September 13th, 2008 at 09:37pm
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Red Bull teams nearly locked out the front two rows of the grid for the Italian Grand Prix, as Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel became Formula One’s youngest-ever polesitter in appalling weather conditions at Monza on Saturday.
It began to rain heavily with 15 minutes to go before the start of qualifying, and after the McLarens of Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton set the pace in Q1, 21 year-old Vettel took over in Q2.
That session proved to be Hamilton’s undoing. After an exploratory run on inappropriate standard wet tyres - extreme-wets were the way to go throughout the hour - he just didn’t get his McLaren up to speed and ended it 15th on 1m 39.265s. He was not alone, however. A spin prevented BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica from bettering 1m 36.697s which left him 11th and the first to fall, and behind Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella (1m 36.698s) and Red Bull’s David Coulthard (1m 37.284s), Kimi Raikkonen languished 14th on 1m 37.522s for Ferrari.
Vettel made no mistakes in Q3, consistently outrunning his competition, even though corners such as Ascari were so wet that aquaplaning caught out many. The German pushed his STR3 round in 1m 37.555s, and though Kovalainen managed 1m 37.632s, it was not enough.
Behind them, Mark Webber’s final lap for Red Bull jumped him up to third on 1m 38.117s, pushing Red Bull stablemate Sebastien Bourdais down a place to fourth in the second Toro Rosso, on 1m 38.445s. The Frenchman was lucky to get away with a spin exiting Ascari.
Reflecting the highly unusual nature of this grid, Nico Rosberg was fifth for Williams on 1m 38.767s, ahead of Felipe Massa’s Ferrari, in which the Brazilian could not better 1m 38.894s.
The Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock sandwiched Fernando Alonso’s Renault, the Italian lapping in 1m 39.152s, the Spaniard in 1m 39.751s and the German 1m 39.787s. Nick Heidfeld, who spun in Q1, completed the top 10 with 1m 39.906s for BMW Sauber.
Behind Kubica, Fisichella, Coulthard, Raikkonen and Hamilton, Rubens Barrichello was 16th for Honda on 1m 36.510s ahead of Renault’s Nelson Piquet (1m 36.630s), Williams’ Kazuki Nakajima (1m 36.653s), Honda’s Jenson Button (1m 37.006s) and Force India’s Adrian Sutil (1m 37.417s).
With more rain possible for Sunday, a fantastic race is in prospect as Vettel and co seek to capitalise on their performances, as Kubica, Raikkonen and Hamilton do everything they can to overcome their tribulations.
By admin
September 2nd, 2008 at 08:55pm
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GP2 driver Sebastien Buemi and former Super Aguri racer Takuma Sato are to test for Toro Rosso at a multi-team test session later this month, as the Italian squad continue to ponder their 2009 line-up. Buemi and Sato will be in action behind the wheel of the STR3 at the Spanish circuit of Jerez following the Italian Grand Prix.
“The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Sebastian Vettel, who is joining Red Bull Racing next year,” explained Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. “The Jerez test, the last one of the season, will give us an opportunity to evaluate Buemi and Sato at the same time, as they are both possible candidates for a 2009 seat.
“Buemi is an obvious candidate, because not only is he already part of the Red Bull family, he is currently performing well in the GP2 series. As for Sato, he has proved worthy of a place in Formula One and would be a good fit with the Red Bull spirit, while his recent F1 experience would be undoubtedly valuable to our team.”
Nineteen year-old Buemi has advanced through the Red Bull junior driver programme and is test and reserve driver for Toro Rosso’s sister team Red Bull Racing. The Swiss driver is currently lying fifth in the GP2 championship and has four GP2 victories to his name.
Sato, meanwhile, is Japan’s most successful racing driver. The 31 year-old has competed in 91 Grands Prix, his best result being a third place finish at the 2004 United States Grand Prix. Sato first made the headlines when he won the hotly contested British Formula Three championship in 2001, before joining the Jordan Formula One team the following year. Three years with BAR Honda followed that, before he joined Super Aguri in 2006. He stayed with the team until it pulled out of the sport after this year’s Spanish race.
“I am delighted to be given this opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula One car, after my season was cut short following the Spanish Grand Prix,” added Sato. “It will be especially interesting working with a team that has made so much progress over the course of the year.”
By admin
September 2nd, 2008 at 05:53pm
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The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few races that double world champion Fernando Alonso has not won. Given Renault’s recent form, that situation is unlikely to change this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the Spaniard is not looking forward to the race. After the disappointment of retiring in front of his home crowd on lap one in Valencia, Alonso is out to make amends at Spa, as Renault chase fourth in the constructors’ championship…
Q: Fernando, you had to retire early from your second home Grand Prix in Valencia. You must have been extremely disappointed…
Fernando Alonso: I knew that my weekend would be difficult after qualifying - starting so far down the field on a street circuit is never where you want to be. I was hit on the first lap and lost my rear wing. My mechanics did everything to try and get me back out, but my race was already compromised. I’m disappointed not to have been able to drive in front of my supporters as I wanted to give them a special race, but that’s in the past now and I am looking forward to the race in Belgium.
Q: As you say, this weekend is the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa. Is it a circuit that you enjoy?
FA: Spa is one of those exceptional circuits on the Formula One calendar. Like all the older circuits, there is always a very special and warm atmosphere. For the drivers, Spa is an unbelievable challenge and is a very enjoyable place to drive a Formula One car. I have never won at Spa and hope that one day I can add a win here to my list of achievements.
Q: What are the demands of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit?
FA: It’s a very long circuit, which generally emphasises the gaps between the cars. It requires a very complete car and so we will have to work hard on the set-up to make sure we are competitive in the quick sections as well as in the slower corners. The compression in Eau Rouge is still an impressive part of the circuit.
Q: Do you think you can have a strong race in Spa as the team chases fourth position in the constructors’ championship?
FA: Even though the European Grand Prix turned out to be a race to forget, we should not lower our aims. I am sure that the team is giving 100 percent to achieve our objective and I will also give my maximum to try and get a strong result and score some points. At the beginning of the season things were not easy, but we have improved and we are determined to continue in this direction.
By admin
September 2nd, 2008 at 05:28pm
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Toyota have confirmed that Formula One team manager Richard Cregan will leave his position at the end of November to take on a new role elsewhere in motorsport. He will be replaced by Jens Marquardt, currently working in Toyota’s engine engineering department.
Cregan, 48, joined Toyota Motorsport GmbH 24 years ago as a rally mechanic. He went on to become operations manager for the Japanese company’s World Rally and Le Mans programs and when their Formula One project was announced he assisted the late Ove Andersson in making the plan a reality. He became general manager of the F1 operation in 2002 before stepping up to team manager in 2004.
“We are very sad to be losing a team member of Richard’s qualities but we understand his reasons and we wish him the very best of luck in his new challenge,” said Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina. “Richard played an important part in Toyota Motorsport’s history.
“We salute his numerous achievements, which include providing a positive working environment at the factory and at tracks around the world as well as implementing the Toyota Way in Formula One, where we have achieved significant progress in areas such as pit stops and car operations.”
More details of Cregan’s new position will be confirmed in due course. His replacement Marquardt played a key role in developing Toyota’s first Formula One engines and became group leader for engine track test engineering in 2003. He was also a significant figure in the smooth start-up of Toyota’s engine supply to Williams and has been manager of engine customer supply since August 2006.
“Looking to the future I am delighted Jens will take this new opportunity, which he thoroughly deserves,” added Yamashina. “Jens has been with our company for eight years and is a valuable team member who has shown great ability and a positive attitude. He has a suitable amount of time to learn his new tasks from Richard and we are confident the transition will be a smooth one.”
By admin
August 30th, 2008 at 12:06am
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An underdog team last year, Toro Rosso have developed into the darlings of the paddock this season - thanks in no small part to the talents of young driver Sebastian Vettel. With several superb performances under his belt and an engaging attitude to boot - Vettel is the team’s golden boy. But at the end of the season Gerhard Berger, Toro Rosso’s co-owner, will have to wave farewell as his favourite heads to Red Bull. What happens next? Berger doesn’t know, but what he is sure of is that the team is currently over delivering - and the Austrian is confident it can continue to do so…
Q: Gerhard, Sebastian Vettel has become the team’s leading light, in terms of results and media interest. How difficult is it for you to let him go?
Gerhard Berger: Well, of course the media interest is important, but what is more important is the performance of the team - Sebastian has helped us a lot to get the right atmosphere back. We had been really struggling with Scott Speed and Tonio Liuzzi last year, but he has proved what the team is able to do and has done it in a very nice way, with us, with the engineers, with everybody. That has pushed us such an immense step forward - it is really a pity to lose him. There is not a single soul in the team that is not sad to see him go at the end of the season. On the other hand we get so much from Red Bull. Without Red Bull, Toro Rosso would be nowhere, so it feels good that we can give something back, even if I would like to have him stay with the team.
Q: With one cockpit definitely free, do you have a replacement in mind?
GB: The first direction that we look in is obviously to the Red Bull young driver programme and then we’ll see. But we are not quite ready yet. We don’t really have a list in our heads at this stage. We are far from saying it’s this one or that one because we are also waiting to see if something happens elsewhere - and probably then we’ll get a new chance.
Q: How is the decision made? Is it something that you do yourself or do you confer with Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz?
GB: Everybody will bring opinions and then we - Didi and myself - will try to find the right way for the team. At the end of the day, the last word will come from Red Bull because that is where we get all our resources from, so it is natural that we listen to what he would like to do.
Q: What about Sebastien Bourdais? It seems that he’s found the transition to Formula One racing quite difficult. Has this surprised you? You hired him because of his ‘champion mentality’…
GB: In Formula One you have to give someone half a year of time before you start to judge him. The half year is over and he is now in a situation where he has to prove his talents. I would not say that I already have a clear opinion on him, but I also have to say that Sebastian Vettel started a couple of races before and he performed very well in the first half year. So we will have to see how the second half goes for Sebastien Bourdais. And honestly I don’t want to be drawn into an expression of opinion at this very moment.
Q: But is he a fixture at Toro Rosso for next season?
GB: No. It’s open.
Q: Are you satisfied with the season so far? There have been a lot of DNFs?
GB: We started with the old car, but that was part of the programme and at the end of the day we are having a fantastic season. Sure I would like to see more points on their accounts - hopefully there’s more to come - but what we are doing now at Toro Rosso, in my opinion, is clearly over delivering.
Q: Are you still improving the STR3?
GB: We are still working on the car and there are still six races to go, which makes me convinced that we are heading into a good season finale. There is one circuit that’s going to be difficult for us and that is Singapore - for downforce reasons - but the rest of the tracks should be fine for us, as we proved very clearly last week in Valencia.
Q: How is a small independent team like Toro Rosso dealing with the 2009 regulation changes?
GB: At a small team you just get on with the job because there is not much to do as there is not much influence that you have. There is simply not much you can do to turn it around. Just read what the regulations are and try to do it.
Q: Red Bull Racing raised concerns about KERS. What is your stance on that? There have been two somewhat turbulent team principal meetings on it…
GB: That is very simple - I understand the need for KERS, but I have to pay for KERS, and we simply don’t have the budget to do it. So we would prefer not to have it, simply because of cost reasons.
Q: You said in a previous interview that it will be no big deal to separate Toro Rosso from Red Bull Racing again. It is just about relocating some staff back to Italy - what is the schedule for that?
GB: It is in a state of process - halfway I would say. We are consistently improving our infrastructure and I think we are in good shape.
By admin
August 26th, 2008 at 11:08pm
Under Racing
With the summer ban now lifted, the Formula One fraternity is expected to be out in force testing at Monza this week. All 10 teams are scheduled to make the journey to the Italian track, as they begin preparations for September’s Belgian and Italian Grands Prix.
While the rest of the field will test from Wednesday, Ferrari will be in action a day earlier, with GT driver Andrea Bertolini in charge of the F2008’s cockpit on Tuesday. Bertolini will then hand the car over to Ferrari race regular Felipe Massa for Wednesday and Thursday. World champion Kimi Raikkonen, meanwhile, will test on Friday.
Ferrari’s title rivals, McLaren, will begin their three-day test on Wednesday. Both Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton will get behind the wheel of the MP4-23 during the test, with Kovalainen taking charge on the opening two days and Hamilton driving on the concluding day.
BMW Sauber are also expected to start work on Wednesday, with Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica scheduled to be in attendance. Toyota, meanwhile, kick off their session with veteran driver Jarno Trulli behind the wheel of the TF108. Team mate Timo Glock is scheduled to take over the car on the final day.
After his strong showing at the European Grand Prix, Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel is scheduled to share driving duties with team mate Sebastian Bourdais over the three days. Honda, Renault, Williams, Red Bull and Force India will also be in action from Wednesday. And in light of their disappointing Valencia race, Honda will be out to make the most of the available track time. Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will both be in action during the test, as the Japanese team strive to improve the RA108.
“Our first priority will be to understand where we failed and make sure we have a more robust approach for Spa and beyond,” explained Honda team principal Ross Brawn after the European event. “We have a three-day test in Monza where we will focus on getting the most out of our recent developments.”
As always, Formula1.com will bring you daily reports on the teams’ progress, as well as all the latest pictures from Monza. Note - all schedules are provisional and subject to change.
By admin