Former world champions Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart have recently piped up that Lewis Hamilton is driving in a dangerous and life threatening way, but I disagree.

The chiefs of F1 are aware that the sport can be over regulated and dull, so needs excitement and drivers who are willing to take risks.  But Lewis Hamilton’s style of driving is nothing new.  It’s not that long ago that Michael Schumacher was being criticised for exactly the same driving style which also resulted with a larger percentage of collisions as he squeezed every driver, at every corner, in every race.

Furthermore, the great Ayrton Senna was also chastised for his aggressive racing style.  Now Senna is heralded as one of the best F1 racing drivers of all time.  But his great rival Alain Prost and other contemporaries raised complaints at the time suggesting he was driving dangerously and created accidents by attempting to overtake when other drivers would hold back.  The same is said of Lewis Hamilton. Statistics show he manages to overtake more than any other driver so it isn’t a surprise that he is involved in more accidents.

That aggressive style of driving is great to watch and I believe should be promoted on the race tracks of Formula One.  However, it may be my age or the fact that I have become a grumpy old man, but there appears to be a distinct increase in impatient and dangerous drivers on our roads today; something I feel has been increasing year on year.  Is it because our lives are becoming faster and we find ourselves in a constant rush to get from A to B to C, or is it more to do with the importance drivers place upon themselves while remaining oblivious to all else that is going on around them?

As far as I’m concerned F1 is a very dangerous sport and by its very definition I expect to see exciting, sometime dangerous manoeuvres by highly skilled drivers.  The very opposite of what I want to see on motorways and highways but unfortunately I see far too often.  No wonder there is an increase in advertising for no win no fee solicitors to cope with the demand of road accidents.  The most common discomfort in minor vehicle accidents is whiplash and some lawyers solely deal with whiplash compensation.

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a vehicle accident there is plenty of information on the internet to help, guide and advice you on what you should do and what you are entitled to.  A compensation calculator will give you an indication of what you can claim for, if you are the innocent party and involved in an accident.

Road accidents and car crashes are a part of everyday life, whether or not your name is Lewis Hamilton!

Driven presents a portrait of the charismatic Formula 1 driver and British motor racing legend Graham Hill who uniquely won the F1 World Championship, the Indy 500 and Le Mans 24 hours.

At a time when drivers would race in any event thrown at them, Hill lived for racing and among his many amazing achievements on the track was winning the infamous Monaco Grand Prix five times, a feat only surpassed by Ayrton Senna.

Off the track Hill would charm the socks of anyone who cared to listen a true raconteur and a dashing gentleman, with a keen eye for the ladies.

Graham Hill: Driven features contributions from family, close friends and former colleagues including son Damon and track rival Jackie Stewart.

Graham Hill: Driven – Sunday February 20th at 7pm on BBC 2

‘Senna’ has already been released in Brazil, the drivers home country and also in Japan where the three time F1 champion enjoyed a huge following through his association with Honda.

The film/documentary will be released in the UK in July 2011 to coincide with the British Grand Prix. It is written by Manish Pandey and directed by Asif Kapadia.

Watch the trailer for the sensational ‘Senna’ movie here:

Ferrari Testing

Michael Schumacher has hinted that although he will not be in the cockpit of the Ferrari at the Valencia round of the Formula One championship due to his ongoing neck problems, he isn’t ruling out a return later in the season.

Schumacher suffered an accident while riding a motorcycle last February and received injuries to his upper vertebrae, head and ribs.

Luca Badoer, the Ferrari test driver, has now been given the job of replacing the recovering Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix after not having driven in the series for ten years.

The 38-year-old Italian declared that it has been his wish to race for Ferrari since he was a child and at last his chance has come and he fully intends to keep the team at the front of the pack.

It was thought that the Spaniard Marc Gene, would be chosen for the drive in front of his home crowd, especially has he raced in the Formula One series in more recent years and having won the Le Mans 24 hour race for Peugeot this year, however, he may still be in with a chance at other rounds.

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher will not be returning to the cockpit of the Ferrari Formula One team due to his ongoing neck problem and the seat will probably now go to one of the test drivers, Luca Badoer or Marc Gene.

Schumacher said on his personal website;

“Yesterday evening, I had to inform Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo and Team Principal Stefano Domenicali that unfortunately I’m not able to step in for Felipe.  I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however, much to my regret it didn’t work out.

Unfortunately we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck which occurred after the private F1-day in Mugello, even if medically or therapeutically we tried everything possible.

The consequences of the injuries caused by the bike-accident in February, fractures in the area of head and neck, unfortunately have turned out to be still too severe.

As there were no improvements after the day in Mugello, I decided at short notice on Sunday to do that thorough examination already yesterday.

I am disappointed to the core. I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans which crossed fingers for me. I can only repeat that I tried everything that was within my power. All I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed for the whole team for the coming races.”

Michael Schumachaer

As I mentioned in a previous blog, the Ferrari team were hoping to get a helping hand by getting the in-season testing ban lifted to allow Michael Schumacher, replacing the injured Felipe Massa,  to acquaint himself with the current F60 car, however, not all the teams are fully in support of the ban suspension.

The Williams team have confirmed that they are not happy about the rule being waived, with Frank Williams saying;

“While we welcome Michael Schumacher back to Formula One, the fact is that any form of in-season circuit testing is strictly prohibited; a regulation clearly laid out by the FIA and adhered to by all of the teams.

It was for this reason that (Jaime) Alguersuari, who drove an F1 car for the very first time in Hungary, did not have the opportunity to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso before he made his race debut.  Williams F1 sees no distinction between Alguersuari’s situation and Schumacher’s and feels that any deviation from the rule would create a precedent for the future.

In a similar situation, Williams F1 would unhesitatingly use its current test driver.

For the sake of consistency and fairness, therefore, we oppose Ferrari’s proposal to test ahead of the European Grand Prix”.

Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso,  are also opposing lifting the ban, with team boss Christian Horner saying;

“I am sure that Michael Schumacher who is a seven times World Champion and has won 91 races won’t have a problem getting up to speed.

Also Michael has driven a two-year-old Ferrari last week in Mugello so I have no doubt that he will be on the pace quickly”.

Force India were another team not giving the green-light to allow Schumacher special privileges, although they have yet to give their decision formally.

The Ferrari team, need a unanimous agreement for the ban to be lifted, however, it would seem clear that this is not going to happen, but of course,  the team are not going to leave it at that and are now having their usual playground tantrums.  A spokeswoman for Schumacher, said on Blickpunkt Sport programme;

“From the beginning it was clear that in all probability there would not be a test with the new car.  However not all at Ferrari are singing from the same hymn sheet…

Guess who opposed the test with the F60? A team that hasn’t won anything for years and yet didn’t pass over the opportunity to demonstrate once more a lack of spirit of fair play.”  From an article posted on the official Ferrari site.

“Just for the record, the Scuderia Ferrari had given its approval to let (Toro Rosso’s Jaime) Alguersuari test, but it seems even in this instance someone decided to stick to the precise wording of the regulations.”

We are all fully aware of the reasons behind the testing ban for the in-season but I’m sure some agreement could be reached whereby drivers test after the race weekend has finished, no extra travelling costs involved and supporters could be charged a fraction of the price of a Grand Prix ticket to watch the event.

I'm telling my dad!

Nelson Piquet Jr., has confirmed that he is to lose his Renault seat before the end of the season and he is not prepared to go quietly.

His fury was evident in the statement released yesterday as he blamed Flavio Briatore for being his “executioner” during the worst period of his life.

In the statement, Piquet Jr. says;

“I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season. I want to say thanks to the small group who supported me and that I worked together at Renault F1, although it is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news. But, at the same time, I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver. I am a team player and there are dozens of people I have worked with in my career who would vouch for my character and talent, except unfortunately the person that has had the most influence on my career in Formula 1.

The path to F1 was always going to be tricky, and my father and I therefore signed a management contract with Flavio Briatore, who we believed was an excellent option with all the necessary contacts and management skills. Unfortunately, that was when the black period of my career started. I spent one year as a test driver, where I only did a handful of tests, and the next year started as a race driver with Renault. After the opening part of the season, some strange situations began to happen. As a beginner in F1, I could only expect from my team a lot of support and preparation to help me in getting up to the task. Instead, I was relegated as “someone who drives the other car” with no attention at all. In addition, on numerous occasions, fifteen minutes before qualifying and races, my manager and team boss (Briatore) would threaten me, telling me if I didn’t get a good result, he had another driver ready to put in my place. I have never needed threats before to get results. In 2008 I scored 19 points, finished once on the podium in second place, having the best debut year of a Brazilian driver in F1.

For the 2009 season Briatore, again acting both as my manager and team boss of Renault F1, promised me everything would be different, that I would get the attention I deserved but had never received, and that I would get “at least equal treatment” inside the team. He made me sign a performance-based contract, requiring me to score 40% of Fernando Alonso’s points by mid-way through the season. Despite driving with Fernando, two-time world champion and a really excellent driver, I was confident that, if I had the same conditions, I would easily attain the 40% of points required by the contract.

Unfortunately, the promises didn’t turn into reality again. With the new car I completed 2002km of testing compared to Fernando’s 3839km. Only three days of my testing was in dry weather – only one of Fernando’s was wet. I was only testing with a heavy car, hard tyres, mostly on the first day (when the track is slow and reliability is poor), or when the weather was bad. Fernando was driving a light car with soft tyres in the dry, fine conditions. I never had a chance to be prepared for the qualifying system we use. In Formula 1 today, the difference between 1st and 15th position is sometimes less than a second. It means that 0.2 or 0.3s can make you gain eight positions.

In addition to that, car development is now happening on a race-to-race basis due to the in season testing ban. Of the first nine races that I ran this year, in four of them Fernando had a significant car upgrade that I did not have. I was informed by the engineers at Renault that in those races I had a car that was between 0.5 and 0.8s a lap slower than my teammate. If I look at Germany (where I out-qualified my teammate despite that), if I had that advantage in qualifying I would be fifth and not tenth. If we had that difference in the race, I would have finished ahead of my teammate, which I did in Silverstone, despite him having upgrades that I did not have.

I believe without doubt in my talent and my performance. I didn’t get this far by getting bad results. Anyone who knows my history knows that the results I am having in F1 do not match my CV and my ability. The conditions I have had to deal with during the last two years have been very strange to say the least – there are incidents that I can hardly believe occurred myself. If I now need to give explanations, I am certain it is because of the unfair situation I have been in the past two years. I always believed that having a manager was being a part of a team and having a partner. A manager is supposed to encourage you, support you, and provide you with opportunities. In my case it was the opposite. Flavio Briatore was my executioner.

Being under pressure is not new to me. I have had criticism throughout my career, and have also had a lot of expectations put on me due to my name. Up until now I always met those expectations – surpassed them even. I have never before felt the need to defend myself or fight back from rumours and criticism because I knew the truth and I just wanted to concentrate on racing – I didn’t ever let it affect me. Fortunately, I can now say to those people who supported me through my career that I’m back on the good tracks and considering the options for a new start in my F1 career in a fair and positive way”.

It is rumoured that the test driver for the Renault team Roman Grosjean, is to be the replacement driver although this has yet to be confirmed.

However, it is now being suggested that Nelson Piquet Senior, is about to rescue the failing BMW Sauber team in partnership with Peter Sauber.

The wreckage of Felipe Massa 2009

Michael Schumacher was on track today, preparing for his return to the cockpit of the Ferrari at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain.

Schumacher was testing in Mugello in a 2007 spec car, privately owned due to the in-season testing ban, but allegedly the team have been asking for a special exemption to allow the German a chance to drive the F60 prior to the Valencia practice day.

Meanwhile, the latest reports on Felipe Massa, say that the driver is likely to return to his home in Brazil at the weekend.  The 28-year-old, is to travel by helicopter to the local airport, where he will then fly by private jet to Sao Paulo.

The Brazilian driver, will then rest at home for a few days before travelling to Paris to undergo rehabilitation treatment.  Massa has been keeping staff and family amused by telling jokes and apparently doesn’t stop talking.

The Ferrari driver’s personal doctor said,  “Racing is all he can think of”, before adding;

“There’s nothing to worry about, and no further operations are forecast. He remembers everything starting from Saturday, except for the crash of which he can’t remember anything.

He knows what day is today, and he also knows that for two or three days he wasn’t conscious, and he can remember his position in qualifying prior to the accident.”

Schumacher, Wanna Job?

The Ferrari Formula One team have announced that Michael Schumacher will be stepping back into the cockpit as a replacement for the injured Felipe Massa.

The 40-year-old, former Ferrari driver must first pass a fitness test, having retired from the sport at the end of the 2006 season, but is expected to be on the grid at next months race in Valencia, which will be a brand new experience for the seven-times World Champion.

The Ferrari Team statement said;

“Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa’s car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race.

“Michael Schumacher has shown his willingness and in the next few days he will undergo a specific program of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the championship starting with the European Grand Prix on August 23.”

Schumacher had written on his personal website;

“I talked on the telephone with (team principal) Stefano Domenicali and (Ferrari president) Luca de Montezemolo this afternoon and we decided jointly that I’ll start preparing to jump in for Felipe.

Even though I completely wrapped up the subject of Formula One quite a while ago, due to my attachment to the team I cannot ignore this unfortunate situation. As a competitor, like I am, I’m looking forward to this challenge.”

Williams F17 Driven by Damon Hill

The Williams Formula One team, are this year celebrating 40 years in the business, and this weekend a special tribute to team boss Frank Williams is taking place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

A total of 13 of the teams Formula One cars through the years, will be on display at the Festival ranging from the 1970 model up to the present day.  The 1980 winning World Championship Williams-Cosworth driven by Alan Jones will be included along with 1996 Williams-Renault driven by Damon Hill, which is to be taking part in the Goodwood hill-climb challenge.

A host of past drivers for the team will also be in attendance, including Damon Hill, Alan Jones, David Coulthard and Jacques Laffite as well as the present day drivers Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima.

On Sunday 5th July, the Williams cars and a selection of drivers, past and present, will gather in the Goodwood F1 Paddock Assembly Area to pay tribute to Frank Williams where Murray Walker is also to say a few words about the man and his achievements throughout his career.

Frank Williams has said;

“It will be great for me, and for all the people that have been a part of Williams, or supported the team over the years, to be there to see a broad selection of our cars, past and present”.

Other Formula One drivers expected to be making an appearance are Jenson Button, who is expected to be one of the drivers competing in the hill-climb.   Lewis Hamilton will be driving the McLaren MP4/4 and the MP 4/23, previous driven by the late, great Ayrton Senna.

Recently retired driver David Coulthard, will be taking out a Red Bull RB5  along with Mark Webber, while Eddie Irvine is expected to put on a show of one of his previous F1 Ferrari cars.  Timo Glock will drive the Toyota TF108 while Marc Gene will take out the Ferrari F2008.