Lotus F1 Racing Revs Up One Week Ahead Of Schedule

Mike Gascoyne hopes the progress made by Lotus on developing their 2010 contender, will allow them to mix it with the midfield runners by the Spanish grand prix. Lotus will return to formula one racing in 2010 with Air Asia boss Tony Fernandes at the helm, after an absence of 15 years, along with three other new entries Virgin Racing, USF1 and Campos Meta.

Staff at the Lotus F1 factory in Hingham, Norfolk, said they have been braving the treacherous weather conditions and battling through the heavy snow and ice that has blanketed the UK over the past week, determined to continue work on their 2010 car.According to the team's technical director Gascoyne, this determination and commitment by the Lotus engineers has paid off, as development of the team's first F1 contender is well ahead of schedule.

A statement on the official Lotus website, quoting Gasgoyne, said: "We had been looking at firing up our engine for the first time on 12th February, but with the efforts everyone's been putting in we have now been able to bring that forward to 5th February.

"This is obviously a great boost for everyone involved in the team, and shows how much hard work has already gone in since we had our entry confirmed on September 12th."With the engine fire up date in the diary, we are also in a position to confirm that we will be on track for the first time at the third official test at Jerez from February 17th, and then at Barcelona from February 25th.

"We are also aiming to run chassis two for the last two days of that Barcelona test."With such a high rate of progress, Gascoyne said he is hoping the team can begin mixing it with the midfield runners at around the start of the European season, when Lotus will introduce its first major upgrade package of the year.

"We have said we are aiming to be ahead of the new teams when we all reach Bahrain, but we would also like to be pretty close to the midfield teams after the first few races of the season," said Gascoyne.

"The update we have planned for Spain will see a boost in performance when we reach Barcelona which will give us the chance to start fighting with the slowest of the established teams which, given progress so far, has to be the next goal for us."Lotus boss Tony Fernandes has been quoted as saying he has faith in Gascoyne and believes the team has a real shot at achieving results in 2010.

In an interview with 422race.com, the Lotus boss said: "Come March, we are on the grid. It's up to us how we'll perform after that."Despite the high rate of progress, Lotus has yet to confirm the date and the location of its 2010 car launch.The manufacturer became the first of the new teams to fill both its race-seats, taking on ex-McLaren racer Heikki Kovalainen, who lost his seat at McLaren to Jenson Button, and former Toyota driver Jarno Trulli.

In an interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, Kovalainen said: "For me my time with McLaren didn't work in terms of results, I didn't feel like I got everything out of the team."But I feel what I learnt from McLaren I will take into my future career and I will start from here."This is a good opportunity for me and hopefully I will be able to get everything out of the team and hopefully the results will show that."
11 January 2010, 12:00

McLaren in form as Hamilton tops second F1 practice

BUDAPEST, Hungary � Defending driver world champion Briton Lewis Hamilton confirmed that McLaren Mercedes are back on form by clocking the fastest time in Friday afternoon's second free practice for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix.
Earlier, his team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen had topped the times in the morning's opening session. Kovalainen was second fastest in a McLaren one-two in the afternoon.
Germany's Nico Rosberg was third for Williams ahead of Australian Mark Webber in a Red Bull and his Williams team-mate Japanese Kazuki Nakajima. German Sebastian Vettel was sixth in the second Red Bull.
This battle of three teams across the top six places left Brazilian Rubens Barrichello down in seventh in the leading Brawn GP car, a further demonstration of the team's slip from dominance.
His team-mate championship leading Briton Jenson Button was 13th, struggling to find the pace to deliver a competitive time on the tight and twisting Hungaroring circuit set in rolling countryside 20 kilometres north of Budapest.
The Ferraris also struggled to make an impact and Finn Kimi Raikkonen was 11th and his team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa 18th on an afternoon when Spanish new boy Jaime Alguersuari continued to avoid trouble and ended up 20th and last.
Kovalainen was fastest early in the session and stayed there until Hamilton raised the pace with his best lap pf one minute and 22.079 seconds. This was 0.047 seconds faster than Kovalainen.

A round -up Of the latest Jerez Testing

Heikki Kovalainen moved McLaren�s MP4-24 to the head of the order for 2009 cars at Jerez as teams finally enjoyed fine weather at a pre-season European test.

In stark contrast to the dire conditions that plagued the year�s first group outing at Portimao and partly disrupted Tuesday�s opening day in Spain, Jerez was bathed in warm and sunny conditions on Wednesday to allow some serious dry-weather running.

Sebastien Buemi was again predictably the official pacesetter in Toro Rosso�s 2008 car (clocking 1m17.591s after a mammoth 143 laps) but it was the picture behind that really counted as teams began to get an early indication of where they stand in the early 2009 pecking order.

And it was Kovalainen who won day two�s battle following an encouraging trouble-free 110-lap run in the latest McLaren � although his MP4-24 was running with a modified 2008 rear wing and not the new low-downforce version.

The Finn remained on the same programme as the opening day, focusing on set-up and KERS evaluations, with the team reporting an improving balance following several longer runs and a best time of 1m20.799s.

At the start of the test all eyes in the pit lane had been on Mark Webber, the Red Bull driver returning to action for the first time since breaking his leg at the end of November for his first taste of the team's new RB5.
Indeed encouragingly for both driver and team the Australian made an impressive comeback, appearing to show no ill effects from his injury during his 83 laps and clocking the second fastest time for a 2009 car, 1m21.321s.

His former team Williams meanwhile maintained its positive start to testing as Kazuki Nakajima put another 125 laps on the FW31.
The Japanese driver was just over a tenth of a second adrift of Webber after completing a productive programme which included set-up work plus tyre and reliability testing.
�Kazuki was testing for the team in Jerez today and covered over 550kms while undertaking mechanical set-up tests,� Williams technical director Sam Michael said.

�He also completed a full race simulation without issue.
We are looking forward to another productive day tomorrow when we will carry out more tuning work on the FW31 in preparation for the first grand prix.�

Bringing up the order was again Nelson Piquet Jr as Renault surprisingly continued to find itself at the bottom of the order.
A second day of frustration for the Brazilian was characterised by several small mechanical glitches with the R29 which restricted him to 49 laps.

His running for the week is now over, but he hopes team-mate Fernando Alonso is able to put significantly more mileage on the car over the remaining two days.

"The track conditions were better today and we continued with the work we did yesterday, learning about the car and beginning some basic set-up work," Piquet said.
"Again we didn�t do as many laps as we would have liked as we lost some time after lunch, but we still learnt some interesting things.

"The weather looks good for the rest of the week so the team should be able to get some more important data tomorrow and Friday.�

In addition to Alonso's first appearance of the week, Thursday will also see world champion Lewis Hamilton take to the track for just the second time this winter in McLaren's new car.

The recently confirmed Sebastien Bourdais replaces Buemi at Toro Rosso, while Sebastian Vettel will take over the RB5 again from Webber.

Brazil - The Final Showdown

McLaren�s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari�s Felipe Massa go head-to-head in the world championship title decider in Brazil this weekend, and it is still impossible to predict who will triumph.

The odds favour the Englishman, who has a seven-point lead after winning last time out in China. However, that was what he had over rival Kimi Raikkonen coming into this race last year, and still it all went awry at the 11th hour.Technically, Hamilton needs only finish fifth even if Massa wins, in order to beat him by a single point. However, there is an additional complication as McLaren are still fighting Ferrari for the constructors� championship, in which the red team have 156 points to the silver�s 145. BMW Sauber are third, but out of the overall reckoning now, on 135. McLaren thus have to push hard and need a one-two finish to have any realistic chance of securing both titles, whereas a third and eighth would secure the constructors� crown (but not the drivers�) for Ferrari.

"I don�t need to win the race, but that won�t stop me from going into the weekend looking to be as strong as possible," says Hamilton, who will benefit from a new rear wing on his MP4-23. "Shanghai was a good example of that: we hit the ground running on Friday morning and never looked back. Our aim wasn�t to push too hard, but we found ourselves in a position at the front and took it comfortably from there. That�s what I am hoping to achieve in Brazil - a straightforward weekend that allows me to just focus on my car and my driving.

"Ferrari have been dominant in Interlagos for the past two years, when Massa and Raikkonen respectively won. If it is dry that may remain the case, though the signs are that McLaren have made good progress in the latter part of the season. If it rains, however, as is forecast, the odds surely favour Hamilton even more given his wet-weather form in Monaco and Silverstone, where the Ferraris struggled.Massa has been keeping his cool and says that the pressure is off him because of Hamilton�s lead.

He must win with Hamilton either scoring sixth or lower or failing to finish at all. In this respect he may be helped by the Englishman�s need to run his engine for a second time after China."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," the Brazilian said. "I only have to focus on winning the race, hopefully with my team-mate second. 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."For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose.

In the second McLaren, Heikki Kovalainen must play a key role this weekend in support of his team mate, for Raikkonen will undoubtedly back Massa strongly. The Hungarian Grand Prix winner will have a fresh Mercedes engine in his McLaren. "I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary," he says, "but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front. The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors� championship."While the fight for the crown will inevitably grab all the headlines, there are plenty of other things to be resolved this weekend. There is still a mighty scrap for third place in the drivers' championship between Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen, who have 75 and 69 points respectively. And Nick Heidfeld�s fifth place on 60 could prove vulnerable if Fernando Alonso wins again for the improving Renault team. The Spaniard has 53 points, but may himself fall victim to Kovalainen who has 51.

Elsewhere, Sebastian Vettel and Jarno Trulli are battling for eighth with 30 points apiece.Besides the Ferrari-McLaren fight for constructors� honours, BMW Sauber could still snaffle second from McLaren. Renault are safe in fourth and Toyota fifth, but there is a big fight between Toro Rosso (34), Red Bull Racing (29) and Williams (26) for sixth.

The race will also be notable as David Coulthard�s last. At the same time, venerable race engineer Steve Hallam is also on the last lap as he will be leaving Formula One for NASCAR for 2009.

From a technical perspective, Interlagos poses two main challenges to the teams. It is 800 metres above sea level, so engine power is reduced as a result of the drop in atmospheric pressure. That also has a negative effect on aerodynamic performance.

The other problem has traditionally been the bumpy surface, though a complete resurface for 2007 caught teams by surprise since the tarmac was relatively smooth. However, some bumps remain, particularly in the braking area for Turn 4, Descida do Lago. To avoid bottoming out on these, cars have to run with increased ride heights, which reduces the effectiveness of their diffusers.There are two favoured overtaking points. The first is going into the S do Senna at the start of the lap after a driver has been able to get a good slipstreaming run up the hill from the vitally important final corner, Juncao or Turn 12. The second is under braking for the Descida do Lago left-hander at the end of the back straight.This year Bridgestone are bringing their medium and soft compound tyres after discovering last year that their super-soft was not quite durable enough to suit the track�s unusual characteristics. They are expecting a lot of graining early on thanks to the twisty infield section, and the initial �greenness� of the track before it cleans up and rubbers in.

Body-clock problems for F1 Drivers

Lewis Hamilton isn't eating breakfast before early afternoon while McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen has blacked out his hotel windows and taken his phone off the hook.
There is more than meets the eye to preparing for Formula One's inaugural night race.
Qualifying on Saturday for the historic event will not take place until 10:00 pm while the race itself on Sunday begins at 8:00 pm, hours later than the mid-afternoon starts the drivers are used to.

None of the top names getting ready for the Singapore Grand Prix has raced an F1 car after dark, or so late, and to be at their peak new regimes have been put in place by team bosses.
Essentially, it boils down to the drivers remaining on European time rather than acclimatising to Singapore's seven-hour time difference.
"Singapore is going to be a unique challenge for every member of the team," said Britain's championship leader Hamilton.

"Our doctor has prepared a very precise schedule for the drivers to stick to because all the sessions are so late in the day. Essentially we must not acclimatise to the local time which is totally different to how we normally operate."

"Our training programmes ensure that over a race weekend we are at peak performance during the afternoons and as a result we are going to be staying in European time so this doesn't get disrupted."

For Hamilton it will mean getting up early in the afternoon for breakfast, having dinner at 1:00 am and going to bed around 3:00 am -- not easy when your body naturally wants to adjust to the local conditions.

"It will be very different preparation to any other race but we'll try and do the best job we can," he added.

Kovalainen is adopting similar tactics. "For example, the hotel rooms will be blacked out so we can sleep late into the day," he said. "Special arrangements will be put in place to make sure the cleaners don't come into the room as they would not expect people to be sleeping until early afternoon. "The telephones will not ring, all those kind of things. We will essentially be isolated from the normal workings of the hotel."

Toyota driver Timo Glock's regime is rather less elaborate. "I won't do anything special -- just go and race. I will set the alarm when I have to get into the car," he said. "That's it. I don't philosophise about what I'm going to do to stay in whatever time zone. I will get up when I have to get up, I will sleep when I have to sleep and I will drive when I have to drive."

Red Bull nightowl David Coulthard can see the benefits of staying on European time and is looking forward to it. "I am staying up late at night, I am going out to nightclubs, and I'm eating a lot of carrots because they apparently help you to see better in the dark," he joked.

McLaren chief executive Martin Whitmarsh said getting into the swing of the different night-time routine was one of the toughest challenges facing every team in Singapore. "Inevitably, ensuring all the team personnel have the opportunity to get enough sleep will be the main challenge over the course of the weekend," he said. "For example, the mechanics won't be going to bed until 4:00-5:00 am, because we finish running late in the evening and there is a programme of work to complete prior to the next day.

"The reality is, it will be hard work for the mechanics, engineers, support crew, marketing operation and we will take measures to support this. But I don't believe it will have a massive impact on the cars and the drivers."

McLaren Reveals Singapore Secret weapon.

Massa wins New Valencia GP street Circuit.

Felipe Massa has won the European Grand Prix in Valencia ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica.
Starting from pole position, the Ferrari driver led from start to finish through the harbourfront streets of the Spanish city, which was hosting a grand prix for the first time.
With team-mate and World Champion Kimi Raikkonen retiring with engine failure on lap 46, the result also moves Massa up to second place in the Drivers' Championship, six points behind Hamilton.
The victory, Massa's fourth of the season, remained provisional for a time after his second pit stop almost brought a collision with Force India driver Adrian Sutil.
Sutil was forced to dart left and scrape the pit wall as both drivers accelerated away out of the pit lane.
Race control then announced that Massa's car was being investigated for 'unsafe release from a pit stop' by stewards.
And, although it was then announced that any punishment for Massa would be meted out after the race, he eventually escaped with a reprimand and a fine of �10,000.
Hamilton's McLaren Mercedes team-mate Heikki Kovalainen finished fourth, ahead of Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel.
Trulli's team-mate Timo Glock finished seventh, with Williams driver Nico Rosberg claiming the final Championship point.

Massa gave a dominant display in the heat of the Mediterranean summer, three weeks after an engine failure cruelly cost him victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
But Ferrari's afternoon was nevertheless a chaotic one, with Massa's pit lane infraction being followed by another incident which befell Raikkonen.
Disputing fourth place with Kovalainen, the two Finns pitted in tandem for the second time on lap 44.
However, Raikkonen's eagerness to get away saw him depart with the fuel hose still intact and also drag a mechanic to the ground.
As the mechanic was stretchered away to hospital - having suffered a foot injury ( broken Ankle) and back pains - Raikkonen fell to sixth place behind Trulli.
But his race was soon run - Raikkonen's Ferrari trailing a plume of smoke across the start-finish line much as Massa's had in Budapest.
After qualifying fourth around the 3.380-mile track, it has to be said that, before his retirement, Raikkonen had once again failed to shine.
Massa looks Ferrari's best bet of mounting a Championship challenge on current form, the opening stint alone seeing him build a lead over his team-mate roughly the equivalent of one pit stop.
But it was during the second stint that he really extended his lead over the second-placed Hamilton, with Massa setting successive fastest laps on laps 34, 35 and 36 as he went 10.2 seconds ahead of the lead McLaren.
The race had already lost its biggest draw when Fernando Alonso retired with rear wing and suspension damage after his Renault was hit from behind by Kazuki Nakajima's Williams on the opening lap.
Incident
And it wasn't until lap 37 and Massa's near-collision with Sutil that the processional affair that had developed produced any more genuine incident.
Elsewhere, Kovalainen passed Raikkonen off the line to take fourth, with the next change of track position in the top eight coming when Trulli leapt ahead of Vettel for sixth at the opening round of stops.
Given the newness of the track, teams also were feeling their way in terms of tactics and strategy.
Most drivers elected to make two stops but Glock was among the few to pit only once as he climbed from 13th on the grid to seventh at the chequered flag.
Despite his rather lonely race, Hamilton nevertheless sees his Championship lead increase by one point, with Massa now leading the pursuers.
Raikkonen drops to third place and now stands just two points ahead of Kubica.
In the Constructors' Championship, McLaren have closed the gap to 13 points on leaders Ferrari.
However, after another race for the Italian team not without its difficulties, they at least have the knowledge that they now head to a track - Spa-Francorchamps, venue for the Belgian Grand Prix in two weeks' time - on which they dominated 12 months ago.

Kovalainen takes first F1 race after Massa bows out

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- McLaren driver, Heikki Kovalainen won his first Formula One race Sunday after an engine problem forced Felipe Massa out of the Hungarian Grand Prix with three laps to go.

Massa overtook Kovalainen and pole sitter Lewis Hamilton at the start and was heading for his fourth win of the season after Hamilton dropped out of contention with a tire puncture. But the Brazilian's Ferrari engine overheated toward the end and Kovalainen took an 11-second victory over Timo Glock of Toyota.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was third ahead of Renault's Fernando Alonso.

Hamilton came in fifth for McLaren and stretched his lead over Raikkonen in the overall standings to five points.

Kovalainen -- greeted by chants of "Heikki" from the large Finnish contingent in the stands -- became the 100th driver to win a Formula One race.

When Kovalainen crossed the line, team boss Ron Dennis told him over the radio: "Welcome to the world of winning. The first of many. Well done."

Kovalainen's win allowed Hamilton, coming off two dramatic victories at the British and German GPs, to stay atop F1's standings -- and eight points ahead of Massa, whose confident start left the McLaren drivers stranded.

Kovalainen said this week that he wouldn't help Hamilton even with his British teammate leading the title challenge, and that showed in his limp start that allowed Massa to pass easily on the outside.

Massa and Hamilton raced side-by-side into the first turn -- Massa even locking up his brakes at one point -- before the Brazilian stuck to his position to pull ahead and nudge out Hamilton around the second corner.

The two were out front on their own. Massa and Hamilton pitted within a lap of each other with Massa enjoying a three-second edge after the first round of stops at the 113-degree track.

Massa's lead was around three seconds as he edged Hamilton over the final two sectors of the twisting circuit before Hamilton's puncture left the race Massa's to lose. Hamilton had most of the 2.722-mile circuit to navigate before a tire change and re-emerged 10th.

Kovalainen, who will partner with Hamilton again in 2009, moved to within 7.5 seconds with laps running down on the 70-lap race.

Glock secured his first podium after overtaking Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber at the start. Kubica, with at least 25,000 Polish fans cheering him on, crossed the finish line in eighth for his worst result of the season to trail Hamilton by 13 points.

The teams and drivers have three weeks before the next race Aug. 24 -- the inaugural Valencia GP.

AP

VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES 2008 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX PREVIEW

The Hungarian Grand Prix has become a staple on the Formula 1 calendar since its introduction to the world championship in 1986. The first Eastern Bloc grand prix, the race is as famous for its tight and twisting track configuration as its arid and scorching climate � both of which conspire to create a uniquely demanding event for teams and drivers alike.

Ayrton Senna has won at the Hungaroring for McLaren on three occasions, in 1988, �91 and �92. More recently, Mika Hakkinen (�99 and 2000) and Kimi Raikkonen (�05) have triumphed for McLaren-Mercedes � much to the delight of the huge Finnish contingent, who have made this race a home from home for many years. Lewis Hamilton won the race from pole position last year.

The Budapest circuit has been modified from its original configuration twice: in 1989, the tight hairpins following Turn Two were ironed out; in 2003, the 180-degree first corner was extensively re-profiled into a sharper hairpin to increase overtaking opportunities. This weekend�s race will mark the 23rd running of the event.



LEWIS HAMILTON

Two wins in the last two grands prix and now a return to the Hungaroring, where you won last year. Do you feel confident ahead of this year�s race?
�I�m wary about making any strong predictions; yes, we were strong in the last two races, but we encountered difficulties in the two before that, so it�s impossible to call it this weekend. All I can say is that our car feels fantastic at the moment and I�m really enjoying driving it: it feels like you can keep fine-tuning it to extract more performance from it, which is a fantastic feeling for any racing driver.�

The Hungaroring is quite a unique circuit � what makes it stand out?
�Hungary is very different from Germany; Hockenheim is a track that allows you to slipstream and pass other drivers fairly easily, the Hungaroring is the opposite of that. Qualifying will be crucial, and strategy will also be important in determining the optimum fuel-weight for the opening stint. It will be hot and tiring too, so keeping your focus and concentration will be vital. I don�t go into this weekend surfing any particular wave of confidence: it�s such a different type of circuit that it�s difficult for anybody to feel certain about their chances.�

The last two victories have given your championship hopes considerable momentum � are you now thinking about driving consistently with an eye on the title?
�It�s easy to say that you�ll treat each race with a certain amount of respect. But the reality is that I haven�t changed my style: it seems to work for me and I enjoy pushing hard to achieve a good result. That�s when I feel I am operating at my maximum and it�s potentially dangerous to start thinking about changing your approach at this point in the season. I�ll be honest: my approach has served me fairly well so far and I�d need to give it some serious thought before attempting to change it. Let�s just say it will be business as usual in Hungary this weekend.�

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN

What�s the secret to a good lap around the Hungaroring?
�It�s a circuit where you�ve got to make the car work for you: it�s not a track where you can drag the laptime out of the car, it�s more about working patiently with the set-up to make your life easier on raceday. If you end up fighting the car, the heat and the constantly twisting nature of the track mean you�ll be exhausted by the end of the weekend. Like Canada, it�s also a place that punishes you if you go offline. So driving well at the Hungaroring is all about neatness and patience.�

What�s your previous record in Hungary?
�It�s a circuit I enjoy. I�ve done a couple of GP2 races here but my best performance was last year when I had one of the best races of my F1 career. Okay, I finished only eighth, but I was fighting with Rosberg for lap after lap, really pushing 100 per cent all the way to the flag. It was one of those dices that never gets shown on TV, but I felt proud and satisfied afterwards because I�d pushed for the whole afternoon. This year, it would be nice if I could reward the team with another strong result.�

MARTIN WHITMARSH CEO Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

The drivers have described the MP4-23 as being particularly well-balanced in high-speed corners, how do you expect it to cope with the low-speed twists and turns of the Hungaroring?
�The two circuits on the calendar that most resemble the characteristics of the Hungaroring are, bizarrely, Montreal, which is dusty and low-grip, and Monte Carlo, which requires a high-downforce set-up to cope with the minimal straights and numerous low-speed corners. And the reality is that we were reasonably competitive at both those circuits. While it has been true to say that one of the key strengths of our car is its pace in high-speed corners, we�ve done a lot of work to the package to strengthen its weak spots. At Silverstone, we were comfortable with our pace through the last sector, and at Hockenheim, we were comfortably quickest through the stadium section of the track, which is tight and reliant on good mechanical grip. We won in Hungary last season and travel to Budapest confident that we have strengthened the weaknesses of our package. Nonetheless, we are fully prepared for a battle with our rivals, whom we can never under-estimate.�

Heikki proved rapid in practice and qualifying in Great Britain and Germany but didn�t seem able to exploit the car under him to the same extent during the race. Is the team working to alleviate some of the handling problems he has encountered?
�Firstly, let�s not forget that Heikki is a brilliant racing driver. His pass of Robert Kubica at Hockenheim reminded anybody who needed reminding that he has all the speed and skill to be battling at the front. But there�s no magic in Formula 1 and we still need to work with Heikki to extract his full potential. At Hockenheim, he didn�t get the best out of himself or the package and we need to work on how we fine-tune the car�s set-up and how Heikki is involved in that process. He was at MTC on Tuesday to carry out his pre-race programme and is working hard with his engineers to find a set-up that allows him to maintain his speed throughout a race stint without suffering from some of the rear-end nervousness he has encountered in recent races.�

With the traditional F1 testing ban coming into effect immediately after the Hungarian Grand Prix, how has the team structured its development programme for the rest of the summer?
�The whole team has been incredibly busy and productive this year. Throughout the summer, we�ve been working hard to evaluate several substantial developments at each test and were able to sample major new aerodynamic steps at both the Silverstone and Hockenheim tests. This week�s Jerez test was no different: as well as evaluating the latest iteration of Bridgestone slick, we also tried out antler wings on the nosecone to improve the front-end flow as well as a number of more detailed aero solutions. Over the three-week break, we have also scheduled two 50km shakedowns and will be working hard back at Woking and Brixworth to enable us to keep the development programme on schedule before we resume the season in Valencia.�

NORBERT HAUG Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

Two weeks ago you said that Silverstone and Hockenheim were so-called �engine circuits�, which suited McLaren-Mercedes. What are your expectations for the twisty Hungaroring?
�The characteristics of the circuit just outside Budapest are quite different to those at the previous Grands Prix in Silverstone and at the Hockenheimring. The average speed per lap of almost 200km/h is the second lowest speed after Monaco, where we won. In Hungary, we have clinched four victories out of the last 10 races; Lewis was our most recent winner last year. Four times we started from pole in Hungary, the last time also in 2007 with Lewis, and we have posted four fastest race laps.�

What are the main challenges in Hungary?
�As overtaking on the Hungaroring is almost impossible, apart from into turn one, a good grid position is even more crucial than on most other circuits. Nevertheless, at the Hungaroring, we will hardly see spectacular overtaking manoeuvres as demonstrated by Lewis on his way to victory in Hockenheim when he passed Felipe Massa and Nelson Piquet. To be fast through the many corners, which make up the largest part of the circuit, a lot of downforce will be key. At the Hungaroring, this is more important than good top speed. The high ambient temperatures at this race are among the highest which often put a lot of strain on car, engine cooling, tyres and of course the drivers.�

What factors will influence the strategy for the Hungarian Grand Prix?
�The requirements in Hungary are similar to those in Monaco: we need efficient cooling and a lot of downforce, but we also have to cope with high tyre wear. The weight of the car, and thus the fuel load, have a bigger influence on the lap times than in the previous races.�

How do you estimate your competition after Vodafone McLaren Mercedes clearly dominated in Hockenheim?
�Hungary will present a different picture. We have no reason to expect a walk in the park.�

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton wins German GP in Hockenheim

Lewis Hamilton won the German Grand Prix twice, once at a canter, the second time in a blaze of insane wizardry. Ferrari must be wondering what they have to do to keep him in check. The answer might be to test Hamilton for EPO.
If this were the Tour de France fingers would be pointing at the drugs cabinet. But this is Formula One and underneath him Hamilton has a serious piece of kit. What alchemy McLaren have worked to deliver a machine as potent as this. Felipe Massa looked like he had seen a ghost after going under the Hamilton hammer.

Lewis Hamilton made good use of his ninth start from pole
For half the race Hamilton was coasting to victory. Then, after been shot in the foot by what looked a poor call from the McLaren pit wall not to come in under the safety car, Hamilton ripped back the initiative as if those in front were not there.
A lazy Sunday afternoon was passing without incident at the half way stage, at which point Hamilton had coasted from pole into an 11-second lead. He has worked harder on the Playstation. Then on lap 36 Timo Glock introduced himself to the German audience with a heavy shunt at the entry to the start finish straight.
Toyota were unable to determine the cause in the immediate aftermath. As Glock powered through the final turn he drifted slightly wide then a vicious spin took him backwards into a wall. The impact was fatal for his car and left the driver limping awkwardly from the wreckage. Thankfully his discomfort was temporary. A visit to the medical centre revealed no damage to Glock's personal chassis.
The incident took us back to Canada, where Hamilton last lost a commanding lead as a result of an accident and the introduction of the safety car. In Montreal he was jumped in the pits and clattered expensively into the stationary Kimi Raikkonen at the pit exit.
On this occasion Hamilton stayed out. Who knows by what mathematical matrix the McLaren number-crunchers had reached that conclusion? It was not the best decision ever made. His front running rivals shot in to refuel to the end of the race. When the safety car retreated five laps later with 26 still to negotiate, Hamilton was left needing to make up at least 23 seconds, sufficient time to refuel and come out with his lead in tact. He could not have pulled that off in Concorde.
Massa, who dropped to sixth from second, had sacrificed places but gained vital time as the cars bunched behind the safety car. Hamilton was lapping more than a second quicker at the restart but stayed out only nine laps, time to build a lead of 13 seconds. When he returned to the track he was running fifth and behind Massa's Ferrari.
Nick Heidfeld, another unfortunate who opted not to come in under the safety car, refuelled to give Hamilton one place back. On the three left in front, Hamilton went to work. He transformed the hairpin at turn six into an execution site. First team-mate Heikki Kovalainen gave way leaving 15 laps to claim Massa and Nelson Piquet, a random beneficiary of the safety car lottery.
Massa capitulated ten laps out, Piquet with seven to go. It was glorious stuff for Hamilton lovers; painful for the massed ranks of Ferrari followers, for whom this was telling evidence of a performance advantage shredded.
The chequered flag signalled the eighth victory of Hamilton's career, his second back-to-back haul and conferred a four-point advantage over Massa in the race for the championship. With eight races remaining Ferrari appear relatively at sea. Massa could make no impression on the Renault of Piquet, who benefitted form a welcome slice of luck when the safety car co-incided with his scheduled stop. The result, the first podium of his career, marked the only time that two Brazilians have finished in the top three since his father shared the honour with Ayrton Senna 17 years ago.
Massa complained of a lack of speed. His team-mate Raikkonen struggled all weekend to find anything like the right balance and finished sixth. Despite the shortfall to McLaren, were it not for the safety car Massa would have had too much for the rest of the field.
A month ago in Magny-Cours it was Ferrari who had everyone else scratching heads. McLaren have happened across a Eureka moment somewhere. Hamilton had pace to burn and powers towards the season's climax the man to beat.
Next up is Hungary, where Hamilton posted a controversial win a year ago and with it buried Fernando Alonso's short McLaren career. Before that the teams repair to Jerez for the next round of testing; a time for Ferrari to regroup and fathom a response to Hamilton.

Canadian GP Practice two - Hamilton takes his turn at the top

Nobody could get near Lewis Hamilton on the Ile Notre Dame on Friday afternoon as the 23 year-old world championship leader lapped his McLaren in 1m 15.752s to all but match Fernando Alonso�s 2007 pole position time of 1m 15.707s.Robert Kubica pushed Ferrari into third place after lapping his BMW Sauber in 1m 16.023s, and Kimi Raikkonen failed to beat 1m 16.093s on his final runs.

His Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa was left in fifth place on 1m 16.413s after his F2008 rolled to a halt with 15 minutes remaining in the session just past the hairpin.Heikki Kovalainen backed Hamilton with fourth place on 1m 16.331s, failing to improve on Bridgestone�s supersoft tyre. Nick Heidfeld likewise failed to go quicker on the same rubber, and was sixth in the second BMW Sauber on 1m 16.589s.

Despite a spin, Mark Webber maintained seventh place with 1m 16.604s for Red Bull, followed by Nico Rosberg for Williams on 1m 16.767s, Sebastian Vettel on 1m 17.019s for Toro Rosso, Jarno Trulli on 1m 17.068s for Toyota, Kazuki Nakajima on 1m 17.242s for Williams, David Coulthard on 1m 17.334s for Toro Rosso, Rubens Barrichello on 1m 17.462s for Honda, Giancarlo Fisichella on 1m 17.508s for Force India, Timo Glock on 1m 17.549s for Toyota and Sebastien Bourdais on 1m 17.559s for Toro Rosso.

It was a disastrous session for Renault, with Fernando Alonso stranded on 1m 17.644s in 17th place after spinning on the exit to Turn One and stalling, and Nelson Piquet down in 20th on 1m 18.076s after a gearbox failure. In between them came Force India's Adrian Sutil on 1m 17.813s and Honda's Jenson Button on 1m 17.842s.

Besides Alonso and Massa, Glock failed to finish the session after crunching his Toyota�s right rear suspension on the exit to Turn Six, and Raikkonen, Webber, Piquet, Bourdais, Barrichello, Kovalainen and Fisichella all had off-course moments.

Lewis Hamilton seeks repeat of 2007 win in Montreal

Canadian Grand Prix: By Andrew Baker

In Lewis Hamilton's ideal scenario, Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix will play out as a repeat of last year's race, but Robert Kubica, the Polish prodigy, is hoping for something very different.

McLaren's Hamilton took his first grand prix win in Montreal in 2007 after a string of podium places, while BMW Sauber's Kubica suffered the most spectacular crash in recent Formula One history. They return to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with Hamilton leading the championship after last month's Monaco win, but only six points separate him from the fourth-placed Pole.

In between are the Ferrari duo of world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who is three points behind the Briton and one ahead of Felipe Massa, the Finn's Brazilian team-mate.
However, Montreal, like Monaco, is a special track for Hamilton. "Last year in Canada was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, to take my maiden pole and victory in Formula One was incredible," he said. "It would be great to go back there and do the same."
Hamilton, now 23, has put flesh on the bones of his promise, with six wins, 16 podium finishes and seven pole positions from his 23 starts so far.
Kubica has also grown stronger, taking two second places and a third already this year, as well as BMW Sauber's first pole position. Paddock gossips hint at a future move to Ferrari for the Pole but for now he remains firmly committed to BMW. The German team have set a maiden victory as their priority for the year.
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While Ferrari and McLaren are the race favourites, Canada would be just the place for Kubica to make the breakthrough. "I like the track because there's a lot of heavy braking and stop-and-go," he said.

Monaco Grand Prix - The ONE to Win

As the 55th Monaco Grand Prix gets under way, Rosberg is primed to snatch the crown jewel

Set on the narrow, twisting streets of Monte Carlo, on the coast of the French Riviera, the Monaco Grand Prix is the most recognised motor race in the world.
No wonder, then, that it's often referred to as "the jewel of the Formula 1 crown". And with outsiders standing a good chance, don't be surprised if we see a new prince of Monaco crowned here on Sunday, at the race's 55th edition.
The Monaco Grand Prix is the oldest street circuit in Formula 1 and one of the traditional races on the calendar. Save a four-year break from 1951 to 1954, it has played host each year since the start of the world championship in 1950.
There have been street circuits in the United States, France, Switzerland, Spain and Adelaide, but none have endured as Monaco's has.
Up until this season, which sees the addition of the Valencia and Singapore races to the calendar, Monaco was Formula 1's only street circuit for 12 years.
The 3.3km Monte Carlo track is one of the most challenging stops on the calendar.
Since the first Grand Prix in 1950, the street circuit has not changed much to accommodate the bigger and faster modern Formula 1 car.
With overtaking virtually impossible there, getting pole position is of paramount importance. He who starts the 78-lap race in front almost always takes the chequered flag.
All drivers look forward to the race in the glamourous principality as the formbook usually goes out the window there.
In 1996, Olivier Panis took the chequered flag in a lowly Ligier, in a race interrupted by intermittent rain.
The big boys didn't finish, only four cars crossed the finishing line.
Rain is always a factor at Monte Carlo at this time of the year and predictions are for a rainy weekend.
So while championship leaders Ferrari, BMW-Sauber and McLaren-Mercedes are tagged as favourites on current form to take top billing this Sunday, I'm not going to count out the rest of the field. Qualifying on Saturday for a front row place on race day is everything and my bet is that Williams' Nico Rosberg is good for a big surprise.
It will be the British team's 600th Grand Prix and Rosberg will be pumped up to add more meaning to that milestone with a win for one of the oldest sides in Formula 1.
At Thursday's practice the 22-year-old was the only outsider to feature in the top five, ending the session behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, and Heikki Kovalainen in the other McLaren.
Rosberg, whose father is 1983 world champion Keke of Finland, made his Formula 1 debut in 2006 after winning the GP2 series the year before.
He quickly showed his pedigree with Williams at the opening round in Bahrain by becoming the youngest driver in history to record the fastest lap in a race. That achievement was all the more remarkable as his Williams ride was lagging far behind championship contenders Ferrari, McLaren and 2005 champions Renault.
Last year, Rosberg was the centre of attention when he became the top contender to replace two-time world champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren after the Spaniard left the team in the wake of an acrimonious relationship.
Only the influence of the legendary team principal Frank Williams persuaded Rosberg to continue honing his talents with the Williams team.
Rosberg, who was born in Germany, started the 2008 season well enough with a third-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix behind winner Hamilton and BMW's Nick Heidfeld, and then came in eighth at the Bahrain and Turkish races.
To be sure, the Williams car is still nowhere near fighting for the world championship like its predecessors did in the 1980s and '90s.
But if Rosberg's performance on Thursday is anything to go by, and if his good form continues in qualifying this Saturday, then anything is possible.
Clinching pole will be the first step and then it will be left to his engineers to map out a competitive tyre and pitstop strategy to keep him in front.
A win at Monaco would also put Rosberg in an elite class of drivers who've conquered the mean streets of Monte Carlo, a group that includes the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss and Michael Schumacher.
That should be an even bigger incentive for Rosberg.

Kovalainen Ready to Race again

McLaren are hopeful that Heikki Kovalainen will race in next weekend�s Turkish Grand Prix, following a rapid recovery from his high-speed accident at last Sunday's race in Barcelona.

Kovalainen spent a night in hospital following the crash, but was released on Monday evening having suffered nothing worse than concussion. He must now pass an obligatory FIA medical if he is to compete in Istanbul, but both team and driver are upbeat about his chances.

"I am feeling good, the stiffness in my neck has pretty much gone and I have been back training,� said Kovalainen on Friday. �I left Spain on Thursday and went back to Finland, where I have spent some time working with the team doctor at our facility there on ensuring I am fit for the race. Initially during the week we were doing some light training before starting on my full programme just before the weekend.

�The next stage for me is the fitness test at the track in Turkey on Thursday with the FIA. I can�t wait to get back into the car and race with the team next weekend, but at the end of the day that decision is out of my hands, the FIA will make it based on safety grounds only."

McLaren�s medical staff have been monitoring Kovalainen�s condition throughout the week, both in Spain and then at the Kuortane Sports Institute in Finland, and there has been no development of any secondary symptoms.

�Before traveling to Istanbul, we will organise a full neurological examination for Heikki with our specialists in Finland as a matter of course,� explained McLaren�s Formula One CEO Martin Whitmarsh. �He will then have the mandatory FIA evaluation on Thursday at the circuit, which is a routine neuro and physiological test completed after any concussion.

�Of course we have a plan in place should the FIA request Heikki sits this race out, as at all Grands Prix, but we have a race driver who is naturally impatient to get back out there and this is the aim of the team.�

If Kovalainen does not race, his replacement is likely to be McLaren reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa. If he does, he will use a new chassis - the one from Spain was inevitably a write-off and is still �under quarantine� as McLaren complete their analysis of the accident.

http://www.formula1.com/

Kovalainen 'OK' after horror smash

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen could return to action in time for the Turkish Grand Prix next weekend despite a horrifying crash in Barcelona that saw him airlifted to hospital.
The Finn, who was leading the race after both Ferraris and team mate Lewis Hamilton had pitted, speared straight into the tyre wall at speed on the 22nd of 66 laps with the car penetrating the barrier.
Circuit doctors attended to Kovalainen, who was extracted from the car before being taken away on a stretcher in a neck brace, while the safety car was deployed for the second time in the race.
"I extremely pleased to be able to report that he is safe and well," said McLaren chief Ron Dennis.
"Heikki was airlifted to the Hospital General de Catalunya in Sant Cugat del Valles, for precautionary checks, and will remain there overnight.
"However, he has no broken bones and CT scans performed at the hospital confirm that he has no head injuries and the team is optimistic that he will make a full recovery over the next few days.
"Subject to the results of an FIA medical examination we hope that he will be able to compete in the Turkish Grand Prix."
The Finn, who joined Mercedes-powered McLaren from Renault at the end of last season, gave a thumbs-up sign to spectators.
He was taken first to the circuit medical centre where officials said he was conscious and in a stable condition.
Television footage showed the McLaren's front left tyre suddenly deflated moments before the car left the track at speed with Kovalainen a helpless passenger.
The safety car had already been deployed after Sebastian Vettel's Toro Rosso and Force India's Adrian Sutil collided on the first lap.
"The precise cause or causes of his accident are not yet known," said Dennis.
"Our data shows evidence of a sudden tyre deflation shortly before the accident, but it is still too early to identify what triggered that deflation other than to say that it is likely to have been the result of a wheel rim failure.
"The impact was a relatively heavy one, but our car's passive safety devices, designed in compliance with the FIA's safety regulations, protected the driver in the way they were intended to do.
"Equally, I would like to pay tribute to the FIA Medical Team, whose work was both rapid and efficient. Finally, the local Spanish marshals also did an excellent job."

Eurosport

F1 qualifying to be modified for safety reasons

LONDON (Reuters) - Formula One qualifying will be modified to prevent the danger of drivers suddenly slowing to save fuel after their final quick laps while others are still at full speed, the governing FIA said on Friday.
A spokesman for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) confirmed the change was likely to be enforced before next week's third round of the season in Bahrain.
"Our clarification to the teams and drivers will be that cars returning to the pits having completed their flying lap or laps will be required to do so within a time that we will set," he said.
"This could be approximately 120 percent of the normal time as we do to prevent drivers going very slowly to the grid (on the pre-race formation lap) to save fuel."

Teams and drivers called on the governing body to act after last weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix threw up an obvious danger in the third and final qualifying phase.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were penalised five places on the starting grid for impeding rivals but the safety implications caused more concern than the sanction.
The rules have changed this season, preventing the 10 drivers who take part in the final session from refuelling between the end of Saturday's qualifying and the race on Sunday.
The revised format has raised safety concerns with drivers slowing to save fuel immediately they finish while others are still at full speed.

"I clearly don't like the dangers implicit in this situation," said BMW Sauber team boss Mario Theissen at the weekend.
"The speed differentials are so great that this is a problem which we need urgently to resolve, hopefully by the next race in Bahrain."

Why are Finnish drivers so good?

Lewis Hamilton's new team-mate, Heikki Kovalainen, could barely reach the pedals when he first drove a car in the fields and lanes around his house in the Finnish countryside.
Kovalainen would spend hours thrashing around "on the back roads or farm roads," as he puts it, "not legally, but quietly in the middle of the night when there were no police around", learning the skills he now puts into practice on race tracks around the world.

The former Ferrari driver Mika Salo and the one-time Benetton man JJ Lehto - both brought up near Helsinki, 400 miles from Kovalainen's home close to the border with Lapland - had similar boyhood experiences.
This is part of the secret of why Finland, a country of just 5.3 million people and 77 billion trees, has produced more formula one world champions per capita than anywhere else.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who beat Hamilton to the title last year, is the third champion from a country a quarter of whose land area is inside the Arctic Circle. Raikkonen followed Mika Hakkinen - champion in 1998 and 99 - and the trailblazer Keke Rosberg, winner in 1982. That is the same number of champions as Brazil, which has a population 40 times bigger. Even the UK, with eight champions, is four times less successful than Finland given its size.
According to Kovalainen, Lehto and Salo, driving as fast as possible is a common Finnish rite of passage. "I bought cars worth maybe �50 with two or three friends and then drove around on the back roads," Salo says. "Not closed roads, but a dead end. We used friends to stop people coming the other way. I was probably 13. I only needed to go two kilometres from my house to find dirt roads where we could thrash the cars. A lot of people do that. You get really brave."
This would generally be on gravel roads, where cars slide more easily than on asphalt. But in Finland even the asphalt roads are covered in snow for much of the winter. And snow-mobiling - where the legendary Canadian Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve developed his skills - is a popular pastime. So the ability to control a motorised vehicle on the very edge of adhesion is a skill Finns have to develop early.
There is also less to distract boys in Finland from their speed thrills than there is in other countries. Football is not so heavily ingrained in the national culture and, while the main national sport is ice hockey, a huge number of kids from as young as six race go-karts - the motor sport in which most grand-prix drivers cut their teeth.
"Go-karting is very popular in Finland," says Lehto. "It has been since the '60s, and it's growing and growing. A lot of people have it as a hobby." At the same time, there is a reasonably well-developed motor sport infrastructure, so anyone who wants to take their racing to a level beyond leisure-oriented go-kart tracks can do so.
Nevertheless, Finland's small size and isolation have traditionally meant that aspiring racing drivers find it even more difficult to raise the huge sums of money required to pursue a career in motor racing than those elsewhere.
Despite the success of their countrymen, many Finns still do not view motor racing as a sport - a fact reflected last year when Raikkonen, the first Finn to win the drivers' title for eight years, was only third in a vote to establish the country's most popular sportsman, behind a javelin thrower and a cross-country skier who had previously been banned for taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Paradoxically that can be a help - the lack of support ensures the drivers who do make it on to the European ladder to formula one are those who possess the iron determination and commitment they will need to reach the top.
"I took out loans from family, from banks. I sold everything I had," says Salo. "I used to work during school time so I could buy a car for myself. I managed to pay for a season in Formula Ford. I took a risk because I knew I was good enough. Some people just don't have this will. The main thing is you need to like the sport so much that you will do all these things for it. I basically stopped living because I wanted to drive so much."
In this quest, Finns have one final advantage. "Our mentality is very good for racing - never give up," Salo says. "Very stubborn, jealous and selfish people. So you'd rather do well yourself than let somebody else do well."
That characteristic, which Lehto describes as "very hard-headed", goes hand-in-hand with another quality the teams prize most highly in their Finnish drivers - implacability and coolness. Raikkonen is known as the "ice man" for his extreme calm under pressure - a quality Hakkinen shared. And some of Rosberg's greatest victories came when difficult conditions induced mistakes in his rivals.
"It's not only F1," says Salo. "It's a similar thing with rallying [another sport in which Finns excel]. Everyone is very calm -
not a lot of mistakes. I don't know why it is, but I am the same. Emotional things don't affect what I do at all.
"It's pretty much normal here. Things like family stuff and so on are not close to us. During my time in F1 my grandfather and grandmother died, and I never even went to the funeral. It was not a big thing for me, and I believe it's the same here for everybody."
And now, after a quarter of a century of Finnish success, the conveyor belt has developed its own momentum.
"There isn't a day goes by," says Lehto, "when motor sport is not in the news in Finland. Having had three world champions, everyone thinks they can do it."
They cannot, of course. But there are, Salo says, "a few good ones coming through", who have the talent to make it all the way to the top. The Finnish success story in formula one, it seems, will just run and run.

Flying Finns
Three champions ... and a future project

Keke Rosberg
Champion 1982
GPs 114
Wins 5
Poles 5
Won drivers' championship in his first season in a a competitive car for Williams at relatively late age of 29. Now son Nico (born in Germany) drives for Williams.

Mika Hakkinen
Champion 1998, 1999
GPs 161
Wins 20
Poles 26
Only he and Fernando Alonso beat Michael Schumacher to the title more than once.

Kimi Raikkonen
Champion 2007
GPs 121
Wins 15
Poles 14
Reigning champion. Equalled Schumacher's record 10 fastest laps in a season in 2005. Married to a former Miss Scandinavia.

Heikki Kovalainen
GPs 17
Wins 0
Poles 0
Stepped up to McLaren this year. In recent testing set a lap record for a V8 car at Jerez. Consistently in the points in first season.

Finland analysis: How good are those 5.3m people in other walks of life?

Formula one
Occupy two of the Big Four seats, including the reigning champion.

Rallying
An impressive 6 world champions: Ari Vatanen (1981), Hannu Mikkola (1983), Juha Kankkunen (1986, 1987, 1991 & 1993), Timo Salonen (1985), Marcus Gronholm (2000, 2002) and Tommi Makinen (1996- 99).
In addition, Markku Alen won the drivers' cup in 1978 before the series was granted world championship status

Wife-carrying
Hosts world championships in Sonkajarvi each July but no home winner since 1997 - the Estonians have won the past 10 events.

Large-scale gift-giving
Santa Claus has made the province of Lapland his own.

Quality of life
Rated 11th best country to live in by a recent UN report.

Verdict
Emmeline Pankhurst-friendly nation of affluent, wife-carrying speed merchants who have swapped their historical prowess as chauvinistic freighters for slaloming through forests while alarming neighbours with comedy gothic rock.

Another Stunning Race At Sepang - Malaysia

REIGNING world champion Kimi Raikkonen could not have chosen a better venue to spark a fight-back for Ferrari in the F1 World Championships.
It was at the Sepang F1 Circuit in 2003 where Raikkonen bagged his first Grand Prix victory and the Finn repeated the feat by winning the 10th edition of the Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix in commanding fashion yesterday.
While Raikkonen romped to a trouble-free victory, winning the 56-lap race by nearly 20 seconds, his McLaren rival, Lewis Hamilton, endured a torrid afternoon.

Hamilton, winner of the season-opening Australian GP last week, finished in fifth place after a pit-stop mistake by his crew delayed him by nearly 20 seconds.
Polish driver Robert Kubica gave BMW Sauber their first ever podium finish in Sepang in second place behind Raikkonen. He finished the race in 1'31:38.155 and it was his career best performance in F1 thus far.
Heikki Kovalainen restored some pride for the battered McLaren when he fought his way to third place in 1'31:57.005 after starting from eighth on the grid.
But the day certainly belonged to his more illustrious Finnish compatriot, who was in a class of his own.
Raikkonen took the lead after the first pit stop from Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa, who later spun off on the 30th lap.
Massa had started from pole ahead of Raikkonen and was in a position to give Ferrari a 1-2 finish but lost the back end of his Ferrari and spun off into the gravel.
Raikkonen had already built up a lead of four seconds by then and it was just a steady cruise home for the Finn.
Raikkonen�s win cut Hamilton's lead in the drivers' standings to three points after two races and the Finn, who seldom smiled to the cameras, had reasons to flash a big grin after the podium celebrations.
The victory was also Ferrari's fifth in Sepang and the first since Michael Schumacher won in 2004.
More importantly, Ferrari will see it as a boost to their championship aspirations after Raikkonen suffered from engine trouble and failed to finish the race in Melbourne. He was only classified in eighth place and picked up one point after Honda's Rubens Barrichello was disqualified for exiting the pit lane while the light was still red.
�For sure we had quite a difficult weekend in Australia when I didn't really expect to have such difficulties,� said Raikkonen.
�We were not 100% sure that things would be different here. We knew that speed wise, we would be fine, even in Australia the speed should have been fine. But everything worked perfectly here and we took it easy to make sure nothing went wrong.
�We saved the engine. It was a perfect job by the team to come back. But I would have been happier if Felipe got second but things went wrong.�
Massa said that he still did not know what happened to the car and said they would get to the bottom of the matter.
�I just lost the car completely when the rear came round suddenly,� said Massa, who was also on pole in the Malaysian GP last year.
Hamilton was not pleased with the outcome of the race despite finishing among the points. Also not helping his cause was the fact that his water dispenser failed to work during the race.

�I was very thirsty. We were in with a good shot for third place and then had trouble with the pit-stop. I pressed hard for fourth, I really wanted that point, but it wasn't to be,� said the Briton.
Sebastien Bourdais had some mechanical problems sending him in the gravel at the first lap.
And that concluded another very hot Racing week-end here in Sepang. I will upload my pics later today for your viewing pleasure.

McLaren boss Dennis to stay on

Reports that McLaren-Mercedes chief Ron Dennis would step down appear to have been premature.
The 60-year-old boss of the hugely successful British team told staff on Tuesday that he would be staying on to oversee the campaign of drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen this season.
A spokesman for McLaren said that Dennis addressed a meeting of employees at the team's spectacular factory near Woking before leaving to catch a flight to Australia.

The Englishman will be on the pit-wall at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit to monitor the progress of Hamilton and his new team-mate this weekend.
A number of media reports this month have suggested that Dennis, who owns 15 per cent of the team and took control of McLaren in 1980, might be on the verge of stepping down.
A proud and meticulous man, he was deeply hurt by the spy scandal which enveloped his team last season and led to a �50 million ($139.8 million) fine by the governing body.
Dennis has recently announced that he is to separate from his wife Lisa and declared that he is keen to pursue interests outside Formula 1.
But not just yet. Dennis personifies his operation to a far greater extent than most bosses. Because he is neat, precise and cautious, so are all his employees.
The McLaren garage is always the most immaculate on the pit-lane, the "Brand Centre" � the team's portable hospitality building � always the smartest.
Such attention to detail reflects the personal values of the team principal, who learned such virtues as a young mechanic working with the Cooper Formula 1 team in 1966, tending the car of future world champion Jochen Rindt.
He will not have wanted to bring his long career to a close in a welter of allegations and counter-claims.
Dennis would rather wave farewell on the back of a triumphant season from Hamilton, the prot�g� he has nurtured from childhood and who so nearly won the title in his debut season last year.

TWO FERRARIS LEAD THE WAY IN VALENCIA TEST

F1.

First official test day for Ferrari today, along with another 10 teams (Super Aguri only one missing) that will take part in the 2008 F1 championship. At the 'Ricardo Tormo' track in Valencia, the F2008 led the way.
World champion Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa mainly focused on the general set-up of the F2008, and had no technical problems whatsoever. Massa set the fastest lap today, 1'12"182, Kimi followed with 1'12"721.
Just a few laps for the shake-down of the new Williams FW30, with Nico Rosberg taking third, with 1'12"838.
Fourth and fifth for McLaren Mercedes, respectively with Heikki Kovalainen, 1'13"026 and Pedro De La Rosa, 1'13"163.
Sixth place for Fernando Alonso on the Renault R28 (1'13"316 and 133 laps).
Kazuki Nakajima on the Williams FW29 took 7th, followed by Sebastian Vattel on Toro Rosso, Marko Asmer on BMW Sauber, Nick Heidfeld on F1.08, Jarno Trulli on the Toyota TF108, David Coulthard on the Red Bull RB4 and Timo Glock on Toyota.
More tests are due tomorrow. Ferrari will field Raikkonen and Massa again.