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 year the rain played havoc with the race and set us up for one of the most thriling climaxes to a Grand Prix in years. It started to rain in the closing stages and the front-runners didn’t want to take any chances so More…
Today Felipe Massa did his first laps in a Formula 1 car since the horrific accident in July, which threatened his career. The Brazilian drove a privately owned 2007 car, fitted with Bridgestone GP2 tyres and covered 100kms on the team’s Fiorano test track, next to the factory in Maranello. He will do more laps tomorrow. Ferrari described it as ‘not a proper test’, rather as ‘a way to regain confidence with his natural habitat; the racetrack.’ But Massa’s return is a victory in itself. He has overcome a savage accident which had the potential not only to destroy his More…
Ferrari has put out a statement confirming that Felipe Massa will drive an F2007 Ferrari tomorrow at its Fiorano test track, but has stressed that together with the team, Massa has come to the conclusion that his best interests would be served by not trying to race again this season at the final event in Abu Dhabi. I have to say that this looks like a smart move. Prior to flying over to Europe a week ago, Massa was reported by Brazilian colleagues to be determined to drive in the final race. But having undergone some training and two days More…
Timo Glock will miss the Brazilian Grand Prix next weekend after medical checks revealed that he cracked a vertebra in his huge qualifying accident in Japan. Glock had a gash on his his leg following his accident, but according to a Toyota team statement, “subsequent medical checks in Germany have revealed a cracked vertebra. Doctors have therefore ruled him out of this weekend’s race.” This is slightly surprising as one would imagine that the FIA medics would have wanted him X rayed in Japan after such a massive accident and an injury like this would surely have been picked up. More…
No-one could accuse Bernie Ecclestone of failing to give Donington Park a decent chance of hosting the British Grand Prix. But now it seems that the 79 year old’s patience is running out as the circuit once again failed to meet a deadline to produce a bank guarantee. Ecclestone had given Donington chief executive Simon Gillett an extra week past the agreed 28th September deadline, but on Friday night that expired. There is concern that the circuit will not be able to raise the £145 million it needs and in any case time is running out to build the infrastructure. More…
I’ve picked out a couple of Darren Heath’s images from Japan to write a short post about as they offer a nice behind the scenes insight. Some of you may be familiar with these things but others might appreciate it. In this first picture, you can see the timing page 1 from the official FOM timing system. This is different and more detailed than the page you see on the F1.com website, which only gives lap times to the nearest tenth of a second and does not give the last lap time on the right. I always prefered looking at More…
Felipe Massa came through the first day of medical tests in Paris yesterday, with the doctors confirming that his eyesight has not be affected by the accident he suffered in July when he was hit in the forehead with a 700 gramme metal spring. “Today Felipe Massa started a series of neurological and ophthalmological exams by the FIA at the Pitié Salpetrière hospital in Paris, ” announced Ferrari, “Part of the Brazilian driver’s recovery programme after the accident in Budapest on 25 July. Today’s exams ended at 7:30pm and will restart tomorrow afternoon. The first outcomes are positive: especially the More…
There has been a lot of talk about the US F1 team lately, including Bernie Ecclestone suggesting that the team might not make it onto the grid next season. Many existing teams in the F1 paddock seem to be sceptical as well. There have been rumours that the factory is empty, that they have had little contact with Cosworth, that one of the sponsors didn’t materialise and the team are well behind. As I posted the other day, the Sauber team is watching the situation carefully because its only chance of getting a slot on the grid next year is More…
Disgraced former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore will learn tomorrow (Thursday) whether he is to face exclusion from football as well as motor sport. Briatore was banned from motorsport for life by the FIA last month for his part in the Renault race fixing scandal at last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. Now the Football League is set to meet to decide whether the 59 year old meets the ‘fit and proper person’ rule for team ownership. Briatore’s other great sporting passion is football. Since February 2008 he has been a DIrector and major shareholder of Queens Park Rangers, along with More…
Robert Kubica has brushed aside concerns over the Renault cheating scandal and has put his faith in the team, signing for next season. As one of the most highly rated drivers in F1, he had a choice of seats for next year, but he has gone with Renault. The Pole has been figuring out what would be his best option since BMW’s shock announcement of withdrawal from F1 in July. His manager, Daniele Morelli is a very smart man and has a good radar for F1 trends and developments. A month or so ago, I thought Williams was Kubica’s favourite More…
Fernando Alonso
Kimi Räikkönen
Felipe Massa
Sebastian Vettel
Mark Webber Nico Rosberg
Paul di Resta Jenson Button
Sergio Perez Daniel Ricciardo Sebastian Vettel Kimi Räikkönen Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Felipe Massa Mark Webber
Romain Grosjean Paul di Resta Nico Rosberg Jenson Button Sergio Perez Daniel Ricciardo Adrian Sutil Nico Hulkenberg Jean-Eric Vergne Esteban Gutierrez Valtteri Bottas
Pastor Maldonado Jules Bianchi Charles Pic
Giedo van der Garde Max Chilton
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