Before the FIA, Gilles enjoyed an exceptional career at Scuderia Ferrari. From 2006-2009 he was Head of the Engine and Electronics Department; his other roles at Ferrari included Engine Project Manager (1994-1997) and Head of Engine Development (1997-2006) – both under the mentorship of the renowned Paolo Martinelli. During his tenure the team won six drivers’ and eight constructors’ FIA F1 World Championships.

After graduating with a PhD from l’Ecole des Mines in 1984, Gilles held positions at Renault in Research and Development and Peugeot, where he developed the V10 engine for the successful World Sportscar Championship, with the team achieving a 1-2-3 at Le Mans in 1993 and winning in 1992.

P.U.R.E. launched in May 2011 with the stated aim of developing high performance environmentally responsible powertrains, using F1 as the proving ground. The company was established by Chief Executive Craig Pollock, previously Founding Partner and Team Principal of F1’s B.A.R. team.

Craig Pollock, Chief Executive of P.U.R.E. comments, “This appointment marks another key milestone in the development of P.U.R.E. With Gilles Simon on board we have an exceptional and proven powertrain designer who has been instrumental in driving an environmentally friendly agenda into F1.”

Gilles Simon added, “Making F1 more environmentally friendly is a personal goal of mine. The 2014 powertrain regulations mark the biggest change in this area of F1 for a generation. This opportunity to develop the P.U.R.E powertrain is a fantastic challenge and allows me to go to back to my passion – designing engines.”

Jean Todt, President of the FIA said, “Gilles leaves the FIA with my thanks and best wishes. We have worked together on a variety of projects over many years, at Peugeot, Ferrari and at the FIA, and I know how much of his life has been devoted to his love of designing powetrains.

After a very fruitful 18-month period at the FIA where he has been able to leave a significant legacy in the 2014 powertrain regulations, Gilles has been offered an opportunity at P.U.R.E. that will enable him to make a substantial contribution to a new era in F1. I wish him a successful future.”

Craig Pollock - P.U.R.E.

P.U.R.E. (Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d’Energie) will use Formula One as a test bed for high performance environmentally friendly propulsion technologies.

P.U.R.E. has been established to respond to growing demand for cutting edge, exceptionally efficient and high performance powertrains. F1 has been identified as the ultimate proving ground to evolve propulsion technologies applicable to a broad range of industries, including marine, aerospace, automotive and defence.

The company has been established by chief executive Craig Pollock, previously founding partner and team principal of Formula One’s British American Racing (B.A.R.) team. He has recruited a world-class team of management and technical partners. A key adviser has been Christian Contzen, the architect of Renault’s success in Formula One during the 1990s. Robin Southwell has been appointed non-executive chairman.

P.U.R.E.’s technology partners are TEOS, Mecachrome, D2T and IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN), highly qualified specialists in powertrain design, prototyping and manufacturing, and France’s leading developers of new and more efficient fuel technologies.

Radical changes to powertrain regulations for Formula One were ratified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (F.I.A) World Motorsports council in December 2010. The new rules, aimed at drastically reducing fuel consumption without hindering performance, illustrate the will of the F.I.A and Formula One’s participants to be more environmentally conscious. The new regulations present an ideal opportunity for P.U.R.E. to capitalise on Formula One’s status as a proving ground for new technology and demonstrate its expertise in high performance eco-friendly powertrains.

Craig Pollock commented:

“The vision for P.U.R.E. is to be a leader in the development of the next generation powertrain technology which must respond to the demands for a cleaner environment.  The 2013 Formula One powertrain regulation changes offer P.U.R.E. an immediate platform to field test and validate future technologies for implementation in other industries. We have assembled an expert team, the finest technology partners and have received positive encouragement from the F.I.A.”

Jean Todt, president of the F.I.A. said,

“We welcome P.U.R.E. to Formula One. The rule changes for 2013 have been developed to provide lower cost, greener and more fuel efficient technologies for Formula One. We wish P.U.R.E. every success in developing powertrains compliant with the new F.I.A. regulations.”

Most F1 drivers began their racing careers behind the wheel of a kart by the age of ten, so you’re well advised to get involved with a karting club at a young age. Visit karting.co.uk for a comprehensive list of tracks and competitions in your area. Bear in mind that karting is a dangerous sport and your standard motor insurance policy will not cover you in the event of an accident, so look at taking out specific karting cover.

Attend racing school. There are plenty of reputable racing schools across the country, offering courses at various tracks and teaching pupils the basics of how to handle a much more powerful single-seater vehicle.

Former Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell now runs Devon’s premier karting circuit, Mansell Raceway, helping to train for a career in motorsport. In an interview with BBC Sport, Mansell professed that getting into F1 isn’t as easy as just training hard or being ‘a natural’.

He said: “Motorsport is a roulette wheel. It’s very tough, and sometimes even the most talented individuals will not be able to keep going in the sport.”

“I was one of the lucky ones,” he added. “But opportunities can be limited. You could get an amount of money together, race for one or two seasons in motorsport, but if you haven’t made a position or a name for yourself then you can fade away.”

Get yourself a ride in Formula 3 or Formula 3000 – if you can afford it. A competitive seat in British F3 will now set drivers back around £400,000 for a year’s worth of racing, but is regarded as a crucial investment in a young driver’s future career. Success in F3 can lead directly to more senior F2 and GP2 seats, or even a Formula One test seat.

Pick a good team, work hard and get yourself a finish on the podium. Perform consistently well in your class and grab the attention of those Formula 1 bosses. Lewis Hamilton made his own luck at the age of just 10-years-old when he approached McLaren team principal, Ron Dennis, at the Autosport Awards ceremony to tell him, “I want to race for you one day … I want to race for McLaren.” At the tender age of 13, Hamilton was taken on by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz, when he was then coached to be a future F1 champ through their Young Driver Support Programme.

Find yourself a good agent that will work hard to help promote you and the success you achieve on the track among the racing community – it’s highly important that you get noticed and talked about.

Seek out funding or sponsorship to support your career. If you want to enter a smaller team with less money than the big players, they’ll be more inclined to receive you if you’ve got money behind you.

While obviously it’s more desirable to go straight in at Formula 1 race level, many successful drivers started their Formula 1 career as test drivers, building their knowledge of tracks, how to handle F1 cars on various circuits and developing their future race strategies.

So: while it is immensely expensive, determination is a key factor and, if you display the dedication, talent and mettle it takes to climb the ranks of motorsport, then you might just get enough funding and sponsorship to overcome the financial hurdles that lie ahead.

vodafone mclaren 2011 f1 car

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes hosted a unique event in Berlin today when dozens of Vodafone competition winners, fans and customers carried parts of the car into an arena where the car was gradually assembled in front of huge crowd.

McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were on hand to assemble the final pieces , revealing the brand new MP4-26 2011 race car.

Looking radically different from last year’s race-winning chassis, MP4-26 features a range of aerodynamic features designed to take advantage of new rules significantly limiting the amount of downforce that can be derived from the car’s underbody.

These most notably include distinctive U-shaped sidepods – to feed air more efficiently to the car’s rear-end – and an electronically adjustable rear-wing system, introduced for 2011 to increase the potential for overtaking.

Beneath the skin, the car houses an all-new electric hybrid system. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, along with their engine partners Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, became the first-ever Formula 1 team to win a grand prix using a hybrid device in 2009, and this new system is expected to further refine that race-winning package.

he team continues for 2011 with the proven driver pairing of world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Between them, they helped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to five grands prix victories, three one-two results and second overall in the 2010 constructors’ championship.

Following today’s launch, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Gary Paffett will shake down MP4-26 during a private session at the Idiada Proving Ground in Spain on Tuesday February 8 before the team begins track testing at the Circuito de Jerez on Thursday February 10.

Changes introduced for the 2010 season aimed at making the sport more exciting and the possibility of overtaking more probable. While it was one of the most exciting season’s that F1 has seen for some years the newer tracks kept overtaking to a minimum, where only the bravest of drivers excelled.

The new rules introduced for 2011 can be seen is this easy to read infographic:

Infographic by Confused.com - Compare cheap car insurance in minutes.

‘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:

Fernando Alonso

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso couldn’t manage to pass Sebastian Vettel in Abu Dhabi in the race for the 2010 F1 World Championship title, but off the track he has been voted the Driver Of The Year by the Principals of the F1 Racing Teams.

Using the exact same scoring system as is applied to the racing on the track, the Team Principals handed the verdict to Alonso with 229 points to Vettel’s 220.

Nothing could take the place of acheiving the World Championship Drivers title on the track of course, but the consolation was accepted by the Spanish driver as recognition for what he himself considered a remarkable first year with the Ferrari team.

Alonso said;

“I am very pleased to learn that the majority of team principals chose me as their best driver of the year, even if it goes without saying that I would have preferred to receive that accolade in the guise of world champion,” commented Fernando. “It is yet another reason to claim this has been an amazing season, despite the disappointment at the final hurdle. The team and I fought all the way to the very end, without ever giving up, even when it all seemed like a lost cause: we staged a remarkable comeback. Next year, we will be looking to do better, but I will still remember 2010 as a wonderful year.”

Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali made no secret about where his vote went and said;

“I am pleased and proud that Fernando has been rated by my fellow team principals as the best driver of this past year: he had a fantastic season. It is hardly a secret that he is a talented driver, but I must say, on behalf of everyone at Ferrari, that it was an honour for us to work with him from the human perspective. Fernando was a driving force and our aim next year will be to give him and Felipe a car which is competitive at the very highest level, right from the first race.”

The newly named Team Lotus are among those who have confirmed their drivers for tye first time, announcing that will be retaining the services of both of last years competitors, veteran driver Jano Trulli alongside Heikki Kovalainen.

Sauber have also announced both drivers for 2011 when new boy Sergio Perez will join the more experienced Kamui Kobayashi.

Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes will retain the same driver line ups as last season, while of the other established teams Renault have confirmed Robert Kubica only at this stage and Williams have retained the most experienced driver on the circuit, Rubens Barrichello for their challenge next year.

The Full 2011 Drivers  line up so far:
Red Bull
1 Sebastian Vettel
2 Mark Webber

McLaren
3 Jenson Button
4 Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari
5 Fernando Alonso
6 Felipe Massa

Mercedes GP
7 Michael Schumacher
8 Nico Rosberg

Renault
9 Robert Kubica
10 TBA

Williams
11 Rubens Barrichello
12 TBA

Force India
14 TBA
15 TBA

Sauber
16 Kamui Kobayashi
17 Sergio Perez

Toro Rosso
18 TBA
19 TBA

Team Lotus
20 Jarno Trulli
21 Heikki Kovalainen

Hispania
22 TBA
23 TBA

Virgin Racing
24 TBA
25 TBA

Fernando Alonso - Ferrari 2010

Fernando Alonso won the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday after dominating the race from pole position in the Ferrari.

As the race got underway it was Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull that took to the front but he was quickly knocked off the front spot as he was forced out by Alonso.

The safety car was deployed on lap 3 of the race after Nick Heidfeld hit Tonio Liuzzi from behind leaving the Force India car stranded on the circuit in a dangerous place.  The usual scramble for the pit lane began although the top four drivers remained on track staying on soft tyres.

The safety car was deployed for the second time when Kamui Kobayashi slammed his BMW Sauber into the barrier at the exit of turn 18.

As the safety car left the track, Lewis Hamilton attempted to make a move on Mark Webber in the Red Bull going into turn 7.  It looked as if Hamilton would make it through but cut across the front of Webber who had nowhere to go and the two touched.  Hamilton was out of the running and the incident was investigated by the stewards who decided it was a racing incident and no further action would be taken.

A similar incident then took place between Nick Heidfeld and Michael Schumacher, resulting in the retirement of the Sauber driver and once again although the accident was investigated no action was taken.

With just two laps of the race remaining Sebastien Buemi hit the back of the Lotus driven by Heikki Kovalainen causing it to spin.  As the Lotus limped around the final sector of the lap it burst into flames and after crossing the start/finish line, Kovalainen jumped out of his stricken Lotus, grabbed a fire extinguisher and doused the flames himself as he waited for the marshalls.

Alonso crossed the line to take the chequered flag just 0.2 seconds ahead of Vettel with Mark Webber in the second Red Bull in third.

Jenson Button finished in fourth place ahead of Nico Rosberg in fifth, Rubens Barrichello in sixth, Robert Kubica in seventh, Felipe Massa in eighth, Adrian Sutil in ninth and Nico Hulkenberg in tenth.

Here are the results;

1. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 61 laps 1hr 57m 53.579s
2. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault +00.2s
3. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault +29.1s
4. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes +30.3s
5. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes +49.3s
6. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Williams-Cosworth +56.1s
7. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault +1m 26.5s
8. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari +1m 53.2s
9. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes +2m 12.4s*
10. Nico Hulkenberg Germany Williams-Cosworth +2m 12.7s**

all results unofficial

Nick Heidfeld 2008

The Sauber F1 team have confirmed that former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld will be in the cockpit of their car from the Singapore Grand Prix race for the rest of the season.

The rumours of Pedro de la Rosa being replaced began at the Monza Grand Prix following his disappointing results this season.

De la Rosa said in a team statement;

“I am surprised by the team’s decision but I respect it and would like to wish everyone good luck for the remainder of the season. I still intend to be in Formula One for 2011.”

Heidfeld said;

“I’m looking forward like crazy to having the opportunity to go racing again in a good car in Formula One from the Singapore Grand Prix onward.  After the last few months I’m even more motivated than ever. For me it is like coming home, as I raced for seven years in total for the team. Without doubt I will feel at home straight away and this should help me to familiarise myself as soon as possible with the car. I want to thank Peter Sauber for the faith he has put in me.”