Author Archive
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
The 24-year-old Swiss Romain Grosjean is hoping for a return to F1 in 2011, and hinting that Renault is his best hope.
Grosjean replaced Nelson Piquet Jr at the French team in 2009 and unfortunately his time in Formula 1 is more remembered for crashes and spins – he drove just 7 races in F1 before being dumped by Renault at the end of the 2009 season. Grosjean explained:
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. With all the problems around the team, it wasn’t easy; they wanted to make a clean sweep of the past. I want to come back in 2011. I’m not losing hope. When I see Fernando Alonso’s results with Ferrari this year, I think I deserve a place on the grid; my pace was far from being ridiculous – I was never more than two or three tenths off him in qualifying.”
Grosjean added that he is still in contact with Eric Bouiller, the new Renault team boss:
“I’m still in contact with Eric Boullier. We like and respect each other professionally and, once in Europe, I will walk around the paddock to establish other contacts and see if this could unlock something.”
Tags: Eric Bouiller, Nelson Piquet Jr, Renault, Romain Grosjean
Posted in News, Renault | No Comments »
Sunday, March 14th, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Both Ferrari’s of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will have new engines ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Felipe Massa, who qualified 2nd, has had his engine he used up to qualifying yesterday replaced as a completely precautionary step, as it is showing abnormal parameters. Similar abnormalities showed up in 3rd place qualifier Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari Type 56 engine, meaning it has also been replaced.
Neither driver will be penalised for these changes: you only get a penalty if you change engines twice in a weekend or exceed the 8 engines-per-season limit. Also in accordance with the rules, the replaced engines can be used in future practice sessions.
Tags: Bahrain Grand Prix 2010, Engines, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Rules
Posted in Ferrari, News | No Comments »
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
19-year-old Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari will continue driving for the Toro Rosso team in 2010. Alguersuari has only 8 races experience in F1, from when he took over from Sebastien Bourdais in the latter half of last season.
Scuderia Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost said:
“Considering that he made his debut only halfway through 2009 with no prior testing, he did a good job, making steady progress throughout the second half of the year with a mature approach, considering he is still only 19 years old.
“This season, he will again face a steep learning curve as all the circuits in the first part of the season will be new to him. Jaime’s appointment also confirms our team’s commitment to bringing on graduates of the Red Bull Young Driver Programme.”
Tags: Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso
Posted in News, Toro Rosso | No Comments »
Friday, January 15th, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Mercedes Grand Prix have announced that they will launch their 2010 challenger on 25th January.
The launch will take place at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart. The car will debut at the Valencia circuit on 1st February, at the first pre season test.
The Mercedes team will race under the Mercedes name this season after purchasing reigning world champions Brawn GP.
Tags: Launch, Mercedes GP
Posted in Mercedes GP, News | No Comments »
Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
According to the Swiss daily newspaper Blick, Sauber will confirm Pedro de la Rosa to drive alongside Kamui Kobayashi in 2010 for the new team.
The newspaper said that an announcement will be made soon, barring “an earthquake in Hinwil.”
The 38-year-old Spaniard has had two previous stints in an F1 race seat from 99-02 with Arrows and Jaguar and from 05-06 at McLaren, before become a full time test driver for McLaren. In his 72 races, he collected 29 points with just 1 podium, and 0 wins.
Last week team owner Peter Sauber was quoted as saying that “an experienced man” with “new knowledge for the team” has been signed to partner Kobayashi in 2010 – a bill perfectly fitted by de la Rosa.
Christian Klien and Nick Heidfeld are other drivers in the running for the seat.
Tags: Christian Klien, Nick Heidfeld, Pedro de la Rosa, Peter Sauber, Sauber
Posted in News, Sauber | No Comments »
Thursday, December 31st, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Niki Lauda believes that Michael Schumacher will be competitive in his bid eighth world championship, but he is not willing to bet on it.
The 60-year-old Austrian Lauda returned successfully in the 80s to win his third and last title in 1984. He said in German newspaper Bild:
“Everything depends on the car, and at the end of last season Vettel had the best one. What is for sure is that there are many more strong drivers in the field now than in Schumacher’s last years.
“There’s no question he can keep up. But I’m betting no money.”
Tags: Michael Schumacher, Niki Lauda
Posted in Mercedes GP, News | No Comments »
Monday, December 28th, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Chiefs of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have announced that they will keep the ‘twilight’ day/night timing of the Grand Prix and the pit exit tunnel, despite both elements coming under fire from some quarters.
When quizzed on the twilight timing of the race and the tricky pit lane tunnel with no speed-limit, circuit boss Richard Cregan said:
“Nothing will change in that respect.”
The Yas Marina circuit won the 2009 race promoters award at the FIA gala and has been given the privilege of holding the last race of the 2010 season for the second consecutive year.
Tags: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, FIA, Yas Marina
Posted in FIA, News | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
The plans for all 2010 teams to launch their cars at the same time in a common launch have been scrapped.
The issues with the possible joint launch due to be held in Valencia next month were that it was thought that certain teams would get more coverage than others, and some teams like Lotus said that they would not have a car ready by the time of the common launch.
The idea has not been scrapped forever however, as FOTA will re-evaluate the concept for the 2011 season.
Tags: car launch, FOTA, Joint launch, Lotus
Posted in FOTA, News | No Comments »
Thursday, December 17th, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Sauber have today confirmed their first driver for 2010 – Japanese former Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi.
Kobayashi stood in for an injured Timo Glock at Toyota in the last 2 races of last season to make his F1 debut. He finished 9th and 6th but won himself an instant fanbase due to his aggressive style. Kobayashi has previously won the GP2 Asia Series, Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 Italia. He said:
“Ever since the start of my career I have dreamed of racing in F1. Now this dream has come true. I am very happy that my two races in 2009 have earned me a cockpit place.
“I will do my very best for Peter Sauber’s team and I am proud to be able to carry on flying the Japanese flag in F1.”
Team boss Peter Sauber said:
“I’m very much looking forward to working together with Kamui. In the final two Grand Prix of last season he was granted an unexpected chance to show his skills, and he made impressive use of it.
“Particularly in the Abu Dhabi race he demonstrated not only that he can drive fast and aggressively, but also his ability to successfully implement a strategy. I am convinced he has a great deal of potential and will be able to make the most of it in our team.”
Tags: Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Formula Renault 2.0 Italia, GP2 Asia, Kamui Kobayashi, Peter Sauber, Sauber, Timo Glock, Toyota
Posted in News, Sauber | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 - Posted by Jack Sargeant
Virgin Racing today made its driver announcement in London, where it was confirmed that Manor have teamed up with Richard Branson’s Virgin brand, and that Lucas di Grassi will drive alongside Timo Glock at the team. di Grassi said:
“I could never imagine a F1 debut as perfect as this one. Entering F1 with John Booth and his crew, the same people with whom I won the 2005 Macau F3 race – one of the greatest successes in my career – is really beyond perfection I should say. And I believe I am ready for F1.
“I have worked a lot during these years to get here and I believe it happened just in time. I always had great expectations about the day I would enter F1, and I should thanks everyone who was with me all these years, and I shall say John and his team are among those very people I consider helped me to get there much before we signed the F1 contract.
“Being here with them makes more sense to me than to be with a veteran organisation. We will debut together, and that detail makes for a special bond too. I guess all that will make me stronger and more confident as I will be among old friends. I am ready to work twenty four seven and I am sure I will be able to contribute with the team efforts in every stage of our evolution in 2010.”
It was also revealed that Lucas di Grassi’s fellow GP2 graduates Alvaro Parente and Luis Razia will take on the role of test drivers with the team.
Tags: Alvaro Parente, GP2, Lucas di Grassi, Luiz Razia, Manor, Timo Glock, Virgin, Virgin Racing
Posted in Manor GP | No Comments »
