Happy New Year everyone 2011 Woooo Wooo Wooo!

I would just like to say Happy New Year to everyone! Happy 2011!

I hope 2011 brings you all happiness!

www.topendmotors.co.uk

Speed Camera Data to be Published

The speed cameras with the highest conviction rates or number of accidents could be routinely published, under government plans.  Read more at Topendmotors.co.uk

Pirelli concludes final test of the season

Formula One's new tyre supplier Pirelli completed a five-day test in Bahrain just before Christmas, the circuit that will host the opening round of 2011. Pedro de la Rosa and Romain Grosjean were behind the wheel of a Toyota TF109.

In Bahrain De la Rosa and Grosjean completed nearly 3,000 kilometres over the five days at the Bahrain International Circuit. Pirelli has now completed more than 10,000 kilometres of private testing.

The Bahrain test focused on refining both the compound and construction of the Italian company’s new tyres, based on the feedback given by all the teams after the official Abu Dhabi test. All four of the slick compounds that will be offered to the teams next year were tested: super-soft, soft, medium and hard, with extremely positive results. 

Bahrain was chosen as a test venue because of the warm local conditions in the region of 25 degrees centigrade, which are difficult to find anywhere else at this time of year. But while Europe was sheltering from some heavy snowstorms, Bahrain was affected by a different kind of storm: a sandstorm that temporarily halted the running for two days. 

Despite this unexpected setback, the Pirelli Formula One Team was able to extend the length of time in which it stayed in Bahrain, ensuring that all the work scheduled was completed without compromise. 

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery, who was present at the test, commented: “I think this goes to show that, wherever you are in the world, uncertain weather can arrive in a variety of forms! But Formula One is all about expecting the unexpected, and we were able to quickly react to these changing circumstances by extending our test. With the extra time we had, we were probably able to put in a little bit more work than we had originally planned, so everything worked out very well in the end.

“We ran through our entire dry tyre range, and to have reached the point where we are at now, just five months after the F1 tyres ran for the very first time at Mugello in August, is an incredible testimony to the commitment and capability shown by every member of our team. We ran two drivers in order to compare two different sets of feedback, and the fact that they were both saying the same positive things at the end of the test only underlines the progress that we have made. There’s still some work to do, but we can head into 2011 with confidence.” 

Pirelli only has a short winter break before testing resumes again in the New Year. The Toyota will be in action once more at Bahrain from January 9-10, before moving onto a three-day test in Abu Dhabi from January 15-18.

Coulthard to replace Legard?

BBC's Formula 1 team could see a changed line-up in 2011 as commentator Jonathan Legard could be replaced by former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard. The Scotsman joined the BBC as trackside pundit following his retirement from single-seater racing at the end of 2008.

Speaking about his position within the BBC team, he told British newspaper The Sun: “I've had talks about what I could be doing within the show. They are finalising things.”

The BBC has, as yet, not been able to confirm Coulthard as Legard's replacement - a spokesman said: “We're still looking at our line-up.”

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone

New Car Care How To's

Top End Motors has new How To's listed on their forum.
This forum articles have videos with people talking about the subject of cleaning your car, cleaning the interior of your car, how to change a tyre/wheel.

A great video on cleaning your car is presented by Tiff Needell, who as you may know from last nights BBC Top Gear season opener, has replaced "The Stig".

Visit www.topendmotors.co.uk and view these great car care forum articles.

Montezemolo pans Massa performance

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has criticised Felipe Massa’s performance in the second half of 2010, saying it often seemed as if he had sent his brother to drive for him.

Returning from the head injuries he sustained in his horrific 2009 crash in Hungary, Massa started the season competitively, but ultimately was completely overshadowed by Ferrari’s new star signing Fernando Alonso.

While Alonso vied for the title until the final round in Abu Dhabi, Massa finished a distant sixth in the standings, scoring 108 fewer points than his team-mate.

Many observers felt Massa’s motivation never recovered from the German Grand Prix controversy in July, when he ceded the lead to Alonso after receiving a radio message that the FIA later judged was an implied instruction.

Speaking to Italian journalists at a pre-Christmas dinner, di Montezemolo echoed the view that Massa lost interest in the latter part of the campaign.

“At a certain point in the season Felipe was fed up and sent his brother,” Montezemolo was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“For this Felipe gets 7-. For Alonso, in his first season in Ferrari, I give him 9 and a half. But unfortunately even he didn’t win.”

Di Montezemolo also played down rumours that he might leave the helm of Ferrari to go into Italian politics.

“Let me do my work, I’m so happy that we have lots to do here at Ferrari, lots and lots,” he said, adding that there were no plans to float Ferrari on the stock market.

STR to launch new car on Feb 1st

Scuderia Toro Rosso has announced that it will launch its 2011 Formula 1 car on Tuesday 1st February.

The STR6 will be unveiled at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit on the same day that official testing gets underway after the winter hiatus.

Sauber has already announced plans to present its 2011 challenger on the last day of January, also at Valencia.

New f1 forum needs fans, members

There is a new F1 forum that has been launched and needs members, if you like horse racing or horse power its the place for you.

Help develop this community into something great.

Just visit: http://www.horse-master.co.uk

Ferrari to launch new car in late January - Montezemolo

Ferrari's 2011 car will be launched officially in the week proceeding the first group winter test at the end of January. 

That was one of the revelations made by Luca di Montezemolo on Tuesday as he met with the Italian press at Fiorano for a traditional pre-Christmas media event. 

The Ferrari president said the F10's successor will be launched on January 25-31 -- before the first test of the pre-season at Valencia. 

Asked to sum up the season, he told reporters: "We were disappointed, there's no point denying it. 

"But, realistically, it was more bitter in 2008, when Felipe Massa crossed the finish line as world champion. 

"From 1997 onwards, except 2005 and 2009, we have either won or lost at the last race. The opponents - Williams, McLaren, Renault, Red Bull - always change, only Ferrari is there," said Montezemolo. 

Asked to give a report card for the 2010 drivers Massa and Fernando Alonso, he answered: "9 and a half to Alonso. He did not win, but (the score is) from the point of view of results, character and relationship with the team. 

"Less than a 7 for Felipe Massa. For some reason with have a problem with the brothers of our drivers arriving during the season," he smiled. 

"It happened with Schumacher, Raikkonen and now Massa. I think Felipe got a bit tired mid-season and went home, sending his brother to drive," joked the Italian. 

"He gets a minus-7 but he has promised to come back next year."
As for Ferrari: "8. You do not get full marks when you don't win, but it was an exceptional year for commitment and determination," he said. 

On Formula One, Montezemolo vowed to "fight for common sense, for races on circuits (not streets) and to have not more than 19 races, preferably 18", he revealed. 

"And to have three cars. Better to have a third car with a competitive team than a team that cannot even do GP2," the 63-year-old charged. 

"I think it's common sense and Bernie Ecclestone agrees. Who (would run the third Ferrari)? A small but competitive team." 

Montezemolo hailed 2010 as Mark Webber's "best season with a competitive car". 

But he played down the possibility of shock personnel changes for 2011, hinting only that "some adjustments" to the team will be announced before the new season. 

As for the possibility of his near future being in politics, Montezemolo insisted: "The confidence vote (of the Italian parliament)? No comment. 

"Let me do my job," he added when pressed. "I'm so glad we have many, many things to do here at Ferrari."

Schumacher defends comeback choice

Michael Schumacher has defended his motivation for returning to Formula 1 this year, and says he still feels positive about his comeback despite suggestions that his middling form is sullying his legendary reputation.

In his first year back after a three-season absence, Schumacher rarely looked like the driver who dominated the sport for much of the 1990s and 2000s, winning a record seven titles along the way.

He was outpaced by Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg this year and made some uncharacteristic errors, but did show flashes of better form later in the season.

But in an interview with CNN, Schumacher said the most important thing was that he was enjoying being back on the grid.

“I feel I have the right to do what I enjoy,” he said.

“Whether I put in dispute my reputation, I just feel good about my decision and I have so much support from people.”

But despite clearly enjoying being back in the cockpit, Schumacher underlined that he was serious about winning again and not just racing for personal amusement.

“I certainly want to make it a successful return,” he declared.

“I'm only happy if I'm back on the winning road with the team.

“This is what I'm working for, this is the joy of the passion for Formula 1.”

He is confident that even though Mercedes didn't deliver a winning car in 2010, it has the capability to repeat the success its forerunner Brawn GP achieved in ’09.

“It's certainly not as successful as I thought initially and many other people have thought,” Schumacher said of his 2010 campaign.

“But then having such a strong group and team behind, Mercedes pushing it so hard, I have no doubt about success in the future.”

2011 to equal 40-year-old 'most F1 champions' record

2011 will be the first season in four decades in which no fewer than five world champions line up on the grid.

Among new champion Sebastian Vettel's rivals next season will be former title winners Jenson Button (2009), Lewis Hamilton (2008), Fernando Alonso (2005-6) and Michael Schumacher

(1994-5 and 2000-4).

The only previous occasion on which the F1 grid boasted five active world champions was 1970, when Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart were all racing.
And that season's ultimately posthumous world champion Jochen Rindt was killed at Monza in September.

There have never been six active world champions all still driving in F1 at the same time.
But if 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen had returned to F1 from rallying, and Jacques Villeneuve had successfully formed his own team in collaboration with Durango, there might be no fewer than 7 world champions on the 2011 grid.

On a 24 car grid, that would represent almost 30 per cent of the entire field.

FIA Gala 2010 - F1 Season Highlights

“Bernie: The biography of Bernie Ecclestone” reviewed

This new biography of Bernie Ecclestone hit the shelves last Friday after a five-year delay in its publication.
Originally planned as an “authorised” biography, Ecclestone withdrew his endorsement of the book and it is now considered ‘unauthorised’.

On top of that, another new biography of F1′s 80-year-old tycoon is expected in just two months’ time. So should you shell out for the nearly-authorised version or wait for the next one?

“Bernie” was written by Susan Watkins whose relationship with Ecclestone goes back almost three decades. She is the wife of Professor Sid Watkins who was F1′s safety and medical delegate from 1978-2005.

Having written biographies of several historical figures, this subject marks something of a departure for her in that he is still around to be interviewed.

Not that this necessarily means the notoriously evasive Ecclestone would be more forthcoming than Elizabeth I or Mary Queen of Scots might be if you tried to interview them today.

However Watkins’ access to Ecclestone has helped her gain more first-hand material than can be found in the first major work on him, Terry Lovell’s 2004 book “Bernie’s Game” (updated and re-released as “Bernie Ecclestone: King of Sport” in 2008).

This has yielded plenty in the way of reminiscences and amusing anecdotes. But on the hard details of pivotal deals Ecclestone seems as hard to pin down as ever.
What we get is a more fleshed-out portrait of Ecclestone the person: his working-class upbringing, relationships with key figures, family life and so on.

For several years Ecclestone was wearing two hats (at minimum) as the head of a world championship-winning F1 team and the leader of the Formula One Constructors’ Association through which he and Max Mosley waged their infamous battles with the sport’s governing body. The book is split into two parts along these lines.

Among the more light-hearted moments include Ecclestone and Mosley winding up FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre by ringing him up and pretending to be Nelson Mandela.

Perhaps inevitably, this book presents a more sympathetic view of Ecclestone than that which has gone before. The cheeky, wisecracking character that comes across here is somewhat removed from the hard-edged figure in Lovell’s book. You get the impression that the real Ecclestone lies somewhere between the two.

In the opening pages Watkins quotes Ecclestone admitting “I’ve hurt people”. But when you get into the meat of the book those quoted seem more frustrated at their inability to stop him getting the better of them than bearing a serious grudge. At times it feels like punches have been pulled.

That doesn’t stop it from being the most illuminating and revealing book on Ecclestone’s life published so far. Never before have we has as detailed a portrait of the man who has made an art of ducking questions and frustrating interviewers.

Another book on Ecclestone is set for publication by Faber and Faber in February. It’s written by Tom Bower, who has made a name for himself with a series of revealing biographies of public figures including Gordon Brown, Mohammed Al-Fayed and Richard Branson. In July last year he won a legal battle with Richard Desmond over a claim made about him in a biography of Conrad Black.

Expect Bower’s “No angel: The secret life of Bernie Ecclestone” to be a very different proposition. Despite the withdrawal of his endorsement, “Bernie” may be seen as Ecclestone’s means of getting his version of events across before Bower does.

“Bernie: The biography of Bernie Ecclestone”
£19.99
Published by Haynes
ISBN 9780857330338

Renault wants commitment from Petrov

Renault team co-owner Gerard Lopez says the squad needs to see more commitment from Vitaly Petrov before it can be confident about re-signing him for 2011.

The Russian remains strong favourite for the second seat in the rebranded Lotus Renault team alongside Robert Kubica, but Lopez wants Petrov to make some changes off-track to back up his undoubted speed.

"I have always said that my preferred choice would be to keep Vitaly in the car," Lopez told Reuters.

"I think the discussion to be had with Vitaly is not one about speed - our engineers tell us that he sure has the speed to compete.

"What he doesn't show in a consistent way is the capacity to focus on a complete weekend and deliver from first practice to the end of the race on Sunday - and that's what we have to discuss with him.

"Part of the discussion is that he needs to accept a certain change in life, he needs to accept to move to the UK and be close to the factory.

"He needs to accept to be in an English-speaking environment all the time and if he accepts those things, and if we believe that through those things he can deliver consistency, then there's no question about who is going to be our second driver.

"If for some reason he thinks the things we are asking from him are not the things he wants to do, then for sure it's going to be a serious question who is going to be our second driver."

Petrov produced some superb performances during his maiden Formula 1 season, highlighting by his confident run to fifth in Hungary, but there were also occasions when he was off the pace and too many heavy crashes for Renault's liking.

"We want him to succeed," Lopez added.

"We don't want him to be a guy that comes and just shows up and drives great one weekend and then nothing.

"I think detaching a little bit from his family... it's probably going to be tough for him sometimes but it's going to be very beneficial for him in terms of his career."

Although Petrov's presence has attracted a number of Russian sponsors to Renault - and the deal for Russia to host a grand prix in 2014 is set to increase the nation's interest in F1 - Lopez underlined that if Petrov was retained it would be for performance reasons, not financial considerations, as he believes Petrov wouldn't attract any extra backing if he wasn't competing near the front.

"They don't want a Russian driver that is going to qualify 17th or 18th and race up to 15th," said Lopez.
"That is of zero interest to the Russian market and is actually perceived as negative."

2011 F1 Technical Regulations

Formula 1 Governing body FIA has published the full technical regulations for 2011 including the specifications of the driver-adjustable rear wings being introduced for next year. Several new rules aimed at curbing flexible bodywork have also been introduced.

The controversial new driver-adjustable rear wings are explained in article 3.18:

3.18.1 - When viewed from the side of the car at any longitudinal vertical cross section, the physical point of rotation of the rearmost and uppermost closed section must be fixed and located no more than 20mm below the upper extremity and no more than 20mm forward of the rear extremity of the area described in Article 3.10.2 at all times.

- The design is such that failure of the system will result in the uppermost closed section returning to the normal high incidence position.

- Any alteration of the incidence of the uppermost closed section may only be commanded by direct driver input and controlled using the control electronics specified in Article 8.2.

3.18.2 The adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed a minimum of two laps after the race start or following a safety car period.

The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics (see Article 8.2) that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled by the control electronics the first time the driver uses the brakes after he has activated the system.

The FIA may, after consulting all competitors, adjust the above time proximity in order to ensure the stated purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.3.18.1 The incidence of the rearmost and uppermost closed section described in Article 3.10.2 may be varied whilst the car is in motion provided:- It comprises only one component that must be symmetrically arranged about the car centre line with a minimum width of 708mm.

- With the exception of minimal parts solely associated with adjustment of the section, no parts of the section in contact with the external airstream may be located any more than 355mm from of the car centre line.

- With the exception of any minimal parts solely associated with adjustment of the rearmost and uppermost section, two closed sections are used in the area described in Article 3.10.2.

- Any such variation of incidence maintains compliance with all of the bodywork regulations.

 

The minimum weight of the cars has been increased to 640kg. For next year only, the FIA has set down rules on the weight distribution:

4.2 Weight distribution:

For 2011 only, the weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 291kg and 342kg respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session.

If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.

4.3 Weight of tyres:

The weight limits specified in Articles 4.1 and 4.2 will be adjusted according to any differences (rounded up to the nearest 1kg) between the total set and individual axle set weights respectively of the 2010 and 2011 dry-weather tyres.

 

Dates for your 2011 Formula 1 race calendar

March 13, Bahrain
March 27, Australia
April 10, Malaysia
April 17, China
May 8, Turkey
May 22, Spain
May 29, Monaco
June 12, Canada
June 26, Europe (Valencia)
July 10 Great Britain
July 24, Germany
July 31, Hungary
August 28, Belgium
September 11, Italy
September 25, Singapore
October 9, Japan
October 16, Korea
October 30, India
November 13 Abu Dhabi
November 27, Brazil

Kubica to contest Monte Carlo Rally

Renault driver Robert Kubica will contest the world-famous Monte Carlo Rally again next month.
The Pole, who is an avid rally fan and has entered several lower-level events between grands prix in recent years, had tried to compete in Monte Carlo last year, only for his car to fail before the start.

The Monte Carlo Rally is regarded as one of the world's toughest events, as competitors tackle unpredictable changes from dry through wet to snowy and icy mountain roads, competing both in daylight and after dark.

It is currently not a round of the World Rally Championship, but has become the blue-riband event in the second-string Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

The car Kubica will use is not currently confirmed.

He is expected to drive a Renault again, having done all his recent rallying in Clios, in which case he would not be judged against the IRC front-runners as Renault only enters cars in the smaller classes further down the field.

But Renault's major new deal with Group Lotus does raise the possibility that Kubica could use a car from Lotus' owner Proton, which runs Satrias in the IRC's top S2000 class.

The 2011 Monte Carlo Rally runs from 19-22 January

Hulkenberg fights for Force India seat

Nico Hulkenberg has set his sights on Force India as he fights to stay on the Formula 1 grid for 2011.
Along with Renault - which has strongly hinted that it will retain Vitaly Petrov - Force India is the only established team that has not yet announced its driver line-up for next season.

Incumbents Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi are thought to be strong contenders, along with reserve driver and DTM champion Paul di Resta, but Hulkenberg hopes he can convince Vijay Mallya's team to take him on instead of one of its existing trio.

"Force India is our best shot, but it is also no secret that quite a few drivers are trying to land a seat there," said Hulkenberg in an interview with the official Formula 1 website.

"We are talking to them and let’s wait and see what develops."

He said he was determined to keep fighting for a 2011 race seat rather than settling for a reserve role or looking outside F1.

"The hope is still there and I am not giving up," Hulkenberg declared.

"I hope I can give you a positive answer very soon. Hopefully before Christmas."

After a slow start to his rookie season with Williams, the former A1GP, Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 champion raised his game from the middle of the year - and underlined his talent with a stunning pole position at a damp Interlagos.

But Williams dropped him in favour of new GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado at the end of the season - a decision Hulkenberg is convinced was due to the level of personal funding that Maldonado can bring.

"Sure, it has something to do with the still-difficult global financial situation," said Hulkenberg.

"It has become much harder to find funding - sponsors are either dropping out or cutting their budget.

"Unfortunately the team has not done too well over the last couple of years and we all know that Formula 1 is a tough business environment where your performance permanently judges you.

"And if you cannot produce that performance you eventually have to look for other ways to close the budget gap."

Hulkenberg admitted that his own lack of funding was an issue as he hunted for a new seat.

"It has become much, much harder to open doors if your application does not come with a serious sponsor package and you really only rely on your talent as the sole ‘sales argument,'" he said.

"This is quite frustrating and somewhat sad - especially if you can show you have had a good season as a reference."

Trophy time for Vettel and Red Bull

Monaco was the venue for this year’s FIA Prize Giving Gala on Friday, where FIA President Jean Todt presented Sebastian Vettel, the youngest-ever Formula One world champion with the driver’s trophy.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner collected the constructor’s trophy from Formula One Management (FOM) CEO Bernie Ecclestone, while Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Mark Webber of Red Bull picked up awards for second and third place in this year’s championship.



Vettel:
"This is an amazing evening for me and for the Red Bull Racing team, I'm thrilled to be here to collect the driver's championship trophy, something I have dreamt of since I started racing. Winning the championship is unbelievable; it marks an incredible season for us, with many ups and downs. We kept believing in our team, in our car and enjoyed every race."

Vettel: Red Bull on schedule with RB7

Newly crowned Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel has revealed that Red Bull Racing should begin testing with their 2011 car, the Adrian Newey-designed RB7, right from the very first group test at Valencia in February.

In recent years the Milton Keynes-based outfit has always launched their new car quite late, but it appears the squad will take a different approach next season in a bid to improve reliability, something that was an issue at times with the RB6.

“At the moment it looks like our new car will be finished in time,” Vettel said in an interview with Die Welt. “The first tests are planned for the beginning of February at Valencia. Then we will be running each week, doing two-day tests [until Bahrain].”

Vettel meanwhile has conceded that 2011 will be a different challenge for him now he has the #1 on his car.

“It is the first time that I will be in this situation, one which I have always wanted to be in,” he added. “[But] I cannot continue in the same way as the past season.

"I will have to keep working and do everything I can to be stronger and faster. Formula 1 is not only a battle in which everyone has to build the fastest cars. There are also other things and drivers’ can make a difference - and I intend to do that,” he summed-up.

Santa springs surprise at Silverstone

Father Christmas’s first stop this year was at the world famous Northamptonshire circuit, where he treated children from Silverstone Infant and Junior schools to an extra special appearance by abseiling down the spectacular new Pit and Paddock Complex, recently named the ‘Silverstone Wing’.

The children were at Silverstone for their annual Christmas lunch. Shortly after their festive feast they jumped on a coach before heading out for a lap of the Grand Prix Circuit, following in the tyre tracks of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

On approaching the new Pit and Paddock Complex, the children were delighted to see Santa performing one of his yearly miracles. Father Christmas, complete with red coat, black boots and white beard, abseiled down the ‘Silverstone Wing’ before delivering presents to all the school children.

After Santa’s breathtaking appearance, Rachel Haywood, Deputy Head of Silverstone School, said: “The Silverstone School children have had a great time at the Circuit today. We were particularly excited to see Santa abseil off the new building.

"As in previous years, we had a tour of the circuit and a wonderful roast turkey lunch, however, Santa was a very unexpected treat for us all and a lovely surprise,” she summed-up.

F1 ENGINE RULES FROM 2013

• 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbos with energy recovery and fuel restrictions to replace current 2.4-litre normally aspirated V8s
• Fuel efficiency to increase by a target of 35%
• Overall power to remain same at approx 750bhp
• Checks and balances to ensure costs are contained and performance across all engines remains comparable
• Fuel to be limited by fuel-flow restrictions and a stipulated maximum tank capacity
• Plan for advanced 'compound' turbos to be introduced in subsequent years
• Power of Kers energy recovery systems to increase from 60kw in 2011 to 120kw in 2013

F1 chiefs drop the ban on team orders in new rules

The controversial ban on team orders has been deleted from the Formula 1 rulebook in the latest set of changes.

The rule, which forbids teams telling a driver to cede to his team-mate, came under scrutiny after Ferrari were fined for using team orders in 2010.

The adoption of moveable rear wings to aid overtaking were also confirmed in the new FIA rules for 2011 while the Kers power-boost system also returns.

The governing body also confirmed a new 'green' engine for the 2013 season.

Many team bosses predicted the ban on team orders would be dropped from the new sporting regulations after Ferrari caused an outcry by appearing to give Felipe Massa a coded message to allow Fernando Alonso through to win the German Grand Prix.

They argued the rule, which was introduced in 2002 after Rubens Barrichello gifted a win to then Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher, was difficult to enforce.

Now the rule has been removed, the teams may tacitly agree not to use team orders as much as possible while article 151.c, which refers to bringing the sport into disrepute, remains intact.

That article warns against "any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition, or to the interests of motorsport generally".

In its new regulations, the FIA aims to improve sustainability by using 'green' engines in two seasons' time.
These powerunits will be four-cylinder, 1.6 litre turbos with energy recovery systems and fuel restrictions, with the aim of increasing efficiency by 35%

The agreement to switch from the current 2.4-litre V8s after months of tough negotiations - exclusively revealed by BBC Sport last weekend - is an attempt to mirror the trend towards fuel-efficiency in road cars and to popularise it, increasing public demand for such engines.

The movable wings, which will be used from the start of next season, are an attempt to improve one of F1's perennial problems - the difficulties of overtaking.

The wings will be operated by the drivers, who will be able to use them when they are within a second of a car in front which they are trying to overtake.

The gaps between the cars will be monitored electronically by the FIA and the wings will be switched on when the driver behind is within the requisite distance.

Rule makers will monitor the way the wings work through the 2011 season and adjust them so they fit the purpose for which they were designed.

While F1 bosses want to make overtaking easier, they want it to remain a challenge.

The calculations as to when drivers should be able to employ the wings are made more complicated by the return of Kers in 2011.

Although Kers remained in the 2010 regulations the teams voluntarily agreed not to use it last season, in particular to help with cost-cutting and the arrival of the three new teams.

These systems - which store energy that would have been wasted during braking and reapply it during acceleration to give a power boost of about 80bhp for seven seconds - were first used in 2009.

The teams have decided to use them again in 2011 as a first step towards 2013, when F1 is trying to embrace sustainability.

Mercedes and Ferrari had been reluctant to agree to the 2013 engine rules as recently as a month ago, believing that it was an unnecessary expense at a time when F1 was trying to reduce costs.

And F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone has been consistent in his view that they were a bad idea.

But, as BBC Sport revealed, the rules were agreed in a series of recent meetings between F1's current engine manufacturers - which also include Renault and private company Cosworth - and the final touches were put to the regulations by a steering group of F1 engineers a week ago.

The aim is for the new rules to improve the efficiency of F1 engines by as much as 35%.

Care has been taken to ensure the performance of cars will not be affected and total power outputs will remain at current levels - approximately 750bhp. The new engines will not do more than 12,000 revs per minute - current F1 engines spin at 18,000rpm.

By adopting the regulations, F1 hopes to widen its appeal to sponsors - commercial insiders say some companies are reluctant to get involved in F1 because of its image of being wasteful with resources.

In subsequent years, complex new turbocharging technology called compounding will be introduced to further enhance efficiency.

The regulations have been framed to encourage the pursuit of efficiency in engine design, dramatically increasing the amount of power that can be produced per litre of fuel burnt.

Those lessons in efficiency can then be transferred to road cars so that considerably less fuel is used for a given amount of performance.

Invasion of the Black and Golds: Bahar says, “Four Lotus cars on grid suits me”

Tonight F1 fans are a little confused and a little concerned as they contemplate a 2011 season with four black and gold Lotus Renault cars on the track, two owned by the Enstone based Lotus Renault GP and two – in slightly different livery – owned by Norfolk based Team Lotus.

The Team Lotus entries have nothing to do with the Norfolk based Lotus Cars operation, which is a 25% shareholder in the Enstone based team.

The Team Lotus colour scheme

The two different Black and Gold liveries – both tributes to the iconic JPS Lotus colours of the 1970s – are at large on the internet at the moment.

Lotus Renault GP’s livery (below) was issued this morning by the team along with its press statement announcing the deal, while a reader has sent what appears to be a scheme for next year’s T128 Lotus with car numbers 20 and 21 (above).

Lotus Renault GP livery

Group Lotus boss Danny Bahar, who now controls 25% of the Enstone based team (livery above), went on BBC Radio Norfolk today to talk about his plans for the company. He brushed off the confusion, saying that it suits him to have four Lotus cars on the grid as it doubles his brand exposure, he’s getting free advertising from Tony Fernandes’ team – but I’m not sure we should believe him on that.

This is an unworkable situation from a business point of view, which will cause difficulty for the sponsors of both teams and they will be pressing for a resolution.

“I have nothing against it,” said Bahar. “It’s not a problem for me, four are better than two. The controversy has been mainly pushed out by Media, it’s been dealt with by our shareholders together with 1 Malaysia Team.” (the Norfolk based team)

Although they haven’t commented on the name issue, there has been some Twitter activity from key Team Lotus personnel today on the colour scheme. Technical director Mike Gascoyne Tweeted that in an online poll of Lotus fans 77% wanted them to keep the green and yellow livery, just 15% fancy the black and gold, while 4% of Lotus fans want the Gold Leaf colours of Red and gold.

“Seems pretty conclusive” was Gascoyne’s verdict on the poll.

The two sides will face each other around a table tomorrow at the F1 commission meeting, which is attended by the team principals of all F1 teams, plus circuit owners, sponsors, tyre company, FIA and Bernie Ecclestone. No doubt there will be much talk about this issue. There will also be formal moves towards the 2013 engine formula with small capacity, turbo charged eco engines.

Bahar said that in terms of drivers to partner Robert Kubica, “Our preferred choice is Vitaly Petrov, but I hope that the team will be able to announce by the end of the year the final line up.”

Michael Schumacher surprised with Nico Rosberg’s performance

Michael Schumacher surprised with Nico Rosberg’s performance

The 7-time world champion, Michael Schumacher was surprised how his teammate, Nico Rosberg was able to outperform him during the 2010 Formula Season. The German blames the technical problems in his Mercedes for the poor season he embraced this year.

The 41-year-old has returned to Formula One after a period of three years as he announced retirement from the sport in 2007. The man, who is statistically the most successful driver of all times, believes that his poor performance this year is majorly because of the unsuitable car for him. The driver has neither won any of the 19 races of this season, nor had he been successful in bagging a podium. The best finish of the season seen by the driver was at 4^th place at the Korean Grand Prix while he wrapped the Japanese round at sixth place.

Having 72 points under his belt, the driver stands at 9^th pace in the drivers’ championship while his teammate and fellow country man, Rosberg, was successful in earning 142 points, finishing the season at 7^th place.
  

Before announcing his retirement after the 2006 season, the driver won seven World titles, winning four consecutively from 2000 to 2004. After finishing the 2006 season at a place behind, Fernando Alonso, who had his second world championship, the racing icon decided to retire. However, Schumacher’s oldest friend and one of the most successful team principals of Formula One, Ross Brawn embraced the driver in his team whole heartedly.

The German while talking to the media earlier today said, "The fastest driver is a reference for the other one, you see the data of how he drives, but it didn't work quite so well in the other car. Looking back, there were a few things (wrong) with my car. The exhaust got so hot that sometimes the underside of the car burnt or the F-Duct (a system to help the airflow) was triggered in parts of the track where it shouldn't have been."

Such technical problems with Schumacher’s car were witnessed earlier this year at the Belgian and Japanese Grand Prix, where the F-Duct of the car gave a lot of trouble to him on the track.

The driver now explained saying that he was facing several problems with his car all through the year but he preferred talking about it to the team behind closed doors instead of announcing publicly.

He further revealed that voices were raised behind closed doors at Mercedes’ all through the year as he voiced his frustration at team management. Especially the team Principal Ross Brawn has absorbed a lot of his anger and dissatisfaction, assuring him that the team will provide him a far better car for the upcoming season.
"I had no problems with Nico, but I told Norbert and Ross that it was time to find explanations," said Schumacher.

However, as the team and drivers get ready for next season, the racing icon Schumacher says that he is looking forward for a better season ahead. He is adamant to enter the new season leaving all the problems of this season behind as they move ahead for the next Drivers' Championship.

The team stopped all the development work of the 2010 car at the mid of the season turning all the focus towards the 2011 car. All the teams now expect to see a very strong Mercedes GP car as it was seen in 2009 when the squad bagged both the derivers’ as well as the constructers’ championship.

Group Lotus to become Renault title sponsors

The Renault team are set to become known as Lotus Renault GP next season after agreeing a title-sponsorship deal with Group Lotus that will run until 2017. Following the return of the Lotus name to Formula One in 2010, under licence from Group Lotus to Lotus Racing, the announcement marks the complete return of the British sportscar manufacturer to the sport, with the full backing of parent company Proton.

Group Lotus will also become major equity partners in the Renault team with current owners Genii Capital, as part of a strategic alliance between the two companies that will provide Group Lotus with significant technological and commercial opportunities for its range of road cars. Renault will continue to support the team as a supplier of engines and technological and engineering expertise.

“We are delighted that we can now go public with the news that we will be racing as Lotus Renault GP in 2011,” commented Gerard Lopez, Chairman of the Renault team. “It is extremely exciting to begin a new era for the team in partnership with Group Lotus, and we will continue to enjoy a strong relationship with Renault over the coming seasons. It is a tribute to the excellent work this year by the team in Enstone that we have been able to attract both major sponsorship and new investment for a very bright future.”

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: “I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than motorsport and F1 is the very pinnacle of open-wheel racing. We’re well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1 and I’m delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all: we are Lotus and we are back.”

The new partnership has been enabled by French car giant Renault selling its remaining shares in the team to Genii Capital. Group Lotus will subsequently become co-owner of the team with Genii Capital. They will continue to compete with the Renault chassis name and Renault will enjoy pre-eminent brand exposure on the car.

For 2011, the team plan to race in a new interpretation of the iconic black and gold colours that were last used when Lotus and Renault joined forces in the 1980s. This livery has been on the drawing board for over two months in order to reinterpret its iconic graphic signature to suit modern media requirements.

Lotus Racing, Tony Fernandes’ Malaysian-backed squad that returned the Lotus name to Formula One under license this season, will continue to compete next year, switching from Cosworth to Renault power. The 2011 championship entry list published by the FIA last week listed them under the team name of Team Lotus.

Formula One Special: Bernie Ecclestone's 'franchise' to go green in 2013

Bernie Ecclestone and his men have sometimes been charged of running a multi-million dollar practice of burning fuel and rubber.

However, the FIA has finally struck an agreement with the Formula One stakeholders for an overall greener approach towards racing.

They have jointly consented for the introduction of a drastically new environment friendly engine program effective from the 2013 Formula One season.

The changes are being implemented in an attempt to replicate the growing belief of being fuel efficient. Due to rising oil prices, there has been a general change in attitude towards driving gas guzzlers and opting for a mileage-first approach towards road driving.

The sport has seen 2.4 litre V8’s powering the cars on track for some time now. However, the engines for 2013 shall be 1.6 litres in capacity. However, to make up for the loss of power, turbo chargers will be introduced along with energy recovery system and fuel restrictors.

It has been reported that while the greener cars will be able to retain the same 750 brake horse power, they would arguably be twice as efficient on fuel as the 24 cars that were seen going round the Abu Dhabi circuit this season.

The CEO of the six decade old sport, Bernie Ecclestone, on the other hand, was a touch sceptical over the new approach. He said:

“We have a very good engine formula. Why should we change it to something that is going to cost millions of pounds and that nobody wants and that could end up with one manufacturer getting a big advantage?"

Ecclestone’s might have a point there. Playing the green card might enable the sport to make a couple of environmentalist friends however, initial cost of the change is too high.

Spending so heavily for ‘fixing the unbroken’ seems to be a pointless venture. He further pointed out that the new technology opens a whole new window of opportunities for the elite constructors of Formula One. Not only does it enable them to drive out competition from mid-table teams but also provides them room for exploiting the rulebook – The F-duct system anyone?!

Formula One just experienced, arguably, its most competitive season and perhaps it would be a wise option to continue with the current settings. However, those that call this period of ‘consolidation’ as monotonous would beg to differ with Mr. Bernie Ecclestone.

As a faithful viewer of the sport however, we'll just have to wait...

Ecclestone under fire over watch advert

The battered face of F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is to feature on a new advert for the Swiss watch maker Hublot following his mugging in London last month - although the decision hasn't met with universal approval.

Ecclestone’s Hublot watch was amongst items stolen when he was attacked in Knightsbridge having left his office along with Brazilian girlfriend Fabiana Flosi.

Following the attack, Ecclestone was left with severe facial bruising and the battered face of the 80-year-old will now adorn a Hublot advert along with the tag-line ‘See what people will do for a Hublot’.

However, the advert – which is featuring in a number of British newspapers – has been attacked by victim support, despite Ecclestone giving his consent for the image to be used and insisting it was a ‘protestation against violence that we are all afraid of today’.

"Everyone reacts differently to crime,” a Victim Support spokesman told the BBC. "Although it appears Bernie Ecclestone can make light of the incident and get on with his life, for many victims of mugging the impact can be devastating, leaving them fearful to leave the house and unable to move on.

"Hublot is a luxury brand which seems to be making light of crime in order to sell a product, and this advert could be seen as insensitive to victims who are not in a similar position to Bernie."

Formula One in HD in 2011

Much to everyones supprise Bernie Ecclestone mentioned to Eddie Jordan that F1 will be going into HD next season.

The problem with that is, not all the countries on the 2011 roster have the means to broadcast F1 GP's in HD.
It was a spur of the moment claim that will not be seen in F1 till after the 2011 season.

Having heard that live on BBC Sport programming, the BBC soon had the last few races of the season "Upscaled" on the BBC HD channel.

The upscaled quality was not bad at all, but it was a waste of time when trying to read the blurred onscreen text and cars whizzing by without knowing which driver it is.

So c'mon BBC dont fob us off with third rate HD programming. And Bernie give us a realistic time when HD quality will be available for all F1 races all over the world.

Webber: No need to tell team about shoulder

Red Bull's Mark Webber has defended his decision not to tell Team Principal Christian Horner about the shoulder injury he sustained prior to the Japanese Grand Prix, and has said the reason he kept quiet is because it didn’t affect his performance behind the wheel of the RB6.

News that the Aussie was nursing a fracture to his right shoulder during the final four grand’s prix, broke this week when his new book, 'Up Front - 2010, A Season To Remember', went on sale in his home country.

Webber, who eventually lost out on the title and finished third in this years’ championship, told his personal website though, that it only generated so much press interest as it must have been ‘a fairly quiet week news-wise’.

“A little bit of information can be a dangerous thing!” he continued. “I came off a mountain bike while training between the races in Singapore and Japan, and an X-ray revealed a small fracture to my right shoulder. I was very confident it wouldn’t affect my performance in the car, which is why I didn’t tell anyone.

“Many people will be aware that shoulder injuries can be complex but I was lucky this mishap didn’t affect my main line of work. In that sense, that was the most important thing to me.

“The shoulder wasn’t causing me a problem, so there was no need to talk about it to anyone. If I’d had any issues with it in the car, then of course I would have told the team. But that wasn’t the case. I’ve never missed a Grand Prix but of course if I couldn’t drive the car (a) safely and (b) on the limit, I would have notified the team.”

Asked if he has had an operation on his shoulder since the end of the season, as has been reported by some sources, Webber said that is not true: “No I haven’t, so I can’t imagine where those stories came from,” he continued.

“Some people have asked whether the shoulder was the reason I didn’t do the Abu Dhabi tyre test in November, but it had nothing to do with it. I was never down to do that test.”

As for why the information has only just come into the public domain, Webber explained that is what his new book is all about.

“I wanted to give the readers in Australia a closer insight to a sport that’s pretty hard for them to follow. I didn’t sit down after the season had finished with hindsight goggles on and pick and choose what went into it. We did it at the time after each race,” he added.

“It [the injury] is something that happened to me, it was part of my journey this season, so that’s why it’s in there.”

Max Mosley: Two or three teams could go in 2011

Former FIA President Max Mosley has warned Formula One’s powers-that-be that much more needs to be done to cut costs and he has predicted that two or three teams could quit in 2011 unless something is done to address the issue.

Mosley has long campaigned for commonsense when it comes to team expenditure and while various measures have been taken - including curbing testing for example, he doesn’t think they have gone far enough.

“A crisis threatens F1,” Mosley said in an interview with Die Welt this week. “At the moment we are celebrating a great season. But the future looks bleak.

“In 2011 you will need 100 million dollars to compete. 30 or 40 million will come from Bernie Ecclestone and perhaps 20 or 25 million will be from sponsors or a pay driver. I think around six teams are asking themselves where they will get the rest from. The FIA cannot afford to lose any more teams. It is possible two or three teams could quit.

“In January 2008 I warned that without cost reduction it wouldn’t just be the small teams that would have problems, but also the manufacturers. That forecast happened. Honda, BMW, Toyota and Renault quit because the budgets were spiralling out of control. It is like that today still and that concerns me.” 

Mosley meanwhile was also critical with how F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has continued to expand the schedule.

Next year F1 will feature a record 20 races with India joining the fold and with the USA and Russia also set to join in the next few years, costs will be pushed up even more.

“For me, personally it is too such,” Mosley added. “In my opinion that is too many Sunday afternoon’s people will have to align to follow F1.

“It will become annoying and if you miss one race, it might become a habit and then it will snowball and affect the ratings.”

Nigel Mansell: Mercedes could be joker in pack F1 2011

Mercedes Grand Prix could spring a few surprises next season and be right up there pushing the likes of Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and McLaren, that is the prediction of 1992 Formula One World Champion, Nigel Mansell.

Speaking at the BRDC awards in London this week, Mansell also added that he doesn’t think it can yet be said that Michael Schumacher was wrong to comeback with the ‘Silver Arrows’.

"At the end of 2011 if Michael hasn't won and the team haven't given him the car to demonstrate how good he is and how great he is, then maybe it might have been the wrong decision [to return],” Mansell told ESPNF1.com.

“But I think now he should be back with all the same feelings he had before he left. The development over this winter will give Ross Brawn the time and the team to energize everything they need.

“They have had a couple of showings where the car has demonstrated a better turn of speed. So they could be the joker in the pack next year and do something very special."

Autosport Awards 2010 Results

Autosport Awards Results

Award	Winner
British Club Driver of the Year	Tom Blomqvist
National Driver of the Year	Jason Plato
AUTOSPORT.com Rookie of the Year	Kamui Kobayashi
LG Moment of the Year	Heikki Kovalainen extinguishes his burning Lotus
AUTOSPORT Pioneering and Innovation Award	McLaren F-duct
AUTOSPORT John Bolster Award	Bridgestone
AUTOSPORT John Bolster Award	Chip Ganassi
Rally Car of the Year	Citroen C4 WRC
International Rally Driver of the Year	Sebastian Loeb
Racing Car of the Year	Red Bull RB6
AUTOSPORT Gregor Grant Award	Rubens Barrichello
AUTOSPORT Gregor Grant Award	Sir Jackie Stewart
British Competition Driver of the Year	Dario Franchitti
International Racing Driver of the Year	Sebastian Vettel
McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award	Lewis Williamson

 

Horner “disappointed” Webber didn’t inform him of broken shoulder

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has admitted that his driver Mark Webber should have told him about the shoulder fracture he suffered before the Japanese Grand Prix this season.

Yesterday morning JA on F1 broke the story that Webber had driven the last four races of the season with a broken shoulder. The 34 year old made the admission in his new book that he suffered a second mountain bike accident in two years resulting in a fractured shoulder, ironically the first time he’d been on a mountain bike since his collision with a vehicle in Tasmania.

Horner said that there was no visible drop off in Webber’s performance to suggest an injury and he didn’t suspect anything

“I didn’t even know about the book, let alone the shoulder,” Horner said.

“It is obviously disappointing that Mark said nothing. It was an injury that did not appear to have any effect on his performance but all the same it would have been nice to know about it.”

It is unlikely that Webber will go anywhere near a mountain bike again while he is still racing, but just in case he was tempted, Horner has issued a stong warning to steer clear, “Our drivers have an obligation to make sure they are fit, ” he said. “It seems bikes don’t agree with Mark so maybe it would be better if he stayed away from them.”

Photo: Darren Heath
Source: James Allen

Lotus to start 2011 season without KERS

Lotus

has not changed its mind about running a KERS system in 2011.
In May this year, team boss Tony Fernandes said the Norfolk-based team had "good reasons" to build the 2010 car's successor without the energy recovery technology.

Another new feature of the technical rules for 2011 is an adjustable rear wing to help boost overtaking.

"We will have the adjustable rear wing but not KERS for the start of the season - it's in development - really because of engineering resource," technical boss Mike Gascoyne told edp24.co.uk.

"Over one lap, it's still not a big plus for its effort, involvement and negatives. Strategically off the start and in races, then yes," he said.

"But at the start of the year, KERS is not going to be the thing that gives us the step up.

"It's all the other things, and we've taken the choice to concentrate on all those because if we don't get them right, KERS isn't going to make a difference."

Lotus' new engine supplier for 2011 is Renault, so Gascoyne confirmed that when the team is ready to run with KERS, it will be the French marque's unit.

"Renault are very keen on green technologies and KERS, so it's something we will be pushing," he said.

Source: Motorsport.com

Proton confirms talks for partial Renault F1 takeover

Proton intends to push ahead with a partial takeover of the Enstone based Formula One team Renault.

Previously, it was believed the Malaysian carmaker was only in talks over a potential title sponsorship, with Renault F1 to be renamed after the Proton-owned British sports car maker Group Lotus.

But Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, who is Proton's group managing director, told the Malaysian newspaper The Star that Proton is in fact negotiating to buy 25 per cent of the Renault team before the start of the 2011 season.

"Yes, that's the intent," he confirmed. "A decision will be made soon.

"We're close, just wait for a few days," added Zainal. "(The) 25 per cent (shareholding) is something that we are discussing.

"It's still too premature to disclose the exact percentage but it has to be a position where we can control our brand," he said.

Source: Motorsport.com

Mosley: Race calendar becoming too long for F1

A 20-race calendar is too long for Formula One, according to former FIA president Max Mosley.
2010's tally of 19 races was the equal-biggest in the history of the sport, and next year the rally is growing to twenty rounds.

The USA and Russia are set to join possibly more additional grands prix in the near future, moving Sir Frank Williams to recently muse that he can envisage a 22-race schedule before long.

"For me personally, it's too much," Mosley told the German newspaper Welt.

"In my opinion that's too many Sunday afternoons to expect people to dedicate to Formula One. At some point, it starts to become tiresome.

"And then if you start skipping a race here and there it can quickly become a habit and it can snowball in terms of the TV ratings," he added.

Mosley, whose successor as FIA president is the former Ferrari boss Jean Todt, is also worried that F1 team budgets are still far too high.

"In January 2008 I warned that without cost reduction it won't be only the small teams having problems," said the 70-year-old Briton.

"It has arrived: Honda, BMW, Toyota and Renault have gone because the budgets are out of proportion.

"This continues to be true and it worries me," admitted Mosley.

"There is the risk of a crisis in the short term," he insisted. "Currently, a great season is being celebrated but the future looks bleak.

"For 2011 you need $100 million, with 30 or 40 from Bernie Ecclestone, perhaps 20 to 25 from sponsors or the drivers. I'd say six teams are wondering where the rest is coming from.

"It's quite possible we'll lose two or three teams," warned Mosley.

His final act as FIA president was to entice new privateers onto the grid with very small budgets, but Lotus, Virgin and HRT have been criticised for lacking competitiveness.

"I don't agree," said Mosley. "They need to be given time to improve.

"Virgin's development has been downright revolutionary. Their car was built entirely without a wind tunnel and that's a warning for the likes of McLaren because their wind tunnels are like running a small town.

"On the other hand Virgin developed a car only with computer simulation and it's only two or three seconds slower.

"No one can argue that the huge cost of the wind tunnels is justified."

Mosley said a quick fix to the looming crisis would be a budget cap for 2012 and 2013, requiring teams to tighten their belts immediately.

Source: Motorsport.com

Di Resta better than champion Vettel - Franchitti

Paul di Resta is even better than F1's new world champion Sebastian Vettel.
That is the claim of triple Indycar title winner Dario Franchitti, who is Scot di Resta's cousin. 

Di Resta, 24, is on the cusp of his Formula One

debut, having secured the 2010 DTM title and forged a strong link with Force India by spending last season as reserve and Friday driver. 

"He definitely has the skills," 37-year-old Franchitti told Germany's Sport Bild. 

"He is one of the most talented drivers I've ever seen," he added. "He beat Vettel in the Formula 3 Euro series (in 2006). 

"Sebastian is a good driver, but Paul is better," said Franchitti. 

Di Resta told Motorsport-Magazin.com: "Sebastian and I have had some ding-dong encounters, and I hope and feel sure that we can continue this in the Formula One arena." 

Source: Motorsport.com

Heikki Kovalainen The Fireman

Heikki says: Great news we won the moment of the year award at the autosport awards! It belongs to all of my fans so thank you for voting! Fireman power!

 

Source: Twitter

Rubens Gets Award!

Congratulations to Rubens!

Circuit Profile: Australia Melbourne - Albert Park

Lap Distance: 3.295miles/5.2720km

Lap Record: Michael Schumacher 1m24.125s

Race Distance: 191.110miles/305.7760km

Number of Laps: 58

 

Melbourne has become a firm favourite of the Formula 1 fraternity since it took over from Adelaide as the home of the Australian Grand Prix in 1996.

The switch caused consternation, for Adelaide had been hugely popular both as a venue and a racetrack.
In its end-of-season position, it played host to two unforgettable championship climaxes: Nigel Mansell’s spectacular tyre blow-out in 1986 and Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill’s controversial clash in ’94.
For ’96 the race not only moved to Melbourne and a picturesque new lakeside track in Albert Park, but to the other end of the calendar, becoming the season-opener – although it is date number two on this year's calendar.
Melbourne soon proved that it could match Adelaide for thrills and spills, as the inaugural race saw Jacques Villeneuve take pole position for his first GP, and Martin Brundle escape a massive first-lap crash in which his Jordan was launched into a terrifying sequence of barrel rolls.
The high-speed layout punctuated by chicanes and dusty surface often leads to unpredictable and dramatic races, and punishes the slightest mistake with a trip into one of the ever-present concrete walls.
The safety car traditionally gets a lot of mileage at Albert Park...

Source: ITV F1

Circuit Profile: Bahrain Sakhir

Lap Distance: 3.914miles/6.2620km

Lap Record: Fernando Alonso 1m58.287

Race Distance: 191.786miles/306.8580km

Number of Laps: 49

 

Formula 1 entered uncharted territory when it came to Bahrain for its first ever event in the Middle East in 2004.

Both Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Max Mosley had long been keen to push the sport beyond its traditional European roots, and the addition of a race in a Gulf state was near the top of their wish list.
Despite fears that sand would play havoc with both engines and grip levels, the Sakhir track’s desert location has been more of an incongruous backdrop for grand prix racing than an impediment of any kind.
The circuit itself follows the template created by now famous track designer Hermann Tilke, featuring long straights leading into tight corners to maximise overtaking opportunities plus the obligatory state-of-the-art paddock buildings and grandstands.
This year it features an additional twisty loop, added ostensibly to accommodate 2010’s larger field, which will provide some novelty but doesn’t look like a great new challenge.
The drivers are generally polite, rather than enthusiastic, about the layout – keen not to offend their gracious hosts, but privately admitting that its slow, fussy corners offer them little that they can really get their teeth into.
Sakhir has yet to host a truly classic race with Ferrari dominating the inaugural Bahrain GP and Fernando Alonso controlling the 2005 event.
The 2006 and 2007 races were probably the best to date: in the former, Alonso overcame Michael Schumacher in a tense duel which set the tone for their subsequent championship contest, while Felipe Massa resisted a charging Lewis Hamilton in ’07.
This year it returns to the season-opening slot for only the second time, having previously been round one in 2006.

Source: ITV F1

Autosport Awards 2010

Sunday 5th December. The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London
Held every December at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane, the AUTOSPORT Awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and the autosport.com website - and attended by the stars of the most exciting sport in the world.
The AUTOSPORT Awards offers famous and successful brands the opportunity to be represented in an environment of business potential.

Rubens in England Today

Rubens Barrichello is in England today for the Autosport Awards, along with other F1 drivers.

Rubens is looking forward to the 2011 F1 Season, the friendly Brazilian Driver is one of the most experienced drivers on the F1 roster, and is looking forward to a strong title battle in March 2011

Kovalainen Final Head Scan Today

Heikki says he is recovering well. 
He Had his final scans for the head today, luckaly no problems and he hopes to rest for another week then back to fitness training.

Source: Twitter

Glock rules out Virgin departure

Timo Glock says he is “100% certain” that he is staying at Virgin for a second season, adding that the team has only held off from officially confirming him as it wants to announce its two 2011 drivers together.

The German, who joined the start-up Formula 1 squad from manufacturer giant Toyota last winter, signed a multi-year contract at the team but, despite issuing a statement on his personal website during the summer break in which he stated that he remained fully committed to the Virgin project, speculation has continued that he could yet seek a move up the grid.

That was fuelled by his absence from the draft 2011 entry list issued by the FIA earlier this week, Virgin one of three teams listed as having no drivers confirmed.

But in an interview published on Virgin’s website on Friday, Glock confirmed he was staying put for next season and thinks the team – which trailed Lotus in the new teams’ battle for the majority of its debut campaign – is ready to make progress in the new year, when it will have extra financial backing from Russian sportscar maker Marussia.

“I’m excited. And yes I am definitely driving for Virgin Racing,” he said.


Timo Glock says he is “100% certain” that he is staying at Virgin for a second season, adding that the team has only held off from officially confirming him as it wants to announce its two 2011 drivers together.

The German, who joined the start-up Formula 1 squad from manufacturer giant Toyota last winter, signed a multi-year contract at the team but, despite issuing a statement on his personal website during the summer break in which he stated that he remained fully committed to the Virgin project, speculation has continued that he could yet seek a move up the grid.

That was fuelled by his absence from the draft 2011 entry list issued by the FIA earlier this week, Virgin one of three teams listed as having no drivers confirmed.

But in an interview published on Virgin’s website on Friday, Glock confirmed he was staying put for next season and thinks the team – which trailed Lotus in the new teams’ battle for the majority of its debut campaign – is ready to make progress in the new year, when it will have extra financial backing from Russian sportscar maker Marussia.

“I’m excited. And yes I am definitely driving for Virgin Racing,” he said.

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“There has been a lot of speculation about me wanting to leave the team, but it is not about leaving a team, it is about wanting to do better and keep moving forward.

“It is not just 99.9% certain that I will stay, as has been reported - it is 100% certain that I am staying!
“Since the beginning I have had a long-term contract with the team and I said then that I was doing this to help build a team for the future. It would not be possible to do that in one year from nothing.

“Plus I think with everything we have learned this year we can take a very good step up next season. This is a great team of people who have given blood, sweat and tears to our first season. Some people haven’t seen that with their own eyes, like I have, so it’s easy to criticise or be cynical.”

Glock was partnered by rookie Lucas di Grassi this year but there have been strong suggestions that Jerome D'Ambrosio will take the Brazilian’s seat for 2011, Virgin having evaluated the Belgian in several first practice sessions towards the end of the season.

He thinks the team is right to bide its team over the second driver so to ensure it picks the perfect candidate to compliment his greater experience.

“Well, I am already confirmed so there is nothing new to announce about me,” Glock explained.

“But I understand that the team wants to announce the line-up together when the second seat is confirmed.
“I think it is right to take our time and make sure we have the best combination of youth and experience, plus make sure we have the best information going back into the team at testing and races to ensure we can develop as quickly as we want to and keep moving forward.

“I don’t think we will have to wait too much longer for that news – hopefully before Christmas!”

Glock admits there were times during the team’s debut campaign when frustration got the better of him, but says setbacks were to be expected and that as a whole Virgin’s year can be seen as “pretty incredible”.
"2010 was a tough test for us all, but we survived and it was ultimately very rewarding for me,” said the three-time podium finisher.

“There were frustrations along the way and when things don’t go well, as a driver who is ambitious, I admit it was sometimes difficult, but I joined Virgin Racing knowing there would be difficult times ahead so it wasn’t really a surprise to me. We were building something from zero – no team, no factory, no previous year’s car to develop from and no data.

“Everything we have we have built ourselves in the space of less than a year.

“We should also remember that we were also taking a pretty revolutionary design approach to the VR-01 [the team used a purely CFD philosophy].

“If you look at our season from that perspective, we have achieved something pretty incredible.”

Source: ITV-F1

Lotus season review

Lotus was the big success story among the three new teams this year. It was the pacesetter in its group virtually all season, wrapped up the critical 10th place in the constructors' standings, and snapped at the midfielders' heels on several occasions.
Having secured Renault engines, Red Bull transmission systems and some handy new technical signings for 2011, it looks set for a very promising future - though what it will actually be called next year remains uncertain...
With its 2010 entry not granted until September 2009, Lotus had less time than anyone else to get ready for this season - and yet it ended up comfortably the most successful of the new teams, and the one most likely to get among the established midfielders in 2011.

It was far from a flawless season, with reliability issues hard to shake off, and a row developing over the Lotus name which could yet see Tony Fernandes' squad rebranded over the winter, but overall, this was a triumphant debut for whatever this alliance between Malaysian and Norfolk talent ends up being called long-term.

Being out-qualified by Virgin's Timo Glock in Bahrain proved to be against the trend, as in the race not only did Lotus assert itself at the front of the unofficial new teams' class, it also got both cars to the flag at the first attempt.

By the end of the season, Lotus had taken 14 'class poles' and 12 'class wins', and had the three new teams been in a championship of their own, Lotus' Heikki Kovalainen would've won it by a colossal 120 points, with team-mate Jarno Trulli in second.

Lotus also claimed the highest placing for a new team in the constructors' championship, claiming the vital 10th place in the standings.
This was always likely to be decided on a tie-break of best results as for any of Lotus, Virgin or Hispania to actually get into the top 10 in a race was a long-shot.
Kovalainen's 13th place in Australia gave Lotus an early headstart in this quest, and it then pretty much put its position beyond doubt by taking 12th and 13th at Suzuka.

While Lotus had its rival backmarkers under control, one thing it couldn't do was get on terms with the rest of the field.

The T127 was a deliberately conservative creation - with such a tight timescale, the team felt its only option was to design a basic car that would get it on the grid and see it through 2010.
A revamp for the Spanish Grand Prix shaved off some of the car's excess weight, but the fundamental redesign it really required to get near the points was never on the cards, with Lotus declaring early on that as it was confident it had enough in hand to see off Virgin and Hispania this year, it would focus all its efforts on its 2011 car from the summer.

Although Virgin, which said it was also working with one eye on 2011, did get a little closer later in the season, in general Lotus' prediction that it was fast enough to win the new teams' race without any further developments proved correct.

There were a few occasions when Lotus had a shot at some giant-killing.
Inclement weather helped it reach Q2 in both Malaysia and Belgium, while Kovalainen gave his absolute utmost to get through in the dry in Monaco and Canada as well, just falling short on both occasions.

Strategic choices saw Kovalainen run as high as sixth in China too, and in the Monaco GP he did well to keep Vitaly Petrov's Renault in sight.
But Kovalainen's efforts to take the fight to teams ahead did provoke some controversy, when his Lotus became a launchpad for Mark Webber's Red Bull in Valencia.

Webber couldn't see why Kovalainen was trying to race the much-faster car (which was down among the backmarkers after a very early pit stop) when it was inevitably soon going to cruise past him, while Lotus strongly defended its driver's right to battle for position with whoever he pleased.

Overall, Kovalainen emerged from 2010 with his reputation fully restored after a disappointing McLaren stint, having been the class act among the new teams.

His team-mate Trulli actually ended up with the superior qualifying record, having rediscovered some initially missing speed following a change of chassis and adjustments to the steering system.

But Trulli's luck was abysmal, and he didn't have a single weekend without mechanical problems intervening at some point, with the fragile hydraulics proving particularly troublesome on his car.

Always a perfectionist who is only at his best when the chassis handles to his liking, Trulli admitted very early in the season that the T127 was not ideal for his style and that this was going to be a poor season for him.
Yet while he was very open about the problems with Lotus' 2010 package, Trulli was also quick to point out that in the fraught circumstances of the late entry, Lotus had done the very best that was possible, and that while he was writing this year off, he was very optimistic about the team's future.

Plans for the future dominated much of Lotus' season.
Next year it will receive the Renault V8 and Red Bull transmission system - effectively giving it a large part of the package that took Sebastian Vettel to this year's world title.

And steps have been taken to get the rest of the car up to scratch too, with technical chief Mike Gascoyne going on a recruitment drive that will see several key colleagues from earlier in his successful career rejoining him, led by Force India's Mark Smith, who also working alongside Gascoyne during Jordan's rise and the early days of the current Renault works team.

With the drivers both back on board for 2011 and a very promising technical and personnel package in place, the only lingering headache for Lotus is what it will actually be called.

The now Proton-owned Group Lotus is frantically expanding its motorsport activities, and wants to be representing the brand in F1 as well, mostly likely in partnership with Renault.

The current Lotus team is adamant that it has the rights to the Team Lotus title, insisting that the F1 racing and sportscar sides of the company were always separate operations and that Proton did not buy the former when it acquired Group Lotus.

Initially it seemed that Fernandes would seek a compromise and agree to rename his team, but then the 2011 entry list appeared with the Team Lotus name still listed for his cars.

The Malaysian declared that fan support - and Lotus seems to be earning a level of crowd affection reminiscent of Jordan's 'favourite underdog' status from its glory days - had convinced him to fight on, and if there's one thing this team has proved in its first year, it's that it shouldn't be underestimated by its rivals, whatever the battle...

Highlights: Managing to frighten the established midfielders in Monaco and Canada, getting both cars to the finish at the first attempt in Bahrain.

Lowlights: Every time Truli's car ground to a halt again, the name row, Kovalainen's tangle with Webber in Valencia.

Source: ITV-F1