F1 Madness

Tag: felipe nasr

  • F1 2014 Abu Dhabi Test: Day 2

    F1 2014 Abu Dhabi Test: Day 2

    Mercedes ended the second day of testing at Abu Dhabi on top of the timing sheets.

    Test driver Pascal Wehrlein brought the Abu Dhabi test to a close with the fastest lap on the timing sheets. The 20-year-old official Mercedes test driver set a fastest time of 1:42:624 roughly half a second ahead of the pack.

    McLaren’s newly minted Honda partnership underwent further teething problems today as Stoffel Vandoorne was only able to complete two laps. Vandoorne’s times were not timed and adds to a rather unspectacular first outing for the highly anticipated Honda hybrid power unit. The team discovered an electrical issue which severely compromised the team’s program. As Vandoorne finally emerged from the garage he grinded to a halt on track a few minutes later signalling the end of the testing session for the McLaren team.

    Toro Rosso’s 2015 prospect Max Verstappen set the third fastest time of the day as Raffaele Marciello made his debut for Ferrari. Verstappen clocked a total of 78 laps before a power unit issue in the afternoon brought his running to an end.

    Alex Lynn put the Lotus through its paces and managed the ninth fastest time of the day. Formula Three Champion Esteban Ocon took over the Lotus seat in the afternoon and set the tenth quickest lap with a total of 34 laps.

    Unofficial Wednesday times from Abu Dhabi:
    AbuDhabiTest_Day2

  • McLaren Gets The Go-Ahead to Debut Interim Development Car

    McLaren Gets The Go-Ahead to Debut Interim Development Car

    The McLaren Formula 1 team have been given the go-ahead to debut their McLaren-Honda MP4-29H/1X1 at the Abu Dhabi test that starts tomorrow.

    The team have already run the development car at a filming day at Silvertone last week to check the installation of the power unit together with other systems in the car. The feedback from the team and Honda seems positive and they’re both confident that they will be able to do more runs at the Abu Dhabi test.

    Speaking to F1.com, McLaren team principal has this to say: “On Tuesday and Wednesday, here in Abu Dhabi, we’ll be testing our hybrid McLaren-Honda MP4-29H/1X1 for the first time.”

    “It’s an exciting time for both McLaren and Honda, and for all who sail and will sail in the good ship McLaren-Honda. Ahead of us are many weeks of hard graft, but you may be well sure we’re up for the task.”

    McLaren’s rookie test driver, Stoffel Vanddorne, will be at the wheel of the new car for both the testing days.

     

    Here’s how the other teams will line up for the test:

    Mercedes: Nico Rosberg/Pascal Wehrlein

    Red Bull: Carlos Saintz Jr/ Daniel Ricciardo

    Ferrari: Kimi Raikkonen/Raffaele Marciello

    Williams: Valtteri Bottas/Felipe Nasr

    McLaren: Stoffel Vandoorne

    Lotus: Esteban Ocon/Charles Pic

    Force India: Jolyon Palmer/Spike Goddard

    Toro Rosso: Max Verstappen

    Sauber: Marcus Ericsson

    Caterham: Will Stevens

  • F1 2014: All Change At Sauber

    F1 2014: All Change At Sauber

    The Sauber F1 team has announced the signing of both Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr for the 2015 season.

    The Swede, Ericsson, was the first driver announced by the mid-field team and team principal Monisha Kaltenborn believes that the 24-year-old has shown enough during the season to warrant his signing.

    “He did not have an easy rookie season this year in Formula 1, however, he kept calm and improved continuously, mainly in the last races. We are convinced that signing Marcus can give the team a fresh impetus,” said Kaltenborn.

    Ericsson’s future in the sport was in doubt as his Caterham team were placed under administration and faced the threat of not returning to the Formula 1 grid. “Fresh from a very turbulent week, I was suddenly given my best early Christmas present ever,” he said.”It will be a great challenge. I will give my very best to develop both as a driver, and to be part of the challenge to put Sauber back closer to the front where it belongs.”

    Brazilian GP2 driver Felipe Nasr will join Sauber as Ericsson’s teammate for 2015.

    “We have been following Felipe’s career path for some time now. He fully deserves his position in Formula 1 having had a very successful career in the junior categories. We are happy that he will be driving for our team next year. This means that Brazil will have one more young and talented driver in the sport,” explained Kaltenborn

    In addition to racing successfully in the GP2 series Nasr has spent the 2014 season as the reserve and test driver for the Williams Martini team.

    “This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me,” he said. “I had a wonderful year at Williams, where I learned a lot and prepared myself to be a race driver in Formula 1.””Today the dream has come true. Sauber was responsible for the arrival in F1 of great names such Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. I am proud now to also be part of this racing family.”

    Meanwhile, current Sauber driver Adrian Sutil has said that expected to be retained by the team for next season. The German was quoted in Austin as saying that he was committed to the team and was looking forward to improving its performance and position in the field.

     

  • F1 2014: Free Practice 1 – Alonso Fastest in China

    F1 2014: Free Practice 1 – Alonso Fastest in China

    Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso ended set the fastest time for the first free practice session in China.

    A relatively quiet session was marked with a track temperature of 18 degrees Celcius for nearly all of the 90 minutes of running. Overcast conditions around the Shanghai International circuit made it more difficult to optimise the tyre temperatures; evident by the fact that several drivers struggled front locking.

    Fernando Alonso set the quickest time of the session, a 1:39:783 but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Ferrari team. A steering/front-suspsension issue reduced Kimi Raikkonen’s running to a solitary installation lap. New team principal Marco Mattiacci spent most of the session in the garage.

    Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was second quickest by the time the chequered flag came out and completed a total of sixteen laps. Lewis Hamilton, eighth position, completed only nine laps as his session was cut short with an unknown issue.

    Felipe Nasr completed the first free practice session for Williams in place of Valtteri Bottas while Giedo van der Garde filled in for Adrian Sutil at Sauber. Marussia’s Jules Bianchi managed to set one flying lap at the end of the session as he recovered from a fuel pressure issue. The Frenchman improved to eighteenth overall on his second flying lap.

    timeschina

  • Susie Wolff Gets FP1 Outings In 2014

    Susie Wolff Gets FP1 Outings In 2014

    Susie Wolff is set to break the 22 year long wait for a woman in Formula 1.

    The Williams F1 team confirmed earlier that Wolff would continue her role as development driver alongside new signing Felipe Nasr. Wolff has tested for the Williams team on several previous ocassions including a run in the revamped young drivers test last season.

    The team confirmed that Wolff will take to the track in two free practice one sessions in the 2014 season with Silverstone and Hockenheim the circuits of choice. She will also complete a days running during one of the eight in-season testing days.

    “I’m grateful for the support and belief Williams continue to show in me and 2014 promises to be a very important milestone in my career,” said Wolff.

    “Competing in two FP1 sessions, alongside an additional full test day this season will be a big step and I am looking forward to the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the FW36 on a grand prix weekend.”

    Wolff will become the first woman in more than two decades to take part in a grand prix weekend.