It's Another Win for 2009 Champ Jenson Button!

Race: 2010 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix

Race No. 4

Grand Prix: Chinese GP

Location: Shanghai International Circuit

Held On: 18 April 2010 (Sunday)

Race Winner: Jenson Button

Winning Team: McLaren

Source: Formula1.com

Image: i.Telegraph.co.uk (photo: Getty Images)

Jenson Button: Off to a Good Start

Race: Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix

GP: Australian Grand Prix

Race No. 2

Location: Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne

Race Winner: Jenson Button

Winning Team: McLaren-Mercedes

Held On: 28 March 2010 (Sunday)

Source: Formula1.com

Image: Mirror.co.uk

Fernando Alonso Wins Big in Bahrain

It was a 1-2 finish for Ferrari last week, with Spanish Ace Fernando Alonso leading the rest of the drivers to the finish line. Though Alonso started third in the grid, he certainly put the pressure on pole sitter Sebastian Vettel. The Red Bull driver kept both Ferrari drivers (Alonso and Felipe Massa) at bay during the early stages when they were on super-soft Bridgestone tires. But after switching to harder compounds at around Lap 16 or 17, Alonso started to close in on Vettel.

Vettel’s time began slipping noticeably. Then it all became clear come Lap 34. The Red Bull suffered from technical problems, which were later identified as spark plug failure. Massa and Alonso then passed Vettel without problems. Later on, Alonso would overtake his own teammate after running incredibly quick laps. Once Alonso had grabbed the lead from Massa, there was no one else who could challenge him.

Massa stayed behind Alonso, conserving his fuel. It was a good move for Massa, since a temperature issue in his cockpit required him to stop pushing too hard. Vettel, who was still running third, was then challenged by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 world champ pushed past the German driver at the circuit’s main straight in Lap 38.

Poor Vettel encountered more problems as Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg started putting the pressure on him. But the Red Bull driver held on to fourth place while Rosberg took fifth. Rosberg’s teammate, seven-time world champ Michael Schumacher advanced from seventh place to finish sixth. But it wasn’t an easy drive for Schumi, especially with 2009 champion Jenson Button hot on his heels.

Button, who started eighth, went on to finish seventh for the race. While Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber followed to finish at eighth place. Force India also got is first couple of points for this year, with Vitantonio Liuzzi’s ninth place finish. Then, taking the final point for the race was Button’s ex-Honda and Brawn teammate, Rubens Barrichello, for Williams.

There was a bit of drama going on at the start of the race when Webber’s car sputtered clouds of oil as he sped through Turn One. Renault and Force India drivers Robert Kubica and Adrian Sutil ran straight into the oil and their rides spun. The good news is that both drivers were able to finish 11^th and 12^th.

Ending the race at 13^th place was Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari. Alguersuari was followed by rookie Niko Hulkenberg (Williams) who also survived a wild spin during the almost 2-hour long drive.

Also making a great impression on their debut race was the Lotus team. Heikki Kovalainen showed everyone just how reliable a driver he was, finishing at 15^th. While teammate, Jarno Trulli’s ailing Lotus rolled on to 17^th place. Finishing between the Lotus drivers was Sebastien Buemi in his Toro Rosso.

As usual, we have our retirements. The BMW-Saubers, HRTs, Virgins, and Vitaly Petrov’s Renault all failed to finish the race. While it would’ve been exciting to watch the late, great Ayrton Senna’s nephew, HRT driver Bruno Senna in the same circuit as Ayrton’s rival, Schumacher—it didn’t happen. Senna’s ride ate its engine. Senna’s teammate, Karun Chandhok crashed his HRT on Lap 2.

The Virgins driven by Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock also suffered from mechanical problems. While what would’ve been a great run for Vitaly Petrov was cut short after the Renault was discovered to have suspension problems.

All in all, it was an exciting race. And I for one, am looking forward to the Australian Grand Prix next week.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Telegraph.co.uk (Photo Credit: AP)

Jaime Alguersuari

Formula1.com reports that Toro Rosso replacement driver Jaime Alguersuari will be staying onboard with Red Bull’s sister team. Alguersuari will be racing full-time with Sebastien Buemi as his teammate. If you’d remember, Alguersuari was Sebastien Bourdais’ replacement, after Bourdais was let go by Toro Rosso.

Alguersuari’s F1 debut last year (July) made him the youngest driver in Formula One history. He was only 19 at that time. His best finish was a 14^th placer at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost is pretty happy with Alguersuari’s performance last year. According to Tost:

“Considering that he [Alguersuari] made his debut only halfway through 2009, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with no prior testing, he did a good job, making steady progress throughout the second half of the year, with a mature approach considering he’s still only 19 years old.”

+++

Pedro Dela Rosa

Also finding a full-time ride in Formula 1 is 38-year-old Pedro Dela Rosa. Dela Rosa will be partnered with Kamui Kobayashi, and will be racing for BMW Sauber. Dela Rosa is actually a pretty experienced F1 driver. With 71 GP starts and having spent seven years as McLaren’s test driver, Dela Rosa is definitely one of the drivers to watch out for in the 2010 Formula One Season.

BMW Sauber team principal Peter Sauber seems pretty happy having Dela Rosa onboard, saying:

“Pedro has spent many years working for a top team at the highest technical level…We as a team stand to gain from his experience, and the same goes for young Kamui. The combination of a seasoned racer and an up-and-coming young driver has repeatedly proved a fruitful one.”

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Formula1blogger.com, Zimbio.com (Denis Doyle, Getty Images Europe)

Jarno Trulli

Ex-Toyota driver Jarno Trulli and ex-McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen has found a new home in the Lotus Formula One team. Joining the two F1 drivers in the test driver seat is Malaysian driver Fairuz Fauzy.

Lotus’ decision to sign the three drivers was announced formally by the Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak in a conference in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian-backed team’s team principal Tony Fernandes and the three drivers were present in the event.

Trulli, who’s known in the F1 world as one of the most experienced and most consistent drivers in the sport is delighted to be a part of the team. According to the 35-year-old driver:

“It is a privilege for me to sign for the new Lotus F1 Racing team… I have been impressed by the long-term vision of the team management and technical staff. Tony has set out very ambitious plans and I am ready to help the team achieve these high targets. I am also pleased to be back working alongside (team technical boss) Mike Gascoyne, someone with whom I have enjoyed previous success at other teams. I get on very well with him and I respect his working style. Lotus is a truly iconic and inspirational brand and it is great that the name is back in Formula 1. We will be hoping to draw inspiration from the heritage of Lotus for our team.

“I am also delighted to be racing alongside Heikki, someone who I have enjoyed racing against since 2007, and someone else, like me, who brings valuable experience from his time with two of Formula One’s most established teams. I believe that together, we are among the most competitive pairings on the grid, and we will be determined to bring success to Lotus F1 Racing to repay the faith that Tony and the team have shown in us,” the Italian driver said.

Heikki Kovalainen

Kovalainen, who made his F1 debut as a test driver for Renault back in ’06 is also very excited about his move, saying:

“It’s fantastic to be joining Lotus F1 Racing and I am excited about the challenges that lie ahead… I recently visited our factory in Norfolk, UK and was so impressed by seeing how far the team has come in such a short time since it was launched in September, and by how determined everyone is to meet Tony’s ambitious targets. I knew immediately it would be a fantastic opportunity to help them achieve their goals.

“I believe that appointing two drivers with the experience Jarno and I have shows how determined the team is to go racing in a truly competitive way, and our pairing sends out a very strong message to our competitors,” the 28-year-old driver said.

Fairuz Fauzy

Former Spyker test driver (back in ’07), Fairuz Fauzy, is also thrilled to join the Malaysian-backed team. According to Fauzy:

“To have the chance to join Malaysia’s first fully-fledged Formula One team is very special to me and the highlight of my career so far…I look forward to working with Jarno and Heikki on developing the car and the team in our first season together in Formula 1. I am sure we can do Malaysia as a nation proud, as well as upholding the tradition of such a legendary F1 name such as Lotus,” said Fauzy.

Tony Fernandes also spoke up about the team’s decision to sign the three drivers:

“I am thrilled that we have been able to sign Jarno, Heikki, and Fairuz to drive for Lotus F1 Racing in our debut season. The appointment of Jarno, Heikki, and Fairuz as our race drivers is a testament to the quality of our team, to our ambition and drive, and above all, to our long-term vision of success in Formula One.

“Jarno and Heikki are winners and have proven track records in Formula One, and will be a big asset to us as we look to develop the team and the car throughout 2010. Jarno and Heikki are two extremely versatile drivers who have proven themselves more than capable of achieving solid results no matter how tough the conditions. Having Fairuz on board is also great news. He is undoubtedly the best Malaysian senior driver at the moment and it is a pleasure to welcome him into Malaysia’s Formula One team.

“We only secured our 2010 entry from the FIA in September and already we have our first car in production and have signed two Formula One race winners to drive for us, as well as a home-grown Malaysian driver. Not bad for three months’ hard work! There is more to come from us and we head into the holiday period buoyed by what we have accomplished already but inspired to push the boundaries yet further.”

Strong words from Fernandes. Best of luck to Lotus next year!

Source: Formula1.com

Images: WorldCarFans.com, ManipeF1.com, Formula1.com

Button Joins McLaren for 2010

Yes, it’s an all-star British lineup for McLaren next year. With 2008 F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton racing with Button, this is the first time since Jim Clark and Graham Hill’s stint with Lotus that we’re seeing two British world champs driving for a single team.

News of Button’s move came after much speculation about his future with Brawn. Button, who has been with the same team (Honda, Brawn) since 2003 was expected to stick with his championship team. But as Button puts it:

“It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long, but life is all about challenges – and, most important of all, it’s about challenging yourself.

“So, although I won the world championship with Brawn GP last year, and I’ll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges. So that’s why I’ve decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.”

Martin Whitmarsh, team principal of McLaren, was happy to have Button onboard. According to Whitmarsh:

“Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jenson to our team. It has always been our policy to employ the two very best possible drivers – and, in Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the 2010 grid, but also the two most complete, professional, and dedicated drivers in Formula One.”

Whitmarsh also made it clear that Button’s decision to move to McLaren had little to do with the supposed “very generous offer” given by McLaren.

“I want to make clear that Jenson’s decision to join us was in no way motivated by money. We’ll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and the fact is a reflection of not only Jenson’s belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season,” Whitmarsh said.

2008 World Champ Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton also had great words to say about Button. According to the 2008 champ:

“I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together… We both really want our team to succeed. Although we’ll be pushing each other hard, I’m sure we’ll very quickly establish a great working relationship. He’s an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience.

“I think we’ll complement each other very well, and our collaboration will make the team stronger as a result. Also, I’m delighted to be racing alongside a fellow British world champion, and I believe we can pull together to make Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the best team on the grid,” Hamilton said.

As for Button, well, the British driver is understandably happy about his decision to join McLaren.

“You can’t help but be affected by this team’s phenomenal history…McLaren is one of the greats of world sport, and its achievements and list of past champions read like a Who’s Who of Formula One – Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team mate Lewis Hamilton. I’ve followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it.

“It’s also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British world champion. Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and he’s a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula One driver. I’m sure there’s plenty that we can learn from each other, and I’m really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push forward,” said Jenson.

Good choice on McLaren’s part! And it’s wonderful to see how competitive and yet supportive both drivers can be. Really looking forward to seeing both Button and Hamilton battle it out next year.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: WorldCarFans.com, Mirror.co.uk

Kimi Raikkonen: No Deal for Next Year

Here’s some sad news for Kimi Räikkönen fans (myself, included). According to Formula1.com, the Finnish star racer will be taking a break from Formula One after failing to come up with the right deal with McLaren. After being let out of his contract with Ferrari so the team can sign Fernando Alonso, Räikkönen has been vocal about the possibility of him missing the 2010 Formula One Season if he can’t find the right team to race for.

The 2007 F1 World Champion has always made it clear that he will only race with a top team—after all, his motivation is to win another championship or two. And since he couldn’t find a good enough offer from any great team, the Finn decided to wait it out until 2011.

According to Kimi’s manager, Steve Robertson:

“The Formula One alternatives for next season were McLaren or nothing… Kimi and McLaren could not reach an agreement, so he will not drive at F1 level – at least not next year.”

With an interest in World Rally Championship, don’t be surprised to find Kimi competing in the sport again. Although Robertson is quick to add that this may not be the end of Kimi’s career in F1.

“Kimi still leaves and breathes driving ambition…In that sense, a year off means nothing. More important is to find a place for Kimi where he can fight for victory and the world championship,” Robertson added.

Source: Formula1.com

Image: Zimbio.com, Paul Gilham (Getty Images Europe)

Vettel: Number 1 at Abu Dhabi GP!

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) may have been fastest at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifyings, but a braking problem stopped him from finishing the race. This was good news for Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, who was tailing the McLaren from the get-go. After spectacular driving from the Red Bull driver, Vettel went on to win the Yas Marinas race, cementing his second-place position in drivers’ standings this year.

It was a good start for Hamilton who established a 1.4-second gap between him and Vettel by the 17^th lap. Last year’s F1 Champ headed for a quick pitstop while Vettel continued driving until Lap 20. With Hamilton temporarily out of the circuit, Vettel established a considerable lead but faced quite a challenge when Lewis exited the pits. Unfortunately for Lewis, his excellent driving just wasn’t enough once trouble with his brakes started. Soon after that, Hamilton was out of the race.

Formula1.com reports that Hamilton’s car was suffering from excessive wear on the rear brake pads at the right side of the car. This forced McLaren to pull out its number one driver at the final race of the 2009 Formula One Season.

With Hamilton out of the picture, Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber was free to move on to second place. Following the two Red Bulls were the two Brawn drivers, F1 World Champion Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

At the start of the race, Barrichello was successful in overtaking his teammate. He was running fine until he clipped the left rear wheel of Webber’s car. Damage on Barrichello’s ride resulted in understeer that allowed Button to overtake him.

Fantastic Red Bull 1-2 Finish

But Webber wasn’t ready to give up second place. In a brilliant maneuver, the Red Bull driver hogged the inside line, forcing Button to take the outer lane. It was really exciting racing between those two, with Webber finishing just 0.6 seconds ahead of Button.

At the back of the grid, the race was pretty humdrum. Nick Heidfeld finished BMW Sauber’s final F1 race with a great fifth place finish. He was followed by Toyota’s über-talented new find, Kamui Kobayashi who ended the race a place ahead of his teammate Jarno Trulli. Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi overcame a hard challenge and a brush with Robert Kubica, letting Buemi finish at eighth.

Kubica spun after contact with Buemi, landing him at tenth behind Williams’ Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton’s teammate Heikki Kovalainen went from 18^th to 11^th, a place ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen who took 12^th. Kazuki Nakajima (Williams) then went on to take 13^th place with single-stop Fernando Alonso (Renault) following him. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India) finished the list of unlapped drivers in the Abu Dhabi GP. At 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th place respectively were Giancarlo Fisichella (Ferrari), Adrian Sutil (Force India), and Romain Grosjean (Renault).

Aside from Hamilton, Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari also failed to finish the race. His car stopped on the track after he mistakenly pulled up at Vettel’s Red Bull pit instead of his own.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Guardian.Co.UK, SMH.com.Au

Sebastian Vettel Wins Final Race for 2009 F1 Season

Race: 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Location: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi

Pole Starter: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

Race Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

Source: Formula1.com

Image: Mirror.Co.UK