Rabu, 29 Oktober 2008

Nothing to lose for Massa

The Ferrari team head to Interlagos this weekend with one hand already on the constructors' championship. The defending champions enjoy an 11 point advantage over rivals McLaren Mercedes, but all eyes will be on Felipe Massa as he looks to overcome a seven point deficit in the drivers' championship.

Massa remains upbeat ahead of the finale and is vowing just to go for the win and then see where Lewis Hamilton finishes - acknowledgement that his title hopes are pretty much out of his hands. For Kimi Raikkonen, his task is o help team-mate Massa where he can and try and secure the title for his team.

Felipe Massa
"Over the past few years, I've got used to the idea of preparing for the final race of the season at home here in Sao Paolo and I'm making the most of it, as next year there will still be one more grand prix to go after the round at Interlagos."

"As for the final race, yes it's true I have a tougher job than Lewis in terms of the points situation, but my own objective for the weekend is much more straightforward than his. I only have to focus on winning the race on Sunday afternoon, hopefully with my team-mate second behind me. The only thing I am thinking about is winning. After that, the matter is not in my hands and we will have to wait and see exactly what and how much we have  


won.  

"

"It is impossible to predict what will happen in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but I think our car has always been very good at this circuit, even if I cannot explain exactly why. We have always gone well here and I expect that to be the case at the weekend, whatever the conditions, in the dry or in the rain and in qualifying and in the race. For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose. I have my people behind me and all the pressure will be on him, especially when you think about what happened at this race last year. I can't wait for the final Sunday of the season."

Kimi Raikkonen
"I want to fight for victory in Brazil and celebrate a good result with the team: this would give me a good feeling for the winter and the upcoming season. There are not so many positive things for me I achieved over the last season. We have to analyse every single detail of what happened and try to learn from our mistakes to improve everything for next year. But now we have to give it all at the last race of the 2008 season."


 

FIA respond to the Ferrari threat

It really does seem that communications between FOTA and the FIA are not at their best for the time being with both sides seemingly willing to publish responses to each other in the media. This of course is good news for hard-core race fans, as we do get to see what is going on at the highest levels within the sport. 

Yesterday evening the Ferrari stated that the board of directors ‘expressed strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that such a move would detract from the entire raison of a sport with which Ferrari has been involved continuously since 1950, a raison d’etre based principally on competition and technological development. The Board of Directors expressed the opinion that should these key elements be diminished, it would have to re-evaluate, with its partners the viability of continuing its presence in the sport.’ 

In other words, if the FIA decide the sport must have a sole engine supplier, Ferrari would no longer compete in the series, probably along with many others. 

This afternoon the FIA put out a press release claiming that the Italian carmaker had not seen the big picture and that the governing body was not all about forcing unwanted off-the-peg kit on the teams, but that is one of the options should there not be progress on cutting costs within the sport. 
 


"It seems the Ferrari Board were misinformed," the statement began.  

"The FIA has offered 
the teams three options, one of which is the so-called standard engine, and another that the manufacturers should jointly guarantee to supply power trains to the independent teams for less than €5m per season." 

Ferrari announced increased revenues and profit yesterday in the same statement, something the FIA was keen to pick upon to ram home their view that costs are currently too high and cannot be sustained. 

"The FIA is delighted by Ferrari's financial success and hopes this will be maintained," it continued. "However a number of teams find themselves facing costs which greatly exceed income. This is not sustainable. It is now for the manufacturers to agree one of the three FIA options or themselves produce concrete proposals to reduce costs to a sustainable level. If neither happens, the FIA will take whatever measures prove necessary to preserve a credible world championship for both drivers and constructors." 

The ball is now back with FOTA as the FIA claim they have laid out the options and it is up to the teams to essentially decide the regulatory framework the sport must adhere to from 2010.

David Coulthard - the men that shaped the man

Of all the drivers not to have won the world championship, Red Bull’s David Coulthard has scored the most points - a total of 535 to date. And although this bittersweet statistic is not what Coulthard hoped for when he embarked on his Formula One career 15 years ago, perhaps the Scot can draw some solace from it as he retires from F1 competition this weekend.

One of the sport’s true journeymen, Coulthard has made connections with some of its biggest hitters over the years. As the 37 year-old bids farewell, we take a look back at the relationships that have shaped his Formula One career…

Frank Williams
Coulthard recently revealed that ‘he owes his Formula One career’ to the Williams team principal, and it’s no exaggeration. Back in 1993, Coulthard was steadily making a name for himself in Formula 3000, and although he had enjoyed a brief test with Benetton, a long-term Formula One opportunity had been hard to pin down. But then Williams decided to take a punt on the young Scot, offering him regular testing slots with his team. In fact, he was so impressed with Coulthard’s pace and maturity that he went on to name him as the squad’s official test driver for the 1994 season. It was the big break Coulthard had been waiting for.

Ayrton Senna
In ‘94 Coulthard duly took up his first permanent Formula One role, clocking up mileage and honing his skills alongside Williams’ star line-up of Ayrton Senna and Damon Hill. It would have been a first-rate apprenticeship, but Senna’s tragic death saw Coulthard abruptly promoted to the team’s frontline. Despite the difficult circumstances, he rose to the challenge admirably and would have finished on the podium on his Grand Prix debut but for a technical problem on his FW16. Williams, however, were cautious of allowing a rookie to take over full-time and decided to split the seat between Coulthard and former champion Nigel Mansell, who was tempted out of retirement. It was the Scot, however, who finished the season with the greater points tally and who was retained on a permanent basis. He would go on to reward Williams’ faith with a maiden race win at the 1995 Portuguese Grand Prix and third place in that year’s championship.

Mika Hakkinen
In 1996, Coulthard joined McLaren to compete alongside Mika Hakkinen, who was already well established with the team. Their partnership would ultimately last seven seasons, making it one of the most enduring - and successful - in Formula One history, even though the Finn proved to be more of a nemesis than a friend to the Scot. After a trying first season, Coulthard seemed to be gaining the upper hand in 1997, with two wins and a nine-point advantage over his team mate. All that changed, however, when he effectively gifted Hakkinen his first two wins after obeying team orders and a pre-race agreement. It established Coulthard’s reputation as a man of honour, but also started Hakkinen on a winning habit that would lead to two drivers’ titles and de facto number-one status at McLaren. Without Hakkinen, could Coulthard have won the championship? Possibly. With him, the Scot was hamstrung not just by the Finn’s strengths as a driver, but also by his close relationship with team principal Ron Dennis. It was only in 2001, when Hakkinen’s enthusiasm had started to fade, that Coulthard was able to get a real handle on the team and finish runner-up in the championship to Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher.

Ron Dennis
From Colin Chapman and Jim Clark to Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher, Formula One racing has seen some pretty firm friendships established between team bosses and their drivers. Hakkinen and Dennis were one such pairing, and Coulthard arguably lost the most from their camaraderie. Despite picking up the team’s first win in four years at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix, the Scot found it difficult to supplant the ‘flying Finn’ in Dennis’s affections during his time at McLaren. Nevertheless, Coulthard proved himself to be a consummate team player, testing hard and wowing on track whenever the opportunity presented itself. And when Coulthard left the team in 2004, Dennis thanked him for doing a ‘tremendous job’. 

Kimi Raikkonen
With the departure of Hakkinen at the end of 2001, Coulthard had his first opportunity in seven years to step into the limelight. However, he had not counted on Hakkinen’s replacement - a newer, younger flying Finn named Kimi Raikkonen. Initially Coulthard was the unspoken number one, but Raikkonen was not a driver to stand on ceremony and quickly sized up his older team mate, outclassing him in qualifying and scoring four podium finishes in his first season with McLaren. Coulthard still doubled the youngster’s points tally, but nobody expected the same to happen a year later. Sure enough, in 2003 Raikkonen beat Coulthard’s score by 40 points to thoroughly supplant his team mate. Coulthard was on the losing end the following year too. Over just three seasons, Raikkonen had effectively sealed the end of Coulthard’s almost decade-long relationship with McLaren, who drafted in Juan Pablo Montoya as his replacement for 2005.

Dietrich Mateschitz
Montoya’s arrival left Coulthard without a drive for 2005. Although offered a testing role at Ferrari, he wanted to keep racing - and thanks to Red Bull billionaire Mateschitz, he could. Swapping from the monolithic McLaren to a set-up still in its infancy was a brave move for Coulthard, but also a leap of faith for the team itself. True, Coulthard had heaps of experience, but many thought he was past his prime. Those fears, however, were soon pushed aside. The Red Bull-emblazoned Coulthard was a different person. With his career gifted a new lease of life, he felt valued. As a result, the once world-weary Scot visibly relaxed amidst the razzamatazz of the paddock’s self-proclaimed ‘party team’ and has gone on to clinch two of their three podiums to date. At times, neither party has been completely satisfied with the other’s progress, but the fact Coulthard will stay on after his retirement as a technical consultant shows just how embedded he has become within the Red Bull family.

Adrian Newey
One of Coulthard’s closest and most enduring relationships in the paddock has been with legendary design guru Adrian Newey. Not only did Newey design his current car, the RB4, the British engineer also penned every car in which Coulthard scored his 13 Grand Prix wins. From Williams to McLaren and finally to Red Bull, Newey has been an almost constant presence throughout Coulthard’s career. As the Scot himself so succinctly put it: “There have been three teams but only one designer, so he deserves special thanks for all the champagne that I have sprayed.”

Karen Minier

Fifteen years in Formula One racing may have failed to bring Coulthard a championship, but he can claim to have found the woman of his dreams through the sport. Once portrayed as something of a playboy by the media - an image Coulthard actually did very little to encourage - he has now happily settled down with Belgian Karen Minier, a former Formula One correspondent, who is expecting their first baby later this year. A bright future awaits…

Kamis, 18 September 2008

orking at home
Mugello - Ferrari - Test Day 1




Photo F1-Live.com

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Badoer handled the F2008 today
While every other F1 team is at the Jerez circuit in Spain, with the exception of Force India which will not be conducting on-track tests this week, Ferrari is moving ahead with its own programme at Mugello.

This morning, the final test session prior to the end of the 2008 season got underway; test driver Luca Badoer gave the F2008 its debut at the Tuscan circuit.

The day's programme included the development of some aerodynamic solutions aimed at the final four races of the season, along with some work on car set-up.

Badoer covered a total of 66 laps, the quickest in a time of 1:21.010.

Testing at this circuit continues tomorrow when Kimi Raikkonen takes over at the track.


At the same time, at Fiorano, Felipe Massa will carry out the shakedown of the cars that will be used in the Singapore Grand Prix scheduled for 28th September.

D.B. © CAPSIS International

FORMULA 1

  • Race winner Sebastian Vettel (GER) Scuderia Toro Rosso on the podium. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Italian Grand Prix, Race, Monza, Italy, Sunday, 14 September 2008
  • Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India F1 VJM01 crashes out of the race. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Italian Grand Prix, Race, Monza, Italy, Sunday, 14 September 2008
  • Sebastian Vettel (GER) Scuderia Toro Rosso STR03. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Italian Grand Prix, Race, Monza, Italy, Sunday, 14 September 2008
  • Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault congratulates Gerhard Berger (AUT) Scuderia Toro Rosso Team Part Owner on the team's first victory. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Italian Grand Prix, Race, Monza, Italy, Sunday, 14 September 2008
  • (L to R): Timo Glock (GER) Toyota and Sebastian Vettel (GER) Scuderia Toro Rosso on the drivers parade. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Italian Grand Prix, Race Day, Monza, Italy, Sunday, 14 September 2008
05 - 07 September 2008

2008 FORMULA 1 ING BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

  • Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren Mercedes MP4/23 leads at the start. Formula One World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Race, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 7 September 2008
  • Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari F2008 is passed by Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren Mercedes MP4/23 on the formation lap. Formula One World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Race, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 7 September 2008
  • Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault R28. Formula One World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Race, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 7 September 2008
  • Grid girl. Formula One World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Race, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 7 September 2008
  • Race winner Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren celebrates on the podium. Formula One World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Race, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, Sunday, 7 September 2008
01 - 03 August 2008

FORMULA 1 ING MAGYAR NAGYDIJ 2008

  • Race winner Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren MP4/23  celebrates in parc ferme. Formula One World Championship, Rd 11, Hungarian Grand Prix, Race, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, 3 August 2008
  • (L to R): Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) Williams and Timo Glock (GER) Toyota on the drivers parade. Formula One World Championship, Rd 11, Hungarian Grand Prix, Race Day, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, 3 August 2008
  • Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari F2008 retires from the race. Formula One World Championship, Rd 11, Hungarian Grand Prix, Race, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, 3 August 2008
  • A thermal image of Piquet as he pits
  • Nelson Piquet Jr. (BRA) Renault on the grid. Formula One World Championship, Rd 11, Hungarian Grand Prix, Race, Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, 3 August 2008