FORMULA 1 2011

[MIKA27]

FIA seeks Formula One star of the future

The FIA Institute has revealed the shortlist of 19 drivers who will take part in a three-day shootout for places in its new Young Driver Excellence Academy.

In a bid to find racing stars for the future, the FIA Institute has set up the Academy, naming drivers from all over the world including Bahrain, France, Spain, Israel, the UK, Estonia, Norway, the USA and New Zealand.

The 19 will compete in a three-day shootout, which will involve both driving and non-driving assessments, of which ten will be chosen to join the Academy.

"This is a trial year for the Academy programme but we are already thrilled by the positive response we've received so far," said Richard Woods, FIA Institute Director General.

"We are pleased to be able to help young competitors at this important stage of their development and to do so in a way that ensures that safety is always at the forefront throughout their careers."

Former F1 driver and two-time Le Mans winner Alex Wurz and former World Rally Champion co-driver Robert Reid have teamed up with the FIA Institute to lead the Academy selection process and training programme.

"I am delighted that so many young talented drivers have applied to participate in the first ever FIA Institute Academy," said Wurz.

"It demonstrates that this type of training, focusing as much on the classroom as on the track, is highly desirable for young competitors looking to develop and progress their careers in motor sport."

The Driver Shortlist:

Kevin Abbring, 21, Netherlands

Hamad Ahmed Al Fardan, 23, Bahrain

Paul-Loup Chatin, 19, France

Albert Costa, 20, Spain

Alon Day, 19, Israel

Philipp Eng, 20, Austria

Robin Frijns, 19, Netherlands

Adam Gould, 23, UK

Timmy Hansen, 18, Sweden

Egon Kaur, 23, Estonia

Andreas Mikkelsen, 21, Norway

Josef Newgarden, 20, USA

Norman Nato, 18, France

Alexander Rossi, 19, USA

Jan Skala, 19,Czech Republic

Richie Stanaway, 19, New Zealand

Molly Taylor, 22, Australia

Stoffel Vandoorne, 18, Belgium

Joni Wiman, 17, Finland

MIKA: My bets are on the Finish, Belgium, Norway, Austria and Czech.

[MIKA27]

'BMW were too quick to quit F1'

Former BMW motorsport director Gerhard Berger believes the German manufacturer should have 'persevered' with their F1 programme.

BMW purchased 80 percent of the Sauber F1 team at the end of 2005 and went on to claim second place in the Constructors' Championship in 2007, dropping to third the following season.

But after falling down the order in 2009, BMW announced their withdrawal from F1, selling the team back to Peter Sauber.

Berger, though, believes BMW gave up on F1 too soon.

"The way BMW had set up its own team was correct. But they should have shown perhaps a little more perseverance," Berger told Auto Motor Und Sport.

"It's interesting with F1 that you cannot get the title at a first attempt. It takes a lot of very hard work until the successes come and you need to stick at it.

"The conditions needed to achieve what Red Bull have now reached and the reason why that didn't happen for them was always that the patience was missing.

"Dietrich Mateschitz of Red Bull had it. He had bad years, however he continued. And now it has been rewarded. Now he gets a return on his investment."

[MIKA27]

Weber: I want to manage Vettel

Willi Weber believes it's time Sebastian Vettel got himself a manager - and he would like the job.

Vettel, who won the 2010 Drivers' Championship after beating Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber at the final hurdle in Abu Dhabi, is without a manager.

In fact, the 23-year-old German has never had one despite Bernie Ecclestone once jokingly applying for the position.

However, one man who would seriously like the job is Weber, who looked after seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and now manages former Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Singling out Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel as the best of the current drivers, Weber was asked by Auto Motor und Sport whohe would most want to be associated with.

"Naturally it would be Vettel," said the German.

"Now he needs a manager more than ever, because he needs to sell his success. It is all about money and what he can earn outside of the cockpit."

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo not banking on 2012 STR drive

Daniel Ricciardo insists he's not banking on a 2012 Toro Rosso race seat despite reports that the team are keen to push him up the ranks.

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko recently sung test driver Ricciardo's praises, telling the German media that he expects the Australian to be on the grid in 2012.

However, while Riccardo would love nothing more, he concedes that a lot could change between now and then.

"I can't really rest on that, that I'll be in (F1) next year," he told the West Australian newspaper.

"If I have a bad year this year, I'm sure he'll change his mind."

The Aussie will remain in the Formula Renault 3.5 series this season while also taking part in Friday practice sessions at grands prix for Toro Rosso.

Added to that, he may also play a role in Toro Rosso's pre-season preparations.

"I'm not sure what testing I'll be doing. They've told me, the Toro Rosso guys, that I'll be in the car for testing before Bahrain.

"I'm definitely driving in Bahrain on the Friday.

"It would be nice to be a bit more comfortable in the car and not have to be looking in the mirrors every corner."

He added: "I'm sure once Bahrain comes around it'll be quite a good feeling coming through me.

"Just getting out with all the guys I've been watching race for the last 10 years is going to be quite cool."

[MIKA27]

Chandhok aiming for Team Lotus Friday role

Karun Chandhok says he is hoping to secure a Friday test role with Team Lotus for the 2011 season, in the hope it would lead to a full-time drive in the near future.

The Indian made his debut in 2010 with the Hispania outfit before they opted to replace him with Sakon Yamamoto due to sponsorship issues.

The 27-year-old has desperately been trying to secure a race seat for the upcoming season. With all but three seats confirmed, a test role looks like his best bet to remain in the paddock.

"I like the idea of building an Asian team with Asian drivers, mechanics, engineers, PR and marketing people," he told the PTI news agency. "Tony Fernandes is trying hard and that's what he has done with his Air Asia [airline] as well."

Chandhok admitted a contract hadn't been signed and there were plenty of other drivers vying for the same position now that Fairuz Fauzy has moved to Renault.

"I want to be involved in the medium term for two to three years. It would allow me to build the partnership, to grow together. Stability is what I am looking for. I will get to learn even if I drive on just Fridays.

"Nothing is final until you have a contract in your hands. It will take about two-three weeks to know. They are maybe talking to 20 more guys other than me."

[MIKA27]

Melbourne mayor: GP getting unviable

Melbourne should drop Formula 1 after its Australian Grand Prix deal ends in 2015, stated the city's lord mayor Robert Doyle.

While praising the contribution F1 has made to the city since Albert Park first hosted the GP in 1996, Doyle believes the amount of public funding now required by the race is making it unviable.

"In 1996 when the race was a combination of a four-day event and corporate sponsorship was far more generous than it is today, the race still needed to be underwritten by about $1.7 million," Doyle wrote in an article for the Herald Sun newspaper.

"Last year it was $50 million.

"Fast forward to 2015, the year the franchise ends.

"Though the documented benefits for the city may include hundreds of millions of dollars of advertising value, tens of millions of dollars of local revenue, an event that will draw between 250,000 and 300,000 people over three days will come at a cost that will approach 70 million taxpayer dollars.

"It is the old argument: pay up front but get many times the value of the upfront payment in downstream economic benefits.

"For most events that formula is persuasive.

"But $70 million?"

Doyle suggested that Bernie Ecclestone might want to take the grand prix away from Melbourne after the current deal anyway - either to a new nation, or to a track that could run the race as a night event.

He believes $8-9million of upgrades would be required for Albert Park to secure a new deal, but reckons the healthiest option might be for Melbourne to accept that its F1 days have to come to an end, despite everything the race has done for the city's profile.

"The final possibility is that we decide that it has been 20 fantastic years, the benefits to the city and the state have been enormous, but the cycle has run its course," said Doyle.

The Victoria state government will have the final say on whether Melbourne should continue paying for F1, but Doyle believes the politicians should prepare to let the GP go.

"My judgement would be: Get ready. Time's up," he said.

MIKA: And my judgement for Doyle is: Pi$$ off, you won't be Lord mayor by the time that decision will be made.

[MIKA27]

'Newey will win Bulls the 2011 titles'

Gerhard Berger believes Red Bull will win this year's titles but not because of their drivers - rather it's because of Adrian Newey.

Red Bull dominated last year's Championship, claiming 15 pole positions, nine race victories and four 1-2 finishes.

The team clinched the Constructors' Championship by 44 points over McLaren while Sebastian Vettel netted the World title at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

And although Red Bull's rivals are determined to end their run this season, Berger reckons the Bulls will be unstoppable.

However, he fears it won't be because of Vettel and Mark Webber's ability, rather it will be because they have design guru Newey on the payroll.

"I do not see a chance for the others, unless the regulations change dramatically," Berger told Auto Moto und Sport.

"Adrian Newey is quite simply in the area of aerodynamics a genius.

"It would however be much, much better if driving genius would play the crucial role."

MIKA: Adrian Newey is a pure genius!

Having designed championship winning cars for three different teams (Williams, McLaren and RBR), this guy is the man to get on any team.

[MIKA27]

Force India set to confirm di Resta

According to reports, Paul di Resta will finally be named as the pilot of one of Force India's cars for the 2011 season.

It has long been speculated that the Scot, who served as the team's reserve driver last year, would be elevated to a race seat in place of Tonio Luizzi, but there has yet to be any official word on the matter.

However, this looks set to change, with the team calling a press conference for Wednesday at their at the Whyte and Mackay offices in Glasgow.

It is believed that the team will there confirm that di Resta will partner Adrian Sutil in the upcoming season.

[MIKA27]

No new HRT car until Bahrain

Narain Karthikeyan has confirmed that Hispania will not have their 2011 challenger up and running in time for the first three pre-season tests.

The team, who raced their 2010 model for the first time at the season-opening GP, will have a maximum of four days of testing before the start of the new season according to Karthikeyan.

Team principal Colin Kolles confirmed earlier in the month that the team would not be running their new car at the first test in Valencia, but was hopeful of making use of it in Jerez and Barcelona, something that now looks unlikely.

"Our new car won't be ready for the first three tests in Spain where I will drive the 2010 car," Karthikeyan told The Times of India.

The primary change to the car for the upcoming season revolves around a new partnership with Williams.

"I am excited about [the 2011 car]," explained the 34-year-old.

"But I am more excited about the advances in the technical side of the car which, on paper, should make the car more competitive than last year.

"The biggest change will be the gear-box and hydraulics package from Williams. The car will have the Cosworth engine, coupled with the systems from Williams. Basically, the whole geometry around the engine will be the same as the Williams cars," he added.

However, the Indian driver did concede that the team would not be making use of all the new innovations set for the coming season.

"We are not likely to use the KERS. But adjustable wings will hopefully add to our potency," he said.

MIKA: "Potency.....?"

More like severely diluted!

Yet again, we're talking about F1 here, the pinnacle of motorsport and yet a team who has been in the sport through their first season, can not get their act together and have a new racer on the grid first race of the season!

[MIKA27]

South Africa vying to join F1 calendar in 2013

South Africa could be the next country to join the ever expanding Formula One calendar in the near future.

The Cape Town Grand Prix Bid Company has been invited by Bernie Ecclestone to present their proposal for a race around the cities streets. The meeting is set to take place prior to the season opener in Bahrain at FOM's London offices.

The proposed 5.3km circuit will pass several of the cities landmarks, including Table Mountain, Lion's Head as well as unique feature which sees part of the track pass through the Cape Town Stadium.

The city could join the calendar as soon as September 2013 according to reports, with much of the track using existing roads.

Esther Henderson, the chief communications officer, compared the layout to that of Monaco.

"Green Point is ideal for a street circuit like the one in Monaco because we have so many beautiful natural sights in the area," he told Cape Argus. "So while Monaco is the ‘French Riviera’ we can have the ‘African Riviera’ in Cape Town."

Henderson also explained the reasoning behind a street-race, rather than a purpose built facility, was down to cost.

"Our initial estimates showed that building a track could cost as much as R4 billion (£355m) while upgrading existing infrastructure to FIA standard was estimated at a cost of about R100 million (£900,000)"

[MIKA27]

Karun Chandhok might face legal action by HRT

Karun Chandhok might face legal action by the Hispania Racing Team with which the Indian made his F1 debut with in 2010, according to reports published in the Indian press.

'The Sun' quoted that Chandhok was dropped mid-season in 2010 for not fulfilling his contractual obligations. HRT signed Chandhok as a pay driver for 2010 season and Karun was supposed to pay 10 million euros to the spanish outfit. However he made lots of promises on paper, but in reality this delayed payment.

Colin Kolles, team boss of HRT, said that team waited, giving time to Karun for making the remaining contractual payment before suspending him ahead of the German grand prix, when Chandhok failed to clear the payments.

Colin also says that this missing money affected the teams development progress as they failec to launch any upgrades due to financial contraints.

HRT noted that they never wanted to make this issue public and had hoped to solve it diplomatically. After the contractual breach Karun was never on the team's list. Though, HRT has signed another Indian for their 2011 grid, an F1 returnee, Narain Karthikeyan.

It is rumoured that he got this seat with HRT's 20% discount scheme for the 2011 season. And Narain, who is also a paid driver, is supposed to pay 8 million euros to the spanish outfit with his long time sponser and Indian giant TATA, backing him with Indian grand prix on the 2011 radar. I Just hope that financially ailing HRT comes out on track with better car than last year and Narain gets and pays the contractual money on time.

MIKA: Yet again, HRT......

[MIKA27]

The Changes For 2011 (Part 1 of 4): Regulations

With pre-season testing for the 2011 Formula One World Championship season having commenced, fans and pundits across the world have regularly been “buoyed-up” by various media outlets available to the public about the changes announced for the year ahead.

Numerous alterations within the paddock have been confirmed, leaving the viewers questioning the consequences of such change. This four part series will explain the changes occurring for the 2011 season and the effects they may have for the spectator.

Adjustable Rear Wings:

New for 2011, drivers will be able to adjust the angle of the rear wing throughout the race weekend, should their vehicle be equipped with the device.

The ability to alter the drag-effect caused by the rear-end of the vehicle is permitted at any time during the practice and qualifying sessions, but will only be allowed to be utilised when pair of vehicles are within a second of each other during Sunday’s race. As well, the system can only be used at pre-designated points on the track. The system electronically re-adjusts the rear wing angle to its default position automatically once the brake pedal has been applied.

Along with the re-introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), this regulation has been created with the intention of boosting the rate at which on-track overtaking occurs. It is not a compulsory piece of bodywork.

Reintroduction of KERS:

Developed by several teams during 2008 and 2009, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) has been accepted back onto the grid by the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) organisation. The output of power, however, has been kept at the same 80-kilowatts permitted during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. This output, however, could potentially change in following seasons.

With refuelling now banned, engineers from all KERS-running teams will be forced to package the system into their vehicles, which now provide less available room, as fuel tank sizes have dramatically increased.

The 2009 season showed that the Mclaren team were most capable of developing an efficient KERS system but, a year later, it is impossible to define which squad will have the upper-hand in 2011. The system can be used as both an overtaking and defending application. It has been heavily criticised by fans due to the latter. Like the adjustable rear wings, the KERS system is not compulsory.

No F-Duct:

Banned for the 2011 season, the Mclaren-pioneered “F-duct” (or “RW80” to some) was quickly banned for any season post-2010. Having declared any device “which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car” illegal, the revolutionary – yet simple – design will not make an appearance in this years’ championship. This serves to disadvantage Mclaren, who held an advantage with the system over the field throughout the 2010 season.

Gearboxes Must Last Five Races:

The FIA’s move to a “greener” Formula One has once-again focused on unnecessary spending within the paddock. Changing from a required four races in 2010, drivers will be forced to run individual gearboxes for five consecutive races, lest they incur a 5-place grid penalty.

This regulation change is almost certain to force drivers into being far-more conservative with their vehicle in the closing stages of the race.

107% Qualifying:

Making its return after being removed from the regulations at the end of the 2002 season, the 107% rule is set to challenge lower-order teams during the first phase of qualifying.

Should a driver set a time 7% slower than that of the provisional pole taker in Q1, they will be excluded from starting the race on Sunday.

Exceptional circumstances may allow the inclusion of a particular driver or drivers. For example, should a driver set a time within 7% of the provisional pole time during any of the sessions of the weekend, they are likely to be permitted to start the race. The re-introduction of this rule is set to remove drivers considered a nuisance to the field, due to their un-competitiveness (HRT?)

Had the rule been in place in 2010, a total of 9 races would have started with less-than-full grids and would have resulted in 18 individual incidents of drivers being disallowed from competing.

Team Personnel Curfew:

New to the 2011 season, team personnel working hours will be strictly regulated by race stewards. High-definition cameras placed appropriately in the team garage(s) will monitor movement within the buildings.

Employees will not be permitted to access the vehicles, or equipment, between the hours of midnight and 6am when practice starts at 10am the following day, or between 1am and 7am when practice starts at 11am. However, each team is permitted four exceptions to this rule throughout the season.

This rule was put in place to reduce the dangers of fatigued pit-crews during Sunday’s race.

Team Orders:

Infamously showcased during the 2010 season, intra-team orders, which allow the potential manipulation of race results, have been permitted for 2011. This allows teams to instruct team-mates to allow each other past, should the pit-wall think it best for the team.

[MIKA27]

The Changes For 2011 (Part 2 of 4): Rookies

The 2011 Formula One World Championship season will, as of January 18th 2011, see the entrance of three debuting drivers. Disappointingly known more for the unpopular reasoning behind their signings, I'll explain the background of each of the three drivers and remind the readers why it is important not to dismiss a driver simply because of their means of entrance into the Formula One paddock.

Pastor Maldonado:

Announced as a partner to Rubens Barrichello for the 2011 season in the November of 2010, Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado’s ascension into the Formula One paddock has quickly been criticised by fans and pundits alike, due to the common misconception that the GP2 reigning champion had been signed for only one reason – money.

In response to the numerous (unfounded) claims of Maldonado only being signed due to his financial benefits to the team, Frank Williams and the Williams team have strongly rejected these complaints, citing the Venezuelan’s racing history, and success, as strong reason to sign the GP2 champion for 2011.

Indeed, success in formulae from as low as the Formula Renault series to the GP2 series – including several championship or near-championship successes – provides an argument for interest in the driver.

Numerous dominating victories at the famous Monaco circuit afford strong reason for interest. With a Formula One connection spanning back to 2004 (in which he tested for the now-defunct Minardi team), few with knowledge of Maldonado himself would dismiss the Venezuelan’s chances within the Formula One fraternity.

Should being a so-called “pay driver” automatically dismiss an individual’s driving prowess? Certainly not. It is a fact - and a fact that may catch his critics off-guard - that three-time World Drivers’ Champion Niki Lauda disproves this common misconception, he himself having entered Formula One as a pay driver.

Sergio Pérez:

As well a pay-driver himself, Guadalajara-born Sergio Pérez has risen to the ranks of Formula One in a less-than-spectacular style than even Pastor Maldonado (mentioned above).

Arguably the least-qualified rookie debuting in this years’ championship, Pérez has had a motorsport career featuring little-to-no outstanding performances. However, much like the man he partners in 2011 - Kamui Kobayashi - Pérez has promised the media that his ability is the determining factor for his Sauber seat, and not the backing of Mexican telecommunications company, and market giant, “Telemex”.

Despite driving to a commanding championship victory in 2007, competing in the British Formula Three season (albeit, in only the “National” class), the 20 year old failed to cement himself as a promising star in the years following.

Finishing second in the 2010 GP2 Series season (trailing Maldonado by 16 points), Pérez’s inability to triumph in the largely-uncompetitive field, that was the GP2 drivers of 2010, gives reason for concern about the Mexican’s ability at the present.

The Sauber team is hoping that, like Pérez’s 2011 teammate, there is a degree of foolishness in judging a driver only with statistics. The 2011 entrant will be forced, however, to construct a central position within a team that will strongly focus around his Japanese partner.

Jérôme d'Ambrosio:

Deposing resounding-disappointment, Lucas Di Grassi at Virgin Racing for the 2011 season, Belgium-born d’Ambrosio’s background leaves much to be desired.

Having had moderate success in the GP2 Asia series and having dominated the now-defunct International Formula Master series in 2007, the 25-year-old’s lackluster performances in various other championships (particularly the European-based GP2 series in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010) give rise to concern about the Belgian’s ability to perform at the so-called “pinnacle of motorsport”.

With a solitary win from 5 different GP2 Series seasons – 79 races in total – little can be said about the confidence held about d’Ambrosio. Despite his confident response when posed a question about his ability, “I think I can push Timo hard and for sure, on occasion, I think I can beat him.” few are particularly confident that the rookie will manage what his predecessor, the now drive-less Lucas di Grassi, could not.

With the 2011 season seeing the debut of only three rookies, all of whom having less-than-desirable track records, the season ahead looks to be yet another championship in which a star will fail to emerge from the small selection of debuting drivers.

Has the ability of junior drivers progressively declined in the recent few years, or has the emergence of drivers of the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel caused the viewers to demand far too much of new-entrance drivers? The latter is definite, of course.

2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s incredible debut into the Formula One fraternity in 2007 raised the level of competitiveness expected of rookies to an unreasonable level. But the simple fact remains that all of the drivers who debuted since 2008 (Piquet, Nakajima, Bourdais, Buemi, Petrov, Alguersuari and Di Grassi) have failed to make the impact on the field that those who debuted in the early-to-mid 2000s (Button, Alonso, Raikkonen, Webber, Montoya, Hamilton and Vettel) managed in their early years.

Perhaps the promising rising-stars of Ricciardo, Bianchi, Bottas and Vergne will provide the competitiveness that Formula One’s post-2008 entries have failed to supply.

[MIKA27]

Glock confident of improved showing

Timo Glock has no doubts that Virgin Racing's performance in 2011 will be far and away better than that in their 2010 campaign.

Having finished last in the Constructors' standings there is only really one way that the team can go and Glock is confident that they are well on their way to making an ascent up the table, a belief that was entrenched by a recent meeting with the team's top management.

"We had a good sit together in the last couple of races. John Booth and [CEO] Graeme Lowdon and myself spent quite a lot of time together, talking about the next year," Glock told Autotsport.

"The team is moving in the right direction and we've got some good sponsors on board. Marussia is a big partner now. I think they are quite straightforward and they want some success in the future, and that's good. That's what the team needs, and in the end we have to find out how quickly we can move up."

Heading into the 2011 season, Virgin have restructured their team and enter the season ready to learn from past mistakes.

"The team has made a lot of changes in terms of the structure, people moving around, putting them in different positions, which I think has helped quite a lot already," the German explained.

"We're much better, much stronger, than the same time last year. But in the end you need a car which is quick to move forward, and that's what we have to prove this year.

"You can't gain three seconds over the winter, that's not possible, and we have to be realistic about what we have, and the budget we have. We have to try and find a way to move closer to Toro Rosso and all these guys and try to stay with Lotus, or whatever the team is called now! That has to be the target," he added.

[MIKA27]

Petrov to get first R31 running

Vitaly Petrov has been the opportunity to be the first man to put the R31 through its paces.

Renault will unveil their new model on 31 January in Valencia a day before the first round of pre-season testing kicks off.

However, Renault have announced that Petrov will drive during the first day of testing before he is replaced by team-mate Robert Kubica for the final two days.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari's 2011 car to be called the F150

Ferrari have unveiled the name of their 2011 car after referring to it as 'Project 662' during the Winter period - a tactic the outfit regularly employs.

The new car will be called the F150. The reasoning behind the name is to pay tribute to the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

A statement also confirmed the livery would feature the 'Tricolore' Italian flag to further mark the occasion.

"Ferrari is an expression of Italian excellence, talent and creativity," declared President Luca di Montezemolo. "All the men and women who put so much effort and passion into their work at Maranello share the pride and responsibility of representing our country around the world and it is in this spirit that we chose to dedicate this car to an event that is so important for the whole of Italy."

The news was announced in advance on Tuesday to the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, who expressed his appreciation of the initiative.

[ckearns]

Mika, I'm really enjoying this thread. Over the last few years I've not been as current on F1 as I used to. Your posts are very insightful and I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. Keep up the good work!

[MIKA27]

Mika, I'm really enjoying this thread. Over the last few years I've not been as current on F1 as I used to. Your posts are very insightful and I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the compliment CKs.

I really enjoy posting the news where I can and is a joint effort by all such as yourself. Thanks for contributing and by all means, feel free to post.

[MIKA27]

Kubica chasing race wins

Having finished on the podium three times during his maiden season with Renault, Robert Kubica is confident he will secure his first race win with the team this year.

The Pole has one race victory to his name, having triumphed at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2008 while driving for the BMW-Sauber outfit and he's now looking to add another one to his resume with the Enstone-based team.

After a tumultuous time behind the scenes at the end of 2009, Renault impressed many with their strong showing in 2010 which saw Kubica finish eighth on the Drivers' standings.

The 26-year-old is now looking to press on from the foundations laid last year, and believes that the team are well placed to do so.

"I am confident that 2011 will be a good season because during this winter the team were able to work with a more stable financial and management situation, compared to one year ago," Kubica told the official Formula One website.

"[Team principal] Eric Boullier said that he wants our car to win races this year - he expressed exactly what I feel!"

Kubica's assertion that the team is in a stable position may seem strange considering their ongoing legal wrangle with Tony Ferndanes' Team Lotus outfit, but Kubica insists that this does not affect the inner workings of the team.

"Well, I didn't drive for Renault in 2009 and all the changes happened during the winter, before I really started to work with my new team," he explained.

"There was an important reshuffle of shareholders, but the core of the team remained almost unchanged. This is what I have been told is happening again now."

Former Renault Director of Engineering, Pat Symonds, agrees that the team are looking impressive heading into the new season.

"I think we'll see the same old protagonists fighting it out at the front, but Renault are in a good position," Symonds told crash.net.

"I have my biases having worked there for a long while, but they're a great group of guys and they took a very bold step last year in updating their wind tunnel over the winter. That's not something where you just wake up one morning and say 'I'm going to do it' - you have to plan it a long way in advance, and of course they put in a huge CFD facility prior to that so under the resource restrictions they could switch their work from the wind tunnel to CFD while the wind tunnel was being improved.

"I know that the wind tunnel is a huge improvement, and I think that was shown in the progress they made through the year - but with Mercedes, I'm not so sure. It's a very downsized team from the team that made the Brawn. I think the jury is still out, but I would probably favour Renault going in front of Mercedes," he added.

[MIKA27]

Personnel shuffle at McLaren

McLaren have three changes to their technical department ahead of the 2011 season.

In a move that is a restructure rather than a change in personnel, Paddy Lowe leaves his position as McLaren's engineering director to take up the role of technical director.

The shift means that Lowe will become take charge of the team's technical projects. he will continue to lead McLaren's technical strategy and represent the team's technical interest with FOTA and the FIA.

Tim Goss, the chief engineer on the MP4-25, will take over the position of director of engineering.

Neil Oatley will continue in his position as design and development director who will focus on bringing new upgrades to the car.

The restructuring comes six months after long-term chief engineer of race development, Pat Fry, crossed the paddock to Ferrari, and can be interpreted as an attempt to run the department more effectively and efficiently as the team adjusts to his absence.

[MIKA27]

Sutil backs Hamilton for title glory

Adrian Sutil says close friend Lewis Hamilton is highly motivated to regain the Formula One World title.

Hamilton has undergone a rigorous training regime over the winter in a bid to ensure he is fully fit to cope with the demands of a 20-race season, the longest in F1 history.

Naturally in F1, much will depend on the car McLaren build, one that is due to be unveiled in Berlin next Friday.

Hamilton, though, is guaranteeing he at least could not be better prepared to add to his 2008 triumph, as recognised by Sutil.

"Of course, it depends on the cars, but McLaren are a very strong team that has always been able to win the World Championship, especially with Lewis," said Sutil.

"He is a great driver, and I can tell you he is very motivated right now, and he is also very fit. He wants the title."

Sutil was confirmed this week as a Force India driver for a fifth consecutive season, and for this campaign will partner a seventh different team-mate.

Scotland's Paul di Resta has been promoted from his reserve role of last year to a race seat, joining fellow Britons Hamilton and Jenson Button on the grid.

Sutil, however, is confident his experience will hold sway, adding: "It has to, absolutely.

"He is new in Formula One and I've four years' experience, so my life is a little bit easier.

"The most important thing is to work together and bring the team forward.

"I've driven against many team-mates and it's always the same, everybody wants to be the fastest.

"I want to be fast, he wants to be fast, and that's the good thing as you push each other up.

"Hopefully we'll both be strong and that will make the team extra strong.

"But he is a good driver, he had a great season in DTM last year, so he deserves the seat, and I look forward to the challenge."

[MIKA27]

Success could force Vettel into RB stay

A clause in World Champion Sebastian Vettel's contract means that if he achieves certain performance prerequisites he is locked into a deal with Red Bull.

There has been much speculation that Vettel would look for a move to Ferrari in 2012, with the Italian team seen has the pinnacle of the sport by many drivers.

However, an editorial in the Red Bull-owned Speed Week has revealed that Red Bull would have an 'option' on Vettel if he wins a certain number of races or finishes in the top three in the Championship.

While this most likely to put the team in a strong position the option works in the same manner for the driver, with Vettel able to exercise the clause should he wish to remain with the team.

Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull's special adviser, confirmed the presence of the clause.

"There is an option based on the results," said Marko.

"We will not just let a top driver go," he added.

MIKA: If Ferrari want SV, they will get him one way or another.

[MIKA27]

Horner hopes for 100% reliability

With an incredibly competitive season expected, Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes that reliability will be key to his team's title challenge.

Sebastian Vettel was twice denied victory in the early stages of last season due to mechanical problems, and while the team only suffered one retirement as a result of technical failures (a blown engine for Vettel in Korea), they were unable to make the most of their dominance at the beginning of the season because of poor reliability.

While defending the car's performance last year, Horner admits that there will be no room for error in 2011.

"I think you can always improve in all areas," he told crash.net.

"I think our reliability in 2010 was good, [although] obviously we had a couple of engine issues that I know Renault has worked hard to resolve. I think we were one of the most reliable teams on the chassis side last year, but it's always important to try to achieve 100 per cent reliability, which is I'm sure the target of every team."

The 2010 season was one of the closest fought battles in some time, with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren involved in a three-way challenge for title honours. Horner believes that the coming season will be even more competitive.

"Sitting here at this time of year, you can expect Ferrari and McLaren to be strong, Mercedes I'm sure will be looking for a better season and Renault finished 2010 pretty strongly," explained the 37-year-old.

"It's impossible to predict [the order] until we get to the first grand prix," he added.

Traditionally, Red Bull have sat out the first testing session of the season as they look to squeeze out every possible moment of development time. This year the team will put their 2011 challenger through its paces from the opening round of testing in Valencia, a move Horner attributes to incredibly hard work from all involved.

"We've adhered to a programme that has worked for us. Over the last two years that meant missing the first test, but this year Adrian has had just as long in the wind tunnel and decided that because of the regulation changes and particularly the tyres, it suited our programme to be at the first test. That's not to say one way is right and one way is wrong; it's just the way we have elected to approach 2011," said the Briton.

"The factory is working flat-out at the moment, just getting everything prepared to run the car for the first time on 1 February. The whole group has worked tremendously hard - particularly over the Christmas holidays - to get us into a position where we are effectively a week ahead of where we were this time twelve months ago."

A number of changes have been made to the F1 regulations for the coming season, with Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) returning, the introduction of adjustable rear wings and the end of F-ducts and double diffusers. Changes always mean a new challenge, and Horner sees them as having a positive influence.

"I think the changes will certainly have an impact," he said.

"We had KERS in 2009 and it's making a comeback for 2011. The double-diffuser has disappeared. It's an interesting challenge, and it will be interesting, too, to see what the new regulations do to improve the racing, which in any case was very good in 2010 - I think it was the best year we've had for a long time, and all the ingredients are currently there to make 2011 every bit as exciting a season," he added.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari's F150: All the technical info

Ferrari's technical director Aldo Costa and chief designer Nikolas Tombazis share their thoughts on the F150 including the tech specs...

Aldo Costa

Q: There are many changes regarding the regulations for 2011. Which are the ones with the major impact on the F150 project?

AC: The major aspects with the most impact on the project were connected to the aerodynamic development. The car will change a lot. The double diffuser, the F-duct, is gone. The driver can't change the car's aerodynamic set up anymore. The underbody won't have any 'holes' in the central part anymore. This is a fundamental change. The rear wing will be movable, so that the driver can overtake the car in front of him and use it in the qualifying according to his needs. The KERS is back. Although we've improved its size, it's still quite big. Therefore the technicians had to redesign the car's layout. There are also new safety rules. We participated in the changes the Federation made to improve safety on the track, which is always extremely important.

Q: Would you say that this car is more of an evolution or a revolution compared to last year's single-seater?

AC: Due to the new rules the car should be a proper cut compared to the previous one, with new concepts and lines of development. As far as the looks are concerned the rules keep them quite unaltered. The cars look like the ones from last year, but from a technical point of view they will be really different.

Q: How will the F150 as we see her here today will evolve over the next weeks?

AC: The car's evolution has been planned with two big stages: one during the winter tests, where we will mainly develop the area of the mechanics, which means that the car's structure, the chassis, the gearbox and the suspension will remain the same for the first couple of races. The aerodynamics is simplified and temporary for the first tests, waiting for the real aerodynamic development for the first race.

Q: According to you, which were the most demanding challenges regarding this project?

AC: Starting from scratch with the car's rear, because the double diffuser and the F-duct are gone and there have been some clarifications regarding the car's underbody: these were the main challenges and why we had to start from scratch rethinking the whole project.

Q: This year there is a new provider regarding the tyres: to what extent are the Pirelli tyres still a question mark.

AC: The project and the evolution of these tyres happened in a very short time frame: Pirelli had only a couple of months to develop the tyres. I think they've done some really good work, but there's still a lot to do. We have to test several compounds, while we are already in a good and reliable condition as far as the tyres' construction is concerned. There's still a lot to do and it's a very important issue. We have to use the winter tests as good as we can to set up the Pirelli tyres.

Q: How do you get ready for the debut on the track?

AC: The structure and the method have progressively changed over the last years at Ferrari: we were used to many miles on the track. But now we only have 4 days in February. There is no time to resolve fundamental problems as far as the car's reliability is concerned. Therefore this work has to be done on the test stand. That's why at the moment we're testing the car's substructure on the test stand, checking its functionality and weariness, so that we can go on the track with a reliable car.

Q: Personally, do you feel obliged to win?

AC: A short question needs a short answer. One word is enough: Yes.

Nikolas Tombazis

Q: When did you start thinking about the project of the F150?

NT: We started when the previous car touched the ground. That was in late January last year. We put some basic ideas together, started talking about the new regulations and how they would influence the main parts and we set up a programme in the wind tunnel to examine the new regulations.

Q: Which were the most important parts in this challenge?

NT: This project had several important challenges, because the regulations are quite different from last year's. We had to reintroduce the KERS in the car. We've learned a lot about the KERS two years ago. But now we've got a new package, so the installation wasn't the same. We had to think about that a lot. Another challenge was the mobile rear wing. This is one of the novelties in Formula 1 this year. So we had to plan a wing, which doesn't influence the performance when it's shut in its normal configuration, but which gives us the highest possible reduction regarding CD, which means highest possible speed on the straights during the qualifying or while overtaking. This was a very important project. A third challenge war the introduction of new tyres. When you change tyres you also have to change several aspects of the car, regarding weight distribution, suspension between front and rear, but also some aerodynamic aspects. Because the Pirelli tyres are new, we've got lots of work. This is almost less important thinking about the aerodynamic aspect: this year we can't use a double diffuser. So we had to set a very ambitious goal: gaining the performance we lost without the double diffuser.

Q: Which are the most innovative characteristics of the F150?

NT: We've been working on different innovations for the car: some of ours and some new for Formula 1 in general. The rear suspension is really innovative, so is the rear wing system. But there are more novelties coming up regarding the configuration for the first race, which aren't in the car yet, for example something for the rear wing and the exhausts.

Q: Personally, as the planner, would you like to have more freedom during the planning phase?

NT: Yes. It would be nice having some more freedom and more time. The regulations are more and more restrictive, but there is a reason for that. Otherwise the cars' performances would be too high and maybe even the costs for Formula 1 would be higher than they are today. It would be very nice having more technical freedom to create even more sophisticated systems for the car. It would also be nice to have more time available between one season and the next, to work not in such a rush on some aspects of the car.

Q: Do you think you reached the target, which has been set for this project?

NT: We think we did. We set targets we think are very ambitious regarding the development in the wind tunnel, the car's weight and the performance of some sub-systems. We think, based on our analysis, that we've reached these targets. Especially for the car for the first race. Having said that, the regulations are new and it's impossible to know exactly where our competitors stand. I'm convinced that also they set themselves some ambitious targets. I'm confident in what we've done, but as long as we don't see the cars on the grid for the first race, it's a little bit difficult to answer this question.

Q: A last question: do you feel obliged to win this year?

NT: At Ferrari this is almost an obligation we have every year. And every year is the same. This is a stimulating pressure, but it never gives you a moment of rest in the work we have to do.

Technical Specs

Chassis

* Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure

* Gearbox: Ferrari longitudinal gearbox

* Differential: Limited-slip differential

* Command: Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox - quick shift

* Number of gears: 7 +Reverse

* Brakes: Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes

* Suspension: Independent suspension, push-rod activated torsion springs front and rear

* Weight with water, lubricant and driver: 640 kg

* BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13"

Engine

* Type: 056

* Number of cylinders: 8

* Cylinder block in sand cast aluminium: V 90°

* Number of valves: 32

* Pneumatic distribution

* Total displacement: 2398 cm3

* Piston bore: 98 mm

* Weight: 95 kg

* Electronic injection and ignition

* Fuel: Shell V-Power

* Lubricant: Shell Helix Ultra

[MIKA27]

Ferrari: Reliability is the basis of our work

Ferrari are confident their new car for the 2011 season will provide Fernando Alonso with the reliability he needs to reclaim the World title.

The Italians were dogged by mechanical problems over the first half of last year, but Alonso then roared back into contention with three wins in four races.

But a major error in his pit-stop strategy saw him slump to seventh in the final race as Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel claimed his fifth win of the season to ****** the title by just four points.

Alonso managed only two podium finishes in nine races after winning the opener in Bahrain, and Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali insisted they had learned from last year's slow start.

"Launching a new car, be it a road car, a GT car, or a race car like this, is a very important moment," said Domenicali after the unveiling of the F150 at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters.

"It's important because it means the work of the whole team is realised.

"Last season we had difficult and beautiful moments, and we want to build on those beautiful moments.

"Our two drivers are a wonderful team and they want to prove their value.

"The F150 was created on substantially different technical regulations, but it is important we start on reliability, this is the basis of our work.

"This car is the first step towards that because the car you will see in Bahrain will be completely different from the one you see in the first test week in Valencia.

"We really want to be successful."