Latest

Mark Webber to leave F1 at the end of the season

Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber has announced that he will leave Formula one at the end of the 2013 season.

The 36-year-old Australian driver will be joining Porsche’s new sportscar program and racing Webber will be part of Porsche’s LMP1 program at Le Mans next year. Webber says he had options to stay in F1 but feels it is time for him to move on.

During his twelve years in Formula One, Webber has won nine grands prix, achieved 36 podiums, 11 pole positions and 15 fastest laps. He has also twice finished third in the World Championship.

Webber says it is an honour to race for Porsche, “Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding performance and technology at the highest level. I’m very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula One. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world.”

The tension between Webber and current Red Bull Racing team mate Sebastian Vettel is sure to have aided him in making his decision to move on. It has often reached boiling point and Webber has felt on a number of occasions that Vettel is protected and championed by Dr Helmut Marko. Most recently, Vettel ignored team orders not to overtake Webber at the Malaysian Grand Prix and consequently stole the race win from the Australian driver. He was furious and most will not be surprised that he no longer wants to stick around to partner Vettel.

Webber however says that he did consider staying with Red Bull but the big change regulation changes for next year, he felt it would be better to move on to new challenges in a new racing category where he believes his long term racing future lies.

He will now lead Porsche’s attempt to revive its glory at Le Mans where he will be part of Porsche’s LMP1 program next year. Porsche last won Le Mans LMP1 in 1998 but has 16 wins under the belt and are desperate to win again. Webber himself has raced twice at Le Mans before and previously said he would never return due to the danger involved but it seems that Porsche has been able to lure the Australian back.

We wish Mark the best of luck and we’ll be keeping an eye on him!

June 27, 2013
F1 2013: British GP Preview – Silverstone: The Heart of Motorsport

On this same Silverstone circuit legends such as Senna, Fangio, Stewart and Clark unleashed their virtuoso talents. The circuit, the ground, the grandstands, everything here is drenched in motorsport history and is considered one of the most unique racing venues in the world. The memories will linger forever but the times and the talents have changed as F1 heads into the eighth round of the 2013 season.

There wasn’t much wrong with the ‘old’ Silverstone layout, in fact, it was pretty darn special. The magnificent Copse corner, the breathtaking Maggots and Becketts section, ultra quick Stowe corner is enough to make any race fan nostalgic. Nevertheless, an upgrade in time for the 2010 grand prix vaulted the circuit into the 21^st Century and what is considered the modern Formula 1 era. But it wasn’t some wishy washy attempt. The major overhaul of the paddock area was slick and eye-catchingly impressive and the changes to the layout, importantly, retained the essence of what makes this place great.

It wouldn’t be Silverstone if the perennially unpredictable weather wasn’t a topic of conversation. The British weather is sure to have its say at some stage during the weekend and the forecast predicts showers for Friday with low temperatures present throughout the weekend.

Three weeks have elapsed since the Canadian GP but F1 is after all the sport that never sleeps. Sebastian Vettel has entrenched himself deeper into the Red Bull Racing family by extending his contract to the end of the 2015 season. Talks about who will partner the German continue as Mark Webber is yet to announce his plans for 2014.

Mercedes escaped the International tribunal in France with a mere slap on the wrist. The Brackley based team was called to the tribunal in Paris on the 20^th of June to explain a secret 1000 kilometer tyre test they had completed after the Spanish GP. Despite being found to be in breach of the sporting regulations Mercedes’ only penalty was a ban from the young driver’s test slated for mid-July. It seems tad light considering the possible advantage that they could’ve gained. Ironically, the two races following the Spanish GP, both street tracks, wouldn’t have given any indication if Mercedes’ had gleaned a genuine advantage from the test. Silverstone is a return to a ‘proper’ high-speed F1 circuit and should be a better gauge.

With any luck it will also be a return to proper racing instead of days spent in front of tribunals and waiting for verdicts. Patience is what Kimi Raikkonen has called for in his pursuit of the driver’s crown. The Finn has conceded a hefty forty points to Sebastian Vettel but believes that the title is still within reach. In pursuit of his quest Lotus is planning its biggest upgrade package of the year at this weekend’s race. Lotus’ track operations director, Alan Permane, laid out the parts that will be fitted to the car. “We have a tighter, figure-hugging bodywork package which should give some benefit; especially if the weather is quite cool at Silverstone. There’s a new front wing, suspension profiles and suspension upgrades in addition to various other aero upgrades, which combine to give us what should be our biggest step forward of the year.”

There are a few others drivers who will have the same desire for the top step of the podium. Mark Webber has been more than handy around Silverstone in the past and needs a good performance to bolster his lacklustre season. By having won the race on two previous occasions and the very fact that he is Fernando Alonso the Ferrari driver will be a factor.

There aren’t many things better than a grand prix in the very heart of motorsport; besides the fact that twenty-two of the world’s best drivers will add 52 more laps of history to magnificent Silverstone.

June 27, 2013
Silverstone F1 Grand Prix Preview Quotes – McLaren

Here’s what Jenson Button, Sergio Perez and Martin Whitmars had to say ahead of the upcoming Silverstone Grand Prix this weekend.

Jenson Button, McLaren
“Any driver’s home race is a special thing, but racing at Silverstone means so much to me: it’s the place where I grew up watching Formula 1 – I
first came here in 1994 – and it’s also a race that means so much to grand prix racing’s history and heritage. It’s just unique: to race on the same track as Fangio, Clark, Stewart and Senna is cool, and you always feel the echoes of the past when you arrive at the circuit for the first time. Even though it’s almost changed beyond recognition since 1950, and is now one of the best grand prix facilities in the world, it’s still lost none of that special atmosphere. I love it. One of the most amazing things at Silverstone has been the level of support I’ve seen every single year. From the garage, on the slow-down lap, on the drivers’ parade, or just on the way to the paddock in the morning, you see the fans cheering you on.

Silverstone really reverberates to fan-power. After our difficult weekend in Canada, I’ll be hoping for a more representative weekend at home. Although the race in Montreal was disappointing, I still feel that it wasn’t a fully accurate reflection of where we are as a team – on a smoother track like Silverstone, I’m optimistic that we’ll fare better. Of course, I don’t want to raise everyone’s expectations: I think the fans know what to expect. For me, my goal will be to get the maximum from the package and to race as hard as I can – that’ll be a satisfactory outcome for me next weekend.”

Sergio Perez, McLaren
“It’s exciting to be going to Silverstone for my first ‘home’ race with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Like McLaren, Silverstone is a place with an
incredible amount of history – it’s cool that you can look at old black-and-white photos of the British Grand Prix and still clearly recognise corners like Copse and Stowe, and the Hangar Straight. It’s amazing to think that the circuit has been in use since the very first race of the Formula 1 World Championship. I like Silverstone, and I usually go well there: I had a good race in 2011, when I finished seventh, and I feel confident I could have had a points finish last year until I had an accident with Pastor [Maldonado].

After a tough weekend in Canada, we’ll be looking for a stronger showing in front of the team’s home fans. We are steadily making progress – I’m hopeful of a better showing next weekend.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“The Santander British Grand Prix is an extremely special race for everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Of course, Silverstone is our home race, which naturally makes it feel different from every other event on the calendar, but, regardless, there’s a unique atmosphere on display at
Silverstone. It’s a place where Formula 1 encounters both the support and expectation of the most passionate and knowledgeable crowd of the
entire season. That can be uplifting and daunting in equal measure. The circuit itself is tough to master: it still retains enough of the
original wartime layout to successfully link it to the past, but it’s probably the best example in the world of how a track can be updated and
re-profiled in order to meet modern safety standards and yet still maintain the challenge required for contemporary Formula 1. Most
importantly, it’s an absolutely fabulous high-speed challenge that the drivers love, and which provides the opportunity to witness Formula 1 at
its unfettered best.”

June 26, 2013
Silverstone Preview Quotes – Red Bull Racing

Here’s what Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber have to say ahead of the Silverstone Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
“Apart from the unpredictable English weather, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is a highlight of the season and one of my favourite tracks.
It’s located only 30km from our factory in Milton Keynes and the circuit’s a real challenge. Even after the paddock and pit lane conversion, it remains a tough track. Only Suzuka can be compared to Silverstone – no other track on the calendar has such a sequence of superfast corners like Silverstone does. Copse Corner, Maggots, Becketts and Chapel are amongst the four best corners in Formula One – they belong together. You have to catch the first one perfectly, otherwise the rhythm is off for all of them and at the end, Chapel is so insanely fast. If you have driven properly in the previous three corners and the car is well tuned then you can drive through full throttle. You go through at roughly 270km/h, really amazing! You don’t have long to think about it, so just give it full throttle and go. In the end, apart from all the technique, it’s about driving the car as fast as you can.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
“It’s the home race for a lot of the team and it’s my second home race, as I live in the UK. The fans here are right up there with the Italian Tifosi; Formula One has been an integral part of UK motorsport for such a long time. The Silverstone GP is a brilliant weekend, it’s such a prestigious event and that’s why it’s so nice to get a great result there. I think the 2010 victory was pretty special – it was my first British GP win. It’s an old school circuit, fast and flowing. It’s very demanding on the driver in terms of accuracy, and the car also. You can really let the car go around there and feel like you’re a Formula One driver.”

June 26, 2013
Video: 2013 Santander British Grand Prix Pirelli 3D Preview

The Racing Manager at Pirelli, Mario Isola, gives us a preview of the Silverstone Circuit for Round 8 of the Formula 1 World Championship.

June 26, 2013
New side impact system for F1 in 2014

The FIA Institute has been working with Formula One teams to develop a new side impact system that will be on all cars in 2014.

One of the biggest safety developments for F1 in recent years is underway and will feature on all cars next season.

This is the result of a year-long collaboration between the FIA Institute and F1 teams where they have been developing a side impact system that works effectively, regardless of the angle of impact.

The FIA Institute’s research consultant Andy Mellor, who headed up the project, says, “We went back to basics to examine what a side impact structure really needs to do in different types of accident. We used Robert Kubica’s crash in Montreal as a specific reference point since that was a major impact at an acute angle.”

At the moment, crushable tube structures attached to the side of the chassis are deployed by the current side impact system. This has proven to be very effective during normal impacts but they can break off during side impacts due to extremely high tangential forces that are generated during the first few milliseconds of an impact.

Mellor approached Formula One teams to help develop a better side impact system that would solve the problem and Marussia, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull Racing stepped forward to assist.

Two options were investigated: optimised carbon tubes and crushable carbon sandwich panels. Testing concluded that the carbon tubes had far more potential to provide a lightweight, efficient and robust solution which would be able to manage impact loads effectively no matter the angle of impact.

The winning solution was based on an initial design by the Marussia F1 team which then underwent detailed optimisation by Red Bull Racing. It is an evolution of the current system, but using high-performance carbon fibre with a very bespoke external and internal geometry and precise layup configuration.

The new system incorporates a pair of structures fitted to each side of the car that do not shatter on impact. Instead they progressively crush and decelerate the car in a very controlled manner.

The teams agreed to implement this system for 2014 at the F1 Technical Working Group meeting on 17 May 2013. While there, all technical requirements for mounting the structures to the chassis were defined and it is now up to each team to decide exactly how they want to incorporate it into the design of their cars from 2014 onwards.

Paul Monaghan, Head of Car Engineering at Red Bull Racing says, “The tube has a common specification but how teams put it into their cars is entirely their business. The static tests that will be undertaken on the monocoque will determine the strength of the mounts and make sure that they are sufficient to support the tube. After that, it’s down to the teams as to how they integrate it and how they design their car around it.”

The new system will improve safety while at the same time reducing costs for the teams. Monaghan explains, “One of the driving forces for this was to spare teams extra expense in the testing process. Assuming everybody has a monocoque which is strong enough and passes the static tests, then they’ve saved money, as they’re not doing an impact test. It should be a cheaper solution.”

Established by the FIA and the FIA Foundation in October 2004, the FIA Institute is an international not-for-profit organisation that develops and improves motor sport safety and sustainability. It leads projects that encourage the rapid development of new and improved safety technologies, that facilitate higher standards of education and training, and that raise awareness of safety and sustainability issues.

June 26, 2013
F1 Video – The Evolution of F1 Steering Wheels since 1993

A super cool Tech Bites video by the Sauber F1 team showing the evolution of F1 steering wheels since 1993. Did you know that the Sauber C12’s steering wheel had only two buttons in 1993?! Amazing to see how much they’ve changed and how buttons and knobs have been added or moved year after year.

June 26, 2013
Broadcast Times for the 2013 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix

Formula 1 heads to Silverstone this weekend for the British Grand Prix. This high speed circuit will be very challenging for some teams. It’s also an opportunity to see which teams are ahead in terms of pace.

Here are the broadcast times for the weekend

Free Practice 1: Friday 11:00

Free Practice 2: Friday 15:00

Free Practice 3: Saturday 11:00

Qualifying: Saturday 14:00

Race: Sunday 1400

As always you can catch our live commentary of qualifying and the race. Keep an eye on our Twitter account, @F1_Madness, for updates and breaking news.

June 25, 2013
Weather Report for the 2013 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix

Round 08 of the F1 season sees us going to the home of Formula 1, Silverstone. One of the oldest tracks on the F1 calendar.

The weather for Friday is cloudy with a chance of rain. This could mean that we will have a wet FP1 and FP2. For qualifying and the race the weather will clear up and it should remain dry, unless the forecast changes dramatically

June 25, 2013
F1 action at Top Gear Live Festival in Durban

On 15 June 2013, the Top Gear Festival came around to SA again. F1 and @F1_Madness fan, Charlene Sprong (@LeneZone) sent us a summary of the awesome experience!

In December 2012, we decided we were going to attend the 2013 Top Gear Live Festival in Durban (our first time). When the tickets became available earlier this year, we snapped them up and started making arrangements. The main highlight for me was anything to do with Formula 1, but we were not sure what F1 action there would be happening at the show at first.

About a month after the tickets went on sale, we were delighted with a surprise announcement from Top Gear SA that Formula 1 World Champion racing driver Mika Häkkinen would be appearing at the festival’s street circuit events which take place before the main show. Our excitement escalated even more, when about another month later the next surprise announcement was that Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s RB7 (raced in 2011) would be a highlight of the show. We were ecstatic!!!

After a few street circuit events, including Mika Häkkinen racing against street circuit presenters Gugu Zulu and Sasha Martinengo in Tuk Tuks (of all cars) which entertained the crowd greatly. It was very amusing and they all had great fun racing each other. Check out the video of the Tuk Tuk action here.

A bit later, I went to buy a T-shirt in the Top Gear Village as I was getting too hot in my jersey. Just after the purchase, I heard the loud unmistakable sound of an F1 car on the street circuit … I literally RAN back to my seat on the grand stand, wildly looking around. At first I saw nothing, only heard it.

Then, it made its grand appearance. What a BEAUTIFUL piece of machinery! It was the first time I had seen a Formula 1 car in the flesh. It came zooming by, driven by Red Bull Junior Team member, António Félix da Costa.

I watched in awe as it went around the circuit a few times and then set the fastest time of the day at 1:14:09. It then did a cool off lap, to be followed by more F1 action. In order to show the speed and power of the Formula 1 phenomenon, it got set to race against a KTM X-Bow (which had set the previous fastest lap earlier in the day, at 1:27:02).

To watch the raw speed of the RB7 against an already fast racing car was just staggering.

All this excitement and the main show inside the Moses Mabida stadium was yet to come!! We got seated, and watched several highly entertaining events hosted by the ever amusing TopGear presenters.

We were treated to some synchronised drifting when again, we heard the sound of the F1 car at the other end of the stadium, the RB7 had arrived, it was about to show the drifters how some rubber really gets laid on the track by The Stig …

See Video of the RB7 street circuit and live show here.

It was just fantastic and I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone! Go and watch the Top Gear Live show if you can!! To get that close to a F1 car without literally attending an F1 GP race is such a great chance and an awesome experience.

June 23, 2013