A warm and sunny day has greeted the formula one world ahead of the 2010 Monaco grand prix.

There is just a smattering of white cloud in the sky, and still the odd local forecast predicting a slight possibility of afternoon rain.

Causing more nervousness than the Monte Carlo forecasts, however, are reports that say the Icelandic volcano ash cloud is “rapidly encroaching” British airspace.

Airports in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man have already closed, and officials are warning that flights into England and other parts of Europe are also set to be disrupted in the coming days.
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With the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano still spewing ash into European flight paths, the smart move after the Spanish grand prix is a road trip.

But some members of the F1 world are determined to find a flight — particularly engineers who want to return to base before re-congregating in Monaco for this weekend’s event.

But on Monday morning, news of more cancelled flights from Spanish airports resurfaced, so Force India sent the bulk of its race team to Nice via train.

HRT’s Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok were scheduled to fly to the Mediterranean city, but instead hired an unglamorous Renault road car for the 650km journey.

In the small hours of Monday morning, they arrived at Senna’s Monaco apartment.

Heikki Kovalainen also drove to Monaco with his girlfriend.
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With rival Lotus hoping for a more than one second improvement in Barcelona, Virgin’s Timo Glock believes his similarly heavily-revised VR-01 car will be faster by about seven tenths per lap this weekend.

Due to the volcano-induced travel chaos three weeks ago, his teammate Lucas di Grassi’s car does not feature the major package upgrade in Spain.

Glock’s car has a longer wheelbase, a bigger fuel tank, a fuel system that allows the car to run light on fuel in qualifying, a new front wing, floor and bargeboards.

“The fuel tank is the main one,” the German told Auto Motor und Sport.  “If it works, it gives us five or six tenths alone.”

Glock added that the rest of the package will add a further one or two tenths.

“Our goal is to beat Lotus,” he confirmed.

May 6 (GMM)  The famous and unpronounceable Icelandic volcano could be set to once again disturb the travel plans of the formula one world.

European airports ground to a halt due to the dangerous ash cloud nearly three weeks ago, stranding the sport’s travelling circus in China.

On Wednesday and early on Thursday, it emerged that the ash is threatening to once again drift over the north of Europe, and multiple British airports have already had flights cancelled.

When contacted, the European air traffic agency Eurocontrol admitted that hundreds of other flights across Europe could also be affected.

The Civil Aviation Authority said main airports serving London have not yet been disrupted, but the Icelandic Met Office warns that the volcanic eruptions “will continue at full force in the next days”.

However, the situation is now far less severe for F1, in the wake of the initial ‘flyaway’ segment of the 2010 calendar.

The bulk of the equipment is transported by the teams to European venues by road, even if many of the personnel travel by plane for convenience.

May 3 (GMM)  Virgin on Monday confirmed reports that the Icelandic volcano spoiled the new team’s preparations for the Spanish grand prix.

We reported two weeks ago that because team personnel were stranded in Shanghai, the teams plans to debut two heavily modified cars in Barcelona this weekend might be affected.

With FIA clearance, Virgin has been busily designing a new chassis to accommodate a fuel tank big enough to take its cars to the end of races.

Because the sport’s freight was held up for several days in China, the new British team only had a single VR-01 monocoque to work on at its UK factory.

In a statement on Monday, Virgin said it would have needed the “three full weeks of manufacture, homologation and race preparation” to get two modified cars up and running for both Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi in Spain.

“As a consequence, Virgin Racing will debut only one revised chassis in the Spanish grand prix this weekend, which Timo Glock will put through its paces,” read the statement.

Glock commented: “I have done some work in the simulator in preparation for this race and we have a good idea of what to expect from the modified chassis, so I’m looking forward to seeing how we shape up when we hit the track in Barcelona this week.”

Technical director Nick Wirth admitted that running the two fundamentally different specifications of cars in Spain “will certainly challenge the team”.

Apr.30 (GMM)  Red Bull will not have an F-duct on its 2010 car at next weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

While admitting the Milton Keynes-based team is working on the McLaren-pioneered downforce-stalling innovation, driver Mark Webber told the BBC that it is still in development.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said before leaving China amid the volcano-induced traffic chaos that the RB6 could be equipped with a F-duct in Barcelona “providing we make it back to Europe” quickly.

Ultimately, the ash cloud subsided and teams have not been overly delayed in preparation for the first European race of 2010.

But Australian Webber said on Friday: “As soon as possible would be nice, but it’s not going to be Barcelona, that’s for sure.

“We don’t know when we’re going to have it, but we are looking at something, as I’m sure all teams are,” he added.

Apr.22 (GMM)  Christian Horner on Thursday said delays caused by the Icelandic volcano will not disturb preparations for next month’s Spanish grand prix.

With the sport’s freight – and all the cars – stranded in China while FOM’s 747s were grounded in Europe, it was feared that teams’ car developments would not be ready for the next race in Barcelona.

Red Bull boss Horner said before departing Shanghai with his travelling companion Mark Webber that an F-duct should be on the RB6 in Spain “providing we make it back to Europe” soon.

McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh was also worried about the delay, explaining that if it (the delay) is a week or so … it will become an issue”.

We reported earlier on Thursday that the FOM freight has landed in Bilbao, and Horner confirmed that the team’s trucks are due to arrive in Milton-Keynes “today”.

“Thankfully, the way the calendar is with the extra week between the Chinese and Spanish grands prix, it (the delay) has a very limited impact,” said the Briton.

Horner also said the bulk of the race team is also due back in the UK on Thursday afternoon.

Apr.22 (GMM)  Despite earlier fears that the race was endangered, the Spanish grand prix next month will not be affected by the European ash cloud.

As all the sport’s freight – including the cars – were stranded in Shanghai with FOM’s six 747s unable to leave Europe, it was feared earlier this week that the fifth round of the world championship might have to be called off.

But although many F1 figures have in recent days been zig-zagging back to Europe via a host of bizarre routes, European airports and routines were returning to normal throughout Wednesday as the ash cloud subsided — even though the volcano in Iceland is still erupting.

Air China said flights to Europe are now departing.

“Eurocontrol expects approximately 21,000 flights to take place today (Wednesday) in European airspace.  On a normal Wednesday, we would expect 28,000,” the air control organisation said in a statement.

Circuit de Catalunya chief Ramon Prederas said on Thursday that “everything is in place” for the May 5 Spanish grand prix.

“We are ready and working with absolute normality.  The cloud of the volcano did not affect us,” he is quoted as saying by Diario Sport, revealing that ticket sales are currently 10 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

It is also believed that F1′s freight landed successfully in Bilbao, Spain, where the team’s empty trucks were headed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, contrary to earlier reports, Bernie Ecclestone did in fact give Sebastian Vettel – as well as Michael Schumacher – a seat on his private plane for a return trip to the UK.

Lotus’ AirAsia charter has now arrived in Europe from Kuala Lumpur, and Nico Hulkenberg touched down in Zurich ahead of his return home to the UK.