Category: Formula 1

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Formula 1

FIA makes bad Korea move

2012 Korean Grand Prix

In a move that’s almost as crap as the headline above and that should surprise noone the FIA has quietly removed the Korean Grand Prix from the 2015 F1 calendar.

That leaves us with a 20-race season, with the proviso that the previously published 21-race season should trigger a clause allowing drivers to have access to five engine units in 2015, instead of four as originally planned when the new engine regulations were launched.

In relation to engine allowances the sporting regs state: “This number will be increased to five if the number of Events in the Championship, as originally scheduled, exceeds 20.”

According to the BBC, the FIA came under pressure from Renault and Red Bull to add the extra race to the calendar. By signing off on the 21-race calendar last month it would appear that the teams, or at least Red Bull, will be happy to have more engine units to play with.

However, there is a recently discovered loophole in the regs that will allow all engine manufacturers, except Honda, to stagger engine improvements throughout the season. Honda will have to comply with rules as applied to engine makers in 2014 and therefore must finalise its engine by the end of February.

Pretty daft, huh?

Back to realiuty for a moment; you can see the revised 2015 calendar after the break.

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Formula 1 News

Update on Jules Bianchi

Jules Bianchi, Marussia F1 Team

In a recent update the family of Jules Bianchi confirmed he remains unconscious but continues to fight. He has been moved from intensive care and has commenced a program of rehabilition therapy.

“It was a significant and very comforting step for us to be able to bring Jules home to France last month, to continue his rehabilitation surrounded by his family and friends. This is very important for Jules and also for us,” Bianchi’s family said in a prepared statement.

“Jules’ neurological status remains unchanged; he is unconscious but able to breathe unaided. Whilst there is no significant information to report, we take a great deal of comfort from the fact that Jules continues to fight, as we knew he would.”

Bianchi was originally relocated from Japan to the Intensive Care Unit of Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice (CHU) in November last year and is now receicing treatment at CHU’s rehabilitation centre.

[Source: Reuters]

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Formula 1 News

Happy birthday Michael

Michael Schumacher's F1 records

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher turns 46 today. We wish him well.

It’s now over a year since his near-fatal accident on the ski slopes of Meribel in France. According to an interview with Reuters given by his manager, Sabine Kehm, late last year Michael still has “long fight” for recovery.

“We need a long time. It’s going to be a long time and a hard fight,” Kehm added. “He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation.”

So let’s take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary numbers Michael achieved during his F1 career, as presented on his personal website, while wishing him well in his ongoing recuperation.

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Formula 1 McLaren

Fernando loves Ayrton, Jenson loves Alain

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button announced as McLaren drivers for 2015

It’s now official, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will race for McLaren–Honda in 2015. Kevin Magnussen doesn’t totally miss out and will remain with McLaren in the role of reserve and test driver.

Reliving the glory days of the last time McLaren and Honda competed in Formula 1 Farnando Alonso has confirmed his love of Aytron Senna.

“I have never hidden my deep admiration for Ayrton Senna,” Alonso said. “My favourite driver, my idol on track, my reference.

“I still remember, as a kid, the posters in my wardrobe, my toy cars in which I dreamed I would one day emulate Ayrton, and the kart that my father built for my older sister, and that I ended up falling in love with. That kart had the livery of one of the most legendary partnerships in the history of Formula 1, McLaren-Honda, the car that Ayrton drove, the same partnership to which I am now honoured to join, to take part in the next Formula 1 world championship.

“I am joining this project with enormous enthusiasm and determination, knowing that it may require some time to achieve the results we are aiming for, which is no problem for me.”

Meanwhile Jenson Button said it was Alain Prost who inspired him to become a racing driver. And in doing so he just became a lot cooler.

“Like Fernando, I am certain that McLaren and Honda will achieve great things together,” Button said. “I feel sure that, working together, all of us will pull incredibly hard to create a brilliantly effective winning team.

“I admired Ayrton Senna enormously, but, for me, it was the exploits of his McLaren-Honda team-mate Alain Prost that inspired me most as a boy. The way he stroked those beautifully brutal red-and-white cars to grand prix wins and world championships was to my mind poetry in motion, and I have tried to emulate his driving style ever since.

“Being a part of new-look McLaren-Honda is a wonderful opportunity for all of us, and I am very pleased to have been invited to do my bit. In fact, I am absolutely raring to go.”

You can read the full statement from McLaren-Honda after the break.

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Formula 1 McLaren

Button v Magnussen: The final countdown

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

McLaren is expected to announce its 2015 driver pairing tonight (Australian time). We can all pencil in Fernando Alonso for one seat. But what about the other?

Button or Magnussen?
34-year-old or 22-year-old?
266 starts or 19 starts?
126 championship points or 55 points?
£12 million or £500,000?

These are the questions facing Ron Dennis and his board. It’s believed a decision has been made. We’ll just have to wait and see what it is.

[Source: BBC]

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Formula 1 McLaren

“Do any of you think I should be racing in F1?”

Jenson Button

While Formula 1 is no stranger to big off-season stories it is still pretty strange that we have no official confirmation on who will be racing for McLaren in 2015.

At the recent Autosport Awards one of McLaren’s encumbents, Jenson Button, was on stage and asked if he’d heard any news from big Ron…

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Formula 1 Volkswagen

It’s another Volkswagen interested in F1 rumour

Max Verstappen, FIA European Formula 3

Volkswagen entering Formula 1 is a story that’s been around for years—here’s one from 2001—and yet, so far, nothing has ever eventuated. Word from the BBC says the German giant is currently undertaking a feasibility study into a possible entry into the world’s biggest motorsport melodrama and that former Ferrari Team Principal and now Volkswagen Group employee Stefano Domenicali is calling the shots.

Like most other VW–F1 rumours there’s no real expectation for anything to turn this one into reality. And, fittingly, that seems largely due to a clash of egos. What else!

According to Eddie Jordan (no he’s not the ego involved here) Volkswagen boss Ferdinand Piech thinks Bernie Ecclestone is a bit of a tossbag and while both men hold their respective controlling roles there will be no Volkswagen entry in F1.

“The Volkswagen Audi Group is the second biggest car maker in the world and as such it needs to be in Formula 1,” Jordan declared. “But it will not enter it while the sport remains under the control of Bernie Ecclestone, who VAG boss Ferdinand Piech dislikes on a personal and professional basis.

“Martin Winterkorn, the chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen, is being groomed as Piech’s successor and he has always believed that F1 is a great platform for the group’s brands.

“I am told he privately believes VAG should be a part of F1. If VAG did come to F1, I believe it would be with their own team, with the car designed and made in Germany.”

Currently Volkswagen’s involvement with open wheel racing is limited to Formula 3. We can, in part, thank them for giving Daniel Ricciardo a pathway into F1. There’s a few other names on that list, too, including Max Verstappen, pictured above racing in the European F3 championship earlier this year.

The Volkswagen Group spends the majority of its motorsport cash on WRC, WEC (Audi and Porsche) and DTM (Audi). Any entry into F1 would likely end some or perhaps all of that high profile motorsport participation.

However, you might be surprised to learn outside estimates suggest VW spent €320 million on its DTM and sportscar programs this year, compared with a net outlay of €130 million for Mercedes, who swept the F1 world aside with a dominant season. In return the perceived advertising benefit for Mercedes has been valued at $2.8 billion in 2014 against a $30 million benefit for the DTM and WEC exposure gained by Volkswagen’s brands.

You’d reckon that’s enough to give Domenicali something to think about.

[Source: BBC]

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Trophies stolen in Red Bull ram raid

Red Bull Racing, Milton Keynes, UK

Over 60 trophies have been stolen from the Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes during a ram raid attack yesterday morning.

Thames Valley Police say a silver 4×4 was used to crash through the front doors and a dark coloured Mercedes-Benz estate was also involved, with both cars understood to have foreign number plates.

According to the police report six men took part in the burglary although no description has been released other than to say they were all wearing dark coloured clothing.

“Beyond the aggressive nature of this break-in, we are perplexed why anyone would take these trophies,” said Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal. “The value to the team is of course extraordinarily high due to the sheer hard work and effort that went into winning each and every one. But their intrinsic value is low; they would be of little benefit to those outside of the team and, in addition to that, many of the trophies on display were replicas.

“The actions of these men mean it’s likely that we will have to make our site less accessible in the future, which will be unfair on the hundreds of fans that travel to visit our factory each year to see our trophies and our Formula One car.”

Full statements from RBR and Thames Valley Police can be read below.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1

FIA scraps controversial double points rule

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The controversial double points rule in F1 has been officially scrapped. The decision was confirmed after the FIA World Motor Sport Council had its post-season shindig during the week.

A number of headline grabbing items were signed off, including a 21-race calendar, the introduction of a Virtual Safety Car, revisions to power unit penalties, tightening of Super Licence requirements for 2016 and more.

But it is these words that restored a smile to fans and competitors alike: “Points for both titles will no longer be doubled for the final Event of the Championship.”

The Virtual Safety Car will impose a speed limit for drivers to adhere to during incidents that aren’t serious enough to warrant a Safety Car on circuit. It’s not, as the name might suggest, a means of automatically limiting a car’s speed by controlling its onboard computer.

[Source: FIA]

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Formula 1

F1 reveals bumper 21-race calendar for 2015

2012 Korean Grand Prix

The Korean Grand Prix is back on the Formula 1 calendar after the FIA published a surprise 21-race program during the week.

This is a bit of an odd one as there is, in theory, a 20-race cap for the F1 calendar. Speculation suggests the weeds around the Yeongam circuit will remain untouched and the race won’t actually go ahead.

It would seem the inclusion of the Korean Grand Prix has more to do with engine allowances in 2015 than it does actual racing. Under the current regulations each driver will have access to just four power units next season. However, there is a clause allowing an increase to five power units if the calendar exceeds 20 races.

In relation to engine allowances the sporting regs state: “This number will be increased to five if the number of Events in the Championship, as originally scheduled, exceeds 20.”

“Orignally scheduled” being the key words there. For example, if the season is underway and Korea remains on the calendar the teams and drivers will have five power units at their disposal for the year. If the Korean race is later cancelled then the extra engine allowance will still stand.

There could be some mileage left in this story yet.

You can see the full calendar after the break.

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Formula 1 McLaren WEC

Fernando forced to shelve 2015 Le Mans plans

Fernando Alonso, starting the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2014

We don’t know yet, officially, that Fernando Alonso will be racing for McLaren in 2015. We do know that Alonso wants to race at Le Mans.

Yet, if we’re to believe recent reports, McLaren has prevented Alonso from pursuing a drive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year, most likely to have been alongside fellow F1 alumni Nico Hulkenberg at Porsche.

As well as Ron Dennis’ controlling ways other factors likely to have contributed to scuppering Alonso’s plans include sponsorship clashes such as, Pirelli tyres (F1) v Michelin (WEC) and the more obvious clash of McLaren Automotive as a competitor to Porsche’s road cars.

[Source: Adam Cooper]

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Formula 1

FIA report: “Bianchi did not slow sufficiently”

Jules Bianchi, Marussia, 2014 Japanese GP

A 396 page report into the Jules Bianchi accident at the Japanese Grand Prix has been presented to the FIA World Motorsport Council and makes several recommendations to be applied to all international circuit racing.

A summary of the report published by the FIA states: “Bianchi did not slow sufficiently to avoid losing control at the same point on the track as Sutil.

“If drivers adhere to the requirements of double yellow flags, as set out in Appendix H, Art. 2.4.5.1.b, then neither competitors nor officials should be put in immediate or physical danger.

“Bianchi over-controlled the oversteering car, such that he left the track earlier than Sutil, and headed towards a point ‘up-stream’ along the barrier. Unfortunately, the mobile crane was in front of this part of the barrier, and he struck and under-ran the rear of it at high speed.”

Seven recommendations have been made by the specially convened Accident Panel tasked with investigating the crash. Included on the 10-member panel were former team principal Ross Brawn, Stefano Domenicali and former drivers Emerson Fittipaldi and Alex Wurz.

The panel’s recommendations include the adoption of yellow flag speed limits, a review of track drainage guidelines, a call for Super Licence qualification to incorporate a course on FIA safety procedures, increased testing of wet weather tyres and an overall review into the risks associated with Formula 1.

[Source: FIA | Thanks to Stu for the tip]