Jean Sage, the boss of Renault's original works Formula 1 programme, has died at the age of 68.
The Frenchman began his involvement in motorsport as a rally co-driver, sportscar and Formula 3 racer in the 1960s, before establishing the Ecurie Elf-Switzerland team with Gerard Larrousse and Paul Archambeaud. The squad took Jean-Pierre Jabouille to the European Formula 2 title in 1976.
Larrousse became head of Renault's motorsport programmes, and recruited Sage - who had also been his former co-driver - to spearhead the company's F1 project in 1977.
Although Sage's Renault team never won the world championship, it kickstarted the turbo engine revolution, won 15 races with Jabouille, Rene Arnoux and Alain Prost, and came within two points of claiming the 1983 title.
Sage stayed at Renault beyond the end of its factory team programme in 1985, but left after it temporarily quit as an engine supplier too at the end of 1987.
He subsequently ran a Ferrari sportscar team in the IMSA GT series and contested historic events.
News from Formula One in the Formation Lap.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Sato still chasing an F1 return
Takuma Sato says he is determined to return to racing in 2010 - and that he will only look at options beyond Formula 1 when all hopes of a grand prix drive have been exhausted.
The Japanese driver has not raced since his Super Aguri team folded before the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix, and he missed out on a Toro Rosso seat for this year after a winter testing shoot-out with Sebastien Buemi and Sebastien Bourdais.
Sato has attended several IndyCar races and been linked to a seat with Gil de Ferran's planned team. But he said a switch to American racing was very much a second choice and he was actively seeking an F1 drive first.
"I went to the Indy 500 too and there is some opportunity [in IndyCar] but I always want to be at the highest level and that's the objective," Sato told AUTOSPORT.
"To me, F1 is an unfinished job so I want to get back in and just have a competitive package to drive, because now I have the experience, I have the speed. I really hope I can do it.
"This weekend for me was painful. To come to Suzuka, where I have a lot of memories, but not racing is not an easy moment."
He said he was chasing opportunities with both the new teams entering F1 next year and established squads.
"We are just communicating," said Sato. "As you know now in F1, in business and everything, it's quite difficult to predict. Of course new teams are coming, which is a great opportunity for me, and of course the current teams too.
"So we are just communicating with everybody really and trying to find any possibility, not only for F1."
Sato admitted that if he could not get an F1 seat then he would definitely accept a drive elsewhere rather than spending another year on the sidelines.
"I have to have some kind of option for next year because one and a half years out of racing is just too long and to me it's the limit." he said.
"If it was only half a season [without racing] then concentrating on F1 is fine. That was the case last year: we did the winter testing and it went perfectly and it didn't happen. That was a very unfortunate moment but I will never give up.
"I'm just attacking every single door and if that opens the doors for next year I will be very, very happy."
The Japanese driver has not raced since his Super Aguri team folded before the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix, and he missed out on a Toro Rosso seat for this year after a winter testing shoot-out with Sebastien Buemi and Sebastien Bourdais.
Sato has attended several IndyCar races and been linked to a seat with Gil de Ferran's planned team. But he said a switch to American racing was very much a second choice and he was actively seeking an F1 drive first.
"I went to the Indy 500 too and there is some opportunity [in IndyCar] but I always want to be at the highest level and that's the objective," Sato told AUTOSPORT.
"To me, F1 is an unfinished job so I want to get back in and just have a competitive package to drive, because now I have the experience, I have the speed. I really hope I can do it.
"This weekend for me was painful. To come to Suzuka, where I have a lot of memories, but not racing is not an easy moment."
He said he was chasing opportunities with both the new teams entering F1 next year and established squads.
"We are just communicating," said Sato. "As you know now in F1, in business and everything, it's quite difficult to predict. Of course new teams are coming, which is a great opportunity for me, and of course the current teams too.
"So we are just communicating with everybody really and trying to find any possibility, not only for F1."
Sato admitted that if he could not get an F1 seat then he would definitely accept a drive elsewhere rather than spending another year on the sidelines.
"I have to have some kind of option for next year because one and a half years out of racing is just too long and to me it's the limit." he said.
"If it was only half a season [without racing] then concentrating on F1 is fine. That was the case last year: we did the winter testing and it went perfectly and it didn't happen. That was a very unfortunate moment but I will never give up.
"I'm just attacking every single door and if that opens the doors for next year I will be very, very happy."
Bernie can't see Donington being ready
Donington Park appears to be on the brink of losing the right to host the British Grand Prix after Bernie Ecclestone admitted he could not see how the circuit would complete its multi-million pound revamp in time for next June's race.
Amid reports that the Leicestershire track had missed an extended deadline to prove to Ecclestone that it had secured the financial backing required for the project, the Formula 1 ringmaster hinted that Donington's time was now up.
Limited progress has been made on the huge rebuild Donington must undertake to bring the track's safety, paddock and access facilities up to F1 standards, and Ecclestone does not see how the work will be finished in time even if track boss Simon Gillett pulls off the funding deals.
"It's not good, is it?" Ecclestone told The Times.
"Even if they get the money, I cannot see how it will all be ready in time to go.
"It is very disappointing because we thought it would happen, but they cannot go on missing deadlines.
"They could still come to us saying they have the money, but there is no way the circuit would be ready at this late stage.
It looks as though we will have to start planning again."
Although Ecclestone had initially said that Britain would lose its F1 race if Donington did not deliver, he has since hinted that Silverstone will get a reprieve after all and be allowed to retain the race in Donington's absence.
Amid reports that the Leicestershire track had missed an extended deadline to prove to Ecclestone that it had secured the financial backing required for the project, the Formula 1 ringmaster hinted that Donington's time was now up.
Limited progress has been made on the huge rebuild Donington must undertake to bring the track's safety, paddock and access facilities up to F1 standards, and Ecclestone does not see how the work will be finished in time even if track boss Simon Gillett pulls off the funding deals.
"It's not good, is it?" Ecclestone told The Times.
"Even if they get the money, I cannot see how it will all be ready in time to go.
"It is very disappointing because we thought it would happen, but they cannot go on missing deadlines.
"They could still come to us saying they have the money, but there is no way the circuit would be ready at this late stage.
It looks as though we will have to start planning again."
Although Ecclestone had initially said that Britain would lose its F1 race if Donington did not deliver, he has since hinted that Silverstone will get a reprieve after all and be allowed to retain the race in Donington's absence.
Glock forced to sit out Brazilian GP
Timo Glock's 2009 season could be over after the German was found to have cracked a vertebrae when he crashed in qualifying at Suzuka.
Toyota reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi will deputise for Glock at Interlagos next weekend, and there are also doubts over whether he will be fit in time for the season closer in Abu Dhabi.
Glock was airlifted to hospital last Saturday after spearing into the Suzuka barriers at high speed when he ran wide exiting the chicane in Q2.
It was initially believed that he had escaped unscathed apart from a cut to his left leg, and although this prevented him from racing in Japan, he was expected to return for Brazil.
However further medical tests this week revealed that he had sustained a more serious back injury and will have to miss at least the Brazilian Grand Prix and possibly Abu Dhabi as well.
Team boss John Howett said he hoped Glock would only have to miss one more race.
"Obviously everyone in the team is very disappointed and feels for Timo," he said.
"We wish him a very speedy recovery.
"Based on the initial diagnosis, we fully expected Timo to return in Brazil but unfortunately a different injury has been revealed which prevents that.
"He will remain in Germany to recover and we hope he can recuperate in time for Abu Dhabi, although at this stage the situation is not clear."
Toyota has therefore called up Kobayashi to deputise.
The 23-year-old Japanese driver had already sat in for Glock when the German was taken ill before Friday practice at Suzuka, and would have deputised again in the race if the team had received dispensation - which was denied as he had not run in the dry sessions on Saturday.
Howett is confident that Kobayashi will acquit himself well on his GP debut.
"Kamui was the natural choice to step in and he proved in Suzuka that he is capable of holding his own," said Howett.
"It is a difficult task for him but he knows the team will give him its complete support and we know he is motivated to make the most of this unexpected opportunity."
Kobayashi won last winter's GP2 Asia title but struggled to 16th in the main championship with just a single podium finish to show for his efforts
Toyota reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi will deputise for Glock at Interlagos next weekend, and there are also doubts over whether he will be fit in time for the season closer in Abu Dhabi.
Glock was airlifted to hospital last Saturday after spearing into the Suzuka barriers at high speed when he ran wide exiting the chicane in Q2.
It was initially believed that he had escaped unscathed apart from a cut to his left leg, and although this prevented him from racing in Japan, he was expected to return for Brazil.
However further medical tests this week revealed that he had sustained a more serious back injury and will have to miss at least the Brazilian Grand Prix and possibly Abu Dhabi as well.
Team boss John Howett said he hoped Glock would only have to miss one more race.
"Obviously everyone in the team is very disappointed and feels for Timo," he said.
"We wish him a very speedy recovery.
"Based on the initial diagnosis, we fully expected Timo to return in Brazil but unfortunately a different injury has been revealed which prevents that.
"He will remain in Germany to recover and we hope he can recuperate in time for Abu Dhabi, although at this stage the situation is not clear."
Toyota has therefore called up Kobayashi to deputise.
The 23-year-old Japanese driver had already sat in for Glock when the German was taken ill before Friday practice at Suzuka, and would have deputised again in the race if the team had received dispensation - which was denied as he had not run in the dry sessions on Saturday.
Howett is confident that Kobayashi will acquit himself well on his GP debut.
"Kamui was the natural choice to step in and he proved in Suzuka that he is capable of holding his own," said Howett.
"It is a difficult task for him but he knows the team will give him its complete support and we know he is motivated to make the most of this unexpected opportunity."
Kobayashi won last winter's GP2 Asia title but struggled to 16th in the main championship with just a single podium finish to show for his efforts
Friday, 9 October 2009
First day of FIA’s medical exams for Felipe
Maranello, 9 October 2009 – Today Felipe Massa started a series of neurological and ophthalmological exams by the FIA at the Pitié Salpetrière hospital in Paris, part of the Brazilian driver’s recovery programme after the accident in Budapest on 25 July. Today’s exams ended at 7:30pm and will restart tomorrow afternoon. The first outcomes are positive: especially the ophthalmological exam confirmed that Felipe, who arrived with his personal doctor Dino Altmann, has recovered the functions of his left eye by 100%.
2009 Brazilian Grand Prix - McLaren
Lewis Hamilton
“I’m really looking forward to this year’s Brazilian Grand Prix – it will be the first time I’ve travelled to Sao Paulo without being in contention for the world championship, and I’m actually looking forward to taking in a bit more of the city and relaxing and enjoying the experience of driving on one of the world’s greatest racetracks.
“My highlights are Turn One, braking into the long left-hander which bends right and takes you out onto the back straight; Ferra Dura, which is a fast right-hander where you body is squeezed hard into the side of the car, and the main straight: you accelerate hard uphill and you can even hear the crowd and the Brazilian drums playing in the grandstands.
“One of the greatest things about racing at Interlagos is the crowd. There’s such a great atmosphere; the fans have so much energy and life. It’s a party while you’re working, and it’s great to see everyone happy.”
Heikki Kovalainen
“The Interlagos circuit is quite a challenging one for the drivers because it’s anti-clockwise, which, after a season of racing on clockwise circuits, puts quite a strain on your neck muscles. But you quickly forget that once you get out on the circuit – it’s an incredible racetrack, really demanding – but very satisfying when you get a lap right.
“Interlagos hasn’t traditionally been a circuit where we have excelled, but we feel that we’ve resolved quite a few of the issues that affected us at this race last year, and using KERS Hybrid – particularly up that long hill out of the final corner – should be a considerable benefit both in qualifying and the race.”
Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Nobody on our team will ever forget the dramatic final laps of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix – they are memories that will live with us forever. Of course, the defining moments of the last two world championships have both taken place in Brazil and, as a result, the race has become an unusually colourful and intense occasion for us.
“Travelling to Sao Paulo this year with our focus solely on achieving the very best result will allow us to attack the race weekend without any additional considerations, and we are very much looking forward to that challenge.”
Norbert Haug
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Lewis has been the most successful driver of the last two grands prix, which took place within the space of one week in Singapore and at the Japanese Suzuka circuit. During those eight days, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes scored more points than any other team, a trend that fortunately has continued for the last six grands prix since Lewis’s first 2009 victory in the Hungarian GP.
“We started the season and had to make do with a minimum of points, so it’s pleasing to see the upward trend we’ve had since our home grand prix at the Nurburgring in the middle of July. We try to continue this trend with Lewis’s two wins and two additional podium places in the last six races – a gain which hasn’t been achieved by any other driver in this period of time.
“In the last six races of the season’s second half, Lewis has beaten world champion candidate Jenson Button four times, Rubens Barrichello and our German friend Sebastian Vettel three times each, and each of the three title candidates has scored less points than Lewis, who managed 34 whereas Rubens scored 27, Sebastian 22 and, with 17 points, Jenson, who, at the top of the table, achieved only half of Lewis’s points.
“The world championship fight is open and electrifying – I know from my own experience what I am talking about when I say that with a 16-point deficit of Sebastian to Jenson, nothing has been decided yet. With regard to the constructors’ world championship, Brawn GP should have already done it with half a point still missing.”
“I’m really looking forward to this year’s Brazilian Grand Prix – it will be the first time I’ve travelled to Sao Paulo without being in contention for the world championship, and I’m actually looking forward to taking in a bit more of the city and relaxing and enjoying the experience of driving on one of the world’s greatest racetracks.
“My highlights are Turn One, braking into the long left-hander which bends right and takes you out onto the back straight; Ferra Dura, which is a fast right-hander where you body is squeezed hard into the side of the car, and the main straight: you accelerate hard uphill and you can even hear the crowd and the Brazilian drums playing in the grandstands.
“One of the greatest things about racing at Interlagos is the crowd. There’s such a great atmosphere; the fans have so much energy and life. It’s a party while you’re working, and it’s great to see everyone happy.”
Heikki Kovalainen
“The Interlagos circuit is quite a challenging one for the drivers because it’s anti-clockwise, which, after a season of racing on clockwise circuits, puts quite a strain on your neck muscles. But you quickly forget that once you get out on the circuit – it’s an incredible racetrack, really demanding – but very satisfying when you get a lap right.
“Interlagos hasn’t traditionally been a circuit where we have excelled, but we feel that we’ve resolved quite a few of the issues that affected us at this race last year, and using KERS Hybrid – particularly up that long hill out of the final corner – should be a considerable benefit both in qualifying and the race.”
Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Nobody on our team will ever forget the dramatic final laps of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix – they are memories that will live with us forever. Of course, the defining moments of the last two world championships have both taken place in Brazil and, as a result, the race has become an unusually colourful and intense occasion for us.
“Travelling to Sao Paulo this year with our focus solely on achieving the very best result will allow us to attack the race weekend without any additional considerations, and we are very much looking forward to that challenge.”
Norbert Haug
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Lewis has been the most successful driver of the last two grands prix, which took place within the space of one week in Singapore and at the Japanese Suzuka circuit. During those eight days, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes scored more points than any other team, a trend that fortunately has continued for the last six grands prix since Lewis’s first 2009 victory in the Hungarian GP.
“We started the season and had to make do with a minimum of points, so it’s pleasing to see the upward trend we’ve had since our home grand prix at the Nurburgring in the middle of July. We try to continue this trend with Lewis’s two wins and two additional podium places in the last six races – a gain which hasn’t been achieved by any other driver in this period of time.
“In the last six races of the season’s second half, Lewis has beaten world champion candidate Jenson Button four times, Rubens Barrichello and our German friend Sebastian Vettel three times each, and each of the three title candidates has scored less points than Lewis, who managed 34 whereas Rubens scored 27, Sebastian 22 and, with 17 points, Jenson, who, at the top of the table, achieved only half of Lewis’s points.
“The world championship fight is open and electrifying – I know from my own experience what I am talking about when I say that with a 16-point deficit of Sebastian to Jenson, nothing has been decided yet. With regard to the constructors’ world championship, Brawn GP should have already done it with half a point still missing.”
Massa admits Abu Dhabi return unlikely
Felipe Massa has admitted that the possibility of him returning to Formula 1 in time for the season-finale in Abu Dhabi is very unlikely.
After initially setting his sights on a dream return at his home Interlagos race next week in the early phase of his rehabilitation from the head injuries he suffered in July, Massa has since held out hope that a race comeback could still be possible before the year is out.
However, while he returned to Ferrari’s simulator this week and is due to drive an F2007 at Fiorano early next week, the Brazilian has conceded that his race comeback is likely to have to wait until Bahrain next March.
“I hope that I’ll be back soon, but I also know that the best thing is that I’m coming back 100% at the start of the next season,” he said in a question and answer session with fans on Ferrari’s official website.
“My dream would be to race in Abu Dhabi, but the possibility is really, really low…”
Massa’s return to an F1 track environment has been pencilled in for Monday, with the Brazilian first needing to pass an FIA medical check-up in Paris on Friday.
After being pleased with his work in the team’s race simulator, the 28-year-old is keen to cover as many miles as possible on his proper track return and is confident that his body will be ready to take the F1 strain again.
“I spent two very intense and interesting days driving [in the simulator] in Barcelona and then in Interlagos and Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“Tomorrow I’ll go to Paris for some medical check ups at the FIA and on Monday, if the weather is fine, I should finally be behind the wheel of a Formula 1 single-seater.
“I hope that I can do many miles and do well, not only in terms of performance but also as far as constant lap times are concerned.
“I’m confident and I think that there won’t be any problems. It’s true that a Formula 1 vibrates a lot and there is lots of physical stress, but I’m used to it.”
After initially setting his sights on a dream return at his home Interlagos race next week in the early phase of his rehabilitation from the head injuries he suffered in July, Massa has since held out hope that a race comeback could still be possible before the year is out.
However, while he returned to Ferrari’s simulator this week and is due to drive an F2007 at Fiorano early next week, the Brazilian has conceded that his race comeback is likely to have to wait until Bahrain next March.
“I hope that I’ll be back soon, but I also know that the best thing is that I’m coming back 100% at the start of the next season,” he said in a question and answer session with fans on Ferrari’s official website.
“My dream would be to race in Abu Dhabi, but the possibility is really, really low…”
Massa’s return to an F1 track environment has been pencilled in for Monday, with the Brazilian first needing to pass an FIA medical check-up in Paris on Friday.
After being pleased with his work in the team’s race simulator, the 28-year-old is keen to cover as many miles as possible on his proper track return and is confident that his body will be ready to take the F1 strain again.
“I spent two very intense and interesting days driving [in the simulator] in Barcelona and then in Interlagos and Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“Tomorrow I’ll go to Paris for some medical check ups at the FIA and on Monday, if the weather is fine, I should finally be behind the wheel of a Formula 1 single-seater.
“I hope that I can do many miles and do well, not only in terms of performance but also as far as constant lap times are concerned.
“I’m confident and I think that there won’t be any problems. It’s true that a Formula 1 vibrates a lot and there is lots of physical stress, but I’m used to it.”
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Domenicali: Sauber future in balance
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali admits BMW Sauber’s chances of remaining on next season’s grid currently rest on one of the new squads dropping out, after teams failed to unanimously agree to expand the field to 14 teams.
BMW’s failure to sign the new Concorde Agreement prior to the announcement of its impending Formula 1 withdrawal meant its Hinwil-based F1 operation lost its guaranteed position on the 2010 grid, with the vacant slot subsequently given to the new Lotus team.
The FIA placed the Hinwil team – since bought by the mysterious investment vehicle Qadbak – in the first reserve position should any of the confirmed outfits not make it, but did say it would push for the grid to be expanded by an extra team in any case.
Such a change to the Concorde Agreement requires the support of all the confirmed 13 teams, but this was not forthcoming at a FOTA meeting ahead of last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, with Williams and new entrant Campos believed to have opposed a further expansion of the grid.
Speaking at Suzuka, Domenicali implied that Ferrari and the majority of its fellow FOTA members were keen to see the Sauber team continue, but conceded its future wasn't currently in its own hands.
“We – I can speak for Ferrari but I speak also for FOTA – would love to have the Sauber team because of the heritage, because of the structure and because we know they can deliver a great thing,” Domenicali told reporters.
“We are happy for them to be part of the team [grid]. But there are some I would say small teams that are, let’s say, not in favour of it.
“So at the moment we have to wait and see if some of the small teams will be able to be there [next season].”
The Ferrari team principal acknowledged that the continued uncertainty surrounding the Sauber team’s F1 future was making it difficult for it to put any 2010 plans into place.
He added that Ferrari was keen to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible too given that it is set to supply engines to the new-look team should it continue.
“I can understand for the Sauber team it is a problem of timing because they cannot wait and see and check whether the small teams will be there,” Domenicali said.
“They need to plan, they need to have sponsors, they need to hire…everything.
“And as you know we are discussing a possible supply of engines, so also for ourselves we need to know very soon.
“At this stage the situation is if you don’t have all the teams agreeing it is not possible.”
BMW Sauber’s wait to find out whether it will have a place on next season’s grid comes amid ongoing doubts surrounding the team’s new owners Qadbak.
The Swiss-based investment group, whose involvement at Notts County football club in has been investigated in recent weeks by the English Football League, has yet to make any public comment about its purchase of the F1 team, with no firm details having emerged about the investors behind the takeover.
Domenicali said that with so little known about Qadbak, the F1 community simply had to trust that BMW’s board had taken the required care to establish the suitability of the investment group before agreeing to the sale.
“The only I can say is that we need to trust of course the due diligence done by the BMW board so on that respect I can not say any more on that,” he said.
“I can understand maybe that there are voices around and there are uncertainties that are connected to [the new owner], but on that respect we have to trust BMW that it should be reliable enough to decide if the company or the new financer of the Sauber team is good or not.”
BMW’s failure to sign the new Concorde Agreement prior to the announcement of its impending Formula 1 withdrawal meant its Hinwil-based F1 operation lost its guaranteed position on the 2010 grid, with the vacant slot subsequently given to the new Lotus team.
The FIA placed the Hinwil team – since bought by the mysterious investment vehicle Qadbak – in the first reserve position should any of the confirmed outfits not make it, but did say it would push for the grid to be expanded by an extra team in any case.
Such a change to the Concorde Agreement requires the support of all the confirmed 13 teams, but this was not forthcoming at a FOTA meeting ahead of last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, with Williams and new entrant Campos believed to have opposed a further expansion of the grid.
Speaking at Suzuka, Domenicali implied that Ferrari and the majority of its fellow FOTA members were keen to see the Sauber team continue, but conceded its future wasn't currently in its own hands.
“We – I can speak for Ferrari but I speak also for FOTA – would love to have the Sauber team because of the heritage, because of the structure and because we know they can deliver a great thing,” Domenicali told reporters.
“We are happy for them to be part of the team [grid]. But there are some I would say small teams that are, let’s say, not in favour of it.
“So at the moment we have to wait and see if some of the small teams will be able to be there [next season].”
The Ferrari team principal acknowledged that the continued uncertainty surrounding the Sauber team’s F1 future was making it difficult for it to put any 2010 plans into place.
He added that Ferrari was keen to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible too given that it is set to supply engines to the new-look team should it continue.
“I can understand for the Sauber team it is a problem of timing because they cannot wait and see and check whether the small teams will be there,” Domenicali said.
“They need to plan, they need to have sponsors, they need to hire…everything.
“And as you know we are discussing a possible supply of engines, so also for ourselves we need to know very soon.
“At this stage the situation is if you don’t have all the teams agreeing it is not possible.”
BMW Sauber’s wait to find out whether it will have a place on next season’s grid comes amid ongoing doubts surrounding the team’s new owners Qadbak.
The Swiss-based investment group, whose involvement at Notts County football club in has been investigated in recent weeks by the English Football League, has yet to make any public comment about its purchase of the F1 team, with no firm details having emerged about the investors behind the takeover.
Domenicali said that with so little known about Qadbak, the F1 community simply had to trust that BMW’s board had taken the required care to establish the suitability of the investment group before agreeing to the sale.
“The only I can say is that we need to trust of course the due diligence done by the BMW board so on that respect I can not say any more on that,” he said.
“I can understand maybe that there are voices around and there are uncertainties that are connected to [the new owner], but on that respect we have to trust BMW that it should be reliable enough to decide if the company or the new financer of the Sauber team is good or not.”
FIA impressed by US F1's progress
The FIA has been impressed by the work carried out by the US F1 team ahead of its debut season in 2010.
An FIA representative visited the team's factory in Charlotte in August and again earlier this week and said the American squad is progressing very well.
"I personally visited the US F1 Team in August as well as this week, and I am impressed with the progress made by the organization since the Concorde Agreement was signed in late July," Nick Craw, the FIA's deputy president for sport, told Autoweek.
"It has all come together very quickly for the team, and we welcome them into Formula 1 competition in 2010."
Team boss Ken Anderson said he was proud with what the team has achieved so far.
"We have had an open dialogue with the FIA since the team's inception in 2008, and we welcome their visits to the United States," said Anderson.
"We are proud to show them that, despite what is currently circulating in the rumor mill, our Charlotte shop is fully operational and we are well under way to construction of a unique U.S.-designed Formula 1 race car."
The team's first car is already being built at its factory and is expected to be ready to run in January.
An FIA representative visited the team's factory in Charlotte in August and again earlier this week and said the American squad is progressing very well.
"I personally visited the US F1 Team in August as well as this week, and I am impressed with the progress made by the organization since the Concorde Agreement was signed in late July," Nick Craw, the FIA's deputy president for sport, told Autoweek.
"It has all come together very quickly for the team, and we welcome them into Formula 1 competition in 2010."
Team boss Ken Anderson said he was proud with what the team has achieved so far.
"We have had an open dialogue with the FIA since the team's inception in 2008, and we welcome their visits to the United States," said Anderson.
"We are proud to show them that, despite what is currently circulating in the rumor mill, our Charlotte shop is fully operational and we are well under way to construction of a unique U.S.-designed Formula 1 race car."
The team's first car is already being built at its factory and is expected to be ready to run in January.
Q and A with US F1's Ken Anderson
Conducted and provided by Team US F1's press office.
Q. Ken, we're hearing about a lot of activity in Charlotte these days. What is going on at US F1 Team?
Ken Anderson: It has been quite a ride since we started the team last year, and has become far more intense since the signing of the Concorde Agreement. Our world headquarters is now complete and fully functional, and the 2010 race car is in the construction phase.
Q. So the car is finally being built? Isn't it a little late to get something like that started?
KA: Funny that you ask that question - we get that one a lot. Thanks to our in-house design and engineering staff and the aid of our technical partners, for the last 10 to 12 months, the car has gone through thousands of iterations in a virtual environment.
With this virtual design, we can test and be sure that it's right from structural, design and engineering standpoints, so we don't have to make a part, test it, break it and start again. Instead, we've taken out a lot of the guesswork and can get close to a race-ready piece right off of the machines, which is happening now. Our timing is according to plan, with an early November "roller" and a finished car in time for January 2010 testing.
Q. So who's building the car? Americans? Europeans? Are you building the car in Charlotte?
KA: I'll answer the last part of the question first. Yes, we're building the car in our shop here in Charlotte. America is known as a "melting pot" and our team is a reflection of just that. Americans, Europeans, New Zealanders, Welshmen and more are responsible for the race car, including many who have high-level experience in the current Formula 1 environment.
Many of our new hires we connected with back in June and July, and they will be joining the team formally at the end of the month. We are very grateful to the current Formula 1 teams for releasing some of our "newest" team members early - that has been a huge help as we continue to prepare for the 2010 Formula 1 season.
Q. Let's talk about what we're seeing in some of these pictures...what are we looking at here?
KA: In two words, we're "fully equipped." Our machine shop features three- and five-axis CNC machines; we have a composite shop with autoclaves and a 24-foot CNC cutting table; a complete fab shop; assembly and sub-assembly; electronics; research and development; design and engineering; CFD and aerodynamics; marketing and communications; and a full in-house HD production facility, just to name a few departments. Building a team and a world class manufacturing facility are a work-in-progress but we're ahead of schedule and are excited about going racing next year.
Q. Can you talk a little about the cost efficiency of manufacturing a Formula 1 car in the U.S. How can the operation be cheaper than what we've seen out there?
KA: The major cost savings will be that the engineering and production of the cars will be done in the United States. Our technical partners located within a 30-mile radius of our shop contribute to this savings, as there are some departments we don't have to have in-house, such as a wind tunnel, shaker rig, K&C machine, additional CFD support and a center of gravity machine.
What most people see – the transporters, motorcoaches and the "lifestyle" side of Formula 1 – are a much smaller part of the overall budget and will be located at our European facility, which we'll tell you about soon!
Q. Ken, we're hearing about a lot of activity in Charlotte these days. What is going on at US F1 Team?
Ken Anderson: It has been quite a ride since we started the team last year, and has become far more intense since the signing of the Concorde Agreement. Our world headquarters is now complete and fully functional, and the 2010 race car is in the construction phase.
Q. So the car is finally being built? Isn't it a little late to get something like that started?
KA: Funny that you ask that question - we get that one a lot. Thanks to our in-house design and engineering staff and the aid of our technical partners, for the last 10 to 12 months, the car has gone through thousands of iterations in a virtual environment.
With this virtual design, we can test and be sure that it's right from structural, design and engineering standpoints, so we don't have to make a part, test it, break it and start again. Instead, we've taken out a lot of the guesswork and can get close to a race-ready piece right off of the machines, which is happening now. Our timing is according to plan, with an early November "roller" and a finished car in time for January 2010 testing.
Q. So who's building the car? Americans? Europeans? Are you building the car in Charlotte?
KA: I'll answer the last part of the question first. Yes, we're building the car in our shop here in Charlotte. America is known as a "melting pot" and our team is a reflection of just that. Americans, Europeans, New Zealanders, Welshmen and more are responsible for the race car, including many who have high-level experience in the current Formula 1 environment.
Many of our new hires we connected with back in June and July, and they will be joining the team formally at the end of the month. We are very grateful to the current Formula 1 teams for releasing some of our "newest" team members early - that has been a huge help as we continue to prepare for the 2010 Formula 1 season.
Q. Let's talk about what we're seeing in some of these pictures...what are we looking at here?
KA: In two words, we're "fully equipped." Our machine shop features three- and five-axis CNC machines; we have a composite shop with autoclaves and a 24-foot CNC cutting table; a complete fab shop; assembly and sub-assembly; electronics; research and development; design and engineering; CFD and aerodynamics; marketing and communications; and a full in-house HD production facility, just to name a few departments. Building a team and a world class manufacturing facility are a work-in-progress but we're ahead of schedule and are excited about going racing next year.
Q. Can you talk a little about the cost efficiency of manufacturing a Formula 1 car in the U.S. How can the operation be cheaper than what we've seen out there?
KA: The major cost savings will be that the engineering and production of the cars will be done in the United States. Our technical partners located within a 30-mile radius of our shop contribute to this savings, as there are some departments we don't have to have in-house, such as a wind tunnel, shaker rig, K&C machine, additional CFD support and a center of gravity machine.
What most people see – the transporters, motorcoaches and the "lifestyle" side of Formula 1 – are a much smaller part of the overall budget and will be located at our European facility, which we'll tell you about soon!
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
BMW thanks Kubica for his efforts
BMW Sauber has paid tribute to Robert Kubica's efforts over the past three seasons after the Pole was announced as a Renault driver for 2010.
Kubica's team switch had been widely predicted in recent weeks, with Renault immediately regarded as the favourite to sign him once BMW announced that it was pulling out of the sport.
BMW team boss Mario Theissen said Kubica's contribution to the company's history would always be valued. He took the works BMW squad's first Formula 1 pole position and victory in 2008, when he also fought for the world championship with the team.
"Robert played an important role for us - and certainly we did the same for him," said Theissen.
"He joined us in 2006 as a test driver with no Formula 1 experience, and then we promoted him to be one of our team's drivers during that season.
"He never let us down and, with our first pole position in 2008 in Bahrain and first victory the same year in Canada, he set milestones in the history of our team. We are grateful for his strong and constant performances and wish him all the best for his future."
Kubica was promoted from BMW's third driver role to a race seat in place of Jacques Villeneuve in the middle of the 2006 season, and took third for the team at Monza in only his third race.
There were tensions between Kubica and the team last year when the Pole became frustrated that BMW was diverting its resources towards 2009 preparations rather than putting everything into a 2008 title bid. But he said he would always be indebted to BMW for giving him his F1 break.
"I'm very thankful to those responsible in the BMW Sauber F1 Team for giving me the chance to get a Formula 1 cockpit," said Kubica.
"I think I justified the belief in me by delivering good results. In 2008 I managed to get the first pole position in Bahrain and the first win in Canada. Both will remain unforgettable moments for me.
"For 2010 I will have a new challenge. I wish everybody I worked with at the BMW Sauber F1 Team all the best for the future. I'm sure in the future our paths will cross in Formula 1."
The BMW Sauber team's future is currently unclear as although it has been bought by investment group Qadbak, it lost its guaranteed place on the 2010 F1 grid when the parent company withdrew - and that slot then went to the revived Lotus team. Its hopes now depend on another team dropping out or the FIA succeeding in expanding the entry to 28 cars.
Kubica's team switch had been widely predicted in recent weeks, with Renault immediately regarded as the favourite to sign him once BMW announced that it was pulling out of the sport.
BMW team boss Mario Theissen said Kubica's contribution to the company's history would always be valued. He took the works BMW squad's first Formula 1 pole position and victory in 2008, when he also fought for the world championship with the team.
"Robert played an important role for us - and certainly we did the same for him," said Theissen.
"He joined us in 2006 as a test driver with no Formula 1 experience, and then we promoted him to be one of our team's drivers during that season.
"He never let us down and, with our first pole position in 2008 in Bahrain and first victory the same year in Canada, he set milestones in the history of our team. We are grateful for his strong and constant performances and wish him all the best for his future."
Kubica was promoted from BMW's third driver role to a race seat in place of Jacques Villeneuve in the middle of the 2006 season, and took third for the team at Monza in only his third race.
There were tensions between Kubica and the team last year when the Pole became frustrated that BMW was diverting its resources towards 2009 preparations rather than putting everything into a 2008 title bid. But he said he would always be indebted to BMW for giving him his F1 break.
"I'm very thankful to those responsible in the BMW Sauber F1 Team for giving me the chance to get a Formula 1 cockpit," said Kubica.
"I think I justified the belief in me by delivering good results. In 2008 I managed to get the first pole position in Bahrain and the first win in Canada. Both will remain unforgettable moments for me.
"For 2010 I will have a new challenge. I wish everybody I worked with at the BMW Sauber F1 Team all the best for the future. I'm sure in the future our paths will cross in Formula 1."
The BMW Sauber team's future is currently unclear as although it has been bought by investment group Qadbak, it lost its guaranteed place on the 2010 F1 grid when the parent company withdrew - and that slot then went to the revived Lotus team. Its hopes now depend on another team dropping out or the FIA succeeding in expanding the entry to 28 cars.
Wirth says Manor F1 car is on schedule
Manor Grand Prix's first chassis should be completed by the end of November and testing at the beginning of February, according to designer Nick Wirth.
Manor has formed a partnership with the Wirth Research company and Wirth is confident that his design of the team's 2010 F1 car is progressing well.
"We are already assembling components on a mock-up chassis, the first real chassis is being built and should be ready in four or five weeks' time," Wirth told Autosprint.
"I'm very satisfied with the way crash tests are going and therefore I predict that the first car will be able to start running on the track at the beginning of February."
Wirth admits that Manor is likely to be at the back of the grid to begin with, but believes the changes to the regulations next year will give the team an opportunity to move forward.
"We'll start from the back but we hope to be in front of the other new teams, then we'll begin to put pressure on the consolidated teams," he said.
"The new regulations this year have mixed things up compared to 2008 and next year the rules will again be very different, and will require cars just as different - particularly with regards to the larger fuel tanks, heavier weight, tyres, aerodynamics...
"This set of changes should not be underestimated because it means there will still be room for surprises.
"If the 2010 rules were the same as this year, I would have been very worried, instead I'm a lot less so."
He confirmed that the car would be entirely designed and constructed without using a wind tunnel.
"We use no wind tunnels. We are developing the aerodynamics completely on the computer with the CDF system. We won't do even one day in the wind tunnel, not even for a check."
Manor GP is set to confirm a commercial partnership with Virgin next month and Wirth says that driver announcements could follow shortly afterwards.
"We'll soon announce our commercial partner and, I think, also the drivers, since many have shown sizable interest in doing a programme with our team," he said.
Manor has formed a partnership with the Wirth Research company and Wirth is confident that his design of the team's 2010 F1 car is progressing well.
"We are already assembling components on a mock-up chassis, the first real chassis is being built and should be ready in four or five weeks' time," Wirth told Autosprint.
"I'm very satisfied with the way crash tests are going and therefore I predict that the first car will be able to start running on the track at the beginning of February."
Wirth admits that Manor is likely to be at the back of the grid to begin with, but believes the changes to the regulations next year will give the team an opportunity to move forward.
"We'll start from the back but we hope to be in front of the other new teams, then we'll begin to put pressure on the consolidated teams," he said.
"The new regulations this year have mixed things up compared to 2008 and next year the rules will again be very different, and will require cars just as different - particularly with regards to the larger fuel tanks, heavier weight, tyres, aerodynamics...
"This set of changes should not be underestimated because it means there will still be room for surprises.
"If the 2010 rules were the same as this year, I would have been very worried, instead I'm a lot less so."
He confirmed that the car would be entirely designed and constructed without using a wind tunnel.
"We use no wind tunnels. We are developing the aerodynamics completely on the computer with the CDF system. We won't do even one day in the wind tunnel, not even for a check."
Manor GP is set to confirm a commercial partnership with Virgin next month and Wirth says that driver announcements could follow shortly afterwards.
"We'll soon announce our commercial partner and, I think, also the drivers, since many have shown sizable interest in doing a programme with our team," he said.
Brawn calls for aero clampdown
Ross Brawn is convinced further radical rule changes are necessary to increase overtaking and improve the spectacle in Formula 1.
It was hoped that the return of slick tyres, a big reduction in aerodynamic downforce, adjustable front wings and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems for 2009 would generate much closer racing than in recent years.
But although cars are now able to follow each other a little more closely owing to a reduced aerodynamic wake, passing moves have not been noticeably more frequent.
Brawn believes the key reason for this is that the cars still generate much too high a proportion of their overall grip from aerodynamic surfaces, which are sensitive to turbulence, rather than mechanical grip from the tyres – and that no amount of tinkering will work until this nettle is grasped.
“I still think we’ve got the ratio of tyre grip and aerodynamic grip wrong,” he said at Suzuka last weekend.
“I think we’ve got far too much aerodynamic grip and not enough tyre grip.
“We really want a lot of tyre and mechanical grip and we want to diminish dramatically the aerodynamic grip, and then I think you’ll get cars that can race with each other more effectively.
“These cars are better than we had last year, for sure.
“But we’ve still got cars which rely heavily on aerodynamic performance, and because they do, it’s very difficult to create a package whereby one car can follow another.”
One factor that blunted the planned downforce reduction was the loophole in the regulations that spawned the controversial twin-diffuser designs pioneered by Brawn, Toyota and Williams and subsequently developed by the rest of the F1 grid.
But Brawn believes the damage was done earlier, when teams resisted more radical measures to slash downforce and the governing body acquiesced.
“I think there was a reasonable push to be very draconian with the aerodynamic regulations, and it was resisted too much,” he said.
Brawn’s comments echo the assessment of the FIA’s technical consultant Tony Purnell, who admitted earlier this year that the rule changes had not gone nearly far enough and described the F1 community as “deeply conservative”.
“If we’re going to give the fans what they want, we’ve got to take another step,” he said.
Brawn conceded, however, that identifying the problem and finding effective solutions were two different matters.
“There’s lots of theory, but putting it into practice is very difficult,” he said.
It was hoped that the return of slick tyres, a big reduction in aerodynamic downforce, adjustable front wings and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems for 2009 would generate much closer racing than in recent years.
But although cars are now able to follow each other a little more closely owing to a reduced aerodynamic wake, passing moves have not been noticeably more frequent.
Brawn believes the key reason for this is that the cars still generate much too high a proportion of their overall grip from aerodynamic surfaces, which are sensitive to turbulence, rather than mechanical grip from the tyres – and that no amount of tinkering will work until this nettle is grasped.
“I still think we’ve got the ratio of tyre grip and aerodynamic grip wrong,” he said at Suzuka last weekend.
“I think we’ve got far too much aerodynamic grip and not enough tyre grip.
“We really want a lot of tyre and mechanical grip and we want to diminish dramatically the aerodynamic grip, and then I think you’ll get cars that can race with each other more effectively.
“These cars are better than we had last year, for sure.
“But we’ve still got cars which rely heavily on aerodynamic performance, and because they do, it’s very difficult to create a package whereby one car can follow another.”
One factor that blunted the planned downforce reduction was the loophole in the regulations that spawned the controversial twin-diffuser designs pioneered by Brawn, Toyota and Williams and subsequently developed by the rest of the F1 grid.
But Brawn believes the damage was done earlier, when teams resisted more radical measures to slash downforce and the governing body acquiesced.
“I think there was a reasonable push to be very draconian with the aerodynamic regulations, and it was resisted too much,” he said.
Brawn’s comments echo the assessment of the FIA’s technical consultant Tony Purnell, who admitted earlier this year that the rule changes had not gone nearly far enough and described the F1 community as “deeply conservative”.
“If we’re going to give the fans what they want, we’ve got to take another step,” he said.
Brawn conceded, however, that identifying the problem and finding effective solutions were two different matters.
“There’s lots of theory, but putting it into practice is very difficult,” he said.
Robert Kubica joins the Renault F1 Team in 2010
The Renault F1 Team is delighted to announce that Robert Kubica will drive for the team from the 2010 season onwards.
The 24-year-old Polish driver is one of the most highly-rated young drivers in Formula One, who has proved his ability as a race-winning driver and whose aggressive and consistent racing style have seen him as a contender for last year’s drivers’ title.
Team Principal, Bob Bell, commented: “We are very excited to have signed Robert with the Renault F1 Team starting next season. Ever since Robert made his Grand Prix debut in 2006, he has been on our radar as one of the most naturally talented drivers of his generation and he has delivered on that promise so it’s great to have secured him in one of our cars next season. Renault has high ambitions and hopes for the future of the team and we feel that Robert can play a big role in fulfilling them.”
Robert Kubica commented: “I am very happy I will be joining Renault in the 2010 season. I feel I have a special connection with this team because in 2005 I won the World Series by Renault. This gave me the chance to test with the team in Barcelona, which led to my debut in Formula One.”
Robert continued: “I share with Renault a strong winning mentality and feel comfortable with their friendly and open attitude. I’m highly motivated and optimistic that together we can be at the front of the grid next year and hopefully fighting for the world title.”
The 24-year-old Polish driver is one of the most highly-rated young drivers in Formula One, who has proved his ability as a race-winning driver and whose aggressive and consistent racing style have seen him as a contender for last year’s drivers’ title.
Team Principal, Bob Bell, commented: “We are very excited to have signed Robert with the Renault F1 Team starting next season. Ever since Robert made his Grand Prix debut in 2006, he has been on our radar as one of the most naturally talented drivers of his generation and he has delivered on that promise so it’s great to have secured him in one of our cars next season. Renault has high ambitions and hopes for the future of the team and we feel that Robert can play a big role in fulfilling them.”
Robert Kubica commented: “I am very happy I will be joining Renault in the 2010 season. I feel I have a special connection with this team because in 2005 I won the World Series by Renault. This gave me the chance to test with the team in Barcelona, which led to my debut in Formula One.”
Robert continued: “I share with Renault a strong winning mentality and feel comfortable with their friendly and open attitude. I’m highly motivated and optimistic that together we can be at the front of the grid next year and hopefully fighting for the world title.”
Six hours at the simulator for Massa
It was a busy day for Felipe Massa, who arrived in Italy yesterday to proceed with his recovery programme after his accident in Budapest. After a couple of days in the kart last week in Granja Viana (Brazil), today he made a further step ahead getting back behind the wheel, although the wheel was the one of a simulator. Felipe spent around six hours in Modena, mainly dedicating himself to regaining confidence with the commands of a single-seater. “We worked very well, without any problems, Felipe said at the end of the day. “The simulator uses a A1GP single-seater, so it’s not exactly like Formula 1, but pretty close. I drove on the track in Barcelona to avoid creating an even bigger test atmosphere.”
Later on Felipe came back to Maranello: first he went to the gym and then to the computer, answering questions of the numerous fans, who sent their emails and wrote in the forum of Ferrari’s website. “I miss Formula 1 a lot: it’s my passion more than my job. It was hard to stay in front of the TV and watching the team, also because I had to get up very early because of the different time-zones,” Felipe answered jokingly to ‘maranellolover’.
“I’ve been always in contact with Domenicali and with the boy to keep me updated about what was happening on the track and at home as far as the next year is concerned.” ‘Misa-schumimaniac’ asked Felipe if he noticed any difference to the past driving a kart and today with the simulator. “No difference at all. I had lots of fun in Granja Viana and today’s work was more than anything else a way to get back in contact with a car. Obviously I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a real single-seater.”
This week’s programme will continue tomorrow with another day at the simulator. On Thursday Felipe will take part in an event dedicated exclusively to the fans in the www.ferrari.com community, who can chat with him. Then the further programme will be decided, but there won’t be a test with a Formula 1 car this week.
Later on Felipe came back to Maranello: first he went to the gym and then to the computer, answering questions of the numerous fans, who sent their emails and wrote in the forum of Ferrari’s website. “I miss Formula 1 a lot: it’s my passion more than my job. It was hard to stay in front of the TV and watching the team, also because I had to get up very early because of the different time-zones,” Felipe answered jokingly to ‘maranellolover’.
“I’ve been always in contact with Domenicali and with the boy to keep me updated about what was happening on the track and at home as far as the next year is concerned.” ‘Misa-schumimaniac’ asked Felipe if he noticed any difference to the past driving a kart and today with the simulator. “No difference at all. I had lots of fun in Granja Viana and today’s work was more than anything else a way to get back in contact with a car. Obviously I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a real single-seater.”
This week’s programme will continue tomorrow with another day at the simulator. On Thursday Felipe will take part in an event dedicated exclusively to the fans in the www.ferrari.com community, who can chat with him. Then the further programme will be decided, but there won’t be a test with a Formula 1 car this week.
Abu Dhabi track gets final FIA approval
Abu Dhabi's new Formula 1 track has been given the final green light by the FIA for it to hold its first grand prix, following a track inspection by F1 race director Charlie Whiting earlier this week.
With work on schedule at the track ahead of its inaugural event on November 1, the last major hurdle was for it to pass the pre-event track inspection ahead of the forthcoming GP2 test and F1 race
Richard Cregan, the Yas Marina Circuit's CEO, told AUTOSPORT that he was happy with the progress being made to prepare the track - as focus shifted to the first official track action in a fortnight with a GP2 test on the weekend before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"Everything is going well," he explained. "We've had a couple of handovers, and that's the process we're in at the moment, as I call it a 'shakedown' of the circuit.
"The thing is it's such a complex facility, so many buildings, so many elements to it of how technical the circuit is, so we're going through it step by step. The good thing is we're now doing that, and the first big step for us will be the GP2 test, which will be great."
Speaking about Whiting's final inspection, Cregan said: "Charlie came on Monday and everything he had asked for previously was done. He's also coming here for the GP2 test, which is a great help for us.
"We'll have a lot of the grand prix weekend marshals here on that weekend as well, so that will be a good test for the system, the people, car recovery, all of those things."
With work on schedule at the track ahead of its inaugural event on November 1, the last major hurdle was for it to pass the pre-event track inspection ahead of the forthcoming GP2 test and F1 race
Richard Cregan, the Yas Marina Circuit's CEO, told AUTOSPORT that he was happy with the progress being made to prepare the track - as focus shifted to the first official track action in a fortnight with a GP2 test on the weekend before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"Everything is going well," he explained. "We've had a couple of handovers, and that's the process we're in at the moment, as I call it a 'shakedown' of the circuit.
"The thing is it's such a complex facility, so many buildings, so many elements to it of how technical the circuit is, so we're going through it step by step. The good thing is we're now doing that, and the first big step for us will be the GP2 test, which will be great."
Speaking about Whiting's final inspection, Cregan said: "Charlie came on Monday and everything he had asked for previously was done. He's also coming here for the GP2 test, which is a great help for us.
"We'll have a lot of the grand prix weekend marshals here on that weekend as well, so that will be a good test for the system, the people, car recovery, all of those things."
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Marmorini replaces Simon at Ferrari
The Ferrari team has announced that Luca Marmorini will replace Gilles Simon as head of the engine and electronics department.
Marmorini returns to Ferrari after having worked for Toyota for ten years. The 48-year-old Italian left the Japanese squad in January this year.
He had worked for Ferrari in the 1990s.
"Ferrari wishes to thank Gilles Simon for the important contribution he made during his time with the Gestione Sportiva, first, from 1994 to 2006 as head of Engine Design and then as head of the whole Engine Department," the team said in a statement.
"During that time, the V10 and V8 engines built at Maranello won six Drivers' World Championship titles and eight Constructors', as well as taking 106 Formula 1 race wins."
Marmorini returns to Ferrari after having worked for Toyota for ten years. The 48-year-old Italian left the Japanese squad in January this year.
He had worked for Ferrari in the 1990s.
"Ferrari wishes to thank Gilles Simon for the important contribution he made during his time with the Gestione Sportiva, first, from 1994 to 2006 as head of Engine Design and then as head of the whole Engine Department," the team said in a statement.
"During that time, the V10 and V8 engines built at Maranello won six Drivers' World Championship titles and eight Constructors', as well as taking 106 Formula 1 race wins."
Toyota Japanese Grand Prix Debrief
Q and A with Jarno Trulli
How did it feel to stand on the podium in Panasonic Toyota Racing's home Grand Prix?
It was a fantastic feeling to stand on the podium and celebrate with all the team and our Japanese fans. My second place was a true reflection of how strong we were at Suzuka because I qualified in that position and there were no retirements at the front; we were genuinely extremely competitive. Japan is always an important race for the team and I personally love visiting the country so it was extra special from that point of view. Everyone in the team has worked so hard this season and to finish on the podium again, after Timo's second place a week ago in Singapore, was another really good reward for them.
Were you in any way disappointed not to win?
I was hoping to win the race for Toyota, of course, but second place is still a great result. The team and myself pushed to the absolute maximum all weekend and we got the best result possible; I think Red Bull were just a bit too quick for us to win. But I am certainly not disappointed; all the team, including myself, were extremely happy with another podium.
Did the weekend run smoothly in general?
Friday was not a very productive day generally because of the rain. The weather forecast said it would be dry for the rest of the weekend so there was not much to be gained from doing too many laps, which left us with a busy programme on Saturday morning. But right from the start the car felt good and the lap times were consistently very competitive so I was pretty optimistic going into qualifying.
How was qualifying?
It was quite a strange session because of all the red flags, and of course Timo's accident. The team told me quickly that Timo was okay so it wasn't a problem to concentrate on the rest of the session after that. Just like in practice we were really quick, although it was hard to judge which tyre compound was the fastest. In the end I used the soft tyres for my fastest laps but there was not much in it. I was happy with my lap in third qualifying even though I missed pole by less than a tenth of a second. It was probably the most I could get out of the car and it gave us a really good chance for another podium.
How was the race?
It was like a long qualifying session! Every lap was flat out and I was pushing right to the limit to get ahead of Lewis (Hamilton). It was hard work but the car felt great and I knew we had the speed to get past. I was just putting the pressure on and never letting up. In the end it paid off thanks to some fast lap times, a great strategy and also two perfect pit stops. Big thanks to the team for their work because it was a fantastic team effort and we got our reward.
Tell us about the start.
The start was a key point in the race. It's always a battle and I knew the cars around me would be a difficult challenge but we made a good getaway. Going into the first corner I almost held my position but Lewis overtook, which left me chasing him the whole race. I stayed right behind and just kept pushing and pushing like crazy. At the second pit stop it paid off.
Did the safety car at the end cause any concern?
It wasn't ideal because after I got past Lewis at the second pit stops I had pulled out quite a comfortable gap so there wasn't any danger. Of course the safety car got rid of that advantage so I had to start all over again but the restart went well so after that I wasn't concerned.
What about Timo? It was a difficult weekend for him...
Timo had a tough weekend unfortunately. Actually I had a similar cold and fever immediately after Singapore but recovered in time for Suzuka so I knew exactly what he was going through. It was very unfortunate he couldn't race after his accident in qualifying because I am sure he would have had a great result too. We work really well together and there is a great atmosphere so I know he was cheering me on to the podium. But he will bounce back and we will both be fighting for another positive result in Brazil.
What are your expectations for Brazil?
This season has proved it is difficult to make accurate predictions so it's hard to say. I am usually very competitive at Interlagos and last year I qualified in second place. It should suit our car and I definitely hope to be fighting at the front again after two consecutive podiums for the team but we'll have to wait and see how things go in practice.
How did it feel to stand on the podium in Panasonic Toyota Racing's home Grand Prix?
It was a fantastic feeling to stand on the podium and celebrate with all the team and our Japanese fans. My second place was a true reflection of how strong we were at Suzuka because I qualified in that position and there were no retirements at the front; we were genuinely extremely competitive. Japan is always an important race for the team and I personally love visiting the country so it was extra special from that point of view. Everyone in the team has worked so hard this season and to finish on the podium again, after Timo's second place a week ago in Singapore, was another really good reward for them.
Were you in any way disappointed not to win?
I was hoping to win the race for Toyota, of course, but second place is still a great result. The team and myself pushed to the absolute maximum all weekend and we got the best result possible; I think Red Bull were just a bit too quick for us to win. But I am certainly not disappointed; all the team, including myself, were extremely happy with another podium.
Did the weekend run smoothly in general?
Friday was not a very productive day generally because of the rain. The weather forecast said it would be dry for the rest of the weekend so there was not much to be gained from doing too many laps, which left us with a busy programme on Saturday morning. But right from the start the car felt good and the lap times were consistently very competitive so I was pretty optimistic going into qualifying.
How was qualifying?
It was quite a strange session because of all the red flags, and of course Timo's accident. The team told me quickly that Timo was okay so it wasn't a problem to concentrate on the rest of the session after that. Just like in practice we were really quick, although it was hard to judge which tyre compound was the fastest. In the end I used the soft tyres for my fastest laps but there was not much in it. I was happy with my lap in third qualifying even though I missed pole by less than a tenth of a second. It was probably the most I could get out of the car and it gave us a really good chance for another podium.
How was the race?
It was like a long qualifying session! Every lap was flat out and I was pushing right to the limit to get ahead of Lewis (Hamilton). It was hard work but the car felt great and I knew we had the speed to get past. I was just putting the pressure on and never letting up. In the end it paid off thanks to some fast lap times, a great strategy and also two perfect pit stops. Big thanks to the team for their work because it was a fantastic team effort and we got our reward.
Tell us about the start.
The start was a key point in the race. It's always a battle and I knew the cars around me would be a difficult challenge but we made a good getaway. Going into the first corner I almost held my position but Lewis overtook, which left me chasing him the whole race. I stayed right behind and just kept pushing and pushing like crazy. At the second pit stop it paid off.
Did the safety car at the end cause any concern?
It wasn't ideal because after I got past Lewis at the second pit stops I had pulled out quite a comfortable gap so there wasn't any danger. Of course the safety car got rid of that advantage so I had to start all over again but the restart went well so after that I wasn't concerned.
What about Timo? It was a difficult weekend for him...
Timo had a tough weekend unfortunately. Actually I had a similar cold and fever immediately after Singapore but recovered in time for Suzuka so I knew exactly what he was going through. It was very unfortunate he couldn't race after his accident in qualifying because I am sure he would have had a great result too. We work really well together and there is a great atmosphere so I know he was cheering me on to the podium. But he will bounce back and we will both be fighting for another positive result in Brazil.
What are your expectations for Brazil?
This season has proved it is difficult to make accurate predictions so it's hard to say. I am usually very competitive at Interlagos and last year I qualified in second place. It should suit our car and I definitely hope to be fighting at the front again after two consecutive podiums for the team but we'll have to wait and see how things go in practice.
Williams says engine decision imminent
Williams chief Frank Williams says his team must make an "imminent" decision on its engine plans for the 2010 season.
Williams, currently using Toyota engines, was believed to be interested in a deal with Renault, but a possible agreement was delayed by the French squad's involvement in the race-fixing scandal.
Now the Grove team is still considering its options, but Williams has made it clear that, from a technical point of view, the decision must be made very soon.
"You've got to get on with it and make up our minds - it must be imminent," said Williams.
"It's a technical choice and it requires a thorough vetting and consideration period by Patrick [Head] and Sam [Michael] plus some negotiations by Adam [Parr] once it's decided.
"We have to hurry up because we don't want to get behind on designing our car."
When asked if people get excited at the idea of Williams-Renault, the team boss said: "Absolutely."
Williams also suggested Cosworth was still possibility.
"Cosworth is an independent company. The warmth that a manufacturer's engine provides is a useful feeling," he said.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said his team, using Renault power units, was in a similar situation.
"We're in a situation where we need to get off the fence in the relatively near future, but nothing is fixed at this point in time," Horner said.
Williams, currently using Toyota engines, was believed to be interested in a deal with Renault, but a possible agreement was delayed by the French squad's involvement in the race-fixing scandal.
Now the Grove team is still considering its options, but Williams has made it clear that, from a technical point of view, the decision must be made very soon.
"You've got to get on with it and make up our minds - it must be imminent," said Williams.
"It's a technical choice and it requires a thorough vetting and consideration period by Patrick [Head] and Sam [Michael] plus some negotiations by Adam [Parr] once it's decided.
"We have to hurry up because we don't want to get behind on designing our car."
When asked if people get excited at the idea of Williams-Renault, the team boss said: "Absolutely."
Williams also suggested Cosworth was still possibility.
"Cosworth is an independent company. The warmth that a manufacturer's engine provides is a useful feeling," he said.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner said his team, using Renault power units, was in a similar situation.
"We're in a situation where we need to get off the fence in the relatively near future, but nothing is fixed at this point in time," Horner said.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Senna 'closing on 2010 F1 deal'
Bruno Senna says he is close to securing a Formula 1 seat for 2010.
The nephew of the legendary Ayrton Senna tested extensively for Honda last year and was hotly tipped for a drive with the team in 2009 before the parent company pulled out.
He was then strongly linked with the second Brawn seat before team boss Ross Brawn decided that Rubens Barrichello's experience would be more valuable given the lack of pre-season mileage.
Having missed out a 2009 F1 deal, Senna raced in a handful of sportscar events - including Le Mans - for the French ORECA team, but says his management have been working hard on opportunities for 2010 and expect to make an announcement shortly.
"Our latest talks proved even more exciting," he said.
"Everything keeps going well and the pace of negotiations has increased in the last few weeks.
"I’m looking forward to having good news in the coming days."
Although Senna has not been publicly linked with any of the established F1 teams, the arrival of new squads Lotus, US F1, Campos and Manor next season opens up new possibilities for drivers knocking on the door of the top level.
Senna is to continue his preparations for next year by returning to GP2 to assist his former team iSport in testing later this week.
The 26-year-old Brazilian came close to the championship in the F1 feeder series last year
The nephew of the legendary Ayrton Senna tested extensively for Honda last year and was hotly tipped for a drive with the team in 2009 before the parent company pulled out.
He was then strongly linked with the second Brawn seat before team boss Ross Brawn decided that Rubens Barrichello's experience would be more valuable given the lack of pre-season mileage.
Having missed out a 2009 F1 deal, Senna raced in a handful of sportscar events - including Le Mans - for the French ORECA team, but says his management have been working hard on opportunities for 2010 and expect to make an announcement shortly.
"Our latest talks proved even more exciting," he said.
"Everything keeps going well and the pace of negotiations has increased in the last few weeks.
"I’m looking forward to having good news in the coming days."
Although Senna has not been publicly linked with any of the established F1 teams, the arrival of new squads Lotus, US F1, Campos and Manor next season opens up new possibilities for drivers knocking on the door of the top level.
Senna is to continue his preparations for next year by returning to GP2 to assist his former team iSport in testing later this week.
The 26-year-old Brazilian came close to the championship in the F1 feeder series last year
McLaren's 2009 Japanese Grand Prix Race Report
LEWIS HAMILTON
MP4-24-02
Started: 3rd
Finished: 3rd
Fastest lap: 1m33.259s (6th)
Pitstops: two (Op-Pr-Op)
2009 points: 43 (6th)
A forceful start from third on the grid saw Lewis vault second-placed Jarno Trulli and attempt a move around the outside of leader Sebastian Vettel before slotting into second position for his opening stint.
“I tried to get past both Jarno and Sebastian at the start,” said Lewis. “But I couldn’t quite manage to get into the lead. It was a good scrap with Jarno – we were really battling, setting qualifying times as we tried to shave tenths off each other’s laps – but, over the race distance, my car couldn’t quite match his.”
Unable to keep up with the pace of the leading Red Bull, Lewis’s race instead focused on a tactical battle to beat Jarno’s Toyota for second. Lewis maintained that position through his first two stints, but was unable properly to defend the place in the final stint after developing an issue with his KERS device.
Lewis explained: “As I exited the pits after my second stop, I lost time with a gearbox problem, which meant I coasted about 100 metres down the pitlane – that cost me about a second. To be honest, it wasn’t a surprise to be jumped by Jarno at the final stops – we needed every tenth to make the gap up to three seconds and we couldn’t quite make it.”
With his engineers unable to rectify the KERS fault, Lewis was effectively forced to settle for third position, and then to protect his position after a late Safety Car period bunched the field.
“When we were behind the Safety Car, I asked the team if they could get the KERS working again so that I could shoot past Jarno,” Lewis said, “but they couldn’t do it and I wasn’t close enough to get in his slipstream at the restart.”
Nonetheless, Lewis firmly established himself in third place until the flag. On the occasion of his 50th grand prix, his six points today move him to within two points of fifth position in the drivers’ championship. The result also moves Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to within two points of third in the constructors’ championship.
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
MP4-24-03
Started: 11th
Finished: 11th
Fastest lap: 1m33.801s (12th)
Pitstops: two (Op-Pr-Op)
2009 points: 22 (12th)
Qualifying ninth but demoted to 11th following his unscheduled pre-race gearbox change, Heikki attacked in the opening laps, making a great start to vault to ninth and moving up a further place after taking Adrian Sutil on lap two.
The pair ran in close proximity for much of the first stint until lap 13, when Adrian dived up the inside of Heikki at the chicane and the pair touched. Adrian spun and Heikki lost a position to Jenson Button as he was delayed by the incident.
Thereafter he pushed hard in the lower fringes of the top 10, stopping on laps 24 – when a front static hubcab refused to position itself correctly and needed to be replaced at the next stop – and 39 – when he chased Giancarlo Fisichella out of the pits and squeezed past the Italian on the kerbs as the pair raced for the first corner. He finished 11th.
“I’m a bit disappointed with my result,” Heikki said. “I’m absolutely on the limit of my car and we’re still lacking grip in the high-speed corners, so it’s not possible for me to attack any harder. I pushed from the start to the finish – Adrian tried to make a move but only went halfway, so I was able to stay beside him. When he tried to turn in, I was already on the kerb and I had no more room to avoid him, so I had to lean on him and that was more a problem for him.
“My second pitstop wasn't fantastic as we had a problem with the right front wheel, so Giancarlo was able to get out right in front of me. I was able to release the pitlane speed-limiter earlier and immediately got on KERS. He gave me some room, so it was quite an easy move – nothing too dramatic.”
MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Suzuka is a terrifically exciting and challenging circuit, for drivers and engineers alike. So for us to have bagged a solid third place here isn’t something we need be too disappointed with, particularly bearing in mind where we were performance-wise on fast circuits of this nature only a few weeks ago.
“Ultra-forceful competitor that he is and always will be, Lewis had hoped to be able to take the lead from Sebastian at the first corner. In truth it was never going to be easy, owing to the short run from the start-line to the first corner – and, once Sebastian had held on to his lead into Turn One, he remained just out of Lewis’s reach all afternoon.
“Lewis’s focus then turned to his delicately poised battle with Jarno. Emerging from the second pitstops in third place just behind the Italian, Lewis then suffered a KERS malfunction that we were unable to cure. Bearing in mind that he then had to improvise an all-new driving style to compensate for the lack of KERS and the compromised braking balance that the lack of KERS occasioned, he did a truly fantastic job to hold on to third place, and to keep Kimi [Raikkonen] at bay, through to the flag.
“After Heikki’s problems in qualifying, compounded by a five-place grid penalty caused by our need to replace his gearbox yesterday afternoon, Heikki tried his hardest today to make up places from his P11 grid slot – but the reality is that Suzuka is a tricky strip of narrow asphalt on which it’s deceptively difficult to overtake. The fact that Heikki is disappointed with his P11 finish is an indication of his competitive spirit – but he’s already talking optimistically about Interlagos.
“Talking of Interlagos, we’ll approach the Brazilian Grand Prix with the same mindset with which we’ve been approaching every Grand Prix since the German: in other words, with a mindset aggressively focused on scoring as many points as possible in an effort to secure third place in the constructors’ world championship.”
NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“"A great race from Lewis again and 16 points for him and the team after the last two weekends with his win in Singapore and third place here in Suzuka.
“After his second pitstop, a potential isolation problem with the KERS Hybrid occurred, the root cause of which we are still investigating. As a precaution, the system switched itself off, so after his second pitstop, Lewis had to run without KERS support – which obviously cost him laptime due to brake-balance issues and less power available.
“Despite this handicap, he did a marvellous job defending his third position from Kimi at the restart after the Safety Car period. In fact, he pulled a gap out between him and the Ferrari in the last laps.
“Heikki was handicapped starting from 11th place after receiving a five-place grid penalty due to changing his car’s gearbox following his qualifying shunt.
“Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has scored 51 points in the six races since Lewis’s win at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July – a better score than any other team in that period of time.
“I would like to thank everybody in our team at Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart for the hard work that was done in order to recover from our bad first half of the season when we scored 14 points in nine races. In the last six, we got 51 – and that definitely feels much better.
“Finally, congratulations to Sebastian and Red Bull Racing for a superb win today – this result keeps the outcome of the world championship open.”
MP4-24-02
Started: 3rd
Finished: 3rd
Fastest lap: 1m33.259s (6th)
Pitstops: two (Op-Pr-Op)
2009 points: 43 (6th)
A forceful start from third on the grid saw Lewis vault second-placed Jarno Trulli and attempt a move around the outside of leader Sebastian Vettel before slotting into second position for his opening stint.
“I tried to get past both Jarno and Sebastian at the start,” said Lewis. “But I couldn’t quite manage to get into the lead. It was a good scrap with Jarno – we were really battling, setting qualifying times as we tried to shave tenths off each other’s laps – but, over the race distance, my car couldn’t quite match his.”
Unable to keep up with the pace of the leading Red Bull, Lewis’s race instead focused on a tactical battle to beat Jarno’s Toyota for second. Lewis maintained that position through his first two stints, but was unable properly to defend the place in the final stint after developing an issue with his KERS device.
Lewis explained: “As I exited the pits after my second stop, I lost time with a gearbox problem, which meant I coasted about 100 metres down the pitlane – that cost me about a second. To be honest, it wasn’t a surprise to be jumped by Jarno at the final stops – we needed every tenth to make the gap up to three seconds and we couldn’t quite make it.”
With his engineers unable to rectify the KERS fault, Lewis was effectively forced to settle for third position, and then to protect his position after a late Safety Car period bunched the field.
“When we were behind the Safety Car, I asked the team if they could get the KERS working again so that I could shoot past Jarno,” Lewis said, “but they couldn’t do it and I wasn’t close enough to get in his slipstream at the restart.”
Nonetheless, Lewis firmly established himself in third place until the flag. On the occasion of his 50th grand prix, his six points today move him to within two points of fifth position in the drivers’ championship. The result also moves Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to within two points of third in the constructors’ championship.
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
MP4-24-03
Started: 11th
Finished: 11th
Fastest lap: 1m33.801s (12th)
Pitstops: two (Op-Pr-Op)
2009 points: 22 (12th)
Qualifying ninth but demoted to 11th following his unscheduled pre-race gearbox change, Heikki attacked in the opening laps, making a great start to vault to ninth and moving up a further place after taking Adrian Sutil on lap two.
The pair ran in close proximity for much of the first stint until lap 13, when Adrian dived up the inside of Heikki at the chicane and the pair touched. Adrian spun and Heikki lost a position to Jenson Button as he was delayed by the incident.
Thereafter he pushed hard in the lower fringes of the top 10, stopping on laps 24 – when a front static hubcab refused to position itself correctly and needed to be replaced at the next stop – and 39 – when he chased Giancarlo Fisichella out of the pits and squeezed past the Italian on the kerbs as the pair raced for the first corner. He finished 11th.
“I’m a bit disappointed with my result,” Heikki said. “I’m absolutely on the limit of my car and we’re still lacking grip in the high-speed corners, so it’s not possible for me to attack any harder. I pushed from the start to the finish – Adrian tried to make a move but only went halfway, so I was able to stay beside him. When he tried to turn in, I was already on the kerb and I had no more room to avoid him, so I had to lean on him and that was more a problem for him.
“My second pitstop wasn't fantastic as we had a problem with the right front wheel, so Giancarlo was able to get out right in front of me. I was able to release the pitlane speed-limiter earlier and immediately got on KERS. He gave me some room, so it was quite an easy move – nothing too dramatic.”
MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Suzuka is a terrifically exciting and challenging circuit, for drivers and engineers alike. So for us to have bagged a solid third place here isn’t something we need be too disappointed with, particularly bearing in mind where we were performance-wise on fast circuits of this nature only a few weeks ago.
“Ultra-forceful competitor that he is and always will be, Lewis had hoped to be able to take the lead from Sebastian at the first corner. In truth it was never going to be easy, owing to the short run from the start-line to the first corner – and, once Sebastian had held on to his lead into Turn One, he remained just out of Lewis’s reach all afternoon.
“Lewis’s focus then turned to his delicately poised battle with Jarno. Emerging from the second pitstops in third place just behind the Italian, Lewis then suffered a KERS malfunction that we were unable to cure. Bearing in mind that he then had to improvise an all-new driving style to compensate for the lack of KERS and the compromised braking balance that the lack of KERS occasioned, he did a truly fantastic job to hold on to third place, and to keep Kimi [Raikkonen] at bay, through to the flag.
“After Heikki’s problems in qualifying, compounded by a five-place grid penalty caused by our need to replace his gearbox yesterday afternoon, Heikki tried his hardest today to make up places from his P11 grid slot – but the reality is that Suzuka is a tricky strip of narrow asphalt on which it’s deceptively difficult to overtake. The fact that Heikki is disappointed with his P11 finish is an indication of his competitive spirit – but he’s already talking optimistically about Interlagos.
“Talking of Interlagos, we’ll approach the Brazilian Grand Prix with the same mindset with which we’ve been approaching every Grand Prix since the German: in other words, with a mindset aggressively focused on scoring as many points as possible in an effort to secure third place in the constructors’ world championship.”
NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“"A great race from Lewis again and 16 points for him and the team after the last two weekends with his win in Singapore and third place here in Suzuka.
“After his second pitstop, a potential isolation problem with the KERS Hybrid occurred, the root cause of which we are still investigating. As a precaution, the system switched itself off, so after his second pitstop, Lewis had to run without KERS support – which obviously cost him laptime due to brake-balance issues and less power available.
“Despite this handicap, he did a marvellous job defending his third position from Kimi at the restart after the Safety Car period. In fact, he pulled a gap out between him and the Ferrari in the last laps.
“Heikki was handicapped starting from 11th place after receiving a five-place grid penalty due to changing his car’s gearbox following his qualifying shunt.
“Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has scored 51 points in the six races since Lewis’s win at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July – a better score than any other team in that period of time.
“I would like to thank everybody in our team at Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart for the hard work that was done in order to recover from our bad first half of the season when we scored 14 points in nine races. In the last six, we got 51 – and that definitely feels much better.
“Finally, congratulations to Sebastian and Red Bull Racing for a superb win today – this result keeps the outcome of the world championship open.”
Barrichello says title bid still realistic
Rubens Barrichello says his world championship bid is still 'very much alive' even though he now has to out-score team-mate Jenson Button by five points in Brazil next weekend to keep the title battle open.
Although Barrichello has steadily edged closer to Button in recent months, he has only narrowed the gap slower - taking just one point out of his team-mate's advantage in Japan last weekend, leaving them 14 points apart with two rounds to go.
But despite needing a big score at home at Interlagos in a fortnight, Rubens still regards himself as a very realistic title contender.
"I'm not there calculating what I can do and what I can't do," he said.
"It's just a matter of going there, winning the race and seeing what happens.
"The chances are smaller, but they're not as small as when I was 26 behind at one point in the championship.
"It's very much alive."
He promised to push flat-out for victory rather than focusing on keeping ahead of Button.
"I've got to go there and win the race, that's the aim," Barrichello said.
"The rest, I don't care about, and if I deserve to win the championship, I will.
"I'm not going to be there in the middle of the race thinking if five plus five is ten...
"Five plus five in Japan was six - I qualified fifth, had a five-place penalty and started sixth!
"I have no intention whatsoever to look at points.
"My intention there is to win the race."
Barrichello reiterated that he will have happy memories of 2009 - and Brawn's incredible rise from the ashes of the unsuccessful Honda team - whatever the outcome of the title race.
"It's been a very positive year whatever happens," he said.
"At the beginning of the year I had no drive, the team had no engine.
"The Brawn-Mercedes is a fantastic car and team altogether, and we've got to be very happy with that.
"Hopefully we're going to win the constructors' and although [Sebastian] Vettel is now much closer to us, hopefully I'm going to be fighting for the championship to the end and will win if I deserve to win by Abu Dhabi.
Although Barrichello has steadily edged closer to Button in recent months, he has only narrowed the gap slower - taking just one point out of his team-mate's advantage in Japan last weekend, leaving them 14 points apart with two rounds to go.
But despite needing a big score at home at Interlagos in a fortnight, Rubens still regards himself as a very realistic title contender.
"I'm not there calculating what I can do and what I can't do," he said.
"It's just a matter of going there, winning the race and seeing what happens.
"The chances are smaller, but they're not as small as when I was 26 behind at one point in the championship.
"It's very much alive."
He promised to push flat-out for victory rather than focusing on keeping ahead of Button.
"I've got to go there and win the race, that's the aim," Barrichello said.
"The rest, I don't care about, and if I deserve to win the championship, I will.
"I'm not going to be there in the middle of the race thinking if five plus five is ten...
"Five plus five in Japan was six - I qualified fifth, had a five-place penalty and started sixth!
"I have no intention whatsoever to look at points.
"My intention there is to win the race."
Barrichello reiterated that he will have happy memories of 2009 - and Brawn's incredible rise from the ashes of the unsuccessful Honda team - whatever the outcome of the title race.
"It's been a very positive year whatever happens," he said.
"At the beginning of the year I had no drive, the team had no engine.
"The Brawn-Mercedes is a fantastic car and team altogether, and we've got to be very happy with that.
"Hopefully we're going to win the constructors' and although [Sebastian] Vettel is now much closer to us, hopefully I'm going to be fighting for the championship to the end and will win if I deserve to win by Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari results of Japanese Grand prix
K. Raikkonen: 4th 1:28.28.383 + 7.940 53 laps chassis 279
G. Fisichella: 12th 1:28.35.039 +14.596 53 laps chassis 280
Weather: air temperature 28/27 °C, track temperature 43/41°C, sunny.
Five points in the bag for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro in the Japanese Grand Prix, where Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and Giancarlo Fisichella brought the car home in twelfth place. With two more races to go, the Scuderia is still third in the Constructors’ classification, even though the gap to our closest rival has come down to just two points.
Stefano Domenicali: “All things considered, this is a positive result: I don’t think we could have done any more than this fourth place. We got the most out of the F60 as it stands today and, thanks to yet another great drive from Kimi, we also managed to stay third in the Constructors’ classification. Giancarlo also drove a good race, driving competitively in terms of pace and performance, as can be seen from the fact he set the eighth best lap time. In the middle stint, on the soft tyre, both our drivers were very quick, their lap times matching those of the best. The team worked well and we must continue to do so for the final two races left to run in this strange season, fighting tooth and nail to reach the target we set ourselves from the mid-season onwards.”
Giancarlo Fisichella: “I had a better feel for the car this weekend and I think the effect from that could be seen, although maybe not in terms of the results. Today, I could run at a good pace, especially in the middle part of the race. It’s a shame I lost a place in my battle with Kovalainen. We managed to get ahead of him in the pit stop, but then he swerved across to the inside at the only point where I left the door slightly open and he leaned on me, managing to get by. Towards the end, I had to fight off Sutil who was very quick and was on the soft tyre, while I was on the hard: at this point the KERS came in handy. Now I am looking forward to Interlagos in a more confident mood: it will be important to get a slightly better start position to try and finally make it into the points.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Today the car wasn’t bad, but it was not quick enough to fight for the podium. This fourth place is useful in terms of keeping the team in third place in the Constructors’ championship, but it will be hard to hang onto it over the final two races. I will definitely do everything I can though. I was unable to make up places at the start, especially as the first corner is not that far from the start line and so I was unable to make the most of the KERS. In the first stint, when I was on hard tyres, the situation was a bit difficult, but then, once on the softs, things improved considerably. I managed to close on Heidfeld and pass him at the pit stop, even though, coming away from my stop, I found myself in traffic behind Button. Then there was not much to fight for to the end of the race.”
Chris Dyer: “After the disappointment of Singapore, it’s nice to see Kimi again finish a race in a good position. With hindsight, there’s some disappointment with a result that could have been even better: we opted to start on the hard tyres on Kimi’s car, because we weren’t entirely sure about how the soft ones would work over a distance. In fact, their performance stayed consistent, as we saw in the second part of the race, when both our drivers were very competitive. On top of that, we failed to make up places at the start, which is what we usually manage. We played about a bit with the stops to try and pass Heidfeld and we managed it. In the final stint, it seemed at one point that Hamilton had a problem and then the Safety Car closed everyone up. Kimi tried to see if there was room to attack him at the re-start but there was not. Giancarlo drove a good race and it was important for him and for the team to see him fighting with Kovalainen and Alonso for a place just outside the points. It’s a shame that, coming out of pit lane after his second stop, he lost a place in his battle with the McLaren driver.”
G. Fisichella: 12th 1:28.35.039 +14.596 53 laps chassis 280
Weather: air temperature 28/27 °C, track temperature 43/41°C, sunny.
Five points in the bag for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro in the Japanese Grand Prix, where Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth and Giancarlo Fisichella brought the car home in twelfth place. With two more races to go, the Scuderia is still third in the Constructors’ classification, even though the gap to our closest rival has come down to just two points.
Stefano Domenicali: “All things considered, this is a positive result: I don’t think we could have done any more than this fourth place. We got the most out of the F60 as it stands today and, thanks to yet another great drive from Kimi, we also managed to stay third in the Constructors’ classification. Giancarlo also drove a good race, driving competitively in terms of pace and performance, as can be seen from the fact he set the eighth best lap time. In the middle stint, on the soft tyre, both our drivers were very quick, their lap times matching those of the best. The team worked well and we must continue to do so for the final two races left to run in this strange season, fighting tooth and nail to reach the target we set ourselves from the mid-season onwards.”
Giancarlo Fisichella: “I had a better feel for the car this weekend and I think the effect from that could be seen, although maybe not in terms of the results. Today, I could run at a good pace, especially in the middle part of the race. It’s a shame I lost a place in my battle with Kovalainen. We managed to get ahead of him in the pit stop, but then he swerved across to the inside at the only point where I left the door slightly open and he leaned on me, managing to get by. Towards the end, I had to fight off Sutil who was very quick and was on the soft tyre, while I was on the hard: at this point the KERS came in handy. Now I am looking forward to Interlagos in a more confident mood: it will be important to get a slightly better start position to try and finally make it into the points.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Today the car wasn’t bad, but it was not quick enough to fight for the podium. This fourth place is useful in terms of keeping the team in third place in the Constructors’ championship, but it will be hard to hang onto it over the final two races. I will definitely do everything I can though. I was unable to make up places at the start, especially as the first corner is not that far from the start line and so I was unable to make the most of the KERS. In the first stint, when I was on hard tyres, the situation was a bit difficult, but then, once on the softs, things improved considerably. I managed to close on Heidfeld and pass him at the pit stop, even though, coming away from my stop, I found myself in traffic behind Button. Then there was not much to fight for to the end of the race.”
Chris Dyer: “After the disappointment of Singapore, it’s nice to see Kimi again finish a race in a good position. With hindsight, there’s some disappointment with a result that could have been even better: we opted to start on the hard tyres on Kimi’s car, because we weren’t entirely sure about how the soft ones would work over a distance. In fact, their performance stayed consistent, as we saw in the second part of the race, when both our drivers were very competitive. On top of that, we failed to make up places at the start, which is what we usually manage. We played about a bit with the stops to try and pass Heidfeld and we managed it. In the final stint, it seemed at one point that Hamilton had a problem and then the Safety Car closed everyone up. Kimi tried to see if there was room to attack him at the re-start but there was not. Giancarlo drove a good race and it was important for him and for the team to see him fighting with Kovalainen and Alonso for a place just outside the points. It’s a shame that, coming out of pit lane after his second stop, he lost a place in his battle with the McLaren driver.”
Piquet: I am the victim of 'crashgate'
Nelson Piquet Jr claims that he has become the major victom of the Renault 'crashgate' scandal and admits it will be tough to begin his Formula 1 career all over again.
The 24-year-old says that despite team boss Flavio Briatore receiving a life ban and technical boss Pat Symonds being suspended for five years, he has been punished the most and could find it difficult to get another chance in F1.
"Some people have suggested I should have been punished by the FIA but, in reality, no one has been punished more than I have," Piquet said in The Times. "I am at the beginning of my career, unlike the others who have been punished in this case. I am going to have to overcome many obstacles. I more or less have to start my career from scratch in Formula 1 or justify myself in whatever category I might race in."
Piquet says the plan for him to crash to benefit team-mate Fernando Alonso's strategy was only made shortly before the race, claiming he did not have time to think it through and that he was under pressure for his place in the team.
"It all happened so quickly, I must confess that I could never possibly have weighed up the consequences," he said. "I was in a difficult position at the time and the renegotiation of my contract was in play if I didn't accept the strategy. I was taken by surprise by the request of the two most important people in the team — after all, one of them was my manager.
"The crash plan was only made hours before the race, I did not have time to think straight. If the proposal had been made during free practice I would have had more time to think and to act in another way."
Piquet suggested that had his father, Nelson Piquet Sr, been at the Singapore GP, the decision would not have been taken, and that Piquet Sr first told the FIA about the plot at the last race of the 2008 season.
"I don't believe the plan to crash would have been made [if Piquet Sr was in Singapore]," he said. "After that, my father began to go to all the races.
"The first confession was made to the FIA by my father during the Brazil Grand Prix in 2008. During the first half of 2009, both myself and my father spoke to other people about the subject. But the formalisation of the allegations only came afterwards. It was a very serious charge and, for that reason, we had to be very careful and take careful steps."
He denied that he ever used the threat of implicating Renault to try to keep his place in the team.
"Some people have suggested that I was blackmailing Renault to continue my career but the situation was more complicated for a long time before. At each race it was always the same story of threatening to withdraw my contract or the renewal for the next season... I made the allegation so that no other driver would go through what I went through and, more importantly, so that the whole episode would be clarified the way it has been."
Piquet also claimed that he had been the victim of Briatore's frustrations at the team being unable to return to its title winning form of 2005 and 2006, but says Alonso was not part of the plan as far as he knows.
"As a result of Renault not being very competitive, Briatore channelled all his unhappiness on me. He preferred to take it out on me during the two and a half seasons I was in Formula 1. I never saw other rookies being pushed as hard as I was. The pressure for results is normal, but the mental harassment is another story.
"Alonso did not participate in the meeting when the idea of a crash was developed. If he knew or not about the plan, is a detail that I do not know."
The 24-year-old says that despite team boss Flavio Briatore receiving a life ban and technical boss Pat Symonds being suspended for five years, he has been punished the most and could find it difficult to get another chance in F1.
"Some people have suggested I should have been punished by the FIA but, in reality, no one has been punished more than I have," Piquet said in The Times. "I am at the beginning of my career, unlike the others who have been punished in this case. I am going to have to overcome many obstacles. I more or less have to start my career from scratch in Formula 1 or justify myself in whatever category I might race in."
Piquet says the plan for him to crash to benefit team-mate Fernando Alonso's strategy was only made shortly before the race, claiming he did not have time to think it through and that he was under pressure for his place in the team.
"It all happened so quickly, I must confess that I could never possibly have weighed up the consequences," he said. "I was in a difficult position at the time and the renegotiation of my contract was in play if I didn't accept the strategy. I was taken by surprise by the request of the two most important people in the team — after all, one of them was my manager.
"The crash plan was only made hours before the race, I did not have time to think straight. If the proposal had been made during free practice I would have had more time to think and to act in another way."
Piquet suggested that had his father, Nelson Piquet Sr, been at the Singapore GP, the decision would not have been taken, and that Piquet Sr first told the FIA about the plot at the last race of the 2008 season.
"I don't believe the plan to crash would have been made [if Piquet Sr was in Singapore]," he said. "After that, my father began to go to all the races.
"The first confession was made to the FIA by my father during the Brazil Grand Prix in 2008. During the first half of 2009, both myself and my father spoke to other people about the subject. But the formalisation of the allegations only came afterwards. It was a very serious charge and, for that reason, we had to be very careful and take careful steps."
He denied that he ever used the threat of implicating Renault to try to keep his place in the team.
"Some people have suggested that I was blackmailing Renault to continue my career but the situation was more complicated for a long time before. At each race it was always the same story of threatening to withdraw my contract or the renewal for the next season... I made the allegation so that no other driver would go through what I went through and, more importantly, so that the whole episode would be clarified the way it has been."
Piquet also claimed that he had been the victim of Briatore's frustrations at the team being unable to return to its title winning form of 2005 and 2006, but says Alonso was not part of the plan as far as he knows.
"As a result of Renault not being very competitive, Briatore channelled all his unhappiness on me. He preferred to take it out on me during the two and a half seasons I was in Formula 1. I never saw other rookies being pushed as hard as I was. The pressure for results is normal, but the mental harassment is another story.
"Alonso did not participate in the meeting when the idea of a crash was developed. If he knew or not about the plan, is a detail that I do not know."
Button wants error-free race in Brazil
Jenson Button says his main target for the Brazilian Grand Prix is to avoid errors and hope for the best possible result in order to get closer to the title.
The British driver finished Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix in eighth position to see his championship lead stay on a healthy 14 points from Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello with just two races remaining.
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, the dominant winner of the Suzuka race is 16 points behind.
Button needs to finish in fifth position in Brazil to secure his first title, regardless of what his two rivals do.
The championship leader made it clear, however, that his main goal will be to have an error-free weekend and pick up as many points as possible.
"Well, it is all about mistakes," Button told reporters after the Suzuka race. "With them they had a very fast car and for whatever reason they did not finish races. It is about finishing races and picking up points.
"We obviously want the best result possible, which is to win races, and we will get as close as we can. But it is about not making mistakes, that is the most important thing."
He added: "Whatever happens in Brazil I will have a four-point lead. So, I lost a point today which is frustrating because my pace was very good compared to Rubens.
"But I started a long way behind him, so losing one point is not so bad. And it is seven points per race rather than five points per race that he needs to be beat me by. So, it is not a bad position.
"I go to Brazil positive and looking forward to the challenge, because it is going to be a challenge. Sebastian is quick and the Red Bull seems very quick.
"It has still got high-speed corners, and they have showed they are quick on low-speed corners like Singapore, so they will be difficult to beat. And Rubens is always quick there - so it is going to be a challenging weekend, but a fun weekend as well."
Button's Brawn team all but secured the constructors' title at Suzuka, the Brackley team needing just half a point to be out of Red Bull's reach.
The Briton said the team has every reason to be proud this year.
"I feel it will go our way when we go to Brazil, then everyone should be very, very proud of themselves in this team," he said. "They have been through a lot. It has been a rollercoaster throughout the season but also last winter, so if it does happen then congratulations to everyone.
"It is going to be a very emotional moment for them, if it happens here. And well done to Ross Brawn - he has achieved a lot in his Formula 1 career but this is very different from being a team owner.
"Also, after such a difficult winter, we didn't even think we would be on the grid in Australia so to come away with a victory there, and many victories this season, then to come away with the constructors' title will be a very special feeling. But we will wait and see."
The British driver finished Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix in eighth position to see his championship lead stay on a healthy 14 points from Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello with just two races remaining.
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, the dominant winner of the Suzuka race is 16 points behind.
Button needs to finish in fifth position in Brazil to secure his first title, regardless of what his two rivals do.
The championship leader made it clear, however, that his main goal will be to have an error-free weekend and pick up as many points as possible.
"Well, it is all about mistakes," Button told reporters after the Suzuka race. "With them they had a very fast car and for whatever reason they did not finish races. It is about finishing races and picking up points.
"We obviously want the best result possible, which is to win races, and we will get as close as we can. But it is about not making mistakes, that is the most important thing."
He added: "Whatever happens in Brazil I will have a four-point lead. So, I lost a point today which is frustrating because my pace was very good compared to Rubens.
"But I started a long way behind him, so losing one point is not so bad. And it is seven points per race rather than five points per race that he needs to be beat me by. So, it is not a bad position.
"I go to Brazil positive and looking forward to the challenge, because it is going to be a challenge. Sebastian is quick and the Red Bull seems very quick.
"It has still got high-speed corners, and they have showed they are quick on low-speed corners like Singapore, so they will be difficult to beat. And Rubens is always quick there - so it is going to be a challenging weekend, but a fun weekend as well."
Button's Brawn team all but secured the constructors' title at Suzuka, the Brackley team needing just half a point to be out of Red Bull's reach.
The Briton said the team has every reason to be proud this year.
"I feel it will go our way when we go to Brazil, then everyone should be very, very proud of themselves in this team," he said. "They have been through a lot. It has been a rollercoaster throughout the season but also last winter, so if it does happen then congratulations to everyone.
"It is going to be a very emotional moment for them, if it happens here. And well done to Ross Brawn - he has achieved a lot in his Formula 1 career but this is very different from being a team owner.
"Also, after such a difficult winter, we didn't even think we would be on the grid in Australia so to come away with a victory there, and many victories this season, then to come away with the constructors' title will be a very special feeling. But we will wait and see."
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