Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying: Hamilton takes final 2009 pole

RichardsF1    Formula 1, Results     Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

Lewis Hamilton looks like the man to beat after producing an excellent lap to fend off a Red Bull challenge and clinch the final pole position of the 2009 season in Abu Dhabi. The outgoing champion will start from the best row of the grid, joined by Sebastian Vettel, as Mark Webber will attempt to protect his team-mate from Rubens Barrichello in the battle for second in the championship. Champion Jenson Button will start fifth.

Formula One’s first ever visit to Abu Dhabi always promised to be spectacular and the Yas Marina circuit failed to disappoint as the sport enjoyed, not only the first ever qualifying session in the United Arab Emirates, but the final grid shootout of the decade as well as the season. With the track at temperatures of 31°C, the sell-out crowd was able to make the most of pleasant weather conditions and temperatures of 29°C accompanied by a slight breeze.

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Grosjean’s F1 future under threat

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Renault, Romain Grosjean, Timo Glock

The F1 rumour mill suggests that Timo Glock is the most likely driver to join Robert Kubica at Renault next year. Interim team principal Bob Bell admits that Romain Grosjean’s position in the team is not secure as he examines the driver market and tries to position the team in the best possible position ahead of the 2010 season.

Grosjean stepped up from being the team’s reserve driver into the race seat following the sacking of Nelson Piquet Jr mid-season. In spite of an impressive pedigree and many miles under the belt for Renault, the Frenchman has been well off the pace and done little to impress the F1 paddock.

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Kovalainen claims unequal treatment

RichardsF1    Catfights, Formula 1     Heikki Kovalainen, Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

In what could be interpreted as a parting shot to the team, Heikki Kovalainen has suggested that he did not enjoy equal treatment as Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren team-mate in 2008 and 2009, something also alleged by Fernando Alonso during his time with the team.

Well, surprise, surprise! It’s not like we haven’t speculated that before!

The Finn is now linked with a move to Toyota or Renault, while McLaren weighs up the various pros and cons of pairing Hamilton next year with Kimi Raikkonen or Jenson Button. McLaren insists it operates without a driver hierarchy, but Kovalainen painted a very different picture in an interview with the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

"It was always difficult to accept that Lewis was always the first to receive the new parts,” he said. "I have never wanted to make a big deal about it, but it would have been nice to just once had the new parts on my car, particularly after we lost the chance of winning the championship."

"I could have complained publicly but instead wanted to show the team that I always give maximum effort with the car that I have, and I think they realise that."

Kovalainen also alleges that he has not enjoyed equal status in terms of race strategies.

"Every time this season – when Hamilton and I are in the third part of qualifying – I had to do it with more fuel. If you take into account the quantities of fuel, I would have had pole position several times," he insists.

Kovalainen admits his performances at times this season should could have been better, but does not rule out staying at McLaren in 2010.

"I am 100% sure that McLaren has not yet made a decision. We’ll see what they do.”

It’s unlikely Heikki will receive a red carpet invitation to stay at Woking, but good on him for exploding the myth of driver equality with Lewis in the team!

Abu Dhabi GP Practice 3: Button fastest in final session

RichardsF1    Formula 1, Results     Brawn GP, Jenson Button

Jenson Button led a British 1-2 as the final practice session of the 2009 season took place in Abu Dhabi. The Brawn driver finished just 0.002s of a second quicker than his compatriot in an hour-long session which saw several car/driver combinations enjoy a time at the top of the timesheets.

Although a final practice session in the soaring afternoon temperatures will produce slower lap times than one in the evening, the field had no problems in reducing the fastest time from Friday as Button – who traded the top spot several times – set a best effort of 1:40.625. Behind Lewis Hamilton, the second Brawn of Rubens Barrichello made the top three as the consistent Sébastien Buemi finished fourth for Toro Rosso.

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More surgery for Mark Webber

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Mark Webber

Mark Webber will have further surgery next month to remove the titanium rod from the leg he broke badly in a pre-season cycling crash. Remarkably, Webber’s 2009 season – featuring two wins and a guaranteed fourth place in the world championship – was the best so far in his eight-year career.

"I had the worst preparation ever, but it turns out I’ve had my best season ever," he said. "I think next season will start off not a million miles from how we’ve finished this one."

It turns out that "break a leg" might actually bring about some luck!

Sutil on Trulli: "Enough is enough"

RichardsF1    Catfights, Formula 1     Adrian Sutil, Force India, Jarno Trulli, Toyota

Adrian Sutil has jokingly suggested that he may create some artwork for Jarno Trulli following the pair’s collision on the first lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the ongoing fracas that has simmered between the two ever since. With the Italian having produced several photos of the incident in Thursday’s press conference at Yas Marina, the German is sensibly keen to put the matter behind him.

With second row grid slots soon translating into first-lap retirements at Interlagos a fortnight ago, the collision between he and Trulli resulted in Sutil’s car continuing accross the grass before taking out the Renault of Fernando Alonso.

With Adrian and Jarno highly likely see eye to eye as to who’s fault the collision was and Trulli particularly keen to express his side of the story to anyone who’ll listen, Sutil is able to see the comical side of events.

"Hopefully it is [over]," he told Autosport . "He will walk around with his pictures for a few weeks more and tell everybody but…" A shrug of the shoulders by Adrian was accompanied by a final suggestion from the German:

"Maybe I will draw a picture for him with a Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, or a Goofy or whatever…it’s done – I can’t listen to it anymore."

And neither can we. Thoughts???

The Senna name returns to F1!

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Ayrton Senna, Bruno Senna, Campos

Bruno Senna, nephew of Formula One legend Ayrton, has been confirmed as making his race debut with the new Campos Meta team next year. Campos Chief Executive, Rodriguez de Castro, said: "It’s an extraordinary honour for the Senna name to be returning to Formula One."

With rumours of the news having come mostly from fan messages on Bruno’s personal Twitter account on Friday, Campos confirmed that the speculation was true as the weekend began.

Senna, 2008 GP2 runner-up, tested with Honda last year, shortly before the Japanese car manufacturer announced that it would be pulling out of the sport.
‘I’d like to thank God, my family, friends and all of my supporters! Thanks,’ Bruno wrote on Twitter.

You’d better thank the deep pockets of your sponsors too, Bruno!

How does everyone think he’ll go?

Raikkonen confirms McLaren negotiations

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren

Kimi Raikkonen has confirmed that he is in talks with McLaren about re-joining the British team, while denying that there was any negotiations with Toyota.

"It wouldn’t make sense to change to any other team," Raikkonen told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat with reference to McLaren. "With Toyota there was nothing, although they said that we negotiated. We didn’t speak with them; that was only what they said.”

Elaborating on why he is not interested in joining the Cologne-based team, he said: "It is not cool to drive bad cars."

A pretty damning comment, if ever I read one!!!

It is believed McLaren is hesitating over Raikkonen’s pay demands, and the veteran of 156 grand prix confirms that the delay has nothing to do with a reluctance to team up with team up with Lewis Hamilton, although the same cannot be said for Lewis’ camp…

"Hamilton does not have anything to do with my decision,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me who drives the other car.”

Raikkonen, who has admitted that the World Rally Championship could be an alternative to F1, also played down reports he might just take a sabbatical next year.

"Next year I will definitely drive something," he concluded.

Abu Dhabi GP Practice 2: Kovalainen quickest in a McLaren 1-2

RichardsF1    Formula 1, Results     Heikki Kovalainen, Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

Heikki Kovalainen moved ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton to lead a McLaren quinella in Abu Dhabi’s second free practice session on Friday evening. The silver pairing led the way from World Champion Jenson Button as Sebastian Vettel, who finished fourth, saw his last quick lap ruined by Giancarlo Fisichella’s Ferrari.

With the sun already setting as the second 90-minute practice began, the field found itself circulating the brand-new track under floodlights as the session came to a close at 6:30pm local time. Temperatures may have dropped from those witnessed in the afternoon but the growing crowd was still able to enjoy the round figure of 30°C.

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Abu Dhabi GP Practice 1: Hamilton fastest in opening session

RichardsF1    Formula 1, Results     Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

Outgoing World Champion Lewis Hamilton led a British one-two by topping the first ever practice session in Abu Dhabi. The McLaren driver was the only man to break through the 1:44.000 barrier and was just 0.096s quicker than his championship successor, Jenson Button. Championship runner-up contenders Vettel and Barrichello finished third and fourth.

With the 2009 season – very different to those of recent times – due to come to a close in the Arabian Gulf this weekend, the first of two 90-minute Friday sessions began at 1pm local time; because of this, ambient temperatures had already reached 34°C by the time the action began, with the track surface peaking at 47°C.

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