Category: Formula 1

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Mark Webber confirmed for Red Bull in 2012

Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing

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.

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Formula 1 Renault

Heidfeld goes down swinging

Nick Heidfeld, Lotus Renault GP

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]

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Webber: 2012 deal with Red Bull is ‘not far away’

Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing

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]

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Michael Schumacher on 20 years in F1

Michael Schumacher, 2011 Belgian Grand Prix

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.”

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

VIDEO: David Coulthard takes F1 off-road

David Coulthard, Red Bull Racing

David Coulthard has become the first person to drive a Formula One car on the new Circuit of The Americas track in Austin, Texas. Yes, that’s it there in all it’s dirty and bumpy glory.

The promotion has certainly proved to be a nice publicity stunt, gaining media attention around the world. But seeing as we’re still over 12 months away from the 2012 United States Grand Prix, it also gave us a nice preview of the new circuit.

The 5.47km track layout has been known for some time, however this is the first opportunity we’ve had at seeing the dramatic elevation changes in the course.

Tavo Hellmund, CoTA Chairman says, “We’re going to build the closest thing to a traditional old school Grand Prix track from the 1950s and 60s. With the elevation, with the fast corners [and] with the technical corners.”

Sounds promising. (Video after the break.)

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Ferrari Formula 1

John Surtees & Fernando Alonso shoot the breeze

John Surtees and Fernando Alonso

In the build up to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix we’re sure you’ll enjoy this video with John Surtees and Fernando Alonso sharing their thoughts about the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Surtees is the only man to win a world championship in Formula One (Ferrari: 1963) and 500cc Grand Prix racing (MV Augusta: 1956, 1958–1960). Alonso, of course, has two F1 championships to his name (Renault: 2005, 2006). He will be elevated into true hero status if he can reach the summit with Ferrari.

Getting a couple of world champions together, plus some on-track action, filming it all; the costs add up. See if you can work out who picked up the tab.

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Formula 1 Renault

Eddie Jordan says: Heidfeld out, Senna in

Bruno Senna, Lotus Renault GP

Lotus Renault GP will replace F1 veteran Nick Heidfeld with reserve driver Bruno Senna for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, according to BBC commentator Eddie Jordan. Although nothing has been confirmed by the team as yet.

Senna made an unspectacular debut in 2010 with the struggling Hispania Racing Team and crossed to LRGP in the off-season. He was hopeful of securing a drive following Robert Kubica’s rally accident, but missed out when the team opted for Heidfeld’s experience. However, Senna’s persistence and patience has paid off, it would seem, as we will once again see a Senna racing in the famous black and gold Lotus livery.

It’s also understood Senna will keep his seat for the rest of the season. That probably means the Hungarian GP was Heidfeld’s last race. He made his debut with the Prost team in 2000 and holds the unenviable record of being the driver with the most points and podium finishes without actually winning a race.

[Source: BBC]

UPDATE 25 August: Lotus Renault GP has confirmed Senna will drive at Spa.

Continue reading “Eddie Jordan says: Heidfeld out, Senna in”
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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

VIDEO: Texans love donuts

As you know Formula One will be making a return to the United States in 2012 at a new purpose-built racetrack in Austin, Texas. To help promote the event and build the profile of F1 down south David Coulthard took the Red Bull Racing promo car to the city to see what’s cooking.

The crowd were happy to hoot and holler when DC lit up his rear tyres, but will they really embrace a motorsport category that turns right, as well as left?

[Source: Circuit of Americas]

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Formula One is the pits in 2011

To help kill time during the mid-season break Mercedes GP has released this brief video showing the importance they place on pit stops.

There’s nothing earth shattering in here, but it’s still quite a good insight.

It’s also good to know Michael Schumacher can trust his boys. If only they could reciprocate the feeling.

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Ferrari Formula 1 McLaren

Hunt–Lauda contest to be made into F1 film

James Hunt

Academy Award winning movie director Ron Howard is in the early stages of bringing Formula One to film. This won’t be a documentary in the style of Senna, rather a big budget production with all the Hollywood trimmings. The movie will centre around the 1976 Formula One season.

That year saw an epic battle between loveable larrikin James Hunt and austere Austrian Niki Lauda. It was the year Lauda had his horrific crash at the Nürburgring Nordschleife and signalled the end of F1 races at the ‘Green Hell’.

Prior to the crash Lauda had already notched up five wins for the year and was fast heading towards his second world championship. Despite missing just two races as a result of his injuries the courageous Lauda would not win another race for the year.

In the latter stages of 1976, including the German Grand Prix, Hunt won four races of his own, giving him six victories in all for the year. It was enough to give the Briton his only world title by the narrowest margin possible, just one point.

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Michael Schumacher considering his F1 future

Michael Schumacher

When seven time world champion Michael Schumacher was considering a return to Formula One it set the motoring world alight. He would be returning to the team that had just won the constructors’ championship, after all. History tells us Schumacher finally signed a three-year deal with the newly formed Mercedes GP after they had taken over Brawn GP. Hope was spring eternally all over the place.

With the benefit of hindsight we can see that Schumi’s return hasn’t been what many hoped it would be. Sure, predictions of an eighth world title were probably always a little optimistic, but in 30 starts since his comeback Michael’s best results amount to a quartet of fourth place finishes. Three of which were in 2010.

Even though the German is signed up until the end of the 2012 season, it’s little surprise to learn that the 42-year-old is considering his future in the sport. In a recent interview with Italian publication Corriere dello Sport Schumacher gave a refreshingly honest account.

“I arrived at Mercedes with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow the team,” he said.

“If anything, I am the problem: it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team. At some point we will evaluate whether I continue or stop.”

If Michael does leave at the end of this season Force India’s Paul di Resta, former Mercedes DTM driver, is likely to top Ross Brawn’s wish list.

[Source: FoxSports]

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Formula 1 News

Thursday 11 August: Australian release of ‘Senna’

A quick reminder for motor racing fans that the general release of the full length Ayrton Senna documentary is due to start around Australia this Thursday. Above is a new 30 second TVC posted to the official Senna movie YouTube account.

Already there have been a number of preview screenings across the country, including one on the Gold Coast hosted by speedcafe.com. After the break you can see more from that screening including interviews with Sir Jack Brabham and Mick Doohan. Also interviewed were Adrian Burgess and Martin Whitaker, both well known locally for their current involvement with V8 Supercars, but both had worked in F1 while Senna was at his peak.

Continue reading “Thursday 11 August: Australian release of ‘Senna’”