Tag: rubens barrichello

F1 2018: Brazil Gp Preview – Title Battle Still On

More often than not the crowing of an F1 drivers’ champion takes the sting out of the remaining races of that season. But there is no such thing as a dead rubber in Formula 1 and it is certainly not the case in 2018 as Mercedes and Ferrari are still embroiled in a battle for the constructor’s championship title.

While most of the attention is often paid to the drivers’ title the constructor’s championship trophy is as coveted. Lest we forget, the two cars that pound around circuit after circuit around the globe are only able to do so because of the incredible effort of hundreds of people both at the factories and trackside. And then there is the marketing capitol that goes along with being able to emblazon all promotional material with the champion epithet.

The fight for the sought-after prize sees Mercedes in the lead by 55 points over Ferrari. With a maximum of 86 points still available in the final two races of the season there is every chance that Ferrari could still walk away with at least one championship trophy from 2018. And there are several reasons to suggest why they may just do it too. Generally, as evidenced in the last few seasons, Lewis Hamilton’s form seems to dip slightly after winning a title, which could be something for Ferrari to pounce on. What’s more, Valtteri Bottas will no longer be in Hamilton-wingman-mode which could, potentially, prevent Mercedes from executing the perfect strategy by focusing on only one car.

Another detail to add to the mix is the fact that Hamilton has never been a particularly special performer around Brazil’s Autodromo Carlos Pace, which hosts the penultimate race of the season this weekend. Though Hamilton claimed his first championship title here in 2008 in astonishingly dramatic fashion the Brit has never truly bossed this track.

What’s more, since Ferrari finally figured out where it went wrong with their upgrade package their pace has returned. A win at the US grand prix and a double podium in Mexico is proof of that. While Kimi Raikkonen, off to Sauber for 2019, has racked up eleven podium finishes in nineteen races, it is Sebastian Vettel who should want to atone for the mistakes that he’s made this season. There is no better way to do this than to deliver the constructor’s trophy to Maranello. With the weather forecast predicted to be sunny on race, at least for now, Ferrari has every opportunity to put one over Mercedes who has been struggling with tyre wear in warmer conditions.

There could hardly be a better backdrop for this battle that Brazil’s iconic circuit at Interlagos. The lap may be a relatively short one but it has hardly ever been short on delivering dramatic and enthralling races. And it has been the sight of many a championship triumph. This is Ferrari’s chance, which has already let one title slip through their fingers, to stand up and show what they are made of. Or will they once again trip over their own feet?

November 9, 2018
F1 2015: Austrian Grand Prix Preview – Power King At Red Bull Ring

Power is defined as the capacity to move with great speed or force. As the Austrian Grand Prix’s four and a half kilometres circuit has only nine corners amongst its three long straights is it the classic power circuit.

Austria’s interest in Formula 1 was indifferent at best until the rise of Jochen Rindt in the mid 1960s. Rindt arrived at the first ever race around the Osterreichring in 1970 but lost out to Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari. He would never return to his home grand prix as he fatally crashed at the following Italian Grand Prix. Rindt remains the only posthumous world champion in the sport.

Austria’s love affair with Formula 1 would be renewed with the revelation of Niki Lauda who would go on to win three Formula 1 world championships. Decades later it would be renamed the A1 Ring and be re-introduced to the Formula 1 calendar in 1997 and host a yearly grand prix until 2003. The controversial 2002 race in which Rubens Barrichello handed victory to teammate Michael Schumacher is inscribed in its and in Formula 1’s infamous history of the Austrian Grand Prix.

In 2011 the circuit was rebranded and brought back to Formula 1 in 2014 as the Red Bull Ring. It was here, twelve months ago, that the Williams duo of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas stunned the paddock by locking out the front row of the grid. In the end victory went to Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton with Valtteri Bottas in third.

In Canada Williams secured their first podium with Bottas but they can hardly be considered as having turned a corner. If it was not for fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen’s spin in the Canadian Grand Prix, the podium would have been highly doubtful. It’s been a tricky season for the Grove based team which hasn’t reached the heights of 2014. With all things being equal Massa and Bottas will likely not be at the sharp-end on Sunday but they could still make life very difficult for Ferrari and perhaps even Mercedes in Saturday qualifying.

Besides those with the potential for victory the mid-field battle is worth keeping an eye on as it invariably delivers the most exciting battles of a race. Thanks to their Mercedes power unit Lotus is looking forward to a strong weekend and a decent haul of points. “Looking at the circuit and talking to our drivers and engineers it’s a place that could suit us so we’re feeling quite positive heading there, especially after the E23 showed pretty well in Canada,” said Deputy team Principal Federico Gastaldi.

Seventy percent of the lap around the Red Bull Ring is spent at full throttle bringing the power unit well and truly to the centre of the picture this weekend. Ferrari introduced an upgraded engine during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend but was unable let loose it’s potential. It may not be as simple this weekend either as cooler temperatures in the Styrian Mountains will complicate Ferrari’s potential. When Ferrari has shown a pace advantage this season it has come from being able to switch on and look after the Pirelli tyres in warmer conditions.

The Formula 1 headlines over last little while have been quite spectacular. As Williams’ co-founder Patrick Head received a knighthood from the Queen and Nico Hulkenberg won the Le Mans 24 hours in a LMP1 Porsche it’s now over to Formula 1 to deliver an Austrain Grand Prix worthy of its celebrated history.

June 18, 2015
F1 2006 Monaco GP – Schumacher Chasing Barrichello

Enjoy 3 full minutes on board with Michael Schumacher as he chases down Rubens Barichello to the chequered flag of the 2006 Monaco GP. Turn your speakers right up! This is what Formula One should look and sound like! Be warned … You’re going to be watching this little 2006 Monaco GP clip a couple of times 🙂

May 24, 2015
F1 Video: Malaysian Grand Prix highlights: Chaos in Sepang

The Malaysian Grand Prix is famous for its unpredictable weather and torrential monsoons. When the heavens open at Sepang, chaos ensues. The 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix was one of the most memorable races with chaos from the first lap, all the way to the end. Cars on fire, plenty of bumping and shoving and the tandem spin off by Ferrari team-mates Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello are but a few of the highlights from this crazy race. Watch this awesome 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix highlights video and enjoy the epicness of it all!

March 25, 2015
F1 2014: Austrian GP Preview – Formula 1 Re-opens Austrian Chapter

History is nothing new to Formula 1 and it re-opens one of its oldest chapters this weekend at the Austrian grand prix.
The Formula 1 world championship returns to Styria, at the foot of the Alps, for the first time in a decade. The Austrian grand prix has featured on the F1 calendar in several different forms; from the one-off airfield in Zeltweg in 1963 to the Österreichring throughout the 80s to its current guise of the A1-Ring in Spielberg.

The A1-Ring was purchased by Red Bull who agreed with Bernie Ecclestone to reinstate the circuit as part of the championship. The last meeting in 2003 was won by then Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher who was well on his way to title number six.

It was during the now infamous 2002 Austrian GP where the contentious issue of team-orders took centre stage. It was here that the Ferrari team instructed Rubens Barrichello to give way to teammate Michael Schumacher. The move was met with much negativity and the unprecedented jeering of Schumacher on the podium. Schumacher would lift off the throttle in the final few meters of the 2002 US grand prix handing victory to Barrichello.

The renamed Red Bull Ring’s layout remains unchanged and its 4.326km length is dominated by several straights. Therefore, it requires a medium downforce set-up with a particular emphasis on braking which translates to a high rate of fuel consumption. Similar to Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit the Red Bull Ring’s middle sector is dominate by medium speed corners. Pirelli’s analysis of the track has reveals a moderately abrasive surface suitable for the soft and supersoft compounds.

The circuit’s high altitude venue will place serious demand on the 2014 power units which will have to cope with a lap spent at full throttle for nearly 70%. The track only has nine corners but its character is derived from the significant undulation throughout lap and four opportunities for overtaking.

The Canadian grand prix demonstrated how quickly fortunes could change and proved that Mercedes are not bulletproof. A failure on both cars revealed their fallibility and gave Nico Rosberg a significant advantage in the driver’s championship. The hammer-blow in Monaco and a bit of luck in Canada has Rosberg on an ominous high. The German won’t have any difficulty with the Ring which suggests that Lewis Hamilton will need to be on top of his game to begin recouping his losses. “I caught up before and I can catch up again,” says Hamilton. “It’s going to take another four wins to make the difference so I’m going to do my best to get those results.”

Ferrari’s abundant struggles in 2014 would suggest that recovery is the main aim. However, the latest rhetoric from the team seems almost defiant. Only new team Principal Marco Mattiacci has pointed to an ineffective trend of development as the reason for the team remaining “behind the curve.”
Contrastingly, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo went so far as to suggest that the Italian team could quit the sport altogether. Yet, something suggests that this lamenting of the new F1 rules would most likely not have seen the light of day if Ferrari were leading the 2014 field. It is rather silly of di Montezemolo to throw his toys of the cot because of his team’s woeful season. The fact remains that all teams are bound by the same set of rules and some simply did a better job of interpreting them than others.

It seems obvious that Red Bull will be in the spotlight this weekend. But how much of that spotlight will transfer to the track in the face of the mightily dominant Mercedes team remains to be seen.

June 18, 2014
F1 2013: Brazilian GP – The End Of An Era

Transformation and evolution are as much a part of every Formula 1 season as the champagne flavoured victories and those breathtaking flashes of brilliance. The 2013 Brazilian grand prix will be more than a race, it will be the end of an era.

The South American city of Sao Paulo has within its hills one of the most historic racing circuits in all of motorsport. Several world titles have been clinched on its hallowed ground including those of Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and most recently Sebastian Vettel. The original circuit layout stretched to nearly eight kilometres with twenty-six turns with a lap record of 2:21.40 held by Jean-Pierre Jabouille. However, the circuit was streamlined in 1990 to the 4.3 km lap that is now familiar as the Interlagos circuit. Despite the shortened lap the anti-clockwise circuit is still a commanding venue with a distinctive challenge. The track is best known for its high speed sectors which are separated by twisty in-field section that requires good grip and stability from the car. The altitude of Interlagos additionally provides a unique challenge for the engines.

“Sao Paulo is around 800m above sea level, which has a big impact on the power of the engine. As the altitude increases the air pressure drops and the air is thinner with a lower oxygen content,” said Renault Sport F1 head of track operations Remi Taffin. “For every 100m the engine loses around 1 percent of its potential power output, meaning the RS27 will produce around 8 percent less power than at a sea-level race such as Korea.”

But Brazil is more than just the Interlagos circuit. The country’s list of motorsport greats runs from Emerson Fittippaldi to three time champion Nelson Piquet to the transcendent Ayrton Senna. More recently Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa has enjoyed the fervent support of the Brazilian fans. “The passion of the Brazilian fans is amazing and it’s fantastic to see their support over the weekend,” said Lewis Hamilton.

The weather around the Autodromo Carlos Pace has a tendency to dramatically veer to both ends of the extreme. Track temperatures of 63 degress Celcuis has been recorded here in the past and on the other end of the scale epic levels of rain is nothing spectators and drivers havent seen before. The forecast for this weekend is fickle at best with some rain predicted during the weekend. Given the dominance of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull several drivers will be hoping for the unknown weather element to shake up the pack. “The weather forecast for Interlagos looks interesting this weekend and if it does rain, that would be a good opportunity for us as our car is generally quick in the wet,” said Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.

When the chequered flag falls after 71 laps of Sunday’s Brazilian grand prix it will bring with the end of an era. Twelve years ago an Aussie named Mark Webber started his first Formula 1 career behind the wheel of a Minardi. He scored points on debut at his home race but this was only to be cusp of what would become a great Formula 1 career. Webber joined Jaguar for the 2003 and 2004 season and qualified a career best second at the 2004 Malaysian grand prix. In 2005 Webber joined the Williams team with whom he would record several points finishes. The Red Bull partnership would commence in 2007 and be highlighted by several sublime victories. Webber’s first race victory at the 2009 German GP saw the Aussie deliver one of the most memorable drives of his career.

Webber has since won eight more races and through all of them he has been the straight-talking Aussie that many have to revere as one of the greatest racers Australia has produced. There aren’t many people who wouldn’t want to see Webber on the top step of the podium for the final time this weekend. Few people have raced and conducted themselves with more integrity than Mark Webber and whatever may happen AussieGrit and his tenacious character will be remembered in Formula 1 circles for some time to come.

Ferrari bid farewell to Felipe Massa this weekend after eight seasons. Eleven race victories and an achingly close championship battle in 2008 tells the story of a glittering Ferrari career for Felipe Massa. At some points there were few drivers could match the Brazilian in terms of pace and he all but owned the Bahrain and Turkish grand prix circuits; winning at Istanbul three consecutive times. The memorable moments of Massa’s career with Ferrari have been etched into Formula 1 history not least of all being his emotional victory at the 2006 Brazilian GP. Massa became the first Brazilian driver since Ayrton Senna in 1993 to win at Interlagos. Felipe Massa repeated victory at his home race in 2008 as he came perilously close to becoming the Formula 1 world champion. But gracious in defeat to Lewis Hamilton Massa dedicated his victory to the fans. Massa starts the next chapter of his Formula 1 career as a Williams driver in 2014. He will unquestionably be a great asset to his new team.

The 2013 Brazilian grand prix will mark the end of the V8 engine era after eight seasons in Formula 1. Fernando Alonso became the first ever V8 champion in 2006. French engine manufacturer Renault will end the V8 era as the most successful manufacturer with five constructor’s and five driver’s world championship titles. The Renault engine annihilated the competition with 59 wins, 65 pole positions and 55 fastest laps.

The conclusion of the 2013 season brings with it the end of an era as we bid farewell to Mark Webber and the V8 engine. There is no more fitting place to do so than a magical racing circuit named Interlagos.

Photo credits:

lotusf1team.com

Daily Mail

November 21, 2013