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)

Kamui Kobayashi

A lot of things happened in Formula One last year. And because I wasn’t around to give you guys a blow-by-blow account of the going-ons in the sport, I’ll give you a brief recap of what happened since my last post.

First up, we have news about Kamui Kobayashi. The talented Japanese driver has recently signed up with BMW Sauber for next season. Kobayashi is a former Toyota test driver. He replaced Timo Glock in the last few races after Glock’s injury.

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This brings us to our next piece of news, which is that BMW Sauber will be back for 2010! After BMW announced that the car brand will be pulling out of the motorsport competition next year, the brand decided to sell its team back to Sauber.

Throughout the negotiations between BMW and Sauber, the F1 team didn’t have a confirmed slot for the 2010 Formula One Season. But when Toyota backed out of the series, the FIA decided to give Toyota’s slot to the BMW Sauber team.

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No doubt the BMW Sauber team is happy to find a slot for next season, but the same can’t be said about the team’s former driver, Nick Heidfeld. Heidfeld, who’s known as one of the most consistent F1 drivers today, is yet to find a confirmed drive for the coming season.

Though rumors circulated last December that Mercedes was considering signing Heidfeld for next year, the team released its lineup, and Heidfeld just wasn’t one of the drivers in the list.

(Personally, I’m hoping Heidfeld will find a ride for next season. He’s always been one of my favorite drivers.)

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Michael Schumacher

Which brings us to our next juicy tidbit…Seven-Time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher is set to make his F1 comeback next year!

You read right. The Mercedes F1 team didn’t sign Heidfeld because they got Schumi to say “Yes.” to racing alongside Nico Rosberg.

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Renault is also making a lot of changes for the coming F1 season. After selling a large stake in their team to Genii Capital, the team appointed its new team principal—Eric Boullier. Boullier is taking over Bob Bell, who temporarily acted as team principal after Flavio Briatore left back in September.

Boullier has a pretty impressive resume that includes being team principal for A1 GP Series team, Team France, and acting as managing director for Team DAMS back in ’03.

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Flavio Briatore

The highly-controversial former-Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, also received good news at the start of the year when the French court, Tribunal de Grand Instance, decided to overturn the FIA ban against Briatore. The ban given to Renault’s former executive director of engineering Pat Symonds has also been overturned.

Briatore was banned indefinitely from participating in any FIA-sanctioned sport, while Symonds was banned from F1 for five years.

Both Renault bosses were handed penalties for participating in the now-infamous 2008 Singapore GP Race Fixing Scandal.

Briatore contested the decision by questioning the FIA’s authority to hand out those penalties even if Briatore and Symonds weren’t FIA license holders. The court ruled in favor of Briatore’s camp, since both Briatore and Symonds weren’t subject to FIA rules.

Right now, the FIA is considering appealing the decision.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: WorldCarFans.com, Topnews.in, Guardian.co.uk

Giancarlo Fisichella

Just days after Force India denied the news of Giancarlo Fisichella’s move to Ferrari, Ferrari announced that the Italian driver will indeed be racing for them in the remaining five races of this season. Fisico will then be the reserve driver for the team in 2010.

According to Formula1.com, Force India has allowed its driver to cancel his contract with the team. This is a brave move, considering how Fisico scored Force India’s first points in the last race. Fisico will be replacing Luca Badoer who replaced Michael Schumacher who was set to replace the injured Brazilian driver, Felipe Massa. Ferrari’s been switching drivers since Massa’s accident a month or two back.

According to Stefano Domenicali, the team principal for Ferrari, Fisichella was the right choice for them. He said:

“We’ve chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season…Giancarlo has shown throughout his long career that he’s fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race.”

Mallya with Fisichella

“I am very grateful to (Force India boss) Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari team.”

“It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous. I hope in my turn, I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best,” Fisichella added.

Fisichella also claims that the opportunity to race for Ferrari is, for him, “seventh heaven.” The highly-competitive Italian driver told the Ferrari website:

“I’m in seventh heaven…I still can’t believe it that the dream of my life comes true and I want to thank Ferrari and Chairman Luca di Montezemolo. Over the last week, some really incredible things happened to me: the pole position and the second place at Spa and now I’m called by Ferrari to race the last five races of the season for them.”

Stefano Domenicali

“I’ll give my best to recompense the Scuderia for this great opportunity they gave me: I know that it won’t be easy, but I’ll give it everything to gain the best possible results… I want to say that I’m very sorry for Luca: I know how much he cared to race in Monza behind the wheel of a Ferrari, because this is the best thing that can happen to an Italian drive, to drive a red car in front of our fans.”

Domenicali also expressed his thanks to Badoer for the effort in the last two races. According to Domenicali:

“We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he has demonstrated in these circumstances…It is a shame that he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult.”

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Formula1.neoseeker.com, F1Wolf.com, F1Mundial.Es

Barrichello Wows Valencia with Great Win

After years of playing number two to Michael Schumacher, and staying half a season behind Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello (Brawn) has finally shown everyone in Formula One just why he’s one of the top drivers to watch this season. Granted that Rubens is still behind Jenson in points standings (by 18) so far, Barrichello’s fantastic drive to the finish line in the European Grand Prix just reminded everyone why he’s one of the main contenders for the F1 Drivers’ Championship.

Hamilton and Barrichello Cool Off After Race

The entire year, Barrichello has been saying repeatedly that he will win for Brawn GP. It may have taken half the season for this promise to be fulfilled, but he did it anyhow. If there’s one thing you can say about Rubens, it is that he’s true to his word. While he may have been locked behind the two McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen, he eventually took to first place and brought the race home with a controlled performance that saw him finish just over a couple of seconds before Hamilton.

At the start of the race, both Hamilton and Kovalainen tried to keep Barrichello behind them by making good use of their KERS. Behind Rubens, Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) was also using his KERS button to get ahead. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) also went along with the flow of the early leaders after seeing how Button wasn’t much of a threat. Button’s Brawn car was suffering from tire graining problems and the British driver’s fans may have been sad to see Jenson slip slowly down the grid.

At Lap 16, Hamilton had to refuel. That left Kovalainen as the race leader. But by Lap 17, we saw Kovalainen immediately take a trip to the pits for more fuel. I guess nobody expected Barrichello to stay out for long. Barrichello dove into the pits at Lap 20.

The "Iceman" Kimi Raikkonen

After heading back to the grid, Barrichello found himself right in front of Kovalainen. Räikkönen followed Kovalainen and kept Fernando Alonso (Renault) and Nico Rosberg (Williams) behind him. Meanwhile, Button, who was starting to slide back was left to battle it out with the Mark Webber (Red Bull).

Hamilton stayed on top until he headed back to the pits at Lap 36. With 3.6 seconds between him and Barrichello, it should’ve been relatively easy for Hamilton to regain top position after Barrichello refueled. But Lewis was forced to make another pitstop at Lap 37 after discovering his front two tires weren’t ready yet. While most of the people watching the race could have pinpointed that *that* was the moment where Hamilton lost the race to Rubens, McLaren insists that the minor delay wasn’t the reason for Hamilton’s loss.

By the time Barrichello pitted at Lap 40, he was able to return to the race ahead of Rubens.

While we saw spectacular driving from Hamilton, who kept the pressure on throughout the remaining laps of the race, the Briton was unable to close the gap between him and the Brawn. It was only when Rubens started to slowly back off at the ending stages of the race did we see Hamilton finally cut Rubens’ lead to just over two seconds.

Romain Grosjean Replaces Nelsinho Piquet for Renault

Meanwhile, Räikkönen who was stuck in fourth obviously had his eye on the last place at the podium. An aggressive drive proved to be effective as Kimi finally overtook Heikki. At the end of the race, we saw Kovalainen and Rosberg battle it out for fourth and fifth place.

Mark Webber, who was running behind the frontrunners, found himself behind Jenson Button and Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber). Not the best place to be in if you want to claw your way back to the top. In the end, Webber had to settle for ninth. While Button fought it out the hard way to finish seventh. This helped him extend his lead by a few more points, allowing him to stay on top of the drivers’ standing.

In case you’re wondering where the other Red Bull went, well, it wasn’t the best day for the team. Sebastian Vettel was forced to retire after sustaining his second engine problem this race weekend.

As for the “newcomers” (Jaime Alguersuari, Romain Grosjean) and the “comeback kid” (Luca Badoer) of the race—well, their performances were slightly less than stellar. (To put it mildly).

*Hopefully* Better Luck for Badoer Next Race

Alguersuari was pretty promising in the last race, but had a less-than-spectacular drive last Sunday. He finished 16^th. Meanwhile, Grosjean’s debut for his team (Renault) wasn’t as impressive as I thought it would be. Methinks it really didn’t help when he damaged his nose at the start of the race, and also did a half-spin. Although he did have a rather impressive moment when he overtook Badoer in the pit lane.

Badoer’s performance was a bit disappointing. But I like the guy. I think he has promise. I’m thinking it was just the nerves that led to him running at the back of the grid pretty much throughout the race. It was a bit crushing when Grosjean overtook him in the pits. (Is that even allowed? It was cool to watch though.) It led to Badoer driving over the white line on his way to the exit. He was given a drive-through penalty for that, causing him to lose precious seconds during the race. I’m hoping that things will be better for Badoer in the next race.

Source: Formula1.com

Images: i.DailyMail.co.UK, i.Telegraph.co.UK, Formula1.com

Badoer and Schumacher

Michael Schumacher, who was supposed to replace injured Felipe Massa (Ferrari) for the race at Valencia is out. A bike injury in February has forced the seven-time world champ to delay or even cancel his Formula One comeback. While thousands of fans are undoubtedly disappointed over this piece of news, one man is feeling mixed emotions over the whole affair—Luca Badoer.

Yes, Ferrari has announced that taking the place of Schumacher who was taking the place of Massa is none other than test driver Badoer.

According to Formula1.com, excerpts of the statement of Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo read:

“I am very unhappy that a problem means that Michael cannot return to racing…In the past few days, I have appreciated his great efforts and the extraordinary motivation which had spread through the team and fans around the world. No doubt his return would have been good for Formula One and I am sure it would have seen him fighting for wins again.”

“In the name of Ferrari and all the fans, I wish to thank him for the strong attachment he displayed for the team in these circumstances. In agreement with (Team Principal) Stefano Domenicali, we have therefore decided to give Luca Badoer the chance to race for Scuderia after he has put in many years of hard work as a test driver.”

The Beautiful Ferrari F60

In Ferrari’s official website, Badoer told fans and the team that:

“Since I’ve been a child I’ve always wanted to race for Ferrari and now I’ve got the possibility to make this desire come true…I’m really sorry for Michael, because I know how much he wanted to return: I’m saying that as his friend and his fan.”

“We’ve been in contact during the last days and we drove karts together at Lonato last week. So I followed him very closely in this attempt. He called me a few minutes after team principal Stefano Domenicali had told me the news and I know that he’ll always be ready to give me some advice and he will shout for me.”

While Badoer may be the team’s test driver, he still hasn’t practiced with the F60. But the good news is that he has familiarized himself with the racecar’s controls, and he believes that he is fit enough to undertake this great challenge.

“Although this year’s rules foresee a drastically reduced mileage for us test drivers, I have prepared myself to be ready under any circumstances, just as I’ve been doing the last year too…I’ve been in this business for quite a while. After Felipe’s accident I intensified my programme and I’m sure that I won’t have any problems from this point of view.”

Badoer also wishes a speedy recovery for Brazilian driver, Felipe Massa, saying:

“My first thought goes to Felipe…I was shocked about his accident and I’m so glad that the situation is getting better so quickly. I wish him all the best and to get back on track as soon as possible. I also want to thank Luca di Montezemolo and Stefano Domenicali for the faith they put in me and for the honor that they are handing the car over to me.”

“I will give it my best for them and for all the Ferrari fans, who—and I’m sure about that—will give me their support.”

So far, Badoer seems like a great guy. Good luck to him and his first race this season!

Source: Formula1.com

Images: Formula1.com, Outlander.Kiev.UA

Schumacher, Unable to Participate in European Grand Prix

Yes, you read right. And I’m just as disappointed as every other F1 fan out there. Michael Schumacher will not be making his Formula One comeback—at least not just yet. I saw it in the news last night, and confirmed everything after reading an article at Formula1.com.

Schumi revealed that he won’t be returning to F1 as Felipe Massa’s replacement for the European Grand Prix. The 7-time Formula One World Champion revealed that he’s experiencing pain in his neck—an injury that was brought on by a motorcycle accident from early this year.

As found in Schumi’s official website, the 40-year-old racer announced that:

“Yesterday evening, I had to inform Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and team principal Stefano Domenicali that unfortunately I’m not able to step in for Felipe… I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however, much to my regret it didn’t work out.”

After training hard in the last few days, Schumacher was initially pleased with his performance. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the old injury flared up. And treatment has failed to ease the driver’s discomfort.

“Unfortunately we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck which occurred after the private Formula One day in Mugello, even if medically and therapeutically we tried everything possible…The consequences of the injuries caused by the bike accident in February, fractures in the area of head and neck, unfortunately have turned out to be still too severe…

That is why my neck can’t stand the extreme stresses caused by Formula One yet. These are the clear results of the examinations we did on the course of the past two weeks and the final examination yesterday afternoon. As there were no improvements after the day in Mugello, I decided at a short notice on Sunday to do that thorough examination already yesterday,” Schumacher added.

“I am disappointed to the core. I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans who crossed fingers for me. I can only repeat that I tried everything that was within my power. All I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed for the whole team for the coming races,” Schumi said.

Note: To be honest, I actually forgot about Schumi’s motorcycle injury. I remember writing about it before, but I always though Schumi would pass the physical test. But while the disappointment may be great, we have to remember that racing in F1 is physically taxing. And that Schumi did everything he could to get back in shape. I mean, he lost three kilos, right? But it’s better that that the F1 champ remain safe and healthy, than to force anything and risk getting injured for life.

Source: Formula1.com

Image: ThisIsLondon.co.uk

Michael Schumacher

As far as pre-race preparations are concerned, Michael Schumacher is doing everything he can to make sure his one-race stint/comeback with Ferrari is going to yield the best results possible. Schumi, who indisputably is one of the best Formula One drivers to have graced the sport, is acting as a replacement driver for Felipe Massa. Massa is currently recovering from injuries sustained in his crash in Hungaroring.

Schumi retired from the sport three years ago (2006). But a request from Ferrari brought the German Ace back to the sport. And we all know that Schumi isn’t one to turn down a great challenge, right?

While the fitness test that will determine if Schumi is fit enough to race in the European Grand Prix is still ongoing, things are looking great for Michael.

Ferrari F2007

As Schumi puts it (in his official website):

“I’m currently on the midst of my preparations for the upcoming race…I already lost three kilograms even if it is also important to me to build up muscles. So all in all, the practice works pretty well.”

Although Michael also admits to needing more work on his neck. Racing in F1 actually puts a lot of strain on the neck. As you drive in high speeds, the G-force becomes so great that keeping your head up becomes near impossible unless you’re in great shape. According to Michael:

“I have to admit that my neck pinches a bit. We have to get a grip on that as health has priority—that’s the clear agreement made with Ferrari and, by the way, with my wife too.”

Ferrari F60 (2009)

“It’s on! I accepted the challenge. And as you all know, I really love challenges,” the German champ said.

To familiarize himself with the controls of the F60, Schumacher has been using the car’s simulator.

Source: Formula1.com

Images:

Bild.de, Formula1.com, MyComputerNinja.com

Frank Williams

Williams, one of the oldest teams in Formula One, has just announced its answer to Ferrari’s request to let Michael Schumacher test in the F60 in preparation for his F1 comeback. The answer? A resounding “No”.

Because testing is banned throughout the season based on the regulations being followed by F1 this year, Ferrari has to ask governing sport body FIA and its fellow F1 teams for special permission to let Schumi have a run in the F60 prior to the European Grand Prix. Schumi is being groomed (again) to replace Felipe Massa who was injured in the qualifying session of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Young Driver Jaime Alguersuari

According to Williams:

“In a similar situation, Williams would unhesitatingly use its current test driver…For the sake of consistency and fairness, therefore, we oppose Ferrari’s proposal to test ahead of the European Grand Prix,” Williams said.

Formula1.com reports that the Red Bull team has also voiced their objections. And because Ferrari wasn’t able to secure all the “yeses” needed for the practice run with the F60, Schumacher will have to practice in an older car and with the Ferrari factory-based simulator of the F60.

Source: Formula1.com

Nelson Piquet Jr.

After the surprising exit of BMW from Formula One, and the brief goodbyes said between Sebastien Bourdais and Toro Rosso, we’re going to have to say goodbye to another F1 regular this season—Nelson Piquet Jr.

Piquet has announced that Renault has just dropped him. And with a few months left this season, it’s understandable why the young driver would be upset over this news. According to the young driver, Renault bosses have told him that they will no longer require his services this season. We probably won’t even be catching Piquet in the coming European Grand Prix.

While the news may not be unexpected, especially after Piquet’s less-than-favorable performance this 2009 season, I don’t think anyone, let alone Piquet, expected him to get the boot right in the middle of the season.

Sebastien Bourdais

According to the driver himself:

“I have received notice from the Renault F1 team of their intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season…I want to say thanks to the small group who supported me and that I worked together with Renault F1, although it is obviously with great disappointment that I receive such news.”

“I feel a sense of relief for the end of the worst period of my career, and the possibility that I can now move on and put my career back on the right track and try to recover my reputation of a fast, winning driver,” he added.

The thing with Piquet is that we all know he’s talented. I guess it’s a matter of not being able to actually fulfill his entire potential. Or rather, to turn potential into the actual.

In a long statement expressing his enormous disappointment, Piquet also detailed unfair work conditions with Renault. Particularly singling out his boss, Flavio Briatore.

According to Piquet, his teammate Fernando Alonso was given more testing time than him. And that auto upgrades and car updates were always given to him later than the ones given to the Spanish driver. He also went on to say that he was frequently threatened to do well or be replaced.

While I’m sure skill had something to do with why Piquet was kicked off from the team, it’s also possible that some unfair treatment was going on in the Renault camp. After all, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard No. 2 drivers complain about the better treatment received by No. 1 drivers. (Hint: Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher Ferrari days)

Probably replacing Nelson Piquet Jr. for the rest of the season is Renault’s test driver Romain Grosjean.

Knowing Briatore’s outspoken nature, I’m just waiting for his “answer” to Piquet’s allegations.

Source: Formula1.com

Massa and Schumi Joke Around

A single incident has brought about two very distinct homecomings for two of the best drivers in Formula One.

Formula1.com reports that Felipe Massa (Ferrari), has finally left the Budapest hospital he was staying in after a serious crash in Hungaroring last July 25. Massa had been participating in Q2 of the Hungarian qualifyings for the next day’s Hungarian Grand Prix, when a spring from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn car flew off and hit his helmet. Massa lost consciousness for a few seconds and his car veered off the track and hit the sidewall of tires in one of the Hungaroring’s turns. The Brazilian driver suffered from a fractured skull and was airlifted to a hospital in Budapest.

Massa's Car After Hungaroring Accident

Reuters has since announced that Massa was seen shaking hands with some Ferihegy International Airport (Budapest) officials, prior to boarding a private jet bound for Sao Paolo. Everyone is hoping for a swift recovery from Massa, but no date has been set as to when he’ll be returning to F1.

Replacing the Brazilian driver while he’s recuperating is 7-time F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. Schumi accepted the offer made by Ferrari, and will be racing for the team possibly for the remainder of the season.

Just last Friday, Schumi found himself driving a Formula One car after years of staying away from the F1 grid. Because he wasn’t allowed to test the Ferrari F60, Schumi practiced on a privately-owned 2007 Ferrari car. The German driver is said to have completed 67 laps in the Mugello circuit in Italy.

According to Schumi:

7-Time World Champion Michael Schumacher

“After a couple of laps I was able to drive constant lap times and I’m happy with the performance. Now we have to see how my body and the muscles respond in the next few days.”

After his practice in an F1 car, Schumi will continue to undergo a series of tests that will determine if he’s fit enough to participate in the coming European Grand Prix. The European Grand Prix will be held on the 23^rd of August.

Ferrari has since asked other teams for permission for Schumi to practice in the F60.

Source: Formula1.com