Gone but not forgotten: Roland Ratzenberger
Apr. 30 (PVM) Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who died during qualifying for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola circuit on Saturday 30 April 1994. In 1994 Ratzenberger finally achieved his ambition of becoming a Formula One driver, signing a five-race deal with the new Simtek team run by Nick Wirth. [...]
China GP deal extension no simple matter
Apr.30 (GMM) The extension of China’s formula one contract beyond 2010 may not be as simple as was recently suggested by Bernie Ecclestone. The F1 chief executive had been asked in Shanghai about rumours that the race could now drop off the calendar, despite it being a crucial market for carmakers and sponsors. “The contract [...]
Red Bull not expecting F-duct for Spain
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 [...]
Legion d’honneur award for Schumacher
Apr.30 (GMM) On Thursday evening at Paris’ Hotel Matignon, Michael Schumacher accepted the Legion d’honneur prize from French prime minister Francois Fillon. Among the guests at the ceremony were the seven time world champion’s friend, former Ferrari boss and current FIA president Jean Todt, as well as ex-F1 driver Jean Alesi. “To find a relevant [...]
Donington to repair GP bid damage
Apr.30 (GMM) Donington Park is aiming to reopen the beleaguered circuit in August. The track is currently unusable, after renovations for the financially failed bid by former leaseholder Simon Gillett to host the British grand prix ceased. Owner Kevin Wheatcroft said on Thursday that plans to repair and restore Donington are being finalised, but insiders [...]
Hakkinen: Schumi struggling to adapt
Apr.30 (GMM) Michael Schumacher’s age and family could be counting against him as he struggles back to full speed in formula one. That is the assessment of Mika Hakkinen, who although the same age as Schumacher retired at the end of the 2001 season and returned only to race for a time in the German [...]
Silverstone coffers stretched by changes
Apr.30 (GMM) Silverstone has admitted to stretching its financial abilities “further than ever before” to pay for its circuit changes. The Northamptonshire venue’s new 760 metre ‘Arena’ section was launched on Thursday, and for the 2011 race the start-finish line and pit and paddock complex will be moved to the straight after Club corner. It [...]
Ferrari rejects illegal Marlboro branding claims
Apr.30 (GMM) Ferrari has rejected reports that it is running illegal subliminal advertising on the livery of its 2010 formula one car. A report in the British newspaper The Times this week said the UK government has been urged by health experts to investigate the ‘barcode’ branding on the F10 that resembles the cigarette packaging [...]
McLaren most reliable team so far this year
Apr.30 (GMM) Drivers’ and constructors’ championship leaders McLaren are also winning the race as F1′s most reliable team. The British outfit, whose Jenson Button leads the drivers’ table by 10 points over Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, completed every single lap with both MP4-25 cars at the initial Bahrain, Australian, Malaysian and Chinese grands prix. In second [...]
