Toyota Team Principal and FOTA vice-chairman John Howett has accused Bernie Ecclestone of trying to split the teams over their demand for greater revenue, dismissing his strategy of exposing Ferrari’s special financial deal as an ineffective “non-event”.

Ecclestone launched an attack on Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo after the Italian, in his capacity as President of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), called for a greater revenue share for the teams in the wake of the global economic crisis [see separate story HERE ].

A furious Ecclestone all but accused Di Montezemolo of hypocrisy and drew attention to the additional income that Ferrari receive as a result of their historical status within sport.

“Ferrari get so much more money than everyone else. They know exactly what they get; they are not that stupid, although they are not that bright, either,” said Ecclestone.

“They get about $80 million (£54 million) more. When they win the constructors’ championship, which they did this year, they got $80 million more than if McLaren had won it.”

However, Howett insists that FOTA will not be swayed by this argument, saying that the deal with Ferrari is common knowledge amongst the teams.

“He may be trying to [split FOTA] but all the information that was given is very transparent and openly shared among the members of FOTA, so it was a bit of a non-event because everybody is aware of the historic status [of Ferrari],” Howett told The Times.

Howett also affirmed that Ecclestone’s attack has done little to stop FOTA pursuing a greater slice of Formula One’s revenue.

“I think the majority position in FOTA is that people feel that the revenue for a modern professional sport is normally distributed more in favour of the participants than the property holder or the commercial rights-holder,” he said.

“People want to open that discussion and achieve a much more consistent balance with the status in many other professional sports.”

The teams currently earn around $500 million in TV money which is distributed according to position in the Constructors’ Championship. But this only accounts for the money distributed by the FIA as prize money, not the total revenue accrued by commercial rights holders CVC Capital Partners.

“In terms of revenue, we want to know more about them,” said di Montezemolo, according to autosport.com. “Theoretically, like in other professional sports, like basketball in the USA, we can have a league made by us and appoint a good league manager to run our own business. Because it is our own business.

“We want to know the revenues better so we can decrease the cost of the tickets. Then we have the matter of traditional tracks rather than exotic tracks just because they have a nice skyline. We have to discuss the show. How to promote. I’m not prepared any more to have all this dictated to us by outside without any control.”

By Christopher Hayes on Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Max Mosley has conceded that his plans for a standard engine in Formula One are unlikely to be endorsed by the teams, but the FIA President says he still wants to introduce an independent engine supplier in case more manufacturers decide to follow Honda out of the sport.

With the teams rigorously opposed to the idea of a standardised engine, a compromise is expected to be reached with the FIA whereby the manufacturers would make their engines available to the smaller teams at a reduced cost from 2010.

“This is still under discussion, but I think we will end up with a frozen engine, regulated in such a way that independent teams can obtain inexpensive supplies,” Mosley told the official Formula One website.

Adding that he hoped to see some sort of independent engine supply from 2010 onwards Mosley said: “I think we ought to try to have at least one independent outside engine supplier, because of the risk that we will lose another manufacturer or even two.”

Formula One will not have to wait until 2010 to see changes to the engine regulations however. As of next year the units will be required to last three races and performance will be equalised via a reduction in revs and restrictions on development.

It had been hoped that the 2008-13 engine freeze would help level the engines but a loophole in the regulations that allowed teams to make changes on the grounds of reliability lead to something of a horsepower field spread in 2008, with Renault notable losers.

Mosley insists that the principles of the freeze stand proven however: “The only problem with the original engine freeze was that in rectifying reliability problems, some teams appear to have gained somewhat in performance,” he said. “We simply intend to ensure that the sporting contest remains fair.”

The FIA President is also confident that fans will get to see more overtaking in 2009 with new aerodynamic regulations and the introduction of KERS expected to improve the racing spectacle.

“The 2009 aerodynamic regulations were developed by three of the top Formula One engineers, aided by an extensive wind tunnel programme. I have no means of judging whether they have got it right, but if they have not, it will be surprising and disappointing.”

“In addition, the KERS system, if fitted, will make a significant difference to overtaking by giving a car an 80hp boost for up to six seconds each lap.”

By Christopher Hayes on Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Renault boss Flavio Briatore is adamant that Formula One’s image and popularity will not be damaged by drastic reductions in teams’ spending amid the global economic crisis.

The FIA unveiled a radical package of cost-cutting measures earlier in the month with estimated budget savings of around 30 per cent in 2009.

The options for 2010 and beyond – including the availability of cheaper engines to smaller teams and the standardisation of major components – are expected to slash costs further still.

While the FIA’s cost-cutting proposals have been welcomed by the Formula One community there have been fears that the increasing shift towards a standard ’spec series’ could tarnish the sport’s popularity.

Briatore is confident however that Formula One will survive the global economic crisis, even with budget reductions in the region of up to 70 per cent – cuts which he believes are entirely feasible providing Formula One’s powerbrokers commit to a total overhaul of the sport.

“The time for looking around the garage for different ways to cut costs is gone,” he told F1 Racing this month. “We have to take an overall look at Formula One.”

“I believe it’s possible to have the same show, or better, for 70 per cent less than we spend now.”

While Briatore believes that is possible to obtain a balance between cost-cutting and standardisation on the one hand, and technical innovation on the other, the Italian has stressed that improving the racing spectacle is of even more importance.

“Fans want to see racing,” he said, “I don’t think they’re interested in what your suspension is made of. We need to keep technology, but races are too predictable”

“Every time we have a good race it’s because something happened with a Safety Car or the weather. We need more fights between drivers.”

“The races should be held at a better time as well - 2pm on a Sunday night is not right. We need to be starting 6pm or 7pm.”

- With thanks to Bradley Lord and F1 Racing for quotes.

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, December 22, 2008

The special celebration edition of Lewis Hamilton’s biography My Story is the nation’s best-selling sports book.

In the week ending last Saturday, it sold 12,712 copies in stores, outselling the books by Jamie Carragher and Sir Bobby Charlton, and putting it at number 13 in the Sunday Times top 20 hardback non-fiction chart.

Updated to include the 2008 F1 World Championship season, including the breathtaking finale in Brazil which saw Lewis clinch the World Drivers’ title on the penultimate bend, the book contains more than 70 new photographs and a new introduction by Lewis reflecting on his remarkable year.

From early karting glory and signing for the McLaren team at the age of 13 to becoming the youngest ever F1 World Drivers’ Champion with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team just 10 years later, LEWIS HAMILTON: MY STORY - Special Celebration Edition, recalls all the memorable moments in an outstanding career to date.

A substantial donation from the advance together with all the future royalties will be paid to the Lewis Hamilton Foundation, a trust set up to provide charitable funding for children and young people.

To purchase the book from amazon click HERE.

By Christopher Hayes on Sunday, December 21, 2008

Formula One supremo lambasts FOTA president’s demands for more money citing ’secret’ Ferrari deal.

A furious Bernie Ecclestone has hit out at FOTA president Luca di Montezemolo after the Italian called for the teams to be given a greater slice of Formula One’s revenue.

Amid the negotiations to reduce costs in Formula One, di Montezemolo, president of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA), told journalists this month that the teams should receive greater prize money to incentivise and maintain their participation in the sport, in the wake of the credit crisis.

The teams currently earn around $500 million in TV money which is distributed according to position in the Constructors’ Championship. But this only accounts for the money distributed by the FIA as prize money, not the total revenue of commercial rights holders CVC Capital Partners.

“In terms of revenue, we want to know more about them,” said di Montezemolo, according to autosport.com. “Theoretically, like in other professional sports, like basketball in the USA, we can have a league made by us and appoint a good league manager to run our own business. Because it is our own business.

“We want to know the revenues better so we can decrease the cost of the tickets. Then we have the matter of traditional tracks rather than exotic tracks just because they have a nice skyline. We have to discuss the show. How to promote. I’m not prepared any more to have all this dictated to us by outside without any control.”

Ecclestone has lambasted di Montezemolo for making these comments citing the additional income that Ferrari receive as a result of their historical status and contribution to the sport.

“The only thing he has not mentioned is the extra money Ferrari get above all the other teams and all the extra things Ferrari have had for years - the ‘general help’ they are considered to have had in Formula One,” Ecclestone told The Times.

“Ferrari get so much more money than everyone else. They know exactly what they get; they are not that stupid, although they are not that bright, either. They get about $80 million (£54 million) more. When they win the constructors’ championship, which they did this year, they got $80 million more than if McLaren had won it.”

“What he should do, rather than asking for money, with all the extra money Ferrari gets, he should share all that amongst the teams.”

Ecclestone also hinted at the perceived hypocrisy of Ferrari’s new-found harmony with the rest of the teams. Pointing to the threat of a manufactures ‘break-away’ series in 2003, Ecclestone reminded di Montezemolo:

“(Ferrari) were the only team that broke ranks with the other manufacturers - why did they break ranks?” he said. “That’s where the $80 million comes in. We ‘bought’ Ferrari. We ‘bought’ Ferrari’s loyalty. Our deal with Ferrari was that we ‘bought’ them so they would not go to the others.”

Ecclestone was also annoyed at di Montezemolo’s suggestions that the teams did not have access to the full breakdown of how money is distributed in the sport.

“They have the right to send people into the company and search for everything,” he said, pointing to a clause in the Concorde Agreement that allows full examinations of the accounts.

“Ferrari in particular, more than anybody, from day one, have had the right and they’ve never done it. We have bankers here and we’ve got CVC (CVC Capital Partners, the principal owners of Formula One) checking every single solitary thing. So anybody that starts saying that we’ve done anything wrong, I’ll sue the a*** off them.”

With thanks to autosport.com for quotes.

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, December 20, 2008

Giancarlo Fisichella is hoping that the FIA’s radical shake-up of Formula One’s regulations will catapult him up the pecking order in 2009.

The Italian veteran endured a difficult maiden season with new team Force India and failed to score a single point.

But with radical changes in the regulations expected to level the playing field in 2009 (see HERE), Fisichella is optimistic that Force India - who recently entered into a technical partnership with McLaren-Mercedes - will be able to use the new rules to their advantage.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said the Roman. “With the new rules it could all change, especially with the slick tyres, and different downforce levels.

“I think it’s very important to build a good car for those rules, and to try to run as soon as possible with the new car with the slicks. With the new partnerships I think it’s a great opportunity for us.”

“We have a better chance than this year for sure, but nobody knows how things will work out with the new rules! We’ll only see that in Australia.”

Pointing to his disappointing maiden year with Force India, Fisichella commented: “It was a difficult season, and we knew it would be. Actually at the beginning of the season in some places we were very close to getting to the top 16 and also reasonably close to the points, quite close to manufacturer teams such as Honda and to other people. It was actually a tough season.

“We went in the right direction sometimes, but we lost a bit of direction later in the season, and in the last few races we stopped development of the 2008 car so it was very difficult to keep pushing.”

With thanks to autosport.com

By Christopher Hayes on Friday, December 19, 2008

Williams will unveil their 2009 challenger, the FW31, on January 19 at the new Algarve Motor Park circuit in Portugal, the team confirmed today.

The launch co-incides with the first major testing event of the new year at the new 2.9 mile Portimao circuit and several tams will be in action, including Renault who will reveal their 2009 car, the R29, on the same day as Williams.

Speaking to Formula One’s official website, Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima revealed that the team had been struggling with the balance of their hybrid 2008-09 car, but remained confident that the issues would be resolved in the new car.

“At the moment we are testing a car with the front of the ’08 car and the rear with ’09 spec, so the balance is not perfect,” the Japanese driver said.

“The feeling is very different with the slick tyres and the downforce for next year, so a real feeling for the car has not yet developed. But when we have the new car for next year it’s going be totally different. At the moment the rear of the car, plus gearbox, is completely next year’s design.

“I would say that more than half of the car is next year’s car, but as the front is still the old car it lacks balance. Basically we tested some suspension set-ups and were collecting aero data.”

Although Nakajima struggled to match the underlying pace of teammate Nico Rosberg in 2008, his consistency on race day resulted in several well earned points finishes.

Now the Toyota-backed driver is turning is attention to the podium, though he admits it will be a challenge.

“Well, there are no real facts that make me convinced podiums will be possible - it’s just the target, because I have finished in the points and the next logical step would be a podium finish.”

“It’s basically my own self confidence that tells me that it could be within reach.”

By Christopher Hayes on Thursday, December 18, 2008

2008 Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton has been voted the world’s favourite driver, with his McLaren squad earning the accolade of most loved team.

These were the findings of the ING/F1 Racing Formula 1 survey – an exhaustive investigation that straddled the globe in order to track the profiles, viewing habits and preferences of the average Formula 1 fan.

Officially unveiled earlier this month at Monte Carlo’s prestigious Motor Sport Business Forum, and with nearly 70,000 fans polled, it’s the most exhaustive, accurate and authoritative survey of the year.

When asked to name their favourite driver, the fans’ verdict was overwhelming: Lewis scooped top honours with a massive 27 per cent of the vote – more than 10 per cent ahead of his closest rival, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. Fernando Alonso racked up 12 per cent with Felipe Massa taking nine per cent.

In the teams category, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes also emerged on top, receiving 29 per cent of the vote, ahead of Ferrari (28), Renault (six) and Williams (six).

Lewis said: “I think the standard of drivers currently racing in Formula 1 is higher than it’s been for years so I’m humbled to have earned the fans’ support. Drivers like Kimi, Felipe, Fernando, Robert and myself have made the battles at the front probably the closest and most exciting they’ve ever been – and, more than anything, I hope that’s what the fans enjoy the most.

“The icing on the cake is the popularity of the team. I know just how hard everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes works – they’ve done an unbelievable job this year and every single member of the team deserves this honour.”

By Christopher Hayes on Thursday, December 18, 2008

Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Kimi Raikkonen, 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton is to appear on a set of commemorative stamps.

The Isle of Man Post Office is issuing a set of six stamps featuring stunning images of Hamilton’s championship year.

As well as the stamps, a first day cover, presentation pack and special sheet folder will also be produced and issued on Thursday 15th January 2009.

McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh said that the six commemorative stamps “really capture the emotions of a fantastic season.”

Dot Tilbury, Philatelic Bureau Manager at the Isle of Man Post Office added: “We are thrilled and honoured to be part of the celebrations to acknowledge Lewis’s 2008 Formula 1 World Championship and hope our stamps capture the spirit of his momentous achievement to all his fans around the world.”

By Christopher Hayes on Thursday, December 18, 2008

Like many teams, Ferrari are to use a revised version of this year’s F2008 car to develop parts for next season. Code-named the F2008K, the ‘K’ believed to refer to the new KERS technology, the car will act as a halfway house between the current 2008 and radically revised 2009 regulations.

The development machine is expected to break cover at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit shortly, before travelling to Barcelona with Luca Badoer next week for the start of testing. It is unlikely that the car will use the complicated KERS technology in Spain, instead the team will simulate the weight of the system with strategically placed ballast.

By Stephen on Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has joked that he wants Kimi Raikkonen’s slower and less motivated ’stunt double’ to step aside in 2009 for the real Raikkonen.

The Finn, who only a year ago was wallowing in championship glory having beaten Lewis Hamilton to the title in Brazil, endured a trying season this year, his apparent lack of speed and motivation mid-season triggering speculation about his future at the Italian squad.

And at the final race of the season in Brazil Raikkonen showed a distinct lack of pace – and by implication interest in the outcome of the world championship battle between his team mate Felipe Massa and eventual victor Lewis Hamilton.

“Kimi, was it really you in flesh and bone or was it a friend, a double, who raced for Ferrari in the final Grand Prix?” the Ferrari President said at Ferrari’s end of season World Finals event at Mugello, according to GMM.

By Christopher Hayes on Tuesday, November 11, 2008

All of the car manufacturers currently in Formula 1 have expressed their displeasure at the FIA’s proposal to implement a ‘standard’ engine to the self proclaimed top flight of motorsport. So far only Toyota and Ferrari have questioned their future involvement in the sport, and with Toyota known to be looking at a return to Le Mans and the associated race series in both Europe and the US is this the excuse they need to pull the plug on their expensive and fruitless F1 folly?

Let’s look at the implications, Formula 1 would be a much poorer place if Ferrari did leave the sport (for the already-trademarked-by-Bernie GP1?) and some might say that F1 would collapse without the Prancing Horse, but the departure of Toyota – aside from leaving two car shaped holes on the grid – wouldn’t cause quite so much disruption. So you can understand why Ferrari would threaten to leave, the hope that loosing such a team might scare the FIA in to backing down, but Toyota?

You may think that as F1 is the supposedly technological pinnacle of motorsport that any top road car manufacturer would be mad to leave, but let’s face it F1 is stuck in a techno-rut. Yes there’s the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems) coming in for the 2009 season, but they are still running 2.4 litre V8 petrol engines, in Le Mans series and Touring Car races there is the option of Diesel and Bio-Fuel power plants. With Toyota already having production Hybrids on sale worldwide they already know about the principle of KERS, although ironically they are apparently one of the teams struggling with the implementation of the device in their F1 car, so yes they can learn more, but is it worth their while – especially if the KERS are to be standardised as other proposals suggest? So you can understand why a pioneering manufacturer like Toyota would want to leave F1 if they feel that the new (proposed) regulations could stifle their natural need to innovate. At least you could if they weren’t racing in NASCAR in the USA.

The NASCAR series are regulated in such a way that even the car bodies are standardised with only stickers to denote the different manufacturers, and the V8 engines are running on Carburettors, hardly pioneering technology although it does lead to close and (arguably) entertaining races. You see to Toyota - and to be fair most of the manufacturers – motorsport is a marketing exercise, and to be successful is to sell more cars. At least when Ford pulled Jaguar out of F1 they were honest about it, their sales weren’t good enough to warrant them being a midfield F1 team so they sold up to concentrate on Rallying where they were at least successful. Toyota didn’t come into Formula 1 lightly, they came in to win and if the standardised engines are implemented it is the perfect way of leaving the sport without admitting that they had failed.

By Lee Compton on Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Force India have entered into a technical partnership with McLaren-Mercedes for 2009, the two teams confirmed today.

Having used Ferrari engines in 2008, Force India’s switch to McLaren sees the team enjoy Mercedes-Benz power next year, as well as the use of McLaren’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), and access to the Woking squad’s part suppliers.

The Anglo-Indian outfit will also be allowed to use McLaren’s gearbox and hydraulic unit should they desire.

In addition, autosport.com has reported that McLaren’s Operations Director Simon Robert will become Force India’s COO, working full-time at the factory, while the Silverstone-based outfit will also be expanding their computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using the Brackley Aero Centre.

Owner Vijay Mallya has said he wants to be fighting for race wins in two years time as a result of the technical collaboration with McLaren.

“We all know how long things take to actually happen in Formula One because it’s super competitive. We can’t take anything for granted,” Mallya told journalists at the Force India factory.

“Other teams are also developing and improving and of course in 2009 it’s virtually a brand new car and a brand new design. At least from my perspective, winning races I think I can certainly aspire for maybe in 2010, but for 2009 I would be happy if we are regularly in the points. That would be already a major step forward.”

McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh joined Mallya in his hopes to build a race winning car, though he was under no allusions of the difficulties in doing so.

“We hope that that with some assistance and guidance from our technology business, McLaren Applied Technology, we can focus on some of the process, the methodology that is necessary to build a winning team,” said Whitmarsh. “People shouldn’t forget that the difference between the front of the grid and the back of the grid isn’t so great.

“I know people sometimes assume that those at the front are there because they have some trick, widget, idea or concept on the car but it is seldom in my experience the case.

“The teams that are at the front have worked on developing that engineering process, discipline, procedure, methodology that can discern very small fractions of percent of performance differentiation.

“Ultimately if we can move in true competitive terms, performance terms, Force India forward by 2% then that actually is a substantial improvement in today’s Formula One. I believe that we can help Force India to develop those processes and those techniques and that methodology that have a resolution and fidelity that you can discern those very small percentage improvements.

“There’s no magic wand, McLaren has a range of businesses, our core business is going motor-racing and we see this as an exciting opportunity. It’s a challenge for Force India and ourselves.”

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, November 10, 2008

David Coulthard has advised newly-crowned world champion Lewis Hamilton to think twice about his pledge to spend the rest of his career with McLaren.

After winning the championship in Brazil and returning home to the UK, Hamilton told journalists: “I want to see my career through with this team (McLaren), so that’s my plan.”

“When I say I’m not going anywhere, I’m in the team I’ve always dreamt of driving with, and when you’re living your dream and you’ve got the car you want to have why are you going to change?”

But Coulthard thinks it would be foolish to make such a commitment given that the team’s performance could take a downward turn in the future.

“In terms of trying to achieve wins it would be silly of him to stay there if the car wasn’t performing,” the Scot told BBC Radio 5Live.

“He wants to win grands prix and you would expect him to say that right now because they’re on top of the world.

“But I don’t think he needs to talk about the future beyond enjoying this World Championship at this moment and the battle of retaining that championship next year. None of us knows what the future holds.”

Coulthard isn’t the only ex-F1 driver to urge Hamilton to keep his options open.

Eddie Irvine said last month that the Briton should consider switching to McLaren’s rivals, Ferrari, at some point in his career.

“What Lewis has achieved in only his second season is great for Formula 1 and he is, to me, the first normal F1 Champion in a long time,” Irvine told his Virgin Media column.

“You look at (Michael) Schumacher and (Fernando) Alonso who were super boring out of the car.

“Lewis can talk, he looks good, he has a pop star girlfriend so he has a real appeal to the masses and that’s great for Formula 1.

“So he may win a couple more with McLaren and he’s loyal to Ron Dennis but he’s got to move to Ferrari at some point.

“Having been there, I’ve seen what it’s like and it’s a different situation to being with any other team. He’ll go there as a superstar already and ultimately I feel that’s where he’s got to go.”

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, November 10, 2008

Lewis Hamilton says he has always respected his former McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso and has denied that there was ever a personal dispute between himself and the Spaniard as they battled for the title at McLaren last year.

“I don’t think there was a particular dispute between us,” he said at Mercedes-Benz’s Stars & Cars event in Stuttgart this weekend, according to autosport.com.

Hamilton also disclosed that Alonso was one of the first drivers to congratulate him after he won the world championship in Brazil.

“It was great to see him in the garage,” said Hamilton. “He came over as I saw my team, I turned round and he was there - just to wish me congratulations. Then he said congratulations to the rest of the team.”

“I had a huge amount of respect for him already, but it took a big man to come and do that so I was very thankful to him.”

Alonso’s feud with McLaren stemmed from his belief that the the team were biased towards Hamilton and that eventually resulted in him leaving the team.

By Christopher Hayes on Sunday, November 9, 2008

In a Formula One season full of surprises, the BMW Sauber F1 Team was a model of consistency. As if setting out to reinforce the popular stereotypes of German thoroughness and Swiss precision, the young team swept through 2008 without a single technical retirement and notched up by far the most race laps and fastest pit stops of any team.

The BMW Sauber F1.08 racers were not only reliable, they also proved their mettle in performance terms. The highlights of the season were the one-two finish in Canada when Robert Kubica took the chequered flag ahead of team-mate Nick Heidfeld a year after crashing heavily at the Montreal track, Kubica’s pole position in Bahrain and two fastest race laps courtesy of Heidfeld (Malaysia and Germany). Together, the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers collected eleven podium trophies in what was the team’s third season on the grid – up from two in 2007.

Here, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, Technical Director Willy Rampf, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld look back on 2008.

Mario Theissen gave a positive verdict on the season: “We are proud of our successful season and we have once again achieved our exacting goals. We set out to turn the two-horse race at the top of the standings into a three-way battle and to record our first victory. We reached this target much earlier than expected and even managed to do so with a one-two finish.”

After the first three races of the season, the team was leading the World Championship, while Robert Kubica’s win in Canada put him top of the drivers’ standings. Should the season have worked out rather better in the end?

Theissen: “It wasn’t a question of what should have happened, but what we wanted to be the case. These magnificent achievements so early in the season naturally whetted the appetite for more. Although it didn’t take us long to reach our goals, there was no let-up from anybody in the team. We continued to bring new and further stages of technical developments into the car in the second half of the season, but unfortunately they didn’t produce the performance gains we expected. Our pace of development was fine, but the results were not up to scratch and our rivals opened up a gap over us during the course of the season. We will learn from this for 2009, when we will be looking to be up there battling for the title.”

Were you happy with the performances of your drivers in 2008?

Theissen: “All in all, yes – otherwise neither would be driving for us in 2009. However, Robert and Nick had very contrasting years. Robert shook off the memory of 2007, was hugely motivated for the job in hand and threw himself into his work with his new race engineer. Robert was in top form and if the F1.08 was not quick enough he took it as a personal affront. The working relationship was therefore not always easy, but his unreserved determination to achieve success commands respect.

For Nick the season was very different. It took too long for the seriousness of the situation to be recognised and the causes of his problems above all in qualifying to be systematically addressed. When you’ve got so many years of experience, you can maybe tell yourself after one or two unsuccessful outings that these were just blips and everything will be alright again the next time around, but that was not the case. It was only with intensive work that we got to grips with the problem. What stood out about both Robert and Nick was their extremely low error count on the track. In this respect, nobody else on the grid comes close to our two drivers – and for that I take my hat off to them.”

What are your expectations for 2009?

Theissen: “Formula One is set to experience the most significant rule changes in its history. Wide-reaching controls on aerodynamics systems will see the cars looking totally different in 2009, treadless tyres (slicks) will be brought back and the totally new KERS technology introduced. This may bring about shifts in the balance of power. This extremely challenging scenario does not alter our goal of fighting for the World Championship title in 2009.”

Willy Rampf gives his assessment of the BMW Sauber F1.08: “This car was something very special. It was not purely a further development; we opted for a very aggressive approach for the F1.08. This was very important given the goals for the season we had set ourselves, but clearly not without risk. Indeed, at the roll-out the car was still far from its full potential. What followed was a very tough, but also incredibly productive time for us – and by the start of the season we had the car very much on track. In Melbourne Robert was only a hair’s breadth away from taking pole position.”

What was your reaction to the one-two finish in Canada?

Rampf: “You just can’t put it into words. When no other car and no other drivers are better than your two, you have reached your goal. And that applies not only to me, but to the whole team. You mustn’t forget that many of the people in the team gave everything over a number of years for the independent Sauber team – without any prospect of getting right to the top on their own merits – and have been part of the BMW Sauber F1 Team from its launch. The one-two in Montreal had a big impact on us all, and not only on the Sunday – it had a sustained effect.”

Was it not possible to build on this success and step up another gear over the remainder of the season?

Rampf: “Of course, this success raised expectations both within the team and from the outside. We developed several new parts which produced good results in the wind tunnel. When it came to their performance on the track, however, they did not deliver what they promised. Added to which, the optimum set-up window of the F1.08 was very small. It was not easy to adjust the individual parameters to stay within this window all the time. This was a learning experience, which we will utilise again for the 2009 season.”

As for 2009: how will technical responsibility be apportioned?

Rampf: “I have responsibility for the F1.09 concept and, as Technical Coordinator, will also be at the helm for the team’s race activities in 2009. The development process and construction of the new car is overseen by Managing Director Walter Riedl, who will continue to head up operations at the Hinwil plant and project management across both locations in 2009. It was important for me to cut down on my workload – this was a personal decision following a long time working flat-out.”

Robert Kubica, how would you assess your second full season in F1?

Kubica: “The 2008 season was very long and extremely hard – probably the toughest of my career. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to sustain our pace of development through the second half of the season. But we have made a big leap forward over 2007. We had no technical retirements and were in there fighting for the title almost until the end of the season. The team have done a wonderful job and we can be proud of our season, I don’t like to give myself too much praise, but I think I drove really well. I was almost always fast and able to show my potential. However, I’m a person who always wants to win and for me second place is the first loser.”

What were the highs and lows of 2008?

Kubica: “I can think of various great moments, especially over the first half of the season – my podium in Malaysia, pole position in Bahrain and, of course, my first race victory in Canada. I’m also very proud of my performance at Fuji. That was probably my strongest race of the year. The most frustrating weekend, on the other hand, was the first of the season in Melbourne: I’d had a very disappointing season in 2007 and my race was going really well until Kazuki Nakajima ran into me.”

Nick Heidfeld, how would you sum up the 2008 season?

Heidfeld: “So-so, with an upwards curve towards the end of the season. It is always my aim to get the maximum from the car and I didn’t manage to do that through the middle part of the season – in qualifying in particular. The positive thing is that I came through this difficult period by analysing the situation, rather than stubbornly ploughing on. Highlights included the race at Spa – when my decision to change onto wet-weather tyres two laps from the finish paid off – and five passing manoeuvres over the course of the season in which I overtook two cars in the same move. And, of course, four second places aren’t bad going either.”

How do you expect the reintroduction of slick tyres will affect the racing in 2009? Will they help you to exploit the full potential of the tyres in qualifying?

Heidfeld: “We’ll find out in due course if slicks suit my driving style specifically, but I believe they will do and I definitely think it’s important that we get them back in Formula One! Slicks are simply part of F1, both for the sport as a spectacle and as far as driveability is concerned. Anything else is just a joke. In combination with the significant reduction in the cars’ downforce levels, slicks will hopefully also result in more overtaking.”

The 2008 season in brief.

The innovative looks of the F1.08 made quite an impression at its presentation in the new BMW Welt in Munich on 14th January. The subsequent testing in Valencia was disappointing, but the team pulled out all the stops to turn things around before the opening race of the season in Melbourne. Their calm but intensive work resulted in second place for Heidfeld, while Kubica – lying fifth – was the innocent victim of a collision at the restart after a Safety Car phase and left Australia with no points to show for his efforts.

In Malaysia it was Kubica’s turn to take second place, while Heidfeld finished sixth. Their total of 11 points represented a record haul for the young team. To add the icing on the cake, Heidfeld also recorded the team’s first fastest race lap.

Next up was Bahrain: another race, another milestone. Kubica earned the BMW Sauber F1 Team its first pole position, before finishing third in the race to give him back-to-back podiums. Heidfeld crossed the line in fourth. The team topped the constructors’ standings as the F1 circus moved on to Europe. Bahrain offered the first signs that Heidfeld was having difficulties bringing his tyres up to temperature in qualifying.

The start of the European season saw Ferrari in dominant mood. Kubica finished fourth at Barcelona, while Heidfeld fell foul of Safety Car rules. The German was forced to pit for fuel while the pit lane was closed, landing him with the inevitable ten-second stop-and-go penalty and meaning he could do no better than ninth.

After a modest performance in qualifying at Istanbul, the BMW Sauber F1 Team salvaged fourth and fifth places in the race, allowing them to defend their second place in the Constructors’ World Championship behind Ferrari.

Kubica finished second in a damp race in Monaco to earn a spot in the famous royal box. Heidfeld had qualified a lowly 12th as his tyre problems persisted. In the race itself the German had battled up to fifth position when Renault’s Fernando Alonso (Spain) drove into the side of him. Heidfeld nursed his battered F1.08 across the line in 14th, a dispiriting four laps behind the winner.

Round seven of the season yielded unbridled celebration for the team. Kubica and Heidfeld raced to a one-two finish, earning the BMW Sauber F1 Team its maiden race victory in only its third season on the grid. Kubica’s win allowed him to take over the lead in the Drivers’ World Championship and the team leapt back into second place in the constructors’ standings, just three points adrift of Ferrari.

Qualifying for the French GP did not go well for the team, but Kubica at least pulled in four points for his fifth-place finish in the race. The hop across the English Channel brought an improved showing at the British Grand Prix, although this time the Pole was left empty-handed after a rare mistake saw him aquaplane off the track. Heidfeld celebrated an impressive second place at a sodden Silverstone.

In the team’s home race at Hockenheim, Heidfeld recovered from further qualifying strife and a grid position of 12th to set his second fastest race lap on the way to a fourth-position finish. While Heidfeld benefited from his race strategy and a Safety Car phase, Kubica came off rather worse and finished in his starting position of seventh.

The final race before the short summer break was a chastening experience for the team. The F1.08 was clearly short of speed in Hungary and a single point for Kubica was all it could muster. Second place in the Constructors’ Championship was lost to McLaren Mercedes, and Kubica and Heidfeld were now fourth and fifth in the drivers’ standings.

The first F1 race on the portside circuit in Valencia was one of mixed fortunes for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Kubica secured the team its eighth podium finish in 12 races with third place in the Grand Prix of Europe, but his team-mate could manage only ninth. Heidfeld struggled with the harder tyre compound and admitted his race had been a disaster.

All of which made Heidfeld even happier with his podium finish at Spa, the key to which was his brave decision to change onto wet-weather tyres two laps from the finish. Kubica’s chances of a top-three finish were scuppered by a sticking fuel tank nozzle. It was a rare mishap for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, which topped the fastest pit stop statistics. Kubica went on to finish sixth.

The final race of the European season at Monza was also hit by rain. Kubica missed the cut for the top ten qualifying shoot-out at GP number 14, but a strong race performance on a one-stop strategy and a perfectly timed switch from wet-weather tyres to intermediates took him onto the third step of the podium. Heidfeld secured fifth place after starting from 10th.

The BMW Sauber F1 Team went away from Formula One’s magnificent debut night race in Singapore with just three points (Heidfeld/6th position). Starting from fourth on the grid, Kubica was a victim of the Safety Car rules and crossed the line 11th. The BMW Sauber F1 Team remained third in the Constructors’ World Championship, with McLaren now leading the way – albeit only briefly.

Kubica took centre stage at Fuji as the chief protagonists in the World Championship race shunted each other down the field. After 17 laps in the lead the Pole was forced to settle for second place behind Alonso, but had put himself back in contention for the driver’s title. Heidfeld finished a nondescript ninth after an errant tyre strategy in qualifying. Ferrari climbed back to the top of the constructors’ standings.

Heidfeld was slightly faster than Kubica over the whole weekend in Shanghai, and the two drivers finished the penultimate race of the season in fifth and sixth positions respectively. The result put an end to both Kubica and the team’s outside chances of World Championship glory. The drivers’ crown had come down to a straight fight between Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) and Felipe Massa (Ferrari).

The season finale in Brazilian was as tense and exciting as they come, although the BMW Sauber F1 Team now had little more than a minor role in proceedings. Hamilton clinched the title on the last lap of 2008 and Ferrari wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship.

Kubica had struggled with the balance of his F1.08 in qualifying and could do no better than 13th. Given his modest grid position, the team took the risk of starting him on dry tyres on what was a drying track. However, on the formation lap the Pole decided to change onto intermediates after all. The trip to the pits relegated him to the back of the field and ultimately cost him third place in the Drivers’ Championship. Kubica finished level on points with 2007 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) but had to settle for fourth. Heidfeld started the race from eighth, but excessive wheel spin meant he lost ground off the line and he crossed the line 10th ahead of Kubica. Drawing a blank at Interlagos also cost the German driver a place in the final table – he slipped down to sixth, one point behind Alonso. The BMW Sauber F1 Team remained third in the constructors’ standings.

Source: BMW Sauber

By Christopher Hayes on Thursday, November 6, 2008

Newly crowned world champion Lewis Hamilton took Pussycat Doll girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger on a romantic tour of his home town, Stevenage, on Wednesday, after returning to the UK with the 2008 F1 World Title in his grasp.

After what was a very public home-coming at the McLaren Technology Centre, in which both Hamilton and Scherzinger were on hand to answer questions from the world’s media, the pair headed off for a quiet night in Stevenage.

The couple were treated to a roast chick dinner at the house of Hamilton’s step-mum, Linda, before checking into the local cinema where they watched the new James Bond film.

The British hero then took his girlfriend on a tour of the town in which he grew up.

Hamilton told The Mirror: “I’m the world’s biggest Bond fan, and this movie is the best one yet. It was nice to go back to my home town, have a night out at the cinema and go back to a few old haunts without being recognised.

“I drove round Stevenage, past the house where I used to live in Peartree Way, past the church where I was baptised and my old primary school. It made me smile.”

“It was just great to see the old house was still standing - even the old posts where the gate used to hang off were still there. It was a tough neighbourhood and a tough place to grow up. There was a lot of suffering around that area, but I was safe enough in the end.”

“Almost opposite was a hostel full of troubled people, including drug dealers, youngsters who had kids at 14. There was always something going on. The police were round there all the time.

“But I wanted to show Nicole for the first time where I grew up and where I came from. It’s not that long ago since I was there because the last time I drove round the town was earlier this year, and I still go to the dentist in Stevenage.”

By Christopher Hayes on Thursday, November 6, 2008

British racing legend welcomes ‘exciting’ Hamilton as youngest World Champion but says he should never have won the title;

McLaren defend ‘disciplined’ Brazil tactics

Lewis Hamilton’s touch-and-go charge to fifth place in Sunday’s thrilling Brazilian Grand Prix did not deserve to earn him the World Championship. That is the verdict of four time championship runner-up Sir Stirling Moss who was disappointed to see the Briton abandon his characteristically aggressive racing style as he tip-toed to championship glory.

Hamilton entered the history books on Sunday as the youngest world champion in Formula One, and the first British champion in over a decade, following a nail-biting climax to the final race of the 2008 season in Brazil.

With only one lap of the race remaining the British hero found himself out of the money in sixth place behind Toyota’s Timo Glock after light showers intervened in the dying laps.

Hamilton’s championship rival Felipe Massa crossed the line in first place, prompting huge roars from his Brazilian supporters who, along with Massa’s family and the local boy himself, believed they were witnessing the first Brazilian champion since Ayrton Senna in 1991.

But as Hamilton navigated the final few corners he approached and passed Glock, who was struggling in the conditions, to take fifth place, and with it the title.

“He shouldn’t have been in that position,” Moss told Forumula1.net. “If he’d been allowed to drive as he normally does - aggressively and quickly - he wouldn’t have been in a situation where we’re thinking is he going to make it or isn’t he.”

“I mean he lined up fourth but finished fifth and I thought that was very disappointing. He was very very lucky to get the title. I think he deserves it because he’s done so well during the year, but he certainly did not deserve it on Sunday.”

Moss blames team orders for Hamilton’s nearly-moment and reckons the McLaren driver would have had a far easier ride to the title had he been allowed to do what comes instinctively to him as an aggressive racer.

“I was disappointed because he didn’t go into that race as he normally would: as a racer. He went into the race to make the numbers up.”

“I think it was probably team instructions, but I think the instructions were wrong. They (McLaren) were very lucky to get away with it. I mean let’s face it, if Glock hadn’t had the wrong tyres on he (Hamilton) would never have done it. It shouldn’t have been like that.”

However, McLaren insist that they couldn’t have expected anything more from Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s chaotic race.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren’s Chief Operation Officer is adamant that Hamilton’s ‘disciplined’ approach was precisely what was needed to enable him to clinch the title.

Speaking exclusively to Forumula1.net Whitmarsh responded: “Like everyone at McLaren, I have huge respect for Sir Stirling. He was a wonderful driver in his time, and remains a legend of our sport.

“Lewis drove a superbly disciplined race in extremely difficult conditions in Brazil, and did what was required to secure the drivers’ world championship.

“Felipe, too, drove brilliantly to win the race, and I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the quality of his driving throughout the season and the impressively sportsmanlike way he handled the disappointment of finding out at the last minute that he hadn’t won the drivers’ world championship.”

“But, as I say, Lewis did exactly what we asked him to do, from a highly technical point of view, which is how you have to operate in 21st century Formula 1.

“When Sir Stirling says, ‘If Glock hadn’t had the wrong tyres on, he [Hamilton] would never have done it’, it’s important to remember that the reason Timo had the wrong tyres on is that he hadn’t stopped to change them; had he done so, he would have dropped back anyway.”

Whitmarsh added that Hamilton’s success needs to be looked at in the context of a full Formula One season.

“The reality is that the world championship is fought out over 18 grands prix, not just one, and Lewis won superbly in Australia, Monaco, Britain, Germany and China, showcasing the racer’s instinct that Sir Stirling so rightly admires in him.

“So, yes, it was touch-and-go at the end, but 12.5 million viewers watched the Brazilian Grand Prix in the UK alone and I’m sure that they’d all agree with me that what they saw added up to a fantastic evening’s TV entertainment.”

Picture: ukmotortalk.co.uk

By Christopher Hayes on Wednesday, November 5, 2008

McLaren celebrated winning their first drivers title in nine years in spectacular style tonight with a dazzling fireworks display at the team’s Woking base.

Lewis Hamilton became the youngest driver to win the Formula One World Championship on Sunday after finishing fifth in a thrilling Brazilian Grand Prix.

In recognition of Hamilton’s achievement and the hard work of the team, a special fireworks display was organised for all 1000 McLaren staff at the McLaren Technology Centre, followed by champagne, music and a speech by team principal Ron Dennis.

One of the tracks played was ‘My Way’, and in his speech Dennis said of the team’s championship success: ‘Well, we did it our way.”

Only a year ago McLaren employees had to endure the pain of seeing the team kicked out of the constructors’ championship as a result of the spy scandal.

By Christopher Hayes on Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Lewis Hamilton may have secured the 2008 F1 Drivers’ Title on Sunday, but he narrowly missed out on winning his dream car, the McLaren F1 LM.

In March, The Sun newspaper reported that Ron Dennis had promised Lewis the factories own car, on the basis he won both World Championships.

At the time, Hamilton explained that owning a McLaren F1 had been a childhood dream. “The LM has always been my ultimate dream car since I first saw it when I was 13. When I first went to McLaren it was there and I fell in love with it. There are only five LMs in existence and the normal ones – the GTR – are worth around £1 million so the LM must be double that.”

However, all is not lost for Hamilton. Should he pick up another two titles he can still win the car, based upon an agreement he made when he first joined the team.

“I want to win this car, I want to get this car off Ron. I will definitely work as hard as I can to get to number three,” stated Hamilton, having won title number one. “We made a deal: three world championships and it’s mine.”

“It’s a car that I’ve always wanted. I got a car book, a nice book for Christmas years and years ago when I was about 10, and it had the orange McLaren F1 LM on the front of it. It was my dream car then. Then I got signed up by McLaren, I went to the factory and saw it and ever since I’ve gazed at it every time I’ve walked past it.”

“Still today, it’s the only car I ever really stop by apart from Ayrton’s 1989 car. I stop by it and I always open it up and just smell it - carbon, fresh, new. It’s No 1 out of five and the most expensive and beautiful car in the whole world. It’s the one that I want.”

The LM spec McLaren was created to mark the McLaren F1 GTR’s victory at Le Mans 24 Hour in 1995. The car, with it’s V12 engine, accelerates to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. With just five examples in existance, the rare car is estimated to be worth several million pounds.

By Stephen on Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Scuderia issue shock quit threat as FIA vamp up chase on standard engines

Ferrari have followed Toyota and threatened to quit Formula One should FIA President Max Mosley persist with his plans to impose standard engines on the teams.

Speculation was rife on Monday that Toyota would pull out of Formula One after the FIA issued a statement saying that it will press on with plans to introduce standard engines having received several enquiries about the tender bid.

Now Ferrari have followed suit following a board meeting in Maranello. A team statement read: “The Ferrari Board of Directors expressed strong concerns regarding plans to standardise engines as it felt that such a move would detract from the entire raison of a sport with which Ferrari has been involved continuously since 1950, a raison d’etre based principally on competition and technological development.”

“The Board of Directors expressed the opinion that should these key elements be diminished, it would have to re-evaluate, with its partners the viability of continuing its presence in the sport.”

Last week the FIA met with the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) – represented by the presidents of Toyota and Ferrari, John Howett and Luca di Montezemolo – to discuss cost-cutting proposals, including engine restrictions.

Only a few days earlier the FIA had infuriated the teams by putting out a tender contract for the standard engine.

The FIA-FOTA meeting did not result in agreement on the issue of standard engines, with both parties instead backing the idea of standard energy recovery systems, which are due to be introduced next year.

However, a statement issued by the FIA today revealed that the governing body will be pressing on with the tender bid, against the grain of fierce opposition from the teams.

The statement read: “The FIA has received a number of questions from interested parties regarding that Invitation to Tender. In accordance with the FIA’s Tendering procedures, the replies are set out in the relevant section of the FIA website.”

“The Tender schedule for transmission-only bids has also been updated. Bids for engines and transmissions in combination and bids for the supply of engines alone must be submitted by 7 November 2008. A minimum of three further weeks will be given to those considering transmission-only bids.”

Max Mosley’s motivations for persisting with his plans for standard engines have been called into question given that the teams are rigorously opposed to the proposals.

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, October 27, 2008

Renault’s ‘Mr Target’ recalls how the French outfit went from a midfield minnow to the third best team of 2008 – in the space of a few races.

Renault has secured fourth place in the championship. You must be happy with that?
Yes and no. I like to set very high targets and the goal we set mid-season to finish fourth in the championship with the third quickest car was not as ambitious a target as I would normally like us to set. Having said that it was, at the time, a difficult target and I am pleased that the first part of that target is both objective and proven – we’ve finished fourth and can’t be beaten; the second part is probably subjective, although I think in the past couple of races we’ve shown that we have the third quickest car, so in my eyes we’ve achieved both those objectives.

How rewarding has it been to see the team’s progress over the course of the season and how valuable is that for team morale heading into next year?
It was disappointing that we started the year further back than we had expected to, and had the situation remained like that it would have been quite disheartening for us. There were reasons for it, but in this particular case it’s the facts that matter, not the reasons for those facts. The way we’ve turned the situation around has given us an enormous boost as we’ve proved we can out-develop our competitors and arguably out-develop those that are leading the championship because we really have moved a lot closer to them. I think that’s a great message to take through to next year with so many new factors being introduced because we’ve shown that we can steal the initiative with this sort of thing.

Fernando’s results over the past five races have been outstanding, including another strong drive in China. He seems to be enjoying the R28…
Yes, if the season had started in Belgium we would be leading both championships! It’s not just Fernando who is enjoying driving the R28 because Nelson is as well. I’ve often talked in the past about how important it is to give a novice driver a car he can trust and feel confident in, but if you give that sort of car to a driver as good as Fernando, then he can really push it to the limits. I think that’s what we’re seeing now because we’ve got a car that is inherently very stable; it’s very honest and predictable and both drivers are exploiting it very well.

As you say Nelson is back in the groove - what’s his frame of mind as he approaches his home race?
Going into your home race at any time is a double-edged sword, particularly so when it’s your first time. What I mean by a ‘double-edged sword’ is that although it gives you that little extra inspiration, you’ve also got the pressure of the local press, extra attention and high expectation. Having said that, I suspect the Brazilian media will be much more focussed on Massa than they are on Nelson, which is no bad thing. Recently Nelson has shown his ability through his results and just as the R28 has taken an exponential improvement curve, so has Nelson, and that’s what should be dominating his frame of mind as he prepares for his home race.

Having secured fourth in the standings, the team can race free from pressure in Brazil. Will that change your tactics or approach to the race?
I don’t think it does particularly. There is no doubt that during the last few races we’ve been very aware of Toyota, what they were doing and the tactics we needed to beat them. So we are released from that constraint, but the reality is that over the past few races our strategy has been simply about achieving the best possible result and that is how we will approach the final race of the season.

Do you expect the R28 to be as competitive in Brazil as it was in the Asian races?
I don’t see why not. If you look at the last few races, we’ve seen the car performing well at some very different circuits. But as well as our strengths, our weaknesses are still there and I think that the exit out of turn 12 and the long drag up the hill to the first corner will be quite tough for us and not an area where we will be particularly strong. However, the car should be good through the quick corners of turns 3 and 5, and overall I think we can maintain a similar level of competitiveness to that which we’ve shown in the past few races.

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, October 27, 2008

Renault ace admits ‘pressure is off’ and eyes third win of the season in title showdown

Fernando Alonso is adamant that Renault are now the third best team on the grid and reckons that victory could well be on the cards in Brazil after his impressive back-to-back wins in Singapore and Fuji.

The Spaniard had a torrid start to the year and found himself entrenched in the mid-field during the early races, his Renault powered R28 seemingly suffering from a lack of horsepower and straight-line speed. That triggered speculation that he was on the move for 2009 with a string of teams lined up to accommodate him, including Ferrari, Honda and BMW Sauber.

But Renault turned things around in spectacular style in the second half of the season. Solid points finishes beckoned before Alonso’s back-to-back victories in Singapore and Fuji, which although lucky, were only possible after major upgrades to the R28.

While Alonso has yet to confirm his whereabouts for 2009, the general consensus is that he will stay with Renault – and his confidence in the French team in the build up to the season finale does little to suggest otherwise.

“Our victories in Singapore and Fuji were a wonderful surprise and our fourth place in China confirmed our return to form,” he said. “We were clearly the third strongest team and we had similar race pace to the Ferraris, which is really satisfying for everybody in the team.”

“We’ve all worked really hard and so it’s a nice reward, especially as we have now confirmed our fourth place in the championship, which was the objective we set ourselves in the middle of the season. So it’s mission accomplished and we can now approach the Brazilian Grand Prix calmly and aim to have another strong weekend.”

Renault have already beaten rivals Toyota to fourth in the constructors’ championship courtesy of Alonso’s impressive performances, and that, reckons the Spaniard, puts the team in a perfect position to score strongly in Brazil, given that rivals Ferrari and McLaren will be locked in a fierce title scrap.

“This year we have already achieved our objective to end the season fourth in the constructors’ championship with the third quickest car so we can therefore approach this race with less pressure and be more relaxed, which may help us take advantage of the situation,” he added, “after Singapore and Fuji, the team now believes that anything is possible.

Team boss Flavio Briatore meanwhile has suggested that Alonso will probably stay with Renault for next year.

“The chance (that Alonso stays) is fairly big,” the Italian said in an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

“The last race is this Sunday, so both of the sides will decide then.”

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, October 27, 2008

Nigel Stepney’s lawyer Sonya Bartolini has said that there is still no proof that Stepney tampered with and sabotaged Ferrari’s cars last season.

Stepney, a former Ferrari mechanic and the centrepoint of Formula One’s 2007 spying scandal, was also accused of sabotaging the team’s cars at the same time as the espionage story. Reports centred on white powder being found in the fuel tanks of Ferrari’s cars ahead of the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix, powder which might have caused the engines to seize had it not been found in time. Traces of the powder were allegedly found at Stepney’s house and clothes at the time.

Judge Barbara Malvasi appointed an expert, Maurizio Migliaccio, to analyse the powder. Migliaccio is reported to have stated that the white substance is a mix of food supplements and vitamins.

“Overall, Professor Migliaccio’s statement help Nigel because they don’t fully address all the doubts,” Bartolini explained to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “In fact, it isn’t clear whether the powder, when put into the fuel tank, would have caused the engine to seize, and even less make the car stop suddenly with the possible consequence of damage to people, as hypothesized by the magistrate.

“We had no doubt that the powder would be the same as the sample found on Stepney’s trousers however that doesn’t automatically mean the involvements of my client in this affair.”

By Forumula1.net on Monday, October 27, 2008

Former team boss Eddie Jordan reckons Hamilton will have to watch his back in Brazil, while Massa insists he is focussed only on winning.

Michael Schumacher’s appetite for controversy and carbon-fibre has never really rubbed off on his protégé Felipe Massa. That was until the Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji that is.

Massa’s reckless collision with Lewis Hamilton in the opening laps – for which he was penalised, but let off the hook by virtue of identical punishment for his victim – may not have been intentional, but it certainly planted the seed about the Brazilian’s respect for clean racing.

Such was the success of the move that it may have even been an eye-opener for Massa: it ultimately enabled him to close the gap to Hamilton in a race he had no hope of winning.

Indeed, with a seven point deficit to Hamilton going into Brazil, Massa will be hard pressed to appease his home crowd with the title he and they crave.

Will the Ferrari ace succumb to temptation should he find his Bridgestone rubber in kissing distance of Hamilton’s suspension? Team principal turned pundit Eddie Jordan thinks so; retaliation the Irishman’s prescription.

“People may not like me for saying this, but if Massa tries to take him out as he did in Japan in order to steal the title then Lewis has to be ready for it,” he told the Daily Express.

“If he tries that on then Lewis has to turn his wheel into Massa to ensure he does not finish the race either - he has to take his wheel off.”

“Hamilton needs to be careful. He knows that right now the world is against him - the other drivers are against him and the stewards are against him.

“Yet I think what happened to him after his win at Spa was ghastly and his penalty in the Japanese Grand Prix was harsh too. That’s what he has to contend with.”

To his defence, there is something unconvincing about the picture painted of Massa as an underhanded racer. He says he is intent only on winning the race in front his home crowd.

“Yes it’s true I have a tougher job than Lewis in terms of the points situation, but my own objective for the weekend is much more straightforward than his,” said the Ferrari driver.

“I only have to focus on winning the race on Sunday afternoon, hopefully with my team mate second behind me. The only thing I am thinking about is winning. After that, the matter is not in my hands and we will have to wait and see exactly what and how much we have won.

“For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose.

“I have my people behind me and all the pressure will be on him, especially when you think about what happened at this race last year. I can’t wait for the final Sunday of the season.”

Kimi Raikkonen is Massa’s best asset in Brazil. Should the Finn come second to Massa - a real possibility given Ferrari’s dominance at Interlagos - then that would put pressure on Hamilton to keep a clean nose and bring home the points. And don’t rule out Alonso taking things into his own hands either.

Just how willing Raikkonen is to have a world champion alongside him in the garage next year is another matter.

“It is a team sport and both me and Kimi know we have to do what is best for the team,” upholds Massa. “For sure, psychologically a racing driver always wants to finish in front, always wants to win: it doesn’t matter if you are playing a friend on a computer game or driving a Formula One car.”

“But all drivers have a contract with their team and so you are not racing as an individual.”

“When you are fighting for the championship, with only one driver with a mathematical chance of winning, then all the teams in the pit lane would do the same, which is to put that one driver in a position where he has the best chance of winning. That is part of this sport.”

By Christopher Hayes on Monday, October 27, 2008

Robert Kubica may have dropped out of contention for the title – a position he never expected to find himself in – but the Polish star is determined to fend of Kimi Raikkonen in Brazil for third place in the championship.

The Canadian GP winner, and seven-time visitor to the podium this season, found himself with an outside chance of championship glory right up until the penultimate race of the season.

But qualifying outside the top ten in Shanghai, allied with Hamilton’s dominance of the race, quickly pulled the trigger on what was already an unlikely scenario.

The Pole, who will enjoy a fresh engine and gearbox for Brazil, has now set his sights on defending third place: “I’m currently third in the drivers’ standings, six points in front of Kimi, and, of course, it’s my aim to defend this position,” he said.

“Brazil is traditionally the final race of the season, and Interlagos is a very demanding and interesting circuit. My first race there was in 2002 in Formula Renault, and I’ve been back with the BMW Sauber F1 Team for the last two years.”

“Interlagos is physically very tiring because we drive the circuit anticlockwise. That’s something we’re not used to, and we feel it especially in the neck.”

Kubica also has a critical role to play in the outcome of the constructors fight, with BMW Sauber only ten points behind second place-sitters McLaren.

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, October 25, 2008

Lewis Hamilton may not be about to sit back and gift Massa the win at his home race in Brazil, but if he did, the British ace could still become world champion.

Here are the permutations that would see the McLaren ace crowned the youngest ever world champion, and the first British driver to claim the top honours since Damon Hill in 1996.

Lewis will be world champion if:
He wins
He finishes second
He finishes third
He finishes fourth
He finishes fifth
He finishes sixth and Felipe is second or lower
He finishes seventh and Felipe is second or lower
He finishes eighth and Felipe is third or lower
He fails to score and Felipe is third or lower

Felipe will be world champion if:
He wins and Lewis finishes sixth or lower
He finishes second and Lewis is eighth or lower

If the pair are tied on points on Sunday afternoon, Felipe would win the title by virtue of more victories (six to Lewis’s five) or second-place finishes (three to Lewis’s two).

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, October 25, 2008

Under pressure McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen admits he has struggled behind the wheel of his MP4-23 in his first year with the Woking outfit, but vows to build on his experience in his preparations for 2009.

Heikki’s sensational pole position at Silverstone back in July seems a long time ago. Had it not rained on Sunday, it might have been him and not team mate Hamilton destroying the field on race day and getting his championship campaign back on the rails.

A timely confidence pill it would have been at that: Kovalainen’s results took a hit after that memorable rain-hit afternoon in Northamptonshire. A win at Hungary beckoned, but it came as a result of others’ misfortune, and wasn’t the kind of season-resurrecting result that it might have been.

Then came Spa and Monza. The chaos and controversy of both races let Kovalainen off the hook, but it won’t go unnoticed that the Finn was a country mile of Hamilton’s pace in Spa - despite carrying less fuel in qualifying - and in Italy, he could and should have beaten Sebastian Vettel’s Toro Rosso.

Bottom line is that Kovalainen, while proving more than a match for Hamilton at times in qualifying, has struggled over the course of a race stint, particularly when its been in the rain.

That led to experimentation with the set up of his MP4-23, but not the sweet-spot he so craved.

“It didn’t take too long to find where I wanted to be with the team, but it’s taken longer to get used to the MP4-23,” reflects Kovalainen.

“Sometimes I’ve pushed the set-up in the wrong direction but, over the year, I’ve found a better direction. I’ve been particularly pleased with my qualifying pace; even from the first race, I was competitive.”

“Now I’m working hard to improve my knowledge of the tyres and everything is headed in the right direction.”

McLaren are working hard with Kovalainen to help him address some his weaknesses and this will continue into the winter. The Finn is adamant he can come out stronger.

“It’s been a good season overall. I’ve done a lot of learning throughout the year and I already feel much better prepared for next year,” he said.

“I now understand how to make the car fast and what I need to do to get the most out of it. I thought this year would be more difficult, but I feel I’ve done a good job.”

And as for the season finale in Brazil, Kovalainen is under no allusions of the responsibility that rests on his shoulders in terms of the constructors fight with Ferrari.

“With the championship as it is, things are a little different going to Brazil.”

“Clearly, I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary - but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front.”

“The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors’ championship.”

“We may be 11 points behind Ferrari, but there are 18 points available in Brazil and we go into the final race still looking at securing both world titles - that has to be our aim.”

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, October 25, 2008

After a trying second half of the year, McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen insists he has only one thing on his mind as he gears up for the Brazilian GP: winning.

How has your knowledge of the car and the team developed over the 2007 season?
“It didn’t take too long to find where I wanted to be with the team, but it’s taken longer to get used to the MP4-23. Sometimes I’ve pushed the set-up in the wrong direction but, over the year, I’ve found a better direction. I’ve been particularly pleased with my qualifying pace; even from the first race, I was competitive. Now I’m working hard to improve my knowledge of the tyres and everything is headed in the right direction.”

With the 2008 season almost finished, how are you approaching the winter?
“It’s been a good season overall. I’ve done a lot of learning throughout the year and I already feel much better prepared for next year. I now understand how to make the car fast and what I need to do to get the most out of it. I thought this year would be more difficult, but I feel I’ve done a good job.”

What are your aims for the last race of the year?
“To win it, obviously! With the championship as it is, things are a little different going to Brazil. Clearly, I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary - but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front. The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors’ championship. We may be 11 points behind Ferrari, but there are 18 points available in Brazil and we go into the final race still looking at securing both world titles - that has to be our aim.”

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, October 25, 2008

Lewis Hamilton insists he will not be leaving championship rival Felipe Massa an open door to victory in Brazil.

Hamilton arrives in Sau Paulo with a seven point lead over Massa and only needs to finish fifth or higher to be crowned the youngest ever world champion.

But as he gears up for the most important race in his career, Hamilton says he will tackle the weekend in the same way he has approached previous races, and will strive for the best result possible, despite not needing to win the race.

“Obviously, my aim for Brazil is slightly different from the other grands prix,” he said. “I don’t need to win the race, but that won’t stop me from going into the weekend looking to be as strong as possible.”

“Shanghai was a good example of that: we hit the ground running on Friday morning and never looked back. Our aim wasn’t to push too hard, but we found ourselves in a position at the front and took it comfortably from there.”

“That’s what I am hoping to achieve in Brazil - a straightforward weekend that allows me to just focus on my car and my driving.”

Yielding to his rivals is not something that comes naturally to Hamilton, though. In his rookie year, the Briton memorably saw his title dreams go up in smoke after unnecessary scraps with Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso in Shanghai and Brazil respectively.

“I went to Interlagos with the title battle still up in the air and all my emotions just bubbling up and down,” recalls Hamilton.

“It was a very emotional time because I knew it would end with either great success or huge disappointment. In 2007, things didn’t end up too well for me - but I still had a great first year.”

In Japan a fortnight ago Hamilton’s championship lead took a hit when he was dealt a drive through penalty for attempting to repass Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner after a bad start.

Besides it being against Hamilton’s racing instinct to go down without a fight, the Briton also has an important role to play in the constructors battle.

McLaren are eleven points adrift of rivals Ferrari and maintain only a ten point advantage over BMW Sauber.

And with Heikki Kovalainen struggling to demonstrate the same pace as Hamilton behind the wheel of his MP4-23, primary responsibility for bringing glory back to Woking after a ten year drought rests on Hamilton’s shoulders.

“Lewis will be as focused as the team to score the necessary points in Brazil,” said Mercedes-Benz Vice President Norbert Haug.

By Christopher Hayes on Saturday, October 25, 2008

Rarely has a season been so unpredictable. Fears of humdrum afternoons were dispelled as thrilling battles unfolded; while where high drama was expected, an orderly procession ensued.

On 2nd November one of the most exciting Formula One seasons on record will go down to the wire in São Paulo. All we know for certain is both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships will be decided at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Although still in its early years on the grid, the BMW Sauber F1 Team retained an outside chance of claiming both titles right up to the 17th of 18 World Championship races. A one two, a total of 11 podium finishes, one pole position and two fastest race laps, as well as 100% technical reliability and the fastest pit stops on the grid, have so far provided the success stories in the team’s third season.

Robert Kubica goes into the final race of 2008 determined to hold onto his third place in the drivers’ standings. But that is no easy task, with the Ferrari of reigning World Champion and last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix winner, Kimi Räikkönen, lurking six points behind him. Nick Heidfeld lies fifth in the standings, nine points behind the Finn and seven ahead of Renault’s resurgent Fernando Alonso.

The Constructors’ Championship could also see further shifts in position. The BMW Sauber F1 Team is currently third on 135 points, ten points behind McLaren Mercedes. In 2007 the BMW Sauber F1 Team collected 101 points in 17 World Championship races.

While Heidfeld will line up at Interlagos with the same powertrain as in China, Kubica is due both a new engine and gearbox. The two drivers have been out of sync in this respect since the first race of the season, when Kubica’s F1.08 was rear-ended in the Australian Grand Prix.

Before setting off for Brazil, the team’s drivers and management are scheduled to make a pit stop in Munich. Kubica is visiting the BMW plants in Landshut and Dingolfing today (Friday), then on Saturday he and Heidfeld, the test drivers Christian Klien and Marko Asmer, plus Mario Theissen, Willy Rampf and Peter Sauber will all be attending the BMW Sauber F1 Team Race Club Fan Event in and around the BMW branch in Fröttmaning. Around 1,000 members of the fan club came to last year’s get-together in Munich. The highlight of the event will once again be the demo runs with the Formula One car on a sealed-off road.

Nick Heidfeld:
“I’m pleased for the fans, but also personally, that we have an exciting finale to the World Championship. Plus, I’m curious to see whether the track is still the same as it was in 2007. That was a nice surprise, as the track’s surface used to be really bad and very bumpy. It was always being patched up, but it was only when the track was re-asphalted ahead of the 2007 Grand Prix that it really became a good surface. The layout of the Interlagos track is excellent and very demanding on the drivers – not least, of course, as far as our neck muscles are concerned. I think São Paulo’s pretty cool as a city, but at the back of your mind are always the stories about muggings and you hear about that sort of thing every year.”

Robert Kubica:
“Brazil is traditionally the final race of the season, and Interlagos is a very demanding and interesting circuit. My first race there was in 2002 in Formula Renault, and I’ve been back with the BMW Sauber F1 Team for the last two years. Interlagos is physically very tiring because we drive the circuit anticlockwise. That’s something we’re not used to, and we feel it especially in the neck. I’m currently third in the drivers’ standings, six points in front of Kimi, and, of course, it’s my aim to defend this position.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director:
“The 2008 Formula One season is now going onto the finishing straight. In 2007 the outcome of the title was only decided in a thrilling final race in Brazil. Perhaps the Formula One fans will also get to enjoy a similarly exciting finale this year. Two drivers still have a chance of becoming World Champion in São Paulo.

“The Interlagos circuit has many different aspects, and the weather can also be unpredictable. The long, uphill start-finish straight places particularly heavy loads on the engines. This uphill section also makes the start extremely exciting. Another of its characteristic is the altitude of São Paulo. The thin air means that the engines generate approximately eight percent lower output than at sea level. We are very much looking forward to the final race of 2008 and are aiming to record another good result to round off the season.

“This is the final race in what has been our most successful season since the launch of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. We have achieved our ambitious aims for the third year in succession. We not only proved to be one of the top teams from the outset, we also recorded our maiden race win. It was all the sweeter, of course, that our success in Canada came in the form of a one two. As things stand, we have now had 11 podium finishes this year, compared with two in 2007. This statistic alone is evidence of the considerable steps forward we have made.

“Added to that, Nick brought us our first fastest race lap in Malaysia, Robert claimed our first pole position in Bahrain, and we’ve now scored points in 34 consecutive races, something no other team can match. The last time we went home empty-handed from a GP weekend was in Brazil in the final race of 2006. This achievement does not come down to chance. Our trump cards this season have been spotless reliability, our – for the most part – excellent race strategy, outstanding work in the pit stops and a very small number of mistakes from the drivers.

“In terms of pure performance, we still have ground to make up on Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes, and we didn’t make the progress we hoped to in the second half of the season. Indeed, some of our development projects did not yield the expected performance gains on the track. But I am certain we shall learn the lessons from this for 2009. After all, we want to be up there fighting for the World Championship title next season.”

Willy Rampf, Technical Director:
“For us, the Brazilian Grand Prix represents the end of a highly successful season, and of course we want to round the year off on a positive note. Interlagos is one of the few circuits – alongside Istanbul Park and Singapore – which we drive anticlockwise. Here, the middle sector is critical, with one corner following the next. The key elements are good traction and car balance. Top speed is important in the first and third sectors, with engine output playing a particularly prominent role on the uphill start-finish straight. This section also offers a good overtaking opportunity, as does the end of the straight in sector one. The track was resurfaced in 2007, which evened out a lot of bumps. In contrast to last year, when we opted for the softest tyre option, this time around we’ll be using the medium compounds.”

History and background:
Paulista coffee plantations laid the foundations for the economic growth of the region around São Paulo in south-eastern Brazil. The industrialisation of the late 19th century brought riches, but these have been spread unevenly among the population. Today, the people of São Paulo suffer from the effects of jarring social disparities – bitter poverty and immense wealth exist side by side and crime is rife. The city of São Paulo, founded in 1554, is the capital of the Brazilian state that bears its name and the country’s financial and trading hub. The size of the local population can only be estimated. Eleven million people are thought to live in the city itself, 20 million in the wider São Paulo area. The climate is subtropical.

F1 has been hosted by Brazil since 1973, and 2008 marks the country’s 36th Grand Prix. The debut event was held at Interlagos, with the track still covering 7.96 kilometres at the time and located outside the São Paulo city limits. The city has since mushroomed right up to the outskirts of the race track. In 1978 the Brazilian GP was hosted by the Jacarepagua circuit near Rio de Janeiro for the first time, and it was held there on ten occasions in all. In 1990 F1 returned to Interlagos, where the Brazilian GP has been staged ever since.

By Christopher Hayes on Friday, October 24, 2008