Photos: Kimi Räikkönen at Korean Grand Prix 2012

Source: F1GrandPrix

Practice Two: Vettel leads Bull 1-2

Sebastian Vettel proved to be the driver to beat in Korea on Friday as he edged team-mate Mark Webber by 0.032s in Practice Two.

Vettel, who moved to within four points of the Championship lead when he claimed his third win of the season last time out in Japan, posted a 1:38.832 on Friday afternoon.

That put the German a mere 0.032s up on Webber while Vettel's main rival and Championship leader Fernando Alonso was third. However, he was three-tenths off the pace.

Practice Two got underway in near perfect conditions with the track temperature up to 30'C as Lewis Hamilton posted the afternoon's first lap time, a 1:41.841.

This sparked a run from his rivals with Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher and Paul di Resta, a 1:40.331, hitting the front one after the other.

Schumacher was the first into the 1:39s but his reign was short-lived as World Champion Sebastian Vettel jumped to the front while his team-mate Mark Webber sandwiched the Mercedes driver.

But while lap times were tumbling lap after lap, drivers were still struggling to keep all four wheels on the asphalt with Schumacher, Felipe Massa, Sergio Perez, Charles Pic, Heikki Kovalainen all testing the track's limits.

Perez's session came to an end just before the halfway stage as the 22-year-old, having complained of DRS issues, stopped on the side of the track with a hydraulic problem.

Halfway through the session the top three were Vettel with a 1:39.089, Webber and Button.

A switch to the supersoft tyres saw the two Red Bulls engage in a private battle for the P1 slot with Webber and Vettel taking hundredths off each other's times.

Button was the first to challenge only to lose out to Alonso, however, neither came close to battling the Red Bulls for supremacy.

With drivers swapping to heavier fuel loads and lapping at about seven second short of their previous bests, Vettel was guaranteed his first P1 finish of the weekend, 0.032s ahead of Webber.

Times
01 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:38.832 33 laps
02 Mark Webber Red Bull 1:38.864 0.032 33 laps
03 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:39.160 0.328 28 laps
04 Jenson Button McLaren 1:39.219 0.387 29 laps
05 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:39.330 0.498 31 laps
06 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:39.422 0.590 30 laps
07 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:39.584 0.752 35 laps
08 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:39.717 0.885 25 laps
09 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:39.739 0.907 33 laps
10 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:39.839 1.007 26 laps
11 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:39.957 1.125 28 laps
12 Bruno Senna Williams 1:40.089 1.257 32 laps
13 Paul di Resta Force India 1:40.112 1.280 34 laps
14 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1:40.445 1.613 27 laps
15 Sergio Perez Sauber 1:40.745 1.913 11 laps
16 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:40.789 1.957 31 laps
17 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:40.997 2.165 32 laps
18 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:41.200 2.368 33 laps
19 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1:41.602 2.770 23 laps
20 Timo Glock Marussia 1:42.596 3.764 28 laps
21 Charles Pic Marussia 1:43.066 4.234 20 laps
22 Vitaly Petrov Caterham 1:43.067 4.235 22 laps
23 Narain Karthikeyan HRT 1:43.869 5.037 36 laps
24 Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1:44.533 5.701 24 laps

Source: Planet-F1

Practice One: Hamilton makes his mark

Lewis Hamilton put in a late charge to pip Fernando Alonso to the P1 slot in Friday's first practice for the Korean GP

Although it was the Championship leader who held onto the P1 slot for most of the session, always seeming to improve his time when his rivals closed the gap, it was Hamilton who ended FP1 quickest of all.

The McLaren driver posted a 1:39.148 to edge Alonso by 0.302s. Mark Webber was third.

It was a relatively cool start to the morning with Valtteri Bottas posting the first lap time, a 1:45.225, which, despite going quicker, was easily beaten by Jenson Button by 2.350s.

With the duo doing their part to clean up the dusty Yeongam circuit, others ventured out as the day's action kicked off in earnest.

Fernando Alonso was the next to lead the way with a 1:40.895 while others struggled to stay on the track which was slippery because of the dust. Test drivers Giedo van der Garde and Jules Bianchi both had moments as did Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez.

Halfway through the session the top three were Alonso, Pastor Maldonado and Michael Schumacher.

Alonso's time stood strong while his rivals slowly but surely closed the gap as Nico Rosberg was the first to get within a second of it.

Mark Webber posed the next challenge only for Alonso to extend the gap as he went four-tenths quicker than previously. Lewis Hamilton closed the gap with 30 minutes remaining as he moved up to second, 0.025s off the pace.

With drivers pushing hard in the final 15 minutes, Rosberg ran off the track as did Perez, van der Garde kicked up dirt as he rode the kerbs hard and Alonso locked up, had a serious slide and complained of "a lot" of vibrations.

The weekend's first practice ended with Hamilton putting in a late charge to take the P1 slot with a 1:39.280, relegating Alonso to second by 0.302s.

Times
01 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:39.148 23 laps
02 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:39.450 0.302 21 laps
03 Mark Webber Red Bull 1:39.575 0.427 21 laps
04 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:39.854 0.706 23 laps
05 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:40.088 0.940 21 laps
06 Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1:40.221 1.073 21 laps
07 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:40.396 1.248 24 laps
08 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:40.422 1.274 22 laps
09 Paul di Resta Force India 1:40.440 1.292 19 laps
10 Jenson Button McLaren 1:40.480 1.332 21 laps
11 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:40.929 1.781 14 laps
12 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:41.048 1.900 25 laps
13 Jules Bianchi Force India 1:41.140 1.992 21 laps
14 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1:41.220 2.072 19 laps
15 Sergio Perez Sauber 1:41.514 2.366 20 laps
16 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:41.596 2.448 23 laps
17 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:42.021 2.873 25 laps
18 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:42.027 2.879 23 laps
19 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1:42.104 2.956 24 laps
20 Timo Glock Marussia 1:42.175 3.027 13 laps
21 Charles Pic Marussia 1:42.706 3.558 22 laps
22 Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1:42.820 3.672 19 laps
23 Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1:44.517 5.369 23 laps
24 Dani Clos HRT 1:45.735 6.587 22 laps

Source: Planet-F1

Kimi Räikkönen Q&A: We’ll have to be smart to win

Lotus’s Kimi Räikkönen remains very much the joker in the pack of the 2012 championship, sitting fourth in the standings - ahead of the likes of Hamilton and Button - despite not having won a race. The Finn’s secret is consistent podiums - a trend he plans to continue at Monza on Sunday, even if he is starting from the fourth row - and he hence believes the title is still possible, as he explained exclusively to Formula1.com…

Q: Kimi, you’ve never won at Monza. Isn’t it about time? What are the chances tomorrow?
Kimi Räikkönen: Well, I have been fast here many times, but then funnily something always happened. (laughs) So let’s hope that we give ourselves a chance tomorrow.

Q: What would you sacrifice to win the race - black in front of a sea of red?
KR: We don’t sacrifice anything. We are just doing our best. Of course we want to win and we will do anything possible to get there. We have to be smart.

Q: What does being smart mean?
KR: To get the best out of what we have?

Q: Is that all?
KR: Yep!

Q: You start from the fourth row tomorrow. What does that mean here in Monza?
KR: Well, it’s no secret if I say that it is not the best possible place to start, but that is where we ended up after two days so it is all about making a good start and getting through the first chicane without any issue. (laughs) Then I am sure that we can fight for a podium. 

Q: There is a lot of talk about the Spa start. This sort of start accident has happened many times before, so why so much fuss now?
KR: I have no idea. I was not involved in the issue so ask the people who were. I have nothing to say about it.

Q: But the consequence is that now everybody is talking about closed cockpits? Do you have an opinion on that?
KR: I think this sport is dangerous and if you are not happy to take the risk then you should do something else. I am sure there are plenty of drivers who are willing to take the risk driving a Formula One car as it is now. 

Q: Are you eyeing the championship? What has to happen to make it happen? Your team principal Eric Boullier said that you are still in the game for the title…
KR: We need a bit stronger package if we want to win, but yes, we are still in it. One race can change the whole situation in your favour. We are not yet as fast as we would like, so be sure that I will do my best tomorrow.

Q: What do you mean by a stronger package? What does it include? The car, the aero, and the driver?
KR: Everything has to get better. We need more speed, more downforce… then we will see. 

Q: You and the team seem to hit it off. Will you carry on into 2013?
KR: I am happy this year here - and for next year let’s see. In Formula One you never know. Things can change overnight. (laughs) 

Q: Other teams desperate for results have no doubt been knocking on your door. What - and who - could lure you away? A bigger team with limitless resources? A bigger salary? 
KR: I have no interest in talking about those things because one word about it would get hyped into many half true stories, so I’ll keep it to myself.

Q: What about a return to Ferrari? Are you ready to swap black for red? 
KR: Same answer as before.

Q: Watching you stroll through the paddock, you seem to be so laidback. Are you now beyond the huge ambitions that seem to be the name of the game for so many other drivers?
KR: I am just who I am. I don’t have to pretend to be somebody else. I do my own thing and I am happy with what I am doing. 

Q: What’s still the best thing about being a Formula One driver? 
KR: For sure not talking to the media. I am not a big fan of b*llsh*t questions. 

Q: So what kind of questions are you happy to answer?
KR: Such a question doesn’t exist! (laughs)

Q: So let’s get back to the usual driver question after qualifying - where do you see yourself finishing the race?
KR: Hopefully we have a stronger package than the guys in front of me. It is a long race. Doing a good first lap will be crucial.

Q: Who is the logical winner for you?
KR: Ask me after the race - I have never pretended to be a soothsayer. (laughs)

Source: Formula1.com

Lotus: We Can Work it Out

Lotus F1 Team will not run for the remainder of the second test at Barcelona, scheduled from today until Friday

Barcelona test finishes early for Lotus F1 Team

Lotus F1 Team will not run for the remainder of the second test at Barcelona, scheduled from today until Friday.

During initial runs this morning with Romain Grosjean at the wheel, the team identified an issue with the chassis. After investigation at Enstone, initial plans to bring out chassis E20-01 to Barcelona have been held in order to give the team enough time to rectify the situation.

Lotus F1 Team will be back on track next week in Barcelona (1-4 March)

James Allison, Technical Director:
“Before we were due to fly chassis E20-01 out to Barcelona in replacement of chassis E20-02 - damaged this morning - we ran a series of simulations at the factory based on the data provided by our brief running on track today. As a result, we were able to identify an area which requires some additional work. It will be more productive for us to carry out these modifications to both chassis at Enstone rather than send E20-01 out to this week’s test. We’ll put the right measures in place and we will be able to fix the problem before next week.”

Eric Boullier, Team Principal:
“Not running this week has been a tough decision to take, but we feel that our choice is the right one. On the positive side, we have quickly identified the issue with the chassis and our design office has already devised a solution. We will be present at next week’s test in Barcelona. We draw faith from the fact that the E20 was quick out of the box in Jerez and showed its reliability there. We have a lot of work ahead of us over the next week but everyone at Enstone is ready for this challenge.”

Source: LotusRenaultGP

Vettel: Räikkönen could be serious title opponent

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel has flagged his friend Kimi Räikkönen as a potential challenger to his throne in 2012.

After becoming friends prior to Räikkönen’s rallying switch two years ago, German Vettel has stayed in contact with the Finn, occasionally meeting in their domiciled Switzerland to play badminton.

They did not manage to catch up at the Jerez test last week, but Red Bull’s Vettel admitted the pace of Räikkönen’s new Lotus caught his eye.

“If it’s as good as it seemed at Jerez, then Kimi is a serious opponent,” he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

Not trying to play down Lotus’ impressive debut for the black and gold E20 car is the team’s technical director, James Allison.

But the Briton also urged against getting carried away, with two tests at Barcelona still to run before the Melbourne season opener next month.

“We all try to know what is happening with the other teams, but in any case, we won’t know anything definite until Melbourne,” he is quoted by L’Equipe’s website.

“The most important thing is that the car runs well, not just from a mechanical standpoint, but also in terms of how the drivers feel, which is also important.”

Source: F1Zone

Big guns back, but Rosberg takes P1

Mercedes GP's 2011 challenger once again upstaged the new cars on day three of the pre-season test in Jerez with Nico Rosberg topping the timesheets

World Champion Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton were all in action for the first time on Thursday, but it was Rosberg who took the P1 honours with a blistering time of 1:17.613.

It was the second consecutive day that Merc set the pace after Michael Schumacher posted a 1:18.561 on Wednesday. With the team opting to skip the fourth and final day of testing on Friday, it was also the perfect send-off for the W02 as Merc will introduce their 2012 challenger ahead of the next test in Barcelona.

Lotus also continued their keep up with the pace at the front as Romain Grosjean led the way in the 2012-spec cars. The Frenchman was the early pacesetter before Rosberg blew everyone away with his 1:17 mark. Grosjean's best effort in his E20 was 0.806 slower than that of the German..

After watching from the sidelines on the first two days, Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton finally got a taste of the action. Vettel put his RB8 in third place with a 1:19.297, but Hamilton was just under two tenths off his time.

Alonso and Ferrari didn't have the smoothest of days as the Spaniard spent nearly two hours of the morning session in the garage with a hydraulic problem.

Things went a little better in the afternoon and, with Ferrari focusing on data collection and not times, he finished seventh but put in some consistent times on the medium Pirelli tyres.

Thursday proved to be a fruitless day for Force India after reserve and test driver Jules Bianchi had a shunt early on. Although damage to the VJM05 was not severe, the team were forced to skip the rest of the day due to a lack of spare parts.

"It was just a small mistake from my side," Bianchi told ESPNF1.

"Some wheelspin with cold tyres and I went into the gravel and touched a little bit the rear wheel and damaged the car a bit. I'm very sorry for the team because it's had to do a lot of work for a small mistake. I'm really sorry about that."

Caterham reserve Giedo van der Garde also had an excursion off the track, but his CT01 wasn't damaged.

Meanwhile, Jean-Eric Vergne and Bruno Ssenna made their official debuts as they drove for Toro Rosso and Williams respectively.

Vergne's team-mate Daniel Ricciardo impressed on the first two days and the Frenchman proved that there is plenty of pace in the STR7 as he finished fifth while Senna was the busiest driver on the track, having completed 125 laps.

Only 10 teams are in action after HRT decided to back up and head home after Wednesday. Marrusia, meanwhile, skipped the session altogether.

Times
1.N Rosberg Mercedes GP W02 1:17.613 118 laps
2. R Grosjean Lotus E20 1:18.419 +0.806 117
3. S Vettel Red Bull RB8 1:19.297 +1.684 96
4. L Hamilton McLaren MP4-27 1:19.464 +1.851 80
5. J Vergne Toro Rosso STR7 1:19.734 +2.121 78
6. S Perez Sauber C31 1:19.770 +2.157 48
7. F Alonso Ferrari F2012 1:20.412 +2.799 67
8. B Senna Williams FW34 1:21.293 +3.680 125
9. G van der Garde Caterham CT01 1:23.324 +5.711 74
10. J Bianchi Force India VJM-05 0:00.000 2

Source: Planet-F1

Räikkönen: Ferrari just a team among others

Kimi Räikkönen says that defeating Ferrari drivers is not a specific target for him in this season.

Räikkönen won the world championship for Ferrari in 2007, but left the Italian team and F1 in a special atmosphere after the 2009 season. In the paddock there was a rumor that Ferrari one way or another smoked Räikkönen out from the team to make room for Fernando Alonso.

Räikkönen, however, assures that beating Ferrari will not bring him any particular pleasure.

- All teams must be won if you want succeed.

- Drivers have always changed teams before, and raced against their old teams. Ferrari is only one competitor among others. And Ferrari have not even been at the top for few years now. But hopefully we are able to challenge all the teams, the current Lotus pilot Räikkönen explained.

MTV3 STT

Courtesy: reppo

Force India VJM05 breaks cover at Silverstone

Sahara Force India unveiled its 2012 challenger today as Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg pulled the covers off the VJM05 at Silverstone. They were joined by reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, as the team’s new car was presented for the first time.

The VJM05 is the second car to be created under the watch of Technical Director, Andrew Green, as the team seeks to build on its on its sixth place finish in the constructors’ championship and take the fight to the teams that lie ahead.

“We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place,” explained Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya. “To do so we will need to begin the new campaign by delivering the kind of form we showed in the second half of 2011. I believe this is a realistic goal and that we have the talent and determination to realise these ambitions.”

Chief Operating Officer, Otmar Szafnauer, echoed those sentiments as he praised the team’s efforts to develop the VJM05: “The new car has come together nicely over the winter. We don’t know what our competitors have done, but we’ve made some gains over the winter and believe we’re in reasonable shape. It’s going to be difficult in the midfield, but our focus is on starting strongly and improving our position from last season.”

Summing up the approach to 2012, Andrew Green added: “The car looks more refined; a lot racier and a lot more purposeful. You can start to see the aerodynamic concepts coming through now. It looks quite a bit different to the previous years, and so far the performance in the tunnel has been encouraging.”

The drivers were delighted to get their first glimpse of the new car and set out their hopes for the season ahead:

Paul Di Resta: “Seeing the new car built and complete for the first time is always an exciting moment. It’s when you realise that all the waiting is finally over and the season is beginning for real. I’ve had a good winter and I’ve recharged my batteries, but now I’m fully focussed on 2012 and looking forward to the start of testing. There’s a really positive feeling in the team, good stability and hopefully we can pick up where we left off at the end of last year.”

Nico Hulkenberg: “I saw the new car in the wind tunnel a few times and followed its progress during the winter. It looks aggressive and fast, but we won’t know where we stand until we get out there and compete against the others. Preparations for the new season have been full-on with simulator sessions and lots of fitness training. I feel ready to get back to racing and I’m excited to find out what the new car feels like next week.”

Source: YallaF1

Hamilton: I feel very free of the burdens I had last year

If Lewis Hamilton was his own worst enemy at times last year, the McLaren driver assured the world on Wednesday that he would be starting the new Formula One season very much at ease with himself again.

“I think it was just a fantastic winter where I got to spend time with friends and family and really was able to wind down,” said the 27-year-old, who complained last year about feeling burnt out.

“I let loose for the first week where I did a bit of skiing and then I ate pancakes and all that stuff that I said I wasn’t going to do,” he told Reuters after the launch of the new MP4-27 car at the Woking factory.

“I then got into quite an intense training regime and sat down in between times where I analysed the year and certain things in my personal life which weren’t as good as they could be and went about correcting those things. Today I just feel very fresh in my mind and very free of perhaps any of the burdens that I had on me last year.”

Hamilton’s 2011 season was punctuated by crashes and collisions, mostly with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, and his on/off/on again relationship with American pop singer Nicole Scherzinger.

He said he was now fully focused on the job of being a grand prix driver, “What I have decided to do this year is just focus on the most important thing and that’s racing.”

“Of course I accept that my personal life is in the domain but I’d rather just focus on racing. But things are good. So I’m happy.”

Hamilton won three races last season but was beaten by Jenson Button, the first team mate who has ever finished a campaign ahead of him overall.

Despite that fact, bookmakers have already established Hamilton as 5/1 joint second favourite for the title along with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel but ahead of Button on 7/1.

“I want to win every race. I think I can,” he said of the season that starts in Melbourne on March 18. I think I’ve got the ability to. I think if the car is where we hope the car is, there’s no reason why we can’t do that.

“The only thing that ever gets in your way is your own mind and your own insecurities or obstacles that you put in your way. But I think the most important thing is to put those things aside and to overcome them and I think I have.

“Standing right in front of you I feel stronger than I was a few months ago particularly, but even more so than I was last year at the start of the year,” he said.

Hamilton’s McLaren contract expires at the end of the season, but he said he would aim to clear that up as soon as possible to calm paddock speculation.

“That’s going to be a big topic,” he recognised. “At the moment the focus is just on the preparation we have coming up for the season.”

“I think probably after the first couple of races it’s something we will probably want to get out of the way so we can focus on the rest of the year without the team being concerned and without it being something that’s just hanging around for us so then you guys won’t be having to ask questions about it.”

Source: YallaF1

New Ferrari launch cancelled because of snow

Maranello, 2 February – There was no let up from the snow last night, which continued to fall on Maranello and the surrounding area and the situation does not appear to be changing this morning. The forecast is still bad both in terms of predictions of more snow fall and of a further drop in temperature.

Therefore, the decision has been taken to cancel the presentation ceremony for the new car, which was to have taken place at 10.30 tomorrow. The decision was taken because of the weather conditions and because of the difficulties that would have faced the 300 or so people due to attend from the team partners, the authorities and representatives of the media in their attempts to get to Maranello.

Photographs and all technical information relating to the car, along with exclusive interviews, will be available to all on www.ferrarif1.com.

Source: Ferrari.com

McLaren team reveal new car for 2012 Formula 1 season

McLaren have unveiled the car Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button hope will win one of them the drivers' title

Hamilton described the MP4-27, unveiled at the team's Surrey base, as "the finest-looking car we've had for some time".

The car features a notably tightly packaged rear end, after the fashion of the Red Bull that has dominated Formula 1 for the last two seasons.

"We're excited. I'm sure every team is a little apprehensive," Button said.

Among other notable features, the car does not have the platypus-style nose that is expected to feature on many designs this year as a result of a change in the rules requiring a lower nose height.

Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' world title in a McLaren in 2008, with Jenson Button winning the championship in a Brawn a year later.

But Red Bull have won the last two constructors' championship, with Sebastian Vettel securing the drivers' title in both seasons .

McLaren have not won the constructors' title since 1998.

Button added: "This is a beautiful car - many you will see will not be.

"There are some good rule changes giving the engineers and aerodynamicists something to really think about.

"Everyone seems positive, we will see how it is when we get out on to the track."

McLaren have also abandoned the distinctive L-shaped sidepods that distinguished the 2011 car, reverting to a more conventional shape.

Hamilton said: "The back of the car is much neater, it's much tighter. The focus was on getting it as tight as possible for aerodynamics.

"It's about dropping drag and we have tried to get as much downforce back as possible with the banning of the blown diffuser [where teams directed exhaust gases along the rear floor of the car even when the driver was off the throttle]."

He said that the rule change had made an obvious difference to the way the car feels, having already driven it in the team's simulator.

Hamilton added: "It's a lot trickier to drive now than it was but I'm sure, as we get into the season, we'll get that back."

Both men said they were looking forward to the challenge of the new season, which features six world champions for the first time in F1 history.

Kimi Raikkonen has returned to F1 with the Lotus team after two years in rallying, to join fellow champions Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton and Button.

"We love to have the competition and we love to have the great drivers out there," Hamilton said. "We hope there are no world champions added to [the list].

"It's great for the fans and the sport and hopefully we'll be able to put on a good show. We do have a good looking car and, when a car looks good, it generally is good."

Asked who the drivers expected McLaren's main competition to be, Button said: "The Red Bulls will be strong, they're not going to suddenly build a bad car after winning the championship for the last two years.

"Do we know where we stand? No, but the important thing is we focus on our own work in testing and in Melbourne we will find out where we are compared to our competitors."

Hamilton added: "Last year we were the team closest to the Red Bulls, that's comforting, and we improved a lot too. If we can start the season better than last year then we will put good building blocks down.

"We have the fastest rate of development, so that should give us a strong position to start the season."

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "It will be close, it's a massively competitive championship. No-one in my view is going to run away with it.

"We don't like losing, coming second in the last two years has been frustrating.

"We want to win races and world championships. We have two great racing drivers, everyone can see the chemistry between them but they want to beat each other.

"There are some very strong competitors out there but we are feeling at the moment as if we are in a good place and we're looking forward to getting to Melbourne and competing for championships."

Source: BBC Sports

Williams FW34 to be launched at Jerez

Williams announced today that they will be unveiling their 2012 Formula 1 challenger, the Williams-Renault FW34, on the morning of the first day of official pre-season testing at Jerez de la Frontera.

The team announced in a brief statement: “The Williams F1 Team will present its 2012 Williams-Renault FW34 on Tuesday 7 February at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain. The car will be rolled out of the garage for a photocall with drivers Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna between 0830 and 0840.”

The team will be embarking on their 34th year in Formula 1, having competed in 558 races during this time and in the process notched up 113 race victories, nine constructors’ titles, and seven drivers’ championships.

Last year was their worst season to date, finishing ninth in the title championship standings, with a mere five points to their credit.

Apart from Toro Rosso, the Grive based team will be fielding the least experienced (combined) driver line-up on the grid with Maldonado and Senna.

Source: YallaF1

Lotus reveals 2012 car launch date

The team will unveil its 2012 challenger on February 5 & 6

Lotus F1 announced that it will unveil its 2012 contender via its new website on Sunday 5th February at 17h00 CET. The unveiling will also mark the launch of the team’s new website.

Furthermore, an event will be held on Monday 6th February, 13H00 local time, in the paddock of the Circuito de Jerez (Spain). This will be followed by a press conference with Kimi Räikkönen, Romain Grosjean, Technical Director James Allison, and Team Principal / Managing Director Eric Boullier.

Media will be able to see the 2012 car on track with Kimi Räikkönen at the wheel on the same day from 14H00 local time.

The event in Jerez will take place in the specially-built Lotus F1 Team dome structure situated in the car park area within the paddock.

The team’s provisional winter testing programme is as follows (subject to changes):

JEREZ; 7 – 10 February:
07 February: Kimi Räikkönen
08 February: Kimi Räikkönen
09 February: Romain Grosjean
10 February: Romain Grosjean

BARCELONA; 21 – 24 February:
21 February: Romain Grosjean
22 February: Romain Grosjean
23 February: Kimi Räikkönen
24 February: Kimi Räikkönen

BARCELONA; 1 – 4 March:
01 March: Romain Grosjean
02 March: Romain Grosjean
03 March: Kimi Räikkönen
04 March: Kimi Räikkönen

Source: NextgenAuto

Hamilton gears up for new season with garish photoshoot

Lewis Hamilton admitted he was looking forward to seeing the back of 2011 after enduring the worst season of his Formula One career.

But judging by these set of pictures, the McLaren star has made a somewhat precarious start to the New Year.





Hamilton, who has reportedly been busy recording an R&B album during the off-season, modelled a number of garish outfits for the February edition of American GQ.

The 27-year-old fell short in his bid to stop Sebastian Vettel winning back-to-back world titles last season.
And judging by the length of his trousers in this photoshoot that theme is set to continue into 2012.

Apparently Hamilton is sporting the 'layering trend' – a look, we're told, that's set to take the fashion world by storm this year.
'I love it in the States,' Hamilton is quoted as saying in the American magazine.

'The roads are big, the food is big. If it was possible to be in L.A. and still live my racing life, I would move now.'

After these set of snaps, Lewis you may have left yourself little option...

Source: DailyMail

Wrooom 2012 gets underway

Madonna di Campiglio, 9 January –The 22nd running of Wrooom, the Press Ski Meeting organised by Philip Morris International gets underway this evening at the Salone Hofer in Madonna di Campiglio, signaling the imminent arrival of a new season for Formula 1 and MotoGP.

Tonight sees the traditional welcome dinner, featuring members of Scuderia Ferrari and their two-wheeled colleagues from the Ducati team. Also in attendance will be the Maranello team drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, the Spaniard making his third visit to this event dating back to 2010, while the Brazilian is now a veteran on the snow covered peaks of Campiglio. Awaiting everyone is a week of spectacle, sport and meetings with the international media, all set against the background of the Dolomites.

Friday is the day for ice racing on the lake, when Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gene will also attend. Journalists from around eighty different media from a dozen countries are expected, with interview sessions for the Ferrari men getting underway on Wednesday morning, when Team Principal Stefano Domenicali will be under the spotlight, while on Thursday it will be Alonso and Massa’s turn.

Source: Ferrari.com

Räikkönen has full bust-up in training

F1-immigrant Kimi Räikkönen can once again train with full steam. On Sunday it was precisely 10 weeks before the opening GP in Australia 2012.

On Saturday again it was 4 weeks when the new Lotus-driver hurt his left wrist after falling with the snowmobile in a show in Austria. They protected the hand with a spatula until the new year.

– Because of the hurting wrist we had to change plans a little, but in practice we have been able to keep a short training program of one and a half day all the time, Räikkönen's fysio Mark Arnall explains.

– All work on neck and legs have been fully taken care of - just as the endurance-side also. We have progressed in a very positive manner and Kimi is in a good stitch, Arnall assures.

It doesn't take long to get used to driving

Räikkönen was in Lotus-Renault factory in Enstone on Thursday for a seat-fitting.

– First it was a bit weird to sit in a F1-*** No swearing *** with the helmet on after a long time. However I got used to it quickly and it has felt the same before too when being in a seat-fitting for a new car, Räikkönen confessed.

The new car will be on the testing track on 7th of February in Jerez, but before that Räikkönen will get used to F1-driving by driving a Renault from year 2010 for two days during January 23-24th on Ricardo Tormo -track in Valencia.

Räikkönen has often before started his winter testing after a few months winter vacation. Now he has had a break of two years and three months.

– I think I will get used to driving itself after 10-15 laps but there's more to learn about everything else, Räikkönen thinks.

Räikkönen gets to try this year's new Pirelli-tyres only after the winter testing has begun - meaning he will be on the same line as all the other racing drivers.

Neck strong only by driving

Arnall has taken care of Räikkönen's training programs and wellbeing for ten years already, which is a record-long period of time in today's F1-racing.

– We already know from before that we can do everything else except strenghten the neck muscles. They will strenghten to the level required only by driving a F1-car, Arnell emphasizes.

Räikkönen has has for a several years in his home in Switzerland a driving vehicle built by Technogym, a vehicle that is as close to F1-driving as possible.

– There the driver gets in the right driving position and the muscles are strained the same way as if he would drive on the track. Only neck muscles can't be strenghtened as much as with a real F1-car because of the lacking G-forces, Arnall said.

Räikkönen has eight days before Australia's opening GP. After Valencia's private testing he will drive the first two days with the new car in Jerez and then four days later in Barcelona, where they divide driving tasks with French team mate Romain Grosjean.

If there are no technical problems then he can drive 3500-4000 kilometers in eight days.

– Eight days isn't much but that's what everybody else also gets. It sort of helps Kimi in a way that the track in Albert Park isn't one of the most toughest one. This way he will get three more driving days to strenghten his neck for places that are physically more demanding, Arnall thinks.
Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Hamilton confident of stronger 2012

Lewis Hamilton hopes to take the fight to Red Bull during the 2012 F1 season

Lewis Hamilton says he is confident of a stronger showing from his McLaren team during the 2012 F1 season as the Briton looks to take the fight to Red Bull and defending champion Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton endured a difficult 2011 campaign as, despite three victories, he was unable to challenge for the championship crown and suffered a series of set-backs both on and off track over the course of the campaign.

Having suffered a raft of problems with the MP4-26 prior to the start of 2011, McLaren will now hope there is no repeat when the new MP4-27 hits the track for the first time in pre-season testing next month – with Hamilton confident it can be the car to take the fight to Red Bull.

"It will be up to us to be able to surpass it [the new Red Bull]," he told Gazzetta dello Sport "From what I've seen, however, the new McLaren seems a lot better than last year's.

"Basically, the Red Bull is an evolution of the aerodynamic concepts introduced in 2009. Midway through 2011 it was phenomenal, it was at the highest level and on top of that it almost never broke down. By contrast, when we had the same reliability, we lacked the same performance."

Hamilton added that he was keen to try and hit the ground running when the new season gets underway in Melbourne to ensure that he doesn't find himself playing catch-up in the title race.

"During the winter you always dream of arriving at the start of the season with a car that goes quick immediately," he said. "This hasn't happened in the last two seasons. I want it to happen this year. If we start well, we'll stay at the top more easily."

Source: Crash.net

Häkkinen says Räikkönen will find it tough

Formerly his strongest supporter, Mika Häkkinen is now questioning how quickly his compatriot Kimi Räikkönen can get back up to speed in formula one.

When he retired a decade ago, Häkkinen recommended rookie Räikkönen to then McLaren team boss Ron Dennis by saying: “If you want to win, get the Finn.”

Now, a 32-year-old Räikkönen is reportedly busy losing the four kilograms he put on during his forays in world rallying and NASCAR.

Häkkinen tells Bild am Sonntag: “The return will be very difficult for Kimi. He will have almost no time to test the new car — five or six days, that’s it.

“If you lose a day with a problem you don’t get it back, while in the past we used to sit in the cockpit from morning to night, because you get faster and faster the more time you have to get into the rhythm,” he said.

That is why, to help Räikkönen readjust after his two-year sabbatical, Lotus already has plans to circumvent the current testing restrictions by preparing the 32-year-old a 2009-spec Renault equipped with GP2 tyres.

According to Häkkinen, Räikkönen will still find it difficult.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are a world champion or not. In formula one the competition has never been tougher.

“The fitness of the drivers, their technical understanding, it just gets better and better. These drivers, they work brutally hard!

“It will all make Kimi’s return much more difficult even than five years ago.”

Giancarlo Fisichella, whose last few grands prix were alongside Räikkönen at Ferrari in 2009, agrees: “Formula one is unforgiving, especially if you’ve been away for a couple of years.”

More optimistic for Räikkönen is 2009 world champion Jenson Button.

“This is a very good thing for the sport; he’s such a competitive driver,” the McLaren driver is quoted by France’s autohebdo.fr.

“The guys at McLaren have told me that he is very good at setting up a car.”

Räikkönen travelled to Lotus’ Enstone base on Saturday and met with team owner Gerard Lopez, who sensed the former McLaren and Ferrari driver is highly motivated.

And “the more people that question it (his motivation) the better, because it’s only going to motivate him further,” said Lopez.

Source: YallaF1

Petrov changed his mind after Kimi became his team mate

Vitali Petrov wants to stay in Lotus because he got funny Kimi as his team mate.

Apparently Petrov planned earlier that he would leave Lotus but Kimi Räikkönen's contract seems to have changed his mind.

- I have nothing to lose. I learned so much during season 2011. I will never learn as much during one year, since this year we had so many problems, Petrov tells.

Petrov gets well along with Kimi Räikkönen.

- I have to adjust my driving style to the new car and develop new things in it. In my head I see a big step and I feel that I have improved my level. Together with Kimi we will develop the car. He is a WDC and a funny guy, Petrov said.

Petrov critisized Lotus Renault-team earlier in public but now he tells that he loves the team and it's personnel. Working with Kimi Räikkönen will bring a lot of extra motivation to everyone, including Petrov himself.

- Hopefully the team makes the right decision, Petrov said about his own situation.

Source: Autotoday.fi
Courtesy: Nicole