Latest F1 news in brief
- FIA analyzing Kovalainen crash
- French judge recalls Mosley sex photos
- BMW to try Ferrari 'nose hole' concept
- Alonso engine failure not too serious – boss
- Honest not indifferent, Alonso insists
- No plans to drop Sauber from BMW team name
FIA analyzing Kovalainen crash
(GMM) F1's governing body is investigating the incident whereby it took doctors several minutes to access the unconscious Heikki Kovalainen after he became trapped under tire barriers during the Spanish grand prix.
Dr Stephen Olvey, a member of the FIA safety division and involved in America's motor racing scene for decades, commented that the delay in getting medical attention to the Finnish driver could have been tragic.
"If you are unconscious and perhaps not breathing you don't have more than two or three minutes before you get some kind of significant damage. So, that's going to have to be looked into," he told the Associated Press.
A spokesperson for the Paris based FIA confirmed that an analysis of the incident is taking place.
"It's too early to comment on the incident other than to confirm that the FIA's safety experts have already begun a very detailed analysis of accident data," the FIA official said.
French judge recalls Mosley sex photos
(GMM) A French judge on Tuesday ordered the recall of newspapers within the country that famously depict Max Mosley with prostitutes.
Judge Joel Boyer, however, ruled that he could not restrict French access to the British newspaper News of the World's online video of the Mosley romp because it was not within his jurisdiction.
"The mere fact that this site is accessible from France – like all others on the web – is not enough to justify French jurisdiction," he said.
Judge Boyer said newspapers that did not comply with the recall order would be issued 1500 euro fines per infraction.
He added that Mosley's sex life deserved protection under privacy laws.
"Sexual practices between consenting adults are among the most intimate aspects of private life, with its element of shadow and mystery that no one should be forced to explain to a third party," Boyer wrote.
BMW to try Ferrari 'nose hole' concept
(GMM) BMW-Sauber, and probably other formula one teams, will shortly experiment with the new 'nose hole' innovation that featured on the dominant Ferrari cars in last weekend's Spanish grand prix.
Although Maranello based Ferrari insists that the shark mouth-style feature in front of the driver position may not be used at every race this season, BMW technical director Willy Rampf confirmed that a similar concept will be trialed in the team's Hinwil wind tunnel in the coming days.
"I am almost certain that it would also work on some of the other cars so we will have a look," Rampf is quoted as saying by Switzerland's Motorsport Aktuell publication.
Alonso engine failure not too serious – boss
(GMM) Renault engine boss Denis Chevrier has revealed that it should not be too difficult to address the engine failure that put Fernando Alonso out of the recent Spanish grand prix.
Although the expired V8 is still being analyzed in detail at the team's Viry-Chatillon engine headquarters, the Frenchman said his initial diagnosis is a failure near the top of the 2.4 liter unit.
He said minor adjustments were likely to be enough to solve the problem before the Turkish grand prix.
"In other words, the internals were not affected," Chevrier told the Spanish newspaper AS, "and therefore it is not a fundamental failure and we can address that immediately."
He also ruled out suggestions that Alonso's driving may have contributed to the failure.
"Absolutely not," Chevrier answered. "Everything from Fernando's side was normal. It was simply a problem of reliability."
Chevrier also said the failure occurred without warning.
Honest not indifferent, Alonso insists
(GMM) Fernando Alonso has rejected suggestions that his recent comments have revealed a tone of apathy towards Renault's plight in 2008.
Although buoyed by the French team's improvement at the Spanish grand prix, the 26-year-old former double world champion previously ruled out as "impossible" Renault's plans to be back fighting among the front runners before too long.
To the Spanish news agency EFE, Alonso insists that he has simply been trying to be "sincere" rather than dismissive when he meets with reporters, amid rumors that he would like to switch teams at the end of 2008.
"At points in the past, when I said I was going to win, people said I was arrogant, and now it is said that I am indifferent if I am in the opposite position.
"If this is the case it is because I try to be as honest as possible with the public," he explained.
No plans to drop Sauber from BMW team name
(GMM) The German manufacturer BMW has no plans to drop 'Sauber' from the name of its Swiss based formula one team in the very near future.
As BMW-Sauber edges closer to the ultimate pace, it is rumored that team owner BMW might want to be going it alone in the naming stakes by the time it is within sight of a world championship title.
Indeed, many pundits already refer to the Hinwil based outfit solely as 'BMW', leading the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell to ask team boss Mario Theissen if the name should also officially be changed.
"I am personally quite calm about this issue," the German is quoted as answering.
Theissen explained that BMW opted for the official name 'BMW-Sauber' towards the end of 2005, in honor of the existing Peter Sauber-run organization that it had bought into.
"So far there has been no reconsideration. If this view were to change, it would be for marketing reasons," he added.
Theissen pointed out that, unlike ING Renault or Vodafone McLaren, BMW has also been reluctant to sell the team's naming rights to a corporate backer.
"So far it has been our clear objective to have the BMW brand in the foreground," he explained, adding that advertising space on the cars has even been limited for the same reason.