Archive for January, 2010
Schumacher to test GP2 car at Jerez
Jan 11th
A spokesman for Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has confirmed that he will setp into a GP2 car at Jerez circuit in Spain this week in preparation for his Formula One return.
The last time he drove an F1 car was during a brief test in a two-year old Ferrari last year during his planned return to Ferrari which was aborted due to a neck injury.
Whilst there is an F1 testing ban in place, the FIA has approved Schumacher ‘s GP2 test which will take place between Tuesday and Thursday this week.
The GP2 car will be provided by the British GP2 team, Super Nova Racing.
Last week Schumacher visited the Mercedes factory to check on his new team’s preparations. No doubt there will be a bunch of Mercedes team members on hand during his GP2 test this week in Spain.
John Anderson joins USF1 Team
Jan 11th
USF1 have today issued a press release announcing that racing legend, John Anderson has joined the team as their Team Manager, effective immediately.
John Anderson, who is originally from Sydney, Australia, moved to the USA in 1980 after successfully running a race prep and fabrication shop.
Most recently, Anderson was the team manager for Gil de Ferran’s American Le Mans Series (ALMS) organization. “The parallels with the ALMS car and an F1 car, with their complexity and performance envelope, are very similar,” he said. “An F1 car is of course the pinnacle of construction and technology, and to be involved is a high point of my career.”
The team manager role has been one that Anderson has been practising since the early 1980s. Not only will Anderson be coordinating the team in the U.S. and in Europe, acting as a liaison between the engineers and shop staff and spearheading testing, but he’ll be an informal team psychologist. “It’s about getting the right group of guys who can work, live and play together, and also understanding where everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are,” said Anderson. “Ken and Peter Windsor have put together a strong group, and I can only help to strengthen the bonds and be a part of America’s resurgence in the top motorsport in the world.”
USF1 to miss early rounds of season?
Jan 11th
Gazzetta Sportiva has suggested that USF1 has applied to the FIA for a derogation to miss the first 4 rounds of the 2010 season. This would mean USF1 would not start the 2010 season until round 5 in Spain in early May.
This of course is a contradiction to what USF1 sporting director Peter Windsor stated last week, ensuring that the team would “definitely be in Bahrain”.
We will follow this story closely, at the moment there only seems to be un-founded reports from various European new sources. A possible reason for the delay may be to do with the engine supply, but once more concrete sources of information emerge early this week, we will be reporting on it.
Sauber and Merc’ Launch cars prior to Feb tests
Jan 7th
According to local German press, (Bild) Mercedes Petronas GP plan on launching their 2010 car on the 25th January, ahead of the first offical testing in Valencia on the 1st February. The launch is rumoured to take place at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart. The car’s chasis is rumoured to be RB1, named after team principal, Ross Brawn.
Meanwhile Sauber have confirmed that on Sunday 31st January they will be launching their new team and 2010 car at Valencia, just one day prior to the start of official testing. Kamui Kobayashi has already been confirmed as one of thier drivers after he was left without a seat for 2010 due to Toyota pulling out of Formula1 after the end of the 2009 season.
Team Principal Peter Sauber has already said that due to BMW pulling out of the sport, his cars will now be powered by Ferrari engines.
The official February test dates are as follows:
February 1st – 3rd – Valencia
February 10th – 13th – Jerez
February 17th – 20th – Jerez
February 25th – 28th – Circuit de Catalunya
Ecclestone tips Vettel over Schumacher for 2010
Jan 2nd
Bernie Ecclestone said that he is looking forward to the 2010 Formula1 season, which will see 4 Formula1 world champions on the grid. The most talked about of these champions of course is seven-time winner, Michael Schumacher, who will return to Formula1 this year driving for Mercedes and has vowed that he intends to record his 8th world title with the Silver Arrows.
Ecclestone, however has tipped a different German driver for the 2010 championship, last years runner up, Sebastian Vettel. Bernie believes that the young German has what it takes to be the champion this year, with Red Bull still tipped to be a strong competitor in 2010.
Michael Schumacher’s return to Formula1 is a very good thing for the fans, media and the sport in general by Bernie’s own admission, however, there are a lot of young drivers who are very motivated to be the 2010 champion.
Bernie knows that Schumacher’s return will not be long lived, whether or not he will be racing in Formula1 in 2011 is still up for debate, however Vettel and the other young drivers will remain in the sport for many years yet and Bernie knows the value of neutering the younger drivers.
Sebastian Vettel has been tipped to be ‘the next Schumacher’ by the German press, he now has the chance to race with Michael and with the world championship at stake, Sebastian will be out to win it. Bernie told German publication Bild “There are five or six drivers that can race for the championship title but I predict that Sebastian Vettel will be the next World Champion in Formula 1.”
With Pre-season testing beginning just next month, it won’t be long before we see how the drivers compare in the new 2010 cars, it’s going to be a cracker of a season.
UBS Chinese Grand Prix