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McLaren to join Red Bull teams at Abu Dhabi test(0) A third team has decided to join Red Bull in Abu Dhabi for the young drivers’ test. Due to the calendar congestion at the end of this season, and also to cut costs, most teams have opted to drop the Abu Dhabi option in favour of testing young drivers in July, at Silverstone. But Red Bull, and its second team Toro Rosso, are sticking with the original November plan, amid criticism July is too early to be assessing young drivers. McLaren is now following suit. “Our plan at McLaren at the moment is to test in Abu Dhabi,” said the British team’s sporting director Sam Michael, who said another factor against Silverstone is that teams are only half-way through their engine mileage allocations in July. “Engines is a significant factor,” the Australian explained. “If you want to test at the end of the year, you have so many part-mileage engines that all have a little bit of mileage on them so you can effectively do it for free, in terms of your race engines,” said Michael. “If you try and do that in the middle of the year, you can’t use your race engines so you have to prepare a special test engine.” |
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HRT: Free Practice sessions at the Spanish Grand Prix(0) Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona 10.00-11.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 1 14.00-15.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 2 The time has finally come and the highly anticipated Spanish Grand Prix finally got underway today with the first free practice sessions at the Circuit de Catalunya (4.655 km). The day started with Dani Clos lining up alongside Pedro de la Rosa, making it a historic moment for the team and Spanish motorsport as a whole. The Spanish duo were able to try out the aerodynamic upgrades and compare data until Clos’ car came to a halt as a result of an electrical issue towards the end of the session. The team worked hard at midday to solve the problem and get Narain Karthikeyan out on the track on time for the second session. It wasn’t to be but the team continued to fight against the clock and, in the end, the Indian driver was able to get on the track with half an hour to go in the session. But the car said enough was enough immediately and Karthikeyan wasn’t even able to finish two laps. On his behalf, de la Rosa completed a total of 26 laps comparing the two aerodynamic options with the two tyre options. “I’m happy to have got into the car for the first time today, albeit for a short first encounter. The feeling I had when I left the pits and saw the Spanish crowd, whilst driving for a Spanish team alongside Pedro, was unbelievable. It was my first time in the new car and I wasn’t 100% comfortable since the car is built for Narain, so I had to adapt. We were able to carry out some aerodynamic work and try out some different things on the car so I’m pleased to have completed my job for the team”. Pedro de la Rosa: “Today was the day to try out the aero package we’ve brought to Barcelona, so we completed various short stints to see how the car behaved with the changes. It was interesting because the car has effectively taken a step forwards, but we need an even bigger step, especially at such a tough circuit as this one where there are many quick turns and where you need to improve the balance of the car. There’s still plenty to do and a lot of data to analyze to have a better understanding of how to get the most out of these upgrades”. Narain Karthikeyan: “I’m disappointed to have not got any laps under my belt today; it’s certainly not how I was aiming to start my weekend in Barcelona. Tomorrow will be an uphill struggle as we’ve only got one hour in the morning to get the car ready for qualifying in the afternoon, so we’re really going to have to get our heads down and work hard. Hopefully we can make up for the time lost today and turn things around tomorrow”. Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “Today was a day of mixed feelings. On one hand it was very nice to see Dani make his debut but on the other hand we suffered a lot of electrical issues on Narain’s car. It’s a new chassis and there’s a lot of work to do with any new car so it’s not that strange for things to not work out first time round. It looks like the upgrades we’ve brought have worked well, which makes us optimistic for the future. Now we have to fix our immediate problems and work so that the weekend turns out the best way possible”. |
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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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Haug disagrees with Schumacher’s Pirelli blast(0) He does not agree with the seven time world champion, but Norbert Haug insists he can understand Michael Schumacher’s criticism of the current generation of Pirelli tyre. Mercedes driver Schumacher slammed F1′s official supplier after last Sunday’s Bahrain grand prix, saying the 2012 tyres degrade so quickly that they are not good enough for the pinnacle of motor racing. “We drive around like the safety car. It is not a satisfying situation,” he said. Schumacher’s boss Haug, however, does not fully agree, insisting Pirelli has contributed to a “very great competition” in 2012 featuring “very good races”. “Of course, for a driver, there is always a certain frustration when you think you could be going faster, but you are having to be careful,” Haug told German reporters including Sport1. “That’s just the nature of the racer,” he added. Haug said Schumacher’s comments also prove that Mercedes does not muzzle its drivers, who may freely express their personal opinions. |
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Ecclestone confirms Spanish hosts to alternate raceComments Off Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that Barcelona and Valencia will, from next year, alternate a single annual Spanish grand prix race date. Currently, the two venues have their own places on the formula one calendar. The Germany-style alternating scheme had been floated as a potential solution also for Spain, given the promoters’ financial struggles, and F1 chief executive Ecclestone’s need to free up calendar space for new races. “Under the circumstances, especially the current economic climate, the best solution we could find was that we alternate,” Ecclestone told the El Pais newspaper when asked about Spain’s two F1 hosts. He is unapologetic about the push – mainly at the expense of the sport’s European homeland – into new markets in the Far and Middle East. “We are a world championship, and that means we have to be all over the planet,” Ecclestone said. “We are not a European championship. “We should be grateful about how far we can go.” |
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Bianchi to begin Friday duties in ChinaComments Off Jules Bianchi will kick off his season of Friday practice duties this weekend in China. Despite remaining under contract to Ferrari’s development programme, the Frenchman was signed to be reserve driver at Force India this year. The team said 22-year-old Bianchi will practice during “a minimum of nine” Friday sessions this season. The first will be in Shanghai late this week, according to the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche. The report said Bianchi, who will also race in the Renault World Series in 2012, will take over Paul di Resta’s Mercedes-powered car in the initial free practice session beginning at 10am local on Friday in China. “I hope it (the role) will put me in a strong position to one day move into a race seat,” Bianchi said in January. |
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Abu Dhabi hopes F1 sticks with young driver test dateComments Off This year’s young drivers’ test could be called off. Currently, the event – giving inexperienced drivers the chance to drive current F1 cars amid the sport’s strict testing limits – is scheduled to take place as per usual in Abu Dhabi late this season. But with India taking place just one week before the Abu Dhabi grand prix, the test scheduled for the week after and then the races in the US and Brazil taking place next, there are fears some in F1 will have to work on five consecutive weekends. There have been reports the teams are therefore contemplating dropping Yas Marina and rescheduling the test for a new date at Silverstone. “Whether they have the tests here in Abu Dhabi is a decision the teams themselves would need to make,” Yas Marina circuit boss Richard Cregan told The National newspaper. “We have made provisions and blocked out the week after our race, but they have the freedom to change that. “We would obviously be disappointed if Abu Dhabi didn’t host the young drivers’ test because it has become a part of our season, but I can understand the teams’ concerns,” he added. “It’s a long season as it is and there are a lot of back-to-back races this year, so it’s tough for them.” Cregan said he anticipates a decision to be made mid-season. |
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Paddock abuzz with Concorde intrigueComments Off As ever in the high-intrigue world of formula one politics, what is not said always has more value that what is freedly revealed. Firstly, while some interpreted Saturday’s news as a 2013 Concorde Agreement being done and dusted, the F1 chief executive’s short statement in fact merely said “the terms” of the next contract have been agreed. And the major keyword was that “the majority” of the teams – including Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull – are on board. “Bernie’s used the word majority,” McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted by the Mirror. “If there are 12 teams, that’s seven or more. “I don’t know any more.” The big missing domino is Mercedes, who according to multiple media sources are holding out for now. Another is the famous British outfit Williams. “All agreements between FOM and the teams are normally subject to confidentiality clauses,” Red Bull’s Christian Horner is quoted in German reports. “So I can’t comment.” Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reported that, in addition to the aforementioned top teams, also set to sign up for 2013 are Red Bull sister team Toro Rosso and Ferrari-powered Sauber. Lotus and Force India are reportedly also part of that group. That leaves just the three slowest teams Caterham, Marussia and HRT as the other teams remaining in the cold. |
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Ferrari glass ‘half full’ but no improvement yetComments Off Fernando Alonso kept up a positive outlook on Sunday despite some Italian newspapers describing Ferrari’s situation as a “crisis”. “After the way qualifying went, ending up with ten points behind the top two teams is good news,” he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport. The sports daily Marca described the attitude as Alonso “seeing the glass half-full”. “For the Ferrari fans I say ‘wait a few races’,” former F1 driver Jarno Trulli told Italy’s Rai Uno television. “Alonso managed to do something good but Ferrari needs to react, immediately,” the Italian, who was Alonso’s Renault teammate in 2004, added. Team boss Stefano Domenicali, however, told Finnish MTV3 television that the F2012 will not be in better shape for ‘a few races’ at least. Alonso agreed that, with one week between Australia and Malaysia, “We will have almost exactly the same car” at the Sepang circuit this weekend. Added Domenicali: “We know what needs to be improved, but it can’t be done overnight.” Former F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari remarked that the improvement in Alonso’s pace between Saturday and Sunday was significant. “The opposite of Mercedes,” he told AS newspaper. “I think Alonso once again showed his quality, although clearly they have much work ahead. “A driver can only win with the best car, but what he can do is demonstrate his quality with a good or a bad car,” he added. It is on that final point that the pressure on Felipe Massa merely increased in Australia, as the Brazilian had a disastrously poor weekend from start to finish. “We need to get behind him now as it’s clear he’s under pressure,” Domenicali told Gazzetta dello Sport. “When people find themselves under pressure you have to find a way to relieve that pressure so they are free to express themselves in the way they can. “I’ve asked his engineers to work closely with him and analyse the data so they can offer their support,” he added. |
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No season opener for HRT, Marussia qualifiesComments Off Narain Karthikeyan was unequivocal as he walked through the paddock gates on Saturday. It had been a difficult winter and an even more difficult season opener so far for the struggling Spanish team. Saturday would be even worse, with Karthikeyan and his teammate Pedro de la Rosa indeed failing to get within 107 per cent of the fastest time in ‘Q1′. Often, the FIA allows drivers who fail to qualify to start the race anyway, but the new F112 has simply not merited a free-kick in Melbourne. “We did everything we could,” de la Rosa is quoted by EFE news agency. “In the end, we have so much room for improvement and it is true to say that we have to change many things, we know what they are, so all I can say is that we all have to be patient. “I said when I arrived in Australia that this is a test for us; this is our preseason. The downside is we are doing it in front of all the cameras. “It should be done already but it was not possible for us, so what we do now is work for Malaysia and the following races and focus on the areas that are important to make the car better.” A report in AS newspaper said the biggest problem with the F112 car is the hydraulic system, which cannot be repaired in time for next weekend’s Malaysian grand prix. “I am proud of this team — you cannot ask for more than 24 hours a day of work from people,” said de la Rosa. On the brighter side, fellow straggler Marussia did manage to qualify on merit in Australia. “We’ve all had a great lift but we have a long way to go and plenty of hard work to do to make the car quicker,” said Timo Glock. He told Auto Motor und Sport that it will some time. “Over the next few weeks we will do the little things first,” said the German. “Unfortunately we don’t have the capacity of someone like Red Bull so we would rather work a little longer on a big update.” |
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Twitter application directoryComments Off Twtter is the biggest all in one Twitter application directory. People here can subscribe to whole lots of apps and get benefits- of all the applications free of cost. Twitter is not just a place where you Tweet, it is more than that where people can share and help each other out. So, twtter has been making application that makes user ease their twitter. You can tweet via anything you like that are listed on the directory. Posting and Updating new status using cool applications like iPhone, iPad, Android, Twitter, Google and more. You do not need to have the device or applications on your own, you just need to allow your Twitter to access and you will be ready to go. Just type any status you want to post via and press the Tweet button, and you see the tweet updated on Twitter time line. |
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The goal of Way WipersComments Off
Regardless of what are the workshop you work, in case you have bird feeders that supply right into a slicing equipment of some type, you’ll realize that during the period of time, these bird feeders can accumulate a fair volume of airborne debris as well as other excess waste elements, based on exactly what the slicing equipment is slicing. To keep go ways free from particles, Way Wipers were made. What these devices do is simply work as an automatic better to get rid of the debris and dust from slicing devices go ways, that allows for additional effortless much less tricky operation. When the go ways were permitted to gather dirt, debris and dust, this could not only hamper the smooth function of the slicing devices, but it might damage the devices by subjecting the slicing equipment and details of such slicing devices to a excess volume of particles, dirt and unsafe airborne debris. In the event you own or chance a workshop, and you’re simply not at present employing Machine Way Wipers, you may want to take into account finding this device to be used with your workshop. This will not only come up with a better atmosphere for the slicing devices to become more effective, it’ll lessen the opportunity of devices extracting and achieving inoperable because of excess particles around the go ways of these slicing devices. Additionally it is important to recognize that as the simple design of Way Wipers is primarily the same, a synthetic rubber floor which has a metal experiencing which the rubber floor is connected, considerably much like an automobile windshield windsheild wiper, don’t assume all Way Wipers are manufactured equally. The synthetic rubber metal experiencing design is a normal way windsheild wiper. However the metal could be custom made-generated for diverse conditions like a brass or stainless steel metal experiencing, rather than the vulcanized metal the way wipers usually will come normal with. It doesn’t matter what kind of slicing equipment you happen to be operating, be it a running equipment, a lathe, a exploration equipment or any other kind of metal slicing equipment, way wipers will be indispensable on the successful and successful using people devices. Should your shop isn’t at the moment with these, you should consider making them a regular product with your slicing devices procedures. |
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Whitmarsh sure nose concept not McLaren mistakeComments Off Martin Whitmarsh has played down fears McLaren has made a crucial mistake by overlooking the ‘step nose’ trend that will dominate the 2012 grid. Every other team has decided that the best solution to the new rules forcing a lower nose is to plough ahead with having as high a chassis as possible, in order to maximise the flow of air underneath the car. “I’ve asked our technical guys if they are sure that we have done the right thing and they have told me not to worry,” team boss Whitmarsh is quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. He admitted there is an obvious aerodynamic benefit to the ‘step nose’ solution. “But we have a lower centre of gravity, more freedom in the suspension geometry, and a more comfortable seating position and a better view for the driver,” added Whitmarsh. The main reason for McLaren’s decision is that, having already gone a different route to Red Bull at the front of the car last year, a ‘step’ nose would have required a wholesale design philosophy change. “This car is an evolution,” confirmed Whitmarsh. “In terms of radical innovations that are visibly obvious, I’ll have to disappoint — these rules just don’t leave that sort of room any more.” |
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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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