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Massa wins in France as Raikkonen hits trouble

Sun 22nd Jun 2008

Felipe Massa took the lead of the drivers’ championship after a decisive victory for Ferrari at Magny-Cours on Sunday. The Brazilian trailed team mate Kimi Raikkonen for the first 38 of the 70 laps, but moved ahead decisively as the Finn’s F2008 developed an exhaust problem. The latter cost Raikkonen the win, but nobody else ever got close enough to the red cars for this to be a problem to the team.

Jarno Trulli might have been able to catch Raikkonen, but had his hands full fending off a strong late-race challenge from McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen. The Finn nearly squeezed by on the penultimate lap, but as the Toyota moved over they briefly rubbed wheels and Kovalainen went over a chicane and had to concede his challenge. It gave Toyota their first podium since 2005.

Behind them, Robert Kubica clung on for second place in the championship chase thanks to a fifth place finish, well ahead of the scrap for the final points between Mark Webber’s Red Bull and the Renault drivers. When Fernando Alonso slid wide lapping Giancarlo Fisichella with three laps left, Nelson Piquet moved ahead of his team leader and was hounding Webber by the flag in a drive that gave him his first championship points and might arguably have saved his career.

It was a disastrous afternoon for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, who had worked his way up to ninth place when he had to serve a drive-through penalty on the 13th lap after the stewards adjudged him to have gained an advantage on the opening lap by going over a chicane to overtake Sebastian Vettel. The Englishman finally finished 10th, behind David Coulthard’s Red Bull.

Timo Glock hung on for Toyota to 11th place despite Vettel’s challenge for Toro Rosso, while Nick Heidfeld was a disappointing 13th in the second BMW Sauber.

Rubens Barrichello, who started from the back of the grid after a late gearbox change, was the first lapped runner in 14th, his Honda heading home the battling Williams drivers Kazuki Nakajima and Nico Rosberg. Sebastien Bourdais was 17th for Toro Rosso ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil in their Force Indias. Jenson Button was the only retirement after his Honda made first-lap contact with Bourdais and sustained irreparable damage.

His success makes Massa the first Brazilian to lead the world championship since Ayrton Senna at Monaco in 1993. He has 48 points to Kubica’s 46 and Raikkonen’s 43. Hamilton trails with 38 after his second race without scoring points. Ferrari extend their lead in the constructors’ championship to a commanding 17 points over BMW Sauber. Formula1.com

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From my own perspective Magny-Cours has always provided a race fairly unique in the calendar. There has often been critiscm of some tracks and the processional races they give rise to but, in my opinion, there are none as bad as this French track with the normal snake of cars following in each others slipstream. There was plenty of opportunity for a potentially riveting race but, yet again due to the track layout, the opportunity was not given and what was probably the singularly most boring race of the last decade was produced. The talk is that this could well be the last French grand prix held at this venue and, frankly, not before time. The sooner we can get rid of this waste of time track the better! Magus Perde

Source:formula1.com & Magus Perde

Kubica takes maiden win in dramatic Canadian Grand Prix

Fri 13th Jun 2008

BMW Sauber finally took their long overdue maiden victory in Montreal on Sunday, as Robert Kubica led Nick Heidfeld home in a fabulous one-two on a day when early leader Lewis Hamilton inadvertently crashed his McLaren into Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in a pit-lane collision during the first round of refuelling stops.

As a result of his first win, Kubica now leads the world championship fight with 42 points to Hamilton and Massa’s 38 and Raikkonen’s 35.

At the start Hamilton sprinted away from pole position, leaving Kubica to fend off Raikkonen. But the safety car neutralised that when it was deployed to recover Adrian Sutil’s Force India from a dangerous position on the 17th lap.

All of the leaders pitted on Lap 19, and as Hamilton rejoined, having dropped behind Raikkonen and Kubica after a longer stop, he ran into the back of the Finn, whom he suddenly realised was stopped by the red pit-lane exit light. Both the Ferrari and the McLaren were too damaged to continue. Nico Rosberg also damaged his Williams by running into the rear of Hamilton in the incident. An additional pit visit for a new nose thus dropped the German out of contention after running fourth early on.

Heidfeld now led as, at stages before their own pit calls, did fellow one-stoppers Honda’s Rubens Barrichello, Red Bull’s David Coulthard and Toyota’s Timo Glock. Heidfeld was able to pit and rejoin ahead of Kubica, but on his two-stop strategy the Pole was clearly faster and Heidfeld had no choice but to let him go on Lap 31.

In the second part of the race the greatest threat to the Swiss-German cars came from Fernando Alonso, who was pushing his Renault hard. On Lap 44 he sneaked by Heidfeld at the hairpin, only to slide wide. A lap later he got on the power a fraction too soon exiting the second corner, and suddenly the R28 was rotating out of the race.

Kubica and Heidfeld were thus able to cruise home to a great success, as Coulthard made the most of his opportunities with a solid third place for Red Bull. A strong drive saw Glock hang on for fourth place just ahead of Massa, who had to stop twice early on after a refuelling problem, and recovered brilliantly with a drive that at one time saw him jump both Barrichello and McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen at the hairpin.

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli got ahead of Barrichello when the Brazilian made a mistake late in the race, and Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel hung on to take the final point after a gutsy performance, having started from the pit lane. Kovalainen was an unhappy ninth ahead of the recovering Rosberg, Honda’s Jenson Button (who also started from the pit lane after making some suspension set-up changes), Red Bull’s Mark Webber who ran strongly until his pit stop dropped him back and he later spun, and Sebastien Bourdais who also spun his Toro Rosso.

Giancarlo Fisichella crashed his Force India, Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima was a points contender before damaging his front wing on Button and then tobogganing into the pit wall when it folded back beneath his wheel; and Renault’s Nelson Piquet spun and retired with an unspecified mechanical problem.

BMW Sauber’s great day jumped them back to second in the constructors’ stakes with 70 points to Ferrari’s 73 and McLaren’s 53.

Source:formula1.com

Hamilton triumphs in wet-dry Monaco thriller

Sun 25th May 2008

When Ferrari wrapped up the front row of the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton’s only real hope of victory seemed to lie in the hands of the weather gods. It duly rained before the start, but after six laps the Englishman walloped the wall hard on the exit to the Swimming Pool, while trailing poleman Felipe Massa’s Ferrari. Into the pits he came, and at that stage the race seemed to belong to the Brazilian.

McLaren, however, brimmed the MP4-23 with fuel, and Hamilton caught his first break when the safety car was deployed on the eighth lap after Red Bull’s David Coulthard and Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais went off at Massenet.

The racing resumed on the 11th lap, and two laps later Kimi Raikkonen dropped out of second place when he had to serve a drive-through penalty for having his tyres fitted too late in the grid. Now BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica moved up to push Massa, and was able to snatch the lead when the latter slid momentarily up the escape road at Ste Devote on the 16th lap. Hamilton was chasing hard after them, with Raikkonen now trailing in fourth place.

Kubica stayed ahead until he refuelled on the 26th lap, whereupon Massa went back into the lead until his stop on the 33rd lap. By then Hamilton was up to second, and after moving into the lead… he just kept going.

He did not have to refuel until the 54th lap, and that lengthy stint proved absolutely crucial. Kubica had already stopped for the second time a lap earlier, so was no further threat, and having built a lead of 37.6s Hamilton could refuel, switch to Bridgestone’s soft tyres, and resume still in the lead.

Still he was not home and dry, however. He was 40 seconds ahead when Nico Rosberg, running a lap down after two pits stops to replace damaged noses, tanked his Williams hard into the walls on the exit to the Swimming Pool on the 61st lap. Out came the safety car again, and suddenly Hamilton’s huge advantage had been eroded completely. He kept his head when the race restarted on the 68th lap, however, and was able to pull away to what he described as “a very emotional triumph. The highlight of my career.”

Behind him, Kubica had no trouble fending off Massa for second for BMW Sauber.

Adrian Sutil could have finished fourth for Force India - yes, that’s right - having driven a superb race with a heavy fuel load. But he was the biggest loser in the second safety-car incident. He had been comfortably ahead of Raikkonen’s Ferrari when Rosberg crashed, and was later assaulted by the red car going into the chicane as the race resumed. Raikkonen had got into the same sort of tank-slapper as David Coulthard did in qualifying, and though the Finn kept control of his car he smacked hard enough into the back of Sutil’s car to remove his own front wing and put the unfortunate German out of the greatest race of his life.

As Raikkonen fell back, Mark Webber finished fourth for Red Bull ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who finally got a break to bring his new Toro Rosso STR3 home fifth in front of Rubens Barrichello’s Honda, Kazuki Nakajima’s Williams and Heikki Kovalainen, all of whom fought throughout. The McLaren driver had to start from the pit lane after his MP4-23 stalled on the grid, and scooped the final point by keeping Raikkonen at bay to the flag, which fell two laps sooner than scheduled as the race reached the two-hour mark.

Behind Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso was 10th for Renault after a series of collisions, then came Jenson Button, who lost his Honda’s front wing on the opening lap in a brush with Nick Heidfeld, the Toyotas of thrice-spinning Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli, and Heidfeld himself, who was assaulted by Alonso in a brush at the Lowes hairpin.

Besides Sutil, Rosberg (who was subsequently sent to hospital for precautionary checks), Coulthard and Bourdais, Nelson Piquet dropped out of a tough fight with Vettel after brushing a wall, and Giancarlo Fisichella’s 200th race ended in retirement too.

The result of a nail-biting race puts Hamilton back in the championship lead with 38 points to Raikkonen’s 35, Massa’s 34 and Kubica’s 32. In the constructors’ stakes, Ferrari have 69 to McLaren’s 53 and BMW Sauber’s 52. The battle for the world championship has suddenly come alive again.

Source:formula1.com

Super Aguri withdrawl and subsequent site update

Sun 11th May 2008

Because Super Aguri have been announced their withdrawl from any further competitions in this years Formula One World Championship, I will need to amend the website to reflect that. As a consequence, anyone who is now joining the site new for this current season will now be unable to select any of the Super Aguri assets.

For those who have already joined the site and have selected Super Aguri as one or more of their assets, these will be replaced with the next available assets nearest in value which, in this case, will mean that Anthony Davidson will be replaced by Sebastian Vettel, Takumo Sato will be replaced by Giancarlo Fisichella. Because there is no direct correllation between chassis, the SA chassis will be replaced with the next available upgrade which is the STR Ferrari. The same is true for engines and will result in a free upgrade also to STR Ferrari.

These changes will be in place before the start of the next race at Monaco on the 25th of May 2008.

Source:Magus Perde

Turkish win puts Massa back in title contention

Sun 11th May 2008

No wonder that Ferrari’s Felipe Massa loves Istanbul Park. On Sunday afternoon he owned the place, and nobody seriously looked like challenging him as he sped to his hat-trick of victories here to move into joint second in the driver standings.

Sure, Lewis Hamilton pulled what seemed a brilliant passing move on him for the lead on the 24th lap, but it transpired that the Englishman was on a three-stop strategy for McLaren, and soon the way was clear again for Massa as Hamilton stopped to refuel and retain hard tyres on the 32nd lap.

Hamilton had sufficient in hand over Kimi Raikkonen, however, to keep the Finn in third place and to reduce his championship points lead to seven as they sped to the line 3.7s adrift of Massa, and separated by only four-tenths of second. The MP4-23 had been sweet on the harder Bridgestones, but still clearly didn’t like the softer rubber that Hamilton had to don for his final 13-lap stint.

Into fourth and fifth places came the BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, which lacked the sheer pace to play anything other than leading supporting roles this time out.

Fernando Alonso further boosted Renault with a solid sixth place, surviving a minor brush with Raikkonen in the first corner, and seventh fell to Mark Webber after another solid performance by the Australian for Red Bull. Nico Rosberg took the final point with eighth for Williams, and was followed home by David Coulthard in the second Red Bull and Toyota’s Jarno Trulli as the last unlapped runners.

Honda’s Jenson Button was a lapped 11th ahead of Heikki Kovalainen. The Finnish McLaren driver, who started second, was desperately unlucky to have to make an unscheduled stop for fresh rubber after two laps, having picked up a slow rear puncture following minor contact with Raikkonen at the start. After that he fought back from the rear of the field and had some great dices with Toyota’s Timo Glock, in particular, and Rosberg, before dropping back in his final pit stop. He finished ahead of Glock, who again showed his fighting spirit, Rubens Barrichello, whose 257th GP outing did not produce anything to shout about for Honda, Renault’s Nelson Piquet, Force India’s Adrian Sutil and Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel.

The latter duo both stopped at the end of the opening lap to have repairs made after Giancarlo Fisichella’s unhappy weekend came to an end as he overtook Kazuki Nakajima - by flying over the top of the Williams. Neither the Italian, who landed his Force India in the gravel, nor the Japanese, who got to the pits minus his rear wing, were able to continue. The other retiree was Sebastien Bourdais, who dumped his Toro Rosso in the gravel.

The result leaves Raikkonen with a diminished lead in the world championship chase with 35 points, ahead of Massa and Hamilton on 28 and Kubica on 24. Ferrari extend their advantage atop the constructor standings, heading BMW Sauber by 19 points, with McLaren a further two adrift.

Source:formula1.com

Raikkonen victorious in dramatic Spanish Grand Prix

Sun 27th Apr 2008

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen became the eighth consecutive man to win the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position, when he dominated Sunday's race at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The Finn shrugged off two safety car periods - the second when compatriot Heikki Kovalainen crashed his McLaren heavily after a front-end failure pitched him off the road in Turn Nine at an estimated 180 mph - and led home team mate Felipe Massa, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica. They finished 3.2s, 0.9s, and 1.5s apart respectively.

It may not have been a classic race, but it increased Raikkonen's championship score to 29 points and his lead to nine over Hamilton (20), while Massa jumps up to fourth on 18, one behind Kubica (19).

The Kovalainen incident occurred on the 22nd lap, possibly as a result of something causing the front-left tyre and rim to separate. It took a while to stabilise the Finn at the accident scene, but he gave a thumbs up as he was taken by stretcher to the medical centre. Later he was flown to hospital for precautionary checks, and his condition was described as stable.

The incident ruined Nick Heidfeld's race for BMW Sauber, since he was on a longer refuelling strategy and had just taken the lead after the first round of pit stops. He had to come in when the pit lane was still closed, and thus had to serve a stop-go penalty later on. That dropped him to a ninth-place finish.

Mark Webber brought his Red Bull home fifth ahead of Jenson Button's Honda, Kazuki Nakajima's Williams and Jarno Trulli's Toyota. The Italian was hampered by a long second stop and an unecessary third one after a communications mix up.

Giancarlo Fisichella was unable to resist the charging Heidfeld, so brought his Force India home 10th, ahead of Toyota's Timo Glock, who delayed himself running into the rear of David Coulthard. The Scot's left-rear tyre was cut as a result, so he also dropped back but managed to repass Super Aguri's Takuma Sato before the finish to claim 12th.

William's Nico Rosberg was headed for seventh place until his Toyota engine broke; Renault's Fernando Alonso was running fifth when his engine also blew up; Honda's Rubens Barrichello had a collision in the pit lane with Fisichella, which led to his subsequent retirement, and a clash on the opening lap also accounted for Force India's Adrian Sutil and, yet again, Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel. Team mate Sebastien Bourdais retired after being clobbered by Renault's Nelson Piquet as the Brazilian attempted to overtake. Piquet also failed to finish as a result. Finally, Super Aguri's Anthony Davidson went out with mechanical problems.

Source:formula1.com

Raikkonen expecting Ferrari to stay ahead in Spain

Wed 23rd Apr 2008

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen is confident he can maintain his lead in the drivers’ championship at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, despite covering minimal laps at last week’s test session at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. Raikkonen, who joined the test on the final day, found his running restricted by wet weather and completed just 33 laps in the F2008.

“That's not a problem,” the Finn told Ferrari’s official website. I think we'll have a good performance and we can be really competitive; at least the components are all there.

“I've raced many times in Barcelona and I have to say it is always a very challenging circuit. But this time it will be special. I'll come to Spain as the leader of the classification. If I can manage to keep all the others behind me in the race that would mean that I keep them also behind in the championship. My approach is the usual one: giving 100 per cent, just like the whole team.”

Ferrari arrive in Spain having won two successive Grand Prix victories at Malaysia and Bahrain. Although Raikkonen is wary that their rivals may well have raised their game during the three-week break, he is optimistic that the Italian team can retain their edge.

“The situation can change very quickly in Formula One,” he added. “That's why it's very important to collect as many points as possible in every single race. It's hard to say how things are at the top after last week's tests here, because the teams' test programs and the fuel loads usually are very different.

“It's going to be very close: all the teams have introduced updates ahead of the first European race, which makes it even more interesting. We have won the last two races and that might make our competitors even hungrier to win. We had our ups and downs over the first races, but now I expect Ferrari to stay where we were in Bahrain and Malaysia.”

Raikkonen is leading the driver standing on 19 points, with a three-point advantage over second-placed BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen, meanwhile, are tying for third place with Heidfeld’s team mate, Robert Kubica, on 14 points.

Source:formula1.com

Hamilton: I’ve had my worst races of the year already

Thu 17th Apr 2008

It is the curse of his unprecedented 2007 debut. Many drivers are lucky to win one Grand Prix in a lifetime. Now, if Lewis Hamilton doesn’t make the top three at every race, the media portray it as a disaster.

However, speaking exclusively to Formula1.com, the McLaren star says he's unfazed by the raised expectations, insisting that he's learnt from his Bahrain mistakes and that 15 podiums in the remaining 15 races are now very much on the agenda…

Q: Lewis, three races into the season and some pretty mixed results. What’s your take on it?
Lewis Hamilton: I think it started off really well and then the next couple of races weren’t as great, which is a bit unfortunate but that is racing. There is still a long way to go, we saw last year how Kimi (Raikkonen) came from a long way back and that demonstrated how anything can happen. We have a good package and the team has been working very hard to make sure we continue to improve. I have learnt from my mistakes, and I have certainly not ruled out the opportunity to win this year.

Q: After your high-flying 2007 season you seemed almost destined for this year’s title. How disappointing is it that things are looking slightly different so far?
LH: It is not disappointing. We just know where we have to do better. Of course last year I had nine podiums in the first nine races and that was fantastic. But then the end of the year wasn’t as strong. If I am in the situation now where I have had my worst races of the season already and they are followed-up by 15 consecutive podiums. That is my target and I would be very happy to achieve it!

Q: Bahrain was not one of your best moments - it seemed like a pretty jinxed weekend for you. How did you analyze your performance and what did you learn from it?
LH: I learned quite a lot from it. I realized that when things go wrong at the beginning of the race I need to use damage limitation. I fell back to tenth and then tried to regain my positions early on and that was a big mistake. Also I will make sure what happened at the beginning of the race never happens again.

Q: Your public image has arguably taken its first little knock with headlines including phrases like ‘falling from grace’, etc. Are you surprised, or do feel it’s merely inevitable after your sensational rookie season?
LH: I don’t really read the press coverage so it makes no difference to me.

Q: The MP4-23 seems to have let you down a bit. You and last year’s MP4-22 were a match made in heaven - this season it feels like you and the car are still getting to know each other…
LH: I think we have a strong package like we did last year, perhaps it is not as good as the Ferrari’s currently. We have a quick car, for sure and I am pushing hard to get the most out of it. I don’t think there is a problem.

Q: During the pre-season tests here in Barcelona you were always very much on the pace. Now, with the latest upgrades to the car in place, will the start of the European season next week see you start to close the gap on the leaders again?
LH: I don’t feel we have a huge amount of catching up to do, I am quite comfortable in my position. We need to be a little more fortunate and get some better finishing places. Also, we are not just relying on the upgrade package - we all need to do a better job and that is what we are doing as a team.

Q: Take a look into the crystal ball - based on the findings of this week’s test what could be in store for you and the team at next weekend’s race?
LH: I would never look into a crystal ball, but I think we are going to have a solid weekend. Hopefully we will have a strong performance by me and Heikki (Kovalainen) and we will be challenging for a win.

Source:formula1.com

Heidfeld: Ferrari are catchable

Sat 12th Apr 2008

Nick Heidfeld believes BMW Sauber have the potential to match Ferrari’s race pace in coming races after his team proved the world champions’ closest challengers for the second Grand Prix in succession in Bahrain last weekend.

Whilst team mate Robert Kubica finished third having started from pole, Heidfeld improved two places on his grid position to come home fourth, further proof that BMW Sauber seem to have the measure of McLaren and are closing in on Ferrari.

“My start was good but then Jarno Trulli managed to get past me,” explained Heidfeld on his official website. “At the beginning of the second lap I had the chance to take it back, which I enjoyed. One lap later I overtook Heikki Kovalainen which was even better. We were faster than McLaren Mercedes. Only the Ferraris were superior to us, but also they are within reach.”

Heidfeld now heads to the Spanish Grand Prix just three points off leader Kimi Raikkonen in the driver table, and with BMW heading Ferrari at the top of the team standings. On top of that, next week’s Barcelona test should allow the team to realise more performance gains ahead of the race on April 27.

“I am second in the drivers standings now and I am really proud that my team is leading the constructors championship,” added the German. “I am also pretty sure that during the next three weeks our teams in Hinwil and Munich will continue to improve our car.”

Heidfeld qualified seventh in Spain last year, but went on to retire with gearbox problems. Kubica finished fourth behind the Ferrari of victor Felipe Massa and the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Source:formula1.com

Massa heads Ferrari one-two to revive title hopes

Sun 06th Apr 2008

Felipe Massa needed a win in Bahrain, and all weekend he looked like a man who had come to get it. When the red lights went out at the start, he lit off from the front row of the grid, and that was all she wrote as he dominated in style for Ferrari.

BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica lost second place to Kimi Raikkonen on the third lap, and from then on, pit stops apart, it was an easy one-two for Ferrari.

The start also set the pattern for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. He was very slow away, and ended the opening lap in 10th place. Then he clobbered the back of Fernando Alonso’s Renault, and the resultant pit stop for a new nose put him into a cycle of running a heavy fuel load in traffic for the rest of a frustrating afternoon in which he took only 13th place and lost his world championship points lead.

In Ferrari’s wake, BMW Sauber showed that they had the speed to beat McLaren, Nick Heidfeld pushing hard after his team mate to take fourth place, having set fastest lap at one stage before Heikki Kovalainen annexed it during an undramatic drive to fifth in a McLaren that simply wasn’t fast enough.

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli grabbed sixth and held on to it comfortably from Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Williams’ Nico Rosberg, who completed the points scorers.

Alonso survived his brush with Hamilton to take 10th place, unable to stay with ninth-placed Timo Glock in the second Toyota, and by the finish he had a hungry Rubens Barrichello breathing down his neck in the Honda. The Brazilian had earlier fought with and beaten fast-starting Giancarlo Fisichella, who took 12th ahead of Hamilton for Force India.

Kazuki Nakajima was a lacklustre 14th for Williams, ahead of Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais and the battling Super Aguri teamsters Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato. David Coulthard was delayed in an early incident and finished 18th for Red Bull, ahead of Adrian Sutil in the second Force India.

Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel retired on the first lap with a mechanical problem, while Jenson Button’s hopes were dashed by the need for a pit stop for damage repair at the end of the opening lap, and another after a passing move on Coulthard went drastically wrong.

The other non-finisher was Nelson Piquet, whose Renault succumbed to mechanical problems.

The result puts Raikkonen into the lead of the world championship for drivers with 19 points, ahead of Heidfeld on 16, Hamilton, Kubica and Kovalainen on 14, and Massa on 10. In the constructors’ chase, BMW Sauber lead with 30, ahead of Ferrari on 29 and McLaren on 28.

Source:formula1.com

Raikkonen storms to victory in Malaysia

Sun 23rd Mar 2008

If Australia was a nightmare for Ferrari, Malaysia was a dream. Kimi Raikkonen toyed initially with polesitting team mate Felipe Massa, took the lead after their first pit stops, and sauntered into the distance to a victory that puts him back into contention for a second world title.

Massa blotted his copybook by spinning out of an easy second place on the 31st lap, leaving Robert Kubica to take an excellent runner-up result for BMW Sauber. In the closing laps, though 22 seconds adrift, the Pole set a similar pace to Raikkonen.

Heikki Kovalainen was McLaren’s leading runner in a distant third place, a similar distance in arrears.

For Lewis Hamilton, it was a race spent playing catch-up. He made a great start to jump from ninth up to fifth place behind the Ferraris, Kubica and similarly fast-starting Mark Webber in the Red Bull. But then a problem with the right-front wheel during his first pit stop dropped him down to 11th place, and he lost time hand over fist in the traffic.

That enabled Jarno Trulli to come through to a good fourth place for Toyota, with Hamilton dogging his wheel tracks after a great recovery drive. The truth, however, was that this time out Ferrari were stronger, and the pace of BMW Sauber will have both top teams keeping a close eye on the white and blue cars.

Nick Heidfeld set fastest lap in the closing stages as he thirsted after Hamilton, while Webber was able to hold off a challenging Fernando Alonso in the Renault as they wrapped up the final points.

David Coulthard had a relatively quiet race to ninth in the second Red Bull ahead of fellow Briton, Jenson Button, who survived a late off-track moment in his Honda to lead home Renault’s Nelson Piquet, the Brazilian rookie recording his first Grand Prix finish.

Giancarlo Fisichella was 12th for Force India, a lap down, taking the place after Honda’s Rubens Barrichello had to serve a drive-through penalty for pit lane speeding.

The final finishers were Nico Rosberg, who had a most unhappy time in his Williams, the Super Aguris of Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato, and Kazuki Nakajima who, like Rosberg, could not generate decent tyre temperatures in his Williams FW30.

Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais was the first retirement, falling off on the opening lap. Rosberg clobbered Timo Glock then, too, necessitating a pit stop for a new nose cone. The Williams continued, the Toyota was through for the day. Adrian Sutil suffered a mechanical problem that stopped his Force India out on the track, while Sebastian Vettel suffered either engine or transmission failure that brought him to a smoky halt.

The result leaves Hamilton still leading the world championship for drivers with 14 points, ahead of Raikkonen and Heidfeld on 11 apiece. In the constructors’ chase, McLaren lead with 24, ahead of BMW Sauber on 19 and Ferrari on 11.

Source:formula1.com

Now you can award prizes in mini leagues!

Fri 21st Mar 2008

I have re-coded parts of the site to allow those players who run mini leagues to add a prize to their league for the eventual league winner. Simply a case of deciding what prize you would like to offer, all you have to do is click on mini league in the menu and, if you were the original mini league creator, you will see a link that allows you to add your prize.

You may want to decide amongst your league participants what prize you would like to offer and who will pay for or donate the item, or you may decide to offer a prize just for the hell of it. Whatever you decide, at least now you have that option.

Source:Magus Perde

The BBC wins rights to UK Formula One coverage

Thu 20th Mar 2008

Formula One Administration Limited’s Chief Executive, Mr Bernie Ecclestone, announced on Thursday that UK Formula One coverage will return to the BBC in 2009, taking over from current rights holder, ITV.

“I am delighted to conclude this new deal with the BBC,” Bernie Ecclestone said. “I wish to thank ITV for their commitment to Formula One and the high quality of their coverage. It is an exciting time in Formula One and the BBC has some innovative new ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base.” The BBC lost the rights to Formula One coverage at the end of the 1996 season, after which ITV took over.

From my personal point of view this has to be a positive step. Coverage of an entire race without the nonsense of stopping it at crucial moments for an advertising break can only be good and the BBC have a great reputation for the style and content of delivery with F1 - roll on 2009!!!!

Source:formula1.com & Magus Perde

Raikkonen confident of Ferrari comeback

Wed 19th Mar 2008

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen believes the Italian team will quickly reemerge as championship contenders, despite their poor showing at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. Raikkonen and his team mate Felipe Massa retired from the Melbourne race after both their F2008s suffered engine troubles.

“I know that back in Maranello the team is working hard to solve our problems,” he told Ferrari’s official website. “I'm not worried at all about the performance and the competitiveness of the car. The first race was like it was, but we know that we have a really good car. I know that the team will never lose its focus. They've shown that already in the past - Ferrari will be back!”

The world champion did eventually score one world championship point at Albert Park, thanks to the disqualification of Honda’s Rubens Barrichello, but was left largely frustrated by Ferrari’s performance over the course event. However, confident the team will be able to solve the issues, Raikkonen is now focusing on the next race in Malaysia.

“There's really not much to say about the first race weekend of the season,” the Finn added. “The only positive thing is that it's all behind us. Obviously we are really disappointed. We have to give our best and need to try to get the most points in every single race.”

Ferrari are currently sixth the constructors’ standing, 13 points adrift of McLaren, who take up the top spot, following Lewis Hamilton’s dominant victory and Heikki Kovalainen’s fifth-placed finish in Australia.

Source:formula1.com

Point losses are removed from the scoring system

Wed 19th Mar 2008

Following on from the first race in Australia and its' unexpected outcome, and in spite of much testing pre-season, I have decided that I will remove the negative scoring system that was in place. After Australia I became aware that good decisions in team asset choice were being unfairly punished by removing points for DNF's and car failures because, although these failures are present in real life Formula One, they do not punish teams quite as much as they do on this site with some of those who should be at the top of the league being relegated to the bottom for something they could not control!

From now on points will be awarded for positive results in whatever form that might take, such as moving up to finish a race ahead of qualifying positions for example, rather than punishing finishing below qualifying positions as was the case. The plan is that these changes will more fairly reflect the effort that goes into chosing a team.

Source:Magus Perde

Hamilton victorious in action-packed Albert Park race

Sun 16th Mar 2008

Lewis Hamilton’s win for McLaren at the Australian Grand Prix almost went unnoticed in Albert Park this afternoon - and that tells you just what sort of race it was. The 23 year-old Briton dominated an event characterised by safety car interventions following a series of dramatic incidents that all happened behind him.

Hamilton would build a lead, lose it behind the safety car, build it again, lose it again. You get the picture. But if he was impressive here a year ago, he was even better on Sunday, never losing his composure as he took the lead of the world championship with almost insouciant ease.

If it was a great day for McLaren, it was a disaster for Ferrari. Felipe Massa spun on the first lap and was then involved in an incident with Red Bull’s David Coulthard before retiring, and Kimi Raikkonen, having benefited from the second safety car intervention, slid off the road trying to pass McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen and undid all that work. Then his Ferrari let him down when he was running seventh with three laps to go.

Indeed, McLaren should have had a one-two, but a third safety car intervention following a heavy accident for Toyota’s Timo Glock badly hurt Kovalainen’s chances as he had to pit when everyone had closed up. He dropped way back, was passed by Raikkonen, repassed him, then found himself overtaken by Renault’s Fernando Alonso as the Spaniard overtook both of his rivals in a wonderful move.

After fighting back, Kovalainen repassed the Renault with two laps to go, only to have his car falter momentarily as they crossed the line for the 57th time. As he wiped oil off his visor he accidentally triggered the pit-lane speed limiter and a relieved Alonso pounced to head his former team mate home in fourth place.

Ahead of them, Nick Heidfeld brought his BMW Sauber home an excellent second, chased by Nico Rosberg, whose Toyota-engined Williams was the fastest car on the track in the closing stages. It was the young German’s first podium.

The race began with drama as an incident in the first corner involved Honda’s Jenson Button, Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella, Red Bull’s Mark Webber, Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson and Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel, and led directly or indirectly to their retirements.

Jarno Trulli looked set for good points until his Toyota let him down, and Nelson Piquet’s debut for Renault was little short of disastrous as he trailed at the back and failed to make it home.

Sebastien Bourdais and his Toro Rosso crew made a great call on strategy and were running fourth, ahead of Alonso and Kovalainen with three laps to go, but were stymied by engine failure. Force India’s Adrian Sutil and Super Aguri’s Takuma Sato similarly failed to make the finish.

“The team did a fantastic job as always, and the car was phenomenal, a complete dream to drive compared to last year,” a delighted Hamilton said. “They pulled me in early on both stops and that kept us out of trouble. Physically the race was a breeze, and great preparation for Malaysia, so bring it on, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Source:formula1.com

Friday analysis - could Webber put Red Bull in the hunt?

Fri 14th Mar 2008

The first day of practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park saw Ferrari and McLaren evenly matched, but was generally confusing as all sorts of differing fuel loads were used as drivers set their fastest times.

It didn’t help that the track conditions changed dramatically between the morning and the afternoon sessions, as the circuit rubbered in, and that high winds affected handling. We examine how each team fared…

Ferrari
Fastest lap of day, Raikkonen 1m 26.461s, morning
Kimi Raikkonen was fastest overall, but admitted that he wasn’t happy with the way that practice went for Ferrari. The F2008 was better in the morning, but the team did a less good job with the settings as the track conditions changed in the afternoon. Felipe Massa’s spin in the afternoon prevented him from using his second set of soft Bridgestones. Like others, he found the medium compounds more durable, and that the softer rubber tended to give better grip over one lap before graining.

McLaren
Fastest lap of day, Hamilton 1m 26.559s, afternoon
Lewis Hamilton was happy with his day, believing that McLaren made the best use of their car in the changing conditions. Heikki Kovalainen, on his first Grand Prix run for McLaren, felt satisfied with the start he made with the team as he set fourth fastest times in both sessions.

Red Bull
Fastest lap of day, Webber, 1m 27.473s, afternoon
Overall, Mark Webber was happy with what Red Bull achieved, believing that there were four or five cars that were faster than his but, like many other drivers, expressing the view that the fuel load situation clouded the issue and prevented anyone drawing firm conclusions. David Coulthard lost time with his gearbox problem in the morning, but was happy with the fifth fastest time in the afternoon.

Toyota
Fastest lap of day, Trulli, 1m 28.292s, afternoon
Tyre graining was Toyota’s primary problem today, which set the team working hard on settings to try and alleviate the problem. Jarno Trulli felt that this was a qualified success and was unhappy to drop his RF108 in the gravel after putting a rear wheel on the grass under braking. Timo Glock was busy learning the track, and admitted that he hasn’t yet set up his TF108 to suit his press-on driving style.

Williams
Fastest lap of day, Rosberg, 1m 28.352s, afternoon
Williams’ day began badly with Nico Rosberg doing only three installation laps in the morning because of a gearbox problem, but he got on the case in the afternoon to set the eighth fastest time despite further problems with the differential. Kazuki Nakajima also had a gearbox problem in the morning which hurt his track learning time.

Renault
Fastest lap of day, Alonso, 1m 28.360s, morning
Fernando Alonso was concerned about the stability of his car under braking, but Nelson Piquet was in greater trouble. First he spun and brought out the red flag in the morning, indirectly causing some problems in his gearbox which took trouble to fix. That hurt him in the afternoon too, which seriously compromised his track learning time.

Force India
Fastest lap of day, Fisichella, 1m 28.469s, afternoon
Giancarlo Fisichella felt that Force India had made a big step forward over the winter and was happy with his progress as he set the afternoon’s ninth best time, while Adrian Sutil encountered a minor hydraulic problem in the morning which was rectified in time for the second session.

BMW Sauber
Fastest lap of day, Kubica, 1m 28.579s, morning
BMW Sauber had a tough day. Nick Heidfeld was sidelined in the morning when a switch short-circuited, killing the electrics and stranding him out on the track. Things were fine in the afternoon, when he set the 12th fastest time. Robert Kubica did a lot of work comparing tyre compounds.

Honda
Fastest lap of day, Button, 1m 28.632s, afternoon
Jenson Button was pleased to discover that the improvement he had felt in the Honda RA108 still held up in Melbourne, as he set the 11th fastest time in the afternoon. He and Rubens Barrichello worked through their programmes without problems, in particular evaluating the two tyre compounds.

Toro Rosso
Fastest lap of day, Vettel, 1m 28.957s, morning
On the green track in the morning, Sebastian Vettel was faster with his Toro Rosso than he went in the afternoon, while ‘Other Seb,’ Bourdais, lost time with an undisclosed problem in the garage in the afternoon.

Super Aguri
Fastest lap of day, Sato, 1m 30.663s, afternoon
Super Aguri inevitably paid a penalty for their restricted winter testing, and in particular that affected Anthony Davidson who suffered an overheating problem in the afternoon. Small design changes were required to cure the problem for tomorrow.

Source:formula1.com

Honda, Super Aguri, Force India, McLaren - The preview

Thu 13th Mar 2008

While the midfield looks competitive, down at the back of the grid there’ll be clashes aplenty with Honda, Super Aguri and Force India all vying to make their mark during 2008. Will Honda resurrect their chances? Will Super Aguri’s SA08 prove as surprising as its predecessor? Or will debutants Force India make a splash?

One thing is for certain - McLaren won’t be at the bottom of the table for long, as they attempt to outdo Ferrari and claim the constructors’ crown as their own. In the final instalment of our three-part feature, we take a look at the teams that ended last season in positions eight to 11…

Honda
16 Jenson Button 17 Rubens Barrichello
Testers: Alex Wurz, Mike Conway, Luca Filippi
Honda made much of the power of dreams and their Earthdreams programme when they launched their eco-friendly Formula One car last year, but it proved to be an utterly disastrous season that brought the team to their knees. Jenson Button did a fantastic job to maintain his momentum as, for yet another year, he saw his genuine aspirations of mounting a championship challenge crumble the moment the first race started.

Testing times suggest that the new RA108, at least in its current guise, is not going to turn that trick for him either. Insiders say his first comments on the new car were unprintable. At the launch in late January, there was much evidence of brave smiles for the cameras to disguise an ongoing crisis.

But… nobody in the real world doubts that the presence of new team principal Ross Brawn will have a huge influence on the team’s development in the medium term. His record at Benetton and Ferrari speaks volumes, and this major asset will surely lead the team from the wilderness. It will, however, take time.

Super Aguri
18 Takuma Sato 19 Anthony Davidson
Tester: James Rossiter
The one thing that Super Aguri can rely on going into the 2008 season is the inherent strength of Honda’s RA807E V8. But it remains to be seen how weak other aspects of the set-up will be.

This time last year Aguri Suzuki’s little team embarrassed the Honda 'Mother Ship', whose own RA107 performed lamentably in the early races. By contrast, Super Aguri’s RA106-based SA07 went well enough for the irrepressible Takuma Sato to perform some giant-killing acts, most notably on a troubled Fernando Alonso’s McLaren in Montreal.

Now the little team face 2008 with modified versions of the RA107s, after a great deal of uncertainty over their financial wellbeing. They missed the final two winter tests, and only in the days prior to Melbourne was news of a buyer for the team announced. Losing a team is never good news, especially when they are as popular as Super Aguri, and one hopes that the acquisition by the Magma Group can be successfully concluded.

Force India
20 Adrian Sutil 21 Giancarlo Fisichella
Tester: Vitantonio Liuzzi
In the beginning it was Jordan. Then it became Midland. Then Spyker. Now it is Force India. Can Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya finally get this once successful team back on track, and turn the corner from also-rans to respectable midfielder status?

Technical chief Mike Gascoyne believes so, and has been busily assembling a very strong technical department to do just that. It includes engineers such as Mark Smith and James Key, and other personnel who were with the team in its Jordan heyday. In Mallya they have finally found somebody with the necessary finance and the will to invest it in moving from the tail end of the field into the midfield. Nobody is pretending that Force India will emulate Jordan’s bold acts of yore just yet, but watch this team very carefully. If anyone is going to surprise with their progress by the end of the year, it could be this one.

McLaren
22 Lewis Hamilton 23 Heikki Kovalainen
Testers: Pedro de la Rosa, Gary Paffett
No team in history has ever gone through as bruising a season as McLaren experienced in 2007. First there was the exhilaration of Lewis Hamilton’s early performances, and the on-track fight with Ferrari. Then came the 'Stepneygate' spy scandal, followed by internal strife between Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. It concluded with a US$100m fine, disqualification from the world championship for constructors, and Kimi Raikkonen pipping Hamilton and Alonso to the drivers’ title in the final race.

In theory, there should be the humiliation of a garage at the wrong end of the pit lane this year, but within McLaren right now there is no looking back. Everything is totally focused on one task, and one task only: winning. The team’s philosophy has always been to win every race; that’s the way to win championships.

In recent testing the MP4-23 set the pace, giving rise to optimism that Hamilton and his new team mate Heikki Kovalainen will be able to take the fight to Ferrari once more. Whether they have the necessary technical savvy, and the strength of character to get on with one another, remain but two of the fascinating aspects of this team’s battle for redemption.

Source:formula1.com

Williams, Red Bull, Toyota & Toro Rosso - how will they shape up in 2008?

Wed 12th Mar 2008

Winter testing suggests this year’s midfield battle will be incredibly close. With their combination of Nico Rosberg and the FW30, Williams are looking ominously quick, while both Red Bull and Toyota are hoping 2008 will be their breakthrough season. And then there is Toro Rosso, lurking in the wings waiting to steal all three’s thunder.

In the second of our three-part feature, we take a closer look at the teams that clinched positions four to seven in last year’s championship table…

Williams
7 Nico Rosberg 8 Kazuki Nakajima
Testers: Nico Hulkenberg
Williams did a huge amount in 2007 to dismiss any suggestions that they are slowly declining into the sort of supporting role which eventually claimed Tyrrell. And their performance so far in pre-season testing makes them a clear contender for the position of dark horse prior to the 2008 kick-off.

The FW29 did much to put the team back on the right technical track in 2007, and its similarly Toyota-powered FW30 successor has looked very strong all winter. Senior engineers Patrick Head and Sam Michael both firmly believe that, while they aren’t yet ready to claim victories, the gap between themselves and Ferrari and McLaren will be a lot smaller. In the quiet ebullience of one of the most popular teams in the sport, one sees the shoots of recovery to the level of competitiveness that made them great.

On the driver front, two sons of famous fathers will battle it out. Nico Rosberg made a great name for himself in 2007, but was that just because the FW29 was a great car? This year he has to beat decisively new team mate Kazuki Nakajima, son of the former Lotus and Tyrrell racer Satoru, if he is to maintain his career momentum.

Red Bull
9 David Coulthard 10 Mark Webber
Testers: Sebastien Buemi
2007 was a crucial year for Red Bull Racing that appeared to achieve little thanks to the inherent lack of reliability of the long-awaited RB3 from technical chief Adrian Newey. The idea was to challenge for fourth place overall with the Renault RS27-engined contender, but it didn’t work out that way. Instead, Red Bull remained firmly mired in the midfield, from which escape will be a very tough task.

David Coulthard and Mark Webber need no introduction and are comfortable together. They have similar speed, which manifests itself in different ways. Webber is the better qualifier, but Coulthard can still drive a good race. Both have to be fully motivated, however, and that will come if the RB4 can deliver. The signs thus far are that more work is needed before it can break through, but results must come in the most critical season the team has yet faced. The time for excuses is long past.

Toyota
11 Jarno Trulli 12 Timo Glock
Testers: Kamui Kobayashi
Red Bull Racing isn’t the only team that faces tough questions if they fail to deliver. Toyota have been on that knife edge for far too long and in 2008 they must surely start to show signs of being able to challenge regularly for podiums if they are to stand any chance of long-term survival. Even Toyota, who are rumoured to be spending more than anyone else on Formula One racing, cannot do so indefinitely without solid results.

Jarno Trulli said recently that he believes the TF108 has the potential to do well, but this is what drivers always say at this stage of the season when anything is possible. In Timo Glock he has a German partner who can be guaranteed to push all the time, but unless the technical package is right both will face the usual uphill struggle of a Toyota driver.

Toro Rosso
14 Sebastien Bourdais 15 Sebastian Vettel
Test driver: TBA
Toro Rosso were one of the least happy teams for much of 2007, with the management of Gerhard Berger and Franz Tost regularly belittling the efforts of drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed. The American was dropped in favour of Sebastian Vettel by Hungary, and despite matching the German’s pace, if not his luck, Liuzzi was also shown the door at the end of the season. The man who replaces him is Sebastien Bourdais, whom many acknowledge should have got a Formula One chance a long time ago. The four-time ChampCar champion has been struggling for speed during testing, and faces a tough challenge learning the ropes while keeping up with Vettel.

Among the team’s greatest assets is former McLaren and Ferrari engineer Giorgio Ascanelli, whose arrival set them on the right technical course partway through 2007. They start the year with a modified, ‘B’ version of last year’s STR02, and are hoping that as a known quantity it will enable them to achieve decent results early on before the introduction of a new machine later in the year.

Source:formula1.com

FIA warns teams over collaborating with Nigel Stepney

Mon 10th Mar 2008

The FIA has recommended that teams proceed with caution in any potential collaboration with former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney, the man accused of passing confidential information to rivals McLaren in last year’s ‘spy scandal’ affair.

In a statement released Friday, the FIA said Stepney had admitted the allegation, but that he disputed “the seriousness and extent of his involvement”. The FIA went on to explain it is not in a position to take formal action against Stepney, but warned against employing him without first carrying out “appropriate due diligence”.

McLaren were fined $100 million and stripped of their 2007 constructors’ points by the FIA over the affair, which is still the subject of an investigation by Italian police.

The FIA statement in full:
“In its investigations of last year regarding the unauthorised use of intellectual property within Formula One, the FIA heard allegations that Mr. Nigel Stepney, then employed by Ferrari, had passed confidential Ferrari information to an employee of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Mr. Stepney has admitted this allegation and apologised to the FIA, though he disputes the seriousness and extent of his involvement.

“As Mr. Stepney is not a licence-holder of the FIA, no formal action may be taken against him under the International Sporting Code (though the FIA is co-operating with the Italian police, who are investigating Mr. Stepney's actions). As a matter of good order, the FIA recommends to its licensees that they do not professionally collaborate with Mr. Stepney without conducting appropriate due diligence regarding his suitability for involvement in international motor sport. This recommendation stands until 1 July 2009.”

Source:formula1.com

Honda drivers make progress with the RA108

Fri 07th Mar 2008

Honda concluded their preparations for the start of the 2008 season on Thursday following a three-day private test at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain. Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello and reserve driver Alex Wurz each spent two days at the wheel of the RA108, reporting positive progress with the team's latest aerodynamic and mechanical developments.

With the first race in Australia just over a week away, Honda’s test programme focused on the evaluation of the new parts to confirm the final specification for the first three flyaway races, along with qualifying, race start and race procedures. The team's three drivers, who form the most experienced driver line-up on the grid this year, completed 603 laps, over 2670 kilometres of running.

"Our final test before the start of the season went well this week and it was very useful to evaluate the new developments that we have on the car,” reported Button. “We completed some long run work in preparation for the race weekends and I was pleased that we have made a step forward in terms of performance."

Barrichello and Wurz also felt that the heavily-revised aero package was a step in the right direction, the team having so far struggled to get the best out of the RA108.

"I drove the car in the launch specification and with the new aero package this week, which was very useful to provide a direct performance comparison,” said Barrichello. “Today I completed a lot of running with the new developments which was very beneficial. It is difficult to know where we are compared to the competition as we were testing privately, but I definitely feel we have taken a step in the right direction.”

"The new aero upgrades open up new opportunities for the set-up and enable us to make better use of the tyres,” added Wurz. “I have completed two full race simulations without any problems and I believe we are well prepared for the season opener."

Echoing the comments of the team’s drivers, Steve Clark, head of race and test engineering, concluded: "It is clear that the new package is a good step forward, not just on a single lap but also over longer runs. Virtually all of the wings and bodywork components have been updated since the launch specification and to good effect. Testing conditions have been challenging with strong and very gusty winds, so we look forward to seeing how the package translates to the race track next weekend in Australia."

Button and Barrichello now head to Japan for the Honda Motor Sports pre-season press conference, which takes place in Tokyo on Monday, before continuing their journey to Melbourne.

Source:formula1.com

Patrick Head expecting top 3 race finishes in 2008

Wed 05th Mar 2008

After their fourth-place finish in last year’s constructors’ championship, Williams’ engineering director Patrick Head believes his team can go from strength to strength this season with regular top-three race finishes.

Lead driver Nico Rosberg, starting his third campaign with the team, will be joined by Japanese newcomer Kazuki Nakajima and it’s a youthful combination that Head thinks can bring Williams serious results.

“The driver line up will not be as experienced as might be expected for a team competing for a championship,” he said. “However, we intend to be regular podium visitors in 2008.”

The new FW30 has looked impressive in testing, prompting media speculation that Williams could be the leading team behind Ferrari and McLaren this year. However, Head insisted that this can only be judged after the opening race in Australia.

“It is too early to say where we will be in the pecking order,” he said. “It looks as if Ferrari and McLaren have made strong progress from 2007, BMW have a car that seems quick and Renault have made progress, I am sure some of which is coming from the cockpit with Alonso back at the helm.

“Red Bull are beginning to look stronger and Toro Rosso are making the best of a car that they are familiar with, they certainly cannot be dismissed. We have certainly made progress, but we will not see where we stand until after the season starts.”

Williams scored one podium finish last year, a third place for Alex Wurz at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

Source:formula1.com

New aerodynamic package for Honda

Thu 28th Feb 2008

Honda will use their final pre-season test at Jerez next week to trial an all-new aerodynamics package, as the team bid to get the RA108 on the pace ahead of the forthcoming Australian Grand Prix.

Most teams completed their winter test programme in Barcelona this week, but Honda will spend another three days on track in Spain in the hope of solving the handling issues that have plagued their 2008 car.

"Our main aero updates and some new mechanical developments will arrive for the Jerez test next week and we have a great deal to do there to ensure that we are in a position to be competitive for Melbourne,” said driver Jenson Button. “We have been doing a lot of work to overcome our handling issues but the pace and the lap times are not there yet."

Honda completed an evaluation of revised suspension settings in Barcelona to address the handling concerns. These produced positive results, but the team are reserving judgment on their potential for Australia until they have run the revised aero package.

"We are finding that the performance of the car is quite varied as I had a different reaction from the car over the two days so we have some set-up work to complete,” said Rubens Barrichello after his time in the car this week. “It is too early to make a final comment on performance as we have our new aero update kit to evaluate next week."

Honda’s private test at Jerez will take place next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Source:formula1.com

First time on track for Force India

Tue 26th Feb 2008

Force India’s chief technical officer, Mike Gascoyne, described the team’s Monday session in Barcelona as ‘very productive’ after Adrian Sutil and test driver Vitantonio Liuzzi debuted the new VJM01.

Despite grey and rainy weather conditions for the opening day of the three-day session, Force India worked through the majority of the scheduled shakedown of the cars, with both drivers focusing on understanding the behaviour of its new aero package.

“Today was a very productive day today considering we were running new parts and an aero package we hadn't tested before,” said Gascoyne after 100 laps. “We were running 60 percent of the aero package we will use in Australia, and it seemed to go well.”

Sutil and Liuzzi worked through different set-up options to maximise the balance on the VJM01. Encouragingly, the team set times competitive with the rest of the field, with Liuzzi 12th fastest and Sutil ninth, though their days were not entirely trouble free.

“Unfortunately we had an unscheduled engine change for Tonio's car over lunch, which cut short his time,” explained Gascoyne. “Although both drivers initially had some understeer issues, we seemed to understand it by the end of the day and all things considered it was a good opening day to the test. I think we can expect more tomorrow.”

Though both drivers conceded it was early days with the new car, and that weather conditions were not ideal for a maiden test, both came away with positive first impressions of the VJM01.

“I think the car ran without any major problems and the balance we got in the end was quite okay,” said German Sutil. “We had some small issues, first with getting heat into the tyres and then the pressure so it was not perfect, but we should be happy. For the first day with a new car I am confident as I can feel there is something more to come.”

Liuzzi added: “The balance, considering the conditions seemed OK, and the few laps we did in the dry seemed a step forward from last year's car. It felt a bit more balanced and we still have to understand more on the settings, but from the few laps we did in the dry it was quite a good feeling.”

Liuzzi will continue for a further day of testing on Tuesday, while Sutil hands over to team mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

Source:formula1.com

Third site upgrade

Mon 25th Feb 2008

I would like to get most of the site upgrades coded and working before the start if the 2008 season if possible and, as a result of that, the next upgrade is also in place. When you click on my team you will now see graphical representations of both the cars you have selected and your drivers along with the flag of their home country.

In real terms this does nothing to enhance the functionality of the site but it does add a bit of much needed eye candy along the way ;)

Source:Magus Perde

Schumacher back behind the Ferrari wheel

Sat 23rd Feb 2008

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will return to testing action for Ferrari next week, when he participates in the team’s final pre-season test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

Schumacher, who last tested in late 2007, will join Kimi Raikkonen in Spain on Monday, as Ferrari begin a three-day session to finalise their on-track preparations for the coming season with their F2008 machine.

Meanwhile, Ferrari wound up their current Barcelona session on Friday, with Felipe Massa and official tester Luca Badoer carrying out a full race-weekend simulation, starting with the third free practice session, followed by the three qualifying sessions and the Grand Prix, along with all the relevant trackside procedures.

Massa successfully completed the simulation. Badoer, however, had to stop in the final race stint because of an oil leak. Massa ultimately completed 95 laps, with a best time of 1m 20.508s, while Badoer managed 75, his fastest a 1m 21.808s.

Source:formula1.com

Driver transfers and asset changes - The second upgrade to the site

Fri 22nd Feb 2008

Whilst I was working on the site today I thought I would implement the second option that was asked for and this is the abilty to transfer drivers and change engines and cars during the season. There are now three times in the season when you are able to do this. There are some restrictions placed on what you can do (I don't want it too easy now do I) but it will solve the potential problem of being left with a team you can do nothing with.

Instructions on what is included and how you use the new features can be found on the rules page but, to be honest, it's pretty straightforward and you shouldn't have any problems - I hope!

Source:Magus Perde

Car Development - The first upgrade to the site

Fri 22nd Feb 2008

I promised that I would listen to F1 fans who use the site and I've done just that. I was asked if I could let the cars be developed over the season so they were able to score more points as the season prgressed just as they would in real life. I was pleased to do this and I'm happy to announce that this feature is now available on the My Team page.

Developing the cars is simple, decide how much you want to spend and where you want to spend it and just click the relevant button. After the next race your funds will be replenished by your sponsors. How much you get will depend on many things ;) Read the rules page for full details on car development. And this is not all, I'm already working on the next upgrade to the site that will give players an exciting new feature so watch this space.

Source:Magus Perde

Massa leads the field in heavy rain at Barcelona day two

Thu 21st Feb 2008

The second day of testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday proved just as rain swept as the first, with showers interrupting proceedings throughout Wednesday's session. It was new arrivals Ferrari, however, who managed to get the most from the Spanish track with race driver Felipe Massa clocking the fastest time, a 1m 30.673s, to put him over six-tenths of a second clear of Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

Ferrari tester Luca Badoer in the other F2008 also impressed and finished the day in third. Massa tested new aerodynamic components and covered 40 laps, while Badoer completed 33 as he continued the general development of the Italian team’s 2008 car.

Webber’s team mate David Coulthard took up fourth, as the duo covered almost 100 laps over the session. Red Bull had planned to replicate a race weekend during the day but with the wet conditions, they opted to practice pit stops and carry out two full run-throughs of a qualifying session.

Just behind Coulthard was former world champion Fernando Alonso for Renault in fifth. Alonso completed 28 laps but the team’s focus was largely dedicated to checking systems on the car and rehearsing various race procedures in the garage. Alonso’s team mate Nelson Piquet Jr completed just one lap in the second R28, finishing in 11th, without a recorded time.

“It is hard to be patient when you have spent two days waiting around for the weather conditions to improve,” said Piquet. “I finished the day having completed only a single installation lap - a bit frustrating for me and all members of the team who had hoped that the track conditions would have improved by the end of the day.”

Tuesday’s quickest driver, Nico Rosberg, found himself lower down the order on Wednesday. Rosberg finished sixth for Williams after covering 97 laps. The second FW30 was shared by team tester Nico Hulkenberg and race driver Kazuki Nakajima. Hulkenberg, ninth, and Nakajima, tenth, completed over 80 laps, as they continued set-up work.

The fastest Toyota driver was Timo Glock in seventh, while team mate Jarno Trulli finished the day a tenth down on his team mate in eighth. Trulli covered 46 laps of set-up and aerodynamics work in the TF108, but Glock limited himself to a single installation lap in the morning and a further 32 after lunch as track conditions improved.

“That was only half a day’s work for me today because the morning was too wet for us to gain anything from testing,” explained the German. “In the afternoon we did some running in the wet conditions - first on heavy wet tyres, changing to standard wet tyres. It was difficult to draw conclusions but we found a similar picture to the dry which will help us define where we concentrate our work.”

Testing will continue at the Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday and with the weather predicted to improve, McLaren are expected to join proceedings.

Unofficial Wednesday times from Barcelona:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:30.673
2. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:31:213
3. Luca Badoer, Ferrari, 1:31.288
4. David Coulthard, Red Bull, 1:31.654
5. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 1:31.731
6. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 1:31.963
7. Timo Glock, Toyota, 1:32.407
8. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 1:32.571
9. Nico Hulkenberg, Williams, 1:33.102
10. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, no time
11. Nelson Piquet Jr, Renault, no time

Source:formula1.com

Barrichello and Button praise improving Honda

Sun 17th Feb 2008

With less than a month to go before the 2008 season gets underway in Australia, Honda’s Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button are cautiously optimistic that the RA108 is finally showing signs of improvement, after wrapping up a productive test at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on Thursday.

Barrichello covered more than 150 laps over two days of running on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although he failed to make it into the top ten on the timesheets on either day, he was pleased with progress, convinced the team have gone some way to solving the grip and pace issues that blighted early test sessions with the car.

“We made some good steps with the driveability this week which have given me more confidence getting on the power,” the Brazilian said. “The car balance has improved with progress on the ride and suspension, and I'm feeling comfortable in the car and happier with my driving position.”

Button, meanwhile, tested on Wednesday and Thursday, covering over 200 laps as he ran through aero evaluations and a race simulation. Despite finishing over three seconds down on fastest man Heikki Kovalainen in the McLaren on Thursday, the British driver was also satisfied as he left Jerez.

“We have made good progress this week in understanding the car, addressing the issues that we experienced at the last test and getting the car balanced for long runs,” added Button. “There is a great deal of work to do over the two remaining tests before we head to Melbourne, but I am now happier in the car and have more confidence to push it to the limit.”

The team will be back in action at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya later this month

Source:formula1.com

Super Aguri delay car launch

Thu 07th Feb 2008

Super Aguri have opted to postpone the official launch of their 2008 car it was revealed on Tuesday. The Japanese squad had intended to unveil the SA08, which passed its mandatory FIA crash tests last week, at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on February 9th.

Instead of launching their new challenger, team principal Aguri Suzuki and technical director Mark Preston will be present at the Spanish track to answer questions. The team’s finalised driver line-up, livery and sponsorship package is not expected to be unveiled until the season opener in March in Australia.

Takuma Sato is currently testing for the squad in Spain. The Japanese driver is behind the wheel of an SA07-5B at this week’s multi-team session at Jerez.

Source:formula1.com

Red Bull lead Williams in Spain

Thu 07th Feb 2008

Red Bull and Williams were the only teams in action on Monday in Jerez as this week’s test session got underway. Both squads fielded their race line-ups at the Spanish circuit, but it was Red Bull’s David Coulthard and Mark Webber who stole the show to take first and second on the timesheets.

Coulthard was the quicker of the two Red Bull drivers, clocking a best time of 1m 20.645s. Webber, meanwhile, in the second RB4, was just over one tenth of a second adrift of his Scottish team mate. Both are expected to be in action again on Tuesday.

Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima finished the day third fastest in the times, while team mate Nico Rosberg finished in fourth. Both FW30s were painted with another commemorative livery design to mark the team’s three decade-long Formula One career.

“We ran two cars on the first day of this week’s Jerez test, with both the race drivers working through the test programme,” explained technical director Sam Michael. “After signing off the revision to the front wing mounting system, we proceeded to work on mechanical set-up and long runs for reliability. We had no major issues and both Nico and Kazuki will continue with the programme tomorrow.”

With the start of the season just over a month away, pressure is mounting on the teams to ensure their new machines are on the pace in time for the season opener in Melbourne and the majority of squads are scheduled to join the test on Tuesday. Only Ferrari and Toyota, who wrapped up a second three-day session in Bahrain on Monday, are not expected to attend.

Unofficial Monday times from Jerez:
1. David Coulthard, Red Bull, 1:20.645
2. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:20.798
3. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 1:20.831
4. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 1:20.945

Source:formula1.com