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Kimi Räikkönen had two new sets of Pirelli's soft tyres in the qualification. The advantage didn't however offer a full advantage to him.
– The first set was bad. Although it was a new tyre it pushed forward. At least the second set worked properly. The qualification was in that direction, but by improving with a tenth we would had been in the front row. Sebastian Vettel was ahead of the others but the rest of the gang was even, Räikkönen summed up.
– This was one of our best qualifications so far. We were 5th in Malaysia, but there we got higher due to a penalty. Now it feels good to be 5th in the grid.
The 5th grid is on the clean side of the track, which is a clear advantage in the starting grid.
Overtaking isn't easy in Valencia. The start is very important.
– When it's hot, someone ahead of us can get in trouble with the tyres and then we have a chance to overtake. Our car has been good in the tyre-department and hopefully it continues in the race also.
– We have to take the same soft tyres from the qualification to the start. On Friday they worked reasonably during long stints, Räikkönen reminded.
We can expect two-stop strategies, since the tyre consumption is tough in hot weather.
Räikkönen has been struggling with the Lotus-car's steering during the spring. Now the situation is better.
– Small things have made it a little better and more precise. Due to that it was easier in qualification. It has always been good enough in races.
Permane trusting
Alan Permane was smiling to the tasty scenery of getting both drivers on the podium.
– We have gone up much higher from behind 4th and 5th grid. We have a strong belief in the race. Overtaking is tricky even in the DRS-area and we are certainly not expecting any easy race for us.
– The hot weather will put a strain on the tyres, but we trust that we can cope under these circumstances. In strategy we have open one, two or three -stop strategies. Lets see what happens, Permane said.
Grosjean will strike from the 2nd row
Romain Grosjean beat his team mate for the 6th time in qualification. The difference was however only 0,008 seconds.
– I have been 8 times in qualification and this is my 2nd best result after Australia. We really have a great opportunity to succeed in this race. The strategy will be in the key role.
Grosjean knows that one can't crash in the start.
– I've started to know all the drivers around me and how they behave. It's going to be tough in the three first corners and if getting through the first corner without crashing, there's a good chance to do a top result, Grosjean planned.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nevercrywolf
Kimi Räikkönen has now driven his first race without refueling Formula 1 car. The new experience in Australia did not much amaze Kimi in any way.
- I have driven a race before with more than a hundred kilograms of gasoline load - at least for McLaren in 2005 at Monza. In addition, I had time to experiment with heavy car in tests and practice. It really doesn't change anything, whether there is a hundred or 150 kilograms of fuel in the tank. You don't feel a greater difference until you have ten or a hundred kilos in your car.
- This car works well on heavy load, and does not change much according to the amount of gasoline. Of course, with full tank of fuel, it is slower, and some things go differently, but otherwise the balance will remain the same, compared Räikkönen.
Permane explains that, in Valencia in January familiarization tests Räikkönen started with 30 kilos and went to 160 kilos. The team calculated what kind of times with various weights could driven with the car and Räikkönen reached the expected lap times instantly.
Turun Sanomat, Kuala Lumpur
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: reppo
Lotus driver Kimi Räikkonen says Valencia test convinced him that a successful return to Formula One series can work out
Räikkönen tested earlier this week in Valencia, Spain, Renault team's two years old car. Testing abolished concerns of the Finnish driver.
- I was a little worried that the sport to have gone ahead. Frankly, Monday and Tuesday did not bring any surprises. The feeling was the same as before, Räikkönen told to French L'Equipe newspaper.
- The old reflexes and the touch came back really quickly. Of course, it took a little time to find the limits, but on Tuesday, everything went much better. Certainly there is still room for improvement, added Räikkönen.
The Finnish driver is already eagerly waiting the races of upcoming formula season.
- This sport has a lot of things I do not like. However, when I'm racing everything is OK. I love to race against other drivers. In that I'm at my best and I get the most enjoyment, said Räikkönen.
Source:MTV3
Courtesy: reppo
Kimi Räikkönen feels 'very positive' after two days re-acclimatising to Formula One in Valencia this week.
After two years away from F1, with Räikkönen primarily competing in the World Rally Championship, the Finn is poised to make a return with Lotus this year.
But as Raikkonen had not driven an F1 car since quitting the sport at the end of the 2009 season, the team decided it would be in his best interests to get some running under his belt.
That saw 2007 world champion Raikkonen run in a two-year-old car and on Pirelli demonstration tyres at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.
With the first pre-season test in Jerez a fortnight away, the 32- year-old has no doubts he is back up to speed after completing 171 laps and 666 kilometres overall.
'Overall the two days have been helped me a lot,' said Räikkönen.
'Even though I was using a two year-old car and the demonstration tyres, I learnt about working with the team and engineers which means I can focus on the new car once we get to Jerez for the first official test.
'It was great to be driving an F1 car again, and from that respect I feel very positive.'
Lotus' trackside operations engineer Alan Permane claimed the two days with Räikkönen proved to be 'productive and valuable'.
Source: DailyMail
From Leo Turrini: January 24, 2012
Another play of drums.
Today the Holy Drinker concludes his Come Back on the track of Valencia.
Did he return to comb the dolls?
However, since this issue affects so many, mainly Abraham Maximo Lider Nuestro, here is a little 'insider trading.
1)
The Blond got on Sunday evening a text message of congratulations. Sender: Fernando Alonso.2)
The Blond also got a call from the Domi.
3)
Räikkönen said to the former Lotus engineers at Renault that the most important thing for him is to be able to drive a lot with a lot of fuel on board. Up to the end of 2009 F1 allowed fuel-supplies so it's necessary for him to adapt to a different driving style.
4)
For Finnish mutual friends the Holy Drinker explained that his new career in F1 'will last at least five seasons'.
5)
Kimi has also referred to his medium-term outlook. He wants to get some leverage with Lotus to make it clear to the top teams (obviously excluding Ferrari) that soon he is a changed driver, who in short will be under the banner of 'better use safe instead of a new phony '.
6)
The Blond reasonably thinks that the Lotus would get a good result with the car, among the Top 5.
7)
My nephew has always been the same, he even ignores the existence of Alonso and Formula One, and he raised a delicate question which I'll quickly summarize. Is Born To Be Mr. Abraham more unknown than Mr. Räikkönen? Is he afraid?
8)
Ah, the innocence of children ...Courtesy: Nicole
Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus F1 Team's new driver, was back at the wheel of an F1 car for the first time since 2009 today, in ValenciaSource: lrgptv
Lotus revealed former world champion Kimi Räikkönen made an encouraging start in his first test for the team
The 32-year-old Finn was testing in Valencia on Monday ahead of his return to Formula 1 this year after two years in rallying.
Trackside operations director Alan Permane said: "From the first run he was pretty much there."
Raikkonen said: "It was nice to get back into the car. It's quite a few years since I last drove."
Raikkonen was driving a two-year-old Renault R30 at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit in Spain, and will continue into a second day on Tuesday.
He will drive the team's 2012 car for the first time at Jerez in next month's first pre-season test.
Permane added that it was impossible to say whether Raikkonen was fully up to speed as there was no benchmark for the car on that track and on the tyres Raikkonen was using.
It was in a more updated specification than the car that ran at Valencia in pre-season testing in 2010 and the tyres were demo rubber provided by F1's new supplier Pirelli, as opposed to the Bridgestones on which it ran two years ago.
Pemane said: "It's very difficult to know where he should be but he was pretty much on the pace on the first run. He didn't find a whole lot of pace during the day.
"I don't see any reason why he won't be on the pace - you can tell he's a very, very experienced driver.
"It was very clear we were working with a former world champion. It was a good day."
Permane emphasised that the test was purely aimed at getting Raikkonen used to the speed and performance of an F1 car after so long out of the cockpit.
"There's not a lot we can learn [technically]," he said. "It's far more to get him used to the car and comfortable with the team. It's a head start before we get to Jerez."
Raikkonen has a reputation for being taciturn in public, but Lotus did not find him that way at the test.
"He must have two faces - one for [the media]," Permane said. "He's perfectly normal.
"He was very happy to sit and talk about the car for as long as it takes. He's very open."
Raikkonen told Sky Sports News: "Of course it takes a little while to get used to it, but the main driving, turning, braking doesn't take many laps. But learning about the team, the tyres, the car will take some time."
The 2010 car, with which the team's former driver Robert Kubica impressed greatly that season, has been repainted in the black and gold colours adopted by the team since they rebranded themselves from Renault to Lotus last year.
Raikkonen is not allowed to drive a 2011 car because F1's testing restrictions forbid it, but teams are allowed to run outside these rules - which strictly limit testing - as long as the car used is at least two years old.
Raikkonen, who won the world title with Ferrari in 2007, last raced in F1 in 2009. He was dropped by the Italian team at the end of that season in favour of Fernando Alonso and switched to rallying, where he competed without success.
Lotus signed Raikkonen after it became clear that Kubica, who is recovering from serious injuries sustained in a rally crash in early 2011 and then in an accident at home this month, would not be fit to race at the start of this season. Source: BBC Sports
Lotus F1 Team driver Kimi Räikkönen was back behind the wheel of a 2010-spec Renault R30 on Monday at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. Today’s test session was the first day of a two-day private test session to help ease his transition back into Formula 1. The 2007 Formula 1 world champion has not driven a Formula 1 car since the end of the 2009 season, spending the last two years competing in the World Rally Championship.
Räikkönen, who is making his comeback to Formula 1 in 2012, is benefitting from a two-day private testing session in Valencia. The aim of this running is for the Finn to drive as many laps as possible in order to get acquainted with the team and to reacclimatise himself with an Formula 1 car.
Räikkönen took to the track this morning around 0900 CET for his first lap in a black and gold liveried Renault R30 with which was equipped with Pirelli demostration-spec tyres. Räikkönen’s first test with the 2012-spec Lotus along with the 2012 Pirelli tyres will only take place on February 7 at the first winter testing session in Jerez, Spain.
Speaking to Sky Sports News regarding his test, Raikkonen said: “It was nice to get back in a [Formula 1] car. It’s quite a few years since I have driven so of course, it takes a little while to get used to it. But the main driving, braking, turning, the normal things do not take many laps. Of course, I’ve started learning about the car and the team and the tyres and everything, and that will take time but it was nice to finally get back in a Formula 1 car.”
Source: F1 Zone
Finally, a bit of time off! After the Valencia weekend, I went straight to Maranello where I spent two packed days both on the technical and the promotional front. This morning I went back home to relax for a few days before setting off again for the next Grand Prix, in England this time, at Silverstone.
With the team, we went back over the last race and the short and long term development plans. I take away good memories from Valencia. It was a positive weekend, especially the race. In fact it meant I filled a gap in my trophy collection, but the best part of it was seeing again the delight of the crowd when I passed Mark, first on track and then at the pit stop: racing in Spain is always something special!
It is a key time in the season. We are moving forward, as could be seen in the last three races, but now we must also confirm the progress seen at Monaco, Montreal and Valencia on a track with completely different characteristics, which is definitely more suited to our main rivals. At Silverstone, you need a lot of aerodynamic downforce and this is area where we are lagging behind. We will have some new parts, but there’s a step from that to saying we will have made up the difference…Maybe! We must be realistic and accept that it’s not possible that in less than two months – the time past since the Barcelona race – we have closed the gap that was seen at the Catalunya circuit. It wasn’t a whole lap, because that was down to the way the race panned out, but it was definitely bigger than what we have seen in the last three races. We must continue to work on improving the car and then I am sure the win will come. When? I don’t have a crystal ball to be able to give a definite answer.
In Maranello, I had the opportunity to meet a driver who has been part of the history of Formula 1 and of Ferrari, John Surtees. We took part in a promotional event organised by our technical partner Shell and he was very interesting to talk to, comparing our experiences as drivers and, above all, talking about our lives with a special team like Ferrari. It’s nice to meet people who can give you a first hand account of what Formula 1 was like back then!
Today, the team told me about Pirelli’s tyre choices for the coming three races. At the British Grand Prix, we will be running the Soft and the Hard, the same choice that featured in the early stages of the championship. Okay, for us that means one more challenge, namely being able to make all types of tyre work as well as possible. Anyway, the tyre choice is the same for everyone and there’s no point discussing if the pair of compounds chosen is more suited to one team or another. It’s up to the teams to adjust the cars to get the best out of the tyres both in terms of performance and life.
Source: Ferrari.com
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hopes Mark Webber's performance at Valencia is a sign of things to come for the rest of the season
Webber is second behind team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the Drivers' Championship, but he has struggled to give the reigning World Champion a run for his money this year. Vettel has won six out of eight grands prix and has started ahead of Webber in seven of those races.
Webber, though, put up a much improved display at the European Grand Prix and he rated his third-place finish as "probably the best of the season".
Horner agrees with Webber's sentiments and is delighted that he is starting to bridge the gap to his team-mate.
"It was Mark's best race of the season in terms of his performance on those tyres," Horner is quoted by Reuters as saying. "It's the closest he has been to Sebastian all season. He drove well this weekend. Nobody is taking anything for granted."
Horner is also hopeful that the Australian will continue to improve as he's finally coming to grips with the new Pirelli tyres.
"I hope he keeps building up the momentum from this weekend," he said.
"He's made no secret of the fact he's struggled more on these tyres than Sebastian. I think he's understanding them better now.
"If you look at the time difference between the guys during the race he was never more than four or five seconds away for 90 percent of the race, which is the best we've seen all year.
"He'll take a lot of confidence out of the weekend." Source: Planet-F1
The media slammed the sagging spectacle of Sunday’s European grand prix.
After seven exciting races boosted by the new overtaking ’DRS’ system and heavily degrading Pirelli tyres, the formula did not conspire to spice up the usually-processional action on the streets of Valencia.
Making the situation worse was Sebastian Vettel’s further extension of his runaway championship lead, and then his exuberant celebration on the radio.
His upbeat message "Fantastic boys, I can’t tell you how good this feels" was met with "deafening silence in the multinational media centre", according to the Telegraph’s Tom Cary.
The Sunday Express’ Bob McKenzie agreed that the 23-year-old German shifted F1 into "snooze control" in the Spanish sun with the Valencia "yawnfest".
Agreed the Independent’s David Tremayne: "If all the races were run on tracks as infernally dull and uninvolving as the one here, the FIA might as well hand another world champion’s trophy to Sebastian Vettel right now.”
"For heaven’s sake, even kids with their Scalextric come up with better layouts," he added in a barb apparently pointed at F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke.
Added the Daily Star’s James Murray: "Sebastian Vettel won one of the most boring races ever and there are fears the rest of the season will be the same."
And the Sun’s Michael Spearman said: "The street race around the Valencia Marina complex was about as thrilling as a four-hour Wagnerian epic."
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport pointed out that there was not a single "retirement, safety car or crash" and the DRS proved "inefficient despite the two overtaking zones".
Bild am Sonntag newspaper said: "The best things about the Valencia race were the sea, the blue sky, the bobbing yachts and the bikini girls."
"It was the first horribly boring race of the season," agreed Austria’s Kleine Zeitung.
"Most viewers felt overwhelmed with boredom by the procession," added the Swiss daily Le Temps.
The Times’ Kevin Eason observed on Twitter that Vettel said the race was "maybe boring" for the spectators. "Too right chum," the journalist quipped.
But the Telegraph’s Cary said it is wrong to blame the smiling Red Bull driver.
"The index-finger waggling celebration is becoming irksome but only because he is jabbing it in our faces every fortnight," he said.
Meanwhile, European grand prix promoter Jorge Martinez Aspar insisted the event had been "excellent" and attended by a healthy 85,000.
But he told EFE news agency that there is "no rush" to sign a five-year option for more Valencia races post 2014.
"We are happy with the situation and want to make the project viable. Ecclestone is willing to help," said Aspar, "but we need to further involve the city."
Source: Nextgen
Mark Webber blames himself for missing second in the European Grand Prix
Mark Webber insisted he was to blame for missing out a second place finish in the European Grand Prix in Valencia.
Webber had been dicing for position with Fernando Alonso's Ferrari throughout the race before electing to make his final stop to swap onto the medium compound tyre before the Spaniard also pitted for the final time.
Alonso was able to go three laps longer on his final set of soft tyres before pitting himself and it proved to be the crucial decision as he rejoined ahead of the Australian in second.
Although he was then forced to back off in the closing laps due to a gearbox issue, Webber admitted he should have beaten Alonso to the flag to secure a 1-2 finish for Red Bull and blamed himself for only finishing on the bottom step of the podium.
“I think we should have finished second today,” he said. “It was a good race with Fernando, I think it was my best race of the year to be honest until the last pit stop. It was quite close with all three of us, obviously we were trying to go as fast as possible and manage the tyres at the same time.
“I was very happy with how the race was going until the last stop and it was my fault basically. I was worried about Fernando getting the undercut and it was not really known how the medium tyre would behave on the out lap, but it was a risk I decided to take. I lost out to Fernando, he drove a good race.
“We had a gearbox problem at the end, so we backed right off, but we had a massive gap to McLaren, so we could cruise to the end and look after the gearbox.” Source: Crash.net
Fernando Alonso is not putting too much stock in Friday's lap times, insisting that Red Bull are still the favourites to take pole in Valencia
The double World Champ, who has never finished on the podium at the Valencia street circuit, set the pace on Friday afternoon, clocking a 1:37.968.
And although he was quickest by two-tenths ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, the Ferrari driver insists it's too early to say how his 150° Italia will perform as the weekend progresses.
"Overall, a positive start to this Valencia weekend, my second home race," said the Spaniard.
"We got through all our planned programme, working mainly on tyres, where the chief element at this grand prix is the first appearance of the Medium.
"It was important that we were able to do so many laps, because on a circuit like this one, getting a lot of kilometres under your belt helps you gain confidence in the car, looking for the limits and thereby improving performance.
"The track characteristics are well suited to our car, but it is too early to say where we are compared to the others.
"Already, in the past, we have gone well on the first day only to see ourselves losing out by a second in qualifying, therefore I don't even want to consider today's time sheet.
"In FP1 and FP2 you try so many things and the track changes very quickly - even more so on a street circuit like this one - so it is really impossible to make predictions."
The one prediction he is making is that Red Bull, despite the new ban on changing engine mapping after qualifying and ahead of Sunday's race, will still be the team to beat in qualifying.
However, he reckons Ferrari can put up a challenge of their own.
"The car seems to handle well, therefore we can tackle qualifying with confidence, aware that we are up against very strong rivals: it's not by chance that Red Bull have always taken pole in the first seven races of the year and clearly they are still the favourites.
"Overtaking here will be easier than in Monaco, but grid position will nevertheless be important." Source: Planet-F1
Mark Webber has admitted that Red Bull will ‘have to adapt’ to the rule changes being introduced at this weekend’s European Grand Prix, with the gains from exhaust-blown diffusers set to be significantly reduced. The concept was first introduced by the Milton Keynes-based squad in 2010, making use of hot flowing gases by channeling them over the rear of the car when drivers are ‘off-throttle’ to increase cornering speeds.
"I don't think they will make the car any faster, but I think it is the same for everybody," the Australian said on Thursday. "We have got to adapt again, get used to it, but it is nothing new for our team to adapt to a change in regulations. All the teams have to adapt and see what they can do to do the best out of it."
Despite the restrictions that have been put in place, Webber believes the current pecking order will remain relatively unchanged over the next few races.
"I don't think it is going to turn the field upside down," he added. "I think everyone will still be in reasonable shape. McLaren and Ferrari are fast, we know that. We are quick but, the changes, whether they will turn the championship around, I think it is unlikely."
A complete blown diffuser cut down has been confirmed for the British Grand Prix next month, with Renault Technical Director James Allison explaining earlier in the week: "When the driver lifts his foot fully off the throttle pedal, then the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) maps must be set up so that the engine closes the throttle."
"Previously, it was possible to configure the engine maps to leave the throttle open and reduce the engine power by other means."
Source: GPUPDATE
I have just arrived in Valencia today, Wednesday, after spending a week at home in Sao Paolo following on from the Canadian Grand Prix that had promised so much but did not deliver the result I was capable of getting. But in a busy Formula 1 season like this one, you don’t have long to wait to try again and that is what I plan to do this weekend. The Valencia street circuit has good memories for me, because I had a great start here, winning the very first race held in 2008, having started from pole position. I missed the 2009 event of course and then I was competitive again last year, having a good race until the well documented incident with the Safety Car. So there are plenty of reasons to expect we can have another strong weekend this year and in the very hot conditions predicted for the next few days, the 150º Italia should get the tyres to work well too.
One of the criticisms of this street circuit was that it turned out to be very difficult to overtake other cars, but this year we have the Downforce Reduction System and, like in Canada, we have two DRS zones where we can operate it. For sure, this will change the characteristics of the race, making it much easier to overtake. However, you have to do everything you can to ensure your car is competitive throughout the whole race, because this is the direction we have seen things go this year, in that if you are not competitive then it is very easy to lose places to other cars. In the past, before DRS, even if your car was slower than the one behind, you could defend your position more easily, keeping the car behind and not getting passed.
Another interesting factor will be our tyre choice here, because for the first time this season we will be running Pirelli’s Medium compound tyre as the Prime, with the Soft, that we know well by now, as the Option. I drove with the Medium in winter testing, but it was much colder then, which means it behaved very differently and a couple of weeks ago, in Montreal, we were given the opportunity to evaluate it quickly during free practice, but the Canadian track surface is very different to the one in Valencia. If I had to sum up the new tyre, I would say it is very much like the original Hard tyre we had from Pirelli earlier this season. After a few races, they changed it, making it harder still and this Medium feels like the original Hard. The Ferrari engineers have been working intensely on adapting the car to suit the tyres, as we have struggled more with the harder end of the compound range and we will test again a modified suspension to try and make it more suited to them.
We are heading for a very busy part of the season, with a run of four races in five weeks and although Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro has been competitive in the last couple of races, we will soon be heading to Silverstone which is more likely to suit our rivals who have gone better on tracks that require more aerodynamic downforce. However, we have definitely made progress in this area since the last time we were in Spain, at the Barcelona circuit and it will be interesting to see where we stand this weekend: even if Valencia is a street track, sitting somewhere between Monaco and Canada in terms of its characteristics, it still has a final high speed sector which will be an interesting indication of how much progress we have made on our car and we will get the first indications on Friday, in free practice. Source: Ferrari.com
An option on its side of their current contract suggests that McLaren has a head-start when it comes to securing the services of Jenson Button for 2012
Despite attracting covetous glances from Maranello, Jenson Button is still likely to remain at McLaren next season, with both sides apparently keen to cement a deal.
The Canadian Grand Prix winner's future has been at the centre of much speculation of late, having admitted earlier this month that driving for Ferrari remained the only 'dream' of his childhood that he has yet to achieve. With the Scuderia appearing uncertain whether Felipe Massa is the right man to partner Fernando Alonso beyond the end of the 2011 season, Button's name has been thrust into the spotlight as a potential replacement for the Brazilian, despite McLaren having first call on his services for 2012 and Massa being tried to Ferrari for another year.
While not yet confirmed at Woking for a third season, Button's contract contains an option on the team's side, and it is infeasible that he will not be snapped up after two strong seasons in silver, culminating in that thrilling victory on the streets of Montreal just over a week ago. Although it understands that there may be some negotiation before both sides are happy to carry on, the BBC claims that it is almost inevitable that Button and McLaren will be together again next season.
Should Ferrari's courtship prove too much of a temptation, a degree of compensation would no doubt be winging its way to Woking, otherwise the Briton could find himself mired in the sort of contractual 'tug-of-love' that marred his early career, when Williams and BAR both laid claim to his services with the driver wavering in between.
The British tabloid media claims that Button and Ferrari have met to discuss possible scenarios, despite the hurdles that both would have to cross for a union next season.
"There has been a lot of talk within Ferrari about getting Button - they have already checked to see if he would be available," a Ferrari source has told The News of the World, "The team realise they need a stronger partner for Fernando Alonso than Felipe Massa if they want to win the title again. They've seen Jenson prove at McLaren that he can consistently win or get on to the podium."
Button currently enjoys a £6m-a-year deal with McLaren and only recently said that he would be happy to see out his career at the Woking team, but recanted that claim last week by insisting that he would not be looking to follow the lead taken by Alonso and Sebastian Vettel by signing a long-term deal with anyone. The weekend's latest rumours suggest that the Briton would be able to command a significant pay rise - perhaps as much as £4m a season - should he move to Ferrari, giving McLaren food for thought as it plans its approach.
Should the current pit-lane speculation prove true, McLaren could be left without either of its current drivers at the end of next season, despite being keen to retain both Button and Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 world champion sparked a media frenzy when he was spotted in conversation with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner in Canada, although the BBC believes that Horner was as much taken by surprise as anyone by the meeting. Hamilton has another year to run on his current deal with McLaren and has since said that he is happy to remain with the team that nurtured his junior career.
Should it lose either one or both of its British stars, however, McLaren is unlikely to find itself short of suitors for 2013, having showed itself to have the fastest car in race conditions since the Spanish Grand Prix in May. The BBC claims that Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has made no secret of his interest in one of the seats at Woking, while there are sure to be other drivers, both established and ambitious, who would relish the chance to slide into a race-winning machine.
Source: Crash.net
The FIA has moved further to clamp down against aggressive exhaust blowing with immediate effect, in fact starting this weekend in Valencia, when changes to engine mapping between qualifying and race will be banned.
It was already known that so-called “hot blowing”, involving the aggressive blowing of engine exhaust through rear diffusers when the driver is not on the throttle, will be effectively banned as of Silverstone next month.
But Auto Motor und Sport reported on Tuesday that another element of exhaust blowing will be banned immediately as from Valencia this weekend, when teams will no longer be able to use extremely aggressive hot-blowing in qualifying, and then switch to more engine friendly settings for the race.
McLaren said recently it suspected precisely that practice was giving Red Bull’s RB7 its qualifying advantage.
Jenson Button told Blick: “They (Red Bull) use the exhaust gases into the diffuser non-stop on a qualifying lap, but not in the race.”
Auto Motor und Sport also quotes team boss Martin Whitmarsh as adding: “With Red Bull’s aggressive qualifying mode, they are gaining a good half a second.”
Renault technical director James Allison explains, “The FIA’s note will cause all teams (whether or not they use a blown floor) to change their operation. The headline changes for the Silverstone GP are as follows: when the driver lifts his foot fully off the throttle pedal, then the ECU maps must be set up so that the engine [to all intents and purposes] closes the throttle – previously it was possible to configure the engine maps to leave the throttle open and reduce the engine power by other means.”
Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko said on Austrian television Servus TV: “If the others cannot copy it, they can try at least to have it banned.”
But Marko said he suspects Ferrari will benefit the most from the FIA’s clampdown.
“I think McLaren will be affected less, or similar to us as they have a very good copy (of the Red Bull exhaust),” predicted Marko.
Source: YallaF1
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to retain his attacking style in a bid to bring his bad luck to an end at next weekend's European GP
Hamilton has conceded his frustration following the last two races in Monaco and Montreal after becoming embroiled in a number of incidents.
The most high profile of those saw Hamilton collide with McLaren team-mate Jenson Button in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, forcing him into the wall and subsequent retirement with a puncture.
Considerable criticism has followed for Hamilton, although he has also received support, including from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Addressing the next situation, Hamilton said: "Those two races were particularly frustrating for me because we showed we had the pace to win both of them, yet I only came away with eight points.
"For me, Valencia will now be a weekend of consolidation after two disappointing results in Monaco and Canada.
"I've always gone well at Valencia, finishing second there in every race, and I really enjoy attacking the track.
"It's a difficult circuit with no let-up, but that won't deter me as I'm really keen to get back on track and get back in the points.
"This race will be our third street circuit in a row, so hopefully it'll give me the chance to reverse the bad luck I've encountered in the previous two."
Hamilton knows he should have done better of late, adding: "We've arguably had the fastest race car in the last three races.
"That's really encouraging because I know that, when it's put to best use, I should be able to finish at the front.
"As always, that will be my goal next weekend." Source: Planet-F1
Felipe Massa was not happy, nor did he want to hide his disappointment at the end of his troubled debut at the wheel of the F150. The third and final day of testing for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro began with a technical problem this morning, when a pipe broke leading to a heavy loss of oil during the first run of the day, which meant the Brazilian had to endure a long period of inactivity in the garage. Felipe got back in the car at 14.30 and did not stop until he took the chequered flag at 17.00. He thus managed to fit in 80 laps, the quickest in a time of 1.14.017. “We had a problem right at the start of the morning, when I was out on very old tyres,” explained Felipe. “It was not nice having to stop pretty much before I’d started the real work, but then, it was a relief to find out it was nothing that serious. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time and, in the afternoon I tried to make up for it and get a feeling for the new car.”
Obviously, the main focus of questioning from the media centred on the tyres. “I am pleased with how they behaved,” continued the Brazilian. “I think that the fact there is a definite level of degradation is a positive thing in terms of the spectacle. It’s a shame I wasn’t able to do more laps, but the feeling I had was similar to the one from Abu Dhabi, even if that was at the wheel of a very different car. In my opinion, there is not that much that needs changing and I think Pirelli is working in the right direction. We did not try the hardest tyre here, because this track is not best suited to them: when we have done that, then it will be possible to give a more complete evaluation of them.” Source: Ferrari.com
