Paul Tan's Automotive News » Formula 1

Petronas roving F1 car kicks off Malaysian GP activity

Anthony Lim — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:09:03 +0000

Formula 1 is set to resume next month, and with the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix being the second race of the 2012 season, expect to see a host of promotional activities coming about in the weeks ahead. Petronas has already kicked off its pre-race branding, with its roving F1 car – housed in a see-through display and mounted on a truck – doing the rounds in KL late last month.

The display showcased the 2011 MGP W02 car, and roamed KL streets over a period of three days, making pit stops at KLCC and Pavilion as well as the Petronas service station in Jalan Klang Lama. It also made an appearance in the Federal Territory Day Parade in the city, held on January 28.

The participation in the parade as well as the roving agenda is part of the activity helping to create a buzz about the upcoming race, which is set to run on March 23-25. Expect just about everyone who has some form of involvement in the circus to follow suit shortly.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: Champs Red Bull Racing unveil the 2012 car, the RB8

Anthony Lim — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:28:08 +0000

The champions have unveiled their 2012 Formula 1 car – Infiniti and Red Bull Racing will be looking to the new RB8 to continue where the RB7 left off last year, which was to score 12 victories, 27 podiums and 18 pole positions on its way to bag both the Contructors’ title and Drivers’ crown for Sebastian Vettel.

The Renault 2.4 litre V8-powered car features more prominent branding of the Infiniti name in the livery, given the deepening of the partnership between the two companies that was announced in October last year. With that, the RB8 wears enhanced logos on the racing car along with the drivers’ overalls and gloves, team personnel and equipment.

Testing on the new car has begun in Jerez. Will the RB8 make it three in a row for Seb and RBR?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: Lotus E20 launched – fourth is the target for 2012

Danny Tan — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:36:55 +0000

Lotus, formerly known as Lotus Renault GP, has pulled the wraps off its 2012 Formula 1 challenger. Called E20, it’s named after Enstone, the team’s base in UK. It’s the 20th F1 chassis designed at the Oxfordshire facility. The men charged with driving the black and gold cars are Romain Grosjean and returning champ Kimi Raikkonen.

The target for the duo is fourth in the Constructors’ championship this year, set by team owner Gerard Lopez of Genii Capital. Last year, the Lotus sponsored Renault team started strongly with two podiums in the first two races, but eventually finished a distant fifth, just six points ahead of Force India.

“The hopes are to be able to get one season together and do what we were expecting last year. We hope to have a strong car, and have strong drivers, one of which is of course an ex-world champion. We hope to bring the car up to the front of the pack and probably try to aim for fourth as a reasonable goal for this season,” Lopez said.

On another note, “we’re obviously extremely proud that finally the Lotus name is a clear concept for everybody in Formula 1 now,” the owner added. The former Team Lotus, owned by Tony Fernandes, will race as Caterham this season.

The E20 wears familiar black-gold clothes, but there are new sponsor logos from Rexona and Clear Anti-Dandruff shampoo on the flanks.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: McLaren reveals its 2012 challenger – the MP4-27

Danny Tan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:07:36 +0000

McLaren has unveiled its 2012 Formula 1 car, the MP4-27, at the team’s Woking base. With two British world champs in Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, McLaren finished last season with six victories and second in the standings, behind champions Red Bull. The MP4-27′s brief is therefore simple – beat the bulls.

The 2012 car looks a lot like last year’s machine, but McLaren says that the MP4-27 chassis has been substantially revised, with all major systems updated or redesigned. No more U-shaped sidepods too, to comply with new regulations.

“We have set ourselves tough and ambitious targets, and we aim to deliver those by the first race and have a championship-winning car. This car is a complete rework from nose to tail, and there is very little that is carried over. A bit of the fuel system is the same, but almost everything else on the car has changed,” said Tim Goss, McLaren’s director of engineering.

“There were a few features we have pushed quite hard from the beginning of the project. I am proud of the whole team and the efforts so far, and from now we go to the next phase of the project which is really wringing the performance out of it. We have a good track record of that – we have big plans, upgrades for the front wing, rear wing, floor and bodywork are already planned,” Goss added.

Elaborating further, technical director Paddy Lowe said: “The regulations are trimming us into narrower and narrower boxes. We don’t see big radical changes from one year to the next year. This car looks very similar but underneath a great deal of changes have taken place.

“Every part has been assessed for weight and performance. If you add all that up, you get a car that is quicker. Teams are tasked to find that 1% to 2% performance improvement – but nevertheless there are obvious innovations.

“We have done a lot of work around the back end, and there is a lot more tidy packaging there, and we have had to do a lot of work on exhausts. That has given the aerodynamicists a great challenge, not only to find the downforce but also in creating the right balance. You need downforce but also you have to be able to use it in the right area.”

Are we looking at the machine to break Red Bull and Seb Vettel’s total domination?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: Lotus 2012 challenger to be called E20 – E for Enstone

Danny Tan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:28:02 +0000

Th Lotus F1 Team, formerly called Lotus Renault GP, has announced that its 2012 challenger will be named E20, a departure from the R tagged chassis names of the Renault team. Officially, the E20 name is to commemorate the 20th F1 chassis designed at the team’s base in Enstone, the team’s HQ since 1992. To be driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for 2012, the E20 will be unveiled on 5 February on the team’s website.

“Our naming of the chassis to recognise Enstone’s importance to the team’s evolution highlights our recognition of the contribution of the facility and the personnel who work tirelessly every year to produce the very best car possible. We certainly hope that this is the case with the E20 and we are looking forward to revealing the car to the world and seeing it out on track for the first time,” said team boss Eric Boullier.

“There are a number of technical changes from last year and we have an exciting new driver line-up to extract the maximum from the E20 through the twenty Grands Prix of the 2012 season, including the 500th race for this team through its different incarnations. We hope that the E20 proves to be a performing Enstone design,” the Frenchman added.

Meanwhile, returning world champ Kimi Raikkonen is feeling positive after a two-day test at Valencia last week. It was quite a session for the Finn, as he returned to an F1 car’s cockpit for the first time in over two years.

“It went well today and overall the two days have been helped me a lot. Even though I was using a two year-old car and the Pirelli demo tyres, I learnt about working with the team and the engineers which means I can focus on the new car once we get to Jerez for the first official test. It was great to be driving an F1 car again and from that respect I feel very positive,” he said.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Reports: Volkswagen thinking of F1, to supply engines first

Danny Tan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:06:14 +0000

This is not something we’ve heard of the first time, but Volkswagen is considering joining Formula 1, according to a report from Germany. Apparently, VW’s motor sport representative Wolfgang Durheimer told prominent business mag Wirtschaftswoche that he has come up with a preliminary plan for the future, which includes F1.

“Later this year I will put forward proposals to the executive group for (involvement in) not only the racing series that we do already,” he said. “It is true, in America, Asia and the Middle East, we are not sufficiently represented in motor sport,” added Durheimer.

Wirtschaftswoche cited sources in saying the first step for VW in the premier four-wheel racing series is to be an engine supplier. The VW badge is already seen in F1, as the brand is linked commercially with the Red Bull rookie team Toro Rosso.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Caterham F1 unveils 2012 car – the Renault powered CT01

Danny Tan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:42:09 +0000

Caterham F1 Team, the rebranded Team Lotus owned by Tony Fernandes, has unveiled its 2012 challenger. The CT01, as it is called, comes with a “platypus-style” nose, which is unusual, but expected to find its way to many other 2012 cars due to new regulations. The team retains its green and yellow theme from the Lotus Racing days.

From these enhanced images, the CT01 appears to be more advanced aerodynamically than its predecessors. Expert F1 eyes also picked out tight-sculpted, low rear bodywork and slim and short sidepods, the latter maximises the low drag effect in that area.

“The regulations have changed to limit the height of the nosebox to try to ensure that noses don’t get too high. Our challenge is that you always want to get the chassis as high as possible to allow clean air flow to the underside of the car, and what you see on the CT01 is our solution to that,” explains tech chief Mike Gascoyne.

“As we’re the first car out it is obviously stirring up a lot of debate, but because of the 2012 regulations I think you’ll probably be seeing this type of nose on most of the cars this year,” the Brit added.

Unlike before, this car isn’t burdened with lofty targets from the start. “I think we need to see the car on track first and get feedback from the first tests. Until we run the car, we only have numbers and simulation data to work with. But every team wants to move up the grid and we’re no different. We finished 10th in the last two years, which has been our target, but now I think it’s time we moved forward again. Let’s see what happens we get out on track,” said Gascoyne.

Moving forward from just being the “best of the new teams” is to be a solid midfield team, and that should be a realistic target for 2012. The CT01 will hit the track at Jerez next month for testing.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: Bruno Senna secures Williams’ second race seat

Danny Tan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:18:00 +0000

The mini battle for the remaining race seat at Williams F1 has concluded. The Grove based team has announced that Bruno Senna will partner Pastor Maldonado in the 2012 season. Those who lost out include last year’s man Rubens Barrichello, ex Force India man Adrian Sutil, dropped Toro Rosso youngster Jaime Alguersuari and Tonio Liuzzi.

The nephew of three-time world champ Ayrton made his F1 debut with Hispania back in 2010, but was left without a seat for 2011. He came into the picture after Lotus Renault GP dropped Nick Heidfeld in Belgium, managing eight races, but the team, now called Lotus, have Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for 2012. The 28-year-old Brazilian will make his debut with Williams on 9 February at Jerez for the first test of the year.

“Bruno only started racing when he was 20 years old but quickly proved his talent in F3 and GP2. In a tightly fought 2008 GP2 season, Bruno finished second in the Championship with notable victories in Monaco and Silverstone, the latter in the wet. The circumstances of Bruno’s two seasons in F1 have not given him an ideal opportunity to deliver consistently so it was essential that we spent as much time with him as possible to understand and evaluate him as a driver,” said Frank Williams.

“We have done this both on track and in our simulator and he has proven quick, technically insightful and above all capable of learning and applying his learning quickly and consistently. Now we are looking forward to seeing that talent in our race car,” the founder added.

Driving aside, Senna is bringing sponsorship money to Williams as well, including from long-time supporter Embratel, but he insists that it wasn’t about money. “I am sure about that. They have been putting us through the paces with all sorts of testing, and they did not even talk about the sponsorship at the start – they wanted to assess me before anything else,” he told Autosport.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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F1: Five drivers battling for Williams’ remaining race seat

Danny Tan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:27:04 +0000

Williams F1 Team may have just emerged from a disastrous season, but their race seat alongside Pastor Maldonado is the most coveted in the paddock. With no more vacant positions in the top teams, losing parties in the annual musical chairs are all vying to drive for the Grove based squad. They would have loved to have Kimi Raikkonen, but…

Maldonado’s place in the team is secure – with Williams still looking for a title sponsor to replace telecommunications firm AT&T, his Venezuelan oil money backing is invaluable. Big money is harder to come by these days, anyway.

The mini contest to be his teammate is led by Force India reject Adrian Sutil, who faces competition from last season’s Toro Rosso drivers Jaime Alguersuari and Seb Buemi, although the latter is out of the reckoning – he has just been revealed as the test and reserve driver for champions Red Bull Racing. Also in the mix is Bruno Senna, who drove for Lotus Renault GP last season, and HRT man Tonio Liuzzi.

Pestering the team to retain his services is veteran Rubens Barrichello, who is hoping to race in his 20th Formula 1 season. The Brazilian argues that his experience and steady hand is good for the team. “It would be clever of the team to keep the drivers and keep on going. I’m not pushing them, I’m just trying to show them that is the way to do it,” he said.

Reports claim that Rubens’ case may be stronger now that Williams legend and co-founder Patrick Head has departed from the F1 team. Head is said to have grown weary of Barrichello’s criticism of the team’s direction.

Who do you think deserves the seat best?

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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FIA lays down the rules on defending positions in F1

Danny Tan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:43:50 +0000

Throughout the 2011 Formula 1 season, we’ve seen plenty of on track skirmishes. In some of the battles, it was clear who was in the wrong, while some were more debatable. The FIA has now issued new rules regarding defending positions, to put it clear for all.

The ruling body has decided that drivers defending their position will be allowed to move back onto the racing line, but must leave enough room between their car and the edge of the track. Only one move will be allowed.

“More than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted. Any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line, should leave at least one car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner,” reads the new regulation.

Another newly clarified rule states that lapped cars will be allowed to unlap themselves and then join the back of the field during safety car periods.

“If the clerk of the course considers it safe to do so, and the message “LAPPED CARS MAY NOW OVERTAKE” is shown on the timing monitors, any cars that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap and the safety car. This will only apply to cars that were lapped at the time they crossed the Line at the end of the lap during which they crossed the first Safety Car line for the second time after the safety car was deployed.

While this is going on, “the cars on the lead lap must always stay on the racing line unless deviating from it is unavoidable”.

The 20-race 2012 season starts in Australia on 18 March, before the teams head to Sepang the following week for the Malaysian GP. Bahrain is back in the calendar and F1 returns to America for the United States GP in November.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Patrick Head leaves Williams F1 after 34 years of service

Danny Tan — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:59:49 +0000

Perhaps it’s the current slump, but many forget that Williams is the third most successful team in Formula 1, behind only Ferrari and McLaren. The team had it’s worst ever year in 2011, finishing the season with just five points, and last of the established teams. It’s with this background that Williams director of engineering and legend Patrick Head is leaving the team after 34 years of service.

Head has stepped down from the outfit’s board of directors with immediate effect. He will from now focus on the company’s thriving hybrid business and will remain a board director of Williams Hybrid Power Limited.

“Patrick and I have been in partnership for 34 years. During that time, he has been the leader of the technical team that has won the majority of our race wins and championships. This is a remarkable legacy and one which will be treasured and definitely not forgotten.,” said founder and friend Frank Williams.

“Patrick is a very straightforward, hard working and truly gifted engineer who comfortably operates at a world class level. I will miss him very much, as I am sure his colleagues will, and he will always be welcome at Grove. Indeed, Patrick will still be seen around the factory as he continues to be involved in the development of our hybrid power activities,” he added.

In the glory days of the 1980s and ’90s, Head drove the team’s engineering department to win 113 grands prix, seven drivers world championships and nine constructors’ titles for Williams. As Frank said, a remarkable legacy.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Tony Fernandes’ Caterham F1 Team unveils new logo

Danny Tan — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:21:47 +0000

You would have known by now that the Lotus vs Lotus naming row is over, and in 2012 Lotus Renault GP will race as ‘Lotus’ while Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus has changed its name to Caterham F1 Team. The AirAsia boss and friends bought over British sportscar maker Caterham back in April.

Caterham F1 Team has unveiled its new logo for the 2012 F1 season, which uses a familiar green background with yellow accents. Tony Fernandes explains that the name change makes perfect sense for him.

“With Team Lotus, I would have battled to the end if I felt it was the right thing to do, but when you take a dispassionate look at where we were it made absolute sense to start with a clean sheet, and Caterham has given us that chance,” he told the team’s magazine.

“It’s the best possible solution for where we want to go – partly because it gives us complete control over everything we do and, obviously, because there’s simply no point racing to promote a road car company I don’t own. The road car business has always been a sector I’ve wanted to explore and so here we are.

“But I can’t stress enough; this is a serious business venture for us. If I just needed a new name, I could have called it anything, but the synergy with Caterham works better – and it’s what I do – take a small business with the correct core values and purpose and expand it and grow it into the global marketplace.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Romain Grosjean named as Kimi’s team mate at Lotus

Danny Tan — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:20:02 +0000

Lotus Renault GP, which will race next season as ‘Lotus’ has named Romain Grosjean as Kimi Raikkonen’s teammate for the 2012 season. The 25-year old Frenchman beat 2011 drivers Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna to the coveted race seat. Grosjean isn’t a stranger to the team however – he was third driver at LRGP and drove in two practice sessions at Abu Dhabi and Brazil.

Besides the two brief moments behind the F1 wheel, 2011 saw Grosjean become the GP2 Series champion. His previous stint in F1 was with Renault during the second half of the 2009 season, partnering two-time champ Fernando Alonso. After losing his seat, he went to first World GT1 racing then GP2, where he took the Asia and main series titles this year.

“After Fernando Alonso it is Kimi Raikkonen, so I am getting used to having a world champion alongside me. I think it is a chance because they are really good drivers, [but] they are more than that. You can learn a lot from them but, on the other hand, your first benchmark is your team-mate so if you manage to get to their level then it is very good for you,” Grosjean said about being Kimi’s team mate.

However, he’s hinting that he may not be immediately trounced by the returning high profile Iceman. “From Kimi, I have plenty of things to learn for sure. He is a great champion and a very good driver, as everybody knows. But maybe I can teach him something about the Pirelli tyres that he never drove, except for the rally cars one. The F1 ones are a little bit different, and it will be a good deal for next year. I am sure we will get on well together and I will learn a lot from him, so let’s see.”

Conveniently, LRGP and Total, the French oil company, at the same time confirmed that they have renewed their sponsorship agreement for another year.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Silver Arrows rebranded, now officially called ‘Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team’

Danny Tan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:52:07 +0000

The Mercedes-Benz works F1 team has been rebranded, and will now compete under the name ‘Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team’ from the 2012 season. This is a move from the current ‘Mercedes GP Petronas’ name, introducing MB’s performance AMG division into the mix.

The Mercedes AMG brand is no stranger to motorsports. It is the most successful name in the history of DTM, winning 165 races from 342 since 1988 and securing a total of 32 driver, manufacturer and team titles. AMG has also supplied F1 with the official Safety Car and Medical Car since 1996. It’s therefore a “logical step to strengthen the links between AMG and the Formula 1 activities of Mercedes-Benz,” says the company.

The Mercedes-Benz F1 powertrain facility at Brixworth, UK has worked closely with AMG for several years. This wholly owned Daimler subsidiary will now be renamed ‘Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains’.

“The Mercedes AMG brand promises ‘Driving Performance’ – and what better embodies this philosophy than the intense competitive arena of F1? It is an historic first for the AMG name to be associated to the works Silver Arrows team, and offers fantastic opportunities: first, to further build the sporting identity of the Mercedes AMG brand through one of the world’s most-watched and most successful sports; second, to explore and deliver technology transfer between road and track,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

“This is already being practised with the SLS AMG E-Cell project, whose electric powertrain will be developed as a joint venture between Mercedes AMG and our F1 engine specialists in Brixworth,” he added.

The Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team will compete the 2012 season with the F1 W03 machine, which is currently under development at the team’s Brackley HQ. The car will make its official track debut at the second winter test of 2012, in February at Barcelona.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Ferrari and Red Bull withdraw from Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) over cost reduction stalemate

Danny Tan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:13:54 +0000

Champions Red Bull Racing and Ferrari have withdrawn from the Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) over disagreements with the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA), which is about cost cutting in the sport. Despite this latest development, both teams insist that they are committed to finding a solution.

“Red Bull Racing can confirm it has served notice to withdraw from FOTA. The team will remain committed to finding a solution regarding cost saving in Formula 1,” RBR’s statement read.

“It was a difficult decision and a great deal of thought went into it. It was taken reluctantly after analysing the current situation and the stalemate when it came to debate on some issues that were at the core of why the association was formed,” Ferrari said.

“Some of the major achievements of the association during these years…centred around cost reduction, which was of significant benefit to everyone, the big teams and the small ones. Now however, it is necessary to find some new impetus to move it along because FOTA’s drive has run its course, despite the excellent work of current President, Martin Whitmarsh.

“Ferrari will continue to work with the other teams to make the current RRA, aimed at controlling costs, more effective and efficient, modifying it to make it more stringent in key areas such as aerodynamics, to rebalance some aspects such as testing and to expand it to areas currently not covered such as engines,” added the statement.

Still in the dark? This final parting shot should make it clear. “We must return to a situation where F1 is really a test bed for advanced technological research, the results of which can be transferred to Granturismo cars,” the supercar maker said.

“In addition, we must not forget that this sport must become more user friendly and more accessible to the general public and furthermore, it cannot be the only professional sport where it is practically impossible to do any training: the number of days of testing must be increased so that the drivers, especially the young ones who lack experience and the teams, can be adequately prepared, as well as providing more opportunities for them to come into contact with spectators and sponsors.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Kimi Raikkonen makes Formula 1 return with Lotus

Danny Tan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:30:07 +0000

By now you would have heard about the return of the Iceman to Formula 1. Yes, Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, is back in the sport, after spending two years in the World Rally Championship. The former McLaren and Ferrari driver joins Lotus Renault GP, which will be just called Lotus next season.

The Finn has signed a two-year deal with Lotus, and will make it six world champions on the grid next year. Kimi, now 32, was also linked with a Williams race seat, but that one fell through. What’s for certain is that he misses F1 a lot, saying that “my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming.”

Lotus has not officially confirmed its other race seat, but for sure it will not be Robert Kubica, who is still recovering from his pre season rally crash. Will Vitaly Petrov, who has strong Russian financial backing, be Kimi’s teammate next year?

An interview with Raikkonen, provided by the team, is after the jump.

Q: Kimi, good news today, you have decided to come back to Formula 1. Why are you coming back?

Kimi Raikkonen: The main reason was that I never really lost the passion for racing in Formula 1, just maybe for all the other things around it. But when I did some NASCAR races this year I noticed that I was increasingly missing the racing side – to race against each other – because in rallying you really race against the clock. And then I got the call from certain people in Formula 1. All sorts of things happened and we managed to have a nice conversation with Lotus Renault GP and make a deal – I’m really very happy with that!

Q: Why did you choose Lotus Renault GP?

KR: Really there were two options – it was this team or Williams. And everything worked out here as we wanted, so that’s really the reason.

Q: Have you been following the team and the performance this year?

KR: I didn’t follow Formula 1 much at all last year. This year I followed it a bit more but not really any specific team. I watched the last 20 laps of the last race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, and because I knew this was going to happen I also watched how the Lotus Renault GP team did. But before that I didn’t know anything about what was going to happen or that there would be a deal in Formula 1 for next year, so I just watched Formula 1 as a whole. I saw a few races but nothing special.

Q: Do you think F1 will be very different for you from what you know from 2009, with the DRS, Pirelli tyres, etc?

KR: Comparing 2009 to next year the biggest difference will probably be the tyres. I don’t think there is a lot of difference with the cars. DRS is a new thing but this is basically similar to before. The button that used to be for the front wing has disappeared, so now it’s for the rear wing. I would guess the main difference is really the tyres.

Q: Personally, what’s the main difference from the Kimi Raikkonen we saw in 2009 – in which way are you a better driver?

KR: I don’t know – I’ve been away for two years. I haven’t driven and I haven’t even sat in a Formula 1 car since the last race in 2009. I’m interested to get back into the car, I’m two years older now and I don’t think anything else has really changed. It has been really nice to try to learn rallying in the last few years. On some days it was hard. It’s been easier this year than last year but still it’s a very difficult sport. I’m really looking forward to coming back. At least Formula 1 is something where I know how everything works as I’ve been there for many years – compared to rallying when I didn’t know what would really happen. Then I went to NASCAR and I had no clue how it would be. So in that way it should be much, much easier to come back and it should be pretty normal.

Q: Have you already changed your training routine?

KR: I kept training the whole time for the rallying but of course it’s not so physical – in the rallies it’s more that you have to sit in the car for the whole week. In Formula 1, it is more physical but over a shorter time. A month ago I started to get back into proper training for Formula 1. The neck is the most difficult thing to get ready but we still have plenty of time.

Q: When you think about your last race in 2009, what is the feeling you have of driving in Formula 1?

KR: I certainly remember all the braking and how quickly everything happens. But compared to rallying, say, you have slightly more time. In rallying, it doesn’t give you a second chance. When you make a mistake you go off. There are no run-off areas. In Formula 1 you have a lot of run-off areas, you can run a bit wide and it is not such a big deal. You lose a lap in the practice or in qualifying but in the race you maybe don’t even lose a place. So this time, the braking and the G-forces will certainly come back very quickly. The biggest thing will definitely be to get the neck used to it again. All the rest will take a while but it’s not really a big thing.

Q: Six world champions on the grid next year, you are coming back to Formula 1 – how big of a boost is it for your motivation?

KR: I would not have come back if I wasn’t motivated. There is always a lot of talk about motivation but nobody really knows what I do or what I think apart from myself so I don’t really care about what people say. But I’m happy to be coming back. I wouldn’t put my name onto a contract if I didn’t think I’d really enjoy it – so it will be interesting and exciting to get back!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Robert Kubica will not start the 2012 Formula 1 season

Danny Tan — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:00:18 +0000

Will he or will he not? It has been confirmed by Robert Kubica himself that he will not start the 2012 Formula 1 season with Lotus Renault GP. The Pole says that his recovery is good, but he simply needs more time before getting behind the wheel.

“Even if I’ve been working very, very hard over the course of the last few weeks, I came to the conclusion that I am not yet certain to be ready for the 2012 season. I have called the team and I have informed them of the situation. This was a difficult decision to make, but it is the most reasonable one,” Kubica said.

“I also know that LRGP need to prepare for next year, and further extending deadlines would not have been the right thing to do. On a personal level, my recovery is still very encouraging and my doctors keep being impressed. I just need more time, as I want to be 100% ready before I commit to anything driving related.

“Finally, I regret not having been able to provide more news and not having appeared in the papers, and I thank my friends of the media for understanding that this has been the best way for me to cope with what has been the most difficult period of my life,” he added.

Highly rated Kubica was involved in a rally accident in February this year, before the F1 season started. While he cheated death, the crash left him with severe cuts to his forearm and multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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LRGP’s Eric Boullier: We have now a proper identity

Danny Tan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:30:25 +0000

The protracted Lotus vs Lotus naming row between Tony Fernandes and Group Lotus/Proton was settled earlier this month, with Group Lotus ending up with the ‘Lotus’ name in F1, and the present Team Lotus migrating to the Caterham name from next season.

This means a lot to Lotus Renault GP. “Massive, massive. Massive for many reasons. We have now a proper identity, we know who we are. We don’t have stories about Lotus, Renault, Genii, and how many shares, options, etc, – it is clear now,” said team boss Eric Boullier.

“It is clear, many, many sponsors who we were talking with, and which were planned for discussed in 2011, suspended, or even rejected the discussions because of this team name issue, so we can now restart the discussions and I have to say it is going in a very constructive way to make sure the future is done,” he added.

It’s no secret that the “new Lotus” under Dany Bahar’s leadership is placing motorsports and heritage as pillars for it to challenge the likes of Ferrari as a carmaker, which was why an F1 team racing with the ‘Lotus’ name but not under its control was an issue.

“The Lotus project is also much bigger, but something should be announced quite soon I hope and it is a nice way to secure our future with a new identity. It will change everything. Lotus brand, being the same family as Lotus Cars, is the same business model as Ferrari, the same business model as McLaren and it is completely legitimate to be in F1,” Boullier stressed.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Hamilton wins Abu Dhabi GP as Vettel spins out on lap 1

Danny Tan — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:48:46 +0000

Lewis Hamilton won yesterday’s Abu Dhabi GP, leading from lap 1 to the chequered flag. This happened after pole sitter and world champion Sebastian Vettel spun on the first lap due to a puncture on his right rear tyre, which sent him spinning off the track. He had built up quite a good distance over Hamilton in just a few corners before that happened, and this is his first DNF of the year.

This is Lewis’ third win of the season, his last being the German GP in July. It also comes at a rough patch for the McLaren man, which has saw him collide with Massa more than once and break up with his stunner of a girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. Fernando Alonso finished second for Ferrari while Jenson Button made it a 1-3 finish for McLaren.

The results didn’t do much to alter the standings. Vettel and Red Bull are already the champions, while Jenson Button is looking good to finish the season second in the drivers’ standings. He now has 255 points, which is 10 more than Alonso and 22 more than Mark Webber, who finished fourth yesterday. Lewis is a further six points behind.

Massa finished fifth, ahead of the two Silver Arrows of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. The Mercedes powered Force Indias of Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta were eighth and ninth, respectively, while Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi made a one-stop strategy work to get the final point. Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen was running as high as 13th in the early stages, but finished 17th, ahead only of his teammate and the other new teams.

It wasn’t a very exciting race at the Yas Marina Circuit, with much of the action supplied by Red Bull’s Webber. The Aussie frustratingly lost time with a sticky wheel at his first stop, so he used a three-stop strategy that saw him change to the harder (and slower) tyres only on the last lap. He still didn’t manage to jump Button, the man he was fighting for much of the race, though.

The Mercedes GP Petronas team bosses must have been slightly worried at the sight of their two drivers battling it out in the early stages. Rosberg, who just signed a contract extension, won the duel with the old timer and kept his place till the end.

The next race is the final one of the 2011 season. It’s Brazil two weeks from now.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Nico Rosberg extends contract with Mercedes GP Petronas

Danny Tan — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:53:04 +0000

Nico Rosberg has extended his contract with the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 team. This new deal will “include the 2013 season and beyond”, which means the German will be with the Silver Arrows till at least 2013. Next season, he will once again line up alongside seven-time world champ and compatriot Michael Schumacher.

“I am very excited to have extended my contract with the Mercedes GP Petronas team. To win in a Silver Arrow will be one of the highlights of my life so far, and I greatly enjoy helping to lead our team in our quest to become the best in F1. I have every confidence that the team will provide me with a winning car, and that we will be able to contribute to the fantastic racing heritage of the Silver Arrows. I look forward to great times in the years ahead with the Mercedes-Benz family,” Rosberg said.

The son of 1982 champ Keke also said that Mercedes GP’s latest appointments such as technical director Bob Bell and technology director Geoff Willis, plus the impending arrival of Ferrari’s Aldo Costa as engineering director, were major influences in his decision to stay. “It was, definitely. I saw this summer that this team means business and is doing what it takes to become the best. I know I’ve got to be patient, but great times lie ahead, I’m sure.”

“We are delighted to have extended our contract with Nico as we know that he is a driver who can win races and championships. Nico has performed exceptionally well for us over the past two seasons, achieving results at the very limit of the technical capabilities of our current car.

“He has an excellent work ethic and, together with Michael, this gives us a driver pairing who consistently push the team to improve and progress. As we continue to strengthen our team for the future, we look forward to providing Nico with a car which will enable him to compete right at the front of the field and achieve his deserved first win in F1,” said team principal Ross Brawn.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Lotus vs Lotus: it’s all over, with both parties settling the issue amicably – Team Lotus to now race as Caterham F1

Anthony Lim — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:05:59 +0000

The long-running Lotus vs Lotus saga is over – the fight that ended up in court has reached an amicable ending. Proton, Group Lotus, 1Malaysia Racing Team and its owner Tony Fernandes have announced – delightfully, the statement said – that the legal dispute in the English Courts relating to the ‘Lotus” and ‘Team Lotus’ brands has now ended on a happy note, with the parties agreeing settlement terms earlier this month.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the deal sees the ‘Lotus’ brand reunited under the sole ownership of Group Lotus. This includes the rights to the ‘Lotus’ and ‘Team Lotus’ names in Formula 1 motor racing. The deal also sees a working relationship established between the parties, who will work together on future projects in the automotive field.

For the 2012 F1 season on, 1MRT will race under the name Caterham F1 Team and will use a Caterham chassis.

“On behalf of Group Lotus and Proton, I would like to express how pleased we are that this matter is finally closed and we can now focus on looking forward to the future,” Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said.

“We understand that this has been a very difficult and confusing time for the fans of the sport and the Lotus brand, so we are glad to have reached a clear resolution on this important matter – I would like to take this opportunity to thank our fans for their continued support, it means everything to us,” he added.

Meanwhile, on behalf of 1MRT, Group CEO Riad Asmat said: “We are proud of what we have achieved by bringing the Team Lotus name back to Formula One when many tried, and although we are sad to say goodbye to Team Lotus, we are excited about owning our own future and being in control of our own destiny. Now we have no one to be compared to. We make our own history and we will remain green and yellow.”

“Now we look forward to an exciting future racing under our new team name of Caterham F1 Team. Please continue to support our very special spirit of never say die and support us on the track, as we move up the field and demonstrate that the good do win,” he added.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Infiniti to expand partnership with Red Bull Racing

Anthony Lim — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:48:03 +0000

Infiniti, which opened its second ASEAN outlet here in KL last week, announced at the Korean GP that it will expand its partnership with the Red Bull Racing F1 team for the 2012 season, seven months after the partnership began.

Next season will see more prominent Infiniti branding on the RBR F1 cars, with enhanced logos on the side of the chassis and cockpit top of the next generation car. Elsewhere, the Infiniti name and logo will also be expanded to new areas on the drivers’ overalls and team equipment.

Additionally, Infiniti and RBR is set to increase the global and market leverage of their partnership through more marketing and media activities throughout the year. The company will also continue to build on its personal agreement with Sebastian Vettel, who has already worked on several projects with it, including the launch of the Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel concept in Frankfurt in September.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Vettel wins in Korea, Red Bull secures Constructors’ title

Danny Tan — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:56:14 +0000

Last week, Sebastian Vettel became F1′s youngest double world champ in Japan, and the team celebrated the occasion in a big way, which made the German “tipsy” in his own words. But there was no sign of hangover as Vettel stormed to victory at the Yeongam circuit in typical dominant style.

The champ stole the lead from pole man Lewis Hamilton (first time a non Red Bull was on pole this season) on lap 1, and never looked back. He didn’t really need to, even with the safety car called into action. The McLaren man, under fire recently, drove a good and incident free race to finish second, defending well from Mark Webber, who had to settle for third.

The battle, which spanned for quite a distance, was a good, fair fight, and was also one of the highlights of the race. The other notable moments were when Vitaly Petrov’s Lotus Renault GP car arrowed into Michael Schumacher’s rear on lap 17.

Another was when Fernando Alonso said “I give up, I give up” on the team radio in the final stages of the race. That’s very unlikely for the Spaniard, and the message (in English) could have been Fernando playing mind games, or a decoy. He certainly didn’t look the part on track, had good pace throughout, and was even the fastest man at a point.

McLaren’s man on form Jenson Button had a quiet race, and the Suzuka winner finished fourth, ahead of Alonso and Felipe Massa. Toro Rosso will leave Korea a happy team as Jaime Alguersuari finished seventh and Seb Buemi was ninth, sandwiching Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg in eighth. Paul di Resta took the final point for Force India.

The points collected by Vettel and Webber in Korea is enough to seal the Constructor’s championship for Red Bull Racing, who have now won it back-to-back. They have an unassailable 588 points from McLaren’s 418 and Ferrari’s 310. A double double for Vettel and RBR then – others will hope to stop them from doing a hattrick next year.

At the back, Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen finished in 14th, ahead of two Saubers and his teammate Jarno Trulli. The Tan Sri Tony Fernandes owned team, which should be called Caterham next season, will be happy to beat two midfielders today.

The next race is the inaugural Indian GP, two weeks from now.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Double world champion Vettel: It’s more than fantastic!

Danny Tan — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:40:40 +0000

Yesterday was the day that 24-year old Sebastian Vettel created history by becoming the youngest ever double world champion, finishing on the podium in Suzuka when all he needed was just one point. You would have thought that he’d be happy with third but no, the man was disappointed he didn’t win!

“I was as hungry as I ever have been and going for victory, throwing the car around and trying everything to get close to the guys again. I would have loved the race to continue a little bit longer but that’s why it was a bit shocking when I crossed the line; that’s it, full of adrenaline, charged to get back to them and then all of a sudden, chequered flag.

“Then it was time to realise that we had won the championship and we can take a little bit of time, which I think we will have tonight together,” Vettel said.

“Obviously a lot of people have been quite confident on that but I think one of the important things was that we didn’t allow ourselves to drift away on it too much. Everything we did this year, everything we achieved, we achieved as a team. It’s not just us on the track it’s the guys in the factory pushing very hard as well.

“We set ourselves the target to win the championship this year, to achieve it by Japan already with more races to go is difficult to put in words. It will take time, it’s as confusing as the first one. I’m sure we have a little bit more time tonight within the team and the rest of the season,” the German added.

On what went through his mind after seeing the chequered flag, Vettel said: “I tell you what I never imagined that I would win my second world championship and Michael (Schumacher) drives past me doing this (makes a gesture with his hand). That’s really weird because when I was a little boy he was already F1 world champion.

“So that imagination was far out of sight. It’s those small things that make it really, really special. I have a lot of good memories back then and today. I feel in a way quite fortunate and blessed to be able to experience all that.

“We had so many fans today, I saw so many excited people during the drivers’ parade, to see the grandstands were full. That’s really one of the last thoughts that I have before I put my helmet on.

“Life for me and I think all the drivers doesn’t get much better than this. Sunny days, a lot fans, everyone excited to see what you do. I think that is what life is about. To wrap up the championship here, which has been the ultimate target this year, is difficult to put in words. It’s more than fantastic,” he exclaimed.

Well done! Now, to be the youngest triple world champion, back-to-back!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Japanese GP: Sebastian Vettel is the 2011 F1 champion!

Danny Tan — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 13:57:22 +0000

He only needed one point from the Japanese GP, but Sebastian Vettel scored 15 with a third placed finish, making him the 2011 Formula 1 champion and the youngest ever double world champion. He now has an unassailable 324 points over closest challenger Jenson Button’s 210, with four races remaining. The McLaren man on form won at Suzuka, his third win this season. Fernando Alonso came in second for Ferrari.

Vettel’s ability to wrap up his title in Japan was never in doubt – he started from pole and was the winner in Suzuka for the past two years. The 24-year old German has won nine times this season out of 15 races so far, and his lowest finish was fourth place in his home race. The fact that he needed only one more point with four races to go underlines his dominance this season – no one can catch the man!

He wasn’t just lying around to do the bare minimum, that’s for certain. Jenson, who was beaten to pole by just 0.009 sec yesterday, made a good start, but Vettel defended the lead strongly, pushing the Brit to the grass. It warranted an investigation, but no penalty was given by the stewards. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton jumped into second, a position he held until lap 7, when he pitted due to a puncture.

After the first round of stops, Hamilton was fourth behind Alonso. The fast charging Button got closer to Vettel, but only jumped the champ after the second round of stops. Later, a clash between Massa and Hamilton (again!) forced the safety car out of the paddock, but that didn’t affect Button. The next round of stops saw Alonso jump Vettel after the former stayed out longer. After some initial challenge, Vettel wisely settled for third.

Behind them, Mark Webber was fourth, followed by Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, the Mercedes GP Petronas man beating ex teammate Massa, who for some, doesn’t really have what it takes to be a Ferrari driver. Eighth and ninth went to Sauber’s Sergio Perez and Lotus Renault GP’s Vitaly Petrov, making the two-stop strategy work. Nico Rosberg did a good job to take the final point from the last row.

Further back, Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli finished in their usual 18th and 19th positions ahead of the Virgins and HRTs.

Double world champion Vettel is sometimes called “The New Schumacher”. Maybe he isn’t, maybe he’ll be better than Schumi and break the older man’s records. He has time on his side, after all. Congrats Seb!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Schumi on Singapore crash: It was a misunderstanding

Danny Tan — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:14:35 +0000

Yesterday’s Singapore GP wasn’t the most exciting race we’ve had this season, and I was nodding off in my Esplanade Waterfront seat. As an event, Singapore is unbeatable – the sights, organisation and buzz are all amazing, it’s almost like a big party that happens to have an F1 race running around it – but track action could do with more spice.

There were some “oooh aaah” moments though, and Michael Schumacher going airborne was one. The seven-time champ tried to pass Sauber’s Sergio Perez on lap 28, but clipped the Mexican’s rear tyre and flew straight into the barriers. He was out, but Perez continued racing and picked up points for his efforts. Schumi is shrugging the incident off as a misunderstanding.

“It was a very unfortunate ending to my race in Singapore tonight and obviously I am a bit disappointed. What happened was what I would call a misunderstanding between Sergio Perez and myself,” the Mercedes GP Petronas driver said.

“He was about to go inside and lifted, and I was not expecting him to do that so early, and therefore hit him. It’s probably one of those race incidents which look more impressive from outside than from inside, as I am totally OK and my impact in the end was not too heavy. It was a pity because my car and the tyres worked well, and therefore the pace was very good. I will look ahead to the next races and hope to have better endings there,” he added.

Like he said, pace was good. Perhaps we’ll get to see more of the rejuvenated Schumi in Japan!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Team Lotus extends Renault engine deal till end of 2013, to get KERS supply from Red Bull Technology

Danny Tan — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:25:56 +0000

Team Lotus and Renault Sport F1 have confirmed that their existing engine deal is to be extended for a further year, taking it to the end of 2013, which will also be the end of the V8 engine era in the sport. Both parties aim to continue working together when the new engine regulations (V6 turbo, read about it here) come into force.

Renault Sport F1, which currently also provides engines to champs Red Bull and Lotus Renault GP, and Red Bull Technology will also provide the Malaysian owned squad with KERS systems for the first time for the duration of the agreement. The current T128 does not have the power boost system.

“They are both passionate, dedicated teams of people with whom we have a growing relationship that is creating a number of exciting opportunities for us for the future. They share our vision for where we want to take our team, and we are very proud to have their power pushing us forward,” said Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes.

“Not only will we be able to build on everything we have learnt through working with Renault and Red Bull Technology in 2011, but we will now have the added benefit of KERS for next year, which really is a major step forward for our team. We have done the very best job we can this year but without that extra power we are always competing on a different level to the teams ahead, so to give our drivers that boost is a key element of helping us catch the cars ahead, and compete with them when we do so,” he added.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Sebastian Vettel crowned as 2011 Singapore GP winner!

Harvinder Sidhu — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:03:01 +0000

Reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel has collected yet another win in the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship, bringing him even closer to his second world title. The Red Bull ace who has been having a phenomenal season this year was the first driver to cross the finish line under the beautiful night sky at the Singapore GP.

The German who started the 61-lap race around the breathtaking Marina Bay street circuit from pole position finished the race ahead of fellow World Champion Jenson Button from McLaren and team mate Mark Webber. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso was fourth while fifth was taken up by Lewis Hamilton of McLaren. Force India’s Paul di Resta was sixth. Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg was seventh followed by Adrian Sutil from Force India, Felipe Massa from Ferrari and Sauber’s Sergio Perez in tenth.

Lotus Renault struggled today as Bruno Senna and Vitaly Petrov only managed 15th and 17th respectively. Both drivers sandwiched Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen as team mate Jarno Trulli joined Michael Schumacher and Timo Glock in the retirement’s list.

As soon as the start lights went off, all drivers charged to Turn 1 and everyone managed to keep their noses clean with no drama whatsoever. Vettel enjoyed a good start while Webber dropped to fourth from second. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton had better starts as he dropped down to seventh after starting from fourth. Just moments after the start, the night race picked up its first casualty as Daniel Ricciardo broke his front wing. Nevertheless the HRT driver pitted and continued racing.

By Lap 6, Vettel was running in first and increasing his lead from Button, Alonso, Webber, Massa, Rosberg, Hamilton, Schumacher and the two Force India drivers Adrian Sutil and di Resta. Soon drivers started to make their first scheduled stops and the race moved on with minor yellow flags and few incidents including a retirement by Virgin’s Timo Glock when he spun into the barriers at Turn 18.

Moments after both Hamilton and Massa made their stops, both drivers suffered from contact as Hamilton tried to make a move on Massa. That incident resulted in a broken front wing for Hamilton and a rear puncture for Massa. Both drivers had to pit again and that easily dropped them down the grid. A while later, Hamilton received a drive through penalty from the race stewards which pushed him back further.

As Vettel crossed the line on Lap 29, it was Button, Webber, Alonso, di Resta, Sutil, Rosberg, Perez, Schumacher and Hamilton who made up the top ten. A lap later, just when you thought the Safety Car would not be deployed this time around, Schumacher’s Mercedes racer ‘flew’ into the air after his front left tyre came into contact with Sergio Perez’ right rear tyre. The Sauber driver managed to continue racing but Schumacher crashed into the barriers and the SLS was deployed.

After the Safety Car was pulled back in at about Lap 33, Vettel managed to maintain his lead ahead of Button, Webber, Alonso, di Resta, Rosberg, Sutil, Hamilton, Perez and Massa. The Safety Car benefited drivers such as Hamilton who was placed right back into the top eight following his accident and his subsequent penalty. The champion gave a good show as he was carrying out some hair raising overtaking moves.

With five laps remaining, Vettel’s gap against Button was reducing as the latter was able to set faster lap times and the former had to deal with back markers. With three laps to go, the gap was 3.7 seconds but with one lap remaining the gap increased to 5.6 seconds as Button lost a lot time negotiating traffic. The Brit couldn’t do much and Vettel who drove a smooth and clean race crossed the finish line in first.

In the championship standings, Vettel now has 309 points while Jenson Button is second with 185 points, just one point ahead of Fernando Alonso. Red Bull is 491 points strong while McLaren lies second with 353 points and Ferrari in third with 268 points. You can safely expected Vettel and Red Bull to clinch both titles this season but the battle still remains for second place in the Driver’s Championship between Button and Alonso. More will be revealed on 9th October at the Japanese GP.

Click here for the full results.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Proton, Lotus supporting Lotus-Renault GP in Singapore

Danny Tan — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:28:09 +0000

We’re here in the Lion City to catch Formula 1′s only night race this weekend, and we’re seeing some familiar sights at Singapore’s Clarke Quay. Proton and its subsidiary Group Lotus, which is of course the title sponsor of Lotus-Renault GP, is making its presence felt in Singapore with a showcase amidst the trendy bars and restaurants of the riverside area.

The showcase features the main star – a Lotus-Renault GP F1 car – flanked by a white Lotus Evora and the sportiest production Proton, the R3 Satria Neo. Besides the machines, there’s a stall selling official LRGP merchandise as well as a Batak Machine.

The latter is a fun activity that tests and trains reflexes and is used as an F1 training simulator as well. Basically, the lights pop up and you hit the button – who hits more in one minute wins. The Batak duel was a big crowd puller among the Clake Quay crowd – I gave it a try as well and realised that my reflexes needed a lot of training!

We missed her, but Miss Universe Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs, Proton’s brand ambassador Down Under, made an appearance as well.

If you’re wondering why Proton is at an F1 race, it’s to support Group Lotus and to benefit from the association with the sports car brand. “It’s not Proton in F1, it’s Lotus. Proton has no business being in F1,” said Proton MD Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin.

Both him and Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar revealed that the gold “Lotus” name is in among the top 10 most visible brands in Formula 1 (among the many names and sponsors) as tracked by two UK based agencies used by the sport.

They said that brand awareness is what Group Lotus is chasing after, and this brand awareness is crucial to support Lotus’ upcoming new gen of cars, starting with the Esprit in 2013. According to the plan, “when the Esprit comes out, it will come out in a very good environment, says Syed Zainal. “We want to bring the (brand) awareness back to the level seen 25 years ago,” added Bahar, who sounds consistent with his Paris 2010 speech.

As for LRGP, they’re not expecting too much from this weekend, as the R31 is not suited to Singapore’s layout. Team boss Eric Boullier also revealed that they’ve abandoned the updates brought in for this race, namely tighter bodywork and sidepods. It wasn’t a problem with the new stuff, but a problem with water flow for the radiators. Better not to risk it, so it was back to default. The updates will debut in Japan.

Will Sebastian Vettel be crowned world champion for the second time tomorrow? No one dares to bet against that happening, but Alonso and the McLaren boys will be all out to spoil the party, that’s for sure. Enjoy the race!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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Lotus Renault GP bringing more updates to Singapore

Danny Tan — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:20:47 +0000

Lotus Renault GP’s season started very well, with two podiums in the first two races and 60 points collected in the first seven races. However, they’ve only added 10 more points in the following six races, which is quite a slump in form. The Enstone based team brought some updates to Monza though, and coupled with the replacing of Nick Heidfeld with Bruno Senna, the team believes it has turned the corner.

The next race, which is the Singapore night race this weekend, will see LRGP fit in the second phase of updates to build on the Monza pack, but technical director James Allison is still apprehensive despite the general mood.

“Monaco and Hungary were not good races for us and Singapore shares some characteristics of these two circuits. We feel we have improved things since then and we have a bit more to deliver for Singapore itself, but it is fair to say that I am apprehensive,” he said.

“However, if we do have a good race then we will be set for good performances in the five races that follow, as we will then have shown improved performance on three very different tracks.”

On the team’s Monza pace, he had this to say. “While far from stunning, it was at least respectable. For two races in a row our car has looked a little more on the pace than in the previous grands prix, and this reinforces our belief that we are heading back in the right direction.”

Allison also thinks that the young Senna is doing great. “Several promising F1 careers have foundered on the rocks of a mid-season introduction in recent year. Under the current F1 rules Bruno has had no meaningful chance to get up to speed in the car away from the pressures of the GP weekend. He had just one session in the R31 pre-season, and he has impressed all of us with the way that he has seized his opportunity first at Spa and again at Monza.”

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 12 Feb 12 02:01:04 +0000.

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