McLaren launch set for after first test

McLaren might not run its definitive 2011 car until the second winter test, having announced that its MP4-26 will be launched in Berlin on 4 February - the day after the opening test of the winter finishes.

Although McLaren has yet to reveal full details of its launch plans, the choice of date implies that it could use an interim or 2010 chassis at Valencia from 1-3 February, when testing gets underway again after the winter break.
The second test takes place at Jerez on 10-13 February.

Force India announced earlier this week that it will definitely use a 2010 machine for the opening Valencia test, but other leading teams look set to kick off with their 2011 cars.

Ferrari has promised a late-January launch for its new challenger, while Renault, Sauber and Toro Rosso have all scheduled unveilings for the start of the Valencia week.

Reigning champion team Red Bull has chosen not to run its latest car at the opening test in recent years, but is reportedly pushing to ensure that it can do so in 2011.
Should McLaren start testing with an older or interim car, it will not be the first time this winter that it has taken a different testing strategy to its main rivals.
Race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button got an early start to their post-season holidays last November as McLaren opted to use test drivers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey for the first Pirelli test in Abu Dhabi.
The team reasoned that the tyres used for the inaugural test would change a great deal before 2011 anyway, and that Turvey and Paffett could provide a better benchmark as they had also taken part in the preceding young driver test days using Bridgestone tyres.

Hamilton wins Montreal GP

Tire gamble pays off as Brit captures Formula One race in Montreal

Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton didn�t think it was a gamble for his McLaren Mercedes team to start Sunday�s Formula One Canadian Grand Prix on softer option tires.
Few believed him, but at the end of 70 laps at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve it was Hamilton and his McLaren Mercedes team that held all the aces and the giant�s share of the pot from F-1�s only visit to this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
He crossed the finish line a full 2.2 seconds ahead of teammate Jenson Button to give the British-based team a 1-2 result.
Hamilton was 9.2 seconds in front of third-place finisher Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari.
Sebastian Vettel, who before the race had criticized McLaren�s decision to run the Saturday qualifying laps on the option tires, was fourth for Red Bull with teammate Mark Webber rounding out the top five.
To many among the 110,000 sold-out crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, however, it looked early on as if Hamilton had lost his gamble when he pulled into the pits under green flag conditions to change to the harder compound tires after just eight laps.
But as the race wore on Hamilton reeled in first Vettel, then Webber, then Alonso to take control. It marks the second win in Canada for the 25-year-old Hamilton.
The victory also lifted Hamilton to the top of the world championship with 109 points, three ahead of Button and six ahead of Webber, who had held the lead going into the Canadian GP.
Hamilton called his win the toughest of his career.
�It was the toughest race I�ve ever been in,� he said. �We had great pace all the way through but we had to fight traffic all the way as well. So far this season, I would have to say it was the ultimate challenge.�
There was one moment, however, that could have ruined Hamilton�s day. On exiting after his first pit stop, he came close to locking wheels with Alonso.
�On our in-lap to change tires, I was ahead of Alonso but he had some problems and ended up coming out beside him,� he said.
�He was in my blind spot, but he managed to race us to the end of pit lane and got out in front of us.�
From that point on, Hamilton said, the race was hard fight for every turn on every lap. But he added, the hard fighting made his win all the more satisfying.
�It has been a tremendous weekend, it has been fantastic,� Hamilton said. �I got here on Wednesday and things have gone so well. I�ve had incredible support from the fans.�
Button, the defending F-1 champion, heaped praise on his younger teammate, calling his race phenomenal.
�This guy (Hamilton) was phenomenal,� Button said. �It is good to finish close to (him) and good to get some points.�
Alonso complained, however, that it was the traffic, and not Hamilton�s faster McLaren Mercedes that cost him the victory on Sunday.
�We went from getting 25 points (for the win) to 15 points (for third) because of traffic,� he said.
�Ferrari is moving in the right direction but today we kept being held up (by back markers).�
Late in the race � on Lap 62 � the McLaren engineers were urging Hamilton to ease up in order to save his tires, which were beginning to show some severe wear.
But on the very next tour of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve�s 4.61 km loop Hamilton responded with a time of one minute, 18.025 seconds � the fastest lap of the day of any of the 2X starters on the grid.
With three laps to go he had increased his lead over Button to 3.5 second before finally heeding his team�s pleas to lift of the gas, at least a little bit.

By DEAN MCNULTY

Red Bull faces biggest challenge yet in Canada

It is two years since the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal last hosted a Formula One Grand Prix.
Welcome back, to a race seemingly always packed with drama and incident.
This weekend the initial focus of attention will be less on the cars, but on the body language of the Red Bull Racing drivers. Quite simply after the �Istan-Bulls-Up�, the team faces the biggest challenge of its five year history.
Their car is the class of the field � a Red Bull has been on the front row of the starting grid for every Grand Prix this season � and their two drivers are proven race-winners and championship contenders.

Yet if their run of success is to continue, they need to reassert discipline across the entire team.
The debates will rage for months over Webber and Vettel�s respective actions. But the outbursts by Red Bull Racing driver development manager Dr. Helmut Markko inflamed rather than defused the pressures in the Istanbul paddock and undermined the authority of team principal Christian Horner.
That Markko blamed Webber for the incident and took sides with Vettel isn�t too surprising. Markko was the man who �discovered� Vettel and with the aid of Red Bull funding, assisted him into Formula One.

Frankly, having supervised the spending of millions of dollars of Red Bull money on funding a series of young drivers who largely failed to make it at the top level, Vettel�s success has probably kept Markko in a job. The term �meal ticket� springs to mind.
Markko�s comments demonstrate the most dangerous fall-out that could come from the Istanbul incident; the creation of factions within the team. Remember Alonso and Hamilton at McLaren in 2007? Their animosity created a rift which tore the team apart.

It could, heaven forbid, be even be worse. The name of the circuit which hosts this weekend�s Canadian Grand Prix reminds us of a chilling warning from history.
In 1982 Gilles Villeneuve felt that team-mate Didier Pironi had tricked him out of victory by reneging on a pre-race agreement and diving past as he was cruising to a Ferrari 1-2 in the San Marino Grand Prix.

The Ferrari drivers� rivalry became a bitter feud. In qualifying for the next race, on a wet track at Zolder in Belgium, the pair were 1-2 on the grid, but Villeneuve set out on one final lap, determined to outqualify Pironi at all costs. In blinding spray, the Ferrari hit a slower car and Villeneuve died.
This weekend, the phenomenal speed of the McLarens may prove critical to beating the Red Bulls on Montreal�s long straights.
McLaren precedents certainly look good. Hamilton scored his maiden victory here in 2007 and before retiring after tailgating Kimi Raikkonen in the pitlane (oops!) in 2008, he had dominated the race from pole position.
Expect an equally close-fought battle between Mercedes GP, Renault and Ferrari for the next slots.
Their cars don�t seem to quite have the aerodynamic refinement of the front-runners, but their battle will be no less intriguing.
Force India seem destined to battle at the tail of the top ten and there are rumours of frustration within the team at the performance of Vitantonio Liuzzi. If the Italian were to be dropped, who would be in?
Team test-driver Paul di Resta lacks race experience, so how about Karun Chandhok, who now has plenty of race practice, but is wasted in the uncompetitive HRT car?
The rumour-mill is increasingly hinting that Karun might be given the chance. I personally hope so, an Indian in a Force India car would dominate the headlines across the subcontinent and may prove just the fillip Force India needs!

Steve Slater, ESPN

Jenson Button's Melbourne swap-shop : F1 vs V8 Supercar

Australia may have ceded this season's opener to Bahrain but Formula 1's collective excitement at being back in Melbourne is undiminished.
From Jack Brabham to the Bathurst 1,000 Australians love their motorsport and the city shows it by embracing F1's arrival in a series of imaginative events on and off the track.

Jenson Button had the privilege of being the first driver to taste the green asphalt of the leafy Albert Park circuit on Tuesday.
But the world champion's four-lap spin was a rather unusual refresher for Sunday's race as he swapped cars with reigning V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup.

Button squeezed into Team Vodafone's beefy tin-topped Holden Commodore while Whincup tried his hand at open-wheel racing by borrowing Lewis Hamilton's 2008 championship winning McLaren.

Button and Whincup's racing ambitions began with karting but while Button, 30, forged his way through Europe's single-seater formulas, Australian Whincup, 27, found himself drawn to touring cars.

Over the last two seasons each reached the pinnacle of their sports, with Button claiming the 2009 F1 world title and Whincup storming to back-to-back titles in V8, perceived to be the elite formula in Australian motorsport.
As the pair of champions prepared to enter the unknown at Albert Park by swapping chargers, there was time for a final word of advice.
"Give it hell," urged Button. "Yeah, likewise," grinned Whincup. "Go as hard as you can."

Champions Whincup (left) and Button (right) compare notes before driving one another's cars

Whincup was given a push out of the pit lane and after a sputtering start down the straight he was off at full pelt.
It may have been his first time in an F1 car but an unofficial timing saw the Melbourne-born driver clock one minute, 57 seconds - the same time as his fastest circuit lap in a V8 car.

And if you want to know what it's like to drive an F1 car - even if you are already a champion behind the wheel - Whincup summed it up in a single, breathless word.
"Unbelievable," he said, shaking his head as he pulled himself out of the McLaren cockpit.

"I had half a lap at half throttle but then the car just kicked in and I've never felt anything like it before.

"The car just does everything right, the harder you push the more grip you have and if you hit the brake it feels like it'll stop on a 20 cent piece.

"The strain on my head was unbelievable because I don't get anywhere near the g-force in my V8 car.

"My mate had said to me 'it's going to destroy your life driving an F1 car because nothing else will come close' and he was right. It's just a rocket ship."
The V8 spat and chewed its way around the circuit with Button at the helm, powering along at 650 horsepower compared to the purr of the McLaren's F1 engine, which runs at around a slick 750bhp.

After his rare stint in a closed-top car Button emerged saying: "It's like an oven in there!

"It's so different to driving an F1 car, it's very heavy and there's not a lot of downforce.
"I ran off the tarmac at one point and I'd be closing my eyes at that point in an F1 car, but in this thing it was great. It was very impressive."

So, was it a case of once bitten twice shy or does either driver fancy swapping again when it comes down to business in Sunday's V8 and F1 races?

"It's one thing having a drive but lining up on the grid, well it'd be scary," confessed Whincup. "I'd need a few more miles without doubt."
Button added: "I've always said in the past that after F1 I'm sure I'll look at doing something else - and this could be a possibility."


Watch out Whincup, Button could well be after your title next.

Valencia Test Report - Day One

Michael Schumacher returns to the Race

Morning Report

Felipe Massa recorded the fastest lap time in this morning's session

Sebastien Buemi officially kicked off the pre-season multi-team testing days when he drove his Toro Rosso out of the pit lane at Valencia's Circuit Ricardo Tormo shortly after the track opened at 10 am on Monday, February 1, 2010. The Toro Rosso team had worked late into the previous night putting the finishing touches on the car.
Felipe Massa was next out in the Ferrari, followed by Gary Paffett driving the McLaren, Rubens Barrichello in the Williams and Pedro de la Rosa in his BMW Sauber. Massa was the first to complete a flying lap and clocked the fastest time - 1:13.088 - halfway through the day. Lap times and fuel loads will differ considerably during this and all the upcoming test days.
In all, seven teams are in Valencia. Paffett, ironically the only test driver who is scheduled to appear, is handling the shakedown duties for McLaren today.
As for the rest, de la Rosa is driving the Sauber BMW; Robert Kubica is in the Renault; Barrichello is behind the wheel of the Williams; Buemi is Toro Rosso's designated driver; Massa is in the Ferrari.

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are splitting the shakedown work on the Mercedes today, with Rosberg running in the morning. Although Mercedes had shown its new W01 to the media earlier in the morning, the car was not ready to run until 35 minutes into the session.



This morning the drivers were doing short runs punctuated by long stops in the pits for the cars to be checked over.
"The main target here is to check all the systems," said BMW Sauber's technical director Willy Rampf. "We want to get an overall picture about the car, and where we are regarding weight distribution, for example, because this will be one of the main issues this season. And then we will feed that information back so that in the next tests we can work on set-ups and preparing everything."
Buemi may have been the first out, but after two and a half hours he had only completed five laps. Toro Rosso was having teething problems with its new car, but the team said they had anticipated that.



"I am expecting mistakes because a young team makes mistakes, and this is why we are here early," said technical director Giorgio Ascanelli. "I tried to get the car on the ground as soon as I could so that we would have time to react to the glitches and the problems that for sure we are going to get."
The weather cooperated with it being sunny throughout the day and the air temperature climbing to 13 degrees Centigrade.

Dan Knutson

The new Cars for 2010 so far !

Here they are, The new cars we will be watching on the grid for the 2010 season.

Unveiled so far with much publicity were Ferrari F10 and Vodafone Mclaren MP4-25, last week Thursday and Friday.
Most of the talk however will be on the new Renault Livery - some comparing it to BumbleBee from Transformer , others more like a Jordan from the 70's... You decide.
BMW car will be quite bare to start the season waiting for more sponsors to jump onboard and Williams does seem to remain quite equal to last year.

Finally the much anticipated return of all, Mercedes GP unveiled yesterday their new car with Schumacher taking most of the cameras and reporters attention away from young Nico... Oh Dear .... Barichello did warn him though by quoting " get out of here...!" refering probably to his stint as Michael partner back at Ferrari a few years back, but placid as ever Nico remarked that it wasn't important how many cameras were on him and he'll let his driving do the talking.... Well said Mr Rosberg and good luck.

Here are some pictures to whet your appetite while we wait for the full lineup to be revealed soon.

Hamilton optimistic for F1 Valencia street fight

Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to pick-up this weekend on the streets of Valencia where he left off in Budapest last month when he takes part in the European Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old Englishman claimed his first win of the season last time out in Hungary for McLaren Mercedes and with a package of improvements on his car believes he can challenge for another win after Formula One's month-long summer break.
Hamilton said: "It's great to be getting back to business after the break and I'm still buzzing from the win in Hungary.
"I'm hopeful of being able to carry that pace into the Valencia weekend - particularly with our new upgrades to the car."
His team boss Martin Whitmarsh is also optimistic that after a desultory start to the year, McLaren will be back with plenty to prove in the second half of the season.
He said he believed the latest upgrades for the MP4-24 car will give Hamilton a great chance to win again on the Mediterranean street circuit laid out around the harbour of the Spanish city.
Whitmarsh said: "It's very important that we are able to maintain the winning momentum into this weekend's race. Fortunately, we have made a structured effort to bring further improvements to the car in Spain.
"The whole team has been buoyed by that win and is really looking forward to another strong set of results this weekend."
Hamilton's improvement and optimism is bad news for championship-leading fellow-Briton Jenson Button of Brawn GP and his Red Bull rivals as they see the title race thrown wide open.
Spaniard Fernando Alonso is another challenger who could upset all the easy predictions of a Button v Sebastian Vettel duel for the crown as the Renault driver bids to give his home fans plenty to cheer in Sunday's race.
He secured his first pole position of the season in Hungary and believes he can fight for a podium this weekend.
"Our performance in Hungary was encouraging as the car was quick and we managed to get pole, which was actually a bit of a surprise," he said.
"To retire from the race was disappointing, but I'm looking on the bright side because I think that the car can be just as competitive in Valencia.
"Last year my race there was very short - less than a lap - so I'm really determined to make up for that this weekend and hopefully we can fight for the podium."
A strong showing by Alonso may also go some way to quell the disappointment of those who bought tickets in anticipation of seeing seven times champion Michael Schumacher make a dramatic comeback for Ferrari as replacement for injured Brazilian Felipe Massa.
Massa crashed in Hungary and suffered head and eye injuries after debris from compatriot Rubens Barrichello's Brawn car flew up and hit him.
But after injuring his neck in a motorbike accident in February Schumacher has failed in his fitness fight to make a return and instead Ferrari will run veteran Italian Luca Badoer, a test driver, in the car.
Badoer said: "I have to say, my first thoughts when I take to the track will be for Felipe, because I got a real fright when I saw his accident.
"I have to add that I am also thinking of Michael, because having trained with him over the last few weeks, I know how much he wanted to make this comeback and how much effort he was putting into his preparation."
Massa has made good progress and is targeting a comeback in the season's penultimate race his home Brazilian Grand Prix at Sao Paulo.
Button, desperate to recover his form after three races without a win that have seen his lead trimmed heavily, said: "I've kept pretty busy over the past few weeks with the London Triathlon at the start of the month and then some time to relax with my family and friends, but it's seemed like a long time without a race!
"Valencia is a beautiful city and the track is quite fun when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge. It's quite challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers.So, it will be an interesting weekend."

European Grand Prix Preview - Valencia GP

The 11th round of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship sees yet more driver changes. Of course, the original plan was to have Michael Schumacher making his return to Formula One for Ferrari amid much fanfare, but the multiple champion�s neck injury ruled him out.

Instead, Luca Badoer returns to the category for the first time in almost 10 years, intent on finishing the race and scoring the first world championship points of his F1 career. At the same time, GP2 star Romain Grosjean takes over from Nelson Piquet at Renault, who will be racing after the suspension handed down to them by the stewards in Hungary was overturned by the FIA Court of Appeal in Paris on Monday.

Both teams ran well here last year, and have high hopes now, but Red Bull and McLaren both fancy their chances and Brawn are desperate for Jenson Button to increase his points� lead which has been seriously eroded in the past three events.

�The track is quite fun when it goes round the edge of the marina and over the bridge,� Button says. �It's quite challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers means you have to maintain your concentration. There's been a lot of work going on at the factory following our shutdown and with the cars at the front being so close at the moment, it will be an interesting weekend."

It remains to be seen whether Brawn have got to the bottom of their tyre temperature issues, and the signs are that Valencia won�t be as warm as Hungary, where they struggled.

�It�s great to be getting back to business after the four-week break,� Hungarian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton says. �I�m still buzzing from the win in Hungary and I�m hopeful of being able to carry that pace into the Valencia weekend - particularly with our new upgrades to the car. It�s a very demanding circuit, the kind of place that punishes any mistakes hard. It�s quite tight and relatively slow, so it should suit our package. It�s also very difficult to overtake, as we discovered last year - but, with our KERS, Mercedes-Benz has proved that anything can happen and I�m once again hoping that it will provide the difference in the race.�

The 5.419-kilometre (3.367-mile) street course uses roads that run through the recently refurbished Juan Carlos I Marina, formerly the base for the 32nd America's Cup in 2007. It features 25 corners and a minimum width of 14 metres all the way around the lap, and incorporates sufficient run-off for the expected top speeds of more than 300 km/h (186 mph). Even though it�s a street track, drivers are on the throttle 68 percent of the time, and with relatively high levels of downforce and high brake wear teams must be canny with their set-ups.

The race will mark the 150th race win for Bridgestone�s F1 tyres. �This is an interesting track,� says Hirohide Hamashima, their director of motorsport tyre development. �It has the high-speed configuration of a permanent circuit, however the track surface gives away that this is only a temporary facility. There are numerous turns, yet there are also many high speed sections and we see speeds of around 300 km/h five times during the course of a lap. There are low-speed corners too, so some heavy braking does take place. On the slippery surface that accompanies a street course it is difficult to find grip off line.

�Last year we saw a lot of circuit surface evolution over the weekend and it was very much a learning process for everyone who attended the race. We also found last year that the infamous gap between the bridge surface and the road surface presented no difficulties for our Formula One tyres. Last year our visit to Valencia was a momentous one as it was here that we celebrated our 200th Grand Prix participation since our entry in 1997.�

As in Hungary, Bridgestone will again bring their soft and super soft compounds.

Williams F1 against Schumacher Testing Plans

Michael Schumacher's bid to step up his comeback by testing Ferrari's current car has been blocked by Formula One rivals Williams.

Ferrari last week wrote to the other nine Formula One teams and the FIA requesting Schumacher be granted a day at the wheel of the F60 ahead of the German legend's return to racing at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.
Under current regulations in-season testing is banned, but Schumacher hasn't raced since his retirement in 2006, so Ferrari were hoping the seven-time world champion, who is standing in for Felipe Massa after the Brazilian's horrific crash in Hungary, would be allowed to practise.
Out of courtesy, the other seven members of the Formula One Teams' Association - McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso - gave Schumacher and Ferrari the green light.
Williams, however, see no reason why seven-time world champion Schumacher should be given special dispensation, citing the recent arrival of 19-year-old rookie Jaime Alguersuari into F1.
"While we welcome Michael Schumacher back to Formula One, the fact is any form of in-season circuit testing is strictly prohibited, a regulation clearly laid out by the FIA and adhered to by all of the teams," said Williams in a statement.
"It was for this reason Alguersuari, who drove an F1 car for the first time in Hungary, did not have the opportunity to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso before he made his race debut.
"Williams sees no distinction between Alguersuari's situation and Schumacher's and feels any deviation from the rule would create a precedent for the future.
"For the sake of consistency and fairness, therefore, we oppose Ferrari's proposal to test ahead of the European Grand Prix."

German Grand Prix Preview

The real action is in the driver�s championship, not in the corridors of power

LEWIS Hamilton pulled a stunt in front of his home crowd after the last race at Silverstone three weeks ago and the fans went wild. The world champion did a doughnut, rotating his McLaren-Mercedes at high revs around the same spot, until a plume of smoke rose up from his rear tyres. It didn�t matter to his fans that their hero ended 16th out of the 18 drivers who crossed the finish. They had fun, so did the 24-yearold Briton. At Nurburgring for Sunday�s German Grand Prix, the McLaren pilot said drivers should be given more freedom to improve the Formula 1 show � just like in MotoGP, where the speed demons do all kinds of wheelies, stoppies and burnouts at the end of a race to the delight of the fans.
The powers-that-be who run F1 ought to listen to Hamilton. Not that they should push drivers to perform tricks. But they need to understand that fans watch motor-racing for fun. The bickering over the past few months between motorsport�s governing body FIA and the top eight teams has left many disturbed. They sighed with relief when both sides seemingly ended their feud in Paris two weeks ago. It was short-lived. At Nurburgring earlier this week, the eight teams walked out of a technical meeting seething after efforts to sort out rules for next year with the FIA broke down. The breakaway series they had threatened to launch resurfaced, and the mud-slinging resumed. Fans are tired, of not knowing what a bunch of men, who have made discord in F1 their life�s goal, will do next. I know I�ve tired of the off-track drama. We�ll just have to let the demons sort themselves out and not lose sight of the fun taking place between Hamilton and company on the track.That is where the real action is. That is where the grown-ups in F1 are today.
Beware the Red Bulls� charge
Hamilton is effectively out of the running for the drivers� championship. The real deal is Brawn GP�s Jenson Button, who has taken six of the eight races so far. But the 29-year-old Briton is facing some real opposition from others, rather than just team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who was the only one pushing him earlier in the season. It came from the Red Bull Racing pair of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who knocked the wind out of Brawn GP with a one-two finish at Silverstone. They have the talent and now the car to stop the championship leader from taking any more race wins. To do this, Red Bull must come to a bold decision, starting this Sunday in Germany. They must focus the rest of their campaign around Vettel, who is better all around than Webber. The 22-year-old knows how to win races, and his three career wins, including his Silverstone victory, have been nothing short o fGe rman Grand Prix Keep your eye on the tarmac spectacular. In front of his homefans, the German will be fired up to repeat that. Though 25 points behind Button,Vettel has a long shot at the title, and that will require Webber, 3.5 points behind his teammate and who has yet to win an F1 race, riding shotgun. Button�s route to the titleis far easier. All he needs is to register three more wins and be consistently on the podium for the rest of the season.
Ferrari spoilers
The real threat to Button�s bid, however, is from within his camp. Barrichello, second in the championship and two points ahead of Vettel, is in the twilight of his career. At 37, this may be the Brazilian�s last chance to finally be crowned world champion. After playing second fiddle to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari under Ross Brawn, who is again his boss at Brawn GP, Barrichello is not in the mood to be short changed once more. There is no hint that Brawn GP has issued team orders and is forcing Barrichello to give way to his team-mate. But Button must also keep his eye on other drivers such as double world champion Fernando Alonso of Renault and the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and 2007 title winner Kimi Raikkonen. Although out of the championship reckoning, their cars are fast improving and could take precious points off him. They can turn out to be kingmakers and hand Vettel or Barrichello the title. This is where the fun in F1 is, on the track and not off it.

By Ian De Cotta ; TODAY Paper

Week-end Formula 1 News

The Australian Grand Prix will likely be scrapped if leading teams form a breakaway Formula 1 series next year, Australian F1 race chief Ron Walker said on Friday.
Uncertainty continues to surround the future direction of the sport after the eight-member Formula One Teams Association (Fota), including Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes, walked out of a meeting with motor racing's governing body in Paris this week and revived their threat to form a breakaway series.
Walker said he would advise the Victorian state government, which backs the race, to cancel the event should F1's leading teams carry out their threat."The Grand Prix board would probably say to the (Victorian) Premier it's too hard," Walker told a radio station on Friday. "
You can just imagine if the likes of (Roger) Federer and other major tennis players didn't turn up to the Australian Open in January or if some of the best horses didn't come to the Melbourne Cup."
Melbourne has an agreement to run the event until 2015 under a five-year licence extension signed last year

On another note, defending drivers' world champion Lewis Hamilton clocked the fastest time in Friday afternoon's second free practice session ahead of Sunday's German Grand Prix.It was the third time in this disappointing season - for him - that the 24-year-old had been quickest on the opening day in his McLaren Mercedes, having been fastest previously on Friday in Bahrain and China.Cynics, however, may suggest that with his McLaren team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen struggling in 17th place on a cool, wet day, Hamilton was running very light on fuel to please the fans sitting in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand.
The Briton clocked a best time of 1min 32.149sec with 6 minutes of the 90 remaining to ease clear of nearest rival German Sebastian Vettel, in his Red Bull, by 0.2sec.Championship leader Jenson Button of Britain was third for Brawn GP, ahead of Australian Mark Webber, in the second Red Bull, with Italian Jarno Trulli fifth for Toyota and German Adrian Sutil sixth for Force India. Button's Brawn team-mate Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello was seventh ahead of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault.

Alonso trades Renault in for Ferrari, say press reports

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso is planning to switch from Renault to Ferrari next season, Spanish sports newspapers Marca and AS reported yesterday.Negotiations about the Spanish driver's transfer are close to completion and could become official at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza from Sept 11-13, according to the reports which were echoed by Italian media.
The 27-year-old Spaniard won the driver's championships in 2005 and 2006 for Renault and is under contract with the French manufacturer until the end of next year, but with a get-out clause which he can activate earlier.
Alonso, currently ninth in the driver's championship table, has expressed dissatisfaction with Renault's under-performing R29 model, even though engineers say radical improvements are on the way.
Ferrari are believed to be less than happy with Kimi Raikkonen, currently 10th in the table, and could be keen on the idea of Alonso partnering Felipe Massa. But the Italian firm would find it very expensive to buy the Finn out of his cast-iron contract.
According to the Spanish reports, Alonso has secured the backing of Spanish financial giant Banco de Santander to get a five-year deal with Ferrari.

The Mole brings you... Lee McKenzie at Goodwood

From The Mole @ BBC

The Mole welcomes BBC F1 pit-lane reporter Lee McKenzie back on to the blog, to discuss her experiences at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend.
What a special weekend the Goodwood Festival of Speed is. It has become an institution in the British motorsport calendar since it was founded by Lord March in 1993 and this year's event, which took place over the weekend, continued the tradition.
The Festival features hundreds of cars - some of the most expensive, the fastest, the most memorable and the strangest in the world. That also goes for bikes, and in some cases drivers, too!
Goodwood is much more than just an event. It is a complete celebration of all things motorsport and I absolutely love it. Nowhere else in the world can the public get so close to the cars and, of course, the drivers.
There are no motorhomes or closed-off paddocks, and not many places for them to hide. And the Drivers' Club, which is where they head for food and drinks, really was a who's who last weekend.
As I walked in I met the always charming Murray Walker, strolled past Sir Stirling Moss and in one quick glance could see multiple world rally champion Sebastien Loeb, Le Mans winner Allan McNish, five-time Grand Prix bike champion Mick Doohan, Ayrton Senna's nephew Bruno Senna and the very first man to spray champagne after winning a race, 1960s Formula 1 legend Dan Gurney.

Stirling Moss in the 1954 Mercedes W154

On Sunday, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton came along to drive the hill and entertain the crowds, joining a number of other current F1 drivers who attended over the weekend - including Red Bull's Mark Webber, Williams's Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima and Toyota's Timo Glock.

Championship leader Jenson Button was one of many F1 drivers at the Festival.. ... and drove the 1934 Mercedes W25 Grand Prix car

Without fail, the drivers find enthusiasm for Goodwood is contagious. Glock was so excited by the whole event and so disappointed when he discovered he could only drive up the hill twice a day in his F1 car that asked if he could drive the Toyota Corolla World Rally Car on the forest stages - which he did and loved. That makes a third rally convert in the F1 paddock - between him, Kimi Raikkonen and Robert Kubica, there will be no drivers left in F1 at this rate!
One of the highlights of the weekend was seeing the McLaren-Honda MP4/4 in which Ayrton Senna won his first world title being driven up the hill, with the great Brazilian's nephew Bruno at the wheel. The same helmet, same colours, same driving style - it was quite spooky.
There were plenty of celebrations, too - 100 years of Audi (former F1 driver Jacky Ickx drove a 1939 Auto Union); 75 years since the arrival of the Mercedes Silver Arrows. And Sir Frank Williams's 40 years of F1 were marked by a collection of the team's cars and drivers, past and present. The 1980 world champion Alan Jones got back behind the wheel as did Jacques Laffite and David Coulthard. Current Williams reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg drove Keke Rosberg's1982 championship-winning FW08, slightly concerned about both having to change gears and the H-shape gearbox as he negotiated the hill.

Former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine drives Gilles Villeneuve's 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 at Goodwood

But Goodwood was looking forward as well as back over the weekend. Racing car constructor Lola had a car running on bio-fuel made from carrots and potatoes - even the steering wheel was made from carrots and waste material. Maybe F1 teams could cut costs by saving up all the waste from the catering and turn in to spare parts - there's an idea for Max Mosley!
In all seriousness, though, that is the great thing about the Goodwood Festival of Speed - variety and quality and some of the best cars, bikes, driver and riders in the world across all genres. It is a fabulous weekend for anyone with an interest in motorsport pre-war, post-war or present day. And if you have never been before or haven't been for a while, then mark it in the diary for 2010.

Team owner Frank Williams celebrated 40 years in F1 at Goodwood

F1 is Back on Track - No Split

No F1 split in 2010 -
An agreement has been reached between Formula 1's governing body and the teams to prevent a breakaway series, says FIA president Max Mosley.
The two parties had been engulfed in a bitter row over planned budgetary and technical changes for the 2010 season.
But it appears a resolution has now been found and, as part of the deal, Mosley has agreed not to stand for re-election as president.
"There will be no split. We have agreed to a reduction of costs," added Mosley.
"There will be one F1 championship but the objective is to get back to the spending levels of the early 90s within two years."
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone added that he was "very happy common sense has prevailed" following a meeting of 120 members of the FIA in Paris aimed at resolving the crisis.
Ferrari chief president Luca di Montezemolo, head of the Formula One Teams Association (Fota), added: "I think the decisions we have shared this morning are important. We will have the rules of 2009, same rules for everybody.
"It means that we have stability."

Ahead of the meeting, Mosley had insisted that he would not step down as part of any potential agreement and might even seek re-election as head of world motor sport.
He hit out at what he described as "wholly unjustified criticism" of the FIA, adding: "It is for the FIA membership, and the FIA membership alone, to decide on its democratically elected leadership, not the motor industry and still less the individuals the industry employs to run its F1 teams."
However, it appears Mosley has now agreed to move aside when his fourth term as FIA president ends in October, saying: "I will not be up for re-election, now we have peace."
Furthermore, writs that had been threatened against Ferrari and the other teams in Fota - McLaren, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull Racing, Toro Rosso and Brawn GP - are likely to be shelved.

The agreement ends two months of wrangling since Mosley announced after a World Council meeting at the end of April that a voluntary �40m budget cap would be imposed from next season - a plan that prompted a rebellion from eight teams, with Fota announcing on Thursday they were planning a rival series.

But the new agreement ends that threat, while still maintaining the "financial viability" of teams which had been targeted with the initial budgetary restrictions.
Mosley said he had not been forced out as part of any bargaining process, and he was happy to be announcing his departure in these circumstances.
"They (the teams) have got the rules they want and the stability, we've got the new teams in and we've got the cost reduction - that's very helpful," he said.
"I can have a peaceful summer for the first time in three years.
"My departure was planned, agreed, arranged - all the staff have known for months but obviously I couldn't say it publicly because the moment you do you lose all your influence. Now I don't need influence, it's a satisfactory situation."
He was also particularly happy that everyone had got what they wanted from the negotiations.
"There is no budget cap because costs will come down to the levels of early 1990s in two years - it's a different way of doing the same thing. I always thought there wasn't much between us, now we've agreed there isn't."
As part of the agreement, existing teams must help new outfits with their engines and chassis.
"It's come as a bit of a surprise, given that Fota were planning to meet in Bologna on Thursday to discuss their plans for the breakaway championship," reported BBC sports news correspondent James Munro from Paris.
"But what we got today after a meeting of World Motorsport Council was an impromptu press conference and Mosley began by saying there will be no split, there will be one championship.
"He said that over the course of the negotiations he had been able to secure guarantees from the teams who were threatening to break away that they would try to rein back the levels of their spending to the levels they were spending in the early 90s.
"It was him that had come up with the idea that next season all teams would have a budget cap of about �40m, but there has clearly been a trade-off as he has also agreed to do what he says was always the plan - stand down as president of the FIA this October."
It is not the first time Mosley has promised to stand down as FIA president - in June 2004, he announced he would stand down from his position in October of that year, only to rescind his decision a month later and secure re-election.
But he was adamant that with his 70th birthday approaching, and with the row finally settled, there was no way he would be having a change of heart this time.

A Formula lost

Could the Singapore Grand Prix be collateral damage?

Ian De Cotta

Jun 20, 2009

"SHOCKWAVES from the pull-out of eight marquee teams from next season�s Formula 1 are being felt by fans and race organisers across the world, and Singapore is no exception.In the sport�s biggest upheaval in 60 years, the eight teams including the likes of Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes have begun preparing for a rival series, after failing to resolve their dispute with motor sport�s governing body.While this should not affect the rest of the season or Singapore�s second F1 race this September, it would mean that from next year, much of the race�s glamour would be gone - along with legendary personalities such as Ross Brawn, and champions Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

The Republic is contracted to host the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix until 2012, and has invested more than $100 million in fees and infrastructure in the first year alone. The annual returns for the economy is estimated to be just as much.How the teams� departure will affect the numbers or whether courting the new series could be an option for Singapore, no one knows yet - and Singapore GP chairman Teo Hock Seng would prefer, for now, to focus on hosting this year�s night race at the Marina Bay Circuit.

�It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the ongoing discussions between the Formula 1 Teams Association (Fota), Formula One Management and the FIA (F�d�ration Internationale de l�Automobile). The exact contractual terms under which the Singapore Grand Prix is staged are confidential,� said Mr Teo. �But we will continue to closely monitor the ongoing developments regarding the 2010 season.

�Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, speaking on the sidelines of the annual Singapore Sports Awards Night on Friday, said: �This is something the teams and the F1 management will have to sort out. We hope they will be able to come to some agreement for the good of motorsport as a whole.

The teams� split from F1 came after talks with the FIA over budget caps and new regulations for next year broke down, on the eve of the British Grand Prix this weekend.The eight outfits, grouped under the Fota umbrella, are Ferrari - a feature in every season since the start of F1 in 1950 - McLaren-Mercedes, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull Racing, Toro Rosso and championship leaders Brawn GP.In starting a rival series, they would deprive the F1 of US$2.2 billion ($3.2 billion), which industry research monitor Formula Money estimates is their total yearly investment in the sport.

The bone of contention is a voluntary budget cap of US$40 million on technical developments the FIA is introducing for the 2010 season, to put the brakes on costs. The teams� breakaway has escalated calls for FIA president Max Mosley to step down, with former world champion Jackie Stewart saying: �A lot of people are kind of fed up with his dictatorial attitude.�

Will race turnout crash?Fans in Singapore were shocked. Property investor Denis Chang, who splurged close to $2,000 tickets for this year�s race, said it would not be the same without Ferrari and McLaren. �They have a big pull and I can�t imagine going to an F1 race without seeing them on the track,� he said.

But Bruno Gillet ( That's me !! ) , who travels to races in Australia and Malaysia, isn�t giving up on F1 yet. �I don�t know if the teams can set up their own series. It will be difficult. F1 is still the world championship, so I won�t give it a miss,� he said.

Malaysian organisers are worried the split will add to the impact of the woeful economic climate on turnout.�My paymaster, the Malaysian government, is concerned how it will affect the Grand Prix in Sepang,� said Sepang International Circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir. �We have a contract with Bernie to hold the FIA F1 race until 2015 and it says he will deliver. �What will turn up on the grid next year, we don�t know, but without the big names, it will definitely affect crowd attendance.�

But Drew Ward, chief executive of Australian Grand Prix Corporation, is not too worried that a Ferrari-less series will upset plans to stage the season opener in Melbourne early next year. They will work with F1 rights holder Bernie Ecclestone to make it a success.�This is not the first time a new championship has been proposed and it is not unusual for threats like this to be made by the teams in F1,� said Mr Ward. Mr Ecclestone has so far refrained from commenting, and could still play a role in bringing the teams back into the fold, thinks journalist Fredrik Petersens, who has attended every race since the mid-1970s.�It happened in 2000 when the same teams threatened to start a new series and then Bernie brought Ferrari to heel, and the rest followed. �Right now, it is all words and posturing, so we haven�t seen what Bernie might do.�";

2009 British GP - Goodbye Silverstone !

The organisers of the British Grand Prix on 21 June have promised a spectacular send-off for the Silverstone circuit.
The blue ribband event for any international racing Circuit, the Formula One World Championship returns to The Home of British Motor Racing on the weekend of 19-21 June for the 2009 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix.
The 2008 British Grand Prix will long be remembered as a classic Formula One encounter. As the rain battered the Silverstone circuit, Lewis Hamilton put in one of the performances of his career to stand head and shoulders above his rivals and secure a popular home victory. On a day in which even the most experienced Formula One drivers struggled to keep their cars on track, Hamilton stole the show.

This season's Grand Prix is expected to see record breaking crowds assemble in Northamptonshire to welcome home the reigning world champion, and the youngest in the sport's history, Britain's Lewis Hamilton. The entire race weekend looks certain to buzz with an enormous party spirit as we celebrate a new British hero and cheer him on to each passing lap.
The best teams and drivers in single-seater motor racing have a new set of regulations to contend with in 2009, so we can expect a slightly different order of merit to that which we've become used to of late. With these new regulations designed to increase the racing spectacle even higher from the past two classic seasons, which have thrown up some real surprises and incredible races, expect fireworks on this most challenging of tracks.
But of course there's not only the Formula One, as the GP2 support category gives fans a chance to see the next generation of stars before they jump to the big time. Add to that the Porsche SuperCup, a host of other support events and Silverstone's famous Grand Prix Party and there's little surprise that this is the hottest ticket of the year.

With Briton Jenson Button currently leading the Drivers' World Championship and Lewis Hamilton returning to Silverstone as the reigning World Champion, the last ever British Grand Prix at the Northamptonshire circuit promises to be even more atmospheric than usual.
F1 fans can expect three days of first class entertainment as the circuit celebrates its illustrious British Grand Prix history. It hosted a round of the inaugural F1 World Championship in 1950, and has held the British GP every year since 1986.

Headlining the timetable of off-track entertainment will be the Grand Prix Party, which has become synonymous with the event as the ultimate post-race party for drivers and fans alike, providing the public with the opportunity to get close to the drivers, while they enjoy music from a host of live bands.
Other attractions on race day include a display by the Red Arrows display team on top of races in the GP2 Series, Formula BMW, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and the Silverstone Historic Saloon Car Challenge.
For younger fans, there will be a fairground at the circuit, completing the full entertainment package for all the family.
The on-stage line-up currently includes a host of past and present F1 legends ranging from Britain's latest star, Jenson Button, to former World Champions Sir Jackie Stewart OBE and Damon Hill OBE. The Grand Prix Party has been hosted by Silverstone over the years as a way of thanking the fans and providing them with a rare opportunity to meet the drivers.
New for this year is an F1 driver signing session on the Saturday afternoon, during which where 250 lucky fans will be able to obtain autographs from the majority of current F1 drivers. In order to attend this exclusive signing session, fans should visit the Entertainment Zones at Copse and Stowe on Friday and Saturday of the event, where competitions will take place giving spectators the chance to win a place at the autograph session.

The circuit's F1 heritage will be portrayed by a unique photographic exhibition. Pictures from three of the UK's leading photographic agencies - LAT Photographic, Getty Images and Sutton Images - will be brought together to represent some of the most iconic British Grand Prix moments at Silverstone from the 1950s to the present day.

The Turkish Grand Prix Preview

This weekend�s race round Turkey�s Istanbul Park Circuit could show the direction in which the world championship battle will go over the next few Grands Prix. The unusual track, which runs anti-clockwise, places a premium on aerodynamic performance and that is bound to favour the Brawns.However, it could also finally show us the true potential of Red Bull�s RB5, now boasting its own trick diffuser. And don�t discount Ferrari, the team on the rise and winners here the last three years�This weekend�s race round Turkey�s Istanbul Park Circuit could show the direction in which the world championship battle will go over the next few Grands Prix.

The unusual track, which runs anti-clockwise, places a premium on aerodynamic performance and that is bound to favour the Brawns, which demonstrated convincingly in Barcelona, another aero venue, that they are still highly effective even though everybody else now has similar multi-tier diffusers. Istanbul Park Circuit undulates over its 5.338 kilometre (3.316 mile) lap length.

For 2009 the back of the apex kerbs in Turns Nine and 12 have been graded to prevent a car from launching. Speed bumps, similar to Turn Two in Barcelona, have been installed behind the apex of Turn 10. And additional conveyor belts have been added mid-way through the tyre barriers at Turns One, Seven, Nine and 12. The track is best known for the challenge presented by Turn Eight, a triple-apex left-hander that seems to go on and on. It is taken around 250 km/h generates arguably the highest G-forces drivers see over the season. Elsewhere, speeds reach 320 km/h and track temperatures of up to 55 degrees Celsius have been seen. It is thus as much a challenge for the drivers and cars as it is the engineers, who have to set them up, and the tyre manufacturer.

Bridgestone have brought their hard and soft compounds here, which are very different, and the harder tyre in particular could have engineers scratching their heads on set-ups. This could be the first race at which we really see the potential of Red Bull�s RB5.

Adrian Newey�s latest weapon has been very close to the Brawns all season even without a trick diffuser, but team boss Christian Horner believes its race performances in both Bahrain and Barcelona were disguised because Sebastian Vettel got trapped behind cars with KERS (Lewis Hamilton�s McLaren and Felipe Massa�s Ferrari respectively). Since Monaco the car has a two-tier diffuser, and this weekend will be the first time that the car will get to stretch its legs in this guise. With some more minor aero tweaks, expect it to fly.

Likewise, the Ferraris will be strong here, and the team are feeling buoyed after their competitive performances in Spain and Monaco. Felipe Massa has been unbeatable here for the last three years, and is raring to make it four in a row. �We will have another small step in terms of aerodynamic development, which should improve the car still further, and that is down to a big push from the guys in the factory," he reports. "We want to continue to improve as quickly as possible, to try and win some races. If will be fantastic if we find we are in a position to fight for the win in Turkey."I just like the track and feel comfortable there, but it's hard to pinpoint why it suits me better than some other circuits. I do prefer fast flowing tracks and have a feel for all the corners here, as it's not good enough to only be fast over one particular section of the track. I think I've also found a good way to set up the car perfectly for this circuit.

"BMW Sauber will be running a two-tier diffuser for the first time as part of an aero package that includes modified front wings, side bargeboards, rim shields and engine cover. Both they and Toyota have high hopes for this weekend and are desperate to wipe out memories of their troubled Monaco outings. Hamilton is also hopeful of a better time in the McLaren.�I love racing in Turkey,� he says. �It�s a real challenge because you need to attack the lap to get a good time, but you also need to be careful with your tyres - if you push too much, particularly through Turn Eight, then your tyres are going to suffer. It�s all about finding the perfect balance in practice and being disciplined in the race so you don�t overdo it. �I also love the fact that it�s a new circuit that has really captured the flavour of some of the older, classic tracks - it�s got a bit of everything and is fantastic to drive. Also, as it�s anti-clockwise, it gives your neck a bit of a workout, but you just need to make sure you�ve exercised the left side of your neck a little more than usual before getting in the car.�

However, though McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh says that the MP4-24 will have some further upgrades, he does not expect Turkey to suit it as well as Monaco did. Championship leader Jenson Button starts favourite, though. He and Brawn team mate Rubens Barrichello will have a new front wing, other minor aero revisions, and modified rear suspension to play with this weekend on their BGP 001s."The Turkish Grand Prix is always a race that I look forward to as I really enjoy driving the Istanbul Park circuit and have been quite competitive there in the past,� Button says.

�Hermann Tilke did a great job with the layout of the track here and the changes in gradient are great fun and quite challenging. We've seen some excellent racing here, with good overtaking opportunities at Turns One and Three. �You can also pass down the hill into Turn Nine and at Turns 12 and 13 if you brake late enough and get it just right. Turn Eight is obviously the corner that everyone talks about and it's probably the longest that I've ever driven. It's quite high G-force, up to 5G for seven seconds, which puts a lot of stress on your neck. You have to be as smooth as possible through the triple apex and if you get it right and take it flat, then it is one of those corners where you exit with a huge smile having made up a lot of time."

View the highlights of the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix Here

Vodafone McLaren get "Suspended 3 Race Ban"

The FIA�s World Motor Sport Council has handed McLaren a three race ban for bringing the sport into disrepute after they were found to have misled race stewards at March�s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The ban will be suspended, however, in light of the �open and honest way� in which team principal Martin Whitmarsh addressed the Council on Wednesday, and will only be applied if further evidence emerges, or there is another breach of the International Sporting Code.

Accepting the decision, Whitmarsh commented: "I would like to thank the FIA World Motor Sport Council members for affording me the opportunity to answer their questions this morning. We are aware that we made serious mistakes in Australia and Malaysia, and I was therefore very glad to be able to apologise for those mistakes once again. �I was also pleased to be able to assure the FIA World Motor Sport Council members that we had taken appropriate action with a view to ensuring that such mistakes do not occur again."

The full statement from the FIA:

At an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council held in Paris on 29 April 2009, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes admitted five charges of breaching article 151c of the International Sporting Code relating to events at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix.
The following decision was taken:
�Having regard to the open and honest way in which McLaren Team Principal, Mr Martin Whitmarsh, addressed the WMSC and the change in culture which he made clear has taken place in his organisation, the WMSC decided to suspend the application of the penalty it deems appropriate. �That penalty is a suspension of the team from three races of the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will only be applied if further facts emerge regarding the case or if, in the next 12 months, there is a further breach by the team of article 151c of the International Sporting Code.�The full reasons for this decision will be issued shortly.