Damon Hill became world champion with Williams in 1996 after a thrilling season that climaxed in BBC commentator Murray Walker famously getting a lump in his throat and handing the microphone to his co-commentator. Hill later went on to almost take Arrows’s first victory only to be robbed in the dying moments of the Hungarian Grand Prix by a faulty seal.

In 1998 Hill moved to Jordan and took the Irish team’s first victory, finishing ahead of his team mate Ralf Schumacher in a very wet Belgian Grand Prix. After retiring at the end of 1999, Hill remained out of the spotlight for a number of years, running a variety of companies, but returned in 2006 to succeed Jackie Stewart as the president of the BRDC, the association that own and operate Silverstone.

Damon Hill has agreed to do two events. It is likely he’s going to do Monaco and another one, and we’ve got a range of other drivers who positively have said they will come along and help us. Graham Stoker, FIA Deputy President of Sport.

Hill attended a number of grands prix last year and has successfully managed to ensure there will be a British Grand Prix in 2010 by persevering with Bernie Ecclestone and picking up the pieces when the Donington Park deal fell through.

Original article by BlogF1.

Damon Hill Set To Join Stewards In 2010

One interesting point Todt spoke about was the possibility of re-introducing the 107% qualifying rule. This procedure was last introduced in 1996 as a way to weed out some of the sport’s lesser-funded and therefore under-performing teams and drivers. Essentially, the 107% rule dictates that any driver failing to qualify within 107% of the pole-sitter’s fastest lap would be excluded from participating in the race. Back in 1996, Forti often found themselves on the wrong side of the timing sheet.

The rule was scraped in 2003 as the qualifying process changed to a one-lap system and fewer teams were competing, meaning the limit of 20 cars each race implied most drivers attempting to take part should. For 2010 though, the sport sees more teams participating and if the first free practice sessions at Bahrain are anything to go by, some of these new squads are considerably off the pace of the front-runners.

Jean Todt has stated he is in favour of re-introducing the rule, although admits that if it is appended to the regulations, it won’t likely happen until 2011. In order to get the 107% rule in, the FIA would need unanimous agreement from all the teams, and that simply isn’t going to happen because Virgin Racing, Lotus and Hispania would have to block the move on a just in case reasoning.

We are very in favour of reintroducing the 107 percent limit. The reason why it was abandoned was because of the change in qualifying which was happening with fuel to start the race in the car.

Now to change that for 2010 you need to have the unanimous agreement of the teams, and to get the unanimous agreement of the teams the FIA will be supporting this solution.

I don’t think it will happen so we have to wait until 2011 to introduce it. Jean Todt.

Despite seemingly wanting to curb non-achievers in Formula One though, Todt was supportive of the new teams and offered his praise and support.

You must have respect for a new team who is arriving in this particular economic crisis period and to invest money to be in F1. I don’t think it is a time to criticise but to support and help, and to help them, and it is in the interests of everybody.

Everybody in the business should be supportive of these days. I was impressed today, they did quite well and we must give them a certain time to be ready. Jean Todt.

Looking at Nico Rosberg’s fastest lap of 1m55.409s in the second free practice this afternoon in Bahrain, 107% of this would be 2m03.488s. If this had been qualifying and the 107% rule had been in force, Hispania drivers Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok would undoubtedly be in trouble, while the Virgin Racing duo would be cutting it close.

Original article by BlogF1.

Jean Todt In Favour Of 107% Qualifying Rule

Flavio Briatore resigned from Renault last year after it became clear that he was involved in a case of race fixing the year previous, engineering such an incident by conspiring with technical chief Pat Symonds and driver Nelson Piquet Jr., suggesting that Piquet crash his car intentionally to give team mate Fernando Alonso an advantage. The plan went as all involved had hoped and Alonso won the Singapore Grand Prix, largely thanks to a well-timed pit stop and the accident bringing out the safety car. Alonso has always denied having any involvement and knowledge of went on behind the scenes.

Briatore and Symonds resigned, and the whole fiasco only came about because Piquet Jr. was fired partway through the 2009 campaign. All three participants were called before the FIA to answer their charges, and although Piquet had been given immunity, the other two faced heavier sentences. Symonds has been banned from motor sport for five years, while Briatore received a life time ban. The Italian businessman then set about overruling this, citing the fact he isn’t a license holder of the FIA, unlike the drivers. Briatore was successful in his case. The Renault team also received a 2-year suspended ban.

This now means that Flavio can return to motor sport should he wish, but speaking recently, it would seem he has no inclination to do so.

I rule that [return] out 100%. I will watch the race on TV and will look for the faces of the many people I know. I remain affectionate to F1, even though it would have been fairer had I left it at the end of 2006, after Alonso’s second title.

I had already won all my challenges and I was beginning to feel the will to dedicate myself to other things. Then, in 2008, Alonso came back after a difficult season at McLaren and because of our friendship, I preferred to stay by his side.

F1 has given me a lot in popularity, satisfactions, and acquaintances: I don’t regret anything.

That [overruling] was only right, I say. I had spent two months when I had been treated like a criminal, it was a bitter pill, only I know what I had felt inside. Then came the relief, even though in a couple of months there will be the appeal lodged by the Federation.

I’m calm, I did my duty as chief commander of a ship that was risking sinking, by resigning. I took moral responsibility for the scandal, but the real story is yet to be written. However, the verdict has given me freedom and pride, and that’s fine. Flavio Briatore, Gazzetta dello Sport.

Briatore at the time denied any involvement in the conspiracy, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Briatore’s ban was overturned earlier this year by the Tribunal de Grande Instance and the Italian was awarded €15,000 in compensation. The FIA are appealing the decision, as noted by Briatore in his interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

Original article by BlogF1.

Flavio Briatore Rules Out Formula One Return

Prost formerly drove for some of the sport’s greatest teams – Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams – and accrued four driver’s titles during his career. Known among his peers as Le Professionnel, Prost had a reputation as being an intelligent driver who carefully calculated decisions both on and off the track. After retiring in 1991 following an unsuccessful season with Ferrari, Prost returned in 1993 with Williams. It was to be the Frenchman’s swansong season, and Prost duly took the title, thrashing his nemesis, Ayrton Senna.

After retiring for the second time, Prost took timeout of motor sport before returning to run his own team. Having taken over the Ligier squad, Prost hoped to continue the team’s building success (Olivier Panis had won the team’s first race in the year prior to the takeover). Alas, it wasn’t the greatest moment in Prost’s career and four years later the team folded due to lack of sponsorship.

Despite having successes and failures in Formula One, Prost is still a highly regarded member of the motor sport fraternity. His contribution to the steward’s team will surely be valuable and shows the FIA are working towards improving the management of the sport, especially when it comes to decisions made at the grands prix.

Judging by the comments in my 2008 post Are The Stewards Ruining Formula One?, it would seem that a lot as to be done to improve this area of the sport. Hopefully this move by the FIA will be seen as a welcome step in the right direction.

Original article by BlogF1.

Alain Prost Joins Stewarding Team For 2010

The checks come after Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner expressed concerns about the layout of the MP4-25’s airbox, engine cover and rear wing assembly, suggesting to the British press that the wing may have been designed to stall under high speeds, giving the McLaren a straight-line advantage.

McLaren seemed to not be overly bothered about the questioning from other teams and stated that the FIA were involved early on in the design process of the part, suggesting that the team were aware they are likely to be running close to the edge of the rules. However, having followed procedures correctly, exercising due diligence in communicating with the FIA and inviting the sport’s governing body to inspect the car, McLaren have successfully passed scrutineering and will take part in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Original article by BlogF1.

McLaren Pass Scrutineering Checks: Rear Wing Deemed Legal

Despite this protest though, McLaren are confident the rear wing adheres to the rules and even consulted with the FIA during the initial stages of the design. To perhaps ensure there isn’t another ‘double-diffuser’ saga and to clarify the component’s legality, McLaren have invited the FIA to check the wing. Charlie Whiting was meant to visit the team late last week but delays in his travel schedule now mean the inspection will take place in Bahrain later this week.

The wing is different and innovative. But we have been in contact with Charlie over a period of several months to check that it complies with regulations. We have been assured that it does. Martin Whitmarsh.

We have no concerns with it, but we have been invited by the team to view the car so Charlie is going down to have a look. FIA Spokesperson.

Neither McLaren nor the FIA seem overly concerned about the matter, which will likely mean the part being declared legal and Red Bull Racing once again having to re-design parts of their car in order to keep up, just as they did in 2009 when Brawn’s ‘double-diffuser’ was deemed acceptable after much protest.

Original article by BlogF1.

McLaren Invite FIA To Inspect Rear Wing

At the time of the release, Hispania Racing only had Bruno Senna down as a driver, but since then Karun Chandhok has been announced. As usual, car number 13 does not feature, tradition dictating that the supposed unlucky number be neglected from the field. The FIA state they will be clarifying the selection process for any vacant grid slots that may arise for the 2011 season in due course.

2010 Formula One World Championship Official Entry List
#	Driver	Constructor	Engine
1. 2.	Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	Mercedes
3. 4.	Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg	Mercedes
5. 6.	Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	Renault
7. 8.	Felipe Massa Fernando Alonso	Ferrari
9. 10.	Rubens Barrichello Nico Hulkenberg	Williams	Cosworth
11. 12.	Robert Kubica Vitaly Petrov	Renault
14. 15.	Adrian Sutil Vitantonio Liuzzi	Force India	Mercedes
16. 17.	Sebastien Buemi Jaime Alguersuari	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Ferrari
18. 19.	Jarno Trulli Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus Racing	Cosworth
20. 21.	Karun Chandhok Bruno Senna	Hispania Racing	Cosworth
22. 23.	Pedro De La Rosa Kamui Kobayashi	Sauber	Ferrari
24. 25.	Timo Glock Luca Di Grassi	Virgin Racing	Cosworth

Apologies for the tardiness of this post – BlogF1 went down over the weekend due to issues with its host. Everything appears to be back to normal now.

Original article by BlogF1.

FIA Release Official Entry List: No USF1 Or Stefan Grand Prix

Although USF1 are yet to officially announce the news, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that the operation would close. Recently, FIA delegate Charlie Whiting paid the team a visit to assess their viability of competing this year. While it isn’t known what Whiting saw or reported back to the FIA, it seems the news wasn’t good.

Jose Maria Lopez, who signed to the US-based team earlier in the year, was today reported to be courting Campos Meta as a test and reserve driver (Karun Chandhok is expected to be announced as Bruno Senna’s team mate this week), although it should also be noted that a car is still forthcoming from this team as well. Although a name-change is on the cards following the buyout from Spaniard Jose Ramon Carabante, and the appointment of Colin Kolles should ensure the squad make it to Bahrain with something.

Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube and investor in USF1 will now have to weigh up his options, the American being speculated as possibly transferring his investment to either Campos or Stefan Grand Prix. Zoran Stefanovic will undoubtedly up his calls for his team to be present in Bahrain and allowed to race, the Serbian businessman having been seen to be desperate to get on the grid. Stefanovic, it would seem, is further along than USF1 ever were, the team firing up the new S-01 last week.

Original article by BlogF1.

USF1 Closes Operation & Calls It A Day Before It Began

Of course, with such a dangerous sport as motor racing, it is hoped the SLS will never see much more than the rear of a Formula One grid during its time as the safety car, Maylander always following the grid down the main straight at the start of every race before pulling in to the end of the pitlane. However, although not wanted, it is very likely the SLS will at some point join the race to slow the cars will a track can be cleared.

The SLS AMG is powered by a 6.3 litre V8 engine with 571bhp. It is worth noting that a Formula One engine is limited to a 2.4 litre V8, although the performance between the two are significantly different, with the SLS getting to 100kph (62mph) from stationery in 3.8 seconds. A Formula One machine would be nearing 160kph (100mph) in this time.

While this may be one the best safety cars the sport will have seen, Formula One has seen a sharp incline in the performance of the safety car in recent years. Having to control a pack of racing drivers is no easy task and while the sport’s current choice of Mercedes-Benz do a reasonable job, it wasn’t always that way.

It wasn’t until 1973 that Formula One first saw a safety car, the Europeans taking longer to adopt the convention in comparison to the Americans (and I use those terms loosely, F1 usually being considered America’s open-wheel equivalent). In ‘73 it was the Porsche 914/6 that had to lead a field of Formula One cars, and with a 110bhp generated from a 2.0 litre flat 6 engine, it did a good job of slowing down the drivers. In fact, too much of a good job, some might suggest.

Unfortunately, while the Porsche 914/6 was driven by ex-Formula One pilot Eppie Wietzes, the introduction of new rules concerning his role confused most others. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Wietzes was sent out to control the field, but ended up driving in front of the wrong car, causing half the remaining drivers to be sent a lap down incorrectly. Without electronic timers at the circuit and on the cars, it took the race officials three hours to figure out the actual finishing positions of each of the drivers. It could be said that it’s a good job the sport has moved on since then, but when the timing system failed in Hungary last year, confusion once again reigned supreme.

In 1980, Formula One upgraded the safety car to something with a bit more grunt, and Lamborghini were charged with leading the field, using the famous Countach to act as the pace-setter. However, it wasn’t until 1993 that the safety car was finally written into the rule book, with clear instructions as to what the teams and drivers could and could not do while the safety car was on the track. During the Brazilian Grand Prix that year the sport used a local-built Fiat Tempra 2.0 estate.

Opel Vectras were used in 1994, and the safety car once again became embroiled in controversy. The fatal accident involving Ayrton Senna has, to some, been put down to the ineffectiveness of the safety car. The Vectra was far too slow for a Formula One car and the brakes on it were worn out after just a couple of laps. This resulted in the tyres on Senna’s Williams being very cold at the restart of the race, which some have said contributed to the accident that followed moments later.

Learning from this, Formula One upgraded the safety car once again to a Honda Prelude, but still the car was not standard at all races and most circuits used locally-built machines, presumably with the intention of advertising their own automobile manufacturers.

Perhaps the most humorous situation a safety car has found itself in was during the 1995 Hungarian Grand Prix. Again using local cars, a Tatra 613 was sent out at the control of a marshal to assist Taki Inoue who had retired his Arrows. The Arrows caught alight and as the marshal arrived at the scene, Inoue jumped out of his car only to be hit by the Tatra. Inoue escaped serious injury, but the photograph of the young Japanese driver bouncing on the bonnet of the marshal’s car will never be forgotten.

Following these worrying incidents, the FIA introduced a standard machine to act as the official safety and medical cars. AMG, who build high-performance versions of Mercedes-Benz’s cars are used and since 2000, the safety car has been driven by Bernd Maylander.

Looking at the internal photograph of the new SLS, we can see it isn’t quite as standard as the one that will go on sale soon, the car featuring two screens, one presumably showing the director’s take of the race and another presumably showing a rear view via a camera.

While the safety car still produces controversy, with two races having finished behind Maylander and Michael Schumacher completing an extra lap of a race due to the Ferrari pilot crossing the start/finish line on the final lap while in the pitlane. The reason for finishing the race in the pitlane was due to a penalty being handed to the German for passing while under the control of the safety car.

Needless to say, Bernd Maylander will once again be driving this year and leading another race. Hopefully, the reasons for Maylander’s inclusion in a grand prix will not be serious.

Image © Mercedes-Benz.

Original article by BlogF1.

Safety Is Paramount: The New Mercedes SLS AMG Safety Car

Stefanovic is hoping to pick up an entry to the championship should one of the existing squads fail to make the cut. Of the four new teams – Lotus, Virgin, USF1 and Campos Meta – the former two are certain to be racing as they have been participating in the group tests in Spain these past two weeks. Campos Meta have experienced difficulties, but were very recently taken over by Jose Ramon Carabante who immediately placed ex-Midland/Spyker team boss Colin Kolles in charge of the outfit.

Elsewhere, USF1 have been reported to have hit a brick wall and Ken Anderson has stated the team may miss not only the opening round in Bahrain, but the following three races in Australia, Malaysia and China, only arriving in the sport for the start of the European leg in Barcelona. Autosport have learned that the FIA are visiting the team’s headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina to assess the viability of the squad’s entry.

Currently it would appear from the outside that Stefan Grand Prix are perhaps further along their programme than USF1, which for the sport would be better as having a guaranteed thirteen teams on the grid is better than twelve. However, to lose USF1 would be a great shame, the American outfit having looked to have been a welcome addition to the sport, with their promises of opening up to the fans and allowing followers to get closer to team than their rivals permit.

With Stefan Grand Prix though, we have a team who are using Toyota’s TF110 chassis that was in development last year prior to the motor manufacturer’s withdrawal, and although the squad hasn’t tested, they are boasting they could be ready for Bahrain, assuming Bridgestone release 2010-spec. tyres for testing purposes. Stefanovic had planned to test the car in Portimao this week but Formula One’s sole tyre supplier only released rubber to those teams who are on the official entry list. The test was therefore abandoned.

Definitely, we are waiting for something to happen because the time is very short and the deadline for Bahrain is approaching

If you are going to Bahrain you have to be packed by next Wednesday [03/03/09] and we think we will be able to reach something by then. Zoran Stefanovic.

Stefanovic believes his team’s involvement in Formula One would be very beneficial to both his home country of Serbia and to the sport itself. Zoran says he has the support of Bernie Ecclestone, who prefers those who actually do as opposed to just talk. This mantra, Stefanovic believes, will ensure his team’s place on the Bahrain grid next month.

I’ve been involved in engineering in the last five years and I’ve been interested in Formula One for a long time. I think Bernie supports everyone and I think he supports us because we are pushing for it. We are working, not talking.

The impact will be huge and a lot of people in Serbia don’t realise that yet. The positive image of Serbia being a part of Formula One is something any country would wish for, so it’s a plus one way or another. Also, it’s a huge opportunity to get into high-tech business. Zoran Stefanovic.

However, it should be noted that this is not the first time Zoran Stefanovic has attempted to enter the sport, and it isn’t as though the Serbian hasn’t ruffled a few FIA feathers in the past. Stefanovic had planned on purchasing the cars developed (and I use that word lightly) by Lola ahead of their failed attempt at competing in Formula One in 1997.

Zoran also blew the lid on the FIA’s selection process earlier in 2009, going as far as complaining to the European Commission that the governing body had told new teams they have to use Cosworth’s V8 engine plant. This is despite Stefan Grand Prix having the ability to build and use their own engines. And perhaps adding to the FIA’s list of reasons as to why Stefanovic may not get on the 2010 grid, photos showing former-McLaren employee and disgraced designer Mike Coughlan in the team’s headquarters were released on the team’s website.

For the moment at least, Stefan Grand Prix’s entry to the 2010 world championship hangs with USF1 and their preparations. If Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor can convince the FIA to allow them to miss the opening rounds, then this may continue to put Stefan Grand Prix on the sidelines. However, if the FIA can be convinced of Stefanovic’s burning desire to enter as well as his actual ability to enter, then there may be a late change before the team’s pack their equipment for the first race of the season.

Image © StefanGP.

Original article by BlogF1.

Zoran Stefanovic Still Hopeful Of 2010 Entry

Currently neither the FIA nor USF1 have confirmed the visit, but Autosport have revealed that a high-level source has stated the FIA are looking at the viability of the team ahead of the season’s opening race in Bahrain in less than three weeks time. More so, the source went on to explain that morale within the company is slipping, something that team co-owner Peter Windsor may have missed.

In a meeting between the employees, Windsor and Anderson, Windsor put the question up to the employees: ‘Who here doesn’t think we’ll make Bahrain?’ I think he might have meant it somewhat rhetorically, but he was answered nonetheless, and 100 per cent of the staff raised their hands. He was visibly shocked. Autosport Source.

If USF1 do not make it to the Bahrain Grand Prix, there may be sanctions imposed on the squad as the FIA take matters such as these seriously. The Concorde Agreement supposedly includes a clause which states a team may miss up to three races a season, but the FIA confirmed soon after this became public knowledge that any races missed would be considered a breach of contract.

It seems to be a great shame that a new team to Formula One is struggling, but it also seems very strange that it should be USF1. The squad were by far the earliest entrant to announce interest in joining the sport and have received backing from YouTube co-founder Hurley. The team, which was billed has America’s entry in Formula One, spoke of grand plans and given the time Windsor and fellow owner Ken Anderson have had to work on the project, it is surprising that this situation has developed.

Original article by BlogF1.

FIA Inspect USF1 Amidst Troubling Reports

Although it had initially been reported that new regulations allowed teams to miss up to three races a year before the FIA intervened, the governing body has since clarified that any races missed would constitute a breach of contract and repercussions may be felt. This is relevant to USF1 as Anderson has stated that the team would ideally miss the first four races of the season: Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia and China. Anderson would like for his team to arrive in Formula One at the start of the European season in Barcelona.

We’re working with the FIA. to clarify how many races we can miss. In an ideal world, we can miss the first four races and show up in Barcelona. Ken Anderson.

Acknowledging that sponsorship had fallen through, Anderson admitted to paying the employees a day late last month, but also said that if the FIA gave the team the green light to continue, a plan would fall in place and additional funds would be found in order to ensure the team’s survival. Anderson was also keen to refute rumour that major backer and co-founder of YouTube, Chad Hurley, was still an investor in the team and also denied that team’s fellow founder Peter Windsor had left.

With Campos Meta also going through some difficulties in reaching the Bahrain grid on time (it is reported Campos Meta are now on target), it would seem that only two of the new squads were completely viable to begin with; Lotus and Virgin having already designed, built and tested a Formula One machine. USF1 were one of the first squads to announce their plans to enter the sport, but currently it would seem they are the least viable entrant at the moment.

Original article by BlogF1.

Anderson Speaks: USF1 To Miss Bahrain?

Among the changes that have been confirmed is the adjustment made to the points structure. This is something that has caused some division among fans, but on the whole I feel has been generally accepted. Changing the points is perhaps one of the biggest and most visible things the governing body can do because of the knock-on effects it has with regards to the records. Furthermore, it can make following the sport from one year to the next more difficult – something I feel the constant changes to the rules do not help.

The sport has gone through this type of change in the past, and for a good long while the structure remained a constant 10-6-4-3-2-1 for the top six finishers. In 2003 however, it was decided to award the top eight finishers and the gap between P1 and P2 was reduced, thus creating the structure 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. Since then this order has worked quite well, with many of the championships going down to the final race of the year and increasing the spectacle for the fans.

Bernie Ecclestone though, in his infinite wisdom (which I add sarcastically) decided that he wanted to change this last year, and proposed a radical solution to the apparent problem of drivers not always going for the win, but instead playing the strategy game as the season progressed. Ecclestone wanted to introduce medals for the top three finishers, much like the Olympic Games. Initially, it looked as though the FIA were behind this, although it is my impression that the majority of fans were not. Bernie’s idea was not well-thought out and caused more confusion than was necessary, especially as he intended to leave the constructor’s championship on the same structure with points awarded to the teams.

Thankfully, the FIA chose to ignore the ramblings of the old man but did however open discussions with the view of updating the points system. In late 2009, it was announced the sport would adopt a similar structure to MotoGP, awarding points to more competitors and thus giving the new teams a better chance to score and do well in their first years of competition. The new system was declared as 25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1, meaning the top ten would score and the difference between P1 and P2 increased once again.

With the new regulations, the system proposed in December has been tweaked ever-so-slightly, and now the drivers and teams will score 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1. This improves the difference between P1 and P2 to 7 points, equal to that between P2 and P3.

Also confirmed in the final draft of the rules is the fact that drivers who complete Q3 will have to start the race on the same tyres they used for their fastest qualifying lap, meaning that although no re-fuelling has finally abolished the nonsensical strategies adopted on Saturday, there will still be an element of tactics involved with the tyres. This may result in Q3 drivers running the harder compound of the two allowed in order to extend their first stint on Sunday. Or, we could see drivers go for a single banzai lap on the softer (and normally faster) compound before either pitting early and vacating the car or changing back to the harder tyre for safety. Thinking out aloud, I can see drivers waiting until the last moment in Q3 to go out and set a lap. As always though, there is much more to this than meets the eye and we will have to see how this plays out at the first race in Bahrain.

Exotic pitlane machinery has also been banned, presumably because of the emphasis now being placed on tyre changes. While I haven’t heard of teams intending to introduce new equipment to the pitlane, an additional rule now states that powered lifting devices are banned during the race. Previously (and presumably currently) when a car enters the pit box for new tyres, and front and rear are lifted on man-powered jacks, which essentially is completed in one swift movement from each end. Almost always the front goes up first as the person in charge of this end can wait in position and clench their bodies as a Formula One car hurtles towards them. The rear jack has be wheeled into place after the car has entered the box. However, in the time it takes to locate and position the air guns to undo the wheel nuts, the car is usually off the ground.

Testing has also been discussed, and in light of the number of driver substitutions last year, an extra day has been allowed for those teams who need to replace a driver mid-season. In 2009, Ferrari famously struggled in the second half of the year while Felipe Massa recuperated from his accident. Luca Badoer was charged with driving the F60, and although experienced, had not driven the car before and essentially embarrassed the Maranello squad. Jaime Alguersuari also caused some concern among the other drivers, the young Spaniard being given a promotion at Scuderia Toro Rosso despite having never driven a Formula One car around a circuit. Neither pilot were allowed to test the current car prior to their first race in it due to the in-season testing ban.

However, should a team require to change a driver in 2010, they will be allowed an extra day of testing providing the driver has not competed in the sport in the last two seasons and the test must be held at a non-championship circuit, like Jerez or Portimao. Popular testing venue Circuit de Catalunya is used for the Spanish Grand Prix, and therefore will be prohibited for such a test. Furthermore, the test must take place between 14 days prior and 14 days after the driver’s debut/returning race.

All is not lost though for teams wanting to substitute a driver with someone who has relevant experience. As the technical changes made to the cars is minimal, those who competed in 2009 will be able to get back into the groove much easier. Nick Heidfeld, who has recently been announced as the third driver at Mercedes, would be able to jump into the MGP-W01 and feel fairly comfortable from the get-go. Although different to the BMW he has been familiar with in previous years, the Mercedes shouldn’t be a completely unrecognisable machine to him.

The engine regulations have been tweaked as well, meaning that if a driver uses more than eight engines in a season, he will drop ten grid places at the first event the extra engine is used. This will continue unless another new engine is used, in which case the grid demotions will carry over. This means that if a driver uses two new engines at the tenth race, he will not be docked twenty grid places, but instead be demoted ten places at the tenth race, and ten places at the eleventh race as well.

Finally, a small change has been made to the formation lap procedures, stating that if a driver is slow away from the grid and cannot return to his original starting position by the first safety car line, he must start from the pitlane. This could delay a start because the driver, who is already falling behind the pack, will have to negotiate the pitlane while the field is lining up on the grid. The driver will then have to trundle down the pitlane at limited speed while avoiding the team personnel who are returning from the grid and wait at the end. Invariably, this will take longer than simply rolling around the final corner and tacking onto the back of the field. This situation is rarely seen though, so perhaps not so much of an issue.

So there we go, the ‘final’ 2010 rules and regulations have been published: what do you think of them? Will it improve the show, do they make sense, have I misunderstood something? Have your say in the comments below…

The full FIA Rules & Regulations can be downloaded from the FIA’s site.

Original article by BlogF1.

FIA Confirm Rule Changes For 2010

However, 2010 will see a ban on in-race refuelling and the only times a car will enter the pitlane is to either get new tyres or to simply retire. With a lack of re-fuelling, more emphasis will placed on the tyre changes and the drivers will have to manage their rubber a bit more as the cars will initially start the race heavily laden.

The teams have been busy over the winter trying to reduce the effect of this extra weight and the best (and possibly only) way to do this is make the engine more efficient. By using less fuel than a fellow competitor to complete a race distance, then obviously the lighter the car will be throughout the grand prix. As fuel is pretty heavy and can mean up to a tenth or two each lap, this is something the teams and engine suppliers have been keen to get right.

Had the FIA decided to publish the fuel weights of each car (either measured or declared) after qualifying, then we would have been able to work out who is running the most efficient engine. Alas, the sport’s governing body has chosen to keep this information secret.

Will you miss finding out who is doing better, or do you feel that the fuel weight is now less important than it was was? Is keeping some things a secret better for the sport, or should the information be made public for all to dissect and decide?

Original article by BlogF1.

Daily Debate: Should The FIA Publish The Fuel Weights?

However, with a new Concorde Agreement in place, it would appear that an understanding has been met among those signatories that allows teams to miss up to 3 races before being shown the exit of the sport and the entrance of the courtroom. This apparent agreement was presumably made with the new teams in mind, particularly if they cannot build a chassis and pass the relevant crash tests in time for Bahrain in mid-March.

The FIA have published a statement saying that should a team miss a race, it would not go unnoticed and would constitute a breach of the Concorde Agreement and the FIA regulations. This of course implies penalties and more than likely, a forfeit of revenues.

From a sporting and regulatory point of view, each team that has registered for the championship is obliged to take part in every event of the season.

Any failure to take part, even for just one championship event, would constitute an infringement both of the Concorde Agreement and the FIA Regulations. FIA Statement.

Is it acceptable for a team to miss an event, for whatever reason, or should the sport stick to its recent traditions and enforce the participation of every grand prix under penalty of exclusion/courtroom hearings? While it is never nice to hear of teams going into battle with the governing body and/or the commercial rights holder, having every team at every race does mean consistency, competition and at the end of the of the day, sport. Or is the hard-and-fast rule failing to take into account the hardships of recent times and the fact the sport now has more teams competing, and therefore one or two may not necessarily be missed?

Original article by BlogF1.

Daily Debate: Is It Acceptable For Teams To Miss Races?

It would seem that Ecclestone has been keen on changing the points system for some time, and last year proposed a medal system much like how the Olympic Games work. This idea was declined before the season commenced and was met with some backlash from both those within the sport as well as the fans.

However, this recent proposal sticks with points – the system having worked since the sport’s inauguration in 1950 – and although looks quite dramatic on paper, actually isn’t a huge change and only presents on real problem. Currently, the points run: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1, with the top-eight finishers collecting an award. Under the new system, the points would run: 25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1, allowing the top-ten finishers to score.

With an extra three teams on the grid next year, it is hoped that by extending the points system, more of the drivers will be able to score, and therefore, seems quite fair. The new system also re-introduces a larger gap between P1 and P2, something that many fans have wanted since it was closed up in 2003 to try and prevent one team/driver from dominating and winning the titles prior to the final race of the season.

Of course, assuming Formula One continues with the tradition of having one, two or three dominant teams each year, then the points tally will be much greater, the increase of 150% for a victory giving a boost on paper when compared to previous years. This may mean, assuming the system stays for a few years, that the historical statistics may become skewed in favour of more recent drivers. At the moment, Michael Schumacher holds the record for most points earned, totaling 1369 throughout his career (thus far). It took Schumacher 15 years to accrue all those points, but under the new system, it would take a driver far less time to build up to and surpass Schumacher’s record.

Although the old adage of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it often comes to mind when thinking about how FOM and the FIA attempt to alter the rules, this change doesn’t seem quite so leftfield as they usually do. The new system closely resembles MotoGP’s, with the only differences being the cluster in the middle and the extension to the top-fifteen for MotoGP: 25-20-16-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. The system has worked well for motorcycles, so I would guess it would work okay for Formula One.

What do you think of the new points system? Will it work, or is it just another example of Bernie meddling where it isn’t needed?

Original article by BlogF1.

New Points System For 2010

Peter Sauber started his Formula One team back in the early-mid ’90s (having progressed from sports cars) and enjoyed moderate success, although the squad failed to win any races. In 2005 after the souring of the relationship between engine supplier BMW and customer team Williams, the German marque purchased Sauber and ran the team to greater success.

Unfortunately, with disappointing results in 2009 and a worsening economy, BMW decided to pull the plug in late-July, vowing to continue until the end of 2009 before closing the factory doors. Not wanting to see his old team disappear, Peter Sauber started talks with the German car manufacturer but apparently they were asking for too much money. An alliance with Qadbak fell through and it looked as though the efforts of Sauber and Theissen would be constrained to the history books.

However, Sauber managed to re-purchase his team and set about pushing for entry for next season. All Sauber has to do is sign the new Concorde Agreement and we should see the team, likely with Cosworth engines, racing in 2010.

The FIA has written to inform BMW Sauber AG that their application for an entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship has been successful. Subject to their signing the Concorde Agreement, BMW Sauber will be awarded the 13th entry in the Championship, taking the place of the departing Toyota team.

The FIA has worked closely with the Commercial Rights Holder and the teams involved over recent weeks and is grateful for their support in achieving the best outcome for the sport. FIA Press Release.

Elsewhere in 2010 Entry News, Renault met today in Paris to discuss their future involvement in Formula One. The French team has, for the past few years, been a little vague about their ongoing participation in the sport, but they have always signed on the line and turned up at the first race of the year.

2009 though has not been a great year for the team. It was a season when they performed at their worse in recent memory and of course, suffered from the saga and subsequent fallout that surrounded the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Having lost the team principal and technical head due to their roles in the incident, and also seeing their primary sponsor depart a few months earlier than planned and having lost their key driver, one cannot blame Renault for thinking about quitting.

It has been rumoured that Dave Richards – the man that simply won’t go away – could be in talks with the Enstone-based squad about the possibility of taking over the team. Richards has long been wanting to compete in Formula One, and was granted entry for the 2008 grid, only to then back out because of the issue with customer chassis. He then pushed earlier this year for an entry on the 2010 grid but was beaten by three other hopefuls.

Richards, who once ran the BAR team (who went on to become Honda, then Brawn, now Mercedes, definitely no longer Tyrrell) and also the Benetton team for a short while, has big plans for Formula One, and his Prodrive factory has been in planning for a while – Richards wants to move his factory to a new complex that will be purposely-built. And the company does have a lot of motor sport credentials, having ran the Subaru World Rally Team and entered various sports car races with Aston Martin, the car company being owned by Prodrive and its investors.

We cannot comment on the Renault situation, but it is well known that our intention is to get back into F1. We proved our credentials earlier this year when we had a strong business case for an entry, but having had an engine deal with Mercedes-Benz in place we were not willing to sacrifice our competitiveness. Dave Richards.

Renault are once again expected to hold a meeting next week, and perhaps after then we may know some more on the situation.

And finally, Toyota have handed their 2010 entry back to the FIA, pretty much stating they have no intention on selling it on to any other hopeful. It had been hoped that the team could be saved after they surprisingly quit the sport just after the season closed in November, as this would avoid having to pay any settlements to Bernie Ecclestone due to the breach of contract. However, according to Autosport, an unamed source has said the following:

We have returned our entry to the FIA and have no intention or wish to influence or interfere in the allocation process. That is a matter for the Federation. We are discussing a settlement with Bernie on the basis of goodwill and what is acceptable to all parties.

Interestingly, Toyota have been trying to sell on their 2010 car, the design having been started earlier in the year. The 2009 TF109 was an okay car – when it worked it did well, when it didn’t, well, it didn’t go at all – but having a base for a design is surely much better than starting from a blank piece of paper. Apparently, Toyota haven’t received much interest though, and only Stefan GP have considered an offer. Unfortunately for Stefan GP (and Toyota), they aren’t on the 2010 entry list. Not at the moment, anyway.

Toyota are also pushing for Kamui Kobayashi to be a part of any deal that sees their designs and equipment sold to another party. Kamui drove well when he substituted Timo Glock in the final races of the season, and although a bit lairy at times, the young Japanese driver did impress. Martin Brundle was even heard saying on BBC commentary, “That man has surely just secured himself a drive with Toyota for next year.” It was only a couple of days later that the withdrawal was announced.

Whether Toyota manage to rent or sell their assets on, the team itself, it would appear, will not be sold as a whole and therefore, BMW have been granted their entry slot for next year. And thus, today’s circle is complete.

Photo © BMW AG.

Original article by BlogF1.

Sauber Secure Entry, Renault Discuss Future, Toyota Negotiate Settlement

Ari Vatanen had been a favourite among motor sport fans, the former rally driver promising to shake-up the FIA and make the organisation more transparent. However, Todt had received the backing of the outgoing president and was even said to have been a good candidate for Mosley succession way back in 2005.

The election, held at the FIA’s headquarters in Paris, was supervised by an external Huissier de Justice, the French state-appointed public witness. There were 12 abstentions or invalid votes and Todt’s victory was a comfortable one.

The news of Vatanen’s defeat will undoubtedly cause many fans of motor sport to be upset, many feeling that Todt is unsuitable for the role given his public support from Mosley and his former ties with Ferrari. The FIA has been accused in the past of favouring Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone even admitted that the Scuderia receive benefits (both monetary and in the deciding of new rules). Although Todt has long been resigned from his post of team principal at Ferrari and recently resigned from the company entirely, many will still feel uncomfortable at his appointment.

Despite claims that Todt may fail to shake-up the FIA and will merely continue in the vein of his predecessor, the Frenchman does have a lot of experience in motor sport, primarily Formula One and World Rally. It was Todt who helped rejuvenate Ferrari into a dominant force that won many titles in the late ’90s and early ’00s, and his management style has received considerable praise. The Ferrari company was named by the Financial Times as the best company in Italy to work for in terms of employee satisfaction in 2008.

While many of us fans may have been hoping for a more radical change at Place de la Concorde, we should allow Todt some time to settle in to his new role before making judgments. The president of the FIA does not just deal with motor sport and much of the organisation’s aim is to improve motoring for the general public the world over. Of course, Formula One is at the forefront of their operations though, the international sport garnering much of the headlines that involve the FIA.

We shall have to wait and see how Todt deals with the pressures of being the president, but despite trying to offer the man a chance, I feel the Internet-at-large is about to get a little crazy. But before we all get hysterical, let us remember one very important rule that has just come into force: the president of the FIA may now only preside for two terms at the very most. Something I’m sure we will all agree on as being a very good idea.

Original article by BlogF1.

Jean Todt Comfortably Wins FIA Presidency Election

However, Flavio believes the FIA did not follow protocol properly and also believes that the governing cannot ban him from attending and involving himself in motorsport because he is not a licensee. Furthermore, Briatore is expected to seek compensation from the FIA as his reputation has been tarnished, something which many presume will have further ramifications in the world of football, Briatore part-owning the Queens Park Rangers club.

In this case, the FIA has been used as a tool to exact vengeance on behalf of one man. This decision is a legal absurdity and I have every confidence that the French courts will resolve the matter justly and impartially. Flavio Briatore, Journal Du Dimanche.

Briatore feels that the FIA acted improperly when there was a delay in issuing summons, failure to disclose the charges in advance and a lack of access to prosecution documents and also to the key witness. The former Renault boss is also questioning the selective immunity imposed by the FIA, the secret negotiating of the decision prior to the hearing and the lack of impartiality of the FIA when passing judgment. As mentioned, Briatore believes the FIA cannot impose this ban on him and also feels that the ban is disproportionate and illegal, and also that the threat of not renewing licenses of those in association with Briatore is in breach of their own rules.

It would seem that Flavio Briatore is not about to back down and take this punishment, which from his point of view you can understand; motor sport makes up a large part of Briatore’s life and the Italian earns much through his association with various people in the sport. However, what is clear from this debacle is that Briatore did wrong, and should therefore quietly disappear into the background. To continue to bring this matter up, especially at a time when the championship is drawing to a climax, only does the world of Formula One an injustice, something that when he was involved, Briatore fought very hard to avoid.

Original article by BlogF1.

Flavio Briatore To Commence Court Proceedings Against FIA

In a press release issued following the hearing at the FIA headquarters in Paris, the governing body stated the following with regards to the former RenaultF1 boss…

As regards Mr. Briatore, the World Motor Sport Council declares that, for an unlimited period, the FIA does not intend to sanction any International Event, Championship, Cup, Trophy, Challenge or Series involving Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever, or grant any license to any Team or other entity engaging Mr. Briatore in any capacity whatsoever. It also hereby instructs all officials present at FIA-sanctioned events not to permit Mr. Briatore access to any areas under the FIA’s jurisdiction. Furthermore, it does not intend to renew any Superlicence granted to any driver who is associated (through a management contract or otherwise) with Mr. Briatore, or any entity or individual associated with Mr. Briatore. In determining that such instructions should be applicable for an unlimited period, the World Motor Sport Council has had regard not only to the severity of the breach in which Mr. Briatore was complicit but also to his actions in continuing to deny his participation in the breach despite all the evidence. FIA Press Release.

The key line there is that the FIA do not intend to allow anyone associated with Flavio Briatore to have their super license renewed. As far as I can tell, Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen are still managed by the flamboyant Italian. If Webber and Kovalainen are still on Briatore’s books, they better find alternative management pretty soon if they wish to continue racing in FIA-governed events.

A similar punishment has been dealt to Pat Symonds, the former head of engineering at Renault who resigned along with Briatore last week. The only difference between the sentences are that Symond’s is for a period of five years, while Briatore’s remains unlimited.

Original article by BlogF1.

No More Super Licenses For Briatore-Managed Drivers

The latest controversy to engulf the sport has perhaps been one of the worse when you consider that Briatore and Symonds essentially fixed the race by convincing Piquet Jr to crash his car at a point that would virtually guarantee a safety car period. With this knowledge, the team were able to run a very aggressive strategy with Fernando Alonso and thus, the Spaniard took the race victory.

For his part, the FIA are happy that Alonso played no involvement in the agreement between the three men implicated and was unaware of what Piquet was going to do. Although it has been noted that an intelligent and experienced driver would normally have questioned the reasoning behind such an aggressive strategy, Alonso it seems is in the clear.

And all things considered, Renault are fortunate to have come out of this debacle relatively unscathed. To deliberately plan to cause an accident which could have harmful consequences to those in and around the car at the time is quite simply wrong, and to do this in order to gain advantage is unsporting at its most.

The World Motor Sport Council finds that Renault F1 team members Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. conspired to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. The World Motor Sport Council therefore finds Renault F1, which, under article 123 of the International Sporting Code, is responsible for the actions of its employees, in breach of Articles 151(c) and point 2(c) of Chapter IV of Appendix L of the Code, and Articles 3.2, 30.3 and/or 39.1 of the Formula One Sporting Regulations.

The World Motor Sport Council considers Renault F1’s breaches relating to the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to be of unparalleled severity. Renault F1’s breaches not only compromised the integrity of the sport but also endangered the lives of spectators, officials, other competitors and Nelson Piquet Jr. himself. The World Motor Sport Council considers that offences of this severity merit permanent disqualification from the FIA Formula One World Championship. However, having regard to the points in mitigation mentioned above and in particular the steps taken by Renault F1 to identify and address the failings within its team and condemn the actions of the individuals involved, the WMSC has decided to suspend Renault F1’s disqualification until the end of the 2011 season. The World Motor Sport Council will only activate this disqualification if Renault F1 is found guilty of a comparable breach during that time. FIA Press Release.

A suspended sentence essentially means that if Renault break any comparable rule in the next 24 months, the FIA will come down on them like a ton of bricks – they would be disqualified from taking part in Formula One. For now though, while the team remain within the rules, they are permitted to continue fighting in the Formula One World Championship in 2009, 2010 and 2011. After this point and assuming Renault do not do anything of similar nature, the suspension will presumably be lifted.

Further to the suspended disqualification, Renault have also agreed to pay the costs involved with the investigations and to also make a significant contribution to the FIA’s safety work and campaigns.

This will undoubtedly come as a relief to all who work at Renault who played no part and had no knowledge of what Briatore, Symonds and Piquet Jr did, and I’m sure Alonso (who attended the hearing this morning) is happy knowing he can continue driving for the remainder of the season alongside Piquet’s previously-implemented replacement, Romain Grosjean.

Piquet, who brought the matter to the attention of the FIA in the first place, received immunity from any consequences resulting from the hearing today, something the Brazilian is awarded for being honest and informing the governing body. Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds have both left the Renault team and they may face further investigation. However, for now the team must continue without two of its (previous to recent times) most respected managers.

Of course, the sport has once again found itself splashed across the newspapers for all the wrong reasons, and once again I utter the words of comfort in the hope for a clean and exciting end to the 2009 season.

Original article by BlogF1.

Renault Receive A Two Year Suspended Disqualification

What Renault may have done at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix is serious and most certainly not trivial. To plan and ask for a driver to crash in order to benefit the team mate’s chances of victory is simply wrong and should be dealt with a heavy hand. If Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore did indeed ask Nelson Piquet Jr to slam his R28 into the barrier just after Fernando Alonso’s pitstop last year, then the trio should simply not be allowed to return to motor sport. If what Piquet says is true, the decision is unsporting of the highest order.

Of course, we do not yet know this is the case, as the hearing into Formula One’s latest controversy will not be held until tomorrow. However, the sudden departure of Symonds and Briatore from the Renault team looks from the outside to be an admission of guilt. If the Renault management are innocent, there would be no reason to leave. It is interesting to note though, the FIA have not yet singled out Symonds and Briatore and instead have called the hearing with Renault, implying that the pair’s leaving will not yet change anything.

To also add further to that, it is of course plain and clear that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds asked Nelson Piquet crash. Bernie Ecclestone has spoken of the sadness of the affair and how Briatore’s career has ended poorly, and the Italian himself has briefly spoken of having to make the moral decision and save the team by standing down. While no official judgment will be made until tomorrow at the earliest, it would appear that Piquet has told the truth.

So why should Briatore, Symonds and Piquet be banned from motor sport should the hearing favour Nelson’s statement? Or perhaps more to the point, can they be banned? In 2008, Nigel Stepney went before the FIA to defend himself against allegations of sabotage and espionage. As it turns out, the FIA said they could not prevent Stepney from seeking employment in Formula One because he is not a licensee of the governing body. Instead, the FIA sent out a strong warning to its licensees telling them to be very careful and to use due diligence should they be looking to hire the ex-Ferrari employee.

Therefore, if Stepney was not a licensee of the FIA, one can only presume Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and Nelson Piquet Jr are not either. Perhaps even more so now that all three are not working within the sport. It would also be a great shame if Renault are punished severely too (assuming the decision was only between the three currently implicated), particularly if that led to the withdrawal of the team. Of all the recent squads in the sport, Honda and BMW included, Renault seemed to have the most flakey outlook with regards to continued participation. And while team bosses do not wish to discuss the team’s future involvement in Formula One at the moment, questions are being asked. If a race ban gets handed down to Renault, even if it’s just until the end of the year, I can see the squad packing up and selling on. Hopefully, the evidence will only concern the management and their resignations will be taken into account.

And why, you may be asking, am I throwing Piquet in with Briatore and Symonds, especially as the Brazilian has been given immunity by the FIA for making a statement? Well, because in my view Piquet is just as guilty as the instigators. If a boxer is approached by someone with a suitcase full of cash and told to go down in the third round, and consequently does go down, both people are guilty of match fixing. And more often than not, it is the boxer who everybody remembers and receives the most damage to the reputation.

Although there was probably no suitcase of cash, Piquet states clearly that he felt complying to the demands of Briatore and Symonds would ensure him a better position to get his contract renewed for 2009. Just because the cash is electronically transferred from one account to the other in the form of a salary does not make it any less shady when it results from doing something wrong and damaging to the sport.

And so I think that is just about all I want to write on the recent Renault scandal. BlogF1 has been quiet these past few days simply because I am sick to the core of the controversies that seem to embroil the sport every six months or so. Many of us felt that when Nigel Stepney and Mike Coughlin were caught sharing information, the sport would be rocked. Quite simply, it was. Although Formula One recovered, the time spent dealing with the issue filled me with a sadness I had hoped would not return.

Of course, this wasn’t the first big moment to affect the sport, but it is the one I remember the most in my time of watching Formula One and the one I consider the first for me. Since then, it seems the sport has been put through the blender several times, with notable thanks to Max Mosley, Lewis Hamilton and Dave Ryan, the stupid budget cap idea and resulting breakaway threats (that one is Max again) and many, many more. The controversies seem to be never-ending in a sport that is actually about going around a race track as quickly as possible.

Controversial moments are inevitable, as I have already mentioned, and you cannot really prevent them from happening. A driver will cut across a chicane and not receive punishment, or will receive a punishment that is perhaps unjust. A team will design a radical new part that fits the rules as they are written and the other teams will throw their toys out of the pram. These aren’t a big deal in the long term. Unsporting behaviour from some the sport’s most respected managers and engineers is, and although Ecclestone may revel in the headlines his commercial asset is generating, we really only want to watch the racing.

People say its been a torrid year but it always is in F1. There’s always something going on. It’s never peaceful. Bernie Ecclestone.

Original article by BlogF1.

There’s Always Something Going On, It’s Never Peaceful

At the time there was a wild conspiracy theory that went along similar lines, the fact that Piquet had his accident just after Alonso had taken on fresh tyres and fuel seeming to be quite a coincidence. At the time, Piquet stated that he had just been pushing too hard and that he clipped the barriers a little too hard. However, the allegation that it was a deliberate act comes after the young Brazilian was unceremoniously fired from the team in August.

Piquet Jr. has not kept quiet since he was let go, and has himself made accusations towards the team and most notably, Flavio Briatore. In a long statement on his website at the time, Piquet claimed he received little encouragement from the team boss and his own manager, and that he often found himself on the receiving end of threats moments before qualifying sessions and races.

However little had come of this, until now it seems as there is supposedly fresh evidence to back up the allegations made by the Brazilian TV station. It is unclear whether or not Piquet himself is involved in anyway, but the only evidence that a TV station could possibly think it has is possibly a recorded interview with the man himself. The TV station would not be privvy to telemetry or radio communications, so unless they have caught wind of such a thing but not seen/heard it themselves, or in fact Piquet or a team member has spoken to the station, it seems a very strange allegation to make.

The FIA have been relatively vague in a statement made to the press this evening, just saying that “an investigation is underway regarding alleged events at a previous world championship race”. However, Singapore hit the headlines on a few news sites moments earlier breaking the story about Globo, so one can only deduce (at the moment) the two are indeed related.

Needless to say, if any wrongdoing by the Enstone team is discovered, Renault would be in a whole heap of trouble and could possibly face a ban of several races. Of course, it could just be a storm in a teacup, which in all honesty, is exactly what it sounds like at the moment. Unfortunately, I’ve said that before only to find the world of Formula One wrapped up in controversy for months down the line. Like you, I await further details and the inevitable statement from Piquet Snr.

Original article by BlogF1.

FIA To Investigate Fernando Alonso’s 2008 Singapore Win

The Concorde Agreement sets out how the sport is run, its commercial income and how it is divided up among the competing teams and also what became a real sticking point up until very recently, the rules and how they will change in the coming years.

Following approval by the World Motor Sport Council, late last night FIA President Max Mosley signed the 2009 Concorde Agreement, heralding a renewed period of stability for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The Concorde Agreement – a contract between the FIA, F1’s Commercial Rights-Holder and the participating Teams – sets out the basis on which the Teams participate in the Championship and share in its commercial success.

The WMSC has also approved a slightly revised set of stable Sporting and Technical Regulations (to apply from the 2010 Championship onwards), which have been agreed by the FIA and the Teams and which will be published shortly on the FIA’s website.

The new Concorde Agreement, which runs until 31 December 2012, provides for a continuation of the procedures in the 1998 Concorde Agreement, with decisions taken by working groups and commissions, upon which all teams have voting rights, before going to the WMSC for ratification.

In addition, as agreed in Paris on 24 June 2009, the Teams have entered into a resource restriction agreement, which aims to return expenditure to the levels that prevailed in the early 1990s.

With the 2009 Concorde Agreement and the resource restriction agreement in place, the FIA looks forward to a period of stability and prosperity in the FIA Formula One World Championship. FIA Statement.

All teams have agreed to the terms of the new Concorde Agreement with the exception of BMW who withdrew from the 2010 championship earlier in the week. However, should the German motor manufacturer wish to sell the team on to another company, they will need to sign the agreement, and the FIA have apparently set a deadline of August 5th for this to happen.

The new Concorde Agreement appears to be a continuation of the already-in-place measures contained in the previous 1998 Agreement, but with an added section pertaining to the need to reduce costs back down to those levels seen in the early ’90s. According to the FIA, the rules for the 2010 championship have been altered slightly, and these will be published to the FIA website sometime soon.

Original article by BlogF1.

New Concorde Agreement Signed

The lack of experience in a Formula One car wasn’t the fault of Jaime himself though. It was the fact that Scuderia Toro Rosso wanted the Spaniard in the car, and the fact that in-season testing has been banned for this year. Many current drivers voiced their concern over this, and Felipe Massa called the FIA to task, suggesting that they should allow rookies to test a car should they be called upon to substitute another driver. Likewise, McLaren’s experienced test driver and former racer Pedro De La Rosa believes that it would be very demanding even for himself to suddenly step up to the plate and race should the need arise.

And so we now come to the present day, where one of the sport’s most experienced drivers has been called upon to substitute the recovering Felipe Massa. Michael Schumacher has nigh-on sixteen years experience of racing a wide variety of Formula One cars, but the recent rule changes have made the 2009 cars very different to the last he raced in 2006, and the last he tested in 2008.

Ferrari have written to the FIA and their fellow competitors and asked for permission to allow Schumacher to test for one day in a F60. While this makes sense and is by-and-large completely understandable, it does put both the FIA and the other teams in a bit of a bind.

If the FIA agree, they have set a precedent. On top of that, Michael Schumacher is no Jaime Alguersuari. Schumacher is experienced, and wil undoubtedly give feedback on the car straight away. This takes it from a simple familiarisation exercise to a proper test. On top of that, will Ferrari’s rivals want this? The other drivers will not have the same fear of Schumacher driving as they did Alguersuari (who by the way, actually drove quite well in his debut). There is no fear of Schumacher throwing his car into another due to inexperience. In fact, the other 19 drivers are probably more fearful of the seven-time champion doing just that on purpose!

It will be interesting to see how the other nine squad’s respond to this. I would imagine the FIA might say something along the lines of it being acceptable as long as there is unanimous agreement among the other teams, but getting that agreement may prove harder than they think.

Do you think Schumacher should be given a day’s testing in a 2009 F60, or do you think he should just get on with it, much like how Jaime Alguersuari did?

Recommended Reading

• F1 Clienti Lend Schumacher F2007 For Fitness Testing
• Michael Schumacher Applies For A Super License: He’s Coming Back
• Jaime Alguersuari Confirmed At Scuderia Toro Rosso
• Massa Praises Algeursuari & Criticises FIA

Original article by BlogF1.

Ferrari Ask FIA For Permission To Allow Schumacher To Test F60

As the lights went out in Hungary and the race got underway, Kimi Raikkonen was making use of his KERS device and was thundering up the field. The Finnish pilot squeezed Sebastian Vettel over to the right and the German Red Bull driver believes contact was made. After the first corner, Vettel radioed his team to say that he thought there was damage to the front wing, but it turned out to be more serious. The front-left suspension on the RB5 had been broken, and at about the mid-point of the race, it gave way. Vettel was forced to retire his car.

Despite this though, the stewards, who were investigating the incident, said that it was just a racing incident and that no punishment would be handed out.

However, Renault have been given a very harsh penalty following the incident that saw Fernando Alonso’s wheel come off mid-lap. The team, Piquet inclusive, will not race in Valencia in a months time. Although it is rumoured that Piquet will not be racing for Renault again anyway, penalty or no penalty. Further information on the Renault suspension can be read in this post.

Also, Red Bull have been reprimanded for the second race in succession. In Germany, Vettel was released early following a pitstop and the Milton Keynes squad were given a slap on the wrists. And again in Hungary this time, Mark Webber was released into the path of Kimi Raikkonen following a bodged pitstop that almost saw the fuel man get dragged to the floor. Webber thought he had been given the indication to go, but in fact the fuel nozzle was still attached to the RB5. Webber quickly backtracked his motions and stopped, but now under pressure, the team released him without checking the fast lane again and Webber was forced to back out of the throttle to avoid colliding with the Ferrari.

Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Sebastien buemi, who was enjoying a great weekend starting in P10, has not only finished in last place and been beaten by his rookie team mate, but has also received a fine for €1800 for speeding in the pitlane.

All in all, it was quite the Hungarian Grand Prix. Renault are out for one race, Raikkonen got away with being a bit boisterous at the start and Red Bull are treading on a very thin line with regards to pitstops.

• The live race notes can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Live Race Notes
• The race result can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Race Result
• The race report can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Lewis Hamilton Returns McLaren To Top With Victory
• The pitstop and tyre strategies can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Pitstop & Tyre Strategies
• The fantasy racers round-up can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Fantasy Racers Update
• The Renault penalty post can be viewed here: Hungary 2009: Renault Have Been Suspended From The European Grand Prix

Original article by BlogF1.

Hungary 2009: Penalty Updates

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

Mosley is well within his right to support a future presidential candidate, but the FIA cannot be seen to be fully backing one candidate over another until the time comes to vote. The voting system should be private as well, just as it is with other political elections that many of us are familiar with.

Mosley stated that he felt Todt would be the best person to replace him, and it wasn’t the first time Max has spoken highly of the French rally, Formula One team and car manufacturer head. Vatanen, a former rally driver himself, retaliated with concerns that Jean Todt represents an older era, and that he himself would bring a new freshness to the role of president.

But it’s not good that a leader stays in the post for a long time, and when that happens, the best thing is a change. And I represent that change, a new era with more freshness.

On the contrary, Jean Todt represents the old era, and it’s not right that Max wants to impose a new leader, and that he uses the power of the federation to support his campaign. The FIA is not a kingdom; it’s a republic where the leaders are chosen democratically.

At Ferrari they don’t want Todt to be president, and so they have told me, because they think they sport would lose credibility. The same would happen if it was Ross Brawn or Flavio Briatore running. The president of the FIA must be someone neutral. Ari Vatanen.

It is the second paragraph that has annoyed the FIA Foundation, with Vatanen using the phrase ‘using the power of the federation to support Todt’s campaign’. Furthermore, Vatanen also claimed that the FIA were paying for a private jet for Todt to allow him in the running of his campaign. Ari wrote:

At the expense of the FIA Foundation, Jean goes with a private plane with his girlfriend, supposedly as a FIA representative, to various parts of the world, sometimes he has gone to Asia, sometimes to Canada, sometimes to Buenos Aires, whatever. In fact, he is doing a campaign totally supported and paid by the FIA. Ari Vatanen.

In a response letter written by the Chairman of the FIA Foundation to Ari Vatanen, Carlos Macaya refutes the suggestion of the FIA funding Todt’s campaign, and explained that the travel expenses Ari may be alluring to actually apply to Todt’s partner, Michelle Yeoh.

These assertions are totally false. For the last two years Jean Todt’s partner, the internationally acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh, has served in a voluntary capacity as the global Ambassador for the Make Roads Safe campaign which is co-ordinated by the FIA Foundation. In this role Michelle has travelled all over the world to support the campaign especially in advance of this year’s first ever global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Moscow on November 19-20. [...]

These activities have nothing whatsoever to do with the FIA, or the recently announced election. It is very disappointing that you have chosen to misrepresent the work of a fellow Trustee in this way and belittle the magnificent contribution being made by Michelle Yeoh. [...]

I appreciate that during the forthcoming election for the FIA Presidency there needs to be open and robust debate. However, I would ask that you do not again misrepresent the role of the FIA Foundation in this way. Carlos Macaya.

Macaya also explained that recently, while Michelle Yeoh was travelling to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania for an FIA function, Jean Todt tagged along as he was attending a workshop in the same city helping to promote intelligent vehicle safety systems in his role as the eSafety Aware president.

It would appear that no further sanction will come of Vatanen’s claims and Macaya’s response, and perhaps the former world rally champion was wrong in his accusation. However, it is interesting that Ari has raised the topic, as conspiracy theorists around the world concoct reasons as to why they feel the FIA are still pro-Ferrari and manage their affairs in a deeply private and suspicious manner.

Of course, Todt was the head of Ferrari’s Formula One operation for many years, praised with rejuvenating the team into world champions once again. But in late 2006, Todt resigned this role and took up the position of CEO for the whole company, dealing with the road car division as well. In 2008, Todt resigned this role, although he was still involved with the Maranello company until July 2009, when he completely resigned in order to focus on his campaign to become the next president of the FIA.

Should Jean Todt defeat Ari Vatanen in the election later this year, there will be cries of corruption the world over. Whether correct or not is almost irrelevant as some fans of the sports that the FIA govern, Formula One included, will still feel that the FIA are not 100% straight up, as they say.

So, to the perhaps slightly more thoughtful fans who I know this site attracts, but additionally also pleasing because I know the passion of motor sport runs deep with all… who do you want to see as the next president of the FIA? I can imagine what the answer is already, but before you comment, think for just a moment about the successes Todt and Vatanen have achieved over the years, and how you think they may run the organisation that still controls the sport we all love.

Original article by BlogF1.

Ari Vatanen Already In Hot Water With The FIA Foundation

The news will undoubtedly be welcomed by the eight FOTA teams who are currently still trying to sort out a deal with the FIA and commercial rights holders, all the time trying to piece together a breakaway series should a deal not happen. Alluding to this in a short statement, Vatanen said that he felt it was time for a change in the FIA, and for the organisation to become more transparent.

Responding to requests from many FIA member clubs, I shall stand for presidential elections of the FIA in October this year. I think the time has come for a change. My main focus is to reconcile views within the FIA and bring transparency to its stakeholders. The duty of President is to defend a billion automobilists and the great sport of ours. Ari Vatanen.

Vatanen is a former motor sport competitor and since retiring from rallying, the Finnish 57 year old has undertaking many different roles, notably that of a European MP (from 1999 until earlier this year) as well as continuing to make the occasional appearances at various rally events. Vatanen took the 1981 World Rally title with Dave Richards as his co-driver. Richards would go on to start Prodrive and field his own rally cars before attempting to break into Formula One. Ari has also won the Paris-Dakar rally four times.

Vatanen also isn’t afraid of the written word either, and a quick perusal of his website, I found a nice piece titled Colin McRae – Fragile Life, describing the time he received the news that McRae, his son and two other children had perished in a helicopter crash not too far from the champion’s home.

It is difficult for us to admit how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Our illusion of power and control over life is like the morning haze, in that our judgement is often clouded. The great Konsta Pylkkänen (a well known fictive philosopher by Finnish writer Veikko Huovinen) once said “In the celestial scale, the human has the power of an ant.” I couldn’t agree more. Ari Vatanen.

I’m sure I have more to write on this, but for now, I’ll leave it there.

Original article by BlogF1.

Ari Vatanen Confirms He Will Run For FIA Presidency

Since Wednesday, it has been claimed that a series of rumours and allegations have been made by FOTA, and in a letter to FOTA’s chairman Luca di Montezemolo, Mosley voiced his anger at these claims and stated the team’s association has deliberately attempted to mislead the media.

In his letter, which was sent to di Montezemolo on Thursday, Mosley references the suggestions that FIA Senate president Michel Boeri has now taken over Mosley’s role in relation to Formula One, that Mosley was forced out of office and that he would have no ongoing role within the FIA.

Mosley has slammed FOTA and demanded an apology and correction to the statements made. According to Autosport, the letter was sent to di Montezemolo prior to Thursday’s FOTA press conference, where no apology was forthcoming.

We made a deal yesterday in Paris to end the recent difficulties in Formula 1. A fundamental part of this was that we would both present a positive and truthful account to the media.

I was therefore astonished to learn that FOTA has been briefing the press that Mr Boeri has taken charge of Formula 1, something which you know is completely untrue; that I had been forced out of office, also false; and, apparently, that I would have no role in the FIA after October, something which is plain nonsense, if only because of the FIA statutes.

Furthermore, you have suggested to the media that I was a ‘dictator’, an accusation which is grossly insulting to the 26 members of the World Motor Sport Council who have discussed and voted all the rules and procedures of Formula 1 since the 1980s, not to mention the representatives of the FIA’s 122 countries who have democratically endorsed everything I and my World Motor Sport Council colleagues have done during the last 18 years.

If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you and FOTA must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements. You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology at your press conference this afternoon.

Formula One is run entirely by our 5-strong team without any help from me or any other outsider. There was no need for me to involve myself further in Formula One once we had a settlement. Equally, I had a long-standing plan not to seek re-election in October. It was therefore possible for me to confirm both points to you yesterday.

However, given your and FOTA’s deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now onsider my options open. At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office. After that it is the FIA members clubs, not you or FOTA, who will decide on the future leadership of the FIA. Max Mosley.

Unfortunately for Mosley, this letter only furthers the perception that he is a dictatorial manager, and it also suggests that he no longer commands the respect of the teams – the very fact Mosley felt compelled to send this indicates that. Mosley is clearly clutching at straws. While Mosley does not need the support of Formula One fans, he cannot work against them either. And unfortunately for himself, this letter will only push more away rather than reach out to newcomers. It also shows a man who is desperately trying to retain the power he seemingly craves.

It would also appear that Mosley is taking the alleged actions of FOTA somewhat personally. The letter apparently did not come from the FIA, but from Max himself. While it is perfectly acceptable for the FIA president to write a letter or send an email, it does seem a little strange that in this case, he would put his name at the bottom. Perhaps the letter would have carried more weight if the FIA had sent it.

It is very clear that FOTA have no issues with the FIA itself. In the past, they have made it known they are unhappy with the governance of the sport, which could be interpreted as the FIA. However, it would seem that Mosley agreeing to not stand for re-election again in October was what finalised the deal on Wednesday. The very fact that Mosley is now bringing that into question leads me to believe that he is aware that this is the point that could cause the deal to collapse. Otherwise, he could have threatened a return to the £40m budget cap.

If FOTA now resurrect their plan to create a breakaway championship – and it would seem this is the only course of action for FOTA aside from backing down and/or apologising – we will be back to square-one again. Formula One will face falling apart at the seams, fans will be confused and in this time of financial turmoil, the sport will be further rocked through its core.

If it is all about Mosley – and it is looking more and more like it is – perhaps the FIA Senate need to think about what is more important to the sport it holds so close to its heart and that helps promote all the work the organisation does away from motor sport. Formula One, or Max Mosley?

Further Reading

• Breakaway Averted: Max Mosley Will Not Stand Again
• Formula One To Split As Talks Between FIA & FOTA Fail

Original article by BlogF1.

Clutching At Straws: Mosley Isn’t Ready To Rule Out Re-Election