Ferrari and Toyota completed their second three-day stint of testing yesterday – but this time although Ferrari remained extremely quick they also ran into reliability problems. But Toyota looked quicker over the second three days than the first and their reliability looked promising as well.
Ferrari articles archive
Video: F1 testing at Bahrain (part 4)
Posted onFerrari looked very quick in testing at Bahrain International Circuit last week. Here’s some video from the test and an interview with a very happy-looking Kimi Raikkonen. But it didn’t all go well for the team – there’s some footage of Felipe Massa pulling to a halt with apparent technical problems. Toyota, who were also … Continue reading Video: F1 testing at Bahrain (part 4)
F1 news review: McLaren pulled back into spy row
Posted onTop McLaren personnel Ron Dennis, Martin Whitmarsh, Paddy Lowe and Mike Coughlan (who is still ‘suspended’ rather than ‘fired’) are among those to face questioning from Italian magistrates conducting their own investigation into the spying case. Plus further developments in the Lewis Hamilton racism row, interviews with past F1 greats Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney, … Continue reading F1 news review: McLaren pulled back into spy row
2008 F1 testing round-up 6: Bahrain
Posted onFerrari and Toyota left the other F1 teams behind by testing in Bahrain this week – perhaps McLaren wished they’d followed them after the events at the Circuit de Catalunya? It may prove an advantage for them as the other teams are not likely to test at Bahrain before its Grand Prix, but Ferrari and … Continue reading 2008 F1 testing round-up 6: Bahrain
Kimi Raikkonen shows Ferrari speed at Bahrain
Posted onShortly before the start of the 2004 season, Michael Schumacher and Ferrari tested the new Bridgestone tyres at Imola and suddenly found they were whole seconds quicker than the opposition. Kimi Raikkonen’s highly competitive lap times at Bahrain today may have reminded Ferrari’s rivals of that moment. But with only Toyota testing alongside them it’s … Continue reading Kimi Raikkonen shows Ferrari speed at Bahrain
The Massa delusion
Posted onFirst Kimi Raikkonen’s manager, now Felipe Massa is claiming unreliability has cost him a world championship: I think my countrymen understand that I would have been the 2007 World Champion if my car had been more reliable. Let’s get the calculators out and do some sums…
Max Mosley can’t stop talking about spygate
Posted onI enjoyed American political drama “The West Wing” very much before it was cancelled two years ago. I thought of it today, and how the president’s communications experts in the series would earnestly debate the implications of anything he said in public, when I read a new quote from Max Mosley. The same care and … Continue reading Max Mosley can’t stop talking about spygate
A close look at McLaren’s standard ECU
Posted onAt the Autosport International show last weekend I came across the stand for McLaren Electronic Systems – the company which won the bid to provide the standard engine control unit to Formula 1 teams for 2008. Although the deal attracted little attention when it was announced in 2006 it has become a bone of contention, … Continue reading A close look at McLaren’s standard ECU
F1 news review: Lewis Hamilton’s ?é?ú70m deal
Posted onIn the F1 news this week speculation over the value of Lewis Hamilton’s new McLaren contract, while Ferrari suggest the Briton will struggle without traction control this year. There’s also intrigue over the futures of two of the sport’s top team bosses – Jean Todt at Ferrari and Ron Dennis at McLaren. Read on for … Continue reading F1 news review: Lewis Hamilton’s ?é?ú70m deal
Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa disagree on traction control
Posted onWhen I read Kimi Raikkonen’s response at the 2008 Ferrari launch on Sunday to a question about whether banning traction control will make F1 less safe I was delighted to see he’d offered an opinion about it. And when I realised what he said went completely against team mate Felipe Massa’s feelings I was even … Continue reading Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa disagree on traction control
Ferrari reveal their 2008 F1 car: the F2008
Posted onThe wraps have come off Ferrari’s new car for the 2008 season – the machine in which Kimi Raikkonen will defend his drivers’ championship crown. It’s good to see they’re retained the darker red they started using part-way through the 2007 season. I much prefer it to the bright red they used before then. Compare … Continue reading Ferrari reveal their 2008 F1 car: the F2008
When did Ron Dennis say this?
Posted onRemembers this quote from McLaren’s Ron Dennis?: Did they have team uniform on? Then they were hardly spying, were they? I thought that if you are out of uniform then you are a spy but when you are in uniform you are ‘gathering intelligence!’ We are doing nothing that everybody else doesn’t do, except that … Continue reading When did Ron Dennis say this?
FIA end McLaren investigation and publish Renault report
Posted onThe FIA has formally ended its investigation into McLaren’s use of Ferrari intellectual property by cancelling the meeting of the World Motor Sports Council planned for February 14th. However the fall-out from the McLaren and Renault hearings continues. The sport’s governing body also published the full transcripts from the December 6th hearing on whether Renault … Continue reading FIA end McLaren investigation and publish Renault report
Mosley proposes halt to McLaren spy investigation
Posted onMax Mosley has proposed that the proceedings regarding McLaren’s possession of Ferrari intellectual property be brought to a close following McLaren’s public apology earlier today. This comes following the publication of the FIA’s technical report which casts new light on how McLaren engineers were planning to use the material obtained from Ferrari’s Nigel Stepney by … Continue reading Mosley proposes halt to McLaren spy investigation
McLaren apologises over Ferrari spy scandal
Posted onMcLaren has taken the surprising step of issuing an apology over the spy scandal for which it was thrown out of the 2007 constructors’ championship. In a statement on its website the team said: It has become clear that Ferrari information was more widely disseminated within McLaren than was previously communicated. McLaren greatly regrets that … Continue reading McLaren apologises over Ferrari spy scandal
‘McLaren witch hunt’ discussed at second spy hearing
Posted onI’m still trying to get everything that happened in F1’s two spying scandals straight in my head at the moment. While doing some work on it tonight I came across a passage that give further insight into Max Mosley’s thinking on the FIA’s pursuit of the Sunday Times and Martin Brundle over the ‘witch hunt’ … Continue reading ‘McLaren witch hunt’ discussed at second spy hearing
Renault confirm Alonso and Piquet Jnr for 2008
2008 F1 season
Posted onRenault has confirmed its driver line-up for the 2008 season with Fernando Alonso making a widely-anticipated return to the team.
Mosley on McLaren, F1 engines, customer chassis and more
Posted onAmong the myriad development that have come from the FIA recently a detailed interview with Max Mosley gives some interesting new insights into the McLaren-Ferrari spying scandal, future F1 regulations, customer cars and more. The interview was published in The Paddock, a recent addition to the world of F1 publications which has just published its … Continue reading Mosley on McLaren, F1 engines, customer chassis and more
Montezemolo & Theissen disagree on McLaren’s exclusion
Posted onMcLaren’s exclusion from the constructors’ championship was a just punishment according to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo – but BMW team principal Mario Theissen doesn’t think his team really were second in 2007. McLaren could have been world champions this year had they not had all their points confiscated after being found guilty of bringing … Continue reading Montezemolo & Theissen disagree on McLaren’s exclusion
Best gifts for F1 fans: Toys (4/5)
Posted onWhether you’re buying an F1 gift for a younger member of the family, or you’re just a child at heart, here are some suggestions for great present ideas. This series has already covered F1 videos and DVDs, biographies, F1 annuals and other books.