FORMULA 1 - 2014

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Wanna buy a Martini Williams Formula 1 team shirt?

For some time now reports have circulated that Williams are on the brink of announcing a title sponsorship deal with Martini, a brand with a rich heritage in motorsport. It now appears that there is confirmation of this partnership.

Williams F1 team wear with distinctive Martini branding is on offer from leading Formula 1 merchandise suppliers OnPole, which suggests that the deal is now done.

But Williams are keeping quiet on commercial matters, announcing on Twitter today: “Our race livery will be launched for Australia! Focus is on technical until then.”

OnPole confirmed that “subject to a distribution issue that needs to be resolved, yes there will be a 2014 [Martini Williams] replica range. We will be offering a small range including the team shirt, team T-shirt and team cap. We hope to have these available to pre-order on our website by the end of this week. The expected delivery date is mid-March.”

Carlos Pace drives the Martini backed Brabham BT44 at the 1975 Argentine GP

Reports from Brazil indicate that Felipe Massa’s arrival has prompted a renewed interest by Brazilian companies to back the legendary team, which has amassed 16 World titles during its illustrious history in Formula 1.

Petrobras, sponsors of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and Banco do Brasil are said to be penning deals to back the Grove based outfit this season.

Partners already on board for 2014, with branding expected on the FW36, currently include: Randstad, Wihuri, Hatch, Experian, Oris and Kemppi.

Williams are using all dark blue livery for testing with limited branding on the car. Early indications are that the team have a handy car in the FW36 and the arrival of Massa has also served to energise the team.

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Bird not going to moan about not making it into F1 yet

Highly rated Sam Bird, last year’s Mercedes F1 Reserve Driver and perennial GP2 front-runner is not going to moan about having not yet made it into Formula 1.

Speaking to Race Department, Bird said, “I’m not one to moan about it and cry out that ‘it’s not fair’. It is what it is. Work hard and have faith in yourself and in your future.”

“Of course I would still love my chance in F1. It’s where I have worked hard to be throughout my career and I know I am ready. But it’s no secret that I don’t meet the current ‘economic’ requirements,” quipped the 27 year old Briton.

In 2014 Bird has added United Sports Car Championship with Starworks to his agenda, having made his debut in the sportscar and GT based series at the recent Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

Bird explained, “I still believe that there are plenty of exciting racing Championships where a bit of talent and a lot of dedication and hard work are the currency required, so I’ll focus my efforts on those.”

“If the chance to race in F1 still comes my way, I will of course grab it and I will keep myself prepared for it,” he added.

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Surtees turns 80 and Ferrari hail an extraordinary champion

Reaching the age of eighty is a wonderful landmark, as are the many and great landmarks first achieved by John Surtees in his time as a racer on two and four wheels.

President Luca di Montezemolo said on the Ferrari website, “First of all, he was an extraordinary motorcycle Champion before doing the same in motor cars, taking a fantastic Formula 1 World Championship crown with us in 1964.”

“He is a dear friend to me and he has always maintained an excellent relationship with our company. On behalf of the entire Ferrari family, I send John all the very best wishes for his birthday!” added the Ferrari boss.

Apart from winning the Championship and four Formula 1 grands prix, there were other important victories with the Scuderia, racing sports prototypes: two wins in the Nurburgring 1000 kilometres (1963 and 1965) and one in the 1963 Sebring 12 Hours and the Monza 1000 kilometres.

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Hill backs double points for Abu Dhabi season finale

Damon Hill is one of the few Formula 1 figures who is in favour of the controversial double points rule to be implemented this year at the season finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hill told Sky Sports, ”Personally, I don’t see what the story is about. Winning the World Championship is the goal and if it gets more and more intense towards the end, and there is more at stake at the end of the championship, then that should be more exciting.”

“If you go to Wimbledon and you are in a knock-out competition it then gets more crucial and more important the closer you get to the final – and the final is worth a lot more points than the first round.”

Regarding the new Formula 1 turbo era, Hill ventured, “The new engines are going to be a big technical challenge and the drivers seem interested in the torque that they deliver.”

“There’s a question mark about the noise – I like the sound but perhaps they could be louder than they are. But it’s still Formula 1, the cars are still incredibly powerful and incredibly fast and they are going to be racing them with everything they have got.”

“There will be more chance for other teams to pick up points and I think it will be harder for any individual team and driver combination to be consistent throughout the season and in that way I think it will be more unpredictable,” concluded Hill, the 1996 F1 world champion.

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Allison expects cars to speed up

Ferrari technical director James Allison is confident that this year's Formula One cars will show a swift increase in pace before the start of the season next month.

Allison believes the sluggish start most cars endured during the season's first test at Jerez last month was because most teams focused on reliability and engine performance in the initial stages of development. He added that aerodynamic development usually takes place closer to the end of pre-season.

"Just look at the size of the rear wings - they are more or less Canada-type rear wings," Allison told Autosport.

"That is roughly where the downforce of the [2014] car is. There is also not the blowing of the floor either.

"But new rules offer new opportunities, so the rate of finding downforce is quite steep.

"You never know when it is going to slacken off, but it is showing no signs of that at the moment."

One driver that agrees with Allison is Jenson Button, who said earlier that he is certain that the speeds recorded will continue to improve as the season progresses.

"When we go to the first race everyone is going to be much faster," Button noted.

"And by the end of the year we might not be that far off, a couple of seconds."

Rod Nelson, the Williams chief test and support engineer, added some weight to Allison's comments and claimed that most of the teams will use the tests in Bahrain to focus on speed.

"I've got about 300 things on my list to do, and I think we've knocked off about 50 so far," Nelson divulged.

"We've got a load of stuff to do. We've got a whole race distance to run, which isn't all about qualifying pace.

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Button expects Dennis's overhaul of McLaren F1 team to pay off

Jenson Button has faith that Ron Dennis's overhaul of McLaren will pay off, after luring Eric Boullier away from Formula 1 rival Lotus.

Dennis was appointed as McLaren's Group CEO earlier this year with a mandate to review the F1 team's operations to prepare it better for the future.

He has already taken action in appointing Boullier as racing director, and deciding that the F1 team will appoint its own CEO at some point in the future.

Jonathan Neale is fulfilling that CEO role in the interim period, while the future of team principal Martin Whitmarsh is in doubt although there has been no official news on him.

Button thinks that Boullier's arrival will be important in delivering some fresh momentum to McLaren, and reckons that, when the final positions are finalised, the team will be well set.

"I think it's good to have fresh ideas, and I think he [boullier] does add to the team," explained Button.

"The team will never be changed by one individual, but I think he does add something. And when the management structure is complete we'll be in good shape."

Button said he had not had much contact with Boullier prior to his arrival at McLaren, but had been impressed with what he had seen the Frenchman do at Lotus.

"I don't know the way that he works," said Button. "Obviously Lotus have had a very interesting and exciting last few years.

"Last year was a very difficult year for the team, with what was going on in the background and it looked like he controlled that issue reasonably well."

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Formula One racing’s Swedish connection

When Marcus Ericsson was announced as one of Caterham’s drivers for the 2014 season, he wasn’t just fulfilling a lifelong ambition, he was also adding to Sweden’s proud history in Formula One racing.

In Australia next month, Ericsson will become the tenth driver from the Scandinavian country - and the first since 1991 - to start a Grand Prix. But just who were the other nine?

Jo Bonnier

Stockholm-born Joakim Bonnier - better known as Jo - honed his skills ice racing in his homeland before going on to carve out a Formula One career that spanned three decades and more than 100 Grands Prix. His first world championship race - and the first for a Swede - came in 1956 when he took over Luigi Villoresi’s Maserati 250F in Italy. He raced the same model with limited success over the next two seasons before joining BRM at the tail end of 1958. The following year he would seal his place in motor racing history by scoring the British marque’s first Grand Prix victory at Zandvoort, but though he continued entering F1 races all the way through to 1971, it would prove to be the only podium finish of his career. Sadly, the year after his final F1 race he lost his life in a sportscar crash at Le Mans.

Ronnie Peterson

A quiet man off the track, Ronnie Peterson favoured letting his driving do the talking. Regarded by many as the outright quickest driver of the 1970s, the blond-haired racer exhibited the kind of spectacular sideways driving style that made him a fan favourite. Sadly, though, Peterson was never able to win the world championship that his deft car control merited. He entered the F1 arena with March in 1970, but it was when he joined Team Lotus in 1973 that his star really began to shine. Behind the wheel of the formidable Lotus 72 he scored four wins that year, and three more the following season. As Lotus’s competitiveness dwindled, Peterson secured a switch back to March in early ’76 and scored a brilliant victory in Italy, but he wouldn’t win again until he rejoined Lotus in 1978 after a disastrous ‘77 season driving Tyrrell’s six-wheeled P34. Despite playing a support role to team mate and eventual champion Mario Andretti, Peterson picked up wins in South Africa and Austria. But tragically, just two races on from his Osterreichring victory, Peterson was involved in a heavy first-lap crash in Italy and died of complications from his injuries. He was just 34.

Reine Wisell

A contemporary of Peterson, Wisell lived somewhat in the shadow of his more illustrious countryman, even though he was the first of the two to achieve any real F1 success. Wisell’s big break came in tragic circumstances when, at the end of the 1970 season, he was handed a chance at Lotus following Jochen Rindt’s death. In his first race at Watkins Glen, as team mate to fellow rising star Emerson Fittipaldi, Wisell finished third - enough to earn him a full-time race deal with Colin Chapman’s squad for 1971. Sadly for Wisell, it never got better than his Grand Prix debut. He was comfortably outperformed by Fittipaldi in ‘71 and when a switch to BRM in ‘72 failed to revive his fortunes his F1 career began to fizzle out. The 1974 Swedish Grand Prix was his 22nd and final appearance in motor racing’s premier category

Bertil Roos

Having made a name for himself in both European Formula Two and Formula Atlantic, Roos was invited to contest his home Grand Prix with Shadow in 1974. But the alliance was not a happy one - Roos qualified poorly at Anderstorp before retiring with gearbox trouble. He never competed in F1 racing again.

Torsten Palm

Like Roos, Palm’s sole F1 appearance came on home soil when he hired a Hesketh 308 to contest the 1975 Swedish Grand Prix. After failing to qualify the car at Monaco, Palm was relieved to make the grid at Anderstorp, but in the race he could manage only tenth place.

Gunnar Nilsson

Gregarious Gunnar was a relative latecomer to motor racing, but before long he’d worked his way to the 1975 British F3 title with March. The following year Nilsson looked set to go F1 racing with the British team, but countryman Ronnie Peterson subsequently engineered a swap that instead saw Nilsson join the stuttering Lotus team while Peterson returned to March. Despite the Lotus 77’s lack of frontline pace, Nilsson took the car to two podium finishes in his debut season and was soon being touted as a future world champion. Colin Chapman retained Nilsson in ‘77 and alongside Mario Andretti he helped develop the ground-effect Lotus 78 into a race winner. Andretti got the team on the board first with two early-season victories, but Nilsson wasn’t to be undone and earned his only Grand Prix victory with a memorable wet-weather performance in Belgium, the highlight of which was an around-the-outside pass on Niki Lauda’s Ferrari. Sadly though, towards the end of the year as Nilsson’s performances took a dive and it was revealed that he was suffering from cancer. He signed with Arrows for the 1978 season, but by that stage the illness had taken hold and he was forced to watch from the sidelines. Just five weeks after Peterson’s tragic death, Sweden lost another star as Nilsson too passed away.

Conny Andersson

The Stockholm racer must have thought he’d never get an F1 chance after spending seven years in Formula Three, but finally, after being pipped to the European title by a young Riccardo Patrese in 1976, Andersson earned a drive with Surtees at the Dutch Grand Prix. Unfortunately the outing was a relative failure, and his attempts to add more Grand Prix starts to his resume the following season in the uncompetitive BRM P207 proved futile.

Stefan Johansson

Having got himself into several front-running F1 cars, the likeable Johansson never quite managed to make the most of his opportunities. His first forays into the big time were a disaster - still an inexperience driver, Johansson was offered an F1 drive with Shadow in 1980, but after failing to qualify in either Argentina or Brazil he retreated back to Formula Three. Three years later, with the British F3 championship and several Formula Two victories in his pocket, he made his F1 return with Spirit. The team was uncompetitive, but the following season he impressed as a stand-in at Toleman, recording a fourth-place finish in Italy and earning himself a drive for 1985. Unfortunately the team folded before the season began, but after a one-off drive for Tyrrell, Johansson found himself driving for Ferrari after they split with Rene Arnoux. He seized his chance, grabbing consecutive second places in Canada and Detroit and points finishes elsewhere. The Scuderia retained his services in 1986 and though he scored points frequently, he moved on to McLaren in 1987. More podium finishes followed, but Johansson lost his seat to Ayrton Senna at the end of the year. From then on Johansson was on the downward slope and after disappointing seasons with Ligier and Onyx, and short stints with Footwork and AGS, he headed off to race in the USA.

Slim Borgudd

Once the drummer with Swedish pop band ABBA, Tommy ‘Slim’ Borgudd only began to race seriously when he was in his thirties, but that didn’t stop him impressing in both the Swedish and European Formula Three championships in 1978/79. In 1981 Borgudd secured the funding for an F1 drive with ATS, but it proved a difficult season and sixth place in Great Britain was his only reward. He subsequently moved to Tyrrell in 1982, but was replaced when his funding ran dry.

Anderstorp: Sweden’s Grand Prix track

Buoyed by the success and popularity of their drivers (and in particular Ronnie Peterson), Sweden hosted six rounds of the world championship in the Seventies, all of them at Anderstorp. The Scandinavian Raceway, as it was also known, was built on reclaimed marshland in the late Sixties and featured an extremely long straight (named ‘Flight Straight’ because it also served as a runway) and several banked corners. Peterson very nearly recorded a fairy-tale win in the first race in 1973, but sadly a deflating tyre robbed him of victory. In the years that followed, the popular racer never quite managed to secure the victory the home fans craved, but at least Swedish supporters got to witness the only wins for two of F1 racing’s most controversial cars. In 1976, Jody Scheckter drove Tyrrell’s six-wheeled P34 to victory, and in the final race in 1978 Niki Lauda took P1 in Brabham’s notorious BT46B ‘fan car’.

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Technical: Red Bull RB10 - nose design

Aside from the fact that it spent most of the opening pre-season test stuck in the garage with technical problems, one of the most interesting aspects of Red Bull's 2014 car is its nose, which encompasses lessons learned previously on the RB7, 8 and 9. To reduce drag, the keel section at the front features two vertical vents, with the airflow passing out of the top of chassis as on last year's RB9. Further back on the nose, as well as the familiar 'S-duct' channeling air up through the chassis, the bottom section has another two ducts on each side. The outer one feeds airflow to the two turning vanes, while the inner one is more likely to be for cooling the car's electronics, as on the RB7 of three seasons back.

Toro Rosso STR9 - rear wing innovations

Like Williams, for 2014 Toro Rosso have eschewed a central pillar to mount their rear wing in favour of connecting the endplates to a new, lower 'beam wing' (1). Note the long vertical gills at the bottom of the endplates. The central 'monkey seat' wing has very tall endplates and a small flap in the lower section (2). As on the team's 2013 car, the outer edge of the rear diffuser is cut at a 45-degree angle (3), while the driveshaft (4) is now included in the fairings around the two adjacent suspension elements. The rear of the bodywork features a wide, oval opening (5) to extract hot air from the sidepods. Finally in this drawing, we can see how the 'cola bottle' section (6) starts much further forward than on sister team Red Bull's RB10, despite both cars using the same Renault power unit, with a more squared sidewall to the bodywork.

Williams FW36 - rear wing innovations

For 2014, Formula One racing's governing body, the FIA, has not only reduced the width of the front wing, it has also cut the amount of downforce generated by the rear wing by effectively outlawing the traditional lower beam wing. This has meant most teams returning to the solution of a central vertical pillar for mounting the rear wing. Williams and Toro Rosso, however, have instead attached the endplates to a new 'beam wing' (2) which is placed less than 150mm above the reference plane, an area where there are no restrictions. The result is a solution that in combination with the rear diffuser is almost as effective as the old beam wing and one that could well become a trend in 2014. Note the distinctive curved shape of the outside of the diffuser (1). The driveshaft (3) does not have its own unique fairing, but is cleverly hidden between those around the toe link and the rear leg of the lower wishbone. Cascading brake fins (4) help to further increase downforce, as does a new 'monkey seat' wing (5), now 200mm wide rather than the 150mm dictated by the 2013 rules.

McLaren MP4-29 - rear suspension fairings

This unusual solution has been garnering a lot of attention at the opening pre-season test at Jerez. McLaren have designed the MP4-29's rear suspension, in particular the toe link and the rear leg of the lower wishbone, so as to create elements which respect the 3.5:1 dimension ratio required by the regulations, but which are in effect large aero devices. At lower speeds they help improve the extraction of air from the rear diffuser, thus boosting downforce, while at higher speeds movement in the suspension components means they cut drag. The solution is considered legal by the FIA, but could lead to clarification requests from rival teams - especially as it's one that cannot be easily copied, since it would require a complete redesign of the rear suspension.

Ferrari F138 versus F14 T - overhead analysis

This overhead drawing shows how Ferrari's new 2014 car, the F14 T (top) differs from their 2013 car, the F138 (bottom). Firstly, the flat nose cone (1) on the F14 T is shorter than that on the F138. The regulation changes mean that the front wing on the 2014 car is 75mm narrower on each side and that brings the endplates (2) directly in front of the front tyre. As a result, the endplates are more complex and twisted to the outside in order to divert air around the tyre more efficiently. The onboard camera position (3) is now defined by the regulations, so the mounting is further back than it was in 2013. Even so, Ferrari have mounted the cameras so that they have a positive aerodynamic influence in this area. Further back along the car you can see the new bridge vertical turning vanes (4) which are an evolution of the ones introduced at the end of 2013. Ferrari put a lot of effort into making the sidepods (5) as small as possible and from above they appear narrower in places than those on the F138 (indicated by the yellow spot). There is also a cut out area in the 'cola bottle' section (6) which makes them narrower still. Hot air exits through two big oval openings at the rear of the sidepods (7). These openings are placed very low down so that hot air exits towards the diffuser. At the very rear of the car, vertical pillars (8) have been used to support the rear wing, whilst the new rear wing endplates (9) are divided into two sections and feature several gills.

Ferrari F138 versus F14 T - side view analysis

This drawing compares the side profiles of Ferrari's new 2014 car, the F14 T (top) with their 2013 car, the F138 (bottom). Like Force India and Sauber, Ferrari have adopted a 'double step' in the chassis in order to allow a large amount of air to flow under the car, whilst respecting the reduction in chassis height by 100mm to 525mm. As a result of this, there is a steep slope from the low flat nose (1) up to the top of the chassis (2). As the yellow line (3) highlights, the underside of the chassis follows the same shape as the top surface, enabling Ferrari to get plenty of air flowing under the chassis and towards the diffuser, despite the reduction in nose/chassis height. One surprising design aspect of the 2014 car is that the sidepods (4) are very similar in size to last year's - an impressive achievement given the extra cooling requirements of the new power units. The turbo intercooler and various other radiators and cooling systems are housed within the sidepods, so it's advantageous aerodynamically to have kept those small. Another change from last year is that the airbox intake (5) has a more triangular shape, whilst the engine cover (6) has a large fin section which features a small hot air exit for the clutch. Further back down the car, the rear wing is supported by two boomerang-shaped pillars (7), whilst the rear wing endplates (8) are a similar shape to those on last year's McLaren and feature several gills in the lower section. Finally, all the hot air from the sidepods exits through two big oval openings at the rear of the sidepods. These openings are placed very low down - lower even than on the new Red Bull RB10 - and will allow hot air to exit towards the diffuser.

Ferrari F138 versus F14 T - front view analysis

This drawing compares Ferrari's 2013 car, the F138 (left), with 2014's new F14 T (right). The F14 T's nose (1) doesn't follow the 'finger' design trend seen on several other 2014 cars, with Ferrari instead preferring a quite wide and flat configuration. The aim is clearly to channel air under the car, with the underside of the chassis following exactly the shape of the top surface, creating a step in the nose (as also seen on Force India's VJM07). This solution means the chassis underside is effectively just as high as in 2013 and allows Ferrari to optimize airflow under the car to better feed the rear diffuser. With the front wing (2) 15cm narrower than in 2013, the more complex endplates (3) have to work much harder to expel air to the outside of the front tyres. The wing assembly seen at the opening pre-season test in Jerez is all new, though another new layout is expected to appear at the subsequent Bahrain tests. For a third season Ferrari have retained pullrod front suspension (4) though with more aerodynamic benefit, adding a small flap to better direct airflow. The car also features new 'bridge' vertical turning vanes (5), while there are new restrictions on the rear wing assembly (6), with no more beam wings and the top wing reduced 2cm in section. Finally the airbox (7) has a new triangular shape.

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Schumacher fights a bout of pneumonia during awakening process

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is in the process of fighting off a bout of pneumonia during the week of his awakening from an induced coma, at Grenoble University Hospital in France.

Bild reports that doctors treated the pneumonia with a course of strong antibiotics, but it is not known if the awakening process has been paused during the episode.

Professor Heinz Peter Moecke, Head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg, explained to Bild: “One of the reasons he may have contracted pneumonia is because the endotracheal tube does not allow a patient to cough and rid the throat of secretions.”

“A healthy person coughs or swallows several times per minute, usually without noticing, which in turn protects the lungs from infection.”

“Pneumonia is generally a serious and dangerous disease [for a patient in a coma] because the body is supplied with less oxygen and overall is very weak.”

“The drug [to counter pneumonia] is administered over a period of seven to ten days. If successful the results can be observed after three to four days in the form of a marked improvement, whereupon the patient is out of danger. However there are also bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics, which then can extend the period of danger,” added Professor Moecke.

Sabine Kehm , Schumacher’s spokesperson, has on several occasions denounced unofficial reports regarding the condition of the seven time F1 World Champion, stating “we do not comment on speculation.”

Schumacher critically injured himself after falling and banging his head on rock while skiing during a family holiday in the French Alps late last year.

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Domenicali: I have found a more mature Kimi, more closely knit to the team

Since last September much has been written about the Ferrari driver pairing for 2014, now team principal Stefano Domenicali explains how he will manage – Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen – already dubbed Fire & Ice, and reveals how the latter has matured over the years.

First Domenicali explained the thinking behind the axing of Felipe Massa and bringing back Raikkonen, “It was a rational choice, based on the need to have an expert driver pairing, with the one aim of it doing well for Ferrari. I hope the track will show that it was the right choice.”

As for the combination of Raikkonen and Alonso, the Ferrari F1 team boss ventured, “How will we manage them? Decisions are always carefully considered, but they always have the same aim, which is that the sporting decisions are taken to reach the team’s goals, as the interest of the team always comes before all else. Decisions we have taken in the past have always been reached in this spirit.”

Not long ago, 2009 in fact, Ferrari paid a huge sum of money for Raikkonen to leave Maranello and make way for Alonso.

Prior to September last year, when he signed to return to the Reds, Raikkonen said of his time with the legendary team, “I don’t miss anyone. To me, leaving there was a relief. The situation could have been better, but it’s the past and what is done cannot be reversed.”

Clearly things have been reversed as Raikkonen said on signing for a second term with the team, “I am really happy to be returning to Maranello where I previously spent three fantastic and very successful years. I have so many memories of my time at Ferrari, memories which have stayed with me these past years, first and foremost, winning the World Championship title in 2007, which was really unforgettable.”

It is well known that Domenicali was instrumental in swaying the opinion of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who was not a Raikkonen fan, and thus pave the way for the Iceman’s return to the Scuderia – and reality is that the last title won by the team was during Raikkonen’s era.

“I have found a more mature Kimi, more closely knit to the team. He comes to Maranello almost every week to work with the engineers,” revealed Domenicali.

“He knows his worth and he knows what team he has returned to and what challenges he will face, having a world champion like Alonso alongside him for whom he has respect and he will have to adapt to working with him.”

“Fernando is extremely intelligent and has managed to stay ahead in whatever car he has driven. He has an ability to interpret the race and to read it in an amazing way and I think he will make the most of the new regulations, which will require some stages of the race to be managed in a different way. We feel close to him partly because it was such a long time ago that we decided to invest in him,” concluded Domenicali.

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Massa: I needed this change and I think Williams team needed it too

Felipe Massa’s departure from Ferrari to Williams has gone as well as could be expected, and might well be the tonic needed to revitalise both the Grove team and the Brazilian driver.

Speaking to the media in Sao Paulo on Tuesday, Massa said, “I’m really motivated, this is a special moment for me. I changed to a team that welcomed me with open arms. I needed this change and I think the team needed [it] too.”

The new partnership got off to a flying start, as Massa topped the timing screens on the final day of the first pre-season at Jerez at the wheel of the all blue Williams FW36.

“It always helps to start well, especially now that we have a completely different car, which requires a completely different driving style,” said the Brazilian who has 11 grand prix victories on his CV.

However Massa remains cautious and is not reading too deeply into the early test in Spain, “I think there’s a lot to learn with the car and a lot has to be done to make the car improve. It’s hard to say right now how good we will be. Usually, in the first races it will be difficult just to finish the race. But it was a good start, I was happy.”

Formula 1 testing resumes in Bahrain on 19 February, with the season opening Australian Grand Prix taking place in Melbourne on 16 March.

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Ricciardo: We’re confident but until we get laps under our belt we can’t really be sure of anything

Daniel Ricciardo says that Formula 1 World Champions Red Bull are confident that they have overcome the technical crisis that has engulfed them this past month.

The team’s new RB10 barely ran at the opening Jerez test recently amid packaging and Renault Power Unit issues.

Ahead of the second of three pre-season tests, set to begin in Bahrain next week, team driver Ricciardo said: “We’re confident that we’ll run a bit smoother.

“But it’s so complex this year, until we get laps under our belt we can’t really be sure of anything,” he is quoted by the Australian news agency AAP.

“I saw the car yesterday and they’ve made quite a bit of progress, so hopefully we’ll get a few more laps and kickstart our season,” Ricciardo added.

Williams driver Felipe Massa, who moved from Ferrari over the winter, said recently that he would be “worried” if he was in Sebastian Vettel or Ricciardo’s shoes.

He told reporters in Sao Paulo this week: “It is not a disaster, but it is a concern not to be able to test.

“But I think it is a problem with all the Renault cars,” Massa added. “With such a small rear, in the case of the Red Bull, there may be overheating, but it’s difficult to know.”

Meanwhile, Ricciardo was asked by AAP about his new teammate, the reigning quadruple World Champion Vettel, following the German’s comments that he will not be helping the young Australian get up to speed in 2014.

“I’ll pick things up naturally from him and learn the ins and outs of how he works,” said the 24-year-old.

“Obviously he’s not going to tell me how to drive around a corner – we’re all capable of that now.”

Ricciardo was also asked about predecessor and countryman Mark Webber’s latest comments, when the veteran Australian predicted he would match Vettel in qualifying this year.

“I won’t say I’ll come out and beat him – because until I do that, I don’t want to say anything. But of course I’d love to,” Ricciardo smiled.

“Obviously we know the calibre of driver that he is, so the first thing is I’ve got to learn from him, respect what he does and then try to match him.”

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Whiting: The cars passed the crash tests, so we have to live with how they look

FIA Race Director and head of the F1 Technical Department Charlie Whiting has hinted that the eyesore anteater style nose cones may not last beyond the 2014 season, but for now we have to get used to them.

Whiting told Auto Motor und Sport, “What concerns us is if [the nose cones] fulfill the purpose that we intended with the rules. We wanted to reduce the risk of the cars lifting in a rear-end collision.”

“All the designs have passed the relevant crash tests, and fulfill the letter of the law. As long as the construction is not dangerous, we have to live with the fact that the nose cones look the way they look.”

“We have acted in good faith, but we are not designers. They want to flow as much air as possible under the car and thus reduce everything that stands in the way.”

Whiting hinted at possible changes for 2015 saying, “For example we can ensure more symmetry by not only mandating a maximum deviation for the first 150 mm of crush zone, but also imposing a minimum one.”

“We can also ensure that these surfaces go further back, which on the other hand would avoid the abrupt transitions.”

Fans and drivers alike have lamented the fact that the 2014 Formula 1 cars look downright ugly

Speaking to CNN earlier this month Fernando Alonso said, “They are ugly, yeah. We have to be honest with that, you know, with our fans and ourselves first of all.”

“Probably we will get used to these new aesthetics, let’s say, but the first moment they are not good enough because people look at Formula 1 [for] excellence [in] motor sport, aerodynamics, excellence of performance and technology – and when you see those front parts of the car, it doesn’t look like all the things we’ve been saying [about excellence].”

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Williams and Genworth announce new partnership

Press Release: Williams is pleased to announce a new multi-year partnership agreement with global lifestyle protection insurer, Genworth (NYSE: GNW).

Genworth is a Fortune 500 company with a heritage dating back to 1871. Genworth’s Lifestyle Protection division is a leading provider of Lifestyle Protection Insurance, distributed via financial institutions and other distributors in over 20 countries worldwide, including a growing presence in Latin America and China.

The new partnership will see the Genworth logo appear on the rear wing endplate of the Williams Mercedes FW36, the overalls worn by each driver, and the kit worn by team personnel from the 2014 season onwards.

Speaking about the new partnership Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal of Williams, said; “I’m delighted to welcome a brand of Genworth’s pedigree to the team for the 2014 season and beyond. We share a number of similar values such as ensuring excellence and integrity in everything we do and a truly global footprint. We’re looking forward to working in close collaboration to help them maximise the benefits that come from a close association with Williams and Formula One.”

“We are excited to become a partner to Williams,” said Peter Barrett, Global Managing Director of Genworth’s lifestyle protection division. “The Williams business, and the strong ideals and foundations that it is built on, are very closely aligned to Genworth’s core values. Our partnership with Williams provides Genworth with a powerful worldwide platform which mirrors our global footprint, connects with new global audiences and will ensure client engagement opportunities through the extensive coverage and profile that Formula One receives globally.”

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New details emerge regarding 2014 F1 qualifying tweaks

New details of the plan to spice up Formula 1 qualifying for the 2014 season have emerged.

At a meeting in Bahrain scheduled for 21 February, Formula 1′s major players will move to ensure that the final Q3 segment is exciting under the radically different regulations.

The fear is that, to preserve tyres and for reasons of reliability, drivers may sit out the session for tactical reasons.

It was reported that a likely solution would be to supply drivers with an extra set of tyres for the final ‘Q3′ hitout.

Writing in Autosprint, correspondent Roberto Chinchero said the extra set, only eligible to be used in Q3, will be the ‘option’ – or fastest – tyre.

According to the reported proposal, drivers will also be encouraged to push hard in Q3 by ending the rule that required cars to start the race on the last tyre used in the top-ten shoot out.

Now, top-ten drivers will start on the tyre with which they set their best Q2 time.

The Q3 changes, likely to increase track activity, will mean the session is extended from 10 to 12 minutes, giving drivers more time to fit in their additional ‘runs’.

The lengthened Q3 will mean that Q1 is reduced from 20 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, for drivers who do not make it into Q3, they will be given an extra set of ‘Option’ tyres for the race, also discouraging them from saving tyres in qualifying.

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Ferrari to burn rubber in historic Soweto Formula 1 road show

South African driver Jody Scheckter was world champion for Ferrari in 1979

(Press Release) After bringing Formula 1 to the masses in so many cities, including Moscow, Jerusalem and Warsaw, Ferrari is doing it again, to be precise, bringing the adrenalin rush of a Formula 1 car to Soweto, the famous suburb of Johannesburg.

South Africa has a long Formula 1 tradition, having staged 23 Grands Prix between 1962 and 1993.

It also boasts a World Champion in the shape of Jody Scheckter who took the title in 1979, at the wheel of a Ferrari.

It’s been a long time since the World Championship hasn’t visited Africa and putting that right are the Scuderia and its long-term partner Shell.

The street demo is being staged to launch the new Shell V-Power Nitro+, featuring Prancing Horse test driver Marc Gene at the wheel of an F60.

Thousands of spectators are expected to show up at the impromptu circuit which has been set up around Soweto’s Soccer City stadium, home to the 2010 World Cup Final.

Events like this help to spread the popularity of Formula 1 by bringing its excitement to cities in countries that do not host a grand prix.

As for the drivers, they get to enjoy being at the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car without the pressure that goes with racing.

The event runs over two days. On Friday, Marc will also visit the Soweto home of Nelson Mandela, now a museum, in the Orlando West district.

On Saturday, the Spanish Test Driver will be at the Fomiss service station before taking part in a spectacular parade of road going Ferraris, organised in conjunction with Viglietti, the South African Ferrari importer.

After that, Marc will be strapped into the F60 for the much awaited spectacle, featuring burn-outs, pitstops and bursts of breathtaking acceleration.

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Boullier admires his dream machine during visit to McLaren HQ

During a visit to the McLaren Technology Centre former Lotus Team Principal Eric Boullier spent time admiring some of the legendary cars on display at the team’s headquarters, including his boyhood dream machine: Ayrton Senna’s iconic MP4-4.

In the aftermath of Ron Dennis’ return to the helm of the team, at the expense of Martin Whitmarsh, Boullier was the first major appointment by the McLaren supremo, to the newly created role of Racing Director.

At the time Boullier said, “I regard this appointment as an honour, a privilege and a wonderful opportunity. I’m hugely excited about the prospect of joining such an outstanding team. I’m utterly determined to match their famous passion and commitment to win.”

Ron Dennis said, “Eric’s appointment is an integral part of a senior management restructure within McLaren Racing.”

Boullier will start work at the team’s headquarters on 3 February.

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Kehm dismisses latest rumours

Sabine Kehm, the manager of Michael Schumacher, has dismissed reports that the German racing legend had contracted a lung infection.

Reports about the seven-time World Champions' condition surfaced late Tuesday night after German publication Bild claimed that Schumacher had contracted pneumonia while he was in a medically induced coma.

However, Kehm dismissed the claims on Wednesday.

"As always, my answer is: announcements about Schumacher's health status, that are not done by his official doctors or by his management need to be treated as speculation," she told German news agency DPA.

Following his skiing accident in December last year, Schumacher has been in a critical condition, and although his sedation is gradually being reduced in order to try and wake him from his coma, chances of him making a full recovery are ever diminishing.

"Every day, every week in a coma the chances decline that the situation is improving," University of Bordeaux professor of neurology Jean-Marc Orgogozo told the Daily Mirror

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Domenicali - Raikkonen Knows That For Ferrari, Finishing Second Is A Tragedy

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says that his team has started the new era of hybrid turbo technology “in the right way” and added that in new signing Kimi Raikonnen he has a driver who knows that for Ferrari, “finishing second is a tragedy.”

In an extensive interview with Gazzetta dello Sport today, the 48 year old team principal says that there he is pleased with the way his team has responded to falling short the last few years – he has a photo on his office wall of the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix debacle which cost Fernando Alonso and Ferrari the world title; a reminder not to get complacent as things can change quickly in F1.

Ferrari’s new engine covered 444 laps of Jerez in the back of the works car, the Sauber and the Marussia, which made a late start and the works car seemed to be able to do the mileage without too many problems.

“In a very different kind of contest from previous years we needed to confirm certain fundamental parameters and we have done that,” said Domenicali. “It is a sign of the robustness of our project which gives us hope. But we must be careful; in terms of performance we haven’t seen anything yet from anyone. We will only know where everyone is after the second Bahrain test.” (22 February – 2 March)

“From a reliability point of view Mercedes has started well, also its customer teams have covered a lot of kilometres.”

As for Red Bull, Domenicali is cautious and refuses “to write off such a powerful adversary” after the team’s extensive reliability problems in the first test in Jerez. “If they have isolated the problem they can make up the lost kilometres,” he said.

On the main talking point around Ferrari this year, the driver pairing that all of Formula 1 is looking forward to seeing in action, Alonso and Raikkonen, the Ferrari boss says that the decision to put them together was “rational, not emotional” and adds that Raikkonen is “extremely motivated and has the experience to manage a difficult championship, such as this year’s will be.

He knows how to handle the pressure of driving alongside Alonso and driving for Ferrari, which is always under the spotlight and for whom finishing second is a tragedy.”

(Compared to the last time he was at Ferrari in 2009, Raikkonen “is more mature, more expert, closer to the team. He’s already been to Maranello a lot; he comes he almost every week. He knows what he is capable of. He knows that this is an important challenge for him. He knows what he has to do with a champion like Alonso, with whim he has to work in an integrated way.”

There are a couple of other interesting notes from the interview; responding to Bernie Ecclestone’s comment that the new hybrid formula is “a farce”, Domenicali is cautious on making pronouncements too soon, but interestingly notes that, “we need to be prepared to intervene if the new F1 is losing something in terms of emotional appeal.”

On the controversial new rule to double the points for the final race in Abu Dhabi, Domenicali says that “rules must be respected,” but adds, “If we want to say that this is too artificial, this is true.”

MIKA: My personal favourite quote would be from Ron Dennis relating to coming second in a race or Championship: "Second is just first of the losers".

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Why Max Mosley was right about regulations

Truth be told, I have my reservations about the 2014 regulation changes. The first sign of my reservation got started at this year’s test in Jerez when video from YouTube allowed us, the fans, a auditory insight into what the cars would sound like. No screaming down the straights I’m afraid—more like a chainsaw whirring down the straight. As if they took a brake duct cooling leaf blower engine and stuck it in the back of a chassis.

As Renault Sport F1 powered teams struggled to complete a significant amount of performance-defining laps, I wondered if the ERS and engine combination had reached a point where system controls and software along with power storage and deployment had gone a bridge too far.

Concerns or not, the changes are here to stay so we’d better get used to the idea for the foreseeable future. Often times, regulation changes can be brief opportunities for teams to gain ground on the front runners such as Brawn GP in 2009 but Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost doesn’t believe we’ll see that type of dual-diffuser fueled upset in 2014.

Formula 1 has always been about changing technical innovations as the series rapidly sped through time. A raft of regulation changes has been both appealing and loathed depending on which side of the coin you preferred. What was always present was the way in which the regulations were written by former FIA president Max Mosley (or, how he suggested the wording of the regulations should be).

You see, Max would always frame the regulation wording loosely around a principle and if someone designed around the regulation, he would come back to the underlying principle to render a judgment. however, that leeway proved to be hidden innovation blocks that the teams could push and deliver on.

It’s an element or regulatory style that we would often comment about because incidents such as the 2009 dual-diffuser seemed like something that could have been easily written in black and white and avoided altogether but you see, where’s the fun in that?

If you want definitive detail and regulations in black and white, that may play well with certain dimensional regulations and perhaps other series. In Formula 1, the innovation block is always a consideration when crafting regulations and 2014, while not as craftily worded as a Max Mosley opus, seems to have some of that nuance still left but is it enough?

If Tost feels there will be no opportunity for key innovation points such as 2009, has the FIA become too black and white?

Regulations, as we’ve discussed previously, are necessary and while it may seem obvious tomake finite, detailed regulations, we can show that the tighter we define Formula 1, the less of its DNA remains.

So let’s give 2014 a chance to expose its underlying principle and if, after a season, we deem the move to be lacking, perhaps recalculations can be made. I say that with some trepidation as I already miss the V8 sound and mid-corner speed and the season hasn’t even started yet. Let us hope Ferrari’s James Allison is right ( As Posted yesterday ) as he told AUTOSPORT:

“When we go to the first race everyone is going to be much faster,” he said.

“And by the end of the year we might not be that far off, a couple of seconds.”

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Technical: Mercedes F1 W05 - compact front suspension

While McLaren have bodied the rear suspension of their new car to boost downforce, Mercedes have bodied (red arrow) the lower wishbone of their front suspension in order to improve frontal air penetration, reduce drag and lessen the interference with airflow as it heads towards the front of the sidepods.

To achieve this, Mercedes have used a very narrow angle for that lower wishbone (yellow area shows the typical angle), with the rear leg mounted far further forward than normal. This presents a significant engineering challenge, as the reduced angle makes it tougher for the wishbone to withstand the huge stresses it comes under during braking. Ensuring it's strong enough will almost certainly have meant adding weight, but the team must believe the aero gains justify this. Also note the top suspension members and steering link follow the same line, also aiding penetration.

Mercedes F1 W05 - chassis underside

Like the new Ferrari, Mercedes' 2014 car has quite a pronounced step (smoothed by the covering bodywork) in the top of the chassis where it reaches the maximum height of 525mm (top arrow). However, whereas on the Ferrari the bottom chassis profile follows a similar path to the top, sweeping upwards, Mercedes' is lower than required by the regulations (dotted yellow line). This smoother path should allow for more consistent management of the airflow passing under the car before it reaches the front of the sidepods.

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Sochi organisers: Everything is according to plan, the track is 91 percent complete

Formula 1′s newest venue is a fenced-off building site, with lines of skips and diggers parked along what will be the main straight, on the rubble-strewn fringes of an otherwise glittering Sochi Olympic Park.

The pitlane is roughly surfaced, the staircases and corridors above the garages littered with building materials and detritus. Wires dangle from the ceilings, empty shafts await their elevators.

The upper reaches of the main grandstand, and the VIP suites where the rich and famous will wine and dine in ‘Paddock Club’ opulence while watching the likes of four-time Champion Sebastian Vettel blast past, are empty shells.

Spectators entering the park on a balmy winter’s day with tickets for the hottest show in town – Olympic figure skating or ice hockey – may not even realise they are walking along part of a racetrack.

It will be very different in eight months’ time when what organisers hope will be a lasting legacy of the Winter Olympics takes shape in a much noisier and faster form – Russia’s first F1 Grand Prix on 12 October.

Organisers say that all is on schedule, even if the attention is currently on very different sports and brand new arenas a short stroll away.

“Construction of the autodrome in Sochi keeps moving forward. All works are being carried out according to the schedule. The racing track is 91 percent complete,” said race promoter Oleg Zabara.

“Everything is according to plan, and there aren’t any problems during [this] Olympic period.”

In written answers to questions submitted by Reuters, he said the team buildings in what will be the paddock behind the pit-lane complex were completed and so was the medical centre next to the helipad.

Work on the interiors and facade of the pit building and race control was moving forward and a pedestrian bridge was nearly finished.

Zabara said fitting out the interior of the main grandstand and the laying of the third and final layer of asphalt on the track would be carried out once the Olympics and Paralympics were out of the way.

A decision would be made soon on whether to hold a test event on the circuit at the end of September and tickets will go on sale from March 4 through the promoter’s website, to be launched later this month.

“We expect to sell 55,000 tickets,” said Zabara, adding that most would be purchased by local motorsports fans even if visitors were expected from all over the world.

“We are already collecting pre-orders. The Russian Grand Prix is a mega event and a catalyst for the development of a motorsport community in Russia and Sochi.”

The home fans will have Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, a hot young prospect who comes from Ufa, to cheer on as well as the Russian-owned Marussia team.

Russia signed a seven-year deal with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone in 2010 with the project to build the country’s first purpose-built circuit costing $200 million, a fraction of the amount lavished on the Olympics.

The Hermann Tilke-designed 5.8-km track, with the Olympic Park as a centrepiece, will be the third longest on the calendar and cars are expected to hit maximum speeds of 320 km/h.

While Olympic legacy projects are usually directed to improving the environment or facilities for those sports featured in the Games, Sochi 2014 is unusual in its focus on motor sport.

“Hosting competitions of such a high level as the F1 Russian Grand Prix gives an additional impulse to the post-Olympic development of the resort city,” said Zabara.

“Even in winter visitors of the autodrome will have a possibility to enjoy speed on the track, take classes at a driving experience school, acquire or improve their skills as well as demonstrate their prowess in driving and compete with other drivers.”

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Toro Rosso: How we expect to get on at the tests is a complete mystery

Toro Rosso ventures into the unknown as they send their containers for back-to-back Formula 1 testing in Bahrain where Daniil Kvyat will drive the STR9 on the first and third days, with Jean-Eric Vergne at the wheel for days two and four.

Before departing to the island kingdom the team said, “How do we expect to get on at the tests? Clearly, after the first four days in Jerez, that is a complete mystery.”

Renault powered teams were plagued with problems at the first in Jerez, but little effort has been spared to remedy the shortcomings that afflicted the teams.

“Everyone in Faenza, Bicester and Viry, the latter being home to our Power Unit supplier, has been working flat out,” revealed the Red Bull owned team.

Traditionally Formula 1 pre-season testing has taken place in Europe during January and February, but this year Bahrain with its milder climate will host the final two tests, the first of which starts on 19 February and runs for four days, followed by the second test, starting 27 February.

However it must be noted that this time of the year in the Gulf sandstorms, strong winds and even torrential rain can be common.

Toro Rosso admits, “With a 19 race calendar to accommodate, sending [team members and equipment] off testing to Bahrain is quite a logistical challenge for everyone, especially as there won’t be much time in between the end of the final test and the trip down under for the first race in Melbourne.”

“At Toro Rosso, the planning for the two Bahrain tests is as complex as it would be for a grand prix and definitely more difficult to organise than a short hop down to Jerez or Barcelona.”

“We will be sending 25 tonnes of equipment to Sakhir with nearly all of it then moving straight down to Australia, where it will find a further three tonnes of material joining it directly from Italy. The car that will be used over a total of eight days testing in Bahrain, will return to Italy before heading down to the Antipodes.”

“In the case of a five day gap between two European tests, the bulk of the team personnel would return home to Faenza in between, but with the longer distance involved flying to Manama, the vast majority of our crew will stay out there, but this won’t be a beach holiday by any means, as there is bound to be plenty of work to do in terms of car preparation.”

“The fact that the venue remains the same makes life slightly easier as the garage and equipment can all stay as it is,” added the team.

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Button secretly enters McLaren mechanics for triathlon and challenges fans to partake

Jenson Button has surprised his McLaren mechanics by secretly entering them to compete in the 2014 Jenson Button Trust Triathlon in aid of Cancer Research UK. He aims to raise £2 million for the cause.

Button broke the news to Mail Online, “I drive for the best team in the world and I have the most fantastic mechanics around me. I am challenging them to put down their spanners for one day to come and take me on in my Triathlon on July 12th.”

He added with a smile, “I may have actually signed some of them up for it already without them knowing – I am sure they will thank me for it!”

“My life has always been about the need for speed, but supporting Cancer Research UK is my most pressing and important challenge yet.”

“All the money we raise will fund life-saving research to help beat cancer sooner. Over the next two and half years, with your support, I aim to raise £2 million to drive forward the day when all cancers are [curable].”

“I’m also asking each participant to raise £500 sponsorship for Cancer Research UK. Every pound donated helps to beat cancer sooner and in the fight against cancer, every second counts.”

Jenson Button Trust Triathlon will be returning to Luton Hoo Spa on Saturday 12 July and registrations for 2014 are now open.

Athletes who enter will be able to enjoy the same two race format along with a delicious BBQ, live entertainment and luxury goody bag, as well as the chance to race against Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion, and all for a very good cause

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Alonso did not use Ferrari simulator in 2013 claims Massa

Felipe Massa claims that he was the only Ferrari driver in 2013 to work in the new driver simulator at Maranello. The popular Brazilian has clearly moved on from being Ferari’s perennial number two, and is relishing the welcome he has received from his new team.

Dropped by Ferrari after an eight-year career wearing red, the Brazilian has moved to Williams over the winter and claims he is completely happy.

“I’m very happy,” said the 32-year-old, “especially the way I was received by Williams.

“Since the first day I arrived at the factory, everyone helped me a lot, embracing me 100 per cent and believing in my potential.

“In Williams I am being heard,” Massa continued, “but that doesn’t mean Ferrari didn’t hear me. They listened to me very well.

“Last year I worked on the development of the car, and in the simulator I was practically the only driver, because Alonso wasn’t there.”

Massa, however, said that Ferrari’s biggest problem last year was the wind tunnel.

“Many times we saw that it didn’t work as it should have,” he explained. “At most grands prix we had new parts, but they didn’t work on the car.

“We began with a competitive car and ended with an uncompetitive one, which was the opposite of Red Bull.”