2011 F1 Grand Prix season

[TBWG]

   
 
Williams announces Maldonado for '11

Wednesday, December 1st 2010, 14:40 GMT

Williams has confirmed that GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado will be its second driver in 2011, taking the seat occupied by Nico Hulkenberg this season.

Maldonado had been extensively linked with Williams in recent months, and tested for the team during the recent rookie sessions in Abu Dhabi, where he also spent two days with Hispania. He is believed to bring significant levels of personal sponsorship to the team.

"I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers," Maldonado said. "It is a great way to end what has already been an amazing year for me.

"I tested with the team in Abu Dhabi, but can't wait to start working with everyone properly to be in the best possible shape going into next year. I will be doing my best over the winter to prepare myself, and I know the team will be working hard to ensure a successful season.

"2011 will be the first time in nearly 30 years that a Venezuelan has driven a Formula 1 car so I will be looking to get some good results in return for the support my country has given me to help get me to this position today."

The 25-year-old took the GP2 title with seven victories this year, but team boss Frank Williams said he had been watching Maldonado's progress since his maiden GP2 win in Monaco with the Trident team in 2007, when he had just moved across from the World Series by Renault.

"Pastor first caught my eye in 2007 when he drove a masterful race at Monaco," Williams said. "Since then, he has regularly reminded us of his unquestionable talent with some skilful wins, particularly during this year's GP2 championship, taking an unsurpassed record of six successive victories.

"Of course, we already know Pastor from the time he spent with the team at the Abu Dhabi test, but we are very much looking forward to developing his talent over the winter and a fruitful season with him next year."

Williams has already announced that Rubens Barrichello will be retained as its other race driver next season, with Valtteri Bottas remaining in the test and reserve role.

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[TBWG]

Latest on Renault F1 or should I say Lotus Renault GP.


Genii Capital and Group Lotus plc have announced the creation of Lotus Renault GP, the successor to the Renault F1 Team.

Group Lotus plc will become a major equity partner of Genii Capital in Lotus Renault GP, and the two parties have concluded a title sponsorship agreement that will run until the end of the 2017 season. Renault has sold its shares in the team but will remain as a supplier of engines and technological and engineering expertise. The news has been expected for some time, but will confuse matters considerably for race fans as this is entirely separate from the Team Lotus effort, which will also use Renault engines, which is being prepared by Tony Fernandes’s team in Norfolk.

“I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than motorsport and F1 is the very pinnacle of open-wheel racing,” said Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar. “We’re well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1 and I’m delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all: we are Lotus and we are back.”

The British courts may not agree with this analysis, but it remains to be seen what will now happen. Clearly Group Lotus and Proton have decided that they are going for it, and will face any legal claims about the use of the Lotus name in F1 at a later date. Thus the worst case scenario has come about. There will be four cars racing next year using the Lotus name. As of now all of them will also be running in black and gold.

How stupid is that?

The cars, by the way, will remain called Renaults although the team is obviously hoping that after a while the world will start to call them Lotuses, whether they are or not… One would expect more legal action between the parties involved.

It is worth noting that the car that has been unveiled no allegiance from HP, nor from the Lada car company, both of which were sponsors last year. The team has yet to confirm who will drive, but it is expected that Vitaly Petrov will stay on.

Renault has announced a new structure follow its departure from the world of F1 team ownership – in all but name. The French firm has rebranded its sporting division as Renault Sport F1, which will be responsible for Renault’s involvement in Formula 1 racing as a supplier of engines and technology for the 2011 season and beyond. As well as supplying engines, Renault Sport F1 will conduct advanced research studies with its partners, as well as engineering programmes in areas such as transmissions and kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS). The new division will put forward Renault’s technological response to the challenge raised by the new F1 regulations on engines. It will be a laboratory for developing technologies that better respect the environment, applicable to combustion and electric powertrains as well as to production models. It will operate from Viry-Châtillon, Renault’s traditional F1 racing base. Its chairman will be Bernard Rey, a member of Renault’s Management Committee.


Confused?


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[TBWG]

Formula 1 in Thailand! Stranger things have happened!

Formula 1 has seen a notable shift towards Asia in recent years, with new races in Malaysia, China, Singapore and Korea, with India coming soon. The story may not be over yet as there are signs that other Asian countries have seen the impact that Formula 1 can have and want a piece of the action. The first suggestion of a Grand Prix in Thailand (at least in the modern era) came a few months ago when Chalerm Yoovidhya suggested the idea. He and his father Chaleo own 51% of Red Bull, a fact which is often forgotten in the western world, where Dietrich Mateschitz (49%) gets all the glory. The Thais are very proud of Red Bull’s successes and it helps that Chalerm is also a Ferrari dealer, through Cavallino Motors, which he co-owns with the Bhirombhakdi Family, which owns the Singha Beer company, seen this year as a sponsor on the Red Bulls. The popularity of F1 was seen last weekend in Bangkok when Mark Webber took to the streets for a demonstration run in the downtown area, as part of the celebrations for the King’s 84th birthday. The event was presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn. It is reckoned that more than 150,000 turned up, packing the pavements all along the route.

Not far away in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the government of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is considering a proposal to invest in a Formula 1 circuit in the city of Nha Trang. Vietnam has adopted a policy of economic liberalization and international integration in recent years but is still struggling to get over the effects of the war, the over-dependence on Russian aid and a rigid economy. The global recession has hurt the economy, which was doing well with low-cost exports. The government has already tried using subsidized lending programmes to keep the economy moving but foreign investment in Vietnam has collapsed.

The proposal for an F1 track comes from Austrian Hans Geist, the man who developed the old Osterreichring into the A1 Ring and held Grands Prix at the track between 1997 and 2003. He went on to work (albeit briefly) in Bahrain, and in recent years has been heavily involved with the development of the Moscow Raceway in Russia, which is a long way behind schedule and has not landed the Russian GP as had been hoped. Geist reckons that the Vietnamese could have an F1 standard race track for as little as $150 million as Nha Trang has a large deserted airbase which is no longer needed as a result of the development of the recently updated Cam Ranh International Airport, just 30 miles away. Nha Trang is one of the foremost tourist destinations in Vietnam. It boasts beautiful golden beaches and clear water, with mild temperatures all year round. The country’s Ministry of Investment and Planning, which oversees the economic development of the country, is studying Geist’s proposal.


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[TBWG]

   
 
D'Ambrosio secures Virgin race seat



The Belgian conducted third-driver duties for the team in Friday practice sessions towards the end of last season and had been one of the favourites to race alongside Timo Glock next year.

And after weeks of negotiations, as the team weighed up other options including retaining Lucas di Grassi or signing Giedo van der Garde, Virgin has finally decided to commit to D'Ambrosio.

Speaking about the deal, which now gives him plenty of time to get ready ahead of the first running of Virgin's 2011 car, D'Ambrosio said: "I'm thrilled to have achieved my goal of a Formula 1 race seat with Marussia Virgin Racing.

"When I came to the team in September this year it was everything I could hope for. I had a tough test to complete because there was a lot of competition for this seat, but at the same time I got on well with the team and felt that I had found my home.

"I feel very comfortable with them - they are extremely professional and ambitious people and it is exciting to think that I can be a part of shaping the team's future."

Virgin team principal John Booth said that the team's decision on signing D'Ambrosio was made very easy after it saw how good he was in the Friday sessions he did with the outfit.

"Jerome had been on our radar for quite some time as a driver we should seriously consider for a 2011 race seat. We had followed his progress in GP2 closely and it was clear he was 'one to watch', but when we put him in the car for the four race weekends and the Abu Dhabi test he surpassed even our own expectations.

"He slotted into the team perfectly and everyone took a shine to him, including our partners and the media. Apart from his obvious skill at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, he is an immensely personable young guy who is a pleasure to have around.

"He has secured this seat absolutely on merit and I think coupled with Timo we have the perfect blend of youth, experience, speed and potential and we can't wait to see what they can achieve together next season.

"Timo has done an excellent job for us in our debut season, in often challenging circumstances. There is no doubt that he has helped us to establish a strong foundation from which to develop the team and the package. We look forward to being in a much stronger position to deliver the car he deserves in 2011.

"Finally, I must thank Lucas di Grassi for the important role that he also played in establishing the team. He contributed a great deal to our development and we wish him every success in his future career, which we have no doubt will be an exciting one."

D'Ambrosio is part of the Gravity Sport Management programme that is headed by Renault F1 chairman Gerard Lopez and its team principal Eric Boullier.


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[TBWG]

Petrov gets new two-year Renault deal

Although the squad had called for more commitment and consistency from the Russian rookie during the year, in recent months it had become clear that a contract extension for Petrov was the most likely option. Renault had already re-signed Robert Kubica for next season.

Team boss Eric Boullier said Petrov would now have the chance to develop the promise he had showed during 2011.

"We are very pleased to confirm that Vitaly will be staying with us for 2011 and 2012, in order that both he and the team can build on a promising 2010 campaign," Boullier said.

"The entire team has been working flat-out over the past months to improve our competitiveness, and a stable driver line-up is essential to achieving our targets.

"Robert Kubica provides a remarkable benchmark for both speed and consistency, and we are certain that Vitaly will move closer to this level of performance next year."

Team chairman Gerard Lopez agreed that there had been no doubts over Petrov's ability, and that the Russian should able to turn that potential into better results with more experience behind him.

"Last season, he showed on several occasions that he clearly has the potential to deliver," Lopez said. "It was just a matter of putting everything together during the same weekend, race after race, and this will be his target for 2011."

Petrov said he was delighted to have been kept on, and acknowledged that the pressure was on to improve next year.

"I am very happy to continue with the team and proud to be representing Lotus Renault GP for the 2011 and 2012 seasons," he said.

"I learned a lot about the sport, the circuits and the car this year. That will help me improve even more in the future. I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and I'm confident that I will deliver.

"In many ways, 2010 was about learning. 2011 will be about performing. Today, I feel I am ready to rise to this challenge."

Lopez added that Renault was keen to capitalise on Russian interest in F1 generated by both Petrov's presence in the field and the deal for Russia to host a grand prix from 2011.

"Also, thanks to Vitaly and the team, Russia is opening up to Formula 1," said Lopez. "Over the past few months, we've established close links with this country and with some of its strongest companies.

"We're looking forward to building on this special relationship and turning it into a very successful adventure over the next two seasons."

Although Petrov had a mixed rookie season, including several costly crashes, he also impressed with drives such as his strong run to fifth in Hungary, and his defence against Fernando Alonso in Abu Dhabi. He finished 13th in this year's championship.


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[Admin]

This one is for you TBWG,

This was seen in Pattaya central mall.

Renault F1 R30 (Robert Kubica).

[TBWG]

Karthikeyan signs race deal with HRT


Narain Karthikeyan will return to Formula 1 with HRT this year after revealing on Thursday that he has signed a deal to race for the team.

Although the Spanish-based outfit has not made any official statement itself confirming the news, Karthikeyan told the India media and announced via his own Twitter feed that he will be racing in F1 again.

On his Twitter page, he wrote: "Back in F1 in 2011. Signed a deal to race for HRT. I've always maintained that my time in F1 was not over and now making good on that promise."

AUTOSPORT understands that HRT will make an announcement about one of its drivers on Friday morning.

Karthikeyan last raced in F1 back in 2005, when he competed for the Jordan team - and he is most famously remembered for the huge accident he suffered at the Chinese Grand Prix.

After that campaign, he spent two seasons as a Williams test driver before switching to the A1GP series.

In 2009, he linked up with HRT team principal Colin Kolles to race for the German's Audi team in the Le Mans Series - before spending last season in NASCAR's Truck Series and occasional appearances in Superleague, winning at Brands Hatch.

Speaking to The Times of India about his drive, Karthikeyan said: "It's been a while in the making, but I am delighted to be racing again in Formula 1 in 2011. I have always maintained that I have not given up on my desire to return to the top level of motorsport.

"I am confident that I have the pace, the fitness and the will to succeed in Formula 1. I am extremely grateful to the Tata Group, without whose unwavering support this comeback would not have been possible.

"I'm looking forward to racing for HRT and to working again with Dr Colin Kolles. We have a long standing and excellent working relationship together."

Karthikeyan's return to F1 coincides with the first Indian Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place in October.


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[TBWG]

Vijay Mallya is expecting to announce Force India's 2011 driver line-up within the next "few days".

With less than two weeks to go until pre-season testing gets underway, Force India is the only team that has yet to confirm either of its drivers.

But when the announcement comes, it is widely believed that Adrian Sutil will retain his seat while Paul di Resta is expected to move up to a full-time race seat.

Di Resta's promotion would leave Tonio Liuzzi without a race seat despite the Italian having a deal in place for this year's Championship.

Asked by the BBC about his 2011 line-up Mallya stated that "there are some legal loose ends to be tied up" but that he expects an announcement in the "next few days."

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[TBWG]

Force India set to announce di Resta

By Jonathan Noble    Monday, January 24th 2011, 16:00 GMT

Paul di RestaPaul di Resta is set to finally be announced as a Formula 1 driver for Force India later this week, with his team scheduled to end weeks of speculation about its 2011 line-up.

Although di Resta is understood to have had a deal agreed with the team for some time, his Silverstone-based outfit has stalled on making an announcement about its plans while it resolved contractual issues with Vitantonio Liuzzi.

The silence from the team on that matter will end on Wednesday, however, with the team having announced that it will hold a press conference at the Whyte and Mackay offices in Glasgow.

Although there has been no comment from the team about di Resta's promotion, it is understood it will use the event to confirm he will line up for the forthcoming season.

Di Resta's promotion comes after the Scotsman impressed Force India during 2010 when he fulfilled Friday testing duties for the outfit at a selection of grands prix.

He was able to do that alongside his commitments with Mercedes-Benz in the DTM - where he ended the campaign as champion.

Liuzzi had a contract to race for Force India for 2011 but it appears that he and the outfit will part ways after a sometimes difficult season last year.


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[John the Traveller]

Hi Bums,
there could be a bit more room on the calendar in a couple of more years. The Mayor of Melbourne has been in the news asking why Melbourne should continue funding a losing proposition. He had a long meeting with the Grand Prix Corporation today that didn't go well!
Regards,
John

[Admin]

Schumacher will improve in new car, say Mercedes
Published: 1/02/2011 at 10:31 PM
Bangkok Post: Online news: Sports  

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will improve on his disappointing performance in his comeback season last year as Mercedes GP now has a new "more sophisticated" car, team boss Norbert Haug said Tuesday.


The 42-year-old German failed to reach the podium in 19 Formula One races in 2010 and was completely outshone by teammate Nico Rosberg who finished the campaign 70 points ahead of Schumacher.

"Michael needs to adapt again, it's a different Formula One that he was used to before," Haug told a news conference at the Ricardo Tormo circuit near Valencia where Formula One teams began three days of testing on Tuesday.

"He will have a better year when our car is competitive and I think we have every reason to believe that we have a car that will a big step forward compared to last year's."

He said finishing fourth in the constructors' championship last year "was what we deserved in the end... But ultimately we will reach our targets, I'm absolutely convinced because we are heading in the right direction."

The new MGP W02 Silver Arrow, unveiled on Tuesday with silver and green livery, is "more sophisticated... A lot of work was done on the new car and there are improvements".

Schumacher has blamed technical problems for his poor return to Formula One after his three-year hiatus, saying the car did not always handle the same as Rosberg's.

But he has vowed to put the problems behind him and win his first world drivers' championship since 2004.

A Mercedes statement Tuesday quoted him saying he hoped to make the podium this season.

"We have said it several times already but again, we are really to building up something big together," he said.

"I am very confident that this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly; ideally in the middle!"

Team principal Ross Brawn described both drivers as "capable of winning races in a good car, and we look forward to seeing them push each other and the development of the new Silver Arrow during the season", the statement said.

Schumacher and Rosberg tried out the vehicle on the track in Valencia on Tuesday at the first of the four pre-season tests ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 13.

The new car design incorporates the various regulation changes that will be enforced in 2011 - most notably the introduction of an adjustable rear wing, operated by the driver to aid overtaking.

It also includes the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system, a device that stores energy created by braking and which can be used to boost power at certain points during the race.

"The new Silver Arrow for the 2011 season has little in common with its immediate predecessor," said Haug in the Mercedes statement.

"Our chassis engineers have taken a fairly ruthless approach and were determined to shave off every superfluous gram and millimetre. What emerged from this process is a compact and exquisitely shaped vehicle that introduces a host of sophisticated solutions and truly reflects the enormous dedication of its constructors."

The Mercedes launch follows that of Ferrari last Friday, Lotus Renault, Team Lotus and Sauber on Monday, and Williams, Toro Rosso and world title holders Red Bull on Tuesday.

[TBWG]

   


Formula 1 star Robert Kubica has suffered fractures to his left arm and left leg after a high-speed rally crash in Italy, BBC Sport understands.

The 26-year-old Pole crashed into a church wall and was air-lifted to a hospital near Genoa.

His British-based Renault team said the driver was conscious, with a statement due later after further medical checks.

It looks unlikely Kubica will be ready for the new Formula 1 season, which starts on 13 March in Bahrain.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, but following surgery in 2003 after a serious road accident as a passenger that left him with titanium bolts in his arm, there will be doubts about his ability to continue in the sport.

A Renault statement read: "Robert Kubica suffered an accident at high speed this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally.

"The driver was airlifted to Pietra Ligure Hospital where he is currently undergoing medical checks. His co-driver [Jakub Gerber] is fine."

They added that another statement would be issued as soon as more information was known about their driver's condition.

Reports suggested that Kubica was 4.6km from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally when his Skoda Fabia crashed on Sunday.

The former driver for the BMW Sauber team regularly competes in rallies and was driving a week after a successful testing session in the new Renault car in Valencia , ahead of the season's opening grand prix in Bahrain.

Kubica was due to lead Renault alongside Russian Vitaly Petrov of Russia, who has a long-term contract to race for the team after signing for the 2011 and 2012 season over the winter.

The reserve drivers for 2011 include Bruno Senna - who raced for Hispania last season - and Frenchman Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault as a replacement for Nelson Piquet Jr in 2009.

It is likely that either of these drivers will be called up for the second pre-season test which starts in Jerez on Thursday.

Kubica was an impressive performer last season to finish in eighth position in the drivers' table, securing second at Melbourne and a third in Monaco and Belgium.

The Krakow-born star also suffered a bad crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007 and was forced to miss one race. He returned to the same track the following year to claim his first Formula 1 victory.


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[pagan1]

Can't wait for the new season to start !!! Only 4 weeks to go .....  However looks like I will be staying half way between Prakhon Chai and Prassat in April. Can anyone recommend a good bar to watch the Malaysian & Chinese GPs??

[TBWG]

Hi

A long way from you, but I always watch at Paddys bar in Buriram.



Anyway latest test info ~~~~

Barrichello fastest in Jerez

February 13, 2011 by joesaward

Rubens Barrichello clocked the fastest time of the week after four days of testing at Jerez. Barrichello set the best time on Sunday morning, with a best of 1m19.832s after two days and 202 laps of the track. Heavy rain spoiled further any fast runs in the afternoon. His team mate Pastor Maldonado was 23rd fastest after two days during which he did just 50 laps and set a best of 1m22.591s, although clearly he can do better than that if there are no problems.

Second fastest overall was Michael Schumacher, who set his best time on the second day of the test (the German did the second and third days). He was half a second slower than Barrichello’s best but completed 225 laps. Nico Rosberg ended up 18th overall after 118 laps.

Nick Heidfeld set the third fastest time overall in the Renault on the third day of the test, completing 86 laps and setting a best of 1m20.361s. The first two days of the test were done by Vitaly Petrov, but he had troubles with the KERS system and although he did 122 laps, his best time was a 1m22.493s, which was 20th fastest. Bruno Senna took over the car on the final day and completed 68 laps, but his best was only a 1m21.400s, which was the 11th fastest time. He would probably have gone faster in different weather conditions on the last afternoon.

Ferrari was very much in business with Felipe Massa doing the first two days and Fernando Alonso the last two. The two men recorded times of 1m20.413s and 1m20.493s and completed 460 laps between them and ended up fourth and fifth respectively.

Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi was next with the sixth best time overall, set on the final day after 170 laps. Sergio Perez was 17th fastest after his two days, with a best of 1m21.857s, after 150 laps.

The new McLaren MP4-26 was running for the first time with Lewis Hamilton doing the first and third days and Jenson the second and fourth. Hamilton completed 94 laps and Button 139 and the two men set exactly the same time: 1m21.009, which put them seventh equal overall.

Ninth fastest of the week was Sebastien Buemi, who completed 182 laps with a best of 1m21.213s, Jaime Alguersuari was a thousandth of a second slower after 114 laps and thus 10th quickest, while test driver Daniel Ricciardo completed 37 laps with a best of 1m21.755s, which was good for 15th overall.

Red Bull Racing maintained its low profile with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber who together ran for 400 laps. Webber was a few hundredths faster with a 1m21.522s, compared to Vettel’s 1m21.574s.

Team Lotus had made progress since the first test and Heikki Kovalainen was able to complete 104 laps with a best of 1m21.632s, which was 14th overall. Jarno Trulli did the first two days and completed 93 laps and his best was only a 1m23.216s, the 24th and slowest time, but given Kovalainen’s performance there is more to come from Trulli.

The new Force India VJM04 was going through its first test and Adrian Sutil ended up 16th overall after two days, his best last being 1m21.574s after 188 laps. Paul di Resta did the first two days of the test and completed 163 laps, with a best of 1m22.945s, the 22nd fastest time of the test.

Virgin also had its new car in action for the first time and Timo Glock and Jerome d’Ambrosio did two days apiece. Glock completed 100 laps for a best time of 1m22.208s, the 19th best time of the test, while d’Ambrosio was 21st after 120 laps with a best of 1m22.985s.

The times should once again not be taken too seriously as the teams were all working on different programmes. The next test is scheduled to begin in Barcelona on Friday, February 18.



TBWG

[TBWG]

Ecclestone concerned about Bahrain


Oh dear!


Bernie EcclestoneFormula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has expressed his concern that unrest in Bahrain could affect the first race of the season.

Amid warnings on Tuesday from a campaign group in Bahrain that it will target the grand prix to publicise its cause, Ecclestone has admitted that the situation needs careful monitoring.

He has vowed to speak to Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman ibn Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa to get an update on the situation, but thinks it far too early to contemplate the possibility of calling the race off.

"The danger is obvious, isn't it?" Ecclestone told The Daily Telegraph. "If these people wanted to make a fuss and get worldwide recognition it would be bloody easy, wouldn't it?

"You start making a problem on the start grid in Bahrain and it would get worldwide coverage."

When asked if there was a possibility of the race being called off if the situation worsened, Ecclestone said: "I have no idea. It's hard to establish exactly what is going on.

"As I say, I'm speaking with the Crown Prince later on. We're watching events closely. We'll rely on what they think the right thing to do is."


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