F1 2010 talk / results etc ..all in here

[Weasel 555]

How much will the United States Grand Prix cost Texan taxpayers?

Love it or hate it, the Formula One circus is heading to Austin, Texas. The reinstated United States Grand Prix is set to take place in the Lone Star capital city starting in 2012 and the annual event will surely infuse an added boost of tourism revenue into the Austin area. But just how much will the initiative cost Texas taxpayers?

The first indication could be the licensing fee which Formula One Management chief Bernie Ecclestone charges race organizers for the right to hold the event and its inclusion in the championship. The fee varies for each venue, and nearly every grand prix is financially supported in some capacity by local governments eager to put their locations on the map. Austin's bill reportedly comes to $25 million for the first year, and will be passed on to local government for the first year at least. After that, the revenues from the previous year's race will go towards Ecclestone's fee for the following season.

Assuming Bernie applies the same 7% annual increase as he does to other venues, that means the race will need to generate $26.75 million in its first year to cover just the licensing fee for the following year. Considering that – with advertising, concessions and just about everything else going straight to Bernie's pockets and some to the teams – ticket sales remain as one of the few ways for race organizers to recuperate the costs.

Click: autoblog.com/2010/06/03/

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[Weasel 555]

Canadian GP Circuit Gilles Villeneuve June 11-13

Click: http://en.espnf1.com/canada/motorspo...?template=home

Montréal, Canada

* Circuit Length 4.361kms
* Circuit Turns 13
* Circuit Direction clockwise
* Capacity 100,000
* Established 1978





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Ferrari renews Massa's contract until 2012

Ferrari has signed Felipe Massa to drive for another two years, ending weeks of speculation about him being replaced at the end of this season.

Robert Kubica and Mark Webber (who has now signed a new contract with Red Bull) were two names being touted to take Massa's place, but Ferrari has put an end to speculation by making an announcement well ahead of its traditional Monza deadline. Massa has become a fixture at the Italian team, after he started his career with a Ferrari-powered Sauber in 2002 and graduated to become a full Ferrari race driver in 2006.

"I am happy to be given the opportunity to drive for Ferrari for a further two seasons," he said. "Throughout my entire Formula 1 career, I have always raced with an engine made in Maranello and it is a matter of pride for me to be able to continue working with a team that I regard as a second family."

Click: en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/19673


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[Weasel 555]

Red Bull branded 'naïve' and 'cynical' over Istanbul
The manner in which the senior management of Red Bull Racing handled the Istanbul coming-together between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber was 'naïve', 'cynical' and 'spectacularly unconvincing', opines former grand prix ace David Kennedy - and he warns that if the pair come together again, 'carbon will fly...'

Red Bull Racing has been accused of betraying 'a curious mix of naivety and cynicism' in its handling of the now infamous Turkish Grand Prix collision between team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in Istanbul just under a fortnight ago – and the Milton Keynes-based squad's subsequent stage-managed attempt to patch over the cracks has been branded 'spectacularly unconvincing'.

The drama erupted when, under increasing pressure from the hounding and seemingly faster McLaren-Mercedes' of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button directly behind him, Vettel went for a move on Webber heading towards Turn Twelve shortly beyond two-thirds distance of the 58-lap race.

Having pulled half-alongside the sister RB6 and holding the inside line for the upcoming left-hander, the young German then inexplicably jinked to the right and into the Australian's car, sending himself into a spin and pitching his team-mate off the track. The upshot was retirement for Vettel and an extra pit-stop and consequently delayed third place for Webber – and vital points cast carelessly aside.

However, of more interest in the immediate aftermath of the grand prix was the reaction of team principal Christian Horner and the energy drinks-backed outfit's motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, a close and trusted confidant of Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz. Whilst the vast majority of paddock observers blamed Vettel for his impetuosity in the manoeuvre, these two took a different view, and publicly expressed their opinion that Webber could – and should – have given the Heppenheim native more room.

For a team to condemn the actions of either of its drivers in public is a sin, but to do so and blame the wrong one whilst appearing to comfort the guilty party is cardinal. Though RBR has since back-tracked, issuing a statement to the effect that Vettel and Webber have now 'cleared the air' and a cringingly-staged photo to accompany it [see separate story – click here] – and Horner has conceded that Red Bull 'was wrong' to take sides [see separate story – click here] – ex-grand prix ace David Kennedy likens the PR stunt to trying to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted. The damage, he opines, has already been done.

“One of the entertaining aspects of F1 racing is watching internecine squabbling between team-mates,” the 57-year-old wrote in the Irish Independent. “It's a testament to the perverse nature of humanity that we are often at our happiest watching strangers bicker and scuffle. The halcyon days of F1 coincided with unseemly rows among the likes of Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet at Williams, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna at McLaren and, more recently, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso – another McLaren pair that were at loggerheads.

“Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber are both very personable, hard-working young men at the very top of their game, who are tigerishly competitive and totally co-operative with each other. To place the blame for what happened on lap 40 of the Turkish Grand Prix at the door of either Vettel or Webber is to miss the point. The situation should never have been allowed to develop between the drivers, and having done so, Red Bull management showed a curious mix of naivety and cynicism in how they dealt with the problem in the media.

“Red Bull is a racing team dedicated to the promotion of a fizzy energy drink. By contrast, Williams and McLaren are examples of race teams dedicated to winning motor races and which have marketing departments dedicated to finding them the money to do just that. There's a subtle difference there, which might explain the slightly unusual comments from some of the Red Bull personnel following the contretemps in Istanbul.

“Webber – as befits a tough Aussie who is also a leading member of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association and, as such, a prominent campaigner for safe racing – gave Vettel the absolute minimum amount of room and no more. He was tough but entirely fair. The trouble for Vettel was that he was hard on the left-hand side of the circuit, off the 'grippy' racing line and fast approaching the corner. He simply couldn't wait to get over to where Webber was on the part of the track where the cars had been laying rubber throughout the weekend.



Read More Click: crash.net/f1/news/160513/1/red_bull_branded_nave_and_cynical


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[Weasel 555]

Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal - Qualifying times
McLaren man Lewis Hamilton grabs late pole in Canada and ends Red Bull Racing's domination of F1 2010 qualifying.

1. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 15.105s
2. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 1m 15.373s
3. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1m 15.420s
4. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 15.435s
5. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 15.520s
6. Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Force India-Mercedes 1m 15.648s
7. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 15.688s
8. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault 1m 15.715s
9. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes 1m 15.881s
10. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 16.071s

11. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Williams-Cosworth 1m 16.434s
12. Nico Hulkenberg Germany Williams-Cosworth 1m 16.438s
13. Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 16.492s
14. Vitaly Petrov Russia Renault-Renault 1m 16.844s
15. Sebastien Buemi Switzerland Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 16.928s
16. Jaime Alguersuari Spain Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 17.029s
17. Pedro de la Rosa Spain BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 17.384s

18. Kamui Kobayashi Japan BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 18.019s
19. Heikki Kovalainen Finland Lotus-Cosworth 1m 18.237s
20. Jarno Trulli Italy Lotus-Cosworth 1m 18.698s
21. Timo Glock Germany Virgin-Cosworth 1m 18.941s
22. Bruno Senna Brazil HRT-Cosworth 1m 19.484s
23. Lucas di Grassi Brazil Virgin-Cosworth 1m 19.675s
24. Karun Chandhok India HRT-Cosworth 1m 27.757s

all times unofficial

Click: crash.net/f1/results/160598/1/canadian_grand_prix_montreal_-_qualifying_times

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Hamilton keeps Montreal pole
Lewis Hamilton reprimanded and fined following qualifying in Canada, but McLaren man keeps pole

Lewis Hamilton will keep his pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix despite being fined and reprimanded by stewards following qualifying in Montreal.

The McLaren driver suffered a scare when the team was forced to change the suspension on the right-hand side of his car after free practice, with the Briton heading into qualifying keen to repay his mechanics for their work between sessions.

Hamilton duly stormed to his first pole of the year to end Red Bull's qualifying dominance and will now seek to secure a second win in a row in Sunday's race.

“At the end of my fastest lap, it was such a fantastic feeling crossing the line – the team came on the radio through turn two and told me I'd got pole,” he said. “I knew it was a good lap – but, when they told me it was the best lap, it just brought back so many memories of my previous times here. It was exactly the same ecstatic feeling as when I took my very first pole position here in 2007.

“I think it's going to be an interesting race tomorrow – I hope it stays sunny and that the track gets better. The Red Bulls are in an interesting position, because they'll start tomorrow on the prime tyre. They'll have to use the option at some stage, obviously, so it will be an interesting one. If there's a Safety Car, it could have a very big influence on the result of the race.”

However, after setting his qualifying times, Hamilton was then ordered to bring the car to a halt on his in lap due to concerns about the level of fuel left in the car – with a fuel sample being needed for post-qualifying checks.

Having turned off the engine of his car, Hamilton coasted to a stop before jumping from the car and pushing it down the circuit. When it eventually came to a halt, Hamilton returned to the pits in the back of the Safety Car.

With F1 regulations stating that a driver has to complete his in lap in a certain amount of time, stewards looked into the incident following the session but elected to let Hamilton's qualifying time stand. He was however hit with an official reprimand and fined $10,000.

Click: crash.net/f1/news/160609/1/hamilton_keeps_montreal_pole


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[Weasel 555]

yay Hammy n Button McLaren 1&2 ...

[cavallino333]

Pretty exciting race. At least Alonso was on the podium and someone other than Red Bull won, though I would prefer it not be Hamilton.

Un sacco di niente for Massa again. Though there were some extenuating circumstances. Alonso has been doing ok this season but we can't seem to get both drivers up in points to stay close to Mclaren/Red Bull, still though I think Ferrari has a chance.

Schumacher shouldn't have come back the announcers just love to mention the fact that younger drivers are passing a 7 time world champion.

[Merk247]

sad for massa getting sandwiched in turn 1 but he def turned into liuzzi..more car problems for vettel ..and webber seemed strong till his tires went off..jenson again showing how got he really is at conserving tires..not a fan of lewis but good result for him ggod to see someone other than red bull on the top two podium spots..

[Weasel 555]

Ferrari will use KERS in 2011

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has revealed his cars will run Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) next season.

KERS was introduced in 2009 and is still allowed under the current regulations, but in order to cut costs the teams collectively agreed not to use it this year. However, after F1 teams met in Canada to discuss technical matters relating to the 2011 season, Ferrari - a strong supporter of the energy recovery system due to its road car division - confirmed it would use the technology.

Ferrari has been among a number of teams pushing hard to allow KERS to be much more powerful in 2011, but instead the minimum weight of the car-plus-driver will be raised. The weight handicap of KERS was considered to be one of the main problems with the technology in 2009 and from 2011 the minimum limit will rise from 620 to 640kg to accommodate it.

"The teams have agreed for a higher basic weight for the car," he confirmed. "This helps to ensure KERS can be used effectively. We would have preferred to see a solution in which much more energy is available [for KERS]. But unfortunately no agreement could be found. As a compromise we are staying with the existing regulations.

"The regulations are nevertheless good enough to kick-start the development and to see if the system works. In any case, we plan to use it for every race [in 2011]. At least that is the current strategy."

It is understood that the reason for staying with a lower power output is that some manufacturers would have had trouble adapting their existing technology. But while it has been suggested that another major problem for KERS in 2009 is that the systems were voluntary to run, it has emerged that the units will not be compulsory in 2011.

Mercedes, for instance, is considering whether to use KERS next year, even though it had already started on a programme with a view to running it in 2011. "We will make a decision [about KERS for 2011] within four to six weeks," said Ross Brawn.

Click: en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/20379

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[Weasel 555]

60 Years Of Ferrari Race Car Evolution

Click: jalopnik.com/5552077/60-years-of-ferrari-evolution

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[mycologist]

60 Years Of Ferrari Race Car Evolution

Click: jalopnik.com/5552077/60-years-of-ferrari-evolution

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[cavallino333]

Awesome thanks posting that.

[Weasel 555]

Pirelli confirmed as F1 2011 tyre-supplier

The FIA has confirmed that Italian manufacturer Pirelli will become the official F1 tyre-supplier from 2011 on a three-year deal - along with a whole host of other changes agreed by the governing body's World Motor Sport Council...



Following a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Geneva today (23 June), F1's governing body has officially confirmed that Pirelli will become the top flight's sole tyre-supplier from 2011 on a three-year contract, taking over from present incumbent Bridgestone.

Pirelli had been embroiled in a battle with French rival Michelin to clinch the deal, but all the latest signs pointed to the Italian marque being given the nod, with Michelin making increasingly pessimistic noises and the preference seemingly being to plump for the cheaper option – if a less recently-tested one, given that Pirelli has not been involved at the highest level since 1991, whereas Michelin only left F1 four years ago.

In other decisions taken by the WMSC, the 107 per cent qualifying rule is to be re-instated from next season – barring 'exceptional circumstances...which may include setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session' – and a number of other changes have also been approved.

Key amongst them are an immediate amendment to the safety car regulations in the wake of the Michael Schumacher/Fernando Alonso last lap controversy in Monaco, and the stipulation that a new 'maximum time' will be set for drivers to return to the pits at the end of sessions, to avoid any further incidents like that which earned McLaren-Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton a fine and a reprimand post-qualifying in Montreal last time out.

'With immediate effect, no car may overtake until it has passed the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits,' a statement from the governing body reads. 'However, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, it will enter the pit-lane at the end of the lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.

'With immediate effect, any car being driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or which is deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers, will be reported to the stewards. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit-lane.

'In order to ensure cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on in-laps during qualifying or reconnaissance laps when the pit exit is opened for the race, drivers must stay below the maximum time set by the FIA between the safety car line after the pit exit and safety car line before the pit entry. The maximum time will be determined by the race director at each event prior to the first day of practice.'

On the technical side, F-ducts have been banned from 2011 whilst the proximity rear wing and the return of KERS have conversely been approved, with the confirmation that 'adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps.

'The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the predetermined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated.'

Finally, and ostensibly in response to scandals such as 'Spygate' and 'Singapore-gate', it is 'under consideration' that 'specific licences' might be required by 'members of staff of competitors entered in the FIA World Championships', whilst Renault reserve driver Ho-Pin Tung has been granted a 'four-race probationary super-licence'.

Click: crash.net/f1/news/160890/1/pirelli_confirmed_as_f1_2011_tyre-supplier


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Full list of F1 decisions taken by FIA World Motor Sport Council

The full statement from F1's governing body the FIA, following the World Motor Sport Council reunion that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, today (23 June)

The FIA World Motor Sport Council met in Geneva on 23 June, 2010. The following decisions were taken:

FORMULA ONE

Tyres

Pirelli has been selected as the single tyre supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship for a period of three years, commencing in 2011. The sole supplier will undertake to strictly respect the sporting and technical regulations implemented by the FIA.

'Competitor's staff' FIA Licence

A proposal relating to specific licences for members of staff of competitors entered in the FIA World Championships has been submitted to the Formula One Commission. This is under consideration for implementation in the FIA Formula One World Championship from the start of 2011, with a view to inclusion in other FIA World Championships in the future.

Safety Car

With immediate effect, no car may overtake until it has passed the first safety car line for the first time when the safety car is returning to the pits. However, if the safety car is still deployed at the beginning of the last lap, or is deployed during the last lap, it will enter the pit-lane at the end of the lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking.

General safety

With immediate effect, any car being driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically, or which is deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers, will be reported to the stewards. This will apply whether any such car is being driven on the track, the pit entry or the pit-lane.

In order to ensure cars are not driven unnecessarily slowly on in-laps during qualifying or reconnaissance laps when the pit exit is opened for the race, drivers must stay below the maximum time set by the FIA between the safety car line after the pit exit and safety car line before the pit entry. The maximum time will be determined by the race director at each event prior to the first day of practice, but may be amended during the event if necessary.

The grid

From 2011, any driver whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107 per cent of the fastest Q1 qualifying time will not be allowed to take part in the race. Under exceptional circumstances, however, which may include setting a suitable lap time in a free practice session, the stewards may permit the car to start the race. Should there be more than one driver accepted in this manner, the grid order will be determined by the stewards.

Driver adjustable bodywork

From 2011, adjustable bodywork may be activated by the driver at any time prior to the start of the race and, for the sole purpose of improving overtaking opportunities during the race, after the driver has completed two laps. The driver may only activate the adjustable bodywork in the race when he has been notified via the control electronics that it is enabled. It will only be enabled if the driver is less than one second behind another at any of the pre-determined positions around each circuit. The system will be disabled the first time the driver uses the brakes after the system has been activated. The FIA may, after consulting all the competitors, adjust the time proximity in order to ensure the purpose of the adjustable bodywork is met.

Aerodynamic influence

With the exception of the parts necessary for the driver adjustable bodywork, any car system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car is prohibited from 2011.

Weight

From 2011, the minimum weight of the car must not be less than 640kg at all times during the event.

Fuel draining

With immediate effect, if a sample of fuel is required after a practice session the car concerned must have first been driven back to the pits under its own power.

Licences

Based on his career résumé and comparative F1 testing times, the World Council has approved the granting of a four-race probationary super-licence to Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung.


Click: crash.net/f1/news/160891/1/full_list_of_f1_decisions_taken_by_fia_world_motor _sport_council


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[Weasel 555]

European Grand Prix, Valencia - Friday free practice (2)
Fernando Alonso tops second practice in Valencia, closely followed by Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

1. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 39.283s
2. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1m 39.339s
3. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 1m 39.427s
4. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 39.650s
5. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 39.749s
6. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault 1m 39.880s
7. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 39.947s
8. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes 1m 40.020s
9. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 40.029s
10. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Williams-Cosworth 1m 40.174s
11. Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 40.287s
12. Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Force India-Mercedes 1m 40.387s
13. Vitaly Petrov Russia Renault-Renault 1m 40.618s
14. Kamui Kobayashi Japan BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 40.906s
15. Pedro de la Rosa Spain BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 40.945s
16. Sebastien Buemi Switzerland Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 41.115s
17. Nico Hulkenberg Germany Williams-Cosworth 1m 41.371s
18. Jaime Alguersuari Spain Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 41.457s
19. Heikki Kovalainen Finland Lotus-Cosworth 1m 42.467s
20. Jarno Trulli Italy Lotus-Cosworth 1m 42.993s
21. Timo Glock Germany Virgin-Cosworth 1m 43.811s
22. Lucas di Grassi Brazil Virgin-Cosworth 1m 43.854s
23. Bruno Senna Brazil HRT-Cosworth 1m 44.095s
24. Karun Chandhok India HRT-Cosworth 1m 44.566s

all times unofficial

Click: crash.net/f1/results/160962/1/european_grand_prix_valencia_-_friday_free_practice_2


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[Weasel 555]

European Grand Prix, Valencia – Qualifying times
Sebastian Vettel heads Red Bull Racing 1-2 in qualifying for the European GP on the streets of Valencia.



1. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1m 37.587s
2. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 1m 37.662s
3 Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 37.969s
4. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 38.075s
5. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 38.127s
6. Robert Kubica Poland Renault-Renault 1m 38.137s
7. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 38.210s
8 Nico Hulkenberg Germany Williams-Cosworth 1m 38.428s
9. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Williams-Cosworth 1m 38.428s
10. Vitaly Petrov Russia Renault-Renault 1m 38.523s

11. Sebastien Buemi Switzerland Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 38.586s
12. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 38.627s
13. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes 1m 38.851s
14. Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Force India-Mercedes 1m 38.884s
15. Michael Schumacher Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 39.234s
16. Pedro de la Rosa Spain BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 39.264s
17. Jaime Alguersuari Spain Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 39.458s

18. Kamui Kobayashi Japan BMW Sauber-Ferrari 1m 39.343s
19. Jarno Trulli Italy Lotus-Cosworth 1m 40.658s
20. Heikki Kovalainen Finland Lotus-Cosworth 1m 40.882s
21. Lucas di Grassi Brazil Virgin-Cosworth 1m 42.086s
22. Timo Glock Germany Virgin-Cosworth 1m 42.140s
23. Karun Chandhok India HRT-Cosworth 1m 42.600s
24. Bruno Senna Brazil HRT-Cosworth 1m 42.851s


all times unofficial

Click: crash.net/f1/results/161022/1/european_grand_prix_valencia__qualifying_times

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[cavallino333]

I was hoping for better with all the new Ferrari upgrades but not bad I guess.