AutoDAFE » Ross Messinger http://www.autodafe.org Auto Driving Action for Enthusiast Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:14:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Massa Insists He Is Not a No. 2 http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/massa-insists-he-is-not-a-no-2/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/massa-insists-he-is-not-a-no-2/#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:22:19 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/426835-massa-insists-he-is-not-a-number-two

Four days after the controversy that surrounded the German Grand Prix, the apparent atmosphere in the Formula One paddock is still very intense.

All key players involved in the team orders dispute have had a few days to take a step back, calm down, and plan word-for-word their reactions to the inevitable media grilling that will continue at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa today spoke out about the incident for the first time since Sunday's race.

"The time I say I am a No. 2 driver, I will not race anymore," he said in Thursday's press conference.

Massa insists there is still a harmony between himself and Ferrari, and a mutual understanding of his role within the team.

"For sure I have spoken to everybody inside the team. As I said I am not here really to race, I am here to win. That is really my point. As long as I am in the condition to win, we need to go to the end, to fight for the victory.

"I am a professional, I work for the team, and everybody has to understand my point."

It's worth noting that the Brazilian still feels the need to express that he works for the team, a seemingly obvious point but one very relevant under these circumstances.

Massa has clearly been conditioned now by Ferrari, and has played the perfect PR person for the team since he let Alonso pass after instructed to do so by his engineer whilst leading at Hockenheim.

His handling of the intense questioning posed to him by a flock of journalists postrace was sublime, and Fernando Alonso has no doubt come out of this incident with the most damaged reputation.

"You remember what happened in 2007 and 2008, so I don't think I have to go through all the points," Massa continued.

"If the team really has the chance to win the championship, I want the best for the team."

This all but confirms Massa's resignation to playing supporting driver at Ferrari, at least for the remainder of the 2010 season.

It'll be interesting to see how team principal Stefano Domenicali chooses his words in comparison with his driver when he faces the media during tomorrow's press conference.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]>

Four days after the controversy that surrounded the German Grand Prix, the apparent atmosphere in the Formula One paddock is still very intense.

All key players involved in the team orders dispute have had a few days to take a step back, calm down, and plan word-for-word their reactions to the inevitable media grilling that will continue at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Felipe Massa today spoke out about the incident for the first time since Sunday's race.

"The time I say I am a No. 2 driver, I will not race anymore," he said in Thursday's press conference.

Massa insists there is still a harmony between himself and Ferrari, and a mutual understanding of his role within the team.

"For sure I have spoken to everybody inside the team. As I said I am not here really to race, I am here to win. That is really my point. As long as I am in the condition to win, we need to go to the end, to fight for the victory.

"I am a professional, I work for the team, and everybody has to understand my point."

It's worth noting that the Brazilian still feels the need to express that he works for the team, a seemingly obvious point but one very relevant under these circumstances.

Massa has clearly been conditioned now by Ferrari, and has played the perfect PR person for the team since he let Alonso pass after instructed to do so by his engineer whilst leading at Hockenheim.

His handling of the intense questioning posed to him by a flock of journalists postrace was sublime, and Fernando Alonso has no doubt come out of this incident with the most damaged reputation.

"You remember what happened in 2007 and 2008, so I don't think I have to go through all the points," Massa continued.

"If the team really has the chance to win the championship, I want the best for the team."

This all but confirms Massa's resignation to playing supporting driver at Ferrari, at least for the remainder of the 2010 season.

It'll be interesting to see how team principal Stefano Domenicali chooses his words in comparison with his driver when he faces the media during tomorrow's press conference.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/massa-insists-he-is-not-a-no-2/feed/ 0 The Lesser Known Race: Every Second Counts For F1 Pit Crews http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/the-lesser-known-race-every-second-counts-for-f1-pit-crews/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/the-lesser-known-race-every-second-counts-for-f1-pit-crews/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:42:06 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/360819-the-lesser-known-race-every-second-counts-for-f1-pit-crews During a Grand Prix weekend, the circuit is constantly being used: for F1, driver parades and exhibitions, and support races. It's the ultimate place to be for a racing fanatic, as there's never a dull moment.

But perhaps the race that is least prominent in Formula One is the battle to be the fastest in the pit lane. And this year teams are under more pressure than ever before to hone their ability to perform a pit stop in the quickest possible time.

Much like for the drivers and aerodynamicists, shaving every last fraction of a second from the time is crucial for F1's pit crews, to the extent that even the slightest of delays during a pit stop could decide the outcome of a race.

This year sees the banning of refuelling during a Grand Prix, which means that the sole purpose of a pit stop—other than the odd aerodynamic tweak here and there—will be to get the old tyres off the car in as little time as possible, and fit the new ones just as rapidly.

Whereas before there was less pressure on the tyre men to make the changes as refuelling could take seven or eight seconds, it is now a race against time—and Red Bull's men say they can get the job done in an astonishing 1.8 seconds.

 

"We have done sub-two second stops. They are absolutely lightning," said team principle Christian Horner. "The guys have trained like hell over the winter. They have all lost weight and got fitter in the process."

The Milton Keynes based squad—who took second place in last year's constructors' championship— have had their pit crews doing static practice stops at their base since November.

"The guys have been training in the gym at 12 and 4pm every day," Horner continued.

"There is bound to be a lot of brinkmanship as teams try to get in and out of the pits as fast as they can. It will be as exciting as anything in the race," he added.

Red Bull reckon that in the pit lane these stops will be around a second slower than times seen at the factory, especially given the possibility of delays in communication between the crew.

Teams have been working around this problem however, and some have taken more radical approaches.

Ferrari have introduced a wheel nut which features 'automatic triggering of its fastener', and have brought back an updated version of their 'traffic light' system that they ditched after 2008, in an attempt to reduce the delay in human reaction times.

Meanwhile Mercedes have introduced a similar system in place of the traditional 'lolly pop' method, whilst Renault will bring specially adapted wheel nuts and a new front jack with a quick-release mechanism.

"All those changes will come together to save quite a bit of time," said the French team's sporting director, Steve Nielsen.

Whether all this hard work and development over the winter has made a real difference is still something to be discovered, and hopefully we will see the results during this Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> During a Grand Prix weekend, the circuit is constantly being used: for F1, driver parades and exhibitions, and support races. It's the ultimate place to be for a racing fanatic, as there's never a dull moment.

But perhaps the race that is least prominent in Formula One is the battle to be the fastest in the pit lane. And this year teams are under more pressure than ever before to hone their ability to perform a pit stop in the quickest possible time.

Much like for the drivers and aerodynamicists, shaving every last fraction of a second from the time is crucial for F1's pit crews, to the extent that even the slightest of delays during a pit stop could decide the outcome of a race.

This year sees the banning of refuelling during a Grand Prix, which means that the sole purpose of a pit stop—other than the odd aerodynamic tweak here and there—will be to get the old tyres off the car in as little time as possible, and fit the new ones just as rapidly.

Whereas before there was less pressure on the tyre men to make the changes as refuelling could take seven or eight seconds, it is now a race against time—and Red Bull's men say they can get the job done in an astonishing 1.8 seconds.

 

"We have done sub-two second stops. They are absolutely lightning," said team principle Christian Horner. "The guys have trained like hell over the winter. They have all lost weight and got fitter in the process."

The Milton Keynes based squad—who took second place in last year's constructors' championship— have had their pit crews doing static practice stops at their base since November.

"The guys have been training in the gym at 12 and 4pm every day," Horner continued.

"There is bound to be a lot of brinkmanship as teams try to get in and out of the pits as fast as they can. It will be as exciting as anything in the race," he added.

Red Bull reckon that in the pit lane these stops will be around a second slower than times seen at the factory, especially given the possibility of delays in communication between the crew.

Teams have been working around this problem however, and some have taken more radical approaches.

Ferrari have introduced a wheel nut which features 'automatic triggering of its fastener', and have brought back an updated version of their 'traffic light' system that they ditched after 2008, in an attempt to reduce the delay in human reaction times.

Meanwhile Mercedes have introduced a similar system in place of the traditional 'lolly pop' method, whilst Renault will bring specially adapted wheel nuts and a new front jack with a quick-release mechanism.

"All those changes will come together to save quite a bit of time," said the French team's sporting director, Steve Nielsen.

Whether all this hard work and development over the winter has made a real difference is still something to be discovered, and hopefully we will see the results during this Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/the-lesser-known-race-every-second-counts-for-f1-pit-crews/feed/ 0 Lewis Hamilton Feeling the Schumacher Effect http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/lewis-hamilton-feeling-the-schumacher-effect/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/lewis-hamilton-feeling-the-schumacher-effect/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:27:02 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/356657-hamilton-feeling-the-schumacher-effect Lewis Hamilton has revealed that racing against seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will feel more special than with any of his other competitors, after getting a taste of driving wheel-to-wheel with the German at last week's Barcelona test.

Hamilton, who began his F1 career just after Schumacher retired from racing at the end of 2006, says that the 41-year-old veteran will still be in top form come Bahrain and will pose as great a threat to his McLaren team as any of his rivals.

"It was really good fun," Hamilton told Autosport of dicing with Schumacher whilst on a race simulation on Sunday.

"I was on my long run, on my last stint, and I caught Michael up. Rather than backing off, I thought, 'let's have some fun and see if we can get close to him!'

"It was really, really hard work and good to experience what the new car is like when behind people. So I was challenging, I was learning new things and thinking I need to get past him really quick.

"I managed to get up in the inside of him on one of the corners, and I think he had fun as well—but we were clearly seconds of difference in time because he was heavier with fuel and I was lighter. But it was really cool."

Hamilton has always revelled in the prospect of being able to battle with the 91-time race winner in Formula One. Schumacher had looked set to fill in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa for the latter part of last season, but the German was forced to pull-out due to a persistent neck injury.

"[Racing Schumacher will be] an honour and a privilege," the 2008 champion said when asked how he felt about the last time the now-Mercedes driver was set for a comeback.

Hamilton has not been the only driver relishing in the prospect of being able to fight Schumacher.

"It's great news for our sport," teammate Nico Rosberg said when Mercedes announced whom he would be partnered with for 2010.

"It is a great challenge to race side-by-side with the best driver ever. I am convinced that Michael has not lost his speed.”

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Lewis Hamilton has revealed that racing against seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will feel more special than with any of his other competitors, after getting a taste of driving wheel-to-wheel with the German at last week's Barcelona test.

Hamilton, who began his F1 career just after Schumacher retired from racing at the end of 2006, says that the 41-year-old veteran will still be in top form come Bahrain and will pose as great a threat to his McLaren team as any of his rivals.

"It was really good fun," Hamilton told Autosport of dicing with Schumacher whilst on a race simulation on Sunday.

"I was on my long run, on my last stint, and I caught Michael up. Rather than backing off, I thought, 'let's have some fun and see if we can get close to him!'

"It was really, really hard work and good to experience what the new car is like when behind people. So I was challenging, I was learning new things and thinking I need to get past him really quick.

"I managed to get up in the inside of him on one of the corners, and I think he had fun as well—but we were clearly seconds of difference in time because he was heavier with fuel and I was lighter. But it was really cool."

Hamilton has always revelled in the prospect of being able to battle with the 91-time race winner in Formula One. Schumacher had looked set to fill in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa for the latter part of last season, but the German was forced to pull-out due to a persistent neck injury.

"[Racing Schumacher will be] an honour and a privilege," the 2008 champion said when asked how he felt about the last time the now-Mercedes driver was set for a comeback.

Hamilton has not been the only driver relishing in the prospect of being able to fight Schumacher.

"It's great news for our sport," teammate Nico Rosberg said when Mercedes announced whom he would be partnered with for 2010.

"It is a great challenge to race side-by-side with the best driver ever. I am convinced that Michael has not lost his speed.”

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/lewis-hamilton-feeling-the-schumacher-effect/feed/ 0 Red Bull Owner Rubbishes Raikkonen Rumours http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/red-bull-owner-rubbishes-raikkonen-rumours/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/red-bull-owner-rubbishes-raikkonen-rumours/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:18:55 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/354261-red-bull-owner-rubbishes-raikkonen-rumours Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has quashed speculation that 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen could make a Formula One comeback next year with the Austrian team.

Raikkonen quit the sport in favour of the World Rally Championship at the end of last season, after being replaced at Ferrari by Fernando Alonso.

But last week's reports in the German media suggested that the Finn could make a sensational return if current Red Bull driver Mark Webber decides to retire from F1 at the end of the year.

"This is nothing more than pure speculation," Mateschitz told Autosport . "To tell you now that Kimi will be racing for us in 2011 is not serious."

Raikkonen has strong ties with Red Bull in the WRC, in which he drives for Citroen's junior team. "We do not know what Kimi intends to do in one year," Mateschitz continued.

"We have a very good relationship which makes room for speculations."

There were reports towards the start of 2009 that Mark Webber's relationship within the team had begun to fray, as younger teammate Sebastian Vettel enjoyed a rapid start to the season.

However the Australian went on to win his first race at the German Grand Prix, en route to finishing fourth in the championship.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz has quashed speculation that 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen could make a Formula One comeback next year with the Austrian team.

Raikkonen quit the sport in favour of the World Rally Championship at the end of last season, after being replaced at Ferrari by Fernando Alonso.

But last week's reports in the German media suggested that the Finn could make a sensational return if current Red Bull driver Mark Webber decides to retire from F1 at the end of the year.

"This is nothing more than pure speculation," Mateschitz told Autosport . "To tell you now that Kimi will be racing for us in 2011 is not serious."

Raikkonen has strong ties with Red Bull in the WRC, in which he drives for Citroen's junior team. "We do not know what Kimi intends to do in one year," Mateschitz continued.

"We have a very good relationship which makes room for speculations."

There were reports towards the start of 2009 that Mark Webber's relationship within the team had begun to fray, as younger teammate Sebastian Vettel enjoyed a rapid start to the season.

However the Australian went on to win his first race at the German Grand Prix, en route to finishing fourth in the championship.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/red-bull-owner-rubbishes-raikkonen-rumours/feed/ 0 Ferrari’s Tirade Against the FIA: Formula One Troubles Continue http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/ferraris-tirade-against-the-fia-formula-one-troubles-continue/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/ferraris-tirade-against-the-fia-formula-one-troubles-continue/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:27:02 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/351128-unravelling-ferraris-tirade-towards-the-fia It's amazing to think that just eight months ago we were all relieved that the bitter war between teams and the FIA was over. Ferrari—the most successful team in the history of Formula One—had threatened to quit, with all other teams bar Williams and Force India looking to set up their own series.

Fast forward eight months and once again it is Ferrari that is leading in the campaign, albeit through a statement on their website, against favouring smaller, less stable teams, over those that can, effectively, buy their way out of troubles.

Ferrari's problem is clear: They have an issue with newer teams turning up, with limited budgets, making a lot of noise and then falling at the last hurdle. It's not for reasons of empathy, far from it in fact, but Ferrari have always succeeded via the means they know best—through investing millions.

If these tiny "minnows" can become successful, or at least established, within Formula One, at a fraction of the cost that the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, and Renault have spent in the past, it is not going to go down well. And the issue runs deeper.

Ferrari believe that the reason so many manufacturers like BMW, Honda, and Toyota, have pulled out of F1 is because the F1's governing body, the FIA, have chosen to put more emphasis on helping smaller teams. When these teams falter, Ferrari look at it as a kick in the teeth, a reminder of how they got onto the entry list in the first place.

Remember Ferrari are very much one of these manufacturers, and are using F1 solely as a marketing strategy for their road division. However, continuing their tradition as 'trendsetters', rather than following the sport’s most recent departures, they are fighting for change.

It's no secret that Campos and USF1, the only two teams yet to unveil their car or announce preseason plans, have problems. Campos have received outside investment, from what Ferrari describe as a "munificent white knight, well used to this sort of last minute rescue deal."

They have a point. An image of teams struggling to finance a graduation to Formula One is far from ideal. It links back to the issue we had in June, in which the FIA's cost-cutting measures became so radical that teams began to break away.

USF1's problems don't end with money. Rumours suggest they are lacking now in resources, and from what little we've heard about the car, the alleged figures are worrying. At least Campos have Dallara, with some experience and a strong workforce. USF1 are building entirely from scratch, with minimal outside investment.

Ferrari also attacked F1 hopefuls Stefan GP, calling them "Serbian vultures," and saying the team—run by businessman Zoran Stefanovic—"picked the bones of Toyota on its deathbed." This simply highlights the fact that the Italian squad are bitter about the downturn in economic viability that lead to what they see as the inevitable—the manufacturers' withdrawal.

The statement is reminiscent of one they made in light of Toyota quitting Formula One in November, in which the Italian team said we must "wait and see just how many [of the new teams] will be there on the grid for the first race."

Ferrari have always been sceptical of the way Formula One has been heading in terms of its entry list, and it is very unlikely that this is the last we'll hear on the matter.

Until the team can no longer feel as though they are at a loss, in favour of the "Serbian vultures," the team "being pushed into the ring by an invisible hand," and the squad that would have to be located on a "missing persons list," Ferrari will try to lead other teams into combating the issues the FIA have targeted to help "make up the numbers."

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> It's amazing to think that just eight months ago we were all relieved that the bitter war between teams and the FIA was over. Ferrari—the most successful team in the history of Formula One—had threatened to quit, with all other teams bar Williams and Force India looking to set up their own series.

Fast forward eight months and once again it is Ferrari that is leading in the campaign, albeit through a statement on their website, against favouring smaller, less stable teams, over those that can, effectively, buy their way out of troubles.

Ferrari's problem is clear: They have an issue with newer teams turning up, with limited budgets, making a lot of noise and then falling at the last hurdle. It's not for reasons of empathy, far from it in fact, but Ferrari have always succeeded via the means they know best—through investing millions.

If these tiny "minnows" can become successful, or at least established, within Formula One, at a fraction of the cost that the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, and Renault have spent in the past, it is not going to go down well. And the issue runs deeper.

Ferrari believe that the reason so many manufacturers like BMW, Honda, and Toyota, have pulled out of F1 is because the F1's governing body, the FIA, have chosen to put more emphasis on helping smaller teams. When these teams falter, Ferrari look at it as a kick in the teeth, a reminder of how they got onto the entry list in the first place.

Remember Ferrari are very much one of these manufacturers, and are using F1 solely as a marketing strategy for their road division. However, continuing their tradition as 'trendsetters', rather than following the sport’s most recent departures, they are fighting for change.

It's no secret that Campos and USF1, the only two teams yet to unveil their car or announce preseason plans, have problems. Campos have received outside investment, from what Ferrari describe as a "munificent white knight, well used to this sort of last minute rescue deal."

They have a point. An image of teams struggling to finance a graduation to Formula One is far from ideal. It links back to the issue we had in June, in which the FIA's cost-cutting measures became so radical that teams began to break away.

USF1's problems don't end with money. Rumours suggest they are lacking now in resources, and from what little we've heard about the car, the alleged figures are worrying. At least Campos have Dallara, with some experience and a strong workforce. USF1 are building entirely from scratch, with minimal outside investment.

Ferrari also attacked F1 hopefuls Stefan GP, calling them "Serbian vultures," and saying the team—run by businessman Zoran Stefanovic—"picked the bones of Toyota on its deathbed." This simply highlights the fact that the Italian squad are bitter about the downturn in economic viability that lead to what they see as the inevitable—the manufacturers' withdrawal.

The statement is reminiscent of one they made in light of Toyota quitting Formula One in November, in which the Italian team said we must "wait and see just how many [of the new teams] will be there on the grid for the first race."

Ferrari have always been sceptical of the way Formula One has been heading in terms of its entry list, and it is very unlikely that this is the last we'll hear on the matter.

Until the team can no longer feel as though they are at a loss, in favour of the "Serbian vultures," the team "being pushed into the ring by an invisible hand," and the squad that would have to be located on a "missing persons list," Ferrari will try to lead other teams into combating the issues the FIA have targeted to help "make up the numbers."

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/ferraris-tirade-against-the-fia-formula-one-troubles-continue/feed/ 0 Raikkonen Could Replace Webber at Red Bull in 2011 http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/raikkonen-could-replace-webber-at-red-bull-in-2011/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/raikkonen-could-replace-webber-at-red-bull-in-2011/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:57:57 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/350096-raikkonen-could-replace-webber-at-red-bull-in-2011 Ex-Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen could make a sensational comeback to the sport next year, as rumours circulate that Mark Webber may call it quits if he doesn't fight for the championship in 2010.

The Finn, who took Ferrari to the championship in 2007, left Formula 1 for the WRC last year after being replaced in the Italian team by Spaniard Fernando Alonso. But Raikkonen said that he will wait until the middle of this season to decide whether he will return to racing.

German media have speculated that if his rally stint—in which he is sponsored heavily by Red Bull—is not successful, he will pair up alongside Sebastian Vettel at the Anglo-Austrian team in 2011.

"A good option!" Red Bull boss Christian Horner told  bild . de  of the rumour. "However, our focus right now is only the latest drivers."

Raikkonen had a difficult period after securing his world championship, taking just three wins in two seasons. He was largely over-shadowed by team mate Felipe Massa, only to re-take the role of team leader when the Brazilian suffered a head injury and was forced to miss the second half of 2009.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Ex-Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen could make a sensational comeback to the sport next year, as rumours circulate that Mark Webber may call it quits if he doesn't fight for the championship in 2010.

The Finn, who took Ferrari to the championship in 2007, left Formula 1 for the WRC last year after being replaced in the Italian team by Spaniard Fernando Alonso. But Raikkonen said that he will wait until the middle of this season to decide whether he will return to racing.

German media have speculated that if his rally stint—in which he is sponsored heavily by Red Bull—is not successful, he will pair up alongside Sebastian Vettel at the Anglo-Austrian team in 2011.

"A good option!" Red Bull boss Christian Horner told  bild . de  of the rumour. "However, our focus right now is only the latest drivers."

Raikkonen had a difficult period after securing his world championship, taking just three wins in two seasons. He was largely over-shadowed by team mate Felipe Massa, only to re-take the role of team leader when the Brazilian suffered a head injury and was forced to miss the second half of 2009.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/raikkonen-could-replace-webber-at-red-bull-in-2011/feed/ 0 Fernando Alonso: New Ferrari Is Best Car I’ve Ever Driven http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fernando-alonso-new-ferrari-is-best-car-ive-ever-driven/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fernando-alonso-new-ferrari-is-best-car-ive-ever-driven/#comments Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:30:26 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/349826-alonso-new-ferrari-is-best-car-ive-ever-driven Fernando Alonso issued a stark warning to rivals on Saturday by claiming Ferrari's F10 is the "best car I've ever had".

The '05 and '06 world champion told Spanish media that the new car, designed to bring the team back to their winning ways, will be a championship contender in 2010.

Spaniard Alonso, who also reckons McLaren and Red Bull are likely to be his biggest rivals this year, said that Jenson Button was simply "showing his muscles" when the Brit topped the fortnight's time sheets as the eight-day winter test at Jerez concluded yesterday. 

"There are no reasons to be pessimistic," Alonso said after the session. "As of today, this is the best car I've ever had. I think that someone showed his muscles on Saturday, while we didn't."

The Ferrari driver, who pairs up with Felipe Massa this season, also believes that the final preseason test in Barcelona next week will shed some light more accurately as to who is where in terms of outright development.

"We'll see in Barcelona—when we'll show up with the latest updates—where we are compared to the others. We can say that we're on the right way."

McLaren's Jenson Button also added fuel to the fire this week by claiming that Ferrari were indeed ahead of the field. "I think the Ferrari is a very strong car," he said.

"If you look at their runs today, they're very consistent. I think they have better consistency than anyone at the moment."

Testing will resume at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Thursday, the first real running for teams on a Grand Prix track. Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren have all confirmed they will bring some upgrades to the test, with all teams expected to run in Bahrain trim for the first time.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Fernando Alonso issued a stark warning to rivals on Saturday by claiming Ferrari's F10 is the "best car I've ever had".

The '05 and '06 world champion told Spanish media that the new car, designed to bring the team back to their winning ways, will be a championship contender in 2010.

Spaniard Alonso, who also reckons McLaren and Red Bull are likely to be his biggest rivals this year, said that Jenson Button was simply "showing his muscles" when the Brit topped the fortnight's time sheets as the eight-day winter test at Jerez concluded yesterday. 

"There are no reasons to be pessimistic," Alonso said after the session. "As of today, this is the best car I've ever had. I think that someone showed his muscles on Saturday, while we didn't."

The Ferrari driver, who pairs up with Felipe Massa this season, also believes that the final preseason test in Barcelona next week will shed some light more accurately as to who is where in terms of outright development.

"We'll see in Barcelona—when we'll show up with the latest updates—where we are compared to the others. We can say that we're on the right way."

McLaren's Jenson Button also added fuel to the fire this week by claiming that Ferrari were indeed ahead of the field. "I think the Ferrari is a very strong car," he said.

"If you look at their runs today, they're very consistent. I think they have better consistency than anyone at the moment."

Testing will resume at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Thursday, the first real running for teams on a Grand Prix track. Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren have all confirmed they will bring some upgrades to the test, with all teams expected to run in Bahrain trim for the first time.

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fernando-alonso-new-ferrari-is-best-car-ive-ever-driven/feed/ 0 Vettel Tops Day One at Drying Jerez http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/vettel-tops-day-one-at-drying-jerez/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/vettel-tops-day-one-at-drying-jerez/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:41:24 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/347449-vettel-tops-day-one-at-drying-jerez Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets during a wet-dry first day of the third preseason test in Spain.

Wednesday saw a disrupted session with a grand total of five red flags, two of which were caused by Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian's Williams team apparently struggling with reliability.

Today also marked the first official test outing for the rejuvenated Lotus, with test and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy at the wheel.

As testing got underway, teams seemed eager for some running, however damp weather meant any meaningful track time was not available. The circuit dried throughout the day, however, and despite some showers, a clear dry line had appeared by the end of day one.

Lewis Hamilton caused the first stoppage, a mere 35 minutes into the morning's running, as his McLaren ground to a halt on track. Little more than four minutes after the session was restarted, Force India's 2010 reserve driver Paul di Resta spun off the circuit, causing the second delay of the day.

Hamilton lead proceedings early on, before Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel began a trend of fastest laps, culminating in an overall best of 1m22.593s.

It wasn't until late in the session that other drivers began to challenge him, with Hamilton managing a 1m23.017s with four minutes to go, nearly half a second off the German's best.

Felipe Massa had a quiet day, the Ferrari driver suffering an apparent mechanical problem causing a red flag, which put him out of action for two hours during a crucial dry spell over lunchtime. The Brazilian's best time of 1m23.204s was enough to put him third however, a tenth off Toro Rosso's Sebastian Buemi.

Pedro de la Rosa and Michael Schumacher were a solid fifth and sixth, the latter completing the day's highest number of laps with 111.

Virgin only completed 10 laps with Timo Glock at the wheel, the reasons for which are unknown. Despite being over 9 seconds off Vettel's fastest attempts, Lotus's Fairuz Fauzy had an impressive day, with things looking promising for the Malaysian squad.

Unofficial testing times from Jerez day 1:

1 Vettel Red Bull 1m22.593s
2 Hamilton McLaren 1m23.017s +0.424
3 Massa Ferrari 1m23.204s +0.611
4 Buemi Toro Rosso 1m23.322s +0.729
5 De la Rosa Sauber 1m23.367s +0.774
6 Schumacher Mercedes 1m23.803s +1.210
7 Sutil Force India 1m24.272s +1.679
8 Di Resta Force India 1m25.088s +2.495
9 Petrov Renault 1m26.237s +3.644
10 Barrichello Williams 1m27.320s +4.727
11 Fauzy Lotus 1m31.848s +9.255
12 Glock Virgin 1m34.453s +11.860

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]]> Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets during a wet-dry first day of the third preseason test in Spain.

Wednesday saw a disrupted session with a grand total of five red flags, two of which were caused by Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian's Williams team apparently struggling with reliability.

Today also marked the first official test outing for the rejuvenated Lotus, with test and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy at the wheel.

As testing got underway, teams seemed eager for some running, however damp weather meant any meaningful track time was not available. The circuit dried throughout the day, however, and despite some showers, a clear dry line had appeared by the end of day one.

Lewis Hamilton caused the first stoppage, a mere 35 minutes into the morning's running, as his McLaren ground to a halt on track. Little more than four minutes after the session was restarted, Force India's 2010 reserve driver Paul di Resta spun off the circuit, causing the second delay of the day.

Hamilton lead proceedings early on, before Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel began a trend of fastest laps, culminating in an overall best of 1m22.593s.

It wasn't until late in the session that other drivers began to challenge him, with Hamilton managing a 1m23.017s with four minutes to go, nearly half a second off the German's best.

Felipe Massa had a quiet day, the Ferrari driver suffering an apparent mechanical problem causing a red flag, which put him out of action for two hours during a crucial dry spell over lunchtime. The Brazilian's best time of 1m23.204s was enough to put him third however, a tenth off Toro Rosso's Sebastian Buemi.

Pedro de la Rosa and Michael Schumacher were a solid fifth and sixth, the latter completing the day's highest number of laps with 111.

Virgin only completed 10 laps with Timo Glock at the wheel, the reasons for which are unknown. Despite being over 9 seconds off Vettel's fastest attempts, Lotus's Fairuz Fauzy had an impressive day, with things looking promising for the Malaysian squad.

Unofficial testing times from Jerez day 1:

1 Vettel Red Bull 1m22.593s
2 Hamilton McLaren 1m23.017s +0.424
3 Massa Ferrari 1m23.204s +0.611
4 Buemi Toro Rosso 1m23.322s +0.729
5 De la Rosa Sauber 1m23.367s +0.774
6 Schumacher Mercedes 1m23.803s +1.210
7 Sutil Force India 1m24.272s +1.679
8 Di Resta Force India 1m25.088s +2.495
9 Petrov Renault 1m26.237s +3.644
10 Barrichello Williams 1m27.320s +4.727
11 Fauzy Lotus 1m31.848s +9.255
12 Glock Virgin 1m34.453s +11.860

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]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/vettel-tops-day-one-at-drying-jerez/feed/ 0 Fairuz Fauzy To Make Lotus Debut http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fairuz-fauzy-to-make-lotus-debut/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fairuz-fauzy-to-make-lotus-debut/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:11:03 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/346247-fauzy-to-make-lotus-debut Lotus has revealed that the team's test and reserve driver, Fairuz Fauzy, will be honoured with driving duties as the Anglo-Malaysian squad begin their testing programme at Jerez on Wednesday.

Fauzy was given the opportunity to shakedown the T127 at Silverstone last week before the car's official launch in London on Friday.

But Lotus has now confirmed that the Malaysian driver—who last officially tested a Formula One car for Spyker in 2007—will be in charge of the new car for the first day of the four-day test.

The team's 2010 race drivers, Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, will then take over driving duties. Kovalainen will drive on Thursday and Friday before Trulli wraps up the test on Saturday.

Rain is forecast for all four days of testing at the Spanish circuit, so running is likely to be limited once again.

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]]> Lotus has revealed that the team's test and reserve driver, Fairuz Fauzy, will be honoured with driving duties as the Anglo-Malaysian squad begin their testing programme at Jerez on Wednesday.

Fauzy was given the opportunity to shakedown the T127 at Silverstone last week before the car's official launch in London on Friday.

But Lotus has now confirmed that the Malaysian driver—who last officially tested a Formula One car for Spyker in 2007—will be in charge of the new car for the first day of the four-day test.

The team's 2010 race drivers, Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, will then take over driving duties. Kovalainen will drive on Thursday and Friday before Trulli wraps up the test on Saturday.

Rain is forecast for all four days of testing at the Spanish circuit, so running is likely to be limited once again.

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]]> http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/fairuz-fauzy-to-make-lotus-debut/feed/ 0 New Signings to Kick Off Jerez Test http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/new-signings-to-kick-off-jerez-test/ http://www.autodafe.org/motorsports/new-signings-to-kick-off-jerez-test/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:49:17 +0000 Ross Messinger http://bleacherreport.com/articles/341914-new-signings-to-kick-of-jerez-test Both Ferrari and McLaren's respective new signings will drive their 2010 cars on the opening two days at Jerez this week, the second of four preseason track sessions in the run up to Bahrain.

Fernando Alonso will drive Ferrari's F10 car on Wednesday and Thursday after having driven it for the first time last week. The Spaniard will test a few minor mechanical updates on the car, which appears to have an early advantage on its opponents after topping all three days of the first 2010 test at Valencia.

Ferrari say they will not introduce any new aerodynamic parts until the next Jerez test in a week's time.

Meanwhile, McLaren plan to field reigning champion Jenson Button when the test–in which Red Bull, Force India, and Virgin are set to join the fray with their new cars–begins on Wednesday.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton will then take over driving duties during the final two days, from Friday onwards. Hamilton and Button could only manage fifth and tenth respectively during three days' testing at Valencia, and McLaren are expected to introduce some new aerodynamic upgrades during the next few weeks.

With Thursday likely to be the only dry day of track action as thunderstorms are forecast, teams may not be able to clock as many laps as hoped, with Red Bull, who elected to miss the first test in exchange for extra development time, set to be the biggest sufferers.

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]]> Both Ferrari and McLaren's respective new signings will drive their 2010 cars on the opening two days at Jerez this week, the second of four preseason track sessions in the run up to Bahrain.

Fernando Alonso will drive Ferrari's F10 car on Wednesday and Thursday after having driven it for the first time last week. The Spaniard will test a few minor mechanical updates on the car, which appears to have an early advantage on its opponents after topping all three days of the first 2010 test at Valencia.

Ferrari say they will not introduce any new aerodynamic parts until the next Jerez test in a week's time.

Meanwhile, McLaren plan to field reigning champion Jenson Button when the test–in which Red Bull, Force India, and Virgin are set to join the fray with their new cars–begins on Wednesday.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton will then take over driving duties during the final two days, from Friday onwards. Hamilton and Button could only manage fifth and tenth respectively during three days' testing at Valencia, and McLaren are expected to introduce some new aerodynamic upgrades during the next few weeks.

With Thursday likely to be the only dry day of track action as thunderstorms are forecast, teams may not be able to clock as many laps as hoped, with Red Bull, who elected to miss the first test in exchange for extra development time, set to be the biggest sufferers.

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