Lotus Renault GP has released an official update on Robert Kubica. The 26-year-old Polish driver is recovering from another round of surgery following his rally accident earlier in the year. It seems almost certain we won’t see Robert back in Formula One this year. Let’s hope he recovers well and is back in 2012.
You can read the team’s statement after the break.
Sebastien Vettel won his and Red Bull Racing’s first Belgian Grand Prix overnight. In doing so he opened up a 92pt lead in the drivers’ championship race on his teammate Mark Webber. Jenson Button (McLaren) put in a sterling effort to finish on the podium after starting from P13.
Before the race it was reported Red Bull had concerns over tyre blistering and their strategy to pit both men relatively early paid dividends. Especially for Webber who started from P3 on the grid and found himself in mid-pack by the first corner after a terrible getaway. A very long sting on the harder tyres gave him good track position, which he was able to maintain after his second and final pit stop.
Webber provided the highlight of the race as well, making one of the best overtaking moves of the year. He held his inside line on Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), who was exiting from pit lane, on the entry into Eau Rouge and managed to squeeze out the dual world champion with great courage. It was breathtaking. Alonso was very competitive on the soft tyres, but he dropped out of contention once he moved to the harder primes. He finished the race in fourth.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) was also looking very good early in proceedings until he had minor contact with Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) on lap 13. That was enough, though, to fire Hamilton into the armco and out of the race. Despite some early concerns he appeared okay and there have been no reports of injury. The incident saw the Safety Car deployed for a total of four laps while the track was cleared. Hamilton has since accepted responsibility for making contact and apologised to Kobayashi.
At the first corner there was a lot of incidental contact for the midfield runners with carbon fibre flying everywhere. Daniel Ricciardo (HRT) managed to avoid that and take advantage. He was running as high as P15 until he retired from the race suffering vibration at the left-rear of his car.
The post-race press conference featuring the first three drivers can be read after the break. F1 is back in two weeks time for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
[Pics: Red Bull/Getty Images]
If you don’t know your Eau Rouge from your Blanchimont here’s a preview of the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit from the McLaren simulator. Commentary from Jenson Button’s performance engineer Tom Stallard.
UPDATE: A new video from Pirelli has been added after the break. It explains the high g-forces the tyres, cars and drivers are subjected to at Spa.
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) has shown the summer break hasn’t affected his form by taking his ninth pole position of the year in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
In a rain affected program Mark Webber (Red Bull) looked sharp and for a while it looked like his best lap (1:49.376) might claim pole position. Which would have been a great way to celebrate his birthday and new contract extension. However, Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) were the last of the front runners to cross the line and they made the most of the drying track.
Hamilton was first and he also did enough to claim P1 (1:48.730) but the moment last just seconds as Vettel cut four tenths from Hamilton’s best (1:48.298).
Controversy reigned at the close of Q2 when it appeared as though Pastor Maldonado (Williams) deliberately ran into Hamilton, following some minor contact at the chicane on the close of the previous lap. The Venezuelan was penalised five places on the grid and will now start from P21. Hamilton was handed a reprimand, which appears lucky after reviewing replays that showed he moved towards Maldonado moments before they made contact.
A combination of wet conditions and mechanical gremlins made it tough going for Daniel Ricciardo (HRT) who posted the slowest lap in Q3 and was well out of the 107% qualifying zone. He wasn’t the only one though, with Liuzzi (HRT) and d’Ambrosio (Virgin) also missing the mark. It is expected all three will be allowed to race.
Meanwhile, a brief and rare pause to feel sorrow for Michael Schumacher who didn’t get to post a time at all during qualifying after a wheel fell off his car during his out lap in Q3. A rather symbolic moment for his 20th anniversary celebrations given his form since his comeback to F1.
A transcript from the post-qualifying press conference featuring Vettel, Hamilton and Webber can be read below.
[Pics: Red Bull/Getty Images & Vodafone McLaren Mercedes]
It’s one of the most famous corners in Formula One. And until you are at the track you don’t realise just how steep the descent from La Source and the climb up to the famous Eau Rouge corner really is.
Who cares that F1 drivers say Eau Rouge no longer holds the fears it once did. Watching an F1 car scream up that hill at full noise is one the highlights of the year.
Here, thanks to the Mercedes GP image archive, we have three images of Eau Rouge for you. Simply click on each one to load a 2000px super image. If you want to see the entire Spa-Francorchamps track layout then click here.
Mark Webber’s Formula One career will extend into an eleventh season after he re-signed with Red Bull Racing for the 2012 season. The one-year contract extension is a perfect way for Mark to celebrate his 35th birthday today.
“I want to continue racing at the top in Formula One so it’s no-brainer to remain at Red Bull Racing for another year,” Webber said. “My motivation to achieve the best results possible both for myself and the team is still very high.
“Over the past five years, we have worked hard and proved that we can design and build a competitive and championship-winning car, and I’m looking forward to putting the car and myself on the limit again each and every race weekend in 2012.”
UPDATE: Pics of Mark’s birthday celebrations have been added below.
Porsche has released this teaser video of the new 991 911 Carrera S. Dramatic scenery, and music to go with, makes this clip worth watching over and over again.
We still need a bit more time to get used to the front LEDs; there’s something not quite right about the styling. But, we know we will get over it as soon as we get a chance to see the car in person.
As we reported earlier in the week Bruno Senna has replaced Nick Heidfeld at Lotus Renault GP and will race at Spa this weekend. At the time it was understood the new arrangement would remain in place for the remainder of 2011. However, Nick Heidfeld has other plans.
Commenting on his new Sunday plans Bruno Senna said, “Right now I am confirmed for this race and the next race (in Italy). But for some legal issues to be resolved, they can’t confirm if I am doing the rest of the year or not.”
Heidfeld has also arrived at the famous Belgian circuit in his LRGP team gear and was asked if he thought he would be racing in F1 again this year. He replied, “Yes, because we have court proceedings pending.
“I can’t tell you a lot. the main hearing will be in about three weeks and we will have a decision then and my position is that I have a valid contract and I want to drive.”
As always, F1 continues to deliver action on and off the track. We’ll keep an eye on this little spat and see how it pans out.
[Source: Reuters]
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Mark Webber says a new deal to drive with Red Bull Racing in 2012 is “not far away”.
Mark says things are moving in the right direction, but when asked by Autosport if a new contract is a formality he replied, “It will be cheeky for me to say yes. My decision has to be taken into account although the team’s decision is pretty clear. Obviously Dietrich has been great, as have all the boys and everyone at the team. All will become clear shortly.”
Speaking broadly about his longer term future and his partnership in a GP3 team with Christan Horner, Webber said, “The GP3 operation is going well, so it is enjoyable—but I will not be immersing myself whenever that day comes. I still really enjoy the car, and there is a huge chance I will be racing in F1 next year… so that decision will come in a few years.”
Reading between the lines it sounds to us as though the door to the exit on Mark’s career with Red Bull is, if not open, slightly ajar.
[Source: Autosport | Pic: Getty Images]
Those of us with long memories of Formula One will remember the buzz caused by Michael Schumacher when he qualified in seventh place for his first Grand Prix. That was at Spa-Francorchamps in 1991; two decades ago.
At this week’s pre-race press conference Michael went along with five other drivers. Naturally, most of the questions posed to Schumacher centred around his unique anniversary.
You can read all comments after the break, but we liked this one from Michael the most, where he reminisced about his doubts prior to his F1 debut:
“I was doubtful whether my quality was good enough to compete with these guys. You see them as untouchables, especially in those moments where you had (Ayrton) Sennas, (Alain) Prosts, (Nigel) Mansells and so on. I didn’t really think I could match. Getting the first experience, coming over here and driving the car, I sought of quickly picked up the confidence that it was possible and from there on we all know. At the end of the day we are all humans, we all have limits and you drive within those and there is no reason why it is impossible to beat those guys in the past and neither these guys that are here right now. That’s the good thing about Formula One. It is always a challenge and it is always a motivating challenge that is great fun.”
It was this big!
Sadly, we bring you this video of a soaked 996 Porsche 911 Turbo being craned out of the Rhine River in Zurich, Switzerland. We’re told the owner was a well-to-do 24-year-old but that it was a friend of his who drove the Porker off a dock and into the river.
We’re guessing the 24-year-old is not quite so neutral to his one-time ally anymore. (Video after the break.)
[Source: Axis of Oversteer]
Aston Martin has already confirmed they will be building a limited production run of 150 gorgeous V12 Zagatos. Now, ahead of a showing at the Frankfurt Motor Show, they’ve given us a couple of new pics to whet our appetites.
And, if you’re keen on one of these flash Zagato models, you’ll need a very expensive appetite as well. The cost of admission is a tidy £330K (AU$515K) plus taxes.
Assuming sir didn’t have to ask, then he would be rewarded with one of the coolest and most exclusive cars on the planet. Of course, the raucous 6.0 litre V12 and its 380kW will provide their own unique rewards.