FORMULA 1 - 2014

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Quesnel is new Lotus team boss according to report

Frenchman Olivier Quesnel is the new Lotus Team Principal, according to authoritative publication Autosprint.

Quesnel, 64, best known for his World Rally success at the helm of Citroen, and also respected for his work with Peugeot at Le Mans, this week admitted that he had been in contact with team owner Gerard Lopez about replacing departed Eric Boullier.

“I will not pretend that I am not interested,” said Quesnel.

Another candidate reportedly also under consideration by Lopez was Martin Whitmarsh, who appears to be out of a job at McLaren.

“We need to make a decision quickly,” admitted Lopez, “because we have things to prepare. It will be at the latest within a week, ten days.”

According to Autosprint correspondent Roberto Chinchero, Quesnel has secured the job, and will start work next week.

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Asmat leaves Caterham to seek new challenges

A key figure at Caterham has left the team. Riad Asmat who has been with company supremo Tony Fernandes since the beginning of the project, and roze to the height of Chief Executive of the Formula 1 team and most recently the head of Caterham Automotive, has decided to part ways with the Malaysian entrepreneur.

The outfit announced this week that Asmat is “moving on to seek new challenges”.

“My decision to move on has been one of the hardest I have had to make and will have to make in my career, but the time has come for a new direction,” Asmat said.

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Schumi wake up 'can take a long time'

It could be some time still before Michael Schumacher wakes up from his coma after Sabine Kehm confirmed that it takes "a long time."

The seven-time World Champion has been in a coma since late December when he suffered massive head trauma in a skiing accident.

A month after the accident, Schumacher's doctors began the process of waking him up.

However, two weeks later that has yet to happen while several publications have claimed Schumacher has developed pneumonia.

This was quickly denied by his manager Kehm who has subsequently released a new statement thanking fans for their support.

"Michael's family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world," it read.

"The good wishes they receive help the family and, we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.

"As often in such situation no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy.

"As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

"The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors', nurses' and nursing auxiliaries' team.

"The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's heal process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

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Marc Gené burns rubber at the wheel of the Ferrari F60 in Soweto

Excitement and spectacle were the order of the day as Scuderia Ferrari returned to South Africa, for its first street demo of 2014, featuring the F60 and test driver Marc Gene, in the Soweto suburb of Johannesburg.

The event was part of the launch of Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuel onto the South African market and a motor show set up on the streets around Soccer City, the stadium that hosted the 2010 football World Cup Final.

A 1480 metre long track had been created on which Gene put on a show in the morning and again in the afternoon, doing several laps and thrilling the crowd with drag starts and breathtaking slides.

Thousands of spectators turned out to see the car that raced in the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship, rush past just metres away from them. They were clearly amazed by the noise from the eight cylinder Ferrari 056 engine, running at over 17,000 rpm.

The street demo was rounded off with a series of pit stops carried out by the F1 Clienti crew, who put on a skillful show of the tasks that are normally carried out in the pit lane.

There was an enjoyable break between the two Formula 1 show runs, with a parade of road going Ferraris organised by Viglietti, the importer for the Maranello marque in South Africa. Leading them was a 458 Italia, again driven by Gene.

“That was a great day,” Marc said afterwards. “It’s always fun to bring a Formula 1 car up close to the people, which is something that never happens at a Grand Prix. I am pleased to have been able to do this for the South African people, especially the youngest ones, to show them the excitement of these types of car that haven’t been seen in this country for a while.”

Before leaving Soweto, Marc also visited the stadium where his fellow Spaniards had won the 2010 World Cup. The President of Soccer City, Jacques Grobbelaar, also gave him a photo of that game in which Spain defeated Holland.

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Vettel: I believe that both Renault and we have solved the problems experienced at Jerez

Despite a problem packed first test at Jerez, Red Bull’s four time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel is confident that Renault and his team have resolved the issues that have put him on the back foot with regards to his title defence

Vettel told Sport Bild, “Other teams have driven more miles which is important because everything is so new, but for us it is better to rather have these problems now than later during the races. I hope things go better in Bahrain and that we can run the car at speed and do more laps.”

Red Bull were plagued by overheating issues brought about by the tight aero packaging characteristics of the Adrian Newey penned RB10, which is reported to have been heavily revised ahead of the Bahrain test, with references to an ‘RB10B’ making headlines.

Adding to the World Champion’s woes were the technical defects on the Renault V6 turbo powertrain, which afflicted all the Renault powered teams.

Vettel explained, “We must not underestimate the huge challenge of the new Power Units. Everything is still completely new. I believe that both Renault and we have solved the problems experienced at Jerez. But there is no guarantee that there will be no other problems.”

Early signs are that Mercedes have done their homework and have a handy ‘new era’ engine bolted in to the Silver Arrows and their customer teams, a fact that does not escape the reigning World Champion.

“All the Mercedes-powered cars looked very strong in Jerez. But that did not surprise me, because it was already known in advance how much time and work Mercedes has invested in their new powertrain.”

Renault’s engineering chief Remi Taffin said, “The problems are worse from the outside than they are from the inside. It’s a difficult moment but we will get through this.”

“We are at least where we would have sought to be for the first test, so maybe now we are three weeks behind, and now we are on a recovery plan,” added Taffin.

Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain gets underway on 19 February.

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Marko does not deny Red Bull engine switch report

In the aftermath of claims by former F1 team owner Gian Carlo Minardi that World Champions Red Bull could be shopping around for another engine supplier, the team’s outspoken motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has not denied the possibility.

Reacting to Minardi’s comments, Marko told Sport Bild, “We have a long-term contract with Renault, which is of course linked to the performance. Nevertheless, we are together as one to solve the current problems.”

Red Bull are said to be taking a heavily revised version of their RB10 to Bahrain tests, for Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, in an effort to resolve overheating issues which severely afflicted the team at Jerez.

Renault have admitted that they have problems with their all new V6 turbo engine, but are confident that they are on track to resolving the issues which their customer teams experienced at the first test last month.

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Telefónica to launch dedicated F1 channel after agreeing rights deal

Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica has agreed a multi-year rights deal with Formula One Management, the commercial rights-holder for the motor racing series, under which it will launch a dedicated F1 channel on its IPTV platform Movistar TV.

The agreement commences with the forthcoming 2014 F1 season and Telefónica said that the new channel will provide live coverage of all races, Qualifying and Practice sessions through any connected device, both inside and outside the home.

Movistar F1 will also include original content and supplementary information about the sport. The new channel will launch in time for the 2014 season-opener in Melbourne, Australia on March 16 and will be free of commercial breaks during live coverage.

Spanish commercial broadcaster Antena 3 and Catalan public-service broadcaster TV3 last month agreed extensions to rights deals for Formula 1 covering the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

The two broadcasters agreed the deals, which include television and mobile rights, with the Mediapro agency. Mediapro acquired the rights in October after its previous five-year contract expired at the end of the 2013 F1 season.

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Formula 1 greats Ferrari and McLaren take their rivalry to the Olympic games

Formula One technology has already helped Britain to skeleton gold at the Sochi Olympics and the bobsleigh competition will see the sport’s legendary rivals – McLaren and Ferrari – take their track rivalry onto the ice and snow as well.

Like compatriot Amy Williams before her, Lizzy Yarnold’s gold on Friday owed something to the assistance of McLaren Applied Technologies, part of the Formula One team’s group of companies.

McLaren have two employees at Sochi embedded with the skeleton and bobsleigh teams while Formula One rivals Ferrari have been leaning on their boffins and using track-honed know-how to help the Italians.

After Christof Innerhofer took two medals, silver in the downhill and bronze in the super-combined, fellow countrywoman Arianna Fontana felt she had to match the Italian skier and also grabbed herself a second medal.

Christof Innerhofer

The Italian woman took a great bronze in the 1500 metres skating short track final, behind China’s Zhou Yang and South Korea’s Shim Suk Hee.

Ferrari said on their website, “There is a trace of Ferrari red in all five medals won by the Italians at the Olympic Games in Sochi.

The Maranello company played a significant role in the ice disciplines at the games as part of a project in partnership with the Italian Olympic Committee.”

“In particular, over the past four years since the last Olympics concentrated on areas such as optmising the interface between the skate and the athlete’s shoes, the procedures for working on the blade and fine tuning the blade sharpening machine, in a process that used to be done by hand.”

McLaren Applied Technologies director of performance Caroline Hargrove said her experts had worked on Yarnold’s sled for several years, although exact details were as jealously guarded as anything coming out of the F1 factory.

Arianna Fontana

“We got involved after the last Olympics so that sled had already been started and been very successful with Amy Williams (winner in 2010) and we got involved in doing the second set of tweaks and improvements,” she told Reuters by telephone.

The main areas in which McLaren’s expertise can be harnessed tend to be in aerodynamics, sled dynamics and technical setup and the gains have been incremental rather than dramatic.

Components have been rebuilt and refined for maximum performance, while data gleaned since Vancouver has been processed and applied.

In skeleton, one size does not fit all.

“In each case we personalise the intervention, so for example the sled dynamics are tailored to the particular athlete,” said Hargrove.

Amy Williams

“If you look at Lizzy and you look at Amy Williams, they are very different athletes. They are 20 kilos different.

“You need something personalised. And we spend a lot of time doing that. So we got performance out of personalising to the athletes.”

With Yarnold, the sled was improved as she did got better.

“She … is an extremely talented athlete and therefore changes that we made to the sled that she liked, she took on board,” said Hargrove. “It made a difference but at the same time it made her a better skeleton athlete.

“We’ve never seen anyone really learn so quickly. Which means that the sled must be good or better than the previous ones in order to get to your high level quicker.”

Hargrove said McLaren could take a pat on the back for Yarnold’s performance, but no more than that. Most of it was all down to the athlete.

Ferrari ski equipment

“We’re pleased if we made a sled that she feels comfortable with and therefore can perform really well,” she said.

Yarnold was a favourite in skeleton but the bobsleigh offers a different challenge and the rivalry between Ferrari and McLaren can best be described as ‘serious fun’.

“We like that,” Hargrove said of the rivalry. “It’s part of how we are. Everyone working here is seriously competitive and the same on their side. So it adds another element to it, which is quite fun. It’s not more than fun.

“In winter sport, they are in a different position. They have tracks themselves, they are a winter sport nation with snow and mountains – something we haven’t got.

“So we have needed to be at times a little bit more creative in the ways that we could support the team because we haven’t got that and never will have a track.”

There has been some work in simulation and the wind tunnel, although in Southampton rather than the one used by the Formula One team due to the costs involved.

Bobsleigh, like Formula One, has tightly defined rules and materials to be used, which makes the scope for finding a big chunk of time on the ice is limited. But components have been rebuilt and refined.

“Once the competition starts, a bit like Formula One, there’s not that much you can do,” said Hargrove. “The sleds get inspected and then go into parc ferme overnight.

“But before that, while they were testing, to make sure they had the best setup for the conditions, we were there to help.”

The Formula 1 circus in its entirety will descend on Sochi, on the weekend of 10-12 October, for the first ever Russian Grand Prix.

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Horner: I would never consider taking on Bernie’s role

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has ruled out replacing Bernie Ecclestone as the sport’s commercial head.

Ecclestone is currently fighting bribery charges in Germany and stepped down from the board that runs Formula One in January.

Although he continues to run the day-to-day business of the sport, speculation is rife about who will eventually replace Ecclestone, who told reporters last November that Horner would be an “ideal” candidate.

“I would never consider taking on Bernie’s role,” Horner told SportBusiness International. “My function and commitment is to Red Bull, and I certainly hope that Bernie will continue for another 20 years. It is in all our interests if he does. Bernie is still very much alive and in control of Formula One.”

March’s SportBusiness International features an extensive analysis of Bernie Ecclestone’s career and the succession plan for Formula One when he finally moves aside from the sport.

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Villeneuve says new turbo era could destroy Formula 1

Formula 1′s all-new turbo era “risks destroying the sport”, according to outspoken 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The French-Canadian, often referred to as a Formula 1 purist, admitted thathe is no fan of the radical new rules, featuring energy recovery-bolstered V6 engines.

“I think personally the rules are too restrictive; it’s not Formula 1,” he told the Telegraph.

42-year-old Villeneuve, whilst announcing his participation in the FIA World Rallycross Championship this year, said that the rules are even a step back from 2013, when drivers often nursed fragile Pirelli tyres to the flag.

Now, the major challenge will be getting to the finish with a limited amount of fuel, but the former Williams and Sauber driver said: “It’s not even the driver who determines how much fuel he’s saving – it’s all done electronically.

“I don’t see the point. I know it’s the concept of trying to make it look ‘greener’ because people will be happier, but ultimately it’s not greener.

“It’s not Formula 1. It’s just a perception, that is destroying Formula 1 a little bit.”

Villeneuve also said the recent Jerez test showed that the new technology is too complex, while the cars are too slow.

“The laptimes [at Jerez] were barely faster than what we did in 1997 in Jerez…that’s 17 years ago. I’m not sure why it has become so important to keep going slower,” he said.

Villeneuve was also scathing of the unpopular ‘double points’ innovation for 2014, designed to keep spice in the title fight until the very end.

“It’s turning Formula 1 into a non-epic show, or a game, instead of a proper sport,” he said. “In a way it’s saying, ‘We’re losing fans, how can we make it ‘fakely’ more exciting?’”

Amid all the speculation about Formula 1′s new era, however, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali thinks it is too early to draw any dramatic conclusions.

The Italian insisted “a propensity for self-destruction serves no purpose”.

“We have only had one test so far when there were never more than four or five cars on track at the same time. Let’s wait until we see all 22 together before saying that everything’s gone wrong,” said Domenicali.

“Once a path has been chosen, one has to move forward in a constructive manner,” he added.

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Pujolar rates pure fighter Maldonado very highly

Ex-Williams Chief Race Engineer Xevi Pujolar compares Pastor Maldonado to Juan Pablo Montoya and says that the two South American drivers impressed him the most during his tenure with the Grove based squad.

Pujolar told El Confidencial, “I have always said that Pastor and Montoya have impressed me the most. I worked with [Mark] Webber, Ralf Schumacher…but for me they were not the same.”

“Pastor and Montoya are pure fighters. But Pastor has also shown that he is fast and I think that he is often underestimated,” mused Pujolar.

“I had a blind understanding with Pastor, he would articulate very well when he came off track and began to talk about the car. I immediately figured out his reaction and knew what was going on in the car. After analyzing the data, it was clear he was right. Yes, this was impressive.”

Montoya spent 2001 to 2004 with Williams, while Pujolar has joined Toro Rosso and Maldonado has moved to Lotus for 2015 and beyond.

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Less physical Formula 1 could suit Raikkonen more than rivals

Of Formula 1′s eleven teams, only Mercedes and Marussia are heading into the 2014 season with unchanged driver pairings, however, it is undoubtedly Ferrari’s shakeup that has triggered the most discussion.

Many disagree about which former champion, Fernando Alonso or the Ferrari returnee Kimi Raikkonen, will get the upper hand this season.

Felipe Massa picks Alonso, because the Spaniard “combines talent with brains”, but Mika Hakkinen thinks Raikkonen’s smoother style is “perfect” for the high-torque turbos.

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion, is also betting on the Finn – but for a different reason.

In the era of super-fit drivers like triathlon lover Jenson Button, Villeneuve thinks the 2014 rules might level the playing field for Raikkonen.

“With the new rules, where basically the drivers won’t have to drive on the edge the whole time, it won’t be too physical, it could suit Kimi,” he told Sky Sports.

Villeneuve also thinks that Raikkonen could capitalise on the troubles in the relationship between Alonso and Ferrari, which was undoubtedly tense at times last year.

“Last year Alonso wasn’t the golden boy of Ferrari anymore, the energy wasn’t good anymore,” he said. “They were all fighting internally and that’s why they put Kimi in there.

“But if we remember a few years ago it ended in tears with Kimi as well, so who knows what will happen,” Villeneuve added.

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Sauber appoints Simona De Silvestro to Affiliate Driver role

Press Release: The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to announce that Simona De Silvestro will become an Affiliated Driver.

The 25-year-old Swiss left for the US when she was just 18 to drive in the Formula BMW USA series in 2006 and the Atlantic Championship from 2007 to 2009. Over the past four years De Silvestro has been driving in the IndyCar Series. She won the prestigious Indy 500 “Rookie of the Year” Award in 2010 and became the first woman to earn a podium finish on a street circuit in IndyCar.

This year she is taking the next step in her career by joining a preparation programme with the Sauber F1 Team, with the goal to gain her super licence and prepare for a race seat in Formula One for 2015. The programme will include on track testing, simulator training, as well as mental and physical preparation.

Monisha Kaltenborn, Team Principal: “After four years in IndyCar, Simona’s ambition is to enter Formula one in 2015. We regard her as a very talented race driver, and we, therefore, decided to take her on board as an “affiliated driver” and support her on her way to the pinnacle of motorsport.”

Simona De Silvestro: “This is a major step towards me achieving a life-long dream and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take this step with such a great team. The Sauber F1 Team is a team with a legacy and the only Swiss team in Formula 1, which I think makes this even more exciting. I can’t thank Monisha Kaltenborn and Peter Sauber enough for their support and belief in my abilities and for giving me this chance. I’m thrilled to have this extremely unique platform on which to prepare myself to take on the challenge.”

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Simulator work and a Ferrari factory stroll for Raikkonen

A second day in Maranello for Raikkonen; For much of the day, Kimi worked on the simulator, recreating the conditions he will experience in the F14T in Bahrain for next week’s second test of the 2014 season from 19 to 22 February.

During a break, Raikkonen took a stroll through parts of the factory he hadn’t seen for years, starting with the production line for the 8 and 12 cylinder cars road cars, before visiting the engine assembly area and the styling centre.

Raikkonen has always been interested in the technical side of cars and he had plenty of questions regarding the manufacturing and styling ideas for the Ferraris of the future.

The Finn, who won the Championship in 2007 with Ferrari, had his photo taken with the employees who gathered around. Apart from the inevitable requests for autographs, he was also exhorted to repeat his 2007 feat!

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Hulkenberg: Drivers make the difference

Despite recent criticism that F1 is no longer a drivers' race, Nico Hulkenberg insists it is the man in the cockpit that makes the difference.

The sport switching to 1.6-litre turbocharged engines and limiting the amount of fuel drivers can use per grand prix, there are some who believe the pit wall now holds all the power.

Recently former Champion Jacques Villeneuve had a go at F1 saying it is "not epic anymore, the drivers are not heroes."

However, Hulkenberg believes it is still up to the driver to make a difference.

"As a driver there is more to learn and a lot of stuff to do," he told Autosport. "The workload on the steering wheel will be more.

"There are also a few more tools with the ERS in terms of what you can play with, and a good flow of information is important.

"Then you need to process the information and what you learned right away.

"You have to have good communications with your engineers and your team in order to progress as fast as you can."

Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel believes it those who are more adaptable that will rise to the top this season.

"For sure there will be new elements of driving skills, and different skills generally, that you'll have to get on top of and you'll have to adapt.

"It's a new car, and it will feel different. Of course, if you drive it the way you drove it last year, in the race for example, you won't see the chequered flag.

"That's a very simple one to understand, but which way is the best? Every driver needs to find his own way."

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Vettel hopes for 'better' in Bahrain

Sebastian Vettel isn't too worried about Red Bull's lack of running in Jerez, saying testing is the time to have problems.

The German and his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo managed just 21 laps over the course of the four days at the Spanish track.

Hampered by engine issues and overheating, Red Bull eventually called an early end to the test.

But rather than worry about it, Vettel is adamant testing is the perfect time to have issues.

"Other teams drove more miles, which is important because everything is still new," he toldSports Bild..

"But," he added, "it is better to have the problems now in the test than later in the race.

"I hope that Bahrain is better."

Weighing in on the engine issues Renault experienced in Jerez, the Red Bull racer said: "We must not underestimate this, the new drive units are a huge challenge.

"Everything is still completely new.

"I believe that both Renault and us will solve the Jerez problems but there is no guarantee that another part will go."

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Lowe hopes fuel saving won't dominate

Paddy Lowe has downplayed concerns about fuel saving this season, insisting it is nothing new in Formula One.

This year's Championship sees a new regulation implemented that limits drivers to just 100kgs of fuel per grand prix. That is roughly 60kgs less than what they used in 2013.

This has prompted some fears that the Championship could be won or lost on fuel saving.

And although Lowe admits he hopes it doesn't dominate the season, he concedes it is part of Formula One race.

"I think we're exaggerating that aspect," TotalRace quoted the Merc technical director as saying.

"Certainly it's a factor in the races but I hope we won't see it as a dominating factor

"There were occasions, we saw that last year, where it was stopping the driver, and Malaysia would be an example, from pushing to the limit every lap.

"This is sometimes very frustrating but the truth is this always occurred in F1, caring for fuel and tyres has always been a factor.

"So of course it will be a factor in 2014 but I hope it won't be so dominating that it diminishes the spectacle."

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FOTA on verge of collapse

The Formula One Teams' Association could collapse before "the end of the month", according to a report in the British press.

Formed in 2008, FOTA's initiative was to put the teams' interests first, speaking as one voice.

However, as the years have gone by, FOTA's influence has lessened to the point that it only comprises seven teams after the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull withdrew.

According to the Telegrah, FOTA "faces unpaid subscription fees, deadlock among the 11 teams about its purpose, and the loss of its chairman and principal cheerleader.

"Sources at FOTA said it is suffering "substantial" financial problems, and had until the end of the month to determine whether the body has a future."

FOTA's general secretary, Oliver Weingarten, told the newspaper: "I can confirm that the teams have met in discussion as to how to potentially restructure the association and continue and further the engagement with the non-members, who have benefited from FOTA activities over the last 12 months."

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No Force India testers for Bahrain

Force India won't be handing the car to a test driver during the second outing in Bahrain, opting instead to use only the race drivers.

Last time out in Jerez, the team put test driver Daniel Juncadella through his paces on the final day, Friday.

However, that proved to be the team's best day out on track as the Spaniard managed 81 laps compared to Sergio Perez's 48 and Nico Hulkenberg's 17.

Now in a bid to ensure the drivers get as much action as possible, Force India will only use the race drivers in Bahrain.

Hulkenberg will be in action on the opening two days, Wednesday and Thursday, before handing the VJM07 to Perez for Friday and Saturday.

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Post-race donuts allowed under 2014 rules

The FIA has amended the 2014 Sporting Regulations, making it legal for drivers to celebrate a victory in any way they wish, as long as it meets certain criteria.

The change was made after Sebastian Vettel ignored a regulation which bans donuts on numerous occasions throughout the 2013 season.

Red Bull were fined £21,000 (€25,000, $35,000) on behalf of Vettel who also received a reprimand for failing to return to perc ferme when he stopped his car on the start/finish straight.

Such an act will now be allowed under an amendment to the rules.

Whilst Article 43.3 still permits all drivers to head directly to parc ferme immediately, an exception to the rule has been added for the race winner only, not only allowing him to perform donuts and pick up a flag, but to stop on circuit too.

"After receiving the end-of-race signal all cars must proceed on the circuit directly to the post race parc ferme without any unnecessary delay, without receiving any object whatsoever and without any assistance (except that of the marshals if necessary)," reads 43.3.

"An exception to Article 30.4 (which states a driver cannot stop on track without a justifiable reason) and to the above will be made for the winning driver who may perform an act of celebration before reaching parc ferme, provided any such act;

- Is performed safely and does not endanger other drivers or officials.

- Does not call into question the legality of his car.

- Does not delay the podium ceremony.

"Any classified car which cannot reach the post race parc ferme under its own power will be placed under the exclusive control of the marshals who will take the car to the parc ferme."

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Second driver from hit Formula 1 film Rush killed in a car crash: Stunt double's body discovered in canal

A second racing driver who starred in the hit Formula 1 film Rush has been killed in a car accident.

Mauro Pane, 50, who acted as a stunt double for actor Daniel Bruhl in the movie, was found dead in his car after it spun off the road and plunged into a canal.

Police found the body of an unidentified woman in the car alongside Mr Pane when it was discovered in the stretch of water near Gambolo in northern Italy.

Driver: Mr Pane (right) with Rush director Ron Howard during filming of the 2013 movie

Italian Mr Pane shot several of the racing scenes in Rush, doubling for Mr Bruhl who played Austrian driver Niki Lauda.

The 2013 film told the story of the rivalry between Lauda and flamboyant British driver James Hunt, played by Thor star Chris Hemsworth.

Mr Pane's death comes just four months after Sean Edwards, a British driver who lived in Australia, died after a Porsche he was in burst into flames after hitting a wall in Brisbane.

Scene: Mr Pane stood in for actor Daniel Bruhl, who played Niki Lauda, in some film scenes

Mr Edwards played his father Guy, who famously pulled Lauda from the wreckage of his burning Ferrari following the Austrian's near-fatal crash at the Nurburgring in 1976.

Police in Pavia near Milan, said Mr Pane had been missing since Sunday and his white Renault Megane car was found late on Thursday in countryside near Gambolo, about 15 miles away from his home in Sannazzaro.

He was last seen by his father after a family lunch, and he had said he was going to work at his garage for the rest of the day.

However, when he failed to answer his phone the alarm was raised and a search began.

Friends of Mr Pane said that he had been depressed since the death of his wife last year but had now started to 'get back to his old self' and was enjoying being back at his historic racing car business.

In 2008 he had won the Historic Formula One Championship, driving a six-wheeled Tyrrell P34.

'The car was spotted in the canal and when pulled from the water two bodies were found inside,' said a police spokesman.

'One is that of Mauro Pane and the second is that of a woman who has not yet been formally identified.

'It looks like the car came off the road and went into the canal but the full cause is still being investigated and it is too early to say for sure.

'We will have to carry out toxicology tests on the two victims as well to see if there were any contributing factors.'

In a statement Classic Grand Prix which supply historic racing cars for films and events, said: 'We are devastated to have to announce the tragic death of one of our own, Mauro Pane. Racer, engineer, champion and a fantastic friend. RIP.'

Some Italian media reports have speculated that the woman Mr Pane, who previously worked as a test driver for F1 team Minadi and was a 1986 Italian go kart champion, was with a prostitute, however police were unable to confirm this.

Double tragedy: Mr Pane's death comes just four months after Sean Edwards (pictured), a British driver who lived in Australia, died after a Porsche he was in burst into flames after hitting a wall in Brisbane

Family ties: Mr Edwards played his father Guy, who famously pulled Lauda from the wreckage of his burning Ferrari following the Austrian's crash at the Nurburgring in 1976

In October last year, Mr Edwards died in a crash on the final corner while giving a lesson on a track.

The 26-year-old's mother Daphne McKinley said after his death that she believed the car careered off the track because the throttle became jammed.

Mr Edwards was a passenger in a Porsche when it hit a wall at Queensland Raceway in Willowbank, west of Brisbane.

Rush, which was written by Peter Morgan and directed by Ron Howard, has been nominated for four awards at this weekend's BAFTA film awards ceremony, including Best Supporting Actor for Mr Bruhl and Best British Film.

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Slow testing lap times expected as winds and sandstorms loom in Bahrain

Typical temperatures and climatic conditions during February and March in the Gulf region tend to be moderate and idyllic most of the time, however dust storms are common, and are looking likely to impact testing in Bahrain this week.

For the past couple of days the region, from Dubai in the south through to Kuwait in the north and Bahrain in the middle, is experiencing strong winds, dust storms and even rain.

Thus F1 teams setting up in the Sakhir paddock are expecting a very ‘green’ track, exacerbated by sand being blown on to the surface. This is sure to negatively impact lap times around the grand prix venue, especially early on in proceedings.

The Ferrari team explained on their website, “With the track located on the edge of the desert, temperatures are ideal for testing, currently hovering around the 20 degree mark. Less pleasant is the wind which is blowing hard today [Tuesday], bringing quite a bit of sand onto the track.”

“One cannot therefore expect to see any particularly fast times on the first day, as the surface will be rather dirty,” the team added.

Last year, at the end of FP1 during the Bahrain GP weekend, Felipe Massa (Ferrari) ended the session fastest of all with the best time of 1:34.487 – on a ‘green’ track. By qualifying the next day Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) had found two seconds and was down to 1:32.330.

At Jerez last month, the current V6 turbo powered cars were five seconds slower than their V8 normally aspirated ancestors were a year earlier. Thus the expected lap times during testing, in ideal conditions around Bahrain International Circuit, should be in the 97 seconds to 100 seconds zone.

However early on few drivers are likely to dip below 1:40.000 mark, which is about the same lap times GP2 cars manage around the venue.

In February 2009, during testing in Bahrain, strong winds and a subsequent sandstorm forced officials to cancel a day’s running.

[MIKA27]

Study shows that Ferrari is the world’s most powerful brand

Ferrari is the world’s most powerful brand, according to a study released today by leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

The Italian carmaker scores highly on a wide variety of measures on Brand Finance’s Brand Strength Index, from desirability, loyalty and consumer sentiment to visual identity, online presence and employee satisfaction.

Ferrari is one of only eleven brands – including Google, Hermès, Coca-Cola, Disney, Rolex and (their Formula 1 rivals) Red Bull – to be awarded an AAA+ brand rating and has the highest overall score.

Brand Finance chief executive David Haigh stated, “The prancing horse on a yellow badge is instantly recognizable the world over, even where paved roads have yet to reach.”

“In its home country and among its many admirers worldwide Ferrari inspires more than just brand loyalty, more of a cultish, even quasi-religious devotion. Its brand power is indisputable.”

According to the report, Apple remains the world’s most valuable brand.

Much of Ferrari’s allure and exposure is through their exploits in Formula 1, even though the team last won a title back in 2007, with Kimi Raikkonen.

This year Raikkonen has returned to the team, joining Fernando Alonso in the quest to bring the titles back to Maranello.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari bids fond farewell to their amazing 056 V8 engine

The Scuderia Ferrari team has set off for Bahrain where the second pre-season tests gets underway on Wednesday, with the 2014 Formula 1 season starting in Australia on 16 March.

Among the many new elements to be tried in Sakhir is the all new V6 turbo 059/3 engine.

But before they left, the team paid tribute to one of the most amazing engines in its history, the 2.4 litre, eight cylinder 056.

The engine was used in Formula 1 from 2006 to 2013, for a total of 139 grands prix. It won two Constructors’ World Championship titles, one Drivers’, took 39 wins, equivalent to 28% of races entered, 122 podiums, 29 pole positions and 48 fastest laps.

Michael Schumacher scored the first victory for the Ferrari 056 engine at the 2006 San Marino GP

The 056 made its debut in the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix, fitted to the Ferraris and Red Bulls, taking its first pole position in that same race.

It went on to win for the first time at its fourth attempt in the San Marino Grand Prix, with Schumacher in the Ferrari 248 F1.

The final victory came in Spain in 2013, courtesy of Fernando Alonso and the F138. Over the years, the 056 was also supplied to a variety of customer teams and after Red Bull came Toro Rosso, Spyker, Force India, BMW Sauber and Sauber.

The 056 also powered the only win by a Ferrari customer engine, when Sebastian Vettel was victorious for Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008.

Sebastian Vettel scored his first grand prix win at the wheel of the Ferrari 056 powered Toro Rosso STR03 at Monza, 2008

During this period Ferrari brought a total of 185 of the 056 engines to the track, with 264 used by customers.

On the Maranello cars, those engines completed a total of 209,220 kilometres and 359,735 in the customer cars, leading for 11035 of them, (of which 467 were with customers).

Its best season was 2007, when it took the Drivers’ World title with Kimi Raikkonen, as well as the Constructors’ with Ferrari.

The most wins it recorded in a season was nine, something it achieved three times, in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

That last year, Felipe Massa just missed out on the Drivers’ crown, but Ferrari still had the satisfaction of taking the Constructors.

[MIKA27]

Rosberg: We are in good spirits and we can win a lot of races this season

In a rare show of brash confidence, Silver Arrows driver Nico Rosberg has admitted that he is expecting to win a lot of races in 2014.

Bernie Ecclestone said recently that with Mercedes emerging from Jerez testing as the early season favourite, German Rosberg was his pick for the title.

“That’s a cool statement from him,” Rosberg told the Berliner Kurier newspaper on Monday at a sponsor event.

“We are in good spirits and we can win a lot of races this season,” he added.

For the calm, calculating 28-year-old Rosberg, and the corporately cautious Mercedes, it is a surprising statement. But the Silver Arrows camp has reason to be confident.

“The first test went really well,” said Rosberg. “We are doing well. My new car was very reliable from the beginning, but how we are doing as compared to the competition, we don’t know yet.

“Unfortunately it’s still a bit early to talk about the title,” he continued. “But on reliability [Jerez] was a strong performance by the team.

“I did lap after lap when we have so much to learn, which is a nice feeling when you see that the others couldn’t drive very much.”

The main ‘others’, of course, are Red Bull, led in the cockpit by the reigning quadruple World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

Rosberg insisted: “There is no joy in seeing that they can’t drive much; I’m happy if we are in a position to win. But it’s obvious that Red Bull and Renault have problems with the new powertrain.”

“We have done our homework better. But the important thing is to see where we are on the grid in Melbourne – I would love to be able to fight against Sebastian,” Rosberg added.