Pitpass

18/05/2012

Round six of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship takes place around the streets of Monte Carlo. It's the shortest, yet most demanding track on the calendar, and the drivers love the challenge of F1's original street race.

The Monaco Grand Prix was on the inaugural F1 calendar back in 1950 and it's been a regular fixture since '55. The layout of the 3.3km circuit has remained largely unchanged, the biggest updates taking place in 2004, when a new pit complex was built.

The track has the slowest average speed of any circuit in F1, but the proximity of the barriers and the lack of run-off make it mentally absorbing for the drivers. Most of the corners are blind and the track surface is often slippery, particularly at the beginning of the race weekend.

Pirelli will bring the combination of its Supersoft and Soft tyre compounds to the race. The teams have yet to race the Supersoft rubber this year, so they will have plenty to learn when practice gets underway on Thursday.

Monaco has been a happy hunting ground for McLaren. The team has taken 15 wins in the Principality, more than any other team, and Jenson and Lewis have each won the race once, in 2009 and 2008 respectively. They'll be hoping to spray more champagne this year.

Jenson Button: "My win at Monaco in 2009 remains one of my favourite victories in Formula 1. Monte-Carlo is a place where every driver wants to win, but achieving it is so satisfying because you know you've conquered one of the toughest circuits in motorsport. Winning the Monaco Grand Prix will always be really special.

"I remember last year having a fantastic car beneath me and feeling really confident that I could challenge for the win. As it happened, circumstances beyond our control worked to pull that opportunity away from us, but I go back to Monte-Carlo with a little bit of unfinished business. I'd love to win for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the team has a great history around Monaco and I'd love to add my name to McLaren's Monaco winners' list.

"This year, we'll be running Pirelli's Supersoft compound for the first time - which should be interesting. And while our car isn't especially suited to the tighter confines of a track like Monaco, I'm optimistic of getting on top of the balance issues that have affected me for the past two races. It's going to be a fantastic weekend."

Lewis Hamilton: "Monaco is a very special circuit. It's up there with Silverstone as the place where I most want to do well at. Even though Monaco has the slowest average speed of all the circuits we visit in a season, it always feels incredibly quick. That's because the acceleration is so rapid and the walls so close: there really is no room for error. Apart from the run-off at Ste Devote, and the tiny escape roads at Mirabeau and the harbour chicane, there's no room to make a mistake. But when the stakes are at their highest, I just find it more exciting.

"Still, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that, despite pushing for the win, consistency and scoring decent points is currently the most sensible way to tackle this world championship. I've scored points at every race, and I'm only eight points off the lead of the championship. That's a really encouraging statistic and it's reassuring to see my approach is paying off.

"Nevertheless, I'm coming off the back of two relatively disappointing results and there would be no better place for the cards to fall in my favour than at Monaco."

Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal: "I'm incredibly proud of the team's record at Monte-Carlo. We've won the Monaco Grand Prix more than any other team, and it's a race we all regard as incredibly special, and integral to the sporting image of Formula 1.

"This is a unique event in so many ways - it places unique demands on the driver, the car and the team. Accordingly, winning in Monaco is considered a more significant victory than a win at other circuits.

"Both our drivers will arrive in the paddock feeling particularly determined this year: Jenson, because he will be determined to set the record straight after losing a victory in 2011 that many felt he rightfully deserved; Lewis, simply because he has been driving brilliantly all season and a victory at his favourite circuit would be just reward for all his speed and commitment.

"For the entire Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, too, we travel to the south of France feeling determined to string together a faultless weekend and to demonstrate our full potential. I have absolutely no doubts that the team is feeling very strong, and a win at Monaco would be the perfect fillip for their efforts."

18/05/2012

HRT officially opened the doors to its new headquarters at the Caja Magica in Madrid this morning, the assembled guest included the Mayoress of Madrid, Madam Ana Botella and the President of the Spanish Motorsport Federation and Vice-President of the FIA, Carlos Gracia.

Team Principal, Luis Perez-Sala, and drivers Pedro de la Rosa, Dani Clos and Ma Qing Hua acted as the hosts of event as guests, press, sponsors, suppliers and friends of the team toured the new facility which houses the management, administration, operations and engineering areas and the workshops where the mechanics were working on the F112 for the Monaco Grand Prix.

"I would like to thank HRT for choosing Madrid to set up its headquarters," said Honourable Madam Ana Botella, Mayoress of Madrid. "I congratulate them for being the first Spanish team to obtain a Formula 1 license, there are only 12 teams and just being there is very important for Spain. They've written a golden page in the history of Spanish motorsport and for the people of Madrid it's an honour and a privilege to have them here. In the Caja Magica they have chosen the best facilities to become a sporting and technological icon and with this we are going to help Madrid to continue progressing and become an innovative city. With their presence we strengthen a sport that has thousands of followers and we give the citizens of Madrid a chance to get to know the Formula 1 world on the inside. I wish them the best of luck as their triumphs are also those of the people from Madrid and Spain."

"Today is a very important day because we needed a Spanish Formula 1 team in Spain and now we have it," added Carlos Gracia. "A few weeks ago I accompanied Jean Todt when he visited the facilities and he was impressed with what he saw. They've completed it in a record time, I've been by their side through this period and the effort they've put in is impressive and something we have to value, no one can complete a project like that. I've seen teams with more tradition who have been in Formula 1 for longer but I've never come across such a hungry and united team. We've achieved a lot but we must be patient, Formula 1 is the pinnacle of world motorsport and just being here and finishing races is a lot. I want to thank the Mayoress for making this possible. The Caja Magica is a magical project and I hope she feels proud."

"We're extremely proud to have finally opened our doors to everyone and have shown what, since a few months ago, is HRT's home," said Luis Perez-Sala. "It's been a lot of hard work but it's a dream that has finally come true and an exciting project. This is the present but we continue to work looking ahead to the future to make this a top level sporting and technological centre and surely, with the help of everyone, we will achieve this."

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18/05/2012

Following a second event where both cars scored strongly, Team Principal, Eric Boullier ponders the team's expectations for the season and looks forward to the next chapter in the small Principality of Monaco.

Eric, the aim at the start of the season was to finish fourth in the Constructors' Championship - the team are currently in third place and closing on second...
Eric Boullier: After a difficult first few races - where our pace on track did not convert to results at the chequered flag - it's true to say we have had two strong results and if we continue to score like this we may have to revise our expectations. That said, nothing stands still in Formula 1 and we would be foolhardy to underestimate the opposition. We have had two good results, yes, but we have not scored a win. Things change very quickly so we won't be resting on our laurels.

Heading into the Spanish Grand Prix there was a lot of expectation on the team, and Friday's pace seemed to compound that. Was it somewhat frustrating not to have achieved better in the race?
EB: We did look good on Friday, but then the race is on a Sunday. Conditions change, your rivals fine tune their cars and setups. No-one wins anything from being fastest in practice or setting the best lap times on a long fuel run during a practice session. It's the race that matters and that's where our focus lies.

How difficult will it be to score a win in 2012?
EB: In terms of the number of winners so far this season you could say it's easier than before! That's not the case. It's so close this season and you can be a hero one weekend and a zero the next. Our strength has been that we have been there or thereabouts at every circuit. So far we haven't suffered the performance fluctuations that some of our rivals have seen. If we continue like this we will be very well placed for scoring good championship points. Of course, scoring points is one thing. They're very valuable and whoever has the most wins the championship. But we all really want to have a win.

Do you think the team's first win of the year can come in Monaco?
EB: We are celebrating our 500th Grand Prix in Monaco so what a story that would be! Monaco is a unique event and it really is the jewel in the Formula 1 crown. Historically Enstone teams have shown good pace in Monaco, but last year's car wasn't strong in slow speed corners so we may have some work to do. In terms of the team and our drivers, we're all ready for a win. We're looking at every aspect of the car and how we run it and we're all focused tremendously on achieving our goals. A win would be a fabulous thing.

What work is still to be done?
EB: Both our drivers are improving with every race as they had both been away for two years. We've seen how good they are with their results, but they are both getting better all the time. It's fantastic that they are both so close on pace, in qualifying and in the races. Car development is of course an ongoing project and we have plenty of developments and refinements for what is a very good starting point with the E20. We are also focusing heavily on pit stops, in particular the tools and components used during stops to ensure we are not missing any tricks to spending the smallest amount of time possible in the pitlane.

How different is the feeling for you and the team relative to last season?
EB: This time last year we also had some good feelings from podiums in Australia and Malaysia, but we had a design concept which would frustrate our potential. This year we have had a great sniff of victory and that is driving everyone forwards, making us all work harder. We're hungry and we know what we want.

After another positive weekend in Barcelona, Lotus F1 Team Technical Director James Allison reflects on the team's performance at the Spanish Grand Prix and looks ahead to the jewel in the Formula 1 crown; the Monaco Grand Prix.

How good is it to have a strong points haul from the last two races?
James Allison: I think we can be very happy with the number of points we've accumulated in the last couple of races and I'm delighted with the consolidation that's given us in the Constructors' Championship. I'm also quite optimistic for the rest of the season as the Circuit de Catalunya was another location where the car has been good and both our drivers have been strong. I'm happy that we haven't suffered - so far at least - the fluctuation in form that has hit many teams this year. Given the excellent results both in Barcelona and Bahrain it seems churlish, to say the least, to express disappointment at not yet having sneaked a win! But we're hopeful that will come in time.

Why weren't we so quick in the beginning of the race...
JA: It is genuinely hard to tell. Perhaps we had overestimated our relative pace on Friday. Perhaps the lower track temperatures on Sunday had a small effect. Perhaps our car did not react so well to the green track that resulted from overnight rain on Saturday evening. These are impossible questions to answer. All we can say for certain is that while we were pretty quick in Barcelona, we were not good enough to win the race. It is worth mentioning in addition that Romain's wing was really quite substantially damaged after the first corner. We were not able to recover the lost downforce that comes with losing bits of your car, but we were able to re-balance the car by cranking the front flap angle up in the first pit stop. So although he was fighting with one hand behind his back, he was able to make progress from that point forward.

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18/05/2012

Two podiums from the last two races for Formula 1's most popular returnee in 2012. Here, Kimi looks ahead to Monaco.

Barcelona was your second podium in a row for the team; how was it from your perspective?
Kimi Raikkonen: To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I expected us to be a bit stronger in the race, especially at the beginning. In the last stint we were very good, but it was too late. We were not fast enough to race and that's why we couldn't fight for a win. But we showed in the end that we have good speed.

You were flying at the end - was there anything more you could have done to catch Fernando?
KR: Our strategy was to be fast at the end of the race, and we were. When you're in this situation you wish the race was a little longer, but if it was longer then the other teams would have used different strategies.
I was pushing as hard as I could and to catch up almost 20 seconds felt good, but there's a little bit of a disappointed feeling afterwards, as in just a few more laps you could have been fighting for first place. That's racing and at least we scored some good points. We're going in the right direction.

Second and third already; do you feel a win is around the corner?
KR: To be on the podium twice already is good. Unfortunately you're not always going to get there. If you get the chance, you should take it because it's not every race that you will be able to fight for that position. Hopefully we can keep doing what we're doing now and at a certain point I'm sure that things will go exactly right and we'll get there. So far we've made good steps forward and the car has been strong everywhere.

How are your prospects heading to Monaco?
KR: Monaco is a little bit different and it's hard to say how it will go there. The team has done a good job so far and we still have work to do and things to improve. So far it's going well and I'm happy with it. OK, we're not 100% satisfied with it because we are not winning but that's a very normal thing and I'm pleased for the team.

How do you define the Monaco Grand Prix?
KR: It's useless to put races in different categories, because all of them are as important to me. However, as a special race there is nothing like Monaco. There is no better feeling than to get things going well in there. To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else; a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult, almost impossible, to have a clean weekend there.

You won in Monaco in 2005 - how did that feel?
KR: I've only managed to get it right once before, you really do get the greatest feeling by winning it. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable. So to win it again would be just as special.

What's the challenge behind the wheel?
KR: It's such a twisty and narrow track. You have to be extra sharp and focussed in every single metre you go fast there. It gives such a good feeling a fast lap in Monaco. Overtaking has been almost impossible there in the past so to really enjoy racing there you have to be at the front.

What about the atmosphere?
KR: Monaco is always special. It's an interesting place to go to, with a lot of fans and a lot of parties going on - or so I'm told. It's a completely different atmosphere from anywhere else.

What's your approach to the weekend?
KR: We have to focus on qualifying. It's a difficult place to race as it's so narrow and passing is nearly impossible. I was stuck behind Rubens [Barrichello] in 2009 and we had KERS then, but you just couldn't get past. We'll have to see how the tyres perform and if there are any good strategies to be made, but the most important thing is qualifying well. It's difficult to know how good the car will be in Monaco as you can't simulate its characteristics, certainly not at any of the circuits we've visited so far this year. We can say the E20 has been fast everywhere else so let's hope it's also fast at Monaco.

After the first two races Romain had completed a mere four race laps.
Romain Grosjean: Now five races into the season he can look back on two strong points scoring Grands Prix, with a fourth place finish in Barcelona the latest result. Next stop Monaco as the Frenchman gets ready for the closest thing to a home Grand Prix...

How do you feel after another strong result in Spain?
RG: I think we can be quite happy with the result. Not satisfied, but happy. Both cars in the top four is good for the team and good for the championship. It's good for me as well to finish another race, and to gain some more experience at the front of the field. We have also shown ourselves to be one of the most consistent teams in the paddock, which is a very good strength. We can still improve our car and that's what everyone is working hard for.

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18/05/2012

Highly motivated and excited, the Sauber F1 Team heads to the most prestigious Grand Prix of the year. The Sauber C31-Ferrari's performance has further improved since the introduction of the recent development package, and now it remains to be seen how this works on the narrow street circuit of Monaco. Kamui Kobayashi had a great race in the principality in 2011, and Sergio Perez can't wait to finally make it onto the grid at the Formula One race in Monte Carlo for the first time on May 27th.

Kamui Kobayashi: "I have good memories of Monaco. I finished fifth there last year, which was really great. Monaco is a very special track for the drivers. Our car seems to be strong on most of the tracks. Now it will be interesting to see how competitive it will be on a street circuit, but I'm quite confident it will be strong there as well. In Monaco a lot of things can happen, therefore it's important to stay out of trouble and make it to the end. If we do that then I'm sure we will be able to fight for points."

Sergio Perez: "This Grand Prix is the most special one for me. I have been waiting to race in the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix all my life and, of course, after what happened last year I am looking forward to it even more. I strongly believe on this track the driver can make more of a difference than on any other track. As a team we are in good shape and I want to keep that momentum for Monaco. I also think our car can perform quite well on that unique city circuit. Of course I also think back to the accident I had in Q3 last year. To me it is like a watershed event in my career. There is a time before and a time after the accident. I learnt a lot from what I had to go through and I think it made me stronger. I really want to show what I can do in Monte Carlo."

Matt Morris, Chief Designer: "The Monaco track is probably the one where the driver has the most influence on the overall performance. Last year both our drivers were competitive - Sergio until his accident in Q3, and Kamui finished a strong fifth in the race. The main challenge for setting up the car will be to optimise the mechanical grip. I'm confident we will be able to handle this. The development package that we ran for the first time in Barcelona will also be used again in Monaco, so we will be able to carry over its performance gain. Pirelli will provide us with the soft and the super soft tyres. This is actually the first time this year that we will be using the super soft compound during a race weekend. We tested it briefly during winter testing in Barcelona, which is a track that's not exactly suited to this tyre, but I don't see us having any problems in managing this tyre compound. The track has been resurfaced in some areas, for example in the braking zone after the tunnel, so we have got rid of the bump there. That's something the drivers have to get used to, but, if anything, it should be easier. One of the design considerations of the C31 was to improve it over the kerbs, so we should be stronger at kerbing compared to last year. We have been competitive so far this season, and I'm confident we can be very strong in Monaco as well."

18/05/2012

The Monaco Grand Prix, round six of the 2012 season, is without doubt the most prestigious and unique race on the Formula One calendar. Taking place around the streets of the principality on Sunday 27 May, this year's race will mark the 70th anniversary of the event.

During a typical Monaco qualifying lap, the driver makes over 130 significant steering movements. Including other functions like KERS, a driver makes around 200 car inputs per lap - not including brake and throttle pedals. On average, the drivers change gear once every 54 metres around a lap - in Spa, it's once every 146 metres.

Michael Schumacher: "Monaco is just a circuit of its own very unique character. In a way, you could look at it with a big portion of irony with regards to the contradiction that, for so many years we have successfully campaigned for more track safety, and then we deliberately race in Monaco. But in my view this is justifiable once a year, especially as the circuit is really so much fun to drive. Every time you go there, you just look forward to finally getting out and driving the track. Of course, knowing that I will lose five positions on the grid does not add to this feeling but this just means that I will have to try even harder. I'm actually quite confident that we should look reasonably good in Monaco due to the hard work that everybody in the team is putting into the development of our car. So let's make the best out of the weekend."

Nico Rosberg: "I love the Monaco Grand Prix weekend and it's a great feeling to be driving at home, knowing that all my friends and family are watching. I have always been quick around the streets here, and I believe a good result is possible for us next weekend. The nature of the track should suit our car but as we have seen at every race so far this season, tyre management will be crucial. With five different winning teams so far this year, at least ten drivers have the chance to win in Monaco so this could be one of the most interesting races there for years."

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: "The uniqueness of Monaco makes it one of those tracks where anything can happen, particularly in a season that has proved to be almost impossible to predict so far. Despite the logistical challenges of the weekend, Monaco is a race that everyone on the team and the drivers really enjoy, and the experience of winning in Monaco is something very special indeed. After Nico's win in China, we have had two more difficult race weekends, but I am confident that we will start to see an improvement in Monaco as the developments that we have brought to the car recently take effect."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "With five different winners from five different teams in five races, it has been an exciting and unexpected first quarter of the 2012 season.

Now Formula One visits the most atypical circuit of all, Monaco. It makes unusual, one-off demands of the cars: there are fast and narrow sections, but also eight corners taken at under 100 kph and over 4,500 gear changes during the race. It is also incredibly challenging and rewarding for the drivers. In Monaco, more than any other circuit, the driver can really make the difference, especially on a single qualifying lap. Both Nico and Michael have shown a great feeling for the circuit and the ability to master it in recent seasons.

After all the talk of unpredictability of the teams' performance levels this year, there are also clear facts: three of five races have been won from pole position, including Nico's victory in China. What's more, the five drivers who have completed every race lap are all in the top seven in the current championship standings. Strong qualifying speed has been rewarded at every race, and consistently finishing races appears to be even more important in 2012. In the last three races, Nico has scored a total of 41 points, the second highest total in the field after Sebastian Vettel with 43. Our focus in Monaco will be to extract the maximum from our further developed technical package. Giving the drivers a car they can trust and feel confident in is worth more here than at any other circuit on the calendar."

18/05/2012

Following his victory in the Spanish Grand Prix, Pastor Maldonado shares his thoughts on his first win in Formula One and the season so far.

You visited the team's factory in Oxfordshire today, what was the atmosphere like?
I arrived at the factory this morning and everybody I have met has been congratulating me and there seems to be a lot of optimism about what we can achieve this season. We had a gathering this morning with all of the people in the factory to celebrate our win and this allowed me to thank all of them for their hard work.

After your victory in Barcelona do you think you have a realistic chance of winning at the next race in Monaco?
We will certainly do our best. Our package is definitely getting better and although we don't have the quickest car right now, we are improving very quickly. I have always liked Monaco and after Sunday I am certainly full of confidence.

Last year Williams scored only 5 points, but now you have a competitive car that has won a race. What do you think has caused such a dramatic up-turn in your performance?
We have a new technical team and they seem to be making a very positive impact already. I also have more experience now compared to last year and this is certainly helping me. I don't think there is one single thing that has led us to improve this year, but a number of little changes that when put together have made us more competitive on track.

You showed no signs of nerves when battling with Fernando Alonso in Barcelona. Did you learn valuable lessons from your encounter in Melbourne when you crashed out on the final lap?
In Melbourne I was pushing very hard to get as many points as possible for the team and perhaps pushed a little too hard. After last year the team were desperate for a strong start to the season and I wanted as many points as possible. I learnt from that and the experience certainly made me a stronger driver in Barcelona. Fernando is a tough competitor with a lot of talent so it was a tough battle but this time I came out on top.

Some people have said that you are a paid driver who entered Formula One because of your sponsorship backing. Do you think your win has answered these critics?
I am very lucky to have such amazing support from Venezuela. The finances I can bring have helped me reach Formula One but also help develop the car and that is crucial in being successful. I don't focus on these comments, preferring to do my talking on the track and do the best job I can for the team. Hopefully my performance in Spain has shown that I have the talent to be one of the best drivers.

We have had 5 winners now in the first 5 races. Do you think this unpredictability is good for Formula One?
This has been one of the most competitive seasons we have seen in many years and to have such a strong level of competition between the teams and drivers is a good thing in my opinion. It is boring for fans when one driver dominates, and this season feels a bit like GP2 with the driver being able to play a big part in the performance of the car. The tyres also allow teams to play around with different strategies so there is always the opportunity to move up if you take a gamble. We have worked hard on getting our tyres to perform well and this was certainly the case in Spain where I could do a longer final stint than others.

18/05/2012

It is no big secret that Formula One is planning to float on the Singapore stock exchange this year and there are few obstacles in its way. The biggest is probably the health of the economy and resistance from the Mercedes F1 team doesn't seem to be on the list.

Mercedes is the only F1 team with any standing not to have agreed to sign the new Concorde Agreement, the contract at the heart of F1. The team is reportedly annoyed that its rivals, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, will get seats on the board of F1's parent company Delta Topco and will benefit from updated terms in the new Concorde Agreement. It has been claimed that Mercedes could up-skittle the flotation by complaining to the European Commission (EC) that the new Concorde Agreement is anti-competitive. This kind of challenge would indeed put the brakes on the flotation if it was serious since it could lead to F1 being investigated and the outcome would be unknown. However, as Pitpass recently reported, several senior sports lawyers have claimed that if Mercedes made a complaint it is "unlikely to be successful."

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone recently said that he very much doubts that Mercedes will leave F1 so does this mean that it is going to put up with the terms or will they be changed to tempt the team? Under the updated terms in the new Concorde Agreement Mercedes is ineligible from receiving additional payments and there seems to be little that can be done about that.

The teams currently share around 50% of F1's underlying profits with Ferrari getting a separate fee in recognition of its historic status. However, under the new Concorde, additional payments will go to any team which has competed since 2000 without making a change to its name with further payments rewarding past constructors' championship winners and back-to-back champions. Mercedes is ruled out from this because its team has changed its name several times since 2000.

Indeed, Mercedes has changed its name so many times in recent years that one sports reporter recently struggled to keep up with it and claimed that the team "became British American Racing in 1998, Honda GP in 2009, Brawn GP in 2010 and Mercedes GP at the end of the same year."Of course, the team was not racing as Brawn GP in 2010 and, contrary to the reporter's protestations after his piece was published. This (pdf) is when it officially changed its name to Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix. Nevertheless, if reporters can't get its name from just a few years ago correct it has clearly changed too many times. Bearing this in mind, it is easy to see why Ecclestone isn't likely to give ground on these terms in order to meet Mercedes half way.

However, giving ground on the board seat is simpler to do. At lunch with Ecclestone, Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt asked the F1 boss how his negotiations with Mercedes were going. "Mercedes will sign up to the new Concorde. That will be all right," says Ecclestone. Whereas there had previously been no suggestion that a representative of the German car manufacturer would become a director of F1, Ecclestone now says "we will have to see if Mercedes get a seat on the board. I had a meeting about it with Dieter Zetsche [chairman of Mercedes' owner Daimler] at the weekend in Barcelona. He was OK about it but he has got to put everything through his board, all the things we discussed."

It remains to be seen whether Mercedes will actually get the board seat as it will add to the growing number of directors of F1. Ecclestone will have plenty of support from Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who will represent the Italian team, and Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz who will take the seat on behalf of his team. The McLaren seat is likely to go to its executive chairman Ron Dennis or the Crown Prince of Bahrain since the country's Mumtalakat wealth fund owns 50% of the team. However, whereas Dennis is an old nemesis of Ecclestone, the Crown Prince is one of his most staunch allies so he would give support under the sport's new structure which will see a whopping 16 other directors join the F1 boss on its board when it floats.

17/05/2012

Jenson Button admits that he is more concerned at the MP4-27's lack of pace than the mistakes the team has been making this year.

Despite three pole positions and one win, the early stages of the Woking outfit's 2012 campaign has been littered with needless mistakes, be it bodged pit stops or 'accidentally' sending Lewis Hamilton out with too little fuel on his final run in Spain, subsequently costing the Englishman his spot at the front of the grid.

However, it isn't the errors and cock-ups that frustrate Button, rather the MP4-27's lack of pace, particularly in Spain.

"The most important thing is to understand why I didn't have any pace over the weekend on low and high fuel," he told Press Association Sport. "Even if qualifying doesn't go well, normally we can get some good points in the race, but I couldn't look after my tyres and I didn't have any pace. It's something that's a concern."

However, while Button, whose moaning about lack of grip and constant understeer punctuated the weekend, struggled to ninth, teammate Hamilton, consigned to the back of the grid following his team's misdemeanour, gave one of the best performances of his life, eventually battling back to eighth.

"Yes, Lewis did a fantastic job in qualifying, and the team did well to produce a car like that," admits Button. "In the race you can say Lewis again did a good job by finishing eighth, which he should be happy with, but still the pace isn't there.

"It was a worse weekend for me," he continued, "but if you look at Lewis' pace in the race, I still don't think it's where you would expect us to be. My fastest lap of the race was 2.6s slower than the quickest overall, which is just strange, and I don't understand why that is. And it wasn't one end of the car I struggled with, it was both. I've never been in a position like that. It was very extreme."

Reflecting on a weekend which saw Pastor Maldonado score his first F1 win and Williams first in eight seasons, while McLaren, Red Bull and the other big guns struggled, Button admits: "It's not just us. The Red Bulls did a better job at the weekend than us in terms of points, but still they weren't quick when you compare them to Williams, Sauber, Lotus and Ferrari.

"Five different teams winning five different races, we really don't know what's going on, and I think that's the same up and down the pit lane."

17/05/2012

Pastor Maldonado has spoken of how his joy turned to horror when, moments after posing for a team photo to celebrate his Barcelona win, a garage fire almost ended in tragedy.

"At that moment I was so scared for all of us," told reporters in a Williams conference call this morning. "I think we were so lucky because we had no big damage and especially because our people were okay."

In the mainstream media, images of Maldonado standing atop an F1 podium for the first time, and Williams first visit since 2004, gave way to pictures of the Venezuelan driver carrying his terror-stricken 12-year-old cousin to safety, the youngster wearing a cast on his foot from a previous injury.

"I saw my cousin who was with a small injury, I took him and brought him away from the box," said Maldonado. "It was a difficult moment for all the team but we've been so happy even after that because of the win."

Looking ahead to Monaco, where in 2011 he was running sixth before colliding with Lewis Hamilton just five laps from the end of the race, he said: "We will do our best. As you see, all the teams are so close, the championship is so close and the gap is so close. We are getting better and better all the time.

"At the moment we don't have the quickest car on the track," he continued, "but we are doing our best and why not? Formula One is changing all the time. It's going to be difficult but we will try again.

"The season is unpredictable," he added, a masterpiece of understatement. "I think it is more competitive, it has become like a GP2 championship. It becomes very strong, the drivers can make the difference... it's a bit boring when you see only one car winning."

Asked about tyres, which appear to be the deciding factor this season, he said: "Tyre degradation is quite big and it is true that you need to manage them. This is part of the race and it's the same for everybody. There are no easy races. We need to adapt to the tyres, to the rules, to the car."

17/05/2012

His career in Formula One may have been fleeting but Christian Klien looks to have found a new niche in Touring Cars having been confirmed for two of Australia's most iconic motorsport events.

Pairing up with former V8 Supercar champion Russell Ingall, Klien is set co-drive the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 events towards the end of the year.

Klien first raced a V8 Supercar, having taken part in the Gold Coast 600, last season. It gave the 29-year-old a taste for racing in Australia, which in February saw him take part in a 12-Hour production car race at the iconic Bathurst circuit. "When I did the Indy race, the Gold Coast 600, everyone was talking about this track," he told Pitpass at the time.

That weekend he was behind the wheel of a Lotus Exige, though simply taking part wasn't the only reason he was there. "It was perfect to learn the circuit, have a good time here... I was doing that because one eye is on going down to the V8 Supercars, which I really enjoyed.

"It's really good close racing. You can overtake, the cars are almost the same so everyone has a fair chance," he continued. "I just love the way they run the race weekend. It's a bit like in America; it's very relaxed but at the same time very high level and very professional."

Now confirmed alongside Ingall the former Red Bull and Jaguar driver looks to have achieved at least part of his ambition.

"Christian is a world-class driver who's reached racing's pinnacle in Formula One," explained Ingall. "The pressure's going to be on, but Christian's used to that. He's the sort of bloke we wanted on our team."

"After the Gold Coast I was determined to come back and do more V8 races," Klien said of today's announcement. "Mount Panorama is one of the world's greatest circuits and the Bathurst 1000 is world-famous; it's a must-do race in any racing driver's career."

That career may have steered Klien away from Formula One, though, as Pitpass found out in February, that's no bad thing. Since leaving Formula One the Austrian, who was once the darling of Red Bull's Driver Programme, seems to have found a new lease of life and renewed enthusiasm for motor sport.

It proves there really is a world outside Formula One after all.

17/05/2012

Last Sunday Kamui Kobayashi equalled what was up to then the best result of his Formula One career, coming home fifth as he did in the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix. The Japanese talks about the Barcelona race, the C31, Monaco and beyond... and his favourite football team... Chelsea.

Once again you have managed to score ten points for the team. What are your thoughts looking back at the race?
"The most important thing for us was to have confirmation that our new aero package was working well. It is definitely a step forward. After I had a difficult qualifying because of an hydraulic problem, I had to start ninth. I think the race performance as such was better than my fifth place suggests. Traffic in the race makes it more difficult to handle the tyres. If you looked at Lewis Hamilton, who was fastest in qualifying, you could also see it wasn't an easy job for him to improve positions in the race traffic after he was forced to start last on the grid. Overall I am very happy and proud of what a great job the guys back in the factory did to further develop the car and, of course, what the crew at the race track did."

Does the Sauber C31-Ferrari's new aero package deliver what you expected?
"Yes, I think we have improved in the areas we wanted to. The car is better balanced through the corners now. In terms of stability I would say it is about the same, but stability always depends a lot on the track conditions."

You had two super overtaking manoeuvres in Spain. Have you regained confidence in the car?
"I think so, I definitely had confidence in the car in Barcelona when overtaking. I also feel with the update we can now handle the tyre management better during the race. We had been a bit weak on that side before."

How do you think the car can perform on the narrow street circuit of Monaco?
"It obviously provides an entirely different challenge than that of the Circuit de Catalunya. In Monaco the car is bouncing on bumps, you have understeer and oversteer when you are driving on the limit and the track doesn't forgive any mistakes. I think our car will be better in Monaco than it was last year because it has improved in slow corners. In 2011 I finished fifth, so the target should be to finish higher up this year. However, even if you are given the best car in Monaco, in the end a lot is down to the driver to get the ultimate tenths of a second out of it."

You will be attending the Champions League final of Chelsea FC versus Bayern Munich on Saturday. Have you ever been in a football stadium before for such a big match?
"No, I have never seen a match of that level. I only attended some games of lower leagues in Italy. Normally I am not a big fan of watching other sports, as I would rather concentrate on my own training. But now after I have decided to be a supporter of Chelsea FC I am very much looking forward to seeing them play in the stadium. This is professional sport at the highest level and I am getting very excited about going to Munich on Saturday!"

What are your targets for the forthcoming races?
"We have seen five different winners in five races. So you could say almost everything is possible this year. I believe we have a good car and good chances for good results. The final outcome always depends on a lot of factors. But what you have to do for success is to get every small thing perfectly right over the entire weekend. And this is what I'm aiming at."

16/05/2012

Sauber has announced that "in the interests of continuity", Peter Sauber has taken the decision to transfer a third of the stake in the Sauber Group to CEO Monisha Kaltenborn. Sauber, the Team Principal and President of the Board of Directors of all Sauber Group companies, will retain the remaining two thirds.

"When BMW pulled out of Formula One in 2009, Monisha Kaltenborn was instrumental in the team's survival and since then she has been doing outstanding work in her capacity as CEO," said Sauber. "Transferring one third of the stake to her represents an important step for me in providing continuity. My desire is to ensure that the company continues to be led as I would want over the long term. Monisha Kaltenborn and my son Alex, who joined the company as Marketing Director in 2010 and has since also been a member of the Board of Management, both embrace this aim. It means we can offer our employees a positive outlook for the future."

"For me this step is a mark of the greatest possible trust, which I will do everything in my power to justify," added Kaltenborn.

16/05/2012

Lola Cars, which other than an illustrious history in Sports Cars, CART and all manner of other disciplines, including F1, has gone into administration.

A brief statement issued this morning read:

"Lola Cars International Ltd was formed in 1958. In recent years, significant investment has been made in technology and capability in the motorsports business as well as diversifying and creating Lola Composites Limited, serving the defence, aerospace, communications, renewable energy, automotive and motorsports markets.

The latest economic downturn and the decision of HMRC not to pay ongoing R&D tax credits has caused a serious cashflow problem for the businesses. It is with enormous regret that a decision has been taken to issue Notices of intention to appoint an Administrator to Lola Cars International Limited and Lola Composites Limited. This step allows the board to continue its discussions with possible investors and prospective purchasers with a view to securing the best outcome for the staff, creditors and customers of both businesses.

The Lola board have declined to make further comment until Monday 21st May."

Founded in 1958 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon, Lola began life by building small front-engined sports cars before branching out into Formula Junior cars and then diversifying into one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of racing cars in the world.

The company's first foray into F1 was in 1962, supplying Lola Mk4 cars to Reg Parnell's Bowmaker-Yeoman Racing Team, with John Surtees and Roy Salvadori as drivers.

In 1967, Lola assisted Honda Racing and John Surtees with the design of their F1 car. The overweight chassis design by the Japanese manufacturer was abandoned and a 1966 Lola Indianapolis monocoque was used as the basis for a Honda-engined car, the result being widely known as the Hondola. Surtees was to score a famous victory with the car at Monza in 1967.

In addition to working with Graham Hill on the first Embassy-Hill, there were subsequent partnerships in F1 with Carl Haas (Lola/Beatrice), Larrousse-Calmels, Scuderia Italia and the ill-fated Mastercard Lola project of 1997 which saw the team withdraw after just two races.

In 2009, Lola announced its plans to lodge an entry with the FIA for the 2010 championship, however, this was withdrawn when the company failed to secure a place on the initial entry list.

A sad end to a stalwart of motorsport.

16/05/2012

Russian Automobile Federation advisor warns of delays in construction of Sochi circuit due to "politics".

The Sochi circuit is due to host Russia's inaugural Grand Prix in 2014, months after the Winter Games are held at the Sochi Olympic Park, however, Igor Yermilin, an adviser with the Russian Automobile Federation, claims that following a reshuffle of the local government (Krasnodar) work has almost come to a standstill.

Among those who have lost their positions in the reshuffle are representatives of Omega the company responsible for the Formula One project.

"In the Krasnodar region there has been have been quite serious changes in the leadership," Yermilin told Rianovosti.com. While the regional governor has been re-appointed; "the entire rest of the team has changed, including people from Omega who signed the contract on holding the Russian Grand Prix".

"As soon as a Krasnodar government is appointed, they will return to this question" Yermilin continued. "The main thing at the moment is the Olympics, the Grand Prix is on the back burner. Although there may be serious delays in meeting preparation deadlines."

Asked if he feared the project could fall through, Yermilin was adamant. "I have no doubts that this event will be held successfully. Our country has never failed in delivering such big international events, nor has it neglected its obligations. Especially considering Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has become our president."