Red Bull’s two teams look set to test alone in Abu Dhabi later this season.

Until recently, the now-traditional young drivers’ test – giving inexperienced drivers the chance to drive current F1 cars amid the sport’s strict testing limits – was scheduled to take place as per usual at the Yas Marina circuit in November.

But those plans were reconsidered due to this year’s congested calendar.

India takes place just one week before Abu Dhabi, the young driver test is scheduled for the week after and then the races in the US and Brazil happening back-to-back next.

In the light of that arduous schedule, Reports in March said the teams were keener on having the young driver test at Silverstone.

“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 (the teams),” Abu Dhabi circuit boss Richard Cregan conceded.

The German-language Speed Week reports in its May 2 edition that the majority of teams want to test instead at Silverstone, in July.

But the magazine said Red Bull’s two teams – Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso – are sticking with the original Abu Dhabi plan.

The report also said other teams might cancel Silverstone at the last minute and join Red Bull in Abu Dhabi, should weather reports indicate the British weather would likely affect the July test.

 Christian Horner has admitted Red Bull is keeping its cards close to its chest ahead of the 2012 season.
Under the glare of the F1 world’s eyes, the title-defending RB8 has been in action for four days at Jerez recently.

But when the Adrian Newey-penned car was officially launched, the team refused to host a traditional unveiling ceremony, instead releasing a short animated video.

“We didn’t want it photographed at the first opportunity from every side by our competition,” admitted team boss Horner to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

Amid Red Bull’s meteoric recent success, rival teams have copied the blown diffuser and flexible wing concepts, and this year’s ‘step’ noses are all the result of yet another Newey design philosophy beneath the chassis.

“At last year’s launch at Valencia there were 100 photographers all doing their shots from the roof of the pits,” Briton Horner exclaimed.

“In no time at all, everyone knew every dimension of our car.”

So, in 2012, some mysteries about the RB8 continue to exist — one is the real or secondary function of the letterbox-style nose slot, and another is an unlaunched development of the exhaust layout.

“Last year we had to have the blown diffuser out early,” explained Horner, “because we had to find out how the exhaust gases affected the tyres.

“This time, the secret is in the detail, and you don’t want to give your competition too much of a helping hand,” he smiled.

When Adrian Newey said a mysterious ‘letterbox slot’-shaped air inlet in the stepped nose of his new RB8 car is for driver cooling, a wave of speculation eased.
But not everyone inside the F1 paddock was entirely happy with that answer.

When the 2012 Red Bull was launched recently, it was apparent the ‘step’ nose design differed from its rivals in the form of a sizeable inlet where the monocoque meets the new mandatory lower nose height.

Some surmised it must be for KERS cooling, or perhaps even an F-duct style channel through to the diffuser.

Amid suggestions Mercedes has come up with an F-duct style channel in its 2012 front wing, Red Bull designer Newey explained that the nose slot is in fact simply to cool the drivers.

“Traditionally the driver cooling slot is at the front of the nose,” explained Newey, “but really for styling as much as anything we moved it to where you now see it to break up the aesthetics of the ramp.”

There are, however, doubts about that explanation, particularly with close-up images showing that the main inlet is actually divided into two channels at the middle.

Indeed, the Telegraph last week quoted Newey as having said the slot is “primarily” for cooling, which suggests that it might have another use.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, “the competition is suspicious”, having already been outsmarted by Newey in past years in the area of flexing wings and blown diffusers.

When asked about Newey’s driver-cooling explanation for the big letterbox slot-style inlet, an unnamed rival engineer smiled: “Then the drivers are going to get their feet wet when it rains.”

Asked last week about the ‘cooling inlet’ amid Jerez’s cold temperatures, Mark Webber reportedly grinned to Autosprint: “The toes are a bit too cold now actually.”

 Adrian Newey has cleared up the mystery about the ‘letterbox’ opening in the nose of the newly-launched 2012 Red Bull car.
The F1 world noticed that Newey’s ‘step nose’ differs from its rivals in the form of an air inlet where the monocoque height meets the new lower nose height.

Some surmised it must be for KERS or engine cooling, or perhaps even an F-duct style channel through to the diffuser.

Designer Newey, however, said it is to just cool the drivers.

“The toes are a bit too cold now actually,” grinned Mark Webber to Italy’s Autosprint.

“Traditionally the driver cooling slot is at the front of the nose,” explained Newey, “but really for styling as much as anything we moved it to where you now see it to break up the aesthetics of the ramp.”

Newey also took the opportunity to reject speculation he might contemplate a switch to Ferrari in the near future.

“To now leave for another team would kind of feel a little like walking out on your children in a way,” said the Briton.

Every time Sebastian Vettel wins in 2011, he adds another smile to his collection.
Germany’s Bild newspaper reports that there are seven small ‘smiley’ stickers aligned in a row inside the cockpit of the runaway championship leader’s Red Bull.

One was added to ‘Luscious Liz’ after each of his seven 2011 victories so far in Australia, Malaysia, Turkey, Barcelona, Monaco, Valencia and Spa two weeks ago.

The 24-year-old confirmed at Monza: “(Adding) the faces was my idea. It’s an old tradition.”

He is referring to 2004, when a large yellow smiley sticker was added to the exterior livery of his formula BMW car after every win.

“By the end of the year the nose was almost completely covered in them,” laughed Vettel, who as a seventeen year old won 18 of the 20 races.

As F1 tries to improve itself with better promotion, more overtaking and a glitzier ‘show’, Mark Webber has rued one element missing from today’s era.

The Australian admitted that he would like drivers to be allowed to hold and wave a national flag from their cockpits after winning a race.

“That was beautiful,” said Webber, referring to the practice that was banned some years ago on safety grounds as well as in deference to the sport’s now strict post-race procedures.

But he argues: “It was always a great moment to watch Ayrton Senna with the Brazilian flag and Nigel Mansell with the Union Jack. It was a good message for the sport and the fans — and it looked great and showed passion.

“Now the winning procedure is to take off the helmet, hurry on to the podium, hurry off the podium – boom, boom, boom – and then we go home,” the Red Bull driver told F1′s official website.

This year’s Team Lotus car is called T128, not TL11 as was previously announced.
“Why the change of name?” wrote team boss Tony Fernandes on Twitter. “Because we are continuing with history. We are a new dynasty but tradition contiunes.”

Last year, the team – then called Lotus Racing under official license from the Proton-owned carmaker Group Lotus – raced its 2010 car with the T127 designation.

T127 was the continuation of the original Lotus team’s traditional vehicle designation system, and it was thought that the reversion to TL11 for this year was to avoid yet another clash with Group Lotus amid the naming dispute.

Indicating that the designation of the 2011 car was an issue right until the T128′s reveal very early on Monday morning, the launch magazine made no mention of the two variations.

Mark Webber has admitted he was happy to settle for second place at Suzuka last weekend.

Already leading the world championship before Japan, the Australian finished the race one second behind his teammate, the pole sitter and winner Sebastian Vettel.

“Sebastian drove well and deserved to win,” Webber is quoted by Italy’s Autosprint magazine.

“I knew before the start that it would be difficult to win with him in pole position.

“I have no regrets about not trying to overtake him.  I could have (tried), but I thought about the championship.  And then overtaking at Suzuka is not easy.

“At this point you cannot make mistakes,” he continued.  “The points for second place are very important and it wasn’t worth the risk.

“The most important thing is that I have increased my advantage to the ones behind,” he added.

But even though Vettel, 14 points behind Webber, is equal on points with the charging Fernando Alonso, team boss Christian Horner insists there will be no favouritism through to next month’s Abu Dhabi finale.

“It’s not correct – as we’ve always said – for us to favour one driver over the other,” said the Briton this week.

It is clear, however, that there is still some needle in the Red Bull garage, with Webber fleeing Suzuka for a helicopter to Tokyo before the team’s traditional victory photograph.

He also beat Vettel’s fastest race lap on the final tour of the race; a “mind game” that must have caused “great angst” for their bosses, according to BBC commentator Martin Brundle.

And Vettel admits he was relieved when he saw Renault’s Robert Kubica, not Webber, behind him at the start of the Japanese race.

“Nothing against Mark or the team, but it would have made my life easier,” said the German, regretting that Kubica’s wheel soon fell off.

“That (Kubica’s retirement) was of course good for the team, but for the championship I would not have objected if he would have stayed in second.”

Fourth at the Sachsenring, third at Laguna Seca, guess the next “step” of Valentino Rossi ‘s return to the track post-injury Mugello. This weekend in Brno, where he won his first GP in 1996 and later in six other occasions (most recently last year), Smith will seek the best possible result with a physical fitness almost fully recovered.

“It ‘was a lovely holiday that has helped me work on my fitness, “says Rossi. “The leg is better and so is the shoulder, so I hope that this week I’m better and I can go faster than the last few races.

For me, Brno is a great track and special, here I won my first race and last year I managed to win. Certainly not be easy because they are not yet at full fitness, but the good news is that I can not wait to get back in motion!

The end of 2010 is still missing half a season: our goal is very simple, try to do well in next 9 races.

Known as the announcement will likely Monday divorce between Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha with consequent passage Ducati as tradition, Brno is a special place to the 9 times champion.

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.”

The Grand Prix of Canada is traditionally a race where there is a number of incidents. This year’s edition after a year break made no exception dar. a rare circumstance but then it was reported: There was no safety car phase. Otherwise, the fans were many – see, fortunately harmless incidents – and especially a lot of tire problems, which determined the race significantly.

In the end, as in Turkey two weeks ago, Lewis Hamilton in the lead – ahead of McLaren-Mercedes team-mate Jenson Button. After China and Turkey, the team was happy about the third double victory of the season and twice the championship lead.

Fernando Alonso on the podium there as a third party also succeeded in the Ferrari. There were points behind Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull, who had again to struggle with technical problems. Mark Webber came in fifth place.
Nico Rosberg was sixth at the Mercedes in front of Robert Kubica in a Renault, Sebastien Buemi in the Toro Rosso, Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India driver Adrian Sutil and team-mate.

At the start of the race was able to retain their top positions, while the back of the box were some collisions. Vitantonio Liuzzi in his Force India collided with Felipe Massa in a Ferrari. Even Pedro de la Rosa was in Sauber in a collision with Vitaly Petrov involved in the Renault and had in the pits to pick up a new front wing, as well as Massa. Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes was “only” 13 to the Rank returned.

De la Rosa’s team-mate Kamui Kobayashi crashed his Sauber into the “Wall of Champions” after one to overtake Nico Hulkenberg failed in the first chicane and he jumped over the curbs. The Japanese were forced to leave the car a short time later.

The order after the first three laps before Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Mark Webber, Robert Kubica, Adrian Sutil, Michael Schumacher, Nico Hulkenberg, Jaime Alguersuari and Sébastien Buemi in eleventh place. Nico Rosberg 13, Timo Glock 19th and Felipe Massa 23rd

In the fifth round, Webber was able to pass on button. In the sixth round Rosberg and Trulli were already on the pit stop. A lap later followed Button, Sutil and Hülkenberg – while Vettel was in front much faster than Hamilton and attacks launched. Now the soft tires began to significantly sacrificing performance.

In the seventh round of Hamilton and Alonso entered the pits – so that the two Red Bull took the lead. It started off a bit earlier and Alonso came alongside Hamilton in the pit lane, who was taken off later. That should look at the race closely, because who goes first in the pit lane has right of way actually.

Nico Hulkenberg experienced a setback in the eighth round, when he started up under braking for the hairpin curve on a front man and in so doing damaged the front wing. In the tenth round Kubica came into the pits, which, however, was already on the hard tires. The Pole had to bring up again the hard tires. The race management reported in the eleventh round of a drive-through for Vitaly Petrov. The Renault driver had made an early start.

The order after eleven laps before Vettel Webber, Schumacher, Buemi, Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Kubica, Sutil and Kovalainen in tenth place. Hülkenberg twelfth, thirteenth Rosberg, Glock ranked 16th and Massa on 22 Rank. Meanwhile, Barrichello tried the box on an unscheduled stop, and was the last to return to the track.

In the 13th Schumacher came round to the pits. The Mercedes driver was at eye level with Kubica back on the track. No one had the other go first, so the following two at the chicane drove through the grass. In the 14th Webber came round to the stop, one lap later, Vettel. Unlike Webber Vettel put on the soft tires! Meanwhile, Schumacher came into the pits again – unscheduled. May have been damaged during the battle with Kubica a tire.

The order for 25 of 70 laps: Hamilton 0.7 seconds ahead of Alonso, 2.5 ahead of Button, Vettel 3.5 before, 5.7 ahead of Webber, 16.6 before Kubica, Sutil 17.3 before, 18.0 before Buemi, 20.1 before Rosberg, Schumacher before 34.9. Hülkenberg with +48.3 seconds to rank twelve. Massa 18th Glock and 20th

In the 27th Hamilton and Kubica came round to the second stop, one lap later followed by Vettel and Button. Sutil was forced to a slow lap to the pits to come – the right rear tire had burst. In the 28th Round the stewards announced a drive-through penalty against Nico Hulkenberg – the Williams driver had been in the pit lane too fast. In the 29th Circulation also contributed Alonso into the pits.

In the 32th Round had to leave Pedro de la Rosa’s Sauber with a technical defect end of the start-finish straight. In the 34th Schumacher came round to his third stop and picked up the soft set of tires.
At the halfway point of the race shaped the distances as follows: Webber 11.6 seconds ahead of Hamilton, 13.1 ahead of Alonso, 15.6 ahead of Button, 16.4 ahead of Vettel, Kubica before 32.7, 36.4 before Rosberg, 40 , 1 before Buemi, 54.5 before Alguersuari, 62.3 before Schumacher. 66.6 before Hülkenberg in eleventh place, followed by Sutil (+68.9 seconds). Glock 21st (+2 Laps).

At the head of Webber began from the 39th to get round problems with the tires – in some cases he drove over a second slower than the second placed Hamilton. Vettel, meanwhile, turned in fifth place lying on the provisional fastest lap. In subsequent rounds the times Webber could stabilize somewhat. In the 48th Round Vettel radioed to the pits, “How am I to pass, when I slow down?”. What he radioed his team: “We are trying to solve a problem.” Even the Heppenheim had extremely fluctuating lap times.

In the 49th Webber his lead lap was going on and had Hamilton in the neck, while Vettel in this round, only one could drive 1:21.2 – one second faster than his teammate. A lap later, Webber was due – Hamilton, at the conclusion of the start-finish straight past the Australian. Webber came at the end of the round to the pits to switch on the soft tires. Timo Glock had his car in the 55th Round park in the pits.

The distances to the 55th Lap: Hamilton by 2.4 seconds ahead of Alonso, 3.6 ahead of Button, 8.4 ahead of Vettel, 19.7 ahead of Webber, Kubica before 47.1, 54.3 before Rosberg, one lap before Schumacher, Buemi, and Hulkenberg Massa and Sutil on the 12th Rank. In the 56th Alonso lost round one position and thus rank second to Button. While lapping him Chandhok stood in the way, which the Spaniards lost momentum.

In the 61 Lap Schumacher grabbed Buemi and thus came to the eighth rank forward. In the 64th Round Massa tried to get past Schumacher, the Ferrari driver while touching the rear of the Germans, so the front wing was damaged. Massa fell through the pit stop at 15 Square back. The race will investigate the incident after the race.

The order of four laps to go Hamilton ahead of Button, Alonso, Vettel, Webber, Rosberg, Kubica, Buemi, Schumacher, Liuzzi and tenth on the field. Eleventh Sutil, Hülkenberg 13th, 15th Massa In the last round, it still managed the two Force India drivers to get past Schumacher.

(Totalmotorsports)

Ferrari driver, Fernando Alonso welcomes the extension of the contract of Felipe Massa and comments on the development work in Maranello

Since Wednesday is clear: Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will take over the next two seasons with Ferrari at the wheel. The tradition of Maranello team extended the contract of Massa by a further two years until 2012, making the contracts, the regular drivers now have the same maturity. Alonso welcomes this decision and is happy for Massa.

“I am very satisfied,” Alonso is quoted by ‘Ticionline’. “The same group is still working so for two more years together. Stability is very important to the success of a team. I am very familiar with Felipe. We have much respect for each other and create a good harmony. And such a one also needs if one is long journey together. ”
It is also important that the development during the season, not stagnant. In relation to Ferrari, however, could be no question of such a scenario, said the Spanish driver. “It is not true that the development has stalled. The distance to Red Bull is still a few tenths. We have improved, but even they have become faster.”
“The truth is, however, that we have not made progress in Barcelona, as we had planned. The others, however good progress come,” Alonso is before the Canadian Grand Prix on record. As team boss Stefano Domenicali admits that Ferrari could have burned “specially modified in view of the new F-shaft technology something.

Alonso would not miss this development: “It was a good thing to address this matter,” says the 28-year-old. “We were so far not yet in a position to exploit the full effectiveness of this system. Other teams also seem to have trouble with it. Who the F-shaft had been from the beginning, however, retains its advantage.”

(TotalMotorsports)

As the F1 calendar looks set to expand, the sport should consider culling Friday’s 180 hours of free practice.

That is the belief of Williams’ chief executive Adam Parr, who revealed he has proposed to have the traditional race weekend format condensed to just Saturday and Sunday.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone visited the media centre at Istanbul Park on Friday, and smiled broadly when a reporter said he had heard rumours about 24-race calendars in the near future.

But according to Germany’s Motorsport-Magazin.com, the 79-year-old Briton wants F1′s three-day weekend to remain in place.

Parr, however, questions the entertainment value of the current Friday format, and is quoted by The Press Association as suggesting that cutting out Fridays will mean less equipment for the teams to transport.

“I can see the calendar going to 24 over the next two to three years, and I’m not sure whether logistically, with these longer weekends, it will be easy to do,” he said.

Parr said he raised the issue recently in Barcelona, and teams including Ferrari, McLaren and Renault did not baulk at the idea.

(GMM)

F1′s now-traditional end of season test for young drivers could be held in Abu Dhabi.

Last December, Jerez hosted the three days of winter testing set aside in the regulations for ‘young driver training’.

But Italy’s Italiaracing reports that for 2010, the test could take place in the days after Abu Dhabi hosts the season finale on Yas Island in mid November.

With all the cars and equipment already in place, the move would be a significant cost-saving.
(GMM)

At the end of the traditional ‘rest day’ in Monaco, formula one drivers on Friday are limbering up for a night on the catwalk.

They are heading to the exclusive and highly expensive VIP ‘Amber Lounge’ event, hosted by former grand prix winner Eddie Irvine’s sister Sonia.

It is a fashion show, with drivers donating their time to model designer Missoni, Elizabeth Hurley Beach and Jimmy Choo fashion to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

On Friday night, world champions Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Mika Hakkinen will all be on the poolside catwalk, in addition to Nico Rosberg, Adrian Sutil, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Lucas di Grassi, Jaime Alguersuari, Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock.

(GMM)