Ferrari say the change is purely precautionary as Massa’s power unit started to show some worrying characteristics.

At 10am, when the FIA rules allow to work on the cars, the mechanics started to work on the F10 #7, replacing its engine.

This is a completely precautionary step: the engine, used by Felipe Massa up to the qualifying yesterday afternoon shows some abnormal parameters, but can still be used on the track, according to the applicable rules, during free practice sessions. Ferrari Statement.

Not the best start of the day. We are going to replace Felipe’s engine but just for precaution. The engine can be used again in FP sessions. @InsideFerrari.

Although Ferrari state the change is precautionary, and therefore it is likely the engine will be used again later in the year for Free Practice sessions, the fact that a power unit is showing signs of not being able to last a race distance in one piece is of slight concern.

Last year, Red Bull Racing ran close to the envelope with their use of Renault engines, the team admitting they may have to make an engine change and take the resulting grid slot penalty. Thankfully it didn’t come to that, but Ferrari may want to look very carefully at the engine the mechanics are pulling out of Massa’s car at the moment.

Original article by BlogF1.

Bahrain 2010: Felipe Massa Gets A New Engine Already

It is nice to be back racing and competitive in the right direction. I feel happy to be back after such a difficult time.

I was watching races on TV but it’s more exciting to be in the car. I am in a good direction, testing, driving go-karts, so it’s great to be back for racing.

If you look what happened to us, it is a good start for us. I feel very positive to start in second and third, it feels great. For sure Red Bull and some teams are strong, so the race will be difficult but I am happy here to be fighting for top.

I think we did a good job yesterday to prepare for a long distance. We used both tyres and swapped tyres on the long runs. I think we are in the right direction so let’s see how we are going to be in the race tomorrow.

There are many things that will happen in the race, let’s wait and see but I am really optimistic. Felipe Massa.

I am very happy obviously. At is the first race, there are many things to answer in the first race with a long winter with a big difference in fuel loads, in all the tests and yesterday in practice, you never know what the competitors are running.

We were excited about the first qualifying of the season, so now to have both drivers in the top three means we have a very competitive car. We thought so, but you need to confirm and it has been great, a great day and I think it is some kind of nice feeling to realise that we are in the fight because you never know until qualifying.

You never now how you will start the new championship with a big change in the regulations this, and for me also changing teams. For me everything has been great and it is a very good start. Now we were in equal conditions, qualifying with no fuel showed the potential of the cars, so it showed we have a good car.

It is very important to start scoring points from the first race. Fernando Alonso.

Alonso went on to state that his strategy for tomorrow will be open and flexible, believing that the best way to win races this year will be to quickly respond to situations as they arise on the track and adjust his plan as the race unfolds. Felipe Massa will start the Bahrain Grand Prix in second while Fernando Alonso will line up on the grid directly behind pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel in third.

Original article by BlogF1.

Bahrain 2010: Ferrari Duo Happy With Qualifying Performance

What we can see from the camera though is still quite interesting. For a start, is is apparent that Massa has calmed down a lot since driving for Ferrari. When Felipe was driving in his first few races with Sauber, he moved around quite a lot inside the car. Martin Brundle would often remark during his commentary for UK broadcaster ITV that Massa was the only driver he had seen who seems to be driving around corners on a straight piece of track. Massa would hacksaw away at the steering wheel and move his head around while others were centred and motionless.

What is also apparent from the view of Massa is that Ferrari have adopted foam padding inside the monocoque, channeling the driver’s legs down to the pedals. David Coulthard always raced with knee-pads strapped to his legs because the Scot’s knees would bang together when riding over the kerbs. The simple solution, Ferrari appear to have discovered, is to simply pad the cockpit rather than the driver. It isn’t yet known if this is also fitted to Fernando Alonso’s car.

Of course, this isn’t the first time a team have strapped a camera to a driver’s helmet, with Coulthard competing in his final race with one. The Red Bull Racing driver showed us a new view of Interlagos in 2008 when he raced in the Brazilian Grand Prix. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see much of it, the RB4 being a bit of a dog and therefore not drawing much attention of the television director. Adding to this, Coulthard crashed out of the race on the opening lap. Unfortunately, FOM have forced the video to be taken down.

It isn’t even Felipe Massa’s first time at showing the world his view from the cockpit, as Ferrari strapped a camera to his helmet after the F60 was unveiled last year. The Brazilian toured Mugello, completing an installation lap just after the world’s media got their first glimpse of the marque’s 2009 challenger. The on-board video starts at 1m32s.

My most favourite example of Helmet-Cam though comes from Fernando Alonso when he drove for Renault in 2006. The Anglo-French squad sent their star driver out on to the track at Circuit de Catalunya during a test session and recorded the Spanish driver’s every move. It was the first time I had seen this being done so perhaps that is why it sticks in my mind. Either way, the footage was just as impressive at the time as it is now.

Image © Ferrari SpA.

Original article by BlogF1.

Helmet-Cam: Formula One From A Driver’s Perspective

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #101

All eyes descended on the F10 because, after a fairly torrid year in 2009, the team are hoping to readdress the balance and return to the top. The F10 is Ferrari’s 56th single seater race car and was designed by Aldo Costa. In comparison to its predecessor, the F60, the F10 appears longer, possibly to help with the larger fuel tank needed due to the prohibition of refuelling during grands prix.

Perhaps the most notable change is the livery, which heralds back to a time when Marlboro adorned the cars. When tobacco advertising was outlawed, all other teams looked elsewhere for sponsorship, but Ferrari continued with their relationship with Philip Morris, and the barcode became infamous, flanked over the engine cover and rear wing. In time, the level of promotion decreased as did the amount of whitespace. In 2007, Ferrari made a final change in the tone of the red and the Ferrari cars had pretty much returned to their traditional deep red shade. However, with Fernando Alonso joining the team, Santander are now a major sponsor of the team, and with their corporate colours being red and white, the F10 has seen Ferrari adopt more white in the livery again, and perhaps a change towards Rosso Corsa once again.*

Personally, I do not like the new livery and feel that Ferrari, a team so synonymous with the sport and the traditions that go with it, should remain red. Simply, red. However, the livery doesn’t make the car go faster, so what else appears different on the new challenger. Well, aside from the length, the front end has received a fair amount of work, with the nose and wing undergoing some cosmetic surgery. The nose appears to have a Newey-dip in it as the line moves back towards the monocoque, and the front wing has received some extra bits to help channel air towards all the right places.

The sidepods appear to be slightly smaller than what we saw on the F60, but in comparison to others that have since launched, Ferrari are still not quite as efficient in the cooling department. Smaller, tighter air-intakes imply a car that is working well with its cooling, and McLaren are perhaps among the best at achieving this. Aside from this though, it is clear the F10 is an evolution of the F60 and was not designed from scratch. This usually means a steady improvement in performance and suggests that the F60 was running well towards the end of the 2009 season. And looking at Kimi Raikkonen’s results from last year, most of his haul were collected in the latter half, adding weight to the theory that the F10 should run well this year. The only possible fly in the ointment is if a team takes the other approach – a clean-slate design – and gets it spot on from the word go. But then, how often does that happen…?

Ferrari’s car designation system refers to the team name, Ferrari, and a year-based numbering system that for 2010, is 10. Hence, F10. Last year, the car was named in honour of the company’s 60th anniversary of motor sport competition and was titled the F60. Previous to that, the cars were generally designated by the letter F and the year in full, hence F2008. Ferrari are the sport’s oldest team though, and they have used many different designation systems over the years.

*It is hard to tell the shade from the studio shots supplied, but it does appear a little brighter than the F2008 and F60.

Original article by BlogF1.

Meet The Cars: Ferrari F10

When Vijay Mallya announced that Fisichella was to leave his team with immediate effect, the words spoken seemed to imply that the three-time race winner wouldn’t be retained for next year, saying that this deal would secure Giancarlo’s future long-term future. And so Force India lose one Italian, but gain another.

Liuzzi’s time with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso was dogged with uncompetitive machinery, but at the times the Italian impressed despite being relatively inexperienced. Vitantonio managed to score a point on his debut , but this only came about after the BARs of Jenson Button and Takuma Sato were disqualified 10 days after the event at an FIA hearing.

The following year and after Red Bull had purchased the Minardi team, Liuzzi was given a full-time seat alongside American racer Scott Speed. Although the car wasn’t overly competitive, Liuzzi again managed to score and generally out-performed his team mate. The point Liuzzi earned at the US Grand Prix was the team’s only point that year.

In 2007, the Scuderia Toro Rosso car started to improve after the Red Bull parent squad started to push parts down the chain to the B-Team. The STR gradually got better as the season progressed and Liuzzi again scored points with a sixth place at the Chinese Grand Prix. However, towards the end of the year Scott Speed abruptly left the team and Red Bull managed to acquire Sebastian Vettel from BMW. Vettel outshone Liuzzi almost straight away and in the same Chinese Grand Prix where Vitantonio had scored his best result to date, Vettel went one better and took fourth and the lion’s share of points.

Scuderia Toro Rosso replaced Liuzzi with Sebastien Bourdais for the 2008 season and retained Vettel for another year. Vitantonio moved to Force India to become their test and reserve driver with the hope of being promoted at some point during his tenure with the Silverstone-based squad. With the departure of Fisichella, Mallya has given Tonio this opportunity.

I’m delighted to give Tonio the opportunity to get back into a race seat, which I know he has been itching to do for the past two years.

Force India is now in a very competitive position and we need a driver who can continue this momentum. This will be the chance for Tonio to demonstrate to both the team and the field that he has the commitment, speed and professionalism to perform and I am sure he will seize this opportunity. Vijay Mallya.

Liuzzi made a point of stating that his promotion is related to the accident Felipe Massa suffered, but he is of course pleased to be promoted to the race team.

I can’t wait to get back into the car in race trim, particularly at my home Grand Prix in Monza. I really appreciate the opportunity Vijay has given me, particularly now Force India has a great car that’s performing very well.

Although it’s unfortunate that this came about as an direct result of Felipe’s accident, this is my opportunity to show people what I can do and I’m really looking forward to it. Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Liuzzi has taken part in a couple of tests for the team prior to the season beginning earlier in the year, and more recently did some straight-line running in the VJM02, so the Italian has driven the car and should have a better idea of how it handles than Luca Badoer did of the F60 he was charged with prior to Fisichella joining.

The Italian Grand Prix this upcoming weekend will feature three Italian pilots, with Jarno Trulli in the Toyota, Giancarlo Fisichella in the Ferrari and now Vitantonio Liuzzi in the Force India.

Original article by BlogF1.

Force India Confirm Vitantonio Liuzzi As Fisichella’s Replacement

Ferrari are often considered to be the ultimate Formula One team, especially for young Italians growing up and worshiping those who pilot the cars around the circuits. Fisichella is no different and has not hidden his desire to drive for the marque, an opportunity that heightened after Massa crashed during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. While Felipe is said to be recovering well, Ferrari do not want to place him back in the car until he is 100% fit and ready, and for the past two races, they have been fielding their long-time test driver, Luca Badoer.

However, with a strong car after having developed it tirelessly during the year, Ferrari are starting to make some headway in the constructors championship. Although they will not take the title this year, they do have their eyes set on their current P3 position, and do not want the resurgent McLaren team to take this away from them. In order to secure this position though, the team needs two strong drivers, and from the results of the European and Belgian Grands Prix, it would appear that Badoer is not the driver to have. Although the Italian test driver did well when you consider he hadn’t driven a 2009-spec. car until he arrived in Valencia, and hadn’t raced in decade, the team need someone who can at least score some points alongside Kimi Raikkonen.

For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this. Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo’s long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India. Vijay Mallya.

Mallya stated that the phone call did not come until yesterday (Wednesday), despite speculation being rife in Belgium at the weekend and continuing this week. Fisichella’s superb podium at Spa Francorchamps undoubtedly helped seal the deal, the points earned being Force India’s first and Giancarlo’s first podium in about three years. Mallya also stated that there were no commercial implications resulting from the deal, mentioned after it was speculated that a leftover debt from when the team ran Ferrari engines may have been excused as part of the agreement.

We would like to stress that we have not agreed any financial settlement with Ferrari. This agreement has been made in good faith and for the good of Giancarlo and the sport in general. A competitive Italian driver in a Ferrari for Monza is a positive story for Formula One, which can only help raise the sport’s profile in these difficult times.

We would like to thank Giancarlo for all his help over the past one and a half seasons and for delivering us our first World Championship points last weekend. He has been an integral part of the team and we owe him a great deal for his input behind the scenes and performance out on track. We wish him all the best for the future. Vijay Mallya.

Mallya’s point about this being a positive step for Formula One as a whole once again reiterates the team owner’s belief in the sport, Mallya having given his permission to Brawn to run with Mercedes-Benz engines this year after he secured a technical partnership deal prior to 2009. However, his words also imply that Fisichella was not a part of the team’s ongoing future, stating that this deal secures Giancarlo’s long-term future with Ferrari. Interestingly, and perhaps something has been lost in translation (either literally or in the way it comes across), Mallya’s words also suggest Fisichella will be with Ferrari for longer than the remainder of this year, although if this were to happen it would almost certainly be in a test driver role. Unless of course, Raikkonen has already moved on and Fernando Alonso is not able to move over for 2010.

Either way though, Ferrari will benefit greatly from having a driver in the second car who has actually driven and raced a 2009-spec. car and is generally considered more of a talent than Luca Badoer. With three race wins under his belt from his time spent at Jordan and Renault, Fisichella should be able to accrue a few points and maybe even some podiums. If all things work out well, the Italian may even be able to clinch a victory before the season climaxes on the final lap at Abu Dhabi in November.

I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team.

It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous.

I hope in my turn I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best. Giancarlo Fisichella.

We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season.

Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career, that he is fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race.

We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he demonstrated in these circumstances: it is a shame he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult. Stefano Domenicali.

So nice words all around, and Vijay Mallya even wished Giancarlo his best wishes for the future. There has been no announcement as to who will fill the vacant seat at Force India, although it is expected that test driver and former Scuderia Toro Rosso pilot Vitantonio Liuzzi will make a return. It had been widely expected for the young Italian to be taking over from the elder Italian at the Silverstone-based team next year anyway, making his first return to racing since 2007.

I have long been a bit of a fan of Fisichella, ever since I saw him race well at Hockenheim in 1997, a race in which he competed in the Jordan and pushed Michael Schumacher hard. Eventually, Fisichella retired his car due to a puncture, but acknowledging a well run race, Schumacher gave Giancarlo a lift back to the pitlane after the race was completed. The immortal image of a driver astride a Formula One car at speed (Senna/Mansell esque) once again cropping up and sticking hard in the memory.

It is very pleasing to know that although his career has waned ever since he sat alongside Fernando Alonso in the Renault, and that each move the Italian made appeared to have been decided under a cloud of unlucky-ness, Fisichella should hopefully drive well at Ferrari. Having pushed Raikkonen to the chequered flag in Belgium, surely morale will be brimming and the experienced and determined pilot can continue to impress.

Original article by BlogF1.

Ferrari Announce Fisichella For Remainder Of Season

To begin with, let’s rule out a few that made the headlines prior to the European Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher wanted to stand in and help is protege and his team, but owing to a neck injury sustained while testing a motorbike, the multiple world champion ruled himself out after a couple of weeks of supreme hype in the Formula One world. Fernando Alonso was also heavily rumoured to be making a move to Maranello, ahead of time if the speculation is anything to go by. Neither are likely to be in the seat for 2009 though.

Ferrari themselves have ruled out 2009’s departees; Sebastien Bourdais and Nelson Piquet Jr. Martin Brundle seemed to be keen on Ferrari giving the young Piquet a chance with the F60, going as far to say that he felt the ex-Renault pilot deserved another chance to show what he can do. Ferrari though do not want to be seen to be picking up other team’s rejects, a move that could prove a bit of an embarrassment should they perform similar to Badoer’s Valencia tour.

Away from the ex-2009 pilots though, there are still many drivers, experienced and rookie alike, who would jump at the chance to guide an F60 around Spa Francorchamps, Monza et al.

Anthony Davidson has stated that should he get the call, he would help the Italian team, and it seems a little suprising that the Briton gets passed up more often than not. Perhaps the team managers are aware of something us fans are not, but from what we saw of Davidson in the Super Aguri, he didn’t seem to be that bad.

Staying with the Super Aguri refugees, there is also Takuma Sato. The popular Japanese driver was on the hunt last year looking for a drive after the Honda junior squad closed it doors. Over the winter, Sato tested quite comprehensively with Ferrari-powered Scuderia Toro Rosso and was on par with Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastien Buemi. In fact, the decision seemed so hard for the little Italian team to make, it seems strange they didn’t hire Takuma when they issued Bourdais with his P45 mid-season.

Perhaps Sato isn’t the best fit for Ferrari though, and his reputation of throwing the car off the road is something Gestione Sportiva would like to avoid. Marc Gene, Ferrari’s other test driver, seems like a safe pair of hands. It was suggested that the team feel he is too slow, although his stand-in duties at Williams a few years back didn’t go too badly. A few points fell Gene’s way in 2003, although his 2004 outing was less spectacular. Having said that though, would Gene really have lapped the Valencia track one-to-two seconds slower than Raikkonen last weekend?

Elsewhere in the world of racing, Ferrari have still more choices. They could give any number of GP2, F2 or WSR pilots a chance to step up into the sport. Recently the rookie replacements at Scuderia Toro Rosso and Renault have barely put a foot wrong. Although they are not setting the track alight, their promotion from driving in junior formulae has shown that there is no substitute for actual racing. While Badoer was unable to test the car and offering advice from the pitwall, Jaime Alguesuari and Romain Grosjean were fighting there way forwards in the World Series by Renault and GP2 respectively.

In GP2, Vitaly Petrov has been rumoured to be making a leap forwards in 2010 with one of the new entries, as is Roldan Rodriguez. Lucas Di Grassi and Dani Clos have both driven Formula One cars around circuits previously. Nico Hulkenberg is perhaps the better of the GP2 competitors at the moment though, currently leading the championship and although signed to Williams, I’m sure Frank and Patrick wouldn’t mind loaning him out for a tidy sum – it would allow the young German to gain some racing experience prior to the much rumoured promotion he will receive next year.

There’s even an Italian driver who is potentially available and has also driven fairly recently. Vitantonio Liuzzi would love to return to the sport in a racing capacity, and although he is rumoured to have a seat for next year, I’m sure he could fill in at Ferrari between now and then.

If it’s an older pair of hands Ferrari want, then they could approach the 1997 World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve. It has been suggested that the Canadian is looking at trying to make a comeback next year, and Villeneuve has stepped in to help a team in the past, namely Renault at the tail-end of 2004 when Jarno Trulli took an early departure to Toyota. Although perhaps not a popular choice (with myself), I’m sure Villeneuve would love to add Ferrari to his CV, much like his late father.

Also hinting at a desire to help out Maranello, David Coulthard is available (assuming Red Bull Racing will allow it) and is perhaps the best choice at the moment. Coulthard drove as recently has last year and although the Scot hasn’t piloted a 2009-spec. machine, he is very experienced. Never a truly great driver, and perhaps he soured slightly towards the end with a few silly accidents, Coulthard is still the most relevant ex-driver outside of those who have driven 2009 cars.

Even Ferrari’s rivals might be willing to help them out, with McLaren currently employing three test drivers in the shape of Pedro De La Rosa, Gary Paffett and Paul Di Resta. While Martin Whitmarsh may be a little hesitant about letting one his drivers help out their arch-nemesis, Formula One has been moving towards a more cooperative and friendlier environment recently.

Of an interesting note, Stefano Domenicali has now admitted that Ferrari need a young driver programme and has vowed to implement one as soon as possible. The fact the Scuderia are in this position shows that a training programme would be of benefit. For now though, the team seem to be under the impression their options are limited. From what I can see though, they have a wide variety of drivers potentially available to them. And let’s be honest here, if you were to get a call from Maranello, you would be available, wouldn’t you?

So, of all the drivers mentioned here and all the others that are not, who would you pick to place alongside Kimi Raikkonen in the sister F60. Would you go with Luca Badoer, or would you pick someone else?

Original article by BlogF1.

Who Would You Put In The Second Ferrari?

Felipe Massa continues to make excellent progress at Hungary’s AEK hospital and it has been reported that the Brazilian pilot has been eating well, moving around and joking with his family and friends. However, the recovery time needed for Massa may mean him missing the race at Valencia, and Ferrari need a quality driver to fill the role. If Massa has his way though, there won’t need to be any substitution made.

Felipe continues to improve. He is eating, he was walking around the room, he took a shower in the morning, like a normal person. So that’s good news.

He was joking with his friends and his brother. He was telling us that he heard about the Schumacher news, and he told us: ‘Let’s see if I let him drive the car, because I won’t give up. Dino Altman, Chief Medical Officer – Brazilian Grand Prix..

However, Ferrari do need a back-up plan just in case Massa isn’t quite ready, and the team asked Schumacher if he would be willing to step in. After stating his happiness that Massa was recovering well, Schumacher went on to explain why he agreed to come out of retirement.

I was meeting this afternoon with Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo, and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.

Though it is true that the chapter of Formula One has been completely closed for me for a long time, it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation. But as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge. Michael Schumacher.

The announcement of Schumacher came just hours after the Benetton and Ferrari driver’s manager stated quite categorically that Michael would not return. However, the decision appears to have been made by the man himself, despite the fact that Schumacher has no experience of driving the F60 nor of the Valencia circuit. With a ban on in-season testing, Michael will have to make-do with the simulator and lots of training in the gym to prepare himself.

The decision is not yet 100% final either, as Ferrari want to make sure their former driver is fit enough to race. Earlier in the year, Schumacher took a tumble while racing a motorbike, and the squad want to make sure that there is no chance of any injury becoming aggravated. However, it is almost certain that for the first time, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher will be racing identical machinery.

Also jubilant at the return of Schumacher is Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 World Champion having never got the opportunity to race Schumacher as the German retired at the end of 2006.

I am excited by the possibility of Michael Schumacher’s return to Formula One assuming it happens, but my thoughts are still with Felipe and his family following his terrible accident in Hungary.

The whole world will be watching his return to the cockpit in Valencia and it will not only be fascinating to see how he readies himself for his grand prix comeback but also an honour and a privilege to race against him for the very first time. I wish him well. Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton also stated that Schumacher was one of the sport’s greatest competitors and is a legend in his own right. However, not all welcome the return of Michael to Formula One, the world champion often finding himself in controversial situations. It is true that some of Schumacher’s antics have damaged the sport and brought unwanted headlines to the front pages of the sport newspapers. Opinion is divided on whether or not the return of Schumacher will be a good thing, but one thing is for certain: Bernie Ecclestone must be rubbing his hands together right now.

Renault have been suspended from the European Grand Prix – the appeal hearing due to be heard on August 17th – and this has meant that Fernando Alonso will potentially not be able to take part in his home race. Fears of a decline in the already impressively low ticket sales for the race were brought to the fore, but the potential of Michael Schumacher making an appearance may boost sales.

Every media agency, news broadcaster and journalist will be focused on Spain in a month’s time to see Schumacher climb into the cockpit of the F60, and while it may be good for numbers, it may not be all that great for a sport that has moved on from the days of parking at La Raccasse, team orders and barge-board barging.

To jog some of your memories, here’s what some of you had to say when I asked: Would You Want To See Michael Schumacher Return? And on the anniversary of Schumacher announcing his retirement, I asked: One Year On: Is Michael Missed? And finally, just after Schumacher announced his retirement, many voiced their opinion to the question: Is Schumacher’s Retirement Good For Formula One?

Original article by BlogF1.

Michael Schumacher Applies For A Super License: He’s Coming Back

The accident happened after Massa was struck in the face of his helmet by a spring that had come from the leading Brawn BGP 001 of Rubens Barrichello. For some unknown reason at the moment, the part came off and flew through the air, straight into the path of the following Massa. The part only weighs about 800 grams, but having it strike you at great speed must be a bit like being shot at, one can imagine.

Massa was obviously shocked, and from the on-screen graphic, it appears Felipe applied the brakes while maintaining the open throttle. His trajectory did not change after the spring had impacted him, and Massa went straight over the following corner, back across the track and over a tarmaced run-off area before thumping the tyre barrier and Turn 4. Massa did not immediately get out of the car, although he was moving his head. The medics were on the scene very quickly, and Massa was taken care of very well.

When the car returned to the pitlane, it had suffered obvious damage from the tyre wall. The front wheels had been pushed back towards the sidepods and had removed themselves from the chassis. The front wing was placed in the cockpit for transportation ease, but amazingly, the nose maintained its shape and the front of the monocoque looked relatively undamaged.

In 2008, Heikki Kovalainen suffered a high-speed tyre barrier impact in Barcelona during the Spanish Grand Prix. Although the Finn was uninjured, he did suffer concussion and was carted off to hospital for checks. However, despite the high speeds involved and the fact that Heikki’s McLaren had dug down in the barrier which made the impact worse, he did essentially walk away, albeit on a stretcher.

However, rolling back a few years to the 1999 British Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher impacted a tyre barrier at the Stowe corner at speed, an accident that resulted in the German world champion braking a leg. The brake cost Schumacher most of the season and therefore the chance to continue fighting for championship. In ten years though, safety has improved sufficiently that drivers can experience similar incidents, but be able to live to tell the tale. Of course, complacency should never be allowed to creep in, but Massa has to be thankful that the constant improvement made at the circuits and to the cars helped him today.

The only other unexplained issue surrounding Massa’s accident, aside from the throttle/brake thing which could be put down to Felipe simply being absolutely stunned, is the way the Brazilian moved upon impact. Even with a HANS device wrapped around his neck, Massa moved forward substantially as the car thumped the tyres. This suggests the belts stretched more than they should have done.

The last time I am aware of a driver suffering from stretched belts was back in 1995 when Mika Hakkinen had an almighty accident at Adelaide. Mika’s head was thrown forward into the steering wheel, which resulted in the Finnish driver being taken to hospital in a coma. Thankfully, Mika came around and went on to take the 1998 and 1999 world titles, so it probably didn’t do him any long term damage (aside from being slightly deaf in one his ears), but since this accident, changes have been made to the steering wheels of Formula One cars. It isn’t known yet, but unlikely that Felipe’s head actually came into contact with the steering wheel, but the little Brazilian still moved a fair amount in the cockpit upon impact.

Ferrari have said they will keep everybody updated with how Felipe is doing later this evening and tomorrow morning. His surgery has gone well, and now the recovery begins. Thankfully for Massa, Formula One is about to go on a four week break, so Felipe should have plenty of time to rest and ready himself for Valencia at the end of August.

Further Reading

• Previous post on Massa, as the accident happened during qualifying: Hungary 2009: Felipe Massa Crashes Out Of Qualifying.
• Live post (at the time) of Heikki Kovalainen impacting the tyre barrier during the 2008 Spanish Grand Prix: Heikki Kovalainen Suffers High-Speed Incident.
• Heikki Kovalainen recovers well from accident and praises the safety measures of the cars and circuits: Kovalainen Pays Tribute To Strong Car & Attentive Staff.

Original article by BlogF1.

Hungary 2009: Massa Rests His Weary Head After Successful Surgery

No further news is forthcoming at the moment, but I will update as soon as more information is made available. It could be that Massa has damaged a limb. The black lines showing the angle of attack indicates a massive front brake lock-up, possibly meaning a rear brake failure, much like what happened to Michael Schumacher at Silverstone.

Felipe Massa has been removed from the car and the Ferrari is being craned away.

The third qualifying run has been delayed while the marshals repair the tyre barrier.

Massa’s G-meter light went on, indicating it was a heavy shunt. Whenever the G-meter lights up, drivers have to go to the medical centre for a check-up.

Last year, Heikki Kovalainen went in deep in to a barrier at Spain, but was deemed fit to race at the following event..

BBC are suggesting Massa was hit with some debris just prior to the accident. Of course, given the recent circumstances, it would be shocking it had happened. However, Massa was attempting to slow the car, as the brake marks show.

Marshals are walking the track, possibly checking the surface. Coulthard says that is not normal, possibly adding weight to the suggestion that Massa was hit by or ran over something.

The F60 is back in the pitlane, and amazingly, the nose is in one piece and still attached to the car.

Parts of Rubens Barrichello’s rear suspension is missing from his car, Jock Clear has confirmed, and it is possibly this part that may have struck Massa, if indeed anything did.

Eddie Jordan says that a reliable source says that Massa received a knock to the chin, which shocked him and caused the accident. However, Massa is apparently okay. We still await an official announcement though.

Onboard footage from Massa’s Ferrari shows he did receive a whack from a piece of debris on the his helmet, went straight on over the following corner and slammed into the barrier. Also of note, upon impact, Massa moved quite a lot, indicating his belts may have stretched. Massa is being helicoptered to hospital, which is normal for an accident of this size.

Barrichello has apparently visited Massa in the medical centre, and that Massa was talking to him and was fine.

What’s also interesting from the video is that Massa applies both throttle and brakes after being hit. The fact that Massa remained on the throttle after hitting the wall suggests his throttle stuck open.

Massa is to undergo surgery after the debris impact damaged the bone in his skull. Although stable, Massa will remain in intensive care and will definitely not take part in tomorrow’s race.

A further update On Felipe Massa can be read here: Hungary 2009: Massa Rests His Weary Head After Successful Surgery.

Original article by BlogF1.

Hungary 2009: Felipe Massa Crashes Out Of Qualifying

A few drivers voiced concern over Alguersuari, suggesting it may be dangerous for such a young and inexperienced driver to take to the track with nineteen others, and Massa felt that he may do his sporting career damage if it doesn’t work out well.

Earlier in the weekend, Massa had the following to say:

For me he’s too young. When I came into Formula One I was just 20 and for me it was also quite young. I was too inexperienced to ask what I needed from the car so I made some mistakes.

For me it’s wrong. It’s not good for him. For me he can burn himself very quickly. Maybe he’s an incredible talent and he will do much better than everybody thinks, but for me it’s not good for him. Felipe Massa.

Today, Felipe pointed out that his comments were not directed at Jaime, but instead towards the situation that has resulted in a driver being promoted to a race team without actually having driven a Formula One car around a circuit.

I was not talking about him, because any driver in his position would have done the same including myself. He did a very good job [in free practice]. Felipe Massa.

Massa explained that the testing ban, which has affected the way the cars are developed, has also affected the drivers. Many test drivers are upset because they are essentially doing nothing during a racing season now, and of course, the promotion of inexperienced drivers is made more difficult. Scuderia Toro Rosso are taking a gamble by replacing Sebastien Bourdais with a complete rookie, and Massa may be correct in that the Spaniard’s career may falter because of the early start without testing.

I feel that for me it is not fair to bring a guy to the first race like that. For me, the FIA should have a different solution for this kind of thing. It would have been better for him to have had a test last week.

In this case, the FIA should allow it, and I think from the team point of view it was a bit of a risk to bring a guy who has never driven an F1 car straight away to a race weekend.

Of course, the flipside of the argument is that there is no better time to plant a tree. As in, the sooner Jaime gets to grips with the driving the car in a racing situation, the better for himself and all others. I do think Felipe has a point though, and while some drivers have the ability to learn very quickly and drive safely and competitively, a test is beneficial for everybody.

Original article by BlogF1.

Massa Praises Algeursuari & Criticises FIA

Both Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica suffered front wing damage on the opening lap, requiring them to pit and take on replacement noses. This put the team at a further disadvantage as the drivers had qualified nearer the back than the front. Needless to say, both Heidfeld and Kubica are pretty disappointed with the result today and would like to move on and forget about their races in Bahrain.

The result is a disaster. We were unlucky with the collision in the first corner. At first, I thought the suspension was broken, but I only had to have a new nose fitted in the pits. It is another race to forget. Nick Heidfeld.

My race was destroyed after corner one. I was between Nick and another car. We touched each other and I destroyed my front wing. Then, after the crash, there was a miscommunication with the pit crew. I asked to come in straight away, but was only able to pit after the second lap. Robert Kubica.

Much has been made of Ferrari taking their time in getting their 2009 campaign started, duly achieved by Kimi Raikkonen earlier today with three points going his and the team’s way. But BMW haven’t had the greatest of starts either, and the only reason they are on the points board is because Nick Heidfeld drove a mature race in Malaysia to finish in second.

If we look at the results of both teams for the opening four races, we can see that Kimi Raikkonen has generally improved as the season has progressed, whereas Nick Heidfeld has generally gone backwards, the German’s only saving grace being the second place at Sepang. For Kubica and Massa, the results have been up-and-down, with the Brazilian just missing out in Malaysia and Kubica’s highest finish being P13 in China.

BMW 2009 Results	AUS (Grid)	MAL (Grid)	CHN (Grid)	BHR (Grid)
Robert Kubica	14th (RET) (4)	19th (RET) (6)	13th (17)	18th (13)
Nick Heidfeld	10th (9)	2nd (10)	12th (11)	19th (14)
Ferrari 2009 Results
Felipe Massa	16th (RET) (6)	9th (16)	19th (RET) (13)	14th (8)
Kimi Raikkonen	15th (RET) (7)	14th (RET) (7)	10th (8)	6th (10)

According to the game plan that BMW have been so diligently following since taking over the Sauber team in 2006, they should be mounting a campaign to win the titles by now. BMW should be regularly scoring wins and taking the challenge to the sport’s front runners, previously McLaren and Ferrari. While this plan has been followed since BMW’s debut as a constructor, it appears to have all fallen apart thus far in 2009. Of course, Mario Theissen’s team are far from the extraordinary, with the mighty Ferrari getting off to a slow start and McLaren barely getting much further.

Considering BMW were among the first of the grid to produce an interim car over the winter, and they were said to have been further ahead than anyone else with their KERS, the lack of pace from the Hinwil team is still a little surprising, but that P2 in Malaysia does show promise. If BMW can fix the car with their new aero package and diffuser, they might be able to keep themselves ahead of Ferrari, Williams and Scuderia Toro Rosso. But like their Italian rivals, they need to start qualifying better and finishing more races. Well, Heidfeld is admittedly already doing that, but Kubica could start finding his way to the chequered flag more more regularity.

Original article by BlogF1.

Bahrain 2009: BMW Rue First Corner Incidents

To the tune of Santa Baby (yes, you’ve guessed it already) the host of Sidepodcast and F1Minute has added her own lyrics, and in a seductively lavish tone, Christine has sung her heart out in a hope that the lovable 2008 runner-up might get his championship off to a start in Bahrain. I strongly urge you to take a listen, I promise you will not be disappointed. The lyrics work wonderfully, and you know you’re in for treat when the whole premise of the song works around a radio communication between Massa and his engineer Rob Smedley.

And in case you missed it, here’s that link again: Sidepodcast – A Song For Felipe.

Original article by BlogF1.

Christine Sings A Song For Felipe Baby

The last time the Ferrari team failed to score any points in the opening three races of the season was way back before I was even born. The third race of the 1981 season took place in Argentina on April 12th, and it was the third double DNF for the squad. Ferrari would go on to finally score in San Marino, and Gilles Villeneuve even won in Monaco and Spain.

To find out when Ferrari failed to score in the opening four rounds is an impossible task; Gestione Sportiva have never endured a season-start as bad as that. They have come close on occasion though. In 1964, John Surtees grabbed second place at Zandvoort, the only points from the first four races. In 1969, Chris Amon managed third, also at Zandvoort and also the only points from the first four. Ignazio Giunti did just the same in 1970, although his points came from Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.

If Ferrari fail to score any points in Bahrain next weekend, 2009 will officially become the worse start to a campaign by the sport’s oldest running and most successful team. Is it likely though that the Scuderia would have such a drought?

It is perfectly possible. Although Bahrain will be hotter and therefore more in tune with the characteristics of Ferraris in general, the car won’t be changed that much. The new parts that will hopefully see an improvement in pace are not due to be implemented until the first European leg of the championship in Spain. And while leaving the Shanghai circuit in China earlier today, Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali refused to rule out writing off 2009.

I think for sure we will see after Spain where we are. In that period we will see really what can be the situation – so when we come back to Europe basically. Stefano Domenicali.

When asked about the controversial diffuser that has seen Brawn, Williams and Toyota all significantly improve, Domenicali was adamant that this device isn’t the only thing that is making the difference.

That device will give you a benefit. But it would be wrong to believe that it is the only key. We have seen, for example, the Red Bull car has done a really great job.

They had more time, they switched their project much earlier than us and that is the reality and we need to consider it. The other thing that we have to understand well is that today in certain conditions, look at the first part of the race, our car was not too bad at all. So we need to understand a lot of things.

We need to stay cool. It is not easy, I know, but we need to stay cool because there are too many things that can change very quickly. The priority number one is to move from zero points. Stefano Domenicali.

Felipe Massa was upbeat heading into the Chinese Grand Prix, insisting that the title race is far from over. Indeed, even speaking after his retirement, the Brazilian was still hopeful of a turnaround from the team.

The car was going well, except when running behind the Safety Car: at those times, there were a few moments when the power seemed to drop. Then, without warning, the accelerator would not work and the car went quiet. I would say to our fans that they should not give up on us, as this is a difficult moment, but the championship is still long. Felipe Massa.

However, Kimi Raikkonen has pretty much admitted that he has given up all hope of securing a second title this year, and now the team is on the verge of doing the same.

If Ferrari did refocus their efforts on the 2010 challenger, then they would likely do a Brawn and start next year with a great advantage, but such is the way Formula One is, you cannot go about winning every other year. There has be a middle ground from which the teams can work and develop. And undoubtedly, the ban on in-season testing is really hurting the teams and preventing them from sorting these issues out.

What would you do if you were in charge of Ferrari? Give up now (or after Spain if there is little improvement) and focus on 2010? Or would you persevere with the F60 in the hope that it comes good at some point this year and will provide a better foundation for next year’s model? And what of the rumoured Alonso-to-Ferrari deal? If it’s true, do you think Fernando will try and back out of it now, and if it hasn’t already been signed, do you think Gestione Sportiva still hold a special place in the Spaniard’s heart?

Original article by BlogF1.

The Second ‘Are Ferrari In Serious Trouble?’ Post

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali stated yesterday that his team need to start finishing races before they can focus on the improvements to the overall performance; a general rule in motor racing of before finishing first, you first need to finish. So far in 2009, the reigning constructors champions have failed to score any points.

At this moment we need to be basic, we need to bring home what we can in these conditions and wait for the development of the new car and then see. At this stage it is really important to be basic with everything. Stefano Domenicali.

However, after the completion of both free practice sessions in Shanghai earlier, it was made clear that removing KERS from the cars has not helped so far this weekend. In the first practice session, Kimi Raikkonen went P11 with team mate Felipe Massa finishing in P15. The second 90 minute stint saw both cars only slightly improve, Raikkonen to P9 and Massa to P12.

Here we are also running without KERS and as a result, we are losing even more performance, in addition to not having as much aerodynamic downforce as the best cars.

Our fight for the championship is ever more compromised. Felipe Massa.

Earlier in the week, Massa was upbeat about the chances of a comeback for the Ferrari team, saying that the season is only two races old and that the race for the title is far from over.

We need to work very hard, we have some teams which have a different car. It won’t be so easy to catch them but I think it can be possible. Felipe Massa.

The reason for the lack of improvement after removing KERS was put down to the fact the F60 was designed with the energy recovery device in mind. Therefore, removing it has shown to be counter-productive. The cars should be able to complete a race distance now, as other components seem to be okay on the reliability front. Although admittedly, the car perhaps hasn’t been pushed as much due to the fact that of the four races run so far (two for each driver) the Scuderia have only produced one clear finish. And even then, it was at the significantly shortened Malaysian Grand Prix.

Original article by BlogF1.

Shanghai 2009: Ferrari Say KERS Removal Not Helping

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #85

In 2006, Ferrari’s long-serving and devoted driver, Michael Schumacher, hung up his boots and called it a day. The following year saw much change at the red team as personnel were shifted around, some even being transferred to the company’s road car division. Ross Brawn took a year out and Kimi Raikkonen was brought in as a replacement for the multiple world champion. It wasn’t as dominant of a season as the team had experienced in the past, but both titles still went their way.

In 2008, Brawn chose not to return and instead headed to Honda. Of course, the result of this has meant the Briton is now a constructor, fielding Button and former Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello. And much success Brawn is enjoying at the moment. For Ferrari though last year saw a few more chinks in the Italian armour appear. Bungled pitstops, off-form races and disgruntled drivers all added to a difficult year. Ferrari still won though, the spirit and energy carrying through hard times as well as good. The constructirs title went to Ferrari, although the drivers title fell to Lewis Hamilton at the very last race.

It is often said that the winner of the first race of the season usually goes on to take the championship, and if that is going to be the case in 2009, then I’m sure Jenson Button and the Brawn team will have worked tremendously hard for it come November. But what of Ferrari? If the result from the first race of the year is anything to go by, it doesn’t look good for the squad that has won a record 16 constructors and 15 drivers titles over the years.

In 2008, the Australian Grand Prix was just as much of a disaster for Ferrari as it was this time around. Traction control had been banned and both drivers skated over the gravel during the race. Kimi Raikkonen scraped a point from Melbourne in ‘08, but neither driver were able to leave Australia this year with any. Malaysia, which is traditionally Ferrari-territory, went well for the team in ‘08. Felipe Massa took pole position while Kimi romped to victory the following day. For 2009 though, it was in essence, a retirement for Raikkonen, and another non-points finish for Massa.

From Malaysia the circus travels to China, which has also fared Ferrari well in the past. The Scuderia have won three of the five races held at Shanghai so far, secured second and third last year when Lewis Hamilton won and have only failed to score on one occasion, 2005. But the troubles with the car cannot be solved immediately, and the problems Kimi Raikkonen is facing with his KERS is worrying. During testing, the unit overheated, and in free practice for the Malaysian race another problem occurred which resulted in the Finn leaping from the car, smoke pouring out and the fire extinguisher having been automatically triggered. Once again, KERS-related.

Strategy blunders in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix cost the team vital grid positions, and strategy errors during the race, which saw Raikkonen go onto wet weather tyres well before any rain actually fell, cost the team dearly. Another KERS issue brought the Finn’s race to an end, and although the team said they may have been able to resolve the issue, Kimi clearly didn’t want any further part of the race.

These issues of reliability and morale will be carried over to Shanghai, and one possible solution is for the Scuderia to simply dismount the KERS from the Ferrari. This may affect performance, but would also be a weight saving, allowing the drivers more ballast to play with. I think it is clear though that the F60 is not looking great right now, and with the close battle in the midfield, Felipe and Kimi are in for a very tough season.

What a difference five months make.

Original article by BlogF1.

Are Ferrari In Serious Trouble?

Testing was significantly reduced in 2009 as a way of reducing costs and placating Max Mosley who is on a mission to get the finances needed to run a team right down. The advantage of this is that new teams will be able enter the sport more easily, and of course, in the current economic climate it is prudent to reduce the outgoings. However, Pedro De La Rosa spoke up last weekend of possible dangers involved with the testing ban, namely the fact that reserve pilots won’t get a chance to drive the car, and should they be called up, they will be “rusty”.

I’m of the opinion that Pedro De La Rosa is just whining, especially considering that on the same day as the Spaniard made his comments, Giancarlo Fisichella was telling reporters how he hasn’t driven a Formula One car since pulling into the Interlagos pitlane at the final round of the championship last year. The timeframe between Fisichella’s drives matches the example presented by De La Rosa – four months. Needless to say, Giancarlo had no problem getting back into the swing of things, testing the brand new Force India VJM02.

However, Massa does have a point when he says that development testing is important. With KERS still dragging its feet in many of the team’s design offices, there is little time to actually test any parts. Considering the importance placed on KERS, integrating a working version into a car without actually testing a real life system on a real life car will be very difficult.

Felipe has suggested that Friday’s practice sessions, currently two 90-minute windows on the day before qualifying, should be scrapped. Massa stated that these sessions receive little attention and Saturday morning should be used to refine set ups. By taking away the Friday runs, the teams will save money, and this could be used for testing during the season. And to make his idea more appealing, Massa also suggested that the test sessions should be somehow incorporated into the championship in order to encourage all the teams to take part.

I have some ideas – that maybe the races could be slightly shorter, because in the last 15 laps nobody cares about the race anymore. The Friday is not so important for the show, so you can use the Saturday morning, and take away the Friday, and do two, three or four sessions during the season, not together, separated, making a testing championship.

Maybe the winner has a bonus for the championship, or whatever you want to give.

You would have a lot more media coverage of testing and it would be very interesting for everyone. Felipe Massa.

Perhaps Massa’s idea is a little crazy, and I’m not sure the Brazilian driver has thought this through thoroughly enough. It is possible for Felipe to have an ulterior motive behind wanting the in-season tests to resume, but currently I’m struggling to figure what that could be, and also how a testing championship would actually work.

Massa spoke today ahead of an important meeting taking place in Geneva where FOTA are discussing the future of Formula One and are due to hold a press conference tomorrow to present their ideas. Let’s hope they weren’t listening to Felipe today.

Original article by BlogF1.

Felipe Massa Suggests Scrapping Fridays In Favour Of Testing

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #79

Although we lost some time due to a sandstorm last week, the long test in Bahrain was very productive. We could work with the cars in temperatures we would not have encountered in Europe at this time of the year, making it good preparation for the first races of the upcoming season.

We worked mainly on the general set-up of the BMW Sauber F1.09, trying numerous solutions on the mechanical and aero side of the car as well as gaining experience with the three available tyre compounds.

We also made good progress with KERS. Overall we reached our target of collecting as much data as possible about the car’s reactions to changes in the set-up. Willy Rampf.

Today the track conditions were the best they have been all week. We could already try a couple of improvements. The car reacts to changes as planned, so I’m confident we are working in the right direction. Nick Heidfeld.

Despite putting in the lion’s share of laps this week, Toyota ended the test on a slight low, having lost track time today due to a hydraulics issue. However, the team has gathered a lot of information since Tuesday when this week’s test began and Timo Glock was suitably upbeat.

Today we missed much of the day’s action due to a hydraulics problem so it was a shame to lose running time. But the mechanics did a good job and when we made it onto the track we put in some useful work.

Overall we have put a lot of miles on the TF109 this week. We’ve made good progress with set-up and I’m confident that this can continue. Timo Glock.

As the test in Barcelona didn’t happen this week, the next time the cars are expected to be in action is at the Jerez circuit in Spain between the 1st and 5th March.

Bahrain Test Day Four Results Table		Lap Time Fastest Time Set	Laps Set Number Laps Set
1.	Felipe Massa Ferrari	1m32.126s	113 Laps
2.	Nick Heidfeld BMW	1m32.225s	122 Laps
3.	Timo Glock Toyota	1m32.445s	65 Laps

Original article by BlogF1.

Bahrain Test Day Four: Massa Ends Test On Top

Today saw the return of Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber. The Australian has been laid up for most of the winter while his broken leg heals. However, just 12 or so weeks since his cycling accident in Tasmania, Webber was back behind the wheel of a Formula One car. It seems his time spent concentrating on his leg hasn’t deterred the Australian and Mark finished the day in third after 83 laps.

I’m very relieved of course. It has been a tough few months for me, but I’ve had good people around me and the team have been fantastic as well.

There were a lot of questions asked going into today. But I answered some questions for myself and it turned out to be okay. Mark Webber.

Sebastien Buemi set the fastest lap again, although the Swiss pilot was driving a modified 2008 chassis while the other four drivers on the track were all in 2009 cars. Buemi was the busiest man of the day though, racking up an impressive 143 laps before calling it a day. Sebastien concentrated on learning about how the team worked through a race weekend and the squad simulated a qualifying session and race distance.

This has been a useful couple of days for me, running in wet and dry conditions. Even though we are still in the ‘08 car, I have learned a lot in terms of how we operate over a race weekend, as we simulated a qualifying session and the race. Sebastien Buemi.

Heikki Kovalainen was in the cockpit for McLaren and the Finn was the fastest of the 2009 cars on track. Although the MP4-24 was carrying a modified rear wing as the Woking-based team are apparently waiting for a new high-downforce version of the new slim wing. It is expected that Lewis Hamilton will drive the car tomorrow.

Kazuki Nakajima took over from Nico Hulkenberg today and got his first proper drive in the new FW31 car around Jerez. Like with Buemi, Nakajima focused on a race race simulation as well as gathering data about the new slick tyres. Nelson Piquet Jr. continued evaluating the new R29 for Renault, and once again propped up the timing sheet at the bottom. Fernando Alonso will be driving the Renault on Thursday.

Meanwhile in Bahrain…

Things didn’t go quite as well as planned in Bahrain though. The morning started off better than the day previous, with little sign of fog threatening to curtail running as it did on Tuesday. However, shortly after 9.30am, the track officials decided to close the circuit due to a sandstorm blowing over. Felipe Massa managed the fastest lap of the day after completing just 17 laps, followed by Robert Kubica and then Timo Glock.

Earlier in the year, Ferrari had changed their minds about testing in Portugal due to rain being forecast. The team switched to their own test circuit in Italy and tested in private. However, while Portugal received mostly dry weather, Northern Italy was deluged under heavy rain. Once again, it would appear as though Ferrari have been caught out by the forces of nature.

Jerez Test Day Two Results Table		Lap Time Fastest Time Set	Laps Set Number Laps Set
1.	Sebastien Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso	1m17.591s	143 Laps
2.	Heikki Kovalainen McLaren	1m20.799s	110 Laps
3.	Mark Webber Red Bull Racing	1m21.321s	83 Laps
4.	Kazuki Nakajima Williams	1m21.451s	125 Laps
5.	Nelson Piquet Jr. Renault	1m21.908s	49 Laps
Bahrain Test Day Two Results Table
1.	Felipe Massa Ferrari	1m33.639s	17 Laps
2.	Robert Kubica BMW	1m34.398s	22 Laps
3.	Timo Glock Toyota	1m34.902s	14 Laps

Original article by BlogF1.

Jerez & Bahrain Tests Day Two: Webber Returns & Sand Stops Play

L-R: Vitantonio Liuzzi, Jarno Trulli, Unknown, (looks a bit like) Cristiano Da Matta (but CafeF1 doesn’t think it is), Giancarlo Fisichella, Felipe Massa, Robert Doornbos, Michael Schumacher. Riccardo Patrese is crouching down at the front-left as well.

Image © Motorsport.com/xpb.cc.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #76

Kimi Raikkonen is considered one of the greatest drivers to have graced a Formula One car, and with 16 poles, 17 wins and 35 fastest laps to his name, there is little doubting his ability. Kimi finally took the world championship in 2007 and raced all last season with the number 1 emblazoned on the front of his Ferrari. The season started well for Raikkonen, but for many reasons it didn’t work out as well as previously and dominant wins from Massa left the reigning champion wondering where it was all going wrong.

To his credit, Felipe Massa really improved his form last year. Although the Ferrari was thrown off the road a few times, Massa appeared more mature, better prepared and down right racier than before. To take control of the team when pitstops were going wrong and the star of the team was off-form is admirable. But was it all a fluke, or can Massa repeat his performance in 2009?

The new car, the Ferrari F60, has caused some concern around the Formula One fraternity, but with masses of experience on their side, the Scuderia should still be in a position to win. And just as they did in 2008, the opportunities afforded to each driver will be equal to begin with. Raikkonen started 2008 slightly stronger than his team mate, Massa retiring in the first two races. An accident in Monaco and being hit from behind while in the pitlane in Montreal saw no points fall to Kimi. The Finn didn’t win a race after the fourth round in Spain, where as Massa was only just getting into his groove.

Raikkonen knows how to win a championship, having come so close with the McLaren and final achieving the title in the Ferrari. His car control is second to none and after a poor result in 2008, I’m sure Kimi will be fired up for this year. Massa has less experience of putting a championship together, but he would have learned a lot from last season. He will be fired up from the very first grand prix and will want to maximise his points haul in the early races.

So who will come out on top in 2009; Kimi Raikkonen or Felipe Massa?

Original article by BlogF1.

Raikkonen vs. Massa: Who Will Get The Upper Hand In 2009?

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton returned to the cockpit today for the first time since winning the world championship in Brazil last November. The Briton managed 81 laps in the new MP4-24, and set the third quickest time of 1m30.242s, 0.5s shy of Rosberg in the FW31. It wasn’t all plain sailing for Hamilton though as the Mercedes engine shut itself down while on track after a safety feature activated without warning.

With the engines at an absolute premium this season, all teams are expected to utilise an automatic electronic shutdown system which should only kick-in if something potentially damaging to the unit is detected. Unfortunately for Hamilton, it decided to do exactly this today. However, Lewis was able to continue once the system had been reset, and was pleased with his first day back in the office.

It was good to be back working with the team – it felt like I’d hardly been away because it was easy to slip back into the routine.

This first test was all about just getting used to the new car and the new regulations and about giving my feedback to the engineers; it wasn’t about setting a fast time.

With the limitations on testing during the season, and the few sessions we have over the next two months, this is going to be an intense time and absolutely critical for every team. Lewis Hamilton.

Timo Glock was present for Toyota and managed to cause a 30 minute delay when an oil pipe worked loose on his new TF109, resulting in the 2009 challenger to catch fire. The incident looked more serious than what it actually was, but the time lost for Glock meant he could only complete 63 laps.

The final position in the tables went to Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard testing the new Renault R29. Unfortunately, Alonso had his fair share of dramas as well, his Renault deciding to stop in the pitlane entry which ultimately led to the day ending a little earlier than planned as the stricken car was recovered.

Portimao Test Day Three Results Table		Lap Time Fastest Time Set	Laps Set Number Laps Set
1.	Sebastien Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso	1m27.987s	128 Laps
2.	Nico Rosberg Williams	1m29.729s	143 Laps
3.	Lewis Hamilton McLaren	1m30.242s	81 Laps
4.	Timo Glock Toyota	1m30.878s	63 Laps
5.	Fernando Alonso Renault	1m31.743s	84 Laps

Meanwhile in Mugello…

It rained. I have only one word for Ferrari. FAIL.

The Scuderia had pulled out of the public test in Portugal at the last minute, citing poor weather forecasts for the area this week (although rumours of car troubles continue to circulate). Instead, the team opted to test privately at their own track in Mugello.

By and large, Ferrari were correct and rain fell on both circuits for the first two days. However, as reported above, the Algarve basked in sunshine today while Felipe Massa moped around the Northern Italian track under an umbrella.

Despite the precipitation though, Massa completed an admirable 104 laps, setting a fastest time of 1m33.353s. This compares to team mate Kimi Raikkonen’s efforts from Monday and Tuesday of 1m34.430s and 1m33.920s respectively. Massa will continue to evaluate the F60 tomorrow, although the Brazilian is yet to try the machine on slick tyres and completely dry track.

Photo © Ferrari Spa.

Original article by BlogF1.

Portimao Test Day Three: Buemi, Rosberg, Hamilton, Glock & Alonso

Original article by BlogF1.

Felipe Massa Helmet Cam: F60 At Mugello

As with many of the cars we will see in the coming weeks, the F60 sports a low and wide front wing and ending at the rear with a higher but much narrower wing. The bodywork is much cleaner than in previous years owing to the fact that all the extra winglets have now been banned. And unlike what we saw in testing, the sidepods are symmetrical, with no huge vent on the right. This was possibly due to the team mounting the KERS on a 2008-spec. car.

It’s a completely new car, starting from a white piece of paper. Fundamentally the biggest changes come from the new rules from an aerodynamic point of view and the introduction of new technology, which is the KERS system. Aldo Costa.

The team spoke to the press and a feeling of confidence was said to have been in the air, despite the team worried about the introduction of their KERS system before the first race in Australia in March. Felipe Massa also suggested that it is hard to judge the competitiveness of the other teams due to the shake-up in the technical regulations.

It’s difficult to say what the most difficult car to beat will be. We expect McLaren to be very competitive, maybe BMW, who are working really hard and growing a lot year by year.

Maybe Renault and maybe we can have some other team who can show great performance as well. So it’s quite difficult to say but for sure we are working really hard and hopefully it will be us. Felipe Massa.

Regarding the look of the F60, Massa said he was surprised at how compact it was, stating that he thought it would be bigger like the Formula One cars from mid-nineties.

I’m quite surprised because I expected a big car like it was 10 years go. But the car is very, very small, very compact, the rear end especially. It looks pretty nice, it looks pretty good and hopefully it will be as quick as it looks. Felipe Massa.

Team mate Kimi Raikkonen was eager to put 2008 behind him and was looking for to the year with fresh motivation and optimism.

Last year was not exactly what I wanted but that is in the past now and we will try again this year. Of course it is a big question mark how good the car will be because the rules have changed a lot.

But we are very confident that the car should be very good and we will see in the next few weeks how good it is against the others. For sure we’ll try to win the world championships, but we’ll see how it is and we’ll go from there. Kimi Raikkonen.

Felipe Massa then took the new Ferrari F60 out on to the Mugello tarmac for a shakedown, testing the systems to ensure they actually work before any stresses are put through the machine. The Maranello team will be present at four different circuits before the 2009 season kicks off in Melbourne in March, putting the F60 through its paces at Jerez, Circuit de Catalunya, the new Portimao track as well as visiting Bahrain.

Images © Ferrari Spa.

Original article by BlogF1.

Launches 2009: Ferrari Unveil F60

The main issue wasn’t really to do with the lights themselves – on the face of it they are a very good idea and remove one person from the pitlane. However, the first problem came when the fuel nozzle-retraction from the car didn’t indicate the lights to change. The second issue centred around the human on the pit wall who was charged with giving the final confirmation that all was clear for the car to go. It seemed that sometimes it didn’t always go to plan.

In Valencia, Kimi Raikkonen left the garage early, replays suggesting the light was amber, indicating that this was driver error. But in Singapore, Massa was given the green light to go. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, the fuel hose was still attached and ended up being dragged down the pitlane. In both cases, team members were pulled to the ground and received minor injuries.

So for the final three races of 2008, Ferrari reverted to the traditional lollipop system, whereby a member of the team stands in front of the car and gives instructions to the driver via the lollipop. But all these embarrassments haven’t stopped Ferrari from pursuing the lighting system, and now it is expected to make a return in 2009.

We’ve analysed the mistakes made in 2008 and we’ve improved the system. An electronic program will prevent the car from leaving when the fuel hose is still attached. Luca Baldisserri.

Since the end of the 2008 season, Ferrari have researched what happened and why the accidents occurred. The team have made several changes to the system, notably the software, and are now confident that it should work as expected, with a very good fail-safe systems in place to prevent any more early releases. Perhaps Ross Brawn let a few documents slip through the net in exchange for a few Italian-built motors…?

Original article by BlogF1.

Lights, Camera, Action: Ferrari Haven’t Given Up On Pitlane Lights

Most drivers started on intermediate tyres, rain suddenly falling on the track just moments before the start. In fact, the start was delayed by ten minutes to allow the shower to pass. From the start, Massa had the legs on everyone else, but Hamilton just kept himself in fifth – exactly what he needed to do. The drama wasn’t over though, as the race through up a final twist, just to keep us all on the very edge of our seats.

Despite the weather turning only slightly just eight laps from the end, most drivers pitted for intermediate tyres, including race leader Felipe Massa and championship leader Lewis Hamilton. However, on a slightly awkward track, Hamilton found himself short on pace and Sebastian Vettel in the Scuderia Toro Rosso gained quickly on the McLaren. Two laps from the chequered flag, Vettel made his move as Hamilton ran wide. You could hear the hearts of James Allen and Martin Brundle in the commentary box sink.

However, one lap later and at almost the place on the circuit, Timo Glock, who was in fourth, slowed himself. Vettel passed the Toyota as did the chasing Hamilton. Felipe Massa crossed the line as the winner, and as world champion he believed. The Ferrari team celebrated for a moment, then realised what was happening on the track. As Hamilton drove up the hill to the chequered flag in fifth, he became the youngest world champion, the ninth British champion and the first for McLaren in nine years.

Felipe Massa toured back into the pitlane, parked his car and shed a tear for what was so close, yet so far. Hamilton parked up, eventually got his steering wheel back on and was escorted back to the weighing area. With utter joy and jubilation, Lewis Hamilton has become Formula One’s newest world champion. With a sense of bitter sweetness to it, Felipe Massa has taken his eleventh race victory, the second on home soil, but will leave Brazil the runner-up in the title hunt.

With Kimi Raikkonen finishing in third, Ferrari have comfortably taken the constructors title, but undoubtedly, all eyes or on the young McLaren driver and his achievement at becoming the 2008 Formula One World Champion.

Original article by BlogF1.

Lewis Hamilton Is The 2008 Formula One World Champion

Brazil 2008: Race Results

I apologise if the site is running slow. The influx of visitors caused it to fall over I believe. Fingers crossed it can remain up for now.

Original article by BlogF1.

Brazil 2008: Race Result