The fallout from F1’s latest shocks

So what happens next in this dramatic final act of the 2009 season? As Toyota F1’s tearful president Tadashi Yamashina made his sorry way off the podium after announcing the company’s withdrawal from F1, it seemed that Formula 1 was in trouble again. Renault’s board meeting to discuss it’s F1 involvement added to the [...]

The final day of the season

It’s race day at Yas Marina Circuit, the last day of the 2009 Formula 1 season and everyone is preparing to race for the final time before a long lay off over the winter.
The next time F1 cars will be driven in anger is late November, when the young driver test takes place in Jerez. [...]

Wet and chaotic Brazilian GP in prospect

The Brazilian Grand Prix is always a hard one to predict, just ask Lewis Hamilton. But when rain is forecast, anything can happen.
And this weekend is not looking great. Showers are forecast for Friday and Saturday and on race day they are talking about thunderstorms. On each day there is a 60% chance of rain.
Last [...]

Five place grid drop for Button and others in Suzuka

The stewards have made a decision on the drivers who failed to observe the yellow flags during qualifying in Suzuka today.
We have just been told that there is to be a five place drop on the grid for Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso, Adrian Sutil and Sebastien Buemi.
In an unrelated matter, it seems that [...]

Ecclestone opens the door for Briatore appeal

Bernie Ecclestone has said in the last few days that he thinks that the penalty meted out to Flavio Briatore by the FIA World Motor Sport Council was too harsh.

Ecclestone is a member of the WMSC himself and has a personal interest because Briatore is a close friend and business associate with whom Ecclestone spends [...]

A very difficult moment for Renault’s Pat Symonds

Who would want to swap places with Renault’s Director of Engineering, Pat Symonds? The veteran, whose F1 career goes back almost 30 years to the Toleman team, is the only senior engineer to have worked with Senna, Schumacher and Alonso and is always fascinating on the subject.

It has been a career of great distinction. He [...]

Alonso says he’s surprised by Singapore investigation

Fernando Alonso spoke today at his usual Thursday afternoon press briefing about the investigation into the events of last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, which he won thanks to a safety car triggered by his team mate Nelson Piquet’s accident.

“I’m very surprised. I cannot imagine this situation, so as I said, I’m surprised, and it’s time [...]

Reading between the lines with Alonso, Kubica and Rosberg

This afternoon I sat down, along with various press colleagues, with Fernando Alonso, Robert Kubica and Nico Rosberg and all three gave very interesting insights into their thought processes at this important time in the driver market.
It’s quite possible that all three drivers will move teams for next year. Widespread rumour since last Christmas has [...]

Valencia, Sunday morning

It’s 8-30am, I’ve just arrived at the track, travelling through empty streets, the city still coming to life.

The track is down the end of the main avenue which leads to the docks. There are boats in the marina, including two super yachts owned by McLaren’s Mansour Ojjeh and Force India’s Vijay Mallya. They are trying [...]

What to do about a problem like Badoer?

Pity poor Luca Badoer; he pounds around test tracks at the wheel of championship winning Ferraris for years, dreaming of his chance to race one of the blood red cars in a Grand Prix. When the call comes from President Montezemolo he has ‘no choice’ in his words but to accept and travel to Valencia, [...]

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