Monday, 29 October 2012
2013 Drivers and Teams
Vettel Red Bull Racing RBR-Renault
Webber Red Bull Racing RBR-Renault
Button Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren Mercedes
Perez Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren Mercedes
Alonso Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
Massa Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
Hamilton Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes
Rosberg Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes
Raikkonen Lotus F1 Team Lotus-Renault
Lotus F1 Team Lotus-Renault
Di Resta Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India-Mercedes
Hulkenberg Sahara Force India F1 Team Force India-Mercedes
Sauber F1 Team Sauber-Ferrari
Sauber F1 Team Sauber-Ferrari
Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso STR-Ferrari
Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso STR-Ferrari
Maldonado Williams F1 Williams-Renault
Williams F1 Williams-Renault
Team Caterham Caterham Renault
Team Caterham Caterham Renault
De la Rosa HRT F1 Team HRT-Cosworth
HRT F1 Team HRT-Cosworth
Glock Marussia F1 Team Marussia-Cosworth
Chilton Marussia F1 Team Marussia-Cosworth
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Indian grand prix race report,
LEWIS HAMILTON
MP4-27A-01
Started: 3rd
Finished 4th
Fastest lap 1m28.944s (+0.741s, 5th)
Pitstops One: lap 32 (3.12s) [Opt-Pri]
Points 165 (5th)
"I don’t yet understand why I got such a poor start – it lost me ground and then I fell under attack from the guys behind. During the first lap, I was primarily focusing on not colliding with Jenson, then I saw Fernando [Alonso] in my right mirror. He was towing me from very far back. Even if I’d had a better start than I did, the guys in front were still maybe a bit too fast, particularly in the first stint.
"During that first stint I started having a downshift problem – I was having to change down with my right hand instead of my left, so the team elected to change the steering wheel at the pitstop.
"I’ve never had to change a steering wheel during a race before. We’ve done it in Barcelona testing before, but never in a race. Even so, the guys did it fantastically quickly, under immense pressure, so I want to say ‘well done!’ to them all. I took the wheel off before I’d even stopped the car, and threw it out of the car. The team then fitted a new one, I clicked it into first gear, and I was away – all in just a bit over three seconds flat.
"I tried to chase down Mark [Webber] in the closing laps, but by then it was too late and he was going too quickly for me to be able to mount a serious challenge. But I never give up, and, right until the very last corner, I thought I might just be able to catch him, but in the end it wasn’t to be.
"Still, I loved it out there today – I can’t remember the last time I’ve pushed so far, so hard, for so long, right on the limit – it felt great. It felt fantastic, in fact, to be in the middle of such a battle.
"I’m so proud of all the guys in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, too – it was a really great race."
JENSON BUTTON
MP4-27A-02
Started 4th
Finished 5th
Fastest lap 1m28.203s (1st)
Pitstops One: lap 25 (3.34s) [Opt-Pri]
Points 141 (6th)
"The start of the race was my highlight – there were just millimetres between Lewis, Fernando and me. I’ve never had a start quite like that before – unbelievably hard-fought – and none of us hit each other. It was so close, so tight, yet so clean. It’s just a pity that the rest of the race wasn’t as enjoyable!
"My first stint was pretty disappointing; I think maybe we struggled more on the Options [tyres] than the other runners did, so I couldn’t keep the guys behind me. I then made my pitstop earlier than anticipated, so that we could find a better balance on the harder tyre, but that didn’t work out because I got stuck behind Romain [Grosjean], which lost me more time.
"But getting fastest lap on the final lap was great, and I think there’s plenty of potential that we can build on and take with us to Abu Dhabi next weekend."
MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
"We scored 22 world championship points here today, but we’d hoped to score quite a few more than that.
"We found it difficult to coax sufficient pace out of the Options, but our car was the fastest in the field on the Primes. The trouble was, by the time we were running on Primes, the gap to the cars ahead was a bit too large. Even so, Lewis pushed as hard as he possibly could in the closing stages, carving chunks out of the gap between him and Mark ahead, and, if the race had been just a few laps longer, I’m certain he’d have fancied his chances of getting past.
"Jenson, too, drove superbly, in difficult conditions, losing quite a bit of time while stuck behind Romain, but he made as rapid progress as Lewis did once he’d got onto Primes. Indeed, he drove the fastest lap of the race on the very last lap. It was McLaren’s 150th fastest lap in world championship grand prix racing, incidentally.
"Finally, here’s another stat for the train-spotters out there: today, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes tied Ferrari’s all-time record of 55 consecutive world championship grands prix in the points. We started that run in Australia in 2010, which race Jenson won for us of course; indeed, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has scored points in every single grand prix since Jenson joined our team.
"In Abu Dhabi, in a week’s time, we’ll be seeking to establish a new benchmark: 56 consecutive world championship grands prix in the points. In fact, of course, we’ll be aiming to do a bit more than that: there are three grands prix still to run this season, and you can be well sure that everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be doing his or her level best to win as many of them as we possibly can."
Info from
www.http://McLaren.com
MP4-27A-01
Started: 3rd
Finished 4th
Fastest lap 1m28.944s (+0.741s, 5th)
Pitstops One: lap 32 (3.12s) [Opt-Pri]
Points 165 (5th)
"I don’t yet understand why I got such a poor start – it lost me ground and then I fell under attack from the guys behind. During the first lap, I was primarily focusing on not colliding with Jenson, then I saw Fernando [Alonso] in my right mirror. He was towing me from very far back. Even if I’d had a better start than I did, the guys in front were still maybe a bit too fast, particularly in the first stint.
"During that first stint I started having a downshift problem – I was having to change down with my right hand instead of my left, so the team elected to change the steering wheel at the pitstop.
"I’ve never had to change a steering wheel during a race before. We’ve done it in Barcelona testing before, but never in a race. Even so, the guys did it fantastically quickly, under immense pressure, so I want to say ‘well done!’ to them all. I took the wheel off before I’d even stopped the car, and threw it out of the car. The team then fitted a new one, I clicked it into first gear, and I was away – all in just a bit over three seconds flat.
"I tried to chase down Mark [Webber] in the closing laps, but by then it was too late and he was going too quickly for me to be able to mount a serious challenge. But I never give up, and, right until the very last corner, I thought I might just be able to catch him, but in the end it wasn’t to be.
"Still, I loved it out there today – I can’t remember the last time I’ve pushed so far, so hard, for so long, right on the limit – it felt great. It felt fantastic, in fact, to be in the middle of such a battle.
"I’m so proud of all the guys in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, too – it was a really great race."
JENSON BUTTON
MP4-27A-02
Started 4th
Finished 5th
Fastest lap 1m28.203s (1st)
Pitstops One: lap 25 (3.34s) [Opt-Pri]
Points 141 (6th)
"The start of the race was my highlight – there were just millimetres between Lewis, Fernando and me. I’ve never had a start quite like that before – unbelievably hard-fought – and none of us hit each other. It was so close, so tight, yet so clean. It’s just a pity that the rest of the race wasn’t as enjoyable!
"My first stint was pretty disappointing; I think maybe we struggled more on the Options [tyres] than the other runners did, so I couldn’t keep the guys behind me. I then made my pitstop earlier than anticipated, so that we could find a better balance on the harder tyre, but that didn’t work out because I got stuck behind Romain [Grosjean], which lost me more time.
"But getting fastest lap on the final lap was great, and I think there’s plenty of potential that we can build on and take with us to Abu Dhabi next weekend."
MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
"We scored 22 world championship points here today, but we’d hoped to score quite a few more than that.
"We found it difficult to coax sufficient pace out of the Options, but our car was the fastest in the field on the Primes. The trouble was, by the time we were running on Primes, the gap to the cars ahead was a bit too large. Even so, Lewis pushed as hard as he possibly could in the closing stages, carving chunks out of the gap between him and Mark ahead, and, if the race had been just a few laps longer, I’m certain he’d have fancied his chances of getting past.
"Jenson, too, drove superbly, in difficult conditions, losing quite a bit of time while stuck behind Romain, but he made as rapid progress as Lewis did once he’d got onto Primes. Indeed, he drove the fastest lap of the race on the very last lap. It was McLaren’s 150th fastest lap in world championship grand prix racing, incidentally.
"Finally, here’s another stat for the train-spotters out there: today, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes tied Ferrari’s all-time record of 55 consecutive world championship grands prix in the points. We started that run in Australia in 2010, which race Jenson won for us of course; indeed, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has scored points in every single grand prix since Jenson joined our team.
"In Abu Dhabi, in a week’s time, we’ll be seeking to establish a new benchmark: 56 consecutive world championship grands prix in the points. In fact, of course, we’ll be aiming to do a bit more than that: there are three grands prix still to run this season, and you can be well sure that everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be doing his or her level best to win as many of them as we possibly can."
Info from
www.http://McLaren.com
French Grand Prix
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has stated the French Grand Prix could be back on the calendar as early as next year
But with the Los of New Jersey, United States . (For the moment)
The French Grand Prix (1906-1967: Grand Prix de l'ACF, 1968-2008: Grand Prix de France) is a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships. The last race was held in 2008.
Grand Prix motor racing originated in France and the French Grand Prix, open to international competition, is the oldest Grand Prix race, first run on 26 June 1906 under the auspices of the Automobile Club de France in Sarthe, with a starting field of 32 automobiles.
But with the Los of New Jersey, United States . (For the moment)
The French Grand Prix (1906-1967: Grand Prix de l'ACF, 1968-2008: Grand Prix de France) is a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships. The last race was held in 2008.
Grand Prix motor racing originated in France and the French Grand Prix, open to international competition, is the oldest Grand Prix race, first run on 26 June 1906 under the auspices of the Automobile Club de France in Sarthe, with a starting field of 32 automobiles.
Well 2013 going to be a interesting one
So with the season going down to the last three races, it's a fight with Vettal and Alonso to be king of 2012.
While in the mean time poor old McLaren are not on top form with Hamilton's move to Mercedes in 2013. Which is a strange move ether way you look at!
But with Button, Sergio Perez and a new car, 2013 could be McLaren's year! We have seen a flash of brilliance form McLaren over 2012 time and time again!
Like today in the Indian race, Lewis had a steering wheel downshift failure so the McLaren pitcrew changed it (and the 4 wheels) in a 3.1s pitstop. Truly awesome!
Swapping the four tires on Jenson Button's car in just 2.31 seconds. Button didn't lose a single place on the grid. Doing 2.31sec on both cars in the German Grand Prix.
So I hear you ask if this is right, the stats prove that McLaren can be in winning team, what is going so bad for them?
To be honest with you I don't know. This was a winning team back in the 80's, McLaren was winning race after race. There has been problems with the new tyres, or is it the other cars are so much better than McLaren?
Mclaren have a issues with the mp4-12 Car, throw out the 2012 year gear boxes, tyres, body parts but still the stats say we should be wining??
While in the mean time poor old McLaren are not on top form with Hamilton's move to Mercedes in 2013. Which is a strange move ether way you look at!
But with Button, Sergio Perez and a new car, 2013 could be McLaren's year! We have seen a flash of brilliance form McLaren over 2012 time and time again!
Like today in the Indian race, Lewis had a steering wheel downshift failure so the McLaren pitcrew changed it (and the 4 wheels) in a 3.1s pitstop. Truly awesome!
Swapping the four tires on Jenson Button's car in just 2.31 seconds. Button didn't lose a single place on the grid. Doing 2.31sec on both cars in the German Grand Prix.
So I hear you ask if this is right, the stats prove that McLaren can be in winning team, what is going so bad for them?
To be honest with you I don't know. This was a winning team back in the 80's, McLaren was winning race after race. There has been problems with the new tyres, or is it the other cars are so much better than McLaren?
Mclaren have a issues with the mp4-12 Car, throw out the 2012 year gear boxes, tyres, body parts but still the stats say we should be wining??
Monday, 22 October 2012
Concorde Agreement 22/10/2012
2012 Concorde Agreement
During a constructive meeting, Jean Todt, the FIA President, in co-operation with Bernie Ecclestone, the Commercial Rights Holder, has presented to all F1 Team Principals the new structure of governance, including the new conditions of entry for the Concorde Agreement, starting in 2013.
All the participants in the meeting were encouraged to seek clarification which resulted in a fruitful and helpful debate on how the new structure would operate in 2013 and beyond.
A further important step has been achieved today to secure the future of the F1 World Championship which should lead to a final settlement to be reached between the FIA, the Commercial Rights Holder and the Teams in the coming weeks.
For Media Information Purposes - No Regulatory Value.
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2012/Pages/f1-concorde.aspx
During a constructive meeting, Jean Todt, the FIA President, in co-operation with Bernie Ecclestone, the Commercial Rights Holder, has presented to all F1 Team Principals the new structure of governance, including the new conditions of entry for the Concorde Agreement, starting in 2013.
All the participants in the meeting were encouraged to seek clarification which resulted in a fruitful and helpful debate on how the new structure would operate in 2013 and beyond.
A further important step has been achieved today to secure the future of the F1 World Championship which should lead to a final settlement to be reached between the FIA, the Commercial Rights Holder and the Teams in the coming weeks.
For Media Information Purposes - No Regulatory Value.
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2012/Pages/f1-concorde.aspx
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Honda and mclaren rumoured to join forces in f1 again
McLaren want to ditch Mercedes and reunite with Honda to save £8000
This could be interesting move as Mclaren had Honda engines back in 1988 .
The McLaren MP4/4 was a highly successful Formula 1 car that competed in the 1988 with Ayrton Senna at the wheel and help win the championship that year for him ..
The Woking based team's current engine supplier Mercedes, formerly a McLaren co-owner, will actually charge McLaren for the use of its 2.4 litre V8s in 2013,
A senior manager said at Suzuka that technically Honda is getting ready to return with a turbo V6 from 2014. Only the green light of the board is missing," said Auto Motor and Sport.
This will see Mclaren move a way from the Mercedes engine . Mclaren had teamed up with back in 1995 for the 2014 season if not maybe sooner ??
But The Mercedes deal allowed McLaren free engines until the end of 2012 and then a supply until at least 2015 at the going rate of around 8 million euros a year. So we will have to see in the next weeks or moths what they will do ...
But it will be interesting if they do change in 2014.
This could be interesting move as Mclaren had Honda engines back in 1988 .
The McLaren MP4/4 was a highly successful Formula 1 car that competed in the 1988 with Ayrton Senna at the wheel and help win the championship that year for him ..
The Woking based team's current engine supplier Mercedes, formerly a McLaren co-owner, will actually charge McLaren for the use of its 2.4 litre V8s in 2013,
A senior manager said at Suzuka that technically Honda is getting ready to return with a turbo V6 from 2014. Only the green light of the board is missing," said Auto Motor and Sport.
This will see Mclaren move a way from the Mercedes engine . Mclaren had teamed up with back in 1995 for the 2014 season if not maybe sooner ??
But The Mercedes deal allowed McLaren free engines until the end of 2012 and then a supply until at least 2015 at the going rate of around 8 million euros a year. So we will have to see in the next weeks or moths what they will do ...
But it will be interesting if they do change in 2014.
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Susie Wolff's big day .
Yesterday, Wednesday 17th October 2012, saw Susie Wolff the second female F1 driver, take to the track at Silverstone.
Susie started her career at an early age in 1996 with kart racing. She started racing in DTM in 2006 and just earlier this year, was announced as the development driver for the Williams F1 team. Seeing her move to driving an F1 car at Silverstone yesterday. Susie did 50km runs in the Williams F1 car and went on to compete lap after lap at Silverstone.
The first on the full wet tyres in damp conditions and the second on the dry tyres.
Speaking about the run, Susie said: "It was incredible to experience aFormula One car for the first time. I've done a lot of simulator worksince I joined the team but nothing compares to the exhilaration ofdriving the real thing. The conditions were a little tricky as it wasquite damp at the beginning of the run but the track soon dried out.The team also did a fantastic job preparing me, giving me all theinformation I needed so that I was always in control."
This was achieved while the tragic accident of Maria De Villota's accident is still fresh in our minds. Maria was also test driving the car at Duxford Aerodrome last July, in which saw her lose her right eye and almost losing her life.
Yesterday's events is all good news for women in F1, I think this is a start to something good in modern day racing and something F1 and the FIA should embrace with open arms.
There is space for both as drivers and teams, I don't think we should go down the lines of men and women only teams, but have mix drivers and pit teams. This will make for a more compelling atmosphere in the pit's and .Therehas only been five female racing drivers since 1958, the last on was back in 1992.
There is space for both as drivers and teams, I don't think we should go down the lines of men and women only teams, but have mix drivers and pit teams. This will make for a more compelling atmosphere in the pit's and .Therehas only been five female racing drivers since 1958, the last on was back in 1992.
I think it's quite sad that we see women in all other forms of motor racing, Indy 500, 24 hours le mans, nascar and dtm so it should be allowed in F1.
A list of the only women drivers to drive F1 cars past and present !
MariaTeresa De Fillippis 1958,1959
LelleaLambardi 1974,1976
DivinaGalica 1976,1978
Desirewilson 1980
Giovannaamati 1992
Maria De Villota 2012
SusieWolff, 2012.
Maybe one day I'll see Susie Wolff or another female F1 driver on the podium or even world champion and we all should embrace that day ..
Friday, 12 October 2012
Saturday, 6 October 2012
Official Twitter Accounts of McLaren personnel Formula One Team
- Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: @TheFifthDriver
- Paddy Lowe (Technical Director): @paddylowe
- Jenson Button: @JensonButton
- Lewis Hamilton: @LewisHamilton
- Gary Paffett (3rd driver): @GaryPaffet
- Oliver Turvey (Test driver): @OliverTurvey
Engineers
- Tom Stallard (Jenson’s Performance Engineer): @Tom_Stallard
- Dave Robson (Jenson Button’s Race Engineer): @DaveRobsonF1
- Will Joseph (Lewis Hamilton’s Performance Engineer): @Blondie_wdj
- Filippo Sapia (Lewis and Jenson’s Systems Engineer): @BigFil_f1
- Poole (Radio engineer): @poole_mulucky
Mechanics
- Marc Cox (Mechanic): @MarcCox
- Rory (Mechanic): @RoryClements
- Sam Dryden (Mechanic): @sam_dryden
- Benjamin Boast (Mechanic): @BennyBoast
- Giuseppe Marciante (Factory based travelling mechanic): @gsep123
- Danny (Trainee mechanic): @baffaboy1
- Marc Priestley (former McLaren mechanic through 2000 - 2009): @f1elvis
- Horse and Ferret (Online pub created by Marc Cox and Tom Briggs - funny! -): @HorseandFerret
Other
- Tom Briggs (looks after the tyres): @1derpony
- Warwick Pugh (Race Car Support Team Leader): @woozly
- Michael Collier (Jenson’s physio): @mikeycollier
- Barney Bear (Garage support): @peterobwright
- Clare Stubberfield (Race and test coordinator): @CStubberfield
- Stephanie (Race team IT): @steppy80
- Dan Connell (Global Product PR Manager): @Dan_Connell
- Thomas Pattison: @TDPattison
- Richard Collier: @gluvdup
McLaren Group
- MP4-12C Reviews: @12CReviews
- McLaren Automotive: @McLarenAuto
- Andy Wilby (Engineer at McLaren Automotive): @andywilby22
- McLaren Manchester (Official retail partner): @McLaren_Manc
- McLaren e-shop: @McLaren_Store
- McLaren GT: @McLaren_GT
- Absolute Taste: @AbsoluteTaste
With thanks to Karmen Legazpi @McLaren_Soul .....
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