Following one of the sport’s greatest championship stories, that of Honda being resurrected as Brawn and taking both titles, comes possibly another as it was learned late last year that Ross Brawn had sold his team to Mercedes. Brawn insisted that he would continue in his roll as team principal, and so the rollercoaster ride of Brawn post-Ferrari continues.

The link to the technical director has certainly helped the transition as well, with the man almost certainly being a draw to Michael Schumacher. Despite turning 41 earlier in the year, Schumacher still has the motor sport bug in him and a return during 2009 seemed possible, the seven-times world champion testing a 2007 Ferrari. However, a neck injury sustained from a motorbike accident ended the dream for last year, but that didn’t stop the German driver. Shortly after the announcement that Mercedes would be taking over the team, Michael Schumacher was announced as the lead driver alongside fellow countryman Nico Rosberg. BMW-refugee Nick Heidfeld completes the all-German line-up as the squad’s test and reserve driver.

This isn’t the first time Mercedes have taken on the challenge of Formula One though, for the company threw some money at the sport back in 1954 and 1955. The W196 car was very successful and Juan Manuel Fangio took eight victories from twelve attempts. Fangio only retired the once and Sir Stirling Moss also took a famous first win at Silverstone in ‘55, the story being that Fangio only needed P2 to secure the championship and deliberately let Moss pass on the final lap. To this day, even Moss himself doesn’t know if this is true or not, the five-times Argentine champion passing away in 1995.

Of course with such a long and illustrious history in the motor industry and motor sport, I could discuss Mercedes-Benz from now until the end of my time, but for now at least, the marque has returned and a new silver arrows will adorn the race tracks of the world in an attempt to repeat last year’s phenomenal success.

The Mercedes livery was unveiled separately to the car itself, an event at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart providing the backdrop to the silver colour scheme hiding the Brawn BGP-001 underneath. The car itself was finally shown to the world in early February at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit as the first group test of the year got underway. Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg took the wraps off the MGP-W01 before heading out for a few shake-down laps.

The 2010 challenger is an evolution of the championship winning Brawn from the year previous, and features a few Red Bull-esque flourishes. Interestingly, the front wing appears to have been changed very little, but the nose has certainly undergone some work. Having been narrowed and raised slightly, the front of the car is more shapely and as the line builds up and over the monocoque, the Newey-dip is there for all to see. Also drawing attention is the downward slant of the top of the car before it rises again towards the cockpit. Again, this is very reminiscent of the RB5, the car that challenged Brawn the most last time around.

The sidepods have grown in size slightly and the air-intake above the driver’s helmet is quite the work of art, looking more likely to at home on a fighter jet than a Formula One car. The rear wing looks to have been left alone and Brawn’s double diffuser is missing, the rules now banning such a device from the 2010 machines*.

The silver livery is welcomed but only as a reminder of the team’s past. If it wasn’t for the silver-finished W196s that charged around the circuits of old, one would have to seriously question the choice of colour for the MGP-W01. Whereas McLaren seem to have found a very successful way of presenting their car in silver, Mercedes’s looks dull and uninspiring. Only the little amounts red from the few sponsor’s logos and the pale Petronas blue break up the monotony of the colour scheme.

Of course, Mercedes are going to be well talked about this year, if not for the car’s performance then for Michael Schumacher’s. The multiple world champion should run well in the car and if he can keep himself out of trouble for long enough, it would seem there is little reason why further wins could not be added to the already record-breaking list. In the second seat sits a driver who has either just made the greatest move of his career, or the worse. In order for this venture to be a success for Nico Rosberg, he simply has to stamp his authority all over Schumacher. Failing to do so could mean years of obscurity, second places and bad press. Just ask Rubens Barrichello…

Mercedes’s car designation system refers to the team’s name, Mercedes Grand Prix, and the W refers to the team’s heritage, where previous versions were simply named Wagen (German for car). The final numbers are incremental, and as this is the first wagen in quite a while, it has been designated 01. Hence, MGP-W01.

Original article by BlogF1.

Meet The Cars: Mercedes MGP-W01

From myself, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays, and wish you all the very best for 2010. With an epic season behind us and one to look forward to, all we can do is relax, enjoy the festivities and to also spare a thought for those who have to work or are in need at this time.

To one and all I thank you for your support, banter and comment and look forward to seeing you all in 2010.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #100

Schumacher last drove in 2006, at the time with Ferrari and although his retirement came with a lot of emotion from both the driver and his fans, the decision to quit was probably well calculated. Ferrari, although managing the 2007 drivers title and a couple of constructors, have slipped in form. Schumacher remained with the Maranello squad though, taking on an advisory role.

Earlier in 2009, Schumacher had hoped to return to racing with the Scuderia, the intention being for him to deputise the injured Felipe Massa. However, a neck injury sustained from a biking accident prevented the multiple world champion from returning.

With the desire to race still burning, and Mercedes needing someone special to take over from the dominant form displayed by Jenson Button in 2009, Mercedes courted Schumacher and with consent from Ferrari, the German driver will rejoin the marque that helped him so much in his early career.

The motivation I think is pretty straightforward. The call I got from Ross at the end of November concerning the chance to go racing, Mercedes being involved, I felt great.

I never left the race track. I was tired of F1 by the end of 2006, but in three years of absence I got back all the energy that I am feeling right now. I played around with motorbikes and I feel ready for some serious stuff now. Michael Schumacher.

Although Schumacher will turn 41 in January, he has maintained his fitness regime and in the summer increased his work-outs with the then-intention of driving the Ferrari. Clearly motivation is not an issue for the German – the decision to return and potentially tarnish his illustrious career (statistically speaking, I add) would have not been taken lightly.

This means that Mercedes will field an all-German line-up next year, hopefully competing directly with McLaren’s all-British line-up. Mercedes vs. Mercedes should also prove interesting, no less than having 4 world champions in the field.

Original article by BlogF1.

Mercedes Confirm Michael Schumacher Return

Since Felipe Massa crashed out of qualifying in Hungary two weeks ago, speculation was rife as to who might replace the Brazilian pilot. Soon after, Schumacher was announced amid a flurry of activity online and in print; the Schumacher name still claims headlines the world over. At the time though, Ferrari were insistent that they needed to assess Michael’s physical fitness, and after a two week program which included time on a simulator, time in a 2007 Formula One car and time in the gym, it has been realised that Schumacher’s injuries mean his neck will have difficulty withstanding the great pressures put upon it from racing the F60*.

Yesterday evening, I had to inform Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo and Team Principal Stefano Domenicali that unfortunately I’m not able to step in for Felipe. I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however, much to my regret it didn’t work out. Unfortunately we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck which occurred after the private F1-day in Mugello, even if medically or therapeutically we tried everything possible.

The consequences of the injuries caused by the bike-accident in February, fractures in the area of head and neck, unfortunately have turned out to be still too severe. That is why my neck cannot stand the extreme stresses caused by Formula One yet. This are the clear results of the examinations we did on the course of the past two weeks and the final examination yesterday afternoon. As there were no improvements after the day in Mugello, I decided at short notice on Sunday to do that thorough examination already yesterday.

I am disappointed to the core. I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans which crossed fingers for me. I can only repeat that I tried everything that was within my power. All I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed for the whole team for the coming races. Michael Schumacher.

Instead of running Schumacher in the car alongside Kimi Raikkonen, long-time Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer will take up the seat until Felipe Massa is ready to return. A little younger than Schumacher, Badoer has been with the Ferrari family a long time, and first raced in Formula One in 1993, the same year that Rubens Barrichello made his debut. The last time Luca drove a Formula One machine in anger was in 1999, almost ten years ago. Back then, Badoer dovetailed his testing duties with a race seat with Minardi, and came very close to scoring points for the back-row minnows in the European Grand Prix of that year. Badoer was running in fourth when his gearbox gave up with just 13 laps to go.

Having been Ferrari’s test driver since 1997, the Italian pilot has covered thousands upon thousands of kilometres in the Scuderia’s cars, and it is presumed Badoer has driven more miles in a Ferrari Formula One car than any other driver in the company’s history. Despite this though, Badoer has never finished a race in a points-paying position and incredibly, never actually driven a Ferrari in anger. The last time Ferrari had to substitute a driver, it was Schumacher himself who was benched in 1999. After the then-double world champion broke his leg at Silverstone, Finnish pilot Mika Salo was offered the reigns on a temporary basis. Salo pretty much won the German Grand Prix that year, although stood aside in the dying laps to allow Eddie Irvine to score maximum points towards his reinvigorated championship campaign.

One has to wonder why the younger Marc Gene was not given to opportunity to drive. Gene is also a Ferrari test driver and has been for many years. The Spaniard also raced a Formula One car much more recently than Badoer, Gene’s last participated race being the British Grand Prix in 2004, when he substituted (brother of Michael) Ralf Schumacher in the Williams team. It is possible that the alleged link to 2010 entry Campos Racing may have prevented or dissuaded the team from running Gene, but looking at the pair of drivers from a purely statistical stand-point, Gene is surely by far the better option.

When Luca Badoer races in Valencia, it will be the first time an Italian driver has driven the Italian-built Ferrari Formula One car since 1994. During the ‘94 season, Nicola Larini substituted Jean Alesi for two races, and even managed a second place in Alesi’s absence. And for those who are particularly aware of driver’s nationalities, Jean Alesi officially raced under the French flag, despite being of Italian origins; his parents are Sicilian, but Jean was born and raised in France.

Recommended Reading

• Luca Badoer Biography
• Ferrari Ask FIA For Permission To Allow Schumacher To Test F60
• F1 Clienti Lend Schumacher F2007 For Fitness Testing
• Michael Schumacher Applies For A Super License: He’s Coming Back
• Massa Rests His Weary Head After Successful Surgery

*Corrected from F2008. Apologies, I obviously forgot what year it is.

Original article by BlogF1.

Michael Schumacher Unable To Race: Luca Badoer Gets The Nod

Michael Schumacher claimed five titles while driving for Ferrari and has been asked to step in to replace Felipe Massa while he recovers from his accident sustained at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend. Wanting to ensure he is in tip-top condition, Schumacher has requested to get in as much driving as possible. He will have spent some time on the simulator, but this still doesn’t compare to the real-life effects of driving an actual car.

Formula One drivers are allowed to drive racing cars between races, of course, and most of the times the pilots climb inside such a vehicle it is for some event, like the Red Bull Roadshows, of Goodwood’s Festival of Speed. In each of these cases, older cars are used, even if they are sometimes liveried up to match their younger relatives. However, the drivers gain nothing by running these cars other than promotion for the team and a chance to meet the fans.

For Michael Schumacher though, he is gaining and therefore he is arguably testing. Although not improving the car, he is improving himself.

Now I am sure the Ferrari Formula One team must have an old F2008 or F2007 kicking around somewhere, and the mechanics and engineers will know these machines as they would have worked on them less than a year ago (in the case of the F2008). But instead of siding with the Formula One side of the company, Schumacher has spoken with a subsidiary company – F1 Clienti – to help him out.

Today I was in Maranello in the afternoon to check the functionality of the steering wheel at the static simulator.

Of course I was also taking the opportunity to again discuss with the engineers how to proceed further. There is this test ban in Formula One, therefore I contacted some of the guys from F1 Clienti if they could give me a car. Although those cars are not current or last year’s ones, I simply like to drive as much as possible, so this is a good option. The next weeks will be totally on preparation then. Michael Schumacher.

F1 Clienti was set up (in collaboration with Ferrari) by rich businessmen who wanted to the chance to drive all manner of Ferrari racing cars that otherwise would have ended up in museums or worse still, they would have been destroyed. The company maintains these cars and often sells them to other rich businessmen who would like the thrill of driving a Formula One car. At meetings, the cars are prepared by mechanics, many of whom will have worked on the actual race team at some point in their career.

And so Schumacher has borrowed a F2007 to thrash around Mugello, but it strikes me odd as to why he went with F1 Clienti rather than Ferrari themselves. While they are almost one-and-the-same, I cannot help but feel the team want to ensure there is absolutely no question of rule-breaking. Of course, it could also be that any and every old Ferrari ends up at F1 Clienti, but the careful and measured approach by the team is the more interesting speculation.

Recommended Reading

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

Original article by BlogF1.

F1 Clienti Lend Schumacher F2007 For Fitness Testing

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

Image © GPUpdate.net/Sutton Images.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #86

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?

Original article by BlogF1.

Schumacher, Irvine & Hakkinen: Press Conference Water Fight

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #81

Following his accident, Mark Webber was well looked after, of course. As soon as he came off his bike pre-planned procedures were put in place and the Australian was rushed to hospital without question or hesitation. And being a sportsperson who needs his legs, the only real option for Mark was to have a pin inserted. This speeds up the recovery process as the bone is forced together; waiting for the bone to heal naturally would take too long and would have likely put Webber out of action for the start of the 2009 season.

Undoubtedly, Mark relaxed over the Christmas period but it wouldn’t have been long before he was in the swimming pool, in the gym and being tortured by a physiotherapist. Clearly though, the hard work has paid off and Webber drove the new RB5 car earlier in the week at a test session in Spain. The lap times set by the no-nonsense racer were competitive from the off.

Webber’s break is the first in a few years for a competing Formula One driver, the last time it happened being in 1999. Back then, the driver being carted off to hospital was none other than world champion Michael Schumacher. A rear brake failure on the first lap of the British Grand Prix resulted in the Ferrari pilot charging into the tyre barrier at Stowe. I believe the quote from Schumacher went something like: “As soon as I impacted the tyres, I knew there was something seriously wrong. It didn’t hurt very much though.”

Schumacher’s recovery process for a broken leg took about the same as Webber’s, and like his fellow-sportsman, Michael too had metal placed in him. The German driver missed six races but returned with a point to prove; Michael took pole position in both the remaining races of the season, and finished second in each. Arguably, Schumacher could have won in Malaysia, but the team player dutifully allowed his team mate Eddie Irvine to finish ahead knowing he was still in the hunt for the world championship.

Two years before Schumacher’s accident, Olivier Panis had a fairly horrific crash at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada. On the back part of the track where the armco-lined tarmac gently weaves between the over hanging trees, Panis suffered a double impact in his Prost. A hard whack on the right side of the track sent his car over to the left for second blow. The result of this incident left the French driver receiving medical attention at the side of the track for quite some time. In fact, it is the only race I have actually witnessed being stopped early (I believe).

Olivier’s accident resulted in both his legs being broken, but intense physio meant the Prost driver only missed seven races of the year, the recovery time being about 14 weeks. Upon his return at the Luxembourg Grand Prix, Panis (like many others) had a point to prove. And in fact, it was a point he won, finishing in sixth which at the time earned one point in the championship. The French driver was only 0.5s shy of fifth and drove a pretty competitive race.

These drivers are lucky to an extent though – they all raced (and still do) at a time when safety is considered paramount in such a dangerous sport. Although some things cannot be made safer for a driver hitting 180mph, the advances in medical knowledge have helped them all. The pins inserted in Panis, Schumacher and Webber have sped up their recoveries and the tailored physio they all went through improved the strength of their broken limb more than at any time previously…

In 1969, world champion Graham Hill was competing in the United States Grand Prix in a Lotus 49B. Considered a fragile, but ultimately quick car, Hill had used it to his advantage in 1968 to take the title. But a year later, when the car was dated and less competitive, Hill’s career would be dealt a bitter blow. It was during the Watkins Glen event that Hill spun his Lotus. This meant the double world champion had to get out of the car and push-start it. Not being able to refasten his own belts, the Briton decided to just get on with the race.

However, Hill’s Lotus had a puncture – likely to have been caused by the spin – and Hill signalled his wish to come into the pits to have the tyre replaced. Graham never made it back around that lap, as the tyre let go at the end of the straight and sent the Lotus somersaulting into the embankment. Hill was thrown from the car and suffered broken legs as a result.

Thankfully for Hill, the accident happened at the penultimate race of the year and thus only one race was missed. Upon his return to testing prior to the 1970 season, Hill struggled to get in and out of the car on his own and was said to be in pain as he drove around the circuits. However, with grit and determination, Graham competed in the first race of the year in South Africa and scored a point. Unfortunately though, Hill was never truly the same after his accident. The Briton failed to win again, perhaps due to his injuries and perhaps also due to the cars he piloted not being as competitive.

When thinking about racing drivers who have suffered broken limbs though, one name stands out above all others. In fact, it was this driver that prompted me to write about the accidents and recoveries of Formula One drivers today because the stories behind this name are quite simply astonishing. The driver is Tazio Nuvolari, and the Italian raced before Formula One became the organised sport that is today.

Nuvolari raced in the pre-War era, a time when an accident often meant a fatality as well. Safety was almost unheard of and the bravery and courage (or perhaps stupidity) of the drivers back then was legendary. And if any one man deserves to be catergorised as a legend, Nuvolari is at the top of the list. Coming off his motorcycle and crashing his car more times than people care to remember, Tazio went down in history for two things; his injuries, but most importantly, his outright skill despite the injuries.

The Tales Of Tazio

In 1925 and enjoying success as a motorcycle racer, Nuvolari was invited by Alfa Romeo for a trial in one of their Grand Prix cars at Monza. Ever impressed with all things fast, Nuvolari agreed. However, after just a few laps of driving the P2 car, Tazio crashed and was taken to hospital. The doctors ordered Nuvolari to take a month off to allow the lacerations on his back to heal. This didn’t wash with the Italian though, and heavily bandaged up, Nuvolari competed in the Nations Grand Prix at Monza less than a week later on his motorcycle. It is reported he had to be tied to the bike as his legs were also injured in the car accident.

He won the race.

The following year reports of Nuvolari’s death reportedly hit a German evening newspaper following a sizable accident on his Bianchi 350 motorcycle at the Solitude Circuit near Stuttgart. A concerned telegram had also been sent to Rome and it wasn’t until people saw the Italian traveling home the day after the race that they finally believed he had survived and was relatively unhurt.

By the early ’30s, Nuvolari had made the switch to race cars and was setting the world alight with his skill and bravery. At the Le Mans 24 Hour he and Raymond Sommer competed in an Alfa Romeo. The pair had been doing well until the fuel tank developed a leak. The drivers were forced to continually pit to have chewing gum reapplied to cover the hole. Despite this though, they won and Tazio broke the lap record nine times.

In 1934 and while competing in a race in Northern Italy, Nuvolari crashed his car while taking avoidance action to dodge a stricken Carlo Felice Trossi. The accident resulted in a broken leg for Tazio, and the Italian was ordered to rest up in hospital. Fortunately for us, that wasn’t Nuvolari’s style. Four weeks after his accident, Tazio decided that he was done with being bored and entered himself in the AVUS-Rennen. With one of his legs still in plaster, Tazio’s Maserati was adapted to allow him to operate all three pedals with his other foot. Understandably, Nuvolari suffered from cramps during the high-speed race and he finished fifth. Unbelievably, the Italian took part in the race in the first place.

Tazio would race again that year, but although his leg was soon out of the plaster, it was still causing the Italian considerably amounts of pain. Of course, the show went on though, and Nuvolari continued racing.

Two years later in 1936, Nuvolari suffered one of his bigger accidents – yes, believe it or not his injuries thus far aren’t that bad in comparison – while practicing for the Tripoli Grand Prix. It is alleged that Tazio damaged some of his ribs and may have even damaged some vertebrae. Despite this though, Nuvolari was strapped up in bandages and went out to contest the race the following day. If the stories of his damaged vertebrae are true, then Nuvolari can be considered one of the luckiest drivers ever, for he appeared to suffer no further ill-effects after he healed from the accident.

During practice for the 1938 Pau Grand Prix, Nuvolari’s Alfa suffered a split fuel tank and the car caught on fire. The ensuing accident left Nuvolari with minor bruising and burns to his face, arms and legs. Finally, the Italian was shocked enough to take a break from racing. Annoyed at the shoddy workmanship of the car, Tazio walked away from the Alfa team and travelled to America. He returned to racing with Auto Union a few months later, but World War II soon interrupted motor sport.

After the Second World War had ended in 1945, Nuvolari was 53 years old. Still wanting to compete though, the Italian entered a few races. Towards the end of 1945 Tazio was hit in the face by fuel during an event and this, along with general exposure during his career, lead to severe asthma. It did not lead to Nuvolari’s retirement though, despite the doctors orders. In 1946, Nuvolari contested the Milan Grand Prix while driving one-handed. His other was holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his mouth.

The man was simply unstoppable.

Tazio Nuvolari would eventually survive motor racing, which in fairness is a somewhat incredibly achievement in itself. Furthermore, Nuvolari would go down in history is one of the greatest drivers to have ever graced the tarmac of a racing circuit. He won when he shouldn’t have, even upsetting the Third Reich at times, but continued despite injuries and the personal tragedies of losing both his sons when they were still very young. Tazio died in 1953 at the age of 60 following a deterioration in health and eventually, a stroke.

Drivers continue to injure themselves, either as a result of their passion or as a result of training or moving too quickly in an elevator. But what marks a racing driver out from many other sportspeople is their determination to return to competition as quickly as possible. Racing drivers rarely just quit. Many have died in competition, some reach an age when they feel they cannot keep up anymore and gracefully call it a day. Injury though is just a minor inconvenience in the relentless pursuit of going that little bit faster.

Original article by BlogF1.

You’ll Race Still Quicker On The Highways Of Heaven

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

Photo © Ferrari Spa.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #74

Being a fit and healthy athlete, the pace of Webber’s recovery isn’t really a surprise, and looking back over the years at other accidents which have caused injury to Formula One drivers, Mark is no exception. In 1999, Michael Schumacher impacted the tyre barrier at the Stowe corner at Silverstone. The German world champion sustained a break similar to Webber’s and was forced to sit out part of the season. However, despite receiving such an injury, Schumacher only missed six races and returned for the final two rounds of the championship. Michael took second place in each, and impressively claimed pole position in both.

Back in 1997, Oliver Panis endured a big accident at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Driving down the gentle curve on back part of the circuit between the armco barriers, Panis’s Prost hit the wall on the right before moving over to the left for a second impact. Both of Olivier’s legs were broken and the race was red flagged after the drivers had decided they no longer wanted to drive by the scene with Panis receiving trackside medical attention. Seven races later, Olivier was sitting in his Prost on the grid for the Luxembourg Grand Prix (held at the Nurburgring). Panis qualified eleventh and finished sixth.

Not all injuries were so quick to heal, and perhaps it is a sign of the times when you look further back in history and realise that some drivers didn’t recover as well from damaged limbs. At the 1969 US Grand Prix, Graham Hill sustained two breaks in his legs while driving the often described fragile Lotus 49B. To Hill’s advantage, the US event was the penultimate race of the year and so the Briton only missed one race. However, Hill’s recovery didn’t go so well and when Graham was seen testing the new Lotus 49C, he was clearly in discomfort and needed help getting into and out of the car. Hill never really raced the same again, perhaps in part due to the lack of confidence from those around him, and also in part to the damage he had done to his legs.

However, Webber will have received the very best medical care while he was recovering over Christmas, and the Australian seems determined to get back in the car as soon as possible. The new Red Bull RB5 will be launched on February 9th at Jerez (weather permitting, I presume), and Webber is upbeat and determined not to let this setback inflict on his season.

I’m going to have a crack at driving the car on 11th February, and then we’ll see how that goes. If it goes really well, I’ll be back in on 13th February. Then I’ve got three more tests – Jerez, Valencia and then our last test in Barcelona, with all the teams together – before we go off to Australia.

I’m going alright now. We’re coming out of the back part of the worst of it, and hopefully I won’t be on the crutches too much longer. Can start to test the muscle and the soft tissue in the back of the leg a little bit more when I get more confidence to walk on the leg.

It won’t affect how I drive my car. It affects my conditioning – I need a little bit more preparation, but by the time I get to Melbourne I should be in really good nick again. Mark Webber.

For the upcoming test later in the week, it is presumed that team mate Sebastian Vettel will drive, with the possibility of Scuderia Toro Rosso driver and former Red Bull tester Sebastien Buemi sitting in for Webber in the second chassis.

Original article by BlogF1.

Mark Webber Announces Return Date

Schumacher has had a keen eye for architecture for many years, the former racing driver having been very much involved in the building of his Switzerland home. However, big though his home is, it doesn’t even compare to the towers that are to be erected. At 59-storeys, the first tower is said to emerge from the sea with a luxury harbour circling its base. The so-called Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower will be striking, intricately designed and mainly used for private residences. Fins on the exterior will move with the sun to provide shade to the balconies, and the design is said to be inspired by the shapes of snowflakes.

The unique collaboration with Michael Schumacher gave us new insights. Technology, precision, speed, elegance, paired with human intuition and extraordinary performance were a great source of inspiration for the design. Similar to the formula one operation, construction is a team sport with a lot of highly skilled experts. In this sense the architects take the driver seat in the process, taking the project to the physical limits of possibility. Alexander Rieck.

LAVA have previously been involved with other branded architecture, namely the Mercedes-Benz museum and the Fraunhofer Institute, both in Stuttgart. The Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower is due for completion in June 2011.

More information can be found on Dezeen.com.

Original article by BlogF1.

Michael Schumacher To Have Seven Towers Built In His Honour

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #71

Schumacher is under contract for another season at Maranello, working for both the Formula One team and the road car division. However, at the end of 2009 his contract is up and team bosses have stated that nothing has been decided regarding Michael’s future at Ferrari.

He still has a contract with us for next year, so he’ll stay with us. The activities he has done with us both in the road car department and in the racing one will carry on.

However, and I’m just saying this from a personal point of view, it’s clear that everything must be assessed for what it can bring. So, during the season we’ll have discussions to understand whether this collaboration will keep on going. Stefano Domenicali.

Which loosely translated means that Ferrari are feeling the pinch as the global economy slides over the cliff edge, and with undoubtedly fewer people buying Ferrari and Fiat road cars, the money available to keep Schumacher on the books must be depleting. Ferrari understand that the money they have must be put into the correct departments to ensure the company survives and the team continue to be successful. And while Schumacher is almost certainly a treasured asset, hos contributions may not be worth the pay packet Ferrari pay out every month.

However, while one world champion may be about to sign-on, another looks to have a continued relationship with Formula One. Fernando Alonso did his reputation a huge amount of good work last season upon his return to Renault. Although the R28 wasn’t the greatest car on the grid by some margin, the progress made during the campaign was visible for all to see, culminating in two hard-fought and well-deserved victories. Alonso is still a wanted man, and I doubt the desire to race for Ferrari has waned in his heart.

Rumours starting in Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport speculate that the Spaniard has signed a four-year deal with the Scuderia, starting in 2011. Alonso has been open about his wish to drive for the Maranello team, and during 2008 the rumour mill was in full swing; Kimi Raikkonen seemed to be off-form and few expected Felipe Massa to rise to the challenge in the way that he did. However, Alonso’s hopes were dashed when Raikkonen secured an extension to his contract, meaning Alonso had little choice but to re-sign to Renault.

According to Autosport who have reported on the translated article, there are get-out clauses on both sides of the agreement between Alonso and Ferrari, and although 2011 is the proposed start-date, the Spaniard could be installed into a Ferrari in 2010 if Kimi Raikkonen doesn’t improve during this upcoming season. Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo continues to state that the team have both current drivers under contract until the end of 2010, but also states that “life is long and in the future we will see”, hinting that Alonso is still young and has plenty of time left in his career to make the move to Italy.

Original article by BlogF1.

Fresh Ferrari Rumours: Schumacher Out, Alonso In

I mention this now because Felipe Massa has just overhauled team mate Kimi Raikkonen in the 2008 championship hunt, and at somepoint in the not too distant future, the Maranello team will need to consider their strategy for the final few races of the year. During the live blog yesterday, Sebastian (1:39) asked why it appears that Ferrari are giving Massa the better option for pitstops and fuel-loads, to which a few commenters offered opinions. The most likely is that Massa has been the faster of the two in recent events, and thus it is only fair that the Brazilian be offered the choice strategy.

But when I suggested that maybe Ferrari are already backing Felipe for the title, some felt I was being too hasty. I should point out that I only suggested it as a theory, after all, I know as much as the next person. The reason for suggesting that Ferrari may have already made a decision though stems from Kimi Raikkonen’s apparent reluctance to officially confirm his future involvement in the sport. Of course, he doesn’t have to confirm anything – the contract is in place – but the rumours refuse to disappear.

Raikkonen has a contract for next season, and I’m sure Ferrari would want the Finn to continue with them. However, Kimi has showed signs of not really wanting to be a Formula One driver of late, and while this in itself may be unnecessary speculation, you can’t help but wonder with Kimi – the man is quite the enigma at times. So if it is true that Raikkonen is yet to make up his mind, maybe Ferrari are now looking beyond this year and into a future that may see another driver take up the helm alongside Felipe Massa. If that is the case, it would be better for Ferrari to have an active world champion on the books than a retired one. For nothing else, the marketing would be easier to push.

Couple this with a recent rumour surrounding Philip Morris ending their relationship with Ferrari prematurely, and you can understand why the Scuderia are going to need every trick available to them. Philip Morris essential own the Ferrari car, and any space they have left over after their sponsor’s logos have been placed is negotiated via Philip Morris themselves, not the team. If Marlboro left, Ferrari would once again have to take over the negotiations for the sponsorship. A key ingredient to this rumour is the recent employment of two key people in this field; Steve Wright from McLaren (Johnnie Walker) and Rhys Edwards from Renault (ING).

While the two issues of tactics and marketing are separate, they do come together at times and although the difference between an active and inactive world champion is small, it can make a difference to who is attracted to the brand for sponsorship.

In all honesty, I doubt Ferrari have already decided who they will back. In fact, it may be that they don’t back any one driver, given how this title race is panning out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kimi came back strong in the final few races and the title went down to the wire in Brazil, with Massa, Raikkonen and Hamilton all still in with a shout of winning. But if Massa did well in Spa and Singapore, I also wouldn’t be surprised if Kimi is asked to stand aside for his team mate, something that they may break the camel’s back.

Original article by BlogF1.

Putting All The Red Eggs In One Basket

Original article by BlogF1.

Hakkinen & Schumacher: 2000 Belgian Grand Prix

Image © xpb.cc/Motorsport.com.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #47

In this day and age, drivers earn a lot of money for piloting a Formula One car, the world champions especially so. Raikkonen’s 2007 – 2009 contract is said be worth $153m, meaning that the Finn will earn $51m each year from Ferrari. Add on bonuses and merchandising/other business interests and you realise that Raikkonen should not need to work again once his contract is up or has been ended.

Michael Schumacher reportedly broke new ground when he signed for Ferrari back in 1996, the German’s contract for the first four years of his decade career at the Scuderia being worth approximately $124m. Schumacher was also reported to earn at least a further 30-60% on top of this with his merchandising. Michael, while he is still employed at Maranello, really doesn’t need to take a salary anymore.

Both drivers achieved their greatest success at Ferrari, and although Kimi is still riding at the top of his game (for arguments sake, he is the reigning champion even if he currently doesn’t look like it) I feel that unless Raikkonen switches to another team at exactly the right moment, he will likely see his Ferrari-years as the most successful in his F1 career.

However, Michael Schumacher went on for fifteen years, broke almost all the records and retired, in my opinion, before he really needed to. Although the speculation surrounding Schumacher’s retirement started in the early-to-mid-’00s, the multiple world champion looked as though he could keep on going for a few more years. You only have to look at his facial expressions while he tests the F2008 to see that he misses racing.

Conversely, Raikkonen looks as though he couldn’t be bothered with this racing nonsense and would rather muck about on a frozen lake in Finland on a skidoo. I’m not seriously suggesting for even a second that this is the case, but the passion just seems to come from somewhere else when you look and listen to the Finn. Kimi has also hinted in the past that he doesn’t want a long career like his predecessor at Ferrari. Raikkonen clearly wanted to be champion in all the years and races prior to Brazil 2007, but I don’t think he has the desire to continually want it over and over again.

Fernando Alonso is another modern-day driver who has expressed the desire to not want to race into his late-thirties. Interestingly though, Alonso appears to have continued the passion to date. The Spaniard moved to McLaren for 2007 because he felt they were the best team at the time to offer him the best chance of winning the title again. And to be fair, along with Ferrari, they were at the time he made the move.

But getting back to Raikkonen and the persistent rumour that he may retire in a year or two and make way for Alonso to join…

…Of all the theories, it appears to be a bit wild, but there is something in it that makes me hesitant to completely dismiss it. I can see Raikkonen retiring in the near future. He has money, security and has had his fun while proving to the world he can be world champion. Schumacher’s attitude was quite different, but then it was he along with his close associates (of which Jean Todt became) that rebuilt Ferrari into the dominant force that it was and to a degree, still is.

Schumacher’s attitude was perhaps traditional, the German driver arguably feeling compelled to continue winning for his team; to continually give back until he could no longer. Raikkonen is part of the new breed, the yoof, if you like. Neither attitude is really wrong. Schumacher had a long and successful career, Raikkonen – if he is of this ilk – sees little point in risking his life any more than he feels he needs to.

So let’s put it to the vote:
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

As always, reasons behind your choice are welcomed in the comments below.

Salary source: Wikipedia Entry – List of largest sports contracts.
Photos © Ferrari Spa.

Original article by BlogF1.

Schumacher & Raikkonen: World Champions From Different Worlds

You might think that Kimi Raikkonen would be a Monaco master, the Finnish driver known for his ice-cold approach to racing. Raikkonen is certainly a driver I would expect to do well on the streets of Monte Carlo, but the McLaren and Ferrari winner has only visited the Monaco rostrum twice in his seven attempts to date. Kimi’s first podium was for his second place in 2003, improved upon in 2005 with a victory from pole position. In 2006 and suffering from poor reliability from his McLaren, a small fire on his car forced retirement, Raikkonen famously being videoed storming off to a nearby yacht to calm down. A modern-day Monaco master, he isn’t.

What about David Coulthard? The Scot has certainly raced at Monaco a fair few times and has won the race on two occasions. Both wins came from his years at McLaren, the first being in 2000 and repeated in 2002. Coulthard has also managed a second-place in 1996, a pole position and fastest lap in 2001 and a third place in 2006 for current team Red Bull Racing. But when you look at Coulthard racing in Monaco, it is hard to be inspired by his efforts around the track. Is Coulthard a modern-day Monaco master? I don’t think so.

Giancarlo Fisichella is another driver who has been around for a while as well, occasionally in competitive cars, but the Italian has never won the race. Fisi’s best result was a second place in 1998, way back in his Benetton days. The Roman has also managed a third place 2000 but hasn’t bettered either of these results. Continuing the longevity theme, Rubens Barrichello might be considered a master of the track, but alas he isn’t. Barrichello’s best results came in 1997, 2000 and 2001 when the Brazilian finished second on each occasion. A fastest lap in 2002 and a third-place in 2004 is the best Rubens has been able to muster, and aside from his surprise ‘97 podium for Stewart, each of his rostrum visits have been with the Ferrari team. Therefore, it would appear practice doesn’t always make perfect.

That just leaves Fernando Alonso left from all the serious contenders of Monaco-masterdom. The Spaniard has twice won at Monaco, once in the Renault in his second championship-winning season of 2006, and last year at the helm of the McLaren MP4-22. Alonso also took pole position on both occasions and set the fastest lap in 2007. So does that make Fernando the modern-day master of Monaco? Statistically, maybe. But I’m not sure he falls into the same category as Senna or Hill when it comes to judging his abilities at the track. Not yet, anyway.

Either way, irrespective of your opinion on Alonso and the Cote d’Azur circuit, Alonso is probably worth an outside bet if you’re so inclined. But in reality, I’m expecting Raikkonen to take his second victory to equal current drivers Coulthard and Alonso in the record books.

Who do you consider to be the modern-day masters of Monaco?

Original article by BlogF1.

Who Are The Modern-Day Masters Of Monaco?

Rubens has already been celebrating, and Honda organised a golf tournament in Barcelona following the Spanish Grand Prix, and it has also been reported that Barrichello’s family will be in Turkey to help the experienced driver celebrate.

Barrichello has also been the news this week over an interview he gave where he spoke quite candidly about his time at Ferrari. Barrichello stated that he decided to leave Maranello halfway through the infamous 2005 US Grand Prix. Speaking to Brazilian television network, TV Globo, Rubens said that although his team mate, Mchael Schumacher, was not in the hunt for the championship, he was invited to slow his pace slightly to allow Schumacher to pass.

The team invited me to slow my pace so that Michael could get closer to me and to pass me. In this moment I knew that the time had come for me to go. That race in the United States was crucial. Rubens Barrichello.

Rubens went on to say that while there was nothing in his contract about being a number-two driver to Schumacher, he often got angry when he was asked to move aside for Michael.

When I signed the contract there was nothing to indicate that the drivers would be treated differently.
[...]
Inside, I was often angry about it, because everyone claimed that there were no differences between us, but it was an unequal battle. Rubens Barrichello.

Rubens won 9 races with Ferrari and finished second in the drivers championship on two occasions. Now driving for Honda, Barrichello is in a poorer performing car, but it is his own performances that now separate him from his team mate, Jenson Button. Sometimes Rubens is up, others he is down. But at least Rubens is racing. And not wanting to jinx anything, but what happens if Barrichello stalls his car on the warm-up lap on Sunday?

All images courtesy of HondaF1.

Original article by BlogF1.

Rubens Barrichello Will Have A Special 257 Livery In Turkey

Testing is currently limited to 30,000 kilometres per year per team. One of the primary reasons behind this limitation is to offer a cost-saving to the teams. If they could, the big names would be constantly pounding their way around circuits and employing countless test drivers all in a bid to eek out that illusive tenth. If this were allowed though, as it was in the past, the void between the rich and less-rich teams would get even bigger than what it currently is. The poorer teams cannot afford to be continuously testing, thus improvements take longer to be realised.

If testing were completely outlawed during the season though, the cost-saving across all teams would be fairly substantial, but I wonder if would do the sport any good.

If testing were banned, then development would happen at the race track on race weekends. New parts would be bolted on to the cars on Friday and either be left on, or removed promptly. It would make Friday practice sessions a little more interesting, that’s for sure. To see the cars with all their weird and wonderful additions makes for interesting viewing, even if they don’t make through to Sunday.

There would likely be more retirements during races as parts and components fail. Is this a good thing? I can’t see how it could be, but it would add a little spice into the championship. In Michael Schumacher’s final year of racing in 2006, both he and Fernando Alonso suffered car failures at key points during their campaigns. It certainly added to the spectacle, especially given that Ferrari’s rarely fail, and Renault were also pretty reliable at the time. But to have cars retire for little more than a broken seal or something equally as inane, then that is not good. It takes drivers out of the race, which goes against the point of motor racing.

Another point to consider is the development of the teams during the season. In 2007 a couple of teams showed signs of strong improvement. Scuderia Toro Rosso ended their campaign on a relative high, and BMW have been steadily progressing since they took over the Sauber squad. Without testing I feel the improvements from these teams would have taken a lot longer. You could argue that everybody is in the same boat, but clearly STR and BMW both used their testing allowance to much better effect than say, Renault, or even Ferrari and McLaren when you compare the relative pace of each from last year to this.

Without testing, the season could very easily become a bore. The cars that turn up to the first race won’t change too much as the year unfolds, therefore it wouldn’t be silly to suggest the victors of race one will likely take the title. And I don’t think we really want a season with that much predictability to it.

Prohibiting testing could spice up the championship a bit. It would certainly make the teams think long and hard about adding new parts on their cars. It could add in a few surprises for the teams that are brave, but equally so, it could take a lot away form the spectacle. It could lead to a predictable season which would be a turn-off for so many fans. And besides, what would the teams do with all that money they would save? They’d only turn up to races with ever bigger motor homes, which Bernie would have to some how fit into the paddock.

It isn’t an issue at the moment, so please don’t think this post relates to some breaking news – it really doesn’t. But would you like to see further limitations on testing, or would you rather let the teams run wild and test from sunrise to sunset?

Image courtesy of Honda.

Original article by BlogF1.

Testing: What Would Happen If It Was Outlawed?

Renault’s First Foray Into Formula One

Renault actually raced in the late seventies as a manufacturer team, debuting at the 1977 British Grand Prix. The car, named the RS01 because of Renault Sport’s involvement in the team, was the first to regularly use a turbo-charged engine and the squad competed in the five remaining races of the ‘77 championship. Unfortunately, pushing the envelope with the engine meant taking a big risk and it didn’t pay off for the team; they didn’t even finish one race. Yellow Teapot quickly became the nickname for the car, painted in Renault’s traditional colour of yellow.

The following three years didn’t see much of an improvement either, with staple driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille facing the brunt of retirements in the team. Although Renault were slowly improving, occasionally picking up points and briefly getting on the podium, the results don’t look good when viewed on paper. However, Renault persevered and in 1979, Jabouille took the team’s maiden victory, happily achieved at the French Grand Prix. It was not only the team’s first win, but also Jabouille’s and the first for a turbo-charged engine. The stars aligned that day, the French race being won by a French driver in a French team running on French tyres (Michelin) with French fuel (Elf). Jabouille won the event from pole position, and fellow French competitor Rene Arnoux took the fastest lap in the sister car.

The team steadily improved as turbo-charged engines became more and more popular. With further development of the power units they became increasingly reliable, and continuing with French drivers Renault were slowly grinding their way in to the record books. In 1981, Alain Prost took over from Jean-Pierre Jabouille after an accident in Canada ended his career prematurely. Prost would go on to show the world he had the pace to become champion, something he achieved four times in the eighties and nineties.

The closest this first incarnation of Renault came to the constructors title was in 1983, Prost claiming four wins and three other podiums. Ferrari beat them to the trophy by ten points, but both squads took four wins and the Scuderia only managed one extra podium. Unfortunately it would be the closest the team ever got to the title before returning many years later, the company deciding to pack up and leave after the 1985 season. The Renault company were facing a financial crisis and the Formula One team was first to go. They supplied engines to three teams in 1986, but it was a swan-song as the name left the sport entirely in 1987.

Success With Engine Building

In 1989 though, Renault returned as an engine supplier, teaming up with Williams and developing the formula’s first V10 unit. By the sixth race in Canada, they had won their first victory as a supplier and the results continued to poor in over the next nine years. With Williams, Renault managed five constructor titles and one with Benetton. Renault pulled out of the sport in after the 1997 season, but they wouldn’t be gone for too long.

From Toleman To Benetton To Renault

To see how Renault returned to Formula One as a constructor, we have to back in time to 1981 and the creation of the Toleman team. While Ted Toleman’s team never used Renault engine units, or in fact have any association with the French company, they would, after five years of few results, be brought out by the Benetton family. Just prior to this transaction though, Toleman did launch Ayrton Senna into the sport, debuting the Brazilian in 1984 and managing the team’s three best results in its short history. Two third place finishes and second was all they could achieve, but the promise of Senna’s ability was clear to see and in a tragically short career, Ayrton would win three titles and many, many races.

In 1985 though, Benetton purchased and re-branded the team. In 1990 Flavio Briatore was hired to run the outfit having impressed the company by becoming a successful franchisee of the chain of clothing shops in America (Briatore essentially launched Benetton in America). The F1 team achieved some great successes, most notably with Michael Schumacher in the early-to-mid-nineties, and they won their first and only constructors title with Renault power in 1995.

Unfortunately for the squad though, Schumacher left in 1996 to join Ferrari, the German taking several key staff with him. The team fell into a slump and only managed one further victory, that being thanks to Gerhard Berger in ‘97 German Grand Prix. Renault pulled out of the sport temporarily and Briatore was fired. The team fell into a decline that would only be lifted in 2000. The turn of the millennium saw the announcement that Renault would return to the sport, but instead of facing the costs of setting up a new team, they instead chose to buy-out the Benetton operation.

Although the team continued to race under the Italian clothing company’s name for a couple of years, ownership had changed in 2000 and Renault returned. The French squad set about slowly rebuilding the team, re-hiring Briatore who, in 2002 hired Fernando Alonso as a test driver. By 2003, the Spaniard had been promoted to the race team and the fireworks were lit.

The team’s first victory in their new guise happened in Hungary 2003 when Alonso gave the world a driving lesson. It would eventually become the first of many, but Renault would still have to wait for another couple of years before really going for the title. 2004 saw the team take their second win, this time at Monaco and courtesy of Jarno Trulli. And in 2005, Renault started as they meant to go on with a victory and third-place finish at the first race.

2005 and 2006 were Renault’s years with two constructor titles and two drivers titles for Alonso. Of the 37 races over those two years, the team won 16, as well as many podiums and pole positions. The team’s future in the sport was under question throughout this time though, as the Renault company appeared to be vague about the team’s future involvement in Formula One. Renault’s CEO Carlos Ghosn eventually stated that Formula One had become more of an investment for the company, but despite this and all their successes, one cannot help but feel the team would be pulled if they consistently failed to win. Which, unfortunately, is exactly what they’re doing at the moment.

The last season-and-a-bit have been difficult for the team as Alonso left and then rejoined. Their last victory was at Suzuka, Japan in 2006, and it looks as though they’ll go through 2008 without a win as well. And with further rumour that Alonso may once again leave, combined with the impending retirement of Benetton and now Renault boss Flavio Briatore, one has to wonder how long Renault will continue.

Original article by BlogF1.

Team History: Renault

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #33

When drivers retire they tend to allow their opinion out with increased regularity. Perhaps this is due to not being tied down by a team anymore and not having sponsors to keep sweet. Of course, Michael Schumacher is still tied to a team, Ferrari, but given the fact he is considered an authority on the subject, one can forgive him, and arguably respect him for his views on the rules.

I say arguably because the former champion has flouted many of them in his time, but that is not the discussion point today. Instead, it is the following few lines Schumacher uttered that the FIA should take note of.

I saw Kovalainen drive a perfect race but lose a podium because the safety car went onto the track at an unfavourable moment for him. In my opinion this is not a good rule.

Michael Schumacher is talking about how, when the safety car is deployed to slow the pack and allow marshals to clear the track following an accident, the pitlane immediately closes. The pitlane does reopen after a while, but the only way to enter the pits following a safety car outing is if your car is damaged.

This rule was brought in to counter the en-masse pitting that occurred during safety car periods and prevent cars speeding around to get back to the pits as quickly as possible. Because the pack is bunched up the time lost regaining position after a pit stop is shorter, thus saving time. If I’m being perfectly honest, I don’t know why the FIA would want to prevent this. Who really cares if all the cars pit closely together? The only thing I can think of is that having so many cars in the pitlane will increase the risks to personnel walking around. But then they should be observant and careful. After all, they are at a racing circuit, are they not! Regarding the rush to get back to the pits being dangerous to the marshals on the track, the FIA are quite correct. But Schumacher can see another way of enforcing careful driving during this phase. It is a little complicated, so I’ll just let the man himself explain:

…you could determine with the sector times whether a driver was going too fast.

Schumacher was airing his opinions to German publication Auto Motor und Sport following the race last weekend, the interview obviously centred around the double retirement from Ferrari. However, Germany’s Formula One hero couldn’t let the safety car issue drop and according to many online sites, he called the rule “moronic”. A sentiment I would have to agree with.

Here’s the article in German at Auto Motor und Sport.

Original article by BlogF1.

Schumacher Doesn’t Like The Safety Car Rules

The thirtieth photograph to feature in BlogF1’s caption contest. You know the drill, think of something funny and witty to say and leave it as a comment below.

Original article by BlogF1.

Caption Contest: #30

Next week we have another three test days here at Barcelona. Also Schumacher will be here for one day – it’s important to be able to count on his help as a test driver. Aldo Costa.

The team completed a final day of testing at Montmelo today, Felipe Massa and Luca Badoer each simulating race distances. They were the only two drivers on track as everyone else packed up and went back to base yesterday. However, the mileage saved from not running in the wet earlier in the week allowed the Scuderia to stay on an extra day without much penalty.

Original article by BlogF1.

Michael Schumacher To Test F2008 Next Week