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‘Banned for life’ Maldonado lucky to be in Monaco(0) A favourite for victory this weekend, Pastor Maldonado is reportedly lucky to be gearing up to race in the Principality at all. Bild newspaper recalls that the Venezuelan, who defied his ‘pay driver’ critics by winning for Williams in Spain two weeks ago, was actually banned after an horror incident on the streets of Monte Carlo seven years ago. Racing in the Renault World Series in 2005, the then 25-year-old ignored yellow flags before striking and severely injuring a marshal. Organisers of the Monaco grand prix reacted by banning Maldonado from the street circuit for life. Germany’s Bild revealed that Maldonado’s wealthy father intervened, promising to pay for the marshal’s recovery and rehabilitation from a broken back. That intervention saved Maldonado’s future formula one career, as no team would hire a regular driver that cannot participate in the sport’s most famous race. Maldonado is therefore a favourite for victory this weekend, with his Williams now acknowledged as arguably the best in the entire field when it comes to slow-speed traction. And in his four seasons of GP2 between 2007 and 2010, Maldonado finished on the podium each time, winning and achieving pole position twice. In 2006, he won in Formula Renault. Last year, in qualifying for his first Monaco grand prix, he qualified his then struggling Williams in eighth place, comfortably ahead of Rubens Barrichello. “He is very good at Monaco,” agreed Barrichello. In the 2011 race, Maldonado was fighting for fifth when he crashed with Lewis Hamilton. “If the last sector in Barcelona is the marker, then the Williams will be unbeatable in Monte Carlo,” Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport quotes Dr Helmut Marko as saying. The breakthrough success in Barcelona has piqued the interest of Maldonado’s native Venezuela, having not had an F1 points scorer since the ignominious Johnny Cecotto in 1983. “My country will be following every second of the next race,” Maldonado is quoted by O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. “I love street circuits, this one in particular. My style of driving fits perfectly with Monaco. I am ready to get another great result.” |
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Dani Clos will take part in the first free practice session at the Spanish GP(0) Spanish driver Dani Clos will step into the F112 for the first time on Friday to take part in the first free practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix which will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya. 23 year-old Clos will substitute teammate Narain Karthikeyan for that session and will join Pedro de la Rosa for the first 90 minutes of practice in Montmeló. It will be history in the making for HRT Formula 1 Team at the Circuit de Catalunya since this will be the first time that two Spanish drivers hit the track forming a part of a Spanish team at the Spanish Grand Prix. It will be a moment to remember for Spanish motorsport and a great opportunity for Clos to prove his worth in front of his home crowd. After having completed 377.67 kilometres at the helm of the F111 in the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi last November and having joined the team as an official test driver in February, Dani Clos will take another step on Friday and will fulfill another vital aspect of his testing role by completing his first laps at the wheel of the F112. A car that will be brining a series of aerodynamic upgrades for this important Grand Prix. Dani Clos: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity. It’s something I’ve fought for all my life; to make my debut in Formula 1 and, above all, to be able to do it at the Circuit de Catalunya which is something very special for me. Besides, I’m extremely lucky to be able to do it with a Spanish team, alongside another Spanish driver who I admire and at home. I can’t ask for more! It’s the ideal situation and I’m proud to be where I am with the people who have always been with me and still are. I hope to extract a lot of data from this practice session, contribute with positive things to the team and do my job in the best way I can. I feel 100% ready and I can’t wait for the moment I step into the car and hit the track”. Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal HRT: “I’m very proud and happy that this moment has arrived and that we’ve given Dani the chance to get in the car on Friday’s first free practice session at such a special and important Grand Prix as is a home Grand Prix. In this first contact he will drive next to Pedro de la Rosa and will have the chance to drive the new F112 for the first time. It’s an important session given the short amount of time on track that we have and more so when you take into account the various aerodynamic upgrades which we have brought. Dani is a great driver and I have no doubt that he will do a good job. Besides, this debut also represents another step forward in our desire for HRT to serve as a platform for young drivers to make it into F1”. DANI CLOS – PROFILE AND CAREER SUMMARY Dani Clos was born in Barcelona on the 23rd of October 1988. With a renowned trajectory in karting, Clos made his debut in single-seater racing in 2004 in Formula Renault Italia 2.0, going on to win the Championship in 2006. A year later he joined Renault’s F1 programme and took part in the Formula Three Euroseries. In 2008 he entered Williams F1′s young drivers’ programme and finished in 2nd in the 24H Barcelona race. In 2009 he made his debut in the GP2 series, with a 3rd place finish in Portimao being his best result. In his second year in GP2 he achieved his first win in Turkey alongside various podium finishes. Last year, Dani Clos took one win and two podiums in what was his third season as a GP2 driver. Also in 2011, he took part in the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi with HRT F1 Team, completing total of 377.67km in one day and leaving a very good impression on the team. In 2012, Dani Clos joins the HRT Formula 1 Team as its official test driver. Career Summary: 2012 F1: test driver, HRT Formula 1 Team |
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Ma Qing Hua joins HRT Formula 1 Team’s Driver Development ProgrammeComments Off HRT Formula 1 Team announces the incorporation of Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua to the Spanish team’s young driver development programme. The formation programme designed by HRT F1 Team for Ma Qing Hua includes professional assessment in his career as a driver, private tests with cars from different categories and simulator tests. If the results of the partnership are satisfactory, Qing Hua could take to the wheel of the F112 at the Formula 1 Young Driver test. Ma Qing Hua will perform his first official act with HRT Formula 1 Team on Thursday the 12th of April at a press conference previous to the Chinese Grand Prix (13th to 15th of April), which takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit. The details of the press conference will be announced shortly. The incorporation of Ma Qing Hua to HRT Formula 1 Team’s driver development programme is part of the Spanish team’s strategy in order to serve as a platform for the formation of professionals in the pinnacle of world motorsport. The driver born in Shanghai has been competing in different categories of national and international motorsport for many years. His incorporation to HRT F1 Team’s Driver Development Programme takes place after some simulator tests and a testing session in Cheste (Valencia) at the wheel of a World Series car. The qualities and attitude of Qing Hua convinced Luis Pérez-Sala of his potential to incorporate him to the programme which Dani Clos, HRT F1 Team test driver, is also a part of. Ma Qing Hua: “I’m very honoured to form a part of the driver development programme at HRT Formula 1 Team since, with work and effort, it will allow me to become the first Chinese Formula 1 driver. It’s a very special moment for me and it’s hard to express how happy I am. I’ve dreamt of becoming a Formula 1 driver since I was very small. I started in the karting world when I was 8 years old and I worked really hard to learn and become quicker every time. After competing in categories such as Formula campus, Formula Renault and F3, I learned a lot about car set-up, technique on circuits and team work to become more professional every time. And now finally my childhood dream has become true thanks to the opportunity that HRT has granted me to become an F1 driver. And even more so this year with all the drivers who are competing, with 6 world champions amongst them. Driving an F1 car will be the most incredible experience and I’m going to work hard to earn it. Thanks to HRT for offering me the chance to show what I’m capable of. And thanks to my family and everyone who has always supported me. This is only the beginning”. Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “We are working so that one of the team’s signs of identity is to serve as a platform to launch young drivers, both nationally and internationally. Ma Qing Hua is one those talents in which we believe and we want to help him in his career so that he can make it to Formula 1. We like his conditions and we want to take part in his formation by incorporating him to the team’s Driver Development Programme so that he can participate in races and private tests, with the objective of him being able to take part in the Formula 1 tests reserved to young drivers. Due to my responsibility in the Circuit de Catalunya young driver programme, I’ve been able to follow his progress and personally assisted some tests he did. I knew he had potential, but I was surprised with his speed, safety, adaptation capacity, attitude and professionalism. All these virtues make us believe that his incorporation to the programme will be very positive and will lead to a fruitful and lasting relationship”. Profile Date of Birth: 25th of December 1987 Ma Qing Hua started racing at the tender age of 8 and won the youth National Karting Championship when he was 12 years old. He continued to race and achieve successful results in karting until 2004, when he entered the Asian Formula Renault Series and won the championship. In 2005 he represented Team China in A1 Grand Prix. From here he would move on to Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, before competing in Formula 3 Spain and Formula 3 Spain “Copa de España”, managing two podiums this season. One year later, the Chinese driver took part in various events of the British Formula 3 International Series. In 2010 he represented Team China for two races in Superleague Formula before moving onto the Chinese Touring Car Championship in 2011 where he came away with the title after four wins and four podiums in the eight-race season. Career Summary: 2011: Chinese Touring Car Championship: 1st in the Championship (4 wins and 4 podiums) |
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Dani Clos joins HRT F1 Team as its new test driver for 2012Comments Off HRT F1 Team has reached an agreement with Dani Clos by which the young 23-year-old driver from Barcelona will become test driver of the Spanish outfit for the 2012 season.
The incorporation of Clos is another step in the team’s aspirations of establishing itself as a platform for young talents to reach the pinnacle of world motorsport.
Dani Clos will form an integral part of the team, taking part in several free practice sessions on Fridays and travelling to every Grand Prix throughout the season, with the main objective of learning and getting to know the team. There is a lot of hard work ahead of him but Dani will have the whole team’s support, including that of his teammates Narain Karthikeyan and Pedro de la Rosa, to help him learn and progress in such a demanding environment.
Dani Clos experienced his first contact with the team this past November, during the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi, and made the most of the opportunity given to him. The good sensations that the team and driver had, along with the objective of strengthening HRT F1 Team, helped to reach a quick agreement that was desired by both parties.
The Spanish driver will start to exert his functions as the team’s test driver immediately and will be with the team for the third pre-season tests in Barcelona from the 1st to the 4th of March.
Dani Clos: “I’m very proud to be a part of HRT Formula 1 Team. It is a great step in my career, something that I have dreamt of all my life and, finally, my dream is starting to come true. I’m very impressed with the job the team is doing; they’re achieving fantastic things in a short space of time. The team has changed a lot since we met in the Abu Dhabi tests and I think it’s a great opportunity and an honor to form a part of this new team. What they’re achieving is very important for motorsport in our country and has a lot of potential. Also, being alongside Pedro de la Rosa is very important for me, since he and Karthikeyan can positively contribute to me becoming a better driver. I want to thank Saúl Ruíz de Marcos and Luis Pérez-Sala for the trust they’ve shown in me from the start and, above all, I would like to thank the people who have always been by my side, such as Leonardo Soldevila and my father. For me a new chapter is beginning, one where hard work and dedication are going to be my priorities; I’m going to give it my all so that this phase is as successful as it can possibly be for the team, my teammates and myself”.
Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal of HRT: “I’m very happy to have Dani on the team. He’s a quick, talented driver who, above all, is very willing to progress. The incorporation of Clos is another step in our project of restructuring HRT but also fits in with our desire to promote young motorsport talents. I’m sure that it will be a very positive experience for both parties”.
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Dani Clos – Profile
Date of Birth: 23rd of October 1988 Place of Birth: Barcelona (Spain) Nationality: Spanish Height: 1,77cm Weight: 68 kg Country and place of residence: Barcelona (Spain) Website: www.daniclos.com Twitter: @daniclos
Dani Clos was born in Barcelona on the 23rd of October 1988. With a renowned trajectory in karting, Clos made his debut in single-seater racing in 2004 in Formula Renault Italia 2.0, going on to win the Championship in 2006. A year later he joined Renault’s F1 programme and took part in the Formula Three Euroseries. In 2008 he entered Williams F1’s young drivers’ programme and finished in 2nd in the 24H Barcelona race. In 2009 he made his debut in the GP2 series, with a 3rd place finish in Portimao being his best result. In his second year in GP2 he achieved his first win in Turkey alongside various podium finishes. Last year, Dani Clos took one win and two podiums in what was his third season as a GP2 driver. Also in 2011, he took part in the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi with HRT F1 Team, completing total of 377.67km in one day and leaving a very good impression on the team.
Career Summary:
2011: GP2: Racing Engineering, 9thin the Championship F1: Young Driver Test with HRT F1 Team 2010: GP2: Racing Engineering, 4thin the Championship (1 race win) 2009: GP2: Racing Engineering, 21stin the Championship 2008: F3 Euroseries: Prema Powerteam: 14thin the Championship 2007: F3 Euroseries: Signature Plus: 13thin the Championship 2006: Formula Renault 2.0 Italia: Champion (8 race wins) Renault 2.0 Eurocup: 7th position 2005: Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0: 32ndin the Championship Italian Formula Renault Championship: 16th in the Championship |
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Force India reserve Bianchi to race Formula RenaultComments Off Jules Bianchi will split his time between the F1 and Formula Renault paddocks in 2012. Like Hulkenberg last year, Frenchman Bianchi will practice on numerous Friday mornings in 2012. He will also race in the Formula Renault 3.5 series, it emerged on Thursday. Bianchi, also under contract to Ferrari as a development driver and managed by Felipe Massa’s manager Nicolas Todt, will drive for the Tech 1 team. “This is a very important season for my career and, as a young driver, it is vital to have the opportunity to race in a competitive series such as this,” he said. “I want to thank Ferrari and Force India for having given permission to grasp this opportunity.” |
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Ricciardo confirms Silverstone F1 debutComments Off Before HRT could release an official statement, Daniel Ricciardo confirmed reports he will be making his formula one race debut next Sunday. It is now widely reported that the Australian, who turns 22 on Friday, will replace Spanish team Hispania’s Indian regular Narain Karthikeyan from Silverstone. “It’s pretty, pretty exciting,” he told the Herald Sun newspaper at Heathrow airport, where he was departing for Budapest for his next Formula Renault 3.5 race. “It’s awesome, just awesome,” added Ricciardo, the Red Bull-backed youngster who in 2011 has been the Friday driver at the energy drink company’s junior Toro Rosso team. The Herald Sun said Ricciardo is being loaned by Red Bull to HRT. “To make the first one at Silverstone, it’s great,” Ricciardo said. “It’s a circuit I know well and it’s just up the road from my second home in Britain.” |
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Virgin confirms new reserve driver WickensComments Off Despite playing down the rumours mere days ago, Virgin boss John Booth on Friday confirmed Robert Wickens as the team’s new reserve driver. But Booth said two weeks ago: “Robert is concentrating on his Renault series.” However, Virgin Racing announced on Friday that he has signed on as a 2011 reserve driver alongside Japanese Sakon Yamamoto. “Toronto-born Robert will attend each of the remaining grands prix where there is no clash with the Formula Renault 3.5 series, with effect from next weekend’s Canadian grand prix”, said the team. “We are delighted to welcome him to Virgin Racing’s roster of reserve drivers,” said Booth. It has been reported Wickens is first in line should race driver Jerome d’Ambrosio’s sponsors continue to delay their payments. |
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Virgin to announce reserve role for WickensComments Off Robert Wickens is set to be confirmed as Virgin’s new reserve driver. But some unknown problems held up the deal, despite Wickens being strongly backed in the Formula Renault 3.5 series by Virgin’s Russian sponsor and shareholder Marussia. The Toronto newspaper Globe and Mail insists the hurdles have now been overcome and Wickens – who attended the recent Turkish grand prix with Virgin – will be unveiled this week as reserve driver in time for Barcelona. A Friday driving role is also on the cards, amid recent rumours it will be Wickens who takes over the race cockpit if Jerome d’Ambrosio’s sponsors do not pay up. |
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No driver moves at Toro Rosso nowComments Off Franz Tost has played down his recent comments about Daniel Ricciardo, but the hopeful Australian driver admits he is encouraged about the progress of his formula one career. But the Austrian told motorsport-magazin.com at the Red Bull Ring opening: “Regarding the other drivers (Buemi and Alguersuari), nothing is up for discussion at the moment, as they are both performing well.” Ricciardo, however, said he is encouraged by Tost’s admission that he will be in the race cockpit in 2012. “I was glad to hear that Franz made that statement,” he told another German website, motorsport-total.com. “Nothing is confirmed, but I am encouraged, of course,” added Ricciardo, who won the recent Monza race of the Formula Renault 3.5 series. “On the other hand, it is obvious that this is the plan for me. You don’t want to be doing the Friday practice for two or three years,” he said. |
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Race for Red Bull’s F1 seats hots upComments Off As Daniel Ricciardo admits there is a chance he could make his F1 debut in 2011, Sebastien Buemi insists he is not losing sleep. “Compared to my teammate I’ve never done badly,” Swiss Buemi, referring to Jaime Alguersuari, is quoted as saying by the British newspaper The Sun. The pair have both been told to up their game in order to keep their seats at Toro Rosso this year, but rumours suggest it is 22-year-old Buemi who is first in the firing line. Australian Ricciardo now appears in the Ferrari-powered STR6 each Friday morning at grands prix, with Buemi well aware of his presence. “Red Bull gives young drivers a chance to get into F1, so you always know that besides you there are other guys that try to show their abilities and aim to drive for the team. “If you give up, it’s over for you,” said Buemi. Ricciardo, 21, was asked by motorline.cc about the rumours a race seat could open up before the end of this season. “That would be great,” he admitted, “but my focus is on the Formula Renault 3.5, and for the rest we will see. “I want a fixed place in formula one in 2012,” the Australian clarified. Another young Red Bull-backed charger close to his F1 debut is Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, who denied the next step for him after 2011 is a season in GP2. “Definitely not,” he insisted. “I want to do a good job in Formula Renault 3.5 this year and have an F1 cockpit for 2012. At the moment, for me, that’s the only goal.” Another way for Buemi and Alguersuari to look at the situation is that if Ricciardo does arrive at Toro Rosso in 2012, and Mark Webber moves on, they might be staring at the vacancy at Red Bull’s senior team. “From my point of view I know that if I do my maximum and get important results, then my value can increase and I can have a chance,” Buemi said. “I focus on this. The rest is just gossip.” |
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Ricciardo to drive Toro Rosso on Fridays in 2011Comments Off Daniel Ricciardo has been appointed Toro Rosso’s reserve and ‘Friday’ driver for the 2011 season. The 21-year-old will alternate between the cockpits of the Italian team’s regular drivers Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi in the initial practice session at grands prix next year. “I have to say thanks to Red Bull for this great opportunity,” said the Australian in a statement. Ricciardo is now the leading driver of Red Bull’s junior driver programme, and comfortably led the pace at the recent young driver test at the wheel of the title-winning RB6 in Abu Dhabi. “I am sure that having a hungry youngster on the books will keep our current driver pairing nice and sharp,” said Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost. Ricciardo will also contest the Formula Renault 3.5 championship in 2011. “My ultimate aim is to be a full time formula one driver and this new role has to be the best step toward achieving that ambition,” he said. |
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Marko: Ricciardo’s role for 2011 still unclearComments Off Daniel Ricciardo’s role for the 2011 season is not yet clear. The Australian, at the very top of Red Bull’s junior programme, has been the F1 reserve driver in 2010 and is scheduled to drive the title-winning RB6 in next week’s post-season tests. But after finishing this year’s Formula Renault 3.5 series in second place, the 21-year-old’s full time role for 2011 has not yet been announced. Red Bull’s secondary F1 team Toro Rosso has said it is retaining both Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari next year. GP2 might then be seen as the logical next step for Ricciardo. But Red Bull’s motor sport consultant Helmut Marko admitted to Auto Motor und Sport: “We still don’t know what we are going to do with him next year.” |
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Female DTM driver Stoddart wants F1 testComments Off Susie Stoddart has revealed she would like a formula one team to give her the opportunity of a proper track test. The 27-year-old Scottish driver, whose partner is the Williams co-owner Christian ‘Toto’ Wolff, currently races a Mercedes in the German touring car series DTM. “I dream about formula one,” Stoddart, no relation to the former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart, told the Austrian magazine SportWoche. “I would at least like my first test. That’s what I really want to do. But I don’t want it to just be a PR stunt. “I want to show them what I can do,” added Stoddart, who has also raced in Formula Renault and British F3. She is currently 12th in the 2010 DTM standings, ahead of former F1 drivers Ralf Schumacher, David Coulthard and Markus Winkelhock, with two races to go. |
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FIA reserves Sunday morning slot for Suzuka qualifyingComments Off
With drivers reporting undriveable conditions and the local radar predicting even heavier rain ahead, the FIA has reserved a 10am timeslot for Sunday morning qualifying at Suzuka.“I really don’t think there is going to be qualifying,” said Sebastien Buemi’s race engineer, just before Toro Rosso’s Swiss driver entered the circuit and spun during Saturday morning practice. Lotus’ Mike Gascoyne confirmed that the weather forecast for qualifying is for even worse conditions than in practice, where the McLaren and Ferrari drivers were eventually grounded due to rivers of water causing aquaplaning. “I cannot even drive on the straight,” complained Jaime Alguersuari. Gascoyne told the BBC: “If it’s like this, they’ll have to look at postponing qualifying until tomorrow morning.” Suzuka qualifying was run on Sunday morning in 2004 in order to avoid the typhoon Ma-on. David Coulthard is taking a special interest in the developing events at Suzuka, having been scheduled as Red Bull’s reserve driver for the Japanese weekend. The team’s usual reserve Daniel Ricciardo is in Europe for Formula Renault. “Would I cope with the rigours of a race?” Coulthard wrote in the Telegraph. “Well, I’m in semi race-trim now but physically it would be tough, I must admit.” |
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Massa to Sauber, Kubica to FerrariComments Off Rumours of driver movements within the top teams are yet again gaining traction. Recently, a Spanish television station reported that, notwithstanding the existence of new contracts, Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica could be set to swap seats for 2011. The Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell is now reporting a similar rumour, whereby Massa would leave Ferrari at the end of the season to make room for Pole Kubica. But the report said Brazilian Massa would be accommodated not by Renault but by Ferrari powered Sauber, where he drove as a rookie in 2002 and again in 2004-2005. “Of course I read all the rumours,” Kubica said in an interview with spox.com, “but in the end the only thing is winning. “We are all here because we want to win and you need the best car for that. Currently I’m at Renault and so I am focused on this team and on improving together. “In 2011 we want to fight for the world title. We’ll see what happens next,” the 25-year-old added. Kubica admitted that he would like to race for Ferrari one day. “In karting, Formula Renault and F3, I’ve always been with Italian teams and I even lived for more than a year near Monza. “Ferrari is a team unlike any other,” he acknowledged. “The emotion and the history is unique. I think every driver would like to drive for Ferrari.” |
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