Sebastien Vettel - Red Bull Racing 2010

Following last weekends Monaco Grand Prix, the joint championship leader, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel has fuelled rumours that he could be heading for a drive with the Ferrari team next season.

The German driver has made no secret of the fact that his ultimate aim would be to one day drive for the Ferrari crew although his team-mate Mark Webber and winner of Sunday’s race has also been linked to be the replacement for Felipe Massa’s seat in 2011.

Webber crossed the line to take the chequered flag for the second time in two weeks at the Monaco Grand Prix for the Red Bull team, followed by team-mate Vettel in second.

The incident packed race saw the safety car deployed four times after several accidents during the 78 laps but Mark Webber managed to stay ahead and focused after each slot to make it another Red Bull one-two.

The first yellow flag was seen being waved from lap 1 of the race after Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg crashed his car into the barrier of the tunnel causing the first deployment of the safety car.  Hulkenberg dropped back at the start of the race after suffering problems with his clutch on the formation lap.  It was later reported that his car had encountered a front wing mounting failure which will be investigated by the team.

Current F1 World Champion Jenson Button was out of the race by lap 3 after qualifying in eighth place on the grid.  Apparently a cooling cover had been left on the left-hand side pod and wasn’t spotted until the McLaren had already entered it’s grid position.  Following the deployment of the safety car, the McLaren engine began to overheat causing a small fire and ending Button’s race as he was forced to switch off his car.

The safety car entered the pit lane on lap 7 and the restart was underway with Webber again leading the race followed by Vettel and Robert Kubica in third.

Fernando Alonso was forced to start from the pit lane in his Ferrari after hitting the barriers in practice.  The Spaniard made a mistake at Massanet, only 20 minutes into the final practice session, damaging the chassis which meant that the car would not be available to him for qualifying on Saturday.

Alonso made an early pit stop as the race got underway, having passed Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok, Lucas di Grassi was defending his line and kept Alonso behind him until he made a mistake on lap 10, allowing the Ferrari to slip past.

Pedro de la Rosa retired his BMW Sauber on lap 24 after a long pit stop saw smoke billowing from the back of his car and he was pushed into his garage.

Lap 28 was the end of the race for the Virgin driver Lucas di Grassi and on lap 32 the safety car was once again on track after Rubens Barrichello crashed out and was stranded in the middle of the circuit at Massenet.  The Brazilian had been running in tenth place when he suffered a failure at the rear of his Williams, sending him into a spin and into the barrier and leaving him with front and rear wings missing and a broken suspension.

The race was again underway on lap 34 but was deployed again on lap 43 after it was reported that a drain cover was loose at turn 3.  After a brief investigation it was decided that it was safe to continue and the safety car came in the following lap.

Bruno Senna parked his HRT F1 in his pit garage on lap 63 of the race while on lap 66, Heikki Kovalainen suffered a problem with his gearbox resulting in a long pit stop while the crew battled to try and get him back on track.

On lap 74, the safety car was deployed yet again after a huge incident at La Rascasse as Jarno Trulli’s car went over the top of Chandhok’s as both cars fought for the line.  Trulli had tried to put his Lotus up the inside of the HRT of Chandhok but the two touched wheels resulting in the Lotus jumping over the HRT as Chandhok was seen trying to protect his head.

With only two laps of the race remaining it looked as if the drivers would finish the Monaco Grand Prix behind the safety car but it exited the track just before the final lap to see Webber cross the line to take the greatest victory of his career.

Michael Shumacher was given a 20 second penalty after the race after it was deemed that he had broken regulations by overtaking.  The rules state that the drivers must take the chequered flag in the order they have been running in if the safety car has been deployed.

Here are the results;

1. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 78 laps 1hr 50m 13.355s
2. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault +00m 00.4s
3. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault +00m 01.6s
4. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari +00m 02.6s
5. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes +00m 04.3s
6. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari +00m 06.3s
7. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes +00m 06.6s
8. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes +00m 06.9s
9. Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Force India-Mercedes +00m 07.3s
10. Sebastien Buemi Switzerland Toro Rosso-Ferrari +00m 08.1s

11. Jaime Alguersuari Spain Toro Rosso-Ferrari +00m 09.1s
12. Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes-Mercedes +00m 25.7s
13. Vitaly Petrov Russia Renault-Renault +5 laps [DNF]
14. Karun Chandhok India HRT-Cosworth +8 laps [DNF]
15. Jarno Trulli Italy Lotus-Cosworth +8 laps [DNF]

Rtd Heikki Kovalainen Finland Lotus-Cosworth 58 laps completed
Rtd Bruno Senna Brazil HRT-Cosworth 58 laps completed
Rtd Rubens Barrichello Brazil Williams-Cosworth 30 laps completed
Rtd Kamui Kobayashi Japan BMW Sauber-Ferrari 26 laps completed
Rtd Lucas di Grassi Brazil Virgin-Cosworth 25 laps completed
Rtd Timo Glock Germany Virgin-Cosworth 22 laps completed
Rtd Pedro de la Rosa Spain BMW Sauber-Ferrari 21 laps completed
Rtd Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes 2 laps completed
Rtd Nico Hulkenberg Germany Williams-Cosworth 0 laps completed

Fastest lap:

Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1m 15.192s lap 71

all results unofficial

Renault 2009

The Renault Formula One team have today been given the go ahead to race at the European Grand Prix in Valencia this coming weekend after a decision was reached today.

Here is the statement from the International Court of Appeal;

Reminder of the facts
On 26 July 2009, the Stewards of the Meeting suspended the competitor ING Renault F1 Team (“Renault”) from the next event in the 2009 Formula One World Championship (namely, the Grand Prix of Europe to be held in Valencia) for the following reasons:
- Renault knowingly released car N°7 (driver Fernando Alonso) from the pit stop position without one of the retaining devices for the wheel-nuts being securely in position;
- Being aware of this, Renault failed to take any action to prevent the car from leaving the pit-lane;
- Renault failed to inform the driver of this problem or to advise him to take appropriate action given the circumstances;
- This resulted in a car part detaching at turn 5 and the wheel itself detaching at turn 9.
The FFSA appealed the Stewards’ decision on behalf of Renault.

Decision
Renault admitted to the Court that it breached the Sporting Regulations, in that it failed to ensure that car no. 7 complied with the conditions for safety throughout practice and the race, and that it released the car after a pit stop when it was unsafe to do so. However, it requested the Court to reconsider the severity of the sanction imposed by the Stewards.
Having heard the arguments of the parties, the Court has decided as follows:
1. to allow the appeal and overturn the sanction imposed by the Stewards in the Contested Decision;
2. to issue a reprimand and impose a fine of $50,000 upon Renault.
The reasons for this decision will be published in a full judgment in the coming days.

Felipe Massa - Ferrari

Michael Schumacher is undergoing a rigorous fitness regime in preparation for his come back to Formula One in Valencia on the 23 August, when he replaces the injured driver Felipe Massa for the Ferrari team.

Schumacher has said on his website www.michael-schumacher.de

“I’m currently in the midst of my preparations for the upcoming race. I already lost three kilograms even if it is also important to me for to build up muscles.  So all in all, the practice is going pretty well.  I only have to admit that my neck pinches a bit. We have to get a grip on that as my health is the priority — that’s the clear arrangement made with Ferrari and with my wife too.”

As Schumacher will not be able to test the F60 due to the ban on in-season testing, the 40-year-old has taken to the Lonato circuit in Italy in a kart.

Schumacher said;

“Karting has a very good training effect, that is why today I just jumped into a testing day of the Tony Kart team in Lonato.  There is nothing better for my preparations at the moment – in terms of steering wheel forces for example, karting is even more difficult than Formula One.”

He added;

“We had two very good karting days, arms, upper body, shoulders, neck — an excellent practice indeed.”

Meanwhile, Felipe Massa is making a remarkable recovery and after a series of tests in Sao Paulo hospital, has been told that there is no need for further surgery at this time.

The 28-year-old Brazilian, has now been told to rest at home and no time has been given of when he is likely to return to his seat in the cock-pit of the Ferrari.

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.

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.”

FIA

On Wednesday, a meeting to place in Germany involving the governing body of Formula One and the FOTA, not including of course, the two suspended team, Williams and Force India, to discuss proposals for the 2010 season.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA), issued the following statement;

“Unfortunately, no discussion was possible because FOTA walked out of the meeting.”

After a meeting in Paris last month, it appeared that the threat from FOTA to form a break-away group had been averted, however, now FOTA have said that once again the future of Formula One is again in jeopardy.

The meeting was arranged ahead of the German Grand Prix this weekend, and it’s aim was to bring together the eight FOTA members, Ferrari, McLaren, Brawn GP, Toro Rosso, Renault, Red Bull, BMW Sauber and Toyota, plus Williams and Force India and also to include the new teams coming into the sport in 2010, Campos, Manor and US F1.

Trouble arose when the FOTA members were told that they had no voting rights as they had not yet fully entered for 2010, meaning that the remaining five groups were the only ones with a right to vote as they were the only confirmed members for the following year.

The FIA have since issued their own statement;

“During the course of this meeting, the team managers were informed by Mr Charlie Whiting of the FIA that, contrary to previous agreements, the eight FOTA teams are not currently entered into the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship and have no voting rights in relation to the technical and sporting regulations thereof.

It will be remembered that all eight active FOTA members were included on the ‘accepted’ entry list as endorsed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council and communicated by FIA press statement on June 24.

In light of these claims, the FOTA representatives requested a postponement of today’s meetings. This was rejected on the grounds that no new Concorde Agreement would be permitted before a unanimous approval of the 2010 regulations was achieved.

However, it is clear to the FOTA teams that the basis of the 2010 technical and sporting regulations was already established in Paris.

As endorsed by the by the WMSC and clearly stated in the FIA press statement of 24 June ‘the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009′.  At no point in the Paris discussions was any requirement for unanimous agreement on regulations change expressed. To subsequently go against the will of the WMSC and the detail of the Paris agreement puts the future of Formula One in jeopardy.

As a result of these statements, the FOTA representatives at the subsequent Technical Working Group were not able to exercise their rights and therefore had no option other than to terminate their participation.”

Stalemate yet again, maybe it is time for a break-away group, I, like many other fans across the world, am getting sick and tired of the political back-biting surrounding the once great sport!

Ross Brawn - Head of Brawn GP F1 Team

Rumours have been circulating for sometime about Richard Branson’s sponsorship move with Virgin from the Brawn GP Team to the new Manor Team in 2010, and an alleged email has all but confirmed it to be true.

The ‘Guardian’, has today published the email, sent by Max Mosley’s right-hand man and chief steward Alan Donnelly, stating that the deal was completed weeks ago.

The Formula One teams are said to have already sent a letter of complaint to the World Motorsport Council, concerning Donnelly and questioning a conflict of interest,  Donnelly has insisted however, that he has “no direct involvement”.

The Sheffield-based Manor F1 Team, had already raised suspicion when it was announced that they would be working with former Benetton designer Nick Wirth, head of  Wirth Research.  It was Wirth who founded the Simtek Research company alongside Max Mosley before putting his own F1 Team on the grid in 1994.

Off we go again!

FIA

It appears that a deal has today been reached amid the crisis surrounding the break-away threat of the Formula One Championship series.

Max Mosley told a news conference today;

“The basic news is that there will be no split.  There will be one championship in 2010 which is I think something we all hoped.

We’ve reached an agreement on a number of items.  In particular we’ve reached agreement on reduction of costs.  We’ve had significant help from the teams.  The objective is to get back to early 1990s levels within two years.

Now the manufacturers, that’s to say FOTA, have committed commercially until 2012… as far as the FIA is concerned the commitment is indefinite.”

The World Motor Sport Council meeting took place this morning in Paris with Mosley confirming that he will be stepping down from his post of President in October when his mandate ends.  Mosley said;

“I will now be able to look at Formula One knowing it’s peaceful and stable and be able to stop, as was always my intention, in October of this year so I won’t present myself for re-election now that we’ve got peace.”

Bernie Ecclestone said after the meeting;

“I’m obviously very, very happy that common sense has prevailed which I’ve always believed it would because the alternative was not good at all.

I’m also, I must say, very, very, very happy that the teams have come to their senses to stop spending large amounts of money.”

The FIA statement stated that;

“There will be no alternative series or championship and the rules for 2010 onwards will be the 2009 regulations as well as further regulations agreed prior to 29 April 2009.

As part of this agreement, the teams will, within two years, reduce the costs of competing in the championship to the level of the early 1990s.  The manufacturer teams have agreed to assist new entries for 2010 by providing technical assistance.

The manufacturer teams have further agreed to the permanent and continuing role of the FIA as the sport’s governing body.  They have also committed to the commercial agreement to renegotiate and extend the contract before the end of that period.

All teams will adhere to an upgraded version of the governance provisions of the 1998 Concorde Agreement.”

The official entry list for the 2010 Formula One Championship has now been released which includes the three new teams that have signed to race year, they are the Campos Meta Team, Manor Grand Prix and Team US F1.

FIA

This weekend the Formula One teams and drivers will be at Silverstone for the Santander British Grand Prix, with many fans attending to see the British reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren, but it could also be a very sad day for the sport.

The latest deadline for the 2010 budget cap agreement is this Friday, 19th June, it appears that the crisis talks between the governing body and the teams are now at a stalemate.

After a failed meeting yesterday, the FIA have today issued a statement confirming that they are not willing to discuss regulations.  The statement read;

“Unfortunately, the FOTA representatives announced that they had no mandate to discuss the FIA’s 2010 financial regulations. Indeed, they were not prepared to discuss regulation at all.”

As a result, the meeting could not achieve its purpose of comparing the FIA’s rules with the FOTA proposals with a view to finding a common position.

In default of a proper dialogue, the FOTA financial proposals were discussed but it became clear that these would not be capable of limiting the expenditure of a team which had the resources to outspend its competitors. Another financial arms race would then be inevitable.

The FIA Financial Regulations therefore remain as published.”

The FOTA are rejecting the agreement for an optional £40million budget cap, aimed at helping smaller teams suffering in the economic crisis and also to assist new team wanting to enter the sport.

Ferrari, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull, BMW Sauber, McLaren and Toro Rosso,  have all threatened to walk away from Formula One and create a break-away group.

There is now only three-days to go and neither party seem any nearer to reaching an agreement.  If the teams fail to sign by the deadline then their names will be removed from the 2010 official entry list and are likely to be replaced by a host of newcomers eagerly waiting in the wings.

Brabham BT30 from 1970

It has been revealed that more teams have lodged paperwork to join the grid for the Formula One Championship in 2010.

As it stands, all ten teams in the current championship have provisionally signed for the following season, subject to a suspension of the budget cap and the rules remaining unchanged for 2010.

The Williams team are the only runners who has signed the agreement without conditions, which saw them given a suspension from FOTA.

Max Mosley, the FIA president, has said;

“We make the rules, We have done for 60 years and we are going to continue to do it.”

One of the new teams emerging as an entrant for next season is the Brabham Grand Prix Team, now owned by German businessman Franz Hilmer.

Another is a Spanish team Epsilon Euskadi, who’s boss Joan Villadelprat, is claiming to have the funding for the next four seasons.

The FIA is to announce the 2010 entry list on June 12th and have said there is room for 13 teams in total, therefore, if the nine teams who have provisional signed for next season decide to pull out, there will be plenty of other teams to take their places on the grid.

Mosley allegedly told the Switzerland Motorsport Aktuell when asked about the stand-off by the rebellious teams;

“What I would say to them is that if they want to write the rules, they should organise their own championship”.