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Nico Rosberg wins 2013 British GP

2013 British Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg (Mercedes AMG) has won an incident-packed British Grand Prix, just 0.765 seconds from Mark Webber (Red Bull). Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) filled the final podium position.

But where to start with the drama this race contained! Off the start line Webber was slow to move, although it appeared he may have been ever so slightly baulked by Rosberg ahead of him. That put the Aussie in thick of the action going into the first corner and unavoidable contact was made with Romain Grosjean (Lotus). Webber was forced wide, with a damaged front wing, and rejoined the track in fifteenth place. His day seemed over.

Out front Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG) made the most of his pole position to establish a two second lead over Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull). But on lap eight the story of the day, and Pirelli’s worst nightmare, emerged when Hamilton’s left rear tyre delaminated before it spectacularly exploded. He limped back to the pits and rejoined in last place.

Alas that was the first of four delaminations for the day with Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) to lose their left rear tyre in the same fashion as Hamilton soon after. As a result there was debris around all over the place and the Safety Car was deployed to clear the track.

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) inherited the lead from Hamilton and was able to post a small gap back to Rosberg after racing resumed on lap 21. Rosberg stayed in touch with Vettel, but on lap 41 the triple world champion coasted into the last corner with gearbox problems, stopping on pit straight. The Safety Car was brought out to move Vettel’s car out of harm’s way.

Webber, who had worked his way back through the field was in third place after Vettel’s retirement, came in for a final tyre stop coming out behind the Safety Car in fifth place. When racing resumed there were six laps remaining, Rosberg in the lead heading towards his third grand prix win. Webber looked the most likely to challenge, if he could overtake the cars ahead.

Shortly after the restart Sergio Perez (McLaren) suffered the final tyre blowout of the race, he was narrowly avoided by Alonso who was preparing to pass the young Mexican. Thankfully a Safety Car wasn’t needed and we were treated to an exciting race to the flag.

Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Adrian Sutil (Force India) and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) stood between Webber and Rosberg. Mark was able to quickly pass Ricciardo and Sutil in the chase for the lead and Raikkonen, on old tyres, was also overtaken without too much bother.

Less than two seconds separated first from second and Webber really needed to within one second of Rosberg so he could benefit from DRS. To Rosberg’s credit he was able to fight hard to keep his lead out of Webber’s reach to take the race win. Another lap or two may have seen a fairytale victory for Mark, but it wasn’t to be.

For all his troubles Lewis Hamilton also drove a great race and finished fourth. All of the top four drivers will have been pleased to have made some inroads into Vettel’s championship lead.

Daniel Ricciardo slipped down to eighth on his old tyres. His late fade out will be softened by the fact teammate Jean-Eric Vergne retired at about two thirds race distance.

It was a deserved win for Rosberg as the Mercedes AMGs were fast all weekend. He’ll take renewed confidence into next weekend when the German Grand Prix takes place at the Nürburgring.

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2013 Canadian Grand Prix in pictures

2013 Canadian Grand Prix

The 2013 Canadian Grand Prix was a pretty easy day out for Sebastian Vettel. Indeed those ‘Mounties’ were as close as anyone got to him on race day. We didn’t want you to miss out on the fun, so here’s 86 images from the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve that will bring you as close to Vettel as any of his competitors got.

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Ferrari Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing

2013 Canadian GP: Post-race press conference

2013 Canadian Grand Prix

Back whenever it was that the FIA started to interview the drivers on the podium after each race (2012 British Grand Prix) we thought it was a clumsy approach. To be fair, there were some teething problems and it did get better. It’s true, also, that fans at the track probably deserve to hear from the drivers they have paid, in many cases, several hundred dollars to watch.

And yet, when you read the transcript below, you won’t really get too much of a clue that all the while during Eddie Jordan’s interview with Sebastian Vettel the German was being booed while Fernando Alonso was being cheered along.

To be fair, the transcript does read a little odd and Jordan seems to cut-off Vettel. In fact he did cut-off the race winner mid-sentence partly to stop the jeering from the crowd we suspect. It was a bad look all around and perhaps the FIA may have cause to reconsider the practice of on-track interviews.

For now, we expect the status quo will remain, as it probably should, but as much as we dislike Vettel at times, he deserved better than the Canadian crowd gave him.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Sebastian Vettel wins 2013 Canadian GP

2013 Canadian Grand Prix

The Sebastian Vettel–Red Bull dominance of recent years was captured perfectly at the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix, as the three-time world champion converted his 39th career pole position into his 29th career victory.

Vettel wasn’t troubled during the 70 lap race and the 14.4 second margin back to Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) in second place flatters the rest of the field. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) rounded out the top three.

Mark Webber (Red Bull) flirted with the podium positions for much of the race, despite minor front wing damage suffered on lap 37 in a collision with Giedo van der Garde (Caterham). Webber was not pleased with van der Garde’s actions either, slamming the 28-year-old as a “a pay driver with no mirrors”.

“I got a sensational start, but I didn’t have too many places to go,” said Webber.”We lost some time with Nico in the first stint, and the car was getting hot behind him in the slip stream. Once I got in free air, the car was handling much better. Then we had the incident with Giedo van der Garde which caused some front wing damage and made it more difficult; the whole top section of the wing was gone on the left hand side, so it didn’t help from then on. I don’t know what he was doing.

“There were some positives from today, but it would have been nicer to have finished a bit further up the road.”

Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) finished fifth, ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) who finished a career-best sixth.

Daniel Ricciardo was well behind his Toro Rosso teammate and could only manage P15. “I got a really good start, making up two positions off the line,” said Ricciardo afterwards. “I felt we could have a good race, but after just four laps, the car was oversteering like crazy and I couldn’t manage the tyres anymore. As the race went on, we tried to improve the car balance and maybe we improved it a bit, but our pace was really slow.

“We didn’t change so much on the car since Friday, so why we were so slow is a mystery to me at the moment.”

Both McLaren drivers finished outside of the points in P11 and P12, ending McLaren’s 64-race run of at least one car scoring championship points.

In awful post-race news it emerged that a marshal was killed in a terrible accident with a crane removing Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber. The marshal slipped while out of sight of the crane driver and was run over. He was rushed to hospital and passed away last night. Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Ferrari Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

FIA asks both Mercedes and Ferrari to please explain

FIA

Overnight the FIA issued the following statement in regards to the secret Formula 1 Pirelli tyre tests:

The FIA has asked Team Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 and Scuderia Ferrari Team which have taken part in tyre tests in the 2013 season to reply to a disciplinary inquiry in pursuance of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules.

This follows the Stewards’ Report from the Monaco Grand Prix and represents supplementary information required by the FIA in the light of the replies received from Pirelli, who were asked for clarifications on Tuesday May 28th.

Mercedes we all knew about, they have allegedly used a 2013-spec car in their test with Pirelli and, in theory, that’s a clear cut breach of the sporting regulations.

Ferrari, however, will be very surprised, we suspect, to be asked to explain their participation with Pirelli. It’s been reported they used a 2011-spec car provided by their Corse Clienti program, which is independent from the F1 team.

Using a two-year-old car has been understood by the teams to be acceptable. Although, the regulations define acceptable cars as being “substantially different” from the 2013 specifications. It would seem then that the concern for Ferrari will be: is the 2011 F150 Italia different enough from the 2013 F138?

Lawyers at 10 paces everyone!

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Ferrari Formula 1

Ferrari opens up about own secret Pirelli test

2011 Ferrari F150 Italia

In the wake of the Mercedes secret tyre test controversy it has emerged that Ferrari has also taken part in private test at the request of Pirelli.

The test took place this year between the Bahrain and Spanish Grands Prix. Crucially, though, a 2011-spec car was used which had been provided by Ferrari’s Corse Clienti program and not their Formula 1 team. Therefore, Ferrari has not breached any FIA sporting regulations.

“For a bit more of a year there has been a possibility of performing these so-called 1,000 kms tests that Pirelli does for its own tyre development,” a Ferrari spokesman told Speed. “For Ferrari it has always been very clear that these tests could not make use of a 2013 car. In terms of running an old car, the matter is quite irrelevant, because it is totally within the rules.

“This is something that we have never denied; this was very transparent. All the teams have this possibility. The tyres, the specification of the test, is something that Pirelli knows; not us.”

Previously Pirelli had conducted its testing using a 2010-spec Renault under the watch of the Lotus show car program. It had always kept the teams abreast of its activities, including the distribution of official reports after each test that, in part, confirmed Lotus would not gain any advantage.

Why they have now started going down this secretive test regime with Ferrari and Mercedes, without notifying the other teams is yet to be identified.

[Source: Speed TV | Pic: Ferrari]

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Auctions & Sales Ferrari

Ferrari 340/375 MM achieves Italian auction record

Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione

This awkwardly styled, but still beautiful Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione has just sold at auction for €9.856 million (AU$13.1m). Ferrari themselves declare it an Italian record for a classic Ferrari.

The car in question competed in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa; alas it failed to finish either race. However, it did taste victory thanks to with Mike Hawthorn and Umberto Maglioli at the 1953 Pescara 12 Hours.

Powered by a 4.5 litre V12 complete with triple Weber carburettors it boasted 340hp. By today’s standards a 4-speed manual gearbox is prehistoric for a top line racing car, so too the use of leaf springs. Of course, in its day the 375 MM was leading edge.

Chassis 0320AM was the car up for grabs and it was also raced in the World Sports Car Championship by no less than Mike Hawthorn, Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina, all three were F1 world champions.

While this is the highest sale price achieved at auction by a Ferrari in Italy, it still falls short of the US$16.4 million paid for a 1957 250 Testa Rossa in 2011.

[Source: RM Auctions]

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2013 Monaco Grand Prix in pictures

2013 Monaco Grand Prix

As you can see Nico Rosberg was pretty happy to have won the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix. And who can blame him. It’s one thing to win the race for yourself, but to do so 30 years after your old man achieved the same thing is very special. Well done him and well done Keke.

The existence of the Monaco Grand Prix really is an anachronism in the 21st century, but we hope it never goes. Watching the cars fly through turns 13 and 14 is perhaps the best example of the directness of F1 cars we see all year. And the dramatic elevation changes on such a short track, although flattened out on TV screens, also makes for one of the most spectacular circuits all year.

In our latest F1 in pictures gallery we have exactly 100 images from the glitz and glamour enjoyed by all in Monte Carlo.

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2013 Spanish Grand Prix in pictures

2013 Spanish Grand Prix

Here’s your photographic refresher of what went down at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix. As usual there’s an excellent assortment of images, there’s 97 in all, starting with a sea of Maranello red.

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Ferrari Formula 1 Lotus

2013 Spanish GP: Post-race press conference

2013 Spanish Grand Prix

Here’s the full text from the post-race presser at the Spanish Grand Prix. It was Fernando Alonso’s 32nd career victory which moves him one clear of Nigel Mansell. The two-time world champion is now only behind Ayrton Senna (41 wins), Alain Prost (51) and Michael Schumacher (91).

From the press conference we liked this answer from Alonso when asked how he expects Mercedes to perform at the forthcoming Monaco Grand Prix: “They will arrive as favourites for Monaco. They’ve been on pole position for the last three races, they were on pole last year with Michael’s lap, so it would be a surprise if they weren’t on pole position in Monaco… it’s more difficult to overtake in Monaco, so maybe they can keep good positions for longer. It’s something we need to understand and we need to do a better job on Saturday, Felipe and I, and Monaco is one of those places where we must do it.”

Some pre-race psychology from Fernando there?

[Pic: Ferrari]

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Ferrari Formula 1 Lotus

Fernando Alonso wins 2013 Spanish GP

2013 Spanish Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) won his second Spanish Grand Prix in a race dominated by tyre conservation. It’s Alonso’s third win on home soil, adding to his 2012 European GP title and his 2006 Spanish GP win with Renault in 2006.

In second place was the ever reliable Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus), notching up his 33rd consecutive race finish. Rounding out the podium was Felipe Massa (Ferrari).

The Mercedes AMG front row once again failed to live up to the scrutiny of race day with both drivers finishing well below expectations. Nico Rosberg finished sixth, but Lewis Hamilton finished out of the points in P12.

Red Bull collected enough points to stay ahead in the constructors’ race, with Sebastian Vettel coming home in P4, ahead of teammate Mark Webber, who did well to finish fifth after another poor start. Webber started from P8 but was in the mid-teens by the end of the first lap.

“We were struggling for the range and a bit of pace today, to be honest. The Ferraris and the Lotus were in a bit of a different league and that made it hard for us to compete today,” Webber said after the race. “I think we got the most out of what we had, particularly as by the first corner I was probably 14th or 15th, so to come back with that result was pretty good.

“If you don’t have the pace, then you can’t have the magic strategy. I was happy with how I drove and we got some points, but it wasn’t the result we wanted.”

Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) claimed the final world championship point on offer for P10 making it a double-points success for the Australian drivers. Although, Ricciardo was not overly happy with his race.

“I had a really poor start off the line, with a lot of wheelspin and, to be honest, the first few laps of the race I really struggled with front grip and locking the front brakes,” explained Daniel. “At the first stop, we made quite a few changes in terms of wing settings and tyre pressures and that helped, so the next two stints were quite good and I made a few passing moves, so it was certainly not a boring race.

“But then, towards the end of the race, our pace began to fade again. It wasn’t easy to get tenth, even if we looked on course to get more than the one point earlier in the race, so it’s better than nothing.”

For the second race in a row Jean-Eric Vergne failed to finish, this time he can apportion blame on a pitlane incident with Nico Hulkenberg to the Sauber team for an unsafe release.

There were over 80 pit stops for tyres in this race and while we all like to see the closer racing that’s been brought about with the less than perfect Pirelli tyres, perhaps this has gone a bit too far. Often times you’ve got no real idea who’s racing who because tyre strategies are all over the place. It’s not until all drivers have made their final stops that things become clearer.

One thing is certain it doesn’t make for the greatest spectacle for us viewers. But Fernando Alonso won’t care at all about that, he’ll be happy to bank the 25 points and start preparations for Monaco in two weeks.

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2013 Bahrain Grand Prix in pictures

2013 Bahrain Grand Prix

A little later than usual here’s your pictorial reminder of the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix. There’s 87 pics to fill your racing boots this week. Be sure to check back in after the Spanish Grand Prix for more wallpaper-friendly F1 pics in a few weeks.

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