Latest F1 news in brief – Monday (Update)
02/24/14
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Ecclestone won in court but is a few million poorer Court victory cost Ecclestone millions
- Ecclestone wants Russia night race
- Haas to meet FIA bosses over 2015 F1 entry
- Red Bull still in crisis as Mercedes streaks ahead
- F1's V6 cars much faster on straights
- Teams agree qualifying tweaks for 2014
- Less Pirelli 'marbles' in 2014 – Hembery
- Rosberg turns down fiancee's ice-cream
- Williams' Wolff gets Friday role for 2014 New
- Romain Grosjean glides on ice in Moscow New
- Kimi Raikkonen's back 'much better' after surgery New
- Ferrari to focus on race-pace New
Court victory cost Ecclestone millions
(GMM) He may have won the court battle with Constantin Medien, but it still cost the F1 chief executive millions.
Amid the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption affair, the German media company had pursued the embattled 83-year-old Briton Ecclestone for $140 million.
However, the case still cost Ecclestone millions.
"My costs are bloody expensive," he told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt. "The costs are in excess of 20 million pounds ($33m).
"I hope they will be able to pay," added Ecclestone.
And in separate comments published by The Times, he said: At least I don't have to pay someone 80 million pounds ($133m) or so, because we won that."
Ecclestone and his expensive lawyers are now preparing for a German criminal trial, set to begin in April.
"All we have to prove is Gribkowsky doesn't exactly always tell the truth," he told Sylt in comments published by the Daily Mail.
Ecclestone wants Russia night race
(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone wants the Russian grand prix to be held at night.
The inaugural event at winter Olympics venue Sochi this year, however, will be a normal day race.
But The Times said F1's chief executive wants the floodlit roofs of the Olympic stadium and ice rinks to provide the backdrop for the race in future.
"The idea is a clever one," said correspondent Kevin Eason, "given that the Olympic park looks more like a vast car park than a picturesque sports arena in daylight."
Ecclestone confirmed: "I think they would go for the idea.
"At night the stadiums are very colorful with lots of lights and the backdrop to a race would be fantastic.
"It (the surrounding area) was a bit of dump, quite honestly," he admitted. "But they have spent a lot of money and there is a lot going on and the place is changing all the time."
Haas to meet FIA bosses over 2015 F1 entry
(GMM) F1's potential next F1 chief, Californian and Nascar team co-owner Gene Haas, will this week travel to Europe.
Foreign language reports said that during coverage of the Daytona 500, Fox Sports revealed that Haas is scheduled to meet with representatives of F1's governing FIA.
Earlier, Haas responded to the FIA's invitation to fill the vacant F1 team slot in 2015, and reportedly met the full application deadline of February 10.
This week, the 2015 team selection process is reaching an even more serious stage, when it is believed Haas will formally present his plans and proposed budget to the FIA.
The Paris-based federation is expected to announce its decision by the end of the week.
Red Bull still in crisis as Mercedes streaks ahead
(GMM) With only four days of track running now left until Melbourne, a clear trend is emerging.
Defending champions Red Bull are in major trouble, and the works Mercedes team is leading the way.
In the silver W05, Nico Rosberg ended the first week of Bahrain testing on Saturday with a stunning laptime, less than 1 second off his 2013 pole.
And it emerges that the German, practicing qualifying, was using only the 'soft' tire, not the faster 'super-soft' that has also been in action by other teams in Bahrain.
At the same time, despite earlier signs of recovery, Red Bull's problems with the Renault-powered RB10 persist.
Daniel Ricciardo, who managed a meager 15 laps, was almost 7 seconds off the pace as the Bahrain test wrapped up on Saturday.
"The challenge is to improve the rate of progress," engine supplier Renault's Rob White said, "because the gap to where we wanted to be at this stage remains substantial."
With the FIA's engine development freeze deadline now just days away, White admitted Renault is "weeks" behind its rivals.
Red Bull's problems, meanwhile, are even deeper. The similarly Renault-powered Lotus has been faster, and on Saturday managed four times as many laps as the RB10.
"I think we could be the lead Renault team," Lotus technical boss Nick Chester said. Of the four Renault-powered teams, only Lotus' black E22 does not feature a Red Bull gearbox.
But none of them are likely to be in the running for Melbourne spoils.
"The strongest teams out there are the Mercedes-powered teams," Mercedes' Paddy Lowe told Sky.
"The Ferrari is also looking strong, so those are the people we are watching and trying to measure against."
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen ended his Bahrain week with a crash, and according to the German news agency SID he said the F14-T is "not bad".
"The Mercedes powered teams have gone well here," he admitted, "but we were doing our own program. It won't get serious until Melbourne.
"The reliability of our car has been ok," Raikkonen is quoted by Finland's Turun Sanomat, "but in terms of speed I do not know what's going on."
Also fairly confident is Jenson Button, who told reporters that after McLaren's disastrous 2013 season, "We're in a reasonable position but you would also like to be faster.
"We know we don't have the fastest car," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, "but we also know that we are not slow."
Button agreed that Mercedes' works team currently appears the fastest.
"I already have a good idea of who will be on pole in Melbourne," he said, "but you couldn't say who will win the championship."
Right now, not too many bets are being placed on Red Bull.
But Mercedes' Rosberg insisted: "It doesn't mean they won't recover. What it does mean is that (Red Bull) winning again this year is likely to be a far bigger challenge than the previous four."
F1's V6 cars much faster on straights
(GMM) At full tilt in a straight line, this year's formula one cars emit a much tamer sound than the class of 2013.
However, the top speeds of the new turbo V6s are significantly higher, thanks to reduced downforce and an impressive engine-plus-ERS maximum of almost 900 horse power.
In Nico Rosberg's hands, the currently dominant new W05 Mercedes is almost as quick over a full lap as the German's pole of 2013.
Cornering speeds are lower, but at full speed, the cars are much faster — Fernando Alonso's 2014 Ferrari clocked 336kph in Bahrain, compared to a top speed of 314 during the island Kingdom's grand prix last year.
"We are incredibly fast on the straights," German Rosberg told Auto Motor und Sport.
"I would guess that at Monza we will be doing 360."
That may not be the case for the entire field, however. The fastest of the struggling Renault-powered cars in Bahrain clocked a top of just 308kph — slower than 2013.
And world champion Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull was 7kph slower even than that.
So it's a particularly challenging time for a team like Caterham, struggling not only with the troubled Renault V6 but also a small budget amid the enormous and expensive technical revolution.
"Currently we are not on formula one level," Kamui Kobayashi, 10 seconds off the pace on Saturday, is quoted by Speed Week. "It's more GP2 level.
"We have so many problems with the car and the times are incredibly slow," said the Japanese.
"When you look at what Mercedes is doing, it's overwhelming, but it also shows us what is possible and in what direction we need to develop."
Teams agree qualifying tweaks for 2014
(GMM) F1's eleven teams have agreed on a revised qualifying format for 2014.
Recently, we reported that at a meeting at the first Bahrain test, the sport's major players would move to ensure qualifying is exciting in the new V6 era.
Among other tweaks, we said bosses would be presented with a proposal for an extra set of soft tires for those in the final 'Q3' hitout, while drivers only in Q2 would get an extra set for the race.
Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that after the teams gave the proposal the green light, it will now be sent to the World Motor Sport Council for the rubber stamp.
"It could be fixed in black and white by the end of the week," said veteran correspondent Michael Schmidt.
Schmidt said the new format will undoubtedly survive the final throes of the approval process, because it was devised by none other than CVC bigwig Donald Mackenzie.
Less Pirelli 'marbles' in 2014 – Hembery
(GMM) Pirelli's calamitous 2013 season appears to be firmly in the past.
After a sometimes explosive 2013 on inconsistent and heavily-degrading tires, drivers have so far celebrated a better and more durable product supplied by Pirelli at the recent Jerez and Bahrain tests.
"As a result," the Italian marque's Paul Hembery said at the end of the first week of testing in Bahrain, "we are also seeing fewer 'marbles' on the circuit."
He is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "We are also not seeing the blisters or the breaking off of large pieces of rubber from the surface.
"We have achieved some of our development goals," the Briton added.
However, it has also been feared that after all the criticism in 2013, Pirelli had decided to abandon the idea of spicing up the races with tires designed not to last.
But Hembery said: "We are expecting a two or three stop race (in Bahrain). Last year we were between three and four stops."
Rosberg turns down fiancee's ice-cream
(GMM) Nico Rosberg's fiancee Vivian has opened her own ice-cream parlor in their favorite holiday destination of Ibiza.
Called 'Vivi's Creamery', the outlet sells ice-creams and milkshakes. "I'm really proud of her," Mercedes driver Rosberg told Sport Bild.
However, the 28-year-old German said he will not be the official taste-tester, after both he and teammate Lewis Hamilton lost weight over the winter in preparation for the heavier technical regulations.
"We had a bit of a battle to see who has lost more," he admitted.
For both Hamilton and Rosberg, things seem to be turning out well for 2014.
"The car seems to work well with my driving style," said Hamilton, amid paddock suggestions the new silver W05 is clearly the class of the new grid.
Those who have seen the Briton face-to-face at the Jerez or Bahrain tests say Hamilton has visibly lost weight.
"I miss Aunt Jemima pancakes. It's been no pudding at Christmas and only boring food and water," the 2008 world champion is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Williams' Wolff gets Friday (track cleaning) role for 2014
(GMM) Susie Wolff will contest two practice sessions for Williams in 2014.
The British team announced on Monday that the 31-year-old's development role has been "expanded" for the new season, and now involves participation in two Friday morning sessions.
Wolff, whose husband Toto is the Mercedes team chief, will also drive the new Mercedes-powered FW36 over a full test day, Grove based Williams added.
"This season will be a big step," said the Scottish driver. "It's a challenge that I will relish and it will be a great chance for me to continue assisting the team."
The last woman to take part in an official grand prix weekend was Italian Giovanna Amati, who failed to qualify three times for Brabham in 1992.
Press Release
Williams is pleased to confirm that Susie Wolff will be continuing as the team's Development Driver for 2014 in an expanded role that will see her take to the wheel of the Williams Mercedes FW36 in two FP1 sessions this season.
Susie joined Williams in April 2012 and has played a valuable role in helping to develop the FW34, FW35, and the new Williams Mercedes FW36. In 2014 Susie will continue to work in the Williams simulator to help further develop the FW36. Driving for Williams in two FP1 sessions this season will see Susie become the first female driver to compete in a Formula One Grand Prix session in over two decades, and builds on her promising performance for Williams in last year's Young Drivers Test in Silverstone. Prior to joining Williams Susie spent seven seasons driving in DTM, and was twice nominated for the prestigious BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.
Speaking about Susie's continued role with the team Pat Symonds, Chief Technical Officer, said: "Susie has become a valued member of our driver line up and 2014 will see her take on more responsibilities as we seek to make a strong step forward in performance. Susie has demonstrated a natural talent for developing a car and providing strong feedback and these sort of characteristics will be key this season as teams seek to quickly understand and refine the radically overhauled 2014 cars.''
Speaking about her continuation with the team Susie added; ''I'm grateful for the support and belief Williams continue to show in me and 2014 promises to be a very important milestone in my career. My responsibilities within the team have steadily increased as I have proved myself, culminating in the opportunity to test the car at Silverstone and conduct straight line aero tests last season. Competing in two FP1 sessions, alongside an additional full test day this season will be a big step and I am looking forward to the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the FW36 on a Grand Prix weekend. It's a challenge that I will relish and it will be a great chance for me to continue assisting the team.''
Romain Grosjean glides on ice in Moscow
Romain Grosjean moved from the desert sands of Bahrain to the subzero temperatures of the Russian capital, Moscow, this weekend as he competed in the Race of Stars, a special event co-organized by Renault.
Romain came straight from the Bahrain pre-season test where he debuted the Renault-powered Lotus F1 Team E22 to race on a track covered entirely with ice within Moscow’s Hippodrome. The Race of Stars is one of the longest-running motorsports events staged in Russia, with more than 20 editions to date. The concept of the race is simple; drivers (selected from various motorsport disciplines in Russia and beyond) race in teams of two drivers in a three-hour endurance race on the oval ice track before competing in a short superfinal. Romain was pitted against Timur Tymerzianov, European Rallycross Champion.
The race, organized in conjunction with Za Rulem, one of Russia’s most popular automotive magazines, sees local stars race in specially adapted Renault Duster, the all-terrain, lightweight 4×4 cars from the French marque, and Logan cars.
Some of the biggest names in the discipline have competed in the event, including four-times world champion Alain Prost, F1 race winner David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen – all of whom have been powered by Renault in their careers. Romain has taken part in the Race of Stars once before in 2010 when he was a test driver for Renault F1 Team.
Speaking after the event, Romain said, ‘That was a bit of change from Bahrain! It’s the second time I’ve been here and every time I enjoy it more and more. You get to know the style of how to drive on ice, how to be even smoother on the throttle and carry more speed through the corners. It’s really good fun and very well supported from local fans and media so the atmosphere is always fantastic. Now it’s back to work for us at the next test – back in Bahrain – but this has been a good way to spend the break!’
Kimi Raikkonen's back 'much better' after surgery
Kimi Raikkonen says his back feels "much, much better" since he underwent surgery at the end of last season to help ease a long-standing injury.
Raikkonen skipped the final two races of last year to have the surgery ahead of his return to Ferrari over the winter and says he has got back to work in testing without any issues.
"It's been okay since I had the operation," he said. "Hopefully it will stay like that. But with those things you never know, it's been there for a long time. I've had things done for it before and some days it's good and then you wake up the next day and it might not be. But it's been much, much better and pretty normal since the operation."
Raikkonen said Ferrari made good progress at last week's test but still had plenty to work through in Bahrain later this week.
"We are getting there and we have four days left to learn all the things. At the first race it will be a bit of an unknown but it's the same every year – you run out of time and you want to have more testing. That's how it goes and we will see how we do next week and go from there."
Ferrari to focus on race-pace
Ferrari will focus on race simulations during the final four-day test in Bahrain, according to James Allison.
Last week, the Scuderia were in action at the Sakhir circuit, putting in the laps in the second of three pre-season outings.
The team covered 287 laps – 1553kms – and finished sixth and seventh on the overall timesheets with Fernando Alonso just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.
"We came to Sakhir aiming to work steadily through the huge list of actions that we must complete," Allison, the team's technical director, told the official Ferrari website.
"We wanted to maximize track time, working methodically in order to be ready for Melbourne. I have to say that, with the exception of the morning of the third day, we did just that."
He added: "We worked on learning how to get the best from the 2014 clutch and on tuning the new brake by wire system.
"We looked in detail at balancing the temperature of all the cooling fluids, a key part of this year's rules, and we began gradually expanding the operating window of the new Energy Recovery System.
"We have been able to start to open up our understanding of the handling characteristics of the car and to begin to learn what sort of set-up parameters the tires respond to. Continuing with this work will be an important part of the program over the last four days here in Bahrain."
The former Lotus man revealed that during those last four days Ferrari will also concentrate on race simulations and performance in order to best prepare for the season-opening Australian GP.
"For the last four days, our program will see us attempt to operate the car ever more closely to the way that it will run in a race, providing invaluable practice for the drivers and subjecting the car and all its systems to the full rigor that it will need to withstand throughout the season," he said. Planet F1