Vettel got off to a flying start and took the lead on the first lap and went on to win his 10th race this season.

With both the Driver’s and the Constructor’s Championship already won this season Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull still have one record still in their sights.  Vettel has already been likened to fellow countryman Michael Schumacher and if he can win the remaining three races in India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil he will equal Schumacher’s record 13 wins in a single season.

Over the past few seasons the FIA have attempted to address criticism aimed at F1 being dull and races becoming predictable with less overtaking and thrills.  But next season it will be up to the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso and McLaren and Ferrari to catch the 24 year old Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull team.

Fernando Alonso - Ferrari 2010

Fernando Alonso crossed the line to take the chequered flag at the F1 German Grand Prix yesterday after Felipe Massa was forced to follow orders from his team, and moved across to let him pass.

The Ferrari team have been fined $100,000 due to a breach in regulations with the case now being referred to the FIA World Motorsport Council for further consideration.

Massa shot past Sebastian Vettel at the outside of turn one while his team-mate took the inside line and was forced wide by the Red Bull as the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton slotted into fourth place.

At the end of the first lap Sebastian Buemi was back in the pits for a new rear wing while Adrian Sutil was also in for a new nose cone.  Jarno Trulli was forced to retire from the race after suffering a gearbox problem on the Lotus as the Force India cars were seen re-entering after it was discovered that the drivers had both been given each others tyres.

Lewis Hamilton had managed to get ahead of Mark Webber after passing him on the inside of the hairpin on the opening lap with Jenson Button sitting in sixth place.

As the race settled down and the front runners had made their first stops it was clear that Massa was struggling on his new harder compound tyres as he was put under pressure from Alonso who attempted a pass on lap 20.  Massa then put in a number of quick laps, creating a 3 second gap before the second Ferrari driver responded and was back on his tail.

It looked that Massa was going to take his first win since his horrific accident 12-months before until he was radioed by his race engineer Rob Smedley informing the Brazilian that “Fernando is faster than you, confirm that you understand”.

On lap 49, Massa was seen to slow down, allowing Alonso to pass him before his engineer once again came on the radio to apologise, making it obvious to all that this had been team orders.

Alonso crossed the line to take the flag, 4 seconds ahead of his unhappy team-mate followed by the Red Bull of Vettel in third.

The two McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button finished in fourth and fifth places respectively ahead of Webber who had suffered with an oil problem the entire race.

Robert Kubica was in seventh position followed by the two Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished in eighth and ninth place while Renault driver Vitaly Petrov completed the top ten drivers of the day.

Here are the results;

1. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 67laps 1hr 27m 38.864s
2. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari +00m 04.1s
3. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault +00m 05.1s
4. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes +00m 26.8s
5. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes +00m 29.4s
6. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault +00m 43.6s
7. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault +1 lap
8. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes +1 lap
9. Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes-Mercedes +1 lap
10. Vitaly Petrov Russia Renault-Renault +1 lap

all results unofficial

Williams FW32 - 2010

It has now been confirmed that the crash suffered by the Williams F1 driver Rubens Barrichello at the Monaco Grand Prix was in fact caused by a loose manhole cover.

Barrichello had been running in tenth place when he was seen losing control of his car as he headed to Massanet, and it has now been revealed that this was caused by the cover at turn 2.  The cover had come loose and spun up as the Brazilian drove over it, hitting the rear left wheel of the FW32.

Barrichello was lucky to have escaped the incident without injury but the car was severely damaged and the accident has now been reported to the FIA.

BMW Sauber

It has been confirmed by the FIA today that the Sauber Team will be on the grid for the start of the 2010 season, taking the thirteenth slot in place of Toyota.

After BMW’s late decision to sell the team back to the founder Peter Sauber in the Summer, it was all depending on whether the team would be have their application accepted.  As problems arose with the teams original deal with Qadbak, time was running-out until the announcement that the Toyota team would be quitting at the end of the 2009 season.

A statement from the FIA read;

“The FIA has written to inform BMW Sauber AG that their application for an entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship has been successful.

Subject to their signing the Concorde Agreement, BMW Sauber will be awarded the 13th entry in the Championship, taking the place of the departing Toyota team.

The FIA has worked closely with the Commercial Rights Holder and the teams involved over recent weeks and is grateful for their support in achieving the best outcome for the sport.”

FIA

The FIA have now published the 2010 Formula One entry list, featuring only twelve of the expected thirteen teams to line-up on the grid.  The Toyota team are formally bound to put a team forward for the 2010 season by the Concorde Agreement but an announcement concerning their participation in next years championship is expected soon.

McLaren Mercedes
1 Jenson Button (GB)
2 Lewis Hamilton (GB)

Brawn Mercedes Benz*
3 Nico Rosberg (D)
4 TBA

Red Bull Racing Renault
5 Sebastian Vettel (D)
6 Mark Webber (AUS)

Ferrari
7 Felipe Massa (BR)
8 Fernando Alonso (E)

Williams Cosworth
9 Rubens Barrichello (BR)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (D)

Renault
11 Robert Kubica (PL)
12 TBA

Force India Mercedes
14 Adrian Sutil (D)
15 Vitantonio Liuzzi (I)

STR Ferrari
16 Sebastien Buemi (CH)
17 TBA

Lotus Cosworth
18 TBA
19 TBA

Campos Dallara
20 TBA
21 Bruno Senna (BR)

US F1 Cosworth
22 TBA
23 TBA

Virgin Cosworth
24 Timo Glock (D)
25 TBA

*The Brawn McLaren team are expected to change their name to the Mercedes Grand Prix Team

Jean Todt

Jean Todt, former Ferrari boss has been confirmed as the new president of the FIA for the next four-years after winning the majority of the votes. Todt won 135 votes compared to the 49 for his rival, the former rally champion Ari Vatanen in Friday’s election of the General Assembly in Paris and was said to be delighted.

The 63-year-old replaces Max Mosely with the former president fulling supporting the Frenchman in his campaign.  Todt said at a news conference;

“I like action, I like to make things go forward and I am really happy to see that so many countries chose me but everything is yet to be done.

The day the election is over everybody must share the same goals, including those who did not support me,  I am not closing the door to anybody.

I want to nominate commissioners because I am not intending to run Formula One as a first person.  I don’t want to underestimate the problems but success in my career has always been to have the right people in my teams.”

Flavio Briatore

Today the Renault F1 team appeared at the FIA World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris to face charges concerning the deliberate crash of Nelson Piquet at the Singapore Grand Prix 2008.

The Renault team were given a two-year ban, suspended until 2011 with the statement from the FIA stating;

“The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1’s breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity.  Renault F1’s breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself.  The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship.  However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1’s disqualification until the end of the 2011 season. The World Motor Sport Council will only activate this disqualification if Renault F1 is found guilty of a comparable breach during that time.

In addition the World Motor Sport Council notes Renault F1’s apology and agrees that the team should pay the costs of the investigation. It also accepts the offer of a significant contribution to the FIA’s safety work”.

Flavio Briatore has been banned from the sport for an indefinite period;

“As regards Mr. Briatore, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for an unlimited period, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever. It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Briatore access to any areas under the FIA’s jurisdiction.  Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr. Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr. Briatore. In determining that such instructions should be applicable for an unlimited period, the World Motor Sport Council has had regard not only to the severity of the breach in which Mr. Briatore was complicit but also to his actions in continuing to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence”.

Pat Symonds, was given a five-year ban;

As regards Mr. Symonds, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for a period of five years, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Symonds in any capacity whatsoever. It hereby instructs, for a period of five years, all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Symonds access to any areas under the FIA’s jurisdiction. In determining that such instructions should be effective for a period of five years the World Motor Sport Council has had regard: (i) to Mr. Symonds’ acceptance that he took part in the conspiracy; and (ii) to his communication to the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council that it was to his “eternal regret and shame” that he participated in the conspiracy.

Fernando Alonso attended the meeting today and was thanked for his cooperation in the enquiries by the World Motor Sport Council, who stated that the Spaniard was in no way involved in the Renault breach of regulations.

Nelson Piquet Jr. had been given immunity in relation to the incident for volunteering his evidence in the case.

Flavio Briatore Congratulating Fernando Alonso In Monaco 2009

It has been confirmed that both Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have both left the Renault F1 Team today and have said that they will not be contesting the charges of the fixed crash at the Singapore race, where they are accused of ordering driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash.

In a statement issued the team said;

“The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix,” the team said in a statement;

“It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, have left the team.

Before attending the hearing before the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris (on September 21), the team will not make any further comment.”

Both of the accused are due to face the Governing body’s World Motor Sport Council on Monday 21st September, to answer charges of bringing the F1 sport into disrepute, which if found guilty could force the Renault team out of the series.

John Player Special F1 Lotus

One of the new teams lined-up to be on the grid for the 2010 Formula One World Championship is the ‘Lotus F1 Team’, announced today by the FIA.

The Malaysian-owned team had applied for the final entry onto the grid after the BMW Sauber team decided to quit at the end of this season and will be given their garage on the pit lane.

While the BMW Sauber team, who were ready to pull out of the series at the end of 2009, are reported to have found a buyer for the team.

According to the BMW official announcement, Qadbak Investments Ltd have agreed to purchase the team, however, the team have no confirmed entry onto the grid for next season despite being offered support from the FIA.

The FIA statement read;

“The FIA believes that a good case can be made for expanding the grid to 14 teams. The FIA will be consulting urgently with the existing teams regarding the introduction of an appropriate rule change to expand the grid to 28 cars in time for the first Grand Prix in 2010.”

According to reports, the 14th slot for BMW Sauber, will allow them to fill any vacancies that arise on the 2010 grid, so unless the FIA are successful in implementing an initiative to increase the grid to 14 teams they are more likely to be on the side-lines rather than the grid.

Nelson Piquet Jr.

Nelson Piquet is adamant that he was instructed to crash his Renault Formula One car at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, in order to help his team-mate Fernando Alonso’s race strategy.

Piquet allegedly claims that he agreed to the crash at a pre-race meeting between himself, Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds, as he believed it was within his interests to do so.

Today a copy of the statement sent to the FIA back in July , said to be from Nelson Piquet Jr. appeared on a website.  The statement claims that Briatore even told the Brazilian driver, which corner to crash on to cause the safety car deployment.

The hearing for the case is set to take place on September 21st in Paris, with Bernie Ecclestone already warning that if found guilty, there would be serious consequences for both Piquet and the Renault team.