Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/WYF_xNrGe60/work-begins-on-sfhrs-new-digs.html
Friday 31 August 2012
Bernie Ecclestone - No plans to put the brakes on
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The way I feel at the moment, why stop? I do it because I enjoy it. And yesterday is gone. I don't care what happened yesterday. What else would I do? People retire to die. I don't get any individual pleasure because we don't win races or titles in this job. I'm like most business people. You look back at the end of the year and you see what you've achieved by working out how much money the company has made. That's it.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/bernie_ecclestone_no_plans_to.php
Win F1 prizes with your Belgian Grand Prix prediction | Predictions Championship
Win F1 prizes with your Belgian Grand Prix prediction is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen have ten wins between them at Spa. Will either of them win again this weekend? Make your prediction.
Win F1 prizes with your Belgian Grand Prix prediction is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/_mxWUUdM1Pw/
Five ways to improve F1
 Emerson Fittipaldi in his heyday |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/five_ways_to_improve_f1.php
Could a London Grand Prix ever take place?
Few things in sport are guaranteed to generate publicity like someone high-profile in Formula 1 talking about running a grand prix around the world-famous sites of central London.
After all, what's not to like? Who doesn't think it would make one of the most spectacular sporting events the world had ever seen?
That's clearly what the PR agency which represents one of McLaren's biggest sponsors was thinking when they invited the media to a lavish event at London's RAC Club on Thursday to hear Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button talking about what it might be like to race around such a track.
An expensively produced video was played. Hamilton and Button said all the right things - while being careful not to be seen in any way to diminish the importance of Silverstone as the home of the British Grand Prix.
And a virtual race was staged around the track with teams led by the McLaren drivers featuring Rio Ferdinand, Melanie Sykes, Olympic gold medal winner Amy Williams and Radio One DJ Sarah-Jane Crawford.
All in all, an effective way to generate a bit of extra media coverage ahead of next weekend's ninth round of the world championship at, yes, Silverstone.
In what will doubtless have been fantastic news for the PR agency and sponsor in question, though, the story developed a life of its own even before the event was held, when F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was quoted in a newspaper saying "maybe we would front it and put the money up for it".
A London race would see the drivers go past a number of iconic monuments.
Within F1, the idea of a race in London in such circumstances has been greeted with intense scepticism. "Of course it's not going to happen," one senior figure said on Thursday. "You know that, and so do I. But it makes a great story, doesn't it?"
On the back of it, there was an inevitable media whirlwind.
The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was asked about it, and said he was "broadly positive providing we can satisfy the air quality and noise issues".
Which, of course, they never could. So, apart from the fact that it's a PR stunt on which Ecclestone has chosen to offer an opinion, that's the first reason why it is unlikely ever to happen. There are many more.
Before we get into those, however, it is worth mentioning that Ecclestone has tried to make a London Grand Prix work before.
In the mid-noughties, he discussed it with Johnson's predecessor Ken Livingstone and the Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith, focusing on the two biggest hurdles - money and logistics.
Holding such a race would mean closing off part of central London for at least three days and disruption for much longer as preparations were made. There is an inherent cost in that.
Then there was Ecclestone's fee, setting up and securing the circuit, sorting out infrastructure, policing and so on.
On the plus side, a grand prix would showcase London and boost the city's profile, and probably - all things taken into account - bring in more money than it cost. Not that London, as one of the three biggest tourist attractions in the world, needs any extra publicity.
Five years ago almost to the day, I asked Ecclestone about these very plans. "I spoke about it with the mayor a couple of years ago, I think," he said. "He was very supportive. But we came to the conclusion that it would be too expensive."
A source close to Ecclestone expanded on that. "Bernie put a lot of effort into it," he said. "He said they looked long and hard at it and they couldn't make it work.
"There was very little money forthcoming from Livingstone, so it had to be self-supporting and they needed a way of getting people in.
"But there was only room for 30,000 people and, with the money they needed to pay to put it on, that would have meant charging £500 a ticket."
Damon Hill, then the president of the British Racing Drivers' Club which owns Silverstone, added that he had spoken "to Harvey Goldsmith about it a while back. I think it's dead. Logistically, it's a non-starter."
Which brings us back to the hurdles. The first being the idea that Ecclestone would put up the money for it. That's not how it works - venues pay a huge fee to the commercial arm of the sport, which Ecclestone runs, for the privilege of hosting F1.
That's not to say that F1 stumping up the money to host a race is a bad idea. Quite the contrary - some senior figures in the sport believe that's exactly what it should do to establish itself in America.
There is no market F1 wants to crack more than the US but last autumn Ecclestone played a game of brinksmanship with this season's new race in Austin, Texas, saying it would not be put on the calendar unless it paid its fee.
A similar situation seems to be developing with the proposed race in New Jersey overlooking Manhattan - an event F1 needs much more than one in London.
Then there's the fact that Britain already has a very popular grand prix at Silverstone, which has a contract until 2027, with a break clause either side can exercise in 2020.
With countries apparently queuing up for races - Russia is due in 2014, Mexico is also said to be imminent, Thailand is keen - the idea of holding two races in one country is seen very much as a thing of the past.
Equally, this is the second idea for a London Grand Prix that has come up in the past six days - on Friday another newspaper reported plans for a race around the Olympic Stadium.
Asked about this by BBC Sport at last weekend's European Grand Prix, Ecclestone said: "We're talking."
Hardly a surprise, is it, that F1 is so full of cynics?
In F1 - especially where Ecclestone is involved - one learns to never say never. But in a nutshell, what of the London Grand Prix?
Great PR coup? Yes. Likely to happen? Don't hold your breath.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/06/could_a_london_grand_prix_ever.html
McLaren drivers out of title race
 Is it now a three-way battle for the title? |
“Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.”The Guardian’s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber’s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian’s last realistic chance of winning the title.
“He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season – his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.”According to The Mirror’s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.
“McLaren's title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive."The Sun’s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying “Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php
Thursday 30 August 2012
The harsh realities
Vitaly Petrov is a pay driver. A good one, but a pay driver nonetheless and if his friends in Russia do not deliver the cash for him to continue in F1 in 2013 then Caterham will take another driver who can provide what is needed. The second driver role is not that important. At the [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/the-harsh-realities/
An omission
While I was away on holiday Mike Hewland died at the age of 89. His passing should be noted as his influence on British motorsport was considerable. After leaving school at 14, he learned the ropes in the engineering world and at 35 set up his own business in a shed in Maidenhead. The original [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/an-omission/
Ducati 98 T
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For as long as Ducati has been around, there are only a handful of its bikes that can stake claim to being as beautiful as the 1963 98 T. First introduced at the 1952 Milan show as the 98 model, the 98 T became the epitome of Ducati’s excellence in that era.
The bike came with a pressed spine frame, 17" wheels, and a 98 CC OHV single engine that produced 5.5 horsepower at 6,800 rpm. It had a top speed of 46.5 mph and was mated to a four-speed transmission.
Through a number of updates and modifications, the 98 evolved into the 98 T in 1957 where it lasted for six years until 1963, at which time a full evolution of the bike was done. This particular 98 T model - CN: DM 3614 - came as a restored model with excellent paint and chrome finishes, making for an interesting collection piece for any avid Ducati collector.
Expected bid price at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco ranged from €3,000 - €4,000, which is about $3,800 - $5,200 based on current exchange rates. Actual selling price was $758.
Ducati 98 T originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 30 August 2012 17:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/ducati/1963-ducati-98-t-ar129412.html
Ducati 160 Monza
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America has always liked its bikes to carry more power. That wasn’t any more evident than with the Ducati 160 Monza, a product of the 125 cc SOHC engine that was increased to 160 cc to cater to the power-hungry US market.
In addition to the 160 cc SOHC single engine that produced a top speed of 63 mph and was mated to a four-speed transmission, the Ducati 160 Monza also came with a bevy of features that further elucidated its Americanized credentials. Among these features include a square tank towards the end of its production run, as well as a side panel and engine number that pretty much let everyone know that the bike came with a 160-cc engine.
The Ducati 160 Monza that made its way to the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco remains in sound, unrestored condition and is also one of only a few models left in the last production run of the 160 Monza line.
The auction price for the Ducati 160 Monza was around €2,000 - €3,000, which is about $2,500 - $3,800 based on current exchange rates. Actual selling price was $1,515.
Ducati 160 Monza originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 30 August 2012 09:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/ducati/1966-ducati-160-monza-ar129403.html
Wednesday 29 August 2012
Hungary a tough race for RBR, says Horner
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was in bullish mood after the Hungarian GP, despite neither RB8 making it to the podium. Sebastian Vettel had to settle for fourth, while Mark Webber slipped back to eighth after running three stops. But … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/30/hungary-a-tough-race-for-rbr-says-horner/
Architects and engineers step forward
Infiniti has sent out a teaser of something that Sebastian Vettel has been getting up to on its behalf. It would be fascinated to know if anyone can tell what it was from the following photos. This is not a quiz, as I do not know the answer, but perhaps someone out there does… The [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/architects-and-engineers-step-forward/
Hamilton decision-making under the microscope
 Lewis Hamilton has come in for criticism |
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/hamilton_decisionmaking_under_1.php
Lewis Hamilton: “This weekend shows it’s all to play for still”
A win for Lewis Hamilton in Hungary has put the McLaren driver back in the World Championship hunt ahead of the August summer break, after a run of three races that produced just four points. Hamilton now lies fourth on … Continue reading 
Team order rule needs a re-think
 Jean Todt arives for Wednesday's hearing |
“Whether you are for or against team orders, if the FIA could not back up its own rules and nail a competitor in a blatant case such as this the rule really does need reviewing. Perhaps Ferrari’s thinly-veiled threat to take the matter to the civil courts if they were punished too harshly scared the governing body, who as much as admitted the flimsiness of its rule."Paul Weaver, reporting for the Guardian in Monza, was in favour of the ruling which keeps alive Ferrari’s slim chances in an enthralling championship.
“The World Motor Sport Council was right not to ruin a compelling Formula One season by taking away the 25 points Alonso collected in Germany. That would have put him out of the five-man title race. But the council was widely expected to increase the fine and possibly deduct points from the team, as opposed to the individual. In the end, it could be argued that common sense prevailed. But the decision will dismay those who were upset by the way Ferrari handled the situation as much as anything else.”The Daily Mail's Jonathan McEvoy expressed outrage at the FIA tearing up its own rule book by allowing Ferrari to escape unpunished.
"Although the race stewards fined them £65,000 for giving team orders in July, the FIA World Motor Sport Council, to whom the matter was referred, decided not to impose any further punishment. It leaves the sport's rulers open to derision. It was, after all, their rule they undermined. In a statement, the WMSC said the regulation banning team orders 'should be reviewed'."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/team_order_rule_needs_a_rethin_1.php
McLaren drivers out of title race
| Is it now a three-way battle for the title? |
“Focus and concentration will be of paramount importance and there is none stronger in this regard than Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.”The Guardian’s Oliver Owen thinks that it is Mark Webber’s title to lose now, and that this may be the Australian’s last realistic chance of winning the title.
“He has driven beautifully. Monaco and Silverstone spring to mind. He has been an uncompromising racer, not giving Vettel or Lewis Hamilton an inch in Turkey and Singapore respectively. Most importantly, he has largely avoided the bouts of brain fade that can wreck a season – his on-track hooning in Melbourne when racing Hamilton being the only exception. But there is a feeling that for Webber it is now or never, that a chance of a tilt at the title may never come again. He is certainly driving as if that is the case and that has been his strength.”According to The Mirror’s Byron Young, both McLaren drivers are now out of the title hunt after their fourth and fifth place finishes in Suzuka.
“McLaren's title hopes died yesterday in a weekend from Hell at Suzuka. Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in a Japanese Grand Prix they had to win to have the remotest chance of keeping their title bid alive."The Sun’s Michael Spearman was of the same opinion, saying “Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button's title hopes were in tatters after a shocker in Japan.”
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/mclaren_drivers_out_of_title_r_1.php
F1 fans’ guide to Spa for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix | 2012 Belgian Grand Prix
F1 fans’ guide to Spa for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Judging by the numbers of F1 Fanatics heading to Spa-Francorchamps for next week's race, it's hard to believe the reports of poor ticket sales at the track in recent years.
F1 fans’ guide to Spa for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/qWNGlQxDNmc/
Kubica tries a Ford WRC car
Robert Kubica, who has been out of action for 18 months since his rallying accident in Italy, early last year, spent four days recently at a secret test at a little known circuit in France – at the wheel of a Ford WRC car. The Polish driver tested a Ford Fiesta WRC on the Circuit [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/kubica-tries-a-ford-wrc-car/
Marussia to use Williams KERS in 2013 | 2013 F1 season
Marussia to use Williams KERS in 2013 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Marussia will use a Kinetic Energy Recovery System for the first time in 2013, technical consultant Pat Symonds has confirmed.
Marussia to use Williams KERS in 2013 is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/6g6kKctjM70/
Button Steps Up Pre Season Training With Lance Armstrong
Jenson Button teamed up with record breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong, as he continues to prepare for another Formula One season. The McLaren driver excitedly tweeted that he would be riding with Armstrong, the 7 time Tour de France winner, in Hawaii. Armstrong responded via Twitter “I hope he doesn’t ride as srong as he drives [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/button-steps-up-pre-season-training-with-lance-armstrong/
Tuesday 28 August 2012
Sebastian Vettel: “I was fighting as much as I could”
Sebastian Vettel has kept his championship challenge firmly on track with a solid fourth place in Hungary, but the German felt he had the speed to do a lot better. After starting third Vettel was passed by Jenson Button at … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/29/sebastian-vettel-i-was-fighting-as-much-as-i-could/
Lewis and McLaren
Time is ticking on and we are awaiting more driver announcements for 2013. Red Bull Racing is done, but beyond that there is plenty of room for manoeuvre, but very little obvious action. Felipe Massa’s future at Ferrari remains uncertain, but the big question for the Italian team is who would be best to drive [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/lewis-and-mclaren/
Running an F1 team “like warfare” says Williams CEO | F1 Fanatic round-up
Running an F1 team “like warfare” says Williams CEO is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
In the round-up: Running an F1 team "like warfare" • Karthikeyan's F1 demo cancelled • Salazar to be Spa driver steward
Running an F1 team “like warfare” says Williams CEO is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/uffUYP_-ztk/
Lewis Hamilton: “I just hope for once we have a good start”
Lewis Hamilton has always felt at home in Hungary, and will again be in the thick of the action on Sunday after dominating qualifying. Hamilton did two laps that would have been good enough for pole, and is now hoping … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/28/lewis-hamilton-i-just-hope-for-once-we-have-a-good-start/
Team Lotus Launch Their 2011 Machine The T128
Team Lotus (the one who raced last year) have become the second team to officially pull the covers off their new 2011 car. The green and yellow liveried machine will start be raced by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen this season under the name of Team Lotus as the management’s row with Group Lotus, now [...]
Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/team-lotus-launch-their-2011-machine-the-t128/
The Top TEN Teams We’d Like To See Back In F1
Throughout F1’s long history there have been many different teams that have come and gone. Although many of the truly legendary brands are still involved in the modern day sport, there a few who have been lost due to a variety of reasons. Some we miss, and some we don’t. But, this list looks at [...]
Monday 27 August 2012
Kubica tries a Ford WRC car
Robert Kubica, who has been out of action for 18 months since his rallying accident in Italy, early last year, spent four days recently at a secret test at a little known circuit in France – at the wheel of a Ford WRC car. The Polish driver tested a Ford Fiesta WRC on the Circuit [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/kubica-tries-a-ford-wrc-car/
BIKES: Twists Through Time
RodRUNNER Magazine goes on a Mountain View, Arkansas Shamrock Tour
Source: http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/article/bikes-twists-through-time/
Sunday 26 August 2012
Speculation starts early over Hamilton's future
Lewis Hamilton's future was the subject of fevered discussion at the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend as the driver market 'silly season' began in earnest.
Hamilton is out of contract with McLaren at the end of this season and, at 27, his career is at a crossroads, with arguably the most important decision of his life looming.
Hamilton is heading into his prime as a grand prix driver. With good reason, he regards himself as the fastest in the world and it pains him that he has won only one world title so far.
That came in 2008 and it has not escaped Hamilton's attention that since then, at least until the start of this year, McLaren had not provided him with a car that was truly competitive enough.
This season started promisingly, with McLaren locking out the front row at the first two races and Hamilton on pole in both. But since then their form has dipped, particularly in the last three races.
Lewis Hamilton was fifth in the Monaco GP, behind Sebastian Vettel who was fourth. Photo: Getty
Hamilton is still very much in the title race, but he left no-one under any illusions about his feelings after his fifth place in Monaco on Sunday.
It used to be the case that discussions about drivers' futures did not start until July and August. No longer. Teams and drivers will say publicly that it is far too early to discuss it. What they mean is that it is too early to talk about it to the media; behind the scenes a lot is going on.
Hamilton's future is tied up with that of Red Bull's Mark Webber and Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher and also, to some extent, Webber's team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
It is widely believed that all four top teams are interested in Hamilton - at least to the point of holding talks with his management.
McLaren definitely want to keep him and have made that clear to both Hamilton himself and his management team - but no substantive negotiations have taken place and no financial offers made yet, despite reports to the contrary. Mercedes are known to have him seriously on their radar as a potential replacement for Schumacher. The picture at Ferrari and Red Bull is slightly less clear.
There was a rumour going around in Monaco that Ferrari were keen on signing Hamilton for next season in place of Felipe Massa, whose time at the team is expected to end this season.
That seems unlikely for one obvious reason - Fernando Alonso is contracted to Ferrari until the end of 2016. There is huge mutual respect between the two - each regards the other as their biggest rival - but that's very different from wanting to be team-mates again.
When they were at McLaren in Hamilton's debut year in 2007, it did not go well, to put it mildly, and Alonso ended up leaving at the end of the season - just one year into what had been a three-year contract.
Alonso's problem was far more with McLaren boss Ron Dennis than it was with Hamilton. Nevertheless, it is unlikely he would want Hamilton to be his team-mate again - and Ferrari is very much his team these days.
Equally, Hamilton would have to think carefully about moving to a team where he does not speak the language - even if the debriefs are conducted in English and there is an English ex-McLaren technical director - and where a man as clever, cunning and political as Alonso has been ensconced for three years.
Nevertheless, Hamilton would be highly attractive to Ferrari's main sponsors, the cigarette company Philip Morris and Spanish bank Santander, who could drop McLaren if they had an English driver at Ferrari. Together, they could basically afford to pay him whatever he wanted.
The problem with this is that a normally impeccable source close to Ferrari says the team only want a one-year driver in 2013, as they have a pre-contract with Vettel for 2014.
This pre-contract, the source says, is two-way - ie, either party can exercise it - and is performance-related. Ferrari need to be at least third in the constructors' championship at a specific stage of next season to bring it into effect.
However, a senior Red Bull insider says this is "nonsense", that they have Vettel under contract to the end of 2014.
The favourite for the expected vacancy at Ferrari is Webber, who is coming towards the end of his career and may well be interested in a year or two at Ferrari to finish it off.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner asked rhetorically in Monaco: "Why would he want to leave?" But there are several potential reasons.
It would vastly increase Webber's post-F1 earnings potential and he would relish the chance to test himself against Alonso, a friend whom Webber regards as the best driver in the world.
Webber would not expect to beat him - in fact, he would almost certainly have to go to Ferrari on the understanding that Alonso was number one - but he would enjoy ruffling the Spaniard's feathers from time to time, as he almost certainly would.
If Webber were to leave Red Bull, that would leave a vacancy Hamilton could potentially fill.
Horner has always sounded lukewarm about taking on Hamilton, pointing out that it would raise the tension in the team as he and Vettel went toe to toe.
But ultimately it's not his decision - it's that of Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz, and the marketing value of pitting Hamilton against Vettel would be enormous.
And if Webber did leave, who else would Red Bull get? Even if Vettel is under a firm contract to the end of 2014, that's still only two years away - at which point they would still need a guaranteed top-line driver if he left.
Theoretically, Red Bull are committed to progressing their junior drivers, but Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne do not look ready for that sort of promotion yet.
Then there is Mercedes, whose decision is complicated by Schumacher.
Team boss Ross Brawn said in Monaco that he would like the seven-time champion to stay on as long as he is competitive, but there have been internal questions about whether - and how long - he will remain so.
Schumacher's commercial value to Mercedes is huge. But they have to ask themselves whether they are potentially harming their competitive position with their driver line-up - few in F1 would argue they would not improve it by recruiting Hamilton, Alonso or Vettel, who is also of long-term interest to the team.
Hamilton's decision is not just about driving, either. Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes would all almost certainly be able to pay him more than McLaren can afford to offer. And McLaren's portfolio of sponsors makes it almost impossible for Hamilton's team at Simon Fuller's XIX Management to raise money from private deals.
Ultimately, though, Hamilton will surely base his decision on competitiveness.
The best way to guarantee that in the last 20 years has been to drive wherever Adrian Newey is designer, which is Red Bull. Or does Hamilton bank on Mercedes continuing to raise their competitiveness (and, for that matter, staying in F1, which is far from a foregone conclusion at the moment)? Or take a risk on joining Alonso at Ferrari, should a seat be available?
Or does he stick with what he knows and trust the team with which he has been associated since he was 11-years-old to finally get it right, but potentially reduce his earnings potential?
Hamilton has some tough decisions to make in the next few weeks.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/05/will_hamilton_stay_at_mclaren.html
Lewis Hamilton: “The car’s been feeling really good”
Lewis Hamilton bounced back from his disappointing race in Germany to top the times in both sessions in Hungary for McLaren. The car has clearly been improved by the upgrades that were introduced in Hockenheim, although the bad weather there … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/27/lewis-hamilton-the-cars-been-feeling-really-good/
Life in the pit lane
 The Mercedes pit crew prepare for Michael Schumacher in Singapore |
These are not select millionaires but up to 16 ordinary, yet gifted, guys; team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, are paid real-world wages of between £30,000 and £50,000 a year, are drilled to perfection – and whose split-second synchronisation brings their teams huge rewards.
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/09/life_in_the_pit_lane.php
F1 Flashback: 1990 Australian Grand Prix
Whereas the Melbourne street circuit at Albert Park was formally the official curtain raiser for this F1 season, back in 1990 it was on the streets of Adelaide where the highly anticipated Formula One calendar climaxed. To put the race into context, the previous Grand Prix in Japan caused uproar amongst drivers and fans alike. [...]
F1 and the Olympics
I think that Formula 1 should be included in the Olympic Games, and I cannot see any real reason that justifies its exclusion. Although it was by no means official, there is no doubt that by wearing decals supporting Team GB, both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button showed that they agree with this. “Having the [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/f1-and-the-olympics/
Belgium gets a new deal
The Belgian Grand Prix will continue until the end of 2015, after a new deal was signed by the Wallonia provincial government and the Formula One group. Although financial details are never announced in these matters, the Wallonian minister of finance, Jean-Claude Marcourt, said that the cost of the contract had reduced. The Formula One [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/belgium-gets-a-new-deal/
Saturday 25 August 2012
Grandstand Motor Sports joins F1 Fanatic as sponsor | F1 Fanatic
Grandstand Motor Sports joins F1 Fanatic as sponsor is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
F1 Fanatic is pleased to welcome Grandstand Motor Sports as the new sponsor of Going to a Grand Prix.
Grandstand Motor Sports joins F1 Fanatic as sponsor is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
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LE MANS: Treluyer Storms To Silverstone Pole
Audi 1-2 in dramatic mixed-condition qualifying session at Silverstone...
Source: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-treluyer-storms-to-silverstone-pole/
Doctors use Formula One pit crews as safety model
American Medical News reports hospitals in at least a dozen countries are learning how to translate the split-second timing and near-perfect synchronisation of Formula One pit crews to the high-risk handoffs of patients from surgery to recovery and intensive care.
"In Formula One, they have checklists, databases, and they have well-defined processes for doing things, and we don't really have any of those things in health care."
Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/10/doctors_use_formula_one_pit_cr.php
Mercedes SLS Roadster by Domanig
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Two years after they built a program for the Mercedes SLS AMG, German tuner Domanig has come out with another program, only this time, it’s for the SLS AMG Roadster.
While there isn’t any aesthetic modifications done on the car, the German tuner did have a couple of things in store for the SLS Roadster. The first is the wheels, which Domanig takes pride in. For this particular program, the German tuner fitted the SLS Roadster with a new set of 20" SOM03 wheels in the front and wrapped it in 275/30ZR20 Michelin Super Sport tires. Over at the back, the choice was 21" DOM06 wheels rapped in 305/25/ZR21 Michelin Super Sport tires.
Moving on to the car’s suspension, Domanig added a new KW suspension system that not only lowers the car’s ride height by 30mm, but also makes it work in tandem with the supercar’s standard Ride Control system.
Finally, Domanig made some engine tweaking to the SLS Roadster 6.3-liter V8 engine and ramped up its output from the standard 571 horsepower to past 600 ponies. 620 horsepower, to be accurate.
Overall, the program is bereft of the style of other tuners, but as far as unbridled power is concerned, it gave quite a bit of an added punch.
Mercedes SLS Roadster by Domanig originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 24 August 2012 17:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/mercedes/2012-mercedes-sls-roadster-by-domanig-ar134081.html
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