The driver market in the first week of January

It is an interesting reflection that 28 drivers raced at one point or another in 2011 and 11 of them are now on the market, hoping to be called in to fit the last two or three available slots. I say two or three because there is a still a good chance that Jarno Trulli [...]

Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh

Kimi Raikkonen?s First Interview About Formula 1 Return! (Video)

As you all probably know by now,�Kimi Raikkonen is set to return to Formula 1 with Renault (to become Lotus) �in 2012. Here he is discussing the return… [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.] What are your thoughts on Raikkonen?s return? Get [...]

Giorgio Scarlatti Ian Scheckter Jody Scheckter Harry Schell

Mercedes MGP W02 Launch pictures ( 1st of February)

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg revealed their 2011 challenger, the Mercedes MGP W02 on Tuesday 1st February 2011, shortly before the first test session of the year began in Valencia.

The car?s livery is an evolution from its predecessor with a striking high-gloss airbrush effect highlighting the shape of the car. The interaction between the Silver Arrows heritage and the green shading representing the team?s title partner PETRONAS evokes memories of the first Silver Arrow car of 1934 with a modern touch added by 3D partner logos.

The car hasn?t only had an attractive re-spray, it is more of a revolutionary car which has little in common with its predecessor, the Mercedes W01.

Mercedes GP had switched focus on the development of their new car ever since midway last season, when team boss Ross Brawn realized the W01 challenger was not going to make any championship statements in 2010.

?The new Silver Arrow for the 2011 season has little in common with its immediate predecessor. Our chassis engineers have taken a fairly ruthless approach and were determined to shave off every superfluous gram and millimetre. What emerged from this process is a compact and exquisitely shaped vehicle that introduces a host of sophisticated solutions and truly reflects the enormous dedication of its constructors.?

- Norbert Haug

Link
Confident Mercedes set ambitious targets for MGP W02 ( The Official F1)
"A confident-looking Mercedes GP launched their 2011 car in the Valencia pit lane on Tuesday. After their championship-winning success as Brawn in 2009, the team endured a hit and miss 2010 season and are now targeting a return to their winning ways with the new MGP W02, which will once again be driven by Nico Rosberg and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher."


Mercedes MGP W02 Launch pictures

Photos � Mercedes GP/LAT

Jo Siffert Andre Simon Rob Slotemaker Moises Solana

Jenson Button - classic F1

Jenson Button has enjoyed arguably the finest season of his Formula 1 career. The McLaren driver may have won the world title in 2009, when he was driving for Brawn GP, but his driving in 2011 has been even better.

So much so that former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, who dropped Button at the end of 2002, has even been forced to admit that he "never realised" the Englishman was "that good".

Button's three victories in 2011 - including his remarkable climb from last to victory in Canada - were among the very best of the year.

Even more impressive than that, though, is Button's achievement of finishing above compatriot and fellow McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton in the standings. Hamilton, a man widely thought of as the fastest driver in the world, has never before been beaten by his team-mate.

Given his remarkable year, it is appropriate that Button is in the hot seat for the final edition of this year's BBC Sport's classic F1 series.

As regular readers will know, we have asked all F1 drivers for their five favourite races of all time, serialising them ahead of each grand prix.

The drivers have been free to choose whether to interpret the question as a request for their selection of the five greatest races of all time, or for their favourite races from their own career - or a selection of both.

Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, for example, chose their own races, while Mark Webber picked several all-time classics. Fernando Alonso went for a mix - as has Button.

Making the selection was not easy for Button - as you will find out if you read on or watch the video embedded below - but what a choice it is. There are two historic races that would be on many people's lists of greatest grands prix ever, plus three from the 31-year-old's own career that could also be on that list.

In Button's own words, here is his countdown from five to one:

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5) Britain 1987

"Nigel Mansell at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1987, when he pulled an epic dummy on Nelson Piquet into Stowe and went on to win the race. It was an amazing race to watch, especially dummying his team-mate like that."

4) Europe 1993

"Ayrton Senna annihilated everyone, overtook five cars on the first lap and was leading when he crossed the line. An amazing race. I was actually there watching it. It was one of the first races I saw live."

3) Germany 2000 (in Button's maiden F1 season with Williams)

"I had a problem at the start, well, the pre-start and had to start last. I fought my through in wet conditions and finished on the tail of David Coulthard. He finished third, I finished fourth and that was almost my first podium in F1. It was an amazing race for me fighting my way through. It was also at the old Hockenheim track with the long straights, so it was pretty scary in wet conditions. (Editor's note - the race was memorable for another reason - Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello won from 18th on the grid, in a race marked by a safety-car period following a track invasion)

2) Brazil 2009

"My second favourite race of all time would be Brazil 2009. This is a tricky one for me because it was either this one, when I clinched the title, or my first ever win in Hungary 2006. But I've chosen Brazil, mainly because it clinched me the world title.

"It was a very aggressive drive through the field from I think it was 14th or 15th on the grid. I don't even know where I finished, but it was one of those races, fighting my through, knowing every single point counted to winning the world championship. I really wanted to get it wrapped up before heading to Abu Dhabi - and that's exactly what I did."

1) Canada 2011

"My favourite race of all time has to be the Canadian Grand Prix this year. It's tricky because every win really matters to you and really means a lot and you remember pretty much every lap. But I've chosen this one because of what I went through, the high and lows throughout the four hours.

"To come away with that victory after being 21st and fighting my way through to first on the last lap of the race, that's a race I will remember forever.

"That's the one, if I have kids, I will first mention to them when they start watching Formula 1. I'll say: 'Daddy used to do that and he used to be all right. And he won the Canadian Grand Prix.' And I'll put it on 'play'."

The highlights programme broadcast on the BBC on the evening of the Canadian race is embedded below. Beneath it are long and short highlights of Vettel's victory in last year's Brazilian Grand Prix, as a warm-up for this weekend's action in Sao Paulo.

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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX
WATCH EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2010 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

The classic races will also be available on the BBC red button on digital television in the UK.

On Freeview, they will be broadcast only between first and second practice at the Brazilan Grand Prix - from 1355 to 1555 GMT on Friday 25 November.

On satellite and cable, the races will be broadcast from 1500 on Wednesday 23 November to 1400 on Thursday 24; from 1500 on Thursday until 1155 on Friday and again from 1355 to 1555 on Friday.

Onofre Marimón Helmut Marko Tarso Marques Leslie Marr

F1? 2011 Timing App is out

Soft Pauer, the maker of the official F1? 2011 Timing and Track Positioning App, is delighted to confirm that it has shipped the latest app to the App Store and Android Market.

The award winning and phenomenally successful App is universally agreed to be the perfect companion to your Grand Prix viewing, and the only way to keep track no matter where you are in the world.

The App is available in the App Store and Android Market at the unbeatable rate of �17.99 for the whole of the 2011 championship. This price is for a limited time only, so buy now to get the best value from 2011.

Purchasers of the App will receive over 120 hrs of racing action. Live information from every lap of every session downloaded directly and in perpetuity to your smartphone and/or tablet computer.

This application gives access to live timing and track positioning for all sessions - PRACTICE 1, PRACTICE 2, PRACTICE 3, QUALIFYING and RACE for the 2011 Championship.

This is the only official F1 application with unique data and features.

LIVE TRACK POSITIONS
Displayed on our dynamic 3D map. Zoom in on the action or pull back to see the whole field, see gaps as never before!

LIVE TIMING DATA
Watch the session like the F1 engineers with the full timing screen including sectors and gaps.

FOLLOW YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVER
Pick your favourite driver and follow their progress. Watch as they battle for position!

UNIQUE REPLAY FEATURE
Replay any session at any time you choose. Perfect for tape delayed broadcast!

LIVE COMMENTARY
Lap by lap live commentary.

STANDINGS
Results and news for the 2011 Season.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Information and history on all drivers, teams, and race tracks.

COMPLETE SEASON ACCESS
Experience all sessions via the live timing feed from the track to the palm of your hand using iPhone or iPod touch.

You can download your application now by visiting the Android Market and search for F1, visit the App Store or visit www.softpauer.com

Screenshots:

Images(C) iappphone

Mark Donohue Robert Doornbos Ken Downing Bob Drake

Warming paint with a dehydrator

I found Bob Downies tips in this issue great. it never occurred to me that i could warm my paint cans in my dehydrator. Before I do this, anyone have an idea at what temp my dehydrator should be set at..and how long i should keep it in there?

 

--- Mike

Jan Flinterman Ron Flockhart Myron Fohr Gregor Foitek

Bugatti Veyron does 1/4 mile in 10.1 sec against Nissan GT-R

Here's a video of the two vehicles at the Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida. As the story goes, the owner of Bugatti was actually at the adjacent road course before being persuaded to take a run on the drag strip.

Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones

Red Bull under the spotlight

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel celebrate with Red Bull boss Christian Horner on the podium © Getty Images

Sections of the international media have questioned Red Bull's strategic approach to the world championship. After Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix from the team's points leader Mark Webber at Interlagos, Der Spiegel noted: "Red Bull gives (Fernando) Alonso wings". Not switching the places means that Spaniard Alonso can take his Ferrari to just second place this weekend in Abu Dhabi and be champion, whereas the alternative strategy would have set up Webber for a straight fight. "It is not easy for Webber to drive in a team that considers him a burden to be up against Vettel," said La Gazzetta dello Sport. Tuttosport noted that it seems "the Austrian team would be happier to lose than to see Webber beat Vettel". "No team orders at Red Bull. Another own goal," headlined La Repubblica. Joan Villadelprat wrote in his El Pais column: "Had Red Bull opted for Webber a few races ago, the Australian would probably now be champion." Red Bull, however, is unrepentant. Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz told Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper that "second under proper conditions can often be more valuable than a first". But there is a feeling that the team is not simply giving up the fight for the drivers' title. One columnist in Brazil's Globo wondered if Vettel's radio message in Abu Dhabi might sound something like 'So ... Mark is faster than you'. "I'm always in favour of leaving the fight on the track with equal chances for both sides," said Rubens Barrichello. "But I wonder if they would do that if the situation was in reverse. ?Mark has done a great job this year and he has been told by his team what position he is in," said Lewis Hamilton. "Against adversity he has kept at it. I want to see Mark win." Webber believes that, if a strategy is deployed, it will only be on the "last lap" of the season this weekend. "Sebastian is part of a team," said Niki Lauda, who believes Webber should be backed fully by Red Bull. "If he does anything it should be helping Webber and not just on the last lap." Webber is quoted by Bild newspaper: "It makes sense. Otherwise it would mean that Ferrari's team orders would have paid off for Fernando." Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hints that sense will ultimately prevail. "We have already given too many presents to Fernando this year," he is quoted by Autosprint.

Jackie Lewis Stuart LewisEvans Guy Ligier Andy Linden

Former NASCAR owner dies

John Nicholson Cal Niday Helmut Niedermayr Brausch Niemann

'The point of no confidence is quite near'

The wreckage of Jochen Rindt's car at Barcelona © Getty Images

An excellent insight into the world of F1 as it used to be can be found on the regularly-interesting Letters of Note website. It publishes a hitherto unseen letter from Jochen Rindt to Lotus boss Colin Chapman written shortly after Rindt?s crash at Barcelona which was a result of the wing system on Lotus 49 collapsing at speed.

?Colin. I have been racing F1 for 5 years and I have made one mistake (I rammed Chris Amon in Clermont Ferrand) and I had one accident in Zandvoort due to gear selection failure otherwise I managed to stay out of trouble. This situation changed rapidly since I joined your team. ?Honestly your cars are so quick that we would still be competitive with a few extra pounds used to make the weakest parts stronger, on top of that I think you ought to spend some time checking what your different employes are doing, I sure the wishbones on the F2 car would have looked different. Please give my suggestions some thought, I can only drive a car in which I have some confidence, and I feel the point of no confidence is quite near.?

A little more than a year later Rindt's Lotus suffered mechanical breakdown just before braking into one of the corners. He swerved violently to the left and crashed into a poorly-installed barrier, killing him instantly.

Ralph Firman Ludwig Fischer Rudi Fischer Mike Fisher

Three Speed-Boosting Upgrades to Consider

Rene Arnoux Peter Arundell Alberto Ascari Peter Ashdown

F1? 2011 Timing App is out

Soft Pauer, the maker of the official F1? 2011 Timing and Track Positioning App, is delighted to confirm that it has shipped the latest app to the App Store and Android Market.

The award winning and phenomenally successful App is universally agreed to be the perfect companion to your Grand Prix viewing, and the only way to keep track no matter where you are in the world.

The App is available in the App Store and Android Market at the unbeatable rate of �17.99 for the whole of the 2011 championship. This price is for a limited time only, so buy now to get the best value from 2011.

Purchasers of the App will receive over 120 hrs of racing action. Live information from every lap of every session downloaded directly and in perpetuity to your smartphone and/or tablet computer.

This application gives access to live timing and track positioning for all sessions - PRACTICE 1, PRACTICE 2, PRACTICE 3, QUALIFYING and RACE for the 2011 Championship.

This is the only official F1 application with unique data and features.

LIVE TRACK POSITIONS
Displayed on our dynamic 3D map. Zoom in on the action or pull back to see the whole field, see gaps as never before!

LIVE TIMING DATA
Watch the session like the F1 engineers with the full timing screen including sectors and gaps.

FOLLOW YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVER
Pick your favourite driver and follow their progress. Watch as they battle for position!

UNIQUE REPLAY FEATURE
Replay any session at any time you choose. Perfect for tape delayed broadcast!

LIVE COMMENTARY
Lap by lap live commentary.

STANDINGS
Results and news for the 2011 Season.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Information and history on all drivers, teams, and race tracks.

COMPLETE SEASON ACCESS
Experience all sessions via the live timing feed from the track to the palm of your hand using iPhone or iPod touch.

You can download your application now by visiting the Android Market and search for F1, visit the App Store or visit www.softpauer.com

Screenshots:

Images(C) iappphone

Gimax Richie Ginther Yves GiraudCabantous Ignazio Giunti

Karthikeyan Makes Surprise F1 Return With HRT

Narain Karthikeyan has made a surprise return to Formula One after being announced as one of Hispania HRT’s drivers for the 2011 season. The Indian driver was unveiled as the first racer to be working with the Spanish based squad, who look likely to enter into a second season of racing despite on-going financial concerns. [...]

Juan Manuel Fangio Nino Farina Walt Faulkner William Ferguson

Vodafone rewards its customers as Jenson performs in Manchester (+Photos)

Vodafone rewards its customers as Jenson Button drives through the streets of Manchester in
his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1? car

Vodafone VIP brought a taste of Formula 1? to the heart of Manchester city centre this weekend, with F1? driver Jenson Button and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team staging a celebration of the sport.

Crowds lined Deansgate on Monday (29th Aug) afternoon for the highlight of the Bank Holiday, as Jenson Button revved up his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1? car and drove it through one of Manchester?s busiest streets. Button also treated two lucky Vodafone customers to a thrilling drive through Manchester city centre in a McLaren MP4-12C sports car, before ending the day with an on-stage, public Q&A appearance.

Jenson enjoyed the day enormously, commenting:

?I think Vodafone VIP has done a brilliant job to make this happen ? it can?t have been easy ? but to see the looks on people?s faces when I opened up the throttle, was a fantastic moment. It is all about giving something back to the fans and just unleashing the awesome power of a Formula 1 car. It was a lot of fun.?

Jenson?s appearance was just one part of a three day event. From Saturday 27 to Monday 29 of August, Vodafone customers and friends enjoyed the Vodafone VIP Fanzone in Albert Square. The Fanzone contained a bespoke Go Kart Track, and a number of interactive F1? experiences, including a pit stop challenge, a sit in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car, an F1? simulator and an exhibition of race suits and helmets. Throughout the weekend there was also a pit garage on the forecourt of the Hilton Deansgate in which Vodafone customers had the opportunity to go behind the scenes in the team?s garage.

The celebration was part of Vodafone?s drive to reward as many of its customers as possible. Previous Vodafone VIP events have been based in London and the South East so by bringing F1 to the North West, Vodafone VIP are aiming to reach a wider audience and thank even more of their customers.

Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, said:

?Vodafone VIP Live is a great example of the sort of unmissable events which Manchester stages and a great way show what our city has to offer. We are extremely grateful to Vodafone who provided the opportunity to have the I Love MCR logo printed on the side of the car. Word of the campaign has spread fast, so it's entirely fitting that an F1 car bearing the campaign logo should be seen racing down Deansgate?

The F1? event in Manchester is just one element of Vodafone VIP, which gives customers access to the best of British festival, fashion and Formula 1? events. Vodafone VIP provides customers with the hottest tickets and money can?t buy experiences. All Vodafone customers can register for Vodafone VIP by going online.

Visit www.vodafone.co.uk/VIPManchester to find out more.

I Love MCR Campaign
In partnership with Marketing Manchester and Manchester Arndale, Manchester City Council have launched the 'I Love MCR' campaign to show the world that the people of Manchester are proud of their city. Become a fan on the ?I Love MCR? Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WeLoveMCR.
Follow the conversation on Twitter using #IloveMCR

Wolfgang von Trips Jarno Trulli Esteban Tuero Guy Tunmer

Official: Liuzzi announced as HRT's second driver

The 2011 Formula 1 field is finally complete, after Hispania Racing F1 Team confirmed yesterday (March 9), the signing of former Force India driver Vitantonio Liuzzi for a full campaign in 2011.

After being ousted by Force India, he will be Narain Karthikeyan?s teammate, and will drive the new Hispania car later this week in Barcelona.

HRT also said on Wednesday that it will launch and debut the Cosworth-powered F111 on Friday.

I am really happy to have signed this agreement with Hispania Racing,? said Liuzzi in a statement for the press.

I never lost hope to be in Formula 1 as I knew I have the experience and the right attributes for a young and ambitious team. I face a new challenge now and this excites me. I also face a lot of hard work in guiding Hispania Racing through the development of our new car.

I am extremely grateful to Jose Ramon Carabante and to Colin Kolles for giving me such an opportunity.

- Vitantonio Liuzzi

I have known Tonio for many years as he raced with me in lower categories. He is a very professional driver who will bring a lot of benefits to the team. I am convinced about his skills to develop a car and his speed. He has shown this in the past having contributed to a large extent developing and moving a back of the grid car to the front.

- Team boss Colin Kolles

Roelof Wunderink Alexander Wurz Sakon Yamamoto Alex Yoong

Webber on ?one of the great heroes? of Formula 1

Mark Webber has been speaking about Rubens�Barrichello as one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history. The Veteran faces an uncertain future ahead of the final race of 2011 in Brazil this time out, with nobody sure whether it will be his last race in Formula 1. In his BBC Column, Webber said: “Unfortunately, [...]

George Connor George Constantine John Cordts David Coulthard