Latest

Vettel and Webber make it a 1-2 in FP3 in America

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber made it a Red Bull 1-2 at the end of FP3 at the Circuit of Americas.

In a rather straight forward FP3, the two Red Bulls once again stamped their authority on the session with Vettel finishing off the session in P1 with a 1:36.733. Webber finished the session in P2, 0.203s off the pace of Vettel with a 1:36.936. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton slotted into P3 with a 1:37.064. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Lotus’ Romain Grosjean were P4 and P5 respectively.

The woes for Ferrari continued this session with Fernando Alonso finishing off the session in P11 and Felipe Massa finishing off in P17. Those were the same two positions they held with the prime and the option tyre, showing that there was no improvement in pace from them throughout the session. It will be very hard for them to make Q3 and it will be a surprise if one of them do make it into Q3.

Williams’ Valtteri Bottas showed very good pace throughout the session, with his race engineer telling him that they were going quicker and quicker throughout the session.

If the times of FP3 are anything to go by, we are in for a very interesting qualifying. We could see a few surprises.

Below is the full time sheet for FP3 for the 2013 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

November 16, 2013
Vettel Fastest in Free Practice 2 at the Circuit of the Americas

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel topped the time sheets at the end of Free Practice 2 for the American Grand Prix at the Circuit of Americas.

Vettel topped the table with a 1:37.305, his team mate Mark Webber finished the session P2 with a 1:37.420. The Mercedes cars of Nico Rosberg (1:37.785) and Lewis Hamilton(1:37.958) finished P3 and P4 respectively. Lotus stand in driver, Hekki Kovalainen, finished the session in an admirable P5 with a 1:38.073.

Red Bull once again showed that they are in a league of their own in long run pace with Vettel not even pushing with his race engineer, Rocky, telling him to manage his pace. Their pace combined with very low tyre degradation and the cars’ ability to manage the tyres so well, will make them unstoppable in the race.

It was another horrible afternoon for Ferrari with Fernando Alonso finishing the session in P10 and Felipe Massa finishing in P12. They were struggling with plenty of snap over steer in the first sector of the lap. They’re making it rather tough for themselves to keep hold onto third place in the championship.

McLaren’s Jenson Button had a three place grid penalty handed down to him for overtaking under red flag conditions in FP1. He finished the session in P9.

As it stands, Red Bull have outright pace over everyone.

Below is the full time sheet for Free Practice 2 for the 2013 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

November 15, 2013
Alonso on top of Timsheets in FP1 for the United States Grand Prix

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished on top of the time sheets in a rather protracted first free practice session for the United States Grand Prix.

The session began by being delayed for 10 minutes due to dense fog and because the medical helicopter was not at the track. 40 Minutes after the scheduled start of FP1 the session began but was shortened to 1 hour. Drivers that were only running in FP1 were keen to get out on track and show what they can do. But 15 minutes into the session, the red flag was out again. Oddly enough, the medical helicopter had not yet arrived at the track.

After another long wait, the medical helicopter finally arrived at the track and the session was restarted. With just a little under 40 minutes of running all the drivers were out on track and setting times.

Alonso set a 1:38.343 to go quickest. McLaren’s Jenson Button finished the session in P2 with a 1:38.371, just 0.028s slower than Alonso. The surprise for the morning was Williams’ Valtteri Bottas who finished the session in P3 with a time of 1:38.388.

Hekki Kovalainen in his first outing for Lotus was 13th with a time of 1:39.487. His team mate, Romain Grosjean finished P11 with a 1:39.238, a gap of 0.105s to Kovalainene. Not too bad for his first time driving a Lotus.

Rookie Daniil Kyat, driving the Toro Rosso, finished the session in 17th, his team mate Daniel Ricciardo 16th. The gap between the two was just 0.2s. Not to bad for a rookie that just recently obtained his super licence.

Below is the full timing sheet for FP1 for the 2013 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

November 15, 2013
Raikkonen undergoes successful back surgery

Kimi Raikkonen has undergone successful back surgery according to the Lotus F1 Team.

The team released a statement with regard to Raikkonen’s surgery a short while ago. The statement read as follows:

“As planned, Kimi Räikkönen underwent back surgery yesterday at The University Hospital of Strasbourg.Lotus F1 Team is happy to report that the operation was totally successful, according to Professor Afshin Gangi….Kimi will now rest for a few days & he will start his recovery process as early as next week…Everyone at the track and at Enstone wishes him a quick recovery.”

The Finn’s manager, Steve Robertson, confirmed last week that Raikkonen would undergo back surgery and, as a result, miss the final two races of the 2013 season. Lotus have signed the services of Heikki Kovalainen for the remainder of the season.

The team, famous for the Twitter hashtags kept the Finn in mind as he starts his recovery process.

Photo credit: @LotusF1Team

November 15, 2013
Confirmed: Kovalainen to replace Raikkonen for final two races

Lotus have confirmed that Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen will indeed be replacing Kimi Raikkonen for the remaining two races of the 2013 season. Raikkonen will miss the remaining two races of the season as he will be undergoing back surgery.

It emerged yesterday that following Hulkenberg turning down an offer to take over, Kovalainen became the next favourite to drive out the season for the team.

Lotus have announced the news via Twitter saying, “@H_Kovalainen will join the team for the final 2GPs this year #WelcomeHeikki #GetWellSoonKimi”.

The move comes as a surprise for many who expected that 2012 GP2 Champion Davide Valsecchi – Lotus’ reserve driver – would step into the cockpit for the Austin and Brazilian Grand Prix.

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier said in a statement on the team’s website, “Obviously we had to move quickly following the news of Kimi’s non-participation in the final two races of this season, and we found ourselves facing a difficult decision in terms of who should take the wheel in Austin and São Paulo. On the one hand we had our reserve driver Davide Valsecchi – who is a talented young driver that has shown a great deal of promise – and on the other we had the opportunity to bring in a seasoned Formula 1 competitor in Heikki.”

“Whilst we have every faith in Davide’s abilities, we are obviously involved in a tight Constructors’ Championship battle, so it was decided that the experience Heikki could bring to the team would be invaluable as we aim to finish the year in the best position possible. We must thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for their professional conduct in allowing Heikki to join us for the final races of this season.”

Kovalainen, who has experience with the current cars and tyres having done FP1 work for the Caterham team, is also gearing up for a full time return to the Caterham team in 2014.

Kovalainen is very excited about the opportunity saying, “It is a fantastic opportunity for me to join Lotus F1 Team for the final two races of 2013. We’ve seen this year that the E21 is a car which can win races and finish on the podium, so I will be pushing hard for the best results possible. Jumping into a car so late in the year when you have not been competing in the races all season will be a challenge, but I know the team at Enstone well so I have no concerns about getting up to speed. This is a great opportunity for me, so I would like to thank Tony Fernandes and Caterham F1 Team for allowing me to take advantage of it.”

November 14, 2013
McLaren confirm Kevin Magnussen for 2014

McLaren have confirmed that Kevin Magnussen will partner Jenson Button in 2014.

This follows Sergio Perez’s announcement that he will be leaving the team at the end of the 2013 season.

The 21 year old Magnussen won the Formula Renault 3.5 Series this season and tested for McLaren in Abu Dhabi last year and at Silverstone earlier this season.

“I’m absolutely overjoyed to be making my Formula 1 debut with McLaren,” said Magnussen.

“I’ll put it simply: this team is the best. It’s been my dream to drive for McLaren ever since I was a small kid, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve dedicated almost every day of my life to achieving the goal of becoming a McLaren Formula 1 driver.”

“I have an enormous amount of respect for everyone at McLaren, and I want to say a massive ‘thank you’ to everyone, but most of all to Martin [Whitmarsh] and his senior colleagues, for giving me this chance. I won’t let you down, guys!”

Magnussen also said that Jenson Button would be the ideal team mate for him, “Equally, in Jenson, I have absolutely the ideal team-mate. He’s extremely quick, obviously, but he’s also very experienced and superbly capable from a technical perspective. He’s a Formula 1 world champion, which is what one day I also hope to become, and I’m determined to learn as much as I can from him.”

Martin Whitmarsh added that McLaren were delighted to have Magnussen on board for 2014. “We’re delighted that Kevin will be joining Jenson as a McLaren Formula 1 race driver for 2014,” he said.

“Their confirmation is an important step for us as we continue to strengthen our organisation ahead of the 2014 season. Next year, we’ll witness the biggest raft of technical changes to Formula 1 in many years, and every team and manufacturer will be pushed to the limit as they try their best to adapt to those new challenges.”

“Jenson’s race-winning speed, intelligence and racecraft have long been a crucial advantage to McLaren, but it’s his skill as a development driver and his peerless technical feedback that will be equally valuable as we make the transition into a new and complex technical formula during the winter and new year.”

He also sang Magnussen’s praises saying, “Kevin, too, is clearly very talented and very determined, and we therefore have high hopes for him. Moreover, every time he’s tested our Formula 1 car, he’s been very quick and very methodical, and his feedback has been first-class.”

“Furthermore, the manner in which he won this year’s World Series by Renault 3.5 Championship was truly outstanding, showcasing as it did not only his impressive natural pace but also his increasing maturity and ability to structure and manage a championship campaign.”

Whitmarsh also thanked Perez for his contribution to the team in 2013.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Checo, who has developed well during a difficult season, as his recent run of points-scoring finishes underlines. He’s a lovely guy and a fine driver – fast and combative – and I’m sure he’ll build on that firm foundation in 2014. All at McLaren wish him well for the future.”

Perez’s future remains uncertain at this point in time. He has said that he had no idea that McLaren would not be keeping him on and as such it’s going to be difficult for him to now secure a drive at this late point in the season.

November 14, 2013
Michael Schumacher rejects Lotus offer

Lotus have been working hard at replacing Kimi Raikkonen who will miss the final two races of the season to have back surgery.

After being rejected by Nico Hulkenberg yesterday, the team approached Michael Schumacher who also turned down their offer to make an Formula One comeback at the Austin and Brazilian Grands Prix.

Sabine Kehm, Schumacher’s spokeswoman, confirmed the approach to the 44-year-old, who quit F1 last year after a three-year comeback with Mercedes following his earlier retirement from Ferrari.

“Michael’s performance against Nico (Rosberg last year) and Nico’s performance against Lewis (Hamilton this year) made a lot of people aware of how good Michael still was,” she said.

“Plus, he is still very fit. But he just feels so good in his new life.”

She added that Schumacher has been approached on several occasions since he’s retirement.

Lotus are expected to announce an agreement with former Renault, McLaren and Caterham driver Heikki Kovalainen later this morning.

November 14, 2013
Sergio Perez Announces He Will Leave McLaren at the end of 2013

Mexican Sergio Perez announced on Wednesday that he will be leaving the McLaren Formula 1 team at the of the 2013 season.

The story broke on Monday 11 November 2013 that McLaren have decided to replace Perez with rookie Kevin Magnussen for the 2014 season but there was no confirmation from McLaren about any such driver move. But it looks like Perez surprised us all, but mostly McLaren, with his announcement on Twitter that he will be leaving McLaren at the end of the season.

“First of all, I would like to thank McLaren for giving me the opportunity to be with them this season. It has been an honour for me to have been in one of the most competitive teams in the sport and I do not regret even a bit having joined them. I have always given the best of me for the team and still despite this I could not achieve what I aimed for in this historic team” said Perez in his statement.

“I am committed to deliver very good results in these last two races, especially in Austin. I am so much looking forward to see all my people gathered there, feel their energy and show them the best of me. I would like to say to every single one of my fans around the world and in my country that I am eternally grateful to them. They have never let me down, especially in difficult moments like these. I truly appreciate their support, they have never forgotten me.”

“I have met a lot of new people at McLaren this season and I have made many good friends as well. From the top management level to marketing, accounting and engineering departments to the mechanics, the cooks, the catering people and basically everyone in the team, I am eternally grateful to them. It has been a learning experience to me.”

“I would like to wish the team the very best in the future. I will always be a fan of McLaren, in the meanwhile I will be looking at my future to ensure my position in the best possible package to fight for wins,”

“Thanks to McLaren and all its partners for this season, you can rest assured that I will never give up.”

McLaren are still to confirm Perez’s exit from the team or Magnussen’s signing.

A tweet from the official McLaren F1 Twitter account (@McLarenF1) had a very short statement from the team principal, Martin Whitmarsh which read: “We would like to thank Checo for being a fine team member during the 2013 Formula 1 season”

November 13, 2013
Kovalainen set to replace Raikkonen for final two races

Heikki Kovalainen is set to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus for the final two races of the 2013 season.

According to MTV Sport in Finland, Kovalainen will be completing the season for Lotus since Raikkonen will be missing the Austin and Brazilian races for a back surgery.

Earlier today, news emerged that Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg turned down an offer to finish the season off with Lotus. It was then expected that Lotus’ reserve driver, 2012 GP2 champion Davide Valsecchi would fill in for Raikkonen but with Lotus trying desperately to improve their standings in the Constructors’ Championship, it would seem that they’re going for the more experienced driver.

Lotus Team Principal Eric Boullier told the Italian blog website blogf1.it, “We are fighting for third place in the constructors’ championship and we need a pilot experience, used to struggle to gain placements in the points. I’m not saying that David does not deserve a chance, because he did a great job and we are pleased him, but pays the lack of experience.”

It would make a lot of sense for Lotus make use of the experienced Kovalainen as he has experience with the current cars and tyres having driven for Caterham from 2010 – 2012, and has also been doing Friday Free Practice work for them.

We await official confirmation from the Lotus team as to whether Kovalainen will in fact be racing for them or not, but according to sources inside the Enstone team, an announcement is imminent.

November 13, 2013
Hulkenberg turned down Lotus offer to replace Raikkonen

Nico Hulkenberg has turned down an offer to replace Kimi Raikkonen at the Lotus F1 Team for the final two races of the 2013 season.

Hulkenberg, who currently drives for Sauber, is tipped as the favourite to replace the outgoing Raikkonen when he moves to Ferrari next season. The deal however hinges on Lotus concluding an investment deal with Quantum – a deal which many insiders suspect will fall through. Should this happen, Pastor Maldonado who will be leaving Williams at the end of the season, is expected to move to Lotus – along with his substantial PDVSA sponsorship.

Earlier this week, Hulkenberg’s manager Werner Heinz, admitted to German newspaper Bild that an offer had been made for him to replace Raikkonen who will miss the final two races of the season after deciding to go for back surgery in preparation for 2014 with Ferrari.

“We had an offer from Lotus and we discussed it,” Heinz told Bild. “We decided that Nico will do the last two races with Sauber.”

Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi, a F1 rookie and last year’s GP2 champion, is now the favourite to replace Raikkonen in Austin and Brazil.

November 13, 2013