Pedro de la Rosa insists he is not afraid to admit he will tackle next weekend’s Australian grand prix at the wheel of the “worst” car.
“We will have a difficult year,” said the veteran Spaniard, who is yet to actually drive HRT’s newly-launched F112.

“It will also be interesting because the team is 80 per cent new,” added the 41-year-old former Arrows, Jaguar and Sauber driver, who for years was McLaren’s main test driver.

“We should not be afraid to admit that we are the worst, but we must have the ambition to not stay that way,” he told Antena 3 television.

“Our goal is to finish races, stop being the last across the line and to grow, trying to close the gap to pole position.”

The next stop, he said, is the Melbourne pitlane.

“The team is packing up everything and preparing a second chassis. Tomorrow night it is all put onto planes and sent to Australia.

“I leave on Monday,” revealed de la Rosa.

(reuters) Malaysian owned Caterham F1 plan to move across England in August to take over the old Arrows and Super Aguri factory near Oxford, the Formula One team said on Wednesday.

The team had sought the move to Leafield to be closer to others in central England’s ‘Motorsport Valley’, making it easier to recruit and retain staff as well as being within easy reach of Silverstone.

“We propose moving the F1 and GP2 teams to the new site in or around August 2012, giving us ample time to build up the infrastructure required to house all the critic

After splitting with Nick Wirth, the next rumour at Virgin is that the struggling team is set to move into the former Arrows and Super Aguri facility in Leafield (UK).
Since entering formula one based on the F3 team Manor, the outfit has been located at Dinnington, but with the crucial technical headquarters at Wirth Research in Banbury.

It is rumoured Leafield has been proposed as the ideal base after the Wirth split by team consultant Pat Symonds.

Symonds is the previously highly-respected engineer who was banned from a direct operational role in F1 following the Renault crashgate scandal two years ago.

Virgin Racing chief executive Graeme Lowdon told the Sheffield Star newspaper: “We are always evaluating our options but we have had no discussions with them (Leafield).

“It is way too early to make any decisions on that. We are reviewing everything and looking at what the best solution is going forwards.”

A motor racing company based in England has emerged as a possible solution to HRT’s car predicament for 2011.

With the Spanish team having split with both its 2010 and 2011 car suppliers Dallara and Toyota, Hispania is facing the prospect of trying to beat the new 107 per cent qualifying rule with the uncompetitive F110 chassis.

But according to Spanish website f1aldia.com, Formtech Composites could be the UK based company that HRT has fallen back on with less than 90 days to go until Bahrain.

HRT team owner Jose Ramon Carabante said this week that the 2011 car is being built “in Germany and in England”.

Oxfordshire based Formtech is headed by Mark Preston, who after serving as Super Aguri’s technical boss acquired the assets of the failed team along with German investors.

The company supplies composites to F1 teams including Renault, Lotus and Toro Rosso, but has also built and run a F1 chassis to current specifications based on the 2006 Super Aguri.

Preston said: “Formtech … would fit perfectly with Hispania to provide the resources they might need.”

With time rapidly running out for HRT ahead of the 2011 season, the Australian added: “If we were able to launch Super Aguri in just 100 days, then almost anything is possible.”

Formtech also owns the intellectual property of the defunct Arrows team and confirmed that it could “quickly design and manufacture bespoke solutions in both prototyping and short run production on site”.

Fernando Alonso has refused to criticise the Sauber team for ousting fellow Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

De la Rosa has been replaced with immediate effect by former long-time Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld, 14 races into de la Rosa’s return to the F1 grid.

“From the outside, we don’t know what happened. You can’t really judge these sorts of decisions that a team makes,” said Alonso, whose employer Ferrari supplies engines to Hinwil based Sauber.

“All I can do is send all the encouragement in the world to Peter and to tell him to keep fighting, because he is a fighter,” added the two-time world champion to Spanish newspapers.

“With Sauber it didn’t work out and hopefully he will get another chance,” said Alonso.

Before 2010, 39-year-old de la Rosa spent the previous seven years as McLaren’s test driver, but he vowed not to give up his desire to keep racing in F1.

The veteran of 84 grands prix told TV broadcaster Sport1: “I will come back.

“It will be difficult, but I’ve done it before and I will do it again,” added former Arrows and Jaguar driver de la Rosa.

According to well-known French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet, a notable meeting involving the Mercedes GP team took place on Monday.

Moncet wrote in his Auto Plus blog that the video conference would involve the Stuttgart based Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche, and the Brackley based team’s Ross Brawn, Norbert Haug, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

He said the “various statements by members of the team to the media” would be discussed, even though a Mercedes spokesman rubbished the report.

And although Mercedes insists the comments were taken out of context, Moncet could be referring to Rosberg’s quoted claims about being frustrated by a lack of development progress.

There have also been hints from Rosberg, Schumacher and Brawn that development of the 2010 car could be stopped in favour of focusing on next year’s project.

But in a team statement late last week, those figures insisted the team is still working hard on the W01.

“It’s been tough for us over the last few races but we are working hard to improve and I am confident we will get there,” said Rosberg.

However, a headline in the German daily Die Welt said “Expectation and reality are far apart at Mercedes”.

The article included Zetsche’s warning of early this year when he said that “If there are clear indications that we can use our money more effectively outside of formula one, we will have to take a new decision”.

And former Jordan and Jaguar designer Gary Anderson said: “The people around Brawn understand the car they have built for 2010 in the same way they understood it in the second half of last year.”

But Bernie Ecclestone thinks Mercedes needs more time to get up to speed with its own team.

“Of course it takes a bit of time to revive a myth, but I am sure they are on the right track and that the Silver Arrows will come back to full strength,” said the F1 chief executive.

(GMM)

Jenson Button is at his home race never stood on the podium. Last year, the 30-year-old was leading the championship and as the clear favorite to Silverstone. In the race, finally gave it only to a disappointing sixth place. The best result in 2004 he took fourth. As McLaren has many improvements in the luggage, Button now wants the big triumph.

“I have triumphed in Monaco and won the World Cup. I lack only the victory in my home,” is the two-season winner of ‘ESPN’ quoted. “Everyone wants to win, of course, the home race. The British Grand Prix is something special, since in this region are many teams and many fans come year after year.”
His team mate Lewis Hamilton is also hot on a home triumph. Two double victory celebrated the chrome arrows in this season. In the UK, which is in 45 years, however, happened only once. 1999 saw David Coulthard (McLaren) to the checkered flag in front of Eddie Irvine (Ferrari). This day is mainly with the broken leg of Michael Schumacher remembered.

In the duel approached his stall colleagues said Button: “Lewis is very fast and there is a good competition between us. In the last race he has come before me to the finish, if only just ahead of me. I want to win at Silverstone Lewis as well. He does not think differently than I do. We will just go out there and have fun. Hopefully one of us wins. ”

Button feel pressure to succeed after the departure of the “Three Lions” is not in the World Cup. “Lewis and I have achieved a lot in our sport,” said Button. “We have pressure from outside and from within usual. I do not feel more at Silverstone under pressure, at least I feel it.”
Around the British tradition of track fans in the past have been held much spectacle. Unforgettable is the Mansell-mania in the early nineties, when the red number five was dominated by Williams. After 1987 Nigel Mansell 1991 and 1992 was also celebrated as the winner. After Damon Hill a year later had to retire due to an engine failure on the way to his debut triumph, he finally went in 1994 with the Union Jack as the winner down lap.

Now it is the British Dream Team Button and Hamilton to inspire the fans. “I am very excited and look forward to the many spectators with the British flag in the stands,” said the reigning world champion. “It is a very special Grand Prix. I think this year will be even better for a long time. I want to see not only a British winner, I want to win themselves.”

A Mercedes spokesman on Friday said quotes attributed to Nico Rosberg by a German tabloid newspaper were taken out of context.

25-year-old Mercedes GP driver Rosberg reportedly said the 2010 car was a “disaster”, while he is “angry” about the “backwards” development of the W01.

But the spokesman, revealing that he has spoken to Rosberg who is upset about the newspaper’s sensationalism, insisted that the German has “nothing but admiration” for both Mercedes and team boss Ross Brawn.

Rosberg, currently seventh in the drivers’ world championship, is also “completely happy with the Silver Arrows team”, the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport spokesman added.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen will be the former driver serving alongside three conventional FIA stewards at this weekend’s European grand prix.

The German won three grands prix during his 160-race career between 1994 and 2003.

Frentzen, now 43, drove for Sauber, Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows, and subsequently for Opel and Audi in the German touring car series DTM.

(GMM)

After the not very successful weekend in Canada is at Renault in reparations from Valencia. Then do it in Montreal, failed to make ground on Mercedes, but considers the silver arrows were not even going, it will run better in Spain. The R30 has been upgraded to catch up in the Spanish port city with new parts. Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov, who won there in GP2 already are confident at least for the weekend.

Kubica looks at the layout of lines similar to Montreal. “The biggest difference between the two circuits makes the asphalt. In Montreal, the new pavement proved to be extremely slippery. In this regard, should the tar in Valencia offer a higher level and play for us in the cards – even if the playing field equal for all” believes the poles, the speculation with a higher grip levels: “It is also in Spain, at a road course, we count on Friday again with low grip, in the course of the weekend but should be always better – especially in the framework more racing series at the Start walking with their tire wear should also create a firmer track. ”
Both Kubica and Petrov swarm in contrast to their colleagues about Valencia. “I was not only because of my GP2 victory of good memories of Valencia. I know the track inside out in terms of braking points, racing line, which curbs you can run over any problems and how the tires will behave in the race. Of course, that is in a Formula 1 all represent something different. But my starting point will be better than in Canada, “says the young Russian.

His Polish team-mate, it looks like this: “I know that many drivers assess this differently, but for me, I can say I like the track. The mixture of street circuit and a modern Grand Prix circuit makes the thing from my point of view so interesting. The basic layout reminiscent of the many rather slow corners at the Grand Prix of Canada. As in Montreal, it is in Valencia in the first place on a high braking stability and traction for accelerating out – and this should be our Renault R30. ”
Aerodynamics important than in Canada

However in Valencia, aerodynamics more into play, so Kubica: “We will go with a higher degree of aerodynamic downforce at the start than in Canada, yet comes to the aerodynamic efficiency is very important: As many as four times per round, we penetrate into very high speed ranges before. ” Petrov for the beloved Valencia comes after the disappointment of Canada just right. The Russian said, however, that he has learned from the weekend in his teaching overseas.
“First of all, I am of course aware that I have undermined during the race bug”, there are self-critical and Petrov said: “At the start I have made too much risk when I saw the grass beside the track in line with my incorporated. They paid off Unfortunately not, instead I was given a drive-through penalty. However, it was important to finish the race and collect more information – especially about the handling of the tires in different conditions. This experience I will help in the future, in certain situations better . respond ”

The focus at Renault but at the moment the duel with Mercedes. The French want to finish the season fail before the silver arrows. 29 points separate the two teams currently work from each other. For Kubica, the distance “to the stables, which are currently at the top is not so huge. But we must still make up a lot of ground. And so we will only succeed if we continue to work full steam ahead and improve ourselves constantly.”

The Pole is certainly top-motivated: “If it goes for me, after we beat everybody, not just Mercedes.” The new parts on the R30 will bring about change. “I wonder how much the car improved and if I need to adjust my driving style,” said Petrov, who also assesses other strong teams, “In Montréal Force India was very fast. We must see that we can beat them . In addition, enjoys the duel with Mercedes currently the highest priority for our team. “

For Michael Schumacher is the Canadian Grand Prix is always something very special hopes – team-mate Nico Rosberg on other Mercedes-progress

For Michael Schumacher is the Canadian Grand Prix “is really one of the highlights of the year. That is not because he is the most successful driver on the Cirucit Gilles Villeneuve. But the Mercedes star cites two other reasons: “One is that he always gives me the opportunity to do outside of Europe, something unusual, something entertaining.”

“The other reason is that one senses here that the whole city the Grand Prix. The emotion and the fans – this is very spectacular. This makes it so special,” said Schumacher. The track itself is not so demanding: “In a way it is a stop-and-go course. But the mood and the track characteristics to allow overtaking, ensure that there is something else.” For Mercedes, the goal is to continue the upward trend heralded in Canada.

“We find ourselves with the team in a construction process that is extremely good. I’m very pleased with the way we work and how we move forward,” said Schumacher. “We have not yet the package to be very front. After the winter testing we had not expected. But when I see where we are moving, which is very good.” The new aerodynamics package that Mercedes was in Turkey this has brought the silver arrows from Ferrari. But Schumacher a limit, “But that does not mean that this will be the case here.”

“We have seen how a team was in front and then back again – it’s sometimes a bit difficult to understand and strange, why is this the case,” says Schumacher continued. “We hope that we stay at the front end and so far we could always get the most from the package. Nico Rosberg did a fantastic job, as he has brought the podium.”

And this weekend, a podium is there? “In a wet race there are many opportunities,” replies Schumacher.

Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg agrees, that the “development process” comes on, the silver arrows, even if it is his opinion, still not gone quite according to plan: “We could close the gap still not quite what we had hoped,” says he. “But we really make good progress. In Turkey, we had the F-shaft, which has brought us a long way forward.”

Rosberg hopes that in Montreal goes even further ahead: “Here we have another route. I am confident that we can cut a little bit better and have a good chance at many points. With any luck, could even a podium or something in there a little. They also depends on the weather. I think it will be an interesting weekend. ”

A strength of the Mercedes, the braking performance. Rosberg sees this as an area that could meet the Silver this weekend, finally, the brakes will be charged in Montreal was stuck above average. “I personally really like the track, hence, I think it may be good,” he concludes.

It is wrong to describe Mercedes’ original 2010 car as the “old” one, Norbert Haug insisted on Wednesday.

Despite the German team only debuting its ‘new’ longer wheelbase version in Spain last weekend, it has been confirmed that Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg will be driving the previous specification this weekend in Monaco.

Team boss Ross Brawn said the team “will run our new aero package but we will revert to our previous specification suspension system to allow for the steering lock required around this unique circuit”.

According to DPA news agency, Haug insisted: “There is no ‘old’ and ‘new’ silver arrows.

“There is one with a longer wheelbase, as used in Barcelona, and one with a shorter wheelbase, as used in the previous four races,” added the German.

Well that’s how it panned out as the reigning F1 World Champion delivered a well judged and much deserved drive to notch up his second victory of the season. Prior to the start of the Chinese Grand Prix, at Shanghai International Circuit, few would have predicted a Jenson Button win, fewer would have waged odds on a McLaren 1-2.

The race under heavy Shanghai skies had everything: a dry spell, a semi-wet phase, wet with rain fall, first lap mayhem, a jump start and generous doses of overtaking.

It was by no means plain sailing (excuse the pun) for Button who took the lead on lap 19 and controlled the race from that point on, well almost, as in the final laps he faced a relentless challenge from team mate Lewis Hamilton who again was the star of the show with a gritty drive to second place.

Nico Rosberg, again showed impressively, bringing his Mercedes GP home third making it an all Merc powered driver podium. Rosberg flew the flag for the Silver Arrows as his illustrious team mate Michael Schumacher could only manage 10th place in an afternoon in some high profile battles which alas saw him come out second best in just about all of them. Twice he was overtaken with remarkable ease by Hamilton, Vettel and Webber, lost a battle with a rookie late in the race and was taken by a Ferrari on the very last lap which relegated him to tenth.

Fernando Alonso brought his Ferrari home in fourth, which was an impressive feat considering that the Spaniard was given a drive through penalty for jumping the start. It was marginal but replays showed the scarlet car edging forward before the lights went off. Hence he led briefly from the start. Team mate Felipe Massa was nowhere near Alonso’s pace all weekend and scrapped his way to ninth, well and truly overshadowed.

Renault again were impressive with Robert Kubica taking fifth place in yet another strong drive for the team and crowning a good day with rookie Vitaly Petrov having an action packed day with a  number of excursions, but also a number of duels with some big names and seventh place was a just reward for the Russian who clearly revels adverse conditions.

Sebastian Vettel who started on pole in his Red Bull will be wondering where it all went wrong. A win in conditions that he thrives in was almost a foregone conclusion prior to the start. But it was not to be and sixth is scant reward for a race that somehow escaped the team. Mark Webber who shared the front row defied his experience with some silly mistakes which saw him come home eighth. There will be few smiles in their garages.

YF1

Nico Rosberg achieved the first podium finish for the Mercedes GP Petronas team at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia today. Nico Starting from second place on the grid, but Nico lost a place at the start and was running in third position at the end of the first lap.

He made his sole pit stop on lap 22 where superb work from the team enabled Nico to gain over a second on the chasing Robert Kubica. From there, Nico drove a composed race to the chequered flag to secure third position and his third podium finish,

Michael Schumacher was out of the race when a wheel nut came off one of the rear wheels and forced Michael to retire on lap ten.

Nico Rosberg
“Its a fantastic result today to achieve our teams first podium at the home race for our title partner, Petronas. I want to thank the whole team for all of their hard work this weekend and over the winter. This result is the start of the reward for our efforts. Its a great feeling to be back up on the podium again and to have so much support from the Malaysian fans here. My start didnt go that well today as I had a bit too much wheelspin and once I was in third place, I knew it would be difficult to follow the leading cars. I struggled a little with the options in the first stint which allowed Robert to stay quite close but once we switched to the primes, I felt really comfortable and we could manage the race home to third place. This is a great end to a strong weekend for us. Were not quite where we want to be yet so we need to push on but Im confident that well get there soon.”

Michael Schumacher
“It was a shame that I could not finish the race but unfortunately the wheel nut on the left rear wheel was lost. The car suddenly became very unstable in turn six and I could hardly steer and had no drive left. I initially thought it was something to do with the suspension but after I stopped and had a look, it was evident that was a wheel nut missing. It is something very unusual to happen and in testing we never had problems so we have to look it. I would have obviously wanted to finish the race and I think it could have worked out quite reasonably well. But in the end that is motor racing, I remember that very well. It makes no sense to get angry about it, you have to accept it as part of the game and look ahead. At least Nico scored our first podium finish and I am happy for him and the team.”

Ross Brawn
“That was an excellent drive from Nico today and a first-class performance to secure his third career podium and the first podium for the Mercedes GP Petronas team. We are delighted to have achieved the first podium for the Silver Arrows here in Malaysia and to be able to share the rewards of our hard work with our title partner Petronas at their home Grand Prix. My compliments to Nico for an assured performance today and over the weekend. Michael was in a good position after the start and we were looking forward to having a good race on his side but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. The car lost a wheel nut which is a problem that we haven’t experienced before. The wheel nuts are double-checked on the grid so we will investigate and put in place the necessary solutions.”

Norbert Haug
“A great drive from Nico and our first podium after starting from the first row in our third race. The team had a first-class strategy and Nico did not put one foot wrong and secured this first and for us historic podium finish, at the home race of our title partner Petronas. Our gap to the two Red Bull-Renaults in front of Nico was still considerable and we all know there is more work to be done in order to catch up. However it looks like we are heading in the right direction and the point standings after three races dont look too bad. Sorry for Michael who had a great start and was positioned sixth when a wheel nut came loose which stopped his race. We will work hard and concentrated to make sure that our car will be fully reliable in the future and get quicker step by step. After Melbourne, Nico and the team performed again the quickest pit stop which is very rewarding for our guys and sometimes very important to get the right amount of World Championship points. Last but certainly not least congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing for their first and well deserved victory in 2010. Seb was the class of the field today.”

(YF1)

Nick Heidfeld is officially confirmed as test and reserve pilot of the new Mercedes GP Petronas ‘scuderia’ for the 2010 Formula One World Championship.

After his time in BMW-Sauber, the  F1 “German selection” is completed with Heidfeld.

“I’m thrilled to sign for Mercedes.  It’s the most appealing team of this season, not only because Schumacher is there, but also because this year is the comeback of the ‘silver arrows,’ under the solitary work of the Mercedes-Benz team, for the first time in the last years,” declared Heidfeld in the the web site of the German ‘scuderia’.

He admits to be “very proud” of being part of Mercedes and assured that he’ll “do everything in his hand” to help Schumacher and Rosberg.  On his part, the ‘scuderia’ boss, Ross Brawn, considered “a great pleasure” to be able to have “a pilot of the quality and experience of Heidfeld.” “He has 10 years of experience and I’m convinced that his help in the development of the MGP W01 will be priceless,” he stated in the web site.