Category: Formula 1

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Further clarity on Webber’s Bahrain GP stance

2012 Australian Grand Prix

“Mark Webber stands alone as voice of reason on Bahrain Grand Prix” reads the headline in The Guardian. If nothing else they have offered greater detail in respect to Webber’s latest comments than we first reported, via the BBC, early this morning.

Accordingly, it turns out the Australian veteran has developed into something of an elder statesman, willing to speak his mind not only on matters inside the paddock, but outside as well.

“F1 should have taken a much firmer stance earlier this year, rather than constantly delaying its decision in hope of being able to reschedule the race,” Webber said. “It would have sent a very clear message about its position on something as fundamental as human rights.”

A healthy dose of perspective also helps remind the we’re-F1-so-we’re-vitally-important industry that, well, it’s not actually that important to everyone else in the world.

“It’s a difficult decision, because it’s only a week away, but ultimately it’s only a car race. A hell of a lot of people in the world have no idea that Bahrain is scheduled to host a grand prix, so we don’t want to overstate its importance,” Webber opined. “Things can be cancelled in a flash, but what’s changed since January to make that decision any easier? There will be added security, but not everybody can have that and it doesn’t make me feel comfortable.”

That’s not to say he’s completely ruling out racing next weekend. “I’ve tried to watch the news to get a balanced view of the Bahrain situation, but I know only as much as anyone else, really,” he said. “I want to race but you can’t ignore what’s going on and we all hope things go smoothly.”

Hear, hear.

Contrast that with the frustratingly suffocated comments from Jenson Button—while remembering Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, owns a healthy stake in McLaren—and it’s clear that in F1, as in life, money talks. Or not, in Button’s case.

“I don’t have an opinion. I can’t have one and you know that. I am not speaking as a person, am I? I am sitting here as a McLaren racing driver and trust Bernie and the FIA will make the right call, whatever that is,” exclaimed Button.

[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 News Video

Is this or is this not Robert Kubica?

Robert Kubica or not Robert Kubica

A new video has been posted to YouTube with the title “Robert Kubica returns after his accident at Ronde di Andora!” For those playing at home that’s the same event he was competing in when he had his original crash last year.

As recently as last month former F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari expressed doubts over a Kubica comeback when he said, “I think his injuries are more than expected.”

That was countered by a friend of the Polish driver who painted a more positive picture, “He drives his road car and goes out by himself. He is still building up the strength in his right arm.”

So, watch the video after the break and see what you think. Whoever is behind the wheel of the plucky Clio S1600 is certainly wringing its neck pretty hard. You’d have to be totally fit to drive like that. The initials RK and a Kubica driver identification sticker are also clearly visible on the car.

But, the Ronde di Aronda rally was run in February. About three weeks after he broke his leg. If Robert Kubica does feature in this video then, we reckon it’s more likely that is him standing by the side of the road in the left of frame.

Watch the clip all the same. By the end if you’re not wishing it was you driving that Clio on those empty winding roads we’ll be very surprised!

Continue reading “Is this or is this not Robert Kubica?”
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Formula 1

Don’t worry everyone, it’s not that bad

2010 Bahrain GP

As momentum for the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix gathers the FIA has been told to keep calm and carry on. The news came in the form of a letter from John Yates, former UK head of counter terrorism, to Jean Todt, FIA President.

Yates who is currently an adviser to the Bahrain Ministry of the Interior said: “I am aware of the very real concerns that those involved in F1 may have regarding the holding of the fixture here in Bahrain next week.”

That’s good. He’s aware that civilians are getting shot by police and fighting back with home-made bombs, right?

Apparently so. “Some troubles do still exist,” he wrote. “The almost nightly skirmishes that take place in certain villages are a potential block on progress and are putting those involved in their policing and innocent members of the public in significant danger. However, in spite of how these events may be portrayed through the medium of YouTube and other outlets, their significance should not be overplayed.

“These are now lawful protests, which are permitted, but violent conduct by a very small minority—often groups of 15–20 young men. These are criminal acts being perpetrated against an unarmed police force who, in the face of such attacks, are acting with remarkable restraint.

“These people are intent on causing harm to the police and the communities in which they live. They are not representative of the vast majority of delightful, law-abiding citizens that represent the real Bahrain that I see every day. Along with my family, I feel completely safe. Indeed, safer than I have often felt in London.”

Okay, then. So it must just be the imagination of the US Government running wild in this official White House statement from spokesperson Jay Carney: “The United States continues to be deeply concerned about the situation in Bahrain, and we urge all parties to reject violence in all its forms.”

Continue reading “Don’t worry everyone, it’s not that bad”
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Formula 1

VIDEO: Niki Lauda’s crash recreated for Rush

Niki Lauda's crashed recreated for Rush

Dale from Bridge to Gantry was on scene yesterday to record some genuine behind the scenes footage of the Ron Howard movie Rush. Watch the clip after the break.

Concentrating on the dramatic 1976 Formula One season, and the battle between Lauda and James Hunt for the world championship, Lauda’s crash will no doubt be central to the movie’s action.

Rush stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in the James Hunt role and is due for release in 2013.

For more on Lauda’s game-changing accident, which ended F1 racing on the Nordschleife, check out our previous AUSringers article from 2008.

[Source: PistonHeads]

Continue reading “VIDEO: Niki Lauda’s crash recreated for Rush”
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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes’ shareholder wants to quit F1

2012 Australian Grand Prix

Ingo Speich, a fund manager from the Daimler shareholder Union Investment, has called on Mercedes to quit Formula One.

According to Speich the three-pointed star has lost ground to its closest rivals Audi and BMW, “Mercedes is no longer the measure of all things in the premium sector,” he told Die Presse.

Speich aired his views at Daimler’s AGM and was applauded by other attendees. He said Daimler has endured “a lost decade” and suggested a withdrawal from F1 could allow the company to better concentrate its efforts on regaining lost ground.

We’re not sure if Speich’s comments will carry genuine weight, but boardrooms are where F1 battles belong, not in the political spotlight as we’re currently witnessing in Bahrain.

[Source: WCF]

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Formula 1 News

Bahrain GP: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off”

2010 Bahrain GP

An unnamed F1 team principal has said the teams don’t want to race in Bahrain later this month. The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for 22 April, the weekend after the Chinese GP.

The unidentified team boss told The Guardian: “I feel very uncomfortable about going to Bahrain. If I’m brutally frank, the only way they can pull this race off without incident is to have a complete military lockdown there. And I think that would be unacceptable, both for F1 and for Bahrain. But I don’t see any other way they can do it.”

To this point the teams had, at least publicly, supported the FIA and its decision to race in the troubled Gulf state. But with new reports of more violence, which left seven Bahraini policeman injured, three seriously, the time has come for those inside F1 to share their thoughts.

If nothing else you’d think someone had the guts to condemn Bernie Ecclestone who described the attack on authorities as, “a lot of kids having a go at the police. I don’t think it’s anything serious at all.”

Our anonymous team principal added: “We’re all hoping the FIA calls it off. From a purely legal point of view, in terms of insurance and government advice, we are clear to go.

“But what we find worrying is that there are issues happening every day.

“We have a lot of people. Our first and foremost priority has to be our employees. And their families.

“That’s what concerns us most, even though we’ve not said anything about it. It seems to me that while there has been some political progress in Bahrain they’re not quite ready. The best thing would be for the race to be postponed until later in the year, or even cancelled.”

You know what, it’s great that one team principal has spoken out. But it would be even greater if that person agreed to be identified. If he truly stands by the damning comments made to The Guardian he should be willing to take the lead and own those opinions.

He claims his views are shared by the other teams. Is the wrath of Bernie Ecclestone so great that concerns for the welfare of others must be so callously put to one side in fear of commercial recrimination (if that’s what it is)?

Perhaps behind the insular walls of the F1 paddock the identity of this team principal is known. But, whoever you are, stand up. Put your name to your comments. The time for silence has passed.

[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Ferrari Formula 1

Honouring Gilles Villeneuve

Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 312 T4

Gilles Villeneuve would be 62 if he were still alive today. He was just 32 when he died, succumbing to injuries sustained during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder.

Given the reverence with which he is remembered, Villeneuve Sr had a modest F1 record. Just 67 race starts and six wins. Incredibly promising, no doubt. However, the measure of Gilles Villeneuve is not in the tale of his statistics, but in the tales of admiration and respect from peers and fans alike.

Mario Andretti, 1978 World Champion, had this to say about Villeneuve: “At the wheel, Gilles would always give it his all. Nobody else ever drove quite like him: sideways in a fast way… there was only one like Gilles. I always wonder what career he would have had if it hadn’t been for that untimely death. A world championship was imminent, I’m sure.”

To honour the spirit of Gilles Villenueve, his son and 1997 World Champion, Jacques, will drive a Ferrari 312 T4 around Fiorano on 8 May, the 30th anniversary of his father’s death.

It should be a fitting tribute for one of the sport’s great icons.

To play our part we bring you a small clip from the 1979 French Grand Prix featuring a fierce battle for track position between Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux. Villeneuve himself described it as, “My best memory of Grand Prix racing.”

They don’t race like this any more!

Continue reading “Honouring Gilles Villeneuve”
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Formula 1

Pressure to postpone Bahrain race increases

2010 Bahrain GP

Ongoing protests calling for the cancellation of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix have made the FIA sit up and take notice. An FIA spokesperson has said the organisation is keeping a close eye on events in the troubled Kingdom.

“We are in daily touch with the highest authorities, the main European embassies and of course the local promoters at BIC [Bahrain International Circuit] as well as the international promoter,” the spokesperson said.

“The FIA is the guarantor of the safety at the race event and relies, as it does in every other country, on the local authorities to guarantee security.

“In this respect we have been repeatedly assured by the highest authorities in Bahrain that all security matters are under control.”

F1 teams are scheduled to arrive in Bahrain in less than two weeks and Damon Hill along with a UK Labour MP have suggested orgainsers should rethink their decision to race.

“We have the human rights president Alkhawaja in a serious situation [hunger strike], with two weeks to go. It is a very difficult call and my concern is that F1 is perceived to be indifferent, and that would be really damaging for F1,” said Hill yesterday in an interview with BBC Radio 4.

Meanwhile, Richard Burden, Labour MP, has used his own blog to air his concerns, saying the timing is not right. “In a context where genuine and sustainable reform is taking place, holding a Grand Prix could be a unifying event for the people of Bahrain as well as a positive showcase on the world stage. But things are not at that stage,” Burden said.

“Since February last year, 45 people have died on Bahrain’s streets. The latest victim was killed by live ammunition only last week. Hundreds of protesters gathered at the cemetery near his home outside the capital, Manama. Reports say riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades into the crowds, setting off running street clashes,” he added.

[Source: Reuters]

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Formula 1

Argentina preparing for F1 return in 2013

Mar del Plata, Argentina

The coastal city of Mar del Plata in Argentina, about 400km south of Buenos Aires, is preparing to host an F1 Grand Prix next year. It’s expected the race will slot into the void left by Korea which is set to be scrapped from the 2013 calendar amid financial concerns.

Speaking to Italy’s Autosprint magazine, Argentine tourism minister, Carlos Enrique Mayer, said: “The national government accepts the challenge of organising the grand prix of Argentina to promote our country to the world.

“In May, the three year contract between all the parties involved will be signed,” he added.

The article suggests Hermann Tilke will develop a 5km street circuit in the resort city, with a population of 615,000 people.

Autosprint also stated: “The Grand Prix of Korea no longer seems able to honour the financial obligations agreed with [Bernie] Ecclestone.”

If the Mar del Plata race goes ahead as planned it will be the first Grand Prix in Argentina since 1998.

[Source: WCF | Pic: Flickr]

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Formula 1 Lotus

Genii terminates Lotus F1 sponsorship deal

2012 Malaysian Grand Prix

The seemingly ongoing saga of the Lotus name in Formula One has been sent down a new path following news the Genii Capital-owned F1 team has terminated its sponsorship agreement with Group Lotus.

Back in January owner of Group Lotus, Proton, underwent a significant change in structure after the Malaysian Government sold its 42.7% stake to DRB-Hicom. Financial uncertainty has surrounded Group Lotus since the Proton sale and this was a contributing reason for Genii cancelling its sponsorship agreement.

Under the previous sponsorship deal Group Lotus held an option to buy the F1 team from Genii. However, Gerard Lopez, owner of Genii Capital, says that deal no longer exists. “The sponsorship agreement and the obligations of Lotus have been terminated. There is no option from Group Lotus to buy into F1 now—that option was taken over by us,” he confirmed with Autosport. “There was one, but we have taken it over now.”

Lopez also confirmed his team wants to keep the Lotus name in F1, “We are happy to carry the Lotus name as we believe it is a good name for F1. We funded the team last year and the year before for whatever delta was missing. We would prefer to have sponsors up to the full amount—but if we have to fund it then we will fund it.”

From a daily operations point of view it seems the F1 team is not under any financial strain, “When we changed the name from Lotus Renault to Lotus [for this year], it opened up the door for a title sponsor. So if you take into account the fact we signed Unilever, probably the biggest sponsorship agreement this year in F1, and we signed Microsoft, which is huge news as it is a brand that has never been in F1 before, we have a wide space for sponsorship,” added Lopez.

“If we sign a title sponsor now, we will end up with a better cash flow situation than this team ever had before.”

In a twist perfectly suited for the sometimes bizarre world of F1, Genii had previously shown interest in buying Group Lotus. Lopez hasn’t ruled out such a move but is unsure if the possibility would present itself, “We don’t know yet, because we really do not know what the new owner wants to do with it.”

[Source: Autosport | Pic: Lotus F1/LAT Photographic]

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Red Bullies

2012 Australian Grand Prix

Following the Sebastian Vettel v Narain Karthikeyan hissy fits we were intrigued to learn that Red Bull Racing have up the ante a little.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed they have sent a warning to Marussia and HRT.

“We have told our team manager to talk to both Marussia and HRT about getting their drivers to pay more attention,” Marko told Austria’s Servus TV. “They drive in a different league, they are six or eight seconds slower, and so they need to watch out more.”

Marko added, “The 12 points which Vettel lost could be crucial in the World Championship.”

Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel remains unrepentent on his stance against Karthikeyan. Speaking to Sport Bild the dual world champ said, “I lost a solid fourth place, so that’s disappointing. Sometimes you let the emotion show and I don’t think someone should be ashamed about that.”

In another interview the German explained, “It is true that I was disappointed. But just shortly after the race I behaved like I felt. I think this is more honest than to be smiling, when you don’t feel like smiling.”

Vettel remains confident ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix (15 April), “We have a very good car, and I have a good chance of a big year.

“If you look at the sporting side, after two races I have more points than I had in my world championship season 2010.

“I only look ahead now. I have been in the simulator twice and go to China positively.”

[Source: Planet F1 & BBC F1 | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 Peugeot Subaru Video

If in doubt, flat out!

Colin McRae drives Jordan 196 F1 car

We thank Motorsport Retro for bringing our attention to this video of much loved Colin McRae at the wheel of the Jordan 196 F1 car (it’s actually a really nice looking car too).

McRae was at the peak of his powers at the time, coming off his 1995 WRC title win and seemed to enjoy his time at the wheel of Eddie Jordan’s racecar.

Of course, there’s no such thing as a free ride and McRae had to offer a seat in his rally car to Jordan driver Martin Brundle.

You’ll also enjoy seeing McRae drifting around Silverstone in his Rex. Noted exponent of the discipline Ken Block was probably still in nappies at the time!

Continue reading “If in doubt, flat out!”