving behind the safety-car.

The pair were in more cautious mood on Friday but, intriguingly, both Vettel and Webber showed consistent pace during their longer stints in the afternoon, which suggests they are able to eke steady performance out of their tyres.

Alonso stayed out on track for a maximum 10-lap run but also steadily ticked over similar lap times. In comparison, 13-lap stints for both Hamilton and Button were blotted by fluctuating times, although the pace of Hamilton, in particular, was especially impressive if you removed the anomalous laps.

With the soft and super-soft Pirelli tyres available this weekend, all the leading drivers agreed tyre management would be a decisive factor on the circuit’s low-grip surface.

The unusually grey skies above the Hungaroring could have a significant effect on tyre performance, especially when it comes to getting them up to optimum temperature during qualifying.

Chilly conditions at the Nurburgring helped Hamilton beat his rivals to the flag, and while it is nowhere near as cold in Hungary, it is also some way from the hot and sunny conditions that prevailed last year.

Hamilton conceded the cooler climate had helped him set the pace on Friday but even if the sunny skies return McLaren are confident they have now solved the problems with their tyre management in hot conditions that hampered them in Valencia.

Separating the leading drivers in Hungary could well come down to their mental attitude going into the race weekend.

Those close to Hamilton said he simply looked “on it” all weekend in Germany, leading some to tell him he would win the race even when the 2008 champion was pouring water on his chances after practice.

Hamilton looks to be in a similarly upbeat frame of mind in Hungary and has been looking relaxed in the company of his brother Nicolas, while Button has also been sporting his trademark smile after two difficult races.

Aside from the distractions of celebrating his 30th birthday with an impromptu appearance from F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Alonso was adamant he could squeeze more out of his Ferrari.

But there is one man on a definite mission in Hungary as Vettel is zoned in on his first win in three races. He insisted: “Here we want to be on top again.”

BBC F1 commentator Martin Brundle summed up the champion team’s chances, saying: “The tide is turning against Red Bull. If they are going to arrest that this is the perfect place to do it – but the early signs are that they’ve got their hands full.”

UPDATE AT 1750 ON SATURDAY:

The fight for pole in Hungary was just as close as those involved in the battle predicted it would be, with just half a second separating the top five drivers.

After ending a three-race wait for a pole, it gave Vettel another chance to come out with his trademark line over the car radio: “Yes, yes, this is what I’m talking about.”

But his hunt for a seventh win of the season at the Hungaroring might not be as straightforward.

Alonso, who starts in fifth, predicts Ferrari will be even more competitive than they were at the last race in Germany and he also backed his old rival and team-mate, McLaren’s Hamilton, to have better race pace than Vettel’s Red Bull.

Hamilton himself declared himself, “massively happy to be in the fight” even if he did just miss out on his first pole position in more than a year.

Webber, who started in sixth as a result of issues with his DRS overtaking device on his hot lap, described Red Bull’s race pace as encouraging but stopped short of saying it was more than a match for the resurgence McLaren and Ferraris.

Red Bull know they are in for a tight battle on Sunday but they are confident they are up to the challenge.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/07/fresh_from_the_thrills_of.html

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

At Silverstone

For a man making his grand prix debut this weekend, Daniel Ricciardo finds himself with an unusual amount of Formula 1 experience.

The Australian Red Bull protege has driven three different F1 cars in the last 12 months.

He piloted Red Bull’s championship-winning RB6 car at a test for young drivers at the end of last season, and then became Toro Rosso reserve in 2011 before he was loaned out to Hispania as their race driver for the rest of this season just in time for the British Grand Prix.

Despite going from the fastest car on the grid to the slowest in the space of a few months, Ricciardo is viewing his promotion to Hispania race seat as a big step in the right direction.

“The car can’t be compared to the Red Bull but it’s still an F1 car,” said the 22-year-old with an ear-to-ear smile. “It does some amazing things speed-wise and the potential under braking is still pretty strong. I’m definitely having fun.

“I was only 18 when I was picked up by Red Bull, and I knew there was still quite a few years to prove I could go through the categories and get into F1. It’s only become a reality now.”

The wet and windy weather that buffeted Silverstone on Friday meant Ricciardo did not have the best conditions in which to show his capabilities during his first full day of practice.

Ricciardo is hoping to impress at Silverstone this weekend. Photo: Getty Images

But he made a solid start, closely matching team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi in the morning and beating the experienced Italian by 0.209 seconds in the afternoon.

All drivers use the man on the other side of the garage as their initial benchmark but Liuzzi presents an interesting comparison for Red Bull as they assess Ricciardo. The team know just how far Liuzzi’s talents reach because he drove for Red Bull in 2005 before joining Toro Rosso.

Does Ricciardo’s future with the Red Bull family hang on whether he can regularly beat the Italian?

“It wouldn’t hurt,” responded Ricciardo. “I’ll drive as fast as I can and where I end up will determine my future.

“Tonio is quite experienced and has spent more time with the team than I have. Going by the pace today I was quite happy to be in a competitive range and we’ll see how it goes in the dry.

“The plan is to be around and to race in F1 for many years to come so with that I have to be fast and to prove myself.”

Ricciardo asked fellow Aussie Mark Webber for some advice this weekend and there is even speculation that Ricciardo could be fast-tracked into Webber’s seat in 2012.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has even compared Ricciardo’s situation to Damon Hill’s route into F1.

Hill stepped into a race seat with Brabham halfway through the 1992 season when he was a reserve for Williams. The next season, Hill was promoted to a race seat with Williams and four years later he won a world title.

So, does Ricciardo fancy a seat with the fastest car in the field?

“Having a connection and a link with Red Bull, it’s somewhere in the back of my mind and it would be nice one day,” said the Australian, who handily already lives near the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes.

“The news I got last week has filled up quite a bit of space in my head so I will just try and enjoy that at the moment.

“My main objective this weekend is to finish the race. Of course I’ll push and try and get as much as I can from the car.

“I don’t think we’ll be fighting with Red Bull or Ferrari but I don’t plan running at the back and having my own race. If I can be a few more places up the grid then of course I’ll go for it. It would be nice to be involved in a good fight and I’ll be pushing through all the race.”

At the end of his first media session as an F1 racing driver, Ricciardo made another unusual gesture as he gathered up the dictaphones in front of him and handed them back one-by-one to each member of the media.

“There are a few more people here than I thought,” said Ricciardo, with another trademark grin. “It’s nice that people are taking an interest.”

It’s fair to say that there are plenty of people watching this space. After all, who’s to say Ricciardo won’t emulate former Red Bull protege Sebastian Vettel and rise through the ranks of Toro Rosso and Red Bull to become a world champion?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/07/ricciardo.html

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

© Daily Telegraph

Tom Cary says in his column in the Daily Telegraph that the man dubbed ?Baby Schumi? has plenty of time to match or even surpass his compatriot?s record haul of seven world titles after he cinched his first in the Abu Dhabi night.

?Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ?Baby Schumi? by Germany?s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher’s incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. ?There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don?t call him Baby Schumi.?

?An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. ?Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn’t keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. ?Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: ‘Not bad for a No2 driver.’ ?But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.?

?It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. ?A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel’s future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn’t bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher’s achievements will be overshadowed.?

?Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. “The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: “What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don’t think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points.”

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/vettel_set_for_titles_aplenty_1.php

Rubens Barrichello Michael Bartels Edgar Barth Giorgio Bassi Erwin Bauer

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/06/bahrain-is-still-not-a-certainty.html

Kurt Ahrens Jr Christijan Albers Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari

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. — Just before peeling off what he called a lame burnout near the finish line, Jeff Gordon screamed into his radio, the emotion pouring out with his voice. [+] Enlarge Jared C. Related posts:

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Source: http://doxcar.com/jeff-gordon-wins-at-phoenix-to-snap-66-race-drought/

Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams Walt Ader Kurt Adolff Fred Agabashian

That was another fabulous race in Hungary, with the top three teams fighting for the win but in every Formula 1 race there are 12 teams and 24 drivers.

I’ve been taking a look at how some of the smaller teams like Force India and Sauber are faring at the mid-way point of the 2011 season, as well as picking the nine drivers who have impressed me most so far.

If you are outside the UK, you can watch the video here.

Murray gives his thoughts on the new UK television rights deal here.

If you would like to comment on the new UK television rights deal, please go to the BBC’s head of F1 Ben Gallop’s blog on that subject

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/08/nine_wannabie_winners.html

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks

© Save Team Lotus

One side of the Lotus naming dispute has been put forward on a new and in-depth webpage called www.saveteamlotus.com. The basic background is that the Lotus Racing F1 team had its naming rights revoked for next season by Group Lotus and, in order to keep racing under the Lotus name, bought the Team Lotus brand off David Hunt, who had owned it since the original team?s last race in 1994. Group Lotus has now taken Lotus Racing to court to try and stop it using the historic name in Formula One next year. The issue has been a source of constant confusion for many fans and the new webpage offers a breakdown of David Hunt?s and Team Lotus? side of the argument.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/campaign_launched_to_save_team_1.php

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

A dreary Friday at the British Grand Prix, with limited on-track running because of the wet weather, was enlivened by a public row in a news conference between the bosses of Formula 1′s leading two teams.

McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh and Red Bull’s Christian Horner disputed the rights and wrongs of the latest ruling from motorsport’s governing body the FIA on off-throttle blowing of diffusers.

If that sounds technical, it’s because it is – very. But it’s also very important, so please bear with me while I explain the complicated bit as simply as possible.

Over the last year, this technology, which was pioneered by Red Bull last summer, has been increasingly prevalent in F1 because of the dramatic effects it has on improving a car’s aerodynamics, and therefore its cornering speed and lap time.

Basically, teams have been blowing exhaust gases over the rear floor of their cars even when the driver is off the accelerator going into a corner.

This ensures downforce remains consistent, whereas if you blow your diffuser only when the driver is on the throttle, it produces instability when a driver least wants it – on the entry to a corner.

There are two types of blowing of a diffuser – hot and cold.

Cold-blowing is what was pioneered by Renault and Red Bull in 2010 – the throttles are left open but fuel is not introduced, so only air goes through the exhaust.

Horner (left) and Whitmarsh clashed over the new regulations. Photo: Getty Images

Hot-blowing – which generates much more energy and therefore downforce – is when fuel is introduced and burnt but the ignition is retarded to stop the engine pushing the car on while the driver is slowing it down.

Leading engineers say hot-blowing can give an advantage of as much as second a lap over no blowing at all, while cold-blowing is worth about 0.3-0.4secs.

The row started when the FIA decided to introduce a limit of 10% of throttle when the driver was not pressing the accelerator.

Many of the teams objected to that. Mercedes – which supplies McLaren, Mercedes and Force India – argued that they should be allowed to introduce fuel on what is called the overrun, which is when the engine is acting as a brake, for reliability reasons.

Renault objected to this, claiming that it meant Mercedes teams would be getting an advantage, and arguing they should be allowed to cold-blow to provide them with the equivalent advantage. This is what was allowed on Friday at Silverstone.

But Renault’s rivals object because the French engine company has now been allowed to have a 50% throttle opening when the driver is entering the corner.

This is what Whitmarsh calls “a very substantial performance benefit”. To which Horner responds: “Why is it any more of a performance benefit than fired overrun?”

The irony in all this is that sources say Renault were only using 45% open throttles even before the ruling. If that is true, it means the new rule actually allows them more off-throttle blowing than before.

The Mercedes teams, by contrast, have been “constrained” in terms of the hot-blowing they were doing, according to Whitmarsh. How this all affects Ferrari – who are also believed to have been hot-blowing – is unclear.

Of course, the big question is how those of us watching can be sure that we are watching a level playing field.

I sought out a leading, highly experienced engineer for an answer. He says, in a nutshell, that we can’t. But as a reassurance, he did add that “Charlie is very experienced at not having the wool pulled over his eyes.”

Charlie being Charlie Whiting, F1′s race director.

As a protest against the new ruling, the Mercedes teams ran in second practice with 50% open throttle during braking. Then, there was an explosive exchange in the drivers’ briefing with Whiting, with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton particularly animated on the matter.

And now all the engine manufacturers have been summoned to another meeting with Whiting.

Will the new rules put a dampener on Red Bull’s domination of the 2011 season? Photo: Reuters

I would imagine this will run into Saturday and possibly race day, too. F1 loves nothing more than a good row over technology.

For those interested, here is an edited transcript of the row between Whitmarsh and Horner. Those who want to read the whole thing will find it on the FIA website. (http://www.fia.com).

The argument started when I asked whether there was a level playing field and whether this was the end of the matter.

Horner: “First of all there was a technical directive that effectively turned it all off. That was met with reticence by the manufacturers, and it has been very much a manufacturer issue.

“Certain teams were then allowed to have fired overrun, to fuel their overrun, of which there were also secondary benefits, through the exhaust plumes and thrusts that creates.

“Renault presented their position to the FIA – and let’s not forget this is an extraordinarily complex matter – to demonstrate that precedent is there that – for purposes of throttle blip (when changing down the gears) and reliability – cold-air blowing, open throttle, was a necessary part of the operation of their engine otherwise it would cause serious issues.

“It would be unfair to allow fired overrun and not allow the same parameters for another engine manufacturer.

“It is a very difficult job for the FIA to pick their way through this and I think all credit to them, they have looked to be as fair, balanced and equitable as they decreed they would be, to come up with a solution that they have.

“We are not totally happy with the solution that we have, that’s for sure. I’m sure Martin isn’t with his and I’m sure there are a lot of conspiracies in the paddock.

“But that’s just circumstantial at the end of the day. The fundamentals are that the engine manufacturers have been treated in a fair and equitable manner.”

Whitmarsh: “I’m sure people set out to do that. There have been about six technical directives on the subject so far and when the goalposts are moving part-way through a practice session, it makes it quite difficult.

“To do this in a fairly cloudy, ambiguous and changing way, inevitably in a competitive environment every team feels it’s been hard done by. At the moment, potentially a lot of teams will end up making arguments to cold-blow.

“Renault have been in that domain for some time. Other teams haven’t and don’t have that experience. We are talking a very substantial performance benefit here.”

Horner: “Why is it any more of a performance benefit than fired overrun? At the end of the day, Renault is allowed a fired over-run but it can’t for reliability purposes.”

Whitmarsh: “No, but clearly if under braking the throttles are open 50%, it is a reasonable benefit. It is a lot of gas going through. I would imagine all engines will end up doing that, which isn’t what was envisaged when it was said we are going to stop engine blowing.”

Horner: “So Mercedes engines aren’t firing on overrun?”

Whitmarsh: “They’ve been constrained.”

Horner: “As have Renault.”

Whitmarsh: “Providing the constraints are the same for everyone, but clearly the fact we’re having this discussion, it’s messy.

“The intention people believed was that we were going to stop exhausts blowing when the driver didn’t have his foot on the throttle. I think that was a simple concept. But that concept has been deflected. Therefore it hasn’t been clear.

“The fact these things were only coming out in the course of today [Friday] is fairly extraordinary. But nonetheless I’m sure we’ll remain calm and pick our way through.

“But probably better to make changes to the regulations between seasons and not in seasons, and to make regulations that are clear and unambiguous.

“At the moment a lot of people are getting emotional about the situation and I can understand why it’s frustrating for the engineers not to know what it is we are allowed to do. By cold blowing, you’re getting an extra 30 or 40 points of rear downforce in braking and that’s quite an attractive thing, so if you can do it you’re going to do it.”

Horner: “Let’s not make any mistake here. Firing on overrun, the thrust that that generates through the exhaust, generates a bigger effect. Let’s just be absolutely clear on that.”

Whitmarsh: “And that’s been largely contained. A lot of those strategies are not permissible now.”

Horner: “I read the technical directive that four-cylinder fired over-run was permissible for certain competitors and that includes your engine. As far as we understood, before Renault were allowed their parameters ,obviously there was a significant advantage going to any Mercedes-powered team.

“As you can see, it’s a massively complex subject and the one thing Martin and I will agree on is it should have been addressed at the end of the year. But unfortunately here we are.”

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/new_engine_rules_power_f1s_lat.html

Toni Branca Gianfranco Brancatelli Eric Brandon Don Branson Tom Bridger

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Barring an unforeseen scheduling hiccup, two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and 2008 Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton will swap race cars in an exhibition later this year, Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning confirmed Saturday. Hamilton Stewart The seat swap comes at the hands of Mobil 1, a mutual sponsor for the two drivers, and is expected to take place at Watkins Glen International sometime during the summer.The cars involved will not be show cars. Related posts:

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Source: http://doxcar.com/nascars-tony-stewart-f1s-lewis-hamilton-to-swap-cars/

Mauro Baldi Bobby Ball Marcel Balsa Lorenzo Bandini Henry Banks