Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/05/vettel---and-others---get-lucky-in-monaco.html
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong
Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/button-steps-up-pre-season-training-with-lance-armstrong/
Journalists shocked at Korea award
 Scarecrows adorn the entrance to a barren Korean International Circuit |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/12/journalists_shocked_at_korea_a.php
McLaren drivers out of title race
 Is it now a three-way battle for the title? |
?Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari?s Fernando Alonso.?The Guardian?s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber?s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian?s last realistic chance of winning the title.
?He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season ? his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.?According to The Mirror?s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.
?McLaren's title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive."The Sun?s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying ?Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.?
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php
Alonso the new favourite
 Fernando Alonso is the new favourite for the title |
?He is the man with the momentum and, on the same basis that I backed Mark Webber to win the title before Korea, is now my favourite to claim the world title in Abu Dhabi on Nov 14. ?When the cars are so evenly-matched you have to back the man in possession. Especially when that man is a two-time world champion and arguably the finest driver of his generation.?The Mirror?s Byron Young drew comparisons between Alonso and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher as the Spaniard bids to become the sport?s youngest ever triple world champion.
?Like Schumacher, Alonso accepts no opposition within his team. Ultimately he fell out with McLaren over their refusal in 2007 to bring Lewis Hamilton to heel. ?He returned to Renault on condition he was No.1, only to be at the centre of the Singapore cheat scandal - engineered to hand him victory. ?The Spaniard has always denied involvement but at the German GP in July he was brazen enough to radio Ferrari to rein in team-mate Felipe Massa so he could start the winning streak that has taken him to the brink of history.?
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/alonso_the_new_favourite_1.php
Friday, July 29, 2011
Doctors use Formula One pit crews as safety model
American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.
"In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don't really have any of those things in health care."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php
JeanDenis Deletraz Patrick Depailler Pedro Diniz Duke Dinsmore
2012 Mercedes SL & BMW 3-Series spied by WCF reader
World Car Fans reader Ben G has managed to catch the 2012 BMW 3-Series and Mercedes SL in London.Whitmarsh: Vettel is not cracking
Following Sebastian Vettel’s fourth place finish at the German Grand Prix, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has revealed that he doesn’t think the 2010 World Champion is cracking under the pressure. It was the first time the German has missed the podium in 12 races, but he still holds a 77-point lead over team-mate Mark Webber [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/4Xdv0awacNc/whitmarsh-vettel-is-not-cracking
'The point of no confidence is quite near'
 The wreckage of Jochen Rindt's car at Barcelona |
?Colin. I have been racing F1 for 5 years and I have made one mistake (I rammed Chris Amon in Clermont Ferrand) and I had one accident in Zandvoort due to gear selection failure otherwise I managed to stay out of trouble. This situation changed rapidly since I joined your team. ?Honestly your cars are so quick that we would still be competitive with a few extra pounds used to make the weakest parts stronger, on top of that I think you ought to spend some time checking what your different employes are doing, I sure the wishbones on the F2 car would have looked different. Please give my suggestions some thought, I can only drive a car in which I have some confidence, and I feel the point of no confidence is quite near.?A little more than a year later Rindt's Lotus suffered mechanical breakdown just before braking into one of the corners. He swerved violently to the left and crashed into a poorly-installed barrier, killing him instantly.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/the_point_of_no_confidence_is.php
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Ford Explorer EcoBoost gives class-leading fuel economy
Designed for fuel-conscious shoppers, the crossover features a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 hp (179 kW / 243 PS) and 270 lb-ft (366 Nm) of torque.Tony Bettenhausen Mike Beuttler Birabongse Bhanubandh Lucien Bianchi
F1 2011 Launch Catch Up ? McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Renault?
Catching up on the launches in one mega post. �Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red [...]
2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport announced
Based on the entry-level RT, the Sport is distinguished by a honeycomb grille, tinted headlights, black exterior trim and 18-inch alloy wheels.Bob Anderson Conny Andersson Mario Andretti Michael Andretti
Ferrari 458 Italia engine assembly [video]
Watch Ferrari staff demonstrate the process of assembly for the 458 Italia's 4.5 liter V8 engine.Roberto Bussinello Jenson Button Tommy Byrne Giulio Cabianca
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
CUP: Kenny Francis To Join Hendrick Motorsports For 2012
Kenny Francis will be Kasey Kahne?s crew chief next season...
Source: http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cup-kenny-francis-to-join-hendrick-motorsports-for-2012/
Lewis Hamilton McLaren Video Bloopers ? Funny! (Video)
We have just seen Lewis Hamilton produce a stunning lap at the German Grand Prix to finish just behind Mark Webber in qualifying, so while we all wind down ahead of what should be a stunning race tomorrow, check out this video. Hamilton is involved with his former McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen and its a [...]
I need help bad.
Well I was painting my 55 chevy stepside that I have a wip of in the hotrod section, Its model master flat black, I have been using model master spray paint for the last year and havn't had a problem yet. I was spraying my mist coats and on the final coat it like reacted to itself and bubbled up really bad, I wet sanded cleaned then went to try again and it happend again. What can I do to save this truck, it only happend on the cab, I don't want to buy a new kit just for a cab.
Thank you for the help
Tyler
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/970395.aspx
Team Lotus Launch Their 2011 Machine The T128
Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/
Murray Walker's British GP preview
So now we come to the big one - the British GP at Silverstone. We have the absolutely fabulous new Silverstone wing - 40 garages, superb facilities and everything you could possibly want under one roof. In my opinion, although Silverstone doesn't have the lushness of some venues on the calendar, in terms of the combination of the circuit and the facilities, it is the best of all.
Watch my preview of this weekend's action and see my assessment of the chances of anyone beating Red Bull.
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.
IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE UK, CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/07/murray_walkers_british_gp_prev.html
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
1970 GTX idea
I have a 1/25 1970 Plymouth GTX diecast. It is made by maisto and under a line of diecasts called "pro rods". It has "hoopty big rims and ricer parts all over. The paint is non factory with 68 stripes and a white hood stripe. I took it aprt and thought I could easily convert it to a stock lookin mopar. Let me know what you think. I might do a wip. Thanks
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/970479.aspx
Team order rule needs a re-think
 Jean Todt arives for Wednesday's hearing |
?Whether you are for or against team orders, if the FIA could not back up its own rules and nail a competitor in a blatant case such as this the rule really does need reviewing. Perhaps Ferrari?s thinly-veiled threat to take the matter to the civil courts if they were punished too harshly scared the governing body, who as much as admitted the flimsiness of its rule."Paul Weaver, reporting for the Guardian in Monza, was in favour of the ruling which keeps alive Ferrari?s slim chances in an enthralling championship.
?The World Motor Sport Council was right not to ruin a compelling Formula One season by taking away the 25 points Alonso collected in Germany. That would have put him out of the five-man title race. But the council was widely expected to increase the fine and possibly deduct points from the team, as opposed to the individual. In the end, it could be argued that common sense prevailed. But the decision will dismay those who were upset by the way Ferrari handled the situation as much as anything else.?The Daily Mail's Jonathan McEvoy expressed outrage at the FIA tearing up its own rule book by allowing Ferrari to escape unpunished.
"Although the race stewards fined them �65,000 for giving team orders in July, the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to whom the matter was referred, decided not to impose any further punishment. It leaves the sport's rulers open to derision. It was, after all, their rule they undermined. In a statement, the WMSC said the regulation banning team orders 'should be reviewed'."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/team_order_rule_needs_a_rethin_1.php
Fernando Alonso impresses Lee McKenzie with a card trick! (Video)
After his second place finish at the German Grand Prix last weekend to back up his win at Silverstone, Fernando Alonso has been in a confident mood this week as he goes in search of reeling in championship leader Sebastian Vettel. Alonso has earned himself something of a reputation of being able to pull a [...]
Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen Johnny Boyd David Brabham
Vettel set for titles aplenty
 |
?Here, after all, is a young man, already dubbed ?Baby Schumi? by Germany?s tabloid press, winning the first of what will presumably be multiple world championships, and all at the tender age of 23. Plenty of time yet to match Schumacher's incredible haul of seven world titles. And yet, their phenomenal ability to drive racing cars apart, there is little similarity between the two men. ?There are still lingering doubts over his racing ability but with such blistering qualifying pace he is nearly always leading from the front anyway. Vettel is set for multiple world championships. Just don?t call him Baby Schumi.?The Guardian?s Paul Weaver says it was difficult to begrudge Vettel his moment of glory after he won the first of what will be many world titles. He also looks back at some of the season?s highlights.
?An amazing Formula One season produced its final twist here on Sunday when Sebastian Vettel, who had never led the title race, won his first world championship. It is difficult to begrudge him his glory, for he had more poles (10) than any other driver and shared the most wins (five) with Fernando Alonso. There will be red faces as well as red cars and overalls at Ferrari, though, for deciding to bring their man in when they did, only to see him re-emerge into heavy traffic. ?Among the highlights, and every race felt like a highlight after the bore-start in Bahrain, there was that wonderful beginning to his McLaren career by Jenson Button, who won two of his first four races, even though he couldn't keep up the pace, especially in qualifying. ?Hamilton once again drove his heart out, and outperformed a car that looked a little too ordinary at times. He was superb in Montreal. Then there was Webber, the Anglophile Aussie who was the favourite among most neutrals to win the title. There was that spectacular crash when he ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen and the most famous of his four wins, at Silverstone, when he said to his team at the end of the race: 'Not bad for a No2 driver.' ?But in the end there was only one German who mattered. It was the remarkable Vettel. This will be the first of a clutch of championships for him.?The Independent?s David Tremayne focuses on the plight of the other title contenders, writing it is easier to feel more sorry for one than the other.
?It was impossible not to feel for both Webber and Alonso. Yet while a frustrated Alonso gestured at Petrov after the race, the Australian, predictably, refused to complain about his pitstop timing. ?A world championship seemed an inevitable part of Sebastian Vettel's future, but it came a little sooner than most expected, after his recent tribulations. You wouldn't bet against several more, and if that record-breaking streak continues, perhaps even Schumacher's achievements will be overshadowed.?And the Mirror?s Byron Young elaborates further on the petulant behaviour of Fernando Alonso on his slowing down lap after his title dreams ended behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov.
?Fernando Alonso was hurled into more controversy last night for a wild gesture at the former Lada racer who cost him the title. But the Spaniard brushed off accusations he gave Russian Vitaly Petrov the finger for ruining his title hopes by blocking him for 40 laps as they duelled over sixth place. "The Ferrari ace was caught on television cruising alongside the Renault driver on the slowing down lap and gesticulating from the cockpit. Petrov was unrepentant: "What was I supposed to do? Just get out of his way, pull to the side? I don't think that is how we race. It was important for the team for me to get points."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/vettel_set_for_titles_aplenty_1.php
Tempers blow hot in F1's latest engine dispute
A dreary Friday at the British Grand Prix, with limited on-track running because of the wet weather, was enlivened by a public row in a news conference between the bosses of Formula 1's leading two teams.
McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh and Red Bull's Christian Horner disputed the rights and wrongs of the latest ruling from motorsport's governing body the FIA on off-throttle blowing of diffusers.
If that sounds technical, it's because it is - very. But it's also very important, so please bear with me while I explain the complicated bit as simply as possible.
Over the last year, this technology, which was pioneered by Red Bull last summer, has been increasingly prevalent in F1 because of the dramatic effects it has on improving a car's aerodynamics, and therefore its cornering speed and lap time.
Basically, teams have been blowing exhaust gases over the rear floor of their cars even when the driver is off the accelerator going into a corner.
This ensures downforce remains consistent, whereas if you blow your diffuser only when the driver is on the throttle, it produces instability when a driver least wants it - on the entry to a corner.
There are two types of blowing of a diffuser - hot and cold.
Cold-blowing is what was pioneered by Renault and Red Bull in 2010 - the throttles are left open but fuel is not introduced, so only air goes through the exhaust.
Horner (left) and Whitmarsh clashed over the new regulations. Photo: Getty Images
Hot-blowing - which generates much more energy and therefore downforce - is when fuel is introduced and burnt but the ignition is retarded to stop the engine pushing the car on while the driver is slowing it down.
Leading engineers say hot-blowing can give an advantage of as much as second a lap over no blowing at all, while cold-blowing is worth about 0.3-0.4secs.
The row started when the FIA decided to introduce a limit of 10% of throttle when the driver was not pressing the accelerator.
Many of the teams objected to that. Mercedes - which supplies McLaren, Mercedes and Force India - argued that they should be allowed to introduce fuel on what is called the overrun, which is when the engine is acting as a brake, for reliability reasons.
Renault objected to this, claiming that it meant Mercedes teams would be getting an advantage, and arguing they should be allowed to cold-blow to provide them with the equivalent advantage. This is what was allowed on Friday at Silverstone.
But Renault's rivals object because the French engine company has now been allowed to have a 50% throttle opening when the driver is entering the corner.
This is what Whitmarsh calls "a very substantial performance benefit". To which Horner responds: "Why is it any more of a performance benefit than fired overrun?"
The irony in all this is that sources say Renault were only using 45% open throttles even before the ruling. If that is true, it means the new rule actually allows them more off-throttle blowing than before.
The Mercedes teams, by contrast, have been "constrained" in terms of the hot-blowing they were doing, according to Whitmarsh. How this all affects Ferrari - who are also believed to have been hot-blowing - is unclear.
Of course, the big question is how those of us watching can be sure that we are watching a level playing field.
I sought out a leading, highly experienced engineer for an answer. He says, in a nutshell, that we can't. But as a reassurance, he did add that "Charlie is very experienced at not having the wool pulled over his eyes."
Charlie being Charlie Whiting, F1's race director.
As a protest against the new ruling, the Mercedes teams ran in second practice with 50% open throttle during braking. Then, there was an explosive exchange in the drivers' briefing with Whiting, with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton particularly animated on the matter.
And now all the engine manufacturers have been summoned to another meeting with Whiting.
Will the new rules put a dampener on Red Bull's domination of the 2011 season? Photo: Reuters
I would imagine this will run into Saturday and possibly race day, too. F1 loves nothing more than a good row over technology.
For those interested, here is an edited transcript of the row between Whitmarsh and Horner. Those who want to read the whole thing will find it on the FIA website. (http://www.fia.com).
The argument started when I asked whether there was a level playing field and whether this was the end of the matter.
Horner: "First of all there was a technical directive that effectively turned it all off. That was met with reticence by the manufacturers, and it has been very much a manufacturer issue.
"Certain teams were then allowed to have fired overrun, to fuel their overrun, of which there were also secondary benefits, through the exhaust plumes and thrusts that creates.
"Renault presented their position to the FIA - and let's not forget this is an extraordinarily complex matter - to demonstrate that precedent is there that - for purposes of throttle blip (when changing down the gears) and reliability - cold-air blowing, open throttle, was a necessary part of the operation of their engine otherwise it would cause serious issues.
"It would be unfair to allow fired overrun and not allow the same parameters for another engine manufacturer.
"It is a very difficult job for the FIA to pick their way through this and I think all credit to them, they have looked to be as fair, balanced and equitable as they decreed they would be, to come up with a solution that they have.
"We are not totally happy with the solution that we have, that's for sure. I'm sure Martin isn't with his and I'm sure there are a lot of conspiracies in the paddock.
"But that's just circumstantial at the end of the day. The fundamentals are that the engine manufacturers have been treated in a fair and equitable manner."
Whitmarsh: "I'm sure people set out to do that. There have been about six technical directives on the subject so far and when the goalposts are moving part-way through a practice session, it makes it quite difficult.
"To do this in a fairly cloudy, ambiguous and changing way, inevitably in a competitive environment every team feels it's been hard done by. At the moment, potentially a lot of teams will end up making arguments to cold-blow.
"Renault have been in that domain for some time. Other teams haven't and don't have that experience. We are talking a very substantial performance benefit here."
Horner: "Why is it any more of a performance benefit than fired overrun? At the end of the day, Renault is allowed a fired over-run but it can't for reliability purposes."
Whitmarsh: "No, but clearly if under braking the throttles are open 50%, it is a reasonable benefit. It is a lot of gas going through. I would imagine all engines will end up doing that, which isn't what was envisaged when it was said we are going to stop engine blowing."
Horner: "So Mercedes engines aren't firing on overrun?"
Whitmarsh: "They've been constrained."
Horner: "As have Renault."
Whitmarsh: "Providing the constraints are the same for everyone, but clearly the fact we're having this discussion, it's messy.
"The intention people believed was that we were going to stop exhausts blowing when the driver didn't have his foot on the throttle. I think that was a simple concept. But that concept has been deflected. Therefore it hasn't been clear.
"The fact these things were only coming out in the course of today [Friday] is fairly extraordinary. But nonetheless I'm sure we'll remain calm and pick our way through.
"But probably better to make changes to the regulations between seasons and not in seasons, and to make regulations that are clear and unambiguous.
"At the moment a lot of people are getting emotional about the situation and I can understand why it's frustrating for the engineers not to know what it is we are allowed to do. By cold blowing, you're getting an extra 30 or 40 points of rear downforce in braking and that's quite an attractive thing, so if you can do it you're going to do it."
Horner: "Let's not make any mistake here. Firing on overrun, the thrust that that generates through the exhaust, generates a bigger effect. Let's just be absolutely clear on that."
Whitmarsh: "And that's been largely contained. A lot of those strategies are not permissible now."
Horner: "I read the technical directive that four-cylinder fired over-run was permissible for certain competitors and that includes your engine. As far as we understood, before Renault were allowed their parameters ,obviously there was a significant advantage going to any Mercedes-powered team.
"As you can see, it's a massively complex subject and the one thing Martin and I will agree on is it should have been addressed at the end of the year. But unfortunately here we are."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/new_engine_rules_power_f1s_lat.html
Monday, July 25, 2011
Life in the pit lane
 The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore |
These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between �30,000 and �50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection ? and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php
Ferrari Launch Their 2011 Car The F150
Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history. �The cars [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/
why do you visit this site...
...I enjoy seeing the work of other builders and how far the hobby has come since I started building model cars in the late 1950's...a tube of Testors glue, 10 cent bottle of paint and a 10 cent paint brush was all that was needed then...a model could be built in a very short amount of time because there was no suspension or engine to contend with...just a few interior parts, bumpers and wheels, flames, four screws and it rolled down the sidewalk like a champ, and the kits cost $1.19
...what I especially enjoy about this site is the gentle trip down memory lane...due to life getting in the way recently, it has been several years since I have actually completed a kit, but I built hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them (still have them all) during a 40-45 year period of time...nearly every model car kit I see on here brings back memories of building one like it years ago, sitting on the back porch painting with a dried up bottle of Testors paint and a stiff paint brush while listening to Jan and Dean or the Beach Boys on my record player
...I always picked up the Car Model magazines on the news stands and marveled at the idea of having a model of mine in a magazine, I've had lots of real cars in magazines, but never a model, oh well, maybe someday ...I was amazed at the use of spray paints, "Funny Fur" and angora thread for interiors, cutting open doors and trunklids and of course Dave Shulkis and his work...sadly, all of my model car magazines from that era were destroyed when I left home for the military
...every red blooded boy in my neighborhood built model cars, taking a break only to ride our "Hang Ten" skateboards, ride our Sting Ray bicycles or race on my Aurora Model Motoring Track with the old steering wheel controllers (still have that stuff too)
...I've subscribed to Scale Auto for decades, and have every copy ever mailed to me plus a few older ones I purchased during trips to the Toledo Toy Show buying model cars, I have every issue except a couple
...great hobby, great site and again, thanx for the memories
Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/SCACS/forums/thread/970055.aspx
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Team orders in spotlight again
 Will Christian Horner regret not utilising team orders in Brazil? |
?The extra seven points Alonso collected when Ferrari ordered Felipe Massa to move over for him in Germany earlier in the season are now looking even more crucial. ?And the �65,000 fine they picked up for ruthlessly breaking the rules will seem loose change if Alonso clinches the title in his first year with the Maranello team. ?Red Bull could have switched the result yesterday given their crushing dominance and still celebrated their first constructors' championship just five years after coming into the sport. ?That would also have given Webber an extra seven points, leaving him just one behind Alonso.?The Guardian?s Paul Weaver says that if Fernando Alonso does take the drivers? title in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari owes a debt of gratitude to Red Bull for their decision not to employ team orders in Brazil.
?If Alonso does take the title next week it would not be inappropriate were he and Ferrari to send a few gallons of champagne to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes. ?While Red Bull should be heartily applauded for the championship they did win today their apparent acceptance that Ferrari might carry off the more glamorous prize continues to baffle Formula One and its globetrotting supporters. ?Their refusal to make life easy for Webber, who has led for much of the season and is still seven points ahead of Vettel, means that whatever happens in the desert next week Alonso, the only driver who was capable of taking the championship in the race today, only has to secure second place to guarantee his third world title.?The Independent?s David Tremayne is also of the opinion that Red Bull may regret not using team orders in Brazil.
?Had Red Bull elected to adopt team orders and let Webber win ? something that the governing body allows when championships are at stake ? Webber would have left Brazil with 245 points ? just one point off the lead. For some that was confirmation of his suggestion that Vettel is the team's favoured driver ? which generated an angry call from team owner Dietrich Mateschitz in Austria and was much denied by team principal, Christian Horner. ?And it sets up a situation where, if the result is repeated next weekend, as is likely, Vettel and Webber will tie on 256, five behind Alonso.?The Mirror?s Byron Young has put Lewis Hamilton?s fading title chances down to an inferior McLaren machine and he admits the 2008 World Champion now needs a miracle.
?Sebastian Vettel's victory sends the world title fight to a four-way showdown for the first time in the sport's history. ?Hamilton goes there as part of that story with a 24-point deficit to Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, but with just 25 on offer in the final round in six days' time it would take more than a miracle. ?Driving an outclassed McLaren he slugged it out against superior machinery and stiff odds to finish fourth.?
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/team_orders_in_spotlight_again_1.php
Luki Botha JeanChristophe Boullion Sebastien Bourdais Thierry Boutsen
Audi wants its own Mexico plant - report
But VW Group executives believe it's more efficient for Audi to share production with VW at its U.S. plant in Tennessee.Team order rule needs a re-think
| Jean Todt arives for Wednesday's hearing |
?Whether you are for or against team orders, if the FIA could not back up its own rules and nail a competitor in a blatant case such as this the rule really does need reviewing. Perhaps Ferrari?s thinly-veiled threat to take the matter to the civil courts if they were punished too harshly scared the governing body, who as much as admitted the flimsiness of its rule."Paul Weaver, reporting for the Guardian in Monza, was in favour of the ruling which keeps alive Ferrari?s slim chances in an enthralling championship.
?The World Motor Sport Council was right not to ruin a compelling Formula One season by taking away the 25 points Alonso collected in Germany. That would have put him out of the five-man title race. But the council was widely expected to increase the fine and possibly deduct points from the team, as opposed to the individual. In the end, it could be argued that common sense prevailed. But the decision will dismay those who were upset by the way Ferrari handled the situation as much as anything else.?The Daily Mail's Jonathan McEvoy expressed outrage at the FIA tearing up its own rule book by allowing Ferrari to escape unpunished.
"Although the race stewards fined them �65,000 for giving team orders in July, the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to whom the matter was referred, decided not to impose any further punishment. It leaves the sport's rulers open to derision. It was, after all, their rule they undermined. In a statement, the WMSC said the regulation banning team orders 'should be reviewed'."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/team_order_rule_needs_a_rethin_1.php
Jaime Alguersuari - classic F1
Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari is the latest grand prix driver to pick his five all-time favourite races for BBC Sport's classic Formula 1 series.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has been impressing on the track in recent races, putting to one side speculation about his future with strong drives into the points in the last three races - Canada, Valencia and Silverstone.
Alguersuari is a singular character - outspoken and interesting, with a particularly idiosyncratic approach to his Twitter account.
He has applied that uniqueness to his choice of races for this feature, which we use to whet your appetites for the action to come at this weekend's German Grand Prix.
In chronological order, his choices are as follows:
A no-holds-barred, flat-out battle between F1's then top two drivers - Fernando Alonso and Michael Scumacher. It was reminiscent of a similar fight between Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen six years previously. Alonso, driving for Renault, put huge pressure on Schumacher throughout the race, so much so that the Ferrari's engine eventually broke.
The result did not quite secure Alonso a second consecutive championship but it did put him in a virtually unassailable position - and he made no mistake at the final race of the season in Brazil. This is the first time we have shown highlights of that Japanese race.
Alguersuari remembers that "there was a big casino with the rain and you had whatever Force India was then - Spyker maybe - actually leading the race and a lot of people crashing". He's right. This was a spill-a-minute race, won by Alonso, who was driving for McLaren. More on that in a moment.
"Because it was my first grand prix," says Alguersuari.
It was also the scene of a brilliant victory by Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren car that had started the season more than two seconds off the pace.
The 2010 Australian Grand Prix
This race will long be remembered for Jenson Button's inspired victory for McLaren. It was also enlivened by Alguersuari's brief but exciting tussle with Michael Schumacher, when the Spaniard re-passed the German legend after being overtaken.
"It was the first time I had really had a battle with someone in Formula 1," Alguersuari says. "It was the start of something good, of what was a big season for me in 2010. It was the basis of my championship."
Sebastian Vettel led Mark Webber to a comfortable Red Bull one-two but Alguersuari remembers the race because it was the one in which he scored his first F1 points. "That was very nice and something I will not forget," he says.
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As always, we choose one of these races to highlight. This time, we have gone for the 2007 European Grand Prix, which was held at the Nurburging, the track that hosts this weekend's German GP.
It was an incident-packed weekend, starting from the moment Hamilton crashed his McLaren at high-speed in qualifying after a wheel came off, leaving the Englishman in 10th place on the grid, with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen on pole and Hamilton's team-mate Alonso beside him on the front row.
The Nurburgring, high in the Eifel mountains, is famous for its capricious weather - and this race was no different. After rain hit on the first lap, Spyker's Markus Winkelhock, making his one and only grand prix start, held the lead. The race was then stopped after four laps before Alonso and Raikkonen's team-mate, Felipe Massa, battled it out for the win.
In the dry, Massa pulled out a lead of about five seconds only for Alonso to cut it back in the closing stages. The late rain then gave Alonso the chance he needed.
After both men had fitted intermediate tyres, Alonso was much faster than Massa, the Spaniard passing the Brazilian with a superb move around the outside of Turn Five, the two men banging wheels as the McLaren went through.
The result moved Alonso to within two points of Hamilton in the championship - and set the stage for a cataclysmic sequence of events at the next race at Hungary.
The highlights of that thrilling Nurburgring race are embedded below - Murray Walker is the commentator as he did a one-off stand-in race for BBC Radio 5 live that weekend.
There are also links to short and extended highlights of last year's German Grand Prix, which was held at Hockenheim. During the controversial race, Ferrari asked Massa to hand the lead to Alonso, now his team-mate, to boost the latter's title chances.
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CLICK HERE TO WATCH SHORT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
CLICK HERE TO WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 GERMAN GRAND PRIX
A selection of the classic races will be shown on the BBC red button on interactive television in the United Kingdom. These will be Japan 2006, Europe 2007, Malaysia 2010 and extended highlights of Germany 2010.
Satellite and cable viewers will be able to watch them from 1500 BST on Wednesday 20 July until 0855 on Friday 22 July, when our broadcast of free practice starts.
Those watching via Freeview will be able to see the classic races between first and second practice on 22 July, from 1035 until 1255.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/jaime_alguersuari_-_classic_f1.html
Webber quickest in middle sector at N�rburgring | 2011 German GP qualifying analysis
Hamilton was quickest in the first and last sectors, but only fourth-fastest in the middle.
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Saturday, July 23, 2011
Mercedes-Benz introduces new AMG-developed 5.5 liter V8
Engine will debut in the upcoming 2012 SLK 55 AMG and features a standard output of 310 kW (416 bhp / 422 PS) and 540 Nm of torque.F1 2011 Launch Catch Up ? McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Renault?
Catching up on the launches in one mega post. �Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red [...]
George Abecassis Kenny Acheson Andrea de Adamich Philippe Adams
Will Hamilton frustration prompt Red Bull move?
Lewis Hamilton's frustration with life as a McLaren driver has been palpable in recent weeks.
There was his outburst after finishing sixth at Monaco, the result of a messy weekend at a race he was hoping to win.
There was the supposed-to-be clandestine visit to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on Saturday afternoon in Canada, a matter of hours after qualifying a disappointing fifth for another race he was hoping to win.
There were the messages over the team radio as he laboured in fourth place, struggling with tyre wear, during the European Grand Prix. "I can't go any slower," he said to his engineer after being asked to look after his tyres. And a few laps later: "I can't go any faster," when asked to try to make up some ground.
So will Hamilton still be a McLaren driver in 2012?
Although he has a contract that lasts until the end of that season, someone leaked to the Mail on Sunday that there is an option for Hamilton to leave if either he does not win the drivers' title or the team do not win the constructors' championship this year, neither of which is likely to happen. McLaren will not comment on the veracity of the Mail report.
On Monday the Independent published an interview with McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, who said: "Lewis loves this team and he knows the car is capable of winning races.
"He's sat with me in the last 10 days and explained his passion, enthusiasm and desire to remain part of this team.
"I've known him since he was 11. I don't think he would look me in the eye and say that if he didn't mean it."
Hamilton remains one of the biggest stars in F1 despite some disappointing moments this season
But someone who has spoken to Hamilton about his future recently says that the 26-year-old is not happy at McLaren, and would leave if he could.
And in the last few days, a source with intimate knowledge of the driver market told me that Hamilton had been having "extensive negotiations with Red Bull".
The catalyst for Hamilton's discontent is another year in a car that is again not good enough to mount a realistic challenge for the title - the third in a row now for Hamilton at McLaren since he won the 2008 drivers' title in his second season with the team.
Hamilton is widely regarded in F1 as the fastest driver in the world, and he certainly believes that of himself. So to watch Sebastian Vettel running away to a second consecutive title at Red Bull, in the fastest car on the grid for the third year in a row, is painful indeed.
Publicly, Hamilton continues to say positive things about McLaren. His most recent utterance on the subject of his future was to say: "Fortunately I don't have to make any decisions just yet. I still have a contract for another year and a half."
He has added that he sees no reason to leave as long as he has a competitive car.
Some would follow Whitmarsh in arguing that he does - had things gone differently, Hamilton might have won in Spain, Monaco and Canada in addition to his sole victory so far in China this year.
That would mean he and Vettel would have been tied on four wins each, in which case Hamilton may not have been eyeing the Red Bull quite so jealously.
Even had this happened, however, the Red Bull would remain undoubtedly F1's fastest car - its advantage in the races is far less than it is in qualifying, but it seems increasingly certain that is simply down to the fact that Vettel has to take it easy on Sundays to manage this year's delicate Pirelli tyres.
Hamilton could only go to Red Bull in 2012, though, if two things married up - he has to really want it, and so do Red Bull.
You can be sure Hamilton would think very carefully about engineering a way out of his contract with a team that has nurtured him from the age of 11.
Firstly, there is the personal loyalty he must still feel on one level, even if he might think he has paid a lot of it back with some of his stunning wins in recent years, victories McLaren would not have had without him.
Just as important, though, will be the knowledge that, historically, McLaren always win in the end.
Stay where he is, and Hamilton can be pretty sure he will get a title-winning car eventually - just as Mika Hakkinen did after sticking with the team through the difficult years of the mid-1990s.
Equally, it is not that long since Hamilton dismissively referred to Red Bull as a "soft drinks company". And while McLaren and Ferrari are in F1 for the long haul - it is their raison d'etre - no one can be quite sure how long Red Bull will stick around.
But that's the long-term view, and racing drivers, generally, are pretty short-term people - after all, they have limited shelf lives.
The short-term view is as follows:
The Red Bull is likely to remain the car to beat as long as the current technical structure under Adrian Newey remains in place - which is until at least the end of 2014.
By then, Hamilton will be 29. He will still have plenty of life left in him, but that is a long period to wait fighting the odds - and potentially without a title - when most people consider you the fastest driver in the world.
There are other issues in the mix, too.
Hamilton - and team-mate Jenson Button, it is believed - find the public relations demands of being a McLaren driver quite tiring - and they note the rather different requirements on Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the other member of F1's big three.
Equally, McLaren are quite restrictive of drivers having their own personal sponsors, although Hamilton does have such a deal with sportswear company Reebok.
So in a lot of ways, a move to Red Bull might make sense for Hamilton. The question remains, though, does it make sense for Red Bull?
On the face of it, you might think not. They already have Vettel, their blue-eyed boy wonder.
Why unsettle him by sticking Hamilton alongside him in a match-up that is bound to be super-high-maintenance? And if they do, what is the point of their driver development programme, which is moving on apace with Red Bull prot�g� Daniel Ricciardo being given his F1 race debut in a Hispania this weekend at the British Grand Prix.
But if Vettel continues to dominate F1 in the way he is doing this year, is that really good for Red Bull? Yes, he is winning everything, but that is likely to turn off a majority of the audience, not excite them. And that is no way to sell cans of soft drink.
Red Bull seeks to project a cool, youthful, exciting image, and what could fit those qualities better than sticking Hamilton in the team alongside Vettel and saying to the world: "There you go. We're got two of the three most exciting drivers in the world and we're going to sit back and watch them go at it."
The reality is that any negotiations that may be taking place will likely be between Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz and Hamilton's new manager, Simon Fuller. Neither of whom routinely give interviews to F1 journalists.
For now, no one beyond that needs to know anything about it - not even Whitmarsh or Horner. So at the end of the day, it comes down to Hamilton and Mateschitz, and how much each of them wants to link up with the other. Time will tell.
UPDATE, 1600 BST: I have just heard from my old friend Gerhard Kuntschick on this subject. He is a journalist for the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachtrichten and knows Mateschitz as well as any reporter. Kuntschick spoke to Red Bull F1 adviser Helmut Marko on Monday, who told him: "Red Bull considers Lewis Hamilton as having a firm contract with McLaren and we don't interfere with other people's contracts. But you never know what will happen in the future."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/07/lewis_hamiltons_frustration_wi.html
Fresh doubt over future of Melbourne F1 race | F1 Fanatic round-up
In the round-up: The Victorian government reveals Australian Grand Prix losses.
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