Branson confirms Virgin’s involvement in 2011

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Richard Branson, Sponsors, Virgin, Virgin Racing

Virgin Group owner Sir Richard Branson has pledged to continue his financial support of the F1 team bearing his company’s name in the 2011 season, and is willing to cede some real estate on the cars’ advertising space if the outfit is successful in bringing on more sponsorship next year.

Having re-entered Formula 1 as a sponsor last year with the championship-winning Brawn GP outfit – with the billionaire describing the exposure gained that year as “just ridiculously lucky” – Branson then set about lending his company’s name to supporting Manor Motorsport’s F1 operation as it made its debut in 2010.

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STR mechanic sacked after Singapore GP

RichardsF1    Formula 1, Mishaps     Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso

Reports in the Spanish press are claiming that the Toro Rosso team has fired one of its mechanics following the Singapore Grand Prix.

Viewers may recall Jaime Alguersuari qualified a career-high eleventh on the grid for the street race, but was forced to start from the pit lane after his STR5 developed a coolant leak.

It turns out that the leak apparently could have been prevented, with the AS newspaper claiming that an unnamed mechanic had discovered the leak some five hours before the race started, but did nothing other than regularly wipe the puddle of water forming underneath the car.

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F1 budget cap agreed upon for 2011

RichardsF1    Formula 1     FOTA

Sources in the Italian media are reporting that the Formula One teams have agreed to further operational budget cuts for the 2011 season and beyond.

Despite budget caps being negotiated after the FIA-FOTA war in mid-2009, it would seem that some teams – most notably the privateer and rookie outfits – could still be struggling to stay afloat.

Italy’s Autosprint is reporting that the FOTA-aligned teams have agreed to further budget restrictions – excluding engine and transmission costs – capping operational costs at €20 million and staff numbers at 415 team members.

Three candidates out of the running at Renault

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Adrian Sutil, Kimi Raikkonen, Nick Heidfeld, Renault, Timo Glock, Vitaly Petrov

Sources within the German media are reporting that three possible candidates for a Renault berth in 2011 are now out of the running, which would seemingly sure up Vitaly Petrov’s prospects of retaining his seat at the Enstone-based outfit next year.

The sources claim that Timo Glock, Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil are no longer in talks with Renault, with the French marque seemingly looking to re-sign the Russian driver for another season.

Finland’s Turun Sanomat is also reporting that Kimi Räikkönen’s interest may have waned, in the wake of Renault team boss Eric Boullier questioning the Finn’s motives in seeking a return to F1.

[Original image via LAT]

Cafés do Brasil Indy 300 Homestead Preview

RichardsF1    IndyCar, Previews    

Covering three continents, four countries, 17 races and 2214 race laps – countless more in testing, practice and qualifying, by up to 41 different drivers, it comes down to 12 points separating 2 men, fighting for 1 series championship. Our well-informed IndyCar correspondent Matt Lennon preview what it set to be one of the most thrilling title deciders in IndyCar history…

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Stepney sentenced over ‘Spygate’ affair

RichardsF1    Former F1 Figures, Formula 1     Ferrari, FIA, McLaren

The Reuters news agency is reporting that former Ferrari chief mechanic Nigel Stepney – the man who instigated the entire Spygate’ scandal that rocked F1 in 2007 – has been sentenced to 20 months’ prison for his role in the affair.

However, under the Italian legal system, it is believed he will be unlikely to actually have to serve any sentence.

Ferrari brought criminal proceedings against Stepney in June 2007, weeks before the scandal broke international news headlines, where it accused the Briton of attempting to sabotage Ferrari’s cars (through contaminating the fuel tanks) and releasing confidential data to McLaren, the outfit’s chief championship rival.

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WTCC: Chevrolet retains driver line-up for 2011

RichardsF1    News, WTCC     Alain Menu, Chevrolet, Robert Huff, Yvan Muller

The RML Chevrolet team has confirmed it has retained the services of its three drivers – Robert Huff, Alain Menu and Yvan Muller – for the 2011 World Touring Car Championship season.

The trio will contest next season at the wheel of a newly-designed 1.6-litre turbocharged version of the very successful Chevrolet Cruze, with the changes coming into effect for the series’ S2000 regulations.

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RIP Trevor Taylor

RichardsF1    Former F1 Figures, Formula 1     RIP

Sad news to report today, with former Grand Prix driver Trevor Taylor passing away after losing his battle with cancer. He was 73 years old.

Taylor – known for always racing with a yellow helmet and overalls – is credited with originating the yellow stripe down the middle of Team Lotus racing cars in the 1960s – a tradition that the current Lotus Racing squad still adopts – after organisers of the 1963 Indianapolis 500 objected to all-green Lotus cars contesting the race.

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More driver birthdays today!

RichardsF1    Birthdays, Former F1 Figures, Formula 1     Eric van de Poele, Jochen Mass

Three former F1 drivers are celebrating their respective birthdays today: Reine Wisell turns 69; Jochen Mass turns 64, and Eric van de Poele turns 49 (pictured left to right)!

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Richard’s F1 in New York!

RichardsF1    F1 Everywhere     Ayrton Senna

One of the contributors for Richard’s F1 is on holiday in New York, and paid a visit to the Madame Tussauds wax museum today.

It turns out that Ayrton Senna’s wax model is quite the fan of the website! And the likeness is particularly impressive too…

Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.

Gascoyne inks 5-year deal with Lotus Racing

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Mike Gascoyne, Team Lotus, Technical

As part of continuing its announcements for its 2011 season ambitions, Lotus has confirmed that its current technical chief, Mike Gascoyne, has been signed on to stay with the squad until the end of the 2015 season.

Gascoyne joined the 1Mayasia-owned squad upon its application to join the grid being approved in late 2009, and admitted he would consider staying “even beyond” his extended contract.

The man who has formerly enjoyed technical roles with close to half of the current teams on the grid said: “It was always my intention to finish my career here, so it’s great to have formally agreed a five-year deal.”

[Original image via Sutton Images]

Jordan would ‘sack’ Schumacher on current form

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Eddie Jordan, Media, Mercedes GP, Michael Schumacher, Ross Brawn

The mouthpiece for hire – known to many as Eddie Jordan – has repeated his criticism of Michael Schumacher’s return to F1, claiming that the seven-time World Champion doesn’t deserve a race seat in 2011 on his current form.

Seemingly ignoring that he usually basks in the limelight of having hired Schumacher for five minutes for his Formula 1 debut in 1991, Jordan’s latest criticism stems from the German’s incident-filled race at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he finished a lap down in 13th place after separate collisions with both Sauber drivers.

Speaking with the BBC after the race, Jordan said: “Let’s ask this question: If Michael Schumacher was not Michael Schumacher, driving as he is currently, would he be in the seat next year?

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Glock: Beating Lotus in 2010 is unlikely

RichardsF1    Formula 1     Richard Branson, Team Lotus, Timo Glock, Tony Fernandes, Virgin Racing

Virgin Racing driver Timo Glock has all but conceded that it would be impossible for the outfit to overtake chief rivals Lotus in the Constructors’ Championship with just four races of the 2010 season remaining.

With nine of the twelve constructors having achieved points’ finishes this season, the final spot up for grabs in the sport’s commercial prize money pool (with the top-ten teams earning free international freight and additional revenue from Formula One Management), is between the three rookie squads: Lotus, Virgin and Hispania Racing.

But it is Heikki Kovalainen’s 13th-placed finish at the Australian Grand Prix that remains the best finish of any rookie team driver, putting Lotus ahead of the other two teams.

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Renault wants to know if Räikkönen is the genuine article

RichardsF1    Driver Market, Formula 1     Kimi Raikkonen, Renault, Vitaly Petrov

Renault’s Team Principal, Eric Boullier, has said he wants to meet face-to-face with Kimi Räikkönen to determine the Finn’s true motives for wanting to return to the Formula 1 stage.

As was revealed after the Italian Grand Prix, Räikkönen approached the French squad to discuss the possibility of driving for the squad in 2011, with the exiled former World Champion seemingly keen to turn his back on rallying after a single season in the World Rally Championship with Citroen.

But with the team seemingly keen on retaining the services of its current number-two driver, Vitaly Petrov – provided of course he can show improved form for the rest of the season – it will still weigh up Räikkönen’s expression of interest.

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Tilke distances himself from Korean circuit dramas

RichardsF1    Formula 1     FIA, Hermann Tilke

At the same time as backing the Korean Grand Prix organisers to finish the circuit on time before its debut in three weeks, Hermann Tilke has passed the buck moved to distance himself from the ongoing dramas surrounding its massively-delayed construction.

The track’s designer denied earlier this year having expressed doubts about the organisers’ ability to have everything completed on time in readiness for its inaugural race.

The event has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, with the final FIA inspection repeatedly being delayed, and with many figures in the paddock expressing doubts that the event could even go ahead.

“I assume the Koreans will finish in time,” Tilke told Germany’s Bild newspaper. “I am working only in an advisory capacity.”