Author Topic: Official Racing Thread (Read 189249 times)

reina's eyes · « **Reply #740 on:** June 24, 2009, 11:12:38 PM »

"Formula 1 pulled back from the brink on Wednesday as rebel teams struck an 11th-hour deal with the FIA to prevent the sport splitting in two.

"Following a meeting of the governing body’s World Motor Sport Council in Paris, the Formula One Teams’ Association dropped plans to form a breakaway championship in exchange for concessions from the FIA over cost-cutting and governance.

"As part of the deal Max Mosley will stand down as FIA president when his current term of office ends in October – having signalled on Tuesday that he would seek re-election if what he saw as FOTA’s threat to the governing body’s authority persisted."

More at
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=46243&PO=46243

RatBastich · « **Reply #741 on:** July 12, 2009, 09:10:45 PM »

Webber edges Vettel in German GP

Associated Press

NUERBURGRING, Germany -- Mark Webber won his first Formula One race Sunday after overcoming a penalty to take the German Grand Prix and give his Red Bull team momentum in its bid to catch Jenson Button in the drivers' championship.

The Australian beat teammate Sebastian Vettel by 9.2 seconds despite a drive-through penalty for bumping Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello out of the start while defending his pole position.

Webber's euphoric screams were heard over the team radio after he crossed the finish line in his 132nd race.

JFC · « **Reply #742 on:** July 12, 2009, 11:26:10 PM »

Shit, it's only his first win evar?

Well..congrats to him. He's definitely paid his dues long enough to get this under his belt.

JFC · « **Reply #743 on:** July 13, 2009, 07:44:22 PM »

Bourdais set to be dropped

Monday 13th July 2009
Toro Rosso are due to confirm on Tuesday that Sebastien Bourdais has left the team, with Jaime Alguersuari poised to become the youngest driver in Formula One history.

Frenchman Bourdais was given his F1 chance after winning four successive ChampCar titles in the United States from 2004 to 2007.

But the 30-year-old struggled throughout his time in the sport, winning just six points from the 27 grands prix in which he competed.

Bourdais was overshadowed last year by Sebastian Vettel, who gave the often uncompetitive team a dream win in last season's Italian Grand Prix.

Given another chance this season, Bourdais again found himself second best to Swiss rookie Sebastien Buemi, who out-qualified his more experienced team-mate seven to two.

Bourdais' F1 career ended in suitably downbeat fashion in Sunday's German Grand Prix when he retired with a hydraulic failure at the Nurburgring.

Although team principal Franz Tost refused to confirm Bourdais' departure after the race, reserve and test driver Alguersuari is expected to step up to the plate for the rest of the season.

The rising Spanish star is the reigning British F3 champion and another product of the Red Bull Young Driver Development programme.

Alguersuari will take his place in the record books at the Hungarian Grand Prix in a fortnight by becoming the sport's youngest ever driver at the age of 19 years and 126 days.

That would beat New Zealander Mike Thackwell's record by 57 days set in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix.

http://www.planetf1.com/story/0,18954,14254_5431034,00.html

Really sucks for Bourdais if this is true. His time in F1 has been wrought with repeated mechanical failures and retirements, which can understandably be frustrating/discouraging. Hell, Toro Rosso even kept Scott Speed on for one more races.

reina's eyes · « **Reply #744 on:** July 13, 2009, 08:35:50 PM »

Superstars (and others) from the US racing series have typically done terribly in f1 in the last couple decades, which I've come to feel says something about the quality of racing in the US. Though Jacque did do exceedingly well for a while and then fadedededed away...............

To be fair I scoffed at brawn going independent with the old honda team with the likes of button piloting but it shows a wealth of team factors come into play in a driver's success.

RatBastich · « **Reply #745 on:** July 14, 2009, 12:34:47 AM »

Toro Rosso teammate: Bourdais is out

Associated Press

NUERBURGRING, Germany -- Sebastien Bourdais' stint with Toro Rosso is over, according to teammate Jaime Alguersuari.

Bourdais' future with the team was under scrutiny at the German Grand Prix, where the Frenchman retired due to a car problem.

"He's a very good driver," said Alguersuari, a 19-year-old Spanish reserve driver. "But it looks like this year he hasn't given it his all like he's supposed to give. I sincerely believe that Red Bull's decision is just, but it's never good to see someone taken off the team halfway through the season."

Spanish media reported that Alguersuari, who was promoted to reserve driver in time for the German race, would replace Bourdais at the Hungarian GP on July 26.

Toro Rosso would not comment on the decision. Bourdais said the team hadn't discussed the issue with him over the weekend.

RatBastich · « **Reply #746 on:** July 14, 2009, 10:15:46 PM »

Franchitti holds off Penske cars for win

Associated Press

TORONTO -- Dario Franchitti had nearly forgotten what it was like to win on the streets of Toronto. After a decade, he refreshed his memory.

Franchitti won the Honda Indy on Sunday over the tricky street course at Exhibition Place, easily holding off Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe and Will Power on a late restart for his third triumph of the IndyCar Series season.

"It's 10 years since my first one here and it feels good," said Franchitti, who won a Champ Car race in 1999. "I guess we timed it right with strategy."

It was the first race in Toronto for the series. Starting from the pole, Franchitti was both lucky and good in regaining the series lead by two points over Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon.

RatBastich · « **Reply #747 on:** July 15, 2009, 09:55:19 PM »

Mosley backs Todt to lead FIA

Associated Press

MADRID -- Scandal-plagued Max Mosley will not seek re-election as FIA president and will back Frenchman Jean Todt to succeed him after 16 years in charge of world motorsport.

The 69-year-old Mosley announced last month that he wouldn't seek a fifth term after brokering a deal with the Formula One Teams Association to avert a rival series. However, he later said in a newspaper interview that he might reconsider.

That reversal led teams to reiterate their push for a breakaway series at last weekend's German Grand Prix. The Formula One Teams Association refused to comment Wednesday on whether Mosley's decision had averted any more talk of a parallel series.

Mosley said on Wednesday he received "almost 100 messages from FIA member clubs urging me to think again" but that he felt it was time move on.

RatBastich · « **Reply #748 on:** July 17, 2009, 08:09:35 PM »

Danica Patrick On IndyCar Season

RatBastich · « **Reply #749 on:** July 18, 2009, 12:25:50 AM »

Pikes Peak drivers aim to break 10-minute barrier

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Three-time champion Nobuhiro "Monster'' Tajima has been chasing the 10-minute barrier in the Pikes Peak Interntaional Hill Climb for years.

He'll have plenty of company Sunday for his next assault on the record.

Four-time Swedish rally champion Andreas Eriksson and two-time world rally champion Marcus Gronholm will drive a pair of supercharged Ford Rallycross Fiestas in the Unlimited class along with Tajima, who set the race record of 10:01.408 two years ago.

They will be joined by British rallycross champion Mark Rennison, who will drive a 1999 Ford RS200 in an attempt to break the elusive time barrier in the Race to the Clouds.

"The mountain is not a place for the feint-hearted,'' the 59-year-old Tajima said. "It's a very specialized course, long and very challenging with its own unique characteristics that take years to come to terms with.

"Car setup is also something that is unique to this event, and without previous experience on the mountain, I am sure the newcomers will find this event a huge challenge.''

RatBastich · « **Reply #750 on:** July 19, 2009, 12:15:44 AM »

Cosworth - a Formula One history

Legendary engine builders Cosworth will return to Formula One racing next season after a three-year absence, having agreed three-year supply deals with 2010 newcomers Campos Grand Prix, Manor Grand Prix and Team US F1. Their last appearance was with Williams and Toro Rosso at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, which marked the end of a 38-year run of F1 involvement.

Originally the brainchild of British engineers Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth, Cosworth was set-up in a small London workshop in 1958. The pair, convinced their future paths lay in designing engines for racing cars, began working on the development of a Ford 105E unit almost immediately. Success followed and in 1960, Jim Clark drove to victory in a Cosworth-powered Lotus 18 in a Formula Junior race held at Goodwood.

RatBastich · « **Reply #751 on:** July 20, 2009, 01:04:45 AM »

Surtees, 18, dies after accident

ESPN.com news services

Henry Surtees, the teenage son of 1964 Formula One champion John Surtees, died on Sunday after an accident in a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch.

A spokeswoman for the Royal London hospital confirmed the 18-year-old had died after being flown there from Brands Hatch circuit in southern England.

Surtees was hit on the head by a loose wheel and tire from the car of a rival who had crashed.

Organizers said the blow knocked him unconscious, with his car then smashing into the barriers. The race was stopped immediately.

Formula Two chief executive Jonathan Palmer said in a statement that the accident raised "high levels of concern" and his thoughts were with the Surtees family.

Surtees had spent several seasons in karts before moving to car racing in 2006. In 2007, he moved into single seaters, winning in Formula BMW UK and finishing seventh in the season standings. He also raced some races in the Formula Renault series that year, before moving into the series full time in 2008. He finished 12th in the final standings. He had one win and three top three finishes in four races in the Winter Series.

John Surtees won his title with Ferrari and remains the only man to have won world titles on two wheels and four.

JFC · « **Reply #752 on:** July 20, 2009, 03:47:02 AM »

Majorly harsh way to go.

R.I.P.

reina's eyes · « **Reply #753 on:** July 20, 2009, 04:14:24 AM »

The f2 cars are spec cars from williams and wheel tethers are part of the design. It looked as though the surtees car also lost a wheel in its impact. Apparently a car lost a wheel in a previous race this season, so the tethers have to be seen as an attempt to reduce a danger rather than eliminate it. That's a concern for everyone nearby.

I'm very sorry this happened.

RatBastich · « **Reply #754 on:** July 20, 2009, 10:36:39 PM »

Alguersuari, 19, to be youngest in F1

Associated Press

FAENZA, Italy -- Toro Rosso named Spanish driver Jaime Alguersuari as its replacement for the fired Sebastien Bourdais on Monday.

The 19-year-old Alguersuari will become the youngest driver to take part in a Formula One race at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Barcelona native, a British Formula 3 champion, came up through Red Bull's young driver program and replaces Bourdais 10 races into the season.

Although owned by Red Bull, Toro Rosso races independently of the Austrian team.

"I would like to thank Red Bull for giving me this great opportunity to race in Formula One," said Alguersuari, who was promoted to reserve driver before the German GP, where reports first began to surface that he would replace Bourdais.

"I am aware that I'm facing a very tough challenge ... coming into Formula One in the middle of a season is even harder and doing so without any testing is really difficult."

He joins Sebastien Buemi, 20, to make up the youngest lineup on the starting grid.

The Italian team let Bourdais go last week, midway through his second season.

The 30-year-old Frenchman, a four-time Champ Car series winner, has threatened to sue Toro Rosso for breach of contract after it labeled his performance unsatisfactory. Bourdais picked up six points in 27 starts.

"I am well aware that over the next few months the team and Jaime will face a major challenge, especially because of the testing ban," team principal Franz Tost said. "But Red Bull is always ready for a new challenge."

Alguersuari had been racing in Renault's World Series this season.

RatBastich · « **Reply #755 on:** July 21, 2009, 08:52:03 PM »

Castroneves seeks support for race

Associated Press

SAO PAULO -- Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Monday to seek support for an Indy Racing League event in the South American nation next year.

Castroneves said the race would help Brazil promote its ethanol, which is being used in IRL cars.

The IRL has been racing with 100 percent ethanol fuel since 2007, and Brazil is the second largest ethanol producer in the world after the United States. It is also the largest exporter of the fuel.

Castroneves, who gave Silva the helmet he wore to win his third Indianapolis 500 in May, said the president promised that the federal government would do what it can to get the race to Brazil, which has five regular drivers in the series.

Terry Angstadt, president of IRL's commercial division, said last month it was 90 percent certain that a race would be held in Brazil.

The race would likely be the first of the season. The location has not been decided yet, but cities likely to host the event are Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Ribeirao Preto and Campinas, the official government news service Agencia Brasil said.

The last time Brazil hosted an Indy race was in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro.

RatBastich · « **Reply #756 on:** July 22, 2009, 10:35:17 PM »

Belskus says leadership commits to IRL

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Motor Speedway's new chief said Tuesday the Hulman-George family remains committed to the Indy Racing League following a management shake-up that put him in charge at the famed track.

Jeff Belskus said keeping the IRL strong will help buoy the track's top event, the Indianapolis 500.

"The Hulman-George family has made a huge investment in open wheel racing, and they intend to continue to pursue that and continue to try to grow it," the new president and chief executive officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. said.

"We need the IndyCar series to be strong," said Belskus, who will take over daily management of the speedway on Aug. 6 when outgoing speedway president Joie Chitwood steps down. "Conversely, the IndyCar series needs a strong Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So we're all in this together."

RatBastich · « **Reply #757 on:** July 23, 2009, 08:29:54 PM »

Alguersuari to be youngest F1 driver

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Jaime Alguersuari will become the youngest driver to race in Formula One this weekend, and is drawing criticism from fellow drivers about his inexperience even before the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old Spaniard spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since taking over for 30-year-old Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais. Alguersuari said his objective this season is to simply figure out what being an F1 driver is all about.

"I know I'm not really experienced, I know I don't have mileage with the car, but that's what we're here for," said Alguersuari, who joins from Renault's World Series. "It's a new car for me, a new championship for me, but I have to learn."

Alguersuari will set the age record Sunday at 19 years, 126 days, breaking New Zealand driver Mike Thackwell's mark by 57 days.

RatBastich · « **Reply #758 on:** July 24, 2009, 04:51:13 PM »

Webber returning to Red Bull in 2010

Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Red Bull confirmed Thursday that Mark Webber will drive for the Formula One team in 2010, after a strong season has him third in the overall standings.

The 32-year-old Australian, who is coming off his first win after 132 races at the German Grand Prix, will partner Sebastian Vettel again next season.

"I've always enjoyed working with them so now, to come through this purple patch -- which we hope will continue for a good while to come -- makes the work even more enjoyable," Webber said from the Hungarian GP. "I'm looking forward to staying with the guys again next year."

Webber trails F1 leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP by 22.5 points. Vettel is second, 1.5 points ahead of his teammate. Red Bull trails Brawn GP by 19.5 points in the constructors' series with 80 points remaining.

"He has continued to show huge commitment and determination this season, especially following his bike accident at the end of last year," team principal Christian Horner said. "His results show he's on the form of his life."

Webber broke his leg among other injuries when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle in Tasmania in November. After his victory at the Nuerburgring, he said his injuries still were not fully healed.

The former Jaguar and Williams driver debuted at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. He joined Red Bull in 2007 and has already managed to eclipse his highest points total for a season -- 36 in 2005 with Williams.

"I've had a good relationship with the team and been through some pretty tough times together," Webber said. "Another 18 months together and then we'll see what happens next."

RatBastich · « **Reply #759 on:** July 24, 2009, 08:58:02 PM »

Ganassi not likely to take on Patrick

By David Newton
ESPN.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Chip Ganassi doesn't believe Danica Patrick should leave the IndyCar Series after this season to pursue a full-time ride in NASCAR.

"Her IndyCar career, she's about to make a step in that career if she decides to stay there," Ganassi said before Friday's Sprint Cup practice for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "She's got one more step to make, and that's it.

"As much as I love what's going on here this weekend, my counsel to her is she's pretty close to making that last step in IndyCar racing and she could easily do that in the next three or four or five years and still be able to do this."