Category: Formula 1

Categories
Formula 1

It’s F1 or bust says Robert Kubica

2010 Australian Grand Prix

Almost 1000 days have passed since Robert Kubica last stood on a Formula 1 podium (2010 Belgian Grand Prix), but success in the world’s premier open wheel category is what he craves the most.

“For me, now, the priority is to get as fit as I can,” Kubica told Autosport. “I’m not able to come back into single-seaters at the moment, and my vision is not to come back in saloon cars on the circuit at this stage.”

Kubica, of all people, knows life offers no guarantees and has already declined an offer to race for Mercedes in DTM. He doesn’t categorically rule out racing in tintops or other formulae in the future. Right now he thinks rallying is the best way forward as he continues to rebuild strength in the right arm he severely injured in 2011.

“Maybe one day in the future I will race in DTM or GT or whatever, because I will feel that it’s the right moment. I’m still young, I think I can still achieve something in motorsport, I will try my best.”

“There is not any guarantee, there is no percentage to say whether I will come back or not, but it’s also not 100 per cent that I will not be back in F1. I will try my best.

“I have been through a difficult period, and I’d say it’s an easier period now, I am enjoying myself, but it is still not a totally easy period for me, because I’d definitely prefer to be in F1 driving, 100 per cent fit. The reality is different.

“Now I need a little bit of everything—a little bit of luck and motivation, which I think I have, and to keep working so maybe I have the chance to get back to where I was before the accident.”

For now, the closest Kubica has come to reviving his F1 career is a test in the Mercedes simulator. We’re sure we speak on behalf of all AUSmotive’s readers by wishing Robert the best of luck in his F1 fightback.

[Source: Autosport]

Categories
Formula 1 Motorsports

Old Formula 1 cars never die

2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

…they just race in the invitation-only Boss GP series. And that’s exactly what two 2011-spec HRT F1 cars will be doing in 2013.

Spanish businessman Teo Martin bought the left over bits of HRT after they folded at the end of the 2012 F1 season. Martin has teamed up with fellow Spaniard, Carlos Mollá, who will prepare the cars for racing.

All they need now is a couple of drivers. Got any spare time?

[Source: BossGP]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Toro Rosso

Ricciardo latest in line for Red Bull hot seat

2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

Despite a disappointing sixteenth place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo has risen to the top of the ‘most likely to replace Mark Webber in 2014’ list.

Speculation has previously suggested Kimi Raikkonen could be the man to replace Webber should he depart the team at the end of this year. However, Ricciardo’s rise up the ranks follows an interview with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko by the APA news agency. “Many drivers want to drive for Red Bull, and we have two very good juniors [at Toro Rosso],” Marko said. “I’m not worried that we will have something other than two top drivers in the end.”

Marko then added that our Daniel is currently the chosen one from the current Toro Rosso pairing. “Ricciardo is currently the better one. Vergne is too impetuous, asking too much of these sensitive tyres in qualifying,” added Dr Helmut.

Marko also poured cold water on the suggestion that the Webber-Vettel relationship is untenable. “They work constructively together, and that’s enough,” he said. “As long as it stays that way, we don’t have to worry. They’ve never been great friends, but they have a working relationship that still works.”

Meanwhile Ricciardo knows he has to add to his career-best seventh place finish in China if he’s to get the Red Bull chocolates. “I know that I need to do more if I want to have a good chance of getting the place at Red Bull,” the 23-year-old Australian said. “I have to show that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan.”

“I see it as an incentive, not a burden. My goal is to get the promotion, and I know that a lot is expected of me. It’s up to me to get the results.”

[Source: Motorsport.com | Pic: Toro Rosso/Getty Images]

Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Kubica confrims Mercedes F1 simulator test

Robert Kubica

Robert Kubica has confirmed he has spent time in the Mercedes AMG F1 simulator, although he remains coy on the finer details of his experience.

“I can say yes, I was there. But I cannot say how many times or how many laps I did,” Kubica said. “But there is this rumour to which I say, yes, I was in the Mercedes F1 simulator in the past.”

The test is likely to have come about thanks to Kubica’s relationship with Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes motorsport. Wolff arranged for Kubica to test a Mercedes DTM car in February as well.

Kubica isn’t sure, or at least isn’t saying, if he has any future test sessions in the simulator planned.

Last November Kubica said he was uncertain if he would ever be able to recover sufficiently from the injuries he sustained in February 2011 to drive an F1 car again. But he now thinks he has the required strength to drive some of the less physically demanding F1 circuits.

[Source: Autosport]

Categories
Formula 1

Is there a third US Grand Prix on the cards?

Jody Sheckter driving for Wolf-Ford at 1977 US Grand Prix West

Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly leading a charge to bring Formula 1 back to the west coast of the United States. If successful it could mean the US has as many as three F1 races each year.

In the late 1970s Formula 1 ran a street race in Long Beach, California. Officially it was called the United States Grand Prix West and it ran from 1976–1983. In recent times top flight open wheel racing has still taken place at Long Beach, although it’s been the domain of the home-grown IndyCar series (and its various iterations).

Motor Sport magazine reports that television audiences for IndyCar are in decline and describes the sport by saying: “Outside the city of Indianapolis, the series has little or no identity and sadly has become one of America’s smallest, most irrelevant sports.”

Hence the impetus for the alleged triumverate of Bernie Ecclestone, F1 sponsorship guru Zak Brown and Long Beach founder Chris Pook to open discussions about bringing F1 back to California. The IndyCar contract with Pook expires in 2014 thereby opening the door for F1 to replace the fledgling series.

Michael Andretti, one of a few racers to compete in both F1 and IndyCar, doesn’t think it will happen. “Why would they sell it?” he asked. “It runs along every year, making enough money. They have things in place; it works. I don’t think it’s a headache for them at all.”

Significant investment would be required to bring the facilities at Long Beach up to scratch, which Andretti says is unlikely. “They’d have to spend $100 million to bring it up to where F1 would want it,” Andretti said. “No one would do that.”

However, long-time Motor Sport correspondent Gordon Kirby says discussions between Ecclestone and Bob Foster, Long Beach Mayor, will take place in June during the Canadian Grand Prix.

Former Ferrari and McLaren driver Stefan Johansson reckons F1 at Long Beach would be a great idea. Johansson has lived in Los Angeles for the last 20 years and maintains an active role in motorsport by managing Scott Dixon. “It would be fabulous!” said Johansson. “They’d have to spend a lot of money, but they could make it the race. It would be great for F1 and great for motor racing in America.”

[Source: Motor Sport & GrandPrix.com]

Categories
Formula 1

Sex: Breakfast of champions

Rush movie poster featuring Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt

The official twitter feed for Ron Howard’s F1 movie Rush has given us an advance viewing of one of the film’s promotional posters. It features Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt and was sent out with the following tweet:

“They say James Hunt spent two weeks shagging 33 stewardesses. Not bad. Make the most of your weekend.”

Nice work if you can get it! And the tale certainly lives up to the badge that Hunt used to wear on his overalls (see below).

Continue reading “Sex: Breakfast of champions”
Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Schumacher to drive Nordschleife in F1 car

2011 Mercedes GP W02

Michael Schumacher’s first gig as an official Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador is perhaps one of the coolest things you will read today. Not only will the seven-time world champion get back in a Formula 1 car he’ll be doing so around Nürburgring Nordschleife. How cool is that!

Schumacher will pilot a 2011-spec Mercedes GP W02 for a demonstration lap around the ‘Ring during the 24 hour race weekend on 19 May. As you might expect he’s quite looking forward to it too.

“I have a lot of fond memories of the Nürburgring and am really looking forward to giving fans and friends from my home town of Kerpen, which is quite close to the Nürburgring, something to remember as they see me drive by,” Schumacher said.

“But it will be a fantastic experience for me too, driving along the Nordschleife in a state-of–the-art Formula 1 Silver Arrow, particularly in view of the fact that the Silver Arrow’s legend began here. Posting a lap in a modern Silver Arrow on the most beautiful and most testing circuit in the world, what a brilliant mix—it’s every motor racing driver’s dream!”

It will be the first time a contemporary Formula 1 car has been driven on the Nordschleife since Nick Heidfeld did so in a BMW Sauber F1.06 back in 2007 (see video below). No official lap time was recorded when Heidfeld drove the ‘Ring and Stefan Bellof’s 6 minute 11 second lap set in a Porsche 956 in 1983 remains the all-time ‘Ring record.

We’re not sure if Michael will be chasing that record, but imagine if he did he could easily break the 6 minute barrier. That would be wow!

Continue reading “Schumacher to drive Nordschleife in F1 car”
Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Webber to decide 2014 future by mid-year

2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

Given the recent rumour that Mark Webber has already signed a five-year deal to race sportscars with Porsche from next year he was always going to be asked questions about it when he fronted the media in Bahrain last weekend.

Porsche has already denied the rumour to be fact, and indeed some reports suggest the rumour was leaked by Mark’s biggest detractor at Red Bull, Helmut Marko.

So what does Mark have to say about his future?

“I’ve never made a plan for future seasons in April before, so I’m probably not going to start now. I’m looking forward to Barcelona, Monaco, the races coming ahead, and then we’ll make some plans,” he told Red Bull owned Servus TV.

“I think towards the [European] summer, we’ll make a plan, like I always do.”

While he may have been disappointed to finish as low as seventh in his 200th race he says he still has what’s required to compete in F1.

“I’m still feeling very hungry and still have some very good results inside me, so that’s the most important thing.”

The 2014 Porsche rumour has been circulating for almost 12 months now and as a result had almost been accepted as fact by some, including AUSmotive it has to be said. But we’re starting to waver on that now and wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Mark continue his Formula 1 career next year. But who with? Unless Sebastian Vettel causes a sensation and leaves Red Bull, we can’t see Mark staying there.

[Source: Fox Sports | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Formula 1 Lotus Red Bull Racing

2013 Bahrain GP: Post-race press conference

2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

After the break you can read the full transcript from the first three drivers from the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Before you do here’s the Aussie update with words from Mark Webber (Red Bull) first and Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) second.

Mark Webber: “The beginning wasn’t too bad, but we lost quite a bit of time in the second stint trying to clear people. We went aggressive on the first few out laps, which meant we jumped people, but the tyres didn’t like it. That meant the second stint was a disaster really in terms of pace at the end and that loaded the other two stints up.

“In the middle of the race I thought I could get on the podium, but then it was about pace management and it’s a fine line between racing and saving tyres. Others pitted a bit before me at the end, but it wasn’t enough for me to get home. If you race people hard then you run out of tyres, but if you don’t then they come through. In the end it was a pretty good battle with Lewis for both of us; neither of us had any tyres left, but we were trying to race as best we could.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “I got a reasonable start, better than some of the guys around me and I got ahead of Grosjean. Then at some point, I locked up the wheels and lost a position or two. All afternoon, we just struggled with speed: in the first stint, tyre warm-up was a problem and I was losing a lot of time on braking.

“We never really recovered, even though we tried to make a few changes to the balance of the car at the pit stops. We must look into what exactly was wrong with the car as we were really limited in terms of downforce.”

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Continue reading “2013 Bahrain GP: Post-race press conference”
Categories
Formula 1 Lotus Red Bull Racing

Sebastian Vettel wins 2013 Bahrain GP

2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) started the Bahrain Grand Prix from the front row and went on to pocket yet another easy F1 victory in last night’s race. He finished ahead of the Lotus pairing, with Kimi Raikkonen extending his sequence of race finishes to an impressive 31 by taking second place and Romain Grosjean enjoying his return to the podium in third.

Those paying attention at home will recognise these are the same podium placings we saw in Bahrain last year.

Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) raised a few eyebrows by claiming pole position and his subsequent race finish of ninth proved that surprise was justified. Rosberg just didn’t have the race pace and although he led from the start Vettel was able to overtake him without too much bother on the second lap. And for Vettel that was pretty much the end of his troubles. It is his 28th race win and puts him clear of Sir Jackie Stewart on the all-time winners list.

Perhaps Vettel may have been given a tougher test if the rear wing on Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari had a spine to match its driver. Twice Alonso was forced into the pits in the early stages to have his DRS flap closed, yet he was able to fight his way back into the top 10, finishing eighth and earning himself four very valuable points.

Paul di Resta (Force India) looked set to earn his first podium finish thanks to some good raw pace and a two-stop tyre strategy, the same as Raikkonen, alas for him Grosjean was able to reel him in and demote the Scot to fourth place, which is still a career best for him.

Speaking of being reeled in, Mark Webber’s year and perhaps his whole Red Bull career was encapsulated in the final lap, which he started in fifth place and ended in seventh, all while his teammate cruised to glory. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) first, then Sergio Perez (McLaren) got passed Mark and his rapidly deteriorating tyres on the last lap to claim fifth and six places. Not the best result for Mark in his 200th F1 start.

Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) had an almost anonymous race and after his previous high in China will have been disappointed to finish in P16. But, at least he finished, unlike teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, who got tangled up with backmarkers and was the only driver who failed to finish.

There’s a couple of weeks off before the F1 circus finds its way back to Europe and as is often the case the season is wonderfully placed with so much potential to surprise. Let’s just hope the season doesn’t mirror the result in Bahrain and sees Vettel race off into the sunset unopposed.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Continue reading “Sebastian Vettel wins 2013 Bahrain GP”
Categories
Formula 1 Motorsports Porsche Red Bull Racing

Porsche says no, everyone else says yes

2013 Chinese Grand Prix

Porsche insist no contract has been signed to tie Mark Webber to the company’s new chase for outright success at Le Mans which starts next year.

“Mark Webber has not signed a five year contract with Porsche,” claimed a company executive speaking to German newspaper Die Welt.

“Porsche has a squad of ten highly successful works drivers, forming an excellent basis for the occupation of the LMP1 cockpits from 2014.”

In an interview with Auto Action Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s research and development boss added: “We still have plenty of time to decide our driver line up.

“We will use some of our own drivers and add some external drivers—we have two cars and need six drivers next year. There is a test plan, and for sure Mark Webber is not part of them.

“For now we are concentrating on the schedule—the plan is a mid-year roll-out of the car, and in the autumn we will finalise our driver combination. What we need is the best combination of drivers that fit together.

“LMP1 is a team sport, and if you have three of the quickest drivers, I am not sure that this is the best way. Yes, we can have perhaps some Formula 1 drivers in the future, but it is not necessary.”

Trouble is, the wider industry isn’t buying into Porsche’s denials. Audi very much believe Porsche “could go in that direction” admitted a team member at the 6 Hours of Silverstone last weekend.

Meanwhile, former Porsche sportscar legend and four-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell shared his view that Webber will leave F1 for Porsche. “I hear he (Webber) has gone,” he told the Huffington Post.

On the one hand seeing Mark help to lead Stuttgart’s charge at Le Mans makes us excited, but we’ll be sad to see him leave F1 when that day comes.

[Source: Motorsport.com & ESPN F1 | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Formula 1 Motorsports Porsche Red Bull Racing

Rumour: Webber signs 5 year deal with Porsche

Mark Webber

During its coverage of the 6 Hours of Silverstone Radio Le Mans announced that Mark Webber has signed a five-year deal with Porsche to join their World Endurance Championship assault. If the rumour is correct Mark will retire from F1 at the end of this year and start with Porsche in 2014.

Rumours of Webber joining Porsche have been simmering for some time but this is the first instance a firm contract has been mentioned.

The rumour was also posted to twitter by Radio Le Mans:

When we asked Radio Le Mans for comment this was their reply: “Credible sources but I would not expect to see any confirmation until later in the season. Or could be bargaining chip.”

Let’s not lock this deal away just yet, but if, or when it happens, it clearly won’t be surprise to anyone. Indeed, the way it’s looking it will be more of a surprise if Mark stays in F1 beyond the current season.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images | Thanks to Micky for the tip]