Kubica Fed Up With BMW?
Kubica at Valencia
BMW-Sauber’s Polish driver, Robert Kubica, has admitted that he is frustrated with the Hinwil-based squad’s inability to challenge Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Kubica is feeling disillusioned with his team’s lack of progress from their strong early-season form.
The Pole, fourteen points behind Lewis Hamilton in the race for Formula One’s top prize, the Drivers’ Championship, is considering his future with the team. Reports suggest that Kubica held clear-the-air talks with team boss Mario Theissen at the last Grand Prix, in Monza, but has not had his doubts removed in the run-up to this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
“My view has not changed a lot. We did sit down but I think there was no top secret and no miracles in the talks. It was good to talk. But the situation was not really changed.
“Of course as a driver you always want the maximum, and you always want a better car and to be a bit quicker.
“Even if you win, you can always find things to improve and to get stronger. There is no secret that we did not develop as was predicted.
“Lately, we don’t have big steps forward in performance but still we are managing good results. If we hadn’t had the problem in Spa with the second pitstop most probably I would have finished three races in a row on the podium – even though there have been some strange circumstances.
“But still, maybe lap time wise we are not the strongest but reliability is very good and we are able to do strong results.”
Neal’s View: Many were surprised by BMW’s early decision to focus on their 2009 car, but Kubica should take heart from two areas. Firstly, there is an old adage cited around the paddock: to finish first, first you must finish. BMW’s reliability is second-to-none in 2008, and this bodes well for the future. Secondly, we just have to look at Honda and Toyota. It is possible to go from a quick car to an awful one in a short space of time (Isn’t that right Jenson?) But to get to the front of the grid takes time. BMW are almost there, and I would expect a stronger challenge next season.
Singapore Grand Prix: Circuit Changes
It has been revealed that officials at the Singapore Grand Prix have made changes to the kerbs at the Turn 10 chicane.
Drivers had reported that the high bumps, put out to stop cars cutting the chicane, were potentially dangerous, should a car run wide.
The drivers were worried that hitting the bumps could cause suspension damage or even damage a tub. They also raised concerns that the bumps would pitch them into the wall on the outside of the corner.
Jenson Button of Honda said:
“If you run over that kerb it is going to do a tub and probably your spine as well. It is strange we haven’t tested it before, and only here.
“I know the reason for it as it is to stop us cutting the kerbs which is understandable, but it doesn’t account for a locked up wheel or a failure.”
F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting made an inspection on Thursday afternoon, with modifications made to the second kerb ahead of today’s practice session.
As a result of the modification, the bumps have been ground down with smoother edges – meaning cars will simply ride over them in the event of a driver mistake.
Neal’s View: This will be a test of drivers’ mettle. How close to these kerbs are they prepared to get?
Formula One Needs Shorter Races?
Luca di Montezemola
Formula One’s team grouping, Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), is set to meet in the Monza paddock on Thursday, according to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Top of the agenda is a proposal to shorten grands prix from their current distance of 300kms.
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said:
“An hour and a half for a race is too long. We must aim to reduce the time, because often in the second half nothing happens.”
Ferrari president, and FOTA chief, Luca di Montezemolo is to chair the Monza meeting, whilst Honda team boss Ross Brawn takes charge of technical matters.
The other main topic for discussion is a FOTA Constitution, with all ten team chiefs expected to sign up.
Neal’s View: This is a big mistake. Formula One is the pinacle for race drivers. Shortening the race will mean drivers do not have to be as fit. Also, shortening the race means fewer pit-stops, which is where most of the changes in race order currently take place. How does shortening a boring race help: this would mean exciting races are also cut. A better idea is to continue working with the Technical Working Group (TWG) to get regulations that promote overtaking.
Ferrari To Confirm Alonso At Monza? Or Is Alonso Off To BMW?
Renault's Fernando Alonso
Formula One fans will be waiting with baited breath ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. It is when Ferrari traditionally reveal their lineup for the following season. Fans of the sport are waiting to find out whether world champion Kimi Raikkonen will retire, making way for former double world champion Fernando Alonso.
Fernando Alonso insists he is not part of those plans.
The Spaniard has said that he does not expect the Finn to retire this year.
“Ferrari tend to confirm their drivers at Monza. I don’t think there is going to be a surprise.”
Alonso also revealed that he thought his Renault team was lacking half a second per lap, purely because of the weaker engine.
He also took the time to dismiss team boss Flavio Briatore’s claims that “at least two more podium finishes” will be coming from the final five grands prix of the season.
When asked how he feels about his teammate Nelson Piquet Jnr. being the only Renault driver standing on the podium this year, Alonso said:
“It is going to be really difficult to be on the podium in the rest of the year, but I do not see it as a failure.
“In comparison with my teammate, this has been my best season ever. I have always been in front of him. He got a podium after a great race and with lots of luck.”
Meanwhile, BMW-Sauber boss Mario Thiessen refused to deny growing speculation Alonso has signed a three-year contract to drive for the Hinwil-based squad from 2009.
The chequered flag had barely fallen at Spa-Francorchamps before it was reported that the Spaniard would replace German Nick Heidfeld.
Thiessen told German newspaper Bild:
“I do not take part in speculation.
“Our driver decision has been postponed. At the latest we will announce our drivers at the end of the season.”
BMW spokespeople were also not available for comment.
However, the Spanish sports newspaper Marca believes BMW-Sauber will confirm the Alonso signing on Monday, after this weekend’s Italian grand prix at Monza.
Neal’s View: Many thought he was Ferrari-bound, but the BMW rumours refuse to go away. I would rule out Honda, but it could be any of BMW-Sauber, Ferrari, or staying with Renault.
Williams Focusing on 2009’s FW31
One of the first Frank Williams F1 cars, the FW06
Williams-Toyota part-owner Frank Williams says his team will focus the majority of their efforts on their 2009 car after another disappointing performance at the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend.
The Grove-based team were tipped as one of the favourites to fight behind the top squads during pre-season testing, and they lived up to that when Nico Rosberg finished on the podium in the opening race in Australia.
Williams’s performances, however, have become worse as the season progressed, as non-privateer teams progress more rapidly than independents like Williams, and the team have scored just two points in the last seven races. They are currently tied with Toro Rosso-Ferrari in seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Williams said during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend that his team are not planning any more significant developments for the last five races of the 2008 calendar, and instead will focus on 2009.
“We recognise that we are right at the back of the grid effectively, too often though not every time. We recognise that this year’s car is almost as developed as we can successfully do it, short of a major revamp of all the aerodynamics and next year’s car [with the drastic rule changes for 2009] is the one where we pin our hopes.
“We’re not saying ‘watch out for our next race’ because it isn’t going to be like that. We just have to soldier on and get more out of what we’ve got.
“There are one or two little bits for the remaining races but essentially our main focus is on next year’s car because it is almost a fresh start for everybody with the aero rules. We started on that quite a long time ago and we will see how it works for us.”
Several new rules will come into play next season in order to improve the spectacle by reducing speeds and increasing overtaking, in a revamp that could see any team make a significant jump in performance.
Williams is confident his team will do a good job with the KERS system to be introduced next season, although he believes that building it themselves will not mean they will have an advantage over their rivals.
“It is not as though it will give us a particular advantage. We think, as most manufacturers, we will do a good job with KERS. Patrick [Head] has his own group in the company and we have been working on it for a number of months. It is much more affordable if you do it yourself providing you are successful with it.
“We are doing it because we have to do it. I imagine most people will come out with roughly similar horsepower.”
Neal’s View: The sweeping rule changes for 2009 meant that many teams switched focus to 2009 once they realised they were not going to be competitive in 2008. The 2009 cars will see an end to the evolutionary development (because of the rule changes) and any car could be winning races next season. Although the top three should still be at the front, there is no reason why Honda, Renault, Toyota, Red Bull, and even Williams cannot close the gap.
STR Extend Ferrari Engine Deal
STR3: Ferrari Powered
Italian Scuderia Toro Rosso’s team chief announced that the Faenza-based team will continue to use Ferrari’s customer engines. With the team’s STR3 chassis performing so well at present, and the senior Red Bull team comparatively struggling with their inferior Renault power, despite using a nearly identical car, it had been rumoured that Renault-powered Red Bull Racing might attempt to take over STR’s Ferrari contract. Ferrari handed the engine deal to STR at the start of 2007 in order to take the Renault deal.
Japanese driver Takuma Sato’s forthcoming test, meanwhile, stirred speculation that Toro Rosso might be considering using Honda engines.
In a statement, Franz Tost confirmed that Ferrari’s 2.4 litre V8 is the main reason behind the team’s strong showings of late.
“We are very happy with our arrangement with Maranello, which indeed is why we have recently extended our supply agreement with them.”
Tost also said the team is happy with its current driver lineup, including Sebastien Bourdais, whose future on the grid is in doubt, despite a strong showing in the Belgian Grand Prix.
“We are happy with both of them.”
“As for Bourdais, after a difficult period, he too has stepped up a gear in the past few weeks, as could be seen from the fact that, until the very last lap in Belgium, he had out-performed his teammate.”
Neal’s View: Ferrari push the limitations of the regulations to the absolute limit, so the Ferrari engine will always be strong.
Force India To Dump Ferrari?
Vijay Mallya
Vijay Mallya, team owner of Force India, has suggested today that his team may ditch the Ferrari engine that powers his cars for the 2009 season. It was reported earlier this season that they were in talks with Honda about a combined engine-Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) deal.
Mallya told reports at the Belgian Grand Prix that top of his shopping list is a bundled drivetrain and KERS package for next season.
“There’s no way we can develop KERS. It would be stupid even to attempt it.
“I have asked Ferrari because they are my partner. Hopefully they will give it to me at a sensible price. If they don’t, then I have a problem and may have to look elsewhere.
“But there’s no dearth of potential suppliers.”
Neal’s View: Honda are clearly looking to supply another team, having also held talks with Scuderia Toro Rosso, as it increases their competitive budget. However, the Ferrari engine is one of the more powerful, so if Mallya can get a bundled deal, then that is the option to go with.
Jerez Test May Be Moved, Plus Patrese Tests For Honda
Riccardo Patrese
Recent reports have cast doubt over the upcoming group test at Jerez. The Spanish circuit has recently had it’s tarmac relaid, and needs to be inspected and approved by FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting before Formula One cars can use the venue.
It has been reported that Ferrari’s Mugello test-track has been pencilled in as a backup venue in the event that Jerez does not get it’s approval in time.
At the same time, Honda have announced that Riccardo Patrese – the most experienced racer in Formula One history until Rubens Barrichello broke the record for starts earlier this season – will test on the Tuesday at Jerez. Patrese will be driving Honda’s 2007 car.
Neal’s View: Jerez will be ready in time, Patrese is just a Honda stunt – he’s 54 afterall!
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