Renault Support Single Engine Plans
FIA President, Max Mosley, proposed earlier this week that all Formula One teams should use the same engine, and it seems that only Renault supports that move.
This proposal was a major topic on the agenda at recent meetings of the Formula One Teams’ Alliance (FOTA).
Reports suggest that only Renault back the plan, probably because they feel cheated under the current regulations, but Red Bull, who run Renault engines in the back of their cars, may be forced to toe the company line in the event of a vote.
FOTA rules state that regulation, such as a single engine supplier, would require a 7-3 vote in favour as a minimum.
Neal’s View: Renault feel agrieved that Mercedes and Ferrari have made progress with their engines, legally, despite the current engine freeze. The Regié believe that other engine manufacturers are not playing in the spirit of the rules, but as both Ferrari and Mercedes engines have been inspected by the FIA in order to ensure compliance with the regulations, the Enstone squad do not have much of a case. A single engine supplier would remove another important variable, as we see Renault and Ferrari engines suit different types of circuit and provide more variation.
Singapore Grand Prix: Heikki Plays His Joker
McLaren-Mercedes have announced that Heikki Kovalainen utilised his ‘free’ engine change prior to today’s qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix.
All drivers are permitted one ‘joker’ engine change this season, and after noticing some wear on Kovalainen’s engine, opted to play that card.
Mercedes’ motorsports boss Norbert Haug said:
“We have changed the engine in Heikki’s car as a precaution.
“We saw a little bit of usage in the engine and this is a joker engine – so there is no grid penalty applied. The decision was taken yesterday.”
Haug insisted that the move was merely precautionary, and would not have been taken under last season’s rules, where there was no ‘joker’.
“If there was not a joker engine we would certainly have done nothing, and the chances that we would not have a problem are really high.
“It is a critical time of the year and if you have it available you should use it. We have had very good reliability so far. If you see only a risk of one or two percent, maybe it is even less, then you should use it if you can.”
Fellow McLaren driver, and Drivers’ Championship leader, Lewis Hamilton still has his ‘joker’ to play with four races, including tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix, remaining.
Neal’s View: This penalty-free engine change helps keep the top drivers racing each other. However, the rules are there for a reason, and should an engine fail, the same penalty should apply if it is the first time, or the twentieth.
Singapore Grand Prix:Kubica Follows McLaren’s Lead
Many of you will have seen the McLaren-Mercedes video, released prior to this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix. If you haven’t, don’t worry, here it is:
Now it seems that BMW-Sauber driver Robert Kubica wants in on the action, as this picture shows:
Kubica's Singapore addition
Neal’s View: After years of being called bland and boring, it seems Formula One has regained it’s sense of humour. Long may it last!
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.
Hamilton: Cocky or Comedian? You Decide!
Below is part of a courtroom examination between McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari lawyer Nigel Tozzi:
Hamilton: Are you a racing driver? No! I have been a racing driver since I was eight years old and I know pretty much every single manoeuvre in the book, and that’s why I’m the best at my job. We are talking about a skilled driver under intense pressure making a split-second decision which no-one, not unless they are in Formula One, can comprehend.
Tozzi: Stop personalising the issue… [I am] under instruction from Ferrari who know as much about Formula One as you do!
Hamilton: With respect, I doubt it.
So, Lewis Hamilton; cocky or comedian – you decide! Click here
La Source-gate: Drivers Have Their Say
Felipe Massa:
“What happened is that he took an advantage by cutting the chicane.
“You can ask drivers how many overtaking moves you see there.
“None between the last corner and the first corner, because there is such a small straight there. That is my opinion and it doesn’t change.”
Sebastian Bourdais:
“I think it is very clear, the rules are clear. Maybe the penalty is very hard but he has made the same mistake twice, he did in Magny-Cours and he did it in Spa.
“I don’t really understand why there is such a mess around it, there is a rule book and everyone has to obey the same thing. The penalty is rough but it is up to you to give the position back.”
Nico Rosberg:
“He did have an advantage because he would not be so close if he had not cut the chicane but the penalty was a bit harsh as it did not have a big result in the end result. But it won’t stop us from trying to attack definitely.”
Jarno Trulli:
“I agree the penalty was quite big but I am not a steward. But it is also clear he got an advantage.
“The rules are very clear, if you cut the chicane you get the advantage you have to drop it and lose advantage, in Lewis’ case he should not attack in the first corner that is it.
“This last chicane, they have a lot of run off area they give you more chance to attack because in case of mistake you won’t end up in wall or gravel. We have more chance to overtake.”
Giancarlo Fisichella:
“I just seen pictures so difficult for me to say if it is right or not what happened. For sure maybe he took a small advantage that is why he had the possibility to overtake him again in braking for Turn One, but obviously 25 seconds penalty was quite a strong penalty.”
La Source-gate: McLaren Appeal to be Heard this Month
Hamilton's penalty
The FIA, Formula One’s governing body, announced on Wednesday that the appeal against McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s demotion at Spa-Francorchamps, from first to third, is likely to be heard before the end of this month.
She said the Paris-based governing body is hopeful the International Court of Appeal can deal with the matter before the teams head out to Singapore, for the first-ever night grand prix late in September, thus enabling the title fight to continue with both contenders clear of their positions.
23-year-old Briton Hamilton gave his first press interview since the Belgian grand prix.
He said he still feels he did nothing wrong during his fight for the lead with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, in what has become known as La Source-gate.
“If I had done something wrong, I would be the first to admit it. As a sportsman, this is something that is very important for me.”
He said it did not take long to reflect on the news that the three-man panel of stewards had annuled his race win.
“I do not feel guilty so there is nothing that I have to digest. It would be another matter if I had let my team down, but I did not.
“I feel like I deserve ten points instead of six. On the other hand it could have been zero if I had damaged my car in the difficult conditions.”
Neal’s View: Does anyone, seriously, expected the FIA to make a correct decision? The organisation has lost much credibility over its continued bias towards Ferrari.
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.
Kubica Has More Harsh Words For BMW
Kubica at Valencia
After an disappointing Belgian grand prix, BMW-Sauber driver Robert Kubica continued to voice his discontent as the Formula One circus makes the short dash to Monza this week.
The Pole struggled to capture the same attention as his BMW-Sauber teammate Nick Heidfeld at Spa-Francorchamps, and on Friday we reported that he used “harsh words” upon discovering incorrect settings on his car.
“The team has helped Nick a lot.”
Kubica has won just 12 points from the last 5 grands prix, and while he finished sixth at Spa-Francorchamps, under-pressure teammate Heidfeld was on the podium.
“I hope that they will start to work a little for me, because these last four races, I think we have been asleep.”
Neal’s View: The BMW car has not been keeping up with the pace of the McLarens and the Ferraris, and is being caught by the midfield pack. The pressures on the drivers, especially Heidfeld (who could be out of a job at the end of the season), are mounting.
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