Button relocates to Guernsey
Posted on 28/04/2010
Reigning world champion Jenson Button has bought a property in Guernsey according to the island’s newspaper.
Button is expected to move from his current home in Monte Carlo within a couple of months. His manager, Richard Goddard, already lives there, as does another friend of Button’s, triple World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx.
Ever wanted to drive an F1 car?
Posted on 28/04/2010
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For €5,500 Renault will start you off in a Formula Renault car and train you up for two laps in one of its F1 machines in just one day. The experience, taking place at the Hungaroring outside Budapest, also includes a lap in a three-seater F1 car with one of its reserve drivers to show the wannabes how it’s really done. The package also includes technical debriefs and a track walk to give drivers the full F1 experience.
Alonso insures thumbs
Posted on 26/04/2010
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Fernando Alonso has had his thumbs insured as part of a promotion with his personal sponsor Santander.
A new one-year deal with the insurance arm of the Spanish banking giant was announced on Monday and as a part of the deal Alonso has been given life insurance worth €10 million, weirdly putting extra emphasis on his thumbs.
“Being close to risk in my profession made me understand that protection is a fundamental aspect,” he said. “I knew that Santander is the best bank in the world, but now I discovered that they are also leaders in insurances. So I could only choose one of the best possible partners in this field.”
Now you see him ...
Posted on 26/04/2010
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In days of old (in other words pre Photoshop) totalitarian states valued skilled artists who were able to manipulate photographs, airbrushing discredited officials out of history. With the exception of North Korea and a few celebrity magazines, tinkering with pictures is a forgotten art.
Step forward Stefan GP, the wannabe Serbian Formula One outfit. In January, its website featured a picture of its four key men. The picture is still there but has been digitally altered, with Mike Coughlan, the former Spygate star initially hired as chief designer, removed and Zoran Stefanovic shifted forward to fill the void. Stalin would be proud.
Bernie feels the financial pinch
Posted on 25/04/2010
 Bernie Ecclestone asks Fernando Alonso if he can borrow a few dollars |
Spare a thought for poor old Bernie Ecclestone … in fact, perhaps they could send round some collections buckets in Barcelona in a fortnight’s time.
The latest Sunday Times Rich List reports that the man F1 fans love to hate has seen his personal wealth plummet as a result of his divorce from wife Slavica which is estimated to have cost him up to a third of his fortune. As a result, he drops from being 24th richest man in Britain to 38th, worth a pathetic £1.375 billion.
This could explain why he is looking to expand the F1 calendar and bring in new grands prix around the world. When things are tight, you need to look at every revenue stream …
No travel issues for Jenson and Jess
Posted on 23/04/2010
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While drivers and teams have battled to get home over the last week, Jenson Button has had no such problems.
“Jess (girlfriend Jessica Michibata) and I had already made plans for a few days' holiday before we knew of the travel disruption,” he said. “Of course, it's something that I've been following because I know it's affected a lot of people in the team, and I'm wishing them all well in their efforts to get home because I know it's not been easy. But I know that no problem is too big for our team and that we'll get home eventually.”
But despite being detached from the chaos, he admitted it had given him food for thought.
“Usually, at a grand prix you don't feel too far from home because you know you can always jump on a flight anywhere in the world and get home. When that's taken away from you, it does make you realise just how much land there is between you and home. It gives you quite a different perspective than normal - which is quite interesting. I hope everyone manages to make it home soon.”
The long and winding road
Posted on 21/04/2010
It took them nearly 50 hours, but F1 drivers including Jaime Alguersuari and Mark Webber are now back home. Toro Rosso's Alguersuari, who travelled with Virgin test driver and countryman Andy Soucek, lost count of how many times they landed at airports to change plane and destination. "We feel like we've been around the whole world," he said.
Mark Webber's return to his UK home took him 44 hours and he had to go via Rome and Nice.
The F1 cars could soon begin their journey back to Europe, with McLaren confirming they are "likely to be freighted to Bilbao within the next 24 hours".
Many of the sport's personnel are not so lucky. Williams' PR Claire Williams, the daughter of Sir Frank Williams, has been told by British Airways in Hong Kong that there may be no flights until May 5. "They have to be kidding," she wrote on her Twitter.
But ESPN columnist and photographer Mark Sutton confirmed to us he was marooned in Shanghai until May 6 as things stand, meaning he will barely have time to touch down in London before he had to depart for Spain.
Briatore-Mosley part 104
Posted on 21/04/2010
To the surprise of nobody, Flavio Briatore has revealed he has no intention of attempting to reconcile his relationship with former FIA president Max Mosley.
The pair have been using the media to wage a war of words for some time, with Briatore accusing Mosley of engaging on a crusade against him over the Crashgate scandal. One of the last acts while he was heading the FIA was to impose an indefinite ban on Briatore, a decision which was thrown out by a Paris court as it was outside the FIA’s powers. Mosley was succeeded by Jean Todt
"He sent me a text message to congratulate us on the birth of Falco, but Mosley is part of my former life. In my future there will be no place for him," Briatore told a glossy Italian magazine.
He also made a point of further nudging himself closer to Todt in nauseatingly gushing terms. "I'm happy for Jean, my friend of 20 years. Thanks to him, the FIA can now quietly and serenely breathe new air."
Hamilton's rift with his father
Posted on 19/04/2010
 Lewis Hamilton and his father Anthony is happier times |
Lewis Hamilton has revealed his relationship with his father, Anthony, has cooled considerably since his decision to ditch him as his manager earlier this season.
“I don’t remember the last time I spoke with him but not for a couple of weeks,” Hamilton said. “I don’t think there’s any friction but it’s not all smiles and happiness. It’s a big change so it affects all of us. We might exchange a message every now and then but we don’t have too much to discuss at the moment.”
Hamilton also admitted the timing of the split – which was originally described as “mutual” – was his call, and reports suggest his father is upset by events. “We’ve been racing together for many, many years so for him not to be coming to races any more, for sure, it’s a big transition. But he has more space and time to focus on his projects. I’m sure he will come to a race later in the season.”
US boss chats with Bernie
Posted on 18/04/2010
Tony George, CEO of the former US grand prix venue Indianapolis Motor Speedway until he resigned last year, was spotted in the Shanghai paddock. He is credited with bringing F1 back to America in 200 on a novel road course inside the fabled Indy 500 oval, and until he stepped down was keen to sign a new race promotion deal with Bernie Ecclestone who he is believed to have had talks with here.
Schumacher told to cut out the pies
Posted on 18/04/2010
According to the buzz in the German media after qualifying, Michael Schumacher's struggle to keep up with his teammate in 2010 could be due to his weight.
Although believed to be back to his racing weight of 2006, the seven time world champion is reportedly 7 kilograms heavier than Nico Rosberg, despite the 24-year-old being a few centimetres taller than Schumacher. F1 cars are all the same weight, but heavier drivers have less ballast to strategically position around their single seater.
But Schumacher's former fitness trainer Balbir Singh told Bild newspaper that he does not recommend any further weight loss for the 41-year-old, who is "fully fit". At lunch on Saturday, Schumacher ate a green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, and Sport Bild reports that Schuberth has been replacing the sponsor stickers on his helmet with lighter ones.
Adrian Sutil, also one of F1's heavier drivers, dismisses the German media theory about Schumacher's weight.
"Seven kilograms makes only about a tenth difference," the Force India driver told Auto Bild Motorsport. "It may sound funny, but Michael has to learn how to drive an F1 car again. Above all, the tyres are extremely sensitive. This is totally underestimated. In order to use them fully, he just needs more experience."
New name for that 'F-ing duct'
Posted on 17/04/2010
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The actual name for McLaren's so-called 'F-duct' is the 'RW80'.
It is believed the F-duct name was coined by the specialist media, either in reference to the shape and appearance of the air inlet, or the fact it is mounted on the red 'f' of the upper monocoque Vodafone branding. 'RW80', however, is the official name for the rear-wing stalling system, with McLaren describing its innovations with an acronym (Rear Wing) following by a number based on iterations.
Initially, some insiders jokingly tried to start a trend when the controversy broke by describing it as 'knee-gate' - referring to the rumoured way in which the McLaren driver's trigger the airflow. The alternate F-duct descriptor then emerged when reporters tired of writing words along the lines of 'knee activated air inlet and rear wing system'.
Red Bull's Christian Horner joked in Shanghai: "We call it the F'ing duct."
The pace-setting team is yet to introduce its own version for the RB6, already frustrated about the horse power advantaged enjoyed by Mercedes runners.
"Don't forget they (McLaren) are 30-40hp up. Plus the straightline advantage which they have through the F-duct," added Horner.
Sebastian Vettel said in China: "This morning I had a good opportunity to see it at work myself, when I was running behind Jenson. In the middle of the straight he just left me, as if I was standing still."
A bad weekend for the Buemis
Posted on 17/04/2010
In an unhappy coincidence, Sebastien Buemi's first cousin on Friday also had a scary incident on a motor racing circuit.
While Buemi emerged unscathed after his front suspension shattered during Shanghai practice, his female cousin Natacha Gachnang was not so lucky. Her Ford GT car speared off the Abu Dhabi track at full speed during qualifying for the new GT1 championship, striking a barrier head-on.
22-year-old Gachnang, who had to be cut from the mangled car, broke her right tibia (leg) in the crash that occurred at the end of the 1.2km straight, while a cameraman broke his nose.
The dash to beat the ash
Posted on 16/04/2010
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Several teams had to make desperate dashes to get their personnel and some equipment to Shanghai as many European airports shut down following the Icelandic volcanic eruption.
Both McLaren and Red Bull faced problems when flights from the UK were scrapped on Thursday, and in both cases individuals managed to get to Paris and fly from there before France too closed many of its airports.
"We had people coming yesterday with bits but they couldn't fly," McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh said. "It was quite a miraculous story in fact as someone then jumped in a car and drove five hours to Paris to catch an 11pm flight last night. That flight was brought forward to 10pm but then took off at 9.50pm, but he made the flight and the airport was shut at 10pm.”
It was the same for Red Bull who had six boxes of parts being brought out, including spares for the front of Mark Webber’s car.
Kubica honours dead president
Posted on 16/04/2010
Robert Kubica is wearing a black armband in China this weekend, while a picture of a Polish flag is on the headrest of his Renault car, to mark the recent death of the Polish president, Lech Kaczynski's wife and 94 others in a plane crash last Saturday.
Damned if she does ...
Posted on 15/04/2010
Danica Patrick … remember her, the US driver Richard Branson said he would like on his team? A rampant self publicist, you suspect his comments were more to do with the attention such a signing would bring rather than the driver herself.
Here’s the conundrum. Patrick is a decent driver who happens to be good looking and also female. But in a male dominated world she struggles to be taken seriously as something more than a token woman.
Her latest Twitter post indicates she’s off to do a shoot for the Maxim Hot 100. It’s not the first such shoot she has done, nor is it likely to be the last.
Which raises questions. Is she wrong to do this and by doing it is she letting down women who will claim they should be judged on ability not looks? Or is this the only way for women racing car drivers to get equal coverage in the media?
Or is she just a very astute businesswoman who knows she has to do this to win fans and increase her marketing ability considerably, and in so doing ensure she gets much better drives than she otherwise would?
Hamilton's Hoonmobile sold at auction
Posted on 15/04/2010
The Mercedes that landed Lewis Hamilton in hot water before the Australian Grand Prix has been sold at auction for A$158,000 (£95,500).
The vehicle was impounded by Melbourne police after Hamilton was caught doing a burnout after leaving the Albert Park circuit following the first day’s practice.
The Mercedes AMG C63, which retails at A$169,000, had 566km on the clock. “The car comes with the police report, which records the hooning incident,’’ a spokesman for the vendors said. ‘There is also the valet parking ticket from the Hilton at South Wharf with Lewis Hamilton’s room number and the car’s registration number on it. And there is a F1 personnel sticker on the windscreen.’’
Asked about the state of the tyres, the spokesman said: ‘‘He just did a couple of burnouts. He didn’t wreck the tyres. It was registered in January. It’s a beautiful car.’’
China ban silences F1 tweets
Posted on 14/04/2010
F1's new obsession with Twitter might have to take a back-seat role in Shanghai this weekend because of the Chinese government’s blocking of many aspects of social media in a bid to stifle dissent.
Many teams, drivers and managers have been using Twitter this season but they face difficulties over the coming weekend. However, it seems there are ways to dodge the authorities’ block on Twitter.
Having expressing dismay at the ban, HRT driver Karun Chandhok was greeted at Shanghai airport this week by three "very sweet fans" who told him the tricks. Also on Wednesday, McLaren, Mike Gascoyne, Mark Webber, Heikki Kovalainen and several journalists have been Tweeting from Shanghai.
It is not clear if or how China's estimated 30,000 internet police will react to the violations of the internet censorship laws. The operator of Virgin's official Twitter account said: "We'll probably just go low-key for China and then look at a proper solution for next year."
More reliability issues for grounded Vettel
Posted on 14/04/2010
It’s not just Red Bull’s reliability issues which cause concern to Sebastian Vettel – his journey to China for this weekend’s grand prix were delayed after the Airbus A340 he was on had to abandon its takeoff after suffering engine failure.
Vettel, along with other F1 passengers such as ESPN columnist and photographer Mark Sutton, was flying from Zurich, had to wait more than four hours inside the airport terminal before resuming their journey.
Briatore nets New York profit
Posted on 12/04/2010
Flavio Briatore has found a mystery buyer for his 53rd floor midtown condo in Manhattan, according to the New York Post. Flav bought the One Beacon Court penthouse for $10 million in 2005, and has sold it for $18 million – $5 million down on the most recent asking price. The four-bed pad, situated at 58th Street and 3rd Avenue, is 4,485ft with views of the East River, Central Park and
the Chrysler Bulding. GP Week
US F1 transporter up for sale
Posted on 12/04/2010
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London's High Court issued the seizure order on behalf of a UK creditor, and the writ enforcement officer has placed the items on eBay. "As a keen motor sport fan, it is certainly one of the more interesting seizures we've made," said David Carter in a statement. "The trailers were recently bought from Brawn GP by the judgment debtor and really are something special."
Defunct US F1 had not even re-painted the trucks, so they still feature the Brawn GP logo and the words 'Jenson Button - 22' on the side.
Much more than just a pretty face
Posted on 12/04/2010
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Nico Rosberg's girlfriend is designing the interior of the new Lotus motor home.
Vivian Sibold, who is Rosberg's long-time partner, studied interior design in New York and Milan and is now establishing her own business. They live together in Monaco, and spent the weekend of the Malaysian Grand Prix together, as Sibold - whose family has been friends with the Rosberg family for years - is working on three-storey penthouses in Kuala Lumpur. Another of her projects is the paddock presence of the new Lotus team, which will debut ahead of the European season next month.
"I've seen the plans and they're very cool,” said Rosberg. “It will be the new party-central of Formula One.”
Dedication to duty
Posted on 11/04/2010
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With a fortnight’s gap between Malaysia and China, Jenson Button would have been excused for taking a few days off to join girlfriend Jessica Michibata on a beach.
But in a remarkable display of professionalism/self control, Button instead flew back to Woking to practise on the McLaren race simulator. This was not missed by the media who were full of praise for his dedication.
However, Button’s 15-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur was to enable him to test for just one day in England before heading back to Japan to spend time with Michibata at her home before heading over to China.
"Thirty hours travel for one day," Button smilingly contemplated before leaving Kuala Lumpur. "But it will be worth it, hopefully."
Webber watches heart operation
Posted on 10/04/2010
Mark Webber spent a day at Nottingham City Hospital's Trent Cardiac Centre and watched consultant cardiac surgeon Raj Jutley perform heart surgery. The pair got to know each other through working together at the Porsche Human Performance lab at Silverstone.
"We have experiences in our work which are alike," he said. "A lot of it is about teamwork. For example, my team need to decide which tyres I have on my car depending on the weather.
"My career isn't necessarily a matter of life and death, but we are both accountable for our actions. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to learn through adversity. The surgeons work under stressful situations, which can change the way people are, and this is similar to how we operate in Formula One.
"Mistakes can be made but it is about being able to trust people who are on your team. I had an accident myself a few years ago and that opened my eyes into how people in the medical profession work as a unit."
"I'll be back" - Flavio Briatore
Posted on 08/04/2010
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Flavio Briatore has admitted he might return to Formula One after 2012.
The Italian, who turns 60 in a few days, successfully overturned the FIA's imposition last year of a lifetime ban, but the governing body is now working on an appeal. Having stepped down not only as Renault boss but also as chairman of the London football club Queens Park Rangers in the wake of the 'crashgate' scandal, Briatore has ruled out returning to the sport as a team manager.
But his friend Bernie Ecclestone said a few days ago: "I think he could take up a role in the promotion of Formula One."
And Briatore has now told Italy's Sky Sport 24: "I was thrown out as though a criminal. I will never come back to Formula One as team manager, but perhaps [I will return] after 2012 in another role."
Petrov told to lose weight
Posted on 08/04/2010
Renault has told its rookie driver Vitaly Petrov to lose some weight. The German publication Auto Motor und Sport said Petrov, who is bringing €15 million to the team in 2010, is significantly heavier than his teammate Robert Kubica. Kubica and Petrov are both among F1's tallest drivers but the report said Petrov weighs 10 kilograms more than the slight Pole.
Rubens retracts to "crap car " comment
Posted on 06/04/2010
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Rubens Barrichello has slammed his critics who claimed he angrily described the Williams and Virgin cars as "porcarias".
In his native Portuguese, the mild obscenity translates roughly as "piece of junk" or even "crap". Barrichello finished the Malaysian Grand Prix a lap down, while his rookie countryman Lucas di Grassi was lapped three times in the Virgin.
"After the race I joked during a press conference with di Grassi that we needed to greatly improve our 'porcarias' to catch up with the new championship leader and our friend Massinha," Barrichello clarified. "It was totally [in] fun and everyone who was there felt it in exactly the same way. But some others said I had spoken badly of my team.”
“While people in his country (India) look on the bright side and applaud Karun Chandhok for finishing 15th, some Brazilians insist on looking at things the other way," he added.
Fauzy’s Malaysian one-off
Posted on 06/04/2010
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Fairuz Fauzy’s Friday practice at Sepang could be the one and only of the year, according to team boss Tony Fernandes. “[Friday] was to give Fairuz a chance at testing in his home circuit. As for the future we are not sure. We will have to wait and see but all I can confirm was that it was for Malaysia only at this point.” GP Week
Irvine unleashed
Posted on 06/04/2010
Eddie Irvine likes to shoot his mouth of, so it’s no surprise he’s been given his own radio show. The Northern Irishman will front an F1 show on the UK’s TalkSPORT on Sunday nights at 8pm, alongside regular presenter Andy Goldstein. Asked who’ll be allowed the last word, Irvine was adamant: “There’ll be no team orders between myself and Andy.”
Who's fooling who?
Posted on 06/04/2010
Toro Rosso claimed they were welcoming proposals on what to do with their defunct refueling rigs and that, for Malaysia, a team from the Universita della Stracciatella had converted them into ice cream machines. Of course, it was April 1. Forumula1.com claimed two-seater F1 cars would race in 2011; UpdateF1.com said qualifying order could be dictated by Sudoku scores; and Paddocktalk.com laughingly suggested that the US government will bail out USF1. GP Week
DC to rub wheels with Ralf in DTM
Posted on 03/04/2010
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David Coulthard will make a return to racing in the DTM series after admitting he had been offered and turned down a drive in F1. Coulthard will drive in the series for Mercedes and race alongside ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher and Force India test driver Paul di Resta.
"I always said I wasn't hanging up my helmet for good because I didn't believe I was over racing," he told BBC Sport. "I just knew my time as an F1 driver had reached its natural conclusion. There's a reasonable level of technology involved in the [DTM] cars, it's a professionally run championship and in Mercedes there's a company I worked with for seven years in my time at McLaren."
He said he had been approached by an F1 team to drive but is happy just to be a BBC pundit in the paddock – a role he will dovetail with his DTM commitments.
"I had a call from one of the teams which I never returned because people in F1 knew I wasn't looking to make a return in F1," he added. "The adrenalin is the thing I miss in everyday life. Do I miss the competition? Only because I know how much fun it is to compete. But there's not a big void in my life which means I'm missing it. But if I can do a championship which fits with my other commitments and I get the buzz you get behind the wheel of a racing car, then why would I not take it? I'm almost 40, I won't have that option open to me when I'm almost 50. I raced for 26 years, only 15 of them were in F1, so there was a number of other years of racing in other formula."
Heidfeld makes Mercedes debut
Posted on 02/04/2010
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Nick Heidfeld got his first taste of a Mercedes Formula One car this week, albeit in a 56-year-old W196. Heidfeld has yet to drive the 2010 silver arrow but was in action demonstrating the 1954 Mercedes in Kuala Lumpur this week. Juan Manuel Fangio won the title with the car in period and Mercedes will be hoping that this year’s W01 will emulate the mid-to-late season dominance enjoyed by the W196 all those years ago. The car is valued at €26 million.
Farewell to outboard mirrors
Posted on 01/04/2010
This weekend's grand prix will be the last for the sort of 'outboard' rear view mirrors that are becoming commonplace in F1. In Australia last week, veterans Rubens Barrichello and Pedro de la Rosa led the calls for better driver visibility, with mirrors increasingly integrated on flimsy aerodynamic bodywork mounted away from the cockpit sides.
"They have to come back to the monocoque, with the old style, as that is the best position to work," said Spaniard de la Rosa. "We have to compromise -- this is a safety issue."
Ahead of this weekend's Sepang event, Williams driver Barrichello said: "As far as I'm concerned it's agreed that we need better visibility, so the change could come as early as the next race."
- Autosport editor in hot water with Team Lotus
- McLaren email gaffe irritates media
- Massa's captain crashes his boat
- Battered Bernie appears in watch advert
- Mercedes top of the stops
- Webber tops Aussie sports earners list
- Button surprised by 'random' video clip
- Ecclestone takes a 'good whacking'
- Petrov reveals Alonso fans defaced website
- 'I just don't give a f***' - Foul-mouthed Hamilton on Twitter