Stefan GP expecting its entry confirmation
Stefan GP boss Zoran Stefanovic’s confidence is growing!
The Belgrade-based team boss is increasingly hopeful that his team will be on the grid for the season-opening Bahrain GP in just over two weeks’ time, with the ongoing struggles of USF1 being more than well-documented.
"Definitely, we are waiting for something to happen because the time is very short and the deadline for Bahrain is approaching," he explained to Reuters. "If you are going to Bahrain, you have to be packed by next Wednesday and we think we will be able to reach something by then."
Virgin’s test day ends with di Grassi crash
Virgin Racing’s first day of running at Barcelona came to an abrupt and early end courtesy of a big accident for Lucas di Grassi.
The Brazilian rookie lost control of his VR-01 at the Campsa corner before slamming backwards into the tyre barriers. Fortunately, Lucas was uninjured in the crash, although his pride not doubt would have copped a battering.
Di Grassi’s accident marked the third red flag of the day following momentary on-track stoppages for Fairux Fauzys Lotus and Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari.
Barcelona testing line-ups confirmed
The final pre-season test session will kick off today at Barcelona, giving teams the final chance to test developments and iron out any kinks before the circus heads off to Bahrain for the opening round of the season in just over two weeks’ time.
Moving to the higher-speed Circuit de Catalunya – as opposed to the slower Valencia and Jerez circuits – might giver a better indication of the form guide we can expect for the opening rounds of the upcoming season. With several teams having headed the timesheets over the three previous test periods, I’m not going to risk predicting who’s going to head this one!
Eleven of the thirteen teams will be present, and their line-ups are confirmed as follows:
USF1 to be inspected by FIA
The sinking ship that is USF1 will be subjected to an inspection by the sport’s governing body, the FIA, as the groundswell of doubts about their viability grows by the minute.
AUTOSPORT has reported that FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting will visit the USF1 headquarters to view the team’s progress for 2010, and will determine just how unprepared ready the team is for the upcoming season.
It must be stressed that neither party has confirmed this visit, but with so much doubt and rumour surrounding the team – much of which we’re quite happy to subscribe to! – it seems unlikely that such a visit is not occurring…
Rampf retires; Key appointed at Sauber
It appears that the "new start" the outgoing Force India Technical Director James Key was referring to is the re-formed Sauber team, with the Swiss constructor announcing that Key will move into the same role with them from the beginning of April.
Key will be replacing long-time Sauber stalwart Willy Rampf (pictured), who has announced he will retire after his handover to Key.
Is Lopez on his way to Campos?
José Mariá López’s manager has confirmed that earnest talks have started with Campos owner José Ramon Carabante and USF1 investor (also YouTube founder) Chad Hurley to secure a deal that will see the Argentine wallet driver switch from USF1.
With USF1′s ambitions looking more mired with each passing day, rumours started circulating that YouTube and López could abandon the sinking ship and move to Campos.
QANTAS returns as Australian GP title sponsor
Good news!
The Australian GP Corporation has confirmed that the national carrier QANTAS has been secured as the naming rights sponsor for the 2010 Australian Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix had been without a title sponsor following the complete F1 sponsorship withdrawal of global bank ING, which had previously been the title sponsor of the event.
Bridgestone still looking to leave F1
Bridgestone has confirmed that its plans to leave F1 at season’s end have not changed.
Following Michelin’s departure at the end of the 2006 season, Bridgestone has held the position of F1′s sole tyre supplier, but announced last November that it would leave F1 at the end of the upcoming season.
Some gossip linked Kumho and Hankook to possible tyre supply deals for 2011, but seemingly nothing has emerged from either of those camps and it would be logical to assume nothing ever will.
Emanuele Naspetti turns 42 today
Six-time Grand Prix driver Emanuele Naspetti will be celebrating his 42nd birthday today.
Naspetti won the 1988 Italian F3 championship and made his F1 debut at the 1992 Belgian GP with March. Having been drafted into the team mid-season and with no testing, little was expected of him on the daunting Spa circuit.
Naspetti surprised everyone with a faultless weekend, qualifying an impressive 21st in the wet and matching the pace of his more-experienced team-mate Karl Wendlinger to finish 12th. It prompted F1 commentator Murray Walker to describe his drive as "heroic".
Alain Prost is 55 today
“The Professor” is celebrating his 55th birthday today!
The four-time world champion held the all-time record of race victories (51 in total) until overtaken by Michael Schumacher in the 2001 season.
Known for being one of the mechanically sympathetic and canniest strategic drivers in the sport’s history, Prost had the masterful ability to win at the slowest possible speed to nurse his car to the finish line.
Pedro de la Rosa turns 39 today
Pedro de la Rosa celebrates his 39th birthday today!
The Spaniard is making his first full-time appearance in F1 with Sauber since his last stint with Jaguar in 2003, although he has deputised on several occasions in 2005-6 with McLaren.
Technical boss departs Force India
Force India’s Technical Director, James Key, has left the team.
The team’s Design Director, Mark Smith, will be promoted as his replacement.
Key has worked with Force India when it was Jordan, having started with the team as a design engineer in 1998, and steadily moved up the ranks to the Technical Directorship in 2005.
His last design for the team, the VJM03, was successfully launched and tested earlier this month.
Ferrari slams new teams and Mosley
RichardsF1 
Catfights, Formula 1 
Campos, Ferrari, FIA, Max Mosley, Stefan GP, Team Lotus, USF1, Virgin Racing
Ferrari has gone to town and launched a stinging attack on the (then, Max Mosley-led) FIA and the introduction of the new teams to F1.
Since the departure of Jean Todt from his post at Ferrari – and ironically, to the post of FIA President – Ferrari has assumed a very different mentality under the combined leadership of Luca di Montezemelo and Stefano Domenicali. Whereas in days past, it was very much a ‘Ferrari vs. everyone else’ mentality, the Scuderia has been a much more active force in promoting the unity of the teams and the future of the sport as a whole.
It was this in mind that we became more used to more fiery vitriol from the Ferrari camp. In the lead-up to the Monaco GP, there was strong criticism of the aspiring teams seeking entry into the 2010 F1 field, and they directly implied that Formula 1 would be reduced to the standards of the GP3 championship were this to occur.
Their latest attack takes it to a completely new level.
Soucek signed up as new Virgin test driver
Formula 2 champion Andy Soucek has been signed as Virgin Racing’s new test and reserve driver, which sees the Spaniard stepping into the role vacated by the team’s previous reserve driver, Álvaro Parente, who lost his role due to sponsorship issues.
Soucek previously graced the F1 stage in a test role for Williams in December’s young driver session at Jerez, a drive which he earned courtesy of winning the F2 title.
Enter Richard’s F1 Tipping Competition!
I’ve set up and would like to invite all readers to:
‘Richard’s F1 Tipping Competition’
The website will feature live content from the Tipping Competition, with up-to-date leaderboard standings!
It costs nothing to join and great prizes will be on offer to the season-ending winner!
Join our Formula 1 2010 Tipping Competition now:
- Go to www.OzTips.com
- Click the ‘REGISTER’ button on the homepage and set-up a Login (if you don’t already have one with OzTips).
- Once you have successfully registered a Username and Password, click the ‘JOIN A COMP’ button.
- You will be asked to enter an OzTips Comp Number and Password. The Comp you’ve been asked to join is: Comp#: 205345 Password: minardi
Full instructions on how to Tip can be found on the website by clicking on the ‘Help’ link in the top header.
If you have any other questions, you may email the competition manager at richard@richardsf1.com.
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