Three teams, three places. Can you imagine an advertisement poster like this aiming to get money?  This is Formula One’s scenario a week prior to the beginning of the first tests of the season.  Three teams: Renault, USF1 and Campos Meta have not yet confirmed a place for their single-seated cars.

Subsequent to Pechito López’ signing in and Jaime Alguersuari’s confirmation as Torro Rosso’s second pilot, there are three vacant seats.  The thing is that the three ‘Scuderias’ (Renault, Campos Meta and USF1) are selling their seats through sponsors that each pilot might attract.

SCUDERIAS AND CANDIDATES

Renault

Things seem to indicate the beginning of a 15 million euro agreement of the Russian, Vitaly Petrov with Renault, even though it has not been confirmed, yet.

According to Autoblid, 800.000 Euros for each Grand Prix he would fight for would be the money put forward by his sponsors, coming primarily from the Moscow bank, Sberbank and from Gazpron.  If this is confirmed, the German Nick Heidfeld’s option who stated to be in the best disposition to take a wheel this year, would be canceled.

Campos Meta

Robert Doornbos -who ran in the IndyCar last year, and previously with Minardi and Red Bull-, has been requested by Campos Meta and USF1 ‘Scuderias’ more than 3.5 million Euros for occupying one of the seats.

Hence, the pilot declared that “… there were talks with USF1 and Campos Meta, but they asked for 5 million dollars, just in sponsors,” declared a Doornbos who seems to indicate he will not move from the IndyCar this 2010.

That being so, the Spanish ‘Scuderia’ has two options: the Venezuelan

Pastor Maldonado, who ran the GP2 last year with ART Grand Prix and Andy Soucek who seems a more remote possibility.

USF1

The US team will give a press conference today, Monday to confirm the signing up of ‘Pechito’ López, their boss, Peter Windson.  However, who is going to occupy the other seat of the ‘Scuderia’ is yet unknown.

The US media speculate with two possibilities: the US, Jonathan Summerton and the Canadian, Jacques Villeneuve, who is determined to return to Formula One.

Jeff Gordon is a famous American race car driver who was born in 1971 in Vallejo, California. He has won the Nascar Winston Cup four times, and he drives car #24 for Hendrick Motorsports. As of this writing, one of his most prominent sponsors is DuPont. Jeff Gordon began racing when he was only five years of age. He loved to race cars, and his family was supportive of him. His family actually relocated primarily because they wanted Jeff to be in a location where he could better harness his racing skills. While he was still a minor, Jeff had already won a number of races and was given the USAC Midget Car Racing Rookie of the Year award.

After this, Gordon went on to win the USAC Midget title, and by 1991, he had gained the USAC Silver Crown. He broke a record by being the youngest person to ever capture the title. He went to the Busch Series after this, and had a large number of victories. Gordon crashed his car during the the Hooters 500 race in Atlanta in 1992, and this caused him to be placed in the 31st position. Jeff Gordon was one of many young racers who would be placed on high quality teams early in their careers. The success of Jeff Gordon allowed a younger generation of racers to begin competing in Nascar.

Many critics felt that Gordon was not ready to compete at the professional level because of his habit of racing cars so hard that he crashed them. However, Gordon proved them all wrong during the 1994 season, were he emerged victorious in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which was a long and difficult race. Gordon would also go on to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400. In 1995 he won what would become the first of four Winston Cup Championships. Jeff Gordon is also famous for rising up against the legendary Dale Earnhardt, and he has become a fan favorite.

Many people consider Jeff Gordon to be one of the greatest drivers in Nascar because he achieved so much at a very young age. Even at 35 years of age, Jeff Gordon has successfully won 75 races, which is just one victory behind Dale Earnhardt. Jeff Gordon is also notable for making Nascar a popular sport with mainstream audiences. For a long time, the sport was only regulated to the south, but Jeff Gordon has allowed it to reach a high level of popularity due to advertising and his skills with the media.

Author is a contributer for an auto racing blog at AutoRacingReporter.com. Find more auto racing websites at SportsWebsiteDirectory.com. Purchase sports website marketing at SportsWebsiteMarketing.com.

Virgin Racing running late filing a couple of days more than the others and will for the first time at Silverstone on 4 February, according to the German has said Timo Glock. Most of the F1 world completed the first test (three days) in group pre-season in Valencia.

As has diho the pilot, the car will be mostly black.

So, Virgin is lost the first test, but Glock said that after the debut at Silverstone, the team will move to the Virgin of the second group test at Jerez winter.

“We thought about going (Valencia), but then opted for Silverstone,” he said.

“As a new team, we can perform a functional test outside the official dates. Silverstone is at our door. If something goes wrong in Valencia, we could not reaccinar so quickly,” said Glock.

Glock, who drove the last year from Toyota, also said he chose to go to Virgin in 2010 although he “had more options” available.

“At Renault, were clear about their future,” he said. “Even with Sauber, everything was open.”

“We’ve talked many times, but I could not say more details. I had contact with other teams better, but it was very [...] and I liked the Virgin project a lot,” he said.

‘Pechito’ Lopez has been confirmed as official driver USF1 team for the 2010 season. After several days of meetings between the sponsors of the pilot and the U.S. team, an agreement was reached to be unveiled at an event this coming Monday.

“Everything is agreed and on Monday will be the official announcement” the spokesman said the pilot. Delaying the decision had to do with the guarantees of the eight million that Lopez needed to secure a seat.

According to Argentine press releases, some of the money will come from a group of companies working with Lee since the beginning of negotiations and the endorsement of the Argentine government made late on Friday.

Thus, Lopez will be the first Argentine driver to participate in Formula 1 since Gaston Mazzacane ran in the San Marino Grand Prix 2001. The skill of ‘Pechito’ Lopez is tested by the Renault team where he played as a tester after passing through the GP2 Series for the DAMS team and SuperNova. The U.S. team still has confirmed its second seat.

As we already know, the changes of the regulation will cause the F1 cars to have approximately 100 kilos more at the beginning of the race in comparison to the past.  In addition to this, there are a series of challenges the F1 designers are facing; brakes’ wear, steering wheel’s, weight distribution and tire wear.  Any team that tries to solve these problems will go through difficult times, specially at the beginning of the season, until it’s updated and solutions are found.

 ¿What are the possible solutions?

 The starting point for most of this year’s F1 designers is the prohibition to fill up the fuel tanks.  Instead of cars with a maximum weight of 660-700 kg in the beginning of the race and 605 kg at the end, variation will be greater this year.

 This will not only affect the time per lap, but several other aspects:

 Brakes

 The cars’ brakes will have more presence this year because, carrying more weight, they will have to work harder and the pilots will need to decelerate harder with their cars full of fuel.  The designers will have to do things well so that the single-seaters brake correctly during the whole race and suffer the least wear possible.

 Likewise, they have to face all those who will use the same brakes as last year’s (size).

Last year there were serious problems with the brakes. For instance, in Singapore when Mark Webber crashed due to lack of them, a few minutes after the team had warned him through the radio that there was a problem with the brakes and should go back to the boxes.  The problem to be worked out by the engineers is indeed important.

 Height

 Another problem for the designers is the great weight resulting from the amount of fuel which will cause the single-seaters to be higher at the beginning of the race.  For an optimum performance, cars have to be as low as possible, but as the weight of the fuel decreases their height will increase since there will be less mass pushing the cushion springs down.

 During the last two seasons when filling up was not allowed in the F1 -1992 y 1993-, many teams solved this problem using the active suspension technology, which can be programmed to compensate the lowering amount of fuel through a progressive reduction of the single-seated height.  However, two clauses on the current norms prevent the use of these systems, leaving the option that the mechanics manually adjust the speed’s height during the stops at the boxes.  Then again, this may be too complicated and takes a lot of time to do.  Is it possible that they’re studying the way to simplify this?

 As has been the case since 1994, the teams that race with very low cars risk wearing out their drag blocks (also known as "tables").

 With the fill up ban, the teams now have to adapt to the best performance possible.

 Hence we have to take into account the different engines’ types of fuel consumption; a real challenge.  This year, many cars will have Cosworth engines which performance is a mystery.

 Weight distribution

  Reduction of the front tire’s width combined with bigger fuel tanks imply many changes on weight distribution.  The front tires will be 25 mm thinner in 2010 than last year.  So, while in 2009 designers used to move the weight distribution towards the front, it’s possible that this year they try to move it backwards.

 This might also produce a reversion of the trend to have less distance between axles that we witnessed last year.  In addition to this, this season, Bridgestone will have to supply more lasting tires capable of enduring more weight-wear.

 Rear diffusers

One of the greatest technical achievements of 2009 has been the double diffusers.  The teams might use them again in 2010, even though the FIA is looking for its ban in 2011.

 They offer an increase of the so very valuable aerodynamics downforces and it’s quite unlikely that any team runs without them, this year.  Even though, according to the USF1 technicians’ statements, who declare to be swimming against the tide, we might be surprised.

In 2010, the design engineers will have to work hard again, because the air flow around the rear part of the car will be compromised due to the larger fuel tanks which will demand that the place of the radiators is changed.

Ferrari has confirmed to have integrated the oil reservoir beside the gearbox to give more space to the fuel tank.

McLaren announced he has signed a contract with the Dutch kart driver, Nyck de Vries for his program meant to develop young pilots.  14 year old, De Vries will be directed by Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony Hamilton.

“For a long time, McLaren has been committed with helping young talents.  We believe it’s part of the community’s responsibility to promote and encourage junior drivers, and we are committed with doing precisely that,” said Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh.


“Nyck seem to be a young talent and we’re looking to help his future starting with his career as junior driver, providing him the support and  training he needs to succeed.”

With regards to the contract, Anthony Hamilton said: “Nyck is a very promising young man. His father, Hendrik has been a remarkable support in his career, [...] we both believe that with the adequate support, we can take his career to the highest level.”
De Vries added: “My visit to the McLaren Technological Center has been a fantastic experience and I feel honored and thankful for McLaren’s support to develop my career. They have incredible resources, and I think they’ll be able to give the perfect structure to improve my knowledge, physical shape and experience in motor racing.”

  Ryan Newman has been among the 10 top pilots in 2009, although it had been speculated that he would withdraw form races altogether.  In 2009, Newman left Penske Racing to Stewart-Hass Racing’s new team, and was a quite reliable pilot in statistical terms.  His average start was 14.3 and his average finish was 14.7.  He’s usually very dependable in qualifying, though in recent years has dropped off his high of 11 poles in 2003.

  Newman’s best performance were seen by the beginning of the year, with six top 10 finishes.  Unfortunately, in November he had a terrible crash flying in the air to land on top of Kevin Harvick.

Approaching season 2010, there are many questions in the air for Newman. It’s only natural that he wonders if he will be able to keep up with his victories and raise to become one of the top five. Even though some do not forecast a win in the Chase his hopes are high.

The Brazilian, Helio Castroneves, two times champion of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is facing in Miami tax evasion charges for 5,5 million dollars earned between 1999 and 2004.  If he’s found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in jail.
His attorney, Roy Black, said in his opening statement that the pilot never pretended to evade his tax payment to the US Internal Revenue Service, and since he ignored that country’s tax laws he’s been forced to hire experts on the subject.
For his part, the district attorney in charge of the case, Matt Axelrod, stated that the 33 year old, Brazilian pilot, believed he was above the law and accused him of not complying with the tax regulations.  Axelrod also accused Katiucia, Castroneves’ sister who is in charge of his businesses, and the sport lawyer, Alan Miller of taking part in the alleged fraud.  ”When he had to pay taxes for the millions of dollars he earned, he failed to do it.  He did not pay,” explained the district attorney.
According to the accusation, Castroneves allegedly wrongfully hid income from Penske Racing Inc. and from the Brazilian firm, Coimex International S.A. (a total of around 5.5 million dollars).  In accordance with the prosecution, Katuicia Castroneves, the pilot’s sister, transferred part of the hidden money to an account in Switzerland which she controlled together with Helio.

After the initial news we published a few hours ago on Ferrari ‘F281′ that Fernando Alonso will drive this season 2010, Banco Santander has given a press conference with the first high quality image of the Italian car.

The information disclosed by the Director General of the Communication Division of Banco Santander, Juan Manuel Cendoya, said: “We want to be the trademark of Formula 1″, making clear that the entity is present in the Grand Prix of Germany, Italy and United Kingdom’s first sponsor and Brazil and the two tests in Spain, Valencia and Montmelo, as the second.

The global launch of the 2010 design will not leave Ferrari fans unmoved Ferraro, white addiction can not be taken very well by tifossi although not the first time the Ferrari car parts is blank. In fact, in 1975 the ‘cockpit’ It was white and was the year that the Austrian Niki Lauda won his first world championship. However, the aerial view is far from what we’re used to seeing red bullets.

Cendoya said he “supported the decision” to sign Ferrari Fernando Alonso, who signed a five-year contract with Ferrari, but this was unique to the ‘Scuderia’. “We have supported much the firm, we were three years behind it, although Ferrari had the last word,” said head of communications.

While acknowledging that sports sponsorship is “a major risk factor than conventional advertising,” considers that the bank’s presence in the ‘great circle’ will be a “major emotional link” with some sectors of its customer base, especially young , and “a global reputation.”

Imminently, Banco Santander will launch the campaign ‘Red Passion’ in Spain. “We are delighted to swing much of the advertising of 2010 in Fernando (Alonso),” said

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he has noticed a change in culture within the Hendrick Motorsports’ shop area, because the group of his people corresponding to car No. 88 shares with the group with Mark Martin’s car No. 5, and that may be a good omen regarding better performance in 2010.

  From Earnhardt viewpoint, the catalyst for change was Lance McGrew’s appointment as crew chief by the end of the 2009 season.  Last May, McGrew was replaced as interim crew chief by Tony Eury Jr., Earnhardt’s cousin.

  “Even if they achieve minimum progress with regards to performance, and don’t have that bad luck in the races that they had, they will be in conditions to rank for the Chase and have a very, very respectful season.”

  “When he (McGrew) managed to consolidate his position and we were able to move forward knowing that that was how things were.  Yes, everybody somehow combined their minds, faith and trust around that, and we could recover some of the trust and some faith in the team," Earnhardt declared this Friday night at the off-season Thunder Fan Fest that took place in the Daytona International Speedway.

  Some changes with the personnel that works at the shops have elicited more sense of cooperation between the groups of people who are in charge of the two cars.  "When I mentioned the culture, that’s what I was trying to say; I’m referring to both, the cars and the people who is really intertwined between the two groups.  The result is that everybody is working and have faith again in the No. 88.  That’s what I believe has changed a lot," Earnhardt declared.

  Martin, who arrived second behind Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup NASCAR Championship, last year, does not think that Earnhardt’s performance has to improve too much, as long as he can overcome the bad luck that derailed promising performances in many races, last year.  “In other words, they don’t need to give a great jump regarding performance, if only they take that weight off of their shoulders."

  "In many races, they performed better than car no. 5, but nobody really realized it, because they were crashed or something broke. Many things went wrong when they were faster than us with car no.5."

  His team mate, Jeff Gordon thinks that confidence in himself is clue to see a change in Earnhardt, who begins the season after going through a bad patch of 57 races without wins.  "Nothing much is necessary to go off the track," Gordon said. "What I mean to say is that everything becomes competition when you’re in the tracks.  And I know that sometimes it seems as if they are very far behind, but I don’t think they are as much as people think.  I believe that a new beginning is the only thing that’s necessary; a few things.

  "The organization puts so much effort into each car, that the ingredients are certainly there.  I think that, probably what’s missing is more self-confidence.  This happens to everybody.  If the pilot is confident, the crew chief is confident, the people who work in the boxes are confident.  It’s like a waterfall where everything falls from the top.

  "Let’s hope that all the hard work they’re carrying out in the season’s break will help them to start with the right foot and that self-confidence doesn’t decline too early, because once it does it’s difficult to gain it back."

  Earnhardt understands the importance of ranking in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.  In three of the last five seasons, he has been unable to achieve that goal.

 "When he didn’t rank for the Chase... I feel I have let them down," Earnhardt, admitted.  "They help you to fight all year long.  They struggle every week right there, by your side.  They go through a work day while they argue with someone who is criticizing me.  So, they fight their own battles just as I do in the tracks.

  "Therefore, you really feel as if you have disappointed them when you don’t even rank for the Chase.  What I mean to say is… ¡Damn!  One would expect to rank for the Chase.  That is not asking too much from your pilots.  So you feel very bad.

  I think that’s what bothers me most about having a disappointing year."

The F281, the new car of Ferrari for the 2010 season will be two colors, red, the color characteristic of the ‘Prancing Horse’, and white, for the sponsorship of Banco Santander. The rear wing and front will be white with red letters.

As if this were not enough change for the first time in history, next to the logo of the team (the ‘Prancing Horse’), it is the name of the bank, whose logo will also be painted in white on the mirrors.

The world premiere of this design was made today at the Ciudad Financiera del Banco Santander in Madrid town of Boadilla del Monte at a meeting of Juan Manuel Cendoya, CEO of Communications Division of the entity, with specialized areas.

The German, Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), who this year will return to Formula One after being retired for three years, described as "very positive " the test he carried out with a GP2, last week in Jerez de la Frontera’s circuit, declaring he felt as though he had never left.

>    "The tests were wonderful; I cannot say the contrary. We’ve had the rain drawback during the first two days, but on the third day we advanced a lot.  As a matter of fact we simulated a race with smooth tires.  It was much better than I expected, and immediately felt well in the car.  It was as if I had never gone," Schumacher stated in an interview in his web page.

>    In addition, the seven-times world champion declared that he’s “totally recovered” from the neck problems he suffered last year, and is convinced that “they’re over” and will not cause “any more problems.”

>    "Since, December I’ve been physically training very carefully and I feel in very good shape.  That’s one of the reasons why I felt so well in the car at Jerez, even thought I’m aware that the Formula One is a different thing.  G forces are stronger and higher, so they cannot be compared,” he explained.

>    Regarding the World Championship, Schumacher said he “wants to win the Championship" and he’ll fight for it "from the beginning," while simultaneously he praised his new team.  "The galaxy that Mercedes has available is unique, with Ross (Brawn) and his winning team, with Mercedes’ expertise, and with the best engine there currently is," he elaborated.

> "AFTER MY WITHDRAWAL I FELT FREE AND RELIEVED ".

>    Finally, the German pilot indicated that these three years away from the 'Great Circus' have been good for him and helped him because he felt "free and releived," after two “very demanding” campaigns.

> "Not releived from the races which I have always loved, but of all those things resulting from living under constinuous scrutiny.  Taking it easy for three years was good for me," he added.

>    Accordingly, now the 'Kaiser' maintains feeling "with totally charged batteries " and "full of energy, again."  "I’m aware of how I’ve got that itch to race again and how motivated I am, because I’m looking forward to the competition’s start-up.

> “The time has come to begin all this,” Schumacher concluded.

The former head of Ferrari’s aerodynamics, John Iley, just change team, has joined McLaren to fill the same position they had in Maranello.

The British left the Italian team last July, following the poor performance of Ferrari.

His position as chief of aerodynamics at the ‘Prancing Horse’ is Marco de Luca, we’ve discussed in previous days, while Nikolas Tombazis, who returned to Maranello in 2006 after a stage in McLaren’s chief designer.

Today, Tuesday, Jenson Button celebrated his 30^th birthday with his mind set on winning the Formula 1 title again, before the first meeting with Lewis Hamilton since both champions became team-mates in McLaren.

“There is the interesting piece of information that says that 70 percent of pilots who win the world championship cannot make it the next season.  I will try to be in the other 30 percent that wins again, and I’m mentally prepared.  I’m working on that,” Button said.

Button is aware that his greatest rival will be by his side, his team mate Hamilton.  “It’s understandable that the team wants Lewis; it must.  Lewis is a world champion who has been with them for three years, and he has performed remarkably well,” he stated.

The existent champion recognizes he has to adapt to his new team mates and engineers.  “When tests begin, we have to work together and share everything.  The clue for us will be to be ready in the first race.  Communication is essential when you integrate into a new team.  You can be the best engineer or pilot in the world, but if you don’t bond it’s impossible to work,” Button added.

If diffusers were last season’s most determining innovation, giving advantage to the teams that used double diffusers, this year’s teams like USF1 have to begin their developments from zero.  That way, in North Carolina’s headquarters the team based in the USA has begun its internal tests in wind tunnel for the season that begins in March.

“When we began this car we didn’t have anything except the foundation,” explained one of the team’s senior designers, Scott Bennett, in his official blog.  “Most parts of a modern F1 car are rigid, but there’s still a large group of basic parameters which must be defined before you can start to design anything.  For instance, distance between axles, drive train configuration, suspension design and weight distribution.”


“And when you’re doing it for the first time, you lack previous knowledge of what has worked well in the past…” Logically, these four teams do not have the experience nor data of single-seated cars from previous seasons.

And it’s this obstacle-free viewpoint the reason why Bennett believes he can play in favor of his team this season, specially because they have tried to design and put into practice imaginative and innovative solutions.

“I’m very fortunate because I do most of the car’s distribution.  I’ve had under my control almost all the steps of its evolution,” he said. “More specifically, I’ve been responsible for the front and rear suspension.  This has been a huge challenge.  F1 cars are small, and these days we’re quite cramped at the installations.”


“We’re doing a couple of things in a very different way than what has been done during the last years.  I cannot give details, yet but it’s a new perspective.  We ignore if they are right or wrong solutions, but certainly, our car will not be a clone of what there’s currently available.”
Bennett, who in the last years has worked with the Director General of the Ken Anderson’s team in several races, also has wanted to underline that from the F1 new four teams, they are the only ones that have designed their own gearbox.